Wednesday 31 August 2011

School Days

One of the things I love about the way papercrafting has evolved over the years I've been creating, is the rise of the art of altering. I don't now look at everyday items without wondering if they could be repurposed, adapted or  changed somehow. This little box is a case in point, it contained a lovely bottle of perfume, a mothers day gift from my daughter. After I'd sprayed and sniffed, the box went in my stash of 'useful stuff' for later.

So, here it is. I covered it with blackboard paper, added a kraft mat and bakers twine and embellished with a Tim Holtz adage ticket, library clip, flowers and brads. To sit inside, I covered a cheap notebook with kraft, added a few buttons, letters, ribbon flowers and a brad.



Challenges Entered
Cupcake Crafts - alter it
TOMIC - Back to school & metal
Totally Tilda - Back to School
Paper Sundaes - Magnolia


Simply Lilac?

When I saw this colour combination challenge, I thought 'simple' - think again; I decided on a sketch, my patterned paper, but couldn't seem to match my plains and my ribbon, I must've gone through half my stash 'til I found the striped gauzy trim which seems to bring all the different shades together well.

Challenges Entered
Papertake - Sketch
Lovely Hanglar  - Cream, lilac/purple
Just Magnolia and Hanglar - Bingo, pins, flowers, embossing

It's a kind of magic

Ok, I'm trying to extend my card repertoire beyond easel cards; so here's something new for me - a magic card, not sure where the magic comes in, but I'm showing willing all the same.

Challenges entered
Colour Create - Kraft, Red, white/cream

Monday 29 August 2011

Hang On

This card started with the paper from Scenic Route, so I coloured my tilda to match. I added the hessian and kraft snowflakes for texture.


Challenges Entered
Bah Humbug - Here Come the Girls
Crafts 4 Eternity - Christmas
Fussy & Fancy - Sketch
Winter Wonderland - Trim a Tree
Thanks for stopping by.

Pony Up

I didn't really have a card in mind when I coloured in this Tilda, but I really like the image and the expressions on both characters is spot on. Using jute instead of ribbon, fits the feel of the card, as do the paper roses made from the paper offcuts.



Challenges Entered
Crop Stop - Anything goes
All That Scraps - Earthtones
Polka Doodles - Spots and Dots

Tangled Edwin

I've had these mini christmas lights for years and years, just waiting for the right project to use them on; well Edwin in a tangle provided the perfect opportunity - they could've been made for this image. I strung them with green wire to mimic real lights, and used glossy accents to keep them in place.


Challenges entered
Paper Sundaes - Magnolias
Magnolia Stamp Lovers  - Primary Colours
Crafty Hazlenuts - Build it up
The Sweet Stop - Sketch
Thanks for looking

Wednesday 24 August 2011

Sweet Summer

A circle easel this time, cut using a WRMK circle cutter, then I used a scallop border punch strip on the edge. The large flower is cut from canvas using the Tim Holtz Tattered florals die and embossed.

Challenges entered
Passion for Promarkers - no patterned papers
A Spoonful of Sugar - Happy birthday

Little Boy Blue

I've never tried this shape card before, but I found this excellent tutorial and here is the result. The metallic look snowflakes came form Home Bargains a couple of years ago; they were strung together and sold as gift 'ribbon' - didn't quite see it myself, but I did see the potential as an embellishment so snagged myself a couple of packs.
I've entered this card into Top Tip Tuesday; my tip is to use Ranger Glossy Accents as glue to attach heavier hard to stick embellishments - it really is an excellent adhesive.



Challenges entered
Top Tip Tuesday - Masculine
Deep Ocean - Light Blue
Winter Wonderland - Boys/Men 
Stampavie & more - Christmas
Thanks for dropping by

Monday 22 August 2011

Pretty in pink

It's been ages since I made a frame card, I'd forgotten how effective yet simple they are. The flowers are Marianne dies, the lace is from some packaging, and I've added a pocket to the inside for a giftcard.


Challenges entered
TOMIC  recycled lace
Stamping Scrapping  Dog Days of Summer
Crazy 4 Challenges Square card, die cuts, 2 or more papers
Thanks for looking.

Sunday 21 August 2011

Just Gorjuss

It's my fabulous daughter's bithday soon and I wanted to make a card with a little quirk, just like her, so here it is. I've kept it fairly simple, as that's her taste, and let the image stand out.

Challenges entered
Paper Sundaes Green and Twine
CLP Sketch
Totally Gorjuss Cute and Cuddly
Thanks for looking

More Halloween

Another easel card - can you tell I like easel cards?



Challenges entered
All that Scraps Stretch your Imagination
Bunny Zoe's Easel Card

Devilish

I really love Halloween - dare I say, in crafting terms, more than Christmas; plus it's the only time spiders can be cute! This card uses a great sketch from Pink Ink and since it's an easel card, it fits the bill for Bunny Zoe's challenge.


Saturday 20 August 2011

Old Lace - no arsenic!

This card incorporates the monochrome challenge from TOMIC, a sketch from Jingle Belles and Stretch your Imagination from All that Scraps. The lace comes from an old traycloth I found in a charity shop for 20p, papers are Anna Griffin inked with Distress in Tea Dye and Scattered Straw.
Thanks for dropping by.






Shiver Me Timbers

This time I used a sketch from Pink (ink) Challenges, the theme of 'A pirates life for me' by Passion For Promarkers and funny sentiments for Just Magnolia and Hanglar 


Friday 19 August 2011

Hope

For this card, I used a sketch from Christmas Challenges and it's also for the Holiday challenge from Lovely Hanglar Only. I'm particularly taken with the paper pinecones. I saw some die cut ones being made on tv the other day but didn't want the preprinted look; whilst walking the dogs I had a brainwave, and came up with these using a retro flower punch.
The card also incorporates a pocket on the back of the card for maybe a photo, letter, gift or just a longer greeting.



Princess Tilda

 This card started with my paper choice - I love the retro florals of this collection, Blueberry Hill by Papermania. The challenge from Totally Tilda was 'Fit for a Princess to use Princess Tilda or the word princess - I did both! I also used the sketch for this weeks Simply Magnolia challenge, and included half pearls for the Magnolia Mania challenge.




Tuesday 16 August 2011

News of the World

Another multi challenge card here; for Magnolia Down Under, the inspiration was to come from a song title. I went for News of the World by The Jam which I thought fit tilda so well. I rarely make a card without the use of flowers, so the  Magnolia Stamp Lovers challenge was perfect. Finally Magnolia-licious called for a paper only card - even my string and buttons are paper.


Wednesday 10 August 2011

Christmas already?

My first card on my shiny new blog is an entry for two challenge blogs; Totally Tilda asked for pearls, swirls, ribbon and lace, and The Official Magnolia Inspiration Challenge (TOMIC) blog called for a masking technique.





I've used BoBunny papers on a kraft easel card, distressed with Distress Ink and then stitched. The swirl is a Doohickey die cut and the poinsettias are made using a Marianne die.