Easter Egg Trees

I can't remember using this sweet Easter image before, but I decided to have a play with it and enjoyed it so much I've made a couple of clean & simple Easter cards in different colour combinations.

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Bunny: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Tea Dye, Tattered Rose
• Chick: Scattered Straw, Squeezed Lemonade, Mustard Seed
• Pot: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs
• Grass: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Eggs: Various!

Card Recipe:

• Easter Cuties Easter Tree image by Lili of the Valley (I think it might be retired now)
• Smooth White Card 160gsm
• Violet Plain Card 290gsm
• Nitwit Collections Papers

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Cute Squirrel

This fortnight at As You Like It Challenge we want to know if you prefer florals or cute themes.  I'm definitely a fan of the cute cards, particularly cute animals, both in my crafting and in real life.  The only florals I tend to use are on my papers and embellishments to create colour and texture.  Some of my favourite critters are the images by Lee Holland Digis, in particular his woodland creatures.  I cut the floral cardbase shape using my Silhouette.

Designed for:
As You Like It Challenge

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, Tea Dye, Tattered Rose
• Grass: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Sky: Tumbled Glass
• Flower: Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord, Squeezed Lemonade

Card Recipe:

• Lee Holland Digi Squirrel 
• MFT Dienamics Stitched Circle Stax
• Smooth White Card 160gsm
• Violet Plain Card 290gsm
• 15mm Satin Ribbon
• Nitwit Collections Papers
• Cherry Blossom
• Open Roses
• Mini Rosebuds

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Happy Mouse Day

At As You Like It Challenge this week we want to see your favourite fancy folds.  I love this easel card prop because I can decorate it to co-ordinate with the card and it all still folds flat for posting, almost like a pop-up card.  This card is for a sweet crafting friend's special birthday last month, so it's safe to share! I used bright springtime colours for the happy occasion!

Designed for:
As You Like It Challenge

Card Recipe:

• Birthday Mouse by Rachelle Anne Miller Digi Stamps
• MFT Dienamics Stitched Circle Stax
• Smooth White Card 160gsm
• 15mm Satin Ribbon
• Nitwit Collections Papers
• Cherry Blossom
• Open Roses
• Hip Rosebuds
• CC Designs Mini Number dies
• Card Making Magic Easel Stand

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Mousie Tea Time

This week at As You Like It Challenge we want to know if you prefer monochrome or colourful creations.  I do like to stick to just a couple of colours in my cards, but I can never seem to restrict myself to just one by using different shades and depth for variety.  I prefer to co-ordinate a few colours through into embellishments or, in this case, pulling a the dark purple from the image through into the cardstock matting layer.

Designed for:
As You Like It Challenge

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Mouse: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot, Tea Dye, Tattered Rose, Ground Espresso
• Sky: Tumbled Glass
• Green Cup: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Purple cup: Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord, Villainous Potion
• Orange cup: Scattered Straw, Squeezed Lemonade, Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge

Card Recipe:

• Pipsqueak Coffee Flowers by Last Minute Manda
• Violet Plain Card 290gsm
• Typed sentiment

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Teddy with Woolly Balls

This week at As You Like It Challenge we want to know if you prefer crafting feminine or masculine themed projects. For me, I find masculine cards challenging (I like adding flowers and pretty papers too much!) so for me it's an easy choice of feminine.  I've teamed this cute watercoloured teddy bear with pretty springtime papers for a craft loving friend.  I love these papers, and I've matched the colour scheme throughout the embellishments.

Designed for:
As You Like It Challenge
Lee Holland

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, Tattered Rose, Tea Dye
• Sky: Tumbled Glass
• Greens: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Blues: Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans, Chipped Sapphire
• Purples: Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord, Villainous Potion
• Oranges: Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge
• Pinks: Spun Sugar, Kitsch Flamingo

Card Recipe:

• Little Teddy Holding Balls of Wool by Lee Holland Digi images
• MFT Dienamics Stitched Circle Stax
• Smooth White Card 160gsm
• 15mm Satin Ribbon
• Nitwit Collections Papers
• Cherry Blossom
• Open Roses
• Mini Rosebuds

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Light the Candles

At As You Like It Challenge this week want to know if you prefer stamped or digi images.  I have far more digi images than I do rubber stamps, and I certainly appreciate the convenience of them when it comes to storage, ease of browsing my collection and instant purchasing!  But there is still something more satisfying about getting truely inky and stamping your own image.  I've had problems in the past with printer ink bleeding when I'm watercolouring digi images, and times when my printer's not been playing ball, whereas my physical ink pads seem to last forever although sometimes you don't get a full image (I have better luck if I use my stamp platform).  And finally, the brands that gave me the papercrafting bug were physical stamps (some on wooden blocks!) so it's often nice to dig out those stamps again.  Therefore, I've selected a rubber stamp from my collection for today's card.  However, I expect my laziness will kick back in and I'll revert back to digis again next week!

Designed for:
As You Like It Challenge

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers

Card Recipe:

• Stamping Bella Gnome Firefighter
• MFT Dienamics Stitched Oval Stax
• Smooth White Card 160gsm
• Nitwit Collections Papers
• Crealies Crea-Nest-Lies XXL65 Double Stitched Circles
• 3mm Flat backed pearls
• Typed Sentiment (Fonts: KG Beanth Your Beautiful Chunk & Outside)

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Bouquet Bear

This fortnight at As You Like It Challenge we want to know if you prefer pearls of gems on your projects.  I am definitely more a fan of the subtle sheen of pearls than the glimmer of gems, and I have lots of flat backed pearls in different colours.  For this project I've also added extra pearls in the form of a pin, peeking out amongst the flower embellishments.

Designed for:
As You Like It Challenge

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, Tattered Rose, Tea Dye
• Greens: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Purples: Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord, Villainous Potion
• Yellows: Scattered Straw, Mustard Seed, Rusty Hinge
• Pinks: Spun Sugar, Picked Raspberry, Kitsch Flamingo
• Greys: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot

Card Recipe:

• James Bouquet digistamp by Lili of the Valley
• MFT Dienamics Stitched Circle Stax
• Nitwit Collections Papers
• Cherry Blossom
• Open Roses
• 15mm Satin ribbon
• Flat backed pearls

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Happy New Year

Well it feels like the last few months have been a blur.  I'm sharing the first card that I've made since August and I am feeling a little rusty to say the least!  To get my mojo flowing I decided to use one of my favourite characters (James the bear) and some of my favourite papers from Nitwit Collections.  I've loved their papers since LOTV created some printed versions, but sadly most of my pads are used and I'm reliant on the digital versions.  Their papers are so beautiful and there are so many pretty papers (I must have hundreds of them) and they're my go-to papers when I need some creative motivation.  I've even paper-pieced the heart in James' arms to match the background.

Designed for:
As You Like It Challenge

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs
• Sky: Tumbled Glass
• Purples: Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord

Card Recipe:

• James Big Heart by LOTV
• Smooth White Card 160gsm
• Nitwit Collections Papers

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Bee Card

I've adapted this bee hexagonal box to make a folded cardbase for a bee themed notelet using some brightly coloured card by Papermill Direct.

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Do you wanna build a Snowman?

Happy Christmas Everyone.  

Designed for:
Lili of the Valley

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Tattered Rose, Tea Dye
• Greens: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Branch: Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain
• Sky: Tumbled Glass
• Reds: Festive Berries, Barn Door, Aged Mahogany
• Snow: Hickory Smoke, Speckled Egg
• Blacks: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot

Card Recipe:

• Gifts on the Tree digi from Lili of the Valley (retired image)
• MFT Dienamics Stitched Circle Stax
• Glossy Accents
• Flat Backed Pearls
• Smooth White Card 160gsm
• Plain Red Card 290gsm
• 15mm Organza Ribbon
• Nitwit Collections Papers
• Cosmos Daisy
• Open Roses
• Hip Rosebuds
• Mini Rosebuds
• Crystal Glamour Dust

Happy crafting
Annette
xx