Ice creams, cupcakes and sweet treats ...

Hello my lovely friends and visitors, I hope your week is going well.  I had several small piles of white snippets on my desk and I realised they were the perfect size foe these very cute images.  I stamped then water coloured them and fussy cut them so they were ready to go.  I played around with an embossed background, layout and ribbons and here’s my card …

 

A cute little A6 card and lots of little snippets used to create this one!

I have no idea why the camera has photographed the ribbon like that!  It is flat and smooth?!

Lots of naughty but nice things on this card!

Raspberry sorbet/ice cream = yummy!

Strawberry cream ice cream yes please!

I final look!

Created for me and especially for these Challenges

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge #169 Summer

 Pixie’s Snippets Playground #240

 Share Joy Challenge #46 I was inspired by the berries

Simon Says Stamps Monday Challenge Add some texture:

I used an embossing board to score the white card

Simon Says Stamps Wednesday Challenge Anything Goes

Spectrum Noir Challenge on Facebook July Summer

Tuesday Throwdown Challenge #304 Happy Birthday

  Virginia’s View Challenge #22 Colours 

Wednesday’s Creative Inspirations Challenge #255 Extended Summer Challenge

This is another new set of NBUS stamps that I won from my lovely team mate Ruza and this is their first outing, lol!  The introduction of the MISTI has upped my stamping output and I’m trying very hard to use the stamps that I have won that haven’t been inked yet.  I’ve even got a separate box of stamps I won from our lovely Brenda that haven’t been inked yet.  I am a lucky lady to have won them!

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit and comment.  I really do appreciate it and I hope you get some time to do what you love to do soon  ttfn Karen x

Tools

Stamp:

Taylored Expressions

Miscellaneous Tools:

MISTI; paintbrushes; water pot; embossing board that came with a magazine

Supplies

Card Paper:

Sheena Douglass A4 stamping card

Snippets HOTP paper

300 gsm card

EP Ink/Paint/Pen Colours:

Spectrum Noir AquaTints: Beautifully Grunge

Versafine IP: black

Embellishments:

Ribbon from my stash

Adhesives/Mediums:

Collall all purpose glue; fun foam; double sided tape

Tree hugs ...

Hello my lovely friends and visitors, I hope your week was a good one and you have awesome weekend plans.  I have been playing with this Paperbabe stamp set again and watercolour paper and my Spectrum Aqua pens and Spectrum Noir AquaTints and here it is …

  

A cute CAS card

A final look

Created for me and especially for these Challenges

 AAA Cards Challenge #69 AquaTints

Addicted to Stamps & More Challenge #204 Clean and Simple

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge #169 Summer

Paperbabe Stamps Challenge #38 Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamps Wednesday Challenge Anything Goes

Spectrum Noir Challenge on Facebook July Summer

Tuesday Throwdown Challenge #304 Happy Birthday

 Virginia’s View Challenge #22 All About Colours 

Wednesday’s Creative Inspirations Challenge #255 Extended Summer Challenge

I have had another play with this stamp set and it was only after I photographed this card that I realised my tree canopy looks a little bit, well, blobby!  I have since tried to rectify this but it’s not working so I am trying to go with the flow and accept that I may not have got this card completely perfect it was a new lesson learnt.  Having said that my tree canopy is a little blobby I love the loose bright summer sky, the stamped grasses and wildflowers and the shadow from the tree.   Then whilst I was looking at the stamp set I realised that one of the fabulous sentiments in this set was ready to be used with the centre word stamped in a different colour so that it packs a punch!

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit and comment.  I really do appreciate it and I hope you get some time to do what you love to do soon  ttfn Karen x

Tools

Stamp:

Paperbabe Stamps: Tree hugs stamp set

Sheena Douglass A Little Bit Scenic A5 Silhouette: Garden stamp set

Miscellaneous Tools:

MISTI; paintbrushes; water pot

Supplies

Card Paper:

Crafters Companion Watercolour paper

EP Ink/Paint/Pen Colours:

Spectrum Noir AquaTints: Primary & Beautifully Grunge

Spectrum Aqua pens: Floral set

Versafine IP: black

Distress IP: peeled paint

Adhesives/Mediums:

Collall all purpose glue

I want to ride my bicycle ...

Hello my lovely friends and visitors, I hope your week is going well.  Please accept my apologies because I only have another card to share with you today.  I am trying to get some canvas finished but I’m struggling, so here is today’s card …

 

I appear to be in a 'green' phase right now!

It's a lovely scene

A final look

Created for me and especially for these Challenges

 Creative with Stamps Challenge #4 Ink Splatters

Die Cut Diva’s Challenge Glitter: on the bicycle

Little Claire’s Design Challenge #71 Anything Goes

Spectrum Noir Challenge on Facebook July Summer

Sweet Stampin’ Challenge Outdoors
The Corrosive Challenge #7 July Nature/Animals

The Pencil Case Challenge #24 Xanthic Yellow or Anything Goes

I used a paper that has yellow in it deliberately

 Virginia’s View Challenge #22 

Wednesday’s Creative Inspirations Challenge #255 Extended Summer Challenge

We Love to Create Challenge #15 Anything Creative/Mixed Media Goes

As I mentioned a while ago I had put a Paperbabe stamp set and Little Claire stamps ‘somewhere safe’, it really is the kiss of death for craft supplies and stamps as they go missing for quite a while.  Well when I found the Paperbabe tree stamp set I also found several lovely Little Claire stamps that were NBUS too. 

It felt good to get them inky and I love this pretty bicycle stamp.  It will get quite a bit of use now, hopefully, as it’s ideal to use on any landscapes I create.  The landscape for this card was created with Pan Pastels.  I then stamped grasses and what look like little orange flowers using my Spectrum Aqua pens.  The background was created with left over AquaTints and once that was dry I stamped the whole piece using my Stampin’ Up grunge set.  Several really old stamps, newer stamps and NBUS stamps were used and as I didn’t add much bling so this is good card for those pesky men lol!

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit and comment.  I really do appreciate it and I hope you get some time to do what you love to do soon  ttfn Karen x

Tools

Stamp:

Little Claire stamps

Stampin’ Up: Gorgeous Grunge stamp set

Stamp Addicts: Dottiness stamp

Plaid Crafts grasses stamp #

Die Cutting Machine & Dies:

Cuttlebug

Whimsy die

Stencil:

Paper masks I created to make the landscape

Miscellaneous Tools:

Sofft sponges; paint brushes; water pot

Supplies

Card Paper:

300 gsm card

EP Ink/Paint/Pen Colours:

Spectrum Noir AquaTints: Primary set

Spectrum Aqua: floral set

Pan Pastels: starter kit

Versafine IP: black

Tim Holtz Distress IP: Weathered Wood

Sakura Sparkle: black (the wheels)

Adhesives/Mediums:

Collall all purpose glue

# VOS: very old stamps

A summers day ...

Hello my lovely friends and visitors, I hope your week is going well.  Another card to share with you today and I have to say that this would not have been created if I didn’t own a MISTI.  It has made my stamping much quicker and less painful, lol, and here it is …

 

An A5 card and it has a bit of depth

That gorgeous scene

A final look

Created for me and especially for these Challenges

Die Cut Diva’s Challenge Glitter: the flowers and the embossing powder have glitter

 Pixie’s Snippets Playground #239 the flowers

Simon Says Stamps Monday Challenge Add Some Texture:

there is texture paste on the flowers and on the main panel

Simon Says Stamps Wednesday Challenge Anything Goes
Spectrum Noir Challenge on Facebook July Summer

Sweet Stampin’ Challenge Outdoors

The Artistic Stamper Challenge July All Things Bright & Beautiful
The Corrosive Challenge #7 July Nature/Animals

 Virginia’s View Challenge #22

Wednesday’s Creative Inspirations Challenge #255 Extended Summer Challenge

A lot of Spectrum Noir AquaTints were used on this card.  I created a pale sky and grass scene just by painting with a weak wash.  I used ink pads if I had the right colour or an AquaTints mixed with glycerine if I didn’t, this was a really organic process and I didn’t think to note down which colours or which colour blends I used, lol, it happens to me when I am really just letting loose and enjoying the creating.  Once the ink and AquaTints stamping was done I left it to dry before stamping and embossing the chairs and table.  The larger flowers were all created from snippets of left over mixed media papers I had created and coloured.  I also added some rather small Craftwork Cards flowers to the middle of my die cut flowers.  I used some Kraft and another background I had created and distressed all of those layers before gluing or attaching them onto fun foam.

Basically I had a ball creating this one and I am hoping that now I have a MISTI I will be able to get back to creating landscapes more often.  Thank you so much for taking the time to visit and comment.  I really do appreciate it and I hope you get some time to do what you love to do soon  ttfn Karen x

Tools

Sheena Douglass A Little Bit Scenic A5 Silhouette: Garden & Grasses stamp sets

Die Cutting Machine & Dies:

Cuttlebug

Crafter’s Companion Inspiration Magazine Issue 6

Stencil:

Stamplorations Stencil: Gridlocked

Miscellaneous Tools:

MISTI; heat tool; paintbrushes; water pot

Supplies

Card Paper:

300 gsm card

Crafter’s Companion: Kraft card; Sheena Douglass stamping card

EP Ink/Paint/Pen Colours:

Spectrum Noir AquaTints: Primary; Beautiful grunge

Adirondack Ink Pads: no idea of the colours I used, sorry!

WOW glitter EP: black

Embellishments:

Craftwork Cards miniature flowers #

Adhesives/Mediums:

Glycerine; Maimeri Glossy Gel;  Versamark IP; Collall all purpose glue; double sided tape; fun foam

# VOS very old stash, may be five plus years old

Tropical CAS #2 ink versus pen comparison ...

Hello my lovely friends and visitors, I hope your week is going well.  This card is my second comparison between stamping with inks or pens and here it is …

Another A6 card, love these inky yet almost one layer cards lol!

The ribbon is attached to a narrow piece of card cut to length of card

A final look

Created for me and especially for these Challenges

 Creative with Stamps Challenge #4 Ink Splatters

Simon Says Stamps Monday Challenge Add some texture:

The ribbon is wonderfully textured
Spectrum Noir Challenge on Facebook July Summer

  The Heart Desires Challenge Colours/Theme/Sketch

#2 I did all three this time but used ribbon instead of paper

  Virginia’s View Challenge #22

Last weekend (Saturday this post) I shared a card I had created using NBUS stamps and this is my second version of that card.  I originally planned to create two of cards using this stamp but whilst typing this post I’ve realised I need to create another, making it three, lol. 

On the first card I inked up the images and coloured them with my Spectrum Aqua pens.  On this card the flower is second generation inking and stamping.  I then coloured the flowers with my AquaTints and added some splashes of ink/paint before stamping the sentiment first generation.  I need to create one more using first generation inking/stamping, I’ll try to do that later this week so you won’t get another one so quickly. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit and comment.  I really do appreciate it and I hope you get some time to do what you love to do soon  ttfn Karen x

Tools

Stamp:

Crafter’s Companion Creative Inspirations Magazine Issue: 9

Miscellaneous Tools:

MISTI tool; paintbrushes; water pot

Supplies

Card Paper:

Crafter’s Companion Sheena Douglass Stamping Card

300gsm card

EP Ink/Paint/Pen Colours:

Spectrum Noir AquaTints: Beautifully Grunge & Landscape set

Versafine IP: black

Embellishments:

Ribbon from my stash

Adhesives/Mediums:

Collall all purpose glue

A canned rainbow ...

Hello my lovely friends and visitors, I hope your weekend was a good one and your week will start and continue to be good.  I have to confess that because I really wanted to play along with several challenges because the themes/colours are just what I love to play with so I have several cards to post over the next couple of days and here is today’s card …

 

This card ended up being cute, I didn't plan that but why fight it?!  

 

I love that the Maimeri Glossy Gel I added to the jar is visible on my photo

A final look

Luckily for me this also fits these Challenges

 AAA Cards Challenge #69 One Stash Favourite AquaTints

Lawnscaping Challenge #134 Rainbow Inspired 

 Paper Smooches Challenge Summer

 Seven Hills Challenge Colour Choice

When I saw the Rainbow inspired theme at the Lawnscaping Challenge and the Summer theme at Paper Smooches Challenge I had to get my Lawn Fawn stamp set and my Paper Smooches die out as I really wanted to play along.  One of the many things that I truly love is rainbows.  The blame belongs to Dorothy: I am a sucker for a musical movie and the old ones are the best ones too!

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit and comment.  I really do appreciate it and I hope you get some time to do what you love to do soon  ttfn Karen x

Tools

Stamp:

Lawn Fawn: Summertime Charm stamp set

Die Cutting Machine & Dies:

Cuttlebug die cutting machine

Paper Smooches: friend die

Miscellaneous Tools:

MISTI; paintbrushes; palette; water pot

Supplies

Card Paper:

Crafters Companion A4 Sheena Douglass stamping card

300 gsm card

EP Ink/Paint/Pen Colours:

Spectrum Noir AquaTints: Beautifully Grunge; Primary

Spectrum Aqua: floral pen set

Versafine IP: black

Adhesives/Mediums:

Maimeri Glossy Gel; Collall all purpose glue; double sided tape; fun foam

Thank you Carol ...

Hello my lovely friends and visitors, I hope your weekend is going well.  My obsession with the Prima stamp set continues, lol, and I promise I have put them away for the next week or so lol!  Here is my card …

  

An A5 card - worth the extra postage

A final look

Created for me and especially for these Challenges

Dare 2B Artzy Challenge Lots of Layers

Frilly & Funkie Challenge All Lined Up

Simon Says Stamps Wednesday Challenge Things with Wings

Spectrum Noir Challenge on Facebook July Summer

Sweet Stampin’ Challenge Outdoors
That’s Crafty Challenge Birds of a Feather

The Corrosive Challenge #7 July Nature/Animals 
The Ribbon Girl Challenge  July Any Image Challenge

 Virginia’s View Challenge #22

Wednesday’s Creative Inspirations Challenge #255 Extended Summer Challenge

About a week ago I saw the details of the challenge at Frilly and Funky, All Lined Up, and later that day I received a parcel of gorgeous goodies from our lovely Carol.  There were two ink pads, ribbons, two stencils and trimmings in the package.  One of the stencils is a ‘lines of text’ design and I had a rare light bulb moment, lol!

I attached the text stencil to A5 Sheena’s Stamping Card and applied Maimeri Glossy Gel with a palette knife randomly across my card and I left it to dry.  I stamped the bird using a pale ink and coloured her with my Spectrum Noir AquaTints.  Once it was dry I added more colour and I left that to dry overnight. 

I created AquaTints washes to colour the land and sky around and below the bird.  I used ink blending foam to create custom inks using AquaTints and glycerine; two greens and a pale brown.  I used that blend to ink up my Sheena images and created a scene around the bird before leaving it to dry.  The next step was to use a fine tipped black pen to add definition to the bird’s body, feathers and wings.

Whilst the scene was drying I attached the Line stencil to A5 Kraft card and dabbed Pebeo Dyna paint through the stencil, I worked across the whole piece of Kraft.  I did the same to a piece of A5 black card with a different colour.  I left the whole lot to dry overnight.  The next day I used a MS border punch on either side of the Kraft card.  I coloured all four edges of an A5 card blank using AquaTints and left to dry. 

This year I had told my husband in May that I wanted a MISTI as my birthday present. Luckily for me a couple of weeks later I received a 30% off voucher to a shop that stocks the MISTI and after a fair bit of prompting OH told me to order it.  It wasn’t until I started using it that I realised how slow my stamping had become and how much pain and discomfort it was causing me.  I am, finally, able to stamp and create scenes again with ease and it has already made my life a lot easier and my crafting not as painful.  I try not to endorse or enable or encourage spending more but if you struggle with these issues look into purchasing yourself one or making your OH purchase you one for a birthday/Christmas/sorry/just because they are worth it!

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit and comment.  I really do appreciate it and I hope you get some time to do what you love to do soon  ttfn Karen x

Tools

Stamp:

Sheena Douglass A Little Bit Scenic stamp set: Silhouette Grasses

Prima Jamie Dougherty Bloom Birds stamp set

Stencil:

Tim Holtz Layering Stencil: lines

Unknown text stencil

Miscellaneous Tools:

MISTI tool; ink blending foam; paintbrushes; water pot

Supplies

Card Paper:

Crafter’s Companion Sheena Douglass A4 Stamping Card

Crafter’s Companion: Kraft card; black card

300gsm card

Mulberry paper #

EP Ink/Paint/Pen Colours:

Spectrum Noir AquaTints: Beautifully Grunge; Landscape

Pebeo Dyna acrylic paints: Iridescent Blue Green; Iridescent Green Blue

Tim Holtz Distress ink pad: weathered wood

Pigma fine tip pen: black

Embellishments:

HOTP lace #

Country View Crafts: Blossom

The Works: half pearl

Crochet flowers #

Adhesives/Mediums:

Collall all purpose glue; Washi tape; double sided tape; fun foam; glycerine

# VOS: very old stash and no idea if still available to purchase, min. 4 years old