Sporting Birthday Cards

I wandered down to The Range yesterday to pick up some crafting essentials and a new cat carrier - one of my cats managed to break the door  of ours whilst we were wresting him into it for a trip to the vets - only for a check up and booster shot!

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I stumbled across a sheet of silver foiled sports decoupage figures - I really struggle to make suitable cards for my male relatives, so snapped them up!

Keep on Gilding!

I can't stop playing with my new sunshine gold and peacock gilding flakes and dandelion stamps, I'm almost tempted to get out my Christmas stamps for more gilding - but I try not to start Christmas cards until September when the weather starts to cool down a bit!

Ballerina Teddy Bear Birthday Cards

A couple of cute cards for young girls this time - Ballerina Bears designed by Gillian Flint, which I have mounted on Kraft cards to give a bit of a contrast. 

Coloured using my trusty Promarkers!

A Bit More Gilding

Having fun using the gilding flakes, although things can get a bit sticky and its best to get organised with everything you need nearby! 
I am always surprised how crisp the images come out.

I quite pleased how these couple of cards turned out,

 the girl with the hair was a free stamp with a magazine and plant stems are from  Inkadinkado.

New Plaything - Gilded Flakes!

My Mum and I went to the Papercraft Fair yesterday in Bury St Edmunds and she bought me some great early birthday presents!

I was impressed by the Indigo Blu demonstration of their Gilding Flakes and bought a couple of tubs and their glue and had fun making these cards! 

She also treated me to a new stamp, so I thought this lovely dandelion head from Personal Impressions would look nice gilded up.



I am really impressed by these products -I'm guessing that I won' be able to resist getting some more of their yummy colour schemes to make some Christmas cards with.

Scraps Away!

I have several folders full of those poly pockets containing the left over pieces from various collections of papers - many of which were freebies from different magazines. 

The stickers and scraps of papers for these 3 cards, I think, were from a Making Cards Magazine collection - probably at least 2 or 3 years old!

I challenged myself to use them all up and after a bit of playing around, found they toned nicely with some large Papermania Capsule die cut flower shapes (which had been kicking around for a while too!) - so that just leaves about 30 more pockets of scraps to use up!!

Monochrome Seed Heads

This is my new Woodware 'Going to Seed' magic stamp that was an impulse buy last weekend.

I tried stamping it out in several different inks but think these monochrome black and grey cards look the best - 



especially when highlighted with a little stickles glitter glue!

Artist Trading Cards

I confess - I love making ATC's (Artist Trading Cards)! I started off just making them to use up those off-cuts from card making but have found I really like making those little bits of art work. 

The size (3.5 inches by 2.5 inches) just seems to lend itself to creativity plus its a good way to stretch yourself into a bit of experimentation!

The hot weather seems to kick started my mojo, so these are a few I have available to swap over on docrafts.

Most of them had been made with the freebie stamps with Get Stamping Magazine that I picked up yesterday.

One Swallow Doesn't Make a Summer

..... but this fabulous hot weather does! I enjoyed a fantastic day out yesterday in Hyde Park, London watching Paul Young, The Saturdays, The Beach Boys and JLS - despite been the oldest by a long way The Beach Boys put on the best show!

This little vintage thank you card used a few scraps of freebie papers from a magazine along with lace and  a pale blue swallow

A Few 'Cool' Birthday Cards

I bought Creative Stamping Magazine because of the free OMG Teenyboppers Stamps. I find teenagers are so hard to make cards for - especially the boys!

But these stamps of ipods, bikes, games controllers etc will hopefully appeal to them. It was also useful to use up a bit of my ever growing stash too!

I got a bit carried away!

My copy of Simply cards and Papercraft magazine arrived yesterday with the free Hot of the Press 'Home Grown' paper pack - I made a couple of cards with the papers ( see last post). Hubby was working, son was at a head banging festival and daughter was dancing on the Wii, so I had a bit of a crafting session and before I knew it, I had made 22 different cards! There were cards for Dad, thanks you cards, girly birthday cards -  the papers seemed to go with everything including Gorjuss, Diggity dog, Dandelion and Daisy!!

I just had to use up the last few scraps and so made another 8 ATC's to swap - the whole freebie paper pack was used up in just over 24 hours - think I will go for a bit of a lie down now.

Home Grown Cats

My copy of Simply Cards & Papercraft Magazine popped through the door this morning complete with a yummy HOTP 'Home Grown' paper set as the free gift - so guess what I've been doing this morning - yup, carpet still needs a hoover, but crafting can't wait, can it!!!

I've teamed them up with a black cat silhouette ( Poppy Stamps die) to make these couple of cards.

Cats and Trees, all in Silhouette!

Just been playing with my new dies - I treated myself to the Memory Box Arboscello tree that I have been lusting after for ages along with some curious cats from Poppy Stamps to make these silhouette cards. Three similar but different cards - hopefully suitable for any cat lover.

They have been layered onto a textured paper and finished off with craftwork card sentiments. 

I experimented with both black and white card and quite like both effects!

HunkyDory Flowers!

I got a bit carried away with the free papers that came with this months Cardmaking & Papercraft Magazine!. I have made another 6 or 7 cards since this photo and still have some papers left, that's got to be good value for money. 

They are on nice quality paper and card with foiling and the decoupage really makes them stand out

Spot the Fizzy Moon!

Something a bit different this time - I've used a couple of old Debbi Moore images of glam shoes and a dress mounted on a doily and finished off with a big black bow upcycled from a box of bath salts!

And hidden in all that all are 3 Fizzy Moon pink stars!

A Bit More Fizzy Moons

Another couple of birthday cards made with the free Fizzy Moon Toppers - now there are only 95 left!

A Little Bit of Fizzy Moon

The latest edition of Papercraft Inspirations magazine comes with 100 free glitter Fizzy Moon toppers - they are so cute! 

I quickly put together these couple of cards using them - the teal and black card is going to go to my nephew for this 17th birthday next week. 

I've only got 97 left to use up now!

I love a good Wedding...

.... and we have one coming up in the family soon when my niece Rachael gets married to Jamie.

 Rachael is not a fussy type of person so I wanted to make them a card which she would like - hope this fits the bill!

Home To Nest

I've just given out over 60 cards to local charities to help with their fund raising, so thought I would treat myself to the new Docrafts goody bag and popped down to the Range.

I really love the new Home to Nest range and think they make lovely cards for both those with green fingers and bird lovers alike!

I'm not too sure about Papermania Spots & Stripes range  - it is a bit too big and bright for me

Arboscello Tree

A change from my usual style - just a plain white die cut tree layered on kraft, green & black paper with a piece of scrap ribbon and Craftwork card sentiment - simples!

Eazy Bows - I want more!

I bought the latest edition of  Creative Cardmaking Magazine because of the classy Chic Boutique papers, but love the die cut bows with pearl brads that came as well - what a great idea from Krafty Hands! 

More Black cats!

A couple of ATC's and a black lace birthday card that all incorporate a walking black cat - I'm thinking this die by Poppy stamps might turn out to be my new favourite!

card based around atc by Lyndee

PS Crimson Cloud has the chance to win spellbinder dies on their blog - closes Friday!