CHNC challenge 64: button it up

I know it's only Friday evening, but I'm posting my CHNC challenge 64 ahead of time, partly because I won't have time in the morning to check whether it's scheduled as it should because of my Tearfund sale.

For my challenge 64 I'm asking you to use buttons - the challenge is being sponsored by Digi Doodle Shop - you can read more about it here.

Now I have a confession to make - well a couple, really - I made my card Friday afternoon (which is early for me - lol!) because I need to get sorted for my card sale tomorrow (not feeling well again, so that's not making it easier), so I used the sketch for Saturday sketch 18, forgetting that by the time my challenge goes live their challenge will be closed - so I decided to break with tradition and post this earlier, only to find that Saturday sketch 18 has already closed - d'oh!

My second confession is that I originally intended to use a digital stamp from Digi Doodle Shop (the sponsors for this challenge) and I forgot - double do'oh!!

Everything used for this card was from my offcuts box - the red glittery panel down the middle is another piece from one of the crackers I saved from the Christmas before last. The circle was cut on my cricut (about time I used that - it's been neglected!). The stamp is a favourite Penny Black called 'fantasy', stamped with versamark and heat embossed with detail black powder (it looks as if I've got specks on powder on the silver where it shouldn't be, but it isn't, honestly - lol! - it's reflection on the photo.

Inspired by all the red for this inspiration photo on Christmas card challenges week 15:

'Buttons' are featured on this inspiration photo for Virginia's view challenge 3 on Lily pad, so I'm linking for that:

This is also for:


Totally Gorjuss 122: anything goes with a button
Willow sketchie: sketch and/or theme - embellish it - buttons and bling
Whimsy 30: emboss it
Christmas crafting 9: non-Christmas image 
Order of the opus Gluei 126: branching out
Cardmakin mamas: button, button, who's got the button?

For mum

I'm busy today trying to catch up with preparing for tomorrow's Tearfund sale (was held up by a bout of sickness and diarrhoeal - fortunately, feeling better now), but just had to stop and make sure I've done a card for mum for Sunday. Shhhh, don't tell mum (lol!), but this card was made out of snippets, recycled card and leaves and flowers that I received as a prize from Hooked on Crafts.

This is the first side stepper card I've made. I used my hougie board with its instructions - went very well for a first attempt (thank goodness!).

The main picture has been recycled from a card received - it's embossed - too good to put into the recycling bin. All pieces of cream and green card and papers used are from my offcuts box. Why is it that the purple/plum paper on the stepper matches with the flowers on the lefthand card, but don't look matching on here?

I've used at least three of the colours from the picture given or The shabby tea room 105: spring is near - and have included embossing:

This has got a fair bit of green on it, so I'm entering it for Liz's Birthday challenge 3 on Crafts for Carolyn - a super forum that is celebrating ten years this week - do go over and have a look and join in the fun.

I'm linking this for:

Stamp, scrap & doodle: fancy fold
Hooked on craft 18: more than one fold
Little Miss Muffet 30: easel, shaped or step card
Crop stop March challenge: shaped card
Sentimental Sundays 93: go green or recycle
Scrap it girl March: go green & recycle
The crafty pad 161: mum's the word
Delightful: someone special
Moving along with the times: special lady
Dream valley 27: mother's day
Sparkles 30: mother's day or spring
PanPastel UK 9: girly/mother's day
Lexi 60: mother's day
Papertake weekly: for the girls or mum
My mum's craft shop 48::mum's the word
Crafty bloggers network 17: floral
Willow sketchie: sketch and or theme - embellish it with flowers
Crazy 4 challenges 127: spring brings new life
Gingerloft 35: spring
House of Gilli 28: colours of spring
Paper creations ink 20: spring is in the air
Little darlings 19: colours of spring
Crafty Ann 61: spring into spring
Simply create too 9: it's spring???
2 sisters 82: spring colours
Just some lines: spring cleaning - use at least two items at least 6 months old (everything except the Hooked on Crafts flowers/leaves)
Crafty calendar March: spring clean - scraps, old stash
Allways something creative 26: spring awakening
Joanna Sheen 4: spring is in the air
Crafter's companion March: spring
Cupcake craftroom March: spring bouquet
Phindy's Friday 97: spring has sprung
Crafting for all seasons 22: green and yellow
Pixie's crafty snippets 11
Hiding in my craftroom 37: super scraps Saturday
Shelly's terrifically thrilling Thursday: show us what you got
The poodles parlour: anything goes
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 3: anything goes
Make it Monday 80
Inspire me Fridays 50
52 cardpick up week 11

Guest Designer on Playing in Paradise

I was fortunate enough to win challenge 56 on Playing in Paradise and was invited to join the team as a Guest Designer for challenge 58: hug a tree:

Updating this post to show the prize I received this morning from Playing in Paradise for winning challenge 56:

The brief for this challenge is to use wood as an element in your creation.

When faced with this challenge I was thinking of using some wooden letters or numbers that I bought ages ago and then I remembered that I had some white woodgrain effect card somewhere ... so I found it and swiped it all over with tea dye distress ink. I then thought about some jigsaws that I'd bought cheaply on a recent visit to Hobbycraft (they are sort-of-like wood - lol!) and distressed the edges with the tea dye, stamping with part of a large stamp that I love, Keys to music by Troy Crisswell, Stamps Happen, colouring just the piano and the black keys with copics. The wording was generated on computer and printed on to some more of the woodgrain card, distressing the edges with brushed corduroy DI.

This is also for:

Party time 59: monochromatic
Dare to be sassy Thursday 116: monochromatic
Mad for markers: monochromatic with copics
Guylou's inimitability: monochromatic
Create me pink 8: tear it up - tearing and/or distressing
Prairie fairy Fridays 74: distress it
Craft room: vintage
Creative card crew: vintage
The stamp man: vintage theme
Bunny Zoe 22: shabby chic/vintage
LiaStamptz 13: anything goes + add a sentiment
Shelly's terrifically thrilling Thursday: show us what you got
The poodles parlour: anything goes
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 3: anything goes
Make it Monday 80
Inspire me Fridays 50
52 cardpick up week 11