Aloha Summer!

I've been MIA for a while AGAIN.  I have been busy creating for markets and workshops and specials orders as well as some minor personal issues and I really haven't had much time for blogging!  This is one of the designs I made for a market we had here in my village - KuKi (Kultur Kielen).  Most of the village is closed off and given over to artists and artisans.  It's the first one since 2019 and the first one where I've exhibited alone.

A photo of me and my stall!

I left a blank space on this and many designs purposely for personalisation or a specific sentiment and I took my Bigshot and some alpha and sentiment dies with me.  Here is a slightly different Aloha card which caught the eye of one of the locals and her daughter furtively had me personalise it for her for Mammendag - Mother's Day in Luxembourgish!  I did the personalisation at home and added glossy accents to the letters (it was still drying hence the milky appearance when I snapped this photo).  Her mum loved it!  

 

If you're wondering about the beach towel, I selectively die cut it from a very long slimline blanket die from Honey Bee Stamps.  The corners were a little untidy but some strategically placed shells and critters fixed that problem!  

The beach hut is unbranded, I suspect it's an Alexander Renke knock off or perhaps Charlie and Paulchen but I couldn't find it anywhere else so I folded and bought it from Aliexpress.  It's a fabulous set - three different roofs, the option to be on stilts and a ladder, different doors and windows (you might notice the glossy accents on the window pane), bunting, a surfboard (or is that a canoe) as well as flags and a life saver)!  

The Aloha is from Lawn Fawn.  The shells and crab are from a Charlie und Paulchen set called Ozeankranz - so nice to find a European company that sells and makes dies as unfortunately the American ones are now out of my reach since new import duties and collection charges have been imposed (EU Customs and postal services have become ruthless since there is so much money to be made post Brexit)!

 Challenges :

Just us Girls Challenge #638

Double D Challenges - Beach Time

Time Out Challenge #216 - Tropical

Papercraft Challenge #83 - For the Girls

NBUS Challenge #39
the Aloha die and Ozeankranz set are NBUS

I'm thrilled you stopped by and hope you enjoyed your visit.  If you leave a comment, I’ll know you were here and how to find you and perhaps we can get better acquainted!  

Kate

Birdshop Quartet

Firstly, apologies for being MIA for a few weeks - I had a charity card workshop last Saturday and had kits and guides to prepare.  This month is shaping up to be another busy one - and today in particular so I'll keep it short - well shorter than usual!

I wanted to make this up for my choir director but ran out of time and ended up making a much simpler card.  Fitting this large treble clef and making a musical stave were problems that required more than the day's notice I had - let alone how I was going to work out how to fit enough birds (and their legs) to play out at least some of the "Happy Birthday" song!  I ended up putting double sided tape on the back of a some black card stock and cutting strips for the stave and I used the birds legs to sound out just the last line of the tune (in the key of G) which worked out well because there's just about enough room underneath for dear/to and the recipient's name which will balance the design a bit better!

Seize the birthday #237 has the optional topping of Butterflies or Hummingbirds.  While these birds are not Hummingbirds, they are "Humming Birds"!

These birds and the black card stock used for the stave and clef are all snippets left over from previous projects so this card is heading over to the Snippet's Playground Challenge #427 where sadly I haven't had enough time to play for weeks!

There is also a Birds/Bird Nests/Bird Cages challenge at Double D Challenges!

I'm also entering the Crafty Animals Challenge #61 - which always has an "any animals go" theme (my first pet was a bird so they're always special to me)!

I'd also like to enter the Make My Monday Challenge #174 which has the theme Springtime!

I'd also like to join the Daring Cardmakers May Elemental Challenge which has the following elemental inspiration.  I have chosen the swirls on the frame, the striped ribbon and the sheet music as my 3 elements! 

 

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed your visit.  If you leave a comment, I’ll be thrilled!  I’ll also know you were here and check out what you’ve been up to so we can get better acquainted!

Kate

Nautical Zig Zags

 I'm currently going through my stash to see what I have half finished - I need to declutter my craft room and I have market coming up soon and I need to build up stock.  I found this panel that I'd stamped and embossed some time ago - the sentiment is from Waltzing Mouse Stamps Ocean Bound and I'd already cut it with this wonky rectangle die (Spellbinders) which I think resembles a sail!

The current challenge at the Sisterhood of Crafters is Sentiment Only and this sentiment does rather take centre stage!  

The current challenge at the Alphabet Challenge Blog is "Z for Zig-Zag" which inspired me to pull out this old Papertray Ink Chevron Stipes die.

The colour scheme is fairly classic for a nautical card but was inspired nevertheless by this {Pin}spirational March Challenge pic.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed your visit.  If you leave a comment, I’ll be thrilled!  I’ll also know you were here and check out what you’ve been up to so we can get better acquainted!

Kate

Lovey Doves

 

Stumped for inspiration, I looked over previous cards I'd made to see if I could CASE them using some of the newer dies and stamps I've acquired in the mean time!  There is something about the 2nd card in this post from 2015 that I just love!  I remember experimenting with grounding the image by adhering strips of black card stock to a white base.  I happened to have some strips of navy card stock lying about on my desk so I thought I'd see where that took me. 

Initially I thought of going nautical but since I'd used such a pretty embossing folder already I scrapped that idea in favour of something more feminine!  Sometimes the fact that I'm a really messy crafter who doesn't clean up completely between projects has it's advantages!   I had some snippets of card in bold yellows, pinks and greens from various earlier projects lying around on my desk which caught my eye and I was reminded of this MFT Birds of a Feather set which arrived last week and then before I knew it this wedding/anniversary card just sort of emerged!  

Firstly I'd like to enter Pixie's Snippets Playground Challenge #424 since this card was composed almost entirely of snippets!  I haven't entered the Playground for ages because nothing I've made recently has used any snippets - I've generated plenty, just haven't used any!

Next I'd like to enter NBUS Challenge #36 since these love birds are enjoying their first outing!

Next I'd like to enter the Shopping Our Stash Challenge #466 where the theme is Spread Your Wings!

The current theme at the Daring Cardmakers Challenge is "The Early Bird Catches the Worm" so I hope these love birds aren't too late!

I've used an embossing folder so I'm eligible to enter the new embossing folder challenge Can You Handle the Pressure - where the theme is Anything Goes and I even managed to twist a little by adding a touch of green!  Also the Little Red Wagon Challenge #46 which has the theme Emboss Everything.

I'd also like to enter Krafty Chicks Challenge #604 - All Occasions,

Happy Little Stampers March Anything Goes with Dies Challenge

and Inkspirational Challenge #261 which has the theme - Critters that Hop since birds are known to hop as well as fly!

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed your visit.  If you leave a comment, I’ll be thrilled!  I’ll also know you were here and check out what you’ve been up to so we can get better acquainted!

Kate