Altenew weekly challenge - "Acute card"

 Jen Rzasa hosts a weekly Live challenge on the Altenew YouTube channel.  This week's challenge is "Acute" - use triangle/s on your projects.  It can be triangle cut card, triangular stamps, visual triangles of embellishments and so on....  

I made two cards for the challenge. First one was using a focal stamped image using the gorgeous gift stamp that Altenew sent me... and an embossing folder...

The Mod Square embossing looks like triangles with the 3D layers.  (Hope it is acceptable for the challenge!)  I stamped the Charming Bouquet and used my Scan'n'Cut to cut it.  I used Altenew Alcohol Markers from the Pocketful of Sunshine and Green Fields set to colour.  The sentiment is from Altenew Classic Greeting. 

My second card was totally inspired by Jen's video where she did some stenciling to make a background and then trimmed it to add to a card with some embossed triangular shaped embossing.  I actually made 7 panels... Two using Rose Bouquet Stencil... because I messed up part of the first panel and two made by the use of the Floral Garden Stencil - which covers a 4 1/4" x 11" panel and it got cut into the two panel.  This is an older Altenew stencil which you do the first time and then rotate it 180 degrees and ink again.   I didn't use them today so have two lovely panels for future use. 

I inked up the Rose Bouquet stencil - the pink was ink on my blending brush, so not sure of the actual colour.  Used Bamboo and Olive for the leaves.  First go I didn't mask so ended up with some green in the pink and it looked terrible.  I managed salvage some of it... so this second version I did mask off the eaves while doing the flowers and the flowers when doing the leaves.   I then cut the panel down to a 3 1/2 inch square and then trimmed it in half to make my two triangles.   I added them to a 4 1/4 white panel which gave me the space in the middle.  I added a strip of gold card down the long side of each triangle and added a sentiment from Altenew Sentiment Strips 3.  Added my homemade shiny dots in a visual triangle of 3 on each triangle.   Really happy how it ended up.   Doing a square card made it easier. 

I've had a really productive weekend with lots of fun playing with my supplies.  

Winter Warmers at Christmas Kickstart Challenge

 I've been a bit slack on making my Christmas cards and joining Christmas Kickstart Challenge...  This afternoon (Saturday) Hubby went to watch some rugby so after I had done the housework - I hit the craft room to catch up on some DT work and then had a play.

Here's my take on Winter Warmers.

Last weekend while looking for some patterned paper to use on another card, I came across a pad from Milton & Co which had some printed panels.  I trimmed one and it was sitting on my desk with the idea to use it for this challenge.   I added a dark blue mat to it and then added some Kindyglitz to the hat and the edges of this little teddy's jacket.  Added some Glossy Accents to his nose and the bird's belly.  My background is some shimmery blue card and an embossing folder (reminded me of a winter sweater). The sentiment is from a Crafters Choice stamp set and was die cut with an Altenew die and then matted with the dark blue.  

After this one, I did some cutting with my Scan'n'Cut - stamped images cut for future use.  Had a few issues and messed up a few, but once I got it sorted got a few done.    Now to watch some more of the Stress Free Cardmaking Summit sessions.   

Stress Free Cardmaking Summit - Inspired by Ardyth

I decided it's worth the extra cost to get the VIP option for the May Stress Free Cardmaking Summit... and I've already watch a number of the sessions.  

I got inspired by Ardyth Percy-Robb - whose 5 items for her fun fold cards, included stencils.   I did an A2 Z-fold card.  Ardyth gave lots of options for sizes and way to do a Z-fold card. 

Here's what I came up with...

I found this unnamed stencil.  Think it might be one I got from a NZ based crafter.... I used different colours of ink to add my colour and then used some small stamps from an older Catherine Pooler/CASual Friday stamp set to add the black flower elements.  I added some home made silver dots for the centres. Sentiment is a die cut from Scrapbook.com "Let's Celebrate"  

Hoping to get some more play time this weekend as Hubby and son are off to do some go-carting on Sunday... so I get a sleep in and some playtime!  

Happy Bird-Day

 I recently got a stamp set by Mangocrafts called Funny Birds... and got the matching dies. It's got a few humorous stamps and sentiments.  This is my first card-

I started by stamping the birds and used Altenew Artist Markers and some Spectrum Noir Tri-blends to colour them.  Once I had die cut them I worked on a background.   I blended some Altenew inks in green and  blue for grass and sky adding some marker on the grass.  Added the sentiment from the stamp set... isn't it fun!   This one is a for friend turning 60 soon!

Had a busy weekend - so not too much crafting went on... Was up early on Saturday as I had to go and get a prize voucher I had won in a Mother's Day competition - $300 at Cosmo Nail and Beauty Salon.  I had to have my photo taken getting the prize.  

Birthday Girl... Happy Birthday Grace,

 I can now share the card I made for Grace's 6th birthday yesterday.   I give her the card and a present (crafty based of course) at dinner last night. 

A Gorjuss Girl for my gorgeous granddaughter!  I used Altenew Woodless Watercolour pencils on this one - blonde hair for my girl.  Used Co-pilot to find a sequin based background for the main panel.  Added a chipboard number from a Heidi Swapp package, and a gold die cut sentiment from Britannia Dies.   She loved it!   And the Crayola Spin & Spiral Station we got her. 

She wanted to open it there and then to have a play....  

And I got a lovely Mother's (Nanny) Day gift - some gorgeous painted stones, a hand coloured card, a handmade tiny little orchard (fake) in a little dish - gluing all the elements in the dish, a coloured shell and a beautiful photo of Grace taken at her school photo session,   All in a lovely little box - which has already been repurposed to hold some domed blending sponges and handles. 

Frame it Up...

 I've been pottering around in my craft room this week,,, bits and pieces done for up coming DT work... This afternoon I saw my crafty friend, Cindy, had made a cool card for the Pinkfresh Studio May challenge - Frame it Up. Her card reminded me that I have some die cuts in my "to use" pouch - from the Pinkfresh Artistic Dahlia set... die cut washi and a stamped and die cut sentiment.   So after going out for an early dinner with Grace and her Daddy to celebrate her 6th birthday today, (Mummy and Florence has to stay home as poor little Flo is not well) I came home and finished what I started before we went out. 

This one is a mini slimline card.  I have Pinkfresh Studio Mini Slimline Essential Bundle.  I took 2 of the dies (both with diagonal lines around the edge) and cut together to get my lovely black frame.  I found two die cuts that worked with the frame and trimmed them to fit.   I die cut a couple more of the sentiment to layer behind the stamped die cut.  Love the extra dimension this makes.  Finished with some homemade gold dots.  

Was a quick card as almost all the elements were already done.  

Catching up.... last card from last weekend

This card was inspired by my crafty friend, Carol (CarolG ... creates (creationsnz)_  She recently did some cards using some of the "Gorjuss Girls" stamps and it reminded me I have a couple of them.   Mine are a bit bigger versions than Carol's stamps... but it was fun to get them out as I've had them for around 12 years!

This little stamp is called Bear Skin... It has a little squirrel next to her, but I masked it off so I could just get the little girl.   I stamped and cut with the Scan'n'Cut and used Altenew Alcohol Markers to olour her.   I made a background panel by stamping Your Next Stamp Large Splatter with Altenew Soft Lilac ink and added some gold dots with a gold pen. I then ink blended around the edges using the residual ink on my purple blending brush.  I matted it with some dark card from Scrapbook.com Purples Smooth cardstock. The sentiment is from an older Hero Arts set - All Occasions Stamp set.   

Beautiful Day - Hello Beautiful and a bonus birthday card

 It's the final day for our challenge at Die Cut Divas.   

FLOWERS

Our sponsor this month is Altenew. They will be giving our winner a $50 gift certificate to their online store. Thank you Altenew for this very generous gift.

I am a real Altenew fan.... and have A LOT of their stamps, dies and stencils.   And today I've used one of my earliest purchases.  - Beautiful Day stamp and die set.   I've had this one for over 9 years!  

I stamped the focal flower and then lots of leaves and branches.  I used Shades of Purple ink set and Freen Fields inks to add the stamp layers on the flower and leaves.  I used some watercolour pens and Copic markers to add colour to the smaller branches and berries.  I then die cut all the pieces.   I made a frame with Gina K Master Layout 18.  I added some soft brown inking with whatever ink was on my blending brush.  I layered all my elements and added a sentiment from Hello Beautiful stamp set.   Added some home made enamel dots made by adding clear packing tape to some purple card and die cutting with my dotty background die.  

I also made a bonus card - because Altenew are a FAVOURITE company for make floral cards... so much choice. 

This card was inspired by Natasha Foote in her video #1171.  I used Altenew Sweet Spring Stencil.  It's an older stencil - just two layers.  I chose to used teal colours.  Fresh Dye inks in Aqualicious and Teal Cave.  Something a little different.  I cut the panel with a Pinkfresh Studio die - Folk Art Rectangle and then used Hero Arts Arches die to cut out the centre panel and also the next size up to cut a white arch.  I used the Teal Cave ink to add colour to the matting layer.  I stamped a sentiment from Altenew's Just a Number stamp set.  Added some of the Teal Cave to a scrap of white card and cut out with my dotty background.   Added to the card and added Glossy Accents to make my own enamel dots.  Loving doing this at the moment. 

Our challenge is open till 9.00pm Pacific US time  - Just remember to make use of your die cutting machine to die cut/emboss.