One layer for Autumn

We're beginning to have the first signs of autumn here - the hedgerows are laden with berries already and our long, hot summer is cooling off.

For this one-layer card I used stamps from the beautiful autumn-themed stamp sheet that comes with the current issue of Creative Stamping.  First I stamped a sentiment from the sheet, then (using faint pencil guidelines which I later erased because I'm a wimp) I stamped the four background squares by inking up my smallest square acrylic block with distress inks, spritzing it very lightly with water and stamping it down onto the card. I chose a berry silhouette stamp from the set and stamped it at a different angle on each square, then used a white gel pen to brighten the highlights on each berry.

I am sharing this with
Addicted to CAS - Berries
Mix It Up - anything goes & acrylic block stamping
Less is More - sketch
 

Playing with hexagons

The hexagon die I've used here is part of a bee-themed stamp and die set from Heartfelt Creations but I've been playing around with using them in non-bee-like ways.

For my first card, I cut each hexagon in half across the longest pat then rearranged them short sides together to form a background.

I covered the join with bright ribbon and finished with some Indian style kraft chipboard shapes.

I am sharing this with
The Alphabet Challenge - Kraft Card

My next card is very different - I cut the hexagon from three snippets of card, positioning a butterfly die in the middle of each before cutting.

I added a stamped sentiment and layered it using the very last scraps of card, then finished with the butterflies I'd cut from the hexagons.

I am sharing this with
Pixie's Snippets Playground Challenge #333
Just Us Girls - Light Green, Aqua and Pale Yellow


And finally, the two together

Which I am, of course, sharing at Twofers where this month's challenge is Geometric.



Oh BU&&ER, I've just realised both cards are birthday cards..... shhh…… don't tell anybody.... I'm sure nobody will notice! After all, they are obviously for different people's birthdays.
There, I think I got away with that, don't you?

Festive Robin

I'm a big fan of the blog and store called Hope and Chances where, among Christine Emberson's wonderful inspiration, there is also a chance to buy specially produced monthly charity kits, and this month's was extra special as it included a wonderful limited edition robin stencil by Tina Ashton. I'm afraid the kit is sold out, so it's too late to get your hands on it, but here is the card I made using this month's kit.

 

That robin stencil is adorable, I'm full of ideas for it and I'm sure you'll be seeing a lot more of it from now on. Today I've used it in a different way, with embossing paste.

 

 

Once the embossing was dry, I replaced the stencil over it and sponged the inks through. The paste picks up a lot of colour and gives a really bold, intense look. I used a script embossing folder to create a background and finished the card off with brads and sparkly borders.

 

I am sharing this with

52 Christmas card Throwdown - script

 

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - No Stamp or Digi 

 

Just add ink - choose two  

Let's Go Fishing at CD Sundays

Our new challenge at CD Sundays has just started and this time the theme is Let's Go Fishing.

I've used this fun cartoon from the Ooh La La CD "Boys to Men", along with two backing papers from the CD. The arched trellis thing is a sheet from a pad of pre-punched paper. You can't see it clearly from here but it is lightly printed with a cloud effect.

I am sharing this with
Allsorts Challenge - From Boys to Men
Watercooler Wednesday - Masculine Anything Goes
 

Shere Khan

In The Jungle Book, the ruler of the beasts is a tiger called Shere Khan and I think this tiger image always looks powerful enough to rule a jungle full of animals!

The stamp came out of a grab bag many, many years ago - I have no idea of the brand. I stamped it with Memento ink and coloured with Promarkers. I've added a sentiment stamped with a magazine freebie, some tiger-print paper, punched leaves and a scrap of corrugated card that came from the packaging of a bottle of olive oil.

I am sharing this with

Little Red Wagon - Lions and tigers and bears!
The Male Room - Wild & Free
Shopping Our Stash - Leaf it to me
The Library Challenge - The Jungle Book
Retro Rubber - Tic tac toe (I have used the diagonal line die cut or punch - green - leaves)

"Patchwork" butterflies

Back to my old favourite Cuttlebug butterfly day for this morning's card. although I tried to use it in a slightly new-to-me way.

I cut it three times using paper from a 6" Crafty Individuals pad, then doodled "tacking stitches" around the edge to give them a patchwork-appliqué look. On the background card I doodled some wavy lines then dotted blue liquid pearls here and there among them, then stamped a sentiment.

I am sharing this with

CAS on Friday - Butterflies
Cardz 4 Galz - Dies/punches

Playful penguins

My Lili of the valley trio stamps have been out to play again. I think they are only available as digis now, but mine are actual real rubber ones! I think they are ideal for DL cards.

The sentiment is also a Lili of the Valley stamp. The background is stamped all over with a small snowflake block stamp.

I am sharing this with:
52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Black, white and one other colour  (I've used shades of turquoise)


Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - feminine or anything goes

Jingle Belles - sketch


Sparkles Monthly Challenge - Make your own background

Sweet Stampin - Christmas in August

The Holly & Ivy - Anything Christmas Goes

Sweet Stampin Christmas - Anything Goes