Secret Hideaway - Daring Cardmakers Challenge

Happy Friday!

How's your week been?  Half term is in full swing here although it's finishing off homework this morning while Mummy gets her blog post sorted - ha!!!  I'm trying to prepare for Eid which marks the end of the month of fasting as well but not had much luck so far......

Joanne has set the challenge for the Daring Cardmakers this week and she would like to see a card with a hidden element.  This could be an eclipse card, adding a pocket, using a flap etc.  You know this challenge got me thinking as I'd never made an eclipse card so I thought I'd take the opportunity to have a go! 

I used my Create & Craft free May members's gift for the bulk of it as the Ocean Secrets papers pad has elements that can be used as toppers.  

Here in the close up you can see how I used alphabet dies to cut out the letters and added extra dimension not by using foam pads but simply by die cutting extra layers of letters and layering them to give the subtle dimension required.

I'll definitely be making more of these cards now that I've seen how effective they are and I hope I've inspired you to have a go too!  You can see lots of different types of secreta hideaway cards made by the rest of the Design Team HERE.

My Trimcraft demos are continuing and I will be at The Range in Enfield this Sunday from 11am. 

Have a wonderful weekend!
Shabneez

Products Used:
Paper Boutique - Ocean Secrets Paper Pad
MFT Little Letter Alphabet Dies
Everything else from my stash

Contemporary Watercolour Floral Eid Collection - CrafTangles DT

Happy Wednesday!

It's not long until Eid now so I thought I'd make a few more cards for family, friends and neighbours using CrafTangles products.  I tend to find Eid cards can be quite traditional and I wanted to veer away from that and make a fresh, modern batch.

I was able to do this using the range of CrafTangles flower stamps which I absolutely love as they can be adapted for any occassion.

Throughout my time on the CrafTangles DT I have seen my team mates make card sets using similar products with a few changes in colour or image.  I thought I'd have a go at this as I hadn't before and it worked out well!

I wanted tthe stamping to appear softer which doesnt work using black ink so I used grey on all the cards including the sentiment.

I really enjoyed colouring in the flowers with the watercolours as they are vibrant and yet with water you can get so many more shades.  I blended a couple of colours on both the flowers and the leaves.

My Trimcraft demonstration cycle is continuing and I will be at The Range in Enfield from 11am this Sunday.

Have a wonderful day!
Shabneez

Products Used:
CrafTangles Liquid Watercolours
CrafTangles Eid Mubarak Stamp Set
CrafTangles Celebrate You Stamp Set
CrafTangles Happily Ever After Stamp Set
CrafTangles Just A Note
Everything else from my stash

Celebrating the Victorian Era - Daring Cardmakers DT

Happy Friday!

Oh what a wonderful week it's been.  I've been very productive and I definitely think the glorious sunshine has helped.  I spent yesterday making samples for the new product lauch of Ranger's Simon Hurley.  I've been following his journey and he's only 16!  He has a good range for the masculine cards that a lot of us struggle with so it'll be worth taking a look at his latest collections on Create & Craft tomorrow.

Over on the Daring Cardmakers, I have set the challenge this week.  It just so happens that it's Queen Victoria's birthday today so to celebrate I'd like to see something from her era on your cards be it a mode of transport, clothing, steampunk or you can pay homage to the Queen herself and do something regal!

I have chosen to use the penny farthing on my card with a frog riding it!  Did you know the penny farthing was the first machine to be called a bicyle?  I've used a stamp set from Bert & Gert to create my card together with distress inks and a die cut tag.  The main image in black is embossed in black giving a beautiful sleek shiny look.

You can see lots more wonderful insporation from my fellow team mates HERE and I hope you'll join in.

I'm at The Range in St Albans this Sunday from 11am demonstrating for Trimcraft once again.  I also need to plant my summer bedding at some point!

I hope you have a wonderful long weekend whatever you do,

Shabneez

Prodcuts Used:

Bert & Gerts Enjoy The Ride Stamp Set

Tim Holtz Distress Ink

Ranger Black Embossing Powder

Versamark Ink Pad

Everything else from my stash

MAY Letters - Daring Cardmakers DT

Happy Friday!

I've had a full on craft week with a sprinkling of house work and lots of cooking!  I need to get into the garden and sort it out but so far haven't had the time.

For the Daring Cardmakers challenge this week, Kathy has chosen something different and wants us to choose elements beginning with the letters of the month of MAY.  I have chosen Moving for the M, Aqua for the A and Yellow for the Y.

I thought I'd get a little die cutting in this week so that's what I've done apart from the sentiment!  This card is going to wing it's way to a friend of mine who has recently moved and I made it with her in mind.

I'm demonstrating at The Range in Romford this Sunday from 11am if you're in the area it would be lovely to meet you!

I hope you have a great weekend,

Shabneez

Products Used:

Sizzix Home Die #2

Sizzix Magical Unicorn Die Set

MFT Stitched Scallop Basic Edges 

Heffy Doodle Whatcha Sayin Now Stamp Set

Everything else from my stash

My Dad The Superhero! - A Set of Father's Day Cards

Happy Monday!

How was your weekend?  I had a very crafty one, spending yesterday demonstrating and meeting some lovely fellow crafters.  This Sunday I will be deminstrating at The Range in Romford from 11am.

I'm up on the CrafTangles blog today and being as Father's Day is just around the corner I thought I'd better get some cards made.  What better stamp set to use than the CrafTangles Super Boys stamp and die set?!  It was one of my very first sets I got when I joined the DT.  To this day it's a set I go back to time and time again.

I began by stamping, die cutting and colouring all the images using my Chameleon pens and colour tops.  For my first card I used a skyline stencil to make the background and added some yellow for the lights.

Next up I got out some glitter card as I felt the black needed a bit of a lift - as if I need an excuse to get out the glitter! Ha!

For my final card I opted for a bright background using die cuts.  I think this is a bright happy card, don't you?

There's a more in depth tutorial over on the CrafTangles blog HERE.  I hope to be back on Friday but no promises as I have a jam packed week ahead of me!

Have a lovely week whatever you do,

Shabneez

Products Used:

CrafTangles Super Boys Stamp and Die Set

CrafTangles Happy Father's Day Stamps

CrafTangles Skyline Stencil

Dienamics Cloud Edge Dies

Lawn Fawn Reverse Scallped Circle Dies

Tonic Nuvo Crystal Drops

MFT Sunny Skies Die

Chameleon Pens and Colour Tops

Tim Holtz Distress Inks

Darice Glitter Card

Everything else from my stash

A Moment In Time - Daring Cardmakers DT

Happy Friday!

Time really is running away at the moment especially as Ramadhan, the month of fasting, has begun for me.  Sylvia has set an apt Daring Cardmakers challenge this week!  She's gone with a time theme and you can use clocks, watches, an hour glass, or a time such as fairytale once upon a time or Victorian, swinging sixites, tea time, play time, work time or anything time related.  

You know I don't have a single clock or time piece element in my stash.  I searched high and low so I decided to opt for a fairytale themed card as who doesn't like a happy ever after?!

The card is made using the Graphic 45 Princess collection and I've gone around the edges of the various papers with my scissors to give it a shabby chic feel.

The addition of a paper doily makes the focal image pop and I added a paper rose and leaves to embellish.  Graphic 45 do the most wonderful papers and embellishments and I actually find it difficult to cut into them!  This doesn't happen very often these days as I feel life is too short to save beautiful papers!

You can see lots more inspiration from my fellow design team members HERE and I hope you'll join in with the Challenge.

This weekend I'll be demonstrating with the latest Trimcraft collections at The Range in Luton on Sunday from 11am to 4pm.  If you are in the area or know someone who would like to come along please spread the word!

See you again next week,
Shabneez

Products Used:
Graphic 45 Princess Collection
Dovecraft Mini Doilies
Everything else from my stash

May Elemental Challenge - Daring Cardmakers DT

Happy May!

Today is a very special day as my eldest son comes back after a week away with his class on a PGL (Parents Get Lost) trip.  He couldn't contain is excitement at the prospect of a week away with his friends doing lots of outdoor activities.  Thankfully the weather has stayed dry for the most part - I hope!  I'll have his favourite dinner ready and I can't wait to give him a big hug - I do love him and have missed him more than he'll ever know!!!

As it's the first Friday in May, it's an Elemental Challenge over on the Daring Cardmakers.  It's a bit of a fairy and butterfly themed one which ties in so well with the Dovecraft FairyTales collection that I've used on my creation.

I've made an easel card using one of the elements from the decoupage pack as a topper.  Fussy cut butterflies finish it off and I've added glitter glue to give the butterflies extra sprakle.

This is the board that I've chosen and you need to pick 3 elements from it for your creation - colour counts as one.  You can see lots more inspiration HERE and I hope that you'll join in.

I will have more of the Fairytale collection together with other new Trimcraft collections during May and June at free demos that I'm doing at The Range Stores.  My calendar for May is as follows:

Sunday 5 May - The Range Aylesbury

Sunday 12 May - The Range Luton

Sunday 19 May - The Range Romford

Sunday 26 May - The Range St Albans

Have a lovely weekend,

Shabneez

Products Used:

Dovecraft Fairytales Collection

Everything else from my stash