Autumn Leaves

The colours of the leaves are stunning outside, so I can't stop creating inked leaves and using all leaf dies I can find in the craft room. I've been so much into die cutting lately, much more than stamping to be honest. Today I made a bit of a mess with Distress Inks and STAMPlorations dies with a very strong CAS flair. It's just so much fun getting that ink everywhere and then splattering with water and some more ink. 

Today's card was inspired by the blue background and beautiful fall leaves in the inspiration image over at Fusion Card Challenges. I was also inspired by the ink blending themes over at AAA Cards and Daring Cardmakers.

Card: Neenah Solar white card

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Broken China, Blueprint Sketch, Faded Jeans, Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Festive Berries, Barn Door, Aged Mahogany, Vintage Photo

Stamps: STAMPlorations Trendy Feathers 1 (retired)

Dies: STAMPlorations Trendy Leaves 2 coordinating dies

STAMPlorations discount code: If you want to save 20% when shopping at the STAMPlorations store you can use the code STAMPGIRLKAROLA at checkout. The discount applies to all normal priced and discounted stamps, stencils and dies. The code cannot be combined with other discount codes.

Cozy Autumn Cuppa

Today was the first morning this season I had to scrape the windscreen of my car. Or to be perfectly honest, the boo did it for me. I'm a feminist, but I have to say I love it when the boo does the stuff that involves getting cold hands... And what a heart-warming gesture to realise when you get your car that the windscreen has been scraped! He has his moments.

We need a hot cup or two when the weather turns icy, don't we? I had to wait for a train for quite a long while out in the cold this morning, and would not have managed without my huge vat of hot latte to keep me warm. Today's card was inspired by that steaming mug of comfort as well as the cozy image over at Inspired by All The Little Things and the sketch over at Fusion Card Challenge. I'm also linking up over at Shopping Our Stash where the theme is to use a sketch and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where Anything Goes this week.

Card and paper: 250 gsm brown card, Lawn Fawn Perfectly Plaid Christmas, Perfectly Plaid Chill, Knock on Wood, Neenah Solar white card

Stamps: Lawn Fawn Love You a Latte and matching dies

Ink and colouring: Tim Holtz Distress marker, Tim Holtz Distress Inks

Dies: Lawn Fawn Stitched Rectangle Nesting dies, Stitched Leaves, Tag You're It, Big Scripty Words, Everyday Banners

Thankful for Cake

Today I spent some of my time in the good old craft room which has had way too little use lately. I'm procrastinating as I should be writing job applications. After many weeks of way too much work, I decided I've had enough, and it's time to start looking for something else. So instead of writing applications, I've been eating chocolates and crafting. As you do. 

So today's card was inspired by the delicious chocolates I ate. It's dangerous living close to a chocolate factory outlet shop. They had some really good offers, and in all good conscience, I couldn't leave without taking advantage of them! I can tell you that Eating sugar makes you inspired to colour cakes, which was perfect given the Just Add Cake theme over at Just Add Ink. I'm also linking up with Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where Anything Goes this week. In addition to using the new Sweet Cravings stamp set from STAMPlorations I also used a sentiment stamp from the Words of Gratitude set which you will be able to find in the STAMPlorations shop very soon. 

Card: 300 gsm white card
Stamps: STAMPlorations Sweet Cravings, Words of Gratitude (coming soon!)
Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versafine Onyx Black, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Hickory Smoke, Faber Castell Albrech Durer watecolour pencils
Other: sequins from my stash

STAMPlorations discount code: If you want to save 20% when shopping at the STAMPlorations store you can use the code STAMPGIRLKAROLA at checkout. The discount applies to all normal priced and discounted stamps, stencils and dies. The code cannot be combined with other discount codes.

Just Us Girls GD - Photo Week

Time flies when you are having fun, and this is my last week guest designing for the wonderful Just Us Girls. It's been so much fun, thank you so much ladies for having me and all the hard work you do to keep the challenge going! I'll see you soon again in the link-up for future challenges. 

This week is Photo inspiration, and you can see a bigger version of the image below. Just look at those gorgeous colours and fun texture. I was inspired by the beautiful background, and I used Brushos to re-create the spotty look and using similar colours to the inspiration image. I then added a feather and sentiment in white heat embossing using the STAMPlorations Trendy Feathers 2 stamp set.

Card: 300 gsm white card, Daler&Rowney 300 gsm watercolour paper, scraps of black card

Stamps: STAMPlorations Trendy Feathers 2

Ink and background: Tsukineko Versamark, Brushos

Other: CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies, Papermania Seafoam White embossing powder

Neutral Wedding Card

I got asked to do a wedding card, with the instructions that it could not be at all cute. Which made me have to think a bit as my go-to wedding stamp set is the super cute Lawn Fawn Happy Wedding. But having to challenge your crafty muscles is always good, and after a few rounds of optimisation, I ended up with this card. To be honest, the plan was to use white heat embossing on the roses, and I had done multiple versions with both white and clear glittery embossing powder. They look really similar when the bottles are sitting on the desk and I simply went for the wrong bottle! But in the end, I really liked the subtle shimmer from the glitter embossing powder so I went with this design after all. I then hand lettered the sentiment using a metallic sharpie as I don't have a Mr&Mrs stamp. I added some gold Wink of Stella to the sentiment for a finishing touch adding some subtle shimmer.

My card was inspired by the neutral colours and intricate piping on the beautiful wedding cake and the metallic shine from the cake stand over at The Card Concept #80 (my card style is CAS). I'm also linking up with CAS on Friday where the theme is Flowers. 

Trying to capture the shimmer of the embossing powder on the roses.

Card: White 300 gsm card, kraft card

Stamps: STAMPlorations In Bloom: Radiant Roses

Ink and lettering: Tsukineko Versamark, Copper Sharpie, Gold Wink of Stella

Other: Papermania Holographic Embossing powder, CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies 

STAMPlorations discount code: If you want to save 20% when shopping at the STAMPlorations store you can use the code STAMPGIRLKAROLA at checkout. The discount applies to all normal priced and discounted stamps, stencils and dies. The code cannot be combined with other discount codes.

Just Us Girls GDT - Colour challenge

Saturday means a new Just Us Girls Challenge! I've had super fun Guest Designing for the talented team, and sad that this is already my second to last week with them. And what a super fun colour combo it is. Perfect for Halloween - or anything else that tickles your imagination. I've been enjoying lots of fun with my Lawn Fawn critters lately and this card is no exception. I decided to dig out my Pop-Up Hillside die and create a spooky Halloween Night scene with some poisonous mushrooms and little critters dressed out as witches.

This is what the outside of the card looks like

I created the sky by die cutting the Puffy Cloud Borders in scrap paper. First I inked the background card in light purple and then added more purple using the Puffy Cloud Borders as masks, using darker purple and finally black to create a gradient. Then I splattered the whole background with water for an even spookier effect. I die cut the pop-up hills in black card and added some forest border and stitched tree borders die cuts to them. Then I stamped the critters on white card, coloured them with Copics and die cut using the matching dies. 

I can't wait to see what you create with this week's colours.

Card and paper: Stampin' Up Basic Black card, Neenah Solar white card, Lawn Fawn Perfectly Plaid Rainbow

Stamps: Lawn Fawn Holiday Party Animal, Gleeful Gardens, Critters Ever After, Hats Off To You all with matching dies and Happy Everything

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Wilted Violet, Dusty Concord, Black Soot
Dies: Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillside Pop-Up, Stitched Tree Borders, Forest Border, Puffy Cloud Borders, Stitched Rectangles, Scripty Happy
Other: Papermania Seafoam White embossing powder

October STAMPlorations CAS Challenge - Mid-Month Inspiration

Welcome to your mid-month reminder for the STAMPlorations CAS challenge. It's great to see that you have found your way to the challenge after our summer break, it's so lovely and inspiring to see your gorgeous cards in the gallery. 

For my card, I stamped the Bloomtangled ATC #2 stamp and coloured it with Copics. I've been on a colouring spell lately. It's so relaxing! I thought the only thing needed for my card was a die cut sentiment, which I cut in white and red card and layered them on top of the coloured image. I used a slightly textured hammered white card for some additional subtle texture.

Card: 250 gsm white hammered card, Neenah Solar White card, scrap of red card

Stamps: STAMPlorations Bloomtangled ATC #2
Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics
Dies: Bloom and Grow phrase die

STAMPlorations discount code: If you want to save 20% when shopping at the STAMPlorations store you can use the code STAMPGIRLKAROLA at checkout. The discount applies to all normal priced and discounted stamps, stencils and dies. The code cannot be combined with other discount codes.