Wednesday 31 October 2012

Happy Halloween



This is a Halloween card I've made for my nephew and niece and also to enter the Penny Black Saturday October Challenge which was a sketch from Helen.

 

The Penny Black image used on this card is hidden underneath the pumpkin flap on the front.  This is what you see when you lift the flap.  The main image is from the Penny Black stamp The Horror Team and is coloured using Promarkers.  Stampin' up inks Daffodil Delight and Wisteria Wonder were used to sponge in the background behind the characters and a Martha Stewart border punch   created the dripping ooze above them. 



Apart from the nose and stalk, which were cut free hand, the pumpkin body and facial features were made using oval and circle nestabilites dies and circle punches. Encore purple metallic ink was sponged along the edges of the pumpkin segments to add shadowing for shape.  Quickutz dies were used to cut the little pumpkins, spiders and webs and the word BOO was cut using Sizzix sizzlits alphabet dies.

For the backing layers coloured card from the Papeterie and background papers from the Hot Off The Press pad Cardmaker's Ultimate Creative Pack were used.  Extra embellishments used were Stampin' up's Old Olive grosgrain and Lucky Limeade organza ribbon and green self adhesive pearls from Hobbycraft.  The organza ribbon coiled like curling ribbon to give the effect of being tendrils.

The sentiment on the front was created on the computer as was this verse which was printed on the insert.

A happy little fellow
sat on my fence one night
His smile was full and wide-
A most amazing site!

He said to me, "I'm yours for keeps.
I hope you'll like me fine.
I've watched you now for weeks and weeks
while growing on my vine.

Just put me in your window
when the right time rolls around
I promise that I'll glow for you
And I'll never make a sound.

I'll be your friend forever
We'll be happy as can be
For I'm your jack-o-lantern
And you're just right for me!

Along with the card I've sent them each a Halloween parcel and used the same image to make a tag for it.


Although it took a little time to put this one together I really enjoyed this project.

Thanks for reading
Liz xx

PS  This is a photo of one of the pumpkins my sister carved for them this year.


These are the ones she created last year.



I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges

Sunday 28 October 2012

Join in the Celebrations


This is the card I made for a nephew who celebrated his thirtieth birthday yesterday.  Erik is a joiner and I decided I wanted to use the La Pashe flippin' Men DIY character to make a card for him.  This card uses three different printed sheets from the La pasche The Big One CD  On the front and front inside is the Flippin Men DIY character plus the frame from the DIY Framin' Card.

On the inside is the decoupaged scene from the DIY Framin Card.


You can just about make out the decoupaged elements in this photo.


On the back of the card is the character from the Flippin' Men half size sheet.  The verse is based around the one on this sheet with a little bit of tweeking.

You've got drill skill
you're hammer handy
you do what joiners do best
the good news is
this is the day
for you to take a rest
so go and put your tools away
break out a beer or two
'cause it's a celebrating day
especially for you.


The hardest part of this card was cutting the aperture for the frame as I'm cutting knife challenge.  The numbers and backing layers were cut using Sizzix sizzlets and Spellbinders dies and the little tools on the back of the card were cut using a Quickutz die.  other than a few brads and kraft candy these were the only embellishments used.  Hopefully Erik enjoyed his day.

Thanks for reading
Liz xx

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges


Thursday 18 October 2012

In the Pink


I've had the chance to make three baby boy cards this year but finally this week there was a little girl to make one for as my cousin gave birth to Kim on Monday.  Although she was delivered three weeks early she still weighed in at a healthy 8lbs 9ozs and has been on the ward alongside her Mum since the birth.  We usually miss out on family events like this, living away from the rest of the family, but because Mum had been sent to Aberdeen for the delivery we were able to be involved in the excitement as Kim's big brother and her Granny came to stay with us so they would be able to visit her as soon after her arrival as possible.

This card is cased from this card which I made for a grand-nephew earlier this year.  For the pink version I used patterned backing papers from the Nitwits download Thimbles and Threads as the peachy pink colours matched the cardstock used.  The It's a Girl backing paper was created on the computer.  The layout of the easel card was almost the same with a few changes in embellishments.




The main image was stamped using the Penny Black stamp Baby Hammock and coloured using Promarkers.  I love creating easel cards but find them really difficult to photograph.  Here are a few different views of the card.




There were so many layers on the card that it wouldn't fit in an envelope so I made and decorated a box to match and also a tag for the parcel.  Can you tell I'm also excited about Kim's arrival.  Whilst shopping for her present I came across a stall where you could get items personalised so I couldn't resist getting a pink bib with her name embroidered on it.



Thanks for reading and thank you to the followers who have recently decided to follow my ramblings. 
Liz xx

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges

Monday 8 October 2012

Butterfly Birthday


At our Crafting Bee a couple of weeks ago Carol gave members of the group an X-cut Tri-boss butterfly embossing folder as a pressie and I decided to use mine to make this butterfly themed card for a friend's daughter who was to celebrate her thirtieth birthday.  Lianne is very creative and has an honours degree in Design Craft and now runs Vivi Paperie her own Wedding and Events stationary business.  

The front of the card is embossed using the folder although, with the reflection from the pearlescent card, the depth of embossing and the full design hasn't been picked up clearly.  To continue the butterfly theme a Martha Stewart butterfly border punch was used to decorate the edges of the cream layers and purple peel off butterfly stickers were added.  The stickers were attached to acetate, cut out and then the wings were folded back to give a 3D effect.


This is the first time I've made a card in this style and liked how it could go flat for posting.  Instructions on how to make it can be found on the site StampARTic .  


The patterned card used was printed from the Cuddly Buddly down load A Patchwork of Papers Purple and the sentiment and message inside the card were created on the computer and then die cut using Spellbinders dies.  A few pearls, peel off dots and ribbon were the final embellishments.

 
This is about as clean and simple as I get in card making and I did feel as though I had underachieved with this one when I popped it in the envelope.  I do like the style of card though and will have another attempt at this one.

Thanks for reading today

Sunday 7 October 2012

Waggy Birthday


This is a card I've made for Amanda, my cousin's daughter, who is fifteen today.  The family have two labrador dogs which they dote on so I decided to use this as the theme for her card.  The main image is from Joanna Sheen's rubber stamp sheet Labrador Retriever and is stamped with Memento Black Tuxedo ink on to white card. Spellbinders square nestabilities dies were used to create a frame for it with a layer of silver mirri card underneath.  Spellbinders circle dies were used to cut out a paw print embellishment, layers for the tag, backing paper layers and also the sentiment.  Quickutz dies were used to cut the A for Amanda and the bones to make the corners and Stampin up black grosgrain ribbon was used for the bow and the stamped sentiment was from their Sincere Salutations set.

 
The black and white colour scheme was decided by the paw print backing card but the layout for the card was taken from the card challenge over at Seems A Little Sketchy. 

 

As well as the black white paw print card the black band of card under the main image has debossed paw prints on it which is difficult to pick up in the photographs.  The gingham paper is printed in greyscale from the Cuddly Buddly download A Patchwork of Papers Blue and a border was stitched  around it to create a frame.


Hope Amanda has a lovely day with Buster and Ruby and the rest of the family.

Thanks for reading today
Liz xx

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges