I love purple

This card is for Friday Sketchers 85:

I love purple, but don't really use it often enough, so I took the opportunity tonight, playing for the following challenges:

Totally gorjuss 'all in one' challenge 13: monotone
ECP 4: 'lavender' - all shades of purple
If the shoe fits Fashionista Friday 18: 'shades of purple and grey' - there is a bit of grey within the band across the bottom
Etsy inspired 71: amethyst soap, particularly this picture:

Your next stamp 8: 'anything that sparkles' - the stamped image is mounted on glitter card
Cute Daisy May: 'flower and ribbon'
Stamp, scrap and doodle 23: 'girly'
Dezinaworld: 'girly'
Cupcake 73: 'going girly'
Incy wincy 26: 'colour me wonderful' - use your favourite colouring medium - copics
Fiskarettes Monday challenge: 'use scraps' - still keeping to one of my resolutions when I can
Tuesday taggers: 'left overs' - using the offcuts
Raise the bar 1: 'debut day' - use something in your tash that hasn' been opened yet - the flowers: I bought the pack a couple of days ago (Craftime colour connection)
Sew many challenges 2: 'purple, white and a splash of black' - there is black within the top purple paper (from BG wisteria) and also on the flowery one below it (HOTP)
Spoon full of sugar 87: 'lots of layering'

PS I've just changed the photo because I realised that I'd coloured one of the girl's feet as if it was part of the teddy - oooops! So I've now coloured her skin colour darker to fudge over the mistake. In fact, now that I've darkened her skin tone (and the hair as well), I'm linking for Copic creations 20: 'ethnic skin tones'

Simply ivy

This card is for FTL74 on Clean & Simple:

This was an opportunity to use just stamping and leave some white space - and, to make a change, an A5 piece of card folded lengthwise. The main ivy stamp is Whispers, coloured with copics and the sentiment was stamped too. This means that the card is good for day 287 on 365 cards: 'stamping' Saturday' - every aspect of the card must be stamped.

And Stampin' Royalty 3 as asked for a single layer project and Apron strings 'cardstock it is' - no patterned paper.

And, as this was coloured with copics, I'm linking for Incy wincy 26: 'colour me wonderful' - use your favourite colouring medium - copics.

And the new challenge blog Sew many challenges 1 is 'anything goes' as long as we use a digi or a stamped image (although I realise I'm late for this)

Lastly, Quixotic 10 challenge this week is 'ink up an old stamp' - I haven't used this ivy stamp for quite some time.

Thoughts of spring ...

If you've read my previous post you'll know that Kaz came to visit this morning and she has gone away thinking that she needs a cricut - yes, you do, Kaz. And, if you read this, you'll see that for this card I've used a free svg download (from Images by Heather) to produce edging around the yellow card very similar to that achieved with the punches you brought along to show me (which I was getting all set to buy - and then thought I'd investigate if there was anything similar available to use with Make the cut for the cricut.

I used Fiona's sketch for this week's challenge on Stampin' for the weekend:

My card has a 'spring' feel to it, which is good for these challenges:

Sophisticat 18: 'spring'
Artful inkables - think ink Tuesday 12: 'think spring'
Created by hand: 'waiting for spring'
No time to stamp? 122: 'mid-winter perk-me-up!' floral theme and some fresh spring-time colours
And perhaps it could also fit Papr Cutz challenge 24: 'summer'

The strips of paper are My mind's eye 'bloom and grow' - the dotty piece is embossed - and the stamped flower is a Magenta stamp coloured with copics.

I know that I didn't actually use a punch, but using the cricut for the triple dot scalloped edge has achieved the same effect, so I'm also linking for:

Creative card crew 43: 'punch it'
Simon says: 'punch it'
One stop craft 63: 'fancy edges or corners

It's also OK for Sunday stamper 87: 'birthday'

The spring colours I've used remind me of oranges and lemons, so it's good for Charisma cardz 3: 'fruity colours' and also Sweet stampin' 9: 'feeling fruity'.

A bubbly came to play!!

Kaz from the Bubbly Funk forum came round this morning for a coffee, a chat and a play, although I confess we did more chatting than playing - next time we'll get down to more crafting.

However, I did manage to convince Kaz that she needs a cricut and also an ATG tape gun. And Kaz has convinced me that I need some of the Martha Stewart around the page punches - so I might just have to have a nosey around the internet and buy some.

Kaz was very 'norty' because she brought me these lovely flowers and note book:



It was so lovely to meet Kaz and hope that she'll come round to see me again soon (her sister lives quite close to me) and stay longer next time.

Salt: Daily

It's Salt challenge day today and Tanis has chosen the subject - you can read what she wrote here.

For the cut off circle (which was torn around a dinner plate) I used Choices 'organized type stripe' paper which has a lovely pearlised sheen - unfortunately, making it more difficult to get a photo - it's such a dull day here atm that the white textured card background doesn't look as white as irl.

The strips of wording were produced on my Dymo letratag and the title letters are Thickers. The floral borders are rub ons.

It's a bit daunting seeing seven photos of me (one is more than enough!), but I wanted to convey the daily walk with God that Tanis is talking about.

As always, you can see the wording better if you click on the photo to enlarge it.



Please go over to Salt and have a look at the lovely crafting done by the rest of the team - and perhaps join in with our challenge - we'd love to see what you produce for this topic.

Not much happening for WOYWW

We're ready now to be collected to go up to Guy's for two appointments for John (we were up there yesterday as well - not sure why we bothered to come home!) - anyway, today is WOYWW on Julia's blog and this week I've remembered to take a photo early, although there's nothing much of interest happening in my space.


Perhaps there'll be more crafting activity later today when we get back from Guy's (well, I definitely have got to get my Salt contribution done for tomorrow).

Happy Birthday brother

It's my brother's birthday on Thursday and, until tonight, I hadn't made a card for him. I knew I wanted to make a golfing themed card, but was lacking inspiration as to how to get it started, until I looked at the sketch on Taylored Expressions challenge 98:

I decided to make a gatefold card - this is what it looks like closed (please excuse the paper clips top and bottom to keep it closed to take the photo):


The golf bag, clubs and ball are all raised on 3D foam and the main part of the bag is a textured material (I confess that I didn't make this, but bought it as it is). Papers are all BG archaic.

So the textures make it good for Crafty creations 50: 'textures' challenge. And, of course, it's a birthday card - Crafty catz 15: 'a birthday card' and Crazy 4 challenges 19: 'birthday'


and this is the inside - with a bit of texture and raised embellishments:

A night at the cinema

This card is quite different to the normal sort that I would make - and I haven't a clue what I'll do with it, but nevermind - it's good sometimes to make something a little out of the ordinary.

This was inspired by three current challenges:

ColourQ 15:
Ann's creative nook 74: 'be inspired by fabric' - from the Etsy site: KaraMia Sofia - I chose medium make-up pouch/clutch/(Amy Butler) Temple Garden Lime:

and lastly the 'ad inspired' picture on 365 day 315 (particularly the grey):

I'd seen a couple of challenges that are to do with dragons and I remembered I had some DCWV epoxy stickers that I got when I did Leigh's CJ pages on dragons - so I found the remaining ones and have used them together with part of a 12 x 12 K & Co paper, also cutting out the 'popcorn' and tickets from another part of the paper.

The challenges I'm referring to are:

KL stampin' n scrappin' 13: 'appreciate a dragon day' (apparently there really is such a day) - to use dragons/reptiles

Cinema Saturday 62: 'A night at the museum':
- add something miniature (the green dragon)

So here is my card:

It's also another one for Susie's Sassy 6: 'card for a boy with the added option of an animal'

Sweet treats for Christmas

Yet another Christmas card! - think at some point I ought to stop making them and get on and re-stock birthday cards etc.

Anyway, this card is for Georgia's Christmas card sketch for challenge 53 on Just Christmas and Birthdays:
It's also for the current challenge on Forever friends 'a cheerful/happy card, but with a twist! It must have 2 layers (which can include the base of the card), a ribbon and something that sparkles' - I think I might have cheated a little (I didn't mean to, honestly - lol!) because there might just be an extra layer and the 'ribbon' is a rub on (but it does look like a ribbon, doesn't it?). The teddies, of course, are Forever friends, as are the papers (Christmas Glow), not forgetting the important piece of mistletoe. The 3D FF embellishments are glittered and the Poundland bling in the corners provides a bit more sparkle.

As the teddies are carrying mince pies, it's another one for Incy wincy 25: 'sweet treats' (although I have to confess that I don't like mince pies, so I wouldn't consider them to be a treat); it's also some more bling for Jacksonbelle Tuesday.

It's also for:
Little red wagon 11: 'polka dots'
Hand full of stamps 12: 'polka dots'
Paperplay week 2: 'furry friends'
Susie's sassy 6: 'card for a boy/option of an animal'
Fussy & fancy 2: 'winter'
Creatalicious 6: 'no stamped images ...'
Crafty pad 54: 'animals' (I hope teddy bears count!)
365 cards day 320: 'tea for two' - tea party - I know there's no tea to drink, but I'm sure these teddies are all set for a tea party!

Bride and groom

When I was in Poundland recently (about the one day when we had some respite from the snow!) I saw some wedding favour boxes and got some, thinking they might come in handy one day for something crafty. This is what they looked like:



And then I saw the current challenge on Cuttlebug Spot: 'Let's party!' and I knew that I just had to use them. And it so happens that a few other challenges are covered as well:

Squigglefly 31: 'anything but a card'
Kaboodle 22: 'anything but a card'
Twisted Thursday 39: 'hugs and kisses' - ABC - anything but a card - twist: Valentine's day
Our creative corner: '3D challenge'
Magical crafts fortnightly 6 'vintage style'
One stop craft 62: 'a night at the movies' - plenty of wedding theme films, e.g. Betsy's wedding
Jacksonbelle Tuesday: 'bling in the new year'
Humble pie 3: 'at least two different types of bling'
Crafty Ann 6: 'embossing'
Cuttlebug challenge be inspired 65: 'basic white theme'
Diva coffee break designs 160: 'basic black, whisper white, basic grey or going gray'
Saturday spotlight 13: 'love without hearts'
Creative Belli 82: 'glitter or rhinestones - both here
By the cute and girly: 'something new' - new beginnings with a wedding
Polka doodles week 2: 'love'
Creatalicious 6: 'no stamped images ...'


I ran the front of the dress through the cuttlebug with the d'vine swirls embossing folder and then added gemstones, silver ribbon round the wait and Stickles crystal ice across the top of the dress. I just added a few gemstones to the 'groom', leaving the emphasis of altering with the 'bride'.

The first two of my ten cards for BF 25th club

I signed up to be part of the 25th club on Bubbly Funk forum - the idea is that each month, by the 25th, we make a number of Christmas cards - the number we make is our own choice. I decided to try to make 10 a month because I usually make a lot and it will spread the time of doing them.

Joanne chose the theme for this month's BF 25th club cards:

'I thought I'd give you a recipe challenge for the first go at the 25th club so for your January card(s) please include:

Turquoise (or blue) and silver swirl(s) of some sort (could be stamped, doodled, chippie, embossed, grungeboard, whatever)
Something sparkly or shiny (e.g. glitter, gems, metal)'

It was one of my crafting resolutions that I would try and make Christmaas cards throughout the year. My other crafting resolution is to use up scraps and offcuts, to avoid always reaching for a new 12 x 12 or whatever.

So today I've made my 10 cards for the club, using various challenge sketches to help me along. And I've also managed to make all of them using offcuts from my Christmas box, with the addition of a few bits and pieces here and there and some recycling.

And, of course, on most of the cards I've included the silver mirror card swirls that I cut last night with my cricut using the new Make a Cut software - you can read about it here.

The first two cards use the sketch for Fresh & Fun 110:


The papers are Craft Creations and the and foiled mirror card on the left of the second card is Kanban (doesn't show up well here - is a much deeper colour blue irl). The glittered 'images' are chipboard from Poundland. I've added gems to the swirls on the second card.

They are also good for:

If the shoe fits Fashionista Friday 17: 'chipboard'
Lots to do: 'winter wonderland'
Incy wincy 25: 'sweet treats' - the second card
Sophisticat 17: 'doth the north wind blow': chill
Die cuts R us 21: 'leftovers' - I used scraps and offcuts of papers
Design dollies elements challenge: 'walking in a winter ... wonderland'
Everybody art 73: 'snowflakes'
3 clovers 47: 'baby it's cold outside!' - winter theme
Fab's big Christmas week 1: 'frosty colours'
Humble pie 2 flourishes
Play date cafe12: 'colour: blues'
Stamp with fun 41: snowflakes
Crafty calendar 4: 'keeping warm' - the hot chocolate and marshmallows on the second card
Paperminutes 96: 'relax' - the second card

The rest of my ten cards for the 25th club are shown separately below this post. Most of them also qualify for these challenges.

I'm also entering these cards and the following eight, making ten in all, for the Christmas cards all year round challenge for January.

Another card for BF 25th club

This is another card for the BF 25th club - you can read about it on this post here - using Get sketchy 20:

Once again, papers are Craft Creations, silver swirls cut on the cricut and the image is recycled from a card received.



This covers most of the challenges already mentioned on this post here and also:

Bah! humbug 1: 'recycling'

More winter for 25th club

This is another card for the BF 25th club - you can read about it on this post here and see the other challenges covered - using the sketch on Taylored expressions 97:

This time the background is reflective mirror card which has silver swirls within it and the paper on the right is a piece of Basic Grey. Once again, the glittered chipboard is Poundland.

Winter wonderland continued for BF 25th club

This is another card for the BF 25th club - you can read about it on this post here and see the other challenges covered - using the sketch on Card patterns 46 - I turned it on its side:

The top paper was from a magazine and the bottom one is English paper company. Again I've used Poundland chipboard and the cricut silvery holly swirls.

Create4fun sketch for another 25th club Christmas card

This is another card for the BF 25th club - you can read about it on this post here and see the other challenges covered - using the sketch on Create4fun week 2:

The background of this card was taken from the centre of a gatefold card we received and the picture of the child sweeping the snow was also recycled from a received card, so this is good for Bah! Humbug 1:'recycling' and also Glue scissors paper 12: 'going green' - incorporate at least 50% recycled products.

The piece of script paper is English paper company.

Another 25th club Christmas card - Secret crafter Saturday

This is another card for the BF 25th club - you can read about it on this post here and see the other challenges covered - using the sketch for Secret crafter 65 - I turned it on its side:

The strip of paper across the middle is English paper company, the holidays sentiment is Poundland chippie, the snowman is a recycled tag. This time the glitter is on the ribbons and the holidays sentiment.

Sweet stop card for BF 25th club

This is another card for the BF 25th club - you can read about it on this post here and see the other challenges covered - using the Sweet stop sketch 38:

This is a simple card, using a picture recycled from a card received, a few gems added to the silver holly swirls and some inking of edges with chalk ink. Stickles crystal ice has been added to the picture to create glitter.

This also includes Bah! humbug 1 and Glue scissors paper 12.

Unscriped Christmas card for BF 25th club

This is another card for the BF 25th club - you can read about it on this post here and see the other challenges covered - using Unscripted sketch 37:

This card was very difficult to capture, particularly taking a photo in artificial light (might try to replace tomorrow if light is OK) because of the reflective nature of the card in the bottom left - it has silver swirls within it. I've used a mix of offcuts of papers and Poundland chippie and a strip of silver gems.

Tenth card for January BF 25th club

This is another card for the BF 25th club - you can read about it on this post here and see the other challenges covered - using CPS sketch 149:

Once again you can't see the pattern on the reflective card on the left because of the flash photo. This simple card was made using offcuts of papers, including the English paper company piece across the middle. Gems have once more been added to the silver holly swirl. It's not easy to see it here, but Stickles crystal ice has been added to the trees.

Cricut: Make the cut

I haven't achieved any crafting today. This morning I did a couple of jobs out of my resolutions job box - more info if you click the link to the original post:

I've now done 7 or 8 of the jobs so far, so that's not bad going for this stage of the new year - I have to confess that a couple of days ago I asked John to pick a paper and it turned out to be something I really didn't want to do, so we put that one back and chose another.

For part of my Christmas present, John said that I could buy the download for Cure Cuts a Lot to enable me to use my Cricut for computer generated designs as well as from the cartridges, thus using it like the craft robo. I do have a craft robo as well - the idea now is to sell that and just use the cricut - in the space I've got it will be far more manageable to just use the one machine.

Anyway, I was all set to get Sure Cuts a Lot, having downloaded the trial version before Christmas and seen how good it was - and then I learned that there is now software called 'Make the cut', which is very similar to SCAL. I've spent time this afternoon and earlier this evening researching it, comparing the two - and downloaded the trial version so I could see for myself.

I've come out in favour of the Make the cut software, so I took the plunge and bought it. I've had a play and cut a few scalloped circles etc and then downloaded a free svg file 'holly swirl' from here and imported into MTC and then made duplicates within the file so that it cut six at a time. I used silver mirror card to cut them (it's not too thick, which is just OK for the cricut to manage with the ordinary blade) and here's the result:

Now tomorrow I need to get on and use these for my Christmas cards for the 25th club on Bubbly Funk before the month goes on any further.

Dogs ... just for you

This card is for the recipe 15 on Crafts 4 eternity, which includes this sketch:

We were also asked to include a dog or dogs and a check pattern.

I couldn't resist the opportunity to use my labrador stamp, coloured with copics.

I'm still trying to stick to one of my crafting resolutions and use up some of my offcuts, so that's what I did for this card, using some 'dogs' paper from PDA, some dogtooth check paper (lol - how appropriate - 'dog'tooth) and other paper, both of which are BG and a few other bits and pieces from my general stash.
These colours remind me of hot chocolate, which is the topic for Quixotic 8 and also Simon says challenge this week; also for Divine diva inspiration 19.