Summer Showers

Welcome to my blog this afternoon.

Whatever is happening with the weather?  We had a tremendous hail stone shower earlier this afternoon and now it's glorious sunshine.  You just don't know where you're up to.  Anyhow, my card is quite appropriate for today!

6 x 6 card blank

Image is one of 15 ready-stamped images that came with a previous edition of Cardmaking and Papercraft, coloured with colour soft pencils blended with baby oil.

I added glossy accents to the puddle and raindrops although it doesn't show up too well in the photo.

The papers are from Making Cards magazine, one of the Nancy Watt collections, card is core'dinations.

Sentiment was from a free stamp set, stamped in Soothing Sunset ink and heat embossed.  It is sat on a mat cut with a Nellie Snellen round Lily die.

Bunting created using bakers twine and Nellie Snellen diamond die.

The little floral brads and pearls are from my stash.

Do you like the card stand?  I ordered one of the new Joy cutting dies which arrived today so I gave it a try. It's perfect for this size of card and I think it looks really pretty.

My card is for the following challenges:

Emma's Cards UK - Sketch

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Fly the Flag

A and T Digital Designs Challenge - Bingo - I chose Pearls, Die-cuts, Brads

Crafty Creations Challenges - Use 3 different embellishments (Brads, Bunting, Pearls)

Chocolate, Coffee and Cards Challenges - Anything Goes

Joanna Sheen Forum Challenge - Umbrellas

Happy Birthday Grace

This is the birthday card I made for my niece's birthday:

8 x 8 card blank

Decoupage, backing papers and bunting 'Cookie's Birthday' (fab quality)

Lilac glittered card used for matting and name, letters cut with an x-cut alphabet die.

My card is for the following challenges:

Crafts and Me Challenge - Birthdays

Moving Along With The Times - Happy Birthday

Paper Play Challenges - Flags/Pennants/Banners

The Poodles Parlour - Cute and/or Cuddly

Anything Goes Challenge Blog - Polka Dot With A Birthday Theme

Summer Fun

Today I am sharing a card made with Joanna Sheen's Nostalgia cd-rom:

A5 card blank.

Decoupage image and backing paper both taken from the cd-rom and matted onto gold matt and black card.

Core'dinations paper embossed with a Darice embossing folder and Faded Jeans distress ink added to the clouds. 

This card is my second entry into Crafting When We Can challenge of Summer Fun.  My first entry exceeded the number of challenges allowed, my apologies for this.

My card is also for the following challenges:

Make It Monday - Anything Goes

Bearly Mine - Anything Goes

Creative Inspirations Challenge - Anything Goes

Blog Candy Reminder

Just a quick reminder about my blog candy for those who haven't seen it yet.  Full details can be found here and it will be drawn on 1st July.

Willow Sketchie Challenge

The current challenge over at Willow Sketchie gives us a sketch to follow and/or a theme of bold and bright, I have followed both and here is my card:

Digi Stamp used - A Spot of Gardening from Willow Designs printed onto Neenah card and coloured using Spectrum Noir pens.

Owl and Bird - TN1, TN2, TN3, PP2

Skirt - GT1, GT2

Boots - EB3 TN4

Spade - EB3, EB2

Plant Pot - TN3, TN4

Grass - CG1, CG2, CG3

Flowers - GT1, GT2, OR1

Leaves - CG3

Backing paper and Sentiment tag from an old issue of Making Cards magazine

Mat cut with a Spellbinders die from Core'dinations card

Punched border is a Martha Stewart deep-edge punch (I love it, it's so pretty)

Bakers twine, flower charm and gems from my stash.

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

Cute Card Thursday - Here Comes Summer

Totally Papercrafts - Photo Inspiration (I've used the colours)

Crafting When We Can - Summer Fun

Sentimental Sunday - Cute and Girly plus a sentiment

Craft Your Passion Challenge - Things With Wings

Cupcake Craft Challenge - Birds of a Feather

Paper Makeup Stamps - Anything Goes with a Digi

Creative Craft Challenges - Tweet Tweets

Stampin For The Weekend - Show Us Your Style - Lots of Layers

Diva's By Design - Tag You're It

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

Just For You

A big welcome to my new followers, I'm delighted you have joined me.

I've fallen in love with Wellington the Bear.  Here is another card I made featuring him:

7 x 5 Pearlescent cream card blank

Image, backing papers, sentiment, peel offs and buttons from Do-crafts goody bag.

Tag cut using a Marianne Die

Edge panels punched using a Martha Stewart border punch

My card is for the following challenges:

Papertake Weekly - Bingo - I chose Buttons, Free (Die-cut) and Punches

Diva's By Design - Use a die-cut

PaperPlay Challenges - Use a die

Time For Golf

My card for today uses the paper embroidery technique.  This is very theraputic to do, although quite time consuming too:

DL linen effect card

Pattern from Form-a-Lines

Gold metallic thread used for stitching

Spellbinders die and peel offs used for sentiment.

My card is for the following challenges:

Less Is More - Something Shiny (I hope the metallic thread qualifies for this challenge)

Allsorts Challenge - Paper Piercing

One Stitch At A Time - Stitching Real or Faux

My Mum's Craft Shop - About The Boys

Crafts and Me - Anything Goes

Cards For Men - Sports With A Sentiment

Thanks for visiting my blog today and for the comments you leave, I really appreciate each and every one.

Christmas Surprise

My card for today is made using Joanna Sheen's Furry Friends cd-rom:

6 x 6 card blank matted with backing papers printed from cd-rom.

Main image matted onto red holographic card.

Sentiment from Lili Of The Valley stamped with Fired Brick Distress Ink.

Snowflakes cut from mirror card with Marianne Snowflake die.

My card is for the following challenges:

Totally Papercrafts - Raining Cats and Dogs

Craft Room Challenge - Four Legged Friend

Sparkles Forum Christmas Challenge - Monochromatic

Number One Dad

My card for today uses the fabulous Walk On The Wild Side cd-rom from cupcakecrafting.  This cd is jam-packed with gorgeous images and I went to my favourite section of decoupage.

8 x 8 card blank.

Image printed onto super smooth decoupage paper.

Backing papers from same cd-rom printed onto Crafter's Companion satin paper and matted onto gold mirror board.

EK Success border punch.

Spellbinders die used to display the Lili Of The Valley Sentiment.

My card is for the following challenges:

Cute Card Thursday - Use Punches

Crafting When We Can - Colour Combo - Mint Choc Chip

Fussy and Fancy Challenge - Card For A Male

Creative Card Crew - Easy as 1, 2, 3 - 1 die cut, 2 backing papers, 3 lion cubs

If you haven't entered for my blog candy yet, full details can be found here

Summertime

Good Afternoon

I'm pleased to say that the sun is back again today.  Even though I seldom leave the house these days, I do feel better when the sun is out.

Over at Willow Sketchie Challenge this week we have a super sketch to follow.  Here is my take on the sketch:

8 x 8 card blank matted with silver mirror card and backing papers from Joanna Sheen's

 Faye Whittaker cd-rom.

Main image from the decoupage section of the same cd.

A few shells from my stash were used to embellish the card.

I was tempted to add more embellishments but didn't want to take away from the beautiful image.

My card is also for the following challenges:

Creative Inspirations - Trooping the Colour

Divas By Design - Summer

My Mum's Craft Shop - Clean and Simple

Polka Doodles - Summer Scene

The Poodles Parlour - Red, White and Blue

The Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Red, White and Blue

Totally Gorjuss - Holiday

J For Journey

The current theme at the Alphabet Challenge Blog is J for Journey.  Here is my card:

The style of card is made following instructions on Debbie Moore's Vintage Travel cd-rom, which is where the image and backing papers are from.

Gold linen card is used for all the matting and layering.

Sentiment stamp is Lili of the Valley sat on a Spellbinders Fleur De Lis die cut shape.

Here is the inside of the card:

And finally, a view of the back of the card:

This is the card I have sent my Dad for Fathers' Day.

My card is also for the following challenges:

Delicious Doodles - For Fellas

Craft Punked - Father's Day