Christmas in July with Waffle Flower Cardinals

 It’s time for Christmas in July at Die Cut Divas, and I’m excited to share a festive card project featuring our fabulous sponsor this month, Waffle Flower.

When I was down at the Tauranga Create and Craft event, I picked up the Waffle Flower Cardinal Duo Christmas die. A card I spotted on the Waffle Flower website sparked the idea for today’s project, and I decided to pair the cardinal with the Waffle Flower Poinsettia Frame die that was already in my stash.

I started with a dark green top-folding card base, then cut the Poinsettia Frame die twice from light green card. Because I only wanted to use the corner sections of the frame, I did a little die-cut surgery and trimmed each one into two parts.

For the details, I cut the separate poinsettias from white card, the berries from red card, and the flower centres from yellow card. I also created a white frame using two dies from the Simon Says Stamp A2 Nesting Stitched Rectangles set.

Before assembling everything, I stamped a sentiment from the Waffle Flower Star Snowflake Sentiment set and heat embossed it in white. Once the frame was in place, I added the poinsettia frame corners, then layered on the white flowers, berries, and centres to build up the festive arrangement.

Next, I die cut the cardinal and used the matching stencils to colour it with Altenew inks. I was just about ready to attach it when I realised I had cut the bird facing the wrong direction! So, back to the die-cutting machine I went. I cut the other cardinal, coloured it up, and this time he was facing exactly the way I wanted.

Of course, that first cardinal wasn’t going to waste, so it led me to create a bonus card.

For this one, I used the other sections of the Poinsettia Frame die that I had cut away for the first card. I die cut the flowers again and added a subtle touch of Pink Crystal ink, then cut the berries from red card and added a few extra green leaves.

I gave the pieces a generous spritz of shimmer spray for a bit of sparkle, then cut a smaller white frame and added another sentiment from the Star Snowflake Sentiment set. A few white acrylic paint splatters finished the background before I added the cardinal. This one was coloured in slightly lighter shades than the cardinal on the first card, giving the bonus card its own softer look.

I love when a little crafting mishap turns into a second project. The Waffle Flower cardinal and poinsettia dies work beautifully together, and both cards have such a cheerful Christmas-in-July feel. Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope this inspires you to join in the festive fun at Die Cut Divas.

As my Cardinals had there first outing today, I'm entering into Darnell's NBUS challenge.  This month is all about appreciating the companies that help us make our cards. 

Sending Love and Hugs

Hi there!

Last week I was inspired by two talented card makers, Natasha Foote and Christine Stokes. Natasha recently shared a slatted aperture technique using a die and cardstock strips, while Christine demonstrated a beautiful textured background using scrunched tissue paper. I couldn’t resist combining the two ideas into one card.

I created the aperture using a rectangle die from Gina K Designs and added 1/8” cardstock strips behind it for that slatted look. For the background, I scrunched pink tissue paper onto white cardstock and added Lindy’s Magical Powders with water to create soft, flowing colour. Once dry, I highlighted the texture with Slippery When Wet Lunar Paste.

From this panel, I die-cut tiny butterflies for added movement. The floral focal point was made using the Simon Says Stamp Fresh Daisies die, cut from patterned paper and layered for dimension. I finished the card with a simple sentiment from the Altenew Mini Stamp Set – Best Sentiments.

I loved mixing these techniques from different card makers in my projects.

Craft Roulette #238

 I watched the replay of the latest Craft Roulette and was really finding it daunting.   Overnight an idea came to me.... Santa in a pair of shorts....   yeap had my big girl pants on to stretch that parameter!

Here is my 25th submission:

This one is a slightly bigger card - 1.5" x 6.5"  Not sure I totally nailed the Project parameter.   It's a bit more mixed media than collage - but there is torn paper, paper piecing, stamp, rub ons, stenciling.  

Smooshed some Festive Berries Distress ink on the a white card base, blended some DO in Vintage Photo around the edge.   Added the stripe of torn paper and then went to town with rub ons. stamping, and made the diagonal lines with the stencil and Slippy When Wet Lunar paste. My splatters were added with a stamp - much more precise placement!   Stamped Simon Says Stamp Santa and coloured him with red and white (to mimic the checked tablecloths in an Italian restaurant)  Used my big girl pants to stretch the Element parameter here! He is also wearing a quintessential NZ black tee shirt!   I paper pieced the cabbage tree (A NZ native tree) and added with Santa to my panel. 

Had great fun with this one.  Nice messy fingers! 

After I had submitted this one to the challenge... I remembered I had some 49th and Market Postage Stamp Washi stickers and thought they would make a great collage... so here's my bonus card. 

 So project - Collage ✔  Colour- Italian Restuarant - reds and greens ✔ Element - Short.  One stamp was the short version of Christmas -Xmas ✔ and Random - diagonal lines - blue and red airmail stripes around the edge. ✔

Wish I thought of this first!

Print with a Die.

 Hi there... well the lovely Maxine set the challenge for our NZ technique swap group this month..... and what a challenge it was!  Use a die to make a print.  Luckily she gave us precise instructions!  Basically you cut a die from mixed media/watercolour paper, use watercolours to paint the back and saturate with water and print it onto another sheet of watercolour card.  Let them dry and go for gold!

I cut two of the Simon Says Stamp Fresh Daisies.(circa 2012 but still a favourite).  I liberally painted with Nuvo shimmer powder and water before turning it over and pressing it onto the another piece of watercolour paper.  I let them dry and then after colouring another die cut added both the die cuts to the printed card.  Added lots of splatter - some white gesso mixed with a little of the leftover blue powder. I die cut a black Hello from Honey Bee Bitty Buzzword stamp and die set and used some vellum for the shadow.   The little lovely stamp is from the same set.   I finished with some gold gems.  Really pleased with the results. 

My card went to Maxine this month... and she has let me know it arrived.   Just in time to get there in July!  I did procrastinate a bit - really wasn't sure what die to use, so left it till nearly the end of the month.   

Thanks for stopping by today.   

Black and White - or with a touch of colour.

 Hi there.  Today I'm sharing two Black and White cards.  For my NZ swap group, my good friend, Suna, chose a theme - Black and White with an option of a little colour.  She gave a few links to You Tube videos for inspiration.   There was one from NZ crafter Natasha Foote (here)  and I also found this one, this week, from Natasha as well.  Both of these inspired me to make cards- mostly the second video which was all about using white scraps. 

First up is a card based on both video

Natasha's technique was to take her white scraps and use stencils and black ink to make some panels. This one used Imagination Craft's Daisy Delight stencil and Tim Holtz Doily Stencil.  I added the panels to a piece of computer paper before adding to the card panel.  I added the sentiment from Altenew's Engraved Flowers set.   One of the flowers from the same set was stamped twice onto some white card and I fussy cut them.   I added the tiniest bit of colour to the centre of the flowers with some Pastel Sunrise ink from Altenew.  I added a few Altenew enamel dots to finish. 

My next card used a similar background. 

For this one, I used the Daisy Delight stencil and the second stencil was a Simon Says Stamp - Waves Stencil.  The flower is from Altenew's Craft Your Life Project Kit... Hello Beautiful. I stamped and die cut the flower and added to the card.  I used part of the same sentiment I used on the first one and added a black foiled Pinkfresh Studio sentiment.  

I haven't actually decided which one I will send to my swap partner.   But it have to go this week!  

Thanks for stopping by. 

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.  

2021 SPRING | SUMMER COFFEE LOVERS BLOG HOP!

 

Yes the Spring Summer Coffee Lovers Hop has started.  Now I'll just let you know I'm not a coffee lover - a Hot Chocolate Girl here.... but apparently I make a good cup of Joe... according to my hubby anyway!  

But I digress.... today I am sharing a card I've made for the Hop.  It's Iced Coffee - seeing it's a Spring/Summer Hop and because it's still very warm here in NZ.  Our temperature today has been up to 24C  (75F) ... currently 21C (70F) at 5.20pm - so Iced Coffee is suitable. 

I had forgotten I had this Tim Holtz Blueprint stamp until I had the set out the other day making a card.  This was one of 6 stamps in a Tim Holtz set made for Simon Says Stamptember in 2015!  I think I've used it once before...  I stamped it in Memento Black ink as I thought I was going to use Copics but decided instead to use Prismacolor and Jasart pencils. I also added some 2B graphic pencil smudged with a tortillon a la Nicole Watt.   I had masked off the sentiment in the first stamping and then just stamped it onto another piece of white card.  I used Gina K Master Layouts 2 to cut both the panel and my layers.  I used the bigger of the small panel dies and then used my Perfect Layers rule at 1/16th inch to cut the layer.  Somehow the die has now disappeared!   I'm sure it will turn up.  I used some kraft card to make the card base.  

Here's another view

I'm #196 on the hop.... so thanks if you have come to visit me.... thanks also to my regular viewers.  I much appreciate you stopping by.

Do go and have a look at the Hop.  It's amazing with some fabulous sponsors and prizes.  Who knows if you join in, you could be a winner!

Anything Goes at Southern Girls

Second post of the day... check out my Watercooler Wednesday post below:
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Hi there.  Time for Team Trace to share with you at Southern Girls Challenge   As usual it's an Anything Goes challenge.  Our sponsors are:

I Am Roses

Colour of Love

Lia Stampz

I got to work with a super cute image from Lia Stampz called "Pregnant Girl"

Once I had printed the image I used a Cottage Cutz stitched oval die to cut it out.  I kept it CAS - then added some pretty patterned paper to the dark rose card base.  I stamped the Simon Says Stamp sentiment onto white card and trimmed it, layering onto some more of the rose card.

Do come and join us at Southern Girls this fortnight. 

WWC 242 - Marsha's "All About Occasions" challenge

Hello there, it’s time for another Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.  Marsha is our hostess this week with an "All About Occasions" challenge.

My card is a Birthday card for my friend who recently turned 65.  I wanted something a bit elegant for her.  

I used Altenew Playful Plumeria and the matching dies.  To make my background I used some Anko Pump Paints.  This brand is a KMart brand and these are spray paints.  There were three bottles - Gold, Bronze and Silver - all for $5 so great value.  I took some black card and sprayed the bronze and silver onto it.  I then die cut a circle with Simon Says Stamp Stitched Dies and added the black piece behind it.  I die cut the branch from the bronze card and trimmed it down a little.  I stamped the two Plumeria flowers in Altenew's ink (Sunray, Chamomile, Snapdragon adn Marigold) and die cut them out and added to the branch.  The sentiment is from Rosie's Studio (a New Zealand based company).  

Come join in the fun.  Check out the projects that the artists at Watercooler Wednesday Challenges have created then take the challenge and link your creation to the challenge post. We’d love to have you join us.  You have until Mondays at 5 p.m. Mountain Standard Time (Tuesdays at 11.00am NZ time) to link up your project.

What do you do in your free time?

Our theme this month at Die Cut Diva was "Free Time" and our sponsor was Di's Digis.

I live near the beach so free time is often spend there in the summer.  Our local beach, Murrays Bay has a boating club and there are always yachts coming and going.  So this was my inspiration for this card.

I used Penny Black's Sunny Days set to stamp this cute cat in his boat.  I colour with Alcohol markers.  The circle die cut is from Simon Says Stamp.  My background is some patterned paper from my stash.  I thought it looked like the sea and sky.   I used a little die from Craft Creations Mega Nesting Rectangles for the sentiment and added a bronze anchor die cut with a freebie Nautical die set.

Today is the last day to enter our challenge.  Would love to have you join us.  Entries close at 9.00pm Pacific time.

A Scandinavian Christmas at Christmas Kickstart Challenge

It's a new challenge at Christmas Kickstart and Jo's theme is Scandinavian Holidays.  I'm enjoying the challenges as I'm building up a supply of different Christmas cards.

Scandinavian Christmas lends itself to lots of fun reds and whites, folk art type images and of course Swedish Tomte (Gnomes) so that's what inspired me.   I did some Pinterest viewing and saw a pretty card that I was inspired by, using the little Tomte gnomes.

I started by printing off some Nordic patterned paper that I had in my Digital stash - unfortunately I forgot to note who I purchased it from.  I trimmed it to fit a DL sized card base.  I stamped and coloured the 5 gnomes.  The gnome was a free set a couple of years ago.  Super cute!  I remembered that I had some Cuttlebug alpha dies from around 10 years ago - not even sure what it's called now!  I haven't used it in such a long time!  But it was the perfect size for my gnomes to hold.   I added the Christmas sentiment stamped onto white card.  The base card looks black here but it is in fact a very dark green - the letters are also die cut with this dark green card,   I finished off with some little pompoms.  I had these in my stash from making little bunny faceclothes for a baby shower.

And while I was in the mood I made a second card....

I used Simon Says Stamp Holiday Borders stamped in Catherine Pooler's Rockin' Red ink.  I stamped the border a number of times to cover the central panel.  The little deer is from a Sugar & Spice Studio paper pack called Nordic Christmas.  I used a die to cut it out.  Added some Wink of Stella to the deer.  I white embossed the sentiment (from the Gnomes set) onto black card and it was all done.
I'm adding this to the Simon Says Stamp Flickr group as well as to Jo's Christmas Kickstart.

Had a lovely 5 days with my Dad and we celebrated his birthday. He got to see his little great-granddaughter and spend some time with the family.  Little Grace was a sick - she tested positive for Salmonella and ended up spending overnight in hospital while they monitored her.  She was still full of smiles and has come right thank goodness.  A tad scary though at the time for her parents and us too.  She's 4 months now and is rolling over a lot these days.

Thanks for stopping by. 

WWC #219 Heidi's Feminine "Anything Goes" Challenge

Hello there, it’s time for another Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.  Heidi is our hostess this week with a Feminine "Anything Goes" Challenge.

 

I've made a Birthday card today - in a few days (6th May) it's my daughter's birthday so this has made it's way over to Perth.

 For this card I did some masking.  I started by stamping the Floral Bliss stamp from Simon Says Stamp and made a mask to cover it so I could stamp the vase from Altenew's Versatile Vases set.  I used the matching stencil to do my sponging with Altenew Sea Breeze ink.  I then used the mask stencil to sponge Altenew Limestone ink for the background.  The sentiment is from the Versatile Vases set.  The flowers were coloured with a combination of Copics, Spectrum Noir and Altenew markers.  I added some clear Nuvo drops to the centre of my roses.  A few pink sequins finished off my card

Come join in the fun.  Check out the projects that the artists at Watercooler Wednesday Challenges have created then take the challenge and link your creation to the challenge post. We’d love to have you join us.  You have until Mondays at 5 p.m. Mountain Standard Time (Tuesdays at midday NZ time) to link up your project.

I'm entering this into the challenge at Simon Says Stamp, Wednesday challenge. 

Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate your visit.

WWC 203 - Karen's "All about Occasions"

Hello there, it’s time for another Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.  Karen is our hostess this week with "All about Occasions" challenge.

My card today is to celebrate Valentine's Day

I've been playing lately with Alcohol Inks and recently got some Tim Holtz Alcohol Lift Ink. My background was made with Red Pepper and Watermelon inks and some Isopropyl alcohol on Yupo paper.   I took  Simon Says Stamp "Floral Bliss" stamp set and using the Lift Ink stamped one of the bouquets in the set.  Love the very subtle look you get.  I originally went to embossed the sentiment (from Clearly Besotted "All Occasion Sentiments") directly onto the Yupo paper  --- but look what happened. 

Note to self: DO NOT EMBOSS on Yupo.  So slight change of plans.. to the size of my card and how to add the sentiment.  Trimmed off the ruined piece and added the embossed sentiment onto vellum and adhered onto the panel by wrapping it around it.  Then onto a red panel and then onto the card base.  

Come join in the fun and make any type of occasion card. Check out the projects that the artists at Watercooler Wednesday Challenges have created then take the challenge and link your creation to the challenge post. We’d love to have you join us.   You have until Mondays at 5 p.m. Mountain Standard Time (Tuesdays at 1pm NZ time) to link up your project.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day.

Sweet Friend Gift Bag

Hi.  I have scheduled this post for while I'm traveling around Ireland. 

It's my day over at Die Cut Divas for our Anything but a card challenge

I have a gift bag to show you.

I found this kraft gift bag when I was cleaning out the craft room the other week.  I'd forgotten I had them - not even sure where I got them!  I took some cute paper and die cut a tall scalloped rectangle with a Spellbinders die.   I had the friend die cut (a Winnie and Walter cut with my ScanNCut.) sitting on my desk.  I used a Copic marker to colour it up.  I also coloured the die cut circle.  The sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp.    I had fun making this one .

Black and White sympathy

My turn to share over at Die Cut Divas.   Our challenge this month is Monochromatic

Our sponsor this month is

 

I've used a MFT Oval Doily die, a Simon Says Stamp flower die and an Altenew sentiment.    My PP already had the splatters on it.  Our sponsor has lots of dies available for you to use.

Thanks for stopping by today.  Hope you come and join us for  great challenge.  

40th Wedding Anniversary.

Yes, January 21st is our 40th Wedding Anniversary.   It seems like yesterday at times...

We were so young.... I was 20 and Peter was 21.

My mojo was a bit a miss so with some help from Pinterest (an Susan Powell) here is the card I made for Peter

My background is using a very old Hero Arts stamp .  I stamped it a number of times across the panel and then used some distress ink, sponged around the edges.  The sentiment is also a Hero Arts one, stamped onto a Simon Says Stamp die cut banner.   I die cut and embossed the heart and added some glittery red fun foam die cut numbers. 

thanks for stopping by. 

Struggling to make masculine cards.....

Unlike my friend Monika I struggle to make masculine cards.  She is very good at it.... but I struggle a bit, so when I got asked to make a 21st card for a male.... I really pondered on what to do.  So off to visit Pinterest for some ideas.   I took inspiration from a couple of cards to come up with my final idea (can I tell you that there are three aborted cards and scraps on my desk!)

For this card I started with some washi tape stripes in black and mustard colour, including a sparkly black one - I know it's a masculine card but hey - who doesn't like a little sparkle!  The die cut circle is a dark dark grey cut with a Simon Says Stamp stitched circle die.  I die cut the numbers (Couture Creations die) from some yellow card stock and stamped the "st" onto a scrap of the yellow and hand cut it.  The birthday sentiment was from a freebie set sitting on my desk.  And finally some Liquid Pearls in Onyx Black to finish.  I am entering this into the "Anything Goes" at Simon Says Stamp.

I was away for the long Labour Day weekend and didn't get any crafting done, so have been itching to get back into it.  A few Design team cards have been made.... 3 in fact - so look out for some reveals and sneak peeks coming over the next few weeks.   Trying to get myself ahead now!

Thanks for stopping by.  Please leave me a comment so I know you've been. 

Go Wild

As I was blog hopping over the last couple of days I saw that CASology Cue card was SAFARI
I knew what I wanted to do... and the set I would use and finally this afternoon after work I managed to get it done.

The stamp and the embossing folder came recently with one of my Papercraft magazines.  I started by using a Simon Says Stamp circle die and embossed it with the folder.  I then used three Oxide inks to sponge over it and gave it a spritz with water.   I stamped, coloured and fussy cut the little adventurer and his giraffe friend.   These got popped up off the panel,

I've also entered this into the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - For a Child

Dreaming of Spring Flowers

Overnight Saturday we had the coldest night and this morning was the coldest in the last 2 years..... so although there was sun today, it was COLD.... got to around 11degrees C. (around 50F) - so I had a play with some Simon Says Stamp Spring Flowers

I stamped the flowers onto the smooth side of some Cason XL watercolour paper.   I used Zig watercolour markers to colour both the flowers and the background.  I've entered this into the Simon Says Stamp Flickr group Anything Goes Challenge and the SSS Wednesday Challenge - Anything goes 
And the "S" Challenge at City Crafters Challenge - S for spring flowers.

Spring is just around the corner now.... our daffodils have came out.

They got a bit beaten up with the wind last weekend.  The snowdrops are out as well.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend... It's almost bedtime for me... just a few more blogs to catch up on first

Floral Bliss

On Monday I didn't get much stamping done but managed one before having to tidy up and head home.

I did another card with Floral Bliss from Simon Says Stamp. 

I masked off a panel in the middle of my card and did some stamping... selecting part of the stamp so as not to have the side leaves overstamping each other.  I used my Prismacolor pencils to colour.  I edged the mask area with a black sharpie and stamped the sentiment from a Lavinia Stamp set.

I had a really good weekend... a total of  10 cards made.   And this Saturday I'm meeting with my group of friends for a full day stamping.  

Sunday I am off to have High Tea at The Langham ( an Auckland hotel that does High Teas in their foyer area.  My friend is taking me and a few friends to celebrate my birthday which is next Wednesday.  It's my 60th and I'm freaking out a bit!   We have a lovely family dinner planned for the 17th - going to a posh restaurant in the city.  That I am looking forward to!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend