Faux maze and Valentine penguins, with video

For my card I wanted to use my new stampset from Gerda Steiner, that I got with the black Friday deal.
I stamped all the images on the Crafter's Companion Neenah paper and had them cut out  by my Scan N cut.


For the "maze" I used my nested circles dies, mine are from Nellie Snellen, but any will do. I skipped one every time, to get a reasonable rim.
I used the largest circle in the set to cut out the maze from the card panel and I stamped the sentiment from the same Gerda Steiner set with Versafine Onyx black ink, set it aside to dry.

Colored them with Spectrum Noir and Spectrum Illustrator markers.

I mounted the panel and circles with foam tape.
To go round I peel off one side of the backing, push it down and then peel off the other backing sheet, you can then manipulate the foamtape like magic.

So if you're really good at this you could made it a spinner card, but I am not and there is just not enough room to put the coin or disc on the back, it's either would fit or it would fall out.
So I opted for the illusion together with the sentiment I think will carry across the message of a helpful friend.

To give the illusion of the maze I cut a slit in the smaller circles and positioned them inside the big circle in the panel.
Stuck the penguin in the middle of the maze, as if she'smade it ;-). Some Nuvo shimmer pen on the hearts and tape runner to stick her down.

Garden bugs fridge magnets, with giftbox and video

I showed you the magnets sheets in a haul video, and said I wasn't going to use them to make magnets, just for organizing my dies. But then I made magnets lol...

Mostly because I was curious as how the different glues would hold up under the glass cabochons.

You can get these glass domes pretty  much anywhere, mine where from the home decor section and came in a mixed bag, which was a shame as I only need the clear ones, but hey...I cleaned them with some rubbing alcohol, to make sure there's no residue that might make the glue not stick, just a precaution.

I used: Ranger texture paste transparent gloss, Ranger Glossy Accents, Collal tacky glue, Aleene's fast grab tacky glue, Decor Art Liquid glass and Tombow mono multi liquid glue.

The last one is repositionable ans was still tacky after letting it dry all night, so I wouldn't recommend that one, but they all dried up nice and clear and are a strong hold as far as I could tell. I used some Nuvo Shimmer pen on the green bugs as I like how glossy accents amplifies the glitter, but I think squishing the glass down, kinda smooshed out all the glitter as I couldn't find much of it, except on the sides.
Hey it's all part of the experiment!

To make the bugs I traced the glass shaped onto Crafter's Companion Neenah paper and colored them with alcohol markers. I do recommend alcohol, as I think water based markers might reactivate with the wet glue, haven't tried it, but it's a gut feeling :-D
If you do, tell me if it works .


Cut out the shaped then glued the glass on top. and let it dry all night.
In the morning I cut the magnet sheet to fit the glass domes and after trimming the paper I stuck the magnet sheet down and trimmed again, I guess you could do it in one go, I just didn't ;-) My head is still heavy from the flu.

Then I glued googly eyes on top, I used the Aleene's fast grab tacky glue for it as I found the glossy accents didn't work as well.

For the box you need a piece of paper  that is 3,5"high and 3, 3/8" wide. Make sure if you have a directional pattern it's like in the pattern (flowers right side up).

Score on the 3,3/8" side at 1/2"and 2 7/8" (or 1/2" from both ends)
Score on the 3,5"side at : 1/2, 1 1/2", 2"and 3"

Burnish your scorelines and notch as show in pattern/video
Glue your box together and place your magnets, with or without the little round magnets to hold them in place.

AAA cards challenge #107: chilled, with video

This fortnight the theme of AAA cards challenges is: chilled. Our sponsor is CAS-ual Fridays. And you could win a $25 dollar gift certificate.

I am using their set Must love snowflakes, sadly it's discontinued, but now they have snowy sayings and bring on the snowflakes as well as some snowflakes dies.

For the card I cut a kraft base into a panel. I didn't realize it, but it turns out it's not exactly A5 sized...should have measured!

I started by stamping the thank you with Simon  Says Stamp's you  matter set in embossing ink, and then used the Wow metallic silver regular to emboss the sentiment.

Then I placed all the snowflakes from CAS-ual Friday's must love snowflakes on acryllic blocks. I stamped a variety of sizes and colors using Memento inks (gray flannel and Paris dusk and also embossing ink)

The little star is from Simon Says Stamps (birthday balloons) and I used it as an embellishment instead of rhinestones or alike.

Adhered the panel to a cardbase with tape runner and cleaned up the size difference.

For more information or to play along with the AAA cards challenge, see this

Snowflakes are kisses from Heaven

The Less is More challenge this week is ONE layer and cute.

For my card I used a Digi from Lili of the Valley (polar) and I printed  it on the Crafter's Companion Neenah paper.
I added the sentiment in Photoshop.

I colored the image with Spectrum Noir markers.
Added some Wink of Stella to the bear's nose and the snowflake.


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

Birds of a feather

The Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge is: Birds of a feather.

And as I said in my post from yesterday I had two ideas, and this is the second one.

For this card I used the Simon Says Stamp feathers die and the Simon Says Stamp It's your birthday stampset for the sentiment.

I diecut the feathers out of a panel and stamped the sentiment with Versafine onyx black ink.

then I decided to cut it a little smaller to make a mat.
Then I traced the openings of the feathers so I know where to inkblend.

I used Distress inks: spiced marmalade, worn lipstick, picked raspberry and mermaid lagoon, peacock feathers and cracked pistachio.

Mounted the panel with foamtape and added some glittery enamel dots/sprinkles.


For more information or to play along the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge, see this.

Distress inks recipes #3

I already posted loads  in two different blogposts:
first one : http://cardsbymaaike.blogspot.nl/2016/08/distress-inks-recipes-for-blended.html

and second one http://cardsbymaaike.blogspot.nl/2016/10/more-distress-inks-recipes.html

Now I have develped three more blending recipes I like a lot

first one is: mustard seed, carved pumpkin, picked raspberry and spun sugar,
in the centre: dried marigold, spiced marmalade, worn lipstick and picked raspberry,
on the right: wilted violet, mermaid lagoon, peacock feathers and twisted citron


I hope you like these too.

Tickled pink we're friends

The Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge is: birds of a feather.
The Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge is: use a sentiment, showcasing Clearly Besotted products.

Now I have two ideas, and might make another card to enter tomorrow, if I manage :-D. "They" say the weather will be nasty tomorrow (thursday) but I think the worst has passed,it was quite windy outside today and was almost blown into the canal... otherwise I'm staying inside to color haha.

For now I used the Clearly besotted stamp set Fluffy flamingos and I stamped it with Simon Says Stamp intense black ink onto the Crafter's Companion Neenah paper. The cut them out and colored them with my Noir

Spectrum and Illustrator markers.

For the "lake" I swiped Distress inks Mermaid lagoon and Peacock feathers onto the cardbase, masking off the horizon. and then placed them like they're in the water.

There's a ring pattern in the set. but it was too big, or my lake too shallow, but that would reinforce the effect of them in the water.

I stamped the sentiment from the same set with Versafine onyx black ink.
And then added some glittery enamel dots.

For more information or to play along the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge, see this.
For more information or to play along the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, see this.