stamp and stitch valentine card

I've been meaning to do some chain stitch on a card ever since I did my "libby" card with back stitch on, but I didn't know what do use it on until some new stamps from Crafty Individuals dropped through the post. I love the selecion of heart stamps, they remind me of fractals or zentangles (but so much easier than drawing your own)

I am entering this card for the sunday stampers "heart" theme.

I used an insert on this card to cover up the messy stitching detail on the inside of the card, but I chose to use some pretty paper to do this. so as not to waste its prettiness, I cut out the smallest heart from the stamped image to show it.

(a quick "how-to": Stamp the image in black onto white card, with a piercing tool or sewing needle make holes around the heart at regular intervals. Using two threads (taken from a six thread) of embroidery silk, chain stitch through the holes. Cut the smallest heart out with a craft knife. Apply double sided tape to the back of the stitches and position the insert.)

Wings, Wings Wings

The challenge at Stampotique is Wings Wings Wings. I decided to use my new Bird die from PaperArtsy. but rather than cut a shape to stamp onto I decided to use it to make an aperture.
Now the only problem with that is that I only have the x-cut (double do ) die cutter. Now the dies work pefectly in the machine, so no problem there. The problem is that the opening in the machine is only 3 inches wide. so I could only make a card 3 inches high. but of course I could make it as long as I liked, so this was the result.
I have stamped one of the matching bird stamps from HP1007 onto purple card to go inside. The swirl inside the card is from the same plate, and the background on the front of the card is from HP1006. The words are from Petals Plate 1.

I am also entering this for sunday stampers Music theme

"fairy cake"

You see, up until recently in the UK you never heard the term "cupcake", to us they are "fairy cakes", so I decided to revive the "fairy cake" by making my cake with an actual fairy on it.
This was Jo's birthday card and also my piece for the gingersnap DT this week, where the theme is wings. I have stamped moon girl (from stampotique) three times: once onto vellum, twice onto card, then layered her up so the vellum wings are sandwiched between the body and the card wings. The fairy cake base is stamped onto patterned paper and I have coloured the top with markers.

As Sunday stamper's theme is also wings I am entering this card for that challenge as well

big yellow flower!!

I found the instructions for making this paper crysanthemum in a paper sculpting book and had to give it a try. It's actually really easy and perfect for using up all of those dodgy scrapbook papers you bought ages ago as it uses a 6"x12" piece of paper. I thought this would look good on a present so attached it to a simple tag, and added a bee. The bee and splatter stamps are from Jo C apper-Sandon's new range from stampotique, available from Happy Daze in the UK.
I have added some torn papers to the tag so am entering it for Sunday Stampers' "torn" theme.

The flower is made from a 6x12 piece of paper, fold in half lengthways, score 1cm from fold line. cut strips down to score line.
roll the whole piece up (I stuck a piece of souble sided tape along the whole length of the scored bit). then use the edge of your scisors to curl all the strips.

Sunday Stampers: a tag for Paula

On our forum we are running a collaborative tag project. This tag was made for Paula who chose the theme Time and Place.
All the stamps are by PaperArtsy, and the papers are by K&Co,
I added some lace as a trim so I am going to enter it for Sunday stampers' Lace theme.

New PaperArtsy stamps

Second post today!
I have just received the new stamps from PaperArtsy, and thought that the "bird" theme at Sunday Stampers was the perfect opportunity to "break them in" so I made this card. I have used a colour of flowersoft that I bought this week, Summer. I have four pots of flower soft now, where will it stop? The grass is stamped with the two new shades of green ditress ink



I also bought these papermania bare boxes this week and decided to also use the PaperArtsy stamps to decorate one of these. I have made the flower using one of the stamps on brown wrapping paper four times. I have coloured the bare box by dragging a tattered rose ink pad accross it.

Ultimate cheapskate gift...

..a box of nothing!

I have made this for this week's forever friends challenge (starting tomorrow) where we have a guest host, Jackie, who has set the theme "anything but a card" a great theme as these bears are useful for so much more than just cards!

The paper is from a mega K&Co pad I purchased from QVC. great papers, but much flimsier than normal k&co papers, but at least that means I will actually use them rather than save them for "best".

I am also entering this for this week's sunday stamper challenge "livin in a box"

(please click on the picture to enlarge the image, so you can read the verse)

sunday stampers: snowmen

After seeing Paula's fabulous easel card, I had to have a go, so I decided to take part in sunday stampers snowman challenge, using this PaperArtsy snowman that I have become very fond of. I also used some more of the fabulous Spring and sprout papers from Paperartsy. The two patterns are the two sides of one sheet of paper. I have sanded the edges of the piece on the front.The ribbon is also from PaperArtsy!
I finished the card with some ultrafine glitter on the snow that is falling, and a button.

3 challenges before breakfast!!

I have made this piece for 3 challenges
sunday stampers- Circles
inchy by inch - time
mixed media monday - pink

The watch stamp is by non-sequitur, the words are invoke arts and the circles are PaperArtsy

I'm adding another picture as I have now turned this tag into a card as I wanted to send it to a very special lady who has recently had some very good news!