Scrapcats's Scribbles

Challenge Cards for various places :-)

2012-01-31T17:39:00.014Z

Well it's been ages since I posted something that wasn't DT work not that I haven't been crafting I just didn't have the time to blog it as well as make it! I am on Week Three of my course and do my certification call tomorrow so fingers crossed I will pass and can start work on Monday which would be good. Anyway here are the cards I have made recently.

This little cutie is from Tiddly Inks she was made for a challenge but I never got round to blogging her on time but I thought I would show you anyway.
This cute little chap is from Teddy Bo, I coloured him with my promarkers, cut him out, copied lots of little holly sprigs coloured and cut them out too for some festive decoration. I added some snowflake brads I've had forever, used a paper pad I picked up for £1 and added some seam binding to make my bow.
This is the same image but a more general card, I cut the fancy border on the Cuttlebug, mounted it on some green card, inked it a little to stop the white from being so stark, cut some shapes from the same paper pack.

This one is for my cousin's little boy I love the cute mice from LOTV and used some freebie papers from a magazine. I stamped onto watercolour card and used my pencils for this one.

I used this sketch from Sketch and Stash for my little mouse card and my new/neglected item was the stamp which I bought at the NEC and had never inked up until now.

As always any comments are greatly appreciated and most welcome.

I am entering the cards in the following challenges:

The Teddy Bo Challenge Anything Goes

Card for Men Seeing Red Mice Card

Sketch n Stash Free choice sketch Mice Card

Sketch Saturday Follow the sketch Christmas Card

OSAAT Use a digi Tiddly Inks Card

LOTV Male Card Mice Card

ABC Christmas Challenge Bears, Bows, Brads, Bling Christmas Card

OLLCB Use the same image twice Christmas Card (holly sprigs)

Using Beads for Crafty Cardmakers

2012-01-23T12:40:00.000Z

This time at Crafty Cardmakers we have been asked to use beads on our projects.

I thought about this challenge long and hard, I tried various options but they didn't look quite right and I was beginning to fret about not having it done properly.

I looked around my craft room and spied the paper flowers I had made ages ago but not used, I had a look in the tub and there were my fuchsia's. Perfect I thought I can add beads to the bottom of the stamens and it will help it look more like a real flower.

I wanted the card to look quite different to anything I've done before so I cut a small aperture for the flower to hang in. I printed some backing paper from the Fairyopolois CD, printed the fairy off a few times to make my own decoupage. I'd not done this before as I always thought it wouldn't look right but I'm pleased with how the decoupage turned out.

I found some clear seed beads that have a coating on them which means they catch the light, well they do in real life anyway! I added them with some glue, I poked some wire through the top of the flower and taped it on the inside of the card, as I can't use an insert as it will cover the aperture I cut some card to cover my wire inside.

I used a Quickie glue pen and lots of Glamour dust to add some sparkle.

Thanks so much for popping by and as always I love to read any comments you are kind enough to leave.

No Flower Embellishments

2012-01-09T12:00:00.004Z

Welcome back to real life, well that's how it feels here, all the Christmas food has been eaten (just about) hubbie is back at work and DD has been at school last week but most importantly I am starting a new challenge today. I am starting an on line course which I hope (fingers crossed) will mean I can work part time from home. I will keep you up to date on my progress. My aim for this year is to be more organised so I hope to be posting more regularly. The challenge this week at Crafty Cardmakers is to have no floral embellishments on your project. You can have a flower image or flowery paper but no flower embellishments, harder than you might think!

This little bear is from Lilli of the Valley, I stamped him on watercolour card and used my watercolour pencils to colour him, I was surprised at the difference the card made in the result you get with the pencils. I inked the card as it was white and too stark, the corners are from my collection of dies. I mounted the little bear onto some more holographic card just to tie it all together.

I hope you can join us this time, don't forget to pop across to see what my team mates have come up with.

Use your stamp in three ways

2011-12-12T12:00:00.001Z

It's my turn to host the challenge at Crafty Cardmakers this time and I would like to see you use your stamp three different ways. I think we forget how versatile stamps can be so this is a gentle reminder :)

I used the Swirly-Whirlies Poppies from Little Claire's one of the goodies I got at the NEC.

This is the whole collection of my creations so if you want to stop here and leave a comment then you can, if you want to see them all close up then carry on.
I cut this tag using a Cuttlebug die, I also cut the stamp so I could have just the one poppy. I only realised I had smudged the tag when I added the pictures but hey it's handmade after all!. I stamped onto the seam binding after taping it to my non stick craft mat, the ink has bled a bit but I can live with it. I coloured both the tag and binding with a promarker, a poppy one of course.
I rummaged in my stash for my shrink plastic as I knew there was some in there somewhere and I found it. I punched a circle from the shrink, punched a little hole, stamped the single stamp, coloured with my Sakura pen this time and heated it to shrink. I used a little lanyard to make the charm for a mobile.
I don't normally do Clean and Simple cards as I find them really difficult but I think this one may qualify for CAS. I used Versamark ink, clear embossing powder and some distress ink. I really like this so I may do some more of them.
The final piece on my collection, I used some tissue paper, stamped my image coloured it with promarkers, cut up the images and heated each of them separately to add them to the candle. The poppies go all the way round and I even made a box from card printed with poppies.

If your still here well done you, I love reading any comments you are kind enough to leave and look forward to seeing your take on my challenge at Crafty Cardmakers.

Embossing Challenge

2011-11-28T12:00:00.001Z

This week at Crafty Cardmakers we are hosted by Josephine who has asked for heat embossing.

I always enjoy using my embossing powders and the heat gun but I don't think I use them enough. I was watching a crafting programme a while ago featuring embossing, I was very interested in the resist technique achieved by Versamark Ink and clear embossing powder.

For Christmas this year I decided not to do a present for the majority of people, they will get a handmade box filled with sweeties and a nice surprise at the bottom. After making the boxes I had lots of large scraps left and wasn't sure what to do with them, then I happened on a blog showing a corner bookmark, my scraps were just the right size to make them so I made 40 of them. Yes 40 of them, I did it in batches which was much easier and quicker.

The card is 9cm square, mark at 4.5cm on three points score and fold in the corners, I punched the bottom of the bookmark to give a nice edge, I added another scrap of card to the back for strength. I got a lovely alphabet set at Hobbycraft ages ago for 99p, I used this my Versamark and clear embossing powder to stamp the initial of each recipient. I punched out the letters and inked them in various colours of distress ink. I mounted this onto some shiny paper (more scraps I'm afraid!) and added it to the front.

I had put the majority of the bookmarks in the envelopes of the Christmas cards before I realised I hadn't photographed them altogether so I took a picture of the ones I had left.

We would love to see your take on our embossing challenge so break out those embossing powders and join us this time at Crafty Cardmakers.

Recycle or Upcycle Challenge

2011-11-14T12:00:00.002Z

This was a container for hot chocolate by a well known chocolate manufacturer. After wiping out the inside I measured the circumference , cut my paper, punched the top and rolled it round the tub. I cut the letters from some silver paper and stuck them on. It really is foam pads in there I bought a huge wheel of pads at the NEC in the summer and when I opened them needed somewhere to store them all.

Pink Brown and Cream at Crafty Cardmakers

2011-10-31T12:00:00.001Z

I used a template to cut this card on my Craft Robo, the papers I have had in my stash forever so I don't know who made them but I felt they fitted this challenge perfectly. I added somePrima flowers and a piece of spotty ribbon as embellishments. I had my friends birthday card in mind when I was making this and she seemed to really like it.

Some more cards

2011-10-24T21:23:00.014+01:00

I've had a lovely day crafting with my friend, my house is a shambles but I have made six cards today so that's okay. When I was blog surfing I came across this cute little bear called Teddy Bo. Now as you know I have been making a few Thank you cards so when I saw this one I decided he would be fabulous to make a quick batch of cards. Sorry there are a few pictures on this post!

Dark Blue

Light Blue

The green ones

The purple one

I have left the cards as clean as I can, I coloured him with promarkers, used some card embossed the purple background and added just a few stones in the corners.

This little lady is Dancing Willow and to be honest I had forgotten I had her but I was rummaging through my stamps something I think I should do more often! I coloured her with promarkers, used some papers from a magazine freebie, used another hexagonal card as I want to use up things I've had for far too long, added some ribbon and some flowers I coloured too.

This is a new embossing folder I wanted to try out and I really like it, I used some Versamark to stamp the sentiment, clear embossing powder and some distress ink to get a resist effect, not something I had done before but I like the result so will try to remember it in future.

This is Travelling Tilda, I coloured her with promarkers, cut her out, used a sentiment stamp from LOTV, added a swirly embellishment and some more of the Kanban papers.

If you got here well done and thank you for sticking with it, as always I love to read any comments you are kind enough to leave.

I am entering the cards in the following challenges:

Teddy Bo Challenge - Clean and Simple

Whiff of Joy - Anything but square

Cardmad Fairy - Spots and Stripes

Just Magnolia - Pink

Lexi's Creations - Just a sentiment

I love Promarkers - Ain't it cute

Sunday Sketch and Stamp - Sketch

One Stitch At A Time - Embossing

Cards For Men - Animals

Critter Challenge Blog - Use three patterned papers.

A Christmas Card

2011-10-22T20:44:00.013+01:00

Not a thank you card this time but a Christmas card.

I got this stamp from the show at Leigh, as soon as I saw it I had to have him as I thought he would make a good image for male Christmas cards.

The papers I've had for a long time and they are my unused stash for ABC Christmas Challenge.

I used the papers from the pack, stamped and coloured my image with promarkers. I wrapped some ribbon round the top panel as I felt it needed something else. I punched the snowflakes, stamped the sentiment and added some flowersoft for snow.

I am entering the card in the following challenges:

Cards for Men - Make us laugh

Cardmadfairy - Spots and Stripes

One Stitch At A Time - Shaped Cards

Oh La La - Let it Snow

Top Tip Tuesday - Layer it up

High Hopes - Ribbon,Lace or Twine

Passion 4 Promarkers - Stars

ABC Christmas Challenge - U is for Unused Stash

I Love Promarkers - Ain't it Cute

Jingle Belles - Softly Falling Snow

Bah Humbug! - With men in mind

Little Claire's - Christmas

Some things I've been working on

2011-10-17T08:53:00.005+01:00

Before I start there is a new challenge at Crafty Cardmakers from today Cute with a dark twist. I tried to do this one but couldn't get it right so maybe you will have better luck, pop across to the blog to see the fabulous inspiration from the design team.

This is a card I made for someone in my Mum's work as they are having a difficult time at the minute. I used the papers from the Flower Fairy cd, I cut various shapes with my dies, embellished the strip with my punch, inked everything using my distress inks, I used the Lavender Fairy stamp for the image, coloured her with Promarkers, glittered her wings and used my newest toy the little tiny tapestry stamps to create the border around the top section of the easel. My mum was really pleased with it and I had a great time making it.
This is one of the many thank you cards I will be making as we want to say thanks to all the people who helped us and took time out there busy lives while my sister was very ill. She is getting better but I wish her sight would improve for her. I used the papers from the Oxford Kanban paper pad. I quilled the flowers using a new die I hadn't played with yet, cut some leaves, butterflies and my new favourite die from Memory Box. I got this at the show at Leigh and I really like the effect two of them slightly offset gives.
This is a close up of my paper flowers, I think I will be playing with these again soon as I enjoyed making them.

This is another thankyou card, more Kanban papers and more dies, what would I do with out them.

Yet another thankyou card you will be fed up looking at them soon I think! A different style for this one I used the Forever Friends Black and Gold Stamp set, cut the card and the shapes, coloured the picture with watercolour pencils for a change as I wanted a softer look.

That's all for now, thanks for popping by and as always I love to read any comments you are kind enough to leave.

I am entering the cards in the following challenges:

One Stitch At A Time - Shapes

FlutterBy Wednesday - Fairy or Butterfly

Top Tip Tuesday - Use DP and make your own flowers

We're back and it's anything goes!!!

2011-10-03T12:30:00.001+01:00

That's right Crafty Cardmakers is back and it's anything goes so I hope you will join us with your projects.

This card is made using digital images from Dustin Pike, I merged them together and added some shadows in my Scrapbook Software. I coloured it all in with Promarkers of course!

Some new cards

2011-09-25T15:35:00.018+01:00

This is Oakley from Whiff Of Joy, I followed the sketch for the challenge this time using papers from a magazine freebie,I coloured him with my promarkers of course, I cut the shapes with my dies, used my punch, inked everything within an inch of it's life, added some ribbon and some glitter after all it is a Christmas card. I made the sentiment on the computer I don't know if you can see it on the picture but it says sending love across the miles.
This lovely reindeer and the trees in the background are from Whimsey Stamps, I coloured them with my promarkers, added some glitter, mounted it on to a card blank I cut using one of my bigger dies.

This is another Whiff of Joy stamp, I coloured him as usual, cut the shapes, used the punch, made a card blank, created the sentiment and added some glitter.
Now these are colours I wouldn't normally use but now I have I really like them, the papers are all from the Fairyopolis CD's, I paper pieced her clothes, coloured as usual, used my trimmer for the papers but cut the frame with my die. I used my distress inks to knock back the bright orange paper I've used, added some glitter and a butterfly in the corner.

I had a great two days making these cards and I know lots of you can make fabulous cards much quicker and better than me but I was just enjoying playing.

I'm entering the cards into a few challenges, thanks for popping by and as always any comments you are kind enough to leave are greatly appreciated.

Challenges:

Bah Humbug! - Reindeer

Winter Wonderland - Across the Miles

Just Magnolia - Autumn Colours

Cards For Men - Not Square

Oh La La - use punches and dies

Belles n Whistles - Used red, blue and yellow

Passion for Promarkers - Sketch

Digital Tuesday - People Images

Flutter By Wednesdays - Have a butterfly on project

Whiff of Joy - Sketch

ABC Challenge - S is for Shaped Cards

A challenge entry and an update

2011-09-22T19:57:00.007+01:00

Wow it's so long since I did this last I feel like I'm starting again, thanks to all those who have left comments etc during my sister's crisis. Thankfully I can now report she has had the operation, the lump was benign and she is out of hospital. She has a long way to go yet as her sight is very poor but at least she is here and we are hopeful of a good recovery for her. I have been able to do some crafting this week in between looking after the grandchildren and this is the result.

The image is Holly Fairy but I'm not sure who she is by, the background is from Doodle Pantry, I coloured everything with my promarkers, added some flower soft and glitter to the trees, for the first time I used some lace on the bottom of her skirt an effect I quite like, I used my dies to cut the swirls and the layers.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Doodle Pantry- Use an image

Wags 'n' Whiskers- Use lace

Cardmad Fairy- Use lots of layers

ABC Christmas Challenge- Shaped Card, Swirls, Spots or Stripes

I was planning to enter it in a few others but I was too late, never mind, the challenge themes helped the card come together.

Thanks for popping by and as always any comments you take the time to leave are greatly appreciated.

Bah Humbug For a Girl Challenge

2011-08-26T08:30:00.001+01:00

Firstly I would like to thank the lovely people at Bah Humbug for allowing me to join their Design Team this month and secondly to apologise for not checking sooner that the posts had published as planned.

i haven't checked as my sister has been told she has a growth in her brain. She has had two operations and is waiting for a third. So as important as I know crafting is it's not been my number one priority at the minute. I have found time to make this card though.

My friend had purchased the new embossing system from Cuttlebug and I got to have a play with the Christmas set. I liked the idea of the system a lot but the price tag and the oodles of other stash I have mean it's not something I will be getting soon, anyway my lovely friend says I can borrow hers!

I used two different colours of Core-Ordinations card, embossed with the same folder, some matt mirri card which after being through the embossing process so many times looks more like craft metal than card. I used another piece of card for the middle and to ensure nothing was wasted I cut and embossed some poinsettia's. I also cut a ribbon die to cover the join in the middle.

I mounted all these bits onto an 8 by 8 card and used a MS punch down the edge which I highlighted with some distress ink.

Thanks for popping by, any comments you are kind enough to leave are greatly appreciated.

One Layer Card for Crafty Cardmakers

2011-07-11T12:00:00.001+01:00

This is the first time I have ever shown a one layer card I have made as I find this style really difficult, I always want to add things, I would normally have decoupaged the footballer and the ball but I resisted this time. This was for one of the men in the family who supports a team who wear red I used some ink to watercolour the red sections.

Alter/Recycle Food Container for Crafty Cardmakers

2011-06-13T12:00:00.002+01:00

This time at Crafty Cardmakers we have been asked to alter/recycle a food container.

This was a box holding those little thin biscuit sticks covered in chocolate which my DD loves. She also loves painting and bought a set of the Paint Fusion Stamps, so we had a go together with no DVD to watch either. The daisy on the front of the box is my attempt so all you fab painters please don't laugh too much. I painted the box with a couple of coats of acrylic paint, painted the inside as well as I didn't like the grey cardboard showing. I took the lid and cut some holes for the new paint brushes to sit in. My DD loves it and I was really pleased with it when I was finished.
Altering things hasn't really been my thing but having done this project I can see the fascination for other people.

Parchment Challenge for Crafty Cardmakers

2011-06-06T12:00:00.002+01:00

I have never done parchment craft before I mentioned to my friend I was wanting to try it and she loaned me a parchment grid. This is a metal plate with embossing sections and piercing sections. I took it to my craft group and mentioned I wanted to have a go and the lady sat next to me was able to give me some guidance on how to get the best from the template. I found it very therapeutic and when I was finished was so pleased with the results

When I was using the paint fusion stamps I thought how nice the daisy might look in parchment, so I stamped on some parchment, embossed the lines, cut it out and mounted it directly to a card for a different look with parchment.

Embossing Challenge for Crafty Cardmakers

2011-05-16T12:00:00.001+01:00

At Crafty Cardmakers this time I set the challenge and I choose embossing, it can be heat embossing with ink and powders or dry embossing either by machine or by hand.
For my project I used one of the Glitter Girls boards, Dress to Impress it's called if I remember correctly, all you have to do is emboss the shape onto your card, cut it out and fold the score lines. I used bits of mirri to create the catches and add some shine. The flowers are also embossed using one of the boards from Crafters Companion, no I don't know the name of it as there are so many. I really like the leaf shape on this board and can see it being used regularly along with the flowers. I added some sparkly gems to the centre of the flowers and that was it job done.

As always thanks for popping by, any comments you leave are greatly appreciated and I hope you will take part this time at Crafty Cardmakers.

Inchie Challenge for Crafty Cardmakers

2011-05-09T12:00:00.001+01:00

This time at Crafty Cardmakers the lovely Cazro has asked us to use inchies, three 1 by 1 inch squares. I've not used inchies before so had to think long and harda bout what image or images to use, I was looking through my stamps as you do and found this tree in a set of Kanban stamps and thought Oh that's big enough to do something with.
I stamped it and used my Micaboss to make it sticky, coloured it with my mica powders, repeated the process cut one out with a border and cut the other one up into four inch squares, then mounted the inch squares onto the intact image alittle like decoupage.
Although it took me a while to work out what I was going to do I enjoyed the process and I will be using inchies again.
As always thanks for taking the time to pop by and any comments you are kind enough to leave are greatly appreciated.

Steampunk or Machines at Crafty Cardmakers

2011-05-02T12:00:00.001+01:00

The challenge this time at Crafty Cardmakers was set by the lovely Ei and she asked for steamunk or machines.

As you can see from my project I went with machines, this can also include typewriters, cameras anything mechanical. Steampunk for those of you who don't know (I didn't until this challenge) is a combining of modern with very old technology. I have seen a picture of a clockwork computer yes thats correct and apparently it works very well, so for those who like to mix things up a lot Steampunk may be just your thing. If you want to see some fabulous examples of Steampunk visit the Crafty Cardmakers blog where my teamies have excelled themselves.
My project uses a flowersoft bicycle topper I used two different colours of the Flower Soft on the main image, I used some angel hair I've had forever as a backing, I wanted something there but not distracting from the main image. I mounted the topper onto some rainbow holographic card and added a deep border of flower soft to create a frame, I like the way you just get hints of the holographic. I went for an easel card again as I really like this style of card, I used some more of my bargain flowers with some brads and fancy bead caps I flattened for the middle.

Bottle Top Challenge for Crafty Cardmakers

2011-04-25T14:03:00.003+01:00

Before I begin I need to apologise for being late with my post, its been a bit mad here with all the sunshine, the dogs and looking after extra children, great fun but a bit mad all the same.
So Paula asked us to use bottle tops for this weeks spotlight challenge, I was sent some bottle tops by the lovely Lin and made this flower fridge magnet which I am sending to my niece as she has a little collection of them and I thought this would make an nice addition.
I used a fabric flower I got on the pier at Llandudno, filled the bottle top with glitter glue so the bits on show would be sparky, added a paper flower and a large gem for the middle. I added some magnets to the back and I was done. I would never have thought to make magnets with bottle tops without Paula's challenge and am planning to do some more.

Wedding Fever Strikes

2011-04-18T07:30:00.001+01:00

Wedding fever seems to be taking over the world and it’s no different on Crafty Cardmakers. This time we are looking for a wedding project or a project containing red, white and blue. I used some Whiff of Joy stamps to create this card. I stamped them and then cut them out, coloured them with Promarkers, used some Glamour Dust for the sparkle and then I added some Flower Soft to create some texture on the bench and to hide it a little as I felt it was very brown and needed something extra. I used inks to watercolour my background on a pearlescent card and used the same card to create the letters, coloured with Promarkers and they also got the Flower Soft treatment.

A Tween/Teen Boy Card for Crafty Cardmakers

2011-04-11T07:00:00.002+01:00

This time at Crafty Cardmakers we are looking for a card for a tween/teenage boy I think this has to be among the hardest type of card to make so I went for an older teenage boy with my choice. I used an image from Kenny K coloured her with Promarkers and Sakura pens as I wanted a metallic look for her outfit and a glaze on her lips. I made a spring card using black, red and silver to keep the colours quite strong.

I hope to be visiting your blog and seeing your creations, so please join us at Crafty Cardmakers.

My Mothers Day Card

2011-04-06T19:51:00.003+01:00

This is Spring Leap from Whiff of Joy, I just loved the joy and happiness she seems to show and she felt perfect for my card to my Mum. I coloured her with promarkers, added some glamour dust on the lace, used some freebie papers and lots of sparkly stones to highlight the punching I had done for the base of the diamond card.

This was a play with a set of My Craft Studio templates I had bought, the image is from Designed to Delight and just seemed right for this project. I have saved the template with this on it now so will be able to produce it again as I like it so much.

They are for

Whiff of Joy -- Not Square(hope this counts)

Belles n Whistles -- Glitter and Sparkle

Designed 2 Delight -- Use image

Thanks as always for popping by and any comments you are kind enough to leave.

A receipe Challenge at Crafty Cardmakers

2011-04-04T12:08:00.001+01:00

The challenge this time at Crafty Cardmakers is to use mainly yellow and three types of embellishment, ribbon, rhinestones and stitching which can be real or faux stitching so don't panic if your not a big stitching fan.

The lovely daffodils on this card were drawn by Eiglas I found them on her blog and for a mainly yellow card thought they were just the thing. I coloured them with my promarkers and cut them out. The paper is from an old Create and Craft kit but I don't remember which one. I punched the mat with a punch around the page set and created some faux stitching using a template I borrowed from a friend. I added some ribbon around the planter, a MS butterfly coloured with a gold metallic Sakura pen and added some adhesive stones to the body.

I am looking forward to seeing your creations and to visiting your blogs so come and join us at Crafty Cardmakers.

New Cards... At Long Last

2011-03-31T15:05:00.003+01:00

I've had my stitches out since Monday and the range of movement i have is vastly improved so I have been able to do some crafting HURRAH!!! This is a stencil which I ran through the cuttlebug on some Mirri card, I also embossed the background of the card after inking the actual folder with metallic white, I added a simple peel off to finish off. This is for Bah! Humbug.

This is the card for my MIL from DH, I used some DCWV card stock, created a stepper using my new Hougie Board, I cut the ladies, sorry I don't know where they came from but I liked the style of them and the letter using the Robo. I coloured the ladies and the letter with promarkers added lots of Glamour Dust for some sparkle and stuck it together. I'm really pleased with it and so is DH, I hope MIL will like it too! I am entering this one in the challenge at Oh La La.

I printed this Tiddly Inks image as I love the way they are both leaning at the same angle I coloured it with Promarkers, inks and a fine liner. I created the background using an embossing plate and sanded it lightly to give it texture. I added some stones and a message to finish it off. I am entering this card in a few challenges:

Tiddly Inks -- Use Red, White and Black

PollyCraft -- Friends I Love Promarkers -- Emboss It!

Cards 4 Men -- Embossing

This last one is for my niece, it's all from a Kanban Kit except from the ribbon which is from my stash. I am entering this one in Craft Us Crazy -- Easter/Spring

Thanks to everyone who left me comments this last little while it really has helped keep my spirits up, thanks for popping by today and any comments you are kind enough to leave are really appreciated.

Crafty Cardmakers

2011-03-29T14:23:00.003+01:00

I was so happy, proud and just generally chuffed to bits to be asked to join the Design Team on Crafty Cardmakers and this is the first challenge/spotlight I've taken part in.

I was asked to make a special card for a lady in my Mum's work for her 40th birthday and this is what I came up with. The card I used was printed using the Flower Fairy cd from Crafters Companion in two different colours. The little fairy is the Zinnia fairy also from the CD.

I cut the letters, numbers and the decoupage using my Craft Robo, I trimmed the white border on some of the decoupage so the fairy looked right. I used a Quickie Glue Pen on the edges and dipped them in some gliding flakes to get the nice edge to the letters and the numbers on the box. I added some flowers cut with a die and held together with a brad and the same ribbon I had used to tie the book together. I added some Glamour Dust to the little fairy for some sparkle.

I haven't done decoupage for ages so it was nice to do some. I am really looking forward to visiting your blogs and seeing what you've done with decoupage, if you want an explanation and an example of how to make your own see the Crafty Cardmakers Spotlight Blog.

Some Digital Crafting

2011-03-20T19:31:00.006Z

Well as you know I can't do ordinary crafting at the moment so I've been practising my digital craftimg instead.
This little chap was a freebie but I didn't note who made him if someone knows let me know and I will add the details the papers are all digital too, I coloured all the images with Photoshop Elements and constructed the cards in Digital Scrapbook Artist. I use DSA a lot for sizing my digi images and papers before printing but this is the first time I've done everything on the computer.

This is Lalia from Wags n Whiskers following the sketch from Friday Sketchers

I got DD to stamp this one and scanned it in so I could colour her on the pc she is Willow with a bird from Whiff of Joy.

I am entering the cards in the following challenges:

Jingle Belles - Sketch

Belles n Whistles -- Spring

Whiff of Joy -- Anything goes

Friday Sketchers -- Sketch

Wags n Whiskers -- Spring

Cardmad Fairy -- Nature and digital
As always any comments you are kind enough to leave are greatly appreciated and thank for taking the time to pop by.

An update for you

2011-03-20T18:02:00.003Z

Thank you for all the lovely comments you left when I told you all about being in hospital, well I got out on Friday and need to keep my hand elevated as much as possible, do you know how hard it is to use the computer with one hand when I'm used to typing with two!
I didn't get to Padgate today as I'm not able to craft at the mo but I will be going to the NEC on Thursday as I've been waiting to go for months.

The lovely Saramar aka Susan has given me an award for my blog so that has cheered me up no end. I need to tell you five things you probably don't already know about me, that could be difficult as I don't keep many things to myself but here goes:

1. I was absolutely delighted to join the Design Team on Crafty Cardmakers

2. I enjoy baking cakes

3. I love dogs, yes even though I got bitten I still love them.

4. I have two grandsons

5. I would like to have long nails like Susan but mine just break!

Thanks for popping by, any comments you are kind enough to leave are greatly appreciated.

what a day!

2011-03-18T09:04:00.003Z

Short post today as I am in hospital waiting to go to theatre for surgery on my left hand after being bitten by a dog. hope to still be able to craft after they have finished but if the nerves are damaged I could be in a big cast for weeks. Thank heavens we have the NHS here. Will let you all know how I get on.
I have been trying to leave comments but it wont let me for some people but I am enjoying reading your blogs while I wait

WOYWW and some new cards

2011-03-16T07:12:00.005Z

As you can see there is lots on my desk this morning lol! I lost a day yesterday or at least that's what it felt like as I had to take DD to the hospital to check if she had broken or fractured her thumb. Thankfully she hasn't but it was a long day and I had planned to do all sorts of crafting so I wasn't best pleased at missing out. I did manage to get some done last night and finished off a card this morning, yes the one you can see right at the front. There is the usual debris of punches, scissors and scraps of paper on show too! If you are short of time you may want to stop now but if you have a few minutes I have a selection of cards for various challenges under here. As always I am delighted to read any comments you leave for me and I will try to get round as many as I can this week.

These cheeky chaps are from Dustin Pike, I coloured them with my promarkers and cut the shapes with my dies, I made the card an easel card as I was showing someone how easy it is to do. The paper is from my stash as is the mirror board.

This little mouse is from Crafters Companion I love the joy on her little face that Christmas is coming, the papers are from an old pad that I have been using for ages, I coloured her with my promarkers of course, cut her out and added some snowflakes and some punch work using MS punches. I added my new thing at the minute gliding flakes around the edge of the aperture I do like this effect and it's really easy to do.

I think I missed the deadline for this one but I still like it, I embossed the card and inked it with some Tea Dye DI, used my new die to create the mat, coloured with promarkers again and added the snowflakes and a handwritten sentiment to finish off.

You can tell I like this stamp can't you? lol the same die and stamp coloured with promarkers and a piece of ribbon added so I have a matching card and tag now for someone special as I don't usually make tags.

This is Jasmine from LOTV, she is am old style stamp from them but I loved the big sunglasses and the attitude in her stance. I used some Dawn Bibby flowers stamps with some different coloured inks to create the background, I used my new clear sparkle embossing powder to give everything a little subtle sparkle. I used the inks to colour her clothes and promarkers for her skin and hair.

This little cutie is from Doodle Pantry I love the expression on his face and way he has his arms out, I added the sentiment as I'm planning on sending this to my aunt who is off work at the mo with tendinitis so she is a bit fed up and needs a hug through the post. I coloured him with my promarkers and cut him and the mat with my new Go Create dies I got at the Leigh craft show these are bigger than the Spellbinder dies but not as big as the grand dies so they fit through my bug. The papers are an old pad I've had for ages but I felt the plain image could take the strong colours, I used another die for the corners which are embossed as well but I don't think it shows in the picture.

Well if you are still here well done, I am entering the cards in the following challenges:

Oh La La- Its a man thing

ABC -- Embossing and three embellishments- I did miss the deadline oops!

LOTV -- Say it with flowers

Craft Us Crazy -- Nature

Jingle Belles -- Use Brown, Blue and White

Winter Wonderland -- Shaped tag

Bah! Humbug! -- Apertures

Doodle Pantry -- Use an image from them

Doodle Dragon -- Showers

I love Promarkers -- Male Card

At long last a new card from me!

2011-03-12T17:12:00.002Z

Wow it's been ages since I last posted,things are back on track here which is good so I will be taking part in the challenges and posting regularly again. I was so excited and delighted and proud to be asked to guest DT for Bah Humbug! and I have been invited to join the DT at Craft Cardmakers! How lucky am I?
So to business this little lady is a new stamp for me she is Willow by the uber talented Elisabeth Bell, I coloured her with my promarkers and cut her out. She is mounted on a Creatable Die which I embossed and inked with Victorian Velvet distress ink. I added some inked swirls as well as I have this problem of needing to add extras to cards!

Her wings and some little details on the image have been Glamour Dusted for sparkle and I used a metallic Sakura pen for the belt buckle. I made the card an easel card and used some fabric flowers I've had for ages to create the stopper. The backing paper is so old I've no idea where it came from oops! I added some paper buttons cut with a die I got from eBay I have a feeling this could be the best 99p I've spent for a long time.

I am entering the card in the following challenges:

Wild Orchid Crafts -- Anything Goes

Belles n' Whistles -- Use red, white and pink

Whiff of Joy -- Buttons and Flowers

Craft Us Crazy -- Nature

Wags and Whiskers -- More than 1 fold

Thanks for looking and I love reading any comments you are kind enough to leave.

Can I rewind time and start again?

2011-03-02T12:28:00.005Z

Well as you might have gathered by the title we've not been having a good time here since I last posted, DD has had a really nasty cold which she has kindly given to me which I'm, still suffering with, DH has had his fingers bitten by a dog as he was posting some letters and I sliced my finger on some grass trying to get the dog out of the river. This in short is why I've not been online and won't be until I'm feeling a lot better.
The only high points were trying to do some crafting with my friends on Sunday and the lovely Saramar gave me an award. Thank you so much I accept it with great pleasure.
There are a few rules attached which are:
1. To accept the award and write about it. completed
2. Display it. completed
3. Pass it on to 3-5 blogs and tell them they have been given the award. The idea is to showcase great but not well known blogs so don't give it to anyone with 3000+ followers.
My choices are
Beccy's Place
Creative Mind of Sylvie
JoZart
Cockney Blonde
Ikki

This stamp is from LOTV and the sketch is from Friday Sketchers, she is also for Crafty Cardmakers.
This is Dwight from High Hopes and this one also covers Oh La La

The letters are supposed to be higgledy pigidley and the paper is meant to be crumpled and is also for Dustin Pike
This was for my friend for St David's Day and is from Designed to Delight.

Sorry for the lack of descriptions etc but this cold has knocked me for six.

Some New Cards

2011-02-20T18:34:00.017Z

This little lady is from Lili of The Valley I coloured her in my favourite combo of green and pink, I used the Pink Petticoat freebie from a magazine for the backing paper and cut out the fab shape she is on using my new creatable die. I added some seam binding, paper flowers and a butterfly for little details. I am really pleased with this card as I like the fresh summery feel it has.

This is Tangle Mouse from High Hopes/Dustin Pike I have used him quite a bit as I love the expression on his face. The sentiment is one I got from Sentiments 4U when I won a prize, the snowflake is another creatable die, the papers are from K and Co all inked to the hilt. The strip is made using the doily punch from MS and some more seam binding.

This is from Designed 2 Delight, I paper pieced this one and added some colour with my promarkers for the sky and on the grass as it looked too bland without it. Again I used the freebie papers and the doily punch, the sentiment I made on the PC and punched out. I backed it with a nestie flower that I haven't had much use from until that is! I made the little flowers which I inked the same as the paper edges and added some card candy from my stash.

I made all three cards today at Padgate Community Centre in Warrington, I had a fantastic time chatting to everyone, seeing what they were doing and showing what I had done, thanks so much to Jo for inviting me and all the people there for making me feel so welcome.

I am entering the cards in the following challenges:

LOTV -- Favourite Colours

Promakers -- Paper Piecing

ABC Christmas -- Double Trouble (2 papers, 2 embellishments etc)

Craft Us Crazy -- Winter

Jingle Belles -- Sketch

Friday Sketchers -- Sketch

Winter Wonderland -- Christmas Card

Designed to Delight -- use image

Wags 'n Whiskers -- Use punches

High Hopes -- Love

WOYWW

2011-02-16T06:15:00.000Z

Well it's not ON the desk but it is just above the desk, this is my new holder for my homemade blending blocks.

My husband and myself made the blocks and he created the holder for them. I have been using the new blocks and they work just fine, so pleased with them cost a fraction of the amount several branded blocks would have been.
That's it short and sweet from me this week, if your wondering what this is all about pop over to The Stamping Ground and join in the worldwide nosey of other people's desks/workplaces.
Thanks for looking and I will try to visit as many as I can this week.

Challenge Cards and a Bookmark

2011-02-15T18:44:00.015Z

This lovely lady is from Designed to Delight and the progressive challenge there this week was to use the flowers the lovely Faith sent out, as a bonus this week you could buy the set of little girls and the bouquet so I did. I printed her out after I had done some digital paper piecing, just wanted to try it and I quite like the effect. I cropped the bouquet and added a few of them around the girl's feet, I coloured the foliage with my promarkers and added some flower soft for a different look. I was planning on using this one a card but my DD asked if she could make it into a bookmark instead, I tried to explain the flowersoft would come off eventually but she didn't care, so some spare seam binding and a backing card later she has her bookmark.

This is Love Bugg from Tiddly Inks she doesn't meet the challenge this week I just wanted to show her to you, I made the card and layers using my nestabilities, coloured her with promarkers and added some glamour dust for sparkle.

This is my birthday card for my grandson, the challenge at Polly Craft is for a special birthday so they want an age or a name on it. I wanted something really boyish looking and when browsing through my images saw this cute little pirate, the map is pre coloured from Tiddly Inks (my colouring and distressing isn't that good! lol), I coloured the pirate with my promarkers and cut him out. I made a little ticket with my grandson's name on it and die cut a skull and crossbones as my embellishments. The backing paper is from K and Co, I scrumpled it up as small as I could then inked the edges, I know it all looks crooked and a bit thrown together but that's the look I was trying for. Honest! This is for I love Promarkers (birthday) and Cards 4 Men (recipe: 1 image, 2 papers and 3 embellishments)

This is Beary Big Hugs from Belles 'n' Whistles I coloured her with promarkers, used K and Co papers, following the sketch from Wild Orchid Crafts, as she is intended for one of my girls she also covers the Winter Wonderland challenge of one I love, I was careful not to use red as then I can enter Jingle Belles with her too.

These little cuties are from Doodle Pantry, I made this for my mum to give a friend who is moving to a new house. At Doodle Pantry they are very generously giving everyone who plays with one of their images another very cute image and they have fab freebies on their site too!

Thanks for popping by and I reading any comments you are kind enough to leave.

Tiddly Inks Challenge 37

2011-02-14T20:10:00.003Z

Super fast post as I thought I had already posted this one, whoops, Tiddlyinks have asked for a romantic card this week and this is for my auntie and uncles wedding anniversary so I thought that would count. The image is As You Wish, I think it looks like Romeo and Juliet and the papers are From The Heart by Nitwit Collections. I did some distressing on the computer before printing them out for a different look.

The latest card

2011-02-09T20:00:00.008Z

This is the latest card I have made I used one of Pollycraft's lovely images coloured her with pro markers and made her sparkle with Glamour Dust for the white bits. The little heart is from Designed to Delight I just felt the little heart had the right look to go with this fairy, it also got the Glamour Dust treatment on the ribbon and bow. The papers are from Nitwit Collections but which one escapes me at present (note to self write down what you have used it helps!) the little buttons aren't real as they aren't something I use but the challenge at Bah Humbug! this week is buttons and bows so I made some, I made some earlier in the week as well so I might need to get some white ones I can then colour with my pro markers to match my project.

At Die Cut Dreams Christmas Club they are asking for the gift of love so I think the little heart covers that one. A new one for me is Jingle Belles they are asking for hats, scarves and gloves or a combination of so her little hat should cover that one too.

I almost forgot to add Crafty Cardmakers they are asking for hearts this week.

I am entering the card in all the challenges mentioned I do like it when one card can cover so many especially when I didn't try to make it happen it just did, if you know what I mean lol.

Thanks for popping by and I love to read any comments you are kind enough to leave.

Something new for me

2011-02-07T14:11:00.011Z

no it's not using Lili of the Valley stamps, this is Thomas with champagne and the card is for some very special people, my aunt and uncle's wedding anniversary so the romance theme for the LOTV challenge was very appropriate for this card. The papers are from the new Nitwit Collection Tippy Toes I loved the papers and the embellishments are very pretty too. I coloured the image with my promarkers of course, the ribbon was from my stash, the little sentiment I made myself on the computer, I was very pleased with myself when I had finished and promptly made lots of different ones for different occasions.

This is just a little close up of the image I think these to are so cute.
These stars are printed out from the Tippy Toes collection as well, the little faux buttons (cos I don't have any in my crafty stash just not something I use but I may change my mind now!) are just punched circles with holes poked through and threaded with a little bit of thread.

This is new for me, I bought this little stamp and one other from ebay so I could enter the Just Magnolia challenges and this week I am combining that new challenge with another one Friday Sketchers Challenge so lots of new things for me this week. These papers are from the So Berry precious collection from Nitwit Collections.I cut the corners using my new Marianne die, these were bigger than I thought they would be but I like them on a the bigger cards. I embossed the oval and sanded it just to tone down the brown as I thought it looked too strong otherwise. The band across the middle is a Martha Stewart Infinity punch I have found this really useful for all sorts of cards. I used some petaloo flowers and a fabric one from my stash, the sentiment is one I got on the Internet but I can't remember where but it gave me the inspiration to try making my own.

Here she is in a close up yes I am rather pleased with it can you tell, it's for my aunt's birthday so I need to get it ready for posting. As well as the challenges alreasy mentioned I am entering the card in the following:

I love Promarkers -- Anything Goes

Oh La La -- For someone Special

Winter Wonderland -- Stars

If your still here thanks for popping by and I love to read any comments you are kind enough to leave.

At last some new cards

2011-02-03T08:20:00.016Z

This is the card I made for my cousin's little boy, I cut the number one and the word today with my craft robo, cut Zak and the word is with my new Vintage Market alphabet die from Tim Holtz, love the size of these letters and that they are a little fancy but not too over the top. The little dragon is from Dustin Pike which I coloured with promarkers. I added a little spot of glitter to his pom pom after all it is a party!

This is tweet from Whiff of Joy I stamped him then put the card through the printer to add the sentiment as I didn't have a stamp with a font I wanted to use. I cut the circles with my nestabilities, used some paper and card I had been keeping. I saw a comment the other day that said she had stopped keeping new papers as there will always be new papers and I thought yes you are right so everything is fair game now in the stash. I coloured tweet with promarkers the papers are so old I don't know who they belong to and I added some glamour dust and glitter glue for some sparkle.

This is a free stamp I got with a magazine, in fact I only bought the magazine for the stamps how bad is that! I stamped him on some Lili of the Valley cardstock oh its lovely to colour on with markers or water and ink which s what I did with this little chap. I added some extra balloons and painted them too. The paper is from a forever friends pack and the ribbon is from my stash. The sentiment came in the stamp set and I punched it with my new tag punch.

This is a little bug from Tiddly Inks I love to read and my lovely husband has got used to the idea that reading a book while watching TV is possible! I coloured her with my promarkers, added some glamour dust to her wings this stuff is so sparkly in real life the pictures (my poor photography skills I think!) don't do it justice. The papers are from the Nitwit from the heart collection, these papers are lovely, the little border is printed on and the heart covered in hugs and kisses is from the collection as well.

I am entering the cards in a few challenges:

Wild Orchid Crafts -- Love

Cards 4 Men -- Valentine

Crafty Card Makers -- Use water

Tiddly Inks -- Kisses

Whiff of Joy -- Love

ABC Christmas -- Clean and Simple using a sketch

I love Promarkers -- Anything Goes

Winter Wonderland -- Sentiment

Bah Humbug! -- Old Stash

Doodle Pantry -- Digital and Love

Oh La La -- Three of a kind

I'm in the Gallery

2011-01-28T16:39:00.003Z

I was tickled pink the other day when Ikki asked if she could show my little card in her Friday Follwers Gallery and gleefully said yes. The shapes are of course all cut with the Bug and the nesties, sometimes an image just says do this with me and this is what this little one did for me.

Thanks for popping by and if you haven't been to The Cuttlebug Cupboard you don't know what you are missing.

About Me-Tiddly Inks Challenge

2011-01-24T20:41:00.005Z

I finally got time to craft this week and this is what I created. This card is for Tiddly Inks all about me challenge. After much thought I remembered this little bugg and thought yes that's me always reading (except when crafting) and where do I like to read best, lying in the garden with a large pile of books. I coloured the image with promarkers, created the background with distress inks, used some paper I've had so long I don't remember where I got it from and recolored some flowers .

Thanks for popping by and I love to read any comments you are kind enough to leave.

WOYWW 19/01/2011

2011-01-19T06:00:00.011Z

Well this is how I left my desk last night, a tip needing to be tidied up tomorrow but I did have lots of fun making some cards, if you have time they are further down if not then please comment to let me know you stopped by. I only managed 80 visits last week but I'm hoping to do more this week.

This is a little snowman from Designed to Delight and they run two challenges one that is progressive and a Christmas one on Card Ideas from the D2D designers.This week we were asked to use blue and purple with something that was wintry so this is my effort.

This one is for a few challenges High Hopes-anything goes

Dragon Doodle Studios-Winter

Winter Wonderland-Paws

Die Cut Dreams Christmas Club-Lace(paper on this version)

I actually used some real lace to on this version a bit of a novelty for me. This version of the card is for DCD and Daring Cardmakers-Recipe.

This week Daring Card Makers are sponsered by Robyn's Fetish.

This little cutie is from Lili Of The Valley I coloured her with promarkers, inked the edges again and made a little easel card. I inked the flowers too! This card is for a few challenges too:

Lili Of The Valley-Things with wings

The Ribbon Girl-Green and Pink

Pollycraft-Pastel

I love Promarkers-Keep it sweet and simple

This one is for the Designed 2 Delight progressive challenge, the lovely Faith will send you a freebie every week just for using her image in a project and posting it on the blog. The hearts has text in there but I removed it digitally and hand wrote mine, I would have added it digitally but I didn't have the papers at the time of printing the image so didn't know what I was going to use it for.

If you are still here you deserve a medal, thank you for popping by and I would love to read any comments you are kind enough to leave.

Red and White cards

2011-01-13T19:25:00.008Z

I'm still managing to keep crafting so here are the latest efforts from my desk.
At Tiddly Inks this week they want an all white card except for the image, I found this really hard, I kept wanting to add colour to things so I settled on this design, after I found an embossed card in a drawer that I was tidying up. I coloured the image with my promarkers and used glue and Glamour Dust for the sparkles. I have taken countless photographs to try to show the sparkle but I can't get it right, more practise required I think. I even used the glue freehand to write the message which got sparkled as well.

For this one I used my new stamp Tweet Heart from Whiff of Joy coloured with my promarkers, cut some shapes using my dies, embossed the panel, used some of my dwindling papermania heart pad which I've had for ages and added some sparkle with the Glamour Dust again.

I used a Bazzil Bling template for the letter U but had to do the number myself as I don't have one with numbers on it. I was really pleased with this one it just seemed to fall together and it looks so much redder in real life but it is red I promise not pink.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

PollyCraft--New Things--Dies and Stamp

Crafty Card Makers--To use red and a die cut

I Love Promarkers--To use a punch or die cut

Oh La La--Bling it on

Bug a Boo--Embossing

Designed 2 Delight--New and Old

Thanks so very much for popping by and I would be thrilled to read any comments you are kind enough to leave.

WOYWW 12/01/2011

2011-01-11T18:52:00.004Z

Wow it's the 12th of January already, there isn't much happening on the desk at the minute so I thought this week I would show you how I store my nestabilities.
This is the side of the fridge which forms a very handy place in my space to put the nesties. They are on magnetic sheets the nice thick ones which aren't cheap but you get a few sets from each sheet. Then they are put into the really cheap plastic CD wallets and attached to the fridge.

Here is a close up of the wallets and nesties, as you can see although the set is all there they are not quite as they should be. This is the advantage of having the wallets it doesn't matter too much of they aren't put back quite right. I should point out that my nine year old also uses my stash, (she does have her own but much prefers mine for some reason!) and any storage system needs to be something she will be willing to do.

Keeping it short as the number of people taking part seems to grow every week and it helps people get round as many as possible if I keep it short. Thanks for looking and I love to read any comments you are kind enough to leave.

Entries for Challenges

2011-01-08T11:48:00.006Z

I was busy crafting yesterday and finished these cards off today so I am keeping up with my resolution so far to make time for crafting and challenges, hope I can keep it up all year.

This card was made using the Whiff of Joy winter buddies, coloured with promarkers and sakura glaze pens for the lights, I cut the circle with my nesties of course. I punched the holly border using the punch around the page set, I inked it up to make it look more like holly and to help it stand out. The holly embellishments were punched out and inked to change the colour as it was some white scrap card. I have inked this card within an inch of it's life I think this is my favourite thing to do at the minute. The papers are from a Paper Cellar pad and the sentiment from a Kanban set of stamps I got from Hobbycraft.
I am entering this card in the following challenges:
Whiff of Joy--Sketch
ABC Christmas Challenge--Anything Christmas
I love Promarkers--Recycle
Winter Wonderland--Lots of dots

Bah Humbug!--Holly
Die Cut Dreams Christmas Club--Punch the sentiment

This little chap is from the Doodle Pantry I painted him with distress inks except the feet and his little mouth for which I used promarkers, the papers are from a Forever Friends set and the sentiment is from a Dawn Bibby set. Again I have inked all the edges I told you I was into inking at the minute!
I am entering this card in the following challenges:
Doodle Pantry--Use image
Cards for Men--Sketch

This card uses an image from Designed to Delight I colored the background with promarkers and blended them for all I was worth to try to get it to look semi realistic I'm fairly pleased with it. I punched the strips with Martha Stewarts Heart Lattice punch using some scraps. The panel the little sheep is on is recycled from another card as is the piece of ribbon. Most of the card has been inked again, I got some of the inks for Christmas so have been having a lovely time playing with them all!
I am entering this card in the following challenges:
Designed 2 Delight--Use image
I love Promarkers--Recycle

If your still here well done you, this is the last one, this is made from a Kanban kit the image, sentiment and card stock all came from it sometimes it's nice when it's all done for you. I punched the edges of the horizontal strip with the Lace Doily punch from Martha Stewart and created the ribbon effect strips with the Infinty Deep punch. I inked the edges of the punching on this one as well.
I am entering this in the Wild Orchid Crafts challenge as it follow the sketch from there.
Thanks for looking and I would love to read any comments you are kind enough to leave.

Delightful Inspiration Cupcake and Roses

2011-01-02T22:24:00.003Z

Well it's been ages since I posted twice in the one week so a good start to the new year, I made this card digitally and then printed it off, I used the Cupcake with Roses as a png, coloured it in Photoshop then added some digi paper and embellishments in Digital Scrapbook Artist. I was really pleased with the overall effect and I feel so much more comfortable using my tablet now.
Thanks for looking and I love to read any comments you are kind enough to leave.

Ist challenge entry for the year

2011-01-01T12:08:00.002Z

This is the first entry for some challenges this year and I hope to keep it up this year, I did enjoy the challenges last year but with getting our dog all my crafting time seemed to disappear but making time to craft and take part in the challenges is my New Year resolution.
I have used Willow with flowers, I cut her out with my nesties and coloured her with my pro markers, the papers are a freebie from a magazine but I think they are My Minds Eye. I created the little mat using the scroll set of the Punch Around the Page from Martha Stewart. The set of three flowers were cut using the Tim Holtz Tattered Flowers die the other flowers are Petaloo coloured with a pro marker. The little leaves are a Martha Stewart Frond punch I got this at Hobbycraft on Boxing Day and I think it will be soooo very useful.
I am entering this card in the following challenges:
Whiff of Joy--Sketch
I love Pro Markers -- Anything goes
Winter Wonderland--Thank you

Thanks for looking and I love reading any comments you are kind enough to leave.

WOYWW 22/12/2010

2010-12-22T07:36:00.003Z

Last one before Christmas and I've no desk to show you as it's been covered with daughters crafty stuff to create some extra storage space for Christmas food, I do have a picture to show you though, we had our daft dog out in the snow and I had taken the camera so here is a digital page I made with one of the pictures. Keeping it short and sweet this week as I know there are a lot of busy people out there.
Hope you all have a fabulous Christmas and all the very best for the New Year.
I will visit as many as I can and hope to be back next year as I really enjoy this snoop around peoples lives.
Thank you for visiting and any comments you leave I love reading them.

WOYWW 15/12/2010

2010-12-15T08:05:00.004Z

Well it's been a few weeks since I've had time to take part and what is on my desk are some lovely birthday and Christmas cards that I need to post Thankyou's for. I will now have time to craft as I am finished yes that's right finished all my Christmas preperations. The presents are all wrapped and the cards all sent so all we have to do is buy the food for the actual day. I love when I get to this stage and can enjoy the run up to the big day.

I bought myself some new stamps for my birthday and they arrived on the day so I will be having a play with them later today I hope.
Hope you all have a great week and your preperations are going well. I love reading your comments and they are greatly appreciated.

WOYWDW

2010-11-17T08:08:00.004Z

Another Wednesday another peek at my desk, not that there's much occurring but here it is. I made this card last night using a new glue stamp pad I had bought with some Glamour Dust sprinkled on top of it. It was the first use of both these things and I was really pleased with how it turned out. The stamp is from the Martha Stewart Polar Snowflake Stamp and Punch.

These are cards that I did last week I'm only showing the messages as I used my new toy the Hot Foil Wizard and I had some comments wanting me to keep you updated on what I thought of it. I was really pleased with how they turned out, these are written freehand, I just need to learn to write in a straight line and I will be sorted, I can see me getting a lot of use from it, no more trying to find just the write stamp or sticker for a message I can just write it.

Thank you to everyone who visited me last time, I really appreciate all the lovely comments you leave. I am off out crafting with friends today so will need to start my visits tomorrow. Have a great Wednesday everyone.

WOYWDW

2010-11-03T07:23:00.004Z

There's not too much happening on my desk this week, but at long last there is activity hurrah!

I've not had much time for crafting as we got a dog a little while ago and it's taken me this long to get used to having him, do all the house stuff I need to and find time to craft but I think I'm managing to get the balance right at long last. It hasn't helped I've wrenched the muscles in my back but enough of that. Two pictures of Ben our newest addition.

On the desk today you can see the Christmas baubles I made, I cut them with my Craft Robo, then embossed with various folders to give some texture, these are for Fiona to send out instead of Christmas cards so she was very pleased to see them finished yesterday.

I've some new stamps to play with too, the La Pashe flipping style where you have the back and the front, I liked these for some male cards at least they will get a smile every time (I hope!)

The last picture is of my new toy my lovely Mum and Dad have given me early for Christmas, it is a Hot Foil Wizard Pen. I have had a little play with it and am looking forward to really getting to grips with it as I think it will be fab for greetings and foiled images, no doubt you will see some examples in the next few weeks but I think it will be after Christmas before I really get going with it.

Thanks for looking and sorry for not being around for ages, any comments you leave are read with great appreciation. If you want to join in got to The Stamping Ground where you will find all you need to know.

My First Award

2010-10-11T21:33:00.002+01:00

The lovely Michelle has given me my first award for my blog, thank you so very much.

I haven't posted for ages and ages as life has just gone a little bit mad round here but I'm hoping things will settle down a little and I will be able to get some crafting done, (I am having withdrawal symptoms it's not good for you not to craft for such a LONG time) which I will be able to share with you.

Two challenge cards

2010-08-08T12:26:00.004+01:00

This is a card for the challenge at Bah! Humbug who want us to use a window this week. I printed the the window scene from the Crafters Companion Winter Tales CD, I wanted to do the A6 version as I haven't done this particular project before and like to do a small version for first times. I cut out the various pieces, made the windows and stuck them to the frame, I used the snowflake embossing folder on some shiny card to put in the window, I also printed a sheet of greetings and I used one of them for the inside of the window. I am pleased with how it has turned out especially for a first attempt, I think I will make the bigger version as well now I know how it's done.

This card is for Designed 2 Delight drawn by the lovely Faith, this is a progressive challenge and this week the Teddy image is free, all you have to do is make a card using him, post it on Faith's blog and she will send you the next image free of charge by email so why not join us?

I am also doing the challenge on Double Delight who have given us a sketch this week. I made the card digitally this time following the sketch, I printed out the lovely bear and coloured him using my promarkers. I was trying to make him look furry but I'm not sure how successful that was but practise makes perfect as the saying goes.

Why I didn't play WOYWW this week

2010-08-04T19:35:00.006+01:00

I was busy going to see my second grandson who was born early this morning.Isn't he cute and yes that's me holding him, they are both fine but still in hospital tonight as they want to keep an eye on his mum.

Before we got the news I had made these cards though so I thought I'd show you them now.

This one is Festive Willow on a sled full of presents, I masked them , cut them put, mounted onto some printed baking paper, used my holly punch around the page set and then used vintage christmas flowersoft on the holly. The little greeting was printed onto the same paper shrunk down, punched out and embellished with some stickles.
This card is for Whiff of Joy and ABC Christmas Challenge.

This is the card for the new baby, some gingham paper made by Bev Rochester, a little vest from Deedee's Digis which I made into a png so I could put the paper behind it, I added the little duck that comes in the set, made the greeting small and punched it out when printed. I added some ribbon and the infinity trim punch which I trimmed to make interlocking hearts, I'm not sure if you will be able to see it but it is there lol. This card is for Die Cut Dream Challenge.

This is a silver blank, embossed with snowflakes folder, mistletoe kisses digi from Designed 2 Delight coloured with promarkers and cut out. I used the infinity trim punch and cut out a scalloped oval from some Dovecraft paper from last year. I punched some small snowflakes and added some small stars to the middle of them.
This card is for I Promarkers and Die Cut Dreams Christmas Challenge

Two more challenge cards

2010-08-03T14:43:00.011+01:00

I have made another two cards that I am entering in various challenges.
The first one is a lovely snowman image from Designed 2 Delight as part of the progressive challenge on there. Every time you make and post a card using that weeks freebie the lovely Faith sends you the next freebie, it really is that simple so why not join us?
I printed him out, coloured him with pro markers, well the bits that needed colour lol,I cut him out and mounted him on some foam squares for dimension. For the background I created some snow with a white gel pen and some glitter, ripped a piece of white glitter paper to give him somewhere to stand, punched some snowflakes from the scraps of glitter paper, after I stuck it all together I embellished with a few sparkly stones and some stickles, after all you can have too much glitter and sparkle at Christmas time!
This card is being entered in the following challenges:
Bah! Humbug-paper tearing
Winter Wonderland-no designer paper
Designed 2 Delight-use image
Double Delight-handmade embellihments

This card is for the Fit for a Princess challenge at Tiddly Inks, I coloured her with the pro markers cut her out using the out of frame technique with the label nestie, I used some K and Co papers to back the card and created some mats for my princess using the loop and the lace scroll punch around the page sets. I punched the flowers and the butterflies from scrap card and coloured them to match the colours in her dress, to finish them off I added some sparkly stones. I'm really pleased with the butterflies as it's the first time I've used the butterflies from the punch and they are a lovely size for a card and for decorating.
This card is being entered in the following challenges:
TiddlyInks Digital-fit for a princess
Crafty Cardmakers-spotlight on punches

Two challenge cards

2010-08-02T12:14:00.003+01:00

Today I have two challenge cards to show you, the first is the second part of Flash your Freebies at Pollycraft and the second one is for Doodle Dragon Studios and I ♥ Promarkers.

These cute little tortoises are the freebie I got for taking part in Flash your Freebies, I thought I'd missed the deadline for this one but it's not until tonight so I was very pleased I had checked early this morning, I coloured them with pro markers and cut them out by hand. The sky is chalked and the grass is a MS punch that is little flowers I got when I subscribed to a magazine. I ripped the paper and chalked the edges then punched it again but flowers don't look right when they are green so I added some flowersoft onto the heads. I hand wrote for you in the corner as I didn't know what else to put, I think I'll send this one to my sister just because.

This is my entry for the Friends challenge at Doodle Dragon Studios, I do love Dustin Pikes images they are so cute and a dream to colour. I used my pro markers to colour them and cut them out by hand, I left a border this time as I didn't want to cut right down to the bottom between the bear and the penguin. I used some Dovecraft baking paper from last year and punched it with the double loops punch around the page set. I so love these MS punches I think I will be getting lots of use from them :-). I am also entering this card in the I ♥ Promarkers Challenge which is Christmas.

Whats on your desk today?

2010-07-27T23:51:00.006+01:00

well on my desk there are two cards and some lovely Martha Stewart punches that I treated myself to. I have one of the punch around the page sets and the deep edge fan punch on my desk.

I also got these other punches, yes I bought nearly every set that was on telly the other day and they all came today, so I have stroked them, tested them and created a space to keep them in. If you are a regular desk hopper no doubt you will see the various sets appearing over the next few weeks.

The card is for my niece who is getting wed on Friday, I have used the lovely freebie from Pollycraft, some K and Co paper, the punch around the page set and the fan down the side of the card. I coloured the bears with pro markers and embellished it with little pearls, stones and my ever faithful clear sparkle sakura pen. I was so pleased when I was finished it I'm still smiling as I type, although that was only a few minutes ago, lol.

I am entering this card in

Pollycraft-Love and Marriage

Wild Orchid Crafts-Lovely Lace (paper lace is acceptable)

Crafty Cardmakers-Recipe

This card is using the freebie from Designed 2 Delight for this week, coloured with my new tablet and photoshop. This is the first time I have tried this so I was quite pleased with the way it turned out. The challenge on Double Delight this week is to use blue and buttons. Blue was easy but I don't have any buttons for crafting with as I never use them so I made my own by punching out some small circles and creating some holes. I did add some on the image digitally but I'm not sure how well that can be seen so I added the paper ones.

If your still here well done you, if you want to join in the desk hopping go to

The Stamping Ground where you will find out all you need to know and any comments you leave will be read with great appreciation and interest.

WOYWW

2010-07-21T08:26:00.002+01:00

Good morning fellow desk hoppers, here is my desk this morning, you can see the card I've made between last night and finished off this fine sunny morning. On my desk is some lovely ribbon my very nice friend gave to me isn't it lovely? The pro marker box and the one I need to pop back in after colouring the ribbon for my card. My rock a block that I used to stamp the Happy Birthday on my card.

The image is from Dustin Pike, coloured and cut with pro markers, I cut him out and used some K and Co backing paper. The stopper for my easel section is some acetate flowers I punched out and used a brad for the middle.

I am entering the card in a few challenges and yes I did make a list of the things I needed to do for these challenges and came up with this, but I am quite pleased with how it worked:

Doodle Dragon Studio - Sketch

Die Cut Dreams Challenge - Acetate

Cards for Men - Recipe Challenge

Crafty Cardmakers - Easel Cards

Pollycraft Monday - Birthday

Thanks for looking and any comments you leave (please do I love reading them), if you want to join in the Wednesday Desk hop go to The Stamping Ground where you can find all you need to know.

More Challenge Cards

2010-07-20T17:20:00.005+01:00

Here are the cards I've been working on for the last few days, the first one is a lovely little angel by Mo Manning, I coloured her using pro markers and cut her out, I made a little card with the biggest Labels 4 and cut some paper to fit inside using the smaller label. At Winter Wonderland this week they want angels but with glitter so I added some stickles to make her sparkle.

This one is again by Mo and is called ,"And another thing", I thought it was a lovely and unusual Santa image, this was actually more difficult to colour than most images as there is so much detail but I think I've coloured it in properly. I used some backing paper I printed off, a bit of holographic just to give it some oopmh and a little piece of ribbon to finish. This card is for Die Cut Dreams Christmas Club.

This last one is for Bah! Humbug who want stockings this week when I saw this little girl I knew what I wanted to use, I keep wanting to call her Clara for some reason. I coloured with my pro markers and cut her out by hand. I cut the circles with my nesties no way I could cut circles like that by hand lol, the papers are a magazine freebie from ages ago and the Merry Christmas was cut from a sheet I printed a home. I used an already foiled blank and added a piece of ribbon to finish off.

Some challenge cards

2010-07-19T10:52:00.002+01:00

This one is for Tiddly Inks Match it Up challenge, I've used the key paper and the girl with the key, coloured them with Distress Inks and watercolour pencils, made a little ticket with key to the door on it and coloured that with the distress ink too. I just hope it's matched enough.

This week at Designed 2 Delight, Cluck the rooster was the freebie to use and at Double Delight they want him to pop, I created the words around him and printed him and a few friends off. I coloured with inks and cut him out to decoupage him up using silicon glue. I used the glue rather than foam pads because of the fineness of his comb and tail. I created the blue sky with a pro marker and inked the edges of the card. I'm really pleased with how he turned out and he's off to say Hi to my Gran who needs cheering up.

This week at I ♥ pro markers they had a sketch and a dog theme to follow. I'm not sure where I got the image from but it felt like the right one to use for this challenge, the papers are K and Co and cut with my nesties and some punches. The greeting is the same one I used the other day.

I'm flashin my freebies

2010-07-17T11:20:00.004+01:00

Paula at Polly Craft asked us to flash our freebies so here's mine, this is Flo and she has been coloured with pro markers, mounted onto some K and Co paper, I inked all the edges, seems to be my favourite thing at the minute. I used my Bling templates to make the flower out of little gems. The sentiment is from a Personal Impressions set I was given as a birthday present.

Cards made yesterday

2010-07-16T07:49:00.003+01:00

For the first time in ages I've managed to make a card for the Whiff of Joy challenge which this time was a sketch by the fabulous Bev Rochester, would you believe I actually made two.

This one is the first of approx 60 birthday cards I'm making for my friend so I'm hoping she will like it, I've used Champagne Willow, coloured her with my pro markers except for her hair which I use the distress ink for this was a first for me but I'm quite pleased with the way it turned out, cut her out using the out of frame technique with the nesties, I do like this technique it just makes things look a little different and so handy when the image doesn't quite fit the shape I want lol. I've inked the edges of the card to tie in the the inking on the shape and used some K and Co backing papers to follow the sketch. I cut the little flowers and scalloped edge using one of my new border dies and added some paper roses for the first time ever of a card. I've had these for ages but was never quite sure how to use them but I have been reading Bev's blog for a while now so took the plunge today. I stamped the Happy Birthday directly as I couldn't get it to look right otherwise.

This one follows the same sketch I always find it amazing how the same sketch or even stamp can look so different changing the colours. The papers are Melissa Fances and a scrap of sentiment paper, the little sentiment was lying on the desk and just seemed right so on it went.

This is the graduation card I made for my neighbours son, I used the technique I'd seen on the Whiff of Joy tutorial blog to colour his robes and pro markers for the rest. I made the backing paper on the computer as I didn't have anything I felt was right, I was really pleased with how it turned out.

I'm entering the cards in the following challenges:

Whiff of Joy, Wild Orchid Crafts and Die Cut Dreams Christmas Club

WOYWDW Week 58 and a few other things

2010-07-14T13:40:00.006+01:00

This will probably be a long post so if you don't have a lot of time you might just want a quick look at the pictures, a comment (please I love reading them) and off to the next blog.

It's been a busy week on my desk as you will see I've made several Christmas cards, from a kit I was lucky enough to get from the QVC outlet shop for a fraction of the price on the telly. I really like them because they are a bit different so now when I finish the rest of them I will have my family and special friends cards all done and it's only July. I'm giving the choir card underneath this bit to my friend as she saw it today and really liked it so that's one done.

This fairy card is for my Mum's friend I just need to find a nice verse for the inside and that's another job jobbed. The image is from Digi Sparkle coloured with my pro markers and decorated with little gems, I cheated with the background and used a printed one.

This is the underneath part of my desk which my very clever hubby made for me to put things on to dry or to keep things safe from the general shambles that is my working area, it just rolls in and out like a keyboard shelf on a computer desk, very handy for stashing things. I've coloured the images I had ready from last week and cut them out ready to be made into some of the birthday cards I've agreed to make. I showed my friend today and she was very happy with them so that's a good start. I'm just waiting on my new punches to arrive so I can make up the cards.

These pictures are the debris and works in progress of the rest of the kit I really do take up as much space as I can fill when crafting which drives hubby to distraction but I always tell him I have to give him something to moan about.

This last picture is a card using the latest image from Designed to Delight I really like the image and felt it was just right for a Thank you card.
I am entering the choir card in the following challenges:
Winter Wonderland
Bah Humbug
The Santa card above I'm entering in Cards 4 Men and the thank you card I am entering in
Designed 2 Delight and Double Delight.

Thanks for looking and I will try not to have such a long post next time.

WOYWDW Week 57

2010-07-07T10:06:00.006+01:00

Hi all hope your having a good Wednesday, I've got DD off school as she's not very well today so we are going to try to do some crafting but I'm not sure how much will actually happen.

So what's on the desk this week, lots as usual lol.

You can see the card I've made for my FIL's birthday I love this image from Digital Diva Designs every time I see it it makes me laugh.

The debris from making a few Christmas cards, yes this year I am making my Christmas cards all year round, I know it may seem sad but I can spend so much more time on each one this way. You can also see my lovely easel which has been used lots already from the fabulous Julia and Mr. Dunnit and one of the flowers from my new Tim Holtz Tattered Flowers die, I've got the butterfly one too but I don't know if I will keep that one.

I've also got a load of Whiff of Joy images ready to colour and cut out for cards. I've been asked to make nearly 60 cards for a friend so that will keep me busy for a while.

I've just been on Lothian Crafts link and Julia asked about ribbon storage for those that don't buy reels, so I thought I would show you how I store mine. It's just some card with a piece stapled onto the front to give a slot to poke the ribbon through, I've put it on some cardboard for rigidity and hung it on a length on chain. I can see what I've got, it doesn't get creased and I don't even have to take it down to see if it will go with what I'm doing. If anyone wants the instructions please email me on made4you @virginmedia.com and I will send them to you. Hope this helps.

Thank you for visiting and any comments you leave I love to read them all.

Cards made today

2010-07-05T16:33:00.005+01:00

Oh I've had a lovely day, washing on the line, house nice and clean so I've been able to craft nearly all day, bliss.

I made this easel card today with some black card, cut some holographic red card which I punched using my EK Success border punch, I used some scrap silver mirror board to create the border strips and the flowers using my new Tim Holtz Tattered Flowers Die, I've used some bead spacers and jewel brads for the middle of the flowers. The Noel is a die cut which I've decoupaged. I used the greeting to create the plate for the easel section to sit behind. I would never have spent this much time on just one card in the run up to Christmas so I would like to say a huge THANK YOU to the ladies who are running the various Christmas challenges throughout the year.

The die cut on this card was on the same sheet so as I had all the same colours etc out I thought I would do both at the same time. I used an 8 inch square blank for this as the die cut was so big especially after I mounted it on some mirror board. I cut a strip off the side, punched the border and punched the corners of the mirror board. I used my bling templates to create the sentiment, I find these templates so useful.
I'm entering the cards in the following challenges:
Winter Wonderland-Punch it out
ABC Christmas Challenge-N is for Noel.

Three cards from the weekend

2010-07-05T08:16:00.005+01:00

This is the first of my cards from the weekend, it's a Dustin Pike dragon coloured red, white and blue with my pro markers and printed on lots of red, white and blue stripes. I'm entering this in the challenge for Dragon Doodle Studios and I ♥ Pro markers.

This one is for the use the image challenge at Designed 2 Delight. I colored it with the pro markers, cut it and the card with my nesties, I embossed the happy birthday with a Sizzix texture plate and inked it a little to being out the embossing.

This one is a Mo Manning image called Boughs for the Wreath. I just loved this image when I saw it and as the theme at Die Cut Dreams Christmas Club is Wreaths this week I had an excuse, not that I need much encouragement! Anyway coloured with pro markers and cut with nesties using the out of frame technique, mounted onto an embossed blank and a greeting added at the bottom. I am entering this one in Bah! Humbugs less is more challenge as well as DCDCC.

Designed 2 Delight Challenge Bear

2010-07-01T11:56:00.003+01:00

Here is one I made today, the bear is from Designed 2 Delight coloured with pro markers of course, cut out by hand, I made the swirls with my bling template, these are soooo useful I'm glad I convinced my Mum to get them for me :). The backing paper is from K and Co and the little sentiment has been coloured to match as it didn't look quite right just white.

Just a note

2010-07-01T10:44:00.002+01:00

Well it's been a while, we've not been very well here so crafting has taken a back seat but we are all feeling a lot better so here is my latest crafty effort. The image is a digital stamp from Mo Manning, coloured of course with my pro markers and cut by hand this time. I used some card stock for the sky and grass I don't know where I got it from I found it when rummaging as you do, I've punched the edge just to make it look a bit nicer. I created the flowers using another punch and colored them with my pro markers.

The card is for my SIL and her OH, they bought my DD a 12 foot diameter pool for her birthday, so she had some friends round for her party and I am sending a CD with some pictures of the children playing in the pool to them. As SIL isn't very well at the minute I'm hoping it will cheer her up a little.

The easel the card is sitting in is from the fabulous Mr and Mrs Dunnit from WOYWDW.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Die Cut Dreams- Life's a beach

Crafty Cardmakers- Inky Fingers (I can get away with this one as I coloured the flowers with the markers ;))

WOYWD Week 55

2010-06-23T10:07:00.002+01:00

I've missed a few weeks but hope to get back to joining you all so this week I've taken a picture of my desk. I am in the middle of making a Christmas card for the Die Cut Dreams Christmas Challenge which this week is all white with just a dash of colour. I'm hoping to get it finished today. I've got some images ready to colour for the Whiff of Joy challenge and need to put away my boxes of Christmas embellishments. Hope to join some of you today, there's just too many to visit everyone. Thank you for dropping by and any comments you leave I do love reading them.

Designed 2 Delight Challenge

2010-06-22T21:18:00.003+01:00

Here is one of the cards I've made with the latest image from Designed 2 Delight. I love this little bird and the sentiments that Faith put with him. I've used it lots already but forgot to take pictures before sending but I remembered today.

A Festive Tree

2010-06-22T06:42:00.003+01:00

The challenge this week at Winter Wonderland was a festive tree. The image I chose is a little mouse by Dustin Pike, I really love his images can you tell? I coloured and cut as usual, cut a piece of holographic card and embossed it using by Snowdots folder, I really liked the effect of embossing the holographic card so I think I will be using that again. I used some more of the sentiment paper, I like sentiment background paper for smaller cards as I don't have to fit a greeting on and can leave the image as the star of the show.

Childs Christmas

2010-06-21T08:00:00.002+01:00

I had a really good crafty session the other day and made this one which I'm going to use as a child's Christmas card. I may make something else for the challenge on Bah! Humbug but I will post this just in case I don't get time. The image is by Dustin Pike, coloured and cut as usual, this time I embossed the base card using the Sizzix texture plates and inked it. I used more holographic card and the sentiment paper.

M is for Mistletoe

2010-06-20T13:45:00.004+01:00

The challenge this fortnight is M for Mistletoe at ABC Christmas Cards. So I have used Mistletoad from Dustin Pike, as usual coloured with pro markers whatever did I do before these?!? Cut with my nesties and mounted onto some holographic card and paper with a Christmas message. I embossed the base card using my Snowdots folder through the Cuttlebug using a technique I learned from Ikki's Cuttlebug Cupboard, such a clever and talented lady, you should check out her blog.

Father's Day Cards

2010-06-19T15:09:00.003+01:00

I have made a few Father's Day cards this year but I've already posted some of them so here are the latest two. The first one is an image by Dustin Pike, I've coloured it with my pro markers, cut it with my nesties, used some K and Co backing paper and used my bling templates to create the words with little stones. Hopefully you can see it says," For U Dad" with a little heart at the end. This is my hubby to give to his Dad and he likes it so hopefully his dad will too.
The other card is using a Tiddly Inks freebie, again coloured with my markers and cut with my nesties. I really love this label shape and although the card is quite simple I think the shape and size means less is more on this one.
I am entering the cards in the following challenges:
I love Pro Markers
Crafty Cardmakers
Doodle Dragon Studio
Cards 4 Men
Tiddly Inks

L is for lights

2010-06-15T20:12:00.003+01:00

I think I will just squeak in with this card, ABC are up to L for Lights with a tree if you can, so here is my little attempt. It's a Dustin Pike image, I just printed it coloured it, cut it out, a bit a paper on a card, some glue and some glitter for the Merry Christmas,maybe it's just me but it seems that sometimes the quick ones look better than the ones you spend ages on.

A little mouse card

2010-06-15T19:53:00.005+01:00

This weeks image from Designed 2 Delight is this lovely little mouse, I coloured him with pro markers, cut it out with my nesties, did a little inking to give it some definition. I want to enter him in the Die Cut Dreams challenge too as they want you to use chocolate and strawberry, not a combo I would normally use but I'm really pleased with how he turned out.

A couple of cards using SNB freebie

2010-06-14T21:01:00.004+01:00

I need some just because cards as my sister in law isn't very well at the moment so I will sending her little cards every few days to cheer her up, or at least I hope it will! Stretch and Bubbles want you to use the background panel that was the freebie for taking part in the last challenge this week, when I first looked at it I thought mmmh how will I use that? Well, I found it really really useful, as you can see I've used a few times already and can see more use from it very soon.I used it in conjunction with some of Karen Johnson's designs and am really pleased with how it worked.

Family Tree

2010-06-14T10:03:00.003+01:00

The challenge this week for Tiddlyinks was babies but I didn't have a normal baby image so I had a think,(yes another one!) and came up with the idea of making the hedgehog I did have smaller so I had baby hedgehogs, I added this lovely tree from Beccy's Place and added my hedgehog family. So here is my new baby card but it could be used for adoptions too.

Latest Christmas Card

2010-06-10T13:15:00.007+01:00

Here is my card using acetate for the challenge at Bah! Humbug this week. I used a Dustin Pike penguin coloured with my Sakura pens this time, stamped some snowflakes and a sentiment. I used Snowflake embossing powder and although the fine haze of powder wasn't meant to happen I decided I liked it anyway. I've never really used acetate but after trying this I think I will make a few more like it.
I am entering this card in Susie and Vikki's challenge as they want you to use snowflakes this week. I am also entering it in the Winter Wonderland challenge as they want love at Christmas this week.

Going Goth

2010-06-07T16:05:00.003+01:00

The challenge this week on Tiddly Inks was to go goth, now this is not something I've done before so I had a look in the shop and the Cute Goth images are lovely but not really my style, so I had a think, now that might not be much for some but for me that's a lot of work you know! Anyway I had my think and I remembered Christy had released the little princess which I had to get so I made a goth princess, now I don't know if she's Goth enough but I hope so.

Designed 2 Delight Challenge flowers

2010-06-07T15:59:00.002+01:00

Here is my entry for the challenge on Designed to Delight, I really like this little pot of flowers and can see me using it a lot as it will be useful for so many things. I coloured it with my pro markers, cut it and the mat with my nests, made the little flowers with my Nellie Snellen punch set, I so want the large set and the foliage from this range and the papers are a Laura Ashley pack I think.

Stretch and Bubbles

2010-06-07T15:46:00.004+01:00

Here is my entry for the challenge at Stretch and Bubbles, you need to use the free image and post to the blog and then you get the next image for free to play next week. I already do this with Designed to Delight and I think it's a great way to collect images and cards.

Number Card

2010-06-04T16:17:00.002+01:00

This week the challenge at Die Cut Dreams is to make a card with a number on it, so I made this one but I'm not a hundred percent about it but I thought I would show it to you anyway.

Thank you Card

2010-06-04T16:00:00.004+01:00

I received the most fabulous parcel the other day and although I've posted thanks online I wanted to send a thank you card as well, so I made this. The image is Helping Hand from Sweet and Sassy stamps, on their PCP group they are giving away a free digi if you play before a set time so gues what I did today.

Delightful Inspiration Card

2010-06-02T18:03:00.002+01:00

Here is my card for the challenge this week at Delightful Inspiration. I coloured the lovely image with my pro markers, cut it out with nesties and mounted it an a fancy card from my stash. I used some glue pens my friend gave me with some glitter for the message. This card is going to the States in response to a request from Dustin Pike who has asked for cards from all over the world for a member of the dance troop his daughter goes to. This 18 year old girl has been diagnosed with MS and is finding it hard as she loves to dance. I have taken all the freebies from Dustin's site and used them loads so I thought I should give a little something back with this little card.

Relaxing Ronnie

2010-06-02T17:52:00.003+01:00

I got this digital image from Pollycraft as I was looking for a Fathers Day image I could use for lots of other boy occasions and thought he fitted the bill. Even better though all the money for him a mere 1.50 goes towards the Yorkshire Air Ambulance so I had to have him. I made a few versions of him for a challenge on the Crafts Beautiful forum but forgot to post him here until now, so here is Relaxing Ronnie.

Gues what I've been doing today

2010-05-20T20:16:00.003+01:00

Yes, I've spent a lot of the day crafting and catching up on what's been occurring online while I've been busy, so here is the second card I've made today. The image is from Tiddly Inks Digital coloured of course with pro markers, the background is an embossing plate which I inked to bring out the embossing, this is because at Tiddly Inks this week you can't use backing paper, the flowers are a Nellie Snellen punch and emboss set, I love these and you will be seeing more of them, I've coloured the flowers with my pro marker to match the colouring,the challenge at I heart pro markers is to use handmade flowers so I hope these count, I've put a piece of embossed and inked card inside to hide the brads and to follow the challenge on Crafty Cardmakers.

A new card at last

2010-05-20T11:13:00.003+01:00

Well it's been a while since I posted with looking after my grandson, getting ready for birthdays and wedding anniversary I've had no time for crafting but I hope to be back to normal, well as normal as I get anyway now the birthday season is over until later in the year when it all starts again.

I made this card using a Mo Manning digital stamp, it should say Home Tweet Home on the little sign but I changed the text for a Christmas message. I coloured the image with pro markers of course, used distress ink on the background and around the shape which was cut with my nestabilities, I created the faux stitching with my Bazzil bling templates and then used a punch with border system to create the borders. I am entering this card in the following challenges:
Susie and Vikki's Christmas Club-Stitching
Bah Humbug-Punched Borders
ABC K is for Kissing

I know the birds aren't kissing but it's the best I've got so I hope it will do.

WOYWD Wednesday 48

2010-05-05T10:32:00.004+01:00

Hello fellow WOYWDWer's you find me in mid crafting session today, I am taking part in a few swaps on the Crafts Beautiful Forum and my efforts are strewn all over the desk. You can see a pirate for my bookmark, daning willow cut out ready to go on one of my toppers, tags in process and the remains of my chocolate bar covering for the Whiff of Joy challenge for a gift card holder.

Just to the side you can see my pile of nesties which need to go back where they belong.
Thank you to everyone who visited last week and those who left comments, I do enjoy reading them, I'm sorry I didn't get to everyone but I will try harder this week there are just so many people to get round.

Designed to Delight Charmed

2010-05-04T22:15:00.002+01:00

Here is my entry for this weeks challenge. I've used some embossed vinyl for the background, inked it with rich sand memento, coloured the little frog with my ro markers, cut it and a label for the sentiment with my nesties, I've inked the label with distress inks and hand written a little message on it. When Fiona saw it she wanted me to give it to her for her borthday so it must be better than I thought or else it just such a cute image she wants it anyway.

Whiff of Joy Challenge ~77

2010-05-04T22:04:00.002+01:00

Here is my entry for the challenge to create a gift card holder, I looked at the fab samples and thought mmmhh I like them but I want something different so I had a look online and saw a tutorial for making a bar of choclate with a little card holder on top of it and thought thats what I'm looking for. So here it is one bar of Galaxy(I had to keep taking this back from my OH and I'm sure he will be looking for it again shortly, he's worse than me for choclate!), wrapped in vellum, wrapped in snowflake paper which I punched using my EK scallop punch, a little paper wallet for the card and the lovely candle image coloured with pro markers of course.

Some garden visitors

2010-05-01T15:27:00.002+01:00

We had some unusual visitors to our garden yesterday so we took some pictures and I thought I would share some with you.

Susie's Birthday Candy

2010-05-01T13:42:00.002+01:00

Susie at Die Cut Dreams has offered some fabulous candy as it's her birthay on the 7th of May, take a look at her fab new die cut shapes as well.

Tracy

WOYWD Wednesday 47

2010-04-28T20:55:00.010+01:00

Thank you for all the lovely comments and encouragement I had from all my visitors last week, as you can see from the pictures I have managed to clear my space quite a lot. Someone asked what the awards were on the cabinet, well the cabinet is the fridge and the awards are for my daughter from school.

As you can see I have trimmed my ribbon collection severely as I read a fab tip from Joanna Sheen who now just keeps white, cream and black ribbon as she colours the ribbon whatever colour she wants using pro markers. I can pinch a good idea as fast as anyone so that's what I'm working at getting my ribbons to. I have packaged all my old ones up to send to a lovely crafter Leigh who does all her crafting for charity so I can't think of a better place for them.
I've now got all my brad and bling towers neatly tucked away, my cuttlebug shapes, flowers and adhesive stones nice and tidy and my pro markers are in pride of place.

I was lucky enough to go the the Show at Aintree on Friday and got a pack of five markers for five pounds, so I got five packs. I cut little circles with the robo using adhesive paper and coloured them with the marker so I can see what colour I'm looking for.

I'm trying out a Big Bite from the local QVC shop but I don't know if I will keep it, it has been very useful though for creating some templates to use with adhesive stones.
Well that's it for this week, hopefully I will be more creative next week and I'm looking forward to having a browse around your spaces too.

Revised Card for Susie and Vikki's Challenge of Peace, Joy or Noel

2010-04-25T17:28:00.003+01:00

I thought when I posted my original I hadn't quite met the spec, so here is my second effort, I created my own background paper this time with the word Peace in different colours so it's definitely on there now, I made Roberta's beautiful fairies smaller, coloured with pro markers of course, cut with nesties and bling using the templates, quite simple but I like it sometimes nice and light is good

Doodle Dragon Challenge Lets Get Sketchy

2010-04-25T16:08:00.003+01:00

I missed a couple of birthdays recently so I made this card using the sketch from Doodle Dragon Challenge Blog, it says the sketch is a starting point so I've taken them at their word and added a few extras. The image is Toby and Buster from Dustin Pike, coloured with my promarkers of course, some K and Co paper I've had forever and some swirls using my bling templates. I made the sentiment on the computer and cut it wth my nesties, I've inked it with my distress ink as it was white and was far far too stark as was.

Fairy Card

2010-04-24T19:56:00.002+01:00

I just had to have the gorgeous Sugar Plum fairy from Prairie Stamps and I made this with it. Having looked at the fabulous dt card again I'm not sure mine meets the spec, I'm sure i will be told if it doesn't and if not I will have an excellent excuse to use the lovely image again.

Tearing Paper

2010-04-24T19:40:00.003+01:00

Tearing and inking paper is a technique I'm not comfortable with so I don't really use it but this week the challenge at Die Cut Dreams is to tear some paper, so I've done this. I've used a Tiddly Inks digital stamp, my nesties, pro markers and my new toys from the show at Aintree yesterday, the punch and emboss flowers and a blending tool with some distress ink. I'm not sure this style is for me but that's why its a challenge. I also want to enter this in the Tiddly Inks Challenge Blog as it's anything goes for this week.

Christmas Card with Digi Stamps

2010-04-24T15:24:00.004+01:00

I want to enter this card into a few challenges, not because I sat down to combine them it just kind of happened, I have taken the background from The Stamping Boutique and the lovely skater from Karen Johnson combined them in my digi scrap booking software to get this scene. I've coloured using my pro markers, I so love these pens and applied some glitter to create some ice and snow effects. I want to enter it in ABC Christmas I is for Ice, Winter Wonderland anything goes, and Bah! Humbug Shades of Pink, I hope there are enough shades of pink in it to qualify.