Sunny Bank Holiday

Well....what a beautiful Bank holiday Weekend we have had. Today my DH and DS have been out fishing.... so guess what I've been doing......

Yep... you got it in ONE! Stamping.........

I have been using my new set....'Wild about You'. I'm loving it. Today I have made some baby cards using the lovely giraffe from the set. Giraffes are my favourite animal and I just adore this little stamp, it is so cute.

Of course I made one pink and one blue....

Both cards are identical, except the colours, which are Pretty in Pink and Bashful Blue.

Firstly I stamped the Polka Dot Background in chosen colour onto Whisper White card. This was placed on the top half of the card then paper Pricked just above and just under the panel. Two Jumbo Pewter eyelets where attached to the card. The giraffe image was stamped onto Whisper White card and the little flower along the bottom. This was layered onto Bashful Blue/Pretty in Pink card and two co-ordinating brads attached to the top. The bottom has been scalloped using the corner punch. The little tag from the Level 1 Hostess set 'Terrific tags' was stamped onto Whisper White card then layered onto co-ordinating card. White grosgrain ribbon attached to the top of the tag with brad. Both image and tag have been attached using Dimentionals.

I also decided to stamp the image again onto the front of the envelopes, just to finish the whole thing off nicely.

Have made more cards today.........but will share them later....

Thanks for looking. X

Poppin' Pastels...........

That's what I have been doing.............and boy am I hooked on this! I first saw this technique on Monica's Blog. Here is the link to her great tutorial http://youtube.com/watch?v=L95w2E5ogSg. Now I was aware of this technique, but it never really grabbed me, if you know what I mean, until I saw this. So here are my attempts.

I used the same stamp as Monica did, from the Hostess Level 3 set, Heartfelt. The picture is not showing up the beauty of the cards that well, but if you click on the photo, it should enlarge, so you can see more clearly. I used just two colours for these cards, Orchid Opulence and Certainly Celery. The first card I made was the one in the middle of the photo. I stamped the flower image along a strip of Very Vanilla card with VersaMark ink, then used Orchid Opulence chalk on the flower head, and certainly Celery on the stems. This was then trimmed and layered onto Orchid Opulence card. Using my corner punch, I created a scalloped affect on the bottom and paper pricked along the top. I strip of 1/4" grosgrain ribbon in Elegant Eggplant was attached to the bottom. This was then layered onto a base card of Certainly Celery, and the Heartfelt sentiment stamped on the bottom in certainly Celery Ink.

The other two cards are identical. This time I cut out an ovals with my nestabilitie dies. Plain oval in very Vanilla and scalloped in Orchid Opulence. Again the flower image was stamped in VersaMark ink and coloured like above. The top half of the card was stamped with certainly Celery Ink using the background stamp from the Polka Dots and Paisley stamp set. On the bottom the 'Birthday Wished' sentiment from the Sincere Salutations stamp set was stamped again with Certainly Celery ink. A small strip of Orchid Opulence card attached to the middle of the card and the ovals added with Stampin' Dimentionals and this card is complete.

I have to admit..........I loved doing these cards and I had made a couple more in different colourways.

These two cards are in Lovely Lilac and Certainly Celery and Ruby Red and Mellow Moss.

Thanks for looking...........

CaroleX

Wheely Great Deal...

Stampin' Up! have a great offer running during May. On preselected stamps the co-ordinating wheel is being offered at 50% off. (I have updated my Special Offer section on the right of my Blog to show the sets on offer) These wheels are great for doing backgrounds or covering a large area, such as on boxes etc.

I have made a couple of cards to demo at my May workshops. Both are using the Polka Dots and Paisley set and the Petals Jumbo wheel. Now I have to admit this is my favourite set. I find it so easy to to create wonderful projects with this set.


The first card is made using only two colours Orchid Opulence and Whisper White.

I used my Orchid Opulence ink pad to ink the Petals Jumbo wheel. I placed a 'post-it' in the centre of the white card thinking I would get a frame affect around a plain white centre. It didn't quite work out this way when I lifted the 'post it' off, because the pattern is not dense enough. But by using my Orchid Opulence Stampin' Write pen, I drew the frame onto the centre. Then the card was just finished off by stamping the flower from the Polka Dots and Paisley stamp set using the Stampin' Write pens again to have the flower head in Orchid Opulence and the stem in Old Olive. I placed a Gold brad at the base of the flower then layered onto Orchid Opulence card and centred into the frame.

The next card..... well I am back to my favourite colours again LOL. Regal Rose and Rose Red, I love these two colours together.

This card is using quite a few of my Stampin' Up! goodies. None, I add I can be without of) I have used the Petals Jumbo wheel again, but inked it with Regal Rose ink and stamped onto Regal Rose card. I then used the outline stamp from the Polka Dots and Paisley stamp set to stamp a flower, twice onto Very Vanilla card. Using my Stamp-a-ma-jig I positioned this stamp three times moving the stamp in a circle to create the flowers. I decided to colour in the image with a Regal Rose Stampin' Write pen. The same pen was then used to pick out 'FIND JOY' from the sentiment stamp in the set and using my Stamp-a-ma-jig I positioned it onto the card exactly where I wanted it.
I then assembled the card and tied 'Bravo Burgundy' ribbon around the top of the card to finish off. I enjoyed making this card, and using the various techniques.
Thanks for looking X

Two Cute....

This is the stamp set I have been playing with this weekend. I bought the 'Stitched Squares' cuttlebug embossing folder a few weeks ago, but hadn't got around to using it yet, so I decided it was time to get it out !!!

I embossed the cross stitched square three times onto Very Vanilla Card stock, then using my Stamp-a-ma-jig to position the flowers from the Two Cute set in the centre of each square. I used Taken With Teal, So Saffron & Regal Rose, inks, along with Taken with Teal, and Regal Rose, So Saffron & Basic Black card. Here is what I came up with.......

And these.........

Thanks for looking X.

Lovely As A Tree

I have been creating with this stamp set again over the weekend. I just love this set. this first card is similar to the card I made in my previous post, but I have jazzed it up a little....

For both cards I used the same tree image and water coloured it in using Close to Cocoa and Old Olive. It is so easy to do. The image was then layered onto a scalloped layer made with my Nestabilities. With the first card I used Close to Cocoa as the base card. The top half of the card was stamped with the very small leaf stamp in Close to Cocoa ink to create a background pattern. Next I layered a strip of Very Vanilla onto Chocolate Chip card, then paper pricked a line top and bottom. I love doing this to my cards. It adds such an effective decoration. This strip was added to the card base then the image on top of that. The sentiment is from the 'Wonderful Words' set and stamped in Chocolate Chip.

The second card is similar but in different colours.

The card base for this card is Always Artichoke, with the small leaf in Always Artichoke ink. I have then used a piece of paper from the 'Fall Flowers' Designer Series Paper and layered a strip onto Really Rust card. I then put another strip of Really Rust card on top of the patterned paper.
Two large Pewter Brads where added to the strip, then attached to the card. I again pricked a line along the bottom of the card just under the strip and lastly added the tree image on top with dimentionals to raise it slightly. I am quite pleased with this card. I have found myself using the same colours over and over again, so I am trying to challenge myself into using some of the other colours. think I succeeded with this card. LOL.
I have another card to share, but will post that later in the week. I must now get off this computer and get on with detailing the Cricket Club accounts as it is a Committee meeting tomorrow night............

Thank You cards

I have been busy tonight making these thank you cards ready for Saturday. My son plays Indoor Bowls during the winter and this Saturday is the last session for indoors. These cards are for the three people that run the sessions. Two of them are in their seventies, but they love teaching the youngsters and arranging competitions etc for them all. This first card I have made two identical as there are two ladies.

This card I have made using Pretty in pink as the base with Rose Red and Bashful Blue. The flower was stamped from the Sending Happy Thoughts set which is on Special Offer this month with 10% off the price. I stamped the flower in Pretty in Pink ink then put two way glue on the middle part of the flower then sprinkled glitter on. A Pretty in Pink brad was put through the middle of the flower. The flower was then attached to the centre of the stamped square onto the rose red square. Then layered onto bashful Blue card. The sentiment is from the Wonderful Words set and stamped in Rose Red Ink.

This second card is for the gentleman.........

This card I have made with the Lovely As a Tree set. I stamped the tree with Black Stazon onto Very Vanilla card, then water coloured the tree using Close to Cocoa and Old Olive. This was layered onto Old Olive and Chocolate Chip card. The card base is Close to Cocoa and the sentiment was stamped in Chocolate Chip.
I am really pleased how this card turned out. Thanks for looking. X

Sketch Challenge WSC#43

I do love joining in with Beate's sketch Challenge that she posts each weekend on her blog http://beate.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/.

This is this weeks sketch.............and here is my card.........

I was dying to use my new Paisley background stamp that arrived on Thursday! So decided the panel on the left of the sketch was a good place to use it. I had seen this colour combination in the UK Idea Book & Catalogue and wanted to try it out. They are not normally colours I would put together myself, but browsing this book gives you such great ideas. I actually like the two colours together and will be using them again I am sure. The left panel is stamped with More Mustard ink onto Whisper White card using the Paisley background stamp. (Love this stamp, I can see it is going to get used quite allot). I then tied Brocade Blue 5/8" grosgrain ribbon around the card. The sentiment is from the Circle of Friendship set of stamps and stamped with basic Black onto Brocade Blue card, punched out then layered onto More Mustard and Whisper White circles, then onto scalloped Brocade Blue. Another new item that came on Thursday was the Jumbo Eyelets and I decided to use one of them in the centre of the Sentiment. This is the first time I have used eyelets and I was amazed at how easy they are to use. The panel was then attached to the card with Dimensionals.

Thanks for looking. X.

oops.......

I just realised I promised I would share the card that I made for my best friend Jo. It is made along the same lines as Monica's card, but I used Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa & Apricot Appeal card stock along with Chocolate Chip and Apricot Appeal inks. There are a mixture of stamps used from the following sets. Cheers & Wishes, Two Cute, Mixed Bouquet & Oh, So Lovely.

YAY! .... I have got an award

Got the Arte y Pico award from Lisa today. Thanks Lisa :)

Apparently I have to post these rules, so here goes:

1. You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve this award for their creativity,design,interesting material,and also contributes to the blogging community,no matter what language.

2. Each award has to give the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.

3. Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.

4. Award winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of Arte y Pico blog,so everyone will know the origin of this award.

5. To show these rules. :)

This award goes to:-

Jenny http://www.stampingmoments.blogspot.com/ I visit her blog daily. Just love what she creates.

Helen http://allthingsstampy.blogspot.com/ another favourite of mine.

Michelle http://www.wifeyscraftingcreations.blogspot.com/ Another inspirational lady,

Kim http://kimsstampinroom.blogspot.com/ wonderful creative lady. Love her work.

Last but not least

Sarah http://thinkingstamps.blogspot.com/ another blog I stop by often.

Birthdays Gifts for Monica

Yesterday was the lovely Monica's Birthday. Just look at all her lovely birthday cards here
http://monicas-passions.blogspot.com/
Here is the card and gift I made for her




All are made from Stampin' Up! stamps and products. I just love how everything coordinates and matches. The Card I have made in Rose Red with a little Regal Rose card. The background has been stamped using the background stamp in Rose Red ink from the Hostess Set Oh, So Lovely. The panel was also stamped like this then mounted onto Regal Rose card stock. I the pricked a line along each side. The flowers are from the Mixed Bouquet set. I stamped the petal flower six times onto Very Vanilla card stock in Rose Red, cut out and layered two images on top of each other and placed a red rhinestone brad in the middle. Then attached to the panel.

The little box of cards, I got from a tutorial on Andrea Walfords Blog. Here is the link http://andreawalford.com/?page_id=85 This blog is full of wonderful creations have a browse around while you're there.

Again it is made from Rose Red card. I made a slight adjustment on the lid measurements on my box. I added 1 inch to Andreas measurements then scored 1 inch all around instead of the half inch Andrea suggests. I just liked my lid being a little deeper. The cards are the little Stampin' Up! love notes. These are 3" x 3" cards and envelopes that I have made up into little 'Thank you' notes using various SU Stamps.

The other Birthday card I made is for my friend Jo, who's birthday is today, so I will share that card perhaps tomorrow.