Use a Shape for The Flower Challenge

 The Flower Challenge is one of my favourite's to have a go at.  It's their 5th Birthday too!  

I had added a die cut shape to my card and made a Christmas card. 

I gone for a bit of a non-traditional colour with my pink background.  I took the Catherine Pooler Trellis die cut and cut it a few times.  I chopped two of them to remove the trellis and add just the frame behind the first die cut to give it a bit of dimension.  The little poinsettia are made using the smallest two dies from a Spellbinders die set.  I cut some in red and some in green to make the leaves.  I also cut two little swirls by Cheery Lynn Designs.  Addeda yellow pearl to the centre of the flowers.   I die cut the sentiment with a Britannia Dies Christmas die and laid it diagonally across the trellis.   Was very happy how it turned out.  

We are certainly having Spring weather here... Yesterday was lovely and warm and hubby even went for his first swim of the new season... way too cold for me to consider, but he said it was "brisk"  - then today it's cool and overcast with wind and rain.   Can't wait for the consistent warm of summer.    At least with the not so nice weather I've been enjoying spending some time in my craft space.  A card or two done!

Take care - and enjoy your weekend.  

A Classy card at StampNation

I'm back again with my Guest Designer card for StampNation this week.  Our challenge is to make a Classy Card.   As I'm busy making Christmas cards, I've made not one but two Classy cards.

My GD card is this one

My inspiration for this one came from Pinterest.  I've used some metallic shimmery card to make this.  Ive used dies from Spellbinders, Cheery Lynn Designs and Couture Creations.  I used stamps from Catherine Pooler Designs SOA  Candy Cane Lane collection.  I used a Copic marker to colour some white pearls.  I added a bit of dimension on the card with some embossed lines.

And while I had my shimmery card and the dies out, I made another Classy card

with this one, I used a smaller Spellbinders die for focal point and stamped it with the sentiment - again from the SOA collection.  It's hard to see but I have embossed some little stars around the sentiment.    I used the same embossed lines and the Spellbinders Poinsettia die and the Couture Creations Holly Flourish

Thanks for stopping by today.  If you are a member of StampNation, do come join us, and if not... please consider joining us. 

Christmas Tag Card

With Fall coming to the Northern Hemisphere and Spring in the Southern Hemisphere that means Christmas is just round the corner.  And now's the time to visit the store at A2Z Scrapbooking and get some new items to start on your cards.   All the Hero Arts Christmas stamps, dies and stencils are in stock.

Today I have a card that uses Hero Arts Merry & Bright Tag Die and Stamp Set.

I die cut the Tag from some American Crafts silver card stock.  The sentiment from the set was stamped with black ink and clear embossed.   Here I have used a bow die from Cheery Lyn but am pleased to let you know Hero Arts has an awesome bow die which we are stocking at A2Z.

Don't forget that our challenge this month is all about Fall.  Hope you can join us, there is a chance to win a $25 Gift Certificate to the a2z Scrapbooking Store.

Remember when you go shopping to use code Dawn15 at checkout to receive 15% off your purchase of $25 or more. And don’t forget that we are on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  Follow us on these different social media outlets so you won’t miss out on any fun promotions!

93 Days to Christmas!

OMG - that's not long!  I can't wait as I have my daughter and son in law and my parents coming to stay.  So, have you started your Christmas Cards yet?  I have a couple of cards to share today.  I tend to make lots of different designs - sometimes doing a couple of each design. 

first up are a couple of similar designs

 The silhouette die is from Couture Creations.  Both sentiments are from Hero Arts stamps.  They were both embossed with a folder.  The first one is simple black and white while the second one is sprayed with some Lindy's Gang iridescence blue spray and some gold spray.

Next up

A cute as Summer Christmas card using a Simon Says Stamp set.  I was inspired by a card from Barb Engler, who in turn had been inspired by Laura Bassen.   It's it the best.  I've decided that, that is not a Palm but a NZ Cabbage Tree! 

and finally a CAS card

This is a new Hero Arts die and stamp set which I cut from some American Crafts silver foil card.  I stamped the sentiment from the set in Onyx black Versafine and clear embossed.  I added a few scraps of red card behind the berries.  

Thanks for sticking with my post today.  I appreciate all my visitors and love when you leave me a comment.  

Add a bow....

Latest challenge is now up at Creative Craft Cottage  and our theme is to use a Bow on your creation.

Our sponsor is Ppinkydolls

 

I  used a lovely image 

I printed it out and used some pencils to lightly colour.  I used a Spellbinders oval die and the Floral oval die to cut the image.  I edged with a gold pen.  I added a Cheery Lynn bow die cut in bright pink for a pop of colour.  My base card was embossed with Swiss dots folder.

We would love to have you join us this fortnight. 

Use your favourite die/s

My New Zealand card group has a monthly technique challenge.  April's challenge was close to my heart... Use your favourite dies.  I LOVE my dies and have LOTS.  How to choose a favourite? 
Well I just went with my go to Floral Oval and some roses dies.... and here's what I made

Simply but I was really happy with the results and so was Suna when I hand delivered it in it's own little box envelope.  Suna works in the same office as me... I'm on the 8th floor and she works on the 7th floor. 

My dies were a Spellbinders Floral Oval and three sizes of Cherry Lynn roses dies.  Sentiment from a Clearly Besotted free set.

Enjoy your week.  I've got some fun things happening over the next few days... some exciting news come May 1st and of course the National Scrapbook Blog Hop on the 3rd 

Snow and Christmas/Holidays at Die Cut Divas.

A new challenge is underway at Die Cut Divas.... Hannah is our hostess this month and she's chosen Snow and Christmas/Holidays.  Our lovely sponsor this month is a new one for us.... Dies R Us

 

For my sample I chose to use the following dies which you can purchase from them HERE.

Spellbinders Labels one

Spellbinders Poinsettia die

Cheery Lynn Holly Flourish

My image is from All Dressed Up     

I have entered this into the FB challenge for All Dressed Up.   Isn't see so cute.  

We would love to see you join us this month. 

How much "mess" can three people make?

Let me show you...........

Yesterday I was joined by Helen and Lei for a day of stamping.  With just the three of us, we spread out a bit.... look at all the creativity going on... between the three of us we made over 15 cards.  And I finished off another one today. 

Most of what I did was for upcoming design work so can't share just yet.  But I did borrow some of Lei stamps and made some cards.

 

I'm not sure who makes the stamp. (Could be Inkadinkado)  I went for a very monochromatic look.  I inked up the stamp with Hero Arts Charcoal ink and then added the Winnie and Walter sentiment stamps.  Can you see where I had to fix a mistake?  

 

This card was the other stamp of Lei's I borrowed.  It is by a NZ company called Rubbadubbadoo.  I had stamped it onto cream card and then cut with a Spellbinders die. Sponged with Antique Linen ink while it was still in the die.  To make the outside layer, I drew around the outside of the die and hand cut.  The background PP is from Rosie's Studio.  The flowers are from Prima and the die cut leaves from a Cherry Lynn die.    This is a for an upcoming birthday for a friend.  I have made a little box envelope to put this in and will hand deliver when the time comes.  

 

I had an awesome day with my friends.  We did miss the others but as I had sent out the invite at short notice it was good to catch up with those that I could.  

Hope your weekend was a great as mine was.

 

A CASE'd card...

CASE ~ copy and selectively edit.... Well that's what I believe CASEing to be.  In my case I copied the design and used what I had on hand that looked similar to the original.

I saw a beautiful card over at the Couture Creations website and decided to go for it.

I used an embossing folder from Cuttlebug to emboss the background.  I then sponged on Stormy Sky and Pumice Stone distress ink leaving the centre clear.  My lamp post is from Cherry Lynn Designs as is the Holly flourish.  I cut it in half and used both pieces.  I used a piece of black lace I got in a recent embellishment swap.  I sponged Black Soot and Stormy Sky distress ink onto some white care and spritzed with some Perfect Pearls Vintage Gold for a shine.  I then punched out the flowers and put together with black gem brads.

I love that there is SO much inspiration out there and thanks to everyone who shares their work. 

Had a very scary night last night as a big storm passed over.  We got woken at 2.30am with an almighty crash of thunder and lightening... It really was loud and scary.  The lightening and thunder continued for over an hour...kept me awake.  And then woke to hear that the yacht race in San Francisco was abandon because of the wind going the wrong way.... at least it wasn't like yesterday when low winds meant that we didn't make it to the end within the time frame.  A couple of minutes more and we would have won the America's Cup.... but not to be yesterday as Oracle got another win under their belts in race 2 of the day.... So roll on tomorrow and maybe we can do it!!!!!  GO TEAM NZ 

Nutcraker Holiday Card

One of my LSS ~ Scotties ~ is having a 12 days of Christmas sale and Monday, they had half price on Tim Holtz dies... I ordered the Tattered Poinsettia and Toy Soldier ( actually ordered two of this one... but that's another story!)  I saw a great video from Vicky (at Clips'n'Cuts) where she used a Tim Holtz stamp to make a Nutcraker card.   I have cased her card using what I had.



I pieced the solider with a variety of card stock.  Added some silver stickles.   I die cut a Cherry Lynn flourish and added some stickles to it as well.  I took a Post Card and distressed the edges.  I stamped Hero Arts French Writing on one side.  Added some Pink Paislee stamps to the other side.  The Holly is part the Tattered Poinsettia, inked up with some distress inks and the berries, some red Kindyglitz.  I added a couple of punched leaves.   Finished with a silver Peelcraft sentiment.

Entering into the Play Date Cafe ~ Christmas is coming challenge

I'm off for the weekend tomorrow afternoon.  We are heading to a family gathering.   So no internet for me for a few days.   I'll be back for my sample for Red Carpet Studio on Sunday night.


Dawn

Type Hype over at Moxie Fab World

The Tuesday Trigger over at Moxie Fab World is this fabulous pic

 I took inspiration from the old time typewriter and went for a vintage type card



I started with some white card stock and this Pink Paislee stamp set

 I took a number of the stamps and made a collage by using Pumice Stone distress ink.  I then sponged the ink all over and used a tool to distress the edges.  I then inked them with Vintage Photo.  I stamped the typewriter with Black Archival ink and used the Vintage Photo to distress.  I spritzed the panel with some gold Perfect Pearls and water mist.  The card base is some Neenah Desert Storm cardstock.  I finished the card off with a Cherry Lynn flourish and  a Dienamics rolled rose.  My sentiment was made with the computer using Travelling Typewriter font(free here from dafont.com) die cut with a Dienamics die.

I'm adding this to Die Cut Diva's challenge Anything goes challenge as well.

Thanks for stopping by this week.  And a big welcome to all my new followers.... hope you enjoy your stop over.

Dawn

Pretty Papers

I found a great free site via Pinterest where there are some amazing vintage type free papers.  Here is Astrid's Pinterest site and here is her blog.   I really liked the papers I saw and downloaded one I liked to use on a card.



I printed it out at A6 size onto some plain computer paper.  I wish now I used some slightly heavier card.  Any how, I trimmed the printed paper and added some stamps on the corners.  I used Hero Arts Hydrangea with some Dusty Concord distress ink and the sentiment is Hero Arts as well.  I used my Tim Holtz ruler and a pin to make the holes around the edge.  I distressed them to make them pop a bit.  I finished off with some roses made with lilac computer weight paper.  I layered three pieces together and cut with the die.  I then layered all the layers together.  Finished with a little lilac ribbon tied in a bow.

I have downloaded a few other papers from Astrid and added to my files.  So a big thanks to her.

Thanks for visiting
Dawn