Beauty

Another of the ready coloured images and this time I have used the sheetload sketch that seems to be a favourite of mine especially recently. I have also been using patterned paper a lot too, I don’t think I will ever use all of my stash but it would be good to make room for more lol.

Paper Pieced Floral

This is a large Lisa Horton floral and it just screamed paper piecing to me, I have used it before and i think I paper pieced it then as well. I had recently found an old MME paper poad with no full sheets so I wondered what I could use it for and then I saw this stamp and an idea was born. I did add shading to one of the cards with copics but decided against it on the other one. I had forgotten how much I like this technique, I very rarely get to just play with paper anymore so this was a great start to rediscovering old techniques.

Magic Mae

When I made the “magic inspired” card months ago I used the reverse of the papers to make this background, I do like doing that as you get two for one. 

I found this image already printed on my desk so I just coloured her to match the colours and the card was made.

When I’m struggling with inspiration creating backgrounds helps, that might be rainbow stripes, stencilling or using “that sketch” but they are there ready to put the perfect image on when colouring is the only thing I want to do.

Magic inspired

I really should show this on here before I make the next one for this little one. I used another of the robertos rascal images and I just love his style of drawing. They are so expressive and being a digital stamp so easy to make whatever size you like, I do think i might make her huge next time so I can concentrate on her hair and face.

Flamin - go 70

The next 70 uses my cricut again but I tried to do skinny letters and it worked. I used a paper pack called flamingo from Michaels and I went with a new stamp from a new to me company for the actual flamingo.

The card has arrived and all the big birthdays have been celebrated so now I can show them all on here.

Stamping Bella Audrey

I have used this stamp multiple times and every time it looks different, its so versatile and perfectly matches the elegant look of the person I'm sending it to.  

There isn't much else to say except my mojo is missing so I copied a card i have made previously, this can help to kick start my mojo sometimes but not always. I am hoping my mojo returns soon as I have a lot of cards to make. 

Ingredients
Image: "audrey loves her makeup" Stamping Bella Uptown Girl
Sentiment : as above
Paper: "here is happy" MME
Card: "raspberry ripple" Stampin Up retired In colour
Dies: Blueprints 27, 29 and flagstaxs all MFT

Copics
Skin - E11, 00, R20
Hair - E49, 57
Bag - N4, 3, 2
Dress - R89, 39, 56
Hat - N7, 6, 5, 4

Gorjuss Toadstools

This card was for a very special crafty friend who also happens to be a huge Gorjuss fan. I had recently shown her the Tatty Teddy card I had made with the cloud border and she really liked it and so an idea for her card started. I went with a cute unused gorjuss stamp and a new sentiment that I think is fabulous and sums up my friends rather well. Once I had coloured the image, always the longest part, the card came together quickly. She was very pleased with it which was exactly what I had hoped for.

Ingredient
Image: "toadstools" Gorjuss by Santoro
Paper: "travel" MME
Dies: Cloud border and Blueprints 1 and 2 from MFT
Sentiment: Dovecraft

Copics
Skin - E000, 00, 11, 93
Hair - N8, 6, 4,
Coat - R89, 59, 39, 37, 35
Hat - E43, 42, 41, W5, 4, 3

Unity Happy Birthday

A very good friend of mine from Florida sent me this stamp so of course I had to use it for her birthday card. 

As my mojo is definitely on vacation I went with a simple design that hopefully showcases the gorgeous image. 

Ingredients
Image: "aw shucks, Lulu" unity stamps
Sentiment: "label maker" MFT stamped in "blu raspberry ink" also MFT
Enamel Dots: eyelet outlet
Paper: "tangerine" MME
Dies: "mini scalloped rectangle stax" MFT

Copics
Skin - E000, 00, 11, 95
Hair - N8, 6
Dress - RV14, 13, 11
Hat - BG13, 11, R14, 24, 27
Leggings - R27, BG13

Blush Bebe

As promised a few days ago here is card two and I think my favourite. I think the hair worked better on this one. I did enjoy this trial so hopefully it will continue, fingers crossed.

Ingredients
Image: " Blush Bebe" The Greeting Farm
Sentiment: "Happy Hexagons" Papertrey Ink
Card:" Spring Rain" Papertrey Ink
Paper:" Love Me " MME
Dies:Blueprints 2 and vertical stripes both MFT, Pinked circles from Sizzix and indies out circles from Crealies

Blush Becky

As part of my New Year Resolution, ok lets not call it that, lets call it a trial instead. The word resolution makes me want to break it straight away lol. Ok so my New Year Trial is to make two cards almost the same at the same time. Now this might only happen this one time but I am going to try as I struggle with layouts so using one for multiple cards makes more sense.

As my mojo is still missing I looked at Mojo Monday and found a sketch I could work with and that provided the layout, so all I had to do now was decide on the images and papers. I will be posting the other card in a few days, lets hope this is a trial I can keep to as this was so much easier than normal.

Ingredients
Image: " Blush Becky" The Greeting Farm
Sentiment: "Happy Hexagons" Papertrey Ink
Card:" Spring Rain" Papertrey Ink
Paper:" Love Me " MME
Dies:Blueprints 2 and vertical stripes both MFT, Pinked circles from Sizzix and indies out circles from Crealies

Tatty Teddy Birthday Balloon

I have always loved Teddy Bears and this range appealed to me from the first time I saw them. I was always a bit nervous of colouring them when they introduced the stamps and now I have a full range of greys (ok I didn't need them all but I wanted them lol) it was easy to get the shading I wanted.

The patterned paper in the corner looks like its there to cover a mistake but for once it actually isn't lol, it is an actual design statement and homage to Alice 

Ingredients
Image: Tatty ted set from Papermania
Paper: "nutmeg" MME
Card: "lost lagoon" Stampin Up
Dies: Cloud border and blueprints 13 both MFT

Stamping Bella Callista loves to Craft

I was colouring this image at a playday when Kelly said it was her favourite Stamping Bella image, so I decided to stop and colour it later and make it into her card.

Its a huge image and quite complicated to colour so it was done in stages. I knew the paper I was going to use so matching the colours was easy.

I have used retired card stock as it matched the colours perfectly, I kind of hope that stampin up re-release this colour as part of their main colours as its so pretty.

Ingredients
Image: "Callista loves to Craft" Stamping Bella
Paper : "here is happy" MME
Card: "raspberry Ripple" retired Stampin Up In colour
Dies: Blueprints 20, 13 and small scalloped circle stax all from MFT, Crealies inside out stitched circles.

Copics
Skin - E13, 1,, 00, 93
Hair - E55, 57, 59
Paints and Crayons - R27, YR07, Y15, YG23, G16, BG15, B24, BV13, V17, RV09, R85, 100, C7, E59
Teal - BG18, 15, 13
Gold - Y26, 23
Red - R89, 39, 56
Blouse - BG13, 11, 10
Ground - E43, 42, 41
Grey - N3, 2, 1, 0

Melissa loves Movies

This is one of the Stamping Bella images I found when I looked through thinking I had used them all, its such a cute image I can't believe I had forgotten about her. I kind of wish I had paper pieced the chair but there is always next time and of course I will remember I have her now cos i've made a card with her.

Ingredients
Image : "melissa loves movies" Stamping Bella Tiny Townie
Sentiment : "sweet sentiments" Clearly Besotted
Paper : "Sweetest thing - tangerine" MME
Card : "hawaiian shores" Papertrey Ink
Dies : Blueprints 1 and 2, square staxs and zig zag square staxs all MFT, simple stitched hillside borders from Lawn Fawn.

Copics
Skin - E11, 00, 000
Hair - E79, 77, 74, 70
Chicks - YR23, Y15, 11, YR16
Popcorn - R27, 24, 14, E53, 51, 50
Chair - BG15, 13, 11
Ground - E44, 43, 42
Slippers - R22, 21, 20
Pjs -R22, 21, 20
Cushion - YR11, G21, 20

Birthday Bears Again

I am not a fan of using retired products on my blog, however if I only used current products I would be left with a room of useless stuff and I can't handle that. I think what I am trying to say is I am sorry if you desperately want something I have shown and are unable to get it. I know I find it frustrating when I see something I have to have and it is discontinued. This hobby of ours moves at such an phenomenal rate that products seem to get retired before I have even had chance to use them. 

That being said the stamps I've used are still current, not sure about the papers but the card definitely isn't but I am hoping when stampin up has a colour change these get reintroduced.

Its a fairly simple card, most of the work was done by the blueprints, such a fantastic tool and long may they continue. 

Ingredients
Image: "birthday Bears" MFT
Paper : "here is happy" MME
Card: "lost lagoon" and "raspberry Ripple" both retired Stampin Up In colours
Dies: Blueprints 10 and 1 both MFT, Crealies inside out stitched circles.

Copics
Bear - W9, 7, 6, 5, 3
Presents - R89, 39, 56, BG18, 15, Y26, 23

Hero arts succulents

Lately even though my mojo seems to be present I'm making more and more cards that are inspired by others. I'm liking this more than I expected as some of the styles, techniques are way out of my comfort zone but I'm enjoying them immensely.

I made a list of all the birthday, baby, anniversary and wedding cards I need before January and the number shocked me a bit. I want to start my (don't say the word) end of December cards at the beginning of September if I have any hope of getting them all made. I need to get myself organised if I stand any chance of not having to buy cards, so over the next few weeks there will be lots of birthday cards appearing in my blog, hopefully lol.

This card was inspired by Stephanie Klauk, she made a video using MFT items and I thought I have stuff to do that. I do wish that my sentiment was smaller as my succulent hung off the edge and had to be trimmed. I think I might give this another shot but choose a smaller sentiment.

Ingredients
Image: "succulents" Hero Arts
Sentiment: "keep it simple - birthday basics 2" Papertrey Ink
Paper: "dolled up" MME

Copics
Pot - E99, 97, 13
Large Succulent - BG90, 93, 96, 99
Small Succulent - YG97, 95, 93

Don't Worry Be Happy

Now I know this stamp is called "Farrah loves to Flashdance" but all I see when I look at her is Kevin Bacon singing "Footloose" lol.

I tried a different style and although she needs to be nearer the bottom of the card I really like this style. I'm not saying its a style I will use loads but for these uptown girls which are rather large it works better than trying to contain them in a circle or rectangle.

Ingredients
Image: "farrah loves to flashdance" Stamping Bella
Sentiment: "80's girl' A La Mode by MFT
Card:  from my snippet draw
Paper: "" MME
Dies:
Enable Dots: "neon pink" from Papermania and yellow from doodlebug

Copics
Skin - E11, 00, 000, R20
Hair - E74, 77, 79
Pink - R85, 83, 81, RV34
Yellow - Y11, 13, 15, 17
Grey - N3, 4, 5, 7
Ground - W1, 00

Hello Gorgeous

I saw this stamp on someones blog a while ago and I just knew I needed it, it wasn't easy to find and in the end it was in a shop that I use often but never thought of looking. Its not often that a stamp set is even nicer in real life but this one is, so many elegant figures and the perfect size for an a2 card to boot.

I don't own much black card and I had to raid my snippet draw to put this card together so I think I might need to purchase some more.

Ingredients
Image: "Hello Gorgeous" Clear Penny Black set
Papers: "the station" MME
Card: Snippet folder
Dies: Blueprints 1, 2, 5, 21 and 24, spellbinders scalloped circles
Glitter dots - Stash

Copics
Skin
Hair - E74, 77, 79
Dress - R89, 39, 37
Bag And Ruffle - W9, 7, 5
Ground - W3, 1
Shadow - BG10 and blender

Challenges - Snippet Playground

Me to You Bear

I saw this set in the clearance section of "the Range" and it contained three separate sheets of clear stamps, three pigment inks, two acrylic blocks and some cards and envelopes for the bargain price of £7.49.  Now I haven't made a card with this bear in quite a long time and now I have more colics I throughly enjoyed colouring her, the Tonal markers match much better than the Cool ones. 

Ingredients
Image:"me to you bear" from a large set by Papermania
Paper: "Happy Day" MME
Card: "pink set" from craft work
Dies: crealies stitched circle, spellbinders scalloped circle, blueprints 2 and 13 by MFT

Copics
Bear - B02, 00, T5, 4, 2, 0
T-shirt - R85, 83, 81, RV34, B02, 00

Woohoo You Passed

A family friend recently passed her driving test, she has been wanting this for quite some time so I wanted to wish her congratulations and happy motoring.

Ingredients
Image: "zoe" Digistamp Boutique
Papers: "oh contrary" MME from Michelle
Card: "kraft" from Recollections
Dies: labels, blueprints 1 and 2 all mft

Copics
Skin - E000, 00, 11, R20
Hair - E55, 57, 59
Top - YG17, 13
Car - R35, 14, N2, 5, 7, Y11, 35
Ground - W3, 1

A Second Quilted Square

Some new ladies have recently joined the Bristol play day group and I needed another birthday card quickly, I still had a little pot of the leftover quilt pieces so I decided to make another one, these are so much fun to put together, I might even use the remaining pieces to make another two lol.

Ingredients
Dies: square crealies and "quilt square cover-up", "flags tax" and "vintage buttons" all by mft
Papers : "quite contrary" MME from Michelle
Card: "whip cream"  and "pink lemonade" by MFT and "kraft" from Recollections at Michaels
Sentiment: "keep it simple: happy birthday" from Papertrey ink with "kraft" ink also from Papertrey ink