Jar of Roses Slimline Card

This month's challenge over at the Die Cut Divas is to make a slimline card. I haven't made many slimline cards so thought I'd challenge myself and give it a go.

Stamps - Everything's Rosy (Sunny Studio Stamps), Bouquet For You (Stampendous), It's Your Birthday (Hero Arts), Embossing Folder - Happy Birthday (Cuttlebug), Dies - Everything's Rosy (Sunny Studio Stamps), Christmas Florals (Precious Marieke)

One of my favourite layering stamp sets is Sunny Studio Stamps' Everything's Rosy set. I love how dimensional and realistic the flowers and leaves images look and it's fun coming up with different ink mixes for them.

I made a cardbase and added an embossed background layered on silver glitter card. Next up I had some fun getting inky to make the flowers and leaves.

I arranged the stamped images and die cut foliage filler pieces on a jar I had coloured with distress inks (tumbled glass, broken china and faded jeans). The stems were coloured using watercolour pencils. To finish I stamped a sentiment from a Hero Arts set on a strip of card and fishtailed one end.

Linda's Christmas Tree Challenge

The other day my friend Linda set a challenge to make a Christmas card with a tree on it. You'll find the challenge and Linda's gorgeous Christmas card with a tree here on her blog.

To start I embossed a panel of kraft card and after adhering it to the card base added baker's twine borders - just love using red and white baker's twine on Christmas cards! I wanted to use Lawn Fawn's super cute Trim the Tree set so after a little stamping, colouring and cutting had a decorated tree to add to the card. I've added stickles to the star and Glossy Accents to the lights but, unfortunately, with the overcast conditions here didn't manage to pick up the sparkle and shine in my photo.

Stamp set - Trim the Tree (Lawn Fawn)
Embossing Folder - Snowflakes (Cuttlebug)

While I had my supplies out I also made a matching gift tag.

Stamp set - Trim the Tree (Lawn Fawn)

I'm happy to have added two cards and tags to my stash for Christmas and since Linda and I are going to set each other Christmas card challenges each week in July and August I should have a nice little pile of cards and tags by September.

Merry Christmoose

Yesterday I received some very happy mail thanks to the generosity of my favourite company - Hero Arts. Thanks a million Hero Arts:) I’m so glad I’m off work for most of this week so I can dive in and get inky! I started by making some items for a Scramble I’m hosting in the Hero Arts Flickr group on Saturday, but since the theme is a surprise I can’t post them just yet.

Anyway next up I wanted to use Christmas lights from the new Sparkle Borders set. I always like to make some cute Christmas cards and this time decided to have the funny moose from the Missing You set decorated or decorating for Christmas.

Stamps (Hero Arts) – Sparkle Borders, Missing You, Very Merry Christmas, Christmas Reindeer (snowflake), Polar Set by Lia (snowflake) and Fancy Cut Christmas (snowflake)

After die cutting a circle from a panel of kraft card, I embossed the panel and left it aside. For the background I inked a piece of white card with tumbled glass and salty ocean distress inks. After spritzing it with water and allowing time to dry, I stamped a mix of snowflakes in faded jeans distress ink . I adhered some snow banks onto the panel. These were made by tearing white card and distressing the edges with a scissors. I stamped the moose on white card and drew a line of string for my lights. The smallest light image from the Sparkle Borders set was stamped along the string. After cutting out the moose and lights image I coloured it with Promarkers and added diamond stickles and glossy accents to the lights.

The sentiment was made by combining sentiments from the Very Merry Christmas and Missing You sets.

I’m submitting this card into Merry Monday’s Christmas Lights and Glitter Challenge, Simon Says Stamps’ Anything Goes Challenge and Hero Arts’ Holiday Card Making Challenge.

Secret Santa

Over at the Hero Arts group on Flickr we have a little Secret Santa fun going on. Each Secret Santa is sending a Christmas card, a Christmas ATC and a little present to someone else who is taking part in the exchange. We'll only find out who our Secret Santa is when the package pops in through the letterbox.

I was playing Secret Santa to Laura and now that Laura has received her parcel I can show photos here. Well this Secret Santa was a forgetful Santa and forgot to take a photo of the little pressie but I did take photos of the ATC and card.

I just love the happy reindeer in the Christmas Reindeer set and pulled out one of them for the ATC.



Stamps (Hero Arts) - Christmas Reindeer, Tiny Star Background, Designer Snowflakes
and Special Delivery

The reindeer was coloured with ProMarkers and layered in places for some dimension. To make the background, I applied distress inks (broken china, faded jeans & tumbled glass) to white card, spritzed water on the star background and stamped the panel. Then I stamped some snowflakes using faded jeans distress ink and embossed the sentiment. I wanted lots of sparkle on the ATC so added stickles to the snowy ground and white dots on the reindeer's jumper (sweater). In case it wasn't sparkly enough I also added a glittery red frame.

Next up is the card.



Stamps (Hero Arts) - Designer Snowflakes and Special Delivery

For this one I embossed snowflakes on a panel of kraft card, inked the edges with white ink and did a bit of distressing. After stamping the sentiment and adding some gems, I layered the sentiment circle on a glittery die cut. To finish I just added a strip of ribbon and a bow.

I really enjoyed making the ATC and card for Laura and needless to say a trip to my lss to buy some little bits and pieces for her was fun too:) Hope you are having a fun and inky weekend:)

Snowy Hearts

I wanted to incorporate hearts into my hubby's Christmas card and needless to say I was back to the snowflakes again too!


Stamps (Hero Arts) - Designer Snowflakes, Very Merry Christmas & Christmas Reindeer

I die cut a heart from a square of red card and embossed lots of snowflakes all over the panel. Then I applied some white ink to the edges and did a bit of distressing. After dry embossing a panel of white card, I placed it behind the heart window and then embossed the sentiment on another die cut heart. All of the pieces are popped up on foam pads and to finish I just added some gems.

As I had bits and pieces left over from making the card, I decided to use them to make a small card to act as a gift card holder.


Stamps (Hero Arts) - Designer Snowflakes, Very Merry Christmas, Christmas Reindeer & Sew Artsy)

Again I just embossed snowflakes on the large heart left over from making the first card. This time I added a bit of silver embossing on the sentiment and stitched line holding the heart ornament. To finish I added a gem, a bow and a little pocket on the inside to hold the gift card.



I'm submitting these cards into Simons Says Stamp Anything Goes Challenge and the current Hero Arts challenge (A Few of My Favourite Things category, as I love stamping and embossing and also love using individual stamps to make a background).

Tonight we'll be watching one of our favourite programmes that really signals the start of the Christmas season for us here - The Late Late Toy Show . So we'll be setting down with a big bowl of popcorn, hot chocolate and will make some s'mores by the fire - ah bliss! Hope your weekend gets off to a great start too:)

Sparkly Tree Tag Card

I've had great fun joining in on the current Hero Arts Challenge and this time I'm trying the Deck the Cards category for my little tag card.



Stamp (Hero Arts) - Shari's Tree No. 3

To start with I die cut the label twice to form the tag card and die cut a frame for the front. Then I punched a little hole at the top for the ribbon and string. I embossed a little hill and added the frame using foam pads. After stamping the tree I cut it out and then things went a little off plan! I wanted to make a sparkling silver\white tree with blue decorations but as you can see that didn't happen. I used my embossing pen to cover the areas I wanted to emboss and sprinkled on stardust embossing powder. Even though I knew my embossing pen had a blue hue I thought it would be concealed by the embossing powder, lol I was wrong about that.



Anyway I liked the end result so went ahead and decorated the tree with gems and pearls from three different packets of Hero Arts gems/pearls (sea mixed accents, light blue gemstones & spring mixed gemstones). I'm also submitting this into the Die Cut Divas Let's Celebrate Challenge.

Christmas Blessings

I'm off work today, so the weekend has started for me - yippee:)



Stamps (Hero Arts) - Greatest Gift & Tiny Star Background

I thought I'd make another Christmas card using the Greatest Gift set from Hero Arts. To start with I cut out the banner and die cut an opening for the Nativity scene. Then I embossed the sentiment and added some faux stitching.

To make the background for the Nativity scene, I inked a panel of white card with distress inks (broken china, tumbled glass and faded jeans). Then I spritzed water on the Tiny Star background and stamped on the panel. I also added some splashes of water from a paintbrush.



Once this was dry I stamped the scene and added a frame, a twine bow and a couple of gems to finish.

I'm submitting this card into the current Hero Arts Challenge (A Few of My Favourite Things category, as I used a favourite technique - stamping on distress ink with water) and the Die Cut Divas' Let's Celebrate Challenge. Hope you have a great weekend!

All wrapped up - well first one anyway!

I have to admit I have barely started my Christmas shopping, yet here I am thinking about how I'm going to wrap and tag pressies!

The other day I used Spellbinders' picot edge circles as the base for my tags and as I love the pretty edging, I took them out again for my next set of gift tags.



Stamps (Hero Arts) - Designer Snowflakes, Christmas Ornament set & Christmas Tags set

This time I also went with a white/kraft colour combination but threw in some red too. I die cut the various layers and stamped the sentiments and snowflakes using barn door distress ink. After that I put the tags together using foam pads for some dimension and added some embroidery floss.



Stamps (Hero Arts) - Designer Snowflakes, Christmas Ornament set & Christmas Tags set

When it came to taking photos of the tags they were slipping and sliding all over the place. But then I spotted these little guys who made the perfect props to keep my tags upright!



I made quite a few of these tags in no time at all, and with a slight change in colour used one on a pressie I was wrapping.



Stamps (Hero Arts) - Designer Snowflakes & Christmas Tags set

To make the wrapping paper I stamped a number of snowflakes (again using barn door distress ink) over a piece of paper taken from a plain roll of parcel paper. After adding ribbon I topped the present off with a tag. I can't believe I have my first Christmas present wrapped already - lol I'm never that organised!! I'm submitting these into the current Hero Arts Challenge (A Few of My Favorite Things category as I stamped sentiment frames and also made my own wrapping paper by stamping on plain parcel wrap) as well as the Die Cut Divas' Let's Celebrate Challenge.

Hope you have a fun and inky weekend:)

Snowflake Gift Tags

After making my last card I still had kraft card on my table, so when I wanted to make some snowflake gift tags this morning, I went with a kraft and white colour combination. I love the very pretty snowflakes from Hero Arts' Designer Snowflakes set and used these on all of the tags.



Stamps (Hero Arts) - Designer Snowflakes & Very Merry Christmas

I started by die cutting the tag bases and added some string. Then I die cut some kraft card, embossed the snowflakes & sentiment and added gems. To try to add an even more snowy look to the tags I inked the edges with white ink. The snowflake pieces were added to the bases using foam pads. These tags are so easy and simple to make and put together, I think I'll make a batch of them over the weekend.



I'm submitting these tags into the current Hero Arts challenge (A Few of my Favourite Things category, as I used one of my favourite stamping techniques - stamping and embossing) as well as the Die Cut Divas' Let's Celebrate challenge.

Snowy Village

It's getting a bit cooler here now, but so far we've had no snow. I do love snowy winter scenes on Christmas cards and wanted to use Hero Arts' pretty New England Winter stamp for my next Christmas card. I can just imagine sitting beside the fire sipping hot chocolate in one of those snowbound houses:)



Stamps (Hero Arts) - New England Winter, Tiny Star Background & Christmas Reindeer

As I was going to cut out the building and pop them on foam pads for some dimension, I thought I'd go with a starry background instead of the snowflake background on the village stamp. So to start with I embossed the stars on a panel of pierced kraft card that I'd left aside from another project. The buildings were stamped using barn door distress ink. It's hard to tell from the photo but there is a lot of depth in the card as the snow banks, buildings and panel are all on foam pads. I embossed the sentiment and lightly applied some white ink to the edges of the die cut sentiment piece. To finish I added lots and lots of stickles to the card to try to mimic the lovely sparkle of snow.



Sorry for the slightly blurry photo but I couldn't seem to get a clear one! I'm submitting this card into the current Hero Arts Challenge and the Die Cut Divas Let's Celebrate Challenge.

Moxie Fab Thanks! Blog Hop

I'm delighted to be part of the Moxie Fab Thanks! Blog Hop, to celebrate and thank the moxie fab Cath Edvalson, former editor at Paper Crafts Magazine and brilliant blogger at Moxie Fab World!

You should have arrived here from sunny California from the blog of the very talented and sweet Nancy Krueger. If you didn't begin at the start of the hop, you can go to Moxie Fab World where the hop begins. A list of all of the stops on this blog hop will also be listed there.

Cath has been such a big part of the paper crafting world so needless to say I was very shocked and saddened when I read Cath's farewell post over at Moxie Fab World. So today I'd love to say thanks a million to Cath for everything and let her know I'll miss her so much.

In her farewell post Cath quoted Winnie the Pooh, and today I have to say to Cath, also in the words of that wise bear, I knew when I met you an adventure was going to happen. And what adventures I've had since I came across Cath's wonderful, inspiring, eloquent, fun and intriguing posts in Moxie Fab World. Because of Cath, visits to Moxie Fab World have always been a must for me. I've also thoroughly enjoyed playing along with the Tuesday Trigger and the amazing variety of challenges Cath has come up with over the years. Cath has always been so generous with her kind words of encouragement to paper crafters. She has even managed to keep me, a non trendy person, interested in and abreast of all the latest trends. My online “visits” to CHA with Cath have been fantastic. Often because of her I’ve ended up with a very long shopping list indeed!



Stamps (Hero Arts) - Exotic Bloom & Dolls (sentiment)

Cath, this card was made for you and about you. The panel represents all the colour you have brought into my life, something for which I will always be thankful. I want to wish you all of the very best in your new adventure in life. I'm sure many, many exciting and fun experiences lie ahead! As the blog hop banner says, Cath, you'll always be moxie fab! Hugs and best wishes :)

Thanks so much for visiting today and now why don't you join me as I hop from here in Ireland over to Switzerland for the next stop in the hop. You will be visiting the lovely and talented Isha Gupta . Happy hopping and hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Santa Baby

I wanted to make a card for a baby's first Christmas and pulled out a stamp and die set as well as some blue Core'dinations paper, both of which my good friend Linda sent me. Thanks again, Linda:)


Stamps (Hero Arts) - Onesie (Hero Arts Archiver's exclusive), Small Variety Alphabet & Christmas Reindeer

To start with I embossed the background and sanded it. Then I embossed the onesie on scraps of red card and white card. After that I embossed the name and snowflakes and did some paper piecing. When the little onesie was on the card I added some stickles and a couple of gems to finish.

I'm submitting this card into the current Hero Arts Challenge (A Few of My Favourite Things category), as I used a couple of my favourite stamping techniques on this card - embossing and paper piecing.

Now I've got the song Santa Baby in my head, I'll be singing it all day long. Though I have to say I'm using the term "singing" very loosely here, as I'm certainly no Eartha Kitt!

Wreath of Thanks

Between busy times at work and being sick, unfortunately I haven't had a chance to get inky in three weeks. So I was delighted this morning to finally get back into the swing of things and get up to my eyes in ink and paper!

I love Cath's gorgeous Tuesday Trigger photo over at the Moxie Fab World and am definitely one of those people who is enthralled with fall. I do love to see the first green shoots in spring, but for me nothing can beat the splendid display of colours that nature puts on for us in autumn.

My card was inspired by a number of elements from the photo - the gorgeous leaves, the wood in the background and the circular shape of the container.


Stamps (Hero Arts) – Scattering Leaves & Celebrate Everyday

To start with I stamped the leaves using Hero Arts shadow inks (pale tomato, butter bar & orange soda), cut them out and then applied distress inks (barn door, spiced marmalade & mustard seed ) to the edges. I embossed the woodgrain background and embossed the sentiment in gold. To finish I just add a few gems.



I'm also submitting this card into The Die Cut Divas Autumn and Animals Challenge.

It’s a bank holiday weekend here so we’ll get to enjoy an extra day off as well as the extra hour in bed we had this morning with the clock going back. Hope you have a great weekend too!

Nativity Gift Tags

Today I'm playing along with two challenges, the Holiday Gift Tag Challenge in the Moxie Fab World and Hero Arts' Stamp Your Story Inspiration Challenge.

Well the sun may be splitting the stones outside but with the release of Holiday Cards and More I'm already thinking of Christmas, and a good thing too as I'm usually rushing at the last minute with Christmassy bits and pieces! I love the cover on the magazine and can't wait to get my hands on it so I can see what else is inside!

I'm thinking of wrapping some Christmas presents in plain white paper embossed with snowflake and for a few will steer away from the usual Christmas colours. So going away from traditional colours, I made some gift tags that were inspired by this gorgeous and fun Halloween card created by Kelly Rasmussen. I just love the fabulous sky Kelly created as well as the colour combination and silhouettes against the sky.



Stamps (Hero Arts) - Special Delivery & Greatest Gift

I wanted the tags to have a similar shape to The Stations of The Cross in our local church, so to start with I die cut the windows using Spellbinders Window One die, and cut off the pieces in the middle that I didn't want. Then I applied distress inks (mustard seed, dried marigold, spiced marmalade and barn door) to cream card and sprinkled some water on it. Once dry I cut out panels, stamped the scenes and adhered the panels behind the windows. To finish I just added a tiny star rhinestone to the centre tag and added string to them all.

Happy Birthday

I arrived home yesterday evening to some very happy mail from my good friend Linda! Included with Linda's fab card and other beautiful goodies was the gorgeous Remember set from Hero Arts.

So first thing this morning I had to get inky! I love Cath's gorgeous Tuesday Trigger photo over at Moxie Fab World and have been wanting to play along since I saw the photo.

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I love the pretty muted colours, texture of the lace, the sheer fabric, pearls and pretty scalloped edging so tried to incorporate these elements into my card.


Stamps (Hero Arts) - Remember & It's Your Day

To start with I embossed a panel and die cut a frame for the flower panel, using Labels 10 Nestabilities. The flowers were inked with Hero Arts' soft pool shadow ink and Memento's new sprout marker and stamped on cream card. I added an organza ribbon bow and pearl to finish the panel. The sentiment was embossed in gold and I die cut the tips of the sentiment strip with the Labels 10 Nestabilities so it would tie in with the frame.



I'm also submitting this card into the Birthday Card Challenge in the Moxie Fab World and the Die Cut Divas Summer Flowers Challenge. The sun is still shining here and we haven't had rain in over two weeks - I can't remember having a summer like this in such a long time! I hope you're having a lovely summer too:)

Moxie Fabber and Thanks

Moxie Fab World is one of my favourite places to visit and I can't tell you how surprised and delighted I was when I received a lovely email from Cath inviting me to be a Moxie Fabber of the Week! I would definitely never think of myself as being moxie fab so it was amazing to have been paid that compliment - thanks a million, Cath! If you'd like to see the post, you can find it here.

I have a few thank you cards to make and want to make a variety of cards using the gorgeous Hero Arts butterfly die. Today I only had a chance to make one card, but I suppose it's a start anyway!



Stamp (Hero Arts) - Celebrate Everyday
Die (Hero Arts) - Butterfly

For the background I sanded an embossed panel my friend Linda had sent (thanks again, Linda:)) and added some stitching around the edges. The sentiment is a Happy Thanksgiving one, but I love the font, so often partially ink it to use on thank you cards.



I was trying to mimic the light, papery look of a butterfly's wings so backed the die cut butterfly with a wrinkle ribbon from May Arts. A little baker's twine bow and heart gem completed the butterfly.

Thanks so much for visiting:)

Magnetic Bookmark and a Ramble

I'm off work this week and as luck would have it the weather is fabulous - warm, lots of sunshine and light breezes.

After lunch I couldn't help but play along again with the Tuesday Trigger over at Moxie Fab World.



My good friend Trinh recently sent me the gorgeous magnetic bookmark below. She has a great tutorial here on making these type of bookmarks with some more fab examples.



I loved the idea so much that I had to have a go at making one.


Stamp (Hero Arts) - Let the Angels Sing

I found a cute little bird and the musical notes in a Hero Arts Christmas set and added a little twig from the garden so it would all tie in with the Trigger photo. The patterned paper is from Pebbles and the base of the bookmark is a lump of heavy card from a box which would have ended up being recycled.



I'm also submitting this project into the Die Cut Divas Anything But A Card Challenge.

I'm making the most of my week off so at the start of the day I went walking with Toby. We followed one of the Slí na Sláinte walks, it's about three miles long and takes a circular route out by our local canal. It's so peaceful there and most of the time all you can hear is the sound of birds chirping and chattering. I took some photos as we went along so if you'd like to ramble virtually with us here they are:

This is the first bridge we cross on the walk. There must be some wild garlic growing near here as there was quite a strong smell of garlic wafting around in the air at this point.



I haven't a clue what this wildflower is called but it looks so pretty all along by the banks of the canal. It reminds me a little bit of baby's breath, well whatever it is I love the delicate look of it.



There were lots of other pretty wildflowers along the way like these beauties





Finally a wildflower I know! I remember when we were kids holding buttercups under each others chins about an inch away from the skin to do the "butter test". Seemingly if you could see a tinge of yellow on the skin that meant you liked butter!



The hawthorn trees are in full bloom too.


There will be lots of berries this year!



With his black coat, Toby really feels the heat when we're walking on sunny days so a bottle of water and cup always ends up in the rucksack for this walk.



Then we came across these cuties who couldn't quite reach the long grass outside their paddock, so of course I had to stop and hand them bunches of grass to munch on.





Thanks for joining me on my little ramble:)