My little mermaid

This card uses the sketch for Corrosive 72:

I downloaded a free Disney My Little Mermaid image to colour with copics. The base card is Stardream (doesn't show the lovely sheen on it here) and the strip of paper is Shan Laurence British beach - a scrap rescued from my box (still trying to use these up - never-ending task!)


This is also for:

Dollies elements challenge: 'favourite cartoon characters' - My Little Mermaid
Etsy inspired 97: 'Mermaid's tears'
Cupcake inspirations 67: 'mermaid and colours'
Twisted Thursday 65: 'water, waves, wetness'
Oh Alice 22: 'dancing under the sea'
Creative prompts for you CH22: 'paradise in a picture'
Our creative corner: 'beach'
Cutie Sunday 100: 'sun, beach, ocean'
Kaboodle 35: 'it's a luau!!'
Delightful: 'life's a beach'
Paper playtime 7: 'bubbles'
Creative craft: 'summer lovin''
Cutie stampers 64: 'summer'
Allsorts 61: 'summer days'
By the cute and girly July: 'warm summer days'
Bunny Zoe 2: 'summer days'
Ann's creative nook 96: 'anything goes'
For fun: 'favourite technique to colour images' - copics
Gingersnap GC62 spicy supply challenge: 'markers'
Town scrapper: 'anything goes'
Our daily bread 21: 'colour it' - a coloured image
Totally Gorjuss 38: 'water, water' (late for this, but I was away last week)
Bee crafty 34: 'at the beach'
Stamp something: 'something digital'
Double Dutch 47: 'movie madness' - Disney: 'My little mermaid'
Digi doodle 16: 'use those scraps' - the piece of beach paper
Aud sentiments 6: 'can't use a sentiment'

Make a note of it

When I saw today's new Penny Black challenge 110: 'anything but a card', I thought what a good opportunity it was to use one of the PB stamps I bought in Eastbourne, called 'cheesecake message'.

I covered the notebook front withha piece of Steffi's tutti frutti, printed the 'make a note of it' on my dymo letratag and coloured the image with copics.

I'm also linking this for:

Ann's creative nook 96: 'anything goes'
Crazy challenge: 'it's hip to be square' - the paper
Creative Belli 95: 'alter it!'
Creative cottage 18: 'no cards allowed'
For fun: 'favourite technique to colour images' - blending copics
Gingersnap GC62 spicy supply challenge: 'markers'
Town scrapper: 'anything goes'
Our daily bread 21: 'colour it' - a coloured image

I saw three ships come sailing by ...

When I saw this week's DCM challenge, 'We are sailing', I thought of some Christmas paper that I've had for a couple of years at least and have never used. I can't remember the manufacturer (would appreciate it if anybody can tell me) - it's a very dark background with silver writing, repeating the Christmas carol 'I saw three ships come sailing by ...'

But I didn't have a picture of three ships, but remembered that I had some photos that had come with a toppers kit I bought ages ago.

So I scanned them into 'Picture it', faded the images so that the edges would blend and overlapped them to form a picture of three ships, which I then mounted on to silver mirror card.

The base card is Sapphire Stardream.

I think I might be making a few more versions of this - now that I've got the blended picture, it's a simple card to put together.

Atm there are quite a few Christmas challenges around, so I'm also linking for:

Magical crafts 19: 'Christmas in July'
Cards for men 14: 'Christmas in July'
Ooh-la-la 58: 'Christmas in July'
Shabby tea room 18: 'Christmas in July'
Fab n funky 31: 'it's Christmas in July'
Freshly brewed 11: 'Christmas in July'
Creative prompts CH24: 'Christmas in July'
2 sisters 2: 'Christmas in July'
Cute card Thursday 121: 'get a head start ... Christmas'
Bah! humbug 25: 'less is more'
Christmas cards all year round July: 'anything goes'
Mixed media Monday: 'something blue'
Gingersnap GC60 colour challenge: 'shades of blue'
Donna's den of crafts 3: 'it's a man's world'
Sisterhood of crafters: 'man card'
Prairie fairy 28: 'for the boys!'

Tealight in glass

For challenge 96 on Etsy inspired, the chosen site is Octavia & Brown, where there are many glass items, so I've altered a little glass to use to house a tealight - just added a peel off (didn't realise I'd still got any) coloured with Sakura glaze pens.



This is also for:

Challenge up your life 24: 'candle holder'
Creative cottage 18: 'no cards allowed'
Crafty catz 41: 'anything but a card'
Create4fun week 28: 'anything but a card'
Creative Belli 95: 'alter it!'

Mouse love

This is for the sketch on challenge 109 at Penny Black:

I used one of the new stamps that I bought in Eastbourne and coloured it with copics and used a copic on the torn edge of the oval. I tore round perspex ovals and used a tearing scalloped edged ruler for the piece across the bottom. Papers are BG sugar rush.

It's also for:

Allsorts 60: 'July love' - use a heart
Basic grey 24: 'gingham' - the ribbon
Creative inspirations 38: 'use the oldest thing in your craft stash' - the perspex ovals I used to tear around - bought them when I first started making cards
Ann's creative nook 96: 'anything goes'
Stampavie 102: 'anything goes'
Town scrapper: 'anything goes'
Incy wincy 50: 'distress it' - tearing around the ovals and with the scalloped edged ruler
Pollycraft 52: 'bold & bright'
Whoopsi Daisy July: 'vibrnt colours'
For fun: 'favourite technique to colour images' - copics
Stamp insanity 18: 'radical ribbons & rockin' rhinestones'
ECP 17: inspired by the 'all you need is love' sentiment
Little paper shop: 'distressing'

Prize from Alota

I was fortunate enough to picked as the winner for the birthday card challenge 37 on Alota - you can read about it here - which was for this card.

BF June inchies received

These gorgeous inchies were here for me when I returned from Eastbourne yesterday - from the June inchies 'garden' swap in BF forum - thanks, girls, and thank you, Leigh, for hosting once again.

Back from Eastbourne

We got back home yesterday lunchtime, having had a good week away. Despite the obvious constraints because of health issues, we made the best of the time there, enjoying the sea air. The weather was so hot from the Thursday when we arrived and up until the weekend, then it did cool down and we did have a smattering of rain, but nothing much, except at night.

We stayed at the Eastbourne Centre, which is undergoing a refurbishment programme - the suite that we stayed in was very comfortable and clean. They were working on the entrance to the hotel, so there was some banging and drilling, but for most of the time we were out anyway, so it didn't really disturb us that much.

It was lovely to have a completely separate sitting room, as well as a spacious bedroom and a super bathroom - what a pity that we couldn't indulge in the lovely big corner bath, complete with television screen (neither of us are agile enough now), but there was also a separate shower cubicle that we just right.

So this is the sitting room:



and the bedroom:



And this is the view from one of the balconys (we had three):

and another:
I've got no idea why I didn't take a photo from the third balcony, which overlooked the Wish tower.

A couple of times we had tea or coffee in the Victorian team rooms on the pier - a bit pricey, but nice to be able to sit down and be served - and they even did decaf tea, so I was happy.

And this is me dressed up to go out for dinner to Little Italy just around the corner from the hotel - we had two excellent meals there.

When we got back yesterday I got loads of washing done and then put one lot in to dry - and it was just as wet at the end of the cycle as when it went in ... and the washer/dryer has been making strange noises, so we've had to phone up for someone to come to see to it (still under guarantee) - someone's coming on Tuesday. Not exactly what you want to come home to!

As this is primarily a crafting blog, I'll take this opportunity to show what I bought in Eastbourne. C & H fabrics had a sale with 25% off craft stuff, so I couln't resist the flowers (although I've already got quite a few of these at home) and the quilling tool (used to have one and lost it, so that was a good bargain to pick up). I also found a craft shop called Creativity Cards & Crafts, where I bought the two Penny Black stamps and got the Peace on earth stamp from a little shop in the Enterprise centre near to the station. I've stayed in Eastbourne a few times over the past few years, but didn't know the Creativity Cards & Crafts shop was there - it's tucked away a bit - apparently they have been there for about ten years.

I admit that I do tend to buy craft magazines (don't know why really because I rarely take much notice of the articles) - the freeMy Mind's Eye papers will come in handy.

Salt new challenge

I've scheduled this post because we'll be up at Guy's when the new Salt challenge goes live- and then, hopefully, off to Eastbourne later in the day.

Today sees a new challenge on Salt, chosen by Lythan, based on Galtatians 3:23-29.

I decided to make a card suitable to give to someone on the occasion of their baptism.

I used GB ambrosia papers and Hobby Art 'dove and cross' stamp - I used a white gel pen on the dove - I quite liked the streaky look so I left it like that. I went over the cross with a red copic. The wording was computer generated.

Raindrops are like fairy whispers

This card is for Diva coffee break sketch 183:


The fairy image and sentiment (it says: raindrops are like fairy whispers - I hope the silver gems look a bit like raindrops) are from Hunkydory fairy flutterbyes collection. The main background paper is BG porcelain and the diagonal pieces from BG lemonade.

This is also for:

Cutie Sunday 99: 'fairy tale'
Magical crafts 18: 'flower power'
We memories 13: 'free for all
Crazy challenge: 'up in the air' - well, fairies fly, don't they?!
Scrap creations Going grey 18: 'summer'
Stampavie 101: 'sparkling' - the silver gems are very sparkly irl
Twisted Thursday 63: summertime' + twist: sparkles
Alphabet: 'J for jewels'
Craftalicious 3: 'cute'
If the shoe fits Fashionista Friday 40: 'spread your wings'
Prairie fairy 26: 'anything goes'
The craft garden July: 'fairy'
Cupcake inspirations 66, which gives this picture (I used the colours):

Have a yummy birthday

This card uses Creative Inspirations 67:

The card blank is brown Stardream and everything else, except the dotty ribbons, are from the QVC cupcake kit that I bought a while ago (and am still trying to use up!).

This is also for:

Craft creations 74: 'ice cream and cakes'
Rosie-D 74: 'summer birthdays'
Paperminutes 121: 'brown, yellow, pink'
Pink elephant 74: '3 layers, 2 die cuts and ribbon' - the circle die was cut on my cricut and the cupcake was a ready die cut
Speedy the cat 10: 'use a die cut'
Creative card crew 54: 'to die for' - use a die cut
Creative craft: 'summer lovin''
Kaboodle 34: 'celebrate summer'
Stampavie 101: 'sparkling' - the cupcake is very glittered (not easy to see here)

Some more prizes and guest designer slot

Postie brought me a lovely prize this morning - this was for challenge 52 on Creative Card Crew sponsored by Victoria - you can see the challenge here and my card here.

And here are the lovely goodies I received:

I've also won £10 to spend at Nutcrafters for winning the prize for challenge 18 on Nutty Nutshells - you can see the challenge here and my winning card here.

I'm also excited to say that I've been asked to be a guest designer on a challenge blog - I did my card for this yesterday, but, of course, can't show it till the challenge is launched - watch this space in a couple of weeks' time.

Awww ... little angels

For this Christmas card I've used the sketch on Cas-tastic 10:

I used a picture of girl angels from Art Freebies. The background card is black Stardream and the ripped sentiment paper is vellum, with just a tiny piece of scalloped PM 'a Christmas carol' running down the side, with the addition of the stitched ribbon and a sentiment added.

This is another card for this month's 25th club on BF forum, where the subject is 'angels' - I've now done six cards for this - another four to do.

It's also for:

Pile it on 26: 'my favourite things' - making Christmas cards (have made nearly 100 so far this year)
Tuesday throwdown 6: 'black and white with a splash of colour'
Corrosive 71: 'Christmas time'
Flourishes Timeless 74: 'Christmas in July'
Fussy & fancy 14: 'Christmas in July'
Simple doodles 21: 'tme for some holiday fun' - Christmas
Fab's big Christmas week 24: 'titched ribbons and usin toppers'
Bah humbug 25: 'less is more'
Christmas stampin' all year long 55: 'stitch it up'
Craft your passion 13: 'real or faux stitching'
Papertake: 'in stitches'
Artful inkables Think ink Tuesday 24: 'sewing'
Fab n funky 29: 'sew n sew'
One stitch at a time 20: 'lace, ribbons and bows; - ribbon
Quirky crafts 31: 'ribbons'
If the shoe fits Fashionista Friday 40: 'spread your wings'
Prairie fairy 26: 'anything goes'
My time to craft 98: 'angelic'

BF June ATCs received

These are the fab ATCs that I received yesterday from the 'textures' swap for June on BF forum:

Thanks, girls - and to Ali for once again hosting.

Red, white and blue Christmas

This card is loosely based on sketch 97 on Clean & simple:

On the Clean & Simple blog Natasha said: ' It essentially has 4 items on the card front.' As well as the English Paper Company background paper, I've added the snowman, tag, greeting and a snowflake, so I think I've entered into the spirit of the sketch.

There are a lot of challenges this week that ask for 'red, white and blue', understandly as it's 4 July tomorrow - sending best wishes to all blogging friends 'across the pond'.


All of these challenges this week call for 'red, white and blue' (or patriotic colours of our country):

Cupcake Inspirations 65
Wee memories 12
For fun: 'patriotic pride'
Simplicity one layer: 'patriotic cards'
Meljen's designs 14
One powerful hour
Pixie dust studio 29
Stamp insanity 16
Raise the bar 25: 'colours of your flag'
Oh Alice 20: 'in my country'
Pals paper arts 49: '4th July inspiration' - the area around he snowmen remind me of fireworks and I've used red, white and blue
Freshly brewed 9: 'fireworks' - anything that makes you think of fireworks - see above

It's also for:

Fussy & fancy 14: 'Christmas in July'
Bah! humbug 25: 'less is more'
PaperPlay 26: 'card for child'
Flourishes Christmas spirit challenge: 'Christmas song' - Frosty, the snowman

Hope you have a strawberries and cream Birthday

This is for Card Patterns sketch 70:

The background card is a PM scalloped one - it's actually cream, which contrasts with the white, but doesn't show too well here. The strawberries were stamped and masked with a free stamp given a few months ago with Craft Stamer (I'd lost it and fortunately came across it recently), coloured with copics. The sentiment is computer generated.

It's also for:

Secret crafter Saturday 89: 'strawberries and cream'
Quirky crafts 31: 'ribbons'
Rosie-D 74: 'summer birthdays'
Ann's creative nook 94: 'the fruits of summer'
Crazy challenge: 'make it in an hour'
Ooh-la-la 57: 'simply summer'
Stamp with fun 65: 'birthday'
Everybody art 97: 'birthday'
There she goes 61: 'going green - colour and some sort of plant'
Flourishes timeless 73: 'fruit inspired'
Papertake: 'in stitches'
Creative craft: 'stamp it up'
Party time Tuesdays 5: 'anything goes Birthday'
Creative cottage 17: 'summer surprise'
Delightful: 'it's all about summer'
Cutie stampers 62: 'fruit'
Prairie fairy 26: 'anything goes'
Let's get shabby 13: 'birthdays and stamping'
ECP 16: 'summer'
Crafty calendar 10: 'summer'
Andrea's stampin' moments: 'simply repeated'

Vellum and gems for a Christmas angel

This is the fifth card I made last night for the 25th club on BF forum, with the subject of 'angels'.

The card base is a matt gold one - the greetings paper is vellum and once again I've used a favourite Christmas 'Hark the herald angels sing' stamp, partly coloured with copics, with glossy accents on the halo. The pearl gems are Prima.


This is also for these challenges:

Sparkle Creations Christmas week 30: 'favourite Christmas song'
Incy wincy 48: 'things with wings'
Fussy & fancy 13: 'monochromatic and wings'

Simply angels

My fourth card this month for the 25th club on BF forum (subject: angels).

Once more I've used the free downloaded sheet music for Hark the herald angels sing. I stamped the Anita's angel stamp and then stamped again so that the second one was faded. Just a hint of colouring with copics. You can't see it here because the white card covers it, but the base card is a matt gold one.


This is also for these challenges:

Sparkle Creations Christmas week 30: 'favourite Christmas song'
Susie & Vikki's Christmas club 22: 'all white Christmas'
Incy wincy 48: 'things with wings'
Stampin' royalty 26: 'seeing doubles'
Andrea's stampin' moments: 'simply Saturday simply repeated'
Fussy & fancy 13: 'monochromatic and wings'

Simply ribbon and angels

A third card for this month's 25th club on BF forum.

This time I've stamped the Anita's stamp angel twice, using the masking technique, coloured with copics. The background card is a gold embossed foil card. The ribbon is tied in a 'faux' bow - a piece of ribbon at right angles under the main strip, which is then tied to make the knot.

This is also for these challenges:

Sparkle Creations Christmas week 30: 'favourite Christmas song'
Susie & Vikki's Christmas club 22: 'all white Christmas'
Incy wincy 48: 'things with wings'
Stampin' royalty 26: 'seeing doubles'
Andrea's stampin' moments: 'simply Saturday simply repeated'
Quirky crafts 31: 'ribbons'

Another angel card

Another Christmas card for the 25th club on BF forum.

Once again I've used the free downloa sheet music of 'Hark the herald angels sing' for the background. The stamp is Anita's, coloured with copics and glossy accents on the halo and parts of the wings - the image has then be mounted on gold mirror card.


This is also for these challenges:

Sparkle Creations Christmas week 30: 'favourite Christmas song'
Susie & Vikki's Christmas club 22: 'all white Christmas'
Incy wincy 48: 'things with wings'

Cracking on with Christmas cards

For the 25th club on BF forum, Janice has chosen the subject of 'angels', which is a good opportunity to use one of my favourite Christmas stamps.

Last night I made five cards for this theme - I pledged that I woul make ten cards each month for the Christmas 25th club and so far I've been able to meet that target - and, gosh, half the year has already gone.

I downloaded free sheet music for Hark the herald angels sing, coloured parts of the stamped image (Rubber Stampede 'angel collage') with copics and added glossy accents to the halo. The image was then mounted on gold mirror card.

This is also for these challenges:

Sparkle Creations Christmas week 30: 'favourite Christmas song'
Susie & Vikki's Christmas club 22: 'all white Christmas'
Incy wincy 48: 'things with wings'