A Day at the Seaside with LIM

When I saw the LIM challenge yesterday was 'anything to do with the seaside' I resigned myself to the fact that I wouldn't be entering a card this week. I don't have any suitable stamps relating to the sea, nor anything which could even be loosely connected. And my brain had taken a day off as well I think!!
However today I had an idea so, this afternoon, I disappeared into my craft room and this is what I came out with.
My wooden post was an off cut lurking on my desk, which had been made using the Woodgrain stamp, and was perfect for what I needed. The lifebuoy was made with two circle punches, cut from Cherry Cobbler and coloured with my Blendabilities to give it some depth. I wound round some Whisper White Baker's Twine and attached it to the post using dimensionals (another scrap of the Woodgrain card was cut to make a hook). The seagull was made with the Bird Builder punch sponged with Smoky Slate. The background was sponged with Smoky Slate, Soft Sky and So Saffron.

I have been so bad at blogging over the Summer holidays but there just seems to have been so much to do, catching up on all the things I don't seem to get done when I'm at work. Back to work this week so maybe I will get back into a routine again soon!!

Margaret x

Treat Box & Matching Card

This is a matching treat box and card we made at a class today and the box is similar to the one I posted a few weeks ago which can be seen here. (The card was CASE'd from Jill Franchett)
The idea came about when I was doing some instructions for another box which we also made at today's class and, whilst checking them over, this idea popped into my head. The box measures approx 2" wide and 5" high so is just the right size for a few sweet treats.
It is made in Smoky Slate cardstock and decorated with DSP from the Watercolour Wonder pack. Of course it has to have some Petite Petals flowers (I don't seem to make much these days that hasn't got these little beauties on!!) and they are stamped in Daffodil Delight and Smoky Slate then cut out with the co-ordinating punch. A few leaves from the Bird Builder punch and some colored paper cut with the Fringe Scissors finished the project.
If you would like to order any Stampin'Up! supplies then please do not hesitate to contact me and I'll be happy to help

Margaret x

A Special Birthday

Today's card is one I was asked to make for an ex-colleague who now lives and runs a hotel in the IOW. She left a few years ago but there are still several of us who remember her and still a fair few who go and visit her quite regularly. It needed to be quite large so we could all sign it and it ended up being an A5 card.
I used a white card blank along with Smoky Slate cardstock and ink - teamed up with Raspberry Ripple. The background is stamped with the lovely Hardwood stamp and the sentiment is from Memorable Moments, cut with a Labels Collection Framelit and matted onto a larger framelit. The larger flowers are Petite Petals punched with the co-ordinating punch and the small ones are from Banner Blast, punched with an Itty Bitty punch, with a few leaves from the Bird Builder punch. I added the recipients name which was cut out with the now retired Timeless Type Junior Alphabet dies and the ribbon is Basic Grey Taffeta (also retired!)

Thanks for stopping by

Margaret x

Something a little different

Well the LIM challenge today, to use metal, is definitely outside my comfort zone! I racked my brains for this challenge - should I use brads, heat embossing, some sort of charm - but none of these really inspired me. Then I suddenly remembered that a while back I'd bought a sheet of thin metal (which actually didn't work for the project I needed it for!) so I hunted that down and came up with this card. Being a Teaching Assistant in Science means that whenever I think of mixing metal with papercrafting I immediately think of magnets so this is where my 'something a little different' comes in - I made the 'Mr & Mrs' panel in the centre into a fridge magnet!! (see picture bottom right - stuck on my conservatory heater)
I used framelits from Apothecary Accents to cut out the aperture and also the 'Mr & Mrs' which had been stamped, with a now retired stamp, in Silver Encore ink. A piece of metal was embossed with the Perfect Polka Dots folder and positioned behind the aperture panel. The congratulations banner was stamped with an Itty Bitty Banners sentiment and cut with the co-ordinating framelit and the metal flowers punched with an Itty Bitty Shapes punch. A few leaves from the Bird Builder punch and some Basic Rhinestones were added to finish the card.
The fridge magnet was made by cutting several shapes from fairly stiff card then glued together to give a much sturdier panel.

Have a great weekend and I'll be back soon

Margaret x

Treat Box

I've done enough for the men this week so have something really feminine to show you today - a little treat box. This came about when I was doing some instructions for another box which we will be making at a class next week and, whilst checking them over, this idea popped into my head. Off I went into my craft room to give it a go and this is what I ended up with.

The box measures approx 2" wide and 5" high so is just the right size for a few sweet treats. I used Wisteria Wonder cardstock and stamped all over using the En Francais background stamp. The fancy top is, of course, done with the Scalloped Tag Topper Punch (one of my new favourite tools!!). The flowers are stamped with images from Petite Petals, punched with the co-ordinating punch. I added a few Pistachio Pudding leaves punched with the Bird Builder punch.

I hope you like it and if you would like to buy any of the products used (or any others for that matter) please don't hesitate to get in touch - contact details on tab at the top.

Thanks for stopping by today

 

Margaret x

Valentine's Card

As promised I am back to show you one of the Valentine's cards I made for a team challenge. I have used the new Spiral Flower die to make the Real Red rose and this is one product that I definitely need more practice with as I'm not very good!!!
A piece of Basic Black cardstock was run through one of the Adorning Accents Embossing Folders and matted onto a strip of Real Red before adhering to a card blank. Some leaves, punched from the Bird Builder punch, and a couple of loops of taffeta ribbon were glued in place then the rose placed on top. The card was finished off with a sentiment from the Hostess Set, Express Yourself. Of course this doesn't have to be a Valentine's card it could be used for an anniversay or just to let someone know you care.

Back tomorrow with another Valentine's/ Anniversary card

Margaret x

 

Card Swap Group Birthday

This is the card I made for Ann (a member of the card swap group) whose birthday was last week. Ann likes Pink Pirouette so I used that, along with Early Espresso, for her card.
I cut a circular aperture in a piece of Pink Pirouette cardstock, using one of the Circles Collection Framelits, and did a couple of rows of paper piercing around it. A panel of Pink Pirouette (retired) DSP was placed on a card blank, the pink panel positioned on top and the sentiment, from Perfectly Penned, stamped in Early Espresso. Three flowers from Flower Shop, stamped in Pink Pirouette and punched out with the Pansy Punch, were arranged around the aperture with the addition of a few Crumb Cake leaves, which had been punched form the Bird Builder Punch.
Hope you had a good day Ann.

Margaret x

Kraft & Creme and a Happy Birthday at LIM

It's a beautiful sunny day here but my day is not going at all well! I got up late which has completely thrown me and, whilst having my 'wake up' coffee, I popped on to the Less is More site really hoping for a challenge that DIDN'T inspire me - that was the wrong thing to do! This week's challenge is Kraft & Creme, definitely my sort of colours, so off to make a card instead of doing the things I should be doing :0)

I used Crumb Cake and Very Vanilla with a strip of Crumb Cake DSP to make a very simple card. The flower was cut with the Floral Fusion Sizzlits die and a punch from the Itty Bitty Punch Shapes pack, and the leaves are from the Bird Builder punch. Some Bakers Twine was tied around the panel and a sentiment added. The sentiment is from Pretty Petites and punched with the Petite Curly Label punch, both from the current Sale-a-Bration promotion.

As it is LIM's second birthday I decided, whilst I'd got all the supplies out, I would make a birthday card for the lovely ladies who tirelessly set the challenges each week and take the time to visit every one of us and leave a comment. So, thank you for the past 2 years ladies and here's to the next two!!!!

Supplies used - Letter It and Memorable Moments stamps, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla & Naturals Ivory cardstock, Crumb Cake taffeta ribbon, Basic Pearls and Labels Collection Framelits

Brown & Pink

 

It's a colour challenge of Brown & Pink this week at Less is More and this is the card I've made. I punched one edge of a piece of Whisper White cardstock with the Eyelet Border punch before matting onto a slightly larger piece of Chocolate Chip. Before fixing to my card blank I tied some Pink Pirouette Taffeta Ribbon round and finished with a bow. The central stamp is from Everything Eleanor stamped in Crumb Cake with a sentiment from Petite Pairs stamped in Chocolate Chip. I made some flowers with Pink Pirouette and Chocolate Chip cardstock, punched with Boho Blossoms and Itty Bitty punches, with a basic Pearl for the centres and the leaves are from the Bird Builder punch.

I'm really not a fan of pink but, if I have to use it, then putting it with brown is ok with me :0)

Swing Card & Treat Box

I have a little gift set to show you today, made with a mish-mash of products and stamp sets (but serves to show just how good SU products are to mix'n'match!) The swing card is made using the Framelits dies and is not as complicated as it may look, there are a variety of instructional videos on YouTube if you want to have a go yourself. The little Treat Box can be made in various sizes by simply using different size dies.
I won't bore you by going into great detail but the supplies I used are as follows; Old Olive cardstock and Taffeta Ribbon, Twitterpated DSP, Framelits dies, Bird Punch (leaves), Boho Blossoms punch, Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack, Basic Rhinestones.
I have been overwhelmed by the number of good wishes I have received in the past weeks whilst my Dad has been in hospital, lots from people I don't know but who I feel like I know. Crafters are such a lovely bunch of people aren't they? He is still there and, like I've said before, it's going to be a long haul but we'll get sorted in the end I'm sure. Thanks again everyone x

Father's Day Card

Another simple card to show you today, it is nice to return to something quick and easy after a couple of weeks making cards which have needed to be a bit more fancy!

This is made using the new Framelits dies, available in the Summer Mini. I began by cutting the middle using a design from the Nursery Nest DSP and a frame made from Pacific Point cardstock. These were layered onto a white card blank with the sentiment stamped in Pacific Point underneath. My little bird is punched with the Bird Builder punch using Crumb Cake and the leaves in River Rock. I used an Early Espresso marker to colour in his eye, beak and feet and a Pacific Point marker to add some dots to the frame.

I hope you had a good extended Jubilee weekend, my celebrations took the form of watching it on the telly and, with the awful weather we've had, I think maybe I chose the best option! Thankfully it didn't seem to dampen the spirits of the hundreds of thousands who ventured up to London, they all looked like they were having a great time. I was amazed at the stamina of the Queen though, particularly yesterday - I bet she slept well last night!

Simply Stampin' Sketch - again

Whilst having a grand clear up in my craft room I came across the two pieces of DSP that I messed up when making my first card for the Simply Stampin' Sketch challenge this morning, so I decided I would have another go and use the reverse spotty side. I matted the panels onto Basic Gray cardstock and positioned them onto a white card blank. I cut two flowers from the Blossom Party die in Pink Pirouette and, after curling them slightly, layered one on top of the other and glued them onto the central panel. The other two flowers are punched with the Boho Blossoms punch - all the flowers have DSP centres cut with a circle punch and the leaves are punched from Old Olive with the Bird Builder punch. The banner is a strip of Whisper White and Old Olive cardstock, cut at the end, with the retired sentiment stamped in Old Olive and three Basic Pearls added.

Inspiration!

Yesterday I saw a brilliant card which was an entry to the LIM challenge and made by Kimberley (her card is here). The actual card isn't CASe'd because mine has a completely different look to Kimberley's but the idea definitely is!

I cut out the letters from Everyday Enchantment DSP using my Timeless Type Alphabet dies and positioned them onto a square of Whisper White cardstock, leaving a space in the centre for my four leaf clover. This was made with four hearts, punched with the Small Heart punch in Lucky Limeade cardstock, which I scored down the centre and the stem is a bit of the branch from the Bird Builder punch. This was then matted onto a larger square of Lucky Limeade cardstock before fixing to a white card blank.

A very simple card but such an effective idea - thanks Kimberley :0)