Hogmanay 2013

I have not been on here for some time now.  I got a new job in Fullarton Chiropractic Centre just 10 minutes walk from my house.  I am now a part time Receptionist and I absolutely love it.  It's such a lovely place to work and the people are so nice.  I have been there since 2nd December.  It feels like I have always worked there.  Its a lot of years since I have felt so happy at work

It's great to get up in the morning and know you have a job to go to.  I now have routine back in my life and I have missed that very much.  I love being able to go to work and speak to people.  My days go so much faster now and I am no longer bored.  2014 is looking good for me.

Because I have a job, I don't have the same time to make cards, so my hobby has had to be put on the back burner a little.  I guess when everyone is back to work and we are more organised, I will be able to bring out all my new dies and stamps and have a play around.

Until then, I wish everyone a Happy New Year when it comes. 

Best Wishes to All
Alx

CFC Challenge

CFC Challenge

Frosty - Black & White Christmas Card

The Outlawz Paper a la mode challenge was to use a Rick St Denis Digi Stamp.  I won 3 Rick St Denis Digis in the October Inlinks so I thought I would give this one a go.

I matted a White Square Card with a piece of black card.  The I used a tonic circular die to cut out 2 different sizes of patterned circles.  I used foam pads to raise the large black circle off the white card.  Then added the smaller white circle using foam pads as well.  I printed the digi stamp onto white card and cut it out with a Spellbinders scalloped circlte.  I used a Christmas scene digi and added Frosty to it.  I coloured and shaded Frosty and used distressing ink to colour the sky.  I added funky snow around the bottom of Frosty and on the tree and fence.  I used a heat gun to raise up the snow, then added some clear glitter to make it sparkle. I stamped the little snow greeting onto white card and matted it onto black and used foam pads to attach it.  I cust the seasons Greetings with a tonic die and added some holly leaves, red gems and a red bow. 

For the border I cropped Frosty down to his head then tiled it in a graphics package to make the border.  I used a pen to draw the freehand edge around the card and put groups of 3 black dots all over the card as I thought it looked to "white".

Finished effort:-

This is being enter into the following challenges:-

The Outlawz - Paper a la mode:-  http://outlawzchallenges.ning.com/group/saturdayscarpbookingchallenge/forum/topics/paper-a-la-mode-nov-9-nov-15



70th Birthday Card

I was asked to make a 70th Birthday Card with a bit of humour attached to it.  Now, this is not something that I am particularly good at, especially when I don't know the recipient.  I was not given any indication of the person's like or dislikes.  I was just told any die would do. 

After my 4 days at the Craft Fair in the SECC, I decided I would have a place with some bits and pieces that I purchased there.  I particularly like the tattered lace, oriental frame die, so thought I would use that as the main piece of the card, the rest all came together slowly but surely. 

1.  I matted and layered with a piece of purple card, and a patterned purple paper.

2.  I cut out the 3 panel dies and layered then onto purple card then matted all 3 onto a piece of white  pearlescent paper, then embellished it with some crystals.

3.  I won an Outlawz challenge and this little digi image was part of my prize from Rick St. Dennis.  Her name is "Gertie Go Go as Starrina"  I thought it was funny but not tooooooo funny.  I coloured her in in shades of pink and purple then added some sparkly bits.

4.  I used a spellbinders scalloped oval and laced some purple ribbon round it, then attached my coloured digi stamp.  I added 2 purple and one white flower to give a little interest.  I also used some of the pieces out of the oriental frame to add some interest to the flowers and around the oval.

5.  I die cut the little flowers at the side and added a 70 to each. I also added some ribbon across the card, but this has got a little lost.  

6.  I used a spellbinders border and cut out a purple and white one then linked them together and attached them at the bottom of the card. 

7.  To finish the card off I used an oval die and die cut the work Mum and added it to the bottom of the card.  I used a Lilly of the Valley birthday sentiment stamp to finish the card off.

Here's hoping the recipient likes it, and it doesn't upset her in any way.

A Cup of Christmas Cheer

This is the second freebie from the Creative Freebie Challenge on the Outlawz site.  I was trying to think a little outside the box with this one.  I made the image much bigger, then cut it out.  I cropped the flower and made several copies of it.  I then coloured in the cup and 3 copies of the flower, cut them out a decoupaged then onto the cup.  I was originally going to make a card in the shape of a cup, but time was a bit limited so ended up doing an easel card.  Here is the end result:-

Entered in the following Challenges:-

The Outlawz - Creative Freebie Challenge

Through the Craftroom Door :- http://ttcrd.blogspot.co.uk/

Fire Truck Birthday Card

I made this quick little card with a Free Digi stamp from the Creative Freebie Challenge over on The Outlawz site.

I used some little scraps of "Fire Fighting" papers that I had left from a previous project.  The finished effort was OK for a quick card.

Here it is:-

 

 

Entered into the following challenges:-

 

The Outlawz - Creative Freebie Challenge

Challenge Card - Circle Card

Okay, so it's been a while since I last posted, but I have been making several ordered cards and it has taken up a lot of my time.

Anyway, I had a look at some of the challenges in The Outlawz and decided I would have a go at the Twisted Thursday Challenge. 

I recently purchased some dies from Tonic Studios, and one in particular sprung to mind when I saw the circle challenge.  The die has Christmas Leaves around it.

I cut out the larges and the smallest circle in pale blue glitter card, then I cut out the middle size in white card.  I used a Memory Box leave die to cut out the leaves.  I used a spellbinders die and cut out 3 sizes of Poinsettia in parchment paper.  I embossed the back of the parchment to make the white shine through and used some shades of blue pro markers to colour in the petals - not sure this shows up very well in the picture.

I layered up the largest and middle sizes of circle and stamped a Christmas Sentiment for the middle.  I then made up my Poinsettia and glued it in the centre of the smallest circle and added some seed beads in the middle.  I placed the smallest circle to the side of the largest circle. To finish off I added the leaves and a bow down the side.

I liked the look of the finished card.

This was entered into the following challenges:-

Through the Craft Room Door - http://ttcrd.blogspot.co.uk/
The Outlawz CFC Freebie - http://outlawzchallenges.ning.com/forum/topics/creative-freebie-challenge-november-3-17?groupUrl=cfc&groupId=6356543%3AGroup%3A272568&id=6356543%3ATopic%3A697916&page=6#comments
A Gem of a Challenge:- http://pinkgemchallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/

The Outlawz - CFC Challenge 19-26 Oct 2013

Back in the swing of things after my holiday.  It was a great week and very relaxing.  We had lovely sunshine for 5 out of the 7 days - not too bad for this time of year!

Anyway, back to my challenges.  My 2 digital freebies this week have given me a crafter's block.  What do to with a window and an empty wheelbarrow.  The designers examples had more or less done what was in my head.  I really stressed over this one.  In the end, I just went with what my head told me, so sorry if they are along a similar vein to the designers.

As well as the wheelbarrow, I used a previous free digi stamp, from a few weeks ago.  I also had a little stamp which says "If friends were flowers, I'd pick you", I thought this went well with the flowers.  Ah well, this challenge certainly challenged my little brain.

 

The second image was even more challenging - what do you do with an empty window?  I coloured the image background with brown distress ink, then I used my spectrum noir pens to colour the window and frame.  I then slit round the shutters with my craft knife so that they opened, but you can't see that very well from the picture.  I cut out a little window box from some spare card and put little flowers behind it.  Then I was stuck, I wanted it to look different from the DT.  Eventually I dedcided to add the little girl to give some interest.  Then I printed off 3 little plant pots and put some flowers on them.  I added "New" and "Home" to 2 of them before I printed them off.  Lastly I used a Spellbinders lattice die to put behind the image and added a threaded a piece of ribbon through it.  Hey Presto - end result was this.

 

 

I have entered these both into the CFC Challenge for this week.

Paper A La Mode - Challenge - 19-26 Oct 2013 - In the Cornfield

I have been away on holiday for a week.  I'm glad to be back as I missed all my craft stash.  Once I got myself organised, with the washing done, and everything put back in its place, I had a quick look at the Outlawz Challenges and thought I would have a go at this one.  Once I found my digital scarecrow, I manipulated it a bit in my graphics package and got a pumpkin as well.  I decided to make a stepper card, just for something different.  So here is my effort.  I was quite pleased with the finished result.

This is being entered into the Challenge.

The Outlawz - Tuesday Colour Challenge

The Challenge for this week was to use 3 colours, Blue, Marigold and Driftwood.  The twist was to use distressing ink or sponging.

So this one wasn't as easy as I first thought and I am not very impressed with my finished effort.  I have entered it in the challenge anyway.

I used yellow card and distressed it to make it more of a marigold colour.  I used a blue paper and distressed the edges with yellow.  I used a driftwood coloured card for the die cuts. I stamped a little flower onto the die cut and distressed the card with blue and marigold.  I also put glossy accents over the flower.  My photography is very poor, believe me, it looks better in real life.

The Outlawz - Friday Alcohol Markers

I wanted to do something other than Oriental, so given I live in Scotland, I used this thistle digi stamp and coloured it with Spectrum Noir Pens.  Its a very simple card with some matting and layering and a Tonic Die.  Piece of tartan ribbon and a little Greeting.

 

This is being enter into The Outlawz Challenge - Friday Alcohol Markers

Monday Greetings Challenge

Challenge - Monday, 23rd September, "Happy Fall Y'All"

So, this challenge intrigued me.  As I live in Scotland, we don't really celebrate fall or make a big thing of it.  We certainly have Harvest Services in Church, but its definitely not something that there is a big fuss made about.

Anyway, because we don't celebrate fall, I didn't have very much in my stash that I could use for this.  I have a "leaf" embossing folder, so that's where my inspiration started.  I embossed the template onto black card.  Once embossed I used gilding wax to colour the leaves brown, red and green.  I used gold gilding wax to fill in the areas in between.  Once complete, I quite liked the end result.  I matted this onto really dark red/brown card, along with a bronze matt and this helped to lift the gilding wax out.

I downloaded a digi leaf and cut them out in different sizes then coloured them.  I ruffled a piece of binding tape along the card and put a bow on it.  I then cascaded the leaves all the way down the side in different sizes.  I used my graphics package to make up a circular "Happy Fall Y'all" greeting, Here is the end result.  I was quite pleased with it.

Just seen some fabulous news of "The OUTLAWZ" page.  I have won my first site wide card challenge, for this entry.

CFC Freebie Challenge - 22nd Sept - 6 October

After completing my first 2 cards for this challenge group, I received my two new digi stamps on Sunday.  They were both floral images, and I initially thought this may be a bit boring.  However, I decided to bring the images into my graphics package and I played about with them.  I manipulated the arch to be able to put one at the top of an oval and the other at the bottom.  With the vase with the flower was a little more tricky.  I had to cut round the image to take away the white background, the I copied it twice to give me a trio of vases.  Both images have been coloured with pro markers.  My initial ideas did change lots on the way to the final versions.  Hope you like them.

Card No. 1

 

Card No. 2

 

 

Challenge now complete!

 

Challenge - Paper a la Mode - 21-27 Sept 2013 - Use Something Old

Well, here goes with another Challenge.  Anything to lift the boredom of unemployment.  The Challenge for this week is:-

This week Our Theme is 

USE SOMETHING OLD THAT YOU HAVE NEVER USED BEFORE.

and please tell us what the item is.

So, initially I struggled a bit with this, as anything I have bought, but never used, still seemed to me to be new.  However, from what I can see, I think the challenge is something you haven't used before, or you haven't used it in a long time ago. 

I used a spare bit of brown card and a piece of white card to make my layers.  The white card was embossed using a "word embossing folder", then I aged if with gilding wax.  My take on this challenge has also involved using some "New" stamps that were purchased about 10 years ago but have never been used.  I also used some pages out of an old book.  I used a butterfly die and cut it out of an old aluminium can.  It was coloured with Spectrum Noir Pens, then I used embossing powder on it, then finished it off with wire feelers.  I used a Marianne Flower die, (which I bought, then wasn't sure how to use) to cut out 2 sizes of flowers from the book page.  I used, yellow, green and brown distressing inks to colour the flowers.  Finished the flowers off using a little leave die and some old scraps of shiny paper.   I also used some self adhesive paper lace on it, which I bought from a Lakeland Plastics sale and have never used before.  All of the papers I have used have come from my box with all the left over bits and pieces in in.   I finished my card off using a piece of ribbon cut from the inside of one of my t-shirts.

Here is my finished card.

 

 

Here is a picture of some of the things I used on the card.

 

 

 





Materials Used:-

6 x 6 square card blank
Scrap piece of brown card slightly smaller
Scrap piece of white card cut smaller than brown
Create it square stamp used to make background paper
Page out of Old Book, used to make flowers
Piece of Old Aluminium Can
Paper Lace
Piece of ribbon cut from inside of t-shirt
Distressing inks
Peel Off "Thank You"

The Outlawz - Creative Freebie Challenge

I joined this challenge group then had to wait for a reply to my email.  I got the email today with two free digi stamps that I had to use to make cards.  It was all a wee bit of a rush for me, as the cards had to be posted today.  I have to say, they are not the best cards I have ever made.  But I had to enter them so that I would received the digi stamps for the next challenge.

Twisted Thursday Challenge

So, I seem to have caught the challenge bug.  I'm not sure I am going to be able to keep up with doing every challenge.  This is my entry for the Twisted Thursday Challenge at the The Outlawz. 

The Challenge: - 

For this weeks challenge, The Twist is "Wings".

 

I made this little Christmas Card with an image from the Walter & Winnie CD Rom by Willowdesignstamps.com.  I thought it was very cute, and I absolutely adore owls.

 

 

 

The Outlawz - Monday's Greeting Card Challenge

After having completed my first challenge, I seem to have caught the bug.  I spent last night and this morning completing my card for this challenge.  The challenge description is as follows:-

"This week we are asking you to "Make it Funny", so anything you like that makes you smile or giggle is acceptable for this challenge".

I had previously found this "Crafting Quote" and it made me giggle, so thought it might be an idea to incorporate it into a card for this challenge.  I used "My Craft Studio - The Artist Collection" to get the image and backing papers.  Here is what I created:-

Cards, Cards and more Cards

It is my intention to make a new post every time I make a card, but I have loads on file that I have previously made which I would quite like to post on here.  I have added a few here.