Ismaki Challenge 25/05

I've taken a bit of a liberty with the sketch for Ismaki's challenge this week, which I hope they will forgive. I was sad to read on their blog this week that they will not be continuing for much longer with their challenges. I was lucky enough to win a voucher to use at the Craft Barn from one of their recent challenges and I bought octagonal Nestabilities with it. I wanted to use them in a card to show off the Nesties and to appreciate the prize.

The challenge is follow the sketch and not to use patterned paper. The bright blue was made by spraying Glimmer Mist onto paper and then putting bubble wrap on the top of it to form a pattern. I used a set of small flower stamps by Inkadinkado that I bought on holiday last year. In the main image I gave them stems using a Pigma Pen. The vase for the flowers is a stamp from Clarity Designs, I've used silison glue on it. The sentiment and scrolls are both Elusive Images stamps.

Made By You - Elzybells Day

When I began cardmaking, I went to a beginner's class at Made by You in Swindon Old Town and really enjoyed it. I went to a couple more classes and then got out of the habit of going across; I don't tend to shop in Swindon at all. Then I noticed from the website that the shop was due to close and looking for new premises... Forgot about it until I checked recently to see if it had relocated and was surprised and pleased to see it's continuing in its current location.

I signed up for emails about the workshop programme and discussed it with my cardmaking friend Anne on Friday afternoon. We both had lots of things on for the dates that appealed, apart from the following day. So we rang on the off-chance that there were spaces and found we were the only bookings. We had a morning's workshop with Pat, the shop owner, just for the two of us, which was like having our own personal class - brilliant!

Pat showed us how to make four cards using 3 Elzybells floral stamps. The first one I've posted is probably the most complex. None of them was really difficult to make but each had a different technique. All the materials and tools are provided, all you bring along is yourself. So I found that made a really relaxing morning; all the decisions about which colour/stamp/layout had already been made and we just sat back and enjoyed the process. I've made a LOT more cards since last time I visited the shop, but I still learnt from Pat's demos.

The first card uses 3 stamps, watercoloured with Tombow pens, some decoupage and Perfect pearls for highlights. The borders are cut with a Hello Kitty die cut from Sissix; it cuts two long thin strips, rather than edeges a piece of card, very effective. The join is disguised with ribbon. I'm really proud of my bows on the card; Pat showed me a great way to tie them; she even managed to demo left handed to me!

The second card is much simpler; again it's watercoloured. The vase is a clear plastic peel-off, stuck to the same blue card used to mat the image and cut round. Another useful idea I got was to use a syringe for the silicon glue to decoupage; maybe now I can use all the tube and not throw it out half way because I can't get any more glue out :). Both cards have suffered a bit from being workshop cards, the Stickles has spread a little on the second card and stuck onto the first card, which has lost a decoupage bloom. I'll try to be more careful next time :) I'll post my other cardswhen they get finished, all the makings of them came home with me.

The shop's well worth a visit if you're in the area; it's restocking after having been due to move so there are some bargains there. But the main stamps seemed to focus on good British manufacturers who produce affordable, quality stamps: Elzybells, Little Claire, Crafty Individuals...

The most frightening fabric to cut in the universe... or finished is better than perfect.

I've not done much cardmaking during the last week, partly because the weather has been so good and partly because two sewing friends have been cracking the whip about my lack of sewing :). Firstly, Marion came and spent a day with me working on the dreaded altar cloth. I had made a little progress on it since she last visited. After a solid session of cutting out and embroidering elements and attaching them I think it's starting to come together at last! I'll be so glad to pack that project back off to Marion when it's done!

Then I went to see my friend Kandy with a short length of fabric that I bought last summer. I have never paid so much per metre for a piece of fabric and I doubt I ever will :). I went to a sewing retreat last summer where I met the owner of a fabric shop in Devon, who made herself a skirt using the most gorgeous fabric. It's linen with man-made flowers sewn onto it and she had had two bolts woven for their shop, one white on white and one white on natural. If one wants to dye the fabric, the linen will take the dye while the manmade doesn't, so you can have any colour of skirt with the white flowers on it. I asked about the price and fell off my chair when I heard it. But by the end of the weekend I couldn't resist it calling my name, louder and louder, so .8m came home with me.

I didn't cut into it when I came home as we were due to go on holiday. I didn't cut into it when we came home. I was so petrified of messing up and wasting the fabric that it stayed in the cupboard. So Kandy came to the rescue. It needs as few seams as possible, no darts in the fabric. So she pinned and cut it to me in an afternoon and sent me home with stern instructions to finish it for a party I'm going to today.

I discovered a big problem for me with the fabric. There was an industrial iron at the sewing retreat, with lots of steam but less heat and Kandy also has a steamer. My everyday iron, used on the wrong side, sticks the flowers together. If I iron a seam then the flowers melt into an awful mess on the soleplate :(. The zip we put in on Thursday looked dreadful where we'd taken the side seam in and not cut down the bit where the zip was fitted. I've changed the zip and had another couple of tries at the shape, which is still not perfect. Somehow, it's also fractionally big around the waist. But the top I'm wearing will cover the zip and will also hide a safety pin to adjust the size.

But I made it! Thank you Kandy! Mental note: Avoid spilling anything on skirt at party today :)

Stampin Out Alzheimers Sweet Sunday Flowers

Now the weekend's here I've had a chance to enter some of the challenges over at Stampin' Out Alzheimers. This card uses a really pretty sketch called the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge. I've kept my card fairly clean and simple.

The focal point is the flowers, which are Digi downloads from Fred-she-said, coloured with the Koh-i-Noors. Above them I've used my trusty dandelion stamp from Hero Arts, which has more than earned it's keep since I bought it :). I've used Glossy Accents on the centres of the flowers and coated them with glitter and run a Quickie gluepen over the dandelion clocks to catch some more glitter. The papers are from Stamp Attic and the faux brads from Craftwork Cards.

The Button Tree - Penny Black Sat Challenge Week 50 & Sketch and Stash 11

I've just finished this in time for Penny Black's Saturday Challenge; I knew what I wanted to do right away but haven't had a chance to do it :). The challenge is Buttons Galore and I've gone to town using craft buttons and ordinary buttons from my sewing box.

I've used the great sketch from Sketch & Stash for my card; the buttons are all neglected stash :). The little yellow craft buttons came from one of the first cardmaking shows that I went to and have been maturing in my stash until now, while the other buttons are from the button tin and have been there who knows how long! More neglected stash: I don't have a border punch to make a scalloped border, but I did have a circle punch sitting in the drawer that I don't think has ever been used - oops! It makes a great border, I've poked holes in the scallops for interest.

The stamp is my lovely Penny Black tree that my DH bought me for Christmas. I've clear embossed it onto white card and used white detail embossing powder. Then I've used chalk inks to colour the background. Circles were both cut out with Nestabilities, all papers are Crate Paper from the Stamp Attic. Paper flowers and brads are from stash, not sure but they are probably Stamp Attic too...

Laura's ScrapBox Longing

A stamping friend from the Stamplicious Yahoo group has entered a cute scrap page featuring her boxer dog, in a contest where she is trying to win a Scrap Box.

So what is a ScrapBox? Check out Laura's blog post here to find out more. Please check out her contest entry here and vote for her entry if you like it.

Good luck Laura!

Stampin' Out Alzheimers - Mojo Monday Week 88

This week Mojo Monday is supporting the week of fundraising for the Alzheimers Association. In my sidebar there's a link to this virtual stampathon, for a small donation to the charity you can join in the fun too...

I've used one of my new Shirleys2Girls stamps, the sentiment on it says: "Friends and wine, the older the better" which I think works quite well for a 70th birthday card :). The image is coloured in with the Koh-i-Noors again. I've doodled dots on the scalloped circle with a Pigma pen, for interest. All the papers are from Graphicus Guild membership; the green card is Bazzill card. The numbers and the "th" are Dimension Fourth stamps and I've used plain green brads on the corners.

Blog Candy Winner!!!!

I've sat down and given a number to each follower and to each first comment left on the candy post. That gave me a number range from 1 to 103. I used Random.org to generate a random number, which gave me 39. Unfortunately I fell at the last hurdle: I didn't manage to transfer the random.org widget onto this posting :(.


So,

without more ado,

the winner is.....




Leslie

Leslie is one of my SBS "Sisters" and I'm so happy that she has won my first blog candy. I wish I could have posted the widget so Leslie and everyone else can see that it was a truly random choice :).

Congratulations Leslie!

Fishing you many happy returns - Cute Card Thursday Challenge #61

I made this card for Cute Card Thursday's latest challenge - "A sporting chance" which uses any kind of sporting image. I got in some more practice with my Ko-i-Noor pencils on a Sugar Nellie image that I got in a recent swap on Splitcoast Stampers, cute isn't it? I bought the sentiment at Ally Pally, can't remember which stand but I can remember the price - it has 50p written on the back :). It is used with some other fishing stamps that are currently maturing in my stash...

The stripy card is from Kaiser, the yellow from Artylicious and the blue that is used for matting and the sentiment is a turquoisy Bazzill Bling card. I used silver coloured brads from the Stamp Attic's remnant bin to attach the sentiment and accent the top RH corner, which looked a bit bare.

My Blog Candy - enter by 25 May

I realised at the weekend that I have now made 250 blog postings and I decided it is time to offer some blog candy. There have been some astonishing sets of candy on offer lately and I can't compete with that :). But I went to my local craft shop and got a Rhonna Farrer clear stamp, some ribbons, some silver brads and a couple of packs of embellishments.

I'll keep the candy on offer until midnight on Mon 25 May and if it gets well supported then I'll add to the candy.

To enter, post a link to my blog candy on your blog. If you become a follower of my blog, you get another entry to the draw. Good luck!

Whiff of Joy Challenge 31

This week's Whiff of Joy challenge is a pretty sketch from Heather. I've used it with an image sent to me by my blogging "Sistah" Leslie. Thanks Leslie (waving!), I know you have a lot going on just now, hope you're enjoying the holiday weekend :).

I've coloured with my new Koh-i-Noor pencils, I'm quite pleased with the effect I'm getting using them on clothes, the background needs some practice though...

I've used Stickles on her wings, belt buckle and jewellery with Glossy Accents on the hearts. The sentiment is from a Hero Arts cupcake set of clear stamps. Papers are from the Stamp Attic, aqua and chocolate are one of my favourite combinations. The embellishments came from Hobbycraft's sale.

Corrosive Challenges #13 - black, red and Kraft

It's Sunday and time for another Corrosive Challenge - this week Janet has picked her favourite colour combination: black, red and Kraft. I wasn't too sure what colour Kraft was, but when Janet enlightened me I had to buy a couple of sheets of Kraft paper from the Stamp Attic - what a hardship ;).

I used Stitch from my new Leanne Ellis stamps, isn't she great? As a lapsed quilter I have plenty of friends who will be getting Stitch on their cards for a while to come... The paper piecing on her coat, the cotton reels and the wool use a Basic Grey red which is also the background for the card. I've pierced her coat at the hem and the neckline, it adds more texture to the image. She's coloured with Inktense pencils, the flourish at top right of the card is by Elusive Images.

The flower is cut from Kraft paper, the button is from my stash and the ribbon is also from the Stamp Attic. I look forward to seeing everyone's Corrosive Challenge in my bloghopping this week :)

Twisted Thursday #11

I've used one of my new Shirleys2Girls stamps to make this fairly simple card. This week's Twisted Thursday Challenge is to make a card using the sketch by Joy Stagg. The twist is the the card must be 4" square.

Well that didn't seem to be a problem - until I saw how small 4" is :). I stamped my image a couple of times, coloured them with my new Koh-i-Noor pencils and used the blending stick on them. I'm quite pleased with the effect I got, using the pencils for the first time. I trimmed down my image with a Nestie as small as possible and cut a hightlight from the second image. I used a piece of DP from Kaiser that toned with the image and that was it - no room to tinker about with the design any more!

It's a lovely stamp with a very useful sentiment, next week we're going to a 7oth birthday party and I plan to use this with my Dimension Fourth numbers to come up with something special.

I Love Shirleys2Girls - and my postie :)

A couple of weeks back I was lucky enough to win two challenges on the Shirleys2Girls challenge blog; I won a stamp in one challenge and $22 of stamps in their 222 challenge. Now that was lucky, but Kristine & Deidre (the two sisters) went one better. I had emailed them and said how much I love their stamps but find the shipping expensive and they generously paid the shipping costs on my prize! The stamps arrived today and they are just as delicious as I expected. Do you like the felt flowers? They're a bonus that was included with my order. THANK YOU!

I have an embarrassment of riches to play with this weekend: I placed an order with Dimension Fourth which came yesterday, as well as my Stamp of the Month from Clarity. The motobike is an AJS Matchless, complete with badge. My DH has two Matchless bikes (as well as his Triumph) but this is for a friend's 80th birthday card. Mr B will not disclose how many vintage bikes he owns, but it's well into double figures :). He's all but given up sprinting with them but still stays very involved - not bad for 80! Also in today's post are some Koh-i-nor pencils from Elzybells. Elizabeth has provided some brilliant, detailed tutorials on how to use these on her blog and I decided to give them a try. I've won a voucher from Elzybells for my folded card, so the postman will be bringing more goodies soon - not yet though, I need to play with all the lovely new stash first...

The weather has been beautiful today and I've not done any crafting yet, it hasn't been a day to be inside. But now the sun's going down I'm going heading for the craft room... bye.

Poise - Dutch Dare Challenge #49 & Stamp Something, Emily's sketch

Here's another of my GORGEOUS Leanne Ellis new images, this one is called Poise and I think she's one of the best of the set ... but I keep saying that each time I ink one up :).

I've used Emily's sketch from Stamp Something's Challenge, which is an ideal shape to use with these stamps, and very usable for lots of ideas. I decided to use some black, white and silver papers that I bought from Craftwork Cards at Ally Pally and haven't really put to use yet. These look quite blingy, so I'm also including Dutch Dare's challenge of Bling-bling/Glitter as I think Poise is a blingy sort of gal.

She's stamped onto a white and silver background, a black/silver swirl and also onto plain cardstock for her face and sleeves. Skin and hair are coloured with watercolour pencils, the bright sleeves and flowers are permant markers, I hoped they would colour over the metallic spots ok. Hmm... they don't. The Art Nouveau style frame and the sentiment are from Elusive Images and are white embossed onto black cardstock. The other DP is from the same Craftwork Cards set, the faux brads also come from them. One last touch of glitter, Poise has a gemstone necklace.

I'm trying to be disciplined and work my way through all the images, but I can see Poise being inked up again - and again :)

Imagine - The Sugar Bowl Challenge 11

The Challenge this week at the Sugar Bowl is to use Kathy's sketch and to add pearls to it. I was glad to see that the sketch is ideal for using with my new Leanne Ellis stamps, and just right for adding pearl buttons to Dreamer's coat.

I used a Basic Grey paper pack called Cupcake and paper pieced quite a few of the elements in the image. The Imagine stamp is part of an Elusive Images stamp that says "Imagine the possibilities". The flowers are from the Stamp Attic and the ribbon was bought when we were on holiday in Florida last year. I like the sentiment, I'm sending it to a Post Pal and I thought it was just right for this.

Detail of coat

Bee Happy - Elzybells Challenge #20

Earlier this week I made a gatefold card for Elizabeth's challenge on the Elzybell's blog, which is to use more than one fold in a card. I liked the images I used but the folding wasn't too exciting, which bugged me a little.

So when I saw a tutorial link on Splitcoast Stampers to a card called a Tri Shutter card, I decided I'd better give it a go :). The tutorial can be found at The Craftiblog and has been made by Bonnie Swalkiewicz. The tutorial is very clear, I've never successfully made a folded card before, but with the help of Bonnie's photos and words I found this straightforward to achieve; I would like to thank Bonnie for her excellent how-to skills. :) The card she made is astonishing, take a look at her blog to see the detail she has put into it.

Having had a try-out with a piece of scrap paper, I cut my card and found a pretty piece of strip paper to use on it. For goodness sake please shoot me before I think of using a non-repeating stripe for something that needs to match across the width of the card again! There's nothing like jumping in at the deep end with a new technique, is there!

Card closed

Once I'd cut and glued the stripes into submission I got out my Elzybells stamps and played. All images are Elzybell's stamps, all are coloured with Inktense pencils. The bear is cut out and attached with silicone glue, his butterflies are highlighted with Glossy Accents. I got so carried away with adding more images to my card that I realised I've only left a 2" square to sign the card! Oh well, there's always the back...

I had so much fun with this, thanks Elizabeth for making me think outside the box, and thanks to Bonnie for her tutorial. Elizabeth I make it NINE folds in the card! :)

Card stretched out flat

A Good Garden Always Has Weeds

Here's another couple of things I've made with my Digi Image from Shirleys2Girls. I coloured the image on the card with watercolour pencils, but used chalks for the background. The flower stamps on the card are Botanicals from Craftwork Cards. The DP is from Stamp Attic, as are the Prima flowers, I think the grosgrain ribbon is from a sewing shop.

The ATC is a failed attempt to strengthen the colours, the background started off with an apricot watercolour pen, which ended up a harsh shade of orange. So... I overcoloured with mauve and rescued it with an earthy brown colour :). The image uses watercolour pens and is cut apart from its sentiment. The background is glimmer misted paper stamped with tapestry stamps. It's quite fun but the colours overall aren't quite right...

Be Happy - Inspirational Card Sketches #17

I fell for the new Leanne Ellis stamps from Sugar Nellie in a big way when I got my first set. At the weekend Sugar Nellie released the third set and I succumbed all over again :). I ordered them on Saturday and they arrived with me yesterday (Tuesday). That's amazingly quick from Sugar Nellie and from the postman - thank you!



When I saw Dawn's sketch for Inspirational Card Sketches this week I thought it was the perfect sketch to use for one of the stamps, my only dilemma was which to pick first! The image is called Patience. I teamed her with some yummy new paper that I got at the Stamp Attic on Monday called On A Whimsy, by Fancy Pants.



Patience's coat and skirt are paper pieced, as is her body on the stripy background, which has torn edges. The colouring is done with watercolour pencils and the apple and flowers are highlighted with Glossy Accents.

I've used a mini alphabet that I was given as a freebie at the Stamp Attic on the jewellery labels at the base of the image and some ribbon I've had in my stash for ages.

I can't wait to play with the rest of the stamps but for now I have to go to work...

Elzybells Challenge #20

Elizabeth's challenge at Elzybells is to use more than one fold in a card. I had great ideas about using some of the folded card tutorials I've cut out of magazines and saved - but I can't find them! So I've made a good old gatefold card, which I really like :).

The image on the outside is "Dog Paper", coloured with Inktense pencils. His nose has Glossy Accents on it, so he's a healthy dog with a wet nose :). I've used my new Nestabilities dies from the Craft Barn (bought with a voucher won from the Ismaki Challenge - thank you!) and he's mounted on octagons of card. Mmm... think I need scalloped octagons too... smile. The paper is free paper from a magazine. Inside I've used "Torn Paper", again coloured with Inktense pencils.

I'm not sure who I'm sending the card to, I see the image as a "Sorry" card. I'm leaving adding the sentiment until I know who the cards's going to, I've saved a little of the tan card and will put it in the envelope to mat a sentiment when it's needed.

It's Only Rock & Roll

It's Corrosive Challenge Time again - here we are at week 12 already! This week Janet's theme is rock music (music if you haven't anything to fit the rock theme). Courtesy of Janet, I have just the stamp set for this theme :). Last autumn Janet posted a card on her blog using a guitar image that I loved. I couldn't find the stamp set over here (it's a clear set from Inkadinkado) and Janet very kindly sent me a set in exchange for Elzybells stamps from the UK. I love barter :). I've seen the set on sale in the UK since then, but I was able to use it for some birthdays earlier this year when I needed it.

The card is very simple; I have teenage sons who do NOT like cards with too many bells and whistles. The DP is not DP at all; it is part of the packaging for Prima flowers. The Painterly Petals have a wonderful piece of blotchy black, grey and white glossy card in their packaging, far too good to throw away! I didn't want to cut it down, so its shape dictated the size of the card, tall and thin.

The guitar is black embossed, as is the Happy Birthday sentiment (Hero Arts clear set). All elements on the card are mounted onto red Bazzil card, then black, on a plain white card.

I look forward to seeing everyone else's rock and roll cards :)

Three birds with one stone...

This card combines three challenges, hence the name, I know there are two birds, not three, sitting on the fence :) To begin, I've used the Dawn's great sketch from Inspirational Card Sketches #16 .

The lilac and lemon colour scheme (plus digi image) is from Dare You to Digistamp's Friday Challenge and the final touch is GLITTER for Secret Crafter's Saturday Challenge # 32

The digi image is a free printable from Pollycraft called Lovebirds. The page comes with extra sets of the birds and fence to cut round, very handy. I'm not totally sure about digis, I do like to be able to emboss images when I want, but this freebie is a great way to test them out, thank you Paula for your generosity. I've coloured with Inktense pencils and used Glitter on top of Glossy Accents on wings, tails and hearts, then Stickles as it wasn't glittery enough for me.

The birds and fence are both cut round (ack the fence has a lot of detail!) and are mounted onto foma pads to give dimension. The lilac spots and stripes are free magazine papers, the purple butterfly is an Artylicious paper. The vellum is stamped with a Hero Arts sentiment and is attached with brads. Purple gems at the top are from Kaiser. Nice colourscheme, with hindsight it could have used a little contrast...

Twisted Thursday #10

This week's Twisted Thursday Challenge for Shirleys2Girls is to use the sketch and the twist is to add scallops. Provided you are lucky enough to have scalloped Nestabilities (I do) this is fairly easy. Their DT were also given the brief of using turquoise, marigold, lime and fuschia, which isn't compulsory.

Here's the dilemma: The DP I used for the last Twisted Thursday Challenge has these exact colours in it; it's the owl paper I was given by my friend Anne. Twisted Thursday is an unusual challenge: Shirleys2Girls are very generous because they do NOT require you to use their images to enter their challenge. So I could use the same paper again, which needs something owl-like or at least avian for the image.

But... I wanted to use an S2G image. I have my housework stamp and I've also bought a digi-image. Neither of them go with owl DP.

So the paper went in the reject pile and I've used some free papers from card magazines, that are close to the colours but not perfect :).

The digi image is coloured with Inktense pencils and the sentiment split away from the image. The scalloped circle has paper piercings in each scallop. The marigold paper came from Stamp Addicts, the lime coloured faux brads from Craftwork Cards and I think the ribbon's from Stamp Attic.

Ismaki 11/5 - Manue's sketch- papillon

Manue has provided another great sketch this week at Ismaki, the challenge is to include a butterfly in the card. Brilliant, I had a great reason to get out my Elusive Images Daisy Collage butterfly images and play :).

I began by colouring and cutting out a butterfly, the harlequin daisy image and a couple of daisies, all coloured with Inktense pencils. I mounted the layered daisies, the butterfly and the harlequin onto a small patterned square of Artylicious paper, overlapping the sides of the square.

This all went onto a yellow piece of Artylicious paper, onto which I gold embossed a gorgeous scrolly triangle at top right and Happy Birthday across the bottom of the card. All stamps are Elusive Images from Daisy Collage, except the sentiment which is also from Elusive Images.

There are blue gemstones in the corners of both paper squares and on the butterfly's wings. The daisies are highlighted with Glossy Accents. Love the two butterfly collage sets from EI, all the elements work so well together...

Daisy Chain - The Sugar Bowl Challenge 10

This week's challenge at the Sugar Bowl is to use a lovely sketch from Marlene, with the added challenge to include buttons. Yesterday, when I came home from work I found a lovely package in the mail from Annabelle of Split Coast Stampers. Annabelle organised a swap of Sugar Nellie images that I took part in. Daisy grabbed me right away and I dashed off to colour her at once, I think the stamp will be part of my next Sugar Nellie order somehow!

Daisy is coloured with watercolour pencils, the background is shaded with chalks. There's a little bit of Stickles yellow in the flower centres and I've added some to the DP flowers too. The daisy ribbon came from a sewing shop and the lace from my sewing stash. DP is Daisy Bucket, would you believe, from the Stamp Attic. I've used both sides of the same paper, checks on one side and the borders on the other. The border paper has torn and inked edges. The button is sewn with perle thread onto a flower.

Penny Black Challenge 48 - black, white and one other

Week 48 on the Penny Black challenge is to use black, white and one other colour. I've tried to break out of my rut of using red or pink as the other colour and I've gone for gold :). This card is quite simple; the image has a dress paper pieced from My Mind's Eye patterned double sided paper bought from the Stamp Attic; the other side of the paper is used at the side of the card with gold ribbon around it. Gold glitter highlights the chair legs, necklace and earrings, the shoes have Glossy Accents on them, they're meant to look like shiny patent high heels :).

The black scroll, gems and flowers are rub-ons that I bought when I was just beginning with cardmaking and I had no idea how to apply them. Many of them are spoiled, but I found a few that were still whole and I liked the look of them of the plain white card. The card is quite plain and simple, I think this image works well like this.

Corrosive Challenges #11

It's time to take the Corrosive Challenge again! This week Janet's challenged us to use a great sketch, very nice one to work with. I visited my friend Anne, who was kind enough to let me ink up her new Rachel Anne Miller stamp. I've coloured it with watercolour pencils, used some free magazine papers and some Bazzill card behind it and put some gemstones in the corners. The sentiment is from a Hero Arts clear set. I've used a Nestabilities scalloped circle to cut out some flowers from the papers and added them to the card.

Sketch & Stash Challenge #9

Just finished my card in time for the deadline for Sketch & Stash!

I used some Inchies that I bought a while back at the Stamp Attic and haven't used. I got them out to make an ATC a week ago and saw how pretty they all are. This is from the Trees set, not the flower set, I think it's such a pretty image. Of course they're a bit too tiny for a card, I've stamped 4 with pink chalk ink and matted them onto Bazzill card, then a piece of blotchy pink card (no idea where it came from!) and then onto a piece of card called Around the Block, from Stamp Attic again. The final, spotty paper is from a kit by Craftwork Cards, as are the faux brads.

What are they doing in this Stampinbella??

I've no finished cards that I can blog today, but instead I have a question for those of you out there with Stampinbellas :). I coloured this great image today, which I think came from my Sistah Janet. I didn't finish it because I could not work out what they are all holding in their hands! I looked at the website and the image is called Sisterhoodabellas.

Sooo... Large canapes? Axes? Malletts? Square glasses? I was with my friend Anne today stamping and we are both puzzled. Can anyone tell me please, this is really bugging me LOL!

I hope to have some cards to post on here tomorrow instead of questions :)

Whiff of Joy Challenge 39 & Cute Card Thursday Challenge 59 - Happy Mail

I haven't used my Willow with cocoa stamp from Whiff of Joy for a while and I decided to use her for this week's Whiff of Joy Challenge, a lovely sketch by Katharina. She is mostly paper pieced, I decided to use the K & Co pad that I bought at Ally Pally, called Que Sera Sera, which is full of rich, saturated colours. I started off just cutting out her jumper, but then I found just the right shade for her hair and then I had to paper piece the mug as well :). The mug is highlighted with Glossy Accents, jeans are coloured with watercolour pencil and the embroidery is coloured with gel pens and then more Glossy Accents.





Wish Upon a Star is an Elusive Images stamp, it's gold embossed. I've used a decorative cutting blade for the bottom edge of the background, the faux brads are from Craftwork Cards.

The sentiment is appropriate for this card, it's also in response to the Challenge on Cute Card Thursday, which is to make a card for a child at Post Pals. The site says:



"I run Post Pals, we feature seriously ill children (most have cancer or are going through transplants) and their siblings on our website www.postpals.co.uk and invite members of the public to log on from around the world and send a card to a child. The aim is to make the child smile, but we have found it also helps their self esteem and parents often open them with a child during a procedure to distract them.At the moment we are helping 120 children but they aren't getting much post.I was wondering if you would do a challenge, instead of people just scanning in their card for the theme but they actually make one for a Post Pal child and send it off."

I had a look at the website and was very moved by the kindness behind this idea. I plan to make a some more cards for the site; I hope as many people as possible can join in.

Mojo Moday Week 85

Here's the Paris set from Dimension Fourth again, used for Mojo Monday's sketch this time. I've used Basic Grey papers from the Infuse 6x6" pad. The girl's coat and hat are paper pieced from the same pink that I've stamped the Eiffel Tower onto; somehow it looks much browner on the coat...

The lace is from my sewing cupboard and the lovely ribbon with Hotel Chocolat stamped along it comes from their chocolate gemstones; it's a terrible sacrifice to buy (and eat) the chocolate to get the ribbon :), but I manage somehow! The flower is edged with Ciao marker and the little brown flower is coloured with it too. There are little pink gems on her hat and a faux brad from Craftwork Cards at the centre of the flower.

As you can see, this is my favourite stamp to play with at the moment :)