Spring Greens

........and I dont mean the cabbages........ (bleugh!) ;) lol.

Now, I dont usually go for colouring my images so heavy or vivid, but they say fortune favours the brave, so last night I decided to just 'go for it'. 

Lots of challenges this week want to see green and I struggled to find decent DP for a base. In the end I resorted to raiding my xmas stash and felt this gorgeous fairy image from Lili of the Valley really needed to be quite bold to stand a chance against these.

I followed Cazza's sketch over on Sketch Saturday (I tried, I really did) and used lots of punches and die-cut layers to give it depth.  I used a Nellie Snellen circle die as it has great loops and I wound the flowers and ivy leaves through, attaching beads on the stems to create a floral wreath.  The papers and ribbon are HOTP christmas, flowers, leaves and lucky clover charm from very old stash.

I am entering this card in the below competitions:

Really Reasonable Ribbon - Green
Lili of the Valley - Say it with flowers
Sketch Saturday - Cazza's fab sketch
The Stamp Man - Mothers Day - floral theme
CES Challenges - Lucky or St Patricks Day - I used a 4 leaf clover charm
The Crafty Pad - Use ribbon
One Stitch at a Time - Use a charm
Crafty Cardmakers - Fabric - Ribbon and fabric leaves.
Simon Says Stamp and Show - Show some metal.
The Shabby Tea Room - Lucky Green
PaperPlay Challenges - Green and good luck
Do You Stack Up - Layers
Magical Monday - Spring colours
Papertake Weekly - Lemon/yellow Zingy
Ladybug Crafts Ink - Spring colours
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Sew Many Challenges - St Patricks, lucky, green
Colour Create - Green/Olive, brown, cream, black - option leaves

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

Forest Blue

Woop! Woop!... My internet is now restored, and though its not as fast as 99% of the UK @512kbps, its still good enough for me to upload pics and blog quite happily. 

So, todays card is using another Sweet Pea image called Forest Blue and it was so lovely to play with.  I followed Rach's sketch over on Friday Sketchers, and stuck to a theme of 'black, white + one colour' for the One-Stop Craft challenge.

I coloured with Promarkers (my new Ivory arrived quickly thanks to Joanna Sheen!) added highlights with glitter, and stitched beads with silver thread and added moon charms to the MS punch.  I distressed and chalked the edges of the DP.

I also hand-stitched and beaded all around the edge of the DP (close up above) and attached the main moon charm by silver thread and beads.

I'm not real sure about the DP, but I think the main sheet and the moon piece were from a Brenda Pinnick 12 x 12 pad which I have had for a long time.

I am entering this card in the below competitions:

One Stop Craft Challenge - Black, white  + one

Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes

PaperPlay Challenges - Shabby Chic

Friday Sketchers - Fab sketch by Rach

Allsorts Challenge - Card for a teen.

The Crafty Pad - Use Ribbon

One Stitch at a Time - Charms

Crafty Cardmakers - Fabric - I used 2 ribbons.

Cooking it up with Kate - Sweet, Sassy, Punchy

Fab n' Funky - Girly

Stamp with Fun - Monochrome Blue

Spoonful of Sugar - Shabby/vintage

Bearly Mine challenges - Birthday card

Simon Says Stamp and Show - Some Metal

Sweet Pea Stampers - Favourites.  This is definately one of my favourite Sweet Pea images.

Make it Colourful - Colour a shine - I am not a confident 'colourer', so this blog makes me practise and I am always nervous about entering! :)

Thanks so much for looking, and I will now catch up on my commenting.  Have a great day, and good luck to everyone in these challenges.

Good Luck ......... my friend.

I made this card for my friend and his wife who are moving home (and taking their desk - lol) and also starting new jobs.  I really wish them lots of luck and happiness in their new life.

I followed the sketch over on The Sugar Bowl and I'm sure I'm not the only one who thought this cried out for 3 little adorables ;)  There are 2 reasons I haven't coloured them in completely - one is that I think these look lovely even with just a subtle amount of feathery colour, and the other is that I have finally used up all my 'Ivory' pro-marker, and so until I get another one, I might struggle to colour flesh! :D lol. 

I did use Lilac, Lavender, Cool Grey 2 and Forest Green Promarkers though for my subtle effects as well as the blender pen.

I think I kept this quite simple (for me) and just added little highlights to the hair and ribbons.  I threaded tiny dragonfly charms on the stems of the roses and twisted them to hold in place.

Its quite a little softer looking IRL, (and less ghostly) but I had lost the natural daylight, so this is taken with a flash and a daylight bulb.

I am entering this card in the following competitions:

The Sugar Bowl - Sketch
Digital Tuesdays - Celebrations
I Love Promarkers - Purple and Green
Stamp Something - Digi
Totally Papercrafts - Pearls and lace
Fussy and Fancy - Embossing
CES Challenges - Good Luck
Stamptacular - Good Luck/Best Wishes
Dream Valley - New Beginnings
Cupcake Inspirations - I took lilac, white and green
Sentimental Sundays - Pearls and Lace
The Crafty Pad - Ribbon
One Stitch at a Time - Charms - there are 5 little dragonfly charms on this card.
Scrappy Frogs - Good Luck
Paper Playtime - Digi Mondays - Anything goes

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

I ♥ Promarkers - Things with Wings

Today sees the start of a new challenge at I ♥ Promarkers, and its one of my favourite themes - Things With Wings :)  We are sponsored by one of our regular and  fabulous sponsors Joanna Sheen, a site I am very familiar with (ahem!) lol.  I just treated myself to some fabby new dies from there this week and there is always lots of great new stuff to choose from.

I used a Sugar Nellie image on this card and also followed the great sketch over at The Sugar Bowl.

The lace doily, border, butterflies and vines were made using my Silhouette digital die cutter :)  I told you I would be putting it through its paces! lol.  It takes a little longer to cut than just using my bug, but its brilliant to have so much variety in an instant, and to have the ability to resize them too.

I am entering this card in the below competitions:

The Sugar Bowl - Great sketch by KiKi

Colour Create Challenge - Pink, Green and White

C.R.A.F.T Challenge - Fairy Tales

Paperplay Challenges - In the Garden

Totally Papercrafts - Bling it Up

Allsorts Challenge - Free and Easy

Emerald Faeries - Lace

Crafters Companion - Glitter and Glitz

Crafty Cardmakers - Flutterbies

The Ribbon Reel - Chantilly Lace

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

Thanks so much for looking at my blog today, and if you have time please check back tomorrow when I have some exciting news to share :)

Little China

Im not going bonkers honest! :) lol. 

You know when you get something in your head.......... a rogue idea and you just run with it????  Well this was mine! ;)  This little teacup fairy inspired me to create a tablecloth background to go with the english tea-cup.  Im not too sure I pulled it off, and it is a little less frothy looking in RL.

I stitched the lace through the holes of the MS punch and then added beads in a flower design to secure it.  Its only raised about 3mm from the backing card and is quite soft, not dense.  I cut the blue leaves from the inner part of the lace and used the MS PAP punch again only smaller.  The image was coloured with pro-markers and a little shimmer from a sakura crystal glitter pen was added around the tea-cup flower design, (just like I remember my aunties having;) lol )

I am entering this project (tentatively) in the below competitions:

Mos Digital Pencil - Spring colours and flowers - I stitched beads to look like mini flowers, I hope this qualifies.

Crafty Cardmakers - Fairies and 2 paper punches

Magical Mondays - Lace

Do You Stack Up - Anything goes - 3rd entry

Stamp Something - With flowers

Sweet Stampin - Oh so girly! - 2nd entry

Sentimental Sundays - Anything Goes

Paper Playtime - Digi Mondays - Anything Goes

Lexis Creations - Flowers

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

Sunshine

And here is another colour thats waaaaay out of my comfort zone - yellow! :) lol

Now today would have been my mums birthday, and she just loved lemon, white and sunshine yellow, so I guess I made this with her in mind and I dedicate this card to her.

I followed Minas great sketch over on the Just Magnolia challenge and used K&Co daffodil papers, yellow card candy, MS punch, metal enamelled charm and other gubbins from stash.  The image is also a lot more sparkly than the camera shows, as her frock and ribbons are highlighted with crystal sakura.

I am entering this card in the following competitions:

Just Magnolia - Minas fabby sketch

Oldie But Goodie - Spring is in the air

Magnolia Down Under - Flowers

Colour Create - Choose 3 fruits from photograph.  I chose banana, pineapple and apple.

Do You Stack Up - Anything Goes - 2nd entry.

Stamp Something - Something with flowers

The Stampman - Curls and Swirls

Allsorts challenge - Make own flowers

Sweet Stampin - Oh so girly!

Paper Sundaes - How charming - Use a metal charm

Thanks for looking, have a great day,

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