Re-posted: Cocktails with brad

Our task for the Flashback Friday Challenge is to re-post an old project that uses summer colours. I chose this cocktail card because when I originally posted it on the 21st of March 2009, it didn't get any comments.

I like the details and the cheerful design, however if I still had this card I would go and cut around the top left corner. No idea why I didn't think about it back then, but when I revisit old cards, I quite often get ideas how to improve them!

Challenges: Flashback Friday #12.0 - 24th June

Shoes... a hybrid card

I like this variation on the well known "Keep calm and carry on" slogan which has also made it into a film title last year. It leant itself to a hybrid card on what is sometimes reported to be a woman's deepest wish, longing or obsession. Buying new shoes can have a therapeutic effect when you feel life has let you down somehow. The subject is a first for me, but I feel my cards could do with a bit of humour so I just had to give it a go.

I combined the coloured bar on the left hand side in the Our Creative Corner inspiration with the area of circle shapes. This seemed a good opportunity to use my new assorted colour circle sequins which I had bought at the Pound Shop two weeks ago.

You can download Clare Curd's poster graphic for free here. She is offering a new digital every Monday on her blog www.clarecurd.com.

Challenges: Clare Curd's Digi Challenge #1, Make it Monday #41: Any - Mon, Bearly Mine Challenge #12: any - Tue 1st wk., Craft Room Ch. #1: any - Tue., Deep Ocean #1: any - next Tue, Papertake Weekly: any - Tue?., ABC Challenge: Wish - Tue., Crafty Creations #122: Some day over the rainbow..., Truly Scruptious Ch. #58: summer sparkle - Tue., AiFactory Challenge: new - Thu., Art Impressions Stamps Challenge #19: monochrome, - Thu., Crafty sentiments: sparkle - Thu., Digi Doodle Shop Ch. #62: no patterned paper - Wed., Meljen's Designs DT Challenge # 62: pink + pearls - Thu., Pals Paper Arts Ch. #97: my signature style, Shelley's Images: any - Wed., Guy Lou's Inimitability: monochrome - Thu., Joyful Stamper Inspire me Fridays #10: any - Wed., The Poodles's Parlour: any - Thu. 1st wk., Craft your days away #22: monochrome, CES Challenges #40: movie - Fri., Just some lines : monochrome - Fri., Challenge up your life #45: sketch - Fri., Creations by Gill M Ch. #9: circle shapes - Sat., Our Creative Corner: double inspiration - Sat., Sketch saturday #159: sketch, Create 4 Fun: sketch #87 - end of June,

A formal bunch of flowers in green and blue

For this flowery birthday card I used another variety of the stickers my ex-colleagues gave me. The challengingly formal shapes which I mounted on a piece of white textured wallpaper give it a clean and simple look, ideal for a man's card. Cutting out an even circle was a quick job for my compass circle cutting tool - I should take it out more often.

The fresh green background colour contributes to a modern feel.

I made my own embellishment by mounting some of the stickers on top of each other and glueing a sequin on top. My tip for those of you who want to do something similar is to use a glue gun instead of crafting glue so you can be sure it stays on the card.

Challenges: Cards for Men #11: no paper - Sun, CCM Spotlight: Challenge - Mon., DDH7: 1 layer - 12th June, House of Gilli #8: Flowers - Mon., KB Challenges #15: any - Mon., Lexi's Creations #41: man's - Sat., Ooh-La-La Creations #81: Bday - Sun 1st wk, Stamp with fun #113: garden - Mon., Stamping Scrapping Challenge: masculine - Mon., Woodware USA #29: forgotten embell. - Sun., Critter Sketch #67: sketch + bling - next Sun., A Spoon full of sugar Ch. #154: flowers - Mon., Scrap Creations color ch.: blue, yellow, green, Ladybug Crafts Ink Ch. #30: own embell., Party Time Tuesdays PTT #18: any - Mon., Sweet Stamps Ch. #17: masc., Top Tip Tuesday Ch. #36: ribbon, Tuesday Throwdown #51: own embell. - Mon., Belli Ch. #118: tool, Truly Scrumptious Ch. #58: Summer sparkle - Tue 1st wk, ,

Stripes and squares: red stickers on purple paper

Being known at work as a card making enthusiast has its pros and cons. I had been asked on various occasions to contribute a card for a colleague, but when I was leaving I was given some nice crafting goodies as a farewell present, including quite a few colourful stickers. They go well with a modern, clean style.

On this birthday card I used purple paper with silver stripes and arranged rectangular stickers in different shades of red and pink on it.

Challenges: Paper Pretties PWC #155: Birthday, Creative Card Crew: any, Karen's Doodles #64: Sparkles, Tuesday Throwdown #50: any, Claudia and Company #82: girl's birthday, Alphabet Challenge: c = clean + simple, Crafty Katz #83: any, Mami doodle #26: spots or stripes - Thu, Simply Create #44: special day - Thu,

Christmas Angel

Thinking of the mad rush crafters find themselves in during the months before Christmas, it can never be too early to make a Christmas card. If inspiration is an issue - and you probably don't want to get all the season's paraphernalia out just yet - you could just watch the film "Christmas Angel" for example.

The writing on the right hand side of the card has a gold-metallic shine which is very difficult to photograph so I need to ask you to imagine this detail.
I added dimension to the card with a new embellishment from my stack: a die cut angel popped up with a piece of foam tape, on top of a paper with a distressed pattern. I also recycled a ribbon which was once adorning a beautifully wrapped present.

Challenges: The Paper Variety wk. 33: movie - Tue, OWH Stars and Stamps: wings - Tue, Amber's crafts and Stuff Ch. 8: recycle - Tue, Blogger's Challenge blog hop: sketch - Fr nP, Crafty Creations Challenges #118: any - Wed, My Mum's Craft Shop Challenges #5: dies - Tue, Paper Pretties Wednesday Ch. PWC153: texture - Wed, Penny's Paper Crafty Challenges #53: any - Wed 1st wk, The Sisterhood of Crafters: shine - WEd 1st wk nP, YNSC #42: popped up - Wed 1st wk, Craft us Crazy #8: sth new - Mon, +mnth P, Crafty Purple Frog Challenges: monochrome - Thu 1st wk, Cute Card Thursday #164: distressed - Wed, Dutch Dare Card Challenges #112: winged - Thu, Pixie Dust Studio Ch. #74: shiny - Wed, A Spoonful of Sugar #152: any - Tue, Creative Craft Challenges: distr./vintage - Mon, Use it Tuesday #7: bling - Fri, Frosted Designs Fabulous Friday: ribbon/twine - Thu, Sew Many Cards #53: any stamp - Thu, Stamp Something: any - Thu, Stamping Vacation: regency glitz - 13th June, Simon Says Stamp: Sparkle - Wed, Crafts and me #35: any, Flutter by Wednesdays #155: winged - Tue, The Paper Shelter #14: distressed - Tue, Penny's Challenges #53: any - 1st wk,

Wedding cake stamp card - flashback

I posted this card originally on the 30th May almost 2 years ago. I still like it as a contemporary wedding card. It would also work for a wedding invitation as it is quick to make and does not need many embellishments which can be costly and might make the card heavy or bulky, which then needs more postage to send it. The image is from Scrapmagasinet, a Norwegian stamp company.

Challenge: Flashback Friday 11.01

Child's birthday card in red and black

This birthday card for a 6-year-old features a motorbike racing theme as this is one of the child's interests. I think it's not a bad hobby to pursue as you experience nature directly rather than through the windows of a metal box.

For this card I cut red and black solid colour papers into stripes to resemble the supported football team's shirts. The image I am using for my collage has been recycled from an old magazine.

To add some more sparkle or bling, I embellished with a piece of sequinned ribbon. I shaped another into the number 6 to glue onto a punched out shape as some kind of homemade flower embellishment. To go with the whole red and black colour scheme I also inked over the silver outline stickers that form the name.

A swirly red-and-black paper lace ribbon and a brush-end ribbon adds interest. The butterfly clip can be detached from the card and used separately. I saw it about a month ago in a local craft shop and just couldn't resist it.

I placed the Happy Birthday greeting inside the card as there is already quite a lot going on at the stripy front. The 1-2-3 recipe is: 1 paper lace, 2 sequinned ribbons, 3 letters, or: 1 image, 2 papers and 3 embellishments.
Challenges: Flourishes Timeless Tuesday #116, Stamp Insanity: Bling, Clear it out: ribbon US, Creative Craft Challenges: recycle, Tuesday taggers: old + new, Crafts and me #33 - Swirls, Cooking it up #60: green, punch, pair, Mojo Monday #189 Sketch, Scrappy Frogs: any, Sparkles Forum: any, Stampin Sisters in Christ #87, Paper Works Co Sunday sketch #80, Sketchy Colours #69: sketch, Ellephantastic #26, Shannon's Sentiments #24: handmade flower, Totally Gorjuss #78: 1-2-3, Pink Gem #20: sketch, Sketch Saturday week #153, Wags'n Whiskers Ch.#53: die/punch, Divas by Design: any, The Pixie Cottage #68: male, CACB Ch. #40: Birthday, Totally Papercrafts Ch. #65: 1-2-3, The Paper Variety: Ink, Splendiferous Creations Challenge: Nature