Time To Celebrate

I was recently asked to make an 18th birthday card using some photos from when the recipient was much younger.  Here is what I came up with:

8 x 8 card blank

Backing papers from a Crafters Companion cd-rom,  I chose this backing paper choosing a colour and the pattern on the curtains.

Core'dinations card was used for all the matting.

I put an eyelet in each corner and threaded bakers twine through them.  

Spellbinders Labels 22 were using to create that mats for the photos.

The stars were all cut using a die'namics die.

The sentiment is from Lili Of The Valley.

I stamped the number 18 using Dimensions stamps onto shrink plastic.  I coloured the numbers using metallic pens before shrinking the plastic.

My card is for the following challenges:

Here Come The Boys - Bingo - I chose twine, die cuts and free (photos)

Allsorts Challenge- Masculine

Make My Monday - One For The Boys

Creative Inspirations Challenge - One For The Boys

Natalie and Amy's Challenge - Something Old (dies) something new (sentiment stamp)

Polly Pickleberry

I treated myself to the Polly Pickleberry cd-rom from Willow Designs and this is my first card made using the cd.  I followed the current sketch over at Willow Sketchie Challenge and the theme of Happy Birthday:

8 x 8 card blank.

Decoupage image and backing paper from cd-rom.

Brown card embossed using Creative Expressions Lattice Embossing folder.

Martha Stewart punch used to create border strip, then thin red ribbon added from my stash.

Sentiment is Lili of the Valley, stamped in gold ink and sat on a mat created using Cheery Lynn Nautical Wheeler Doily die.

Memory Box Riviera Corner .

Various Marianne dies used to create foliage.  Memory box dies used to create flowers, finished off with a gem in the centres.  Feathers from my stash also added.

My card is for the following challenges:

Forever Friends Monthly Challenge - Birthdays 

Dream Valley Challenges - Girls, girls, girls

Paper Pretties - Square Cards

Crafts and Me Challenge - Favourite embellishments (flowers)

Silent Night

Over at Christmas Challenges with Sketches there is a fabulous sketch for us to follow.  Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge has a theme of Nativity so I combined the two to create my card:

8 x 8 card blank

Stamps from Pink Gem designs, coloured with coloursoft pencils, blended with baby oil.  I have paper-pieced Joseph's robe using one of the backing papers.

Backing papers are all Papermania inked around the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

I used Grace's Frame embossing folder to create the mat the images are sat on.

Marianne Poinsettia die used, glitter added to finished flowers.

The sentiment is a Lili of the Valley stamp.

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

Simon Says Stamp - Paper piecing.

Stamping For Pleasure - Rudolph Day - create a Christmas Card

Winter Wonderland Challenge - It Takes Two

Pink Gem Designs Challenge - Holidays 

Flutterby Butterfly

I've another Calendar to share with you today, I've still not made enough!  This is for my daughter's to send as thank you for Christmas presents.  For this Calendar I followed the sketch over at Flutterby Wednesdays:

8 x 8 easel card.

Image and backing papers from Joanna Sheen's Ivory Cats cd-rom. 

Linen card from create and craft used for matting and layering, cut using Spellbinders Fleur De Lis Rectangle dies and Fleur De Lis Accents.

Ribbon from Create & Craft.

Butterfly cut using a Marianne Die from glittered vellum.

Cat charm from ebay, gems from my stash.

My card is also for the following challenges:

Shopping Our Stash - Use your oldest ribbon (mine is approx 5 years old and was one of my first purchases from create & craft!

Crafty Creations Challenges - Take two

Moving Along With The Times - Bling it On

Fab 'n' Funky Challenge - Favourite Colour Combo

All Wrapped Up

I hope you've had a lovely weekend and that the snow has disappeared.  Roll on spring!

My card for today follows the sketch over at CLP Challenge Blog and the theme at Craft Your Passion of Totally Teal.  Here is my card:

8 x 8 card blank.

Decoupaged image from Do-crafts Me To You cd-rom

Backing papers from same cd.

Mat Tatty Teddy is sat on is Lea'Bilities Curved frame die.

The bunting is a Poppystamps die with tiny silver stars added.

The gorgeous flourish is Riviera Corner die from Memorybox.

The sentiment is Lili Of The Valley stamped with Peacock Feathers Distress Ink.

The middle of the card is decorated to match the front.

My card is also for the following challenge:

Polkadoodles Challenge - Monochrome

Music To My Ears

I was asked to make a 40th birthday card for a lady who is a piano teacher and a member of a choir.  Here is what I came up with:

8 x 8 card blank

Music score backing paper and choir boys from Joanna Sheens ATC Assistant cd-roms.  The choir boys are decoupaged.

Central image from Joanna Sheens Dances With Shadows cd-rom, sat on a decorative oval cut using a Marianne die.

I tied a double ribbon on my bowdabra using ribbons from my stash.

I wanted to make this card a bit more special, so created a pop-up piano for inside the card:

Sentiment computed generated.

Martha Stewart punch around the page, French Scroll

My card is for the following challenges:

Chocolate, Coffee and Cards - Rock On

Challenges4Everybody - Anything Goes

Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes

Thank You So Very Much

My card for today follows the sketch over at Sketch and Stash:

6 x 6 card 

Decoupage and backing paper printed from Forever Friends Collector's Edition cd-rom.

Spellbinders Labels 28 used for main image and sentiment.

Sentiment stamp from Lili Of The Valley.

Quilled flower made using an x-cut die, a gem from stash used for centre.

Green ribbon from Create and Craft.

My card is also for the following challenges:

Forever Friends Fortnightly Challenge - Favourite Embellishment - Flowers

Aud Sentiments Challenge - Bingo - I chose Die Cut, Thank and You

Heck of a Challenge - Thank You

Top Tip Tuesday - Lots of Layers

Merry Snowman

I'm quite pleased with myself in that I have made quite a few Christmas cards so far.  They are so much more enjoyable to make when there isn't the 'being on the last minute pressure' that there usually is for me when I'm making them.   I must say that the challenges are a big help for me as they give me a starting point.  For this card I followed the sketch over at Sweet Stop Sketches with a spin of using a snowman:

A5 card blank

Gold linen card used for matting. 

Backing papers came free with Quick Cards magazine.

Snowman stamp is from Inkadinkado, stamped in versamark onto adorable scorable card and heat embossed with white detail embossing powder.  The image is sat on a Spellbinders fleur de lis square die.

The ribbon was wrapped around some pyjamas!

The sentiment was stamped in gold ink and heat embossed using gold detail embossing powder.

My card is also for the following challenges:

Crafty Hazelnut Christmas Challenge - Recycle (ribbon) or use something that was free (papers)

Inky Chicks Challenge - Bingo - I chose Sentiment, Image, Bow

Papertake Weekly - Tie up your loose ends (add a bow)

ABC Christmas Challenge - B for Bows or Boys

Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge - Embossing heat or dry

Just For You

My card for today is one I sent to a friend who was having a bit of a tough time:

A5 card created using White Pearlescent card from PaperMill

Glitter Girls Splendour embossing board was used to create the lovely shape and to emboss around the edges.

Trellis created using strips of pearlescent paper and then tiny punched flowers added with a pearl in the middle.

The butterfly was created using glittered vellum, cut using a Marianne die and pearls added.

The roses and leaves were all made using vellum, cut with Marianne rolled roses dies and glitter added to the centres.

My card is for the following challenges:

Totally Papercrafts - Embossing

Allsorts Challenge- Flower Power

Creative Card Crew - Girly

Creative Craft Challenges - Bling It Up

Let It Snow

This is my entry into the current challenge at Christmas Challenges With Sketches:

6 x 6 card blank

Penny Black image, stamped in London Fog Memento Ink, coloured with Spectrum Noirs

White Flowersoft added to the bobble on his hat, Pinflair Ice Diamond added to his feet.

Silver Holographic Card, Papers from Making Cards magazine.

Marianne Scalloped circle die.

Martha Stewart punch to create the 3 small snowflakes.

Sentiment from Lili Of the Valley, sat on a doily created with a Cheery Lynn Nautical Doily Die.

My card is also for the following challenges:

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - January Blues

Sparkles Christmas Challenge - Snowmen

Craft-room Challenge - Monochrome

Crafts and Me Challenge - Something New (Snowman stamp, sentiment stamp, Cheery Lynn die)

Birthday Barge

Today's card is made using the Card Embroidery technique and uses a pattern from Form-a-lines:

A5 card blank

Metallic threads used for all stitching

Spellbinders die used for sentiment

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

Cards For Men - Transport

Moving Along With The Times - Birthday

Owl Always Love You

I've made this to send to my daughter who's at University.  She loves hedgehogs, owls and other woodland creatures so I think she'll like this calendar:

All the papers and images are from a recent issue of Making Cards magazine.

Joy Crafts Floral Flourish Swirl no 4 die

Marianne Creatables frame die used to sit calendar on

Memory Box numbers die.

Card from PaperMill

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

Bearly Mine Challenges - Anything Goes

Dies to Die For - Anything Goes

Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything Goes