Dinosaur Boy

Here's a birthday card using a free digi stamp from Dearie Dolls, coloured with markers.  The papers are Basic Grey and I stamped the sentiment.

Had to put all the lights on and photograph this in the bathroom .... there are some challenges I want to enter and I probably won't see daylight again till next weekend!

I'd like to enter:

Fusion - Sketch - I hope you can see it as I put the boy in the place of the semi-circle.
QKR Stampede  kids
Crafty Catz  kids
Cardz4guyz spots and stripes
Mod Squad masculine birthday
Male Room  little boys

Cupid Disguised as a Bellboy

Here's a one-layer-card I made using an image from A Day for Daisies. I tried to use sepia-like images for his 'disguise', in contrast to the gold and red bow and arrow and glittery wings. The sentiment is this month's Craft Stamper magazine freebie.

I'd like to enter:
Get Creative  mythological
A Day for Daisies all my love
Casology  adore
AAA love me like you do
My Time to Craft  love is all around

Australian Baby

January 26th is Australia Day ( I knew that because it's also my son's birthday) , so when I saw a couple of 'Down Under' challenges today, I knew it was the perfect opportunity to use my new kangaroo stamp from Newton's Nook.

I used sentiments from Sarah Hurley, Waffle Flower (the small but important 'so'!) and Newton's Nook , and the faux stitching is by Inky Doodles.

I'd like to enter:
Less is More - Down Under
Crazy for Challenges  - Down Under
Dream Valley  something new
Crafty Friends  animal

Inkspirational Challenge - Love Photo

Our challenge at Inkspirational  is to be inspired by this photo:

My card was made at the request of my daughter who wanted a 'rustic/romantic' card to RSVP a wedding invitation. She showed me the wedding invitation she had received and it was kraft card and lace, so I thought that a card inspired by the photo would go with the theme.

I used embossing folders and die- cutting. If anyone should propose to me , I could use this 'yes' design again!

We would love you to come over to Inkspirational, meet our Guest Designer, Kristina , and see what our DT have made - and enter our challenge.

I'd like to enter:
Moving Along with the Times embossing
Crafty Cardmakers  die cuts
Cut it Up  love is in the air
My Time to Craft  love is all around

Confused Birds

It's Christmas in Birdland, but one silly bird has got totally confused and brought a Valentine's card along!

This image, which I coloured with markers , is by From the Heart , and the sentiment is Avery Elle.

I'd like to enter:
Fab n Funky  Christmas
Addicted to Stamps and More  holiday
A Snowflakes Promise  winter

Conquering Paper Mountain #4 - Scrapping my Mission

I decided to create a 12x12 scrapbook layout about my project for 2016 - to reduce my mountain of small paper pads.

Some of my pads are unused because I don't like them enough (often magazine freebies), but others are unused because I like them too much!  This pad by My Mind's Eye comes into that category. It is hard to use because it has lovely pictures printed on it, that are hard to use whole (what for?) but I didn't like to waste.

So here I found a way of keeping parts of the pictures in circles. I often hear scrapbookers say they prefer scrapping to card-making because they get to keep the finished project. It's like having your cake and eating it!

I'd like to enter:
Lasting Memories  new project
Crafty Cardmakers  punches or dies

Wild Things

I really like making Valentine's cards but, having only one partner(!), I end up making them for the kids of the family too. This one will go to my son.

It was inspired by the children's book "Where the Wild Things Are" - the round sentiment is a quote from the book and it, and the boat are SVG cutting files from Studio Calico. The monster is a Lettering Delights SVG and I made the background with Distress Inks and stamped the tiny sentiment (top right) from Stampin Up.

I'd like to enter:
Shopping Our Stash  inspired by a book
Male Room  little boys
The Challenge  masculine photo
Eureka  valentines
Allsorts valentines

City Crafter Challenge - For the Love of Pets

This week's challenge at City Crafter  is to feature a pet on your project.

I went for a very small cat in a very large glass. The cat is an SVG cutting file from Lettering Delights and I cut the 'cheers' from a computer font. The pink diamond background is a Judikins and I used a Diesire embossing folder.

We'd love to see your cats, dogs, guineapigs...... We have a guest designer Dana , so please come and see what she, and the DT have made, and link up your project.

I'd like to enter:
Crafting when we can  celebrating any occasion - it could have worked for different occasions but I have actually given this to my sister-in-law for her birthday.
Ruby's Rainbow  animal magic
Moving along with the times  embossing (dry)

Make My Monday - Newest or Most Favourite Stamp

Our challenge at Make My Monday this week is to use your newest of most favourite stamp.

All these stamps are from Hero Arts Showered with Love set - it was a Christmas present from my brother but I didn't actually receive it till New Year's Eve  so at the time I made it, it was my newest stamp. (I confess, I've been shopping since then!) .

I decided to stamp onto patterned paper, as I'm trying to use up my paper mountain.  I added some shine with silver gel pen and silver textured card.

We'd love it if you'd join in our challenge.

I'd like to enter :
Mod Squad love is in the air
Uniko  love
Vintage Stamping  new stash

Mice Singers

Not only does making my Christmas cards throughout the year help prevent stress in December, but also having plenty of one-layer-cards does too. At least I don't have to worry about whether you need to increase the postage cost. 

For this one-layer card I used a Penny Black image of some mice carol singers, coloured with alcohol markers. I masked the image and stamped the NOEL by Clarity Stamps. I used a snowfall embossing folder at the top of the card and added glitter. 

I'd like to enter:

QKR Stampede I'm feeling blue 

Cardz 4 Guyz blue is the colour 

52CCT candles/lanterns 

OLCCC anything goes 

Penny Black Saturday Challenge  anything goes 

You Spin Me Round

This is the sort of Valentine's Card I might give to someone who I was 'dating' but we hadn't got round to declarations of love yet. Unfortunately I've been with the same man for 11 years but I may put this aside just in case I find myself back on the market. (Just joking!)

Yes, I confess I've been shopping again - these stamps are by Neat and Tangled. The background is a 12 x 12 paper of vinyl records that I have had for years and the ledger-style paper that I paper-pieced with is by October Afternoon.

I'd like to enter:
Crafty Creations  paper piecing
Friday Mashup music
Allsorts  Valentine's Day
Simply Create Too something new
Addicted to Stamps  masculine

Conquering Paper Mountain #3 - Notes

I always keep a 'to do' list in the kitchen so I thought I'd make good use of my mountain of paper pads by making a notebook.

I cut this out on the Silhouette cutting machine and used Basic Grey Lily Kate 6x6 papers. I chose to fasten it with book rings so I can add and remove paper. I didn't embellish it, as I don't think embellishments would survive daily use.

I think this is a good use for patterned papers and might make more to give away.

I'd like to enter:
Use Your Stuff  3 or more patterned papers
Silhouette Challenges 

Gorgeous Graphic - Conquering Paper Mountain #2

I spotted some challenges that I thought would be good for helping me reduce my paper mountain. 

The image and the papers are from a Graphic 45 8x8 paper pad. I don't know why I bought it really, as , although Graphic 45 papers are indisputably lovely, I don't find them very versatile. I did enjoy making this though, (I added Wink of Stella to the woman's ribbons and trims, but of course it doesn't show in the photo.)

I'd like to enter:
Use Your Stuff  3 patterned papers
Eureka  pile it on
Fussy and Fancy  fashion
Unicorn  get your glad rags on

City Crafter - Photo Challenge

This week at City Crafter  Ros has chosen this photo to inspire you: 

I used a digital image of stacked cups (source unknown) and I cut out a copy of the cups, cut them apart and stamped them, then reassembled them. I used stamps from : Hero Arts, Docrafts, Basic Grey and 7Gypsies. 

We'd love to see how the photo inspires you. Please come and visit us , see what the DT and our Guest Designer Dora have made, and join in the challenge. 

I'd like to enter:

Lemon Shortbread  anything goes 

Natalie and Amy  thanks 

Love to Scrap anything goes 

Artistic Inspirations thank you 

Make My Monday - Stitching

This week's challenge at Make My Monday  is 'stiching - real or faux'. I quite like sewing , but I don't like unpicking which is what most of my sewing attempts turn into. Therefore, I rarely sew on cards, worrying that I will wreck them.

So for this challenge, I bravely machine - stitched to attach the vellum to the card base. I know it's not very dramatic, but it is a good use of stitching, as vellum is hard to attach, and hopefully it will give me the confidence to stitch on cards again.

The flowers are AlteNew , embossed in gold, and the sentiment was die-cut.

I'd like to enter:
Artistic Interpretations thank you
Natalie and Amy   thank you
Aud Sentiments thank you
Come and Get it   embossing
Fashionable Stamping Challenges thanks

Wild Roses

I'm pleased to say I don't need this card right now, but it's always useful to have one put away, isn't it?

This is a digital stamp from My Craft Studio Flouring Florets CD, and I coloured it with alcohol markers. I made the sentiment on my computer. I used 2 sheets of patterned paper from my paper mountain  - one as the back layer and another that I cut the butterflies out of .

I'd like to enter:
CD Sunday - Wild Flowers  (Hope these roses qualify - I thought the winding stems etc looked a bit wild!)
That Craft Place  anything goes
Fusion  photo

Setting Off at Sunset

Here are the 3 kings setting off to find the stable. They are from one of my older stamps (Inca) and the sentiments are Little Claire, and I dry embossed the gold mirror card.

I'd like to enter:
52CCT  shades of orange
Come and Get it  embossing
The Glory of Christmas  gold

Arsenal

I know I get some international visitors so let me explain... Arsenal are one of the top English football clubs..(that's soccer to some of you!). My son is football-crazy , he plays it and he watches it and Arsenal are his favourite team.

For his 9th birthday, I used a Bugaboo digital image and I traced the balloons in Silhouette Studio and filled them with the Arsenal logo. I printed it and coloured the rest of the image with markers. I added embossing, diecuts and a stamped sentiment.

I'd like to enter:
Cardz4Guys happy birthday
The Male Room  anything goes
Fab n Funky  for a child
Give a Crafter a Cookie  photo
Addicted to stamps masculine

Inkspirational Challenge 100 - Blast from the Past (and prize draw!)

We have reached Challenge 100 at Inkspirational, and I'm proud to say I've been on the DT since Challenge 1. Our challenge this week is to pick any of our previous colour challenges - there's a list on the blog. Kylie , our friend and GD , is sponsoring the challenge with a fabulous prize.

I chose this old challenge:

Pick 2 or 3 - Raspberry, turquoise, grey

I'm sure you can see that I picked just raspberry and grey. 

The deer and fence stamps are by Poppy Stamps, the sentiments are by Clearly Besotted  and the flower border was from my empty box project box. (I made this at the end of last year!)  I added Glossy Accents to the centre of the flowers and dry embossed the card base. 

Now I'm just waiting for the fantastic news that will necessitate me sending this card to someone! 

We look forward to seeing you at Inkspirational.
I'd like to enter:
Cute Card Thursday  a bit of fun
ABC Challenges  zero embellishments
Craft Rocket  happy anything 

See-through Christmas

So hard to photograph....!!!! But I'm rushing to get this linked up to the Paper Artsy transparant challenge. It was heavily influenced by a card by Lisa Stenz that was posted for inspiration on their challenge blog post. It inspired me!

As well as Paper Artsy, I'd like to enter:
Holly Jolly Christmas  designer paper
4 Crafty Chicks chevrons
Jingle Belles Oh Christmas Tree
Creatalicious  snowflake

Happy Birthday Ros

Happy Birthday to Ros who is on the DT at City Crafter  and is a lovely, supportive team-mate.

She recently blogged about a night on a cruise ship, and that inspired this card.

All these stamps are old wooden-backed stamps; the circular sentiment stamp (from My Sentiments Exactly) is one of my favourite and most-used stamps of all time - even though it's not clear, I never have any problems placing it.  The ink pads are Canteloupe and Pool Party from Stampin Up - I love Stampin Up colours but I will not buy any more as I cannot get on with the packaging, which is a shame.

Ros, I hope this card has made it safely to you in real life. Have a great day!

I'd like to enter:
A Gem of a Challenge  female birthday
Unicorn Challenge  get your glad rags on
That Craft Place  anything goes
Lemon Shortbread anything goes

City Crafter - Butterfly My Butterfly

Our new challenge at City Crafter Challenge Blog is to create a project using a butterfly.

I created a watercolour background using distress inks, then stamped the sentiment (ADFD polymer stamp) , masked it and stamped the frame (Basic Grey. I made this over the Christmas period and it was one of the last stamps in my 'empty box project' box.).  I  stamped the butterfly, coloured it in with watercolour pencils  and covered it with Glossy Accents. I stamped a splodge and distressed the edges. 

I bet you have a stamp, sticker, die or stencil of a butterfly, don't you? Why not join in our challenge? We have a fabulous Guest Designer, Dora, so please come to City Crafter, to see what she, and the DT have made, and join in. 

I'd like to enter:

Craft Stamper  anything goes 

Penny Black at Allsorts  one for the girls 

That Craft Place  anything goes 

Craft Your Passion  anything goes 

Everybody Art  text is the motif

Make My Monday - Sketch

This week we have a sketch challenge at Make My Monday , and I created the sketch (it's the first one I've done!):

For my DT card I cut the house and the circular mat on the Silhouette, and dry embossed the roof. The sentiment is stickers. 

I hope you will have a go at using this sketch ... but not till you visited the Make My Monday  blog to see what the DT have done. See you there! 

I'd like to enter:

Love to Scrap  new beginnings

Get Creative something new 

Crafty Cardmakers new 

Classy Cards n Such  bright colours 

Crafting When we can something new  

Red Glitter Tree

glitter shot!

Here's a one-layer card I made using the sketch from 52CCT. 

The tree is an old favourite from Denami and for the other stamps I used two different sets from Papermania, and the New Year sentiment by Mama Elephant. I went over the lines of the tree with a glue pen and added glitter.

As well as 52 CCT , I'd like to enter:
AAA Cards glitter
Christmas Card Challenges anything goes
ABC Christmas Challenge  anything goes
QKR Stampede clean and simple

Hola Ombre!

I did some background sponging and then realised I'd accidentally gone ombre!
I added random spots using a stencil I cut on my electronic cutting machine. The second layer is sponged the same as the first, but on cream slightly glossy card - it's amazing how much lighter it is.

I used Paper Artsy stylised flower stamps, a Clearly Besotted sentiment, Glossy Accents and glitter.

I'd like to enter:
Time Out  birthday/ sponging
Mod Squad ombre
Moving Along with the Times  spots and dots
Sweet Stampin  flowers
Crafty Catz flowers

All Pink

One of my favourite challenges, Shopping Our Stash , are having a monochromatic challenge, and using pink in honour of their DT member, Leslie, who recently passed away.

I used the watering can and banner stamps from a Craft Asylum set, the sentiment is by Mama Elephant and the papers are from my paper mountain. I paper-pieced a little on the image, added a frame of dots, some liquid pearls and glossy accents to the heart on the can.

As well as Shopping Our Stash, I'd like to enter:
Eureka birthday cards
Ooh La La   girlie
Seize the Birthday ag
Penny Black at Allsorts   one for the girls

City Crafter Challenge Blog- Say Hello, Wave Goodbye

I chose this week's challenge at CCCB  - Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

For my DT card I die-cut a cloud out of scrapbook paper and added fake scrabble letters, covered in Glossy Accents. For the little hands I used a digital die-cutting file to cut a stencil and then inked through it with aqua ink. I was really pleased with the detail. 

I hope you will join in our challenge to make a project celebrating a beginning or ending, We are joined by our Guest Designer, Bea , so please do come over and see what she, and the DT have made. 

I'd like to enter:

Allsorts what's new?

Come and get it  something new 

Love to Scrap  new beginnings

Casology -simple 

Simon Says Stamp something new  

Blue Winter Trees

Well, I'm back at work after a two week break ( hence the shadowy photo of a card that is bright and sparkly in real life). I feel really tired! Obviously I got used to not working.  (And eating chocolate and drinking wine. It was hard work dragging the extra 7 pounds up the station steps today.) Anyway, I made this last night when I had some energy.

The trees are three stamps from a Memory Box set I got just before Christmas and the sentiment is by Little Claire.

I'd like to enter:
Classy Cards n Such  winter blues
Jingle Belles something old (glitter paper), something new (stamps)
Artistic Inspirations  winter blues

Make My Monday - Iris Folding

We have something a bit different for you at Make My Monday  this week - Iris Folding. I have tried this before many years ago and although I have seen stunning effects achieved, I don't really enjoy following the patterns.

So for my DT project I cheated and went freestyle - with limited succcess. I think the folded bit looks okay but oh, it's bulky at the back!

Well, a challenge is all about having a go and I had a go and I think you can do better than me. There is a link to some patterns on our challenge blog. I hope you'll come and see some better samples from the DT and join in with your own iris folding project.

The Amazing Stripe-Man ( Conquering Paper Mountain #1)

Let me introduce the Amazing Stripe-Man . His special power is the ability to keep his stripes perfectly straight, no matter how much his cape billows. He's flown in today to get me started on conquering my paper mountain, which is my project for 2016.

Okay, this has only used up two sheets of my 13 inch pile, but it's a start! This is the pad I used:

The superhero image is from A Day for Daisies and the sentiment, which I chopped up, is from a Hero Arts set I got for Christmas.

I'd like to enter:
Friday Mash up  superheroes
A Day for Daisies  anything goes
That Craft Place  anything goes
Glitternsparkle  anything goes
Come and Get it  something new - my sentiment stamp and my new project for 2016

Inkspirational Challenge - Thank You with Something New

Our new challenge at Inkspirational is to make a thank you card using something new.

My new thing is the girl stamp, which is from a set by Personal Impressions/ Lindsay Mason. I bought these just before Christmas.  As she is hugging ('feeling') a heart, I thought it's be fun to team it with the Clearly Besotted sentiment 'Heartfelt Thanks'.

On this card I used two of my favourite 'techniques'. First I cropped the stamped image - she is full length, but I cut her off at the thighs. The other is paper-piecing, which I did on the heart.

At Inkspirational this challenge we are joined by an amazing Guest Designer, Maaike , so I hope you'll come over and see what she, and the DT have made, and join in the challenge.

I'd like to enter:
Just Us Girls  thank you
Natalie and Amy  thank you
Crafter's Cafe  square cards
Sweet Stampin  something new
Allsorts what's new ?