Two new challenges

I've used a great sketch from Carole's at Friday Sketchers for this card. The last couple of cards I've made have been 6" x 6" which is so much easier to work with than the 14cm x 14cm size I was using before. Everything seems to fit much better and there's enough room for lots of embellishments without the card appearing over-crowded. I just need to get some bigger envelopes now!!

I've used my new Daisy Bucket papers which were on special offer at the Stitch & Create Show last weekend. And I had to stamp Daisy (Sugar Nellie) to go with the pretty papers. I coloured her with distress inks and watercolours.

I can also enter this card into two challenges I haven't taken part in before; Stamp Something where the theme is 'Summer' and Dutch Dare Card Challenge who ask you to make a thank-you card.

I have a cup of tea and a cream egg beside the computer so I'm going to enjoy a bit of blog hopping now!

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I hadn't planned to make a card this evening but this card came together in my head while I was in the shower!! I've used a great sketch from this weeks Sketch Saturday challenge. This is one of my new Tilda's and I've coloured her with distress inks and watercolours. I've been using some lovely watercolour paper to stamp on recently which is a dream to colour on it but its a nightmare to cut out as its so thick - I had sore fingers after cutting around this little lady!! The paper is a double sided sheet from Bo Bunny and I used my lovely Martha Stewart punch for the scalloped edges. The sentiment is a freebie with this months Card Making & Papercraft magazine; ribbon, charm, buttons, gems are from my stash.

I might write a little note to my husband on Tilda's tag - just not sure what yet!

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Playing with my new stash!

A little package from The Glitter Pot landed on my doormat this morning! But I haven't used any of my new goodies for this card! I've used the sketch from this weeks Papertake Weekly Challenge and it will also fit with the challenge from a Spoon Full of Sugar this week which is to make a card for someone special.

This is the first time I've used this SN stamp and she was lovely to colour. I've used my distress inks and then used my new glitter pen to add some sparkle to the blue flowers and some clear glaze to the apples. The paper is My Minds Eye and I used the scraps to make the paper beads. I love how easy these are to make and will definitely be making more.

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Tagged

Carly over at Carlz Cardz has tagged me. I had to go to my 6th picture folder, select the 6th picture and post it on here.



This is Thomas and this picture was taken exactly 1 year ago! I can't believe how much he's changed. Now he's walking I sometimes miss the days when I could prop him up on a pillow and know he'd still be in the same spot a few seconds later!!

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Playing catch up

Thomas and I had a lovely weekend away. He enjoyed spending lots of time with his nanny and being spoilt rotten and I enjoyed my visit to the Stitch and Creative Crafts show. I was a little bit disappointed that there weren't more stamps on sale and no-one was selling bazzil cardstock! But I got some lovely papers, buttons & beads etc so I came home happy. But now I'm playing catch up at home, trying to cook some meals for Thomas for the freezer and get back on top of the washing (I was only away for 2 days!)



Last night was a late one trying to get this card finished. I've used the sketch from this weeks Friday Sketchers challenge and followed the Basic Grey challenge recipe. The card is DL size but with an extra flap. The papers are BG Eva. I tore the main panel and then inked the edges with Amethyst and Burgandy versacolor. Tilda is coloured with Prisma pencils - I've been practising so much with my distress inks I think I've forgotten how to use these! The ribbon is from a BG fibres pack and I made the bow from this lovely wire ribbon I bought at the weekend - can't wait to play a bit more with this stuff, its great! The flowers are Prima and the button, spacer and brads are from my stash.

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No card to show today but I'm excited to be going to the Stich & Creative Crafts Show tomorrow. A whole day on my own to watch the demos and shop - I can't wait!!! I will catch up with blog hopping tomorrow.

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WOJ Challenge

There is a great sketch this week from Katherina. I've been wanting to use this BG Eva paper for ages but because its such a bold pattern I've been too scared to use it with other papers so this was the perfect opportunity to show it off. I've coloured my image with distress inks and added stickles to her wings. The tag is a woodware punch and the sentiment is MSE.

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4 rolled into one!

I had two lovely things land on my doormat yesterday: my Martha Stewart punches and some money back from the taxman!!! So when I visit the Stitch & Craft show on Saturday I can spoil myself a bit.

I fitted four challenges into this card! I've used a lovely layout from Sketch Saturday, used 3 different shapes for the Papertake Challenge, lots of embossed dots for the Penny Black challenge and you'll have to take my word for it but this is a 'baby congrats' card (Spoon Full of Sugar). Trouble is I don't have any 'baby' sentiments so I need to buy one and then add it to the inside of the card. I added a small dot of glue behind each of the beads to hold them in place and just love my lace doily scallop punch! The paper has been in my drawer for so long I've forgotten what it is!

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Tying myself in knots!!

The theme for this weeks Magnolia vs. Stampavie challenge is 'Bows'. Perfect, I thought, I'll have a go at making a ribbon blossom following the tutorial I spotted at Splitcoast Stampers earlier in the week. Bev made a gorgeous one on her card but mine was an absolute disaster!! It just looked like a cat had got into my ribbon bag and created a knotted tangled mess. Maybe I should have posted a picture on here to give you all a good giggle but I'm really too embarrassed!

I'd kept the layout of my card simple as the bow was going to be the main feature but I settled on a simple bow with a charm instead. My Sarah Kay image is coloured with watercolour pencils, distress inks and H2O's, the paper is Karen Neuburger and the sentiment is from Hero Arts. I've used a sheet of the worded paper inside as well.

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The Sugar Bowl Challenge

I was right in the middle of this post last night when we had a power cut! Ours and the surrounding streets were plunged into darkness and my husband was most unhappy as the big fight he was looking forward to was just about to start on TV!

My card is for the Sugar Bowl Challenge which is '3'; 3 different papers and three different types of embellishments. I went one step further a used a sketch I saw at Magnolia-licious which has three circles. Daisy is coloured with distress inks and the sentiment is a sweet little extra that came with my new stamps from FunkyKits!! I used ribbons, buttons and flowers to embellish my card and all the paper is BG Euphoria.

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Friday Sketchers

This card took much longer than it should have! I coloured one image but then ruined it by distressing the edges which didn't suit the papers. Then I mounted it on dark blue card and stamped on the flourishes which didn't look right! But finally it was finished and I'm pleased with how it has turned out. I've coloured my image with distress inks. The papers are Karen Nueburger and the flourishes are a Cuttlebug die which I've altered slightly to fit around the image. I made the scallop by punching small circles from the blue card and the embellishment is put together with scraps of ribbon, mesh and a MM flower.

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A very quick make

Just a quickie today as I have a couple of crafting 'projects' up my sleeve so spent most of yesterday evening working on those. All will be revealed over the next few weeks!

I had to get some ink on my fingers though so I made a small bookmark for myself as I was getting fed up of turning over the corners in my book - something I tell my husband off for doing! I stamped this lovely WOJ image onto watercolour paper and coloured her with distress inks and watercolours. I simply added 3 strips of BG Euphoria paper behind and then punched a hole for the scrummy BG fibres at the top. These only arrived yesterday and I couldn't stop touching them, they are so tactile!! By sheer chance this qualifies for this weeks WOJ challenge!

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A gift card (with a small piece of chipboard!)

Isn't it nice to feel a bit warmer? A bit wetter, yes, but definitely warmer!!

This card was intented soley for the Magnolia Vs. Stampavie challenge "Give a Little" but I added a little chipboard flower so it qualifies for the Basic Grey challenge too. Actually the flower isn't chipboard (I don't have any!) but a Quickutz flower cut from the side of my husbands box of porridge sachets!! - the petal holds the card closed. Tilda is stamped on watercolour paper, coloured with distress inks and watercolours and then mounted on sticky fixers. Trouble is the paper is so thick it makes it tricky to cut images out.



On the inside there is a pocket to put a gift card. All the papers are BG Euphoria - I'm almost out of these now so will have to get some more as they are my absolute favourite. Button and ribbon from my stash.

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Sketch Saturday

It has been so cold today. Everywhere looked so pretty and white but it was bitter outside. I ventured to the supermarket to get some dinner but otherwise stayed indoors all day and managed to find some crafting time.

I used my new 'old fence' stamp to sit Tilda on. I've coloured the image with distress inks, watercolours and used tombow markers to add some background colour. I really like how these markers work on watercolour paper so may need to get a few more. The papers are all BG and the flower is a mixture of punches and Prima.

I also have to admit to a bit more online shopping today - I ordered two Martha Stewart punches from America. They're on their way and I can't wait to receive them!

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Treated myself! (again)

I completed my tax return tonight! I decided not to pay an accountant but do it myself. It really was quite easy and I completed the whole thing in under 45 mins. As a 'reward' I've been shopping at Sassy Crafts again (that's twice in one week) and also at Funky Kits. So I had a bit of crafting time after all tonight and this card qualifies for 4 challenges!!

I've used the sketch from Friday Sketchers, used my new stash (Cute Card Thursday), used pink DP (Charisma Cards) and as the paper has dots it qualifies for Papertake Weekly too!! I've coloured my new Sarah Kay image with distress inks and chalked the background. The DP is a double sided sheet from My Minds Eye and the fibre and buttons are from my stash.

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Spoon Full of Sugar Challenge

My crafting time this week has been cut a bit short as I had to work last night but Nicky has done a lovely simple sketch for this weeks Spoon Full of Sugar challenge and I already had this image coloured so I've made this card for a friend of my mums who had major heart surgery just before Christmas and is now at home recovering.

I've coloured this gorgeous Sarah Kay image with Prismas and sansador and then used chalk and versacolor for the background and edging. The paper is by My Minds Eye, the sentiment is Hero Arts and the flowers, which I've stamped with a Crafty Individuals script stamp, are all Prima. The brads were a bit shiny for this card so I scuffed them up a bit with a nail file!

I did get a nice suprise bonus from work yesterday so I've been online and ordered myself some Cardy Ugg Boots which I've had my eye on for a while. The rest will be saved for my visit to the Stitch and Craft show at the end of the month.

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Sale on at Sassy Crafts

Just a quick post to let you know about a great sale at Sassy Crafts. EVERYTHING is reduced including all their stamps (Sarah Kay, Magnolia etc) and Nestabilities! I've justified my spending by telling myself how much I've saved!!

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Basic Grey Challenge

There is a great sketch on the Basic Grey Challenge blog this week. This is another 'thank-you' card but without a sentiment on the card! I was going to put it on the bottom right hand corner but couldn't decide whether it looked better with it or without so I left it off! I've coloured the very sweet Amelia (designed by Chris Dark) with distress inks and watercolour pencils and I used glitter pens for the bows in her hair and her flower.

The paper is all BG Urban Prairie. The horizontal strips are pleated to add a bit of dimension. I scored each one at 2cm, 3cm, 5cm & 6cm and then folded to create the pleats. The ribbon is then threaded through one of the pleats. I als paper pierced around the edge of the card but it doesn't really show on the picture.

Because it is a thank-you card I've left plenty of space to write on the inside. I've used a Cuttlebug corner flourish again - its my favourite embellishment at the moment!

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The Sugar Bowl 1st Challenge

There is a fantastic prize to be won for the first challenge of the new Sugar Bowl challenge blog. There is a great sketch by Tiets and I've used my one and only Sugar Nellie stamp for this card. She's coloured with distress inks and watercolour pencils and the papers are all from Bo Bunny. I edged all the papers with green Versacolor ink rather than mount them (I'm a bit short of green cardstock at the moment).

I've added just a few embellishments; a Cuttlebug corner flourish, 3 tiny pink gems from Create-n-Celebrate and a flower brad that I've had in my stash for ages.



The inside is just a couple of scalloped circles cut with nestabilities plus four corner flourishes cut from Bazzil CS.

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Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone! I hope 2009 is a happy & healthy one for you and your loved ones. We saw in the New Year with a lovely meal (courtesy of M&S) 1/2 bottle of Cava and a good film and managed to stay awake just long enough to hear Big Ben strike 12 and watch the fireworks.

I've been online and booked my ticket for the Stitch and Creative Craft Show in Esher later this month. My mum has offered to look after Thomas so I can have a whole day of crafty workshops and shopping - bliss!



This card is for this weeks OCC challenge which is to use something clear. I was browsing through some old magazines and saw a tutorial for acetate cards so thought I would have a go. I used white Staz-On to stamp the Inkadinkadoo swirls onto the acetate and used a peel off pen to colour the sticky gems to highlight some of the dots. The Penny Black duckling has been coloured with Prismas (feet & beak) and watercolour pencils (flowers). I've added a bit of shadow to his body but this isn't very clear on the photo. (Photographing acetate with artificial light is HARD - please excuse the glare spots!).

I decorated the inside front of the card with a circle of Basic Grey Urban Prairie paper to cover the back of the image.



The green dotty paper is from Lasting Impressions and I added a scalloped circle with a small Prisma flower for the message.



Whimsy Stamps are looking for a guest designer (more info here) so I'm going to enter this card.

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