Altenew Love

 #AltenewLove  - I came back from my break away last Sunday and in my mail was the gorgeous Blooming Thanks mini stamp set - a free set from Altenew.   So excited to get this free set.

So yesterday (another HOT day) I headed into the craft room for bit of cool.  And to make a card using the stamp set.   I started by stamping the floral image a number of times and used my Scan'n'Cut to cut them out. 

I used similar colours to yesterday's card but with a much lighter hand.   I got a new Gelli Art stencil called Dot and used the Sea Shore inks from Altenew to make the background panel that was cut with Gina K Master Layout 4.  I made myself a little stencil for the flowers by stamping one and cutting out the flowers.  Used some Buttercream and Warm Sunshine with some Paper Bay ink for the centres.  I used some micro blending brushes to add some of the Volcano Lakes and Lagoon inks for the leaves.   Added a touch of a teal Jasart pencil for the leaves as well.   I cut some teal textured card with Gina L Master Layout 1 and some darker teal for the layering layer.  Added the flowers around the oval and stamped the sentiment from the Blooming Thanks stamp set in Grey Denim ink.  The card base was just under A2 size at 5.25" x 4.25"  Finished with some gold sparkle pen on the flower centres and some silver dots. 

As both the stencil and the stamp set are having their first outings... I'm entering this into the NBUS challenge.  

Today was another scorcher - so after doing the housework in the morning, hubby and I went on a lunch date - to the Bay's Club in Browns Bay for a lovely lunch - Gold Card special $20 per meal.  Your get your Gold Card when you turn 65.  The meals were lovely - Lambs Fry and Bacon for him, Creamy Mushrooms on ciabatta bread for me.   Luckily the breeze picked up a bit in the afternoon and there was a bit of relief.                                              

Christmas Bells

 Hubby was washing the house this afternoon and I had to shut myself inside to avoid getting sprayed..   or at least that's what I told myself!   So headed to the craft room... I was inspired by a Facebook memory of a card I made way back in 2016 - using Sunny Studio Holiday Style stamp set and the gorgeous layer bell. 

Here's what I did today

For today's card I chose some blues to make my bell.   I used Altenew Evergreen ink for the branches and added some ink blending with the same ink and a detail blending brush to give the tree some depth. 

For the bell I used Eastern Sky, Ultramarine and Azurite Crisp Dye inks.  I stamped the sentiment from the stamp set in the Azurite ink and added some Midnight Sky Nuvo Crystal Drops. 

And while I had the stamp set out I CASE'd a card from Mendi (on the Sunny Studio blog)  I loved her idea of white embossing on pale blue card. 

I stamped and fussy cut the silver bells.  I used Altenew Silverstone, Industrial Diamond and Pure Graphite.   I really struggled to get the bells lined up so decided to work from the darkest - the front layer to the lightest - the base layer.   That seem to work better.   I added some sparkle pen to give them some shimmer.   I white embossed the branches from Sunny Studio - Christmas Trimming set along the top and bottom of the card.   I then used the sentiment from that set and stamped it in the middle of the card.  I added 3D tape to the back of the bells after drawing the strings in silver gel pen.   I tied red grosgrain ribbon and added to the top of each bell.   For my little embellishments, I die cut some stars from silver card using a little Mama Elephant die.  It has hearts, stars, and two different sequins.  

Slowly growing my stash of Christmas cards.  I've been enjoying going through my Flickr albums that I've created over the years and getting ideas to remake them.    

Stress Free Cardmaking Summit - Oct 25

 Got a few hours this afternoon to watch some more sessions of the SFCS - I watched Justine Hovey's Live presentation - on replay as it was too early in the day for me - and played along with her.   And then watch Juliana Michaels session - using precise smooshing.   All just using 5 items!

Justine did some masking and ink blending to make a lovely clean looking one layer card - I followed her placement of the masking stripes as I liked the design. 

I chose to use a green/blue background - blending with Altenew inks - Mountain Mist, Volcano Lake and Lagoon.   I used Mint tape to mask off areas to stay white.   Then stamped two flowers from an older CASual Friday stamp set called Pretty Posies.  I then stamped and fussy cut from masking paper before blending.  Used Emerald ink with a 2009 Hero Arts background stamp (Antique Background) to add some extra texture.  Once I removed the masking, I added some little sentiments from Altenew's Sentiment Strips 2.  And finished with some iridescent drops from Pinkfresh Studio.

My second card is more of a mixed media card - inspired by Juliana's session.  Included using a couple of homemade ink smooshers.   I already had a flat one, but made the bubble wrap one.  

Very different from my first card today.   I used light blue and purple inks to make my smooshed background.   Use the light blue with the flat smoosher and the bubble wrap one with the purple ink.   I then used a stencil from Ranger to added the purple.  Splatters of black, white and blackberry acrylic paints (Dina Wakely paints).  My focal butterfly is from Memory Box and I used an Ultramarine ink to smoosh the bottom layer.  I used Catherine Pooler Grass Green and Eucalyptus inks to smoosh onto white card and then die cut two of the leaves from Pinkfresh Studio Curvy Leaves die set.  Added the leaves behind the butterfly and added a teeny tiny sentiment - stamped with black and a Mama Elephant stamp set.  Added some holographic dots to finish.

Had a great afternoon crafting.  Can't wait to finish watching the summit presentations. 

Star Flower Cluster - Anything Goes with Birch Press.

 Hi there.... it's the last day of the month so I'm sharing my card for Die Cut Divas.   I'm currently overseas in Perth, Australia visiting with my family.   So I got myself organised and made my card early...

Our lovely sponsor this month is Birch Press. 

Our sponsor will be giving away a $20 gift card to the winner of our challenge.  *Note: Challenge winner must have US address.

I die cut my cross stripe die from some dark blue card and added to a die cut panel. I die cut the Star Flower dies from white and used blue inks to add the colour.   I stamped and die cut Altenew Baby Breathe and added a touch of yellow with a maker.   Sentiment is a die cut one from Couture Creations.   Added a few Ranger Enamel Accents to finish

Play date - crafting with a friend.

 I've had the most awesome day... My friend, Suna, came to visit today.   This year has been very busy for both of us, and we haven't meet up since Oct last year!!!!  So this Saturday was the day - we both were free and Suna drove the 25kms from her place to mine.   She arrived around 11.00am and left around 3.30ish.   Lots of chatting, crafting and had a lovely lunch - we were able to sit outside on the deck before the weather pack up and the rain started.  

The last picture is of Suna's drawing.  She had blended some blue ink onto her card and then hand drew the gorgeous flower.    Isn't she so talented.  

Suna got three backgrounds done -

Her hand-drawn flower, a new stencil I had gifted her and an older stencil of hers.  Just love what she did with the middle one... such interesting colours. 

I managed two cards.

This one used the Papertrey Ink stencil - In the Meadow - this time with more purple inks.  I cut the panel with a Pinkfresh Die- Folk Edge Rectangle.   Added a big two-tone purple die sentiment with a vellum shadow layer.   Added some iridescent dots for embellishment. 

My second card used a Waffle Flower die and stencil set I've had for about a month now, but hadn't opened.  

I made a little 4.25" square card for this one.   I die cut all the parts of the die and then used the stencil to add the colour.  I die cut all the extra flowers and berries and layered them over the first die cut.  Spritzed it liberally with some Frost Shimmer Spray. I took some Tim Holtz Distress Spritz Fossilised Amber and splattered it over the base before adding the die cut.   Sentiment is from Waffle Flower - Star Snowflake stamp set. 

As this was the first outing for this die and stencil set, I'm adding to the NBUS challenge for August. 

Really enjoyed crafting with someone who understands what card making is all about!  

Butterfly Postage Collage

One of my recent purchases was the Waffle Flower Butterfly Postage Collage stencil. 

I chose to use some Teals and Blues (Altenew) inks for make my card.   Once I had finished the stenciling and stamping, I spritzed the panel with some Sheer Shimmer Spray - Sparkle.   It really does shimmer for real.  I stamped a Gina K sentiment with Altenew Emerald ink that I clear embossed and die cut.  Added some gold dots to finish.  Can't wait to try more colours.

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.   

Positively Poinsettias

 Second post today - see my Sweet Stampin' Challenge post - HERE

*************************************************************************************

I've been having a ball the last few days, getting back into my craft room and having a good old play!

I have made around 6 cards in the last week... but today I'm sharing my entry into the Christmas Kickstart Challenge - Positively Poinsettias

I was looking through my stencils for another card and saw my Waffle Flower Layering Poinsettia Duo and decided it was time to make a start on my Christmas cards.  First for 2025! 

Using this stencil certainly makes a quick card. I started with white card and the first stencil - the leaves, dots, stars etc.  I used some Altenew Fresh Dye ink - Eucalyptus.  I added some Lunar Paste (Slippy when wet) with my finger over the stars.  Once it dried, I added the second stencil and Altenew's Burnt Red ink for the flowers. I used the scalloped die from Gina K Master Layout 4 and added to a white cards base.  I stamped a sentiment from Kaisercraft - Christmas Quotes stamp set and die cut with a circle die from Gina K Master Layout 4 and its matting layer in red card.   Added a few little die cut stars.   

Green plants and vases.... and an oops!

 Well this is an OOPS card.... I was busy working on my Die Cut Diva sample cards for this month... our sponsor is Altenew  (which you will know is my favourite craft company) with our theme for the challenge - FLOWERS - right up my alley!

So I had this idea in mind to use the Mini Delight set - Plants and vases and using a design idea from a recent set of videos I watched for Penny Black... so off I went and made this card.

Doesn't it look great.  Lots of ink blending, white embossing, stamping and die cutting the vases from Holly Mirri card.... yeah - feeling pleased as punch - even with messing up the white embossing of the sentiment and having to layer over the sentiment stamped in black!   So about to take the photo when it struck me..... NO FLOWERS!!!!  OMG how did I miss that!!!    I did think to add some small die cut flowers - but when I hovered them over the card, it completely spoilt the look.   Oh well back to the craft room and another card has been made (look out for it on the 25th!)   Luckily I had time yesterday as I was not feeling great - 2 weeks of a cold and cough and had the day off so I could go to the doctors... viral infection but she gave me some antibiotics just to ensure it doesn't turn bacterial,   So a quiet afternoon of crafting was the order of the day. 

   Feeling better today so went into the office.  Now for a quiet weekend resting up and hopefully improve health wise. 

Woodblock Wednesday - Oct 2024

 I did this card for Woodblock Wednesday on Thursday this week, but have been soooo busy that I didn't get time to share it till now!  

I love this challenge from Amy - a good reminder to use those woodblock stamps I have.   At the moment I seem to be on a Christmas blitz... so here's another one!

I used a Hero Arts Poinsettia stamp and the sentiment is from a company called Paper Inspirations.  It's a really old stamp as I can't find if this company still exists.    I started by stamping the Poinsettia all around the edges of the panel - using Altenew Heartbeat red ink.   I stamped the sentiment with some Festive Berries Distress ink.  Added a little blending around the edges.  Added some Nuvo drops in a red and cream and some gold Kindyglitz to the centre of the poinsettias.  

Really happy with this monochromatic card.  

Craft Fair fun and lots of cards....

Yesterday my friend, Suna and I headed to a Craft Fair - FYI - For your inspiration.  It's held at Lake Karapiro in the Waikato area.  About 2 hours south of Auckland.   A long drive, but we always stop about half way for breakfast.  We left around 7.30 and with stops to pick up some lunch, for breakfast  and top up of petrol and we made it by 10.30.   We talked all the way down.  My GPS - took me a different way and we drove over the Dam - never been that way before.   

We spent a few hours looking around the stalls... spending most of my money at Krafter's Cart stall.... got some lovely goodies - and saw the Lisa Horton Interference inks being demo'ed.  Suna ended up buying three colours.  I managed to get some Andy Skinner stamps.... been eyeing them up for some time. 

On our way home we made a stop to visit our friend, Carol.  She lives about 20 mins from where the craft fair was.   We had a lovely catch up and she gave us some goodies as she is destashing. 

Here is my haul...

I got a new pick up tool - it has 4 replacement wax tips - and a pokey tool at one end.   

Today was busy with catching up with the chores from yesterday and doing the ironing this afternoon.  But managed to grab a couple of hours in the craft room and got a few projects done

First one used one of the Creative Expressions/Andy Skinner stamps I got.  This one is "Let Your Dreams Take Flight"  I made an NZ A5 sized panel - used two Distress Oxide inks (Vintage Photo and Lost Shadow) and two Distress Inks (Weathered Wood and Picked Raspberry) smooshed on a piece of acetate and added to the panel.  I die cut a piece with a Gina K Master Layouts 1 die and did the mat in dark pink.  Stamped the image onto the panel and the sentiment onto some scrap card and fussy cut it. 

My next card was a bit of mixed media.

I used the other part of the panel I made.  I stamped a La Blanche silicon stamp - Bird's Nest (thanks Carol) in some Toffee Crunch Memento ink.  Added a Kaisercraft stamp - rose and scripty one- stamped parts of it randomly over the background in some dark grey ink.   Added some 49th & Market rub-ons and washi tape stickers purchased yesterday.

Next one was using the Waffle Flower - Layered Poinsettia stencil I also purchased.   

It's a lovely duo stencil.   I did the poinsettia in soft greens and added the leaves, centre and the other little bits with Lunar Paste in Minty Fresh.  I cut it the same size as my card base.   I added a sentiment from Concord & 9th - Big on Christmas.  Love how it turned out.   

In fact I also made another panel with the stencil 

This time in red and silver with a touch of gold paste for the flower centres.   

Thanks for coming by today and if you made to here... I appreciate it. 

Non-traditional Christmas colour

 I lost a shadow die last week, so on Sunday I did some tidying up - and not I did not find it... but did find a stamp stuck to the top of my Misti - not even sure what set it came from and I found my Sweet Poppy metal stencils - I have two Christmas ones - an ornament and a bell. 

I took the ornament one and some paper and got out some purple Altenew inks.  I recently purchased the Scrapblook.com magnetic magic mat and I used it to hold my stencil onto the paper.   It sticks to the magnetic side perfectly and lets me do the inking. 

Doesn't it look impressive in the purples.  It is a large stencil and to get it all on my card, I made a base that is 5" x 6".  I used several of the Altenew inks. And then I added a sentiment from a magazine freebie, inked in Altenew Obsidian ink.  I splashed some water on it to get droplets and then spritzed it with Shimmer Spray in Frost.  Added some white gel dots, and some white pearls.  For tiny splash of colour I added some red enamel dots for the berries. 

Happy Birthday Dad

 Today is my Dad's 87th birthday.   He was a young dad - only 20 when I was born....so I'm very lucky to still have him my life. 

Here's the card I made and sent to him. 

I made myself a little stencil to do some colour blocking using Altenew inks and then over stamped with Stampin' Up Wetlands stamp set.  Part of the sentiment is from the same set and the DAD is from a Newton's Nook set.  A CAS card.  

Happy Birthday Dad 💖

Saturday Afternoon crafting.

 It's been a cold and wet Saturday afternoon here in Auckland.  So I tucked myself into the craft room and had a play!  Yesterday afternoon I had spend some time cutting out some Spellbinders Be Bold Flowers from some Francheville Ombre Blue card.  It's 176gms so perfect for layering flowers.  I made up a pile of them, despite keeping losing dies... all good by the end of the evening- they were all there.  So, this afternoon while hubby was out watching some local rugby I made a card. 

I made my background by taking a piece of patterned paper and used Altenew Dotted Starburst Debossing die to add some subtle texture.   I found a blue circle in my scrap pile and used Altenew's Sentiment Strips - after a bit of stamp surgery so I could stack the sentiment.  I smudged it a bit, so took the big ball of my stylus and some Altenew Galactic Stream Fresh Dye ink and made some dots.  Added to the BG and then added the flowers.   

I'm adding this card to AAA Birthday Challenge - Fabulous Flowers.   

And to The Flower Challenge

I also found a 5-1/2" x 8-1/2" panel that I had hot foiled Altenew Vibrant Florals onto with some black foil.   I decided that it would look good in the July Inspiration Challenge colours. 

So pulled out some ink pads so I could use the matching stencils to add the colour.  In the end I used - Coral Bliss, Coral Berry, Orange Cream, Misty Moor and Sweet Leaf inks.   Once I done the colouring, I cut the panel to make two cards. 

I added an encouraging sentiment.  It's from the Altenew set - Monstera and Quotes.  A few Altenew enamel dots finished. 

and the second one 

The sentiment this time is from Altenew - Classic Greetings set.  Again, finished with some enamel dots.  Just love that I got two cards from the one hot foil image.  

Off to make dinner and then watch the All Blacks versus England in rugby.  

And I've got another post scheduled for later this evening. 

Woodblock Wednesday - June edition

 It's that time of the month again... time for Amy Tsuruta's monthly Woodblock Wednesday challenge.

I love pulling out my old woodblock stamps and making a card.  This month I pulled out two Penny Black stamps and one from a NZ company called Rubbadubbadoo (it is no longer in business)

I started with a panel of white card and using some Altenew Permanent Mist Gray ink, stamped the scripty stamp from Rubbadubbadoo.  It is very subtle in the background corners.  Next I stamped the Penny Black stamp (Day Dream circa 2009) with black ink and clear embossed it.  I then used Altenew inks - Pink Crystal, Mauve and Berryliscious and Olive for the leaves.  The sentiment from Penny Black (...your heart circa 2003) was stamped with black ink.  I used the same pink inks to blend around the edges of the panel.  I added it to a pink card that is the same size of my base.  

I had fun making this one.  Thanks for stopping by 

Bird on a Branch

 It's been a busy week... haven't had much time to craft... but finished work early.  During the week I saw that Scrapbook Central was having a class by Chick Mitchell.  As this is in Wellington (8 hours south of me) I can't go... but Chick has designed some cards with a bird and some beautiful backgrounds.  I contacted her and found the bird was from Memory Box.  Of course I had to get it!  And it arrived yesterday late afternoon.  So after signing off my computer (working from home day!) and before doing the housework, I popped into the craft room and had a play. 

 

I started by putting the little birdie together.  I die cut with some 160gm Fabriano paper.  It's a light cream colour (although the packaging says white)  It cuts like butter.  I used inks from Altenew's Tea Party ink set to add colour to the layers with a touch of some brown to darken parts.  The branches, flowers and leaves are from Spellbinders - Layered Cherry Blossom die set.  I added a touch of the lightest red inks to the creamy dies.  Used some rose gold metallic card for the centres.   My background was a variation on a technique that Chick taught at SENZ craft fair last July.  Used a chipboard panel of leaves.  I inked them with some Distress Oxide in Speckled Egg and spritzed and laid it onto my panel.  I then blended some of the same ink through the panel like a stencil and finally just added some of the ink onto the panel.  Just love the look I achieved.   Die cut a scalloped panel from Gina K Master Layouts 4 and trimmed the panel to fit inside.  Added the branches, flowers and leaves and the little birdie.  Finished with a pre-printed sentiment from Creative Expressions Woodies.

I can't wait to try different colour combos for this little bird.   I scoped out Pinterest and have got a few samples on my board.

Entering into Darnell's NBUS challenge - as it is the first outing for the die

and Just Us Girls - in Collaboration with Time Out Challenges - Birds of a Feather

Shades of Teal

 Hi there.   I got new dies and inks last week and on Sunday I played.   My last Krafters Cart purchases were Spellbinders Be Bold Blooms and Altenew Fresh Die inks - Sweet Dreams - so thought I could combine the two.

I have been seeing my bloggy friend Lin use this die set a bit and finally bit the bullet and got it.  I cut it twice from some white card stock and using the Sweet Dreams inks (Dew Drops, Aqualicious, Teal Cave & Galactic Stream) and Fresh Dye inks  Eucalyptus and Forest Green with the yellow Crisp Dye ink - Citrus Burst, to blend over the die cuts. I chose to make my focal panel with Spellbinder's Hemstitch Rectangles.  I added a sentiment from Altenew's Silk Art stamp set.  Finished with a few iridescent gems from Pink Fresh Studio.  

As this the first time using the dies I am entering this into the challenge at Darnell's NBUS

I am also entering this into Color Hues #82- Turquoise and Green (thanks Donna for the heads up)

Dreamy Daylilies #2

 While I had the Dreamy Daylilies embossing folder and stencil out on my desk, I decided to try out some other colours.  I did a quick google search.... so many inspirational pictures.   This one was my inspiration for today's card. 

I embossed then using the stencil used Altenew Fresh Lemon and Burnt Red for the flowers and Mahogony Bark for the stamen plus Fresh Dye inks - Eucalyptus and Forest Fern for the leaves.   I used a sentiment from Leaf Canopy set inked in Cloudy Night grey ink.   Decided no other embellishments were required.   

I have fallen in love with this lily and it looks stunning in so many colours... pink and yellow ones are on the horizon for sure.   

Altenew February Inspiration Challenge.

 I got some new Altenew goodies last Friday - just before I was heading away for the week.  I started doing some stenciling before we left and finished it off yesterday. 

I saw this month's Inspiration Challenge on the Altenew blog and thought the colours I chose fitted the challenge 

The set I got was the Dreamy Daylilies embossing folder, stencils and die set.   For my card I used just the folder and the stencils. 

I started by embossing the white card and using the stencil I added purples on the tips of the leaves and some darker yellow/orange in the centres and the stamen.  I used the darkest of the yellow/oranges and my smallest ball on my stylus to add the dots on my lilies.  My sentiment is from Sentiment Strips 3 and was black embossed and die cut with Featured Sentiments Die set.  I finished with some metallic gold pearls.  

As this is the first use of this folder and stencil set I am also adding to the NBUS challenge.

Really happy how this turned out.  

.