Shaped card

Hello crafting friends

It's Saturday and therefore another challenge over at Polkadoodles.

We were challenged this week to make a card, where the stamp was the shape of the card.

I used two images from the motorcycle tattoo gnome kit and placed them together to create this card. 

Using a craft artist I welded the images one behind the other and enlarged them to an A6 card size.  I then printed it out onto a robust card stock.  I placed another piece of card behind and fussy cut the two pieces together so I would have two equal bits of card to create the back.

I then coloured the front using copic markers, and added a sentiment from the gnome set.

To make the actual card, I creased the back piece (i.e. the blank card shape) along the bottle creating a hinge and glued them together using a strong adhesive.  This meant the card would both stand up and open.

I gave this to my Father-in-law for fathers Day - and he actually asked if I had made it, he didn't believe me! high praise indeed!

I'd like to enter this into:

Thanks for dropping by - it really does mean a lot when you leave a comment!  I have other social media channels linked in the top right for more ways to see what I make.

See you soon

Crafting Hugs
Rachael 

Read More

Born to ride!

 Hello everyone

Wow, these two weeks do sure come around fast for the next polkadopodles challenge. This card was made in advance of fathers day (i know it's not until June) but I had to make a men's themed card for the challenge and I saw this gnome.  My dad is a biker and I knew this would make the perfect card for him, so I've made well in advance to go into my stash until then.

The image is called motorcycle tattoo  and you can get him in a digi image, or precoloured if you are in a rush

I coloured him using copics, then cut him and some of the accessories out.  The papers behind are from an old pad I don't even have a cover for anymore

The 'born to ride' sentiment is with the set, and I typed a father's day sentiment on the computer for the bottom banner.

Men's cards can be really hard to make, but you will find tonnes of suitable images on the polkadoodles website that make it easier!

Our challenge is anything goes, using any image, and we look forward to seeing what you make!

I'd like to enter this into:

C.R.A.F.T. - anything goes

cards 4 guyz - any colouring medium

Pammies pinkie inkies - Anything goes

Allyangels - anything goes

classic design challenge - anything goes

See you again soon

Crafting hugs

Rachael

Read More

Up. up and away!

Hello crafting friends

Its time for another new release over at all dressed up and although valentines has passed, this release can be used for so much more.

Here is my inspiration using valentines boy

I coloured him with a combination of copics, then using polychromos pencils for extra depth and detail.

The papers are from a Nitwit digi kit that I layered together, and then fussy cut the cute image and added with foam tape for dimension

Here are all of the new releases

Looking good (re-release)

Valentines boy

Valentines girl

Our Facebook challenge is still ongoing here  with the theme of celebrations, or hop over to our challenge blog where the theme is anything goes!

Thanks so much for stopping by today - it really does mean the world when I get emails with your comments on them.  Follow me on Facebook, or instagram for more

See you again

Crafting hugs

Rachael

 

Read More

Birthday Boy

 Hello everyone

I hope you are all safe and well out there!

Its time for another challenge on our Facebook page this time the theme is boys.  One of my all time favourite all dressed up images is for boys, and I have used him in the past for many cards, so I thought I would dig him out again and make him into a birthday card using Autumnal colours.

This cutie is called 'Baseball Bear' and I coloured him using Spectrum Noir triblend brush markers.

The star dies I have had forever - I don't even know where they came from I've had them in my stash for that long. Otherwise I used creative expression Lisa Horton stamp set for the sentiment and the letters are from Lawn Fawn Oliver's alphabet.

I hope you love him as much as I do.

I'd like to enter this into:

Thanks for dropping by - if you want to see more of my work, and less of my rambling  - then maybe Instagram or Facebook are the places to check me out - links top right!

See you very soon

Crafty hugs

Rachael 

Read More

lets get spooky...

 Hi fellow crafters (and craft appreciators!)

I'm afraid Summer is drawing to a close, and looking at the prices of gas and electric in the UK, come the winter, we will be too cold to craft, so I'd better get ahead!

Our challenge is on again over at Polkadoodles week 35 - anything goes, along with a chance to win some of Nikky's amazing images - your biggest challenge will be choosing which ones!

This image is called Frankenstein monster boo and I have also used the Halloween paper bundle 2

I firstly used scattered straw distress oxide in the background, blending from the middle outwards like a glow, then added ink on the edges to frame him. I then used black gouache paint to splatter all over the background too.

I tore two strips of different papers to place across the bottom to ground my image.  He was printed out then coloured using copic markers then fussy cut and popped on some foam squares for dimension

I added the image and the sentiment, and decided it need more, so I went back to the paper pack and enlarged some of the skulls and fussy cut them out.

To finish the spooky feel, I doodled around the edge, and added some hand drawn cobwebs in the top corners

there are loads of great Autumn/Halloween images over in the shop - Please check them out.  Also see the other DTs amazing inspiration on the blog too!

I'd like to enter this into:

Daring card makers - in the long run (DL sideways)

My time to craft - fantasy whimsical

613 Avenue Create - anything goes

I'll see you all again very soon!

Rachael

Read More

Footie mad

 Hi everyone

Now this card has been received I can share with you on my page.  I made this for my sons friend who has just turned 11 and is an Aston villa fan

I printed him out and coloured him using Copics in the team colours.  I used a photo from the tinternet so I could reproduce as close to the strip as possible.

The papers are from a digi kit i downloaded from Etsy around 5 years ago, as are the embellishments, but I find I use this kit time and time again for boys cards.

I hope you like it!

I'd like to enter this into

Passion for markers - more than 3 layers

Try it on Tuesday for the man in your life

Crafting Happiness - Anything goes

Use your stuff - Anything goes

Taylormade cards 4U - masculine

Creative knockouts - for the kids

Thanks so much for stopping by - please leave me a comment and follow me on other social media channels - the links are in the top right to make it easy for you.

See you soon!

Rachael

Read More

Sherlock says Happy Birthday!

Hi everyone 

I made this using a Vera lane digi image (from etsy), printed him and the dog out and coloured them using Copics.

I used an crafttreat stencil in the background in various muted colours to create a camouflage feel and a script stamp to add a bit of interest.  The sentiment is die cuts from Julie Hickey sweet pea alphabet set and a Lisa Horton stamp set.  I mounted it together and to add a bit of contrast  i white heat embossed a hexagon from an Oakwood direct set and cut it out.  I also used this in the background for a bit of interest.  The brown shape really makes Sherlock pop off the page.

Male cards are just so tough to make aren’t they!

I'd like to enter this into:

• Kraftin Kimmie - for the boys
• The creative crafters challenge - anything goes
• Love to craft - Anything goes
• A bit more time to craft - Anything goes 
• Crafty Catz - anything goes with hand coloured image

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I'd love it if you would follow me - if not on my blog then on any of my social media pages (links at the top right), and if you would leave me a comment - it really cheers me up to read them!

See you all soon - Crafting hugs!

Rachael

Read More

Odd dog says 'Happy Birthday'

 Hi Everyone

Today I'm sharing a Lili of the valley Digi stamp featuring Odd Dog from Etsy I brought these when the were first released and realised when going through my computer I don't think I have ever used him!

He was just so easy to colour, and so adorable, I think I might print off some more and colour them in, ready for future projects

As I've explained in previous posts I'm currently building my stash back up and always need more men's cards (and aren't they the hardest to make!)

So I teamed him up with some simple backing paper, for a really clean design birthday card.

Ingredients

• Odd dog just for you - LoTV on Etsy
• Papermania backing papers masculine collection
• Coloured with Copics
• Stamps - Lisa Horton Everyday tickertape sentiments
• Ink - versamark black pigment ink
• Wow clear embossing powder

After resizing the image on craft artist, I printed him out on marker friendly card and coloured him using Copics. 

I die cut him out using a tattered lace stitched rectangle die and also trimmed a piece of backing paper to go down the side of the 5x7 card.  It still needed a little something, so I added a thin black strip of paper down the middle separating the coloured paper from the white background as well as a black mat around the image.

The sentiment was from my favourite sentiment set from Lisa Horton, I stamped it in black and added clear embossing powder to give it some shine. (hence the photo with the light reflecting off it!) 

It was all stuck together with glue and foam pads.

I hope you love him as much as I do!  If you are reading this, I'd love to read your comments - let me know what you think.  If commenting isn't your thing, then please follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest (links on my home page on the top right) 

I'd like to enter this into:

Cute card Thursday - Anything goes

Crafty Animals - with an animal

Double D Challenge - things with a tail

Cards 4 guys - Things with a tail

Crafty sentiments - Anything goes

Through the craft room door - anything goes

See you very soon

Crafty hugs

Rachael 

Read More

Sending loads of love

 Hi Everyone

So.... my Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest accounts are all set and I'm now posting across all social media - get me keeping up with the 'young uns'!

Just dropping in to share a quick card I made using newtons nook stamps (check below for full list of ingredients)

I saw this and could not resist this cute digger set.  I'm always struggling for male cards and what man or boy doesn't love a digger or truck!!

I recently donated all of my cards to be sold in a local shop.  We are splitting the profit 50:50 but I am donating my share to the West Midlands Air Ambulance, so I need to restock my drawers and I always need extra men's cards.

Card makers out there I'm sure you feel my pain when I say, men's cards are the hardest!

Anyway - here it is...

Ingredient list

Newton Nook stamps - Love Quarry

Copic markers and Spectrum noir triblend brush markers

Orange plain and some stripy orange cards stock from my stash

plain circle die

I stamped the images with lawn fawn Alcohol marker friendly ink pad, and coloured with a combination of Copics and spectrum noir triblend brush markers, and fussy cut them out.  I also used the cone stamp to stamp the background using Lawn Fawn Jelly fish and Carrot ink pads.  I wanted inspiration so I typed in card sketches into my browser and found a set up I liked and then using glue and foam squares, assembled the card.

I hope you like it!

Please check out my other social media pages, like, share and follow, and if you want to leave a comment below, I love to read them..

Crafty hugs

Rachael 

Read More