A Song For Christmas

My card for today follows the sketch over at The Sweet Stop Challenge Blog.  I've inked up one of my Adorable Christmas stamps for the first time to make the following card:

A5 'old gold' card blank

Images stamped in Memento Cocoa ink onto Neenah card and coloured using Spectrum Noir pens.

Papers came free in a magazine.

Martha Stewart corner punch, Spellbinders dies used for sentiment mat and image mat.

Ribbon and card candi both from stash.

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

A Gem of a Challenge - Polka Dots/Spots

The Crafty Pad Challenge - Anything Goes

One Stitch At A Time Challenge - Anything Goes

Whimsy Stamps Challenge - Traditional Christmas Colours

Winter Wonderland - One For The Boys

From All Of Us

I've an easel card to share with you today made using my very much neglected Loony Tunes cd-rom:

I printed one of the images out twice so I could decoupage it slightly.

The backing paper is printer from the same cd, as are the sentiments.

I used a Martha Stewart border punch and an X-cut die to produce the letters.

Green and blue card and mirror board from my stash.

My card is for the following challenges:

Bearly Mine Challenges - Easel Cards

The Crafty Pad - Use an animal

Fab n Funky Challenges - Animals

Fussy and Fancy Challenges - Anything Goes

Have a great day, whatever your plans.

Holy Night

This week at Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge we are asked to make a card depicting some facet of the nativity.  Here is my card:

I created the card blank from pearlescent card and acetate and used papers from Making Cards magazine.  I added ribbon and card candi from my stash.

My card is also for the following challenges:

The Crafty Pad - Inspired by a song - Oh Holy Night

Flutterby Wednesday - Open Challenge

The Poodles Parlour - Use a tag

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.

Time To Have Fun

The appearance of the sun today put me in the mood to make a summery card.  I chose one of my newest SWALK stamps which hadn't been inked before and followed the great sketch over at Sketch N Stash and the theme at The Crafty Pad which is At The Seaside:

6 x 6 card blank

SWALK image stamped in Memento ink, coloured with Spectrum Noirs and coloursoft pencils. Tumbled glass distress ink used for the sky.

Mat cut using a Spellbinders label die.

Backing papers from Making Cards magazine, matted onto turquoise card from PaperMill.

Sentiment LOTV stamped with Big 'n Juicy waterfall ink.

Clouds created using a Darice embossing folder and then the required section cut out.

Boat charm from ebay, along with the jump rings.

Gems from my stash.

My card is also for the following challenges:

One Stitch at a Time - Summer

Pile It On - It's a Shore Thing

Willow Sketchie Challenge - Summer Holidays

Digi Doodles Challenge - Summertime

Craft Punked - Summertime

Fussy and Fancy Friday - Photo Inspiration

CD Sunday Challenge - Seaside Treasures

This week over at The CD Sunday Challenge the theme is Seaside Treasures.  Here is my card:

I followed the sketch over at Papertake Weekly

8 x 8 card blank

Image and backing papers printed from Joanna Sheen's Faye Whittaker cd-rom.  I printed the main image onto Watercolour Card and think it works really well with these images.

Sentiment Label - Spellbinders Persian die.

Net/ribbon and shells from my stash.

My card is also for the following challenges:

Crafty Ann's Challenge - Memories are made of this

The Crafty Pad - Use natural elements (shells)

Emma's Crafty Challenge - The Sea

Make It Monday - Anything Goes

Happy 21st Birthday

I was asked to make a card for a 21st birthday with a theme of 'horses'.  Here is my card:

I used Centura Pearl card for the base and Core'dinations Gemstones and Silver Matt card for the matting and layering.

The image is from Joanna Sheen's furry friends cd-rom, printed twice onto glossy photo paper so I could decoupage the image.

The flower arrangement comprises of feathers, hat pins, mulberry flowers, Marianne die-cuts and white ribbon.

The sentiment is Lili Of The Valley, heat embossed with Silver Detail embossing powder sat on a mat cut with a Spellbinders ironworks die.

This is the inside of the card:

I scored my card on my Ultimate pro at the gatefold lines.  I embossed the central section using my Keepsake Majestic embossing board and carefully cut around the shape.

I created the two ovals using the same embossing board and attached them with jump rings.  The butteflies were created using a Marianne Die. 

The panels were embossed using a Darice embossing folder from Crafters' Companion and little white pearls added for the flower centres.

Finally, I stamped the two flourishes using a Dimension Fourth stamp, and heat embossed with silver detail embossing powder.

I made a box from Centura Pearl card, using my boxer board, to house the card.

My card is for the following challenges:

Aud Sentiments Challenge - Bingo - "Happy", Flowers, Bling

Digi Doodle Shop Challenge - Farmyard or Zoo

Allsorts Challenge - Use a Die

The Crafty Pad - More than 1 Fold

Pile It On - Make Your Own Embellishments

Moving Along With The Times - Happy Birthday

Wild Orchid Challenge - Punches or dies

Red, White and Blue

Good Morning

This is my entry into the current challenge over at Crafty Sentiment Designs which is a sketch to follow.

6 x 6 base card

Image - Crafty Sentiments 'Just Relax' coloured with Spectrum Noirs

Cardstock - Create and Craft

Dies - Nellie Snellen Round Lily, Nellie Snellen Rectangles

Embossing Folder -  Darice from Crafters Companions

Flowers - Nellie's punches

Sentiment - Cute Companions Stamp 

Backing paper and pearls from stash.

This card is also for the following challenges:

Papertake Weekly - Red, White and Blue

Willow Sketchie Challenge - Red, White and Blue

Glitter Geeks - Diamond Jubilee

Craft Your Days Away - Red, White and Blue

The Crafty Pad Challenge - Colours of your Countries Flag

One Stitch At A Time - Red, White and Blue

A Guiding Light

Hello

My card for today is for the current challenge over at Joanna Sheen Challenge - It's A Man's World.  Here is my card:

This is made using the Thomas Kinkade cd-rom from Joanna Sheen, and is a fabulous triple cd set.  So useful for men's cards.

I find there's something very magical about lighthouses and I love this image with the waves crashing against the rocks.  I printed the image onto glossy photo paper, and the backing papers onto a textured paper.  All the matting and embellishments use a gorgeous pearlescent card I got from PaperMill.

I used various Spellbinders Fleur de Lis dies, I think these work so well with seasidey images.  The largest die reminds me of a ships wheel, and I decided to add some spirelli to this shape using a variegated thread.  Bakers twine was added to another die and finally some little sea shells to complete the card.

My card is also for the following challenges:

The Crafty Pad - Use dies

Pile It On Challenge - All about S (Sea, Shells)

Bunny Zoe's Craft - Use ribbon or twine

Shopping Our Stash - Macsuline

Papertake Weekly - Water, water everywhere

Crafts and Me - 3d embellishment

Thanks for visiting my blog today, and for all the comments you leave.

Tatty Ted Birthday

Good Morning

I hope you've had a lovely weekend.

The challenge for this week at the CD Sunday Challenge Blog  is recycling.

Here is my card:

I used Do Crafts Especially For You cd-rom for my card and printed the main image from the decoupage section and the backing paper from the same cd.

I took some core'dinations card and ran it through my big shot with a happy birthday embossing folder.  I then sanded it to bring out the core.  I cut the stars using a die-namics die, again from core'dinations.

The ribbon is re-cycled and was wrapped around some pyjamas my daughter got as a present.  I tied it using the Bowdabra, fastened the bow with some bakers twine and then added a couple of star charms.

My cards is also for the following challenges:

Allsorts Challenge - Anything Goes

The Crafty Pad Challenge - Recycling

Thanks for visiting.

Happy 90th Birthday

Good Morning

I have been asked to make a 90th Birthday card for a Mum.  This is what I came up with.

I thought that this image from Joanna Sheen's Jane Shasky cd-rom was perfect.  This is from the decoupage section, printed onto glossy photo paper.  It took some cutting out but was well worth the effort, it decoupaged beautifully.  I used some pearlescent card for the base card, and scored the diamond pattern using my boxer board from Crafters Companion.  The sentiment mat is a spellbinders die to which I added a peel off and some gems.

I wanted to make the card extra-special for such a landmark birthday.  I have tried to make this style of card in the past, but have never been very happy with the finished result.  Well recently, I purchased a Crafters Companion Ultimate Pro with the loyalty points I had built up.  I followed the instructions and hey presto - this is the inside of the card:

It all came together perfectly.  I printed one of the backing papers from the Jane Shasky cd directly onto pearlescent cardstock, twice.  On one of the sheets, I scored and embossed using my ultimate pro and cut out the butterfly shape.  The dangly butterfly is a Marianne die, which I cut twice, once on co-ordinating cardstock and once onto yellow vellum.  I layered them together and added gems on the butterfly wings.  This was then attached using tiny jump rings.  I die cut two shapes using spellbinders ironworks motifs, added the number 90 to the centre of each, and attached to the inside of the card with foam pads.

Finally I printed a smaller panel of the same backing paper, which was added to the back of the card for the sender to write their message on.

I would like enter my card in the following challenges:

Crafty Sentiment Designs - Girly

Totally Papercrafts - Rainbow of Colour

CES Challenge - Lots of layers

Allsorts Challenge - Anything Goes

The Crafty Pad Challenge - B is for - Butterfly

Sentimental Sundays - Shaped Cards plus a sentiment

If The Shoe Fits - Anything Goes

Bunny Zoes Crafts - Celebrations

Phew, sorry for the long post, thanks for stopping by.

Jo x

Strawberry Kisses

Good Morning

I hope you're keeping nice and warm.  It's a lovely bright, sunny morning here although bitterly cold.

My card for today uses the new Strawberry Kisses stamps and cd-rom that hubby got me for my birthday last week.  This is the first time I've used them and thoroughly enjoyed making this card, and I'm delighted with how it's turned out.

The card base is made from A3 card which I added an extra layer to strengthen it.  I stamped the two adorable images with memento ink and coloured using coloursoft pencils blended with babyoil.  Stickles glitter glue was added to the shoe and parts of the cupcake. The mats were cut with a spellbinders die from Core'dinations cardstock.  The backing papers are from the cd-rom and the numbers were stamped and cut out of the backing paper.  The mat the number 40 is sat on was embossed with a sizzix embossing plate and then lightly sanded.

The Happy Birthday was stamped and embossed with silver detail embossing power.  The flowers are 'Build A Blossom' from La Pashe with some gems added to the centres.

My card is for the following challenges:

Crafters Companion Monthly Challenge - Anything Goes

The CD Sunday Challenge - A La Mode

The Crafty Pad Challenge - Spring Colours

Stampin' For The Weekend - Embossing

Paperplay Challenges - Get In Shape

Crafts and Me Challenge - Bright Colours

Divas by Design - Anything Goes

Thanks for visiting my blog today.

Jo x

My Valentine

Good Afternoon

My card for today uses one of the lovely SWALK stamps, this is its first inking!

I coloured the image using promarkers and coloursoft pencils.  I printed the heart pattern directly onto card from a Crafters Companion Popcorn cd-rom.  I printed onto both sides of the card.  I cut an aperture using a Spellbinders die to create a shaker card.  Here is a close up of the shaker:

The sentiment is computer generated, the label is a spellbinders die.

My card is for the following challenges:

Crafters Companion - Share the Love

Cupcake Craft Challenge - All You Need Is Love

The Poodles Parlour - Love Is In The Air

Crafters Companion Monthly Challenge - Love Is In The Air

Allsorts Challenge - Hearts

Anything Goes Challenge - To The One I Love

Paper Sundaes Challenge - Valentines

The Crafty Pad - Valentines

Thanks for stopping by today.

Jo x

Pollycrafts Pirate

Good Evening

The current Pollycraft Monday Challenge is 'Bingo'.  Here is my card:

I chose to use the line - buttons/Pollycraft image/punches.

I coloured my image using promarkers.  The yellow card is core'dinations.  The backing papers are from my stash, and I used a Martha Stewart punch.  The stars are cut using a Die-namics die and buttons with bakers twine threaded through are added to each star.

I've made this card for my nephews birthday, he loves to dress up so this should fit the bill.

My card is also for the following challenges:

Shopping Our Stash - Across the border

Moving Along With The Times - Things with wings

Cards for Men - Boys and their toys

Stamps R Us Challenge - Cards for kids

The Crafty Pad Challenge - Something for the boys

Thanks for stopping by.

Jo x

A Thank You Note From Teddy Bea

Good Morning

I am in the middle of a batch of Thank You cards for my daughter to send to thank everyone for her 18th birthday presents.  I've had to keep them fairly straight forward but had a bit of a mental block to say the least!  The current challenge at Teddy Bo is Clean and Simple, so I decided to sit and colour my favourite bear to use on one of the cards.

Teddy Bea is coloured with coloursoft pencils and then matted onto some lovely mottled cardstock that I got from Papermill.  The flower and flourishes are cut using Marianne dies and a gem added to the centre of the flower.

My card is for the following challenges:

Teddy Bo Challenge  - Clean and Simple

Saturday Challenge - White plus one other colour (not including the colour of the image)

The Crafty Pad Challenge - Monochromatic

My Time To Craft Challenge - Punches and dies

Creative Inspirations - Monochromatic

Bling It On Challenge - No patterned paper

Pollycraft Monday Challenge  - Girls, girls, girls

Whoopsi Daisy Challenge - Free and Easy

Thanks for visiting my blog today, I'm off to try and finish the rest of the Thank You cards.

Jo x

A Vintage Lady

Good Afternoon

I hope your Friday is going well.

My card for today is one I made for my Auntie for her 80th Birthday. 

The image and backing papers are from Joanna Sheen's Dancing With Shadows cd-rom.  I printed the image twice so I could decoupage her.  The mat she is sat on is cut from linen cardstock with a Nellie Snellen die.  Some feathers were added to complete the card.

My card is for the following challenges:

The Crafty Pad Challenge - Vintage

Sentimental Sundays - Anything Goes Plus A Sentiment

Thanks for visiting my blog today.

Jo xx

Forty Winks

Good Morning

My youngest daughter has gone back to school today, she is now in Year 6!!!  She was so excited, really looking forward to her new class.  I'm finding it way too quiet here!!!

I have decided to have another go at the current Crafty Calender Challenge, and also to  put my name forward to be considered for their DT.  If you don't try you don't know!

Here is my card:

I don't think the caffeine is working for him :0).

My card uses one of the gruffies decoupage papers from Joanna Sheen, and the backing paper is printed from a SWALK cd-rom from Crafters Companion.

My card is for the following challenges:

Crafty Calender Challenge - Let Sleeping Bears Lie

The Poodles Parlour - Animal Antics

The Crafty Pad Challenge - Blue and Brown

Cards For Men Challenge 18 - G is for Gruffie

Have a lovely day.

Jo x

A Thank You Teddy

Good Morning

My card for today is to send to a friend who has helped me recently.

This lovely image is from LOTV coloured with Coloursoft pencils and some glitter was added for extra sparkle.  The shape is created using a Get In Shape Template.  The backing papers were free in a magazine quite some time ago.  Little gem flowers are used to complete the design.  I followed the current sketch at Willow Sketchie Challenge for the card layout.

My card is for the following challenges:

Willow Sketchie Challenge - Sketch

The Crafty Pad Challenge - Cute and Girly

Whoopsi Daisy Challenge - Anything Goes

Stamp Something Challenge - Say Thank You

One Stop Craft Challenge - Bold and Bright

Lili Of The Valley - Anything Goes

Top Tip Tuesday  - Thank You Card

Thanks for visiting today, have a lovely weekend.

Jo x

Yuletide Greetings

Good Evening

I hope you've had an enjoyable weekend, my goodness have we had some rain!!  And it's been so dark and dismal all day today.

Anyway, this afternoon I got my next Christmas card made.

The reindeer on this card is from a Jayne Nestorenko stamp plate, as is the greeting.  I stamped using versafind vintage sepia onto watercolour card, and coloured using Lyra's. I just couldn't resist giving him a red nose!   I added some Pinflair snow dust to his antlers and Hunkydory 'snowdrift' around his feet.  The mat he is sat on is cut using a Nellie Snellen die and gold linen card.

All the different backing papers are from an issue of Making Cards magazine.  The poinsettias are made using my new Marianne dies which arrived yesterday.

My card is for the following challenges:

Christmas Challenges With Sketches - Sketch (I really enjoyed following this fab sketch).

Jingle Belles - Reindeer Games  - use a Christmas animal.

Winter Wonderland - Wet or dry embossing (the poinsettias are embossed).

The Crafty Pad - Christmas in July

Paper Sundaes - Christmas in July

X Marks The Spot

Good Afternoon

Back again with another challenge card.  This card was such a lot of fun to make and once again features Teddy Bo.

Teddy Bo is coloured with pencils.  I printed a Treasure Map onto some white card and then cut it into the shape of a cross, then attached to more white card to strenthen and make the back of the card.

My card is for the following challenges

The ABC Challenge - X marks the spot

CES Challenge - Anything but a square

The Crafty Pad Challenge - Bold and bright

Thanks for stopping by.

Jo x