Seeing Red at Ooh La La Creations

Hello it's time for a new challenge over at Ooh La La Creations this week. Once again thank you for all the gorgeous entries in the vintage/nostalgia challenge always a popular challenge and I love this style so it was great fun looking at the cards and commenting. Well done to the winners who can be found on the Ooh La La Creations Challenge Blog.

The theme for the challenge this time was chosen by Wendy and is seeing red- use red in the design.
There was no doubt in my mind which CD I would be using for this challenge as I love Poppies and they fitted the brief perfectly so here is my creation.

I used the Shoes in Bloom CD which is available from the Ooh La La Creations shop. I wanted the poppies on a plain white background but the decoupage sheet has them on a green background, not to be deterred I used My Craft Studio to crop the image of the poppies from the bottom of the bookmark and resized it and printed it onto decoupage paper three times. I used a plain oval die and having fussy cut the bud at the top of the image left this outside the die whilst cutting the oval. I then selected the bits I wanted to add dimension to from the other images and cut them out, and shaped them using a ball tool and an embossing mat. 

The white wood grain paper and the black spotty paper are from the new Faithful Friends CD and I added some strips of red polka dot Washi tape and black and white and red and white gingham ribbon. I made the poppy in the bottom right hand corner using flowers cut from plain copier paper using the tattered flowers die from Tim Holtz and colouring two medium flowers with alcohol markers in bright red and a small flower coloured in black, I then added a small punched flower in red and finished with a tiny stamen coloured black. I also added the punched butterfly some gems at the top and three polka dot buttons from the range at Ooh La La Creations.

The spotty theme continued inside the card and I made a pocket from the white wood grain paper to hold the book mark. I decorated this with more washi tape, butterflies and a doily with the image from the top corner of the book mark in the centre.

I added a panel of the white wood grain paper to the right hand panel and wrapped this with more of the gingham ribbon before adding the word friend in letters die cut from red card and some gems. I then matted a piece of white card onto black then red card trimming to leave narrow borders and fixed this in the centre of the right hand panel for a message.

I am entering this card into the following challenges
http://cdsundaychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - ornate blooms
http://cupcakecraftchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ - lots of layers
http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.co.uk/ - anything goes
http://pennyschallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ - die cuts/ punches

Something Old, Something New

Something Borrowed, Something Blue...or so the saying goes. I used this as the basis for my design for this weeks challenge at CD Sunday, where love is most definitely in the air with the challenge being weddings.

I used Crafty Catz a touch of Steampunk CD - I wanted to something a bit different so decided to mix Steampunk with Shabby Chic ( something New well it is for me anyway). As well as the strong male themed colours this particular CD also has a lovely pastel colour pallet so not only did I use the image from the CD but also the backing papers.

My something old is the rusty metal heart in the bottom left hand corner not only is it old but it is something that I have had in my stash for years and I had forgotten all about it until I was having a sort out this week.

The something borrowed are the flowers which were made for another project entirely but they seemed to go so well that I had to make some more for the other project. - They are from the flower sheet on the Debbi Moore Deco Rome CD.

Something Blue - well the backing paper has a really pale blue tinge to it, and just to make sure the text is in blue and two of the flowers are blue.

Inside I used more of the backing papers and some die cut hearts,

I am entering this into the following challenges.

http://2sisterschallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/ - Bingo I chose punches/die cuts, sentiment and flowers

http://challenges4everybody.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes

http://craftyourpassionchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/- Floral delights

http://onestopcraftchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Flower Power 

http://papertakeweekly.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes 

http://cdsundaychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Weddings

http://twistedtuesdaychallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ _ Free for All 

Lilac, Perfume and pearls.

When I saw this weeks challenge at CD Sunday had been set by Wendy (Purple Crazy) It came as no surprise that the challenge was to use purple in the design. I was lucky enough to win a challenge at CD Sunday recently, and my prize arrived on Saturday morning. Thanks to Carol over there I am now the proud owner of some of Debbi Moore's gorgeous Shabby chic CD's. I managed to have brief browse on Saturday evening and so when I saw the challenge I knew exactly which CD I could go for. I have used the Debbi Moore Shabby Chic Paris CD, for the backing papers and alphabets on the card below.

I printed off the lilac striped backing paper and mounted this onto dark purple card and added a faux stitched border using a white gel pen. I also printed off two different backing papers featuring the roses over text and also over musical scores, a sheet of the decoupage roses and the alphabet. 

The other papers were matted onto pieces of pale lilac card stock from my scrap box as were the letters and there was enough of the lilac card fro me to punch a fancy border for the alphabets to be stuck to. The topper was a freebie with a magazine but had a lovely feminine feel to it and the butterflies are reflected in the die cut butterfly I added, which was just sitting on my craft table as a left over from another project. I added two types of Organza ribbon one a lovely wide lilac check, I bought this last summer and have never used it and the polka dot ribbon has been in my stash for nearly two years. Behind the topper I added some purple net that was recycled from a bag that held fruit - I love recycling these fruit nets and have been known on a couple of occasions to but fruit because of the colour of the net - I hasten to add that so far I haven't ever bought a fruit I don't actually eat just t get a  pretty colour net though and all the fruit I buy does get eaten by myself or hubby so does contribute to a healthy lifestyle. 

I used the remainder of the text and music papers to line the inside of the card. I lost my mum a few years ago but colleagues at work often ask me to make a card fro them to give to their mum's so next time someone asks all I need do is add a suitable verse to the inside and they have their card.

I am entering this into the following challenges.

http://celebratetheoccasion.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes
http://craftyourpassionchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ - Well Read text and music scores on the backing paper
http://joannasheenchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/recycle.html - Recycle the purple netting and Lilac Card
http://perfectsentimentschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/- Make it feminine
http://cdsundaychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Purple Paradise
http://twistedtuesdaychallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ - Free for All
http://useittuesday.blogspot.co.uk/ - For Mom

Vintage/ Nostalgic at Ooh La La Creations

Well here we are again it's Monday and it's time for another challenge over at the Ooh La La Creations Challenge blog. Once again thank you to everyone who entered the last challenge there were some wonderful easel cards on show. The Top three are listed on the challenge blog. whilst your there take time to have a look at the vintage/nostalgic cards the design team have come up with they are wonderful.

I used the Yesterdays memories CD to create my card. I had been reading up on the history of greetings cards and discovered the work of Esther Howland (1828-1904) she created the most incredible valentines cards with paper lace and images so this card is inspired by her incredible work.

I started with the backing paper which is from the 'Floral Cross' folder on the CD and matted this onto a pale pink card. I added the silver peel off border and corners and then stuck the panel to the scalloped card blank.

I added the Anja Oval frame from Marianne, the backing is more of the pale pink card and the lace overlay is just cut from plain white paper. I printed off the traditional decoupage sheet for the cross and fussy cut the base image to stick on the centre of the oval. I curled the flowers using a ball tool into a soft embossing pad to add curvature and used silicone gel to build the image. The branches were die cut using the Marianne forest branch die and placed these to frame the oval.

The ribbon is vintage seam binding and it started out life white but with the addition of a tiny drop of worn lipstick distress ink and water I was able to crumple it into a tiny ball which I put to dry on top of a radiator it only took about 10 minutes and then I tied the double bow and added the pearl pins.

The flowers were some I had in my stash with the addition of the tiny rose buds from Wild Orchid. I did have some blue flowers I wanted to use but couldn't find them at the time (I found them yesterday in a box they had no business being in) so I improvised and fussy cut blue flowers from another floral cross which I printed on thin white card. I added the sentiment with the flat backed pearl, and the silver butterfly was one I had in my stash. The finishing touch was the flat backed pearls at the top of the oval.

I am entering this into the following challenges.

http://pennyschallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ - anything goes 

http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.co.uk/ - anything goes linky party 

http://theprettylittleribbonshop.blogspot.co.uk/ - spring is in the air 

http://theshabbytearoom.blogspot.co.uk/ - beautiful spring (not sure if the paper lace will qualify for teh lace part of the brief)

Red and Green

Red and Green is the theme for Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas challenge this week and I have come up with the following using a recycled image and sentiment, recycled fruit net bag, some washi tape, a paper flower, a couple of die cut holly sprigs and a gem.

I am entering this into the following challenges, 

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Red and Green 

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge2.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything goes so long as it's Christmas

Giving Thanks at CD Sunday

The Cd Sunday challenge this week is Thank you cards. It seems doubly appropriate as I have just discovered I won the challenge there last week. So this one is for all the girls in the design team who picked me as the winner.

I used papers from the Debbie Moore Shabby Chic Compendium collection. I had actually printed these papers off for another project and not realised I had my printer set to two copies. So I decided to put the extra sheets to good use. 

I used kraft card as a base because it works so well with the shabby chic look. I fussy cut flowers from one of teh papers and layered them over the main background to add dimension and then added the centre section from a die cut trellis. I had used the corners on another project and added a die cut branch and two punched butterflies. I then added the die cut sentiment and glittered over the letters to add a bit of sparkle.

I used papers from the same CD for the inside of the card and die cut an oval from kraft card for the space for the message and added another die cut branch and a flower cut from the backing paper.

I am entering this into the following challenge.

http://cdsundaychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Thank you 

Easel Cards at Ooh La La

Welcome to another of my DT blog posts for Ooh La La. Thanks once again for all your entries in our colour challenge of  'Green and Orange' last time I had great fun looking at the entries and coming up with the top 3 was a real challenge. You can find out which projects I picked on the Ooh La La Creations Challenge Blog. Whilst you are there check out the DT inspiration cards for the latest challenge 'Easel Cards'

Here's my card

I used an Anja Oval frame die from Marianne as a template to draw the base card then carefully cut this out with scissors and folded the front over to form the easel. I then used the die itself to cut a panel of backing paper from the 'White Rose' folder on the Yesterdays Memories CD, which I used to line the inside of the card. I added two flourishes cut using the flourish die in the set and stuck them to the base card. The tag was from the tags and sentiments folder and I placed this at an angle and added the organza double bow and the pearls. So the tag would act as the stopper for the card.

I then the backing oval from plain white card and stuck this onto a very pale pink card and trimmed round the edge to leave a narrow border. The lacy frame I cut from gold card and then ran it through the sizzix again with an embossing mat to add the flourish details. The image is the white rose traditional decoupage and I cut the bas sheet using the small aperture die in the set and stuck it inside the frame and then layered the other elements of the decoupage on top. I sounded these using an embossing tool onto a soft mat to give some shape and used silicone gel underneath as this is easier to mould than sticky pads.

I added the pearls using a pearl paint pen and added some stickles clear iridescent glue over the image to give a little sparkle. The finishing touch was the little organza bow. Once everything was dry I stuck it to the easel frame I had already created.

My dad has a wonderful neighbour who is a wonderful cook and often pops round to see him with little gifts of cakes, pastries and soup. Her birthday is the day before my dad's so when we visited dad for his birthday I popped along to see her and gave her this card, which she loved.

I am entering this card into the following challenges 

http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything goes