Cards all around the ....

world!  I've noticed the Card Chain Challenge before, as you might have too, but this was the first time I've gotten organised enough to join. Due to some serious work commitments, our Card Chain Challenge hostess, Deborah, was forced to push the October Reveal back a few days until now.

I got a lovely card from Jo in England.  She sent me this gorgeous cat, with a very funny sentiment.  I love the colouring of the cat's eyes and the cheese.

There are various themes/a sketch/colour combination that the participants can choose to make their card.  I went with the theme of friendship, and my card winged it all the way to Robyn in Australia (very impressed with the postal system, it only took 8 days to get there).  Here's the card I sent to her:

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Archaic"

Stamps: Papertrey Ink "Simple Sunflower", Hero Arts

Font: "Throw My Hands up in the Air" - dafont.com

You can take a look at all the other participants cards by visiting Deborah's blog here and if you're tempted to become a link in the January chain (we skip December) you can click here to find out all the details.

Thanks for looking!

On a roll ....

.... or is that a rollercoaster?!!!  Second last day, my desk in work is almost clear and only three hours to go tomorrow!  To compound the madness, one my son's friends had a birthday party today - so I made a quickish card last night.  He's the first of the gang to hit double figures, here's what I made:

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Archaic"

Other: Archaic stickers, Thickers lettering, needle + thread

I'm entering this into Basic Grey Challenges ("Stitching"), Crafty Cardmakers ("Spots and Stripes" - you have to look closely, but the dinosaurs spikes are stripey!  I think BG meant the round "spots" to be rocks, but I think they could also be dinosaur poo!!) and CES Challenges ("Anything but Square").

Thanks for looking!

Is it Monday ....

.... already?!!  That was a quick weekend, sigh!

My friend's son passed his driving test last week.  A few years back, in my early card-making days, when his sister passed her test, I made a card for her using one of my Snoopy stamps, so I decided to use the same stamp for him.  Here's my card (taken in veeeerrry poor light):

I used the sketch from this week's Papertake Weekly, and am also entering it into this week's Spoon Full of Sugar ("Animal Crackers") and Crafty Creations ("Transportation").

I coloured using Distress Inks and highlighted the glass and chrome bits of the car with glossy accents.  Here's a close-up of Snoopy and Woodstock:

Recipe:

Stamp: Stampabilities "Driving Woodstock"

Papers: Basic Grey "Nook + Pantry", Basic Grey "Archaic", October Afternoon "WeatherVane"

Other: Buttons from stash, needle + thread

Thanks for looking!

Aaaaah, it's the ....

.... weekend!!  Thank goodness, that was an intense three days back on the chain gang - our acting principal turned to me at the end of Wednesday and said, with all seriousness "Are you always this busy?"  Welcome to my world, bud!!!!  Got some happy news yesterday and today - my card from my last post won Sketch Saturday and got Top 5 on Stamp Something.  I am so chuffed - a voucher from one and a blinkie from the other, happy days!!  I have to apologise for the lack of commenting I've done this week, I've missed seeing everyone's work, and intend to get a good look over the weekend.

I was talking in my last post about having to make a card for a 19 year old, well it's taken a few days but I finished it this morning.  Here's what I made:

I used the sketch from this week's Truly Scrumptious and also the optional extra to use a knot somewhere on the card.  I'm also entering it into Double Dutch (favourite challenge - mine is #38 - Boys only), Creative Cottage ("celebrations") and SFTW ("shabby or vintage").

I laughed when I first saw the Mo Manning digi that I got for this card, it's the living image of the birthday boy, right down to skateboard, hat and all!!! I used a lot of orange on the card, both in colouring and the papers, as it's his favourite colour.  I made the numbers from chipboard, covered with orange paper, inked and crackle glazed.  Here's a close-up of the image:

And I thought I'd pop in a side-shot of the layers and dimension too:

Recipe:

Image: "Simon" by Mo Manning

Papers: Basic Grey "Archaic"

Colouring Medium: Distress Inks

Other: Cuttlebug Embossing folder, hairy string, WRMK eyelets, glossy accents, crackle accents, needle + thread

Thanks for looking!

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!

Back in action ....

.... I had no choice, I had a lot of cards to make this week.  Some of my son's classmates are having their first holy communions on Saturday - he was invited to two of their parties, but sadly for him, his great-grandmother's 90th birthday party is on the same day and he has to go to that.  He is not one bit happy and I don't blame him, what 8 year old boy would pass up on bouncy castles and mountains of sweets to go to a meal with a bunch of geriatrics and an accordion player?!!!!

Anyway, this is what I made for his friends, and it's also my PaperPlay DT entry for this week.  Set by the lovely Deirdre, it's called "Up in the Air"  - "We want to see things that fly. It can be butterflies, fairies, aerplanes or even balloons."

I don't have any religious-y stamps or embellishments, so I went with a Hero Arts dove that I've used before for communions.  I also stitched a little cross beside the name.  Here's my card:

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Archaic" and "Basics - Kraft"

Stamp: Hero Arts "Holiday Doves"

Colouring Medium: Prismacolour Pencils and Sansodor

Other: Nestabilities, Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, Tea Dye Distress Ink Needle + Thread

I've used the sketch from this week's Double Dutch Challenges, and am also entering it into A Spoon Full of Sugar (celebration), Creative Inspirations (distressed), and Quixotic Challenges (Emboss it).

Thanks for looking!

Those pesky nephews ....

.... keep getting older!! Yep, it's time for another teenage nephew card, I dread them!!!!  Started it at a crop yesterday, I did a lot more talking than crafting (also drank a lot of tea and coffee and ate a lot of sparkly cupcakes made by my baking crafting friend Liz!!).  Here's the finished article:

I used the sketch on this fortnight's Basic Grey Challenges, making it a more "boy-ie" version with stars instead of flowers.  I've used BG Archaic papers and stickers. 

I'm also entering this in this week's Creative Inspirations challenge, which is to use the colours green, brown and blue.

The numbers I made by cutting out chipboard, painting with Crackle Paint and then inking with Distress Inks.  Here's a little close-up - I love the crackle effect:

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey Archaic

Font: City Burn Night after Night

Other: Tim Holtz Crackle Paint and Distress Inks, eyelets and needle and thread

My craftroom is almost finished - the storage unit is done, walls all painted, we made up the Expedit unit today (eeeeeeek - claps hands, jumps about a bit!!!!) and moved the desk back up.  I have to do a template for some words on the wall and paint it, and move all my stuff back in and that's it.  Will post a few before and after pics when it's all done.

Thanks for looking!

Lots and lots ....

.... of brown.  Still liking brown as a crafting colour, don't know why, I just do!!

This one I've done using this week's sketch on Friday Sketchers.  The photo is vile, it looks much nicer in real life, especially the flower - it's more softly detailed than shows on the pic.  I'm also entering it in Totally Gorjuss, who are looking for ribbon - I've used the crochet lace ribbony stuff on this one.

The next card I made in a huge hurry for yet another of our friends who turned 50 recently.  They rang a few days before his birthday to say they were calling round, and I had to make the card there and then before they arrived.  Only took an hour and half or so - that's quick for me!!!!

Thanks for looking - I am now off to try and make a birthday card with a horse on it.  I don't like horses. Guess I'll make it a brown horse, then I might be more inspired!!!! Sigh.

Dry spell ....

.... around here, I hadn't made a thing in over a week. I didn't even get to Mandy's challenge on PaperPlay last week - it was a lovely sketch and I would have enjoyed it.

But after a late night frenzy last night, I've managed this week's challenge on PaperPlay Challenges, set by Sandie:

For my challenge I'd like you all to use your favourite embellishment on your project... whatever it may be :)

I've used brads and stitching, both of which I love, on my card, I'm also very fond of organza ribbon, but I felt there was enough on it already!!

I'll also enter this on Stamping for the Weekend, their challenge this week is to use the colour combo of orange, brown and leafy green (Hello, BG Archaic!!). It's hard to see them properly in the pic, I took it at 7am this morning when it was still dark, but those are indeed the colours!!!!

And the lovely sketch that I've used is from this week's Sugar Bowl, but I haven't used a Sugar Nellie stamp so I can't enter it!!

Thanks for looking!! And thanks to all those lovely readers who leave nice comments too!!!

First First ....

.... Communion Card!

Boy, the weekend has been very busy so far. We had a stall at a local car-boot sale this morning, which involved DH getting up and driving the car down at 5am to be sure of a space, we've spent the past week de-cluttering stuff to sell, and then DS was invited to his little neighbour pal's First Communion this afternoon.

I haven't made any religious ceremony cards (bar weddings and Christmas!) before and I didn't think I would be able to swing it. But never say die .... I found a Hero Arts stamp that looks like a dove with an olive branch and thought that might be appropriate.

Oh, also this was the first time I used my Nestabilities (I only have one set .... so far!)

Thanks for looking!

P.S. The car-boot sale was a success, despite some heavy rain showers which dampened everyone's enthusiasm, not to mention their goods, but we sold maybe 2/3 of the stuff we brought, and added a healthy sum to the holiday fund - YAY!!!

If I had brains ....

.... the story of the Basic Grey hiccup!!

I saw this challenge when it went up last Saturday on Basic Grey Challenges and decided to go for it - I had made some cards using their last sketch but didn't finish in time to post. Here's the sketch:


So, on Monday, I went for it - busy evening stamping, colouring, cutting, distressing, inking - the usual. Delighted with the card I made, left it on the desk to photograph in the morning and post on the site. But - when I got up - I realised that I had forgotten one important rule of the Basic Grey Challenges ..... I hadn't used ANY Basic Grey!!! (Anyone know if there is a Crate Paper Challenge blog???). D'OH!!!!

Back to the drawing board last night - using the same sketch and Basic Grey Archaic papers, here is the only-just-in-time entry:


And a wee close up of the image - Hero Arts stamp, stamped in Shadow soft green, highlighted with colouring pencils and a bit of bling:


Thanks for looking!!

P.S. Jennifer has some amazing blog candy on her blog. I can't get the sidebar link to work, though, but use the link above to check it out.