Blackout technique...

 Hey there, crafty buddies! Today's make is so far out of my comfort zone that I might as well be on another continent!! I have seen and wanted to try the blackout embossing technique for a while, so as I had an hour to play at my crafty desk, I decided to have a go...

 ...I'm not sure if the results turned out a little psychedelic or whether it's just me shying away from the bright and bold?! I struggled to find a folder that would compliment the technique and plumped for this Cuttlebug Floral Fantasy one in the hopes that it would turn out okay...

I splattered the background with some white acrylic, then added some pretty butterfly dies in white with an inked background and my favourite Yana Smakula sentiment die.

Dies used - 

 Sizzix Detailed Butterflies 661802

Spellbinders Yana's Layered Script Sentiments S5-496

Cuttlebug Floral Fantasy embossing folder 

The jury's out on this card, but I'll definitely be trying this technique again and am even wondering if it would work with white acrylic on a brayer to get a softer look and ease me back into my pastel comfort zone! 

Thanks for dropping by and I hope to see you soon with some more crafty inspiration...

Crafty hugs,

 

A little busy...

 Good afternoon, dear crafty friends! I tidied my craft room! Now, this normally means that I don't make anything for a while as I don't want to mess it up, but to break with tradition, I thought I would sit at my new crafty table and play with another couple of dies that haven't even been cut yet! (Bad crafter!)...

I started with the Sizzix embroidery hoop die and layered up some pretty papers on my background. Whilst looking through my ever increasing stash of dies, I came across this pretty birdcage set and cut one of the cages out in antique gold card - these dies are REALLY delicate, so I cut another in kraft card and layered them up for extra rigidity. I played around with different elements until I was happy with the composition, then splattered everything with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and some white acrylic...

I added in some pops of blue as the colour tones were getting a little...meh...and although the overall effect is a little on the busy side, it turned out pretty enough!

Dies used -

 Sizzix Tim Holtz Wildflower Stems #1 664163

 Sizzix Embroidery 664396

Sizzix Birdcages 665036

Flower centre from Sizzix Floral Cluster 666118

Hearts from Sizzix Tea Cups 665898 

Generic postage stamp die 

Thanks for dropping by and I hope you find inspiration in my (surprise, surprise!) pretty, pastel make...

Crafty hugs,

 

Say cheese!...

 Well, it seems like I'm on a roll! I'm back today to share another collage style card but this time using the fun Spellbinders Say Cheese camera die. I love these layering dies from both Spellbinders and Sizzix as they give so much detail to your die cuts...

 I layered my card with some paper scraps, a doodled border, ink splatters and a generic photo strip die that I picked up from Amazon. I created a polaroid type picture using the letter die from Sizzix You've Got Mail to cut out the aperture and used the mountain from Hero Arts You Lift Me Up framecuts, along with the treescape die from Clearly Besotted. I added a bulldog clip die cut and some sprinkles and a couple of sentiments...

  I decided to do two cards at once and added Welsh sentiments to the second...

Dies used -

 Spellbinders Say Cheese S4-1383

Sizzix You've Got Mail 665820

Generic Film frame strip die and bulldog clip 

Thanks for dropping by and who knows, I may even be back soon with some more inspiration...or I could fall off the face of the earth and it could be months before posting again!

Crafty hugs,

 

Sky's the Limit...

 How about this? Back so soon?!...

Today's make uses the Sky's the Limit #2 die set from Sizzx and Catherine Pooler Designs...

I've have to admit that I've made these kites up a couple of times and not been sure of them...and am still not! I don't know if it's that the black is too heavy or what, but I'm just not feeling it! I wanted to try and make a more masculine card instead of the rainbow tones that I have seen on the internet but am not 100% how it turned out...oh, well, it'll go in the box!

Dies used - 

Sizzix Catherine Pooler Designs Sky's the Limit #2 666832

 Spellbinders On Cloud Nine S3-432

Spellbinders Happy Birthday Wishes S3-514

Spellbinders Fall Label Motifs S5-519 

Thanks for dropping by and I hope you like my card more than I do!

Crafty hugs,

 

Ham it up...

 Hey there, crafty friends! How cute is this little piggy??!...

 This is Ham it Up from Spellbinders and I think he is just adorable! I created a collage style card with postage and countryside elements, and what would make me happier than a pig in mud?...clouds, of course!...

Dies used -

 Spellbinders Ham it Up SDS-199

Generic nesting postage stamp dies 

Hero Arts You Lift Me Up Frame cuts DI789

Also Marianne Designs Tab with Text die COL1315 & Creative Expressions Rustic Western Elemenets HCD721 (retired)

I think the tree landscape die is from Clearly Besotted, but can't find it's name

 

Thanks for popping in to have a look at my latest creation and I hope to be back soon with some more crafty inspiration...

 

Crafty hugs,

 

 

 

Spellbinders Pretty Birds...

 Hi again, crafty friends! I'm back to share another paper creation with you all...

 I treated myself to this Spellbinders Pretty Birds die set a couple of months ago and they have been sat patiently waiting to be used on a project, so I decided to cut them out and ink them up...

I have to say, I love the way these sweet birds came out, but am not 100% sure on the over all card...I liked it when it was finished, but then I always do the mantel piece test - I sit the card on the windowsill or sideboard and just look at it when I'm passing - I didn't know then if it was a little too sugary??! (That'll teach me for just using the first paper that came to hand as it was on my desk!) I'm going to make another one and try using a blue or yellow tone paper (something which I need to get more of) and see how I feel about it then, but in the words of Gina K, it's "better than horrible"...

Dies used :

 Sizzix Script Sentiments 665089

Spellbinders Pretty Birds S4-1406 

 Thanks for popping by to have a look at my sugary sweet card and I may be back soon with some more crafty inspiration...who knows?!...the sun is shining, so anything can happen! 

Crafty hugs,

 

Just a note...

Hey there, crafty friends! As it's my day off and hubby is off delivering, I decided to sit and play at my crafty desk and see what I could come up with...

 I started with the Sizzix Snail Mail by Eileen Hull postage die (I would have really liked the Waffle Flower version of this type of die but it wasn't in stock in the UK at the time and  I find the 'windows' of the panels on this one are a touch on the small size, but I persevered!)...

I added some some patterned paper panels to the postage collage die and randomly stamped with some postage style stamps from my stash. I then backed this onto cream paper with 2mm foam tape and matted onto a pretty ditsy floral paper. I cut out all of the elements and arranged how I thought I would like them before attaching to my card...

 Dies used :

Sizzix Snail Mail by Eileen Hull #665869

Spellbinders Happy Birthday Wishes #S3-514

Spellbinders Sealed Blooming Stems #S4-1296 

Sizzix You've Got mail #665820 

The just a note sentiment was computer generated and the Birthday part came from Wow! Happy sentiments.

Thanks for dropping by and I'll hopefully be back with some more craftiness soon,