Owl Folk

DoCrafts are always bringing out products that I love and their newest range 'Owl Folk' is no exception. Create & Craft had 2 kits last week that together comprised of the entire Owl Folk range. I did a bit of a price comparison and it seemed like a good deal so I got both sets. They arrived on Saturday so the long bank holiday weekend meant that I got to play with them today- I wish every weekend had 3 days! I'd get lots more crafting done- possibly!

Here is my first Owl Folk card-

I started by layering up the decoupage tag and putting together the pocket, both from the Ultimate Die-Cut & Paper pack. I added a short piece of ribbon to the end of the tag so that it can be removed from the pocket if wished. I then chose a backing paper that incorporated the orange colour of the tag and pocket. Once I had chosen my backing paper, I felt that the tag didn't stand out enough so I mounted it onto some navy blue paper from the 6x6 paper pack. I threaded the owl charm onto a length of the same ribbon that I used on the tag and attached it to the spine of my backing paper, securing the ribbon on the back of the paper with double sided tape.

I then folded a sheet of A4 white card to make an A5 card blank and mounted all of my items onto it using tape.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:-
Crafty Boots 'things with wings' 10.5
Penny's paper-crafty challenges 'not a square' 5.5
Creative Inspirations 'cute critters' 5.5
CRAFT 'use a charm/metal' 6.5
Crafty Calendar 'things with wings' 2.6
Crafty Catz 'colour challenge' 7.5
Crafts Galore 'anything goes' 30.5
Catch the Bug 'anything goes' 9.5
Craft Your Passion 'anything goes' 10.5

March Showers, Spring Flowers

Today has been a really miserable day weather wise- began to wonder if the living room windows would stand up to the wind and rain! Good excuse to stay in the house and craft anyway...

Here is today's make:-

Another quick & simple card from me today (my favourite kind) and it is similar to a card I made ages ago but the main image is so detailed that I don't like to add too much too it.

I started by printing the image from my Walk in the Countryside cd-rom and decoupaging the flowers. I mounted it onto a piece of dusky pink card and then mounted that onto a 6x6 scalloped edge card blank. I added a pink organza bow to the spine of the card and a little bit of Stickles glitter glue to the centre of the flowers. Done!

I am entering this card into the following challenges:-
Crafting for All Seasons 'pastel hues' 30.3
In the Pink 'lots of layers' (decoupage) 1.4
Crafty Cardmakers 'spring' 5.4
Craft your Passion 'anything goes' 29.3
Digi Choosday 'lots of layers' (decoupage) 7.4
Paper Shelter 'blooming' 31.3
That Craft Place 'Easter/Spring' 11.4

Why Mr Darcy...

I've not had too much time for card making this weekend as I've had sewing projects for work to start but I've managed to make another card using one of the brilliant 'word collage' designs from the Cricut Explore!

This one uses the Jane Austen themed words which matched perfectly to a Pride & Prejudice themed decoupage topper that I've had for years (no exaggeration!).

I started with an 8x8 base card and a sheet of new Papermania 'Eau de nil' paper. I got the cricut to draw with a silver marker straight onto the backing paper which was surprisingly easy to line up. I trimmed the backing paper to size and mounted it onto the card. The topper I had already decoupaged so I simply attached this to the card with double sided tape. The two extra toppers came with the main decoupage so I added these with 3d foam to finish the card.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:-
Catch the Bug 'anything goes' 14.2
Crafty Calendar 'anything goes' 1.3
CRAFT 'decoupage' 11.2
Creative Inspirations 'love is in the air' 10.2
Paper Shelter 'be my valentine' 10.2
Cute Card Thursday 'crazy in love' 11.2
Clear it Out 'anything goes' 10.2
Papertake Weekly 'anything goes' 10.2

art deco- black & gold

Ages ago, I made an Art Deco style card using a red & black colour scheme. I've just made another, but this time it's black & gold.

As with the red & black card, I started with an A4 sheet of black card that I folded into an A5 card blank. I added a backing paper from the Papermania 'Art Deco' ultimate die-cut paper pack. The decoupage topper came from the same pack, so I just matted it onto some gold mirror card to help it stand out. I finished the card with another of the Craftwork Cards paper bows- this time I added some gilding wax to it to give it a shine.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:-
Crafts Galore Encore 'anything goes' 31.1
Graph'It 'shiny & new' 16.1
The Pink Elephant 'colour combo- black & gold' 12.1
Love to Create 'anything goes' 11.1
Papertake Weekly 'anything goes' 13.1
Clear it Out 'anything goes' 13.1
Penny's Papercrafting Challenges 'anything goes' 13.1
Creative Inspirations 'use a bow' 13.1

Na x 16

BATMAN!!!

Here's my latest card and it's again using the brilliant Cricut Explore. I spent some time this week having a look at the Cricut website to see what's included in the subscription package and found a fab set of designs in a cartridge called 'word collage'. It's got lots of different themes and is great with the drawing function of the Cricut. For this card I've used the superhero version on the right hand side of my wardrobe card.

I simply drew the design onto black card with a gold metallic marker (well the cricut did) and then mounted it onto my base card. The base was made out of a piece of A4 yellow cardstock folded at 6cm on one side and 9cm on the other to make an uneven wardrobe. On the left hand side of the card I used a topper cut from a 12x12 paper that's been in my stash for ages and the Batman logo which was a tag on a pair of pyjamas I got recently from Primarni.

A really simple card, using a mix of old and new. I sense this may be the start of something with these word collage designs...

I am entering this card into the following challenges:-

Polkadoodles 'men on our minds' 13/6

Country View Challenges 'only men allowed' 30/6

Papertake Weekly 'anything goes' 10/6

That Craft Place 'men' 21/6

The Pink Elephant 'masculine' 17/6

Fantabulous Cricut Challenges 'male' 16/6 (not sure if this card fits the rules or not as it uses a Cricut draw rather than cut-please delete if it is not allowed)

Love to Create 'kids' 15/6

Craft your Passion 'boys/dads' 16/6

Cutie Pie 'cute dad' 21/6

All aboard...

Over Father's Day weekend, I am going to a local 'Town & Country Fayre' with my cards, bags etc., hoping to make a few pennies to buy some more crafty goodies with! With that in mind, I've been busy making some cards that I think will suit the kind of people that would attend that sort of event. There are going to be people displaying their vintage cars and tractors so I've dug out the 'men' box and gone a bit mad.

This is one of the cards I've made-

I didn't want to make anything too simple but the obvious rules of chucking glitter at a card can't really work here, so I had to think outside the box.

I started with the pyramaged train topper which is from a Kanban set and then chose the other elements to go with it. The topper is quite large so I went for an 8x8 square card that I covered with a piece of kraft cardstock. Before attaching the kraft card to the base, I stamped 2 corners with a Kanban gear stamp in Walnut Stain distress ink. I took a piece of Papermania vintage travel inspired map paper (from a set I believe is called All Aboard) and ripped the edge to give it a vintage look. I then also inked the edge of the map paper using the Walnut Stain ink. I attached my various items to the card, completing it with an old cigarette card and a piece of Anita's sticky ribbon.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:-
Crafts Galore 'stamp/digi' 30/6
Craft Your Passion 'rip it' 9/6
Digi Choosday 'men' 17/6
Crafting Musketeers 'stamp/digi' 30/6
Crafters Cafe 'masculine' 11/6
CRAFT 'male' 11/6
Stampin' for the Weekend 'anything goes' 19/6

art deco- red & black

I know that the run up to Christmas is going to be absolutely manic for me both at work and at home, so I'm trying to make the most of half term this week by making as many cards as I can. Over the next couple of months there are nativity plays, pantomimes & everything Christmassy at work and then various shows (so I can buy lots of new goodies) & craft fairs (so I can hopefully sell a few bits & bobs too)!

I was also lucky enough to win a £100 Create & Craft voucher in a Pinterest competition, so I'm doing my best to spend it (suprisingly not that difficult!) and this card uses 2 of the new things I've ordered.

I started with a decoupage topper from the Papermania 'Art Deco' Ultimate Die Cut & Paper pack, which I mounted on to some bright red mirror board from Creata (one of my freebies!). I then took a sheet of black A4 card and folded it to make the base card. I attached the layered topper to the corner of the card and added the 3 Hobby House gems to the corner. I completed the card by adding the paper bow to the corner which is from Craftwork Cards Paper Bows pad (another C&C freebie). The bows are all white/gold & black- so I coloured it with Barn Door & Festive Berries distress ink to match the card better. I attached it to the card and then edged it with 'xmas red' stickles.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:-
Creative Card Crew 'sun, moon & stars'
Paper Shelter '2 colours'
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenges 'anything goes'

home to nest

This is the second card I've made using the Papermania 'home to nest' decoupage pack and was one of those cards that just sort of happened without realising what I was doing almost!

I really loved the egg design backing paper so wanted to use it in some way. I chose an A4 card sheet that had a matching brown shade and folded it into an A5 card. I then found a matching egg design die-cut that had the bird house in the corner but was otherwise plain. I cut the middle from that die-cut to make a frame, mounting it onto the matching brown card with 3d foam to raise it. I then placed the decoupage topper inside the frame, placing the blue tit (I think!) onto the frame and the topper. I used a message from the set, mounting it again on the matching brown card and then punching a hole & threading with some raffia.

I am entering this card into the following challenge & DT call:-

Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge Blog 'birthdays'

gardening great

Here in the UK it will soon be Father's Day (I'm not sure if it's the same day everywhere else in the world?) but for me, more importantly, it's my grandads birthday. He loves gardening so the new Papermania 'home to nest' range is perfect. This is the first card that I've made from the kit and will more than likely be his card.

I started with a sheet of A4 green card that I folded into an A5 card. I then trimmed and mounted a backing paper from the 'home to nest' A4 decoupage pack. The decoupage topper came from the same set and I mounted it onto the same green card as the base card and then a dark brown layer. Before mounting this onto the card, I wrapped some raffia around the topper and tied it at the front of the card.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:-

Love to Create 'special guy'

Crafty Cardmakers 'father's day'

strawberry layer cake

It's a really good job it's a Bank Holiday here in England today as I had no time to craft over the weekend as I was at a craft fair. It was a successful weekend so definitely worth it but it means that today has felt like a Sunday and I'm going to be messed up all week! Here's one of the cards I made today using a lovely Forever Friends decoupage topper that has been in my stash for years!

I started with a 6x6 white card blank which I rounded the corners of. I layered this with a glittery paper from the Dovecraft 'London Line' range. I mounted the decoupaged topper onto a die-cut circle, that I inked the edges of with Spun Sugar distress ink, and then mounted this onto a die-cut, silver mirror card, mat. The final touch was the 3 strawberries in the corner which were an extra element from the decoupage sheet. I used different thicknesses of foam pads to layer them up and then accented them with some glossy accents.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:-

Docrafts photo inspiration challenge

Songbird 'truly scrumptious'

Cutie Pie 'lots of layers' (of cake & decoupage)

Creative Inspirations 'birthdays'

Spring daffodils

This is my latest card, perfect for the start of spring and the current challenges at Crafty Catz 'St Davids Day- dragons or daffodils' and Polkadoodles 'spring flowers'.

It's an incredibly simple card that very much goes back to my card making roots...

I started with a 6x6 scalloped card blank that I inked with 'Squeezed Lemonade' distress ink. The topper came from 2 copies of the 2013 'Hugs' calendar that I used to make the decoupage topper. Done.

Kanban 'Love Birds'

 This is another card from my new Kanban set and it was made using the 'Love Birds' topper sheet and I am entering it into the Polkadoodles 'Lots of Layers + Pink & Red' challenge, Songbird Challenges 'Hopelessly Devoted to You', The Cutie Pie Challenge Blog '#37-Valentines' and The Pink Elephant 'challenge 185- inspiration photo'

I started with a 6x6 scalloped edge card blank that I inked with my 'Worn Lipstick' distress ink. I then used an A4 paper sheet from the Kanban 'Love & Marriage' paper pad, cutting the cream half into a 14cm square and the pink half into a 11.5cm square. I rounded the corners of the papers before attaching them to the card with double sided tape. I've used a main topper also from Kanban from a topper sheet called 'Love Birds'. I have used the pyramage toppers which has certainly given my cards 'lots of layers'! I rounded the corners of the base image of the topper so that it echoed the papers I had used and the base card shape.

Foiled & Distressed Kanban dress card with ribbon flower

This is one of my most favourite recent makes and is far more detailed than my usual style. I do love it though.

I started with an 8x8 scalloped edge card blank that I inked using my distress inks. I added some swirls onto the base card by using a stencil and my quickie glue pen with some gold foil (a bargain from the Kanban outlet). The main card topper, also from the Kanban outlet, was made using 2 flat images of the same dress. I cut out one and layered it up with 3d foam pads and then added some foil highlights using both gold & teal colours. I didn't have any gold mirror card/paper in the right shade to match the rest of the card (for matting & layering) so I again used my foil, and thin double sided tape, to create a foil edge onto my mat.

I used my cricut 'paper lace' cartridge to cut the teal floral mat from another Kanban outlet paper that has a floral embossed pattern. I mainly used this to add another texture to the card. I completed the card with a ribbon flower.



I made the ribbon flower by firstly choosing 3 differently textured ribbons, and a button, that matched the colour scheme of the card. I also found a dark teal button from my stash. I cut the dark brown ribbon into 6 equal lengths, folding them in half and attaching to the back of the button with PVA glue. When that layer was dry, I repeated the process with the teal ribbon, cutting each piece slightly longer and attaching it inbetween the first brown layer. I repeated the process for the final layer but rather than folding the ribbon over, I cut the ends of it into the v shape. When all the glue had dried, I attached the ribbon flower to the card with some more PVA.

It's a sort of Spellbinders inspired card made without any Spellbinders products! In fact, the Kanban outlet bargains mean that this was an incredibly cost effective card to create but did take a fair amount of time.

I am entering this card into the Card Makin' Mamas 'Anything Goes' challenge at http://cardmakinmamas.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/a-new-year-and-new-challenge.html