Many Happy Returns........

Packed and ready to go on our holiday...Hair hi-lighted and fake tan on.....

Before I go this is today's card.......

I started by colouring card stock with water colours using various colours.

I die cut the flowers and in-laid them back into the black card.

I also die cut the sentiment 'Happy' and in-laid that back into the card.

At certain angles the 'Happy' sentiment disappears but still leaves the flower die cut border 

and the white stamped and embossed sentiments, which still makes sense.

I finished off with layering the card onto more black card to frame the flower border.

The great thing about inlaying is that I have the black flower die cut, 

that I cut out to play with on another card.

Thanks for stopping by.

I will be away until the 31st May so please forgive the absence of comments 

on your blogs.....

Crafty Hugs x

Challenges I would like to enter with this card.........

CAS Mix Up - Stamp + Heat Embossing + In laid Die Cutting + Water Colouring

Happy Little Stampers - CAS - In Laid Die Cutting

Happy Little Stampers - Anything goes with die cutting

Seize The Birthday - Coloring - Coloured with water colours

STAMPlorations - CAS - Anything Goes - Optional twist Magenta

AAA Cards - Inlaid Dies

Hugs.....

Today's card has been inspired by die cutting.....

I started by stamping the seagull scene stamp but masking off the top half.

I wanted to use dies instead of the seagulls flying, at the top of the stamp.

I heat embossed the stamp with white embossing powder.

The flying seagulls have been die cut with white card and inlaid back into the kraft card.

A bit tricky but I enjoyed doing it.

I have heat embossed Frantage shabby white powder around the edges.

The white fluffy cloud has been stenciled with white embossing paste

and a hint of white glitter. 

I popped on a few white frantage pieces and coloured the bottom sea gulls 

with watered down white acrylic paint.

I finished off with die cutting the Hugs sentiment in white and kraft card 

and inlaying it back into the card.

Thanks for stopping by...

Crafty Hugs x

Challenges I would like to enter....

CAS Mix Up - Stamp + Heat Embossing + Die Cutting + Stenciling + Embossing Paste

Happy Little Stampers - CAS - In Laid Die Cutting

Happy Little Stampers - Anything goes with die cutting

Memory Box - For the Birds

AAA Cards - Inlaid Dies

Tic Tac Toe - Right hand vertical line - Things that fly-White Space- Scene

STAMPlorations - CAS - Anything Goes

2B or not 2B.....

Inspired by The Male Room Challenge...Shakespeare 

to make today's card....

I had lots of ideas but went for maybe an obvious one...2B or not 2B

Sue from the DT was also inspired by this but went for a different idea, 

which was really fun and clever...

I have stamped and embossed, splattered, die cut, blended, layered

and used inca gold and lindys sprays to make the card.

I enjoy making masculine cards and was hoping to be considered 

for the DT call but I am away this week, until the end of the month 

so cannot make the second card, which is a requirement.

Hopefully next time xx

I had fun making the card and thank you for stopping by...

Crafty Hugs x

Challenges I would like to enter.....

The Male Room - Shakespeare

Cardz4guyz - Monochrome

STAMPlorations - Sketch or Theme Challenge

I have gone with the theme - Stamping

STAMPlorations - Never Ending Anything Goes

The sentiment stamp

Aged 5....

Today's card is for a family member who is shortly having his 5th birthday....

I was inspired by ...

Inspired by all the Little Things... Challenge

I was inspired by the Red Aeroplane and the blue sky

This is my card....

The background has been done using Brusho's and water.

After stamping the boy I coloured in the red plane and popped on glossy accents.

The number 5 has been die cut, coloured, in laid and glossy accents added.

I stamped the boy flyer so that his trousers would be 'coloured' in with the brown Brusho's.

I finished off with glossy accents on his goggles and stamping the sentiment three times.

Thanks for finding time to stop by...

Crafty Hugs x

Challenges I would like to enter.....

Inspired by all the Little Things... Challenge

Penny Black at Allsorts - Anything Goes

Penny B Friends Saturday Challenge - Masculine  

Update..I was lucky to get a favourite with this card, thank you so much x

Happy Little Stampers - Mixed Media - Shine Challenge

The glossy accents and the sentiment.....You're a star

STAMPlorations - CAS - Anything Goes

Life is an Adventure.....

I am delighted to be a Guest Designer at STAMPlorations ......

for their Sketch and Theme Challenge this month.

The Design Team is fabulous and always come up with the 

most original, creative and stunning inspiration. 

STAMPlorations have a very active Blog, if you've time pop across and take a look....

They also have great challenges, incorporating lots of different crafting styles.

Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to Guest with you this month.

The Challenge for May is.....

Use The Sketch and....or The Theme

I have used the Sketch and the Theme...

This is my card.......

I have used 'Born to Roam' and 'True North' stamp sets for my card.

I have stamped, sponged, masked, blended, coloured 

and used Frantage heat embossing powder, which I love!

I had fun making the card and I thank you once again for the opportunity.

Crafty Hugs x

Challenges I would like to enter......

CAS Mix Up - Stamping + Heat Embossing (Frantage) + Masking/Blending/Colouring

Tic Tac Toe Challenge

I have gone for the diagonal line....Things that fly..Sponging.....Masking

Addicted to Stamps - Make Your Mark

STAMPlorations - On Going- Anything Goes using their products

Nature.....

My project today started as a card 
and ended up being a wall hanging!  

I started by laying down a tulip stencil

I stamped clouds in VersMark, as a resist and then

used several colours of Brusho's and sprayed water for the background.

I removed the stencil, masked sun and mopped a little of the Brusho's and water.

I wasn't sure how much would have seeped under the stencil but it was OK.

Using water colours I coloured  the tulips and sunshine, as I wanted to keep 

with the watery look of the background.

 The clouds, birds and tall cowslip flowers where stamped in black archival ink.

 I then went over the black ink with a watered down white paint to soften the look.

The text at the bottom has been stamped with green ink.

The butterflies have been die cut from sprayed card stock to give some dimension.

I finished off with stamping the sentiment and heat embossing Frantage 

around the edges and randomly on the project.

I love this stuff...Adds interest, texture and usually surprise results.

I had fun creating the wall hanging and learnt lots along the way.
The reason it ended up not being a card was that the piece was around A4 size 
and I thought I would use it as a master board and cut it up...I couldn't x

Crafty Hugs x

Challenges I would like to enter....

STAMPlorations - Mixed Media - No Cards - Anything Goes using a stencil..

Mixed Media MC Monthly - Butterflies and Blooms
Double D Challenge - Mood board
Inspired by the pink tulips
Tuesday Throwdown - Welcome Spring

Hello Friend .....

CASEing Shery's card today...

CASEplorations at STAMPlorations

This is my take on the card.....

I picked up on the colours Shery used and the black prominent sentiment.

I blended through the butterfly stencil with distress inks 

and then stamped the butterflies using the co-coordinating stamp. 

I also loved the artsy effect on Shery's card so used distress inks to stamp

and splats of water to hopefully achieve a similar, watery, less crisp look.

I stamped a black butterfly as a way of contrast and to hi-light the sentiment further.

Crafty Hugs x

Challenges to enter...

STAMPlorations - CASE a Card

STAMPlorations - Anything Goes using their producs