A Touch Of Spring

I am sooooo looking forward to brighter days!  Its chucking it down here today so I wanted to make something bright, light and cheery.  I used my very favouritest new stamp from Lili Of The Valley - called Pom Pom, and followed the fab sketch over on Cute Card Thursday.  The challenge on LOTV this week is 'anything but a square', so I adapted the sketch to suit a landscape rectangle card.

I coloured with promarkers, die cut the leaves and mats, and used some fabby new white roses from Wild Orchid Crafts.  Papers are K&Co, and buttermilk glitter card.

I am entering this card in the following competitions:

Lili Of The Valley - Not a square card
Cute Card Thursday - Great sketch
Everybody Art - Favourite things - this is my newest favouritest stamp :)
Magical Mondays - Flowers - 2nd entry
Top Tip Tuesday - Flowers - 2nd entry - a great tutorial on the Top Tip Tuesday blog for making flowers :)
Colour Create - Lemon, Lime and white
Moving Along with The Times - Spring
Paperplay Challenges - Layers
Do You Stack Up - Patterned Paper
Crafts 4 Eternity - Polka Dots
Sew Many Challenges - Green

Thanks for looking, and good luck to everyone in these challenges

Faery Wishes

I have decided from now on I'm going to leave the photography to my husband! lol :) 

I struggle sometimes to take a good picture, and blame it on the fact that I only have a wee digi camera, and my OH has big digital SLR's and really fancy lenses....... However, this was taken with my little digital camera and was edited by my husband on his pc using 'Lightroom' software.  What a difference!  I am going to have to play around with that and learn for myself. ;)

Anyway, I made this card today for the Lili of the Valley challenge using Dawny's sketch which was brilliant!  I am a good day early with this (which is unusual for me) but I couldnt wait to use this new image.

I used HOTP papers, and distressed and hand stitched the back panel.  I used green brads in the corner, and layered pink die cut nesties and the fleur-de-lys die.  I stamped extra wings using a pink Brilliance ink pad on Vellum and then threaded and stitched the beaded trim along the bottom.  The leaves I have had in my stash for yonks, and the flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts.  Oh, and what doesnt show up at all on the picture is the Sakura glisten pen I used to give highlights and faerie sparkle on the dress and in her hair.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Lili of the Valley - Sketch by Dawny

Do You Stack Up - Pink

The Ribbon Girl - Pink and Green

Passion for Promarkers - Let it shine - use bling/glitter

Stampin For the Weekend - Warm - I think this looks warm and summery.

CES Challenge - Angels/Faeries

The Crafty Pad - Girly

The Stampman Challenge - Distressing - 2nd entry, I think its allowed :)

Crafty Cardmakers - Florals - floral paper and flowers

Magical Monday - Flowers

Top Tip Tuesday - Flowers

City Crafter - Sew Fun

Tuesday Throwdown - Distressing

Cooking it up with Katie - Cute green brads.  I took this literally! lol :) even tho the challenge was something cute, something green and some brads.

Flutterby Wednesdays - Something with wings

Thanks so much for looking, all comments are really appreciated,  :)  and internet speed permitting I love to visit back.  Good luck to everyone in these challenges too.

Love Heart

I hadnt planned to make a card today, but I kind of just drifted into it..... :)  Well I have to do something to pass the time whilst waiting 2 hours for web-pages to load! lol :D

So I used this fab digi-stamp from Kenny K which I fell in love with when I first saw it over on my blogging buddy Suzilou's blog. She is fantastic at colouring, and thats a real inspiration to me.

I followed the great sketch by Bev over on the Krafty Girlz challenge blog and the challenge over on Charisma Cardz this week is to use numbers on your project.  I used this great quote from Winnie The Pooh, and hope this counts :)

Close up of the sentiment:

I used some old patterned card from stash (Kanban I think?) and I glittered black (Wild Orchid) roses.  I made my own pins from jewellery findings and crafty bitz and bobs, (I like to do that kind of thing ;))

I am entering this card in the below challenges:

Kenny K Krafty Girlz - Sketch by Bev
Charisma Cardz - Use numbers
Creative Card Crew - Card for a man
Tuesday Throwdown - Valentine
Passion for Promarkers - All you need is love
Paperplay Challenges - Back to Black - use black as base card
Allsorts Challenge - Card for a male
Craft Your Days Away - Love
One Stitch at a Time - Anything Goes
Creatalicious Challenges - Ribbons and Love

Thanks so much for looking, and have a great week!

Quick, Clean and Simple - well for me! :)

This must be one of the quickest and easiest cards I have ever made :) Now, i'm not sure whether it was because I knew what I was doing beforehand, and had it all worked out in my head, or whether just some days it all seems to just go together?  :)  Anyway, its a good thing, as due to my rubbish internet connection, it will probably take me about 3 hours to upload the picture! ;) lol.

This is using another new digi-stamp by Funky Kits called Verity and she was an absolute blast to colour.  My top tip for digi images is always print digi stamps out a good day or two before you are going to use them - it really seems to make a difference.  I quite often just print digi-stamps out as soon as I have downloaded them, I get my inspiration for them easier that way. ;)

I used some pearl paper from stash, MS 'punch around the page punch', pearl white card candy, and die cut flourishes for texture and relief in the background.  This really, really is 'clean and simple' for me.

I am entering this card in the following competitions:

The Sugar Bowl - Fab sketch by Kiki

I love Promarkers - KISS - Keep It Simple and Sweet

Shabby Tea Rooms - Bright and White

Really Reasonable Ribbon - Heart and Ribbon

Paper Playtime - Use the word 'Love'

Totally Papercrafts - Add a Heart

Creative Craft Challenges - Monochromatic Madness

Tuesday Morning Sketches - Heavy Metal - use metal on your project.

Sketchy Colours - White

Paper Sundaes - Birthday Celebrations - Pick a Challenge  - 38 Something from stash.

Sundays with Crissy - Digi stamp with ribbons

Die Cut Dreams - Digi and rubber stamp - sentiment is LOTV rubber

Stamp Something - Cute Somethings

Cutie Stampers - White

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - With Love - I have used the words 'with love' in white on the top right hand corner of the backing panel.

Top Tip Tuesday - Get sentimental - 2nd entry for this challenge, and a tip too! ;)

Challenge Up Your Life - Clean and Simple - This really is clean and simple for me, and so was quite a challenge :)

The Crafty Pad - Use something new - this is a new digi-stamp

Crafts and Me - Monochrome

Double Dutch - White Wishes

Thanks so much for looking, and good luck if you are entering the challenges.

Have a great start to the weekend :)

Rock Star

What nightmare this was to photograph! :) lol.  It was like pulling teeth!..... mirri board - tut!

Anyway, I hope everyone has had a great start to the weekend :) I made this card today following the sketch over at Simon Says Stamp and the theme of Black, White and Silver at Paper Playtime using the gorgeous Kenny K digi-stamp 'Star'.

Now I hope that the divine Richard Armitage isnt reading this blog, or it will spoil the valentines card surprise! :D  LOL......kidding! Its for my gorgeous husband David (h'obviously), but it wont be a surprise to him either, as his nose was poking in all over the place while I was making this.  Guess I have to send it to him now then! ;)

I used black embossed DP, and printed my own sentiment.  I used a quickie glue pen on the letters and went to town with the black glitter.   I have attached 3 dangle charms to give it some movement, and used my MS punch for the borders.  This card is 8x8 inches.

I am entering this card in the below competitions:

Kenny K Krafty Girlz - Love You.  My little stars have 'love' written on them.
Simon Says Stamp - Great Sketch
Paper Playtime - Black, White, Silver
Cute Card Thursday - Monochrome
C.R.A.F.T challenge - Moving components.  I have 3 dangly charms swinging about on this card.
One Stop Craft - Card for male
Creatalicious Challenges - Love Theme - with Ribbons.
Lexis Creations - Say it With Love
Saturday Challenge - With Love
Cupcake Craft - Something New - New Kenny K image
Magical Mondays - Any Kenny K image
Stamp Something - Anything Goes


Thanks so much for looking and good luck to all entering these challenges.

A Winters Tale

Well i thought I had finished with Christmas, but I realised I still had some new images never been inked and it is still Winter!  We have more snow here today, and so I was inspired to make this little winter scene, using this gorgeous image from the Lili of The Valley and using their great challenge sketch.

I ripped some pearlescent paper for the snow, used DP from a freebie pad with CM&P, and then punched and punched and die cut all afternoon :)  I coloured using pro-markers and stickles and will be entering this card in the following competitions:

Lili of the Valley - Fab Sketch
Sir Stampalot - A Winters Tale
ABC Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes Christmas
Paper Sundaes - Circles
Papertake Weekly - Cold and Frosty Morning
DCD Christmas Club - Punch out your sentiment.

Please read post below for my blogoversary candy too! :)

Good luck and thanks for looking

A Little Grace

Yay.... the weekend.  The house is clean and tidy, the trimmings away, and boy does it feel bare! :) 

Now, not a lot of people know this.... (I tend to keep it quiet :) lol ) but one of my middle names is Grace. (ahem). So when I saw this gorgeous little stamp over on Funky Kits  and found out she was called Grace, knew I would have to have it!  Im pretty sure I was just as adorable as this when I was little.. (not!) :)

Its one of the beautiful new images from Sugar Nellie's Home Grown range and available as a rubber stamp or a digi-download.  This is using a digi-stamp, as they are a cracking bargain at £2. 

I tried for a clean and simple look for this card, and this is probably as clean and simple as I get!  I used Kanban backing card, K & Co DP, and Bazzill basic blue card.  I embossed the white background and punched out the ribbon border and added some white pearl card-candy.

I will be entering this card in the following competitions:

The Sugar Bowl - Great sketch by Marlene and great prizes.  Extra option - Embossing.

PaperCraft Planet - Sugar Nellie Forum - Use something new.  I just treated myself to this little SN!

Sundays with Crissy - Digi image and Ribbons

Paper Playtime - Faces

Cute Card Thursday - Out with the Old - I used some quite old Kanban cardstock.

Moving Along With The Times - Ring out the old, Ring in the new.  Old cardstock, shiney new stamp/digi

Paperplay Challenges - Clean and Simple - I think this looks really clean, and felt quite simple and quick to do.

7 Kids Challenge - Cold

Do You Stack Up - Cute as a button

Rainbow Ladys Challenge - Its all new to me - I used my new digi-stamp

Stamp Something - Use a Digi Stamp

Stampin For The Weekend - New and Blue

Saturday Challenge - Tons of Texture

2 Sisters Challenge - Gettin Girly

Craft Your Days Away - Anything Goes

Crazy Challenge - All things New - new stamp

Thanks so much for looking

New Beginnings

I made this card today for the Lili of the Valley challenge, following the sketch over on the CLP challenge

I have titled this New Beginnings, as it fits in with the challenge theme. I dont go much on New Year Resolutions, as I feel every day is a new beginning, and judge each day on its own merits, but in relation to crafting, I have decided to try and use up some old stash by picking something at random and at least trying to work with it! :)  We will see how that goes! lol.

So my random item on this card (I dipped my hand in a gubbins box) were the gold vellum leaves (previously from a QVC Kanban Kit).  They always looked a bit posh to me, but Im quite pleased I used them now.  I have also recycled the decoupage lillies from a card that was sent to me.  I inked the edges, and distressed the paper, and did quite a bit of die-cutting and punching... you should see my floor!.. lol.

On the whole Im not too chuffed with this card, as I was in a real panic to get it done and rushed the colouring quite a bit - so I think it looks a bit pants.... :(  It looks like I have forgotten to finish it off anyway.  I had about 15 mins to colour it in, and then inlinkz wouldnt play nicely for me either... tut.  Oh well, I can faff about with it tomorrow. :)

I used HOTP papers, Promarkers, Gold Stickles, MS Punches and Kanban vellum leaves.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Lili Of The Valley - New Beginnings

Simon Says Stamp - New Beginnings

Passion for Promarkers - Thank you - greeting

I Love Promarkers - Recycle - I used decoupage from a card that was sent to me... (we never chuck owt away do we!! )

Cute Card Thursday - Thank You

Charisma Cardz - Pearls and lace

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge - Thank you

Dutch Dare Challenges - New Beginnings

CLP Challenge - Great Sketch

Allsorts Challenge - Thank You

Stamptacular Sunday - A gorgeous photo inspired challenge

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes with Lace

Creative Cottage - Something New - I used my spellbinder Fleur DeLys die for the first time

Flutterby Wednesdays - With Wings

Fab n' Funky - Anything Goes

Phindys Place - Give Thanks

Creative Craft Challenges  New Year Resolutions - to use old stash and pick it randomly

Try It Tuesday Taggers - New Beginnings - a great revamp of their blog and challenges

Tuesday Throwdown - Embossing - I embossed the background mat

Thanks for looking

Winter Blues

So, away with the Mirri board for another year, but I'm holding on fast to keeping the glitter! :) lol. 

I made this card today using my new Tilda in her cozy christmas coat stamp, and following the sketch over on the Crafters Companion Challenge.  I also used my new scalloped nesties......... hmmmmm...... now remember when you were little and your mum would say to you, 'you cant have anything 5 minutes..........'?  Well i have lost my smallest little scalloped nestie, and I am NOT impressed!  TUT! ..

It will either turn up when the vac screams or the dogs might bring it me to play with, (hopefully) as I cant bear the thought of it having been chucked away with the christmas rubbish.  I waited almost all year for that set of nesties.

The DP is Joanna Sheen, and a piece of backing card from a Kanban Kit.  I used McGill punch on the dp for the fern leaves, stickles and gems for added bling.  I was aiming for a deep midwinter feel to the card, Icy, dark and crisp. It snowed here all day, but not the nice bright christmas card snow, more like the January blues and grey skies snow.  I am also loving playing with scalloped edge cards too.

I will be entering this card in the following competitions:

Crafters Companion - Great sketch

By The Cute and Girly - Bling it on

Just Magnolia - Anything Goes

Totally Tilda - Ribbons and Roses

Magnolia Down Under - A Gift For You (Tildas Gift)

Magnolia Stamp Lovers - Blues

Moving Along with the Times - Circles and birthday themed

Stamp Something - Glitter

Simon Says Stamp and Show - use your newest stamp (Tilda)

Really Reasonable Ribbons - Something New (Tilda) + Ribbon

Sew Many Challenges - New Things (Tilda)

One Stop Craft Challenge - 'New Beginnings' - I used for the first time my new Tilda stamp

Creative Inspirations - Use something new

Paper Sundaes - Use something new

City Crafter - Stamp it out

Christmas Card Challenges - Embossing - I embossed the back panel behind Tilda using cuttlebug embossing folder

CES Challenges - Anything Goes

Top Tip Tuesday - Metal Mickey - I have attached a charm

Cutie Sunday - Winter

Creative Craft Challenges - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Ellephantastic Challenges - New Beginnings (New tilda stamp)

Good luck to everyone in these challenges, and thanks for looking

The Stampman - My Best Creation Award

Over on  The Stampman Challenge Blog  they are asking you to pick what you think is your best creation from last year. 

Now The Stampman Challenges are really great, and I always feel they have quite a unique style and theme.  So though a lot of my cards are either clean or sparkly, I love the more arty/grungy/distressed feel of the very creative projects over on their blog.  I have selected this card therefore, as I feel it more closely fits in with their style and its something I would like to focus more on for 2011.  This card was definately a break away from my normal style, as I tried to give it a distressed feel, and opted for aged papers, some deconstructed jewellery, a bit of sanding and old skool eyelets and ribbon snips.

Original post link: Mint Choc Chip

Thanks for looking! :)

xxalisonxx