Sharp Dressed Man

I love a guy in a shirt, tie and dressing gown, don't you?

My image comes from Joanna Sheen Fashion Boutique CD. The paper was scraps from an old K and Company pad , except for the art deco one, which is Docrafts. The tape measure was something I'd cut out sometime and had hanging about. The charm/tag is a Tim Holtz Fragment, backed with old book paper ,stamped with 'Best Wishes' and with a brad pushed through.

I'd like to enter:
Artful Times It's Raining Men
Cardcrafter's Circle  For the boys
Crafting with Dragonflies Card for a guy.

End of the Season

One of the things I love about crafting is the way we mark the seasons.Now, for example, we're coming to the end of 'Fun in the Sun' and into 'Back to School'. Soon, we'll be getting out our leaf stamps for 'Autumn Colours'.

The image on my card is from Docrafts Tulip and Friends CD and you might notice that the characters have had to put their cardis on before heading to the beach. I don't know where that beach is but there's nothing more British than woollies and flip-flops!

Anyway, I decoupaged one layer of the characters , cut some bunting and added a shell.

I'd like to enter
CD Sunday  On the Beach
Out of a Hat Creations  Bunting
Addicted to Stamps and More  Photo (lighthouse)

Mixing Patterns

 

I watched two great video tutorials, on mixing patterns, at Two Peas in a Bucket, and these are what I made.

 

Inkspirational Challenge 35 - Hats Off - Sketch

This week's Inkspirational challenge is a sketch and here it is:

For my DT card I used three vintage photos from Eclectic Anthology, who are also our sponsors this week. I find these three women quite comical, especially the one with a basket on her head!

This sketch is so versatile, why not come over to Inkspirational and join in?

Jar of Hearts

I had fun today combining two challenges: Fusion Card Challenge ( sketch and photo), and Totally Papercrafts Tag and Hearts.

The jar stamp is by Stampin Up  and the hearts were from two other Stampin Up sets. The red ink is Fired Brick Distress Ink. (I wish I could find where I'd put the lid!) The woodgrain is a Hero Arts stamp and I used a Crafty Sentiments die to cut the pennants, which I then embossed with 3 different folders, smeared with ink. The tag is chipboard, stamped with a Woodware sentiment.

Top Secret

This week's challenge at Crafting When We Can is 007(spy).  I hope they will allow me to enter this card, which was influenced by old spy movies, such as the 39 Steps, rather than James Bond.

I combined 4 digistamps in Craft Artist, added text, coloured the lines brown and printed onto white paper. Then I set about bashing it up, tearing and using several Distress Inks.

On the Kraft card base I used several stamps from different sources incl Paper Artsy and 7Gypsies.  I also use a scrap of  patterned paper.

 As well as Crafting When We Can , I'd also like to enter:
Cuttin and Stampin monochromatic
Addicted to Stamps Shabby/ Vintage

Rudolph Flying

I'm gradually making Christmas cards, as and when the mood strikes me. Who knows - maybe I won't have a last minute 'panic' this year!

My only problem with this card is that you can't see the glitter and shine in the photo. Rudolph is embossed with red glitter powder, the moon is covered in distress stickles and the red card is mirror card.

The reindeer is a stamp and die set by Sissix/Hero Arts and I punched the moon and die cut the skyline.

Although it wasn't particularly quick to make, as I was coming up with the idea, I think it would be quick to reproduce. Therefore I am entering it into the Q for Quick challenge at ABC  Christmas Challenge.

I'd also like to enter:
Jingle Belles Tic tac toe  - die cut or punch/ red or green / dry or heat embossing
Winter Wonderland Rudolph  

Stolen Craft Time

Recently I was lucky enough to win a prize draw at Artful Times, which included some big MDF tags. Last week I was off work and looking after my son and trying to sneak in some craft time while still appearing to be a good mother! So I kindly allowed him to have one of the tags and he was happy using up all my materials while I got on with this. 

First , I painted the tag with my son's poster paints( we'd been using them)  and then sprayed using glimmer mists and masks. My son loved this bit and was merrily spraying away on his tag while I tried not to be too precious about how much he was using . (I have successfully managed to stop him using my Promarkers by telling him they are adults only as they contain alcohol).

Next came stamping with script and flower/foliage stamps , first in brown, then in black. I stamped a woman in a swing and a verse, and paper-pieced the dress and some of the foliage.  I added a die-cut clock face and a punched butterfly and finished with gems and Distress Stickles.

I would post my son's effort , but I can't find where he put it. It had LOTS of glimmer mist on it!

I'd like to enter:
Altered Eclectics  Anything Goes
Out of a Hat Creations Stencils and masks
Crafting for all Seasons Tag it
LEJ Designs Nature Inspired

Wings Clock

I made a clock! Actually it's a fake clock as , although the hands are real, there's no mechanism behind. That's because it will take me a bit longer to sort it out and I don't want to miss entering it for the challenge that inspired me - CD Sunday's Add a Number.

I printed the clock face from the My Craft Studio 'Tinkering with Steampunk' CD.  The middle was patterned and I wanted to stamp on it, so I cut out a circle to cover the pattern. Then I stamped, using clear ink and polymer stamps from A Day for Daisies and Kanban.  I embossed them with silver embossing powder and inked the whole thing with two different colours of Distress ink. I attached the clock hands with a brad.

As well as CD Sunday , I'd also like to enter:
Come and Get it Challenges Things with wings
The Pink Elephant Challenge Anything but a card
Card Crafter's Circle Winged things
Vintage Stamping Challenges Wings and things  

Inkspirational Challenge 34 - I case myself!

Every month at Inkspirational Challenges  we invite you to CASE a card. (That is, to use it to inspire your project).  This week, Mynette has chosen a card by me, and here is the original card:

So I was in the unusual position of case-ing my own card.

This time my doily is a die-cut snowflake circle - I covered in in Fran-tage shaved ice - it doesn't look so pink in real life.

On my original card, the letters spelt LOVE. I replaced them with NOEL in letters that are free from our sponsors Eclectic Anthology. I replaced the bird with a die-cut reindeer.

I really hope my CASE card gives you some ideas. Please do come over to Inkspirational Challenges and join in.

I'd also like to enter:
Crafty Boots Challenges Christmas in August
Stamping with Dragon Christmas in August
Pink Gem Challenge Punch it out

{Pinspirational) Challenge 71- Surfer

Time for a Pinspirational Challenge  , and here's this week's Pinspirational picture:

For my DT card I used a digi supplied by our sponsor, Platypus Creek, a boy in shorts. I coloured him with Promarkers and had him peeking out from behind his surf-board. The surf board is a die cut wjhich I inked and stamped with Hero Arts woodgrain stamp.

Beach- surf- sun.........I bet you have loads of ideas for this challenge. Come over and join us at Pinspirational Challenges. 

I'd also like to enter:
Crafty Cardmakers  Fun in the Sun
Crafts to challenge you - Fun in the sun
Fab n Funky  Summer

Why I get up Early

I went to my local crop yesterday and I made this there. I used papers from Basic Grey serendade, Sunflower Glimmer Mist, a Tim Holtz flower die and some tape measure washi tape.  'For the moment' is a stamp. I cut the semi-circle, sun shape and letters on an electronic die-cutter and made 'carpe diem' on my pc.

I'd like to enter:
Little Red Wagon Use a sun
The Crafty Bloggers Network My favourite things (watching the sunrise)
Delightful Challenges Anything but a card
Red Carpet Studio Mystic River   

Be Strong

The last few hours of my Annual Leave are ticking away ........

I made this card using a Stampin Up stamp that I bought on Ebay (part of a set) and have never used. I masked it and used an inkpad, sponge and a mask to make the background. Then I paper-pieced it (very fiddly!) and coloured the skin with a Promaker.

I'd like to enter:
Stampin Royalty Photo inspiration ( some of the colours and the masked shapes)
Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge Carnival Craze
Use it Tuesday Un-inked stamp

Inkspirational Challenge 33 - Picture - Teacher Card

By the time you see this DT card for Inkspirational Challenges , the card will be long gone from my house and in the possession of my son's teacher. Here's the photo that inspired my card:

I used a Dylusions alphabet stencil , a digi stamp from Jellypark, Promarkers and an arrow stamp.

How does this picture inspire you? Come over to Inkspirational Challenges and show us.

Candy Cane Mice

This card uses an image from the Joanna Sheen House Mouse Xmas CD - I've had it a while and not used it yet.

After printing, I embossed it with holographic ep, to give it some glimmer.  I used a sketch from Feeling Sketchy  to arrange various bits of patterned paper. I added a stick pin ( above the middle mouse), a die-cut poinsettia with a gem middle and some candy cane brads.

As well as Feeling Sketchy, I'd like to enter:
CD Sunday Quick and cute
Creative Craft Challenges Tic, tac, toe - green, gem,  pin
Christmas Stampin colour combo - red, green, white
Winter Wonderland Cute Christmas  

Anticipation

I've been enjoying watching the videos on scrapbooking site 'Two Peas in a Bucket' and thought I'd enter one of their challenges this week - to use a 3x4 'project life' style card on a 12x12 layout.  The card, (on the left with the pink heart) was a free printable.

I'd also like to enter:
Anything but a Card Summer Fun
Heck of a Challenge Summer Holidays

Watercolour in the Rain

Here's my attempt at the 'smackin acetate' technique, as demonstrated on Technique Time Tuesday .

I used 3 colours of Marvy brush markers, a heart punch, textured pearlescent paper , lilac gems and a Magenta tree stamp.

 I stamped the tree twice - first in green and then in black, just offset from the first stamping. I did this because I wanted to keep a soft watercolour look - slightly blurred, like looking out a rain-streaked window. Please don't confuse this effect with my usual, accidental blurred effect!!!

As well as Technique Time Tuesday, I'd also like to enter:
One Stop Challenge Pastel colours
Addicted to Stamps Make your mark
Divas by Design Bingo - gems, punches, buttons    

Beach Box

Forgive me if I'm a bit in love with my own project, but I did enjoy making this and I like how it turned out.

I found the box really cheap in a charity shop - I think it must have had some kind of food in it originally , as it has a 'use by' date on the back.

With door closed - can you spot me in the reflection? 

Here's what I used:
Tilda - The Seaside Life paper pad - used to line the compartments, the word 'sea' and the bunting were cut out of it and the dolphin, seagulls and starfish were from the pad.
Shells, feathers and a button.
Silhouette stamp free with a magazine
Tando Creative compass
Bottle, label sticker and map made out of distress inks and a Papermania map stamp.
Crafty Individuals 'miniatures (in the two middle compartments).
A photo of my son and his dad.

I'd like to enter:
Out of a Hat Creations Things beginning with B ( beach, bottle,bird, boy, beach huts,bunting and button)
Simply Create Too  Photo Inspiration
Craft your Passion All at sea
Parade your Crafts Down by the Sea
Crafting with Dragonflies Alter Something
Creative Moments Sea/seashore

Paper Plane

My daughter asked me to make a card for her friend's new husband. I don't think she knows him very well because all she could tell me was that he's in the RAF and she suggested I could make a card with a plane on it. It took me several hours thinking time and trawling through rubber, digi , CDs , until I came up with this - so I hope it's right!

I used  paper plane and trail stamps from Lawn Fawn and a Papermania map stamp.

I'd like to enter:
That Craft Place Monochrome
Shopping Our Stash  The Sun, the moon and the stars ( hope paper planes are considered to fly high enough for this challenge!)
Oldie but Goodie  Boy/Male ( everything except the card blank is older than 6 months)
Little Red Wagon Paper piecing
Vintage Stamping Challenges  Wings and things
The Cupboard Trilogy  Monochrome

What did I do?

This is the third 'new home' card I've made this week, so I'd like you to know that I'm not driving people out of their homes! In fact, this one was requested by my daughter for someone I don't even know,honest.

I die cut the bird and birdhouse. I stuck the birdhouse onto pearlescent card and then ran them through a Docrafts Tri-boss embossing folder. I like how that turned out.

I'd like to enter:
Fashionista Challenge  Wings
Desert Island Crafts Challenge  2,6,8,9
A Gem of a Challenge Anything pearlescent

Inkspirational Challenge 32 - Colour

I hope you are laughing at my card - or preferably, laughing with it. I had fun making it using the colour scheme from this week's challenge at Inkspirational Challenges and a vintage image from our sponsors this month. Eclectic Anthology. 

I bought a set of vintage images of women, actresses and models about 6 months ago from Eclectic Anthology and have used lots of them. They're great for different moods and occasions and this would suit one of my whackier friends or relatives (and I have whacky ones.).  

For this card I added green glitter paper, pompom trim, a plaster Jester head I made from a mould and a sentiment tile. 

Come over to Inkspirational Challenges and show us what you can do with this colour combo. See you there! 

I'd also like to enter:

Papertake Weekly Anything Goes

Crafty Creations Challenges  Texture 

Tammy's Scrappin Corner  Anything goes with music 

[Pin]spirational Challenge 69 - Gardening Spotlight Card

Here's my DT card for this week's Pinspirational Challenge, and here's the pinspirational picture:

I used a lovely digi provided by our sponsors, Squigglefly . First I manipulated digitally, making it sepia and fading the edges into an oval.  Then I printed it twice and die cut a fragment of it which I coloured in and layering over the top as a 'spotlight' .

How does the picture inspire you? Please come and join in at Pinspirational Challenges .

I'd like to enter:
My Time to Craft  Sympathy

Ladybird Birthday Card

Yesterday my daughter requested a card for a girl's 3rd birthday tomorrow (ie now today), and I didn't have much time to do it in.

So, here's my top tips for making a 'bespoke' card quickly:

1) Use an image from a company that you know suits your 'audience' . I know Jellypark make great 'little girl' digis, so I looked through my collection of their images.

2) Use a tried and tested technique. I love paper-piecing and so I went with that. I found this paper , which is a magazine freebie from years ago and the ladybirds gave me my theme.

3) Use a sketch. I used this one from House of Cards Challenge, and, although it changed a bit in the making, it was a great starting point.

I'd like to enter:
House of Cards Challenge Cute and Fun / sketch
Corrosive Challenges It's only a number
Sentimental Sundays Child's play
Polkadoodles Challenge Birthday girl
Hobbycutz Card for a child
Crazy 4 Challenges Paper-piecing    

Another Move

Another friend has just moved house. For this card I used die cuts that I won from Tando Creative. I coloured them with ink and then stamped them with a long text stamp. (I hope you can see the 'enjoy' on the cloud as that's my favourite bit!)  I embossed the cloud with holographic powder. I crimped  a scrap of Kraft card to make a hill. The balloons postcard was something I'd put aside when doing a scrapbook page ages ago. I mounted it all onto glitter card.

I'd like to enter:
Charisma Cardz Challenges Up in the clouds
Artful Times Let's Ribble  (Hope the ribbling not too small!)
Crafty Boots Die cuts
Pink Elephant Texture
 

Retro Vespa

I was going to call this post 'Careless Vespa' but then decided that no-one would get the pun.

Here's a card with a retro motor- scooter. The papers and images were all from Polkadoodles - Not for Girls CD and the arrow was a stamp that came with a magazine.

I'd like to enter:
CD Sunday Transportation
Crafty Creations Challenges Use an arrow
Just Add Ink Just add blokes

New Flat

Hi everyone, I'm back from my hols! Actually I didn't post on my blog that I was going away in case a desperate crafter tried to break into my stash while I was gone.

Anyway, my friend is moving and this card is for her. I love the sentiment from Little Claire, but the rest of the stamps in the set didn't seem quite right for someone moving from one London flat to another. I cut this sizzix long die  from the back of a cornflakes box. I have no idea where the lock came from  - I coloured it with Distress Ink and added some gems.

I'd like to enter:
One Stop Craft Challenge Keep it Simple
Natalie and Amy's Challenge Celebrate something
Creative Fingers Challenge Anything Goes
Cuttin and Stampin Challenges Clean and simple
Crafters Café Anything Goes