Kool Kitty Musings

2019 card challenge - December prompt

So here we have it, the very last prompt of the 2019 card challenge!

It's December and did you really expect me to NOT go with a super festive pin? ;)

 

{Pinterest pin}

We have plenty of scope for using the colour palette, so if you are totally over Christmas crafting do not fear!

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Foliage and berries - they work for many occasions and you don't need to use winter colours/leaves. You can use wreath stamps, foliage dies, or any other small stamps or images to create the look of a wreath. There's also scope for using jar or bottle stamps and flora (if you're lucky enough to own The Greetery products this challenge is for you!).
• Diagonal stripes - whether backgrounds or washi tape, Baker's twine or candy canes, diagonal stripes are a great design element.
• Ivory and cream - rather than a stark white, why not use warmer neutral tones as your canvas?
• Full focus on the sentiment - the balloons and brush lettered text remind me of many oversized sentiments from the likes of Mama Elephant and dies from MFT and Lil' Inker Designs where the words fill most of the card front.
• Deck the Halls - use the sentiment or create a festive scene featuring Christmas decorations, boughs, trees, lights, etc.
• Sweet treats - hot cocoa, cookies, coffee, so many fab stamp and die sets have been released that cover this theme.
• Deer - a staple home decor design element and featured in many winter and Christmas collections, whether cute critters or more stylized designs there's plenty of scope to feature this woodland friend.
• Christmas tree shopping - the iconic tree on the roof of a car or truck. Need I say more? ;)
• Brown paper packages tied up with string - transform your card into a present complete with ribbon, bows and the sentiment on a tag.
• Three is the magic number - the three wooden pigs reminds me that 3 elements of the same/similar type on a card can be a great design feature.
• Scandi in style - red, white, and woodgrain are all great starting points for a Scandinavian-inspired project.

I hope you've enjoyed the prompts this year!

As always, happy crafting!

2019 card challenge - November card take 2

Sneaking these cards just under the deadline, for the November card challenge - I'm back with more pink trees!

This time featuring some stitching.

I started off though creating some blended backgrounds with various colours of Distress Oxides (plus a little Fossilized Amber in the second background.

The backgrounds were also sprayed with Mister Huey mists.

And then I got on with cutting the Dotted Tree dies from The Stamp Market out of pink cardstock to do some stitching:

Stamp: Agateria - Napisy na każdą okazję
Die: The Stamp Market - Dotted Tree
Other: Distress Oxides

First I had a go at chain stitch with mixed success - I certainly need practice on something a little simpler, but I really like the look and a perfect way to use some of my sequins and seed beads.

I finally have two sets of sentiment stamps in Polish so it's nice to be able to send some festive cards this year to Poland that have the right greeting on them!

 

For my other tree I went with a simpler stitch:

Stamp: Agateria - Napisy na każdą okazję
Die: The Stamp Market - Dotted Tree
Other: Distress Oxides

And I really like how the oversized sequins in my stash look layered up like this.

You can also see in this shot the shimmer from the mists and the Platinum gold metallic embossing. I may need to make more of this design - perhaps some stitching in front of the telly on these cold winter nights.

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Agateria - Napisy na każdą okazję stamps Shop at: MISC	The Stamp Market - Dotted Tree dies Shop at: EH | MISC | SBC	Distress Oxide ink pad - Scattered Straw Shop at: EH | SBC	Distress Oxide ink pad - Spun Sugar Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC
Distress Oxide ink pad - Tattered Rose Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Distress Oxide ink pad - Worn Lipstick Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Versamark ink pad Shop at: AZ | EH | SHC	Neenah Classic Crest 110 lb smooth Solar White cardstock Shop at: AZ | EH | SSS
Lilac Lane - Bridal sequins Shop at: SBC | SSS	Ranger - Liquid Platinum embossing powder Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Studio Calico - Mister Huey's color mist - Blizzard (r) Shop at: SBC	Studio Calico - Mister Huey's color mist - Opaque White (r) Shop at: SBC
Tonic Studios Nuvo Crystal Drops - Simply White Shop at: AZ | EH	3M Scotch double-sided foam tape Shop at: AZ | EH	Cosmetic blending brushes Shop at: AZ	Tim Holtz - Stampers Anonymous Splat Box Shop at: AZ | SBC | SHC
Sizzix - Big Shot machine Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Thermoweb iCraft - Purple tape for die-cutting - 1 1/2" Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Tim Holtz - Tonic guillotine trimmer (small) Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC

2019 card challenge - December card

So, I've finally had chance to try and photograph the cards I've made for this month's card challenge prompt. :)

I was immediately inspired by the trees in the image and pale pink.

It was the perfect opportunity to try out a few new supplies, namely the Mod Trees background stamp from Simon Says Stamp and the Joy, Love and Peace die from MFT to make four cards from one sheet of pink card.

First up it's (Altenew) blush pink on pink to make a shaker card.

Stamp: Simon Says Stamp - Mod Trees Background
Dies: MFT - Joy, Love, and Peace, Lil' Inker Designs - Stitched Mats: Rectangles

Before constructing the shaker element, I die-cut the stitched frame on the front panel.

It's a bit hard to tell in the photos, but there are silver seed beads in all the letters, but the icons also contain small sparkly sequins for extra interest.

To keep the elements separate I cut the die from 7 or 8 pieces of white cards and built up the layers. I then mounted Butter Mint cardstock behind the panel as that went nicely with the blush pink tones.

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Next up another experiment of pink on pink:

Stamp: Simon Says Stamp - Mod Trees Background, The Stamp Market - Candy Cane Christmas
Dies: MFT - Joy, Love, and Peace, The Stamp Market - Candy Cane Christmas, Hero Arts - Infinity Nesting Rectangles

This time I wanted to try the bubblegum pink for a darker look, but I had trouble getting a solid result so had to stamp it several times - the trees are darker than I'd have liked originally, but they still work with this Mod tree style.

Before mounting on my card blank, I cut the panel with a Hero Arts Infinity rectangle die.

I finally added silver glitter paper and stamped the holly and berries from The Stamp Market Candy Cane set to add a bit of extra festive cheer.

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For the next two cards I first clear heat embossed the background stamp on the pale pink cardstock and then it was time for some blending experiments:

Stamp: Simon Says Stamp - Mod Trees Background, The Stamp Market - Candy Cane Christmas
Dies: MFT - Joy, Love, and Peace, The Stamp Market - Candy Cane Christmas
Other: Distress Oxides

This card mainly uses Worn Lipstick Distress Oxide with a little Spun Sugar in places. I needed to keep some cards flat for postage, so the extra pop comes from the white glitter paper peeking through and the sprig of holly.

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I went with warmer pink tones for this background:

Stamp: Simon Says Stamp - Mod Trees Background, The Stamp Market - Candy Cane Christmas
Dies: MFT - Joy, Love, and Peace, The Stamp Market - Candy Cane Christmas
Other: Distress Oxides

It's the same process as the previous card, but this time I used Worn Lipstick around the edges and Tattered Rose in the middle for a little colour variation.

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The Stamp Market - Candy Cane Christmas stamps Shop at: MISC	Simon Says Stamp - Mod Trees Background stamp Shop at: SSS	The Stamp Market - Candy Cane Christmas dies Shop at: MISC	Hero Arts - Infinity Nesting Rectangles dies Shop at: EH | SBC | SHC
Lil' Inker Designs - Stitched Mats: Rectangles dies Shop at: MISC | SHC	MFT - Joy, Love, and Peace die Shop at: EH | SHC	Altenew - Blush dye ink Shop at: EH | MISC	Distress Oxide ink pad - Spun Sugar Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC
Distress Oxide ink pad - Tattered Rose Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Distress Oxide ink pad - Worn Lipstick Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	The Stamp Market - Bubble Gum ink pad Shop at: EH | MISC	The Stamp Market - Cactus ink pad Shop at: EH | MISC
The Stamp Market - Cherry Kisses ink pad Shop at: EH | MISC	Versamark ink pad Shop at: AZ | EH | SHC	Bazzill Cardshoppe - Butter Mints Shop at: AZ | EH	Bazzill Cardshoppe - Pale Rose Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC
Neenah Classic Crest 110 lb smooth Solar White cardstock Shop at: AZ | EH | SSS	Crafter's Companion heat-resistant acetate Shop at: AZ	Tonic Studios Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	3M Scotch double-sided foam tape Shop at: AZ | EH
EK Success powder tool Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Lawn Fawn - Stamp shammy cleaner Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC | SHC	MISTI stamping tool Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Cosmetic blending brushes Shop at: AZ
Sizzix - Big Shot machine Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Sizzix - Sidekick machine Shop at: AZ | SBC	Tim Holtz - Tonic guillotine trimmer (small) Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC

2019 card challenge - November prompt

Hello all!

I'm posting this month's prompt a little early as I have another blog post scheduled for tomorrow as well.

{Pinterest pin}

November's pin is full on winter and festive inspiration, but don't let that put you off - there's plenty of scope for other card themes.

Here are some general ideas to get you started:

• Off-white and warm neutrals rule! Bright white can be such a cold colour this time of year, so it's nice to warm things up a little and choose cream, light grey, ivory and even very light pastels as a base. You could also combine these neutrals with the dusky blue, pink, and mint tones used on those houses.
• Trees, trees, trees - I think I already have the perfect supplies in mind from some recent crafty sprees (Simon Says Stamp Mod Trees background anyone?), but there are so many possibilities with the humble fir tree. Whether stamped, die-cut, stitched, stickers, as the main focal point or a woodland background I think trees are my favourite design feature for Christmas cards. I may even do my usual classic card design with some 3D die-cut trees.
• Gifts and bows - great for birthdays too, and something you can easily go DIY with by cutting rectangles from scraps of patterned paper and using a pen to doodle on some twine.
• 'Tis the season to get your wreath on! There are so many stamp and die sets (past and present) that are great for featuring a wreath as your focal point. Why not try using white glitter paper for a super frosty wreath?
• Geometric triangle/diamond prints - stencils, papers, stamps, dies... a great way to make your own background design.
• Glass jars/bottles - still a popular look and trend and a great way to feature winter foliage and florals for thank you cards, birthdays and other occasions.
• Winter village scenes - I love those light-up houses, winter village dies are definitely a weakness of mine and I like the idea of using gold glitter paper behind the dies for a little glow.
• Clean and simple back to nature - the image with brown paper packages and eucalyptus branches reminds me that less can be more, kraft with just a few elements works beautifully on a card. Imagine outline pine cones and branches heat embossed in white on kraft. Nice!
• Pompoms - finally, that last image with the round balls reminds me of pompoms and pompom wreaths. A great way to add a little texture to your project and a bit of interest for cards for little ones.

I hope that has kick started your imagination.

Happy crafting!

2019 card challenge - October prompt

Hello all!

Well, can you believe it? We're on the final stretch of 2019.

For this month's prompt we're looking to the outdoors and harvest (perhaps even a little spookiness):

{Pinterest pin}

So here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Foliage, trees, woodland
• Autumnal scenes
• Give thanks
• Little houses - think winter village scenes, new home cards, a haunted house
• Pumpkins - even a little pumpkin spice seems to be making the rounds in crafting so you could even go with coffee
• Circle patterns - dots, stacked circles (like the pumpkin tower) remind me of pompom trim
• Wreaths for all season - great if you have wreath-style stamps, but you can also build your own wreaths with boughs and seasonal elements
• Wildflower silhouettes - try stamping grass or meadow flowers in black on a blended background
• A greeting with "Happy" in the phrase
• Floral background paper
• Garden, kitchen or farm themes (Farmer's Market from Carta Bella comes to mind and I think there's an autumnal version of this line too)
• A triangle - that slice of cake made me think triangles, which also makes me think of Christmas trees
• Buffalo plaid and checked patterns
• And last but not least, go all out for Halloween!

Hopefully there are a few grains of inspiration there that will tempt you to give this challenge a go! :)

2019 card challenge - September card

This must be a record, creating a card for the challenge so early in the month. :)

But I had good reason to make a Thank You card and use some new product while I was at it.

For the elements from the challenge prompt I went with a geometric print inspired by stripes, touches of yellow, and the grey background.

Stamps: The Stamp Market - Diamond Tile Background
Dies: Sizzix - Funky Floral #1, PTI - Tiny Envelope, Simon Says Stamp - Thank You Script
Other: Distress Inks

I tried a technique using scrap pieces of white cardstock I'd seen online: watercolouring die-cuts with Distress Inks.

Well this works a lot better on some cardstocks than others. I hadn't realised until attempting to paint the various florals and leaves that I had Neenah mixed in with my scraps, so the ink doesn't actually blend into the cardstock properly, where you put it is where it stays!

Thankfully the other pieces of white card were Bazzill Marshmallow, so the inky watercolouring was much more fluid, creating even coverage.

I went with some end-of-summer shades and tried to incorporate warm yellow tones and a hit of blue!

I also found the perfect paper in my stash to get that mustard yellow look when creating the tiny envelope. It's hard to tell but I also made a grey liner for the envelope as the white looked quite stark in contrast.

The sentiment was cut from a piece of Hero Arts cardstock from the sampler pack I picked up (finding that sampler quite useful for sentiment strips and indeed full sentiments). The colour is Adriatic and is a lovely peacock blue in real life. It's a bit hard to tell in today's lighting conditions.

Oh and the tone-on-tone background stamp is simply Pumice Stone Distress Ink on Taffy cardstock. Really liked the combo and the ink took very well to the cardstock and stamp after conditioning with a microfibre cloth.

So there we go! First card of autumn made. ;)

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The Stamp Market - Diamond Tile Background stamp Shop at: EH | SBC	PTI - Tiny Envelope die Shop at: MISC	Simon Says Stamp - Thank You Script dies Shop at: SSS	Sizzix - Funky Floral #1 dies Shop at: AZ | SBC
Distress ink pad - Chipped Sapphire Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Distress ink pad - Crushed Olive Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Distress ink pad - Forest Moss Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Distress ink pad - Mermaid Lagoon Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC
Distress ink pad - Mustard Seed Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Distress ink pad - Peeled Paint Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Distress ink pad - Pumice Stone Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Distress ink pad - Stormy Sky Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC
Distress ink pad - Wilted Violet Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Bazzill Cardshoppe - Marshmallow Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Bazzill Cardshoppe - Taffy Shop at: AZ | EH | SSS	Neenah Classic Crest 110 lb smooth Solar White cardstock Shop at: AZ | EH | SSS
Marvy Jewel Picker Shop at: AZ	Tonic Studios Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	3M Scotch double-sided foam tape Shop at: AZ | EH	Lawn Fawn - Stamp shammy cleaner Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC | SHC
MISTI stamping tool Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Sizzix - Big Shot machine Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Sizzix - Sidekick machine Shop at: AZ | SBC	Sizzix - Sticky Grid sheets Shop at: AZ | SBC | SHC
Thermoweb iCraft - Purple tape for die-cutting - 1 1/2" Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Tim Holtz - Tonic guillotine trimmer (small) Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC

2019 card challenge - September prompt

Morning all!

Welcome to a new month!

Summer is thankfully still here (hanging on in there!) but the mornings are starting a little chillier and the evenings are drawing in.

This month's prompt hopes to continue that summer sunshine feeling as we move into autumn:

As you can see there is a focal colour, but don't be put off if yellow isn't your thing. I happen to really like it at the moment, as well as mustard tones combined with neutrals.

As always here are some initial ideas to get you started:

• If you happened to splash out on a "lemon" stamp set this summer, now is the time to use it. So many brands seemed to have made it a design trend. :D
• The nest reminds me of birds, but also of wreaths created from twigs. Just adding a few flowers and details into the mix would make a lovely card.
• That beautiful side view of the butterfly also reminds me of how you can incorporate butterflies into a wreath design around an aperture. But feel free to just go with butterflies, multi-step stamped ones would be perfect for this challenge.
• Marbled surfaces - lots of paper designs have featured marbling of late. Otherwise try your hand at it with inks like Distress Oxides on glossy paper or Alcohol inks on yupo.
• Folk paper cuts and lace effect dies - I love that yellow on kraft design with all those cut-out details. You could achieve something similar using border punches and dies arranged in lines across your card.
• The lemon curd in the image reminds me of that old favourite, the ink smooshing technique - try it with paint, diluted ink, any colour of your choice.
• Stripes and dipped edges - the yellow manicure immediately made me think of treating the edges of your card or a panel with something like Tonic mouse or simply dragging an embossing ink pad along the edge to then heat emboss in gold, for example. There's certainly also scope to dip die-cuts into ink or watercolour paint - And the stripes, well who doesn't love stripes?
• Finally that image with the egg - when was the last time you used an oval aperture or oval die on a project? And what about that lovely stitch line on the box? Hand-stitching or a stitched effect would be lovely.

I'm sure you'll come up with some lovely ideas for your cards! :)

Happy crafting!

2019 card challenge - August card

I had some of the Summer Stems I'd stamped out the other week left over and begging to be used on another card.

So another card I made - this time inspired by the August card challenge but also the Simon Says Stamp August Instagram challenge:

Stamps: The Stamp Market - Summer Stems, The Stamp Market - Confetti Background, The Stamp Market - Diamond Design Background
Dies: The Stamp Market - Summer Stems, PTI - Medium scallop border

Interestingly I'd already stamped out the background patterns in different grey inks in preparation for using them on a card somewhere down the line. And hey presto, they proved to be the perfect backgrounds for this card.

I just needed to do a little die-cutting and also cut and stamp a sentiment strip to finish off the card.

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Avery Elle - Simple Sentiments stamps Shop at: EH | SBC | SHC	The Stamp Market - Summer Stems stamps Shop at: EH | SBC	The Stamp Market - Confetti Background stamp Shop at: EH | MISC | SBC	The Stamp Market - Diamond Design Background stamp Shop at: EH | MISC | SBC
The Stamp Market - Summer Stems dies Shop at: EH | SBC	PTI - Medium scallop border die Shop at: MISC	Altenew - Blush dye ink Shop at: EH | MISC	Altenew - Crimson dye ink Shop at: EH | MISC
Altenew - Grass Field dye ink Shop at: EH | MISC	Altenew - Limestone dye ink Shop at: EH | MISC	Altenew - Mountain Pine dye ink Shop at: EH | MISC	Altenew - Rouge dye ink Shop at: EH | MISC
Altenew - Warm Sunshine dye ink Shop at: EH | MISC	Hero Arts - Charcoal ink pad Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC | SHC	Lawn Fawn - Carrot ink pad Shop at: EH | SBC | SHC	Versamark ink pad Shop at: AZ | EH | SHC
Altenew - Green Valley ink cube set Shop at: EH | MISC | SHC	Altenew - Red Sunset ink cube set Shop at: EH | MISC | SHC	Altenew - Rock Collection ink cube set Shop at: EH | MISC | SHC	Altenew - Summer Afternoon ink cube set Shop at: EH | MISC | SHC
Neenah Classic Crest 110 lb smooth Solar White cardstock Shop at: AZ | EH | SSS	Neenah Classic Crest 80 lb smooth Solar White cardstock Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC | SSS	Hero Arts - White embossing powder Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC | SHC	Tonic Studios Nuvo Crystal Drops - Oyster Grey Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC | SHC
Tonic Studios Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	3M Scotch double-sided foam tape Shop at: AZ | EH	EK Success powder tool Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Lawn Fawn - Stamp shammy cleaner Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC | SHC
MISTI precision stamping tool Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Sizzix - Big Shot machine Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Sizzix - Sidekick machine Shop at: AZ | SBC	Thermoweb iCraft - Purple tape for die-cutting - 1 1/2" Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC
Tim Holtz - Tonic guillotine trimmer (small) Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC

2019 card challenge - August prompt

Morning all!

Not sure how we've managed to make it to August so soon, but for this month's prompt we'll be embracing our wild side!

Don't be worried by what you see, there's plenty of scope for versatility here. ;)

 

{Pinterest pin}

 

So to get you started, here are some ideas:

• Animal prints are pretty popular in décor - there's no reason you can't incorporate them or a nature-inspired print into your project.
• Wild animals - flamingos, zebras, swans, giraffes, elephants. These and many more are constant characters in the crafting industry. If more exotic creatures aren't your thing, then what about farm animals, pets, or even garden birds? Animals are great for many occasions, whether baby cards, children's cards or even dare I say it, Christmas cards! ;)
• Party hats - many of the animals in the photo are wearing some great party hats. Why not use up any stickers in your stash, or make your own party hat and add it to a character or make to a central theme for your card.
• Celebration - go all out with streamers, balloons, sprinkles in a shaker card, honeycomb paper projects, banner sentiments, a pop-up card design or an interactive card.
• Stripes galore - the the zebras and the kid's jumper there, there's definitely license to use bold or delicate stripes as a background or the main focus of your card. They're great for Clean and Simple card designs, but can also pack a real eye-catching punch to a busier style.
• Colour combos - When was the last time you used orange or a sunny yellow? Do you think it's a colour you overlook? When paired with a neutral background and another bold shade like that emerald teal you could be onto a winner. :)
• Herringbone and chevron patterns - the wall in picture 2 would make a fantastic background. I've still got plenty of patterned papers that would fit this design, but also a background stamp or stencil would do the job nicely. Perhaps as a resist technique with heat embossing?
• Small stamps - the cookies remind me of projects I've seen where small underused stamps in a set have been used to stamp out the background to a card or at least a tag. Why not give this a go? You may be pleasantly surprised by the results! :)
• And finally the layout of the image placement makes for a good sketch. You could cut scraps of coordinating or contrasting paper to create a tiled design. Paige Evans papers for Pink Paislee definitely come to mind.

I hope those ideas help kick-start your project planning!

Happy crafting. :D

2019 card challenge - July card

Doing a little bit of experimenting this week. :)

New stamps and some Pinspiration!

I was inspired by the colours of the July card challenge - the aqua teal shades to be exact and the line patterns. A perfect way to combine trying out my new Everything's Rosy stamps and dies from Sunny Studio Stamps and trying a contrast colour technique with this diamond background stamp:

Stamps: Sunny Studio Stamps - Everything's Rosy, The Stamp Market - Diamond Design Background, Simon Says Stamp - Tiny Words Birthday
Dies: Sunny Studio Stamps - Everything's Rosy, Lawn Fawn - Put a Bow on It, Lil' Inker Designs - Instant Camera, MFT - Fishtail Flags STAX

Granted it may be a bit difficult to make out in the photo - but the diamonds background inside the frame is stamped in blush pink while the rest of the background is in grey.

Two backgrounds stamped and a bit of precision cutting, hey presto!

Also top tip I saw about using Sticky Grid to hold your background panel in place when stamping - yep, works a treat! And they're reusable, so once stamped I apply the backing sheets again and store the piece of Sticky Grid behind the foam insert in my Misti, ready for next time!

I think next time I stamp these roses and leaves I'll start off with lighter shades for the rose but darker shades for the leaves.

But they do stamp fabulously and the layering really provides realistic looking results. :)

 

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Simon Says Stamp - Tiny Words Birthday stamps Shop at: SSS	Sunny Studio Stamps - Everything's Rosy stamps Shop at: EH | SBC	The Stamp Market - Diamond Design Background stamp Shop at: EH | MISC | SBC | SSS	Sunny Studio Stamps - Everything's Rosy dies Shop at: EH | SBC
Lawn Fawn - Put a Bow on It dies Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC | SHC	Lil' Inker Designs - Instant Camera die Shop at: MISC | SHC	MFT - Fishtail Flags STAX dies Shop at: EH	Altenew - Bamboo dye ink Shop at: EH | MISC
Altenew - Blush dye ink Shop at: EH | MISC	Altenew - Emerald dye ink Shop at: EH | MISC	Altenew - Galactic Stream dye ink Shop at: EH | MISC	Altenew - Lagoon dye ink Shop at: EH | MISC
Altenew - Limestone dye ink Shop at: EH | MISC	Altenew - Moss dye ink Shop at: EH | MISC	Altenew - Mountain Mist dye ink Shop at: EH | MISC	Altenew - Olive dye ink Shop at: EH | MISC
Altenew - Parrot dye ink Shop at: EH | MISC	Altenew - Volcano Lake dye ink Shop at: EH | MISC	Versamark ink pad Shop at: AZ | EH | SHC	Altenew - Red Sunset ink cube set Shop at: EH | MISC | SHC
Altenew - Rock Collection ink cube set Shop at: EH | MISC | SHC	Altenew - Sea Shore ink cube set Shop at: EH | MISC | SHC	Altenew - Sweet Dreams ink cube set Shop at: EH | MISC | SHC	Altenew - Tropical Forest ink cube set Shop at: EH | MISC | SHC
Neenah Classic Crest 110 lb smooth Solar White cardstock Shop at: AZ | EH | SSS	Neenah Classic Crest 80 lb smooth Solar White cardstock Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC | SSS	Hero Arts - White embossing powder Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC | SHC	Tonic Studios Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC
3M Scotch double-sided foam tape Shop at: AZ | EH	EK Success powder tool Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Lawn Fawn - Stamp shammy cleaner Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC | SHC	MISTI creative corners Shop at: EH | SBC
MISTI precision stamping tool Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Sizzix - Big Shot machine Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Sizzix - Sidekick machine Shop at: AZ | SBC	Sizzix - Sticky Grid sheets Shop at: AZ | SBC | SHC
Thermoweb iCraft - Purple tape for die-cutting - 1 1/2" Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Tim Holtz - Tonic guillotine trimmer (maxi) Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Tim Holtz - Tonic guillotine trimmer (small) Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC

2019 card challenge - April card

Better late than never, eh?

In the drama of losing a tiny stamp from my beloved WPlus9 Fresh Cut Florals stamp set when cleaning up after a a recent project and re-ordering the last available set  from Seven Hills Crafts to make sure I'd never be without it, I took the opportunity to purge all the pre-stamped die cuts in the storage pocket that I must have stamped about 3 or so years ago.

They'd been taunting me for a while, but rather than ditch them to make more space in the storage pocket I decided to get them stuck down on a card. :D

One inspired by the April card challenge prompt here.

Stamps: WPlus9 - Fresh Cut Florals, Memory Box - Springtime Typewriter Sentiments, Simon Says Stamp - Tiny Words Birthday, Simon Says Stamp - Diagonal Stripes background
Dies: WPlus9 - Fresh Cut Florals

I arranged them all with the aid of one of the quilting templates I use in my Misti, once that was done I needed to find a way to include a sentiment.

I have some mixed tags from an old Basic Grey collection called Hillside, perfect for incorporating some mini sentiments.

I also dressed up the kraft card blank with the diagonal striped background stamp from Simon Says Stamp - the Versamark ink I tried first didn't show up too well due to the coating on the card blank so I used Gathered Twigs for a less subtle look. :)

Another card completed for the card basket!

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Memory Box - Springtime Typewriter Sentiments stamps Shop at: EH | SSS	Simon Says Stamp - Tiny Words Birthday stamps Shop at: SSS	WPlus9 - Fresh Cut Florals stamps Shop at: SHC	Simon Says Stamp - Diagonal Stripes background stamp Shop at: SSS
WPlus9 - Fresh Cut Florals dies Shop at: SHC	Adirondack dye ink - Mountain Rose (r) Shop at: SBC	Adirondack dye ink - Salmon (r) Shop at: SBC	Distress ink pad - Gathered Twigs Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC
Hero Arts - Charcoal ink pad Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC | SHC	Lawn Fawn - Celery stick ink pad Shop at: EH | SHC	PTI - Aqua Mist ink pad Shop at: MISC	PTI - Harvest Gold ink pad Shop at: MISC
PTI - Hawaiian Shores ink pad Shop at: MISC	PTI - Hibiscus Burst ink pad Shop at: MISC	PTI - Lemon Tart ink pad Shop at: MISC	PTI - Poppy Red ink pad Shop at: MISC
PTI - Raspberry Fizz ink pad Shop at: MISC	PTI - Ripe Avocado ink pad Shop at: MISC	PTI - Simply Chartreuse ink pad Shop at: MISC	PTI - Summer Sunrise ink pad Shop at: MISC
PTI - Sweet Blush ink pad Shop at: MISC	Bazzill Cardshoppe - Marshmallow Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	PTI - Soft Stone cardstock Shop at: MISC	Tonic Studios Nuvo Crystal Drops - Buttermilk Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC | SHC
Tonic Studios Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	3M Scotch double-sided foam tape Shop at: AZ | EH	Lawn Fawn - Stamp shammy cleaner Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC | SHC	MISTI precision stamping tool Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC
Sizzix - Big Shot machine Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Sizzix - Sidekick machine Shop at: AZ | SBC	Tim Holtz - Tonic guillotine trimmer (small) Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC

2019 card challenge - July prompt

Good morning everyone!

Back when I planned out the prompts for this challenge in January, I had no idea some of the images I chose would coincide with some trends we're currently seeing in new stamp and kit releases from companies like Hero Arts, not to mention the big fruit trend that has recently swept the summer releases of many established and new companies like The Greetery and The Stamp Market.

So if you've recently purchased fruit-themed items, anything with a palm tree on it, or supplies that will work with water scenes, you're in luck this month, because this is our prompt:

{Pinterest pin}

So what immediately springs to mind seeing this inspirational photo?

• White embossing as a colour resist technique - see those snippets of patterns? With the right background/pattern stamps, you could stamp and heat emboss in white, then blend ink over or do a paint wash to create a fab background.
• The simple outline prints are really popular in papers too - herringbone, dot patterns, stripes, doodles. What might you have in your paper collections that would fit the bill?
• Beach/pool themes - or summer in general.
• You could create a shoreline landscape - what about using house dies to create beach huts?
• The colour scheme of blues through aqua to emerald green would make a create blended background for statement sentiments or skylines.
• Another great colour scheme involves the top left image with the bridge. You have white, blue tones, a pop of read, and sand/grey as neutral shades.
• Palm trees and tropical foliage galore!
• Watercolour style - many manufacturers have recently featured watercolour illustrations in their collections, for example Flower Market by Carta Bella. If you don't want to try your own watercolour details, then let ready-made patterned paper and ephemera do the work for you. :)
• The ice cream image could be interpreted two ways: one is to go the ice cream route on your card, the other is to use that image as a sketch for a clean and simple card with 1 central image or sentiment on a bold background.
• The lady swimming in the water reminds me of many stamps and illustrations I've been seeing by Jane Davenport and Ink Road Stamps of the backs of ladies heads ready to be coloured. Lots of scope for creativity there!
• Pineapples are still very much on trend - got them in your stash? Use them before this trend is over...
• The bird reminds me of paper-piecing techniques. Use different patterned papers or colours of cardstock from your scraps to create a final image. You could easily create a wreath from dies or punched shapes this way.
• Or just go ahead and feature a bird. ;)

Happy crafting!

2019 card challenge - June prompt

Morning everyone!

This month's prompt is definitely embracing those summer vibes and is a study in peach, apricot, or blush tones:

{Pinterest pin}

You can use the image as inspiration for colours alone or interpret more of the elements:

• So as mentioned, we have peach, apricot and blush tones, paired with some interesting green tones - perfect for your focal elements.
• The peach tones are great for creating an ombré look or colour wash.
• But what about using an off-white neutral colour as your background? Grey tones, cream, and kraft would all work well.
• Celebrate summer - ice lollies and summer themes are popular in many scrapbook collections.
• Floral sprays and backgrounds - always a good choice for weddings and other celebrations.
• Leaves - still very much on trend, big leaves and tropical foliage would be great as a background to your sentiment.
• Baskets - great as a "planter" for a floral card or interpret the basket texture with a textured embossing folder.
• Clean and simple greeting - that bold font and shading could be easily applied to your sentiment. Why not use an all-caps sentiment if you have one in your stash?
• Kids - make something for a child.
• Or look at the top the little girl is wearing, it looks like embroidery - so from simple stitching to actual sewing on your card, there are plenty of options. Do you have "cross-stitch" stamps in your collection (e.g. by Altenew) or dies designed to be stitched with embroidery thread?

Hopefully those are just a few ideas to get your started! :)

Happy crafting!

2019 card challenge - May prompt

Things are taking a decidedly magical turn this month in our challenge! :D

But don't worry, there's scope for many different interpretations with this image:

{Pinterest pin}

Yes you can definitely go with a unicorn theme, but also consider:

• Iridescent and pearlescent finishes - have you purchased any of the new pearl Alcohol inks from Tim Holtz? If so a perfect excuse to use them.
• Glitter galore (not just gold) - use glitter paper or glitter in other mediums. Great as an accent or to die-cut sentiments, frames, etc.
• Pastel or muted rainbow colours - you can achieve some great looks with blended Distress Oxide inks and washed backgrounds.
• Fancy frames - that party plate reminds me of some of the frame die sets in my collection that are woefully underused. Reach for something other than a rectangle die!
• Froufrou trim - do you have organza and other trim in your collection still?
• Ombré effects are still on trend.
• Metallic gold - stickers, tape, edging, frames, etc.
• Diagonal stripes
• Confetti - shaker cards?
• Party hats and streamers
• Monograms or bold sentiments
• Negative die-cutting/masking techniques
• Pin wheels
• Magical and mythical inspiration

Happy crafting!

2019 card challenge - April prompt

Morning all!

April has arrived and with it a new prompt for this year's card challenge. :D

This month we're definitely going full out spring-focused with the image, but if that isn't your bag, don't worry!

{Pinterest pin}

There's scope for many interpretations here:

• Bunting
• Honeycomb paper and paper folding techniques
• Crimped or scalloped edges
• Text on banners
• Floral sprays or backgrounds
• Using floral/foliage elements to "dress" your sentiment
• Pinwheels
• Paper piecing
• Sweet treats - think birthday cakes, cupcakes, afternoon tea, sprinkles, ice cream, chocolate, donuts...
• Rainbow shades in vibrant pastels
• Cards for a new arrival (bunnies and sheep could be the perfect fit!)
• Stripes
• Washi tape
• Mini pegs
• Personalized cards
• Shiplap texture using a scoring board
• Embossing folder/heat embossing to create a checked "waffle" texture à la the ice cream cone
• "Surprise inside" - inspired by the bundt cake with treats inside, how about an interactive card idea where the rest of your sentiment is revealed or use those reveal images/dies that Lawn Fawn are currently focusing on if you've got them in your stash. :D

And of course - Easter and spring! ;)

I hope that's helped to get your creative ideas going, I look forward to seeing what you create!

Happy crafting. :)

More Easter cards

The sunny weather today reminded me that I should be sharing some of the Easter cards I've been making recently. :)

They're also my take on the March 2019 card prompt!

Here's a batch - I've got a couple more in the same style but with different papers so not much point sharing those!

Stamps: Concord & 9th - Wreath Turnabout
Dies: PTI - Polka Dot Parade #1, Lawn Fawn - Easter border, Avery Elle - Double Pierced Squares, Lawn Fawn - Large cross-stitched square stackables

I was determined to use some of the Easter 6x6 papers I had from an old Simon Says Stamp card kit, and success, I only have a few papers left to use. I don't think I've ever completely finished off a 6x6 paper stack before. There are always a few stragglers. lol

I also took out one of my favourite bunny dies to pair up with this great sentiment die from Lawn Fawn - the PTI Polka Dot Parade #1 bunny die (including cottontail) has featured on many an Easter card over the years.

It also cuts great from felt, and even quicker to do now that I have my trusty Sizzix Sidekick in operation. :)

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Next up - a green variation with a different background wreath...

Stamps: Avery Elle - Laurels (r), Avery Elle - Happy Spring (r)
Dies: PTI - Polka Dot Parade #1, Lawn Fawn - Easter border, Lawn Fawn - Large cross-stitched square stackables
Other: Gina K Designs - Wreath Builder Template

I built the wreath primarily using the greenery and buds from the Laurels stamp set and filled in with Easter eggs from the Spring one.

It makes a nice contrast against the kraft card and also isn't too fussy looking when paired with the bunny.

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This one uses another stamp from the Concord & 9th Wreath Turnabout set:

Stamps: Concord & 9th - Wreath Turnabout
Dies: PTI - Polka Dot Parade #1, Lawn Fawn - Easter border, Avery Elle - Double Pierced Squares, Lawn Fawn - Large cross-stitched square stackables

I wanted to replicate the colours in the background paper and that busy pattern worked very nicely as a border. :)

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Finally, a variation on a different theme from a few weeks ago:

Stamps: Avery Elle - Happy Spring (r), Waltzing Mouse - Compact Sentiments (r), WPlus9 - Heartfelt Holidays
Die: Lawn Fawn - Large cross-stitched square stackables, Avery Elle - Double Pierced Squares
Other: GinaK Wreath Builder Template

Still experimenting with that bunny/egg wreath combo. :) And still finding those tiny branches from the Heartfelt Holiday stamp set by WPlus9 a great filler. :D

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Avery Elle - Happy Spring stamps (r) Shop at: SBC	Avery Elle - Laurels stamps (r) Shop at: MISC	Concord & 9th - Wreath Turnabout stamps Shop at: EH | MISC | SBC | SHC	Waltzing Mouse - Compact Sentiments stamps (r) Shop at: MISC
WPlus9 - Heartfelt Holiday stamps Shop at: MISC | SHC	PTI - Polka Dot Parade #1 dies Shop at: MISC	Avery Elle - Double Pierced Squares dies Shop at: AZ | EH | SHC	Lawn Fawn - Easter border die Shop at: EH | SHC
Lawn Fawn - Large cross-stitched square stackables Shop at: EH | SBC | SHC	Altenew - Limestone dye ink Shop at: EH | MISC	Lawn Fawn - Artichoke ink pad Shop at: EH | SBC | SHC	Lawn Fawn - Ballet Slippers ink pad Shop at: EH | SBC | SHC
Lawn Fawn - Butter ink pad Shop at: EH | SBC | SHC	Lawn Fawn - Fresh Lavender ink pad Shop at: EH | SBC | SHC	Lawn Fawn - Freshly Cut Grass ink pad Shop at: EH | SBC | SHC	Lawn Fawn - Minty Fresh ink pad Shop at: EH | SBC | SHC
Lawn Fawn - Peacock ink pad Shop at: EH | SHC | SSS	Neenah Classic Crest 80 lb smooth Solar White cardstock Shop at: AZ | EH | SSS	Tonic Studios Nuvo Crystal Drops - Bubblegum Blush Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC | SHC	Tonic Studios Nuvo Crystal Drops - Buttermilk Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC | SHC
Tonic Studios Nuvo Crystal Drops - Oyster Grey Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC | SHC	Sakura - Quickie Glue pen Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Tombow - Mono-Multi liquid glue Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	3M Scotch double-sided foam tape Shop at: AZ | EH
Gina K Designs - Wreath Builder Templates 3 3/4" and 4" Shop at: SSS	Lawn Fawn - Stamp shammy cleaner Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC | SHC	MISTI creative corners Shop at: EH | SBC	MISTI precision stamping tool Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC
Sizzix - Big Shot machine Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Sizzix - Sidekick machine Shop at: AZ | SBC	Thermoweb iCraft - Purple tape for die-cutting - 1 1/2" Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Tim Holtz - Tonic guillotine trimmer (maxi) Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC
Tim Holtz - Tonic guillotine trimmer (small) Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC

2019 card challenge - March prompt

Morning all!

This month's prompt for the card challenge definitely embraces that spring feeling:

{Pinterest pin}

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Embrace the spring pastel tones, they can be put to great use on non-Easter/Spring cards too.
• Geometric prints and patterns - check out your patterned paper stash or see if you can make your own repeat pattern with geometric elements. You could even try some wreath-building techniques.
• Butterflies and insects - lots of possibilities there!
• Circles, dots and round design elements
• Double-dipped plates - they remind me of a technique where you can layer die-cuts of the same shape in different sizes with contrasting patterned paper or vellum and sew the die cuts in place.
• Multi-coloured spoons - try and create a rainbow of colours using the same shape or design element. A perfect way to use up buttons or enamel dots you in packs that are almost finished.
• Spring blooms in vases and containers
• Donuts and sprinkles - feature something sweet on your card or make a shaker card inspired by those sprinkles
• Pompom banner - bunting and trim is always a great feature on a card. Or why not make a (paper) pompom as a design feature and add some googly eyes.
• Dolls houses - house accents are a perfect detail for new home cards
• Make a card for a child

Hopefully that will get your mind going!

Happy crafting!

2019 card challenge - February card

I finally got my card made for this month's card challenge prompt which had a decidedly romantic feel to it.

I recently cashed in my Christmas vouchers at Seven Hills Crafts on some wishlist items, which included the new Faceted Heart die from Sizzix and some other items no doubt to feature on future cards.

Paper: Crate Paper
Stamps: Avery Elle - Simple Sentiments, Concord & 9th - You Matter
Dies: Sizzix - Faceted Heart, Avery Elle - Scalloped Frames, Neat & Tangled - Skinny Strips

I wanted to see if it's possible to work out where patterned paper will be cut with the faceted heart die, so this was my first attempt at assembling it. Answer: I have no idea where best to place it if you want to cut a more uniform pattern.

But anyway, once assembled it was time to make a card with the heart I'd cut from this old Crate Paper Valentine's collection. :)

I wanted something simple to showcase it, and stamped the brush-stroke background stamp from the You Matter set by Concord & 9th in pink ink from Lawn Fawn - Ballet Slippers, one of my favourite light pinks,

The sentiment is from one of my favourite sets of the moment by Avery Elle. Love the size and font of these and they look great embossed in white on grey.

And as a finishing touch - pink Nuvo Drops!

 

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Avery Elle - Simple Sentiments stamps Shop at: EH | SBC | SHC	Concord & 9th - You Matter stamps Shop at: MISC | SBC | SHC	Avery Elle - Scalloped Frames dies (r) Shop at: MISC	Neat & Tangled - Skinny Strips dies Shop at: SHC
Sizzix - Faceted Heart die Shop at: AZ | SBC | SHC	Lawn Fawn - Ballet Slippers ink pad Shop at: EH | SBC | SHC	Versamark ink pad Shop at: AZ | EH | SHC	Neenah Classic Crest 110 lb smooth Solar White cardstock Shop at: EH | SSS
Hero Arts - White embossing powder Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC | SHC	Tonic Studios Nuvo Crystal Drops - Bubblegum Blush Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC | SHC	Tombow - Mono-Multi liquid glue Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	3M Scotch double-sided foam tape Shop at: AZ | EH
Lawn Fawn - Stamp shammy cleaner Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC | SHC	MISTI precision stamping tool Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Sizzix - Big Shot machine Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Tim Holtz - Tonic guillotine trimmer (maxi) Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC
Tim Holtz - Tonic guillotine trimmer (small) Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC

2019 card challenge - February prompt

Hi folks!

I'm posting the February prompt a little early as I won't be at my desk in the morning.

This month we've got plenty of small details in our pinspiration prompt:

{Pinterest pin}

To get you started, here are a few things that came to mind when I looked at this image:

• The obvious focal point/design element: hearts!
• So many different ways to go with hearts, a background pattern, apertures, embellished hearts, DIY paper cut heart, masked hearts, heart sequins...
• Love and friendship themes. It's not all about Valentine's day - share the love with family and friends.
• Galentines Day - I love the concept of this. I first found out about it in that fabulous US comedy Parks and Rec. Celebrate the girl-friends in your life and send them a Galtentines message on 13th February. :D
• Sequins/confetti/paint splatters - add interest to your card with dimensional accents or splatters of colour.
• Use all or some of the colours in the photo: kraft or grey as your neutral, red, pink tones, and gold. Try and take a break from white backgrounds.
• Foil, glitter, metallic accents
• Pretty floral bouquets
• Diamanté/jewelled embellishments - what about fancy ribbon buckles if you still have those in your stash? A good way to incorporate ribbon in your project.
• Washi tape
• Repeat patterns/random background patterns (a la those lipstick marks!)
• Ikat pattern - if you look closely at the tablecloth it's an ikat design. Something you could possibly recreate with stamps or stencils.
• Try ombré ink blending from pink through red.

I think that's it for now! :)

Happy crafting!

January card challenge cards

Well, would you believe it? I managed to get some crafting in yesterday afternoon.

Things definitely didn't go quite as I envisaged, but I managed to get 2 cards out of my endeavours - despite being rather distracted by my annual binge rewatch of the BBC adaptation of Emma - love it!

First up this one which looks so much better in real life and not the dodgy winter daylight conditions.

I must confess I'd been wanting to use the Simon Says Stamp Bohemian Lace background stamp I bought last year with embossing powders on a navy background:

Stamps: Simon Says Stamp - Bohemian Lace, Simon Says Stamp - Look for the Miracles, MFT - Big Birthday Wishes
Other: Misti, sequins, embossing powder

I definitely think the background stamp is really effective with heat embossing, but it would be easier to photograph if it was white embossing on navy rather than metallic, but the navy and metallic element from the challenge is what inspired me!

I embossed it in Ranger Liquid Platinum then, so as not to cover up too much of the background, stamped the main sentiment on vellum with Hero Arts gold embossing powder.

The vintage cream card blank has been stamped with leaves from the Look for the Miracles stamp set around the edge just to echo the lace pattern and to tie in the navy colour scheme.

And of course some gold sequins finish it off.

This next card uses the off-cut of the blue/platinum background I'd stamped as I didn't want to throw it away. It didn't go too badly with an old MME collection I have from a few years ago – On Trend 2.

But heavens, that "Be Your Beautiful Self" foiled accent was a real pain to photograph!

Paper and ephemera: MME - On Trend 2 (r)
Stamp: Simon Says Stamp - Bohemian Lace
Other: sequins

I was determined to use as much as I could out of the ephemera pack while I had it spilled out on my desk, so I used two of the oversized flowers behind the greeting, plus a tag as some contrasting pattern peeking through.

I've completely emptied my card box and given all my existing cards to my mum, so this one will go live in there for a bit until an occasion presents itself. :)

Until next time!

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MFT - Big Birthday Wishes stamps Shop at: EH | SHC	Simon Says Stamp - Look for the Miracles stamps Shop at: SSS	Simon Says Stamp - Bohemian Lace background stamp Shop at: SSS	Lawn Fawn - Deep Sea ink pad Shop at: EH | SBC | SHC
Versamark ink pad Shop at: AZ | EH | SHC	Hero Arts - Gold embossing powder Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC | SHC	Ranger - Liquid Platinum embossing powder Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	3M Scotch double-sided foam tape Shop at: AZ | EH
EK Success powder tool Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Lawn Fawn - Stamp shammy cleaner Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC | SHC	MISTI precision stamping tool Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Sizzix - Big Shot machine Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC
Thermoweb iCraft - Purple tape for die-cutting - 1 1/2" Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Tim Holtz - Tonic guillotine trimmer (maxi) Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Tim Holtz - Tonic guillotine trimmer (small) Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC

2019 card challenge

Good morning everyone!

Happy New Year!

And welcome to this year's cardmaking challenge.

Hopefully you've recovered from last night's celebrations enough to switch your brain to a creative gear.

This year our challenge is all about being Pin-spired! Yep, Pinterest to the rescue. :D

So here's how the 2019 card challenge will work:

• On the 1st of the month, I'll share a Pinterest prompt here on my blog.
• The prompts will include many elements - you can interpret what you see in any way you like: design elements, colour combos, words, patterns, objects, layout... so many possibilities! Whatever inspiration you take from the image, incorporate it in your card! As always I will try and come up with a list of what immediately springs to mind when I look at the image to give you a few ideas if you're stumped.
• What about Christmas cards? As we reach the end of 2019 the prompts will become more festive and wintry themed, but there's nothing stopping you from creating a festive card from the images posted each month. In fact you might welcome the challenge to get ahead!
• How many cards you make is totally up to you, but the more the merrier!
• All prompts past and present for this challenge can be found here on my blog and you can find them easily by clicking on the 2019 card challenge tag over there on the left.
• Speaking of tags, if you're also on Instagram then I'll be using the hashtag #2019handmadecardchallenge for any posts related to this challenge, feel free to use this tag on Instagram too!
• You can share your cards by linking them up here on my blog - just add a comment to the relevant monthly prompt - or by sharing them in the dedicated challenge thread over in the UK Scrappers card forum.
• If you are ever stumped about the layout of your card, then definitely check out the sketches I pin to my Pinterest board here, hopefully there will be something there to inspire you!
• What if you don't have time to start now or play along every month? No problem! Just dive in and out of the challenge when you feel like it. :D Do as much as you want or as little. It's always lovely to have lots of people sharing their makes, but real life doesn't always allow for crafty time as we well know!

Now with all the formalities out of the way, it's time to get on with the show. Here's your Pinspiration for January!

Design ideas get you started:

• A New Year's card
• Has there been a recent new addition you want to celebrate or a significant year - why not include the important date on the front of your card?
• Take inspiration from the shapes you see: strings of stars, rosettes, balloons, sequins...
• Pattern: there are diagonal stripes, spots, what about a text background?
• Celebration and party theme - balloons, champagne, confetti, streamers, cake - lots you could incorporate or focus on
• Cocktails: if you have anything punny on this theme, now's the time to use it!
• Colours: metallic gold or another metallic shade with navy or black and room for ivory as a neutral colour. Lots of opportunity to use your foiled embellishments and papers.

Happy crafting!