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Flower wreath card with diecuts only

The AAA cards challenge is all about diecuts.
So for my cards I used the Crafter's companion Ds E-flow for the flowers. I used different tones and sizes so I could stack a few to make double and single flowers. 
the Butterfly is also from Crafter's companion, also from the essentials line (DS-E-bfly) , I cut it from purple glitter paper and the "wreath" is from the Little angel line (S-LA-MD-BAB) also Crafter's companion. I diecut it from black cardstock.
I cut a piece of patterned paper to fit the cardbase, adhered it with taperunner and then built up my flower wreath. Silver rhinestones in each flower for added sparkle.

For more information on the AAA cards Challenge, see this.

bee strong

I've loved this digistamp from Gerda Steiner as soon as it came out. Today I bought it and downloaded it and colored it.
I'm entering it into the Simon Says StampMonday Challenge: things with wings.

I used Spectrum Noir and Illustrators on Crafter's Companion paper after I printed it with my inkjet printer and heat set it.
I then used a Spellbinder scalloped die to cut it out and mounted it with foamtape on the carsbase.
I usually gorund my images with a little grass or dirt, but I thought the bee could be hovering...

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

Double jumbotealight box, with video and patten

For the box you need a piece of paper that is 5"7/8 by 10", so you can get two out of one sheet of 12x12".

On the long side you score at: 1 3/4, 4.1/8, 5 7/8 and 8 1/4 inch.

On the short side you score at: 1 3/4 and 4 1/8 inch.

Then you fold en reinforce the score lines.

Cut and notch the small squares on top and bottom, and glue it together like in the video.

I use hot glue,but you can use liquid glue and or sticky tape.

I like the hot glue the best as it gives a little wiggle time but then it's glued stuck in seconds, with liquid glue you have to hold it a while and I don't want to ;-)

I use ribbon or a scrap of cardstock as a belly band so you can slide it off to open the box. Embellish with twine or in my case glass beaded string and flowers or anything you fancy.

I thought the box paper was pretty enough and really didn't need anything, but for video purposes I wanted to show you how to.

Pattern is not 100% exact

Crazy birds with Distress reinkers

The Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge is: things with wings.
The CAS Colours & Sketches challenge is a sketch, so I combined both to make this card.

I used the Tim Holtz bird crazy and stamped it with SSS intense black onto hotpressed  watercolor paper (140lbs from Schut) and the used the left over Distress reinkers on my palette from the milky way card/video.

I mixed up the purple with wilted violet, picked raspberry and I think it was blueprint sketch or mermaid lagoon, no labels ;-) I wanted the bird to match the cardbase a little but then also added wacky colors to reinforce the "crazy".

I thought the sentiment goes perfectly with the loopy eyes and it's from Impression Obsession (c17150) I stamped it with Versamark and  heat embossed it with Wow! opaque bright white.

U used a colored panel  to cover the cardbase, it was too thin as a cardbase and quite floppy, I used the same cardstock for the sentiment strip, I raised it with foamtape. the watercolor panel I've adhered it taperunner.

For more information on the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge, see this.
For more information on the CAS Colours & Sketches challenge, see this

Easter card series 2017 #6 with Peerless watercolors, video

I hope your day is magical, with video

Today's card I made for the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, use more than one die and showcase Memory Box products.
And for the Less is More challenge: use a frame.
Now all the frame son the Less is More blog are actual frames, not sure mine qualifies although I feel I framed my  scene.

I started the card by stamping the unicorn with Simon Says Stamp intense black and then I used the Scan N cut to cut them out. I did this first this time lol.
It worked great. 

I then used the grid lines on my desk paper to align the Memory Box die tree branch circle and diecut it from a sturdy 140lbs cardstock. Poked out all the bits.

this panel is slightly smalller than the cardbase, so I traced the outline and the circle onto the cardbase, so I know where to inkblend my background.

I used one of my Distress recipes and chose Distress inks: forest moss, frayed burlap and old paper. They're all green tones, although with old paper you might think yellowish like the lid looks, but it's not ;-)

I then dripped on some water and used a paper towel to soak up the extra moist. My cardstock is not really happy with water and will swell up a little, all adds to the interest haha, I thought the splatter would make it look like a forest canopy.
I wanted to use the Memory Box puffy clouds, but then realised  I should have chosen blue tones. I caught that just in time...

Also diecut from the same 140lbs cardstock is the Memory Box mini picket border. Like the unicorns are in a paddy...I mean if they exist someone might keep them ;-)
I've sponged on some brushed corduroy on the fence to make it stand out from the panel.
I mounted the panel with foamtape and added the fence, then a bit of taperunner where the fence is and I want the unicorns.

To position the unicorns I hold the panel the right side up and position it that way, making sure the eyes aren't covered with branches, that looks weird  to me, you need eye contact I think.

Mounted the panel onto the cardbase and as I had to cover the inked area I was out of centre a little, so cut off a sliver from one side to even it up again. If you look from above you can't see it, but there's a little sliver of green peeking from behind the cardpanel, on the other side, as I like to take my photo at an angle I flipped the card ;-)

The sentiments are both from Simon Says Stamp, (secret garden and it's your birthday 3x4), both stamped with Versafine black onyx ink and heat set with my heatttool to be safe.

For more information on the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, see this
For more information on the Less is More challenge, see this

Believe in yourself...with videos

The Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge is: layer it up.

For my card I  started by stamping the little dragons from Stampingbella with SSS intense black ink onto Crafter's companion paper.
I used Spectrum Illustrator markers to color them, really simply I  might add as the images are quite small and although the packaging has pretty examples, that was a bit ott for  me.

I let my scan n cut cut them out and then traced them with a Memento markers to tidy up the sides. Ineed more practice on the Scan N cut, it worked ok, but it also cut some kind of embossing lines or lines that didn't cut quite deep enough or I could have chucked it all away...

On Bristol smooth cardstock I stamped the clouds from Katzelkraft (KTZ150) with Versamark ink heat embossed them with WoW! matt dull embossing powder.
Then used a brush and a mini inkblending tool to sponge on Distress ink (Salty ocean) and then wiped the embossed clouds clean with kitchen paper.
The embossing powder acts as a resist and the matt finish makes it look like it's not there, quite magical in itself ;-).

I diecut Memory box puffy clouds from white felt.

I cut the sky panel slightly smaller than my cardbase and mounted it onto the cardbase with foamtape. also used foamtape for the dragons and the big clouds, just on the bottom so I could tuck the dragons behind the clouds.

Then I stamped the sentiment (which I probably should have done earlier, but I forgot) with Versafine black onyx ink, It's from Impression Obsession (c17120), heat set it as it went over the embossing powder, Stazon probably would have been safer, but it worked. feeling rather lucky today haha...


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

DIY halftone print stamping

All the cards I made july december 2016

I moved...just the craftroom....tour of my new surroundings

Easter card series 2017 #5 Bee Henry

bit o'green

The Simon Says Stamp Wednesday is: bit O'green in honour of St. Patrick's day. Showcasing Taylored Expression products, but I have none.
In the Netherlands we don't celebrate St. Patrick's day, maybe Irish immigrants ,might ,but it's non existent, so I have no products for the occasion either.

Lucky for me the folk at SSS are always lenient ;-).

So for the card I used Art Impressions (4680 my feet) and for the sentiment  I used Riley & company (rwd524)
I stamped the lot with SSS intense black ink on watercolor paper. the extra feet on a separate piece. Die cut it with the coordinating die in the set.

the stamp is Halloween themed and there's a little pumpkin bucket next to the monster, I taped it off before stamping. I just wanted the monster, as monsters can be green and I thought he paired perfectly with the sentiment.

I used Talens Ecoline to watercolor the image. There's a wobbler included in the set, but I made my own again by coiling some wire, the wobbler is really big and heavy, not good for postage ;-)

I mounted the feet onto the panel and the panel with foam tape.
I used polka dotted green washi tape on both sides to fill in the card base and add more green.
then mounted the panel on the card base.

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

All things grow with love

The Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge is: handmade flowers.

So I'd like to apologise now as my flowers are teeny tiny, but they're there. I used an Impression Obsession die (die 042-1 spiral flowers) and three colors cardstock, rolled them up and secured them with Aleene's fast grab tacky glue.

For the  main image I used a Crafter's companion stamp ( Charlie from the Scruffy little kitten series)
Stamped it with My Favorite Things Hybrid black ink onto Crafter's Companion paper (which is Neenah solar white classic crest ultra smooth)

Colored  the image with Spectrum Illustrator markers and a few Spectrum Noir markers.

I stamped the sentiment from the same stampset with Versafine black onyx ink after coloring.

I sued soem tape runner to adhere the colored panel to a cardbase and then glued on the little flowers.

When I bought the dies online (from SSS) I didn't realise they would be this small, but I really like them. They're easier to use on a card. So a happy accident.

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

Sow much cuteness, with videos

The My Favorite Things stamp set Sow much cuteness stole my heart.
I used to collect everything piggy, like piggy banks, little statuettes, salt and pepper shakers, you name it, I had it. Mostly because once people found out it was an easy gift for birthdays and such, So about 15 years ago I had to stop and destashed most of them. I kept a few I really like.

Anyway on to the card I stamped the pigs on Crafter's Companion paper (Neenah solar White ultra smooth) with the MFT hybrid black ink.
Colored them with Copics this time as other pinks were not a good match.  I used Spectrum Illustrator on the flowers. Cut them out with the use of the Brother Scan & cut, as I don't have the matching dies.


For the background I used a panel of Bristol smooth cardstock and Distress inks Salty Ocean and mowed lawn. I used sensitive painter's tape to make the horizon.
I spritzed the panel with a bit of water to add a layer of interest. 

Stamped the sentiment from Woodware with Versafine black onyx ink and heat set it.
Adhered the panel to a card base with some tape runner

Mounted the piggies with foam tape  at different height levels.

I made this card for my friend, he is turning 57 and I'm not sure it's very manly but it should put a smile on his face, it did on mine ;-)

Easter card series 2017 #4, diy or homemade wobblers

I thought this little die cut bunny from Marianne design (col1354) would look cool as a wobbler.

Now I looked at shop bought wobblers, but they were really expensive, 25 dollar/euros for a pack of 48 orso.
I then decided I could make my own, as basically it;s just a spring. usually it has two ends on it, and I show you how to make those at the end of the video.

I have thought of three versions, two I show in the video: a strip of sturdy acetate or plastic from packaging, sturdy enough to hold the weight of the die cut and yet pliable enough to fold it into a zzz shape or a lightning bolt.

The other is  made from jewelry wire or flower wire and is coiled around a pen. You decide how long the coil is, I left mine a bit longer  because I thought it would be easier to tuck it under, but I think it makes little difference.

I die cut all the bunny bits from colored linnen cardstock. If you don't have all these colors I'd suggest white and color them with markers and or inkblending Distress inks on it. makes it easier and quicker. But I had lots of scraps, so....

The sentiment means Happy Easter and is also from  Marianne design (cs0954) and I stamped it in Versafine black onyx ink.

The font of the stamp is "scriptina" and  you can find it on the Internet, if you like it you can download it and print your sentiments instead of stamping them.


I used Scotch tape to adhere the coil to the bunny and to the cardbase, hot glue would also work.

chlorophyll stamping...

..yes that's right, no ink, no stamps, just raiding the balcony pots. I have lots of ferns on my balcony as it's in the shade most of the day. so I went out and picked one iconic fern leaf,  I also have others that are less recognisable.

Anyway...

I put the leaf on the cardfront, in between kitchen paper and then  "diecut" it like you would a thinlit.

The pressure of the machine  squeezes out all the juices and thus cholorophyll. leaving an imprint,you can do this with flowers too, but leaves are nice and flat and easier to crank through I suppose. Also they need to be fresh leaves, not dried up ones in the atumn.

Then I stamped the sentiment from Darkroom door (stand out) in Versafine black onyx ink.


For more information on the Less is More challenge, see this

For a special lady/girl

That's the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge this week, showcasing Penny Black.

For my card I chose the Penny Black clearstamp "playful" or 30-347. 
I stamped it in Versamark and  used Wow Embossing powder black twinkle to make my outline, you can't really tell form the picture, but the black embossing powder has silver glitter in it for some added  sparkle, without having to add too many embellishments ;-).

I colored the image with Talens Ecoline, a fluid watercolor SSS now carries :#656 and 657 for the leaves; 318 for the flowers and 422 for the center, usually black on poppies but I chose a dark brown or it would have been really a stark contrast.

I diecut the watercolor paper with a Spellbinders scalloped die, I don;t know which as I got it from a  FB sales group, second hand.
 Mounted the panel with foamtape.
 Added really tiny specks of Ranger enamel accents on the panel in Lily pad and classic cherry, just to mimic flowers in the background if that makes sense.

On the cardbase I stamped the sentiment from Simon Says Stamp (it's no secret) with Versafine black onyx ink.

I nothed the cardbase on both sides with a small hole punch and wrapped some green embroidery thread around the card, the notches hel to keep the thread in their place.

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

ten cards in 15 minutes challenge, video

ten cards in 15 minutes challenge, video

Easter card series 2017 #3 with Aquablend pencils

Happy wonderful...Christmas

yes, I made a Christmas card in March!...
I haven't had a chance to use this gorgeous die from My Favorite Things (happy wonderful Christmas) yet.

I've also chosen a Christmas card as the Work it Wednesday Challenge from Simn Says Stamp is to use green, and as we in the Netherlands, do not celebrate St. Patrick's day, green for me is Christmas.

Also combined last week's Wednesday Challenge, which is about to run out, but the challenge is: Tag you're it, showcasing Ranger products.

And I've also combined the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: make your own background showcasing Dylusions products.

Now I only have two Dylusions products a under the sea stampset, which wouldn't make sense on a Christmas card and a Dylusions spray (white linen), so I used that for my "snow" splatter.

To make the tag I inkblended a lot of Distress inks from Ranger in all sorts of green tones: cracked pistachio, mowed lawn, twisted citron, evergreen bough, peacock feathers, which I ended up covering for the most part with cracked pistachio as it was more blue than I intended.

I then splattered on the white spray, Distress spray stains in anitgued bronze, twisted citron and cracked pistachio and some water, heat setting in between colors.

Once dry I die cut the sentiment and cut a tag shape, as (name) tags also remind me of Christmas.

I've traced the area of the words onto the cardbase and inkswiped Mowed lawn in the area to give me green words. I didn't intend to replace all the bits and bobs, I think it reads just fine, lucky me.
On hindsight, once dry I feel I could have used a darker green, like forest moss maybe for more contrast, but I like it still.

Adhered the tag with liquid glue to the cardbase.

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

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

For more information on the Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesdays Challenge, see this

Easter card series 2017 #2, with video

 For today's card I used C.C design My little bunny  and for the sentiment Inky Antics, easter riddles.
I mounted them on my stamppositioner, i thought straight, but turned out a little slanted, oh well....

I stamped it all with My Favorite things Hybrid black ink and colored it with Spectrum Noir and Illustrator markers.

In the video I compare the tips of Copic Ciao and Illustrator.
 I also show you the two charts I made for Illustrator and Noirs, both the same coding, but some colors are completely different and not just a little different.

I used the Crafter's Companion Neenah Solar white ultra smooth cardstock.

sea you soon, with video

The Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge is: based on a book, I based mine on the Hans Christian Anderson classic, the little mermaid.

I used the Lawn Fawn set Mermaid for you and I stamped it with My Favorite things hybrid black ink onto Schut watercolor paper.
I made a mask of the sitting mermaid with Inkadinkado masking paper.
I used a Spellbinders scalloped circle die to  make a window in a cardpanel and stamped the sentiment on the panel too.

To watercolor my scene I used Distress inks and Winsor & Newton Iridescerent medium for a glorious shine.
The medium  makes the Distress inks a little streaky, but I think that works well with the see background really, adds depth and interest.

I didn't really go for the Disney mermaid, but she turned out kind of like that anyway, I chose the colors mainly to contrast with the blue background.

I accidentally colored her tummy blue as well, tried to wash it out with clean water, but ended up giving here a purple belt ;-).
I realised too late it was a two piece suit ;-).

Mounted the cardpanel with foamtape and adhered the scene onto the foamtape, then applied tape runner to adhere it to the cardbase.

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