Wrap Card for a Baby Girl

Sorry for the picture being skewiff, it is the right way up on my laptop but I have tried 3 times !!! to upload it and it keeps coming up like this, so you will have to have a lay down to see it the right way up .......

This design for the card comes from the extremely talented Louise. It stemmed from the DCM wrap challenge a couple of weeks back. There is a tutorial here http://www.charmedcardsandcrafts.co.uk/acatalog/louise_brigden_card_tutorial.htm
showing you how to make the Herringbone Fold Pocket Christmas Card.

I decided to have a go at this, as I never got round to the DCM challenge but thought I would make it with a baby theme. I decided to add birth information on the reverse of the tags, as you can see from the picture below
I cut the tags with my good old G & BS cartridge again! I cut 3 sets of tags, 2 normal sets and one with a shadow effect (slightly larger). I stuck a printed tag on one side of the larger tag and a plain one which I stamped with a journalling stamp from Banana Frog on the other side.

In The Water

The challenge at Cute Card Thursday this week is

In the water!
As always a little flexibility is allowed in the theme, it can be in, on or beside water and the water can even be frozen i.e. snow or ice!

Hope the challenge can be this flexible!! The Hanglar image depicts a little boy who has been beside the water fishing - his bucket contains fish, which have been in the water....
I coloured the image with watercolour pencils and used 3d glaze on the fish. I also found the fish button lurking in one of my boxes! I tore and embossed some blue vellum, using the Cuttlebug D'vine Swirls folder and attached it to my card using 3 brads on each side. I added some silver grey ribbon and finally a sentiment from the George & Basic Shapes cartridge.

Sketch Saturday sketch challenge and DT call

Jo over at Sketch Saturday has decided to recruit a Design Team. To be in with a chance to join the dream team you have to make 2 items using this weeks sketch, (no 13 - lucky for some this week!) One item has to be a Christmas theme and the other is your own choice.



I enjoy working with sketches - I usually end up with papers all over the place and losing my tools underneath it all, but thats part of the fun of it!!

The image (Hanna) on the top card was coloured with watercolour pencils. I paper pieced the dress to match in with the base card and strip across the middle, which was embossed with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder.

The Christmas card image (Creative Expressions) was stamped onto acetate with Stazon, and glued and glittered with Art Institute glitter. This was mounted onto gold pearlescent card, that had been embossed with the Cuttlebug Snowflake embossing folder. Gold ribbon was threaded through eyelets on the top left and bottom right corners of the image.

Rocking Scalloped Card!

Here is the card I was trying out last night. The idea of the scalloped edge came from the DCWV templates I have seen around lately and I spent the evening working out how I could join the 2 templates together.

I cut my templates using the Accent Essentials cricut cartridge and then stuck the 2 pieces together using acetate and DS tape. I also cut 2 templates in paper to go inside the card to cover the ds tape.

I used Katharina's sketch 26 to decorate the card and used my new Rockstar Sugar Nellie that I ordered recently. This is the first card I have made using this image, thought it would be great for boys cards. I coloured the image in with Marvys and put glossy accents on the guitar. Sentiment from Cuddly Buddly and spirelli shape cut from Accent Essentials cartridge also - really pleased I managed to get hold of this cartridge, I use it quite a lot and there are still lots of shapes I haven't cut yet!

I have given my blog a makeover lately, and thanks to Rach, have now managed to add my signature to my postings ! Just need a makeover myself now, have lost just over 1 stone on WW diet, really pleased as thought I wouldn't do very well over the holidays but managing to stick to it fairly well! Need to go shopping now for some new clothes - any excuse.....

A Spoon Full of Sugar challenge - sketch

Yikes - I nearly forgot my entry for the 'A Spoon Full of Sugar' challenge this week. Can't do that as there is a fabby prize, a gorgeous stamp from Whiff of Joy. Been playing around with ideas this evening and trying to clear up my craft room when I realised I hadn't made my card! These bank holiday weekends -they make you loose track of the days - or is it just me?

When I had made my card, the camera and laptop decided to play up - that's why I am burning the midnight oil - again, but I do like the peace and quiet, something that is in short supply around here at the moment! Anyway here is my card for this week's sketch challenge - it looks brighter IRL! Rules for this challenge have changed so that now you can use any brand of stamp - great news........

CS - Paper Mill, BP - HOTP & DCWV, Hanglar image coloured with watercolour pencils, Sentiment - Cuddly Buddly - must buy some more of those.

Hippy Chick

We have been busy in the garden this weekend, laying a new patio, repotting plants, trimming shrubs etc when the weather allowed, so no time to craft until tonight......

Here is my entry from PTW, which is another of Katharina's great sketches. I love working with them, as it encourages me to use lots of different papers, something I would otherwise probably not do - gets me out of my comfort zone LOL !

CS - Paper Mill, BP - Glamour Prints, Dovecraft, Image - Dimension Fourth, Sentiment - Cuddly Buddly. Image coloured with Gelly Rolls, Marvys and watercolour brush.

Happy 14th Birthday Nick

Here is the card I have made for my eldest son's 14th birthday today. I changed my mind lots of time, having cut out various words etc using my cricut, which doesn't sound too healthy lately :-(
He is a very keen Liverpool supporter but I wasn't able to fit all the lettering on his card, so have decided to take some pictures of him on his birthday and do a scrapbook page - don't hold your breath, I have been threatening to start scrapbooking for ages now, just never got round to it!!!!
Stamp - Little Rascals, Creative Expressions, CS - Paper Mill, text from George & Basic Shapes and Beyond Birthdays cricut cartridges, embossed with Swiss Dots cuttlebug folder. Image coloured with Marvys.

Spring Fling

At least that's what the papers I have used are called! Here is my take on the sketch over at Sketch Saturday this week. I thought it was about time I used my Hanna stamps again, and felt like working with bright colours tonight! After colouring the image with the citrus colours, using Marvys, Gelly Roll and a couple of watercolour pencils I needed to find some papers to go with the colour scheme.... fortunately I remembered somewhere in my stash I had these papers from Blonde Moments - I have them in pink and purple as well, I think they are fab, even got a WOW from my teenage daughter, so can't be all bad.......

I stamped the base card with VersaMark ink to give a watermark finish (you will need to enlarge the image to see this) then played for ages with the various papers deciding which order to put them in! When the card was finished I felt it needed some sentiment, so used the 'Passion for Fashion' stamp from Rubber Romance.

I had hoped to make a couple more cards this evening, but have been having a nightmare, keep smudging them or watercolour running or going over the edges. I really need to find a good quality card stock to stamp onto and feel the need to buy something else to colour in with. All suggestions gratefully received..... lots of you seem to be using Prismacolor pencils or Promarker or Copic pens, there is so much choice out there :-s

Gonna admit defeat for today and head for my bed, busy day tomorrow, going girly shopping with DD after we have been to the RAF careers office - must remember to wear my flat shoes - she can shop for England , I trained her well....LOL. Think I got the best deal as DH is taking the boys and one of their friends to watch cricket at the Rose Bowl.

Spoonful of Sugar + CCT challenge

While blog hopping earlier this evening, I was really pleased to discover that I could join in the 'Spoonful of Sugar' challenge this week, A Secret Message
albeit it very last minute. I didn't think I had the right stamps to join in but realised that I could use Hanglar images, so courtesy of a blog candy win from Heidi earlier in the year here is my entry. Image coloured with watercolour pencils and accented with glamour dust. I have spent most of the evening trying out various ideas - lots of them not working !!! I cut the scalloped ? squares using Accent Essentials cricut cartridge, one as a frame, behind which I mounted the image, the other as a blackout shape. After trial and error I punched holes in the top corners with the Big Bite and a ribbon slot at the bottom, in the good old fashioned way - using the hand tool and hammer - not too popular as it was quite late.... may have to invest in a slot punch, often tempted to buy the SU slot punch - perhaps I should put in on the birthday list!!
I embossed some pink vellum using cuttlebug elegant swirls folder and attached that to the left of the base card with brads at the top and bottom and tape behind the scalloped squares, which was attached with good old ds tape. I used a pearl brad to make it look like the picture was hanging.

When the bow is undone the hidden message is revealed - just noticed in this picture that one of the adhesive gems has gone AWOL between pictures, will have a look for it in a minute.
The message was stamped on a smaller scalloped square which was added to the bottom scalloped square. I am really pleased with the way this has turned out - will put it away for someone special's birthday - can't say who as they may look at my blog!!

Just realised this card is suitable for the CCT challenge this week which is 'Soft Furnishings' thanks to the ribbon element!! Hey 2 challenges in one card, not bad for an evenings work....

Cats on Cards with embellishments

My first thought when I saw the MTTC challenge this week was that I didn't have any stamps featuring cats - then I remember the Penny Black set I bought a couple of weeks back.....

Here is my card, image and text from Penny Black, image coloured with watercolour pencils, I used glossy accents on the balloons, pearlescent paper background embossed with swiss dots folder. Images mounted onto CS from Paper Mill, with adhesive gem embellishments in the corners, ribbon from stash.
I am going to use this card for the ABC challenge this week which is 'E for embellishments'.

Christmas Fairy in the Pink!!

Back again -managed to fit in another challenge this evening! When I saw the sketch on Friday Sketchers this week, my first thought was that the crossed lines at the top had to be tinsel... so the theme of my card was decided!
I used the Christmas Fairy stamp, (Funky Kits) and coloured the image with good old watercolour pencils - I keep deliberating about the Prismacolours as everyone seems to be using them lately - but have so far resisted the urge. Backing paper from Dovecraft last year, CS from Paper Mill. The text is from a background text stamp that has lots of Christmassy words on and no doubt it will make an appearance in its entirely on my blog in the near future. :-)

I went to the Paper Mill at Whiteley today to replenish my card stock and was chuffed to find out that they have an offer on Sakura Gelly Roll pens, 3 for 2 if anyone is interested and has a store locally.

Hope to catch up with some more challenges 2moro - watch this space!!

No patterned paper - eek!!

Hey, managed to fit in some card making today!! Here is my take on the Arty Girlz challenge

'This weeks challenge is 'no patterned paper' eek but don't panic too much because this doesn't mean that you can't make your own patterned paper using stamps or doodling or from other resources etc it just means NO shop bought designer patterned paper so go and have fun :)'

Its not very clear but if you enlarge the picture you can just about see the base card has been stamped with a small cup cake image and a greeting 'May your day be sprinkled with FUN!' using a VersaMark ink pad to give a water mark effect. The main image has been coloured using Marvys and Gelly Roll pens, and the icing finished off with a layer of Glossy Accents, then mounted to a scalloped shape cut using Accent Essentials cricut cartridge and embossed using the cuttlebug Elegant Swirls folder.

I am not 100% happy with this card, I think it looks a bit bland and needs a little something - not sure what tho.....

Am off to watch BB, hope to get another challenge done before bed.....

Scrumdiddlyumptious!!

Here is the card I made for my MIL's birthday this week. Wasn't quite sure what to make so had a root through the mess on my work bench and came up with a stamp (Dimension Fourth) I bought at Newbury, that I haven't used yet, I just love the image of the little mouse asleep in the cup cake case, its soooo cute! I decided to make a cross over? card, not sure if thats the name for this style of card..... I also decided to use some papers I rediscovered recently, that I bought when I first started card making. Image coloured with watercolour pencils, inside of card stamped with small flower and cupcake images using versamark ink pad to give a watercolour effect. The greeting from Cuddly Buddly, mounted onto scalloped shape cut using Accent Essentials cricut cartridge, wording inside from Cuddly Buddly website, printed onto vellum and mounted onto gold pearlescent card.
This card is quite apt for the DCM dare this week, Scrumdiddlyumptious!!

Where did that week go!!

Another week gone and not a lot of crafting done...... I have been busy with birthdays, shopping and catching up on all those jobs that I never seem to get the time to do when I'm at work. I have had my head in a really good book this weekend, but I have finished it now, so back to some card making! I have managed some craft shopping and yesterday morning I had a delivery of stamps from Funky Kits.

I have combined 2 challenges on this card, the sketch from Papertake Weekly and the Christmas theme from My Time to Craft. I used the Christmas Fairy, coloured the image with watercolour pencils, gelly roll glitter pen and a sprinkling of silver glamour dust, I really must get the gold one, another item on my evergrowing shopping list!

Need to tidy my craft space tomorrow, it is so messy I keep losing things!! Hope to get that sorted and catch up with some challenges.....

Acetate card

Another of my purchases from Newbury.... I am slowly getting the chance to play with them!! I can't take any credit for the design of this card, I have just replicated the design that was demonstrated by the lovely lady on the Craftworks Card stall. Apologies for the glare, but couldn't suss out how to stop the reflection from the acetate. The front part of the card is acetate, attached to the back card by way of the embossed scalloped strip along the top, which has been colour tinted with VersaMagic in Pixie Dust. The strip along the bottom and square in the middle have also been colour tinted and the greeting - added to the card using ribbon. I have stuck a square and strips of card behind the embossed pieces to cover up the double sided tape. CS - Paper Mill, VersaMagic chalk ink pad, all other items from Craftwork Cards. I am going to have a crack at making the embossed shapes with my Cricut and Cuttlebug embossing folders.

Red, Black & White card - MTTC challenge

Today is the first day of the holidays I have had to myself, not had to do anything or be anywhere, absolute bliss!! Needless to say I have tucked myself away in my craft room, windows and doors open so I don't miss out on the lovely weather. Here is my take on the MTTC challenge eventually - I have been having a right old time trying to upload this picture grrrr...... still its here now!!

The challenge is :-

'This week we have picked a colour theme, 'Red, Black and White'.

I used a red triple fold base card, DCWV papers from black and white stack. The flowers were cut with George & Basic Shapes cartridge and I attached them to the card with black gromlets using my Big Bite. I filled the centre of the gromlets with 3D glaze and topped off with micro beads. Greeting and ribbon from stash. I even managed to make a similar card with the off-cuts from this - two for the price of one!

I've received an award

I've recently received the above award from Heather @ http://ricas-haven.blogspot.com/

The rules of this award are slightly different from the usual.....

1. Only 5 people are to be nominated.

2. 4 out of the 5 have to be dedicated followers of your blog.

3. 1 has to be someone new or recently new to your blog and live in another part of the world.

4. You must link back to whoever gave you the award.

I nominate:

1. Stacey - http://lefthandedblonde.blogspot.com/
   
2. Dawn - http://pinkpiggywiggy.blogspot.com/
   
3. Beth - http://creativeladybugstamper.blogspot.com/
   
4. Tiffany - http://ftirwinstampin.blogspot.com/
   
5. Karen - http://craftscrapper.blogspot.com/

Christmas in August!!

The challenge over at PTW this week is to make a Christmas card. Apart from it being quite warm, looking outside it could be winter. Don't know what its like where you are but it has been overcast and drizzling for most of the day today, so have shut myself in my craft room, best place for me as I hate weather like this and can't console myself with chocolate as am trying to diet :-(
I delved into the back of the cupboard for my Christmas box and had creative block for some time, then it came to me...... out came the gorgeous Santa stamp from Creative Expressions, I stamped it onto acetate using Stazon then glued and glittered with Art Institute adhesive and glitter. While that was drying, I dry embossed snowflakes onto white card with the cuttlebug snowflake embossing folder. On a strip of red card I heat embossed the Christmas text (Hampton Art Stamps I think) with gold embossing powder, cut a strip of gold vellum and cut a holly border using a Fiskers border punch. I remember now why I don't use my border punches very often, they keep jamming!! I trimmed 4cm off the right side of the front of a 14cm square red card. I stuck the heat embossed strip and vellum border to the inside of the base card. I stuck Santa onto gold card, rounded the corners and stuck to the white snowflake embossed card and finished with a gold star brad. Red ribbon was stuck down the left side of the white snowflake panel and mounted onto base card.

Teenage girl birthday cards

August is a busy birthday month for me. Its my DH, MIL, BIL, SIL, oldest son and friends children's birthdays. When I was pregnant with Nick, 3 of my friends were due round about the same time, they all had their babies at the end of July/beg of August, while I had to wait until 21 August!! Here are the cards I have made for the two girls born then. I had great fun using my Hanna stamps that I bought at Newbury, I think these are going to get a lot of use!! I paper pieced the dress with bits from my odds and ends box (think I will paper piece the shopping bags next time) and watercoloured the rest of the image. I'm not sure about stamping the background card, but it looked a bit plain unstamped, so will experiment with this. The scalloped mount is from the Accent Essentials cartridge, I was chuffed to find this as I love the shapes obtained using the Nesties but was reluctant to buy them, as am trying to convert all my die cutting to Cricut cartridges, although I still use my Sizzix machine all the time for the cuttlebug embossing folders.

Quick birthday card for a boy

Here's a very quick card I made this afternoon as my eldest son was off to a birthday sleepover tonight. This is the best picture I could get.... even without the flash I kept getting reflections from the mirri card. CS from Paper Mill, peel offs and bp by Papermania. I have made several cards in this style but always have trouble with the folds - I must make some more as practice makes perfect, as the saying goes!! Got several birthdays coming up over the next few days so will be back soon.