Monday 27 February 2017

'Anything Goes' at Unstampabelles

Ooooppppsss a wee bit late with my post but here goes!!

It's the final week at Unstampabelles and we've had lots and lots of lovely entries so far. Thank you everyone I am really enjoying visiting your blogs and viewing all the different creations!!

The challenge is 'Anything Goes' with the optional twist to use something new. The main rule of this challenge is to use NO stamps digi or otherwise as it's UNstampabelles challenge blog!! There is always a yummy prize on offer and this time it's a brand new magazine with dies, stamps and embossing folder included.
 
Prize donated by Susan.

 
Here is my inspiration for you.
 
 
It's a CAS Valentine card. The main card is red card stock. The white base card was embossed with a new folder. I used a new wooden filigree heart mounted on red.  A red ribbon and bead are used as the hanger, so it could be removed from the card and kept as a memory.  Two red die cuts hearts were added and the greetings are computer generated.  Finally red lace ribbon was added down the edge of the card. 
 
I hope you'll be inspired to join us for our final week. Don't forget to pop over to the Unstampabelles challenge blog ( link in sidebar) and see what the rest of the team have created.
 
Have a crafty week!!
 

'Embossing' with Ooh La La

It's time for our next challenge at Ooh La La chosen by Julie. She would like to see some embossing on your creation. We had lots of entries last for Jennifer's challenge, 'Die Cuts'. She has decide on her Top Three to don't forget to pop over to the challenge blog (link in sidebar) and see if you're a winner. The prize is two digis of your choice from the Ooh La La shop  link

This is my inspiration for you.


I started with white card stock and cut out the handbag shape using a template that one of my lady crafters had designed....thank you Christine. I embossed it with a new folder from Spellbinders.

Then using an edging die I cut out the two top layers. The pink floral one uses background paper from an Ooh La La  CD ' Fleur d' Imagination'. There are so many pretty papers on this CD that I was spoilt for choice.

 The scalloped handle was cut with the same edging die and from the same background paper .  I die cut some flowers again using the same background paper and white card stock and paper pieced the flowers.....tricky if you lose a tiny piece so take care when using this technique.

Finally I added gems and seed pearls to finish. Et Voila!!

I hope I've inspired you to take part in this challenge and don't forget there's always a prize on offer from Ooh La La (link to shop higher up the post)

Have fun and I look forward to visiting you soon.

Sunday 26 February 2017

'Punch it out' at CD Sunday!

Time for a new challenge at CD Sunday and it is by choice of theme this time. I decided to go for punches or dies in your creations as there are so many fabulous dies and punches always popping up on craft blogs to tempt us to spend, spend, spend!!! Have you been tempted like me?

This is my inspiration for you.


It's a pleated aperture card. The idea for the card came from Christina on youtube. Her tutorials are always so clear and easy to follow. I have adapted it but the general idea is the same.

I started with A4 white card stock folded landscape. I embossed a piece of A5 card,  to cover top, with a new embossing folder from Spellbinder. The centre aperture was cut using  a labels die I've had for a while .

Now for the tricky part!! Using some yummy background paper, that I printed off from a Crafters Companion CD Halcyon Days I made a rosette. ( check out Christina's video if you need help making this....link higher up in post) The rosette was put behind the aperture. I placed it slightly off centre just to add interest.  You need plenty of 3D tape to secure and heighten the embossed layer as the rosette is quite high....tricky part. 

I used a border punch that I've had for eons and put a strip down one side. On the other side I have some white ribbon and a die cut spray of ivy leaves from Joanne Sheen.  I added a white bow and a gem to match the colour of the rosette paper. Then a smaller label was cut from the same set of dies as the larger aperture and a greeting from my stash was added with matching gems.

So lots of dies and punches on this one but using only one, either a punch or a die, will be fine for the challenge but please remember that this is a CD challenge and you need to use something from a CD in your creation and give credit to the maker/ designer to be in with a chance of the prize that is always on offer.

I look forward to seeing your creations using those dies or punches you have. You never know I may be tempted to spend if I see one I really, really  need!!!. So are you ready to tempt me!!
#
Have fun!!

Saturday 25 February 2017

'Purple' with the Dragonflies

We had some lovely 'girlie' entries for our last challenge. Hilde will have a task on her hand choosing her Top Three!! This time we are looking for the colour 'Purple'. This is a lovely colour to work with so I expect to see lots of yummy entries this time too.

This is my inspiration for you.


I used white card stock for the base and then die cut a trellis mat in white also. This was layered on to some sparkly purple card stock. The embossed strips were then added on top to create three panels. I had some soft white lace in my stash that I'd bought at a market I went to in France two years ago! It definitely need to be loved so I made a small cone with it and placed the purple roses inside. I also added a strip of it across the lower half of the trellis. I added some purple beads, which were on a wire strip, and twisted them around the 'bouquet'. Finally a computer generated the greeting 'Congratulations' was added to the lace strip. Et Voila!

I hope you'll be inspired to join us and for more lovely creations pop over to Crafting with Dragonflies (link in sidebar) and see what the rest of the team have been making.....you won't be disappointed. Remember this is a fun, cards only challenge. I look forward to visiting you soon.

Have a crafty weekend!!

Monday 20 February 2017

Unstampabelles

Where do the weeks go!! We are already into week 3 for our challenge at Unstampabelles and so far your entries have been stunning for the 'Anything Goes' challenge with the added twist to use something new and tell us what it is. There's a great prize on offer too.

 
                                A new craft magazine with stamps, embossing folder and die.

                                                          Here is my inspiration for you.

 
It's for the newly weds and a wish for their new life together
 
Inside shows a new fold , for me,. I love trying out new folds and this one was a wee bit tricky but I got there in the end!!
 
This is the reverse with the greeting and good wishes.
The whole thing came in kit form with instructions which made it slightly easier to assemble. I added a ribbon bow and gems to the front Et Voila!!
 
I hope I've inspired you to try something new and join our challenge. You'll find more inspiration from the design team at Unstampabelles (link in sidebar)
Have a great week crafting!!

Monday 13 February 2017

#222 'Die Cuts' with Ooh La La

Good morning and it's time for our next challenge at Ooh La La. This time Jennifer has chosen the theme of diecuts. So a chance to get your die cutting machines out a have a play!

Last time Janice asked you to make Thank You card and we had some lovely entries. It's always a joy to make Thank You cards I think. The Top Three are up on the board now if you want to see if you've been chosen (link in sidebar)

Here is my inspiration for you this time.
 
I began white card stock and made a gatefold card then used an edging die by Desire to diecut the two outside edges. I placed a dark blue matt of card from my stock to the centre panel. The Ooh La La CD I used for the image, was from the Shawn Jenkins Collection which you can find in the OLL shop (link in sidebar) I then diecut the greeting Happy Birthday from white card stock. Finally I placed some blue flower gems to give it a bit of bling!!
 
 
I tied some narrow white ribbon around to close it.....adhering it to the back of the card. Tiny blue gems were also placed in the centre of the flowers.

I don't know if this shows up but the tiny petals are loose thus giving a 3D effect.

I hope I've inspired you get those dies out and take part in Jennifer's challenge at Ooh La La.
Don't forget to visit my teamies and give them some love too. Have a great week and I look forward to visiting you soon.


Sunday 12 February 2017

'Friendship, Love, Romance'

It's Sunday and time for our next challenge at CD Sunday. The challenge last time was chosen by our DT member Pamela. She wanted you to show us what you love!! It certainly stretched the imagination and no doubt like me you had a hard time narrowing it down to one thing....I finally went for two!! If you remember it was an exploding box as I love a different style and I love playing with boxes. Enough waffle from me about that challenge as it's now time for the next one chosen by Meg 'Friendship, Love, Romance'.

What a lovely theme choice especially in February as many of us start thinking about Love and Valentines in particular. We need lots of love and friendship in the world too at this very unsettled time politically so very appropriate methinks.

Here is my inspiration for you and I've gone for 'Friendship'

 
I started with white card stock which I covered with the striped green background paper using a  CD by Joanne Sheen with artwork by Janet Kruskamp.
The image and border came from the CD 'Forest Friends' by Cupcakecrafting. The banner straps were handmade using the three greetings from the same CD and layered on matching green and red card stock.
 
I hope you'll be inspired to join us. There's always a yummy prize on offer and the only one main rule really to use something, however small from a CD and tell us which one.....got to give credit to all those fab designers!!
The Top Three for the challenge 'Make it Male' chosen by Carol is up on the challenge blog now. So off you pop and see if you were a winner....fingers crossed my lovelies. Link to CD Sunday in sidebar.
 
Have a lovely week and I look forward to visiting you all soon.


Saturday 11 February 2017

'For The Girls'

Time for our next challenge with the Dragonflies. We had some great entries for 'Valentines' last time and Hilde will have her Top Three for you next weekend....going to be a difficult job choosing methinks!!

This time another lovely challenge as we are looking for girly cards. Now who doesn't like making those girly cards!! Not many of us I imagine.

 Here is my inspiration for you. I have made a Pop and Twist card for a friend who wanted something girly for her Grand Daughter


'Pop and Twist' closed with belly band.
 
I used Isabella Designer Paper stack by Bobunni for the background of the front cover. I had a lovely topper in my stack which had a postcard image attached and the greeting 'On Your Birthday'. This matched with the pinks so I used this for the greeting. I used a Hunky Dory strip for the belly band. The size of these strips are perfect for wrapping around this type of card and I have used them often. I layered the sparkly '20' and name on grey from the same paper pack and placed it on a pink matt.

 
'Pop and Twist' inside
 
I used the Bobunni stack again for the base backgrounds and added embellishments from my stash. Lots of girly things on each section can be seen below.
 

 
 
And finally the back cover with verse and border generated from CD Greeting Card Factory and layered on the Bobunni paper stack again.
 
 
I hope you'll be inspired to join our fun challenge at Crafting with Dragonflies (link in sidebar)
Have a great weekend and I look forward to visiting you soon.
 


Sunday 5 February 2017

'Unstampabelles' are back and it's.......

.....'Anything Goes. An easy challenge to start our new year off. We've had a lovely long break and our batteries are recharged and we are ready to go!!

It's 'Anything Goes' with the twist being to use something new. There's always a yummy prize on offer, kindly donated by our lovely leader Susan.

It's a brand new magazine with gift that is unopened. How generous is this!!

Here is my inspiration for you.


I used card stock from a pack I got from Lidls'. It was full of items with Autumnal colours. I thought this would be perfect for a male card. I made a matt from brown card stock which I had embossed using a new chevron embossing folder a friend kindly lent to me.  Then I die cut the cogs, again using a new die set. I layered these and then added them to a die cut ribbon and embossed strip .  Finally adding a circular 'Happy Birthday' gold peel off. Et Voila!!

I hope you will join our challenge. It would be lovely to get lots of entries for our first challenge of 2017. And don't forget the yummy prize!! I look forward to visiting you soon to see what you've created.

Happy Crafting!!