Digi Doodle Challenge - Thursday 29/7/10

I have only recently come across the Digi Doodle Shop and have purchased some images - too may to choose from on their website - so I thought it a good idea to take part in their own challenge.  The topic for the Didi Doodle Challenge this week is "punch or cut me".  I purchased some of their images the other day but fell in love with this lighthouse so of course this had to be the first image to be coloured in.  I have coloured the lighthouse image with my Promarkers and cut the shape out with a Nellie Snellon die.  The next piece of card I cut out with a Nestabilities die but should I let you into a secret what the card is ...................... the packing for the Nellie Snellon die.  The words waste-not, want-not come to mind but I thought the ripply texture replicated waves etc of the sea.  The backing papers are pieces from my stash including some pieces of Crafty Ann's digi papers that are leftover from my challenge cards.  The card is finished off with a die-cut mount given to me by a friend, peel-offs and a Digi Doodle mermaid which I coloured with Promarkers but I highlighted her tail with Glossy Accents.

This card fits the following challenges:

Pear Tree Design - Birthday
Ooh-la-la-Creations - Birthday
Crazy Challenge - Birthday
Crafty Creations - Summer lovin'
Party Time Tuesday - Anything goes
Charisma Cardz - Something with a tail - for my card it is the mermaid who has a tail
Dutch Dare Challenge - Anything goes
One Stop Craft - Patterns - I chose dots
Stamping Vacation - Fountain of Youth - two of my good blogging friends have just been lucky enough to make the Stamping Vacation Design Team - so if you have the time please pop over to the Stamping Vacation and support Corry and Lorraine.  Good luck to you both in your new venture.

Sketch and Stash Challenge No 40 - 19 July 2010

Well, it seems an age since I last entered a Sketch and Stash Challenge.  I do struggle at times with sketches but I have had a go with this one.  I have used some Crafty Ann's digital paper that I had leftover from a challenge card for the main theme of the card along with the roses decoupage which I have had for some years now.  I have used a scrap of pearlescent card I had to use up and punched both edges with a Martha Stewart lattice punch.  The striped ribbon I got in some candy last year and I've had time to stroke (as it's wonderful quality) but it's now time to give it a home on some cards.  The card is finished off with a die-cut mount with a new Happy Anniversary peel-off which I bought in a sheet of lots of different sayings but in smaller fonts and a little ribbon bow.

This card also fits the following challenges:

Pollycraft - Love and marriage
For Fun Challenge - Bright colours
Gingersnap Colour - Yellow, orange and red
Dutch Dare Challenge - Anything goes
CRAFT Challenge - Hot and spicy colours
Stamping Vacation - Pick 3 Challenge of the Month (I have chosen red cardstock (I have used a burgundy red cardstock), border punch (Martha Stewart lattice punch) and sticker (peel-off Happy Anniversary sticker)
2 Sisters Challenge - Punches.

Sarah Wright's Wedding Anniversary Candy

Sarah, from Sarah Wright's Designs - Welcome to my Little World, is celebrating her 28th wedding anniversary.  Click here to go and have a look.  If her husband sends her a bouquet of flowers she'll add something else!!  Congratulations to Mr and Mrs Wright for their anniversary.

Crafty Ann's Challenge No 20 - Friday 30/7/10

The time has come for another Crafty Ann's Challenge.  I was so pleased to see all the entries for my challenge last week.  This weeks' challenge is entitled "Lazy Hazy days of Summer".


For my card I used Crafty Ann's river digital image and coloured it in with Promarkers.  It took quite a long time as I used 6 greens, 5 browns, 4 blues and a Satin colour to get shadow/different shades in the picture.  I have distressed the edges of the papers with Tim Holtz's Peeled paint Distress Ink Pad.  The backing paper is from Papernation as is the decoupage which I have had for some time.  I'd just love to be camping by that river right now.  I have finished the card off with a Crafty Ann's ticket sentiments, some Crafty Ann's flowers with card candy in the middle and some fibres.


Please go over here and have a look at the fabulous cards made from the Design Team and to take part in the challenge.  I look forward to seeing your creations this fortnight.


Stamp, Scrap and Doodle - Use a digi image
Pear Tree Design - Birthday
Ooh-la-la-Creations - Birthday
Crazy Challenge - Birthday
Party Time Tuesday - Anything goes birthday
Fun Fun Challenge - Summer colours
Crafty Creations - Summer Lovin'
Stamping Vacation - Fountain of Youth Challenge - to have water in your project
Stamping Vacation - July Challenge - Picnic Month/Recreation Month is what I chose - this happy couple are having a holiday and whilst away will enjoy a picnic by the river
Gingersnap Spicy Challenge - Markers
Passion for Promarkers - Green as predominant colour
Donna's Den - Green
Creative Inspirations - Anything goes
Our Daily Bread - Distress it
Daring Cardmakers - Layer it up
Dutch Dare Challenge - Anything goes
Cute Card Thursday - Texting
Paperplay Challenge - Anything goes.

Sweet Pea Stampers - Monday 26/7/10

Here is another week for the Sweet Pea Stampers.  This week the topic is "anything goes".

I chose to use this image and stamped with Versafine, embossed with clear embossing powder and out came my Lyra Watercolour crayons.  The second image I stamped with a red Memento ink pad onto some cream card.  Both images have had Tim Holtz's Tattered Rose and Fired Brick around the edges.  The backing paper has been made with these two inks and using cut-and-dry foam they have covered the white card and some blobs of replacement tattered Rose ink in places on the paper.  I then sprayed the backing paper all over and then sprinkled on some table salt and then heat set it.  Then I rubbed off the salt to leave speckled areas.  The images I cut out with a Nellie Snellon die and the large image I weaved in-and-out some pink ribbon which was still hard as my tapestry needle is being a bit elusive still!!!  The card is finished off with some pink raffia ribbon, burgundy organza ribbon, some gem flowers, a pink crystal attached with a jump ring and a sentiment off the computer.  It's certainly a brighter card than I normally do but the recipient is a teenager.

This card also fits the following challenges:

Stamp Something - Something flowery

Creative Friday - Teenage dreams

Sweet Stampin - Vintage

Secret Crafter - Fairytales

Our Daily Bread - Distress it

Wee Memories - Include stamping on your project

Crafty Sentiments - Embossing

Creative Inspirations - Anything goes

Totally Stampalicious - Birthday

Pear Tree Design - Birthday

Ooh-la-la-Creations - Birthday

Crazy Challenge - Birthday

Craft Your Passion - 3 different ribbons (I have used organza ribbon, raffia ribbon and thin velour grosgrain ribbon)

Party Time Tuesday - Anything goes birthday

Fun Fun Challenge - Summer colours

Gingersnap Colour - Yellow, orange and red

Crafty Creations - Summer Lovin'

Flutter by Wednesday - Open theme

Dutch Dare Challenge - Anything goes
CRAFT - Hot and spicy colours
Cute Card Thursday - Texting
Paperplay Challenge - Anything goes.

New Challenge Blog

A new monthly challenge blog will be starting up on 5 September 2010.  The challenge will begin on the 1st Sunday of each month.  Up until 8 August 2010, Suzanne is looking for some Design Team members for a three month post to join the Let's Ink it Up Design Team.  The purpose of the challenge blog is to use rubber and clear stamps.  Click here to go and have a look.


I thought I would have a try for the Design Team.  For this you had to show three of your best projects.  I found it difficult to choose but have gone for the following projects I have made:

Mo's Digital Challenge No 41 - 22/7/10

Over at Mo's Digital Challenge the topic this week is "paper piecing".  I like doing paper piecing so I had to take part.  The dilemma though was what gorgeous images to use.  I chose this little angel and have made her into a Christmas card.  I have some mounts with Coredinations cardstock and have used a piece of Basic Grey paper that I got in the recent Simon Says Stamp Christmas in July candy giveaway.  I've got various Basic Grey paper pads but never knew that they did two sided paper - I know "where have I been?" - but the only problem is that I didn't know whether to use this checked side or the snowflakes.  I decided the checks but in hindsight I should have done the mounts smaller to show more of this gorgeous paper.  I added some lace, card candy, ticket sentiment and did some faux stitching.  The image I coloured with promarkers and the the angel's dress is from a Crafty Ann's digi paper.  The only thing I did wrong was that I printed two images side-by-side to use up the paper better and therefore didn't have enough space to cut an area around each so had to cut the image out - not normally a problem - but I'd already paper pieced the image so it was quite difficult.  The moral is cut out first!!!


This card also fits the following challenges:


Friends Having Fun - Christmas in July
Papertake Weekly - Cutie Patootie
Flutter by Wednesday - Christmas in July
Crafty Creations - Happy or sweet
Aud Sentiments - Choose your own Christmas sentiment
Just Inspirational - Digi image
Dare U 2 Digi Stamp - Stitching
Basic Grey - Stitching
Stamp, Scrap and Doodle - Use a digi image
Creative Inspirations - Anything goes.

Whoopsi Daisy - July Challenge

Over at the Whoopsi Daisy Challenge the topic this month is "HOT".  I don't tend to use lots of "hot" colours but that is part-and-parcel of challenges ie taking you out of your comfort zone.  I have used this gorgeous little girl image and coloured her in with tones of orange and lemon Promarkers.  She's such a cutie.  The backing paper, ribbons, buttons, bows and flowers were all freebies from a magazine that I was given and I have torn the edges of the middle pieces of paper to add some extra texture.


This card fits the following challenges:


Craft Your Passion - Orange, yellow and blue
The Shabby Team Room - From the garden
Papertake Weekly - Cutie Patootie
Crafty Creations - Happy or sweet
Gingersnap - Sunshine
Rainbow Lady's - Oranges and lemons
Just Inspirational - Digi image
Crafty Catz - Summer time
Stamp, Scrap and Doodle - Use a digi image
Creative Inspirations - Anything goes
Raise the Bar - Distressed, torn, ripped or broken.

Sweet Pea Stampers Challenge - Monday 19/7/10

Over at the Sweet Pea Stampers Challenge the topic is "black, white and another colour".  Yet again, I decided to challenge myself and use a colour I don't normally use - green.  I have used Ching-chou Kuik's Reflections image for the basis of the card and coloured her in with Promarkers - including green hair - with Promarkers and distressed the edges with Tim Holtz's Peeled Paint and Black Soot Distress Ink Pads.  The black and white card is some I have had for a few years from a Redhotbed kit, followed by some green vellum I've had for a while as well.  Underneath the mounts I decided to add an extra layer of some green mirri card edged with green and black peel-offs I've had for ages and ages.  The card is finished off with some ribbon I coloured with a black promarker, some card candy, a butterfly embellishment I've had for maybe 2-3 years, a sentiment off the computer and then two flowers I made using a book, various sized flower shapes cut out with my Cricut, each layer screwed up, flattened out and Peeled Paint and Black Soot distress ink put on alternate layers and all held together with some green glitzy brads.

This card fits the following challenges:

Paper Sundaes - Make your own flowers

Practical Scrappers - Using stash over 1 year old (Butterfly embellishment, vellum, peel-offs and black and white card)

Cupcake Craft - Cats and dogs

Pollycraft - Happy Birthday

Crafty Angels - Shabby Chic

Passion for Promarkers - Distressing

Crafty Creations - Happy or sweet

Fan 'n' Funky - Reuse or recycle (recycled the book into flowers)

Raise the Bar - Distressed, torn, ripped or broken

Stamp Something - Something flowery

Daring Cardmakers - Layer it up

Funky Friday - Reduce, reuse or recyle (recycled the book into flowers)

Creative Friday - Teenage Dreams - card is for an 19 year old

Craftalicious - Birthdays

The Stamp Man - Anything goes

Stamp, Scrap and Doodle - Animals.

Mo's Digital Challenge - Thursday 15/7/10

It seems an awful age since I have had chance to take part in Mo's Digital Challenge.  The topic this week is "masculine" and although it's female cards I need at the moment I have rebelled and made this card.  The backing paper is some Basic Grey which I've had for 1-2 years along with the DCWV paper that I cut the city landscape out with the Cricut.  I have cut the image out with a Nestabilities die and then coloured in with Promarkers and then distressed the edges.  For more male orientated embellishments I have used some ric-rac ribbon and two circles and a flowers shape cut from the Cricut which I have distressed with Tim Holtz's Faded Jeans and Tumbled Glass Distress Ink Pads and also have done some faux stitching on the white circle and around the card.


This card fits the following challenges:


CRAFT - Babies/children
Dare U 2 Digi Stamp - Stitching
Our Daily Bread - Coloured image
One Stitch at a Time - Use a digi image
Practical Scrappers - Using stash over 1 year old (both backing papers used are 1-2 years old)
Lexi's Creations - Real or faux stitching
Crazy Challenge - Boys will be boys
Everybody Art - Blue and white
Digital Tuesday - Happy birthday
Passion for Promarkers - Distressing
Papertake Weekly - Cutie Patootie.

Commissioned Card for my Son's Workplace

My son asked me to make a card for a colleague's mother who liked freesias.  Yikes I said as I don't know one flower from another apart from a few types.  Thankfully a friend came to the rescue.  I printed the main image onto photo paper and decoupage it up.  I used my new Cricut to make the two large frames and also the small flowers/leaves (Accent Essentials cartridge).  Inside I faded out an image on one side to put the verse on top whereas the image the other side was at 100%.  In My Craft Studio I did some faux matting and layering with some Crafty Ann's paper from the Polished Stone Collections and it was then layered onto some striped paper I was given.  The card is finished off with some ribbon, a sentiment off the computer and some diamante pins.


This card fits the following challenges:


Cricut Cardz - Use any feature from a Cricut cartridge (I used my scallop frame, flowers and leaves from the Accent Essential cartridge for my first attempt at a card for this challenge blog)
The Shabby Team Room - From the garden
Allsorts - Summer days - if these beautiful flowers don't make you think of summer what will?
Sir Stampalot Challenge - Lazy hazy days of summer
Craftalicious - Birthdays.

Crafty Ann's Challenge No 19 - Friday 16/7/10

Here we are again.  It is time for another challenge at Crafty Ann's.  This time the topic has been chosen by ................... me!!!  I have chosen "Sir Cliff Richard songs".  I know this might sound very hard but here are two places that you can look to gain some inspiration - check here and here.  I shall look forward to seeing what you all come up with.  The Design Team have come up with some wonderful cards to give you some ideas/inspiration and these can be found here.


For my card I decided to go with a 1963 film and song I played a lot of Sir Cliff Richard when I was growing up - Summer Holiday.  I have used three different blue backing papers from Crafty Ann's Digi Store - two from the polished stone collection and one from the mottled stone collection.  The mottled stone collection I stamped in black various Tim Holtz Paris stamps to give it a more vintage feel.  The actual beach scene I coloured in with Promarkers in more subtle/vintage style colours to fit in with the backing papers.  The bus and Athens picture are off the web.  The two guitars and ticket sentiment are also available from Crafty Ann's Digi Store.  The card is finished off with some raffia and some coins from a sheet from Red Hot Bed that I have had for ages and ages and ages.


Can you keep a secret??  The card is all brought together with a lot of love as I thought I would give it to my husband on Tuesday as it will be our 19th wedding anniversary.  For my 30th birthday he took me to Paris, he drives buses (even though he did first drive buses like that after his initial period of being a conductor, the buses are much more modern now) and I love being by the sea and my husband loves to see me happy so that was just the perfect image to use.


This card also fits the following challenges:


Totally Gorjuss - Water
One Stop Craft - Monochromatic
Cutie Sunday - Sea, beach, ocean
Stampin' Sisters in Christ - Something that brings you peace - flowers bring me peace but I also find peace and harmony when I spend time by the sea
Incy Wincy - Distress it
Donna's Den - It's a Man's World
Daring Cardmakers - Something sea related
Totally Stampalicious - A splash of red
Tuesday Taggers - Anniversary
Everybody Art - Holidays
For Fun Challenge - No die-cuts and you must colour your main image
Gingersnap Creations - Markers
Just Inspirational - Vintage.

Commissioned Birthday Card

A customer asked me to make her a girly birthday card with lilac/purple/pink.  Well the girly bit was more difficult but as purple/lilac are my favourite colours I got stuck in.  I decided to use a Sugar Nellie Leanne Ellis image called "Tell me something".  She's standing there holding a little bird and talking to him.  I have coloured the image with Promarkers and Copics and then I tore the edges, distressed it a bit more and then highlighted the edge with a purple Versamagic chlak ink pad.  The image is mounted on a tag that I made myself using alcohol inks and then I stamped the U-mount crackle stamp over it and put on Tim Holtz's black distress powder.  I still find this difficult to know when it's finished but this time after I let it cool down and then rubbed away the excess it looked better than my last attempt.  More practice needed I think!!!  The mounts for the card are some silver mirri card, some purple backing paper scrap and then a scrap of purple vellum.  The card is finished off with some lace around the front of the card, a thinner lace instead of ribbon on the tag, some brads to hold the vellum on and a peel-off.


This card fits the following challenges:


Sweet Stampin' - Things with wings
Practical Scrappers - Embossing
Incy Wincy - Distress it
Party Time Tuesday - Anything goes birthday
Papertake Weekly - In the garden
For Fun Challenge - No die-cuts and the main image you must have coloured yourself
Gingersnap Creations - Markers
CAS-tastic - Use any 3 of the following:  (1) stamped/digi image (2) inked edges (3) Masking (4) paper piercing (5) lace (6) embossing - I've managed to use 4 out 6 on this card ie (1), (2), (5) and (6)
Rainbow Lady's - Lavender and lace
Meljen's Designs - Long or tall card.

Sweet Pea Stampers - Monday 12/7/10

Monday brought the new challenge over at the Sweet Pea Stampers.  Oh boy did I struggle and I nearly didn't enter.  The challenge this week is:  no patterned paper, 1 butterfly, 2 images and 3 different embellishments.  


I chose to use the image Autumn Harvest and stamped with Versafine, embossed with clear embossing powder and out came my Lyra Watercolour crayons.  I enjoyed having a play with these instead of Promarkers.  The second image I stamped with a purple Memento ink pad.  Both images have had Tim Holtz's Tattered Rose and Dusty Concord around the edges.  The backing paper has been made with these two inks and using cut-and-dry foam they have covered the white card.  Next out came the mister.  I have a Cosmic Shimmer one and no matter what I always end up with large blobs so I located my Ranger one I got with Tim Holtz's TSV six months or so ago.  I know Dawn Bibby always raves about these and now I know why as it worked brilliantly.  I sprayed the backing paper all over and then sprinkled on some table salt and then heat set it.  Then I rubbed off the salt to leave speckled areas.  For anyone that knows me - I don't do mess - but I did enjoy having a play.  The images I cut out with a Nellie Snellon die and the large image I weaved in-and-out some black ribbon.  It was tough going as I couldn't find my tapestry needle but I got there in the end.  The card is finished off with a Dawn Bibby butterfly which I coloured with Dusty Concord ink, some purple lace and some pearls.  I am not sure I totally like it but it might grow on me - like the pumpkins and the grapes!!!


This card also fits the following challenges:


Sweet Stampin' - Things with wings
Stamp with Fun - Fairies
The Craft Garden - Fairies
Incy Wincy - Distress it
Papertake Weekly - In the garden
My Time to Craft - Butterfly bliss
CAS-tastic - Use 3 of the following:  (1) stamped or digi image (2) inked edges (3) masking (4) paper piercing (5) lace (6) embossing - so my 3 are (1), (2) and (5)
Simon Says - Let's get fruity.

Party Time Tuesday Challenge - 13/7/10

Over at the Party Time Tuesday Challenge this week the topic is "anything goes birthday".  It is my husband's birthday today and I made this card using a Gordon Fraser image available from CraftsuPrint here.  It's a wonderful image and such a pleasure to work with.  I have used a few backing papers from Crafty Ann's Digi Shop as my scraps wouldn't fit on this 8x8 square card.  To compliment the circles of the snooker balls I cut out some cicles with two different sized dies to adorn the card.  They are all in lovely colours of black, brown, green, red, blue and gold - not that you'd know as no matter how many times I took a photo because they were all mirri card it bounced off the flash!!  I finished off the card with another circle but this time stamped Happy Birthday on it with a Personal Impressions stamp designed by Paula Pasqual.


This card also fits the following challenges:


Creative Inspiration - On the move
Penny's Challenge - 7 of something - I used 7 die-cut circles
Meljen's Designs - Cicles galore
Crazy Challenge - It's hip to be square
Donna's Den - It's a Man's World
Pollycraft - Bold and bright.