Stamped and Beaded candle - oh and a bit of rubbah!

Well I couldn't just send a card to the happy couple now could I? I saw the stamped images on a candle technique and then I saw the gallery on SCS where some very talented ladies had taken it one step further and put photos on candles. THEN if that weren't enough another talented lady showed how to bead hers. Well that was it, I knew from that moment the perfect project. So I got the photo and did the technique using wax paper and my handy heat gun - I can't really believe how straight-forward it was. I took a small pillar candle. The photo is a black and white print, the date is off Word and the Initials are from my set I used on the Wedding card - this time in black because when I stamped it out in gold it just didn't work on this project.


I then cut measured the candle with the wax paper and cut the sheet of O'So sticky adhesive to size. I adhered the sheet to the candle and took off the outer protective rubber coating and then heated it slightly and rolled it in the clear beads.

It's not the "main" pressie but just a little token to go along with the main pressie that I hope they will like.

On the rubbah front - I have managed to hit 5, YES 5! of my favorite shops today! and I'm so excited to get working with my "new" stash. Hopefully I will get caught up with a few of my crafty projects in the near future and of course I will be sharing! Take care!

Personalised Pens

Just thought I would share some of the personalized pens I made to send out for Easter. I got the instructions from SCS, the pens from Wally's world and the Beads and adhesives from PennyWiseArts. Again I used paper for the stamping as I couldn't find the right sized labels and adhered with glue. The Alpha stamps are my Hero Arts set, the background stamping on the pens are from See D's - boys toys, cute and cuddly and Morsels -whimsical garden. The butterflies were colored in with prismacolor pencils and I used Archival Inks black, Versafine -red, Dew drops - galaxy gold, pixie dust, spring pansy, sea breeze and perfect plumeria.

Limited Supplies? Well not really....just to die for

Well, it wasn't really set as a limited supplies challenge with these last few posts but I think it probably looks like it - Again my lovely bunny stamp makes an appearance - this is the card I sent my Brother in law and Sister in law for Easter.

The cardstock is DCWV brights pack - its lovely mauve colour (purple-y rose) and of course it has the lovely texture that the DCWV color stacks have. I then put the card and a half size blank through my cuttlebug with two of my Quickutz cookie cutter dies to make the apeture and the backing for my stamped image. I put GP white cardstock through the cuttlebug for the stamped image and cut. I stamped the Penny Black bunbun on the cardstock and colored with Prismacolors/gamsol technique from a previous post.... I then positioned a bit of thread (long enough to go across the gaps and stay) on the back of the stamped image and glued the corresponding sized flower on the back. Then I placed the image in the middle of the aperture and put the threads across the back of the front of the card and glue the card blank to the back of the front. I then stamped the message with my Stampendous circle talk alphabet with VersaMagic Dew Drop - Perfect Plumeria.

Hope you have a wonderful and safe Easter Holiday and remember, don't eat the little brown eggs if the Easter Bunny visits your garden LOL

Slight variations of the kickstand theme - Easter

Now, say that title three times fast while standing on your head drinking water from a glass .... or don't it's your choice LOL!

They also fit in with the DCM challenge this week! WooHoo!

As I know 4/6 of these cards have gotten to their destination and the other two probably don't frequent my blog - I'm sharing the rest of my Easter Cards with you.

The single card is one I made for my neice - the previous one I shared was for my nephew (hope he doesn't notice the flower on the bunny - however he is getting to the age where he probably would have preferred a different type of female bunny - but then I wouldn't be a very good Auntie now would I?!?!?!?!)


I combined the embossing and the kickstand card template for these. For the one for my neice I went over the embossing with a Tsukineko Dew Drop Spring Pansy ink. The lettering is stamped with the same ink with Hero Arts alphabet stamps and colored over with a Sakura Souffle pink. The bunny is flocked with Stampendous Fun Flock in white after being colored with Prismacolor pencils. The cardstock is DCWV and Georgial Pacific white. The embossing is Cuttlebug embossing folder Bloom dots. The stamped bunny is bun-bun from Penny Black stamped with Archival Ink black and cut and matted with Quickutz Cookie cutter flowers.

The set I did are pretty much the same except with out the stamped message, and the inking of the embossing and with an assortment of ribbon I got from Michaels. Hope you like!

Hoppy Easter

Well, when I am on a roll I just go with it, LOL but I think it is good for people to see different cards with the same image. This card I CASEd the Kickstand technique from Confessions of a Naptime Stamper great blog if you haven't seen it!

I used Penny Black's bun-bun again --- I WILL get my money's worth out of it!!! - the cardstock is DCWV brights pad and DCWV glitter pad, the scallops are Quikutz cookie cutters flowers, some eyelets and my Hero Arts alpha stamped in Aegean Blue Dew Drop. The image is colored in with Prismacolor pencil using the artist grade mineral spirits technique and then I took it one step further and flocked the bunny with white flocking. I like how it turned out - almost like a real little bunny with a flower behind her ear sat there LOL!

Hope you like.

Tiger Pens

You know from an earlier blog that I made nugget boxes for my son's academic team - which all the kids seemed to like -Well, they won the right to compete at the State Governor's Cup Competition so I planned on putting together goody boxes/bags for them this time but I have had so many projects to get through that the time got away from me - Luckily I made these up as soon as I got the supplies from Pennywise Arts.

How fun are they?! I really can't believe it and my son is pretty chuffed with them.

The directions are on SCS - they are Pentel RSVP pens - I couldn't find the right sized sticky labels or even larger sheets so I used paper cut to size and stamped then glued them onto the pen. Then I used the beads and O'So from Pennywise Arts. The stamps are SeeD's, Hero Arts, Stampendous. Inks are Adirondack butterscotch and eggplant.

PS- you will be glad to know I don't think I have any more tiger theme projects on the go at the moment! LOL

Simple Thank You Notes

Another simple card - one layer wonder I think some call them.

I got the notecards at Wally's world... The ink is Adirondack eggplant and butterscotch . The tiger stripe, Monogram initials (exclusive to Archiver's), circle and text are Stampendous. I have only just realised this which is quite funny because I normally mix companies all the time.

Hope you like!

Kickin' Birthday!

Well this is the 3rd birthday card for the same lad - I guess I'm lucky that he has varied interests! LOL

The main image is Karate Boy stamp by Stampabilities. Its been colored in with Prismacolors pencils. It made all the difference to the image to shadow it with a medium/light blue pencil. I took the cue for the colours on the card from the Hair and Belt colors of the recipient. The mats are Bazzill and the base paper is from the DCWV glitter stack - -- WOOHOO managed to use glitter and pink (or is that just a funny shade of red?) for a boy card! The sentiment I printed out using Wordart on the computer as I definitely don't have a alpha set that is oriental (orange with a brown outline). LOL

Birthday boy said this was his favourite card and I have to agree, though quite simple in stamping, matting, layering and technique - it's probably my favourite too!

Brayer Birthday Boy

This is a card I made for my mother to give. The background was created with my Big and Juicy rainbow inkpad, brayer, watercolor paper and misting.

I layered the card onto white card with a 1/2 inch border all along that I did some freehand doodling with a black Marvy Pen as inspired by DCM challenge on the 5th February. The stamps are stamped with Archival Black and are Stampendous - Circle Talk Alphabet, Circle Talk Birthday, Circle Talk Spots. I put them on my acrylic block and then realised the best way to get a good impression on the cardstock was to put the "stamp" up (attached to my cutting board with double stick tape) and brayer the cardstock to it.

Mother's Day - Part 1

OK. I better explain the "Part 1" thing first - given that we are an International Family - our Mum's Mother's Day is in March and our Mom's Mother's Day is in May. Clear as mud for those of you that don't have to deal with it right? LOL

AND Yes this is for the same lady that the last card was for - do you see a theme? LOL

I saw the stamp by Rubber Stampede and fell in love - I really thought it would make a lovely stamp for Wedding cards.

The ink is Adirondack espresso and Archival black. The image is coloured in with my Prismacolors (delicious). The cardstock is all DCWV neutrals stack. The ribbon is from Mike's. The stamp is G studio. The Embossing folder is swirls on my Cuttlebug. Hope you like and more to the point I hope Mum likes.

PS - the one thing I would change? I think I would rub over the raised embossing with the espresso inkpad - there is always next time right? LOL

Love is in the Air - end of another teaser!

Isn't it funny how sometimes colour combinations look so wrong on the screen but so right in person in all types of light! Please believe me when I say the colours DO go together IRL.

This was a bit of a cuttlebug little folders challenge that some of the ladies on JB decided we needed, as most were at a loss as how to use them. I like the way this turned out mostly although the embossing did slightly warp the pearlescent cardstock (it didn't warp my test piece which was plain white cardstock - but I wanted to use this cardstock and knew the recipients wouldn't hate me because it was warped - LOL). The BG is Adirondack cranberry direct to linen textured white paper. The ribbon is from the bins at Michael's. The stamps are Clear Stamps from The Paper Studio. Hope you like!

UPDATE on the TIGERS! Pleased as punch mummy alert! THEY WON!!! WOOHOO they are District and Regional Overall Champions and Quick Recall Champions (think University Challenge without the sarcasm from Jeremy Paxman for my British friends). The team loved their nuggets and boxes and I even gave one of the event helpers from another school the link to SCS too because she liked them so much.

AND as an answer about my new rubber stamps - yes, I took advantage of VLV superbowl sale and I am delighted with them but as I have been out all day they still haven't seen ink yet. LOL they will have to see ink soon as I have loads to do!

Go Tigers - nuggets and boxes

I saw this project on Splitcoaststampers and just had to try it and what better excuse than my son's Academic Team progressing from District to Regional. I am taking them tomorrow and hope that they like them. I couldn't get too girlie because of all the boys on the team and I'm sure they wouldn't be impressed with flowers, bows and anything glittery at all. Spoilsports! LOL!

The tiger stripes stamp is Stampendous, the "Go Tigers" are clear stamp alphabet from the Paper Studio. The mat is Bazzill. I used Adirondack Eggplant and Butterscotch for my ink. The nugget wraps are Avery mailing labels.

I haven't forgotten about my teaser- just waiting for Royal Mail to deliver and will post up just as soon as I know they have!

And I have gotten the most delicious package from Viva Las Vegastamps - I'm stroking my lovely stamps and plotting as I type! LOL! can't wait to introduce them to ink.

Another sneak peek! LOL

Decided to take up a bit of a challenge to use the little cuttlebug folders - I knew what I wanted to do with this one. I like the outcome but that will have to wait and see whether the recipients like it too - though I know they are too polite to say otherwise!

Here's a peek. Shhhhhhhhhhh don't tell anyone! LOL Isn't this bow just too cute!

Anyway - I have been playing with a few techniques off Splitcoaststampers (they are so fab!!!!) and playing with a few bits of my recent stash haul - that will definitely have to be it for a long while! well maybe ;-) you know how it goes.

I have a list as long as my arm of cards/project to complete -

• Valentines - at least 3
• Go Team - a not so little project! that I have CASE off SCS
• Birthday - at least 5
• March cards - 5
• Mother's day card - 1
• Wedding card needs to be more than spectacular as both the bride and groom are designers!!!!!- 1
• Confirmation card - 2
• Easter cards - ?????
• Thank you's for various things as well!

and that is just to get me through from now to March. YIKES!!! especially as I wanted to make a start on scrapbooking; the dreaded spring clean; organise my craft space; and do a bit more of house unpacking.

I did however, just want to share this VERY simple card! and I mean VERY simple! that I made quite a while ago but it quite effective and I know people get intimidated with stamping at times.The cupcakes are stickers from the Dollar Tree! The "Happy Birthday" is a See D's stamp and it was stamped on the black with White Brilliance and then highlighted with Sakura - white gel and pink, blue and yellow glitter pens. Hope you like!

I love your style!

Firstly, sorry to keep everyone waiting for the reveal - we have had some quite strange weather here, and its made international news. Everything seemed to skip over us though it was confirmed today that the distant train sound I heard was most probably an EF2 tornado that touched down a few miles from here. The loss of life in "The South" is really too dreadful to contemplate with many still missing. We have a weather radio that seemed to never stop signalling on Tuesday to take cover and we just about heard the towns sirens going off, (though I know many people that slept through it - Yikes!) When I heard the sirens I got the family out of bed and went down to the basement to take cover for about 45 minutes. I'm thankful we are all safe and sound.


Well as promised here is the reveal and I am quite happy with it - sorry if anyone is disappointed LOL.

The BG and Dress stamps are from I Brake for Stamps. The BG is white brilliance stamped on black linen effect cardstock from Michael's. The purple dress is pearlescent cardstock I picked up at Michael's, the hanger is coated with Sakura white pen, the dress is highlighted with Sakura glitter gel pen in purple and I used a cut down christmas ornament hanger for the wire. The other dress was stamped on K&Company paper (Brenda Walton line). The stamps for the verse are Clear stamps stamped with Archival Black and the heart was filled in with Sakura pink Souffle pen. The embossed dots were made with my Crop-a-dile after I found the technique on Splitcoast Stampers in the gallery - though my hand really ached after completing the set!


Hope you like and can I just say that Della from I Brake for Stamps is lovely to deal with. These stamps were from my first order and I am planning on many more in the future!

Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind....

BWAHAHAHAHA! bet I have you thinking -

Thing is I have been working on cards that I send out regularly to a group of "cardies" and I know at least a couple of them read my ramblings regularly so I am going to tease them.... well only a little bit LOL. I have completed two sets of cards I'm sending out soon for a total of 10 cards today - so I am feeling a bit devilish now! So as I can't show a picture of what I have actually been doing I thought I would share a supply picture and maybe some sort of sneak peek...

The first picture is of most of the supplies used - but I left out the Christmas ornament hook and the second is a close up of a bit of the completed project. I'm going to get these sent off today and as soon as I find out when they have received them I will let all blogland know what I have been up to! And don't you just love those raised dots on the closeup - now just how did I do that! SHHHHHHHHHHH if you know - all will be revealed with the card ASAP.

A card with scraps and few bits!

I thought I would share this card I made by using scraps of paper I had about and embossing powder, a snowflake punch, some vellum, a few clear stamps and some Aluminium foil!

I punched foil and vellum snowflakes and used the negative of the vellum too. I used kaleidoscope embossing powder all over the foil snowflake square and clear embossing powder all over the message panel that I had already dotted with a silver sharpie and stamped the message with Adirondack denim. Very simple but I think it is quite effective and shows what you can do with just a few things that aren't so special in and of themselves. Hope you like!

Thanks Wendy-AnnTaurus for telling me that I managed a DCM dare! so I have linked into DCM - I have truthfully been trying to do a few challenges and dares but its not easy keeping up lol!

Fairy Happy Birthday

Well my friend t'over pond got her card yesterday so I can safely blog it now. I liked it when I made it but now I will probably go all weird and not like it IYKNWIM. Still I like to share the triumphs and the dodgy if everything was spectacularly gorgeous that leaves no room for improvement and just where would be the fun in that!


So here is the card. My friend likes fairies but more the funky fairies well here is her fab shop - Believe in Fairies - and you can see for yourself what I mean.

I found the image as part of free decoupage but I knew that for my friend decoupage isn't quite her "thing" so instead of printing the decoupage on paper I printed it off on acetate and chose a DCWV cardstock from the neutrals that highlighted the mottled background paper that I had gotten out of the DCWV Rockstar pad and the blue from the neutrals highlighted the blue in her skirt. The teal blue is from the DCWV brights - I think it does go together - I have to say IRL it doesn't contrast as much. The "Happy Birthday" is stamped - colored over with Sakura souffle black pen and then stamped again with Archival Ink - jet black. The effect is that the "Happy Birthday" is shadowed and the shadow is glossy and raised IRL so when the light reflects in a certain way... well you will just have to trust me or try it out yourself! LOL

Fore!

Well it's that time of year where I rack my brains for a card for my BIL. It should be easy. He loves sport, food, beer - so it should be VERY easy! So why is it not. I think it is just that male card mind block thing.

Anyway here is what I came up with - hope you like.The linen cardstock is brayered with Kaleidoscope Autumn Leaves front and back. The Wording is printed on acetate. The stamped Images are from SeeD's boys toys colored in with Prismacolor pencils and the metal square is one out of a set I picked up shopping in Portsmouth, England, both are layered onto cardstock from the DCWV neutrals pad. The eyelets are from my Silent Setter kit but I have to admit I used my Cropadile to set them this time!

Real UK Wedding traditions vs USA ones

Well there is a title for you - but I guess what I am trying to say is this a card I made because of UK tradition of sending an "wedding acceptance" a "wedding regret" an "evening acceptance" or an "evening regret". Now that I have completely confused most people in the USA I will try to explain. In my experience whilst living in England you are only invited to actual wedding ceremony if you are close family or a close friend otherwise you are just invited to the evening reception. I have to say my American family would have a hard time getting their heads around that - I even had a cousin that wouldn't go to our cousin's reception because he couldn't get off work in time to make it to the actual wedding.

I'm probably being a clear as mud here but what this has to do with paper crafting is that I can't find the UK standard acceptance/regret cards in the USA so had to make my own and I have to say I totally cased the invite which was designed by the bride and groom - as they have copyrighted it I can't really share it visually but it was a large hammered squarish-rectangle gatefold card with a heart die cut through the front showing the couple's initial's in gold and there were some freeform pen & ink vines and leaves decorating the side edges of the card - very nice.

So when I went to make the reply for their wedding I thought about it and wanted to pay homage to the couple for designing their own invitation - so went with a reverse theme - hope you like.

The black card is DCWV card that I bought at Michael's for some ridculously low price. The hearts are Quickutz hearts, the vine flourishes are Clear Stamps stamped with Brilliance Moonlight White and the flourish on the heart is Hero Arts and stamped in Archival Jet Black, finished off with some white organza ribbon that I wish I had set just a bit closer to the vine flourishes. I lined the card with white vellum which doesn't really photograph, I did toy with the idea of using some gold vellum that I have - but I still have a wedding card to make for them so I will try to use the gold then. Still I guess I am happy enough with it to share with the blogging world! lol

BTW - the card is unfortunately a regret.

New Year's Day 2008

Where did that last year go! ROFL - oh I must be old if I am losing years in the blink of an eye - just nod in agreement to amuse me because you know I can see you - lol.


Well, I thought for the new year I would post up a baby card I made recently. As I really haven't had a moment to craft over the Christmas break - which may have more to do with going to all the sales and I won't even tell you how much got stuffed in my car from the New Year's 75% off sale...in my defense there were three of us shopping for three different households.

I made this card for my cousin and his wife on the arrival of their son. I thought the blue and white was quite crisp and fresh, oh and of course there was the "boy" theme. The ribbon is a satin roll I picked up somewhere and the pram was made with a Marvy circle punch, scallop scissors, organza ribbon, Adirondack denim and eggplant with irisdescent glitter over the top. The congratulations greeting is from a See D's set which I went over again with white sakura pen. I don't have a small circle punch so I just drew around a thread spool and cut. - isn't it funny with all the gadgets there are when we end up just using a scissors, paper and glue. lol.