New Baby Boy Card

A friend has become a Nanny so I made this card for her daughter and her partner.  The images and papers are from my Kraftyhands "Bouncing Babies" CD.  Yes I have used a lot of images and the matting and layering plates but the card is A4 and needed a lot on it.  The card has been finished off with personalised information regarding the birth, insert, charm, brads, plastic bottle embellishment, ribbon, various shop bought baby embellishments and Papermania Glitterations.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Crafts 4 Eternity - At least one metal embellishment

Crafty Emma - New beginnings

Lollipop Crafts - Embellish it - at least 3+ embellishments - ribbon/Papermania Glitterations, charm, shop bought embellishments, plastic bottle dummy

Ladybug Crafts Ink TLT - Oh baby!

Ruby's Rainbow - Use metal on your project

Paper Shelter - Anything goes

Crafts and Me - Use blue

Creative Craft - Numbers or a sentiment

Charisma Cardz - Anything goes

The Crafty Purple Frog Challenge - 27 October 2011

Along whizzes another fortnight and it is time for a new challenge over at the Crafty Purple Frog.  This fortnight the challenge is "sparkle".  Well that one shouldn't be too difficult as most of us like sparkle on our cards/projects.

For my card I have used the pyromage sheet called "Night Rose".  I decided to keep the colour scheme as black, white and purple.  When I made a card recently and stamped the backgrounds I did two at once - a tip that I use - if I just stamp one background I seem to do something wrong and then have to start again whereas if I do two at once mostly everything goes fine and then I have an extra lot of papers to work with!!!  The backing papers are from the scraps box.  The book pages are a die-cut that I won in a challenge a while ago and I thought they needed to go on a card.  I have inked all the edges of the paper and card as I hate seeing white edges.  I have made the pyromage up with Pinflair glue gel so it isn't too high.  The card has been finished off with some organza ribbon, Craftwork Cards sentiment, a gorgeous K&Co gem/pearl embellishment (I had an idea about these as I don't like the "sticky" between the linked gems as other things can stick to it - so out came my anti-static bag, brushed over the top and then I wiped over with a tissue to buff up and hey presto no extra sticky anywhere), flowers given to me by a crafting friend which I have rubbed Stickles into and a glass sparkly embellishment.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Inspire me Friday - Anything goes

Totally Papercrafts - layer upon layer

Emerald faeries - Flowers, flowers, flowers

Lollipop Crafts - Embellish it - 3 + embellishments (gems, glass sparkly embellishment, flowers, pearls and ribbon)

Paper Pretties - Embellish

Scrapbook Sisters - Anything goes

Top Tip Tuesday - Bubble, bubble we are cooking up some trouble OR Top Tip - I am offering the Top Tip I mentioned above re the linked gem/pearl embellishments that you can get - I had an idea about these as I don't like the "sticky" between the linked gems as other things can stick to it - so out came my anti-static bag, brushed over the top and then I wiped over with a tissue to buff up and hey presto no extra sticky anywhere and a gorgeous embellishment to go on a card.
Crafty Ribbons - BINGO board - gems/flowers/glitter for me
Charisma Cardz - Anything goes

Aud Sentiments Design Team Card - Thursday 27 October 2011 - A funny card

Well we had a lovely array of cards for the challenge last fortnight.  This fortnight you are challenged to make a "funny card".  

This fortnight we are lucky enough to be sponsored by Bugaboo Stamps.  There are a lovely array of images here to choose from.  

For my card I have used the image called "Stella Peeker - Another Drink".  Even with a wonderful image I struggled with this challenge as I don't normally do funny cards but I let the image and the wording do all the talking.  I coloured the image with my Promarkers and highlighted the cherries and Stella's glasses with Glossy Accents.  The backing papers/card are scraps I had in my scraps box.  These papers led me on the direction of burgundy, white and turquoise.  I inked the edges of the papers/DCWV card I used.  The card has been finished off with some gems, a turquoise grosgrain ribbon, burgundy checked ribbon and a flower with a brad centre.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Inspire me Friday - Anything goes

Totally Papercrafts - Layer upon layer

Stamp-Scrap-Doodle - Bon appetit

Always with a Heart - Use up your snippets and then link to your most viewed blog post (well I did get an almighty shock here as it was certainly not one I had expected!!!).  Here is the link to my most view post at 353 pageviews.

Pile it On - Be happy

Lollipop Crafts - Embellish it - 3 or more embellishments (gems, flowers, ribbons and brad)

Paper Pretties - Embellish

Paper Shelter - Anything goes

Crafts and Me Challenge - 19 October 2011

Over at the Crafts and Me Challenge the topic is "blue, green and pink".

For my card I have used my Crafts and Me digital image called Aliah.  I have coloured her in with Promarkers and highlighted areas with my Sakura Stardust clear pen for some sparkle.  The backing papers again are Sugar and Spice from Dovecraft.  The card that I have distressed the edges/embossed is DCWV.  I have simply finished off the card with some blue gems, pink flowers computer generated sentiment.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Charisma Cardz - Embossing - heat or dry

Totally Papercrafts - Layer upon layer

Crafts and Me - Blue, green and pink

Inspire me Friday - Anything goes

Pixie Challenge - Happy birthday

Crafty Catz - Happy birthday

Our Creative Corner - Faces

Both this card made and the previous card have been made totally out of the same paper and card but they look so different when placed side-by-side due to different images used/different embellishments.  It's another two cards made for the Docrafts Card for Life Appeal.  Here are the cards side-by-side:

Mo's Digital Challenge - 20 October 2011

Over at the Mo's Digital Challenge Blog the challenge is "use you favourite Mo image and a sentiment".

Well there is no competition for my favourite Mo image.  It is this little cutie called "baby fairy Flora".  I have coloured her with Promarkers and highlighted areas with my Sakura Stardust clear pen for some sparkle.  The backing papers are Sugar and Spice from Dovecraft.  The card that I have distressed the edges of is DCWV and there are some scraps of pink DCWV that I embossed and then sanded.  The card has been finished off with a blue "cute" sticker (yes it is blue but not thanks to my flash) and a sentiment off the computer.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Mo's Digital Challenge - Favourite image and sentiment

I Love Promarkers - Cute

Flutter by Wednesday - Open challenge

Charisma Cardz - Embossing - heat or dry

Totally Papercrafts - Layer upon layer

Crafty Emma - New beginnings
Crafts and Me - Blue, green and pink

Inspire me Friday - Anything goes

Sweet Pea Stamps Card Contest

Over at the Sweet Pea Stamps Blog there is a card contest so I decided to enter as I sooooooooooo love my Sweet Pea Stamps.

 I decided to make an 8x8 shaped easel and I have used my new Sweet Pea Stamp called Darya by Elaine Cox.  Isn't she just beautiful?  I have coloured the image with my Promarkers and highlighted areas with my Sakura Stardust clear pen.  I then tore the edges to distress it and inked the edges with a chalk ink pad.

The backing papers are Sugar and Spice by Dovecraft and the card is DCWV and other from my stash and all the papers/card have been inked around the edges as I hate to see the white core showing.  I found two scraps of pink DCWV card so I embossed with an embossing folder and distressed with a sander to release the white core.  I used my Tim Holtz distressing tool around the edge of the card, inked the edges with a pink chalk ink pad and then used a See D's flourish stamp with the same pink chalk ink pad and stamped around the edge of the card.

The card has been finished with some gorgeous wide ribbon which a crafty friend gave me recently when we met for the first time, lace, a gorgeous K&Co gem and pearl swirl, paper flowers, gems, leaves cut with two different X-cut punches, Craftwork Cards die-cut sentiment, a lovely pink crochet flower which a friend made and some beautiful Marianne Designs butterflies.  I refrained from using any metal eg brads/stick pins as I am sending the card off to the USA for a very special person there and didn't want any metal causing any problems on the journey.

Here is a picture of the card opened so you can see the inside matches as well.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

The Emerald Faeries - Flowers, flowers, flowers

Corrosive Challenge - Flying things

Marianne Designs - Dying to die-cut

Sweet Pea Stamps - Card contest

Let's Ink it Up - Think pink

Totally Papercrafts - Layer upon layer

Paper Cutz - In the pink

Little Ribbon Monthly - Anything goes and ribbon

Fab n Funky - Distressed or torn

Charisma Cardz - Embossing - heat or dry

Sweet Pea Stampers Challenge - 21 October 2011

Another fortnight has come around and it's time for another Sweet Pea Stampers Challenge.  This fortnight the challenge is "scary/Halloween".

For my card I have used the Ching Chou-Kuik image called "Exotic Halloween".  I have stamped the image with a sepia Versafine and used my Lyra Watercolours to colour the image in for change from my Promarkers.  The backing papers are Basic Grey and are a fab quality for really distressing with Tim Holtz's distressing tool.  I used half a doily which I inked with a green chalk ink pad.  The ribbon was originally orange but I coloured black with my Promarker.  The card is finished off a computer generated sentiment, spooky pumpkin charm, Summertime Designs digital bats cut out and a gorgeous flower that a friend made me from a Paper Artsy die with a button centre.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Basic Grey - Autumn/Fall/Halloween (I have used a black distressed paper and a green paper from the Basic Grey Boxer paper pad)

Craft Your Days Away - Halloween colours/Halloween theme

One Stop Craft - Halloween 

The squirrel and the Fox - One for the girls

Cupcake Inspiration - Photo inspiration

Gingerloft - Halloween or fall

Addicted to Stamps - Halloween

Dream Valley - Halloween

Paper Creations Ink - Halloween

Creative Stamp Friends - Halloween

Whoopsi Daisy - Free and easy

The Crazy Challenge - Halloween

Heart Song Inspirations - Use flowers and/or felt

There's Magic in the Air - Halloween
Crazy Boots - Autumn or Halloween

Pollycraft Monday - Girls, girls, girls

Top Tip Tuesday - Layer it up

Digital Tuesday - Happy Halloween (digital bats from Summertime Designs - hope this is OK)

Papertake Weekly - Spooky hues

Creative Card Crew - Spooky fun

Creatalicious Challenge - Distress your edges

In a Sweet Pea Dream - Anything goes
Crafting for all Seasons - Halloween or colour challenge

I Brake for Challenges - Halloween

Whimsy Stamp - Make your own flowers and sentiment

Papercraft Star - Trick or treat

My Sheri Crafts - Pumpkins

My Time to Craft - Punches and dies
Cheerful Stamp Pad - Halloween
Drunken Stampers - Halloween
Hooked on Crafts - Something spooky
Party Time Tuesday - Spooky and/or sketch
Delightful Sketches - Halloween
Paperplay - Use black
Shelly's Images - Show us what you've got
Stamptacular Sunday - You choose
Inspire me Friday - Anything goes
Crafts 4 Eternity - At least one metal embellishment - pumpkin charm for me
Stampin' for the Week-end - Spooky

Crafty Ann's Challenge #52 - Clean and Simple (CAS)

It's time for another challenge at Crafty Ann's.  This fortnight we are being challenged with "Clean and Simple".  Yikes - no matter how hard I try I really struggle with clean and simple like many crafters but that is part-and-parcel of a challenge.

For my card I have used Crafty Ann's new cobweb papers in green, a scrap of a red abstract paper and the new pre-coloured poinsettia image.  To add a bit of interest and to compliment the text in the image, I have put some green card through a script embossing folder.  The card is then finished off with a My Minds Eye brad.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Kaboodle Doodles - Squares or inchies

Top Tip Tuesday - Layer it up

Shopping Our Stash - Photo inspiration and /or the theme Dia de los Muertos ie skulls, skeletons, the colours, cookies, flowers, shapes etc
ABC Christmas - U for unused stash - for me it has to be My Mind's Eye brads - I won them in some blog candy quite a long time ago but they are so nice I haven't wanted to use but I have been brave and used one!!
Inspire me Friday - Anything goes

The Crafty Pad Challenge - 16 October 2011

Over at the Crafty Pad Challenge the topic this time is "monochromatic".  I do love seeing monochromatic.

For my card I have used papers/embossed card scraps from my box so I am unsure of the make of the papers.  The image of this gorgeous motorbike is from Delicious Doodles and is called "vintage Norton bike".  I printed off the image and then tore around the edges for a more manly look.  The card is then simply finished off with some star brads which I have had since I first started crafting and a computer generated sentiment.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Inspire me Friday - Anything goes

Creatalicious Monthly - Distress your edges

Secret Crafter - White plus one other colour
Sweet Stampin' - Masculine
The Crafty Pad - Monochromatic

Celebrate the Occasion - Male birthday and metal

Creative Inspirations - Monochromatic

Fab n Funky - Distressed or torn

Sweet Stamps - Lots of layers

Saturated Canary Challenge No 2 - Thursday 13 October 2011

It's time for the second challenge over at the Saturated Canary Blog.  The topic this fortnight is "stitching".

For my card I have used the Saturated Canary image called "Let it Rain".  I have coloured her in with Promarkers, used my Tim Holtz distressing tool around the image and distressed with a chalk ink pad.  The spotty and striped backing papers are from Summertime Designs.  I decided to add some lace vertically as I always seem to do it horizontally and like the effect so I might do it more often.  I have then done faux stitching around the image and one of the backing papers with a brown Promarker.  I love the faux stitching effect but found that the black Letraset Fineliner was too harsh.  Now with the introduction of the fine nibs you can use any colour you want.  This time I used Burnt Sienna and I think it worked so much better than black.  I used two pieces of white core DCWV card and put it through a swirly embossing folder and then sanded down to reveal the white core.  The card has been finished off with a Craftwork Cards sentiment, gems, cherry blossom flowers, buttons, leaves cut with an X-cut punch, ribbon, 2 heart pearl pins and a diamante effect pin.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Top Tip Tuesday - Use design papers and option of making your own flowers

Digital Tuesday - Fall colours
Whimsy Stamps - Die-cuts and/or punches
Papercraft Star - Leaf
I Love Promarkers - Autumnal colours
Crafts and Me - Orange
I Brake for Challenges - Girl power
Divas by Designs - Button up
Delightful Sketches - Colours of fall
Crafty Ribbon - Ribbon and lace
Rainbow Lady's - Falling leaves
Saturated Canary - Stitching
Inspire me Friday - Anything goes
Creatalicious Monthly - Distress your edges
Cardmadfairy's Digi Days - Spots and stripes
Crafty Emma - Forever autumn
Squirrel and the Fox - One for the girls
Totally Gorjuss - Bingo board - bling, buttons and lace for me
The Emerald Faerie Garden - Flowers, flowers, flowers
Sundays with Crissy - Thanksgiving/thank you
The Shabby Team Room - Pumpkin garden/photo inspiration and dry embossing
Whoopsi Daisy - Free and easy
Heart Song Inspirations - Use flowers and/or felt
Stamps R Us - Nature's gifts
Pollycraft Monday - Girls, girls, girls

One Stop Craft Challenge - 15 October 2011

The One Stop Craft Challenge this week is Halloween.  I thought I'd finished my Halloween cards but in between making a commissioned card I had a play with a new image I bought.  I follow Hazel's blog and she uses Rick St Dennis' images so I gave in at last and had a little splurge.

For my card I have used Rick St Dennis' image called Cha Cha Witch.  I certainly wouldn't want to meet her would you?  I decided to keep the colour scheme as monochromatic in black and white.  The backing papers are from Summertime Designs and I have distressed the edges with Tim Holtz's Black Soot distress ink pad and the white card I have stamped with Onyx black Versafine and two different Tim Holtz stamps.  The image I have coloured with Promarkers, torn around the edge and then distressed with Tim Holtz's Black Soot distress ink pad.  The card is finished off with some material-style flowers made out of guess what (a hint is they are used for babies and beauty!!), large black buttons, card candy, ribbon and computer generated sentiment.

I am also entering this card into the following challenges:

Cupcake Craft - Halloween

Stamps + Fun = Creativity - Halloween

My Partner in Crafting Crime - Photo inspiration

Everybody Art - Halloween

Creative Card Crew - Spooky Fun

Scrap-Creations - Halloween

Simon Says - Halloween/Goth

Truly Scrumptious - Distressing

The House that Stamps Built - Halloween/Fall

Creatalicious Monthly - Distress your edges

Meljen's Designs - Use a ribbon

Shelly's Images - Show us your layers

Pattie's Creations - Halloween

The Poodle Parlour - Halloween

Inspire me Friday - Anything goes

Delicious Doodles - Halloween but no orange

Alphabet Challenge - S = soon for Halloween

Craft Your Days Away - Halloween colours/theme

One Stop Craft - Halloween

Secret Crafter - White plus one other colour (white and black for me)

Totally Gorjuss - BINGO board - I chose flowers, buttons (big black buttons in the centre of the flowers) and bows
Cupcake Inspirations - Photo inspiration
Gingerloft - Halloween or fall
Addicted to Stamps - Halloween
The Corrosive Challenge - Flying things
The Crafty Pad - Monochromatic
Stamptacular Sunday - You choose
Dream Valley Challenge - Halloween
Top Tip Tuesday - Use design papers and option of making your own flowers

Wild Rose Studio Blog Hop - 10 October 2011

Over at the Wild Rose Studio they have a wonderful selection of goodies up for grabs in their Blog Hop/Challenge.  Who wouldn't want to win these?  I surely would as I'd put them to good use for my cards that I make solely to sell to raise funds for different charities.  What do you have to do to enter?  You have to make a card/project for the challenge entitled "Christmas" and then take part in the Blog Hop.

Well I decided to make not one but three cards - well it should have been four as there were four pre-coloured images on the sheet and I cut out four but where the fourth image is no-one knows!!  The images are from the Wild Rose Studio Christmas Collection CD.  I have inked the edges of the images with a chalk ink pad.  I have used my Sakura Stardust clear pen to add some sparkle to the images.  I then printed off one sheet of the matching backing paper as the backdrop to the images as it's gorgeous.  The cards have been finished off with a variety of lace, ribbon, card candy, tag sentiment, gems, brads and flowers made from the Artylicious Essence of Nature CD. 

Another three cards ready to take into town to the local Cancer Research UK shop so that these cards can be sold as part of the Docrafts Craft for Life Appeal.  If you haven't heard of this before it is whereby you obtain special plastic cello bags for an A6 card to go in, you make up the card and then take it into the shop for them to sell for £1.  It is such a worthwhile cause as unfortunately too many lives are affected by cancer and that if I can do a little bit to help I will.

I am also entering this card into the following challenges:

Little Claire's Challenge - Christmas

I Did it Creations - Anything goes

Inspire me Friday - Anything goes

Daring Cardmakers - A little bird told us

Lynn's Designer Creations Magnolia Blog Header Giveaway

The wonderful Lynn over at Lynn Designer Creations has just done a blog header giveaway and I was so fortunate to be one of the lucky winners.  Lynn has been busy designing again and has some more gorgeous blog headers for three people to win.  

Please click here to go and have a look.  This offer ends 19 October 2011.  If I hadn't have won last time I would certainly be entering.  Please take the time to have a look at Lynn's wonderful blog as well.

Aud Sentiments Design Team Card - Thursday 13 October 2011 - Winter Card

Well we had a wonderful array of entries this last fortnight for the Aud Sentiments Challenge.  

This fortnight the topic is a "Winter Card" and we are being sponsored by Lili of the Valley (LOTV).

For my card I have used the image "Build a Snowman" - isn't it gorgeous?  Those kids look like they are having such fun.  I have coloured my image in with Promarkers and highlighted areas like the fur with my Sakura Stardust clear pen.  I then die-cut the image and distressed the edges with Tim Holtz's Fired Brick distress ink pad.  The snowman backing paper I was given by my sister so it's found a nice home on a card.  The card has been finished off with a die-cut border, gems, card embossed with a metal effect mask, Crafty Ann's Digi Shop poinsettias, brads, glittery snowflakes and a sentiment.

I am also entering this card into the following challenges:

Bah! Humbug - Glitz and glimmer
Inspire me Friday - Anything goes
Secret Crafter - Anything goes as long as it sparkles
Just Some Lines - Reminds me of a song - Frosty The Snowman
Little Claire's - Christmas
I Did it Creations - Anything goes
One Stitch at a Time - Anything goes

Whimsy Stamps - Die-cuts and/or punches

ABC Challenge - Anything goes

Creatalicious Challenge - Anything goes
Sentimental Sundays - Anything goes and sentiment
Craft Your Passion - A card for all occasions
My Mum's Craft Shop - Remind you of a song - Frosty the Snowman
LOTV - Warm and cozy

Scrap-Creations Challenge - 11 October 2011

Over at the Scrap-Creations Challenge the topic this week is "Halloween".  I am hoping that maybe I have got Halloween out of my system and this might be my last Halloween card for 2011 - but you never know!!!  I have got a few images coloured in so they might find their way to a card.

Again I have used the last lot of the Bearlymine and Summertime Designs papers that I printed off.  I love using square cards and love being able to re-size the papers on the screen rather than print and cut up especially when they have a lot of black in them.  The image I have just cut out and placed over the papers (again I think it's a freebie from Andy Carolan).  Well I certainly don't like the looks of that witch and certainly don't like the looks of whatever is inside that bubbling cauldron!!!  I have finished the card off with a sentiment off the computer and a gorgeous velvet witches hat.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Inspire me Friday - Anything goes

Fussy and Fancy Friday - Fall or Halloween
Crafty Calendar - Spooky
2 Sisters - Halloween

Sparkles Forum - Halloween

I Did it Creations - Anything goes

One Stitch at a Time - Anything goes

Cupcake Craft - Halloween

Paper Creations Ink - Black and/or orange

My Time to Craft - Orange and black

Everybody Art - Halloween

Creative Card Crew - Spooky fun

Scrap-Creations - Halloween

Shopping our Stash - Boo are you spooky or orange/black

Digital Tuesday - Fall colours

Pixie Cottage - Dark and spooky and/or sketch
The House that Stamps Built - Fall/Halloween
Bows and Berries - Photo inspiration

2 Sisters Challenge - 8 October 2011

Here is another Halloween card I have made.  I have again used a mixture of Bearlymine and also Summertime Designs backing papers with the orange, black and purple.  The image of this scary bat with his pumpkin is a set of window stickers I bought.  They'd have to be stuck on the outside of the window as the sticky side is underneath.  Not sure my husband would like me sticking them on the window/doors as they'd be awful to get off afterwards and he would be cursing me trying to get the marks off!!!  Think it's best they are safely stuck on a card.  The card is finished off with a computer generated sentiment and some buttons.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Inspire me Friday - Anything goes

Fussy and Fancy Friday - Fall or Halloween
Crafty Calendar - Spooky
2 Sisters - Halloween

Sparkles Forum - Halloween

I Did it Creations - Anything goes

Come and Get It Challenge - Orange, purple and black

One Stitch at a Time - Anything goes

Cupcake Craft - Halloween

Paper Creations Ink - Black and/or orange

My Time to Craft - Orange and black

Everybody Art - Halloween

Creative Card Crew - Spooky fun

Scrap-Creations - Halloween

Shopping our Stash - Boo are you spooky or orange/black

Digital Tuesday - Fall colours

Pixie Cottage - Dark and spooky and/or sketch

Scrapalicious USA - Black, orange and purple

Totally Papercrafts - Animals

Lollipop Crafts - Critters
Crafty Boots - Zoo or animal themed
The House that Stamps Built - Fall/Halloween
Bows and Berries - Photo inspiration

The Crafty Purple Frog Challenge - 13 October 2011

Well you certainly kept us busy over the last fortnight with your gorgeous creations.  This fortnight the challenge is "Thank You".

For my card I have used the Crafty Purple Frog decoupage sheet called "Night Glimmer".  isn't she so gorgeous.  I have used some bright green and purple paper from Funky Hands Funky Daze CD along with some purple swirl paper from a local shop.  The image has been decoupaged up with Pinflair glue gel.  The card is finished off with some Marianne Designs scrolls, lots of flowers, Craftwork cards sentiment, gems and brads.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Inspire me Friday - Anything goes

Easy Craft Project - Autumn project or thank you

If the Shoe Fits Scrap It - Girls rock

I Did it Creations - Anything goes

One Stitch at a Time - Anything goes

Corrosive Challenge - Purple passion

Incy Wincy - Being thankful

I Brake for Challenges - Girl power

Whimsy Stamps - Die-cuts and/or punches

ABC Challenge - Anything goes

The Emerald Faeries Garden - Punches/dies
Creatalicious Challenge - Anything goes
Sentimental Sundays - Anything goes and sentiment