Crafty Calendar Challenge - Love Is All Around

Good Morning

It's time for a new challenge over at Crafty Calendar Challenge and this month our theme is Love Is All Around.  We're sponsored by the fabulous Hannah Lynn Art and my card uses the digi image Ladybug Love:

I coloured the image using Colour Soft pencils blended with baby oil.

Spellbinders Wonky Rectangles die.  Co'redinations Card.  The backing paper came free in a magazine. The ribbon was recycled from a Chocolate Reindeer!  The heart charm and buttons are from my stash.  The butterfly is made using paper clay which I bought from Create and Crafts months ago but have just put to good use.

Please do pop across to the challenge blog to see all the lovely creations from my fellow design team members.  I do hope you'll be able to join in our challenge this month.

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Tuesday Morning Sketches - Sketch

A Creative Romance  - Show Us Some Love

Crafty Hands Challenge - Shades of the Same Colour

Winter Wonderland - Use a Digi

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge - Love/Valentines

Today is my birthday.  To celebrate, I'll be putting some candy up on my blog in the next few days.

Happy 21st

Good Morning

My card for today is made using a decoupaged image from Debbie Moore's Cards For Men cd-rom:

8x 8 card blank

Silver pearlescent card, red core'dinations and black mottled card were used for matting and layering.

I cut the letters using an x-cut cutting die and created the number 21 using Dimensions number stamps, cleanrshrink plastic and a red spectrum noir pen.

The stars were cut using Die-namics stacking stars die.

My card is for the following challenges:

My Mum's Craft Shop - Stars

Craft Challenge - Make your own embellishments

Moving Along With The Times - Seeing Red

Cute Card Thursday - Letters or numbers

Fussy and Fancy - Travel

My Time To Craft - Transport

Tuesday Taggers - Lots of Layers

My challenge for the rest of today is to stay awake!  I really want to watch the new Crafters Companion launch at 12 today.  Since I went onto the morphine on top of all my other tablets, I find I can fall asleep at the drop of a hat, and I'm nearly always first of our household in bed!

Happy Birthday Daughter

Lots of tears in our house yesterday.  Hubby took my eldest daughter off to Uni for the first time!  She seems to be settling in very well and is sharing with a lovely group of students.  I can't believe it, it feels like such a short time ago that we brought her home from hospital at 3 days old!

Emma is settling into High School very well.  She is changing all the time, growing up so fast.

I'm very proud of both my daughters.

It's Sarah's birthday this week and this is the card I have made for her:

8 x 8 card blank

I used the Woodland Folk and Friends cd-rom from do-crafts, owl from the decoupage section and the leaves backing paper.

I then punched lots of leaves using my X-cut Botanical Embossing punch and layer them up in a circle (of sorts).  I stamped the sentiment using stamps from LOTV and Versafine Olympia Green ink.

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Crafty Sentiments Designs - Leaves

Bearly Mine Challenges - Anything Goes

CRAFT Challenge - Autumn

Willow Sketchie Challenge - Things With Wings

Raise the Bar Challenge - Things With Wings

Crafty Ann's Challenge - Autumnal Colours

The Crafty Pad Challenge - Autumn Colours

One Stitch At A Time - Autumn Colours

Songbird Challenge - Defying Gravity

Thanks for visiting my blog today.

Pride and Joy

Good Morning

I can't believe it's Friday again all ready, aren't the weeks flying by?

I've another Father's Day card to share with you today:

I used Joanna Sheen's Nostalgia cd again and printed the main image onto Crafter's Companion Watercolour Card.  I think these images really suit the 'softer' look that the Watercolour Card produces.

The backing paper is again from the cd-rom, printed onto satin paper and matted onto gold linen card.

I used some Core'dinations card, embossed with D'vine Swirls embossing folder and sanded to reveal the core.  I added some bakers twine for a bit of interest.

The sentiment is Lili of the Valley, heat embossed and matted onto gold linen card cut with a Spellbinders Fleur de Lis die.

My card is for the following challenges:

The Secret Crafter- Father's Day

The Crafty Pad - For The Boys

One Stitch At A Time - The Man In Your Life

Crafty Sentiments - Father's Day

Anything Goes Challenge - Travel

Crafting For All Seasons - For A Man

PaperPlay Challenges - For A Man, With Twine

Pile It On - Outdoors

CRAFT Challenge - Father's Day

Thanks for visiting my blog today, have a lovely weekend.

Riding On A Donkey

Hello

I love the images on Joanna Sheen's Nostalgia cd-roms, and have used them to make a few Fathers' Day cards this year.  Here is one of them with an image which reminds me of many happy holiday in Llandudno.

I printed the image onto Crafters Companion watercolour card.

The backing paper is printed onto Crafters Companion satin paper and matted onto gold linen card.

I embossed some core'dinations card using a darice embossing folder and sanded slightly.

The sentiment stamp is Lili of the Valley, stamped in Faded Jeans distress ink and sat on a Spellbinders Fleur de Lis die.

My card is for the following challenges:

Craft Challenge - Male Card

One Stop Craft Challenge - Fathers' Day

Pile It On Challenge - The Great Outdoors

Creative Card Crew - Song Inspired (Riding On A Donkey)

Dream Valley Challenges - For That Special Guy

Forever Friends Challenge - Anything Goes

Wellington

Good Morning

My card for today follows the sketch at A and T Sketch Challenges. This is Wellington Bear from Do-crafts, I think he's gorgeous!  This card is for Fathers Day.

6 x 6 card blank

Spellbinders Fleur de lis rectangle dies.

Papers, flowers and border strip from Do-crafts.

Stamped sentiment from Lili of the Valley

My card is also for the following challenges:

Ready Teddy Go - One for the Boys

Sentimental Sundays - Spots plus a Sentiment

Craft Challenge - Male Card

Can anyone please tell me if the blue frog linky tool is available to everyone or if you have to have a subscription.  I've got some blog candy to giveaway and was going to put the linky tool on my blog.

The Bonnie Banks O' Loch Lomond

Good Morning

My card for today is one I have made for my brother-in-laws birthday.  He lives up in the Highlands and loves to go cycling, so hopeful he will like my card:

My card is made using photo inspiration from CRAFT Challenge and follows the sketch over at Sketch and Stash.

I stamped a number of different stamps from the Hobby Art Scene-it sets, In The Country and British Countryside.  The In The Country set have been rather neglected!  I stamped onto watercolour card using Versafine inks.  I coloured the image using Lyra Aquacrayons. The image is then matted onto pearlescent and Core'dinations card.

I embossed some co-ordinating card using embossing folders and then sanded the card slightly.  I also distressed all the card edges.  The flourishes are cut with spellbinders die, as is the sentiment tag.  I added the bicycle charm with bakers twine as he loves to go cycling.

My card is also for the following challenges:

Shopping Our Stash - Water Themed

Craft Your Days Away  - Metal

Dream Valley Challenges - Earth Tones

ABC Challenge - N for Neutral

Clear It Out Challenge - Based On A Song (The Bonnie Bank O' Loch Lomond)

My Mum's Craft Shop - Based On A Movie (What Lies Beneath?)

Thanks for visiting today and all the lovely comments you leave me.

Crafty Calendar April Challenge - Egg-stra Special

Good Morning

Happy Easter everyone.  I hope you have a lovely weekend.

It's time for a new challenge over at Crafty Calendar Challenge and this month our theme is Egg-stra special (Easter egg, chick in egg or even a dinosaur egg...anything egg related!)  OPTIONAL EXTRA - More than 1 fold in card or project.

For my card I used Joanna Sheen's Cardmakers Year cd-rom.  I printed the image 5 times so I could decoupage it, and I matted the image onto core'dinations card.  For my base card I used Centura Pearl card.  I used some delightful Easter Egg ribbon across the front, with a sentiment mat created from gold linen card using a Spellbinders die.  The vines up each side were made using a Marianne die and pearlescent green paper.  The flowers are punched with a Nellie Snellen punch for the large flowers and a Papermania punch for the smaller, tiny cream pearls were added to the centres.


Here is a side view of the card to give you an idea of the folds.

I do hope you'll be able to join in with our challenge, and please do have a look at the fabulous cards my teamies have created, you won't be disappointed  There's some fabulous candy up for grabs too.


We are also having a DT call this month.  Full details can be found on the challenge blog.


I would also like to enter my card in the following challenges:


Creative Inspirations - Easter


Craft Challenge - Spring/Easter


Paperplay Challenges - Shaped Cards


Crafty Cardmakers - Easter


Penny Black and More - Oh So Cute


Raise the Bar Challenge - Cutesy Easter/Spring Cards


Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Easter


Thanks for visiting my blog today.

To Mum With Love

Good Afternoon

A very warm welcome to my blog today.

My card for today is for Mothers' Day.

This is for my sister to send to mum.

I used the papers provided at Debbees CDs DT Challenge Blog, and followed the sketch over at Craft Challenge Blog.  I also made the card into a shaker to meet the challenge at Truly Scrumptious.

I took an 8 x 8 card blank to which I added a lovely mottled-effect cardstock.  I added the 2 backing papers following the sketch.  I made an acetate window for my shaker, and added glitter beads, hearts and stars to produce the shaker effect.

The sentiment mat is a Spellbinders die with peel offs added.  I chose two co-ordinating ribbons to produce my bow - with the help of the bowdabra of course!

My card is also for the following challenges:

Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes

Allsorts Challenge - Anything Goes

Thanks for visiting my blog today.

Tea-Time

Hello

I hope you're having a good weekend.  We've got sunshine here which is lovely.

My card for today uses Joanna Sheen's Patience Strong cd-rom for the main image, and flowers from The Big One cd-rom, build a blossom:

I used a scalloped-edge 6 x 6 card blank which I scored to produce the diamond pattern.  I matted the image onto gold linen card.  I cut out the roses and leaves, shaped them with various tools, and then added a pearl to the centre of each.  My first attempt at these particular flowers, they took some time to make but I am pleased with the result.

My card is for the following challenges:

Craft Challenge - No designer paper

Allsorts Challenge - Anything Goes

Sentimental Sunday - Focus On Your Sentiment

Thanks for visiting today.

Jo x

Just To Say ..... Thanks

Hello

I'm busy making lots of thank you cards at the moment.  This is one I sent to a friend a little while ago:

The is made using a set of stamps from Inkylicious.  I stamped the main image in Versamark and the heat embossed with white detail embossing powder.  I then applied colour from a big and juicy ink pad (hydrangea)using ink duster.  It is sat on a mat cut using a Nellie Snellen die.

I then stamped other flowers and grasses from the set using the same ink pad.  I love the colours in this ink pad.  I added the sentiment using satin ribbon and then matted this onto some silver mirror card.

My card is for the following challenges:

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

Crafty Creations Challenge - Use heat embossing

Creative Inspirations - With thanks

Clear it out Challenge - Thank you

Craft Challenge - Thank you

Thanks for having a look.

Jo x

Crafty Calendar December Challenge - Cold and Frosty

Good Morning

Don't the months fly by quickly?  It doesn't seem 2 minutes since I was invited to join the design team at Crafty Calendar and here we are on my 3rd month already!

Our theme for this month is cold and frosty and here is my card:

The image I have used is a digi stamp from Pollycrafts Swing and Slides range, I love this range of stamps! I coloured the image using promarkers and coloursoft pencils and added some Glossy Accents to the girls glasses, the snowmans nose, eyes and buttons.  I then added some Pinflair Snow Dust around their feet.

The backing papers are from Crafters Companion Snowman cd-rom.  The embossing uses an embossing plate that came in a bundle when I bought my big shot.  The mats that the image and sentiment are sat on are cut using spellbinders dies.  The crystal snowflakes have been in my stash for ages, they were ridiculously expensive and I find it difficult to bring myself to use them!!!  All the edges were distressed using Faded Jeans Distress Ink and Cut N Dry Foam.

I do hope you can join in with our challenge this month.  Please do pop over to the Challenge blog to see the lovely cards my teamies have made.

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Sketch

Paper Sundaes - Winter Wonderland

Craft Your Passion - Tis the Season

Shopping Our Stash - Use a digi

CRAFT Challenge - Christmas Present

Willow Sketchie Challenge - Anything Goes

ABC Challenge - E for Embossing

Pollycraft Monday Challenge - Christmas

Christmas Cards All Year Round - Anything Goes

One Stop Craft Challenge  - Let It Snow

Thanks for visiting my blog today.

Jo x

Autumn Leaves

Good Afternoon

This is another of the many thank you cards I have been making recently:

This uses a stamp from Dimension Fourth embossed with Copper Dreams embossing powder and coloured using a Big and Juicy ink pad.  Some simple matting and layering and a gold peel off complete the card.

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Stampin' For The Weekend - Autumn Colours

CES Challenge - Forever Autumn

Paper Sundaes - Halloween or Fall

Pile It On - Fall is fun

Craft Challenge - Autumn

Stamps R Us - Nature's Gifts


Now please can I ask for your assistance.  I want to top up my stash of distress inks and I want to get a blue that is good for Christmas Cards.  I already have faded jeans so am trying to decide between broken china, chipped sapphire, tumbled glass and stormy sky, it's hard to know the true colours when looking at a screen.  If you've used any of these, please can you let me know what you think.  Thank you :-).

Jo x

Just A Shade Late

Good Morning

My card for today is a belated birthday card for a friend.  I feel terrible that I forgot to send one in time for her birthday.  I've made this card using Joanna Sheen's Viva La Divas cd-rom.

I used the sentiment as it was on the cd-rom and just added her name.  The corners, flowers and swirls are all cut using Marianne dies and some gems added to finish.

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges:

CRAFT Challenge - Bright colours

Polka Doodles - Handmade flowers

Sentimental Sundays - Anything goes plus sentiment

Thanks for visiting my blog today.

Jo x

Willow Sketchie Challenge

Good Evening

We were given another fab sketch to follow at Willow Sketchie Challenge and here is my take on the sketch.

The image is Lili Of The Valley, the backing papers are printed from the SWALK 1 cd-rom, and the die cuts use the Fleur De Lis dies from spellbinders.

My card is for the following:

Willow Sketchie Challenge - Sketch.

Craft Challenge - Children

Creative Inspirations Challenge  - Anything Goes

Thanks for visiting my blog.

Jo x

Thank You Sir

Good Morning

Today is the last day of term for Emma, then it's holidays until September when she goes into her last year at primary school.  Emma loves school and has had a fantastic year which has passed so quickly. 

Emma wanted to make her own card for her teacher this year, and has done a brilliant job.  It's a variation on the dinner jacket card that she made recently (and won the challenge and came in the top 3 - very proud mum here!).

This is based on Emma's school uniform.  She cut up an old tie, attached some buttons from my stash and drew the school emblem.

I would like to enter Emma's card in the following challenges:

CRAFT Challenge - Thank you teacher

Top Tip Tuesday - Shaped cards

Thank you for visiting today, I'd love to know what you think of Emma's card.

Jo x

Relax In The Garden

Good Afternoon

My card for today is made using the Pamela West collection cd-rom from Joanna Sheen.

The image and the backing papers are all printed from the cd-rom and then matted onto some platinum pearl cardstock.  The roses are made using a Marianne Die and are cut from vellum.  The leaves are also a Marianne die using white glitter card.

This is a birthday card I have made for a friend who is a very keen gardener.

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Craft Your Passion Challenge - Anything Goes

CRAFT Challenge - Gardening

Thanks for visiting today.

Jo x