Kool Kitty Musings

TGIF

It's a most apt title to this post, as this week's Dare on the DCM blog comes from the lovely Zuz.

She has challenged us to make a "thank you" card... so if there's someone you need to say thank you to here's your chance.

Personally I am just thankful that its almost the weekend. ;o) I am sure I will soon find a few more things to be thankful for, no worries!

Here's my card for this week - I really like these dinky 4x4 card blanks I bought:

Paper and cardstock embellishments: MME
Stamp: WMS
Dies: PTI, MFT
Other: Stickles, 3D foam

The addition of some Stickles on this card really gave it that extra pop in real life without making things too cluttered in such a small space.

Don't forget to check out the lovely cards from the rest of the design team!

Happy Friday folks!

52 Cards challenge - Week 38

Morning everyone!

Well, it's been a while since the prompt jar offered up some inspiration for our card challenge. This week our three elements are:

Quite handy for me, I needed to rustle up and engagement card and it was quite nice to keep things nice and simple for a change. :)

Here's what I made:

Paper: MME
Stamp: WMS
Other: button, 3D foam

Hope the happy couple like it. :o)

Happy creating with this week's prompt!

Get rifling in the stash cupboard...

Vellum is back!

And for one week only it's the star attraction of the Daring Cardmakers blog thanks to Sharon's fab dare. ;o)

Well, I may be using it for more than just one week... I've undergone a bit of a rediscovery this summer and have found new uses for vellum on my cards. Good job too as I have quite a lot of plain vellum - not to mention a good few sheets of coloured vellum - that could do with being put to creative use.

My favourite thing is creating sleeves around cards and die-cutting the stuff. It looks so crisp and neat with die-cut edges.

So here's an example of what I mean:

Paper: American Crafts
Stamp: WMS
Dies: Memory Box, PTI, Cuttlebug
Felt: PTI
Other: Vellum, sewing machine

I'm rather fond of using apertures on card fronts to showcase the greeting too - oh and this colour combo I have done before with this American Crafts paper, but I just really love how it looks together. I did the Versamark trick for the stamped greeting as my VersaMagic Pink Grapefruit tear-drop pad isn't quite as inky as it once was. But the stamped image here is really nice and crisp and much more vivid than I remember this ink being.

Don't forget to stop by the other Design Team blogs and see their gorgeous cards! :o)

Happy crafting!

52 Cards challenge - Week 37

Morning everyone!

Well the weather this weekend was marvellous in these parts, so needless to say I wasn't in the mood to start my Christmas cards. ;o)

Instead I had another project that needed doing - a card for my cousin for his upcoming name day.

And since we've not done cards specifically for male recipients, I thought it was time we gave it a go. :o)

So there's your challenge - I look forward to seeing what you create.

Here's the name day card I made, keeping it fresh and hopefully sufficiently manly:

Paper: Crate Paper
Stamp: PTI
Stickers: Crate Paper
Other: Glossy Accents, 3D foam, button, twine

I wanted to keep it simple and relatively flat for posting to Poland, but give it a bit of pop in addition to the colours. The aperture around the greeting should do the job, also the stickers match the blue paper but were a bit flat and uninteresting - some nice Glossy Accents sorted that out. :o)

Have fun!

Mellow shades...

What more could you ask for on a Friday? :)

This week sees the return of our monthly colour challenge on the DCM blog and we have had some very subtle and mellow shades to play with thanks to Lythan's pick:

There's also a great photo these colours were picked from that you can see on the DCM blog.

But here's what I came up with - and note the Stickles were still drying when I took these photos... Big mistake, huge.... to quote Julia Roberts!

Paper: Pink Paislee, MME
Dies: PTI, Sizzix
Stamp: Banana Frog
Other: vellum, sewing machine, Distress Stickles, Distress Ink

And the only bit that got Stickled was the centre of the rosette. :) It just needed a little extra something and it's nice that Tattered Rose Stickles match the shade of that MME spotty paper almost exactly. ;o)

So yes, somewhere in this card we have shades of blue with the map and butterfly, pinks in the roses and rosette, some greeny tints, and of course grey and black.

Have a creative weekend!

52 Cards challenge - Week 36

Morning everyone!

We've had some lovely weather here in the north this weekend soooo.... needless to say it wasn't the weekend to get started on my Christmas cards. ;o)

Instead this week's theme is....

Cake!!

Basically, you just need to make a card featuring any type of cake:

Fancy cakes:

Source: tastypastries.tumblr.com via Natalia on Pinterest

 

Bold cakes:

Source: thecakeblog.com via Natalia on Pinterest

 

Birthday cakes:

Source: sweetapolita.com via Natalia on Pinterest

 

Christmas cakes:

Source: karaspartyideas.blogspot.com via Natalia on Pinterest

 

Wedding cakes:

Source: cutestfood.com via Natalia on Pinterest

 

Cupcakes:

Source: lulussweetsecrets.blogspot.com via Natalia on Pinterest

 

You can go all out and make a cake-shaped card or even a pop up cake card, or just feature a cake element somewhere on your project.

Here's what I came up with:

Paper: October Afternoon, MME
Chipboard: Provocraft
Dies: PTI, MFT
Stamp: MFT
Other: Sewing machine, 3D foam

I went for the retro look with this one - combining some paper from OA with that fab cake chipboard accent I have had in my stash for years now... The greeting is a lovely one too - and makes a nice change from the usual "Happy Birthday!". :)

Happy creating!

Flowers galore

Well despite best intentions I didn't quite manage to create a separate card for this week's 52-card challenge using these colours as inspiration:

Source: gracioushome.com via Natalia on Pinterest

 

But I did use them as a springboard to my card for today's dare on the DCM blog which has been set by the very lovely Rein.

This week's focus is on flowers... but the flowers have to be the main event on your card.

I went for a full on floral background - any more flowers on this card and you'd need to stick it in the greenhouse:

Paper: Crate Paper
Stamp: PTI
Die: MFT
Other: satin ribbon, flower button, pearl, twine, sewing machine

I've loved the bold print of this paper ever since I got it - but it's one of those papers that just doesn't work so well on cards unless you chop it up small or use it to its full bold glory. I thought it was time to do just that! ;)

I had a bit of a job trying to get a small bow out of this lovely satin ribbon, so in the end I cheated a bit and didn't tie an actual bow just made a DIY one. I tied it on with twine and that little flower button keeps it all nicely held together, there was a dent in the button perfect for a teeny pearl and there you have it...

Have a lovely crafty weekend!

52 Cards challenge - Week 35

Morning folks!

This week's prompt sees the return of a colour-themed challenge.

I saw this lovely photo and knew one day it would make for a very nice colour palette on a card:

Source: gracioushome.com via Natalia on Pinterest

 

But it's up to you which of the colours you use on your project - it could be a mix of the salmon and mink shades only, or you could include the blue and white... just make a card inspired by these colours. :)

I hope to have a sample to share later this week, but in the meantime happy creating! ;)

ETA: Here's the card I made later in the week:

Paper: Crate Paper
Stamp: PTI
Die: MFT
Other: satin ribbon, flower button, pearl, twine, sewing machine

The salmon and mink shades were a springboard to the rest of this card - but I thought they worked rather well with the background paper. :)

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside, beside the sea...

We have a wonderful dare this week on the DCM blog courtesy of the lovely Gez - she has set us the challenge of creating a card with a seaside theme.

And well... I was struggling for a few moments with what to do for mine, so I went a bit off-piste and tried a beach-inspired look and feel approach:

Paper: MME, Crate Paper
Chipboard: Crate Paper
Stamps: Just Rite, Technique Tuesday
Stickers: Crate Paper
Dies: Spellbinders, Memory Box, PTI
Pearl: Kaisercraft
Other: String, sewing machine, chalk ink

So there's a bit of a sea-weathered look to the wood, and sewing, and string, and the pennants blowing in the breeze... or at least that's what I saw. ;)

Don't forget to check out the cards from my wonderfully talented fellow teamies!

52 Cards challenge - Week 34

Hello everyone!

Well I am back from my hols and see from the thread on UK Scrappers that you've managed to play along while I was gone and have created some lovely cards indeed. :)

This week's theme is all things....

Postal

There are so many elements you can include:

• Postage stamps
• Postmarks
• Envelopes
• Postcards
• Air mail
• Postal wording (Handle with care, Fragile, First Class, etc.)

Here's my contribution this week:

Paper: Simple Stories, MME
Stamps: KI Memories, Personal Impressions
Dies: PTI
Punch: Martha Stewart
Pearls: Kaisercraft
Seam binding: The Ribbon Girl
Other: Embroidery thread

I used a postage stamp die for the main greeting since it fit so well with this little stamp from KI Memories. :)

I look forward to seeing what you guys come up with!

Last ditch creativity

Well, for the next few weeks!

This week on the DCM blog Kathy has set us a challenge on the theme of "The House that Jack Built" - so anything homely!

I grabbed some of my favourite Banana Frog stamps from my stash and put them to use on this:

Paper: MME
Stamps: Banana Frog
Dies: PTI, Spellbinders
Pearls: Kaisercraft
Other: Sewing machine, corner chomper, copics, stickles

Don't forget to check out the wonderful projects from the rest of the design team!

Happy crafting!

52 Cards challenge - Week 30

Morning everyone!

This is my last prompt before I go on holiday so I am hoping the typepad scheduling function will work OK while I am away. ;o)

I'm afraid I've not had time to get cards made in advance for all my time away, but the prompts should still be posted every Monday morning until I get back.

So without further ado, let's get on with this week's prompt.

Make a card featuring:

Numbers

Ideas include:

• Birthdays or anniversaries
• Number collages/backgrounds
• Clocks
• Ephemera featuring numbers
• A special date
• Text speak

Here's the card I made for my friend's very special birthday:

Paper: Crate Paper
Stickers: Crate Paper
Chipboard: Crate Paper, Basic Grey
Pearls: Kaisercraft
Other: Sewing machine, Stickles, Glossy Accents, acrylic paint

The big numbers were originally plain chipboard - I painted them pink, then applied a layer of Stickles, and finally Glossy Accents.

Happy crafting!

An iconic day....

Today's dare on the DCM blog comes from Zuz who wants us to use pictograms or icons on our cards this week.

I knew I had some stash somewhere that would fit this bill - and yes out it came from near retirement. ;)

Paper: American Crafts
Badges: American Crafts

I had originally set this paper and the badges aside for a mini travel album that never got finished - one day... but in the meantime it fit the bill perfectly for this project. For a change I have created something a bit more manly - well it's definitely not my usual soft shades and stitched layers and pearls! lol

Don't forget to check out the rest of the design team's cards on the DCM blog. :D

52 Cards challenge - Week 29

Morning everyone!

Here we are with another prompt and this week it's the turn of prompt jar to supply us with three random elements:

I know that felt isn't necessarily something that everyone has in their stash - so any textured fabric such as velvet (in ribbon form too), corduroy, burlap, etc. is fine. :)

Here's my card:

Paper: MME
Label: MME
Dies: Magnolia, PTI
Brad: Crate Paper
Alpha: American Crafts
Pearls: Kaisercraft
Other: 3D foam, sewing machine, Stickles

I used Stickles on the dots on the label to bring them out more and the velvet letter is from a set of Thickers by American Crafts. Using those up one at a time now that there are only odd letters left on the sheet!

Hope you have fun playing along and I look forward to seeing how you combine these elements. :oD

 

Not quite arsenic and old lace...

But pearls and lace are the order of the day on the DCM blog this week, as Keilly has set us the challenge of using these much-loved elements on our cards.

Here's the rather simple number I made.

I was going to fuss it up a bit more, but found nothing that went with that lovely patterned paper without totally hiding the rays in the design.

Paper: Pink Paislee, Simple stories
Lace: The Ribbon Girl
Pearls: Kaisercraft
Stamp: PTI
Other: Distress Sticles, sewing machine

I just love the coral colour of that paper combined with aqua - yummy, yummy. I added Picket Fence Distress Stickles to accent the white bits of the paper design - they're not that easy to see here, but they aren't overly glam, just subtly glittery now. :)

52 Cards challenge - Week 28

Hi everyone!

For this week's prompt our theme is....

Extravagance!

I'll be interested to see how you interpret this, but here are some ideas:

• Extra large card format
• Bling and pearls galore
• Layer upon layer
• Combining loads of textures and dimension
• Pop-up and intricate designs
• Showing off various techniques
• Really going to town with the design - make it fussy and elaborate!

With those points in mind, here's what I made. :)

Paper: Pink Paislee
Stamps: Waltzing Mouse Stamps, PTI
Dies: PTI, Magnolia, MFT, MSE (alpha)
Flowers: MM, Wild Orchid Crafts, Prima
Die-cut elements: Crate Paper
Pearls: Kaisercraft
Bling: Prima
Felt: PTI
Other: Heart doily, vellum, sewing machine, seam binding, embroidery thread

So just a few elements on this card. ;)

There are quite a few layers here that required a bit of planning with the sewing machine to make sure they all came together ok.

I made a vellum sleeve that is pinked at the top and bottom then has the matching plain oval die cut out of it to reveal the fancy oval greeting below. Quite like how subtle this turned out and how it contrasts with the busy collection of items tucked into the pocket made by the grey spotty paper. The card was bigger than I usually make too: 5.25 in. x 7.75 in.

And I hope the happy couple liked it! We received a hand-made invitation, and I tried to follow the original colour palette and pearly design chosen by them. :)

July colour challenge on the DCM blog

We have a lovely set of colours to play with this month that Rein has chosen:

Lovely aqua and grey tones with a hint of green.

I ended up making my card whilst watching Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy so it took a bit longer to create than you'd think just by looking at it. ;)

I kept things very simple indeed:

Paper: MME, Pink Paislee
Stamp: WMS
Die: Sizzix (leaves)
Brad: SEI
Other: old sheet music, Distress Stickles, sewing machine

The flower is a DIY job, rather than plain hand-cut wobbly circles I folded into quarters and then rounded the edges to create poppy-like petals. Rather like how it turned out, just a shame the Distress Stickles don't look quite so delicately and perfectly applied as others seem to manage!

Don't forget to check out the DCM blog and see the lovely cards from the rest of the design team. :)

52 Cards challenge - Week 27

Happy Monday everyone - hope you had a nice weekend. :)

I thought that it was about time we had a colour challenge this week for our prompt... it's been a while since the last one. ;)

So, here's our colour palette for this week:

Source: yummycupcakes.com.au via Natalia on Pinterest

 

We're working with pale blue, ivory/white, and grey.

Here's the card I came up with:

Paper: MME, Pink Paislee
Ephemera: Pink Paislee
Dies: Spellbinders, MFT, PTI
Stamps: Fontwerks, PTI
Pearl brad: SEI
Flowers: MM
Other: Sewing machine, 3D foam, pearl, Distress Stickles, seam binding, string

For the greeting I used a lovely stamp from Fontwerks designed by Karen Russell which is years old and unused I think - oops... but it's a lovely effect in the Worn Jeans chalk ink from Prima. Not quite grey, not quite blue. In fact there is quite a bit of old stash on this card - including the Making Memories flowers and that ancient brad from SEI!

Hope you have fun playing along - I look forward to seeing how you use these colours. :)

You can never have enough patterned paper....

But it can be a bit difficult to actually cut it up and use it on a project!

Well, do not fear... the right inspiration is here in the form of this week's DCM dare set by the patterned-paper-snipping queen herself, Leo.

The mission she has set, is to make a card using at least 6 different designs of patterned paper...

I managed 7! ;oP

Paper and stickers: Crate Paper
Dies: PTI, Spellbinders
Stamp: PTI
Button: Crate Paper
Other: Glassine envelope, corner chomper

I have actually managed to use a good chunk of all the papers in the Story Teller collection now - just need to get using more of the stickers. ;)

Anyway, here's hoping it's a dry and happy weekend - hoping to get some crafting done so I am ready for my hols, but would love to wave bye-bye to the torrential rain and storms. :)

52 Cards challenge - Week 26

Welcome to our half way prompt! Hard to believe we've reached this half way point - so big congrats if you have managed to keep up! :D

This week we are going miniature.

We're making small-format cards.

So nothing taller or wider than 4 in.

This is my little card measuring 4x4 in.:

Paper: MME
Stamps: MFT
Dies: MFT, Spellbinders
Button: Basic Grey
Trim: MME
Other: 3D foam, string

Happy creating!

Sweet temptation...

Friday has arrived once more and that means a brand new challenge on the Daring Cardmakers blog. :)

This week Sharon's challenge is on the theme of "You're so sweet!".

You need to make a card featuring anything sweet, like ice creams, cakes... what ever tickles your sweet tooth. ;)

I went with cake, but not just any cake - the lovely "Eat Cake" stamps from Waltzing Mouse that I bought ages ago with a mind to creating some lovely Birthday cards and well... I used the set for the first time today. Lovely it is indeed. I love sets where you can build up the image with layered effects and different colours:

Paper, journaling spot, border sticker: Crate Paper
Stamps: WMS, PTI
Dies: PTI, MFT
Other: Sewing machine, resin flower, distressing tool

Those teeny banner dies by MFT are perfect for the Mixed Messages set from PTI - I use my Mega Mixed Messages most of the time, but it's nice to add teeny additional greetings too yet still make them stand out some how.

Hope you have fun playing along if you get chance - don't forget to check out the rest of the DT's work on the Daring Cardmakers blog.

52 Cards challenge - Week 25

Morning everyone!

This week we are back to using a sketch as inspiration. :)

And here's my card:

Paper and chipboard: Crate Paper
Stamp: Waltzing Mouse Stamps
Die: PTI
Pearls: Kaisercraft
Other: Sewing machine, 3D foam, Stickles, Glossy Accents

I cannot tell you how much I have used the Big Day Additions set from Waltzing Mouse Stamps - and not just on Wedding cards - the Best Wishes set is my most used sentiment. Hope a set of general sentiments will be coming out in a similar font style - I would snap it up straight away!

TGIF

Well here we are again with another new dare for the week, this time courtesy of Samm. :)

She set us the challenge of creating a card where the negative punched or die-cut image is used rather than the thing you've cut out.

Loved this challenge as I had a few things floating about in my head... but this is what I finally settled on:

Paper: Crate Paper
Dies: PTI
Stamp: PTI
Other: 3D foam, sewing machine

A rather simple card from me this week, but it took a lot longer to make than you may think since the greeting stamp I used went on a little adventure between me taking it out of the CD case and sticking it on the stamping block - around 1 hr later I finally found it and could relax... ah, clear stamps and the stress they put you through when they stick to something else entirely!

Remember to go check out the cards from the rest of the Daring Cardmakers team.

52 Cards challenge - Week 24

Morning everyone!

This week we are going back to the prompt jar for our inspiration.

Our three elements are:

Here's my little contribution:

Paper: American Crafts
Resin flower: Kaisercraft
Dies: MFT, PTI
Stamp: PTI
Other: Vellum, sewing machine

Happy creating! :D

Back to some card inspiration

...or at least I hope so. ;o)

Friday has certainly come round quick again!

I'm setting the dare again this week on the Daring Cardmakers blog and my choice of theme was resin embellishments.

I can't get enough of the little lovelies so want to see you have lurking in your stash and how you use it. ;o)

Here's my card:

Resin cupcake: Melissa Frances
Paper: Crate Paper
Dies: MFT, PTI, Spellbinders
Punch: EK Success
Stamp: PTI
Other: Glassine envelope, sewing machine, corner chomper, 3D foam

This card is only a little 4x4 number so the cupcake isn't quite that huge, but I'm rather happy with how the aperture has worked in the glassine envelope. Good old die collection to the rescue!

It wouldn't be a Jubilee without a right royal sponge would it?

It was my brother's birthday yesterday and the perfect reason to make a full-sized cake.

The Victoria Sponge from this lovely book - in fact the first recipe I have tried from the Peyton and Byrne baking book though I have had it and looked through it regularly for a while:

A great traditional recipe and one based on weighing your eggs and then adding each of the the other ingredients in the corresponding weight. So a good one to do if you have a larger tin you need to bake in, like I did. ;)

It was a bit of a monster sponge, but it was just perfect for the occasion and for displaying my lovely Royal cake topper set!

Best enjoyed out in the garden with a nice cup of tea. And the jam inside had to of course be Tiptree strawberry conserve. :D

It got demolished rather well, and was deliciously moist inside.

Oh and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised with how evenly it baked and rose - love my oven thermometer so much now, it has really proved its worth with recent baking efforts. :)

52 Cards challenge - Week 23

Good morning everyone!

I hope UK visitors are enjoying their lovely extended Bank Holiday weekend celebrating the Queen's Diamond Jubilee...

Well, as we are right slap bang in the middle of the four-day celebrations I figured it would be extremely rude not to honour the occasion with this week's prompt.

Things have been a tad hectic here this weekend and I've not had chance to make anything "new", but I would definitely have ended up making something based on the card above I made for Friday's red, white and blue colour combo challenge on the Daring Cardmakers blog. ;)

So basically this week's card needs to feature anything at all relating to the Jubilee, such as:

• Red, white and blue
• Bunting and flags
• Crowns
• A royal theme
• Keep Calm and...
• Street party theme
• Or anything else you think fits into the festivities

I hope you have fun joining in and enjoy the rest of the celebrations!

Right I'd best get my skates on, I have a birthday cake to bake!

And the next nod to the Jubilee...

...is up on the Daring Cardmakers blog this week.

It was my turn to choose the colours for our June colour challenge, and yes, it had to be red, white and blue. Well any shades of this combination even pink, cream, and aqua.

Here's the inspiration photo I chose:

Here's what I made:

Paper: Pink Paislee, Crate Paper, MME
Dies: MFT, Sizzix
Vintage elements: Pink Paislee
Resin frame: Melissa Frances
Stamps: JustRite, PTI
Other: Sewing machine, distressing tool, 3D foam, string

I rather like how this one came together. I didn't have a strip of the airmail paper from Crate long enough to fit the entire Tim Holtz medium rosette die so I just cut the longest strip I had and it has made a lovely little rosette. I am so in love with those Melissa Frances resin frames, I want them all! LOL

I hope you have chance to join in - wherever you are!

And folks in the UK, you enjoy your Jubilee weekend! I intend to. :)

52 Cards challenge - Week 22

Morning everyone!

Hope you had a lovely weekend - at last the summer weather stuck around in these parts. Almost forgot what it was like to sit out in the garden with a good book. :)

For this week's challenge we are going for a monochromatic look - so sticking to one colour palette and using as many or as few shades and hues of that colour together on one card.

I went for white:

Bling: Prima
Pearls: Kaisercraft
Die: PTI
Other: Glitter card, 3D foam

I know this is a more simple affair than my usual cards, but I was so disappointed in the range of Holy Communion cards on offer in the local card shops, M&S didn't have any nor did Paperchase and well, I thought I could make something despite having no stash that automatically fit the bill.

Hopefully it'll fit in ok with the others this particular recipient receives. :D

Happy creating!

Catching up

I'm a bit late to the party sharing my card for Friday's Daring Cardmakers dare. This week Rein set us the task of featuring locks and keys on our cards.

Well I had the perfect project in mind, I just didn't manage to execute it until the weekend. ;)

And the project?

Well this lovely item arrived in the post this week:

The official invitation to my cousin's wedding in Poland - no doubt designed by himself since he is a very talented graphic designer. :D

It's all getting very exciting now!

So here's the card I made as official acceptance:

Paper: Crate Paper
Chipboard: Crate Paper
Charms: Prima
Stamps: PTI, PSX
Dies: MFT
Seam binding: The Ribbon Girl
Pearls: Kaiserkcraft
Other: Sewing machine, Stickles

I hope they like it. :D

And now, on with making the next card - since the lovely weather seems to have disappeared over night.

52 Cards challenge - Week 21

Morning everyone!

Loved seeing the different takes on last week's Rainbow challenge.

This week our challenge is technique-driven.

I want to see you make a card featuring a recent technique you have learned or admired.

For my technique I have used cupcake cases to create a rosette/flower element. I tried my hand at this for the first time over the weekend and liked it so much I thought I'd do another one, but with a slightly different look:

Cardstock: PTI
Die: PTI
Stamps: PTI
Impression folder: Darice
Brad: Crate Paper
Other: 3D foam, cupcake cases

I'm looking forward to seeing what techniques you share - and picking up something new to try. ;)

Happy creating!