May sketch challenge

Shopping List

Stampendous SSC1113 Garden Beauty

Stampendous CRR138 Calligraphy Sampler

Versafine Olympia Green & Spanish Moss

Sakura Bruynzeel coloured pencils

Woodware 1" beech leaf punch

Glossy Accents

A button & garden raffia

All available from:-www.woodware.co.uk

Time for this month's sketch challenge & I've kept it simple this time with this beautiful garden set from Stampendous. Those of you who are regular visitors to Japonica will have seen the stunning designs that Jan has done using this set so I just couldn't resist the chance to have a play with it myself. I have teamed it with the very versatile Calligraphy Sampler cling stamp also from Stampendous. I have used Sakura coloured pencils to softly colour the main image & the Calligraphy stamp provides a very complimentary backing  panel. I have stamped the butterflies from the" Garden" set down the right hand edge of the DL card blank using the Versafine inkpads. To finish my design I have punched some beech leaves & given them a really glossy look using Glossy Accents, a button & some raffia. 

Here is the sketch don't forget to play along this month, you could be the winner of a £12 Woodware voucher.  

Something for the Kids

Shopping List

Peel offs Animal Antics 92112 black

           Big Birthday 93537 black

Sakura stardust pens

Sakura coloured pencils

Flower brads

Spring green gingham ribbon

Large corner rounder punch

Green, turquoise & yellow card

All available from:-

www.woodware.co.uk

I've had fun this week  making this children's birthday card. I've had it in mind to make a waterfall card for  some time now & this children's theme was just asking to be done. I have used a cute animal peel off designed by Francoise Read coupled with the Big Birthday greeting both in black.

1. I have started by placing my chosen animals onto a piece of white card & colouring with Sakura coloured pencils. Cut out the animals & stick onto a 5.5cm square of green card.

2.Cut a strip of turquoise card 6cms wide & approx 26cms long. From the bottom this is then scored & folded at 2.5cms intervals to form the folds for the waterfall effect. 

3.Stick each animal piece at the top only onto the folds of the turquoise strip. Cut a bar to go horizontally across a A5 card blank around 2/3 from the top & fasten at the edges only with brads. You will notice that I have rounded the top & bottom right hand corners of the card blank using the Woodware large corner rounder.

4. Attach the lower edge of the animal strip to the front & centre of this bar & tuck the other half (the back) of this strip to the back of the bar. Attach a small piece of ribbon with a brad to the bottom of the animal strip to pull.

5. I have added the flowers from the Animal peel off randomly to the card blank & coloured with Stardust pens.

6. Cut a strip of green card & give it a grass effect for the bottom border. Place the birthday peel off onto a piece of turquoise card & mount onto the "grass". 

Here is a closer look at the individual animal pieces.

Red, White & Blue with Stampendous

Shopping List

Stampendous Cling London CRW075

FRCL 026 Francoise Alphabet

Stampendous Aged Gold embossing powder

Tombow pens

Versafine Onyx Black inkpad

Clear embossing powder

Star peel offs

Glossy accents

Red,white & blue linen card

All available from:- www.woodware.co.uk

We have a chance to celebrate this special year for our country in our  theme this week & what better way than with this brand  new stamp from Stampendous. I have stamped the image with Versafine Onyx Black & embossed with clear powder. Tombow pens have been used to add colour.I have taken a A5 white card blank & cut around1.5" from the right hand edge. I have then randomly embossed around the edges using the Aged Gold powder. The London 2012 message has been stamped with the Francoise Alphabet for the letters onto one of the Tags stamps which comes with the bonus set that accompanies it. I have then layered the main image onto red & blue card & added some tiny star peel offs for a truly patriotic feel. I have given the main features of the stamped set i.e the bus, letters & flag a really glossy 3D look by applying Glossy Accents.

Buttons & Bows

Shopping List

JGS265 Happy Birthday Doodle

FRCL Patch Alphabet

Crafty Edger + Ribbon border

Sakura Stardust pens

Versafine Onyx Black

Sapphire, lemon & red polka dot organza ribbon

Woodware buttons- brights

Red 5x7 card blank

blue, red & lemon card

yellow paper

All available from:-

http://www.woodware.co.uk/

I have used one of Jane Gill's new single stamps for the theme this week & really had fun with it. Start by printing the Birthday Doodles stamp twice onto lemon card. Colour  both prints with Sakura Stardust pens. I have then cut out the letters from one print & decoupaged them onto the other print. Go mad then & decorate with ribbon bows & buttons! The printed buttons that you will see come from the Patch Alphabet set from Francoise Read. Cut free hand around the printed piece & layer onto blue & red card. Print the button collection onto yellow paper & give it the Crafty Edger treatment using the ribbon border cassette. I have threaded the border using a medley of ribbons, tying bows at regular spaces. Mount the whole piece onto the red card blank. A fun & colourful card & just one design from the limitless versatility of this stamp!

We're having a blog hop!

We're having a blog hop!!!

Welcome to the
Woodware and Clearsnap
Spring Gifts Blog Hop!!!

Whether you're getting ready for Mother's Day (US), graduation season, or just because, these gifts ideas can be made with a few Clearsnap inks, Rollagraph Stamp Wheels, and Woodware Craft Collection Clear Stamps. All week long we'll be sharing inspiring gift ideas on our blogs here:

Clearsnap Blog: http://clearsnap.blogspot.com
Woodware Blog: http://www.woodware.co.uk/blog/

Shopping List

Clearsnap

 Rollagraph Jumbo Wheels:-

Floral Frenzy 26179

Simple Dots 26175

Ancient Page ink cassettes Lime, Mandarin & Aegean Blue

Clear magic stamp set FRCL 129 Garden Greetings

Stampendous pail

Woodware organza ribbons in

olive,gold,polka dot blue & orange

Gingham Spring green ribbon

Baby blue knotted organza

Woodware punches:-

 3.5" Scalloped circle, 3" Circle, 2" Price Label

Crafty Edger + Scallop Shell border cassette

All available from:-

http://www.woodware.co.uk/

We take a break from card making this week to craft a special gift for a special someone & I've really had fun experimenting with the great Rollagraphs from Clearsnap which I must confess are new to me. You know what? I'm in love!! Think you're going to be seeing a whole lot more Rollagraphing on this blog!They are just so much fun & so versatile too. I have used the Simple Dots roller to create the blue border for my pail & have printed using Aegean Blue. The Scallop border from the Crafty Edger from Woodware gives us the pretty shell edging. Using the Floral Frenzy border & have printed firstly with Lime & then again with Mandarin. I have cut out the individual squares & re assembled them on the blue border alternately. I have punched a layer of blue for the lid of my pail using the scalloped circle punch & I have done the same for the floral layer but using the smaller circle punch. The message on the tag comes from Garden Greetings by Francoise Read. To finish off I have tied a frothy bow to the handle of the pail using a whole mixture of pretty ribbons & a piece of the baby blue knotted organza around the top of the pail completes our gift. I  have filled it with cotton wool balls which makes a pretty gift for the bathroom or dressing table but you coud fill it with candy, pot pourri, tiny soaps.......... the list is endless!!

Head on over to the Clear Snap Blog to see what they've created today!! And don't forget to follow Clearsnap on twitter and Facebook and you will find Woodware on Twitter and Facebook too.

Happy Hopping!

Turqoise & Brown

Shopping List

Magenta Cling Foliage Flourish CO537-K

Stampendous Cling CRR138 Calligraphy Sampler

Stampendous CRS5029 Jumbo Songbird

Chalk inkpads

Versafine Deep Lagoon inkpad

Copper embossing powder

Embossing pad

Woodware s/a lace

Stickles Turqoise

Dreamweaver pearl hatpins

Aqua & Brown organza ribbon

Green s/a pearls

Artquest palettes Interference & Stargazer

All available from:-http://www.woodware.co.uk/



There's a whole lot of stamping going on this week! I couldn't resist revisiting the "Masterboard" technique that I learned at Japonica's Spring workshop a few weeks ago as taught by the very talented Julia Budd. Briefly here's the Masterboard technique:-

1.Take a plain piece of white or ivory card & randomly emboss with your chosen stamp & embossing powder. I've used the Magenta Flourish & Copper powder.

2. Sponge over entire area using 2 or more complimentary chalk inkpads- I've used Wheat & Aspen Mist.

3. Stamp all over again randomly using a darker shade of ink & here I've used Aegean Blue.

4. Finally I have splattered the entire piece with turqoise & bronze paint from the Artquest mica palettes.

Here's a close up view of the Masterboard, you can see the rich, brocade effect that you can acheive.



After creating the Masterboard I stamped a piece of ivory card with the Calligraphy Sampler stamp using the Wheat inkpad. I then stamped the Songbird over the top after inking with Versafine Deep Lagoon. Tear around the edges of this & sponge with Aegean Blue. Repeat for the sentiment.

Tear a piece of the Masterboard & sponge around the edges of this also. Layer a piece of turqoise card which has been "aged" with the Aegean Blue onto the card blank & add the torn piece of Masterboard. Layer the songbird & sentiment next. Tie the 2 colours of ribbon together to form a bow & tatter the edges with scissors. Add the pearl hatpins, a little of the lace which has been sponged with Aegan Blue & finish off with the pearls. A tiny touch of Stickles on the leaves & sentiment completes the design.

Happy 21st!

Shopping List

Stampendous CRP144 cling I Love Paris

Stampendous Crushed Glass glitter- Champagne

Stampendous Mica flakes- Tea Stained 

Stampendous Aged Gold embossing powder

Magenta Emotions scrapbook paper Peace

Versafine Vintage Sepia inkpad

Woodware paper flowers

Woodware buttons from coffee & cream assortment

Chippies numbers

Woodware S/A paper lace

Key brads

Brillance Pearlescent Beige inkpad

Woodware craft card

All available from:-http://www.woodware.co.uk/

I'm continuing my love affair with all things "Frantage" this week as we celebrate a 21st birthday and what better place to do it than Paris! I just fell in love with this gorgeous stamp of the Eiffel Tower from the new Stampendous range and some of you may remember my friend and colleague Siobhan giving it a completely different look a few weeks ago during the "40 Shades of Green" week. I felt the urge to go vintage this week so I have stamped onto Magenta's  Emotions paper using Vintage Sepia. I have cut a (now there must be a proper name for this shape!) sort of trianglular card to reflect the shape of the Tower from craft card. I have mounted the stamped piece onto a piece of caramel coloured linen card which I have distressed around the edges. I have added the paper lace which has been sponged with a wheat chalk inkpad along with a selection of buttons. I love the Woodware packs of buttons as you never know what shapes and treasures you're going to find!

The "21" has been created from Chippies numbers which I have coloured using the Brilliance Beige inkpad before my first layer of enamelling powder was applied- I still haven't got the enamelling bug out of my system after my demo a few weeks ago!! I have added a sprinkle of Aged Gold embossing powder to the final layer of enamelling. As you will see I have added the key brads and some chunky blobs of Mica flakes to the number panel and lastly some paper flowers which have also been sponged with the wheat inkpad and more buttons for the centres. Phew!!