Happy Birthday Matty

It was my husbands birthday yesterday and this is the card I made for him

I struggle a little to make masculine cards so I was flicking through the Stampin' Up! Idea book and Catalogue and saw a card that inspired me to end up making this card. It was a card on page 33 which as Matty would say is a sign as that's how old Matty was yesterday!!! It was a simple layout and I liked it.

I've used Kraft cardstock for the base. I used the striped paper from the Outlaw designer series papers across the middle. I used choc chip and sage shadow and very vanilla on the rest of the card. The choc chip strip is mounted on dimensionals along with the designer label.

I used the happy birthday from the Think Happy Thoughts stamp set. I used the Stamp-a-ma-jig and sage shadow marker to get the happy birthday where I wanted it. I punched a piece of very vanilla card using the designer label punch. I then stamped the word happy on the punched out very vanilla cardstock and then coloured birthday and used the stamp-a-ma-jig to postition it where I wanted it.

I used an alphabet stamp set (Hero Art) that I found that I had bought at a craft show years ago to use to write Matty's name. I really should invest in a Stampin' Up! alphabet stamp set I know. I stamped the letters at different heights so that I didn't have to get it perfectly straight.

The brads are from the Vintage colour selection. I used the Mat Pack and a piercing tool to pierce the holes in each corner of the Kraft card. Here is a close up of the label and you can see the piercing in the corner better also

Colour Inspiration #17

Here is Kristina's colour inspiration for this week:

The colours are Regal Rose, Rose Red, Sage Shadow and Whisper White

When I saw this Inspiration picture I thought of the Wild Rose stamp set so that's what I used. Here is my card for the week:

I thought I would use Whisper White for the base of the card as it's nice and fresh. I stamp some leaves on a piece of Sage Shadow cardstock. I stamped onto scrap paper first before stamping on the cardstock to give a more subtle finish. I then tore the paper to get a rough edge.

I stamp the flower in Regal Rose then the outline in Rose Red onto Whisper White cardstock. I mounted that onto Sage Shadow and textured Regal Rose cardstock. The Sage layer is mounted using Dimensionals.

The greeting is from the True Friend stamp set from the spring mini catalogue. I stamped this in Rose Red ink and used the stamp-a-ma-jig to get the greeting where I wanted it. I then used Whisper White grosgrain ribbon down the side of the card.

Happy Birthday Charlie

My friend from work (Mel) asked me to make her a one year old birthday card. The only requirement was that it hve her name on it, so here is what I came up with:

Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Pixie Pink, Barely Banana and Whisper White
Ink: Close to Cocoa, Regal Rose, Pixie Pink, So Saffron and Certainly Celery
Stamp set: Bundle of Joy, Short Order Alphabet, Occasional Sayings
Accessories: Certainly Celery wide grosgrain ribbon, boho blossoms punch, 3/4" and 1" circle punches, corner rounder punch, dimensionals, double sided tape or snail adhesive, dauber, stamp-a-ma-jig and Barely Banana marker

I used one of the stamps from Bundle of Joy to stamp over the base of the card using the barely banana marker. I stamped the bear in close to cocoa and then I used a dauber and close to cocoa ink to colour the image. You need to only use small amounts of ink so you can control the colour. I used a very small amount of regal rose ink on a dauber to colour the cheeks.

To make the scalloped edge on the pink cardstock I used the corner rounder punch with the guard taken off. I used the stamp-a-ma-jig to position the happy birthday greeting before randomly stamping the name Charlie. You could use the stamp-a-ma-jig to position the alphabet letters in line when stamping the name if you wanted also.

I used the number one stamp from a set that I found when I was tidying up the other day - who new!!! I then mounted the number after I punched it out on dimensionals onto the flower that I punched using the new boho punch from the spring mini catalogue that will be released in August.

Thanks Di for letting me borrow your alphabet stamp set, I promise I will return it soon:)

Colour Inspiration #16

It's that time again for Kristina Werner's colour inspiration. The colours in this weeks colour inspiration are very pretty and the picture is so cute. I automatically thought baby card but I didn 't go in that direction; anyway here's the picture:

The colours are very vanilla, soft sky, certainly celery and pumpkin pie.

I made 2 cards this week, here's the first:

I've used another new stamp set from the spring mini catalogue soon to be available. This stamp set is called A Beautiful Thing. There is a matching roller that goes with this set and of course I did buy it too - couldn't help myself!!!

I stamped the 3 flowers in certainly celery, soft sky and pumpkin pie on very vanilla cardstock. I used the Stampin' Around Wheel Guide so that the flowers were all in line with each other. I stamped them a couple of times and then used the 3/4" and 1/2" circle punch in each colour for the centres of the flowers. I used the mat pack and a piercing tool to pierce 4 holes in the centre of each flower like the centre of a button. The 2 circles are mounted on dimensionals. I used the mat pack again with the certainly celery marker to put dots as a border around the flowers - you can't really see it in this photo.

The ribbon I used was the wide grosgrain in certainly celery just straight across the card and then very vanilla taffeta ribbon tied in a know over the celery ribbon.

The greeting is from the same stamp set and is stamped in pumpkin pie ink and punched out using the large oval punch.

Here is my second card:

This card was extremely quick to make, it literally only took me 15 minutes to make and I really like how it turned out. I think I prefer it to the first one!

I made a square card 10.5cm x 10.5cm. Here I have used the Die-Cuts - Blooms for the pumpkin flower, also from the spring mini catalogue. These are great for making quick cards. I used celery for the base of the card with a layer of very vanilla. I've used the wide grosgrain ribbon in celery down the side. I cut of piece of soft sky textured cardstock to mount the pumpkin pie flower onto which is mounted using dimensionals. I punched a soft sky circle using the 3/4" circle punch and then used mini glue dots to stick a very vanilla button in the centre.

The greeting is from a stamp set called One Of A Kind from the spring mini catalogue which I stamped in Pumpkin Pie.

I really liked using these colours together and I'm finding these challenges really fun. I hope you like what I've done with these colours and thanks for checking out my blog.

6 Cards and a Gift Box

As part of my sister's birthday present I thought I would make her some cards and put them in a box so I did, here's some photos:

These photos were taken quickly but I'm sure you will get the idea. This box was made using a single A4 sheet of real red cardstock. I kept the same colours as the birthday card just because I was enjoying using them. These are not my usual colours but it's fun trying something different. Here is a photo of the cards I made to go inside:

Originally I was going to make girlie cards that my sister (Kate) could give for parties that her daughter Chloe might go to but as soon as I gave myself a theme it wouldn't come to me so I just made whatever I wanted. I had just received my spring mini catalogue goodies so for some of the cards I used the die cut blooms from that which make great easy cards. I also used the level 2 hostess set which I am also loving at the moment. Below is a photo of he box and the belly band that I made to go around it:

The belly band is made using So Saffron cardstock with the wide grosgrain ribbon in real red. I used the 5 petal flower punch and red eyelets for the flowers.

I really enjoyed making this box and it was very quick and easy. If you want any more details just email me here

Gift Card Purse Birthday Card

It was my sister's birthday on friday and I wanted to make one of these Gift Card Purse. This idea was from a swap that Sharon Turnball made for Convention in April. You can also see them made by another couple of Demo's, Di and Sam. Here is my attempt:

Colours: Real Red, Tempting Turquoise and So Saffron
Stamp set: Level 2 hostess set and Cheery Chat that I borrowed from Di
Accessories: Brads (bold brights colour family), eyelet (basic colour range), real red 5/8" grosgrain ribbon (which I am loving at the moment!), the word window punch, dimensionals, corner rounder punch, 5 petal flower punch and an envelope for the inside.

I stamped an image from the level 2 hostess set randomly on the real red cardstock but you can't see it that well in this photo - sorry about that. The insde is made up of an envelope folded in half with each end cut off to put inserts inside to write a message on and to add a gift voucher inside. Here is a photo of the inserts I made:

The image I used on these inserts are the same as those used on the red cardstock in the above photo. I used the wide grosgrain ribbon as tabs at the top of each insert.
I really enjoyed making this and it was pretty easy as well.

Colour Inspiration #15

This weeks colour challenge has come around so fast but the colours are lovely, my kind of colours. Here is this weeks challenge from Kristina

The colours are chocolate chip, close to cocoa, really rust, certainly celery and whisper white (yum). I really enjoyed using these colours and like the card I made. It's a simple layout but I like it so here it is:

I've used my newly obtained spring mini catalogue supplies for this card, True Friend stamp set and Apple Cider Designer Series Paper which is absolutey gorgeous. I used really rust for the base of the card and mounted choc chip with the patterned paper on it. The image is stamped in really rust and certainly celery. I used my stamp-a-ma-jig to stamp the words a true friend then punched it out using the word window punch. I used the lovely wide grosgrain ribbon in choc chip and certainly celery brads. In the centre of the flower I've used a small button from the earth elements colour family.

Colour challenge take two

I thought I would have another go at this week's colour challenge. Here is my card:I've stayed with basic black, basic gray and whisper white (I love basic gray). I've used the stamp set Together Forever along with the matching roller Forever Flowers. I used basic gray textured cardstock for the base of the card. I then mounted white onto black onto the gray. I used basic gray ink for the roller across the middle and mounted it on basic gray textured cardstock and then onto the card. I used the scallop punch on black cardstock with the 1 3/8" circle punch in gray and punched out the image using the 1 1/4" circle punch. I cut out the smaller flower and mounted it using a dimensional onto the bigger flower with a silver brad in the centre. The scallop is mounted on the card using dimensionals. I used the basic gray taffeta ribbon which I love across the middle. Here is a close up of the flower on the scallop:

Colour Inspiration #14

Here is Kristina's challenge for the week:

This was a hard challenge for me but good. I hope you like what I've done with the colours, not sure if I'm happy with what I've done yet but here it is anyway:The colours are ruby red, river rock, basic black, going grey and basic grey.

The base of the card is going grey. I've stamped the flower image from the level 3 hostess set Time Well Spent on going grey in basic black. I've coloured parts of the flower using a blender pen and ruby red ink (I don't have ruby red marker) and put a brad in the centre. I've stamped the greeting from Occasional Greetings in ruby red on river rock. I put a little crystal effects on the dots on the flower. I cut 3 squares, 2 in basic grey and 1 in river rock and mounted them onto black cardstock. I've used the river rock double stitched ribbon and mounted the flower onto the card using dimensionals. I used the 1 3/8" square punch with river rock for the bottom left corner and made photo corners using the large tag punch for the bottom right corner. I added 3 more brads to the top left corner for interest. I tried not to use too much colour as I wanted to try and stick to the greys and black; as I said before I found these colours very hard.