Little Star

Well, after all the bright colours on yesterday's card, I've toned it right down today...and gone for an all white Christmas card. The image is 'Little Star' by Lili of the Valley, which I coloured with watercolour pencils, and then added some Stickles for a touch of sparkle. I used my Cuttlebug 'Stars' folder and one of the Papermania border folders (which I doubled up to make a wider strip) for the embossed background. The star was cut using a Nestie, then I ran it though my Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' folder.

Challenges for this card:

• Bah! Humbug! - Stars
• DCD Christmas Club - Christmas Furry Things 
• Pollycraft - No Designer Paper
• Sew Many Card Challenges - Christmas
• Totally Gorjuss - Christmas

Get Well Bunny

I made this card for my Nan, who had an operation on her hand earlier this week. The image is 'Get Well Bunny' by Lili of the Valley, and the paper is from the 'Ooh La La (For Him)' collection by My Mind's Eye. I distressed the edges, and added some faux stitching. The flowers are Prima, and the rose and pearls are from Wild Orchid Crafts.

Challenges for this card:

• Simon Says Stamp - Sketch (which I've rotated)
• Papertake Weekly - Animal Magic
• Pollycraft - Cute & Cuddly
• Totally Gorjuss - Animals

Feeling Fruity!

I was one of the lucky winners of last week's 'On the Beach' Penny Black Staurday Challenge...yippee! Thankfully the theme is a little easier this week...and they want to see 'Fruit' on our creations. The image I've used is from the 'Micey Nice Day' set...and it goes perfectly with the cherry paper (from the 'Lemonade' pad by BasicGrey)...I did add some Glossy Accents to the cherries...but it doesn't show up too well in this photo. The other paper is from a Paper Cellar pad called (rather unimaginatively!) 'Checks'. I distressed all of the edges with inks, and my distressing tool, and then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen...so I'm also entering this card into Pollycraft's 'In Stitches' challenge. The flowers are by Prima, the ribbon is from Poppicrafts, and the sentiment stamp stamp is from the 'Sending Sunshine' set by Simon Says Stamp.

I Baked a Cake!

Well...actually I didn't....but that's what this adorable Lili of the Valley image is called! lol
The paper is Bo Bunny 'Back to Basics', the sentiment stamp is from the 'Fabulous Birthday' set by Hero Arts, and the spotty ribbon is from Hobbycraft. I followed the sketch from the Lili of the Valley Challenge, and am also entering this card into a few other challenges: C.R.A.F.T. - 'Cakes/Ice cream'; Raise the Bar - 'Baked Goodies'; and Pollycraft - 'Bold & Bright'.

Cat on the Moon

There's a fab sketch for this week's Penny Black Saturday Challenge...and I've combined it with the Pollycraft Challenge theme of 'Let's have a sing song'...I had originally thought of 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star',  for the song to go with this image...but now I see the finished card, I've got 'When you wish upon a star' going round in my head! lol The image is 'Cat on the Moon', and the papers are from the '365 Degrees' pad by Pink Paislee...a rather unusual colour combo for me, but they matched the colours on the image. I embossed the plainer papers with my Cuttlebug 'Moroccan Screen' folder, which sort of matches the patterns on the other two papers, and then distressed all of the edges with my distressing tool. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Critter Party' set (also by Penny Black).

 

Happy Bee-Day!

I can't believe it's already Friday again...where has the week gone?!
This card is for a few challenges: Sunday Sketch & Stamp; Cupcake Craft Challenge's 'Four-legged and furry'; and Pollycrafts Challenge's 'Things with Wings'. The image is 'Bee Costume' by Penny Black, the paisley paper is Pebbles Inc, I used my Cuttlebug 'Perfect Paisley' folder for the embossing, and the sentiment stamp is by Stampendous.

Maggie with Balloon

Well, I certainly made the most of my crafting time yesterday...but I won't overload you cards all at once...I'll have something to show you everyday. The first one this week uses the Sketch & Stash Challenge sketch...my new item is the 'Maggie with stick and accessories' (by Sugar Nellie)...I've had this stamp for ages...it came in a goody bag, but this is it's first outing on a card. I thought that as Maggie was all wrapped up, she'd be perfect for the Pollycraft Challenge's 'Winter Birthdays' theme. The paper is by My Mind's Eye ('Adore'), the sentiment stamp is from the CCSR set by Papermania and the flowers are a mixture of Prima and Poppicrafts. I distressed all of the edges with my distressing tool...so I'm also entering this card for the Creative Card Crew's 'Distressing' challenge.

Altered Photo Frame

I won a gift certificate for My Creative Classroom, on the Cupcake Craft Challenge a few weeks ago...and I chose to use it for the '10 Quick & Easy Teacher Gifts' course...as I thought it might give me some ideas for Christmas presents. The course stared last week, and the first project was a decorated photo frame. I used one of the new Bare Basics frames by Papermania, and covered it with some My Mind's Eye '29th Street Market' paper, painting the edges with some co-ordinating acrylic paint. I added a butterfly that I'd stamped and embossed using a stamp from the CCSR by Papermania, on some foam pads, and a trail of adhesive pearls.
I'm going to enter this into the Pollycraft Challenge, where the theme is 'No Cards Allowed' this fortnight.


I've got quite a few other gift-type projects on the go at the moment...so I won't be blogging as much in the run up to Christmas...I don't want to spoil the surprise for any of the recipients...but I'll try and find the time to join in a few challenges..there's no way I can go 'cold turkey'! lol

Ladybug Celebration

This super cute stamp was a birthday present from my lovely ABC Challenge DT buddy Jen...it's by Ladybug & Friends and is called 'Celebration'. It's the first time I've inked it up, so I followed the Sketch & Stash Challenge sketch, using some of my favourite My Mind's Eye '29th Street Market' papers. The flowers and brads are a mixture of Poppicrafts and Papermania, the sentiment stamp is by Hero Arts (from the 'Anytime Messages' set), and I used the 'Spots & Dots' folder the emboss the light blue strip. I'm also going to enter this card for the 'Furry Friends' challenge over on the Pollycraft Challenge blog.


Don't forget to check out my candy here....if you haven't already entered :0)

Penny Black Paper Bag

At last weekend's craft retreat, my friend Cathy presented us each with a brown paper bag...it was her turn to set our friendly challenge, and she challenged us to create something using the paper bag...the rule being, that it could still be used to put something in. I decided to have a go at making a paper bag card...and started working on it while I was at the retreat. I used Penny Black hedgehog images (from the 'Wonderful' and 'Hugs' sets) and My Mind's Eye '29th Street Market' papers...keeping the same layout throughout. The brads, flowers and ribbon are all from Poppicrafts. I borrowed my friend Samantha's distressing tool at the retreat to distress all of the edges...liked the effect so much I had to get one! lol That kind of made it look like material, so I then used my Cutter Bee Bug to make the holes for the faux- stitching.

*Warning* - there are a LOT of photos! lol

Front View:

Inside Left:

Inside Right:

Back View:

Inside 'pages' together:

Front & Back 'pages together:

I've decided to give this to my Nan for her 90th birthday...so I've made a little tag with the sentiment on to put inside the bag. I used the same label Nesties to make this...the sentiment stamp is from the CCSR set by Papermania (stamped as two separate words), and the numbers were cut using the Cuttlebug 'Olivia' alphabet dies. I added a ribbon tab (to make it easier to remove from the bag), and have added a plain white panel to the back to write my message on. I'll probably be adding a few more things to the bag...but her birthday's not 'til November...so I've got plenty of time to sort all that.


I'm going to enter this for a couple of challenges: the Penny Black Saturday Challenge to use 'Stitching' on our cards; and the Pollycraft Challenge, which this week asked us to use our 'Favourite Things'...my favourite things are: Penny Black stamps, these My Mind's Eye papers (love them so much...I've just got some more!), and flowers.

Thanks Cathy for a fab challenge...I really enjoyed making this! ;0)

Pollycraft Challenge *8* meets Papertake Weekly

This is the first time I've entered one of the Pollycraft Challenges...I only have one of their stamps (Jade & William - 'First Love' - I won it on one of the Penny Black Saturday Challenges a few weeks ago), but it's perfect for the theme of their challenge which is 'Love', I'm also entering this card for this week's Papertake Weekly Challenge, which has the theme 'Hearts & Flowers'. I've kept the layout quite simple, as the stamp is quite large (too big for my largest acrylic block in fact, so I had to use one of my Cuttlebug plates to stamp it! lol), and the paper I've used (BasicGrey - 'Gypsy Hippie') is really busy! The embossed strip was done using the 'Perfect Paisley' Cuttlebug folder, the flowers are from Poppicrafts, and the cute little heart-shaped brad (which says 'Love U' on it) is by Around the Block (' Simply Said' Brads in a Bag).