Finally!

Today I am feeling a little bit pleased with myself as I have finally used my PTI square print set and embossing folder. This is the first time I have inked these up and actually liked what I have made! I have tried a number of times to make cards using this set but just didn't like the results. I thought they would be going into a stash swap BUT not now! I made this card and loved how it turned out, so expect to see these more often now!
I was inspired to use these when I saw Tracey's card here. Tracey is on the DT for Colour Q and this was her card for this week. I loved the graphic look of her card and immediately thought I would give my square stamp set another go. I used this weeks colours at Colour Q and the sketch from CAS on Sunday.
And this is what I came up with:

I love the texture this embossing plate gives and think it really compliments this stamp set. Hope you do too!

Happy Stamping x


                            

My News and Inspired by Retro!

Good Morning and welcome to a new week,

I have been waiting to tell you my new exciting news........I have been chosen to be on the Design Team at Addicted to Stamps and More. I applied a few weeks ago and didn't expect to be chosen but was over the moon when Kylie contacted me and said I had been successful. I love this challenge site and am honoured to be joining the team. If you are not aware of this challenge take a peek here and join in the fun. I will be starting on the 8th May so keep your eyes open for my post!

Today my card was inspired by the sketch at Retro Sketches and the photo at Inspired By.

                            


The sketch was so CAS I loved it and I was immediately drawn to the chalk board and writing in the photo. I was a teacher many moons ago and this photo did bring a few memories back for me! With all this inspiration spinning in my mind I ended up creating this:

The card was actually in my stash from when I first got my script embossing folder and had been trying it out! The retro typewriter stamp is new though and has been stamped in memento 'London fog' ink.
I will also enter this into the 'script' challenge at Craft-room Challenge

That's me for today, have a good one!

Bows!

 Happy Sunday crafting chums and I hope you are having a great weekend.

Yesterday I did some messing around in my craft room and decided to practise a few techniques rather than make a card. I had a lot of fun playing with water colour paints but must admit I haven't quite got anything to show you yet. It is a lot of fun and I found it relaxing.

I then decided that I would have a go at tying bows with wide ribbons as I am not so good at this! In the end I liked this bow and made a card around it to share with you.

I had actually tied the bow on the card then decided I liked it and made the card to slip under the bow! So my practice session actually ended up with a card and this is for my Mum's friend who is soon retiring. Mum loves bows so I hope she will be happy to give this to her friend.

I am going to enter this into the following challenges:
Creative Corner Challenges-CAS
Crafty Ribbon Challenges-anything goes with a ribbon

CAS-Colour and Skeches #22

Its a sketch challenge this week at CAS-Colour and Sketches.
And this is the sketch we have to inspire you:

 

I played around with this for ages and tried out lots of ideas with banners but didn't like any of them. I just couldn't get it CAS enough for me. Then I decided to leave it for a few days and see if any ideas popped into my head. And when looking through some of my stash I came across a digi sentiment I had printed out ages ago and knew this what I wanted to use for this challenge. I have flipped the sketch and really made a 'CAS' version by using score lines and gems to represent the banners. See what you think?

The sentiment is mounted on card that I have stamped using bubble wrap. This idea came from a tutorial that Mynnette posted a few weeks ago. This is such fun to do and gives great texture to your cards. If you want to give it a go, watch the tutorial here and then have some inky fun.

Our DT again have designed some fabulous cards so pop over to our blog here and be inspired!

Then get stamping, I can't wait to see what you make x

Inkspirational #17

Hello crafting chums,

This week at Inkspirational we have this sketch to inspire you:

I loved this sketch as soon as I saw it and immediately knew what I wanted to do. It is so perfect for a CAS card! I went for a small square card with a dramatic look!

The stamp is from Paper Smooches and I have stamped it off the edge 3 times. The sentiment is from PTI....such a cool sentiment and I know a few girlies that will just love this!

Our sponsor this month is Rubber Stamp Tapestry and they are offering a $15 gift coupon to our monthly winner.

Don't forget to visit our blog here and see what our DT have been inspired to make-you will not be disappointed.

I am also going to enter this into the challenge at Runway Inspired. The dress in the photo below is just gorgeous and I think you will see where some of the inspiration for this card came from!

Muse Flowers

Hello crafting friends,

Just popping in quickly with my card for this weeks Muse Club. This week our Virginia provided the inspiration card here and at the bottom of my post. I have for a long time admired Virginia's cards and this one was a perfect muse for me as it gave me the chance to take part in my therapy of choice......just stamping! I stayed pretty much to Virginia's design with a few of my own twists.

I am also going to enter this into Addicted to CAS-flowers and Addicted to Stamps and More-anything goes

Here is Virginia's card:

CAS Flowers.

Today I have a card for you that was inspired by the picture on a box of tissues! I realise I should have taken a photo of this now but as soon as I made the card I threw my inspiration in the bin! I had been meaning for ages to make a card inspired by this tissue box but just hadn't got around to it. But then I was motivated to do this when I saw today that I won the challenge at For Your Inspiration with this card. I was so pleased because this was sent to a friend who needed a bit of cheering up, plus it was using blending distress inks-which I have been trying out recently (with varied success!!).

So this little boost gave me the motivation I needed to give this another go. This time I tried a more subtle approach. And here is what I came up with:

I stamped the flowers then heat embossed the white blossom. I then re-stamped the flowers in distress 'milled lavender' ink to give a faded look and used this same ink to sponge around the flowers.

I actually was really pleased with how this turned out and as I have a lot of Birthdays coming up this will be very useful!

The code word at Addicted to CAS this week is 'flower' so I am entering my card into this challenge and the 'Birthday' challenge at CAS-ual Fridays