…every time I need to be reminded that there is beauty and goodness in the world...

Sharing a card featuring one of the images from the Runway set by Tim Holtz.

I’ve wanted to play along at the Library Challenge since they started, especially as the first theme was my second favourite book, P&P, hoping they’ll revisit Austen in the future.  I love the idea of a book inspired challenge and am finally playing along in this their fourth challenge.  Hopefully it is fairly obvious I have used the cover of the theme book, Memoirs of a Geisha, as the inspiration for my card design.  I have the mostly black background with a bit of white and then the pop of red.  I had gone for a white and red sentiment but sadly didn’t test the red embossing powder on black card first, it doesn’t show up so great.  Well, you live and learn.

I used a fancy die from Anna Griffins’ Cuttlebug collection from a few years back to cut away some of my black top layer and reveal the white base.  I stamped my image directly on the base card and embossed in black.  I then stamped a second and added in a pop of red with the pattern on her dress.  While the skirt isn’t right the hair does remind me a bit of a geisha.  I used the same patterned stamp, the floret design from Tim’s Rosette & Floret set, in clear embossing powder to add some interest to the black.  My sentiment comes from Altenew’s Tulip (the Birthday Wishes) and Simon Says Stamp! Envelope Greetings (just for you).

My black and white with a pop of red colour scheme works perfectly for the current challenge over at Cardz for Galz so I’m entering my card there.  The image is very much an elegant lady, actually think the whole card is pretty elegant, so I’m also linking up my card at Crafting by Design.

Ingredients:

Chalks & Powders etc

Ranger Embossing Powder ~ Clear Super Fine Detail

Stampendous! Embossing Powder ~ Detail Black

WOW! Embossing Powder ~ Opaque Bright White Super Fine & Primary Red Apple Super Fine

Dies, SVGs & Templates etc

Cuttlebug Anna Griffins Die ~ 2002207 Flourish Medallion

Inks & Paints etc

Tim Holtz Distress Ink ~ Embossing

Papers

Bazzill Card Shoppe Cardstock ~ Marshmallow

Bazzill Smoothie Cardstock ~ Blackberry Swirl

Poppy Crafts Smooth Cardstock ~ White

Stamps

Altenew ~ Tulip

Simon Says Stamp! ~ SSS101744 Envelop Greetings

Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Collection ~ CMS279 Rosette & Floret & CMS214 Runway

Challenges

Cardz for Galz #69 ~ Black and White + 1 Bright Colour

Crafting by Design ~ Elegant Ladies

The Library #4 ~ Memoirs of a Geisha

Thanks for stopping by!

…why don’t you show me the real Paris?

I’ve had a crafty weekend while the rain fell outside and this is the last card I made featuring Tim Holtz’s stamps from his Runway and Leaf Prints sets.

My inspiration comes from the current Fusion challenge where I’ve used both the sketch and the image.  I created my scene by first stamping the woman and the ‘trees’ in black ink then embossing ink covering them in clear embossing powder.  I ‘coloured’ the dress with a mix of yellow ink and embossing ink so I could also add in my clear embossing powder over the top.  Using the embossing powder meant I didn’t need to try and mask my images (particularly difficult for the thin parts of the trees) before adding in my watercolour background.  I used a Finnabair stamp for the background to help give me the grainy and splotchy effect I wanted.

Over at Craft Rocket they are looking for feminine projects, which mine certainly is, being rather chic and featuring an image of a woman.  I couldn’t resist adding a shaker element to this; it is the year of the shaker for me.  Rather than the background to the image I’ve just done the thin corner strip framing the focal element.  With all my foam tape creating my shaker I am also entering this in the current challenge at Southern Girls.

Ingredients:

Chalks & Powders etc

Stampendous! Embossing Powder ~ Detail Clear

Embellishments

Craft Medley Cup Sequins Pailettes ~ Dazzling Metallics

Star Confetti from stash

Inks & Paints etc

Copic Various Inks ~ Y11

Stampin’ Up! Stampin’ Pad ~ Basic Black & Daffodil Delight

Tim Holtz Adirondack Alcohol Ink ~ Alcohol Blending Solution, Gold Mixative & Sunshine Yellow

Tim Holtz Distress Ink ~ Black Soot, Embossing, Hickory Smoke & Pumice Stone

Papers

Bazzill Card Shoppe Cardstock ~ Marshmallow

Bazzill Prismatic Cardstock ~Black

Royal Langnickel 160gsm Paper ~ Watercolor

Stampin’ Up! Cardstock ~ Daffodil Delight

Yupo ~ 200gsm White

Stamps

Prima Finnabair ~ Dirty Walls

Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Collection ~ CMS273 Leaf Prints & CMS214 Runway

Challenges

Craft Rocket #35 ~ Make It Feminine

Fusion ~ Paris Rain

Southern Girls #155 ~ Popping Good Times

Thanks for stopping by!

Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul…

I’m sharing a really simple thank you card today featuring a trio of Tim Holtz Stamps, one of the lovely ladies from the Runway set, the pretty floret pattern from the Rosette and Floret set and a sentiment from the Saying Stuff set.

My card was inspired by the current CAS theme over at AAA Cards, where they want you to take inspiration from the Oscars red carpet.  I don’t watch award ceremonies or follow red carpet fashions so I googled and found this lovely image of Bette Midler from the 2014 (I think) Oscars.

When I saw it I immediately thought of using one of the Runway images and a background stamp to do the pattern.  I created a reverse mask to get the red stamping in and used clear embossing powder to make the red really pop.

Keeping my card CAS I haven’t added any embellies to let the image take centre stage with the pop of red in place of embellies.  The Alphabet Challenge is up to ‘z’ for zero embellishments so I am linking my card up there.  As this is also a thank you card I am also entering it in the current challenge at Incy Wincy where they’re looking for thank you cards.

Ingredients:

Chalks & Powders etc

Stampendous! Embossing Powder ~ Detail Clear

Inks & Paints etc

Stampin’ Up! Stampin’ Pad ~ Basic Black & Real Red

Papers

Bazzill Criss Cross Cardstock ~ Elephant & Lily White

Curious Metallics Iridescent Cardstock ~ Cryogen White

Stamps

Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Collection ~ CMS279 Rosette & Floret, CMS214 Runway & THJ009 Saying Stuff

Challenges

AAA Cards #85 ~ CAS Oscar Red Carpet

Alphabet Challenge ~ Z for Zero Embellishments

Incy Wincy ~ Thank you cards

Thanks for stopping by!