Simon Says Challenge 13/1/10 and Die Cut Dreams Challenge 11/1/10

This card is made with yet more bought decoupage that is in my drawer.  Unfortunately the sheet had been cut up before I was given it so I don't know the make.  I have torn the backing paper from the box on the table.  I followed a tip I gained on a show recently ie to get a wet paintbrush and squiggle a line where you want to tear it, then quickly go and tear it and it tears more easily and I think more effectively than I have done before.  I then let it dry before inking the edges to give more effect.

This card fits the Simon Says Challenge this week of Shabby Chic and also Die Cut Dreams Challenge of Coffee and Cream.

The Pink Elephant Challenge 11/1/10

Over at The Pink Elephant Blog the Challenge this week is birthday.  I have made this card with a Sharon Duncan Flowers CD-Rom.  It is a pyromage image which I have done with 1mm foam pads to keep postage down for anyone that buys it.  It is a gorgeous image and I didn't want to detract from that so only embellished with some pink card candy.

Magical Crafts Fortnightly Challenge 10-1-10

I had some decoupage sitting in a drawer so I have decided to get out and use it up rather than printing off new stuff - hard to do I know - but when I am given things or when I buy things I have to make sure they get put to good use.  I can't for the life of me where the backing papers as I found them in my bit box (yes I am still looking in there and we are now day 14 of the month so I am still keeping to my New Year's Resolution!!).  The card is finished off with some gems and some fibres.  This card fits the Magical Crafts Fortnightly Challenge as their topic this time is Vintage Style.  Another card to go in the box for my regular charity stall.

Just Us Girls Challenge 8/1/10 and Lili of the Valley Challenge 7/1/10

I have made this card with a Buzzcraft stamp of a letterbox.  I so like this image and I think it's my favourite from the whole sheet.  I coloured in with watercolour pencils - I fancied a change as I seem to be into my Promarkers at the moment.  The backing paper is from Summer Driggs.  To fit in with the Just Us Girls Challenge this week of stitching I did some faux stitching around the edge of the backing paper.  I watched Nicky from Polkadoodles on Freeview this week and saw her doodling around the edge of a card.  I'm not sure I like my attempt but I will try again.

This card also fits into Lili of the Valley's Fortnightly Challenge of a thank you card.

Commissioned Birthday Card

I was asked to make a birthday card for a customer's grandfather who will be 69 years young this week.  The brief was gardening and very colourful.  Sometimes when a topic comes up I want to run and hide but I knew exactly where to look for images - Joanna Sheen's Cottage Garden CDs - only problem there were too many nice ones to pick from!!!

In the end I decided on four images all of which I used the snapshot tool and took into My Craft Studio (MCS).  I then printed off three of the images larger as I was doing an A4 card and printed them out at 100%.  The other image I made large but took down to 20% and then put a verse on top from a CD I bought some years ago.  Normally I would have made a verse up myself but this request was sprung on me.  I did lots of matting and layering, added embellishments of card candy, gems, flowersoft and finally the finishing touch to the front page which was decoupaged was to make a little floral display (little tip here, some of the wires were white so I coloured them with my Holly Green Promarker - perfect!!!) not very good really as I could do with some flower lessons of Joanna Sheen - and what with a sentiment and some ribbon the card was finished.  Just hope the customer likes it.

This card fits the criteria for the following challenges:

Creative Inspirations - distressing

Charisma Cardz - Pink, cream, brown and toffee

Daring Cardmakers - Garnet

ABC Challenge - L is for layering.

Paper Sundaes Challenge Blog

A new challenge blog has been born, Paper Sundaes Challenge Blog and to celebrate they are holding a special blog hop.  Click here to go and have a look.

Birthday Card

I decided to print off a few more Funky Hands Funky Daze papers as I had a piece of purple pearlescent paper and purple vellum on the boxes on the table.  I'd already got the stamped image coloured from last year so matched the papers to what I'd watercoloured her in with.  The card is finished off with one of Jak's blossoms (Crafter's Kitchen) which I put glossy accents into the middle and squashed in purple pearlescent seed beads.  Even with a tidy tray some flew across the dining room table, some card candy and my last piece of wide turquoise organza ribbon.  Think I need some therapy now I've used a whole piece up!!!

Catch the Bug Challenge Blog

I only came across the Bugaboo Stamp Blog this week-end courtesy of a blogging friend, Lorraine.  I saw on their blog this evening about a challenge that runs out on Sunday evening but I'm not sure with the time delay whether I'm in on time but with the offer of a free digi stamp in the offering for entrants I couldn't not enter could I?

The card is made with Funky Hands Funky Daze backing papers in various different sizes and a flourish added in two corners.  I have used my scallop Nesties for the digital image and have coloured this lovely cute bunny with Promarkers in colours to match the backing paper.  The card is finished off with wide organza ribbon again which I won in some blog candy last year from Ribbon Oasis and it is fab so much so I want to keep it all to myself.  The card is finished off with some card candy and a Bizzy Becs ticket sentiment.

Card for Six Challenges

Oh I do like pink and brown together.  This time I have used a Bugaboo digital image of this cute little monkey who is obviously trying to stay in his other half's "good books" by bringing her a red rose!!  I have coloured the image with Promarkers and decoupaged his head three times - cruel I know chopping his head from his body but it is effective.  I have distressed the edges with Tim Holtz's Tattered Rose ink pad - quite appropriate when the monkey is holding a rose - and a chocolate ink pad on the kraft card.  The card is finished off with some pink fibres, card candy and a love ticket sentiment from Bizzy Becs.

This card fits the criteria for the following challenges:

Allsorts - sketch

Corrosive Challenge - distressing

Everybody Art Challenge - favourite colour combo - my favourite colour combos seem to change like the wind but at the moment I like pink and brown - maybe to remind me of being warm with a nice hot chocolate and marshmallows!!

Creative Card Crew - distressing

Quixotic Challenge - Hot chocolate

Simon Says Challenge - Hot Chocolate.

Passion for Promarkers Challenge 5/1/10

There is a sketch along with the topic of love for the Passion for Promarkers Challenge this week.  I have used My Craft Studio to import "The First Kiss" digital image from Karen's Doodles so the image sat on top of a chocolate brown circle as I thought it a bit different to a white background.  The image is so cute and I have coloured it in with promarkers.  The card is finished off with some distressed paper, kraft card with the edges inked, some wide ribbon (wider than my normal size so I am out of my comfort zone), some card candy and a charm.

Card for Six Challenges

I vowed that after I unpacked my craft items after the New Year (as my craft space is the dining room table and with the festivities it wouldn't have looked good with my craft stuff piled at one end!!) I would use things up in the boxes on my table ie the odds and ends.  So far I have done well.  The silver metal card and the decoupage were in this box and they have been used for this card.  This is the third card I have made out of some lace I won in some blog candy so I think that's pretty good going.  The mat underneath the decoupage (I was given this so don't know the make) is from a set by Papermania Signature Range and called "Chatsworth Notelets" and there was 20 for £1.25 so a good buy.  Some are plain like this but others have lines on for journalling but I thought they'd be good for something different on the inside of the card.  The sentiment I got from Funk Fairy before she shut her shop.

This card fits the criteria for the following challenges:

Creative Inspirations Challenge Blog - Anniversary card

Kraftin' Kimmie Challenge Blog - Heavy metal - I have used silver metal foil card

Paperplay Challenge Blog - Precious metals - again the silver metal foil card

Our Creative Corner - 3D

Saturday Spotlight - Theme of love without the use of hearts

Three Clover Designs Challenge Blog - New Year's Resolution to represent your goals for 2010 - I have three resolutions (1) to gain more experience with using Promarkers and other colouring mediums with stamped and digital images (2) to get some experience of using a brayer (3) to use up the odds and ends in boxes on my dining room table - so this card represents no (3)!!!

Card for Four Challenges

I recently came across the doodles of Karen Johnson.  Just wish I could draw like that.  I chose to use this little mouse with his birthday balloons which Karen gave free to everyone for reaching 100 followers.  He's a cute little soul.  I decided to colour him in with Promarkers.  I have matted him on silver card cut with my new Nesties from my son for Christmas, some Daisy and Dandelion spotted paper and finally some brown card.  It is finished off with some ribbon, sentiments from the computer and some card candy (no surprise there!!).

This card fits the following challenges:

Sketch and Stash - to follow the sketch and use something old and new - something old is my brown card as I've had it for ages and ages and ages but I don't seem to use much brown.  New is my new Nesties from my son for Christmas and the image is also new from Karen's Doodles

Cute Card Thursday - New stash - again this is my Nesties and my digital image

Crazy4Challenges - Birthday

Alphabet Challenge - K is for Kids.

Tellen's Place Challenge Blog - 6/1/10

Over at the Tellen's Place Challenge Blog this week the topic is silver and blue.  I chose an aqua/turquoise blue to go with the silver as I thought they went well together.  I used a Tellen's Place digital image and coloured it in with Promarkers and the backing papers are from Summer Driggs.  The flower/feather embellishment was from Joanna Sheen's website, the brads and velvet ribbon from my stash, a sentiment ticket from Bizzy Becs and of course my beloved card candy!!!

Card for Three Challenges

Well, I have to say that the piece of lace I got in some blog candy from Wendy, Crafty Butterfly has stretched to three cards along with the holographic pink card - that's certainly being very good isn't it??  This time I have done a Valentine's Day card using again a Cute Daisy May image coloured in with Promarkers and a My Craft Studio Parchment CD frame but in a different set of hues.  The card is finished off with some fabric flowers, sentiment off the computer and obviously my beloved card candy.

This card fits the following challenges:

Digital Tuesday - Valentine's

Cute Daisy May - Love

The Corrosive Challenge - to use two of your favourite embellishments - well that was certainly a hard one as I like fibres, ribbon, buttons, gems, flowers and card candy but I have opted for my two most popular favourites at the moment, flowers and card candy.

Card for Four Challenges

I have made this card using some "old" pink holgraphic card that has been out of the drawer for ages and ages and some new paper won in some blog candy along with the pink lace and flowers also won in some blog candy (I've only had these flowers a few weeks and I've already started using them - think I might need therapy!!!).  The image is a wedding image from Daisy May Designs.  I love using these digital images and I have coloured it in with my beloved Promarkers.  The frame is from a recently produced My Craft Studio Parchment CDs.  The ticket sentiment are from Bizzy Becs.

This card fits the criteria for the following challenges:

Susie's Sassy Designs Challenge - friends old and new - you certainly need to be good friends for a marriage to last and old and new I have taken in the context of "something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue" - hope this is OK

Papertake Weekly Challenge - New beginnings - well I think a marriage is a new beginning as a life as a couple

A Spoon Full of Sugar Challenge - to use hearts on your card

Sophisticat's Challenge - Fancy borders - I have used my new Martha Stewart arch punch I got before Christmas.  I need a bit more practice but I am getting there and I also think that the lace adds a nice border as well.

Followers

I am resorting to putting a post about "followers".  I am at the end of my tether at keep losing my links as a follower to blogs.  I used to use Google but then due to problems I set up a Yahoo account and things are happening again ie I'd set myself up as a follower and everything seems OK and if I go back days later the link has gone.  This is OK in some respects as when I become a follower I also add people to my "blogs I like to watch" section on my own blog but it's not nice for example if someone has offered some candy and then I put myself as a follower and then disappear afterwards.  I'm not like that and I have come across so many friends by blog hopping and becoming a follower.

I have asked my son about this but he doesn't know much about blogs.  I was wondering if it was because I use Google Chrome rather than Internet Explorer so used Internet Explorer over the week-end to become a follower to blogs but hey presto the links are all gone ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

I am just wondering if I'm not doing something right when becoming a follower and I hope on hope that someone on here will have an answer for me as it's frustrating me.

Thanks

Crazy4Challenges 2/1/10, Winter Wonderland 3/1/10 and Dottie's World 3/1/10

This birthday card has been made with some Polda dot paper (I printed these off a while back before I started writing on the back in pencil which CD/download I'd got them from and I just can't remember which - sorry!), a flower embellishment by Jak Heath, some card candy and a sentiment off the computer.  The image is from Dottie's World and is Scruff having a bath - think he's been out for a long walk in this weather and got dirty and having his bath near the fire to keep warm!!!  The image has been coloured in with Promarkers.

This card fits the criteria for the following challenges:

Crazy 4 Challenges - Polka dots

Winter Wonderland - Cinnamon, Lime and Berry - this has made me hungry - I coloured Scruff with cinnamon, lime paper and berry for the bath tub.

Dottie's World - Use something "old" and something "new" - something "old" is the image as poor Scruff hasn't been lovingly coloured in for some time and the "new" is the new colours of my card candy.

Sketchy Colors Challenge Blog - 3/1/10

The topic for the challenge this week on Sketchy Colours is yellow, pink and details in bronze.  I had planned this card a few days ago with a pink/yellow/brown K&Co paper to lead the colour scheme.  After seeing the Sketchy Colors topic I looked and lo and behold I had some bronze holographic card I'd had for a while from Wilkinsons and that worked a treat.

The stamp is a Christmas present from a friend.  It is her sense of humour as when I was preparing for a charity event in August I lost an owl stamp and despite hours and hours of looking the only conclusion he's gone to the landfill site in the sky!!!  Even though these stamps she got me weren't the same as I "lost" she thought these new ones by Dawn Bibby would like a new home with me - hopefully safer than the last Personal Impressions owl!!!  There are two owls in the set, one awake and one having a snooze.  This is the asleep one.  He's so cute I had to use him and I stamped with Vintage Sepia Versafine and then coloured with various beiges/browns Promarkers.  I only coloured the edge of the main image as I did a decoupage of the owl and stuck that on.  I then put the image through a Nestabilities scallop square die and then used cut-n-dry foam and Tim Holtz's Tattered Rose, Antique Linen and Peeled Paint Distress Inks and distressed the edges.  The inserts are from Bearlymine and I took it into My Craft Studio (MCS) so I coulf flip horizontally the image and added a "just for you" in the little tags so the tags would next to one another in the centre of the card.  Guess who stuck them on the wrong sides - not to matter as it still looks OK this way as well.  The card is finished off with an owl haematite owl charm (think that's how you spell it), yellow ribbon bow, pink paper flower and yellow paper flower.

First Commissioned Card for 2010 and First Challenge Card for 2010

I got a mad panic call a few days ago from a customer who wanted an 18th birthday card for her step-son for 6/1/10 and he's into Arsenal - ahhhhhhhhhhh.  Thankfully my husband supports this team but why oh why so his souvenirs have to be round and prove such a nightmare to photograph.  I got there in the end.

I used my new My Craft Studio (MCS) Parchment Delights CD has this has the long-awaited facility to specify easily the dimensions of anything you want and also makes wonderful gradiated papers but I didn't use them on this card.  I did the faux matting and layering on MCS and used black, red and yellow/gold colour as these are colours in a lot of Arsenal souvenirs/clothes etc.  I used a See D's "Boys Toys" football stamp to stamp over the white card - simple but I think very effective.  I then imported some of my photos, added a large 18 today, some fibres and a sentiment at the top and the front page was finished.  I used the same faux matting and layering for the other three pages of the A4 card.  The two inside pages are personal so I have put them on the world wide web.  The back page I imported the picture I'd taken, took down the opacity and then copied/pasted a verse and hey presto it was all finished.

This card will fit the criteria for the following challenges:

The Craft Garden - new - my new thing is my My Craft Studio (MCS) CD

My Time to Craft - Anything goes
Charisma Cardz - Celebrations
Three Clover Designs Challenge - Celebration
One Stop Craft Challenge - Something beginning with "B" - I've got birthday and balls
Our Creative Corner - Clean and Simple - a did this card quite plain and simple ie no frilly bits and pieces as it is for a young man
Cupcake Crafts - A time for celebration
Stamp, Scrap and Doodle Challenge - to use a photo on your project - I took a photo and managed to click around the image of the plaque to import into MCS to add to the front of the card and on the back of the card

Fussy and Fancy Challenge - new - again my new MCS CD

Stamp Something - Use something new or unused

Stampin' for the week-end - New
Cards for Men - New - new craft CD and also the recipient will be starting a new journey as a proper adult
By the Cute and Girly - New - again craft CD and also the recipient will be starting a new journey as a proper adult

Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog - New

Stamptacular Sunday Challenge - Party Time - well if an 18th birthday isn't a time for a party when is???

Rainbow Lady's Challenge Blog - New

Teri's Blog Candy

Teri has some wonderful blog candy up for grabs to celebrate the New Year.  Click here to go and have a look.  The candy offer ends on 18/1/10.