Bird on Windowsill

House of Cards - Photo Inspiration + Any Style
I chose to go with the "Classic & Elegant" style for this card.
In the past I've struggled making cards for photo inspiration challenges. But I do love a challenge, and why should it be any different than getting inspiration from sketches and CASEs, right? I think my main trouble is to make up my mind and decide what to pull inspiration from! But with this week's photo over at House of Cards, I didn't have any trouble at all - I loved the colors, the design of the wallpaper, the flowers and the curtains. I also got a lot of help from other inspirational sources:
Kaboodle Doodles - Ink or Paint
For the background I covered a piece of kraft paper with white gesso. Once dry I used a brick wall embossing folder and slightly inked the bricks with Tea Dye DI.
Craft Room Challenge - Heat Embossing, Songbird - #25 Favorite Things and Sentimental Sundays - #165 Anything with Wings
I love heat embossing! I wanted to take up the metallic details of the wallpaper on the photo and chose to use my Platinum UTEE. I like how it can cover large spaces and give the elements a metallic feel. I also have grown quite fond of my Sizzix rounded tag dies, and this time I've used them to make a window.
I wanted to add a bird to the windowsill. I chose to stamp it with black ink on a piece of scrap and added clear embossing powder to it. I like the glossy finish it gives, so I used a pine colored ink to stamp the leaves  and gave it the same treatment with clear embossing powder. I hadn't planned to add a sentiment on the front, but I do like these ticket sentiments of kraft.
Totally Papercrafts - #177 Use Lace
I wasn't quite sure what to do with the empty space behind the window, so I picked up inspiration from the photo as well as the Totally Papercrafts challenge theme  and decided to add curtains of lace.
And finally I'd like to enter this card into Make it Monday - Anything Goes.
I love this blog as it is where I got my first followers and so many encouraging comments when I first started card making and blogging. The ladies over at MIM encourage people to leave some love visiting others blogs, and they even pick the winner of the prize amongst those who've left comments. I really like the ideology of their blog.
I also added three flowers. The two orange ones were white, but they 've been sprayed with Tattered Angels Peach Glimmer Mist.
And that makes 7 challenge blogs in total, and 6 inspirational sources for my card.

Glitter and Gold

So this is my take on the Inkspirational sketch. I really need to get some more Christmas cards made. December always goes by too quickly, so I want to try and have most of my cards and gift tags ready by November.
This image is a digi from Eureka stamps. I colored it with Promarkers in bold Christmas colors, using reds, greens, blues, gold and metallic gold.
I decorated the image with gold liquid pearls, using a Pearl Maker from Waco, and Xmas red Stickles.
For the background I've used gold mirri card. I used a Cuttlebug embossing folder and cut out a piece with a dies from the Sizzix rounded tags set. I used a freebie paper from Forever Friends to make the starry night sky.
For the panel with my sentiment I used a scrap of red paper with pearlescent shimmer, and I heat embossed the sentiment with glittery gold embossing powder. The stamp was part of a set that came free with a magazine.


This card is for these challenges:
1) Inkspirational - #30 Sketch
2) Eureka Stamps - Anything Goes
3) Stamp and Create - Christmas in July
4) Pattie's Creations - #72 Recipe (Pearls+Glitter+Sentiment)
5) Crafting for all Seasons - #57 Christmas in July
6) Tammy's Scrappin Corner - Use a Digi
7) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

A glass too much....

This image and sentiment live over at From The Heart Digital Stamps. There are lots of fun challenges going on now that I find fitting for this image, and when I saw the sketch over at Here Come the Boys I decided on the design.
I used orange and yellow papers from my stash. They came free with some magazines quite some time ago. I love free papers as they contribute to me having quite a pile of different papers, with patterns and colors that I wouldn't necessarily shop for myself, and they really come in handy! I used a honeycomb stamp that I thought would work as chicken wire as well. I stamped it with Black Soot DI and embossed it with clear embossing powder, so it feels as chicken wire as well:) I had this one olive colored button and added it to my card to match the olives of the drinks. The chicken is colored using Promarkers. My brother-in-law has a great sense of humor, and I think this will be his birthday card this year...

This card is for these challenges:
1) Here Come the Boys - #57 Sketch
2) Come and Get It Challenges - Humorous Birthdays
3) Red Carpet Studio - #47 The Hangover
4) Chocolate, Coffee & Cards - #44 Animals
5) Digi Haven - Any Animal
6) MilkCoffee Challenge - Emboss it
7) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Little Darlings

This vintage baby card does not have any stamped or digi image. I wanted to use the paper from Graphic45's Little Darlings collection as the focal point. I slightly distressed the edges to enhance the vintage look of it.
I embossed the background paper with an embossing folder with spots.
I used a scrap from the same Graphic45 paper collection and placed it behind the white heat embossed sentiment.
For the sentiment I used a stamp from KaiserKraft, but I altered it as I needed the words to be beside each other.
The bow is made of  seam binding ribbon, and the doily has been given a layer of blue metallic rub on.
I stamped some words with red ink on kraft, using stamps from a set from Prima.

This card is for these challenges:
1) House of Cards - July Color Palette + Shabby & Vintage
2) Rhedd & Rosie's Challenge Blog - #11 Anything goes
3) Deep Ocean Challenge - #57 Blue
4) LEJ Designs - #63 Cute Cute Cute
5) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Christmas Frog

I bumped into this cute little Christmas frog over at From The Heart Digital Stamps and just couldn't resist it. I printed him straight away and colored him with Promarkers in several shades of green and yellow, and red for his hat. I added glitter to the fur trim and glossy accent to its eyes and heart. To be quite frank I've always found this Christmas DP - both front and back - rather ugly, but I think it works for this design. As for embellishments I was a bit stuck at first - I didn't think the traditional choices of poinsettias, snowflakes or Christmas trees would be right, and I wanted to make this card for a man, so I chose to add panels of gold Mirri card, stamped clouds (Craft Lounge) and die cut grass (Whiff of Joy). The sentiment (unknown) is stamped with black ink and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.

This card is for these challenges:
1) Cards For Men - Christmas in July
2) I love Promarkers - #178 Christmas in July
3) Crafty Boots - Animals
4) Southern Girls - Animal Antics
5) Digi Galore - One for the Boys
6) Sweet Stamps - #127 Christmas Greenery
7) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

My First Attempt of Collage Stamping

Collage stamping - what a fun technique! This is my first attempt and I'm already hooked! I like how several different stamps can be combined, coloring can be avoided, it's a great way to make your own background and keep to either a colorful or monochromatic look!
For this card I started with the postcard stamp from TPC Studio. I stamped the postcard with Walnut Distress Ink, after having removed some of the color by stamping onto a scrap paper. In retrospect I think I should have removed some more... Then I added the stamp with cogs and swirls from Vilda Stamps.  I used the same Walnut DI, but stamped directly onto my card. Then I masked the postcard and used a stamp with scripture from Panduro with Old Paper DI. The dressmaker is a stamp from Prima. I used Black Soot DI, added clear embossing powder and heat embossed it. I also used a 3 more TPC Studio stamps - a postmark in the top right corner, part of a stamp for the word "greeting" and the sentiment. For the sentiment I used Coffee Archival Ink.  So that makes 7 stamps all in all, from 4 different suppliers.
As for embellishments there aren't many - a little piece of Washi tape with script and a bow made with seam binding ribbon colored with Walnut DI. I distressed the edges of my stamped card and attached it to a panel of DP from Prima "Life Time Collection".

This card is for these challenges;
1) Come and Get It Challenges - Collage Challenge
2) One Stop Craft - #235 Make your own Background
3) Pattie's Creations - #71 Monochromatic
4) The Stamping Chef - Monochromatic or no coloring
5) Pile It On - #29 Thinking of You/Just Because
6) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Ruby Red and Earthly Colors

Inspired by summer and vacation time I chose to make this card with the Penny Black Venice stamp and lots of flowers. I colored the whole image with Promarkers. I used different shades of browns, burnt sienna and greys for the background, as well as blue colors for the windows and the water. I gave the woman a ruby red dress with yellow accessories.
I also used a postcard stamp from Prima to give the card a feel of travel and holiday, and I thought the "sending you birthday wishes" stamp from the Whimsy Stamps "Film Strip Sentiments" set would fit the theme as well.
I've got plenty of flowers, pearls and gems in my stash, so I picked some that I felt would coordinate nicely with the colors of the scene and the DP.  I've machine stitched around the edges of the card with white thread.

This card is for these challenges:
1) Crafting When We Can - #49 Floral
2) That Craft Place - It's a Girl Thing
3) Pollycraft Challenges - #3 Ruby Red
4) ABC Challenge - R for Roses are Red
5) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Flowers and Pearls

This is the first time I use acetate on a card, and I'm sure going to use it again - I like the possibilities it gives to combine the front and the inside of the card.

I cut out an oval with an X-cut die and used a sentiment from a Dylusions stamp set - I chose to stamp it on the Prima DP with honeycomb pattern that I attached to the inside of the card.

The front is decorated with lots of pearls and various die cuts using scraps. The butterfly die came free with a magazine, the flowers are made using a Memory Box die, and for the leaves and card base I've used Spellbinder dies.
I added a bit of Diamond Stickles to the center of the butterfly and the flowers.

This card is for these challenges:
1) House of Cards - July Color Palette + Classic & Elegant
2) Card Mania - Pearls and/or Gems
3) Lexi's Creations - For a Friend
4) Polkadoodles - #29 Let It Fly
5) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

CASE and Pastel Colors

This card I made with a some different challenges in mind.
One of the inspirational sources is the CASE card over at Inksrpirational: I used a large flower, a butterfly, pearls, a banner for the sentiment, a doily for the round shape and layered panels.
I also used some yellowish accents, with the flower, skeleton leaf and striped paper.
The DPs are from Prima. I layered them onto pink cardstock. I stitched around the edges with golden thread. The doily has a coat of pink metallic rub on. The frame is a chipboard sticker from BasicGrey. The hand cut banner has a heat embossed birthday greeting.

This card is for these challenges:
1) Inkspirational - #29 CASE
2)  Crafty Sentiments - Female Birthdays
3) Artistic Inspirations - Pastel Colors
4) BasicGrey - Flowers
5) Incy Wincy Designs - Things with Wings
6) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

No Ladybugs...

OK - the ladybug thing didn't quite work for me... Those ladybugs have been haunting me for half a week, and I know I didn't have to use ladybugs for the Inkspirational challenge, but I just couldn't get them out of my head...  I got completely stuck, I've made several cards since Wednesday, but I wasn't happy with how they turned out, so I made this card today, with a little help from Eclectic Ellapau's flower theme.
And yes, the background DP has a pink tint to it  - I'd like to call it "raspberry red". It has got spots, like the ladybugs. I made the sentiment the focal point of this card - it translates "wishing you a day filled with smiles and laughter". I  heat embossed the sentiment in white on black background and added a cardboard frame. The paper flowers came free with a magazine - I attached them to flowers of red organza and used brads from my stash. I've used a Basic Grey Chipboard leaf sticker, a Spellbinder die cut leaf, and a butterfly of wood - I HAD to add a bug of some sort after all! The card base is cut with Spellbinders dies Label 28.


I enter this card into these challenges:
1) Inkspirational - # Photo
2) Eclectic Ellapu - Flowers
3) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

CAS Card with Fussy Cut Umbrella

I won some digis from Bugaboo about a month ago, and the umbrella was one of my choices. This is the first time I use it, and I know I'm going to use it again - it was such a delight to color and I like the feminine look of it. I colored it using Promarkers in different shades of blue and red, and I added liquid pearls to the center of the flowers.
The birthday greeting I cut out from a DP that came with a magazine some year ago.
I fussy cut the image and mounted it and each panel on foam for dimension.
To keep a clean design I only added some light blue pearls for embellishment.

This card is for these challenges:
1) House of Cards - CAS
2) Catch The Bug - Anything Goes
3) Southern Girls - No Spoolin
4) Papertake Weekly - Old (birthday greeting and pearls) New (Image) Borrowed Or Blue (coloring and paper)
5) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

The Cutest Mouse in France...

I'm in the  mood for making shaped cards, and I've used my new Spellbinders die set - Labels 28 - for this card.

I love the WOJ images, and I just couldn't resist getting this french mouse... I colored the image with Promakers and placed it on top of a stamped postcard of kraft and a Spellbinders die cut Eiffel Tower, which I gave a metallic look by covering it with platinum embossing powder. I used Memory Box dies to make the clouds. I attached an Eiffel Tower metal charm to the twine.
I used bits and pieces of papers laying around for this card - it feels so great to get to use  some of those scraps!

This card is for these challenges:
1) Digi Galore - Holidays
2) Cards For Men - Bingo (die cut+digi image+twine)
3) Kaboodle Doodles - #179 Anything French
4) Creative Card Crew - #40 The Great Outdoors
5) Tammy's Scrappin Corner - Animals
6) Joanna Sheen Challenge - Don`t Be Square
7) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Girl with Paper Pieced Summer Dress

I often make cards with a specific occasion or person in mind, but not so with this one - I just made it because it was fun and because I wanted to make a card that works with my 22x11 cms envelopes!
The doll is made with a stamp from Prima. I gave her a paper pieced dress, jacket and shoes using a DP from Maja Design and red paper.
The sentiment is from a TPC Studio stamp set. I heat embossed the sentiment with brown embossing powder on kraft.
The background is stitched with red thread, and I added seam binding ribbon spayed with a turquoise mist- it turned out a really nice light blue color with shimmer. I've used a strawberry charm from Kort&Godt and some pearls.

This card is for these challenges:
1) House of Cards - Cute and Fun
2) That Craft Place Challenge Blog - Ribbons and/or lace
3) Fab 'n' Funky - #178 Anything but square
4) Creative Craft Challenges - #13 A Stitch In Time
5) Crafty Bloggers Network - Metal
6) Card and Scrap - Bruk blonder eller bånd
7) Desert Island Crafters - Itinerary 6,7,8,10
8) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Holiday in the City

I had so much fun making this card! The image I picked as one of my birthday presents - it's a cling stamp from Penny Black. The set of Spellbinder dies - Labels 28- was another one of my choices.

I stamped the image using Dusty Concord Distress Ink, it has a deep rich purple color. I stamped the image twice, cut out the woman an mounted her on foam for dimension. I used a lavender colored floral paper to make her dress and hat. I decorated her hat with Lavender Lace  Liquid Pearls and a white flower that I inked with the Dusty Concord Distress Ink. I gave her a crocodile leather purse.

For the sentiment I hand cut a banner using the same DP as for the background. It doesn't come out well in the picture, but it's a very light purple DP with a checkered pattern. The sentiment (which translates to congratulations or happy birthday in Norwegian) is heat embossed with purple embossing powder.



This card is for these challenges:
1) Inkspirational - #27 Color Inkspiration
2) Crafty Cardmakers - Holiday (City Break)
3) Crafting for all Seasons - #55 Girly
4) Paper Crafting Journey - Anything but a Square
5) ABC Challenges - Anything Goes
6) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Lace and Flowers for a Baby Boy

I've used the Cardabilities sketch as inspiration for the layout.
The image I cut out from a Graphic45 DP. I layered it onto a die cut frame and added 3 flowers and  die cut leaves (Spellbinder), then I attached this onto a Marianne die cut clock. I added lace and two hand cut banners and placed a heat embossed sentiment on one of them. The blue and white DP is from Marianne design. I distressed the edges with Old Paper Distress Ink and I machine stitched around the edges. I did the same thing with the swirl embossed grey background paper. I finished off my card by adding a card candy in each corner.

Today I will spend my day indoors, crafting and visiting your blogs as it seems like we're going to have nothing but a grey sky and some rain. This week I've visited my family, and I got my birthday presents - gift certificates and money for crafting goodies! So yesterday I spent half a day in a big crafting shop just outside Oslo, and I look forward to sitting down with all my new stuff!

I enter this card in these challenges:
1) Cardabilities - Sketch #78
2) Ooh La La Creations - Welcome Little One
3) Eclectic Ellapu - Time
4) Crafty Creations Challenges - #229 Babies
5) Crafting with Dragonflies - Vintage Card with Layers and Lace
6) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Pink Sentiment Only Card

This is my take on this week's Inkpirational sketch. I tried out layouts with images and different color schemes before I finally decided on a sentiment only card. I've added several layers of papers in different shades of pink mounted on kraft panels.
I've used a Spellbinder die to make the frame for the sentiment, and I added liquid pearls to it. I machine stitched around the edges of the bottom layer.
The sentiment is from Raindrop Echo Designs and the chipboard flower stickers are from Basic Grey

I enter this card in the following challenges:
1) Inkspirational - #26 Sketch
2) Lady Anne's Challenge - Monochrome
3) ABC Challenge - Quite a few
4) BasicGrey - #97 No Stamped image
5) Make it Monday - Anything Goes