1st birthday with bling

So I got asked to make a birthday card for a first birthday with lots of leopard print, sparkly bits and I was told the inspiration was big fat gypsy wedding. Its not my usual style but thought the challenge sounded like fun!

I stamped a pink leopard print patten onto vellum and overlay a lighter pink paper. a couple of ribbons create a central point to the card. The sentiment and name are stamped at the top and some colour coordinated sequins are added for 'bling' 

This was actually quite an enjoyable card to make, coming out of my comfort zone :-)

Granddads Birthday

Not sure if its just me, but I struggle with making masculine cards, especially for older gentleman. Anyhow, I wanted an excuse to use my new birthday numbers stamp set from Clearly Besotted Stamps and think this used them quite well.

I started by choosing some masculine colours and stamping a numbers background on card stock. This numbers background was then die cut out but then I decided to distress the negative space with the same colours and then die cut slightly larger to make a frame. The numbers and frame were then attached tot he blank card using foam pads for dimension. As these elements were quite striking I opted to use a simple sentiment underneath in black archival ink.

We bought my granddad a new pen to replace the last pen I brought for him over 5 years ago. Unfortunately, about a year ago the barrel broke on the pen but the repair costs would be about the same as a new pen. We then wrapped the pen in some paper Leo decorated, which I think my granddad appreciated. Its nice to get the little one involved and i think it looks better than store brought wrapping paper sometimes :-)

Clearly Besotted Challange

So here's my entry for the clearly besotted challenge that I made up quickly, almost forgetting the deadline!

I love the look of using die negative spaces so thought using that negative space to show the colours for this challenge would be good.

For once I am actually really pleased with the way this card turned out. It was a quick turn around card but I had a plan in my head and it all came together nicely. I started by using a blending tool to blend the ink pad colours onto some card stock. On another piece of card stock, I die cut the leaves (which are from clearly besotted stamps). The die cut negative space was then stuck to the coloured card stock using foam pads. 

With the left over colours card stock, I punched out some flower shapes and arranged them with a little coloured pearl on each one. A simple sentiment (from clearly besotted stamps) was added in black archival ink and the whole piece was stuck to the card blank using foam pads.

Baby

I went to see my friends new baby boy, Oliver, who is only just over 2 weeks old! Its amazing to be reminded how tiny newborns are compared to an 18 month old!

I made them a framed baby gift, which they said they loved. I managed to find out the birth details and also checked a photo that she had posted on Facebook of their nursery to make the theme and colours match the room (I sound a bit like a stalker there!). 

There is something about a personalized gift which makes it mean so much more sometimes.

 I also made a card, obviously. The stamped background was made using memento London fog and archival aqua marine and viridian using a free stamp from a magazine. I then die cut the letters out of this card stock and inlaid them back into the gaps onto the black card to try out that 'inlaid die' effect. I'm not particularly fond of this card but I suppose I've still got a lot to learn.

I'm currently still working on my own ink pad guide template which will be shared soon with a FREE downloadable document!

Many thanks

Got a couple of thank you's to share. 

After stashing up on the new dew drop ink pads, I desperately wanted to have a play so I tried out stamping my own floral design. It was quite enjoyable, although I think it could have been better so will most likely try again in the future. The lulu lavender coloured flowers were added for a pop of colour. 

I stamped the sentiment from clearly besotted stamps ( I know, I'm addicted!) in London fog (memento ink pad) on vellum. I coloured in some clear pearls with pro markers to match the ink pads. The finishing touch was a vertical strip of washi tape in grey to balance out the sentiment. The floral card stock was then attached to the blank card using foam pads for dimension.

This is a little late but I made some thank you notes for gifts received for Leo at Christmas. I partially embossed purple card stock with a chevron pattern from Embossibilities, die cut a speech bubble from Xcut out of cereal box card ( I like to recycle!) and stamped a sentiment from wow embossing powders sentiment set. the leaf was stamped and die cut from clearly besotted stamps. 3 little gold stickels dots were added to the speech bubble for a bit of sparkle.

I wrote a simple thank you message on the back of the note... and that was that!

Simon says stamp challenge

Hi there!

Its my mother-in-laws' birthday tomorrow so I got the chance to try out a few new things. I hadn't embossed onto vellum before and I hadn't coloured in a stamp with markers before either.

I got the layout idea from heathers card here. I love the colours she uses and she has such a lovely eye for design.

So this weeks Simon says stamp challenge was to include twine, which I happened to have a bit lying around. It also matched the colour scheme on the card perfectly.

 I started off by stamping the background stamp from the Cardmaking and papercraft magazine in white ink and heat embossing with clear powder. Distress inks were use to layer up the background image and then promarkers were used to highlight the floral details. matching twine was attached and the piece stuck on with raised foam pads for dimension.

The card was finished off with the heat embossed sentiment from clearly besotted stamps and a couple of colour coordinating pearls from my minds eye.

More ink pads and Leo drawing

Some more ink pads were delivered. The collection is starting to look a bit more substantial now, even if 60% of it is dew drops! (Saves space anyway)

Im really happy with these new colours, except the new sprout seems a bit lighter than expected but Ill work with that :-)

I have a decent range of greens now ( will have to update the ink pad collection with all the new dew drops soon) as I use green quite a lot.

Now for a bit of Leo...

Who can say no to this face?

Well, he went into his craft box, pulled out his coloured pencils box and handed them to me. Who am I to stop him if he has the crafting bug eh?

He enjoys his crafting more and more now. Im sure yesterday he drew a square on purpose! Can 17 month olds do that?!? Im a proud mommy either way :-)