Rev Up and Side Step

I thought I would give the side-step card a bit of a masculine, CAS makeover this morning. A side step card is the latest challenge from Technique Time Tuesday, where there is a fab video tutorial to follow if you've never made this type of card before,  The only tricky bit is getting the measurements right, but if you can use a ruler (!!) no problem!
There are so many gorgeous side step cards around on the internet, and some fantastic ones created by my fellow DT members on the challenge blog, and as I said my idea was to keep it clean and simple.  For me, they work best with a single stamp set, to coordinate the images and that's what I've done here with Rev Up The Fun

The colour choice of black, white and red was very intentional. I stamped the car in Real Red and then stamped off twice to give the impression of movement

I used the tyre tread stamp as a border and then just stamped Off The Grid (oops, guess that counts as a second stamp set!) directly onto my card, using my Stamp-a-ma-jig to get it exactly straight and
central.
Really pleased with the way this turned out. I think I will enter it into the one for the boys challenge at Make My Monday too.

Starry, Starry Night

First Tuesday of the month means a brand new challenge at Technique Time Tuesday and, I must admit that it was one I'd not heard of and which I kept putting off doing because I thought it was too tricky.  Needless to say, when I got down to it it was a ball, especially with the video tutorial to help me every step of the way. Anyway, it's called Caught In Crystal and it gives a gorgeous sparkly effect and vibrant colours, which said 'Christmas' to me and so I set about making a Christmas cad, using the one seasonal silhouette stamp I have -Dasher!

I wanted a starry night background  and I stamped Gorgeous Grunge stars in Brilliance silver ink on my background, but they didn't show through (the trees are, of course, Lovely as a Tree,stamped in Early Expresso and they show through fine!) So, plan B, I stamped the stars on the card base, making one or two of them twinkle with an added rhinestone. You can see all the glittery sparkle on this picture below. I was disappointed that Dasher did not stamp 'true' - see the hole on his shoulder? But, I kind of like the arty look it gives...

So, that's my CAS take on a very non-cas technique! Above all, I did have fun, so go on, give it a try too.  If you want more inspiration, have a look at the other projects created by the DT. I'm going to enter my card into Crafty Hazelnuts Extra Christmas Challenge and a fab new Christmas challenge  blog called Completely Christmas, if you love and make Christmas cards as much as I do you should definitely check it out.  The challenge is Anything Goes,and there's a prize up for grabs so what's stopping you!

Raspberry Ripple Heart

February began last Saturday and today is the first Tuesday in that month and so that means there is a brand new challenge at Technique Time Tuesday and it is so much fun! I had really never tried this before, but the results are awesome-it's like magic! If you hop on over to the blog there is a full description/video of the technique - Shaving Foam Printing - you use it to create background for your projects, and whilst playing I made a few more backgrounds I'll definitely be using in the future.
Here's my card, inspired by February being the month for love!

Once I'd created the background the rest was simple, a computer generated sentiment, a key charm, three rhinestones and a ribbon, it's made.  I absolutely love it! It took a few tries to get the heart as I wanted, and I used two shades of pink ink. My foam cost 26p from the supermarket, and inks are fairly inexpensive too (especially if you did what I did and got together with a friend to share) so this technique won't cost a lot either.  I am going to enter my card in a few  other challenges too, I've used most of the colour palette from ColourQ and the theme for this month at The Cupboard Trilogy Challenge is love, along with Addicted To CAS

Triple stamped Wetlands

It's a new year, it's a new month so that means that Technique Time Tuesday Challenge Blog must have a brand new challenge. We've also had a face lift and you will I am sure love our new look. The challenge includes a full video clip to help you with the technique, if you've never tried it before - it's one of my all-time favourites-Triple stamping.I've had a sneaky peak at the other cards from the DT and there are so many different ways you can use this versatile technique. I've gone for a scene card, using the amazing Wetlands stamp set from Stampin' Up.

One of the advantages of triple stamping is it creates a dimensional focal point - in this case my pair of geese, which doesn't need to be central. It's a very 'birdy' card as I've also sneaked in the little bird on the reeds from another stamp set, Simply Sketched, which is where the sentiment also comes from. I hope you can see the sparkle on the refelections, made with silver Stickles and the lovely pearl brad which is attaching the tag.
Well and truly back in the mood for making cards again, although I have one or two other crafty projects on the go too.

Tags on the Run

Just a quickie from me this morning. I made some gift tags using the emboss resist technique, one of the featured techniques on Technique Time Tuesday, where the current challenge asks for any previous technique.  I am so sorry that my post is about a week late, but that's about my life at the moment- at this rate we will be celebrating Christmas at New Year in our house!

They match the wrapping paper I have, hence the mix of colours and are destined for my work colleagues. The stamps are, of course, Ornament Keepsakes and the snowflake is a magazine freebie- one I really love to use.  Go to run, so much to do........

Faux Frame Winter Card

Today there is a brand new technique challenge over at Technique Time Tuesday and it's a real good one! Faux frame is a sponging technique which uses nesting die shapes to create the illusion of a frame.  There's a full 'how to' tutorial on the blog and I think it would be a great technique for Christmas cards, if you still have lots of those to make.
For my DT sample I have made a wintery theme card, using a colour palette of Soft Suede, Sky Blue and Very Vanilla.

The stamp set is Simply Sketched. I stamped the foliage and added liquid pearls to the berries. I have used the blue ribbon as borders as well as adding the bow and the bird image from the stamp set was supplemented by some grasses from the Wetlands stamps. The sentiment is from Blooming Marvellous. If I glittered this up I guess I could use it for a Christmas card (as it is a happy day!) but I think I'm going to use it for a winter birthday card.
Here is a close up of the 'frame'

I see there is a frame challenge for November at Heck Of A Challenge - In The Frame, so I will enter my card over there,
Do have a look at the other creations from the DT at TTT, and check out the tutorial. I look forward to seeing everyone's beautiful faux frame projects.

A CASEd Card

It's my month as hostess at Technique Time Tuesday and we are more than half way through October so it's time for some mid-month motivation as I case one of the cards already submitted in the challenge.  You may remember this month's technique is Faux Cloisonne - it's got one or two of you running to Google to find out what real cloisonne is, but to make it easy we have a complete tutorial for you over on the blog, just click here.
The card I cased is this one from Jacqueline

and here is my card

I chose another regal colour, and CASEd the shape and paper pierced border from Jacqueline's card. Instead of one large central flower (the poinsettia) I have made a bouquet, with visiting butterflies. Here's a close up of the faux cloisonne technique

The stamps are from Paisley Patterns, Reason To Smile and Butterfly Potpourrie and for my paper I used a glossy catalogue from an art gallery, which had a good weight to it as well as beautiful shiny colours- perfect for the job.

Did I mention it is my birthday today - it's a big one too, so I'll be out celebrating with all my family this evening.  I might send this card to myself, I really love it so much -thanks for the inspiration Jacqueline!

Faux Cloisonne Swallowtail

Pinch, punch- it's the first of the month!  Happy October to you! A brand new month and the first Tuesday must mean that there is a new challenge at Technique Time Tuesday and, guess what? This month it's my turn to be hostess.  This means that I have an awesome technique for you to try out, later in the month, I get to case one of your cards and there's a fab prize for the overall winner.  Why not hop on over to the blog and watch the video tutorial on how to make Faux Cloisonne embellishments on your projects. Here's mine..

I knew almost straight away that I wanted to use Swallowtail- it has such fantastic detail that, when stamped and heat embossed with gold embossing powder, looks like the fine metal wires from the real cloisonne designs. Do all this on shiny, coloured magazine paper and you can see it looks like enamel. I also made some smaller butterflies from Papillon Potpourie with the off cuts from the same page and I used a black cardstock for the background, to add to the 'dramatic' look. I have mounted the swallowtail so it is bending off the front of the card (no chance of an envelope for this one!). This is an amazing technique that you could use with flower stamps, medallion stamps, all sorts, you're only limited by your imagination and the stamps in your stash! I do hope you'll give it a try.

I am going to enter my card in three other challenges; first at QKR Stampede , even though it's not from their products it does fit the theme for Butterflies and Bows (There are some gorgeous butterfly projects there already - check it out!) secondly in the Things with Wings challenge at Sweet Stampin', and finally in the Paper Players' Tic Tac Toe challenge

Where I have taken the diagonal line: Ribbon, Embossing, Banner.

Baby Pink Silk

It's a new month and it's Tuesday so here's a new challenge for you from the DT at Technique Time Tuesday. It's called Faux silk and it is really easy and fun to do.  There is an easy to follow video tutorial here and you can use it with a whole range of styles, as you will see from the DT samples.  I chose clean and simple ( no surprise there then!) and a baby card.  Here are a couple of pictures

I used the faux silk technique to create the banners, using the pennant Punch, I really like the crinkly look you get with this effect.  I stamped the gold butterflies and added a twine ribbon. I always think that these Swiss dots, embossed, are perfect for a baby card, and the 'Congratulations' is from Sassy Salutations.
Four little baby pink gems,a 'baby' pennant and a baby pink mat complete my card.

Blurred Image

Today is the first Tuesday in July and we have a brand new challenge for you over at Technique Time Tuesday. It's called the Blurred Image and it's really simple, there's even a tutorial showing you how to do it. Basically, all you need is an aquapainter and a stamped image. You can check it out by visiting the blog
Here's my card

You will see that I used the technique on my background. I stamped the flower image from Paisley Petals and then used the aquapainter to blur the image slightly. The central panel is made with two layers of cs, an image cut out of some Paisley Petals DP and more blurred image flowers,have a closer look

A few coordinating gems and a heat embossed sentiment from Friendly Phrases and my card is ready. The other DT members have created some awesome and very inspirational projects, so do go and take a look.

Christmas Chalkboard

Back from my jolly hols just in time for a brand new challenge at Technique Time Tuesday and this one is bang on trend with the chalkboard technique.  Over at the blog you will find a step by step tutorial to help you if you've never tried this before, and it really is so simple and so effective.  You can do it two ways, one using a heat embossing technique and the other stamping white on black.  It depends which one you like best -bold and bright, or subtle and shabby.
Guess which one I've used here....

I chose a Christmas theme (again!) and used a variety of stamps to make up my board. I stamped in white and then smudged it up with sponged white ink- I used Adirondack Snow Cap. I've used some SU paper, with a gem in each corner and a couple of bows. I'm very plaesed with this card and, as I said already, it's very simple to make.