Birthday's

September sees the start of my biggest run on birthdays, each card being equally as important as the last!

This card was made for my Mother-in-Law it was her birthday last week but I wanted to make sure it had arrived before I popped it on here as I didn't want to spoil the surprise!

To make this card:

I started by cutting a piece of cream card 2cm smaller than an A5 card. I stamped a stack of hats in the left corner, then next to them I stamped Mildred. I then added the Fairy Wings.

Next I created a mask for the piece of card that left a torn boarder. Around the edge I stamped a script stamp and removed the mask. I then distressed the whole piece of card lightly then re-added the mask to add the darker distressing. To colour in the hats I used Distress Inks and a water brush and for Mildred I used a mask and Distress Ink.

Onto spare cream card I stamped Mildred again, over stamped her with a script stamp and cut out her body. This was then lightly distressed and covered in UTEE. (I try to remove as much UTEE as possible before heating to give a crackled effect!) then I distressed it again using blue Distress Ink to fill in the gaps in the UTEE. 

Onto more spare cream card I stamped the Baby Butterfly and cut out the wings.

Next I took some parcel string  and coloured it to match the card by "splodging" Distress Inks onto a glass mat, spritzing it, then pressing the string into the colour until I was happy with it, I then used my heat gun and kitchen roll to dry it off.

Whilst the string was drying (it took ages, think I got carried away!) I worked on the base card. To do this I made a 14.5cm square cream card and scored the front again at 7cm to create the easel. Onto the 7cm flap I stamped the script stamp around the edge and I also stamped it in the inside of the card. Both the inside and the 7cm flap were distressed. Across the bottom of the inside of the base card I added the Steampunk edge from Tim Holtz which I had coloured using Distress Stains and then covered in UTEE. Just above this I added some paper ribbon, fabric tape and finally the sentiment.

To make up the card I wrapped the string around the base of the stamped images, added Mildred's body, baby butterfly and some die cut leaves and flowers (Tim Holtz Tattered Flowers and leaves). This was then matted onto a piece of kraft card which I had added Frantage embossing powder around the edge and then attached to the card. Once everything was attached to the card I added Crackle Paint to the Butterfly's wings.

I am really pleased with how this card turned out it took a little longer than planned but I think it was worth it. 

The stamps I used for this project are:

• Mad Hatter
• Nakie Hatter
• Mildred
• Fairy Wings
• Baby Butterfly
• Mini Cog Corners

If you like our stamps why not go and check them out on our website www.craftyroodesigns.co.uk  

Fairy Moments

I just love this card, it's sooooo girly and so not my usual style but I love how it turned out it makes me smile every time I look at it, just thinking what that little fairy is up to.

To make this card I took a square scalloped piece of card and stamped (in blue ink) and embossed (using Stardust embossing powder) Fairy Wings in the middle, towards the left side of the card. Next I masked of the wings and stamped On the Branch so that it looked like the fairy was sitting on it. then in the gap between the bottom of the wings and the branch and also at the top between the wings I shaded it in using blue Distress Ink. I then added the flowers and leaves to the branches. Then in each corner I stamped a flower and four leaves. I coloured these in using the same colour Distress Ink that I stamped them in and watered it down. Still with the wings masked, I masked of the flowers in the corners I stamped around the edge using the long stem from Poppy Cogs. In the top right corner I added a rub-on.

Next I stamped Mad Hatter in blue onto white card and cut it out.

To make the background I stamped the On the Branch and flowers onto a small strip of white card. I stamped onto scrap paper first to get a faint image. I then found some pattern paper in my stash for the bottom. I rounded all the corners and distressed around the outside edges of both pieces. I then added both pieces to a dark pink square card and rounded it's corners too and distressed around the edge. Across the middle of the card I added a thick piece of lace. This was then added to a large pale pink card.

To finish off the card I added yellow brads to the centre of the four flowers in the corners of the scalloped card and stuck this onto the card. Next I added Mad Hatter using silicon glue. I then tied a piece of pink ribbon around the lace. Finally I added Glossy Accents to the band and card on the hat and too all the flowers and leaves.

I fancy trying this card again but in Autumn colours next time.....

If you like our stamps why not go and check them out on our website www.craftyroodesigns.co.uk

Classy Mildred

Often I am shocked how a card turns out, and this one really surprised me! I love how classy Mildred looks she really is such a versatile stamp!

To make this card I started by stamping Mildred onto white card then onto her body I stamped Crafty Jack (I didn't even bother masking her, tut, tut!). I then cut her out and used distress inks to "colour" in her stand and add slight shading to her body. Once I was happy I covered her in ultra thick embossing enamel and left her to cool! I then stamped Mad Hatter distressed him slightly and covered him in ultra thick embossing powder too.

Next I took a piece of white card slightly smaller than a DL card and chose a pink and brown distress ink. Using the pink distress ink I covered an acrylic block in the ink (the block was slightly wider than the paper) I then spritzed it and pressed the block onto the top of the card, then re-spritzed and pressed the block this time onto the bottom of the card. I then wiped the remaining ink from the block and inked it up using the brown and repeated, this time adding ink in the center and to any other places that I felt it need to go! In other words I played with the ink and water until I was happy and dried the card using a heat gun!

Once the backing card was dry I stamped the cog arrangement from Mini Cog Corners randomly in the brown distress ink, then around the edge I stamped the long stem from Poppy Cogs. I then mounted this onto a dusky pink card. Next I took a piece of cotton lace and distressed it slightly (the white was far to bright!) and added that to the top left corner and bottom right. Across the bottom right I also added some dusky pink ribbon, a bow and some hat pins. This was then attached to a DL Kraft Card.

Next  I attached a pink ribbon around Mildred waist and attached her to the card. I then made a bow from the same ribbon and attached this to the Mad Hatter using a silver brad. The Mad Hatter was then positioned onto Mildred. 

Finally I stamped "Birthday Wishes 2U" from Postage Sentiments and added it to a bottle top then attached it to the card.