Origami Birds and Encouraging Words!

 Hey!
Ever feel a little blue and need some encouraging words? Or maybe you've a friend who really needs a lift..well this set is just perfect for those occasions using WPlus9's Encouraging Words

See the hills- the third one down? Turn it over and then stamp the edge again on a 90 degree angle against the first stamping and you get...a origami-ish looking bird. Kinda a little Jurassic World too.

But, you don't need to mess around with the set..you can just stamp it plain and simple.

 I've done a dual colour on the mountain stamp by adding ink to one half and then turning the stamp and inking with a different colour. The sentiment could have been stamped and embossed in white except I wanted a really soft subtle feel to the card

The background was simply distress ink, sponged through a die cut aperture. Really simple. I had the idea of creating a earth-like pattern, but the detail was lost through the vellum.

Do check out this set- it's perfect for one layer cards- really easy peasy.

 

Hope you have a really lovely day!

Keren x



Triangular Hugs!

 Hi! I thought I'd do another project using the Hero Arts Triangle background        

                                                        

                                                  

It's such a great set- I haven't even stamped it in colour yet. I simply embossed with white embossing powder onto white card.

I wanted to create something very clean and simple. I've been creating cards that take a little longer recently so it was great to do a project that took so little time.              

                                

I've layered up a few elements from the Sending You set by Avery Elle. 

                                                                

With a little fussy cutting, it adds layers without becoming too cluttered. With the cutout parts of the triangles and the cardstock underneath, there are actually 4 layers where the 'hugs' sentiment is but you wouldn't necessarily think it initially.
You can just about make out the ombre colours in the sentiment. I used one of the new Ombre pads from Hero Arts.

Check out the other ombre colours- they're really beautiful. You do need to move the pad around a little when stamping so you can't see the change between the colours and the ombre colours flow seamlessly.

I lastly added a strip of ombré paper.

Do go and see what's slipped into the store without you noticing! These big background sets are amazing!

See you next week!

Keren xx

                          

Flirty Bunny!

Hi! Hope you've all had a lovely Easter weekend. I have a question for you…..Can bunnies be flirty?

This one looks a little coy!

I've got out Hello Baby and mixed it with Flirty Frames…(get the question now?!)

You can see the background- I've stamped on acetate which is one of my favourite surfaces to stamp on. I've used Stazon Opaque Cotton White which is a much easier ink to get a result from- it doesn't slip as easily as the normal Stazon colours

I've sneaked in the foliage from Stuck on You and tied it all together using the focus in one small area and stacking the elements over each other.

A simple card that you could utilise for a 'happy Spring', a Birthday, or something more. The frames set is so brilliant- you need to get it before someone else rushes in and swipes it from the store!

See you next week..

Keren xx

PS- for those of you lovely girls who answered my question- I'd taken the photograph before the glue had dried properly.. if you check out the sequins in last weeks post, you'll see what I mean! xx

Colouring Basics

Hi! Hope you enjoyed Jenny's fabulously coloured cards yesterday. Today, I've kept it pretty simple.. plus this is a great example of how to hide your mistakes.

So, I've used the same set as last week from Sugar Pea Designs

Now, I've kept the colouring really simple- and been playing around with the blender pen again. I've done a close-up to show you that you really need to blend for the best effects. Everything else on the card is blended well- I simply go over with the lightest colour, and don't use the blender pen overly. Look at the next picture- I've left the blue bear unblended- you can really see how the harsh lines don't help the dimension at all. 

 

So, the mistakes?

I stamped the clothes and added the line of black for the washing line..I wanted a very CAS look to the card. Sadly, I'd had a little bite to eat during crafting..and...there was a mark (possibly chocolate, but I really wouldn't like to admit to that!).

So, the grass 'cover-up' was born. I ended up with not enough 'grass' for the width but decided to leave that 'carefully planned' (!) element as it was.

As I'd solved that issue, I managed to get ink on a bit of grass. A lot more sighing later, decided to 'hide' the ink by way of Glossy Accents on the grass. A 'dewy' glow all over the grass. You can spy a little if you look at the photo.

As I looked and felt moderately smug, I noticed a water stain on the 'grass'.

Arggh. Too late. I'd adhered it down.

So, washi tape to the rescue.

Most mistakes are coverable. I'm not used to having to solve 3 on one project!

My colouring tip for today? Use your blender pen to create patterns on solid parts of your coloured image. Look closely- you'll see spots, stripes and dashes, all courtesy of the blender pen!

 

Hope your projects are mess and mistake free!

See you next week,

 

Keren x

Joy To The Woods!

Hey! How are you?

Needs must and all that..I HAD to ink up this brand spanking new set from Lawn Fawn

Forgive me that we're heading into Christmas cards- but I've designed it so you could minus the baubles and have it as a wintry scene (obviously minus the joyful wishes too!)

I've made the background with distress inks & misty splodges (my spray gun is ahem..a little temperamental!) and the 'snow fall' is using some vellum. I've heat embossed with brown ink & clear powder (there's more shine IRL) and added some watercolouring to mimic gorgeous beech trees.

 This set is in stock (quick..fingers at the ready).. but knowing you guys, it won't be there for long!
If you want some more inspiration with this set.. Tara did a gorgeous winter scene here.

Well.. am off to finish uploading my card for the Monthly challenge.. it'll be up on the blog later.. do check out the sketch, it's a nice easy one with tons of scope for adding your creativity to it.

See you next week!

Keren xx

And…Relax!

Morning! Can't you tell it's the summer holidays!

There needs to be a whole ton of relaxing done.. except I'm not feeling it quite so much!

A card like this would be very welcome right now!

This is probably the simplest card ever.. but just goes to show that sometimes 'less' is most definitely ok!

I've used these lovely products- and for those that thought the font on Louie's ABCs dies might not be too large and only suitable for scrapbooking (ahem.. that would have been me ;-) ).. it's NOT. 

It's perfect.

It also subscribes to the 'the bigger the product the more quickly finished the card' school of thought. A CAS quickie at only about 7 minutes in total!

The simple shadow is enough to give a little contrast and the tiny details are courtesy of the Hello Sunshine stamp set

Do try 'minimal'.. it's a wonderful feeling!
Oh.. and don't forget to breathe.. and relax today!

See you next week,

Keren xx

Pretty Rain!

Happy Tuesday! 

Hope you're all ok- and not hiding from pretty rain like this little bunny. I thought I'd give the 'line-less' trend a go- simply stamping in a light colour and colouring up the edges so there doesn't appear to be any stamped edges. I chose a light Memento colour (Sahara Sand, I think) & got shading with my Copics.

The set is called Hello Baby

and I've also enlisted the help of the matching dies- which were perfect for cutting out the metal for the umbrella

Thankfully, there's plenty of sets..at the moment.. but always best to 'hop' ahead of the stampede!! (he he- a little mixing of metaphors for you!)

Hoping you have a bright sunshiney day- but failing that, a gorgeous shiny umbrella would be the perfect style ticket to ward off the drops!!

See you next Tuesday!

Keren xx

3D Tweeting!

Hi! Thought I'd do a little 3D card. I'm using the Newton's Nook set 'Tweet Talk'

It's hard to see that the top bird is actually coming out from the card. The way I've bent it means that it could still be folded up and popped into an envelope; it's kind of a step shape or straighter 'z'. The other birds and sentiment are simply attached to thin strips of acetate, adhered to the frame shape & then the frame is added to the card using 3D foam pads.

The background paper is the Hello Sunshine 'Lawn Fawn' paper pad which should be back in stock in soon. In the meanwhile, check out the rest of the Newton's Nook designs here. 

Hope you've enjoyed something a little different! I'm flying off to do some more crafting..hard life!!

See you next Tuesday!

Keren xx

You're Special!

Hey! Happy Tuesday!
There are some people in life who make others around them look a little..grey. They're so special, they exude colour and wonderfulness! This is a really quick card using a combo of 2 Paper Smooches sets.

There is obviously only one cup & I wanted them to be opposite to each other which is why I stamped onto acetate & flipped it after cutting it out. Obviously alcohol markers & Stazon don't mix so I coloured on the opposite side that I'd stamped on & dabbed the marker for the best coverage (alcohol markers don't behave the same as on paper/cardstock).

I know if you have to explain a card, then you've probably not done a very good job- but the idea is that there is the ordinary grey coffee, with plain steam & a more stylish one emitting flowers instead. Does that make sense now?!

Well, I'm off to make a coffee- and see what kind of steam comes off it!

Don't forget about our fab challenge here - just pick your colour & create a prize winning project!

See you soon,

Keren x

The Kings New Clothes & Avery Elle

I'm posting something a little risky today. I've been playing..with paint. The reason that I've titled the post 'The Kings New Clothes' is that any moment you'll realise I actually can't paint and I've just made it up!

Once I'd finished moving paint around, I wanted to stamp a sentiment and a border and this set was perfect

I've used the 'Thanks', the dashed line around the edges and in the next pic you might spot the tiny circle that I've used to highlight the circle. It's a brilliantly versatile set that you might have overlooked but would do for tons of occasions.

Well I'll cut and run… do check out the Avery Elle inks here- they're beautiful!

See you soon,

Keren x

The Ever-Difficult-to-make Man Card!

Hey! Hope you're all ok & not having eaten too much chocolate (is that even possible?!). Today I wanted to do a generic 'Man' card. Granted, a boat doesn't float everyones..well boat!- but you could easily substitute the boat for a couple of buttons, or dare I say even sequins!!

I've used one WPlus9 set & a die set too.

You can see I've simply die cut out one of each word in vanilla cardstock & then one in different coloured cardstock & attached them offsetting them slightly. The boat is coloured with Promarkers & the patterning done with a clear Copic marker. I then embossed the rope stamp in gold & to create the waves I used the tiny 'rope' stamp that is supposed to go over the Lifepreserver. I actually snipped a quarter out ( I wouldn't have separated any more of the stamp as it is in a precise position for laying over the Lifepreserver, but just taking out a quarter means it's easy to fit back in).

I've left a sentiment off- you could add several from the Dockside WPlus9 set- it's a great set particularly for men!

I could do with a rescue today myself- not loving having to be back to work & school runs etc after the lovely long Easter break!

See you next week,

Keren x

'SugarPea' Washing!

Hey!

Isn't it the perfect day to go and do loads of washing?! Before you splutter your tea out, I'm not a fan of washing either but this set nearly makes me want to get the machine going!

This is the set from one of our lovely new companies; SugarPea Designs

It's a larger set & there's tons of scope with this collection. You can see I've just used parts of the washing line

I've simply cut out a slightly larger shape after tracing around the outside of the stamp. I've added the line and hearts with a black gel pen & cut the sentiment stamp in half to give me more flexibility with the set. There's tons you can do with this..I'd love to see how you create with the set. 

Don't forget about our challenge

You've until the 23rd April to link up any card with a set found in the Make The Day Special store & there's a fab prize of £15 store credit. We'd love to see you joining in!

Righto- better go and get some new sets inky!

See you next week,

Keren x

More Gorgeous Unity!

Morning everyone, We have some more beautiful Unity for you today. I've combined two sets- one is possibly one of my favourite sets for its versatility

and..

All week we're saying a gentle goodbye to one of the brands in store by showcasing the remaining stock.You get a massive 25% off any of the sets that are left before they go altogether . Just enter the code UNITY25 at checkout and the discount will automatically be applied when your order goes through.

Forgive me for posting old projects- but I hope you can see what other projects you could create with Harvest of Memories in particular

This post is way long enough without me waffling on. 

I'm off, braving the wind today on a beach walk with my 3 youngest. It sure beats a day vegging although a day stamping? Well that's another matter!

See you next week!

Keren xx