Yellow, Peach and Pink

I made this card in just over an hour's time today, a rare one for me! I had decided I wanted to use the color scheme from Color Throwdown, using Gelatos in shades I think ressembles the yellow, peach and pink og the image. The panel was first covered with gessol. After adding the colors and blending I added a new coat of gesso. The thing about this is that when I spray on water and rub off the excess I also remove some of the gesso and I do like the uneven color effect it gives. Then I ran the panel through an embossing folder and splattered a bit of clear shimmery mist for sparkle.
My unkinked Stamping Bella was colored with Promarkers, her dress is peach and I drew white gel pen flowers on it. I machine stitched around the edges, added three pearls and a die cut panel with a birthday greeting.

I was inspired by these challenges where I'll participate:
Color Throwdown - #403
Shopping Our Stash - #262 A Stitch In Time

Cardz 4 Galz - #27 No Patterned Paper

Walking in winter wonderland

I'm so behind on my Christmas cards this year, but today I've got one to share with you.
The image is a stamp from Crafty Individuals. I stamped with black ink on kraft and clear embossed it. I saw a video where someone used their gelatos to color, just adding a bit of water to the gelato and using a brush, so I tried that. I think the white came out really nicely. I distressed the edges and added gesso. White frantage for snow.
I mounted the panel onto a snow embossed background sent to me by Monika - thank you Monika - and to make it square I used 2 strips of Maja DP and lace bought on a trip abroad.
I used part of a stamp to make "merry" and a die for "Christmas". The lamp post is made with a Memory Box die. I covered the sentiment and lamp post die cuts with EP, and I used make snowpen on the lamps.

This card is for:
Fab 'n' Funky - #315 Christmas
Dream Valley Challenges - Christmas in July
Challenge Up Your Life - #46 Christmas in July
Christmas at Sweet Stampin' Challenge Blog
Rudolph Day - July 

Recycled library card with flowers

I've had my gelatos for close to a year, brushos maybe 6 months, but as usual with me new stuff needs to stay on my desk for a while before they get used. Once I did use them it didn't turn out looking like any of the gorgeous stuff others make. So leaving them, thinking, looking at blogs, videos, thinking a bit - THEN they're put to use again. And this time around I'm quite happy with the look.
I used an old library card sent to me by Mimi - thanks Mimi - and this is what I did with it: one layer of gesso, 3 shades of blue and purple gelatos, new coat of gesso, circle stencil from Tim Holtz and purple DI, a few splatters made with blue brusho. 3 stamps used on the background, using blue and black ink and gold EP.
Added 2 flowers made with a Prima stamp an gold EP, colored with blue brusho. Pearls, gold metal string and a gold embossed congratulations sentiment.
Mounted the library card onto a paper with engraved floral pattern with a kind of mother of pearl shine.

This card is for:
Creative With Stamps Challenge - #4 - Ink Splatters
Happy Little Stampers Mixed Media - Recycle (library card)
Creatalicious Challenges - #95 Anything Goes/option flowers

Tea Bag Holder

It's Monday and it's my time to share an "Anything but a card"  project over at Catch the Bug.

I used one of Jodie's coffee themed images - Coffee Time - Espresso Yourself - but I actually think these cups works for a tea theme as well, so I made a tea bag holder.

I added thin patterned paper onto panels of kraft. The image was placed onto a die cut Spellbinders frame. Colored the image with Promarkers in red and pink to match the paper.
I added a lace sticker border, washi tape and pink semabinding ribbon and attached a metal silver spooon. To be able to remove the top more easily to fill the box with tea bags I added a metal brad to the lid.

This is also for Allsorts - #373 Anything but a card

Getting messy with gelatos and brushos

Normally I do struggle with color challenges, but this one came together without too much struggle. It's been made over the course of 4 days as I've only had a free moments here and there to craft.

I started making my background on a piece of brown paper, which I covered with gesso before using gelatos, new layers og gesso and some blue brusho.

I heat embossed the flower (from a Tim Holtz stamp set) with white EP on watercolor paper, then colored the flower using purple brusho and fussy cutting it. Finally I added gold liquid pearls and some gold metal string I shaped into leaves.

Then I returned to the background, heat embossing two flowers with white EP and a birthday greeting in gold. Distressed the edges before attaching the panel to my A2 card base.


This card is for:
ColourQ - #351 Color Challenge
Cards und More - # 163 Embossing
Twofers - #24 A girl's best friends (flowers and gold)

Color - Christmas in July - Day 7

Today is the final day of the fun Christmas in July event over at Catch the Bug. 1 week, 7 challenges, different prizes - you can read more about it here.

Today it's time for a color challenge. Those are the ones I find the most tricky, but I seemed to have all the colors in my collection of DIs so I decided to use them for water coloring. I used a cropped version of today's Bugaboo freebie image - I tend to forget that's an option.
After having colored by image I used a Tim Holtz die to make the background, I used a Lawn Fawn sentiment stamped with red ink and added 3 sequins from my stash.

This card is also for:
Challenge Up Your Life - #45 Watercolor (W1 of 2)
Addicted to Stamps and More - #202 Make Your Mark
Christmas Cards All Year Round - Anything Goes
Come and Get It - Make your own background

Card Kit Swap with Nonni and Marina - take #2

I'm doing a "Card Kit Swap" with Nonni of Nonni's Handmade Cards and Marina of My Perfect Life. We're supposed to make 4 cards out of the kit and we can add some of our own stash too as we're keeping it really simple and fun.

Marina sent us a kit she named "seaside stories" and it's perfect for summer.  The kit contained 3 DPs, 2 stamped images and lots of die cuts. I did use most of the set, and the items I didn't use now will be used for future projects for sure.


1) Mermaid
From Marina: the mermaid and 3 white buttons
I started heat embossing the mermaid in gold. The background was embossed, I used blue brusho and a blue and white mist, coated with frantage. Used a die from Memory Box to make the waves using a gold paper and frantage. Cheese cloth for a bit of texture. Machine stitching around the edges.
This card is for:
Happy Little Stampers - Anything Goes with dies


2) To the beach 
From Marina: the DP and stamped woman
I colored the woman with Promarkers and a white fel pen and fussy cut it.
I made a scene of torn kraft paper, used a Dienamics scalloped die and used the negatives to make the sea. Used my own stamps for the sentiment and the postmark as well as a Memory Box die to make the seashells and starfish. Machine stitching around the edges.
This card is for:
Passion For Promarkers Challenge - #354 Summer Days


3) Boats:
From Marina: the DPs, anchor and twine.
As soon as I saw this DP with boats I knew I wanted to use it for a panel together with the large anchor. I used the spotted paper as a border, tied the heat embossed anchor to the twine and used my dymo to make a simple sentiment.
This card is for:
Sparkle N Sprinkle - Anything Goes: use loose glitter, embossing powder and/or flocking


4) Sailing boat:
From Marina: the diecut frame, anchor and stamped sailing boat.
This card didn't turn out exactly as planned, as I messed up the biggest panel piece, it was supposed to be covered with silver stars, but it didn't turn out right. And when I decided to use the diecut birthday sentiment it felt more right to add some wooden ones, I allowed the blue panel show through, covered with WoS. I colored the word Birthday with a red Promarker. Used a Memory Box stencil to make the waves. The sailing boat is colored with Promarkers and a white gel pen.

Photo - Christmas in July - Day 6

Today is day 6 of the fun Christmas in July event over at Catch the Bug. 1 week, 7 challenges, different prizes - you can read more about it here.

Today we have photo challenge for you. I was inspired by the sand and sea and the neat and clean feel of this photo.
I masked my Santa then started sponing with blue DI through a Memory Box stencil to make the waves. I colored the Santa and the sand and pebbles with Promarkers. Added two red sentiment stickers.
I've been trying to create a bit different styled Christmas cards this year and focusing on them being postage friendly, I believe that this one fits the bill.

This card is also for:
Inkspirational - #112 Anything Goes with Red
Allsorts - #371 One For The Boys
Cardz 4 Guyz  - #128 - Christmas in August
Cards und More - # 162 Summer Fun, Beach, Sea

Recipe and funny - Christmas in July - Day 5

Today is the fifth day of the fun Christmas in July event over at Catch the Bug. One week, 7 challenges, different prizes are up for grab for those who enter one or all the challenges - you can read more about it here.

Today we want to see funny creations following the recipe of use scallops, bling and layers.
My choice was a Stella image. I had different plans for this card, so the image was printed on watercolor paper but I ended up using Promarkers, keeping to red, white and metallic colors. I used a Dienamics scallop border die, lace and ribbon from my stash, a metal decoration (from Mervi I believe) and some sequins and bling.

This card is also for:
Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge Extra  - Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion - Always Anything Goes

Bingo - Christmas in July - Day 4

Today is the fourth day of the fun Christmas in July event over at Catch the Bug. One week, 7 challenges, different prizes are up for grab for those who enter one or all the challenges - you can read more about it here.

Today we're playing BINGO. And since Tuesday is New release day in the Bugaboo shop the designers have used the latest addition, as sweet little Christmas hedgehog.

I used the horizontal top row of ribbon, shiney (mirri card panels and brad) and embossing (the snowflakes on the bauble are heat embossed with silver EP). I added white glitter to the trimmings of the hat and the image was colored with Promarkers. Two DPs (Bo Bunny?) used and I machine stitched around the edges.

This card is also for:
The Glory of Christmas (The Christmas Challenge) - #88 Two or More Patterned Papers
Creative Knockouts - #149 Animal Antics
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - Anything Goes

Tag - Christmas in July - Day 3

Today is the third day of the fun Christmas in July event over at Catch the Bug. One week, 7 challenges, different prizes are up for grab for those who enter one or all the challenges - you can read more about it here.

Today's challenge is about making a tag. Every year I promise myself that I'm going to make all my gift tags, let's hope this year it becomes a reality... At least here is one.

I didn't overcomplicate things, just used a Dienamics tag die, covered the tag with a leftover piece of Maja Design paper, added 3 stickers with sentiments and a small Bugaboo image colored with Promarkers. Seambinding ribbon and suede string and voilà!

This tag is also for:
Crafting With An Attitude - Always Anything Goes
Creative Corner - Anything Goes
Polkadoodles - #27 Add a Ribbon or a Twine

Sketch - Christmas in July - Day 2

Today is the second day of the fun Christmas in July event over at Catch the Bug. One week, 7 challenges, different prizes are up for grab for those who enter one or all the challenges - you can read more about it here.

Today's challenge is a sketch. I kept my card flat and postage friendly, masking the image (colored with Promarkers, gold gel pen, stickles glitter glue and WOS) and heat embossing a Christmas sentiment before I started sponging the background with blue DI. I used scalloped border dies from Dienamics to cut the top and bottom before gluing them back in place. A few sequins and that's about it.

This card is also for:
ABC Christmas Challenge - 'N' is for No Rules
Addicted to Stamps and More - Anything Goes
Winter Wonderland - Let's See a Christmas Tree and/or Make it Cute (I chose cute)

Flakes - Christmas in July - Day 1

Holiday's over, I've enjoyed three weeks of vacation and Monday it's back to work. It feels good.

It's time for my favorite event - Christmas in July - over at Catch the Bug. One week, 7 challenges, different prizes are up for grab for those who enter one or all the challenges - you can read more about it here. You don't need Bugaboo images to enter the challenges, but Jodie's having a sale - 50% off the entire Bugaboo store - if you want to get some.

My post is slightly delayed as un unplanned trip to IKEA was called for. Made it in and out in 20 minutes - is that a record or what!

Today's challenge is about snow - snowmen or snowflakes or both, it's up to you. I used a croppped version of the image snow friends and used non traditional colors, something I do very seldom.  I colored the image using a brush and my DI pads and I sponged the background. Before I did that I heat embossed the sentiment using clear EP. I added some glitter to the snowman's hat, added white frantage for snow and some sequins.



This card is also for:
Moving along with the Times - #24 NO Designer Papers
Inky Chicks - #69 Christmas in Summer
Crafty Boots - Christmas