Christmas cards

I am still on the 2 Christmas cards a week drive, and I have managed to find some challegnes that don't involve love and hearts!!!

The first card covers these challenges:
Wags n Whiskers challegne - metal (I used spacers)
Basic Grey Challenges - sketch (rotated)
Totally Papercrafts - recipe - 3 embellishments, 2 papers, 1 image
Cute Card Thursday - spots and dots

I watercoloured the image and distressed the edges with mahogany distress ink. I love these BG papers and distressed the edges and matted onto blue cardstock. I stamped the swirl and added some white raffia. The flowers were a RAK from Jill and I used spacers rather than brads for the detail ... not done that before but I quite like the effect.

The next card covers these challenges:
Friday Sketchers - sketch
Bah-Humbug - holly
Allsorts - distressing + button/bow
Penny Black Saturday Challenge - pins and pearls
I adore this stamp, these meeces are so cute!! I watercoloured the image and distressed the edges. I distressed the dp and cardstock. I added the ribbon and bow, and the pearls are cream ones that I coloured using my holly promarker. I don't have any pins ... a bit dangerous with little hands helping to craft!!

We have had a busy morning ... a bit of crafting and the girls have had their swimming lessons. They are both doing really well and Beth is going to move up a group next time.

I am hoping to get some crafting in this afternoon, and make a few DT cards ... but it is lovely here so might go for a walk first.

Recipe:
Stamp(s): Wags n Whiskers Sweet Danni and Bella, WOJ Swirls set; Penny Black Holly Jolly Christmas, Hero Arts sentiment
Colouring Media: Distress inks
Papers: Basic Grey Figgy Puddy; DCWV Christmas stack
Embellishments: all from stash

A couple of cards and a sneak peek

I have a stinking cold and sinustus and feel rotten today. The girls have had their first swimming lessons and they both loved them and got on really well, and loved it. I think I two water babies in the family :) While Beth had a sleep to recover from all her exertion in the pool, I have made a couple of cards for a few challenges this afternoon ... Ellie helped with the embossing and glittering!
The first card follows the Just Magnolia sketch, the winter theme over at Fuss and Fancy, Glitter over at Ba Humbag, and the Simon Says Stamps punch it challenge... and I am keeping to my New Year's Resolution of at least 1 Christmas card a week.
Tilda is watercoloured and then I distressed the edges with distress ink. took my distressing tool to the edges of the image and cardstock, then liberally pushed it into my versamark pad (Ellie liked this ..) before sprinkling embossing powder over and heating it (Ellie really liked this bit!!) I (We) repeated the process for the dp and cardstock. I used my cuttlebug snowflake die and pushed it into the versamark pad (helped by Ellie) and then sprinkled with embossing powder (Ellie did this bit) before heating it. I added some raffia and layered punched snowflakes.

The second card I made was for several challenges:
Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Something sweet
Sketch Saturday - sketch
Allsorts - Hearts and flowers
One Stop Craft Challenge - love and kisses (xxx on the tag, and that mouse loved those chocs!!)
Basic Grey Challenge - Animals
The image was watercoloured and then I inked the edges. I added heart gems to the sweets and to the top corners of the image. I don't have any corner punches so I cut a flower into quarters. I used rirac for the scalloped edge.

Its the first challenge tomorrow over at Just Cute Bears Challenge.

And here's a peek at my 1st DT card ...

If you have time do join in.

Recipe:
Stamp(s): Magnolia Tilda with Vintage roses, Magnolia sentimen; Penny Black Sweet Slumbers, Papermania sentiments
Colouring Media: Distress inks
Papers: Basic Grey Fruitcake; Basic GreyInfuse
Embellishments: all from stash

A few Christmas cards

I am struggling trying to keep up with photographing the cards I am making with such dull weather. Here are three that I have made over the last couple of days.

The first covers these challenges:
Create4fun - sketch
Stampavie and more - Brown + 1 - in this instance red
Creative inspirations - Sparkle
Uru is watercoloured and I distressed the edges of the image with vintage photo, walnut stain and aged mahogany. Th edp and the music paper is also distressed using the same inks. I added the flowers and leaf, and stamped the sentiment straight on the dp using maghogany ink. The sparkle is in the dp - sadly the dull light doesn't reflect it.

This card covers the following challenges:
Friday Sketcher - sketch
Just Magnolia - masking
Creative Inspiration - sparkle
Colour Create - red, green and white
One stop craft - snowflakes
Magnolia Down Under - Christmas card or decoration
Tilda was masked onto the presents (still not convinced she is sitting right, even after 3 attempts!) and watercoloured her. I cut her out and put her straight on to the dp. I glimmer misted the snowflakes using gold and then glamour dusted them, so they do sparkle!! I stamped the sentiment straight onto the dp.

Finally this card covers these challenges -
Penny Black Saturday Challenge - winter wonderland
One Stop Craft - snowflakes
Charisma Cardz - sketch
Allosrts - Christmas card with song title - Let it Snow!
Colour Create - red, green and white
Simon Says Stamp - animal antics
I water coloured this fab mousey and aded fluffy stuff and glitter. I kept the sketch simple and stamped the sentiment on to a cuttlebug bauble.

We have had a busy weekend - at an evening do for a wedding last night, and a princess party for one of the children I mind today. The girls are well tired and partied out!!! Hopefully they will sleep!!!!

Recipe:
Stamp(s): Whiff of Joy Uru and Bird, Papermania sentiment; Magnolia Tilda with presents, presents; Penny black Let it Snow, Cuddly Buddly sentiment
Colouring Media: Distress inks
Papers: My minds Eye, DCWV, Basic Grey
Embellishments: flowers, ribbon, lace, brads, card candy from stash

Where does the time go?!

I can't believe it is already Sunday afternoon ... where does the time go? I have finished off a couple of cards I started last night - hubby's finally got round to placing a light in my craft room so I can colour properly - well I would be able to if my water brush was behaving!!!
We took the girls to a miniature railway yesterday, as it was Dave's big boss's retirement do ... just a round trip of 6 hours on the train!!! The girls loved it as they got to go on 4 trains (we had to go into London and out) and they could colour and draw, unlike being trapped in the car for hours!! Here's a pic of them and a little train!! Beth loved going on the trains and Ellie spent her time catching fairies in the woods ... we now apparently have 12 living with us. I wonder how good they are at ironing, washing up ...!!!
I made it into my craft room last night and coloured the images for the two cards I am going to show, and chose the papers.

The first is for the following challenges:
Just Magnolia - sketch
Roses on Paper - orange, brown and green, plus sketch
Stampin' for the weekend- orange, brown and leafy green (glad you're back girls!)
Stamp Something - Brown plus

OK in the sketch the image is circular, but Tilda didn't look right so she's oval!!! I watercoloured her and distressed the background. I used my favourite autumnal papers and matted them onto green and brown cardstock. Rather than used flowers I stamped some leaves and gold embossed them, and cut them out.
Roses on Paper are doing a DT call if you are interested.

The second card is for Alison Acton (one of Whiff of Joy's artists) as sahe and her husband are expecting their first baby really soon. Katharina would like everyone to send her a card and there is candy up fro grabs.
I used the Penny Black Saturday Challenge, Buttons and Bows, Cute Card Thursday's Charms, and the Papertake Weekly sketch.

I used this gorgeous PB image as I love it for baby cards and watercoloured it. I matted the dp on yellow cardstock and added some ribbon, buttons and an ickle flower. The sentiment is from WoJ's baby sentiments.

Recipe:
Stamp(s): Magnolia Tilda with Basket, autumn leaf; Penny Black Baby Hammock, WoJ baby sentiments
Colouring Media: Distress inks
Papers: Basic Grey Mellow; DCWV Nursery Stack
Embellishments: ribbon, buttons, flower, charm from stash

The results of my weekend

What a busy weekend!!! It was hubby's birthday yesterday, and he had arranged to collect his new car ... very nice, just a bit RED!!!! We went to Southport to see the Red Arrows at the air show there. They were really good, and although they didn't do their really big loops, the girls loved the show. Today we have been to Bury to by his birthday present .. a camera for him, so he doesn't need to nick mine all the time!
I have found some time to do some crafting, but my back is really painful (thanks to a small child swinging on me and twisting it!!) so I haven't spent as long as I would like to in my craft room.

The first card is for the Allsorts Challenge, Autumn Days.
I adore this Tina Wenke image, Opossum Pals, and coloured it using my promarkers and copics, all available at the Secret Crafter. The papers are Basic Grey Mellow and I used organza brown ribbon and orange satin ribbon from my stash.

The next card is for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge, pink, brown and yellow, and I used the Saturday Sketch, which I rotated.
I coloured this cute mouse (Penny Black Gifts for you) in using my distress inks. I inked the edges and matted it onto the dp. The dp is Basic Grey Sugared. I added brown ricrac, and punched the scalloped edge with my Stampin'up punch. The flowers are punched and should have pearls in the centre but I think small fingers have had them away whilst i was finding the camera! Please imagine pink pearls! The sentiment is from Pollycraft Sherbert Dreams and is stamped in sepia.

Finally I used the Friday Sketcher sketch and this week's Just Magnolia pink and grey challenge to make this card.
I coloured Dala Tilda in using my promarkers and then inked the edges in pink and black soot ink. The papers are Basic Grey (Boxer and Eva) and I stamped swirls from a TAC set I have. I added grey organza from my stash and a layered flower using prima flowers and a rose bud.

I have another busy week ahead of me ... but am hoping to get back in my craft room in the evenings.

Its a new Sketch and Stash challenge tomorrow, and I LOVE the card I have made for it, partly because Becky's sketch is a cracker ... do pop back to take a peek.

Maddy's card

One of my friend's had a baby earlier this week, Madeline Jean, and I have made this card for the happy parents.
I used the sketch from Trully Scrumptious (and 3 stamps), and as it has a hidden message I am entering into this week's Cute Card Thursday. The flowers mean that it also fits Charisma Cardz Flower Power theme, and the lace and pearls fit Penny Black Saturday Challenge.

I used three of my large flowers from Poppicrafts (I so miss their flowers!) and layered them on to a circle cut from the dp. I followed the sketch, just skewing some of the dp slightly. I added some smaller flowers and put pearls at their centres, and used both vcotton and raffia lace. The Tim Holtz ticket is attached by a brad so it moves, and stapled to the circle.
I love using this cute baby hedgie for baby cards. I watercoloured her and cut her out. The flower circle moves to cover the sleeping hedgie.
I stamped the sentiment on the inside and added the cute mices, again watercoloured. I can't wait to see Maddy, hopefully mum and baby are out of hospital today.

Recipe:
Stamp(s): Penny Black Hammock and Daisy Chain; WOJ Baby sentiment
Colouring Media: Distress inks
Papers: DCWV Nursery stack
Embellishments: flowers, lace, brads, pearls from stash.

Penny Black Saturday Challenge sketch

Domi has done a fab sketch for this week's PBSC. I have combined it with the colour challenge over at Cute Card Thursday (pink and green). As it has my favourite embellishment, punched flowers, on it I am entering it for this week's Stamp Something.
I watercollured this cute teddy and cut it out. Imatted the dp up and distressed the edges. I added white ric-rac and white organza ribbon, some punched flowers, and brads.
However, I am not a fan of round cards as I can never get them to stand up properly. So ...
I put it onto a card.
I embossed the white panel using my Swiss Dots folder.

Recipe:
Stamp(s): Penny Black Unwrapped
Colouring Media: Distress inks
Papers: DCWV Nursery stack
Embellishments: punched flowers, ric-rac, brads, ribbon from stash

ABC challenge ... C is for ...

Circles

This week we would like to see circles on your creations. We have got a fabulous Party Animals stamp up for grabs from Katharina at Whiff of Joy.
I am amazed that I have got this card made for this challenge - life is hectic at the moment. Hubby is on holiday so we have been out every day, so no crafting in daylight. And our pussycat has a poorly leg - the vet thinks someone might have shot her with an air pistol. And my friend's father has finally lost his battle with cancer ... so not really in a crafting frame of mind.
I watercoloured the image, and them distressed all the papers ... it can be a great stress reliever! I stitched the papers using siver pen. I made the flowers out of circles (theres's a surprise!!) and again distressed the edges and scrunched them up alot!!.

As I have used grey and pink as a colour scheme I am entering this for the Stampin' for the weekend challenge, and as I have used stitching, I am entering it into the PBSC this week.


Recipe:
Stamp(s): Penny Black embrace
Colouring Media: distress inks
Papers: coredinations
Embellishments: ribbon and brads from stash

Michael's 18!!!

My best friend's little boy is 18 on Saturday .. and I have known him since he was 3 - eekkk!!!! How old do I feel?!! I have been struggling with the birthday card for him, but finally settled on the image and the rest has sort of fallen into place - would have liked another few weeks for this (not that i've not known it was coming LOL!!!).
I have combined a few challenges for it ...

• PBSC - blue, tan and cream
• Sketch Saturday - layout
• A Spoonful of Sugar - travel (well they are in a boat LOL!)
• Papertake Weekly Challenge - pick your favourite challenge and do it again - mine was Elegant embossing (not sure this is so elegant LOL!)
  

I watercoloured the image and the cut it and the matt using my nesties. I embossed all the cardstock using Swiss Dots and the Happy Birthday folders. I used my Fiskars threading water punch for the scallops and added a strip of carstock instead of ribbon. No flowers, I used buttons instead of flowers.
Now just got to get the pressie!!

Recipe:
Stamp(s): Penny Black Fishin', Saluations
Colouring Media: distress inks
Papers: coredinations cardstock
Embellishments: buttons form stash

Pretty in pink

Another sketch challenge - they all sem to be sketches this week!!
I have made this card using Beth's sketch over at the Penny Black Saturday Challenge for a friend's birthday.

I coloured my image and the big Maya Road flower in using promarkers. I have been using up stash so having rummaged I found these papers (no idea who they are!!) and some shimmery black paper. I punched the flowers and added black gems to the centre.
I have had a really peaceful morning - done a bit of gardening, a bit of crafting and removed the 4 small dead rodents that my loving pussy cat left me during the night!! She is a bit of a killer and obviously needing to please me! I should be gratfeul ... they were still whole!

Recipe:
Stamp(s): Penny Black Light the Night' Salutations
Colouring Media: Promarkers
Papers: ???
Embellishments: maya road flower, punched flowers, gems, brad and organza ribbon from stash

waterskiing mouse!!

I didn't do any crafting yesterday - Ellie announced at 6.30am that she wanted to go to an areroplane museum ... now where did that come from?!? So we met up with Vicky and her family at RAF Cosford's Air museum and spent the best part of 4 hours looking at planes and helicopters ... her are my two tomboys!

Today Dave has taken the girls out on some erands so I can do all the housework and cleaning ready for work tomorrow. I have to confess to sneaking into my craft room to make this card for a few challenges:
Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Summer
Allsorts - recipe - 3 flowers, 2 papers, 1 ribbon
Sunday Sketch and Stamp - sketch
I love this ickle mouse and really should stamp it up more often. I watercoloured the image and the cut him out using my label nesties. I love these papers (given to me by Vicky) and think they have a fresh, summery feel to them. The ribbon is one piece wrapped round the dp. Finally I layered up a flower and spritzed it with gold glimmer mist.

I'm going to do a bit more tidying up and then crack on with some design team cards.
Do pop back tomorrow to see my Sketch and Stash DT card - its another cracking sketch by Becky.

There is an ew challenge blog starting soon - Bizzy Becs - Creatalicious Challenge. The Challenges will start on 15th August 2009 and a new Challenge put up once a month thereafter. They have a Celebration Blog Candy on offer to celebrate this new challenge.

Recipe:
Stamp(s): Penny Black Water lily skiing
Colouring Media: Distress inks
Papers: K and Co
Embellishments: ribbon, pearl and flowers from stash

Soft and sweet

Just a quick card today... I tried the girls out in their 'bangy' clothes (Dave does English Civil War re-enactment) and ... shock horror Ellie's long dress from last year reaches her knees!! Should have kept the tonsils!!!!! So I have been making her a new dress as we are away at the weekend and she likes to dress up! Beth got away with just dropping the hem on her dress.
I combined PBSC's soft and sweet challenge with the sketch from Sketch Saturday, which I rotated.
I colored the cute ickle mouse in distress inks and distressed the background in tattered rose, aged mahogany and shabby shutters. I matted the dp onto K and Co dp and added gold organza ribbon. I used a small flower and a couple of flower brads to finish it off.
Going to have an early night tonight .. bath and telly!
Recipe:
Stamp(s): Penny Black Gift for you
Colouring Media:distress inks
Papers:K and Co, Basic Grey Porcelein
Embellishments:Papermaina flower and brads, ribbon from stash

Saturday Creations

Me and the girls are spending the wekend in the Lake District with my parents, so I have had a little time to make a couple of cards.
The first is for this week's Sketch Saturday. Its a fab sketch and I have rotated it.
I watercoloured the image and distressed the edges in Scattered Straw, dried marigold and shabby shutters. I added braid to the dp (very stokeable this paper!) and punched some flowers and added pearls.

My mum has asked me to make a card for her - strict instructions - NO flowers, fibbon, buttons or fuss. I have made this using this week's Penny black Saturday Challenge (swirls) and Stampin for the weekend's colour challenge (red and brown).

I coloured the image and matted it onto cardstock. I put some red cardstock through my D'vine Swirls folder and cut a panel and 2 squares. I pierced the edges of the cardstock and then put my hands behind my back so as not to grab ribbon, punches, buttons!! Mum loves it ... I NEED to add to it!!
Off to play out while it is still nice.

Recipe:
Stamp(s):Sugar Nellie Country Garden; Pennt Black Three Meows
Colouring Media: Distress inks
Papers:My Minds Eye; cardstock
Embellishments: punched flowers, gems and braid from stash

Red white and blue

Both the Penny Black Saturday Challenge and Our Creative Corner have got colour challenges .. red, white and blue. F|or my Penny Black stamps this was going to be a challenge, but I finally chose this gorgeous, cuddly bear.
I coloured the image in using my promarkers and matted it in blue and red. I embossed blue cardstock uding my Swis Dots folder and turned it over and matted it onto red cardstock. I embossed white cardstock using my hearts folder and matted it onto blue and red cardstock. I added red organza ribbon to finish it.
I have a card sale in a couple of weeks and this style of card sells well so I'll be making a few more!!

Recipe:
Stamp(s): Penny Black Transported
Colouring Media:Promarkers
Papers: Cardstock
Embellishments: ribbon from stash

Wallet card

Tis week's Penny Black Saturday challenge is a sketch, and I have combined it with the Stampin for the weekend challenge, to make a wallet card. I watercoloured the image and rotated the sketch. I matted my dp onto co-ordinating dark dp and stamped the sentiment. I punched flowers out of the dp and added brads to them.

I carried the sketch onto the inside, using co-ordinating dp again, but kept the sketch as it should be.

And here's the inside.

All it needs now are the images ... better get stamping them!!

Recipe:
Stamp(s):Penny Black A tender hug; Penny Black Salutations
Colouring Media: distress inks
Papers: Basic Grey Eva
Embellishments: punched flowers, brads and ribbons from stash

Penny Black meets Sketch Saturday

I have missed the last couple of weeks of the PBSC challenge and Sketch Saturday, so I have combined their challenges and come up with this ...

I do make alot of clean and simple cards for commissions, but very rarely for blog challanges. I watercoloured the teddy and chose just to use white, pink and green cardstock. I embossed the white card using my Swiss dots and D'vine Swirls folders and drew two embossed lines between the embossing. I cut the scalloped edges using my Fiskers threading water punch. Rather than add a sentiment I tied some ribbon round some white cardstock. I added white and pink brads to finish the sketch. Simple but effective I think.

Hope you are all having a good weekend.

Recipe:
Stamp(s): Penny Black Rainin' Daisies
Colouring Media: Distress inks
Papers: Carstock
Embellishments: brads and ribbon from stash

Lazy Days

Ellie wanted to help me make a card, so we have started making thank you cards for the staff at Pre-school as she leaves at the end of July. So this is a joint effort (more mine than hers!)!

I watercoloured the iamge and Ellie helped cut it out using my nesties. Ellie chose the papers and wanted the butterfly to show, so we have decoupaged it. Ellie inked the edges of the image and chose the ribbons, the yellow organza doesn't show up brilliantly. We added clear buttons with pink ribbon tied through. Finally I stamped the sentiment.

We followed the Sunday Sketch and Stamp sketch, and the PBSC of buttons.

Recipe:
Stamp(s): Penny Black Lazy Days; Papermania sentiment
Colouring Media: Distress inks
Papers: Basic Grey Urban Prairie
Embellishments: buttons and ribbon from stash