Paper roses, paaa-per roses....

Sorry, since seeing Dawn’s challenge for Daring Cardmakers this week I’ve been singing the Osmonds in my head! The challenge is not limited to roses though, Dawn would like to see hand made paper flowers of any kind on our projects - you could use dies, punches, freehand shapes, roll them, sculpt them... just make a paper flower, however it takes your fancy!

I opted for a crepe paper number made with circles - alarmingly the first one I made was back in 2010 using this video tutorial. I ran a pale pink Copic marker round the petal edges for extra definition and then used various bits that were lying around on my desk (background, bird, clock) to make a sort of collage feel card. I didn’t include a sentiment so it’s an all-purpose card.

Stamps:
Bird from Spring Bird and foliage from Bird Paradise (Bloom Art Stamps)
Clock from Time To Stamp (Cornish Heritage Farms, no longer with us)

Paper:
Bamboo mixed media paper by Hannemuhl
Bristol board

Ink:
Versafine by Tsukineko (Onyx Black)
Memento Luxe by Tsukineko (Olive Grove)
Tim Holtx Distress ink by Ranger (Vintage Photo)
Adirondack dye ink by Ranger (Juniper reinker)

Other:
Black fine line marker
Pinflair glue gel

For the flower:
Heavyweight crepe paper 
Spellbinder circle dies (large and small used here - the two smallest dies from the large set and the "in between" one from the small set)
Copic marker
Elmers glue 
Glamour Dust Crystal glitter 
Velvet brad 

Thanks for stopping by, we’d love to see your flower creations if you have time to join us!

Waving goodbye

Svenja has set the challenge for us this week at Daring Cardmakers - she'd like us to take time to say goodbye (retirement, leaving a job, sympathy, flying the nest, bon voyage etc).

This is actually a card I made during my time on the Splitcoast Stampers Dirty Dozen but this week has gone a bit pear shaped in terms of making anything and I thought the idea of saying farewell as someone sets off on a trip fit the theme so I decided to share this one.

The background is a piece that had been in my scraps pile forever. I thought it made a nice vibrant backdrop for the boots - a bit like a weird landscape and stormy clouds!

I stamped the image on the panel and then again on a scrap of white card, cut it out and popped it up just slightly with some gel glue.

Stamps:
Combat Boots by Deep Red Stamps
Sentiment from Journey set by Crafty Secrets (no longer with us)

Paper:
Hot press watercolour
Smooth white

Ink:
Graphite Black Brilliance by Tsukineko
Tim Holtz Distress reinkers by Ranger (Spiced Marmalade, Dusty Concord)

Other:
Fine line black marker
Pinflair glue gel

Thanks for stopping by!

Talk to the bees

Enfys is setting the challenge for us at Daring Cardmakers this week and she'd like to see anything to do with bees.

There's so much wonderful folklore surrounding bees in many cultures around the world. They're really important pollinators and our food chain depends on them so the fact they're in danger should worry us all. Any chance to celebrate the bee is a welcome one in my book!

I needed an anniversary card and thought bees might be appropriate - they cooperate to build a thriving home and that's proably what we should all be striving for. I had a piece of background that's been lying on my desk since before Christmas that was made with red and orange toned inks and gold/copper Perfect Pearls. I added some Wild Honey in places for a warm glow and put a die cut piece over the top.

The little bees have just a touch of Copic colouring - they're stamped on the panel and then again on scrap card so I could cut out the wing and body section to stick over the top (meaning they can overlap edges and die cut holes but without having to think about legs and antennae).

Stamps:
Queen Bee (Crafty Secrets, no longer with us)
Sentiment from Putting on the Ritz (Waltzingmouse Stamps, no longer with us)

Paper:
Bristol board
Bamboo Mixed media paper by Hannemuhl

Ink:
 Brilliance by Tsukineko (Pearlescent Chocolate)
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Wild Honey and various reinkers for background)

Other:
Perfect Pearls by Ranger (Perfect Gold, Copper)
Copic markers
Mixed Media I dies by Tim Holtz/Sizzix
Square Nestabilities by Spellbinder
Spica glitter pen (clear)

Thanks for stopping by!