Another giraffe

Well, just like the buses - you wait for ages for one to come along and then here comes another! - giraffes, that is!

This time the giraffe is a Sizzix die cut one, using some 'giraffe' print card; Dovecraft papers again. Another one for the Secret Crafter Saturday challenge 17: at the zoo.



The light is so poor that it had to be a flash photo, which, unfortunately, is reflecting on the slightly shiny giraffe.

Tanda Teaser 84 + Secret Crafter 17 + One Stop Craft 14

Wendy's Teaser challenge 84 on Tanda this week is: seeing spots; on the Saturday Challenge 17 on Secret Crafter the topic is 'at the zoo', so I've combined them in this card.

The papers are Dovecraft and the giraffe is a Rubbadubbadoo stamp watercoloured.

I've used tiny buttons in the centres of the primas to make a change from gems or brads, so this is another card for One Stop Craft 14 challenge to use buttons or bows.

Man card

I've glanced over at Raspberry Ribbons a few times, but this is the first time I've taken part in the challenge, which this week is sketch 14:

The background paper of this card is HOTP. The stamped image was another one I got in a blog prize and I coloured it with copics, simply added ribbon, ric rac and buttons:

This card is good for a couple of other challenges:

Lili of the Valley challenge 17: men and last week's Sunday Stamper challenge 44: blue. Also for One Stop Craft 14: buttons and bows (one or the other).

Have a cool day

Challenge 37 on A Spoonful of sugar this week is sketch by Tina46:

I've used K & Co Berry Sweet papers and a stamped image that I received as part of a blog challenge prize (sorry, I don't know what it is - perhaps someone can tell me, please) - I coloured it with copics.

I'm linking this card for Stamp Something's challenge: Summer in winter somethings, and also for Crafty Muse challenge: something sweet.

Unusual subject

I found a challenge blog called Awfully Big Art Adventure and the topic on there this week is: 'something to crow about'

I've combined this with this week's BG challenge 20 to use the following sketch:

I love doing the BG challenges because it always gives me a chance to play with some of my favourite papers, Scarlet's Letter being one of my favourite collections, so all the papers on this card are from that range and the crow image was printed from clipart, swiped with versamark and clear embossed (which isn't apparent on the scan).

More love in the air!

This card is my Valentine for John (gosh, it's done early this year!). I used the sentiments paper by DCWV and a piece of BG two scoops on the right hand side, plus a couple of strips of ribbon. The 'I followed my heart' sentiment was done on computer.

The hearts are chipboard, so I'm submitting the card for Deanne's challenge 20 on Rosiedee this week.

I swiped the chipboard hearts with versamark and covered in UTEE to give a bit more body. I then (with difficulty, because the hearts were thick) ran then through my big shot with the D'vine swirls Cuttlebug embossing folder. I then swiped all over with an ink red pad, covered with clear embossing powder and heated. Because the UTEE was underneath the embossing, when I heated the top layer, some of the base layer melted a bit more and blended the swirls. I didn't intend to do this, but quite like the effect, even though it was a mistake.

As I used the Cuttlebug embossing folder, this card fits the love theme on the Cuttlebug challenge this week.

The challenge on Created by hand this week is to use a love quote, so I've done this - and last week's challenge on there was to use red or pink, so, even though it's officially late, I'm linking for that also.

OCC this week has the theme of 'crazy for hearts', so I think it fits this - although I didn't do any actual stamping, I used embossing powders and inks, so I hope it qualifies.

And last, but not least, Arty Girlz challenge 71 is red and white, so this fits there too.

Spring is in the air ... I don't think so!

This week's Sunday challenge on Dottie's World is: 'Spring is in the air' - looking out of my window, I don't think so!

For my card I used downloads from Girl about town (a background and Nicola) - I imported Nicola into Publisher, changed the colour to yellow and once it was printed I lightly coloured skin, hair etc and outlined with pencil.

The background paper is one that's been in my box for quite some time - I think it was originally from 'Making Cards' magazine.

I'm also linking this card for this week's TGIF 70: green.

Btw, there isn't a smudge mark on Nicola's dress - my scanner glass needs a clean!

'Hope you're feeling better SOON' card

For this card I've used the sketch from Friday Sketchers 37:


I've used a Dottie download image (I love this). I know that Dottie isn't actually sleeping, but, as she is in bed and will be sleeping when she's just finished this page of her book - and she's got her nightcap on ready - I thought I could get away with this for the challenge on ABC this week, which has got to Z and Alison says: 'Well Z is for ....... Zzzzzz sleeping'.

I've deliberately used the colours that are required for the first challenge on the new Colour Create challenge blog: pink, green, brown, so I'm linking for that.

The brown background paper is DCWV.

Salt: discipleship

It was my turn to choose the theme for the Salt challenge launched today and I chose 'Christian discipleship'. You can read what I said about it here.

My LO uses mainly DCWV papers, with cut outs done on my cricut with the Accent Essentials cartridge. The big outer circle was cut from Papermania floral background metallic. The letters are thickers. The leaves are cut by hand from a DCWV paper and the footprints in the sand were printed from computer.

We would love to see you joining in our Salt challenges and there is still time to apply to join our DT - info here.

There's a lot of love in the air!

For this card, I've used Jo's sketch on challenge 16 this week on Lili of the Valley challenge blog:



Love is in the air in many challenges atm, so this card is good for quite a few.

On CBC Carolyn has challenged us (CBCC083: what no red?): 'It is that time of the year again...so I thought we could all get busy on a Valentine card...it doesn't have to be for Valentine - just a romantic card...BUT no red (or pink.....that is too close to red!) ....so how easy is that! '

Valentine's is the theme for challenge 45 on Cute Card Thursday.

And also for the first challenge on Kaboodle Doodles there is a 'love theme'.

'Hearts and flowers' is the theme on Papertake Weekly and 'hearts' is the theme for the February challenge on Joanna Sheen's forum.

The base card, images and sentiment are from a concept card kit (I know, but I sometimes need something quick and easy, especially when I'm feeling like I do atm):

I'm a day late, but this is also good for A spoonful of sugar challenge 36: Love is in the air!

Tamara's card sketch 80 + Mixed Media Monday: fruit

I've based this card on Tamara's card sketch 80: I've used DCWV summer collection papers and a few other bits and pieces. As there is fruit on the card I'm linking for this week's Mixed Media Monday challenge: fruit.

The golden coloured gems aren't so dark irl.

Featured LO of the week

My last LO for Salt on the subject of Mercy has been chosen as the featured LO of the week on A Faith Perspective blog.

This is the second time I've been featured. I feel both honoured and humbled, particularly by the accompanying words written by Anne - thank you so much.

No crafting to show ...

I haven't done any crafting for a couple of days for a variety of reasons, which is a shame really, because I've been stuck indoors because of the snow and I have achieved very little yesterday and today.

Tomorrow I need to get my LO done ready for the new Salt topic on Thursday (which is my choice this week - please come back after 10 am on Thursday to see what it's about).

Then I hope to be able to get on with some other crafting.

Today we have been without broadband and cable TV for quite some hours - it has only recently come back on - and also our landline telephone was out of action for some time.

I upgraded my mobile phone the other day, but couldn't get the settings sorted out to get on the internet. I spent some time this morning doing so (with a phone call to Vodafone to help me sort it). The strange thing is that I succeeded in getting on the internet just about the same time as broadband went down, so I was able to have a sneaky peek on the internet, but I'm not used to doing this with the mobile, so I didn't get very far. I was able to get the internet on my old mobile, but it was so slow. At least this new one is a lot quicker to get access, but I need to play quite a bit more and set up bookmarks etc.

An award

I received this award the other day from one of my blogging and forum friends, GezzyB - it's the lemonade award. It is to recognize someone who shows a great attitude or gratitude. Thank you so much, Gez, for passing it on to me.

I so value so many lovely people who I've met through crafting forums and blogging. I am supposed to choose five people to pass this on to - a very difficult task because I certainly know many, many more who deserve this more than I do.

As Gez said, I hope that all my blogging friends will receive this at some point, but for the time being I'm giving it to:

Lythan

Kim

Janice

Jackie

Kathy

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Well, we've certainly got snow here.

This is the back garden, looking out from the room where I do my crafting:

Just outside the back door to the left:

Just outside the front door - there are empty milk bottles under there somewhere!

Our recycling boxes are waiting out the front for collection - I doubt they will be taken today. (I had to zoom to take the picture - no way I was going out there!):

A tree out the front:

I'm staying in (so it means I won't be able to see mum, but have supplied her with a mobile phone, so am, hopefully, going to talk to her after I've done this).

Mixed Media Monday: art that represents your country

This card for the challenge on Mixed Media Monday started off with the piece of acetate that had the word Seaside on it - I thought that seaside is appropriate for the UK because, wherever you live, you're never that far from the sea in our country.

But the piece of acetate was too large for a normal card (it was originally cut from a 12 x 12) so I folded a blue A4 card in half lengthways and used that as a base, running the acetate through my xyron to stick over the rather stormy picture (perhaps typically British!) and the deckchairs (deserted - equally typically British?). Just the addition of the ribbon and the tag.

I had to scan the card because there was no chance of getting a photo because of reflection on the acetate, but this means that the words top and bottom have been chopped a bit (down by the seashore).

And now I have a problem - I have no envelopes for this card to fit into - and I don't think I can make one because even a 12 x 12 wouldn't be long enough.

Rosie Dee's challenge 19 + Lots to do 5

Last Sunday Rosie set challenge 19 on Rosie Dee - to create 'something borrowed, something blue'. I decided earlier in the week that I would 'borrow' one of John's handkerchiefs and cut a piece to put in the pocket of a shirt card.

It's a pity that I didn't think about lining up the pocket with the background pattern before I stuck the background on, but I didn't! I might make another one that does match up, but I wanted to get this on here because there will be a new challenge on Rosie Dee any minute now!

As there is stitching on the hankie, I'm linking this for challenge 5 this week on Lots to do: 'In stitches' (this is a bit tongue in cheek - will try to do another 'proper' in stitches card later in the week, but thought this would be a bit different anyway).

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.