CLEAR DOLLAR - PIPPIN MOUSE FAMILY

This set of stamps has some really cute mouse figures and it includes the swing. I coloured in the image using Copics and as I only have a few I used a SU marker for the dress and finished it off with Smooches.

The purple background is a Nestabilities labels die, as are the ovals on which the sentiment is stamped.  The background paper is embossed with a CB folder and the mauve lace is from my stash.

PENNY BLACK - LETTERS & FLOWERS

When I chose this stamp from the catalogue I could see the possibilities and I must admit I am rather pleased with the end result.

Using a sepia ink I stamped the image onto a dull gold coloured piece of cardstock.  When trying new stamps I always reach for the scrap paper purchased from Deckle Edge.  It was so cheap that if I make a mess of it I have no qualms in tossing it into the bin.  I coloured the flowers in with a SU marker - Crushed Curry and sponged around the image with Distress ink.  I then put the image onto another piece of card (light gold) and finished it off with the SU border punch in brown.  The background stamp is En Francais from SU and the sentiment is also SU.

        HERO ARTS - WINE LABEL

This is a quick and easy way to give a bottle of wine as a thank you gift without making a card.

I used SU Rich Razzleberry cardstock with the patterned paper being my usual CM.  The stamp is Hero Arts Artistic Grapes and the sentiment is also Hero Arts.  I shaded the grapes in with Cranberry Dimensional Pearls.

To make the project I loaned a bottle of DH's wine, fiddled around with the measurements until it looked right, then cut a circle for the neck of the bottle using a Nestabilities die.  I used the Nestabilites Petite Circles Scallops and Classic Circles dies in patterned paper for the decoration around the circle.  Only then did I score the cardstock and measure out the patterned paper.  I think I will make the patterned part longer next time with the sentiment a little lower, otherwise I am rather happy with the idea.

HERO ARTS - GIFT BAG

Another example of a gift bag using the paper bags bought from Merrypak.

I used SU Barely Banana cardstock for this one - the SU cardstock is the right thickness for this sort of project.  The patterned paper was a freebie from a magazine and I used the Nestabilities Petite Scalloped Circles die in the centre.  The handles are also Nestabilities large Classic and Scalloped Circles.  At the four corners are dewdrops and the image is from the Hero Arts World Dolls set coloured in with SU for the kimono and Copics for the skin tones.

FLIPPIN STAMPS - FLIPPIN' MEN - PEACE

This is a card I made for my brother, Greg.  It is not always easy to find the right image for a male card but I ordered this one from the UK with him in mind.  He is a plumber so I thought the toilet would be appropriate.  The stamp has a back and front and I had a bit of a dilemma trying to fathom out how the images could best be displayed on a card.  Looking on the internet I found the idea of popping them onto acetate - like a clear window.  Here is the inside :

CLEAR DOLLAR - POST IT NOTE PAD HOLDER

As it is my brother's birthday this week I decided to make him a few examples of my hobby / passion / obsession.  I had not made post-it note covers for a while and, seeing they are quick and easy, decided to do one.

The cardstock is SU Creamy Caramel which is retiring soon.  It is one of my favourite colours so will have to stock up before the end of June.  The CB folder (just used on the front) is called Raindrops and the images are Clear Dollar- Lean on Me Charlie.  As per usual I used a variety of markers to colour the stamp in.  The sentiment is from the same stamp set and is cut out using a Nestabilities labels die.

PUNCH ART - TWEETY PIE

I cased this cutie from my usual punch art inspiration site, Blinkin', Thinkin' & Inkin'.  It was surprisingly easy to make and I was fortunate to have all the SU punches it required. 

This card was for DH's birthday earlier on this week.  I was flat out of ideas with only a couple of days to go and thought punch art was going to be the easiest and quickest.

HIGH HOPES - SILLY GOOSE
GIFT BAG

With having bought a large amount of white paper bags, I am making a concerted effort to use some of them up.  This time I cut the bag smaller and used SU Creamy Caramel as the base colour.  The patterned paper is CM and the handle is made using Nestabilities scalloped and classic ovals.

The image - Silly Goose from High Hopes - is just so cute and it is one I have had laying around for a while.  At the base of the handles are dew drops.

HERO ARTS - FERN

This is a new stamp bought locally and, at the same time, I bought the new colours of Distress Inks.  After watching a video on different techiques with Distress Inks I decided to use the two together.  Choosing 3 different colour green inks I randomly dabbed the image using the lightest green first, progressing to the darkest.  I then spritzed the stamp with water and stamped it onto watercolour paper. 

The sentiment is also Hero Arts and the watercolour paper is edged with Distress Ink.  I am not wild about the fern being horizontal and will alter it next time round.  Thought this would make a good sympathy card.

ANNIVERSARY CARD

A couple of weeks ago it was our 26th wedding anniversary and I had it in my mind to give DH a medal !  He has had a tough 16 months since I broke my foot and has really been wonderful (hope he reads this !). Anyway, I started off by using a Nestabilities clock die - I thought I could layer heat emboss it for a silver coloured shiny medal.  I was doing well until I burnt my finger on the heat gun which mucked up the medal and spilt the embossing powder all over the floor !  Needless to say, there were a few choice words uttered as I dashed off to the sink to put the finger under running water.

When I eventually went back to clean up the mess, the medal had cracked so, as I did not want to go through another heat gun session, I opted to use the Petite Circles Nesties on silver cardstock for the main label part.  The numbers are from a CB set and the wine coloured die at the back is a pendant Nestabilities one.  The background stamp is from Hero Arts stamped onto CM paper.

Now for the inside of the card :

You will note that "laundry" is not ticked.  This is because when I first broke my foot DH did the washing, put it on the racks and 2 hours later decided it must be dry - he did not check it.  When I voiced my concern I got the whole lot thrown on top of me whilst I was laying on the couch with my foot up in the air.  He was fuming and I could do nothing but laugh.  We both ended up with tears pouring down our cheeks from laughter and then he put the whole load back on the racks.  From then on, I did the washing on crutches hopping on one leg whilst hanging it up.  Laundry definitely does not deserve a tick !

STAMPIN UP - VINTAGE JUMBO WHEEL

With my last Stampin Up parcel I bought this vintage wheel and it has been sitting on my craft table ready to be used.  I do like using wheels but do not seem to have too much call for them.  Once I used it I realised the potential and thought a simple card would be best.

All the cardstock used is local from The Deckle Edge (the dirt cheap offcuts are ideal for card making).  The border punch is a freebie from SU and the birthday sentiment is Gina K Designs.  The flowers are also local and I am now veering towards using buttons on the flowers instead of brads.

HERO ARTS BACKGROUND STAMP        

This was such an easy card to make.  I used my new Hero Arts Aged Print Frame stamp onto a linen card.  I then searched through my stash and found the Sarah Kay - Lucy & Kitty image which I had already coloured in.  I popped the image onto the card on rises (thanks Cindy for the suggestion), added a sentiment and, voila !

In winter on the weekends, when the weather is miserable, I love to sit at my craft table and stamp a whole lot of images.  I then colour them in and pop them into a container ready to use at a later date.  It works particularly well with Xmas stamps and saves a lot of time.

        PUNCH ART - ANNIE

A young friend is in a school production of "Annie" and I thought I would make him a card for the occasion.

As it is only in June I have not yet made the card.  With the exception of the hands, which are from a small Fiskars punch, the rest of the young lady is made from SU punches. 

Ellen Kemper from the Blinkin', Thinkin', & Inkin' blog gave me the starting point and then I took it from there.