Hidden Treasure

It's my second week as a guest designer at Cute Card Thursday this week and the theme is

'Challenge 78 - Hidden Treasure
This week we want to see a hidden element/gift in your cards/projects'.



I decided to make a pop up style card, which is always well received. I was really pleased with the colours on the manga girl card I posted recently so thought I would go with that colour scheme again.

And here's the hidden element, well she was nearly hidden....



I coloured Miss Anya with copics and mounted on to the black, gray & white sparkly papers from a DCWV paper stack. The sentiment and punches are from Stampin' Up! and ribbon from stash. Another card for my Christmas box - I'm doing quite well this year...
Don't forget to visit the Cute Card Thursday blog to see the wonderful cards the DT members have made and the fabulous prize up for grabs.
It's my day off today, got a list of jobs and cards as long as my arm so had better get started.... Have a wonderful day.

Guest Design Team spot for Cute Card Thursday

Woo hoo!!! I was thrilled to be offered a 2 week GDT spot at Cute Card Thursday. Thursday is my day off, so I try and take part most Thursdays although I haven't done very well lately :-( , as my school report always used to say - needs to try harder....



The challenge this week is
'Strawberry Mint Julep' - use a pink and green colour combo.

These are not normally colours I would put together, although I'm not quite sure why.
I really enjoyed making this card, apart from when I lost the image. I stamped and coloured it at the weekend then it went AWOL - I'm sure Tilda had a little holiday as she reappeared on my desk on Tuesday evening. I used some Basic Grey paper which I've had for ages but didn't want to cut into, how sad am I?
I used glossy accents on the plate to give it a glazed effect, it looks very effective IRL, not managed to capture the effect very well in the photo.

Don't forget to check out the very talented design team members fantastic creations.

Cute Card Thursday meets Friday Sketcher

Day off today, sun is shining, house to myself, how much better can it get? New craft stash would be nice..... here's hoping the DHL man calls today!
I love having a Thursday off, cos it means I get to take part in CCT fairly early... sometimes!
Today I have combined CCT theme of using a sporty image and the sketch from Friday Sketchers challenge this week.



I've really brought out some old stash for this one, the Footballer from Creative Expressions, Masculine papers from Dovecraft and a football brad from Ebay eons ago...
Image coloured with my ever increasing range of Promarkers, really enjoying using these, having a go at shading, just about managing the skin tones, not too happy with the hair on the image but felt I would totally muck it up if I fiddled any more!

Am off out in the garden now with a capuccino and my book to soak up some of the sunshine. Will be back to play later.

Cute Card Thursday - challenge 47 Music & Dance

This is the first CCT challenge I have managed for quite a while.

We would love to see your creations with a music or dance theme this week. Think instruments, song titles, dancing, musical notes etc. I can't wait to see what you all come up with - have fun!!

I use this stamp regularly as it makes a great card for a man. I seem to have to make quite a few of these, as several of my daughter's friends are in bands. The image is a Sugar Nelly stamp 'Rockstar' from Funky Kits, coloured with Promarkers. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE can anyone give me some hints and tips on how to colour the cheeks without making them seem like they have slapped cheek!! I keep trying and just end up ditching the images.... Glossy accents added to the guitar, its becoming customary now LOL......Image mounted onto navy cardstock that has been put through a CB embossing folder and highlighted with a white ink pad. Star brads from stash.
The main card is made from a piece of A4 card cut in half length ways, then scored at 2cm, 4cm and then half the length of the remaining piece IYSWIM? Sentiment from Hero Arts Anytime Message set, which contains lots of really nice words, think these will become regulars on my cards...

Crafty Day

I've had a very productive day, tidying up my craft room and finishing off cards. The only thing is it doesn't look any tidier now, but I have about 12 cards that I have completed today. I have even managed to fit in a couple of challenges!!

The first card is for the CCT challenge this week which is to include 'Snowflakes'
I used Bazzil Bling for the base card. The image is Funstamps, glittered and coloured with Sakura gelly roll pens, mounted on ovals cut with George & Basic Shapes cartridge. Snowflakes are cut using Punch Bunch cutter. To continue the snowflake theme I added a sheet of vellum to the inside of the card, which I stamped using white ink and snowflake stamps from Banana Frog.



The BP shown in this picture is from a pack from Dovecraft, last year I think. The snowflakes on the bottom right and top left are again from Punch Bunch punch, double layered and tweaked to give more dimension, attached to the card using brads from stash. Excuse the fingers in the photo but the card wouldn't stay closed!



This is what the card looks like when not held closed. I am really pleased with the way this has turned out.




This card is for the PTW challenge this week which has to be 'snow related.'
The stamp is from Whiff of Joy, coloured with watercolour pencils. Snow effect added to the snowman and the edge of Charlie's hat. BP is this year's Dovecraft paper. Panel on left of the card has been embossed with Swiss Dots folder and accented with white ink pad. Silver ribbon from stash and Xmas banner (bargain from Lakeland) added to complete the card.



Now my mojo has returned with a vengance, normal service should be resumed, so you should see a bit more of me!
Will be looking out for delivery man tomorrow, hoping he has my Stampin Up! goodies....

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.

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....

Long time no blogging......

I don't know where the time goes to at the moment, the last few weeks have flown by and I haven't managed to fit in much crafting or blogging! I am on holiday now until 3rd September, although I do have to go in and catch up with a few things while its nice and quiet....

I went to Newbury on Saturday with a friend who is an avid scrapbooker, to the Art Stamp and Papercraft Fair. We always have a great day and return footsore, lighter in the purse although heavier in the craft bag! Here is a picture of the stuff I bought, I had planned to put the credit card into meltdown, but forgot my PIN no :-s, am sure hubby put a jinx on me, still I have the website of the companies, so can visit them when I remember my no......

You can't see the stamps too clearly, but over the new fews days/weeks you should see some cards made with them!!

Here is a card I made last week using the PTW sketch challenge, but forgot to upload it until today :-( still I have realised that it is appropriate for the CCT challenge this week, which is 'Things that grow'. This is obviously a stamp to have as I notice quite a few people have used it for this challenge, it is good to see the different cards made with the same image.

2 in 1 challenge

Hey, 2 posts in one day, can't be bad! I have soooo many challenges to catch up on, I am combining them where possible.
At SBS18, 'This weeks challenge is to come up with a card, page or atc that is nice and summery.I'm thinking, beach, summer sun and all things sea-sidey!!!'
and
at Cute Card Thursday 'The challenge this week is to make a card with an outdoors theme '
The card above, which is in complete contrast to my last posting, should qualify for both of these challenges.
The image is a Rubber Romance image I received from Jilli in a PIF, I still need to PIF, which I will do once I get my act together! CS from The Paper Mill, one piece put through Swiss Dots embossing folder. BP from stash.
Not sure whether to make another card now or tidy up?

CCT sketch challenge

I really need to buy some new stamps as I seem to keep using the same ones recently. I ordered some Rubber Romance stamps on Monday so hope they will be delivered soon. I had to resort to one of the first stamps I bought for this week's challenge. Papers from DCWV & K&Co, Anita's stamp. I used sakura gelly roll pens to colour the image and inked and chalked the edge of the oval with green. There is a 'Happy Birthday' greeting, cut with Cricut, in the top left corner, which you can just about see. This is the best picture I could come up with!

Cute Card Thursday challenge, Scrummy Stash Cafe challenge, Vacation and Travel

Thursday is my day off and I usually spend the day doing boring things like housework but as I have the house to myself and the weather is not so good I thought I would treat myself to a day of crafting!! DH is off out tonight so the kids and I are going out to eat, so no cooking either....
I have spent the morning playing in my craft room and here is my entry (not the first attempt!) for CCT and Scrummy Stash Cafe challenges this week, 'vacation & travel'. You just can't beat a bucket and spade holiday when the children are young! I chose the citrus colours to brighten up the dreary day.
Stamp from Little Rascals range at Creative Expressions, Paper HOTP citrus pack. Image coloured with watercolour pencils. Ribbon from a lovely selection at The Range.