Popcorn the Bear - Thanks a Bunch - sunflowers birthday card

Hello and welcome to my Blog!  I am finally back on deck after being away for about 2 weeks.  Yay!!  You might need your sunglasses for this card!!

I needed to make a birthday card for my Godfather's partner's birthday this week.  She is a wonderful and vibrant lady who emigrated to Australia from the Philippines about 20 or so years ago.  I know that she really LOVES bright colours, so when I was looking for some ideas, I came across the Splitcoaststampers Inspiration Challenge IC249 - 'Cost Plus World Market' website - where you choose an image that inspires you - and I chose the orange scarf from the 3 photos they had there because it was so bright and cheerful, plus when I thought of yellow/orange, I thought of sunflowers, and chose this picture as well from the Cost Plus World Market website.  I would love to have a field of sunflowers in my backyard just like in the picture - they just exude warmth and vibrancy.  And then I remembered I had this 'Popcorn the Bear' image holding the huge bunch of sunflowers - ahh, perfect!  

I stamped the image with Memento Tuxedo black ink and coloured it with Odourless Mineral Spirits (OMS) and Prismacolor pencils then chalked the sky and ground.  I ticket-punched the corners.  The tag was diecut with my Cuttlebug and one of the Tiny Tags dies; I lightly inked around the tag with 'Olive Pastel' chalk ink so the edges would stand out better against the main image panel.  I stamped the sentiment with Stazon Jet Black - I find this ink seems to work better with clear (photopolymer) stamps (as opposed to rubber) and I get a clearer image.

The orange designer paper is by My Mind's Eye and comes from a 6" x 6" pad (of some 48 sheets) called "Bloom and Grow" and was already embossed (just in case you thought I put the paper thru my Cuttlebug).

The tiny orange hearts near the duck and on the tag are the leftover punchies from my Arrows Border punch, which I added a bit of glitter to.  I attached the ribbon in 2 separate elements and the bow itself was made with my Bow Easy.

Challenges:  I am entering this card into the Allsorts Challenge Week 69 of Colours of Autumn.  I think mine should qualify with the orange, green, brown and yellow tones.

Thanks again for stopping by - I'll be back in a few days with another card!

Jocelyn

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Crafter's Companion 'Popcorn the Bear' Thanks a bunch PST-TKS unmounted set, Sentiments from Impression Obsession Sentiments 1 WP16 clear set

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo black, Stazon Jet black, Colorbox Olive Pastel chalk

Designer paper:  My Mind's Eye 'Bloom and Grow' 6 x 6 pad

Punches:  EK Success Arrows border, Stampin' Up Ticket corner punch and Horizontal slot punch

Accessories:  Cuttlebug + Tiny Tags die set, ribbon, Bow Easy, OMS, Prismacolor pencils, paper stumps, Kaisercolour chalks, Kindyglitz Crystalina, burnt orange brads, Cardstock:  KW Doggett 'Knight' (white), burnt orange, pale olive

Penny Black Celebrating - my DH's birthday card

Hi and welcome to my Blog :-)

I made this quick little card for my DH's birthday this past week.  Now that he has the card in his hot little hand, I can post it here.  I tried to colour the cat in similar colours to our own cat - Ruby.  There is a photo of Ruby on the LHS of my Blog if you want to see her.  She is such a character and fetches just like a dog (mainly with pipecleaners or hair scrunchies), and if she wants your attention, she will drop something at your feet or your lap, stand back and miaow at you for you to throw it.  She is one cute puss!


Anyway, enough waffling and onto the card!  I diecut the circle from the blue cardstock first then ran the cardstock thru my Cuttlebug using my new Indentz embossing folder (which I sourced from the UK). 

Recently I rang KW Doggetts (an Australian paper company) for a Sample Pack of different brands of smooth white cardstock specifically to use for the Gamsol Magic/Magic Coloured Pencil technique.  They were very helpful and generous with what they sent me - and all for free!!   I had a great old play and found that their brand: "Knight" smooth cardstock was magical - the colours blend out so beautifully and perfectly, and this is the cardstock I used for this birthday card.  And it's so white.  Much whiter than Beckett Radiance.  It was an absolute joy to colour!!!  In fact, I was so impressed, that I rang and placed an order and asked for 12" x 12" size which is very practical for my square cards 'cos I can just cut them in half.  My order was ready in a day and I was able to go and pick it up from their factory which is only about 20 mins drive from where I live.  They have a retail store where you can grab a box and fill it up with different coloured/brands of cardstock/vellums for a set price - ahhh, it was heavenly!!  I have no connection to them, but thought it was worth mentioning if you love using the Gamsol Magic technique, but don't know what cardstock to get if you are in Australia.  You can just ring up and ask for a sample pack and then you can decide what weight (ie: gsm) you like to use.  I believe they have offices in some of the other States of Australia.


I lightly coloured the background with blue chalk (which you can hardly tell from the photo!).  I added Art Institute transparent light blue glitter to the balloon.  The tiny hearts next to the sentiment are the leftover punchies from my EK Success Arrows border punch.

The fawn cardstock border was made with a Threading Water punch, and I added a Scor-Pal line above it.

Thanks again for stopping by.  Have a great weekend!

Jocelyn

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Penny Black 'Celebrating' 1472E, Sentiment from Crafter's Companion 'Popcorn the Bear' Bunches of Love set  

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo black

Accessories:  Cuttlebug, Indentz 'Happy Birthday' embossing folder, EK Success Arrows border punch, Fiskars Threading Water punch, AI blue glitter (from Shabby Chic set), AI Designer dries clear adhesive, Spellbinder Circle Nestabilities, Scor-Pal, Kaisercolour chalks, OMS, Prismas, fawn and blue gingham ribbon, Cardstock: royal blue, fawn, KW Doggetts Knight smooth white 

Stampendous Bee Daisy - bee happy on your birthday!

Hi and welcome to my Blog :-)

I had to make a quick card for my niece's birthday later this week, so this is what I came up with.

The beautiful embossed frame is by Craftwork Cards which I bought from The Craft Barn in the UK.  They come in packs of ten with all sorts of designs and are perfect for square cards which I love to make, and I love that they have the scalloped edge too. 

I coloured the bee with OMS and Prismas, then glued on black and yellow Fun Flock using Art Institute Designer dries clear adhesive, then added clear glitter to his wings, pink to his antennae, plus pink and lemon glitter to the flower.  I lightly chalked around the image too.  The tiny lemon and pink hearts are the leftover punchies from my Arrows Border punch (but your probably already know that by now if you follow my Blog 'cos I use them ALL the time.....lol).

Here is a little close-up of the flocking.  I keep wanting to "feel" the little bee - he's so soft and furry!

I'm popping this card into the Splitcoaststampers CAS75 Challenge of dry embossing.  See this link for the deets.

Thanks again for stopping by.  Have a great week!

Jocelyn

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Stampendous CRE214 Cling Bee Daisy, Sentiment: from Crafter's Companion 'Popcorn the Bear' Bunches of Love set

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo black

Accessories:  Odourless Mineral Spirits, Prismacolor pencils, paper stumps, Stampendous Fun Flock: Lemonade Yellow and Black, Art Institute transparent glitter: pink, crystal and pink (from Shabby Chic set), Art Institute designer dries clear glue, Kaisercolour chalks, EK Success Arrows border punch, Stampin' Up corner punch, Craftworks cards embossed frames: mixed bouquet, ribbon, Bow Easy, Cardstock: white, pink, lemon

Cuttlebug Perfect Perennials Birthday Card

Hello and thanks for stopping by to have a peek at my Blog :-)

Woo hoo!   I'm actually on-time for another Splitcoaststampers Challenge!  This card is for the CAS75 Challenge of Dry Embossing.  If you follow my Blog, you will know that I LOVE my Cuttlebug so the Challenge gave me the perfect excuse to use my new Cuttlebug 'Perfect Perennials' die/embossing folder combo.  It's so handy to be able to emboss and diecut a window at the same time; I can see myself using this folder alot for quick and simple cards.  The corners were all rounded with my SU corner punch.

I coloured the hedgie with OMS and Prismacolor pencils, then lightly chalked around the image for the sky and ground, and added a bit of pink chalk as well to match the pink cardstock.  The hedgie looks a bit washed out in the photo but it isn't IRL - the pink embossed cardstock came out really dark in the photo so I had to lighten it which made the hedgie a bit too light, and this was about the best adjustment I could get to make the whole card look kinda normal!

I added some fine crystal glitter to the flowers, the hedgie's envelope and the tiny heart (which is the leftover punchie from my Arrows border punch) next to the sentiment.   I attached the ribbon in 2 separate elements and made the bow itself with my Bow Easy (don't know what I'd do without my Bow Easy!).

This card is going to my SIL for her birthday.  Thanks again for visiting!  TTFN!

Jocelyn

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Hedgie from Penny Black: Party Time 30-049 clear set, Sentiment: Crafter's Companion Someone Special Popcorn the Bear set 

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo black

Accessories:  Cuttlebug, Cuttlebug 'Perfect Perennials' Emboss Plus, pink gems, odourless mineral spirits, paper stumps, Prismacolor pencils, Kaisercolour chalks, Art Institute crystal transparent glitter, Art Institute designer dries clear adhesive, Stampin' Up corner punch, EK Success Arrows Border punch, ribbon, Bow Easy, cardstock: white, pink

Crafter's Companion Bunches of Love for my niece's birthday

Hi and welcome to my Blog :-)

I made this card for this week's Ways to Use it Challenge on Splitcoaststampers WT278 Yellow sunshine where you are to use yellow in a card.  See this link for the deets.  Yellow is not a colour I use very often, so this challenge gave me the perfect excuse to ink up this cute little duck.

This clean & simple (CAS) little one-layer card is going to my niece for her birthday.  Not a whole lot to explain really - the duck is from an unmounted 'Popcorn the bear' set by Crafter's Companion - and was coloured with Odourless Mineral Spirits and Prismascolor pencils, then I added some little strokes with watered-down acrylic paint to add some feathers (you will probably need to click on the piccy to see them), then blended the feathers in by adding a wash of watered down yellow paint over the top.  I did a similar thing with the centre of the flower too.  I love how you can combine the pencils and paint to create some "extra" texture to an image.

Because I am the Glitter Queen, I added pink glitter to the duck's heart and purple glitter to the flower petals and around the edge of the sentiment tag.  The tiny little purple and lemon hearts underneath the birthday sentiment are the leftover punchies from my Arrows border punch.

I chalked around the image for the sky and ground and lightly chalked the dry embossing.  I attached the ribbon in 2 separate elements and the bow itself was made with my Bow Easy.

Thanks again for stopping by - have a great weekend!

Jocelyn

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Bunches of Love set by Crafter's Companion, Impression Obsession Sentiments 1 WP16

Ink:  Stazon Jet Black (for the sentiments) and Memento Tuxedo black (for the duck)

Accessories:  Cuttlebug, Sizzix Textured Impressions 'Hello Kitty Spring Set' #2 embossing folder, Odourless Mineral Spirits, Prismacolor Pencils, paper stumps, Kaisercolour chalks, JoSonya Acrylic paints, paint brushes, Bow Easy, yellow button, yellow sewing thread, 12mm-1/2" wide ribbon, Art Institute Transparent Glitter - pink and purple from Shabby Chic set, Art Institute Designer Dries clear adhesive, EK Success Arrows border punch, Cardstock: white, purple, lemon