Beautiful Butterflies

I was playing around with my Stamp Of Approval Lovely Notes tonight, using the butterfly set.  It is stunning.  I managed two quick cards...

First up I did some embossing - dry and wet. 

I embossed the background with a new folder I recently got.  The butterflies were stamped onto Vellum with Altenew ink and then versamark before being embossed with WOW Clear Sparkle powder.  I then fussy cut them.  I used a Spellbinders label's die to cut my sentiment panel.  Sentiment is from the same set as the butterflies.

My second card was made with the Simon Says Stamp challenge in mind... "Make for the border"

I used the bigger butterfly again, this time using some various Pixie Powders on the stamp.  I then inked the edge of the stamp with black ink.  Turned out very pretty.  The powders have quite a shimmer to them.  I used a sentiment from a previous SOA collection - Beautiful World.  And finished with a few sequins.  I layered the panel onto some purple card and used a Fiskers edge punch.  My favourite colour with my favourite theme - butterflies. 

All in all, a fun evening of crafting.

Mygrafico Monday Feature ~ Hey Baby

This week we are all about babies!  We are featuring a super adorable set of Baby Stamps by Zenware Designs.  The design team has some great projects to share.  Who doesn't love baby stamps?

I decided to make two cards.... one for a boy and one for a girl, using a similar design on both... 

I used some 12x12 papers that I've had for a number of years. For the boy card I kept it fairly simple.  Die cut the printed image and coloured with Copics.  Sentiment is 2 stamps from a Fiskars set.   For the girl card I did a little paper piecing for the little bundle and folded a length of punched edging (a la Debby) 

Pop over to the blog and see what the others came up with.  Some beautiful work.   And our wedding challenge is still underway here.  We would love to have you join us.

Wishing you all a good week..

Dawn

Babies Galore......

this year in my extended family there are a number of babies due.... Debbie ( my brother's daughter) is due at the end of this month, Rachel ( hubby's niece in Canada) is due early July and in September two more of hubby's nieces ~ Nicola and Angela are due... so I thought I'd better get make a supply of baby cards.... I've heard my niece is expecting her second daughter but not too sure on what the others are having so I'll do some girl and some boy cards.  And to make things easier for me, I picked up a set of Fiskars Baby stamps ( 44 clear stamps) for $2.95 in a discount store.... it has lots of little images and words.

Here are the first two cards

I started by printing off some patterned paper ~ from a magazine download (here)  I cut it to size and tore the edging and layered onto the pink card.  I then stamped the images and added white gel pen to the giraffe.  I then printed the little angel onto card stock and cut out.  I've had this image forever and have no idea where I got it.... but it is so sweet.  I left a white border round the image as a frame.

The second card was made using up the rest of the patterned paper.  I paper pieced the elephant and then cut it out with a nestibility, adding the scallop circle in the PP as well.  The pink and blue ribbon was sitting on my desk from a card I made earlier in the week, and it just seemed to fit the colours perfectly.   This one could, at a pinch, do either boy or girl... just enough blue on it for a boy...

Well that's me for now... I had a very full on day at a regional meeting and am feeling a bit pooped... do it's off to bed with a magazine....( Craft Stamper ) to have a peek through.  April's issue has just arrived here in NZ... we are usually about a month behind!  Lots of lovely goodies to feast my eyes on...

Thanks for stopping by.... enjoy the rest of your week... nearly the weekend...

Dawn

Jumping for Joy!

Finally can share my exciting news..... been jumping for joy since I got an email from Clare who is the lead designer for the Card group on Simply Scrapping Crafts to say that my application to join the team was successful.... Yeah... thanks Clare and Judy ( the owner of the site)  I am so excited to be part of the team..

Today we got introduced and were able to provide our first samples as a team.... all three D's.... yes my other team members are Dani and Dana.... how's that for a bit of a giggle...
Here's our intros and this weeks challenge.... a sketch by Clare.

Here's my sample card

As you can see I turned the sketch upside down.  My card stock came with the sewing already printed on it... ( Got this set about 3 years ago at K-Mart to celebrate Breast Cancer Week)  I just had to add the tiny strips of paper and found a use for a little piece of daisy ribbon I had.  I made the die cut label using a couple of spellbinders, some masking and a HA background stamp.  Love this technique for making the frames ( see this video) Sentiment by Fiskars. Finished off with the rolled roses made with a Die-namics die.

I'm so pleased with my first sample ~ now to start work on next week's theme!!!  Please do come and join us at SSC.  There are so many great groups to join and it's all free....

Thanks for taking the time to read this today.... I'm still jumping up and down with joy

Shabby Chic....

I very much admire card makers who are good at making shabby chic/vintage cards....Sue and Jacqueline are prime examples  but just google " shabby chic cards" and you get a multitude.   I was looking through an Australian Card and Papermaking magazine yesterday and was inspired to give this look a go.  This is not my usual style but in the end I was rather pleased with the outcome.... even if it took quite some time to come together.

I started with a sheet of Webster's Pages (A Sweet Life ~Home Sweet Home) which I trimmed one corner to fit.  I edged it with Peeled Paint distress and then used a blending tool to colour the bottom third of the piece.  I stamped the words "dream" and "inspire" ( Fiskars stamp set) and then just inked up the bird from a Hero Arts cling (Bird in a Circle)  I coloured the bird with some Faber Castell pencils and OMS.  I added some lace and ribbon and then stamped a clock face (Teresa Collins set) onto some of the rest of the PP.  I used a small nestibility to cut it out and pop dotted onto the card.  Once I had it matted onto the white and tan card I added some flowers and the pin ( a gift from Pia from nearly 2 years ago!) I added some brown pearls... one to the flower centre and several others on the flourish in the corner. The Webster's Pages really made it easy to get the lovely shabby chic look.  I've just bought some of their on-line papers - here.  Just waiting for my download code so I can save them to my computer. 

I am also very pleased with the photo I look of the card.  Michelle is having a give away on her blog for a light tent.  It looked really cool so I did some research and found a place in Christchurch selling them on Trade Me.... very reasonably price too... so I ordered one and it arrived this week.  Its only 30cm x 30 cm but is perfect for a card.  It comes with 4 different coloured backgrounds... white/black/blue/red.  Plus I'm sure I could make more if needed. 

Update on hubby's sister.... she is still hanging in there.... He is flying off to London on Monday evening... arriving mid morning their time on Tues.  Praying she will last till then so he can say his goodbyes.  His older brother went over on Thursday.  A very sad time for them all. 

thanks for visiting.... take care