Sweet pea stampers: embossing

This is my design card for the Sweet pea stampers 'embossing' challenge - wet or dry. I've included some dry embossing achieved with an Embossalicious folder with my eBosser - a snippet piece that was left over from a previous project - it was done with matt silver card which I brushed with peacock feathers distress ink.

I used Ching Chou Kuik's 'silentness' (owl version) digi, colouring with spectrum noir pens. The papers I've used are offcuts from the Far East stack, including the piece behind the embossed panel and the sentiment. Flowers from Hobbycraft.

This is also for:

Pixie's snippets 137
Hiding in my craft room Blogiversary 1: super scraps Saturday
Creative card crew 68: embossing (wet or dry)
Eclectic paperie ePlay August: embossing
As you like it: favourite embellishments and why? - flowers - they add a touch of dimension
Dare to be sassy Thursdays 242: stack it up - 3 or more layers
DRS 135: birthday card
Little tangles 42: happy birthday
Seize the birthday: anything goes birthday
Bloggers challenge: they say it's your birthday
Wags n whiskers 135: birthdays
Corrosive 205: birthdays
Little red wagon 250: happy birthday
Great impressions August: birthday bash
Crafty boots: flowers
Melonheadz friends: flowers
Crafty creations 269: flower power
Spectrum noir August: floral - flowers & nature
Eureka 102: things with wings
Ruby's rainbow 85: for the birds
Mark's finst papers speedy fox and friends 224: feathers
A creative romance: fantasy
Miriam's crafting 15: fantasy
Digi sketch: fairies
Chocolate, coffee & cards 71: fairies
Pattie's 97: monochromatic
Simply create too 68: monochromatic
Crafty calendar August: anything goes
Sisters of craft August: anything goes
Crafty sentiments: anything goes
Pinspirational 120: anything goes
Just inspirational August: anything goes
Fitztown 47: anything goes
Robyn's fetish 224: anything goes
Crafting from the heart 31: anything goes
613 avenue create 84: anything goes
Little Miss Muffet 92: anything goes
Crafty girls 24: anything goes
Penny's 190: anything goes
Treasured times 22: anything goes
V's sweet 26: anything goes
My craft creations: anything goes
Sister act 70
Crafting by designs August anything goes
DL.ART August anything goes

CHNC challenge extra for August mid-month inspiration

It seems impossible that it is already 15 August and time for some mid-month inspiration on CHNC challenge extra for August. The design team have some lovely designs to show - please click on the link and have a look - and we would love to see more of your Christmas entries.

For my card I've used Bugaboo Stamps 'stocking line', matted on to an offcut piece of card and then on to a stray piece of card left from a gift bag from a couple of years ago. This was matted on to an offcut piece of Graphic 45 paper and then on to a piece of card and finally on to a red card blank.

This is also for:

Pixie's snippets 137
Hiding in my craft room Blogiversary 1: super scraps Saturday
The 12 months of Christmas card link up
CRAFT 272: Christmas
Deep ocean 84: Christmas in August
Crafty catz 244: recycle it (the piece of gift bag)
Fitztown 47: anything goes
Robyn's fetish 224: anything goes
My craft creations: anything goes
Sister act 70
Crafting by designs August anything goes

Fan-tastic Tuesday challenge 48: anything goes

This is my design team card for Fan-tastic Tuesday 48: anything goes. Please click on the link to see the lovely crafting of the rest of the team and join in our challenge.

I created this totally digitally, starting off with a film background from Microsoft Publisher clipart, on to which I put 'camera life' images kindly given to the team by the sponsor, Sparkle n Sprinkle. The other digis that I've used are freebies from the internet - I changed the colours, faded the backgrounds etc.

This is also for:

Cardz for guyz 31: cameras/photos
Craft your passion 226: bring me sunshine (add some yellow)
Flat friends 23: say it with a quote
Through the craftroom door: anything goes
Fitztown 47: anything goes
Crafty girls 24: anything goes
Perfectly rustics 29: masculine card
Soartful August: eye glasses, spectacles
Hiding in my craft room blogiversary 4: freestyle
Crafting by designs August anything goes
DL.ART August anything goes

Cheerful stamp pad challenge 92 week 2

This is my design card for week 2 of Cheerful stamp pad challenge 92: all that jazz.

I've used some sheet music that I found on the internet and created my card digitally in Microsoft Picture It, adding digital images taken from Jazz Band, kindly supplied by Stitchy Bear's digi outlet, together with a quote by Duke Ellington - all created digitally.

This is also for:

Love to create 128: inspired by a song, book or movie
Perfectly rustics 29: masculine card
Hiding in my craft room blogiversary 4: freestyle
Fitztown 47: anything goes
613 avenue create 84: anything goes
Robyn's fetish 224: anything goes
Crafting from the heart 31: anything goes
Crafting by designs August anything goes
DL.ART August anything goes

Altered box

It was Lizzie's turn to set the theme for the Christmas Card Club's challenge this fortnight and she asked us to make 'anything but a card'. I've had to prepare this ahead of time because when this goes live we will be away from home (attending a family funeral and extending our stay). I had very little time to make anything, but remembered that I had a sturdy box that I could alter:

My box isn't in the same league as those that Lizzie makes - click on the link above to see what she gets up to - partly because of lack of time, but mainly because I lack the skill to make anything like she does.

I covered it with some DCWV Christmas paper (although this paper could be used for any time of the year), adding some grosgrain decorated ribbon and some ripple bauble stickers from Hobbycraft, threading some red and white twine through and tying, then adding a few miscellaneous stickers. Very simple, but it will now be used to put some of my Christmas crafting bits and bobs in.

Colours for Christmas card challenges 37:

This is also for:

My craft creations: anything goes
Crafting by designs August anything goes
Dragonfly dreams 8: inspired by a book you read as a child - 'The gingerbread man'

CHNC challenge 189:fur and/or feather

Today's CHNC challenge 189 is ''fur and/of feather' - feature an animal and/or a bird on your Christmas creation. Please click on the link and join in the challenge.

This is my card using the same supplies that you've seen for a couple of other previous CHNC challenges - My Mind's Eye Lost & Found Christmas and 3D stickers. I used up pieces of paper that were on my workspace when I made the other similar cards.

This is also for:

The 12 months of Christmas card link up
Fitztown 47: anything goes
My craft creations: anything goes
Crafting by designs August anything goes

Posted with Blogsy

Suzy Bee's Bloomin' challenge 41

For my design card for Suzy Bee's Bloomin' challenge 41 I used some golfing background paper that I got some time ago from PDA card and craft. The diamond embossed card strip is a piece left over from a previous project which was created with an Embossalicious folder with my eBosser. It was matt silver card, so I brushed it with peacock feathers distress ink. The happy golfer is Bugaboo Stamps AKV golf - golf bag (Bugaboo are sponsoring Suzy Bee's challenge), coloured with spectrum noir pens.

Please click on the challenge link to see the lovely crafting of others in the team - and it would be great if you could join us with your entries.

This is also for:

Eclectic paperie ePlay August: embossing
Corrosive 205: birthdays
Little tangles 42: happy birthday
Wags n whiskers 135: birthdays
Fitztown 47: anything goes
My craft creations: anything goes
Crafting by designs August anything goes
DL.ART August anything goes

Completely Christmas challenge 24

This is my design card for Completely Christmas 24: anything goes. I've used Sparkle n Sprinkle 'winter cardinal', coloured with spectrum noir pens.I've mounted the image on to a Hunkydory card background - I didn't have enough in one piece so I put two pieces together with a striped border joining them. This then was mounted on to another piece of Hunkydory with the sentiment added. The image and the sentiment circle are raised up with 3D foam.

Please click on the challenge link and enter your designs and have a look at those of the rest of the team.

This is also for:

The 12 months of Christmas card link up
Ruby's rainbow 85: for the birds
Mark's finst papers speedy fox and friends 224: feathers
Fitztown 47: anything goes
My craft creations: anything goes
Crafting by designs August anything goes

Fan-tastic Tuesday challenge 47: anything goes

This is my design card for Fan-tastic Tuesday challenge 47 - please click on the link to see the lovely designs of the rest of the team and join in the challenge.

I used Lacy Sunshine 'keiko', kindly supplied by the sponsor, coloured with spectrum noir pens. All papers were offcuts from The Far East stack that I had ages ago, but it seems to last forever (thankfully, because I love it).

This is also for:

Pixie's snippets week 136
Great impressions August: birthday bash
Going grey with Scrap-creations: birthday
Time out 11: celebrations
We do doobadoo 11: celebrations
Sweet 7 challenge 1: birthdays
Whoopsi Daisy: B items - blue
Crafty sentiments: add a sentiment
Paper make up digi makeover 152: anything goes
Crafter's cafe 74: use a digi
Cards galore August: anything goes
Mema's crafts August: anything goes
Sisters of craft August: anything goes
Inky impressions 170: anything goes
613 avenue create 83: anything goes
Eclectic ellapu: anything goes
Crafting from the heart 30: anything goes
Fitztown 47: anything goes
My craft creations: anything goes
Just inspirational August: anything goes
4 crafty chicks 205: anything goes
Sister act 68
Crafting by designs August anything goes
DL.ART August: anything goes

All that jazz for Cheerful stamp pad challenge 92

This is my design card for today's Cheerful stamp pad challenge 92: all that jazz.

I've used some sheet music that I found on the internet and created my card digitally in Microsoft Picture It, adding digital images taken from Jazz Band, kindly supplied by Stitchy Bear's digi outlet.

This is also for:

Red carpet studio 75: pitch perfect - music
Cardz 4 guyz 30: a song title - And all that jazz
Digitally sweet 99: favourite colours - I love black and white with one other accent colour - the card was achieved 100% digitally
Take a word: black/white/red
Paper make up digi makeover 152: anything goes
Crafter's cafe 74: use a digi
Cards galore August: anything goes
Mema's crafts August: anything goes
Sisters of craft August: anything goes
Inky impressions 170: anything goes
613 avenue create 83: anything goes
Eclectic ellapu: anything goes
Crafting from the heart 30: anything goes
Fitztown 47: anything goes
My craft creations: anything goes
Just inspirational August: anything goes
4 crafty chicks 205: anything goes
Sister act 68
Crafting by designs August anything goes

The Glory of Christmas challenge 39: christmas tree

The theme for today's Glory of Christmas challenge 39 is 'Christmas tree'. I've made a simple card with Hunkydory supplies from their Christmas Choir set, using a card blank with the corners punched inwards - so I lined the insided so that it can just be seen through the little gaps.

This is also for:

The 12 months of Christmas card link up
My perfect life festive 48 week 30
Craftin desert divas 36: Christmas in July
Left of center: Christmas in August
Crafting for the craig 7: a craft item you have never used before - the whole of this kit is new
4 crafty chicks 205: anything goes
The pink elephant 261: anything goes
My craft creations: anything goes
Sister act 68
Crafting by designs August anything goes

CHNC challenge 188: wish upon a star

Today's CHNC challenge 188 is all about stars - 'wish upon a star' - please visit and see what it's all about and join in the challenge - as usual, there are some lovely prizes to be won for the randomly chosen winners.

For my card I've used card and elements from Hunkydory's 'A child is born' which is part of their 'The road to Bethlehem' card collection that I bought recently. I love the whole kit because it is what Christmas is really about. The photo isn't good - I didn't make the card till last evening, so I had to rely on flash - and it's dull and raining now so no chance of getting a better picture.

This is also for:

The 12 months of Christmas card link up
Christmas card challenges 35: anything goes
Left of center: Christmas in August
Craftin desert divas 36: Christmas in July
Crafting for the craig 7: a craft item you have never used before - the whole of this kit is new
4 crafty chicks 205: anything goes
The pink elephant 261: anything goes
My craft creations: anything goes
Sister act 68
Crafting by designs August anything goes

Suzy Bee's Bloomin' challenge 40

This is my design card for Suzy Bee's Bloomin' challenge 40, which is once again 'anything goes'. Please click the link to see the lovely crafting of the rest of the team - and please join in the challenge, which is being sponsored by Sparkle n Sprinkle who kindly supplied the 'sewing machine' and 'dress form with flowers' digital images that I used for my card. I coloured with spectrum noir pens. I decided to keep this card simple with just the one layer, adding some faux stitching around the edges and some felt buttons from Poundland and some gold prima spacers.

This is also for:

A little bit crafty August: sew what 

Live & love crafts 26: stitching

Hobby cutz 58: buttons galore

Top tip Tuesday: material girl (felt buttons)

My mum's craft shop 20: clean & simple

Ooh-la-la 161: vintage

Cute card Thursday 332: vintage

Simply create too 67: old/vintage
Inkspirational 62: use markers or pencils

Completely Christmas 23: anything goes

This is my design card for this week's Completely Christmas 23 'anything goes' challenge - please click the link to see the lovely crafting of the team and please join in the fun with your entries.

I've used Stitchy Bear 'Baby it's cold outside' digital paper and 'Hope Jacre Doodle 3 Christmas trees' (Stitchy Bear is our sponsor) for my card, assembling them digitally with a sentiment added and then printing and colouring with spectrum noir, adding glue and polar white flower soft and lots of small red gems dotted around. The composition was then mounted on to a dark green card blank.

This is also for:

The 12 months of Christmas card link up
Christmas card challenges 35: anything goes
Left of center: Christmas in August
Craftin desert divas 36: Christmas in July
4 crafty chicks 205: anything goes
The pink elephant 261: anything goes
My craft creations: anything goes
Sister act 68
Crafting by designs August anything goes
DL.ART August anything goes

Third design card for CCAYR August

This is my second design card for CCAYR August challenge: sparkle and glitter. Please click the link to see the wonderful crafting of the rest of the team and we would love to see you entering the challenge with your sparkle and glitter creations.

The background paper was free with a magazine - I've mounted this on to a stardream black card that has a lovely sparkly look to it. I've used one of my favourite Christmas stamps, Rubber Stampede 'Santa collage', inked with versafine black onyx and heat embossed with black detail powder, as was the Crafter's Companion Sentimentals sentiment stamp.The glittered swirls were from Poundland.

This is also for:

The 12 months of Christmas card link up
Creative card crew 67: Christmas
Christmas card challenges 35: anything goes
Craftin desert divas 36: Christmas in July
Left of center: Christmas in August
Sunday stamper 318: Christmas/winter
Stamps & fun = creativity: Christmas in summer
Amusing challenges (stamped blessings): anything goes
Pile it on 30: embossing (wet)
Art impressions 141: like an EmBOSS wet or dry embossing
Wow! embossing powder August: monochrome
Creatalicious 65: monochrome
Emerald faeries 58: pearls & swirls
Everybody art 289: favourite stamps - this is one of my favourite Christmas ones
The artistic stamper creative team August: anything goes
Simon says Wednesday: anything goes
Inky impressions 170: anything goes
4 crafty chicks 205: anything goes
The pink elephant 261: anything goes
My craft creations: anything goes
Sister act 68
Crafting by designs August anything goes

Second design card for CCAYR August

This is my second design card for CCAYR August challenge: sparkle and glitter. Please click the link to see the wonderful crafting of the rest of the team and we would love to see you entering the challenge with your sparkle and glitter creations.

The background is a piece of Hunkydory gold foiled card. The embossed square was cut from the Teresa Collins 'swirltangle' embossing folder that was run through my eBosser and then swiped with versamark before being heat embossed with Funstamps pearl plum embossing powder - this has a lovely almost iridescent sheen. The Anita's stamp was inked with memento grape jelly and heat embossed with clear embossing powder. The flowers and gem brad are Panduro.

This is also for:

The 12 months of Christmas card link up
Christmas card challenges 35: anything goes
Creative card crew 67: Christmas
Left of center: Christmas in August
Craftin desert divas 36: Christmas in July
Sunday stamper 318: Christmas/winter
Stamps & fun = creativity: Christmas in summer
Winter wonderland: anything goes for Xmas
Pile it on 30: embossing - wet and dry
Dream valley 87: favourite colour combo - I love anything purple/lilac
The artistic stamper creative team August: anything goes
Simon says Wednesday: anything goes
Inky impressions 170: anything goes
4 crafty chicks 205: anything goes
The pink elephant 261: anything goes
My craft creations: anything goes
Sister act 68
Crafting by designs August anything goes

CCAYR August challenge

This is my first design card for CCAYR August challenge: sparkle and glitter. Please click the link to see the wonderful crafting of the rest of the team and we would love to see you entering the challenge with your sparkle and glitter creations.

I love black, white and hot pink together, so I enjoyed making this card. The image is the lovely Inkadinkado reindeer inked with versafine black onyx and heat embossed with detail black embossing powder (I wish that the gloss of the embossing showed up on the photo). The  two lovely black organza flowers with the pearls centres were a prize from Flourish with a bling. The hot pink sparkly card is from one of my offcuts boxes. The Crafter's Companion Sentimentals stamp was likewise inked with the versafine and heat embossed with detail black. This and the image were mounted on to offcuts of silver mirror card.

This is also for:

Pixie's snippets 135
The 12 months of Christmas card link up
Creative card crew 67: Christmas
Left of center: Christmas in August
Christmas card challenges 35: anything goes
Sentimental Sundays 217: Christmas in July
Craftin desert divas 36: Christmas in July
Party time Tuesday 183: Christmas in July
Sunday stamper 318: Christmas/winter
Stamps & fun = creativity: Christmas in summer
Winter wonderland: anything goes for Xmas
Amusing challenges (stamped blessings): anything goes
City crafter 222: animal magic
Hanna and friends 202: animals
Pile it one 30: embossing (wet)
Art impressions 141: like an EmBOSS wet or dry embossing
Dream valley 87: favourite colour combo - this is one of my favourites
Everybody art 289: favourite stamps - this is one of my favourite Christmas ones
Lacy sunshine 38: flowers
Craft your passion 224: flower power
Emerald faeries 58: pearls & swirls
The artistic stamper creative team August: anything goes
Treasured times 21: anything goes
Crafting at the weekend 4: anything goes
Divas by design: anything goes
Penny's 188: anything goes
Simon says Wednesday: anything goes
Inky impressions 170: anything goes
4 crafty chicks 205: anything goes
Crafty sentiments: anything goes
The pink elephant 261: anything goes
My craft creations: anything goes
Sister act 68
Crafting by designs August anything goes
DL.ART August anything goes

Butterfly blue

This is my design card for today's Sweet pea stampers 'just because' challenge - please click on the link to see the lovely designs by the rest of the team - and we would love to see you joining in our challenge.

I used Karen Middleton's Sweet Pea Stamps 'butterfly blue' rubber stamp (also available as a digi), coloured with spectrum noir, mounted on to a piece of matching card before mounting on to the background paper from a pad called' summer textures'. The flowers with brad are Panduro hobby, the sentiment circle from Craftwork Cards and the felt buttons from Poundland.

I'm showing this card for my Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper challenge for August - please click on the link and have a look if you haven't yet found this challenge blog - and, if you love using patterned paper, please join in.

This is also for:

Butterfly challenges 12: summertime butterflies
Make my Monday: butterflies
Hobby cutz 58: buttons galore
Shopping our stash 162: triple threat - three of one type of embellishments - buttons
Lacy sunshine 38: flowers
Craft your passion 224: flower power
Top tip Tuesday: material girl (felt buttons)
Melonheadz friends: things with wings or tails
Try it on Tuesday: things with wings

CHNC challenge extra for August 2014

I find it hard to believe that today is 1 August - here we are already in the eighth month of the year and Christmas is getting closer. Even those crafters who think there is plenty of time before the 'panic' season are beginning to think that it might be a good idea to make a start on their Christmas cards. So why not come and join in with CHNC challenge extra for August. I know that many visitors to my blog have been joining in since earlier in the year, but perhaps some haven't - I'd love to see your entries during August. Please click the challenge link to see the lovely designs by the rest of my team.

So this is my design card for CHNC challenge extra for August. I used Bugaboo Stamps AKV Santa - chimney and frosty digi paper - Bugaboo Stamps are always the kind sponsors of my monthly Christmas challenges. I coloured the image digitally using Microsoft Paint and tore round a perspex oval template, using a bigger one to tear round an offcut piece of paper with a small panel down the right of the card. The main background paper is one of Bugaboo's frosty digis. The fancy border against the brown paper was free with a magazine.I wish that the Ho Ho Hos would show us like they do in real life because they are bright shiny red.

This is also for:

The 12 months of Christmas card link up
Left of center: Christmas in August
Christmas card challenges 35: anything goes
Sentimental Sundays 217: Christmas in July
Craftin desert divas 36: Christmas in July
Party time Tuesday 183: Christmas in July
DL.ART thankful Thursday 137: Christmas in July
Crafter's cafe 74: use a digi
Crafting at the weekend 4: anything goes
Divas by design: anything goes
Penny's 188: anything goes
Simon says Wednesday: anything goes
Inky impressions 170: anything goes
The paper shelter: anything goes
4 crafty chicks 205: anything goes
Crafty sentiments: anything goes
The pink elephant 261: anything goes
Through the craftroom door: anything goes
My craft creations: anything goes
Sister act 68
Crafting by designs August anything goes

Mum's memory box

At the home where mum is they have provided memory boxes to help the staff and visitors to be able to talk to residents to try and keep memories alive. Mum has Alzheimer's and so this is very helpful, although, sadly, she remembers little of what these are about. She is particularly interested in the picture of her as a baby with her parents and her wedding photo.

So these are the items I chose to put in her box, which is on her door:

I love this photo - the oldest one that we have of nana and grandad and a very rare picture of grandad in a suit. He was in the navy and most pictures we have are in naval uniform, including their wedding photo.

Mum and dad's wedding day:

Mum still enjoys singing and joins in enthusiastically at any opportunity:

Mum hasn't been able to knit or sew for some years now, but she used to. I can remember her making me a coat and hat to match and lots of jumpers etc. I learned to knit at an early age and when I was about 12 we used to knit garments between us - I would do the back and she would do the front, for example.

Mum went into the Post Office when she left school, had a break when she had us children and went back to work when dad was poorly when I was about eleven - and continued to work at the PO until he retired, became the cashier and later was auditor for all the sub offices. She also enjoyed many years as Church Treasurer - she loved working with figures.

And from an early age mum was a Sunday School teacher - I think she only had a break of a couple of weeks when we moved to Bromley before she got roped in to take a class ... and continued till 1990 something. She also began helping in BB from 1968 onwards (and that's me in the photo too!!)

I'm sharing these for the following challenges:

Handmade harbour: handmade Monday 178
The paper girls 60: old time photos
Ooh-la-la 161: vintage (the photo of mum as a baby is definitely vintage - taken in 1922 - she was born in November 1921)
Tuesday throwdown 206: other than a card or tag
The squirrel and the fox 75: inspired by a song - Memories are made of this, Dean Martin
Dare to be sassy Thursdays 239: it's all the same - monochrome (2nd photo)
Creatalicious 65: monochrome
Just inspirational monthly challenge: stitching (5th photo)
Just inspirational: hobbies and sports (5th photo - hobbies: knitting and sewing)
Alphabet: L for lace (5th photo)
Red carpet studio 75: pitch perfect - music (4th photo)
Mark's finest papers speedy fox and friends 222: music (4th photo)
Cutie pie 74: love and marriage (3rd photo - cute little bridesmaid)
613 avenue create 82: anything goes + option: use a sentiment
Crafting at the weekend 4: anything goes
Word art Wednesday 142: anything goes
Treasured times 21: anything goes
Scrapping4fun 22: anything goes
Through the craftroom door: anything goes
The paper shelter: anything goes
Crafty sentiments: anything goes
Eclectic ellapu: anything goes
The pink elephant 261: anything goes
My craft creations: anything goes
Sister act 67

Fan-tastic Tuesday 46: anything goes

Today sees the start of Fan-tastic challenge 46 which is 'anything goes' - please click the link to see the lovely crafting of the rest of the team - and we would love to see your entries.

The challenge is being sponsored by Di's Digi Stamps and I have used Di's Digi Downloads 'hello strawberries' coloured on my card together with K & Co Berry Sweet papers and a sentiment generated on my Dymo Letratag.

This is also for:

A creative romance: let's do lunch (strawberries and ice cream will do nicely!)
Stamp dreams 42: birthday
Inky chicks 34: happy birthday
Seema crafts July: child's birthgday
Fairytale challenge 96: use a digital stamp image
As you like it: favourite sentiment and why: happy birthday, because every has a birthday to send a card to
The squirrel and the fox 75: inspired by a song or movie - 'strawberry fair'
The crafting cafe July: feeling fruity
Whimsy July: summertime
Allways something creative 79: summer
Little Claire 47: summertime
Deep ocean 83: summer colours
Simply create too 66: for a child
Eclectic ellapu: anything goes
The pink elephant 261: anything goes
Crafting from the heart 29: anything goes
My craft creations: anything goes
Sister act 67
DL.ART July: anything goes