Thanks Kath!

The fab candy I won from the lovely Kath arrived on Monday...and I couldn't resist having a little play with some of the goodies straight away. So I used some of the gorgeous papers and 3D stickers (by Crafty Bitz) to make her a thank you card...I hope it's reached her by now! Being a challenge addict, I used the sketch from a new challenge called Sunday Sketch & Stamp, with 'XMouse Ornament' by Penny Black for my main image - replacing the snowflake with a flower. The flowers are from Poppicrafts, and the ribbon is from my stash. I'm also going to enter this card for the 'Anything Goes' theme of the Penny Black Saturday Challenge...which is where I first discovered Kath's fab blog!

ABC Challenge - L is for...

We've arrived at the letter L this week on the ABC Challenge blog...which stands for 'List'. We have a list of ingredients for you to use on your cards:

• 1 ribbon
• 3 flowers

• 6 brads

You can of course use other items, but you must include the items on the list on your card.

We are joined this week by a guest designer...the lovely Samantha who runs the shop blog for Penrith Crafts. She's offering a fab prize this week for one lucky challenger:

So, now on to my card. I've used another of the new Rachelle Anne Miller designs 'Hoppy Spring' (by Stampavie), and a fab sentiment form the 'Kid's Quotes' set by Inkadinkado. The paper is by K&Co (from the Amy Butler pad), my ribbon, and the three flowers are from Poppicrafts. The five plain round brads are by Papermania, and the sparkly butterfly brad is by Dovecraft.

Don't forget to check out the cards by the rest of the design team and our lovely guest designer Samantha.

Three Challenges in One...Again!

I'm afraid I've combined challenges again on this card...this time it's: the sketch from the BasicGrey Challenge; the theme of 'Showers or Flowers' of the Stamp Something Challenge; and my favourite colour combination, which is this week's Our Creative Corner Challenge.
I've used 'Rainin' Daisies' by Penny Black for my main image, which means I have 'Showers AND Flowers' on my card! lol
There are so many colour combinations I like to use, that I found it difficult to pick a favourite, but after a quick look through my card box...'Pink & Green' came out on top...and I thought I didn't 'do' pink! All of the paper are from the 'Blush' range by BasicGrey - and I used the Cuttlebug 'D'Vine Swirls' folder to emboss the central panel. The sentiment stamp is from Whiff of Joy, the flowers are from Poppicrafts, and the lace is from Hobbycraft.

The Sugar Bowl Challenge #9

This week's Sugar Bowl Challenge is a toughie...we're to make a card for the most difficult of species...MEN! I struggled with this, as I don't have many Sugar Nellie stamps, and most of the ones I do have are a bit girlie...so I've used this snowMAN to make a Christmas card for a man. The papers ('Festive Frost' by My Mind's Eye) are kind of masculine feeling, in rich browns and teal, with a lot of distressing, and I've kept the layout really simple, with no 'frilly bits', just a couple of die-cut snowflakes for embellishment.


I'm still managing to make a Christmas card a week...this is last weeks...didn't manage to get it finished while it was still light enough to photograph yesterday.

Triple Challenge Henry

I've combined three challenges on this card: Secret Crafter (Shaped Cards); Creative Card Crew (Round & Round); and The Cuttlebug Spot (Take the Cake). I used the largest scalloped circle Nestie to make my card blank...I just love making these little cards...so I knew straight away that this was what I was going to do for the Secret Crafter DT Call. I used watercolour pencils to colour 'Henry - Celebrating Mouse' (by Whiff of Joy), adding some glitter glue to the icing on his cupcake. The pink card (it really is pink, although it's come out looking purple in the photo) was embossed with the 'Swiss Dots' Cuttlebug folder. To finish it off, I punched a couple of holes at the top and tied a bow with grosgrain ribbon (from Poppicrafts).

Truly Scrumptious Challenge #5

I had a bit of a thing about monkeys when I was little (still do, if I'm honest! lol), so I couldn't resist this stamp ('Birthday Monkeys' by Rachelle Anne Miller) when I saw it in the new releases for Stampavie. I've used it to make a child's card using the Truly Scrumptious Challenge sketch, which I've rotated to fit the image. The papers are all from the 'Cupcakes' pad by BasicGrey, and I've embossed the plain ones using the 'Spots & Dots' and 'Swiss Dots' embossing folders. The sentiment is from the 'Circular Greetings' set by Woodware, and the star, circles and deckled border around the image were all cut using Nesties.

Butterfly Doodles...

I've been having a play this afternoon with the CCSR 'Doodles' stamps (by Papermania), having a go at making my own backing papers. I've stamped the two different flower stamps (with black ink embossed with clear powder) on to Core'dinations card (from the 'Nostalgia' pack), using a different size on each colour. I stamped the butterflies on Core'dination's then cut them out, mounting them on different thickness 3D foam pads to give them shape. I stamped the sentiment (from the CCSR 'Sentiments' set by Papermania), then separated the words. I then tore all of the edges to reveal the contrast core for a bit of added texture.

A Friendly Challenge...

Every month or so, a group of my crafty buddies takes it in turns to set a 'Bits'n'Pieces' challenge, and this time, the lovely Kaz sent us the following goodies:

With the additional challenge of including a handmade flower on our cards...eek!

I've made a few flowers using Nesties before, so I thought I try something a bit different. I tore the piece of Japanese silk paper into 4 strips (roughly 4cm wide), then folded them like a concertina and joined them together. I then stitched through the bottom of each fold, so that when I pulled the cotton tight, it held it's shape. I then sewed a button in the centre, to cover the join. I mounted the flower on a couple of Nestie shapes embossed with the Cuttlebug 'D'Vine Swirls folder, with the feather behind...it's supposed to look like a leaf! As the flower rather dominates the card, I've kept the rest of it really simple, adding a sentiment (from the 'Circular Greetings' set by Woodware), mounted on Nestie shapes, with the glittery brad from my 'kit' in the centre.

As the flower is huge...I'm going to enter this card for the Daring Cardmakers Challenge, where the theme this week is 'Supersize me'!

ABC Challenge - K is for...

This week at the ABC Challenge, we'd like you to 'Keep it simple'...and resist the temptation to use all of your lovely papers and embellishments...for the letter 'K'...less is definitely more! I've kept my wallet card really simple, to make a real feature of the gorgeous 'Constellations' stamp by Penny Black. I've heat embossed the image, with pearl blue powder, on baby blue card, and mounting it very simply on navy card, on a background of the same baby blue card embossed with the 'Swiss Dots' folder, and tied a bow of navy ribbon down the side.

So, clear away your clutter, and get back to basics...

Stamp with Fun meets Cute Card Thursday

There's a fab sketch for this week's Stamp with Fun Challenge, which I've used to make a wallet to send some images to a friend. I've used 'Bunny with Flower' (by Rachelle Anne Miller for Sugar Nellie)...which I've had since Christmas...and not used...well I'd stamped some images...and coloured them...but they've not made them on to a card until now! lol I've used papers from the 'Amy Butler' pad by K&Co, the Cuttlebug 'Perfect Paisley' and 'Swiss Dots' (underneath the raffia lace), and a few pieces of Card Candy (by Craftwork Cards). As there are flowers on the image, on the paper, and of course a few paper flowers (from Poppicrafts), I'm also entering this card for the 'Floral Fantasy' Challenge over on the Cute Card Thursday blog.

Whiff of Joy Summer Stamp Kit Candy

The lovely Katharina has two of the new Whiff of Joy stamp kits (designed by Elisabeth Bell) to give away to two lucky bloggers to celebrate the release of these new stamps.

Click here to visit her fab blog, and find out how you could be one of the lucky ones!

Sketch & Stash meets Stamp with Fun!

Now, I know you must all think that I'm telling porkies about working this weekend...and that I must just be crafting...but honestly I AM working...it's just that I keep myself going with the promise of a little crafting, once I've got to the end of something...and I can craft quickly! lol
I had this gorgeous 'Sweet Slumber' image (by Penny Black) already coloured, and I couldn't resist using some of my new 'Bittersweet' papers (by BasicGrey), and a few pieces of Craftwork Cards 'Card Candy'. As I'm using new stash, I've followed the Sketch & Stash Challenge sketch, only adding a couple of Poppicrafts flowers...and I've just managed to get this uploaded in time to enter it for the Stamp with Fun Challenge, where there is a colour theme of Brown & Pink.

Here's my Heart...

I managed to get quite a lot of my work done yesterday...and was up with the lark this morning...working...so have just had a little break for some crafting. I've combined three challenges on this card: Sketch Saturday; Charisma Cardz ('Little Black Dress'); and Colour Create ('Black, White & Pink'). I rotated the sketch to fit the image (sent to me by my lovely buddy Carol) which is called 'Here's my Heart' by Penny Black, and I used the same Doodlebug paper for all of the layers - which covers the Colour Create extra, of 'Polka Dots'! For a splash of colour, I've added some Poppicrafts flowers and brads.

Must get my nose back to the grindstone...

Penny Black Saturday Challenge meets the One Stop Craft Challenge

I have soooooo much work to do this weekend (finishing off various music arrangements for next term), but there's a fab sketch for this week's Penny Black Saturday Challenge, and I couldn't resist taking a quick break to have a play! I've used an image ('Bubble of Joy') sent to me by lovely PBSC DT member Pauline, that I'd already coloured (so saved a bit of time there!), and papers from the 'Granola' pad by BasicGrey with decked edges (made with either my deckled rectangle Nesties, or with my deckled edge tearing ruler). As this is a masculine card, I've avoided using flowers, and have cut a couple of stars (with Nesties), and added some card candy (by Craftwork Cards). The sentiment is from the 'Circular Greetings' set by Woodware. I've used a few different shaped Nestie dies on this card, so I'm also entering it for the One Stop Craft Challenge, where the theme is 'Decorative Cuts'.

Inspirational Card Sketches

I've finally managed to find time to play with one of the Inspirational Card Sketches, and get my card uploaded before the challenge has ended! lol
I rotated the sketch to fit my image ('Rainy Days' by Rachelle Anne Miller for Stampavie), and used papers by Daisy D's and K&Co, that I've had for ages, but have never got round to using. I embossed one of the papers with the Cuttlebug 'D'Vine Swirls' folder. The sentiment stamp (by Whiff of Joy) goes perfectly with this image, and the ribbon is from Poppicrafts.

Just Christmas & Birthday Cards meets the One Stop Craft Challenge

I've made a Birthday card using this week's Just Christmas & Birthday Card Challenge sketch. I usually make square cards, but have used a lovely Penny Black image ('Daisy Chain'), sent to me by my lovely friend Carol on a DL card. The backing papers are by Sandy Lion, and I've torn the one across the centre, so I'm also entering this card for the One Stop Craft Challenge where the theme is 'Torn' this week. I've used some tiny Prima flowers, held on with teeny brads from Poppicrafts in the corners, a sentiment from the CCSR set by Papermania.

Stamp with Stampavie Challenge #39

There's a fab sketch for this week's Stamp with Stampavie Challenge, which I've used to make my Christmas card for this week, using this really cute 'Teddy Bear' stamp by Rachelle Anne Miller. The paper is by My Mind's Eye ('Festive - Frost'), the sentiment stamp is by Three Bugs in a Rug, I embossed the white strip with the Cuttlebug 'Snowflakes' folder, and the gems are from Paperchase.

I also received this lovely award from Helen, who is one of my most regular visitors - thanks for thinking of me, and thanks for all of the lovely comments you leave me! :0)

As I received and passed this award on a few days ago...I won't this time.

Our Creative Corner with a Spoon Full of Sugar

There's a fab sketch on the Our Creative Corner Challenge blog this week...nice and uncluttered...perfect for guys cards. I've also used a couple of dies (star and circle Nesties) on this, so I'm also entering this for the 'To Die For' challenge over on the Spoon Full of Sugar blog. I've used 'Birthday Dog' by Penny Black as the main image, with papers by BasicGrey ('Archaic' and 'Granola' pads). The sentiment stamp is from the 'Fabulous Birthday' set by Hero Arts, and the star shaped brad is from Tesco.