Last SWALK Sneak Peek

As tomorrow is launch day here's my last sneak peek. and I've got two cards to share with you today.  This one was inspired by challenges at:
Cardvaarks - decorated inside and out
Papertake Weekly - sketch #49
Meljen's Designs - anything goes

Here's the matching inside of my card.

Supplies used:

Patterned papers - SWALK CD volume 2

Stamp - thinking of you

Copics Ciaos:

Faces - E000, E21, RV10

Hair - Y00, Y21, Y31, E31, E33, E35, E37

Dress - YR20, YR16

Overalls - B24, B12, R37, R39

Sign - E43, E47, E49

Background - YG11, BG10

This baby card was inspired by challenges at:

Totally Gorjuss - Pink

Inspirational Card Sketches - sketch #88

Allsorts - bingo - buttons, flowers, stickles

Just inspirational - sketch #17

Supplies used:
Patterned papers and flowers - SWALK CD volume 2
Stamp - special little personCopics Ciaos:
Face - E000, E21, RV10
Hair - Y21, Y31
Basket - E51, E53, E57
Blanket and ribbon - R11, R20, R32, RV000
Stickles - stardust


Yesterday I got asked how I'd made my ribbon ruffle, so I thought I share some step by steps.
First get some ribbon and a needle and thread.  As I couldn't find my threads I actually used some twine!

Sew through the ribbon, don't worry about the spacing too much.

Make sure there's still thread at one end and push the ribbon over the thread to ruffle it up.

I then attached it to the patterned panels as I would normally attach ribbon, with some double sided tape on the back of the panel.  Remember to stick down the thread as well as the ribbon as you don't want your ruffle to undo.  I then covered the ribbon with a scalloped panel to match the panel on my gatefold. 

I hope this makes sense and helps, if you have any other questions then just leave me a comment.

Other big news is that at Crafter's Companion have got the most fabulous card for stamping and colouring with your alcohol pens, such as Copics and Promarkers, it’s called Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, its 216gsm, is ultra ultra smooth, and PERFECT for seamless blending. Even better than that its only £3.99 per pack for 20 sheets – trust me, if you love your promarkers and copics – you need it!  I'm loving it and I know the rest of our design team our too.

xxx

Another SWALK sneak peek

I'm happy to share with you today another couple of SWALK sneak peeks.  I love the fact that these two cards are so different.  That's what I love about stamping, the versatility it gives you.  So first up I've gone totally minimalist, apart from the ribbon which I'm loving the ruched effect.  This card was inspired by challenges at:

Just Us Girls - black, cream and kraft

Tuesday Taggers - nursery rhymes, Little Polly Flinders

Sweet Stampin' Challenges - ribbons

Supplies used:

Stamp - SWALK with sympathy

Ink - black soot distress ink

Cardstock - white, kraft, black

Embossing folder - cuttlebug swiss dots

Ribbon - cream satin

To soften the image I just went over the stamped image with a nearly dry waterbrush.

This next card has a bit more colour in it and I have the gorgeous and immensely talented Glittery KT to thank for the colouring in of the stamped image.  Yet another reason I love going away with friends for the weekend!

This card was inspired the challenge at:

Quirky Crafts - sketch

One stitch at a time - embellish it - i chose gems

Supplies used:

Patterned paper - CD SWALK volume 2

Stamp - SWALK engaged

Copics

Thanks for popping by.  I hope you're loving this new range as much as I am.  It was also great to Sheena on TV this morning with her new range.  When I get 5 minutes I'll be having a play with her gorgeous new stamps.  In the meantime I have just one more quick card for you, with inspiration from:
Stampin' for the weekend - Halloween
Stamp something - Halloween
Chicken soup - recipe #16
Creative Inspirations - Halloween/Fall
Stamp with fun - Halloween
A Spoonful of sugar - Halloween
A Passion for Papertrey - CASE challenge - I cased a card from the lovely Dawn McVey and I'm loving it so much I'm going to make a few in different colours this weekend.

Here's Dawns' card

And here's mine

Supplies used:
Card - PTI orange zest, true black, white
Ink - PTI orange zest and true black
Punch - Stampin' Up

I must remember to buy deicer as it's a little frosty here this morning.  I'm glad I'm not going anywhere and instead will get writing a newsletter.
Have a good day.
xxx

A Couple of Cuties

Just a couple of cuties to share today.  I had lots to finish at work so not quite as much crafting as planned.  I decided to play with my SWALK stamps as I still haven't used them all!!  This first one was inspired by challenges at:

Cupcake Craft - cats or dogs

Cute Card Thursday - sketch challenge

I'm not sure where the turquoise and yellow colour scheme came from but I like it.

This second card is a little more delicate.  I decided to try my watercolours with my SWALK stamp instead of Copics and was pleased with the softer look.  This card was inspired by challenges at:

CPS - sketch 176

Papertake Weekly - Cutie Patootie

Stamp Something - flowers

Have a great weekend.

xxx

Sealed with a Little Kiss

Today is official launch date for SWALK which means I can share some more cards with you.  Don't forget that there's prizes to be won until Saturday night here at my blog - sneak peeks an an even bigger prize at the Crafter's Companion Inspiration Blog.

This first card features the Little Madam, coloured with copics.  All the papers and the alphabet are from the SWALK CD and was inspired by the challenge at:

Charisma Cardz - Pink

Next up is the Mummy ... you're beautiful stamp.  I've really loved colouring these little beauties.  Again the papers and even the flowers are from the co-ordinating SWALK CD.  This card was inspired challenges at:

2 sketches 4 you - Laura's sketch 56 - I flipped the sketch 90 degrees

CRAFT challenge - babies/children

One more to share.  I've gone with some more yellow.  This card was inspired by the challenges at:

CPS - sketch #175

Papertake Weekly - in the garden

Well after another busy week, I'm looking forward to the weekend and a day of cropping with my friends followed by a visit to my sisters.  I wonder what Ginger adventures await me.

xxx

Sneak Peeks

Ohhhh!!! I am so excited ! Crafter's Companion will be releasing a brand new Collection of 12 Stamps and a CD, this new collection will feature as the Pick of the Week on Create and Craft from 11am On Friday 16th July .

This adorable SWALK collection is a bit different from previous releases and features some of the cutest characters and wonderful sentiments that are just so appealing. The CD has been designed to compliment the stamps perfectly and features gorgeous designs sets, borders, alphabets, inserts, verse writer etc, also included are 2 sets of co-ordinating papers plus the most amazing co-ordinating flowers that can be resized and layered to make fabulous embellishments.

To celebrate the launch Sara is offering the complete Pick of the Week to one lucky winner drawn at random at midnight Saturday 17th July and announced on Sunday 18th July.  To enter for the prize is really easy, visit The Crafter's Companions News and Inspiration Blog, and follow the instructions.

To help celebrate the launch I'm offering a little Candy - the stamp set I've used for my sneak peeks.  All you need to is leave a comment here telling me what you think of this new range.  I'll draw out one name on Saturday night to recieve this stamp set!  The other Design Team members also have some candy to offer, so pop along to their blogs to see what beautiful cards they have made for their sneak peeks.

Leann
Bev
Wendy
Debbie

Lou
Jacqui

I hope you will all be watching the release on Friday in case you miss it here is a timetable of the shows:
Create and Craft Friday 16th 11am (2 hours launch) (Leann)
Create and Craft Sunday 18th 10am and 2pm (1 hour both) (Leann)
Create and Craft Monday 19th 8am (1 hour) (Leann)
Create and Craft Tuesday 20th 8am (1 hour) (Sara)

So now to the important bits, what have I made with my stamp set.  Well I got a bit carried away and made 3 cards, all the same but different.  I decided to choose lemony yellow but there's such an array of colours on the CD you could choose practically any colour. 

This first one I've used lots of elements from the CD - the image was stamped onto a 6" insert, the border was printed and then mounted down the centre of some lace and the 3D flowers are just printed off too and layered up.

I'm popping it into the following challenges:

One Stop Craft - monochromatic

Moxie Fab World - fun & cute

I wanted to show you that you can use these stamps with you nestabilities and that they fit on lots of different card sizes too.

This card was inspired by the challenge at:

My Time to Craft - Butterfly Bliss

Tuesday Taggers - Anniversary - so not a traditional anniversary card but what a lovely sentiment to tell someone you love them on your anniversary
ABC Challenge - Y is for You & Me.  These stamps are defintely you and me stamps.

Last but definitely not least is our little cutie peaking through an aperture.  Inspired by the challenge at:

The Secret Crafter - apertures
Stamp Something - recipe - 1 designer paper, 1 ribbon, 1 image

I've had great fun with this stamp set and look forward to what you can all make with them when you can get your hands on them.  Don't forget to leave a comment to win some blog candy.

xxx

Loving Life

How should  a Saturday morning start - with a bacon buttie and a cup (well a mug - I'm Northern!) of coffee in bed - bliss.  Follow that with a Ginger adventure and the weekend is off to a cracking start.  The adventure today was a walk I've been meaning to to for a while.  So I got Steve to drop me off at Daisy Nook on his way to cricket and I walked from there to Park Bridge (great visitors centre and a very helpful warden)and then back towards Hartshead Pike. 

On the way from Daisy Nook to Park Bridge

Park Bridge

With my steps done it was time to settle down to some crafting.

One of my aims is to enjoy every day and to share that with other people I meet, as you never know what's just around the corner.  This week I heard about a fellow blogger and crafter, Michelle, that's had a terrible accident which has meant she's lost an eye.  Her friends have organised a card drive for and as she loves donkeys, I used this lovely little donkey digi download that was designed just for her to make this card.  I was inspired by the challenges at:

A Spoonful of Sugar - sending donkey smiles

Meljen's Designs - circles galore - with little donkey in a circle and the dotty paper I think that's plenty of circles.

I decided to have a play with another of my Patchwork Polly stamps.  This is the ever so cute Chloe, looking like butter wouldn't melt.  The patchwork squares were made my stamping onto Basic Grey Kioshi patterned paper and then adding further details with my Copic pens and then all softened with some antique linen distress ink blended over the top.

This card was inspired by the challenges at:

My Time to Craft - angelic
Sweet Stampin Challenge - things with wings

So I've had my play day today, which means it's homework day tomorrow!

xxx

Magazine magic & Monthly Meal

I was so pleased when I popped into WH Smith's today as my cards are on the front of 2 magazines - Quick Cards made Easy, issue 76 (the main image - if you go on the web site now you can have a sneak peak of the article) and Papercraft Essentials issue 56 (Designer DIY)

So now I can share some of the cards with you and first up is a cupcake card which I'm entering into this weeks challenge at:

CRAFT Challenge - cakes/ice cream

The whole card is made using the Springtime Sweets and Cupcake Treats embossing board.  I love the fact that you can make shaped cards on it and decorate them too.

These next two cards were made for the article about making your own backgrounds.  I loved this article and all the different techniques I used, I love my brayer and my big and juicy ink pads.
This card is for:
Daring Cardmakers - silhouettes
The background was made using a brayer, ink pad and a cuttlebug embossing folder.

The background on this card mas simple made with a brayer and one of my big & juicy ink pads.  The horse stamp is from Lavinia stamps and I'm putting it forward for the following challenges:

The Crafty Pad - Animal Fun

Creative inspirations - on the move

As Steve is back from Bristol and there is no food in the house we decided to go out for dinner and our monthly meal out.  We decided to go to the The Red Lion at High Lane.  I'd been there with friends in June and it was so good I knew Steve would love it.
This is the best way I know to start the weekend, a lovely cold glass of Prosseco:

Steve with his starter of a homemade fishcake, I had a goats cheese salad with pine nuts and olives - yum.

For main I had pan friend have with crushed potatoes with crayfish and prawn butter sauce, whilst Steve went with the Steak.

We couldn't manage pudding but that didn't stop me smiling.

I'm so glad it's the weekend even though I have lots to do, including another magazine article - let's get out the gold leaf!

Whatever you're up to this weekend.  Have a good one.

xxx

So very Cute

Last Sunday saw the launch of the latest additions to the Cute Companion range and here's a little card made with one of the sets.  They're beautiful to work with and so much fun.  I was also inspired by the challenge at:

Meljen's Designs - fibre, ribbon or lace.

I love the way that as well as the real ribbon on the card there's the ribbon and lace border on the stamped image too and the ribbon that Daisy little mouse is carrying.

The detail on the stamps is amazing

It's also the birthday of the fabulous Debbie from Cardiff - so this little card is your cyber birthday card.  Happy Birthday lovely lady.  See you in July.

A little woo hoo for me.  I was voted in the Top 3 over at A Passion for Papertrey.  Thanks girls you've brought a big smile to my face.

xxx

New Challenge Blog

I'm so very excited to announce that today sees the launch of the Crafters Companion monthly challenge blog.  Anyone can enter, as long as you use products that are on the Crafter's Companion website – stamps (SCACD, Penny Black, Popcorn, Cute Companions, Joanna Sheen, etc, etc, etc) or any image from any of their CD’s.  Sara is putting up a fab prize - and it’s a surprise collection that has not even been released yet, so be one of the first to get your hands on it

The first challenge is a sketch that has been designed by our lovely Leann, there is also the added option to use the Theme of FLORAL.

Here's my card for this challenge, featuring the gorgeous Souffle the Duck  He's coloured with my Copics (I love my Copics :) ).  The papers are DCWV from the Whimsy collection.  The puff bow is tied on the bow maker on the Ultimate Pro.  I love the waythat simple satin ribbon can make such an impact on the front of the card.

I'm also entering this card into the following challenges:

Stamp something - birthday recipe, designer paper, ribbon, bow and a tag

My Time to Craft - wild thing, anything that lives or grows in the wild

I'd also like to offer a little blog candy for anyone tha visits this post over the month of June.  Up for grabs is the new Popcorn Kids CD and 4 sets of matching rubberstamps.  Just leave a comment and I'll announce a winner at the beginning of July.

I hope you can join us over at the challenge blog as we're looking forward to seeing enerybody's work.

Beatrix Potter Launch Day

Woo hoo, I love being in the office on launch day.  There's such a buzz about the place.  All the final preparations have been made and Sara and Leann are off to the TV studios for the launch show at 9pm tonight.
With the help of 2 of design team (thanks Jacqui and Debbie) we finished the display boards at silly o'clock last night.  I had been out for dinner first, so don't feel too sorry for me!

So in anticipation of the launch here's a couple more cards to share.  I love simple cards and both of these fall into that category.

I love this backing paper on the Tom Kitten card.  It's printed directly onto snow white pearlescent card stock to make the base card.  The panels are form the sentiments section and just inked and then popped onto some punched oval scallops.

Mrs Tiggy-winkle is adorable and these delicate backing papers and the simplicity of the card suit her so well.

Beatrix Potter - Sneak Peak 2

I've had some more fun with the new Beatrix Potter products from Crafter's Companion.  This time I made a set of 6 Thank You cards with matching envelopes (look at Peter Rabbit on the envelopes - he's adorable) and a gift box.  I love making sets and giving them away as presents.

It's satisfying to make too, as I cut all the parts out and then just popped them together.  The little frame is cut with the Slice.

The bows are made from paper!  You make them the same way you would with ribbon.  Make a loop and attach the ends to each other and tie around a button to pinch the bow in the middle.

Beatrix Potter Launch - Sneak Peek

Yay - Beatrix Potter from Crafter's Companion launch day is nearly here.  I've known about this for a while but had to keep it a secret until now.  I can't say what exactly is launching but I can tell you it's totally gorgeous. 
This card is my first sneak peek of what's to come.
I love it all, it's so gentle and elegant.  I accented the frame with glossy accents to make it really pop and give it even more dimension.
To find out more about the launch pop over to Crafters Companion or tune into the launch show on Ideal World on Tuesday 16th at 9.00 pm.