One of my favourites

For challenge 77 on Ann's creative nook, Ann asked who is one of our favourites. Ann said: '
So, for this week's challenge I want to you chose one of your favorite stampers and CASE one, or two, of their cards ... just remember that you MUST change at least 2 things on your card.'

A stamper who I greatly admire is Sheila Oliver - she is known as Manic stamper - I've had the pleasure of meeting the lovely Sheila at a forum meet up about five years ago and I have great memories of her demonstrating all sorts of stamping techniques. She is a great inspiration to so many, including me.

I found this post on her blog (I had great pleasure in looking through lots of her wonderful creations this evening.

Sheila describes how she put together a card using metal magic EP by Debbi Moore. I used some of this recently and thought it would be good to use some for triple embossing. Sheila said that she felt it a bit wasteful to use three layers of metal magic, so she used two layers of clear UTEE and then topped it with a layer of metal magic, so I did the same.

Ann said that we should change at least two things when CASE-ing the card - I've really only used the triple embossing and stamping - the rest of the card is different, but it was very much inspired by Sheila's original card.

I stamped into the molten metal magic with a Dawn Bibby flower stamp and it so happened that I've had a bag of matching vellum flowers and butterflies for ages wondering what to do with them. And I added some bling silver gems to the centres of the flowers and three on each of the bodies of the butterflies.

So I used them all to make a card for Sketchy Colors 10:
I'm also linking the card for:

Doodle palace: 'lots of layers' - the triple embossing, as well as the layers of silver mirror card and pearlised pink
Another for Pollycraft 33: 'things with wings'
Another for La-la land 25: 'no designer paper'
Theme Thursday: 'flowers'
Another for Alphabet: 'P is for pink'
Clearly inspired 7: 'glam it up' - the silver mirror card and the gemstones
Fussy & fancy 4: 'dazzle us'
Humble pie: 'dies' - the triple embossed item started life as a chipboard die cut
Allsorts 39: 'a recipe with a difference - 3, 2, 1 - you decide' - I've used 3 vellum flowers, 2 vellum butterflies and 1 triple embossed flower
Our creative corner: 'something old that's new' - the vellum flowers and butterflies that have been stashed away for a long, long time
Sweet stampin' 12: 'floral frenzy'
Hand full of stamps: 'open the fun'

As is often the case, it was difficult to get a photo because of the flash bouncing off the silver, but you get the general idea it's better irl.

Guardian angel

This picture is the inspiration on Art Creations this week:


I've used another of the Nasa photos - this time part of the earth at night - and superimposed the picture of the angel on to it - a guardian angel watches over the night sky.

I'm linking this as well as another picture for this week's Soartful 'out of this world'.

Out of this world

When I saw the topic for this week on Soartful, I started looking for appropriate pictures for 'out of this world'.

Wow! take a look at this site and you won't be disappointed - absolutely stunning photography - certainly 'out of this world'!

I imported the 'cat's eye nebula from hubble' into Picture It and then superimposed a picture of a cat over this, using a transparent fade to send this behind the original picture.


I'm also linking this for Sunday postcard, where this week the theme is 'cats' - it's just the right postcard size when printed out.

Romance is alive and well

A while ago there was a ring at the doorbell - I thought it was the nurse to dress John's foot - and there was a delivery lady with a bouquet of roses for Valentine's day:

I could be cynical and say 'what an expense!', but instead I'm thankful that I have a husband who still arranges surprises, although I suppose it's not too much of a surprise because this is the 20th Valentine bouquet I've had. Not that such gestures are confined to Valentine's day.

Another Easter card

This time the card uses the sketch from Sunflowers & Dragonsflies 28 (I turned it on its side):
It's also for day 336 on 365: 'the 3 S's - stripes, square, spring'.

The background paper is Craft Creations and I've resorted to a Happy Easter peel off because I couldn't be bothered to print it. The stamped daffodil is coloured with copis (although not very well because I think I must have stamped it originally with stazon - a long time ago - so the copics bled a bit).

Apple green, chocolate and clotted cream

This card is for Sketch Girl 11:
It's also for:

Allsorts 38: 'get distressed with buttons and a bow'
One stop craft 66: 'apple green, chocolate and clotted cream'
Crafty catz 19: 'buttons and bows'
Totally papercrafts 3: 'buttons and bows'
Spoon full of sugar 90: 'recipe: 1 patterned paper, 1 embossing, 1 button, 1 ribbon'
Stampin' sisters in Christ 25: '2 kinds of each item' - 2 corner pieces, 2 buttons, 2 embossed edges, 2 pieces of ribbon - the bow was done separately and then added
Design Dollies colour challenge: 'goin' earthy'

The striped paper is HOTP and the corner arcs are BG scarlet's letter.

Redwork inspired card

The challenge on Club Anya wild card Wednesday this week is to make a card inspired by 'redwork'. So I have stamped my Greeting Farm wild sprouts 'sassy Suzi' with lipstick red chalk ink and clear embossed.

I used the sketch for Crafts 4 eternity recipe 19, which also has to include the colour red and a heart:
Etsy inspired 74 features traveling mama - I chose this picture - the bottom righthand piece of paper has quite similar berries:

It's also for:

Another for Cupcake 77: 'red and white all over'
Color throwdown 79: 'blush blossom, sage shadow (some on the bottom righthand paper), riding hood red
Little red wagon 15: 'red with bling!' - silver mirror card backing the image and the bling hearts
Another for Divine Diva inspiration challenge 21
Rainbow lady 90: 'have a heart' - try and incorporate someone wearing red as well as a heart
Sew many challenges 4: 'red, pink and white'
Another for Die cut dreams 34: 'have a heart'
ISB 18: 'love & hearts' - I used a Greeting Farm stamp
Another for Stamp with fun 45: 'hearts'
Alphabet: 'P is for pink'

The papers are all BG figgy pudding.

Totally gorgeous Anya

This card is for the sketch for challene 16 on Totally Gorjuss:

I've used 'Anya in autumn' and am also linking for:

Roses on paper 3: 'colour: pink, brown, cream'
Anyone for Anya: 'good enough to eat' - I've chosen strawberries and cream with chocolate sauce!
Another for Tanda teaser 133: 'quick &cute'
Stamp something: 'something cute'
Another for Kaboodle 24: 'spots and stripes'
Another for Lexi 7: 'spotted or striped'
Another for Lucy's 5: 'polka dots'
Paper cutz 28: 'teen birthday'
C.R.A.F.T. 37 'digi colouring'
Flourishes: 'what's your cup of tea?' - I chose 'cocoa' or 'hot chocolate'
365 cards day 319: 'teen scene' - card for a teenage girl
ColourQ 19:
The background paper is BG sugared and the striped and spotted papers are Making memories. The digi Anya was coloured with copics.

Easter card

This is for sketch 99 on Taylored expressions:

As I'm going to be (hopefully)selling some cards at our WEF at church in three weeks' time, I thought I ought to make a start on Easter cards, so this is the first one this year (it would help if I stopped making Christmas cards, but I like doing those!).

Anyway, back to this card. I've had some alphabet brads for some time - not all of the letters of the alphabet, so I've tended to forget about them - got them out this evening and found that the letters for 'easter' were all there. This is good for the 'brads' challenge on Practical scrappers.

As usual in the evening, it was difficult to get a picture because of the flash on the acetate of the shaker basket, but you get the general idea.

The background paper is from PDA and the shakers were from Poundland (last year, haven't seen anything like them this year).

This is a card that would appeal to children, so is suitable for Magical crafts 8: 'something for the kids'.

Mad March hare

I've been wanting to do something this week for Something completely different - an ATC with the theme of 'mad March hare'.

I turned to the internet to get a copyright-free picture with some wording from Alice's adventures in Wonderland.

I swiped the ATC with versamark and heat embossed with clear UTEE a few times to give a lovely glazed look, added a piece of rafia and then felt that it needed a bit of 'fairy dust' in the form of stickles crystal ice smeared with fingers, particularly around three corners.

It's a simple ATC, but there didn't seem much I could add to it, having originally filled the surface area with the picture from Alice in Wonderland and the bit of the story featuring the mad March hare.

The ATC now needs to be put under heavy books because it's a bit curled at the corners, but I wanted to blog this before tomorrow's new SCD challenge.

I'm not that happy with it - might try and do a better one later.

You are a star

This is for the sketch on Cards for men 3:

It's also for:

Paperminutes 100: 'cornflower blue and orange'
Another for Charisma cardz 6: 'think male'
Another for craft garden February: 'boys'
Another for Rosie-Dee 64: 'Just for men'

I've used paper that is very similar to the previous two cards, but this time it's by Guy's Life earthtones. The circle sticker was from the previous magazine pack.

A quick birthday card

I made this card while I had the papers etc out for the previous one - it's for Unscripted sketch 41 (I turned it on its side):
It's also for Lily-boo too challenge for February: '1 tag and 1 ribbon'
Another for Rosie-Dee 64: 'Just for men'
Another for 411 110: 'colour inspiration' - so safrron, brocade blue, certainly celery

Valentine for a male

This card is for sketch FTL77 on Clean & simple:


It's also for a few Valentine challenges around atm, either for a man or with non-traditional colours:

Paper cutz 27: ' Valentine, using blue, green, black and white only'
Glue, scissors, paper 14: 'non-traditional love' - without red, pink or white
Frosted designs: 'Valentine, but not pink or red'
ECP 5: 'Valentine theme for a man'
Another for Our creative corner: 'masculine Valentine'
Stamp, scrap & doodle 26: 'Valentines with a twist - no red'
Dollies elements challenge: 'Valentine theme - red and pink may not be your primary colours'
Charisma cardz 6: 'think male'
Cute card Thursday 99: 'in the name of love'
One powerful hour: 'love' (and it didn't take an hour)
411 110: 'colour inspiration - so saffron, brocade blue, certainly celery'
The treehouse 36: 'say it with love'
Rosie-Dee 64: 'just for men'
Cutie stampers 42: 'Valentine'
CCEE: 'inspiration challenge' - from the website 'imagekind' - I chose this picture for the colours:


The papers and 'my hero' were free with a magazine a long time ago.

Simply lilac and lemon

This is a card for today's 365 challenge: 'keep it simple'. These are the instructions:

'Start out with blank cardstock, stamp an image in one colour and DO NOT colour it in. Add one embellishment that coincides with the image. You may add any sentiment you wish.

I suppose I've cheated a bit because I've used a three fold card and put the image inside the 'window' of it - using one of my favourite Magenta stamps with just a brad added.

I've used lilac and lemon for Crafty Catz 18 colour combo.

Pink and black seasons greetings

This card is for Get sketchy 24:

and also for Rainbow Lady 89: four seasons - I've chosen winter, using the Penny Black 'fantasy' tree stamp, embossed with detail silver. The papers are DCWV.

Although the scan shows the card well, the photo below shows more of a sheen on the ribbon down the side and on the shimmering backing of the stamped image.

Although the tree isn't a usual 'Christmas tree' I hope it's OK for Susie & Vikki's Christmas club 3: 'oh Christmas tree'.

And it's another for Theme Thursday: 'pink and black' and Incy wincy 29: 'pink and black'

A quick birthday card

This card is for the sketch for Eat sleep stamp 69:

It's also for 411 colour inspiration 109:

It's also for:

Card-a-licious 33: 'three different papers and a tag'
Quixotic 13: 'tag it!'
A late one for week 4 'tags' on Lots to do
And, as all the papers used were from my offcuts box, it's another one for Creative inspirations 47: 'anyone for leftovers?'

And twisted Thursday is celebrating its first birthday this week, so the theme for challenge 42 is 'party, celebrate or birthday'

Lavender and lace

This is for the sketch on Moving along with the times 32:

The MAWTT challenge also called for the theme of 'childhood memories' so I chose a Cute Daisy May digi image of a girl on a swing. So this is also good for Alphabet K is for kids (late with this, but wanting to do something for every letter - this means I've caught up now).

This is also for this week's Cute Daisy May challenge: 'lavender and lace'. And 'lace' is the theme for Gingersnap 42 spicy challenge.

The background paper is some I've had for a long time - originally in a scrapbook pack from Poundland (they don't seem to do so much craft stuff nowadays).

I changed the colour of the CDM digi in Picture It and just added the white lace and the Craftime blossom.

And on Daring card makers this week the theme is the February birthstone: amethyst, so this is fine for that as well - there is a lovely prize this week donated by Craft Obsessions.

The key to my heart

This card is for the sketch for week 6 on Create 4 fun:

It's also for:

Kelly Jo colour chef 38: 'red, blue, cream (or white)'
Another for Susie's sassy 7 : 'red, white and blue'
Tellen's place 5: 'Valentine theme' - must use at least five hearts
CCEE: 'heart challenge - hearts and a charm'
Your next stamp 9: 'charms'
Another for Fun with shapes and more 39: 'hearts and stripes' - the 'something cut' is the die cut chipboard heart
Crafty pad 57: 'recipe: fancy edge, hearts, papers' - the fancy edtes are on the 'East of India paper chains' across the top and bottom, which also count as the papers, as does that on the heart
One powerful hour: 'birds'
Inky impressions 29: 'charming' - add a charm
365 day 346: 'Tuesday trio: scallops - ribbon - ink distressing' - the edging of the paper chains across the top and bottom, the ribbon holding the charm key and the ink distressing around the paper covered chipboard heart - it was sanded and edged with blue iris chalk ink
Cute card Thursday 98: 'spots & dots'
Divine diva inspiration 21: the red colour and the dots
Lucy's cards 5: 'polka dots'
Kaboodle 24: 'spots and stripes'
Lexi 7: 'spotted or striped' - both are here

WOYWW revisited

This morning I showed photos for WOYWW that showed nothing in my workspace. After that I faffed around for quite a bit of the day, but in the end I made a couple of cards and am just about to blog another one that you can see on here.

White space with a hint of pink

This card is for the sketch on today's 365 cards, calling for white space.

I have to admit that I cheated a bit on the white space. I ran some white card through my cuttlebug and embossed with an Ellison paisley texture plate (had a lot of goes at this before I had success because I couldn't remember the 'sandwich' recipe because I haven't used these plates for some time). I then slightly tinted the paisley texture with a pale pink chalk.

Instead of a circle, I recylced a lovely fabric covered dress that I saved from a card (shop bought) that was given to me. This fits nicely with today's Cuttlebug be inspired challenge 70: 'fabric galore'.

Secret crafter Saturday 69 is 'monochrome tones of one colour and white' and it's another card for La-la land 25: 'no DP'. I can't believe I've made a couple of cards today without touching any patterned paper.


It was difficult to get a photo (hence the light shining on the dress) - will try and take a better photo in daylight tomorrow and replace.

Yet more Valentine love

Love, hearts and Valentine theme still figure highly in the challenge world this week, so here's another card for that theme - it is for the sketch on Just us girls challenge 19:

It's also for:

Another for Pile it on 5: 'to the one you love' - and all these to go along with that:

Diva coffee break designs 164: 'Valentine's only' - bravo burgundy, pretty in pink, soft suede
Tuesday taggers: 'love is all around' - and the previous week was 'teddy bear'
Fun with shapes and more 39: 'hearts and stripes' - the circles have been cut on my cricut
Another for Die cut dreams 34: 'have a heart'
Another for Stamp with fun 45: 'hearts' (this time using a stamp - Newton was free with a magazine a long time ago)
My time to craft 78: 'hearts and kisses'
Stamp something: 'love somethings'
Another for By the cute and girly: 'love'
Another for Crafty calendar 5: 'love and friendship', optional: hearts
Fiskarettes Monday challenge: 'love'
Another for Ooh-la-la 47: 'love'
Die cuts R us 25: 'love'
Jacksonbelle: 'love is in the air'
Delightful sketches: 'love'
Another for Penny's challenges: 'Valentine/love'
Pixie cottage 9: 'love theme'
Simon says: 'What's love got to do with it?'
Stampin' royalty 6: 'love/Valentine'
Another for Charisma cardz 5: 'I love you'
Another for C.R.A.F.T. 36: 'love/Valentine'
Anotheer for Paperplay week 5: 'love notes'
Another for the Treehouse 35: 'colours of love - red, pink, white'
Another for Double Dutch 36: 'be my Valentine'
Another for Pink elephant 53: 'mushy gushy Valentine'
Created by hand: 'Valentine's'
Another for Creative card crew 44: 'Valentine's'
Everybody art 78: 'Valentine'
Another for Lili of the valley 46: 'Valentines'
ECP 5: 'Valentine theme for a man' (I think it's suitable to give to a man)
Stampin' for the weekend: 'Valentines themed'
Another for Challenge up your life 13: 'Valentine including heart'
Another for Crazy 4 challenges 23: 'be my Valentine'
Our creative corner: 'masculine Valentine' (I hope it's OK for a man)
Another for Mixed media Monday: 'romance'
Hand full of stamps 15: 'you animal'
La-la land 25: 'no DP' - I didn't use any designer paper for this card - the two circles beneath the image one have been stamped and embossed, using lipstick red chalk ink, one with a DB swirls stamp and the other with funstamps paisley background
Creative Belli 84: 'ribbons'
Just Buggin' 23: 'love ya' - I used the cricut for the circles (using Make the cut software)
Copic colour 50: 'E18 copper, E42 sand white, E77 maroon' - I used my nearest colours
Tanda teaser 133: 'quick and cute'
Fab n funky 10: 'shabby chic' - I think he's a shabby chic bear! and I've inked edges for a shabby look
Creative Inspirations 47: 'anyone for leftovers?' - I didn't cut into anything new for this (still trying to keep the ressolution to use up offcuts'
Lexi 7: 'spotted or stripes' - I opted for striped ribbons
There she goes 41: 'red, pink and brown'
365 cards day 345: 'Ad inspired' - this was the picture given (I used the colours):