A City Christmas

I've a couple of cards to show you today, here's the city one, country card coming up later.  This card began life as a one layer card, inspired by my blogging friend Chrissie's awesome card here.  It's just the most beautiful card I've seen for ages, however while I love tree stamps and have a whole forest of them, I wanted to do things a little differently.  So I decided to use the Hero Arts city stamp I bought a while back which hasn't yet got inky.  But you don't need to look too closely to see that this isn't a one layer card...

I masked off the card, used my duster brushes and Distress Inks, stamped the buildings.  It looked gorgeous.  Then I took off the Post-Its and saw that my gorgeous scene was upside down on my card!  I have now done one that I'm happy with but the next few had silly mistakes on them.  So I trimmed this with a little of the white  either side and gold embossed a Sheena Douglass star on it.  Hmm... looked like the stable in Bethlehem was now a skyscraper... rapidly added Santa in his sleigh:).

The DP is Artylicous from the Spirit of Christmas CD, the sentiment Craftwork Cards and the lacy MS punch was a present from my very kind friend Val.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:
CD Sunday - lavender and lace
Wagsnwhiskers - lavender and lace
Truly Scrumptious - sketch
Stamp scrap and doodle - no flowers at all
Fussy and fancy - non-trad Christmas colours
Bah Humbug - lovely in lilac

A tree is known by its fruit;

Last week I got a new CD of printable papers that I've been looking forward to for ages.  It's a Artylicious CD called Essence of Nature, that is based on some of my favourite Elusive Images stamps.  I wasn't disappointed, the papers on the CDs are just so beautiful and my main problem with them is that I don't want to cover up the papers with images and extras LOL!  I had an idea for Cute Card Thursday's theme featuring text so I made a card featuring text and trees from Elusive Images stamps, simply stamped out in black .

 Glenda Waterworth, the designer, has challenged all who have bought the CDs to print something off and create with it, instead of just stroking the papers:).  I printed off an approximation of 4 seasons with my first four sheets and chose this stunning and subtle wintry scene to play with first.  I was aiming for a stark and simple card with black and silver mirri card matting.  When I tried this it looked really, really stark - downright funereal - and not at all how I'd intended it.  So I added some Stickles to the trees, added a scarlet layer of matting card and used some metallic red thread to attach a tree charm.  That's better!

I think you might be seeing a lot more of these delicious papers in the near future:)

Bearded Iris

I was lucky enough to win one of the new themeplates from Elusive Images as blog candy this week. It's always fun to win candy, but when it's something you really, really want, well that's just an amazing bonus! I had wanted to order this themeplate but a shopping trip to Craft Barn as well as a phonecall from the bank warning me that my credit card had been "compromised" - no he didn't mean too much craft shopping LOL - so I had to wait for a new card meant that I'd delayed in buying this.

I'm pretty busy doing last minute Father's Day and birthday cards for my Dad (the two days co-incide) but I took a few minutes away from ships and seashore scenes to come up with this card. It follows a lovely sketch from the Paper Sundaes Challenge blog. I've coloured my image with Copics, used Artylicious DP, a Craftwork Cards sentiment and some lace and ribbons from stash. Watch this space, I have plans for the gorgeous, larger images on the themeplate:).

Thank you so much to Glenda and the Graphicus ladies, including Judith who sent my prize at lightning speed, it was a lovely surprise in a fairly bad week:).

Cheers my friends

I made this card for a friend, no particular occasion, just a random "Hello" card and I think this is just a brilliant image, I must have used it lots of times. I'm entering it for the Secret Crafter Challenge, which has Friendship as its theme this week. Image is from Shirleys2Girls and it's called Friends

. I used the colour scheme from Copic Colour Challenge of B02, Bv02 and YG02 and then took ages to find DP to go with my image. Eventually I used a couple of pages from an Artylicious pad called Echoes of Italy that I bought at the NEC and have been too much in love with to cut into. Sad isn't it :).

I've based the card on the sketch at Card Positioning Systems this week and that's about it!

Oh, sentiment is computer generated (though I do have a stamp for this - somewhere) and card candy is from Craftwork Cards. Cheers!

Can I join in too please?

There is such a pretty sketch this week on Totally Papercraft's challenge, I had to use it with Phindy O'Neill's exquisite digi art, this image is called The Big Girl's Class. I'll admit, ballet and pink were never my thing as a child and nor are they now. But this image is so clever on so many levels and I couldn't resist it, it is beautiful, comic and moving all together, don't know how it is, but it is :).

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge's theme for this week is ribbon and sparkle and Cute Card Thursday has Ribbontastic so I'm entering my card for both these challenges too.

Phindy O'Neill image is coloured with Copics and some sparkle addded with Stickles to the little girsl's tutu. Image is cut and matted with Nesties, the border underneath is made with a Martha Stewart punch. DP is by Artylicious, pink sparkly ribbon was a present from my very creative blogging friend Viv, who I hope to meet in the flesh at the NEC next month. Flowers from my stash have punched centres and Stickles added.

Spring is on the way - I hope!

This clean and simple card uses Phindy O'Neill's digi image Birds Go By, which is an autumnal scene. I've changed it around by adding some spring buds and foliage to the tree, it's coloured with watercolour pencils. The DP is an Artylicous CD paper, the sentiment is Craftwork Cards and ribbon from stash.

I'm entering my card in the Spring is in the Air Challenge at A Spoonful of Sugar, Cupcake Craft's Keep It Simple theme and the Creative Belli Challenge to use ribbon.

Get Your Kicks

This week's Challenge at Charisma Cardz is "Think Male" and I don't know about you, but I never have enough "men" cards in my card stash. This image is absolutely perfect, it was sent to me by my awesome and talented blogging friend Debby. The stamp comes from Artistic Outpost and is called Route 66. It's black embossed and I've used Peeled Paint and Weathered Wood Distress Inks painted on it. The khaki green paisley DP is from Artylicious and I've Cuttlebugged a piece of the metallic dark green paper that I've matted the image onto. Secret Crafter's theme this week for their challenge is monochrome tones of one colour and white and I'm also entering my card into this. The metallic paper around the bike image is rough cut with scissors. Great effect. Umm actually it's because I put the brads in first and couldn't line it up to cut straight :). And that's it. I want to go back to it and add some more embellishments, but then it wouldn't be a man card...

Cheers! to Card Patterns Challenge

Here's a quick posting before I head off into more slippery snow to pick up elder son from Oxford railway station, he's had a very long day visiting Aberystwyth Uni.

I've used my fab image "Friends" from Shirleys2Girls again, you can buy it here. I'm really in love with this image, it's got so much potential, I can't keep up with my ideas :). This time I've used it with a great circular sketch from the Card Patterns Challenge.
I've coloured it in with Copics, added some blue Bazzill card and some DP. The red is an Artylicious download, can't find a name onthe orangey one, sorry. Another perfect bow from my new Bowmaker completes the card, along with some Card Candy from Craftwork Cards.

Cheers, hope you like my card :)

Domino the dog does a dozen challenges!

Meet Domino, he's an Airedale terrier (I think) from Shirleys2Girls, he's a Christmas digi with a wreath and sentiment included, but I've used him along here for a "With Love" card. I was so pleased to get this digi, he's lovely and useful for lots of occasions, with the gift bag in his mouth. This card has the alternative title "A Dog Is Not Just For Christmas", in view of the Christmas digi :). I think I've broken my own record here, with a DOZEN challenges from one card! OK with all the "Love" themes around this week it wasn't as tricky as it sounds!

I don't really *do* Valentines cards, so a With Love is as close as it gets :). I've based my card on the sketch from Mojo Monday's Challenge and am also entering it for a few other challenges, including Papertake Weekly's Love Actually Challenge - great name for the theme! Cupcake Crafts has the theme Four Legged and Friendly and this is another entry for this theme, which is certainly a popular one with me. Stampin' for the Weekend's challenge is "love is in the air"and the ABC Challenge is N for New (the digi is new). I hope Dareu2Digistamp will accept this as a Valentine's card for their challenge, Charisma Cardz has I Love You as its theme, Stamp Something has Love Somethings, Double Dutch and Creative Card Crew both have Valentines for their theme, the Belli Challenge is to use ribbons and Pile It On's theme is "To the one you love".

Domino is simply coloured with a couple of shades of Copics, his present is paper pieced from Artylicious paper which is also used behind the Prima flower in layers. The sentiment is Elusive Images and the ribbon came from a box of chocolates. He's cut out with a deckle edged Nestie and the DP is also Artylicious. Isn't he gorgeous and adorable?

Wintry Holly

Here's a quick blogging of a card made for a Challenge at Papercraft Planet on Michelle Perkett's group. The image is Holly, the Christmas friendship fairy, from Michelle's Etsy shop. Jana provided a fun sketch to use and I chose wintry colours for my card. Both DPs are from Artylicious CDs, they are edged with a silver pen. The pen blotched all over the place when I was edging the large piece; I decided it was a great effect and left it alone :). The sentiment is from Elusive Images, silver embossed onto vellum. Fairy is coloured with Copics and has Flowersoft "fur" edging her robe. The background uses the palest shade of purple in Copic.

Magical things come in tiny packages

Michelle Perkett has opened a Challenge Blog, with the first challenge to follow a sketch made by Carlie Mays. I've made a very quick and simple card with a free image that Michelle kindly made available on her PCP group.

This is a totally digi card, the background snowflake DP is from a CD by Artylicious, the stripe is from a Bearly Mine Creations cd. I originally coloured the image with Sakura Gelly Roll pens but didn't like the colours so I cut out another tiny packages, coloured with Copics and popped it on top with foam pads for dimension. Ribbon and gems are from stash.

First Quixotic Card Challenge - Fishing You Many Happy Returns

Quixotic Cards have begun a Challenge blog and their first challenge is Birthdays. You might be unimpressed with this very simple, plain card but it took a lot of doing! This is for a fishing friend of DH, I had to keep telling myself to pare it down and simplify :).

Image and sentiment were both bought last year at Ally Pally, can't remember the name of the stand. They are copper embossed and Distress Ink used on the edges. Image is matted onto copper metallic paper, brown paper and a very tweedy DP from Artylicious. Copper coloured "card candy" from Craftwork Cards added and that's it. Who would have thought it could take so long?

My Grafico Challenge #23 - sketch

It's time for another My Grafico Challenge, this week the DT have used a set called Arabian Paradise, which is the prize for this week's challenge. You can follow the colour challenge and use purple, cerise and gold and you can follow the sketch, or you can even do both :). I've followed the sketch for my card and, as I've used a long thin card I've stretched my Arabian palace image out to fit it, one of the useful things about having a digi image rather than a rubber stamp is that you can tinker around with the size and/or proportions to make them work for your card. I've printed the palace onto paper that was sprayed with Glimmer Mist and added a gem to one of the spires. This is cut out and stuck onto DP from Artylicious. The rest of the card uses the Glimmer Misted paper again, with a sentiment from Dimension Fourth and a flourish stamp from Personal Expressions, with a few more gems added for interest.

My Grafico Challenge 20 - tags

It's Challenge Time again on MyGrafico. This week we are using a fun tag set, available here. You can win the set if you enter the Challenge. You can play along by making something with and include buttons, or you can follow a sketch as I've done.

My card follows the sketch to make a CAS Halloween card. I printed the rectangle tag, in two sizes onto DP downloaded from Summer Driggs' site. The larger tag has paper pieced pumpkins and a witch from a stamp set by Creative Expressions, the smaller tag uses a mini alphabet to stamp out "Boo!". The other DP comes from Artylicious.

Don't forget, you've got to be in to win :)

Bella & Bronte's Purple Challenge

There is another new Challenge blog on the block - this time it is from the wonderful Mo Manning who creates digital art. Mo is very generous with her freebies if you check out her online groups, so there's no excuse not to enter :).

The Challenge this week is to use purple and I've combined this with Papertake's sketch challenge, which has another of Dawny P's very usable sketches.

I've coloured Bella & Bronte go ice skating with my Copics and added Dusty Concord Distress Ink around the edges. The sentiment is an old standby from Imagepac and ribbons and gems are from stash. The papers are all from Artylicious CDs. I do love this image, poor Bronte looks very unimpressed with his new sport :).

Twisted Thursday - or spot the Shirleys2Girls stamp

I've made a fairly simple card for the Shirleys2Girls' Twisted Thursday Challenge this week, which is to follow the sketch and to use raffia or twine. I always like to use a S2G stamp for their challenge if I can, so where is it?

Yes, it's the large background stamp called Peace Page, isn't it stunning? I'm quite sad that quite a bit of it is hidden by the layout. I've stamped it onto plain white card with Cocoa Brown Memento ink and I've used Distress Inks on cut and dry foam in Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed and Worn Lipstick to colour it. It goes with the Artylicious DP with butterflies on it. All the papers were matted onto a bronze metallic paper, the butterfly is punched from it too; the sentiment is from Elusive Images and I've used twine around one of the pieces of DP. Well ok it's a thick thread, a posh twine if you like:).

I'm also entering the One Stop Craft Challenge this week, which has the theme Autumn Inspiration. The lovely Indian Summer that we've been enjoying has broken over the weekend and today was grey, cold and drizzly. We need the rain and all good things come to an end, the colours in the card remind me of the autumn sun we've enjoyed until now.

Happy Purplicious Birthday Morag

This rather OTT card is for my friend Morag, who loves anything as long as it's purple :). I've taken inspiration from several challenges:

• My starting point was Charisma Cardz's Patchwork Challenge; I've been wanting to use the patchwork shaped chipboard for ages
• The purple colour scheme uses Dutch Dares' photo inspiration challenge again - love this photo
• I got really carried away with Stamp Something's use your favourite embellishments challenge! Too many embellies! LOL
• The sketch that I put it all together with is from Corrosive Challenges

The image is one of my favourite Leanne Ellis stamps from Sugar Nellie, Stitch. She's coloured with Copics and the background watercoloured from Dusty Concord Distress Ink. The main background paper was Glimmer Misted, then silver embossed with two different Elusive Images scrolly corners, aren't they beautiful. The silver embossed sentiment is also from Elusive Images. Now the embellishments: the patchwork pieces are covered in Artylicious paper and edged with the Distress Ink, there are two ribbons, one cream that was coloured with copic and one mauve, my favourite Prima flowers and a delicious little sewing machine charm from Quixotic Paperie.

Maybe there are rather too many embellishments, what do you think? I reckon it's purple enough, at least :). Oh, don't forget to enter my blog candy, will you?

Jazzy angel in mauve

It's that time of the year again; I need to try to make some Christmas cards as I take part in challenges, so it's not too daunting a task as December gets closer...

I'm only just in time, but I did want to use Coco's very pretty sketch on Sketch Saturday's Challenge. There seem to be lots of colour inspiration challenges this week; this is based on the photo inspiration from Dutch Dare's Challenge of a vase of flowers against wallpaper.

I've used my new angel stamp from Lili of the Valley and coloured her with Copics. I've christened her the jazzy angel, she looks like she's enjoying playing the trumpet :). The image is edged with lilac ribbon, the main DP is from Artylicious and the green circles are cut from free paper that came with a magazine; the green scalloped circles are from paper that I've Glimmer Misted. The tiny sentiment is from a Penny Black clear set and the snowflakes came, I think, from a supermarket. I've coloured them with pink Copic, the were a very feeble shade of pink before :)

Back to School notebook

I've used an image from the very cute digi-set that is the prize for this week's My Grafico challenge: School Kids , to decorate a notebook for the new school term. Enter your card or crafty creation and you could be the winner of this adorable set. Back to School is also the theme at Cute Card Thursday this week.

My notebook is pretty simple, I've paper pieced the coat and boots from a piece of Artylicious DP and coloured the rest of the image with Copics. The edges of the image have been distressed with Dusty Concord Distress Ink and it's been mounted onto the same purple DP. Two more Artylicious DPs and a piece of ribbon from my stash make up the rest of the decoration. Oh, I rounded the corners of the papers with a punch.

An Elusive Cyclamen

When is a cyclamen Elusive? When they always turn up their toes and die the minute I get them through the door and when I've used an Elusive Images stamp to produce a more durable plant, that's when :).

I've been trying to blend with my Copics and I'm quite pleased with the leaves, though the flowers are best viewed from a distance. Image was stamped twice in Memento London Fog and the flowers and leaves decoupaged with the dreaded silicon glue. I've used the sketch from Sketch & Stash as the basis for this card, though I've missed off the two flowers. I punched a couple out of paper and they looked really clumsy beside the delicate stamped images, so I took them off and put them into the scrap box. I've also entered this for the Graphicus Challenge to use complimentary colours.

I used new and negelcted stash for my card: the new stash is the Nestie label die that came from my being lucky enough to win a Simon Says challenge and the cyclamen stamp from Elusive Images is the neglected stash. It's from an unmounted rubber stamp set with the most beautiful set of greetings. They are standard words such as Best Wishes but in the most wonderful, flowing script. So... when it arrived I didn't have much EZMount and I left the flowers unmounted. I've been trying to sort all my stamps out so they are mounted with laminated sheets for storage and finally the cyclamen and the daffodil will be inked up!

The green and pink papers are Artylicious, the bright pink bottom layer of strips is a K&Co. Martha Stewart Flourish punch used on the layered strips.
Detail: