Stampin' for Christmas Blog hop

Welcome to the 

 

You might have just left Nina's blog. Isn't her share great!  It is now allowed to say Christmas I think now we've past Bonfire Night and so time to start making your cards and other festive paper craft items if you haven't like me been doing them all year.  

Today I'm sharing a card using the very popular Peaceful Place DSP (patterned paper) and a simple addition of a sentiment, ribbon and partially fussy cut holly sprig from the Happy Holly-days stamp set.

I used a Real Red card for a square card base and added a matt layer of black card before adding my DSP layer with the ribbon fastened behind this layer.  

I stamped the sentiment and holly sprig on the same piece of white card and then used my Stampin' trimmer to remove excess white around the sentiment and keep the holly attached to the sentiment.  I used that good old punch/die called scissors to remove most of the white around the holly, but left it attached to the sentiment. 

Below I've  adapted the ribbon usage by just looping it across the back of my sentiment, used a banner punch to decorate one end and added a few rhinestones to coordinate with the silver embossed background DSP.  This paper is so beautiful and one sheet makes 4 good sized square cards, you just have to cut it which I know for some is very challenging as you prefer to stroke it, but at least this way just about the whole sheet is used and minimal wastage.  Even the thin strips cut off can be used for another card or too as borders.  

You're off now to visit lovely Gina in Northern Ireland . 

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Peaceful Place DSP

Happy Holly-days stamp set

Which creature is your favourite?

I love this fun stamp featuring all these cheeky creatures.  The stamp set is call From All of Us and it really is a fabulous group of friends or perhaps it could be your family members? Who would be who!  

I've created this card for the MAWTT - Moving Along with the Times, October Challenge.  I watercolour washed a background onto watercolour paper with a rough spot for the stamp to go in left blank.  I then stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink which is what you need to then colour with alcohol markers in my cast Stampin' Blends.  I've limited colours at the moment and ideally would have made the monkey a different colour, but I tweeked it with my colour lifter and dabbled with different colours to make him a different colour to the bear. 

I added sentiments from the same set by stamping onto patterned papers from the In Good Taste pack and used die cut matt layers in Early Espresso.  The sentiments are embossed and to get the colour I first stamped onto Versamark then gently onto the Early Espresso Pad, before adding clear embossing powder.  

What a fun bunch they are don't you think? 

Our challenge in case you hadn't guessed is animals and or birds over at MAWTT this month so why not join us.  

Below is a second card I made using the same stamp, but I fussy cut out the Ostrich.  She is kinda sassy and reminds me of someone close to my heart.  If you watched I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here last year you'll remember Caitlin Jenner and her motto for each day of 'Another Day to Excel'.  Similar message here and in the current world we live in I think we all need to make every day AWESOME.

Have a great weekend and come back on Sunday for another round of Christmas Card Club inspiration.  We are sharing Father Christmas/ Santa cards this fortnight. 

Keep safe and keep crafting.  

Zoe x

 From All of Us stamp set

Stampin Blends

Alcohol markers

Create a scene for the MAWTT September Challenge

It's been a long time since I've been able to join in as part of the design team at Moving Along with the Times.  Life and health have got in the way, but I'm just about on time this month YAY! as they launch the challenge of 'Create a scene'.  

For my scene I've used the popular stamp and die set, Sailing Home with Smooth Sailing dies.  I've created a neutral colour combo giving it a sort of sepia look.  I stamped the lighthouse using Soft Suede ink and then used one of my new paint pens, the smallest nib, to move the colour from the stamped image across it to effectively colour it in.  I did the same with the sailing boat, but used Early Espresso to give a darker shade and hopefully create some distance between the two and hit the challenge theme of a scene.  To create the sea I took a tip from my team member Dawn Howard and used the Birch background stamp to create waves.  

I've added some simple die cut details and sentiment all from the stamp set or dies.  

You can join in our MAWTT challenge here.

Have a good month and Welcome September, it's sunny with us today but cool so we are also doing some gardening while we can.  

Happy crafting and be safe.  

Zoe x

Smooth Sailing Dies

 

Sailing Home stamp set

Stampin' Up! Botanical Bliss Birthday Cards

September is a busy month for birthdays in my calendar and so I made a selection of girly birthday cards using Stampin Up Botanical Bliss set.  It's one of those sets with an eclectic mix of stamps, but they blend together really well and the sentiments are in a fabulous font.  The design team at Stampin Up are really talented and often their own hand writing has been used to create some of the scripted fonts.  It could be the case partially with this set.

I used the vine stamp as a starting point with all these cards stamping it twice overlapping it in Mint Macaron and Soft Sea Foam.  If you are not a 'green' fan then you might be persuaded to like it more with these two subtle shades.  I also used Blushing Bride, So Saffron and Calypso Coral to add elements from the stamp set.  In the top image I used the no line watercoloring technique to colour the focal flower on watercolour paper.  I stamped the flower in Smokey Slate to add an outline which hasn't disappeared completely with my watercoloring, but I think is faded enough not to overpower the delicate flower.  I've added different embellishments of pearls, ribbon or self adhesive sequins and also 'flicked' ink using the marker pen lid to take up some of the 'white space' that you may find difficult to leave and these spatters just soften it for you.  

On this final image I modified the sentiment by using washi tape to mask the happy on the stamp from the set and then added in a Happy from the winter catalogue set Merry Christmas to All.  Using masking and marker pens you can adapt sentiments to suit your needs.  Also a left over piece of ribbon too short for a bow or knot can just add a little sparkle and detail to a flower by folding it in half and adhering it behind the flower.  It helps to draw the eye across  the card and with the iridescent sequins there is just enough bling!

My card base is Blushing Bride and I've used just a layer of whisper white for my stamping and punched embellishments.  

Happy birthday to you if you are a September baby. 

Hugs Zoe x

Happy for you !

This card was supposed to post whilst I was away in Alaska, but my scheduling clearly didn't work so I'm sharing now.  

 I love this new set called Bouquet Blooms. It has a set of coordinating dies called Gatefold Blossoms which allow you to make not surprisingly gatefold cards. However on this card I haven't used the gatefold but the flower dies.  One is a large die that cuts out the flower corsage, for want of a better word,  on this card and you also have individual dies to then add depth to the design with each flower.  

I've used subtle colours and teamed with some of the new colour family designer paper stacks which are now 6" x 6" and very useful with stripe and dotty/spotty designs for any occasion.  

I also used a layering circle to cut out the circle design and it's centre to add some depth.  

You'll see I've added a small banner at the top left and this is to share a top tip. When you finish your card and get an inky finger splodge you can cover it with the reverse design and use the piece you cut off to create the shape of the paper on the main card. There is always a way to save the day! 

Lovely bright flowers on a not so sunny summer's day. 

Big hugs all 

Zoe x