Happy Birthday

I made this card for someone who likes to wear nice shoes.  I used backing papers, insert and decoupage from the Katy Sue Designs Fabulous Shoes CD.  There were lots of images but I went for this blue shoe with a red flower.  The shoe was difficult to cut in areas and had more layers than normal as I printed the page out twice to give it lots of dimension.

The flowers were cut out of the backing paper mounts which I gutted before layering up.  The green leaves were die-cut from a The Works paper pad.

As I wanted the decoupaged show image to take centre stage I have just finished the card off with die-cut flowers/leaves and a LOTV digital sentiment.

I am entering this card into the following challenges: 

The Creative Crafters - Anything goes
Creative Moments - Anything goes
Aud Sentiments - Anything goes and sentiment
Simon Says - Anything goes
Love to Craft - Anything goes
A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything goes
A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything goes
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything goes
Word Art Wednesday - Anything goes
Pearly Sparkles - Include some red

Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps February 2020 Facebook Challenge - VALENTINE'S DAY/LOVE/FOR SOMEONE SPECIAL

 Today also sees the start of the new Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps Facebook Challenge.  

This month the topic is "VALENTINE'S DAY/LOVE/FOR SOMEONE SPECIAL".

Here is my inspiration post with this theme.  

For my "sending love" card I have used the Ching-Chou Kuik image called "It's all about love".  I have coloured the image in with Promarkers and inked around the edge with a pink Versa Magic chalk ink pad.

The backing papers are free downloads from Hunkydory and Summertime Designs (the red paper I have stamped around the edge with a rose stamp and a Hunkydory grey Prism ink pad).

I have finished the card off with some die-cut hearts from scraps of the backing papers, Debbi Moore sentiment and some lace.

I am entering this card into the following challenges: 

Aud Sentiments - Anything goes and sentiment

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything goes (congratulations on your 5th anniversary of the challenge.  Here's to the next 5 years!!)

Simon Says - All loved up

Lemon Shortbread - Anything goes

Crafty Sentiments - Hearts

Digi Choosday - Anything goes

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything goes

Word Art Wednesday - Anything goes

Simon Says - Anything goes

The Paper Shelter - Digital image

Penny's Paper - Anything goes

Krafty Chicks - Anything goes

Cute Card Thursday - Valentines

As You Like It - Warm or cool colours - which is your favourite? (I would have to say warm colours as cool colours remind me of the winter and my arthritis doesn't like the cold and I think warm colours help to brighten even the dullest of days for whatever reason)

Creatalicious Challenge - Anything goes with the option of hearts

QKR Stampede - Anything goes

Polkadoodles - Anything goes

Crafty Friends - Love/romance

Pearly Sparkles - Include some red

Di's Digi Designs - All about love

A Gem of a Challenge - Anything goes

Love to Scrap - Red and/or pink equals love

Birthday Wishes

It is a friend's birthday today so she needed an extra special card.  Like me, she loves Debbie Moore CDs, so out I had to bring one of my favourites Debbi Moore's Roaring 1920s CD.  I'd have love to have been around to see people wearing these styles of clothes - not that I could wear them as I haven't got the figure for them!!

I decided to make an 8x8 6 panel concertina card.   As the card did not need to be posted I have used decoupage sheets, pyromage, design sheets, toppers and backing papers to make this card.  It took a very long time to make as there was a lot of cutting out of images but I am pleased with the end result.

I have finished the card off quite simply with an organza ribbon bow and a decorative button.

Fingers crossed my friend likes her card.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

The Corrosive Challenge - Anything goes
Creatalicious Challenge - Anything goes with the optional twist of snowflakes
The Creative Crafters - Anything goes
A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything goes
As You Like It - Anything goes
Crafty Catz - Anything goes with the optional twist of flower power
Crafty Friends - Anything goes
Incy Wincy - Anything goes
Creative Moments - Anything goes
Aud Sentiments - Anything goes and sentiment
Creative Fingers - Anything goes
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything goes (congratulations on your 5th anniversary of the challenge.  Here's to the next 5 years!!)
CD Sunday - Anything goes
Krafty Chicks - All occasions

Ching-Chou Kuik's Digital Stamps Inspiration Post - Friday 24 January 2020

 Here is my weekly inspiration post for the Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps Monthly Challenge Blog.

Before I do I'd like to remind you that our challenge this month is:

 "NEW YEAR OR NEW BEGINNINGS eg new baby, new home, new job or even new craft stash".

This week the Design Team were challenged to "Mythical Creatures" eg fairies, unicorns, mermaids, dryads etc.

Here is my inspiration post with that theme. 

For my first Christmas card for 2020 I have used the Ching-Chou Kuik image called "Polar Snow" and have coloured the image in with Promarkers and used my clear Wink of Stella pen on her wings for some sparkle and shine.

The backing papers are are a distressed Christmas set from Bearlymine Designs (sadly no longer available).

I have finished the card off with some die-cut stars which I have put through a dotty embossing folder and some sentiments off a paper from the Bearlymine paper set.

I am entering this card into the following challenges: 

Let's Craft and Create - Anything goes with the option of "love is in the air"

Dragonfly Dreams - Anything goes

613 Avenue Create - Anything goes with the option to make it shiny

World Wide Open Design Team - Anything goes

A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything goes

Di's Digi Designs - Winter and/or snow

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything goes

Crafty Friends - Anything goes

Incy Wincy - Anything goes

The Paper Shelter - Shades of blue

Crafty Hazelnut Christmas - Anything goes with the option to add a sentiment

Crafty Hazelnut Patterned Paper January 2020 Challenge - Anything goes

Winter Wonderland - Little friends

Digi Choosday - Anything goes

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything goes

Creative Moments - Anything goes

I Love Promarkers - Anything goes with the option of embossing

Aud Sentiments - Anything goes and sentiment

Krafty Chicks - All occasions

Polkadoodles - Anything goes

QKR Stampede - Anything goes

Crafty Catz - Anything goes with the option of flower power

Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps - New release

 There is a new image in the Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps Etsy Store:

 This image is called "Purple Balloon".

In this set you will get a black-and-white image and a partially coloured image by Ching-Chou Kuik herself.

 It is at a special introductory price of $2.00 (original price of $4.00).

Hurry as this offer ends on 24 January 2020.

Ching-Chou Kuik's Digital Stamps Inspiration Post - Friday 17 January 2020

 Here is my weekly inspiration post for the Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps Monthly Challenge Blog.

Before I do I'd like to remind you that our challenge this month is:

 "NEW YEAR OR NEW BEGINNINGS eg new baby, new home, new job or even new craft stash".

This week the Design Team were challenged to "use your least favourite colour".

Well any family or friends should be shouting out that GREEN is my least favourite colour and they would be 100% correct!!

Here is my inspiration post with that theme.

 For my birthday card I have used the Ching-Chou Kuik image called "Autumn Trio".  I have coloured the image in with Promarkers and edged around the image with a Versa Magic brown chalk ink pad.

The backing papers are from a Debbi Moore magazine and a The Works paper pad.

I have finished off with colouring some fabric leaves with different green Promarkers, ribbon and a LOTV sentiment.

I am entering this card into the following challenges: 

Let's Craft and Create - Anything goes with the option of "love is in the air"
Dragonfly Dreams - Anything goes
613 Avenue Create - Anything goes with the option to make it shiny
Incy Wincy - Anything goes
A Place to Start - Anything goes with the option of CAS
Creative Craft Cottage - Anything goes
I Love Promarkers - Anything goes
Penny's Paper - Anything goes
Through the Purple Haze - Anything goes
CRAFT - Anything goes
Ally's Angels - Anything goes
Creative Fingers - Anything goes
The Corrosive Challenge - Anything goes
Crafty Sentiments - Anything goes
Passion for Promarkers - Animals
Digi Choosday - Anything goes
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything goes
World Wide Open Design Team - Anything goes
Creatalicious Challenge - Anything goes with the optional twist of snowflakes
The Creative Crafters - Anything goes
A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything goes
Lemon Shortbread - Anything goes
As You Like It - Anything goes
QKR Stampede - Anything goes
Polkadoodles - Anything goes
Crafty Catz - Anything goes with the optional twist of funny

Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps - New release

  There is a new image in the Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps Etsy Store:

 This image is called "Love Balloon".

It is a decoupage art and it has been totally coloured in by Ching-Chou Kuik herself.

  It is at a special introductory price of $2.00 (original price of $3.00).

Hurry as this offer ends on 20 January 2020.

Ching-Chou Kuik's Digital Stamps Inspiration Post - Friday 10 January 2020

Here is my weekly inspiration post for the Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps Monthly Challenge Blog.

Before I do I'd like to remind you that our challenge this month is:

 "NEW YEAR OR NEW BEGINNINGS eg new baby, new home, new job or even new craft stash".

Here is my inspiration post with that theme. 

With being the Design Team Leader for both the Blog Challenge and Facebook Challenge I like to keep all my notes in one place so I decorate a notebook to use for the year.

The notebook was painted with white gesso and then two coats of Hobbycraft gold acrylic paint.  Once dry I sanded back areas to show the white to make it look distressed.

This year I have used the Ching-Chou Kuik image called "Poppy in Blue".  I have coloured the image in with Promarkers, highlighted areas with my white Posca pen and inked around the edge with Tim Holtz's Tea Dye distress ink.

Last year I won a challenge and was sent a prize.  Sadly it didn't arrive but a few months later another package arrived with some Studiolight dies and stamps as Jolanda felt bad that I'd not received the first prize so for my decorated notebook I have used the Studiolight die with like the page ripped out of a notebook and used the fancy die both ends of the mat and inked all around with the Tea Dye distress ink.

For my birthday I got some mdf die-cuts from a friend and one said "Hello" so I thought I would use it so I could say hello to 2020.  I used a gold pen to colour the image putting on two layers.

I have used various die-cuts:  the numbers "2020" were cut out twice in gold and cream so I could layer up for some dimension; John Next Door greenery die-cut and Sara Davies' mesh die-cut (from her nautical range).

I have finished the book cover off with a fabric butterfly, stamped Sheena Douglas poppy (which I did four layers of for dimension) and a button.

Last year my decorate notebook I added fibres and ribbons to it but sometimes I fold a book over like this and couldn't do it so this year it is fibres and ribbon free!!

I am entering this decorated notebook into the following challenges: 

Lemon Shortbread - Anything goes

A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything goes

Moving Along with the Times - All things new (new decorated book for the start of 2020 to keep all my design team information in)

Classic Design Challenge - Anything goes

Love to Craft - Anything goes

Love to Scrap - Anything goes
Digi Doodle Studio - Something new (new decorated book for my design team work)
Cardz 4 Galz - Haberdashery (button)
Craft Rocket - Something new (new decorated book for the start of 2020 to keep all my design team information in)
Brown Sugar - Anything goes
Crafty Friends - Something new (new decorated book for the start of 2020 to keep all my design team information in)
Let's Craft and Create - Anything goes with the option of "love is in the air"
Dragonfly Dreams - Anything goes
Always Fun - Something new (new decorated book for the start of 2020 to keep all my design team information in)
613 Avenue Create - Anything goes with the option to make it shiny
Get Creative - Something new (new decorated book for the start of 2020 to keep all my design team information in)
Incy Wincy - Anything goes
Simon Says - Something new (new decorated book for the start of 2020 to keep all my design team information in)
A Place to Start - Anything goes with the option of CAS
Make my Monday - Anything but square
Creative Craft Cottage - Anything goes
Crafty Sentiments - Anything goes
Digi Choosday - Anything goes

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything goes

Tuesday Throwdown - Something new (new decorated book for the start of 2020 to keep all my design team information in)

I Love Promarkers - Anything goes
Simon Says - Fun with Florals
Penny's Paper - Anything goes
The Paper Shelter - New beginnings (new decorated book for the start of 2020 to keep all my design team information in)
Through the Purple Haze - Anything goes
CRAFT - Anything goes
Cute Card Thursday - Embellish! (flower and button)
Ally's Angels - Anything goes
Creative Fingers - Anything goes

QKR Stampede - Anything goes

Crafty Catz - Anything goes with the optional twist of animals

Polkadoodles - Anything goes

Colour Crazy Challenge Blog - Friday 10 January 2020

 It is time for another challenge over at the Colour Crazy Challenge Blog.

The topic as always is "anything goes".

 This week we are lucky to be sponsored by Digi Doodle Studios.

For my card I have used the image "Daisy and Darby Dalmatian".  I have coloured the image in with Promarkers, added Ranger clear rock candy to the dog's nose and inked around the edge with a VersaMagic black chalk ink pad.

A friend gave me these new white-and-black backing papers.

I have finished the card off with some red satin ribbon, some new red/white dotty organza ribbon, heart button and a stamped sentiment.

I am entering this card into the following challenges: 

Love to Craft - Anything goes

Love to Scrap - Anything goes

Brown Sugar - Anything goes

Lemon Shortbread - Anything goes

Pearly Sparkles - Anything goes

The Paper Funday - Anything goes with the optional twist of friendship

A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything goes

Crafts Galore Encore - Anything goes

Digi Doodle Studio - Something new (new backing papers and spotty ribbon)

Cute as a Button - Anything goes with the option of baby blue or pretty pink

Morgan's Artworld - Anything goes

Cardz 4 Galz - Haberdashery (button and ribbons)

Craft Rocket - Something new (new backing papers and spotty ribbon)

Crafty Friends - Something new (new backing papers and spotty ribbon)

Always Fun - Something new (new backing papers and spotty ribbon)

Get Creative - Something new (new backing papers and spotty ribbon)

Simon Says - Something new (new backing papers and spotty ribbon)

Creative Craft Cottage - Anything goes

Crafty Sentiments - Anything goes

Digi Choosday - Anything goes

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything goes

Tuesday Throwdown - Something new (new backing papers and spotty ribbon)

I Love Promarkers - Anything goes

Penny's Paper - Anything goes

Through the Purple Haze - Anything goes

CRAFT - Anything goes

Cute Card Thursday - Embellish! (ribbon and button)

Ally's Angels - Anything goes

Creative Fingers - Anything goes

QKR Stampede - Anything goes

Crafty Catz - Anything goes with the optional twist of animals

Polkadoodles - Anything goes

Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps - New release

  Today sees the arrival of a new image in the Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps Etsy Store:

 This is the first new image of 2020 and is called "Love Balloon".

In this set you will get a black-and-white image and a partially coloured image by Ching-Chou Kuik herself.

  It is available at a special introductory price of $2.00 (original price of $4.00).

Hurry as this offer ends on 14 January 2020.

Design Team Call over at the Colour Crazy Challenge

Over at the Colour Crazy Challenge Blog there is a Design Team Call.

Ruth our wonderful Design Team Leader is looking for a number of members to join our Design Teams of which there are four.

Full details for the Design Team Call can be found HERE.

Hurry as the closing date is 14 February 2020.

🎂🎂🎂 Happy Birthday Ching-Chou Kuik 🎂🎂🎂

Today is a special day as it is the birthday of the artist Ching-Chou Kuik.  She designs amazing images for us crafters to use.

The Design Team Members and myself decided to hold an extra birthday event over on the Facebook Group.  There will be three winners (as Ching-Chou's birthday is on the 3rd of the month) winning two single images of their choice from the Etsy Store.  No surprise the topic is "HAPPY BIRTHDAY".

Here is my inspiration post using the Ching-Chou Kuik digital stamp called "Boston Terrier".  Of all the animal images Ching-Chou has drawn the Boston Terrier image is still one of my favourites - I think it's his ears!!!

I have coloured the image in with Promarkers and inked around the edge with a Versa Magic purple chalk ink pad.

The backing papers (solid and pattern) are both from paper pads from The Works.

I have finished the card off with a die-cut flower with stamen centres, wide purple satin ribbon, purple mesh style ribbon, die-cut butterflies and a LOTV stamped sentiment.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHING-CHOU KUIK 🎂🎂🎂

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Lemon Shortbread - Anything goes

Crafty Hazelnut Patterned Paper January Challenge - Anything goes

A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything goes

Crafty Creations - Anything goes

Pearly Sparkles - Anything goes

The Paper Funday - Anything goes with the optional twist of friendship

A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything goes

Word Art Wednesday - Anything goes

2 Crafty Critters - Anything goes

Crafts Galore Encore - Anything goes

Classic Design Challenge - Anything goes

Cute as a Button - Anything goes with the option of baby blue or pretty pink

Morgan's Artworld - Anything goes

Cardz 4 Galz - Haberdashery (two types of ribbon)

Cute Card Thursday - Anything goes
Brown Sugar - Anything goes
QKR Stampede - Anything goes