ATCAS #46 - Luxury

Hello everyone! I hope you are enjoying your weekend so far.

Today we have a brand new challenge starting over at ATCAS and our amazing, cas loving Sandie is your hostess this time around.

Here is the code word that she has chosen for you -

Hmmm luxury! That's a corker of a code word, Sandie. It really made me get my thinking cap on. 

Does Luxury make you think of fine foods, first class travel, first class accommodation or maybe jewellry? Perhaps the simpler things in life are a luxury to you - just being able to sit down and read a book after a busy day or even spending time with the kids. It's a busy world out there and I'm sure you will find something that will inspire you for this challenge.

I decided to go with Gold and Friendship as luxury. Not that the two are necessarily connected, lol.

I had been sent some die cut butterflies by the beautiful and generous Barb (my teamie over at ATSM) that were within my birthday card. They are wonderful die cuts and I used one for this card -

Here it is -

The backing butterfly was embossed with gold powder. It is so pretty!

The sentiment is from Inspired by Stamping who is our amazing sponsor for this challenge. I love this sentiment and embossed in gold it is just stunning! You can find the stamp set (Friends Forever) HERE

Again, our sponsor -

Joanna is offering a $15 gift certificate to her store!

That's it from me. Pop on over to the challenge blog and have a look at the spectacular inspiration from the Design Team.

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges -

Daring Cardmakers - Clean and Simple
Sister Act Challenge - Anything Goes
Fairytale Challenges - Clean and Simple

Summer Flowers with Inspired by Stamping

Hi everyone! How are you all today? 

I am going to share with you a card today that combines two wonderful sets from Inspired by Stamping.

Summer Flowers and the Newly Released Summer Fun

I started off by creating my background using Distress Inks directly onto an acrylic block, spritzing them with water and pressing the block onto my cardstock. A piece of paper towel was used to pat the colour. I sped up the drying process by using my heat gun.

I am really happy with how my background colours worked out. It is obviously very random so it is always cool to see how it ends up.

Here is a close up of the flowers (from the Summer Flowers set). They have been heat embossed with white powder.

I stamped the hello from the Summer Fun set. How awesome is it that these sets combine so beautifully!

The finishing touch for this card was adding the three little pearls to the top right hand corner.

I hope you have been enjoying the New Release sets from Inspired by Stamping. I know I have!!

Thanks so much for looking xx

ATSM - Challenge #109 CAS

Hi everyone!!!

Welcome back to Wednesday. It is a brand new challenge over at Addicted to Stamps and More! and today we have a

CLEAN AND SIMPLE

challenge for you!

Here is my DT card -

I have used really cool new release stamps from Inspired by Stamping. 

This gorgeous pack of Chevrons has so many designs to choose from. I arranged 4 of the stamps onto an acrylic block so they became a 'block' stamp. Then it was really easy to create repetative stamping!

The sentiment is from my favourite set Summer Fun. There are so many cool images in this one!

Here are my homemade enamel dots again! Aren't they cool? You can find out how to make them by clicking HERE

Pop on over to ATSM to enter our CAS challenge and don't forget to visit the Design Teams blogs for inspiration!

Over at Addicted to CAS, our current challenge is Geometric so I am going to link up there as DT.

Thanks so much for looking xx

ATCAS #45 - Geometric

Hi there everyone and Happy Saturday!

Ready for a brand new challenge over at Addicted to CAS?

Harriet is your hostess this week and she has chosen this awesome code word for you -

Need a little help? Here are some definitions for you -

Geometry - the branch of mathematics concerned with the properties and relations of points, lines, surfaces, solids, and higher dimensional analogs.

Geometric - 1. of or relating to geometry, or according to its methods. 2. (of a design) characterized by or decorated with regular lines and shapes.

I decided to ink up a set from Inspired by Stamping - Hexagons

Here is my DT card -

I stamped the strip of Hexagons first and then used one of the patterned Hexagons in different colours and fussy cut each one. They are popped up with foam tape.

I love this sentiment from the Summer Fun set. The font is beautiful!

There you go! There is my Geometric card with lots of white space. Pop on over to the challenge blog to see what the other ladies have come up with to inspire you!

I would also like to enter this card into the following challenges -

Time Out - CASE with your own twist

Art Impressions - Show off your Sentiment

Cute Card Thursday - Clean and Simple

Thanks so much for looking xx

ATSM Challenge #108

Hello! How are we all on this fine Wednesday?

We are back for a brand new challenge over at Addicted to Stamps and More! and this week we are up to our Holiday Challenge. 

Make anything you want as long as you follow our Holiday theme.

Here are my DT cards (I made two this week!)

I love this image from Rick St. Dennis (our sponsor this week). This Cocoa and Cookies Santa is so perfect and jolly. I have coloured him with my Spectrum Noirs.

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges -

Stamps and Fun - Christmas
Inkspirational - Markers or Pencils
Marina at My Perfect Life has a Christmas Challenge

Here is my 2nd card -

I don't usually do Halloween cards but Rick St. Dennis was so kind to provide us with these wonderful images that I just had to give Hannah Halloween a go! Coloured with Spectrum Noirs. The bats are die cuts from Impression Obsession.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges -

Eureka Stamps - Things with Wings
My Time to Create - Coloured Hair

Our amazing sponsor this week -

Pop on over to ATSM to see the wonderful inspiration provided by the DT 

Thanks so much for looking xx

Mixed Media with Inspired by Stamping

Hi everyone! I'm so glad you could join me today.

I would like to share a card with you that I have made using one of my favourite stamps available at Inspired by Stamping. I have used many techniques for this card and can't wait to share them with you.

Firstly,  created my background. I used distress inks straight onto an acrylic block and then sprtized them with water. I randomly placed them onto my cardstock and then used some paper towel to pat the colour. To speed up the drying process I ran my heat gun over the finished cardstock.

Using the Summer Fun stamp set (New Release), I stamped the umbrella and two sentiments with Versamark and heat embossed using white powder. 

Next I used the wave stamp and used a couple of different colours and repeated my stamping.

Then I used a couple of stencils. One I sponged ink over and the next I used a Gloss Gel medium over the stencil to create texture.

The final touch was having fun by taking a wet paintbrush and added a bit of reinker to it and splattering ink everywhere!

The whole panel was then attached with strips of foam tape.

There you have it! A mixed media card which was lots of fun to make!

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges -

613 Avenue Create - I have used the option for Sights/Sounds/Smells or Tastes of Summer

Thanks so much for looking xx

STAMPlorations Monthly Challenge

Welcome back everyone and Happy Friday to you all. 

Today marks the start of the monthly challenge over at STAMPlorations.

You are going to LOVE this one!

That's right! Just use stamps and die cuts on your project to enter.

(Don't forget that you don't have to use STAMPlorations stamps to enter. All brands are welcome)

Here is my DT card -

 I have been using this background technique a bit lately. It really is a great way to use your favourite colours in a Mixed Media sort of way. I applied ink straight onto an acrylic block, misted it with water and pressed it onto my watercolour paper (I have been using normal cardstock too).

Once it was dry (helped with my trusty heat gun), I glued my die cut sentiment (Happy Birthday background from Poppy Stamps) on and then started stamping using the VIGNETTE: Retro Mod Shapes and Chevron and Arrows . 

The last thing I did was dampen a paint brush and squeeze reinker onto the brush and with graceful air starting flapping my arm about to send splotches of ink over the panel. I'm sure I looked like an unco-ordinated conductor!

We have a wonderful Guest Designer joining us for this challenge. She shouldn't really need any introduction as her work is very well known - Karen Dunbrook. Don't forget to stop by and check out her amazing card!

I would also like to enter into the following challenges -

DRS Challenge - Chevrons and/or Arrows

AAA Cards - Watercolours + CAS

Come and Get It Challenges - Use a Die

Eclectic Ellapu - Anything Goes with option of Watercolours

Thanks so much for looking xx

Make your Mark - ATSM Challenge #107

Good morning everyone! I hope you have been busy crafting this week? We have a new challenge over at Addicted to Stamps and More! and it is one of your favourites!

MAKE YOUR MARK!

Get our your alcohol markers, pencils, chalks, paints or anything you can think of that will 'make a mark' on your project. Think outside the box!

Here is my DT card -

I have used beautiful new release stamps from Inspired by Stamping for this card. This Water Lily is the Flower of the Month! The sentiment has been embossed and is from the Friends Forever set. I have used the Fancy Labels Dies 1 set as a background frame for my flower.

I coloured my flower using the following Spectrum Noir pens -

Flower: BT4, BT5, BT8 / CT2, CT3, CT4

Leaves: JG1, JG2, JG3, JG4

Branch: TN3, TN4

There is also a DT call at the moment for Inspired by Stamping. The call ends on the 15th of August 2014 and all the details can be found HERE

Our wonderful sponsor this week at ATSM is

The prize up for grabs is 5 free digis from Kathrynes store.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges -

Spectrum Noir - Floral and Nature

Inkspirational - Use Markers or Pencils

That's all from me today. Thanks so much for looking xx

STAMPlorations Sketch #17

Hello everyone! How are you all today? 

Today marks the start of a brand new sketch challenge over at STAMPlorations.

Here is the sketch for you to play with -

and here is my DT card -

I have used some nice, fresh colours for my card (Pool Party and Strawberry Slush). I have heat embossed my cupcake onto vellum. I really didn't know how to attach the vellum to my cardstock. I found some pages of tiny glue dots in my stash and thought they would do the trick. Well, not really as you can see them through the vellum, lol. Anyway, I thought they gave it some nice 'texture' :)

The STAMPlorations set I have used on this card is Sketched: Cupcake

We also have a wonderful guest designer joining us for this challenge - Kim Makortoff from Art Keeps Me Sane (I wholly agree, Kim!!) Don't forget to give her a big STAMPlorations welcome.

I hope to see you over at the challenge blog!

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges -

A Gem of a Challenge - Embossing

Sister Act - Anything Goes

Addicted to Stamps and More! - Anything Goes - I am contributing as DT

Hidden Pocket Christmas Card (and Tutorial)

Hi there everyone! Last year, I received an amazing card from Karen over at Serendipity Dragonfly and when I was going through my box of received cards, I decided I was going to CASE hers and create a tutorial for it.

Here is my CASE

I have actually made about 4 of these cards so far that are similar to the one in the tutorial below. 

Since then I have made another version -

Do you remember my Mini Pink Poinsettia Christmas Card? 

The card itself is a beautiful design. I really like it! Once you open up the front, there is a little hidden pocket inside where you place a note card for your personalised greeting.

Here is a couple of pictures of the card (which was really hard to photograph, I'm sorry) and then we will start with how to make it.

The colours are also terrible in my photos. I will list my supplies next and you will be able to see which colours I have used for this.

What I have used - 

 (obviously you can change the colours to whatever you like. I have also made a red and green version of this).

Smokey Slate Cardstock 11 5/8" x 4 1/8" (SU) + extra for die cutting

White Cardstock (5 3/4" x 4") + extra for stamping and die cutting

White Cardstock (2 1/2" x 3 1/2') for notecard

DSP - mine is from the Winter Frost Stack (SU) (3 1/2" x 2 1/2")

Ornament Keepsakes stamp set (SU)

Christmas Messages stamp set (SU)

Framelits - Holiday Ornamets (SU)

Framelits - Ovals Collection (SU)

Fancy Label Dies 1 (Inspired by Stamping)

1inch circle punch (SU)

Hole punch

Embossing Powder - Silver (SU)

Embossing Folder - Snowflakes

Simply Scored (SU)

Firstly I have cut a piece of my Smokey Slate CS in half

Note: I think our size cardstock in Australia is a little different than in the US but I think it will work

The width that I get is 4 1/8". The length is around 11 5/8"

Now place that piece in your scoring tool anbd score at 6" and 9"

With the small panel at the end, use your 1" circle punch to create a tab

Next, use some thin double sided tape on the same panel and stick it down

Emboss your piece of white cardstock and attach to the largest inside panel

Attach your DSP to the small front panel

Here are the stamps and dies that I used to embellish. I have embossed the sentiment with silver powder. The little notecard with the hole punch is what you will slide into the pocket. Tie bakers twine or ribbon through the hole and then you can easily slide it back out.

I have added a bit of bling to my snowflakes

A variation of this panel could be that you only partly emboss and stamp directly onto the cardstock. 

Use foam squares for dimension and pop up your white panel and your ornaments. Once completed, attach this to the front of the card so it is hanging off the edge.

Variation for the inside panel -

*Only emboss half of the white panel of cardstock and stamp a Christmas message on the non-embossed area

*Only emboss half the white panel of cardstock and write your Christmas message there and pop a gift card into your hidden pocket!

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges -

Come and Get it Challenge - Use a Die

Art Impressions - Wet or Dry Embossing (my 2nd entry)

Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes

Thanks so much for looking

ATCAS #44

Hellooooooo! How are you all today? In the mood to get your CAS on? 

Over at Addicted to CAS, the amazing Deepti has chosen our code word for us.

This code word had me looking at so many different ideas. I hardly ever use gold on my cards so this was a good challenge for me too.

A number of my cards ended up in the bin, I might say. I was stencilling, splattering paint, embossing, die cutting. I wasn't very happy with any of them really.

I had a card ready to go but I wasn't even that thrilled with it either. So I quickly made another one with only a couple of hours to go until the challenge began.

Here tis

I have the new Flower Patch set by Stampin' Up and it was yet to be inked. So I took the biggest bloom I could and heat embossed it with gold powder and then used the co-ordinating die.

This set is really beautiful but I had yet to get my head around it. There are so many possibilities for all these stamps. 

The rectangle dies are from Li' Inkers.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges -

Milk Coffee Challenges - 2 or more Die Cuts

Art Impressions - Wet or Dry Embossing

The Sisterhood of Crafters - Die Cuts or Punches

Here is my original card -

This time I heat embossed my Hero Arts butterfly onto Vellum. After it was die cut, I rolled up a sticky dot to adhere it onto the cardstock. The sentiment is from Inspired by Stamping.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges -

A Blog Named Hero - #49 Die a Little

Creative Knockouts - Happy Birthday

Time Out - Celebrations with the optional twist of a butterfly

Being a new month over at ATCAS, we have the pleasure of introducing our next Guest Designer. Please make Lyndal very welcome by visiting her blog.

And we also have an amazing sponsor, of course!

The prize Kathryne is offering is 5 digis from her store!

That's about all from me for now. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

EDITED TO ADD: Thanks to Darlene from The Sisterhood of Crafters, she has steered me towards a challenge blog called Dies R Us Challenge where the theme is Birthday. BOTH my cards are eligible!

Thanks so much for looking xx

Refer a friend Competition - Prizes to be won

Have you registered at my brand new website Happy Little Stampers? No? You should! The first competition has just been announced and there are wonderful prizes being given away! Pop on over to register and click on the heading 'Current Competition'. Make sure you get all your bonus entries in!! You don't want to miss out!