Christmas Bunnies

You might need your sunglasses on for this card...it's VERY bright! lol

I've used an adorable Lili of the Valley stamp called 'Christmas Bunnies - Robin', and papers from the 'Colourful Christmas' collection by My Mind's Eye. I distressed the edges, and added some faux stitching. I used my EK Succes 'Diamond Scallop' border punch, added a couple of die cut snowflakes from the accesory sheet that came with the papers, and some Stickles to the the fur trims.

Challenges for this card:

• Create4Fun - Sketch
• CES - Animal Antics
• Crafty Catz - Stitching
• Lili of the Valley - Untraditional Christmas
• One Stop Craft - Snowflakes in September

On the Beach!

Phew! This week's Penny Black Saturday Challenge of 'On the beach' was a toughie...well...it wouldn't have been if I'd had a suitable image...but I didn't...so it involved a little bit of adaptation, and even some drawing! After a rootle through my image box, I decided to use the dog from 'Beehave!', but I cut him out, as the flowers and bee weren't really appropriate for the beach. I thought he looked like he could be sunbathing, so I drew a beach scene to place him on. The stripey paper is from the 'Offbeat' pad by BasicGrey...which I thought looked like deckchair fabric...and the sentiment stamp is from the 'Sending Sunshine' set by Simon Says Stamp.

Other challenges for this card:

• Sunday Sketch & Stamp - 'Sketch'
• For Fun - 'Water' (well I did draw some sea! lol)
• One Stop Craft - 'Summer Fun'
• Pink Elephant - 'Summer Fun'
• Totally Papercrafts - 'By the Sea'

Pretty in Pink!

I'm not quite sure how this card ended up being so pink...it's not a colour I like very much...and I had intended to make a card with lots of summery colours...but just couldn't get the papers to match...and before I knew it...it was all pink! lol
I followed the sketch from the Penny Black Saturday Challenge, using 'Xmouse Ornament' (replacing the snowflake with a paper flower). The papers are all from the 'Ooh La La (for Her)' collection by My Minds Eye, and I distressed the edges, and added some faux stitching to the top layers. The raffia lace is from Hobbycraft, the grosgrain ribbon (threaded through the raffia lace) and flowers are from Poppicrafts. I couldn't find a sentiment stamp the right size, so I replaced it with a few pieces of Craftwork Cards card candy.

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

• Incy Wincy Designs - 'Distress It'
• One Stop Craft - 'Monochromatic'
• Paper Sundaes - 'Lots of Layers'

Just Cute Bears - Anything Goes!

There's no excuse or you not to join us this week at the Just Cute Bears Challenge, as our theme is:

'Anything Goes'

I've made a little box, which I've filled with the bear stamped images and embellishments I'm sending to the lucky winner of last week's 'Monochrome' challenge...but I'm not showing you the contents, as I'd like it to be a surprise for the recipient.

 

The box is roughly a six inch square, and I covered the top with scraps of BasicGrey 'Bittersweet' papers to create a patchwork effect. To give an impression of fabric, I distressed the edges, and added some faux stitching using my Cutterbee Bug and a white gel pen. I also decorated the sides of the box with more scraps of the papers. I made a tag using Nesties, and added one of my favourite bear images 'Rainin' Daisies' by Penny Black.

Here's a better view of the top of the box:

 I'm going to enter this into a couple of other challenges:

• Penny Black Saturday Challenge: 'Paper Patch'
• One Stop Craft Challenge: 'Pink & Brown'

The rest of the design team have created some fabulous projects for this challenge...you can check them out on the Just Cute Bears Challenge blog.

Relax!

I love this Lili of the Valley bear...he's called 'Deckchair Dreaming'...and he just looks so happy snoozing in his chair! lol
I followed the sketch from Create4Fun...and have incorporated the One Stop Craft Challenge's 'Summer Breeze', and Stamp with Fun's 'Stripes' themes. The papers are from the 'Penny Lane' glitter stack by My Mind's Eye, the flowers are by Making Memories, and the lettering was done using a little set of Studio G stamps.

An Apple a Day...

I've had this adorable Happy Hopper image ('An Apple a Day') in my image box for absolutely ages...in fact I have quite a few...but I've always been a bit scared of colouring them...so I thought I be brave, and have a go at the House Mouse & Friends Challenge, which is a sketch. I've combined him with some My Mind's Eye papers, from the 'Bloom & Grow' pad, and some Craftwork Cards 'Card Candy'.


I'm also going to enter this card for the Cupcake Craft's 'Food & Drink', the One Stop Craft's 'Feeling Fruity', and Pile it On's 'Animal-riffic' challenges.

The girls over at the Stamptacular Sunday Challenge are having a 'Build-a-card' blog hop today to celebrate their first birthday...there's lots of fabby candy on offer...so why not pop over and join in the fun.

Easter Bunnies

I think I can just about see a patch of blue sky out of the window this morning...perhaps Spring is finally on it's way! lol
I've used the sketch from Friday Sketchers to make another Easter card...the image is part of the 'Bunny Friends' stamp by Penny Black...I just love the way these two are looking at each other! :0)
The papers are from the '29th Street Market' collection by My Mind's Eye...and I embossed the green one with my 'Swiss Dots' folder. The organza ribbon (from Poppicrafts) is 'spotty' too...although it doesn't show up too well in the photo...so I'm also entering this card into the One Stop Craft Challenge's 'Spots & Dots' challenge...and I hope that my pink & green colour combo is 'Springy' enough for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge too. The flowers are a mixture of Prima & Poppicrafts, the brads are BasicGrey, and the sentiment stamp is by Hero Arts.

Hope all you Mum's out there are enjoying Mother's Day! :0)

Celebrating Henry

I hadn't inked up 'Henry - Celebrating Mouse' (by Whiff of Joy) in such a long time...so just had to get him out to use on my card for the Creative Card Crew's 1st Birthday challenge, where the theme is...what else...but 'Celebrations'. I followed the Sketch Saturday sketch, and added some faux stitching for the One Stop Craft Challenge's 'Sew Simple' theme. The papers are by BasicGrey (from the 'Blush' and 'Figgy Pudding' collections), and I used my 'Diamond Plate' Cuttlebug folder for the embossing. The sentiment stamp is by Studio G, the spotty ribbon is from Poppicrafts, and the brads are by Papermania.

Long Stem Cuties

I've had this image ('Long Stem Cuties' by Penny Black) in my box of stamped images for absolutely ages...so long, in fact that I can't remember who sent it me...but thank you whoever you are, as it was just perfect for this card! I followed the Friday Sketchers sketch, and took inspiration from the gorgeous photo of the rose on Simon Says Stamp Challenge. I've made this card for my parents wedding anniversary...it's not 'til May, but I do like to be organised! lol Anyway, if I put it on my blog now, my Mum will have forgotten that she's already seen it by the time I give it to them! So I'm also entering it for: the Penny Black Saturday Challenge to make a card for 'Someone Special'; the One Stop Craft Challenge to personalise our projects (if you look closely, you'll see that I've hand written 'Mum & Dad' on the label on the rose); and the Papertake Weekly Challenge, where the theme this week is 'Love'.
The papers are by Mind's Eye ('Adore'), the sentiment stamp is by Cuddly Buddly, and the lace is from Hobbycraft.

For You!

I love this week's Sketch Saturday sketch...even if I did rotate it to fit my image! :0)
I went a bit crazy with the polka dots...and then discovered a new (to me anyway) challenge blog whilst blog-hopping last night called Crazy4Challenges (which I am!) where the theme is 'Polka Dot Fun'...it must be fate! lol I'm also entering this card for the One Stop Craft Challenge...which asks us to include 'Something Beginning with B' on our cards...in my case 'Big Bow', 'Brads' and 'Box'. The image is of course Penny Black (from the 'Wonderful' set), the papers are Papermania ('Sweet Nothings'), the flowers are from Poppicrafts, the ribbon is from Hobbycraft, and I couldn't resist a few pieces of card candy in the corners.

Altered Tin

I altered an old tin a while ago, and turned it into a place to store my (ever increasing) stash of buttons (you can see it here if you like)...and when my Mum saw it, she decided that she had to have one too! So, this is the one I made for her:


It started life as this:


I covered the body of the tin with some My Mind's Eye paper (from the 'Adore' range)...then added some strips around the centre with some die cut lettering (cut using the Cuttlebug 'Olivia' alphabet) in co-ordinating coloured card, then sealed the whole lot with a couple of coats of Mod Podge.

I decorated the lid with a couple of Poppicrafts flowers on some Nestie shapes held in place with a Papermania pearl brad.


I'm going to enter this into a couple of challenges: the One Stop Craft Challenge where the theme is 'Recycling'; and the Get Sketchy 'Trash to Treasure' challenge.

Don't forget to enter the ABC Christmas Challenge blog hop...it ends at mid-night tonight...the first stop is here.

Jingle Bells

The Penny Black Saturday Challenge is having a 'Countdown to Christmas' blog hop this week...so naturally I had to join in the fun and make a card for their 'Winter Wonderland' themed challenge. I used the sketch from this week's Friday Sketchers Challenge, and also managed to squeeze in a few other challenge themes on to my card: the Allsorts Challenge to use a 'Christmas Song Title' (in my case 'Jingle Bells'); the Creative Inspirations 'Sparkle' challenge (I covered the snowflakes have been coated with glamour dust, and I used Stickles on the hedgie's hats and snow); and the One Stop Craft Challenge's 'Snowflakes' theme. The sledging hedgies image is from the 'Christmas Critters' set (of course by Penny Black), and the paper is by Pebbles Inc. I embossed the blue card using my Cuttlebug 'Snow Dots' folder, then highlighted the detail with a white chalk inkpad. The snowflakes were cut using the Cuttlebug 'Ice Crystal' die, the sentiment stamp is by Studio G, pearl brad is Papermania, and the ribbon, and 'jingle bells' are from Hobbycraft.

Boo!

I won Elaine's WCMD Candy...it arrived earlier this week...and it's fab! The stamps are adorable, and the charms and pearls are gorgoeus - thanks Elaine! :0)
I had a little play with one of the stamps ('Cow Emma' by C. C. Designs) yesterday and made a Hallow'een card...I'd been avoiding all of the 'Hallow'een' themed challenges, as I didn't have any suitable images...but there's no excuse now, so I'm entering this card for the Cute Card Thursday 'Spook Fest' challenge, and the One Stop Craft 'Hallow'een' challenge, the Papertake Weekly challenge to go over to the 'Dark Side', and the Pile It On 'Hallow'een' challenge. I followed the Stamp with Fun Challenge sketch...replacing the flowers with a sentiment. The spotty orange paper is from the 'Bloom & Grow' pack by My Mind's Eye, I embossed the black panel with the Cuttlebug 'Skeleton Scrolls' folder, then used a white chalk inkpad to bring out the detail, and the letters were cut using the Cuttlbug 'Olivia' alphabet.

Fall Friends

Unsurprisingly, considering it's now October...there are quite a few 'Autumn/Fall' themed challenges around at the moment...and I don't really have any appropriate stamps or images, so wasn't going to enter them...but then the Penny Black Saturday Challenge picked it as their theme this week...and that's my absolute favourite challenge...I've entered every single one...so I just had to! lol
So, I'm also entering this card for the One Stop Craft Challenge where the theme is 'Autumn Inspiration' and the Our Creative Corner Challenge, who have an inspirational photo in autumnal colours this week. I followed the Get Sketchy sketch...and managed to include the 'bonus' challenge of 'Brads' too. This image is from the 'Hugs' clear set by Penny Black, and the papers are from the 'Bloom & Grow' pack by My Mind's Eye...I've had them since my birthday a couple of months ago...but couldn't bring myself to cut into them until now...but the colours were just perfect for these challenges! The flowers are by Prima, the ribbon is from Poppicrafts, the sentiment stamp is from a little set by Studio G, and the brads are all by Papermania.


This card is going to my partner for this month's friendship card swap over on the Docrafts forum...there's no theme this month, but I thought that the 'autumnal' feel was appropriate.

Merry & Bright!

Yet another Christmas card from me today...I really am building up a nice stash now! :0) This one fits a few challenges: Stamp Something's 'Favourite Sketch/Layout'...this isn't from a sketch challenge...but after a quick look through my cards, found that this is the sort of layout I find myself using when I'm out of other ideas...lol; the One Stop Craft Challenge's 'Die-cuts' theme; and the 'Christmas' theme of this week's Spoon Full of Sugar Challenge. The image is from the 'Holly-Jolly' set by Penny Black and the papers are from the 'Christmas Wishes' stack by DCWV. I cut the snowflakes using a Cuttlebug die, and embossed the white panel with my 'Snow Dots' folder. The polkadot ribbon is from Hobbycraft.

Boo Boo Bear

This is another of the cards I made on Sunday...this one is for: Sketch Saturday - loved this sketch...although I had to rotate it to fit my image; the One Stop Craft Challenge's 'Beary Nice' theme; and the Basic Grey Challenge to use 'Embossing'. The image is 'Boo Boo Bear' by Whipper Snapper...he's so cute...is it wrong that I'd like someone to get ill, so that I can have an excuse to use him? lol
The gorgeous papers are from the BasicGrey 'Lemonade' pad...and I embossed the one at the back using my 'Moroccan Screen' Cuttlebug folder...well actually I managed to put the paper in the folder the wrong way around (again!) so it's 'debossed'...I hope that still counts! lol I distressed the edges of the paper, then added some faux stitching, as I think this always makes the paper look like fabric. The flowers are by Prima, the brads are Papermania, and the ribbon is from Poppicrafts.

Vintage Christmas

This card is something a bit different for me...for a start there's no stamping! I followed the sketch from Get Sketchy (which I flipped)...I've been meaning to join in with their challenges since they launched a few weeks ago...but this is the first time I've managed it. I've gone with the 'Very Vintage Christmas' theme of the Winter Wonderland Challenge with these faded papers and die cut shapes from the 'Festive Frost' paper pack by My Mind's Eye. And cut some additional snowflakes using a Cuttlebug die (I hope this counts as making my own embellishments for the Get Sketchy Challenge?)...so I'm also entering this card for the 'Let it Snow' challenge from the One Stop Craft Challenge.


I must be on a roll...as well as being in the Stamp Something Top 5 yesterday...I saw last night that I'd also made it into the Cupcake Craft Challenge Top 5!