MASCULINE MONDAY - WETLANDS

Another in my Masculine Monday series of You Tube tutorials this week saw me using the Wetlands stamp set.  I do love this set - and it goes so well with the Serene Scenery Designer Series Paper.  I showed an example of a card and then showed how you could do the same card but just changing the papers and the stamps.

 Here's the same basic sketch for a card - just changed up a bit by the different use of papers and main image.

BEAUTIFUL YOU - CAS CHALLENGE

I wonder if the love affair with this stamp set will wane.  If its not the imagery its the wonderful sentiments that come with it.

The challenge over at Addicted to CAS challenge this week is the word WISH.

I hope my card is clean and simple enough - 

I've used Whisper White as the base and Soft Suede as the layer for this card.  The image is from the Serene Scenery DSP.

I stamped the girl dancing and cut her out.  Quite easy to cut out really.  I coloured her in with the Watercolour Pencils in Pumpkin Pie and used one of our DSP stack papers in Pumpkin Pie to punch out the butterfly which is just balancing on her foot.

The Sentiment was clear embossed in Early Espresso and I added a heart enamel dot.

I hope you like my card and go and join in with this great challenge.




 

BEAUTIFUL YOU, WETLANDS, CLEAR EMBOSSING

Its a lovely day here in Hampshire - honestly this weather doesn't know what to do with itself.  At the beginning of the week it was dull and grey and we had the January blues.  Today its crisp, frost on the ground, bright blue sky and quite warm in the sun.

It was a lovely view out with the dogs this morning

 It must have been the touch of sunshine that made me want to make this card today.  Although summer is a long way off and as yet I have no holiday booked for 2017, which is quite depressing, beaches and warm weather were on my mind.

 I've used the Serene Scenery DSP for the background here.  Beautiful You stamp set and Wetlands also.  I've used Clear Embossing Powder for the girl image and all details are on the You Tube Tutorial below.

 

INKSPIRATIONAL CHALLENGE - BEST OF BIRDS

Best of Birds is a new set for me and I just love it.  I'm just waiting for my framelits to arrive to go with this set which I think will make it even more versatile.

I do love birds and their imagery, much better than insects which I just don't do.

So I was delighted to see that the challenge over at Inkspirational Challenge is Flutter.  I had already made this card for a friend's birthday soon and I think it will fit this challenge really well.

I used some of our think Watercolour White paper to colour in the bird and used our new Watercolour Pencils and an Aqua Painter.

He was first embossed in black ink and I used clear embossing powder to emboss him.  The branch was embossed with our Copper Embossing Powder.

I fussy cut him out and this will be a lot easier with the framelits when I get them.

I used some of the gorgeous Serene Scenery DSP for the background.  The sentiment was punched out with the banner punch and some enamel dots completed the card.

 All supplies can be purchased from me if you are in the UK.  Please click on the SU Logo below to be taken to my store.

 HAPPY CRAFTING

 

BOOKCASE BUILDER -GLOBAL DESIGN PROJECT

I'm surprised that I haven't seen much use of this new set out of the Spring Summer Catalogue yet - I quite like this Bookcase Builder set and think that it will be great for scrapbooking pages as well as cards.

The first is for the Global Design Project challenge this week which has given us a colour challenge of Delightful Dijon. Silver and another colour. I don't have any cardstock in this colour but do have some ink.  I've chosen to add Early Espresso as my extra colour and a touch of DSP from the Designer Series Stacks which are so versatile.

Once again I've done a baby card which is very unlike me.  What a gorgeous sentiment this is though - it calls out to be used.  I just love these images in this set and even if you don't use it to make bookcase, this card should show how versatile this set is.  My touch of silver comes from the Dazzling Details Silver Sparkle on the Teddy's bow.

 

 SUPPLIES

Cardstock - Very Vanilla, Early Espresso

DSP - DSP stack

Inks - Delightful Dijon, Early Espresso, Daffodil Delight

Accessories - Linen Thread, Dazzling Details Silver Sparkle, 

 
The second example is a Valentine card.

 It is certainly true in my house where our bookcases are groaning with my husband's flyfishing books and paraphanalia.  The simple sentiment says it all and hubby isn't one for lots of words so I think he'll love this.

 SUPPLIES:

 Cardstock - Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler

DSP - Serene Scenery

Stampsets - Bookcase Builder, Birthday Blooms (for the hearts across the top)

Accessories - Linen Thread - Wink of Stella (on the trophy), Enamel Shapes, Dimensionals.

 If you use this set - do pop by and let me know so I can come and have a look.

As usual all supplies can be purchased from my store if you are in the UK.

Click on the logo below to be taken direct to my store.

  

HAPPY CRAFTING

 

POOTLERS DESIGN TEAM - TOTALLY TREES AUTUMN

It's week three of the Pootlers Design Team month of Totally Trees.  My cards have been going through the seasons and this week its Autumn.  My favourite time of the year, even though the nights are drawing in.  There is something so comforting about dark nights, fires, comfort food, and making preserves.

 I've used some of the Serene Scenery DSP here as the background - it looked kind of autumnal.  The sentiment comes from Jar of Love and I thought it had sort of an autumnal feel to it.  I do love this set and can see its going to be used a lot.




 

JAR OF LOVE

Its cold and miserable here in the UK again, the wind is blowing and it feels like winter not August.  So I've been playing with Jar of Love again and the Serene Scenery, again!!!.... to make a lovely beach scene to make me feel like its summer.

 

I've used Bermuda Bay card stock as the base covered in some of our silver which has been embossed with the dots embossing folder.  As per Watercooler's sketch I've turned my card around and added some of the wonderful Serene Scenery DSP.  The Jar tag has been cut with the framelits from the Jar of Love series.  I cut the larger jar first in Whisper White and then another in Bermuda Bay and inlaid the smaller label to cut inside the Bermuda Bay.  A wash of Pool Party on the white jar gave us the water and I cut out two of the leaves with the framelits for the fronds for the little fish to hide in.  Dazzling Diamonds was added then I cut a piece of Window Sheet and put it all together.

The top of the jar was embossed with Silver Embossing powder and I added two of our lovely ribbons in Bermuda Bay and Silver.  I added some Basic Rhinestones to the bottom.

The label was punched out with the Decorative Label punch.  The wording is also from the Jar of Love set - I covered over the For from the FOR YOU with a bit of sellotape.  Remember though to remove the ink that will stick to the tape - which I didn't do the first time!!  A little embossed silver heart from the same set finished off the label.

This card is going into hubby's lunch box tomorrow - he's had a hard time healthwise at the moment and yesterday at work fell over and hurt his back on a steel pole.  Bless him he was back at work this morning but he's tool old to be falling over.  I'd love to see his face and the rest of the guys when he sees this in his lunch box! lol!



I'm entering my little fish into some challenges.  Watercooler Wednesday as they have given us a sketch to work with.   




 Global Design Project whose theme is Nautical










 

WATERCOOLER WINNER

I'm so excited to have won the Watercooler Wednesday challenge this week - proudly displaying my badge! Here's the card that did it for me

Here's another example of a card I've done using this lovely DSP paper.  I'm not sure what kind of fold this card is - I was inspired by Dawn Griffith - as per usual.  I love watching her videos and she never fails to cheer me up.

 I've used the Thank You from the Thankful Thoughts set - and the rose on the front is from Birthday Blooms.

Still keeping on the theme of the DSP I'm including a little Tag Top Box into the challenge for Time Out Challenges.  Their theme was inspired by a photograph which gave a wealth of possibilities - I honed in on the Bermuda Bay on those tables. Click on the photo to be taken to their challenge.






I think its ok to add 3d projects instead of just cards for this challenge.  Tricky things to photograph though.  The box is made from a 6x6 piece of DPS - in this case Serene Scenery - and the SU Envelope Punch Board.  The box was inspired by Sam Hammond who has a tutorial on her blog Pootles. The sentiment is from Jar of Love.  The ribbon is grogeous Bermuda Bay Stitched Ribbon.

These little boxes would make lovely Christmas presents, with some Christmas paper - just big enough to hold some sweets or chocolates or small soaps.  Perfect for table settings.  Sorry, I'm thinking Christmas already !!!!!

SERENE SCENERY

I'm loving this 6x6 Designer Series Paper - Serene Scenery and wanted to use it again on my card for two challenges - CAS Colours and Sketches Challenge and As You See It - both have sketches.

CAS colours is the following: click on the image to be taken to their site.


 


The butterfly is from Papillon Potpourri and punched out with our large punch.  The butterfly has been coloured in with Peekaboo Peach and Sweet Sugarplum Marker Pens and a touch of Wink of Stella. The backing paper for the sentiment is another of the Serene Scenery papers and the sentiment is from Jar of Love.

As You See It Challenge also had a sketch - click on the image.


 







I've used three of the papers from the Serene Scenery pack.  The sentiments are from Thankful Thoughts.  The butterfly from Papillon Potpourri was punched out of vellum paper.  The vellum was first inked up in Crushed Curry and left to dry.  Wink of Stella ws added to the You and the Butterfly.

 

 

 YAY- BONUS TIME!   DONT FORGET OUR BONUS DAYS ARE NOW IN PROGRESS - SO IF YOU RECEIVED A BONUS VOUCHER IN JULY NOW'S THE TIME TO SPEND IT THROUGHOUT AUGUST.  JUST CLICK ON THE IMAGE BELOW TO BE TAKEN TO MY STORE.

HAPPY CRAFTING

 

'B' FOR BIRD

The challenge over at Watercooler Wednesday this week is anything to do with the letter 'B'.  Well that gives us a wealth of ideas but my first one was the beautiful bird from Picture Perfect.  He has been in his box for a while so I thought it was time I gave him some wings again.

 I used Always Artichoke for the card base and stamped some of the leaves from this set as a background with Versamark.

The paper is from the gorgeous Serene Scenery 6x6 Designer Series Paper pack.  Oh my this paper is so lovely if you haven't tried it yet I would urge you to.  It really is paper you just want to look at but I now make myself use it!

The touch of our new Burlap ribbon seems to blend in with the mood of this card.  The bird was initially stamped in Smoky Slate, then Early Epresso then Pear Pizazz and cut out and I added dimensionals to give him some movement.  A touch of Wink of Stella to make him sparkle.

I'm singing along to 10CC whilst writing this - one of my favourite bands in the 1970's yep I'm that old lol! and it's so good to hear them again!

 
 

NEW GOODIES

We all love new things and us Demonstrators get just as excited when the Stampin' Up! box arrives with new goodies.  We have named the driver Mr Brown as it comes in the UPS van and we all get excited when Mr Brown arrives!

I didn't waste much time in playing with my new goodies when they arrived - I had wanted to join in with the Less Is More challenge which was Time but I didn't have anything that was suitable.  Aha, until my shipment arrived. 

One of the stamp sets I had ordered was a Project Life set - called Date It!  Not what you may immediately think of for a time card but it had the perfect words, Summer and Time in it, along with 80 other stamps - yes that's 80!!!!  82 stamps in total - I wonder if I will ever get to use all of them!  All these stamps for £23.00 - I know amazing - click on the image below if you want more information.




Anyway I digress.  The other new products I had ordered was a pack of the Serene Scenery  6 x 6 papers - I've seen some lovely cards made with these.  So I jumped in and yes, I actually cut up a piece of the paper.  Die hard paper lovers will know it normally takes months before we cut up our papers but I 've done it straight away.  I used the easel from Painter's Palette and cut out the inner bit to add one of the dandelion seed heads from this paper.  The background paper is the reverse side.  The words were stamped and cut out with our Tag punch and the butterfly cut out from the same paper with the butterfly punch.

Voila!  However, on re-reading the rules for the challenge I suddenly realised this card was no good as it wasn't one layer!  Sad face.

 So..... I used the same words from the Project Life stamp set, but in my little box of goodies I had yet another new set I wanted to play with - this time it was the Jar of Love set.  I never thought the first stamps I would use from this set would be the flowers but they looked so pretty and just what I wanted for my summer card. 

Stamped on Very Vanilla cardstock in Pear Pizzazz with just a touch of Blushing Bride from a marker pen on the butterfly.  This one is one layer and can be added to the challenge.  You will find the challenge here

 

Phew thanks for reading all this and if you got to the bottom give yourself a pat on the back.

Happy Crafting