Happy Hallowe'en!

This is my first 'Hallowe'en' card of the year...I've used a cute CC Designs stamp called 'Cow Emma' that I won in a candy last year. The papers are from the 'Boo to You!' collection by My Mind's Eye, and the sentiment and cute little bat are form the 'Spooky' set of stamps by Penny Black. I made a little pumpkin using oval nesties, and added some googly eyes.

Challenges for this card:

• Stampavie & More - Sketch
• Delightful - Pumpkins, Pumpkins Everywhere
• Paper Sundaes - Fall/Hallow'een Colours

Just Cute Bears - Sketch

This week's Just Cute Bears Challenge is a sketch by me:

We are sponsored for this challenge by MelJen's Designs, and the prize is three of their adorable bear images.



I've used the sketch to make Christmas card with an adorbale Lili of the Valley bear ('Little Star'). The sparkly papers are from the 'Wonderful Winter' pad by My Mind's Eye, and I embossed the matte gold card using my Cuttlebug 'Snowflakes' folder.

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

• DCD Christmas Club - 'A Very Beary Merry Xmas'
• Stampavie & More - 'Sparkling'

For more inspiration from my lovely teamies, and our guest designer for July, Becky, visit the Just Cute Bears blog.

Psst Dani & Taylor

I had a little play at the weekend with some of the fabby Stampavie stamps I received  in my lovely  prize package  last week. The one on this card is called 'Psst Dani & Taylor' by Mo Manning. I watercoloured it to match the My Mind's Eye 'Adore' papers. The sentiment stamp is from the CCSR set by Papermania, and the ribbon is from my stash. Of course there are a few challenges: I used the Crazy4Challenges sketch; the 'Friends' theme from Simon Says Stamp; Stampavie & More's 'Hearts' theme; and Crazy Challenge's 'Make it an hour' challenge.

Dogs for Dad

It was my Dad's Birthday yesterday...and it's Father's Day soon too...so when I was at home over half-term, I made a couple of things for my Dad.

The gift tag on the bottle is for Father's Day, and the card was for his Birthday - it's a wallet type card, with some gift vouchers inside. I've photographed them together, as they match...although he won't be getting them at the same time! The images are both Penny Black ('Circus Act' and from the 'Bubbly' set), I used my Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' folder for the embossing, the ribbon is from Hobbycraft, the tag was cut using a Sizzix die, and the little sentiment stamp is from a Studio G set.

Here's a close-up of the card:

The little sentiments are actually holding a bookmark in place...they're raised on 3D foam, so that the bookmark slides in and out.

Here's the bookmark:

 

I'm going to enter these in to the C.R.A.F.T. Challenge where the theme is 'Father's Day/Men's Cards' and Stampavie & More's 'Spots' challenge.

Secret Crafter Manga Stamp Release...Day One

Wendy, at the Secret Crafter is releasing her new range of Manga stamps, exclusive to her store, this week. There are five brand new stamp designs, which will be released one stamp per day over the course of this week. The first stamp is called 'Cat Girl'...and she's available to order from today at the Secret Crafter. 

I decided to keep my card really simple, in order to make the image the real focal point, watercolouring her to match the BasicGrey 'Porcelain' papers (available here at the Secret Crafter). The sentiment stamp is from the 'Anytime Messages' set by Hero Arts.

I'm going to enter this card into Stampavie & More's 'Happy Birthday for a Girl' challenge.

There's loads more inspiration from the rest of the Secret Crafter design team over on the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge blog...and don't forget to pop back tomorrow for the next installment! lol

Dream a Dream...

I've used one of my favourite Penny Black stamps ('Dream a Dream') on this card. I followed the sketch from Friday Sketchers...and it combines quite a few other challenges...so I'll list them at the end. The papers are all from the '29th Street Market' collection by My Mind's Eye...another of my favourite things, and I used my Cuttlebug 'Victoria' and 'Swiss Dots' folders for the embossing. The flowers are by Making Memories, and I used an EK Success punch for the scalloped border.

Other challenges entered:

• Colour Create: Light Green & Soft Aqua
• Papertake Weekly: Say it with Flowers
• Stampavie & More: Flower Power
• Teddy Stampers: Bedtime Bears

Shopping List Pad & Gift Holder

Here are a couple of 'non-card' creations I've made for birthdays coming up this month.
The first is an altered shopping list pad:


I bought the pack of pads from one of those shops that sell everything...then removed the flimsy cover, and replaced it with some thicker card. I decorated the front with some My Mind's Eye '29th Street Market' papers, and flowers made using stamps from a set called 'Doodle Flowers' by Inkadinkado. I added a strip of adhesive magnetic paper to the back, so that it can be kept on the fridge door...perfect for writing shopping lists!
It's not very exciting...but here's a view of the back:


I'm going to enter this into Stampavie & More's challenge to 'Use some green', the Cupcake Crafts challenge which this week is to 'Make your own flowers' (I hope that my 'stamped' flowers are allowed), and the Quixotic 'Joys of Spring' challenge (I think the greens are quite 'springy'! lol).

My other project is a gift carrier:

I wanted a pretty way to package a couple of aromatherapy bath oils for my friend's birthday...to make up for the fact that I didn't make her present this year! After a bit of blog hopping, I decided to make the kind of carrier which you usually see carrying paper milk cartons. I had to fiddle around to get the dimensions right, as I needed the 'pockets' to be quite deep in order to support the bottles. I decorated the outside using some paper by Crate Paper (from the 'Mia' collection), and added a matching gift tag made using my Nesties.

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.

Winter Pals

The My Time to Craft Challenge has a lovely theme for their challenge this week...'Winter Pals'. Now, I think that these two little fellas look both wintry and friendly...and having a high old time singing their hearts out! The image is a House Mouse stamp called 'Christmas Singing Duo'. I followed the sketch from Sketch Saturday...although I was naughty, and omitted the scalloped edges. And, I'm also entering this card for a couple of 'Christmas' themed challenges: Stampavie & More; and Stamp with Fun.
The papers are by BasicGrey ('Figgy Pudding'), the sentiment stamp is by Paper Makeup, and I added some pieces of card candy in coordinating colours.



Oh, and I've been given this award by Susan...thank you!
I posted my 'one word' answers here a couple of weeks ago, as I received it from a couple of my other bloggy buddies then.

I also received another award this week...but I'm still trying to come up with some 'interesting' facts about myself, so I'll blog that later! lol

Caroling Chooks

Woo-hoo I finally made a card last night! I hadn't crafted for over a week...and I think I'd forgotten how to do it...it took me ages to make this...and it's so simple! lol
I followed the sketch from the Just Christmas & Birthday Cards Challenge, to make a card for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge, where the theme this week is 'Christmas for the guys'. I followed the Stampavie & More colour theme of 'Brown & One Other Colour' challenge (in my case blue), and I'm also entering this for the 'Animal Antics' challenge over at Simon Says Stamp. I've used 'Carolers' (of course by Penny Black), and paper by My Mind's Eye...ok so it's not overly festive but it is from a Christmas pack! lol I distressed the edges using inks and my distressing tool, added some faux-stitching and a few snowflakes cut using a Cuttlebug die.

Christmas Bunnies

I told you that you'd be seeing this Lili of the Valley stamp again soon...it's just so adorable! I followed the Sketch Saturday Challenge sketch, but had to rotate it to fit it the image. I'm also entering this card for the Stampavie & More 'Christmas' challenge, and the Everybody Art 'Shapes/Punches' challenge. The papers are 'Figgy Pudding' by BasicGrey, the sentiment stamp is by Three Bugs in a Rug, the ribbon is from Poppicrafts, and the snowflakes were cut using a Cuttlebug die.

Think Pink!

I've managed to cram loads of challenges on this card...makes up for yesterday's lack of challenges ;0)
I used: the Midnight Madness sketch; the Charisma Cardz Challenge theme of 'Flower Power'; the 'Pearls & Swirls' theme of the Cupcake Craft Challenge; the Papertake Weekly challenge to 'Fake It'; and...lastly, but by no means least...the 'Think Pink' challenge of Stampavie & More. I used 'Rainin' Daisies' (by Penny Black), and some gorgeous flowery paper by My Mind's Eye ('29th Street Market')...the pink is the reverse, which I embossed with my 'D'Vine Swirls' folder, then sanded to reveal the white core. The flowers are all from Poppicrafts, and the pearl brads are by Papermania. I added some adhesive pearls to some of the swirls, and some faux-stitching around the edges of the papers for my 'fake' elements.

Nap Time

I've managed to combine three challenges on this card: the sketch from Stampavie & More; the 'Anything Baby' theme of Stampin' for the Weekend; and the 'New Beginnings' theme of the Cute Card Thursday Challenge. The image is by Penny Black ('Nap Time')...which I've watercoloured with a hint of blue...I don't know anyone about to have a baby boy...but it's not a bad idea to have a card ready...just in case! lol I used my 'Swiss Dots' folder to emboss the background and used my Nesties to make the scalloped border. The ribbon is from Hobbycrafts, and the sentiment is computer generated.

Hedgie Friends

I've made this card for a couple of challenges: Creative Card Crew's 'Polkadots' challenge and Stampavie & More's 'Summer' themed challenge...I also based the layout on an old Charisma Cardz Challenge sketch...but I'm too late for that one! lol
I've used an image from the 'Hugs' set by Penny Black, and the polkadot paper is by My Mind's Eye ('29th Street Market'). The flowers and brads are from Poppicrafts, and both the raffia lace and patterned ribbon are from Hobbycraft. The sentiment is from the Clare Curd Signature Range set by Papermania, and I added a few pieces of Craftwork Cards Card Candy.

Stampavie & More...

There's a fab sketch for this week's Stampavie & More Challenge....great for a quick make. I've used another of the images sent to me by my lovely ABC DT mate Vicky - this one is called 'Bees & Bunny' by Penny Black. The papers are a mixture of K&Co and Pebbles Inc, and I echoed the paisley pattern on one of the papers with some embossing using the 'Perfect Pasiley' Cuttlebug folder. The sentiment stamp is by Stampendous, and I finished it off with a few pieces of Craftwork Cards card candy.

Happy Birthday Pauline!

My lovely blogging buddy Pauline is celebrating her birthday today...so of course I've made her a card. I followed the sketch from the Stampavie & More Challenge...when did they change the name and let us use any stamps??? I've used a Penny Black stamp ('Gifts for you!') as it was through our shared love of PBs that I first met Pauline, on the DoCrafts forum. I decoupaged the flower head...you may be able to see it better if you click the photo for a larger view. I used BasicGrey papers ('Blush') in shades of pink and green, as it's one of her favourite colour combos, embossing the pink one with my 'Spots & Dots' folder. The flowers are from Poppicrafts, the pearl brads are Papermania, the sentiment is by Stampendous, and I used a couple of pieces of Craftwork Cards 'card candy'. I'm also entering this card for the Everybody Art Challenge, where the theme is 'Animals', and the Secret Crafter Challenge which has the theme of 'Flowers' this week.


Hope you're having a fabulous birthday Pauline!