CD Sunday Challenge - Sunday 2/5/10

Over at the CD Sunday Challenge this week the topic is "Baby Talk".  How did they know I had to make a couple of new baby cards?  For this card I have used a gorgeous image from Joanna Sheen's Baby Love CD for the front of the card and the same CD for the image inside.  I have decoupage the image on the front.  I have to admit to printing off the paper to go with the image but the grey and silver card were off-cuts.  I have used some gorgeous burgundy lace and accented the card with a sentiment off the computer, some bought flowers and a little pram charm.  I have decorated inside the card and added a verse.


This card also fits the following challenges:


Everybody Art - Song Title - I have chosen "Baby Love" by The Supremes - for the fact of a new baby to love and also that is the title of Joanna Sheen's CD as well
Spoon Full of Sugar - 3D something
Creative Craft - Blooming marvellous.

Cards for Men Challenge - Tuesday 27/4/10

The topic for the Cards for Men Challenge this week was "monochromatic".  I normally shy away from topics such as this but part of these challenges in the blog world is to challenge you - and this one did!!  I used some Red Hot Bed Spanish images I've had for some time in various shades of orange and teamed it up with two different shades of pearlescent papers.  The die-cut images I popped out and then got my distress tool to them and then ink the edges with Tim Holtz's Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink - you'd never guessed I liked them would you?  I decorated the inside of the card like I normally do as I think a nice inside and out makes the card better.


This card also fits the following challenges:


Crafty Angels - Summer
Flourishes - Vintage
Quixotic - How distressing?
Lili of the Valley - Here comes the Summer.

Karen's Doodles UK Challenge - Wednesday 28/4/10

Over at Karen's Doodles UK Challenge this week the topic is "Animal Magic".  Karen has drawn some gorgeous animal images so there were quite a few to choose from.  In the end I went for the little princess riding her pony and coloured in with Promarkers and distressed the edges with Tim Holtz's Tattered Rose Distress Ink.  I distressed the backing papers which are from my stash and are from a Daisy and Dandelion paper pad I have had for some time now.  One of the pieces of backing paper I cut both edges with my Martha Stewart lattice punch and layered it onto some gold mirror card.  The image has been 3D to give some height along with the ticket sentiment from Crafty Ann's Digi Shop.  The card is finished off with some card candy, a Happy Birthday sticker and some princess decoupage I was given finished off the inside of the card.


This card also fits the following challenges:


A Spoon Full of Sugar - 3D something
Quixotic Challenge - How distressing?
Stampin' Royalty - Use your punches
Charisma Cardz - Girly card with flowers
Delightful Sketches and Challenges - Use your punches
Allsorts - Animal Creations
KL Stampin' n Scrappin' - Decorate card inside and out
Corrosive Challenge - Let's celebrate
One Stitch at a Time - Children's card.

Crafts and Me Challenge Blog - Wednesday 28/4/10

Over at the Crafts and Me Challenge Blog the challenge this week is for "sparkle".  I have coloured the image in with Promarkers.  For those crafters that know me I don't do glitter very much as I hate getting messy but I do love the Sakura Clear Stardust pen for adding as much sparkle as I want to projects.  I have highlighted areas of this gorgeous Sweet Pea stamp hair, clothes and also the backing paper.  The shimmer isn't showing much on the photo but it's more than I normally do but this kind of image allows for it.  I have falled so in love with these Sweet Pea stamps thanks to a fellow crafter!!!  I have used backing paper from my stash, distressed the edges of the image and punched card with Tim Holtz's Faded Jeans Distress Ink Pad, added a peel-off, some flowers and a ticket sentiment from Crafty Ann's Digi Shop.

This card also fits the following challenges:

Crafty HO's - April showers bring May flowers
One Stitch at a Time - Flowers
Quixotic Challenge - How distressing
Creative Card Crew - April showers bring May flowers
Creative Craft - Blooming marvellous
Stampin' Royalty - Use your punches
Pals Paper Arts - Monochromatic blues
Paperplay - Pretty Pastels
Lili of the Valley - Here somes Summer
Charisma Cardz - Girly card with flowers
Delightful Sketches and Challenges - Pull out your punches
Sweet Stampin' - It's Summer time.

Karen's Doodles USA - Monday 26/4/10

I had the task of making a sympathy card for a customer who had a lady friend whose relative died.  Like many of us I don't like making these kinds of cards but this angel I have used a number of times and it has been well greeted as a suitable image.  The image has been coloured in with Promarkers.  I have used some papers from my stash that I was given by a friend along with a sentiment off the computer.  The papers are pink, burgundy with brown branches so I thought they were quite a nice combination.  I have kept it very clean and simple.  This card fits the Karen's Doodles USA Challenge this week as the card has to be for "Mom/Feminine" and the recipient of this card was feminine so I hope this counts.


This card also fits the following challenges:


All that Scraps - Pink and brown
Flutter by Wednesday - Clean and simple.

Flourishes Challenge - Tuesday 27/4/10

Over at the Flourishes Challenge blog the topic this week is vintage.  I have made this card with some DCWV papers that I won in some blog candy last year.  The image is from the My Craft Studio Art Deco Follies CD and I have coloured with more vintagy colours - if that's a word!!!  I have kept the card very simple but elegant and it has been finished off with a sentiment and some Papermania Glitterations.


This card also fits the following challenges:


Paper Cutz - Mother's Day
Stamp, Scrap and Doodle - Something girly
Stampin' Sisters in Christ - A card or project for Mother's Day.

Dare U 2 Digi Stamp - Friday 23-4-10

Over at the Dare U 2 Digi Stamp Challenge this week the topic is "flowers" and as I am mad about flowers how could I resist?  I have used a Sew Many Cards image of Jovi - this image is still my favourite and it's from a friend using it that I now have a lot of their images.  I have coloured Jovi in with Promarkers, cut out with a Nestabilities die and distressed all the edges of the Nestabilities mount and all the backing papers with a Versamagic pink ink pad.  The card is finished off with some flowers from my stash and a ticket sentiment from Crafty Ann's Digi Store.


This card also meets the following challenges:


Sew Many Challenges - Anything goes
Creative Card Crew - April showers bring May flowers
Our Creative Corner - Blossoms
Lots to Do - Trees and/or leaves
Stamp, Scrap and Doddle - Something girly
Crafty HO's - April showers bring May flowers
One Stitch at a Time - Flowers
Crafty Angels - Summer
Creative Craft - Blooming Marvellous.

Paper Sundaes Challenge - 25 April 2010

When I first saw the challenge for Paper Sundaes Challenge this week I thought OK.  That soon changed when I decided to use a 6x6 card but I got there in the end.  The challenge this week is "Build a Paper Sundae - 3 patterned papers, 2 different cardstock and 1 flower".  This kind of challenge, when I am using up paper and bits-and-pieces of paper/cardstock is ideal.  The backing papers are Daisy and Dandelion which I've had since they first came out in a Docrafts Goody Bag.  I have teamed it up with some purple holographic card from Create and Craft and some DCWV purple metallic card but both were only smallish pieces that I just managed to use.  The image is a gorgeous fairy from the talented Prairie Fairy.  She has been coloured in with Promarkers.  I have distressed the edges of the paper and image with a purple Versa Magic ink pad - I love Tim Holtz's Distress Ink Pads but I still love my loyal and faithful Versamagic ink pads as they first got me into distressing.  The card is finished off with a ticket sentiment from Crafty Ann's Digi Shop that I have edged in yellow and purple Promarkers, a glittery flower sticker and some ribbon from Create and Craft.


This card also fits the following challenges:


Spoon Full of Sugar - Happy Birthday
Crafty Creations - Distressing
Saturday Challenge - Distressing
Prairie Fairy - Distressing
Stamp, Scrap and Doodle - Something girly
Craft Your Passion - Purple and Yellow
Creative Card Crew - Happy Birthday
Simon Says - Things with Wings.

Wonderland Card

As you know, I have fallen in love with the Sweet Pea Stamps but this week I came across The Crafty Purple Frog who has been given the license to convert these images into decoupage/pyromage sheets.  I love colouring in but sometimes it's nice to have decoupage/pyromage sheets so I had to buy some didn't I?  This one is called the Mad Tea Party and can be found here.  I have used some backing paper from the table, the grey piece only just was big enough.  The purple piece of paper was given to me this week from a friend from a freebie from a magazine subscription and I tore the edges and then distressed with a number of layers of Tim Holtz's Tattered Rose Distress Ink.  I have finished the card off with a paisley brad, card candy, peel-off, some gorgeous purple lace, fibres and some heart charms put on jump rings.


This card fits the following challenges:


Die-cut Dreams - Tear it up
Creative Card Crew - Happy Birthday
Sweet Pea Stampers - Wonderland
A Spoon Full of Sugar - Happy birthday
Crafty Creations - Distressing
Fussy and Fancy Friday - Birthday with a sweet treat on it - think Alice is drinking a nice drink of sweet tea - or maybe hot chocolate!!!
Saturday Challenge - Distressing
Stamp, Scrap and Doodle - Something girly.

Card for a Special Friend

I made this card recently for a friend's birthday.  I used some Sweet Pea Stamps images that I coloured in with Promarkers.  I had real difficulty with the layout of the card as this was more 8x8 size and I hadn't done that size square before.  I used all papers from the stash I have which is dwindling slowly but surely.  The card is mainly red and white with some touches of grey and also some other colours on the stamped imagesI used my new X-cut flourish punch to add some decoration on the front, some Papermania Glitterations which I coloured some in red with my red Promarker.  I have finished the card off with some Dawn Bibby die-cut flowers which again I coloured with my red Promarker pen.


This card fits the following challenges:


Magical Crafts - Something for the girls
Cupcake Craft - Red and white
Sweet Pea Stampers - Wonderland
Crazy Amigo - Flowers
Simon Says - Things with wings
Gingersnap Creations - Botanical
Our Creative Corner - Blossoms
Stamp, Scrap and Doodle - Something girly.

Some Lovely Blog Candy

Over at Kellie's Blog she has some GORGEOUS blog candy up for grabs to celebrate 100,00 hits on her blog.  Wow!!  I've got a long way to go before I reach that milestone.  The candy that is up for grabs is the Spring Swiss Pixie Kit from All that Scraps.  Isn't it fab?  Please click here if you want to have a look.

Glenda's New Stamps and Blog Candy

Glenda has some wonderful new stamps that have been produced.  I like them all but I think my favourite has to be the crosses and the wonderful scroll stamp set.  She is offering some sets of stamps up for blog candy so please click here to go and have a look.

Papercrafts by Rachel Blog Candy

Rachel has reappeared in the blogging world and is offering some blog candy.  Click here to go and have a look.

The Creative Cottage Challenge No 6 Favourites

Whilst blog hopping I see that my card for The Creative Cottage Challenge No 6 made me one of their 4 favourites.  It was a difficult card to make as it is for our neighbour's as they are leaving for a new house on Saturday but I thought the image and colours were so cheery that it was the perfect card to make.  Congratulations to Lindyloo, Katherine and Wedgie.

Thank you for everyone at The Creative Cottage for picking me as one of your favourites.

Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog - Friday 23 April 2010

Well another fortnight has crept around and it is the start of another challenge at Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog.  The topic this fortnight is a recipe - one main digi image, maximum of three colours (although you can use less), one ribbon and three flowers (these can be digi if you wish).

Well, this is how my Design Team Member card came about.  The image wasn't the first one I printed off and coloured in but my second one.  I went away recently but as I didn't go anywhere near the sea I am missing the whoosh of the waves so I chose Ann's beautiful tropical scene and coloured it in with Promarkers.  The clouds in the sky have been made with the Tim Holtz blending solution ie it took away the blue colour and then I just dabbed it will kitchen roll.  I have distressed the edge of the image with blue and yellow whilst it was still in the Nestabilities shape.  I then did faux stitching around the edge.  

I printed the card straight from the computer using the Polished Stone golden yellow on one side and the sky blue on the other.  I printed some extra of the yellow and blue paper for matting and layering.  I printed off some of Crafty Ann's digi flowers in two sizes onto the yellow paper, cut them out, inked with a scroll U-mount stamp and put on clear embossing powder and heated it up.  It gives a very subtle shine and sheen to the flower.  I used 4 of the small flowers and 4 of the large flowers and held them together with a brad with the word SUMMER on it that I got in some blog candy last year.  The card is finished off with some wide raffia ribbon (I've not long since been converted to wide ribbon.  I'd tried it in the past but wasn't happy until I won some in some blog candy last year and love using it - thanks Wendy!!!), two die-cut Dawn Bibby flowers coloured with Promarkers, a sentiment off the computer, a silver peel-off to adorn the longer side of the card and some card candy coloured with Tulip Yellow Promarker.

Please click here and go and have a look at my fellow Design Team members cards.  They are all wonderful and so varied.  I shall look forward to seeing all the cards entered into this fortnight's challenge.

Not quite sure why this post is saying Thursday instead of Friday as I had scheduled it to be loaded some days ago ready for the start of the Crafty Ann's Fortnightly new challenge on Friday 23/4/10.  I have checked my settings but still no clearer!!!

This card also fits the following challenges:

Sweet Stampin - In stitches
Crafty Catz - Stitching
Dare U 2 Digi Stamp - Flowers
Tanda Teaser - Vivid Colours
Sew Many Cards - Anything goes
Fan 'n' Funky - Get it all out!!- well I was given these peel-offs maybe 1-2 years ago and still not used them.  I also won the brad in the centre of the flower about 6 months or so ago so I thought it was about time for it to be made into a card!!

Allsorts - In stitches

Saturday Challenge - A day out - who wouldn't like a day out at the beach?

Paper Sundaes - No people

Stampin' Sisters in Christ - Flowers

Creative Inspirations - 3 flowers, 2 design papers and 1 ribbon

A Spoon Full of Sugar - Happy Birthday

Digital Tuesday - April flowers or April showers

Crazy Amigo - Flowers

Creative Card Crew - Happy Birthday

Quixotic Challenge - Make a splash

Crafty Creations - Distressing