Happy 18th Birthday Will!

Happy Birthday Will! All of a sudden my baby boy has grown up! All the way up to 6'3" or is it 6'4"? Anyway, while stuck for a card idea I had the mad idea of stamping 18 champagne bottles. Now these would have been ideal as a digi so I could re-size them but I don't have a digi and I do have a very good champagne bottle stamp from Elusive Images, so I cut out 18 of them, coloured them, stamped some on the card, glued some down and popped some up on 3d foam pads. The green bottles are coloured with H20 paint and the red and gold are Promarkers. With a few foam pads under corks and the number stamps from Dimension Fourth the card was finished.

I had an idea there were lots of challenges around at the moment for birthday cards but I could only find Charisma Cards anything but Christmas challenge :)

Snowfight!

Here's the second Phindy O'Neill card that I made, of course it was predictable that I would get this image, I'm a sucker for anything with a dog on it :). I've used Jeanette's sketch from Friday Sketcher's Challenge this week, which allows the image to be the star of the show and I'm entering it in Simon Says Challenge of Animal Antics - my second entry. Simon Says also asks that we remember the animal charities this Christmas. Our two rescue dogs certainly don't let us forget :).

I've got some Aleen's glue for my Flowersoft ths time, which seems to work better, I have a lot of trouble with Flowersoft moulting as soon as I finish my card. I think this works better...

Image coloured with Copics and Promarkers, Polar White Flowersoft snow added. Sentiment and card candy from Craftwork Cards, ribbon from stash, Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses papers.

Phindy's Place - a new digi artist - Setting the Stars

I've come across a new-to-me digital artist called Philomena (Phindy) O'Neill who is a children's book illustrator. Her work is charming and great fun to create with. I bought an image from her and made a card that I'll blog tomorrow, but in the meantime this image is a free one provided to Phindy's Papercraft Planet group, Phindy's Place. The image is for a challenge called "Setting the Stars", you have until tomorrow evening to enter - the prize is a $10 gift certificate to Phindy's Store.

I've based my card on the very attractive sketch at Papertake Weekly's Challenge, scraping in just before the deadline - I hope!

My angel is coloured with Copics and Promarkers, with two colours of Stickles added to the stars and her wings. I've added peel-off gold stars to the background, something I haven't used for ages. Would you believe I misread a challenge and thought I should use them. When I checked it was a challenge to use rub-ons, not peel-offs - doh! But I think they look good and it made me get out some unloved, neglected stash :). Papers are Stampin' Up, Christmas sentiment from Craftwork Cards. The sentiment, gold card, peel-offs and gold ribbon all look the same shade in real life, I'm not quite sure how they all look so wildly different in real life!

Autumn elf

This week Mo Manning's digital challenge is to use colours that remind you of Autumn. I love this image which is one of the first Mo images I bought and he works really well in Autumn colours. Truly Scrumptious also has an Autumn theme to use with its sketch. The slight complication to combining these challenges is that Mo's challenge can only use two embellishments and the Truly Scrumptious sketch could use lots! I've limited myself to two embellishments: flowers and card candy (faux brads). There's one Prima flower and the others are cut with a punch but hopefully the different species still count as one :)

Mo Manning image coloured with Copics and Promarkers, edged with Distress Ink in Scattered Straw and Tea Dye. Papers are a mixture of Basic Grey and Summertime Designs.

Christmas Teddybear

Here's another of the new release Lili of the Valley stamps that I got, cute isn't he? I had fun colouring him with my Copics; normally I really work hard to keep the colouring even but on the teddy I had a great time scribbling to get a furry look :).

I've covered several challenges here:

• The sketch is Lili of the Valley's challenge this week

• One Stop Craft Challenge has Beary Nice as its theme
• Simon Says want stitching - real or faux and
  
• Pile It On calls for us to use our punches

Image is coloured with Copics and Promarkers, the background has Adirondack Denim ink sponged onto it. There is faux stitching around the edges and I've used a corner punch on the image and its mat. The papers came as a magazine insert and are all matted onto plain navy; the snowflakes are punched from pink card tha I've coloured with a Copic to match the teddie's presents. I've added Perfect Pearls to the snowflakes and some of the papers. Sentiment is from a new Woodware set of clear stamps that I bought today at Made By You.

I had a lovely crafty morning at Made by You today; workshops were running all day in aid of the Macmillan Cancer Nurses Coffee mornings. I made some simple Christmas cards, ate cake, had fun and did some shopping :). Almost makes up for not going to Ally Pally this year :)

Christmas birdhouse

Passion for Promarkers this week doesn't call for specific colours to be used, which is useful for me as I don't have too many; the Challenge is to use polka dots so I began by unearthing the soft blue and biscuity double sided paper; don't know who made it, there's nothing printed on the margin. It goes nicely with the holly paper from My Mind's Eye that I bought last year. If the holly wasn't single sided I'd say they came from the same collection, they go almost too well together :).

I decided to work with the sketch from Inspirational Card Sketches' Challenge this week, which really appealed to me with the square on point. I'd like to be able to say that I decided to flip the sketch to make it more unusual, the honest answer is that I stuck my on-point square round the wrong way!

The birdhouse is a pretty Christmas stamp that I got at Lili of the Valley, I coloured the house using vanilla and pastel beige together. I remembered to keep out the pens I'd used and photgraph them for posterity :). The birdhouse is cut out and decoupaged with silicon glue, as are the bird and the stockings. I've used fluffy stuff for the snow and Glossy Accents on the berries. The background for the image and the sentiment have Distress Ink in tea dye and denim Adirondack ink rubbed in. Everything is mounted onto a navy card, the ribbon is from stash.

Falling for Grace

The lovely Shirley's2Girls held a Digi-day on the SNR Card Universe at the weekend and generously gave away this fab image called Grace does Fall. Join their group and you can also get the image. They challenged everyone to make an Autumn card (OK probably they called it Fall :) ) using the image and adding some Kraft paper. I didn't quite get my first effort finished in time for their challenge, but here it is below:
Grace is coloured with Promarkers and Copics, I've added Glossy Accents for the leaves and her specs. I didn't have any Kraft paper so I used some brown wrapping paper, torn at the edges, on the card. The DP is K & Co Que Sera, which has delicious Autumn shades and the ribbon with leaves on was bought by my DH last Christmas for me. The background looks a bit washed out, it is a stronger blue than the scan shows, from painting with Adirondack Deninm ink.

Having seen that Digital Tuesday's Challenge this week is to create a clean and simple Fall card I decided to have another play with Gracie. I've made the colours as vibrant as I could this time.
Isn't the photo I've added beautiful? It's from some junk mail for a garden centre's sale that I got through the door. It's far too pretty to throw away so I mounted it onto yellow card and added it to my card. On my first card I felt the leaves looked very insignificant. This time I cropped them from the image and enlarged them. They show up much better and they're not so tricky to cut out! A Spoonful of Sugar also has Fall into Autumn for its challenge this week, so this card fits a second challenge.

Papertake Angels meet Friday Sketchers

This is another of my new stamps from Lili of the Valley, isn't she pretty? I've used Heidi's sketch from Friday Sketchers challenge, flipped onto its side, to make a card that will also fit Papertake's Angels and Fairies challenge this week. I hoped that this stamp would arrive in time to use it and enter and I've made it - just :).

Image stamped in Cocoa Memento ink, coloured with Promarkers and Copics, Stickles added to holly berries and wings. Image mounted onto Bazzill Basics card, all other DPs Dovecraft, bought last year, Felt snowflake from the Stamp Attic, Noel is a clear stamp from Imagepac.

Many Heidi Returns

It was Heidi's from the Simon Says stamp company's birthday last week and in celebration the Simon Says Challenge blog is aiming for at least 200 entries for this week's challenge, which is to follow Iris' sketch. If the DT manage to get over 200 entries then Heidi will send each of them an extra present. I've been lucky enough to win candy from Simon Says, thanks to Heidi's generosity, so here goes with my entry for the challenge, I hope to enter a second time if I can :).

I had some beautiful new stamps arrive from Lili of the Valley on Friday, a shared order between myself and my blogging friend Vanja. I mostly got Christmas stamps but I couldn't resist this girl and her dog sitting on a swing. The image is coloured with a mixture of Copics and Promarkers, I've used Adirondack Lemonade ink sponged onto the background. I used Pea Green Copic pen on the flower centres and the organza ribbon, as well as edging the sentiment. The papers are Basic Grey Porcelain, the large blooms are Hero Arts with plain white flowers used for the green coloured centres. Thinking of You is a Craftwork Cards oval white card sentiment, again I've used my Copic (skin white) to colour it. The cream edged ribbon and the green organza ribbon are from stash. Love the new stamp, it took longer than expected to arrive but it was worth the wait.

Happy Birthday for last week Heidi!

Indian Summer

As soon as I saw the theme at Truly Scumptious this week - Indian Summer - I thought of these two Elzybell's stamps and knew I wanted to use them with Michelle's sketch. Sunflower Fun is stamped onto the card with the Sunflower used around the edge at random to make a border. I've then stamped the sunflowers separately and cut them out, adding silicon glue to attach them to the card with their petals curling up.

The images were coloured with a mixture of Promarkers and Copics (still undecided about which to opt for) and some yellow Stickles on the sunflowers. The image and the DP were mounted onto brightly coloured Bazzil card, the yummy DP stripe is by On a Whimsy, the ribbon is from my stash. I hope my card makes you feel a bit more like the sun is shining :).

Back to School

My two don't go back to school until the end of next week, but the "Back to School" challenges are coming thick and fast, so I thought I'd better come up with a card :). DH pointed out that there is no sentiment on this card but I can't think of an appropriate one, it's really going to be "With Sympathy" for teachers and for pupils and "Hooray!" for Mums... Anyhow, this is my entry for Simon Says Challenge and for Corrosive Challenges, both of which are "Back to School".

I've taken a Studious Tilda image and sat her on a desk, with an apple for the teacher. She doesn't look overjoyed about the new term, does she?! She's coloured with Copics and Promarkers, the background has a little Distress Ink in Tea Dye sponged on. The papers are Basic Grey Cupcake on a kraft card, with brads from my stash. The border punch used on the blue paper is a Woodware one. That's it, pretty straightforward. My friend's daughter starts her first term teaching next week, I think this might be going her way...

Painting the town red

Shirleys2Girls' challenge at Twisted Thursday this week is to make the primary colour on your card red and to use the sketch provided by Joy. I was lucky enough to win this great Maisie at the beach stamp in their recent blog hop, which arrived last week (with another couple that somehow got ordered and crept into the package :) ). This was a good opportunity to move away from the pastels I seem to have been using a lot.

I coloured Maisie with watercolour pencils, though I used a Promarker on her sunhat as it was looking a bit blotchy. She's cut out and mounted onto red and the yellow cardstock, with some yellow Stickles on the flower centres. The image and the sentiment are on foam pads to give dimension. Red DP is from an Artylicious CD, ribbon and brads from stash.

Four challenges, one card

I've made another card with the beautiful Elizabeth Bell image for Whiff of Joy - Willow holding baby - despite not knowing anyone who's about to have a baby, this image is just so gorgeous, it calls out to be used :).

The card is made for this week's Whiff of Joy challenge, which uses Jacqui's very pretty sketch. I've used double sided paper from Stamp Attic, with roses on it, which fits this week's challenge at One Stop Craft Challenge, to use roses. I've added lots of embellishments to the card and the paper isn't too visible, but it really does have lots of roses on it :). A Spoonful of Sugar's challenge this week is Floral Fantasy; I've used the roses paper and I've made lots of extra flowers from Bazzill Basics and a Cuttlebug die set. The die set has sat, barely used, since I bought it in Florida last summer, so it's use fits the "forgotten or neglected stash" challenge at My Time To Craft this week.

Willow is coloured using mainly Promarkers, with a couple of Copics as well. I used Rach's great tutorial to cut her "out of bounds" in an oval Nestie. Thanks Rach, it worked a treat! The two sided paper is flipped over to make the lower border, which is shaped with a Martha Stewart Flourish punch, the Bazzill Basics behind it. Ribbons came from my stash, the flowers die cut and have accents of Liquid Pearls. Sentiment is an old one with no maker's name on it.

Darn It - Passion for Promarkers Challenge 11

Darn It is a digital art download from the talented Mo Manning. I've coloured him with Promarkers for the Passion for Promarkers sketch challenge this week, which uses any colours. Thank you, as someone who has only a small collection of Promarkers (so far) I appreciate the chance to take part with a limited palette - and what a great idea to have the pens themselves as prizes!

There are buttons and bows (well knots then :) ) on my card so I'm entering it for the Simon Says Challenge this week and also for Dare U2 Digistamp's fortnightly challenge which is Distressing. There's Scattered Straw Distress Ink around the image and sentiment, also a lot of Worn Lipstick ink around the circle, which started out as a sort of plainish red.

I've aimed for a more masculine look with the colours, but I'm having trouble getting the colours to show on his clothes, they look a bit washed out :( . Promarkers used: Gold for hair and thimble, Cocoa for trousers and socks, Vanilla for shirt, Poppy for thread and accents, Pastel Beige for outline and Pastel Pink for skin. Sentiment stamp is from a floral Inkadinkado clear set. The plain and patterned reds are Basic Grey from the Cupcake set and the other two I've had in for ages. Buttons and perle thread from my sewing stash. The image is layered onto dark brown card, the other papers are edged with the Cocoa Promarker.

Not even a mouse

Here's my second card using Mo Manning's digital art: Not Even a Mouse. Isn't it the most beautiful image? It's in three layers, decoupaged. I got really excited that I actually have the right colour Promarkers to enter the Passion for Promarkers challenge this week and used them - only to notice that I should also have followed a sketch! Oh well, off on holiday tomorrow so I doubt I'll get another card done for it in time :). Hoorah, I've used Distress Ink (Worn Lipstick) on the edges of the image and the scalloped shape, so I can enter it in this week's Simon Says Challenge!

I've printed the image three times, coloured and layered it and added Glossy Accents to the tiny dots on the china. Cut out and matted using Nesties, cardstock and brads from the Stamp Attic, sentiment is an old stamp I've had for ages. I love the image and the detail, it was lovely to colour, don't think I'll be mass producing this for Christmas somehow, with 3 layers ;).

I was a bit worried last night that I'm regressing in my craft life a bit. I began with knitting, then cross stitch, then discovered quilting and became very creative. I did a bit of dressmaking which was also creative and produced something original and then I sidestepped into stamping. So last night I realised that, if I was asked what I'd been doing all evening, all I could really say was that I was colouring in pictures. Hmm... maybe I didn't do it enough at nursery school :). Maybe the easy answer is that I was enjoying what I was doing.

Just Walkin' the Dog

Charmed Cards & Crafts has the most amazing blog candy on offer: 72 Copic pens worth £160 - yes 72 pens!!! To enter, all you need do is to link to the candy, as I've done here, make a card with a coloured-in stamped or digi-image. If you use a Charmed Crafts digi-image or stamp, you get two entries into the draw. This is just too good to miss, check it out and get your entry in by 4 August.

I've used "Walkies" one of Charmed Craft's Girls About Town digi set which has some great girly images. She's coloured with a mixture of Promarkers (pine, pastel yellow, pastel blue, cool aqua) and Copics (skin white, barely beige & chamois). As she doesn't quite fit my oval I've chopped her terrier off and decoupaged another over the edge of the oval. Terriers need cutting down to size, they're always trying for world domination I find :).

The stripe is a K&K paper, brads are Papermania and the sentiment on the tag is from Elusive Images. I've used Janet's great sketch from this week's Corrosive Challenge to make my card and I'm also entering it for this week's Charisma Cardz Challenge, which is Tag It.

My Grafico Challenge #10 - Brown & Teal

This week's Challenge at My Grafico is to use the lovely colour combination of brown and teal.
The winner gets the digi stamp set Garden Elements used this week by the Design Team. I can honestly say this is one of my favourite sets. Before I was picked for the DT at My Grafico I was lucky enough to win a challenge. The prize was any one of the sets from the site and this is the one I picked, it's so versatile. Check out the DT work, it's really lovely.

For my card I arranged the three different flowers in a row and printed them onto a teal blue paper from my Graphicus Guild membership, an Artylicous background paper and some pearlized blue card. I've assembled the flowers in several different layers using the papers and added pale blue Stickles. I've edged the image with Distress Ink in Scattered Straw and coloured the stems with Promarkers. I've added some teal organza ribbon and some brown brads and mounted it onto a brown pearlized card and then added it to my card.

Soft & Sweet

I've been looking at the Copic Colour Challenges for a few weeks, now I'm getting to grips with my pens, but I've not entered until now as I've not had anything like the right colours. This week I'm in luck, Challenge #22 is to follow a sketch. I've flipped the sketch on its side and I've used my Copics, mainly in the skintones, to colour in a new Penny Black stamp that I got at Newbury. The theme over at the Penny Black Saturday Challenge this week is "Soft & Sweet", which fits the image perfectly, I think.

The image is stamped with Cocoa Brown Memento inks and coloured with Copics, with the exception of the grey around the image, which is a Promarker. The chocolate and gold paper and the butterfly sentiment are from Craftwork Card's Chocolate Goodie Bag, the two patterned pink papers are K&K and the flowers are Prima.

You can't beat a good book

I've used a new Mary Hall stamp from Sugar Nellie to make this card. As soon as I saw the sneak peek of it on the SN blog I knew it would find its way home with me :).

The card is for several challenges: first of all the colour scheme is from this week's Passion for Promarkers Challenge: Gold & Ruby with jewels or gems. I've got Gold but I had to substitute Poppy for Ruby as I don't have too many colours yet. I've used the sketch from The Next Level, which is to be used with a 3D effect. I've decoupaged the image, the girl and cushions are raised on pads and then I've put a third layer for her mug, the cat and the book. Stamp with Fun and Dutch Dare both have Challenges to use dies or punches; I've used Nestie circles and I've cut the flowers with a die as well.

On to the card: I've used all Promarkers to colour the image, which is stamped with Cocoa Brown Memento onto white card. Face is Vanilla with some grey shading, dress is cocoa and the rest is Poppy and Gold. I also used the Promarkers to colour pearls to give the card its gems, to colour the flowers I diecut from white card and to colour the lemon yellow ribbon. Aren't they brilliant for this? I plan to buy a couple of reels of ivory ribbon, knowing I can colour it however I want...

The two papers are Artylicious, one from the Seasons Greetings CD and one from Graphicus Guild membership paper. The sentiment is by Elusive Images. The picture isn't the best, I hope to take a better one in the morning, in daylight :).

In the Doghouse - Friday Sketchers #60 and Corrosive Challenges #20

Friday Sketchers has a great, very usable sketch this week, which I've based my card on for Janet's Corrosive Challenge, which this week is All About Dogs. I've made a fairly simple card using a lovely Elzybell's stamp called In The Doghouse.

I'm getting more confident with the Copics and the Promarrkers and I've used some bright colours this time, with a little Stickles on the flowers and some Glossy Accents on the dog's nose, which shows up better in real life than in the photo :). The image is edged with blue chalk pad and with Peeled Paint Distress Ink.

The papers are K&K Hopscotch and the brads came from Made by You.