Layer It Up! - Daring Cardmakers DT

Happy Friday!

It's been a very exciting week for me with lots of amazing crafty adventures on the horizon.  I also received some crafty packages in the post together with a very thoughtful card from a fellow crafty friend.

Today I'm hosting the Daring Cardmaker Challenge and I've chosen the theme to be 'Layer It Up!'.  I've used paper layers on my card with an additional layer of wire!

I used items from a couple of my craft packages received namely the die set and the WRMK Happy Jig.  I often buy used items as you can pick up some good bargains and both these certainly were!  This card is centred around the love birds.  I googled what love birds look like and used the bright colours to layer up the die cuts.  

It only took me about 5 minutes to shape the word 'love' on the Happy Jig - it was much easier than I had anticipated.  I definitely think it's a tool I'll be using often and one I recommend for sure.

Lots more wonderful inspiration can be found HERE together with the link to join in with this week's challenge.  I can't wait to see your creations!

We have guests for dinner this weekend so it'll be a busy but enjoyable one once I decide what to cook that is!  I always finding deciding what to cook the most difficult.  

Have a great weekend!

Shabneez

Products Used:

WRMK Happy Jig

Sizzix Love Birds Shadow Box Thinlit Dies

Everything else from my stash

Back to School - Daring Cardmakers DT

Happy Friday!

Had a busy week - lots of travel, celebrating Eid and getting stuff done.  Bit late with my posting as had to get haircuts for the boys sorted - can't have them start school with untamed hair now can I?! Ha!

Dawn has chosen back to school as the challenge this week for the Daring Cardmakers.  I noticed that many schools around the world have begun again after the summer holidays.  My boys don't go back until early September so we're spending some quality time with my parents.

My card is a commission for a  science teacher.  The paper pad I used is an absolute favourite of mine as the papers are double sided and are really well thought out and designed.  It includes quotes and you know I love my quotes!  I added wording using my Cricut.

I hope you have a great Bank Holiday Weekend.  I intend to work on some samples for my upcoming Trimcraft demos next weekend.  I'm at The Range in Leicester on Saturday 1 September and West Bromwich on Sunday 2 September.

See you next week,

Shabneez 

Products Used:

Echo Park - Teacher's Pet Paper Pad

Cricut Machine

Everything else from my stash

Outdoors in the Summer - Daring Cardmakers DT

Happy Friday!

Outdoor dining is something I really enjoy in the summer - barbeques in particular.  Earlier in the week I hosted an al fresco dinner for my husband's work colleagues wich was very enjoyable.  We've also been invited to visit our neighbours this weekend as they have one of those fancy pizza ovens in their garden so I'm very much looking forward to it!

Speaking of the outdoors, over on the Daring Cardmakers Miri has chosen a fabulous challenge this week perfect for this time of year.  She wants anything you might do outside in the summer on your cards.  For me it has to going to the seaside and eating ice-cream.  I absolutely love the sea and everything to do with it.  My other passion is eating ice-cream and I am known to eat them in the winter as well........

I've used the wonderful Beach Life papers and decoupage illustrated by the very talented Helz Cuppleditch that are produced by Trimcraft.  I bought them on offer from Create & Craft recently.

The collection just screams summer to me and I've used the papers for the background and added washi tape.  After making up the decoupage I've cut the shells and starfish from the papers and added them to the topper.  Don't you think the images are just so adorable?

There is plenty more inspiration over on the Daring Cardmakers blog HERE and I hope you'll join in with the challenge.

Have a great weekend!

Shabneez 

Products Used:

Trimcraft Beach Life Paper Pad 

Trimcraft Beach Life Embellishments

Trimcraft Beach Life Decoupage Pad

Trimcraft Beach Life Washi Tape

Everything else from my stash

A Sporting Chance - Daring Cardmakers DT

Happy Friday!

The Summer holidays have begun my end but not before a very memorable event to end the term.  My eldest's class held an Afternoon Tea for all the class parents and it really was an extremely well organised event.  The children went shopping for the ingredients, made sandwiches and served everyone with such big smiles.  It was truly wonderful.

Over on the Daring Cardmakers Kathy has set the challenge this week and what with the football and tennis being prevalent at the moment she's asked for a sport on our cards.  There are some brilliant cards on the blog HERE by my fellow DT members.

I decided to use this opportunity to make a card for a very good friend of my son's who is a competitive swimmer.  His birthday is coming up next month so I feel really good as I'm ahead of myself!

I've used a Hunkydory Kit that I bought with the recipient in mind.  It's decoupage although you can't tell so well from the photo although I did try!  I added card candi and the number 10.

Right, I am now off to visit my Aunt.  Boys love spending time there too and it'll be a break from the norm for me too.

Hope you'll join in with the challenge this week and have a great weekend!

Shabneez

Products Used:

Hunkydory Decoupage Kit

Card Candi

Dovecraft Number Dies

Everything else from my stash

July Elemental Challenge - Daring Cardmakers

Happy Friday!

How's your week been?  I've had a productive week with the highlight being Prize Giving and Meet the Teacher at school.  The boys break up next week so not long to go now..........

As it's the first Friday of the month it's time for the elemental challenge over on the Daring Cardmakers.

I had a hard time with this one.  I loved the colours and the elements but couldn't decide what to use.  It took an entire afternoon to put this together.  I must have over thought it! Ha!  

I began by choosing a floral paper from my stash then I made a pleated border.  I fancied a bow and I don't own any so I traced round a template.  To finish I added a sentiment with a splash of pink.

This is the image from which I have chosen 3 elements:

I chose the slatted panel which I made into pleats, the beautiful colours and the flowers that are on my backing paper.  There is a lot of inspiration on the Daring Cardmakers Blog HERE and I hope you'll join in.

See you again on Sunday!

Shabneez 

Products Used:

Sentiment from Craftwork Cards

Everything else from my stash

Anything But White - Daring Cardmakers DT

Happy Friday!

Joanne has chosen the challenge this week and it's to use 'anything but white' on your card background.  I didn't have any trouble with this one as I often use different coloured backgrounds for my cards.  Plus you know I love my colours!

As time was short I decided to emboss my background.  It's funny how sometimes you forget to use items or techniques.  I admit to not using an embossing folder for a couple of months at least.

The unicorn stickers were given to me some time ago and had been sitting on my desk waiting to be used so this card was actually based around using the unicorns!

There's some really inspirational cards made by my fellow DT members HERE and I do hope you'll join in with the challenge.

I'm very much looking forward to this weekend as we will be celebrating the festival of Eid that follows the month of fasting.  We get together with family, the children get gifts and we enjoy a meal or two together.

I hope you have a good weekend whatever you do.

Shabneez

Products Used:
Marianne Designs Embossing folder
Unicorn Stickers from G&T
Everything else from my stash

Colourful Paper Flowers - Daring Cardmakers DT

Happy Friday!

I thought I'd bring some colour to my blog post today as it's wet and miserable outside.  Dawn has chosen the challenge this week for the Daring Cardmakers.  She'd like to see paper flowers on your projects.  You can see lots more floral inspiration by my fellow team mates HERE.

I used pre die cut flowers that I got in a pack a long time ago with crafting material for the boys.  I picked a colourful array of flowers and assembled them on a background then added a little foliage and gems to embellish.

It just goes to show you don't necessarily need lots on a card and clean and simple can be just as effective, especially if you're pushed for time.

Once again my intention is to take it easy this weekend although I do have a mountain of ironing to get through and other household chores that don't do themselves.  I'm sure some of  you can relate to that!

Enjoy your weekend and see you again soon,
Shabneez

Products Used:
Everything from my stash
Stamp from an edition of Quick Cards Magazine

Watch The Birdie! - Daring Cardmakers DT

Happy Friday!

Just got back from a Drop In session at school where we got to see what my eldest son has been up to.  It's a good idea to have these drop in sessions as not only do you get to see what the children have been doing in lessons, but it's really motivational for them to show you their achievements.   Plus, as it's first thing parents can come in before they go to work.

On with this week's Challenge for the Daring Cardmakers which I have set.  As the title suggests I would love to see a bird on your creation either as a focal point or embellishment, die cut or stamped.  Lots of choices so I do hope you'll join in and there's some amazing inspiration from the Design Team HERE.

As you can see, I've gone a little tropical for my creation, obviously thinking of the warmth and sunshine that you associate with it!

I've used the new First Edition Tropical Die set and added coloured card through the die cut image of the toucan - paper piecing using dies.  The addition of a tiny gemstone for the eye gives me my bling fix.  I've die cut some leaves to create foliage for the toucan to sit on.  A mini paper doily and die cut sentiment finish the card.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.  I will be doing a Trimcraft demo at the The Range in Thurrock on Sunday which I am looking forward.

See you again soon,
Shabneez

Products Used:
First Edition Tropical Die Set
Nature's Grace Doilies
First Edition Hello Baby Paper Pad
Dovecraft Happy Birthday Die

Spring Has Sprung! - Daring Cardmakers DT

Happy Friday!

How are you?  It feels like such a long time since my last blog, yet it's only been slightly over a week! 

The Daring Cardmakers has a new challenge set by Svenja who has asked for the use of stencils and fresh green as Spring is around the corner!  Lots more wonderful inspiration from the Team HERE.

I'm lucky as I only received a new batch of stencils earlier in the week from CrafTangles and there was one that caught my eye which I thought would be perfect for this challenge.

I also had an idea in mind to use ombre as I took inspiration for this challenge from my garden.  There are so many shades of green in it and I wanted to merge them together.

I made a background with the distress inks and then used the stencils with the same colours.  I stamped Happy Birthday in black as I wanted the sentiment to show but didn't want it to take over the background I'd made.

I thought I'd end this post with a bit of Spring from our garden:

I'm hoping to be back over the weekend with another blog post.  

Bye for now!

Shabneez

Products Used:

Tim Holtz Distress Inks

CrafTangles Stencil - Leaves

Dovecraft Happy Birthday Stamp

Everything else from my stash

Daisy Love - Bubbly Funk DT

Happy Wednesday!

Well, the boys are back at school.  Not sure where that holiday went - it's all bit of a blur!

I'm up on the Bubbly Funk blog with another project using the January 'Love' Box.  This time I've stepped away from the red and gone with a gold and cream colour palette.

I really like chipboard shapes as there's so much you can do to them and this box has the word 'love' in it.  Now, my acrylic paints have been put away and I was loathed to get them out so I picked up one of my ink pads in gold and used that instead!  It's given thick coating to the chipboard and has a beautiful shimmer.

Once I had my focal point sorted I searched the box and picked on a cute daisy, wooden buttons and a mini doily.  I placed the daisy on the love in place of the 'O' and added one of the wooden buttons.  The doily I used as backing.

I die cut the 'YOU' twice, using the ink on one and added another wooden button in place of the 'O' again.

You can find more details about my project on the Bubbly Funk blog HERE together with more inspirational makes from the rest of the Design Team.

See you again on Friday!
Shabneez

Products Used:
Everything from the Bubbly Funk 'Love' Box except:
Stix 2 Anything Adhesive
Sizzix Dies
Brilliance Ink Pad

April Challenge - Daring Cardmakers

Happy Friday!

The first Challenge of every month for the Daring Cardmakers is an Elemental one.  This time it was set by Nat and you'll see the photo we had to choose elements from further down my post.

I used a couple of sheets from The Little Book of Vintage Lace and added epoxy stickers and pearls that I'd had in my stash for such a long time.  I'm sure as crafters we all have unused stash and I'm on a mission to try and use it!

I also found a paper flower that went well together with leaves and a mini doily to go with the vintage theme of the card. 

Below is the April Elemental Challenge photo and I used the colours, flowers, bird and leaves on my card.

I hope that you'll join in with the Challenge HERE.

Enjoy your weekend!

Shabneez 

Products Used:

Hunkydory The Little Book of Vintage Lace

Dovecraft Blooming Lovely Mini Doilies

Everything else from my stash 

Take the Rough with the Smooth - Daring Cardmakers Challenge

Happy Friday!

I've seen a play on Egypt this week and I heard all about how they preserved body parts etc. It was performed by my eldest son's class and was a joy to watch.  The outfits were amazing!

On with the Daring Cardmakers Challenge for this week.  Joanne set the challenge to combine something rough/bumpy with something smooth/shiny.

I used a DCWV DIY Stencils Stack for my make.  The 12x12 stack of papers comes with reusable stencils. I used them to create a border around my card with my home made embossing paste.  It's so easy to do and I made this one with the addition of glitter and metallic paints - luscious!

RECIPE FOR GLITTER EMBOSSING PASTE: I mixed one portion paint, 1/2 portion glue, 2 portions talc (you can use bicarbonate of soda, I found it gives more texture) and 1 portion glitter.  You can use fine or course glitter but I used the fine as it's what I had.

The paste only took about 15 minutes to dry naturally and in that time I die cut my feathers and inked them with chalk ink before assembling the card.  A glittered pearl and ribbon finished it off.

I hope that you'll join in with the Challenge this week and see all the fabulous inspiration from the rest of the Design Team HERE on the Daring Cardmakers Blog.

Enjoy your weekend,

Shabneez

Products Used:

DCWV DIY Project Stack Stencils

Dovecraft Feather Dies

Versamark Chalk Ink

Docrafts Metallic Gold Paint

Everything else from my stash