Nothing But Neutrals

Hi All,

An old blogging buddy of mine popped up on my Facebook feed yesterday with her first challenge for 2021, so I decided that entering it would be the perfect way to start off the New Year.

The challenge blog is called The Rainbow Card Challenge Blog and their colour challenge for this month is Nothing but Neutrals.

Now I haven't exactly been crafty over the last few weeks due this blasted virus, so I had a look through my photos to see if I could find a card from my stash that might fit the bill, and this is what I found.

I stamped and embossed Jane's fabulous JGS329 Single teasels on to a piece of cream cardstock and then added some distress inks with a blending tool. 

Next I added some background stamping again using Distress inks.

Finally I ran the entire piece through my embossing machine with a Bubbles stencil (they call them masks) from Dutch Doobadoo. If you use an embossing mat underneath the stencil you get a nice embossed pattern in the card stock just as if you had used an embossing folder

With the stencil still in place I added some smoky grey ink and then some Imagination Sparkle Medium using a piece of cut'n dry felt. You only need a small amount of the Sparkle Medium on the felt pad but by using a circular motion over the stencil you burnish the medium in to the paper to give a foiled appearance, which of course looks much better in the flesh than the photos lol.

The sentiment is a favorite old one from Hobby Art.

I hope that this is neutral enough for Mynette's challenge at The Rainbow Card Challenge.

Thanks for stopping by. I'm off for a granny nap I think, covid really does take it out of you.

Hugs Kimx

Floral Window Cards.

Evening Everyone,
I hope that you have had a wonderful 'crafty' weekend.
I have spent today finishing off some bits and pieces from a previous class, so I am feeling very pleased with myself.
It got too late for pictures so I will share them with you another time.

These cards were made a while ago using a technique that I learnt from my lovely blogging buddy Mynnette on one of the numerous challenge blogs that she has run over the years.

She called the technique Stamped Punched Window Cards  and I love it, in fact I won the challenge lol. 

Of course you can just as easily use the stamped panel on its own as I have done here. It just seemed too nice to cut into.
Lets hope these nice bright floral cards are reflected in the weather tomorrow. It would be so nice to be warm at work for a change.
Hugs Kimx

More Baby Wipe Reinker Cards

Evening Everyone
I hope that you have had a good day.
I decided that my card tonight would be another featuring the Baby Wipe Reinker Technique as explained by Mynnette over at Technique Time Tuesday.
She comes up with some fabulous ideas, some new to me and some old favourites that I had forgotten about.
I try to play along although sometimes my card doesn't quite turn out as the technique says it should, as with my cards tonight, but I do like to play anyway.

The pale panel on this card was created following Mynnette's instructions and part of a Stampendous stamp set Daisy Stem Trio SSC1105.

I also used assorted dye based reinkers, although I'm afraid I can't remember which ones.

I stamped one of Jane Gill's fantastic solid image stamps JGS273 Wheat onto the panel and then used it as a type of spotlight to the main card.

The second card tonight has been made in a very similar manner, this time using JGS274 Ferns.

The main panels on both cards have been made using Distress inks, Glimmer Mist, Faux Stitching and some Card Candi.
Please check out Mynnette's instructions for the Baby Wipe Reinker Panel, you never know you might feel inspired to give it a go.
I will enter these cards into the challenge at Woodware.
At least that way Dorothy will get an explanation as to how I created the background on my card from yesterday as it was made in exactly the same way.
Off to bed now, night night.
Hugs Kimx

No Paper, No Problem at Woodware

Hi All
This week the lovely ladies at Woodware have tried something a little different.
Their blog theme has been chosen by Jill Tuck from The Stampman and once a month they will be featuring one of their blogging retailers. Jill has chosen No Paper, No Problem.
Those of you that are regular visitors know that as well as all kinds of paper, there is nothing I like more than messing around with my stamps and inks to make my own backgrounds.

This card was made a while ago using a technique which my crafty friend Mynnette shared on her Technique Time Tuesday challenge blog.

Unfortunately my very early starts this week have really caught up with me today and so I will have to try and correct the links to the exact posts tomorrow when I might be able to stay awake lol.

The central panel was created using a Baby Wipe Reinker technique as explained by Mynnette and stamps from a Stampendous clear stamp set.
I also stamped and embossed the blue background with the same stamp, versamark and clear embossing powder.
I hope that you will feel inspired to join the girls at Woodware with their latest challenge, and also check out Technique Time Tuesday as they launched their new challenge today.
Hugs Kimx

Create Your Own Background for Make My Monday

Evening Everyone
Well that will teach me won't it!!
Don't mention the weather cause that is bound to make it change. Not quite snow, thank goodness, but still cold and wet.

My card today has been made to enter into the challenge over at Make My Monday where they are looking for you to 'Create Your Own Background'
Now this was not hard for me as that has to be one of my favourite things to do, after heat embossing that is.
The background has actually been made using a technique that I found on another of the blogs that I follow Technique Time Tuesday.
My lovely Crafty friend Mynnette showed how to make your own inkpad using a baby wipe and some reinkers.

I couldn't quite get mine to look like those that Mynnette and her team created but I did end up with several very usable pieces of artwork, one of which I have used here.
In fact I can't have done too bad a job with my original as it came in the Top 5.
I would also like to enter this into the challenge over at Cute Card Thursday where they are looking for 'Something Borrowed'.
I certainly borrowed the idea for the background from Mynnette, and this card uses similar colours to my original (is that CASE?) so I hope that it counts.
Off to bed now, although after my 'granny nap' this afternoon I might take a while to get to sleep.
hugs Kimx

Punched Window Card Class at SirStampalot

Evening Everyone,
Here we are at the end of another week.
I can't believe that there is only one more sleep till my holiday is finished and I have to go home.
As much as I have enjoyed my stay here I do hope that the snow holds off until Sunday as I'm not sure that my Boss, or my bank balance, would accept me staying any longer.
Still November will be here before we know it lol.

I had another full class this evening where I taught the ladies Punched Window Cards, an idea that I picked up from the Technique Time Tuesday blog run by my lovely Teamie Mynnette.

The image at the center of the card has been stamped and embossed using white embossing powder and then the flowers have been coloured using Distress Inks.

The image is from a fabulous Penny Black cling set Every Happiness.

Definitely my kind of stamp set, and one of the first things to leap into my basket lol.
I have a Q and A session in store tomorrow instead of the usual demo so I am hoping that I don't get too many questions that I can't answer.
I know that several of the ladies that have been on my classes are coming back to see me with products that they are not sure how to use so tomorrow will be all about playing. Can't wait :O)
Better get some sleep I suppose, and then I will have to finish packing in the morning.
Night, night.
Hugs Kimx

More Pressed Flowers

Evening Everyone,
I hope that you have had a lovely day.
The one problem with my extended 'Granny nap' yesterday was that I worked late into the evening as I was wide awake.
How much of a problem is that you might think, well it meant that I slept in this morning.
I can't believe that I didn't wake up till gone 11 am. I think I was at school the last time I did that, and that was a very long time ago.

I have spent the day making a couple of commissioned cards which I will have to share at a later date, so here is another card that I made using the 'Pressed Flower' technique which Mynnette shared on Technique Tuesday.

Having struggled with her challenge last month, I have found this one much easier to follow.
Like most of you I have a box full of punched flowers and was pleased to see that this technique worked just as well with them as it did with Prima flowers.

The solid flower that has been stamped and embossed around the edge is one from a lovely new set from Hobby Art. In fact the greeting is also from another new set.

I loaned the card to Jenny for her TV show last week, but unfortunately this one got left behind. Never mind the other card that I made using this technique got showcased, even if she didn't mention where I got the idea  from.
Sorry Mynnette, but at least you know that one of the cards that you inspired has made it on to the TV :O)
I think I had better get to bed now, even if I'm not tired, otherwise I might waste another day by sleeping in, and I have far too much to do.
Thanks for stopping by.
Hugs Kimx

It didn't beat me this time Mynnette!!!

Evening Everyone.
I hope that you have been having a wonderful weekend despite the dreadful weather.
It is really not very summery here at all, although at least we haven't had as much rain today just plenty of wind.
Today I have been teaching at Davina's.
My class was inspired by the lovely Mynnette's first Technique Tuesday challenge 'Punched Window Cards', so it is very appropriate that my card tonight has been inspired by the new challenge this month 'Faux Pressed Flowers'.
The technique didn't beat me this time Mynnette, I love it lol.

I made this using some of the numerous Prima paper flowers that I have in my stash, don't we all :), as well as punched leaves.
I must be very sad as I have a small box full of leaves that I have punched out of scraps at various times, always useful when finishing off a card, and perfect for this one. It saved me so much time.

I followed Mynnettes instructions but also took inspiration from some of the other cards that have been entered into the challenge.
Why not give it a try, it is very easy and I think you will agree that it is also very effective.

The greeting is taken from a new Hobby Art clear stamp set that Jenny will be taking on to the TV next week, as is the lovely fine swirl around the edge.
I took the card with me to class today and the girls liked it so much that we are going to do it in class at the end of July, so thanks again Mynnette.
Better get to bed now, I have another busy day of crafting ahead of me. It's a hard life isn't it.
Thanks for stopping by.
hugs Kimx

Christmas Playtime

Evening Everyone
I begin to think that my cards this week should have a water theme rather than Christmas since we are in danger of being washed away here. Why is it that the weather men only ever seem to get it truly right when their predictions are for terrible weather lol.

A couple of girlfriends came round last night for a little Creative playtime and I decided to show them the wonderful technique that Mynnette has been sharing with us on her Tuesday Technique MONTHLY CRAFTY BLOG CHALLENGE THING, as she puts it. 

I absolutely love this technique and as you can see I got quite carried away when I was showing the Girls.

Fortunately they agreed with me and good fun was had by All, and several Christmas cards were added to every ones stash.

Why not pop over and visit Mynnette and check out her really clear instructions on how to make this type of card.

 I managed to incorporate several previously stamped and embossed images from my bits box, although I couldn't help making a couple of cards completely from scratch using the Woodware Christmas background stamp and the Holly set in the first two cards in this post.

I don't seem to have shifted my headache again today. A second day on the new till system is no better, so I must try and get my head down for a few hours at least.
I hope that you have a go at making some cards using this technique, and don't forget to link them to the challenge, I'm sure that Mynnette would love to see you.
hugs Kimx

A Stamped Punched Window

Evening Everyone.
No vellum again tonight I'm afraid, just a card inspired by Mynnette one of my wonderful teamies over at Crafty Cardmakers.
She has started a Technique Tuesday Link Party where she aims to share a new technique on the first Tuesday of the month.
There will be tutorial and a chance to link your own creations. Her first share is a 'Stamped Punched Window' and this is my take on it.

I have used a large Woodware Christmas background which I have stamped and embossed onto white card and then  coloured with blue ink from a Creole Spice Kaleidacolor ink pad.

The 'window' has been cut out using a nestie before any colour was sponged onto the panel, which means that I have been able to leave the nestie in place to create the white border.

I have added some snowflakes with a lovely Magnolia stamp and the same blue ink.
Please pop across to Mynette's BLOG where she give lovely easy to follow instructions on how to make her card, and then maybe you can try it out, just like I did.
Hugs Kimx