Variations on a theme...

Rather than put away the images left from the sheet of Kanban toppers and then not be able to find them ever again I decided to use up both the toppers and the remains of the red gingham paper.  I used the sketch from The Sweet Shop - love their sketches - to create a card for Gran to give Eli at Christmas.  The papers are all the same ones as I used here and the personalised sentiment was created using my Xyron Design Runner.

My card is also for the challenges at...

• Make it Monday - Anything goes
• Designed to Delight - Baby

Card number two was made using the last of the toppers and the snippets of red gingham I had left.  I'm really trying to use things up these days instead of storing or throwing away.  Thank you Jules for keeping me on track with your Crafty Snippet Challenge.  My card is also one of the ones I will be sending to St Luke's Charity Cards for their fundraising sale.  

Back to work tomorrow so I may be quiet for a few days.  Enjoy your week everyone.

Ann xxx

1st Christmas...

Phew, five days away with the ladies I support at Mencap has left me feeling really tired and quite shell shocked.  Good job I did my card for our challenge at Bah! Humbug! before I left.  This week we are thinking 'Baby's First Christmas' and I've done a card for a friend at work's daughter who has been so kind passing things on for Eli.  It's a quick card as it had to be done in among the packing.  Thank goodness for Kanban toppers eh?  I actually got the set of toppers that this one came from in a goodie bag at a craft shop sometime ago so it was really good to get chance to use it at last.

After perusing the challenge list at Feline Playful I'm entering my card for the challenges at...

• Wags and Whiskers - Christmas
• 4 Crafty Chicks - Baby
• Samuel Taylor's Monthly Challenge - Christmas

Well I have 4 days off now so maybe I will be able to get some serious crafting done if I can tear myself away from the Krispy Creme doughnuts that I bought on the way home that is and then of course there is bottle of wine down in Tesco's with my name on it (after the week I've had will one be enough - better get two to be on the safe side - LOL).

Have a great weekend everyone.

Big hugs.

Ann xxx
PS :  Totally thrilled just found out I made the Top Three at CD Sunday with this scrap book layout - cool eh?

  

Christmas again...

Last week I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that I had won a Guest DT spot at the Die Cut Dreams Christmas Challenge blog.  What an honour and complete surprise that really made my day.  I really do love making Christmas cards and it doesn't matter how many stamps I have I just can't resist buying more.  However, the stamp I've used to make this card and matching gift tag is so old that I can barely see the design on the wood mount.  It still stamps okay though and that's what really matters.

As you may have already guessed Die Cut Dreams are asking everyone to create a card and matching gift tag.  I must admit I do like to do this for special people so it's nice to have one ready in my box for next Christmas.  Eeek it's only February!

Materials used...

•  Snowflake ornament stamp by All Night Media 926J
•  Marianne die cut circular frame
• CD - yes behind the frame is a CD.  I really like the effect.  It reminds me of the little mirrors they used to sew on clothing.  (in the days of my hippy youth)
• gorgeous black and white snowflakes swirl patterned card by Kanban
• black, red and silver mirri card
• Swiss dots embossing folder 
• black organza ribbon
• large Sizzix tag die
• Black sentiment peel off

Additional Challenges...

• Winter Wonderland - It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas (well it is on my blog anyway!)
• Bah! Humbug! - Use a CD
• Stamp Something - something funky - hmmmmm think having a CD on is funky and the lettering is so reckon I can enter this.

Have a fantastic weekend everyone.  I'm scheduling this to post in the morning and right now I'm off to watch a soppy DVD - 'Letters to Juliet'.  I've seen so many trailers for this - hope it's as good as it looks.

Ann xxx

Ready for Christmas...

but totally unorganised for anything else.  Sheesh how did Valentine's Day sneak up so fast and birthdays too!!!  Yikes got loads to finish before Monday.  This is a super quick card I've done for my daughter, Shelley.  I always make a card and a little gift for each of my daughters and my mum each year.

This card was just so easy as the main part of it is made up from a sheet of gorgeous black and white patterned card by Kanban that already had the silver heart border and scalloped edge on it.  I only had to add the die cut scalloped hearts, a bit of ribbon, a few gems and a peel off sentiment.  'Simples' but effective and I must admit I like this one as much as some of the cards I have spent hours and hours on.  Just goes to show that when needs must even 'the great ditherer' can work fast!

Challenges...

• Cutie Sunday - Hearts
• A Spoonful of Sugar - Show some love.
• Papertake Weekly - Have a heart
• Rainbow Lady - It's all about love

Hope everyone is having a fantastic weekend.  I'm working tomorrow so I better get going on my other Valentine projects super fast.

Hugs and Smiles.

Ann xxx

Green all over...

Just when all the challenges are asking for autumnal colours I have to decide to do a tree, but all in green.  Typical of me!  Last time I went to the Kanban outlet shop I managed to find this fantastic tree patterned and matching green card which I knew would be perfect to go with the Kanban stamp set I already have.

I stamped the tree with black Memento, coloured with Promarkers and then added little dots using a white Sakura glaze pen to give the tree a bit more oomph.  Gold peel offs and a frame made using nestie die cuts complete the card.

My layout came from the brilliant sketch at Sketch Saturday, which was a fab one to use.  I must admit I have deviated slightly, but I think the essence of the sketch is there.

Additional challenges...

• Pollycraft - Anything Goes
• Stamptacular - five layers and counting (have checked and there are five)
• Stamps R Us - all nature theme
• The Paper Players - Monochromatic

If you are like me and like to enter your cards for a few challenges then do visit Feline Playful where Karen (very bravely) is attempting to list as many challenges as she can.  She also has blog candy on offer to people who become followers which is doubly generous when you think how much work she it putting in to this.

Have a great week everyone.

Ann xxx

Acetate Card Tutorial...

Please excuse my blog at the moment as it's in the process of being revitalised.

Loads of my lovely blogging friends have asked me to do a tutorial on the style of acetate card I've had a craze on making recently so this afternoon with both camera and craft knife in hand I've had a go.  

Might be a good time to get yourself a cuppa as there are 26 photos and after messing around taking them all I'm not wasting any.

Well here goes...

•  Begin by cutting a piece of card to form the back of your creation.  I chose to make the most popular size of square card so my piece of black card measured approx 6" x 6".

• Next cut a piece of thick acetate 6" x 7". 

• TOP TIP 1 - Don't throw any small scraps of acetate away.  These are absolutely fabulous for stamping sentiments on using Stazon.  Stamp on a sentiment that you think may just be the ideal one to finish off a card and then place it in position on the card to help you decide the best place for the sentiment or even whether it is the right size or not.  If you like it stamp the sentiment directly on to the card - if not try something else.  Nothing is wasted.  Keep the stamped acetate for another time.

• Placing the acetate on the score board using the 7 " side score at half an inch and one inch. 

• Fold the acetate at the half inch scoreline.  Be careful to fold accurately as this will effect the finished look of the card.  Use a bone folder or other tool to make the crease as sharp as possible.  

• Now attach the acetate to the card base.  Carefully apply DST to the top edge of the black base card.  The tape should be more or less the same width as your fold on the acetate.

• Pull back a small section of the tape at both ends.

• Then place the fold of the acetate on top lining the two pieces up exactly.  Removing a small piece of the tape at each end makes this part far easier and allows for really accurate positioning.  (This is my third card in this style and I learnt the hard way how important it is to get it absolutely straight).

 

• Now we're reaching the really fun part.  Find the score line on the acetate at the one inch point and fold over as shown in the picture.  This line can be quite tricky to fold, but do it as carefully as possible and again use the bone folder to get the fold as crisp as you can.  

• Stand the card up to check it works and give yourself a pat on the back.  Sometimes the acetate needs a little tweak along the folds to make it stand properly, but once the card is made it is fine.

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• As you can see in the picture the DST shows up very clearly and doesn't look very good.  At this point I think it's a good idea to attach another piece of 6" x 6" black card over the inside of the card.  This means that the acetate flap attached to the base card with DST is hidden sandwiched between the two layers of black card giving a very professional finish. 

• TOP TIP 2 - Have a bin nearby for all the DST bits (unlike me!- LOL)

• Now it's time to make the scene to go on the back of the card.  I used this fab sheet of decoupage by Kanban, but of course you can create any scene you like.  I've also made a sunshine birthday card which you can find here.

• I didn't want to stick my decoupage pieces staight on to the card inner so I made an extra layer to mount the decoupage on.  It's a standing joke in our house and amongst my friends that my cards wouldn't blow over in a hurricane never mind a slight draft when a door opens.

• Cut out the pieces and build your scene up ready to go inside the card.  

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  TOP TIP 3 - Glitter is better applied before building up so that it doesn't fall down the gaps and get stuck on the foam pads.  I've made a mental note of this tip for future reference.
  
  
   

• Attach the finished piece to the inside of the card.  Stand the card up and admire your work again.

• Design and make a strip to attach to the bottom front of the acetate.  This is a good place to place the sentiment or any kind of trim you want to add.

• Cut out an embellishment for the front of the acetate.  I was lucky in that my Kanban decoupage already had a fab Santa in his plane included, but you could perhaps use a Santa in his sleigh stamp to create something or maybe use snowflakes on the front of the the acetate.  The possibilities are endless. 

•  Before attaching your embellishment to the front of your card draw around it on black or other suitable colour to create a silhouette version to attach to the inside of the acetate to ensure a really neat professional finish. 

and that is the last stage so give yourself a huge pat on the back and have a well deserved cup of coffee.

My finished card is also for the following challenges...

• Daring Cardmakers - Layer it up
• Aud Sentiments - Choose your own Christmas sentiment
• Die Cut Dreams Christmas Club - Santa

IMPORTANT...
If you do decide to have a go at one of these cards please please show me, by leaving a comment.  I would love to see some different versions.  So would everyone else too.  Please leave a comment with a link to your card and do say if you would like your name adding to my list below.  My blogging friend Claire made her card after seeing my first creation - you can see her card take on this at..

Claire's Crafty Creations

More fab work....

A great snowman card by Ann at Spirit of Creativity. 

another really super Christmas card by Marianne HERE

(this space is for your cards)

and more examples by me

here and...

My Bah! Humbug! card for next week's challenge is going to be a variation on this theme so watch this space.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Ann xxx

Bah! Humbug! Day ... acetate ...

Yeah - acetate -one of my favourite things to use in card making.  I love it.  I know it can be hard to work with and you have to be careful to ensure the back is as neat as the front, but I guess I just love the magic of images suspended in air which is something you can do with acetate so easily.

Having said all that I do not like the way acetate cards are so hard to take a good photo of.  Sheesh I tried so hard with this and I'm still not that happy, but at least this photo hasn't got a reflection of the camera on it.  Think there might be a bit of my T-shirt, but oh well it will do.

To create the card I used one of the 'seconds' sheets I bought recently at the Kanban outlet shop.  I love the night time buildings and Santa in his aeroplane.  
The design of the card has sort of evolved from a style Sheena Douglas demonstrated at a course I went on.  I hope Sheena isn't reading this (highly unlikely), but her original design didn't really work properly as the trees on the back of the card sort of fell over when the card was stood open.  It just didn't look perfect somehow.

I've finally solved that problem by creating a card that is not a single fold at the top, but a double fold that creates a gusset and allows the scene at the back and the image at the front to be viewed properly. 

As you can see the 'gusset' at the top also allows for the scene on the rear of the card to be decoupaged - clever - huh!  Making this card was such fun and now I've worked out the style and measurements I will be trying out all kinds of ideas.  This is a 6" x 6" card and will need a box to send it in.  Not good!  However, the gusset will fold flat so in future to avoid the dreaded box making I would make my card 5" x 6".  The card could then be folded flat to go in a 6" x 6" envelope.

As well as Bah! Humbug! my card is also for the challenge at...

• ABC Christmas Challenge - lights (the windows on the buildings are glowing)

Hope to see some fabulous cards at Bah! Humbug! this week and Sheena if you are reading this - yikes - I didn't mean it!  The card you showed us how to make was super stunning - honest!

Huge hugs for all.

Ann xxx

Flowers for a friend...

and I really hope the post man has delivered this card by now and it's safe to add the card to my blog!  I can't hold the card back any longer as I used the sketch from Sweet Sketch Wednesday to create the card.  If you haven't been to their challenge blog do check it out as they do the most gorgeous sketches each week.

To create the centre piece I've used a sentiment by Pink Cat Studio and combined it with one of the fab flowers from my treasured Kanban tree sets.  The DP and plain green card is also by Kanban and matches the stamp.  As you can see now I know that you're supposed to thread ribbon through this Marianne flower die there's no stopping me!  I love these dies and I think my birthday wish list is going to be made up of quite a few of them.  A non blogging friend showed me a card she had made using the poinsetta and it was just fabulous so that is definitely on my wish list.

If you have these dies and have had problems getting the cut piece out of the die check out Top Tip Tuesday on Bah! Humbug!  I had a flash of inspiration and found this works a treat.

Hope my friend loves her card.  She is a very special person - always there to give advice and just generally a star.  Not mentioning any names, but you know who you are.

My card is also for the following challenge...

• Pollycraft Monday Challenge - summer blooms

Have a fabulous day everyone.  Sun's shining here, but how long will it last - who knows.

Ann xxx

Happy Birthday Susan...

I do hope my friend Susan likes this card.  She doesn't have a blog, but is such a talented card maker that I got myself in a real tizz making this card.  I wanted it to be really special as she is celebrating a one of the big number birthdays - 21 again - lol!

Materials used...

• Kanban tree stamps - stamped using Memento black and then embellished with gems and a touch of glitter
• Sentiment stamp by Clarity
• silver embossed white vellum (in stash for 4 years and now used before completely wore out by all the stroking)
• silver mirri card and black base card
• Swiss Dots cuttlebug folder

Challenges...

• A Spoonful of Sugar - Happy Birthday
• Rainbow Lady - Trees

Have a fun day everyone.

Ann xxx

More Kanban stamping...

Another couple of cards using those fabulous Kanban stamp sets.  On my first card I've used the owl and the really useful swirl from the autumn collection. Max what have you done - I am obsessed with these.  I just look at them and get all sorts of ideas clattering around in my head.  Unfortunately I have to go to work today - that really gets in the way of quality crafting time doesn't it?

I'm actually running a little short of acetate so decided to do half an acetate card for a change.  After practicing on some spare bits I bravely stamped the swirl directly on to the acetate using Stazon.  Wow, you should have heard the shout of joy when it didn't slip, slide or smudge!
Then I stamped the owl on card, coloured with Promarkers, cut out and attached to the acetate above the swirl.  I also stamped and cut out an orange owl to attach to the back to give a neat finish.

The leaf border was punched using a Fiskars border punch that I've had for ages.  Organza ribbon, pearls and gold peel offs complete the card.

Challenges...

• C.R.A.F.T. Challenge - Citrus
• Totally Papercrafts - Things with Wings
• Magical Crafts - Things with Wings

This is my second card using a stamp from the Kanban Autumn set.  Just a small anytime card to send to a friend - a good friend - check out how many pearls there are on it!

The tree was stamped using a Brilliance ink pad and when dry the leaves were touched up with a Sakura Stardust pen for a little more oomph.  The gold frame is something I'm particularly smug about because it is actually made from the bit that's left when you cut a scalloped circle using a Nellie Snellen die.  I'm ashamed to say that I normally throw the bits left from cutting out with Nesties, but I just thought this was too pretty to throw away.  The Nellie Snellen die was one of my many Mother's Day treats.  I am so lucky.

Oh no - disaster I don't think this card goes with a single challenge - good job I had fun making it!!

Anyway must dash as today I start work at 10.00 am and don't finish until tomorrow morning.  Oh poor me!  However, hopefully there will be lots of lovely comments to read when I get home. Have a good couple of days everyone and see you on Friday for the new challenge at Bah! Humbug!  This week Irene chose the theme - hmmmmmm that's quite a big clue as to what it will be.  I wonder if anyone will guess!

Ann xxx

Max's stamps...

My cards for today were made on my recent craft break, with Irene and Max in York.  I used Max's fabulous Kanban stamp set called Spring Garden.  I've always had a thing for 'tree' stamps and this set is particularly gorgeous.  So gorgeous that I've now bought my own set and thrown the  'Autumn Garden' in my basket as well for good measure! 

When I was making the card I hadn't realised the set was entitled 'Spring' and I went for autumnal colours from the HOTP paper pack that Max had brought along with her.  I suppose you could do either spring or autumn and to be truthful I think the images on the tree are almost snowflake like so it could probably be used at Christmas time too.

The tree and sentiment were stamped using a Brilliance ink pad and then decorated with gem stones.  The sentiment was also from one of Max's fabulous sets and I'm not sure whether it was the Hero Arts set or the Waltzing Mouse one.  Love it whichever it was.

This is my other tree card made in York using the same stamp.  In the set this tree comes in two sizes.  I used the large one for both cards, but the small version would be fabulous for using on the inner.  On my black card the tree was stamped in Brilliance silver and then when dry I added extra sparkle with a Sakura Stardust pen and gems.  You can never have too much bling!  The Swiss Dots background adds a bit of texture and the black card also has a slightly ribbed texture.

My cards are suitable for the following challenges...

• Pollycraft - Sparkly Things
• Crazy4Challenges - Men (I think both these cards would be lovely for men)
• Secret Crafter - Anything Goes
• Cards for Men - Birthday

Thank you for looking and for the lovely comments I receive and a huge thank you to Max for taking the most scrummy craft goodies ever to York.  If you're reading this Max you are a real star.

Bah! Humbug! Challenge 3 - Glitter...

Just a short post today as this working lark is extremely tiring - it really should have a government health warning attached to it!  Seriously though thank you everyone for your good wishes and crossed fingers.  My transport problems are sorted and I think I'm really going to love the job or at least I will once I've got the initial training done with.

Friday is time for a new challenge at Bah! Humbug! and this week our theme is GLITTER!  My card has loads of glitter on, but does it show up in the picture - no way - typical! 

The shop background complete with glitter is by Kanban.  After layering the shop and canopy on to my card  I used my Promarkers to colour one of the shopping girls by Charmed Cards to match the colours already on the shop front.  Love the way digi stamps can sized to be in proportion with things you already have.

In addition to Bah! Humbug! my card is also for the challenge at...

• Passion for Promarkers - Girls, Girls, Girls

Have a fantastic weekend everyone - I know I will - 3 whole days to myself now- yeah!!!

Stunning lady...

I don't usually like large A4 cards, but when I saw this glamourous lady A3 decoupage sheet at the Kanban outlet shop I just couldn't leave her behind. You can't tell in this photo, unfortunately, but she is decoupaged and both her dress and the tree in the background are embellished with gems and I added some Sakura Stardust to her skirt which is subtle but in real life looks really glitzy.

Due to the size of the card the sentiment was a bit of a problem. Sometimes, and maybe you do this too, I make the whole card and then can neither think where best to put the sentiment or what would fit best. On this occasion all the peel offs I had were just too tiny! Thank goodness for Keith at Wath market - what would I do without him? Not only did he have the right size (or the best fit I could have got), but it was in a box where all the peel offs were 5 sheets for a pound! Don't you just love it when that happens?

Materials used:

• Kanban A3 decoupage sheet
• gold sparkly card, red and black card
• gold border and sentiment peel offs
• gems from stash

Challenges:

• Fab's Big Christmas Card Challenge - Winter ladies (check out the beautiful ones Fab has on display that have been created by Vince)
• Everybody's Art - Christmas
• Papertake Weekly - Christmas Crackers
• My Time to Craft - Very Vintage
• Winter Wonderland - Christmas with no stamps or papers
• Crafty Ann's Challenge - Black white and one other colour (sorry I didn't enter last time Ann, but I'm here now!)

and last but not least (I really can't resist entering this one yet again - just so much fun)....

Allsorts Challenge Blog - a Christmas song or Christmas Carol - I think with this glam lady my song has to be 'Mistletoe and Wine' by Cliff Richard which is I remember rightly has a romantic feel to it and this lady certainly looks like she's heading to a romantic 'mistletoe and wine' night out.

And lastly but really importantly Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends. Yeah - hope each and everyone of you has a fabulous day.

Have a hoot at Christmas...

Here's Hoot the owl from the Joanna Sheen 'Hoot' collection of stamps flying in again. This time my card was for a swap on a forum I belong to and I know my forum friend has received her card so it's quite safe to show it here.

Hoot was stamped, coloured and then cut away from his candy cane so that he could perch on the snowy fence which is part of some rather useful background card by Kanban. I cut a slit at either side of one of the fence panels so that I could hang the Christmas message on real chain.

Ultra fine glitter tops off the fencing and Hoot's Santa hat is edged with flowersoft which I've had a little craze on using this week.


Inside the card I used another stamp from the Hoot collection and added Santa hats from another cute stamp set from my stash. The sentiment is also stamped and the corners were finished off using an X-cut snowflake corner punch and then embellished with tiny clear gem stones.

Challenges:

• Die Cut Dreams - Santa (I know this is really Hoot, but he has got a Santa hat and I'm running out of time for all the challenges I want to enter!)
• Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Animal antics (this includes our feathery friends fortunately)

Have a fantastic weekend everyone - I may be posting over the weekend as I haven't finished my Pollycraft challenge yet (okay I'll be honest I haven't started it) and that ends on Monday - yikes!

Happy Birthday Tony...

Yeah - it's Shelley's boyfriend's birthday and here's the card I made for Shelley to send him.

I bought the clear set of 'rock' themed stamps by Inkadinkadoo about 2 months ago special for the occasion, but guess when I started the card - yep yesterday!! Why can't I be more organised?

Ah well knowing me if I had made it early I would have put it in a safe place and wouldn't be able to find it anyway!

The guitar image - how cool is that - was stamped onto acetate and then attached to silver mirri card using brads. I added some gems to 'bling' it up a bit - why should men always have such flat cards? With the 'You Rock' sentiment I stamped straight on to the silver. The stars were cut on my cricut and embellished with silver star brads.

The black with silver birthday sentiments is by Kanban and I'm not entirely happy with it as I would have preferred something more funky to go with the theme, but it was the best I could do in my mad scramble.

Hoping Tony's card will count for the following challenges...

La-La Land Crafts - glitter and bling (loads of mirri shine on this and a touch of bling too)
Paper Play Challenges - favourite embellishments (the new glitter border peel offs by Papermania are just gorgeous and clear gems are always on my cards somewhere).

Have a great weekend everyone. I'm going to a Sheena Douglas work shop tomorrow and I am just so excited. See you on Monday for The Pink Elephant challenge and Tony's other card.

An abundance of cards...

Three cards on display today so I better not ramble on too much about any of them! My first card is made using that oh so cute stamp set from Your Next Stamp , our sponsors at The Pink Elephant this week. If you haven't had chance to enter our challenge yet do try over the weekend as the prizes are just gorgeous.

Now if you remember a certain member of the design team (me)wasn't paying attention when she read the details for the challenge and went a little bit wrong!! So to make amends (and have some fun) here is my second attempt with...

dots (cuttlebugged Swiss Dots), punches (circles and snowflakes) and tag (hiding under the ribbon)

The front of the card features the large penguin stamp and inside there is Fhiona pulling him on his sledge. Both the large penguin on the front and Fhiona are included in the stamp set with some snowflakes too, which I didn't get round to using on this card.

My card is also for the challenges at...

Pollycraft - spots and snowflakes (still working on the card that contains all five attributes!)
A Spoon Full of Sugar - Christmas
My Time to Craft - snow buddies
ABC Challenge - embossing

My next two cards have been made really quickly using Kanban materials. I've promised to help raise some cash for Sheffield Children's Hospital by selling some cards at a Christmas fair organised by a friend. So I need to get a bit of a production line going and mass produce - not me at all, but needs must!

Anyway first two done and dusted thanks to Kanban and also to Fab at Fab's Big Christmas Card Challenge. Gosh I hadn't realised until I went to his blog to collect the link that I have used exactly the same image and background as him for my cards - great minds think alike heh?

Fab's challenge this week is to use green and (if possible) to make more than one. Great idea for getting those cards done ready for Christmas. It's getting closer!!

Hope you like today's cards and thanks again for the really lovely comments being left for me. Have a fantastic weekend and see you Monday for the new Pink Elephant challenge. I will try to do it correctly this week.

Pink Elephant Day...

Yeah it's...

at The Pink Elephant and the colours are Black, White, Red and Yellow!

A great combination - check out what my super talented team mates have created. My card is a tiny 4" x 4", which was a real change to the huge cards I have been working on lately. Sometimes it's great to work on a small scale.

I was looking through my paper collection when a I spotted a really dramatic black and white floral paper that was shouting out 'Use me - Use me'! So I decided to take one flower from the paper and using Promarkers colour it in this week's colour scheme. To add dimension I coloured 4 flowers and layered them up like a mandela.

Actually I stuck each flower on black card before cutting out as I felt the paper would be too floppy to be used on it's own. I hate decoupage that is fragile!

The sketch I used for the card is from this week's challenge at Crazy 4 Challenges. It's a fantastic sketch to work with and you should see the cards the DT have come up with - amazing.

This was such a super easy card to make - think I need to look at more patterned papers to see what else I can create with them.

Have a great day everyone.

Christmas in August...

Just a very quick card using Kanban Christmas paper and images. The penguin, sentiment and snowflake design were already packed onto one sheet of card so all I really needed to do was find some matching green card and decide on a layout. A nice easy task which was what I needed as I have so much to do after being away.

I'm entering the card for the following challenges:

Fab's Big Christmas Card Project - make a Christmas card using one of the kits you have stashed away.

The Creative Card Crew - Christmas in August

Dutch Dare Christmas in August

Our Creative Corner - Christmas in August

Clevers Corners Part 2...

In my last post I mentioned that I would have liked to have added ribbon to my card, but hadn't got anywhere near the right shade. Well my blogging/forum friend Ali left me a comment suggesting staining white or light coloured ribbon with the ink pad used for the stamping.

What a brilliant idea and it works really well - thank you so much Ali for this great tip.