Leaves

I love playing and getting inky ... so while my lovely hubby gave the girls their dippy eggs (ewwww!!) I got inky ...

I used the ghosting technique for this card, making my card blank from glossy photo paper.  The leaves, from Waltzing Mouse Stamp's Frame it set, are stamped in versamark.  I made a mask using my deckled rectangle nesties and distressed over the leaves using wild honey, gathered sticks and walnut stain.  I added some hemp twine, tied through a wooden button, and cut a leaf stamped in cocoa ink.

 For this card, I used the same mask as the first card, but used an ordinary card blank.  I distressed the mask using the same inks, and then stamped the leaf in walnut stain and rusty hinge DIs.  Again a wooden button with hemp threaded through.  The leaves are stamped in walnut stain and rusty hinge and a little of the cut off hemp has been added to create a tag.

Challenges:
Less is More - leaves
Just us Girls- ghosting technique
Waltzing mouse Sketches - sketch

Butterflies

I made my auntie's birthday card last night, she doesn't do fussy, but loves butterflies!!!  The butterflies are punched using a TH movers and shakers die and a Martha Stewart punch, and the cardstock is a mix of SU and from my stash.  I embossed the lower half of the cardstock and then added the ickle butterflies.  Just some flat backed pearls to embellish.

Challenges:
Fab n Funky - all white on the night
Color throwdown - pale pink, real red, limeade and pool party
DutchDare Card challenge - punch time
Crafts and Me - birthday
Fabulous Friday - embossing
Do you stack up - inspiration by a song
CES - Entertain us

The song that inspired me is one the girls are constantly singing, thanks to hymn practise at school ... if I were a butterfly. ...

If I were a butterfly
I'd thank you Lord for giving me wings
If I were a robin in a tree
I'd thank you Lord that I could sing
If I were a fish in the sea
I'd wiggle my tail and I'd giggle with glee
But I just thank you Father for making me, me

CHORUS     
For you gave me a heart and you gave me a smile
You gave me Jesus and you made me your child
And I just thank you Father for making me, me

And so on ... Its not a bad song I am sure, must have a nice tune ... wish the girls could sing it in tune ... oh and know all the words!!!

I love Fridays, partly as it is the last working day of the week, but mainly as it is time for the Totally Papercraft Challenge, and the DT are all amazing people, with a wicked sense of humour!!!!!  Anyway this week's challenge is Victorian.

 I made a tag using GCD papers and a bauble from Waltzing mouse's Holiday Ornaments set.  I stamped it in Cherry cobbler ink and then took my quickie glue pen and 'coloured in' the no-inked parts of the bauble and added gold glamour dust.  Everything has been distressed to give it that vintagey feel, and these dp are very Victorian in their style.  I just need to make the card for it to go on!!!

Traditional Nordic Winter

Whilst Christmas seems to be rushing upon me ... this week is already dragging!!  Can't believe it is only Tuesday .. .feels like it should be Thursday LOL!!

But I have knocked another Christmas card on the head ...

 I stamped the nordic pattern onto Kraft paper using Cherry Cobbler and Garden Green SU ink, using Nordic Winter from Waltzing Mouse Stamps.  The reindeer and bauble is stamped up using the same set and Holiday Ornaments. I stritched round all the panels and then added a couple of layered flowers, with brads at their centres and 3 gems to the bauble.

A bit of frippery!!

I use Waltzing mouse Steamps Victorian Frippery set for this card, and SU cardstock and ink (2011/12 colour set).  I stamped the border at the top and bottom of the white cardstock, and then the circle. The circle is matted onto teal cardstock and put on 3d pads.  I added some ribbon, and a knot and some button from my stash.  Finally I stamped the merci sentiment from the same stamp set, and matted that up too.

Challenges:
My Mum's Craft shop - thank you
Simon Says Stamp - buttons
Do You Stack up - teal
Dutchdare Card Challenge - give thanks
Paperplay- button up

Autumn leaves

I LOVE autumn, with its rich colours and crisp frosty mornings ... and I LOVE TH's limited edition autumn DIs!!!  I created the background using orange and brown tone DIs and dauber sponges.  The circle is one from Waltzing Mouse Stamps and I stamped that in sepia.  I stained the chipboard leaf and vein using DIs and finally added some brown gingham (can't have enough gingham LOL!)


Challenges:
Creative Stamp friends - orange and brown
Cupcake Craft challenge -  take a leaf out of my book
Craft your Days away - autumn/fall
Pink elephant - distressing
1 stop Craft - no sentiment
Clean and Simple Stamping - sketch

A couple of Christmas cards

I really need to get a move on with my Christmas cards, so I have been having a play to find some quick and easy makes ...

 I love the latest Christmas stamps from Waltzing Mouse Stamps, especially the baubles and Nordic Winter sets.  I stamped the bauble in cherry cobbler ink and the masked and stamped the pink detail from the Nordic Winter set.  I used the square frame from WMS Frame it set to frame the bauble and added the sentiment from the Frame it set.  Finally I doodled a hanging loop.  The dp is BG Eskimo Kisses and I added some white seam binding, tied a knot and added a pink button.

Challenges:
Waltzing Mouse Stamps - sketch
Stamptacular Sunday - borders and frames
Just Add Ink - blushing bride, cherry cobbler, neutral
Come and get it - anything goes

IMy 2nd play involved some Marianne Creatible dies I bought a couple of months ago and haven't used yet!  I cut the branch out of TH Coredinations paper and sanded it to age it a little.  I covered a scrap of cardstock in red and gold decopatch paper and then cut out the star bauble.  I added a bow to secure the bauble to the branch.  The dp is Nitwits and I used olive and crumb cake cardstock.  Finally a few teeny pearls to finish.

Challenges:
Less is More - Stars
CAS-ual Friday - sketch
One Stop Craft - no sentiment

Nordic winter meets a big bauble!

I have found a little playing time, and am a happy girl as I have inky fingers!!

I used my latest stamp sets from Waltzing mouse Stamps, Nordic Winter and Holiday Ornaments.  I inked them up using SU Not quite Navy and then added some ribbon.  I used my edgibilities to create the fancy border, and added some ribbon to the card.  Not sure it really needs a sentiment ... maybe a bit of sparkle ... will think about that one!

Challenges:
Pink Elephant - sketch
Creative Craft - fancy Edges

Baubles

I have been dying (haha!!) to play with these Waltzing mouse Stamps since they landed on my doormat the other day, but work and children got in the way!!  However I have had a play this afternoon.

I inked the baubles up in Cranberry ink and then cut them out using my bauble nesties.  The edges if the cardstock has been distressed and I added gold embossing powder to the cream cardstock and heat embossed it.  I stamped the sentiment from the sme stamp set and cut and mat it using my nestie tags.  Green organza ribbon and fancy braid for the baubles finish it off.  The baubles are popped up using foam pads.


Challenges:
Waltzing Mouse Sketch - sketch
Colour Create - burgundy, gold, green and cream
Charisma Cardz - embossing
Fab n Funky - distressed or torn

Cathy

Circles

 The polka dot circles are created using the inverted polka dots from the Of Beat patterns set from Waltzing Mouse Stamps.  I cut and layered them using my nesties.  I cut the off square again with my nesties.  I stamped this Hero Arts collage stamp onto the card blank and then placed thae cardstock over the top.  Finally I added some polka dot ribbon and tied a knot.