Art by Marlene collage papers, Oh So Lovely, Pierced Blooms

Art by Marlene and bright die cuts

Catherine

Todays card is one of those where I wanted to try and use a product up … admittedly one panel isn’t going to do it but it’s a start!

I no longer feel the urge to do art journaling so I am looking at some of my supplies and trying to find ways of using them … for example these Art by Marlene collage papers. Not all of them work on cards as the designs are quite large but I thought this one worked as a background to a larger size card blank like this one.

But then it needed something quite bold to work with it as the paper is so bright and so busy. So I cut some panels of cardstock and then used die cuts to tray and create a focal point above the busy background. I think this along with the stamped and embossed and fussy cut sentiment worked quite well.

I added in the little pearlescent flowers too to add a different texture.

So I’ve not exactly used up my collage paper stash .. I’ve still got a fair few pieces left but at least I found a use for one panel and quite like the card I created using it! Now what to do with the rest?

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Avery Elle, Biggest Wish, Fern, Forever Flourishing, Ribbons, Tropical Hideaway, YouTube video

Tropical hideaway play

Catherine

This card was sort of inspired by both Jennifer Maguire (her video made me grab the stamp) and instagram YVON0202 who I had seen using this stamp with a few colours … but I did go for a different style in the end so inspired by but far from copied!

I used stampin write markers to colour the image in using lots of different greens and some water spray which helped to blend them. If you want to see how I made it I did video it!

I decided to then use the Forever Flourishing dies and Biggest wish stamp set for the main elements with an embossed white panel behind the focal image. The twine and the sparkly gems finished it off.

I took some pics the night I made the card but this next one shows the colours better in the daylight.

Love that twine bow and the colour mix in the background and love even more that I have a second background yet to be used.

Once again I also videoed the process which you can watch if you fancy it!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Art by Marlene collage papers, Happy Moments, True Love

Scraps and random dsp bits and bobs

Catherine

A really quick card that I put together using scraps off the desk once again.

I made this card so quickly because I had already fussy cut the dsp flowers and the Art by Marlene collage paper was sitting on the desk ready for using!

These first few photos are taken in the evening when lighting is not great … skip to the bottom to see it in the light!

I used card Candi to embellish and those True Love dsp flowers are fab against that bright background!

Love this bright card with the black and white elements. Sentiment is in white embossing on the black with a tiny pop of the Parakeet Part my as a mount to the sentiment!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Concord & 9th, Dylusions spray inks, Lawn Fawn stamps, Masks/Stencils, YouTube video

New Concord & 9th goodies

Catherine

Yes I know that 2023 is no spend on new craft stash but I bought these between Xmas and New year so they don’t really count as spends! Anyway … I bought the Boho Butterfly layered stencils, dies and stamp set and this was my first play with the stencils and the dies (I used a few of the stamps the other day).

Do I love those layered stencils? Yes, yes I absolutely do! They are amazingly easy to use and the results are gorgeous!

I teamed these three with one of those spray backgrounds and some scrap orange cardstock and a Lawn Fawn sentiment I cut apart and mounted onto black to go with the black card base.

Each of the butterflies is stacked a few times and I used one of the sentiments from the stamp set to add to the background to also add in the pink colour.

Love how it turned out… and if you fancy watching the process there is a long craft with me video which shows me making it, along with my usual rambling and also a little tidy up section and haul section!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Craft Stamper magazine stamps, Happy Celebrations, Playful Alphabet, Washi tape

Craft stamper magazine sort out

Catherine

I’m back delving into the box of Craft Stamper magazine stamps and sorting out which are for keeping and which are for leaving my stash… today it was this one with a collage type feel to it that I decided to play rainbows 🌈 with.

I stamped it in a row along a longer piece of cardstock so I could make a DL card from. I then stamped it again in black on a separate piece so I could colour in the creature (I think it’s a moth but I went colourful as though it was a butterfly!)

I then cut that out and mounted it onto black. I used black to also mount the background panel but I also used my scoreboard to edge it a little … it’s subtle but it’s there I promise!

I then decided to go a bit rainbow mad with the die cut letters and used a rainbow washi I’ve got to cover some card then die cut the letters on different parts and at different angles. I stacked them on other die cut letters to give them the dinension too.

Next I took some of the stamp from a happy celebrations for the other part of the sentiment and mounted that onto black.

I also added some shiny black stars as embellishments.

As much as I love this card I think it is unlikely I would use it again and have plenty of collage type stamps I could use instead, so it’s going into the get rid pile rather than the keep pile.

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Artistically Inked, Design Team, Digital stamps, Playful Alphabet, Stampin Blends alcohol pens

DT: Creative Knockouts – Celebrations

Catherine

First design team contribution for Creative Knockouts of 2023 to share with you today. The theme is Celebrations and we are sponsored by Alex Sybera designs.

I chose this Lovely Bouquet image which was kindly gifted for using for the challenge.

Our challenge was celebrations so I went with happy birthday as that is the thing we celebrate most in our house.

I printed the image onto cream cardstock and coloured in using my Stampin Blends. Admittedly I should have paused between the printing and colouring as it did move the line art ink a little but not enough for me to consider it ruined.

I then fussy cut the whole image out.

I created a base panel and used my scoreboard to create some border lines … this was because I was also entering this card into a challenge over at UK stampers forum to include dry embossing.

I adhered this panel to the base card, which is slightly larger with foam behind the middle section so it is slightly raised.

I then stuck the flower image in place.

I decided on some ombre letters for the sentiment so I coloured the scrap cardstock with my stampin blends before die cutting the letters using Playful Alphabet dies. I then cut more out of the scrap cardstock so I could stack them for dimension.

Next I used a stamp from the Artistically inked set for the birthday, cut it out, stacked it once and then edged it with the yellow ink to give it a little dimension.

Finally I added the little flowers as embellishments.

Really pleased how it came out and how cute this card is. I must also remember to use the scoreboard more for the creating of borders like this as it is so elegant.

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Lollipop Box Kit

Playing with Lollipop box club kits

Catherine

Still looking round the craft room at stash that needs sorting out and came across my box of lollipop box club kits…

Decided to make a card using bits from that to send to a friend!

I mean how cute are these papers and embellishments. I also decided to add a bit of hand sewing … because that was what I was as in the mood for!

It is just a mush mash of bits but I think a cute card at the end of it!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Biggest Wish, Craft Stamper magazine stamps

Craft stamper mag stamp sort

Catherine

I have an a5 box which has a fair few Craft stamper magazine stamps in it …

… which I NEVER think to use so making it one of my things this year to go through and either get rid or put in a more accessible place so I think to use them and this card is the first card I’ve made using them.

And I love it!

I grabbed the Rennie MacIntosh style tile stamp and stamped it in black all over a piece of cardstock and then again on a separate piece which I added colour to. I then cut that out and decided to turn it into a tile by heat embossing clear over it twice so it becomes nice and glossy. I used to do this a lot but I forgot about it until now and suspect I made do this again more often as I LOVE it.

I added a black mat behind this tile and also the piece of cardstock which I trimmed down to be slimmer than the card front.

Next chose to use the Biggest Wish stamp onto the cream card in black which I then fussy cut and mounted onto black and fussy cut that too.

Finished off with some black card candi on the front to embellish.

Inside I added one of the off cuts of the card panel I had stamped and a small strip of black.

Really love how this came out and this made me immediately put this stamp into the keep pile as I can imagine using this again.

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Art by Marlene collage papers, Dylusions spray inks, Natural Prints, Nature's Prints

Busy week … playing with oddments

Catherine

This last week has been busy and what’s more even when I had some time I could have crafted in, the hubby was using the chair in the craft room so it was too much effort to move things around to be able to craft. So today has been my first time of getting to the desk and getting crafty.

Now I am sure this isn’t just me, but when I’ve had a break it’s almost like I don’t know what to do so I always find it sit and stare at stuff a while and the first card I make is a bit of an oddity! And this is one of those cards.

It started by me grabbing the piece of Art by Marlene collage paper and sticking it to white cardstock, then a piece of the leftover sprayed paper from last weekends photography session (see last weekends blogs for explanation). I then created a sentiment and found an embossed sprig from the Natures Prints set already made and then some gold sequins!

As I say oddments … but I actually think it looks ok overall and I like the zingy colours.

And now I’ve got through the initial block on creativity I’m off and ready to create in a more thought through way … so I already know because it’s happened by the time I’m writing this post that two more projects have come together quite easily – one of which in particular I am super super happy with … but you will get to see those as an when I get round to writing them up.

So this next week … and probably the one after that … are likely to be just as busy but at least my hubby won’t need to borrow my chair anymore so if I do get some time I might get some more crafting done for you to see… but be warned there may be a few gaps as life gets in the way!

Happy crafting!

Catherine