Pillow Box

Not a card from me today...but a little pillow box for the Simon Says Stamp 'Anything but a card' challenge, and Creative Inspirations 'Gift!' challenge. I printed my template on to a piece of My Mind's Eye '29th Street Market' paper...folded and glued..so simple and quick to do...then added my Penny Black image (from the 'Wonderful' set) mounted on a Nestie shape.


I've had an early start today, as I'm off for to Penrith for a weekend of crafting with some of my online buddies...hopefully I'll have lots to show you when I get back on Sunday night.

Oh Christmas Tree...

I've had another little play with some of my birthday goodies, and have made a card for a few challenges: Carol's Sketch Fun (love this sketch...I'm sure I'll use it again); Dutch Dare Challenge - 'Christmas in August'; and Pile It On's 'No patterned paper' challenge. I used another of the images from the 'Holly-Jolly' set by Penny Black, and the Cuttlebug 'Stars' embossing folder. The large star was cut using a Nestie die, and the smaller ones were done using the Cuttlebug 'Snowflakes #2' die.

Holly Jolly

I've used another of my new Penny Black stamps on this card...it's from the 'Holly-Jolly' set. I followed the Truly Scrumptious sketch...adding the 'extra' theme of 'Bling' in the form of glitter on the baubles on the tree and adhesive gems in the centres of the snowflakes (cut using my new Cuttlebug die). I'm also entering this card for the Winter Wonderland Challenge, where the theme is 'Twinkle & Sparkle'. All of the papers are from the 'Figgy Pudding' collection by BasicGrey.

ABC Challenge - A is for...

Woo-hoo...today sees the start of our third run through the alphabet over on the ABC Challenge blog...we thought we'd go easy on you, after last week's tough 'Zero embellishment' challenge. This week's theme is:

'A is for Anything Goes'
(with the added 'extra' theme of 'Animals')

Our challenge this week, is being sponsored by Simon Says Stamp, who have kindly donated one of their 'Zoo Animals Vacation' set for the winner. To celebrate the start of a new alphabet, we are introducing our 'Top 5'...each week a member of the design team will be choosing their favourite 5 entries and awarding those bloggers with our specially designed 'Top 5' blinkie to display on their blogs.

On to my card, I've used one of the cute Hedgie stamps from my new 'Wonderful' set by Penny Black. The papers are from the 'Sultry' pad (by BasicGrey)...the pink one has been embossed using the Cuttlebug 'Victoria' folder. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Anytime Messages' set (by Hero Arts), the flowers are from Poppicrafts, and I couldn't resist adding a few pieces of Craftwork Cards card candy.

Don't forget to check out the fab cards by the rest of the design team.

Had a little play...

...with some of my birthday goodies, and have made a card that fits a couple of challenges. I used the Sketch & Stash sketch (although I did take a few liberties...squashing it to fit a square card, and leaving off the two flowers (more by accident than design! lol)); and this is also for Stamp with Fun's 'Birthday' challenge.
I used my new Magenta flower stamp (coloured with watercolour pencils), and two of my new Cuttlebug folders - 'Victoria' and 'Moroccan Screen'. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Fabulous Birthday' set by Hero Arts, and the ribbon is from Poppicrafts.

My Birthday Goodies!

I had lots of lovely cards from my crafting buddies to open yesterday...and some little parcels of goodies too! ;0) Here's a photo of them all...

...I believe that there are some more on their way...but they seem to have got held up in the postal strikes, and are yet to make their way across the picket line! lol Nevermind...this way my birthday can last all week!

I also have a lovely haul of new craft stash...it seems that most of my presents were craft related this year! lol Lots of lovely new stamps, Cuttlebug folders & dies, BG papers & brads, beads, ribbons, charms, flowers and some images too...I can't wait to have a play today!


Right, am off to get inky! ;0)

Happy Bee-Day to Me!

It's my birthday today...and I'm really looking forward to opening a pile of cards from my crafty buddies! ;0) But before I do, here's a card I made yesterday using the Sketch Saturday Challenge sketch and the 'Cute as a bug' theme of the Secret Crafter Challenge. I've used 'Bee Costume' (by Penny Black), as my image...I think this cat really is 'Cute as a bug'! lol The stripey paper is by Crate Paper, and I used the Cuttlebug 'Spots & Dots' folder on a piece of Core'dinations Whitewash card...although I wasn't concentrating and put it in the folder the wrong way up...so it's actually 'de-bossed'! lol The sentiment stamp is by Stampendous, the ribbon is from Poppicrafts, and the paper roses are from Hobbycraft.

Roses for you

This is my card for this week's Penny Black Saturday Challenge (a fab sketch), and as my image (from the 'Hugs' set) has roses on it, I'm also entering this for this week's One Stop Craft's 'Roses' challenge. The papers are a mixture of BasicGrey 'Blush' (top piece), and My Mind's Eye 'Adore' (bottom piece). I used my 'Perfect Paisley' Cuttlebug folder on a piece of Core'dinations card, then lightly sanded it to reveal some of the core. The sentiment is from a set that came free with Docrafts Creativity mag, the swirl is a Whiff of Joy stamp, and the flowers and ribbon are from Poppicrafts.

Allsorts Challenge - Guest Designer Card

Here's my card for the second of my weeks as guest designer for the Allsorts Challenge, where Gro has chosen the theme of:

'Vintage'

I've not only gone vintage, but have gone festive too...and have used another Stamps Happen stamp that I've had for ages...but never used, as I thought he looked kind of old fashioned. As the stamp is quite large, I've kept the layout quite simple. The papers, sentiment and snowflake are all from the 'Festive' collection pack by My Mind's Eye, and I inked the edges using chalk inkpads for definition, and to make them look a little bit more vintagey.

Make sure you stop by and check out the fabulous creations by the design team.
Thanks for having for the past couple of weeks girls...I've really enjoyed it!

Summer Willow

I've combined a few challenges on this card: the Whiff of Joy Challenge sketch (although I've just noticed that I forgot the sentiment! lol); the Papertake Weekly 'Seasons' challenge (I chose summer); A Spoon Full of Sugar's 'Floral Fantasy' challenge; and Pile it On's challenge to use at least 3 flowers.
I've used 'Kneeling Willow', and watercoloured her to match these summery Cosmo Cricket 'Hey Sugar' papers. The flowers are from Poppicrafts, the pearl brads are Papermania, and the raffia lace is from Hobbycraft.

Rainin' Daisies

'Rainin' Daisies' is one of my favourite Penny Black stamps...as it can be used for so many occasions, and coloured to match any papers. I've followed this week's Secret Crafter Challenge sketch for the layout...it's a lovely simple one, with plenty of scope for adding extra embellishments...so I'm sure I'll use it again. I decided to use just one design of paper for both layers - it's from the '29th Street Market' range by My Mind's Eye. To balance out the knot in the ribbon, I added a few cute flower shaped buttons (all from Poppicrafts)...so I'm also entering this card into this week's Simon Says Challenge, where the theme is 'Buttons & Ribbons'.


Right...I'm off to bake some cakes for a party tonight...yum!

ABC Challenge - Z is for...

We've reached the end of the alphabet this week at the ABC Challenge...and this week's theme is:

Z - for 'Zero Embellishment'

We'd like to see you strip your cards back to the bare essentials...and leave all of your flowers, ribbons, buttons and brads in the drawer...we know you can't bear to use them anyway! ;0)

I've made a Christmas card this week...and decided to make my stamped image ('Curly Tree' by Anita's) a real focal point. I kept the background all white...using embossed textures ('Swiss Dots', Snowflakes' and 'Snow Dots' Cuttlebug folders) for interest.

To celebrate the end of the alphabet (don't worry...we will be back for more next week!)...there's a prize up for grabs...so I do hope that you'll join us. For more inspiration, make sure you check out the other design team members blogs.

Birthday Hugs

I love the sketch for this fortnight's Sugar Bowl Challenge...really great for using up scraps of paper. I decided to make a boy's card...and used 'Dexter Bear' for the image. The papers are all Fancy Pants Design ('Papa')...and I doodled some faux-stithing around all of the edges...for the 'extra' element to the challenge. The sentiment is made up of two stamps - the 'Birthday' part is from the Woodware 'Circular Greetings' set, and the 'hugs' part is from the 'Hugs' set by Penny Black. As this is a boy's card, and there's already quite a lot going on with the patterned papers, I added only a simple star (cut using Nesties) for embellishment.

Feeling Festive...

It's another Christmas card...this time using the Christmas Stampin' All Year Long sketch...it's a nice simple one...perfect for making the image the focal point. I used 'Teddy Bear' by Rachelle Anne Miller (for Stampavie), watercolouring him to match the BasicGrey 'Figgy Pudding' paper. I used my favourite Cuttlebug folder ('Snowflakes') for the embossing on the top section...so I'm also entering this card into this week's Cuttlebug Spot Challenge...where they're having a 'Spot the Cuttlebug Spot' contest with some fabby prizes.

It's a Girl Thing

After a morning spent working...and then sorting out dusty books...I decided to treat myself to a little play time...and have made a card for a few challenges: the Creative Card Crew's 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' challenge; Stamp Something's 'Paper Piecing' challenge; and the Dutch Dare to 'Use Lace on Our Cards'.
I paper pieced my Gorjuss Girl's dress with some BasicGrey 'Blush' paper, and stamped some swirls (by Whiff of Joy) in the corners of another piece of the same paper for the background. The strip across the centre was embossed with the Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' folder, and the lace is from Hobbycraft.

Catch a star

Well, I've gone from 'Summer' to 'Winter Wonderland' in the space of a couple of hours this afternoon...a bit like our weather! lol
I've used this week's Papertake Weekly sketch for my Winter Wonderland Challenge card...where the theme is...'Winter Wonderland'! lol
I've used a Stamps Happen stamp called 'Catch a Star'...which I'm ashamed to say I've never used on a card before...I bought it a few years ago when I was first getting into stamping, but made a mess of colouring it then...and didn't try again until today. I kept the rest of the card very simple...using my Cuttlebug 'Snowflakes' and 'Swiss Dots' folders on plain white card...I seem to have a bit of a 'white' thing going on with my Christmas cards this year! lol

Bunny Friends

I've used this week's Friday Sketcher's sketch to make my 'Summery' Penny Black Challenge card. I used part of the 'Bunny Friends' stamp for the image, and papers by My Mind's Eye ('29th Street Market'). The flowers are from Poppicarfts, the brads are Papermania, and the sentiment was cut using the Cuttlebug 'Olivia' alphabet.

Willow with Cookies...yum!

We've had a really dull and dreary day here...so I've spent a bit of time crafting this afternoon...and managed to combine a few challenges on this card: the Sketch & Stash sketch; the Our Creative Corner Challenge to use 'Purple' on our cards; the One Stop Craft Challenge of 'Swirls & Pearls'; and the Whiff of Joy 'Floral' challenge. I used my new 'Willow with Cookies' stamped image (by Whiff of Joy), watercolouring her to match the My Mind's Eye paper ('29th Street Market'). I stamped some swirls (stamp by Whiff of Joy) in the corners, added a few adhesive pearls and some flowers (from Poppicrafts and Hobbycraft.

Allsorts Challenge - Guest Designer Card

I was thrilled last week to see that I'd won the guest designer spot on the Allsorts Challenge for the next two weeks...ok, so I know it was picked by Random.org, but I was still excited! lol

Anyway, this week's challenge has been set by Lisa, and is a 'Recipe':

3 Flowers, 2 Papers and 1 Ribbon (plus image & sentiment)

I picked a Rachelle Anne Miller stamp ('Rainy Days') that hasn't seen any ink in a while to use for my card, and watercoloured it to match these yummy My Mind's Eye papers ('Adore'). The sentiment stamp is by Whiff of Joy...and it goes perfectly with this image. I layered up my three flowers (from Poppicrafts), attaching them with a Papermania pearl brad, and used my ribbon to tie a bow around the centre of the card. The finishing touch was a small heart-shaped brad (from Tesco).


Make sure you go and check out the cards by the Design Team...I just know that they'll have cooked up some really delicious creations! lol