Betcha didn't think ....

.... I'd finish that card today?  Neither did I, but .... I did!!  Maybe because I have to make a card a day for the next three days, no excuses - they're all due imminently.  Eek!

Today's card is the second of three commissioned cards that I'm making for a lady's 60th birthday.  I'm going for a very different look for each one, so I've moved from yesterday's soft greens and fairies to this -screaming bright red and manga!!

I've used the sketch from The Sugar Bowl - I'm also entering this into Kaboodle Doodles ("Stitching"), Stamp Something ("Summer Something" - my manga girl looks like she's heading out into an Irish summer - with sunhat AND umbrella!) and Totally Gorjuss ("punch or die").

I changed this card so many times while I was making it - the cardstock went from red to cream to aqua and finally walnut - and the top patterned paper layer went from these cherries to some blue with kites to some blue with red birds and finally back to the cherries again.  What a pain in the wotsit!!  My crafting buddy, Michelle, lent me a beautiful doily die at the crop the other night - it cuts out the most intricate doily pattern which I've used on this card - I'm going to have to buy this die, I think it's on the Joanna Sheen site.  It's also extremely therapeutic poking the bits out of all those little holes!!

Here's a close-up of my little Manga girl.





Recipe:

Papers: Cosmo Cricket "Togetherness" and "Early Bird"

Image: Sugar Nellie "April Showers"

Colouring Medium: Distress Inks

Other: Doily Die, Hero Arts pearls, ribbon from stash, needle + thread

Thanks for looking - fingers crossed for another card tomorrow!!!

15 hours to go ....

.... until summer holidays, yippee!

Made a thank you card for my son's teacher for this week's PaperPlay.  The theme this week is "It's sunny here" and the prize is a €15 gift certificate from Bunny Zoes Crafts. Here's my card:

The title of challenge may be "It's Sunny Here", but this morning when I took the photo, it wasn't!!!  So the card is a good deal more vibrant looking in real life!!

I used the sketch from this week's Sketch Saturday, and I'm also entering it on ABC Challenge (X-tra dimension - mine is the popped up sun), Cute Card Thursday (reuse, renew, recycle), and Crafty Creations (shine - again, the sun).

I really like that happy sun.  I cut it off a carrier bag from Daisy & Tom some years back and almost threw it out lots of times.  Glad I kept it now.  I cut out the round part, slathered it in glossy accents, popped it up on the card and drew the rays with black zig marker.  Here's a close-up:

Recipe:

Papers: Cosmo Cricket "Early Bird"

Stamp: Hero Arts "Row of Perky Flowers"

Colouring Medium: Distress Inks

Other: Glossy Accents, needle & thread

I've just realised I've passed 10,000 hits on my blog.  Time to organise a candy, I think.  I'll organise something next week (when I'm on my .... summer holidays!).

Thanks for looking.

Oh my, all my friends ....

.... are turning 50, and policemen are definitely looking younger - does this mean I'm getting old?!!!

I had another 50th birthday card to do this week, and have used it for my PaperPlay DT entry, which this week is to "use a stamp and some bling".  We are sponsored this week by Stitchy Bear Stamps, the prize being 4 of their digital images.  Right, on to business, here's my card:

Excuse slightly blurry image, I took the pictures in a wild hurry before leaving for school, and had to hand the card over there so couldn't re-take.  I've used the sketch from Sketch Saturday (lovely to work with it was too!), and I'm also entering this on Crafty Angels (1 ribbon, 2 papers, 3 flowers - my papers have at least three flowers!), Simon Says Stamps (Birthdays/Celebrations) and Bunny Zoes Crafts (3 flowers, 2 papers, 1 ribbon or lace).

The lady who is getting this card, although she's Irish, lives in Finland, so I went with a slightly Scandi vibe with the colours on this card.  I did try to put three actual flowers on it, but the papers are so very busy, they were practically invisible, so I didn't use them, and decided that there are enough flowers on the papers to fulfill any flowery requirement!!!  The tag has Happy 50th Birthday on one side, and "Marion" on the other with some blingy bling.  I've also blinged the image, put stickles on her collar and gems on the little sticky-out bits of her dress - here's a close-up:

Recipe:

Stamp: "Poinsettia Girl" by Leanne Ellis for Sugar Nellie

Papers: Cosmo Cricket "Early Bird"

Colouring Medium: Distress Inks

Other: Ribbon, Stardust Stickles, Hero Arts Gems, Scalloped Oval Nestabilities, needle & thread

Thanks for looking!

Shiny Happy People ....

.... is the name of my challenge on PaperPlay Challenges this week, - use a "person" stamp/image, but it must have gloss, shimmer or sparkle on it. We're very excited to have Simon Says Stamp on board as a sponsor for this week's challenge (and the second Thursday of every month), they're offering a gift voucher as this week's prize, great news!

Here's my DT entry:

Recipe:

Stamp: "Blossom" by Leanne Ellis for Sugar Nellie

Papers: Cosmo Cricket "Early Bird"

Colouring Medium: Pro-markers

Other: Ribbon, Glossy Accents, Antique Linen Distress Inks, Nestabilities, needle & thread.

I've used the sketch from this week's Friday Sketchers, and this week's Stampin for the Weekend challenge is called "Ribbons and Bows".  Simon Says Stamp are looking for a card for a child, and Quixotic Challenges is "The Joys of Spring". Check!

I think I'm starting to get the hang of the pro-markers, although I still haven't bought the good non-bleed Letraset paper - all in good time!!  I tried to challenge myself not to distress the edges, in the end I had to use distress ink - can't bear white edges!!!

Thanks for looking!