A Card for Margaret

My lovely ABC Christmas Challenge DT buddy Lacey, is holding a card drive on her blog, to get a 100 cards sent to her friend's Aunt for her 100th Birthday, which is on April 4th. What a lovely way to celebrate! Everyone that sends a card in time for Margaret's birthday, will also be entered into a draw for a $20 voucher for Lacey's store, Stamp & Create...click the banner to find out more on Lacey's blog.


For my card, I followed the sketch from the Create4Fun Challenge, rotating it so that I could use the three circles at the top for the numbers. The image is 'Cake Dance' (by Penny Black)...and as it has a candle on it, I'm also entering this card for the Charisma Cardz 'Birthday Card with a Twist' challenge. The papers are from the 'Sweet Nothings' pad by Papermania, I used my Cuttlebug 'Olivia' alphabet to cut the numbers, and 'Swiss Dots' folder to emboss the circles behind them.

Well, after a weekend spent working, I'm going to indulge in some crafting this evening...so hopefully I'll have something else to show you tomorrow...

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Stitching

Before I get on to this week's challenge card...we have some new DT members to welcome over at the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge: Vicky and Vicky...who have both been with us these last couple of weeks as guest designers...we loved having them on our team so much...we just couldn't let them go!

The theme this week, as set by Donna, is:

'Stitching'

I've opted for the 'faux' kind...as I'm really useless with a needle & thread! lol
The image I've used is a digi stamp by Hambo Stamps, and the papers are from the 'Cupcakes' pad by BasicGrey. I've kept it really simple, as there's so much going on with the papers and image...that it really doesn't need anything else.

Please stop by the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge blog, to help give our new DT members a warm welcome...and check out the fab cards by the design team.

Bumble Bee

I have the day off today - woo-hoo! The school I teach in on Fridays, is closed, in order to celebrate the birthday of the woman who founded it...which seems a bit odd to me...surely it's something they should celebrate in school together???
Anyway, on to today's card...this one uses the sketch form Sketchy Colours...and the 'Wings' theme from Corrosive Challenges. The image is 'Bumble Bee' (by Sugar Nellie)...and I've watercoloured her to match the gorgeous 'Blush' paper by BasicGrey...this is my last piece...and I'm very sad to see it go! lol I did add a touch of sparkle to her wings, with a Sakura 'Stardust' pen, but it doesn't really show up in the photo. I embossed with my Cuttlebug 'D'Vine Swirls' and 'Victoria' folders on to white core card, then sanded it to reveal the core. The sentiment stamp is by Cuddly Buddly.

Crossing Bridges

It seems that blogland is trying to encourage the wintry weather to go away...with some 'Spring' themed challenges. I've used the Penny Black Saturday Challenge colour combo of 'Pink, Green and Yellow', which is also perfect for the Stamp Something 'A touch of Spring Somethings' challenge. I followed the sketch form the Sunday Sketch & Stamp Challenge to make my card. The image is 'Crossing Bridges'...and I couldn't resist adding a little dragonfly brad (by Dovecraft)...that wee mouse always looks to me like he should be looking at something! The papers are from the 'Two Scoops' pad by BasicGrey...which I've nearly finished...not to worry though...I do have a mountain of other papers! lol The ribbon and flowers are form Poppicrafts, and the sentiment stamp is from the CCSR by Papermania.

ABC Christmas Challenge - E is for...

We've reached the letter E over on the ABC Christmas Challenge...and our theme for you this fortnight, has been chosen by the lovely Cathy, which is:

'E is for Elf'

Well...if you don't have an elf...we don't mind if you use a gnome or pixie or other fairy folk on your projects...just as long as it's Christmassy! lol

Cathy's 'extra' is to use the colours Red & Green on your creations.

For my card, I've used an elf image by Magnolia (kindly sent to me by my ABC Challenge DT buddy Vicky), which I've watercoloured, and then cut out. I've perched her on some fabulous red pom-pom trim, sent to me by my lovely new DT buddy Lacey...who is also sponsoring this challenge...and has donated a fabby WOJ Gnome stamp from her Stamp & Create Store as a prize for the lucky winner. The papers are all My Mind's Eye - the striped and plain ones, are from the '29th Street Market' collection, and the spotty one is from the 'Wonderful Winter' pad. I used my Cuttlebug 'Snowflakes' folder for the embossing, lightly sanding the surface to reveal the white core. The sentiment stamp is by Paper MakeUp, and the cute little stocking charm is also form Lacey.

For my card, I followed the sketch from the Just Christmas & Birthdays Challenge...although I did cheat a little, so that my little elf could sit on the pom-poms! lol

For inspiration, make sure you visit the ABC Christmas Challenge...including gorgeous cards from our lovely new design team members!

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Guest Designer Card

Woo-hoo...I was so excited to be asked to be a guest designer for the Papertake Weekly Challenge last week...that I went and made my cards for the four challenges I'll be joining them for, all in one afternoon! lol
This week, there's a fab sketch by Dawny...with plenty of room for adding extra embellishments if you feel so inclined. I've kept my card fairly simple, as I decided to use it to make a boy's birthday card...as I don't have may of these 'in stock' at the moment. I've used 'Birthday Monkeys' (by Rachelle Anne Miller for Stampavie), and watercoloured them to match the bright and cheerful '29th Street Market' paper (by My Mind's Eye). I embossed the plain coloured panels using my 'Stars' and 'Spots & Dots' Cuttlebug folders, and added a few small brads in the corners.


Do make sure you pop by the Papertake Weekly Challenge to check out the fabulous creations by the regular design team.

Boo Boo Bear

Well....it's back to school today...but I made the most of my last day of freedom, and have plenty to share with you over the next few days. This card uses the Sketch Saturday sketch, the Creative Card Crew's, Stampavie & More's and Pile it On's 'Get Well Soon' theme, and the Paper Sundae's challenge of 'Distressing'. I adore 'Boo Boo Bear' (by Whipper Snapper)...so I just had to use him on this card. The papers are from the 'Wisteria' pad by BasicGrey, and I distressed the edges with ink and my distressing tool. The flowers are by Prima, and the sentiment stamp is from the CCSR set by Papermania.

Swiss Ribbon

I haven't entered the Sketch & Stash Challenge for a while...it's not that I haven't liked the sketches...'cos I have...or that I haven't had any new or unused stash to use...'cos I have mountains! lol But more a case of 'too many challenges...too little time'...so I thought it was about time I played again...and unearthed this gorgeous House Mouse image 'Swiss Ribbon', that I've had for ages, but have never got around to using. The papers are from the 'Ooh La La (for Him)' collection (by My Mind's Eye), as is the little 'ticket' embellishment, onto which I've stamped a sentiment by Inkadinkado. The brads and ribbon are from Poppicrafts.

I'm also going to enter this card into the following challenges:

Allsorts: 'Tag, Ticket or Label'
Papertake Weekly: 'Check this Out!'
Saturday Spotlight with Hidden Potential: 'Doing the Mess Around'
Simon Says Stamp: '3 types of embellishments (in my case: ribbon, brads, ticket), 2 papers, 1 image'

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Mother's Day

This week has just flown by...I can't believe half-term is almost over! Anyway, it's Saturday again...so that means it's time for another Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge...and this week's theme, as chosen by Debby is:

'Mother's Day'

I know it seems a bit early to be thinking about making Mother's Day cards....but it's only a few weeks away here in the UK (March 14th). In fact it was perfect timing for me...I was able to make my card whilst visiting my parents earlier this week...and leave it with my Dad to give to my Mum...lets just hope he remembers! lol
I've used an image from 'Wonderful' set by Penny Black...colouring it to match the papers from the 'Sugared' pad by BasicGrey. I embossed the yellow panel using my Cuttlebug 'Victoria' folder and then sanded to reveal the white core of the paper. I distressed the edges of the papers, and added some faux stitching using a Cutterbee Bug and a white gel pen. The letters were cut using the Cuttlebug 'Olivia' alphabet.

Make sure you stop by the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge for more inspiration from the rest of the design team.

Lovely in Lavender!

I think my colour choice for this card must have been inspired by the colours on the sketch I followed from the Create4Fun Challenge...it's a vision in lavender! lol
I've also managed to include a few other challenge themes: the '3,2,1' of the Allsorts Challenge (in my case 3 papers, 2 circles and 1 flower); and the 'Stitching' theme of the Cuttlebug & Corrosive challenges. The image is from the 'Wonderful' set by Penny Black, the papers are by My Mind's Eye ('29th Street Market'), the flower is from Poppicrafts, and the sentiment is by Cuddly Buddly. I used my Cuttlebug 'Victoria' folder and 'Just my type' border folder for the embossing, which I then sanded to reveal the white core of the paper. After distressing all of the edges of the papers, I added some faux stitching using my Cutterbee Bug and a white gel pen.

More recycling...

I've been turning the rest of last year's calendar pages into cards today...these ones fit the colour challenge of 'Dark Green, Light Green & Pink' of the Sketchy Colours Challenge...and also the 'Green plus one other colour' challenge (in my case pink) of the My Time to Craft Challenge.
The first uses 'Gifts for You!' by Penny Black, paper by BasicGrey (from the 'Perhaps' range), the flowers are from Poppicrafts, and I embossed the vellum using the Cuttlebug 'D'Vine Swirls' folder.


The other card uses 'Dream a Dream' (also by Penny Black), paper from the 'Sugared' pad by BasicGrey, some Papermania vellum, Poppicrafts flowers, a Dovecraft dragonfly brad, and I added a Cuddly Buddly sentiment.

Labour of Love

I seem to have developed a bit of a thing for Penny Black hedgehogs lately...I've made 5 cards with them on so far this week...this is the first one to appear on my blog...and it will be hedgies tomorrow & Saturday too! lol
The image on this one is called 'Labour of Love', and I followed the nice simple sketch on Get Sketchy...adding a simple bow underneath the image...I didn't want to cover too much of the gorgeous My Mind's Eye paper ('29th Street Market'). I'm also going to enter this card for the Pink Elephant's 'Ribbon' challenge.

Party Princess

I know this is my second post today...and my second Gorjuss Girl card...but it is half-term...so I've a little more time to play.
There's another fab sketch for this fortnight's Sugar Bowl Challenge...lots of layers...so plenty of opportunity to use lots of lovely papers! :0)
I've used 'Party Princess'...stamped for me by my lovely friend Cathy...and papers by Cosmo Cricket ('Hey Sugar')...I distressed the edges and added faux stitching with my Cutterbee Bug and a white gel pen. For the 'extra' element to the challenge, I've added 3 flowers held on with the 2 brads and 1 button...all from Poppicrafts.

ABC Challenge - O is for...

Our challenge for you this fortnight on the ABC Challenge is:

'O is for One Paper'

Now, for a paper addict like me...this was tough...but the paper I used (My Mind's Eye 'Penny Lane') is double sided...which made it a little easier! lol
I coloured the Gorjuss Girl image ('Poppy Fields' by Sugar Nellie) with watercolour pencils, to match the lovely 'spring' colours of the paper. The sentiment is by Cuddly Buddly, and the flower (just seen behind the sentiment) and ribbon are from Poppicrafts. I distressed the edges, and added the faux stitching using a Cutterbee Bug and white gel pen.

Don't forget to check out the cards by the rest of the ABC Challenge DT.

Cute & Glitzy Christmas

I'm still keeping to my resolution to make at least one Christmas card each week...this one uses the adorable 'Christmas Teddy - Little Star' by Lili of the Valley. I followed the sketch from the Just Cute Bears Challenge, using papers from the 'Wonderful Winter' pad by My Mind's Eye. I inked around the edges of all the papers using a Versamark pad, then heat embossed with gold. I coated the bards with a layer of holographic powder to make them match the glittery papers, and added a piece of gold sparkly ribbon...which I hope all makes this card glitzy enough for the 'Dazzle Us' challenge on the Fussy & Fancy Friday Challenge.

We'd Walk 500 miles...

I've used another of the Toodles & Binks stamps that I won on the Stampin' for the Weekend Challenge a little while ago on this card...this one is called 'Mark & Milo - We'd Walk 500 Miles'. I followed the Papertake Weekly sketch, to make a 'Male' card for the Charisma Cardz Challenge, and as I've not added any embellishments, I'm also going to enter this into the 'Keep it Simple' challenge at Cupcake Crafts.The papers are by My Mind's Eye ('Ooh La La' (for Him)), and the sentiment stamp is by Hero Arts (from the 'Anytime Messages' set).

Happy Valentines Day!

Unsurprisingly, there are a lot of 'Valentines' themed challenges around this weekend...

This is a mini pizza box I've made (using these instructions) to give Cassie (my parents golden retriever) as a little Valentines gift:


I've used an image from the 'Critter Party' set by Penny Black, the papers are by My Mind's Eye ('Adore'), and the sentiment stamp is Cuddly Buddly. Here's a better view of the lid:


And here's what I've put inside:



They don't look all that appetising to me...but I'm assured that Cassie will love them! lol
Here's a list of the challenges I'm entering this into:

Cute Card Thursday: 'Love'
Dutch Dare: 'Valentines'
Everybody Art: 'Valentines'
Penny Black: Valentines'
Pink Elephant: 'Valentine'
Simon Says Stamp: 'Love'
Stamp Something: 'Something Cute'
Stamp With Fun: 'Hearts'