You Show Me Yours Challenge

Hello everyone and welcome to my blog.

There is a new fun challenge that has just recently started up.  It's run by Lucy Muraca from RedChiChi and it's called 'You Show Me Yours'.  Lucy sends out an image to each participant and they use it to create whatever they wish.  It sounded like a bit of fun so I thought I would join in.  Here is the image.

A beautiful photo isn't it?  Here is the card I created with it.

I wanted something a bit dramatic so I chose Black and Gold as my colours, and I flipped the photo because it just didn't look right facing the other way.  The papers are from Kaisercraft's Timeless Classics and from G45's Communique.  All the papers were distressed with a Prima Distress Tool and edged with Walnut Stain Distress Ink.

The chippie is from Imaginarium, I coloured it with Midnight Black Versa Magic Chalk Ink and then edged it lightly in Gold Versa Color.

The doily and the gauze piece were both white so I coloured the doily with the Midnight Black Versa Magic and the gauze was coloured with Tea Dye Distress Ink.   The doily was cut in half and I used one piece here ...

 ... and the other piece was pleated and used under the flower cluster.  The large flowers are from Prima, the small roses are Kaisercraft and the other two are from Magnolia Ink.

 The small metal clock is from my stash and the label underneath the photo was fussy cut from Kaisercraft's  Timeless Classics Collection.

I was actually persuaded by Heather Jacob to enter into this 'Challenge' and I felt a little intimidated with the wonderful creations she and the other participants submitted but, I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed myself with it.  I've never taken part in a Challenge before, but I don't think this will be my last.  I loved it.

For further details of this Challenge  go to Lucy's Blog HERE.


Heather  - Art and life
Emma -   Just a Girl with Ideas
Jennifer  -  My Creative Journey
Patricia  -  Between the Sheet
Kerry-Jean - kjwstudio
Christina - myembellisheddaydream
Helen - texturesandtales
Annette - annette-momentintime
Lindy - justanotherday

Hope you've been inspired to join in.  Thank you so much for visiting and enjoy the rest of your day.
Take care and God Bless.
oxox Marg

Prima's 'Craftsman' Paper on a Feminine Card

Hello and welcome.
I have a card to show you which has been made with Prima's Craftsman paper. Now, this is a fairly masculine range of papers but that doesn't mean it can't be used for feminine cards.

 OK, I haven't used a lot of the paper but you can see the masculine design at the edges here.  I actually love the colours of this paper.  For a masculine card it is ideal but as you can see it is just as nice used in a feminine way.  

This is my first attempt at sewing around the edges of my card and I think the tension on my machine is off  but, because I don't have a lot of this embossed cardstock left,  I didn't want to waste it so I'm just going to say it adds a bit of character.  LOL.   The stamp I used is from Kaisercraft and the clock is from Scrapmatts.  I coloured it with a Versa Color Bronze stamp pad.

The patterns and technical drawing on the paper give it great dimension.  I have layered a few pieces here and even brushed a little bit of gesso on the two smaller strips but you really don't have to do a lot to it.   The swirls were cut with a Marianne Creatables Die.

The flower cluster is mounted on a small piece of mesh which I coloured with a Versa Color Umber stamp pad.  The large flower is from Prima and the small roses are from Kaisercraft.  I brushed them all very lightly with gesso.  The leaves were cut with a Die from Magnolia Ink and I've drawn on them with a fine brown texta.  Another little technique I picked up from visiting scrapbooking blogs.  (Love you ladies for sharing your talents)

The tag is a piece I cut from one of Prima's Nature Garden Labels and the small doily was cut using the smallest of Die-namics Decorative Doily Duo Dies.  ( There's that tongue twister again )  I lightly dry brushed the doily with gesso.

And there you have it.  A feminine card made with a very masculine range of papers.
( OK, I know it's not an original idea, but it gave me a nice title for this post.  LOL )

Thank you so much for stopping by.  Enjoy the rest of your day.
Take care and God Bless.
ox Marg

'Vintage' Card

Hello everyone.  So nice of you to visit.

Those of you who have been here before would realise that I don't do scrapbooking as such.  I mostly make cards and mini albums and have done a few off the page projects, but I do love to visit scrapbooking blogs as you can tell  by the list at the side of my blog.  These blogs that I visit are a great inspiration for the cards that I make and I am very grateful to all of these ladies for showing their creations online  for the rest of us to drool over.  ( Well, I drool, anyway.  LOL)

The inspiration for this card came from a varied number of other blogs.  Thank you, Ladies.

The papers I used are from a Glitz Paper Pack.  It's their French Kiss Collection.  The tag is from Prima's 'Nature Garden' Collection.  I cut it in half and simply placed one piece on top of the other so that it would fit on the card. The edges are slightly crumpled and then coloured with 'Walnut Stain' Distress Ink.

The larger red flower and the small gold one are Kaisercraft.  The white one is from my stash.  The little rose buds I just edged with Walnut Stain Distress Ink to give them a bit more dimension.  I love these little buds they are so cute and help to fill a flower cluster very nicely.

Here is a closer view.

The small gem spray I put together myself.

  The chipboard pieces are the 'Flower Leaf Swirls' from Make it Crafty. I coloured them with 'Shabby Shutters' Distress Ink and then covered them in Ranger's 'Clear Rock Candy' Distress Crackle paint.  Once they were dry, I rubbed them all over with Versa Color 'Evergreen' and then wiped them clean with some paper towels.  As you can see below, the crackle really stands out.

The 'Ornate Corner' is also from Make it Crafty.  It was  coloured the same way as the Leafy Swirls.  The little red velvet flower is from my stash and the cream rose is Kaisercraft.

This gorgeous Bird House stamp  is from a set which came free with one of the Craft Magazines I purchased a while ago, and the metal rose is a charm from my stash.  I coloured the curls on the paper with Versa Color Bronze  although it looks pink on the photo.
Perhaps someone could help me here.  I am looking for a product which will enable me to edge some of my pieces in gold.   I wanted to do this on the leaf swirls but couldn't find anything which stood out.  I'm looking for a stamp pad or something similar which will put a vintage gold edge on things but I don't want glitter.
If anyone knows such a product please leave me a comment.  I would really, really appreciate it.

This butterfly is actually part of the tag.  I fussy cut one from another tag, edged it with Stickles and then glued it on top.

Thank you so much for visiting.
Take care and God Bless.
oxox Marg

Cards from Scraps

Hello everyone and a very Happy New Year to you all. 

 Can't believe this is my first post for 2013.  Time flies when you're  busy I guess.

I have a couple of easy cards to show you.  These are made from some scraps I had in my scraps box.

They don't take a lot of work which comes in handy when you're pressed for time or making a card for someone whose Birthday you 'almost' forgot.  (I won't tell if you don't.  LOL)

I used cream cardstock for the base, then cut a slightly smaller mat in brown and attached a piece of chiffon ribbon before adhering it to the base. From my scraps, I selected the papers which matched, cut them into wide strips, used a Martha Stewart border punch for the edges inked them with a Bark Kaisercraft ink pad and then layered them to the front as shown.

 The flower was one I partly made myself.  I used some small scraps for the larger petals, inked the edges with Versa Color Bronze and then just added a small bloom from my stash in the centre.

  For the greeting, I cut out a label in the brown cardstock for the base and glued that to the card.
Then cut another slightly smaller out of ivory cardstock, stamped the greeting onto it and attached that with pop dots.

 Here is just a close-up of the layers.

The second card was made in a similar manner.  I used black cardstock for the base this time and matted it in white.  This time I didn't glue the mat to the base until after it had been decorated, mainly because I wasn't sure if I wanted ribbon on it or not.

 I chose scraps in the blue range ( the lady I made it for loves blue ) cut them into strips and then cut a V shape into the bottom of each to make them look like flags or banners.  The edges are inked in Kaisercraft Bark.
 I had some petal shapes in my stash so selected some complimenting colours, scrunched them up a little and glued them together to make the flower.  I then glued a small pearl in the centre.  And, as you've seen, I did decide to use a piece of ribbon so I was glad I hadn't glued anything to the base as yet.

 The greeting was made the same as the first card I showed you but using a different shaped label.

There you have it folks.  Two cute little cards made in a very short space of time and, apart from the card bases, just using scraps.

Thank you so much for stopping by.
Take care and God Bless.
ox Marg

New Card

Hello everyone!  I have a card to show you.
A friend had a birthday this week and I had to leave my Mini Album and concentrate on her card. I've actually had to work on a few cards because my son's birthday and anniversary are coming up soon as well but I won't be able to show you those yet.  Didn't like leaving the mini but it's all in a good cause. 

Anyway, I decided to make a spring card for my friend, haven't made one of those for a while.

I double matted it and used some paper from Graphic 45's Olde Curiosity Shoppe on the base. The paper I've used on the main section is from my stash and I really can't remember where it came from.

 

The large pinkish flower I made myself following one of Natasha's tutorials (you can find it HERE). The gold flower is from Prima and the tiny ones are from Kaisercraft.  The mesh like material  was actually part of a flower from a fascinator kit.  I pulled it apart, scrunched it up and used it for a bit more dimension. The gem spray I put together myself and the swirl was cut with Magnolia Ink's Hearts Swirl Die.

I inked the little Imaginarium frame with Walnut Stain Distress Ink and then covered it with Crackle  Accents.  When it was dry I went over it again with the Walnut Stain hoping to bring out the cracks a bit more but being such a small frame they are a bit hard to see.

On the back I simply glued down a Kaisercraft die-cut to make a pocket

and then cut out a scalloped oval from Prima's Rondelle papers to make a tag for the sentiment.

I won't actually know if my friend likes it or not because she's away in Bali (lucky thing).  Knew she was going but didn't realize she'd be away for her Birthday.  So I guess I'll have to be patient until she comes back.

That's all for now. Thank you for visiting.
Please take care and God Bless.
xx Margy