Floral Circle

Quite enjoyed doing this although cutting out the floral circle needed me to exercise patience which is not one of my strogest points!

The image was a freebie from Bugaboo and I thought it would be perfect for a lot of occasions like get well, sympathy or even just to drop a note to someone.

I coloured the image with watercolours, and then ran a black promarker round the edges to make sure none of the base white card was showing after I'd cut it out and I used 3d pads to raise it from the background.

The good old swiss dots folder used again and mounted onto lemon cardstock before placing onto a white deckle edged card.

Queen of the Screen - But no crown.......

Have had a small break from card making for a couple of days and caught up with other things (not housework...lol).

The next challenge at the Art'n Soul flickr group was to alter a jigsaw piece using monochrome colours. Although the closing date for this challenge isn't until 3rd April, I thought I'd better get this done whilst I had the chance otherwise as usual I shall be dashing about at the last minute!

The jigsaw piece measures 5" x 3" and was sent to me by Maureen some time ago. Poor old Thomas the Tank Engine was unceremoniously ripped off the front and I painted the piece with white acrylic paint to get rid of the grey card back and sides. On reflection I could have left these cos the theme was monochrcome..... doh!

I covered the front with random alphabet paper ( have no idea where this came from... found 2 sheets of it at the back of a drawer!). Used black and silver embossing powder on the edges and stamped the Paperartsy image onto white card with black stazon. I mounted the image and words onto silver mirri card and glued in place. The camera and film strip are a black and white photocopy of K and Co scrapbook paper suitably reduced in size to fit the piece and I finished with a silver star and heart. I then took what I thought was a metal crown charm from my stash - it was curved and wouldn't sit flat so I decided to flatten it............. this was NOT a good idea as the charm was plastic and promptly shattered into about a million tiny pieces when I pressed down on it with the edge of the hammer........................ so my 'Queen of the Screen' is currently crownless until I can get some flat crowns!

Despite the monochrome theme, I couldn't resist giving her a teeny touch of red lipstick!

Creative Inspirations is predominantly a card site but does permit other projects to be submitted for challenges. Their theme this week is also Monochrome so have linked this and Fab n Funky's challenge is black and white and fotunately for me so was Little Red Wagon's!

Coffee Time

An apt card I think for the challenge at 'Play Date Cafe'!

This week it's a colour challenge and the colours given are Red, Brown and Linen. This image is a digi freebie and I wanted to make a basic card which would be suitable for anyone to receive or send, be it just to drop someone a note or for any other occasion.

Cream base card, layered with red card and then the brown houndstooth patterned paper (which i have had in my stash for ever!). I coloured the image with promarkers using the 'Ivory' one to colour in the sentiment and the 'wall' behind the coffee pot as I foolishly printed them out onto white card!

I added another 'daisy' from the new punch (getting my money's worth!) and some cream ribbon.

I think this is an 'OK' card - not spectacularly pretty or adorned with embellishments, but hopefully one that the recipent might appreciate.

Distressed .....

no, not me! The challenge at Paper Sundaes is to use some form of distressing on your card so carrying on with making cards for the charity box I made this boy card.

The image was a freebie from Dustin Pike. I don't have a lot of experience with kids stuff, particularly for boys so hope this is a suitable card!

I coloured 'Sir Knight' with promarkers, sponged the white base card around him with 'Shabby Shutters' distress ink (doesn't show up too well on this pic, but trust me, it's on there!) and punched out 'half a daisy' with the newly acquired Martha Stewart punch and glued it onto the top right hand side.

The background papers are from a Christmas stack from HOTP and I used 3 small green mosaic tiles on the left hand side.

I have also submitted this for the challenge over at Cards for Men, which this week had set the theme of 'green'. I'm hoping that 'jolly green dragon' is green enough!

Spring

Once our Valentine theme had finished over at Hugz from the Heart, I had to think up another challenge. The Hugz group is an additional group to my 2 main groups on Flickr and was designed to sporadically celebrate certain dates in the year. So with all the terrible weather both here and across the pond (where 50% of the members are from) I decided we needed to spread some sunshine amongst us and decided to mark the official first day of Spring on 21st March.

Everyone has to work from the same template but can interpret the theme onto the template any way they want using any medium they want.

I used the same technique that I'd done on my Butterfly Note Holder with the idea taken from Craft Stamper magazine. The flowers however were a bit more difficult to do as they were so much smaller than the butterfly, each flower measures just 3 inches across! The mountboard was sponged using Antique Linen distress ink to form a muted base colour. I then stamped the other images using Mustard Seed, Dried Marigold and Shabby Shutters Distress Ink. The saying is an Elusive Images stamp - 'Can words describe the fragrance of the very breath of Spring?'. I attched the two flowers together using some bright orange cord. The main butterfly is attached using 3d pads and to finish the piece off I layered some flower s and used some bright orange fibres, a tag, a butterflycharm, heart button and flower charm all from my stash.

Challenge 43 at Gingersnap Creations is '3 colours I love'. This was a really difficult challenge for me as I love all colours and have no favourites for one more than the other. I like colours that blend well together and are pleasing to the eye so I hope the orange, yellow and green which remind me that warmer weather is on the way will be acceptable to the team at Gingersnap! Stamp Something's theme is Spring which is very apt for my flowers!

Sailing

Just trying to make a few men's cards for the fund raising - everybody I know says they have trouble making cards for men, so thought I should at least try and include a couple in the box.

This stamp is one of a series of collage stamps called Clear-2-Collage from a company called Butterfly Kisses which I bought specifically cos I thought it'd make men's cards. I have a 'thing' about collage stamps - my collection keeps growing but I hardly ever use them!

I used Azure Stazon ink on glossy white card and layered it onto a blue backing paper from HOTP Cardmakers Pack which has the map of the world imprinted onto it. The problem I have with men's cards is I am reluctant to use too much in the way of embellishments - my OH would be less than impressed with ribbons and flowers so consequently I end up agonising about what to put on a card to 'finish' it off! I found 'Jonathan Livingston Seagull' nesting in my stash... have no idea where he came from but feel he goes a little way to solving the 'bare' problem, although I still think this card could do with something else. What? I haven't a clue!!!! But..... fortunately for me the challenge this week at Cupcake Crafts is 'Keep it Simple', so I hope this qualifies!

Puppy Love!

One Stop Crafts has a sketch challenge this week and the theme over at Simon Says Stamp is 'What's Love got to do with it', whilst the theme at One Powerful Hour is not surprisingly, Love, and finally Tuesday Taggers also has a theme of ... yes, you've guessed, Love is All Around!

This is a Lili of the Valley stamp. Think it says everything about friendship and the unconditional love you get from a dog.

I remember a saying - 'happiness is a warm puppy' - and whoever said it got it right!

Image coloured with promarkers and edges inked with Tattered Rose Distress Ink, all papers from K and Co and the greeting is a stamp from Inkadinkadoo.

Visions of Tomorrow

Finally I managed to find some free time yesterday to use my newly acquired Cuttlebug Asian Folders. I ordered them ages ago and they finally arrived on Saturday morning which irritated me immensely as I had to go out on Saturday and couldn't play with them!

I bought them from the USA cos as usual they get all the good stuff before we do!! (It's so unfair.....LOL) and as I'm not known for my patience, I wasn't prepared to wait until they're released here!

Decided to do just a simple card using the bamboo folder on Coredinations paper. The first two lines of the quote are a chinese proverb, I made the last line up to finish the greeting!! Printed it out on DCWV Oriental theme paper and mounted it onto chipboard.

I bought these huge oriental coins at Manchester at the end of last month and have been waiting for the folders to arive so I could use them!

Kitty Love

Had a real good blog hop this morning and found lots of challenges on a 'love' theme!

The love of my life and I don't do Valentines as we have another occasion to celebrate on 14th Feb so it is very rarely I make a 'love' card - but this image from mygrafico I think could be used for a whole range of occasions from get well to birthdays or just to let someone know you're thinking about them - as well as being suitable for 'love'!!! I think the expression on kitty's face is brilliant!

The background hearts paper is from K and Co and I coloured the pic in with promarkers. The 'big hugs' greeting was done using GCF onto a downloaded frame from a company that sadly is no longer trading. The happy cat embellishment was in my stash and thanks to Maureen for the gingham ribbon!

Now then ... onto the challenges-

Cupcake Crafts - Four Legged and Furry

Pile it On - To the One I Love

The Pink Elephant - All About Pink

Stamp Something - Love Somethings

Papertake Weekly - Love Actually

Lili of the Valley - Valentines

Stampin for the Weekend - Valentine Themed

Wrinkly Indulgence!

Well if you spend long enough laying in the tub your skin DOES go wrinkly doesn't it!! So this little lovely must have looked like a prune when she finally emerged from those bubbles!

I love this stamp! It makes me smile......

As the stamp is quite big and I'm not really into making large A4 size cards I used the biggest sqaure card I had in my stock.. consequently once the image was put on there wasn't a lot of room for anything else! So contented myself with just using a punched border with some ribbon and flowers. Background papers are from DCWV, and the little silver charm from my stash.

Cute Card Thursday's theme is spots and dots so this is my entry.

Hope

I was real pleased to see the fabulous Pink Petticoat had a 'Think Pink' kit. Although it took ages to download (over an hour) it was well worth it.

This card obviously is for my stash to sell for Breast Cancer Campaign. I have made a few of these in different sizes and was thinking I could have done with an alphabet die for the letters as they were real fiddly to cut out properly. Maybe if these type of cards prove popular I shall invest in one.

As the sewing machine was still out (from the fabric postcard attempts) I decided to stitch the paper onto the card ( a first for me!) and I was happy with the result (eventually!).

I then had a thought that if I make more, I should attach the pink ribbon with a safety pin so it can be removed from the card - am considering?

Fabric Postcard 1

Well here it is...... (drum roll please - lol).... here is my first postcard for the 3 way swap with Jan and Maureen. Maureen has received hers so can safely post it without spoiling the surprise - hope Jan also has hers by now....

I received Maureen's this morning and it is truly beautiful - so have a lot to learn about making these but don't suppose this one of mine is too bad for a novice.

Had major trouble with the edges.... my sewing machine doesn't do neat!

Will post Jan's once I know she's received it.

Colour Combo

Play Date Cafe's challenge this week was to use colours that are amongst one of my favourite colour combinations so I couldn't resist any excuse to use some more of those lovely K and Co papers!

That said, I DID struggle a bit with the layout of this card, mainly because I couldn't decide where to put the greeting and worse, couldn't even decide on what greeting to use!

I have found that the problem with making cards for charity and selling to a limited audience is that you never know what kind of greeting they want on what type of card - So I always try in the main to leave the inside blank and put on a lot of cards an 'all purpose' greeting in the hope that I will please somebody and tempt them to put their hands in their purses/pockets!!

White was not in the four colour challenge but I hope I'll be forgiven for the use of the spotty flower as I did manage to incorporate the other shades of blue, teal, spice and dark brown!

Other things.....

It was a bit of a surprise when I was uploading the little Washi project to see that it's been nearly a week since I last posted anything... I have not been uncreative, but have been unable to show them publicly! I don't mean that they're not fit for public viewing, just that the recipients have not yet received them therefore can't show them!

In between cursing the sewing machine (fabric postcards for a 3 way swap) and cursing Maureen (who came up with this daft idea in the first place - I mean - me- sewing?????), I have made a couple of cards, stamped up some images and played about with embossing folders -

I won this 'Stampendous' stamp in a free 'give- away' last year and really like it! I used a mixture of promarkers and watercolours to colour it, papers are from DCWV and the blue 'dots' embossed base paper is from Coredinations. The little boat charm was sent to me by a friend.

The Rainbow Lady's Challenge this week is the Four Seasons.

Washi

I have had a sulk this morning as my Cuttlebug Asian folders ordered from the USA have not yet arrived! Poor postie is getting used to being accosted each morning!

So whilst I am on a bit of an oriental type kick I thought I would show you this post it note holder made from Washi paper.

I just love Washi paper.... the designs and colours are rich and vibrant and it's definitely one of the most 'strokable' papers around!! (Anyone who is not a crafter/mixed media junkie will think I've completely lost my marbles talking about stroking paper, but we all do it..... and we've all got paper that's 'too nice to use'....)

So although it was a great wrench to use this beautiful fan design, I steeled myself and made this little object. The template is actually for a mirror compact but it's just the right size for post it notes!