B for Beads...and Bear!

A bit of a mixed bag for you today...I've been doing a little more beading...and made a couple more single wrap bracelets:

The first one is made from Denim Lapis beads on brown waxed linen:

And the second one is Snowflake Obsidian with a few silver beads on black waxed linen:

If you'd like to try making one of these yourself (and they're really very simple to make) here's a link to a tutorial.


And now for a card...I can't remember the last time I used this adorable bear ('Rainin' Daisies' by Penny Black), so thought I ink him up...in honour of the April showers we're having at the moment! The papers are from the 'Isabelle' pad by First Edition...I've had these since Christmas, but this is the first time I've been brave enough to cut them up! The flowers were cut using my 'Tattered Florals' die...and they do match the colours in the papers...but for some reason look totally different in the photo! I added some faux stitching to the papers using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen...and embossed the flowers using my Craft Concepts 'Budding Vine' folder.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Creations - Flower Power
• Oldie but a Goodie - April Showers (Not sure exactly how long I've had this adorable stamp, but it must be several years!)
• Papercraft Star - Umbrellas
• Paper Playtime - Umbrella & a Die Cut
• Papertake Weekly - April Showers
• Simon Says Stamp - April Showers Bring Spring Flowers
• Stampin' for the Weekend - Ready, Teddy, Go!
• Sweet Sketch Wednesday - Sketch 

ABC Christmas Challenge - G is for...

I have another card for our current ABC Christmas Challenge today...where the theme is:

'G is for - Gold, White & a touch of Green'

We have two wonderful sponsors:

The prize from Simon Says Stamp is a $15 voucher to spend in their online store

And

The prize from Elizabeth Craft Designs is 3 sheets of gold Christmas outline stickers

I've used a stamp from the Penny Black 'Holly-Jolly' set...which I coloured using watercolour pencils...adding some sparkle to the gold stars using a Sakura Stardust pen...and some 'Polar White' Flowersoft for the snow. I used a couple of Sizzix/BasicGrey embossing folders ('Powdered Sugar' & 'Snowglobe') for the background...it's so simple, but I love how white card looks when it's embossed. I bought the gold lace from Dunelm Mill last weekend, and the sentiment is from the 'Critter Party' set (also by Penny Black).

I'm also entering this card into the following challenges:

• 52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Sketch 
• CCEE Stampers - Use an embossig folder
• Christmas Cards - Flowersoft/Flocking
• Critter Sketch - Critters
• Forever Friends (April) - Embossing
• Incy Wincy - Cute Critters
• Penny Black & More @ Allsorts - Oh so Cute!

Musical Agapanthus

Something inky for you today...I started by blending 'Dusty Concord', 'Chipped Saphire' and 'Stormy Sky' Distress Inks on a piece of white card...before stamping 'Agapanthus Clusters' (by Stampendous) over the top in black. I stamped my Hero Arts 'Music Background' stamp over the top...I inked it with 'Weathered Wood' Distress Ink...removing some of the ink before stamping to create a distressed effect. I 'coloured' the outline flowers with 'Chipped Saphire', then added a butterfly (from a My Paper World set) coloured using 'Dusty Concord' popped up on 3D foam, before spritzing everything with a Cosmic Shimmer spray...it's really sparkly in real life, but I couldn't get it to show in a photo. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Fabulous Birthday' set by Hero Arts, and the pearls are form WIld Orchid Crafts.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Bingo (Pearls-Purple-Blue) 
• Pink Elephant - Flowers
• Simon Says Stamp & Show - Use a Lord T!m Technique (I blended Distress Inks and removed some ink from my background stamp before stamping to create a distressed effect)
• Squirrel & the Fox - Things with Wings
• Totally Papercrafts - Bingo (Flowers-Die cut-Blue)

Green Trees

I have an ultra simple card for you today inspired by the Less Is More 'Three Shades of Green' challenge. I had planned to stamp my card...but couldn't find three shades of green ink that would work together in my collection...guess I need to go shopping! lol
So, I used die cuts instead...the trees are a Marianne Designs die...I cut them from various shades of green Core'dinations card...then layered a tree cut from white behind each one to look like snow on the branches...the dark green one in the front is popped up on 3D foam. The kraft card blank is by Craft UK ( I love these!) and the sentiment stamp is from the 'Bubble Tree' set by Woodware.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Pad - Use a die cut
• Less is More - Three Shades of Green
• Paper Sundaes - Sundae Bar (I chose kraft & die cuts)

Pile It On! Challenge - All About 'S'

I hope you're all having a Happy Easter...and that you've not eaten all your Easter eggs already! lol

We have a brand new challenge starting today over at Pile It On!...the theme is:

'All About 'S''

We want to see things beginning with 'S' on your projects

Our sponsor for this challenge is:

The prize is a $15 voucher to spend in the wonderful Simon Says Stamp store!

I've decorated another Easter treat bag...you'll be pleased to know that this is the last one you'll be seeing from me this year! I've used a Pollycraft image that I won a few weeks ago for being chosen as a 'favourite' over at the Pollycraft Challenge...he's called 'Fluffy Wabbit'...love his sock 'ears'! I coloured him using watercolour pencils to match the bright colours of the '72 & Sunny' We R Memory Keepers papers. I doodled some borders around the edges using a black gel pen, and added some patterned ribbon from my stash to tie the bag closed.

Here are the challenges I've Piled On!:

• Pile It On! - All About 'S' (Spots, Stripes, Scallops & Socks)
• Anything Goes - Anything Goes
• Card Makin' Mamas - Easter
• C.R.A.F.T. - Easter/Spring
• Craft Your Days Away - Easter
• Craft Your Passion - Dots & Stripes
• Crafty Calendar (April) - Easter
• Creative Stamp Friends - Easter Package
• Cute Card Thursday - I want Candy!
• Di's Digi Designs - Easter
• Digi Doodles - Something New (The image is new - I won it a couple of weeks ago)
• Do You Stack Up - Friendly Critters
• Everybody Art - Easter
• Fairy Fun Fridays - Anything Goes
• Here Come the Boys - Anything but a Card
• Hooked on Crafts - Easter
• My Mum's Craft Shop - Easter
• Papercraft Star - Anything Goes
• Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - Dies & Doodles
• Top Tip Tuesday - Easter and/or Animals

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the Pile It On! Challenge.

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Easter

It's time for a new challenge at the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge, and this week we want to see all things:

'Easter'

We have two fabulous sponsors for this challenge:

The prize from Crafter's Companion is a £10 voucher to spend in ther online store!

The prize from DigiDarla Designs is 5 digis of the winner's choice!

I've used an image from DigiDarla Designs called 'Baby Bunny with Eggs' on my project...another Easter treat bag. The paper is from the 'Hippity Hoppity' pad by We R Memory Keepers...I added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen. I used my EK Success 'Scalloped Diamonds' punch for the border along the bottom, and the spotty ribbon is from Fantastic Ribbons.

I'm also entering this bag into the following challenges:

• Card Crafter's Circle - Chocolate Bunnies
• Incy Wincy - Easter and/or Pastel Colours
• Love to Create - Easter
• Raise the Bar - Cutesy Easter 

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please visit the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge.

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - CASE IT (Me)

As it's the first Saturday of the month, the Penny Black Saturday Challenge is another 'CASE IT' challenge...and this time it's my turn. Here's the card I've chosen for you to CASE:

We have two wonderful sponsors this week:

The prize from Penny Black Inc is this fabulous stamp:

 And from the Ribbon Girl, we have this gorgeous mini kit:

I've used the same stamp ('Irises' by Penny Black)...but in a different colour combination...I watercolour stamped it using 'Spiced Marmalade', 'Fired Brick' and 'Forest Moss' Distress Inks...blending 'Old Paper' around the edges. I also embossed the backgrounds as in my previous card...on Core'dinations card in matching Distress Ink colours...using my Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' and 'Victoria' folders...sanding over the surface to reveal the cores. I kept the layout similar to my original card, with some custom dyed seambinding ribbon, and pearls, adding a sentiment (stamped using a stamp from the 'Fabulous Birthday' set by Hero Arts).

I'm also entering this card into the following challenges:

• Fab 'n' Funky - Embossing
• Simon Says Stamp - Favourite Tool (Cuttlebug)
• Sir Stampalot - Happy Birthday
• Wags 'n Whiskers - Say it with Flowers
• Whimsy Inspires - Use Ribbon

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please visit the Penny Black Saturday Challenge.

CAS Flowers

A quick post from me today...I'm in the middle of making some Hot Cross Buns...if they turn out ok, I'll pop back to show you later. I had a play with some new stamps on this card...the flower and butterfly are from a set by My Paper World (called 'Flowers & Butterflies' strangely enough!). I masked of a strip across the centre of the card, and blended 'Bundled Sage' Distress Ink over it, before stamping the flower and butterfly uaing a 'London Fog' Memento inkpad. I stamped them again on some scrap card, coloured them using 'Tattered Rose' and 'Victorian Velvet' Distress Inks, then layered them over the top...I don't think I'd cleaned my brush properly since using a Cosmic Shimmer pigment last week, so they're slightly sparkly! The sentiment stamp is from the 'Wonderful' set by Penny Black.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Catz - CAS
• Digi Doodles - New (The flower & butterfly are from a new stamp set)
• Flutter By Wednesdays - Open
• Less is More - Picture Inspiration 

**Edited to add - the Hot Cross Buns have just come out of the oven**

Despite the splodgy crosses...they still tasted yummy!

Happy Easter everyone!

Bun Buns Treat Bag

After brief stop for a Christmas card yesterday, I'm back with another Easter treat bag today. I've used a Penny Black stamp called 'Bun Buns'...I coloured the bunnies to match the We R Memory Keepers 'Hippity Hoppity' papers. The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts, the brad is BasicGrey, and the spotty ribbon is from Hobbycraft.

Challenges for this bag:

• Allsorts - Photo Inspiration (I took my inspiration from the colours)
• Crafty Creations - Signs of Spring
• Crazy Challenge - Spring
• Crazy4Challenges - Sketch 
• Creative Card Crew - Spring
• Creative Inspirations - Easter
• Stamp & Create - Spring
• Simply Create Too - Eggs and/or Bunnies

ABC Christmas Challenge - G is for...

It's time for a brand new ABC Christmas Challenge...with Lacey as our host...the theme is:

'G is for - Gold, White & a touch of Green'

We have two wonderful sponsors:

The prize from Simon Says Stamp is a $15 voucher to spend in their online store

And

The prize from Elizabeth Craft Designs is 3 sheets of gold Christmas outline stickers

I inked up a much neglected stamp for my card...it's called 'Flourish Tree with Stars' by Hero Arts. I stamped it on white card using Versamark ink, then heat embossed it with gold embossing powder. I then blended 'Bundled Sage' Distress Ink over the top...and spritzed it with a little gold Cosmic Shimmer pigment mixed with water over the top...it's lovely and sparkly in real life...but it doesn't really show up in the photo. I also coloured in the stars on the tree with the same gold Cosmic Shimmer pigment. I matted it on to white card painted gold with more pigment...I'd run out of gold card! The sentiment stamp is from the 'Bubble Tree' set by Woodware.

I'm also entering this card into the following challenges:

• 52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Anything Goes
• Crafty Ann's - Christmas
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Use a Sentiment
• Critter - Stars 
• Lollipop Crafts - No Embellishments
• Pink Elephant - Clean & Simple
• Stamp with Fun - No Easter Cards
• Totally Gorjuss - Swirly Whirly

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the ABC Christmas Challenge.

Cuttlebug Spot Challenge - Sketch

This week at the Cuttlebug Spot Challenge, we have a sketch for you to use:

I've used it to decorate another Easter treat bag...really hope you're not getting sick of these...I have three more to upload this week! The time I've used a Penny Black image...it's part of the 'Bunny Friends' stamp. The papers are BasicGrey 'Marjolaine'...I distressed the edges a little, then added faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen. The sentiment stamp is by Hero Arts, the little flowers were cut using a die in my Cuttlebug 'Olivia' alphabet set....with little green pearls in their centres (from Wild Orchid Crafts)...and the ribbon is from Hobbycraft.

I'm also entering this bag into the following challenges:

• Aud Sentiments - Happy Easter
• BasicGrey - Easter
• Crafty Cardmakers - Easter
• Paper Sundaes - Happy Easter
• Penny Black & More @ Allsorts - Oh so Cute
• Sisterhood of Crafters - Easter
• Sweet Stampin' - Easter
• Totally Stampalicious - Anything but a card

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please visit the Cuttlebug Spot Challenge.

Six Geese a-Laying

I have another gift bag today...I've used the 'Six Geese a-Laying' stamp from my Penny Black '12 Days of Christmas' set again. The papers are from the 'Hippity Hoppity' pad by We R Memory Keepers...I distressed the edges a little, then added faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen. I punched holes in either side of the top of the bag (using my Xcut ribbon slot punch), and tied it together using some satin ribbon from Hobbycraft.

Challenges for this bag:

• Card Crafter's Circle - Easter
• Crafting When We Can - Things with Wings
• Creative Inspirations - Sketch
• One Stop Craft - Easter
• PaperPlay - Easter
• Totally Papercrafts - Easter

Easter Treat Bag

I have a treat bag for you today...well...not actually 'for you'...but you know what I mean! I've been decorating a few little bags (bought from ebay) to put some Easter treats in to give as gifts...so you'll be seeing more of these this week. On this one, I've used a digi stamp from Bee Crafty called 'Easter Bunny & Hen'...so cute! The papers are from the 'Hippity Hoppity' pad by We R Memory Keepers...I distressed the edges a little, and added faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen. I punched holes at the top of the bag using my ribbon slot punch (by Xcut...I think) in the front and back, so that I could tie it closed with ribbon (from Hobbycraft).

Challenges for this bag:

• Craft Us Crazy - Anything but a card
• Crafty Catz - Use a Digi
• Crafty Sentiments - Easter
• Creative Crafts - Anything but a card
• Delightful - Easter
• Do You Stack Up - Sewing (my stitching is faux)
• Moving Along with the Times - Cute & Cuddly
• Papertake Weekly - Sketch
• Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
• Squirrel & the Fox - Easter

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Shape Up for Spring

This week's Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge theme has been set by Tracie, which is:

'Shape Up for Spring'

Any shape but square/rectangular with a spring theme

Our sponsor for this challenge is the fabulous:

The prize is a £10 gift voucher to spend in the Lili of the Valley online store!

I've used a cute little Penny Black stamp from the '12 Days of Christmas' set...he's supposed to represent '6 geese a-laying'! I cut my card using my Blossom Nesties...I cut two full shapes, then attached them together at the top to make my card. I layered up a few circles/blossom shapes...embossing the yellow layer with my 'Budding Vine' folder by Craft Concepts. The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts, and the brads are BasicGrey.

I'm also entering this card into the following challenges:

• Charisma Cardz - Easter
• Fab 'N' Funky - Easter
• Fussy & Fancy - Anything but Square/Rectangle
• Oldie but a Goodie - Easter (I've had this stamp for at least two years)
• Papercraft Star - Easter with a Duck, Chick or Egg
• Paper Sundaes - Spring Blossoms
• Scrapbook Sisters - Easter
• Shopping Our Stash - Circles or Dots

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please visit the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge.

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Sing-A-Long

This week at the Penny Black Saturday Challenge, we're asking you to:

'Sing-a-long'

We wan't to see cards inspired by songs or music based images on your cards

We don't have a sponsor for this challenge, so instead, we're offering the lucky winner the opportunity to join us as a guest designer for the month of May!

My card is inspired by 'Let's Go Fly a Kite' (from Mary Poppins)...and I've used an adorable teddy stamp called 'Fly with me'. As the image is so large, I kept the rest of the card really simple, embossing some Core'Dinations card using my Cuttlebug 'Diamond Plate' folder. The sentiment was done on computer.

I'm also entering this card into the following challenges:

• CAS-ual Fridays - Song Title ('Let's Go Fly a Kite!' from Mary Poppins)
• Cupcake Crafts - The Sound of Music  ('Let's Go Fly a Kite! from Mary Poppins) 
• Whimsy Inspires - No Patterned Paper

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, pop over to the Penny Black Saturday Challenge.