Seize the Birthday #303 Layer It

 Hi there Crafty Friends! It's time for another Seize The Birthday Challenge.

Nancy is our host for this challenge and she wants us to create a Birthday Card with lots of layers.   If you are not in to our "toppings" option, you can make any kind of  Birthday Card.

I had lots of fun creating layers with Memory Box and Poppy Stamps dies/stamp.

I also dry embossed the background. 

We have the lovely Leslie joining us as our Surprise Party Guest.

You can see Leslie's card and more from our own talented team at  Seize the Birthday Challenge blog.

I hope you'll find time to join us. Remember, the topping is optional, so if you prefer Anything Goes, that's fine,  so long as it's birthday themed. 

   Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog! I love to read your comments:)

                                                                

Time Out Challenge #286 Pick Two

 Hi there Crafty Friends! It's time for a new challenge at Time Out. We've changed up our challenge themes this year and for this challenge we want you to Pick (at least) Two from the following:- Stencil, Floral, Spots, Arch, Water, Pastel.

I picked Stencil, Floral and Pastels

I used Altenew Craft Your Life Project Kit: Magnolia & Blooms for my pastel flowers. A mixture of Distress Oxides and Altenew Inks were used. I used the Embossing Folder, Stencil and Die from the kit. 

The sentiment was made with an Altenew Hotfoil Plate and Die. 

I thought the textured light grey card stock would complement the pastel colours. 

Our Guest Designer this week is the lovely  Fran Wing of Franmade In Oregon.

You can see Fran's fabulous card and more inspiration from our  wonderful DT at the Time Out Challenge blog. 

Now it's your turn - I hope you have the opportunity to join in our challenge.

                    Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog! I love to read your comments:)

                                                                

THE CARD CONCEPT APR '25 - SPRING CELEBRATIONS

 Hello Crafty Friends! Welcome to a new challenge at The Card Concept. 

We have a really fun photo and pretty colours to spark your creativity this month.

I actually made a different card with a birthday cake for this challenge, but sadly I forgot to take a picture, before travelling to Queensland, where I'm currently cat-sitting. 

Luckily I have this card which uses the colours and fits the theme! 

I recently took advantage of a sale at Simon Says Stamp, to stock up on some pretty Embossing Folders. 

This is probably my favourite. I sponged some colour around the edge and spritzed with water. I also carefully added a bit of splatter. I embossed a second panel and die-cut the flowers.The flowers and butterfly (Memory Box)  were then heat embossed with a special powder, which is semi-matte. I included a black layer under flowers to make them pop. Then I added the yellow to the centre of flowers and butterfly with Copic marker. 

The sentiment is also from SSS. 

I think my card qualifies as a MIXED MEDIA style and was inspired by the colours and theme.

Remember, an inspiration photo is exactly that- a starting point for inspiration. Will it be the colours, the overall theme, the texture, the actual items and/or something else that will inspire your card? 

I hope you'll visit The Card Concept Challenge Blog to see what the rest of the team has created and will be inspired to play along in the challenge with us. 

Choose a design style (or combine styles), create a card, and in your blog post, let us know what inspired you from the photo, what style and/or styles you chose and don't forget to display our inspiration photo and link back to our challenge.

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog! I love to read your comments:)

                                            

PENNY Black Saturday Challenge Apr '25

  Hey there Crafty Friends! It's the first Saturday of the month, so we have a new Penny Black Saturday Challenge up on the blog. 

Our theme this month is 'ANYTHING GOES or the optional twist 'EASTER'.

I stamped these gorgeous flowers  using Karin Markers direct to stamp. 

Stamps:  Penny Black Blossom Branch

If you'd like to be considered for a guest designer spot for a future challenge, please add 'GDT' after your name on the link-up...and remember to check back to see if you've been chosen!

 You can see more inspiration from our talented DT at our blog. I hope you have the opportunity to join in our challenge.

                               Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog! I love to read your comments:)

                                                                

Seize the Birthday Challenge #302 Milestone

 Hello Crafty Friends! I'm so happy to be hosting the current challenge at Seize the Birthday.

I recently had to make a card for my Mother in Law who was turning 90. This made me think about my next Milestone Birthday and was shocked to realise it will be my 70th!!! I've still got a few years to go, but I thought I'd start making some cards for friends because time does fly!!!

So I have a Twofer to share with you...

I off-set the black numbers with pink for a shadow. All dies are from Spellbinders and the stamp from Altenew.

This time I combined Hot Foiling and Betterpress to make this pretty card. Again I've used Spellbinders products as well as the beautiful sentiment from LDRS Creative.

We have 2 wonderful Surprise Party Guests joining us - Leslie and Renate.

You can see their cards  and our own talented team at  Seize the Birthday Challenge blog.

I hope you'll find time to join us. Remember, the topping is optional, so if you prefer Anything Goes, that's fine,  so long as it's birthday themed. 

   Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog! I love to read your comments:)

                                                                

TIME OUT CHALLENGE #285 Inspired By Challenge

 Hi there Crafty Friends!  It's time for a new Time Out Challenge and this week we want you to be Inspired by: Your Favourite Movie.

Can you guess which movie I chose? 

I have more than one favourite of course, but there's something magical about the wonderful character Amelie Poulain in the 2001 movie 'Amelie' and of course it's set in my favourite city!

I searched for stamps of girls and Monmartre and found this stamp from the now defunct, Carabelle Stamps.  I used the colours from the promotional poster. The die is from MFT Stamps. 

Our wonderful sponsor is Claire Brennan of Claire Brennan Design & Illustration and former owner of Waltzingmouse Stamps.  Our Challenge winner will receive Claire's Mid Mod City 4x8 Clear Stamp Set as a prize and an inviation to join us as Guest Designer for a future challenge.

We have Ginger Williams of Andora's Stamping Studio, as our Guest Designer. 

You can see her wonderful card and lots more from our DT at the Time Out Challenge blog

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog! I love to read your comments:)

SEIZE THE BIRTHDAY #301 ANYTHING THAT FLIES

  Hi there Crafty Friends! It's time for another Seize The Birthday Challenge.

LINDA is our host for this challenge and she wants us to create a Birthday Card with 'ANYTHING THAT FLIES' for the topping this week. If you are not in to our "toppings" option, you can make any kind of  Birthday Card.

I made a smoosed background with various shades of pink Distress Oxides and then layered the die-cut panel over this. I did the same with the butterfly. I used patterned paper for the pink border. 

Dies:- Tim Holtz (flower border), Memory Box Butterfly

Stamp: Altenew

We have Leslie Miller joining us for the next two months as our Surprise Party Guest.   Leslie is incredibly talented and we're so happy to have her with us!

You can see Leslie's card  and our own talented team at  Seize the Birthday Challenge blog.

I hope you'll find time to join us. Remember, the topping is optional, so if you prefer Anything Goes, that's fine,  so long as it's birthday themed. 

   Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog! I love to read your comments:)

                                                                

TIME OUT CHALLENGE #284 Theme Challenge

 Hi there Crafty Friends!  It's time for a new Time Out Challenge and this week we want you to make a card inspired by the 'RED CARPET'.

You can choose one of the dresses in the Inspiration photo or choose your own. If you choose your own, please include it in your post. 

I was so inspired by the gown pictured below and used dies from Honey Bee Stamps.

The window was cut with a Stamplorations die. I used Distress Oxides to colour the background. The sentiment is from Pinkfresh Studio.

NB: It was difficult to get a decent photograph, because of the reflection from the silver card. 

I used glitter black card and holograpic silver for the die-cut palm trees to capture the glamorous element of the gown

Zendaya wearing a gown by  Giorgio Armani Privé at 2024 Oscars

Our Sponsor is PICKET FENCE STUDIO with a generous $25 gift voucher for our winner, chosen by our DT! 

We welcome Carol Mayne of just me: c, as our Guest Designer. 

You can see her card and lots more from our DT at the Time Out Challenge blog

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog! I love to read your comments:)

THE CARD CONCEPT MAR '25 FLORAL HEART

 Hello Crafty Friends! Welcome to a new challenge at The Card Concept. 

Or inspiration this month is so pretty and I'm sure you'll have fun with it. 

I'm so happy I got to use more of the hot-foiled flowers from Pinkfresh Studio as well a their sentiment stamp and cover die. I then framed it with a Memory Box die.

I was inspired by the pretty flowers and colours to make a Clean 

& Layered Card. I also incorporated the hearts with the embossed background.

Remember, an inspiration photo is exactly that- a starting point for inspiration. Will it be the colours, the overall theme, the texture, the actual items and/or something else that will inspire your card? 

I hope you'll visit The Card Concept Challenge Blog to see what the rest of the team has created and will be inspired to play along in the challenge with us. 

Choose a design style (or combine styles), create a card, and in your blog post, let us know what inspired you from the photo, what style and/or styles you chose and don't forget to display our inspiration photo and link back to our challenge.

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog! I love to read your comments:)

                                            

PENNY BLACK SATURDAY CHALLENGE MAR '2025

 Hey there Crafty Friends! It's the first Saturday of the month, so we have a new Penny Black Saturday Challenge up on the blog. 

Our theme this month is 'ANYTHING GOES or the optional twist 'ON the FARM''. I didn't have any farm animals, so I made a scene that reminds me of an old farm house.

This is definitely not my usual style, but it was fun putting it together.  What do you think?

I used a few tidbits from my UFO stash The flowers and bunny and window were all fussy-cut. The window was only half finished before, so I added some detail with coloured pencils to make it look rustic.

I stamped the vine on patterned paper from Kaisercraft. I than added a rub-on (the moth) to balance out the colours. There wasn't much room for a sentiment, so left it without for now. 

Stamps: Penny Black Songbird, Window (cling), Lovable

If you'd like to be considered for a guest designer spot for a future challenge, please add 'GDT' after your name on the link-up...and remember to check back to see if you've been chosen!

 You can see more inspiration from our talented DT at our blog. I hope you have the opportunity to join in our challenge.

                               Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog! I love to read your comments:)

                                                                

Seize the Birthday #300 No Stamping

 Hi there Crafty Friends! It's time for another Seize The Birthday Challenge.

Julie is our host for this challenge and she wants us to create a Birthday Card with 'NO STAMPING'  for the topping this week. If you are not in to our "toppings" option, you can make any kind of  Birthday Card.

I have used foiling, die-cuts and a bit of ink blending on my card, using Spellbinders Products.

We have the lovely Chris from Chrispy's Creations joining us as our Surprise Guest.

You can see Chris's card as well as Amanda our continuing Surprise Guest and our own talented team at  Seize the Birthday Challenge blog.

I hope you'll find time to join us. Remember, the topping is optional, so if you prefer Anything Goes, that's fine,  so long as it's birthday themed. 

   Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog! I love to read your comments:)

                                                                

TIME OUT CHALLENGE #283 CASE the Designer

 Hi there Crafty Friends!  

It's time for a new TIME OUT CHALLENGE. This week we want you to CASE a gorgeous card made by the uber talented Donna Mikasa of 3Umbrellas. We are also celebrating our 11th Birthday! Woohoo!

I recently purchased this foil/die/stencil set from Pinkfresh Studio and I love it so much. I think you'll be seeing these little blooms pop up in lots of my cards. I used a triangle border die from Tim Holtz instead of an embossing folder and backed with black card. I'm not sure if the black makes it look to 'heavy', but I used black foil to balance it out. 

The winner of our challenge will receive a $25 store credit from our wonderful sponsor - Gina K Designs and also be offered a Guest Design gig for a future challenge!

We have the lovely Jacinda of LazzieJ's Crafting Corner as Guest Designer for this challenge.

You can see Jacinda's beautiful card and more inspiration from the rest of our fabulous DT at the TIME OUT CHALLENGES blog. 

I hope you have the opportunity to join in our challenge.

                               Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog! I love to read your comments:)