#156 Punches and/or Dies

Maike is hosting our challenge today and the theme is Punches and/or Dies

You are welcome to enter anything as long as you have used either punches or dies, or even both, and please don't forget to enter no more than 15 challenges including this one.

Some inspiration from our fabulous DT

Maike

For this challenge I wanted to create a card only using dies and punches. Normally my cards all have at least a stamped image, so that was a real challenge for me, but I do like the result very much ;o)
 

Angela

I am trying to build up my collection of birthday cards so that was what I decided to do for this challenge. The dies I've used are all by Spellbinders. Hope you enjoy looking, Angela x

Ina

I used a new die my hubby bought for me for Christmas and backed it with a Spellbinders die. Sentiment is also die cut.

 

Josephine

I created the greeting in Photoshop Elements and used Spellbinders dies to cut that and the mat, and then I die cut pieces for the flowers using a variety of dies from Sizzix and Cheery Lynn. 

 

Mary

I have used various dies from Tattered Lace as well as one of their CD ROMs to make this card. 

 

Judy

I used a stencil and modelling paste for the background of my card then splattered the background with Brusho.  The die cut leaves were run through an embossing folder and then painted with blue and silver paint.  To complete my card  I added some small gems and sequins after I arranged my die cuts. 

 

Jackie

I've used a tattered lace die for the card base, mats and layers and flowers, and some tonic  punches for additional flowers.

 

Lin

 

I have used just a combination of dies on my card, details on my blog

Kimx

I have chosen to use some Sue Wilson dies for my card.

I used the dies to create my own embossing folder as well as the floral embellishment.

Sally

I have combined some flower dies and a heart shaped die from Marianne Designs with some papers from Craftwork Cards.

Julie

Using Die'sire Create A Card Die

Pam

This cute little image is  'Lil Girl Prayin' by Phyllis Harris.  For the challenge I have used a lattice die, prayers die, Spellbinders circle die and flower punch. 

Marlene

I have used an Inkylicious Stamp heat embossed it and a Spellbinders Oval Die.

 

An InLinkz Link-up

#155 New, Winner and Top 5

Before we announce last time’s winner and top 5 I need to have a moan! Can you PLEASE read the challenge post before entering your card. You don’t have to read the whole thing, just as long as you read the part where the criteria for the challenge is defined. Last time around clearly we had people who just saw the word New and ran with it, not bothering to stop and actually read what sort of New we were asking for. I had to go back to moderating the linky, so that I could check first if the link entered actually matched the challenge and then I had to delete a dozen or more entries because these people didn’t bother to read the post first and entered the wrong type of project. In most cases I did explain on their blog, but in future, if you can’t be bothered to read, I can’t be bothered to tell you why your project is no longer showing! Of course, if you can’t be bothered to read, no doubt I am wasting my time here as well, lol.

 

Anyhow enough of the moan and down to business.

 

Sally hosted for us this last month and she has chosen her winner and top 5 as follows:-

29. ELFi

 

and Sally's Top 5 are:-

 

02. Marina

11. The Musings Of A Chocoholic


18. Rainey's Craft Room


24. Janny


32. Pauline


Congratulations to you all. Don't forget to collect your badges from the sidebar, and we look forward to seeing you back here at 12 Noon for our new challenge.

 

#155 New: Baby, Marriage, Home etc...

Happy New Year folks. I hope that 2016 will be creative, crafty and a fabulous year for you all.

Before we get down to today's challenge, our first of 2016, I would like to introduce three new members to the team. They have joined us from our Sister site, The Mirror Crack'd, which sadly closed in December.

Angela Radford - Felix the Crafty Cat
  
Hi, my name is Angela Radford I live in Lincolnshire UK, though I am a Yorkshire girl by birth.
 

I'm an avid crafter with a big interest in Mixed Media. I particularly love to work with Steampunk, Vintage and Shabby Chic Styles. Steampunk because it’s so “quirky” and very imaginative, it encourages you to look at everyday objects in a different light to create fantastic works of art.I have always loved to create things and consider myself very lucky to have been able to teach Textiles and Art for so many years . Now that I am retired I have time to enjoy my passion for crafting.

I only started blogging in 2013 but have met so many wonderful and talented people from all over the world who have become friends through our interactions with each other.

Things that inspires me? Everything! Sometimes it’s just the texture of a card, a technique, a stamp or simply a colour. You never know what is out there, waiting to inspire you, just keep that creative eye open! I love to Recycle and Upcycle and I am fascinated by how 3D artifacts are put together. Once I understand the construction, I like to really try to create something that I’ve never made before. I like to experiment with new styles and techniques and what can I say, getting inky and messy is one of the joys of crafting.

I hope that working with the team at Crafty Cardmakers will be a new challenge for me, to stretch my imagination and to come up with new ideas.

I look forward to seeing what you all come up with too.

Happy crafting, Angela x

Judy
 
My name is Judy McKay, I retired 5 years ago and moved to the sunny Okanagan of British Columbia, Canada. I have two sons and 2 beautiful grandsons.
 

I have an addiction to paper crafts in particularly cards, art journaling, and mixed media. I also dabble in paper making, encaustic art, fibre art, and altered books. I am an active member of several card and mixed media yahoo groups and participate challenge blogs.
My favourite quote is by Maya Angelou. “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”

I am very excited about joining Crafty Cardmakers Challenge Blog. 

Ngaere
 
My name is Ngaere Bennetts and I live in Eltham which is a small town in the North Island of New Zealand. I have a son and daughter and four gorgeous grandsons.

I have been creating and crafting most of my life in one form or another. I became fascinated with scrapbooking a number of years ago and after making scrapbooks for my kids and their children I began to experiment with mixed media. This has now become a passion. I tend to have a unique perspective on things and usually end up making projects that are different in one way or another. I look at a project or material and think about how I can use it in a non traditional manner.. I love to recyle/upcycle items/ materials that would be normally thrown away into something unique and beautiful. I enjoy playing with new products and I believe in sharing what I learn with others.

I participate in several challenge blogs as I find it keeps my thinking fresh and It motivates me to stretch myself artisticly. I am looking forward to being part of the talented Design Team at Crafty Cardmakers.

You can see more of work on my blog at nysbiz.blogspot,co,nz.

So to our first theme of the year. As it's a brand new year we thought we would go with a 'new' challenge. So you can interpret that in many different ways, it could be to welcome a new baby, a new home, marriage, new job, new school, new engagement etc. Could you please limit these news to events or occasions though. Please do NOT include new stash

 

This challenge is being hosted by Sally so it will be her job to choose our winner and Top 5.  

You might notice I have given the blog a 'new look' to go with our new theme for this first challenge. I hope you like it.

Some inspiration from the fabulous DT

Sally

I decided to make a New Home card for this challenge using a stamp from Hobby Art and various dies to create my scene.

Mary
 

With three nieces each expecting next month I had to make a new baby card! I chose a Tatty Twinkles stamp and framed it using a Tattered Lace die before matting it onto paper from an old magazine.

Kimx
 

Like Mary I chose a Baby card as I had lots of them to make in 2015.
This one uses a LOTV topper to create an easel card which always makes for a rather special card I think.

Maike
 

Friends of mine are moving to a new house this week and I thought it would be nice to make a card to welcome them to their new home. I created the background with Distress Inks and white embossed on top and also used the adorable "Toadstool House" from Purple Onion Designs.

Angela
  

Thought this seemed appropriate as I'm new here! The background papers are one of my favourite techniques, I made two Masterboards one white and one black (details are on my blog), the stamp is Clarity and the dies are Tim Holtz .

Josephine

A very simple card, using a die set I bought last year but hadn't used before. I backed the die cuts with a paper from the Thomas Kinkade CDRom from Joanna Sheen, and added the sentiment in Photoshop Elements.

Ina

My niece is due to have a baby in a few months so I went with the Baby Theme. I used scrap bits of paper, cuttlebug embossing folders, alphabet dies and buttons/rhinestones.

 

Judy

 

"New Digs"  is the title of my new updated bird house

Julie

Using Bebunni love collection Cardmaking kit, I have made a shaker card.

Marlene

I have used Bambino from Funky Kits. distressed the edges and used Distress Ink

 Pam

This is Lil Ballerina from Mo's Digital Pencil.  I have chosen the theme "New Year".
It's a perfect time to choose new goals and new dreams.

Bec

I have used the gorgeous "Enchanted" range from Simple Stories to create a new baby card.

Jackie

Starting the way I left off in 2015, I have used materials from my stash to make my card celebrating  a new baby card.

Jenn

I used a Julie Nutting Doll to create this wedding card

 

 

An InLinkz Link-up

#154 Snow, Winner and Top 5

Lin hosted for us this last month and she has chosen her winner and top 5 as follows:-

The Winner who gets the fabulous prize donated by Kim
 
is :-

121 Chris
 
I loved the snowballs inside your fabulous snowglobe! What a clever gift idea

and Lin's Top 5 are:-

20 Michelle Lancaster

The penguins are so cute, and I love the cool blue colour palette.
 
53 Aisha - Enter into The Magic

Stunning Shadow Box!

59 Luke Aged 10  

A gorgeous design for a Dad from his very talented Son

85 Deni 

These little birds in their Christmas hats are just too cute, and I love the floral accents and snowflake background

87 Stempelomi Beate

On first glance this is a very simple design, but the little village scene inside the bauble is just amazing!

Congratulations to you all. Don't forget to collect your badges from the sidebar, and we look forward to seeing you back here at 12 Noon for our new challenge. Could Chris please contact me at the address in the sidebar regarding her prize.