My First Spotlight Card

Faux Stitching Technique

As it is my turn to be the Spotlight Designer this week over at 

www.arandomfandt.blogspot.com. 

I have decided to share one of my favourite techniques called Faux Stitching. Although this is not a NEW technique, it is one that I fall back on a lot. If things get a little confusing, I have inserted the link to Splitcoast Stampers, where I first learnt this technique.

Paper piercing pad or mousepad

Paper piercing template or Plastic Ruler

Paper piercing tool or Darning Needle works just as well

Marker or gel pens

Cardstock

Step-by-Step

Step 1

Place cardstock piece on top of the paper piercing pad.

Next, place the clear paper piercing template over the cardstock piece to be stitched.Use the paper piercing tool to poke holes in cardstock, using the piercing template or ruler as a guide.

Step 2

Use a marker or gel pen to connect the pierced holes in your cardstock. This will form stitch marks. Make sure to pause at each hole so the hole is highlighted with marker. This helps to form a more realistic stitched look.

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/faux_stitching/#ixzz2u07c4FTT

Hello There

I made this card for the challenge over at Stampin Royalty this week. I shuddered when I saw that this challenge was a 'Clean and Simple' type of project. So while I was out watering my garden, I thought that I could use my washi tape. (Never opened). And, yes, there you have it, my very first clean and simple card that I actually like. Oh, and the best thing about this card, is it took longer to print out the image, than it did to make the whole card. I think I may make a few more of these and have then ready for those occasions when you just want to send a card because, you can.

Click here for more inspiration

Bedtime Stories - Sketch Challenge

Over at www.arandomfandt.blogspot.com we have a little sketch challenge for you to try. I must admit, following a sketch makes card making so much easier for me, as I tend to move things around a lot, before sticking them down. Although, I have been known to pull cards apart after I have stuck them down to move things around. For this challenge I have used A Random Fan digital stamp called Bedtime Stories. She is so cute. I have used some colours that I do not usual use when it comes to card making. I thought I would venture outside the square a little.

Week 3 - 2014

Week 2 - 2014

A Random Fan Blog Hop

There is some exciting news over at "A Random Fan and we’re having a blog hop to help celebrate.

We are elated, ecstatic, all worked up to a frenzie to share that some of the adorable A Random Fan images are now available as rubber stamps. 

I have used "Travel Bug" which is one of my personal favorites.
Hop to all the blogs to see if your favorite has been made into Rubber.

If you arrived here from  Eva please continue to Martine.
Otherwise please start with  A Random Fan.   Here are all the blogs, just incase you get a little lost along the way.

A Random Fan  http://arandomfandt.blogspot.com

 CC Designs

Jenn

Laura

Rebecca

Carlyann

Melissa 

Faye 

Bettina

Eva 

Paula (You are here)

Martine

We have some wonderful projects to show you today so please make sure you hop on over to everyone.

A Random Fan rubber stamps are available for sale at CC Designs Rubber Stamps!  

It's your birthday

For this card, I went to My Design Studio from Stampin Up to find the stamps I was looking for. I printed the stamps in the colours (re sizing) below to match the theme at Stampin Royalty this week. I think that this stamp set is called "on the go?"

Click here for more inspiration

Party Animal

It has been so long since I have played with either of these challenge blogs. Actually, I can not remember the last time. So, having said that, I thought that this little fellow from A Random Fan - Party Animal would be perfect for the sketch and colours.

http://www.fridaymashup.com

http://www.palspaperarts.com

Floral Congratulations

For Stampin Royalty this week we have another picture inspiration for you. From this picture I decided that more flowers and doilies were in order. I think my card is based on the small picture of the dining setting on the bottom right hand corner. Basically everything that I have used for this card has been discontinued, but having said that, you can substitute the colours if you want.

Click here for more inspiring projects

Love is in the Air

Here is my card for the new challenge over at A Random Fan this week. We are focusing on Hugs and Kisses - Valentine theme this week. I have used Gemmas' Secret Crush. Which is available on the blog.

The supplies I have used for this card are all Stampin Up, unless stated.

Card stock : Close to Cocoa, Whisper White, Red Riding Hood, Pink Pirouette

Large Heart punch.

Copic Sketch markers for the colouring &

my old faithful Brother Sewing Machine

Check out what the other girls have come up with on the blog. Have a go at making something yourself and post it on the challenge. You could have a chance to win some of Sherrys' amazing images. 

Week 1 - 2014

Love Love Love

This week at Stampin Royalty we have a (love) challenge for you to try. Here is my card for the challenge, luckily for me one of my star pupils sent me some instructions on how to make this amazing rose for the front. Thank you Shirley.

I used Strawberry Slush card stock and Designer Paper for my card and made the flower using my 5 petal punch. The sentiment is from the Sale-A-Bration set called See Ya Later from Stampin Up. The leaves and doily are an old die I had kicking around my craft room.

Click here for more awesome Designer Team cards

Cover Page for 2014

Here is my cover page for my 'project life' or 365 photo or whatever the real name is for this style of scrap booking or memory keeping. I think I will go for pocket pages. I decided that the garden would be the best to highlight on the cover because I spend a lot of time in the garden over the Summer break.

Although I have finished my 2013 album, I have decided that although it looks good, it took up way too much time to do each page. I am going to try and simplify my album and pages for 2014.

DIY Photo Light Box

The theme for this weeks challenge over at Stampin Royalty is ANYTHING but a card. I am guessing that this little project I made would cover the anything part. I decided that I was not very good at taking photos of my finished cards, so I jumped on the ever faithful Pinterest and found a few of these Photo Light boxes. I made this one out of stiff cardboard (Newsagents) and cut three square windows. One on the top and both sides. I then covered the sides with Tracing paper, (that's all I had on hand). There is a sheet of cut down A3 paper stuck on the back of the box, and there you have it. A home made (inexpensive) Photo Light Box. I will let you know how it works out. 

Before Photo light box.

After Photo light box.

My First DT Challenge for A Random Fan

So, here it is. The very first Challenge from A Random Fan Challenge Blog. The challenge is Digital Stamp. Pop on over to Sherry's site and grab yourself a digi, colour it in, and send it off. It's that easy. Oh, and if you win the challenge, there are heaps of awesome Digital Stamps for grabs.

Card Information

Pretty in Pink - Designer paper, Card Stock, Ribbon and Button - SU

Wisteria Wonder - Designer Paper and Card Stock - SU 

Whisper White Card Stock - SU

Label Punch - SU

Hearts Trio Punch - Old SU

Pearls - SU

Copic Markers for image

DIGITAL STAMP - Winter Kiss

Challenge Information

Our challenges are run with the following rules:
Bi-weekly challenge – runs for 10 daysStarts:  Tuesday at 12:00 a.m. (pst)Ends:  The following Friday at 12:00 p.m.


Follow the current challenge guidelines.
Only current projects will be accepted.  No back linking.
Entries must have a hand colored image on them.  Sentiment only cards will be removed.
You may use any image you desire.  Be sure to use a direct link to your project using Inlinkz, not your entire blog. 
You may combine up to 5 other challenges.
If you have word verification on your blog we may not be able to leave a comment.
You need to link your blog post back to our challenge post. 
We reserve the right to delete projects that do not follow the listed rules

The winner will be announced on Monday and will receive 3 free digis.  You need to contact Sherry at   sherrytdesigns at gmail dot com with your digital requests in order to claim your prize.

New Design Team Member

Well, it certainly has been a great start to the year. I was selected to become a Design Team Member for   A Random Fan. Sherry has the most amazingly cute images. Stay tuned as we are just about to release the brand new site, with the first ever Challenge. Sit tight, and in a few hours, all will be revealed.

Very Grateful

Here is a Colour Challenge for you all to try this week. Using the colours listed above, create a card or scrapbook page using these colours. I have used my stamps from Stampin Up.

Backyard Basics - Butterflies

Oh, Hello - Background on punched circles

So Very Grateful - Sentiment

Copic Markers - Colouring of Butterflies

Large Circle punches

www.stampinroyalty.blogspot.com is where you need to go to have a look at some more inspirational projects using the same colours.

Only ever good thoughts

Here is the card I have made for the Stampin Royalty Picture Inspiration Challenge this week. There were so many things going on in this picture, it was difficult to decide what sort of card to make. So after a lot of changing and re positioning, I decided that I would go with the ever faithful Stippled Blossoms stamp set and focus on the floral aspect of the picture.

Have a little look at what the girls have some up with using the same picture for their inspiration.

Its your birthday

I have had this little cutie coloured in for a while now, just begging to find the right sketch to use her on. Well, Mojo Monday just happen to have the sketch I was looking for. So here she is, in all her glory. I would like to introduce you to sherry t designs. I love all of these digital images. Incredible artist. I hope I have done Sherry's image justice with this card. I know I love it. This stamp is called Gemmas Secret Crush. Stay tuned and you will see some more images from Sherry, all coloured up and, well, you know the rest. Ha. So having Stampin Royalty as a birthday challenge, I thought I would link up this card, just for fun.

Happy 4th Birthday Stampin Royalty

This week at Stampin Royalty we have a little birthday challenge for you to play along with. I pulled out my old faithful, a Rose is a Rose stamp set from Stampin Up and used the stamp off technique to create this card. I have also used the sentiment from Fifth Avenue Floral. Go over to see what the other girls have come up with, or better still, create your own birthday card and submit it on Stampin Royalty's site. Either way, have fun.

With Deepest Sympathy

Over at www.stampinroyalty.blogspot.com this week, we have a sketch for you to try. I have used the ever faithful Stippled Blossoms from Stampin Up with the Marina Mist and Not Quite Navy card stock and patterned papers.

Soccer Star

I made this layout using the colour in the www.stampinroyalty.blogspot.com colour challenge for this week. The colours are: Real Red, Gumball Green and Whisper White. Although usually I would have made a christmas card or project with these colours, I am a little over all the Christmas bits at the moment. So, I thought that this was a great way to use these colours as the red matched Daniels shirt and the green matched (what was left of the green) grass.

Christmas Photo Inspiration

This is the card I made for the Photo Inspiration shown below at www.stampinroyalty.blogspot.com. I basically took the colours and the baubles from the photo and created a circle punch christmas tree.

I used the clear buttons from my stash of old SU buttons and a bit of twine. (Actually, it is cooking string to be exact). Nothing like bringing the kitchen into the craft room. lol. Click on the link above and have a look at that the other girls have come up with. They are so talented.

Snowflakes?

The challenge this week at stampin royalty is all about Snowflakes. I questioned my title for this post, because I could not find a snowflake anywhere in my stash. I couldn't believe it. So I have used a little snowflake that I cut out of the designer paper, and embossed the background with snowflakes. As I had not cleaned up from the last card I posted, (last week), I decided I would use the same 'everything' and create another card. Makes for easy colour selection too.

Winter

This week at stampin royalty we have a Winter theme for you to try. I have used one of my favourite stamps called Snow Much Fun and coloured with my Copics to match the Stampin Up papers. The papers come from the mini stack called Winter Frost, which just fits nicely on the card. I even dragged out my little sewing machine and machine stitched around the outside of the Smokey Slate. So, remember, if you want to purchase any of these products to make you own Winter themed card, just click on the shopping button and have the product delivered straight to your door.