Sympathy Cards

A lot of thought goes into my sympathy cards.  It is hard to get across just the right message. Sad to have had to do so many of late.

This one started with the inspiration word stamp. The papers were just the right tones that I wanted .  I have been trying different layering ideas and the dictionary page gave a great layer to add to the mix.

 

Colours: sahara sand, blush blossom, calypso coral, wild wasabi, white

Stamps:  pleasant poppies and trendy trees (SU), inspiration (PTI), spatter (IO)

Finishing touches:  papers orchard (HG).  dictionary page, striped ribbon and pearls (SU), distressing tool, stitching

This card started with a paper pad that  I had recently received along with the stamp set.  It was a chance to have a play with some new supplies.  I like the torn vellum layer as it broke up the textures. 

 

Colours:  sahara sand, certainly celery, bravo burgandy

Stamps:  flowers (BG), whimsical words (SU)

Finishing touches:  vellum, ribbon and pearls (SU), stitching

It all began with the journal card and a new embossing folder.  I had a play with the sanding paper to see how it would work with the folder.  Simple but effective card.

Colours:  white, baja breeze, riding hood red

Stamps:  n/a

Finishing touches:  arrows embossing folder and essentials hardware clip (SU), journal card (pink paislee), buttons, sanding tool, sandable paper (echo park), maraschino bakers twine (TT)

Using Sentiment Cards

I had quite forgotten I had done this card until I went through my photos.  My starting point for this card was the sentiment embellishment.  I pulled out the colours and was away.  I picked up some of the echo park sandable paper while on my travels to Canada and was keen to give it a go.  I have tried the co-ordination range and found it too thick.  The paper works well as it is still sturdy enough to sand.  It is a great chance to use the different embossing folders that I have.  I traced a circle shape onto the cardstock and then rough stitched around a couple of times.  I liked the end result. Something different to try when stitching instead of the usual around the edges that I do.

Colours:  sahara sand, baja breeze, calypso coral
Stamps: n/a
Finishing touches:  sandable paper (echo park), stitching, buttons, die cut sentiment (K&C), bird embellishment (recollections), pins (heidi grace), ruffled ribbon, victoria crochet trim and vanilla flower trim (SU), happy days measuring tape embossing folder (x-cut)

I love Maile Belles work.  She has a beautiful simple style and she often works on different angles.  This is my take on her style using some new washi tape that I bought.  So quick and simple when all the elements are ready to go.

Colours:  white, baja breeze, night of navy

Stamps:  n/a

Finishing touches:  die cut sentiment (K&C), washi tape, buttons

One Little Word - Get messy

I have been doing the One Little Word class at Big Picture Classes.  Each month you get a prompt for the word you have chosen for the year.  Sometimes it involves crafting fun so I thought I would share the details here.  You can read more over at Sorted Life here.

I loved the whole process.  Lots of fun getting messy.  Love those prompts and challenges that push you out of your comfort zone.  Often just the process is enough to jump start other things that you have been putting on hold.

I started out with a paper that worked with the colours that I was using in the folder for One Little Word.  I pulled out some stencils that I thought might work and even made one using the new border punch that I had recently purchased.  A little sponging and paint started things off.  As I added more layers with stamps it started to come together more.  Love the end result.

Colours:  wild wasabi, going grey, basic grey, white

Stamps:  background stamp arrow (hero arts), notes (studio G), background basics inspiration (PTI) everyday (LYB), 

Finishing touches:  alpha stencil (unknown), pie chart stencil (rhonda palazzari), white and black paint, perfect pearls mist pewter (ranger), spritzer tool, chevron border punch, glitter card and linen thread (SU)

10 + 10 + 10 Challenge at Big Picture Classes

At Big Picture Classes Stacy has a challenge for us.  Play along and you could win a $50 gift certificate.  Ends April 2nd.  The challenge 10 products + 10 techniques + 10 words.  Would love to know what you think.  If you are a BPC member you can also view and comment here.

Quite a challenge for someone who uses mostly stamps and papers and punches.  But that's the idea of a challenge.  It gets you out of your comfort zone and pushes you to try something.  You never know you just might discover something you really like.

I love this photo of Riley my youngest.  All the boys have a page with such a photo from their kindy.  It was perfect for the challenge.

My 10 products - paper (bo bunny and rasberry), cardstock, journalling cards (various), rub ons (luxe), stickers (bella!), brad (francheville), washi tape, linen thread and glitter paper (SU), button

My 10 techniques - stitching, stamping, cutting, punching, distressing, embossing, handwriting, inking, colouring and doodling

My 10 words - original, dirty, loud, cool, silly, superstar, daredevil, quirky, fun, boy

May Stamp Club

Last month I got the textured impressions folders in my order so I decided to use one in this months challenge. The challenge was a sketch you can find it here. I have recently been going through my Resene decorating magazines and found a great retro colour combo. Fun. I thought the daisy flower fitted really well. I made it with a daisy disc that was hiding in my Mum's cupboard. A great tool. Colours: white, old olive, early espresso, tangerine tango, more mustard
Stamps: little pieces, best yet
Finishing touches: distressing tools, spiral punch, textured impression folder, stitching, antique brad, daisy disc

April Stamp Club Challenge

Time for Stamp Club this week. The challenge was to create a card using the Mojo Monday sketch #232. You can see it here. I have been loving putting together different inspiration on my Pinterest boards. I used this one for my colour inspiration with the dash of rich razzleberry. Next time I might go more daring and add the yellow.

Colours: basic grey, island indigo, rich razzleberry Stamps: live like you mean it, vintage labels, sanded and itty bitty bits (SU) Finishing touches: island indigo ruffled ribbon, linen thread, antique brad, spiral punch, stitching, distressing

Vintage vogue with inspired by nature

Ever since purchasing the crochet trim and antique brads from Stampin Up I have been wanting to try the layered vintage look that you can see in their idea book and catalogue 2011-2012. Fun to try something different.


Colours: early espresso, very vanilla, so saffron, always artichoke
Stamps: inspired by nature and bud basics (SU)
Finishing touches: DSP, sprial punch, victoria crochet trim and antique brad (SU), hearts & stamps die (cuttlebug), distressing tool

Ahoy there!

So good to get back into my space for a bit. Another birthday card required. I have been good at keeping up to date but this one was definitely last minute {made an hour before needed - talk about cutting if fine} A stamp, nautical looking papers, some distressing and stitching. Done! Still getting the hang of using my nestabilities.

Colours: very vanilla, not quite navy, early espresso, baja breeze
Stamps: ahoy matey (SU)
Finishing touches: papers (bo bunny), stitching, distressing, ric rac ribbon, nestibilities labels two (spellbinders)

Definitions

It was my father inlaws 7Oth birthday recently and I have been helping my mother in law to put together an album. As part of it she wanted each of his children to write something to add to it. I was going to pass on what he had written and then decided to put it together on to a page to add to the album. I had a chance to have a go at using definitions pages that I found a while back. You can print them from here. I had a go at distressing them. Together with a great quote it came together. But a lesson in doing things last minute I realised after taking the photo and giving it to him that I had left off the heart in place of the word love. A simple case of slipping it in when we looked through the album

Put together at last

I love the challenge of trying to create something that I have seen using what I have. The inspiration for this card came from one of my boys shirts {a favourite place to find ideas especially for boys}. I discovered another Sullivans stamps set that had the racing cars that I needed. This one took a few different stamps sets to create. The best creation was the route 66 label that I have made a stencil to use over again. Amazing what you can create with a bit of time and a play with the products you have. Love how it turned out.

Colours: going grey, night of navy, cherry cobbler, old olive
Stamps: racing (sullivans), grunge (kaiser), dress up lily (PCS), itty bitty bits (SU), alpha (rosie's studio), bobble alpha (CDS) alpha (martha stewart)
Finishing touches: stitching, white embossing powder, star punch, horizontal slit punch (SU)

Something more feminine

After mostly boy layouts and cards I wanted to do something a bit more feminine. I love the work the Carole does {you can find her blog here} and decided to have a go at something using her style. I love the layering and the little details. This card was the inspiration.

Colours: always artichoke, early espresso
Stamps: best yet (SU) and impressions (bella!)
Finishing touches: distressing tool, patterned paper (unknown), designer paper (my minds eye),spiral punch (SU) ribbon, button, faux stitiching, rhinestones

Wedding card request

It has been my plan for a while to make cards to sell so when I get the chance I love creating something unique. This one is for my husbands social club for an upcoming wedding. You can see some of my other creations here and here

It actually started with wanting to try embossing transparency sheets with the hearts to combine with the sentiment from Kaiser mini stamps that I recent got. Once I got going it didn't actually fit with the design so will have to try it on something different.

It is always great hearing the comments back. The staff were impressed.

Colours: white, black, cherry cobbler
Stamps: sheet music and wedding mini (kaiser0, baroque motifs (SU), wedding cake (martha stewart)
Finishing touches: black and red embossing powder, divine swirl embossing plate and hearts and stamps die (cuttlebug), sheer ribbon, stitching, photo anchors, brads, distressing tool

May Stamp Club

Despite completing a few projects of late I have been feeling a bit flat in terms of getting into my scrapping space and creating. So what better way to get going again than a challenge. Seeing as we got our next months challenge for stamp club I thought I would get onto it early. This one is take the sketch and see what we come up with. I have several boys cards to make and like to use my challenges for something I need. After pondering for some time as to what to do, so that I stick to using mainly Stampin Up products, I started with the buttons. More mustard isn't particularly a favourite of mine so it added more to the challenge. Playing with a few different combos came up with grey and black. I added to it the inspiration from Papertrey Inks April 2011 release which you can find at Nicoles blog here. In particular this jeans card from Betsy Veldman. . I love their stamps and one day will get on to getting some. In the meantime the challenge as always to create with what you have.
After lots of playing and adding bits {I even used my sewing machine!} I was very pleased with the end result. So much so that I made two more in different colours to make use of all the things being out and the effort that goes into one card.

Colours: more mustard, bravo burgandy, old olive, basic grey and black
Stamps: in the stars, sanded, little pieces, background sampler, cirle of friendship, rough type
Finishing Touches: stitching, black embossing powder, colour spritzer, star punch, buttons, linen thread, distressing tool

Farewells at kindy

It is hard to believe that we will be sending another boy off to school in the new year. I like to leave a gift as we go and this time we gave the kindy a puzzle as it is one of Kyran's favourite things to do especially the hard ones. His other favourite has been creating projects at the woodwork table so I just had to use the builder images from my dress up Billy set from Pink Cat Studio. I started with the colours and had the idea for creating the background paper using the circles. As I edged it my ink smudged so never one to waste I added more distressing and managed to save it.

Colour: black, white, cherry cobbler
Stamps: dress up billy (PCS), little pieces and lots of thoughts (SU)
Finishing touches: seeing spots embossing folder (cuttlebug) spellbinder label 2, grosgrain striped ribbon riding hood red, distressing

August Stamp Club Challenge

I normally leave my challenges to the last week and sometimes the night before but I having got more organized I have been getting on to them earlier and earlier. This time it was to create a masculine card. These ones came about from inspiration and I just had to try them out. The first was from one of my sons shirts, they have several with camouflage on them. The second was from a bible cover that I saw. I have to say that this seems to have become very much a part of my style and a personal challenge. See something and try to recreate it using what I have. It ultimately leads to a desire to create the stamps that I need.

Colours: basic grey, going grey, red, white
Stamps: birthday whimsy, oh so lovely (SU)
Finishing touches: felt, vintage brad (SU), red thread, red embossing powder, distressing tool, colour spritzer

Colour: pumpkin pie, chocolate chip, old olive, white
Stamps: small pieces, baroque motifs, friendship blooms, vintage labels
Finishing touches: stitched ribbon, designer label punch, colour spritzer tool