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Saturday, 16 July 2011

Summery colours

After all the rain this morning, I feel I need some summery colours to cheer up the day. The sun made a brief appearance a little while ago, but already covered by the clouds again. It's the kind of day to stay in and craft.

This card is for Birthday Sundaes 17, which asks for the summery colours of orange, green and white.

The background paper is BG Lilykate and the image is from Glitterbabe - which is for the 'floral' challenge this week on I did it creations, where the prize is being sponsored by Glitterbabe.

Flowers are from stash with card candy in the centres and a piece of spotty sticky ribbon down the side.

Sorry the photo is looking quite dull - the card is a lot brighter irl.

This is also for:

Irish teddy's: flowers
Shabby tea room 70: flower power
Scrappy frogs: summer flowers
Posted by at 11 comments:

CHNC challenge 29: seeing stars

It's time for a new challenge on my CHNC challenge blog - it doesn't seem possible, but we are up to challenge 29 already - you can see the details here - it would be lovely if you could join in. This week I would like you to include stars on your card - well, at least one star!

For my card I used Papermania Classic Christmas papers with a shaped card blank. I like the way the cut away edge reveals a bit of the underneath, so I thought it was worth decorating the inside so that a bit peeped through.

I layered the stitched ribbon on to a piece of the foiled paper and wrapped around the inside, hiding the join with a star cut from the main paper I used on the front and adding a cut out star on the front too.


I'm entering this into the following challenges:

Christmas inspirations 29: free Christmas project
Bah! humbug 28: shapes - shaped cards
Celebrate the occasion 22: Christmas (shaped card)
Digistamps4joy 23: Christmas in July
Fun at fairy knoll: Christmas in July
Simply create 48: Christmas time
2 sisters 48: Christmas in July
CES 45: Christmas
Catch the bug: Christmas in July
Jellypark friends 1: Christmas in July
Charisma cardz 28: it's in the stars
Pixie cottage 78: wrap it in ribbon
Crafty sentiments: use stitching
DYSU 28: sew: faux or real
Rainbow lady 161: a stitch in time
Creative inspirations 120: no flowers allowed
Posted by at 45 comments:

Thursday, 14 July 2011

AiFactory GD spots and stripes

For today's card as a Guest Designer on AiFactory, we were given the gorgeous Princess image and asked to incorporate spots and stripes. I coloured the image with copics. I've used Best Creation Inc 'once upon a dream' papers - these are double sided, so I was able to use three different designs. The papers on the outside panels of the gate fold are very glittery.

I hope you'll pop over to AiFactory for the challenge and join in the 'spots and stripes' challenge.



I'm also entering this into these challenges:

Gingerloft 22: make it sparkle
House of Gilli 11: lots of sparkle
iCopic lover 38: birthdays
Penny's 57: happy birthday
Ruby's rainbow 7: happy birthday
Ann's creative nook 137: buy anything new lately - bought the papers for this challenge
Cupcake 150: your favourite Cupcake challenge - 61: going girly
Anything goes 45: more than one fold
Delightful: fancy folded cards
For fun challenges: only one fold beside the original card fold
Posted by at 21 comments:

Tuesday, 12 July 2011

Get well soon

This card is for Paper Pretties 161 sketch:

Once again I've used Paris Nights papers by GCD studio. The lovely cat image is an Inca stamp ' swirl cat' coloured with promarkers cool grey 1 and warm grey 4.

The spiky circle shapes were cut with nesties. I added a dymo letratag sentiment and gems, some spotty ribbon, a piece of lace and a crocheted flower brad.

This is also for:

Stamp with fun 119: get well soon
Crafty Ann 44: get well
Oldie but a goodie 23: lace and ribbon
Challenge up your life 47: 1 die, 1 lace, 1 brad
CES 44: recipe - 1 image, 2 ribbon, lace or twine, 3 DP papers
Sparkles forum 15: recipe - a flower, one image, two ribbons
For fun challenges: crocheted flowers
Use it Tuesday 11: you are an animal
My Sheri crafts 64: faithful companions (any kind of animal for a pet)
Jac-inks 12: die cuts plus texture
Crafty pad 129: lots of texture
Mark's finest papers speedy the cat 63: die cuts as a background mat
Stampavie and more 146: more than 3 layers
Card cupids: monochromatic cards
Shopping our stash 8: out with the old or in with the new - the papers were bought a few days ago, also the lace - everything else is older
Ann's creative nook 137: buy anything new lately?
Posted by at 45 comments:

One of my favourite vintage stamps

The challenge on ABC this week is 'Y for yesterday' - vintage or using an old stamp favourite. This 'gracious lady' Hero Arts stamp is one of my favourites. All the papers are from Paris nights by GCD studio - you need to see them irl to really appreciate them. The strip across the middle has a golden sheen to it - not too in your face, but just enough to add a little something to the card. Because I didn't want to add any colouring in on the stamp, I stamped it on to a piece of the patterned Paris nights paper. The plain ivory embossed flowers were swiped across with a black inkpad and little black pearl gems added.

I've used the sketch for the Create4fun challenge for July:


This is also for:

Make my Monday 6: vintage embossing (the flowers are embossed)
Craft us crazy: distressed vintage
Crafty catz 90: a vintage look
Irish teddy's: flowers
Shabby tea room 70: flower power
Charisma cardz 27: all about flowers
Crafts and me 42 'favourites - stamp/image
Iris' spot 21: use one of your favourite stamps
Stampavie and more 146: more than 3 layers
Card cupids: monochromatic cards
Shopping our stash 8: out with the old or in with the new - the papers were bought a few days ago and this is the first I've used any of them
Ann's creative nook 137: buy anything new lately?
Stampin' sisters in Christ 97: favourite item for stamping - I love stamping directly on to patterned paper
Kaboodle 75: use those scissors - I cut the circle with scissors, having drawn round a dish - saved bothering with cutting one on my cricut
Stamp insanity 66 & 67: anything goes


Posted by at 24 comments:

BF forum June twinchies

For the June swap on BF forum we were asked to make twinchies that included:

lace
3 x bling
image
piece of patterned paper - this can be any size you like (obviously no bigger than 2"x2")

and be blue and white.....

The girls did a wonderful job with these - aren't they fab?!

Posted by at 1 comment:

BF forum June inchies

These are the inchies I received from the BF forum swap for June - the theme was 'films' - can you guess what they all are?
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Flashback Friday 13

This is the first time I've taken part in Flashback Friday - the idea is to show something from the past to fit the challenge.

The current FF challenge 13 is to show the first 'non-traditional shaped card' that we made.

I don't know whether this was actually the first, but it was shown on my blog on 20 September 2007 - here.


This was followed on the same day by some more similarly shaped cards - you can see them here.

They were all produced on my craft robo using and adapting a template kindly given by Erika on UKScrappers.

Posted by at 4 comments:

Monday, 11 July 2011

Team card for Iris' Spot challenge 21

For this challenge, Iris asked us to use our favourite stamp - oh, what a tough decision that was! I have so many stamps that I class as 'favourites' - in the end I chose Penny Black fantasy, simply stamped with versamark and heat embossed with white detail powder. This is such a versatile stamp because it can be used for snowy trees for winter or spring/summer blossom. The stamp is just right for Penny Black 159: Christmas in July. It's also good for Crafts and me 42 'favourites - stamp/image'.

It would be good to encourage Iris by popping along to her blog and joining in the challenge.

I used the sketch for Sketch & stash 65:
The idea of the Sketch & stash challenges is that we use new or neglected stash. The background paper was from an old Making Cards magazine, the stitched paper from some offcuts (originally some sheets were bought from a local craft shop that closed about four years ago, so this has definitely been neglected) and the triangle corners were from a QVC Christmas kit from last year.

With all the dots on the tree, this is another card for my own CHNC challenge 28 'spots before your eyes' (why not visit and join in? - would love to see you there).

This is also for:

Simon says: a stitch in time
Christmas inspirations 28: monochromatic Christmas cards
Fab's big Christmas cards July challenge: trees and/or dark colours
Winter wonderland: red and green must not be seen
A la card monkey 64: Christmas in July
Tuesday throwdown 56: Christmas in July
Little red wagon: Christmas in July
The paper variety: Christmas in July
Craft us crazy: Christmas in July

Posted by at 27 comments:

Sunday, 10 July 2011

A birthday card with a nautical theme

A friend commissioned me to make a birthday card for her mum - as they will be on a cruise at the time, she asked if I could include something nautical on the card as well as flowers. Fortunately, the lady likes red flowers, so I thought a red, white and blue colour combo would be appropriate.

The papers are English Paper Company 'all abroad', the flowers are Craftime and the 3D anchor, rope and ship's wheel stickers are Eno.

As I wanted the card to be a bit special and 'different' I made it tent style.


I was asked to include the verse from 1 Corinthians 13:13 'And now these three remain: faith, hope and love, but the greatest of these is love.'

She asked me to include a special verse - this is what I chose:

'Wishing you the kind of day that's filled with special things,
The kind that's long remembered for the happiness it brings!

I used a tiny ship's wheel stamp from cart-us.com in the corners.

I've left the inner space for a handwritten message, just adding 'Hope your day is plain sailing'.

I'm entering this for the following challenges:

Kaboodle 74: celebrations
Pollycraft 100: celebrations
Ellephantastic: celebrations
Paper creator's crafts 2: special occasions
Craft room: summer birthdays
Penny's 57: happy birthday
Ruby's rainbow 7: happy birthday
Ladybug 35: summer birthdays
Tanda teaser 175: we're all going on a summer holiday (my friend and family will be on a summer cruise when the mum celebrates the birthday, hence the nautical theme)
Creations by Gill M 11: summer holiday (see above)
Creative inspirations 63: red, white and blue
Order of the opus gluei 108: red, white and ???
Pink elephant 106: red, white and blue
Cooking it up with Katie 68: colours of your flag - red, white and blue
Crafting for all seasons 4: red, white and blue
Pattie's creations 25: your flag colours - red, white and blue
Our daily bread 67: red, white and blue
Paper creations ink 4: red, white & blue
Embellish magazine: nautical colour trends challenge
Jay Gee's nook challenge 9: inspiration photo (nautical)
Irish teddy's: flowers
Try it Tuesday (taggers): card week - flower power
Scrappy frogs: summer flowers
Charisma cardz 27: all about flowers
Art impressions 23: using something from your stash - papers, stickers, flowers
Aud sentiments 32: sentiments with at least two words
Stamp insanity 66 & 67: anything goes
Posted by at 56 comments:

Saturday, 9 July 2011

CHNC challenge 28: spots before your eyes!

It's time for another challenge on my Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge blog - it's quite scary how quickly this year is going - here we are at Saturday again! For challenge 28 I'm asking you to include spots or dots on your Christmas card. I haven't used many dots on my card, so I haven't gone completely dotty - it's up to you how many your include. I'd love to see your entries for this challenge here.

I'm always keen to support other Christmas challenge blogs, so I've used the sketch for Christmas challenges with sketches challenge 4.

The card is totally made from offcuts and scraps for Jingle Belles 'holiday leftovers' challenge - a mixture of Papermania and Brenda Pinnick, as well as some unknown text paper - and Forever Friends 3D stickers.

This is an early card for Pinky's Christmas gang challenge to 'have a teddy bear on your card' - if you'd like to know more about the Christmas gang just click on one of the names in my sidebar.

This is also for:

Cardmadfairy 12: include an animal
Sparkles forum Christmas challenge 6: glitter (lots on the FF elements)
There she goes 114: glitter, glitz & bling
A la card monkey 64: Christmas in July
Tuesday throwdown 56: Christmas in July
Little red wagon: Christmas in July
The paper variety: Christmas in July
Craft us crazy: Christmas in July
Creative CAS for July: clean and simple Christmas in July
The paper shelter 21: lots of dots
My time to craft 147: a la carte (food)
Incy wincy 101: sugar and sweets
PaperPlay 27: fruity (the Christmas cake and pudding)
Catch the bug: clean and simple
Art impressions 23: using something from your stash - the offcuts/scraps, but also the FF 3D elements
Sentimental Sundays 62: anything goes

Update: Big apologies to Christmas Challenges with sketches - I posted a picture of the sketch, which I shouldn't have done (I feel bad about this because I did this last time and forgot again - I'm so used to doing it for other challenge blogs). Please follow the link for their blog to see the sketch.
Posted by at 35 comments:

Thursday, 7 July 2011

AiFactory Guest Designer

I was fortunate enough to win Paper Playtime challenge 47, for which I received a prize of some AiFactory digital images and also a Guest Designer slot on their challenge blog for the month of July.

So here is my card for AiFactory 'double time' challenge. I was given the gorgeous 'Ella at peace' image to work with, which I coloured with promarkers and copics, edging very lightly with Victorian velvet DI - I also used this to colour the sentiment. The ribbon is one that's been in one of my boxes for a long time (no idea where it came from). The background paper is BG lemonade. For 'double time' I used two crocheted flowers and two gems.

I'm also entering this for the following challenges:

Daring cardmakers: larkspur and water lily
Passion for promarkers 107: tie a yellow ribbon
Whoopsi Daisy: hot! hot! hot!
Some odd girl: bright and blinding
For fun challenges: crocheted flowers
Posted by at 19 comments:

Wednesday, 6 July 2011

Snowflake aperture card

Challenge 26 on Bah! humbug this week is to use acetate. It's a long while since I made an aperture card, but decided this was the easiest way to use acetate (although I confess that a couple of efforts have gone in the bin).

The card blank is one that I've had for ages and ages - a pearlescent pale purple. The snow circle and flake in the middle and the sentiment stamp are from an Indadinkado set, stamped with brilliance starlite silver and heat embossed with detail silver powder.

The piece of patterned paper inside the card is from a Making Cards magazine from long ago.

This is another card for my own Christmas challenge 27 to use pink and/or purple - if you haven't yet discovered my Christmas blog, then why not hop over there - I'd love to see your entries - and this week there will be a prize for a randomly chosen person.

This is also for:

Our creative corner: seasonal celebration - Christmas in July
Tuesday throwdown 56: Christmas in July
Little red wagon: Christmas in July
The paper variety: Christmas in July
Christmas inspirations 28: monochromatic Christmas cards
Celebrate the occasion 21: Christmas in July (no red)
Creative CAS for July: clean and simple Christmas in July
Fab's big Chistmas cards for July: trees and/or dark colours
Stamp dreams 89: stamping and embossing
Sentimental Sundays 62: anything goes
Craft your passion 65: anything goes
Oldie but a goodie 22: anything goes - the stamps are at least six months old
Creative sketches 39: anything goes
Just for fun: anything goes
Bling it on 5: anything goes
Papertake weekly: anything goes
KB cute Monday 20: anything goes
Posted by at 27 comments:

WOYWW 109

It's been a while since I've taken part in WOYWW on Julia's stamping ground. This is for WOYWW 109 - why not click on the link and have a nose at other crafters' spaces and join in with showing your own?

I'm not showing my work surface because there really isn't anything much to see - I did quite a bit of crafting yesterday, but most of the evidence has been cleared away and I haven't yet started today.

I know I've shown my shelves before, but I've now had an additional shelf on each side, which, obviously, has given me more room and helps to better display my stamps - although they are still housed behind one another - I've tried to stand them so I can just see what's behind, but in some cases they are almost obliterated. You might not think so, but there is a bit of logic as to how they are laid out, but I wouldn't be too surprised if I forget where some of the stamps are. The little crates on the right hand side house small unmounted stamps (the larger ones and packs are still in a box the other side of the room).



Difficult to get a photo - the sun is streaming in and casting shadows, so I had to draw the curtains to get the photo - and then it used the flash. I should have taken it this morning, but I went into Orpington to the Nugent Retail park to go to Hobbycraft and M & S.
Posted by at 5 comments:

Tuesday, 5 July 2011

Up up and away

This is for PaperWorks sketch 87:
For this card I used papers from a newly-acquired Trimcraft Up and away pad by Minday Tersawa (I found it in a new craft shop when I was at Dovercourt). These papers are very glitzy and glittery.

The hot air balloons, cut with a nestie label, was from the same leaflet as the picture I used on the previous card - another one that was too good to throw away, so I've recycled it. The 'up up and away' circle was cut with a nestie from the front of the paper pad (I had to hide the little bit of print at the bottom with a cut out bird).

This is also for:

Pile it on 27: time to relax
Poodles parlour: come fly with me
365 cards day 35: up in the air (yes, I'm still way behind with loads of the 365 challenges - will never catch up, but it's fun to try!)
Daisy doodles 37: summer doodles
Moving along with the times 105: here comes the summer sun
Wags n whiskers 57: summertime
Secret crafter Saturday 141: here comes summer
City crafter 64: birds of a feather
Truly scrumptious 60: things with wings
The craft garden for July: use a bird on your work
Crazy amigo: lazy days
There she goes 114: glitter, glitz & bling
House of Gilli 11: lots of sparkle
Party time Tuesday 23: square cards
Posted by at 33 comments:

Too good to throw away!

I confess that this card is mainly made up of a picture that came from a leaflet that just seemed too good to throw away - mounted on to a card blank and a dymo letratag sentiment added.

This is for:

Crazy challenge 74: on the beach
My partner in crafting crime 30: let's hit the beach
Daisy doodles 37: summer doodles
Moving along with the times 105: here comes the summer sun
Wags n whiskers 57: summertime
Secret crafter Saturday 141: here comes summer
Crazy amigo: lazy days
Posted by at 9 comments:

An unusual Christmas card

When I saw the current challenge on Christmas stampin all year long 'she's krafty' - to use kraft as the main colour, I was a bit stumped until I got out my BG basics kraft paper pad. Bows and berries 9 is also asking for kraft to be used, so I'm linking for that. too.

I stamped the gorgeous Inkadinkado reindeer stamp with brilliance galaxy gold and embossing with detail gold powder. The image was then cut out with a nestie. I used a cuttlebug embossing folder to create the pattern on a square of plain cardstock, swiping this with brilliance galaxy gold, as well as the edges - the addition of a greeting with gold ric rac, and some PM gems and the card was finished.

The sketch is for Totally Gorjuss 87:

Unfortunately, the gold embossing doesn't show as well as it might - I had to take the photo indoors because the rain has come.

This is also for:

Clearlyistamp 31: punches, die cuts, cut outs
Lothian crafts 16: die cutting
Creative Friday 47: Christmas in July
Our creative corner: seasonal celebration - Christmas in July
Sweet stamps 22: Christmas in July
Tuesday throwdown 56: Christmas in July
ABC Christmas: M for monochrome
Christmas inspirations 28: monochromatic Christmas cards
Celebrate the occasion 21: Christmas in July (no red)
Stamp dreams 89: stamping and embossing
Wednesday stamper: at least one rubber stamp
Sentimental Sundays 62: anything goes
Craft your passion 65: anything goes
Kort o mania 43: anything goes
Oldie but a goodie 22: anything goes - the reindeer stamp is at least six months old
The paper shelter 20: anything goes
Creative sketches 39: anything goes
Just for fun: anything goes
Bling it on 5: anything goes
Papertake weekly: anything goes
KB cute Monday 20: anything goes
Posted by at 41 comments:

Monday, 4 July 2011

BF ATCs for June

When we got home on Friday these lovely ATCs were waiting for me from the swap on BF forum for June - the topic was 'ink'.



Thank you, girls, they are so lovely.
Posted by at 2 comments:

Sunday, 3 July 2011

White Christmas

It was Liz's turn to choose the theme for the Christmas gang card for today and she chose 'no patterned paper'. This card is also for 'no patterned papers (make your own)' challenge on Quirky crafts 14; also for The stamping boutique 9 'no DP'.

I used a few Inkadinkado snowflake stamps randomly stamped with Brilliance starlite silver and heat embossed with detail silver powder. I used one of my favourite Christmas stamps, the Rubber stampede 'Santa collage', mounted on silver mirror card with a couple of gems (this was an extra ATC I made last year when making some for a swap) and added a couple of Prima flowers with pearls.

This is also for:

Christmas cards all year round for July: white and bling with flowers of some kind too
Creative craft world: Christmas in June
For fun: Christmas
Creative Friday 47: Christmas in July
Our creative corner: seasonal celebration - Christmas in July
Sparkle creations Christmas 2011 week 31: 'twas the night before Christmas
ABC Christmas: M for monochrome
Christmas inspirations 28: monochromatic Christmas card
Cheerful stamp pad 21: my favourite background - stamping and embossing
Pals paper arts 100: what's your technique - anything you enjoy doing - stamping and embossing my own background
Stampin for the weekend 11: my favourite things - stamping and embossing my own background and flower embellishments
Stamptacular 118: seeing double - two of the same thing - two flowers, two pearls, two gems
Stamp dreams 89: stamping and embossing
Wednesday stamper: at least one rubber stamp
AiFactory: embellish it - I love using flowers
Shabby tea room 68: my favourite things - stamping and embossing my own background and flower embellishments
Deep ocean 2: 2 flowers
Hooked on craft 2: show us your flowers
Crafty purple frog: swirls and pearls
Prairie fairy Fridays 56: pearls and swirls
Delicious doodles 32: flourishes and bling
Shopping our stash 6: recycle it - I used an ATC that had been made as an extra for a swap last year
Shelly's terrifically thrilling Thursday: recyle/re-use - the ATC as above
Clear it out Tuesday: all about keeping it simple
Cutie stampers 106: weather - snow
Oldie but a goodie 22: anything goes - all stamps used are at least six months old
The paper shelter 20: anything goes
Creative sketches 39: anything goes
Just for fun: anything goes
Allsorts 110: free and easy July
Catch the bug for July: anything goes
Bling it on 5: anything goes
Kort o mania 43: anything goes
Posted by at 71 comments:

Red, white and blue Christmas

As it was Canada Day on 1 July and is Independence Day in the States tomorrow, there are, understandably, a lot of challenges around atm that feature a patriotic theme, particularly with the colour combo of red, white and blue. These colours were also the theme for last Sunday's Sunday's with Santa on Facebook, so I've made a Christmas card with those colours, for these challenges:

Ann's creative nook 136: the colours of America - red, white and blue
Come and get it: patriotic - red, white and blue
I did it: patriotic - red, white and blue
Paper issues: red, white and blue
Woodware USA 33: patriotic theme and/or colours red, white, blue
Celebrate the occasion 20: 4 July - red, white and blue
Party time Tuesday 22: 4 July - patriotic - red, white and blue
Tuesday throwdown 55: red, white and blue
Use it Tuesday 10: inspiration colours - red, white and blue
Amber's crafts and stuff 16: red, white and blue
Cooking it up with Katie 68: colours of your flag - red, white, blue
Digistamps4joy 22: red, white and blue
Litle red wagon 87: patriotic - red, white, blue
Penny's 56: red, white, blue
ColorLab 47: night of navy, cherry cobbler, not quite navy
Craft us crazy 11: red, white & blue
Crop stop 26: show us your national colours - red, white, blue
Pixie dust studio 81: be proud - red, white and blue
Cardmakin mamas 23: red, white and blue
Fun at fairy knoll: red, white and blue
Mark's finest papers Speedy the cat 62: patriotic - red, white and blue
Order of the opus gluei 108: red, white and ???
Creative inspirations 63: red, white, blue
Crafting for all seasons 4: red, white and blue

The background is from a Patchwork Pals kit and the image and sentiments from a QVC kit from a couple of years ago.

This is also for:

Creative craft world: Christmas in June
For fun: Christmas
Creative Friday 47: Christmas in July
Our creative corner: seasonal celebration - Christmas in July
Crafty sentiments: Christmas in June
Sparkle creations Christmas 2011 week 31: 'twas the night before Christmas
Clear it out Tuesday: all about keeping it simple
The paper shelter 20: anything goes
Creative sketches 39: anything goes
Just for fun: anything goes
Allsorts 110: free and easy July
Catch the bug for July: anything goes
Bling it on 5: anything goes
Kort o mania 43: anything goes
Sentimental Sundays 62: anything goes
Posted by at 56 comments:
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