Happy Anniversary

This card has a final snippet of the My Craft Studio card used on the previous two cards, this time mostly showing the pink flowers, on a white card blank with a couple of flowers and Craftime sentiment.

This is for:

Pixie's crafty snippets week 71
Joanna Sheen: music & lyrics
The paper shelter 110: music maestro
Fairytale 66: a very special occasion
Great impressions May: celebrations
Card mania 20: flower power

Craft your passion 161: floral delights
Pink by design: May flowers
Card caravan (the hybrid chick) 42: use flowers
Crafts and me 131: floral frenzy
A and T 23: flowers
Order of the opus gluei 156: bouquet for you
Robyn's fetish 158: spring colours
City crafter 157: spring has sprung
Creative belli 168: spring (all supplies are old)
Playing in paradise 114: springtime joy
Glitter n sparkle 31: anything goes
Fussy & fancy 88: anything goes
DL.ART May linky party: anything goes
Make it Monday 139
Inspire me Fridays 101
52 card pick-up 2.18

Ruby wedding anniversary

I was silly and blogged the card that had an offcut of the paper used for this card - should have shown this one first - hey ho!

For this card I've used My Craft Studio background paper - this is so patterned that it only needed the little bunch of red roses, the sentiment and the numerals for a fortieth, ruby wedding anniversary (the numerals are gold although they don't look it here).

Sorry that the light has reflected on the glittered card.

This is for:

Joanna Sheen: music & lyrics
The paper shelter 110: music maestro
Fairytale 66: a very special occasion
Great impressions May: celebrations
Card mania 20: flower power
Craft your passion 161: floral delights
Pink by design: May flowers
Card caravan (the hybrid chick) 42: use flowers
Crafts and me 131: floral frenzy
A and T 23: flowers
Freshly brewed May: flowers
Order of the opus gluei 156: bouquet for you
One stitch at a time 162: anything goes
Glitter n sparkle 31: anything goes
Eclectic ellapu: anything goes
Fussy & fancy 88: anything goes
DL.ART May linky party: anything goes
Make it Monday 139
Inspire me Fridays 101
52 card pick-up 2.18

Birthday music and flowers

This card is made from a sparkly creamy white card blank on to which I've used an offcut of some My Craft Studio card with music and flowers, some textured sticky ribbon that I've had for ages, plus a sentiment and flowers from stash. As this includes an offcut I'm dallying in the playground for a while (putting off sweeping out the shed) at Pixie's crafty snippets week 71.

This is also for:

Facebook A card a day
Joanna Sheen: music & lyrics
The paper shelter 110: music maestro
Aud sentiments 79: birthday
Card mania 20: flower power
Craft your passion 161: floral delights
Pink by design: May flowers
Card caravan (the hybrid chick) 42: use flowers
Crafty calendar May: blooms and blossoms
Crafts and me 131: floral frenzy
A and T 23: flowers
Freshly brewed May: flowers
Order of the opus gluei 156: bouquet for you
Robyn's fetish 158: spring colours
City crafter 157: spring has sprung
Creative belli 168: spring (all supplies are old)
Use your stuff 83: texturize (the textured ribbons and flowers)
Playing in paradise 114: springtime joy
Sugar creek hollow 60: spring flowers
Crafty ribbons 44: anything goes with ribbon
One stitch at a time 162: anything goes
Glitter n sparkle 31: anything goes
Eclectic ellapu: anything goes
Fussy & fancy 88: anything goes
DL.ART May linky party: anything goes
Make it Monday 139
Inspire me Fridays 101
52 card pick-up 2.18

Pink and green thank you

The shimmery flowers were decoupaged and stuck on to the oval that was torn round a template. The papers were from my offcuts box, so an opportunity to join in the playground fun at Pixie's crafty snippets for week 71 (think I need another gentle turn on the swings because it's not as warm as I thought it would be today).

The narrow panel down the left hand side is some sticky ribbon and the 'thank you' sentiment is acetate, so I ran it through my little Xyron X to save any sticky mess.

This is also for:

Facebook A card a day
Tuesday throwdown 145: thank you teacher (I know it doesn't say 'teacher', but I'm sure she would be pleased to receive it)
Tammy scraping corner 60: lots of layers
The cutie pie 43: lots of layers
Paper pretties 256: pink & green
Hiding in my craft room 96: name your colours - pink and green this time
Card caravan (the hybrid chick) 42: use flowers
Crafty calendar May: blooms and blossoms
Crafts and me 131: floral frenzy
A and T 23: flowers
Freshly brewed May: flowers
Critter 162: flowers
One stop craft 227: flower power
Order of the opus gluei 156: bouquet for you
Robyn's fetish 158: spring colours
City crafter 157: spring has sprung
Creative belli 168: spring (all supplies are old)
Playing in paradise 114: springtime joy
Sugar creek hollow 60: spring flowers
Scrappy frogs April: think spring
Crafty ribbons 44: anything goes with ribbon
CCEE 1318: make it shimmer
One stitch at a time 162: anything goes
Glitter n sparkle 31: anything goes
Eclectic ellapu: anything goes
Fussy & fancy 88: anything goes
DL.ART May linky party: anything goes
Inspire me Fridays 101
52 card pick-up 2.18

The holly and the ivy

For today's challenge for the Christmas Card Club, Zoe asked us to make a clean and simple one layer card.

I've based my card on the sketch given for CAS on Sunday 7:

And have used colours for Less is more 118, where this colour wheel was given, with the challenge to use two opposite colours, so I chose green and red:

This is also for CAS-ual Friday 100: tic tac toe - I chose the middle line: square card, bling, text.

Stamps are Elusive Images 'holly ivy mix' inked with Brilliance pearlescent ivy and coloured with Crayola colouring pencils. I added four red gems for a bit of bling.

For the love of Wonderland

'For the love of Wonderland' is the title of chapter 26 on Altered Alice. We are invited to share all things Alice in Wonderland, old projects or new.

This is a card I shared in February 2010 here featuring Alice:

and a few days later I shared this card here:

This was followed in March 2010 by this card here:

But I think my favourite 'Wonderland' creation is a digital one that I originally showed here which was made for Altered Alice chapter 12: hearts:

Another purple birthday card

This card uses the background piece of the M & S gift card that I upcycled on the previous card - so I've managed to get two cards from it. Once again I started with a deep purple card blank, matted the recycled gift card background on to which I added sizzix movers & shapers fancy label die cuts in gold and patterned paper. I stamped on to the patterned paper with one of my favourite Penny Black stamps called 'sparklers', inked with stazon vibrant violet - I love the way that this matches the design on the patterned paper (almost by accident!). I used another piece of the patterned paper to mat and layer with the peel off sentiment.

This is for:

Penny Black Saturday May: anything goes
Hiding in my craftroom 96: name your colours - purple, lilac and gold
Aud sentiments 79: birthday
Crafty sentiments: the letter B - birthday, bling, blooms
Allsorts 205: add some sparkle
Creative card crew 35: bling
Amusing challenges (stamped blessings): recycled
Die cuttin' divas 113: anything goes
Stamp and create April: use at least 1 die cut
As you like it 1: favourite die and/or punch - I like these sizzix labels dies - so attractive and versatile
Emerald faerie garden 43: ribbons
Spark your creativity 9: anything goes
Our creative corner May: anything goes
Fussy & fancy 88: anything goes
DL.ART May linky party: anything goes
Make it Monday 138
Inspire me Fridays 101
52 card pick-up 2.18

Happy birthday

I started off with a deep purple card blank on to which I matted a cut piece of shaped card that was left over from making the easel card that I showed here. The panel with a pocket was rescued and upcycled from a Marks & Spencer gift card. This was on a bigger card that had a pull out piece of lilac card that said 'especially for you' - I cut this down and added into the pocket. The shimmery flowers were from Create & Craft.

This is for:

Facebook A card a day
Hiding in my craftroom 96: name your colours - purple and lilac
Crafting for all seasons 51: monochromatic
Aud sentiments 79: birthday
Wags n whiskers 103: girly birthday
Perfect sentiments 77: make it feminine
Bloggers challenge: a feminine touch
Crafty sentiments: the letter B - birthday, bling, blooms
Corrosive 173: for a special lady
Let's craft and create 69: one for the girls
Crafty calendar May: blooms and blossoms
Forever friends 60: use lots of flowers
Crafts and me 131: floral frenzy
A and T 23: flowers
Freshly brewed May: flowers
Card caravan (the hybrid chick) 42: use flowers
Critter 162: flowers
One stop craft 227: flower power
Emerald faerie garden 43: ribbons
Crafty ribbons 44: anything goes with ribbon
Delightful: add ribbon
Allsorts 205: add some sparkle
Creative card crew 35: bling
CCEE 1318: make it shimmer
Spark your creativity 9: anything goes
Our creative corner May: anything goes
Twisted Tuesday 49: free for all
Fussy & fancy 88: anything goes
DL.ART May linky party: anything goes
Make it Monday 138
Inspire me Fridays 101
52 card pick-up 2.18

CHNC challenge 123: let's get sentimental (use a sentiment)

Can you believe that it's May already - more than a third of the year gone already. If you haven't started on your Christmas cards yet then this might be a good time to join in with my CHNC challenge 123 - all you've got to do is make sure there is a sentiment on the front of your card - easy peasy!

The background paper is an offcut of Graphic 45 'Carol of the bells'. The image is a combination of 'Charlie Christmas bear' and 'Christmas word art' kindly supplied by one of the sponsors of CHNC challenge 123, Robyn'sFetish Digital Stamps And More, which I coloured digitally in Paint.

The sparkly glittered holly ribbon was bought a few years ago - over the months I seem to have used plenty of it and there's still lots left. The bell is a wooden sentiment that was free with a magazine, coloured with copics. The sentiment was computer generated.

This is also for:

Pixie's crafty snippets week 70
Sparkles forum Christmas 28: favourite festive colours (I love lots of different combos for Christmas, but traditional red and green is still a favourite)
Animal friends 2: checked and/or striped - at least 1 animal friend
Drunken stampers 126: braveheart - movie or tartan/plaid/gingham
Allsorts 205: add some sparkle
Really reasonable ribbon 71: sparkle, bling & ribbon
Delightful: add ribbon
Crafty ribbons 44: anything goes with ribbon
CCEE 1318: make it shimmer
Catch the bug May: anything goes
Kort o mania 85: anything goes
Spark your creativity 9: anything goes
Our creative corner May: anything goes
Fussy & fancy 88: anything goes
Inky linky 13
DL.ART May linky party: anything goes
Make it Monday 138
Inspire me Fridays 101
52 card pick-up 2.18

Special birthday card

I was asked by a friend to make a card for his wife's 70th birthday. It was her birthday yesterday (hope you had a good day, Diane, if you see this) so I can safely show the card now.

I used two shaped cards, cutting the front off one to make the upright of the easel. The middle nestie shapes and the edges of the card were edged with spectrum noir pens. The middle panel was stamped randomly with a little unknown blossom stamp that I've had since I first started cardmaking - one of those very useful little ones - and I coloured the blossom with a spectrum noir. The sentiment was printed directly (had to have a few goes at this before I got it right). The shimmery flowers are from Create and craft - the smaller ones were white, so I inked them with spectrum noirs. The piece of ric rac ribbonand the gems were from stash.

This is for:

The house that stamps built DCC424: shaped cards
Totally papercrafts 165|: don't be square - shaped cards
Di's digi designs: anything but square
Lacy sunshine 7: monochrome
Crafting for all seasons 51: monochromatic
Spectrum noir May: purple
All kinds of cards 79: birthday card
Aud sentiments 79: birthday
Wags n whiskers 103: girly birthday
Perfect sentiments 77: make it feminine
Bloggers challenge: a feminine touch
The stamp spot May: feminine
Let's craft and create 69: one for the girls
Jellypark friends: it's a girly challenge theme
Crafty sentiments: the letter B - birthday, bling, blooms
Corrosive 173: for a special lady
Nightshift stamping: something special
Fairytale 66: a very special occasion
By the cute and girl May: flowers
Forever friends 60: use lots of flowers
Crafts and me 131: floral frenzy
One crazy stamper May: flowers
Sandy's crafty creations May: anything goes with a twist - must use a stamped image, die cut and 3 or more flowers
A and T 23: flowers
Freshly brewed May: flowers
Card caravan (the hybrid chick) 42: use flowers
Critter 162: flowers
Get inky 3: fabulous floral fun
Nutcrafters 41: bingo - I chose the bottom line: die cuts, gems, ribbon
Die cuttin' divas 113: anything goes (label die cuts)
Stampavie and more 192: lots of die cuts
Stampin' for the weekend: die cuts and/or punches
Stamp and create April: use at least 1 die cut
Creative card crew 35: bling
Whimsical: bling it out
Really reasonable ribbon 71: sparkle, bling & ribbon
Emerald faerie garden 43: ribbons
Delightful: add ribbon
CCEE 1318: make it shimmer
Divas by design: add a number
Fashionable stamping 46: sentimental
Southern girls 68: you can say that again - sentiment
Crafty ribbons 44: anything goes with ribbon
The crafting cafe May: lady luck
Mema's crafts May: anything goes + option: May flowers
Crafting musketeers 1: anything goes
Bearly mine 84: anything goes
LEJ 51: anything goes
Party time Tuesday 118: anything goes
Through the craftrom door: anything goes
Kort o mania 85: anything goes
Spark your creativity 9: anything goes
Our creative corner May: anything goes
Twisted Tuesday 49: free for all
Paper-crafting journey: anything goes
Fussy & fancy 88: anything goes
Inky linky 13
DL.ART May linky party: anything goes
Make it Monday 138
Inspire me Fridays 101
52 card pick-up 2.18

Guest design slot for Christmas stampin' all year long

I'm privileged to have been invited to be a guest designer for Christmas Stampin' all year long challenge 14 where this inspiration photo is given:

I used the Theodore's Christmas present digital image kindly supplied by the sponsor, Bugaboo Stamp, coloured with spectrum noir alcohol pens with a sparkle of  icicle Stickles. The diamond matt foiled card is an offcut on to which I layered some netting and silver ribbon as well as the sentiment that was left over long ago from a Kanban kit.

Please click on the link for the Christmas stampin' challenge and see what the design team have done and, hopefully, join in.

This is also for:

Facebook A card  a day
All that stickles: icicle
Spectrum noir May: purple
Lacy sunshine 7: monochrome
Crafting for all seasons 51: monochromatic
Crafty ribbons 44: anything goes with ribbon
LEJ 51: anything goes
Kort o mania 85: anything goes
Spark your creativity 9: anything goes
Our creative corner May: anything goes
Twisted Tuesday 49: free for all
Paper-crafting journey: anything goes
Fussy & fancy 88: anything goes
Inky linky 13
DL.ART May linky party: anything goes
Make it Monday 138
Inspire me Fridays 101
52 card pick-up 2.18

Guest design slot for Fab 'n' funky

I'm privileged to have been asked to join Fab 'n' funky as a guest designer for the month of May. Please click on the link for the challenge and have a look at the lovely crafting of the regular design team and, hopefully, join the in the challenge.

Today's Fab 'n' funky 169: 'lots of pink' challenge is being sponsored by Stampart Design by Kathryne at Whimsy Stamps, who kindly supplied the 'sweetie bear' image that I've used for my card.

Papers are Me to you 'spring chic'. I coloured the image with spectrum noir alcohol pens and printed again on to a piece of the Me to you paper and paper pieced the bear's dress. The bows were originally white - I inked them with a spectrum noir. The stitched ribbon is DCWV and the flowers with pearls are from stash.

This is also for:

Facebook A card a day
Moving along with the times: baby card
Crazy 4 challenges 183: baby
Paper makeup 86: celebrations
Flourishes timeless 218: it's all in the date - my birth month August: a bow or two, some stitching
Rhedd and rosies 5: stitching
Crafting for all seasons 51: monochromatic
Crafty ribbons 44: anything goes with ribbon
Totally gorjuss 181: ribbons and pearls
Emerald faerie garden 43: ribbons
Ruby's rainbow 53: furry friends
Animal friends 2: checked and/or striped
Card caravan (the hybrid chick) 42: use flowers
Critter 162: flowers
Get inky 3: fabulous floral fun
Nadia 55: flowers
A and T 23: flowers
Everybody art 234: pearls
Inky linky 13

CHNC challenge extra for May

It doesn't seem possible that it's May already - a third of the year has gone - how did that happen so quickly? Those who have made a start on their Christmas cards will be thankful when it gets nearer to the festive time towards the end of the year. So many crafters have been joining in my CHNC challenges - it's great to see so many like-minded folk getting on with their Christmas cards early. It's now time to begin cards for CHNC challenge extra for May - please visit and see the cards that my guest has supplied for the challenge and, hopefully, you'll join in with the fun.

For my card I used three digital papers supplied by Bugaboo Stamps - 'blue frosty', 'blue frosty' words and 'blue snowflakes', as well as the 'snowman snowflakes' image. I coloured the image with alcohol pens.

I based the card on the sketch given for Cordine's sketch for The Sketchy challenge 46 - I turned the sketch and adapted it a bit:

I used my Die-namics fishtail die - this set of dies are proving so useful, so many sketches atm seem to have these shapes incorporated.

Colours are for Holly jolly Christmas: red, white and blue Christmas.

This is also for:

Crimbo crackers 40: anything goes
Die cuttin' divas 113: anything goes
Stampin' for the weekend: die cuts and/or punches
Card crafters circle 72: boys to men
Live laugh stamp word play Saturday April: weather
QKR stampede 36: favourite things - making Christmas cards, colouring with alcohol pens
Inky linky 12

There's nothing better than a friend ...

... except a friend with chocolate!

I've used the front of a booklet from Hotel Chocolat (advertising their new range of chocolates). I coloured the chocs with copics, added the little brown prima spacers and printed out the sentiment and edged with a copic.

This is for:

Facebook A card a day
Kreativer Bastel 21: friendship
Kaboodle 169: use brown and/or tan
Songbird 19: truly scrumptious
Little Miss Muffet 59: food, glorious food
Joanna Sheen: recycle
Pink gem 77: going green (recycling)
Bearly mine 84: anything goes
Celebrate the occasion 110: anything goes
LEJ 51: anything goes
Party time Tuesday 118: anything goes
Through the craft room door: anything goes
Twisted Tuesday 49: free for all
Crafting by designs: anything goes
DL.ART thankful Thursday April linky: anything goes
Make it Monday 138
Inspire me Fridays 100
52 card pick-up 2.17

Simply happy birthday

Simple shaped card with the front of another smaller shaped card matted on to it with some silver Papermania flower stickers and a stamped sentiment.

This is for:

Lexi 89: happy birthday
Aud sentiments 79: birthday
Polka doodles 17: birthdays with bling
The house that stamps built DCC424 shaped cards
One sweet challenge April: shape for card base
Card caravan (one hybrid chick) 42: use flowers
Critter 162: flowers
Forever friends 60: use lots of flowers
Let's craft and create 68: flowers
A and T 23: flowers

Vintage shoes

The tag on this card was made some time ago, but never used, so I decided to simple mount on the pink shape and then on to a brown card blank. On the tag there is a vintage rub on and a couple of prima spacers  - and some sponging with tattered rose and warn lipstick distress inks.

Colours are for Cupcake inspirations 208:

This is for:

Scrap-cards 46: use one letter of the alphabet - S for shoes, sentiment, shabby chic, spacers
Inspiration avenue: high heels (although not as high as some I used to wear - sadly, not any more)
Fashionista 15: shabby or vintage
Ooh-la-la 129: vintage/nostalgic
Fussy & fancy 87: vintage
De Creatieve zebra 17: anything goes
Crafting by designs: anything goes
DL.ART thankful Thursday April linky: anything goes
Make it Monday 138
Inspire me Fridays 100
52 card pick-up 2.17

On your birthday

This card was made with some offcut papers, a couple of pieces of ribbon, the shape with the flowers that was rescued from a card received long ago and upcycled, a few glittery flowers from Poundland and a sentiment from stash (this is pink foiled although it doesn't look so here).

This is for:

Pixie's crafty snippets week 70
Lexi 89: happy birthday
Aud sentiments 79: birthday
Polka doodles 17: birthdays with bling
Crafty creations 219: pink + one (purple)
Crafty ribbons 44: anything goes with ribbon
Pretty little ribbon shop April 21: spring is in the air and ribbon
Pink gem 77: going green (recycling)
Joanna Sheen: recycle
Desert island 52: I chose: use a birthday sentiment, use glitter, bling it up, make it square

You're in my prayers

A simple card to let someone know that they are being remembered. Label shape on to a brown card blank, stamped sentiment inked with memento rich cocoa (stap by Whipper snapper designs inc) and some prima flowers.

This is for:

Facebook A card a day
Inky linky 12
Kaboodle 169: use brown and/or tan
Card caravan (the hybrid chick) 42: use flowers
Critter 162: flowers
Get inky 3: fabulous floral fun
Die cuttin' divas 112: flowers (label shape die cut)
Let's craft and create 68: flowers
Nadia 55: flowers
Wags n whiskers 102: May flowers
A and T 23: flowers
Little red wagon 182: crimp my style (the flowers)
Lacy sunshine 7: monochrome
Stamp and create April: use at least 1 die cut
Word art Wednesday 77: anything goes
Challenges 4 everybody 19: anything goes
Eclectic ellapu: literally anything goes
De Creatieve zebra 17: anything goes
Crafting by designs: anything goes
DL.ART thankful Thursday April linky: anything goes
Make it Monday 138
Inspire me Fridays 100
52 card pick-up 2.17

My final Christmas card for today (perhaps!)

This card is for Rudolph Day over on Sandra's blog, so it's quite appropriate that it includes Rudolph - the 3D sticker and the little one with the heart etc was in a pack by Express yourself DIY (they were a reduced bargain at Rymans). The background paper is My mind's eye Merry and bright and the banner sentiment is from that range as well.

The red glittered label die cut behind Rudolph was cut from the remains of a Christmas cracker from a couple of years ago - I've used quite of lot of this over the past couple of years - sadly, I think this is the last piece although there might still be bits lurking at the bottom of the Christmas box. Those crackers were so good to recycle.

This is also for:

Facebook A card a day
Facebook Sunday's with Santa week 14: recycle (this means I'm up to date now - yay!)
Shopping our stash 98: dollar or bargain bin find (the 3D stickers were reduced)
Frilly and funkie: upcycle for earth day

Monochrome season's greetings

For this Christmas card I've used an offcut of Hunkydory card and three Santa pictures rescued from a card received (probably about five years ago), with just the addition of an Anna Griffin sentiment.

The card is based on the sketch for Christmas card challenges week 22:

This is also for:

Pixie's crafty snippets week 70
Sunday's with Santa Facebook week 17: monotone (that's today's challenge - only one more to do now and I'll be up to date)
Joanna Sheen: recycle
Pink gem 77: going green (I chose 'recycle' rather than the colour green)
Crimbo crackers 40: anything goes
Challenges 4 everybody 19: anything goes
Eclectic ellapu: literally anything goes
Cards for men 8: anything goes (think this is suitable for a man/boy)
Card crafters circle 72: boys to men

The Christmas family

Can anyone explain to me why I'm making more Christmas cards when I've got other cards that need to be made ... and I also want to try out my new gelli plate? One of the explanations is 'because I love making Christmas cards', another is that I'm a bit behind with Facebook Sunday's with Santa and don't want to lag any further behind.

So here is my card for week 16: family. At first I was going to make a card with a family around the fireside or something similar, but then I found a recycled picture in my Christmas box and decided that was perfect for the 'family' theme. I've used a Hunkydory card for the background, simply adding a golden sentiment to match the gold of the image. A simple card, but I don't think it needs anything else.

This is also for:

Joanna Sheen: recycle
Pink gem 77: going green (I chose 'recycle' rather than the colour green)
Crimbo crackers 40: anything goes
Celebrate the occasion 109: clean and simple
Inspiration avenue: talk to the animals - I wonder what these animals would have to say if they were asked?
Challenges 4 everybody 19: anything goes
Eclectic ellapu: literally anything goes
Cards for men 8: anything goes
Crafting by designs: anything goes
DL.ART thankful Thursday April linky: anything goes
Inspire me Fridays 100
52 card pick-up 2.17