Summer Seaside Scene

This card is just in time (I hope) for this week's Card Patterns Challenge. 
Earlier this week I was lucky enough to win a set of the new Letraset Aquamarkers from the generous Jak Heath.  They came in the post this morning, along with a couple of stamped images of the seaside scene Jak used the markers on to great effect.  Of course I had to play straight away:).  So here is attempt number 1 with Aquamarkers, also a little fishing boat from my HobbyArt Scene set has found its way onto the card.  The wave DP came from my local craft shop and the strip is a My Minds Eye one also from my local shop.  The card candy isn't an attempy to make a Christmas card LOL, it's red for Port and green for Starboard:).

Top Tip Tuesdays

Leanne has come up with a fab new blog - Top Tip Tuesdays - which is designed to share knowledge between crafters.  To launch it she is offering some yummy Tilda Candy.

What a great idea!

Here is what Leanne has to say about it:

"Top Tip Tuesday has been created to share knowledge and tips for fellow crafters - those that leave a tip can be in with a chance to win a prize.
Every fortnight a new tip and prize will be offered. To be eligible to win the prize you must create a new post on your blog (no old posts/backdating) with your tip, this can be either written, or pictorial tip or even a video. You will need to put a link back to Top Tip Tuesday on your post. Then you need to leave the direct link to your post on Mr Linky. A winner will be chosen by random.org - this person will win the prize. I will also choose one of the shared tips to be featured - this will not win a prize, but will have a write up done about their tip and their blog featured."

Be sure to check out this fabulous idea and be part of the tip team! Candy draw is 5 September.

DT Post - Phindy's Friday Challenge #16 - Clean & Simple

Welcome to Friday and to Phindy's Place Challenge:), this week we'd like to see your Clean & Simple projects.   Usually at this stage of the week  I'm so happy that it is nearly the weekend, however this week I'm on holiday from work and Friday has come around all too fast!  I thought I'd have lots of cards made, but we've been out and about and I've not made much to show you. 

What I do have, however, is this adorable clean and simple card, using another of those  oh-so-sweet Summer Cutie images from Phindy's Place, this one is called Little Swinger.
 I've used a restricted colour palette of pink and green, colouring her with Copics.  I've used my Scoreboard to make a double frame on the green Bazzill Bling background and filled the centre with a diagonal pattern.  The sentiment is from Joanna Sheen and the flower is a Prima.

I'm entering my card for Dutch Dare and for Paperplay Challenges, both of whom share an "Anything Goes" theme.

Going Dotty for Coffee

A while back I bought some House Mouse decoupage by Joanna Sheen, adorable but not my first choice for projects, I love to get inky.  But when I go to craft club each month all I need to take  is a pair of scissors, the decoupage sheets and my reading glasses, so much simpler than taking everything including the kitchen sink with me:).  It's time to put some of my cutouts together and I've tried to have a bit more fun than simply putting together the decoupage as one image.  The sentiment and feet stamped at the bottom of the pink matting  are from Dimension Fourth, I've used used very coffee coloured dotty card from My Minds Eye for the main DP and added a couple of the mice holding up a sign that says "How have you bean?"  A dotty ribbon from the lovely candy that arrived from Kathy yesterday completes the card, which I am entering for the Simon Says Going Dotty Challenge.

Not enough masculine cards in the stash...

DH needed a card in a hurry last week and I realised just how few masculine cards are in the stash.  Since we're having time off at home I decided to try to redress the balance a bit.  This is Hobby Art seaside Scene-It stamps, watercoloured with Distress Inks and matted onto navy.  The tiny scene fits inside the Cuttlebug frame which is matted again and the 2 sentiments, popped up on dots, are from Joanna Sheen, they came with unmounted House Mouse stamps that I have yet to get inky!

And that's it.  No challenges to fit.  No embellishment.  Just a man card:).

PS Edited to add:  I've found a challenge to fit my card:  Stampin' Royalty have Keep it simple as their theme this week

Craft Barn Dreamweaver Candy

The Craft Barn has candy - here's what you can win:

Our brand new Dreamweaver Stencil and Pastes DVD

One jar of white embossing paste

One palette knife

One roll of magic tape

One Stampendous Glitter

One Cupcakes stencil

One Chrismas tree stencil

Check out their blog for the details - candy ends 30 July - good luck!

Flowery vintage - look no Copics!

I LOVE using my Copics and the wonderful detailed stamps and digis that we can get these days are perfect for them.  But last week I fancied a change and decided to have a go at a watercolor-style look.  I used a Phindy's Place image, Birdie, which is one of my favourites.  I changed the digi to a soft brown to print (in Word) and used a very heavy watercolour cardstock.  I simply coloured with Tea Dye Distress Ink, which gave a soft vintage look.

I followed Deb's fun sketch from Cute Card Thursday and I picked a monochrome colourscheme to go with the image.   There are lots of flowers, Prima and handmade, attached to the card as well as a flowery Papermnia DP on the card so I am entering Stamp Something's Flowery Challenge  as well as Create4Fun Challenge's flower theme.  The Sweet Stampin Challenge has a Vintage theme this week and I'm also entering their challenge.

Image from Phindy's Place, sentiment from Joanna Sheen.  DP is Papermania.   Flowers are:  Prima vintage, rosebuds made from Little Claire die, tissue paper flower cut with Nestie from flowery tissue paper and edged with Distress Ink.

Thanks Kathy!

You may have noticed that I belong to a group of bloggers called the Glitterbees, a fun and creative bunch of ladies.  Kathy, who has the perfect blog name  - Will stamp for wine - had a blog candy give-away recently, for 105 yards of ribbon and 105 pieces of cardstock.  I was so excited to win  - who could ever have enough ribbon LOL or cardstock for that matter!

This morning the postman put a card through the door while we were out doing the horses, when I tracked him down further along the road he had a package of the most delicious candy from Kathy, as well as a beautiful card.

I was waiting for an Amazon package (the excellent Oil City Confidential) but wow - look at this - thanks so much Kathy!!!!

DT Posting - Corrosive Challenges - #74 - Pink & Blue

This week at Corrosive Challenges the theme is to use pink and blue for the focus of your project.  My card started with the DP, which is from a Joanna Sheen CD, it is a beautiful jumble of quilts from a collection called Giordano.  As a quilter, I had to get the CD with this on :).  It also has very pretty toppers and decoupage of puppies and kittens, which is not really my thing.  Oh but wait, there is also a set of 12 stamps to go with it!  So...  I got three of the stamps and here is my first attempt with one of them.  I really like it but found both dog and kitten quite challenging to colour in.  This card is for my "Post Pal" Alice, if you have any spare cards then Post Pals is a lovely thing to do with them...

Coloured with Copics, edged with Distress Inks and cut out with a scalloped Nestie, I've matted my image and popped it up on 3D  pads.  The pink is edged with a Marthda Stewart lattice punch and the gingham check is stitched down onto it.  Flowers use my new gadget of a cutting die from Little Claire (more new stash!) and I've used a punch for leaves too.  The sentiment came with the stamp.

I've used the Sketch & Stash Challenge sketch for my card, my new stash is the stamp (never inked before) and the new CD with the DP.  I'm also entering Fussy & Fancy Friday's Stitches, scallops and sparkle challenge, and Cupcake Craft Challenge's Cats & Dogs theme. 

DT Post - Phindy's Place Friday Challenge #15 - Stitched Up

This week at Phindy's Place Challenge the theme is Stitching, we'd like to see stitching, real or faux, on your project.  I was sewing before I ever made a card, so I love cards with stitching on.  There are some AMAZING cards from the DT, do check them out, they are just gorgeous!

I used Spring Breeze, for my card, such a beautiful image, Mum looks a little frazzled yet still happy!  I based my colourscheme on some gorgeous new DP from Fancy Pants that I got at Stamp Attic, my local shop, this week and I chose to paper piece the washing from the DP, which reminds me of vintage fabrics and quilts.  Image is coloured with Copics and the background is a mixture of Copic and Distress Inks.  

The sketch I followed is from this week's Simon Says Challenge.   There's lots of stitching on my card and where you've got stitching you really need buttons, so I've added a few on the sheer dotty ribbon that's tucked under the image.  I've also been playing with a new gadget - a die cutter for roses from Little Claire, so I added some pink flowers on top of a lace flower.  Sentiment is from Craftwork Cards.

This card is for the following challenges:

Simon Says Challenge - sketch
Crazy4Challenges - buttons
Paper Sundaes - make your own flowers
DareU2Digistamp - stitching

DT Posting - Cooking it up with Katie - button me a blue bow!

This is the last of the forntnightly challenges from the Cooking it up with Katie Challenge - next week it becomes a weekly challenge blog so there's even more opportunity to  join in the fun!  This week the challenge is to use the following ingredients:

• blue
• button(s)
• bow

This week's sponsor is Fairy Knoll and I have used their Annika image, she is coloured with Copics and some Stickles on her wings. The image comes with some lovely butterflies on which I have removed from my image, she looks great with or without them:).  Annika is sitting on a patchwork quilt, this DP is from a Joann Sheen CD.  The CD has some lovely things to print out, which are not really my cup of tea.  However this DP is just what I've been searching for, as a quilter, and I ended up getting the CD fr the one sheet of paper - mad or what!  I will try and use some of the other things, promise...:).

The lovely sentiment, "Wishing you the fairy best" is from Create with TLC, cut out with a Nestie.  The image background is pearlescent blue card, run through a Cuttlebug folder and the main background is a scrummy piece of Glimmer Misted card that I've been hoarding.  Organza ribbon and buttons are from stash.

I'm entering this very cute image for Papertake Weekly's Cutie Patootie Challenge and also for Allsort's Challenge of Summer Days.  


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House Mouse - B is for...

House Mouse Challenge this week is the letter "B" - use anything to do with the letter B.  This is a card I made at Craft Barn's Open Weekend, on a make and take.  I've not blogged it before, but I would like to give credit to Craft Barn, sorry can't remember which demonstrator this was though.  It's coloured with Distress Inks, the 3d top to the card is punched with a Martha Stewart punch and has some BLING added with Stickles.  There is a BIG, BLUE, BOW and the main image has a BIG, BLUE, BEVERAGE cup:).

I've another card to show you, just for fun.  This has NO stamping on it  -gasp!  It's a House Mouse decoupage from Joanna Sheen, only I've got bored with just decoupaging the image as it's shown and my meeces are escaping off the image.  The marshmallows use Woodware Fluffy Stuff.  The green shaped cardstock is packaging from some Prima flowers that was just too pretty to throw away.

Splashy Sienna

This image just shouts "Summertime is here!" to me, she's called Splashy Sienna , a digi from the very talented Phindy O'Neill.  I had her coloured and ready to use in a card, but decided to cut her out, pop her up on silicon glue and give her a garden background.  So I found some Glimmer Misted cardstock, cut out a circle, used a Cuttlebug folder on it and then swiped some ink across it to show off the design.  The sketch is from Saturday Sketch Challenge and the colourscheme is from Just Us Girls, who have a navy, orange, green and cream challenge this week.

DP is Basic Grey, the cream panel is pearlescent card that has been embossed with a different folder.  The sentiment is from Craftwork Cards, coloured with a opic, the little flowers are made using a Woodware punch.  I'm also entering Paper Sundae's "make your own flowers" Challenge.

DT Posting - Corrosive Challenges - #73 - Cartoon Time

Good morning and welcome to Sunday - with a not-so-welcome look ahead to Monday LOL!  This week on Corrosive Challenges we are using cartoons on our projects.  I've used a Stella cartoon from Bugaboo Stamps - don't you just love Stella and her attitude to life!  Stella is coloured with Copics and some Glossy Accents for her spectacles.  DP is Basic Grey, scraps from various different 6x6 pads, I've used a Cuttlebug folder on a blue bit.  The scrolls are cut with a punch and I've used a Marthas Stewart punch on the pink DP, with organza ribbon tied round it too. 

I've followed the sketch from the Create4Fun Challenge and the colourscheme is from One Stop Craft Challenge, who have the theme of pink, blue, green and a hint of red flowers and bling!  OK I think I've got that covered).  I'm also entering my card for Stamp Something's digital challenge. 

Summertime and the living is easy

Earlier this week I got an email from Little Claire stamps about their sale; I was lucky enough to get this Martha Stewart Grass punch for a very good price.  As I had new stash it seemed a good idea to enter this week's Sketch and Stash Challenge.   I was a bit stumped by the sketch, until I decided to use my design twice, cutting out as two circles, one smaller than the other and popped up on silicon glue. 

I used a flower design from Isabella's Sketchbook.  Isabella's Sketchbook Challenge this week is get punchy and I've used my new punch as well as a leaf punch on my card.  DP is Basic Grey Green at Heart, image is coloured with Copics and a bit of Stickles.  I've added Stickles to my flower and the sentiment is from Elusive Images.  I'm also entering my card for the Summer Days Challenge at the Allsorts Challenge Blog and the Summer Holidays theme at Secret Crafter Challenge.  

Bellariffic Friday meets Totally Papercrafts Recipe

I'm not too sure how to enter Emily's Bellariffic Friday, the sketch was published last week.  Anyhow, here's a card for it it it's not too late:).   I used the Charlotte Ketto stamp that I bought at Craft Barn, coloured with Copics.  The blue DP is a K&K from a big box and the strips are a My Minds Eye magazine freebie.  I added some little gems and a ribbon for Charlotte's hair, which makes the card fit Totally Papercraft's Recipe Challenge of 1 image, 2 DPs, 1 ribbon, 3 embellishments.  Isn't she gorgeous?

Phindy's Friday Challenge #14 - got the blues

Good morning!  It's Friday morning and the end of another week - but nearly the start of the weekend - hooray!  Of course, Friday means it's also time for another Phindy's Place Friday Challenge and this week we have the blues.  Blue is my favourite colour, whether it's denim, aqua, pastel, navy and we'd like you to use some blue in your project this week.

I've chosen the adorable and elegant Contentment image from Phindy's Place for my card, you can also buy an African American version of this image from Phindy.

My image is coloured with Copics and I've put a picture style frame around it before adding it to my card.  My card is based on the Card Patterns' Challenge sketch this week and as it it quite a patchwork card I've added some "quilting" stitches to it.  Dare U2 Digistamp has Stitching as its challenge this week,  so I'm also entering their challenge.  DP is Papermania, the threads across the card are hand-dyed from my stash, I've used tiny jeweller's tags for the "boy" sentiment.    Hope you like my card, so be sure to go and look at the amazing cards that the DT has made. 

Just a note...

When I got home from holiday a few new stamps from Stampinbella were waiting for me; this typewriter is one of them.  Comes with several sentiments, saw a sample card made with it at the Craft Barn weekend and couldn't resist!  One Stop Craft Challenge has a monochromatic theme this week and this very simple card fits their challenge.  I've coloured with Copics, edged with Distress Inks, and added some white faux stitching around the black square, which was just too plain:).  The DP is a from new Basic Grey pad that I bought at Craft Barn.  What do you think of the stamp?  It just looks so useful to me, had to get it...

The Definitive Elizabeth Bell Blog Candy - don't miss this one!

Elizabeth Bell has AMAZING candy on offer - check out her blog.  Here is what she has to say:

Up for one lucky winner is the “Definitive Blog Candy Give Away”, which has the following stamps from the rubber stamp companies that you and I love!:

Belles ‘n Whistles - SEVEN beautiful pre-cut clear, genuine Photopolymer stamps - The Forever Young Collection: A Child’s Prayer, Merry-Go!, Clowning Around, Eden with Teddy, Fairy Play, Little Eden, Princess Tales and Sweet Dreams (just so you know, these gorgeous stamps are flying off the shelves fast and one is already out of stock! So the lucky winner will be very lucky to get these! :)

Whiff of Joy - TWO Stamp Kits featuring uncut, beautifully mounted stamps: Scheherazade (1001 Nights) with 7 stamps and beautiful sentiments created by the very talented Katharina Frei AND Aladin (1001 Nights) with 7 stamps and more beautiful sentiments created by Katharina Frei, owner of Whiff of Joy Stamps

SCACD - TWO full uncut, unmounted sheets of yummy stamps! Sampler Edition #4 containing 7 stamps, and my latest release through SCACD, Sampler Edition #5 containing 7 more delightful stamps

In total, there are THIRTY-SIX stamps including wonderful sentiments from Whiff of Joy!

Happy Birthday Cupcake

Back to work today, that was a shock to the system:).  I put this card together with an already coloured image this evening, it felt good to get back into the craft room.  The card uses Papertake Challenge's sketch, Dawn's sketches are a favourite of mine.  It is also for the House Mouse Challenge, which is to make a birthday card, as they are celebrating America, their DT member's, birthday.

I edged the card with Distress Inks and used some Stickles on the icing as well.  The sentiment with the cupcakes is from Elusive Images, I've added some colour with Copics to the cakes as well as more Stickles.  The DP is My Mind's Eye, a freebie with a magazine, and I've used a Martha Stewart punch along the bottom.

 I was lucky enough to win the House Mouse Challenge a couple of weeks ago, with a generous prize of a HM stamp from Simon Says.  "Are we there yet?" came in the post today, isn't it adorable?  Thank you to Simon Says and the House Mouse Challenge team.

DT - Corrosive Challenge #72 - Sketch Time

This week at Corrosive Challenges we have a simple sketch to follow.  I've made a card using DP called So Sophie, by My Minds Eye in rich purples and golds - looks better in real life than in the picture - sorry.  I've stamped Elusive Images Wild Meadow flowers onto the notepad background DP and gold embossed some highlights, using an embossing pen to match the embossed sentiment, which is Papermania.


I've used lots of layers and matting for my card, so I'm entering it for Paper Sundae's layering challenge.

We got home from holiday late last night after a wonderful, relaxing week.  But why is that that, after seven hours of driving on French roads, where the speed limit is adhered to, the traffic keeps in the RH lane unless it's overtaking, the M25 STILL has bottlenecks and jams even at nearly 11pm... welcome back to Blighty LOL!  I'll bore you with some photos when I get the chance...

DT Posting - Phindy's Place Challenge #13 - embossing

This week at Phindy's Place we're challenging you to use embossing on your card: dry or heat embossed, it's up to you so long as you use a Phindy's Place image.  This totally adorable image is called Birdie, she is one of a series called Summer Cuties and you can buy her here.  I'm also entering Birdie for the following challenges:  Cute Card Thursday's School's out for Summer ,  Flutter By Wednesday's open theme (sentiment is a butterfly) and for Charisma Cardz Watch the Birdie.   I've coloured her with Copics and edged the image with Distress Inks while it was still in a scalloped Nestie.  The embossing is done with a Cuttlebug folder and the DP is a Christmas Basic Grey (!) called Eskimo Kisses.  The sentiment is from Craftwork Cards and the ribbon is from stash.

1st DT Posting - Cooking it up with Katie

Good Morning!  My first DT posting for the Cooking it up With Katie Challenge is a bright and summery one, using an image from this week's sponsor, Meljen Designs.  Your challenge is to use the following three "ingredients" as you cook up your card:

 Use something yellow
Use a sketch from any current challenge
Add some stitching, real or faux

Ive coloured with Copics, Stickles and Glossy Accents, using two images to get lots of dimension, I popped up my leaf and flower with silicon glue.  The DP is Papermania, I used my Martha Stewart hydrangea punch down the side of the stripe.  I Cuttlebugged the cardstock, stitched round the image, the sentiment and the embossed card.  The sentiment is a freebie from TLCCreations. 

Oh, the sketch that I worked with is from the Friday Sketchers Challenge.

DT News - Cooking it up with Katie DT

Bonjour!  We are on holiday in the beautiful Vendee area of France, we have internet access but I'm trying to stay offline as much as possible - not really a holiday if I spend my time in front of the screen:).

I have some exciting news to share:  I am very excited to have been picked as part of the DT for Cooking it up with Katie.  The challenges are great fun and a little different, with their set of "ingredients".  I hope you'll join me on Wednesday to see my first card for the Team

DT Posting - Corrosive Challenge - Christmas TmeB

I know, you've seen this image before and you'll see it plenty more times before Christmas LOL! The Corrosive Challenge this week aims to get you started with your projects and cards for Christmas, you know how it goes, all of a sudden it's upon us and then there's the shame of having shop-bought cards because we ran out of time!

My favourite image, ever, is the Fjord horses pulling a sled, you can buy it here from Phindy's Place. I've coloured in traditional colours, no glitter or Flowersoft snow for once. The sentiment is from Craftwork Cards and the DPs are both Basic Grey - one Wassail and one Eskimo Kisses.
I'm entering my card for Fussy & Fancy's Christmas in July Challenge and Dareu2Digitamp's Great Outdoors Challenge.

DT Post - Phindy's Place Friday Challenge #12 - Red, white & blue

It's Friday and it's time for another Phindy's Place Challenge! This week we're looking forward to the 4th July celebrations with a red, white and blue theme. I based my card on the Sketch Saturday Challenge.
This week's Papertake Challenge is to include some stitching in your project. Instead of stitching around the layers of cardstock, as I often do, I've stitched over the ropes and tassels on the hot air balloon. I really like the effect, which took just a few minutes to stitch. Unfortunately I had to stop and start lots of times so it took me about 5 times as long again to sew the ends in!

The adorable image is called Up and Away! You can buy it here. The DP is Stampin' Up, I made the flowers from the cardstock. The ribbon came from my blogging friend Viv and the card candy is from Craftwork Cards.

Let the sun shine

I should be getting ready for my holiday, but I couldn't resist making a quick card with Birdie, an image from a new Phindy's Place series. She is so quick to colour and looks adorable! I've used a fun sketch from Card Patterns Challenge for my layout and the background is a check from Basic Grey's Kioshi collection as this week's Simon Says Challenge is "check it out". I'm entering Copic Creation's Challenge which is Birds, but I have to say that having seen the DT's work, which has almost a photographic quality, my little birdie is a bit, umm, inadequate :). A new challenge for me: Sir Stampalot's Challenge is lazy, hazy days of summer.

Coloured with Copics, ric-rac and Prima flowers added.