Die cuts and designer papers

One of my nephews' birthday is coming up and I made him this card using a new die from Papirdesign - the boy in his hoodie - and 2 older ones, a stitched one from MFT and an ornate one from Spellbinder.

I used 3 different designer paper leftovers in aqua and brown tones. I used several birthday greeting stamps for the frame. The bottom left corner felt empty so decided to add his age with old stickers from stash.

This card is for:
Cardz 4 Guyz - #295 D is for... (dies and designer papers)
Moving along with the Times - #142 Birthday

 

Cute bee

I don't have an overwhelming stash of bee elements, but I did receive this cute stamp as part of a gift from Gail in connection with the Card Chain Challenge.
I gave the bee sparkly wings and a background made with die cut hexagons and flowers, as well as a stamped border in combinaton with a floral washi tape.
I used a black Posca pen to make the doodled border around the panel and lines on the hexagons. A white pen was used on the black parts of the bee.

This card is for:
The Paper Players - #589 Birds and/or Bees
Stamping Sensations - Anything Stamped, Flora and Fauna

April Card Chain Challenge Reveal

Here's my card for The Card Chain Challenge April reveal. I have joined every month since I first joined back in Septembrr last year and I do look forward to once a month receiving a card from a fellow card maker from anywhere in the world. Anyone can enter as long as you are willing to snail mail a card to another crafter.  If you'd like to join in for the May challenge, you can sign up here until til 6th.  

This is the card I sent to Imke in Germany

 

 

I followed the color palette  and I also had spring and wild, as in wild flowers, in mind.

 

The background was made with my favorte stencil, from Altenew, black paper and Twisted Citron Distress Oxide, and I used this together with Squeezed lemonade and Mustard seed to make the panel for the silhouette flower. I also added 3 rhinstones in a matching color. The flower die is Pinkfresh Studio floral squares and the hello is from a Missees set.

I received this beautiful card from Marga in Spain - thank you:)

 

 

And after hitchhiking its way from Greece since March I have also now received the oh so sweet card from Marianne in Greece

 

INK #264 - Bark

At Inkspirational we have a new challenge, it's a word prompt: Bark. Did you know some owls can bark? I didn´t, until I googled it. Several other animals do too. I also included bark in the form of trees on the DP.

My owls are paper pieced with leftovers and a stamp from StampingBella. The tree is Lavinia, heat embossed on vellum.
The senitment is a sticker from Art by Marlene, I think it fits the owls, with the one odd, standing out from the crowd. And I think it's useful advise for one of my teen or young adult nephews.

Please head over to the challenge blog to see the my INK-teamies have made. 

This card is also for:
Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday - Animals

B is for Blooms

I don't have green fingers, I don't know if that's why I love cacti, but I do. They come in some many fun shapes and sizes and they bloom. And they're easier to keep alive than other plants - in my household I'm only allowed to water the cacti - and certainly not the orchides!

I used my Derwent Inktense pencils and water for coloring - such a long time since last ans so FUN! I chose warm, earthly colors for both the flower pots and the stencilled background.
The stamps are a Concord & 9th set.

This card is for Alphabet Challenge - B IS FOR BLOOMS

Dancing piggie in sweet pastels

I treated myself to some Vera Lane digis during Easter, I love the fun and quirky look of these images.
I added the piggie on a tag, colored with Promarkers, added string and paper flowers and rhinestones.
The background was made with a Spellbinders M-Bossabilities folder with hexagons. I used a black Posca pen to make the dots along the edges.

This card is for:
Sunday Stamps - #281 Sweet Pastels
Let's Squash It - #19 Geometric and Repeating Patterns
Papercraft Challenges - #81 Farm Animals

Sympathy card with washi tapes and die cut flowers

I was out of sympathy cards and thought better make some to have on hand.

I used this week's sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches as starting point, found 2 washi tapes to use as borders, die cut 3 simple flowers in black and white and added a fitting senitment in Norwegian. I used a MFT stitched frame die. I thought it a bit too colorless so added gold splatter. In retrospect I think I should have switched places between the tapes, to allow the leaves to be closest to the flowers. Oh well. Next time.

This card is for:
Freshly Made Sketches - #531
Make My Monday - #172 Use Washi Tape

INK #263 - Watercolour

For our new challenge at Inkspirational we have a technique challenge: Watercolour.
I used a Penny Black image and my metallic watercolor paints on a black background and gold embossing, I really like how the colors turned out. Added a bit of splatter too. And after finishing the card I actually realized I had made a one layer card- it's so much easier when it's unintentional, lol.

Please head over to the challenge blog to see the my INK-teamies have made. 

This card is also for:
Happy Little Stampers - Watercolour April Anything Goes
Challenge Up Your Life - #146 Splatters

A nautical card for a man

My favorite cards to make are masculine ones, and here I went with a nice and simple version with a nautical theme. I do love to be by the sea and feel the salty air.
I used stamps from 2 different Heartfelt Creations sets and colored with Promarkers. Paper is Maja Design, sentiment is Penny Black and the twine was a gift some years ago. Stitched dies are MFT.
I loved this week's sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches, this is one I think I'll use for more projects....

Theis card is for:
Freshly Made Sketches - #530
Allsorts - #671/2 Masculine
Sparkles Forum Challenges - #150 For Men Only

Gnome for a gender neutral card

I love this gnome stamp from Stamping Bella, I think he's suitable for cards for  both men and women. It's good having cards on hand that can be used for seveal occasions, regardless of age and gender.
I colored the image and cut it with a circle die. I used a scalloped one for the vellum used as backing panel. A leftover DP was used,and a narrow washi tape with stripes.

This card is for:
Sunday Stamps - #280 In the Middle
Stamping Sensations - "I Love ..." (this gnome stamp, DPs, bold colors)

March Card Chain Challenge reveal

Here's my card The Card Chain Challenge March reveal. I have joined every month since I first joined back in Septemebr last year and I do look forward to once a month receieving a card from a fellow card maker from anywhere in the world. Anyone can enter as long as you are willing to snail mail a card to another crafter.  If you'd like to join in for the April challenge, you can sign up here until til 6th.  

THE CARD I SENT 

This time I chose the color scheme - pink+green+brown, as well as patterned paper and friendship. The background paper is pink with a mint green foil and her top is made with a patterned paper, also in a minty kind of green. Her hair is brown and her earrings and necklace are made with brown glitter paper and bling. She also has a pink flower in her hair, cut out from a Mintay paper. The background is made with a Finnabair stencil, foil and a laminator.
A 20 year younger version of me could have this girl as an avatar. This is my first attempt at using this Missees stamp and die set, I can tell you it's quite addictive. As a young girl I loved playing with paper dolls, this is kind of the same concept for a crafter.
My card went to the talented Brenda in the UK.

THE CARD I RECEIVED

The card hasn't arrived yet from Greece, but I'm so looking forward to seeing  Marianne's card in real life once it arrives:) 

INK #262 - Flower photo

For our new challenge at Inkspirational we have a photo of spring flowers. I was inspired to use flowers and the colors of the photo.
The image is a LOTV digi, colored with my Promarkers. I added a stamped greeting in one of the corners and used a black die cut square as a panel. I tend to always put things straight, so this time I chose an angle placement. Even my photo is taken at an angle:) The card base is not as yellowish as it might appear in the photo, but it's definetely not white, it's a sort of a natural color, in lack of a better word.

Please head over to the challenge blog to see the my INK-teamies have made. 

This card is also for:
Everybody-Art-Challenge - #510 Spring
Passion For Markers Challenge - #634 In The Garden (flowers and birds)

A butterfly card for a friend

When lacking mojo I find it helpful to use sketches and rummage through my stash. I came by this old DP and thought of this week's sketch over at Paper PLayers. The butterfly border was prepared long ago, I had heat embossed with a lace stamp on vellum and used a TH die to cut it out from the vellum and white backing paper. I heat embossed the sentiment, chosen for it's size mainly. Silver liquid pearls were added. I chose the mini slimline size, I find this card best for cards that are likely to get posted, to keep within weight limits.

This card is for:
The Paper Players - #584 Sketch
Allsorts - #669 In The Garden (butterflies
Moving along with the Times - #140 Friends

 

INK #261 - Critters that Hop

For our new challenge at Inkspirational we have the theme of ANIMALS THAT HOP. I googled it and was surprised how many animals actually do, but I went with the obvious choice of hares or rabbits.

Imade a circle shaped card and flower dies from Tim Holtz. All stamps are from Lavinia.

Please head over to the challenge blog to see the my INK-teamies have made. 

This card is also for:
Little Red Wagon - #645 Die Cuts
Craft Rocket Challenges - #90 Use An Animal
Creative Knockouts - #444 Spring is in the air

Favorite color combination for any occasion

I love a black and white color scheme, with or without a touch of color - this time I added some gold watercolor paint.
The Lavinia stamps are perfect for this kind of color scheme, as well as my old Memory Box flower dies, used with black glitter paper for this card. I'm not always keen on coloring and with these stamps I don't need to. A stamping platform is highly recommended though.
I left out a sentiment as I think this card can be used for more than one occasion, whick makes it quite a versatile card.

This card is for:
Addicted to Stamps and More - #424 Any Occasion
Alphabet Challenge - Y IS FOR YOUR FAVORITE COLOUR COMBINATION

INK #260 - Curve

For our challenge at Inkspirational we have the theme of CURVE for the next two weeks. What I love about our word prompts is that you can interpret the theme in many ways.
I was thinking of the female body and how tailormade clothings show off the curves.
So out came my papers from ScrapBoys, a scalloped oval die from Spellbinders, which I believe was part of my first ever die purchase, and a border die from Pinkfresh Studio. Popped behind the bottom part of the dressmaker is a measuring tape ribbon.

Please head over to the challenge blog to see the my INK-teamies have made. 

This card is also for:
Fab n Funky - #546 - Dies and Stencils
Little Red Wagon - #643 Something with Letter B: Blue, border, buttons, bobbin

February Card Chain Challenge reveal

Here's my card for the February The Card Chain Challenge reveal. I have already joined 6 times, I do look forward to once a month receieving a card from a fellow card maker from anywhere in the world. Anyone can enter as long as you are willing to snail mail a card to a fellow crafter.  If you'd like to join in for the March challenge, you can sign up here until til 6th.  

THE CARD I SENT

This time my card went to Gail in Norway. I followed both the sketch and the theme of friendship. I used stamps from Lavinia, a torn piece of DP an metallic wartercolor paint for splatter.

 

 

THE CARD I RECEIVED

I recieved my card from Tina in Slovenia. There's lots of texture and colors and a bit of a grungy look, so cool, thank you so much!

 

Ink #259 - Technique challenge: Shaped card

For the first time at Inkspirational we have a technique challenge fortnight, and first up is the challenge of SHAPED CARDS. 

I pulled out my new Tonic Studios dies to make my shaped card. I made the layers with a starry DP, gold glitter paper and white cardstock. I used a freebie cloud embossing folder, gold paint for the star splatter and a Stamping Bella stamp. Coloring with metallic watercolor paints. The sentiment is for welcoming  newborn.

Please head over to the challenge blog to see the my INK-teamies have made. 

This card is also for:
Happy Little Stampers Dies February - Anything Goes with Dies
Sparkles Forum Challenges - #149 Something Big, Something Small (Tonic Studios frame dies)

Christmas card with a loving couple

Some years ago I received this beautiful paper with 12 vintage images as an advent calendar gift from my mum.
This is the 5th card, I think the loving couple fit the spirit of Valentine's Day, though the card is meant for Christmas:)

I went with gold as the primary color.
There's mainly gold colors on the DP, it came free with a magazine and I think it was a set from Bo Bunny. I cut out the sentiment strip from another DP. I used matte gold cardstock to die cut the Memory Box poinsettias and I added rhinestones for a touch a sparkle.

This card is for:
Alphabet Challenge - W IS FOR WINTER
Winter Wonderland - ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU
Sparkles Forum Christmas - #133 Use some Gold

Back and White with sparkle

I really like this fairy image from Lavinia - they can be seen as a couple, as two good friends or siblings - which means the possibilities for occasions are many.
I masked their wings before using the Fairy dandelion stamps and the Hanging lanterns. To minimize the white space I used my often used script stamp.
I used black glitter paper to die cut a frame for the scene and also to bring some sparkle to this black and white design.
I left out a sentiment on the front to keep the card suitable for any occasion it might be needed for.

This card is also:
Stamping Sensations  - February Anything Stamped + option: Wings or Tails
My Time to Craft - #474 Black&White
Cardz 4 Galz - #165 Make It Sparkle

INK #258 - Heart and flower photo

I

For our challenge this fortnight at Inkspirational we have a photo which is perfect for the the month of love.
I pulled out my decade old bird stamp (first used back in 2012), and a sentiment that I feel fits many occasions of love,
The beautiful DP is full of flowers and I used a plaid one to die cut the scalloped borders. The final finishing touches were 3 green  rhinstones and a pink sparkly heart sticker.

Please head over to the challenge blog to see the my INK-teamies have made. 

This card is also for:
Moving along with the Times - #139 Love, Anniversary, Wedding
Retro Rubber Challenge - #175 Love, Love, Love

January Card Chain Challenge reveal

Here's my card for the January Csrd Chain challenge reveal. This is the 5th time I participate in The Card Chain Challenge - anyone can enter as long as you are willing to snail mail a card to a fellow crafter.  If you'd like to join in for the February challenge, you can sign up here until til 6th.  

THE CARD I SENT

This time my card went to Suze in New Zealand. I followed both the sketch and the color scheme. I used a flower stamp set from Altenew and the woman is from aall & create.

 

 

 

THE CARD I RECEIVED

I recieved my card from Joanne in the UK. She succeded making these drinks look bubbly and sparkly, and it's suh a super New Year's design. Thank you so much!