Monday 29 April 2013

Black Rose

I first discovered Sweet Pea Stamps' gorgeous images after seeing a card online that someone had made using a beautiful Ching Chou Kuik stamp. Since discovering Sweet Pea Stamps, I've fallen in love with their incredible range of images from lots of amazingly talented artists, but the artwork of Ching Chou Kuik in particular will always hold a special place in my heart. :)

This week I am working with her beautiful Blue Rose Tattoo image.
 
 
For something a little different from the original artwork, I decided to go for a monochrome colour scheme colouring everything but the skin tones in shades of black and grey and adding a very pale peach background:
 
 
I found some gorgeous papers from a First Edition paper stack that were a perfect match for the colours I'd used...  it's hard to show in a photograph but the peach patterned paper is actually slightly embossed and glossy... it's gorgeous in real life! :)

 
 I also added a bit of detail to the black patterned paper by using a filigree butterfly punch:
 
 
And I then added vintage lace, flowers and some square gemstones to finish things off.
 
 
You can buy this stamp in either red rubber or digi format from the Sweet Pea Stamps store.

Sunday 28 April 2013

For a Mum/Mom

Two countries separated by a common tongue.
 
I love that saying. I also love languages and words and the differences between US and UK English always intruigue and amuse me. Especially where one word can have *completely* different meanings in different countries.... for example, men don't often wear suspenders in the UK (or at least, not that they'd admit to! :lol:).
 
Anyhow, whether you speak UK or US English, and say mum or mom, this week's challenge at One Stitch At A Time is all about mothers.
 
For my card, I've used this absolutely adorable little dragon stamp - called Dragonette - by Barb Jensen, one of my favourite Stitchy Bear creators.
 
 
I coloured the stamp with my Promarkers in pretty pastel colours and cut it out with a Nestabilities die:
 
 
I played around with border punches to make some decorative edges on my card and I used some pretty papers (freebies again!) in blue and pink pastel colours.
 
 
I also trimmed back the front section of the card and used the papers - and a coordinating sentiment tag - to decorate the inside of the card too:
 
 
I finished things off with a length of ribbon...
 
 
...and some gemstones:
 
 
You don't have to use a Stitchy Bear product to enter the OSAAT challenge but if you do you will be entered into the draw to win our main prize of a $9 gift voucher to spend in the newly-revamped Stitchy Bear Digi Outlet. Entries not using a Stitchy Bear product will have the chance to win a $3 gift voucher.
 
I'm entering this card into the following challenges:
 

Saturday 27 April 2013

Paint My World... Pastels. :)

One thing I love about the gorgeous images from Sweet Pea Stamps is looking through the store and seeing the amazing original artworks that the stamps are drawn from... and then seeing how incredibly different the stamp images can look when they are coloured in.
 
For example, head on over to the Sweet Pea Stamps store and take a look at the original artwork for Anna Marine's gorgeous Paint My World Black... and then see how different it looks coloured in pastels:
 
 
Isn't she just gorgeous? I love the dark, gothicy colours of the original artwork but I also think she looks just beautiful in pale colours. :) For this card I coloured the image with my Promarkers and cut it out with a pretty decorative die from Spellbinders:
 
 
I decided to step away from my usual square cards and make a gatefold card so I created the base card from white cardstock and decorated it with pretty floral papers that were free with a magazine.
 
 
I also scored the edges of the front of the card with my Simply Scored board from Stampin' Up, to give a litte extra detail, and I also decorated the inside of the card with more of the pretty floral papers.
 
 
To finish, I wrapped a few lengths of baker's twine around the card, before attaching the image with foam tape over the top, so that it can be tied closed, and added a punched-out butterfly and some tiny gems.

This beautiful stamp is available in both red rubber and digi format from the Sweet Pea Stamps store.
 

Thursday 25 April 2013

Sweet Pea Anniversary Sale!!

Today marks the day, exactly 4 years ago, when Sweet Pea Stamps started selling their gorgeous high quality red rubber stamps (now also available in digi format!) by incredibly talented artists such as Ching-Chou Kuik, Rachel Anderson, Rebecca Sinz et al.
 
To celebrate, Sweet Pea Stamps are offering to two great special offers:
 
TODAY ONLY : All orders over $10 (rubber stamp orders only) will receive a free 3 piece grab bag of red rubber stamps in their order;
 
PLUS
 
Everyone who places an order, for rubber or digi stamps, before the end of Friday 26 April, will be entered into a draw to win one of the following:

1st prize - One winner will receive $25 gift card to the Sweet Pea Stamps store
Runners Up - Two winners will receive a $10 gift card to the Sweet Pea Stamps store.
 
Winners will be posted on the Sweet Pea Stamps blog and will also be notified personally.

Beat the Christmas Rush - April

The 25th is upon us again, which means it's time for Creative Craft World's linky party plan to get a head start on your Christmas card making - Beat the Christmas Rush! :)
 
If you're new to the idea, it's very simple... each month make 1-5 Christmas cards, post them to your blog and link your entry at the CCW blog before the 25th of the month. It's a lot of fun seeing everyone else's creations and by the time we get to November you'll have a stash of cards ready to go - and may even by lucky enough to pick yourself up a prize along the way. :)
 
For my card this month I went with a fairly Clean and Simple design:
 
 
The starting point for this card was these insanely cute little wooden robot cut-outs that I got recently at Hobbycraft (it was one of those impulse purchases where you have no idea what you're actually going to *do* with them, they're just so cute that you've got to have them! :D).
 
 
I thought they'd look cute on a plain white card so I coloured them with my Promarkers in christmassy colours... and then I suddenly remembered that I have an old Dymo machine that would be perfect for the greeting! After a bit of digging around in the craft room, I found it and it even had red tape in it - perfect! :)
 
 
I ripped a bit of red card and a strip of punchinella and layered them onto my card blank for attaching the robots over the top. I stuck down my Dymo sentiment strip and finished things off with a couple of little gemstones.
 
 
And now onto my choice of my favourite card(s) from last month's BtCR entries.
 
We had some great entries this month but my favourite was this adorable card by Tracey Boley:
 
 
I love the pretty beige and purple colour scheme, the cute image with touches of glitter, and the asymetrical ribbon. Overall, a very striking, but cute, card. :) You can read more about how Tracey made this card at her blog.
 
I'm finding myself really enjoying BtCR as the months go on... it's a nice feeling to actually be ahead of myself a bit for once and to think that I won't be rushing around making Christms cards at the last minute this year! :lol:
 
I'm going to enter my card into the following challenges:
 
 
 
 

Wednesday 24 April 2013

WOYWW 203

Arrrgghhh! I admit defeat! The mess has won! :lol:
 
 
Attempts to maintain a tidy desk have utterly failed. I've just been sooo busy trying to get as ahead as possible on my DT commitments before heading off on hols on Friday that I've not had time to tidy up between creations. The working area has just about disappeared and the "storage" area in front of the Cameo is all but buried under scraps and bits and stamp sets awaiting cleaning and putting away:
 
 
The good news however is that I'm about done now - after making a grand total of 3 cards today alone! :) Now I just have to schedule a few posts and draw a few digi stamps to work on while I'm away, plus tidy the house and wash clothes and pack everything the kids and I are going to need and aaaarrrgghhhh! :lol:
 
So I won't be WOYWWing next week as I may not have much internet access (and anyway will probably be out and about with the kiddies) and also I won't be anywhere near my desk to photograph it! :D
 
So I hope you have a great WOYWW not only today but also next week and I'll see you again on the crafting world's biggest blog hop in May! :D



Sunday 21 April 2013

Use a Digi

One of my favourite challenges from One Stitch At A Time this week... the ever-popular Use a Digi. Digi stamps and products are so much fun to use and I love the instant gratification of being able to see a pretty stamp online, buy it, and download it and use it straight away. :)
 
There are lots and lots and lots of great digi stamps available at Stitchy Bear Digi Outlet - including some of my very own designs! :)
 
You don't have to use a Stitchy Bear product to enter the challenge but if you do, you'll be in with a chance of winning our main prize this week - a whole bunch of fabulous digi stamps and papers from the Stitchy Bear Digi Outlet!
 
For my card this week I used this pretty Birdhouse Swirl digi stamp by Ginger Loft:
 
 
I coloured it with my Promarkers and used a Flexmarker for the background, using pretty spring-like colours:
 
 
I teamed the image with pretty flowery papers and added some vintage lace and some pearls...
 
 
...and also some gorgeous little dragonfly brads that I picked up recently and that are just the perfect colours for these papers! :)
 
 
You have until Saturday to create your Use a Digi project and enter the challenge - good luck! :)

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:
Allsorts - A Passion for Flowers
Crafty Calendar - Sunshine and Showers
So Artful - Spring Colors - Green/Pink/Blue
Catch The Bug - Bingo (pastel colours/pearl/designer paper)
Broken Box Stock - Florals
Dilly Beans - Flowers
Wags n Whiskers - May Flowers
Milkcoffee - Welcome Spring
My Heart Pieces - Spring or Easter
Shelley's Images - April Showers Bring May Flowers


Friday 19 April 2013

Congratulations to Susi and Jon

By the time this post goes live, I will be at a swanky hotel in the Cotswolds, celebrating the marriage of our friends Susi and Jon. :)
 
Naturally, I've made them a little card to congratulate them on the happy occasion:
 
 
I used Whisper White, River Rock and Very Vanilla cardstock and took inspiration from this gorgeous card that I came across on Pinterest. I used the Manhattan Flower embossing folder and a piece of vintage lace and, as I don't have the Beautiful Butterflies die used in the source card, I cut butterfly shapes on my Cameo before stamping them with the floral stamp from the Fresh Vintage set and heat embossing with white embossing powder. Such a lovely idea that I had to try out! :)
 
 
Hope you're all looking forward to a nice weekend... I'm very much looking forward to not having to get the kids up tomorrow morning! Tee hee! :D
 

Wednesday 17 April 2013

WOYWW 202

There's not a great deal to see on my workdesk this Wednesday. Which is not to say that nothing has been happening.. on the contrary, I've been crafting like crazy! :lol: But it's all DT stuff so nothing I can share just yet.
 
 
The reason for all the busy-busy is that we are off to sunny (hopefully!) Dorset for a week at the end of the month so I am frantically trying to get as ahead as possible on my DT commitments before then. I don't want to let people down or to come back from my little holiday and have to rush to make cards for looming deadlines.
 
Of course, the crafting frenzy has also meant that the attempt to keep the desk tidy (or at least, tidier) is slipping somewhat... I haven't really had chance to tidy up and clear away between creations so all the scraps and tools and the like are building up again and the workable area is rapidly shrinking! :lol:
 
I've also been doing some creating away from the desk... I've been drawing a few more digi stamp designs and working on creating the digital images for them. Just scanned in a couple more completed drawings and will be starting work tomorrow on creating the image files.
 
It's all go around here! And I'm now going myself... off to bed! :D
 
Thanks for stopping by. Hope you have a great WOYWW.

Monday 15 April 2013

Under Her Wings

It's Variations Week again at Sweet Pea Stamps... always a favourite of mine because I love seeing all the very different projects everyone creates from the same starting point. This time around the DT are all playing with this adorable image "Under Her Wings" by Concetta Kilmer:


I decided to do something a bit different from my usual square cards and make a stepper card:


And can I just say at this point how much I love my Cameo? :) Whereas usually for more complicated folded cards I would be fiffing and faffing with a ruler and pencil and craft knife, measuring and cutting and scoring, for this card I simply opened up a pre-bought template in my Silhouette Studio and sent it to the Cameo to cut - et voila! :D The template even included shapes to cut the paper panels too.

I coloured the image in soft pastel colours using my Promarkers and chose pretty papers to match.


And then finished things off with a punched border and some pretty pearls.


And that was my pretty pastel stepper card. :) You can find this image in either red rubber or digi format in the Sweet Pea Stamps store.

Sunday 14 April 2013

Happy birthday GAM

GAM - otherwise known as Great Aunt Marion - turned an impressive 83 years old this weekend.
 
So, I dug out my Stampin' Up! goodies (some old, some new) and made her a pretty card. :)
 
 
I used Wisteria Wonder and Pool Party (from the 2011-2013 In Color collection - I shall be sad to see these go in September!) for my colour scheme, double-matting my cardstock panels for extra colour and definition:
 
 
I also added some texture and dimension with some both dry and heat embossing... I used my Simply Scored board with the Borders Scoring Plate to dry emboss some detail onto my Whisper White cardstock panel and I stamped a panel of Wisteria Wonder cardstock with  the Bella Toile background stamp (now sadly discontinued) using Wisteria Wonder ink and heat embossed it with clear embossing powder. I stamped flourishes from the Style Beautiful and SAB Bliss stamp sets and fussy cut around them, layering them up with a greeting stamped from the Itty Bitty Banners stamp set (and cut out with the coordinating die).
 
 
I added some ruffled Pool Party seam binding ribbon and some butterflies stamped with the SAB Bliss set and punched out with the Elegant Butterfly punch and finished things off with some Rhinestone Jewels.
 
 
A vintagey but still quite clean and fresh result. Hope GAM likes it! :)
 
 
 
 

Brighten Up Your Day

The new challenge theme at One Stitch at a Time is one that's guaranteed to lift your spirits - Bright! :)
 
I love how bright and cheerful colours can make us feel bright and cheerful too. And we've certainly needed some cheery colour so far this spring, haven't we? It's only in the last few days that we've started to have any days that have felt remotely spring-like.
 
For my card this week I've used lovely bright Promarker colours on this pretty Easter Bouquet image by Stitchy:
 
 
I know it's a little late for an Easter card but hey, I loved this image and it seemed to call out for nice bright colours. I'll save it to give to someone next year. :)
 
 
I used a Spellbinders die to cut out the image and left the die in place as a mask while I sponged some Distress Ink around the edges.
 
 
I used lovely bright papers (cut from a 12x12 pad) and cut out the glittery eggs from the paper to use as a border.
 
The challenge runs for a week and you don't need to use a Stitchy Bear image to enter - but if you do you'll be entered into the draw to win our main prize. Entries not using a Stitchy Bear image have the chance to win a $3 gift voucher for the Stitchy Bear Digi Outlet. :)

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:
Catered Crop - Just Add Glitter
Challenges 4 Everybody - Everything Goes
Creative Inspirations Paint - Spring Colours
Kenny's Krafty Krew - Dies and Punches
Opus Gluei - All Bright or All Pastel Colours
Scrappy Frogs - Think Spring
Paper Creators Crafts - All About Spots
Simply Create Too - Use Your Stash (used papers that I've had for aaaaaaaages! :D)
 

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