Smelly Snowman

Hey there lovelies!

I haven't been around for a while as we were on holiday in the Algarve for a couple of weeks and then since returning I have been mad busy catching up with magazine commissions (still got lots to do).

One of my upcoming projects for one of the magazines is a Christmas set using the Silhouette Curio. As I was browsing the library for images, I came across a cute snowman image. I had to purchase it and use it on a card, so here it is.

What you need...

Digital die cut: Snowman I Smell Carrots (#234001) - Silhouette

Card stock: light green, mid green, aqua, pale aqua, orange, red, light red, black, white

Ribbon: orange

Adhesives

What you do...

1 Purchase and download the snowman image.

2 Use the Silhouette Curio to cut out the pieces of the image in the coloured card stock.

3 Following the image photo, assemble and stick the snowman to a 12.5cm square blank.

4 Wrap and tie orange ribbon around the bottom of the card.

I think I will be doing a few more cards with images that I have fallen in love with. This one was £0.65 to purchase. A lot of the images are around £0.65, some are cheaper and some more expensive, depending on the size and intricacy. Once you have purchased them they are yours to keep :o) 

The good thing is you can re-size and flip the images if you want and also cut out in your own chosen colour theme.

Hope you like this fun little card, thank you for stopping by!

Mr & Mrs

Hi there chums!

My gorgeous and beautiful Zumba instructor Sally got married to Jib (nickname - everyone calls him Jib) yesterday. As I'm not into overdone or mushy cards I wanted to illustrate one for them.

I came up with a simple, yet cute chapel that only used three colours, pale pink, pale green and pale grey.

What you need...

Card stock: white 

Digi stamp: chapel (I used my own)

Promarkers: Pink Carnation, Meadow Green, Ice Grey 1

Gems: clear

Adhesives

What you do...

1 Print the chapel onto white digital card.

2 Colour in the stained glass windows, the door and the trees with the pink and green. Use the grey to colour in the windowsills and add shadows.

3 Hand cut the image out following the line of the border and stick to a 10.5cm x 14.5cm blank. Add some gems to decorate.

And there you have it! I was really pleased with the way this turned out. It's quirky and simple. 

If you would like a free copy of this illustration drop me a line using the 'Contact Me' page and I can email it to you - this will be for a limited time only. The illustration is in PNG format.

Thank you for popping by, see you soon x

Floral Thank You

Hello lovelies!

I needed a simple and quick thank you card, so I decided to raid my stash and I came across a cling stamp that I've had for some time and not used (yes, I know, I'm naughty for doing that). 

I wanted to keep the card really simple with a Kraft blank and delicate white inking. I also decided to make the envelope too.

What you need...

Card stock: Kraft

Patterned paper: Darks Color Basics Paper Pad 12" x 12" - K&Company

Stamps: Small Striped Flower (CG256) - Hero Arts; Many Thanks - Paper Smooches

Dies: Labels Fancy #2 (with stamps - 657582) - Sizzix

Ink pad: Pure White Pigment Ink Pad - Avery Elle 

Envelope maker: Envelope Punch Board - WRMK

Gel pen: bright pink

Adhesives

What you do...

1 Create a top fold blank in Kraft card 8.5cm x 12.5cm.

2 Stamp the flower at the lower left corner making sure it goes off the edges. Stamp the sentiment in the top right corner. 

3 When the ink is dry, colour in the centre of the the flower with the gel pen.

4 Following the guide on the Envelope Punch Board, cut a piece of tan patterned paper, score, fold and stick to form the envelope.

5 Stamp the label in white ink onto Kraft card, use the coordinating die to cut it out. Stick centrally to the front of the envelope.

I think making your own envelopes is a great way to use up those papers that you like, but wouldn't use as a scrapbook page or add to a card. The Envelope Punch Board makes it so easy as it has practically every size you could want printed on the maker, plus it has the punch to cut out the indents where the score lines meet and one to round off the flap.

I really enjoyed making this little card, one tip I will give you is that the white pigment ink can smudge. I give a light squirt of hairspray to help fix it in place - it also makes the card smell nice!

Thank you for popping in and I'll be back soon - ta ta for now!

365 Day Trip

Well hello there peeps!

Today I would like to show you a lovely card I made for my dear friend June. It's a cute mix of stamping and die-cutting.

What you need...

Card: white, pale blue, pale yellow

Stamps: 365 Days (3944H) - Penny Black

Dies: Hello Sunshine - Lawn Fawn

Ink pad: Onyx Black - Versafine

Gems: clear

Fine liner: black

Adhesives

What you do...

1 Trim a piece of pale blue card to 9.5cm x 13.5cm and stamp the sentiment centrally.

2 Die cut the sun in pale yellow and the cloud in white card. Place the sun and cloud above and to the left of the sentiment. Use foam tape for the cloud.

3 Mat the pale blue panel onto a top fold 10.5cm  x 14.5cm blank. Draw a face on the sun and add a few gems to decorate.

I love this little card and it's so cute, it's a subtle way of telling someone that they are a year older! I'm not sure how available the stamp is now, you may be able to grab one on Ebay. The die set is still available, there is also a stamp set that goes with the dies - it's adorable.

I'm going to sign off for now, hope you like my little make and thank you for stopping by!

Crab Thanks

Hello lovelies!

I want to share with you today a simple little thank you card adorned with a cute crab.

What you need...

Card: white digital

Stamps: Chubby Chum Pals - Paper Smooches; Sketchy Thoughts - Winnie & Walter

Ink pads: Chateau Gray #83 - Versacolor; Onyx Black - Versafine

Copic: R05 Salmon Red, R27 Cadmium Red

Promarker: Ice Grey 1, blender

Punch: corner rounder

Adhesives

What you do...

1 Cover a 10.5cm x 14.5cm top fold blank with white digital card and round off the bottom two corners.

2 Stamp the crab in Onyx Black near the lower left corner and the speech bubble in Chateau Gray near the top right corner.

3 Colour the legs and the top of the crab in Cadmium Red, stipple with the blender pen to add texture. Shade in the bottom of the crab in Salmon Red. Add some shadow around the eyeballs, mouth and underneath the crab with Ice Grey 1.

5 Stamp the sentiment with Onyx Black over the speech bubble.

I adore this cute little fella. Stippling an area with the blender pen gives the look of a 'rough' surface because the blender lifts out the colour. This is perfect for the texture of a crab shell.

The crab is part of a fab set from Paper Smooches which also includes a bear, bird and moose with some little accessories and words.

Hope you like this little card and thanks so much for popping by. See you soon!

Funniest Bird

Good afternoon!

I'm back with a funny card I made for my wonderful and gorgeous friend Chris. I purchased a cling mounted rubber stamp set from IndigiBlu called Funny Bird. It was because of this particular stamp that I had (yes had) to buy it, you know me and my chickens.

Sorry for the poor quality of the photo - the lighting wasn't brilliant and I'm no photographer ;o)

What you need...

Stamps: Funny Bird (IND0156PC) - IndigoBlu

White card - digital smooth

Coloured pencils: Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber, Olive Green Yellowish, Burnt Carmine, Indian Red, Sanguine, Light Yellow Ochre, Brown Ochre, Pale Geranium Lake, Scarlet Red - Faber-Castell Polychromos

Ink pad: Onyx Black - Versafine

Garden twine - brown

Button - brown

Adhesives

What you do...

1 Stamp the image onto white card, when dry colour in the chicken using the colours to blend and highlight.

2 Trim the image to 10.5cm x 14.5cm making sure the image is near the top.

3 Mat onto a 10.5cm x 14.5cm blank.

4 Separate the twine, wrap around the blank, tie in a bow and add the button.

I coloured this image to look like one of my Rhode Island Reds - Babs. She is the most beautiful deep red brown. It's a shame that the photo doesn't really do the colouring and shading justice, as the finished card looked exactly like her.

This stamp set is great value for money as it is quite a large set - you get a cling mounted A5 sheet that you cut out the individual stamps. Make sure you use some non-cling scissors, this will make life much easier.

Visit IndigoBlu to see their wide range of products. You can find the Funny Bird stamp set here. Prices start from £17.99 for the uncut stamp set.

I am pleased that Chris loved the card, the sentiment suits her to the ground and she knows Babs quite well. 

Thank you so much for dropping by. See you soon!

Magnificent Magnolia

Hi there lovely people!

I'm back with an elegant card featuring a beautiful magnolia. Our tree in the garden is clinging onto the last few flowers, it's a shame the flowers don't last longer. I'm still enjoying going through my craft stash and using stamps that I haven't used yet or haven't used in a long time.

This magnolia stamp I've had for a while, I think I grabbed it in a sale online.

What you need...

Stamps: Outline Magnolia (CG193) - Hero Arts; Sentiments Stamp (#10105761) - Bo Bunny

Card stock: white, pale pink

Embossing powder: Detail Clear - Stampendous

Ink pad: Onyx Black - Versafine

Copic: Begonia Pink (RV14), Macadamia Nut (YR30)

Promarker: Pale Pink

Gems: clear

Adhesives

What you do...

1 Cover a 12.5cm square blank with a 12cm square of pale pink card.

2 Stamp the magnolia onto white card and cover with the embossing powder, heat to melt.

3 Shade in the magnolia.

4 Cut out the magnolia and stick to the lower right of the blank, overlapping the bottom and right edges. Trim away the excess.

5 Stamp the sentiment in the top left corner. Add a few gems to finish.

I know that the magnolia stamp is no longer available, but this card would look lovely with any large outline flower stamp. I've got a few of these floral outline stamps from Hero Arts in various sizes. They make a beautiful simple and elegant card that is quick to make.

I'm going to say ta ta for now, thank you for stopping by!

That Bites!

Hello lovelies!

Sorry I haven't checked in for a couple of weeks, I've been busy with commissions and we also had a long weekend away. Anyhoo, I'm back now with the card I created for my husband's birthday.

What you need...

Stamps: That Bites (ST-16-17) - Avery Elle; Alphadot - Paper Smooches

Ink pads: Onyx Black - Versafine; Tim Holtz Distress Ink Salty Ocean, Peacock Feathers - Ranger; Emerald Envy - Stampin' Up!

Masking paper: Inkadinkado

What you do...

1 Stamp the fish onto the lower right corner of a piece of white card stock, 9.5cm x 13.5cm.

2 Stamp again onto the masking paper and carefully cut out. Stick onto the original stamped fish,      making sure you line it up perfectly.

3 Rub the surface of the card with a blend of the inks with the colour deeper at the bottom.

4 Peel away the mask. Stamp the age at the top left corner and the 'that bites!' below the fish.

5 Mat the inked panel onto a white top fold 10.5cm x 14.5cm blank.

Needless to say, Simon thought it was great. I had been wanting to get this stamp for quite a while and it always seemed to be out of stock, but I managed to get a set at last. There are still some out there waiting for a new home!

Hope you like my little card, thank you for popping by and I'll see you soon. x

Spiffingly Good Easter

Hello there!

I'm back with the second card I did for Easter. Again this is a remake of a card I did a couple of years ago. 

In my last post, I changed the colour scheme of the original card but kept the same layout. With this one I have done the card exactly the same as the original because I just love the colours.

What you need...

Stamps: Claudine Hellmuth Doodles, Claudine Hellmuth Nature - Ranger; Cheree the Chicken - The Rubber Stamp Gallery

Embossing folder: Spots & Dots - Cuttlebug

Card stock: white, lime

Promarkers

Ink pads: Key Lime - VersaMagic; Onyx Black - Versafine

Buttons: orange, pink, yellow

Crochet cotton: white

Adhesives

I have the original card with full instructions here. For the sentiment banner, I created the sentiment on the computer, printed it out and then trimmed into a fish tail banner shape. I recommend printing a full sheet of sentiments, so that you have them to hand for future.

I am loving these bright zingy colours for Easter. This card could also be adapted for a birthday and you could use more muted colours for a male card.

I'm going to sign off now. Thank you for popping by and I'll be back soon with the birthday card I did for my husband Simon.

Easter Eggs

Happy Easter all!

I hope you are having a wonderful time and not getting too overstuffed on chocolate! It has been a very wet Easter here in Norfolk and I suspect much of the UK, at least the snow kept away.

I have been going through some old posts/photos of past makes and decided to revamp/redo some of them. I decided to redo two Easter cards, this being the first one. I did exactly the same layout with stamps but changed the colour scheme.

What you need...

Stamps: Picoti Picota - Artemio; Doodles by Claudine Hellmuth - Ranger

Alcohol markers: Promarkers - Cool Aqua, Ice Grey 1, Lime Green, Magenta, Mandarin

Ink pad: Onyx Black - Versafine

Washi tape: magenta/white dotty

Baker's twine - orange

Easter rub-on sentiment

Adhesives

You can find the original post here with instructions on how to create this little card. Of course you don't have to use the exact same stamps, any chick themed stamps could work. I love the bright zingy colours for Easter, it makes a nice change from the usual pastel shades.

My chicken girlies lay the most lovely pinkish buff or ivory eggs, it would be so much fun if the laid the bright colours on the card. I wouldn't want to crack them open.

Well I'm going to sign off now, enjoy the rest of your Easter and I'll be back soon with the next Easter card. Thanks for stopping by! x