Baby, Baby...

My daughter asked for some help making some 'welcome baby' cards and it got me all inspired! I have stuck to traditional colours and made the same card but for different genders. I find that I almost always reach for my tiny spot embossing folder when making baby cards so this time I tried a couple with different ones - both Cuttlebug.

Number 1: Stampin' Up (SU) cardstock in very vanilla and pink pirouette. Cuttlebug embossing folder 'distressed stripe'. PSX stamps (very old) in SU baked brown sugar. Tombow and SU markers to colour.

Number 2: SU cardstock in very vanilla and bashful blue (ret). Cuttlebug 'hail spot' embossing folder. PSX bear stamp and Azardi sentiment stamp (both very old) in SU baked brown sugar - coloured in Tombow and SU markers.

Number 3: SU cardstock in very vanilla and so saffron. Cuttlebug 'heart block' embossing folder. SU stamps in early espresso - coloured with so saffron.

Number 4: SU cardstock in very vanilla and pink pirouette. Cuttlebug 'hail spot' embossing folder. PSX bear stamp and Azardi sentiment stamp (both very old) in SU baked brown sugar - coloured in Tombow and SU markers.

Numbers 5 & 6: SU cardstock in very vanilla, bashful blue (ret) and pink pirouette. Cuttlebug 'hail spot' embossing folder. SU 'teeny tiny sentiments' stamp in basic black. PSX 'sheep border' (very old) in basic black. SU 'itty bitty punch pack' - 4 petal flower. SU 'word window' punch.

On a Personal Note -

Well the weather this last week has been swinging between low 20'sC and mid teens. Never know how to dress! Nights are cold though so the throw rug is getting a lot of use. I rarely turn the heater on - preferring instead the 'wear socks and put a sweater on' method. Better for the environment and my purse! We are lucky enough to live in a climate that makes this an option.

Things are moving on apace with the stall prep. Next week my daughter and I are going on our annual trip to the Craft Show. I am hoping for lots of new ideas and will sign up to do some classes. It's a fun, albeit an exhausting day!

Happy Crafting!
Cheers
Susie

Add Some Sparkle and Shine

Hello, Bonjour, Gutentag - the sum total of my languages learnt at school! Since then I have picked up a smattering of Italian and Spanish, flirted with Japanese and still hope to learn Gaelic. I love language and languages.

What I also love is sparkles! My family used to call me a 'sequin junkie' because the things I gravitated to were sparkly. I still adore beading on fabric and glitter on paper. A new product I came across at Christmas was the Wink of Stella range. I have only used the clear version so far - but how wonderful it is! It comes in a pen type applicator with a soft brush tip. Very easy to use.

The following cards have all been anointed with Wink of Stella. You can add sparkle and shine also with glitter, glitter glue, glimmer paper, shimmer paint and sprays and metallic cardstock and foil. And don't forget rhinestones, pearls etc. The sky's the limit!!

This first card uses Stampin' Up (SU) cardstock in very vanilla and so saffron and champagne glimmer. The patterned paper is from Websters Pages. The glimmer snowflakes are a MFT die. The metallic gold cardstock is from my stash. I coloured the raised portions of the SU embossing folder with Wink of Stella - clear. 

Stampin' Up cardstock in very vanilla and baked brown sugar,and gold brushed metallic cardstock. The music paper is from my stash. 'Noel' is a Tim Holtz die. Again - I coloured the raised portion of a Sizzix embossing folder with Wink of Stella - clear.

Stampin' Up cardstock in whisper white, basic grey and poppy parade. SU edgelit for the pinking frame and the patterned paper is from Authentique. On the grey embossing of the Cuttlebug folder the Wink of Stella is more subtle.

Last but not least! Stampin' Up cardstock in sahara sand and lucky limeade. The pattern paper is from my stash. A Memory Box die made the pine needle border. The stamped images are from 'heirloom ornaments' and 'tree trimmings' from SU and stamped in lucky limeade. I coloured the non-inked portions of the images with Wink of Stella - clear.

On a Personal Note -

We are having lovely crisp autumn days so far this week. Sunny but brisk with the temperature taking a nose dive about 3pm. Definite sock weather - and throw rugs in use!

The cat has discovered my daughter's electric blanket and barely moves from her room. She doesn't leave it on during the day but he laps up the residual warmth from overnight and burrows under her covers to milk as much as possible!

Hope you are fairing well in your climate zone.

Happy Crafting!
Cheers
Susie

Variations on a Theme

One thing I find satisfying is to take one stamp and try to produce more than one style/version of a card.

This little quartet uses 'Season of Joy' from SU and the same colour scheme (coloured with markers). Quite traditional, but using different techniques.

Stamped twice and used as a centre panel. The panel is edged with a Spellbinders edging die.

Mounted onto an embossed background (Tim Holtz 'Bricked') with holly die cuts (Tim Holtz 'Holly'). The leaves have been randomly stamped and the berries have a subtle shimmer. Clear rhinestones round off the picture.

Another embossed background (SU 'Petals a plenty'). The red mount has been pierced all round.

Last one - the white mount has been scored in a thick band horizontally with a smaller vertical band.


By varying the 'thickness' of the various mounts you can achieve different effects.

So... take one stamp and play away!

On a personal note - hot, hot, hot here today. Summer is really making its presence felt.

Spent an enjoyable time with the kids (young adults really!) and played Christmas present games 'Bananagrams' and 'The Logo Game'. Lots of fun.

Fireworks last night were beautiful, however it was definitely too late for Schnitzel! He slept right through them and didn't even flinch!!

Happy Crafting!
Cheers
Susie

Back to reality (and the future!)

Thank you cards are on the menu at our house this week. This technique was taught by my upline Karen.  It's a faux patina style. The edges of the sentiment panel are sponged and it is popped.

At the moment I am working on some new announcements.  They will commence in the New Year - so keep your eyes peeled!

Supplies:

Paper - whisper white, early espresso, bashful blue and always artichoke c/s

Stamp - "word play"

Ink - bashful blue, always artichoke and early espresso (sentiment)

Tools - Big Shot, "petals a plenty" embossing folder, sponges, boho blossoms punch, corner rounder, heat gun, scallop ribbon punch

Other - white taffeta ribbon, gold brad, gold embossing powder

Adhesive - snail, sticky strip, dimensionals

Happy crafting!

Cheers

Susie