Final card before the holiday

I should be packing!!!! We are off on holiday tonight, dropping the girls off at my parents on the way ... a few days of peace and quiet for us ... but not for the grandparents LOL!!! Its been a hectic couple of days ... we were back at hsopital with Beth on Wednesday as she is still having 'funny' moments ... and then we were back again today to see the Daibetic nurse about blood sugar testing - all good fun. They don't think Beth has diabetes, they just want to check what her sugar is doing when she has one of her 'moments'.
Anyway Hubby has taken them to buy my birthday pressie (more of that later) and for a MacDonalds so I can tidy up and pack ... oh and sneak a card in LOL!! I have used the Friday Sketcher and combined it with the Just Magnolia challenge of insects and birds.

I coloured Tilda with my promarkers - still practising shading, and not sure about the pink! As I hae yet to get the octagonal nesties I cut an octagon out and put it at an angle. I added organza ribbon and some punched flowers and a swirl, and some gems in the corner. As there is bling on it I am also entering it for this week's Cute Card Thursday.

I am celebrating(?) a milestone very soon, the big 0 with a number less that 5 and greater than 3 in front of it - hence the holiday minus children. To celebrate this great(?) occasion I am going to put some blog candy on as a scheduled post - it will go on at exactly the time I was born all those years ago ... if you are interested just keep looking out for the post!!! I am going to tidy and pack now!!

Recipe:
Stamp(s): Magnolia Tilda with ladybird
Colouring Media: Promarkers
Papers: Making Memories Kate
Embellishments: punched flowers and swirl, adhesive gems and ribbon from stash

Flower Power

I have made a card for 2 challenges I dont normally do, but as we are on holiday I have the time to take part in more challenges. I have used the Stamptacular Sunday theme "This is for the birds", and the Truly Scrumptious sketch and theme Flower Power.

making cards with limited stash has proved quite challenging - particularly on the ribbon front!!

I watercoloured my duckling and cut it and the layered ovals out using my nesties. I have kept it quite simple, just adding lots of punched flowers and some ribbon. I haven't stamped a sentiment as I am not sure who will be getting this! I love these bright papers and that green gingham is strokable!!

Recipe:
Stamp(s): Penny Black Duckling
Colouring Media: Distress inks
Papers: Making Memories Ethan
Embellishments: punched flowers, gems and ribbon from stash

Sketch and Stash #8

We are upto week 8 of the sketch and stash, and another fab sketch by Becky. Again you have the freedom to put your embellishments and sentiment wherever you want.
Here's the sketch ...
and what I did ...
I have kept it quite simple, I am really liking limited colour schemes at the moment. I watercoloured my latest WOJ in and matted her onto lilac paper. All the paper I used came from my latest Making Memories pack, Emma. I punched the flowers and swirls from the papers. The stamped swirl is from WOJ and I added a few lilac gems to finish. Not a ribbon in sight - OMG!!
Do take a look at the other DT members creations, they are stunning. I look forward to seeing what you all do - I was stunned by the creations you all produced for the last sketch - you are one talented bunch of girls.

Recipe:
Stamp(s): WOJ Melinda with Bouquet; Swirls set
Colouring Media: Distress inks
Papers: Making Memories Emma
Embellishments: punched flowers and swirl (EK Success punches), adhesive gems from stash.

WOJ and colour combo

We are now officially on holiday!!! I have 5 days off and Dave has 8 days at home, so we at my Mum's for Easter. We've had a bit of a false start - Dave forgot to pack our clothes and my craft stuff into the car yesterday ... so he had to go back for it today - only a 4 hour round trip ... but I need my craft stuff having hardly crafted this last week, and the girls need clothes!
It is pouring down here at the mo and Mum and Dad have taken the girls out so I have done some crafting and caught up on some DT blog hopping.I have combined this week's WOJ sketch by Katharina (and yes I have altered it slightly) with Charisma Cardz colour combo challenge, green and purple. The image is the one I won from Camilla's blog candy, and it was a dream to colour. I have used my current fave papers and kept embellishments to a minimum as it is going to be for a friend's little girl and she is very unfussy ... well she's a tomboy really!! (oh and have hardy got any embellies with me, being on holiday!)

Recipe:
Stamp(s): WOJ Michelle Celebrating Donkey; Papermaina sentiments
Colouring Media: Distress inks
Papers: Making Memories Emma
Embellishments: ribbon from stash

Stripey Sketch Saturday

Where does the time go these days ... I can believe its already mid afternoon and I have hardly done any crafting, well non apart from the time it took Dave and the girls to go to the shop for some bread and milk. I have done the cleaning, gardening, tidied up outside ... being a childminder both inside and outside need a lot of tidying after the whirlwinds have gone ... and I have them full time next week, not just after school. So my week will be lots of tidying and no crafting!
On a better note, I have won this month's Secret Crafter prize so I am looking forward to doing a bit of shopping later on!
Well onto the card I have made for this week's Secret Crafter (Stripes) and Sketch Saturday.

I love the Making memories papers but haven't used them for ages, so out they came for the stripes. Melinda is coloured in using promarkers due to the small window of crafting time I had! She is matted onto papers from the same pack. I rotated the sketch, and used ric rac fro the scalloped edges. I tied some ribbon through a clear button and made it the centre of my floewr. Some simple brads finish the sketch. I wanted this to be quite clean and uncluttered so no extra embellishments, swirls, distressing!
We are off out later to stay with friends overnight so I am going to go and do the packing, and will catch up with the blog hopping tomorrow.

Recipe:
Stamp(s): WOJ Helpful Melinda
Colouring Media: Promarkers
Papers: Making Memories
Embellishments: brads, ribbon, ric rac, flower, button all from stash

Friday Sketcher

Its another fab sketch over at Friday Sketchers this week, designed by Mumur.

I used my latest one Tildas, Valentine Tilda, and coloured her in distress inks. I distressed the background and some of the papers in dusky plum ink. I used the same ink to stamp the scrolls. The papers are by Making Memories and the tag and swirls are Sizzix dies. The flowers are Prima and the organza ribbons from my stash. I used Versafine Sepia to stamp the PB sentiment and flowers on the tag, which again has been distressed in dusky plum.

I am just loving my distress inks!! They are a dream to colour with, and I think I am getting better!!

Have a great weekend everyone.

LOTV sketch

This week's LOTV challenge is a fab sketch by Donalda. I have altered it slightly, as I have used an oval rather than a circle for the image.

I coloured my latest Sarah Kay in in Pro markers and used a white gel pen to add some highlights. The Papers are by making Memories and I have inked all the edges in a dusky pink pad. I added pink swirls to the corners, a prima flower and pink organza. The sentiment is by Penny Black.
I am really pleased by the overall effect for a change - I normally start picking my cards to pieces the minute they are finished!

This is a 'just because' card that I made the other night.

I coloured Tilda in using Distress inks and faux stitched her and the K and Co papers. The heart and patch on her dress are decoupaged. I added prima flowers and ribbon from my stash.

I am still on the use up my stash drive. I have decided stamps aren't included in this resolution as you can't use them up ... so I have bought a few from the Glitterpot sale ... just don't tell the Hubby!

Charisma Cardz Challenge #1

There is a new challenge blog (and I can't resist challenges!) called Charisma Cardz Challenges. There 1st challenge is a pink card (feel my heart sinking!!). However I have made a friendship card for one of my closest friends and she does I fear like pink!

I used this lovely Sarah Kay image, Rosies garden and all the papers are Making Memories, as is the ink for distressing. I watercoloured the image and the flower using distress inks. The image is cut out using my nesties. The charm and pearl brad were part of a PIF I received, and the ribbon is from my stash.

I think I need to lie down now to recover from the pinkness of it all!!

A couple of other door plaques

I have been making door plaques for the rooms in our house, and made one to coincide with the launch of the new Sugar Nellie Challenge blog and its sister blog, Sugar Sugar. I thought I would show you a couple of the others I have made ...

I made this for the dining room. I used K and Co papers and Papermania earth tone inks to distress the papers.

I love this Sugar Nellie image and it reminded me of both my own two littlies and the little girl I mind - they are forever having tea parties and birthday parties for the cuddlies.

This is the one for the girls' room. I have had to add the ribbon and paper beads as Ellie was very taken with the ones I made for the Craft room plaque. There were 3 beads until a certain 4 legged member of the house got at the plaque!!

I used these gorgeous Magnolia stamps as they seem to reflect the girls' personalities so well. Ellie is growing out of pink and was happy to be coloured in blue, whereas Beth ("I like pink") had to have pink! I have tried to make it look as if they are sitting on the stairs.

The papers are all Making Memories and distressed the edges in making Memories rose ink. I did some faux stitching and used my Olivia CB alphabet for the lettering. The beads were made using off cuts, and the ribbon is from my stash.

I now have the slight problem that the plaque won't go in the frame unless the the beads get squidged!

Friday Sketcher

I do love doing sketches and this Friday Sketchers is a fab sketch. I have rotated it and re-sized it a bit as I have done a square card, rather than a rectangular one.I have used this gorgeous Sugar Nellie, she is just so cute and matted her onto Making Memories papers. The lace is from my stash and the sentiment a Penny Black one. I added a gold wire flower and faux stitched everything in gold.

ABC challenge P is for ...

This week's ABC challenge is to make a card that includes pink.

Now this was a challegne for me as I don't do PINK. I have two lovely daughters who do do pink big time, so pink is a colour I try to avoid and not a colour I craft with too easily!!!

Anyway I think I rose to the challenge with this tri-fold card.

I have ysed Making Memories papers and pink card stock to make the card. The band is decorated with Prima flowers and pink ribbon from my stash.

The image is a grogeous PB hedgie which I have watercoloured and matted onto more Making Memories papers. I added teeny prima flowers and a ribbon to the tag, and the scroll stamps are from TAC. The sentiment (yes I stamped a sentimet!!) is from Hero arts I think - peeled the laberl off as it was bugging me a while ago.

Papertake Weekly Challenge

This week's Papertake Weekly Challenge is another fantastic sketch by Katharina. I have kept my card quite simple as it is for an older relative who does not like 'fuss', and I am a bit lacking in creativity as Ellie has tonsillitus yet again (bout number 6 this year!) and in need of lots of TLC.

This gorgeous PB image has been watercoloured and cut out using my nesties (got more in the post and order!). The dp is Making Memories and did a bit of faux stitching on it. I added two pieces of lace and a thin strip of ribbon, with a pink gem at each end. A Prima flower and some tiny gems finish it off.

Hopefully she'll like it, and I like the simplicity of it. I sometimes think I try to put too much on my cards and make them too fussy.

Off to do the ironing and entertain small children! Have a great day.

ABC challenge ...J is for ...

JEWELS

This week we would like to see jewels on your creations.

I made this wallet for my lovely SBS sister Becky, who has been a bit down. I have put in some stamped images for her to play with. I have also made it while Ellie has been poorly, so I have not spent as much time on it as I would have liked, and I have been 'helped' along the way by little fingers! The photo hasn't really done it justice either!

I used Making Memories papers - I bought this pack a while ago and find it quite difficult to use as it is often difficult to match up ribbon etc, but they seem to work here. Tilda has been cut out using my nesties, and the lace, ribbon, wire and jewels are from my stash. The heart jewels are courtesy of Ellie and Beth (I wouldn't have used them!!). I have used one of Katharina's latest sketches for the layout.

CCT meets Dutch Dare

I have combined the Dutch Dare challenge of no square edges with the CCT challenge of having food on your card.I have used one of my new Tildas for the card - still not sure what she has got in her basket, recognise the mushroom, but not much else!!! She is watercoloured using water colour pencils. I have used a set of Making Memories papers I don't often use, particularly for cards with female images on them. I have played around with the layout a bit and tried to do something

a bit different for me. The flowers are prima and the lace and wire from my stash.

In Recovery!!

Beth is finally coming back down to earth after her birthday, although we still have the Tumble tots and Mums and Tots celebrations to go!!
I don't seem to be getting much time to craft at the mo, as we get back into the routine of Ellie going to Preschool. I know that statement seems daft, having just uploaded 4 cards, but I have started them as the challenge comes up and not quite got round to finishing them until this morning.
This is a card I started making on Tuesday for a friend of Ellie's at preschool - I love this Giddy Up Sugar Nellie and it works really well with the Making Memories papers.


Now I have finished all the cards I have started I am going to ink up my New Whiff of Joys and hopefully get time to play with them today!
Oh and I must print of my Dinky Dots free download as well so I can have a play with that!


I also apologise for my link not working on some of the challenge - not sure why - sorry folks.

Friday Sketcher

This is the card I have made for this week's Friday Sketcher. I have used Penny Black's Dream a Dream image Make a Wish sentiment and matted them onto Making Memories papers. The backing papers are from Paper Cellar, the flowers by Prima and the gems and ribbons are from my stash.

I apologise about the lack of straightness of the photo - I am having a non straight day today!!!

Pretty in Pink

This week's Cute Card Thursday Challenge is

Pretty in Pink.

I have used elements of a recent Friday Sketcher on this card, as I love the effect of the wrap over ribbons at the top. I have watercoloured My Sweet Lili and used my nestibilites to create a frame. The papers are by making memories and the lace and ribbon from my stash.

The Best Friends sentiment is from a K and Co paper.

Stars and Stripes

The challenge over at Penny Black Saturday Challenge this week is to use stars and stripes. I couldn't resist using this gorgeous little hedgy kindly stamped for me by Vicky.
I decided to go fro a green and blue theme so I have used Making Memories papers. I love those stripes and checks. I added Papermania stars to it as die cut larger ones seemed a bit out of place and too much. I have kept it quite simple as it is a gorgeous image and the person it is for is quite reserved!

Spoonfull of Sugar sketch

This week's Spoonfull of Sugar challenge is a sketch.
Here is our (as in me Ellie and Beth's) interpretation of it. I have used this gorgeous Sugar Nellie, Sweet Ebony image (Penpal) and watercoloured her in tourquoise and purple. I have used my Making Memories papers to matt and layer her onto. The ric-rac is from stash. I haven't added any text yet - maybe later, but definitely not any flowers!


Ps I had originally had gems on the card in the corners as detail, and a scroll, however they are now on a fairy card that is drying out (courtesy of Ellie and a bottle of glitter glue)

Sarah Kay Charm

This week's Sarah Kay challenge is to use charms, pendants or dangles! I don't have any charms in my stash, however Vicky has sent me a lovely card with a charm and some beautiful flowers on it. Sadly Beth has started to de-construct it as only a nearly 2 year old can!! So I have taken the charm off it (before she eats it!!) and put it in this card. Thank you Vicky! It is supposed to hang down, but it insisted on flying in the scanner!
The papers are K and Co and Making Memories and the flowers are Prima. The ric-rac is from my stash.