Phindy's Place Challenge #93 - bling it on

Good morning and welcome to this week's Phindy's Place Challenge.  This week we are challenging everyone to make a card or project with lots of bling, something I know lots of us enjoy putting on our cards.  I used the adorable Easter Tree image,addingn lots of Stickles, Perfect Pearls and gems to the Copic coloured image.  I can't remember where the metallic patterned DP is from, it's from the very early days of buying stash:).  The card is finished off with a couple of paper pieced Magnolia Easter egg stamps, some gems and some blingy pink ribbon on the punched border.

My card is also for:

Sketch and Stash Challenge - sketch

Digital Tuesday - use your stash

Truly Madly Crafty - ribbons and bling

One Stitch at a Time - anything goes

Inky Impressions - punches or dies

Crafter's Companion - anything goes

All together now...

 

I have a lot on my plate just now and making cards with random images that I see is not one of them!  However, when I saw Happy Howlidays at Phindy's Place it just whispered  "make me, make" and kept getting louder  So I gave in and made a quick card to get it out of my system for the time being...  Love that feisty little Chihuahua at the front:).  DP is Bo Bunny, I added Woodware Fluffy Stuff to the hats, think I'll leave it out next time.  Dis cut flourishy thing is Memory Box.

My card is for:

Sweet Sketch Wednesday - sketch

Forever Friends - something old (DP from last year) something new (image)

Sweet'n'Sassy - Christmas Holiday theme

Christmas Stampin' All Year - favourite sketch  - ok I don't really have one, it depends on the sketch! But I do always try to do Sweet Sketch

One Stitch at a Time - use a digi

Catered Crops - recipe (ingredients used: Christmas, green, Distress Ink, die cuts,)

I Did it Creations - Christmas

Christmas Inspirations - bows - mine are on the dogs!

Red Robins in the Round

 

 This pair of robins from Fred She Said is a favourite traditional Christmas image for me.  Here it is coloured with Copics, edged with Distress Inks and added to Memory Box DP and a couple of scrolls from my Memory Box die.  This card is for the following challenges:

Sketch'n'Stash - sketch

Corrosive Challenge - with a flourish

Scrappy Frog - something that flies

One Stitch at a Time - Christmas

Little Claire's - Christmas

Bah! Humbug - diecuts

Crimbo Crackers - anything Christmas

Simon Says - anything goes

Chocolate, coffee and cream sounds like a perfect Christmas!

Don't know what's happened to the colour on this card, IRL the background is cream and the trees are gold embossed onto dark brown card.  No matter what I do, my photo seems determined to be black and white!
This is another c&s Christmas card using the Stamp Addict trees, as well as the dottiness stamp in the sky.  The lacy ribbon is from Stamp Attic, sentiment Elzybells and image was cut out with a deckled edge Nestie.
My card is entered for:
Come & Get It - anything goes
Fashionable Stamping Challenges - coffee, chocolate and cream - colours not favourite things I mean!!
One Stitch at a Time - Christmas
Simon Says - anything goes

Winter whites

I can't seem to leave my new tree stamps alone, this is a clean and simple Christmas card based on this week's CPS sketch.  I started off wanting to keep it as Kraft and white but decided I prefer it with the red added in.  Don't know whether to top the trees with a tiny gem, what do you think?

Stamp Addict Trees are embossed in white, as is the sentiment.  White card has Cuttlebug embossed snowflakes.  I've distressed the edges of the Kraft card with a bit of Brushed Corduroy.

My card is for the following challenges:

CPS - sketch

Crimbo Crackers - anything goes

Craft Your Passion - let's get crafty

Meljen's Designs - Christmas

Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps - no colouring

Karen's Doodles - emboss it

One Stitch at a Time - emboss it

Simon Says - anything goes

Phindy's Place Challenge #76 - Anything Goes Using a Phindy's Place image

Welcome to this week's Phindy's Place Challenge.  As this is the first Friday of the month, this is an Anything Goes image - however you MUST use a Phindy's Place image, which is no hardship given that fabulous images that Phindy draws:).  I've added to my Christmas card pile with Christmas Kitten, which is perfect for our cat loving friends.  Image coloured with Copics, Glossy Accents, Distress Inks.  DP is Basic Grey Jovial, flower and sentiment from Craftwork Cards and leaf punch is Martha Stewart.
My card is for the following challenges:
Sweet Sketch Wednesday - sketch
One Stitch at a Time - use a digi
Crafty Boots - zoo or animal
Papertake - anything goes and Happy Birthday to them!
Crazy Amigos - animals
My Mum's Craft Shop - all creatures great and small
Crafts and Me - use a digi
Paper Crafting Journey - dies and/or punches - leaf punch, scallop die for sentiment
Delightful Challenges - make it dimensional - layered flower
Forever Friends - use a sentiment with your animal

Pink Peony

 

I love using the pre-coloured Fred She Said images for decoupage and the Peony works so well, I printed the sheet out, cut out the 5 layers and added them to a Marianne Creatables die.  The sketch is Midnight Madness, the DP Basic Grey and I've added some brown pearls and a Craftwork Cards sentiment.

My card is for the following challenges:
Midnight Madness  - sketch
One Stitch at a Time - use a digi
Crafter's Companion - pink & green
The Emerald Faeries - punches & dies
My Sheri Crafts - think pink
Deep Ocean Challenge - happy birthday
Everybody Art Challenge - pink & brown
Paper Sundaes - lots of layers
Simon Says - anything goes - trying for 1,000 entries

Birthday bike

Yesterday was DH's birthday, we had a quiet supper at home as we went out to celebrate last week while older son was still here.  He loves his old motorbikes, not sure how many we have in the garage (I don't want to know!) so this image of a Norton looked like a good choice for him, it came from Stitchybear.  It's a detailed image and I gave it minimal colouring, mostly greys. The sentiments are Joanna Sheen and the clock cogs around the base of the easel are from Stampin' Up.  MS bubble punch got an airing as it's not too feminine, DP is Basic Grey.

My card is for the following challenges:

One Stop Craft - easels

Cards for Men - sports

Incy Wincy - fancy folds

Pile it On - fancy folds

Ooh la la - punches or dies

Victorine Originals - easel cards

Come and Get It - easels

One Stitch at a Time - favourites (Copics, Distress Inks, punches, Basic Grey DP)

I am here to live out loud!

 

Meet Nolan with Bullfrog, a new image from Fred She Said, you can buy him here , Tracey has included a coloured version too for those cards when you're in a hurry:).  I coloured him with Copics and added him to DP, stitching a border around it.  The sentiment is from Create with TLC, DP is Basic Grey Marjolaine.  I added some twine and some card candy, not too many embellies for a boy card:).

My card is for the following challenges:

Sketch Saturday -sketch

Totally Gorjuss - it's a man thing

Some Odd Girl - stitching

Prairie Fairy - snips and snails and puppy dog tails

Poodle Parlour - animal antics

For Fun - children at play

Crazy Amigos - sewing

Crafting when you can - anything goes

One Stitch at a Time - anything goes

Pile it On - layers

Di's digi delights - anything goes

Tiffany Doodles Stitching Challenge

It's the 7th of the month and that means a new challenge at Tiffany Doodles.  This month the challenge is one of my favourite techniques:  it is stitching, real, faux, hand or machine.  There's a $10 voucher to Tiffany Doodles Store for the winner, so make sure you get an entry in!

I used the gorgeously opulent Succulent Flower for my card, printing it out 4 times (some of the prints were cropped so as not to waste ink and card), colouring with Copics, cutting and decoupaging.  The colouring could not be simpler, I used 3 shades of RV:  10, 23 and 34.  I had only a few scraps left of a Basic Grey pad called Green at Heart so I went slightly mad and patchworked a background for my image by glueing it onto a grid then stitching a zig-zag over the seams.  The sentiment is from Pink Petticoat, I added a couple of rhinestones beside it and a tiny one as a dewdrop on the flower.    More stitching, MS string punch used on the corners.  Hope you like my stitching card:).

I'm entering it for the following challenges:
Cupcake Craft - patchwork quilt
Stamp Something - digi
365 Cards - 6 different patterned papers - I counted and I did!
Card Cupids - stitching
One Stitch at a Time - use a digi

Day 2 of the building work saw the final digging out of the chalk under the sitting room floor, levelling off and adding of sand, then the damproof membrane.  Today it's loads and loads of concrete.  Here's the foreman inspecting progress:

Summer Snooze

I coloured up this little mouse while I was on holiday and I'm really pleased with the way the poppy turned out, I've found this difficult before and I think I've over-complicated it by trying to use too many reds.  This week House Mouse & Friends celebrate their 100th Challenge so I thought I'd make him up into a card to enter - do check it out - they have some amazing prizes and candy!  I've followed Sketch'n'Stash's layout, using Memory Box Brioche DP.  The sentiment is also House Mouse, I've added tiny bits of bling to the dots of the I and the exclamation mark as well as bling in the corners.  The tiny buttons have thread knotted in them and the seam binding bow matches the length of it around the card square.  Didn't add it to the length as I didn't want to obscure his little tail!  Congratulations and best wishes to all those lovely ladies (and gentlemen) at House Mouse & Friends, they are one of the best teams for commenting on entries, thank you!
My card is for the following challenges:

House Mouse & Friends - buttons, bows and bling
Sketch'n'Stash - sketch
Stamptacular Sunday - animal antics
Papertake Weekly - getting cute
Fuzzy Wuzzy - animal + punches
Creative Stamp Friends - summer
Die Cut Dreams -animal antics
I Did it Creations - animals
One Stitch at a Time - flowers
Scrappy Frogs - summer flowers

Phindy's Place Challenge #63 - Buttons

Welcome to this weeks Phindy's Place Challenge, this week we'd like you to use some buttons on your card or creation.  As my card needed to go in the post, I've used faux buttons made using a punch that I bought at Newbury Art Stamps, I hope I'm forgiven :).  I used the very cute and adorable Giddyup image for my card and gave him a red, white and blue with a touch a Kraft colourscheme.  The triangles are embossed then Distress inked, sentiment is Lili of the Valley.
My card is for the following challenges:
Sketch'n'Stash Challenge - sketch (new stash is punch, DP is very old stash!)
Cards for Men - Wild West
Your Next Stamp - button it up
Papertake Weekly - anything goes plus optional buttons
One Stitch at a Time - use a digi
Stamp Scrap & Doodle - stars and stripes

Phindy's Place Challenge #61 - Going Round in Circles

 Welcome to this week's Phindy's Place Challenge, this week we are challenging you to use circles in your project.  I've used the image "Birdie" and made a vintage style card, following this week's sketch at Simon Says.  I hope you'll play along with us, don't forget you get two chances to win if you use a Phindy's Place image.
My image and sentiment are circles and the flowers I've added are all circular in shape.  Image is coloured with Copics and Distress Inks, sentiment is LOTV, the flowers were Blog Candy from the lovely Bente at Sketch Saturday.  I used Tim Holtz tissue tape pleated under the card, lace is from stash and DP is Pink Paislee Butterfly Garden.  Lace is from stash, scroll is Mairanne Creatables die, I've added lots of stitching to my layers. 
My card is for the following challenges:
Simon Says - sketch
Crafts & Me - stitches
Crafting for all Seasons - summer
Creative Inspirations - stitching
One Stitch at a Time - things with wings
Challenge up your Life - circles
Sweet Stampin - things with wings
Forever Friends - 3 design papers
Rainbow Lady - digi day

Summer Hummer

 Whatever happened to summer?  We went away at the weekend and there was heavy rain and hail!  To compensate I've been making some summery cards, here's the first.  I've used some bright Basic Grey DP teamed with a pre-coloured Humming Bird image from Fred She Said, these are lovely to colour but the the pre-coloured make very quick cards.  I printed it twice and cut out and popped the bird and flower centre up on Pinflair Glue, to give lots of dimension.  Sentiment is an Elusive Images stamp, the offeset panel is embossed and inked.
My card is for the following challenges:
 Simon Says - let's play bingo(3 down flowers, brads, sentiment)
Charisma Cards - pink and green
Papercrafting Journey - our feathered friends
Creative Inspiration Paint - bright colours
One Stitch at a Time - things with wings
Sweet Stampin' - things with wings
Delicious Doodles - things that flutter
Polka Doodles - all of a flutter
Simply Create - fly with us
Stamp Something - with pretty papers

A Little (Claire) lapse from the stash diet

Little Claire do very cute sets of square stamps and last week they had an offer for four of them at a third off and I'm afraid I fell off the wagon...   I stamped the adorable Westies twice onto white card and once onto a Wild Rose Studio paper.  I mixed up elements from both this week's Midnight Madness sketch, added some card candy and an Elzybells sentiment.  Cute stamp, I'm sure you can see the temptation:).

My card is for the following challenges:
Midnight Madness - sketch
Ladybug Crafts - use orange
Karen's Doodles - bright and bold
One Stitch at a Time - anything goes
Scrappy Frogs - anything goes

Guest DT Posting for House Mouse & Friends Monday - your favourite stamp

I was really excited to be chosen as a Guest Designer for February at House Mouse & Friends Monday Challenges, it's been very hard not to to let the news slip:).  Thank you so much to the HM & Friends Team for their friendly welcome:).  I found the theme really challenging; it is to use your favourite stamp.  Deceptively simple and yet so tricky LOL!  I looked over my stamps and coloured several images (you may have seen them blogged recently) and ended up with one of my new stamps as my current favourite.  This is from a Joanna Sheen unmounted Spring set and it is just adorable!

It's coloured with Copics and Glossy Accents.  The sentiment is also from the set, the green DP is Basic Grey Sugar Rush and  I've embossed white card, sponged Mustard Seed Distress Ink over it and stitched it down.  Add in a bit of bling, a bit of sunny yellow/orange ribbon from stash and that's my card!

I'm also entering my card for the following challenges:
Woodware - embossing
Incy Wincy - colour me wonderful - favourite colouring method is Copics!
Simply Create - bold and bright
Aly's Sunday sketch - bling bling
One Stitch at a Time - make it pretty

Flying

Phindy has a great new set of digis coming up, called the Wee Babbies.  Earlier this week the first of the set was launched and here is the latest little charmer, who is called Flying, he is new in the Phindy's Place shop today and you can buy him here.
I've made a very simple card to show him off, based on the Sketch Saturday layout.  The background is dry embossed with the Tim Holtz brick wall folder and the DP is K&K Hopscotch.  Buttons are Papermania spotty buttons, turned wrong way up!
My card is for the following challenges:
Sketch Saturday - sketch
Flourishes - button up
Tuesday Throwdown - buttons
One stitch at a time - use a digi
Stamp Something - use a digi

Phindy's Place Challenge #38 - Valentine or loved one

Good morning, it's Friday - hooray - so it is time for a new Phindy's Place Challenge.  This week we're making cards for Valentines Day or for a loved one. I've used the adorable image "We meet again" from the Phindy's Place store.  This image is very evocative of my marriage:  two people with a terrier constantly doing its best to get between us lol!  Don't forget we also have a Design Team Call at Phindy's Place, you need to let us know by 22 January if you'd like to joni the fabulous Phindy team, check out the details here.

I tried something new with my digi, printing onto glossy cardstock so that I could try brushing inks around to get shading to the ice.  I found my image printed just fine onto glossy cardstock but it was tricky to get the ink really dry so it didn't smudge.  I used the heat gun for ages on this one before I inked it with Distress and Memento inks in a variety of colours.  Then I was worried it looked too grey, so I gave it too coats of iridiscent glitter spray and now it's full of sparkle:).  The figures are decoupaged onto the glossy card, after colouring with Copics.  I didn't have big enough pieces of mirri card to mat my scene so I rubbed my embossing inkpad over the deges and covered them with silver embossing powder, it doesn't look the same but it's a really nice effect.  I saw this on Stamp TV first and it's a great idea, thanks Gina!  The red DP is from an Artylicious CD, elegant brocade I think,  the background is Cuttlebugged and the sentiment has been inked, it is from Craftwork Cards.

My card is for the following challenges:
Card Patterns -sketch
Papertake Weekly - cold and frosty morning
CD Sunday - something new - 2 new to me techniques.  Also THANK YOU for my prize from last week!

Meljens Designs - square or round cards
Do you stack up? - distress it
Pals Paper Arts - Valentine
Some Odd Girl - embossed
Bunny Zoe - love is in the air
Woodware USA - hearts
One Stitch at a Time - love and Valentines
Wags n Whiskers - with love
Crafty Cardmakers - red and a die cut
Cupcake Craft  -something new - techniques
Sweet Stampin - try something different

Autumn Skies Part 2

Here's the second card I made this afternoon, again this was inspired by the Papertake Weekly Challenge of Autumn Skies.  The Memory Box DPs almost eclipse the stamping, aren't they beautiful?  The stamps, DPs, Distress Inking are all the same ones I used on the previous card, though the image and layout are different and this is not a sympathy card.  The silk ribbon has 3 small knots tied onto it.

The sketch is from Midnight Madness   and I'm also entering it into One Stitch at a Time's favourite colours challenge, I do love the autumn shades...

PS Don't forget to enter my candy:)