Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: gentlemen

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: gentlemen


I made a steampunk notebook.
If you have gear dies or embelishments, feel free to use those, I don't so I used watch parts, but bigger die cuts would  work as well , looking more dramatic even.

I started by covering the notebook in black, I figured, saves on painting it. to adhere the black cardstock I've used really strong double sided adhesive



I've cut strips of foam in various sizes an adhered them with fast grab Tacky glue.
the watch elements I've adhered with Multi medium mat.

I used two layers of various "metal plates" and now they need "rivets" so I used black enamel accents from Ranger

After the rivets were dry I glued the gears in place.
I used metallic rub on theexposed edges of the metal plates, where there would be wear and tear and the black paint would come off or rub off and expose the silver metal color.

Before I used Inka gold, but honestly I couldn't find it. instead of steel it would make the underlying metal look like brass or something similar.


for the tophat I had used colored foam, like the came in the mixed bag, also for a phone cover, but putting it in your trousers made the foam deteriorate quickly and expose the inner cor, the thrue color, I also used self adhesive rhinestones i think blue, I thought the black paint would take care of that, but the paint chipped off quickly there as well, even with a few layers of varnish.

So this note book is all black and even if it wears in the corners it will still look black.
Maybe I should source some silver or gold foam? hmm idea...

For more information on the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge, see this

Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesdays November: holiday card

Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesdays November: holiday card.

I've been watercoloring all my Christmas cards this year. I mean the ones I'm sending out to my firends and family.

This is an image from Lili of the Valley (Teddy with penguin) and I colored it with myDistress inks.
the watercolor panel (hotpressed smooth 300grams) is slightly smaller than the cardbase, so I used a strip of  glittery washi tape to fill the gap and add interest to this CAS card. The setnitment is from Stampies.

 I'm sorry they're not available at SSS, I thought maybe I can link up my Wednesday Challenge to this one too, as it uses SSS purry Christmas, but yeah that's done and not what I'm working on right now! lol

For more information on the Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesdays November: holiday card, see this

Less is more challenge #252: fruit

Less is more challenge #252: fruit


Before I got into stamping and colouring,as a photographer, I made photocards. And when I got my allotment garden, my Christmas cards turned vegetable inspired.

As I don't have any fruit stamps, two very small ones like 1cm square, not really a focal point I went back to one of my old photos.

I'm not sure if that's allowed as it's not a stamp, but it's my own image and I printed it with my Canon Selphy. 
Couldn't find anything about photos in the guidelines and I thought it's pretty similar to a digital stamp.
I wanted to enter into the challenge, so I'm sorry if it's not allowed, but at least I came up with something lol.
I thought about doing paper piecing with a holly shape and red buttons, but they weren't as pretty as they looked in my head ;-)

Anyway I printed the photo, mounted it with 
foamtape and used glitter washi tape strips to help focus on the panel, draw your eye in.

The pepper and tomato (technically fruits, not veggies) I stuck on some gold snowflake decals, I used metal wire to hang them in the tree (just one branch). I thought the red and green were nice and Christmassy.

The sentiment is from Hero arts, classic Christmas borders and I heat embossed that with Papermania gold embossing powder.

As I was stamping the sentiment I noticed a border with pinecones, now..are those fruits? I don't know...

here's a few others I made in the past...
For more information on the Less is more challenge #252: fruit, see this

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: anything goes with Altenew

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: anything goes with Altenew


I'm so sorry I don;t have any Altenew stamps (yet), They're on my wishlist, unfortunately with a ot of other things as well. lol...

So I've used the Simon Says Stamp Happy meowday stampset, for image and sentiment.
Both stamped in Memento tuxedo black ink and colored with my Spectrum Noir markers.
I've added Wink of stella to the bow, gold dots to the gift and white dots on the eyes for a livelier image.
I've used Neenah classic crest cardstock for the coloring.


For more information on the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, see this

CAS Colours & Sketches Challenge #151

CAS Colours & Sketches Challenge #151

I had a spot of trouble with this challenge, I'm all geared up for Christmas cards and these colours just didn't speak to me, until now.
I made the focal point from silver shimmer paper, Diecut the word JOY with Lawn Fawn's Finley's ABC and stuck them onto some black foam, for dimension and interest.
the sentiment is a partial stamped sentiment from Hero Arts get merry stampset.
The difficult bit for me was the watermelon wonder and lost lagoon.
I decided on some coloured stars I punched from white glitter cardstock and then coloured as closely as I could get with my Spectrum Noir markers.

stuck everything on the card with liquid glue.

For more information on the CAS Colours & Sketches Challenge #151, see this



they're also havind a DT call, if you're interested to join, I thought about it, but I'm afraid to not have enough supplies to make something new every week.
Good luck if you're entering though!

Paperclay ornaments: share handmade kindness week 4: strangers

These paperclay ornaments are easy to make, super cute in a tree ( I don't have one) and to handout or as placecards.
Maybe stocking fillers,  can you think of more?

I've made a video with step by step guides.
I ddin't seal mine (yet) as they're still drying, but I would advise to do so as the clay dries hard, but also softened again when I appplied the Distress spray stains, because of all the moisture.



I definetely love this mermaid lagoon with wilted violet the best and lots and lots of gold glitter spray ;-)

I will hand out a few to delivery people that brave the cold weather and especially the one that has to  carry up to my flat (2nd floor no lift) all the Christmas food shopping I have delivered if I'm cooking that year. I can order it online and the super nice supermarket brings it af far as the kitchen counter, they're not allowed tips so I try to slip them a candybar and a card and one of these as well.

For more information on the Share handmade kindness campagne, see this

Inkspirational Challenge #96: photo Inkspiration

Inkspirational Challenge #96: photo Inkspiration


For my card I used different elements from the photo: red, reindeer, warm mittens or sweaters, then I look at my supplies and so a card was born.

I made a front panel slightly smaller than the cardbase.
I used Stampies Kerst set 11 for the sentiment and stamped it with Versafine black onyx.
I used a deer from the Colourful Christmas die set from Yvonne Creations and cut him out of the front panel.
I masked of the area behind the diecut window off on the cardbase, so it would stay behind the frontpanel and have white edges.
I used the Tim Holtz stencil Holiday knit and Distress ink Barn Door to apply the warm sweater pattern on the cardbase.
I stuck on the frontpanel without dimension, just with liquid glue and tape runner.
I contemplated sequins or enmeld dots, but decided against it. The deer needs to get all the attention ;-)

For more information on the Inkspirational Challenge #96: photo Inkspiration, see this

AAA cards challenge #53: anything goes

AAA cards challenge #53: anything goes

For my card I had two ideas, one would combine two challenges, but I dismissed that pretty quickly.
So for the card I started by stamping the sentiment on a frontpanel that is slightly smaller than the cardfront. I used Versafine for this. (the sentiment is from Stampies Kerst set 11)
I then Diecut three snowflakes with my Big shot and Marianne design creatables lr1025 and lr1023.
I masked the cardbase with Post it like tape, as I find that's the only tape that doesn't tear my cardstock.
I inked Distress inks in an ombre effect inside the masked area (tumbled glass, broken china and mermaid lagoon). Then I brushed on Perfect Pearls Turqoise to give it shimmer.
You can see the mica speckles in the photo, but not the glorious shimmer :-(
I mounted the cardfront with foamtape.

For more information on the AAA cards challenge #53: anything goes, see this

Lovely snowflake

Less is More Challenge #251: numbers
and de Addicted to CAS Challenge #77: dimension

Congratulations to Addicted to CAS for their 3rd birthday!

Although the Less is more blog said one could put all their Christmas stuff away, I incorporated the number 25 into  this Christmas card. lol

I started with cutting a frontpanel, slightly smaller than the cardbase and then stamped the snowflake from CAS-aul Fridays (lovely snowflake) with Versafine onyx black and embossed it with Wow! silver pearl (or white pearl, I can't tell), the sentiment is done in the same way. also from the same stampset. The Versafine stays wet long enough for the embossing powder to stick and the embossing made the snowflake a lovely titanium grey colour, pewter maybe, it's gorgeous and gives a little dimension as it's raised.
For more dimension I've then diecut the 25 out of the cardfront and for that I used Lawn Fawn's Finley's abc dies.
I inked Distress ink (tumbled glass) on the cardbase where the cutouts are.
Could have been any color, red, green for a proper Christmas feel, but I though light blue for a frosty snowflake, could also have left it white.

mounted the cardfront with foamtape to the cardbase for even more dimension.

For more information on the Less is More Challenge #251: numbers, see this
For more information on the Addicted to CAs Challenge, see this

Sparkle and Shine Challenge #18

Sparkle and Shine Challenge #18


this is my third card and actually one I'm happy with to enter. the first was a carcrash the second looked better in my head than it ended on paper, I trashed it, it was "looking" at me funny from the desk, it had to go ;-)
For this one I used hotpressed smooth watercolor paper from Schut in 300grams.
I've used the Create a Smile stampset: time to give thanks for the leafs and sentiment.
and a chevron stencil with some Distress inks.
Sequins, at least the sparkling clear are from PPP, the others I don't know, I didn't label.
some gold glitter tape at the edge to the raise watercolor panel.

To make the panel I started by making masks of the the leafs and stuck them on the panel, then heat embossed the sentiment in gold and put the stencil on top.
I used a dry paintersbrush to apply Distress ink (antique linen) through the sencil.

Once done I peeled off the stencil and masks and stamped and heat embossed the leafs as well.
I used distress inks as well to watercolor them (vintage photo, rusty hinge and aged mahogany, fossilized amber)
let that dry and applied the sequins with Aleene's fast grab tacky glue, I made three groups or three in a visual triangle, I'm not sure my photo shows the clear ones very well, sorry

I wanted to hint to the wreath in the inspiration photo, the chevron pillow and the color of the house.

For more information on the Sparkle and Shine Challenge #18, see this

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Christmas with MFT

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Christmas with MFT

I have two items from MFT . well three also the ink, but the bold statements didn't seem to fit the Christmas theme and the other is the snowdrift die set from My Favorite Things, so I used that for the snowy hill, cut from glitter paper.

The fox is from the Ton stamps, so foxy and I wanted to use the Simon Says Stamp furry Christmas set for the sentiment, but I realised it said Purry Christmas...cat and all...duh...so I used Joy Crafts! winter wishes stars. Also the cat from the purry Christmas didn't fit in the window.

I colored the image with Spectrum Noir markers and then cut out a star from the front panel and raised it with foam dots.

I'm sorry the photo is a bit dark, that's the Dutch weather at the moment, with thanks to El Nino ;-)

For more information on the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Christmas with MFT, see this

Lawnscaping Challenge #118: in with the old

Lawnscaping Challenge #118: in with the old

I think this Lawn Fawn Hedgehugs stampset was the first Lawn Fawn stamp I ever got and also last used with Valentine cards I believe.

I made a video for this card too.
I've used a lot of masking to layer up the leafs, used a Memory box stencil for the birch trees.

And Distress inks for the sky and lawn (shabby shutters, tumbles glass and broken china) I applied them with a dry brush, easier blending if you only want a tiny amount in my opinion.
Also made extra leafs and mounted them around the circle opnening, which is already raised, so the leafs give even more dimension.
the sentiment is from Create a smile (time to give thanks).
Coloring is Spectrum Noir alcohol markers.
the dry brush(es) I use are from the hardwarestore, and I have one for each color family.

For more information on the Lawnscaping Challenge #118: in with the old, see this

Share handmade kindness week 3: children

Share handmade kindness week 3: children

So this week it's all about children, wether you get them involved or make something for a child.
I don't have any kids, but my friend does and one of her son is getting very accomplished in his footie (soccer) team.
So I made a "way to go" card to celerate last weekend's acchievements.

I used a Lili of the Valley stamp called football crazy, I used Memento ink to stamp him and colored the image with my Spectrum Noir alcohol markers.
The sentiment is a diecut from Simon Says Stamp exclusives. And I used black cardstock with double sided adhesive, so to make the diecut into a sentiment. way too skinny to try to apply glue in my opinion, also this leaves no mess behind ha!

Go over to Jennifer McGuire's website to see what wodnerful watercoloring her kids did and the cards she made with them 

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge:thanks/thanksgiving

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge:thanks/thanksgiving


For my card I cased a card I saw on Pinterest more than a year ago I think, it is from Candles in the garden.
I don't know how he/she made it, so I just looked at my supplies and made it how I would do it, if that makes sense.
I love CAS cards, and although we don't celebrate Thanksgiving in the Netherlands we always need thank you cards, everyone who helps someone should get one.

Obviously the original card was in English but as I was at it in Photoshop I thought I'd translate it.
So Thank you is Bedankt in Dutch and the font I used is Scriptina.
I don't have a thank you stamp,  some thanks but none as pretty as the font.
I used white cardstock black craft foam and 2 sizes of punches to make the stars, then colored them in rainbow colors with my Spectrum Noir markers and applies Wink of Stella and glossy accents.
glues it all together with Aleene's fast grab tacky glue, my favourite strong adhesive.


Happy Thanksgiving everyone if you celebrate! Don't eat too much and will you go shopping on black Friday?


For more information on the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge:thanks/thanksgiving, see this

AAA cards Challenge #52: thanks/thanksgiving

AAA cards Challenge #52: thanks/thanksgiving

For my card I had done a lot of thinking and contemplating and in the end I totally cased a card from Pinterest, from candles in the garden.

I don't know how he/she made it, so I  made it how I would.
I started with the sentiment. I had to print it out as I don't have a nice thank you (bedankt) stamp, just a die and that's too big.
I started in English with Thank you but then swapped borders ;-)
I have a few "thanks" stamps but none really rocked my boat.
 I then punched stars from white cardstock and craftfoam, which punched out really well to  my surprise, I was anticipating loads of stucked punches...lucky me ;-)
I had never punched craftfoam before so I'm well surprised .

Colored the stars with my Spectrum Noir markers in a rainbow kind of spectrum. adhered them onto the foam stars with fastgrab Tacky glue and slathered them with Wink of Stella (clear) then covered the lot with glossy accents.
Adhered the stars onto the card with multi  medium mat from Ranger.

this is the original, from candles in the garden: I love the font on the sentiment and he/she has mat stars

Less is More Challenge #150: one layer Santa

Less is More Challenge #150: one layer Santa

For my card I cut Schut hotpressed smooth watercolour paper to cardsize. it's 300grams.

I've used the cat from Katzelkraft les chats russe, I love him, he's so grumpy and perfect for this card in my opinion. You know how humans instist of dressing up their pets for Christmas cards? mine won't let me, but I got my fix with this card haha.


The hat was gone one second after this one picture I was allowed ;-)

The santa hat is from a Lili of the Valley stamp (james Christmas tree) and I had to do a lot of masking, stamp positioning etc to get it all in the rigt spot as they're rubberstamps. Drew in the bits that went missing,
On hindsight drawing in a Santa hat might have been easier ;-). I chose this oversized hat as I thought it might have been the real Santa's hat once and it would be too big for a cat....

The sentiment is from  Hero Arts get merry stampset.

I've used StazOn for all the stamping.
And for the colouring Distress inks: runsty hinge and vintage photo and twisted citron

for the cat, the hat and shadow is hickory smoke,  barn door  and fired brick.

Dried is with my heat gun and then masked off the cat to spatter some barn door and mowed lawn as confetti on the background

For more information on the Less is More Challenge #150: one layer Santa, see this