Cuttlebug embossing on patterned paper...

The challenge at http://cuttlebugchallenge.blogspot.com/ is to use patterned paper in cuttlebug embossing folders.

My patterned paper is a black and white snowflake patterned paper from DCWV. I picked out 2 different snowflakes in the design and used a small cuttlebug folder I have that has a blanket stitch pattern on it. I thought the blanket stitch pattern would make a great frame for the snowflakes.

Materials used:

• white base card
• silver mirri card for matting and layering
• white card
• DCWV snowflake paper and Christmas words used in background
• snowflake embossing folder
• small stitching embossing folder
• Woodware clear sentiment stamps

Too late...

Too late for the sketch challenge at http://stampchallenges.blogspot.com/ but not to worry I enjoyed making the card anyway!! Must get myself more organised - think it was the shock of all those stamps arriving.

This card is made using one of them. I really wanted to use this image as it something so different to the things I already have.

Materials used:

• Hampton Arts stamp from grab bag
• DCWV papers
• white base card
• silver mirri card
• sentiment tag from stash
• white embossed glitzy ribbon

The stamps...

ooooooooooooooooooooh look - all that rubber!!!!

Even with the custom's charges and a very long journey to collect them I'm a very happy bunny.

May be AWOL...

I have to go and pick up a grab bag of unmounted stamps from the sorting office today! Not sure whether I am a happy bunny or a cross bunny about this as the stamps cost £8 - the postage £12 and now the customs people want £12.87 from me. Plus I have to catch two buses to go collect and pay up!!

But 100 stamps - how long will they keep me busy ? Where am I going to store them ? Oh what have I done?

I may show photos later in the day - if I don't disappear under a mound of rubber never to be seen again.

Alter something...

This was the title of the challenge at http://cuttlebugchallenge.blogspot.com/ over the last week. I knew exactly what I wanted to do (well maybe not the fine details) but it just took me a while to get started.

I have never transformed a box before and was really quite scared about getting messy edges. It turned out to be very time consuming but not as hard as I thought. The whole of my box is covered in cream hammered paper (including the base - halo is shining).

The top was then decorated using an image from the Joanna Sheen CD 'The Cardmaker's Year' and embossed squares made using the cuttlebug writing folder. I used chalk on the embossing to give a more aged appearance - I won't use the word 'distressed' as i think that was more a good word to describe me at this stage wondering if the whole project was going to come together.

I matt and layered matching card on the sides of the box to draw the design together and I must admit I am pleased with the finished result which is going to become a box to store all those notelet type cards I make.

Materials used:

• large box
• cream hammered paper
• dark brown card
• tan coloured embossed card
• cuttlebug writing folder
• 'The Cardmaker's Year' CD
• gold mirri card
• gold corner peel offs

Just card and ribbons too...

Both my cards for today are just card with no added fancy papers and therefore they both fit the challenge at http://www.dutchdare-cardchallenges.blogspot.com/.

As I have embellished each of them with ribbon they also fit the challenge at http://rainbowladyschallengeblog.blogspot.com/.




Materials used:

• Fiskars snowflake border punch
• silver mirri card
• cuttlebug snowflake embossing folder
• white paper and card
• blue paper
• snowman stamp by imaginesce
• snowflake stand out punch
• pink gem from stash
• pink glitter card
• sentiment from stash

Please excuse poor quality of photos - it is such a dull day here.

Autumn Ismaki Sketch...

Another autumnal card using Joanna Sheen's fabulous CD 'The Cardmaker's Year'. I really love this CD - I know it's been out for ages but it's new to me and I just really like the way the images are sorted into months of the year. Really cool idea.

My card is fits the challenge at http://cutecardthursday.blogspot.com/ this week which is to make a card using Autumn as the theme. I have used this week's sketch at http://ismaki.wordpress.com/ which was designed by Isabelle Norris. I'm sorry Isabelle but I don't feel to have done your sketch justice - I've had one of those times when things started out well but went down hill rapidly!!! I'm only half pleased with the finished card.

Materials used:

• brown base card
• burnt orange card
• Joanna Sheen CD 'The Cardmaker's Year'.
• embossed leaf punch
• orange vellum and brown pearlescent paper (for leaves)
• brown brads
• Hero Arts clear sentiment stamps

Penny Black ATC...

It's ages since I entered the challenge at http://pennybfriendssaturdaychallenge.blogspot.com/, which is crazy because I love Penny Black stamps. Anyway the challenge this week is to create and ATC and of course you have to use at least one Penny Black stamp.

The stamp I have used is one I bought at a craft show a little while back and for some reason I just never got round to using it. Could it be that I buy too much stuff? - any of my friends reading this are now nodding their heads wisely and saying we told you so!!! The stamp is called 'Burst of stars' and the quote is a clear stamp on a set by Cloud Nine Designs.

Materials used:

• 'Burst of stars' Penny Black stamp
• 'You never know when you are making a memory' quote clear stamp
• Black corrugated card
• Vintage earthy brown paper DCWV
• vellum
• brown brads
• Adirondack 'ginger' ink pad
• Versefine Black ink pad