A Special Toast

A new challenge has just gone live at Time Out Challenges and we would like to see how you are inspired by A Favourite Beverage!

 

Our lovely DT member Carol has donated this pretty handmade Wine Bag as a prize for Challenge #314!

The Top Pick will also be invited to join Time Out as a guest designer in a future challenge!  Speaking of guest designers, our guest designer this fortnight is the very talented Joanne of the Crafty Owl our winner from Challenge #309!   You can check out how Joanne and my talented team mates were inspired by their favourite beverage over on the Time Out Blog!

I was inspired by Champagne ... and this lovely set (Spellbinders A Special Toast) that I finally managed to get my hands on!  I made up a wedding card but I plan on making some birthday cards or graduation cards as well because I am totally swooning over those shoes!

I made the shoes by winking just the top layer of the shoe and adding glossy accents and I did the same thing with the hatband on the top hat.  

The top layer on the pink and purple roses were cut from glitter cardstock and glossy accents were added.  Both layers of the white rose were cut from white cardstock and the top layer was coated with glossy accents and sprinkled with ultra fine pink glitter while it was still wet. 

The sentiment (Sue Wilson Mini Shadowed  Congratulations) was cut twice from the same white as the background panel and then silver.  It looks a little like it's floating above the panel - I definitely like the effect and will do it again!

I hope you can take some Time Out and join us this fortnight.  You have until the June 10th to link up your entries ... can't wait to see how you're inspired by one of your favourite beverages!

TWOFER

As with most things in life, Champagne is even better in Pink so I've made up a graduation card with a pink and black shoe.  And  I remembered I had this old stamp (WMS Putting on the Ritz) which finished off the card nicely (I so miss Waltzing Mouse Stamps)!

THREEFER

...  And another with a shoe in black and pink!

I am grateful for and would like to enter the following challenges

NBUS Challenge #86 - NBUS Spellbinders A Special Toast;

Die Cut Diva May Challenge - Celebrations is the theme this month !

Triple B May Challenge - Loads of Blooms in these cards!

Papercraft Challenges #130 - Botanical Beauty is the theme;

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes;

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 Fitting Wedding Card

 

We're half way through Time Out Challenge 261 and as this card I just finished for a friend works for this challenge, I thought I'd share it with you today!   

Challenge #261 is all about this quote

"I'm a romantic!  I live for long, dreamy walks down the craft aisle"!

An Inspired By Words challenge works exactly as you would expect - you take the words from the featured quote and use them to inspire your creation!   You can use one word, multiple words or just the general idea of the quote.  Whereas my previous card focused on the word "Craft", this card focuses on the words "Romantic" and "Aisle".  

I used a jigsaw die (Stampin Up Love You To Pieces) to emboss a piece of white card stock (using a tan embossing mat), which I then cut down with a heart die.  You lose a little of the detail from the embossing by doing it in this order but I prefer to have the rounded edged of the die cut rather than the ragged edges from the embossing.  I then used the puzzle die to cut three more puzzle pieces from cream card stock and one from black.  I cut a v in the top of the black piece and added it to one of the cream pieces.  Then I stacked the other two pieces, added pearls along the "neckline" and the two pieces fit together perfectly.

The names of the bride and groom and the wedding date were cut from gold paper with Gummiapan Alphabet and Number sets - I really love the quirkiness of the font ...  and the size!  

I liked the design so much I made up some others without names for an upcoming market in June!  They can always be personalised as needed!

How do these words inspire you and where do they lead your imagination?  We hope you can take Time Out of your busy schedule to come play cards with us!   

I'd like to join these fabulous challenges

AAA Card Challenges #263 - Wedding/Anniversary Card;

Die Traumfabrik Challenge #127 - They cloned Tyrone is the featured film and my card uses the same puzzle piece with one turned 90º);

Crafty Chicks Challenge #712 - Week 3 CAS;

NBUS Challenge #61 - NBUS Love You To Pieces set!

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

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

Mountain Wedding

A friend of mine needed a wedding card and as she know I'm making cards for charity she asked if I could make up one for her. I asked her if she had a preference for a colour and her answer was “the wedding is in the mountains, the colour of the mountains?”. The first thing that came to mind was Blue Mountain Pottery which was very popular in the 80s - a mixtures of teals and blues mimicking the pines and spruce on the face of the Blue Mountain in Ontario’s Georgian Bay region.  And as I've been meaning to make up something in teal for Rainbow Challenge #32 for several weeks, this seemed the ideal opportunity!   

Since I didn't have any teal embossing powder, I experimented with several green and blue embossing powders, as well as UTEE and Gold Sakura powder until I was happy with the result.

Timeout Challenge #195 has a theme challenge to use a coloured card base.

Just Add Ink Challenge #569 has asked that we add something with "N".  I've added the "Names" of the bride and groom on this wedding card.

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge this week is Anything Goes

Krafty Chicks Challenge #574 has an "All Occasions" prompt.

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, so I can check out what you’ve been up to and we can get better acquainted!

Kate

Krafty Hearts

I was inspired by inspired by this gorgeous Inspired by Challenge #160 pic to make this wedding card!

I've had it "on the back burner" for a few days now - even used the hearts cut from this in the previous card because they were hanging around on my desk!  It's about to close so I have to dash over and post it now - there's nothing worse than being totally inspired by a card and then missing the deadline (ask me how I know)!

This Mr and Mrs die (Signature Collection by Sarah Davies)is NBUS so I was keen to use it trying to use all my stuff  (New Year's resolution) incase you're wondering why I made a wedding card instead of a Valentine's Day card!  And it gives me an opportunity to enter the NBUS Challenge #23!

There are several "cardiac related" challenges out there - so many I could be breaking challenge rules for some so I apologise in advance if I do!  Here are just some of them

Inspirational Challenge #232

Paper Players Challenge #527

Double D Challenge 

Always Fun Challenge #200 - Romantic/Love

Shopping Our Stash #438 - Love is in the Air

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Love is in the Air

Use Your Stuff Challenge #415 - Hearts

Allsorts Challenge #610 - Love is ...

I'm also entering the Anything Goes with Dies Challenge for February at Happy Little Stampers

Thanks for stopping by - I hope you enjoyed your visit.  If you leave a comment, I'll know where to find you and can check out what you’ve been up to and maybe get to know you a little better!

Hugs and stay safe,

Kate

Wedding Bouquet in Gold and Cream

A friend of mine asked if I could make a special wedding card for her brother's wedding.  I was inspired by the invitation (below) to go with a cream and gold theme.  The gift she has for him is square so I was keen to make the card square also.  Postage was definitely not an issue and she quite liked the idea of some dimension.  I found some white resin flowers in a local hobby shop, and covered them with various cream coloured and gold alcohol inks, and surrounded them with a few golden leaves to complete the bouquet.

This is the first time I've made a card which has so much dimension.  Even though it wasn't going to be posted, I thought it would be wise to build up a raised frame and provide a little protection for the flowers.  Happily, it still fitted into a standard (square) envelope.

Supplies : Lemonade, Butterscotch, Sandal, Gold Adirondack Alcohol Inks

Dies : Yvonne Springtastic Flowers (leaves), Spellbinder Labels 14, Spellbinders Label 4, Spellbinders Adorning Squares

Other : Gold Mirror Paper 

I'm entering my card in the following challenges

Timeout Challenge 86 - obviously I'm not twisting

Celebrations with the Optional Twist of One Layer Cards

Fusion Card Challenge -  I was inspired by the Sketch (Frame and 3 flowers though I centred my bouquet) and the foliage surrounding the flowers in the jars.

The Challenge #88 - which has a new challenge of keywords - flowers and square being among them.

Thanks for stopping by, especially if you take the time to leave a comment.  They are always appreciated and I will try and return the favour when my life gets a little more normal 😊

Kate

A Couple of Wedding Cards

This is definitely not your typical wedding card.  I made it for a crafty friend of a friend and the sentiment inside reads … made for each other.

The background was created using various alcohol inks on glossy card and overstamped with sewing motifs from a freebie stamp set (Sew Pretty) from Cardmaking and Papercraft using black Archival ink.

***

This next one's a little more what you expect of a wedding card.  

I haven't made this size of card before.  It's what's known as A2 in the U.S.  I bought the envelopes while craft shopping in Australia last year.   There seems to be a tendency for many stamps and dies to favour the proportions of this size of card rather than the more convenient A6 size card, so I knew the envelopes would be useful.  This lovely SSS Triangle Pattern die (a birthday present to myself earlier this month) is such an example.  Of course I could simply put it into a C6 envelope but it's nice to have the right size isn't it.  I cut down a 5 x 7 card to fit the die cut front.  The Congratulations sentiment is from WMS Fancy Phrases, which was designed to work with this Spellbinders Fancy Tag I've used here.  I just wanted a small sentiment as the background is so striking.

The plastic glitter bubble heart was upcycled from some packaging and fitted perfectly inside this die from the WMS My Heart die set. 

I die cut another Cupid's Arrow Heart for the inside, coated it in versa mark and lightly sprinkled gold embossing powder over the top to get this speckled effect.  The inside sentiment is from the amazingly useful WMS Celtic Heritage set.  There are so many sentiments in this set and I'm more than a little partial to a celtic font.  Plus the sentiments are small and fit easily into small areas such as the inside of this heart.  The stunning script sentiment on the envelope is from the WMS Big Day Additions set.   I've embossed all the sentiments in gold for added wow factor.

Thanks for stopping by, especially of you take the time to comment or tick the like box,

Kate

Wedding Blues and Lilacs

A friend asked me to make up a wedding card in blue and lilac.  I struggled at first until I remembered this beautiful paper from Kaisercraft Utopia.  

I attached some paper to foam board and cut two primitive hearts from an Ellison Thick Cuts die.  I then partially cut one of the hearts from the other so they would nestle up close together and gave them a good coat of glossy accents to make sure they stay that way.

The sentiment is from WMS Big Day Additions.  I've mounted it on a Spellbinders Replendent Rectangle.  I tried some WMS Funky Flowers in the top left corner, but I just couldn't get them to sit right given the space available.  I ended up using these die cut loopy flowers.  They were cut with a Cuttlebug die but I can't remember what they're called since they were one of the first dies I ever owned and the packaging is long gone.  I gave them a liberal dose of Glossy Accents as well.

The envelope is stamped with a WMS Funky Flower.  I also stamped another and cut it out with the matching die to make an elegant envelope seal.  WMS Cutting Edge Dies cut so well that the double sided tape I attached to the back of the image didn't phase it.  If you're sending something through the post any embellishments have to be stuck down well or you risk losing them, or worse having your card mangled.

I'm entering this in the WMS Fanatics Challenge 31 - Flowers.  

Thanks for stopping by,

Kate   

Wedding Blues

A wedding card for a friend's brother who is to be married next weekend.  The pretty blue papers were from a set of downloadable freebies from Cardmaking and Papercrafting called Moroccan Chic.  I printed them on glossy photo paper.

I paired them with two shades of blue and cut some Spellbinders Resplendent Rectangles and Ellison Thick Cuts Primitive Hearts.  The sentiment is from WMS Fancy Phrases and the gorgeous flower was stamped with WMS Funky Flowers and cut with the matching die set.  I love how the Bundled Sage Distress Ink matched the green in the papers.

The inspiration for the layout came from this brilliant Mojo Monday #362 sketch by Julee Tilman, though I had stuck down the central panels before I realised I had forgotten to add the ribbon (it's been one of those days) !!!

Thanks for stopping by,

Kate

Tall and Skinny Wedding Card

Happy Foreverness - isn't that a sweet sentiment for a wedding or engagement card.  For me it conjures up fairytale images (I almost put a slipper in the bottom right corner) and the soft pretty tones in this pretty paper set from DCWV seemed the perfect choice.

The sentiment is from the Waltzing Mouse Stamps set Fancy Phrases as is the little frame.  I love this frame - it reminds me of a ticket, so I notched the corners with a hole punch.

The hearts were cut using a very old Ellison Thick Cuts die Primitive Hearts.   The great thing about the big dies is that you can cut really thick stuff.  The patterned papers were adhered to foam board to give more dimension.  I cut a notch out of the left side of the brown heart by partially laying it over the die which cut the patterned heart to give the impression of snuggling hearts.  It was unintentional but in these colours and with the tiny patterned paper heart inserted in the brown heart, I think it looks a little like a bride and groom, where the groom has a white flower in his lapel.

I have really had trouble kick starting my Mojo after Christmas, so what better place to turn to than to Mojo Monday where I found this great sketch.

I knew instantly I could make this work for the engagement card I need to take with me to Australia next week for my niece Laura, now I just a need a wedding card for her sister.

Since I've used layers of different thicknesses, added a piece of tactile grosgrain ribbon and embossed the sentiment, I'm also entering this card in the Card Concept Challenge #2  to use texture.  I'm not too sure of which category my card falls into - I would like to think Classy and Elegant.  Why not check out their style definitions and see which card making style you lean towards.

The colours I have used were possibly influenced by The Colour Q's Challenge #226, as I was there earlier there this week searching for my mojo (it's been lost and I've been searching everywhere for it), in any case I am entering it in their challenge as well.

Wow that's 3 challenges I think that's a record for me !!!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend,

Kate

Not your typical wedding card!

Not your typical wedding card but then the invitation came by way of tea towel so I've tried to be a bit quirky.  

The tea towel was printed in a light teal colour so I have tried to match it or at least tone in with it.  The top of the tea towel has bunting and announces the names of the intended, while the bottom features a bicycle built for two along with the line of that song.  

Well the bunting was easy, I cut several bunting flags using the Spellbinders Nested Pennants, and spelt out CONGRATS using the Wplus9 Folk Art Alphabet die.

The bicycle built for two was a bit harder.  I have a bike stamp but not one built for two and it's a little small.  In the end I borrowed this Crafty Individuals stamp from my good friend Lena.  It's actually perfect because as ballet dancers for the Australian Ballet the young couple have danced at many of the big cities mentioned in this montage stamp and the postage mark which unfortunately is partially obscured by bunting is from Melbourne - their home town.  Andrew is flying down under tomorrow night for the wedding along with sons #2 and #3.  I'm staying here and making sure son #1 doesn't get up to too much mischief.

I used Mojo Monday's Sketch 301 for inspiration and would you believe missed the deadline again.  Oh well it is a great sketch isn't it.