Art Impressions - Chocolate Therapy

Every year for Lent my friend gives up chocolate and this year she decided to include cake in that so as soon as I saw this image I knew it would be perfect for her birthday. I have coloured the one eating the cake like me and the one watching like her lol.

Ingredients
Image and Sentiment: "chocolate therapy" from Art Impressions
Dies: "mod stitched rectangle" from MFT
Card: "raspberry fizz" from Papertrey Ink
Dots: eyelet outlet and dollar tree

Copics
Purple Lady
Skin - E000, 00, 11
Hair - T6, 5, 4
Trousers - N9, 7, 6
Top - N2, 1, 0, blender
Cardi - V09, 06, 05
Pink Lady
Skin - E13, 11, 00
Hair - E59, 57, 35
Trousers - T6, 5, 4,
Top - RV09, 06
Cardi - T4, 2, 1,

Cake - E29, 27, 25, 23, RV04, 02,
Candles - V06, 09, 05, RV09, 06, 04
Table - T4, 2
Chris - T4, 2, RV09, 06
Hat -V09, 06, RV09, 06
Ground - W4, 2

Gorjuss Hush Little Bunny

When I first saw these large gorjuss stamps I wasn't sure what I would do with them as I don't make large cards but I adored this image and I thought it would be lovely to colour that hair. So I went with a design I've used with Digi stamps before and I like it. I might even have to buy a few more, of course if my favourite one was available then I would have already bought it lol.

As the image was so large I kept the rest of the design simple. I have used some enamel dots on this too, I seem to hoard those even more than gems or pearls but if I want more I have to use some.

Ingredients
Image: "hush little bunny" Gorjuss Large Stamp by Santoro
Paper: Studio G
Dies: XXL stitched square from Crealies
Sentiment: "say it with style" Clearly Besotted
Enamel dots: Eyelet outlet and stash

Copics
Skin - E000, 00, 11, 95
Bunny - W8, 6, 4, 2, 0, E43, 42, 41, 40
Dress - R39, 37, B26, 24, 23, 21
Hair - N9, 7, 5, 3

Unity Happy Birthday

A very good friend of mine from Florida sent me this stamp so of course I had to use it for her birthday card. 

As my mojo is definitely on vacation I went with a simple design that hopefully showcases the gorgeous image. 

Ingredients
Image: "aw shucks, Lulu" unity stamps
Sentiment: "label maker" MFT stamped in "blu raspberry ink" also MFT
Enamel Dots: eyelet outlet
Paper: "tangerine" MME
Dies: "mini scalloped rectangle stax" MFT

Copics
Skin - E000, 00, 11, 95
Hair - N8, 6
Dress - RV14, 13, 11
Hat - BG13, 11, R14, 24, 27
Leggings - R27, BG13

Happy Birthday to You

This card was inspired by Michelle Short, I have wanted the die and to recreate this card for ages so it was lovely to be able to achieve it finally.

Things I would do differently next time.... well I  wouldn't cut the funky foam panel with the letter die, it stretched the foam and they don't quite match up although you would have to look fairly closely. I also wouldn't use mono multi glue as I got it everywhere and my fingers seemed to be sticky for hours. Having said all that I would still make this design again, its very simple but effective especially for guy cards.

When I photographed this card I noticed that the die isn't straight with the geometric pattern and its sending my ocd into overdrive, however in real life it is not noticeable at all, strange how the camera magnifies stuff.

Ingredients
Sentiment: "happy birthday to you" die from mft stamps
Stamp: "geometric grid" Simon Says Stamp
Distress Inks: blueprint sketch, mermaid lagoon, twisted citroen
Dies: Blueprints 13 from mft stamps
Dots: Eyelet Outlet

New Job James

Its been a while since I've created a new job card, in fact I don't think I've used this image in about three years for guy cards though its still one of my favourites. I had a bit of a virus when I made this card and so its fairly clean and simple design but I still think thats best for guy cards.

At the MFT retreat in May, Barbara showed us a technique using the harlequin stencil and Ive recreated it here, you simple use the stencil as normal in one colour then once you have finished you place the stencil back over your project just this time the holes are in-between the ones from last time and fill in again. it sounds more complicated than it is and Barbara has a video showing it which will probably make more sense.

Ingredients
Image: "work James" digistamp boutique
Paper: harlequin stencil from mft and "summer sky" memento ink and "steel blue" ink from mft on a "smoky slate" card base
Card: "basic grey" Stampin up
Dies: zig zag square and square stax from mft and xxl stitched square crealies
Brad: Eyelet Outlet

Copics
Skin - E000, 00, 11
Hair - C7, 5, 3
Suit - N7, 5, 4
Shirt - B21. 23
Tie - N2, 1, B23
Case - E77, 74
Ground  - W3, 1

Get Well Wishes

One of the lovely ladies from the Bristol play day is currently unwell and I thought a get well card might cheer her up. I haven't made many of this type of card but I did enjoy it and might make a few just in case, famous last words I'm sure, next time I say I made this last minute remind me I was going to make a few lol.

Ingredients
Image and Sentiment: "little friends" Kanban clear set
Paper: "happy day" MME
Card: "cotton candy" MFT
Dies: Blueprints 2, 13, rounded rectangles all MFT
Brad: Eyelet outet

Copics:
Bear - E44, 43, 42, 41, 40
Bear Nose and feet - E49, 47, 44
Plaster - R22, 21, 20
Bandage and ground - W3, 1, 0
Skin - R20, E11, 00, 000
Shoes - BG78, 75
Dress - RV52, 55, 66
Hair - E50, 51, 53, 55, 57

Birdbrain Card Sharks

After seeing a card on Jules blog I went looking at the "from the heart stamps" store and bought a few of the birdbrains, ok quite a few but they appeal to my sense of humour and are perfect for guy cards, and as you know I like making guy cards lol.

I made this one without anyone specific in mind, something I rarely get chance to do anymore. I used papers already in the snippet folder so another entry to the playground, I have played along a few times recently which means I must be reducing the snippet mountain...right?

Ingredients
Image: "Birdbrain card sharks" From the heart Stamps
Paper: "All about a boy" Echo park at Jessica Sprague
Card: "tempting turquoise' stamping up, "orange zest" papertrey ink
Dies: Blueprints 13 and 2, horizontal stripes and rectangle stax all MFT
Brad: Eyelet Outlet

Challenges: Snippet Playground

Inspired by

Last year I tried the paper piecing/ tolling technique that Mariska and Debby both use. I really enjoyed it and decided to use it again for this gorgeous image from Wee Stamps called "Wee One".

It is time consuming but very therapeutic and it helps that Mariska puts the pieces you need to colour and cut on her blog, think the hardest part would be working those out, even though that is done for me I still sometimes put them on in the wrong order so have learnt to build it without glue first then assemble.

Ingredients
Image: "Wee One" Wee Stamps
Papers: "bundle of joy girl" echo park at Jessica Sprague
Cardstock: "sweet blush" Papertrey Ink
Dies: "eyelet" Martha stewart punch, "flagstak" MFT stamps, "baby wonderful words" Papertrey Ink
Sentiment: "baby wonderful words' papertrey ink

Copics:
Hair: E53, 51, 50, 34
Skin: E11, 00, 000, 50, R00, 02
Bird: E74, 71, 70, R05, 02
Pram Pinks: R22, 21, 20
Pram Brown: E44, 43, 42, 41
Wheels and handle: YR24, 23, 21
Horse: R22, 21, 20, BG13, 11 10

Sketch Saturday 258

Wow another week and another sketch saturday challenge completed. This sketch was so simple to use and very effective too I found this one so inspiring I have already made another card using the same sketch.

Ingredients

Image: "Fishing Tackle" Just Inklined

Paper: "This and That" Echo Park at Jessica Sprague

Cardstock: "Early Expresso" Stampin Up
Brads: Eyelet outlet

Chalenges: Sketch Saturday

Dino Roar card

I can't believe that Ethan will be two this year, time seems to be passing at such an alarming rate. Last time I saw him he was really into dinosaurs and kept saying "wrooarr" so I thought I should make his birthday card with dinosaurs on it. The papers and colours are a bit older than I would have normally used but at least they are fairly bright. I made one dinosaur fluffy and one glossy to add a bit of texture. I have also used my new xcut star dies and I was able to use the ink around the edge method that is so effective,  next time though I think I will use my copic airbrush.

Ingredients:

Image: "Happy Day" the greeting farm

Papers: "Fabusaurus too" Nit Wit Collections

Cardstock: "terracotta tile" and "blueberry sky" both Papertrey Ink

Brad: Eyelet Outlet

Number cut on cricut with Billionaire cart

Winter Blues and a Baby Card

I am sure this happens every year but until now I hadn't noticed but the winter blues have definitely hit. Not really been feeling like crafting and haven't even unpacked from my craft playday last week but I needed to finish this card so today I made an effort and actually enjoyed myself too.

I have used my most used and favourite baby images from Mo, I bought these so long ago that I can't remember not having them, coloured with copics and a glossy accented dummy too.

As well as this being my go to images these papers are my favourite for babies too and I bought both the boy and girl sets and still love using them.

Ingredients

Image: "Diaper Crew" Mo's Digital Pencil

Papers: "Baby Boy" Nit Wit Collections

Cardstock: 'Limeade Ice" Papertrey Ink and 'Bashful Blue" Stampin Up

letters: cut on cricut using "Robotz" cartridge

Brad: eyelet outlet

A New Baby Boy

I made this card a while ago, in fact when I made the matching baby girl one as I just knew my friend on work was having a boy. I was prepared to make a girl one in case I was wrong but I wasn't lol.

I used my go to baby papers from Nit Wit and this fab image from Di's digi downloads, love the dino and dummy so cute. These do seem to be my go to baby image at the moment.

Ingredients

Image: "Babysaurus" Di's Digi Downloads

Papers: "Baby Boy" Nit Wit

Cardstck: Snippet Folder

Sentiment: Taylored Expressions

Brad: Eyelet outlet

Challenges: Snippet Playground

A Get Well Wish

One of my very good friends is off work at the moment poorly and I wanted her to know I was thinking of her. I made this card yesterday and it was made mostly from items I was waiting to put away. I had been practising my inking using my splodeaway mat and was about to put the papers in the snippet folder when I thought actually I will use them up instead. This isn't typical get well colours but I thought it looked classy.

I am ashamed to say I have had this image a while and this is the first time I have coloured her, I have been trying to not buy anymore images until I have used some of the hundreds I have but it is so hard when the companies keep tempting me with sales lol. My willpower is weak lol.

Is anyone else like me, I see something all these ideas whizz around my head and I have to have it, when I get it home I can't think of a single thing to do with it and sometimes it can be months before I use it.

Ingredients

Image: "Wryn" Tiddlyinks 

Papers: 'Keita" & "Antique" Sassy Designs Inc

Cardstock: Snippet Folder

Brad: Eyelet Outlet

Distress Ink: Gathered Twigs

Challenges: Snippet Playground

I don't normally review products I have bought but thought I would give you my opinion on the slodgeaway mat. I played with Sue's mat at a playday and even I was surprised how good I was inking, Sue has a review here which explains it better than I ever could. Well I had to have one and ordered that night, It took a long time to arrive almost two weeks which I thought was a little excessive but they are a two man team and they have been inundated with orders. It was worth the wait though and inking has become something I want to do rather than hubby saying why have you got all those inks when you don't use them and feeling I had to use them to justify the storage space they were occupying. Expect to see lots more inking on my cards as not only does it give a lovely look but it is also really therapeutic.

Another New Job Card

I have made this in anticipation of my former boss getting a new job, I know that he will soon so wanted to be ready. I have used my go to image for male new job cards from Digistamp Boutique, he is a joy to colour too. I have used some of my new Echo Park digi papers for the background and since I have discovered the joys of distressing with inks there is no stopping me. I didn't even bother with layers of card as the inking made the papers stand out enough that card would have been overpowering, of course this does mean that the snippet mountain did not reduce at all....shock horror....

I have been asked about my new signature on my photo's, hubbie made it for me and I have to say I love it. Not a techie person so no idea how he did it but I do know how to add it and change the transparency if I need to lol.

Ingredients

Image: "Work James" Digistamp Boutique

Papers: "Note to Self" Echo Park

Inking: "Gathered Twigs" Fall Set Tim Holtz

Tie Brad: Eyelet Outlet

Someone call a Nurse

Well I have been using the snippets again, this time I found some bits in the neutral folder and decided to use them with this gorgeous image by Heather Ellis. This image could be used for get well cards as well so very versatile too. I bought a corner rounder at the Taunton craft show and have been using it on every piece of card since lol, lots of rounded corners in my future I think. I loosely followed a mojo monday sketch and think I will try that again.

Ingredients

Image: Heather Ellis "Pure Innocence Nurse"

Papers: Pink Petticoat Snippets

Sentiment: Digistamp Boutique

Brads: Eyelet outlet

Challenges : Snippet Playground

A Snippet Card at long last

Since my fall I have been unable to get around so decided to dedicate some time to sorting my mountain of paper snippets into a workable order. I bought clear pockets with a foldover flap and sorted my cardstock snippets into colour groups, red, yellow & orange, pink, green, blue, purple, white, black, brown and metallic. Then placed file hangers in the draw and put one folder per hanger. I then sorted all the printed paper into, men/boys, girls/ladies, christmas and neutral (gingham etc) and placed these in the hangers after the cardstock. Well so far this system is really working, I have made three cards all from the snippets draw and it was so easy to find the bits I wanted.

Onto the card, I have used a new image from Di's Digi Downloads, I bought this one and the girl version so expect to see this one soon. Coloured with my trusty copics and no glossy accents in sight lol.

Ingredients

Image : "Babesaurus" Di's Digi Downloads

Papers: Nit Wit Baby Boy

Dies: MFT postage die

Mat: Elegant edges cut on cricut

Brad: Eyelet Outlet

Sentiment: "Onsie Twosie" Taylored Expressions

Cardstock: Walmart 

Challenges: Snippet Playground

Good Food and Good Friends

I seem to be MIA a lot at the moment and I must say I do miss blogging. No reason for my absence except work is keeping me busy and I just seem to want to curl up on the sofa when I get in.

Last night I went for dinner with some good friends from work and had a sit down Chinese and loved it, I can't believe I have never had one before, so much nicer than a takeaway to.

Excuse the extremely fuzzy photo I tok it just before rushing out the door and there isn't the opportunity to take another.

Ingredients

Image: Tiddly Inks

Papers : Raspberry Road

Brad: Eyelet Outlet

Another Baby Boy ...

There seems to be a bit of a trend at the moment for baby boy cards at work, although the next two babies due are supposed to be girls, can't wait to get started on pink cards lol. I used this cutie image from Mo's Digital Pencil as they are so fab for baby cards.

I did make a bit of a mistake though I dropped the copic after I had coloured him in and made a bit of a mess of the circle he was sitting on, so I cut him out and placed him on an embossed circle instead and I must say I prefer it now, a happy accident.

Ingredients

Image: "Diaper Crew" Mo's Digital Pencil

Paper: "Baby Boy" Nit Wit

Cardstock: Stampin up

Brad: Eyelet Outlet

I like to ride my bicycle...I like to ride my bike...

bicycle, bicycle....are you all singing along or am I the only one old enough to know the words lol.

I made a card just for fun woohoo, the crafting seems to have been one event after another recently and no time for a just in case card. I think I need to start planning ahead a bit more and then I wouldn't find myself with ten cards all needed for that week lol.

I love the cards Vicky makes and she is always tempting me with papers, images and bits so I thought I would make a card inspired by her. I have used a Pollycraft image and nitwit papers, I must confess to already having the papers but never using them together. The photo looks a little washed out, need to find a better place to take the photos.

Ingredients

Image: Pollycraft

Papers: Nit Wit

Cardstock: Stampin up "Crumb Cake"

Brad: Eyelet Outlet

I love brads and am just about to place an order from eyelet outlet, when I see them on the screen I can think of loads of ideas to use them but when they arrive I can't bear to, is anyone else like this or am I all alone lol.

Why is it they always play with the box?

I have loved this image from Mo since I first saw it but never bought it until now. I couldn't wait to colour it and it was even more fun than I thought it would be lol.

Used some papers that you have all probably seen around blogland before but these ones are slightly different, why I hear you ask? well because they are digital woohoo. Never run out again print whenever you want and resize to your hearts content, can't say better than that. I bought a few sets so expect to see these popping up all over my blog. I bet you would like to know the name of the site.....it is Jessica Sprague and she also has Cosmo Cricket...woohoo again.

Ingredients

Image: "Eli" Mos digital pencil

Card: Papermill

Brads: Eyelet Outlet

Papers: Echo Park "Little Boy'