Olynpic gold is the colour of the day

I don't normally like sport but I have enjoyed watching the Olympics since it began on Friday and yesterday GB got its first gold medal and I think this must have been on my mind when I made this card later on in the day as I have given our little doggie two gold baubles which I think look like gold medals (he probably won them for looking cute). I was rummaging around in a cupboard looking for something else entirely when I found my peel offs which I haven't used for years (can`t even remember the last card I made using them) so they are making an appearance here on this card.
The doggie is a new dinkie stamp from LC Designs, I cut around him for this card and he isn't too difficult to cut out. The worded paper and the base card are by LC Designs also but they are not on sale yet (sneak peek) but keep looking on their shop page because I`m sure they will be out soon.

 

what I used:

LC Designs dinkie Scottie stamp - £2 or on offer 4 stamps for £6

LC Designs Christmas sentiments paper - soon to be on sale

LC Designs large scalloped landscape card - soon to be on sale

7 1/2" scalloped circle die

snowflake embossing folder

gold peel offs

embellishments from my crafty stash

 

 

 

Wow 4 stamps for £6

Just a quick post to let you all know that LC Designs have some new sets of dinkie stamps in stock and on sale. I used one of these stamps in a card I put on this post earlier today so if you wanted to make that particular card this would be a great time to take advantage of this offer which is all 4 stamps for £6  -  wow 4 stamps for £6.

 

 

Something I rustled up before breakfast

I know it`s been a few days since my last blog but I have been busy making samples for a new stamp set from LC Designs, I can not share them with you until their launch and I`m not sure when that  is but I love the stamps and can`t wait to show them to you. However this morning at silly O clock I was busy making this little card sample which I can share. I find that I quite often get inspiration as soon as I wake up and I have to go and craft usually before I even have breakfast or a cuppa. When do you find you are most creative and what kind of things inspire you?

 

what I used:

LC Designs Dinkies Robin Birdhouse stamp - £2 per stamp

LC Designs Elegant Landscape Cards Craft - £1.99 for 10 cards + envelopes

LC Designs Dinkies Text Happy Christmas - £2 for 3 texts

Papermania Traditional Christmas paper pack

small holly die

Liquid Pearls - White Opal

 

I still think that when I make a Christmas card in summer I am in summer mode and I use colours that I wouldn't dream of using in winter and this card is another case in point because I would`nt have painted the little bird house pink in winter, but I do think it works.



 

 

 

 

 



Blog give away

No it's not me giving away candy but if you visit Katrina's Crafty Blog http://cornishkat.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/200th-post-blog-candy.html?m=1 and leave a comment you could win her fantastic goodie bag. Congratulations Katrina on your 200th blog post and your achievements so far this year - keep up the good work.

What do you do when its hot in July?

Well as all crafters know when the thermometer reaches SCORCHIO we make Christmas cards, what else would we do? As I was lucky enough to win a £10 prize with Lilli of the Valley I decided to get instant gratification and used it to buy some of their new digi stamps and this image was one of them. I thought this scene would be fun to colour in and I wasn't wrong but I needed to look at Vixx card on the Lilli of the Valley World web page which she had made with this image to know exactly where the snow ended and the car began - thank you Vixx.

what I used:

Lilli of the Valley Snow Shovel digi stamp - £2.99 instant download 

Lilli of the Valley Christmas Grungy Messages Black digi stamps  - £3.99 instant download

NitWit Festive Trimmings paper pad

Le Crea multi die flower 004 (large Poinsettia)

Marianne Poinsettia dies (small Poinsettia)

Creative Expressions Sue Wilson Berry Sprig die

Tim Holtz distress inks - Ripe Persimmon, Fossilized Amber, Vintage Photo

This card is 6" x 6" and I made my digi image 9cm from side to side and the digi sentiment 3.2cm from side to side.

I cut the Poinsettia from white card and then thoroughly wet the card with a water brush, I then applied the Ripe Persimmon and Fossilized Amber inks with the water brush and allowed the colours to run into each other. I repeated this process a couple of times allowing the card to dry in between each colouring until the required depth of colour was achieved. I then dotted red water colour pen down the middle of the flower petals and blended this with the water colour brush. When the card was finally dry it was too bright so I toned it down by dry rubbing (very lightly) some Vintage Photo distress ink over the top.

If I want to make snow flakes and not see the stamped outline I blob some Liquid Pearls over the stamped flake and then either leave it to dry pearly or as I have done with this card cover it with Dazzle Dust glitter and allow it to dry.
Once again I used fabulous ribbons bought from Brenda Exeter.

 

I always find that when I make Christmas cards in the summer the colours are altogether brighter than when I do them in the winter months and I think if I had been making this card later in the year the Poinsettia would have been much redder and darker. The Berry Sprig die is a recent acquisition of mine, I just love it and have used it in the past as a solid colour for a funky leaf on a card but I love the way that colouring it has made it stand out for this card - definitely a must have die.
Now that I`m in a Chritmassy mood I think I will try and get some more done this week (whilst its hot and sunny).

 

 

 

 



Tags take less time

Yesterday when I had finished making a card I had a bit of time to spare and as my craft stuff was still spread all about my craft room I decided to make a tag. I love making tags but for me they are always an after thought when I have`nt much time to spare yet they are just as pretty as any card and easier to store (note to self - must make more tags).

 

what I used:

LC Designs Wavy Butterflies and Cats stamp set - £6 including 3 sentiment stamps

Joanna Sheen Essentials With Love die

Tattered Lace Essentials Circles dies

Woodware daisy punch

Tonic small daisy boot punch

small hole punches

 

 

I already had the LC stamp out so I simply masked off the house and flowers part of the stamp as I wanted a smaller image.

The ribbons and background papers are from my stash. That's another reason to do more tags - it uses up small stash bits.

The sentiment die was too big to fit onto the tag so I cut out the Love part and used that.

For the flower middles I used dots made with the hole punches and bevelled them but I almost used gems which I think would have looked good too.

 

 

 

 

Too hot to craft

I have been meaning to do so much this week and nothing has been done because of the scorching heat. I love the sun shine but I swear that I (along with most of England) have been melting and just haven`t had the energy to do anything much. I was so glad not to be at work in the school kitchens this week as the temperature yesterday got up to 55 degrees and that is just too damn hot. Today it is a little more bearable with the odd cloud hiding the sun and I have been in my crafty lair making up for lost time. I have used a LC Designs backing paper on this card which is not as yet on sale so here you get a sneak peek.

what I used:

LC Designs Wavy Butterfly Cats - £6 including 3 sentiment stamps

Rebecca`s Really Useful Sentiments Female stamp set - £6

Alla Prima 6" x 6" paper stack

LC Designs sentiment backing paper (to be released at the end of July)

Creative Expressions Sue Wilson Berry Sprig die

fancy flower and butterfly dies (don't know the names of them)

 



Brenda Exeter had a ribbon sale on Face Book the other week and I managed to bag a few bargains and I was so glad to be able to use one of the ribbons on my card. This is what was in the bag of loveliness that I got from Brenda and I`m just itching to use them all.