Bird Punch Christmas tree

I went a bit mad with the bling today - I love lots of sparkle on my cards and Christmas is the one time of the year you can go really indulge these 'secret passions' without all the guilt - a bit like Christmas dinner really: the diet goes out the window and you go for it!

It's another card from the Australian Papercraft and Cardmaking mag, a companion to the bird card.

My interpretation of the card [click for a larger view]

Card in magazine

What I used:

Card:  Chocolate Chip, White, Old Olive, Play Date DSP [retired]

Ink:  Chocolate Chip

Stamp Set:  Sincere Salutations

Tools and other fun stuff:  Square Lattice EF, Bird punch, Small Star punch [retired], Lots of Tags Sizzlets die, Spellbinders Label 1 die, rhinestones and glitter paper, Stampin' Dimensionals.

Bird punch Christmas Card

As you may have guessed, I'm in full Christmas card making mode lately.

Last year I bought an Australian Cardmaking mag and it had this lovely trio of cards which I meant to make last year but never quite got around to it, so this year I will.

For 365 Cards challenge "making a list and checking it twice": paper, ribbon, pearls, embossing powder.

[This is my version]

[This is the card from the magazine]

What I used:

Card:  Chocolate Chip, White, Holly Jolly DSP (retired)

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Versamark Watermark ink.

Stamp sets:  Contempo Christmas

Tools and other fun stuff:  1/4" Chocolate Chip grossgrain ribbon (retired), 2-Step Bird punch, black embossing powder, heat tool, Spellbinders Label 1 die, sewing machine.

Vintage Vogue for a friend

For once I've been organized and made this card for a friend who is having a birthday soon - I'm sure I'm pretty safe showing it to you now as she's not a blog visiter - at least I hope not :>

I've always liked that big F (nothing to do with the fact that my name begins with that letter of course!) but don't think I'd used it until now, and now I've used it I like it all the more.

It's a smallish card - not full A6 - so simple added some punched flowers, leaves, pearls and embossed the background for some texture - I've even written the message in it already - now to put it somewhere 'safe' so I don't lose it!

What I used:

Card:  Pretty in Pink, Rich Razzleberry, Very Vanilla, Old Olive, Melon Mambo.

Ink: Rich Razzleberry

Stamp set:  Vintage Vogue

Tools and other fun stuff: Boho Blossoms punch, Bird punch, Stampin' Dimensionals, Square Lattice embossing folder, Basic pearls.

Clean and Simple Owls

Have been playing around with background stencils a bit lately and thought of making one of clouds.... the original idea was to punch a bird and place it on the sky background but then I remembered these cute wee owls from Fox and Friends and here is the result.  Very easy to do, you just have to be good at guessing where your template goes though otherwise you'll end up with a crooked background!

[I'm usually quite pedantic about having birds feet firmly 'on the branch' - obviously these are the hovering kind LOL!)

No greeting yet, will add a suitable greeting when required...or may just leave it plain.

What I used:

Card:  White, Old Olive

Ink:  Tempting Turquoise, Chocolate Chip

Stamp Sets:  Fox and Friends

Tools and other fun stuff:  Top Note, Stamping sponges, Bird punch, Scalloped Circle punch.

Stenciled background sympathy card.

Have just received our monthly Stampin' Up! magazine which showcased a new technique of stenciled backgrounds.  I don't have the punch they suggested but had a play with my scalloped square and here is the result! This was the second attempt, the first one I'll show you tomorrow.

(Please click on photos for a close-up view).

What I used:

Card:  So Saffron, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla

Ink:  Soft Suede, Chocolate Chip

Stamp Sets:  Eastern Blooms, Teeny Tiny Sentiments

Tools and other fun stuff:  Scalloped Square punch, Bird punch, Boho Blossoms punch, Lots of Tags Sizzlits die, Stampin' sponges, Basic Pearls, Stampin' dimensionals.

Bright Birdie Birthday

I came across a very bright colour combo in Colour Q last evening, and I thought that punches would be the way to go this time.  The only substitution I made was I used Old Olive instead of Green Galore which is a retired colour I don't have - but I think Old Olive worked very nicely as a substitute.

I have been very restrained with glitter lately, so today I got it out and sprinkled the centers of the flowers with it, not sure if it will show up in the photos though.

What I used:

Card:  Rich Razzleberry, Tangerine Tango, Daffodil Delight, White, Old Olive.

Ink:  Rich Razzleberry

Stamp Sets: Sincere Salutations

Tools and other fun stuff:  Top Note Die, Bird punch, Boho Blossoms punch, Stamp-a-majig, glitter.

Why don't you pop over to Colour Q to see what other interpretations of these colours people have come up with!

A little bit of everything

Hi there - hope your day is going well.

I had stamped and punched out these butterflies intending to use them on the Matchbook Mini Album but then did not use them so I've found a proper home for them on today's card.

I love these butterflies, both the stamp set and punch, you just can't go wrong with them!

What I used:

Card:  Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Certainly Celery, Riding Hood Red, Old Olive.

Ink:  Riding Hood Red

Stamp Sets: Butterfly Prints

Tools and other fun stuff:  Butterfly punch, Bird punch, Very Vanilla 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, Scallop Border punch, Buttons sizzlits die, Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, Rhinestones.

Challenge - part 3

Time for card number 3!

This time I used the negative shape from the Night of Navy cardstock after the shapes were cut out.  I ran it through the Square Lattice embossing folder to add some texture and placed it over a piece of Very Vanilla which I had stamped with the little bee image from Nature Walk.

Then... I layered three flowers from the 'challenge bag' and added a large pearl in the middle.  I also punched out four stems with leaves using the Bird Punch and assembled the card.  

As a finishing touch I added three more pearls to the bottom of the card.

I really like the layered flower with the leaves... not so sure about the bees in the background though!

What I used:

Card:  Old Olive, Very Vanilla, Night of Navy

Ink:  Night of Navy

Stamp Sets:  Nature Walk

Tools and other fun stuff:  Big Shot, Blossom Party Original Die, Bird punch, basic pearls, Square Lattice embossing folder, sheet of cork

A few more "Thinking of You" cards

I have always loved this particular sheet of Haiku DSP (sadly retired) but was never quite sure what to do with it exactly so when I decided to feature DSP on my cards for Christchurch this one came to mind.  I'm really happy how they turned out, they are super simple but quite striking too - love that Tangerine Tango!

Once again, I combined beautiful DSP with the bird punch, added a punched greeting and voilà!  I did emboss the bird and branch for a little bit of texture too.

What I used:

Card:  Tangerine Tango, Old Olive, So Saffron, Whisper White, Haiku DSP (retired)

Ink:  Chocolate Chip, Basic Black Stampin' Write marker.

Stamp Set:  Sincere Salutations

Tools and other fun stuff:  2 Step Bird punch, Wide Oval punch, Scalloped Oval punch, Square Lattice embossing folder.

Bird Punch Play Date

Here is the second of the cards made for Christchurch.  I'm also using this layout for as a Make and Take for my first "Craft and My Place" event on the 5th of March - if you live in Wellington and would like to come along that day, let me know so I can give the address details.

What I used:

Card:  Tempting Turquoise, So Saffron, Real Red, Old Olive, Play Date DSP

Ink:  Chocolate Chip, Basic Black Stampin' Write marker.

Stamp Set:  Sincere Salutations

Tools and other fun stuff::  2 Step Bird Punch, Scallop Border punch, Wide Oval Punch, Scallop Oval punch.

Showcasing Celebrations DSP and Mojo Monday

At the weekend I went to visit Keryn for a crafting session and made a few cards which I'll show you over the next few days.

This is the first one designed by Keryn, made with the Celebrations DSP, a riot of bright colours including Real Red, Pear Pizazz, pacific Point and Bashful Blue.

Come and join me on my Facebook page too!

What I used:

Card:  Pacific Point, Pear Pizazz, Real Red, Bashful Blue, Celebrations DSP

Ink:  Pacific Point

Stamp Sets:  Teeny Tiny Sentiments

Tools and other fun stuff:  Scallop circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, Pear Pizazz poly-stitched ribbon.


Mojo Monday 176

Two cards in one post today!

I've never made a round card until now so had to figure out a few things along the way, how to cut it, how to make it stand up, etc.  For the background I crumpled up a piece of SU's packaging paper, smoothed it out and dabbed it with Soft Suede and Old Olive ink pads.  I also added some faux stitching around the edge with a Chocolate Chip marker.   Looking at the card now I feel it needs a layer of red between the background inked paper and the Soft Suede card base, maybe next time!  I took my cue from this week's Mojo Monday sketch and here is what I made:

What I used:

Card:  Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Old Olive, Haiku DSP (retired), Real Red, SU packaging craft paper.

Ink:  Soft Suede, Old Olive, Basic Black and Chocolate Chip Stampin' Write marker.

Stamp Set:  Basic Phrases.

Tools and other fun stuff:  2-Step Bird punch, Word Window punch, Stampin' Dimensionals, Stampin' sponges.

Valentines' Day is getting closer

Well, it has dawned a stunningly cloudless day, hard to believe after the rain and wind last night - master 3 and I will be off to the park for Push Play in a couple of hours so thought I'd get this posted early.

......................................

Some of you may have already seen these cards on my Facebook page, but thought I'd share them again - just in case you missed them.

I like the simplicity of the first one, and the Saffron/Poppy Parade colour combination is slowly growing on me!  I made it earlier this month and I feel would be appropriate for a number of occasions, anniversary, Valentines' Day, even as a wedding card.  You can see cards with similar colours here at Color Dare.

The second card I made for my husband for our anniversary and uses the same colours, as well as a hint of Old Olive in the punched leaves, I also added some tiny pearls to the 'leafy heart' though you can't really appreciate them in the photo.  Once again, by using a different sentiment you could use it for various occasions.

Hope you enjoyed looking at my cards today!