Cake Competition Card

My son has been asked to organise a cake competition for work for tomorrow.  he's been busy in the kitchen making his cake and he's now tired because he's had all the washing-up to do as well!!!  I thought it would be nice to give a prize and make a card.

 

 

I have used a House Mouse image from Joanna Sheen called Spring.  One naughty little mouse has fallen in the chocolate dip and got covered.  I have coloured the image with Promarkers and highlighted the glass jar with Glossy Accents.  The backing papers are from my stash.  The card is finished off with a handmade flower (various layers cut out of a book with my Tim Holtz floral die and coloured with various shades of red Promarkers, scrunched up and held together with a flower brad (which I've had since I first started making cards)), ribbon, die-cut sentiment, pearls, congratulations die-cut for the inside of the card and some die-cut cooking chipboard shapes I was given.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Crazy Challenge - Ribbons 

Passion for Promarkers - Animal crackers

Anything Goes - Pick of the bunch

Clear it Out - Anything goes

Creative Card Crew - Animal antics

I Love Promarkers - Anything goes

My Mum's Craft Shop - Fab and funky

Crafty Sentiments - Polka dot

Charisma Cardz - 4 legged friends

Digi Doodles - Anything goes

Sew Many Challenges - Anything goes

Joyful Stamper - Anything goes

Alphabet Challenge - M for metal

Flashback friday Challenge 13.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can't believe I nearly missed the deadline for this challenge.  The challenge this time is to find your first non-traditional shaped card.  My first one I can find is in a post back in August 2007 when I posted my first try at a star card.  It's quite amazing with this challenge going back and looking at past creations - sometimes scary, sometimes nice memories.  This one has got some nice memories for the people I was making it for but some horrible ones as it seemed to keep going wrong.

My original post about this card can be found here - no laughing please!!!

Sweet Pea Stampers - 29 July 2011

It was lovely to see the beautiful cards/projects for Sweet Pea Stampers Challenge for the last fortnight.  Please click here to see if you are a winner.

The topic for the challenge this time at Sweet Pea Stampers is ................... button it!!!  Well that's an easy one for me as I love using buttons.  My my card I decided to make a Christmas twisted easel card and used the Poinsettia Fairy decoupage from The Crafty Purple Frog.  She's still one of my favourite images from Crafty Purple Frog for Christmas.  The backing papers are from Dovecraft and green card from my stash.  I embossed some red pearlescent card with my Creative Expressions button mask.  The card has been finished off with some Crafty Ann's Digi Store poinsettias, faux stitching, ribbon bow, star pins, gems, sentiment from Craftwork Cards and buttons added to form the stopper of the easel card.

I am also entering this card into the following challenges:

2 Sisters - Anything goes

Totally Gorjuss - Punch or die

Craft Your Passion - Christmas in July

Kaboodle Doodle - Stitching

Ooh-la-la Creations - Circles (buttons and sentiment)

Pollycraft Monday - Ho ho ho Christmas in July

Anything Goes - Pick of the bunch

Top Tip Tuesday - make it girlie

Shopping our Stash - Buttons, blooms and bananas

Scrap-Creations - Favourite holidays - Christmas

Crafty Creations - Christmas in July 

Truly Scrumptious - Buttons and bows

Creative Belli - Christmas in July

Digi Doodle - Anything goes

Pattie's Creations - Stitching - faux or real

Sew Many Challenges - Anything goes

Joyful Stamper - Anything goes

Alphabet Challenge - Show us some metal

Daring Cardmakers - Cute as a button

Winter Wonderland - Fairies or angels

Crafty Catz - Christmas in July

Fussy and Fancy Friday - Christmas in July

Totally Papercrafts - Bling it up

Mami Doodles - Flowers

Crafty Ann's Challenge - 29 July 2011 - Summertime ......... and the living is easy

Well we had a lovely selection of cards/projects this fortnight at Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog.  Click here to go and have a look for the winner.

The topic this fortnight is "summertime ...... and the living is easy".  Well this gave me a good excuse to get out Crafty Ann's tropical beach scene.  I have coloured the image with Promarkers and glittery chalks and then distressed the edges and inked them to add some more definition.  I then used my new Adorables Summer Collection stamp set called Special Friend which included this gorgeous donkey.  I decided he'd be a bit lonely on his own so I stamped it twice and hey presto he has a friend.  I have used three of Crafty Ann's Polished Stone backing papers, a bright yellow, pale blue and dark blue.  The image is mounted on some holographic card which proved a nightmare with the camera flash.  The card is finished off with some lace, sentiment sticker which I have had for 2-3 years and some mosaic gems for some sparkle.

I am also entering this card into the following challenges:

Allsorts - Free and easy

2 Sisters - Anything goes

Craft Your Days Away - Summertime

Paper Sundaes - Just beachy

Totally Stampalicious - Anything goes

The Pink Elephant - Fun in the sun

Paper Playtime - Digi Monday - Summer
Passion for Promarkers - Animal crackers
Scrap-Creations - Favourite holidays - anywhere by the sea!!!
Clear it Out - Anything goes
Creative Card Crew - Animal antics
For Fun Challenge - Sand/beach etc
I Love Promarkers - Anything goes
Crafting for all Seasons - Beach/ocean
Paper Shelter - Anything goes
Divas by Design - Summer is here
Sew Many Challenges - Anything goes
Joyful Stamper - Anything goes
Charisma Cardz - 4 legged friends
Digi Doodle - Anything goes
If the Shoe Fits Scrap it - Summer
Stamp Something - Summer fun

Forever Night Challenge #2 - You're so Emo

It's time for another challenge at the Forever Night Challenge and this one is called "You're so Emo".  I took some time out last night and made this card.  The image is called Codi Styling and is from Pollycraft Designs.  I have coloured the image in with Promarkers, die-cut and then distressed the edges with Tim Holtz's Spiced Marmalade and Black Soot distress ink pads.  I won the I Did it Creations Challenge last week and I won a voucher to spend at JLJ Designs.  They have some gorgeous images but I fell in love with the backing papers.  For my card I have used three different papers from the Halloween paper Pack and distressed the edges with Black Soot distress ink pad.  I have finished the card off with a sentiment from Craftwork Cards, K&Co gems, black metal clip, ribbon (this was originally and orange striped ribbon but the middle orange stripe I coloured in with my black Promarker to carry on the black and orange theme), flowers (coloured with Promarkers in orange and black) and some buttons held in place through the flowers with some wire.

I am also entering this card into the following challenges:

Paper Cutz - Anything goes 

Crafty Catz - No pink or blue allowed

2 Sisters - Anything goes

Totally Gorjuss - Punch or die

Make it Colourful - Colour your embellishments (flowers and ribbon coloured)

Corrosive Challenge - All about kids

Totally Stampalicious - Anything goes

Crazy Challenge - Ribbon

I Love Promarkers - Anything goes

Paper Shelter - Anything goes

Crafty Sentiments - Polka dots

Digi Doodle - Anything goes
Papercraft Star - Anything goes 
Scrapbook Sisters - Happy birthday
Frosted Design - Buttons

Some Wonderful News

I recently applied to join the Crafty Purple Frog Design Team and was sooooooooo excited to get a request from Amy to join their Design Team.  I fell in love with the Crafty Purple Frog sheets designed by Amy from Ching-Chou Kuik's amazing artwork last year and to say I love working with these images is an under-statement.  Amy has a wonderful Design Team and I can't wait to work with them all and feel blessed to have been given this chance.

If you have a spare moment or two, please visit:

• the Crafty Purple Frog Store to have a look at all the gorgeous sheets
• the Crafty Purple Frog Challenge that takes place on a fortnightly basis on a Thursday.

Then there are the wonderful blogs of my fellow Crafty Purple Frog Design Team members:

Amy

Vanessa

Pascale

Chanelle

Kaos

Sarah-Louise

Vicky

Mona

Linda

Mona, Lisa and myself will be making our debut items for the Design Team next Thursday 4 August 2011.

Commissioned Birthday Card

My son asked me if I could make a birthday card.  I firstly said "no" as we are still trying desperately to sort my mum's house out and waiting for the solicitor to sort out probate and I am getting anxious about not having enough stock for the stall I have at Knuston Hall Open Day on August Bank Holiday Monday.  As I make my cards for charity I feel like I am letting down the charities so I changed my mind and made a card.  I'm still worried I am not going to have enough stock for the stall so they'll be a stash of crafting stuff going on holiday with me the week before!!!

   

 

For my card I decided to use the Crafty Purple Frog "Field of Poppies" decoupage.  To compliment this decoupage I used a poppy My Craft Studio backing paper and printed straight from the computer as I've still not managed to fix My Craft Studio working properly.  I made the decoupage up with foam pads for some height as it will be hand delivered.  I have used various card/paper pieces from my stash which I have had for ages and ages, one of which is a red pearlescent paper which I embossed with the metal effect Creative Expressions mask.  The green backing paper is Crafty Ann's Digi Store green polished stone backing paper.  The card is then finished off with some ribbon, card candy, red lace, Craftwork cards sentiment place on top of die-cut shapes to add height and shape and then the centre of the poppies I have placed a good blob of Glossy Accents, pushed on yellow seed beads and highlighted these with a black marker pen.  I have also decorated the envelope to match and inside the card.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Ai factory - Layer it up
Paper Cutz - Anything goes

2 Sisters - Anything goes

Totally Gorjuss - Punch or die
The Crafty Pad - Embossing

Whoopsi - Daisy - Let's get in shape

Crazy Challenge - Ribbon

Lexi's Creations - A shaped card
Anything goes - Pick of the bunch

Top Tip Tuesday - Make it girly
Clear it Out Challenge - Anything goes
City Crafter - Vintage garden - photo inspiration
Everybody Art - Garden
Pixie Cottage - Emboss it 
Crafts and Me - Ribbon
Simon Says Challenge - Shaped cards/creations
Paper Shelter - Anything goes

Commissioned Card

I was asked to make a plain card for a customer to give to someone who likes cats and dogs.  I used my Joanna Sheen Puppies and Kitten CD and printed out several images the same size so I could do my own decoupage.  The backing papers are from my stash.  The card is simply finished off with some flowers and some cut/embossed/inked butterflies.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Fab n Funky - Animal magic
Ai Factory - Layer it up 

Rainbow Lady's - Pets

Paper Cutz - Anything goes

2 Sisters - Anything goes

My Time to Craft - Delightful dogs

Charisma Cardz - Sunshine colours

New Challenge Blog Starting

On Wednesday 10 August a new challenge blog will be starting:

To celebrate the start of this new challenge blog they are offering some candy.  

Click here to go and have a look to see what you need to do.

Wedding Card

Someone I work with was getting married last week so I want to make a card from myself and buy a present.  I decided to make an A4 card.  The focal image of the card was a gorgeous Lily of the Valley (LOTV) image that I bought at the NEC last November.  I have distressed the edges of the image with my Tim Holtz distressing tool and then inked the edges with a Memento ink pad.  I printed off a pink and white backing paper from a Red Hot Bed CD I've had for a few years and complimented it with pink and white card I had.  On the white card I stamped hearts and horseshoes from a See D's stamp set. 

Inside the card I inserted images from My Craft Studio Cds but just kept it very basic.

This is the back of the card which I inserted a verse and again stamped the hearts and horseshoes.

This is the matching envelope I made.  I used a MCS Wedding Day image and then inserted the text below.

The front of the card is finished off with a large flower display with a sparkly glass feature with highlights of Cosmic Shimmer glitter glue on the flowers, other flowers, spotty ribbon and a die-cut sentiment from Craftwork Cards.

The recipient was pleased with the card but seemed a bit strange.  Originally her wedding was going to be over two days ie the Saturday and Sunday but then was changed to just one day but the Sunday.  A colleague told me she didn't want to upset me.  When she comes back at the beginning of August I will ask for the card and envelope back and will somehow alter it for the right date.  Not sure how but I will have to put my thinking cap on.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

4 Crafty Chicks - Wedding

Theme Thursday - Romance

Ai Factory - Layer it up

Crafty sentiments - Happy ever after

Craft us Crazy - Anything goes

One Stitch at a Time - Flowers

Craft Your Passion - Use text on project

Paper Cutz - Anything goes

Stamp Something - Something embellished
Allsorts - Free and easy
2 Sisters - Anything goes

The Crafty Purple Challenge - 21 July 2011

Over at the Crafty Purple Frog the challenge this fortnight is "take a dip" eg blue, reflection, water.  

Well I have used the image called The Elegant Moment. This image is absolutely gorgeous.  Amy has done a wonderful job making it into a decoupage sheet.

There is also a pyramage sheet as well available.

I decided to use this sheet as she's a mermaid who would normally be in the water.  The image has been decoupaged and I have highlighted areas with my Sakura Stardust clear pen and also added Glossy Accents to her mirror and the scales of her tail.  I have used some printed backing card which I've had for ages along with some mirri card.  I coloured some chipboard flourishes with my green Promarker and then rubbed over some green glitter glue - for those of me that know me will be laughing as I don't really do messy and ended up with slimy feeling glittered fingers!!!  The card is finished off with some raffia ribbon, Craftwork cards die-cut sentiment, buttons, doily coloured with my ink dusters with Tim Holtz's peeled pain distress ink pad and some handmade flowers cut from a book, coloured with Tim Holtz Peeled paint and Crushed Olive distress ink pads, green glitter glue rubbed on and finished off with some brads.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

One Stitch at a Time - Flowers

Whoopsi Daisy - Let's sparkle and shine

Creative Craft - 3D it

Tuesday Throwdown - Something metallic - brads

Crafts and Me - Add a flower

Craft us Crazy - Anything goes

Ai Factory - Layer it up

Frosted Designs - Buttons

Paper Cutz - Anything goes
Magical Monday - Use some texture 
Allsorts - Free and easy
2 Sisters - Anything goes
Totally Gorjuss - Punch or die
Craft Your days Away - Summertime
Make it Colourful - Colour your embellishments

Crafts and Me Challenge - 20 July 2011

 

Over at the Crafts and Me Challenge Blog the topic is "add a flower".  Well who on earth wouldn't like this challenge?  I have used a Crafts and Me digital image called Dear Diary.  My first try at this card went in the bin as I spent some time colouring the image and then decided to do an out-of-the-die but didn't get it right so my colouring was wasted.  Next time I just printed off the image, did the out-of-the-die cut and it worked so I then coloured it in with my promarkers, highlighted areas with my Sakura Stardust clear pen and Glossy Accents.  The backing papers are all from the scraps box and include some gold foil effect, orange mirri card and some orange flower paper (please excuse the photo but the camera didn't like the mirri card everywhere).  The image I have 3D'd onto a tag and used one of my beloved tassels from Joanna Sheen's shop.  The front of the card has been finished off with butterflies made using two different coloured card, pearls, buttons, Marianne Designs swirls and small sunflowers.  On the inside I have decorated using the same papers but I have used my ink dusters with Tim Holtz's Spiced marmalade and Mustard Seed distress ink pads to make a backing and then used black Versafine and some Artemerio stamps to add a bit of depth to the inside of the card.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Crafty Catz - Tags
Crafts 4 Eternity - 3-2-1 embellishments (3 sunflowers, 2 buttons and 1 tassel)

Fussy and Fancy Friday - Summer

Totally Papercrafts - Girly girl

Emerald Fairies - All things nice

Cutie Sunday - Summer

One Stitch at a Time - Flowers

Pollycraft Monday - Summer fun

Papertake Weekly - Getting cute

Creative Craft - 3D it

A Spoon Full of Sugar - Tags

Clear it out - Anything goes (using up my buttons and scraps of paper/card)

My Time to Craft - Citrus colours

Flutter by Wednesday - Open theme

Do it with Digis - Summer fun

Charisma Cardz - Sunshine colours
Ai factory - Layer it up
Craft us Crazy - Anything goes

Anniversary card

As I mentioned yesterday it was my 20th wedding anniversary.  For my card I used Joanna Sheen's Patience Strong CD and picked the above image.  With some a beautiful image/words I decided to use plain backing papers and made some flowers from a book, distressed with Tim Holtz's Dusty Concord and Milled Lavender distress ink pads, scrunched them up, rubbed Cosmic Shimmer glitter glue over them and pulled them together with some brads.  I then put a personalised insert inside.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Frosted designs - Quote that

Sew Many Challenges - Sparkle

Fussy and Fancy Friday - Summer

Totally Gorjuss - All about the boys

One Stitch at a Time - Flowers
Sentimental Sundays - For the men in your life
Tuesday Throwdown - Something metallic (brads)

Aud Sentiments Challenge #33 - Sentiment to make you smile

We had some gorgeous entries for the last challenge with Aud Sentiments.  Click here to see the winners.  This fortnight the topic is "sentiment to make you smile".

The fortnight we have been kindly sponsored by Just Some Lines.  Click here to have a look at their gorgeous images.  For my card I have used the image Cats Meow 7 - isn't it lovely?

 

Every time I make a card now with a digital image I print off two copies of the same image in case I make a mistake.  Fortunately both images were OK so I decided to go double and make two cards for the challenge.  The image I have coloured in with Promarkers, Glossy Accent blobs put into the centre of all the flowers to add dimension, then the edges were distressed with my Tim Holtz distressing tool and then the edges inked up.  All the backing papers are from scraps so I am unsure of the makes.  The cards are then finished off with sentiments off the computer, bow, stars, flowers and card candy.

I am also entering this card into the following challenges:

Alphabet Challenge - K for kitty cats
Mark's Finest Papers - Bright and cheery

Birthday Sundaes - Anything goes birthday (1st card shown here)

One Stitch at a Time - Flowers

I Did it Creations - Animals

Craft Your Passion - Use text on your project

Papertake Weekly - Getting cute
Everybody - Art - Dots (first card)
Creative Card Crew - Animal antics

Crafty Creations - Seeing double - two cards made with the same image
Do it with Digis - Summer fun

Charisma Cardz - Sunshine colours
Ai Factory - Layer it up