CPS #109

Wow, this was such a hard sketch from Card Positioning Systems! Its not a great photo of my card, but the background is embossed with circles (or bubbles!) and the Sentiment says Best Fishes. Coloured selected parts of the fish in H2O's so there's a bit of shimmer.

Supplies: stamp from Stampin Up 'Fishy Friends'; Ellison embossing folder; dimensionals (for main central image)

Card Patterns Challenge #8

I've just discovered Card Patterns ... so this is my first challenge with them! My bunny is from Whipper Snapper - I think he looks pretty good in green! I couldn't get the right colour of pink to match the heart with the backing paper, so I ended up paperpiecing it.

Supplies: Whipper Snapper Bunny, sentiment from Stampin Up 'Bunny Hugs'; K&Co papers; black stickles for bunny nose; nestabilities

High Hopes Blog Challenge #24

This weeks High Hopes challenge was to use creative borders. I used my nestabilities to make the frame for the little dragon and my SU corner punch to make the scalloped edge on the strip at the side. I added diamond stickles to the dragon's wings and snow writer for the icing on the cake.

I found the link to this sketch on Bunny-Zoe's blog - its from Friday Sketchers.

Supplies: High Hopes stamp; paper from Dovecraft; rectangular nestabilities; corner punch; peel off silver greeting; white gel pen; diamond stickles and blue stickles; google eyes

Kerry's Birthday Challenge

This weeks 3 Clovers ThursdayChallenge #6: Kerry's Birthday Challenge to make a card with these 3 elements:
A Birthday Card
Must be any shade of Purple
Must have Glitter

So here's my birthday card for Kerry, purple as requested and a glittery balloon!

I also followed the weekend sketch challenge #74

Supplies: Penny Black Stamp; purple stickles; nestabilities; clear dew drops; peel off silver greeting; dimensionals

Spring Hedgie

I combined the Penny Black Saturday Challenge #42: Think Spring and the Cuttlebug Spot challenge #23: Celebrate Spring! I used my flower embossing folder for the yellow background and my colour theme came from my garden - I have a lovely primrose which is pink and yellow and my daffodils are also in full bloom.

My layout came from Splitcoaststampers sketch challenge #221

Supplies: Crafts House Tutti Frutti paper (for diamond in bg); Floradoodle flowers; white gel pen; pink ribbon; dimensionals; Penny Black stamp; watercolour pencils; cuttlebug; flower embossing folder

High Hopes Blog Challenge #23

This week's High Hopes challenge was to use buttons on your card. I used the layout for this card from the Splitcoaststampers Clean and Simple challenge which was to use punches but to cut back on embellishments/papers/etc. I'm not sure if I really like it though so I'll have another go at this challenge if I get a chance!

Supplies: stamps from High Hopes, rectangular nestabilities; corner rounder punch; watercolour pencils; stazon black ink; button

Weekend Sketch Challenge #73

Aren't these stamps the cutest! They are from Joanna Sheen from the Messy Rabbit collection. The main bunny is mounted on dimensionals and I added stickles to the bee wings and bunny's nose. Weekend sketch below. (Though I've just noticed that I forgot about the 'bow' under the first panel)

Supplies: watercolour pencils; stamps from Joanna Sheen (not sure where sentiment stamp came from); paper Dovecraft; diamond and pink stickles; pink and purple flower gems.

Penny Black Saturday Challenge #41

OMGosh I've just found out I won last week's PBSC and a voucher for $25 from Simon Says Stamp is on its way to me! I'll have to go for a nosey to see what Penny Black stamps they have - I don't have very many so its the perfect opportunity to get some more!

This weeks Penny Black Saturday Challenge ... to doodle on you card. I doodled the border round the edges with a bit of a squiggly line (though the squiggle on the red card doesn't really show up very well in the photo). (I don't think I can submit this card for the challenge though as its also for the Featured Stamper on splitcoast, so the layout and general design isn't my own - more details to follow in my splitcoast gallery.)

Supplies:red flower gem, watercolour pencils, swiss dots cuttlebug folder, versamark clear (for dots on lower panel); dimensionals (for main image); nestabilities

Cuttlebug Challenge #22

Hope you all had a nice St Patrick's Day! I've had a couple of days off work, and we spent today up round the North Coast ... fish and chips by the sea ... lovely!

This card was made for the Cuttlebug Spot challenge which was a sketch this week. The photo looks quite dull but its much nicer IRL - there's a lovely sheen from the DP. Got this image in a swap (I think its a Penny Black)

Supplies: watercolour pencils, blue organza ribbon, white gel pen, cuttlebug embossing folder; Crafts House 'Tuti Frutti' paper; dimensionals (for central image); silver buckle

High Hopes Blog Challenge #22

This week's High Hopes challenge was to make a card using no patterned papers ... gasp! I do love my papers and just got some new gorgeous Dovecraft papers, so it was hard not to use them! So out came my cuttlebug instead! The green strip has an X and O pattern but my central panel is a bit big for it to be seen clearly. I used some peel off silver strips to edge the pink and green panels; the main image is mounted first on purple paper and then silver card but it doesn't really show up in the photo which turned out quite dark. I also added a silver flower buckle-thing (don't know the proper technical term for it!)

Supplies: High Hopes stamp; pink, green and purple card; silver peel off lines and letters; watercolour pencils; white gel pen; silver flower buckle; cuttlebug embossing folder; ellison embossing folder

Weekend Sketch Challenge 72

Sorry, I know I used this stamp just recently but I haven't finished my Easter cards yet and I don't have many 'eastery' stamps! This sketch is from the Weekend Sketch Challenge.

I don't have a topnote die (or any large dies) as in the sketch so I had to improvise a bit! I used my corner rounder punch to create my scalloped edge (...note to self.... must buy a set of rectanguar nestabilities!) I ran out of bright pink primas too, thus the one in the top corner is blue!

Supplies: Whipper Snapper stamp, paper is an old set from DCWV, bright pink ribbon, blue stickles, watercolour pencils, peel off greeting.

Two Hedgies in a Boat!

ETA: I won the Penny Black challenge for this card!I love how this card turned out! Made for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge and this week was a sketch. I coloured the main image with watercolour pencils and then stamped the fishes onto coloured card - the blue fish and the main image are attached with dimensionals. I also added loads of stickles and some blue gems for a bit of bling!

Supplies: Ellison embossing folder; nestabilities; fish from SU Fishy Friends; blue gems; watercolour pencils; green, blue and gold stickles

Donegal in Spring!

Thought I'd post this pic of me on Dunfanaghy beach, Co Donegal. My DH and I went up for a long weekend for his birthday last month. I just wish wind showed up in a photo! It was a gale force vertical wind straight from Siberia. Cold but so clean and fresh! (Ruby loved it too!)

Double Challenge Easter Card

I adore this Easter Chick from Whipper Snapper - it makes me laugh every time I use it!

I took inspiration from the Three Clovers Designs blog challenge #3: use GREEN as your main color and at least 3 different embellishments. I used green ribbon, gems and dew drops (do stickles count as an embellishment? ... I decided that it wasn't so hopefully I've not broken the challenge rules!)

I also incorpoated the cuttlebug blog challenge #20: ribbons and bows. My bows aren't the best so hopefully I'll get some time during the week to look at the tutorials on the CB site on making bows!

High Hopes Challenge #21

Yea ... I had time to play the High Hopes Blog Challenge today (...mainly due to the fact that we went to Mum's for our dinner today! Yummy ... doesn't dinner always taste better when you don't have to make it yourself!)

Anyway, the challenge was to use zigs and zags on your card. I 'd love to have a little sewing machine, but until then I'll keep hand sewing on my cards. I don't really mind anyway as I used to do a lot of cross stitching!

The image is quite an old one from High Hopes, coloured with watercolour pencils and then bling and clear gloss added to her wings. Paper from Dovecraft.

Hey Postie

I'm a big fan of Penny Black stamps, but unfortunately don't own many - luckily I got this image from a fellow card-maker and thought he'd make a good Thank You card.

This week's Penny Black Blog Saturday Challenge is 3-2-1 (3 brads, 2 ribbons, 1 flower) It's been ages since I used brads on a card, so it was good to rediscover some of my stash!

Happy Birthday Roisin

I was asked to make a card for a work colleagues daughter who works with the monkeys in the zoo ... no, really! This is what I came up with, I hope she likes it!

The main stamp is from CC Designs (I think!) and the leaves from a High Hopes set.

The DP is a freebie from scrapbookscrapbook.com

Happy Birthday Ellie

I made this card for Lori's Weekend Sketch Challenge (WSC70)

I love my little Ellie from High Hopes - coloured with watercolour pencils and accents of red stickles added to her nails and ribbon (...lets face it, every girl needs a bit of bling!)

Hand stitched round borders with white thread and peel off greeting added.

Paper: Bright turquoise blue (peanut versamark stamped), bright red and dark brown.

Sorry for the shadowing across the card, but it would be wrong to complain about the sun shining!