Jenni's Crafty Journal

Meet Faye

2012-01-27T09:20:00.001Z

My newest digi stamp design is Faye, she can be found - for the time being - at Cardmadfairy's Creations. I say for the time being because Neil has finally started building a new home for all my digi downloads - so watch this space for more news on the launch of my new website!

So this is the first card I've made using Faye, I'm sure there will be many more though. The backing paper is from Papermania, the sentiment from Stampin Up and the image was coloured with Promarkers.

I'm entering the following challenges:

Digi Doodle Shop's Best - Anything Goes

Moving Along With The Times - Blooming Marvellous

My Mum's Craft shop - Flowers

Simon Says Stamp- Anything Goes

The Stamping Boutique - Die Cuts

Daisy Doodles Creative Challenge- Anything Goes

Hooked on Crafts - Something Bright

Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Truly Madly Crafty Challenges - Anything Goes

Victorine Originals- Anything Goes

The Hybrid Chick Card Caravan - Punches/Dies

Marks Finest Papers - Birthday Card

Rocking Teddy Bo

2012-01-25T15:53:00.000Z

Well if you popped by yesterday and noticed my post about the snow here in Scotland, it was very short lived and has disappeared completely now and is now just grey and miserable - I think on the whole I'd rather have the snow!

My youngest son Evan has just come home from school and gone straight upstairs - not even pausing to take his jacket off, plugged in his guitar and started playing loud enough to rock the whole street! I'm guessing this morning's prelim wasn't a good one :o(

So today's card is in his honour - Teddy Bo strutting his stuff, coloured with Promarkers, papers by DCWV and 2 sentiments from Studio G.

Challenges entered:

Celebrate the Occasion - Masculine birthday

Crafty Bloggers Network - Distressing

Cards For Men - Boys and their toys

Make it Monday - Always anything goes

My Craft Spot - Let's hear it for the boys

The Crafty Pad - Let's see something for the boys!

Craft Your Days Away - Distressing

Creative Inspirations - Anything goes

We are all special

2012-01-24T09:42:00.000Z

Morning all - well I don't know what it's like where you are but we have snow here just south of Edinburgh, the sky is looking a bit ominous and I think there is more to come. Oh well, I suppose it is January in Scotland and we've got off pretty lightly so far this winter - we'll just have to grin and bear it :o) I actually quite like the snow as long as I don't have to travel in it and today's my day off!

This stamp is an old favourite by Diane Duda (Sugar Nellie), I love the rebellious princess attitude!! Unused for ages, I thought I'd dust it off and colour it up to make a card for a friend with relationship issues :o) The backing papers are Crate Paper and the sentiment is from Lili of the Valley. The banner was die cut with a Whimsy Shapeology die and I coloured my image and Card Candy with Promarkers.

Entering these challenges:

Cutie Pies - Favourite song (I'm not a Princess - Taylor Swift)

Crafty Boots - Something inspired by a song title - as above

Make it Monday - always Anything Goes

Truly Madly Crafty Challenges - Anything Goes

Victorine Originals - Anything Goes

Let’s Ink It Up - Anything Goes

Sentimental Sundays - Die Cuts

Stamptacular Sunday - Seeing Spots

The Hybrid Chick Card Caravan - Punches/Dies

The Squirrel & the Fox - Critters

Crafty Purple Frog - Anything Goes

Pixie Dust Studio - We're going Dotty

A new baby

2012-01-21T09:40:00.000Z

I was lucky, recently, to win a challenge sponsored by A Day for Daisies and the image I have used on today's card is one of the ones I chose as my prize. Isn't it lovely? Unfortunately I can't remember where the quote/sentiment came from - maybe someone out there can enlighten me so that I can credit the designer.

The digi stamp was coloured with Tria Markers and I wanted to keep the design fairly simple to show off the sweet image so instead of adding a whole bunch of embellishments I decided to make a bit of a statement bow with some gingham ribbon which has been in my stash forever! Hope you like it :o)

Entering the following:

Crafty Purple Frog - Anything Goes

Paper Play - Ribbon Every Which Way

Divas by Design - New beginnings or thanks

Bling It On - New Beginnings

By the Cute & Girly - New Beginnings

Creatalicious Challenges - Love

Crafters Companion - Love is in the Air

Just Tracys Crafts Challenge - Love is in the Air

Crafty Boots - New Beginnings

Ooh La La Creations - New Beginnings

Ribbons & Bows

2012-01-20T08:03:00.000Z

The new theme over at Cardmadfairy's Digi Days is Ribbons & Bows and this is my dt offering for the challenge:

I've used the digi image Lily - available here - which I printed on to Basic Grey papers and paperpieced, bending the petals to give a 3d effect. The ribbon is from Hobbycraft and I made the sentiment up from Basic Grey stickers and a rub down. The butterfly is a Stampin Up die cut.

I'm entering the card for the following challenges:

4 Crafty Chicks - Summer in January

Moving Along With The Times - Things with wings

Paper Crafting Journey - Floral

Paper Play - Ribbon Every Which Way

Some Odd Girl - Bling It Up

Flutterby Wednesdays - Open

Creative Card Crew - Seeing Red

Ladybug Crafts Ink TLT Challenge - Bows

Seeing Stars

2012-01-19T10:03:00.000Z

The new challenge this week at Charisma Cardz has a Clean & Simple theme - not always the easiest one to do if you're used to adding loads of embellishments - I had to reign myself in with this one - I had die cut quite a few more more stars! The image and the sentiment were kindly supplied by this week's sponsor Stamp Fairy, the papers are 7Gypsies and the die was a Sizzlit from Sizzix.

Challenges entered:

I Love Promarkers - Anything goes

Whimsical Wednesdays - Anything goes

Card and Scrap - Clean and Simple

Cupcake Craftroom - Anything goes

Anything Goes Challenge - Anything Goes

Celebrate the Occasion - Any Occasion

Going Grey With Scrap-Creations - Die Cuts

Paperminutes - Party time- Anything Goes

The Stamping Boutique - Die Cuts

Make it Monday - Always Anything Goes

Friends Forever

2012-01-17T10:00:00.001Z

Today's card was made using another of my new LOTV images, I've been trying to complete this card for the last three evenings after work - the trouble is my desk is in a corner of my youngest son Evan's room and he's getting to the point where he really doesn't want me in there when he's at home - which is most of the time at the moment as he's on exam leave from school - and when he's not revising he's making recordings of himself playing guitar for You Tube. So it's a little miracle to be allowed in there at all - I really have to try to find another corner to work in!

Anyway, I coloured the image with Promarkers then added glossy accents and extra fine glitter to the wings . The papers are Basic Grey and the sentiment came with the gorgeous image. The flowers and leaves are Marianne's die cuts and I added some beads and wire spirals to the centres although I know it's a little hard to see them in the photo!

Entering this for:
The Cutie Pie Challenge - Ribbons and lace
Truly Madly Crafty Challenges - Anythinggoes
Let’s Ink It Up - Anything goes
One Stitch At A Time - Anything goes
PanPastel UK Challenge - Anything goes
Stampin' Sisters in Christ - Something new
The Crafty Pad - Sparkle

Sweet Stampin - All that glitters

Card Makin' Mamas - Use something new

Chocolate, Coffee & Cards - Glitter

Boys and their toys

2012-01-16T13:36:00.000Z

Guitars are ‘toys’ I'm very familiar with in our house, between my husband Neil and our youngest, Evan, we have six of them cluttering up our (not very big) house! Fortunately I love hearing them playing their music although both have very different tastes as you might expect - no self respecting teen would admit to having too much in common with his dad!!

The image is one of my digi stamps - Zac - and is available either here at Cardmadfairy's Creations or here in the digi stamp section of my challenge blog Cardmadfairy's Digi Days.

Entering the following challenges:

Cards For Men - Boys and their toys

Make it Monday - Always anything goes

Creative Inspirations Paint - Birthdays

Catch The Bug - Birthday challenge

Our Craft Lounge - Numbers

C.R.A.F.T. - Celebrations

Dutch Dare Card Challenge - For the boys

Paper Play - In stitches

A butterfly wish

2012-01-15T10:25:00.001Z

Very quick post this morning, have enjoyed a bit of a long lie but now have not left myself much time to catch up on the dreaded housework before I have to leave for work :o(

Today's card was made with another new image from Cardmadfairy's Creations, the patterned butterfly, which I coloured with Promarkers before spritzing with a blue mica spray and finished of with stickles and glossy accents to give it a gorgeous glittery shine. So pretty!

Entering these challenges:
Bloggers - Wings and things

Chocolate, Coffee & Cards - Glitter

Crafty Catz - Something new

Delicious Doodles - All things new

Fairy Tale - Something new

Crafty Creations - Something new

Flutterby Wednesdays - Bright colors

Another new digi stamp

2012-01-13T08:47:00.002Z

I was asked this week, by my sister Gillian, for a new digi stamp design to be used to make a wedding card for a bride who enjoys making cupcakes, this image is the result and I thought I'd make a card of my own to see how the image worked out.

I coloured the cupcakes with Promarkers and added Stickles for some sparkle and a touch of Glossy Accents to finish, I used First Edition glittered backing paper, some Wild Orchid flowers and Marianne's die cut flourishes, I then added a pink heart shaped bead and a sentiment from American Crafts to complete the card.

You'll find the digi stamp over at Cardmadfairy's Creations where there is also a freebie image which is perfect for Valentine's cards :o)

Entering this for the following challenges:

Art Impressions Stamps Challenge - “Pink, Pink and more Pink”

Crafty Ribbons - New Beginnings

C.R.A.F.T. - Celebrations

Do You Stack Up? - Pink

Little Miss Muffet Challenges - Something New

Pixie Dust Studio - “Put Your Heart into It!”

Sassy Studio Designs - “Let’s Celebrate!”

Southern Girls - Sparkle

Divas by Design - New beginnings or thanks

Charisma Cardz 3rd birthday

2012-01-12T08:41:00.003Z

Yes it's the Charisma Cardz challenge third birthday today and we're celebrating with a Birthday themed challenge! The whole design team is playing along this week, so pop on over and check out some fantastic inspiration from the Charisma girls. There are a grand total of seven sponsors this week with some fabulous prizes on offer!

To create my card I used a Mo Manning image coloured with Promarkers, papers from K&Co, buttons from my stash, a Cheery Lynn flourish die and a tab punch from Stampin Up. I created the sentiment on my Mac.

Entering the following:
Celebrate the Occasion - Child's birthday
Paper Take Weekly - Die cute special
Lexi's Creations - Anything goes
Paper Creations Ink - Die cuts and/or punches
Catered Crop - Buttons
Whimsy Inspiration - Happy birthday
Catch The Bug - January anything goes
Simon Says Stamp - Spots/stripes
C.R.A.F.T - Celebration

A new image

2012-01-11T08:39:00.002Z

I made a very quick and simple card yesterday using one of my new digi stamps available now at Cardmadfairy's Creations, all I did was print the image onto card and use oval die cutters to cut the white and turquoise card stock, emboss a piece of white card then layer them all onto the base card, add a bit of sticky backed ribbon and a sentiment from Stampin Up and that's all there is to it- simples!!

Entering it for these challenges:

Cupcake Craft - Something New

Forever Friends - White on White

Paper Sundaes - "Saturated Colours"

Stampin' Sisters in Christ - "Thinking of You"

2 Sisters - Things with Wings

Di's Digis Designs - Something New

Craft Room Challenge - Clean & Simple

Deep Ocean Challenge - Lots Of White

Partytime Tuesdays - In Honour of Save The Eagle Day

Wags 'n Whiskers - White on White + 1 colour

Thinking of warmer weather

2012-01-09T14:58:00.001Z

This image always makes me think of summertime and looking outside today it really could be a summer's day but you certainly wouldn't think so when you open the door and feel the temperature - very chilly indeed!!

Anyway I had this Sugar Nellie image sitting around on my desk waiting to be coloured so when I had some time for crafting last week it was one of the first things I did. I find colouring so theraputic, I don't need to be thinking about what to create, I just enjoy the process and then see where the coloured image takes me.

In this case I used some lovely Crate papers which tied in nicely with the coloured image and also with the gorgeous new crocheted trim my sister Gillian gave me, along with a bunch of other interesting ones, as part of my Christmas present. The card just fell into place with very little help from me!!

Entering it for the following challenges:
Dream Valley Challenges - Anything goes
Fashionable Stamping Challenges - Anything goes with your new stash
One Stitch At A Time - Use embellishments
Crafty Ann's - Let's think hot
Birthday Sundaes - Birthday card
Make it Monday - Always anything goes

New Beginnings

2012-01-07T11:05:00.001Z

I was lucky enough, not long before Christmas, to win a voucher for one of my favourite stamp companies - Lili of the Valley - so was able to choose some lovely new stamps. The one I'm sharing today is perfect for their brand new challenge at Lili's Little Fairies where the theme is New beginnings.

I coloured the image with Promarkers and added a little Glossy Accents on the scales, used backing papers from First Edition, die cuts from Marianne's Creatables and flowers from Hobbycraft and Wild Orchid.

Entering the following challenges:
Lili's Little Fairies - New beginnings
Card Makin' Mamas - New Year or something new
Crafty Catz - New beginning

Delicious Doodles - All things new

Fairy Tale - Something new

Digi Doodle Shop's Best - New beginnings

My Mum's Craft shop - Something new

Ruby's Rainbow - Baby or child

Simon Says Stamp - New something

Whimsy Inspiration - New beginnings

Elke Kaart Een Feestje - Birth

Paper Take Weekly - Anything goes with the option of new theme

Another thank you

2012-01-06T08:21:00.000Z

Our first challenge of the New Year at Cardmadfairy's Digi Days is Thank You - and fortunately it's the kind of card you can never have too many of considering how many I've made lately! I've used Imogen's Puss which you can find, along with all my other digi stamps over here at Cardmadfairy's Creations.

I've mixed Stampin Up paper with 7 Gypsies, coloured the image with Promarkers and added some stretchy lace and ribbon from my stash, the sentiment and tiny bird stamps are Stampin Up and the lovely heart shaped buttons came from Ebay :o)

I'm entering this for the following:
C.R.A.F.T. - Thank you
I Love Promarkers - Buttons and lace
Clear It Out! - Thank you card + bonus - use up your twine or ribbon
Passion For Promarkers Challenge - Thank you cards
Inky Impressions - Anything goes
Scrapbook Sisters - Anything goes
Stampavie and More - Hearts
Creative Inspirations - With thanks
That Craft Place - Buttons& bows
Sarah Hurley Challenges - Thanks

Wonderful Day.....

2012-01-05T10:53:00.001Z

......well it's bright and sunny anyway, much better than the past few wet and wild days that we've here in Edinburgh! I've got a quick card to share this morning, I've been enjoying having a little time for crafting over the past few days and although I'm back at work now I've also managed to fit in a few cards and am also working on a new 12x12" canvas which I will share when I've got it finished.

I have used a LOTV image (have you seen their new challenge blog - I'll be joining in with that one very soon!), papers from Basic Grey and flowers from Wild Orchid.

Challenges entered:

Whimsical Wednesdays - Border or edge treatment

Paper Shelter Challenge - Anything goes

Anything Goes Challenge - The colour blue + 1 other colour

Craft Room Challenge - Anything goes

365 Cards - Pretty pairs: Blue and polka dots

Craft Your Passion - Anything goes + distressing

House of Gilli - Anything goes

Incy Wincy Designs - Anything Goes

Thank You

2012-01-03T13:08:00.000Z

I have been crafting this morning whilst trying to ignore the scary gales which are battering us here at the moment, the room I craft in is at the front of the house and the back has been getting the worst of it, so I can craft away happily distracted from what might be going on outside :o)
I hope it's not too bad wherever you are today.

I have used an old favourite stamp from Sugar Nellie and coloured it with Tria and Promarkers, used some kraft card which I embossed with a Cuttlebug embossing folder and some trim which matched my colouring perfectly. An old heart shaped button with a raffia bow and a sentiment from Heidi Swapp finished the design off nicely. Off back to my desk now for some more blissful ignorance!

Entering the following challenges:
Make it Monday - Always anything goes
Make it Monday with Kraft Outlet - Anything goes
Passion for Promarkers - Thank you
Stars and Stamps Midweek Throwdown - Thank you cards
Delicious Doodles - Anything goes
Stampin for the Weekend - Anything goes
Cooking It Up With Katie - Anything goes
I Love Promarkers - Anything goes

Mini Artsy Ornaments

2012-01-02T13:58:00.001Z

I've not blogged in soooo long, been a little bit too busy but now the festivities are over for another year and I've finally had the opportunity to get a little messy and creative! I signed up some weeks ago for an online workshop with Christy Tomlinson and some of her artsy friends, it was all about making handcrafted ornaments and gifts for Christmas but I was so busy working and preparing to have the family - 13 for Christmas dinner - that I didn't have time to make anything much before the holiday. Now that Gillian and her lot have gone back to Hampshire and the house is a bit quieter I've had time to watch some more of the video tutorials and a chance to try something out for myself :o)

These mini canvases are what I started with - I bought them and some new acrylic paints with a Hobbycraft voucher I got for Christmas - they are so cute, less than 3" square! They have been painted and paper-pieced with scraps of patterned papers, then scribbled on, had ribbons & bows added then finally mod-podged to seal and protect the painted surfaces. They could have ribbon or hooks added to hang them, magnets added to the back to pop on the fridge or maybe they could all be strung together to make a wall hanging - I haven't decided yet how I will use them but I wanted to share them because I love them so much!

Here is a closer look:

Entering these challenges:
Creative Inspirations Paint - Something New
Fashionable Stamping Challenges - Anything Goes with Your New Stash
Gingerloft - Winter OR Christmas
Sparkles Forum - Anything BUT a Christmas Card
The Squirrel & the Fox - Something New
One Stop Craft - Winter wishes
Fabulous Friday - Something New
Phindy's Place - Scraps

Anything goes @ Charisma

2011-12-22T08:48:00.000Z

Well this is it - the last Christmas card I've made for this year - it's for a family member - I always leave the family till last - why is that I wonder? Really should be top of the list not last ;o)

The theme at Charisma this week is Anything Goes and I might have done something other than another Christmas card if I wasn't totally running out of time and behind with EVERYTHING!!!

The fab image is from Dilly Bean Stamps and I have, of course, used my Promarkers to colour it, the music patterned paper is from Bo Bunny and the other was a plain white piece of cardstock which I coloured with Black Soot distress ink then stamped some random spots and snowflakes on in white ink. The paper ribbon came from Tesco and I finished the design off with a little tag sentiment with doodling round the edge to tie in with the image.

So that's it from me until after the holidays - wishing all visitors to my blog the best Christmas ever!

Entering my card for the following challenges:
Bearly Mine - Anything Goes
Paper Take Weekly - Last Christmas card of the year
Partytime Tuesdays - Use Ribbon (does paper ribbon count?)
Stamp-N-Doodle - Christmas
Top Tip Tuesday - Anything Christmas
Creative Stamp Friends - Christmas
Critter Sketch - Let it snow
Make it Monday - Always anything goes
The Crazy Challenge - Christmas

A few thankyous

2011-12-21T07:41:00.001Z

If there's ever a time of year when you need a thank you card or two it has to be Christmas time so I have made more than one for today's Christmas Blog Hop at Crafty Creations where our theme is Giving Thanks, you should have arrived here from Rudlis' blog - if not you might want to go back to start from the beginning with the lovely and very talented Claire who has a great prize for one lucky crafter! There are also some other lovely prizes from a variety of sponsors - well worth joining in with the challenge which will run for two weeks this time.

I based my three quick thank you cards on the same basic layout and used stamps and die cuts from Stampin Up, Martha Stewart and Nestabilities.

To enjoy the rest of the team's projects pop on over to the next stop on the hop Donna, and to be in with a chance of winning your choice of three digi stamps from Cardmadfairy's Creations don't forget to leave a comment before you go!

A little batch

2011-12-18T09:59:00.002Z

I had to very quickly make a batch of cards for my colleagues at the library - no idea why I left it to the night before I needed them but I did! I had 8 to make so wanted an image which didn't need too much colouring so chose this fab giveaway image from Dilly Bean stamps - go check them out here, I also bought a couple of other fun images which I plan to use for cards for my 2 sons (which I will try not to leave till Christmas Eve!)

I didn't want all 8 cards to be exactly the same so I chose 4 different backing papers and coloured each image differently.

Entering the following challenges:

Dilly Beans - Snow family

Card Makin' Mamas - Christmas
Inkspirations - Christmas creations
Jingle Belles - Christmas
Raise The Bar - Christmas
Stampin For The Weekend - Christmas
4 Crafty Chicks - Christmas Card
AiFactory - Christmas
Art Impressions Stamps Challenge - Buttons
Crafty Ribbons - Traditional colours for Christmas
Meljens Designs - No RECTANGLE cards!

Gift set

2011-12-12T17:59:00.001Z

There is a new challenge today at Crafty Cardmakers and this week's theme is Use it 3 times.

I decided to make a gift, card and envelope for the challenge, I stamped my image twice onto shrink plastic and coloured it with Promarkers then used a Nestability die to cut them into circles before shrinking them and making a pair of earrings. I then made the card, cutting an aperture and frame again with the nesties and stamping just the centre part of my image onto the green backing paper. I also die cut the fab glittery border at the bottom using a new die from Memory box.

Finally I made an envelope to contain the gift card, stamping the image onto white cardstock and again colouring with Promarkers and cutting out a red scalloped piece of cardstock to frame the image. I then ran a piece of Kraft paper through my ribbler to finish off the design. I used stamps by Papermania and paper from Stampin Up.

Challenges I'm entering:

Addicted to Stamps - Snowflakes

Dream Valley Challenges - Christmas

Let's Ink It Up - Christmas project

Stamptacular Sunday - Christmas glitz

The Squirrel & the Fox - Christmas

2 Sisters - Christmas

Creations by Gill M - Red & Green

Just Some Lines - Hand made gifts

One Stop Craft - Traditional Christmas Colours

Card Makin' Mamas - Christmas

Fairy Tale - Gift / Gift Packaging

Crafty Bloggers Network - Christmas Gift

A tag for Christmas

2011-12-09T08:27:00.000Z

The new challenge today at Cardmadfairy's Digi Days is Tags, there are such a lot of gorgeous tags around at the moment by the likes of the extremely popular Tim Holtz, I couldn't help but be inspired to try something artistic myself using the Cardmadfairy Spiral Star image. I really enjoyed making this and hope I have time to do a few more before Christmas :o)

Entering this for the following:
Dutch Dare Card Challenge - Winged things
Paper Crafting Journey - Christmas
Southern Girls - Ribbon ???
Simon Says Stamp - Photo inspiration
Die Cuttin' Divas - Tags, tags & more tags!
Digi Makeover Challenge - Cut out your digi image
The Shabby Tea Room - Photo Inspiration "The Magic of Christmas"
Little Red Wagon - Vintage Christmas

For the tree

2011-12-08T12:50:00.001Z

The theme of this week's new challenge at Charisma Cardz was chosen by me - and it's Anything but a card, so as I am taking Christy Tomlinson's online workshop called the 12 Artsy Ornaments of Christmas at the moment, I have used my first project from the workshop for today's challenge. This ornament is based on a design by Alisa Burke, the heart shapes were cut by hand out of a couple of book pages and the flowers are water coloured straight onto the pages then, once dried, doodled on with a black permanent marker. For my ones I also added some detail with a metallic Sakura pen and stuck on some sequins, before sewing the two halves together with a little toy stuffing between them. I also finished my decorations off with a coating of Mod Podge to make them a little more durable.

Our regular sponsor Bunny Zoes are offering a £10 Voucher to their online store so why not check out some of their gorgeous NEW ARRIVALS!!

ABC Christmas Challenge - Anything goes
Creative Belli - Winter/Christmas
Decorate to Celebrate - Christmas party
Freshly Brewed - Christmas
Inky Impressions - Ribbon
City Crafter Challenge - Home For The Holidays
Creative Craft Challenges - Faux Or Real Stitching
Heart Song Inspirations - Christmas and /or Red, Green, White
Come and Get It Challenges - Anything Christmas
Creations by Gill M - Recycling (the book pages)
My Sheri Crafts - Decorate for Christmas

Add a sentiment

2011-12-07T13:18:00.000Z

Sooo chilly here this morning, the snow we've had over the past couple of days has more or less gone but there is a strong wind so the wind chill factor is definitely making me shiver and I've not even left the house yet!

We want to see Christmas cards with sentiments for this week's challenge at Crafty Creations.

The team were fortunate enough to be given images from our sponsors LOTV - mine is called Christmas Puppy - and I tried to colour it to match my backing papers although I was struggling a little, I couldn't get quite the right pinks or browns but I did my best with the Promarkers I have :o) The ribbon has been in my stash for a very long time and I was happy to see how well it worked with the papers.

These are the challenges I'm entering:
Creative Card Crew - Tis The Season
Ladybug Crafts Ink TLT Challenge - Snowflakes & Sparkle
Crafty Sentiments - Snowflakes
Passion For Promarkers Challenge - Celebrations
Sweet Stamps - Christmas Bling
Ooh La La Creations - Lots of Sparkle
Paper Creations Ink - "Bling It Up!"
The Pink Elephant - Snowflakes and Sparkles
Whoopsi Daisy - Snowflakes

Special Delivery

2011-12-06T09:34:00.000Z

Another Nellie Snellen stamped image to share today - isn't it cute? I coloured it with Promarkers and watercolour pencils and used PaperArtsy papers, the sentiment is from Inkadinkadoo. Finished off with die cut boughs, mini pearls and tartan buttons. Sorry for the short post - masses to do before work at 1pm!

Challenges entered:
Bunny Zoe's Crafts - Anything Christmas with Pearls
Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes PLUS Glitter
Crafty Bloggers Network - Shades of Winter
Daisy Doodles Creative Challenge - Something Sweet
Heart Song Inspirations - Banner and/or Buttons
Kaboodle Doodles - Christmas colours
Make it Monday - always Anything Goes
Addicted to Stamps - Christmas card
Card Cupids - Winter
Dream Valley Challenges - Sparkle

Cold & Frosty

2011-12-03T08:22:00.001Z

Cold & Frosty is the December theme at Crafty Calendar and I was lucky enough to be one of the Mo Manning fans who managed to grab this freebie image Snow Day before the time limit so what better image to use for a cold and frosty challenge :o)

I used Promarkers and Tria Markers to colour the little cutie and used some of Woodware's fluffy snow product (can't remember the actual name) for the fur trim. Some gorgeous Christmas papers from Kars,

a snowflake Christmas tree decoration (with the loop snipped off) and a sentiment from Stampin Up finished off the card while keeping the focus mainly on the image.

I'm entering the card for the following:

By the Cute & Girly - Let it Snow

Christmas Cards All Year Round - Anything Goes

Creatalicious Challenges - Christmas and make sure it SPARKLES

Joanna Sheen Challenge - Christmas Wishes

CCEE Stampers - Snowflakes and Bling

Delightful Challenges - Let It Snow

Digi Doodle Shop's Best - Lots of Sparkle

Sassy Studio Designs - Christmas with some sparkle or bling
Digistamps 4 Joy - Christmas, no animals
My Mum's Craft shop - Keeping warm

Rocking it up

2011-12-01T10:15:00.000Z

Today's card is another of the boy cards I was recently working on, I now have a nice little stash of them for craft fairs :o) The image is a Sugar Nellie stamp which I coloured with Promarkers with a touch of the new metalliccolours to finish it off, I also stamped some dots around the edges of the cardstock to tie in with the colours. The sentiment is one of my own digi stamps and I've had the ribbon in my ribbon box for a while.

Challenges entered:
Cooking It Up With Katie - Anything goes
Divas by Design - Anything goes
Fab 'n' Funky - Anything goes
Paper Shelter Challenge - Anything goes
Ruby's Rainbow - Music
Simon Says Stamp - Anything goes
Creative Craft Challenges - Free for all week
Lexi's Creations - One for the lads
Make it Monday - Always anything goes

Waiting for Santa

2011-11-30T09:58:00.002Z

Our challenge at Crafty Creations is a picture inspiration one this time:

The picture made me think of a window rather than a mirror so I used an image from Mo's Digital Pencil called Jack Waiting and added the falling snow in the window as I thought he'd be waiting for Santa :o) I used My Mind's Eye papers (again!), coloured the image with Promarkers and added a digital sentiment which came from Crafty Sentiments, a bit of red grosgrain ribbon and a glittered snowflake to add some balance. What will the image inspire for you?

Challenges entered:

365 Cards - Winter Theme

City Crafter Challenge - Santa Claus Is Coming
Everybody-Art-Challenge - Santa Claus
Going Grey With Scrap-Creations - Christmas
Craft Your Passion - Tis the Season...
Daisy Doodles Creative Challenge - Christmas
Hooked on Crafts - Winter Wonderland
My Craft Spot - Christmas through the Window
Paper Creations Ink - Christmas
Stamps & Fun = Creativity - Distressing
Squigglefly - Winter Wonderland
The Crazy Challenge - Stars and/or Snowflakes

Baubles!

2011-11-28T08:38:00.000Z

The challenge this week at Crafty Cardmakers is to use heat embossing on your project - something I've not done for a little while so it was a nice change for me! For my dt card I started by covering my cardstock with My Mind's Eye Jolly Holly designer paper then I die cut the bauble shapes from 3 different patterned papers and inked them with a Versamark (clear) embossing pad and added ultra thick embossing powder and heated it, repeating the process 3 times until I had a good thick covering. I then inked up some flourish stamps with gold ink and while the embossing powder was still in a liquid state stamped the flourishes, waiting until it cooled a little before removing the stamp. I added ribbon and threads and a stamped greeting to complete the card.

Entering it for the following:

Addicted to Stamps - Christmas card

Gingerloft - Winter or Christmas

Sparkles Forum - Vintage Christmas

Stamptacular Sunday - Anything Christmas

2 Sisters - Holiday

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Vintage and/or Distressed

Hiding in my Craft Room - Holiday

My Sheri Crafts - Decorate for Christmas

Fairy Tale - Christmas

Patties Creations - Christmas

Poodles Parlour - Christmas

Simply Create Too - All About Christmas

Stampin With The Dragon - Anything Goes for Christmas

Totally Papercrafts - Christmas

Winter Wonderland

2011-11-25T08:26:00.001Z

Our new challenge over at Cardmadfairy's Digi Days is Winter Wonderland, I have used my Sweet Snowbaby digi stamp available from Cardmadfairy's Creations (where I'm having a Buy one, Get one Free offer this weekend), along with the gorgeous Christmas papers from Kars, some die cut swirls and punched snowflakes and a sentiment which was part of a set free with Homemade magazine. We are sponsored this time by Meljens and some of the team have been using a couple of their gorgeous new images - go and check them out over at the challenge blog and enter the challenge for your chance to win some!

House That Stamps Built - Christmas card+snowflake

I Love Promarkers - Anything goes
Little Red Wagon - Christmas
Scrapbook Sisters - Christmas
Whimsical Wednesdays - Texture
Digistamps 4 Joy - Color tic tac toe (red hot, natural neutral, cool blue)
Creative Craft Challenges - Free for all week
Digital Tuesday - Sparkle & shine
Oldie But Goodie Challenge - Let it snow
Passion For Promarkers Challenge - Swirls & sparkles
4 Crafty Chicks - Snowflakes

Snowflakes

2011-11-24T08:49:00.000Z

Our new challenge this week at Charisma Cardz is about Snowflakes - fortunately the only ones we've seen so far have been on cards, let's hope that continues to be the case for the next few weeks!!

I have used one of my new Nellie Snellen stamps on today's card, so pretty! I coloured it with Promarkers and distress inks then added a liberal sprinkling of two different glitters - one for the snow and another for the fur on her hat. The snowflakes are punched and die cut from glitter card and the papers I have used are by My Mind's Eye.

Entering these challenges:
Everybody-Art-Challenge - Christmas card
Ladybug Crafts Ink TLT Challenge - Winter blues
Paper Take Weekly - Christmas crackers!
Partytime Tuesdays - Snow us what you’ve got
Passion For Promarkers Challenge - Swirls & sparkles
Shopping Our Stash - Christmas or winter related
Forever Friends - Christmas is coming
Kaboodle Doodles - “Baby it’s cold outside”
Paper Creations Ink - Christmas
Pollycraft - Christmas fun
Whoopsi Daisy - Anything goes at Christmas

Be thankful

2011-11-23T08:21:00.001Z

Our American teamie Jaime has chosen the theme this week at Crafty Creations and it is about being thankful because tomorrow is Thanksgiving day in the US. We all need to thank somebody sometime so it's great to have a stock of Thank You cards around. I have used a Teddy Bea digi stamp and coloured it with Promarkers, Basic Grey papers, flowers from Wild Orchid and a sentiment from Stampin Up.

Entering the following challenges:

Die Cut Dreams - "Thank You" with circles

Heart Song Inspirations - Circle shaped or "Thank You" card
Hooked on Crafts - Punches and /or diecuts
The Cutie Pie Challenge - Bears
The Pink Elephant - Giving thanks
Victorine Originals - Thanksgiving, thank you
Addicted to Stamps - Pearls and lace
Corrosive Challenges - Give thanks
Creative Inspirations Paint - Thanks
Catch The Bug - Give thanks/Thanksgiving
My Sheri Crafts - Be thankful
Card Makin' Mamas - Thankful

Ok so this is the last!

2011-11-22T10:39:00.000Z

Of the boy cards at least - off to do something much more feminine now!! My elder son Owen has a birthday this week but is away on holiday in Egypt (yikes!!) at the moment and I need to make a card for him - was thinking of this one but as he sold his PS3 and games to partly fund the holiday I don't think this particular card will be suitable! The image is a fab Mo Manning one - just great for teen boys and I coloured it with my Letraset Tria markers for a change, I love the brush tip and will be investing in some of the new Flexmarkers as soon as I can afford some :o) The papers are Basic Grey again - they do masculine so well, and I've distressed the edges and doodled some faux stitching then added some embellishments - the cog shapes are die-cut, finishing it off with a sentiment from Studio G.

Entering the following challenges:

Cupcake Craft - Teenage Boys

Make it Monday - always Anything Goes

Stamps & Fun = Creativity - Stitching

Dream Valley Challenges - Stitching

Pile It On - Anything with a "P" (playing)

Stamptacular Sunday - Boy/Man

The Hybrid Chick Card Caravan - Birthday Card

Bloggers Challenge - for the boys

Fabulous Friday - die cuts

Fun with Shapes & More - use something three times (brads)

and another one...

2011-11-19T08:09:00.001Z

...for the boys! I'm trying to top up my supply of boy cards so there will be a few more to come over the next week or two - this one I put together very quickly before starting work this morning - I had already coloured the Dustin Pike image and decided which papers to use so it didn't take too long to finish. The papers are Basic Grey - a mix from 2 6x6 pads - Lime Rickey and ...Oh dear I've forgotten the name of the other - will fill in the blank later!! ...., the sentiment is from My Sentiments Exactly.

Entering it for the following:
Crafty Purple Frog - Use Orange
Bearly Mine - One for the boys
Paperminutes - Children's Birthday
Tuesday Throwdown - Lot's Of Circles
Paper Sundaes - Digital Images
The Hybrid Chick Card Caravan - Birthday Card
Basic Grey - Basic Grey Mix and Match

It's a boy thing

2011-11-18T08:39:00.000Z

One of my customers at last Saturday's craft fair pointed out - quite rightly- that the vast majority of my cards were girly ones so I'm on a drive to create some more cards suitable for boys and men. This is the first one I've managed this week - working too many overtime hours at the library, have to take them when I get them!
I have used a Kenny K image along with Basic Grey backing papers, Papermania cardstock, some punched circles, recycled buttons and some metallic fibres. The sentiment is from

Entering the following:
CCEE Stampers - 2 Diecuts or 2 Punches
Sarah Hurley Challenges - Buttons
Shelly's Images - Anything goes
Alota Rubber Stamps - Dots
Bearly Mine - One for the boys
Paperminutes - Children's Birthday
Daisy Doodles Creative Challenge - Anything goes with a Digi
Squigglefly - Happy Birthday

More recycling

2011-11-16T08:20:00.001Z

I've another project with the theme of recycling to share today, the new challenge at Crafty Creations asks for recycled elements on your project and for mine I have used wrapping paper from a birthday present my husband gave me as the backing paper, a raffia bow from an old project I was given by a friend and a fancy button from a charity shop. The digi image I have used is one of my teamie Deena's and is available from her Etsy shop, I coloured it with Promarkers and added some dimensional paint which puffs up with heat from a heat gun. I used distess ink on the cardstock and to stamp in the background and finished it off with a spritz of Glimmer Mist.

Challenges entered:
Cards For Men - Christmas Card
Critter Sketch - Monochrome
Daisy Doodles Creative Challenge - Anything goes with a Digi
House of Gilli - Monochromatic
Make it Monday - always Anything Goes
My Partner in Crafting Crime - Use Any Freebie
(or use something that you got for free, won, or is recycled from your home)
Dream Valley Challenges - Stitching
Pile It On - Traditional Christmas
Creations by Gill M - Men's Monochrome
Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps - Make it Masculine
Totally Gorjuss - Christmas Traditions

Thanks

2011-11-15T08:45:00.002Z

With Thanksgiving fast approaching in the USA there are a great deal of challenges around this month with Thank you as the theme so I looked up a few of them and made a card to join in! I used a Sugar Nellie stamp - Coffee Time and coloured the image with Promarkers, to work with the gorgeous backing from Crate Paper Restoration Collection - love it! I added some fab lace which I bought as part of a mixed bag on Ebay and a ribbon which has been kicking around for a while and just seemed to fit nicely, then finished things off with some die cut pennants, a sentiment from Stampin Up and some brads and pearls from my stash.

Joining in with these challenges:
Make it Monday - Always anything goes
Paper Pretties - Giving thanks
Victorine Originals - Thanksgiving, thank you
Addicted to Stamps - Pearls and lace
Corrosive Challenges - Give thanks
Gingerloft - Lace, fabric or felt
Sentimental Sundays - Thanksgiving/ thank you
Di's Digis Designs - Ribbons and bows
My Sheri Crafts - Be thankful
One Stop Craft - Ribbons and lace
Stamp, Scrap and Doodle - Thank you
Card Makin' Mamas - Thankful

A box to die for :o)

2011-11-14T13:37:00.001Z

It's time for a new challenge at Crafty Cardmakers and this time the theme is Recycle.
So I decided to recycle an old presentation box which I found lying about behind the scenes at the library, I thought it might make a good storage box for my thin dies such as Nesties and Marianne's Creatables. Many of them are on magnetic sheets which fit perfectly into the box - and best of all there is plenty of room for more!!

I covered the box with K&Co papers and distressed the edges with my emery board, added faux stitching to the panel on top then used die cut chipboard letters as well as a die cut bird and flourish to decorate.

Entering it for the following challenges:
Dream Valley Challenges - Stitching
2 Sisters - Anything Goes
Inspire Me Fridays - Always anything goes
Crafty Ribbons - Anything BUT a Card
Dutch Dare Card Challenge - Punches and Dies
Hanna & Friends - Pimp Something
Stampavie and More - Anything Goes
Hooked on Crafts - Punches and /or Diecuts

Texture

2011-11-11T08:22:00.001Z

Our new challenge at Cardmadfairy's Digi Days has Texture as the theme for the next fortnight - we want to see any kind of texture on your project - embossing, fabric, mesh (like mine :o), ribbon - anything which adds a bit of texture is fine!

I have used my Skating Josie image for this card which is available as a digi stamp on my other blog Cardmadfairy's Creations but I also have this one (and a few select others) available as a clear polymer stamp - just let me know if you are interested and I'll tell you how to buy :o)

We are also looking for a new design team member so if you would be interested in joining our happy gang just pop DT after your name when you enter your project for this week's challenge.

Entering my card for the following challenges:
ABC Christmas Challenge - Winter Sports
Crafting for all Seasons - Texture
Divas by Design - Metal
Inky Impressions - Glitter
Anything Goes Challenge - Stitches Real or Faux
Partytime Tuesdays - Bling It On
Top Tip Tuesday - Anything Christmas Goes
Incy Wincy Designs - Stitching
Ooh La La Creations - Stitching
Stamps & Fun = Creativity - Winter
Crimbo Crackers - Make It Sparkle
Delightful Challenges - Snowflakes

Peanut butter & jelly (jam) sandwich

2011-11-09T07:29:00.000Z

Yes that really is the theme of the challenge at Crafty Creations this week! What we're looking for is a project made with Kraft/Brown, white/cream and only one other color

The images the team has used this week are from our very own Claire and our winner will recieve

any 3 images of their choice from her Etsy shop Doodles by Hope Jacare also as a special offer if you use the coupon code CC25DEAL you can purchase any of her gorgeous images with a 25% discount.

I knew as soon as I saw this digi image that I wanted to keep it simple so I added the sentiment before printing the image out, then coloured it with promarkers, die cut the circle shapes then added some linen thread to the hearts. I embossed the kraft paper before sticking it to the cardstock and added some red paper ribbon to complete the card - the quickest one I've made for a while!

These are the challenges I want to enter my card for:
Creative Craft Challenges - Minamalistic
Digital Tuesday - Anything Goes
Passion For Promarkers Challenge - Kraft + 1 Other Colour
TCP Tuesday - Holiday Colours
Bows 'n Berries - CAS
Daisy Doodles Creative Challenge - Anything goes with a Digi
There She Goes - Holiday Projects
Christmas Inspirations - Bows
I Did It Creations - Christmas/Winter
One Stitch At A Time - Use a Digi

A quickie

2011-11-08T10:20:00.000Z

Just a quick card to share this cold, grey, dreich (good old Scottish word) -

dreich (dre·ech) Dialect, chiefly Scot -adj.
1. (intr.) drab.
2. (tr.) dreary (referring to weather or a sermon).
3. often leads to a state of being drookit; grey.!)

- November morning - still have umpteen things to do before going off to work in a couple of hours so got to get on .....

Entering it for the following:
Crafty Boots - Young at heart
Heart Song Inspirations - Anything goes
Make it Monday - Always anything goes
Nettie G's Digital Gems - Recipe: 1image, 2 flowers, 3 flat back gems or pearls
Corrosive Challenges - With a Flourish
Creative Inspirations Paint - Anything Goes
The Squirrel & the Fox - Hats or Flowers
2 Sisters - Ribbon
Di's Digis Designs - Ribbons and Bows

On a roll.......

2011-11-06T14:12:00.000Z

.....with the Christmas cards now! Here is another one using one of my own digi stamps, this one is Christmas Kitty and is available at Cardmadfairy's Creations for only 99p

This time I've used My Mind's Eye papers which were free with Cardmaking and Papercrafts mag recently - in fact almost all of my cards so far this year have been made with My Mind's Eye papers - I'm loving all of their seasonal papers at the moment! I have also used a new border die from Cheery Lynn Designs, it's called Border Carnivale - love it too! The buttons are also die cuts from a Nellie Snellen set.

I'm entering my card for these challenges:
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Bright colours and/or sparkle
A Gem of a Challenge - Cold and frosty
Little Claire's - Christmas
Marks Finest Papers - Fall or Winter theme
Fun with Shapes & More - Animal Christmas
Our Craft Lounge - Distressed and stressed
Sweet n' Sassy Digi Challenge - Christmas/holiday theme
Winter Wonderland - Make your card sparkle
Crafty Purple Frog - Sparkle
Paper Play - Button up
Deconstructed Sketch - Sketch

Winter Wardrobe

2011-11-05T11:46:00.000Z

It's time for our new monthly challenge at Crafty Calendar and this time it was my turn to set the challenge so given that it is now November and the weather should be growing progressively colder, I have chosen Winter Wardrobe as the theme for this month - that covers just about any image as long as it's warmly dressed!

I have used one of my own digi stamps - Winter Jessica and coloured the image with Promarkers adding ultra fine glitter to her collar and hat for a bit of Christmas sparkle! The papers are from My Mind's Eye and the die cuts are Nellie Snellen and Marriane's.

Pop on over to see some inspiration from the rest of the Crafty Calendar design team, some of them are also using my digi stamps which are all available from Cardmadfairy's Creations.

I'm entering this card for my first Crimbo Crackers challenge this week but I'm sure it won't be the last - still have plenty of Christmas cards to make :o)

4 Crafty Chicks - Die Cuts

Crafty Purple Frog - Sparkle

Crimbo Crackers - Anything Goes

Delightful Challenges - A Very Sparkly Christmas

Digi Doodle Shop's Best - Winter

Paper Crafting Journey - Use a Digi

Pixie Cottage - Sketch* and/or Christmas Card

Card Makin' Mamas - Die cuts

Floweret - Christmas

Glitter Geeks - Snuggle up

Mami Doodles - Christmas

So cute!

2011-11-03T09:42:00.000Z

This week the new challenge at Charisma Cardz is Cutesy so I inked up one of my cutest LOTV stamps - James Bear - wrapped in tinsel and coloured it with my Tria markers from Letraset adding a substantial amount of ultra fine glitter in green and gold on the tinsel! I also used some glossy accents on the baubles to give a bit of extra dimesion. I die cut the frame and distressed it with my handy nail file (for acrylic nails - they're rougher than the average emery board and perfect for distressing). I combined the image with papers from My Mind's Eye Holly Jolly set and added a sentiment from Stampin Up.

Entering the challenges at:
Ladybug Crafts Ink TLT Challenge - Non Traditional &/Or Distressed Christmas
Paper Take Weekly - Anything Goes (+ a bit of bling if you like)
Ribbon Carousel Challenge - Anything Goes
Allways Something Creative - It must sparkle
Card and Scrap - Christmas
Cupcake Craftroom - Sweet Christmas
Christmas Inspirations - Die Cuts or Punches
Corrosive Challenges - With a Flourish
Little Claire's - Christmas
Bah Humbug - Die cuts
Floweret - Christmas
I Love Promarkers - Glitter and Glitz
Lili of the Valley - Bright and sparkly
Paper Shelter Challenge - Christmas fun

Another colour challenge

2011-11-02T08:19:00.000Z

It's Wednesday again and it's back to the Crafty Creations challenge where this week we have a great colour combo going on - we'd like you to use the colours GREEN, PURPLE & SILVER - and include snow in any way shape or form, ie, flower soft, fun flock, snow writer, crystal fine. We are sponsored this week by Stretch and Bubbles who provided a couple of fun images for the team to play with.

The image I chose to work with is called Feed the Birds - it's a really fun digi stamp which I coloured with Promarkers then added some doodled details with a silver gel pen, I edged the die cut circle with some Stickles for a bit of sparkle. I added a handwritten sentiment also with the silver pen and finished the design off with some ribbon (from Tesco!), a chipboard snowflake and a snowman charm. Off to work now so see you all later - have a great Wednesday!

Entering it for these challenges:

Make it Monday - Always anything goes
Squigglefly - "Tickle my fancy"
Die Cut Dreams - So charming
Dream Valley Challenges - Anything goes
One Stitch At A Time - Christmas
Scrappy Frogs - Something that flies
The Ribbon Girls - Jingle all the way to Christmas
A Gem of a Challenge - Cold and frosty
Cutie Pie Challenge - Use a charm
Lexi's Creations - Use charm
Little Claire's - Christmas
Ellephantastic - October recipe:
3 embellishments, purple & green & 1 image

A colour combo

2011-10-31T13:36:00.001Z

We have a colour challenge for you today at Crafty Cardmakers, our combo is Pink, Brown and Cream. This has made a bit of a change from all the Autumn colours and Halloween challenges around at the moment and I quite enjoyed using the limited Promarker palette to colour the digi stamp from Paper Makeup which I won in a recent challenge.

I used pink cardstock as my base then took some cream card and used a stencil and distress inks to create a patterned backing. I mounted that and my image onto brown cardstock, rounding all the corners with a corner punch. I added some pink cord and some felt 'buttons' to embellish my card. The sentiment is from a Whimsy Stamps set and I used a rub down to create the rounded box for it.

Challenges entered:
Come and Get It Challenges - Anything goes
Dream Valley Challenges - Anything goes
Inspire Me Fridays - Always anything goes
Digi Doodle Shop's Best - Anything goes
Simon Says Stamp - Anything goes
Scrapbook Sisters - Anything goes
Partytime Tuesdays - Anything goes
Make it Monday - Always anything goes

Friendship

2011-10-28T08:49:00.001+01:00

It's another beautiful morning here in South East Scotland, we have been pretty lucky with the weather this week - great timing as we have had my sister Gillian and her husband Steve staying this week and we've been able to get out and about a bit in the sunshine, it is getting a bit colder but as it's almost November now I suppose it is to be expected!

Our new challenge today at Cardmadfairy's Digi Days has Friendship as a theme and my card has been made with one of my favourite images- Lucy's Ted which is available here and also in the sidebar over at Cardmadfairy's Creations.

I used Promarkers to colour the image and papers by K&Co, the sentiment is from Studio G and the brown lace came in a bargain bag I bought on Ebay :o) The flower I actually crocheted myself - after a great number of attempts which did not turn out right I finally ended up with one I was happy with!

Challenges entered:
Digi Doodle Shop's Best - Anything Goes
Paper Crafting Journey - Use a Digi
Paper Pretties - Embellish
Paper Shelter Challenge - Anything goes
Whimsy Inspiration - Buttons
Digital Tuesday - Buttons & Twine
Passion For Promarkers Challenge - For a Child
Partytime Tuesdays - Anything Goes
Bunny Zoe's Crafts - Lace
Paper Playtime - Sentiments + buttons and bows
Lollipop Crafts - Embellish it!!

Leaves and colours of Autumn

2011-10-26T08:18:00.001+01:00

Crafty Creations challenge this week has a theme of Leaves and the colours of Autumn so I've used a stamp I received as a Secret Santa present (from my blogging buddy Tracey) last Christmas - Tilda in the Autumn Leaves which I coloured with Letraset Aquamarkers and added a little extra colour with Promarkers, the backing papers are Papermania and the flowers are from Wild Orchid. Leaves and flourishes are both from Marianne's dies.

The team are now looking for a new DT member so pop on over and enter the challenge and if you are interested in working with us just add DT to your name when you submit your card.

Challenges I'm entering:
Crafty Boots - Autumn or Halloween
Get Hippity with Ippity - Fall colors
Kaboodle Doodles - Halloween/fall
Make it Monday - Always anything goes
There She Goes - Halloween or Autumn
Stamps & Fun = Creativity - Autumn
Victorine Originals - Fall
Gingerloft - Halloween or fall
Totally Tilda - Autumn leaves
Fashionista Friday - Halloween or fall
Wags 'n Whiskers - Fall colours
Celebrate the Occasion - Fall
Oldie But Goodie Challenge - Forever Autumn

Feeling wintry!

2011-10-21T10:38:00.001+01:00

The weather has been pretty cold this week and my thoughts are definitely turning towards winter, I'm going to have to look out gloves, scarves and hats very soon.

So today I'd like to share another of my new Christmas digi stamps, this one is called Snowball Fun and can be found over at Cardmadfairy's Creations along with the rest of my new designs :o)

I may have mentioned before that I'm currently developing a new web site for my digi designs and am considering offering coloured versions for sale as well as line art - what do you think? I know there are lots of us crafters who get great enjoyment out of colouring images ourselves and personally that is one of the best bits of the cardmaking process for me but equally there are many crafters who don't feel they have the skills, the time or want to invest in the materials required. It would be a bit of a mammoth task, colouring all of my current digi stamps (almost 100 images) so I'd love some feedback before making the decision.

I coloured today's image with Promarkers, used papers from PaperArtsy and used Marianne's dies for the snowflakes. The fluffy trim (which always reminds me of snow) has been in my stash for literally years and gets brought out for the occasional Christmas card. The sentiment is from a Crafty Sentiments set - Christmas Circles.

Entering this for the following challenges:
4 Crafty Chicks - Marker it Up
Aud Sentiments Challenge - Use any Sentiment
Shelly's Images - Anything Goes
Clear It Out! - Trims
Ooh La La Creations - Let it Snow
Sketch and Stash - Sketch
Christmas Inspirations - Die Cuts or Punches

A new baby!

2011-10-20T08:36:00.001+01:00

My youngest sister became the first of the three of us sisters to become a Grandma this week - her stepson Jim and his wife have had a gorgeous little boy - Cameron Ewan, only problem is that I made a baby girl card! I knew that the baby would arrive this week as the due date had passed and Sarah had been given a day to be induced so because I had a challenge card I needed to get on with I decided to make it a baby card but which sex to do? Well I knew that whichever one I picked the baby was going to be the opposite - Sod's Law isn't it!!

The Charisma Cardz challenge is all about Embossing this week and I decided to go for a quilted effect for my dt card, I embossed the two colours with two different embossing folders then cut the card into squares, stuck them onto more of the cardstock and (particularly proud of this bit) stitched them with my sewing machine which I happened to have out this week as I'm busy making sock monkeys for craft fairs at the moment. I coloured the Meljens image with Promarkers, and made some pretty bunting with my new die set from Whimsy Stamps - love it!

Of course I also had to do it all over again in blue :o)

Challenges entered:

Anything Goes Challenge - To The Letter

Creative Craft Challenges - Congratulations
Sweet Stamps - Lots of Layers
Top Tip Tuesday - Layer It
Kaboodle Doodles - Squares or Inchies
KB Cute Monday - Anything Goes
Make it Monday - always Anything Goes
By the Cute & Girly - Anything Goes
Passion For Promarkers Challenge - Stars
I Love Promarkers - Cute

A Christmas birthday

2011-10-19T08:03:00.000+01:00

This week's challenge at Crafty Creations is Christmas birthday for all the people who have birthdays within a few days of Christmas - they often miss out and are given Christmas cards instead of birthday cards, so we'd like to see birthday cards but with a bit of Christmas thrown in! I have used a Whiff of Joy stamp - Willow Dressing Up, and coloured her with Promarkers, the Christmas backing papers are My mind's Eye Holly Jolly, the holly is Sizzix die cut and the ribbon is recycled (it has Starbucks printed on the other side!!)

Challenges entered:
Incy Wincy Designs - Recycle (the ribbon)
Make it Monday - Always anything goes
Pollycraft - Girls, girls, girls
Stamptacular Sunday - Anything goes
The Squirrel & the Fox - One for the girls
365 Cards - So sophisticated
Di's Digis Designs - Girly challenge
Fashionista Friday - Girls/women
Inspire Me Fridays - Always anything goes
Polkadoodle - Ribbons & bows
Top Tip Tuesday - Layer it

Cute with a dark twist

2011-10-17T13:30:00.002+01:00

Cute with a dark twist is the theme of the new challenge today at Crafty Cardmakers and I have used a Stitchybear Stamps image called Edward and Bella which I thought was quite cute and made a Halloween card - as I've said before I don't generally do much for Halloween but as I have a couple of craft fairs before the 31st I thought it might be useful to have a couple of cards to display.

I have used Promarkers to colour the image, distressed all the edges of the patterned papers and doodled a little cobweb which is perhaps a little small for the spider crawling out from behind the sentiment (it's half hidden because one of my cats had chewed off a leg!) Some lace and a button from my stash and a freebie sentiment from Marion at When the Scrap Hits the Fun completed my card.

Entering the following challenges:

Dream Valley Challenges - Halloween
Gingerloft - Halloween or Fall
Paper Sundaes - Halloween or Fall
Quirky Crafts - Something Spooky/Halloween
Sparkles Forum - Halloween
Creatalicious Challenges - Distress your Edges
Through the Craftroom Door - Happy Halloween
Challenge Up Your Life - Halloween
Craft Your Days Away - Halloween Colours
Designed 2 Delight - Halloween (Cute)
Drunken Stampers - Halloween

Spots and stripes

2011-10-14T07:34:00.002+01:00

This week at Cardmadfairy's Digi Days the new challenge is spots and stripes and I'm using some gorgeous Stampin Up papers on my card, I love the colours of these papers and how well they all work together, they are double sided and I like them so much I had to paper piece my Imogen image (available here) and make my own flowers so that I could show the other sides of the papers! I made the frame around my image by cutting the Marianne's Creatables die cut 3 times and patching it together - I'm quite pleased with the result, hope you like it too :o)

Entering the following:
Creative Craft Challenges - Congratulations
Top Tip Tuesday - Use Design Papers (Optional, make your own flowers)
Heart Song Inspirations - Use Die Cuts and/or Sponged Backgrounds
Squigglefly - Yipes Stripes
Cutie Pie Challenge - Bingo - Flowers, punches & ribbon
Di's Digis Designs - Girly Challenge
Little Miss Muffet Challenges - Girly Girl
Meljens Designs - Use a Ribbon
I Brake For Challenges - Girl Power

A 3, 2, 1 recipe for Crafty Creations

2011-10-12T07:32:00.000+01:00

Our challenge this week is a recipe for fabulous creations - the ingredients are - 3 patterned papers, 2 embellishments and 1 image - mix them all together and let us see what the result is!

For my DT creation I have taken 3 Stampin Up papers, a length of ribbon and a button as my 2 embellishments and added one of my own new Christmas digi stamps - coloured with Promarkers, the addition of 1 extra ingredient - a sentiment from Inkadinkado - completes my card. I also used a sketch from Crafty Sentiments and rotated it 90 degrees for the layout.

Challenges I'm entering:

Crafty Sentiments - Sketch

Ribbon Carousel Challenge - Sparkle & bling

Make it Monday - Always anything goes

Simon Says Stamp and Show... - Things with wings

Christmas Card Challenges - Photo inspirations

I Did It Creations - Anything goes

Little Claire's - Christmas

Bah Humbug - Glitter & glitz

Floweret - Christmas

Golden Wedding

2011-10-10T15:00:00.001+01:00

A colleague asked me for a bit of a rush card last week for her parents who were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary and had told her that they didn't want any fuss, however her brother and sisters had all been and got presents unknown to my colleague and she felt as if she was the only one who had taken them at their word and not made a special effort so the card was a last minute token from her to celebrate their big day.

I had a copy of a picture taken of them on their wedding day 50 years ago and printed it from my (not very good) inkjet printer, punched out their heads and inked them with distress ink to give them a bit of a vintage look. The backing paper is My Mind's Eye and I printed the numerals onto gold card then cut them out adding gold Stickles round the edges for a glitzy finish. I also used a piece of gold glitter cardstock behind my die cut border at the bottom for some extra sparkle and added a little bouquet of flowers from Wild Orchid and a sentiment also from My Mind's Eye to finish it off.

I'm entering this for the following challenges:
The Crafty Pad - Vintage
Secret Crafter - Anything goes as long as it sparkles
Penny's Paper-Crafty - Anything goes
Simon Says Stamp - Sparkle and bling
Truly Scrumptious - Distressing
365 Cards - Beautiful bouquet
Crafty Sentiments - Pearls, flowers & pins
Digital Tuesday - We like to party
Make it Monday - Always anything goes

Another Christmas Digi

2011-10-09T10:59:00.000+01:00

Hello bloggers from a very grey, wet and windy Scotland - the weather has definitely taken a turn for the Autumnal - leaves falling already! It's hard to believe that the clocks will be going back in just a couple of weeks, it doesn't seem like 5 minutes since they went on to British summer time - our summer here in Scotland consisted of only about a dozen warm and sunny days this year :o(

I suppose then that it's only natural to have started thinking of Christmas and the card I'm sharing today has been made with Xmas Owl another of my Christmas digi stamps available here at Cardmadfairy's Creations. I used papers from My Mind's Eye, this set is called Holly Jolly, and cut them both with circle templates, then I cut out the pennant shapes and layered them up, finishing each with a glitter card punched snowflake. I punched a circle of the same embossed, pearlised card I used for the decoration (see previous post) to resemble the moon and popped it behind my owl. The sentiment is from Inkadinkadoo.

Entering my card for the following:
CCEE Stampers - One of your favorite color combo's + half circle on it
Rainbow Lady's - "In the Misty Moonlight"
My Mum's Craft shop - All creatures great and small
365 Cards - Punchy embellishment
There's Magic in the Air - Go green
Bah Humbug - Glitter & glitz
Crafty Ann's - Inspired by any Christmas song ("Holiday Hootenanny" by Paul & Paula 1963)
Floweret - Christmas
Stamp Man - Circle it
Just Some Lines - Reminds me of a song (see above)
Little Claire's - Christmas

2011-10-07T09:22:00.002+01:00

I loved this image from A Day for Daisies as soon as I saw it and was waiting for an opportunity to use it for a few weeks until I had a flash of inspiration and decided to alter a tin I had lying around - I'm so pleased with the result!
First I primed the tin with Gesso then painted it brown with acrylic paint and distressed it with rubber stamps. Then I added a piece of patterned paper which I distressed adding some doodling to define around the edges, I used Promarkers to colour the parts of the image I didn't paperpiece then stuck the image on adding some flowers and gems and a bit of gold chunky glitter. I next glued some glittery gold braid round the edge of the lid and decorated the sides of the tin with more flowers, a couple of doilies and some more gems. When I had finished with the decorating I modpodged the whole thing to seal it and added a decorative jewelled clasp to complete the project.
Now I have a great tin to either give as a gift or maybe just to keep on my desk and admire :o)

Entering my project for these challenges:
Digi Doodle Shop's Best - Distressing
Pixie Dust Studio - Anything but a card
Stamp Insanity - Anything but a card
Do You Stack Up? - Inspiration picture* Brown
Creative Belli - Paper piecing
Passion For Promarkers Challenge - Alter something that is not square (hope this counts?)
Hooked on Crafts - Anything but a card
Stamp, Scrap and Doodle - Anything but a card

Orange & black

2011-10-06T08:39:00.002+01:00

Orange and black is the colour combo for this week's Charisma Cardz challenge - perfect for Halloween maybe but as I have no real use for Halloween cards I have used the colours to make a non-spooky card this time. My image is a digi stamp from one of our sponsors - Pink Cat Studios, I coloured the image with Promarkers teamed it with a patterned paper from DCWV keeping the design very simple but adding the gorgeous satin ribbon for a bit of wow factor! The ribbon was recycled from some gift packaging. I added a handwritten sentiment to finish the card off.

Entering the following challenges:
Craft Room Challenge - Featuring Felines
Crazy Amigo Challenge - Animals
Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes (plus Ribbons)
Crafty Boots - Zoo or animal
Make it Monday - Always anything goes
Paper Creations Ink - Black and/or orange
Gingerloft - Colour orange
One Stitch At A Time - Use a digi
Cooking It Up With Katie - fabulous, fun & feline
Crafts and Me - use a digi
My Mum's Craft shop - all creatures great and small

Decorating for Christmas...

2011-10-05T08:19:00.001+01:00

...or for Halloween or any other occasion if you prefer! Maybe some bunting, candles, door hangers,

pictures, crackers, storage boxes - anything decorative will fit the theme of this week's challenge at Crafty Creations. I have chosen to make a Christmas decoration and have used another of my new Christmas digi stamps - you can find them all here.
I cut the scalloped circle with a Nestability die and the flourishes are from a Marianne's Creatables die set, I have had the embossed cardstock for such a long time I've no idea where it came from :o)
There is a fabulous Polkadoodles prize for the winner this week so pop on over to Crafty Creations and join in the fun!

Entering my project for the following:
Ladybug Crafts Ink TLT Challenge - No design papers
Paper Take Weekly - Anything goes
Sweet Stamps - Anything goes
Heart Song Inspirations - Anything goes
Woodware USA - Anything goes
One Stitch At A Time - Use a digi
Anything Goes Challenge - Diecuts/Punches or Both
Paper Crafting Journey - Die cuts and/or punches
Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes (plus Ribbons)

Autumn colours for Anything Goes

2011-10-03T17:44:00.001+01:00

We're back!! Yes the Crafty Cardmakers are back with a new challenge and some new faces - we're so happy to welcome all of our new members!

I decided to go with an autumnal colour combo for my Anything Goes card, the image is by Pollycraft and was coloured (as always) with my Promarkers, I added some faux stitching with a fineliner and distressed the edges of the patterned papers with my fab new distressing tool - a heavy duty emery board designed for acrylic nails!

Challenges I'm entering:
CR84FUN Colour Challenge - Inspiration picture* Orange, Yellow, Brown
The Hybrid Chick Card Caravan - Autumn/Fall
Just Some Lines - Fall(Autumn) colours
Rainbow Lady's - Autumn/Fall flowers
Crafting for all Seasons - Fall colours
Phindy’s Place - Autumn/Fall
Creative Stamp Friends - Autumn colours
Daisy Doodles Creative Challenge - Fall colours and/or Thanksgiving
House of Gilli - Fall/Autumn
Make it Monday - Always anything goes

Trimming the Tree

2011-10-02T11:03:00.000+01:00

I wanted to share another of my new Christmas images today, this one is called Imogen Trimming the Tree and is available with all my other digi stamps at Cardmadfairy's Creations.

The image was coloured with Promarkers and finished off with ultrafine glitters on the stars and tinsel, I used papers from My Mind's Eye Lost & Found Christmas set again - (still loving them!), a Sizzix die cut scalloped border and a Christmas sentiment stamp from Stampin Up, then finished it all off with seam binding ribbon, lace from my stash and a glittery snowflake charm which I was sent as part of a little blog candy recently.

Entering my card for these challenges:

Fun with Shapes & More - Shabby vintage

Winter Wonderland - Use charm

Crafty Purple Frog - Lots of layers

Paper Crafting Journey - Die cuts and/or a punches

Southern Girls - Anything goes

Inky Impressions - Punches or dies

Craft Room Challenge - Anything Christmas

Die Cuttin' Divas - Shabby chic or vintage

Going Grey With Scrap-Creations - It's a girl thing

Jen's Digi Stamps - Let's hear it for the girls

Top Tip Tuesday - 2 or more, ribbon, twine, lace, fabric

Halloween time at Crafty Calendar

2011-10-01T09:49:00.001+01:00

It's back to work for me this morning after a great week off, I've really enjoyed my break and it couldn't have been better timed because of the fabulous weather we've had this week :o)

On Thursday evening Neil and I went to an open evening to view the brand new visitor's centre at Rosslyn Chapel and to listen to an update by the stone and glass conservators who have been working on the chapel for quite a number of years now - the improvements they have made to the fabric of the building has been tremendous and although they will be continuing with their painstaking work for a bit longer the chapel is looking stunning with it's restored stained glass. Neil has his first full day as a guide for the chapel today and although very nervous is looking forward to his new challenge and sharing the fascinating history of building with visitors from all over the world.

October's theme at Crafty Calendar is Halloween - not a theme that I particularly like as we don't really send Halloween cards in the UK so I never really know what to do with the cards I make. However it was an excuse to use this fantastic Mo Manning digi again, I so love Bronte dressed as a cat - hilarious! The image was coloured with Promarkers and I added a little stamped spider and web which are long retired Stampin Up stamps.

Challenges I'm entering this for:
Art Impressions Stamps Challenge - Halloween
Bronte and Bella's Challenge - Furry Friends
Little Miss Muffet Challenges - Animals and Monsters
Crafty Ribbons - Halloween Projects-Pretty Spooky
Stampin' B's - Make a Halloween Card
Moving Along With The Times - Spooky Halloween Cards
House That Stamps Built - Animal
Little Darlings Challenges - Fall/Halloween
My Mum's Craft shop - Dress up
Raise The Bar - Hats
Inspire Me Fridays - Always anything goes
Crafts 4 Eternity Recipe Challenge - Anything goes

Too early for Christmas?

2011-09-30T08:50:00.001+01:00

Well I hope not because today I've got not just one but two Christmas cards to share with you! I have just released a bunch of new Christmas digi stamps - see them here - and the new challenge over at Cardmadfairy's Digi Days has a Christmas theme to coincide so here are my cards using two of my brand new images. The first shows off Christmas Kitten - isn't he cute in his cosy Santa hat?

Challenges for 1st card:
Digistamps 4 Joy - Anything goes
House That Stamps Built - Animal
Inky Impressions - Punches or dies
Stamp-N-Doodle - Pets

The second card was made with my Joyful Elf digi and papers from the free MME pack from this month's copy of Cardmaking and Papercrafts - I love the muted colours on this one.

Challenges for 2nd card:
Partytime Tuesdays - Anything Goes
Penny's Paper-Crafty - Anything goes
Magical Mondays - Christmas in September
Dream Valley Challenges - Buttons
Paper Sundaes - Anything Goes

Here are the rest of the new stamps which are available now both at the digi stamp shop at Cardmadfairy's Digi Days challenge blog and also at Cardmadfairy's Creations.
I am currently working on a brand new web site dedicated to my digi stamp designs and am looking forward to launching it soon so keep your eyes open for that :o)

Clean & simple

2011-09-28T08:44:00.000+01:00

Crafty Creations new challenge this week is all about keeping it clean and simple. The image and sentiment I have used were kindly supplied by this week's sponsor - Elizabeth Mae Design's.

I firstly printed out the enlarged black & white image straight onto my cardstock, I then printed it again on some patterned paper and stamped on some flourished and inked around the edges. I used a very light coloured Promarker (Satin) and gave the dress-form a hint of a shadow. I then used a silver marker to highlight the pins, finally I cut the sentiment and some patterned paper with pinking shears and added a pin and some ribbon and buttons from my stash to finish the design off - simples :o) Ooh and I doodled round the edge of the card to frame it all.

Some challenges I'm entering:

Celebrate the Occasion - Any Occasion- Must Use Ribbon

Partytime Tuesdays - Anything Goes

Digi Makeover Challenge - Re-size Your Digi's (I enlarged the original digi)

Heart Song Inspirations - Ribbon and/or Tag

Make it Monday - Always anything goes

My Craft Spot - Ribbon

Gingerloft - Vintage or Distressed

Dream Valley Challenges - Buttons

Allsorts - Keep it Simple

Believe in your dreams

2011-09-27T08:45:00.002+01:00

I fancied using this Gorjuss stamp from Santaro to make a card yesterday and I had new pennant dies from Whimsy Stamps that I wanted to try out so the card I'm sharing today is the result of my endeavours. I coloured the image with Promarkers, used papers from Basic Grey, added flourish die cuts from Marianne's Creatables and a sentiment from Kaisercraft and finished it off with lace from my stash and some crystals to give it a bit of sparkle.

Entering the following challenges:
Crafty Boots - Wings
Critter Sketch - Anything goes
Make it Monday - Always anything goes
Ooh La La Creations - Punches/dies
Stamps & Fun = Creativity - Anything goes
There's Magic in the Air - Punches and die cuts - at least 3 different
Sparkles Forum - Something that sparkles
The Squirrel & the Fox - Anything goes
Marks Finest Papers - Things with wings

One for Christmas

2011-09-25T09:07:00.002+01:00

There seem to be a few more Christmas challenges around now that we are creeping inevitably closer to the season to be jolly so I have started making the occasional Christmas card when I have a little time in between work and my dt commitments. This card was made with one of my own digi stamps - find them here - this one is called Skating Josie. I coloured the image with Promarkers and added some ultra fine glitter on her pom-poms. I used distress inks round the edges of the die cut frame and to stamp some swirls in her wake. The papers are from my favourite set at the moment - My Mind's Eye Lost & Found Christmas. The snow flake and flourish dies are from Marianne's Creatables and the sentiment is from Inkadinkado.

Entering the following:

Craft Room Challenge - Anything Christmas
Jingle Belles - Christmas - Suzy Snowflake song
Polkadoodle - Distress it
Crafts and Me - Stripes
Little Darlings Challenges - Brown and red
Simon Says Stamp - Dies or punches
Digital Tuesday - People Images

Definitely not a card!

2011-09-23T07:49:00.000+01:00

Just popping by quickly to share a canvas I made earlier in the week, I have really been enjoying trying something different recently with Christy Tomlinson's online She Girls workshop and this is my 6th girl, you can see the others on my Flickr page if you are interested.

I'm entering this in a couple of non-card challenges:

Creative Stamp Friends - Anything BUT a Card

Lollipop Crafts - Anything BUT a Card

Quirky Crafts - Anything but a card

Card & matching gift bag

2011-09-22T09:31:00.001+01:00

The challenge this week at Charisma Cardz is to create a card and a matching gift bag or box.

For my dt project I returned to an old favourite Sugar Nellie tamp - A little bird told me by Suzanne Woolcot. To make the gift bag I used a solitary paper bag left over from an old paper bag album I made a while back, I trimmed it down a bit to create a square format to match my card then started both items working in tandem- cutting the cardstock and papers, colouring the two stamped images, assembling the tags and finally sticking all the parts together.

The papers I've used are by Stampin Up as is the butterfly stamp, the sentiments are from Personal Impressions and Hero Arts and the ribbon is the last piece I had of this lovely rust colour - I'm quite sad to have finished it off but it was perfect for this project!

These are the challenges I'm entering:
Anything Goes Challenge - Anything goes
Clear It Out! - Alter something (paper bag left over from Paper Bag Album)
Crafty Sentiments - Happy Birthday
Going Grey With Scrap-Creations - Anything goes
Get Hippity with Ippity - Buttons and/or bows and/or bling
Ooh La La Creations - Punches/dies
Stamp with Fun - Anything goes
Card Cupids - Anything goes
Pile It On - Colours of Fall/Autumn
The Squirrel & the Fox - Anything Goes
Crafting for all Seasons - Fall colors
Crafts and Me - Stripes
Flutterby Wednesdays - Anything goes
Little Red Wagon - Repeat a stamped image

Fabulous Fairies

2011-09-21T07:39:00.000+01:00

Fabulous fairies is the theme of the new challenge at Crafty Creations, we are all rested and refreshed after our week off (I wish!) and we are back with a fantastic sponsor - yes Lily of the Valley are sponsoring this challenge so if you fancy a £10 voucher to spend on their gorgeous stamps go and join in with our challenge for your chance to win!

LOTV very kindly supplied the Design Team with some beautiful digi stamps, mine is called Birthday Fairy - isn't she fabulous?! I coloured the image with Tria markers from Letraset - they have a brush tip instead of the bullet one on the Promarkers and I have to say I really enjoyed using them although my choice of colours is a bit limited at the moment. I'm looking forward to the Flemarkers being widely available as they seem to combine the best of both of the others. I followed the sketch on Sunday Sketch & Stamp and used papers from Basic Grey.

Entering this for the following:

Crafty Boots - Wings
Digi Makeover Challenge - Use Fabric (felt)
Make it Monday - Always anything goes
Paper Creations Ink - Buttons or bows
Paper Pretties - Buttons
Dream Valley Challenges - Buttons
One Stitch At A Time - Punch It
Paper Sundaes - Felt
Sunday Sketch & Stamp - Sketch
The Hybrid Chick Card Caravan - Buttons
One Stop Craft - Girly
Stamp, Scrap and Doodle - Make a Birthday creation

Tie the knot

2011-09-18T13:03:00.001+01:00

One of my colleagues at the library is getting married on October 1st and as yesterday was the last time I was going to see her until after the honeymoon I made this card to give to Sarah and her fiance Gary. I got the funky digi stamp from Tiddly Inks and coloured it with Promarkers, the backing paper is also digital and came from Pink Petticoat. I also decorated the inside of the card but only remembered to photograph it after having written the message so can only show a little peek!

I'm entering the card for these challenges:

Inspire Me Fridays - Always anything goes

Crafty Ribbons - Anything Goes

Truly Scrumptious - Decorate the inside

Everybody-Art-Challenge - Flowers

Partytime Tuesdays - Ribbon Trim and Fibres....Oh My!

Die Cut Dreams - Flowers

Make it Monday - Always anything goes

Di's Digis Designs - Anything Goes

Creative Craft World - New (New life together ;o)

Gingerloft - Vintage or distressed

Lots of Layers

2011-09-16T08:31:00.002+01:00

The new challenge today at Cardmadfairy's Digi Days is Lots of layers and our sponsor Bugaboo offered a choice of digi stamps to our design team, I chose this one which is called Scene it - Ladybugs, I printed the image 3 times and coloured them with Promarkers and added a bit of subtle sparkle with Sakura Stardust pens. I cut out the flower and the ladybugs and mounted them with foam pads to add extra layers to my card. I used a chipboard tag with a sentiment from LOTV and added a ladybug to it as well. The glittered flourish is a Sizzix die cut and the flowers are from Wild Orchid and were finished off with buttons and floss from my stash.

Entering this for these challenges:
Bugaboo Wacky Wednesday - Colour

Flutterby Wednesdays - Anything goes

Bearly Mine - Button it up

Paper Take Weekly - Things With Wings

Crafty Boots - Anything Goes

Heart Song Inspirations - Glitter and/or Chipboard

Kaboodle Doodles - Chipboard

Make it Monday - Always anything goes

Pile It On - Layer it

By the Cute & Girly - All things bright and beautiful

Creatalicious Challenges - Anything Goes

Little Miss Muffet Challenges - Things With Wings

Moving Along With The Times - Sparkle

Just for the love of...

2011-09-15T08:49:00.001+01:00

...LOTV rubber stamps! I bought this stamp along with a couple of others some weeks ago but put them away when I received them in the post as I was too busy to play and promptly forgot all about them! It was a nice surprise when I suddenly remembered to look - I'd even forgotten which ones I had bought! So today's card is a just because one - just because I wanted to ink up one of the images :o)

I'm entering it for these challenges:
Kelley Kid's - For someone special
Papercraft Star - Anything goes
Ruby's Rainbow - For a girl
Deep Ocean Challenge - Lace
Everybody-Art-Challenge - Flowers
Ladybug Crafts Ink TLT Challenge - Flowers
Partytime Tuesdays - Ribbon Trim and Fibres....Oh My!
Craft Your Passion - Use the "F" Word
Die Cut Dreams - Flowers (at least 5 flowers)
Make it Monday - Always anything goes
I Did It Creations - Anything Goes
Pile It On - Layer it

Another early Christmas card

2011-09-13T09:06:00.001+01:00

What about this wind then?? I was very glad of my foam earplugs last night - probably would have had trouble sleeping otherwise as the wind was howling around us all night :o)

This should be my day off but I've just been asked to work this afternoon to cover for a sick colleague so before I have to go and get myself organised here is a card I have created for a bunch of different challenges - see below. I used one of my own digi stamps, Buttons Snowman available from Cardmadfairy's Creations and coloured him to work with some of my favourite Christmas backing paper which came from PaperArtsy last year - I've been looking to see if they have any new papers for Christmas 2011 but there's no sign of anything so far. The snowflake is a Marianne's Creatables die and the sentiment is from Personal Impressions.

These are the challenges I was using for my inspiration:

Christmas Inspirations - Glitter
I Did It Creations - Anything Goes
Catch The Bug - Punches or Dies
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Swirls
Make it Monday - Always anything goes
Woodware USA - Happy Holidays
Inspire Me Fridays - Always anything goes
Totally Papercrafts - Cute with buttons
Heart Song Inspirations - Glitter and/or Chipboard

2011-09-09T11:26:00.001+01:00

Just time for a quick post before getting ready for work to share a card I finished yesterday.

I wanted to use some of the fabulous paper from a new 6 x 6 pad from My Mind's Eye called Lost & Found Christmas - I love these papers so much think I might need to get a second pad! The image is a Leanne Ellis one from Sugar Nellie, probably not meant as a Christmas image but I thought she'd look good in red and green :o) The sentiment is from Stampin Up and I followed the sketch from Sketch Saturday although I flipped it for my card.

Entering it for these challenges:

Crafty Ribbons - Festive Cheer in September

Going Grey With Scrap-Creations - Winter Wishes

Oldie But Goodie Challenge - 1st Birthday Blog Hop + Christmas In September

The Crazy Challenge - Spots and/or Stripes

Christmas Inspirations - Glitter

Sketch Saturday - SKETCH* #171

Stamp Something - Anything goes