Inspired by Craft Stamper Magazine

I hope that you're all keeping well, and keeping occupied, as we enter another week of lockdown. I'm thankful for my crafting and blogging as hubby has gone back to work after being on leave last week. I'm a key worker, but at the moment am only required once a week at the school where I work and am feeling the lonelies a bit.

Usually I'm a big reader, but my head isn't quite in the right place just now so I decided to dip into my collection of back issues of Craft Stamper Magazine. It's been a real trip down memory lane and I've loved seeing how colour combos, techniques and styles come and go. I was inspired by two fabulous cards to try some new techniques and thought I'd share the results.

Here's card #1:

In the June 2014 edition Lydia Brooke Evans created a gorgeous card using a set called Leafy Greens by Paper Smooches, which I knew I'd got. I loved her original design, but wanted to make a slightly larger card.

I enjoyed using a favourite quote from Crescendoh Stamps (remember them?) which seemed just right for the shape and look of this card.

My second inspired by card is this one:

I spotted Lorraine Wood's card (based on Ellen Schrik-ter Haar's make) in the January 2014 mag and knew I wanted to give this arty, silhouette style a try.

For my version I used Distress Inks (plus a few splotches of pink paint) rather than using a Gel Press.

Using a photograph in a clothing catalogue, I got snipping to create a mask. After layering inks and stamped images, I added a sentiment which said exactly what I wanted.

Both of these cards were made for friends who are leaving work at Easter. It'll be strange for them as there won't be the 'big-send-off' that they both deserve after all their hard work. Hopefully, when all this is behind us we can we can celebrate them in style!

I hope you enjoyed my little crafting trip down memory lane. It felt good to borrow someone else's style for a bit and make something different and outside my cardmaking comfort zone.

Stay busy and stay healthy, crafty peeps - catch you later!

The Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers Challenge #156 K is for Kids

Hi to you all, I hope you are keeping well during these troubling times. As someone who works in Education I have to say that this challenge is very timely as many parents will now have weeks of trying to occupy their children while in isolation. 

Yes, it's all about the kids for this challenge and doesn't Edna look delighted to be surrounded by her extended family!

I had fun with creating a few Gelli plate backgrounds a while back and decided to use one for this card. The harassed mother with her childcare manual is from Picket Fence (love their stamps so much).

This is quite a poignant challenge for me as we're waving goodbye to my fellow Brit on the team: Jane. I shall miss her wit and humour very much. Also, I will miss her brilliantly hilarious explanations of all things British for our teamies across the Big Pond. Love you, sistah!

I very much hope you'll come and play at the sisterhood for this challenge. Have a good weekend, and stay safe.

Having fun with ABC Christmas Challenges!

ABC Christmas Challenge have three fun challenges for us to choose from or combine this month and they are: E - Embossing, F - Freebie and G - Gold.

I opted for embossing and gold, and went with more images from this Clearly Besotted set I'm loving right now. It's such a pity that these stamps are now out of stock, as they are fun to work with.

I embossed in gold, and then got busy colouring. The images are quite small so you can fit a few together on a single card. This card hasn't photographed very well, which is a pity as the gold embossing looks very bright and shiny IRL.

The gallery and the DT inspiration for this challenge are gorgeous, so I'm linking up over there and then settling back to drink a coffee and take a look at all the loveliness!

Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge

I've enjoyed playing along at Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge today! Their March challenge is Anything Goes + Operational Beverage, and I knew I'd got the perfect set to join the fun.

I really enjoyed making this card with a sweet set from Clearly Besotted. This set seems to be unavailable now, so why not play along at The Christmas Kickstart for an opportunity to win these stamps as this is Rudolph's Random Raffle Prize for the March Challenge.

I did some careful masking and then broke-out the Distress Inks and a stencil to create a colourful background. For a little, extra Christmassy fun I stamped my sentiment in red and layered onto some sparkly red cardstock.

There are some fun cards in the linky gallery and the DT creations are just lovely, so I think this challenge is quickly going to become a favourite for me!

Will Trade Coffee for Gossip...

After two weeks stuck at home with severe back pain I definitely would trade coffee for gossip!

Don't you just love this image from VLVS? I like her expression - so serene, despite balancing two cups on her splendidly ample bosom.

Yes, it's Artist Trading Cards or Coins for challenge #94 over at Lost Coast. I don't often make ATCs, but had plenty of fun with this one as it was so quick and simple.

If you want to see the gallery and play along, please head here to join the fun!

Seize the Birthday!

Wow, two blog posts in one day!

Over the weekend I spotted this little piece of fabulousness made by the awesomely talented Galina for Waffle Flower.  I loved the technique of switching the inlaid pieces to create a fun look, and then this idea jumped into my head!

As always, you learn as you go along and I'd do a few things differently if I made another version of this card. I created a background with Distress Inks, sprayed with water and then sprayed with water and splashed around a little gold paint. I moved around the numbers (Number It! from Mama Elephant) and added a sweet little sentiment bar (Labelled Messages also from Mama Elephant) before sticking everything in place. Three teeny, tiny gems in pink, green and amber finished the card.

I'd been wanting to play along at Seize the Birthday, but Mrs. Molly Mojo wasn't playing ball until this idea had me rushing for my inks and stamps. The sentiment is the focal on my card... Honest!

Happy crafting, everyone.

Shopping Our Stash #415 - Is it Summer Yet?

The lovely people over at Shopping Our Stash are asking a very important question for this challenge: Is it Summer Yet?

Sadly, the answer is not in March, but it's a fun theme for a challenge and I jumped in with both feet!

I couldn't resist shopping my stash and inking up this cute Clearly Besotted Santa. 
I rather like the idea that this is how Santa spends his Summers!

This set doesn't seem to be available any more, but they have plenty of other fun Christmas images to play with.

It really was a case of third time lucky with this card as it took three attempts it get it looking presentable. At first, I wasn't sure how to add interest to the sea. Then I remembered a card I made ages ago, but didn't show (or send) because of the wonky sentiment.

I simply flipped the clouds stencil and voila: waves!

There are some lovely inspiration cards and a gorgeous entries gallery over at Shopping Our Stash for this challenge AND they also have a very tempting DT call...

Why not drop by and take a look!

The Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers Challenge Challenge #155 - B is for Booze

Well, well, well, it turns out Edna has her own Tiki Bar - who knew!

We've got us a little cross-over fun at the Sisterhood and Christmas Kickstart. The current challenge at Christmas Kickstart is Christmas Cheer AKA Alcohol, with the sistahs as guest elves for the month of March, while at The Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers it's B is for Booze! We sisters really do love our drink-related cardmaking fun.

I enjoyed working with this theme, and especially with this lovely image from a magazine which I paired with cheeky sentiments from MFT.

Both of these cards were made for friends.

I tried to photograph the Wink of Stella sparkle on this card, but as always it's proving a little illusive! 

The sistahs have created some hilariously snarky cards for this theme, and we have fabulous new teamies being inducted into The Sisterhood, so why not drop by and take a look!

Card Chain Challenge Reveal - February 2020

I'm a wee bit late with my Reveal post (again), but hopefully you'll cut me a little slack as my back is causing me problems again and I've been rather distracted!

The Card Chain Reveal for February looks amazing! Our 23 participants crafted their hearts out to create some truly lovely cards.

I sent my card to fellow Brit, Hilary. You should visit her blog to see the card she sent to Tina; it's a real stunner!

I had so much fun making this card for Hilary. The little fox is an oldie, but much loved image, from The Ton Stamps and the background is a fav Penny Black stamp. I tucked the moon behind the trees and did a little blending to create a Winter night sky.

I received this gorgeous card from Robyn in Australia.

If you'd like to become a link in our chain and creativity and friendship why not come and play along? You can see the sign-up post for March 2020 here.

The Christmas Kickstart Challenge #29 - Christmas Cheer AKA Alcohol

It's time for a fun, new challenge over at Christmas Kickstart and I'm delighted to welcome back my dear friends The Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers! As always our fabulous mascot, Edna, is on board. The Sisterhood are a great bunch and I am so lucky to have these wonderfully caring, snarky ladies in my life. Thanks for being my elves, sistahs!

Our theme for this month is one that we hold dear over at the Sisterhood, yes, it's...

Christmas Cheer AKA Alcohol!

For this challenge we'd like to see some boozy, Christmas fun on your cards! Your card can feature your favourite Christmas tipple, the after-effects of a few too many sherries, a traditional cup of mulled wine, a cheeky cup of eggnog: the choice is yours!

Here's what I did with the theme...

An oldie, but goodie, Martinis on Me from MFT. Such a fun image and super-easy to colour too.

My next card features a fab image from Art Impressions and a festive phrase I found after a little Googling.

As always, Rudolph has a prize on offer as his Random Raffle and there's blog badges up for grabs, so why not come and join the fun? The sistah's cards are just brilliant and we'd love you to play along.