Monet Colours and a Craft Roulette Surprise

Friday, Suna and I were chatting about the Craft Roulette show, and it reminded me just how much I enjoy playing along. I haven’t joined in for quite a while, mostly because of the timing—the live show airs on a Saturday morning, which usually clashes with my grocery run. This weekend, though, I managed to catch the replay on Saturday afternoon, and as soon as I saw the four parameters, I was inspired to create.

The prompt for Monet colours instantly took me back to our visit to Claude Monet’s cottage in Giverny many years ago. The lily pond there is absolutely stunning, and his Water Lilies paintings really inspired me. Those soft blues, greens, yellows, and touches of pink felt like the perfect palette to bring that memory into this project.

My card began as an A2 design, but after making my Crinkle Inkle background with a smooshing tool, I realised I had trimmed the panels to 4.25 inches long instead of 5.5 inches. Rather than starting over, I switched gears and turned it into a 4.25-inch square gatefold card—an “Ardyth” square size, which felt especially fitting since Ardyth was the guest designer on Craft Roulette this week. At first, my natural element was going to be a daisy, but then I saw that Ardyth had used one too, so I changed direction again and chose a butterfly instead. As luck would have it, a new butterfly die had arrived that very morning, so it all came together perfectly. In the end, this card involved a couple of happy surprises and last-minute changes, which made it even more fun to create.

Entering this into Darnell's NBUS challenge as this was my first time using the butterfly die. 

Butterfly Love at Die Cut Divas.

 Hi, Dawn here to share my challenge card for this month's Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge at Die Cut Divas.   

Our fabulous sponsor this month is 

I chose the middle vertical line - Stencil, the word LOVE and Butterflies.

I used Altenew stamps, die and stencil for my card  today.   I used the stencil to make the gingham stripe and then die cut the panel.  I cut my red panel at 5.25" x 4".  The love sentiment was cut out of the red panel before I glued the white panel on it.  The butterfly - I die cut first then stamped and used my Tri-blends to colour.  

All my supplies are available at The Frantic Stamper 

Altenew Buffalo Plaid Builder stencil 

Altenew Dovetail Butterflies - stamp and die set

Altenew Versatile Greetings Die set 

Do come and join us and have fun with our Tic-Tac-Toe board 

Shabby Chic with Lace

 My NZ swap group theme this month was "Use Lace" - it could be real, paper lace, lace stamp or dies/punches.    

I decided to go a bit shabby chic.   I found some beautiful patterned paper that had a lace design on it. I added some lace along the top and bottom.  Many years ago I got a roll of lace - around 250 metres - enough to last at least 2 lifetimes!   I used some double sided tape to put it down and then added some glitter which stuck to the little bits of tape showing.  I added some glue in odd spots and sprinkled with more glitter.   I added a ephemera butterfly that I had blended over some brown ink.   Added a foiled sentiment and some gold gems.

It's nice to try different types of cards and although I'm a more CAS card maker, I was pleased with the results of this.  

Two Serviette Cards...

Hi there....on a wild windy and cold Saturday here in Auckland.   A good day to be inside crafting.  Not that we can go anywhere!!!!  Still in Level 3 lockdown until the area makes 90% double vaccination.  Then things can open up a bit more.  Still a way to go till Auckland reaches the 90% so a few more weeks of being house bound... 

Anyhoo.... today I am sharing some cards I made last week.  I watched a video on an older technique using serviettes - (aka paper napkins)  I have a few packs still around in my craft room so pulled them out and had a play.

First up is a Butterfly card. 

This one is a slightly bigger than normal card being 4" x 6".  I'm not sure where I got this pack of cream prescored bases but this one was a grea size to use with this serviette.   I used a Glue Stick to add the serviette to a piece of cream card   I used some Copic markers to colour the butterfly and added a little Altenew label stamp.  

Second card is a Christmas card.

This serviette is gorgeous with it's gold colouring.  I added it to some white card and used a die to cut the panel and it's gold layer.  You can't really see it on the photo but there is lots of Wink of Stella clear glitter pen on the ornaments.  I heat embossed the sentiment with clear ink after stamping it with Altenew Obsidian ink.  A few gold baubles finshed this one.  

These cards are so quick and easy to make. And as most of my packs of serviettes were around $2.50 a pack, and one serviette gets up to 4 cards,  these are very economic to make.  

Butterfly Floating Panel card.

 Happy Saturday... To quote Jennifer McGuire... "Today is a good day"

The sun was shining and we are in level 3 so a bit more freedom.  Hubby and I went crusin' this afternoon.  Recently he bought himself a 1977 MG soft top convertible . A super cute little red cruiser and we took a drive with the hood down... and had a beer and coffee - takeaway and contactless pickup before heading over the Harbour Bridge and back...

Prior to leaving I had been watching a video tutorial from a New Zealand stamper - Her name is Natasha and she lives in my home town of Dunedin.  Her channel on You Tube is HERE  Today her video was called Floating Panel cards.  So after we got back I headed to the craft room and came up with this card

I decided to use this fantastic Altenew Dovetail Butterfly.  I stamped it towards the bottome of my card panel.  I did a bit of googling to find out what colours this butterfly is.  I then took my Woodless Watercolour Pencils to add the colour.  I then did the cutting and fussy cutting around the butterfly and chose to make my panel turquoise to match the blues in the butterfly.  I used a TWC stencil and Altenew Turquoise ink to add some interest to the panel.  I used a sentiment from the stamp set - love that it has favourite spelt the way we use it here in NZ - I finished with a few little silver gems. 

Big bold birthday

 Hi there.   It's my day to share at Die Cut Divas.   Our sponsor this month is Birch Press Design who will be giving our winner a $20 gift certificate. 

 

My card today uses a big bold birthday die cut that my teamie, Cindy, sent me.  It's the Big Birthday Sugar Script.  Cindy sent me a couple of the precut die cuts in white. 

 I took the inner die and used some Dark green Altenew ink to colour up.... be warned though - keep an eye on the tiddle.... mine decided to run away and I couldn't find it, hence the black gem.... I had some lovely green patterned paper but it wasn't quite the green I needed so I used the same dark ink to blend over it and the white layer.  Once the dark green die was added to the white shadow layer I added it to the blended background and stamped a little "happy".  To finish a little dark green butterfly die cut.  Loving this mini slimline size. 

Do come and join us for our challenge 

Tone on Tone Birthday Wishes

 It's my turn to share at Die Cut Divas. Our sponsor this month is Birch Press Design who will be giving our winner a $20 gift certificate. 

I was lucky that my Teamie, Arlene, send me some Birch Press die cuts - String Art Frame.  Today I have a Twofer using one the frames..

Card 1

I started by jnking up my card base - using all four inks in the Altenew Warm and Cozy set.  I then took the frame die and using the darkest ink (Firebrick) used my mini blending brush to colour it up.  I did this over some white card and got a bonus background.  I added the frame over my card base, and then used a circle stamp and sentiment from Gina K's Wreath Builder set.  A few little gold gems finished my card....

Card 2

This is how I used my bonus background

Loved the look of the background.  I stamped one of the Dovetail Butterflies from Altenew in the Firebrick ink and Obsidan black ink.  I used the matching die cut and added it with some 3D tape to the card.    I used the same orange as my card base to die cut the Birthday sentiment from Paper Roses.  I used vellum for it's shadow layer and then did a bit of stamp surgery on a sentiment from Altenew's Sentiment Strip set.   A few little black gems and it's done.

Our challenge goes on until the 31 July - come and join us at Die Cut Divas.

WWC 320- Dawn's Challenge: All About Occasions

 Hi there time for another challenge at Watercooler Wednesday.  I'm the hostess for this challenge and it's an All About Occasions. 

Today I'm sharing a Butterfly card.

I've been trying to use up some of my pile of bits and bobs.  The frame on this card was left over from another project and the sentiment strip (Altenew) in my "Magic Mug" of prestamped bits.  I recently picked up an Oriental paper pack and this background went perfectly with my frame.  I had stamped my Altenew butterfly and added lots of Wink of Stella.  It's really shiny in real life - not as cloudy looking as the photo.

Come and join in the fun at  Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and check out the project 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 at 5 pm Mountain Standard Time (Tuesday at 11.00am NZ time ) to link up your project.

Hero Arts Glitter and Butterfly

It's my day over at A2Z Scrapbooking and I have a butterfly card to share.  Our challenge this month is Anything Goes.... always a great way to highlight your Hero Arts stamps, dies, stencils, inks etc.

 I love this big Hero Arts Butterfly Fancy die and I made it my focal point.  I used Distress Inks in Broken China and Worn Lipstick to colour some watercolour paper and then diecut the butterfly.

The background was a piece of paper I had on hand - made with Gelatos and some water spritzing.  I decided that the panel needed a bit of a lift, so I took the Asian Flower Stencil and some Cosmic Shimmer Glitter Kiss and added some to the corner.  The Glitter Kiss is really pretty and I loved the way it caught on the edge of the flowers.

I finished by adding a sentiment from the Colour Layering Poppy stamp set.

Do come and join us at A2Z Scrapbooking for our challenge this month.

Hero Arts Black Butterfly

It's my day to share at A2Z scrapbooking today and I am continuing with our theme of using a stencil on your project....

The other day I saw a video by Ingrid Blackburn where she used embossing paste with a stencil, shook on some Colourbursts/Brusho's and spritzed with water.  I have something called Pixie Powder which is similar to these with lots of mica powder in them.   I thought I'd give it a go.



It has produced such a pretty pale pastel background as I went lightly with the powders.  Did get a bit of seepage but it adds to the whole look.    I have used Hero Arts Swirl Stencil (currently out of stock but you can do a special order - check out the store HERE)

Once my panel had dried, I die cut it with a rectangle die from DieNamics (MFT) and layered onto black then onto a white base.  I die cut the Hero Arts Butterfly Fancy Die from black card.  The sentiment is from THIS Hero Arts stamp and die set.  (currently on sale in the A2Z store!)

Remember if you go shopping to use code Dawn15 at checkout to receive 15% off your purchase of $25 or more (before tax and shipping).  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!

Plus during the month of March, we’re giving you a second way to win a $25 Gift Certificate to the a2z Store! Just comment on any blog posts here in March.
We’ll do a random draw from the blog comments during the month of March for one gift card. You can enter once a day by commenting on the blog post and earn up to 31 chances to win! If you’re feeling it, you’re welcome to enter both the Hero Arts with Stencils challenge and the commenting challenge…maybe you’ll win both!

Hero Arts Colourful Butterfly

 I love colour.  And I love my Hero Arts Stencils and distress inks to make a beautiful coloured background.

I used Asian Flowers sentiment (currently out of stock) but there are any number of fabulous stencils in the store that would work.  I sponged distress ink onto a Hero Arts Latte card.   I then cut a Die Cut Doily from MFT to use as a base for my Hero Arts Die-cut Butterfly.  I sponged the distress ink on the card before die cut and then added versamark over the colour and used some WOW Sparkle embossing powder to cover it.

I used Hero Arts Hello Stamp and Die to make my sentiment.  I die cut the Hello in black card and used some Glossy accents on it.  The rest of sentiment was stamped directly on the background.  I finished with some home-made enamel dots made with some 3D liquid.

Remember if you are in need of any items from the a2z Scrapbooking store  you can use code Dawn15 at checkout to receive 15% off your purchase of $25 or more. (before tax and shipping)  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!

And the latest products from the newest catalogue will be in store soon, so kept a look out.  There are some awesome new products coming into stock.

An Inspirational card with Gina K Designs

I'm here to share my card over at Die Cut Divas.  I'ts an inspirational card using Gina K Design stamps

The stamped oval, sentiment and butterfly are all from the Warm Spring Wishes set.  I hand cut the circle and added it over a die cut Spellbinders Fancy Frame.  The butterfly was coloured and then fussy cut.  I finished by die cutting a stitched rectangle from some PP.  Finished with some pearls.

The sentiment is inspiring so this card went to a friend who has been through some hard times and is now coming out the other side.  Just to remind her that she is strong.

Thanks for stopping by. 

I'm back over on A2Z Scrapbooking today to share another watercolour backgrounds.  Our theme this month is Watercolouring.  I enjoy making watercolour backgrounds.  One of my favourite ways is to use a Smooshing technique.  I mainly use Distress inks to make these as they turn to water colours when sprayed with water.

For this one, I used some blue and green inks and smooshed them onto my craft sheet and dragged my watercolour paper through it.  Once it dried I used a few colours of Lindy's Stamp sprays to add some pinks and the dot of yellow.  I then put it through an embossing folder for added texture.  Next I die cut the Butterfly Die (DI078) from some hot pink card stock.  I used some Black Metallic Decor dots for the body.  My sentiment is white embossed and is from Color Layering Happy Day Flowers (CL864) -Note:  This popular Stamp set is currently Out of Stock at a2z Scrapbooking, however you can CUSTOM Order it in the Store. Just click on the REQUEST CUSTOM ORDER form on the store HOME Page!   This goes for pretty much ANY Hero Arts products that is still available.  If you can’t find it in the store, please feel free to ask!

As an aside, have you heard Hero Arts Intense Black AF345 is perfect for alcohol markers (Copic, Spectrum Noir) ? There is also a reinker.  It's in store now.

And remember if you are in need of any items from the a2z Scrapbooking store  you can use code Dawn15 at checkout to receive 15% off your purchase of $25 or more. (before tax and shipping)  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!

Edited:  thanks to Monika's reminder, I've added to the 1st challenge at Creative with Stamps, 

MFT Sketch #273

I follow My Favorite Things and get notification about their challenges.  This week's sketch challenge is a great sketch 

 

I don't have many MFT stamps, but do have a few older dies.  So pulled out some of them and a stamp set that I've had for years but never used!

I bought a paper pack yesterday as it was on special ($3.45 for a pad of sheets of  81/2" x 11 " paper)  It is yellow/orange base so I decided to use layers of different papers

 

I used a creamy coloured card base and then used MFT stitched and rounded rectangle dies to cut different PP.  I stamped the sentiment onto the smallest die cut from the same card as the base.  I stamped the butterfly onto the die and then onto some PP and fussy cut it.  Add a few sequins to finish

Hope you all have a lovely Easter.  

 

Masked butterfly

Back again today to share a masked butterfly card I made for A2Z Scrapbooking.   I have really enjoyed doing some masking and inking with this one,

I started by cutting a mask with the Fancy Butterfly die (DI708) out of Masking paper and placed it onto some watercolour paper.  I used a small dauber to sponge on some Abandon Coral distress ink in the centre of the butterfly.  I then added some Mermaid Lagoon distress ink all around the rest of the card.  My leaves are an ancient Hero Arts stamp (CG288 - now discontinued)  First I spritzed with water and stamped onto the background.  This gives subtle marks.  I then used some dark green ink to randomly stamp the leaves around the butterfly.  My sentiment is from Your are my Happy ( CL923 ) from the new Valentine's collection.

I hope you take time to join our challenge this month  ( see here) with your cards that use some masking...

Remember if you are in need of any items from the a2z Scrapbooking store  you can use code Dawn15 at checkout to receive 15% off your purchase of $25 or more. (before tax and shipping)  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!

Have a Happy Day

Hi there. It's time for my share at A2Z Scrapbooking and I have some more glittery goodness to show you.

Is  not that one stunning butterfly.

Here's a closer look

 A big thank you to Arlene who sent me this beauty. It's the Hero Arts Butterfly Fancy Dies DI078   I liked it so much I ordered it... so should you. Just follow the link above to A2Z Scrapbooking. I added a sentiment from Hero Arts Layering Happy Days Flowers CL864 Of course, I added some different coloured gems to draw in the colours from the background. That was made by using paints, Zig markers and Lindy's Gang sprays.

 Remember if you are in need of any items from the  a2z Scrapbooking store you can use code Dawn15 at checkout to receive 15% off your purchase of $25 or more. (before tax and shipping) 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.

Celebrate Summer with Die Cut Divas

Hi there.... I'm back in winter now after three fabulous weeks celebrating Summer in Europe... more about that later when I sort the photos out.

Over at Die Cut Divas, I've shared a card I made to Celebrate Summer

Our sponsor is DiesRUs - they have heaps of dies.  I've used a Memory Box die (Gardenia) cut with gold card stock.  I then painted with Koh-I-Noor paints.  The sentiment is from Winnie & Walter.  Finished with a punched butterfly and a few dots of glossy accents on the flower.

thanks for stopping by.

CASEing Joy

I saw that Joy Taylor was the Featured Stamper over at Splitcoaststampers on the 5th of January.  We were encouraged to view Joy's photos and CASE one of her cards.   I chose THIS card of Joy's and came up with this one

I made my background by smooching some card through a mixture of silver glimmer mist and Victorian Velvet distress ink that I had left over from dying some ribbon.  It is hard to see on this photo but it really shimmers for real.  I die cut the Memory Box die with some textured cream card.  The filigree butterfly was from the same cream card and the base butterfly from some cardstock scraps from a wax paper resist technique I've done recently.  The sentiment is from our sponsor ~ Hero Arts.  Note it has had some surgery so I could stamp each work separately.


I love the beautiful work Joy does and was very pleased with how my interpretation turned out.


Have been off work for the last day and half with a chest infection.  I HATE summer colds especially when they turn into infections.  On antibiotics now, so hoping that fixes it.  


take care and thanks for visiting.

Runway Inspired Challenge #41

 

 Runway Inspired Challenge

Isn't this just the most incredible dress and very inspiring it was.

My inspiration was all the pretty pink flowers on the dark background.  Not sure if it's black or deep purple so went for black.  Used a technique called "Joseph's Coat"  (Tutorial from Splitcoaststampers HERE) The background was made by sponging Distress inks onto white card and then cutting out the Memory Box butterfly.  I stamped a small flower from a studio g set in Versamark and clear embossed.  Then sponged Black Soot distress ink over.  I dry embossed my white panel and then layered it onto pink card before adding to the black card base.  The sentiment (Kaisercraft) was stamped onto white card and cut in a banner shaped, edged in black and added to the card.  Finished the butterfly with some black gems.

Also entered into the following challenge

Flutterby Wednesday ~ Anything with Wings

Hope your week is going well.  I've been home for most of the day with a dreadful cough.  Went to work, but ended up coming home and having a nap.  Coughing quite a bit and that's quite draining.  

Beautiful Butterfly

I was tiding up some of my Patterned papers and I came across a packet of Cristina Re pearlised papers I had got at a sale.  I just love the luxury of the PP and it's pearlised feel.  I matched it some Webster's Pages PP.

I used the backside of the paper to stamp the sentiment from a My Favorite Things set and then cut with a Spellbinders Labels die.  I stamped the butterfly from a HA/Sizzix set and white embossed it on the textured side of the paper.  I then cut it out with the matching die.  I added some scrap ribbon that was on my desk. 

I've decided that with summer coming I need to get back into some exercise and lose some weight, so I've joined the gym again.... it's been a year since I had my back surgery so it's time to get back into it.   I go for my assessment and programme tomorrow.... Hopefully I can commit to at least  3 days a week.  It's a women only gym on my way home from work which makes it easier to go.

Looking forward to the weekend...........  I'm going to a Stampin' Up workshop on Sunday ~ all day... should be fun as I think there are only a few of us going. 
Off to catch up on the On-line class "Kick Start" Day 2

Dawn