Floating by to say..... at Die Cut Divas

 I'm here to share my card for the last day at Die Cut Divas for our March Challenge - Critters.

I only have the one Sunny Studio critter stamp so it got used again .... together with another little Sunny Studio stamp set called Floating By.

I decided to combine my two stamp sets onto a Mini Slimline card.  I used a couple of dies from a Pink Fresh Studio Essential Slimline dies to cut my panel and matting layer.  I lightly ink blended the panel with some blue ink and a home made cloud stencil.   I stamped the balloons directly to the panel, and then stamped them and the little cow onto some white card and coloured with some metallic watercolour pens before die cutting them.  I added the sentiment - one from the Floating By set and one from the Miss Moo set.  I added the balloons directly over the stamping and added some 3D tape to the cow.  

You still have till 9.00pm US Pacific time to join us with your critter projects.

Spring Flowers.

 Hi there... yes today I'm sharing a Spring Flowers card (even though I'm heading into Autumn)  I saw over on the Flickr Simon Says Stamp group that the latest challenge is Slimline and Spring... I have to say I have neglected my Simon Says Stamps stamps... so I pulled out Spring Flowers set and got started 

I started by die cutting the panel with a Pinkfresh Studio Essentials Slimline die.  I used some Altenew Grey Denim ink to stamp the flowers and leaves with a little masking.  I used some Prismacolor pencils with mineral spirits to colour the flowers.  Loved the softer look with using the grey ink.  I found the Tiny Words Encouragement set and stamped the sentiment in black ink.  Added a tiny black gem into the centre of the pink flower.   The panel was then mounted onto a green card base.  This is a 3.25" x 6.25" mini slimline.

I started this on Saturday evening and finished it today when we got home from spending most of the day at a Motorkana -  using cars to go around a course in a paddock!  It was for our MG club.  Peter didn't compete but was timekeeper.  We had fun catching up with some of the people we had meet earlier this year at the rally in January, and watching the MG's race around the course.  Plus bonus of a nice day.  

Inspired by an older sketch from Cardabilities

 A couple of days ago a post came up on my gmail - with a pin that was saved from my Sketches I like board on Pinterest- and I thought I needed to try this one..

I decided to try it as a mini slimline card - and did NO stamping!

I used a Pretty Pink Posh scalloped edged die to cut each side of my centre panel.  Used some patterned paper from a My Mind's Eye - Lost & Found Blush pad.  I die cut a variety of leaves and branches from vellum (die by Altenew, CP Designs) and the circle with a Gina K Master Layouts 3 die.  The sentiment is a pre-printed one from Taylored Expressions.  I used another die from the GK ML3 set to get the fish tail end.  I used some scrap red card to cut the Poppy Stamps Grosgrain bow.  Finished with some enamel dots (Altenew Red Cosmos set) 

I will have to try it as a US-A2 card as well.  It's a fun sketch. 

Glad it's the end of the week... 'cause I got a visit from the Princess.  Her Dad often picks her up on a Friday and stops off at our place on their way home.   I was a bit late getting home from work today.... I got called in as one of our "shift" is a household contact with her son and husband COIVD positive.  She has to isolate for 7 days - luckily our shift is working from home next week.   But for me it was my last day working in the shift as I've been appointed to an new team at work - where we are ring fenced to just working on the property project...an exciting change for me and it's going to be a new challenge.  More working home I expect.  We are having our first virtual get together on Monday... the team is made up of staff from 4 different sites

Take care out there everyone

Die Cut Divas - Slimline Paper Piecing

  Hi there.   Over at  Die Cut Divas this month our sponsor is Rachel Vass Designs and our theme is Flowers.   

I tried something a little different with my Rachel Vass florals by paper piecing the florals.

I printed the image -Floral Border Slimline - three times... once on white card stock, one on cream colour paper and once on purple paper.   I cut the white panel with Pink Fresh Studios Essential Mini Slimline dies.  The purple layer was cut with another of the dies from that set.  I used some pencils to add some colour to coloured flowers.  I then fussy cut them and added to the base.   Just prior to Christmas I purchased a Go Press and Foil machine and ordered some Spellbinders foil dies.  This one I foiled with silver foil.  Using this machine is just another way to use your die cut machine... I use a Cuttlebug and the foiling machine goes through perfectly.  

Do come and join us with your Flowers this month. 

WWC326 Helen's Challenge: All About Occasions

 Hi, time for our challenge at Watercooler Wednesday.  Helen's our hostess with an All About Occasions Challenge.  

My card today was for a friend's birthday a couple of weeks ago.

This was a fun to make.  I used some Altenew Washi Tape to make my floral base.  I made my base a 6.25 x 3.25 base in some dark brown.  I added the washi to a white panel.  I used an Altenew Circled Greetings - Hello die to make my die cut.  I just cut the cirlce away.  I die  cut one in maroon and 2 in white and layered together.  The sentiment is from Altenew's Label Love.  I stamped it onto some white card with Obsidan ink.  

Come and join in the fun at  Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and check out the projects from the other designers.  Then take our challenge and link up your project to the challenge post.    We'd love to have you join us.  You have until Monday 18th October  at 5 pm Mountain Standard Time (Tuesday 19th at 12.00 noon NZ time ) to link up your project.

World Cardmaking Day - October 2nd

 Hi there... Saturday 2nd October is World Cardmaking Day....As we here in NZ get to play a bit earlier than the other half of the world... I did get some time to play today (and am planning to play tomorrow with some of the wonderful challenges coming up)

I made three cards today.... one A2 sized, one tiny note card and one mini slimline.  

My first card is made for a new to me challenge.  One of my design teamies (Tristan) is now desiging for Just Add Ink  Their latest challenge is Choose Two

I chose Sunshine and Silhouette.

I cut my panel with Gina K Master Layouts 2 and used some washi to mask a frame aound it.  I used a Tim Holtz stencil to add my sunshine using inks from Altenew.  Once I finsihed I took three sides of the washi off, leaving the bottom piece.  I took some stamps from Catherine Pooler's Wild Garden stamp set for my my silhouette stamping.  The sentiment is from an Altenew stamp set.  

Next up is a mini note card.  The base came about when I cut down a pre folded base to a mini slimline size.  This one is 2.25" X 3" size. (although it looks bigger in my photo)

I used a little die rectangle from one of Gina K's Master Layouts.  I had some ink of my blending tool from my first card so I used a Hero Arts stencil (Crossing Waves) that Karren send me.  The leaf is from an Altenew mini stamp set called Bitty Botanicals and the Thank You from the mini set called Best Sentiments.   I'm giving this note card to a friend who ordered two masks from me.  I had the fabric cut out, so earlier today I sewed them.  Plus another one for both hubby and myself.  

And my third card for the day - using new dies that arrived yesterday.   I am loving the 3.25" x 6.25" mini slimline size and had ordered the Pink Fresh Studio Mini Slimline Essential Bundle.  Plus I got Altenew Itty Bitty Flowers die set.  

I cut a white frame using one of the Pink Fresh Studio dies. For my flowers I took a scrap of white card and used my blending tool and Altenew's Wisteria, Hydrangea and Ultramarine inks to make my own coloured card.  I cut the layers and glue them.  Used some dark brown card to cut the branch.  Added the flowers and then added a little gold gem in the centre of some of the flowers.  The sentiment is from Altenew Engraved Flowers set.  I just couldn't get a good photo.  Even struggled to edit it.  

Enjoy spending some time crafting over the weekend and Happy World Cardmaking Day 

Christmas Slimine - Big and Mini

 I recently watched a You Tube video where a talented card maker used a 1/2 sheet of 12" x 12" paper to make a few slim line card.  Her cards were very long.... I decided to make my bases a little smaller than hers and adapted the papers.  I ended up making two long cards and then decided mini slimlines are more my style.  I made one using some of the papers I had cut (still have three small peices to use) 

Here are the two long slimlines.

I found a pack of Christmas 12" x 12" papers and cut this one in half.  I measured a peice and cut it diagonally.  Stuffed up the first half which ended up in the bin.  FOr this one I ran a narrow bit of glittery 3M tape down the diagonal.  I made the thin strip by laying the tape onto my glass mat and used my craft knife to cut a strip off.  I die cut the white card with a die from Gina K's Master Layouts.  I glued it onto some gold card stock and trimmed around to make the mat.

Card two used a whole strip of the patterned paper.  I miss measured the panel so had to add the strip of gold paper.  So decided to die cut the big sentment from Paper Roses from teh sme gold card,  I found a little Greetings stamp in a freebie set from a few years ago and after gold embossing it found the perfect sized die cut from one of Gina K's Master Layouts die sets.  

So after decided I prefer the mini slimlines I made this one

I used the same design as my first card.  I added a slightly wider strip of the black tape.  I then added strips of the tape onto some scrap card and added the sentiment die cut and trimmed around it.  The panel is a very dark green.  

Today I spend the afternoon finding some tutorials and templates for making some mini slimline envelopes.  There are so many as mini slimlines vary in size as well.  I like making mine 3.25" x 6.25".  I managed to adapt an envelope that was designed for a 3.5" x 6.5" one and cut myself a template.   

Hope all is well in your part of the world.  I'm still working from home - find out Monday afternoon, if Auckland goes down a level.   Looking forward to some easing of the levels.

Turquoise Flowers.

 

I haven't played along with The Flower Challenge in a while but this month's challenge called to me.  

I chose to use a Layering Stencil from Altenew to make a mini slimline card.

This is the Hill Blossom stencil and I used three inks from the Deep Seas set... Turquoise, Tide Blue and Starlight.  I added some black in to the tiny centres and added some tiny silver gems.   I cut the flowers out with a Gina K Master Layouts 7 die.  I used the larger of the two mini slimline dies and then added the turquoise layer before adding to a 3.25" x 6.25" base.  The sentiment is from another Altenew set - Classic Beauty.

Holiday Tapestry Christmas cards

I managed to find a bit of time to watch Gina K's Facebook Live the other day (see it Here on You Tube)- where she used some double sided tape to add some embossing powder to her mini slimline card.  I was inspired by this technique to try it with Gina K's Holiday Tapestry stamp set.   I made two cards... one A2 sized and one slimline (didn't use my mini slimline dies from Master Layout 7 as it didn't arrive to today) 

First up was my A2 card 

I used two blues to make this one.  I stamped the Holiday Tapestry and embossed with some silver powder.  It is a very old powder and not a fine detail one, not as smooth as I'd like.  Time for some new powder methinks.  I added some Express It tape in 1/8" and 1/4" and added it to card.  Embossed it and love the texture it produced.  I stamped the Merry Christmas onto some slightly darker blue and cut it with some of the Master Layout dies.  I went with the opposites... plain inner and stitched outer. The other layers are some silver card stock.  The darker blue made the base.   A few silver baubles finished this card. 

Card 2 - Mini Slimline

For this one, I started by stamping the border stamp from the Holiday Tapestry set and added the tape above and below.  Next I used the bigger stamp above the border and the sentiment below.  Messed up the sentiment embossing a bit... but hey... it's hand made!  I used some gold baubles on this one.   I then added the red panel directly onto my white card base.  

This stamp set makes such elegant cards when embossed in the gold and silver.  I can see more of these in this year's cards. 

Hope you all are enjoying your weekend.  Today was lovely in the afternoon, so managed a lovely walk along the pipeline between my two local beaches.