Party on, puffin!

This week's challenge from the Daring Cardmakers is "You can leave your hat on" and they want to see any sort of headgear making an appearance on our cards.

My first plan was elegant water colouring of a vintage image - that one ended up in the circular file! Scouting around my desk for other ideas, I found this party puffin already stamped and cut out so I picked him up and played - colouring with Copics and using a black and white background to make the colours look even more vivid.

I did end up stamping again so I could cut out an extra crown and layer it up on a bit of gel glue so it has some more dimension. The puffin is also raised just a wee bit off the card surface.

Stamps:
Party Puffin by Crafty Individuals
Numbers background by Kaisercraft
19th Century French Script by Hero Arts (the post cancellation mark)
Essential Messages by Hero Arts

Ink: Brilliance Graphite Black by Tsukineko

Other:
Copic markers
Black Enamel Accents by Ranger
Clear Wink of Stella pen
Pinflair glue gel
Corner Chomper

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DCM Take Three

Like Kathy who has set this week's DCM challenge, I don't really do New Year resolutions but I'm joining her on the "try harder" with a few things and one of them is challenges. I used to play regularly with quite a few but have fallen out of the habit. I enjoyed playing along so this year I'm going to try harder, starting with DCM!

The first challenge each month this year is to take at least three elements from a project chosen by one of the DCM designers and to incorporate those into a project of your own. Here's the current challenge.

I chose the hearts (both primitive and more traditional shapes), the green and red elements of the colour scheme, the little crackle pattern that appears on some areas of the sample and, as a bonus fourth element, the style of the sentiment.

As the sample is quite layered and combines lots of elements and colour, I thought it would be nice to try using a CAS style by way of contrast.

The teeny tiny hearts are die cut from a Coke can and they have a really nice "puffy" quality.

Supplies:
Primitive Hearts Bigz die by Sizzix
Confetti die by Mama Elephant
Crackle Glaze background stamp by Indigo Blu
Sentiment from Everyday Essentials stamps by Cornish Heritage Farms (retired)
Fired Brick and Shabby Shutter Distress inks
Brilliance Graphite Black ink
DecoArt Triple Thick gloss glaze
Spellbinder Square die

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Starting a new year

Happy New Year to all - I hope 2015 is kind to you.

The end of 2014 was not kind for my neighbour - her mum died just before Christmas so I broke off the festive creating to whip up a quick sympathy card.

I chose soft colours and a light, airy feel with lots of white space, simple layering and elements that break over the edges so there's a sense of movement. Chocolate brown ink is just that bit softer than black and perfect for the sentiment on this kind of card.

I always find sympathy cards hard and I almost wish I'd left the butterfly off this but it seemed to fit her mum's character somehow so it stayed.

Stamps: 
Simple Sprig and Big Day Today (Waltzingmouse Stamps) 

Ink: 
Brilliance Pearlescent Chocolate 
Distress Bundled Sage and Spun Sugar

Other: 
Memory Box Cheviot Butterfly die 
Tracing Wheel 

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