Happy Birthday

What on earth is happening with our weather.........it's deep midwinter again and snowing like the clappers. I know I am not alone, but I so hate all this cold, it was pretty to see for a few days, but it's been absolutely weeks on end now.

Right moan over, a card which fits this weeks Cupcake challenge of "Friends" and on that note a chance to say Happy Birthday to someone who kept her birthday very secret.............didn't they Janice ? I am told this also fits the theme at Totally Gorjuss this week, so in for a penny.................

And because the weather is so horrid, I am going pink and summery again. I started by making a stencil with Hobby Art U1913D small dragonfly and dabbed lightly with Tim Holtz worn lipstick (I have not stenciled for ages but Lesley got me going with her lovely butterfly card the other day) down the edge of the card, I then overstamped with the same stamp and ink.

The text of the main piece is Hero Arts G2678 art, stamped with Hero chalk ink Latte, the overstamped with the same dragonfly and heat embossed with detail gold. The sentiment is from Paper Makeup Stamps and cut in half after stamping, the border Martha Stewart embossed butterflies and the rose made from pink paper and spritzed with Glimmer Mist tea rose.

Papaer Makup challenge

Beautiful weather and visitors all weekend has kept me from my craft room, but we have to make the most of the sun and warmth when it arrives as we all know in the UK, tomorrow might be sub zero.

I did get round to one card thought for this weeks PMS challenge where they have the theme "Any Winged Thing" and as they are also highlighting awareness of Alzheimer's, I felt this PMS sentiment was very appropriate.

My DP is some of the new double sided My Minds Eye from Sir Stampalot, the leaves embossed with turquoise powder to match are from Hero CL338 and the butterfly Creative Stamping HH269F has been glittered.

Paper Makup

This weeks challenge over at PMS set by Lisa McKinney is to use watermelon, apple green and black and or white in your project. These stamps are new to me as they only shipped from the States a week or so back, so this is the first outing for 'Swirly Buds', a set of five stamps.

I used three of the stamps to create the main image and also the tiny individual leaf, stamped with versafine black and embossed with detail clear. The main cardstock has been run through the cuttlebug and the mats cut with nesties. Liquid pearls have been added to the leaves to carry the watermelon colour and ribbon and staples to embellish.

Papermakeup Glitz challenge

My new PMS stamps arrived last week so for the first time I can enter using the right stamps. This weeks challenge is entitled "Puttin' on the Glitz - sparkles, bling, stickles glitter".

The stamp used is Birthday Lauren, stamped in verafine back and embossed with detail clear, coloured in with Sakura stardust pens and extra glitter added to her wings and hair bow. Mounted onto sparkly paper from which I also cut a butterfly on the cricut using Home Decor. The card itself is was cut on the cricut from Plating Schoolbook and the word "Fairy" welded down the side so it is an integral part of the card. Gems and ribbon added to finish.

Paper Makup Challenge

The PMS challenge this week has been set by Kim and is entitled "Bookworm Style" - the clue's in the title - make a bookmark.

I have used a design that always goes down well in demos and class and at the risk of being boring have stuck with the same stamps as they lend themselves to the project. Stamps are PB 3868J and 3948K, Hero H2365 (no I don't use this on all my cards, well not quite anyway !) and Hobby Art GR1830B.

The card and bookmark are a very pale lilac pearlescent. The script has been stamped with hero soft lilac and the images with brilliance Victorian violet and detail clear emboss powder. The 'with love' greeting has been stamped with versamark and embossed with detail white.

The bookmark is cut from a darker bazzil, scored and folded double so the back element can be slotted through slits cut in the card the width of the bookmark. The decorative element with the ribbon and flowers has been matted onto the front section and the greeting stamped onto the inside of the bookmark where it slots through the card so it's visible when in place and lifted.

The bookmark simply slides out for for use or left as the case may be - as Nigel May so innocently said when he showed one I did for a C & C programme screened last week "oh look, one with a little flap", bless him - we all love you really Nigel.

Finally, stickles have been added to the flowers to give them some lift and sparkle. Please check out this post and I'd love to hear from you if you have one or two spare.

Two challenges in one

Today I am combining two challenges using one card - Papertake Challenge where the theme is pastels and Paper Makeup which requires ribbon must be used on the card. Yesterday I saw the first irises in the garden so this stamp came to mind, Great Impressions K47 stamped. The background has been stamped with an old Hero block stamp inked with Hero Lilac and spritzed. The main image is stamped with versafine black and embossed with detail clear, coloured with Marvy pens and a light cover of stickes. The vellum is stamped with Art Impression AA3384 embossed with holographic. All simple matted with bazzil.