In The Summertime.

A completely different style of card from me today.

Inspired by the set of Brusho Water colour paints

I have just bought.

I took myself down to the end of the garden and armed with loads of newspaper to spread on the table I had a little play.

I used a sheet of plain white cardstock

and then sprinkled just a small amount of the powdered paint

onto the paper using just 3 colours.

Rose Red, Ultra Marine, Lemon.

I then spritzed  over with a generous helping of water

and left the paints to do their magic.

Where the colours have mixed and merged I now have

Orange , Mauve and Green  added into the equation.

No 2 patterns will ever come out exactly the same.

I left to dry and then cut down to size and adhered to a card blank.

 

On a snippet of card I  sprinkled  

Purple and Brilliant Red together

and when dry over stamped  using  the Indgio Blu butterfly stamp

with Versamark and embossed with black EP.

I then fussy cut the butterfly  and mounted to the card using 3D pads.

I gave the sentiment stamp the same treatment.

A quick doodle round the edges plus some black gems and a very 

CAS card from me.

I really enjoyed using these paints and have bought the

Brusho Secrets  DVD to go with them so expect to see more 

as I work through the lessons.

I made this card as inspiration for my Butterfly Challenge

where the theme is Summertime Butterflies.

Hope you can play along as the challenge is running for  4 weeks.

 

Entering into the following challenges:

4 Krafty Girlz #23 Anything goes.

Sister Act #67 Anything goes.

Crafty Catz #241 Anything goes.

Less  Is More. #182 Anything goes.

Pixie's Crafty Workshop #135. Use your snippets. (oddment of white card).

A Wintery Scene.

Appologies for late entry.

I have been chasing my tail around all day.

Things won't get much better this week either.

So much to do and so little time.

Enough  of my moaning.

I actually did finish this card  in time to post early today

but last night I wasn't entirely happy with it and this morning

I popped another two layers on to it.

Now I like it!

The challenge over at the Christmas card club this time

has been set by Sylvie who wants to see trees somewhere on our cards.

I knew I had this rather lovely card in my stash of used Christmas cards

so  dug it out to use .

The original card was quite a big one so I cut out the centre

of the picture using my Xcut Rectangle Parenthesis die.

I came across the die cut fence panel whilst searching

for the snow flake die  and thought it made a nice foreground.

Snowflake die by Sizzix 655628 covered with Glamour dust.

SU card stock in grey.

Mirror card and navy pearl effect cardstock added as I thought

the card just lacked that little bit extra otherwise .

Blue dotty ribbon and blue gems from my stash.

Card given a light dusting of glamour dust to finish.

Then I decided to use all the left overs to decorate the inside.

I had a piece of the old Christmas card left over and trimmed it down.

I quite like the like the negative die shape along the edge.

The sentiment was from another card which I had previously cut using

my Xcut  Rectangles die.

 

Entering into the following challenges:

Completely Christmas #22 Anything goes.

Christmas card challenge #35 Anything goes.

Crafty Hazelnuts Extra#  Christmas theme only.

Sparkles Christmas challenge #42 A winter scene.

Twisted Tuesday #81 Christmas with trees.

Scrap Creations# Christmas in July.

Die Cuttin Divas #175 Christmas in July (must use at least one die cut. I used 4.)

Clear It Out challenge # Christmas in July with glitter.

City Crafter #221 Christmas in July

Crafting For All Seasons #82 Christmas in July.





Some more Spots and Stripes.

My Butterfly Challenge still has another week to run

so here are a couple of more cards for your inspiration.

 

The Technique Twist  current challenge is to  make a

Building Blocks card.

As I'm always on the look out for new card shapes to try out I thought I would give this one a go.

There is an excellent tutorial on Split Coast Stampers

which I found mega  easy to follow. In fact I didn't  even use my Xcutter  just sissors.

I used plain card stock for the base in both yellow and Green.

DP. is from 'Pretty Pansies' collection by Nancy watt.

Embossed Stickers by Papermania

this time in a yellow/brown/ cream colour way

again a prezzie from blogging pal Lesley.

Yellow butterflies punched using a Tonic Punch and already  in my stash

along with the cream bows.

Close up of the front of card.

Entering into the following challenges:

The Technique Twist #28 building block cards.

A Gem of a Challenge #124 Spots and Stripes (plz use both).

Pixie's Crafty Workshop #134 Use up your snippets. (tonic punched butterflies.)

Scribble and Scrap #23 Anything goes.

Crafting from The Heart #28 Anything goes.

Sister Act #66 Anything goes.

Really Reasonable Ribbons #99 Things with wings and ribbon.

Tuesday Taggers # Things with wings.

 

For my second card I have used a design

(pealing back papers)

That I have been meaning to try out  for ages.

I thought it would work perfectly on this card.

 

The stripe paper is a freebie from Papercraft Magazine called Candy-Cute.

I layered this on to a blank card base and then roughed up the edges with my handy gadget.

Spotty paper is two papers stuck back to back and cut just slightly smaller .

Again the edges have been distressed and also the slit which has been turned back

to allow the base paper to show through.

Sentiment is  a freebie from Beyond The Fringe given the same treatment.

Gold foil butterflies are  a topper by Dufex

Ribbon trim , pearls and flowers from my stash.

 

Entering into the following challenges.

That Craft Place# Anything goes.

Pixie's Crafty Workshop #134 Use up your snippets (pink bow ribbon).

Use Your Stuff #145 Layers.

Through the Craft Room Door # Anything goes.

Fan-Tastic Tuesday #45 Anything goes.

Charisma Cardz #15 Anything goes.

Crafty Hazelnuts Patterned Paper # Anything goes.

Crafting At The Weekend #3 Anything goes.

 

Hope I have inspired you to play along .

Hugs Mrs A. 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 







Take some Cardboard and Glue.

I was lucky  enough  to be a Spot light winner in the April challenge

at Crafting By Designs

with  my Decorated Egg

and very honoured when Doris asked me to be a

guest Designer for July.

Here's what I made for the current Anything Goes challenge.

 

I had seen an Altered Lantern in a recent issue of

Craft Stamper by Elizabeth Borer

using a Glass Lantern.

 

Now I didn't have a lantern to hand 

and not about to buy one when I had lots of recyclable goodies

in my stash

so

Take some cardboard, glue  and torn up kitchen roll

and lets begin.

I cut strips of card to the size I needed and stuck  together

and then started to glue the torn kitchen paper all over to cover.

Once dry I painted using a tester pot  in 'Enchanted Eden'

I also found an old perfume bottle top and painted that to match.

 Elizabeth had used stamped  tissue paper to cover her glass.
I did think to use acetate but as I already had parchment paper
out on my desk to use for another project I used that instead
for the lantern sides. The stamp came free  in the same magazine.

I stamped out using  Memento 'Tuxedo Black' ink

and coloured on the reverse with Promarker pens.

Some garden wire and an old chain necklace thread through it  made the handle.

I smudged  black decorative chalk marks on the paint to make  it look like it had been in the shed!

Then rubbed Inka Gold around the edges and  the handle to give an aged appearance.

I used a battery powered candle for the inside.

 

This was the best photo I could get taken inside with the candle charged.. 

 In situ in the back garden using a flash at night time which doesn't show the candlelight.

Added bonus of Evening Primroses in the background!

 

Entering into the following challenges:

Pixie's Crafty Workshop #134: Use up those snippets.

Suzy Bee's Bloomin Challenge #38 Anything goes.

Artistic Inspirations #100 Anything goes.

Curtain Call Inspiration challenge # Anything goes.

Crafting From The Heart #27 Anything goes.

Through the Craft  Room Door # Anything goes.

Fan-Tastic Tuesday #44 Anything goes but must be square.

Penny's Paper-Crafty #184 Anything goes.

4 Krafty Girlz #22 Anything goes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spots and Stripes before my eyes.

 

The new challenge for my butterfly challenge is

Spots and Stripes + your butterfly.

This is my card for inspiration.

I had seen a card in Docrafts Creativity June Issue

by Claire Green and rather liked the unusual shape

so this is my version of a Zig Zag Gatefold  card.

 

Instead of using an 8x8" card blank I used an A4 sheet

cut to 10.5 x 8"  and adjusted my measurements accordingly

which gave me a tall thinner card of 3.5 x 8"when closed.

 

I used SU card stock in Purple.

The stripe paper is by Jane Welan Design

Large green spot ( which was a snippet in my stash)

was by Nancy Watt.

The small pink ad Turquoise spots by Jennifer Ellory.

All had been freebies from magazines at some point in time.

The gorgeous stickers are by Paper Mania

 A gift from my blogging friend Lesley.

The tag is waiting to be hand written to the recipient.

 

This is the card fully opened.

 Whilst there is no stamping or  die cuts it did take an age to make

with all the cutting and shaping of the panels and layers.

Not a card to make  when in a hurry or needing to write up

two challenge posts as I did !!

 

This card is being posted abroad so I need something to keep it flat.

 I made a Belly Band for it from the odds of left over papers.

 

 

Entering into the following challenges:

Vintage Utfordring #84 Do not use stamps.

Suzy Bee's Blooming Challenge #37 Anything goes.

We Do Doobadoo #10 Spotty and Dotty.

Pixie's Crafty Workshop #133Use up your snippets.

613 Avenue Create #80 Anything goes/ optional shaped cards.

Deep Ocean Challenge #82 Lots of layers.

Simon Says Wednesdays #  Spots and dots.

Crafty Hazelnuts Patterned Paper # Anything goes.

Lets Craft and Create #94 Shaped card.



 

Christmas Teddy.

 

It's time again for another card over at the Christmas Card Club.

The theme has been set by Sue P. who is asking for a

Christmas Teddy.

Now I didn't have a stamp or a digi that I could use so I resorted

to delving through my stash of recycled cards and found these cute bears.

 

I trimmed the card down and made layers up using navy pearlescent card

then onto a design paper by Alison Butler.

I used a silver card blank for the base.

Sentiment created  and printed from word on my computer.

Pearls and ribbon from my stash.

Finally I used up all the odds of paper and card for the inside.

Even the sentiment was one  I had made  too large for the  front of the card!

Hope this passes muster.

 

Entering into the following challenges:

Pixie's Crafty Workshop #133. I used up loads of snippets for this card.

Crafty Hazelnuts Extra #  Anything  goes Christmas.

Me and Mine # Beat the Rush.

The Glory of Christmas #37 Anything goes.

Crafty Boots# Christmas in July.

Crafty Hazelnuts Patterned Paper # Anything goes.

Simply Create Too #65 Christmas in July

 



Butterfly Wall Hanging.

It's time again for the midway reminder for the

Craft My Life Jun/ Jul challenge.

The theme is as usual Anything goes................but no Cards.

We  would be delighted to see you so please come on over and join in

The fun. 

I had originally bought this as one of the prizes for my

Butterfly Challenge

but at nearly 12" wide and 8" deep I thought it might be just a tad on the large size

so I have used it here instead.

The butterfly is made from 3mm MDF which I painted using a

tester pot of 'Dusted Fondant' matt paint.

I inked  an SU stamp 'Papillion Potporri' down the right hand side in DI 'Tea Dye'

and Visible Image's 'Ripped Fishnet' stamp on the left.

The coloured butterflies are Easy Vintage Line by Studio Light

Vintage lace, ribbon, wooden letters and a rose( I had already made) are from my stash

as well as the broken chain (from an old necklace) , button, pearls and stick pin.

I love the result.

 

Entering into the following challenges.

4 Krafty Girlz #21 Anything goes.

Charisma Cardz #14 Show us what else you can do.

We Do Doobadoo #9 Pins & pearls.

Pile It On #27 Add some flowers.

Pixie's Crafty Workshop #132 Use up your snippets. (lace, broken necklace chain.)

Love to Scrap #33 Anything goes.

Crafting From The Heart #26 Anything goes.

Just For Fun # Anything goes.

Visible Image# Anything goes.



Paperweight.

I made this Paper weight for The Doc

 and to showcase

my  Butterfly challenge

One Layer only.

 

I used  a large flat pebble that had come from the garden centre

when I was making a display in the garden using a pile of them.

I used Tester pots in 'Willow Tree' and 'Enchanted Eden'

to paint over the pebble  painting the lighter colour on first

and then the darker at the bottom.

I had seen this idea in the July issue 170 of Craft Stamper by Anneke Declerck.

Once paint was dry only took a few minutes

(I love using these little pots of paint which come in a matt & silk finish)

I used a SU stamp  'Papillon Potpouri' and Stazon ink

to place the butterflies in flight .

Sentiment by Dovercraft.

Lastly I just touched the centre of the  flowers on the butterflies

using Zig Art and Graphic markers in two shades of blue.

 

 

One Layer Butterfly.

 

Some words to go with the pictures.

Don't think I have managed to schedule a post before with no words!!!

Again I made this card to showcase my New Butterfly challenge.

One layer Only.

to help give you a few ideas.

 

I used  Spellbinders 3D Embossing folder

'Tiger lilies E3D-015

to emboss a sheet of cream card stock which I folded in half to create the card.

Sentiment is by Hero Arts.

The butterfly is by Indigo Blu

and stamped straight onto the card using Stazon ink.

I painted the wings using  distress ink 'Wild Homey'

using a small paint brush to scoop the ink up from an acrylic block

which I had stamped the ink onto and spritzed with water.

Once dry I added in the 2 other colours using Promarkers

Peach and Duck egg blue.

 

I couldn't quite believe it when I had finished the card

I had managed to get a blob of Stazon ink on the  embossed panel !!

So this is actually the second card made !

I have salvaged bits from the first card and will show another time

when thinking straight.



 

Live Every Moment.

 

Oops!

Guess it would be a good idea to add the words before

I set to schedule.

Still not thinking right.

So without further ado

I made this card to showcase my new Butterfly challenge.

One Layer only.

 

The card is a pre cut patterned card blank

given to me by my lovely friend Di.

I have  used my new stamp from Chocolate Baroque

'Briar Rose Butterfly Set'.UA5SP0482

I also used my new Kuretake  Zig Art and Graphic pens

to colour straight onto the stamp with a bit of huffing onto  it

before stamping to the card to keep the colours moist.

The sentiment is by Indigo Blu.

Just as I was putting the ink pad away I managed to flick a speck

of the black ink underneath the rose spray. Eek!

(Not actually what I said but that's the polite version!!!)

So I quickly inked up just  the rose hip from the stamp set and placed it over  blob.

I think it looks ok and problem adverted.

Don't tell anyone else though.