Craft Consortium, Tropical Paradise, Happy Birthday Library Pocket Tag

The Tropical Paradise Essential Paper Pad (sold by Craft Consortium) is full of beautifully vibrant images, which means that even just using a little can go a long way.

I haven't used just a little here though!  

 

I've paired three of the background papers with two images from the topper sheet and used black as a contrasting element to help break it all up a bit...   as well as adding just a touch of brown Distress ink and gold glitter card.

This bird is just so pretty, so I had to give it centre stage!

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Craft Consortium 

    The Essential Craft Papers

Tropical Paradise

Always and Forever

Non-Shedding Glitter Card - Gold

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As this is a Library Pocket Style Tag it's just perfect for gift cards (or even cash)!

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As always, thank you so much for stopping by today...

Donna. x

https://www.instagram.com/roominacupboard/

Tag You're It, St Patrick's Day/Birthday

I'm here with a reminder post for the current Tag You're It challenge...

...  and mine comes with a twist!

After all, people do have their birthday's at all times of year!

Here's my tag...

... And here's the challenge theme.




Can you see what I've done?

I've taken the three leaf clover element from the challenge theme and used that as the basis of a Happy Birthday tag.

The three leaf clover design has been taken from Pinterest.

I've simply added the heat embossed stamping, splatters and a few die cuts to brighten it up.

There's still time to join us at Tag You're It!

Hope to see you there.

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Donna. x

https://www.instagram.com/roominacupboard/

8x8 Display Piece, 50th, Easel Backed

I was asked to make an Easel Backed 'Display Piece' for a 50th birthday...  and the theme was skulls, flowers, black, white and bubblegum pink.

Thank goodness for downloadable images is all I can say!

But do you know what?

I actually really enjoyed putting this design together...  once I had a game plan.

Here it is...

I thoroughly enjoyed 'messing with layers' and 'embracing the 'imperfectly perfect' for this design.

I did deviate a little from the design brief, though...  Can you tell that those die cuts are a deep, dark brown rather than a black?

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The base has been inked using Distress Oxide (Black Soot), which I've then splattered with water and allowed to dry before adding Ranger/Distress Collage Medium - Crazing.

I've spray varnished flowers with silver glitter specks built in to the formula, added distressed edges,  silver gilding wax, gems and silver thread - and those flowers were inked up first using Tsukineko/Memento (Rose Bud).

There's even a touch of Tsukineko/Brilliance (Lightning Black) on the ragged sentiments. 

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I'm entering this in to the following challenges:


LeighSBDesigns 31 Days of Halloween Blog Hop

bleedingartchallenge.blogspot.com





I do hope you like it as much as I do!

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Donna. x

Craft Consortium 'Wildflower Meadow' Card, Happy Birthday, Shrew

It pays to be a frugal crafter when it comes to saving scraps of paper, doesn't it?

After all, if you save the pennies 'here' you can spend them 'there'...

But do you ever look at your tiny scraps collection and wonder just what on earth you are going to do with them all?

If the answer is 'yes', maybe this idea will help...

As you can see, it's a quick and easy make...

One topper, four same sized rectangles cut out from one design, one slightly larger rectangle cut from another, a sentiment, twine and sequins - all backed on to an embossed piece of kraft card cut slightly smaller than the card base with just a hint of ink around the edges.

It doesn't get much easier than that!

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I'm so pleased to tell you that these beautiful 'Wildflower Meadow' papers from Craft Consortium are back in stock today.

Tune in to Create & Craft TV, Wednesday 25th April at 8am (GMT) to see this stunning range for yourself.

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Thanks for stopping by...

Donna. x

Dragonfly (Metallic), Happy Birthday, Male/Female

Hello.  

I wonder how you are doing today?  

Do you get the balance right between working hard and playing hard?  I wish I did...

When I saw the latest challenge by House of Cards with the cue word 'Metallics', I was very happy.  You see, I've been working on several projects at once recently as I'm trying to finish some designs, so I already had some metallic die cut leaves ready to go.  It was simply a case of coming up with an idea that worked...

Why am I working on so many projects at once?

Because there's this theory that I have a craft table somewhere...  but right now that's sounding more like an urban legend as it's buried away, hidden somewhere underneath too many half finished designs!  Come on...  confess.  I can't be the only one!

Here's my card...

I had a lot of fun with this design as I used some 'upcycled' elements - packaging from an embossing folder and from a disposable shower cap (of all things).  I don't know who came up with the idea but I've never seen something in a hotel packaged so beautifully!

Here's a quick rundown of the dies used:

Marianne Design Creatables 'Maple Leaves'

Elizabeth Craft Designs 'Dragonfly Silhouette'

Tattered Lace 'Retro Alphabet'

This is a simple card to put together, but I love the effect of the different textures combined with my trusty Walnut Stain Distress Ink and Paper Distresser Tool.  Giving the whole design some added dimension by targeting areas to glue and lifting edges just adds something 'extra' to this, I think.

As Seize the Birthday have an Embossing challenge 'Topper' to go with their 'Anything Goes' challenge this month, I did a two for one design special.  (In other words, I purposefully designed this card around both challenges).  Doesn't always work...  but I'm glad when it does :)

Other challenge being entered into:
Simply Create Too  (Challenge #91)  Anything Goes

I originally thought that this design might be suitable for men as well as women, but looking at it now I'm not so sure.  What do you think? 

If you have the time, I always value your comments.

Take care...

Donna

3D Tag, Happy Birthday Bunny, Male/Female

It's going to be a beautiful, hot sunny day here in the UK...  maybe!

  We've already had a few false starts here where first thing it looks like it's going to be a lovely day... but within the space of a few short hours the clouds loom and the rain falls down.

Anyhow...

Tag You're It are starting their new challenge today...  and I do so love making tags, you know.  I think it's got something to do with creating on such a small space as I love making mini cards just as much.

Here's my tag... 

I'm still trying to decide if this suits all age groups or just children.  

What do you think? 

This is the first time Bunny (retired Stampin' Up 'Forest Friends' set) has come out to play since I acquired him, but as you may know...  my stamps stay hidden a lot of the time!!!

None of this tells you how I came up with this design though, does it?

Well, let me confess...  Anja's design stumped me for a while initially.  

Just because I'm honoured enough to be on a DT does not mean my brain doesn't need time to stop and think for a while first, you know!  

Here's Anja's tag... 

What I noticed first was the way that the tortoise was stamped with half it's body on one tag and half on the other.  I also noted the size difference between the tags, that their shapes did not match, two sets of different masking/stencilling techniques (if I count the design on the card rather than the tag itself), two sets of twine and a red hat that I knew would have to feature in my design somewhere...   Oh yes, and some text.  That's a lot to pack into one tag!

So what did I do?

I used a birch tree stencil (Creative Expressions) with some Memento (Tsukineko) Olive Grove ink on the biggest of the two tags and dry embossed my smaller oval tag (Crafter's Companion) with the Memory Box stencil 'Rings and Puddles'.

After giving it some thought I decided that my little bunny could be stamped as a 'whole', cut out and then glued on to the small tag whilst overlapping the bigger tag a little.  

But my bunny had no hat...  and I NEEDED something red.  

No problem :)

Anja's tag says 'let's party', so I decided that a 'Happy Birthday' theme would suit and substituted a red balloon instead.  After all, the balloon's string nicely echoes the second set of twine I needed to stay true to Anja's design.

A completely different colour palette, a very different look...  I wonder what you will come up with if you decide to come and play?

As Simon Says Stamp and Simply Create Too (Challenge #91) are both hosting an 'anything goes' challenge this week, I figured I would include this little tag.  Might 'meet' some new people along the way, you never know :)

Thanks for stopping by...

Donna 

Happy Birthday, 'Lemon Drop', Female

Hi.  Meet Lemon Drop.  The cutest baby pony you ever did see...

You won't find her anywhere else.  Why?  Because my 13yr old daughter created her recently.

I know I'm biased, but isn't she so talented?

This is a 'one of a kind' card for a 'one of a kind' woman who will be turning 30 in the next few weeks.  Yes...  I did say 30!  She works with my husband and likes ThunderCats and My Little Pony among other things.

So...  as my daughter has recently given her a ThunderCat picture as a 'thank you', I opted for the My Little Pony option.  Hope she likes it!

My daughter draws using her finger and an iPad.  I simply printed onto glossy photo paper, backed onto card and mounted using foam pads.  Not completely sure off the top of my head but I think the stamps used are all by Inkadinkado...

I mentioned in a previous post my idea of using charity shop pins as part of a design.  I created a little acetate window for this one as I wanted the design to look 'complete' once the pin was removed.  It was a personal decision but I decided not to include the backing card that specifies the charity with this...  some people are more sensitive than others and I didn't want to upset the birthday girl! 

The 3D butterflies are a firm favourite of mine from my Martha Stewart's, Pop Up Butterfly Punch.  I punched these out of a remnant of the glossy photo paper so they tied in to the overall design.

Some of you will know that my daughter's Autistic.  

I've thought long and hard about whether to include anecdotes from time to time about her and her struggles and I still haven't reached a decision...  would people find it too bothersome to know what it can really be like when, for instance, she attempts to go to her maths class alone and gets lost because they've changed the doors whilst she's been off sick for a week? 

I don't know...  but would value some honest input.  I know that there are those of us who craft for 'therapeutic' reasons and want to 'get away from it all'...  yet I also know that Autism is not as understood as it should be.  If you ever have the time to read my 'About Me' section you will know that I write that statement from personal experience... 

I'm entering this card into the latest Seize the Birthday challenge - mainly because I want others to see just how talented my daughter really is :)

I keep trying to encourage her to start her own blog to showcase her work.  Maybe one day...

Hope you have a good weekend, everyone.

Donna 

Filmstrip (Personalised), Birthday, Male

Hello everyone.  

Looks like I've been a little slow on posting lately.  My daughter's been having a bit of a rough time, which generally means less time and less sleep than normal for me.

Anyhow...  Seize the Birthday have kicked off their latest challenge with another 'Anything Goes' birthday theme which means I've got this card to share with you, using a 'Filmstrip' Die and Stamp set by Marianne Designs.

I just love this little set. 

Why?

Because my husband's hobby is photography...  and now I can use his photo's on my card designs as well as those oh so useful clipart pictures. Yay :)

This makes those difficult 'personalised' cards so much easier to put together.  After all...  how else would I make a card for a cat loving, MG loving, beer loving person?

I also like the fact that other than the Happy Birthday stamp, the whole of this card comes courtesy of just this one little set...

I've mounted the Filmstrips on foam pads for added dimension.  Not sure if you can tell from the photo or not but the lens part of the camera has been cut and layered up, too.

Do you like the look of the metallic backing card I've distressed slightly around the edges?  It's from the new Core' dinations, Tim Holtz range.  Metallic colours over a Kraft core.  Yummy!

This card's been made for my Mother-In-Law's second husband.

Hope he likes it :)

I may try something more adventurous with this set next time.  It looks quite CAS, but gluing those little photo's into place is a tricky job! 

I've got a second card to share with you for this challenge tomorrow...

See you then, if you have the time :)

Donna

Happy Birthday, 40th, Butterflies + Flowers

My husband asked me to make a birthday card for one of his work colleagues.  I've never actually met her, so I asked him what colour she likes or wears most often.  Can you guess what he said?  'I don't know'.  Helpful, right?  When pushed I did manage to at least get this piece of useful information...  'She did have a teal cardigan that she used to wear quite often'.

So...  That's my reasoning for this colour scheme.  Just hope she likes it!

I've used the Impression Obsession/Cover a Card (Wooden Plank) with Brilliance Pearlescent Chocolate as my card base, mounted on foam pads for added dimension.

The 'Happy Birthday' letters are from my Spellbinders Font One alphabet set, cut from brown Centura card for some extra subtle sparkle.  The Little Numbers are by My Favourite Things (Die-Namics). 

I used vellum to cut the Peaceful Butterfly Border (Memory Box) butterflies, then edged and lightly coloured using Walnut Stain Distress Ink.   The tiny butterflies are from my Martha Stewart, Pop Up Butterfly Punch.

The teal flowers (Elizabeth Crafts/Bunch of Flowers) have been edged and inked up a little using Tsukineko (Memento) Teal Zeal.  Some jewel embellishments, a coordinating paper insert with a plain white square at the centre (decorated with 3 more tiny brown butterflies as a finishing touch)... and then all I had to do was make a coordinating envelope to match  :)

Luckily for me, Seize the Birthday are having an 'Anything Goes' challenge right now, so I'm off to link it up.  

Hope you have a good week...

Donna