Inkyfingeredcat

Hello! Back with another DT challenge card for Addicted to Stamps and More.

I had so much fun making this card at my new desk! 😀 I did have to open loads of boxes and drawers and cupboards to find what I was after but it was worth it and at some point I will know where things are!

Our theme for make a mark is just about colouring in or using mediums and I decided to go for a very floral card so stamped the small floral element from Charming Day eight times and then watercoloured with inks.

And I chose my colours based on a ColourCube card (yes I have unpacked these and got them close at hand so I will be using them lots I hope!)

So I chose card 090 and loved the fresh colours … I decided that my interpretation of these colours was Real Red, Strawberry Slush, Tangerine Tango, Tangelo Twist, Bermuda Bay and then Cracked Pistachio in the oxide.

I think it worked well – albeit a more muted because of the watercolour.

Once all were coloured I fussy cut them out. I know there is a die set but it wasn’t jumping to hand so I went with easy and fussy cut instead!

Next I went through the scraps pouch and found coloured cardstock that I thought would work with the inks/ cube combo.

I also had leftover of the creamy white cardstock I had stamped on so that became the base layer. I didn’t want it plain though so took a sentiment stamp from the set and stamped in the cracked pistachio.

Next I decided on the layout and arranged it – I distressed the edge of the two smaller strips and then also tucked a scrap of the chevron ribbon I had grabbed underneath. I added some foam adhesive under the coloured panels so they had some dimension and separation from the back panel.

I then glued the flowers into place (adding foam adhesive where they were hanging off the raised panel) and grabbed a sentiment already embossed and die cut.

I decided then that I would add this to a Kingston Crafts card blank (these were on Hobbymaker at the weekend if you didn’t see them – a great product to play with as it makes finished cards look elevated with the patterned base!)

Inside the card I added some leftover strips of the cardstock to a panel of the creamy white and then one of the leftover florals I had saved for this! I also stamped that lovely scripty sentiment – so nice!

I then decided the front needed something extra so went with splattering some black shimmer … it was a risk doing splatter so soon into having a new desk/decor but I managed to keep it contained and it was fine!

Delighted with this card – so much fun and lovely colour combo!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

The box filled with colourful everyday card blanks and adhesive runners was a joy to open and see bright colours and fun patterns – really helped to cheer up a grey and rainy day when it arrived at my house!

My first thought was to grab some of the embellishments in the rainbow kit that I hadn’t got around to using and make a cheerful encouragement card!

I mean you can’t get any more happy on a card than this!

It is a simple card – after all with that fab colourful pattern on it you don’t need to go overboard on design – I used some die cut bits from the other kit and then some of the bakers twine to create a fun extra texture.

So happy – so colourful – so bright! Perfect example of how fun the Kingston Crafts products are.

Happy crafting!

Catherine

New Kingston Crafts goodies to share with you now that Martin has shared them on Hobbymaker tv … and first up 12×12 colourful vellum! Oh yes please! This kit is perfect for scrapping due to the size but also what a fun texture to add to your pages! Well that was what I thought when I saw it so I did end up making a few pages as my design team samples. 😀

I made a very zingy green and blue page with the vellum.

I decided the layout would have a central bright green square on the dark blue base and then a white torn element across the page.

I added the torn vellum to both the central element and then underneath top right and bottom left to create a few different textures.

Next I had a dig around and found the cloud strip in my stash from the summer paper kit. I also grabbed the title element at the same time as thought it was perfect for the page.

I grabbed more navy and mat the photo and also created an oval tag to the left of the photo.

I then grabbed some chipboard leaf elements to decorate the page.

I added the photo and then clustered the leaves both around the photo and then the bottom section of the page.

I finished off with some of the enamel dots from that summer paper kit I still had leftover and then trailed the twine from the tag!

Love this zingy page! It didn’t end up being an ‘as seen on tv’ project but plenty of other samples I made did so look out for those over the next few days/weeks as I share the projects I made for all the goodies that got released!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

First thing to say for today’s Scrappin Saturday is that I made this page back in January when participating in the Winter Team Challenge but for various reasons only just getting around to sharing it!

Second thing to say is that this is an adaptation of a page kit designed by the lovely Sarah sold via HeyLittleMagpie.

The basic design is as Sarah had it – although she had two photos whereas I just have the one. I added the green blended ink and the blue rub ons, the oval tag to the left of the photo, the ruffled trim below the photo and then the title.

Otherwise it’s pretty much as Sarah designed it!

I added the blue and the green to meet the requirements for the challenge. And the same with the oval tag as it needed an oval or an egg shaped something!

The page had to be about a Mum (hence the pic of my Mum), to include stickers (this included lots and lots) and then was about the Outdoors!

Well the photo is from when we decided we would try and be hikers – it didn’t last long – so we were definitely in the outdoors!

Such a pretty page kit – just love how easily this came together thanks to Sarah’s design.

Happy crafting!

Catherine

It’s not just Festive Friday – it is also Christmas in July April time where I share the card made for the theme in our FB group – which this month is – snowflake wishes!

And it is the first project I made in my newly decorated and almost finished off craft room!

I don’t really know where everything is yet and some stuff is currently housed on the floor but it is operational again finally and this was my first project on the new desk!

I started with the snowflake background stamp from Kingston Crafts which I stamped in a pink and orange ombré type effect and then cutdown the panel.

I added a velum layer so it was just a little smaller than the background to soften it a bit and then looked in the scraps pouch for coordinating cardstock I could make tags from.

I found the calypso coral and I think it is pumpkin pie cardstock and edged them with ink and turned them into tags. I then took tiny scraps of ribbons which I had saved from an old project and worked well together and added those. I did use the tiny attached for a couple of them and then tied the other two on.

I then grabbed the pouch of scrapbooking supplies that my friend Helen gave me – perfect for adding some die cu snowflakes and the puffy sticker for the sentiment along with the little sparkle sentiment.

I added it to a teal card blank from Kingston Crafts as I liked the contrast and then added a strip of the off cut inside the card.

And so a lovely funky card and my first project on the new desk! Whoop! Looking forward to more creations soon!

I did video this – it’s a challenge sorting out the set up and not there yet but I will get there I am sure.

Happy crafting!

Catherine

So I know I’ve mentioned it a few times … I’ve been doing some decorating! Might be a bit of an understatement given how much work it has been … the craft room got a complete makeover … and it’s taken weeks!

It all started back in January (I think it was Jan) when a shelf on one of the bookcases decided it wasn’t going to reliably stay in its place if anything was placed on it! which was an issue as many boxes ‘lived’ on that shelf!

So then the project became a necessity because I already had a lot of stuff starting to not live in a home and now I had extra boxes living on the floor. Not great given I spend most working days in the same room and it was starting to really frustrate me.

I’ve been wanting to change to white furniture from the dark furniture for ages (that’s why I bought a white work desk for the room 5 years ago with the intention of eventually getting round to changing furniture – so now the time has come.

First up though I did go through nearly everything in the room and got rid of a lot of stuff and then boxed things up together in an organized fashion before clearing the room – this took about four weeks of intermittent working on it and then piling everything in the lounge.

Then dismantled the old furniture and got rid of it. I had to keep the work desk and the sofa in the room though as 1) I need to work 2) there was nowhere to store the sofa longer term.

Once the room was clear it was time to start redecorating … and again this took a couple of weeks through my lack of time/energy … unfortunately my health has not been so good for a few months so have had not much energy to work on this sort of physical task … but got there in the end … white walls, white ceiling, white woodwork and then sage green colour on the two walls my desks are going to be against.

Not sure either of those photos show it off but hey ho!

As the decorating started we realised the carrier probably needed changing as it was worn in quite a few places from the desk chair movement etc and although it wasn’t in the original budget or plan I realised that once new furniture built and stash back in place I wouldn’t want to have to pack up again so let’s just do it! So flooring ordered and waited for it to arrive and fitter to come and fit new laminate flooring (there was a drama to this but the important part is that it was resolved and I love the new floor!)

New furniture delivered and built (mainly by my daughter who was super helpful for this stage in the project!)

And then the job of emptying the very full lounge and putting craft stuff away!

Realised I had nowhere to put the printer or my scrapbooks … resolved the scrapbook issue with another unit …

Printer issue yet to be resolved! Here is the progress with the scrapbooks moved in (ignore all the post it notes! That was me trying to remember what was in what box!)

So this is the progress so far … I have a lot of work to do to finish off still as peg boards need putting on the wall, curtains need sorting, and some stuff still sitting on the floor … oh and a lot of things in the lounge still that aren’t really craft things but need a home in our house … but wanted to share that at least the room is now operational again and new craft projects will hopefully be on their way soon (I managed one card on Sunday as a testing of my desk set up with camera positioning etc).

I’ve been making little videos of the progress over on my YouTube for those that want to see how it came together … I think that it is in six parts!

Anyways … wanted to share what’s been going on … and I am grateful that I had a lot of DT stuff to share in the time I’ve been struggling to do much making … oh and there is some more DT stuff coming soon as Martin is on Hobbymaker.tv this Sunday with another Kingston Crafts show with some new goodies! 🩷

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Hello! Back with another design team sample I made using the fun holiday shimmer spritz pack – although made it a summery card rather than sticking to Christmas themes.

This time I went for full on coverage with the Twinkle Lights (white) and this gave a lovely silvery white finish when dry. I die cut that panel and then for the layer underneath I used the Tinsel colour (dark blue) but with a less full coverage. When layered the gorgeous blue peels through but of course both layers have a gorgeous shimmer!

This created the main panel for the card. Next I took some scrap white and painted it with the golden yellow of ‘jingle bells’.

This made a lovely surface to stamp my flowers on. I fussy cut them out ready to add to the card but then decided I wanted some leaves.

I chose the pale green from the pastel cardstock – it’s like a duck egg blue colour – and die cut a leafy shape and then this is what I added the flowers to and adhered them to the die cut panel.

I made a card base out of the same colour cardstock (the cardstock from Kingston Crafts is so easy to score and cut for your own card bases!).

Next I took a die from my stash and cut the birthday from some yellow and white scrap cardstock. I stamped the happy in black and punched a circle from it to tuck behind the birthday die cut, which I raised on foam adhesive for dimension.

Really love this card – it is both bright and soft at the same time – and the shine from those spritz is something else! I think the photos don’t quite do it justice!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Today I have a bit of a bumper blogpost as I made some cards using up scraps leftover from various projects that had been bundled together in a bag! Well I decided to work through the bag and use up what I could and then be brutal and get rid of what was left! Believe me this was painful! But I feel better for having done it and not just holding onto things I know I won’t use!

Just so you know I am having to be brutal because I’ve been packing up the craft room ready to redecorate – I am hoping by the time you read this it is a finished project as I am scheduling this blog in advance knowing I have lots of DT samples to blog. At the moment the room is in chaos (as is the lounge where the contents of the room are being stored) but hopefully by the time you read this it will be done!

Anyways I managed a fair number of projects so here you go!

To be fair on this first one it was just two floral elements and the circle of cloud paper I got used so not the best example of using it up to start with but promise the others I used more on!

Added the layers of cardstock behind which were also scraps and then added a sentiment and gems – cute!

This one is actually pieces of a stamped and coloured panel from a design team piece of work for the background rainbow gifts and black foiled cardstock.

To this I added a panel of scrapbook paper, a banner of rainbow paper scrap, a mini envelope I probably got six years ago in a Lollipop Box club kit and the foam sticker leftover from a page kit. I also found two flowers that coordinated!

I added the sentiment, the gems and the scrap of striped ribbon! Perfection!

Next up I took three pieces of patterned paper (I think they came from two different page kits) a scrap of vellum and two stickers leftover from a page kit . I added the sentiment and those fab little fabric tabs I have had in my stash for around 10 years!

Not sure if this is my favourite of the cards I made or the next one…

This is three totally different ranges of papers and then a whole host of stickers from a Simple Stories set leftover from a page kit.

I raised the bees and the wings of the dragonfly up on foam for dimension and added in the foiled sentiment. Despite the fact that the papers were not designed to go together or with the stickers I think it works well.

Finally I had this large panel from 49&market that had fallen out of a kit I think – and then some very random cardstock and vintage paper that I think I had originally made a junk journal with and then pulled apart again!

I added in a tag, a die cut doily I had inked and then the central piece was taken off a card I had made testing a fun fold but the rest of the card was damaged – so rescued it and had it hanging round in the craft room for at least five years.

A few scraps of ribbon, thread, a cute little paper clip the wooden laser cut word (probably 8 years old) and I think this is such a random but fab vintage card!

So what do you think – not bad for a couple of hours of using up random scraps and getting some cards made and clearing one of those random pouches of stash I had been hoarding!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

I think the little spring mechanisms are so much fun to play with … really does step up your focal element.

My first play with the mechanism was on this card where I turned the pretty birdcage sticker into a moving popped up focal point!

I started with some pretty floral paper panels from which I die cut a circle aperture. I used my blending brushes to add ink to the edges and then used lots of the foam adhesive tabs to give dimension between the top and bottom panel. Then I adhered it to one of the solid colour card bases in the 5×7 pack of card bases.

Then I added a small panel of the cardstock to the back of the sticker and removed any remaining stick by using the embossing powder bag! Then I adhered the spring mechanism and added it to the centre of the circle.

You can see from the side view this lifts it higher than the background popped up by the foam it it’s not easy to see the mechanism on the size of the element I chose.

I added the sentiment using stickers from the same set and then lots of sequins scattered over the front of the card.

I did also add some glitter glue to the birdcage and flowers just to step that up too.

But the fun part is definitely the wobble and movement – so here is a super quick video showing it moving!

I just love it! Really makes the card something special!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

My second project using the paper flowers pack from Kingston Crafts and I went to town with the flowers! I too a piece of cardstock that did actually have flowers on it as a pattern and using those flowers as a guide I stuck all different types of the flowers down to create a beautiful textural panel with bits of the orange background peeping through.

I then used the orange glitter glue to create the sparkle centres of the flowers.

Covering a whole panel like this may seem excessive but you get so many of the flowers in the pack you feel like you can be this generous!

Also because they are paper not cardstock they don’t create too much weight or bulk!

I decided to keep the rest of the card quite simple – a white base with a little bit of orange stamping with a hexagon random stamp.

Then the sentiment which is a stamped and die cut one.

I really love how this came out – fun and textural and pretty!

And look how many flowers I used – and there are still hundreds left to play with! Such good value – no wonder it sold out for Hobbymaker on Good Friday – I believe it is coming to HSN in May in the US though – so followers over there look out for that!

Happy crafting!

Catherine