Boating Birthday

Sorry, another super quick post tonight ... I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here is on.  Total trash I know, but I love it!  That's the next 3 weeks sorted on telly!

Image from Lili of the Valley - coloured with copics.  Paper Smooches sentiment.  DP from Bo Bunny (I think!)

Sketch (flipped) from Willow Sketchie Challenge
Cards 4 Men #23 - anything goes
House of Gilli #45 - celebrations
The Pink Elephant #173 - use your favourite colouring medium
Papertake Weekly - anything goes
Allsorts #180 - young at heart
By the Cute and Girly November challenge - Stars

High Hopes #155: Snowflakes and Buttons

OMGosh, the weeks are flying past!  It will be Christmas in no time at all!
Anyway, its Tuesday, so time for a new challenge over at High Hopes and this week its ...

Snowflakes and Buttons

So get your High Hopes stamps out and play along!

Image from High Hopes: Snowy's Friends
I've used clear gloss on their noses/beak and lots of glitter on this card (snow, snowflake, snowman's buttons etc)... as far as Christmas cards are concerned, the more glitter the better I say!  Coloured with mixture of copics and Spectrum Noir markers.
Marianne snowflake die and button from stash.

Other challenges...
Sketch from Willow Sketchie challenge
Top Tip Tuesday #89 - we're all heart
There she goes #180 - dress up your colouring
Pile it on #45 - make it sparkle
Totally Gorjuss #156 - button
Ribbon Girl November challenge - add sparkle
Penny Black at Allsorts November challenge - any die will do
Oozak #08 - Winter Vibes

High Hopes Challenge #153

This week's challenge at High Hopes is a colour one ...

Blue, Black and White

You've until 22 October this time to play along and get some ink on your High Hopes stamps - the prize for the random winner is a new stamp of your choice!

My card uses Leapin Lewis, and Merry Christmas sentiment.  Coloured with a mixture of pencils and promarkers.  Lots of sparkle added to his scarf, heart and blades and white flower soft to his hat.  I also got my heat tool out for the first time in maybe a year, and heat embossed my sparkly sentiment.

I've used some new goodies on this card too - I treated myself to this poinsetta die set and lovely baubles border.  And how much am I lovin my gorgeous tinsel ribbon!!! :)

Other challenges:
Layout from Sketch Saturday #229
Card Crafters Circle #44 - black, white + 1 other
One Stop Craft #200 - heat embossing
A Gem of a Challenge #57 - flowers
Simon Says Stamp - dies / punches

ETA: I got Top 3 at Card Crafter's Circle

Love is like a butterfly

Can you tell we're having a last blast at summer with this card! The sun is shining (at the minute anyway Ha) though it's brrr chilly at night now.  We saw a meteor the other night fizzing down the sky in front of us, though there's a bit of debate as to whether it was a meteorite or space junk!  Either way, it was pretty amazing!

For this card I used my cute wee bunny from The Cats Pyjamas, coloured with copics.  Whimsy butterfly die.  Tab die from Die-namics.  Heart border from Taylored Expressions.

• Layout from Sweet Sketch Wednesday #172 
• My Mum's Craft Shop #75 - hearts and flowers
• Colour combo from Party Time Tuesday #86
• Charisma Cardz #37 - things with wings
• Polkadoodles #38 - inspired by a song .... Love is like a butterfly

ETA: Top 3 @ My Mum's Craft Shop!  I also won a prize at Party Time Tuesdays ... lucky me!

Butterfly Thanks

Thanks for all the well wishes to my Mum for her retirement .. she's now in need of some thank you cards!

This one uses this cute butterfly from Stamps by Judith. I've tried to use the 3-2-1 rule of colour (except in this case its 4-3-2!)  Coloured with pencils, doodled border, and Paper Smooches sentiment.

• Party Time Tuesday PTT#83 - anything goes
• Layout from The Outlawz Wednesday sketch challenge
• Simon Says Stamp ... anything goes
• Charisma Cardz #34 - no embellishments
• PaperPlay #35 - appreciation / thank you
• Crafts 4 Eternity r87- less is more
• Natalie and Amy #1 - anything goes

ETA: I got Top 3 at PaperPlay Challenges!

Puppy & Kitten

Does anyone else run out of post titles when you've used a stamp quite often?  I'd love to be able to think of something sweet or witty, but my brain has gone to sleep!
Anyhoo, Happy 4th to all my USA bloggy buddies, hope you're having a fun day!

This card looks 'busier' than it actually is, think its all that jazzy DP!  The scallops at the bottom of the sentiment panel were part of the fancy DP, so I just cut round them.
Image from Lili of the Valley - coloured with copics
Paper Smooches sentiment

• Totally Gorjuss #138 - sweet and simple
• Sweet Stampin - scallops
• My Time to Craft #183 - raining cats and dogs
• The Cuttlebug Spot - lace
• Tuesday Alchemy #21 - anything goes
• Colour combo from My Mums Craft Shop #64
• Copic marker Europe - black hair - I used C5,C7,100

ETA: I got top 3 at My Mum's Craft Shop!

Woof!

Sorry, no craic in me today at all.  I'm loaded with the cold and have wee piggy eyes and a big red nose ... yes I look delightful but thankfully it didn't spoil my birthday yesterday! Another year wiser (ha) and feelin about another 20 older!
I've always fancied having a go with one of the sketches over at Sketch Inspiration, so this is my first effort.  Takes a bit of thinking to change a scrapbook LO into a card LO!

• Sketch from Sketch Inspiration Sketch #324 June 10-16
• Lexi's Creations #67 - Happy Birthday
• Tuesday Throwdown #102 - critters
• Card Crafters Circle #27 - feeling sentimental
• Totally Papercrafts - its raining cats and dogs

ETA I won at Totally Papercrafts!

Monsters and Mushrooms

This wee card took aaaaages of faffing about with, but I love how it turned out!
I couldn't get a marker to match my DP so I paper pieced my wee mushrooms, and then I decided that my monster needed some fancy trousers too :)

• General theme inspired by the geometric DP's at the Paper Smooches SPARKS trend watch challenge
• Colour theme inspired by pic on There She Goes blog #159
• Papertake Weekly - anything goes
• DYSU #75 - paper piecing
• Paper Play 12 week 23 - back to Kraft
• Craft your days away #47 - bingo - I chose buttons / ribbon / die cuts
• Sketch from The Craft's Meow June challenge
• Crafty Friends #5 - flowers

ETA: I won at There She Goes!

Birthday Bat

In celebration of National Scrapbook Day, Paper Smooches have a special challenge to make a card stock only card.  I paper pieced my wee bat and then his eyes, and chalked the sky.  Star and fence dies from Taylored Expressions, Martha Stewart grass punch.

I hope we have clear skies tonight, we're supposed to have a sooperdooper moon - though usually when there's anything fun happening in the heavens our weather conspires against us and we get to see nothing!

• Sketch from The Sweet Stop SSS157 - I took a few liberties and added the fence/grass detailing at the bottom!
• One Stop Craft #181 - celebrations
• The Stamp Man - your favorite technique - mine is a chalked sky using this template from Bev.
• CAS-ual Friday CFC51 - CAS Birthday
• Willow Sketchie Challenge - dies and punches
• Simon Says Stamp - Birthday
• Papertake Weekly - anything goes
• Catered Crop Recipe Swap - B is for .... Birthday Bat!

ETA This card was spotlighted over at the Sweet Stop!

Eeek a flying mouse!

I haven't played in the High Hopes challenge for a while, so thought I'd have a go at their purple theme this week.  Didn't realise my pic was so out of focus though!  If I remember, I'll take a better one tomorrow.  (the silver text on the tab marker says Many Happy Returns)

Coloured my wee HH mouse with promarkers and had a bash at adding some flowers.  I've officially added 'flowers' to my 'Aarrrgh' list, along with buttons and swirls!!  They always look amazing on other people's cards, but usually look pants on mine! ;)
Die-namics file tab die.

• Sketch from Card Patterns #163
• High Hopes #134 - purple madness
• Passion for Promarkers #146 - die cuts
• Crafty Catz #130 - anything goes
• Stamp Scrap and Doodle Saturday - Birthday
• Catered Crop Recipe challenge - B is for .... balloon!
• Crafty Pad #168 - April showers bring May flowers

ETA: I won High Hopes purple challenge with this card!

Dream Valley Challenge #26

Whoops!  I'm a wee bit late for the new challenge over at Dream Valley, but sure it's better late than never!  Anyhoo our new theme this fortnight is...

Just for Men

The prize is some fab digis from Bugaboo - you've a fortnight to play along and make anything you like, doesn't have to be a card.

I had my card all sorted in my mind and then all of a sudden I seemed to have these gorgeous bright happy DPs stuck down!  Wasn't what I'd planned at all!
Image from Little Claire stamps (mounted on dimensionals); Simon Says Stamp sentiment; Taylored Expressions wave die (mounted on dimensionals).

Other challenges:

• Sketch from CPS #253
• Crafty Catz #120 - Favourite things (my faves are my bling and my die cuts)
• Card Crafters Circle #10 - to die for
• Sarah Hurley challenge #60 - die cuts
• Do You Stack Up #59 - layers

ETA: I won 2xPickled Tink images from Do You Stack Up #59!

My favourite LOTV Stamp

Oops, I had my wonky eyes in when I took this pic!
Well I'm finally starting to feel a bit better ... thanks everyone for your get well wishes!
This wee card features my favourite Lili of the Valley stamp, coloured with pencils which I was inspired to get by my bloggy buddy Linda ... if you've never been at her blog you should pop over for a wee visit, she has the most fabulous colouring skills with her pencils! I've quite a bit of practice to go, especially with hair colouring!

I also managed to add a button to my card which is quite an achievement for a button-challenged-crafter! .

• Sketch from i{heart}2stamp SFYTT January
• ABC Challenge - H is for Happy Birthday
• Sparkles Forum ChallengeC#28 - new crafty goodies (my die-namics notebook edge die)
• Simon Says Stamp - spots and/or stripes
• The Pixie Cottage #103 - stitching
• Charisma Cardz - Happy Birthday
• Lili's Little Fairies #02 - your favourite LOTV stamp
• Catered Crop - Button Up

ETA: I won at Pixie Cottage - 2 new stamps!

Dream Valley Challenge #23

We're back with a new challenge for the New Year at Dream Valley and it couldn't be easier ....
Anything Goes!

(There's a fab prize on offer too from One Stop Card Crafts)  Make anything you like, doesn't have to be a card and you've a fortnight to play along. (max 3 entries)

My card uses some wee paper-pieced flowers from Stampendous and the DP was from a Christmas pack.

Other Challenges:

• Allsorts #136 - paper piecing
• Ribbon Carousel RCC34 - anything goes
• The Pink Elephant TPE129 - anything goes
• Joanna Sheen - celebrations

ETA: Top 5 @ Allsorts

More new goodies!

Aaahhchoooo!  Yip, I've got the dreaded lurgy ... well, OK it's a head cold!  But its totally stolen my energy and my mojo!

These cards are made with another of my new Nellie Snellen stamps ... I've been more than good to myself in the crafty sales and have had a wee package almost every day this week of goodies!

First Card (coloured with promarkers)

• Sketch from Mojo Monday #222
• Sweet Stampin - spots and dots
• Card Crafters Circle #4 - make it colourful
• Fussy and Fancy #53 - Happy Birthday
• Simon Says ... New something (stash)
• The Pink Elephant TPE129 - anything goes

Second Card (coloured with pencils)

• Sketch from Sweet Sketch Wednesday #135
• Fab n Funky #102 - something new (my stamp and DP)
• Cute Card Thursday #198 - what's new
• Paper Sundaes #101 - something old (my flower punch and leaf die) something new (stamp and DP)

ETA I got Top 3 at Card Crafters Circle! 

New Goodies!

I didn't get any crafty goodies for Christmas (booo Santa!) so me and my flexible friend went shopping in the sales instead!  Ha!
So what nicer than coming home from my first day back at work to find a lovely wee package from Bunny Zoe Crafts sitting waiting on me.

This gorgeous wee fairy is a Nellie Snellen stamp and new DPs too from Marianne Design.  Coloured her with copic markers and added some bling and some Smooch Illuminate to her wings.  Paper Smooches sentiment. (BTW, the base is a dark green colour, though it looks black here!)

• Sketch from Sketch Saturday #188
• Simon Says Stamp - anything goes
• Charisma Cardz #50 - anything goes
• Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge #166 - anything goes
• Paper Sundaes #101 - something old (my gems and butterfly punch), something new (my stamp and DP)
• iCopic challenge #63 - smooth shiny hair
• Top Tip Tuesday #67 - anything goes

ETA: Winner @ Top Tip Tuesday ($10 Stamp Fairy digis)

My sister's snow family!

ETA: I won at One Stop Craft - $10 Gift Cert from Digi Doodles

It's another Brrr chilly day today ... we'd a flurry of snow last night and the weather men nearly went into melt-down today, they were so excited!  Maybe it's just that they're just all desperate to make some snowmen?

I had such a laugh making this card for my sister and her family with my Paper Smooches Swanky Snowdudes ... hopefully they'll all recognise themselves!  I added loads of sparkle and gems, clear gloss to the snow-mum's lipstick, and some wee snowballs to the bottom (I won these ages ago in some candy and I love them 'too' much ... I can hardly bring myself to use them!)  The blue sky is stamped with wee snowflakes, but doesn't really show up in the pic.  Coloured with promarkers.

• By the cute and girly December challenge - let it snow
• I love Promarkers #94 - snowmen and snowflakes
• Simon Says Stamp - anything goes
• Do you stack up #48 - ribbon
• Speedy the Cat's challenge #84 - use your favourite embellie ... mine's definately these little snowballs, but I really LOVE my twine too!
• One Stop Craft #160 - let it snow
• Sarah Hurleys Challenge #55 - Christmas

Butterfly thanks

*Scroll down for my Dream Valley DT post*

ETA - This wee card was in the Top 3 at Monday Lunchtime Sketches!

I was rooting through my stamps earlier when I rediscovered my one and only Hanglar & Stanglar stamp, much neglected unfortunately!  Coloured her with copics - though I kinda wish I hadn't given her green tights ... not sure if I'd pass any fashion awards with those!!

• Catered Crop - your favourite Thank You card ... well my favourite is usually the most recent one LOL!  I like the CAS style of this one, my fabulous Paper Smooches sentiment and the gorgeous bright DP
• The Pink Elephant #126 - give thanks
• Use it Tuesday #20 - giving thanks
• Crafty Creations #145 - give thanks / gratitude
• My Mum's Craft Shop #33 - things with wings
• PaperPlay Challenges #47 - Being Thankful
• Make it Colourful #41 - colouring white (I used C0 and C1 to add some shading to my envelope)
• Sketch from Monday Lunchtime TSSC201 - though I stuck one of my horizontal panels down wonky, so I intentionally put the central panel at an angle to make it less noticable .. I think it works!

Mad Bunny!

ETA: I won at Do You Stack Up ... a $10 spending spree at Stitchy Bear Digis!

Oh, brrrr, its another cold wintry day here ..I've had the kitchen light on almost all day!  I've been off work the past couple of days and managed to get most of my Christmas shopping done, just need to get my act together and get some Christmas cards made now!  

This wee card uses the fab mad bunny from Paper Smooches ... I always seem to end up paper piecing these little dudes.  I've had this gorgeous DP in my stash for YEARS and could never seem to get it used, so the inspiration pic from the Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge was just perfect for it!  And I had a total Homer Simpson moment when I was punching my grass with my Martha Stewart punch and I realised (after owning it for over a year) that the sides of the punch flipped down into a proper sized punch.  DOH!  I did wonder why it had such a small punch area and hardly ever used it because of that!!

• Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge - inspiration pic ... I used the colour combo and the pretty flowers for my inspiration
• Sketch from Cute Card Thursday #192
• Do You Stack Up #47 - grass
• Fab'n Funky #100 - Birthday

Blue Bunny

* ETA: I was one of Card Patterns Super 6 with this card! *

Ohhh its a bit of a draughty day out there... got my pots and cutting back all done in the front garden, but didn't quite manage to get any of my winter planting done.  Ah well, there's always next weekend!  Ha, who am I kidding, 2 dry weekends in a row must be a new record for us!

Right, I'm away ... I've a stack of ironing that's threatening to topple, and I'm a Celebrity Get me out of here starts tonight, which I LOVE!

• Sir Stampalot November Challenge - blue and green
• Penny Black at Allsorts November challenge - all creatures great and small
• Sketch from Card Patterns #141
• Speedy the Cat's Friends Challenge Week 81~~Your Favorite Technique (mine is stamping, embossing and paper piecing)

Dream Valley Challenge #18

ETA: I won at Crafty Cardmakers!
Oh dear, its been such a horrible day today... lashing rain ALL day long, and me with a wee hole in my roof!  The insurance guy is due on Wednesday so fingers crossed!

Sorry for the slight delay in getting my DT card done while I painted my living room... took my mind off our bedroom ceiling anyway!  Anyway, on to this week's challenge at Dream Valley and it's a nice easy one ...

Halloween

So get out your spooky craft stash and get creating ... you could win some gorgeous digis from Robyns Fetish Digital Stamps and More.  You've a fortnight to play along ... doesn't have to be a card - do a scrapbook LO, jewellery, anything!  Just as long as its Halloweeney (...is that a real word?)

Unfortunately I wasn't organised enough to use one of the Robyns Fetish images that the DT were lucky enough to get ... I've no printer and its been too hectic in work to think of crafty stuff!  So mine is a wee stamp from Hambo stamps and the banner from Practising Creativity.  The Magnolia spooky fence was a candy win.  Coloured my pumpkin with copics and then coloured my silver spider's web black to match my colour theme.

Other challenges:

• Stamp and Create October Challenge - flags / bunting
• Crafty Cardmakers #54 - cute with a dark twist
• Sketch from Sweet Sunday #139
• Paper Sundaes #91 - halloween or fall
• House of Gilli #18 - colour challenge - use 3 of black, orange, green, purple, white
• Sparkles challenge #22 - Halloween
• Craft your Days Away #31 - Halloween colours
• Simon Says Stamp ... Halloween / Goth
• Creative Card Crew ... Spooky Fun
• ABC - B is for Boo