birdsong

Today I am entering the challenge at The Sugar Bowl where they have a fabulous sketch and an additional requirement to use the colour 'kraft' in your design.

The sketch was a dream to follow and as luck would have it, I have a little stash of kraft paper and so was able to use that.

I used plain kraft card as my base and inked the edges with gold ink.

I machine stitched on, a piece of Hambly kraft paper The Birdcages which I had also edged with gold ink.

Here is what I came up with:

I took another piece of plain kraft paper, inked the edges with gold and machine stitched on a piece of vellum paper decorated with golden musical notes.

The hinges are made from Tim Holtz grunge board which again I inked with gold and used little gold coloured brads from my stash to attach.

The image is a Leanne Ellis design called Fly Free. This design also includes a birdcage which I have chosen not to use here. I coloured her with my copics and added some Prima flowers to her hair.

The birdcages at the top right and bottom left hand corners were cut from another Hambly ~ Screen Print paper.

To the bottom left birdcage I added a white button which I had decorated with a little brown bird rub on.

I added a strip of sheer white ribbon across the centre of the design and machine stitched on a piece a of lace. The flower in the top corner was made with a layer of various flowers from my stash and I added a strip of flower lace to the centre.

Before I go I just want to thank Penni at Lazy Cats Cards for the lovely blog award that she left for me.

Thank you Penni! I know that there are rules to follow but I will have to come back to that as I'm in a bit of a rush!

Thank you for looking.

kat - keeley

having a {me} day

vacation snapshots

Firstly, I would just like to say a very BIG thank you, to all of you who visited my blog (and continue to do so) during the Duda Daze blog hop and took the time and trouble to leave me a comment. I very much appreciate each and every one of them. I am still in the process of returning the compliment and visiting your blogs, so if I haven't done so already, then I will visit in the next day or two. In the meantime, if you missed out on the hop you can follow it by checking out my posting below this one. I'm sure you will all agree that it was a really fun and enjoyable hop ~ there is so much awesome talent out there and I really enjoyed visiting you all.

On to today's posting where I am entering FIVE challenges.

I have used this week's sketch over at Sketch Saturday.

Both the ABC Challenge and Just Magnolia Challenge have a theme of 'Summer'.

The challenge at Cute Card Thursday is to 'use a tag on your creation'.

Finally, the challenge at Lots to Do is 'to incorporate a piece of haberdashery' ~ I have used ribbon.

Here is my interpretation:

All patterned papers are from the S.E.I. ~ Dill Blossom collection and I used Coriander, Saffron and Marjoram.

The 'Snapshots' chipboard word is from the We R Memory Keepers ~ Hoopla collection. The 'vacation' tag is from Making Memories.

The image used is Magnolia ~ Khaki Tilda from the new Pets and Animals collection. As usual, I coloured her with my copics.

I created a little branch for her to sit on, which was cut from one of the S.E.I. papers. The bird is a rub-on from October Afternoon.

Photo anchors are by Papermania and brads are by Basic Grey.

For the scalloped edges I used an olive green velvet ribbon from Cosmo Cricket.

Thank you for looking.

kat

having a {me} day

Sugar Nellie ~ Duda Daze Release ~ Blog Hop!

The day has finally arrived for the Sugar Nellie ~ Duda Daze stamp release blog hop!!

Sugar Nellie are today releasing a new set of stamps by designer Diane Duda and I was lucky enough to win one to create an entry for this blog hop.

I made a photo scrapbook album and here it is. Just click on the photos to get a closer look!

Isn't she just darling! I had so much fun with this stamp. This design is called Frog Prince and you will be able to find her for sale here along with the rest of the Duda Daze collection.

For the album I made a front and back cover shaped like a crown to match the crown on the Princess's head. This is her castle! All patterned papers used are from the K & Co ~ Dollhouse collection.

I created a doorway for the princess to stand in. It looks like she's already found her prince! I coloured her with my copics. She was a real pleasure to colour. I can't wait to create with the other stamps in this series.

I had a piece of chipboard which had already been inked up and crackle painted, left over from a previous project. To add a little dimension, I stamped her crown onto the painted chipboard and cut it out.

I made a little 'Love' sign to hang from the top of the door. I again used a piece of the painted chipboard and glued on a Heidi Grace acetate. I painted the edges and made some holes to hang the sign.

I created a door for the castle by inking up a piece of chipboard with Tim Holtz ~ Distress Inks and then covering it with Crackle Paint. When it was dry I cut the chipboard into strips and created the door. The hinges are Grungeboard shapes which I just inked up and glued to the door. Once the door was assembled, I added a layer of Crackle Accents.

I glued a Maya Road acetate clock to a piece of crackle painted chipboard, painted the edges and added a pink brad to hold the clock hands.

The double layered zig zag border above the doorway and running across the top of the castle was made with my Martha Stewart ~ Zig Zag Embossed border punch. I then machine stitched a strip of wide ric rac ribbon to it using a zig zag stitch.

The little flowers dotted around on the castle walls were made using my Martha Stewart ~ 3-in-1 Hydrangea punch. I added tiny mini brads to the centre. The 'Little Princess' and 'Once Upon a Time' titles were cut from the K&Co papers and glued to chipboard before painting the edges.

Here is the back cover. I decorated it using a similar layout to the front but without the embellishments.

I bound the spine with my Bind-It-All and added some ribbons.

Phew!

Well now you need to hop along to see Penni at Lazy Cats Cards to see the next creation in the blog hop! She creates some fabulous work so I can't wait to see what she has come up with. Don't forget to follow the hop through and leave some nice comments! I'm off to have a look at all the other lovely creations now.

Thank you for looking.

kat - keeley

having a {me} day

happy father's day

This is the second of the two Father's Day cards that I needed and I am entering it into FOUR challenges.

I used this fabulous sketch over at Sketch Saturday.

Stamp with Fun has a theme of 'dots' - there are lots of dots in my patterned papers.

At Stamp with Stampavie the theme is 'numbers'. You will see numbers in the patterned papers below Edwin's feet.

Finally, Created By Hand Challenge has a 'your choice' of theme.

Here is the card I created:

All plain carstock is Bazzill Bling. Patterned papers are from the Pink Paislee ~ Fetching collection - I just love the colours they use in this line.

I made a little bench for Edwin to sit on by cutting a piece of scallop edged cardstock and sticking it to a scrap of chipboard and cutting it to shape. Just tidy up the curves with a piece of sandpaper.

The backing papers for Edwin have also been mounted onto chipboard to give some definition.

The image is Magnolia's ~ Lucky Edwin from the Fortune Collection. I coloured him with my copics and raised him up on foam pads so that he can sit comfy on his bench.

I made the corners using my photo corner punch and layered them up again with chipboard.

Don't forget to pop by on Friday when I will be posting my entry for the Sugar Nellie - Duda Daze blog hop. By following the hop you will see lots of creations made using the new range of stamps by Diane Duda created for Sugar Nellie.
More details on Friday! See you there!

Thank you for looking.

kat - keeley

having a {me} day

purple wedding

Another wedding card and I've had to use the same image as before as it's the only wedding couple stamp that I have.

I am entering this into three challenges. I used this week's sketch at Stamp Something.

Our Creative Corner asks us to use border punches.

Finally, Lots to Do Challenge has an open theme.

I haven't added the sentiment yet as I am going to make one which is personal to the happy couple.

Here is my card:

The papers that I used are Basic Grey ~ Wisteria: Dahlia & Jardin. I cut a double heart border with my Fiskars border punch and added a strip of lace, securing with brads. The layered flower was made from a mixture of flowers in my stash and given a jewelled brad centre.

The wedding couple stamp is by The Greeting Farm and I coloured them with my copics. I made the scallop mat that they are standing on with my Cricut.

Thank you for looking.

kat - keeley

having a {me} day

the beginning of every journey ...

This is the first of two Father's Day cards that I am making and I am entering this one into THREE challenges:

I was looking for a sketch with lots of different layers as I wanted to use quite a few different papers. I found it here in this week's sketch at Stamp With Fun. I have extended some of the background papers beyond the sketch because I just loved the papers and wanted the card to tell a story.

The Created By Hand Challenge blog has a theme of Father's Day this week, which is quite handy!

Finally, Cute Card Thursday has a theme of quotations and I have included one on my card.

Here is my card:

All papers used are from the K & Co ~ Blue Awning 12 x 12 paper pad. If you look closely at the card, you will see the story unfold as follows:

The year is 1824 and Magnolia's Edwin, originally from Philadelphia, is currently in the port of New York.

He has been bad and so is being exported to a place whose name I can't read so I have decided it is Jamaica - the island in the bottom right corner of the card.

All that he takes with him are the clothes on his back (but pretty smart by my reckoning), a compass, an oar (to row the boat) and a length of rope.

Talking of which he's been practising tieing his knots!

Edwin scoured the internet and, using Basic Grey buttons, made a reef knot (top) and then a sheet bend (bottom).

The 'Happy Father's Day' sentiment is also by Basic Grey.

Finally, the quotation from a ribbon sticker sheet, is shown below and reads:

'the beginning of every journey starts with a single step'.

Thank you for looking.

kat - keeley
having a {me} day

Sugar Nellie ... Duda Daze bloghop ... meet me there!

I forgot to tell you all my exciting {{NEWS!!}}

Sugar Nellie are about to release a new set of stamps by designer Diane Duda and I have been lucky enough to have won a pre-release stamp. {{Thank you!!}}

In return I must design something to show at the Duda Daze blog hop which will take place on Friday 19th June. Put it in your diaries because it looks like it will be FUN, FUN, FUN!! I think there will be about 36 people involved in the bloghop, including me and I can't wait to see all the other entries!!

I have received my stamp. I haven't created my entry yet, but I have it all in my head! Just need to get it down on paper. No doubt it will end up looking the complete opposite to what I have planned at the moment. AND NO, I can't tell you anything, because it is SECRET!

However, between now and the 19th I have some other designs to share that I am working on, including {{FATHER'S DAY}} cards. I have one which I will share tomorrow if I can get the photos done. Then I have another one to come, not yet started.

Also, I have some other {{{EXCITING}}} news, but that will come later, later, later ...

Thank you for looking

kat - keeley

having a {me} day

happily ever after

I was asked to make a wedding card with a white and silver colour scheme and I am entering the finished card into FIVE challenges.

I used this weeks fabulous sketch at A Spoon Full of Sugar. As soon as I saw this sketch, I knew that it was the one that I would be using for my card.

At Simon Says Stamp Challenge the challenge is to use any of the Tim Holtz products, I have used a few TH products - largely glue as you will see.

Use your diecuts and punches is the challenge this week at Cute Card Thursday. I have used three different punches and made a diecut piece.

The Stamp Something Challenge has a wedding theme.

Last, but not least, the One Stop Craft Challenge has an embossing theme. I embossed the sentiment that I made.

So, here is the card:

I used Silver Wedding Hearts and Silver Wedding Vows and stitched these onto a piece of white cardstock. For the trim across the middle, I punched a heart border with my Fiskars punch and machined a lace trim to it.

Flowers are by Prima and I added a silver glitter brad to the centre and some branches punched using my Martha Stewart punch.

I diecut an oval shape with my Cricut from a piece of vellum which has silver hearts. I inked the edges in silver before placing it behind the couple.

The wedding couple are from The Greeting Farm and I coloured them with my copics. I gave the bride a bit of glitz by adding some Tim Holtz ~ Stickles to the flowers in her hair, the bow, the trim of the dress and her eyeshadow.

For the mat on which the couple are standing, I took a piece of white card, layered it with a piece of silver angel hair and added a white acetate Hambly Screen Print Frame before machine stitching them all together.

I glued on the happy couple with Ranger ~ Glossy Accents. This really is the best glue to use. You have plenty of time to squidge the image into place before it starts to dry and I know that it will stick nicely to the acetate and never come off.

I made lace corner trims and sewed on the buttons with silver thread. I know I did this on the last card I posted, but I quite like the effect.

Finally, I made the sentiment from a stamp included in this Greeting Farm set. I used silver ink to stamp the sentiment and then clear embossed it. I also inked and embossed the edges and created a double layer. I cornered the edges with my Round-It-All and added a silver glittered brad.

Thank you for looking.

kat - keeley

having a {me} day

40th birthday

I needed to make a card for a 40th Birthday and as I was using a Sugar Nellie stamp it seemed appropriate to use this week's sketch over at The Sugar Bowl.

As well as the following the sketch, the challenge was to use pearls.

I used a pre-bought card blank as my base. I forgot I had these, usually I make my own out of Bazzill, but having discovered them, felt that I ought to use one! I inked the edges of the card with gold ink.

The patterned paper I have used is Cosmo Cricket ~ Dutch Girl: Klara and I have used both sides of this.

Here is my card.

The '40!' and the bracket are pieces of chipboard which I stamped with pale blue ink and clear embossed, before inking the edges with gold. The 'happy birthday' sentiment was part of one of those flimsy freebie sets you sometimes get with magazines. It was the perfect colour for what I needed. I glued it to some chipboard, inked the edges with gold and I'm actually quite pleased with how it came out so I'm glad I never threw these away!

The image is of course Fizz by Leanne Ellis, just love those legs! I coloured her with my copics.

For the 'photo corner' I used a little piece of lace and stitched on some tiny buttons in red and blue.

The scroll in the top right corner is a K & Co rub on and just perfect for filling up the blank space I had.

Finally, I added some nice chunky flat pearls to the right hand side of my card.

Thank you for looking.

kat - keeley

having a {me} day