Bunnies and Eggs and Easter, Oh My!

The Festive Friday Easter challenge inspired me to sit and play. My three elements for this card are rabbit, Easter eggs and Easter greeting, with a couple of pastel colours thrown in there too.

For the flowers I dragged out a punch I've had for goodness-knows how many years - and boy, it showed. I had to stand over it and press so hard my hand hurt! Lol. (That could be why there's only 3 flowers in there! 😉)

It was so much fun making that one, I kept going and made another. This time my picks from the list were rabbits, chicks, Easter eggs, Easter greeting and pastel colours.

I love those little carrots, they're just too cute! For this, all the die-cut pieces were cut from white and coloured with distress inks.

Thanks for popping by.

Cheers

Kerry

Easter Blessings - Just Add Ink Challenge #747

Are you ready for another creative challenge with Just Add Ink? This week we have an inspiration pic for you.

It's been a long while since I used any of my Tilda stamps but I simply couldn't resist colouring this little sweetie with her (Easter) bunny, inspired by the adorable grey rabbit above.

I ink blended my background but the die-cut flowers and stamped image were coloured with Copics. 

Materials used:

• stamps - Tilda with her bunny (Magnolia Stamps), Itty Bitty Greetings (Stampin' Up)
• dies - Curio Spring Findings (The Greetery), Essential Arches (Spellbinders)
• other - Copic markers, craft foam, Dimensionals, blending brushes, distress inks, gingham designer paper (Stampin' Up)

What ideas does the inspiration pic give you? We'd love you to create and share with us over on the Just Add Ink blog, where you'll find more samples from the design team.

This card is also my entry in the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, which is to use some patterned paper, and Time Out Challenges pick 2 challenge (I chose floral and arch).

Thanks for calling in.

Cheers

Kerry

How Eggciting! - Just Add Ink Challenge #743

Welcome to another Friday and a new challenge with Just Add Ink. We have a lovely sketch to inspire you this week.

So many ideas went through my head for this one but eventually I decided on a cute Easter themed card which combines two of my favourite techniques - an inky background and watercolouring.

I loved this stamp set when it first came out last year but somehow managed to resist buying it - obviously I'm weaker willed this year, lol! I did some masking to put the bunnies and eggs inside the transportation and rather than stamp the joiners, cut a thin strip of card and attached it on the back. 

Materials used:

• stamps - Carrot 'Bout You (Lawn Fawn)
• dies - stitched rectangle
• distress sprays/oxide sprays - salvaged patina, twisted citron, mustard seed
• other - Big Shot, craft foam, Dimensionals, white gesso, splat brush, waterbrush, post-it notes, distress micro glaze, Zig Clean Color brush markers, Frozen Delights inks (Altenew), stapler, MISTI

There's plenty more samples to see over on the Just Add Ink blog and we'd love you to join us and share what you make of this sketch.

Thanks for driving on by.

Cheers

Kerry 

Happy Easter, Mr Rabbit

I'm sure you've probably met the very dapper Mr Rabbit already if you haunt blogs, Pinterest or social media like I do. He joined me a week or so ago but I have been saving him for closer to Easter and now it's almost here I happily sat and became acquainted with the gentleman. Here's how our first meeting went:

I began by stamping him on two pieces of Tim Holtz's specialty stamping paper so I could get the crispest, clearest image. One of those pieces became my background, which I sponged over with distress ink and did some stamping with other stamps from the set. The second piece I coloured using distress watercolour pencils then restamped - this brings back any detail lost because of the pigment from the pencils - before fussy cutting him out and attaching over the first piece. I die cut some eggs in different sizes then coloured those with distress inks, stamping dots over the top with oxide ink and sponging the edges. The plaid stamp was used on my base and then I assembled all my layers. 

Materials used:

• stamps - Mr Rabbit (Tim Holtz), Create Happiness - Elements (Stamperia)
• card - Distress specialty stamping paper (Tim Holtz), mossy meadow (Stampin' Up)
• dies - Nesting Eggs (Waffle Flower)
• other Tim Holtz products - distress inks, distress watercolour pencils, water brush, antique linen and vintage photo oxide ink, ground espresso archival ink, vintage photo archival ink
• other - blending foam tools, sponge dauber, Dimensionals, craft foam, mossy meadow ink (SU)

I'm entering this in the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge (Easter/Spring), Sunday Stamps #331 Easter Bounty (I used pink, yellow and brown), and Tic Tac Toe #243 (I used the top horizontal row - Easter eggs, yellow and free). 

 

Luckily there's still time for more meetings with Mr Rabbit before Easter is upon us, so I'd better get hopping! Thanks for moseying on by.

Cheers

Kerry

Just Add Ink #690 - Just Add a Fancy Fold

It's time to shake up your regular cards a little with this week's Just Add Ink challenge to ...

My choice is a centre-step card with an Easter theme. I spent about three hours die cutting, colouring and assembling this card and I am so happy with the result. (And speaking of Easter, some supermarkets had hot cross buns on their shelves on new year's day! Not that I mind, I could eat those all year long, lol, but what the heck!) 

Materials used:

• card - green, white, beige, vellum
• dies - Bunny Games Colorize and Potted 2 (Tim Holtz), Nesting Eggs (Waffle Flower), Happy Easter (stash), Center Step and Center Step Layers (Our Daily Bread Designs), clouds (retired Stampin' Up)
• distress oxide inks - squeezed lemonade, saltwater taffy, shaded lilac, speckled egg, bundled sage, antique linen, brushed corduroy
• other - Big Shot, blending brushes, basket weave embossing folder (We R Memory Keepers), R20, Y13 and T10 Copic markers, sponge dauber, crumb cake ink (SU), mounting tape, water spritzer
• eggy hot air balloon idea inspired by Debi Adams

I began with the bunnies, cutting them from crumb cake card with the smaller pieces cut from white and coloured with markers. Once they were assembled I worked on the basket, cutting a tall pot from the Potted 2 die and trimming it down. After colouring it, I embossed with basket weave - so pleased how that turned out - and sponged a little more colour over the raised areas. Next I worked on the egg "balloons", cutting everything from white card then colouring some with a soft rainbow of oxide inks. Getting the "ropes" attached was a daunting task and I'm sure there's realistic inaccuracies, but I'm pleading artistic licence on that! The tall "balloon" at the back has a piece of thick window sheet behind it to help with structural integrity and give me more to adhere it with. The centres of the daisies were also coloured with markers while the sentiment was coloured with ink to match the bunting. The vellum clouds were my final touch, which give those side panels a purpose, lol. 

Do pop over to the Just Add Ink blog to check out more fancy fold cards to inspire you, and I hope to see your own creations in our gallery.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers

Kerry

Easter Cutie

I have a sweet Easter card for you today - I know, you're thinking, "What! It's too early for Easter stuff!" but as my local supermarket had hot cross buns in store on New Year's Day (I kid you not!) it put me in the mood, what can I say? 😁 Also, when I looked at my Easter themed dies, it was pretty hard to resist this newly-hatched cutie, lol. 

The die cuts were coloured with Copic markers, while I sponged some ink around the edges of the tag and sewed a border on the gingham backing paper after distressing the edges a little. 

Materials used:

• stamps - Itty Bitty Greetings (Stampin' Up)
• card - pool party, basic white, retired gingham DSP
• dies - Chick with Egg (A Pocket Full of Happiness), Bunny Games (Tim Holtz)
• other - Copic markers, Big Shot, Dimensionals, mounting tape, sewing machine and thread, blending brush, pool party ink, MISTI, clear sequins, mini glue dots

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers

Kerry

The Card Concept Challenge #192

It's time for some inspiration! At The Card Concept we offer a picture to stir your creative juices and this week we've something to get you in the mood for Easter.

I was inspired by the Easter theme and have used an egg and flowers as symbols of new life and rebirth for my mixed media card.

After cutting the egg I coloured it with oxide ink then used texture paste and the flourish stencil. My wildflowers are watercoloured using distress inks and distress crayons. For the sentiment I stamped 'Easter blessings' on vellum, embossing it with clear powder, and cut a double layer of the 'friend' die. 

Materials used:

• stamps - Itty Bitty Greetings (SU)
• card - basic white, orchid oasis, watercolour, pastel polka dots and pastel ginghams (Etsy), vellum
• distress inks/oxide inks/crayons - scattered straw, kitsch flamingo, picked raspberry, dried marigold, ripe persimmon, shaded lilac, twisted citron, mowed lawn, crushed olive
• other Tim Holtz products - flourish stencil, texture paste, wildflower stems dies, 
• other - nested eggs die (Waffle Flower), spatula, waterbrush, Big Shot, blending brush, distressing tool, ribbon (SU retired), Dimensionals, craft foam, mini glue dots, Well Written dies (SU), clear embossing powder, heat tool, orchid oasis ink

I do hope you'll be inspired to join us in creating and post to our gallery. As always, there are more cards to see from my fellow team mates over on The Card Concept blog.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers

Kerry

We're Going on an Egg Hunt

With both my girls grown and in homes of their own, I don't often make for Easter these days, but when I saw the Tim Holtz Easter release, I just knew I had to get them and create.

I've made a small display dome heavily inspired by two of Tim's makers, Paula Cheney and Tami Bastiaans.

The rabbit and eggs were painted with distress paint, I coloured the flowers using oxide sprays and hauled out some fake moss I bought years ago for the grass. Everything is hot glued in - it seems to be the only type of glue that holds that moss, which is kind of plasticy and very resistant to staying put, lol. As my eyesight isn't great for painting finer details with a brush, I used a Copic marker for the eyes and nose on my Easter Bunny.

By the way, this dome is only 4 1/4" high (about 11cm) and those tiny eggs are just that at 1/2" (1.3cm)!

Materials used:

• Tim Holtz Ideaology - salvaged rabbit, tiny eggs, barrel, bouquet, display dome
• distress paints - saltwater taffy, salvaged patina, dusty concord, squeezed lemonade, walnut stain, frayed burlap, antique linen
• distress oxide sprays - worn lipstick, kitsch flamingo
• other - E47 copic marker, linen thread, hot glue gun, imitation moss, paintbrush

With my first grandchild on the way, from next year I'll be able to indulge and make tons of fun things for all the holidays and occasions - can't wait!

Thanks for calling in.

Cheers

Kerry

PS How many of you saw my title and started singing 'we're going on a bear hunt' in your head like I did? Fess up! LOL.

The Card Concept Challenge - Easter Blessings

This week at The Card Concept we have an Easter challenge for you. Here's the inspiration pic:

I took inspiration from the bunnies, pastel shaded eggs and check pattern for my shabby layered card.

Materials used:

• stamps - Perfect Plaids (Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous)
• card - basic white, Sahara sand, watercolour
• distress oxide inks and sprays - saltwater taffy, victorian velvet, fossilized amber, speckled egg, cracked pistachio
• SU inks - Sahara sand, crumb cake
• dies - Bunny Games Colorize (Tim Holtz/Sizzix), stitched ovals, stitched rectangles
• other - aquapainter, blending brushes, Big Shot, black marker, Stamparatus, Dimensionals, craft foam

I do hope you'll head over to The Card Concept blog to see what my fellow team mates have created and  be inspired to join our challenge.

Thanks for calling in.

Cheers

Kerry

Wascawwy Wabbit! - CAS on Friday Challenge #178

Hi everyone, welcome to another CAS on Friday Challenge!

This is challenge #178 and the theme is BUNNIES.

Our family had two pet rabbits some years ago, one black and white and one ginger. They were both male and very good friends - but boy, did they give us some merry chases around the yard when they didn't want to be caught, lol.

Easter bunnies, however, make me think of two things. The first - of course - is chocolate (but it doesn't take much to make me think of chocolate) and the second is the Vicar of Dibley Easter bunny episode. So, so funny. Anyone else out there a big Geraldine Grainger fan?

Anyway, I better get back on track! Bunnies. Cards. Yes. Here's my bunny card:

Materials used:

• stamps - Welcome Easter, Under My Umbrella
• card - whisper white, granny apple green, subtles patterned paper
• other - double stitched circle die, Big Shot, Dimensionals, Stamparatus, Copic Markers and Stampin' Blends, grass die, mounting strips

There was a bit of fussy cutting for this one, but worth it I think. Such an adorable wascawwy wabbit, lol.

Do follow the link to the CASOF blog to check out what adorable bunnies the others on the design team have for you and we've love it if you play along with our challenge.

Thanks for calling in and stay safe.

Cheers

Kez

Hey, Chick

So I was wandering the craft aisles in Spotlight the other day (as you do) and spied some bright and cheerful core'dinations card that instantly made me think, Easter basket. Well, naturally, I couldn't walk away from that, now could I? You know me so well! Of course, having bought it, the dilemma was what style of project to make and in the end I went with a bag in a box handbag, adding a no-line watercoloured image. Here's how it turned out:

Simple but cute, yeah? Let's hope my ladies enjoy making it in class this week.


Materials used:

• stamps - Little Cuties
• card - daffodil delight, grapefruit grove, watercolour, core'dinations Yellow Small Dot (non SU)
• other - 1 3/4" circle punch, layering circle framelits, Big Shot, Dimensionals, aqua painter, Gingham Gala sequins, markers, sticky strip

Well, thanks for calling in.


Cheers
Kez

Adorable Bunnies

One of the things I love most about the internet is being able to surf other blogs and challenge sites to get ideas and inspiration - saves a fortune on craft magazines! There is so much talent around that people are happy to share that you don't have any excuses not to learn and grow just by copying others until you find a style all your own.

Today's card is a case in point; I absolutely adore the colour combination that they came up with over at Color Throwdown this week and as the soft colours made me think of the ever-so-rapidly-approaching-that-it's-scary Easter, I decided to case a card by Ashley Newell that I saw on Pinterest.

As you know, watercolouring is one of my favourite techniques and SU's Everybunny set is one of their cutest for this. Here's my effort:

Materials used:

• stamps - Everybunny
• card - barely banana (retired), whisper white, watercolour, pool party patterns paper
• other - ovals framelits die, Big Shot, dimensionals, aqua painter, inks and markers, chevron embossing folder, pool party button (SAB), white bakers twine, stamp-a-ma-jig
• non SU - PTI berry sorbet card and ribbon

Seriously, are they adorable or what?!!

Hope you have fun finding inspiration for your own crafting. Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers

Kez

Easter Baskets and Boxes

Coming up soon is my Easter Baskets and Boxes class and after scouring tons of blogs and sites for ideas, these are the gorgeous containers I came up with for this year.

A cutie in daffodil, this wee basket is made from the petal cone die:

Using the scallop envelope die, this one features Spring blossoms and I added some fabric to match the dotted ribbon (idea cased from Connie Collins):

Of course there has to be an adorable punch art Easter bunny; this one is from a tutorial by Kay Sha (which you can see here) and I used the Fancy Favour die:

It can easily become a basket with the addition of a nice handle.

And no boxes class would be complete without a mini milk carton hexagon box. I've watercoloured the cute bunnies from the Everybunny set to decorate the sides:

I made a couple of other projects too just to give my ladies some more ideas. Here's a carrot container made from the petal cone die (filled with chocolate bunnies, lol) and an Easter bonnet made from an empty brad/button container:

Please note that no Easter eggs were harmed during the making of this blog post.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers
Kez

Wisteria Overload

Some friends are coming to play next week and they asked to make my Easter milk carton treat box from this post last year. I decided to update it with some fresh colours and I really like how it turned out. Have a look to see who's nestled in amongst the grass:

Materials used:

• stamps - A Good Egg (retired)
• card - wisteria wonder, certainly celery, so saffron, pool party patterns dsp
• other - mini milk carton die, grass punch (MS), certainly celery grosgrain ribbon, peach parfait marker, dimensionals, Big Shot, Crop-o-dile, sponge daubers, basic black marker

So cute! Might just have to add this one to my Easter Baskets class next month.

If you haven't made one of these great boxes yet I have a tutorial here - just omit the legs part.

The sun is shining again today, hooray! And that makes me think of flowers and nature so you can see that influence in my card, which is pretty self-explanatory; take a lookie:

Materials used:

• stamps - Letter It
• card - wisteria wonder, basic black, whisper white, calypso coral, Berry Blossoms dsp
• ink - wisteria wonder, calypso coral
• other - pearls, boho blossoms punch, dimensionals, sponge daubers

Very retro! Takes me back to my teens ... ah, memories! 

Hope the sun is shining at your place too. Thanks for dropping in.

Cheers

Kez