Buttons and twine

The theme for the challenge this week is buttons and twine, chosen by Sheila.

Sheila's card

My card is an 8x8, I trimmed a piece of white card to fit my base layer leaving a small border. I embossed this with a buttons embossing folder and inked the edges with a pink distress ink. I then stamped and coloured my image and used a nestability die to cut the shape, I made a faux layer using the same die. I stamped the two sentiments using the small die from teh set used for teh larger image. The second sentiment I used a scalloped die to layer onto. I used pink and white twine on the embossed buttons layer before placing onto the base card. I added my image sentiments, twine to the buttons to get the result I wanted.

Kathy's card



I started with a black A5 landscape card, and used the Xcut Hobbys/Sewing die set, cut out a selection of the images in both black and silver.  The silver base matt was cut along the top and bottom with the cross-stitch die, then the centre black panel was cut with the running stitch die on both sides, l then threaded black and white twine through.  I placed several of the pieces around the card also threaded the same twine through the buttons.  A nice card for someone who sews.

Kandis' card

This is quite a basic card but I do hope you like it.  I started with a C5 base white card followed by a piece of blue dotty paper which was out of my stash.  I have decided that I need to use up some of my patterned papers before printing anything else off from the fact that my printer is broken at the moment.

I then die cut the lattice frame which is a spellbinders one.  If you have this one you will no doubt have found out that you need to put it through at least twice but it is lovely.  Before positioning it I wrapped some bakers twine around the lattice which is something I keep forgetting. I usually go for ribbon.

My image is a digi image from saturated canary and was printed onto watercolour card and water coloured with whisper pens, die cut using a die from the A2 card creations set and inked around the edges with spun sugar distress ink. This has all been finished off with some nice blue buttons.  Like I said a simple layout but hopefully effective.

Chris's card

When Sheila said she was setting the challenge as 'buttons and twine' I thought it would be easy because I'm always using them in my grunge and altered art pieces. However, when you're making a card and they're to be the main feature well, that's a whole different kettle of fish, lol. I thought about it for quite some time and this is what I came up with.

As you can see I've sewn buttons to the corners of the feature base and then wrapped the twine around them crossing over in between each.

I used die cuts that had holes in the pattern to thread the twine in and out and spirellied the top one. The addition of a few flowers and leaves for embellishment and it was done. I've used buttons for the centres of the outer flowers too.

Have a happy Easter everyone. Chris xxx

Iris folding

Iris folding was Kathy's choice for project this week.

Kathy's card

I started with a 8 x 8 scalloped, inked the edges with Worn Lipstick distressed ink, then cut a cream matt with scalloped edges, embossed with small borders and With Love, then cut out an area for the Iris Folding frame, inserted the complete picture behind. Finished off with the same decoupage picture, and placed Pink gems within the embossed flowers.  I think this would be suitable for many occasions.

 

Sheila's card

 

 

My card is vary basic, a trifold card with my irsis folding in the middle section so I could cover all the tatty bits. After the iris folding was done in the flower shape I simply added peeloffs, gems and a sentiment.

 

Chris's card

 

Well, it was a tricky challenge for me this time but then that is the point isn't it? A CHALLENGE! It's been a manic week and search as I did I could not find an iris folding kit but then come to think of it I don't think I've ever bought one. SO it was freehand time and the first challenge was to find a large die with the complete shape cut out. This is what I settled on.

 

Don't know about you but I'm zealous about saving my scraps, the only problem is I don't use them, lol. My friend's grandchildren normally benefit but this challenge found a perfect use for them. It was a decision between embossing or not embossing the card and I decided that it would be too much with borders and lace too but now I'm not so sure.

We're thinking of adding a 'linkie' so that you can join in with us. Please leave a comment and let us know. Have a good week

Sunshine

This weeks theme 'Sunshine' as been chosen by Chris.

Chris's card

My card this week depicts our challenge of 'Sunshine'. The backing paper is full of bright summer sunshine colours and is foiled with blue butterflies and flora.

I've highlighted the colours of orange and yellow which I associate with sunshine by adding the sunflowers on the side border. A simple but pretty card that is going into my charity box.



Kandis card

I started with an C5 white base card, layered some bright yellow/gold card and then layered some white card.  I then took some more white card and ran it throught my grand caliber using an mbossibilites folder but first is inked the folder with stormy blue distress ink.  I do like this effect.  I then coloured my swalk stamp in with spectrum noirs pens and layered that onto the same yellow/gold card.  The flowers are spellbinders Anemone which have been inked in mustard seed distress inks and the leaves are marianne dies.  I do hope you like it and will remind you of summer

Kathy's card

This card is A5 portrait in style and I matted twice, once with plain card and the second with a floral paper both were inked on the edges with Spiced Marmalade distressed ink. The topper was from my stash and is foiled with silver, l coloured with my Spectrum Noirs and matted this onto card, also inking the edges. Positioned it on the squiff onto another smaller matt for added feature.  Finished off with a few die cut flowers and swirls. 

Shrink plastic

 

It was Sheila's turn to choose the theme and this week it is shrink plastic.

 

Sheila's card

 

 

Well as you can see my project is not a card, I did think about doing some shrink plastic flowers to add to a card but then thought I would do something different. So here it is, not perfect but my daughter loves it. I started off with some dies from my collection and chose clear shrink plastic for the large star and frosted for the smaller stars and squares. After cutting my shapes I stamped the word Mcfly (my daughter Holly's favourite group) and then coloured the edges with momento ink. I then pierced a hole in them before shrinking. I used jump rings to attach to my chain, added a clasp to finish.

 

Kathy's card

 

 

This is a Beige pearlised base landscape card, and for the main matt l used co ordinations card in a naturalcolour, embossed with a bark effect emboss. folder, sanded it back and layered it landscape so as to give sea-waves look  I then stamped the map onto toning card, added text, and a strip of waste card that l had run through a dotty folder, for ribbon. All the edges were inked with Walnut distressed ink.The shrink plastic embellishments were from the same stamp collection from Creative Expressions. This was a nice change and l enjoyed using my shrink plastic.

 

Chris's card

 

I sat pondering this week's challenge wondering quite what to do. Shrink plastic is oneof those mediums you love or you hate, personally I don't use it much. Anything that can take a beautifully coloured drawing or stamp and shrink it into a dark, dingy bit of thick plastic is lost on me. However, that's what the challenge is and that's what you've got, lol.

 

For this ATC I took a cross from a Tim Holtz die, coloured it very lightly with an alcohol pen in order to keep it light in colour when it was shrunk. The base has a very soft miniature daisy backing paper covered with a plain white die cut using the Sizzix Damask border with lace added to the bottom. I've edged it with blue and black distress ink and added the stained 'Easter text.

Decoupage

This weeek was Kathy's turn to choose the theme and she chose decoupage.

Kathy's card

This is a white A5 landscape card and l embossed the large matt with my hearts embossing folder then trimmed with scallop edge.  The decoupage is of bells and flowers, therefore ideal for either Wedding or Anniversary this l matted onto silver mirror card to give lift.  When wrapping the organza ribbon l attached a cross charm (from my stash) within the bow. Qhite an easy card but l think quite effective hope you do too.

Chris's card

A friend of mine asked me to make her two Mothers' Day cards earlier in
the week so I decided to make one of them utilising this weeks challenge.

Purple is such a lovely colour and I can't say I know anyone that
dislikes it so that's the colour I chose. The decoupage papers have been
in my cupboard for about 10 years so it was high time they saw the light
of day. Being floral they suited the Mothers' Day theme well. The card
background is simple so that the eye focuses on the foreground ie the
decoupage.

I've placed the bottom two layers behind the handle and the top four
layers above it which adds some depth to the bucket handle. I played
around with positioning a 'Happy Mother's Day' sentiment on the card but
felt it was too much so that features on the insert only. It's simple
but I like it.

Sheila's card

I don't do decoupage very often, so my thoughts were what to do. I made this card a little while ago so my apologies for not making a new card, but I think it is simple and elegant and fits the theme perfectly. I first made my aperture, then stamped and coloured my rose image ( this is my favourite flower stamp) a few times. I stamped the flower inside the aperture too. I then cut out a section of the rose and apllied it to the front overlapping the aperture. Then with smaller pieces of the rose I applied to the card again overlapping the aperture. To finish I put some extra layers creating my decoupage and added gems for that finishing touch.