It's Autumn at Crafty Cardmakers

Afternoon Everyone,
It's my turn to host the new challenge over at CCM this fortnight.
Our theme this time round is Autumn, which I have to say is my favourite time of the year.

 

I love the colours and all the falling leaves which I have reflected in my card.

I created a Masterboard background by stamping leaves from Penny Black Foliage Fancy in Versamark ink, and embossing them with gold powder.

I tapped several colours of the new Oxide inks over the stamped and embossed images, and then spritzed with water.
I saw this technique demonstrated on Hochanda recently, but I can't for the life of me remember who it was demonstrated by.

I love the fabulous chalky finish that these inks give. And the colours are just yummy.

 I used a Sue Wilson die to create the fancy frame and then added more fussy cut leaves and a Altenew sentiment. I also added some glossy accents to look like tiny dew drops.

As usual I got a little bit carried away and used up all of the leftovers from my Masterboard background to create several more cards all with the same Autumnal theme.

I used another of the Sue Wilson dies from the same set to create the frame on this card, and a stamped sentiment from my bits box. (It's LOTV I think)

This card uses one of the small trimmings and another fussy cut leaf.

The pieces of dry embossed background are also from my bits box. 

This final card also uses a piece of masterboard with the addition of a stamped and embossed sentiment.

The main card has been stamped and embossed with leaves which have then been sponged with same colours of Oxide Inks.
I used a Crystal Clear Sparkle pen to paint the leaves which has given them a slightly bleached out and sparkly effect.
I hope that you will find the time to join in with our new challenge.
Thank you so much for stopping by, and why not check out what the rest of the team have created to inspire you.
Have a fabulous crafty day.
Hugs Kimx

Happy Birthday Twinnies

Evening Everyone,
I hope that you have all had a wonderful weekend.
It has been very hot and muggy here which I have found difficult to cope with. I'm such a woose when it comes to the weather.
Still at least the twins have had a grand time on their birthday........fantastic weather and a trip to Legoland.
I actually managed to get their cards made on time, which is quite an achievement for me lol.

Saskia's card was made with some old  toppers that I bought from LOTV.

As I had several all the same I decided on a bit of decoupage.

The circular matt around the image has been coloured with my Imagination Starlight paint.

I also used a little of the paint to tone down the background so that it matched the fairy a little more.

I have already shared Ciaran's card with you.

But this is another card that was delivered to our neighbour who also celebrates his birthday today.
Back to the grind tomorrow, and I really must try and get back to the gym.
I seem to have lost my mojo along with my gym buddy which means that I have to motivate myself! Never easy especially when it is so hot. I would much rather sit and play.
Bye for now.
Hugs Kimx

Good Luck and Love in All that You Do

Evening Everyone,
We are in full blown exam mode in our house. GCSEs, or what ever it is that they call them these days.
Megan seems to be coping with them reasonably well at the moment although I believe there was a bit of a meltdown moment when there was confusion over exam rooms and seat numbers. Six of them all had the same number!!!
Hopefully today's exam has been a little less stressful.

It is a little bit late, what's new I hear you say, but here is the card that I made Megan to wish her luck and love in all that she does, namely said exams.

The background has been created using Imagination Silkies and a stencil.

Some of the colour was removed using a baby wipe whilst the stencil was still in place and then Sparkle Medium was burnished over the top using a piece of cut and dry felt.

The main stamped image is one of my favourite Woodware stamps at the moment,

and the sentiment is from LOTV.
I think we are exam free for a few days at least, so lets hope that the stress levels recede a little.
Bye for now.
Hugs Kimx 

NEW - Home, Baby, Marriage etc for CCM&More

Hello Everyone.
It's the start of another week, and also the start of a new year of challenges over at Crafty Cardmakers and More.
Our host this time is Sally and as it's a brand new year we thought we would go with a 'new' challenge. So you can interpret that in many different ways, it could be to welcome a new baby, a new home, marriage etc. I am sure you can think of many different 'news' you can inspire us with.

I chose a New Baby card as I had several of them to make last year, and who knows what this year will bring.

I made and Easel card as I always think this makes a card just that little bit more special.

The topper is made from one of my LOTV pads and a selection of circle dies.

This circular greeting is also from LOTV and is great for personalising a card.

I added some leafy swirls,

and several other sentiments.
As I said I had several other baby cards to make in 2015 and so I thought that I would share them with you here.

I hope that you will join us for this challenge, but PLEASE be respectful of our rules.
Why not pop across and see what the rest of the team have made to inspire you, there are some truly stunning samples.
Happy Crafting and Hugs
Kimx

Happy First Christmas

Evening everyone
I hope that you have had a good weekend.
I have spent a very lazy one watching films with the Grandchildren and the 'Big Kids' (grownups) in the house.
Now as you know I have not written any Christmas cards this year.
There are several notable exceptions however as it is the first Christmas for four little people of my acquaintance, and this just had to be marked, especially as I had the perfect sentiment stamp to use.

 I kept the cards very simple,

 using some of my LOTV toppers

 and some circular dies.

I layered the images over some red card dry embossed using a swirly folder and then highlighted with gold gilding wax.
The finishing touches include card candi, glitter glue, glossy accents and of course that sentiment from a Woodware stamp set designed by Jane Gill.
I know that Emma's card will make it's way into her Memory box that her Mum has created for her, and I would like to think that the others will save their ones too.
Back to work tomorrow, so I had better get some sleep.
Hugs Kimx

Happy Halloween

Hi Everyone,
I hope that you are all having a spookily good day.
I am sitting in the shop at SirStampalot wearing a spider headband as I write this, having worn devil horns and a tail at work yesterday..............don't ask lol.

My girls love Halloween, although it is something that they have come to in adulthood, as it was not something that we celebrated when they were kids.
This card was made for a lovely lady who comes into work, to give to her son whose birthday is today.

I have fussy cut one of my LOTV toppers and attached it to the card with silicon.

The background to the card was created using a Dutch Doobadoo spiders web stencil,, embossing machine,  distress inks and glitter glue.

The sentiments are by Marianne and are a combination of stamps and dies.
The cat is also a very useful Marianne die. It is actually a pair of cats, but I separate them and use them an awful lot especially for Good Luck cards.
I'm sure that the Grandchildren will be having great fun today carving pumpkins, making chocolate apples (toffee was considered a little bit too dangerous) and eating lots of sweeties.
I have left strict instructions that I need plenty of pictures, especially when they have all dressed up.
Have a good evening.
Hugs Kimx

Autumn Colours at CCM&More

Hi All,
It's time for a new challenge over at CCM&More, and our host Jackie would like to see anything with Warm Autumn Colours.

I love Autumn with all its glorious colours so this was an easy challenge for me.

The central panel was created by tapping a Kaleidacolour inkpad on to an acrylic block, and then spritzing it with water before stamping onto watercolour card stock.

There is usually enough ink left on the block to create a second background, just spritz with more water before stamping.

.

This card has been made using this second generation background. Once it was completely dry I stamped and embossed the panel with one of Jane Gill's fabulous Weeds and Grasses stamps.

The background paper was from my stash and I have toned the colour down a little by sponging it with some co-ordinating dye based ink before stamping and embossing it with the same stamp as the main panel.

I wrapped the stamped panel with some bakers twine and then added a LOTV circular sentiment.
I hope that you will join in with us this fortnight. Why not check out what the rest of the team have come up with, there are some truly stunning samples to inspire you HERE.

Babies are such a nice way to start people.

Hi All
I had a wonderful weekend with my littlest Granddaughter, and her Mum and Dad of course, so I thought that it was about time I got around to sharing the card that I made for them to celebrate her birth at the end of July.
I can't believe where the weeks have flown to. Emma is now 7 weeks old!!!!!!

The background to my card has been made using one of my all time favourite bits of crafty equipment. The Magic Stamp available from Woodware is a fabulous remouldable block which has been heated and then pressed against Emma's hand and foot to create a custom stamp.
I have one of these for each of the Grandchildren, made when they were only a few days old. Megan's is now 15 years old, so they last a lifetime.

I have used it to stamp all over the background card using pink dye based ink. I then ran the panel through my E-bosser inside a dotty embossing folder.

The main image is from LOTV, and for once I actually coloured it in myself rather than using a topper.

I die cut some letters and the date and then added some other tiny sentiments.

'Babies are such a nice way to start people' is from a LOTV clear stamp set which I added to a die cut tag.
I also added some tiny metal embellishments and a button.
I was thrilled to see that this now takes pride of place on the mantelpiece inside a nice frame.
Emma isn't really a hatty sort of a baby, although we did play dress up while I was up there at the weekend, trying on some of her many outfits to see which ones would fit her. I will have to get Becki to send me a couple of pictures so that I can share them with you as there were one or two hats amongst them if I recall correctly.
Better get to bed now as it is back to work tomorrow.
Bye for now, and thanks for stopping by.
Hugs Kimx