Penny Black: Where's Dinner? - a birthday card for my Godfather

Hi blogging friends - and a very SPECIAL welcome to my new Followers - so lovely to have you

I made a birthday card for my Godfather who holds a very special place in my life.  He was my late father's lifelong best friend and has always been there for me and was a tower of support when my father passed away suddenly in 1996.  Even though my Godfather lives a couple of hours by plane away, we talk to each other often and he is the most gentle and kindest man you could ever meet and ALWAYS makes you feel like you are wrapped up in a warm blanket.  I am so blessed to have him in my life! And I love that I have that special connection to my father through him which I treasure.   So, onto my card......

Isn't this dog sweet?  I know I say that about all my Penny Black stamps, but I *love* the quizzical expression on the dog's face!  I stamped him onto watercolour paper and coloured him with Faber Castell and Derwent Inktense watercolour pencils. I tried to give him lots of texture by scribbling different coloured brown Inktense watercolour pencils on a scrap piece of watercolour paper, adding water with my paintbrush and "dabbing" the dog with little strokes.  Once that had dried, I then made a wash with a mustardy-coloured pencil on a scrap piece of watercolour paper and applied that over the strokes to tone them down and blend them into the dog's fur.  I added used my clear Sakura glaze pen to add some shine to his collar, but you can't tell that from the photo - oh well!  The sentiment is from my Penny Black clear set:  Make a Wish - which seemed the perfect choice for this image.  This main panel is also up on dimensionals.  Here is a wee close-up:

I diecut the image with my Square Nesties - but trimmed around the tail first so the tail wouldn't get cut off.  This technique is called "Out of the box with nestabilities" and you can find the step-by-step tutorial here on Splitcoaststampers.   I did the same with the mustard and black cardstock layers.  If you are not a member of Splitcoaststampers, you will not be able to see the step-by-step written tutorial on their website, however, here is their video tutorial for this technique from You Tube:

Please note:  if you are reading this post in a Reader (such as Google etc.) or have received an email and you just see a black screen, you will need to come to my Blog to view the video.

The black paw border on the side panel is an EK Success punch:  Paw Print - isn't it fab??!!  I attached the ribbon in two separate elements and glued the paw print button on - the button had a shank which I cut off with pliers.

Lastly, I added the 3 black brads.

Challenges:

I am entering my card into the following challenges -

Crazy 4 Challenges - C4C101 - Bingo - where you have to pick 3 items in a row/diagonal line from the choices on their bingo board.  I chose Square card, Embossing and Brads.

Penny Black at Allsorts - August Challenge of Free and Easy

Before I go, I wanted to share some happy news that the card below was one of the top 3 at the Craft your Days Away Challenge #25 so I have another little blinkie which I have added to my blog sidebar.   Woo hoo!

And that's not all!  This next card was picked as one of the Splitcoaststampers Clean and Simple Favourites for the week ending 31st July - that sure rocked my socks off!

If you want to leave a comment and you are in a hurry, scroll down to under the Card Recipe, and click on one of the Reactions.
Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great week!

Jocelyn

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Penny Black - Where's Dinner 1705J, Sentiment from Penny Black - Make a Wish 30-052 clear set

Ink: Versafine Onyx black

Designer paper:  Rusty Pickle - Cap'n Jack - Black Pearl RP718 (probably retired now - it's been kicking around my craft room for a couple of years).

Accessories:  Cuttlebug, Spellbinder Square Nestabilities, Crafts Too Dots 5" x 5" embossing folder, black grosgrain ribbon, paw print button by Buttons Galore and more - Pet - Little Paws #4120, black brads by Basic Grey from Urban Prairie collection, Faber Castell and Derwent Inktense watercolour pencils, 140lb watercolour paper, small round #2 paintbrush, dimensionals, clear Sakura glaze pen, cardstock: mustard, black

Punches:  EK Success Paw Print edge

Penny Black: Fetching Slippers - a masculine card

Hi blogging friends    Long time no post!  I received a phone call from one of my closest friends late last week to let me know that their father had passed away.  I worked with my friend and their father for many years in their family business and although it wasn't unexpected, it is still a shock when it actually happens.   The funeral was last Wednesday (2 days ago) and the weather was really terrible:  wet, freezing cold and miserable - most of us still got wet under our umbrellas because the wind was blowing it under.   It was like the angels in heaven were crying along with the rest of us.

I started this card last week but only got as far as colouring the image before the phone call so I put it aside and only finished the remainder of the card in a bit of a rush last night as I had to pop it in the mail today.  Hopefully my BIL should get it in time for his birthday this coming Monday.

The adorable image is by Penny Black - a stamp which I bought very recently from PB Stamps in the USA.  When I saw this image on someone's card a few months ago, I just HAD to get it - I LOVE it and it makes me happy to look at it   Check out those cat slippers!!  Cute as a button!! 

I stamped the image onto watercolour paper and coloured it with a mix of Faber-Castell and Derwent Inktense watercolour pencils and a small #2 round paintbrush.  You can't see in the photo, but I added some clear Sakura glaze pen to the dog's collar.  Here is a wee close-up:-

I wish I knew who made the designer paper.  It is a fairly recent purchase but there is no name on the back which is rather unusual for designer papers these days.  If you know, please leave me a comment or drop me an email, and I will update this post.  Plus I would LOVE to know so I can get some more of it:  I do really like it as it is so perfect for masculine cards IMHO.

The sentiment is by Lili of the Valley (UK) and is from their circular sentiments set:  For you.  I stamped it with Indigo pigment ink, poured on some clear embossing powder and heat-set it  The sentiment originally had flowers where the sparkly red star brads are, but I couldn't have flowers on a man's card, so searched through my stash to find something I could pop over the top to hide them.  Here is a close-up so you can see:

Both the main panel and sentiment panel are up on dimensionals.

Challenges:

I am entering this card into the Stampin' for the Weekend Challenge #14 of Spots and Dots.  I tried to use as many dots and spots as I could:  my dp, embossed dot red cardstock panel across the centre and the dots on the border punched panels.

I am also popping this card into the Stampalot August Challenge of "Anything Goes".

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Hope you have a fab weekend!

Jocelyn

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Penny Black Fetching Slippers 2085F, Lili of the Valley (UK) Circular sentiments - For you (set of 7 stamps)

Ink:  Versafine Onyx black, Artnic Indigo pigment

Designer paper:  I haven't a clue!

Accessories:  Cuttlebug, Crafts Too dots square 5" x 5" embossing folder, Spellbinder - rectangle, circle and scalloped circle nestabilities, 140lb Watercolour paper, #2 round paintbrush, Faber-Castell and Derwent Inktense watercolour pencils, red sparkly star brads by Making Memories - Stars in Bloom - shimmer, navy blue ribbon, Sakura clear glaze pen, heat-gun, clear embossing powder, cardstock: navy blue, red

Punches:  Fiskars threading water 

Stampin' Up - Gift Tags - a teddy bear birthday card for my niece

Hi blogging friends  

I made a clean and simple one-layer card for my niece's 6th birthday.  Not much to explain really.  I coloured the image with Prismacolor + Derwent Coloursoft pencils and Odourless Mineral Spirits (Gamsol Magic technique) then added some Kindyglitz Crystalina to the ribbon and heart on the teddy plus the present.  I lightly chalked around the image with blue chalk.  Here is a wee close-up:

I dragged out my Cuttlebug 'With Love' embossing borders set (which I don't use often enough!) and used the flower folder underneath the image, then added some pink rhinestones to the flower centres. 

There is a Scor-pal line underneath the ribbon, under the image and above the pink cardstock punched border.  The ribbon was attached in 2 separate elements and the bow itself was made with my Bow Easy.  I sewed through the button holes then glued the button to the ribbon. 

Quick, simple and easy-peasy.

Challenges:

I am entering this card in the following challenges -

Allsorts Challenge Blog - Week 114 - Free and Easy July

4 Crafty Chicks - Get your bling on

Splitcoaststampers - Free for all Friday - F4A75 - 'CAS-tastic Summer' where you have to whip up a CAS card.

Thanks for stopping by to visit my little world  

Jocelyn

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Stampin' Up 'Gift Tags' (retired)

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo black

Accessories:  Cuttlebug, Cuttlebug 'With Love' embossing folder set, Scor-Pal, Prismacolor + Derwent Coloursoft pencils, OMS, paper stumps, Heart button by Trimits, pink sewing thread, Bow Easy, gingham ribbon, Kindyglitz Crystalina, Kaisercolour blue chalk, pink gems by Basic Grey

Punches:  Martha Stewart Doily Lace edge

Stampendous Beachfront Boat - a housewarming card

Hi blogging friends

My BIL and SIL have just finished building their dream retirement home by the sea in another state. I am sure they will love being away from the hustle and bustle of city-life and never tire of looking out on the ocean every day.  It is a long-realised dream come true for them - and this is the card I made for them as a "Welcome to your new home" - so that is why I chose a beach-scene and tried to make it a nice, warm inviting scene imagining them having a sail on the calm ocean on a summer's day with the first hints of the sunset in the sky.  Ahhhh - bliss! Wish I was there right now......

I stamped the image onto watercolour paper and coloured it with watercolour pencils.  To add the white highlights on the ocean, I used a scalpel knife to scratch the surface of the watercolour paper then used my Sakura clear glaze pen to add some shine.  I also used the same pen on the red sail on the boat.  I know you can't really see the glaze in the photo but it makes the sea look all sparkly IRL - but you can see the effect of the scratching with the scalpel knife.  Here is a wee close-up:

The side panel was punched with a Scallop Diamond edge punch then I added a Scor Pal line which made it easier to line the designer paper up straight.  As the panel looked a little uninteresting and flat, I decided to emboss it using my Cuttlebug and Sizzix Ribbon embossing folder then sanded it a little to highlight the embossing - ahhhhhhh, much better to have a bit of texture and it seemed to match the dp and rope perfectly.  I grabbed two pieces of rope and tied a knot in each end then glued the ends underneath the panel with fabric glue.  Because the rope was bulky, I popped the panel up on dimensionals.  The sentiment panel and the main panel are also up on dimensionals.

The sentiment is by Elzybells from a clear set of sentiments and images but there is no name on the set or a number; unfortunately, no longer available....sniff.....I miss my Elzybells......

I punched two tiny hearts from the orangey-red part of the designer paper using my Arrows border punch (the leftover punchies look like tiny hearts) and added them to the sentiment panel.

Lastly, I glued on 3 matching buttons.  I did sew threw the buttonholes with matching sewing thread before I glued them on.

Challenges:

I am entering my card in the following challenges -

Allsorts Challenge #113 - Free and Easy July - Anything goes

Craft your Days Away Challenges - CYDA Challenge #25 - Summertime

The Pink Elephant - Challenge #TPE109 - Fun in the sun

Thanks for stopping by!  If you are in a hurry to leave a comment, click on the "Reactions" at the bottom of the post after the Card Recipe.

Have a great week!

Jocelyn

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Stampendous Beachfront Boat CRN234 cling, Sentiment - Elzybells (name unknown)

Ink:  Versafine Onyx black

Designer paper:  K & Co. Seaglass diecut small mat pad, code 626621

Accessories:  Cuttlebug, Sizzix Textured Impressions Ribbon embossing folder (comes as a set of 2 folders - #656980), 140lb watercolour paper, Faber Castell watercolour pencils, small round #2 paintbrush, 3 x buttons with matching sewing thread, rope, Scor-Pal, Sakura clear glaze pen, sandpaper, Cardstock:  teal blue, pale olive

Punches:  EK Success Scallop Diamond edge, EK Success Arrows border edge

Lili of the Valley: Cuddly Teddies card topper girl's birthday card

Hi blogging friends  

With so much sickness going on in my household (yep, I now have the dreaded 'lurgy' too) and in need of a quick card for my soon-to-be 4 year old niece's birthday, I thought I would make a card using one of my Lili of the Valley (UK) diecut card toppers.  I have had these toppers for a while and forgot I had them (you know how it is LOL!).  When I originally bought the topper which I used on my card, the A4 sheet had the same picture but in different sizes, but they are now sold slightly differently by LOTV and the A4 sheets have 6 different images all the same size.  This teddy is now on the Cuddly Teddies DC007 sheet.

My Prima "Sparkling Spring" 6" x 6" paper pad matched the image perfectly (don't you love it when that happens?!!). I was having a ball making this card as everything I reached for just went together like a match made in heaven - which is much nicer than fiddling around trying to find the right colour ribbon, cardstock etc.  It was like all the planets were in alignment or something and I tell ya, it made it so much quicker even for a s-l-o-w cardmaker like myself.

All I needed to do was stamp the sentiment (also by LOTV) - no colouring other than the flowers on the sentiment which I coloured with some Prisma pencils.  I added some Kindyglitz Crystalina to the flower centres on the sentiment and most of the flower centres on the image.

After I added the green scalloped circle to the sentiment, it looked a little lost on the card, so I diecut a red scalloped circle and glued that underneath to just add a bit more colour without making the sentiment panel any bigger.

Here is a wee close-up of the image - isn't it cute and adorable and make you go "awwww"?!!  I am nuts about teddy bears as you can well see LOL!!

 

The sentiment panel and the main image are popped up on dimensionals.  The bow was attached in 2 different elements and the bow itself was made with my Bow Easy.

See the button?  It is old shop stock I inherited from my parent's Wool and Haberdashery shop and is 35 years old!  All I had to do was cut off the shank with a pair of pliers then glue it onto the bow centre.  Here is another wee close-up.  Doesn't it just match the image and designer papers so amazingly well {happy sigh.....}?

Not sure if you can tell, but on the bottom panel, I added a Scor-Pal line just above the punched green cardstock border; I find it easier to get the designer paper straight when lining it up with the Scor-Pal line rather than the punched border.  I am usually pretty terrible at lining things up straight so I need all the help I can get LOL!!

Challenges:

I am entering my card in the following challenges:

Papertake Weekly Challenge:  Getting Cute  - Anything goes as long as it’s CUTE and has the  ‘awwww’  factor.   I think my teddy bear fits the bill as being cute IMHO.

Allsorts Challenge Blog:  Week 112 - Free and Easy July  -  Anything goes

Well, that's about it from me.  Thanks for stopping by!

If you are in a hurry and want to leave a comment, click on the "Reactions" at the end of this post for a super-quick way of doing it.

Jocelyn

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Lili of the Valley - For you circular sentiments - S213

Ink:  Versafine Onyx black

Designer paper:  Prima 'Sparkling Spring' #842178 6" x 6" pad

Accessories:  LOTV A4 diecut sheet:  Cuddly Teddies DC007, Cuttlebug, Spellbinder Circle and Scalloped Circle Nestabilities, yellow and red Prismacolor pencil, green gingham ribbon, Bow Easy, Kindyglitz Crystalina, dimensionals, button, Scor-Pal, Cardstock:  soft red, pale green, white

Punches:  Martha Stewart Pinking Scallop

Four Awards! Yep - count them - FOUR! Woo hoo!

Hi blogging friends,

I have 2 cards made but waiting for the drizzle to stop so I can photograph them - but in the meantime, I thought I would share some "happy news".

My card from my last post won the top 5 at the Allsorts Challenge Blog which I was tickled pink about and totally surprised!!  Here is a little photo of my card in case you missed my last post:

Funny how I only just noticed that I had put "Image copyright Stampendous" at the bottom RHS instead of "Inkadinkado".  I had the stamp name and brand right in the Card Recipe at the end of my original post - just messed up the name on the photo for some reason (I'll blame it on sleep deprivation from my DD being sick for a good deal of the last 2 weeks - now DH is sick - but I am still carrying on as as Mum's do).  My DD was off school again yesterday with a cough which I pray isn't a new virus and won't get any worse - poor little thing :-(  Her birthday party is in a week so she needs to be well!!  So far, I have escaped the dreaded lurgies!

This card was also nominated twice in the Splitcoaststampers Favourites for the week - so I was pretty chuffed about that!

And my last Award is from my blogging friend Shaz from Shaz in Oz - Cards Calligraphy:

Shaz in her post wrote the following to describe a Versatile Blogger which originally was written by Hettie of Hettiecraft - quote:- "...capable of or adapted to many different uses, skills etc, liable to change.."and wrote some lovely things about my Blog - thank you sweetie!!

Now the Rules of accepting this award.

• In accepting my award I must place a link back to the person who awarded it
• Share 7 random things about myself
• Award 7 recently discovered bloggers and contact them to let them know

7 Random Things about me:

1.  I started researching my Family Tree about 5 years ago and discovered that all the family history that had been passed onto me through the generations on my late father's side was all made-up to hide the convict history - my family actually first came to Australia on the 3rd Fleet!!

2.  If I don't have a real cup of home-made plunger coffee in the afternoon, I don't feel right.

3.  I used to be scared of heights until I went tandem hang-gliding a few years ago (my DH paid for it in advance so I didn't want to waste the money!) and now I have been hang-gliding numerous times.  I discovered that it was only the fear itself that I was scared of!  And it's AWESOME up in the sky!!

4.  I used to sleepwalk when I was a child right up into my teens.  It was weird and scary waking up inside my wardrobe or somewhere else in the house.

5.  I play the piano, sing and write my own music, as did my late-father and his mother (my Gran).  My Gran wrote hundreds of hymns and Dad was a child-prodigy pianist and studied at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music beginning at the age of 9! 

6.  I am THE clumsiest person on the planet and always manage to spill tomato sauce on my top or drop food or drink somewhere on myself.  You wouldn't want to take me to a fancy restaurant that has a white tablecloth - it would be excruciatingly embarrassing LOL!  I trip over air and are always bumping into things.

7.     I am so slow at cardmaking and I have no idea how people make and post a card every day and still manage to be a Mum, go to work and do the housework. 

So, I am passing this award onto:

1.  A load of pickle by Kerry Cox - a blog which I recently discovered.  Wow - what a multi-talented lass!

2.  Buttons for Brains by Liz - one of my favourite, favourite blogs.  Love Liz's style.  So unique and her cards always make me smile.

3.  Fong crafty place by Cathy Fong - also a recent discovery.  I don't think Cathy realises how talented she is!

4.  Scrapcollector by Yenni Natalia - another discovery I made a few months ago - super-talented and a lovely lady.

5.  The voices in my head by Lim - wow - Lim's vintage style just blows me away.  I could look at her cards ALL day and never tire of them!

6.  Snail's Space by Linda - Linda is a beautiful, kind and gentle lady - I can only dream to watercolour like Linda!  Linda has also been a wonderful supporter of my blog (thanks sweetie!!)

7.  Cards Calligraphy - Shaz in Oz - who gave me this award and who has become a very dear blogging friend.  Shaz has always been ready to lend an ear and has been so incredibly encouraging in my cardmaking.  And Shaz is a super-versatile blogger who not only does beautiful calligraphy but makes all styles of cards with all different mediums.  I am truly blown away by Shaz's creativity!

So, that's it from me.  I should be back tomorrow with a quick card I made for my niece's upcoming 4th birthday.  The sun has just come out so I will go and photograph it outside while I still can.

Jocelyn

Inkadinkado Standing Seagull - a masculine birthday card

Hi blogging friends

If you read my last blog post about my wrist and having cortisone injected into it and not being able to craft after it for a little while - well, I had to cancel my doctor's appointment as my DD has been sick with a nasty cold which just won't go away - poor little thing.  So I have been housebound and managed to do a bit of cardmaking here and there.  My wrist will have to wait until my DD is all better and back at school.

Anyhow, I finished a birthday card for my DH whose birthday is next month.  I have been having a play with my Derwent Inktense watercolour pencils which is what I coloured my image with and boy - I sure do love them.  The colour is so vibrant and really brings things to life!  They do take a bit of getting used to in comparison to my regular Faber Castell watercolour pencils.  Once I had finished colouring, I added a little bit of clear Sakura glaze onto the seagull's eye, beak and legs - alas, completely oblivious in the photo - but adds a bit of shine in real life.

Because I had chosen a "sea" image, I wanted to make a frame that kind of looked like a porthole so I diecut an oval with 2 oval nesties, added the brads, then popped this frame up on doublesided foam pads.  Here is a wee close-up of the image - you can click on the image for a bigger pic if you wish:

The designer paper is by My Mind's Eye - Stella Rose.  Gorgeous papers - and even though a lot of them have flowers, the non-flowery ones are just so perfect for a masculine birthday card IMHO.  I decided to add some stitching just to add a bit of texture.  I pierced the holes with a paper piercer then hand-sewed all the stitches - yep, all hand-sewn.

The side panel was punched with a Martha Stewart Embossed Diamond edge punch then I added some rope tied in a sailor's knot.  I learnt how to do the sailor's knot from Lynne Phelps blog Savvy Sisters Studio (thanks so much!).  This type of knot is also called The Anchor Bend, Carrick Bend and Full Carrick Bend.  According to the description on this website, it's easy to tie, does not slip easily in the wet, and is among the strongest of knots - it can't jam and is readily untied - and I actually used four pieces of rope instead of two as two just seemed to look "lost" on the panel - the four made for a bolder statement.  Both this side panel and the main image are up on doublesided foam pads.

To finish, I tied the same rope through the button then glued the button on, then glued on the "happy birthday" metal sentiment which I have had forever.  I got it free with an order from some store that I bought something from ages ago.  I "think" they are by Print Blocks; they came in a pack with other sentiments like Happy New Year, and Happy Christmas etc. but I no longer have the packaging so I can't be sure.  If you know, drop me a comment or an email and I'll update this post.  Here is a close-up - pretty cool tag isn't it?  So perfect for a masculine card - and I was so rapt that it matched the brads - a happy coincidence:

I am entering this card into the following challenges -

A Spoon Full of Sugar - Challenge #159 - Sewing (faux or real)

Allsorts Challenge Blog - Week 111 - Free and Easy July - Anything goes

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Anything goes with the optional extra of buttons

Simon Says Stamp Challenge - A stitch in time - real or faux

Thanks for stopping by my little world and thank you so much for any comments you leave  

If you are short of time, scroll right down to the end of this post past the Card Recipe and you will see a heading that says "Reactions" where you can just click on an automatic comment.  This is something I only just recently added and thought it was pretty cool for busy people especially those on DT Challenge blogs that are visiting all the entrant's blogs - what a huge task!  So it's easy to just do one click and your done and you can move onto someone else's blog.

I have been working on a "Welcome to your new home" card for my BIL and SIL who have moved states and built their retirement dream home by the sea so I hope to share this in my next post.

Jocelyn

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Inkadinkado Standing Seagull INKA-99205-DD wood mounted

Ink:  Versafine Onyx black

Designer paper:  My Mind's Eye Stella Rose 6" x 6" pad

Accessories:  Cuttlebug, Spellbinder Oval Nestabilities, 140lb watercolour paper, Derwent Inktense pencils, small round #2 paintbrush, paper piercer, teal sewing thread + sewing needle, Sakura clear glaze pen, doublesided foam pads (dimensionals), clear blue button - from Basic Grey Granola set, string, Happy Birthday metal tag - Printblocks (?), brads by Printblocks, Cardstock:  teal, mustard

Punches:  Martha Stewart embossed diamond