A Crafty Weekend of Watercolour, Florals and Sweet Little Wings

It’s been a wonderfully crafty weekend here. On Saturday afternoon, Grace, Florence and Kieran came round, and naturally Grace wanted to head straight to the craft room. We played with watercolour powders and each made a background before Grace spotted a panel I’d created with Altenew’s Dreamy Daylilies.

I embossed a panel for her with the folder, then she set off with the stencilling. She did such a beautiful job of ink blending, using pinks with three colours on each petal. And lovely soft greens for the leaves. I only wish I had taken a photo of her finished project! I did find a frame for her panel, which made it feel extra special. After she left, I managed to make one Christmas card too, but I’ll share that another day.

Today I headed back into the craft room and decided to join a few challenges. My first card was intended for Time Out Challenge #391, which asked us to use two ideas from a list. Somehow, I misread the theme and only used one, so that card will have to wait for another post!

Once I realised my mistake, I changed track and chose three ideas from the list instead: monochromatic, stitching — faux stitching in my case — and floral.

The pink background is part of the watercolour panel I made yesterday. I die cut it with Gina K Master Layouts 2 to create the stitched panel, then die cut Simon Says Stamp Iceland Poppies from white card.

For the colouring, I used the leftover ink on my blender brushes in shades of pink, with just the tiniest touch of green — hopefully that still counts! I arranged the flowers on the panel and finished the card with pre-printed sentiment strips.

This second card is for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge for August: “Anything Goes” with the optional theme of "Things with Wings" 

I have a few older Penny Black stamps from when I first started card making, so I pulled out Hedgie Friends, a stamp set from 2012.

I stamped one of the images — Hedgie with a butterfly — along with two of the sweet little dragonflies, then used my Scan’N’Cut to cut them out. The colouring was done with Altenew Woodless Watercolour Pencils. For the background, I chose a pretty teal patterned paper, then added a white strip across the card with the sentiment from the stamp set.

To finish, I layered the circle panel over the strip, added the little dragonflies, and included a few white dot embellishments. It was such a lovely weekend of simply playing, experimenting and enjoying time in the craft room.

Christmas in July - Fun Fold card.

 I saw a neat fun fold card over at Splitcoaststampers a couple of weeks ago and finally got around to trying it out.   It's called Puzzle Panel Gate Fold    and it's nice and easy to do.  

I decided to make a Christmas card using some pretty Kaisercraft patterned paper.   

Here is the card standing up.  I found the paper when I did my reorganising the craft room... and thought it was perfect for this fun fold.  The base was made with a very dark green cardstock.   I stamped the sentiment for the outside and inside with Altenew Mountain Pine ink.   Both are from a free stamp set from a magazine - a very old one.   

Here it is showing the inside sentiment.   

I'm sure I'll be using this fun fold again as it looks awesome.

Winter Warmers at Christmas Kickstart Challenge

 I've been a bit slack on making my Christmas cards and joining Christmas Kickstart Challenge...  This afternoon (Saturday) Hubby went to watch some rugby so after I had done the housework - I hit the craft room to catch up on some DT work and then had a play.

Here's my take on Winter Warmers.

Last weekend while looking for some patterned paper to use on another card, I came across a pad from Milton & Co which had some printed panels.  I trimmed one and it was sitting on my desk with the idea to use it for this challenge.   I added a dark blue mat to it and then added some Kindyglitz to the hat and the edges of this little teddy's jacket.  Added some Glossy Accents to his nose and the bird's belly.  My background is some shimmery blue card and an embossing folder (reminded me of a winter sweater). The sentiment is from a Crafters Choice stamp set and was die cut with an Altenew die and then matted with the dark blue.  

After this one, I did some cutting with my Scan'n'Cut - stamped images cut for future use.  Had a few issues and messed up a few, but once I got it sorted got a few done.    Now to watch some more of the Stress Free Cardmaking Summit sessions.   

Inspired by Natasha's Stack and Whack technique.

 I was watching Natasha Foote's YouTube video (number 1099 - ) where she did a technique called Stack and Whack... taking three sheets of paper and tearing it in the same spot.  And then mixed the pieces up and make three cards.  

Here's the three cards I made:

I used some paper from a Rosie's Studio paper pack called Making Merry.  It's a few years old now and loved how I was able to use some of the papers.  I edged each piece with some Distress Oxide Vintage Photo.  I used some Vicki Bouton ephemera that got some ink blending on as well.   The last one I stamped the sentiment from a Rosie's Studio stamp set in Memento Toffee Crunch.   

Love the vintage look with these papers.  

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!

Craft Roulette #228

 I haven't entered for a few weeks but got some ideas on this week's parameters 

Here's how my thought process ended up

I found the sentiment when I searched "Monday Quotes"  and printed it on my computer.  I die cut it with a circle die and added a matting layer.  Found some pretty paper from my stash and trimmed it to fit on my 5" square card base. This is my Bee Garden colours - and I added a little Bumble Bee, which I coloured with some Tri blend makers.  I also used a marker to added a faux layer around the floral panel. Add some little yellow gems for a bit more Bee Garden colours.    So that's all the parameters covered.  

I have a friend in mind to give this one to - next Monday! 

Altenew 31 Days of Crafting... Day 2

 

After yesterday's disasters at die cutting technique, this afternoon/evening I try out some partial die cutting. 

I took a white card base and stamped one of the floral images from Craft Your Life - Hello Beautiful on to the front.   I then used the matching stencil set with Altenew's Fresh Die Inks - Mauve and Berrylicious and Crisp Die Inks - Misty Moon, Marshland, Buttercream and Warm Sunshine.  Stamped two of the sentiments from the set and finished with some gold paint splatters.  I then used the matching die to do a partial die cut.  I added some green striped paper from my stash to the inside panel.  

Not sure I'll manage every day's prompts but will do the one's that take my fancy. 

Hello Sunshine - with Lawn Fawn

Here it is the last day of March... where has the time gone. And Happy Easter to you all...  I'm getting ready to head off for just over two weeks in Perth with the family... travelling on the 4th April and getting back early on the 20th...

Any whoo... last day of the month means I share my Die Cut Divas card for a last inspiration.

We are delighted to have Lawn Fawn sponsor Die Cut Divas for the month of March with a $25 gift card.

The theme for this month is "Anything Goes"

I'm using the same stamp and die set I used for my previous Die Cut Divas... Magical Moments.   One of the stamps is "Hello Sunshine" so decided to use some of the left over PP from the last card and other scraps from my growing pile... to make a Sunburst card....

I added tape to a piece of light weight card and after trimming my scraps into triangle shapes, added then to the card.  Once I trimmed the overhanging pieces I used a We Are Memory Keepers 3D folder for a subtle texture.  I added the die cut circle with the sentiment stamped in Versafine Onyx Black ink- using some 3D tape for dimension.   A few Nuvo confetti - Iridescent Circles finished off the card.

Still a little while to entry our challenge at Die Cut Divas 

Dawn & The Divas

Fractured card tryout.

 I've been seeing a few Fractured cards around the traps.... and I know that I need to make on for an upcoming swap.... so decided to have a bit of a play to see how it goes. 

Another card using some patterned papers - from the Sunshine Floral Uniti pack.   I used two different papers.   The matting layer is black card as it the stripes.  I used a Just a Note sentiment foiled embossed with sparkly gold.  I am happy with my practice piece and looking forward to try out a rectangle card with this look.

Flowers and Heart

 The Flower Challenge has restarted for the New Year and being February (the month of Love) the challenge is "Add a Heart" 

I still trying to use patterned paper so I pull out some for my background. 

The paper is from a Uniti pack called Sunshine Floral.   Love the soft look of this paper.   The rest of my card is made up by bits from my "to use" pile.   The heart (a Spellbinder's die) and the floral bouquet (Pink Fresh Studio - Artistic Dahlia stamped, stenciled and die cut) have been sitting in the pile for some time.  I took Prisma's pencils to add some extra shading to the bouquet and to add around the heart.  The sentiment is from a very old Hero Arts set called Yes.   I used some Memento Gray Flannel ink.  Three little pink gems finished the card perfectly.   

I had a great weekend creating.  Yesterday I finally got around to creating the pages for the two new grandchildren to put into frames and made my design card for the 28th of the month.   Today I did a card for the Craft Roulette that I will share tomorrow and this one.  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Still using up patterned paper -

 I really am trying hard to use up patterned paper and in my inbox this week was the February SheetLoad  of cards from Crafty Al.   If you haven't seen her videos do look her up on You Tube.  This month's is some A2 cards using 6 x 6 papers.  Al took 4 pieces of patterned paper and made 8 cards....

I decided to take 2 sheets to make 4 cards.  

I used two sheets from an Anko (KMart) paper pack called Floral.  I had some pinkish card in my stash so used that to cut the mats.  I cut the butterfly base (Memory Box - Isabella Butterfly) from pink card and the top layer (Memory Box - Pippi Butterfly) from matt Rose Gold metallic card.  I used a Gina K Master Layout circle and used different sentiments to make it into a set.  

Can you see the one that looks different....

I wasn't concentrating and stuck my cross piece, circle and butterfly upside down on my card base!  So I simply took a die and cut it off and added to another base 

The sentiment on this one is from Colorado Craft Company - Lots of Love set.  

This one is birthday card - sentiment from Altenew's Birthday Builder set. 

For this one I used a sentiment from a Gina K Designs stamp set - You make me Smile.

and finally

    

This one has another Altenew set for it's sentiment - Engraved Flowers. 

So another two sheets of paper used.  

Inspired by Jennifer McGuire... Use up your patterned paper

 This afternoon I watched Jennifer McGuire's latest video. (see it here) It was all about using up your patterned papers.  Boy is that girl talented!   Over the last few weeks I've been trying to use up some of my ginormous pile of paper!  I had a pack from Uniti (a brand that is local to my Warehouse store) on my desk so decided to try some of Jennifer's ideas.  

Here is what I came up with.  

I die cut the Birch Press - Prime Peony Duo die set from one of the papers from the Sunshine Floral pack.  I added a little bit of ink around the edges and over the pink paper I used green inks.  I then chose a pink marbled background from another paper pack.  To ground my flowers I die cut an oval from Gina K Master Layout 1.  I then used Altenew Classic Greetings stamp and die set to make the sentiment.   I used Altenew Rose Gold embossing powder.  I added some layers behind it for dimension.   A few gold metallic pearls from Pinkfresh Studios finished off the card.  

Been a busy day as I had to go out to buy a new vacuum cleaner and a new mat for in the kitchen.  The old vacuum packed a sad yesterday.  Spent a bit more than I wanted to but it's a great little machine with great suction and very quiet!    

Play time for fun

 Hi - back again to share the cards I made last Friday and Saturday.   I had some fun just playing around. 

This first one is a Napkin card - using a napkin I picked up when we had dinner at a friend's place.  I really loved the tulips that were part of it.  Glued them to some lightweight card and used a Gina K Master Layout to die cut.  I stamped the sentiment from Altenew's Classic Sentiments and used the matching die.  A few blue pearls finished this one off. 

I had to go to Spotlight on Friday as I needed to get a new magnetic cutting plate.  They are normally $30 each but they were on special for $12 as were the double B plates.  So I bought two magnetic plates and one of the B plates and found a lovely sheet of PP for 50 cents.  I cut into four 6 inch squares and then used a sketch from the Gentleman Crafter.  It is lovely double sided paper and I paired with a Prima Flower I've had for an eternity!  And some black leaves cut with Pinkfresh Studio's Curvy Leaves.  The sentiment is from Altenew's "Adore You - add-on" set.  

Thanks for stopping by.  

Quick and simple no stamping card.

Hi there.  It's been a week since my last post... another week of super busyness  - getting ready for Christmas and not a lot of crafting done.   We held our annual neighborhood Christmas party on Tuesday evening.  The weather played it's part and it was a nice warm day and into the evening.  We had a great evening with a good turnout of neighbors.

Today I packed some supplies to take with me for our week away.  Might not get time but at least I'm prepared!   Before I did though, I was tidying up some paper patterned scraps and ephemera to put away.  And wouldn't you know it... a card sort of appeared!

I used one of Jess Craft's designs from the Stress Free Cardmaking Summit.  It is a fast favourite now!  Not sure who the ephemera is by... it was in an baggie with no identifying labels.  I trimmed my scrap to make the three panels.   2 are 1.5" x 4" and one is 1" x 4" - worked well as the piece had a circle cut out of it and I wasn't able to get three even pieces.    I used some kraft card to make my layering mat.  The colours on the ephemera matched the flowers on the paper reasonably well.   Addes some light brown ink onto the white centre panel and around all the white areas on the flowers to match the creamy background of the paper.  Some little blue gems finished it off.

I'm going finish with a quick pic of my littlest Grandson.... 

Finn was gifted this little Santa suit onsie

Merry Christmas from me to you.  

 

Craft Roulette #190

I got a bit more organised today and was able to watch the start of today's episode of the Craft Roulette challenge and as it was a rainy afternoon, I got to go into the craft room and played along. 

The wheel spin revealed the following parameters

Project: Fancy Fold

Colours: Aquarium

Element: November

Randon:   3-item cluster. 

I decided to try a Pop up Front Step Panel Card.... sounds complicated but it really isn't too hard.   I found a tutorial on Pinterest.  (Here) 

So that was my fancy fold and all the pretty blue patterned papers were my colour - obviously lots of water in an aquarium.  My November element - 13th November was World Kindness Day so found the lovely Kindness quote on the internet and after changing the colours to blue in Word, printed it out. And for the 3-items cluster - three flowers, three leaves and 3 little die cut hearts.   I was pleased with the results and happy to get it submitted in time.   

Double Z fold card.

 Hi there.  Today I'm sharing a Double Z fold card.  The theme for my NZ swap group this month was a card with more than 2 folds!  

Here it is closed with it's belly band.  I used a sheet of Deluxe Heartfelt Creations card to make the fold.  I had a lovely pack of patterned paper that I got from a $2 store.  It has beautiful papers that coordinated perfectly.  I trimmed and glued and it turned out so pretty.  But I did missed part of the brief... I was supposed to add an animal!  I missed that completely.   

Here are some more photos of the card 

Suna was my recipient.  It took a week and a half to get to her - only about 15kms from were I live.  

Happy World Card Making Day

 I made the most of this being a weekend of card making for me... Today - Sunday 8th is still WCMD on the other side of the world. 

Some of these were made on Saturday 7th and finished today. 

First up is another cat card for Christmas Kickstart - Cat Lovers Challenge.

Some of one of my new patterned paper with a Tim Holtz - Snarky Christmas Cat.  Sentiment from a now defunct NZ coy called Kiwistamping. 

Next a card inspired by Jess Crafts (from the SFCS)  - again using some of one of the new paper packs.

I also was inspired by Crafty Al... using ephemera.   I used Jess's design.  My paper was double sided - patterned on one side and plain on the other. So I used two sheets to get what I needed.   I used the reverse side for the focal panel and used some Anko ephemera (Floral set).  The little stamp is from a NZ company called Hastings Stamps.  

Third one - again inspired by Crafty Al from the Stress Free Cardmaking Summit. 

For this one, I took Al's design and stepped it up.  She provided a video with a lot of ways to step up the original design.  For this one, I use a Gina K embossing folder after I had done the soft green inking.  Added the ephemera from a Kaisercraft pack.  The sentiment was a freebie from Crafty Al which I printed and trimmed.  

I had a lovely visit from my son and his two girls....

Our Princesses  

Video call this afternoon - cousins  together!  

thanks for stopping by - hope you managed to get some card making done this World Card Making Day.  

Tic-tac-toe at Die Cut Divas.... flowers, Love and patterned paper.

 It's the 31st so time for the final inspiration for this month at  Die Cut Divas.  Our sponsor this month is Frantic Stamper 

 

Our challenge this week:

I chose the diagonal - Flowers, The word Love, Patterned paper.  I used Pinkfresh Studio washi and the matching die.  I used Artistic Dahlia products.  Both are available at Frantic Stamper Inc. 

I stuck the washi onto some white card.  The die cuts out lots of the images all at once.  I used 300gsm paper... but next time I'll use a lighter weight.   I used a Gina K Master Layout die to cut the dotted patterned paper.  I used an Altenew stamp for the sentiment.  

Our challenge is open till 9.00pm Pacific time.  

Supplies:

Pinkfresh Studio - Artistic Dahlia Washi 

Pinkfresh Studio - Artistic Dahlia Die 

Gina K Master Layouts

Altenew - Best Sentiments 

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.  

Happy Anniversary to my Hubby

 Today is our 45th wedding anniversary.   Where has the time gone?  

Here's the card I made for hubby.

I used a design I saw on my friend Linda's blog   I used some patterned paper. stickers and a pre-printed sentiment.  I stuck to the stickers to white card and fussy cut them before adding to the card,