Nothing like a family ....

.... birthday to force a clean-up in the craftroom!!

My daughter turned 22 and, although I haven't even gotten into the craftroom over the summer, I had to get in there and make something for her, of all people!  It had become a bit of a dumping ground, especially the desk, but I did a swift tidy away and then made a card.  Wow, I was out of practice!!  After a few false starts, I ended up with quite a girly card for my non-girly girl!!  Here it is:

I loosely used the sketch from this week's Mojo Monday and I'm also entering the following challenges: Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge ("Celebrate"), Craft your Passion, Lemon Shortbread and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge ("Anything Goes") and Crafty Cardmakers ("Summer").

I made a chevron stencil for the embossing paste using a Simon Say Stamp chevron die - it had three rows and I needed lots more, so I die cut on a large piece of card and repositioned carefully to recut about 20 rows.  Very pleased with the outcome.  I heat embossed the flowers with white e.p. and coloured them, then cut them all out and layered on the card.  I put a little bee on the tag as Daisy loves bees - there's one on her most recent tattoo on her arm.  Here's a side-shot of the layers and texture.

Recipe:

Stamps: Stampendous "Flower Swirls"

Die: Simon Says Stamp "Small Chevron Stripes"

Font: "Bringshoot" dafont.com

Other: White e.p., white embossing paste, Prismacolor pencils, homemade enamel dots

Thanks for looking!

Ok, so Spring has Sprung ....

.... and spronged, and I haven't been blogging.  Again!  We've been travelling a bit over the last few months - end of April went to Italy to stay with friends.  As always, wonderful - I love Italy.  Here's a picture of me on the approach to the Umbrian hilltop town where our friends live.

Two weeks later, we went to Belgium for an International Mini Meeting - we flew into Eindhoven in the Netherlands and stayed there the first night, then on to the campsite.  Brilliant weekend, lots of fun with friendly Mini people from all over Europe and beyond. 

I've made a few cards over the past few months - will post them as challenges dictate over the next few weeks or so.  The most recent was made for my husband's grandmother - 96 years old this week!  Here's what I made:

I'm entering the following challenges: CAS-ual Fridays ("Florals"), Creative Inspirations and Lemon Shortbread ("Anything Goes"), ABC Challenge ("I is for Important" - 96 is fairly important, not to mention impressive!), Shopping our Stash ("4 elements" - mine is "earth" for flowers - and maybe "fire" too, as they are sunflowers!) and CAS-ology ("CAS").

I used an old Papertrey Ink stamp set that my friend, Anne, got for me in America a few years ago, and popped the flowers up for dimension against a sponged background.  Here's a side-shot:

Recipe:

Stamps: Papertrey Ink "Simple Sunflower"

Font: "Bringshoot" - dafont.com

Stencil: Simon Says Stamp "Falling Snow"

Other: Distress Inks, bakers' twine, white e.p.

Thanks for looking!

A Scottish ....

.... Valentine's Day.  My cousin got married in Edinburgh last week, so we went over there for a few days.  The wedding was held in Mansfield Traquair - it's a deconsecrated church in the Georgian New Town section of Edinburgh and is the most magical wedding venue I've ever seen.  Here's the front door:

And here's the main interior all set up for eating and a closer shot of the altar area where the ceremony took place:

Isn't it divine?!

The wedding invitation was art deco in style, so I made a card with a nod to that era.  Here it is:

I'm entering the following challenges: Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge ("Upcycle/Recycle" - I've used a little heart charm from a Lindt rabbit), Crafty Cardmakers ("Love, love, love"), Creative Card Crew ("Love"), Lemon Shortbread and Creative Inspirations ("Anything Goes") and Moving Along with the Times ("Words Only - No Image").

I used liberal amounts of gold embossing powder, to go with the black/red/kraft colour scheme and the art deco style lettering.  I also gold-embossed some wood veneer hearts - they came out really well.  Here's a side-shot:

Recipe:

Paper: Basic Grey "Kraft Basics"

Font: "Betty Noir" dafont.com

Other: Gold e.p., ribbon from stash, Lindt bunny charm, Studio Calico wood veneer hearts

Thanks for looking!

That was ....

.... quick - I only posted my mother-in-law's 70th birthday card a few weeks ago, now she's 71!!

Here's the card I made for this birthday:

I used the sketch from this week's Mojo Monday and I'm also entering the following challenges: Craft Your Passion, Lemon Shortbread and Cards Und More ("Anything Goes"), Paper Sweeties (inspiration pic - I went with the colours) and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge ("One Layer").

I used a technique I saw on Pinterest for the background of this card.  I dry-brushed acrylic paint on kraft and when it was dry, inked over with pumice stone distress ink.  I really like the soft, chalk-like effect.  I coloured the stamped flower with promarkers.  Here's a closer look at image and background:

Recipe:

Stamp: Hero Arts "Peeking Posies"

Font: "KG Always a Good Time" dafont.com

Other: Acrylic Paint, Hero Arts gemstones, rock candy stickles

Thanks for looking!