Author: Catherine

As promised yesterday page number two using the same papers from the stash. And once again I set the video running so check out the process over on YouTube.

This time a dark base and more of the patterned paper on the page.

This came together quite quickly as most of the stash was on the desk already but also added in some Lollipop Box Club kit bits and pieces too to add ephemera and embellishments!

And the gesso stencilling this time was using the leftover from the heart die cuts from the previous page … really didn’t clear the desk at all from the previous sessions rubbish and sometimes that means you can get creative using up bits and bobs!

Added sewing onto this layout rather than the doodled edge like last time and also a bit of floss for the tag bit too!

Really happy with this page too and really enjoying getting scrapping again – just need to buy another album so I’ve got somewhere to put these pages I’ve been making!

Also happy to have made a little inroad into the stash – that was four pieces of patterned paper used … and only a few scraps left on the desk at the end of making two pages … wonder if there is another for one more layout?

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Yes I am well and truly in a scrapping mood and made another page last night – and I videoed the process so check out the YouTube video if you fancy watching me put it together.

Papers I chose are old papers that I just thought would work ok together – totally different companies and no real connection but the colours worked ok I thought.

The layout was scraplifted from Sarah Davies and this page she made and shared on instagram…

Thanks for the inspiration Sarah! If you want more Sarah inspiration also check out her YouTube channel.

I added the gesso through a laser cut cardstock piece I had in the stash and then just popped lots of bits and pieces from the stash onto the page around the photo panel and then the title.

I die cut the orange circle frames and added those for a pop of colour and then those white die cut hearts for little repeating embellishments.

I also added the orange gems to finish off.

Lots of doodled borders made the page complete!

Loved doing this so much I made a second page from the leftovers – but you will have to wait to see that as I still have the video to finish off!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

A few weekends ago I spent a thoroughly enjoyable few hours watching Tim Holtz YouTube videos and making lots of backgrounds…

Yes lots of backgrounds! Well this card came as a result of picking out one of the backgrounds and then rummaging through the Christmas stash to find the rub ons … and well it was such fun to put together!

I love the colour combo on this background … aged mahogany, broken china and faded jeans. After inking up the background heavily I sprayed water through a stencil which lifted the ink to create the circle pattern in the background.

I decided to go overboard and use a lot of the rub ons to create the background. I know this might seem excessive but I never think to grab them normally so it was good to get a fair few used up at once – plus I liked the look of the mixed fonts and little decorative elements.

The focal feature of the tree is actually three die cuts which again have been in the stash a long time. I stacked them up for dimension and added a coat of sparkly embossing powder to give it texture and shine/sparkle!

I added a doodled border and then mounted it onto a Merry Merlot cardstock. Whilst not a perfect colour match I thought it went well with the colour of the background.

Decided against any other kind of embellishment or sentiment as the card felt done at this point!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Today’s challenge at Creative Knockouts is a ‘for the kids’ one but when I saw the image from Polkadoodles I am to work with it totally spoke to me as a total Harry Potter nerd!

What was great is that polka doodles provided the papers I used too … I love that starry background and the fact I could resize it for printing so I printed off the tiny tag I made using it too with the tiny stars.

I went for quite a large size of image. I coloured him with promarkers and kept to a Gryffindor scheme (even though I am Ravenclaw).

I added a few bits of white gel pen too for highlights and then fussy cut him.

I chose my layout and added it to the 5×7 card blank and then decided it needed a properly birthday sentiment so used this one from Avery Elle.

I also added the card Candi in the three colours to finish off.

Really happy with how this came out! Perfect wizarding card for me – oh and kids too I suppose!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Hello!

I’ve got myself back into the swing of videoing my crafting and I made this card on camera so check out my YouTube video.

I used the Concord & 9th layered stencil and coordinating stamp set called Garden Path.

I stencilled all the layers with inks except the final layer. This final layer I did something a little different; inked with Versamark, then sticky embossing powder and then gilding flakes.

I stamped the sentiment in versafine and then mat the panel on black before adding to a pool party card blank.

I used some pool party twine to wrap round and add a bow to the top where the card folds.

I loved doing this and decided to also ink a panel but lighter for the inside of the card.

I just used inks still on the stencils and brushes and it’s light enough to be able to write over the top.

I didn’t quite line up the stencils perfectly but it really didn’t matter it still worked well enough to make a really cute card.

And I really need to use the gilding flakes and the sticky embossing powder again … why have I never done this before! It’s so effective at adding some fun shine and texture.

Happy crafting!

Catherine

I made this card a little while ago when I was sorting through printed digital stamps and came across the Alex Syberia digital image and decided to get it used!

I went with a technique I had seen Amy use from Prairie Paper and inks where you blend the three colours and then go back in to paint the flowers where the blending ended up so you get a more haphazard rainbow.

Well it didn’t exactly go to plan as the printer ink smeared a little when I was blending and also the cardstock isn’t great at taking water but it worked enough for me to continue with the card.

After colouring the image I then dried it and fussy cut it out. I then glued it to white and fussy cut round that. This may seem odd but it needed a frame to stand out against the colourful background I wanted to make.

I was watching Tim Holtz distress ink videos on YouTube and so I made a lovely rainbow distress ink background … it was so lovely to play with the inks … and in fact it was when I made this I then went on to make many many backgrounds without the pressure of thinking of final projects … so freeing!

Anyways I digress… after finishing the background panel I layered it onto black to frame and then added some foam under the flower image so it would have some dimension.

I then added the sentiment from Altenew which I had die cut and stacked up. I sandwiched thread between the sentiment and the flower for a bit of additional texture.

I also added the sequins for some bling!

Jobs a good’un!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

I bought another of the craft your life kits from Altenew with another fabulous floral image. I decided to just play with it and created this blue themed floral image – used the dies, the stencils and the embossing folder.

Once the embossing had been done I also used a light hand to add white to the raised areas with pigment ink – this is subtle but enhances the texture I think.

I then grabbed a gelli print background I had made in the massive session of making backgrounds! This was perfectly toned to work with the image. I’d used the torn paper technique to only add the painty layers in the middle section of the cardstock.

I mat and layered it onto Lost Lagoon cardstock and then some more white.

Before adding the floral image I created a puddle of green thread and sandwiched it behind the floral image which softened the edges.

Next I chose a grey die cut word Smile which I found when I was tidying up (I found a whole box full of die cut bits and pieces) and then added the stamped, die cut and stacked sentiment that I had ready to go.

Finishing touch was to add those lovely teal enamel dots.

I added a layer of foam behind the white background to raise up the card topper. I think this helps make it special too.

Another Altenew floral stamp design I am in love with!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

So this past week I’ve been posting projects that were made ahead of time because I’ve been pretty immobile with a bad dose of ‘digestive issues’ … best the less said about that the better! But on Friday after a trip to the doctors I managed to summon an hours worth of energy to play with the papers that were left from the scrapping I had done for Helen’s hop and decided to scrap the photo I had originally chosen for the papers but ended up not using.

I used bright pink cardstock for the base and all those lovely papers from Simple Stories that Sarah at Hey Little Magpie had put in the kit to create this.

I added in a couple of leaves die cut using the zero waste leaf die and then some die cut frames to meet the April Hey Little Magpie Facebook group challenge.

I also added the stencilling with modeling paste and the gesso splatter for the background and then those cute little safety pins also added.

I added the enamel dots and a couple of enamel hearts and that was the page done!

I did video the process and have got around to doing the voiceover so if you want to watch this process please do check out my video.

Bonus project: I didn’t want to keep the remaining bits of the kit as there wasn’t much left that I thought I would make use of and rather than hoarding thought i would get it used straight away to make some little notelets (I really don’t need to make more but it’s either hoard the leftovers, chuck them away or do this … this won!).

Three cute little notelets done and I feel like I made good use of the kit. There were a few tags and cut apart pieces left and they’ve been parceled up into a little gift to put in with sales I may make as again I can’t see me using them and I’d rather someone else see if they can make use of them!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Back at the beginning of the month I went to a crop with quite a bit of stash and that included the Lollipop Box club kits … I decided to use some of it to make some little notecards from the stash…

These were fun to put together just using what came to hand from the kits.

What I realised making these however is that I have far too much stash and it will definitely not be used up any time soon! But also when I run out of the current stash of little notecards there is always this stash to come back to and make more of them!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

I decided to make a Sending Hugs card using all neutral colours and the fabulous Splendid Bouquet bundle from Altenew.

I decided to die cut and emboss first and then took the last layer of the stencils and add Old Paper distress ink through that to just created a simple tonal focal element.

I cut down the die cut to just have two of the flowers on it and then decided what background to make.

I ended up with some random text stamping and using the Gorgeous Grunge stamps in both Old Paper and Vintage Photo and then used ink left on my brush to add some depth to the card base.

Next I took a die cut leaf from rose gold card stock that was on the desk and snipped it apart to make two and placed them under the flower panel as a contrast.

Next I die cut the sentiment and stacked it up. I had used a champagne colour embossing powder so that added another neutral type shade to the mix!

I also used a champagne shimmer ink to dot onto the stamen of the flower too for a bit more shimmer.

Happy crafting!

Catherine