Suzie's 365 day 73: shapes in nature

I'm afraid it's a bit of cheat for Suzie's day 73: shapes in nature - this was taken a year or so ago, but I still think it's worth showing. If I have any light bulb moment of inspiration later I might add something new. Meantime, here it is:

Mad for markers Guest Designer slot

I was invited to be a Guest Designer on Mad for Markers for March, where the topic is 'monochromatic'.

My card is for Easter, although it doesn't have a greeting on the front, the insert says 'Happy Easter'.

The card blank was ready edged with the swirly pattern and I distressed it a bit with dusty concord and chipped sapphire distress inks.

The image is a Papermania Moments of Faith stamp, coloured with the following copics: BV 00, BV 23, BV31, V00, V04, V12, V91,Y11, BG93.

I'm also linking this for the following challenges:

iCopic lover 73: V family
Divas by design 25: favourite things - stamping, colouring with alcohol markers, purple
Totally papercrafts 107: my favourite things - stamping, colouring with alcohol markers, purple
Fashionable stamping 17: bingo - chose this diagonal: flowers, distressing, words
Prairie fairy Fridaays 74: distress it
Gingerloft 35: spring
Paper creations ink 20: spring is in the air
My mum's craft shop 47: spring is springing
2 sisters 82: spring colours
Crazy 4 challenges 127: spring brings new life
Joanna Sheen 4: spring is in the air
Crafter's companion March: spring
Stampavie and more 164: spring/Easter
Stempelsonne 58: Easter
Card a day March: Easter
Penny Black and more at Allsorts March: springtime
Robyn's fetish 98: Easter
I brake for challenges 19: I brake for Easter
Let's ink it up 21: show us some flowers
Crafty bloggers network 17: floral
CCEE 1210: flowers, flowers, flowers
Allsorts 145: say it with flowers
The paper shelter 54: anything goes
Paper crafting journey 4: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 3: anything goes
Make it Monday 80
Inspire me Fridays 49
52 cardpick up week 10

Seeing double - positive and negative

City crafter 99 is 'seeing double' using the positive and the negative of a die or punch. I found up a Quickutz die that I haven't used for years (in fact, I have a box of them that haven't been touched for ages) - it produces a circle with the flower cut out, so there is also the inside of the flower to use separately. I used scraps of yellow card to cut the flowers, so it's another chance to play in  Pixie's crafty snippets 11 playground and Hiding in my craftroom 37: super scraps Saturday.  I've used a cream shaped card blank that I sponged with mustard seed distress ink - for Prairie fairy Fridaays 74: distress it. The chick is a sticker from a pound shop.

This is also for:

Little Miss Muffet 30: easel, shaped or step card
Gingerloft 35: spring
Paper creations ink 20: spring is in the air
Deep ocean 20: spring
Tuesday throwdown 88: new life
My mum's craft shop 47: spring is springing
2 sisters 82: spring colours
Crazy 4 challenges 127: spring brings new life
Joanna Sheen 4: spring is in the air
Crafter's companion March: spring
Robyn's fetish 98: Easter
Unstampabelles 9: Easter
I brake for challenges 19: I brake for Easter
Crafts and me 74: things with wings
The pixie cottage 111: things with wings
Crafty bloggers network 17: floral
CCEE 1210: flowers, flowers, flowers
Allsorts 145: say it with flowers
The crazy challenge 110: no designer paper
Tanda teaser 192: no designer paper
The paper shelter 54: anything goes
Paper crafting journey 4: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 3: anything goes
Make it Monday 80
Inspire me Fridays 49
52 cardpick up week 10

Suzie's 365 photos day 72: garden

Gosh, day 72 of the year already! And I'm still up to date with Suzie's 365 photos!

Today, Suzie is asking 'what's happening in your garden?' To be honest, the answer is 'not a lot really', although when I really look there are signs of spring. We have a large back garden and because we can't manage to do it we have to pay a gardener, so we had lots of shrubs put in years ago to keep cost down and eliminate weeding as much as possible, so there's lots of green and not much else at the moment, but these are a few patches of interest that I clicked as I walked around in the lovely sunshine this afternoon.

Suzie's day 72: garden:

Love script

This card is for the sketch for Technostamper Monday lunchtime 211:

It's also for Less is more 58: script - a one layer card.

The heart stamp is an old one that was a freebie with Craft Stamper, stamped with stazon blazing red (I know, it looks more like pink) and masked three times. These were then all masked to stamp the new Tim Holtz script stamp over that using memento tuxedo black. So I'm also linking for Incy wincy 136: something old/new, also Kort o mania 58: something old.

This is also for The squirrel and the fox 13: love

Howzat!

I need to make a few more men's cards before my sale next Saturday, so I'm glad of any inspiration I can get from challenges to help me get on with them.

This card is for Cards for men 5 sketch:

The cricketer is a stamped image from the Papermania nostalgia pastimes set designed by John Byars. This was coloured with copics, although not much colouring was required. All papers were from my offcus box, so another opportunity to play on the swings in Pixie's crafty snippets 11 playground, Hiding in my craftroom 37: super scraps Saturday and Crafty calendar March: spring clean; 'spring cleaning' is also the theme for Just some lines - to use at least two items that are at least six months old - not only all the offcuts are old, but the stamp set is well over six months old (and I confess that until now un-inked!)

This is also for:

Birthday sundaes 47: use green

Suzie's 365 day 71: hiding

This is a tough one, but I suddenly thought about my wood mounted rubber stamps (I can't really miss them because the shelves are above where I'm sitting). They are housed on the shelves one behind the other, so some of them are 'hiding', but I know what's there! So this is Suzie's day 71: hiding:

Jolly holly

The theme for today on Facebook Sunday's with Santa is 'holly', so out come the Anna Griffin supplies again for a simple card.

This is also another one for my own challenge CHNC 63: glam it up with glitter, as the red and white paper is very glittery - also Crafty boots: glitter and Dilly Beans: I love glitter.

And ABC Christmas challenge is E for evergreen, which includes holly.

Christmas ski girl

This card is for Sally's challenge for the Christmas Card Club with a 'winter sport' theme, so I chose a Squiggle Stamps digital image called 'ski girl', colouring her with copics. I've used the sketch given on Christmas challenges with sketches 21, which also has the theme 'baby it's cold outside' - please click on the link to see the sketch.

All card and papers used are from my Christmas offcuts box, so this is my first venture into the playground this week for Pixie's crafty snippets 11 (and, boy, do I need a time in the playground ... life is a bit difficult atm, so crafting and playing on the swings with friends is very welcome) - also for Hiding in my craftroom 37: super scraps Saturday and Crafty calendar March: spring clean; 'spring cleaning' is also the theme for Just some lines - to use at least two items that are at least six months old - not only all the offcuts are old, but also the 3D stickers and sentiment too. I was crafty today and even used a piece of card to back the image that had previously been used to punch out some snowflakes - the holey bits are well hidden.

I coloured her hair red for iCopic lover 72: red hair colouring.

This was one of those 'difficult to photo' cards because of all the shine on the foiling and mirror card behind the image.

This is also for:

Crinbo crackers 10: female

Love to create 5: monochromatic

Sweet stamps 56: monochromatic

Imagine

This is something a bit different to my norm - all elements for this were taken from The My Craft Studio Tinkering with Steampunk CD. This is for The CD Sunday challenge: imagine:

It's also for:

Crafts and me 74: things with wings
The pixie cottage 111: things with wings
My Craft spot 47: for the birds
If the shoe fits fashionista Friday 100: aquamarine
Chocolate, coffee & cards 8: feathers and fur
The paper shelter 54: anything goes
Paper crafting journey 4: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 3: anything goes
Make it Monday 79
Inspire me Fridays 49
52 cardpick up week 10

Lion notebook

This is a notebook with an offcut of paper for the background (can't remember where it came from - think it might have been free with a magazine), so this is another one for Pixie's crafty snippets 10.

A note to self: must alter more notebooks before next Saturday!

The stickers, which have an almost woven texture to them, came from the 99p shop. I know that the lion is a BIG cat, but he doesn't look at all fierce, so I think he's OK for the For fun 'woof woof meow!' challenge (I have the privilege of being a Guest Designer on For Fun for this week and next - it would be lovely if you could join in the fun there with a dog or cat creation).

This is also for:

Crafty Ann 60: anything but a card
Chocolate, coffee & cards 8: feathers and fur
Card crafters circle 13: orange and green
Blog a doodle: kids (I'm sure a child would love to receive this notebook)
The paper shelter 54: anything goes
Paper crafting journey 4: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 3: anything goes
Make it Monday 79
Inspire me Fridays 49
52 cardpick up week 10

No image, just words

Todays Secret crafter Saturday 176 challenge calls for 'no image, just words', so here are a couple of quick Christmas cards using some Basic Grey eskimo kisses paper and sentiment panels from a Kanban kit. These are over six months old, so this is also for Just some lines: spring cleaning - to use at least two items that are at least 6 months old.

Btw the cards aren't crooked, it's the photos - lol!

These are also for:

Sentimental Sundays 92: words of encouragement (the second card)
CAS-ual Friday 43: for sentimental reasons - CAS with a sentiment as the focal point

Suzie's 365 photos day 70: plant

This is for Suzie's day 70: plant (or, in my case, it ought to be 'neglected plant'!).

I was given this African violet plant some time ago - it had some lovely flowers, but for quite a while now hasn't shown any sign of any new ones, which is perhaps my fault as I tend to neglect it. It sits on the corner of the window sill normally and only gets watered when I think about it.

CHNC challenge 63: glam it up with glitter

Saturday's come round again with amazing speed, so it's time for a new challenge on my CHNC blog. Challenge 63 is 'glam it up with glitter' - a little or a lot. To find out more just click on the link - it would be lovely to see you there and for you to join in with your Christmas creations.

Today's challenge is being sponsored by Bugaboo stamps (more info on CHNC) and I've been joined by two of their team with their lovely glittered Christmas cards: Cely Smith and Sandye Curry - please go to their blogs and have a look at their lovely cards.

My card is based on Jill's sketch for Sketch n stash 82:

I used the Bugaboo digital stamp 'Cupcake Xmas Lights' colouring with copics and a Papermania glitter pen and mounting on a red and gold foiled panel. I've used an A5 sized card covered with an offcut of My Minds Eye glitter book paper - another wander into the playground at Pixie's crafty snippets 10. The red glittered panel across the bottom is recycled from a Christmas cracker the Christmas before last (yes, you've seen some of this before and I still have some left), edged with a glittered trim from Poundland. The Happy Christmas foiled sentiment and the red and white ribbon are from stash.

This is also for:

One stitch at a time 103: reuse or recycle
PaperPlay 10: recycle it
Scrap it girl March: go green & recycle
Party time Tuesday 58: riches at the end of the rainbow - lots of bling
Art impressions 54: sparkle & bling or embossing
Crafty boots: glitter
Catered crop: ravenous about ribbon
Hotshot craft 5: ribbon
Perfect sentiments 22: Christmas trimmings
Sweet stampin: let's see those layers
Totally papercrafts 107: my favourite things - making Christmas cards with glitter
The paper shelter 54: anything goes
Paper crafting journey 4: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 3: anything goes
Make it Monday 79
Inspire me Fridays 49
52 cardpick up week 10

Suzie's 365 day 69: fuzzy

It's been a difficult day, so no crafting to show (just managed to prepare my card ready for my Christmas challenge tomorrow, but that's all), and I'm very late in the day with a photo for Suzie's day 69: fuzzy.

It's a picture of Ellie who came to stay with me October 2008 after I'd won her in a Think Pink auction. She was made by Kaz.

I'm so tired that I have to admit that I've resorted to showing a photo that I'd already got (if I'm feeling like it I'll take an up to date one tomorrow - although Ellie isn't going to look any different - lol!).

Woof, woof

Yesterday I had the privilege of being a guest designer on For Fun where this week's challenge is 'woof woof meow!' I chose a cat theme for my card (you can see it here), but I thought I would now join in the challenge with a dog theme, so I've used my inkadinkado golden retriever stamp inked with memento cocoa bean and coloured with copics.

The sketch is for Sketches by Carly 51:

Colours are for this week's Daring cardmakers challenge where this inspiration picture was given:

This colour combo is quite unusual, but I love it. I used V & A linen effect papers on a lemon card blank (although it doesn't look lemon here), the blue paper is an old piece of K & Co and the image was stamped on an offcut of lemon textured card. This is another for Pixie's crafty snippets 10. The animal print ribbon has been in my stash for ages; the button is a die cut one that I cut with an Ellison thin cuts die, coloured with a copic marker.

This is also for:

Heidi's hobbystuggu March: animal

Crafters cafe blog March 2: ribbon and/or lace

Catered crop: ravenous about ribbon
Hotshot craft 5: ribbon

Moving along with the times: cute as a button
One stop craft 172: button it
Chocolate, coffee & cards 8: feathers and fur

The paper shelter 54: anything goes
Paper crafting journey 4: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 3: anything goes
Make it Monday 79
52 cardpick up week 9

Male birthday card

I needed to make another male birthday card for mum to send to Paul. This uses a combination of papers from Paper Cellar 'men 2' collection, simply made for the sketch on Just us girls 126:

Colours are for:

Victorine 29: green and white or black
Do you stack up 62: go green
Whimsical Wednesday: going green - incorporate green
Card caravan (the hybrid chick) 14: lucky green
Secret crafter Saturday 175: go for green
House of Gilli 27: Gilli goes green
Paper pretties Monday challenge: going green
Hiding in my craft room 36: colour challenge - monochromatic green

This is also for:

Lollipop crafts 70: clean and simple
Aud sentiments 49: happy birthday
Allways something creative 25: happy birthday
Anything goes 62: boyz to men
Paper pretties Wednesday 196: masculine card
Pile it on 10: are we seeing spots or stripes or both?
Crafty creations 160: stripes
The paper shelter 54: anything goes
Paper crafting journey 4: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 3: anything goes
Make it Monday 79
Inspire me Fridays 48
52 cardpick up week 9

Son's birthday

Why is it that family birthdays creep up and take me by surprise - I suddenly realised I needed to get this card done. Paul is a gym fan, so I think he'll like this.

I've used the sketch for Unscripted sketches 148:

Papers are English Paper Company 'men at work' and the stickers are Sandylion.

Colours are for Paperminutes 207: blue, white, black, also for For your inspiration 25 photo colours:

This is also for:

Aud sentiments 49: happy birthday
Allways something creative 25: happy birthday
Phindy's Friday 95: distressing (the torn paper)
Anything goes 62: boyz to men
Paper pretties Wednesday 196: masculine card
Love to create 5: monochromatic
Pile it on 10: are we seeing spots or stripes or both?
Crafty creations 160: stripes
The pink elephant 138: let's see those layers
The paper shelter 54: anything goes
Paper crafting journey 4: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 3: anything goes
Make it Monday 79
Inspire me Fridays 48
52 cardpick up week 9

Hearts just for you

This is for the sketch for Totally Gorjuss 121:

I'm not really sure about this card (think it might be too 'busy') - not having a very good day today. Anyway, the background paper and scalloped borders are by Kirsty Wiseman (free with Crafts beautiful), the felt hearts etc were from WHSmith, the band across the middle from Poundland and other bits and pieces from stash. The felt hearts and ribbon are for Ribbon carousel 44: 'cause we felt like it.

This is suitable for mother's day (with the appropriate insert), so it's also for:

Dream valley 27: mother's day - female themed
Lexi 60: mother's day
Scrapbook sisters 74: mother's day
Simon says: mother's day/special girl
Craft your days away 40: mother's day
Crafty ribbons 14: celebrate your mum

This is also for:

Pile it on 10: are we seeing spots or stripes or both?
Scrappy frogs: seeing spots
Dare to be sassy 115: polka dots
Crafty creations 160: stripes
Top tip Tuesday 71: stitches
Catered crop: ravenous about ribbon
Hotshot craft 5: ribbon
Art impressions 54: sparkle & bling or embossing
Critter 105: buttons, buttons, I love buttons
Let's craft and create 40: buttons and bows
Moving along with the times: cute as a button
One stop craft 172: button it
Crafty purple frog: pink and girly
The pink elephant 138: let's see those layers
The paper shelter 54: anything goes
Paper crafting journey 4: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 3: anything goes
Make it Monday 79
Inspire me Fridays 48
52 cardpick up week 9

Suzie's 365 day 68: bathtime

The nearest we get to bathtime nowadays is a shower. A few months ago, because of mobility problems, we had our bath taken out and our bathroom re-arranged with a lovely shower cabinet installed. As you can see, there's a seat that can be pulled down.

Suzie's 365 day 68: bathtime:

For day 3 on Suzie's photos the topic was 'ugly' and I showed the pipes and mess that was revealed when the bath was taken out - what a transformation (you can see what it looked like here).

My first paper piecing card

The challenge for Flashback Friday 21 is to show our first paper pieced card. Although I'd been making cards for years before this, my first attempt at paper piecing was with this card in February 2010 - you can see the original post here.