Penny Black: A Bunch of Love Stickeroos bookmark + card

Hi blogging friends

When I went to a Craft Show late last year, I picked up some gorgeous Penny Black Stickeroos which I have had sitting in my stash and then about a month ago, I picked up a copy of the February edition of the UK mag "Quick Cards made easy" at my local newsagent and was totally inspired by Katina Killey's article on using stickers to make cards.   Katina made 10 cards using the Helz Cuppleditch Neighbourwood sticker collection of foxes, mice, owls etc. Wow - they were so gorgeous! Katina has a blog too called "Katina's Cards and Chat" which I discovered last year and I just LOVE Katina's style of cards and you can check it out HERE.   But the cards Katina does for the mag are not on her blog - you will have to get the mag to see them (not that I could see anyway - correct me if I am wrong).   

I am sure that many of you have stickers sitting in your stash unused but too good to throw away just like me - so go and dig them out and have a play!   I decided to make some quick and easy bookmarks (I will just share one now and the others on another post) and then made a matching card - a fun little gift set which you could use for lots of occasions such as birthday, Mother's Day, friendship, etc.  Once I worked out how to make a bookmark (I have never made one before), it was easy peasy to make a couple in one sitting and I just changed things up a bit with each bookmark by using a different border punch and embellies.   The Penny Black stickers are really great quality stickers and I love how the sticker edges just seem to blend into the cardstock. The sticker sheet that I used has around 17 stickers which is great value for only a few dollars.

I love, love, LOVE the designer paper I used on my projects.  It is by Echo Park:  A Country Drive (6 x 6 pad) and the colours on all the pages are right up my alley.  I will have to try and get a few more pads before they become too scarce!

Bookmark:

I lightly chalked underneath the hedgie sticker with green chalk so it looked like a bit of grass/ground and added Kindyglitz Crystalina glitter glue to the flowers. The pink glitter butterfly on the bottom of the bookmark was punched out of pink glitter cardstock using a Martha Stewart Butterfly punch and I added some green glitter cardstock underneath.  I used a 1/4" round hole punch to punch a hole at the top then threaded through some scrap threads from balls of yarn plus some Cotton Candy and Limeade twine.  I love the texture that the funky fibres added to the bookmark.  Finished bookmark size is 165mm long x 65mm wide OR imperial 6-1/2" long x 2-9/16" wide.

Card:

I again coloured the ground underneath the sticker with a bit of green chalk and around the sky with blue chalk (not that you can see it all that well - it is subtle) and stamped on the sentiment then added a Hero Arts pearl heart.  The panel was diecut using Spellbinder Square Nestabilities and my Cuttlebug.  I added Kindyglitz to the hedgie's cheek and all the flower petals.  The pink glitter butterfly was punched using a Carl Butterfly-A punch and pink glitter cardstock - I know it looks dark in the photo but it is really a pale pink that matches the pink cardstock.

I grabbed three pieces of twine - Cotton Candy, Lollipop and Limeade and very patiently plaited them together, tied a knot at each end then tied it around the bottom panel - something a bit different to do with twine but I really like how it looks.  The bottom and main image panel are up on dimensionals.  Finished card size is 120mm or 4-3/4" square.

Challenges:

I am entering my card / bookmark in the following challenges -

Papertake Weekly Challenge - In the Garden

Splitcoaststampers Inspiration Challenge IC334 - Rosenberry Rooms - I was struck by the gorgeous pink and green colours on THIS Duvet Cover which was why I chose the designer papers that I used.  I had forgotten how much I loved pink and green together!

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Week 201 - In the Garden

Thanks for stopping by!  And thanks especially to Katina for the inspiration!

Jocelyn


Bookmark and Card Recipe:


Stamps:  'For you' sentiment from Penny Black 'Tiny Wishes' 30-026 clear set

Ink:  Versafine Onyx black


Designer Paper:   Echo Park - A Country Drive 6" x 6" pad


Accessories:   Penny Black Stickeroos 'A Bunch of Love' #10-165, Kaisercolour green and blue chalk, Perfect Layers Tools, Kindyglitz Crystalina glitter glue, scraps of wool, Cotton Candy (pale pink) twine by The Twinery, Limeade (green/white twine) + Lollipop (dark pink/white twine) by We R Memory Keepers - Sew Easy Fancy Floss, dimensionals, Hero Arts CH173 Hearts Accent Pearls, cardstock: white, pink, green, pink glitter, green glitter


Punches: Carl CP-1 Butterfly-A, Martha Stewart Monarch butterfly, Martha Stewart Pinking Scallop edge punch

Hero Arts Bird in a circle - a thank you card

Hi blogging friends

Recently I bought some First Edition 6" x 6" designer papers on EBay from a UK seller and ohhhh, I just love them!!  I couldn't wait to make a card with them and today's card uses papers from the Boho Chic collection.  I went for a Vintage style of card - well, my style of vintage - not sure if the purists would call it truly Vintage with no torn bits etc.  I think I am just too much of a neat-freak to do all that although I really love vintage cards that other people make.  Guess it's OK to just "be me" with "my own style of vintage".

I made this card to suit the Splitcoaststampers "Free for All Friday" F4A113 of "Mix n Match" where you are to use at 2 or 3 types of patterned/designer paper.  See THIS link for the deets on the challenge.

This card is a "Thank you" card which I will be giving to my next-door neighbours who have always been so encouraging and enthusiastic about my cardmaking - and most recently, have been such a fantastic support with all that we are going through with caring for our family member.  Our neighbour will just turn up with a batch of fairy cakes or make a dessert, bring in our rubbish bins if we are caught up at hospital and not getting home until late, collect our mail, mow the lawns, feed the cat - they would give you the shirt off their back if you needed it - and we are so grateful for them.

I inked up my Hero Arts 'Bird in a Circle' stamp with Versafine Vintage Sepia ink and stamped it twice onto white cardstock so I could cut out an extra layer of the flower petals plus the bird to do some paper tole.   I coloured the image with Prismacolor + Derwent Coloursoft pencils and Odourless Mineral Spirits using paper stumps.  Then, very carefully, I cut out the inside circle of the main panel and discarded it.  It was very delicate work cutting around the flowers and the bird's legs! 

I then used my Blending Tool and Antique Linen Distress Ink around the edges of this panel - then again using Vintage Photo Distress Ink.  I did actually cut the image down a little to be a perfect square as well as being a smaller size to layer on my peach designer paper.

Before I attached the 2nd layer of flowers to the bottom layer, I used a stylus on the back of the petals to shape the petals to look more rounded and did the same with the bird's body.  I used an old mouse pad to press down on as it had some give and allowed me to shape the pieces just like I wanted.

I attached the flowers with dimensionals under each petal but not in the middle so I could press down the centre to help make the flowers look a little more realistic.  The bird was also attached with dimensionals.  Here is a close-up of the dimension and fussy-cutting I did on the card:

Using a Lemon Bliss Bic Mark-It texta, I coloured some tiny Prima peach pearls to make them look a bit more yellow (but not bright yellow) and popped them in the centre of the flowers. 

I glued on a narrow piece of peach ric-rac which just added a little 'something' at the bottom of the main panel but not over the top as I wanted the image to be the focal point - then popped this panel up on dimensionals on top of the gorgeous glittery brown designer paper layer. 

The peach base designer paper was diecut using my Big Shot and Go Kreate Scalloped Square die and to add a bit of texture, I ran the paper through my Cuttlebug using my Crafts Too Sweet Flowers embossing folder.  I really love the texture that it added to the card and made such a difference to the look of the card.

Note that I inked around the edges of the peach and brown papers with the same Distress Inks as the white cardstock.

Lastly, I punched a butterfly from the peach designer paper with a Carl Butterfly-A punch and coloured some more Prima pearls with the Lemon Bliss Bic Mark-it texta and popped them in the centre.  I attached just the butterfly's body with dimensionals and bent up the wings then added some Kindyglitz Crystalina glitter glue to the wings.

Now that the card front was finished, I simply attached it to a white card base.

Challenges:

I am entering my card in the following challenges -

Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge #30 of 'Anything Goes' 

One Stop Craft Challenge - Week #180 - Recipe Challenge - 1 image, 2 designer papers, 3 embellishments.  My card uses 2 dp's from the Boho Chic set, 1 stamp (image) and the 3 embellishments are my ric-rac, pearls and the butterfly.

Simons Says Stamp Challenge - 'Anything Goes'


Thanks for stopping by!

Jocelyn


Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Hero Arts Bird in a Circle cling-mounted rubber CG181

Ink:  Versafine Vintage Sepia, Tim Holtz Distress inks - Vintage Photo and Antique Linen

Designer paper:  First Edition Boho Chic 6" x 6" pad

Accessories:  Big Shot, Cuttlebug, Go Kreate Scalloped Square die, dimensionals, Prismacolor pencils, odourless mineral spirits, paper stumps, Ranger Blending tool, Prima peach pearls coloured with Lemon Bliss Bic Mark-it, Crafts Too Sweet Flowers embossing folder, Kindyglitz Crystalina glitter glue, peach ric-rac, stylus and old mouse pad, Lemon Bliss Bic-Mark-it texta, Cardstock:  KW Doggett 'Knight' white

Punches:  Carl CP-1 Butterfly-A

A sympathy card and a blog award from Shien Shien

Hi blogging friends

Thank you for your continued fantastic support and comments on my last post - I really appreciated reading each and every one of them and they have been helping me through this difficult time filled with hospitals, specialists and medical appointments which will continue for much of this year - but things are going according to plan at this stage which is what we had hoped and prayed for - and really, we just get through each day with whatever challenges present themselves and not look too far ahead or you drive yourself crazy worrying.

Secondly, I wanted to say a very special "thank you" to Shien Shien in Indonesia from Shien's Paper Arts who recently gave me a blog award - so sweet of you to pass it on to me :-))  I have been following Shien Shien's blog for a few months and I am blown away by her talent for scrapbooking and cardmaking.  I was so pleased that Shien Shien recently joined the Lawnscaping Design Team as I LOVE Shien Shien's Lawn Fawn cards - they are always so beautifully creative and so stylish.  You can check out Shien Shien's blog here.  Due to my current time-constraints and circumstances, instead of passing it onto particular bloggers, I am passing this award onto YOU - all my wonderful followers and encouragers - MWAH :-)) 

Recently, I received news of the passing of a member of my extended family and although it wasn't unexpected, it is still a shock when it happens - and this is the card that I made to send to the immediate family members:

I kept it really simple as I usually do with Sympathy cards but decided to just add a touch of colour with the punched pink glitter cardstock hearts and the pink ribbon just to make it look a little more feminine but not over-the-top.  I punched the hearts using a Martha Stewart Looped Hearts edge punch and are actually the leftover punchies after using the punch; they were just the right size that I needed.  I know the hearts look dark in the photo but they are really a light pink that matches the ribbon.

Just a tip:  when I tie a ribbon bow on the edge of a card that is going in the post, I usually add a few drops of Supaglue to the bow knot so that it doesn't come untied and have the ribbon fall off either in transit or when the card is pulled out of the envelope.  The Supaglue soaks through the bow knot to the ribbon layers and seals it all together and there is no way that it can come undone. Just try not to Supaglue your fingers to the ribbon or the card!  Once I stuck my fingers to the kitchen bench with Supaglue - but that's a story for another day!

Thanks for stopping by!

Jocelyn


Card Recipe:

Stamps:  'With Sympathy' from Stamp-It Australia cling-mounted rubber sentiment set - siset014

Ink:  Versafine Onyx black

Accessories:  Cuttlebug Roses embossing folder, Spellbinder Oval Nestabilities, Cuttlebug, pink ribbon, supaglue, cardstock - white, pink glitter

Punches:  Martha Stewart Looped Hearts edge, Stampin' Up! corner punch

Woodware Space Cadet - a boy's birthday card

Hi blogging friends

My nephew has just turned 7 and this is the birthday card I made for him.  I have this "thing" about alien stamps - they just seem so adorable to me for some reason and keep an eye out for them when browsing Internet stores.  It is probably just as well that stamp companies don't make a lot of them or I would have a cupboard full of them - tee hee!

I have had this Woodware 'Space Cadet' clear stamp set for a while and just checked the Woodware UK website and it is still current - not sure what stores stock it though.

I stamped the alien ship onto watercolour paper then stamped the sentiment.  For once I actually remembered to stamp the sentiment before I coloured my image instead of colouring the image then stamping the sentiment later on - which usually ends up being crooked or doesn't stamp cleanly!  Perhaps I am learning from my many cardmaking boo-boos LOL!

I coloured the image with watercolour pencils and after letting it dry overnight, I added some Glossy Accents to the domed glass. I also chalked around the image with blue chalk (not that you can see it in the photo!)   Here is close-up of the image:

And here is a close-up of the glossy accents which I photographed inside on my craft desk under those fluro low-energy globes as there was no sunshine outside and it was as dull as could be and couldn't get the glossy-ness to show in my photos outside.  Sorry that the photo is pretty yuk and the colours are a bit off, but you get the idea of the glossy accents I hope!  It looks pretty cool in real life ;-)

I LOVE this Bo Bunny designer paper - cute, cute and love the colours - and had to have!  I punched a couple of stars from various papers from the pad and popped them up on dimensionals above the image.

Having seen other people use Card Candi on their cards, I bought some last week and they are fabby!  Soooo much easier than poking a hole to put brads through and easy to line up.  I just popped a dimensional underneath and voila!  Of course, now I need them in every colour........lol!

The side panel was dry embossed using a Crafts Too Star embossing folder except that I had the folder back-to-front and de-bossed it instead!  Fortunately, it really didn't matter and looks just fine as it is. I just wanted to add a bit of texture to the card.   Here is a close-up piccy:

I kept thinking I should add glitter somewhere or jazz it up with something else, but in the end, just left it as is.  Didn't want to fuss too much for a boy's card and I am sure my nephew will be more interested in the present than the card!

Challenges:

I am entering my card in the following challenges -

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Anything Goes
with the optional extra to have a monotone theme so just one colour range excluding hair and skin.  I obviously didn't do the "optional extra".  

Simons Says Stamp Challenge - Use your favourite tool - mine is my Cuttlebug which I used to diecut my Spellbinders nesties.

Splitcoaststampers - Free for all Friday - F4A105 - Cards with Character

My character is the cute little alien of course!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Jocelyn

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Woodware Space Cadet FRCL097 clear set

Ink:  Versafine Onyx black

Designer paper:  Bo Bunny Blast Off! 6" x 6" pad

Accessories:  Cuttlebug, Spellbinder Pinking Circle + Circle Nestabilities, 140lb watercolour paper, Lyra + Faber-Castell watercolour pencils, paintbrush, dimensionals, orange rhinestones by TPC Studio - Sunny Bunny, glossy accents, honeydew twine - The Twinery, Craftworkcards Candi - Prince Charming set, cardstock - sky blue, navy blue

Punches:  EK Success Arrows border, Carl CP-1 star

Stampendous Bunny Egg - an Easter card

Hi blogging friends

I had a little break from taking my family member to hospital today for treatment which gave me a little bit of "crafty" time which was really wonderful.  Thanks again for your continued comments, emails, prayers and support as I journey through this - I really appreciate it and it brings much comfort to know how many people care and want to help in any way they can. 

Each year, I always make an Easter card for my daughter (she is now 8 yo and still believes in the Easter Bunny - yay!) and I have been itching to use this uber-cute little Stampendous image which I bought in a sale after Easter last year.  I love how the sentiment is on the egg too.  It doesn't really seem like it has been a year since last Easter:  how time flies!

I stamped the image onto my white cardstock, then stamped the egg again onto the same designer paper I used on the background so I could paper-piece the pink and green portions of the egg.  I also stamped the egg again onto watercolour paper and coloured just the yellow section with watercolour pencils and cut that out and popped it on top of the original stamped image on the white cardstock. I stamped the bunny twice more onto watercolour paper - once for using the whole bunny image and the second for just cutting out an extra layer of the two paws to give bunny a little more dimension that he/she is holding the egg.  I coloured the bunny and grass/ground with watercolour pencils - not that there is much to colour - quick and easy!

I lightly went around the image with blue chalk to represent the sky and added some pink and lemon chalk here and there using I-Kan-dee  pearlescent chalks, then punched four tiny pink hearts using my Arrows border punch (they are the leftover punchies that look like tiny hearts to me) and glued them around the image.

I smothered the pink ends of the egg with Kindyglitz Crystalina glitter glue.

Lastly, I added the ribbon in two separate elements and the bow itself was made with my Bow Easy.  I really love how the ribbon and velvet Doodlebug brads were such a perfect match to the designer paper - a complete fluke which made me feel very satisfied as I love it when you rifle through your stash and find things that go together like a match made in heaven!  Here is a wee close-up of those gorgeous brads - wish you could feel how soft and velvety they are:

Did you notice that my layers ie: cardstock and designer paper have perfect 1/8" borders?   No?  Have a look - aren't they just so even? Wanna know why?   Well, recently I purchased the Perfect Layers Tools after seeing a demo of them and as I always have trouble getting the borders on my layers even, I thought I would give them a whirl - and oh my gosh, they are THE BEST invention and so easy to use.   No longer do I keep trimming and trimming the borders to get them even till I end up with really silly skinny borders or I cut 3 sides OK and the 4th is all crooked. Gaaahhhh - I used to get so cheesed off - but not anymore. I LOVE the tools and now use them on every card that has layers plus I use them for scrapbooking too    Yep, that's me:  bouncing with joy!!  I bought mine from Joanna Sheen's UK website and you can see them at this link here.   If you read through the description, you will see a link to a video demonstrating the tools if you are interested.  I have no connection to Joanna Sheen or the manufacturer - I just love the product.


Challenges:

I am entering my card in the following challenges -

Splitcoaststampers Free for All Friday - F4A109 'Three or more' where you have to use "3 of something" whether it is multiples of a stamp or embellishment.  I used 3 brads of course!

Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Anything Goes!

The Sisterhood of Crafters - Celebrating Easter - which can be an Easter card or project

Thanks for stopping by! 

Jocelyn


Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Stampendous Cling Bunny Egg CRD168

Ink:  Versafine Onyx black

Designer paper:  My Memories #151645 - Riot Art and Craft

Accessories:  Cuttlebug, Spellbinder Circle and Scalloped Circle Nestabilities, Lyra watercolour pencils, paintbrush, Kindyglitz Crystalina, ribbon, Bow Easy, Kaisercolour blue chalk, I-Kan-dee pearlescent chalks, Perfect Layers Tool, Crushed Velvet brads by Doodlebug, 140 lb watercolour paper, cardstock:  green, pink, white

Punches:  Fiskars Scalloped border, EK Success Arrows border

Penny Black: Imagine - girl's birthday card

Hi blogging friends

Just wanted to say thank you for all your sweet comments and support following my last post re my sick family member - I really appreciate them   It's going to be a long road to recovery - most of this year - but we are just taking a day at a time and getting through it with whatever challenges arise and not thinking too much about tomorrow.

I thought I would share a card that I finally finished today.  It just seemed to take ages to figure out if I needed a sentiment and if so, where should I put it?   Sometimes it takes me longer to "finish" off a card than all the rest of it (hope that makes sense!) especially when my mind has been filled with a truckload of medical information.  Gosh, it feels so good to post a card and think about something non-medical :-))  ....and here it is:

I coloured the CUTE little Penny Black teddy with watercolour pencils and added lots of glitter to the balloon and the wings on the bees.  I paper-pieced teddy's bow tie then punched some tiny hearts with my Arrows border punch (they are the leftover punchies which look like tiny hearts) and added them around the balloon and glittered them too.  I chalked around the image with Kaisercolour blue chalk.    Can't you just imagine teddy saying "Wheeeeeee!!" as he flies across the sky?  Doesn't he look just so happy?!  

Here is a little close-up of teddy - the glitter on the balloon doesn't look as gaudy in real life - just the camera angle captured it that way:  

And here is an extra-close-up pic so you can see the paper-pieced tie. I should do more paper-piecing - I really love the effect.

I also really love the designer paper - such gorgeous, cheerful colours.  It was so hard to cut into it LOL!!  I struggled to find a matching ribbon in my stash so dyed some white seam binding with Jo Sonja Textile Medium mixed 50/50 with Aqua + Colony Blue Jo Sonja acrylic paint to get a light teal kind of colour.  The Textile Medium changes the paint into fabric paint - very handy!!  I attached the ribbon in 2 separate elements and the bow itself was made with my Bow Easy.  I sewed the button onto the bow then glued the bow on with fabric glue.  

The tag was diecut with my Cuttlebug and one of the Tiny Tags dies.  I added the same tiny little hearts as around the balloon and glittered them too.  Lastly, I added the lovely pearly brads to the top RHS which were some freebies from Anna's Craft Cupboard that were included with a recent order.

Challenges:

I am entering my card into the following Challenges:

Splitcoaststampers - Free for All Friday - F4A105 - Cards with Character - which is to add a character to your creation such as people, animals etc.

Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Simon says: "Use 3 different papers".  My first 2 papers are obvious; the 3rd is the paper-pieced bow tie on teddy - and are all from the same MME paper pad.

Allsorts Challenge Blog - Week 143 - It's your choice

Thanks for stopping by - I really appreciate it!

Jocelyn


Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Penny Black 'Imagine' 3694K wood-mount, sentiment by Wendy Irving Expressions clear set J6412.01

Ink:  Versafine Onyx black

Designer paper:  My Mind's Eye - Lime Twist - Life of the Party 6" x 6" pad

Accessories:  Cuttlebug, Cuttlebug Tiny Tags die, Bow Easy, white seam binding, Jo Sonja Textile Medium and acrylic paints, Bow Easy, button and sewing thread, fabric glue, Lyra Aquarelle watercolour pencils, paintbrush, Kindyglitz Crystalina glitter glue, 140lb hot pressed watercolour paper, Kaisercolour blue chalk, cardstock:  light teal

Punches:  EK Success Arrows border

Life has thrown me a curve ball.....

Hi blogging friends,

As I type this, I have just returned from hospital having stayed there for 2 days with a family member whilst they had many tests.  They have been admitted and will require surgery but the end result at this stage is unknown.  My heart is heavy and I have had no sleep for those 2 days.   I shall be back at hospital in the morning and what will happen from there is a case of waiting further results.  I hope to continue blogging my cards when I can but it will be sporadic.  I have four cards to share but haven't had time to write up my blog posts for them.

Please bear with me.  My posts will not be filled with hospital details and detailed information about my family member but will be related to my cardmaking which will be my escape from this nightmare - but I shall be very constrained time-wise and may not be able to visit blogs as much as I would love to or respond to emails.  As I am the Primary Care Giver, I must concentrate on family for now and do the simple things like keep washing done and up-to-date and keeping other family members informed along this difficult journey. 

It is hard to believe that only a short time ago, my little world was a happy place - and now it has been turned upside down.  I am very fortunate to have wonderful neighbours in my street and have great support from other family members and my friends plus our Church and an awesome husband who is an incredible tower of support.

Thanks for listening and hopefully I shall get to post something soon!

{{hugs}}
Jocelyn