Sweet Pea Stampers Challenge - Monday 24/5/10

Over at the Sweet Pea Stampers Challenge blog this week they have a recipe for the challenge - 4 patterned papers, 2 ribbons, 2 ribbons and 1 button.  Yikes this was a hard one for me and I had decided not to enter it this week but the lure of the Sweet Pea stamps got the better of me and her is my try at this challenge.  I have used various backing papers from my stash including some Basic Grey and DCWV but the others I am not sure about as I was given them.  I have used my new Sweet Pea stamp called Forest Blue - granted I haven't coloured her in blue but in pink and green with my Promarkers.  The flower I have made using DCWV card and various papers using two different Nestabilities shapes and finished it off with a ribbon and button.  The overall card is finished off with some more ribbon and some peel-offs.


This card also fits the following challenges:


The Crazy Challenge - It's a girl thing
Creative Card Crew - Pink and green
Passion for Promarkers - Anything goes
Spoon Full of Sugar - Celebration
Flourishes - Make your own flower
Flutter by Wednesday - Anything goes
Funky Friday - Summer time
Saturday Secret Crafter - Button and blooms
Totally Gorjuss - Wings.

Allsorts Challenge - Saturday 22/5/10

Well I'm only just going to make the deadline for the Allsorts Challenge this week of a tag/label.  I have used some Flower Fairy chipboard images a friend gave me.  Underneath the lace I decided to try using some glitter card for some bling/sparkle.  I don't do glitter very much as I hate getting messy and don't like the way that the glitter falls off in the cello bags but I'm hoping that as it is behind the lace it might protect it a bit more.  I used an off cut of paper for the backing and have made my own flowers with a stamp that I got earlier in the year at the Stamp Addicts sale.  The card is finished off with some ribbon and a chipboard tag.


This card also fits the following challenges:


Totally Gorjuss - Bring on the bling
The Crazy Challenge - It's a girl thing
Flourishes - Make your own flowers
Funky Friday - Summer time
Flutter by Wednesday - Open theme.

Just Magnolia Challenge - Friday 28/5/10

Over at the Just Magnolia Challenge the topic this week is "hot and spicy" and you can interpret this how you like.  I decided to interpret it as a bright card - the red and green depicting chillies and the blue for water to cool it all down.  I have used a Tilda image I was given and coloured her in with Promarkers.  It was more difficult as she'd been stamped on watercolour paper.  The card is just simply finished off with a sentiment and some gems.


This card also fits the following challenges:


Everybody Art - Fairytale
A Spoon Full of Sugar - Celebration
If the Shoe Fits Scrap It - Ad Inspiration
Flutter by Wednesday - Anything goes
The Crazy Challenge - It's a girl thing
Little Red Wagon - Birthday
CRAFT - Blue and green
Passion for Promarkers - Anything goes.

Karen's Doodles Dutch Challenge - Tuesday 25/5/10

Over at the Karen's Doodles Dutch Challenge the challenge this week is to gain inspiration from the photo.  The challenge at The Shabby Team Room this week is tea/tea party or polka dots or both so I decided to use Karen's Tea Party image.  I have coloured the image with Promarkers and distressed the edges with Tim Holtz's Brushed Corduroy and Peeled Paint Distress Ink pads.  I have then cut the image out with my Nestabilities using a technique I saw this week whereby the turtle's head sits above the edge of the die-cut.  I think I need a little more practice but I'm pleased with my first attempt.  The flowers are made with my new Papermania 3D Petals template which was £1.99 and you can use it again and again and again.  I used three different shaped flowers and two sizes of circles and cut them out of the same paper as used for the backing. To make the layers seem a little different I have used Peeled Paint and Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink Pads and also an Agean Blue Versamagic.  I then layered them up and stuck a hole through the centre and added a sparkly brad.  I added a gorgeous ribbon that I've had for a while as I carefully took it off a box of chocolates - well it's good to recycle isn't it.


This card also fits the following challenges:


Stamp Something - 2 of something - I've made two handmade flowers
Challenge up your Life - Recycling - my ribbon is recycled from a box of chocolates
The Shabby Tea Room - Tea/Tea Party or polka dots or both
Stampin' Sisters in Christ - Distressing
Craft Your Passion - Use crackles or distressing
Sophisticat - Splish, splash - splish, splash of tea
Flourishes - Make your own flowers
Creative Inspirations - Distressed
Simon Says - Pink (or blue) with green and brown - I chose Blue, green and brown
Crafts and Me - Distressed
Charisma Cardz - Going round and round - circles and brads in my flowers are circular
Pixie Dust - Going round and round - circles and brads in my flowers are circular.

Rainbow Lady's Challenge - Thursday 20/5/10

Well I am just posting this "by the skin of my teeth" as the Rainbow Lady's Challenge is about to end.  The topic this week was New York, New York.  This is somewhere I have always wanted to go but have never been.  I can dream.  I have used some images of New York, a Dottie's World Girls about Town image which I have coloured in with Promarkers and finished off the card with stamping the words New York.  The card is finished off with some Dawn Bibby die-cut flowers.


This card also fits the following challenges:


Sew Many Challenges - Anything goes
Secret Crafter - No patterned paper
The Crazy Challenge - A girl thing.

Karen's Doodles USA Challenge - Monday 24/5/10

Over at the Karen's Doodles USA Challenge this week the topic is stitching - real or faux.  I have used this glorious little angel and coloured her in with various different shades of pink Promarkers and added some stitching detail.  I have used the technique as per my previous card by stamping a flower image from a Judikins stamp, stamp with Versamark, put on clear embossing powder and then inked over the top for the resist technique.  I'd done this before but it hadn't really worked as I got blobs of colour - not good - but this time I followed the tips I picked up from Paula Pascual and after a bit more practice I should be better at it.  The card is finished off with some burgundy vellum, burgundy lace and some pink card candy.  I have kept it very minimalist as it is a card for my stall and a buyer could easily use it for a sympathy card if needed.


This card also fits in with the following challenges:


Passion for Promarkers - Anything goes
Digital Tuesday - Cute people
Crafty HO's - Photo inspiration
Pile it On - Out of the box - I'm certainly out of the box when I try different stamping techniques and after seeing Paula Pascual on Saturday I have picked up enough tips to show people my attempt at the resist technique and using a Big and Juicy ink pad.

The Pink Elephant Challenge - Monday 24 May 2010

When I saw the topic for this weeks' challenge at The Pink Elephant I thought yikes - a colour challenge - and the colour being orange.  It's strange as I'd been ploughing through my papers to use up and had come through some orange papers on Sunday which I just buried.  Out they came yesterday and today I have put this card together.  I used a flower stamp I won in a Sophisticats Challenge last year and stamped it with Versamark, added clear embossing powder and used my Big and Juicy Soothing Sunset ink pad to colour the background, using three different colours and blending them together that I learnt in a Paula Pascual demonstration at Stamp Addicts last Saturday.  I then rubbed off the excess ink to make the white stand out more.  I then used some plain orange backing paper from my stash.  The flower is made with a Tim Holtz Spiced Marmalade ink pad stamped onto a Judikins cube stamp I got earlier in the year.  Three layers have made the flower and then a pearl for the centre.  The sentiment is from a Cardmakers Library of Thank You verese/text from Hot of the Press and the card is finished off with a sentiment off the computer and a gorgeous little pixie image from Charmed Cards and Craft which I have added stickles to her wings.


This card fits the following challenges:


Flutter by Wednesday - Flowers
Quixotic - Make a sentiment/verse the centrepiece of your project
Secret Crafter - No patterned paper
Dottie's World - Thanks a bunch
The Crazy Challenge - It's a girl thing
My Time to Craft - Vivid greetings card.

Stef's Birthday Blog Candy

It is Stef aka Glitterbabe's Birthday on Thursday and to celebrate she has some birthday blog candy up for grabs until Friday 23 may 2010.  Click here to have a look.  Hope you have a lovely birthday Stef.

Two Lovely Thank You Letters

I recently sent off a cheque for £22.00 for the local St John Ambulance and £25.00 for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance (I chose this charity as I'd recently been on holiday to Yorkshire and  I also saw a post on Emma's Blog regarding her/her family and friends raising funds for this charity in memory of her father) and have today received two lovely letters thanking me for my donations.  


I know I make the cards up and sell them on my regular stall/to my customers but I have done this with the support of my family and also fellow bloggers/sellers on websites/sellers on E-bay that have seen that I make my cards for charity and donated things for free like digi images, stamps, added extra things to my orders, sent me unused craft items and even some that have given me/sent beautiful cards they have made.  


The thank you from the charities goes to you all as well.

Thank You to the Stamp Something Challenge Blog

I recently was the 100 challenge mystery prize winner over at the Stamp Something Challenge Blog.  I was sooooooooo excited and I had an e-mail from Denise to say she'd get my prize off to me.  It came on Saturday and was I pleased?????  Too right I was.  I think maybe they could read my mind as there were flowers, ribbon, adhesive stones and a stamp - and for someone who is addicted to all of these they couldn't have picked a better prize.  The only problem is that the flowers look too good to use and I'll have to keep the ribbon for a while to stroke!!!


Thank you to all the people that run challenges, their Design Team members and also to the big and small companies/individuals that sponsor the challenges.  I shall put all my goodies to good use for my cards that I make for charity.

Anyone for Anya? - Sunday 23/5/10

Over at the Anyone for Anya? Challenge this week the topic is "double trouble".  I followed the tutorial via Simon Says Stamp for the Tent Fold Card which is their requirement for their challenge this week along with a charm.  I'd made a tent card before but only one that stood that way whereas this one has a piece that you stick to the bottom to make it stand like a tent.  I decided to use two of my gorgeous Anya girls coloured in with a mixture of Promarkers and Copics.  The backing paper/stars/ribbon strips are freebies from a magazine I was given.  I have used my new Nellie Snellon die that I got at the Stamp Addicts Open Day yesterday and after cutting it out I put it through my swirls embossing folder.  The card is finished off with a Crafty Ann's ticket sentiment, Papermania Glitterations, fibres and a flower charm.


This card also fits the following challenges:


The Shabby Tea Room - Red, white and blue and/or stars and stripes
Crafty Catz - Stars and stripes
Stamp Something - Two of something - I chose two main images
CRAFT - Birthday or celebrations
All that Scraps - Dry embossing
Spoon Full of Sugar - Cute and girly
Simon Says - Tent card and charm
Creative Inspirations - Card for a child
Ooh-la-la Creations - Bright and cheerful
Cupcake Craft - Blooming charming
Stamp with Fun - Stripes.

Commissioned Birthday Card

A customer wanted me to make a birthday card for her best friend but gave no idea of what to do.  I decided to use an image on the My Craft Studio Deco Follies CD of an image designed by Nancy Watt.  I've used this image a few times before but I love it so much.  I have done three layers of decoupage and just used plain card instead of patterned paper to mat and layer and decided to distress the edges instead.  The card is finished off with a sentiment off the computer, some paper flowers, pearls and a ribbon.


This card fits the following challenges:


Incy Wincy - Blast from the past
CRAFT - Birthday or celebration
Pixie Dust - Add a pearl to your card
Secret Crafter - No patterned paper
CD Sunday - Elegant ladies
Stampin' Sisters in Christ - Distressing.

Crafty Ann's First Ever Blog Hop and Challenge #15

Today is a very special day for the Crafty Ann’s Design Team and all our followers as we are having our very first BLOG HOP!!!

We are celebrating the launch of the FLOWER COLLECTION of pre-coloured images. If you have come to me from seeing Beryl’s gorgeous work you are on the right lines but if not, you need to start at the beginning which is the challenge blog. To be in with a chance of winning these two sheets from the new collection, just leave me a comment.

Don't forget to collect the two words you need from me which are: HELPFUL, THEY.  

When you leave here, your next stop will be Anne who has some wonderful inspiration for you and two more sheets and two more words to collect. When you have visited all the blogs you head back to the Crafty Ann’s Challenge Blog and follow the instructions on there to find out what to do to be in with a chance of winning the final 5 sheets.

Everyone that enters the draw for my two sheets will have their name put in a hat and another member of my family will pull a name out on Thursday 3 June 2010 and the WINNER will be announced at the start of Challenge #16 on the Crafty Ann’s Challenge Blog on Friday 4/6/10.

Good luck to everyone and thanks for visiting my blog.

Before you leave my blog, here is how I made this fortnight's card at Crafty Ann’s Challenge Blog.  I have used Ann’s Octagonal Template for the main card and cut four different colours of Ann’s wood grain backing paper in decreasing sizes and inked the edges with Tim Holtz’s Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink Pad.  The little squirrel image has been designed by Ann and can be bought here.  I have coloured him in with Promarkers and then cut him out with an oval Nestabilities and whilst the image was still inside the die I again inked the edges with Tim Holtz’s Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink Pad.  The flowers are from Ann’s new Flower Collection where the flowers are coloured for you.  I have used various of the different colours to embellish this card inside and out.  The card is finished off with a ticket sentiment from Crafty Ann’s.


This card also fits the following challenges:


Allsorts - Birthday
Sew Many Challenges - Anything goes
Stamp, Scrap and Doodle - Masculine theme
Ooh-la-la Creations - Bright and cheerful
Crafty Cardmakers - Inside out
Papertake Weekly - Say it with flowers
Fan n Funky - Make your own embellishments
Charisma Cardz - 3D
CRAFT - Birthday or celebrations.

Passion for Promarkers Challenge - Tuesday 18/5/10

Over at the Passion for Promarkers Challenge this week the topic is "fantasy/mythology".  As soon as I saw this topic I knew I had to colour in a new digi stamp from Stef aka Glitterbabe of Draco the Dragon.  Isn't he cute?  Obviously he has been coloured in with Promarkers, cut out with a Nestabilities die and the edges distressed.  I have then mounted him on green checked paper, silver card and then onto a spotty paper which I thought matched the spotted areas of Draco's body.  I have finished the card off with a peel-off sentiment, some ribbon I won in some blog candy last year and some more spots in the form of two shades of green card candy.


This card also fits the following challenges:


Stamp, Scrap and Doodle - Masculine theme
Stampin' for the Week-end - Card for a male
Stamp Something - Celebrate something
Allsorts - Birthday
Our Creative Corner - Masculine Birthday
Ooh-la-la Creations - Bright and cheerful
The Creative Cottage - One for the boys
Creative Inspirations - Card for a child
Charisma Cardz - 3D
CRAFT - Birthday or celebration
Meljen's Designs - Seeing spots.

Prairie Fairy Challenge - Friday 14/5/10

Over at the Prairie Fairy Challenge Blog the topic this week is flowers.  I have used a cute little mouse ballerina image and coloured her in with Promarkers , cut out with a Nestabilities die and distressed the edges with a chalk ink pad.  I have used some backing papers I was given, some gorgeous spotty ribbon I've had for ages, Dawn Bibby vellum flowers which I coloured on the underside with Promarkers and finished the card off with some pink pearls.


This cards also fits the following challenges:


Pollycraft - Summer blooms
Crafty Catz - Petals and pearls
Practical Scrappers - Patterned paper
Creative Inspirations - Punches or die-cuts
Spoon Full of Sugar - Cute and girly
Digital Tuesday - Vellum
Papertake Weekly - Say it with flowers
Charisma Cardz - 3D
Meljen's Designs - Seeing spots
Pixie Dust - Add a pearl to your card.

One Stop Craft Challenge - Saturday 15/5/10

Over at the One Stop Challenge this week the topic is "Summer breeze" - oh I do wish the Summer was here!!! I have used a cute Pollycraft stamp I had which has been un-inked and un-loved for a while so she's come out to play.  I coloured her in with Promarkers and then cut out with an oval Nestabilities die and distressed the edges.  The backing papers are some I was given and the flowers/scroll/tie are from a magazine.  The card is finished off with some butterflies cut out of some backing paper I have had for years and years.


This card also fits the following challenges:


Sir Stampalot - butterflies and blossoms
Practical Scrappers - Patterned paper
Pollycraft - Summer blooms.