I just had to make a card

It's been one of those days - well, one of those weeks - mum is now in intermediate care at a local nursing home for rehabilitation and I went to see her again this afternoon - the end of a tiring week.

This is the only opportunity I've had to make anything today, but just thought I'd do a quick card for this week's challenge on Dottie's World (just scraping in with this one). In fact I started to think about this earlier, but it hadn't come together.

I've used downloads of background and 'walkies' from Girl about town and just added the three buttons (but, confession, they really are brads - sorry!), the ribbon on Fifi and three little flowers that weren't exactly handmade (die cut long ago). So all in all, I suppose you could say that I've cheated with this one. I'll leave you to decide. These were the instructions for the recipe:

1 of the downloads
1 ribbon
3 buttons
1 flower, but it has to be handmade (not a shop bought one, oh no!

Sunday Postcard art: cats

A monochrome postcard for Sunday Postcard art: cats, using a favourite Tanda stamp with versafine black - quote generated on computer.

Another card

This is another card using the lovely image from this week's challenge on Art Creations Friday.

This has been mounted within a distressed pink frame, so it's a second card for Lots to Do 4: 'you've been framed'.

The current challenge 16 on Cuttlebug is to add distress as part of textures.

So I ran a piece of BG sultry paper through my die cutter with the Cuttlebug embossing folder - I actually managed this time to overlap and not flatten the rest of it to produce the embossing across the width of the card. I then distressed this using one of my BG files (I'm glad I got these - much better than using sandpaper or emery board), added some Maya Road ribbon and the sentiment is a DCWV Old World sticker.

Today's first card

This is the first card I've made today, using the picture supplied for the 11th challenge on Art creations Friday (but I changed the colour slightly):


I used a frame, which is the theme of challenge 4 on Lots to do this week.

I also used three different patterned papers as detailed by Lythan in her great challenge 'patterned paper passion' this week on DCM's 'prints charming'. I find it no hardship whatsoever to work with three patterned papers, and the idea this time was to try to use three different manufacturers. The base paper is a DCWV (I think it's from ' although it wasn't on the back of the piece I used, so I'm not sure. The frame was from K & Co Hannah range and the torn strip across the bottom was from BG sultry. The sentiment on the side is from K & Co Brookfield.

As soon as I'd finished it I realised that this card also fits the challenge 24 this week on Cupcake Craft '3-2-1' to use three papers/card, 2 embellishments and 1 piece of ribbon.

The ribbon is Maya Road.

Secret Crafter Saturday challenge 16: 1, 2, 3

Challenge 16 on Secret Crafter is 1, 2, 3: 1 image, 2 papers and 3 embellishments.

I've used card from the QVC kit I mentioned in an earlier post, with one of the images (the image and the white strip across the bottom have glitter on, but doesn't show up in the photo. The brad embellishments on the right aren't that apparent on the photo - much better irl.

Sketch Saturday 35 + BG 19: recipe

This is a card using the sketch this week on Sketch Saturday:

I've used the ingredients specified for the recipe on BG challenge 19: 2 patterned papers, 1 button, 1 ribbon and bow and 3 brads.

The papers are BG Lilykate, the brads are Doodlkebug Design boutique lily white assortment.

Quick card to relax!

I've just made a quick card that fits in with three challenges.

I have followed the sketch on this week's Crafty Muse:

It's a thank you card, so that's today's challenge 33 on Dutch Dare.

The card also fits challenge 4 on Charisma Cardz to make a card using black and white and one other colour.

The cards used for this were in a kit that arrived today from QVC (yes, I know, I gave in and bought something else - for bumping up my stock ready for my sale for Tearfund). The flower was coloured with copics.

Lubbly Bubbly ATCs

Although I've belonged to BF forum for some time now and joined in quite a few activities, I only joined in my first ATC swap on there this month.

The topic was 'bubbles' (I showed mine here) and these are the fab ATCs I received from the rest of the group.

'You are in my thoughts' card

This card uses sketch 36 on Friday Sketchers:


I've used the lovely picture provided on Art Creations Friday for their 10th challenge.

As the card contains a charm, I'm also linking for this week's One Stop Craft Challenge 13 'charmed'.

Papers are from my offcuts box, swirls outlined with stickles, a few primas etc, Anna Griffin ribbon and swirls created on my cricut with home accents cartridge.

Dutch Dare 31 + 32

I wanted to do challenge 31 on Dutch Dare, which was to use green, brown and blue, but I didn't get round to doing it. Challenge 32 is 'card with mosaic', so I've combined the two challenges in this card.

The paper is an old DCWV and the mosaic background behind the sentiment was cuttlebug embossed and then swiped with green and brown inks.

Inspire me Thursday: peeling paint

A week or two ago I came across the challenge blog Inspire me Thursday where there are some unusual themes - I had intended to do something for last week's Breakfast, but didn't get round to doing anything.

The subject this week is 'peeling paint'. We had a little cupboard outside that houses a tap that can be accessed for hosing the garden and one or two other bits. Sadly, the door has become weathered recently and the paint is peeling. So I took a picture of a section of the door, then played around with filters in Picture It until I got this effect that I was happy with - then printed the wording, stuck on a piece of Papermania ribbon, a few flowers and here it is:

It's good to do something unusual sometimes.

My Time to Craft challenge 45: you're having a laugh

I'm not convinced that this will make you laugh, but I thought it's quite a fun card, so perhaps it will be accepted for challenge 45 on My Time to Craft!

The candles are part of a Whispers stamp and the variety of cakes are from SeeDs Birthday Bash and Celebration Pictures. I used Whispers and Marvy pens to colour (haven't used these for a long time). The text was printed on clear tape with my dymo letratag. The card used for the stamping was an off-white colour, so I chalked it pink to tone with the pink card blank.

A little crafting therapy

After quite a tiring day, including visiting mum in hospital and my back not feeling good, I'm having a little crafting therapy.

Quite some time ago I bought a set of four stamps, one of which is the lace one I've used for this card (can't remember what make they are or where I got them).

I followed sketch 79 on Sketches by Tamara:

I decided to do this card to join in the Wednesday Stamper challenge of 'lace' as well.

Apart from stamping the lace stamp with versamark and embossing with white detail on a sparkly black card, I just used rub ons on to a simple pale pink card. I was a bit concerned, because the rub ons were cheap ones from Poundland (had them ages) and these don't usually take on textured card, but I used my new BG rub on tool and it worked fine, so I even managed to get one on to the stamped image of the lace.

Moonwalk Monday

Paula, from Ayup Me Duck, is raising money for her Moonwalk. Every week she is giving away something to the person who is picked from comments left on her blog. This week's give-away is a paper crimper and Paula says: 'If you would like to win this paper crimper, then please leave a comment on this post and be prepared to leave a minimum £2 donation at my Justgiving site if you win it.'

For more information and to join in leaving a comment and/or giving, please visit Paula's blogs.

I was fortunate to win these stamps from week two - they arrived today:

Thank you, Paula - and hope that you are successful in raising lots and lots of money for this worthy cause.

Bee-lated birthday card

Oh dear! I forgot someone's birthday. I wasn't going to do any crafting atm (going to see mum this afternoon), but I've taken a bit of time out to make a bee-lated card. I used the sketch on Our Creative Corner this week:


The bee was in my 'animals' box, the sentiment was created on computer; the papers are all BG sugared.

And I used one of my rare peel offs (a legacy of times past!), so this qualifies for challenge 44 on Rainbow Lady this week - to use peel offs (I know, I've only used one small one). I coloured in the peel off with Sakura gelly roll glaze pens (haven't used any of those for a while).

At the end of a difficult day

It's been a difficult and tiring day today. I had a phone call this morning to say that mum had had a fall and was being taken to A & E, so I went there to be with her. No bones broken, but she has hurt her hip area and isn't able to weightbear, so they are keeping her in to assess whether she can cope. So I got home just before 7, cooked a meal, watched a bit of TV and then decided to round off the day by making a card (just to wind down a bit).

So I've done this card for A Spoon Full of Sugar challenge 35: Oh Baby. As I hadn't taken part in their challenge 33: Sketch by Nikki, I decided to use this for the card. Here is the sketch:

The background paper is HOTP and all the other bits are from my stash.

I had to scan because photo was reflecting with the flash, which means there's shadow on the right hand side caused by the raised hearts - and the pinks are not as true as irl. The surrounds are sivler, not black.

Cute card Thursday 44: create a scene

An easy-peasy lemon-squeezy card for the 'create a scene' challenge on Cute Card Thursday, using one of a set I got for those quick card moments - it just seemed to be appropriate for a scene - it's a bit like decoupage, building the layers of the scene.

The border is silver, not black.

2 Sketches 4 You: Kazan's sketch 18

I've made a card incorporating the inchie that I showed in the previous post. I used the same papers for the card and Kazan's sketch 18 on 2 sketches 4 you:

I think I'm getting the 'inchie' bug!

Another inchie! This time it's for the 'faces' challenge this week on Inchybyinch.

Would you believe it? I have a couple of big boxes of offcuts of papers - and yet, I cut into three different fresh papers to use for this one inchie - must be mad! And I don't even know the name of the papers - they are black and cream with a sheen on them. I think I might make a card with them and perhaps incorporate this inchie somehow.

And this time it really is an inchie, not a twinchie - I had to do the scan big enough for you to see!

Mojo Monday, Forever Friends and Papertake Weekly

I used the sketch on Mojo Monday (no. 70) for this card (a sketch blog that I've only just come across):

I used Forever Friends papers (hugs and cuddles) and stickers, so I added some ribbon for the Forever Friends ribbon challenge this week.

The challenge on Papertake Weekly atm is to use three different shapes 'Shape Up!' - so, as I used a rectangle, a square and a circle, this card is good for that.


The photo was taken at the funny angle to try and avoid reflection of the flash on the stickers (wish I'd used stamped images instead - hardly ever use stickers - oh well!)

Old stock - new crafting

Bex set a challenge a while ago on JB, January 2, to use up something old. I bought a few pads of K & Co Designer Papers 6 x 6 from QVC ages and ages ago and have used hardly any of the papers, so I decided to use one on this card from the sparkly sweet pad. I've also used some twill that has been in one of my ribbon boxes for as long as I can remember. The tilda stamped image was one that I received in a swap and I coloured with copics.

I based the card on sketch 2 on the new Sketch and Stash challenge blog (I missed doing challenge 1, but might come back to that sometime).

As Becky said: 'use your new or never used (or neglected) stash on your cards' I think this card qualifies.


As I have used a tilda stamped image, the challenge is good for this week's 10: show us your bows on Magnolia vs Stampavie.

This week's challenge on the new Charisma Cardz blog is 3: love (and number 1 challenge was 'pink' so it combines with that).

Altered tin

The challenge on Sunday Stamper this week was to use green and perhaps link also to the 'altered tin' challenge on Objet d'art. So I took a tin that had Maya Road ribbon slides in originally and used alcohol inks to tint it green. I put a Crafty Individuals miniature background inside the bottom of the tin and added a key, then printed the wording to stick on the transparent lid (which was also slightly tinged with alcohol ink).

As this contains a key it's also good for last weeks Lots to do challenge 4: keys. And another one for the challenge on Ooh-la-la 27: love is in the air/Valentine.

Sue's new challenge on JB - 6:I can see clearly now - as the lid is made of acetate, I think this qualifies.

For the current challenge on Arty Girlz we are asked to use something clear or transparent on a creation, so this does that.

Small World of Inchies & Twinchies: vintage love

I'd been meaning to do something for this challenge, but the week had gone by and a new challenge had been posted today, which I've done in the post below.

I still fancied doing this, so, even though it's late, here is a twinchie I made using a scaled down cut-out of my grandparents' wedding day, mounted on a Crafty Individuals miniature:

I'm also linking this for last week's challenge on Ooh-la-la 26: small is beautiful.

Small World of Inchies & Twinchies: queens & kings

Today's challenge on Small World of Inchies & Twinchies caught my imagination today. I already had a pad of Crafty Individuals miniatures out, so I used one of the backgrounds (it actually had a man on it, but he got covered up by my cut out). I used part of a LO that I did for Salt a while ago, shrunk it down and printed and cut out - it's me in my crown! Just added the flower/brad and butterfly. So here is my twinchie:

My original LO containing the picture of me with a crown on can be seen here.

UKStampers 23: postcard from USA + CBCC082: stars and stripes

The theme on UKStampers this week is 'postcard from USA'. I've cheated really, because I haven't used any stamps - in fact I haven't used any papers or anything either - I've just used digi downloads from Digi-Scrapclub.

CBCC082 challenge is to make something with 'stars and stripes', so this is good for that as well.

I don't often do digi scrapping, but it makes a change sometimes.

Sunday Postcard art: turquoise

This is my first time of joining in a challenge on Sunday Postcard Art - the theme this week is 'turquoise'. I've used Artic Frog Lily Pads Sunday Brunch papers, a piece of sticky ribbonm and a miniature image from Crafty Individuals:

Valentine

Many of the challenge blogs not only have love as their theme atm, but 'Valentine'. This week's challenge 18 on BG is to make a Valentine card using the digi-image supplied for the challenge by their very own Kim.

All the papers I used were BG scarlet's letter (some of my favourites).

I've also followed sketch 13 on Raspberry Ribbons blog, so I've also used some Maya Road ribbon. I used copics to colour. This is my first challenge for RR and here is the sketch:

I'm also linking the card for challenge 27 on Ooh-la-la and challenge 15 on lili of the valley, both of which have 'valentine' as their theme.

Recipe for a good marriage

Today's challenge on Stamp Something caught my eye and reminded me of a card that we were given when we married. I was going to unearth the box of cards and look for it, but I looked on the internet and found this recipe for a happy marriage, which is very similar to the one given to us.

I know that strictly speaking this is a bit of a cheat for Stamp Something's challenge of 'recipe somethings' because I haven't actually used a stamped image, but a downloaded digital image printed.

Love is obviously in the air in the challenge blogs world - this card is good for today's on DCM ' gi ve it some heart' and for this week's challenges on Saturday Challenge 15: 'hearts' and Created by Hand Tuesday challenge: 'hearts!' In fact this card also qualifies for the previous challenge on Created by Hand, which was to incorporate the word 'love' into a card.

Egyptian card update

This is an update of the previous post. I felt that the card somehow lacked something, so I've added a strip along the top and bottom - I think this has improved it a bit.

Cupcake Craft Challenge 23: sketch + One Stop Craft challenge 12: craft like an Egyptian

This card is for the sketch this week on Cupcake challenge blog and also for the 'craft like an Egyptian' on One Stop Craft challenge.

Here is the sketch for the Cupcake challenge:


I used Kanban papers, topper and sticky strips (which have gold on them, not black as seen on the scan) - a simple card.

Salt: mercy

Today on our Salt challenge blog it's Esther's turn to choose the topic, which is 'mercy' - you can read what she has to say here.

Our God is very merciful, but scripture encourages us to be merciful too, which, of course, includes forgiveness. I am greatly challenged by the parable of the unmerciful servant that is recorded in Matthew 18 - you can read it here, which is why in my LO I have incorporated the two elements of God's mercy to us, but also our merciful attitude to others.

I chose the monochrome look for my LO, using simple card, printing from the computer. 'Soften my heart' is a worship song written by Graham Kendrick.

The words on the LO can clearly be read if you click on the picture.

Rainbow Lady 43: fashion

A card for challenge 43 on Rainbow lady: fashion, using some of the concept card kit I bought a while back - quick and easy:

Lili of the valley 14 + Caardvarks: seeing spots

This is the sketch for challenge 14 on Lili of the Valley:
I'm also linking this for the current challenge on Caardvarks: 'seeing spots'. I've used the flowers I made for last week's Rosiedee challenge (see the post below this one) and incorporated some more offcuts of the same papers. The spotty ribbon is Maya Road (acquired a few of these recently).

This is also for the current Rosiedee challenge, where Dee asks us to use something old and something new - I think this qualifies, because the papers used are offcuts of some that have been in my box for a long time (not new sheets that were cut into - that's what I like about the cricut for the flowers - you can use quite small pieces and adjust the paper size when asking it to cut). The new item, of course, is the ribbon, very recently acquired.

Rosie Dee's challenge 17: make a flower

I'm a week behind with the Rosiedee challenges, so this is for week 17, Rosie's challenge to make a flower.

I used some plain pink paper alternate with some patterned Pamela Woods paper, using my cricut to cut various sizes of two different flowers on the 'walk in my garden' cartridge. I curved the petals to give some dimension to the flowers.

The gems in the middle are the sort that look different colours in different light, so they both reflect the pinky colour, even though the right hand one here looks green.

I hope I'll be back later with these flowers incorporated into another challenge.

Tanda ATC January swap: Number 9

The ATC swap for January on Tanda is to include the number 9. This nearly had me stumped and then suddenly I though of 'cloud 9', hence the use of the lovely little Hero Arts fancy bird stamp that I got for Christmas - the background of the ATCs is cloud paper. These are very simple, but it's all I could think of!

Wednesday Stamper: openings

This card is for Wednesday stamper, the theme being 'openings'

I used a window card that I've had in stock for quite a while. It was originally a 3-fold card, but I chopped off the third fold so that the card could be used so that you could see into the inside of the card.

The stamping is done with a DB swirl stamp with Brilliance pearlescent purple. The paper inside the card is an unknown piece that was in my offcuts.