Elliott's Angel DT Post - Celebrate You

Hi Crafters,

I'm back on the Hope-Chances blog today featuring a card with Spellbinders dies and stamps.  Yes, you read right - Spellbinders stamps! Woo Hoo!

My main topper was made using the Spellbinders Labels 49 Decorative Elements, inked with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Spiced Marmalade.  I added a die cut wreath from the Spellbinders Wreath set and inked with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Aged Mahogany.  My patterned paper is from a Lawn Fawn paper pad called Sweater Weather and is also available in the Hope Chances shop.  I love this paper pad and the quality is great.

I created my embellishments from the Spellbinders Acorns set and curved them around my finger to give dimension, raising up with foam pads.

My sentiment was stamped in Versamark and heat embossed with WOW Embossing Powder.  The original stamp says "For You" but I masked the "For" before inking, then uncovered and only the "You" stamped.

And now for a close-up!

Be sure to check out the Hope and Chances shop - loads of great products at fantastic prices.

Happy crafting,
Rachel x

Fab'n'Funky Challenges #190 - Distress

Hi Crafters,

I hope you've been crafting away, enjoying using all your stash.  I've been in the kitchen instead of my crafty space - my friends and I started our annual Come Dine With Me last weekend and I was the first to host (things can only get better!).  I'm not known for my culinary skills but it seemed to go down a treat!

We have a super new challenge for you over at Fab'n'Funky Challenges with the winners and Top 3 from last week's Spots and Stripes challenge having been announced.  Take a peek at the blog to see if you were chosen.  

For this week, the wonderful Beccy is our host and she has chosen a great challenge that I'm sure you're going to love.

Distress

I don't think this one needs any explaining!  We also have two great sponsors this week - Flonzcraft and Lacy Sunshine.  Both have fab prizes on offer for the random winners.  Plus there will be a Top 3, as always.

I chose to use a Lacy Sunshine image, my first from this designer and I just fell in love with this Parisian image called Adele - Paris City Girl.

I coloured my image with ProMarkers in Marsh Green, Fresh Meadow, Walnut, Cinnamon, March Hare, Satin, Rose Pink, Pink Mittens, Blush and Dusky Pink.  To create the frame I cut out using Spellbinders Labels Twenty-Nine which I thought resembled an open book.  So that it stood out I inked through the die with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Bundled Sage.

My mat was created from a piece of Coredinations cardstock which is also what I used for the Eiffel Tower, sanding it back to reveal the core.  This die came from the Spellbinders French Frills set.  I already had the doily coloured using a ProMarker and it seemed to match so I just used it to save colouring another.  I found the satin ribbon in my stash and I think it might have come from Create and Craft.  My DP is from Wild Rose Studio's Letters from Paris set.  It's a gorgeous collection of papers with a pink and green colour scheme.  I distressed the layers with a pair of scissors because, of course, I couldn't find my Tim Holtz paper distresser when I needed it!  Finally I finished with three square gems in the top right corner.  I bought these from my local craft shop when they were reduced to £1.  Bargain!  

I hope you can join in our distressing this week at Fab'n'Funky Challenges.  

Happy crafting,
Rachel x

Pearly Thank You

Hi All,

Another day, another card!  I really should be making wedding invites but this just came to me last night and I had to make it there and then.  It's another Spellbinders card and I have used kraft cardstock again. 

After pink, turquoise is definitely my next favourite colour.  The turquoise colour on this card is from Coredinations cardstock.  I stared with an 8x8 piece and attached to my card blank with double sided sticky tape.  My main layer is kraft cardstock which I embossed with an Embossalicious embossing folder that I had inked with Versamark on the debossed side.  I ran it through the Grand Calibur and then covered in white embossing powder before heating with my heat tool.  I inked around the edge with Broken China Distress Ink from Tim Holtz.  My ribbon is Creative Expressions Silky Crush in gold and Ribbon Kings sheer ribbon in turquoise. 

I used the Spellbinders Grand Decorative Ovals for my base topper and inked again with the DI.  The pearls, from Creative Expressions, were all in one but I cut in half and then added on top.  I used the Spellbinders Standard Ovals Large in Coredinations and kraft for the next layers and stamped the same Thank You sentiment stamp in Broken China again.

I hope you have lovely plans for the weekend.  I'm sure it'll be Monday before we know it!

Happy crafting,
Rachel x

Fab'n'Funky Challenges #158 - What's Inside

Hi Crafty Friends,

It must be Wednesday as we have a brand new challenge for you at Fab'n'Funky Challenges.  We loved all of your romantic and heart projects last week - what a lot of love is going on in the world this week!  The winners and Top 3 are on the blog now so do take a look.

And now to let you in on our new challenge, we have the brilliant Beccy and she has chosen...

What's Inside

We would like to see the inside of your cards decorated.  You can decorate it in any way you like, just make sure there is something extra special in there for the recipient.

Our sponsor this week is one of my faves - Stamp Fairy.  You can click here to check out their fab designs.  The randomly picked winner will receive a $10 voucher to spend in the online store.

So, I bet you are wondering what I've created this week, so without further ado...

Isn't he cute?  This is Garden Goblins 1 from Stamp Fairy and you can find him here.  I took him into Serif and used the Cut Out Studio to cut away the main white part of the mushrooms.  I added a red polkadot background paper behind and then once printed out I fussy cut around with scissors and a craft knife.  I coloured using my ProMarkers and Flexmarkers in Satin, Almond, Dusky Pink, Cinnamon, Cocoa, Caramel, Burnt Umber, Lipstick Red, Ruby, Surf Blue, Aquamarine and Soft Aqua.  I hope you can see the shading.

My red layer is a piece of Coredinations cardstock which I distressed with my Tim Holtz paper distresser.  I embossed the mushroom frame from the Cuttlebug Freshly Picked set and then sanded back to reveal a bit more of the design.  My circle of clouds was made using a Darice folder and an X-Cut circle die.  I printed the blue and brown papers from Serif, recolouring using the colour picker tool.  My card blank is from Hunkydory and I used Antique Linen Distress Ink to age the edge. 

I layered up more of the papers that I had used on the front and then added a border of mushrooms.  This paper was also printed from Serif.  My mushroom die is by C.C. Designs and I've had it in my stash for ages but only just cut with it today.  I used a stamp set, with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Fired Brick, that was a free gift from Create and Craft as part of my club membership.

I hope you can link up your creations this week.  The team have come up with some brilliant ideas to I hope you can visit them for some inspiration too.

Happy crafting,
Rachel x

Fab'n'Funky Challenges #155 - Your Favourite Colour Combo

Hello Crafters,

I can't believe it's Wednesday again already!  But Wednesday means a brand new challenge at Fab'n'Funky Challenges.  So if you haven't already, check out our winners post for the last challenge as it's on the blog right now.

So, I know you're all wondering what we would like you to create this week.  Our host is the wonderful Ginny and she has chosen a great theme...

Your Favourite Colour Combo

Yip, it's that simple.  Just chose your favourite colour combo and get crafting!  We also have the brilliant Flonzcraft as our sponsor.  They are a stamp manufacturing compnay from New Zealand.  Be sure to check out their stamps here.

I had a little dilemma chosing my colour combo but this is what I first thought of when I saw the challenge theme so I knew it had to be the one - pink, black and silver.

I recently treated myself to a set of the Spellbinders Grand Scalloped Squares which I bought from America because it was cheaper then buying from the UK!  Anyway, I used these to make my card blank and then scored the back panel to allow the card to stand.

My background actually came from waste!  I spritzed all over the circles masks from That Special Touch to make a background for another card and then used the leftover ink that was still on the mask to make a second background and this what I've used here.  I really liked the way it turned out - not quite perfect but still enough to show the shimmer of the Mister Huey spray.  I used my Tim Holtz Picked Raspberry Distress Ink on my Slodge mat to add colour to the spritzy background once it had dried.  I wanted a graduated look so really went for it at the bottom of the card, fading nearer the top.

Using Spellbinders Grand Decorative Circles I cut a base shape from black card and then added a doily which I had covered with silver metallic ink.  I stamped my Flonzcraft Crystal Frame stamp in black on white card and then used my DI to colour match the background.  I added a silver-mirri butterfly from the Spellbinders Jewel Flourishes set.  Finally I finished off with some gems for the corners.  I'm still in gem-mania mode!

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp and Show - What Are You Known For (pink and butterflies)
Top Tip Tuesday #94 - Lavishly Luscious Layers
Creative Card Crew #28 - Girly 
Created With Love Challenges #25 - Anything Goes 

I hope you can join us for our great colour combo challenge this week.

Happy crafting,
Rachel x

The Cuttlebug Spot DT Card - Triangles

Hi Everyone,

I hope you've all had a good start to the new year.  I've had a humongous abscess!  I couldn't even bear my hair touching my cheek!  Major bummer!  Plus I have a real fear of the dentist after a bad experience a few years ago so it hasn't been the best start to my new year.  Sorry, I went on a bit there!

So anyway, onto the latest challenge at The Cuttlebug Spot.  We would like to see...

Triangles

Easy peasy lemon treasy!  Just use a triangle somewhere on your card or project and don't forget to use those Cuttlebugs.  I love mine.  We have a wonderful sponsor this week - Trina Clark from Digiscrap Kits.  The winner can pick 2 items from her amazing blog!

 

Unfortunately Blogger is being a pain and I still can't upload any photos.  So head over to The Cuttlebug Spot blog to see my creation this week.  Once blogger starts to play ball again I'll add some photos to this post.  Update:  My lovely teamie, Brianna, suggested using a different browser and it has worked a treat!  So here is my card for our triangles challenge...

I created my card using the DayDream digikit in Serif's Craft Artist 2.  I love the colours of this kit - so pretty and girly.  Once I had my design sorted I split the layers and printed using my brand new A3 Brother printer!  Woo!  My brother bought me a Brother!  Lol!  Fab pressie and fab brother!  Although I think my future sister-in-law was the genius behind this wonderful gift. :)

I used a craft knife and steel ruler to cut out the layers and then distressed using Tim Holtz paper distresser tool, adding with foam pads from Hunkydory.  Love these foam pads.  I cut a butterfly using Spellbinders Wonderul Wings which is a brilliant set of beautiful butterfly dies.  I inked thorugh the die with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Worn Lipstick.  Finally I used a computer generated sentiment and cut it out using Spellbinders Floral Tags, adding a crystal gem to each corner.

I hope you can join us at The Cuttlebug Spot for our Triangles challenge.  We'll have a brand new challenge on Tuesday so make sure to check back for that.

Happy Crafting,
Rachel x

Fab'n'Funky Challenges #146 - Bingo

Hi Everyone,

Wow!  What a response to our Die Cuts/Punches challenge last week.  We had so many brilliant entires.  I don't know how Pat K managed to choose her top 3 but choose she did!  Head over to the Fab'n'Funky Challenges blog to see the wonderful winners and fab Top 3.

This week is my turn to host our challenge and I have gone with a bingo board...

Shaped card blank	Charm	Distressing
Lace	Vintage	Flourish
Twine	Embossing	Kraft card

Just use any line - across, up, down or diagonal and let us know which line you have used.

We have a fantastic sponsor this week - it's Stamp Fairy!

The DT were able to use super Stamp Fairy images from their new winter digis.  There are so many lovely images on the site so make sure you check them out.

From the bingo board, I chose twine, embossing and kraft card on my project and it's not a card!

Nope, it's a gift bag!  My Dad gave me some of these brown paper bags for my first craft fair last sunday and I knew it would be perfect for this challenge.  My checked and dotty papers are from Papermania's Deck the Halls paper pack.  I used Spellbinders Holly Accents for the holly border and inked through the die with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Mowed Lawn.  This ink pad is actually from the seasonal summer set but really worked well with my Christmas papers. 

I printed my image straight onto kraft card and then added twine in red and green using Cosmic Shimmer dries clear glue.  I mounted my lovely little gingerbread man onto Spellbinders Labels Twenty Eight with foam tape.  My embossed greeting was made using an embossing folder and Centrura Pearl Snow White card.  The folder is made up of lots of different Christmas greetings so I just cut it out with scissors and then cololured with the distress ink again.  I really love the shimmer from this card.

So get your dabbers at the ready and lets play bingo!  Can't wait to see all of your creations.

Happy crafting,

Rachel x

Spellbinding Fun!

Hi Crafty People,

I'm having a rather lazy Saturday.  It started off great with a workout and then some crafting but I've really done nothing this pm!  I thought I would show you what I've been working on this weekend though.  I sent in an email to Leonie on Create and Craft this morning but I think I was just out of time.  :(  There's always next time though.

The world exclusive Spellbinders Pick of the Day that was on C&C a couple of weeks ago was just to die for!  Geddit?!  The dies are called D-Lites as they are smaller but more intricate in style.  I can't chose my favourite yet but this one is definitely in my top 5!

I used the smallest of the Spellbinders Grand Dahlia dies to make my card blank and then stamped around with Tim Holtz Dusty Concord Distress Ink, using a Debbi Moore flourish stamp.  The centrepiece is made from the D-Lites and this is Medallion Four.  The base is silver-mirri paper and then topped with an inked purple layer.  I cut the sentiment stamp from the Ribbon Banners set and then inked thought with DC DI again.  The butterfly is also a Spellbinders die and came from the Butterflies Two set, which was inked within an inch of it's life too!  I added a diamante to the centre of the butterfly for extra bling. 

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

Totally PaperCrafts #137 - Let's See Those Shapes
Make It Monday #109 - Anything Goes
By The Cute and Girly - Birthdays

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you are having a great World Card Making Day 2012.

Happy crafting,
Rachel x

Fab'n'Funky Challenge #137 - Colours of Autumn

Hi Everyone,

Hope this post finds you all well.  I learned a valuable crafty lesson on Sunday night - paper is dangerous!  I bent down to pick up a piece of mirri-paper and snap went my back!  I couldn't straighten up and had to get help from my Mam!  Be careful out there!

Anyway, we have a brilliant new challenge over at Fab'n'Funky and our host this week is the great Pat.  Her chosen theme is very apt for this time of year...

The Colours of Autumn

We also have a fantastic sponsor - My Creative Classroom, who are giving our lucky winner the chance to take part in a hair colouring masterclass.  How amazing is that?!

So, onto my card and I've gone quite simple this week but I kinda liked how it turned out.

I think my photo skills are getting worse though!  This shows the gold mirri-card off and then I layered with brown pearlescent cardstock.  The red spider's web mesh is from Kanban and I have 5 rolls of this in different colours so you might be seeing quite a bit of it for a while!

My stamped image is also Kanban, from their Steampunk stamp set.  I used a Hobbycraft gold inkpad and it really suits these stamps.  I used Spellbinders Grand Ovals to but my image and then distressed with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Fired Brick to highlight the embossing.  Here is the close-up...

This shows the colour of the die cut paper which is a lot more orange-y in real life.  Hope you have fun with your colours of autumn.

Happy crafting,
Rachel x

Oh Christmas Tree

Hello Crafty Friends,

Second post this week already!  Can you tell I've been on holiday since last week?!  I said I was going to make 3 Christmas cards a day while I was off but I've only managed 3 so far and I've been off for a week!  Ah well, it's only July!

This is a super sparkly card today.  I love making sparkly things!

I started with three wooden tree embellishments and inked up a swirly Debbi Moore stamp with Versamark.  I stamped on to the trees and then added Cosmic Shimmer embossing powder which was heated with a heat tool.  I added Tim Holtz Bundled Sage Distress Ink over the top of the embossing so that the swirls resisted and made more of an impact. 

To make the backgournd, I took a piece of Create and Craft pearlescent cardstock and used the same DM stamp with Versamark to make the patterns around the edge.  I also used the Cosmic Shimmer embossing powder here too.  The ribbon was originally cream seam binding which I coloured with the Bundled Sage DI.  I added a Creative Expressions dazzler to the centre of the ribbon with Pinflair Glue Gel.

Hope you are all having a good week with plenty of crafty time.

Happy crafting,
Rachel x

Tatty Button Rescue

I just love the Tatty Button stamps from Creative Expressions.  Even better that they are already mounted.  This was a work in progress card as when I started I didn't really have a vision in mind.  I coloured in the stamp one night when I was feeling a bit fed up and needed something to cheer me up. 

When I looked through my Spellbinders I came across the Labels Twenty which was the perfect size.  Unfortunately I managed to slip one of my distress ink pads right on top of Tatty!  D'oh!  Luckily she managed to avoid the cheeky ink and I managed to save her by cutting around her and mounting her onto an orange and white tartan card.  This is the first time I used the button mask and was quite pleased with the result using Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Broken China.  I made the border using an EK Success punch and just alternated the colours.  The flowers were stamped and then cut out by hand.  I finished off the card with a small sentiment stamped onto another of the Spellbinders shapes.

Flutterby Thanks

This was a quick thank you card for my jewellery making tutor, Anita.  I did a 10 week course in jewellery making earlier this year and Anita was so lovely that I thought it would be a nice thing to do for her to say thanks. 

I cut the butterflies out using Spellbinder dies and then inked through with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Broken China.  The purple dotty butterflies were a little trickier!  I had to draw round the die and then cut them out by hand as they only come in one size.  I embossed them with a dotty embossing folder run through the Cuttlebug and then added some more of the Distress Ink to make the dots stand out.  The sentiment was stamped using the peg alphabet letters from Stamping with Dimension. 

A Hint of the Orient

I'd had this idea with the trail of flowers along a shaped card for a while but hadn't really known what else to put with it.  As soon as I saw the Geisha stamps in my stash I knew it was the perfect match.  I covered the shaped card with red paper and purple textured card and then placed flowers from my 3 Birds set around the edge, alternating the colours. I stamped the figure and masked her and then stamped the trees around.  The image was coloured using Promarkers and then cut out using Spellbinders Labels 4.  Next I drew around the biggest die and cut that out to form the mount and then inked the edge of the stamped image with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Red Brick. Finally I stamped the sentiment onto another piece of the red paper and mounted both that and the image onto foam pads.