411 sketch and colour challenges

This is for two challenges on 411 - first the sketch challenge 141:

Also for 411 colour inspiration 113:

Background paper is BG fruitcake.

The card is also for CBC challenge '10 from 1', BF 25th club and Christmas cards all year round March challenge - all as outlined in the post above.

Copic colour challenge 54

This is for Just Christmas & birthday cards sketch 57:
Also for Copic colour 54:
Background paper is DCWV and sparkly circles are once again from Paperchase.

The card is also for CBC challenge '10 from 1' and BF 25th club as outlined in the post above.

Bright Christmas

This is for OCC sketch 5:

Also for Colour dare 58:
Fab's week 8 asks us to include a round focal, so I'm linking to that.

Papers are unknown from stash and sparkly circles are again from Paperchase.

The card is also for CBC challenge '10 from 1', BF 25th club and Christmas cards all year round March challenge - all as outlined in the post above.

Snowman among the pink trees

This is for the Pixie cottage 10 sketch:

Also for the colour me pink and blue photo challenge on Lily Bean:

This is also for Bah! humbug 7: 'trees' and for Sparkle creations Christmas week 14 inspiration (I focused on trees).

Background paper is DCWV and sparkly circles again from Paperchase.

The card is also for CBC challenge '10 from 1' and BF 25th club as outlined in the post above.

Christmas with no Christmas papers

This is for Eat sleep stamp 73 sketch (I turned it on its side):

Also for BG week 15 photo inspiration:

The blue background paper is BG lily kate and the pink paper is BG bittersweet, so neither are actually Christmas papers, but I think they work well for the colour scheme of the photo.

The card is also for CBC challenge '10 from 1' and BF 25th club as outlined in the post above.

Colour throwdown

This is for Mercy 64:
Also for Colour throwdown 82:
Papers are all BG and the sparkly circles are from Paperchase.

The card is also for CBC challenge '10 from 1', BF 25th club and Christmas cards all year round March challenge - all as outlined in the post above.

Ruby wedding celebration

I was asked to make a ruby wedding anniversary card and this is what I've come up with. The papers are BG blush and most of the elements used at Express yourself. Corners were cut with fancy scissors.

It's another celebration card for Creative card crew 46, Gingersnap GC45 chestnut theme and also for 'celebration' on Flourishes timeless 57.

It's also for Sue's CBC birthday challenge: pick a letter - you must choose a letter and then 3 things on your card must begin with that initial letter. So, my letter is G - gems, glitter and glasses.

A winning card

I won two digital images of my choice for this card which was featured for 'birthdays' on Penny's challenges. I'm looking forward to using the images I chose.

Card for mum

This card uses the sketch for the sweet shop 46:

It's for my mum for next Sunday and is also for these challenges:

These are all for 'Mother' day: Lily-boo too March challenge, Cute Daisy May, Simon says, C.R.A.F.T. 40, Totally papercrafts 6, Allsorts 41 and My time to craft 81 (just for mum).

These all ask for green to be used: Cute card Thursday 102, Twisted Thursday 46, Crafty Catz 22, Prairie fairy Friday week 9, The crafting pot 14 (with gold), Copic creations 23, Inky impressions 31 and Penny's .

The card also covers these:

Lili of the valley 48: 'easel card'
Frosted designs: 'technique week' - share a favourite technique - making easel cards
Fun with shapes and more 43: 'pop up card' (the scallops were cut on my rotatrim)
Fab n funky 13: 'it's all in the shape'
Flourishes timeless 56: 'scallops'
No time to stamp 129: 'punched borders' - scallops cut on my rotatrim
Stampin' B 48: 'use a flower image and buttons'
KL stampin n scrappin 20: 'button down the hatches; - use buttons
Quirky crafts 23: 'buttons'
Cupcake 81: 'flower power'
Ooh-la-la 49: 'anything goes'
Quixotic 16: 'leave it out!' - use leaves
Theme Thursday: 'art word(s) on the base paper and also the collage image
Res-Q 35: 'use text in a prominent way on your card'
Soartful: 'celebrate international women's week' - motherhood

I chose to use the Hampton art stamp 'African violet collage' because my mum always associates Mother's Day (or Mothering Sunday, as she prefers it) with violets. Her mother's (my Nan) name was Violet and mum always tried to get her a little bunch of violets for Mother's day - some of the first flowers of spring, so, with that in mind, I'm also linking for these 'spring' challenges:

Stamp with fun 49, Pals paper arts 32, Stampavie 84, Get sketchy 28 (which also involved a shaped card), Humble pie (Town scrapper) (and their previous challenge was an easel card) and Rosie-Dee 66.

I stamped the image with Brilliance pearlescent ivy and used some of the ink to brush the leaves, and coloured the violets with copics. Papers are various from my box. The purple swirls are ribbons.

Never ending ...

As part of the CBC special birthday challenges, Sue asked us to make two cards with more than one fold, featuring clothes, so this is one of them.

Unfortunately, atm I can't get on to CBC, so I can't link this there yet, but will do so tomorrow.

I'd often thought of making a 'never ending' card, but had never got round to doing it, so today I thought I'd have a try. After a couple of dummy runs with some scrap card, I managed to make a fairly presentable first attempt.

This is also for:

Pile it on 9: 'the one you must' - one colour + a neutral
Stampin' for the weekend: 'it's monochromatic week
Kaboodle 25: 'fancy folds' - and I notice that 26 is up already: 'happy birthday'
Lexi 8: 'anything goes'
Creative card crew 46: 'it's a celebration' (birthday)
Fab n funky 13: 'it's all in the shape!' - I know it's a square card, but as it turns it does make different shapes
Gingersnap GC45: 'chestnut theme: celebrate' (birthday)
Paper garden projects birthday challenge 1: 'make a birthday card'
C.R.A.F.T. 40: 'mother's day or flowers' - the latter for this card
Alphabet: 'S for stamping' - the sentiments, the swirls and the elegant lady have all been stamped
Gingersnap GC44 random redhead challenge: 'birthday'
Stamp something: 'something girly'
Stamp, scrap & doodle 30: 'open challenge'
Crafty calendar 6: 'flower power'
Crafty Ann 9: 'technique out of comfort zone' - this kind of card was new for me
Another for Scrappy frogs: 'challenge yourself' - this was definitely a challenge! (first time making a never ending card)
Another for Tuesday taggers: 'swirls and curls' - there are some stamped on here with my DB stamp
Another for Crafty creations 57: 'all one colour'
Crafty angels week 24: 'photo inspiration':

Papers are 7 gypsies sushi journey. I tried to get photos, but not successfully, so resorted to scans, but, of course, where there are flowers (prima, Laura Ashley and PM) there are shadows on the scan because they are raised, but you get the general idea.

The stamped lady was one received in a swap - I coloured her with copics.

All white

This weekend sees the start of the CBC SPRING and BIRTHDAY CHALLENGE 2010

This is being run by the lovely Sue - she says:

'So Spring has sprung?? …… Well maybe :lol: AND its our 8th BIRTHDAY and we are off on another week-long challenge.'

The challenges started yesterday, but I did no crafting then because I went up to Birmingham for my SIL's funeral.

I thought I would make a start today with the 'all white' (or any other colour, but just one colour) challenge.

This is also for:

Ann's creative nook 80: 'white on white'
Crafty creations 57: 'all one colour'
Stamp dreams (Stempeltraume) 21: 'plain and simple'
Raise the bar 8: 'national women's history month' - use a book

I used some embossed pearlised card as my base, cut a Nestability label from a piece of iridescent cardd and wrapped a piece of PM sparkly iridescent ribbon around it. The embossed flowers were cut with Nestability poinsettias (why keep them just for Christmas?), with the addition of a Prima gem 'thingie' (can't think of the proper term!):

Why not pop along to CBC and join in the fun?!

BF February ATCs received

The topic for the February ATC swap on Bubbly Funk was 'flowers' and I've received these gorgeous ATCs from those who took part. Thank you, girls, they are lovely:

Fun with circles and scallops

This card is for the sketch on Taylored Expressions 102:

It's also for:

Inspire me (stamp away with me) colour cue challenge: 'white, red, turquoise, light brown/kraft'
Fun with shapes 42: 'letter/stamp' - I cut the scalloped panel with one of Nellie's multiframe rectangular dies
Flourishes timeless 56: 'scallops'
Squigglefly 38: 'fun borders'
All that scraps: 'dots & stripes'
Cupcake 80: 'round and round' - lots of circles

The background paper is Artic frog lilly pad Sunday brunch. The stamped image is Timless memoirs stamped on to a piece of envelope lining. Red striped paper is unknown.

The sun is shining

The sun is shining atm - I can feel the warmth through the window (although still grateful for the central heating). However we feel, the sunshine makes us feel a bit better.

This week's challenge on Daring Cardmakers is 'here comes the sun', so I've made a bright sunshine card, using the sketch for Friday Sketchers 91:

It's also for:

Raise the bar 7: 'three's company' - I used three strips of patterned paper down the card, three pearls, three flowers
Play date 19: 'deep yellow, pale yellow, white'
Dollies element challenge: 'springtime' - Spring inspired project, that features the something SUNNY predominantly (e.g., the sun, sunflowers, a pun on "sun," etc...), as well as the color YELLOW....
Stampavie 84: 'spring'
Res-Q heartbeats 2 challenge 34: 'use happy spring colours' - and I also used a required digital image
By the cute and girly: 'spring is in the air'
Pals paper arts 32: 'spring'
Pollycraft 35: 'distressing' - tearing the ovals
Dare U 2 digi 32: 'pearls' - and I've used a required digi image
Crafty creations 57: 'all one colour'
Hand full of stamps 18: 'let it shine'
Paper Garden project fourth Friday fun for February: 'farewell to winter'
Scrappy frogs: 'challenge yourself' - I don't often use yellow

Salt challenge

It's Salt challenge day again (how two weeks goes by).

These past two weeks have actually been difficult ones for us - to be honest I was wondering how I was going to tackle Kim's topic - you can read about it here.

In the end, I went for the most simple response. Every time I tried to think of what to do, the verse from Deuteronomy 6:5 was uppermost in my thoughts, echoed by the words of Jesus in Matthew 22:37ff.

Originally I thought of making some sort of plaque that I could put up in my craft room. However, I'd found a picture of flames somewhere on the internet (sorry, can't acknowledge, because can't remember where) - so I simply added the text to it and saved this as my computer desktop background - I've hidden all my desktop icons. So this is something I'll see on a regular basis - a daily reminder to put God first in my life.

Please go and have a look at Salt at the creations of other team members - and we would love you to respond and make something for the challenge.

CBC February ATCs received

Postie has just been and brought me my February swap ATCs from the group on CBC - the theme was 'postal':

Butterfly swirl

As a 'thank you' for taking part in Nikki's last challenge on Dewdrop Craftz, I was able to choose a digital stamp - I chose the lovely butterfly swirl by Karen. And as Nikki is a friend on CBC and there is a butterfly challenge on there atm - CBCC108 - I'm linking my card there

I've used the sketch for Clean & Simple 80:


Having used some kraft paper patterned with black and white and a textured red card blank, I'm linking for CCEE colour challenge: 'ruby red, creamy caramel, black'.

It's also for:

Tuesday taggers: 'swirls and curls' - this challenge is being sponsored by Crafty Individuals - so there is a prize bag up for grabs
Mixed media Monday: 'enchanted'
Simon says: 'mother's day/girly'
Wednesday stamper: 'fantasy creatures'

The image was coloured with copics.

BF February inchies

Postie's just been - the usual boring sort of stuff including the Thames water bill for the coming year (gosh, a year's supply of red wine would be cheaper!). Anyway, thankfully, there was something gorgeous in the post - the inchies from the February 'love' swap on Bubbly Funk.

They are so lovely - thank you to all the girls on the swap (sorry, mine looks a bit out of place among all the pink and red):

Which way should I go?

Last week saw the start of a new challenge blog, Oh Alice! ... a serious little challenge blog where nothing is as it seems ... This challenge is 'Chapter two: running in a sketchy circle'.

So this is the sketch:
together with this excerpt from Alice in Wonderland:

"Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?"
"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the Cat.
"I don’t much care where--" said Alice.
"Then it doesn’t matter which way you go," said the Cat.

I used a copyright-free picture of Alice having this conversation with the cheshire cat. I made a few little additions to the sketch, but I think you can still see it clearly.

The card is also for these challenges:

Challenge up your life 15: 'striped & at least 3 buttons' - there aren't many, but there are some stripes
Stamp something: 'recipe somethings - designer paper, button(s), ribbon
If the shoe fits Fashionista Friday 24: 'colour combo: burgundy, lime green, fuschia'
Soartful: 'visiting Wonderland'
Wednesday stamper: 'Alice in Wonderland'
Frosted designs: 'handwriting'
Embellish magazine: 'colour challenge with borders - green, yellow, pink, peach' - I hope the stamped border is going to count, and the ribbons
Fussy & fancy 5: 'movies' - in anticipation of the new film about to be released
ColourQ 21:
Papers are BG lemonade and porcelain and there is a little stamping - the floral border stamp that was inked with three different coloured chalk inks and clear embossed.

A year of 365

Today is a milestone on 365 cards challenge blog - it is the last card for the past year. When 365 started I tried to make a card for every day, but between April and August John was in and out of hospital - one stay was for six weeks - so there were times when I did very little or no crafting.

However, I've thoroughly enjoyed the many challenges I've done throughout the past year and am looking forward to a new year with 365 - who knows, perhaps I'll do even more of the challenges than this last year.

Today, as is the case every Sunday, is Super Sketchy Sunday, so I thought I'd make sure I join in today. This is the sketch provided today by Pam:



The card is also for these challenges:

Crafty angels 23: 'au revoir/bon voyage'
Dollies colour challenge: 'orange, brown and a neutral'
Tuesday morning 34: 'light orange, dark brown & ivory'
Another for Paperminutes 102: 'polka dots'

The main background paper is My mind's eye pretty please spring paper and the striped paper is BG. The bottom circles and 'experience' are Kaisercraft rub ons.

A friend is a gift

For this card I used the sketch for Papertake 35:

When I looked this morning to see what the new challenge is on Stampin' sisters in Christ, I was pleased to see that it was just right for what I wanted to do. The verse to consider is Col. 3:17 and this is what Pamela wrote:

You have free reign of what you want to do this week. But here's the deal: I want you to actively do this as an act of worship to our God. Before starting, pray. Thank God for your gift. While working, feel free to pray more, or perhaps sing out to Him. Put your focus on Him and remember that it is He who gave you your gift (however good or bad you think you are at this) and remember that it makes Him happy to see you at work. Do this challenge, as if you were doing it for Christ himself!

It is pouring with rain here this morning and we were unable to get a lift to church, so we've stayed in, which isn't a bad thing because I'm not feeling too brilliant. So the 'sisters' challenge was just right for me to create something honouring to God while thinking of my friends and thanking God for them. The stamp that I've used for the focal point was given to me by a dear friend who is one of our faith challenge team at Salt, so I was able to think of her as well as many others as I made this card.

I deliberately didn't use any other image or flowers or embellishments, because I wanted the quote to be the central focus.

The card is also for these challenges:

The crafty pad 59: 'brown, blue, cream or white' - I realise I'm too late for this - the new challenge has just gone up, but thought I'd still link (been wanting to do something for this all week)
Rosie-Dee 65: 'friendship'
Cupcake 79: 'friends'
Hanna & friends 33: 'blue/brown'
Crafty calendar 5: 'love and friendship'

All the papers are from my offcuts box - I reflected upon this, that, just as all these bits have come together in this creation, so God can fit together all the bits and pieces of our lives to make something pleasing for Him.


This card is for all my friends - so many cyber crafting friends as well as those that I have the privilege to meet up with - I'm thankful for you all and for the many comments you leave me.