Hot'n'Spicy

It's an awful yeuchy day here, been raining all morning, so I thought I'd play along with some fun colour challenges and pretend its summer!

Colour Create #50 - HOT PINK, WARM ORANGE and SAFFRON - photo

Bunny Zoe's challenge #2 - Summer Days

CRAFT #61 - hot and spicy colours - reds, oranges, hot pinks, golden yellows

Took my sketch from Jen's blog i{heart}2stamp, but missed the deadline, duh!

Supplies
Stamp: High Hopes
Papers: Basic Grey
Accessories: pink brads; copic markers; glossy accents (on bugs); frosted lace stickles for bees wings and orange stickles for dots on image; ribbon coloured with orange copic marker to match; Bow Easy

One Layer Chrissy Card

ETA: I won Treehouse Thursday challenge with this card!

Sorry, couldn't get a decent photo of this card - its a horrible drizzly evening here.  Anyway, I had a go at the One Layer Wednesday challenge (which I think are almost the toughest challenges out there in blogland) and this week's is to make a Christmas card.
I stamped my image in Versafine and heat embossed it with black EP.  To add a little hint of colour it I used very diluted watercolours and then added some Diamond Glamour Dust to the star to give it a bit of bling.
If I was making another card like this I'd use better cardstock - my cheapo stuff warped a bit with the watercolouring - and I'd line the sentiment up a bit better so it sat a bit lower.

Treehouse Thursday #59 - watercolouring

Stamptacular Sunday #69 - Christmas in July

Supplies
Stamp: can't remember - bought it in the sales last year ... possibly 'Eat Cake Graphics' or maybe 'I Brake for Stamps'?
Accessories: Versafine black ink; black embossing powder; watercolour paints; silver peel off sentiment; bic sharpie pen for doodling round edge; Glamour Diamond Dust

Pink doggy card

This is one of those cards that took ages and ages to make but I've no idea why!
Got this lovely doggy themed paper from the craft show in Belfast last winter and teamed it up with my doggy stamps - popped him up on dimensionals and then popped his head up again.

Sketch from Creative Card Crew

Cupcake Craft Challenge - Cats and dogs

Daring Cardmakers - layer up your image

Rosie D's Sunday evening challenge #76 - All creatures great and small

Supplies
Stamps: Stampin Up Ruff Day
Paper: sorry don't know maker
Accessories: Martha Stewart fence punch; dimensionals; Glossy Accents on doggy's nose; SU corner rounder; pink brads; doggy ribbon from stash; colouring on dog - light pink watercolour, dark pink Marvy le plume pen

Simon Says ... a sketch

ETA: I got Top 3 with this card at Totally Papercrafts!

I actually bought this pack of Basic Grey papers 'cause it would match my little Cherry Tilda (...isn't that just the best excuse ever to splurge on some gorgeous papers LOL!)  Haven't quite decided on a sentiment yet, but it'll probably end up being a birthday card.

Sketch from Simon Says

Totally Papercrafts - Feeling Fruity

Basic Grey challenge #25 - Stitching

Papertake Weekly - Cutie Patootie

Supplies
Stamp: Cherry Tilda from Magnolia
Paper: Basic Grey
Accessories: Martha Stewart edge punch and butterfly punch; copic markers; circular nestabilities; lavender liquid pearls; sewing machine; dimensionals (for main Tilda image)

First LOTV Chrissy card

I had a chance this morning to play with my new goodies from Melly, so this is the first of my new Lili of the Valley Christmas stamps.  Thanks again Melly, I love 'em!
Coloured with copic markers and paper pieced the tree base as I didn't have a marker that matched.  The shiney red Christmas trees at the bottom and the gold star were Table Confetti from Tesco's a couple of years ago, though I've run out of the silver snowflakes they had too so I'll be keeping my eyes open for any more as they were a total bargain!

Sketch from Lili of the Valley #58

Polka Doodles #29 - Christmas in July

The Cuttlebug Spot is also Christmas in July

Supplies
Stamp: Lili of the Valley
Paper: DCWV
Accessories: dimensionals (for main image); gold peel off sentiment; copic markers; frosted lace stickles (on hat); Martha Stewart punch; Glossy Accents and Diamond Glamour Dust on baubles; cuttlebug snowflake embossing folder

Looky what I got...

I won Melly's candy recently and the prize was 2 stamps of your own choice.  I fancied the new LOTV Christmas stamps, so I was more than delighted when this fab package arrived on my doorstep yesterday with three stamps, an ickle cupcake she made and this beautiful card.  Thanks Melly!
Unfortunately I was decorating all day yesterday and out gallavanting round the North Coast today, so its been like a slow torture not being able to play with them!

BTW, Melly's going to be at the Biggar fayre on Saturday so if you're about, pop by the craft tent at The Showfield and say hi! (and give her a big Thank-You-hug from me!)

Poor sick doggy

I love this Helz Cuppleditch stamp but there's something about this card that I think just isn't right .... any constructive criticism or suggestions welcome!

ETA: Thanks for the comments on my LO - in the end I added a few flowers in the bottom r-h corner and it kinda balanced it a bit better

Sketch from Sketch Saturday #112

Paper Sundaes #27 is make your own flowers - I used some dies to make mine, curled the edges and added some brads for the flower centres

Colour combo from One Stop Craft #89

Supplies
Stamps: Doggy from Helz Cuppleditch; sentiment from Simon Says
Paper: Basic Grey
Accessories: Lace ribbon; copic markers; red stickles; Marianne Creatible flower dies; pink brads; nestabilities

Chocolate butterflies

I've a week off work and started it with a visit to the dentist - so I made this cutie while I was waiting for my mouth to 'defrost' before we head out to the garden centre, a much more pleasant place to visit! 
Oh and in case you''re wondering, her hair colour is 'Dark Frosted Brown' ... at least that's what it said on the bottle that I've just done mine in and its exactly the same LOL!

I flipped the sketch from Our Creative Corner #24

Stamptacular Sunday #68 is an ice cream colour combo .... double choc chip with orange sauce for me please .... yumm!

The Pink Elephant #76 - Brown



Supplies
Stamp: hÄnglar & stÄnglar
Paper: Milton & Co
Accessories: Martha Stewart butterfly punch; tim holtz die; orange gems; copic markers; dimensionals (enveloped is popped up)

A very pink Christmas!

Phew, just back from a walk with Ruby and its sooo warm and humid this evening - my hair just turns into a total fuzzball!  So I was kinda glad when she applied the breaks and wouldn't go any further!

Little Paper shop have the challenge of distressing on your cards - groan! -  I don't know if its because I like clean lines or if its just because I don't have the right tools to do it, or maybe I'm just pants at distressing!   

Paper pieced my hats, added clear gloss to the 'ornaments' and stickles to their hats.  (I've just noticed that I forgot to colour their hands, so I'll have to do that before it disappears into my Christmas box)

Colour combo from Colour Create #49

Cute Card Thursday #121 - Get a head start on your Christmas cards

ABC Christmas: O is for Ornaments

Fab'n'Funky Challenge #31 - Its Christmas

Rosie-D's Challenge #75 - Burgundy, pink, cream

Supplies
Stamp: not sure but I think I got it from I Brake For Stamps
Papers: DCWV 'Christmas Stack'
Accessories: snowflake ribbon brad; Antique Linen Distress ink; silver gems; frosted lace stickles; Glossy Accents; Diamond Glamour Dust

Bunting Celebration

This weeks Sweet Stampin Challenge is to use bunting, and I had this stamp on a set I received from Leanne at Artfuldelight.  I thought it looked a bit flat on my sky so I popped each flag half up on dimensionals and stuck down flat at the top edge.
Sponged the clouds in for the bg and added some flower soft grass.

Hope you're having a good weekend, we're having a nice lazy Sunday (Greg and Ruby are already snoozing on the sofa LOL!)

Polka Doodles #28 is to only use stamps and no DP's

Colour combo from Just Us Girls #42

Supplies
Stamp: bunting stamp, birds and little flowers from Practicing Creativity 'Look Up'; sentiment from Simon Says
Accessories: copic markers; green flower soft; dimensionals; white gel pen

Etsy Inspired Seahorse

This week's Etsy Inspired Challenge #97 is to use Mermaid's Tears Jewelry as inspiration.  I kinda used these two pices to take the theme for my card- the seahorse, the colours and the pretty swirl

Sketch from 2 Sketches for You #56

Totally Papercrafts #25 is a recipe: 1 X IMAGE, 1 X RIBBON, 2 X PAPERS, 3 X EMBELLISHMENTS

Our Creative Corner : Beach theme

Daring Cardmakers - we are sailing (beach / sea related)

Supplies

Stamps: image from Stampin Up 'fishy friends'; sentiment from Simon Says

Papers: Rubber Soul 'Hoop-la'

Accessories: blue seed beads; dimensionals; Tim Holtz border die; swirly doo-da thingy and bling from stash; blue promarker; white gel pen; Bow Easy

Simon Says ... Let's Get Fruity

Simon Says challenge this week is Let's Get Fruity and I think this this little sweetie having a picnic in her garden is the only stamp I have that features fruit.
I blew my crafty budget over at Bunny Zoe's shop at the weekend when she had a sale on her punches, so I couldn't wait to use them on this card... I've fancied a butterfly punch for ages!  And I can recommend the Tim Holtz edge dies too! 

Sketch from The Cuttlebug Spot

Papertake Weekly's theme this week is In the Garden

Paper Sundaes challenge #26 is Lots of Layers

Stamp and Create's July challenge is stitching (I used faux stitching with a white gel pen)

Supplies
Stamp: Little girl from High Hopes; not sure where sentiment is from
Paper: My favourite set ever from DCWV Blossoms and Blooms (but unfortunately I'm down to the scraps, sob!)
Accessories: Martha Stewart butterfly punch; Tim Holtz edger die; blue gems; copic markers

Fun and Cute Card Style challenge

This week Moxie Fab World are looking at different card styles and I'm most definately 'Fun and Cute' (and my cards are too!)
   

I made this card for the Card Style Fun and Cute Challenge and I  loved Julie's DT card so much that I CASEd her!

Here's Julie's original, isn't it fabulous!: 

CAS-tastic challenge CWC011 is to use kraft paper (this is the closest I've got!)

Supplies
Stamp: Penny Black
Paper: an oldie from my stash (...if I can lever myself off the sofa I'll go check!)
Accessories: circular nestabilities; Martha Stewart punch; sewing machine; purple gems; silver peel off letters; dimensionals (for doggy image)

CAS Sympathy card

(ETA: I was in the top 5 at SPCC with this card)

I do like how this card turned out, but if I was making it again I'd do a couple of things different!  First off I'd have the tree further down the 'grass' (looks a bit odd 'floating') and I would have stamped the whole thing in brown ink to make the sentiment a bit softer.
I stamped the little flowers onto the orange DP and cut them out, and yes it took ages and was really fiddly!

Colour combo from SPCC #56

Sketch from Sweet Sunday #77

Your Next Stamp challenge #20 Flower Power (mine are only little but they're ever so nice! LOL!)

Supplies:
Stamps: Main image from Practicing Creativity Designs Barefoot Summer ; sentiment from Simon Says
Paper: An oldie from my stash
Accessories: copic markers; blue gems and flowery ribbon from stash; martha stewart punch

A Super Simple CAS Chrissy Card

Its holiday time here in Northern Ireland so we get an extra-extra long weekend, no work till Wednesday!  Hooray for short working weeks (with full pay LOL!)  It was a beautiful (mostly) sunny day, though I had my washing in and out half a dozen times as dirty big black clouds kept passing overhead - they'd give a few spits, I'd take my washing off the line, then the sun would come out, I'd hang the washing back out and 10 minutes later repeat the whole exercise again!

Anyway, seeing as we're now past mid-summers day ;o) I'm determined to crack on with my Chrissy cards, and they don't come any easier than this one, there isn't even any stamping or colouring on it!  The little pics were part of a paper stack, I just cut them to size, cut a little piece for the sentiment and Bob's Your Uncle, job done!  10 minutes tops!

Sketch from Clean&Simple Fall to Layout #98

Supplies
Paper: Dovecraft 'Ho Ho Ho'
Accessories: Martha Stewart border punch; Glossy Accents and Diamond Glamour Dust for highlights to the little Santas and stocking; snowflake punch; blue gems; dimensionals for sentiment

Up, up and away...

I think this is possibly my favourite CAS (clean and simple) card that I've made!  I'm so pleased how it turned out (especially as my mojo has been a bit hit and miss!)
My gorgeous stamps were a recent candy win from Artful Delight - thanks Leanne, I love 'em!  And she's another giveaway on at the minute to win some Basic Grey packs - click HERE for more details.
I used the smaller stamps for the background stamping though they don't show up very well on the photo.  (The large cloud template was one I downloaded ages ago so don't have the link)

Sketch from Our Creative Corner Sketch Challenge #23

One Stop Craft Challenge #88: Monochrome

Splitcoaststampers Friday Free for All F4A20 is to use your newest crafty goodies

The Treehouse Thursday challenge #57: Monochrome

Creative Inspirations #68: On the Move

Supplies
Stamps: Practicing Creativity Designs Look Up
Accessories: Glossy Accents and Diamond Glamour Dust (for panel on balloon); dimensionals to pop up balloon and sentiment; copic markers; versamark for BG stamping; blue and clear crystal gems

Sshhhh, what's that noise!

ETA: I won Stampin for the Weekend's challenge with this card - $25 for Simon Says store!

Whooo hoo, another Chrissy card made!  This one's for Stampin for the Weekend #42 - Christmas in July.  Didn't quite follow the sketch as I had to change the sentiment to the top corner as I kinda ran out of room!  And I couldn't decide what colour to do my house so in the end I just paper pieced it, and did the same with the door (though I've just noticed I forgot to do the wreath)  The trees are popped up on dimensionals as they got a bit lost in the 'snow'.

Winter Wonderland's challenge this week is Twas the Night Before Christmas

Fussy and Fancy Friday #14: Christmas in July Part II

Supplies
Stamp: Santa stamp from Little Claire designs; Stampin Up sentiment
Paper: Dovecraft
Accessories: copic markers; white flower soft; silver charm from stash; frosted lace stickles

My First Handmade button

Crafty Creations challenge #75 is to make your own button.  I've never tried it so I had a go - I just cut a couple of bits of plain cardstock and a piece of my patterned DP, stuck them all together and punched a couple of wee holes in it.  Easy Peasy! 

Sketch from Judy at The Sugar Bowl #38

Totally Papercrafts #23 is One for the Girlies

Supplies
Stamp: Cheerleader from Sugar Nellie
Paper:  Basic Grey
Accessories: copic markers; plain prima flowers coloured to match; dew drops and gems; silver peel off sentiment

Christmas in July!

I was full of good intentions in January and promised myself I'd make at least a Christmas card per week, needless to say I've fallen by the wayside!  So I'm delighted to see there's a few Christmas challenges about this week!  I quite like how the fur on Santa's outfit turned out, but not sure about his beard, so I'll have to go surfin for some tips.

Hope you've had a good Sunday - its a wee bit draughty here, the wind has blown down some trees and power lines and would most certainly blow the cobwebs away!  

High Hopes challenge #82 is to use a star - I used these little red buttons from my stash

The Corrosive Challenge #71 - Christmas time

Fussy and Fancy Friday #14 - Christmas in July

ABC Christmas is N is for Noel (which is basically anything Christmas!)

Supplies

Stamp: High Hopes

Paper: Dovecraft 'Ho Ho Ho'

Accessories: copic markers; star buttons; silver peel off sentiment; cuttlebug embossing folder

PCP Simon Says ... Summer

The Simon Says Stamp challenge #7 over on Papercraft Planet this month is summer - well this evening's weather forecast is for heavy rain and stormy winds, but I thought this pretty flower made a much nicer card! ;o)
(BTW, there's a really lovely summery prize with this challenge - go check it out here!)

Sketch from Splitcoaststampers SCS287

Rosie-D's challenge #74 - Summer Birthday

The Corrosive Challenge #70 - Flowers

Paper Sundaes #24 - Birthday

Supplies
Stamp: High Hopes new release
Paper: Basic Grey
Accessories: watercolour pencils; dimensionals (used on little bees); stickles; clear gloss; diamond accents; pink gems; silver peel off sentiment and letters; SU corner punch