Bonjour Paris

Today's card was one I made for a Travel Swap several years ago. The background card is stamped with Paris words stamp by Frantic stamper, The Tag is stamped with a Hero Arts stamp, and the main Eiffel Tower image I can't quite remember who it is by. The Bonjour stamp is by Plaid. I used Chocolate brown brilliance ink pad and I also stamped on the flower - Paris words by Frantic stamper.

Swing card

Another different shape card today - a swing card using mainly Stampers Anonymous and Hero arts stamps and done with lots of sponging.

Hope you all had a great day off yesterday

Pressie for you

This is a card I made for another of my card class gals for her birthday this month - Sharon.

Again the die cut circle was cut on my Cricut machine and the image of the little girl is by Hero Arts. I also used a needle tool to prick little holes all around the Mauve Bazzil cardstock layer and the image was coloured with copic pens.

Have a great week everyone - at least it's a short one.

Beaded easter greetings

Well believe it or not its time to start thinking Easter cards. Scary thought - where does time go to.

Here's an Easter card I made a few years ago which I still like.

Materials required: Black cardstock, gold cardstock, white cardstock, cream organza ribbon, white and gold beads, Background stamp by Penny Black, Easter greetings stamp by Hero arts, Black Brilliane ink pad, Clear embossing ink pad, Gold embossing powder, pop up foam dots, stickles glitter glue, magic red liner tape

Method: Fold black cardstock in half to create base card. Use clear embossing ink pad to stamp floral pattern repeatedly over front of card and emboss using gold embossing powder. Highlight centre of flowers with a dot of stickles clear glitter glue. Cut out 3 egg shapes from white cardstock (i just cut freehand) and then put red liner tape on them and lift off the backing from the tape and pour on beads. Matt layer of white and then black and then gold cardstock and then use pop up foam dots to secure the eggs to this matt and attach to cardfront as shown. Stamp word with black ink pad and matt onto black and then gold cardstock and then to cardfront. Add ribbon.

Make a wish

Todays card uses a vintage photo that I bought from Johanna Sheen. She is so adorable with her angel wings.

Materials: Black cardstock, Pink pattern scrapbook paper, Photo from Johanna Sheen, Pink organza ribbon, pink flowers and rhinestone brad, swirl stamps, Hero arts writing stamp, butterfly charms, Chocolate brown brilliance ink pad

Method: Fold black cardstock in half to create top fold card. Mount vintage photo onto black cardstock. Take chocolate brown ink pad and stamp words/swirls onto pink scrapbook paper. Go around edges of paper with pink color box ink pad and then wrap organza ribbon around and secure to cardfront. Attach photo, butterflies and flowers with rhinestone brad.

Only a couple more sleeps till Princess arrives.

Veiled Woman

Todays card uses a photo stamp from Stampland Chicago called Ashwinder Veiled. She looks as though she is full of mystery.

Materials: White cardstock, Black cardstock, White glossy paper, Silver encore ink pad, Black archival die ink pad, rhinestones,organza ribbon, Hero arts word stamp

Method: Use archival dye ink pad to stamp veiled woman image onto white glossy paper and then cut leaving a white border. Attach to black cardstock. Use silver encore ink pad to stamp words onto black card stock repeatedly and then attach to front of white card as shown. Lay organza ribbon behind stamped image as shown and secure to cardfront. Add rhinestones.

Angel on Domino/Stamping on Domino's technique

Today's card uses an image stamped onto a domino. Stamping on domino's is great fun and really easy - it just takes a minute or two extra patience. You can make up fabulous jewellery using the stamped domino images ie image instead of putting this on a card, you could put a pin on the back and use as a brooch - I have one and lots of people comment on it. Another great idea is to get someone with a drill to drill holes in the sides of the dominos and then stamp up several and thread threw jewellery elastic and make up a braclet - it is very striking and unique and bound to draw lots of comments.

Another idea is to use domino on a chain around your neck. So really you can make unique gifts from domino's which cost very little from the Crazy store.

Materials: Black cardstock, copper cardstock, cream cardstock, vellum, domino, gold angel wings. joy word stamp by Hero arts, eyelets, domino, lumiere or dala metallic paints, black brilliance or staz on ink pad, copper beads and wire.

Method: Fold black cardstock to create base card. Attach copper and then black cardstock. Take square of vellum music paper and attach to cream cardstock using four eyelets in the corners and attach to cardfront. Take paint (I used Copper Lumiere) and paint domino by sponging on the paint and leave to dry. Once paint is dry use black brilliance or black staz on to stamp Mischief angel stamp from Stampers Anonymous onto domino. When stamping on domino, if you have painted the domino first it is not that slippery so its easy to stamp onto. I normally ink up my stamp and then place stamp on my desk with inked side facing up and then I take the domino and place it onto the part of the stamp i want and press down firmly and then lift off. Worst case scenario if you don't like the image then you can use thinners to remove the paint and image and start again. If you havn't painted the domino, you can still stamp directly onto the domino but it will be a little bit more slippery so grip it firmly when pressing it on the stamp and lift off. Again if you don't like the image or its not perfect then just use staz on stamp cleaner to remove image and wash the domino and then stamp again. You can then color the image using dye ink pads or sharpie markers. I often use a gold pen to do the sides of the domino. Ok so on with the card. Wrap copper wire and small beads around the domino and then attach angel wings and secure to front of card. I then added two small round stickers.

I hope this inspires you to give stamping on domino's a go. Its great fun and ideal for making up some last minute unique christmas presents and best of all its really cheap if you get the dominos at the Crazy store.

Using wire and beads

Today's card uses an image from Stampington. This is one of those cards that you could use for Christmas or any occasion really.

Materials: Cream cardstock, copper cardstock, black cardstock, tea stained music paper, copper magic ribbon, stamp by Stampington, copper wire, beads, pearls, word stamp by Hero arts, Copper Encore ink pad, black brilliance ink pad, color box ink pad - amber, gold ribbon

Method: Fold cream cardstock to create base card. Take strip of black cardstock and using copper encore ink pad stamp Hero arts words repeatedly and then tear edge of cardstock and attach to cardfront as shown. Attach strip of copper magic ribbon to right hand edge of card. Use black brilliance to stamp image of angel onto cream cardstock and color using DTP with amber color box ink pad. Wrap copper wire around image and thread on tiny beads. Attach image to black and then copper cardstock and then to cardfront as shown. Attach pearls and roll up strip of tea stained music paper and tie with gold ribbon and attach to cardfront.

Vintage lady

Today's card was made ages ago for a Hero arts challenge. I have used a very fine cream mesh over the stamped image - its actually a mesh that is used in book binding I was told by the shop. I find it very effective but unfortunately doesn't photograph well on cards.

I have also used a paint chip sample on the card to place the buttons on - everytime I am in a store that sells paint, I grab a few more paint chip samples.

Materials: Antique gold mineralis cardstock, cream cardstock, black cardstock, cream mesh, handbag charm, buttons, pearl, cream organza ribbon, paint chip sample, gold encore ink pad, brown ink pad, Hero arts writing stamp and lady stamp.

Method: Fold antique gold cardstock in half to create base card. Take strip of cream cardstock and tear down one side and them using gold encore ink pad, stamp words repeatedly down the cardstock and attach to cardfront as shown. Using brown ink pad, stamp woman onto cream cardstock and heat set and then cover with cream mesh and secure at back and then mount onto black and then cream cardstock and to cardfront as shown. Attach paint sample strip and then add buttons to it. Attach organza cream ribbon and pearl and handbag charm.

Enjoy what's left of the weekend everyone.

Stars

Seeing as its Sunday today - thought I would share a really easy five minute card with you.

I found this roll of gorgeous star ribbon at some shop in Durban that Kim took me to years ago and I put it away in the cupboard and then it finally fell out the cupboard recently and I decided to use some of it.

The base card is cream and I then added strip of the ribbon down the left hand side and then cut another piece of cream and glued that to the front inside cover of the card to hide the back ends of the ribbon. I then added two gold stars and stamped and embossed in gold A wish for you. I also added a strip of gold magic ribbon ro right hand side of card. Truly a five minute card. They are always good when you are trying to make a lot of cards.

Spring Flowers

Well it was such a wet wintery day in Cape Town yesterday that one can't help thinking

what has happened to Spring. I am still so excited still about my win last week on Jowilna's blog - a hamper of Tim Holtz goodies. Counting the days until it arrives - thank goodness the post office is up and running again.

Today's card uses cream cardstock for the base card. I then took some striped scrapbook paper and went around the edges with pink color box ink pad and attached that to the cardfront. I used black brilliance to stamp Spring words on. I then used same ink pad to stamp flowers (hero arts) onto pink and purple cardstock and cut them out and added them together with a material flower to the cardfront. I glittered two of the flower centres and added a rhinestone and a button in the others. I then added a butterfly and some flower rhinestones.

Kick up your heels

Happy Monday everyone. Another small card for today.

I have used black cardstock for the cardbase. I then went around the edges of some floral scrapbook paper with amber color box ink pad and attached it to cardfront. I then took strip of black cardstock and ran it through the Big Shot using Cuttlebug swirl embossing folder and attached it as shown. The stamps of shoe and words are by Hero Arts. I stamped the words directly onto the card using black brilliance ink pad. I stamped the shoe onto cream cardstock using black brilliance ink pad and then went around the edges with the amber color box ink pad and also sponged the background area of image very lightly with amber ink pad and sponge. I then coloured in the shoe with a Copic marker and added some stickles glitter glue.Now go kick up your heels and have some fun as the saying says.

Sisters

Love the colours of this card - blue and white is always so fresh looking.

I used white cardstock for the cardbase. I then took a layer of blue and white dot scrapbook paper and went around the edges with blue color box ink pad and attached it to the cardfront. I then took my Mediterranean Blue Brilliance ink pad and stamped swirls (Autumn Leaves) and writing and words (Hero Arts) directly onto the cardfront. I then stamped Paperbag studios image of sisters with the same blue ink pad onto white cardstock and then attached it to blue cardstock and then to cardfront. I finished off the card by adding white prima flowers and some bling in the form of rhinestones.

Moments

Wow what a lot of rain we had in Cape Town yesterday - just about needed a boat to get around instead of a car. Still musn't complain as we havn't had much rain this winter.

Well today is a really quick card and note photographed for a change instead of scanned. Sorry about the shadows but still working on photography skills but difficult when you are taking photos late at night.

Todays card using Hero arts word stamp by Children stamp by Stampington.

I used cream cardstock for the base and then took red pattern scrapbook paper and went around the edge with red color box ink pad and attached to cardfront. I then stamped Moments onto it using Black Brilliance ink pad. I then stamped children onto gold vellum using Black Brilliance ink pad and attached to cardfront using vellum tape and then attached flowers with brad.

Mother and Child

Well its almost time to start thinking of Christmas cards. One has to start early as overseas posting dates are always jolly early. I also generally join RSA Christmas swap and this year we must make 20 or 21 cards. Nothing nicer than having your mantelpiece filled with cards at Christmas.

Here's a Christmas design that I did a few years back and it remains one of my favourite's. Love the colours - Black/White and Silver.

The stamp of Mother and Child is by Toybox and the snowflake stamps and words are by Hero arts.

I started with a black base card. I then stamped snowflakes randomly on front of card stock and embossed with white embossing powder. I then added strip of black and silver scroll paper to card front. I then stamped my image of mother and child with Memories Black dye ink onto glossy cardstock and trimmed it leaving a white border so that it looks like a photo. I then mounted it onto black cardstock and went around the edges with a silver pen and then mounted it to cardfront after tucking skeleton leaves in two corners. I then stamped wording onto vellum using black brilliance ink pad and mounted it to cardfront using vellum tape and then added Silver music note and some silver butterflies.

Card of the day - A Trip to Remember

Today's card combines two of my favourite topics - clothes and travel. I have worked in the Travel Industry for 27 years and have been lucky enough to have travelled the world. My favourite is cruising and I try to go on a cruise every year.

My last cruise was the Panama Canal in November last year with my friends Graham, Denver, Ray, Janice and Lester. We had a fabulous time and were gone for about a month. We started off in San Diego were I managed to find several very good craft shops and then we joined our cruise down the Mexican Riveria, through the Panama Canal and then back up through the Caribbean to Fort Lauderdale. We then drove down to Key West for a couple of days, followed by a couple of days in Miami South Beach and then up to Washington DC. Lots of shopping in Washington DC and then home just before Christmas. Wish my suitcase had been as small as this one. I ended up flying home from Washington with 84kg - mostly all crafting stuff I had bought in the States - not clothes.

For this card, I used scrapbook paper for the background and then took a mannequin die cut and stamped it with Hero Arts words and coloured it with Direct to Paper technique using color box ink pads. I then made the skirt from star ribbon and the waistband from Gold Magic tape. Around the bodice of the dress I wrapped some wool and then made a little necklace with beads. I then added a suitcase sticker and used my Dymo to add the word label - A trip to remember. I then added a couple of rhinestones and viola.

This card makes me want to pack up my bags and go travelling.