Birthday Butterflies

I was pleased to see my Honesty Heart card was one of the Top Three at the Pearly Sparkles Challenge and I was invited to be Guest Designer on a future challenge.  As I love making cards with butterflies, I chose the 'One or More Butterflies' challenge.  My card has six butterflies - four on the paper and two die cut from grey card.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Lawn Fawn 'Giant Happy Birthday to You' and Creative Expressions 'Finishing Touches - Dainty Butterflies' dies
     BoBunny 'Isabella' paper
     Grey pearlescent card

I trimmed the pink paper to 5" x 5" and layered it onto a slightly larger square of grey pearlescent card before die cutting the sentiment from the centre.  I set the sentiment and small pieces aside and attached the panel to the centre of the card blank.  I die cut the sentiment twice from grey pearlescent card, the first sentiment was inlaid into the card together with the small pieces from the pink paper sentiment.  I attached the second grey sentiment on top to give some dimension.  The paper sentiment was attached slightly offset to give a shadow effect.  To finish I die cut two small butterflies from grey card and attached them above and below the sentiment.

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Birthday Challenge - Anything Birthday Goes
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Alphabet Challenge - A for Air (my card has butterflies)
     Moving Along With The Times - One or More Butterflies
     Seize the Birthday - Primarily Pink

Kath x

Happy Birthday to You

I was delighted when my Merry Christmas Tree was a winner of the Cut It Up Challenge and I was invited to be Guest Designer on the 'Anything Goes' challenge.   I decided to make a birthday card for one of my nephews, using my favourite birthday die for male cards.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" kraft card blank
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-namics', Lawn Fawn 'Giant Happy Birthday To You' dies
     Sentimentally Yours 'Premium Magazine #12' paper and airplane die
     Snippets of turquoise pearlescent card

I attached a piece of airplane paper to a piece of printer paper to make it a bit stronger and then die cut a square.  As I didn't have a square die of the right size, I used the largest rectangle die to cut the first half, then moved the die to the correct size and cut the other half.  I then die cut the sentiment from the centre, setting the sentiment and all the small pieces to one side.  I layered the panel onto a slightly larger square of turquoise card and attached it to the card front.  I used more snippets of turquoise card to die cut the sentiment twice, these were layered and inlaid into the card front, together with the small pieces from the patterned sentiment.  The patterned sentiment was attached, offsetting it slightly to create a shadow.  To finish I die cut two small airplanes from turquoise card and attached them to the front of the card.

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Birthday Card Challenge - Anything Birthday Goes
     Addicted to Stamps & More - Birthdays
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Krafty Chicks Challenge - Anything Goes
     Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes

Kath x

Final Action Time

Whilst tidying my craft drawers earlier this year I found another LOTV 'Action Time' Art Pad image (I thought I had used them all!) as it was a precoloured image it was perfect for a quick birthday card for my youngest great nephew.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Lili of the Valley 'Action Time' Art Pad image

     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Oval STAX Die-namics' and Creative Expressions 'Mini Expressions - Stacked Happy Birthday' dies
     Wild Rose Studio 'Man About Town' paper
     Snippets of grey pearlescent card and white paper

I attached the plaid paper to a snippet of white paper to give it some strength before die cutting an oval from the left size of the panel.  The panel was layered onto a slightly larger square of grey pearlescent card before being attaching it to the card blank.  I die cut the Art Pad image with the same oval die and inlaid it into the front of the card.  I die cut the sentiment from a snippet of grey before attaching it to the lower corner of the card.  

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Birthday Card Challenge - Anything Birthday Goes
     Addicted to Stamps & More - Birthdays
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Crafty Calendar Challenge - For a Child
     Daisy Chain Challenge - Boys/Men
     Krafty Chicks Challenge - Masculine

Kath x

Happy Birthday to You

I needed a  card for a forthcoming male birthday, so have used some snippets and one of my favourite Lawn Fawn dies.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Lawn Fawn 'Giant Happy Birthday to You' die
     Snippets of silver mirri card and turquoise card

I trimmed the snippet of turquoise card to a square and die cut the sentiment from the centre.  The panel was then attached to a slightly larger square of silver mirri card and attached to the front of the card blank.  I die cut the sentiment twice from more snippets of silver mirri and inlaid them to the front of the card blank, together with the small pieces of the turquoise die cut.  To finish I attached the turquoise sentiment, offsetting it slightly to create a silver shadow.

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Birthday Card Challenge - Masculine
     A Cut Above - Anything Goes with a Die Cut
     Cut It Up - Happy Birthday
     Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes

Kath x

Mum

Now I have finished all my Christmas cards I've had a tidy up of my craft drawers and set aside lots of oddments and snippets I want to use for some quick cards to get ahead for the start of next year.  This card uses a Hunkydory Deco-Large topper and some snippets.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white hammer card blank
     Hunkydory 'Sunflower Surprise Floral Deco-Large' topper
     Crafts-Too 'Mum' die
     Snippets of white hammer card and gold mirri card

I trimmed the white hammer card, layered it onto gold mirri and attached it to the front of the card blank.  I removed the sunflower layers from the carrier card, then layered them with foam pads to give lots of lovely layers and attached the topper to the left side of the card.  To finish I die cut 'Mum' from another snippet of gold card and attached it to the top corner.

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Birthday Card Challenge - Lovely Layers
     Allsorts - Lots of White
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
     Triple B Challenge - December Challenge (I have used Blooms)     

Kath x

Clarissa Bubble Bloom

I have several 'Bubble Bloom' stamps, but this is my favourite - I've had it for years but still enjoy using it.  This card is for a friend's spring birthday using pastel colours which are her favourite.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Woodware 'Bubble Bloom - Clarissa' and Clearly Besotted 'Fabulous Fuchsias' stamps
     Versafine Vintage Sepia ink
     Cosmic Shimmer Clear Detail embossing powder
     Promarkers
     Wink of Stella
     Glossy Accents
     Lili of the Valley 'Pressed in Time' paper 
     Snippet of white matt card

I used brown ink to stamp the flower and sentiment onto a snippet of white matt card before embossing them with clear embossing powder.  The panel was trimmed, layered onto green paper and attached to the centre of the card blank.  I stamped the leaves onto another piece of green paper, fussy cut them and attached them to the card.  I coloured the flower blooms with Promarkers, added a Wink of Stella and then Glossy Accents.

I am entering the following challenges:
     ABC Birthday Challenge - Favourite Image
     CAS on Friday - Birthday
     Seize the Birthday - Focal One
     Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes
     We Love Stamping - Anything Goes

Kath x

Happy Birthday To You

I made this card with my last piece Sarn's lovely autumnal gelli print she sent me with a Playground prize last year.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Lawn Fawn 'Giant Happy Birthday to You' die
     Sarn's autumnal gelli print paper
     Snippets of thin white card and dark brown card

I attached the snippet of gelli print paper to white card to make it a little thicker and easier to die cut before trimming it to a square.  I die cut the sentiment from the centre and set the pieces aside.  The panel was layered onto a slightly larger square of dark brown card and attached to the centre of the card blank.  I die cut the sentiment three times from snippets of dark brown card.  I inlaid the first die cut and the small pieces of the gelli print into the front of the panel.  I then layered the remaining two brown sentiments with the gelli print sentiment on top.   

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Birthday Challenge - Bakcground Focus
     Allsorts - Autumn Colours
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
     Snippets Playground - Challenge 488
     Try It On Tuesday - Make it Colourful

Kath x

Chloe Stem Birthday

I was over the moon when my Happy Birthday Butterfly won the Seize the Birthday 'Kraft and Another Colour' challenge.  Thank you to the team for inviting me to be Surprise Party Guest on the latest challenge 'Use Red as the Main Colour'.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Memory Box 'Chloe Stem' and Creative Expressions 'Mini Expressions - Stacked Happy Birthday' dies
     Xcut 'Small Polka Hearts' embossing folder
     Red sparkle card and white matt card

I embossed a piece of white card with the Polka Hearts.  This was trimmed, layered onto red sparkle card and attached to the card blank.  I die cut two Chloe Stems and one Happy Birthday sentiment from snippets of red sparkle card.  The flower stems were attached to the left side of the card with the sentiment in the lower right corner.

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Birthday Challenge - Hearts
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Crafty Calendar Challenge - Add a Heart
     Krafty Chicks Challenge - All Occasions
     The Flower Challenge - Add a Heart 

Kath x

Large Birthday Sentiment

I made this card for the AAA Birthday Card Challenge using a sheet paper from a lovely Lili of the Valley 'Antebellum' paper pad which was one of the two LOTV paper pads that Di kindly sent me - thank you Di!

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Lawn Fawn 'Giant Happy Birthday to You' die
     Lili of the Valley 'Antebellum' paper 
     Snippets of purple card

I trimmed a piece of the Antebellum paper to 5.25" square and layered it onto a slightly larger square of purple card.  I die cut the sentiment from the centre of the panel, setting the pieces aside before attaching the panel to the front of the card blank.  I die cut the sentiment twice from purple card before layering them and inlaying them into the panel, together with the small pieces of the Antebellum die cut.  To finish I attached the Antebellum sentiment, offsetting it slightly to give a shadow effect with the purple sentiment.

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Birthday Card Challenge - Large Sentiment
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes With Dies - November Challenge
     Happy Little Stampers Birthday Challenge - Anything Goes
     Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes

Kath x

Happy Birthday to You

It's a horrid wet afternoon, so I've had some crafting time and made this card for my nephew's birthday using lots of snippets.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Lawn Fawn 'Giant Happy Birthday to You' die
     Snippets of brown matt card and Hunkydory 'Up & Away' backing card (I'd already used the rest of the kit for another card)

I trimmed the 'Up & Away' card to a square and cut 'Happy Birthday to You' in the sky, setting the sentiment and all the small pieces to one side.  The panel was layered onto brown matt card and attached to the card blank.  I cut the sentiment twice from oddments of brown card.  One sentiment was inlaid into the front of the card, together with the small pieces from the sky sentiment.  The second brown sentiment was attached on top to give depth before the blue sky sentiment was attached slightly offset to create a shadow effect.

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Birthday Challenge - Anything Birthday Goes
     Crafty Calendar Challenge - Anything Goes
     Daisy Chain Challenge - Boys/Men
     Happy Little Stampers Birthday Challenge - Anything Goes
     Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes
     Snippets Playground - Challenge 460

Kath x

Teal and Gold Birthday

I made this quick birthday card for a friend who dislikes 'fussy' cards and used the colours from the AAA Cards 'Teal and Gold' challenge.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Crafts-Too 'Happy Birthday' die
     Funky Fossil 'Zen Mandala' stencil
     Versafine Deep Lagoon ink
     Snippet of gold mirri card

I used the Deep Lagoon ink to stencil the Zen Mandala in the centre of the card blank.  I die cut 'Happy Birthday' from gold mirri card and attached it to the centre using Artist Tac.  Quick and simple!

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Birthday Card Challenge - Use a Stencil
     AAA Cards - Teal and Gold
     Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes

Kath x

Vintage Artistry Birthday Card

I made this card for my niece's birthday using my last piece of paper from this lovely 49th & Market pad.  The colours are perfect for the current Butterfly challenge - there are butterflies on the paper but I've also added another two layered butterflies.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" cream hammer card
     Crafts-Too 'Happy Birthday' and Tattered Lace 'Mini Butterfly' dies
     49th & Market 'Vintage Artistry in Blush' paper 
     Snippets of green textured card and cream hammer card

I trimmed the green card so it was slightly smaller than the card blank and attached it to the front.  I trimmed the patterned paper so it was smaller than the green layer before die cutting 'Happy Birthday' from the upper corner.   I set the sentiment to one side and attached the panel to the card.  I die cut 'Happy Birthday' three times from cream card.  The first one was inlaid into the floral panel, together with the small pieces from the pink sentiment that had been set aside.  I layered the other two cream sentiments with the pink one on top and attached them to the card.  To finish I die cut two cream and two green butterflies, layered them with the green on top and attached them to the card.

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Birthday Challenge - Anything Birthday Goes
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Butterfly Challenge - F for Forest Green, French Rose and Flax
     Seize the Birthday - Winged Things

Kath x

Birthday Wishes Mum

Although these layered cards aren't my preferred style of cardmaking, my mum likes them so I bought this 'Best Mum Ever!' topper set to make her birthday card.

To make this card I used:
     7" x 7" white matt card blank
     Hunkydory 'Best Mum Ever!' topper kit
     Woodware heart punch
     Silver mirri card

I cut a piece of silver mirri so it was slight smaller than the front of the card and then layered a piece of the backing card onto it before attaching it to the card blank.  The backing card had got a white strip across the bottom which looked a little plain, so I attached the patterned strip from the die cut sheet across the card.  I removed the layered die cut pieces and used foam pads to build the image.  This was then attached to the centre of the card.  I attached a couple of pieces of foam tape across the bottom of the sentiment to build it to the same depth as the floral topper and attached it to the lower edge.  Two small hearts were punched from silver mirri and attached to the top of the card with foam pads.

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Birthday Card Challenge - Anything Birthday Goes
     Daisy Chain Challenge - Birthday
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes

Kath x

Embossed Birthday

My Christmas cards are all now in the post, so it's time to start making cards for a few birthdays in the New Year.

I embossed a piece of white card and trimmed around the edge of the design.  I stamped the butterfly and 'birthday' with blue ink onto snippets of white card, stamping several times to get a deep blue colour.  These were then embossed with clear embossing powder and cut with their coordinating dies.  I placed the embossed panel into my MISTI and laid the butterfly and 'birthday' onto the panel so I could see where to position the 'happy' stamp.  I removed the butterfly and 'birthday' before stamping 'happy' in dark blue ink and embossing it with clear embossing powder.  The panel was attached to the centre of the card blank.  I coloured the butterfly wings with a cream coloured Promarker.  As the Promarker had bled through the card I die cut a butterfly from a piece of copy paper and glued it to the rear before attaching it to the card and shaping the wings.  I die cut another 'birthday' from a snippet of white card, layering the stamped one onto the plain one before attaching it to the card.

To make this card I used:
     7" x 5" white matt card blank
     Card Making Magic 'The Best of Card Making Magic' and Clearly Besotted 'Modern Calligraphy' stamps and coordinating dies
     Xcut 'Swirls' embossing folder
     Cosmic Shimmer Clear Detail embossing powder
     Versafine Majestic Blue ink
     Ivory Promarker
     Snippets of white matt card

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Birthday Challenge - Embossing
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     CAS on Friday - Embossing (heat and/or dry - I have used both)
     Color Hues Challenge - Navy and Cream
     Happy Little Stampers Birthday Challenge - Anything Goes    

Kath x

Enjoy your Special Day

When I got home after our latest campervan adventure, I had a lovely surprise to find a package with some stamps, dies and washi tape I had won in a magazine giveaway.  This is the first card I've made using the washi tape and coordinating die to make a card for a friend's birthday.

I attached the washi tape to a snippet of white card and used the coordinating die to cut the wreath.  I placed the card blank in my MISTI with the wreath on top so I could see where the position the sentiment.  I removed the wreath and stamped the sentiment first with blue ink and then with several stampings of grey ink so the colour matched the leaves in the wreath.  To finish I attached the wreath with foam tape.

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white hammer card blank
     PinkFresh 'Indio Vines' washi tape & Coordinating die
     Hobby Art 'General Greetings' stamp
     Memento Paris Dusk and Gray Flannel ink
     Snippet of white card

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Birthday Card Challenge - Anything Birthday Goes
     Happy Little Stampers Birthday Challenge - Anything Goes
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     NBUS - Challenge 41 (my new Pinkfresh washi tape and die)
     Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes

I'm also giving away some stamp sets as part of my Birthday Giveaway.

Kath x

Cardinal Butterfly

I made this card for the Butterfly Challenge using the colour option and, of course, a butterfly.

I attached a piece of marbled patterned paper to the front of the cream card leaving a small border around the edge.  I die cut the 'Grand Happy Birthday' from cream card and attached it to the lower part of the card.  I die cut it again from a snippet of cardinal red card and inlaid the pieces.  To finish I die cut a butterfly from cardinal red card and attached it to the upper corner of the marbled paper.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 4" cream hammer card blank
     Memory Box 'Grand Happy Birthday' and 'Kaleidoscope Butterfly' dies
     Snippets of cream hammer card, red textured card and marbled paper

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Birthday Card Challenge -Pattern (I have used a lovely marbled patterned paper)
     Butterfly Challenge - Spin the Wheel with C (I have used the colours Coral, Celadon and Cardinal with my butterfly)
     Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes with Dies - February Challenge
     Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes

Kath x

Happy Birthday Butterfly

When I made my previous 'Happy Birthday' card I stamped lots of butterflies in different colours.  I'm using this purple one for the AAA Birthday Card Challenge as two of my favourite colours are purple and pink.

I die cut a frame from white card using the two largest stitched dies.  I placed the card blank and frame into my MISTI so I could see where to position the sentiment.  After removing the frame I stamped the sentiment a couple of times in purple ink to get a good depth of colour before embossing it with clear embossing powder.  I attached the frame with foam tape in the centre of the card.  I coloured the butterfly with purple and pink Promarkers and attached another butterfly shape to the rear to cover the marks where the pen had bled through the card.  To finish I attached the butterfly along the body so I could shape the wings over the frame.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Card Making Magic 'The Best of Card Making Magic' butterfly stamp and die
     Clearly Besotted 'Fabulous Fuchsias' sentiment stamp
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' dies
     Versafine Imperial Purple ink
     Cosmic Shimmer clear detail embossing powder
     Promarkers
     Snippets of white card

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Birthday Card Challenge - Two Favourite Colours (I've used purple and pink)
     Butterfly Challenge - Spin the Wheel with Letter T (I have used Thistle and Tickle Me Pink + my butterfly)
     Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes With Dies - January Challenge
     Happy Little Stampers CAS Challenge - Anything Goes

Kath x

Enjoy your Special Day

I've recently been very fortunate to win two Chocolate Baroque stamps from the Allsorts Challenge - they're both lovely but this one is my favourite.  The stamps have lovely fine etched details which stamp beautifully.

I placed a piece of white hammer card into my MISTI and stamped both the floral panel and the sentiment in brown ink.  As I was stamping onto hammer card I stamped several times to get a good depth of colour.  I coloured the shaded parts of the roses with an orange pencil and then the rest of the flowers with a yellow pencil.  The leaves were coloured with two shaded of green.  I then gently rubbed the side of the tip of a pale pink pencil across the netting to give a slight colour behind the flowers.  I used a corner rounder punch to round the corners of the panel before attaching it to the card blank.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white hammer card blank
     Chocolate Baroque 'Floribunda Net' and Hobby Art 'General Greetings' stamps
     Versafine Vintage Sepia ink
     Faber Castell Colour Grip coloured pencils
     Woodware Corner Rounder punch
     Snippet of white hammer card

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Birthday Card Challenge - Happy Birthday
     AAA Cards Challenge - Happy Birthday
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     NBUS - Challenge 26 (using my new Chocolate Baroque stamp)
     Seize the Birthday - Make it a Bouquet
     We Love Chocolate Baroque - Bright Sunny Colours

Kath x

Pretty Girl

I made this card following the Less is More sketch and used the image from the cover of an old Lili of the Valley Art Pad.

I die cut the girl from the front of the Art Pad.  The first cut was down the right side of the image to remove the Art Pad number.  I then lined up the die along the stitched outline ensuring the frame from the Art Pad cover was removed down the left side.  The topper was layered onto the reverse side of a snippet of card from my 69th and Market Art Pad (the reverse side of the papers are a more solid colour than the patterned fronts).  The panel was then attached to the upper edge of the card blank.  I stamped the sentiment onto another snippet of the same pink card and die cut it with a circular die.  The sentiment was attached to the lower corner of the topper with a foam pad.

To make this card I used:
     7" x 6" white matt card blank
     Lili of the Valley 'Pretty Girls' Art Pad (the image from the front cover)
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-namics' and 'Inside & Out Circle STAX Die-namics' dies
     Practical Publishing 'Stamps for All Occasions' sentiment stamp
     Versafine Onyx Black ink
     Snippets of 49th and Market 'Vintage Artistry in Blush' paper

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Birthday Card Challenge - Happy Birthday
     AAA Cards Challenge - Birthday
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Less is More - Sketch 26

Kath x

Happy Birthday to You

I made this card following the new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches although I chose to rotate the sketch for my card.

I die cut a snippet of white card to make a fishtail flag, cutting it from each end to elongate the shape. I placed the flag into my MISTI and used black ink to stamp the sentiment along the lower edge before embossing it with clear embossing powder.  The flag was then attached along the lower edge of the card.  I used black ink to stamp the flowers onto gold textured card and the leaves onto green textured card.  These were embossed before being cut with the coordinating dies.  I coloured the decoration on the flower with a green Promarker and green sparkle pen.  The leaves were attached directly onto the flag and the flower was attached with a foam pad.

To make this card I used:
     8.25" x 4" white matt card blank
     Lil'inker Designs 'Modern Mehndi' stamps and coordinating dies
     My Favorite Things 'Fishtail Flags' dies
     Hobby Art 'General Greetings' stamps
     Versafine Onyx Black ink
     Lush Green Promarker
     Spectrum Noir Soft Jade Sparkle pen
     Cosmic Shimmer clear embossing powder
     Snippets of gold and green textured card and white matt card

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Birthday Card Challenges - Happy Birthday
     AAA Cards - Up to One Third
     Freshly Made Sketches - Sketch 485
     Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge 402I

Kath x