Why do I always leave it to the last minute?

Hello again, by the time you read this, the recipient of this card will already have had his birthday. Goodness, how time flies, my son will be 28 the day before Valentines Day. Seems like just a few short years ago that he was so eager to enter the world at 10 weeks early! If only I'd been able to see into the future to know he wouldn't have had the issues expected and that he'd grow into a strong, tall young man.

Anyway, Adam is a tyre fitter, working at a garage in the next village. When he isn't working he still tinkers on friends cars but I guess it keeps him out of mischief. It was with this in mind that I thought I'd try my hand at my first stepper card. I know there are dies out there but honestly, save yourself the expense; they are so easy to make using a paper trimmer and scoring board.

Real Red

Basic Black

Silver Foil

Whisper White

I had seen a fabulous card by Lisa Ann Bernard on Pinterest that was perfect. Click on her name to go to her blog post. Adam, like many mechanics, has a large red upright toolbox that takes up a considerable amount of shed space. I remember it being at the top of his wish list for a long time until he was able to acquire one. So, it was obvious the stepper card would replicate that in some way.

I was able to create tyres by diecutting a circle in black and then using a round button die - not a Stampin Up one - cut in silver foil for the hub cap. Ok, it isn't perfect but it does show that necessity is the mother of invention! It also saved me a little money as I didn't need to buy any extra dies. I don't know about you but I love it when I can find other uses for my crafty stash. I added some small tools and a creeper board, made from the hardwood stamp on a piece of crumb cake card stock. I also wrote Happy Birthday on a "drawer" front with a silver pen to like like it had been scratched onto the chest of drawers.

Coffee Cafe with a Sweet Cupcake

Hello, a while ago I made a birthday card for a colleague at work. I find designing something for a man quite difficult normally, but Phil loves his coffee...

                                ...and cake when there is some.

Island Indigo

Crumb Cake

Pool Party

Whisper White

I'm so pleased I succumbed and bought Coffee Cafe; it originally wasn't on my wish list but having seen some fabulous makes by other crafters, I thought I ought to get it. If you have read some of my previous blog posts you may have picked up that I only buy stamp sets and dies if I can easily design at least 5 different cards. I like to make my stock earn it's keep.

I already had the Sweet Cupcake bundle; it teams up with the coffee cup so well. I knew that I wanted to use Crumb Cake so set about going through my stock of DSP for some that would be suitable. It wasn't long before I stumbled across Serene Scenery, the colours were perfect; Crumb Cake and Island Indigo. This DSP is sadly discontinued. I really should have bought more when I could, I love it.

Oops, the darker DSP is from Blooms and Bliss, another discontinued pack. Sorry!

Flower Shop again??

Hello, if you saw my last post, you'll recall I woke during the night with an idea for a card. Well once I started, I had ideas flooding in from goodness knows where using the same stamp set! This is the second card, again using soft pink and white.

Pink Pirouette

Pear Pizzazz

Whisper White

First of all I took my Pink Pirouette inkpad and stamped one of the flowers from Flower Shop over Whisper White card trimmed a little smaller than the card base, leaving the centre clear. I made sure to leave enough space so that I could add small flowers from Petite Petals for a little variation. When creating your own background paper, I think it looks more natural if some of the stamping is off the edge of the card as you can see below.

Next I die cut a circle from it before mounting onto a slightly larger piece of Pink Pirouette. The die cut circle was then die cut again using a slightly smaller Stitched Shape Framelit circle and them stamped with the sentiment. I love that the pink background forms an edge around it to make it pop more.

I stamped and punched one larger and two smaller flowers alongside some leaves, arranging them to the lower right of the sentiment. Once again, I stamped inside the card and on the envelope for a cohesive look. Another quick and easy card, I hope you like it.

Flower Shop

The other night I woke in the wee small hours with an idea implanted for a card. Unfortunately I didn't have the customary notebook and pencil nearby as I'd been sketching designs in the craft room earlier in the evening. I felt so lucky that when I finally got up, I could still remember what I wanted to make!

Pink Pirouette

Pear Pizzazz

Whisper White

I wanted a soft background so created my own using clear powder to heat emboss one of the flowers out of Flower Shop all over the white card. My sentiment was stamped and heat embossed on a stitched Framelit circle. To get the pale pink text I inked up the stamp first using Versamark before then inking in Pink Pirouette immediately afterwards. Clear embossing powder was heated over the top. I used dimensionals to raise the sentiment slightly.

Using a scrap of white card I stamped, heat embossed and punched out one flower. It was coloured using a pencil with blender pen before the petals were shaped. A couple of leaves were punched and strategically placed but I still felt it lacked something. I personally think the loop of mini silver sequin trim just finishes it off. It really doesn't take much; there numerous ways to use just a small amount of special trim and still get a fabulous finish.

Valentine, where art thou?

It's that time of year again. Christmas and the New Year are long forgotten now the bins have been emptied and the last of the turkey finally eaten. Spring and Easter are on the horizon, but first we have Valentines Day. I feel obliged to make a card or two. not that I'll be sending any. My first one is very simple and I hope elegant. Mainly white, with just a touch of colour.

Whisper White

Real Red

Gold Foil

I used the Falling Petals TIEF on a piece of white card stock slightly smaller than my card front. The sentiment was stamped directly onto the embossed card in Real Red. A punched - you could use a die cut - heart was placed bottom right to create balance.

For added interest without making it too fussy, I punched a small heart out of the larger one and inserted a gold heart in the space. Gold metallic thread was looped and placed behind to finish it. Such a quick and easy card to make. I hope you like it.

Challenge Accepted ... using Beautiful You

At Coffee and Cards, I was given the opportunity to try out the new Stampin' Blends. I have to to admit to being sceptical but they are amazing!

The ink just glides so beautifully over the paper and as usual, the colours are designed to match the corresponding card stock.

Susan, who runs the Coffee and Card group gave all attendees a challenge to create a card with the image we had coloured in. The winner is to receive the 2 colours they used to colour in the image.

Pool Party

Calypso Coral

Smoky Slate

Whisper White

Not one to run away from a challenge I set about coming up with a design I was happy with. I also decided to challenge myself by using DSP. I've gradually built up a collection over the last few months but really don't use it as often as I could or should.

I chose to use Pool Party, one of my favourite colours. So next on the list I had to find coordinating DSP. Luckily Foxy Friends includes PooL Party, alongside Calypso Coral and Smoky Slate and the banner design was just perfect.

I double mounted the stitched shape with my image, adding a band of ribbon and stamped sentiment. Then I die cut You and added it at an angle

Three balloons completed the front. As usual, I stamped the inside of the card and the envelope for a more finished look. I think it really does make a difference. I know I always open card with decorated envelopes first.

Is It Really Emily's 2nd Birthday?

Hello, goodness how time flies. By the time you see this my grandaughter will just have had her 2nd birthday. Talk about getting organised! I made this card way back in June during a heatwave and have been waiting to be able to post it.

Where does the time go? Seems like only yesterday her mum and dad came to stay when she was a few weeks old so that Huntingdon based friends and family could meet this little bundle. And what lungs she had, plus an innate sense of mixing day and night! I'm sure she thought she was Antipodean. I'd love to be able to post a picture of her but her mum doesn't believe in putting Ems pictures online.

For her 1st birthday I used the stamp set From the Herd. This time as the family have 4 cats (and a dog and 2 tortoises) I decided Pretty Kitty would be suitable. I'd seen Peekaboo cards and thought this would be a fun fold  for a toddler. A quick search online and I found a great tutorial by Jan B on You Tube. Please click here to view it if you'd like to try this type of card. It is a little on the long side but the instructions are very clear.

Melon Mambo

Whisper White

I love Melon Mambo so this was my starting point. Luckily I had some Sinshine and Sprinkles DSP to hand; such a shame this is discontinued, I love the colours used in this paper. The 2 stamps I chose to use were the kitten in the plant pot and the kitten sitting in the garden with a butterfly on its tail and I took the colours from the DSP to colour the images.


I chose to make an oval aperture rather than round which I think works well with the images used

I also added a die cut "2" from the Large Numbers Framelit dies and put it on a slightly smaller oval so it stood out. That was then backed with Melon Mambo to give a cohesive look.

As this card is for a toddler I havent added much in the way of embellishments due to safety.

I had been lucky enough to receive an assorted pack of spare diecuts from my friend, Susan, aka Craftyduckydoodah. Amongst the stash were some great flowers made with the Petite Petals stamp set and punch. As luck would have it they were just the right yellow so tied in beautifully. I used one of the small stamps from Papillon Potpourri and punched it out with the Bitty Butterfly punch. Such a shame that these 4 products were discontinued at the end of May to make way for the new products in the Annual catalogue release on 1st June.