Hot Day Blues

This one finishes off the remains of the Waitrose junkmail envelope. There were only strips left, but I wanted to use it all up, as a matter of principle! Lol ;-)

This August Bank Holiday weekend has been one of the 'bursts' of extreme hot weather that the meteorologists talked about on TV.. Far TOO hot for me! I hate it with a passion, so the bright sunshine inspired this one. Thank goodness summer is nearly over, and my annual party day.. 1st September.. is very close now! It heralds my favourite three seasons.. Winter because it has Christmas in it, and the other two because they are so beautiful, and COOLER! Hurrah! :-)

Obviously, I used the pretty printed rainbow paper from the aforementioned envelope. I stiffened it by mounting on thin card, cutting into narrower strips, edging with a Blue Iris Chalk Eyes inkpad, painting with diluted Craft Planet iridescent glitter glue. The background is a smooshed one from a previous session, using watercolour picked up from my glass mat, mounted onto white card for a frame. Then I mounted the strips on recycled cardboard for a little dimension, as I did also the computer-generated text at the bottom.

The 'sun' is the scribble circle from Sizzix Tim Holtz Thinlits 'Scribbles & Splats', ref: 660222, cut from gold holographic paper.

Recycling Junkmail

It turns out that even junkmail from Waitrose is a cut above! This arrived a couple of days ago, and I just have to use it! Thank you, Waitrose! :-)

This is my first card using the paper, but I'll get at least another card from it.. maybe more. Rainbows had to be the theme. Obvs.

I trimmed the paper and glued it to some 220gsm card, inked the edges with a Blue Iris Chalk Eyes inkpad, and mounted it on some recycled cardboard packaging for a little dimension. I cut the sun and cloud by hand, and for some bling, I spritzed some Craft Planet iridescent glitter glue and painted it on to three of the yellow stripes. The words were computer-generated. The cloud and the words are also raised up slightly with cardboard.

Snowy House

From the archives: 6" square card, using an image and sentiment from an old card, I set it on a first layer of kraft card to co-ordinate with the house, then onto gold mirror card and blue Bazzill cardstock. Just finished with a Kaleidopunch snowflake and a red faux gem to reflect the red in the card image.

Easter Twice

These are fresh from my crafty little fingers! The paint is still wet. ;-) Made for family Easter cards, they are 6" x 6", using recycled wrapping paper for the background. I've chosen to layer it onto a white card mat for a bit of body, but the colourful floral background presents lots of options. 

The white panel that the daffodils are sitting on has been embossed with a Darice folder.. Peonies, I think.. and raised on low profile 3D foam pads.

For the daffodils, I used the Altenew freebies that came with Issue #188 of the Simply Cards & Papercraft magazine. It has taken me a long time to get around to it, but I've seen so many stunning creations with them that I couldn't not use them! I printed the free digital papers onto cardstock, and then used the die to cut them out. However....

It's a die of several parts, and after the first couple, I lost the will to continue! But even flat and unlayered, I still think they're beautiful. Much respect to those of you who persevered and produced some amazing, detailed 3D daffs! 

Finally, the sentiment is computer-generated using text boxes in Word.

Christmas Window

This is a 6" x 6" card, using a recycled image and sentiment from old cards, inked around the edges and layered onto a blue Bazzill cardstock mat, and decorated with holly leaves punched from old sheet music and snowflakes made with a Kaleidopunch. A button and string and some glitter complete the card.

Christmas Party

I used a small image that made me smile, and layered it on burgundy card and then gold mirror card. All three layers were deckled with fancy-edged scissors, and then mounted on low profile 3D foam pads for a little dimension. The words are stamped, but I'm afraid I don't recall the details. The whole card is 6" square.

Umpteenth Recycled Xmas Card

The focal image on this card is recycled from a handstamped card that I received. I inked the edges and mounted it on a 6" square card that is embossed with a holly spray folder.. Cuttlebug, most probably, which has been lightly stroked with green Stickles and a touch of red. I've tied some string around it, and decorated it with some red tinsel miniature pom-poms and punched holly leaves using my large Woodware punch and some old music sheets, inked around the edges with dark brown Chalk Eyes ink.

Friendship Flowers

The floral image is cut with a Spellbinders nesting labels die, decorated with a metal 'Friendship' word embellishment and organza ribbon on the spine. I have used Hero Arts 'Friendship Writing' stamp, ref: K5058, and the edge of Stempelglede's grunge border stamp from their Grunge Collection set.

Little Butterfly

This is an A6 (4" x 6") card. I have recycled a piece of scrap.. the grungy text piece behind the focal image, which has some sparkly micro beads in the centre of one of the flowers. The butterfly is from a Martha Stewart punch, and has a couple of tiny pearls on its back. You could add a sentiment if you wish to, or use this as a notelet, or an any purpose female card.

TIP: When using a thread wrap, I make holes just behind the spine to poke the thread through. Using a needle-threader makes that easier! I also make tiny nicks in the sides which help to hold the thread in place where you want it.

Bloom With Abandon

Pretty floral image mounted onto pink Bazzill cardstock, edges inked, then dressed up with a Prima flower + faux gem centre and Ash Branch foliage punch, and waxed cord wrap and bow. Sentiment is stamped.. Stamoin' Up, I think. The butterfly is a Martha Stewart punch, with Stickles and a couple of tiny sparkly stickers.

Recycled Friendship

This one uses some recycling from my own scrap pad. I noticed that some practice stamping (the focal panel) looked pretty good, so decided to use it! For the background of this A5 (UK size) card, I stamped a harlequin stamp (2nd generation stamping), a Hero Arts Friendship text stamp in dark brown Chalk Eyes ink, and around the edges with Judikins 'Field of Sky'. The edges were inked and sponged, and a Martha Stewart border punch in dark green Bazzill cardstock across the middle, with some waxed cord wraps and tied Basic Grey button and some Sizzix Garden Greens foliage. A gold thread wrap and some gold mini brads on the central panel complete the design.

Purple Floral

Using recycled images from magazines, matted and layered on purple cardstock (UK A6 size), with pink glittery card and embossed silver card layers and some dried flowers.

Kitty Friendship

Can't remember what I made this card for, specifically, but it was part of my (ongoing) recycling campaign. The grungy frame and cute kitty picture were cannibalised from a card I received.

This card also uses a script stamp, my beloved harlequin stamp and a Stampin' Up 'Friendship' stamp. The background CS is coloured with Chalk Eyes peach, bisque and dark brown inks. The leaf sprays are a Sizzlits die, button, pearls spray and rosebuds speak for themselves.

Upcycled Christmas Wishes

The stamp in the centre is by Inkylicious #3170, with a couple of faux red gems. The border is fussy-cut from an old card, mounted on black card and then that was fussy-cut, too, and mounted on small 3D pads for a little dimension. More faux red gems in the corners.

So.. that's it from me until after Christmas. I'm off to spend three days with family, and can't wait! I know that Christmas is not always the most happy of occasions for those of us who are alone, or have lost loved ones, or have other struggles, and my heart goes out to you. As for the rest of you, though, I wish you the merriest Christmas and a very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year! (I'll probably say that last bit again on New Year's Eve! ;-)

Upcycled Santa Girl

How simple is this? The image from an old card already has the sentiment in it, just matted and layered onto black cardstock, wrapped with waxed cord and embellished with a Kaleidopunch snowflake and a red faux gem. Eh, voilà!

Climbing Santa

Image and greeting recycled from old cards, embossed with a Cuttlebug folder, mounted on 3D foam pads, and decorated with a Kaleidopunch snowflake and faux cabochon gem.

Click on picture for a larger image.

Kitty in Santa's Hat

A very simple card using an image upcycled from an old card, matted and layered and blinged with some faux gems.

Upcycled Skaters

Upcycled image from an old card, mounted on black cardstock, then on card blank, and embellished with glittery gold cord, red button, recycled greeting and punched and inked music paper holly leaves.

Tropical Beach

Made for a friend a few years ago using a recycled brochure photo, mounted on some holographic silver card, just showing, then layered onto crisp, white card, raised on 3D foam pads. Gina's name was computer-generated and printed on the card before adding any embellishments. Seashells were stamped using the shades of blue from a Kaleidocolour ink pad.

Christmas Cookies

I didn't want to leave things on a sad note for today, so here are some bright and cheerful Christmas Cookies, upcycled and smartened up from a discarded card. All I've done is inked the edge of the image and stuck it to a card blank, mat & layered a greeting from another card onto some gold mirri card and mounted it on raised 3D foam pads.