Merry Monday Moose!

Challenge #175 on Merry Monday is to create a Christmas card with a moose on it.  Although I have seen a moose when on holiday in Canada, I don't have a moose stamp so had to make a reindeer card instead.  I am also going to enter this card into the theme challenge at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown which is The Wild Woods.

 

 

 

 

Materials used:-

Distress inks - broken china and seedless preserves
Archival cobalt ink and black onyx Versafine ink
Stamps - tree stamp by Clarity and other stamps from Creative Stamping magazine issue 27 Woodland Christmas

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Muse Note

Michele Ferguson has created a great card using designer paper on this week's Muse challenge.  My card was inspired by Michele's design and her use of a die cut word.  The gold paper I used was quite thin so I stuck it on 2 layers of cream card to give it some definition.

Materials used:-
Graphic 45 Typography papers
Stamps - Vintage Typewriter by Sam Poole
Thanks die - Lil'inker designs
Gold paper and cream card from stash
Black onyx Versafine ink
DI -  vintage photo for the edges

Thanks for visiting my blog - now pop over to Muse and see how the other participants were inspired by Michele's card.

Autumn leaves

It has been a glorious day here in Shetland although the lack of trees means we do not have the lovely autumnal colours which are found in other parts of the world.  However I have made up for this by creating a one layer card with lots of leaves!  And I had the appropriate sentiment for the Time Out challenge.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:-

• Less is More - week 245 Autumn one layer card
• Time Out - challenge #41 inspired by words "Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile"
• The Male Room - challenge #20 where the theme is Autumn

Materials used:-
Clarity stamps - Autumn maple leaves set
Versafine black onyx ink
Distress inks - various

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Snowflakes

I'm delighted to be back blogging after some time away - we're in the process of selling our house so all my crafting stuff has been tidied away.

I really liked Kimberly Wiener's card on Muse Christmas Visions this week and was inspired by the snowflakes, the blue background and the sparkly gems.  I found this was quite a quick and easy card to make so I might make some more although my stock of Christmas cards is looking quite healthy, considering it is only October!  There's a lot to be said for taking part in Christmas card blog challenges throughout the year.

Materials used:-
Stamps - Stunning Snowflake set by Uniko Studio
Distress inks - faded jeans and blueprint sketch
Onyx black Versafine ink
Wow opaque bright white embossing powder
 Papermania gems

Thanks for visiting my blog - I really appreciate your comments. Margaret

Another holly card

Here's another Xmas card for my collection and it qualifies for the NBUS challenge as I used some gilding wax which has been lying in a drawer for years! For those of you who haven't heard of NBUS this term was coined by Darnell and means Never Before Used Schtuff. And who doesn't have lots of stuff lurking in their craft rooms which was bought ages ago and hasn't been used?

                                    

I'm also entering this card into the Happy Little Stampers Christmas challenge which is holly.

Materials used:-

Embossing folder - freebie from Simply Homemade Magazine issue 48

Gilding wax - Treasure Gold Renaissance 

Gold card from stash

Word die - Sizzix Tim Holtz holiday words script

Thanks for visiting my blog and for your comments - I really appreciate these. Margaret 

Holly Merry Xmas

I'm still busy making Christmas cards! Here is a card I'm going to enter into 2 challenges featuring holly

• Merry Monday #170 Use Holly 
• Happy Little Stampers -September Christmas Challenge is holly 

                                 

I wanted to keep my card clean and simple as the embossing folder is quite detailed. I added some clear Wink of Stella to the leaves for a subtle shine.

Materials used:-
Sizzix holly embossing folder
Stamps from Simply Homemade Magazine issue 48
Die - Lawn Fawn stitched circle
Inks - Memento bamboo leaves and Colorbox chalk rouge; clear Wink of Stella
Pearls and ribbon from stash

Thanks for visiting!

Muse trees

Kimberly Wiener, our  Muse on Muse Christmas Visions  has created a great card for us this week featuring gold embossed Christmas trees in a very modern design. I was inspired by the design layout (3 trees), the gold embossing and the little bird!

I'm also entering this card into the following challenges:-

• Less is More colour challenge using green and gold
• AAA cards #47 embossing

Materials used:-

Stampin Up Festival of Trees set - stamps and punch; Stampin Up border punch

Noel die - Sizzix Tim Holtz holiday words

DI evergreen bough

Mirror gold embossing powder by Papercraft

Bird stamp - Marion Emberson designs "build a tree" set - bird stamped and cut out
Gold card from stash

Thanks for visiting my blog - I really appreciate your comments. Margaret 

A misty butterfly!

It's Lucky Dip week on Less is More this week and Chrissie and her team want us to use to use sprays and mists. I found it really difficult to use these and still maintain a clean and simple look.  I made a background first blending 3 distress inks and spraying with perfect pearls - that was the easy part! I decided that using die cuts would not detract too much from the background and die cut the word from some left over spritzed card. I then mounted everything on linen card.

Materials used:-
DI - spiced marmalade, fossilised amber and ripe persimmon
Perfect pearls mist - bronze
Dies - Lawn Fawn stitched rectangles and circle; simply hello
Sizzix butterfly die
Linen card
Copper wire for the antennae

Thanks for visiting my blog - I really appreciate your comments.  Margaret

Muse feathers

When I saw Carol Mayne's lovely card on Muse this week I just had to take part! I liked the CAS look of her card and the different colours used for the feathers. I wanted to create an ombré effect on my card so used a Kaleidacolor set in blue breeze. I inked up the stamp, then spritzed it with water and stamped it 3 times without re-inking. I liked the effect this created on the watercolour card.

I am also going to enter this card into the current challenge at CASology which is "WRITE".

Materials used:-
Stamp - Hot of the Press Feathers
Sentiment - Dawn Bibby
Inks - Kaleidacolor blue breeze; Versafine Onyx black; DI broken china

Thanks for visiting - I really appreciate your comments. Margaret

Blue Christmas

Challenge #71 on Addicted to CAS is BLUE so I immediately thought of a blue and white Christmas scene.

Materials used:-
Clarity tree stamp
Sentiment from Papercraft Inspirations Magazine issue143
Inks - Archival cobalt; DI broken China and tumbled gala

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Muse Christmas card

The guest Muse, Kristie Goulet, has created a beautiful black and white Christmas card to inspire us on Muse Christmas Visions this week.  I liked the clean design and the use of a quotation on the Muse card and tried to recreate this.  However, I'm not entirely happy with the placement of the holly on my card - it might have been better to put it in the middle. 

Materials used:-
Sentiment stamps - Stamps Away Christmas Defined
Holly - free stamp from Simply Homemade Magazine issue 48
Inks - Versafine onyx black, Versacolor green tea and colorbox chalk ink, rouge
Lawn Fawn die - large stitched rectangle stackables
Linen card

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Plaid good luck card

The cue word on CASology this week is plaid - we call this tartan is Scotland.  This is the card I created inspired by the cue word.  I die cut the letters and clear embossed the cat to give it some sheen.

Materials used:-
Tartan paper - Printable Heaven
Die cut letters - Memory Box Parker Uppercase
Stampin Up punch
Cat stamp - free from Craft Stamper magazine
Versafine black onyx

Thanks for visiting my blog - I really appreciate your comments. Margaret

LIM sketch

It's great to be back after my holiday when I wasn't able to do any crafting - I really missed it!

This week's challenge on Less is More is a sketch.  I don't usually like sketch challenges but this was a very easy sketch to follow and I was pleased with final result which was clean and simple.

 

I'm also going to enter this card in the August Uniko Studio challenge which is summer.

Materials used:-
DI - dried marigold and ripe persimmon
Versafine black onyx ink
Stamping Up flower stamp from Flower Shop set
Sentiment - Uniko studio Fontiments birthday


Thanks for visiting my blog!

LIM snippets

It's recipe week on Less is More this week and we are asked to make a card using snippets. I hate throwing anything away so I have lots of these! This was a very easy card to make as I had all the pieces - I just had to trim them and assemble the card. The circle was an experiment using Brushos and the square panel was created by inking through a mask with distress inks. I was delighted that all the colours went so well together!

Finally I would like to wish Chrissie all the best for her special birthday.  Thanks for visiting - Margaret

Chevron thanks

I'm entering this card into the current challenge at Addicted to CAS where the code word is CHEVRON. I thought the banner tied in with the chevron design. I inked through the mask to create an ombré effect and die cut the word twice, offsetting the layers.

Materials used:-
Mask - Creative Expressions
Distress inks - salty ocean, mermaid lagoon, tumbled glass and broken china
Dies - Lawn Fawn stitched party banners and Lil'inker designs thanks

Thanks for visiting - I really enjoy reading your comments.  Margaret

Vellum tag

When I saw this challenge on Tag You're It I immediately thought of using vellum and embossing it to create a winter scene - I was delighted when the card came out the way I had imagined it!

I'm also going to enter this into 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown where the July technique challenge is to make a Christmas card with embossing on vellum.

 

   
















Materials used:-
Tag die - Lawn Fawn stitched party banners
Distress inks for card - chipped sapphire, faded jeans and stormy sky
Snowflakes stamps - Stampendous
Sentiment - Jolly Holly Days from Simply Homemade magazine issue 48

Thanks for visiting my blog - I really appreciate your comments!  Margaret

Funky Xmas birds!

When I first looked at Marika's card on Muse Christmas Visions I thought I wouldn't be able to enter this week as I don't have any fun Xmas stamps.  Then I remembered I had this one which I think had come free in a magazine.  My inspiration from Marika's card was the use of the fun stamp and lots of white space. I used gold ink to stamp the music which the birds are standing on as I wanted it to be subtle - the gold ink adds to the Xmas feel of the card.  Another card to add to the Xmas card pile!

 

 

Materials used:-

Music stamp - Stamps Away 

 Brilliance galaxy gold

Distress markers
Versafine black onyx ink - clear embossed
Twine from stash

Thanks for visiting!

Mackintosh flower

I was delighted that my card was selected as one of the top three in last week's Muse challenge - thanks to everyone who voted for it.

Now on to this week's Muse challenge - I loved the beautiful CAS card created by this week's Muse, Anita Bowden.  I was inspired by the colours,  the stylised flowers and the white space on Anita's card and tried to recreate these.  I love the work of the Scottish designer and architect, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and felt this flower stamp was very similar to his designs. I embossed the flower design and then watercoloured it with distress inks.

I am also going to enter this card into Addicted to Stamps and More CAS challenge #154

Materials used:-
Stamps - Chocolate Baroque SKL Rose Stem and Mackintosh sentiments; Uniko Studio Lattice Background builders
Distress inks - evergreen bough, seedless preserves and shaded lilac
Black onyx versafine ink and archival ink (watering can)

Thanks for visiting - I really appreciate your comments. Margaret

Another beach scene!

Here is another beach scene I created recently using distress inks on watercolour card.  I'm going to enter this into the MFP Speedy Fox and Friends "Beach Scene" challenge.

Materials used:-
Watercolour card and various distress inks
Inklylicious stamps - windswept, essential grasses and seascape memories
Versafine onyx black and vintage sepia
Archival sepia
Kraft card

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Life's a beach!

The theme on Less is More this week is "Life's a beach" to make us think of long summer days and holiday time.  Although we have lots of beaches in Shetland, summer seems to be passing us by this year.

I wanted to create a watercolour card as I love using distress inks for watercolouring and got some inspiration from Birgit's blog - she produces the most amazing watercoloured cards!  My card is certainly not in the same league as Birgit's creations but I was pleased with the final result (that was after I cut off the smudged bit!)

I am also entering this card into challenge #143 on Crafty Cardmakers which is water.

Materials used:-
Plant stamp from Chocolate Baroque wild meadow set
Birds from Inklylicious windswept set
Various distress inks; versafine black onyx ink
Watercolour card

Thanks for visiting - now have a look at the Less is More blog for more great interpretations of the theme. Margaret

Chubby penguin

There is a fun challenge on Merry Monday this week to make a card with a penguin on it so here is my chubby penguin!  I coloured the penguin with distress markers and then mounted it on the embossed card.

Materials used:-
Woodward stamp - chubby penguin
DI - salty ocean; distress markers - salty ocean, seedless preserves, ripe persimmon and black
Black onyx versafine ink
Embossing folder - Crafters Companion 6x6 frosty morning
Coredination card
Nestabilities oval dies

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Muse daisies

This week's Muse is Ardyth (MASKerade) who creates the most amazing CAS cards - do have a look at her blog. I was inspired by the clean design of Ardyth's card - I really liked how the white flowers popped against the blue/green background. I used Pebeo drawing gum to mask my flowers - this is amazing stuff as it washes out of the brush and rubs off the card so easily. I went over the centres of the flowers with clear Wink of Stella to provide some shine and added a few enamel accents to finish the card.

Materials used:-

Stamps - Stampendous DaisyThanks
Black onyx versafine ink - clear embossed
Distress inks - salty ocean, mermaid blue, mowed lawn, twisted citron, ripe persimmon and spiced marmalade
Wink of Stella clear
Ranger white enamel accents
Pebeo drawing gum

Thanks very much for visiting - now pop over and see how the other participants were inspired by the Muse card.

Cupcake card

The cue card on CASology this week is CUPCAKE - a slight problem here as the only stamp I had was a Christmas one - if you look carefully you can see some holly on top of the cupcakes!  I have tried to keep my design CAS but added the dotty paper as I felt it gave the impression of a tablecloth.

Materials used:-
Paper - Graphic 45 Botanical Tea; textured card from stash
Stamps - from a magazine
Ink - archival watering can
Distress markers - various
Pearls - Kaisercraft rose
Dies - Lawn Fawn stitched circle stackables; Dienamics banner

Thanks for visiting - I really appreciate your comments.

Gifts

Here is another clean and simple Christmas card I made today - after masking off a panel, I inked this and then spritzed it with perfect pearls to provide some sheen.  I stamped the image 3 times and finally scored lines on each side of the stamped panel to provide some definition - I don't think these show up very well on my photo.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:-

One Layer Christmas Card Challenge #13 where the added twist is "gift"
CASology where the cue card is REPEAT - I stamped the gift 3 times and "Merry Christmas" is repeated frequently on the stamp

Materials used:-
Distress ink - evergreen bough; Archival ink - aquamarine
Gift stamp - Penny Black Giving and Receiving set
Sentiment - free stamp from Simply Homemade magazine issue 48
Stampin Up scoring board

Thanks for visiting my blog - I really appreciate your comments! Margaret

One layer birthday card

This week's challenge on Less is More is to make a one layer masculine card.  At one time this would have filled me with dread but now I quite enjoy making one layer cards. For this one, I masked off a panel and then inked this with distress inks before over stamping the watch image.

I am also going to enter this into the Inkspirational challenge #86 which is Grunge - I used earthy colours and I think the watch stamp is grungy!

Materials used:-
Mask - Creative Expressions watch
Stamp - Paperartsy clocks 3
Sentiment - Uniko Studio extra time
Distress inks - broken China and rusty hinge

Thanks for visiting my blog - now pop over to LIM and Inspirational to see what the other participants have created. Margaret

Nordic mitts

I'm getting ahead with making my Christmas cards so here is one inspired by Chriss Blagrave's lovely card on Muse Christmas Visions - I liked the mittens but didn't have a die so made my own template. I used the texture in my background instead of on the mittens.  The twine evoked a childhood memory of my mittens being tied together with ribbon to prevent them from getting lost!

I'm also going to enter this card into CAS on Sunday challenge #62 embossing.

Materials used:-
Tim Holtz stamp - holiday knits
Tim Holtz Sizzix holiday words script die
Embossing folder - Cuttlebug
Ink - Stampin Up cherry cobbler
Red pearlescent card and cord from stash

Thanks for visiting my blog - I hope you will pop over to MCV10 to get more inspiration your Christmas cards. Margaret

Nautical card

This week's challenge on Less is More is red, white and blue which made me think nautical! This was the first time I had used the rope border and was pleased with the final result.

Materials used:-
Rope border - Clarity Stamps
Other stamps - Hobby Art Harbour and Far Away
Archival ink - cobalt
Distress ink - festive berries

Thanks for visiting my blog - now pop over to LIM to see what the other participants have created.

Muse deer

I'm at the last minute with my entry for Muse Christmas Visions this week as I've been away at the St Magnus Festival in Orkney - enjoyed a great weekend of poetry, drama and music. This week's muse is Betty Wright who has created this striking card.  I was inspired by the white deer against the dark blue background and the stitching around the card. I used Brushos to create the background of my card and added a hill for my deer to stand on as I felt it needed to be grounded. I was pleased with the background as it looked a bit like the aurora borealis.

Materials used:-
Brushos and watercolour card
Archival ink - cobalt
Lawn Fawn stitched hillside borders and large stitched rectangle dies
Collage cutz deer set
Dienamics pierced rectangle die
Sentiment - Lakeland (very old!)

Thanks for visiting - now pop over to MCV7 and you may be inspired to start making your Christmas cards! Margaret

Nordic Noel

 

When I saw this week's theme on Merry Monday was red and white I immediately thought of Tim Holtz Holiday Knits stamp! I have kept my design clean and simple, scoring a couple of lines under the panels to add some definition.

Materials used:-
Stamp - Tim Holtz Holiday Knits
Noel die - Sizzix Tim Holtz Holiday Words script
Nestabilities - squares
Ink - Wendy Vecchi red geranium
Scrap glitter card for the word
Stampin Up scoring board

Thanks for visiting my blog!

New home

This week's theme at Less is More is Home and it's the dreaded one layer challenge. When I see "one layer" I think of watercolouring and that's what I've done here.  I used watercolour card to make a 6x4 inch card.  I stamped the image and sentiment with Versafine ink and then used distress ink to colour this.

Materials used:-
Stamps - Creative Stamping magazine and Stampin Up Gorgeous Grunge
Distress inks - mustard seed, gathered twigs and broken China
Distress markers - barn door and pumice stone
Versafine black onyx ink

Thanks for visiting my blog - now pop over to LIM to see how the other participants have interpreted this challenge.