More Valentine love

This card is for a spoon full of sugar challenge 89: 'Let's get sketchy:

which is obviously just right for another Valentine's card for the following challenges:

Another for Pile it on 5: 'to the one you love', which calls for other challenges:

Sew many challenges 3: 'red, silver & black with Valentine theme' - hard to see, but the glittered band across the cards with the hearts has silver streaks on it
Creative inspirations 27: 'Valentine red & black'
Incy wincy 29: 'pink (or red) and black'
Little paper shop 54: 'red, black and white'
Pals paper arts 28: 'melon mambo, pretty in pink, basic black'
Theme Thursday: 'pink and black'
Another for Challenge up your life 13: 'Valentine including hearts'
Another for Crazy 4 challenges 23: 'be my Valentine'
Another for Double Dutch 36: 'be my Valentine'
Another for creative card crew 44: 'Valentine'
Another for creative craft 6: 'roses are red - Valentine with option of roses'
Another for Penny's: 'Valentine/love'
Another for C.R.A.F.T. 36: 'love/Valentine'
Another for Lili of the valley 46: 'Valentines'
Another for Crafty calendar 5: 'love and friendship, optional extra: hearts'
Die cut dreams 34: 'have a heart'
Stamp with fun 45: 'hearts'
Another for La-la-land 24: 'hearts'
Another for Raise the bar 4: 'heart to heart talk'
Little red wagon 14: 'chipboard' - the hearts, which were raw chipboard coloured with copic and then glittered with stickles crystal ice
Copic creations 21: 'feather blending - red and pinks to colour the roses
PS I have replaced the photo, having put a gem on each heart (there seemed to be a bit of a gap in the stickles on one, so this seemed a good remedy!

When people knew how to be in love ...

This card is for this week's sketch challenge on Paper Maniac Inspirations:

I've used a picture and quote from Sleepless in Seattle, which is the theme for this week's challenge 65 on Cinema Saturday - this had to include a red heart.

The main colours are right for ColourQ 18:Gingersnap GC41: 'chestnut challenge' is 'romance', so this is good for that.

There is an oval on here for Alphabet: 'O is for oval' and the 'tickets' paper is torn for Kraftin' Kimmie 16: 'be a little ripper'.

You are my sweetheart

Valentine challenges continue to be very popular atm.

Created by hand calls for 'anything but rectangle or square' so I created this heart digitally, using part of a photo of a rose that I took a couple of years ago - I faded and cloned some of the picture and then added the text. I'm not totally sure about this - think I could have made a better job of it, but spent quite a while on it and don't feel like starting again.

It is also for:

Another for Pile it on 5: 'to the one you love' - and PIO asks us to link to lots of other challenges:
Creative craft 6: 'roses are red - Valentine'
Simon says: 'photo inspiration challenge' - a rose
Paperplay week 5: 'love notes'
The treehouse 35: 'colours of love - red, pink and white'
If the shoe fits Fashionista Friday 21: 'colour challenge - pink, red, white'
Cupcake 77: 'red and white all over'
Mixed media Monday: 'romance'
Ooh-la-la 47: 'love'
Pink elephant 53: 'mushy gushy Valentine'

All of these challenges are in addition to those listed last night for 'love hearts' (the only one I've repeated here is Pile it on) - and there are still lots of 'love/Valentine' challenges out there this week, so I might just be making a card or two for John.

E is for eye

Inchy by inch is this week up to the letter E, so I have taken a 1" z 1" section of my mardi gras LO to create an 'E is for eye' inchie:



Inchy by inch is going through the alphabet and so far I've only achieved B and now E, so I might at some stage try to do the letters I've missed.

Mardi gras

The challenge on Soartful this week is 'mardi gras' - sadly, we don't celebrate carnival in the UK, although, of course, we do have pancakes on Shrove Tuesday.

I downloaded some of the mardi gras elements being offered by Scrapbook flair and used them together with a picture from Tenerife carnival, to make a digi LO. I added the eyes behind the mask.

Quite a few years ago we were in Tenerife during carnival time and really enjoyed the colourful procession and all th 'party atmosphere' that went along with it - and one of the best firework displays I've ever seen.

This is also for this week's challenge on Crazy Amigo: 'carnival'

I'm also linking for Lots to do week 5: 'backgrounds' - using a digi bacground (hope that counts).

Love hearts

This is the first card I've made in nearly a week! I must be slipping! I did a couple of digi LOs, but nothing with actual paper etc since last Monday.

This card is for the sketch for Lord have mercy 59:

It's not surprising that atm there are a host of challenges with a Valentine or love theme - in fact, if I were to make a separate card for each challenge, I'd have more than enough for the rest of my life time!

So my card is also for:

Pile it on 5: 'to the one I love' - and 'Pile it on' encourages us to link with as many challenges as possible (easy this week!)
Cute Daisy May: 'oh sweet Valentine' - pink and neutral
Double Dutch 36: 'be my Valentine'
Fiskarettes Monday challenge: 'use a punch' - Fiskars flowers corner punch
Pixie dust studio 7: 'decorative border' - the flowers corner punch
Pink Elephant 52: 'all about pink'
Pollycraft 33: 'things with wings' - butterflies
Crafty creations 53: 'wings'
Flutter by Wednesday 95: 'open' - include butterfly, fairy or angel
Sophisticat 20: 'love'
Creative card crew 44: 'Valentine's'
Res-Q 31: 'check up time - do an inventory check up' - things you haven't used for a long time - the butterflies
La-la land 24: 'hearts'
Penny's challenges: 'Valentine/love
Papertake weekly: 'love actually'
Tanda teaser 132: 'for a loved one'
Charisma cardz 51: 'I love you'
C.R.A.F.T. 36 'love/Valentine'
Lili of the valley 46: 'Valentines'
Another for Dare U 2 digi 30: 'hearts/Valentine' - I've used a digi image from 'Sew many', coloured with copics
Another for Fussy & fancy 3: 'hearts'
Humble pie: 'love theme'
Raise the bar 4: 'heart to heart talk'
Another for Bee crafty 23: 'romance' - it includes a digi image
Challenge your life 13: ' Valentine including hearts'
Crazy 4 challenges 23: 'be my Valentine'
By the cute and girly: 'love
Crafty Calendar 5: 'love and friendship' - optional extra: hearts

I'm not sure why the scan looks more lilac than pink, because irl the colours are definitely shades of pink. The satin butterflies have an iridescent sheen that looks paler or darker according to how the light catches them.

The papers are from my offcuts box.

My schooldays

This is a very similar LO to the one I did for today's Salt challenge - a couple of posts below this one - using Smilebox digitally.

This is for 'schooldays' on DCM:

Ann's Creative Nook prize

I won challenge 74 on Ann's Creative Nook and received this prize today:

2 lovely cards, 2 spools of ribbon, a pack of buttons and some rubber stamps (for mother's day).

Thank you so much, Ann.

Salt: Beatitudes

It was my turn to choose the topic for this fortnight's challenge on Salt - you can read what I wrote here.

Having chosen 'the Beatitudes' or 'the blessings', I couldn't decide what to do for my own response to the challenge.

In the end I decided to focus on just one of the Beatitudes - "Blessed are the pure in heart" and it led me to consider the verse in Philippians 4:8 where St Paul encourages us with these words: 'Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.' (NIV Bible). The version I've used on my LO is from The Message - a modern paraphrase of the Bible.

I have made a digi LO using Smilebox, which speaks for itself. The photo isn't me, but one imported from Publisher clipart.

It took me longer to make this LO than it would have done with physical paper and materials, but nevertheless I enjoyed doing it.

Please visit Salt and have a look at what the rest of the time have created for this challenge - and we'd love you to share in our challenge with your own crafting - if you do, please leave us a comment so we can come and look at your creation.

WOYWW today - just about still Wednesday!

It's Wednesday (just about still Wednesday!) which means it's WOYWW on Julia's blog. It seems that today crafters have been showing their drawers! So I thought I'd better let you have a peep inside some of mine.

My top drawer just to the left of me houses all sorts of bits and pieces. I keep a lot of ink pads in boxes in my tall cupboard, but the ones I use the most I keep handy in this top drawer. You can see that I've got a box with inchies and twinchies ... waiting to do something with them - perhaps mini book, or mount them on canvas, or ...

The drawer beneath this houses chalks, alcohol inks, stickles etc - and lots of pens (there are more underneath the two boxes of chalks.

And then there's the drawer where I keep embossing powders and such like.

I thought I'd also let you have a peep inside the bottom of my tall cupboard, where I have a metal nest of drawers in the section that was built specially to house them - and just a few of my boxes.

If you like having a nose at people's crafting spaces, go over to Julia's blog and click on the comments and follow the links.

Viv la France

I've won this lovely selection of Viv la France on Dezinaworld:


I received the downloads last night and they are gorgeous.

I won them for this card:


I've also won some other goodies for challenges, but will show them when I get the prizes.

Unconventional Christmas papers

This card is for challenge 38 sketch on Fun with shapes - the 'buttons' are die cut shapes as detailed below:

It's also for:

Another for the Christmas 25th club on BF for February
Cuttlebug spot: 'silver and black' - the 'buttons' were cut using my cuttlebug with Ellison thin cut buttons
Sparkle creations 2010 Christmas card challenge week 6: 'dry embossing' - on the die cut buttons
My Grafico 34: 'metal' - the 'buttons' were cut from metal sheet
Jacksonbelle Tuesday: 'create an everyday card using unconventional designer paper' - the background is American crafts truly inspired, the glitter embossed diamond paper is unknown (think it might be DCWV), neither of which are conventional Christmas designs
Another for Lucy's cards 4: 'glitter' - on the diamond paper and the polar bear stamped image
Another for Cooking it up with Katie 9: 'recipe: use a 'non human image', add some texture, use a product you've never used before (the 'silver' metal sheet to die cut th 'buttons')
More embossing for Frosted designs
Another for Raise the bar 3: 'the older the better' - use old papers - both papers have been in my offcuts box for a long, long time (hence I can't remember what the diamond one is)
Stamp, scrap & doodle 25: 'open'
Another for Susie & Vikki's Christmas club 3: non traditional Christmas (the papers)
Crafty angels 20: 'buttons'
Another for Cupcake 76: 'four legged & furry'

I had to resort to a scan because the flash was bouncing off the metal and glitter, but this means that the glitter on the polar bear isn't showing too well (might replace with a photo tomorrow if the light is good enough):


The ribbons at the bottom of the card are DCWV (the only 'conventional' Christmas crafting goodie used on the card, well, apart from the lovely stamped polar bear).

Oh deer - another Christmas card!

This card is for sketch 98 on Paperminutes:

It's also for:

February cards on BF Christmas 25th club (I'm aiming to do 10 every month - this is the third one for this month)
Embellish magazine colour challenge with ribbon - 'turquoise, brown, pink (can add white or cream)'
Another for Basic Grey 12: 'animals' - using eskimo kisses papers
365 cards day 328: 'I'm a frayed not'
Cupcake 76: 'four legged & furry'

Take time for music

This card is for this week's TCP sketch on Dancing in pajamas:

It's also for:

Everybody art 75: 'brown/blue/white'
Flourishes Timeless 51:' inspired by the letter P' - paisley
Sweet stampin' 11: 'scallops'
Our creative corner: 'music challenge'
The craft garden February challenge: 'boys'
Color dare 53:
Kewl colour 15:

All items used were from a magazine give-away.

What's black, white and red all over?

I think it should be written: 'What's black, white and read all over? (Answer at the bottom of this post)

Sorry, couldn't resist that!

This card is for:

ClearlyiStamp (a new challenge blog to me) 6: 'red, black and white'
Sketchy colors 9: 'red/black'
Die cut dreams 33: 'red and black with love' - I hope it's OK that the love is given for a birthday, the red rose being a symbol of love
Dollies colour challenge: 'red and black and one neutral'
Crazy Amigo: 'red'
My time to craft 76: 'elegant rose'
365 cards day 278: 'you can't miss it' - take an image, don't add colour, except one element, which should be glittered

This was a very easy card to make - from a kit that had the ready produced glittered rose image, so all I had to do was colour it with a red copic.

The answer: a newspaper

A quick card

This is a very quick card that fits the challenge on Our creative corner to make a card using the colours blue and green.

The image is one that has been in my box for far too long, matted on to a piece of green ribbed vellum.

Another much-needed birthday card

This card is for ICSketches 51:
It's also for:

SPCC 32: colour challenge: 'close to cocoa, basic grey, creamy caramel
Res-Q 31: 'check up time' - do an inventory check up - use things you haven't used for a long time - the My mind's eye Andrea Victoria paper, the striped ribbon (part of a large ribbon purchase that has been left untouched) and the velvet embossed Laura Ashely brown rub on
Dollies elements challenge: 'birthday theme'
Crafty creations 52: 'celebration'
Inspire me (stamp away with me) 5: 'one man's trash' - use something that would otherwise be tossed - the strip of paper above the ribbon was from the inside of an envelope received
Another for Saturday spotlight 16: 'bigger is better' - the big blooms on the MME paper

A much-needed birthday card

This card is for MTSC58 on Lord have mercy:


It's also for Paperplay 4: 'pink, white and green' and also for day 333 on 365 cards: 'the 3 G's - green, glitter and grosgrain

I've come to the conclusion that for a while I need to concentrate on making more birthday cards because my stock is quite low (and it doesn't help when I keep making Christmas cards!).

The background of this card is a green ribbed effect vellum and the foreground glittered flowery panel is also vellum.

Jumbo snowflakes

Another Christmas card - this time it's for Fab's big Christmas week 4: 'snowflakes' and I've gone for the giant size for Saturday spotlight 16: 'bigger is better'.

It's also another one for the 25th club on BF, this time with a polar bear rather than a reindeer.

The background paper is some that I got ages ago with an edition of Crafts Beautiful, the large lilac snowflake was part of a kit from BF, the centre is one of the crystal centres I got with my prize voucher (here). The polar bear was stamped from a stamp swap on CBC the Christmas before last (I loved it so much that I stamped a lot and still have some to use) - and he has been glittered with stickles crystal ice.

'Snowflakes' is the topic for challenge 27 on Pals paper arts and 'snow' is the Monday challenge this week on Fiskarettes, so I'll also show the card there.

I think it also qualifies for Susie & Vikki's Christmas club 3: 'non-traditional Christmas (the colours). And also for Die cut dreams 32: 'bears'.

Having tried different ways to take photos of my cards, I managed to get a little easel in Hobbycraft the other day, but now, of course (looking at this card) I realise that you can't see the bit underneath the sentiment - oh well ....!!

Vintage Christmas stripes

This card is for the Crafty pad sketch for challenge 55 (a new challenge will be going up any moment now, so I realise this is late, but still wanted to do it):

It's also for Fab's big Christmas week 2: 'merry & bright' - vintage colours and/or stripes - I know that I'm late for this, but trying to keep up my resolution of making Christmas cards throughout the year, so this challenge is helpful - and I think I've fulfilled the criteria

And it's already into month 2 for the 25th club on BF - so this fits in nicely with Tracey's challenge for us to use animals on our cards, particularly perhaps reindeer, so here he is! My aim for the BF 25th club is to make 10 cards each time, so that's one done, nine to go!

And, as this has a vintage 'flavour' to it, I'm linking it for If the shoe fits Fashionista Friday 20: 'vintage'.


The card was made from a QVC kit (bought for making some quick cards).

Timeless memoirs

This card is for sketch 49 on Card Patterns:

It has the colours in the inspiration picture for Whimsical Wednesday Diedrich dare 20:
It's also for:

Cute Daisy May: 'vintage'
If the shoe fits Fashionista Friday 20: 'vintage'
Peachy keen 21: any format, must contain a vintage item or be inspired by something vintage, must contain at least one stamped image - I used Stampendous 'timeless memoirs' stamp inked with heritage old English red on a piece of HOTP paper that was then torn and edged with tattered rose distress ink
Another for Ooh-la-la 46: 'distressing'

The background paper is BG sugared and the flowers/swirls are BG opaline designer half pearls.


Lol! Just realised I'd called this 'Timless memoirs' - I've now inserted the 'e'!

A gift for mummy

This card is for Laura's sketch 44 on 2 sketches 4 you:

Also for ColourQ 17:

It's also for:

Today (day 336) on 365 cards: 'the 3 S's - Stripes, Square, Spring'
Susie's sassy 7: 'red, white and blue'
Another for Artful inkables Think Ink Tuesday: 'think spring'
Another for Dottie's world: 'leaf it! - using the Charmed digi Sugar & Spice 'gift for mummy' - there are leaves on the stem of the flower
Sophisticat 19: 'mother, miss you ... or a tribute' - thought this is appropriate because the digi is called 'gift for mummy'
Another for Squigglefly 33: 'summer card in January'
Raise the bar 3: 'the older the better' - use old papers - the red and black background is a piece of HOTP paper that must have been in my offcuts for a long, long time, and so has the striped paper which was originally free with a magazine

Heart 4 heart's sake

This card is for this week's Card Positioning systems sketch 151:

I added to the sketch a bit, but I hope you can still see it.

It's also for:

Anyone for Anya: 'heart 4 heart's sake' - the digi image is Miss Anya autumn
Copic colour 49:
Another for Stampavie 79: 'love card/Valentine'
Another for Inky impressions 28: 'Valentine' - must include pink and hearts
One powerful hour: 'pink and brown'
Ooh-la-la 46: 'distressing' - sanded around the edges of the brown paper
Another for Little red wagon 13: 'hearts'
Another for Hand full of stamps 14: 'I give you my heart'
Another for Dare U 2 digi 30: 'hearts' - Miss Anya autumn is a digital image
Another for fussy & fancy 3: 'hearts'
Secret crafter Saturday 68: 'hearts'
Bee crafty 23: 'romance' - I've included a digi image

The papers were from my scraps box (I wish I could remember what the brown paper is because I'd love to get some more of it), the striped paper is Making memories and the sequined and beaded hearts are from Paper n Lace.

Blue periphery

This card is for challenge 75 on Ann's creative nook, which specifies this sketch:

and using white with one other colour only, so I've chosen shades of blue.

It's also for:

Day 334 on 365 cards: 'the 3 B's - Blue, Blossom and emBoss - the strip on the lefthand side has been embossed with a cuttlebug folder and the prima blossoms are embossed
Dollies colour challenge: 'Design dollies are bringin' the blue - monochromatic blues'
Another for Stampin' B 43: 'make a card with a butterfly, a flower and a die cut'
Another for Treehouse 34: 'butterfly + flower'
Another for Frosted designs: 'embossing challenge'
Apron strings: 'stamping' - the central image is a Laura Ashley stamp inked with Stazon ultramarine; the background was achieved with an Elzybell texture stamp and a couple of shades of blue inks
Elzybells 35: 'your own stamped patterned paper' - I used Elzybells texture stamp for the background
2 red bananas: 'behind the scenes' - create your own stamped background
Another for Basic Grey 12: 'animals' - birds and butterflies - all the papers I've used are BG Periphery (given to me by a kind crafting friend)
Another for Spoon full of sugar 88: 'freestyle' - anything you like
Another for Flutter by Wednesday 94: 'open - include butterfly, fairy or angel'
Another for Cute card Thursday 97: 'blooming gorgeous'
Theme Thursday: 'busy!' - with lots of elements
Tanda teaser 131: 'ink it up' - plenty of inking on the background as well as for the centre image

The embossed panel on the left and the central shape has been chalked.

Silver, pink and blue with love

This card is for sketch 48 on Card Patterns:


It's also for:

Basic Grey 12: 'animals' (butterflies are part of the animal kingdom, aren't they?) - I've used BG euphoria papers
Another for Allsorts 36: 'hearts and flowers'
KL stampin' n scrappin' 14: 'nesties, punches and dies - oh my' - the circles were die cut on my cricut, and the metallic butterfly is a spellbinders die cut
Another for One stop craft 64: 'love and kisses'
Stamp, scrap & doodle 24: 'spring'
Another for Totally Gorjuss: 'dimension' - particularly the flowers, but also the silver ribbon and the butterfly
Another for Dottie's world: 'leaf it!' - the digi image is a Charmed download - sugar & spice 'butterfly kisses'
Magical crafts 7: 'Valentine's'
Lexi's creations 6: 'Valentine's'
Squigglefly 33: 'summer card in January'
Another for Artful inkables Think ink Tuesday 12: 'think spring'
Die cuts R us 23: 'ribbon' - the silver ribbon down the lefthand side
Doodle palace: 'something new' - I couldn't wait to open the pack and use the Craftime silver flowers - and Alphabet 'N is for new' for the same reason
Another for Lucy's cards 4: 'glitter' - on the silver ribbon and in the centres of the silver flowers
Spoon full of sugar 88: 'freestyle' - anything you like
Another one for Belli 83: 'hearts'
Creative INSPIRATIONS 45: 'feminine'
Fab n funky 8: 'use any digi image or sentiment - the Charmed digi
Flutter by Wednesday 94: 'open - include butterfly, fairy or angel'
Gingersnap GC39:'metallics' - the butterfly die cut
Another for Inky impressions 28: 'Valentine' - must include pink and hearts
Little red wagon 13: 'hearts'
Quixotic 11: 'flutter by'
Stampavie 79: 'love card/Valentine'
Colour create 37: 'soft pink, soft blue, white and silver'
Cute card Thursday 97: 'blooming gorgeous'
Dutch dare 70: 'summer in winter'
Stampin' B 43: 'make a card with a butterfly, a flower and a die cut'
Treehouse 34: 'butterfly + flower'
Crafty Ann 6: 'metal' - the butterfly
Dare U 2 digi 30: 'hearts/Valentine' - the image is a Charmed digi
Frosted designs: 'embossing challenge' - the butterfly die cut is embossed
Fussy & fancy 3: 'hearts'
Humble pie: 'flowery'
Hand full of stamps 14: 'I give you my heart'

Gosh, that's a lot of challenges, but I guess that with a certain special date in February coming up soon, it's not surprising that there are a few around atm that are thinking about love, hearts, flowers etc.

I apologise that I took the picture slanting, but that was to avoid too much glare on the metallic butterfly and foiled flowers.

What's the point in lilac?

This card is for this week's DCM 'what's the point?' challenge thought up by Kathy.

I decided to use the points of stars and layered some lilac and silver ones and chipboard ones that I'd triple embossed with silver UTEE. I xyroned a piece of Christmas greetings vellum that I've had for a couple of years on to an unknown piece of starry lilac paper.

So it's a very simple card, but, with the large star and the embossed vellum, it seemed a shame to add anything else.

I'm also linking it for Alphabet L for lilac, Sparkle Creations 8: 'no colouring in' - inks are allowed, so the triple embossing is OK - and frosted designs: 'chipboard challenge'.





Having bought the 'flower frogs' with the spikes to try and display my cards to take photos, I managed to get a little easel this morning in Hobbycaft, so am trying using that (still haven't put my stamps back on the shelf though).

Visit to Hobbycraft

I've been out this morning. John was having a car to take him to a bowls committee meeting, so I went with him and was taken on to Hobbycraft at Crayford and then was collected after the meeting. So I had a good time to wander around - I did manage to spend some money (would have been rude not to), including some nice Bo Bunny papers. It really made a change to go somewhere like that ... and now I'm feeling cream crackered.

So this is what I bought:

BF January inchies

The theme for the inchies swap on BF this month was 'winter' - I've received my inchies today and they are so cool - thank you, girls - you are so creative.

Sorry, it's not a good photo because the light has faded now - much, much better irl.

Fashion

This is another gothic arch, this time for last week's SCD (yes, I'm going backwards!) on fashion.

It's also for If the shoe fits Fashionista Friday 19, which is this inspiration ad:

The background paper is HOTP from my scraps box and the images are fancy ladies collage rub-ons that have been in my box for ages (I knew they would come in handy one day).

Something complete different

This is a gothic arch for this week's Something Completely Different theme 'angels' - and for me it is definitely something completely different because it's the first time I've made a gothic arch. The background is Imaginisce go for baroque rendez-vous-who. The little girl angels are from a picture on Art freebies, cut out and inked with chalk inks, as were the edges of the arch. A touch of stickles crystal ice on the wings and a piece of lace and it's done. It's simple, but it's a first - I can only get better!

A couple of prizes

I've received the stamp set that I won for the 'let it snow' rumble on 'In the Cottage Studio' - you can read about it here.


I've also just received the goodies I ordered from The Craft Barn with my £15 gift certificate for winning the Cuttlebug Spot 'let's party' - details here. I really enjoyed altering the wedding boxes that I bought from Poundland - such a good buy when you consider that I've still got the rest of the packs left and they gained me £15 worth of prizes - my original post is here.

Today's WOYWW

It's already Wednesday again and that means WOYWW over on Julia's blog.

I only made one card yesterday, so there's not much evidence of doing anything on here, except a pile of wooden stamps that I took off the shelf. I'd like to find a better way of taking photos of my cards to blog. Recently I've been standing cards on my printer because it's often the only place that is available, but I have to squat down to get a level photo (and often don't achieve that anyway).

When blog hopping I've noticed that some people put their card on a spiky thing to take the photo so I did a bit of research and came up with the idea of a 'flower frog' and I found two for sale on ebay and won them. I've worked out that the shelf that houses the wooden stamps is just about the right height to stand up and take a photo of a card in the spiky thing, so now I'm thinking I might leave a space for that purpose ... but where do I put the stamps then?

And have you noticed a non-crafty item to the left of my keyboard? - a DVD that arrived yesterday - one of my all-time favourite films, 'A Touch of Class'.

Postie has just arrived with some prize goodies, so I'll be blogging about those in a while.

All that scraps

This card is for the colour challenge on All that scraps: 'pink, chocolate and red'.

It was made with various scraps from my newly sorted box. The stamp is a Dawn Bibby one - I stamped it three times so I could decoupage the cupcake - coloured with copics. And just the addition of a few little gems and sentiment.

Nowadays, I tend to make square cards most of the time, but I need to bear in mind that some people who buy my cards to raise money for Tearfund prefer the A6 sizze (they are a bit cheaper), so I need to make more of these (must discipline myself!).

Warm wishes

This card is for the sketch on Digital Tuesday 40:
It's also for:
ColourQ 16: 'colour challenge'
and:
Pile it on 3: 'warm wishes'
Dottie's world: 'leaf it' - I've used the Charmed download Sugar and spice 'windy day'
Pink elephant 51: 'recipe: polka dots (on the ribbon), a bow and pink
Incy wincy 27: 'buttons, bows, ribbon and lace (the lace is under the paper with squares)
Another for Dare U 2 digi 29: 'buttons' - the image is a digi download
Mixed media Monday: 'the games people play'
Sunday stamper 88: 'hip to be square' (don't know whether this counts really because it's not a stamped image, but a digi, but there are squares!
Another for Spoon full of sugar 87: 'lots of layering'

I used BG Indian summer papers and an unknown strip with squares from my scraps box, three buttons, three bows, a piece of lace, some sticky polka dot ribbon and the 'warm wishes' sentiment was computer generated.

Trying to organise scraps

One of my new year crafting resolutions was to use up the leftovers, the offcuts, the scraps ... I've tried various 'systems' to store them and none of them have worked - I tried using separate folders for separate colours, tried sorting large and small pieces ... you name it, I've tried it ... and I've ended up with boxes with papers all higgledy piggledy, as you can see here:



So, I emptied the boxes today and have 'sorted' (mmmm not sure that's the correct word really, because perhaps they still need further 'sorting') them into broad colour ranges, so that the black and whites are together, followed by the blues, followed by the reds, pinks and purples etc etc ...

I confess that the large box doesn't really look much different, but at least there is some colour sorting and it has reminded me of all the paper treasures that I have, which might just encourage me to continue to use some of them. And, you will notice, that everything's in the one box now, having got rid of some of the stupid bits that were lurking in the boxes.



On the other hand, there's nothing quite like cutting into a brand new piece of paper! - which, of course, produces more offcuts!

Sweet template

This is for another challenge on CBC, this time for CBC CREW CHALLENGE - CBCC106 - template - Carolyn provided this lovely card as a template:



I've made another card with a gingham cupcake theme, similar to the ones in the last post, but following Carolyn's template:

Sweet gingham

It's quite a while since I played along with the challenges on Crafts by Carolyn, so I thought it was about time I did.

I've made four cards for the CBCcrew challenge - check it out - CBCC107 - Carolyn said: 'how about using an old favourite, dust down your ribbon box and find those ginghams, or you can use paper, fabric or anything else that has gingham check.'

A while ago I bought Dawn Bibby's cupcake kit (Kanban) from QVC, mainly because I wanted the acrylic stamps, but, of course, I got lots of glittery cupcake die cuts etc and background card.

So these are four quick cards that each feature gingham.

Sweet peas

For this card I've used copics for the Copic Colour challenge 48:

Because I chose to stamp and colour on a pink background and blended the deep pink copic with the blue, the blue looks more purple.

The base card was a white one that was ready embossed, from the Forever Friends range, so I'm linking for FF: 'quick and simple'.

I've used the Penny Black stamp 'sweet peas', stamping only a portion of it, which is right for 365 cards day 277: 'just a fraction' - use only part of an image, and the stamp itself is my take on Penny Black 85: 'something sweet' (I was going to use cakes or whatever, but thought sweet peas was a bit different).

This is also for:

Kraftin' Kimmie 14: 'no embellishments'
Stamping sisters in Christ 23: 'use the colour green'
Another one for Incy wincy 26: 'colour me wonderful' - use your favouring colouring medium (copics)
Paperminutes 97: 'colour combo: green/rose'
Glitterbees 2: 'colour challenge: bashful blue, positively pink, certainly celery'
Crazy4challenges 21: 'pretty in pink'
Divine Diva inspiration 20: this is the picture given for inspiration:

I swiped the bottom half of the card with chalk ink and copic, and copic'ed the top half:

Da vinci tag

It's a long while since I've done anything for the challenges on UKStampers - as a new series has just begun I thought I'd try and join in again. This is the instruction:

'Each week there will be 3 ingredients to include in your tag.
The first week include all 3, the next week 1 ingredient will be dropped and 1 new one added and so on.......... a rolling recipe.
Each week make a tag 8x16cm and post your finished tags on the blog..........until we get a gallery!

We'll start off easy! Here's this weeks ingredients

1 Any stamped image.
2.Lace.
3.Glitter.

I decided to incorporate the Leonardo stamp that I had for Christmas (I used it before here).

I chose a piece of beige cardstock that had a texture to it and brayered it using a couple of Ariondack rainbow ink pads. I then added a little distress tattered rose (I've discovered this needs to be re-inked or replaced), sanded it a bit and then stamped my image and heat embossed with black detail. I only had cream lace, so I brayered that a bit and then added strips of stickles gold - I wasn't really keen on adding the glitter, but it was in the recipe, so I thought I ought to!

I had to take the photo at an angle because otherwise the black embossed areas reflected the flashlight too much.

This also fits these other challenges:

Wednesday stamper: 'da Vinci' - this is why I chose this stamp
Tanda teaser 130: 'a touch of lace'
No time to stamp? 123: 'very vintage'
Another for Magical crafts 6: 'vintage style'
Another for Gingersnap GC38 spicy supply challenge: 'embossing powder'
Another for Lucy's cards 4: 'glitter'

Egg-cellent shot

This card is for sketch 52 on the sweetest thing:

The colour scheme is for challenge 7 on Sketchy colours: 'brown and turquoise' - I haven't used this combo for a long time, but I loved working with it again - the paper is DCWV (it's been lurking in my stash for a long while, waiting to be used).

It's also for:

House mouse 61: 'faux grid' (the first time I've done this) - the stamped image is HM 'egg-cellent shot' - one of the images sent to me by dear Gez
Another one for Pile it on 2: 'tie it around it' - use at least 3 ribbons
Alphabet: 'M is for mouse!'
Another one for Crafty pad 54: 'animals'
Another for Susie's sassy 6: 'card for a boy/option of an animal'
Paper cutz 25: 'farm animal' (perhaps it's a bit of a cheat, but I'm sure there would be some mice on a farm)
Paperplay week 3: 'handwriting' (despite my poor writing, I decided to handwrite the sentiment)
Glue, scissors, paper 13: 'love your own handwriting'
Stamp something: 'funny somethings'
The play date cafe 13: 'white, turquoise, brown, black
Cooking it up with Katie 9: 'recipe' - use a 'non human' image, add some texture (the three ribbons), use a product you;ve never used before (the HM stamped image)
Rainbow lady 87/88: 'fur'
Raise the bar 2: 'the gift that keeps on giving' - use something that's been given to you - the stamped image from Gez
Crafty angels 18: 'keep it simple' - one image, one piece of cardstock (the base card), one sheet patterned paper, one type of embellishment (ribbons) and one sentiment - no more, no less

Love

This card is for Paper Sundaes 1: sketch:

It's also for:

Pile it on 2: 'tie it around it' - use at least 3 ribbons
Anyone for Anya: 'black and white + 1' - I used the Greetings Farm digi 'Anya Valentine, coloured with copics
Corrosive 47: 'let's go digi'
Caardvarks: 'red heart challenge' - use red and incorporate hearts
Little paper shop 51: 'button it'
Pollycraft 32: 'fire and ice' - red and white
Jacksonbelle Tuesday: 'Valentine's day project'
Paper Maniac inspiration: 'texture, faux stitching and buttons - not a circle button'
Crafty creations 51: 'Valentines or love'
Creative Belli 83: 'hearts'
C.R.A.F.T. 34: 'colour challenge: red'
Crafty catz 16: 'love'
Dare U 2 digi 29: 'buttons' - the image is a digi
Allsorts 36: 'hearts and flowers'
Bee crafty 22: 'favourite colour combo' - black, white and red - one of my favourite combos
One stop craft 64: 'love and kisses'
Lily-boo too January challenge: 'Valentine' - I've used a digi image
Humble pie: 'love challenge' - red, pink and white and must include hearts
Kelly Jo colour chef 35: 'black, grey, red, white'
Ildi Co 8: 'colour combo - pink, red and white' (I hope it's OK that there's black as well)
Inky impressions 28: 'Valentine' - include pink and hearts
Another for Totally Gorjuss: 'dimension' - the ribbons, flowers and heart buttons

Winter inchies

These winter inchies are for the January swap on BF forum.

I started off with a piece of Fancy Pants dainty paper and spritzed it with my own home-made glimmer mist (a combination of water, drops of broken china distress ink and some perfect pearls). I then fused together (ironed) some angelina fusible fibres - crystal amethyst and astral blue, sprinkled with a few grains of Metal magic by Debbi Moore. I then ran the original sprayed piece of paper through the Xyron so that the decorated side was covered with adhesive so that the fibres stuck down. I stamped random snowflakes (Dovecraft clear stamps) with Elzybells sugar candy white pigment ink (this really is the best white I've discovered - I used to think Brilliance was the best until I tried this) and heat embossed with detail white. Lastly, I added some silver and aqua gems.

Because of the irridescence of the fibres over the 'glimmer mist', the inchies look different according to the light.

Now you see the snowflakes:



and now you don't:

I really had fun doing these, even though it involved using the iron (which doesn't get much use nowadays, lol!).

There are a few challenges current that these inchies are good for:

Sunflowers and dragonflies 24: 'winter wonderland'
Saturday spotlight 14: 'snowflakes gone wild'
Small world of inchies and twinchies: 'snow and ice'
2 red bananas: 'blue, white and silver'
Another for Apron strings: 'cardstock it is' - no patterned paper
Double dutch 35: 'baby, it's cold outside' - something frozen or frosty
Inchy by inch: 'B is for .... Brrrrrrrrrr (hope that's not cheating!)
Another for Kaboodle 22: 'anything but a card'
Squigglefly 32: 'clean and simple, plus blue'
Gingersnap GC38 spicy supply challenge: 'embossing powder'
Dollies elements challenge: 'favourite things' - choose three things from the Sound of music song - I chose (all three of these are incorporated in the inchies):

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver white winters that melt into springs

Little red wagon 12: 'snowflakes'
Pals paper arts 26: 'anything but a card'
Penny's challenges: 'inchies'
Sunflowers and dragonflies 25: 'inchies and twinchies'
Lucy's cards 4: 'glitter'
Another for 3 clovers 47: 'baby, it's cold outside'
Another for Crafty Ann 6: 'embossing'
Another for Fussy & fancy 2: 'winter'
Another for Raise the bar 1: 'debut day!' - use something in your stash that hasn't been opened yet (the two packs of angelina fusible fibres)
Etsy inspired 72: 'sweetie pie tutus!' - I chose snowflak flurry tutu:

Susie & Vikki's Christmas club1: 'snow' (I know it's not a card, but when I get my inchy back from the swap I can use it on a card)

Brown and pink Tilda

This card is for Jay Jay's sketch on Just Magnolia:



It's also for:

Allsorts 35: 'brown and pink'
Nutty nutshells 7: 'colour challenge - pink and brown'- the tilda stamp qualifies for this as well as the Just Magnolia challenge
Treehouse 33: 'get well wishes'
Another one for Stamp, scrap & doodle 23: 'girly' and Dezinaworld: 'girly'
365 cards day 325: 'imagine this' - chocolate
Papertake: 'pretty pink'
Fun with shapes and more 37: 'chocolate'

The new Totally Gorjuss challenge has just been posted and it is 'dimension' - this is created here by the flowers and prima pearls.

The papers are Making memories, the flowers are a mixture and the pearly gems are prima.

I love purple

This card is for Friday Sketchers 85:

I love purple, but don't really use it often enough, so I took the opportunity tonight, playing for the following challenges:

Totally gorjuss 'all in one' challenge 13: monotone
ECP 4: 'lavender' - all shades of purple
If the shoe fits Fashionista Friday 18: 'shades of purple and grey' - there is a bit of grey within the band across the bottom
Etsy inspired 71: amethyst soap, particularly this picture:

Your next stamp 8: 'anything that sparkles' - the stamped image is mounted on glitter card
Cute Daisy May: 'flower and ribbon'
Stamp, scrap and doodle 23: 'girly'
Dezinaworld: 'girly'
Cupcake 73: 'going girly'
Incy wincy 26: 'colour me wonderful' - use your favourite colouring medium - copics
Fiskarettes Monday challenge: 'use scraps' - still keeping to one of my resolutions when I can
Tuesday taggers: 'left overs' - using the offcuts
Raise the bar 1: 'debut day' - use something in your tash that hasn' been opened yet - the flowers: I bought the pack a couple of days ago (Craftime colour connection)
Sew many challenges 2: 'purple, white and a splash of black' - there is black within the top purple paper (from BG wisteria) and also on the flowery one below it (HOTP)
Spoon full of sugar 87: 'lots of layering'

PS I've just changed the photo because I realised that I'd coloured one of the girl's feet as if it was part of the teddy - oooops! So I've now coloured her skin colour darker to fudge over the mistake. In fact, now that I've darkened her skin tone (and the hair as well), I'm linking for Copic creations 20: 'ethnic skin tones'

Simply ivy

This card is for FTL74 on Clean & Simple:

This was an opportunity to use just stamping and leave some white space - and, to make a change, an A5 piece of card folded lengthwise. The main ivy stamp is Whispers, coloured with copics and the sentiment was stamped too. This means that the card is good for day 287 on 365 cards: 'stamping' Saturday' - every aspect of the card must be stamped.

And Stampin' Royalty 3 as asked for a single layer project and Apron strings 'cardstock it is' - no patterned paper.

And, as this was coloured with copics, I'm linking for Incy wincy 26: 'colour me wonderful' - use your favourite colouring medium - copics.

And the new challenge blog Sew many challenges 1 is 'anything goes' as long as we use a digi or a stamped image (although I realise I'm late for this)

Lastly, Quixotic 10 challenge this week is 'ink up an old stamp' - I haven't used this ivy stamp for quite some time.

Thoughts of spring ...

If you've read my previous post you'll know that Kaz came to visit this morning and she has gone away thinking that she needs a cricut - yes, you do, Kaz. And, if you read this, you'll see that for this card I've used a free svg download (from Images by Heather) to produce edging around the yellow card very similar to that achieved with the punches you brought along to show me (which I was getting all set to buy - and then thought I'd investigate if there was anything similar available to use with Make the cut for the cricut.

I used Fiona's sketch for this week's challenge on Stampin' for the weekend:

My card has a 'spring' feel to it, which is good for these challenges:

Sophisticat 18: 'spring'
Artful inkables - think ink Tuesday 12: 'think spring'
Created by hand: 'waiting for spring'
No time to stamp? 122: 'mid-winter perk-me-up!' floral theme and some fresh spring-time colours
And perhaps it could also fit Papr Cutz challenge 24: 'summer'

The strips of paper are My mind's eye 'bloom and grow' - the dotty piece is embossed - and the stamped flower is a Magenta stamp coloured with copics.

I know that I didn't actually use a punch, but using the cricut for the triple dot scalloped edge has achieved the same effect, so I'm also linking for:

Creative card crew 43: 'punch it'
Simon says: 'punch it'
One stop craft 63: 'fancy edges or corners

It's also OK for Sunday stamper 87: 'birthday'

The spring colours I've used remind me of oranges and lemons, so it's good for Charisma cardz 3: 'fruity colours' and also Sweet stampin' 9: 'feeling fruity'.

A bubbly came to play!!

Kaz from the Bubbly Funk forum came round this morning for a coffee, a chat and a play, although I confess we did more chatting than playing - next time we'll get down to more crafting.

However, I did manage to convince Kaz that she needs a cricut and also an ATG tape gun. And Kaz has convinced me that I need some of the Martha Stewart around the page punches - so I might just have to have a nosey around the internet and buy some.

Kaz was very 'norty' because she brought me these lovely flowers and note book:



It was so lovely to meet Kaz and hope that she'll come round to see me again soon (her sister lives quite close to me) and stay longer next time.

Salt: Daily

It's Salt challenge day today and Tanis has chosen the subject - you can read what she wrote here.

For the cut off circle (which was torn around a dinner plate) I used Choices 'organized type stripe' paper which has a lovely pearlised sheen - unfortunately, making it more difficult to get a photo - it's such a dull day here atm that the white textured card background doesn't look as white as irl.

The strips of wording were produced on my Dymo letratag and the title letters are Thickers. The floral borders are rub ons.

It's a bit daunting seeing seven photos of me (one is more than enough!), but I wanted to convey the daily walk with God that Tanis is talking about.

As always, you can see the wording better if you click on the photo to enlarge it.



Please go over to Salt and have a look at the lovely crafting done by the rest of the team - and perhaps join in with our challenge - we'd love to see what you produce for this topic.

Not much happening for WOYWW

We're ready now to be collected to go up to Guy's for two appointments for John (we were up there yesterday as well - not sure why we bothered to come home!) - anyway, today is WOYWW on Julia's blog and this week I've remembered to take a photo early, although there's nothing much of interest happening in my space.


Perhaps there'll be more crafting activity later today when we get back from Guy's (well, I definitely have got to get my Salt contribution done for tomorrow).

Happy Birthday brother

It's my brother's birthday on Thursday and, until tonight, I hadn't made a card for him. I knew I wanted to make a golfing themed card, but was lacking inspiration as to how to get it started, until I looked at the sketch on Taylored Expressions challenge 98:

I decided to make a gatefold card - this is what it looks like closed (please excuse the paper clips top and bottom to keep it closed to take the photo):


The golf bag, clubs and ball are all raised on 3D foam and the main part of the bag is a textured material (I confess that I didn't make this, but bought it as it is). Papers are all BG archaic.

So the textures make it good for Crafty creations 50: 'textures' challenge. And, of course, it's a birthday card - Crafty catz 15: 'a birthday card' and Crazy 4 challenges 19: 'birthday'


and this is the inside - with a bit of texture and raised embellishments:

A night at the cinema

This card is quite different to the normal sort that I would make - and I haven't a clue what I'll do with it, but nevermind - it's good sometimes to make something a little out of the ordinary.

This was inspired by three current challenges:

ColourQ 15:
Ann's creative nook 74: 'be inspired by fabric' - from the Etsy site: KaraMia Sofia - I chose medium make-up pouch/clutch/(Amy Butler) Temple Garden Lime:

and lastly the 'ad inspired' picture on 365 day 315 (particularly the grey):

I'd seen a couple of challenges that are to do with dragons and I remembered I had some DCWV epoxy stickers that I got when I did Leigh's CJ pages on dragons - so I found the remaining ones and have used them together with part of a 12 x 12 K & Co paper, also cutting out the 'popcorn' and tickets from another part of the paper.

The challenges I'm referring to are:

KL stampin' n scrappin' 13: 'appreciate a dragon day' (apparently there really is such a day) - to use dragons/reptiles

Cinema Saturday 62: 'A night at the museum':
- add something miniature (the green dragon)

So here is my card:

It's also another one for Susie's Sassy 6: 'card for a boy with the added option of an animal'

Sweet treats for Christmas

Yet another Christmas card! - think at some point I ought to stop making them and get on and re-stock birthday cards etc.

Anyway, this card is for Georgia's Christmas card sketch for challenge 53 on Just Christmas and Birthdays:
It's also for the current challenge on Forever friends 'a cheerful/happy card, but with a twist! It must have 2 layers (which can include the base of the card), a ribbon and something that sparkles' - I think I might have cheated a little (I didn't mean to, honestly - lol!) because there might just be an extra layer and the 'ribbon' is a rub on (but it does look like a ribbon, doesn't it?). The teddies, of course, are Forever friends, as are the papers (Christmas Glow), not forgetting the important piece of mistletoe. The 3D FF embellishments are glittered and the Poundland bling in the corners provides a bit more sparkle.

As the teddies are carrying mince pies, it's another one for Incy wincy 25: 'sweet treats' (although I have to confess that I don't like mince pies, so I wouldn't consider them to be a treat); it's also some more bling for Jacksonbelle Tuesday.

It's also for:
Little red wagon 11: 'polka dots'
Hand full of stamps 12: 'polka dots'
Paperplay week 2: 'furry friends'
Susie's sassy 6: 'card for a boy/option of an animal'
Fussy & fancy 2: 'winter'
Creatalicious 6: 'no stamped images ...'
Crafty pad 54: 'animals' (I hope teddy bears count!)
365 cards day 320: 'tea for two' - tea party - I know there's no tea to drink, but I'm sure these teddies are all set for a tea party!