Balloon birthday card / Carte d'anniversaire ballons

After a busy summer I'm back with a quick card for the only August birthday in the family: The oldest grandson turned 6 on Monday! We left his present with them earlier in the month but I was late posting his card, oops! We did put a balloon inside to make him smile :)
Entering 'Let's hear it for the boys' challenge on the Daring Cardmaker's blog and using Sketch Saturday #375 for the layout:

Après un été occupé, je suis de retour avec une carte rapide pour le seul anniversaire d'août dans notre famille: Le premier petit-fils avait 6 ans le lundi passé! Nous avons laissé son cadeau avec eux plus tôt dans le mois, mais j'étais en retard d'envoyer sa carte, oups! Nous l'avons envoyé avec un ballon à l'intérieur pour le faire sourire :)
Alors, pour le défi du thème garçon sur le blog Daring Cardmakers et en utilisant le 'Sketch Saturday' #375
Supplies/ Utilisée: Basic Grey paper, Dovecraft glitter paper, Cuttlebug balloon die, Sizzix text and die.

Die-cutting for Young & Old - Jeunes et vieille !

Our 5-year old grandson is keen on pirates at the moment so I took inspiration from Pete Hughes card, which I pinned here, and created his birthday card using just circle dies for the pirate head with a printed greeting. He loved it!

Notre petit-fils a 5 ans et il est un accro des pirates en ce moment. Alors, inspirée par une carte Pete Hughes de Sizzix, que j'ai mis sur Pinterest ici, j'ai créé cette carte pour lui. J'ai utilisé que les dies cercles de créer la tête de la pirate!


At the other end of the age range, I was asked to make a card for a 90-year old so I used the Garden Party decoupage pad of flowers to make a wreath circling the number cut from glitter card with Sizzix Tim Holtz 'Word Play' die.

À l'autre extrémité de la plage d'âge, quelqu'un m’a demandé de faire une carte pour une femme de fêter ses 90 ans! Alors, plus traditionnelle, un cercle de fleurs du bloc découpage ‘Garden Party’ et les chiffres découpé au die Sizzix Tim Holtz ‘Word Play’ du carton pailleté.

Challenges / défis:
U for Unique: ABC challenges
Anything goes: Papertake Weekly

Garden Party

I'm dreaming of Spring: We had our first sunny day in ages today! This card uses Sketch Saturday #245. As well as the obvious layers of embellishments, the details include cutting the leaves in half to extend their length, gluing the ends of the twine against fraying and the ric-rac bow to get the ends flat so I'm entering the Cute Card challenge too.
I used a Dovecraft square card blank with Dovecraft Garden Party papers and button, Inkadinkado Utopiary stamp inked with Olive Archival ink and embossed with clear powder, Nestabilities classic and scalloped circles, flowers die-cut with Sizzix Tattered Flower Garland, leaves from MS punch, Tea Party twine and MME ric-rac ribbon. I inked the edges of the papers with ColorBox chalk ink.

Aujourd'hui était ensoleillé et je rêve de printemps! J'ai utilisé le modèle #245 du blog Sketch Saturday et le défi du 'détails' du Cute Card Thursday.
Matériels: Dovecraft carte carré, papiers et bouton de la gamme Dovecraft Garden Party, tampon Inkadinkado 'Utopia' avec l'encre Archival en verte olive et poudre d'embossage transparente, Matrices Nestabilities Cercles et Cercles festonnés, fleurs découpé avec la matrice Sizzix Guirlande de fleurs en loques, feuilles de perforatrice Martha Stewart, ficelle de Tea Party, ruban ric-rac et l'encre ColorBox verte au bords du papiers.

Tea for Two

This is my second card using the new Dovecraft 'Tea Party' papers, stamps and embellishments. I used the sketch on Stamp with Fun for the layout.

Used: Trimcraft card; Tea Party: papers, stamps, doily heart, stickers; Basics III Blossoms, Nestabilities Circles, Scallop Circles and Ovals; Archival Ink (Sepia); Distress Inks (Frayed Burlap, Tattered Rose, Festive Berries) and lace from stash.

Challenges entered: Stamp with Fun: sketch; Creative Stamp Friends: inspired by a song: "Tea for Two"; Crafts & Me: Lace:  Creative Inspirations: Anything goes; PaperPlay: Something old (lace, text stamp and card), something new (Tea Party collection).

Ma deuxième carte avec le nouveau collection 'Tea Party' de Dovecraft: Prochainement sur le site.

Tea Party

'Tea Party' is the new collection of papers from Dovecraft and, as I received them on Thursday, I had to have a play! I have been spending so much time pricing and packing and planning for the craft fair (Creativa Brest, France) starting on Thursday that it was nice to come up for air and make a quick card.

I used the Sunday Stamp and Sketch layout with Tea Party papers, stamp and buttons with Basics III Blossoms. The image is stamped with Archival Ink (Sepia) and coloured with Distress Inks (Tattered Rose, Festive Berries, Iced Spruce, Frayed Burlap, Shabby Shutters) and details added with Liquid Pearls, Glossy Accents and Studio Paint mini (painterly pink): See the little dots of pink on the flowers and bottom cake? It's one of my favourite things at the moment: I have some large tubs of the Studio paints (by Claudine Hellmuth for Ranger) but I love how easy it is to add little dots of paint with the Studio minis.

Trimcraft (Dovecraft) Inspiration

My delighted to say that two of my cards, made with Trimcraft (more usually known as Dovecraft) decoupage 'Fairy Cakes', have been featured on Aussie Scrap Source in their Inspiration weekend! It is worth having a look at the fabulous scrap pages the team have made too: They really are great inspiration. I'm also pleased to say that I have all the Trimcraft products featured in stock too!
Here is another card that I made for our Grandson's 2nd birthday this month:

This one is using the new 'Cookie's Birthday' decoupage and Paper Pad. I love how quick and easy the pre-cut decoupage are to make and you don't have to scramble for the right papers as there is a choice of double-sided papers included too! I just added ink, text and a bit of paper ribbon and layered it all on a Dovecraft card blank  :)

'Tea for Two' birthday cards

A couple of really quick birthday cards using the Dovecraft Tea House range: No colouring; just cut, stick and stamp whilst singing 'Tea for two and two for tea, me for you and you for meeeeeee...'
J'ai créé deux cartes simples avec les papiers et attaches parisiennes de la gamme 'Dovecraft Tea House' et Nestabilities. 

Used Dovecraft Tea House 6x6 (15x15cm) papers, 3D stickers and brads; Dovecraft cards and envelopes; EKS border punch (scalloped scallop); Spellbinders Tag Trio and Nestabilities Labels 1 and Labels 3 in the Cuttlebug; cream card and flowers from stash.

Fairy Cakes - Decoupage cards

I've been asked to make some samples for a cherry fair in a local village so here are a few cards - they need to be quick to make so these pre-cut decoupage are ideal especially as decoupage is very popular here.

Ces cartes sont exemples pour la fête de cerisiers en juin (oui, en avance!). J'ai utilisé le bloc de découpage et papiers 'Fairy Cakes' chez Trimcraft, l'encre craie ColorBox 'Rose Petals', tampons d'Artemio et ruban.
Both cards are made from the Trimcraft 'Fairy Cakes' decoupage and paper pack. I added ColorBox Rose Petals ink, Artemio stamps and PaperMania ribbon and bow.
I'm entering these for the challenges on Cupcake craft 'Food for thought' and PaperPlay 'Layer it up'.

Twins

Here's one scrapbook page I think I've finished! First photo of the latest grandchildren: Love the woolly hats!
Might tone down the pink...some white acrylic round the edges? What do you think? Did most of the page at the Tourc'h assocation over a week ago using a sketch by Snoopie then added/changed little bits.
I certainly love the papers: They are all from 'Homespun Chic' pack by GCD Studios: All double-sided so there's lots of choice.

Une page fait à l'association Tourc'h2Scrap: Nous avons utilisé un modèle de Snoopie.
J'ai utilisé les papiers 'Homespun Chic' de GCD Studios (toutes sont recto-verso).

Match-book Mini Album.

I was inspired by Olga's match-book album to make one for our grandson's first year before his 1st birthday on Tuesday. I have bits and pieces to add, and there are more pages than shown here, but here it is. I am working on some exciting news (shhhhh!) so I thought I would blog this while I am otherwise engaged!

The papers are all GCD Chic Bébé with Bazzill Java covers, JilliBean journaling sprouts and all bound together with the Bind-It-All.

Feeling fruity !

I'm late blogging this page as it was one of those on display in the library recently and I forgot to photograph it first. I've done my strange mix of French (juin = June) and English on it too: I must stop that! Early summer was exciting for us seeing the fruit forming, esp as the pear trees were the first to be planted when we moved to France (2006) but this is the first year they have fruited: Hoping for more each year now.
The page follows sketch #112 on the French Temporelles blog.
Used: Bazzill;  DCWV 'Spring' and 'Mat Stack 3' papers; Prima flowers; die-cuts: fence and apple (Sizzix ?), scalloped circles cut with Spellbinders; title cut with Cuttlebug alpha 'Harmony'; hand-cut cloud and grass; ColorBox 'Pumpkin Patch' chalk inks; buttons, gems and string from stash.

Une page montrant nos fruits début de l'été. Il s'agit de la première année de notre poiriers ont fructifié. J'ai utilisé le sketch #112 chez Temporelles blog. J'ai utilisé des papiers de DCWV, le Bazzill, die-cuts de Sizzix, Spellbinders, Cuttlebug et fait à la main; encres de Colorbox; petits fleurs de Prima.

Birthday page

I was challenged (can't say who by!) to make a page using a sketch from the Temporelles blog + summer colours + rolled paper + splashes/spots: Not a short order! I was inspired by this page on the GCD Studios blog to use my Homespun Chic papers and a birthday theme to do it:
Un petit jeu me demande de faire une page avec un sketch du blog Temporelles et j'ai été inspiré par cette page sur le blog chez GCD Studios à utiliser mes papiers Homespun Chic et un thème d'anniversaire pour le faire:

GCD Studios Homespun Chic papers inked with ColorBox chalk inks to which I added: Real paper streamers, big brads, felt number, metal wired cord, blue cotton thread from stash; Cosmic Shimmer ink; Crafty Bitz star charm; and 'Harmony' Cuttlebug alphabet with DCWV glitter border strip.

It's Twins !

Sorry I've been so long posting again: Had my husband in cardiology intensive care half the week after being rushed in Sunday morning with chest pains! It wasn't too serious and, after the op he was already booked for, he is now home again. At the same time, his daughter had twins on Monday: All well and also home now. So a hectic week of ups and downs! Don't know when this will reach them but here's the A5 size (roughly 6x8.5") card I made to celebrate the twin's arrival. We are looking forward to going over to the UK in a couple of weeks to meet them in person :)

Challenges: Sandrine Vachon - sketch; Caardvarks - embossing + stamping; Create 4 fun - baby card; Tuesday Throwdown - Dry embossing; Cute Card Thursday - Recycle (the 'ribbon' under the flower is the lining tape from the sticky paper ribbon border as well as me using 'scrap' bits of Bazzill and other card).

Used: pearlised green, pink and blue card (Diamond craft); Cuttlebug with Floral Screen and Paisley embossing folders; Bazzill sandbox swiss embossed card; Hampton Art 'Our Baby' stamps; Brilliance inks - pearlescent orchid and pearlescent blue; Fancy Pants pins; and bits from stash with printed text.

For the home - Memo board

The PaperPlay challenge #10-23 'Home' and 'Spoon Full of Sugar' challenge 'Floral delights' spurred me to get this memo board finished that I started a week or so ago. My grand plan is to make things for my still-being-converted craft space and it was love at first sight with the GCD Studios 'Homespun Chic' papers so this board matches the tin I covered last month.

I started the board at the Tourc'h craft group. For scale, the recycled cardboard base is about A4 size (approx 8 x 11.5"). I gave it a thin coat of white acrylic and then layered the papers making sure there was good support behind the notepad so the brads holding the ribbons wouldn't rip through. All the papers, including the bird, are the same GCD papers and I love the different textures - flocked, glittered, laminated - found in there. I just added the die-cut flourishes and the Doodlebug sticker letters which I bordered with a Whispers green pen to make them stand out better. I made the 3D flower in the same style as the one on my card here (tuto en français) and cut and shaped the leaves by hand.  Now we've just got to get the room finished....  ;)

Sketch Saturday #106

I was asked to make a sapphire blue card so ... I have used the Sketch Saturday challenge for the layout:

Also entered for Cupcake Crafts challenge 'Dazzle us'.
Used: Papers from GCD Studios 'Homespun chic' and bits from stash; Dovecraft 3" flower punch; EK Success border punch; PaperMania felt butterfly; Doodlebug Ribbon; Compagnie d'elfes stamp; ColorBox chalk inks;  gems.

Ruby red

I've just photographed the 6 cards made yesterday so I've plenty to blog :) The request for this card was 'a ruby red birthday card for a 19-yr old':

I've used GCD Studios 'Homespun Chic' card on a red base, with a big white flower from my Dovecraft  punch inked (ColorBox 'Rose Petals') and tucked under; mounted a PaperMania felt butterfly on to red mirri card, and positioned it with paper and fabric flowers and gems from stash. I used a sketch by Sandrine Vachon (upside down) and made the corner from my M Stewart border punch (Botanical scallop) from a scrap of mirri mounted on to white. Entering for the PaperPlay Challenge 'Flowers and Sparkle'.
J'ai une commande pour une carte rouge pour un 19e anniversaire: J'ai utilisé le sketch #80 de Sandrine Vachon (à l'envers) et également je participe avec le challenge chez PaperPlay - fleurs et scintillement. 
Papier -GCD Studios; papillon feutrine - PaperMania; tampon - Compagnie d'elfes; encre - ColorBox 'Rose Petals'; perfo grande fleur - Dovecraft; perfo bordure (utilisé pour le coin) - Martha Stewart; fleurs, strass.

Vintage page

I have started working on the box of photos I inherited after my mom died (over 9 years ago now). Always on my mind to do a family heritage album, I was finally prompted to do this layout by the beautiful GCD Studios papers 'Ella Blue'. This page is of my mom, nan and aunt in 1946. Sadly, three of my grandparents had already died when I was born and I never knew this grandmother. I don't even have a photo of my paternal grandfather so trying to make sense of the photos I do have is important to me. As my son lost the only grandparent he had when he was just 4 months old I hope they will become important to him too.
I distressed the Bazzill 'sea salt' background with scissors and then white acrylic paint and then stamped and embossed it in white. Some layers of paper and the journaling dots are edged with Distress Ink (Walnut Stain) and I went round the title (Cuttlebug Harmony alphabet) with a brown pen too. Also used EK Success border punch (Scalloped Scallop), paper doily, Prima flowers and Glossy Accents. I'm entering this for the 'Creative Inspirations' challenge #62 'Distressed', the Crafts & Me challenge #5 'Distressed' and The ABC challenge 'V is for Vintage'.

Ma page 'vintage' avec des photos de 1946: Ma mère et ma grand-mère (la grande photo) et avec ma tante (la petite photo). J'ai utilisé Bazzill 'sea salt' et j'ai 'distressé' aux bords et avec la peinture blanche et j'ai tamponnée et embossé avec poudre blanche. J'adore les papiers de GCD Studios (Ella Blue) et j'ai découpé le titre avec la cuttlebug alphabet 'Harmonie'. Egalement, j'ai utilisé l'encre distress (Walnut Stain), perforatrice bordure de EK Success (festonnée), un papier de gâteaux, fleur de Prima et 'Glossy Accents' de Ranger.

Tutoriel pour la fleur 3D

Pour créer une fleur 3D comme j'ai mis sur cette carte:

J'ai utilisé la perfo giant fleur de Dovecraft (7,5cm) avec GCD Studios carte recto-verso ‘Homespun Chic’ et j'ai encré les bords avec ColorBox encres craies 'Rose Petals'.

1. Avec une perforatrice de 6-pétale, découpe 3 fleurs de la carte.
2. Couper la première fleur de l'entre deux pétales vers le centre. Découpez un pétale de la deuxième fleur et découpez deux pétales de la troisième fleur.

3. Façonner chaque pétale par eux s'enroule sur votre doigt.
4. Prenez la fleur 6 pétales et la forme dans un cône en superposant les pétales de chaque côté de la coupe et colle en place. Il devrait maintenant être un cône 5-pétale. Faites de même avec les deux autres gros morceaux afin qu'ils deviennent 4 et 3 cônes pétales. Les maintenir en place avec un trombone alors que la colle sèche, si nécessaire.

5. Coller la pièce de 2-pétales à un cône, mais seulement se chevauchent légèrement les bords. Mettez un trombone au bas du cône de tenir en place pendant que la colle sèche. Percer un trou d'environ le tiers de la hauteur de cette pièce et piquez avec un morceau du fil.

6. Coupez le bas des 3 cônes plus grands et les couche dans l'autre avec une goutte de colle à l'intérieur de chaque pour les retenir. Passez la pièce 2-pétale de façon à éviter le fil et la fin se démarquent le fond. Coupez l'extrémité de ce cône en s'assurant que le fil reste attaché.

7. Découpez le fond d'un tiers de la dernière pièce 1-pétale. Roulez les pétales dans un cône et voyez comment il se situe dans le centre de votre fleur: Découpez un peu plus si nécessaire, puis collez.
8. Utilisez le fil pour attacher la fleur à votre carte.

Il y a un tuto en anglais ici pour un projet similaire.

Svp ne pas copier mon tutoriel pour d'autres personnes de l'utiliser. Svp donnez le lien d'ici pour les gens à le trouver pour eux-mêmes. Merci.

3D flower card

I am finding it so hard to get anything finished at the moment: I have so many nearly finished pages and other items. We are having a big push on getting our spare bedroom habitable before my sister and bro-in-law arrive next week so crafting is getting squeezed between acting as a builder's mate! We are converting what was an old stable and will be my craft room when we don't have visitors :)  Anyway...

I made this card for our neighbour's 85th birthday yesterday and gave it her on the present, without the envelope as it is too 3D to fit a normal one. I know the stamping is minimal - just the sentiment - but it actually fits a number of challenges: Stamp with Fun - Stripes; Pollycraft - Summer Blooms; Kaboodle Doodles - monochrome; Paper Take Weekly - Say It With Flowers; Stamp Something - 2 of ...in my case this is 2 gems and 2 DPs. I don't think I've ever entered a card for so many challenges in one go!

Used Dovecraft magna flower punch to make the 3D flower (I recommend the SCS tutorial for an example of the structure); GCD Studios 'Homespun Chic' double-sided papers; ColorBox chalk inks 'Rose Petals'; Compagnie des elfes text stamp with Versafine black; gems and ribbon from stash.
Mon tuto en français est ici.

Homespun Chic - Recycling

I love the new GCD Studios 'Homespun Chic' papers and used them to recover a small sweet tin: Ready for more sweets I hope :)  ETA: Not only are the flowers part of one design but they are also plastic coated (glossed) so they should last a while too!

J'adore les nouveaux papiers 'Homespun Chic' de GCD Studios et j'ai les utilisé pour recycler un boîte de bonbons.