Crafty Moments

Steampunk Box Card

2012-02-14T11:48:00.011Z

This is a 5"x7" card I made using "PhotoScape" a free online photo editing software.

One of it's features is "Make a box" filter, which I've used here to make the flat card look like a 3D box.

After designing and saving the picture (sentiment and Steampunk lady on a brown background) I opened it up in PhotoScape and used the "Make a box" filter.

I then printed off and cut out the finished card and stamped it using HOTP's "Timeless" and "Masculine Collage" rubber stamps, I used Tim Holtz "Walnut Stain" distress ink as I didn't want a sharp outline.

From afar it looks just like a real box yet it's flat! A cool Trompe L'Oeil effect.

Vince :0)x

2 STEAMPUNK CARDS

2012-02-12T16:06:00.001Z

I made these two cards yesterday using only HOTP papers and stickers.

The images were done by me.

I hope you like them.

Vince :0)x

QUEEN OF HEARTS VALENTINE'S CARD

2012-02-09T12:43:00.001Z

Who better to put on a Valentine's card than the Queen Of Hearts!

This little lady is from Amanda's cute NEW "Alice In Wonderland" range of digi's, which also includes Alice, The Mad Hatter, The Cheshire Cat and the Caterpillar.

Click HERE to see them all.

I used a 5"x7" white gate fold card, covered it with Amanda's "Alice In Wonderland" background paper, then went around the edge with an inkpad.

Then I cut a large heart and again went around the edge with an inkpad before gluing it to the front of the card, the Queen was attached with foam pads and I used glossy accents on the heart head dress and her scepter.

After adding some moving eyes and the heart shaped confetti around her head I finished it off with the sentiment.

Inside the card I added a close up of the Queen and a pun about losing your head, that's what she famous for after all!

I hope you like it

Vince :0)x

Card design - Vince Ballard.
Queen Digi - Amanda Marks.
BackgroundPaper - Amanda Marks.
Coloured - Digitally.

HENRY HIGGINS AND HIS OWL

2012-02-08T12:44:00.000Z

I don't know what it is either, I think that maybe I had too much time on my hands this morning! Lol

Maybe someone out there in Craftland can make use of him!?

I'd love to see it if you do!

To download the PNG file click HERE

Vince :0)x

STEAMPUNK GIRL CARD

2012-02-06T18:31:00.000Z

This is a money/gift voucher card I made today using rubber stamps and papers from HOTP
The Steampunk girl picture is part of a set of Steampunk digi's I've been working on recently. Although you can't really tell fom this picture I've used glossy accents on her eyes, lips, glasses and a few of the coloured cogs to make them pop!

I hope you like it

Vince :0)x

MOLLY'S DRAGON DIGI

2012-02-04T09:45:00.007Z

I had an idea last month for a digi set, This is the first one and and thought I'd share with my "crafty" friends to see/use.

Whilst out playing little Molly Mayhew found a baby dragon in an old tree stump, carried him home and spoilt him rotton.

To her he was just like a big ol' puddy cat.

Aloysius decided to stay, because although Molly could be boisterous with him sometimes, the rewards made it all worth while!

To download the COLOURED JPG version click HERE

To download the UNCOLOURED DIGI JPG version click HERE

I hope you like it

Vince :0)x

STEAMPUNK WITCH topper

2012-02-01T16:03:00.004Z

No I'm not too late, nor too early, I drew this last year for Halloween, then over wrote the digi file with this coloured version by mistake - DOH!!

So rather than just delete it altogether I've just finished colouring it and decided it might make a card topper or something that you clever crafter s might make use of.

To download the JPG file click HERE

Vince :0)x

UDDERLY IN LOVE CARD

2012-01-19T14:49:00.002Z

Have you made your Valentine's Day card(s) yet ?

If you're like me then you usually leave it to the last moment !

So I'm well in time for it this year.

For this 5"x5" card I've used Amanda's gorgeous new heart papers as a background for her "Hey diddle diddle" cow digi stamp.

After printing off the two papers I applied them (cut diagonally) onto my card.

I made a white circle with a red trim on which I printed the sentiment then decoupaged the cow on top using foam pads. adding glossy accents to the eyes and little heart, then used Sakura gloss over the text to make it pop!

I hope you like it.

Vince :0)x

Card design - Vince Ballard.
Backing papers - Amanda Marks.
Cow Digi Stamp - Amanda Marks.

HOW old ?

2012-01-12T12:14:00.001Z

A simple, effective and slighty evil 6"x6" card using Amanda's Laughing Dog from her "HEY DIDDLE DIDDLE" range.

I coloured him digitally and added some text onto the background papers which are also from Amanda, I've used two of the blue hues from her "DOT PASTEL PAPER PACK"

After printing off the papers and dog I simply cut out the little fellow and used foam pads to lift him off the page.

Lastly I added some Clear gloss Sakura to the black text to make it stand out more and some 3D Lacquer over his nose and pads.

Vince :0)x

Card Design - Vince Ballard
Digital Doggie Image - Amanda Marks
Digital Papers - Amanda Marks

5 LITTLE GINGERBREAD MEN

2011-12-22T16:17:00.000Z

Well sadly this is very probably the last Christmas card I'll get to make this year, I really enjoyed making this little 5"x5" card using Amanda's Gingerbread men digi (available free with this months news letter) and one of the papers from her lovely GINGERBREAD PAPER PACK.

After overlaying the gingerbread men on the backing paper I printed out the whole card and cut away most of the card from behind of the gingerbread men, I then cut the bottom of the card with decorative edged scissors and overlayed it onto a strip of bright red Mirri card.

Inside the card I added a strip of bright green paper and edged it with gold peel offs so that it backed the gingermen.

The "Merry Christmas" sentiment was made using an art package, I cut it out and added it tot the card using foam pads then went over the letters, eyes and buttons with clear Sukura to make them glossy!

I hope you like it.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Vince x

5"x5" white card.
Card design - Vince Ballard.
Digi stamp - Amanda Marks.
Backing paper - Amanda Marks.
Image painted digitally

SEASONS GREETINGS GINGERBREAD MAN

2011-12-08T23:25:00.000Z

Well it's nearly that time of year again and I'm still making cards to send out as I go along, you would think by now I'd have got into the habit of making my cards earlier on in the year - but NO!!

I just love these new GINGERBREAD PAPERS from Amanda they are so crisp and clean looking and make a wonderful background to her FREEBIE Gingerbread man Digi (just sign up for her December news letter to receive him)

I coloured him digitally and used little dimensional eyes that move when you shake the card and added Glossy accents to his buttons, the 3 little punched red dots and the holly berries.
I really like this little 6"x6" simple but effective card and hope you do too.

Vince x

Card design - Vince Ballard
Gingerbread papers - Amanda Marks
Gingerbread Digi - Amanda Marks

Festive Deco Folllies

2011-11-29T18:41:00.008Z

This year for Christmas, as I like them so much, I decided to make some more cards using the stunning graphics from the very talented Nancy Watt.

"The Festive Deco Follies" from MCS are so classy and make great quick and easy cards that look so effective, which is a great attribute if like me you've left your Christmas card making to the last minute this year!

The software that comes on each CD is very easy to use and enables you to add an assortment of Deco ladies and gentlemen to all types of different backgrounds (supplied) or you can even add your own, you can also add a plethora of embellishments and text too.

The "Happy Christmas" stamp is from a series of stamps by the amazing Paula Pascual

Hope you like them!

Vince x

PA RUM PUM PUM PUM DUCK

2011-11-24T22:33:00.001Z

I've been wanting to use Amanda's little drummer DUCK for some time and thought he'd make the perfect "Drummer Boy" for a Christmas card.

The background paper was just text taken from the song printed onto a dull green sheet of paper.

The background to the duck was printed off and matted with red card and the duck himself was coloured digitally cut out and mounted on foam pads, I then added some gold highlights on his hat, drum and drumsticks using gold foiling. added a couple of feathers to his hat and topped it off with a little gold emblem with a red gem.

I hope you like him!

Vince :0)x

Duck Digi Stamp - Amanda Marks
Card Design - Vince Ballard
5"x7" White Card
Background paper - MCS
Christmas Sentiment - Paula Pascual

FROM HOME TO HOME

2011-11-10T11:14:00.001Z

Well not long until Christmas now and so I'd better get a start on my cards.

I know I'm leaving it a bit late especially as a lot of crafters made theirs back in August, but I always seem to leave it to the last minute. (I do tend to procrastinate)

I do love this little OWL by Amanda and decided to make an easel card to show him off!
I kept the colours traditional and coloured the owl the same. Cute isn't he!

I hope you like it.

Vince x

Card designer - Vince Ballard.
Digi Owl designer - Amanda Marks.
Coloured digitally.
Owl background image by - MCS.
Merry Christmas stamp - Paula Pascual

Boo !!

2011-10-27T11:22:00.001+01:00

Well it's almost Halloween again, so what else would I make but another Halloween card!

I really enjoyed making this 7"x5" card using Amanda's Digi orange Web Background and Mrs. Frankenstein Digi.

I matted the background onto black card then went over the whole of the web with a glitter Sakura (which sadly doesn't show up in this photo) I added a web peel off in the top right hand corner then coloured over a piece of white card with various Promakers in autumn colours, punched out some small leaves then added them with glue and foam pads around the edge of the card.

The Owl image was coloured with Promarkers and postioned with foam pads as was the plastic spider and finished off the card with the "Boo" peel off!
I hope you like it!

Vince x

Card Design - Vince Ballard.
Digi Stamp and Background paper - Amanda Marks.
Image coloured with - Promarkers.
Peels offs - Hot Off The Press.

HALLOWEEN BACKING PAPERS

2011-10-15T16:22:00.003+01:00

I had a go at making some 6"x6" Halloween backing papers for card making and thought I'd share them with all my blogger friends.
Simply LEFT click on one of the pictures above to open the JPG then right click on the opened image to save it to your computer.

I left the bottom pictures black and white so that they can be printed onto coloured paper or card (Orange, Green and Purple make a great spooky background colours)
I hope you like them!

Vince x

Monster Bash!

2011-10-13T13:13:00.002+01:00

These super little MONSTER DIGI'S from Amanda are SO cute!

I decided to take the "Monster Bash" sign (also from Amanda's "Monster" range) quite literally and show them after they've all have a bit of a scrap! Isn't that just what those rascally little monsters often do? Always fighting amongst themselves! Looks like none of them got off scott free!

I made a black "step Up" card and added the torn orange paper then drew in some orange shapes using an orange glitter pen. I then just added the little monsters and various coloured metal stickers.

I hope you like it!

Vince :0)x

Card Designer - Vince Ballard
Digi Stamps - Amanda Marks.
Coloured Digitally.
Metal Stickers - Paperchase.

Halloween Owl Close Up Card

2011-09-22T09:00:00.001+01:00

Halloween is on the way once again so I decided to use Amanda's wonderful OWLS to make another Halloween card.

Halloween and Christmas cards are my favourite cards to make.

After printing the owls out onto card I coloured them using Promarkers and added glitter to the eyes, cloak and collar of the owls.

The BACKGROUND PAPER was cut to size edged with a black ink pad to make it darker and added it to the black 5"X5" card, finally I foam mounted the owls and sentiment.

Thank you for looking.

Vince :0)x

Card Designer - Vince Ballard.
Digi images & Background paper - Amanda Marks.
Coloured with Promarkers.
Sentiment Stamp - Stamps of life - "Owls2love".

Halloween Turtle Door Handle Hanger

2011-09-08T07:30:00.003+01:00

I hope you like my Halloween door hanger as much as I enjoyed making it.

One side welcomes you in for a "bite", while the reverse lets people know you've gone out haunting.
The sentiments were typed digitally on top of Amanda's "Spider Web Pack Papers" which you can find HERE.
Her great Turtle Digi Stamps make this a really cute and quirky project.

You'll find these two turtles and more HERE.

Thank you for looking. :0)x

Card Designer - Vincent Ballard.
Turtle Digi Stamps - Amanda Marks.
Digi's coloured with Promarkers.
Background paper by "We are memory keepers"

Christmas Owl Card

2011-08-25T11:00:00.001+01:00

I really had fun making this 5"X7" Christmas card, The tree was made from a template by HOTP, the sentiment inside the card was cut freehand, matted and stamped, the little Christmas and Santa owls are of course from A.J's Digi Shoppe and available HERE .

Card Designer - Vince Ballard.
Owl Digi Stamps - Amanda Marks.
Digi's coloured with Letraset Flex.
Sentiment stamps - Personal Impressions.
Various peel offs and gems for the tree.

Vince x

I've also added my card to Fab's Big Christmas Cards Challenge !

Reading By Torchlight Digi Stamps

2011-08-22T16:51:00.000+01:00

As a kid I would spend hours reading my comic books under the covers by torchlight after "lights out"
I drew these little Digis a while ago and thought I'd pop them onto my blog in case anyone would like to use/colour them.
You can down load PDF coloured and uncoloured versions HERE.

Vince :0)x

SPOOKY OWL-AWEEN

2011-08-11T11:45:00.002+01:00

Yes I know it's still only August but it's never too early to make a head start on your Halloween cards, I always have fun making them.

I picked the paper I wanted to use first so I was able to colour the owls to match.

Amanda's Mr & Mrs Frankenstein Owl Digi Stamps are so cool and were great fun to colour, you can find them HERE with many others.

Fab has also featured this card on his Halloween Card Making Blog challenge!

Vince x

Card Designer - Vince Ballard
Digi Stamps - Amanda Marks
Background papers - We Memory Keepers - Halloween pack.
Bat Rubber stamps - Exclusive Images
Owls coloured with - Promarkers
Stick on dimensional eyes
Foam pads. (Pop Dots)

Ballet Picture Frame and Uncle Sam Card.

2011-07-30T12:49:00.000+01:00

Here are two more projects I made using a couple of the wonderful new images from A.J's Digi Shoppe. I had great fun making these, Dagas Ballerina is so cute and Amanda's son dress as Uncle Sam is a hoot!!
If you like to see more information on how these were made and look through some fantastic samples made by some very talented crafters please click HERE

Thank you for visiting.

Vince x

Jazz Hands Charlston

2011-07-22T11:05:00.000+01:00

I sketched this little lady a while ago thinking it would make a fun topper image, but never got around to using it.
I've uploaded the image as a PNG so you can resize and colour her for yourself, if you'd like to download her just click HERE. (for Digi stamp and coloured image)
Vince x

AMANDA'S FREEBIE CARD

2011-07-21T11:29:00.000+01:00

This is a card I made using the wonderful FREE images from "A.J's Digi Shoppe".
Amanda is a very talented artist/crafter, please go and take a look at her wonderful blog.
Vince x