Phindy's Place Challenge #96 - Monochromatic Green

Good morning and welcome to this week's Phindy's Place Challenge.  This week we are celebrating St Patrick's Day with a monochromatic green challenge.  You don't have to make a St Patrick's Day card, though Phindy has some lovely images for this.  I have used Spring Shower, an adorable new image, for a Get Well card. The DP is Stampin' Up and I've followed the layout at Sketch'n'Stash.  Sentiment is Stampin' Bella, image has paper pieced umbrella and is coloured with Copics and Distress Inks.
My card is for:
Sketch'n'Stash - sketch
Crafty Creations - stripes
DigiStamps4Joy - green
Whimsical Designs - going green
My Mum's Craft Shop - spring colours
House of Gilli - green
Stamp & Create - paper piecing
Secret Crafter - green for go

What happened to Spring?

Last week we had warm, sunshiny weather that was like a summer's day.  Sunday it snowed and today there is a harsh frost and ice everywhere!   My card today is very spring-like, perhaps the weather will follow suit.

I used a lovely parrot tulip digi from Fred, She Said and coloured it with Copics, distress inking the background.  The DP is Basic Grey, I cut a chevron from the DP for a border.  The sentiment is from Craftwork Cads and I added lots of stitching for interest.
My card is for:
Sketch'n'Stash - sketch
Kaboodledoodle - spring flowers
Make my Monday - spring flowers
Stamp with Fun - pink & green
Totally Stampalicious - spring is in the air
Kenny K - bloom and grow

Phindy's Place Challenge #91 - photo inspiration

Sorry to be so late posting this card, I have been unwell.  This week at Phindy's Place Challenge we have a gorgeous photo to inspire you. Do check out the DT's cards, we also have a very talented Guest Designer this week, Katja.  There is a $5 gift certificate to win for Card of the Week as well as for a randomly picked winner.  While you don't have to use one of Phindy's images, there are some fabulous images that we love to see made into cards and don't forget you get two entries into the draw if you use one!

I've side-stepped the valentine potential and used red and green to make a Christmas card with Done Shopping, an image that doesn't have to be for Christmas.    My card uses #8 from the Sketch'n'Stash back catalogue of sketches, with ribbon, card candy, poinsettias and a sentiment added to Echo Park Season's Greetings DP. 
My card is also for:
Sketch'n'Stash - free choice stash
Christmas Inspirations - anything goes
Craft us Crazy  - anything goes
Do you Stack up - anything goes
Pixie Dust Studio - girly girl
Rainbow Lady - wear red

Don't be gnomeless!

Today I have a monochrome card to show you, using the Gnome Sweet Gnome set from Stamp Addicts, I've decided tto leave the sentiment off for now, really he could be used for all kinds of things.  As usual, he's coloured with Copics, edged with Distress Inks.  The DP is, I think, My Mind's Eye for the large square and some Stampin' Up in front of it.  I've stitched round all the DP and added a MS punched fence in kraft paper, with some twine around it.  And that's it, this little chap doesn't need too many embellies...

My card is for:
Sketch'n'Stash - sketch (new stamps, old DP)
Ooh la la - stitching
Totally Papercrafts - stitch it
Anything Goes - stitch it
Bearly Mine - one for the boys - Get Well Soon Donna!
Craft Your Passion - anything goes + brown
House of Gilli - monochromatic
Incy Wincy - stitching

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

Partridge in a Pear Tree

Hmm... it's time to start on the Christmas cards soon, I'm sure I had a lot more made this time last year!  This uses a lovely set from Stamp Addicts that I've been sent of a Partridge in a Pear Tree, complete with tree, partridge, sentiment (not this one) and solid and outline pears, making it easy to use in lots of different ways.  I brushed and brayered glossy card then stamped my tree in Stazon, with Distress Ink pears.  I decoupaged my partridge onto the tree, he's also inked with Mustard Seed Distress Ink to match the pears.  The vertical strips are embossed with snowflakes and the pear DP is Basic Grey from Nook & Pantry, couldn't resist combining it with the tree:).  The card is a large, shaped Craftwork Cards blank.  Lovely sparkly ribbon came from Really Reasonable Ribbons.
My card is for the following challenges:
Sketch 'n' Stash - sketch with the DP being old stash and the stamps new
Basic Grey - anything goes
Hooked on Craft - things with wings
Mark's Finest Papers - emboss it (white strips)
Secret Crafter - make a scene
Bah Humbug - something new (stamp set)
Fuzzy Wuzzy Challenge - shaped cards
Aud Sentiments - anything goes
Papercraft Journey - anything goes

Sew a Little Happiness

 

Phindy has a new range of simple but effective images called Two Seven Oh, which cost, you guessed it, $2.70 :).  As a quilter, with lots of friends who sew, I had to buy Spools, which fits all kinds of puns for a sentiment, this one is by Pink Petticoat.  I based my card on the simple sketch at Sketch'n'Stash this week, new stash is the image and old stash comes from my button box.  The DP is Sweet Threads from Basic Grey, to keep the theme going, I've stitched on my card, added buttons and used some lace coloured with Copic for the flower.  I used a running stitch to gather it into a flower.

My card is for the following challenges:

Sketch and Stash - sketch

Cupcake Crafts - sew made

Digital Tuesday - doilies

Going Grey with Scrap Creations - buttons or bows

Delightful Challenges - stitching real or faux

Our Daily Bread- seamstress

Sparkles Forum - one for the girls

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

Wishing you lots of everything wonderful...

With all these lovely extra days off I've had a chance to get busy crafting and here's a second card for today, using an image from The Stamping Boutique that I was lucky enough to win recently.  I've used a layout from Sketch & Stash and my neglected stash is the Papermania sticky borders of fabric flowers, also the blue gem flowers, think they were from Hobbycraft when I first began making cards.    The image is coloured with Copics, some Stickles on her wings and edged with Distress Inks.  The sentiment is Hero Arts, the border punch is Martha Stewart and the Coredinations card has been dry embossed and then distressed. 

My card is for the following challenges:
 Sketch'n'Stash - free choice sketch
Cute Card Thursday - use a sketch
Stamp Something - with wings
Fashionista Friday - things with wings
4 Crafty Chicks - distressing
Delightful Challenges - distressing
Everybody Art Challenge - fairies
The Stamping Boutique - winged things
Magical Mondays - monchromatic

Tiffany Doodles Challenge - use turquoise

I've lots to blog today so first up I'm starting with this month's Tiffany Doodles Challenge, which is to use the colour turquoise.  I love turquoise, wear it a lot, but found to my dismay I didn't have much DP...   I found a Papermania pad that I bought at least a year ago and had never cut into, and paper pieced the fun image Dancing Dress.  Both layers are paper pieced and I've tried to add some shading with my Copics.  I've added stitching in a blue glittery thread, some organza ribbon and some turquoise gems to bling it up a bit, sentiment is from Craftwork Cards.

Do check out the DT cards, they are stunning and you can see some sneak peeks here on the logo for this month:
My card is for the following challenges:
Sketch'n'Stash - sketch
Creative Belli - think seamstress
Your Next Stamp - stitching
Claudia & Company - monochromatic
Digi Design House - stitches
Karen's Doodles - fancy and feminine
Woodware - monochromatic
Gingerloft - got the blues

Some Neglected Stash for a Sunday

 Happy Mothering Sunday to all Mums everywhere.  I'm having a quiet day without either son as one is still at University and the other has just started a part-time job and is at work.  Before he went he presented me with a large bottle of "Mother's Ruin" - gin - in this case a blackcurrant gin that is my favourite ever tipple:).

I've finished up a card for the Sketch 'n' Stash Challenge, really the only new stash is the baker's twine, but this is a "neglected" card even though it's not stash as such...  I stamped and watercoloured a seaside scene with my Hobby Arts Scene-It stamps but it just didn't look quite right and it's sat on my desk for months.  Yesterday I trimmed out large swathes of scene by using a Nestie circle on it and I'm much happier with it now and it has made it into a card.

The strip is My Mind's Eye 29th Avenue DP, sentiment is Elusive Images embossed in red, baker's twine is from Quixotic Paperie and I dry embossed a swirly white panel.

My card is for the following challenges:
Sketch'n'Stash - sketch
Tellen's Place - embossing
Totally Papercrafts - one for the boys
Stamping Vacation - pick 3 from a list (I chose circle, dry embossing, sentiment)
Sentimental Sundays - let's get wet
Cards for Men - embossing

If money doesn't grow on trees, what about love?

Everyone with teenagers will be familiar with money not growing on trees, but this Phindy's Place image shows that, just maybe, love does:).  The image is coloured with Copics, Glossy Accents and some Forest Moss Distress Ink around the edges.  The card is based on this week's Sketch'n'Stash Challenge, my old stash is the octagon Nestie which I always forget about ans the Indian Summer pad which I found in the drawer.  I've stitched around the die-cut shape and also round the dry embossed stripes behind the image.  The zig zag stitching helps show the strips as I realised that they are quite a low contrast against the DP which is Basic Grey Indian Summer.  The pink card square is torn to add a bit of texture.

I had a bit of a wobble with my stash diet when I had to go to Wantage with DH who asked me if I needed to go the the craft shop (he's very well trained lol!) but I managed to hold out:).

This card is for some of the many Valentine challenges around, including:

Basic Grey - all heart

Sketch'n'Stash - sketch

Allsorts - it must be love, love love

Bee Crafty - digi and hearts

Crazy4Challenges - valentine

Secret Crafter - valentine

Do it with digis - romance

Raise the Bar - hearts

Stamp Something - digi

Stampin for the weekend - St Valentine's day

Simon Says - love is in the air

Tuesday Throwdown - stitching

Tuesday Taggers - feel the lurve

Flourishes - valentine

Phindy's Place Challenge #39 - Lace and Pearls

 Hooray for Friday - it's the weekend, my crafty friend Val is coming over to play and I have 2 all day crafting workshops scheduled for the weekend - and today is Phindy's Place Challenge!  I've been looking forward to showing you this image for ages, I got muddled up and was making it for last week by mistake lol!  Hope you think it's worth the wait:).
I used the beautiful Spring Dress Emma, I've seen so many lovely projects using this digi and decided it was time I tackled her!  I've baed my card on the Sketch'n'Stash Challenge layout.  She's coloured with Copics, cut out and decoupaged onto a Marianne Die that's been Cuttlebugged and then inked with Tea Dye Distress Ink.  The DP is Bearly Mine Designs from Simply Dots (new stash that I was lucky enough to win at Incy Wincy), the sentiment is Craftwork Cards, a lovely deep lace that is very old stash and sweet pearls from the Hobby House.  The little chocolate coloured ones are stuck where the lace points are; do you remember the beads on lace covers for food?
My card is for the following challenges:
Sketch'n'Stash - sketch
Simon Says - Bingo! (lace, flowers, embossing)
Corrosive Challenge Blog - lace and pearls
Copic Creations - what's new (new DP)
Creative Belli - letter P (pink, pretty pearls)
Do it With Digis - pink, girly
Paper Sundae - first birthday choose a challenge - Cut it Out

Home for Christmas

I'm getting to the end of my cards from my Phindy's Place colouring marathon at the weekend!  This image is called Cosy Cottage and was so much fun to colour, I didn't want to add a lot of embellies to it as the image is the star of the card.  I coloured using Copics, lots of Glossy Accents on the windows and Glamour Dust sparkle everywhere that is snowy.  I wasn't sure how to make my fir trees look snowy until I checked out Tammy's blog here.  When I grow up I want to be able to colour like Tammy!  The DP is My Mind's Eye, leaf is cut using a Woodware punch and the sentiment is Craftwork Cards.

My card is for the following challenges:
Sketch & Stash - sketch
Stamps R Us - holiday card
Ooh la la - Christmas song
Digital Tuesday - baby it's cold outside
Spoonful of Sugar - Christmas card

Top Tip Tuesday - a Christmas Challenge

 

Hello and welcome to my Top Tip Tuesday Challenge posting.  This week we're making a few changes and you no longer have to post a tip to enter, you can simply join in with the theme for the week's challenge.  This week it's Christmas and I've made a traditional looking Christmas card with a cheerful pair of robins, from the gorgeous new Christmas images from Fred She Said who are one of this week's sponsors.   I've printed my image onto thick watercolour card and coloured it wth Aquamarkers and Marvy le Plume pens.  The DP is Basic Grey Jovial and I've added some Prima flowers with Stickles on them, a few punched leaves and a transparent ribbon bow.

 I'm entering my card for the following challenges:  

Sketch & Stash Challenge - sketch, the flowers and ribbon are neglected stash

Cute Card Thursday - transparent (ribbon)

One Stitch at a Time - Christmas

A Puppy isn't just for Christmas...

I think "A dog is for life, not just for Christmas" is one of the best slogans ever.  Here's a Christmas puppy that is pushing its luck with its new owners :)!  I've followed a photo of a friends' dog, Tiffin.  Tiffin is far too well behaved to chew shoes but the puppy looked so much like her that I couldn't resist.  

I've used Christmas Puppy, a Phindy's Place image, you can buy it here.  The shoe was cut out a second time and popped on top of the image with Pinflair glue, colouring is Copics and lots of Stickles on the shoe and the poinsettias.  The DP is Basic Grey Jovial.
I've followed this week's Sketch & Stash Challenge. 
Ali Factory Challenge is animals

DT Posting - Cooking it up with Katie #27 - Furry friend, buttons and patchwork

Good Morning and welcome to a new Cooking it up With Katie Challenge!  This week's recipe for your project is:
Patchwork
Buttons
Furry Friend

and we are sponsored by Meljen's Designs. 

My image is called Apple Beary and she's coloured with Copics and edged with Distress Inks. The border strip is patchworked, though you can't see it too well, I've stitched in a quilty design to try to emphasise it, and there is a pretty purple lace under the strip too, shows up much more in real life.

 I've followed the Sketch & Stash Challenge  using new stash - my Nestie was bought with prize money from the Simon Says Challenge - woo hoo! - and neglected stash - Basic Grey Wisteria papers, which I fell in love with when I bought them and used them a little, then somehow they got put to one side when more delicious DPs came out.  My card is also for the Basic Grey Challenge to include fabric (lace).

DT Post - Phindy's Place Friday Challenge #19 - Oh baby!

Welcome to this week's Phindys Place Challenge, this week we're challenging you to make a card for a baby or a child.  I've used the adorable image Something New with the cat and cat looking dubiously into the crib.  The gingham digi paper that I used to paper piece the frill on the crib and for background paper is a freebie from the lovely Bev Rochester, I've changed the scale for the frill and made it smaller than the background paper.   If you visit her blog they are available as downloads, check out the RH column and you'll find a link.  The card is based on this week's Sketch and Stash Challenge and I'm also entering it for the current ABC Challenge - B is for Blue , for Stamp Something's Digi Challenge and Stampin' for the Weekend's Anything Goes Challenge. 

Flowers are made with my Little Claire die, leaves are punched and I've used a Martha Stewart doily lace punch on the border.  Sentiment is Papermania.

DT Posting - Cooking it up with Katie #23 - get fruity, paper piecing, circles

Good morning and welcome to another Cooking it up with Katie Challenge!  Today the recipe is:

• get fruity
• paper piecing
• circles  so these are the elements you need to include in your project.   

This week's challenge is sponsored by Robyn's Fetish and the DT was kindly given images to use; my image is called Daisy Days.  I've based my card on Sketch'n'Stash's latest sketch, with my new stash being the image and neglected stash is the Papermania DP that I bought a while back that has been sitting in my drawer.  


Daisy's hat, dungarees, shirt and flower are all paper pieced in the citrus colours, lime ribbon around the Martha Stewart picket fence is from stash, as are the gems, and the sentiment is from Craftwork Cards.


The colourscheme fits Papertake Weekly's  theme of white and bright and Crafty Cardmakers' Challenge is to use punches (picket fence).  Finally, the ABC Challenge is back to A is for...  with August.  Daisy Days looks like a summery August gal to me (it's raining outside as I'm blogging this LOL) and I'm entering her for this challenge too.

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.