Safe Harbour

Challenge #266 has just gone live at Time Out Challenges and this fortnight it's an Inspiration Photo Challenge!

This challenge is perfect if like me, you're missing your Vitamin Sea!  Here's a closeup!

This challenge is generously being sponsored by Lawn Fawn and they are offering our Top Pick as chosen by the design team a $25 voucher to their store.  

Our top pick will also be invited to guest design with us at a future date so I hope you will take some Time Out of your busy schedule and come play cards with us! 

Speaking of Top Picks, we are delighted to welcome Joyce Mehrberg (our Top Pick of Challenge 262) as our guest this fortnight!  Many of you will already know and probably follow Joyce's blog Cards By The Sea - definitely worth a visit and leave her some comment love while you're there!

And you'll find plenty more inspiration from Joyce and the rest of the team over on the Challenge Blog!

I love anything to do with the sea and so does my hubby and my father-in-law was a naval commander so I have accumulated quite a few nautical stamp and die sets over the years - some still NBUS!  But this photo reminded me so much of a card I made ages ago that I've CASEd myself on this one except that I've swapped the sentiment for a New Baby (a friend of mine is expecting her first grandson) and I also cut everything for this card from white card stock (apart from the base panel) and used distress inks (Shabby Shutters, Squeezed Lemonade and Blue Lagoon) and alcohol markers to add colour rather than using coloured card stock.  The sentiment is from WMS Ocean Bound and fits perfectly on this Spellbinders Wonky Frame which I think resembles a ship's square sail fluttering in the wind, 

I'd like to enter these fab challenges

Papercraft Challenges #106 - For the Boys;

Allsorts Week 785 - Masculine;

Make My Monday Challenge #228 - Outdoor Summer Fun;

Word Power Challenge #6 - Make the sentiment the focus of your card.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you go away a little inspired!  Your visits and comments are always a joy and always appreciated!  And if you leave a comment, I’ll know you were here and how to find you!

Kate

Something New

It's a brand new year and we have a brand new challenge at Time Out - we challenge you to be 

New! 

You can interpret "NEW" anyway you like, You might like to use some new goodies or perhaps a new technique or make something for a new home, job or baby!  Or it may be just to welcome in the New Year!  I can't wait to see how you will be inspired!

Challenge 254 is being sponsored by Gina K Designs and they are very kindly offering our top pick as chosen by the design team a $25.00 store credit.  

We had a new addition to our family in December and so that's where I went with "NEW"!  I also used some new supplies!  I signed up for the Gummiapan Advent Calendar in 2023 so spent the whole of December opening a present every day.  This baby cradle was a lovely surprise on the 10th of December and I started planning a card to welcome baby Zoey straight away!

I created a circular aperture (Waltzing Mouse Stamps Pretty Circles die), placed some foam tape around the opening and then added a snippet of some pretty patterned paper behind it.  

First I started with the curtain which was begging to be cut from vellum and I found some pink vellum which was the perfect shade.  Gummiapan dies are designed so that it's very simple to snip the die cuts apart and layer them up.  The frill at the base of the curtain and the gathering at the top were easily snipped off a second die cut (cut from card stock) and added over the vellum - which gave me a way to hide the adhesive I needed to add it to the card.  

The cradle was cut twice.  The first one was kept intact - I even added a little tape to the back to prevent the heart falling out.  From the second die cut I removed the back of the cradle and the legs and laid this over the complete cradle.  I coloured the heart a deeper shade of pink and added this back into the top layer.

I then created a circular aperture (Waltzing Mouse Stamps Pretty Circles die), placed some foam tape around the opening and then added a snippet of some pretty patterned paper behind it - what's the point of having a vellum curtain if you can't see some pretty wallpaper behind it! 

The "welcome" (Winnie and Walter) was cut from the same snippet I used to back the aperture (also cut twice from pink card and stacked).   

I still had enough to cut the name (MFT Little Alphabet Lower) and the teddy bear (Gummiapan Lying Teddy).

With the benefit of 20/20 hindsight vision, I wish I'd chosen a smaller alphabet for the name or made the aperture higher up the panel but it is what it is ... and it should be winging its way to Australia now!

I would like to thank the inimitable Christine Stokes for showing me the possibilities of these die cuts and also Deb Hallett  - both brilliant card makers (I recommend looking up both and subscribing to their YouTube channels)!  I’ve been watching Christine for well over a year now - it was she who put me onto the Gummiapan advent calendar when she showcased each day last year.  I already had a few dies - one of best crafting buddies is Swedish so of course she drew my attention to them at craft fairs we attended together over the years - but I’m pretty sure they were NBUS before Christine showed me the full potential of these little dies!

I'd like to join the following challenges

NBUS Challenge #58 - NBUS Cradle die and Teddy die;

Snippets Challenge #470 - Anything but Christmas is the theme ... and snippets of course!

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Something New

Paper Minutes Challenge #827 - Something New

Little Red Wagon Challenge #737 - What's New!

If you haven’t already, you might like to check out my next post, which is a blog hop and prize and finishes later today!

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you go away a little inspired!  Your visits and comments are always a joy and always appreciated!  And if you leave a comment, I’ll know you were here and how to find you!

Kate

A Quilted Card

My lovely niece and God-daughter is expecting her first child in December and I was recently selling some of my cards at a local market, when I saw this funky modern baby quilt at a neighbouring stand.  As is usually the case (and I don't think I'm alone in this)  I spent everything I had made (plus my considerable float) to buy it.

This card really was a labour of love - not just for my soon-to-be new great-nephew but also for the quilter and her gorgeous creation.  I went though all my stamps, selected patterns which represented the patterns on the quilt and embossed them with many different coloured embossing powders, ink colours and card stock until I was happy with the mix.  I then used the second smallest Spellbinders Postage Stamp Square die to create the swatches.  I also found a punch in my collection (which I had forgotten I had - sound familiar) to create some smaller swatches and superimposed them on the larger swatches.

The stitch lines around the swatches were made using a Paper Smooches die set.  I used another die from the same set to create a row of cross-stitches on the envelope.  I had plenty of swatches left over so will use one of them as an envelope seal.  

The border of the quilt is a grey polka dot, so I matted the panel on grey polka dotted paper and used the same paper for this Welcome sentiment from Lil' Inkers Designs.  As it was sitting astride swatches, I  layered up 3 grey card-stock die-cuts under it to give support and height.  

There are striped and spotted papers and patterns used in the card, so I thought I would enter it in the current Double D Challenge Stripes and Dots

I just noticed that the current challenge for Time Out is Colourful.  So I'm linking up there as well

Thanks for stopping by, especially if you take the time to leave some feedback.  I can't say how much I appreciate your kind words and support.

Kate

Country Train

I've had this Quickutz Train die for many, many years.  I think I bought it at the same craft fair I bought my first cuttlebug.  I cut four trains from red, green, blue and yellow cardstock and then switched various elements around in the different colours until I was happy with the results.  It's a bit fiddly but it is cute when assembled.  I gave the engine and the carriages a good coating of glossy accents for extra wow.  

The clouds were sponged in using Salty Ocean DI and some die cut Memory Box Puffy Marshmallow Clouds.  The hills and fence were die cut with the MFT Rolling Hills and Fence dies.  There's plenty of room for personalisation at a later date when it's needed!

I'm entering this card in The Male Room Challenge # 87 - Little Boys

Thanks for stopping by, especially if you take the time to leave some feedback.

Kate

Decorating the Nursery

One of my nieces has just had a beautiful baby girl and I've made this card to celebrate the event.

I tried an easier way of wainscoting, partially embossing a piece of card with a striped embossing folder.

I used some pretty DP which wouldn't look out of place on a nursery wall and strung up some bunting with her name on it using the Spellbinders Nested Pennants and the XCut Centurion Alphabet.

Thanks for stopping by, especially if you take the time to leave some feedback,
Kate

Darling Little Card

I've had quite a few demands for baby cards lately, so I ordered the complete baby bundles from Waltzing Mouse and they arrived on Tuesday, just in time for this Waltzing Mouse's May PJ Party.  

This month's PJ party is mostly about the boys, so naturally I had to make up the card in blue and this is for Challenge 1 - Man of the Hour.  The bassinet and bow are from WMS Little Darling Images and were cut with their matching dies.  The sentiment is from WMS Little Darling Sentiments and the wee bootie in the background is from WMS Vintage Baby Shower.

Thanks for stopping by,
Kate

Twin Girls

A simple card for twin girls using the stork and 2 bundles cut using Little B Baby Elements set.  The Pennants were cut with Spellbinders Nested Pennants and overstamped with letters from an alphabet set I bought years ago and had forgotten I had.  The packaging wasn't intact so I can't tell you what brand it was but the size of the lowercase letters worked well with the banners.  

The "string" and knots were stamped with the WMS Bitty Banners set and the frame and names of the twins were computer generated. 

It looked a little bare when I had finished and my son James suggested adding some hearts.  I die cut these hearts using the Cuttlebug Small Paisley set - all my other hearts were too big.

A smattering of beads and voila !!!

Thanks for stopping by,

Kate

Baby Blues

Well it's blue in real life but that's inside photography and pearlescent card for you.  

I bought this little B Baby die set a few months ago and I've been wanting to try it for a while now.  The Card Concept Challenge #13 has a Baby theme this fortnight so I had the perfect excuse, although I'm not exactly sure what category this card falls into - possible clean and layered.

Cards for Guyz also has a Baby Boy Challenge this week so I'm entering there as well.

I stamped the background using WMS Cabin Plaid backgrounder and embossed with white.  I love the look and texture of this - the photo doesn't do it justice.

I've put the sentiment on the inside Welcome Little One from WMS Big Day Today but I've left the front fairly plain as it's only for the stash at the moment and I may wish to personalise it at a later date.

Have a great day,

Kate

A Ray of Sunshine

A quick little card I made up for my stash.  It actually started out as a Baby Girl card (I based this card on the Brian Cadd classic from the sixties) but I had to change it as very few people outside Australia and/or born after 1970 would have heard of the song.  So it's now a pick-me-up or get well card - also always useful to have in the stash !!! 

The sentiment was computer generated using the American Typewriter font (I think).  I had loads of this pink card from Maggie's place cards last month, so I just added a bit of DP and a few pearls.  The sun rays are actually cut using the Spellbinders Nested Pennants and the cloud is a Memory Box Marshmallow cloud.

If you would like to hear the song (sung by a really young Glenn Shorrock), check this YouTube video.

Hope the sun is shining in your part of the world,

Kate

Alexandra Rocks

A friend of mine needs a Christening card for this weekend.  Alexandra is a long name but I managed to squeeze it in (twice).  These wood mounted alphabet blockstamps are from PSX and have been in my stash for ages.  They haven't had an outing for many years now - about time they saw some ink !!!

I stamped them on pearlescent pink card with versa mark and embossed them with WOW White Detail embossing powder.  I then used a 1" square punch to punch them out - easy peasy to align and much less effort than using spellbinders squares.

Thanks for stopping by,
Kate

No time for snoozin' tonight !

It's the end of the month and that means another WMS pyjama party.  Earlier this month Claire released some fabulous new stamps which I just had to buy of course and this week I've been getting them inky in preparation for tonight's PJ party.  There are 4 challenges plus the bedtime sketch.  So far I've created 3 cards but the night is still young so I'm hoping to get at least one more done before I retire for the evening, and I'm looking forward to seeing what the bedtime sketch will be.

This month there is a colour challenge - don't you just love this palette, and here's my card.

I used some distressed kraft card that I made some time ago using crackle coating, gesso and blue acrylic paint.  Although it looks like the paint is all cracked and peeling off, it is in fact quite smooth and perfect for overstamping.  I cut the piece into narrow "plank" strips and a larger panel.  I overstamped the larger panel with an image and a sentiment from one of last year's sets "North Shore", and the boards with the rope border from "Tying the Knot".  I am entering this card in Challenge 1 "Tie a Knot in it" and Challenge 3 Colour Inspiration.  

My second card is a baby boy card.  When I took delivery of the new Pinstripe and Zig-Zag Background stamps I sat down and made a whole bunch of backgrounds.  I then had to put them to use and I had been meaning to make a baby boy card with a nautical theme for some time now - finally had an excuse if not a reason!!!

I stamped the string and knots from the WMS Bitty Banners, curving the rope slightly on the acrylic block.  The base of the boat was made by cutting a Spellbinders circle in two and the sails were made by cut using the bottom half of a Sizzix Kite Framelit - simple but effective I think.  I cut a "porthole" in the striped background and raised it up for some dimension.  A Sizzlit anchor and a few gems finished it off.  The envelope was stamped with a very old PSX anchor stamp - one of the the first I ever owned. I am entering this card in Challenge 1 - Tie a Knot in it (I'm being cheeky here but there are two knots stamped on the top), Challenge 2 - Get Nauty and Challenge 4 - Golden Oldies (the PSX anchor).

My last card for this post is another Nautical Number.  Yesterday my good friend Ruth asked if I could make a card for her Aunt and Uncle who are celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary next week.  I immediately thought of thistles and tartan (they're Scottish) but I couldn't believe my luck when she told me her uncle had been in the Navy for 25 years, and this beautiful heart-shaped rope knot from Tying the Knot seemed perfect.  Again I cut a port hole in the pinstriped background, this time to frame a gold embossed thistle.  I masked the background card before stamping the pinstripe background - leaving a blank space for the ropes.  I used a celtic font on the middle pennant and stamped the inside of the card with Happy Anniversary from the Celtic Heritage set (embossed in gold of course) as well as the rope from Tying the Knot.  The back of the envelope was also stamped with the Heart rope knot.  The more I look at it the more I think I'll redo the banners stamped with the pennant frame from Bitty Banners, which will set off the initials and the dates - they look a little bare at the moment.
I'm entering this card in Challenge 1 - Tying the Knot and Challenge 2 - Getting Nauty.

Thanks for stopping by :), hope you enjoy the PJ Party

Amelie rocks

A friend's sister just had her first baby - a little girl and as this occasion merited a special card, I knocked this one up earlier today.  Having three boys I love to get all girlie !!!

The plaid background was stamped with the WMS Cabin Plaid background and embossed with white EP.  The two larger Spellbinders Splendid Circles, a white glitter Spellbinders Petite Scalloped circle and a shop bought pastry doily framed the little tartan rocking horse cut with the Sizzlit Rocking Horse.

Her name was spelt out in white glitter card cut with the WPlus9 Folk Art alphabet (I'm loving this set) mounted on little banners cut with Spellbinders Nested Pennants and strung across the top of the card on pink baker's twine.

The little sentiment is stamped using the WMS Celtic Heritage set and embossed with white EP - I can really recommend this Detail White embossing powder from Stampendous.  Even this tiny, finely detailed stamp embossed beautifully. The little tag is a really old Spellbinders die, which I bought at the same time as my Cuttlebug eons ago.  Sorry, don't know what it's called but I daresay it's been discontinued anyway.

Just in the neck of time

This was a very quick card to welcome Andrew's niece's new baby boy.
The giraffe was cut from yellow gingham paper which I backed with cardboard first.  I knew I wanted to pop it up and the paper needed support.  I've had this medium Sizzix Original giraffe die for years now and I think this is it's first real outing.  The spots were die cut from the same die, and some of them I placed off the edge and snipped them to fit.
The blue plaid background was stamped with one of my favourite stamps - WMS Plaid background.  It's a very versatile stamp but especially good for baby cards I think.
I wanted to personalise the card and had wanted to do bunting across the top of the card.  However as Sebastian is such a long name I couldn't fit it on without changing the card size or layout or both and I was getting short of time by this point so decided on printing a label from the computer.  I stamped a frame from WMS Opera die tag stamps and cut it with the matching die.
I backed the giraffe with a pastry doily and tried laying it on a lemon 5x5 card base but it needed more matting.  I had a piece of the same white hemp weave card stock I had used to stamp the plaid background on, but it wasn't big enough so I punched four squares from it and created a quick and novel matting.  Necessity sometimes leads to ingenuity don't you think !
I did manage at the last minute to cut SEBASTIAN from the same blue card stock using the WPlus9 Folk Art alphabet for the envelope.  No time for a photo though.
I spent the whole morning ironing and packing.  We left at 3 yesterday afternoon to drive to Frankfurt airport and Andrew caught the plane to Australia with our two youngest.  Gavin and I said good bye at about 8pm and we got home last night at half past 11, so I was too tired to post last night.  Lady of leisure today though.