CBC May challenge 4: round and round

'I need a card with at least 5 circles on it EASY PEASY!!!!!!!!'

The background circle is a matt gold one that I've had for ages. The 'Fancy a cuppa' was part of a pack of coasters free from PG tips and the other bits are chipboard from stock - all inked with stazon ultramarine.

CBC May challenge 5: a template

'You know the rules…….shrink it flip it rotate it just make a card'



I used BG papers (I think from Scarlet's letters - not sure) and the picture is a rub on that I've had for ages.

JB challenge week 1: a few of my favourite things ...

Sarah set the first challenge of the special week (yes, I know, I work backwards to the first one!): 'A Few of my Favourite Things....

I would like you to make a card using a recipe of my favourite things.

You can choose to make either a male or female card but they must include the following;

CHIPBOARD
BUTTONS
AT LEAST ONE FLOWER OR STAR
RIBBON
A TAG

I used Dovecraft background papers (from a pad which I bought, but have never been inspired to use), chipboard letters and tag, ribbons and flowers - so I think I've covered everything.

CBC May challenge 6 crafty storage ideas

Here I go again - doing challenges in reverse order.

A week of special challenges started last night on CBC and I'm only just getting into them. I just happened to log on at the right time to see Sue's crafty storage ideas challenge: 'We need a picture of your favourite storage item can be shop bought or made. The catch here is the item must NOT be purpose built – ie a paper rack for paper nah thats just not on we need clever crafty ideas.'

I showed the mug tree that I use to house all of my tapes:



and because I was the first to show something for this, I've gained 5 extra points!

JB challenge week 10: especially for you ...

Sarah set this challenge'OK Girls - A really easy challenge for you! Make a card or LO which includes the word 'SPECIAL' on it somewhere.'

This is just what I need on a dull wet Saturday, when I'm not feeling great - just to ease myself into the day.

I used papers from K & Company roam - and the tag is K & Co too - just added a 'thank you' rub on and the blooms from stock:

JB challenge week 9: A hole lotta fun!!

This is another challenge from Leigh: 'My next challenge for you girlies is to create a card or a LO featuring holes.

Yes get your hole punches out and get going. You can do lots of ickle holes like I have done on the samples, or one or two bigger holes.

(You don't need a cropadile for this as its any sized hole, but it does make it easier for doing lots.)'

I've actually used some bits out of my DCWV package that came this morning. Yes, I did use a crop-a-dile for the holes on the flower. If my big bite had arrived, I might have been able to do something different, with holes in the middle of a card (yes, I've ordered one).

The colours aren't that true on the scan, but you get the general idea:

JB challenge week 4: take one envelope

Sarah set this fab challenge, together with instructions: 'Something a bit different for you this time Girls. I would like you to make a gorgeous gift bag from an A4 envelope.

It was a challenge, but I got there (after a fashion)!

I used Chloe's closet papers - cider days: fuji stripe and Reindeer Games: Rudolph's gifts. I think I made it harder for myself because I covered the envelope with the paper before doing the measuring and scoring, so it was thicker to handle. But, on the other hand, it meant that I didn't have to fiddle with trying to put paper on afterwards - and it left no part of the original envelope showing.

I would certainly use this template again - thank you, Sarah:

'

JB challenge week 11: alter it!!

Sonya said: 'For some of you that know me from other forums I have always been a fan of altering hot chocolate tins I did several last year and thought I'd challenge you to alter a tin! The only rule is to show the tin before and after. I finished this one this evening, hope you enjoy!!'

I love Green and Black's cocoa - with only a dash of milk so that I can really taste the dark richness of the cocoa. This morning I had to drink some and then empty some into a mug for later (that's a reminder for me to get this after this post) - so that I had an empty tin for this challenge:



I normally keep some rubber bands in a box, but it's never to hand when I need one, so I thought I would make a special pot for them - and so I made it to coordinate with the other pots that I've altered (more about that after this).

So I used DCWV paper (total mental block as to the name of it, but I'm sure someone will recognise it and jog my memory):



So now it will sit on my window sill with the other two altered pots that were done previously. In fact the tall one was made, I think, a couple of years ago and is so handy, as is the smaller one. They all have different coverings, but coordinate.

JB challenge week 3: Make it!!

Lis set this challenge: 'Get your thinking caps on for this challenge ladies....

Please make any type of card but you have to make your own embellishments. You have to make everything yourself.

Card & paperstock is allowed and also ribbons, buttons, brads & eyelets...but please use no stickers, no peeloffs , no stamps, no rubons, no ready made embellishments or chipboard bits.
All your own work please ladies. Then tell us how you've made your creations.'

I used two different toning double sided oaoers by EthanKate - one is Evening Wear: Brush stripe, but can't remember the other one because I destroyed the cut-offstrip. Flowers were cut on my cricut and the Happy Birthday printed on computer - so nothing ready-made was used:

Golden wedding card

I was asked to make a golden wedding card for a friend's sister and BIL. One of the things she said was that they were both gardeners and loved nature, so I played safe and did something floral (bearing in mind that recipients of that age tend to like traditional floral designs rather than modern).

I used some dufex die cuts and other matching bits (bought with this sort of request in mind).

Photo is very poor - light was awful yesterday, but needed to take it yesterday afternoon - and why is it that parts of the card look wonky even though they aren't irl?

JB challenge week 8: colours of the rainbow

Emma set this challenge: 'Create a card using as many (or as little colours from the rainbow)

You are allowed to use black for text or stamped image and white card blank (if you stamp a person etc then you can use skin tone and hair colour as i have done). Those are the only exceptions! all other colours must be rainbow colours.

Please also list the colours you have used. Thanks.'

I found a couple of bright backgrounds - got them from Poundland yonks ago and have never used any of them, but they seemed just right for this.

On the first one I've used chipboard letters for 'relax' and the deckchair etc was a set of stickers which I've had for ages and didn't know why I'd got them! So this was a very quick card:





So, the colours of the rainbow I have used: red, orange, yellow, blue and green.

JB challenge week 2: paper-mania!

'Here is a challenge from Est

We want you to create a card or a layout using at least three different patterned papers.'

I used a mixture of K & Company papers from Bailey and McKenna pads. The flowers were cut on my cricut and then layered. Two different papers make up the background and two different ones for the flowers. The 'big smiles' is also cut from one of the McKenna papers.

CBC: swap and make

On CBC Helen has organised a 'swap and make':

'A ribbon and button swap where the person at the top of the list sends the next person a piece of ribbon and a couple of buttons and they have to make a card/lo/altered item with it then they send a piece of ribbon and a couple of buttons to the next person and so on till it's gone full circle. But instead of waiting till the end to show and tell we could do it as they are made.
If you would like to join in please add yourself to the usergroup SWAP AND MAKE 3 BUTTONS AND 15 INCHES OF RIBBON'

Carole sent me some lovely ribbon and buttons. She also enclosed a beautiful stamped oval (coloured in, I think, with H2Os). I hope she doesn't mind that I've used this as well on the card because it just goes so well. The background paper is from BG Scarlet's letter pad:

JB challenge week 7: say it with ribbon

Sonya set this challenge: 'The challenge is to make a card or LO using ribbon/thread with your sentiment on. It can be printed ribbon, rub-ons, beads etc etc'

I used some printed ribbon that I've had for ages (think I bought it from Carolyn's). I used some individual Tanda paisley stamps for the background and Funstamps Paisley background large stamp for the main part with the ribbon across + a bit of Poundland bling. The ribbon looks a bit pinky here, but irl it's cream (had trouble getting a photo even though the light's good, so resorted to a scan - and the gems cause shadows because they are raised):

JB challenge week 6: a sketch for you

Leigh set this challenge: 'Ok ladies, this morning I have for you a simple little card sketch, normal rules apply - flip it, shrink it, etc, etc'



Here's a simple one from me. Not sure whether the papers are DCWV or Dovecraft. The little sentiment banner says 'birthday greetings' - it's too glittery to show up properly on the photo.

JB challenge week 5: zest appeal

A week of challenges began on JB on Friday evening. This is the first chance I've had to take part in any of them.

I'm not feeling too great this morning, so this challenge was just right to bring a bit of zesty zing into life.

I used papers, blooms, ribbons and sentiments from stash - and while I was making one I thought I might as well make two with the bits cut off from the first one.

HS:MS catch up

During the last few days - well, it's almost a week - I've failed to take part in the daily HS:MS photos.

So this is a catch up:

Spiral - this is the best I could do (couldn't start to compete with the wonderful photos shown by others for this prompt):



Then came 'square' - I have two for this - not surprisingly, they're both to do with crafting - just one of my boxes of square cards and also some of my favourite 6" x 6" paper pads:





The next prompt was 'remember' - and for this I thought of the old 'tie a knot in your handkerchief' (knowing me, if I employed this method to aid memory, I would forget why I tied the knot there in the first place):



As for lines, do you remember writing these at school (no, I'm sure you don't, because it's only 'norty' children who have to write lines). I wonder if you can guess how the lines finished:



And today is 'device': 'A thing made or adapted for a particular purpose especially something mechanical or electrical. Show us a device in your space today.' This seemed the easy option:

I'm on a winning streak!

I entered a card in the Tanda April card challenge - blue - shown here -, surprise, surprise, I won!

I was asked to choose what sheet of stamps I would like, but the package I've received also has some decoupage and lots and lots of 6" x 6" papers:



I've also heard this morning that I've won a prize on UKStampers details here

However, I'm appalled that my answer was the nearest one - so many people wasting the moderators time and energy with their bogus registrations.

Why, oh why?

Why is it that commissioned cards take sooooo long - a long time to think about them and a long time to actually make them.

Here are two cards I was asked to make. The request for the husband's card was to do something to do with classic cars - fortunately I had this decoupage, so I hope it fits the bill:



The request for the daughter's card was to include her name, 40 and pink. I decided to go for PM background paper foam PP Pink Flush and carry on the pink and brown theme. The big flower is a mixture of silk flowers (originally, I think, from Wilkinsons) and flowers cut on my cricut to match the background. Sentiments printed on computer using Lucida Calligraphy (which is an oldie font, but still a fav of mine):



Now I have a golden wedding card to make - request from another friend - thinking about that one!

Salt: Forgiveness

This time it's Kim's turn to set the challenge. This is what she says:

"The SALT team continues to be encouraged and blessed by your continued participation in our faith-based challenges and we praise God for allowing us to share our creativity in a way that seeks to honor and glorify the risen Savior!

This week it's my (Kim S.) turn to set the challenge and I chose forgiveness. The idea for this challenge came from a hymn we sang in church a few months ago. The focus of the hymn is on man's natural state of sinfulness and how through Christ's sacrifice on the cross we can be set free from the bondage of sin and be "set faultless before the throne."

Many a man would state that they don't need forgiveness and yet, when we compare our every day acts against that of a sinless man, we are able to see our utter hopelessness of ever being worthy of the gift of everlasting life and our urgent need of a Savior who can forgive and create in us a clean heart. "Mine the life won, and thine the life laid down...."

Please enjoy the beautiful creations the team has made this week! You may click on each team member's name to visit their individual blogs and read more about their art pieces.

If you are inspired by this week's challenge and would like to share something that you've made, please leave us a comment with a link back to your blog or online gallery. We'd love to see your creations!"

Please take a look at Salt

I have found this challenge to be a challenge in more ways than one! The area of forgiveness is one that brings comfort and freedom, but also one which is a challenge - to forgive others. Sometimes that seems hard, and yet it is so much a part of Jesus' teaching and a sobering thought when seeking forgiveness for ourselves.

It got me thinking that love is at the heart of all forgiveness - God's amazing love for us that led to Jesus giving his life for us to be forgiven, but also love for others is the key to forgiveness.

I sought in my LO to show that love is at the heart of forgiveness, based on the three scripture verses that I've used on it:

John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

Mark 12:31 Love your neighbour as yourself.

Matthew 6:12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

I used PM brown weathered as the background and the reverse side of PM yellow ornate clusters for the heart - this was cut on my cricut and then run through my printer (having designed the cross and words in Publisher). Edges of the heart and background have been coloured with Brilliance Pearlescent Crimson.

(I'm wondering why photos sometimes make things look wonky!?!)

HS:MS view

Today: 'view: The ability to se something of be seen from a particular place. Show us a view in your space today!'

You've seen similar views before - just as it is, the view from my craft space window today (complete with washing line):