Animal magic

I'll continue posting all the goodies I made at my weekend away on Jillstampsup and try and catch up with everything else on here!

This was a Mothers Day card I got asked for.  The brief being it was from several members of the family and between them they had 2 cats and 3 dogs - this is what I ended up with:

I've used several Penny Black stamps from my stash and coloured them with copics.
The dog on the right is cut out and 3D'd which doesn't show up well in the picture.

It was rather different but I was told yesterday it made the Mum in question cry (in a good way!) so it's nice to know it was appreciated.

On the 4th day of Christmas!!

A card for friends today who have a couple of chickens so I had to make this!

I've used a stamp from the Penny Black 12 Days of Christmas set.

The stamp itself is just one 'bird' so I embarked on a spot of masking to actually end up with 4 birds on the card.

I've coloured in copics and added some frantage embossing enamel for the snow effect.

Layered on some lovely pearly card from Anna Marie with a few gems.

'4 Calling Birds' stamped from the same set (which is a great set) and layered on SU punches.

Bus trip

Thanks for the OCD comments about my heart punching!  In my defence (and although I do occasionally have these tendencies) after punching out 1,080 hearts in 8 different designs I didn't want to mix them up so put them in my pots for safe keeping - this project is coming along quite well this week.

So, at work this week I was asked 'could I make a birthday card for man'.  I said yes with a bit of a question (given recent requests).  'He's 60, drives a bus and is a Bristol City fan'.  I kid you not, the craziness never ends.

Soooo, my first thought went to the Penny Black London bus which I don't own but a friend kindly let me stamp the image a while ago - amazingly in the chaos I found it and the card took shape:

I've coloured the image in copics - I did research on what colour the footy team are thinking I could colour the bus to match and handily enough they are red and white so that fitted in rather well.

The age and reference to the club are on the front of the bus.

Sentiment printed out to match the 'Bristol City' font and all layered to tie in - mounted on some great football card I bought at a local establishment recently.

Good job I bought it see Val?!

Back to the hearts before the next crazy request rolls in!

Hedgehogs

Well, I had a plan to get on top of some quilling yesterday and as I was on the way out to work I suddenly saw some hedgehog pictures I was meant to have sorted!!

At the last Crafty Bunch I sat next to Michelle who had borrowed a lovely collection of Penny Black wooden stamps from Anne over at Stamps and Paper.  Michelle has a stall tomorrow at Yeovil Junction where she is raising money for Prickles Hedgehog Rescue at Cheddar.

I stamped out some of the images as I love my hedgies and said I would make her some cards for her stall.

I coloured a load of images with copics a couple of weeks ago in between everything else and for some unknown reason completely forgot about adding them to cards - lucky I did remember yesterday as they were needed for today!!

Anyway, how I had coloured my images and what came to hand first saw the way to the following:

I really enjoyed doing them and must make time to do some more!

I've just popped them round to Michelle where she was busy with Beryl colouring, cutting and finishing items off.  

Back to the quilling!
Jill

Hedgie Anniversary

Today's share is the Wedding Anniversary I made for my husband - 17 years this week wherever those years have gone!!

You will know if you are a regular viewer that bicycles are rather a big thing in this house so I felt I needed to use this chap as I hadn't done before.

It's from a transparent Penny Black set called 'hedgie friends'.  I've coloured it in copics and added some glossy accents on the wheels before punching out and mounting on a die cut.

I am trying this year to be more adventurous with colours, using different layers and generally playing a bit more with cards - this is one result of that!

Hedgie has been layered on a die cut fence which was mounted on a piece of blue that had been treated to some Martha Stewart punch-around-the page 'Cherish' action.

The next 2 layers are very much stolen as a format from a card I did on a recent workshop.  The bottom layer has had it's corners invert punched and some little gems added.

Main image finished with a button, punched hearts and a stamped sentiment which was punched out with the trusty SU label punches.

Penny Black card

Today my friend Lucy has a 'special' birthday.

She is a big fan of Penny Blacks so I made this 8x8" card for her.
Stamps are from the transparent sets Paint the Town & Hello Friend.

I've stamped the little hedgehog 4 times and double stamped the balloon so I could 3D the top layer, the same with the middle balloon the cat is holding.

Coloured in copics and the sky is daubed with chalk.

Trusty SU sentiment again layered on card to pick up the gold peel offs I added and ribbon to finish.

Paint the Town

A commissioned card today for someone I work with.

This lovely stamp is a Penny Black transparent one from the set 'paint the town' and ideal for the recipient who is a bit of an artist.

The request was a bit last minute so I didn't get round to adding a sun in the picture or any sparkle to the background as I might of done with a spot more time!

I've covered the card in some flowery paper from the stash.   The image is coloured in copics and I double stamped the snail on the pot and the brush pot twice so I could 3D them.

Sentiment computer generated and both layered on pink cards to match the backing.

Tomorrow I will post the stationery set some of you might know I was experimenting with last week.

'G' is for girl!

The invites from yesterday have gone down well (need to make a few more now!).


This card is another commission for 2 year old Grace.


I used a Happy Birthday stamp in different colours on the base card with a '2' added in between.


The alphabet stamps are Penny Black and have quite girly images in the main which is why I chose them.  I've coloured the letters and pictures with Copics and added glossy accents on the letters.  These were then punched out and mounted on a matching colour card punched using an SU punch.

You're a Grandparent!

It was lovely to see Val's jewellery 'for real' at the weekend. Thanks to Karen & Anne for popping by too. I can report that I am not still frozen to the spot, but did need a hot bath and a hot water bottle to thaw out!

That aside it was still great to spread the quilling word and sit next to a big stand of product to be able to help people get their supplies. I had a few new converts which was great and they went home with tool, book and a stash of quilling paper.

Back to this week and as well as not quite having ditched the lurgy yetI have been lucky enough to have a few commissions.

This cute hedgehog is from a Penny Black acrylic set. Mum's neighbours are 'expecting' imminently and Mum wanted to give them a card as she loved having new Grandparent cards and knows they will appreciate a specially made one.

Not that I have too much time on my hands but as we don't know the 'make' of little person I have made both options so a card is ready for delivery either way!

The image was stamped with memento and coloured in copics, with some of the image being cut out twice for a 3D effect. Layered on co-ordinating card and finished with a computer generated greeting and some card candi.

Valentines

A commissioned card today using the cute doggies from the Penny Black transparent set 'The Touch of Love'.

I've added a touch of colour and double mounted on to a kraft card which I punched the edge of with a very apt EK border punch.

A peel off greeting and some papermania hearts added for a finishing touch.

Christmas Hedgehogs

I have been crafting away this week but can't post the items yet for various reasons so I've assessed the last few weeks to see what didn't get posted, many of them didn't make it because they were personalised and although the recipients may not of seen this blog I don't like to chance it!

This was a special request for someone at work who started a tradition many years ago of buying a card 'from' his 3 daughters which each year has to feature three animals. This is getting harder apparently after 20+ years as there are many cards with 2 or a group of animals - could I help?

Well, there were obviously many options and we settled on these cute Penny Black hedgehogs. I coloured them in copics, added gold to some of the bells and had these lovely little real bells in my stash (as you do - just in case) which I attached with a little thread and some strong glue.

The girls names were added to snowflakes for an extra touch and all mounted and backed on to some sparkly paper.

I'm now off to make cards for my second criss cross box.

Gingerbread man

This little chap accidentally came my way in a sale opportunity a few weeks ago - isn't he nice?

He is a Penny Black slapstick stamp. I embossed him on brown card and added some white highlights and a touch of holly berry & leaf colour.

Simply mounted on to a punched scallop circle and then on to a lovely shaped card from Craftwork Cards which I embossed a few snowflakes on to.

Sentiment is from a Hobby Art set.

Loving and Hugging

These cuties are a Penny Black slapstick stamp I came by recently!

I needed an Anniversary card quite quickly and just had to use them.

They are stamped, then coloured & shaded using copics. The picture and mat are cut out using the new X-Cut nesting dies (ornate frame) which I thought would be a useful shape and a bit different.

The greeting is mounted on a couple of trusty SU punches and the card is finished off with a few gems.

I got my new buys in Crafty Devils at Barnstaple if you are ever in the area it is a lovely well stocked shop!

Animals

This card is for a slightly crazy friend who I know will appreciate it!

The stamps are from the Penny Black 'Zoophabet' set. Some of the animal links to letters are a bit random - this features Ape and Neck.

The stamps were heat embossed and coloured with copics. The letters were then covered with glossy accents as a finishing touch.

The letters were punched out with an oval punch and layered on a matching colour of larger oval.

Xmas Tree

Today's offering is a bit different for Christmas.

The stamp is from a Penny Black transparent set called Winter Whites and Greens - quite impressed I managed to buy at least one set that didn't have hedgehogs in!

I stamped the tree in a lovely deep purple and embossed then dotted with Anitas gems, simply layered on some matching card and added a Merry Christmas greeting from the same stamp set.

I might now try this in some other colours - see how it looks in more traditional hues as not everyone likes lilac and purple as much as me!

New Baby

Sorry again for lack of postings, feeling rather sorry for myself this week as have an infection on my index finger, to say it hurts doesn't really cover it!!

As a result have not done much as this finger seems to be rather vital to holding pens, cutting knifes etc and is my 'mouse' finger.

This is a fairly recent card though for a new arrival.

Stamp is from a clear Penny Black set. I stamped it twice and cut out the sling and flowers for a second layer to add some depth.

The card has some decorated parchment attached to it with matching brads with some 'It's a Boy' confetti stuck on top. Cute little hedgehog coloured in copics and layered on matching card to finish.

Fingers crossed my antibiotics kick in asap as I am feeling very grumpy!!

New Baby

Another flying post (got a bit distracted with the epic tennis match today!).

This is a commission. The backing paper is a parchment from my stash - one I wouldn't mind finding again. It is attached to the card with little pink heart brads.

The image is from the Penny Black Transparent 'Bundle of Joy' set. I have coloured it with copics and cut the sling and flowers out a second time to layer them for a bit of added dimension.

The name & date are computer generated. Fancied using my Forever Friends script stamps but the name would of been as big as the card - maybe next time!

Thanks for passing by.

Happy Easter

Just a mini card today I made to amuse my colleagues!

It's one of a range of Penny Black stamps which I coloured quickly and punched out and layered on a punched scalloped oval.

Off to stick some of my pile of quilled flowers and butterflies to cards now!

More Frogs!

Continuing the frog theme, this chappy is to add to my potential Mothers Day pile.

The stamp is from the Penny Black 'Toadily' clear set. Coloured with copics and the flower stamped again and added with a foam pad for an extra dimension.

Both large ovals punched out using Woodware punches.

The Mum is stamped and embossed using a stamp from my stash and cut out using the SU ovals.

Quite a cheery little chap - I hope my colleagues think that too!!

Valentines

I am still here - apologies for delay in blogging - so much to do, so little time!

Have made a few Valentines Cards I hope to sell at work. The first one is from the new DOCrafts Forever Friends Decoupage. 3D isn't always a favourite of mind but these are quite effective.

I' ve covered the card in some paper from my vast stash and added a couple of layers to the design, simple but hopefully will appeal to someone.

The Penny Black dog has been popular in the past too. I've stamped him, coloured with copics and stamped an extra rose which I cut out and 3D'd on for a spot of dimension.

The oval scallop is a punch and I've used a stamp from the stash for the greeting.

All straight forward but effective hopefully this week - still plenty in the pipeline!