Wonderful wednesday and a recipe

Morning all , never mind the weather we are half way through another week so its all downhill towards the weekend, not that I'm wishing my life away by any means and I'm sure we will all be fitting loads in before we clock off on friday evening.

Well time for another fab challenge over at Penny's and this time not only do we have a fab challenge but a super duper sponsor too in Stitchy Bear Stamps. They generously gave us some images to play with and what a variety too, so pop over to the other DT's blogs and enjoy the showcase.

Right best tell you about the challenge, this time we have a recipe for you,3 designer papers, 2 embellishments and 1 image, sounds easy right. Have to say I did struggle a little but got there in the end.

I decided to use this fab cross and make an Easter card for my Mum and Dad in law. To try something a little different for a change I printed the image 3 times-does that mean I cheated with the recipe? (don't tell Courtney I might get the sack) then built a decoupage with the images . The papers are all from my scraps bin and I tried to keep to neutral colours for the background. My 2 embellies are 2 different ribbons which I just left as strips to try and tie all the card together colourwise.

Right now your turn, it doesn't have to be Easter even though there are alot of Easter challenges around and alot of Spring challenges come to think of it but with a recipe you can do any kind of card really or 3D project too can't wait to see what you all come up with.

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:-

Claudia and co-colour challenge
Simply create-do it yourself
Totally gorjuss-spring in to spring
delicious doodles-floral fantasy
Papercutz-3 DP's
Creative Cowgirls challenge-spring/Easter
cupcake inspirations-photo inspiration
Sweet stamps -Easter
Crafty cardmakers -decoupage

Should all men do the housework?

This card is for one of my neighbours, well a neighbour for now as they are in the process of moving to a bigger house, hope it wasn't something I said??!
The hubby of the house seems to be the one who is doing all the packing and prep for showing their home to prospective buyers probably as his wife works shifts as she is in her final months as a  trainee midwife.
He has the unfortunate blessing of having his birthday on mother's day this year  so hope he has his fair share of celebrations time too, I'm sure he will.

My card I used a Dude time freebie and it just seemed perfect with all the cleaning I keep seeing him do, have to admit it's not something I would see my hubby do his answer would be get someone in to do it. I remember when my son was little I came home one evening after an a late shift an found hubby had cleaned up. All our sons toys had disappeared from sight and you wouldn't have known we had a toddler in the house. The furniture was all pushed back to the walls and the house looked huge and empty. I later discovered that the furniture was pushed back to hold all the toys in place as all he'd done was put them behind the sofa and wedged them in, he hasn't cleaned up since, not even when I had surgery a few months ago, he kept saying he would but my mum ended up doing it. Never mind not all men can be domestic goddesses can they.

For my card I coloured my image with a mix of Promarkers and sakura pens and distressed the edges with scissors and purple ink. The papers again from my scraps bin all distressed with scissors again. The backing is pastel copy paper which I embossed feathers on with a fiskars embossing mat to tie with the feather duster and spring cleaning theme and all finished with a peel off happy birthday.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:-
cards for men-embossing
Sew many challenges-spring fling
Polkadoodles-spring has sprung
Paper play-distressing
Prairie fairy Friday-oh so spring
fun at Fairy Knoll-'happy'
stamp with fun-layout
Sketches in thyme-open challenge-I used stamp with fun sketch

Don't loose your place

Another Tuesday where do the weeks go, and another challenge from Creative craft challenges. Can you guess from my title what our challenge is, well there areseveral different versions you can enter for this challenge and all will help you not loose your place , in a book of course, as our challenge this time is bookmarks. There are several different ones around, the traditional strip bookmark a nice and easy one for all levels. There is the fancy two ended strip of ribbon with weighted ends, always think this type looks really elegant but have never tried to make one. The third kind i know about is the corner book mark. I only recently learny how to make these and they are far simpler than they look, and of all the bookmarks I've ever used I love these as they just seem to stay put, even if you drop your book.

I made a quickie tutorial further down that want to have a go. hope it makes sense as it's the first time I've done a tutorial on my blog so all feed back is greatly recieved.


We have a fab some fab sponsors again Crafty ribbons and little claires and Bugaboo stamps who generously gave us some digi's to play with.


Now my book marks I made 4 in all but you'll see them at the end of the tutorial, sounds a bit grand but really it's just a couple of piccies and some simple instructions, that I hope are easy to follow. Can't wait to see all your fab creations and if anyone knows any other kinds of bookmarks please shar how to make them with us too.It's always good to learn something new.


Well here goes.

You will need two pieces of card, one a square and the other a triangle. The sizes , I used a 12cm square and a triangle that was half an 8cm square. You can make any size but the ratio is always the same. Triangle cut from a sqaure 2/3 the length of the square sides, so you could use a 15cm square and a 10cm sided triangle, or 9cm square and 6cm triangle side, if you see what I mean. I hope I haven't confused you all already.


If so start again. Take a 12cm square of card. Mark the 6cm half way mark on 3 sides.Score to form 2 triangular flaps.

Cut a triangle by either cutting an 8cm sqare in half diagonally of taking a square corner and marking 8cm from the corner on two edges and joining , then cut along the line.

On the square card decorate the base , this will be the inside of your bookmark so to speak and will only be seen when the bookmark is not in use. Make sure you extend the decoration above the half way mark .It's a good idea to keep all decoration flatish as this will stop it being bulky when your book is closed with the bookmark in place.

Now take the triangle and stick it in place over the two flaps so it holds them down.I tend to use tape as if you use glue it can seep through the edges and then when you try to slot it over the corner of your page it won't work as it's stuck together. Make sure you go right to the corners then they wont lift.

Now you can decorate your book mark how ever you wish. On this one I used a cute wee piggy, and just added a strip of ribbon and punched vellum to the 'inside 'of the bookmark and some stamped piglets in pink brilliance ink. I mounted te piggy on an oval of blue card that I coloured with the same promarker I coloured the ribbon with.

I made 3 others, just to show you some variety. The fairy bookmark I started with a rectangle of card still 12cm wide but only 8cm deep, this just left me with a smaller back lip.I punched a fancy edge and coloured my fairy with promarkers and sakura glaze and glitter pens then added a few peel off butterflies for added intrest.The elephant bookmark I made with a 15cm piece of card and just kept it simple in decoration. I stamped a daisy in versamark on pale blue card and powder embossed with moonglow blue hyacinth jade powder. I then sparyed both this and the deep turquoise trianlge with tawny turquoise spritz also by moonglw. I coloured the elephant with Promarkers and just stuck in place.

The last one again is a 12cm square but this time I didn't use a triangle but the whole smaller sqaure which I cut down slightly and mounted on an 8cm silver mirri card squrae after punching the corners. Before sticking the squre to the flaps I added a cople of fancy beads on a thread to make a dangly charm like thing, the squre once stuck to the flaps holds it in place.The cat is coloured with promarkers ad sakuras and I also used a sakura pen to add stitching around the pink square. I then added some liquid pearls for detail along the punched edge and corners. a few flat rhinestones to kitty's crown and all done.

So as long as you keep you embellishment flatish you can decorate as fancy or plain as you like. Have fun and can't wait to see what you come up with.


Sorry about all the waffle,the steps are fairly simple .
Cut a square and triangle of card .
Score two flaps on the square.
Decorate the inside of the bookmark.
Stick the triangle to the flaps.
Decorate the triangle.
Bookmark complete.


Pop over to the Creative craft page or to our DT blogs and I'm sure all their wonderful projects will totally inspire you, dare I say may even make you want to read just so you can make a book mark?


Have fun.


I would like to enter my book marks into the following challenges;-
Fairy bookmark


Gingerloft-punches or diecuts
Meljens-punches
stamp insanity-punch it out
Sarah Hurley-go green




Piggy bookmark


Southern girls-add an animal
Lexis creations-ribbons no bows or knots
Pixie dust-lets go to the movies, I thought of 'Babe'
Colour Create-pastels  optional Easter


Elephant bookmark
Lollipop-no square or rectangles
Incy wincy-sparkle and shine
Totally papercrafts-cute and cuddly
Phindy's-all about animals
DYSU-shine on

Kitty bookmark
Crafts and me-anything goes
MAWTT-precious metals(hope my mirri card and silver cord are enough to count)
Tellens-textures
Whoopsi daisy-glitz and glitter(sorry no glitter but plenty of glitz) hope it still counts?

Finally I would like to enter all my bookmarks into the Fab n Funky-do it more than once challenge. It could be that you count that I folded my piece of card more than once or made more than one bookmark.

Hoppy Easter

Hi all, an Easter card this time one of several I have planned to make, and this wee cutie is a commisioned one for a couple of children both under 5yrs old, not that I think they will be bothered about a card , sure they will be more interested in what chocolate they get but you never know.

This sweet digi image is by Crafty sentiments and is called Toby in a bag and I've coloured again with Promarkers and sakura glaze pens. I will list all the colours at the bottom of the post, one of the criteria for entering 'Make it Colourful' not that I'm up to the standard of most who enter but I keep trying. The papers are magazine freebies but are nice and cheerful and bright and the sentiment is also a magazine freebie stamp from last year which I stamped in green brilliance ink, just to finish off the card. The base card is a textures white card.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:-

Lollipop challenge-butterflies
Cupcake inspiration-lemon and green and dasies
Stamp with fun-spring
The ribbon girl-lemon and green
Whoopsi Daisy- Easter or spring colours
I did it creations-spring
Make it colourful-blend green and yellow
The Crafty Pad-use a digi
Fuzzy wuzzy-layout
Cardmad fairy-back to nature
Going grey with scrap creations-spring has sprung
Paper pretties-spring
I love Promarkers-going dotty

Moxie world -tuesday trigger picture, I was inspired by the colours all bright and juicy

As promised the colours I used.
Leaf green
Apple green
Lime green
Lime zest
Fushia pink
rose pink
Almond
Putty
Pastel blue
cornflower blue
primrose
buttercup
lemon
soft lime
tulip yellow
gold
canary
yellow

sakura-neon green and yellow, opaque white and glitter.

Football crazy

Another Grandson card this time on that is football crazu. I used elements from a stampman set for this one and coloure dwith a mix of promarkers and sakura pens once again. No backing paper just repeated stamped images to make a background. The images were then mounted on purple mirri card and a '15 Today stamped in versamark and powder embossed in silver. This all put together on a square gatefold card just for a change.

I would like to enter this card for the following challenges:-

Crafty cardmakers spotlight challenge-make your own backing papers

YNS-sparkle
Tellens place-sports
CES-inspired by a song or favourite song(football crazy)
Paper sundaes-embossing
OSAAT-for the boys
Stamp,scap and doodle-Numbers
Pear tree dsigns-happy birthday
Incy wincy-embossing
Tuesday morning sketches-KIDS with a kid themes
Everybody art challenge-happy birthday

Cool Dude...is that a cool thing to say still?

Hi all and w-hay another fab sunshiny morning here in sunny south yorkshire, best stop there in case mother nature notices and changes her mind.

My card this morning to share is a commisioned card for a 15 year old grandson, my son who is 17 says he wouldn't mind recieving it but he doesn't know about a 15 year old, apparently they are a different generation, totally lost me there.

Anyway I used a Kenny k freebie and thought as the grandson in question had recently been helping his granddad put music on his Ipod I thought this image would be  a safe bet.

I colouired with my Promarkers and a touch of sakura glaze on the ipod thingy and his pearly white teeth.

The scraps of card including the one I dry embossed are all recyled bits of christmas bought cards, well waste not is all good for the planet.
I finished with a couple of brads a peel off or three and a bit of ribbon.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:-

Cute card Thursday-music and dance
Digi doodles shops best-anything goes
Paperplay-embossing
Sarah Hurley-embossing
Truely scrumptious-tag it
Cards for men-layout and they have a DT call too
Pollycraft -teens
Kenny K-lace, ribbons and bows
RRR-for the boys
Little Miss Muffet-pearls brads and gems and another DT call

No birthday blues for a friend.

Wow hope you have some sunshine where you all are, it some how makes you feel much better doesn't it and i could really do with that at the moment. I had a sneezing fit 2 days ago and at the end of it had some how lost my voice, I am so desperately hoping it can find its way back and am taking echinacia to try and send out a homing beacon.
I should explain my concern , I do have a tendency to loose my voice but it seems to go off on a sabbatical the first time was 8 weeks , the second time  3 months, the 3rd time 5 months and the last time was for a whole nine months. My hubby gets all the usual jokes from any other men that visit etc but after a couple of days it's just not funny.
Despite having laryngoscopies and speech therapy which is useless  for me ( last time I got my voice back and had it back for 2 days before a speech therapy appointment. Went to the appointment with a voice came out without one and the therapist had the cheek to tell me that was due to stress, didn't go back again!) My voice eventually returned when I got a chest infection and ended up on antibiotics. Now you probably understand why I don't like loosing my voice.

Sorry waffling again, my card today is for a friends birthday and I decided to go all blue, well trying to use up some more scraps. I think the stripy paper is papermania and the flowered forever friends but not 100% sure so 'don't quote me on that please. The ribbon is from my stash as are the flowers. The ribbon flower was surprisingly simple to make too. I coloured the WOJ image in with Promarkers and added all to a textured card , I think you can see if you enlarge the piccy, if you really want to. I love how the bow and flowers add a bit of dimension, good job it will be hand delivered.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:-

Simon says-happy birthday

Whoopsi Daisy-pile on the flowers
Papertake weekly-3 of something(3 leaves and 3 3ways to use ribbon)
Kaboodle doodle-happy birthday
Creative Inspiration-sketch layout
Crafts and me-photo inspirations

Bunny Zoe-happy birthday with pearls-on her bracelet and my flowers
WOJ-anything goes
DYSU-add a bow
scrapbook sisters-spring flowers
Stampin with the dragon- bring on spring
wags n whiskers-spring
Fun at fairy knoll-birthday or thankyou
Prairie fairy friday-it's my party

Papercutz-anything goes

Who's for a chocolate bunny?

Well this bunny is about as chocolate as  go, as I'm one of those odd people who's not really bothered about chocolate, probably as it gives me really bad headaches so I find it easier to avoid. White chocolate is OK but then again that's not really chocolate is it?

I used this bunny from Do-crafts not sure what it's called as it was sent to me in a rak some time ago, but I think he's quite cute with the daisy in his hand/paw.I thought it would make a fun Easter card for my 8 year old nephew hence only one flower. The papers are more scraps, think the check is forever friends and the other might be K and co. The flower leaves I punched with a heart punch and the centre is micro beads I added to some glue for added texture. The sentiment is a cc design. I used my mini sewing machine for the stitching only the 2nd time but thought it just finished off the effect. The bunny is of course coloured with Promarkers.

I would like to enter this choccy bunny into the following challenges:-

Crafty sentiments-animals
Crafty purple frog-green
Pixie dust-go green
The creative cottage-spring has sprung
Stampavie and more-spring/Easter
I love Promarkers-for a man big or small
Try it on Tuesday-chocolate
Paper pretties-masculine
Incy Wincy-for the boys
Colour Q-daffodil yellow, kiwi green,old olive and early espresso
Scrap creations-anything goes
stempel magie-spring flowers
Crafty Ho's-green,gold and white
Create for fun -layout
Stamp something-green and cream
colour create-brown, olive, black and cream, optional leaves
Sundays with crissy-stitiching

Somethings cooking in the kitchen

Wednesday is here and as well as being halfway through the week and on the downhill to the weekend it means time for another challenge at Penny's.Boy did we have some super green entries, you were all such busy bees, and sure got into the spirit of the challenge, hope you all have fun celebrating on St. Patrick's day too.

Well this time we want you all to get busy and create something 'from the kitchen'. Wonder how many entries we'll have that are edible, I did think about showing you one of the many birthday cakes I have created over the years for my son and family but couldn't lay my hands on any of the photos so that will have to save for another day. I decided to continue the theme of cook books I started last week with my son's and decided the one my mum did for me when I first left home could do with a face lift so here it is. These images from Meljen, provided by our super sponsor Meljen Designs are just the ticket. I coloured the pie with Promarkers and the whisk with sakura glaze pens. The title is computer generated. Have to admit I'm out of card that will go through my printer as it won't take card that is heavier than 160gms 180gms at a push so as I haven't got any that doesn't keep getting stuck I'm having to use paper. If anyone knows where I can get some please let me know.

I would lie to enter this project into the following challenges:-

Stamps R us-in the kitchen
Patties-green
Delicious Doodles-use green
The Pixie cottage-sketch and or green
Creative card crew-green
Sentimental Sundays-green
Allsorts-'luck o the irish' or lots of green
Fab n funky-all things green or happy st Patrick's day
Meljens-green

Oh so lacey loverly and a DT call

Not quite how the song from My fair lady goes but still. It's another Tuesday and that means a Creative Craft Challenge!Have you guessed the theme yet, lacy lovelies... and I did find this one surprisingly hard. I kept putting off making this card as I would find myself just staring at the coloured image or staring out the window as I wasn't really sure where to start, so I am really looking forward to seeing what everyone else comes up with.
We have 3 fab sponsors this time our Imag-e-nation are offering £40 worth of peel offs including a wallet to store them in, Create with tlc  is offering a $12 voucher for their store and we have a GDT post going for 2 challenges too. Our top 3 prize is 3 digi's from Robyns Fetish.

My first card is using digi's from our first fab new sponsor Create with tlc. They have a super prize of $12 gift certificate to use at their store.

I chose to use the cute little chick and use him to decorate the box of maltesers I have for one of my nephews. I coloured the chick with promarkers and then used sakura glaze to make the balloon shine. The sentiments are stamped with a cc designs sentiment in different blue inks and I mounted the chick on some paper I punched a fancy edge on to make it lacy. The ribbon is chritsmas ties.

I would like to enter this project into the following challenges:-


Lexi's-Easter
Crafty Purple Frog-things with wings
The Pixie Cottage-easter
Scrapbook sisters-Easter animals
Lollipop crafts-lets make it with lace

 

Our other fab sponsor is Robin Fetish and here's our new feature we are having a prize for our top 3 chosen by the DT member who posted the challenge so as Bev posted the last challenge it is Bevs choice, not sure if she just picked her fav's or used random thingy or something else.

I used an image provided by Robins fetish , a cute puss cat which I coloured with promarkers.I decided to make the wool variegated just for a little added interest.

The lace I also coloured with promarker so it blended perfectly and I thought the yellow and green would make a fab cheerful spring mothers day card for my mum in law in Tenerife.The papers are a mix of magazine freebies and K and Co I think as they are all from my scraps bin.I decided to have a play and modified a pre-scored card by making it shaped, I think it might be a little uneven but for freehand I don't think I did too badly.










I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:-


Charisma-easel card
Totally papercrafts-shaped card
Wags n whiskers-more than one fold
Crafty catz-yellow and green colour challenge
creative inspiration challenges-easel card
Die cut dreams -mothers day/special friend

Well done if you made it this far. Have to add we are looking for one maybe 2 new DT members , details are at the top of the current challenge post, so if you weren't successful last time but would still like to join our merry little and growing bunch please drop Sandra a line as the info suggests.



Another Easter bunny

Happy Monday morning a beautiful bright and frosty one so far and the birds are singing too is spring really on its way?

Another bunny card and this time a wee grey bunny, funny how some images just make you smile, well this one does and another that does is a Crissy Armstrong one , Jellie Bean such a cute wee elephant, I'm sure there are more images that do but these are my 2 at the mo. 

My card I decided to keep simple and stuck with monochromatic,I really seem to be into black and white /mono chromatic colouring at the mo funny how you have favourites that change. More papers from my scraps mounted on black glossy card and a bit of black satin ribbon and a bow I tied myself. It was originally for my 8 year old nephew but I think it's a bit too grown up so might send to my sister  and bro-in law instead, she'll like the ah bunny.

The bunny is coloured in warm and cool greys Promarkers and as it's such a simple card not much more to add.

I would like to enter this cutie into the following challenges:-

Free4ever-layout
Daring cardmakers-make your own embellishment(?does tying a bow count)
The Pixie cottage-Easter and or Layout
Simply Create-monochromatic
Paper Sundaes-keep it simple
One stop craft challenge-clean and simple
Sarah Hurley-flowers
Cutie sunday-favourite colour scheme
Creative cowgirl challenge-monochromatic

I got an Award-thanks Copse

I found that Copse left me a little something on her blog http://creationsbycopse.blogspot.com/, so would like to say a big thankyou to her and ask you to pop along and see all her fab creations too.
Now there are some rules attatched to this award

1. If you accept it you have to display it and write about it in a post.
2. Pass it on to 3-5 others and let them know too.
3. Link back to the person who gave it you.
It's a bit like a chain letter really though I never really bother about them, but the aim of this award is to showcase other fab blogs that have less than 3000 followers so we all get to see some other not so well know fabby blogs.

The hard bit now who do I tell you about??

Astrachic Studio- not really a craft blog as such but she has some really inspirational piccies on her blog and a different out look at things.
Holley's blog- a lady with a very generous heart and a varied and totally inspirational array of cards
Kirsta- a totally gifted lady with an artistic flair that I totally envy and a funky personality to boot

A blue bunny

Good afternoon all, hope you have had a good day so far and not too busy.

This is just a quickie in between doing the washing and preparing tea, thought I'd have a go at making a start on my easter cards as some of them have a way to travel, when my mum goes to see my nephews later this month. This cute little bunny is from stitchy stamps and it is so versatile as it is just yummy cute, well I think so anyway. My youngest nephew 's favourite colour is blue, well it was last time I spoke to him , hence the blue bunny. I coloured it in mainly bluebell promarker but on the paper I used as no printable card at the mo it looks more like a deep lavender or lilac, especially ag

ainst the aqua heart paper. The base card is a lovely pale pearl blue but the dull daylight and messing about on photoshop didn't help that either. The papers are all scraps as I am really trying to use them up and make space for new papers. The butterfly I used a stampman stamp and used versamark and monglow moonpearls embossing powder on teal vellum. I also used mulberry paper to mount the heart paper, well even though a male my nephew is only 6 years old, so I can just about get away with cute still. Nearly forgot the pearls are liquid pearls just to finish off.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:-

Critter challenge-sketch

Elephantastic-cute and a butterfly

CES-men only well for a little man

Alphabet challenge-s for stripes

Crafts 4 eternity-colour challenge

Digi doodles shops best-pearls

scrapbook sisters-easter animals

Be Braveheart

Hi all thank Crunchie it's Friday, but no doubt in the blink of an eye it will be Monday morning again, why do weekends seem so far apart and last such a short time, must be working too hard?

Here is a card I made for my nephew, well one of them when I should really have been doing my design team things, ah well but I though his need was greater. My nephew in question lives in Shropshire and is the grand old age of 8. This card is really to cheer him up as he has a very poorly finger and thumb , apparently as I've not seen it his thumb and index finger are swollen and are progressively getting bigger. His mum has seen 3 GP's all within a week and all came up with a different diagnosis. She actually works at the hospital and has seen a doctor there who is doing blood tests and scans to try and find out what it is. his mum says if she touches it when he is asleep he flinches and cries so it must be really painful. Both his mum and Dad are obviously very worried as my brother suffered with juvenile arthritis when young so that is obviously on there minds.

I thought he might appreciate a card to cheer him up while he is having all the tests, I often think not knowing is worse than getting a diagnosis, so fingers crossed it's quickly resolved and nothing too sinister.

I decided on this fab cutie from Sugar Nellie called BraveheartI've had him ages and I think only used him once, (very sad), just seemed to fit the bill. Josh my nephew is into nature so though he would appreciate the spring flowers too, hope he doesn't mind them being pink too much.
I coloured my puss with promarkers and simply mounted on purple mirri card. The ribbons are from my stash, the sentiment is a cuddly buddly stamp and the base paper was a magazine freebie.I embossed the sentiment with moonglow imperial purple gold embossing powder and kept the design quite simple as the sugar bowl layout worked well for a boy, well I thought so anyway.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:-

DYSU-layers
Crafty sentiments-just for you(I don't have that sentiment on a stamp so hopefully this one will still count)
MAWTT-for a male
The sugar bowl-layout and spring
For fun challenges-spring
Simon says -anything goes
Ladybug-spring colours
TPE-springtime
YNS-blue
Belli challenge-animals
Stampin for the weekend-springtime
Crafty calendar-spring
Lollipop crafts-critters
crafty pad-ribbon
Lets ink it up-embossing
Phindy's -get well soon/thinking of you