Fishy tales

For my third challenge, I had to make some fishy cards. The directions called for Fimo, and I did make one fish with Fimo, but I found the templates could work perfectly well with card too, and that didn't require any baking time. For fun, I photographed the card under a tree - the dappled light makes it look as if the fishes really are under water!

Flower card

This was my second challenge as Papercraft Inspirations tester, following the instructions for a card using stamps. I chanegd the colour scheme to a pretty fresh spring-like combination. The green paper is plain card stamped with leaves in two shades. The flower was stamped on lilac card with purple ink, and cut and shaped. I stitched the background white panel onto the card instead of using faux stitching, as I really like the extra texture which proper stitching gives.

Papercraft Inspirations Magazine

I was lucky enough to be chosen a while ago as one of the Papercraft Inspirations testers, getting to try new projects before they're featured in the magazine! It's been great fun, and a real privilege to see what's been designed for the magazine before it's published. My first make was a gem encrusted super-yacht card. It's paper pieced from the patterns in the May issue of magazine, but I changed the nautical colour scheme to an evening one of purple, grey and orange. As well as the wire on the waves that the instructions showed me how to add, I sprinkled the sky with stars and hung a garland of fairy-lights (tiny gems) on the ship.

Beaded card

I love stitching, so I actually like sewing on my cards - I know a lot of people prefer glue but I like the action of sewing as well as the certainty that nothing's going to come off! So I stitched some beads along the bottom of this card in between the swags of the paper strip behind, to look like trimming. The clear beads catch the light and sparkle, looking really pretty. The image may be vintage but it's lovely bright spring-like colours, which I enjoy!

Papercraft Inspirations Scallop-edge scissors

Just received a pair of scallop-edged scissors with my latest issue of Papercraft Inspirations magazine, and tried them out on a pack of Docraft papers. I often cut or tear a strip to go at the bottom of a landscape card, but I haven't tried a decorative edge like this before. The middle strip was rather similar in colour to the wider one, so I edged the inner strip with brown pen. A few flowers and a greeting finished it off - oh, and a glitter strip and gems. I do like my bling!

Crafty card

This one uses some die-cut shapes piled up in what's called Pyramage - like decoupage but not cut out neatly around the individual shapes, which makes it MUCH easier! I liked the fresh colour scheme, and the ribbons are something I usually add to all my cards. It's just too thick to go through the standard letter post so I needed to pay extra to send it!

Football card

Made for a competition that asked 'What does the World Cup mean to you'. Frankly, not a lot, but I enjoy seeing children playing their knock-about games in the park, and just having fun. So my card shows an abandoned picnic table and football boots, with bunting across a blue summer sky. The boots are buttons and the football is a stamp from http://www.kirstenlappingdesigns.com/