Dream a Dream...

This is my card for this week's Penny Black Saturday Challenge...where the theme is a 'Recipe: 3 Flowers, 2 Buttons, 1 Bow'. I followed the sketch from Sweet Stampin'...or at least I thought I did...I rotated it, and added the flowers in place of the sentiment...but I can see now that I also missed off a bit! lol The image is 'Dream a Dream' by Penny Black, the papers are form the 'Penny Lane' glitter pad by My Mind's Eye, and the flowers are a mixture of Poppicrafts & Prima. I used an EK Success punch for the scalloped border and the buttons (one is the ladybird...and the other is hiding underneath the bow) are from my stash.

Snow Bunny Bella

I've gone all 'pink' again on this card...although this time it has a Christmas feel. I followed the sketch from Christmas Stampin' All Year Long...and used Bah! Humbug!'s 'Shades of Pink' colour scheme...not a colour I use all that much...but this is my second mainly pink card this week! The image is 'snowbunnybella' by Stamping Bella...which I coloured with watercolour pencils...I added some sparkle to the fur trim on her coat and boots with a Sakura stardust pen...which you can just about see in the photo. The papers are all from the 'Rose Tinted Christmas' stack by DCWV, and the snowflakes were cut using a Cuttlebug die.

Bear & Robin

Before I get on to today's card...I have a little bit of news for you. If you're a regular visitor to my blog, you were probably expecting to see my DT card for the ABC Challenge today...but the 'S for Sparkle' challenge was my last with the lovely ABC girls...I'm moving on to pastures new. As you may have seen, I became a permanent member of the Just Cute Bears Challenge DT last weekend, after a stint as a guest designer...and I've joined another challenge DT too...I can't tell you which one yet (it's a secret!) but all will be revealed at the weekend...

I've got a Christmas card for you today...using the sketch from Cute Card Thursday. The image is 'Bear & Robin' by Gillian Roberts for Stampavie, the papers are by Sandylion, the sentiment is a Cuddly Buddly stamp, and the snowflakes were all cut using Cuttlebug dies. I'm also going to enter this card into the Winter Wonderland Challenge...where 'Anything Goes' this week to celebrate their relaunch on Fridays.

Fred the Elephant

I've had this Whiff of Joy image ('Fred the Celebrating Elephant') in my image box for ages...so long in fact, that I can't remember who sent it to me...but thank you whoever you are...he's so cute! I followed the sketch from the Whiff of Joy Challenge...although I did tilt the image the other way...he looked really odd looking 'down hill'! The papers are by My Mind's Eye ('29th Street Market'), and I used my Cuttlebug 'Perfect Paisley' folder to emboss the plain purple one. I distressed the embossing with a sanding block, then all of the edges using my distressing tool...so I'm also going to enter this card into the Crafty Creations 'Distressing' challenge. The flowers are a mixture of Kort & Godt and Wild Orchid Crafts.

Very Pink!

Hmmm...I'm not sure I like this card...and I don't think it's because it's pink...it looks really plain to me...but I tried adding various embellishments...and it just didn't look 'right'...so I decided to leave it alone. I followed the Papertake Weekly sketch, and used the 'Pink & Brown' colour combo of the C.R.A.F.T. Challenge, to make a card for the Fussy & Fancy Challenge of 'Birthday with Something Sweet'. The image is from the 'Critter Party' set by Penny Black...I added some gloss to the chocolate icing on the cupcake...although it doesn't show up too well in the photo. The pink papers are from the 'Colourful Christmas' collection by My Mind's Eye, and they've been matted onto brown card. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Cupcakes' set by Hero Arts.

Just Cute Bears - Guest Designer

This is my last card as a guest designer for the Just Cute Bears Challenge...but I will be back with them again next week...as the lovely Ali has asked me to join their design team...yippee!

There's a fab sketch by Jane for this week's challenge...and I've used it to make a Christmas card...using a lovely Penny Black bear image called 'Aiming to Please'. The sparkly papers are from the 'Wonderful Winter' collection by My Mind's Eye, the sentiment stamp is by Three Bugs in a Rug, and the snowflake brads are by Woodware...they were plain white, but I turned them sparkly with some holographic embossing powder.


Don't forget to go and take a peek at the inspirational cards from the Just Cute Bears design team.

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Distressing

It's Victoria's turn to set the theme for this week's Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge...and she has chosen:

'Distressing'

I've used one of the exclusive Secret Crafter manga stamps on my card...'Jake with Kitten'. I watercoloured it to match these papers from the 'Archaic' pad by BasicGrey. I distressed all of the edges using inks, and my distressing tool

For more inspiration, check out the projects by the rest of the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge DT.

Of course I'm coming!!!

I made this card to send to my lovely friend Samantha and her fiance Efisio, in acceptance of their invitation to their wedding. The title of this post is because although she knows I'm going...and I've booked a few nights at a local B&B...and I'm going to be playing flute at the wedding too...I'd neglected to send a card...shame on me! lol
I followed the sketch from Card Patterns...keeping it really simple...mainly white, with just a splash of red (taking inspiration from Samantha's gorgeous invite)...which just happens to be the colour combo of this week's Cupcake Craft Challenge. I used my 'Swiss Dots', 'D'Vine Swirls' and 'Victoria' Cuttlebug folders for the embossing, distressing the edges slightly to help define the layers. The hearts were cut using a Cuttlebug die, and I used my Nesties for the circle and label shape...so I'm also going to enter this card into the Daring Cardmakers 'Die Cut Crazy' challenge.

Gerry's Birthday

I won some cute digi stamps from Prairie Fairy on the Cards for Men challenge blog a couple of weeks ago...the one I've used on this card is called 'Gerry's Birthday'...doesn't he look sweet in his little party hat?! I followed a sketch from Sunday Sketch & Stamp, who are celebrating their 1st birthday this week...Happy Birthday girls! They are letting us choose from all of their previous sketches...I went for number 5. I've also managed to squeeze in a couple of other challenge themes: Creative Card Crew - 'Happy Birthday'; and Paper Sundaes - 'No People'. The stripey paper is from the '360 Degrees' pad by Pink Paislee, I used my Cuttlebug 'Spots & Dots' folder for the embossing, and the sentiment stamp is by Studio G.

Spring Bunny with Daffodils

I've used another of the adorable Lili of the Valley images sent to me by my lovely friend Pauline...this one is called 'Spring Bunny with Daffodils'...just perfect for the Totally Papercrafts 'Spring' challenge. I followed the sketch from the Lili of the Valley Challenge, and used papers by Pink Paislee (from the '365 Degrees') pad. The flowers are a mixture of Poppicrafts and Hobbycraft, and the sentiment stamp is from the 'Anytime Messages' by Hero Arts. I'm also going to enter this card into Stamp with Fun's 'Animals' challenge, and A Spoon Full of Sugar's 'Happy Birthday' challenge.

ABC Christmas Challenge - I is for...

It's Jayne's turn to host the ABC Christmas Challenge this week...and the theme is:

'I is for Ice'

And her 'optional extra' is 'Snowflakes'

We are sponsored this week by Stitchy Bear Stamps...who are very generously offering the winner their choice of 3 items from their store.

The DT are all working with images provided by Stitchy Bear stamps too this week...the one I chose to use is called 'Welcome'...isn't he cute!? I decided to make an acetate card...as I thought it would look kind of 'icy'. I simply embossed the front panel using my Cuttlebug 'Snowflakes' folder, and then adhered my watercoloured snowman to the front, placing a Nestie shape on the inside behind him on which to write the greeting.

Make sure you stop by the ABC Christmas Challenge for more inspiration from my fab DT buddies.

Fetching Slippers

I don't use a lot of brown...but seeing as 'Monochromatic Brown' is the theme of this week's Penny Black Saturday Challenge...I thought I'd give it a go. I followed the sketch from Unscripted Sketches...flipping it as it suited my image ('Fetching Slippers' by Penny Black) better. The stripey paper is from the 'Archaic' pad by BasicGrey, and I used my 'Swiss Dots' and 'Stars' Cuttlebug folders on some Kraft coloured card...rubbing over the raised areas with a brown chalk inkpad to add definition. I distressed all of the edges, then added some faux stitching with a white gel pen. I'm also going to enter this card into the Charisma Cardz 'Monochromatic' challenge, and the Allsorts and Sweet Stampin' challenges, which both have the same theme this week of 'In Stitches'.

Bear & Butterflies

My lovely friend Pauline sent me some adorable Lili of the Valley images last week...and I couldn't resist having a little play with a couple at the weekend. The one I've used on this card is called 'Bear & Butterflies'...I coloured it with watercolour pencils, and added glitter to the butterflies, and some gloss to his glasses...although it doesn't show up too well in the photo. I followed the sketch from Sketch & Stash...and as well as the new image...I was brave and cut into some new papers that I bought whist visiting my parents over Easter...they're from the 'Penny Lane' stack by My Mind's Eye. I also used my new EK Success border punch, and the ribbon, flowers and brads are all from Poppicrafts.


I'm also entering this card into some other challenges:

Creative Inspirations (Sunday) - '3 flowers, 2 design papers, 1 ribbon'
One Stop Craft Challenge - 'Things with Wings'
Our Creative Corner - 'Beautiful Butterflies'
Papertake Weekly - 'Cutie Pie'
Pile It On - 'Spring' & DT Call
Stampavie & More - 'Butterflies'
Stamp Something - 'Something Layered'
Teddy Stampers -'Spring'

Just Cute Bears - Guest Designer

I'm back again with another guest designer card for the Just Cute Bears Challenge, where the theme this week is:

'One for the boys'

The perfect antidote to all of those flowery creations last week! lol
I've used 'Bruno Celebrating Bear' by Whiff of Joy...with a masculine colour combo of brown & green. The papers are a mixture of BasicGrey 'Blush' and My Mind's Eye '29th Street Market'. I cut a few stars using my Nesties, then used my 'Spots & Dots', 'Swiss Dots' & 'Diamond Plate' Cuttlebug folders to add a bit of texture, before distressing, and adding some faux stitching with a white gel pen. The sentiment stamp is by Studio G.

To check out the creations by the fab design team, visit the Just Cute Bears Challenge.

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - A Day Trip

The theme for this week's Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge...as chosen by Vicky...is:

'A Day Trip'

Now...I'll admit it...this one really had me stumped! lol
Eventually...I decided to use this Sugar Nellie image ('Going for a spin')...as she's obviously off somewhere! lol
I found a sheet of bicycle covered paper in the 'Cupcakes' pad by BasicGrey, and a sentiment (which I think is a Penny Black stamp) that someone had sent me ages ago, just perfect to go with the image. And, I couldn't resist adding a couple of flowers.

Please go and check out the projects from the rest of the Secret Crafter design team..they've done a much better job than I have with this theme! lol

Poppy Fields

This is my card for this fortnight's Sugar Bowl Challenge...where in addition to the sketch, we're asked to include 'Flowers'...now there's a nice easy challenge! I've used 'Poppy Fields'...watercolouring her to match the BasicGrey 'Lemonade' papers. I used my Cuttlebug 'Textile', 'Victoria' and 'Just My Type' folders to emboss the plain coloured papers, then distressed the edges and raised areas. The flowers are from Poppicrafts.

XMouse Ornament

This week's Card Patterns sketch is a lovely simple one. I've used it to make a Christmas card for a few other challenges: Winter Wonderland - 'Embossing'; Susie & Vicki's Christmas Club - 'Blue & Silver'; and the Cuttlebug Spot - 'Bling'. The image is 'XMouse Ornament' by Penny Black, I created the embossed background using my Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' and 'Snowflakes' folders...adding adhesive gems to the centres of the snowflakes for a bit of bling, and the sentiment stamp is by Cuddly Buddly.

ABC Challenge - S is for...

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

'S is for Sparkle'

We'd like to see you using plenty of bling on your projects...so go mad with the glitter and gems! lol

Our sponsor for this challenge is the lovely Wendy from the Secret Crafter...who has very generously donated 2 of the new manga stamp exclusive to the Secret Crafter shop:

To view the whole range of stamps...and see all of the other lovely goodies Wendy has in store...click the banner below:

I got a bit glitter happy with my card...using My Mind's Eye 'Wonderful Winter' glitter papers, and some Hero Arts 'Cupcakes' stamp...watercolouring them, then adding a generous coating of Glamour Dust to the frosting, and a touch of sparkle to the cherry with a Sukura Stardust pen. I made some sparkly brads by coating them with Versamark ink, then embossing with holographic powder, and finally added some adhesive gems to the scallops around my image.

Make sure you go and check out the 'sparkly' cards by the rest of the ABC Challenge DT.