Just checking ...

This is for Clearly i stamp 22, where this sketch was provided:

The challenge requires the use of one of their Clear Dollar stamps or digis and a lovely freebie set is available for download: spring violets.

The sentiment was made with my dymo letratag and a few pearls added to the violets and to the bottom left. The base card is stardream, so there is a glittery sheen to it. Why is it that the colours don't look that true on the photo? - they do say that the camera never lies, but I do wonder!

This is also for this week's Daring Cardmakers which is asking us to create something featuring February flowers: violets or primroses.

This is also for:

Sweet stampin: spring flowers
For fun 50: spring
Digistamps4joy 12: flower power
2 sisters 25: the world is our oyster - pearls
Creative Belli 110: jewelry (the pearls, which have been a bit forgotten recently)
One stitch at a time 48: do it with a digi
Stamp something: February digi day challenge
Craft your passion 44: anything goes
Sew many challenges 42: anything goes
Stampin with the dragon: anything goes

Butterfly with love

This is for the sketch on Hanna and friends 80:

and the colours for Color throwdown 127:
I used BG blush papers and a piece of kraft paper for the stamped butterfly image, simply inked with memento rich cocoa, added a paisley brad and five quite unusual buttons.


This is also for:

Flutter by Wednesdays 140: open + butterfly
Delightful: come fly with me
Critter 51: critter
Cooking it up with Katie 47: I need 2 brown metal papers - metal (the brad), add a little brown, 2 designer papers
Flourish timeless 104: button up
Tuesday throwdown 35: buttons
Pixie cottage 55: buttons
Dutch dare 98: buttons, buttons, who's got the buttons
Little red wagon 66: kraft
Stamp scrap & doodle: dots and stripes
Crafty Ho's: love theme
Crazy challenge 53: lots of love
Incy wincy 80: love
Stamp with fun 97: love
Stamp and create: love
Spoon full of sugar 138: let's see some love
PaperPlay 5: stamp it out
Craft your passion 44: anything goes
Pear tree 35: free for all
Sew many challenges 42: anything goes
Stampin with the dragon: anything goes
Little Claire designs 1: anything goes
Craft us crazy: we want to see what ya got ... anything goes

Grow girl

This card is for Stampotique 23: orange & turquoise - I really enjoyed working with this colour combo - not one that I would readily think of using normally.

I used the sketch for Technostamper Monday lunchtime sketch 160:

Papers are BG blush and urban prairie and the gorgeous stamp (fast becoming one of my favourites) Grow girl by Janet Klein. I used copics to colour, including the edging and also for the larger of the flowers. I added a few pale orange gemstones to her bow, shoes and to replace the seeds on the stamped image, as well as the centre of the flowers.


This is also for:

Pile it on 6: bright and breezy
Creative Belli 110: jewelry - I used gemstones (the old and forgotten embellishments: the flowers)
PaperPlay 5: stamp it out
Top tip Tuesday 21: frame it
Sweet stampin: spring flowers
Craft your passion 44: anything goes
Pear tree 35: free for all
Sew many challenges 42: anything goes
Stampin with the dragon: anything goes
Little Claire designs 1: anything goes
Craft us crazy: we want to see what ya got ... anything goes

Putting it right

The other day I did a CAS Christmas card that I linked for the current ABC Christmas challenge - but, d'oh!! I forgot that we were supposed to follow the given sketch.

So, with big apologies to the ABC team, I'm now showing two cards for ABC Christmas: C is for clean & simple, using the sketch provided:The background for both cards if Bo Bunny 'tis the season carol. The circular image and Christmas pudding are left overs from a QVC kit a couple of years ago, with the addition of other bits and pieces from my scraps box.



These are also for:

Wee memories 42: dust off those scraps (even the Bo Bunny backgrounds were left over from having cut into a 12 x 12 earlier - as well as all the other scraps)
Aly's 35: bling bling - the Christmas pudding and holly are glittered and foiling dots, as well as the foiled strip

Merry kiss-mouse

For winning challenge 40 on I did it I was able to choose a JLJ digi - I chose this cute 'Merry kiss-mouse image and couldn't wait to use it. I coloured with copics - and make a confession that I went over the edge of the tail and didn't want to bin the card, so I've added the little red bow, which I think looks kind of cute really. Papers are S.e.i Christmas mint and Winter song.

I used the sketch for CPS 204:

I'm putting this on my Craftyhazelnut Christmas Challenge blog as another card for challenge 6. The challenge this week is to use a digi - and it's being sponsored by Shelly's Images. It would be good to see your cards for this challenge - it's never too early to start your Christmas cards - you'll then have a head start on those who are in a panic towards the big day later in the year.

This is also for:

Stamps r us 13: animals
One stitch at a time 48: do it with a digi
Karber Christmas challenge 6: Christmas card with digi
Sew many challenges 42: anything goes
Stamp something: February digi day
Stampin with the dragon: anything goes

Round and round again

Having been neglected for a while, my cricut is doing a bit of overtime atm.

This is another 'doiley' card from the wild card cartridge, this time for the sketch on Mojo Monday 176:

The basic card is cut from DCWV textured, as is the darker shade insert on the front. The double sided paper is imaginisce twitterpated colorfall. The flowers are a beaded ribbon (lovely and shiny) that I picked up from a market stall a while ago.

The stripes aren't crooked - just the angle of the photo.

This is also for:

For fun 50: spring
Papertake: anything goes + flowers
Aly's Sunday 35: bling bling (on the beaded ribbon)
Creative Belli 110: jewelry (the beaded ribbon)
Sew many challenges 42: anything goes
Some odd girl: scallops galore
Whoopsi Daisy: any shape but square
Kort o mania 33: make a card not the usual square size
Stamp away color cue 11:

Another simple birdsong card

Once again I've used papers from the PM birdsong collection, this time choosing the colours for Sketchy colors 56 inspiration challenge to use blue, brown and white:

It's a very simple card, using one patterned paper for the background and two others for the strip down the right hand side, tearing one of them to add a bit of texture and relief:

It's also for:

Delightful: come fly with me
Sew many challenges 42: anything goes
Our creative corner: branch out - tree and CAS

Birdsong best wishes

This is for One stitch at a time 47 picture inspiration challenge, concentrating on the colours:

And also the colours for There she goes 92 inspiration:

I love a bargain (who doesn't?!), so I was pleased the other day when I got a 12 x 12 pack of PM birdsong papers half price - so I've used a few of them for this simple card:


It's also for:

Delightful: come fly with me
Sew many challenges 42: anything goes
Our creative corner: branch out - tree and CAS

First Easter card this year

For this card I used the sketch for CPS 203:

I decided to make a very simple card using a clipart picture of some chicks found on Publisher - I added a piece of stitched ribbon, a printed sentiment on BG cupcake surprise paper and three pearls.

I made this for Order of the opus gluei 88: winner, winner, chicken dinner - to use a chicken on a card. It's also for Cupcake 127: old MacDonald had a farm (I'm sure he had some chicks).

The stitched ribbon is for Tuesday throwdown 34: stitching, and the pearls are for Creative Belli 110: jewelry and 2 sisters 25: the world is our oyster.

The colours are for Color Dare 95: daffodil delight, marina mist, basic black.

This is also for:

For fun 50: spring or winter - another forward looking card for spring
Paper playtime 36: January's digi Monday
Stamp something: February digi day
Sew many challenges 42: anything goes
Our daily bread 47: you choose your challenge - I've chosen 31: wing it

CHNC challenge 6: use a digi

This card is for challenge 6 on my Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge blog. This challenge is being sponsored by Shelly's Images, who will be giving 3 images of choice to the randomly selected winner. Please go over to CHNC for details - I'd love to see your entries.

The idea is to use a digital image and/or papers when making the Christmas card for my challenge 6. I've used 'all wrapped up', one of Shelly's images, coloured with copics.

I used the sketch for Technostamper's Monday lunchtime 159:

The main papers are S.e.i Christmas mint (double sided) and the little red square is Winter song. You can't see it here, but the brown side of Christmas mint has a foiled embossed look.

I'm also linking this for:

Jingle belles: Baby, it's cold outside
Pollycraft 78: Baby, it's cold outside
Karber Christmas challenge 6: Christmas card with a digi
ABC Christmas: C for clean & simple
Winter wonderland: reach for the stars (on the brown paper)
Fairytale 8: snow and ice
For fun 50: spring or winter - having made a spring card the other day, I really think that winter is going to persist for a long time (although I hope we don't get any more of the white stuff)
Paper playtime 36: January's digi Monday
Stamp something: February digi day
Sew many challenges 42: anything goes
Stampin with the dragon: anything goes

Love you, cupcake

This is for the sketch on Cards & things 64:

and for Paper cutz 76: make a card, LO or craft project for Valentine's Day using a hand stamped, digital stamped or Cricut cut image of a cake, cupcake, cookies or candy, using any colors you'd like.

This was a quick card to make, using elements from a QVC kit bought last year (still trying to use it up at various times!).


It's also for:

Scrappy frogs: hey cupcake
Prairie fairy Fridays 45: for a sweetheart
Moxie Tuesday trigger: sweets for the sweet
Passionately artistic: sweet Valentine be mine
Some odd girl: scallops galore
Crafty Emma 21: bold and bright
Cupcake inspirations 96
The paper variety: yummy hearts
Paper sundaes 54: Valentine's

Just a note

This is for Get Sketchy 72:

This was just right for using up bits of BG Periphery sauvignon and cupcake sunrise that were left over from making this card earlier today. In fact, I still have some bits left over, so perhaps I should make another couple of cards rather than put them in my scraps box (which seems to get more full all the time).

The stamp is All night media by Donna Dewberry and the image coloured with copics and cut with a nestie - for ABC: N is for nesties, Sarah Hurley 27: die cuts, and also for Totally stampalicious: Hello.

Spring is coming (wishful thinking)

This card is for the colour combo on SPCC 85:

The colours used are also good for Color dare 95: daffodil delight, marina mist, basic black (there is some black, although it's minimal).

The background paper is BG Periphery sauvignon and the stampotique image was stamped on to BG cupcake sunrise and coloured with copics - an entry for Basic grey 36: flower power.

Just the addition of a couple of buttons and the card was done - buttons are for Corrosive 101: button it up, Pixie cottage 55: buttons, Dutch dare 98: buttons, buttons, who's got the buttons.

It would be nice to think that spring is on its way (although I think that's probably wishful thinking) but that's my interpretation of For fun challenge 50 where we are asked to choose winter or spring.

It's also for:

Crafty Emma 21: bold and bright
Stamptacular 96: whateva!
PaperPlay 5: stamp it out
Pear tree designs 34: flowers
Papertake: anything goes + flowers

Salt: loving our enemies

Pauline chose the topic for this fortnight's Salt challenge - you can read what she wrote here.

I centred my LO on two passages of scripture - 1 Corinthians 13 and Luke 6:27-36 (the passage that Pauline referred to). I photographed these passages from Eugene Peterson's The Message, which is the New Testament in contemporary language.

The passage from 1 Corinthians 13 says:

Love never gies up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always 'me first',
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

This seems an impossible love, doesn't it - and, humanly speaking, it is, but, this love comes from God himself - 'love' is one of the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

In his first epistle, John write: ... let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn't know the first thing about God, because God is love - so you can't know him if you don't love. This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about - not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they've done to our relationship with God.

My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other. No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us - perfect love!' 1 John 4.

Coming back to the words of Jesus in Luke 6, he said: 'If you only love the lovable, do you expec a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that. I tell you, love your enemies. Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults ... Don't condemn those who are down ...'

May God's grace enable me to reach out and show his love to others.

For my LO I used a DCWV textured 12 x 12 card, a piece of BG scarlet's letter paper, a stitched ribbon, two felt hearts and some lettering (can't remember the make).

I'm linking this for:

City crafter 42: all you need is love
Creative Cottage 32: words of love
Tanda teaser 164: share the love
One powerful hour: true love
Shelly's terrifically thrilling Thursday: love
Let's craft and create 12: heart felt - felt hearts
Challenge up your life 36: scripture in the background
Moving along with the times 84: red
Woodware 12: anything but a card
Paper romance: anything but a card
If the shoe fits Fashionista Friday 64: anything but a card
Stamping vacation: Pick 3 challenge for February - heart, anything black, the word LOVE

Zentangle

Zentangle is something I've sometimes thought of trying, but never have - although I used to doodle to my heart's content at times when perhaps I shouldn't have been doing it.

Well, I saw that Frankie's TIO 66 challenge for Dragons dream tags this week is 'zentangle', using at least one real stamp. I have to say that I was nearly put off trying with the thought of incorporating a stamp - and then I remembered that I bought this stamp ages ago and have often wondered why I bought it because it doesn't seem to be that 'usable'. I think I was attracted to it in the first place because it is a Magenta stamp (I have quite a few of this make) and thought it might come in useful.

So I stamped on to the top half of the tag, just using the bottom two-thirds of the stamp without the frame lines at the sides, which then gave a basis for building up the zentangle. I'm quite pleased with it as it is my first attempt.

I'm also linking this for the 'black and white' challenge this week on The three muses and 'black and white' for ECP 30.

It's also for:

Iris' spot 12: in with the new, out with the old - a new technique
Woodware 12: anything but a card
Paper romance: anything but a card
If the shoe fits Fashionista Friday 64: anything but a card

Wedding day

For this card I've used the sketch for Card making mamas 13, turing it to the right:

Papers are Best Creation Inc Mr & Mrs glitter papers, a piece of lace down the centre and the Anita's bride and groom stamped image. The groom's jacket and trousers were coloured with copic C1 and C3. I added pearls at the corners of the stamped image.

The papers are far more gorgeous than they look here - the stripes are like an embossed foiled glitter.

This is also for:

Paper crafting journey 2: weddings, optional: lace and pearls
Little red wagon 65: lace
Kaboodle 52: make it monochromatic
Crafts and me: monochrome
Frosted designs: monochrome
Cutie stampers 92: stripes
Penny's 45: anything goes
Copic creations 43: we're cool (colour colours - greys)
Iris spot 12: in with the new, out with the old - use new things (the papers)

Another one for the guys

This is for the sketch for Eat sleep stamp 115:

and for the colours for Color throwdown 126:
Nowadays I usually make square cards most of the time, but I need to make some A6 ones ready for when I have my next Tear Fund sale towards the end of March. My stock is very low, so I am going to make a conscious effort to make A6 as well as square.

Papers are Provo craft blue stries and blue squared by Christina Cole and the photo is one that came in a QVC kit.

This is another male card for:

Tellen's place: male - make it for guys
Aly's 34: for the guys
Alphabet: M for men
The crafty pad 106: something for the boys
Cutie stampers 92: stripes
Penny's 45: anything goes
Stampin' sisters in Christ 74: blue and green

Simple style

This is for the January sketch on In Style:

and for the colours for Color Dare 94: pretty perfect pears: pretty in pink, pear pizzazz, perfect plum.

I used some HOTP papers from the Jacie's vintage range (haven't used any of these for ages, so it was good to revisit them), cutting the fluted circles with nesties and scalloping the band across the bottom with my rotatrim. The addition of the three stitched ribbons brings the three colours together.

The stitching is for:

Paper pretties 138: sewing
Tuesday throwdown 34: stitching


It's also for:

Cutie stampers 92: stripes
Pear tree designs 34: flowers
Papertake: anything goes + flowers
Pixie cottage 54: flowers
Penny's 45: anything goes
Town scrapper: using dies

Easy peasy boy cards

At Hobbycraft the other day I bought a 12 x 12 by Best Creation Inc 'transportation' - I've used some of it for these cards - the first one is A6 and the second a standard square card. The strips across the card are from the reverse side. The card is glittered and foiled. All that was needed was a birthday sentiment - so I just dug deep into my box and found a couple of appropriate ones. What could be simpler?


These are for:

Ladybug 13: card for a child (I'll try to come back later with a card with a Ladybug stamp)
Tellen's place: male - make it for guys
Aly's 34: for the guys
The crafty pad 106: something for the boys
Crafty Emma 21: bold and bright
Crazy challenge 52: Happy Birthday
Penny's 45: anything goes

Simply Oriental

In recognition of Chinese New Year on 3 February - it will be the year of the rabbit - this week's challenge on Daring Cardmakers is to produce something oriental or featuring a rabbit.

This is also for Stamp man 15 'oriental', Asian/Chinese New Year for My Sheri crafts 42 and Chinese new year - celebrate Asia for Sentimental Sundays (sorry the sentiment is tiny, but the love sentiment is there in Chinese and English text).

For this card I used a piece of textured paper from the DCWV Far East stack - I do love these papers, but haven't used any of them for quite some time, so I enjoyed making this card. Because the paper has so much already on it, it's not necessary to add much to it and it would detract from what's there already.

I used some PM oriental stamps that I bought a while ago and hadn't used up until now. I stamped The hanging lanterns on the left towards the top with tattered rose DI, which only just shows up, but is in keeping with the other pale pinky images already on the paper. I then stamped the tree in the bottom left corner and the symbol with the word love in the top right corner. The addition of a few coins finished the card.

I'm really tempted to add more, but it doesn't need it, so I'm leaving it as it is.



I'm also linking this for Flourishes timeless 102: add some kind of hardware (the coins)

white winter birthday

This is for this week's sketch on Anyone for Anya:


Because the card is mostly white it is difficult to get a photo - if I try and whiten it more then you can't see the snowflake embossing on the righthand side - unfortunately, it ends up with a blueish tinge, but you get the general idea and I assure you it's white irl.

I've used one of my favourite Greeting Farm Anya stamps, just using copics for hair, face and clothes, leaving the coat white and adding crystal ice stickles for the fur.

This is for:

Incy wincy 78: winter wonderland - but no Christmas cards
Stamp something: winter somethings
Die cut dreams Christmas 51: winter birthday
Drunken stampers 52: birthday bash
2 sisters 24: girls just wanna have fun
All that scraps Wednesday: let it snow
Fun with shapes and more 75: snow or ice (die cut snowflake stickers)
Cutie Sunday 129: white
Double Dutch 60: white wishes
Hodge podge 7: white on white
CCEE 1104: white on white
Wags n whiskers 46: white
Crafts and me 22: monochrome
Frosted designs fabulous Friday challenge: monochromatic
My time to craft 125: emboss, emboss, emboss - dry
Totally Gorjuss 65: as you like it
Penny's 45: anything goes
Woodware 11: anything goes
Let's ink it up 8: anything goes
Shabby tea room 46: winter wonderland - photo inspiration: