Taking the lazy ....

.... way out!!  It was my turn to set the challenge this week on PaperPlay,  I cheekily decided to take the easy peasy option, so the theme is "Anything Goes"!!!  We are sponsored this week by Waltzing Mouse Stamps - I hadn't come across their stamps, but have a look - they are gorgeous - more to add to the wish list, I particularly like the vintage labels.

Here's my card (pic taken at 7am this overcast morning, so it's a bit dark!):

I used this week's sketch on Sketch Saturday (I rotated it).  I'm also entering this card on Simon Says Stamp (dotty - you have to look closely, the dotty bit is the scalloped bit the image is mounted on), Fussy & Fancy Friday (stitches, scallops, sparkle), The Shabby Tea Room (1 ribbon, 2 buttons, 3 punches or dies),  Crafty Creations (summer) and Bunny Zoes Crafts (summer).

I dug into my stash and used some very old Crate Paper papers for this card, and went crazy with stickles.  Here's a close-up of the sweet image:

Recipe:

Papers: Crate Paper "Blue Hill"

Stamp: Leanne Ellis for Sugar Nellie "Bluebell"

Colouring Medium: Distress Inks

Other: Ribbon from stash, "Blue Hill" chipboard buttons, sentiment stamp from stash, diamond stickles, needle + thread

I'm off now to contemplate on my first card for Creative Card Crew (eeek - the pressure!).  Don't forget to enter my blog candy - post at top of blog.

Bitten by the ....

.... Tilda bug - I don't quite know how it happened, I've said before that I didn't like these stamps when I first saw them, but almost without me realising it, they've grown on me to such an extent that I've started a collection (yes, another collection - I'm doomed - again!) - and they are so lovely to colour!!

This card isn't for anyone in particular, I was at a workshop on Thursday night and began working on it, and then finished it at a crop today.  I used last week's sketch from Sketch Saturday, obviously can't enter it 'cos it's too late now - and I used the "Seasons" theme (mine being "Autumn") from Magnolia Down Under, only to find that I'm too late for that as well, curses!  Here's the card:

I'm entering it on Totally Tilda (chocolate), Just Magnolia (vintage), Basic Grey Challenges (stitching), The Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge (Fairy Tales) and Crafty Angels (shabby chic).

I have to thank Mina for telling me how to make the image have bits sticking out - I assumed she had some complicated Nestability trick I hadn't worked out.  Nope - it's simple!!  All I did was centre a roll of sellotape over the image, trace around it lightly in pencil and cut it out by hand, leaving the foot sticking out!!!  I used distress inks to colour the image, and added a few sparkly highlights with diamond stickles on the tiara and swirly movement bits and copper stickles on the hem of the dress.  They don't show up in the pics, though.  Here's a close-up anyway:

Recipe:

Stamps: Magnolia "Ballerina Tilda" from Fairytale Collection + Hero Arts "Three Designer Leaves"

Papers: Basic Grey Nook + Pantry, Archaic, Scenic Route "Grafton"

Colouring Medium: Distress Inks

Other: Doodlebug copper brads, copper + diamond stickles, ribbon from stash, needle + thread

Thanks for looking!

And now for something ....

.... completely different!!  We are sponsored this week on PaperPlay by Craft Brulee - and the DT got some lovely ribbons, lace and handmade flowers to play with.  My pack had the most lovely emerald green flower and green and cream lace.  All good so far, until I checked the challenge for the week.  Blue and cream.   Hmmmm, blue and cream and emerald green.  What a combination!!  I just couldn't get my head around it, and eventually I decided to do something very different to my normal style.  Here it is:

It's a lot blingier in real life, as I took the photo early this morning.  The dark blue paper is Basic Grey Granola distressed, stitched and edged in emerald green, the stamp is a Hero Arts one, heat embossed with black ep, and I have lots and lots of Prima crystals, both the swirl and then lots stuck onto the chandelier.  I was going to do a sentiment on the lines of "have a luxurious birthday" or "birthday bling", but it just wouldn't fit and blocked out the crystal swirl, so I left it out.  I don't know what to think about this card - it's so unlike what I usually make.

Thanks for looking!

Colouring is fun ....

.... but only when you can find the ones you want!!  I posted about my super new organised pro-markers in my last post.  It was so easy to find the ones I needed when I was making my daughter's birthday card.  She'll be 16 soon (eeeek - how did that happen?!!!).  Here's my card:

I used the sketch from this week's Sugar Bowl and there is also a blue theme, which I've covered!  I'm also entering it into Passion for ProMarkers (distressing), Crafty Creations (happy or sweet),  Papertake Weekly (cutie patootie) and Crafty Angels (shabby chic. Can shabby be bright colours - I'm not sure?).

I used my scrumptious new Cosmo Cricket papers that I got last week.  I cobbled the sentiment together on Word, using two different fonts and some text boxes to squeeze it all together and I'm really pleased with the result.

I bought the stamp quite a while ago, with my daughter in mind, she loves all things manga. And since her hair is dyed red at the moment I decided to colour the image's hair red too (although dd's is not quite as red at this!!).  Here's a close-up:

Recipe:

Papers: Cosmo Cricket "Material Girl"

Stamp: Sugar Nellie "Manga Girl #2"

Colouring Medium: Letraset ProMarkers

Fonts: OldGateLaneOutline and Dear Joe 4

Other: Distress Inks, Nestabilities Label 1, stickles, needle + thread

Thanks for looking!

WOYWW ....

.... I remembered!!!  Here's my desk this morning for all you WOYWWers out there.  I was working on a card for my daughter, which I'll post in a separate post, things will get way too long otherwise!!!

I was using lovely Cosmo Cricket Material Girl papers, some new Distress Inks - and I took out my Promarkers for the first time in ages.  I'd had storage problems with them, and any time I used them, couldn't see the wood for the trees sort of thing, it was very hard to work out what colours I had.  So I spent several happy obsessive hours last weekend doing this:

I'm sorry I can't credit the creator of the idea, I've seen it on several blogs over the past months and have also met several people in real life who have done it too.  So all I can say is "thanks" to whoever first thought of it - brilliant storage solution.

Thanks for looking!!

Had another go ....

.... at digi-stamps this week for my PaperPlay DT card.  Sandie set the challenge with a lovely sketch to follow, and we were sponsored by Meljen's Designs.  I had a bunch of crafty friends round at my house yesterday - we had a super-productive day chat-wise and eating-cake-wise, but not so much craft-wise!!!!Here's the sum total of my day's hard work!!:

I'm also entering it into the new Wild Orchid Challenge (say it with flowers - I'm saying it with flower!), Paper Sundaes (lots of Layers) and ABC Challenge (You + Me).

That poor little girl - I initially coloured her face with Antique Linen Distress Ink, it picked up some of the printer ink and she ended up looking very very queasy.  I salvaged her as best I could by adding tattered rose, it took away the worst of the green tinge, but I think she looks like her face (and ears!) need a good wash!!!  But I do like how the jeans and shoes turned out.  Here's a close-up (errrrrr - not sure I really want you to see it!!!):

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Max + Whiskers"

Stamp: Meljens from Whimsy Stamps

Punch: Fiskars "Threading Water"

Other: Ribbon and flower from stash, distress inks, needle + thread

Thanks for looking!



P.S. I got a package of stuff in the post today, part of which completes my blog candy.  Just have to put it all together and photograph over the next few days - watch this space!

DT Call for ....

.... Truly Scrumptious.  My second post today doesn't have any new cards, it's my submission for Truly Scrumptious's (try saying that out loud!) DT Call.  They're looking for two new DT members for their fortnightly challenge and hopeful candidates must post two of their own favourite cards and link through to the DT call post on the Truly Scrumptious blog.
The cards I'm entering both feature my favourite things: patterned paper and stitching.  The first has a Tilda stamp, perenially popular, but I've only recently started using them.  It's coloured with distress inks.  The second is a Penny Black stamp coloured with prisma pencils and sansodor:

Wish me luck!!!

Sending Donkey ....

.... smiles!  Many crafting bloggers will have heard of the accident that befell Michelle, a lovely lady who lives on a farm in Texas.  Some of her friends on A Spoon Full of Sugar decided to organise a card drive for Michelle - so she will get cards from all over the world wishing her well.  One of her great loves is her beloved donkeys, so as part of the card drive, freebie digi donkeys have been provided if people wish to use them.  Here's my card:

I used the lovely sketch from this week's Truly Scrumptious, and am also entering it into Totally Papercrafts (pearls and swirls).

I was originally going to use soft greys and pinks (donkey colours!) - but when I checked out Michelle's work, I can see she loves bright colours, flowers and pearls - so I ramped up the pink - a lot!!!

This is only the second time I've used a digi-stamp, my printer is not so good with these at all.  I dried it with a heat-gun several times and it took a few goes to colour without smudging.  All I can say is I'm glad my donkey is grey!!!  Here's a close-up of the image:

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Bittersweet"

Stamp: Digistamp by Meljens at Whimsy Stamps

Colouring Medium: Distress Inks

Other: Stickles, Maya Road Flower, Basic Grey Pearls, ribbon from stash, needle + thread

Thanks for looking, and if you haven't already and would like to make a card for Michelle, follow the links in this post to find out the details.

Your Number's ....

.... Up!!  My turn to set the challenge this week on PaperPlay - I'm asking entrants to feature a number prominently on their work.  We are sponsored this week by Simon Says Stamp, who are offering at $15 voucher for this week's winner.

I used this week's sketch on Totally Gorjuss (rotated a bit!), and the photo inspiration on this fortnight's Basic Grey Challenges - an icy fruity dessert picture that immediately brought to mind the lovely new BG Olivia papers, which have my favourite dusky pink and green colours.  I can't believe my friend's daughter, Ava, is nearly one already - it seems no time at all since I was making a card to welcome her arrival.  Here's the birthday card:

I'm also entering this into Bunny Zoe Crafts (nice and girly), Creative Card Crew (die-cuts), and Totally PaperCrafts (one for the girlies),

I coloured my Tilda with Distress Inks - I love this little one - she's called "Summer Time Tilda with Bow", only I cut the wings off her, didn't like them, and the funny lumpy bits under her skirt, I think they were the bottoms of the wings, didn't like them either!!!  I glossy accented the bottoms of her shoes and the dots on her bow and stickled the smock bit of her top.

I made the big Number 1 out of cardstock, then painted with cream acrylic paint, slathered in stickles and then when it was dry I slathered it again with Rock Candy Distress Crackle Paint.  I think they reacted a bit badly to each other, 'cos when the crackle paint dried it was trying to peel away from the stickles, but I shoved it back with my fingertips and it seems to have stabilised!  Here's a close-up of the image and number:

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Olivia" and "Perhaps"

Stamp: Magnolia "Summer Time Tilda with Bow"

Colouring Medium: Distress Inks

Other: Diamond Stickles, Glossy Accents, Rock Candy Distress Crackle Paint, Needle + Thread

Thanks for looking!

Oh yes ....

.... it's Wednesday, I remembered!!  Time for another WOYWW.

Here's my desk earlier this evening:

I was working on a DT card for tomorrow - you can see a little Tilda all coloured up and cut out ready for the card.  The jar beside the paintbrush is Distress Crackle Paint in Rock Candy - first time I've used it, but I layered it over stickles and I don't think they liked each other!!

Here's the other side of the desk - the lovely new BG Olivia 6" x 6" paper pad and a few older BG lines and some ribbons I didn't use on the card in the end:

Thanks for looking!

Dusting off ....

.... the desktop, after a week and a half of no crafting.  The weather has been beautiful for the start of the holidays - we've been out in the garden, went to the beach (where we saw a school of dolphins right in by the shore), daughter went to a festival in Belfast and had a blast, and I've caught up on the ironing too!!

I had to make a sad sad card, for an old friend whose beautiful wife died recently at the absurdly young age of 36.  She was an avid gardener (and cook, and decorator - her friends used to joke that she was the Irish Martha Stewart!), so I thought I'd base the card around her favourite hobby.  Here it is:

Recipe:

Papers: October Afternoon "Weathervane" and Basic Grey "Nook & Pantry"

Stamp: Hero Arts "Jamaican Forget-me-not"

Other: Distress Inks, Perfect Pearls, needle + thread

I used the sketch from this week's Mojo Monday, and am also entering it into Simon Says Stamp (check it out), Creative Card Crew (die-cuts) and Creative Cottage (summer).  The photo is very dark, 'cos summer is over again, it might be back next week though!  The card is not as "muddy" looking in real life.

I am about to start knitting again, haven't done any in about 10 years, but my fingers have had a funny itch lately that I reckon can only be fixed with two steel needles and a ball of wool!!!  I went on line for inspiration, and before I knew what had happened, the postman brought this mad stuff:

It's silk thread with a steel core, and it knits into a kind of strong mesh (allegedly).  I found a pattern for a nice sort of cable/lace jumper so that's my aim.  Hmmmmm. Will see how it goes.

Thanks for looking!

A week of ....

.... silence and nothingness!! Bliss!! I can't believe nearly a week of the holidays has already passed.  I knew I was tired from the craziness that was the month of June, but I didn't know just how tired.  I spent pretty much all of last weekend asleep and I've been sleeping 10 or 12 hours every night this week too.  What a luxury!!!

I did this week's DT card for PaperPlay a few weeks ago, for one of my son's friends.  The theme is a card for a child or teenager, and we are sponsored this week by Stitchy Bear Stamps - they are giving away four digi images to the winner.  We've also got a load of new DT members (welcome girls!), there are such a lot of samples to see.  Here's my card:

Recipe:

Papers: Cosmo Cricket "Cogsmo"

Happy Birthday Letter Stickers: October Afternoon

"Colm" Letter Stickers: Printed from computer

Other: Eyelets from stash, needle & thread

I couldn't find any other challenges to add this to.  Internet has been down all day today and only just back now - isn't it funny how completely dependent we are on it, I kept wanting to google things or check things, had intentions of making a card, but since I couldn't check what challenges to do it for, I decided not to!

Thanks for looking!