Good day sunshine :)

Hello, and hope this July day is finding you well and your summer is going great. I have been quiet the last few months here on my blog, but busy crafting away in the background. So much to craft, so little time!

Here is a card I made for the July challenge over at Craft for the Craic. This month's challenge is Summer Time, how ever you decide to interpret it.

A few years back, I very luckily won a blog candy from the wonderful Sheena. I used the beautiful Tilda stamps a few times, but never blogged about them. Recently I have been using my ink pads correctly (ie the water resistant ones I've been using with water colours, and not wondering why the ink was bleeding!!) and it has opened up a whole new world (a lightbulb moment ;) )

So I stamped this Tilda girl, and decided to use my inktense pencils to colour her in on the watercolour paper. I then used some watercolours paints for the water and sand, and added in a bit of glitter and heat embossing for the sea foam.

I used a broken scissors to roughen the edge, and layered it on black card. With a few scraps from my desk I layered up the lovely pinks in the background.

I then stamped the sentiment, and die cut it out. I used a pen to outline the frame of the die cut.

I recently went to a class with Finnabair and was so inspired by her, I bought some of the Art Basics 3D Matte Gel, which I used with a stencil to make the textured dot background. (I can also say I'm using the gel on EVERY.SINGLE.PROJECT since! ;) )

I really enjoyed making this card, along with the new techniques I used and learned from.
If you are crafting why not join in the challenge?
I hope to enter a few challenges with this card.
Simon Says Stamp = Wednesday challenge - Sparkle and Shine (glitter as the foam in the sea)
Southern Girls Challenge = Get Messy with Ink or Paint (Watercolour paints for the sea and sand)
Magnolias Midweek Challenge = Embossing (the foam on the sea was embossed)
The Sisterhood of Crafting = Summer Heat
Kraftin' Kimme Stamps - Wonderful Wednesday
Crafting by Designs - Summer Holidays
Fantastic Tuesday - A Day at the Beach
Papertake Weekly Challenge - Build it Up
Thanks for stopping by,
Eithne

Christmas is coming...

Hello, can you believe it is December? Where has that year gone! I best get started on my Christmas cards! ;-)

This week over at Through the Purple Haze Challenges, the theme is Christmas is coming. We are sponsored by Kenny K.

Here is the creation I made with my lovely digi 'On Vixen': -

I made a wall hanging for Christmas.

I used some foamboard, covered with a 12x12" paper.

I used some washi tape, and some nested stars. For the sentiment, I just typed it out on the computer to fit my nested dies.

I did a combo of mediums to colour this lady; watercolour paints, markers, glitter and embossing powder.

I also cut out a doily in some silver paper, and used some outline stickers for the corners. I added as much glitter as I could to jazz it up for Christmas.

Thanks for stopping by, why not take part in the challenge.
I hope to enter this in a few challenges.
Have a great Monday,
Eithne

Love

This is a card I made using a collage affect for the background.

I cut out two dies at different sizes and used the larger size as a mask for the ink onto some torn vellum. I then used the same ink to ink up the edges of the die cut out and stamped the sentiment on.

I used watercolour crayons and used a paintbrush to paint the heart.

I got three buttons, to tie in with the colour scheme.

I used four brads, once for each corner to hold the vellum in place.

Hope you have a great day, thanks for stopping by :D

I'm hoping to enter my card in the following challenges:
Flourishes - Think Pink
The Stamping Boutique - Pink Pink Pink
Through the Craftroom Door - Challenge 38
Link up for pink challenge
Eithne

My first card challenge!

I have been crafting for years, but only within the past year became aware of the online crafting blogs! Although I have my own blog for a little while now, only last week I found out about challenges! Yes, don't know where my head and eyes have been!!

Anyway, for the first time ever, I am entering this card in a few challenges! 

 I used my Big Shot to cut out the different die shapes and used a Born to Shop stamp for the image. I used watercolour paints to colour in the image, and also the circular dies. I didn't have any card to hand with the "correct" tones, to match in with the beautiful printed paper. (Joanna Sheen's marbled paper pad) So I used my watercolour paints again, to create a marble affect on the larger circle.

I used some flower embellishments and I put some vellum paper at the left side, I didn't want to cover up the backing paper. I tore some craft paper to create the horizontal strip.

I cut out a rectangular die for the sentiment, which this time I chose 'happy birthday' - I always get caught out with no girly cards for my friends!

These are the challenges I am entering the card into:
A sketch for the Die-ing for a challenge.
Hey Girl challenge at Simon says stamp and show challenge

Thanks for stopping by, why not give the challenges a go?! Hope you have a great day.

Eithne