Monday 31 March 2008

ISMAKI - sketch #13

Petra, one of the Magnolia Design Team members for Sweden, has designed a wonderful sketch this week for the ISMAKI challenge blog. The sketch shows flowers,but as I wanted to make a card for a young boy, I've replaced those with a frog and some mushrooms.. I thought the recipient would appreciate them more!



I have used another H&S image, all the little boy characters are sooo cute! The patterned papers are by Imaginisce, gorgeous as they are double sided! The cute frog and mushrooms that replace the flowers on the original sketch are by Magnolia. The 'make a wish' stamp is by Daisy Bucket and the 'happy birthday' stamp is from a set by Woodware. I have used a brown pen to dot around some of the swirls on the background paper.

Sunday 30 March 2008

Papertake - sketch challenge


This week on the Papertake challenge blog, we had a lovely sketch by Katharina to work from. I love working from sketches and have been trying to find time all week to do this one. I finally got it done.. a bit late as the new challenge is due tomorrow!



The background paper is from the Cool Dude range by Daisy Bucket. I love their papers as they are double sided so you get lots of choice. I coloured the H&S image with Supracolour watercolour pencils and used a brown pen for the corner doodles. The sentiment stamps are by See'Ds. I used a punch to cut out the centre from the round sentiment, chalked the edges and attached it to the girls hand with a small length of string.

Friday 28 March 2008

big tree... little tree...

I am supposed to be making a few Christmas cards each month, but this month I hadn't made a single one... so the challenge on Rainbow Ladys Challenge blog this week came at the perfect time for me.
'Your challenge this week is BIG TREE, LITTLE TREE, and I would like you to make a Christmas card using this theme. Yes, I know it is only March but you will have one less to make nearer the time.'


I have used some scraps of Imaginisce double sided paper for this card. The tree images are from Pink Petticoat, coloured with Supracolor watercolour pencils. I added some doodled corners with a black pen before mounting them onto matching card. I also added some Stickles on the baubles, pot and star for a bit of glitz. The larger tree is double matted on red and green card and then on foam pads.

I must get a few more Christmas cards made over this weekend... one a month is just not good enough!!!

Thursday 27 March 2008

ISMAKI sketch 12 by Beatrix


Beatrix designed a gorgeous sketch this week for the ISMAKI challenge blog, it was wonderful to work with and I really enjoyed making this card!


The background paper is by Daisybucket - 'Marissa' from the Southern Belle Collection. I received the Hanglar image in a swap, isn't she sweet! I've coloured her with Supracolor pencils and mouted her on dark brown card... the same brown card was used to punch the small circles on the right of the card. The green pearlised card circle was embossed with the Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' embossing folder. Greeting stamp by See'D's, Prima flowers and leaves, the spacer beads and brads from my stash.

Monday 24 March 2008

Tilda & Co - template challenge

This weeks challenge at Tilda & Co is a template, lovely!


Here's the card I made... I found some lovely papers by Fancypants that I'd bought at a show 2 years ago and never used. 2 years!!!! can you believe it!!! I stamped and coloured the image and double mounted it. The two side tags are make from the reverse side of the floral paper. Brad, spacer bead and flower from my stash.

Sunday 23 March 2008

My Paper World


I found a new card sketch challenge with lovely examples throughout the week of what can be created from the sketch... do check out the My Paper World blog!



Background paper used on this card is from the Crate Paper 'Blush' range. The cute owl image is from a new downloadable set by Pink Petticoat called 'Yoo Hoo'. As the owl has a scalloped edge, I used a Nestabilities die to add a blue scalloped mat to the green mat around the coloured image. I really enjoyed this sketch challenge and what a great find My Paper World is!

Scrummy Stash Cafe - Get the Edge!


Decorative edges are the theme for this weeks challenge on the Scrummy Stash Cafe blog.



The cute image is from the 'Just for Ewe' set by Pink Petticoat. I absolutely love all Liz's designs and check back regularly for new releases :) The design of this card is inspired by one I saw somewhere.. a few weeks ago... on a blog... can't remember whose it was sadly... so if it was yours please shout out so I can credit you! I love this layered look with the scalloped edges and it's worked really well for this card. The patterned paper is from the 'Small Wonders Girls' mat pad by Brenda Walton for K & Co. All the layers are only attached at the left edge, then held together with a ribbon.

Cute Card Thursday - challenge #2


Another great challenge from the girls at Cute Card Thursday this week - All Creatures Great and Small!

'This week we would like to see creatures on your cards, they can be animals, birds, fish or even dinosaurs or dragons. Absolutely any creature imaginable!'



I'd bought this stamp just last week from the new releases to the Nellie and Luca range by Sugar Nellie. This challenge gave me the perfect excuse to try out this stamp! I have no idea who the background paper is by, it's been lurking in my scrapbox for ages! I threaded some brown twine through the natural sinamay and attached it to the card with brads. The birthday definition stamp is from the 'Celebration Messages' set by See'D's.

Arty Girlz - Doodling


Another great challenge on the Arty Girlz blog this week - Doodling! Although I'm not good with swirls and complicated doodling, I do like adding dots and lines to a card.



I've used one of my scrummy Hanglar and Stanglar stamped images for this card, coloured with Caran D'Ache Supracolor pencils. The background papers are by Paper Adventures, ribbon, buttons, brads and flowers are from my stash. The Happy Birthday stamp is from a set by Woodware and I used a white Uniball Signo pen for the doodle dots.

Friday 21 March 2008

New Sugar Nellie stamp!

I got four of the new Sugar Nellie stamps that were released last week, I've been waiting for more of the Nellie and Luca stamps for ages! These gorgeous stamps are designed by Evelina Wikberg and are available from Funky Kits.

I have quite a lot of 'girly' stamps, so was very pleased to find this footballer, a fisherman and a skateboarder amongst the new range. For this card, I used the colours of my local football team and mounted him onto green lightly patterned paper. I stamped a couple of extra footballs and mounted them on foam pads. The football pitch markings are hand drawn with a white pen - after checking with my other half that I had the correct markings!

Papertake - Weather with you!


The theme for this week's challenge on the Papertake challenge blog is 'Weather with you' - use anything associated with the weather.



I've used a cute Magnolia stamp of Edwin in the rain, I love his sou'wester and wellies! The background paper is by Junkitz... the sentiment is computer generated and I added some 'stitching' with a white Uniball Signo pen. The puddle and rainsdrops are glittered with Stickles glitter glue.

Monday 17 March 2008

DCM - Teen Spirit


The current challenge on the Daring Cardmakers blog is 'Teen Spirit'. I made this birthday card for a fashion savvy young lady who is always on her mobile phone. I think she will like the bling too!

The image is from Pink Petticoat, this one is from the 'Lola Rose For Occasions' kit. Background paper is from the Belle range by Amy Butler for K & Co. The greeting is a stamp from the 'Mixed Greetings' set by Woodware. I've added a flower rubon to the large brad at the centre of the flower, the bling down the side of the image were a magazine freebie and I've used a tiny amount of Stickles on the girl's necklace. It's a lot more sparkly than it looks in this photo!

Thursday 13 March 2008

Cute Card Thursday

There's a fab new challenge blog starting today, Cute Card Thursday. Their first challenge is called 'New Beginnings', how appropriate is that!

'To celebrate the launch of our new challenge blog we would like you to use the theme of new beginnings or 1sts. This could be new baby, new home, new job, wedding or anything else 'new' or any other 1st you can think of. The only rules are to use or create something 'cute' and most of all have fun!'


This week I managed to buy this Magnolia rug stamp, I had thought to use it with the Thinking Tilda stamp, but I've discovered it's also perfect for the cute little baby to sit on! I used a Nestabillities die and my Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' embossing folder to make the mount. The baby is mounted on foam pads to give a 3D effect. The sentiment is from the StudioG baby set and I've added some flowers, leaves and Stickles to finish off the card.

Wednesday 12 March 2008

Scrummy Stash Cafe - foamtastic

This weeks challenge on the Scrummy Stash Cafe is 'Simply Foamtastic' - use some foam on your project. It's taken me a while to find a scrap of foam to use on a card, it's soooo long since I used any - and I don't think I've ever used it on a card! So this was a great challenge :)



This card was so quick to make, just a punched foam heart mounted onto white card and then black card. I added a stem with a black pen and a couple of gingham bows. The sentiment is a stamp by Daisy Bucket. The central panel is raised on foam pads (more foam lol)and the hearts around the edge of the card are a stamp from a StudioG set. I used a gel pen to colour some in, then added Stickles for a bit of sparkle.

Pocket card


I rarely make cards with pockets, I've no idea why not as pockets are lovely for tucking little notes or messages in. I came across a lovely heart pocket template on splitcoaststampers, so I thought I'd try it out on this card for the 'Pockets' challenge on Rainbow Lady's challenge blog.



The background is a piece of buttermilk cardstock, run through the Cuttlebug with the 'Swiss Dots' embossing folder.I cut the pocket from a piece of K & Co Bailey paper, it's great for these folded pockets as it's double sided. All I had to do is cut out, fold and stick down! I also punched some leaves from the paper scraps. I've used a narrow sheer ribbon threaded through the cream cotton lace at the left then used the same ribbon plus a paler cream for the double bow. The sentiment is one of the new Daisy Bucket clear stamps.. it reads 'Love is in Everyday Moments'. Prima flowers, brads and silver spacer beads finish off the card.

Monday 10 March 2008

Ooooh - have you seen Katharina's blog?


Do make time to visit Katharina's blog - she is showing some tantalising sneaky peeks of the new High Hopes rubber stamps, due for release on the 15th March. Katharina is giving away 3 of the new stamps as blog candy, what a sweet lady she is!

ISMAKI sketch challenge #10

This week on the ISMAKI challenge blog, Marsup has designed a wonderful sketch for challenge number 10. I loved working with this sketch Marsup, thankyou!


I have used one of the precious Hanglar images sent to me by a very sweet lady, Marlene. I have had them sitting on my desk for over a week and have just been too scared to colour any in case I messed them up! I seriously ADORE these stamps, I just wish there was a way to get them here in the UK.

The background paper is a new double sided paper by Imaginisce, from the 'Go For Baroque' range. I love the murky greens, purples and browns on this design, the reverse side is paler green with purple dots. The purple paper is from my scrapbox and the green cardstock has been run through the Cuttlebug with the 'Swiss Dots' embossing folder. I used a rubon for the greeting and added some flowers, antique pewter brads and photo anchor. The heart and wings have a little touch of Stickles glitter glue.

Sunday 9 March 2008

From Boys to Men - Tilda & Co


'From Boys to Men' is the theme of the week 10 challenge on the Tilda & Co challenge blog.

'
Making feminine cards with Tilda etc is fairly easy so we thought we would make the challenge a little harder this week, well I gave you 2 easy ones lately! You could make something for a new baby boy, birthday boy or the tougher challenge something for the man in your life!


This morning I rediscovered some scraps of this gorgeous paper from the French Market Collection by Daisy D's. It's amazing what's lurking in the bottom of my scrapbox! I must have had these scraps at least a couple of years, but they are way too nice not to hang on to... I even found some scraps of matching cardstock. As soon as I read the new challenge at lunchtime today, I thought 'oooh, I can use up some of those scraps!'

I've used three Magnolia stamps on this card, Edwin sitting, Edwins dog and the mushrooms, all coloured with watercolour pencils. Edwin and his dog are mounted on foam pads. The birthday definition is a stamp from the Celebration Messages set by See-D's and I've added a few bronze brads, Prima flowers and Prima leaves. Oh, and a few smudges of Dark Moss fluid chalk ink too :)

Be there or be square!


This weeks challenge on the Papertake weekly challenge blog is Squares! Square cards, square patterns or squares on your layout!



After working with pastel colours on my last couple of cards, I thought it was time for something bright! This paper comes from the K& Co Designer mat pad in the Mira range. I don't think the camera has quite captured the true intensity of the colours, but wow these papers are seriously bright and I love them! I wish I could wear colours like this, they really make me smile :)

I've used a square card and cut 7 squares from the patterned paper. Three of these I mounted onto co-ordinating cardstock, two of which I mounted on foam pads for a bit of dimension on the finished card. The greeting is from a clear Woodware stamp set and I found some tiny square jewels in red, green and orange to finish it off.

Saturday 8 March 2008

Tilda & Co challenge #9


Well I wasn't going to make Easter cards this weekend, but when this cute stamp arrived in the post this morning, I thought he would be perfect for the challenge at Tilda & Co. I've had to be quick as there is a new challenge tomorrow - I am not usually this late!



I'd bought this stamp to make new baby cards but I think he looks so cute with these Easter eggs from a Studio G set! The colours are pretty much the same as the Spring card I uploaded on Thursday, some of the scraps just happened to be lying on my desk so I used them up!

Thursday 6 March 2008

Arty Girlz - Spring

I bought some gorgeous Bunny Stampz the other week from Aunty's Store, they really are so cute! I've used the 'Pot of Bunny' stamps for this Spring birthday card for this weeks Arty Girlz challenge.


The background papers are K&Co 'Small Wonders Girl'. I stamped the greeting on the plantpot using a stamp from the See-D's 'Celeration Messages' set. The 'Make a wish' greeting is one of the new clear stamps by Daisy Bucket. The flowers and ribbon are from my stash and again I have used my new leaf punch.. .I think I might need to get another shape leaf as I love this one so much!

ISMAKI challenge #9

Quite a complicated sketch this week on the ISMAKI challenge blog, I got a bit lost in all the layers. Still, it was nice to have something that really made me think and I've ended up with a nice card even if I haven't followed the sketch too closely!!



I've used K&Co papers from the Bailey range and a Sugar Nellie stamp, the ribbon, flowers and brads are from my stash. I bought a new leaf punch, I'm really pleased with it... and I bought the fab silver spacer beads last week too. They really give the flowers a whole new look!

Monday 3 March 2008

A new challenge!

While I was blog surfing I came across a new challenge blog, Rainbow Lady's Challenge Blog. Do check it out, it's week 2 and the challenge is to use one or more feathers.


I haven't used feathers for such a long time, so this challenge was the perfect excuse to hunt them out and use! I haven't used any patterned paper on this one, just a Cuttlebug embossing folder to add some texture to the card. The dragonfly is a stamp by Penny Black and I used a black Sakura Glitter pen to highlight parts of the body and wings. I mounted the image on to black card and used foam pads to raise it up from the torn mulberry paper. I really enjoyed this challenge, roll on week 3!