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Thursday, 4 August 2011

Jolly Nation card, tag and gift box

Ages and ages ago I bought some Jolly Nation (well, they were Paper Nation back in those days) Christmas decoupage and matching background sheets and have had them stowed away ever since. Gold magic mesh was stuck on to red card to give a bit of dimension.

Last night I decided to watch a DVD, but wanted to do something constructive at the same time - something that wouldn't require much attention or thought, so I put together quite a few JN Christmas characters (so you'll be seeing more of these in the coming days).

This card, matching tag and gift box is for ABC Christmas: P for presents, which has this inspiration photo:

also for Christmas stampin all year long: the whole sha bang:


I'm also linking this for:

Aud sentiments 34: Merry Christmas
Simon says: Christmas in August
PaperPlay 31: Christmas in August
Fun with shapes and more 88: Christmas in July
Fussy & fancy 42: Christmas in July
Totally Gorjuss 91: Christmas in July
Craft us crazy 14: anything goes in August
AiFactory: August anything goes
Crafts and me 46: anything goes
For fun: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Crafty Ho's: anything goes
Happileigh 33: anything goes



For Your Inspiration Guest Design slot

I was privileged to be chosen as Lovely Lotus for challenge 7 on For Your Inspiration recently (you can see my card here). I received a prize of Charlotte with a rose rubber stamp - I blogged about it here - and the opportunity to be a Guest Designer, so I've joined the team for today's challenge 11, for which we were given this photo as inspiration:

I decided to produced my own 'quiet reflection' picture. I followed the tutorial given here (thanks to Stampin' Mama, Erika) for stamping my favourite inkadinkado trees stamp and making a reflection by stamping on a cello bag as per the tutorial, working on to white gloss card. The background was made with alcohol inks - the sky with a blend of stonewashed with blending solution, the grass with meadow and the water with a mixture of stonewashed, stream and a bit of blending solution.

This is also for:

Paper sundaes 80: clouds and skies
Inspiration avenue: the forest of trees
Pixie cottage 80: a time to learn - teach us something new
AiFactory: August anything goes
Craft us crazy 14: anything goes in August
Cute card Thursday 176: no designer paper
Nightshift stamping 78: feel free to do!
Stamp insanity 71: your favourite SISC - I chose SISC 9: create your own background
365 cards day 155: signs of peace

Wednesday, 3 August 2011

Pink ballet

This card is for Laura's sketch for Paper crafting journey 15, which is also 'go girly!':

I used Daisy Bucket papers and express yourself stick ons, as well as a felt flower/button from Poundland (why is it that the outer part of the flower looks red here, but irl it's the exact match of the deep pink paper?)

This is also for:

Order of the opus gluei 110: a picture is worth a thousand words - no words
Sparkles forum 17: one for the girls
Glitter fairies August 1: pretty in pink
Just us girls 95: use fabric on your project (felt flowers)
I did it 66: let's dance
Cutie Sunday 146: flower power
Anything goes 46: pick of the bunch
The paper shelter 25: flowers, flowers, flowers
Paper creator's crafts 4: say it with flowers
House of Gilli: polka dots
Going grey with Scrap creations: buttons or bows (I've used both)
Truly scrumptious 62: buttons & bows
Wags n whiskers 59: buttons and bows
My mum's craft shop: monochromatic
Incy wincy 105: monochromatic colours
Crafts and me 46: anything goes
For fun: anything goes

Purple birthday

It's ages since I took part in a Willow Sketchie challenge, so I thought it was about time I did - this is for this week on Willow Sketchie:

I love crafting with purple, so I chose Daisy Bucket and DCWV papers, distressed with dusty concord DI including the flowers which were originally white. The birthday greeting is a Clarity stamp hearty happy birthday. So this is for Stamp Insanity: what's your favourite colour, Pixie dust 85: what's your favourite colour, Flourishes timeless 129: favourite flowers (any purple flowers).

Colours are also for Picture perfect 67: perfect plum, concord crush, very vanilla, also Shopping our stash 11: violet (purples, flowers) and also for Jay Gee's nook 10 which has this photo inspiration:

This is also for:

Cooking it up with Katie 69: show me your new favourite old thing - the papers are old, the stamp is new and I've used distress inks, purple and flowers - they are all favourite things
Pixie cottage 80: a time to learn - your favourite techniques - using distress inks, blending tool and foam
Cutie Sunday 146: flower power
Anything goes 46: pick of the bunch
The paper shelter 25: flowers, flowers, flowers
Paper creator's crafts 4: say it with flowers
Sundays with Crissy 20: keep it simple stamper
House of Gilli: polka dots
Alota 64: tic tac toe - I chose ribbons, stitching and distress
My mum's craft shop: monochromatic
Incy wincy 105: monochromatic colours
Lollipop crafts 42: celebrate - birthday
Creative CAS August: birthday bonanza
Just Tracy: happy birthday
Card cupids: birthday cards
Stamps R us: happy birthday
Pattie's 27: stitching
Stampin' B 121: make a card using ribbon
Ribbon carousel 14: let's get crazy - anything goes
Crafts and me 46: anything goes
For fun: anything goes

Tuesday, 2 August 2011

Blue Christmas

I do love blue Christmas cards, so it was a pleasure to make one for the week's Jingle belles challenge.

I'm still using up the stiched paper with stars. The panel on the right was originally a silvery grey colour flocked paper (Anna Griffin), which I distressed with stazon ultramarine. The silver glittered letters are some that arrived today - they are actually self adhesive fabric which has been glittered. Because this panel was then mounted on to silver mirror card it was hard to get a photo that shows what it's really like. Here are my attempts!




Thought I might as well include a scan for good measure! This shows the blue better, but, of course, the silver mirror looks like black on the scan.



This is also for:

Creative craft world: anything BUT birthdays
Incy wincy 105: monochromatic colours
CES 47: feeling the blues
Just for fun: soft and gentle fabric
Just us girls 95: use fabric on your project
Word play 11: sparkle
Corrosive 127: manly - difficult sometimes to make Christmas cards suitable for a man, but I think this is
Theme Thursday: men/masculine
Cards for men 16: clean & simple
Desert island crafts 13: I chose: stitching, make it manly, use felt/fabric
Crafty creations 129: Christmas in July
Fussy & fancy 42: Christmas in July
Totally Gorjuss 91: Christmas in July
4 crafty chicks 48: get your bling on
Papertake: anything goes

Robins

This is for the sketch for Christmas challenges with sketches 5 sponsored by Krea Teja. Please click on the link to see the lovely sketch.

I've featured robins for Sparkles forum Christmas challenge 7.

I've used Papermania Christmas classic papers and 'robins' panel. The scalloped circle was cut with a nestie. There's quite a lot of red foiling on these papers, including some of the robins, which is why I had to take the photo slanted to avoid glare - you can get a bit of an idea of the foiling, but much better irl.

This is also for:

Creative craft world: anything BUT birthdays
Stampin' sisters in Christ 100: any type of creature from tiny to large
Ooh-la-la 85: circles
Fun with shapes and more 88: Christmas in July
Crafty creations 129: Christmas in July
Fussy & fancy 42: Christmas in July
Totally Gorjuss 91: Christmas in July
Papertake: anything goes

The angels shouted for joy

For this card I've used the sketch for Christmas card challenge week 35, with a bit of poetic licence because I've used a rectangle instead of a circle:

I've used a bit of an unusual combo of black, white and gold - it's a shame that the photo doesn't do the card justice - the gold is much richer irl. Papers are from a QVC Kanban Christmas kit from last year. The stamp is an inkadinkado one by Tin can mail, just simply stamped on to gold matt foiled card.

The strip of black lace is felt, so it's lovely to touch!

This is also for:

Creative craft world: anything BUT birthdays
ABC Christmas: O is for older image - this is another stamp that is more than a year old
Winter wonderland: fairies or angels
Crafty creations 129: Christmas in July
Fussy & fancy 42: Christmas in July
Sweet stampin: it's Christmas in July
Totally Gorjuss 91: Christmas in July
Desert island crafts 13: I chose: quote for a sentiment, something with wings, use felt, us 3 different colours (black, white, gold)
Crop stop 30: anything lace
Papertake: anything goes
Come and get it: anything goes
Crafty Ho's: anything goes
Happileigh 33: anything goes
Woodware USA 37: anything goes

Monday, 1 August 2011

Sunset birdie

This is for Stampotique 35: red, yellow, orange - the challenge chosen by a dear crafting friend, Kaz.

It's also for Sunday stamper 165: Waterloo sunset.

I brayered layers of big & juicy soothing sunset, masking a big circle, which I then gently sponged with some of the yellow - the masking is for Eye candy magic monthly challenge: masking. At the base of the card I masked the sunset with torn papers and coloured with C-9 copic. Janet Klein's super birdie Stampotique stamp was coloured with copic C-9 and C-7 for Copic creations 55: landscape design.

This is 'bold, bright and loud' for The craft garden August challenge.

I'm also entering this card for:

Order of the opus gluei 110: a picture is worth a thousand words - no words
Creative craft world: anything BUT birthdays
Little Claire 11: things with wings
Stampin' sisters in Christ 100: any type of creature from tiny to large
Come and get it: anything goes
Crafty Ho's: anything goes
Happileigh 33: anything goes
Woodware USA 37: anything goes
Allsorts 114: last week of free and easy

Saturday, 30 July 2011

A lovely cup of tea

I came across some Kanban toppers that I thought would look nice on a DL card - when I got out my stock of Dls I found a trifold card with a pearly iridescent finish, so I decided to use two of the 'cup of tea' toppers, with some ribbon behind them (one of my newest purchases from Hobbycraft) I lined two inside panels with a piece of green butterfly paper from the DCWV Mariposa stack.

The sentiment on the outside of the card reads:

When your day is topsy turvey and as chaotic as can be
There's nothing quite as tranquil as a lovely cup of tea.


The one on the flap underneath says:

I wish we could sit down together and have a cup of tea,
but since we can't, when you have this one I hope you'll think of me.

On this photo of the inside opened out the iridescent finish of the card blank is more obvious:

This is for:

Creative craft world: anything BUT birthdays
Sentimental Sundays 65: focus on the sentiment
Aud sentiments 33: enjoy your day or sentiment to make you smile
Dream valley 12: surprise - something hidden
KB cute Monday 23: food & beverages
Happileigh scrappin' 32: shaped cards and special fold cards
Little Claire designs 11: things with wings
Deep ocean 4: ribbons
Allsorts 114: last week of free and easy

A special thank you

I was asking to make a thank you card for someone who is leaving our church soon - I think the lady in question is far too busy to visit my blog and see this, so I'm sure I'm safe in showing it.

The current challenge on Karen's doodles is a Bingo choice - choose a line in any direction:

So I chose flowers, die cuts and gems.

The background paper is HOTP, which I covered with acetate with the gold foiled butterflies (I rang this through the xyron so that there was even coverage of adhesive which doesn't show through the acetate. The scalloped circle is a nestie die cut mounted on to gold mirror card, on to which were added decoupaged flowers, with a strip of sticky stitched ribbon at the side and computer generated text mounted on gold mirror card. A few gems on the flowers add a bit of bling. This is an A5 card. This looks much brighter irl because the acetate gives a sheen to it.

This is also for:

Creative craft world: anything BUT birthdays
Anything goes 46: pick of the bunch (flowers)
4 crafty chicks 48: get your bling on
Kaboodle 77: stitching
Little Claire designs 11: things with wings
Some odd girl: thank you
Pixie dust studio 85: what's your favourite colour? I love making cards with shades of lilac or purple

CHNC challenge 31: feature some festive food

Another week has gone by since my last CHNC challenge and it's time again for a new one. This week I'm asking for 'festive food' on Christmas cards - you can see the details for challenge 31 here - I'd love you to join in if you can.

I used the sketch for There she goes 117 getting sketchy challenge:

Papers are BG eskimo kisses - and the white with red stripes is an old piece of Brenda Pinnick paper. The stamped images are, of course, Forever Friends - for Forever Friends 'pastel colours' challenge - with the tree stamped with stazon cactus green masked behind the bear, as was the mistletoe too. I deliberately didn't use copics of promarkers, but coloured in with colouring pencils (I much prefer markers nowadays) - this was for Paper pretties 164: no markers.

The sun was peeping over the top of the photo, so you can't see that the sentiment says 'Happy Christmas'.

I'm linking this for these Christmas challenges too:


It's also for:

Creative craft world: anything BUT birthdays
Hooked on craft 4: cute and cuddly
Charisma cardz 30: 4 legged friends
KB cute Monday 23: food & beverages
Cardmakin mamas 25: food and drink
Die cuttin' divas 25: sweet treats
Paper issues: life is sweet
Stampin' B 121: make a card using ribbon
Deep ocean 4: ribbons
Stamp and create July: ribbon and bows
Wags n whiskers 59: buttons and bows
Truly scrumptious 62: buttons & bows
Use it Tuesday 12: it's a two-fer - two hoarded items - the checked ribbon (had it ages, can't remember where it came from and the red and white striped paper is about five years old)
Allsorts 114: last week of free and easy

Friday, 29 July 2011

All the Bs

I went out for lunch with a friend today and we ended up at Hobbycraft ... and I just happened to buy a few bits and pieces, including some gorgeous black and white (mainly) die cut card and acetate pieces. I couldn't resist using one tonight, so this was stuck down the side of a black linen card blank (I ran it through my xyron to give unseen adhesion, adding the bows with bling. I stamped the Clarity sketched lady with Elzybells inky dinks whipped cream inkpad and heat embossed with white detail, adding tiny buttons to her hat and waist.

Not a very clear picture as I had to scan because of flash reflection on the acetate.

This is for:

Creative craft world: anything BUT birthdays
Our creative corner: all the Bs - black, bling, buttons and bows
Creatalicious 24: 1920s - vintage, hat & black and white
Desert island crafts 12: I chose: monotone, die cuts, black & white
Stampin' sisters in Christ 99: sharp contrast of black & white
Sunday stamper 164: back to black
DDH (the angel company) 10: black and white week 1
Truly scrumptious 62: buttons & bows
Wags n whiskers 59: buttons and bows
Stamp and create July: ribbon and bows
Sweet stampin: F ... F ... F ... Fashion
Cupcake 152: shabby sparkle
Top tip Tuesday 44: make it girlie
4 crafty chicks 48: get your bling on

Star Wars

I was asked to make a card for a friend's grandson who is a great Star Wars fan. She gave me some pictures of starships (I hadn't got much of a clue on this one) and I thought this one went nicely with the K & Co Donna Ingemansin rough and tumble paper. All it needed was the numeral (which was coloured with a copic marker) and the birthday greeting.

This is for:

Here come the boys 7: travel (space travel)
Theme Thursday: men/masculine
Card cupids: birthday cards
Scrapbook sisters 45: happy birthday

Prairie Fairy Fridays 58 Guest Designer - another card

This is another card for Prairy Fairy Fridays 58, again using the inspiration photo given for that challenge:

For my card I used the sketch for CPS 228:

Papers are DCWV and the embossed panel was produced with CraftConcepts folder 'budding vine' and sanded to reveal the white core of the textured card.

I stamped the lovely Kanban bath, bubbles and 'relax' sentiment and heat embossed with clear detail powder, colouring the bath and taps with copics. I stuck a line of gems across the card (I wish I could have used pearls, but I only had large ones that looked out of place, so used the gems instead).

I'm also linking for these challenges:

Crafty purple frog: take a dip
Little red wagon 91: heat embossing
Pixie cottage 80: emboss it
My craft spot 18: emboss it
Crafty pad 131: embossing
4 crafty chicks 48: get your bling on
365 cards day 151: Friday background - three layers
Celebrate the occasion 23: any occasion (blue and white)
Jac-inks 13: monotone
Use it Tuesday 12: it's a two-fer - two hoarded items - the papers and the stamp (had it for ages, but first time I've used it)
Sew many challenges 62: anything goes
Papercraft star: anything goes
The paper shelter 24: anything goes
Party time Tuesday 26: anything goes
Totally stampalicious: anything goes
Clear it out Tuesday: anything goes

Prairie Fairy Fridays 58 Guest Designer

As winner of Prairie Fairy Fridays I was able to choose three of their lovely images and also was invited to join challenge 58 as a Guest Designer.

This is the inspiration photo given for that challenge:

I used 'bath n bubbles Gilly', one of the digis I won from Priaire Fairy, for my card and based in on the CAS sketch for the Paper Players 56:

The background paper is DCWV, the felt flowers were from Poundland and the sentiment is a Kanban stamp. I didn't have the right size pearls, so I've used a row of gems instead.

This is also for Celebrate the occasion 23: any occasion (blue and white)

Thursday, 28 July 2011

Just cricket

A quick card for the Totally Papercrafts 'one for the boys' challenge.

Background and topper are Kanban, not sure about the sentiment. Matted on to black mirror card.

I've taken the colour scheme from Birthday sundaes 19: photo inspiration:


Photo taken at an angle because of super reflection on the sentiment mirror card (if I'd taken it head on you'd have seen me with the camera!).



This is also for:

Theme Thursday: men/masculine
Card cupids: birthday cards
Scrapbook sisters 45: happy birthday
Dutch dare card 123: birthday time
Papercraft star 55: anything goes
Paper cutz 101: anything goes
The paper shelter 24: anything goes

Wish you were here

Nearly a couple of years ago (gosh, how time flies) I made some ATCs for a swap on BF forum and made one or two extras - you can see the original post here. I used two rubbadubbadoo stamps, masking one behind the other and coloured with copics, with just a few squiggles of Sakura pen on the sand:

So I've used one of these on my card, with flittered DCWV papers.

This is for:

Daring cardmakers: wish you were here
Paper sundaes 79: beachy or summer
Craft room: summer holidays
Divas by design 7: summer is here
For fun: ah the sun of it all - sand/beach
Delightful: dog days of summer
ECP 43: summer
Nadia 10: holiday card

Baking gingerbread cookies

For this card I've used the sketch for Card Patterns 125:

I've used a Marjorie Ramsay digital image of a girl baker. I used a gingerbread cookie image from Microsoft publisher, copying it a few times to join up and make a line of them. Scalloped edges were done on my rotatrim, edged with copic pale blue and a piece of sticky ribbon added. The bright yellow card blank is 7 x 5.

This is also for:

Glitter geeks 7: occupations & professions
KB cute Monday 23: food & beverages
Cardmakin mamas 25: food and drink
Stamp n doodle: let's see those summer colours - blue, yellow plus one other colour
Daisy doodles 38: anything goes
Digi doodle 69: anything goes

Always and forever yellow roses

The title comes from the Kanban supplies I've used for the card, adding a piece of Craftworks vintage rose spotted paper across the bottom. The card blank is actually lemon irl - not sure why it looks green on the photo - I took the photo outside - oh well!

This is for:

Alphabet: L for lemon and lime
Allways something creative 10: yellow and another colour
Stamp dreams 92: yellow + another colour
PaperPlay 30: in the garden
CCEE 1130: seasons - summer
Art impressions 26: inspiration from nature
Anything goes 46: pick of the bunch (flowers)
365 cards day 147: Monday background challenge - half polka dots and half solid background
Paper cutz 101: anything goes
The paper shelter 24: anything goes

AiFactory GD made by me embellishments

This is my last card as Guest Designer on AiFactory - I've really enjoyed the privilege of joining the team for the month of July. Today's challenge 'hand made by me' is to make your own embellishments, so I cut varying sizes of scalloped circles on my cricut, inked them with Victorian velvet DI and scrunched before putting together and popping a button each of them. The main background paper is My Mind's Eye, the paper with roses and the one the flowers were cut from are Pink Petticoat vintage rose and the pink and white flower strip is from Pink Petticoat wild blossoms. The lovely ballerina digi was supplied by AiFactory - I coloured her with copics. 'Home made flowers' is also the challenge today for Cynthia's Rainbow Lady 163.

For this card I used the sketch for Inkspirations 79:

Colours are for City crafter 67: vintage garden:

I'm also linking this for:

Amber's crafts and stuff 20: patterned paper
Come and get it: get creative and make your own flowers
Anything goes 46: pick of the bunch (flowers)
Make it colourful 27: colour your embellishments
Fun at fairy knoll: colours of the rainbow
Copic creations 54: pastel colours
Cheerful stamp pad 22: going round in circles (the scalloped circles for the flowers)
Ooh-la-la 85: circles
Alota 63: circles
There's magic in the air Magical Monday: let's layer - at least 6 - more than that with the layers of the flowers as well as on the card
Shopping our stash 10: buttons, blooms and bananas
Frosted designs fabulous Friday: buttons
Ribbon girl 10: shade of aqua
Ribbon reel 7: chantilly lace colour challenge: white, aqua, pink and a flower with ribbon
Stampin' B 121: make a card using ribbon
Deep ocean 4: ribbons
Top tip Tuesday 44: make it girlie
Corrosive 126: all about kids - suitable for a little girl
Digi doodle 69: anything goes
Paper cutz 101: anything goes
The paper shelter 24: anything goes