Coffee and Cream

Well it feels like we have fast-tracked this week to Friday! :) lol.  Which is not a bad thing as my internet has been throttled again until the end of the month, so its like pulling teeth uploading pictures - bah!. 

Anyway, it doesnt stop me crafting :) so I made this card today using one of my favourite LOTV images (Pom Pom).  

I didnt really want to make another bright and fizzy card, so I have opted for a bit of coffee, cream and dark chocolate.  I distressed and hand-stitched K&Co papers, die cut some chocolate leaves and used gold stickles.  I used the sketch over on Cute Card Thursday, and also followed the themes of coffee and cream on Simon Says Stamp and circles on the Lili of the Valley challenge.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp - Coffee and Cream

Lili of the Valley - Circles

Cute Card Thursday - Fab Sketch by Christine

Top Tip Tuesday - Bling it on

A Spoonful of Sugar - Birthday Wishes

Bearly Mine - Ribbons and Pearls

Do You Stack Up - Anything Goes

The Ribbon Girl - Pink, Brown and Cream

Rainbow Lady - Shabby chic

Frosted Designs - Use metal - I have metal charm and 2 metal brads

Thanks ever so for popping by and commenting, and I wish everyone lots of luck in these challenges. :)

I Love You

Awww, I love this image :)

Easel cards are my favourite, but I dont tend to make many as I find them harder to store until I can get round to making boxes in a batch, but they are great for using up all your scraps and I think they have a real wow factor when on display.

I hand stitched and distressed K&Co papers, added dimensional stickers and punches and pearls from stash.

I am entering this card in the below competitions:

Just Magnolia - Love You

The Stamp Man - Hearts

Saturday Challenge - Fancy Folds - more than 1 fold.

Stamp Magic - Hearts

Magnolia Down Under - Distressing

Simon Says Stamp and Show - Stripes

Lexis Creations - Flowers

Tuesday Throwdown - 3D - I used Dimensional stickers and foam pads for 3d effect.

7 Kids Challenge - Square card

Creative Inspirations - Stripes

The Pixie Cottage - Cute

Thanks so much for visiting my blog and looking.  Good luck to everyone entering the challenges.

Ladybug - I Love Promarkers GDT - Stitching

I Love Ladybugs!  Dont they just make you smile?  Especially when you know that half of them are not 'lady'bugs at all! lol. 

Anyway, today sees the start of a new challenge over on I Love Promarkers, and the theme this week is stitching (which I love!).  It can be real stitching or faux, so why not just add a little to your project this week and enter the challenge :)

I used a fab digi image called 'ladybug' from Digi Doodles and it was great fun to play with and colour.  I used promarkers obviously, but also added some black gloss to the ladybug's spots with a sakura glaze pen.  I die cut the flowers and leaves and used K&Co Poppy papers. 

I will be entering this card in the following challenges:

Do You Stack Up - Dots

Cute Card Thursday - Shiney Happy Cards

Totally Papercrafts - Do it with a Digi

CES - Spots and Stripes

Sir Stampalot - All Creatures Great and Small

Crafty Creations - Down the bottom of my garden

Thanks so much for looking, I cant wait to see what everyone else does, and good luck!

Live Without Fear

Well this was very nearly the last card I was ever going to make!!... I was searching high and low for black card (one of my 'must haves') and couldnt find any anywhere :(  Its quite hard to find online (I dont have craft shops nearby) and its quite expensive too, so I was in a bit of a panic and spent hours trawling through my stuff to find some.

Luckily (phew) I found a few more pieces, but if anyone knows where you can buy it quite reasonably, then please give me a shout. :)

So, onto the card (lol)  This card is for the Kenny K Krafty Girlz challenge this week which is 'circles'.  I came across this 12x12 March Johnson paper in my stash, and couldnt bear to cut up the sentiment, so I have used a 10x7 inch rectangle card which is mahoosive! :)  This shape doesnt appear too well on a blog though does it but if you click the image it will enlarge.

I usually print my digi images in bulk, so they are set after a few days, but I only had one of these images printed.  It took several attempts to get the colourway right on this though as my ivory promarker kept smudging the black ink as it was freshly printed.  Now over on Minas blog there is a digi-stamp tutorial for watercolouring etc. and it recommended heating the image with a heat gun a few times to set the ink.  This worked a total treat, so thank you Mina for that. :)

I used some metal corners from stash, Nesties and Marianne doily dies, MgGill branch punch and Roses from WOC.  The Epoxy sentiment is also March Johnson (I have no idea when or where I got them!), and I have distressed the edges of the paper.  I also used Sakura pens to add a bit of sparkle to the branch punches and also the image (not clear on pic).

I am entering this card in the below competitions:

Kenny K Krafty Girlz - Circles

Allsorts challenge - Sentiment

Paper Sundaes - 3 toppings, Flowers, Distressing and Pink (2nd entry)

Creative Inspirations - Distressing

One Stitch at a Time - Make it pretty - 3rd entry

Papertake Weekly - Putting on the glitz.  I have bling and glitter pens on this card

Cute Card Thursday - Shiny and glossy - epoxy sentiment sticker and metal corners

PaperPlay challenges - Add Shine - epoxy sentiment and metal corners, also glitter pens and bling

Dutch Dare - Sparkle, glitter and bling

Stamp Something - Funky

Thanks so much for looking, and I hope everyone has a fab weekend.  Good luck to everyone in these challenges :)

Joy II

Hmmm, you know when you just dont want to throw anything away? :) .......... well I made this card from left-over scraps of paper and die cuts cluttering up my desk from last weeks 'I Love Promarkers GDT' card.  I try not to keep saving offcuts, and mostly decorate the inside of my cards with any remaining bits, but this paper seemed to go on forever! lol.

I followed the sketch over on the Sugar Bowl for their great challenge there, and used the fabulous digi-stamp called 'Joy'.  I didnt realise until I had photographed it that I had forgotten to add the little rectangle backing panel (as per the sketch) and I really couldnt face pulling it to bits, so I hope I am allowed to enter with this.

I coloured with promarkers, stitched pearl beads onto the doily die and used K&Co Papers.  

I am entering this card in the below competitions:

Sugar Bowl - Great sketch by Marlene

ABC Challenge - O is for Old Fashioned/vintage/lace etc

Top Tip Tuesday - Stitching

Bearly Mine - Ribbons and Pearls

Thanks so much for looking :) I really appreciate it, and good luck to everyone entering these challenges.

Paper Piecing - I Love Promarkers GDT

This week on the I Love Promakers challenge, the theme is 'paper piecing'.  Now I had only ever done this technique once before, and its not something I usually think about doing as I just 'stamp and colour' :) lol.

But I really enjoyed doing this and it seemed really quick!  I paper-pieced the cap, jumper and wellies.

I followed a great sketch over on Sketch Saturday and coloured the rest of the image with promarkers.

I fell in love with this LOTV image quite some time ago and the sentiment is one of my favourite quotes.  I hand-stitched and distressed HOTP papers, used McGill branch punch, ribbon scraps, metal charm and pearls from stash.

I am entering this card in the below competitions:

Allsorts Challenge - All about the sentiment

Sketch Saturday - Great sketch

Creative Inspirations - Distressing

The Shabby TeaRoom - Keeping warm & photo insp.  My fishing boy is wearing a wooly jumper and cap, and I took brown and beige from the photo

Passion for Promarkers - Coffee and Creme - great theme Nic :)

Do You Stack Up - Ribbon (3rd entry)

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

Aloha

In a bit of dash this morning, but I really wanted to share this card that I made using a Sweet Pea stamp called Aloha.  I find these images irresistable to colour, and you can just drift away into your own world.  :)

Anyway, I followed the fab sketch by Bev over on Friday Sketchers and was really aiming for an underwater world feel to this card (without the water!) lol.  Its a lot more shimmery in real life, as all of her tail is accented with green glitter pen, and her hair sparkles with crystal star sakura.

I hand-stitched the backing panel with gold thread and used K&Co papers, promarkers, glitterpens, stickles and marianne flourish dies.  Sea shell charms, organza ribbon, fibres and irridescent flowers from stash. 

I am entering this card in the following competitions:

In a Sweet Pea Dream - Anything Goes
Charisma Cardz - Mythical/Fantasy
Friday Sketchers - Fab Sketch by  Bev
BunnyZoes Crafts - Spring - Flowers everywhere.
Sketchy Colours - Peach, Green and Gold
One Stitch at a Time - Make it Pretty (2nd entry)
Crafty Cardmakers - Plastic - I have used irridescent plastic flowers.
Top Tip Tuesday - Stitching - I hand stitched the gold thread on the backing DP
Papertake Weekly - Putting on the  Glitz - sparkle, shimmer and glitter


Thanks so much for looking, have a great day, and please come back tomorrow to see my GDT card for I Love Promarkers.

Sweet Tilda

I made this card yesterday following the wonderful (but challenging) sketch by the fabulously talented Mina over on the Just Magnolia Challenge blog this week.  I didnt mean it to turn out so bright in the candy/pastel colours, but it just ended up that way. :) Very girly huh?

I hand stitched the stripey panels, used HOTP papers, MS doily punch, promarkers, and flowers from WOC.

I am entering this card in the below competitions this week:

Just Magnolia - Fab Sketch

Cute Card Thursday - Hearts and Flowers

PaperPlay Challenges - Hearts and Flowers but not Valentine

The Stamp Man - Hearts

Crazy 4 Challenges - Hearts

2 Sisters Challenge - Hearts

The Crafty Pad - Hearts

Magnolia Stamp Lovers - Pastel

Paper Sundaes - 2 Toppings - Flowers and Pink

One Stitch at a Time - Pretty

Thanks so much for looking, have a really great week, and good luck to everyone in these challenges.

Lilac and Lavender

Woo... another great start to the weekend, I hope everyone has lots of good stuff planned :)

Now, I came across some Flower Soft and some matching papers in my mums stuff recently, and I thought I would give them a go.  I have never used flowersoft before and didnt have any of the other gubbins that goes with it, so I improvised using some cut off stalks from other flowers (another genius plan Alison - lol ) and some cheap PVA glue from asda.  It was quite easy and didnt take long for the stems to dry at all, so I was quite impressed.

I made this card using another new Lili of the Valley image and followed Dawny P's fabulous sketch over on the challenge blog.  I hand stitched the layers, and also hand stitched lilac beads to the main card panel (close up below).  These really sparkle in the light and look quite delicate :)

I coloured with Promarkers and a lilac glitter pen, used stickles, ribbon, pearls and charm from stash.

I am entering this card in the below competitions:

Lili of the Valley - Dawnys sketch

Moving along with the Times - Photo inspiration

Do You Stack Up - Ribbon (2nd entry)

CES Challenges - Cute n' cuddly

Pear Tree Designs - Free for all

Thanks so much for looking and have a great weekend

Red Hot Valentine

Back again today with another card to share :)

I wasnt going to make any more 'lurrve or valentines' cards, but I was having a good old rummage through my stash looking for something completely different, when I found this old red paper pack from Habico, which I have had for yonks!  It had such fabulous textured hand-made papers that there was really only one thing for it .......... a bit of passion! ;) 

I coloured this great Kenny K image (Allura) with pro-markers and glitter pens, and then cunningly transformed some old brown brads with a black promarker, glossy accents and black glitter. ;)  The brads really were essential, as hand-made paper is not only evil to cut straight (why is that?) but its also quite difficult to stick down! (tut) :)  I dont normally put brads through my main card, so I capped them on the inside with black card candy dots (which i thought was a genius idea!) lol.

I am entering this card into the below challenges as Valentines, Love, Hearts and Red seem to be very popular this week :)

KennyK KraftyGirlz - Photo inspiration

Crafts and Me - Red

Stampin For the Weekend - Valentine

Crafty Calendar - Love

By the Cute and Girly - Red is all around us

Creatalicious Challenges - Love and Ribbon

CES Challenges - Red and Romance

Craft Your Days Away - Photo inspiration

Stamptacular Sunday - Love and Hearts gone wild

Creative Inspirations - Valentines/Love

Cupcake Craft Challenges - Seeing Red

Double Dutch - Love is in the air

Papertake Weekly - Hearts

Digi Tuesday - From the heart - valentines

Creative Craft Challenges - Love is in the air

Top Tip Tuesday - Frame it - outside the frame - great tutorial!

Passion for Promarkers - Let there be love

Cute Card Thursday - Hearts and Flowers

Do You Stack Up - Ribbons

Dutch Dare - Valentine

thanks so much for looking, its really appreciated, and good luck to everyone entering these challenges.

Birthday Joy - I Love ProMarkers GDT

Today is the 1st Birthday of I Love Promarkers challenge blog :)

Wow!  time flies eh?  So to celebrate, this weeks theme is 'Happy Birthday'.   Simples.  Go checkout some of the fab and inspirational designs from the DT, you wont resist joining in.

Now I was feeling quite summery when I made this card, and it kind of fell together itself....... :)  I love it when that happens.  I followed the sketch over on the Sugar Bowl, and used 'Joy' from the Sugar Nellie digital stamps range.  Again, so easy to colour they almost do themselves.  I distressed K&Co papers, hand-stitched the panels and added pearl beads (its a phase! lol).  I couldnt find a way to add 'wings' to this image as per the sketch, so I substituted lace either side with a few blue accent beads.

I will be entering this card in the below competitions:

Sugar Bowl - Sketch

Stamp Something - Digi stamps

Sew Many Challenges - Anything Goes

2 Sisters Challenge - The World is our Oyster - Pearls

One Stitch at a Time - Do it with a digi

Thanks so much for looking :)

Love is............... unconditional

Well, its the start of a new week, and we have snow again in our part of the country.  Only about 2-3 inches, but thats enough for me :) lol.

Now, I made this card........ just because.  I love this image, and every time I see it on anyones cards it just takes my breath away.  I was in a dither when I bought it, as I am a real doggy person, but I loved this cute kitten, so I guess I will have to go back and get the puppy as well! lol.

I hand-stitched the HOTP papers onto bazzill and normal cardstock, and then layered punches and nesties. It just looked a bit lacking in sparkle and I didnt want to overcrowd with flowers and leaves, so I threaded some green star beads onto the rose stems and twisted them into shape. 

I will be entering this card in the following challenges:

Mos Digital Pencil - Lots of Love
Totally Papercrafts - Friendship
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes + Flowers
Top Tip Tuesday - Girly
Tuesday Throwdown - Stitching
Flutterby Wednesdays - Anything Goes
PaperPlay Challenges- Stamp it out - Digi or rubber
Stamp Something - Anything Goes - Digi
C.R.A.F.T. Challenges - In the roll of a die - I used fleur de lys die and also square nestie dies
Sew Many Challenges - Anything Goes
Allsorts - Love, Love, Love
Sweet Stampin - Spring flowers
Sundays with Crissy - Love is........
One Stitch at a Time - Anything goes digi
Stamp with Fun - Love
Magical Monday - Love

Thank you so much for looking, and good luck to everyone in these challenges.

My First EVA GDT Card! :) - I Love Promarkers.

Oh my, I was so so thrilled last week to be chosen to be the GDT for the month of February on the I Love Promarkers blog.  Its one of my favourite weekly challenges, and I was totally blown away.   This week the challenge is 'Anything Goes' - so come on, everyone enter! :) lol.

Now, I think I was born with a sewing needle in my hand, and I was learning to sew before I could write, so to be able to combine 2 favourite hobbies is brilliant. I thought this fab paper by K&Co would be ideal to try out my new beading technique (which I have been thinking about doing for ages) as it was symetrical and seemed to suit the style.

Firstly, I backed my DP onto bazzill card using a small amount of double-sided sticky tape.  I then pricked out my holes for stitching the edges and for attaching the beads using a metallic grid sheet often used in parchment craft.  I have marked certain areas of the paper that will be covered by the layered design.

As you can see, the beads are from a cheap, deconstructed bracelet, and I used a beading needle to thread and secure the beads.

Close up of the pricked holes and pattern.

The thread is secured on the back by a small knot, and as I went along, I affixed my layered panels to the card, so I didnt waste my time beading where it would be hidden.

I finally hand-stitched around the edge of the card topper, and fixed to the base card. I followed sketch 52 from Papertake Weekly.

I coloured Tilda with Promarkers, used roses from Wild Orchid Crafts, added extra beads on the pin, and attached a charm.

Thanks so much for looking :)

I will be entering this card in the below competitions:

Just Magnolia - Going Dotty

Crafts 4 Eternity - Polka dots

Totally Gorjuss - Anything Goes

Allsorts - Saving Nature - Recycled beads from a cheap bracelet

Do You Stack Up - Patterns

Magnolia Down Under - Embossing

Pear Tree Designs - Flowers - 2nd entry

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes + Flowers

Top Tip Tuesday - Anything Girlie

Tuesday Throwdown - Stitching

Have a great week and good luck to everyone in these challenges :)

Chocolate Orange - Featured Stamper on Tuesday Morning Sketches.

Today there is a new challenge over on the Tuesday Morning Sketches blog, and its to follow this great sketch by Melissa.  I was delighted to win their judged challenge last week and was really inspired to make this card as this weeks featured stamper.  What an honour! :)

I used a fabulous image called 'Bossy' from Mo's Digital Pencil.  I love these images and seem to smile the entire time I am crafting with them.  The challenge on Mo's DP2 blog this week is 'Orange, Yellow & Red'. 

Now, anyone who knows me knows that Orange annoys me ;) Not the fruit, or the chocolate (obviously) just the colour.  I had to dig really deep in my stash to find anything orange - it was all buried!  I coloured this image with pro-markers and printed my own sentiment.  I used a sheet of paper from a free stack of MME, and the rest is assorted kanban patterned card.  The flowers, ribbon and charm were also from old stash.

I will be entering this card in the following competitions:

Mos Digital Pencil - Orange, Red, Yellow
Fab n' Funky - Digital stamping
Crafty Creations - Heat it up - I think this fits in with warm, hot and spicy.
Paperplay challenge - Layer it up
Do You Stack Up - Patterns - I have 3 different DP/Patterned papers and card on this project. 2nd entry
Crafty Catz - Flowers
Crafts 4 Eternity - Polka Dots
Cutie Stampers - Stripes
Totally Gorjuss - Anything Goes
CES - Bold and Bright
Stamptacular Sunday - Anything Goes
Pear Tree Designs - Flowers
Ooh La La - 3 of a Kind - 3 bunches of flowers
One Stitch at a Time - Photo Inspiration - Orange, gold, green
Paper Playtime - Digi Monday - Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes + Flowers

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

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