Pink and Brown

I've been asked to make a number of word books recently including this one, which, as it happens fits nicely with the current Cupcake challenge which asks for:

Pink and Brown

The papers are from Dreams Come True from Funky Hand - I've printed the letters using Word Art and added them to the card backing. I've actually made two cards out of this colour combination but with different paper order and moved the embellishments around.

All the embellishments are from my stash - the spotty ribbon is from Fantastic Ribbons and the gorgeous wide chocolate brown ribbon is from the scrap store and I've jazzed it up a little with some pink organza over the top.

I'm a little snowed under with orders at the moment hence the sparse posts at the moment, however, having said that, there will be two tomorrow including a tutorial!

• Papers: Dreams Come True from Funky Hand
• Ribbons: Fantastic Ribbons and the Scrap Store
• Everything else: My stash
  

Christmas Washing Line

I bought these Whimsie Doodles images last year but haven't really used them, until now that is! The Whimsie Doodles challenge this week is:

String It Up

I've used the underpant images, resized them and coloured with Promarkers. The background has been embossed with a Cuttlebug folder as I thought patterned paper might be a bit too much! The sentiment is also from the same image set.


I've rounded corners and inked them, added some pearlescent snowflakes and the string is from my stash.

I think I could be making more of these!

• Images: Whimsie Doodles, coloured with Promarkers
• Sentiment: Whimsie Doodles (same set)
• Embossing: Cuttlebug Snowflakes
• Everything else: My stash

Craft Juice Tuesday - Week 32

Welcome to another installment of Craft Juice Tuesday! To view the original story on Craft Juice, please click on the picture.

As soon as I saw this woolly keyring, it made me giggle! Buy from Shiny Craftwork

Awww! Just wanting a home! Buy the knitting pattern from Fluff and Fuzz

Keep you neck snuggly and warm this winter! Buy from ReahClements

See you next Tuesday for more Craft Juice Tuesday!

No Girls!

A rather fab sketch this week on Sassy Cheryl:


And before I show what I have made, I'd like to thank Sassy Cheryl for me being last weeks winner! Who-hoo!! How pleased was I?! I've used one of the images that I picked (was on my shopping list anyway!) Jacob got a well done sticker on Friday at school for knowing a letter in the alphabet that the rest of his class didn't know. When the sticker was given to him, he said thank you (as he should) and promptly was rewarded with another sticker! So I've not forgotten my manners Jacob!!

Ok, here is my card. I had to take the picture flat-on as the glue hadn't dried under the buttons and the light was fading fast (its now virtually dark at 7pm!) And I've forgotten the sentiment..... ah well!I used the 'No Girls' digi stamp, coloured it with Promarkers and added it to a Swiss Dotted background with a perfectly sized left over bit of ribbon across the centre (as not yet mastered the art of neat matching up with embossed panels when the panel is too big for the embossing folder....!) The little chap has been inked around the edges (you may just see the faded blue) and black, plus corner rounded. Layered onto more red card and some dark blue from my stash.

See - no printed papers. Because ink is no more in my printer so having to make do! The buttons are from my stash and the twine I bought earlier today from Poundstretchers at Southport - 3 large balls of the stuff for 99p - bargain!

• Image: Sassy Cheryl's, coloured with Promarkers
• All papers: From my stash
• Everything else: From my stash
  

Princess Birthday

A lovely quick sketch this week from Tiddly Inks, so why does it take me to almost the last moment to get it together?! Well, it's because I do most of my colouring when I'm at my Mum and Dad's on a Saturday afternoon with the boys - I get a few hours almost peace and quiet so I take all my Promarkers in their carry wallets along and colour in!

I've used the Princess figure which I picked with my winnings from a few challenges ago as I knew I'd be able to use it millions of times! For this card it will be for a little girl who will be 5 at the end of the month. When I was expecting Jacob, two of my work colleagues were expecting their first and we all were due within 3 weeks of each other.
I've flipped the sketch round to fit with the white bits on the image and used Promarkers for colouring (I was going to add some glitter but forgot!) I'm out of ink in my printer at the moment so having to rely upon card stock and off-cuts from my bits box hence the scrumpled up flowers.

I've handwritten the sentiment (and can't you tell!) doodled a black line, added some inking and some corner rounding and that's it!

And if I remember, she'll get the card on her actual Birthday!

• Image: Tiddly Inks, coloured with Promarkers
• Printed card: Funky Hand (not sure which cd)
• Everything else: My stash
  

Simple Doodles Challenge 27 - Photo Inspiration

Welcome to another Simple Doodles challenge! This time we have a colour inspiration picture for the challenge and it is:

I've used a Delicious Doodles image, coloured with Promarkers. I've layered it onto some card from my stash and then used papers from the Kirsty Wiseman Patti Picklicious cd which matches perfectly!

I've added some natural raffia that I found in my stash (have a rather large bundle which I recycled from a lovely flower arrangement that I got last year) and added three brads to finish the balance of the card.

It's the first time I've used one of these Delicious Doodles images - this was a freebie, and it was lovely to colour!

Hope you can join in the challenge this fortnight - you have until Friday 9 October to join in!

• Backing papers: Patti Picklicious by Kirsty Wiseman cd
• Image: Delicious Doodles, coloured with Promarkers
• Everything else: My stash
  

Polkadoodle Challenge 38 - Hidden Element

Welcome to another Friday and a Polkadoodle challenge! This week the challenge has been set by Claire who has asked us to create something with a

Hidden Element

I've used the Cupcake Box template and have used some matt brown card and also some pink pearlescent card to make the box so it looks like an actual cupcake! The box itself is really easy to make with the template - I made most of the bottom layer and then added the icing layer afterwards, gluing the joining parts.

All the score lines are on the template which makes it really simple and quick to follow. I've added various types of seed beads to the top of my box to look like sprinkles.

The box opens out really easy with the closure on the top and is perfect for a real cupcake to be placed inside!

Good luck if you decide to enter this challenge - it is open until Sunday 3 October at 12noon GMT and please remember to combine it with no more than 9 other challenges otherwise you will not be considered for a top three place.

• Template: Polkadoodles
• Card: From my stash
• Seed beads: From my stash
  

Vintage Christmas

The Penny Black Challenge this week has a sketch:

And I've made this card with an image that I found pre-coloured in my box of images. Really like it when that happens! I've also used printed papers that I bought years ago from Mad About Cards - I think these are from the Traditional Download.

I've used pearlescent snowflakes and card candy too along with some corner rounding and inking. The burgundy paper is from the Scrap Store that I got ages ago and has been lurking waiting to be used!

• Image: Penny Black, coloured with Promarkers and glitter glue
• Papers: Mad About Cards download
• Everything else: My stash
  

Any Shape

I've not joined in with the Christmas All Year Around challenge for a while simply because I never manage to make all 5 required cards for the month! However, this is the month that I knuckle down and participate!

This months challenge is:

Any shaped card (other than the standard square) plus gold, silver, pearl or crystal somewhere

So here are my five! All the cards are from Polkadoodle Paper Boutique - Creative Christmas cd and all are the A5 layered versions. Basically all the shapes are cut out and then layered. For extra strength, I mounted them all onto a sheet of A4 card and then cut round them.

Santa has silver glitter glue on his hat

The gift card has silver 3d paint around the edges of the tags and dotted also

Rudolph has silver glitter glue on his hat and gold 3d paint dotted around the sentiment

The fairy has crystal gem bling on her crown plus silver stars in her hands

And finally, the holly and berry wreath has silver 3d paint dotted around the sentiment

And here they all are together! This really is a fantastic cd - you get all these shaped cards in A4, A5 and A6 sizes plus papers, sentiments, black and white digis plus smaller images that can be used as toppers. Oh, and more shaped cards too!!

• All paperbased items: Polkadoodles Paper Boutique - Creative Christmas cd
• Everything else: My stash
  

Christmas Word Book

I need to be getting into the Christmas swing now as I've got to increase my box of Christmas cards somehow! So this fits perfectly with the Moving Along challenge which is:

Christmas

I've used the Christmas Word Book section on Funky Word Books cd from Funky Hand. I was having a little tidy up the other day (I say little as I'd take a month of Sundays to do a decent tidy up!) and found the pages already printed off in its own little folder (how organised was I?!) so it seemed a shame just to put it back, so I've finished it off!

The lettering along the front has been cut with my Sizzix Round-a-Bout alphabet die set and the card is Bazzil Basics in a lovely Christmas green.

Both ribbons are from my stash and I suspect they are from Blackburn market. The little bell I found in my Christmas stash box and probably originated from ebay!

And if you ever make these word books and struggle for envelopes, well, your prayers have been answered as you can buy them from Funky Hand!

• Word Book: Funky Word Books cd from Funky Hand
• Ribbon: Blackburn market
• Dies: Sizzix Round-a-Bout alphabet die
• Everything else: My stash
  

Craft Juice Tuesday - Week 31

Welcome to another week of Craft Juice Tuesday! Craft Juice is an online community where you can upload a picture and brief description of your handcrafted item and the community can vote for your creation! 5 votes and your item gets listed on the front page!

To view the Craft Juice story for each of these items, just click on the picture.

A funky chicken paperweight from Swirlyarts


A cool VW Beetle pendant from Shpangle

A beautiful original chalk drawing from KnK

See you next Tuesday for more Craft Juice Tuesday!

Bubble Time!

I found another challenge blog whilst looking for something else - I found the Digi Sparkle challenges! And this one is only Heather's second challenge!

This fortnights challenge is:

Girls

I already had this set from being part of the Digi Blog Hop (still time to enter if you haven't already done so - click here to go to my post!) so I printed a few of the elements - you get the lady in the bath image, sentiment, duck and a load other images too!

I've coloured the images with my Promarkers and have added some glitter glue as sparkle.


The ribbon, by good fortune (as it was destined for another project but was the wrong shade of blue) matched the Papermania card blank perfectly as did the glass headed pin that I've added seed beads too.

Makes a nice change from Christmas cards as I'm in the midst of making an order of word book Christmas cards!

• Card blank: Papermania
• Images: Digi Sparkle, coloured with Promarkers and glitter glue
• Everything else: My stash

Snowmen Wear Jumpers

It's a right miserable day today - rain, rain and rain. So the washer is on, cup of tea at my side and the boys are playing on the Wii (fairly quietly, but how long that will last is anyone's guess!) So today is a crafting day - need to catch up on some orders and get my stock in order for an event I have a week after next.

This card fits the Creative Craft Challenge which is:

Black and White plus One Other Colour

The image is a Penny Black which I've had for ages and he's been coloured with Aquamarkers plus some glitter glue. I've used liquid pearls for the front of his jumper and added a tiny gem too.


The papers are from The Big One 12x12 paper stack by Clare Curd Signature Range, plus some blue card from my stash. Ribbon is from my stash and I've added some Card Candy too. The sentiment is a random die cut thing that I found in my stash and fitted in well!

• Papers: Clare Curd Signature Range, The Big One 12x12 paper stack
  
• Image: Penny Black, coloured with Aquamarkers
  
• Everything else: My stash
  

Christening Card

I've cheated a little and actually published this on Sunday morning but it should show up as Saturday night. Why? Cos I forgot plus I have a card or two to actually blog today (Sunday). Method in my madness. Honest.

Anyway, I got a few card orders earlier in the week and one was for a Christening card. I'd already coloured the Tiddly Inks image in preparation for their challenge which this week is:

Our Pets

Well, I know an elephant is not a pet, but thought it was too cute an image to pass by and it looked so sweet on this card! Forgive me?! This image is a freebie and such a fab freebie too!


The papers are from Dreams Come True from Funky Hand although you won't find this particular colour-way as it was a happy accident from a lack of ink in my printer. It was supposed to be a taupe brown!

I've used Promarkers to colour the image plus a pink gel pen has been dotted around the card base and also image (you'll have to look close to see it!) The lettering is from my Cuttlebug Baby Face alphabet set - cut using the same papers for the name and then same as the card blank for the word Christening. The little cross is a Quickutz die.

And the ribbon? From Blackburn market! A bit of corner rounding, inking and adding of foam pads and the card is complete!

• Image: Tiddly Inks freebie, coloured with Promarkers
  
• Papers: Dreams Come True from Funky Hand
  
• Dies: Cuttlebug Baby Face alphabet set and Quickutz cross
  
• Ribbon: Blackburn market
  

Spellbinding Christmas!

I somehow managed to miss the deadline for last weeks Sassy Cheryl's Challenge - I had the image coloured and the papers ready and then the time just went! Luckily, I've managed to use what I already had for this weeks challenge!

The challenge this week is to use:

A Nestabilities Spellbinder Die

As I just have the one set, it was an easy decision to make! The image is from Sassy Cheryl and I've coloured it with Promarkers. I've used the die to create a frame around the image which works just as well.


Not got a clue where the papers came from but they were in my Christmas folder already printed and waiting to be used! I bought the ribbon last year (can't remember where) and it is quite glittery especially when it has been trimmed so I had glitter on my face one afternoon when I picked Samuel up from school much to his disgust and horror!

The silver snowflake is thick card and is supposed to be a gift embellishment - they were reduced in the January sales at Matalan - way too good for gifts - much more suited to cards! And the gems are from the Poundshop! I had to wrap some wire around the snowflake to keep it attached to the ribbon as I don't think any amount of glue was going to keep it in place long enough!

• Papers: Don't know as from my stash
• Image: Sassy Cheryl's, coloured with Promarkers
• Dies: Nestabilities
  
• Everything else: My stash
  

Polkadoodle Challenge 37 - Easel Card

It's Friday and welcome to another Polkadoodle challenge! This week Brenda is setting the challenge, and what a challenge it has been for me! She has asked for:

An Easel Card

And I've never made one before! So after a bit of research and some help from the Design Team (thanks Kris!) I made my very first easel card! I'm always a bit behind with what's in fashion, so no surprise that I've never made one until now!

Once I realised that I could not make the card from just one sheet of A4 cardstock, it was quite easy!
I've used papers and flowers from Sugar Birdies as these were already printed (my printer ran out of ink!) and in my stash just waiting to be used. I'm a big fan of these flowers and I do like using them!

All I've done is curled their petals and added pink and silver sead beads to the centres.The calendar pad is from The Range (10 for 99p - so I've another 9 to make!) and I've just done a bit of doodling and edge inking and rounding.

Quite quick and easy once I'd sussed out how to make it! Hope you can join in with the challenge this week - its open until Sunday 26 September at 12noon GMT.

• All paperbased elements: Sugar Birdies from Polkadoodles
• Calendar tabs: The Range
• Everything else: My stash
  

A Stitch In Time

I snagged this freebie image from Bugaboo a week or two back and printed it (almost immediately!) and added the sentiment under Stella as I thought it about time I made some more thank you cards. Because you just never know when you'll need them.

I've used the Bugaboo challenge which is:

A Stitch In Time plus Autumn Colours

I've used various papers from my bits box - majority are Funky Hand from Now That's Funky which I've corner rounded and doodled a fine black line around.


The image has been coloured with Promarkers and I've used part of a real tape measure, held onto the card by a big chunky brad. The tape measure is from a little sewing kit that I bought just for the different glass headed pins, and as the kit was only 99p, I bought two! Knowing full well that I can cut up things from the kit and not worrying about it!

• Papers: Now That's Funky from Funky Hand
• Image: Bugaboo, coloured with Promarkers
• Everything else: My stash
  

Spinning Around

A nice easy sketch this week from Secret Crafter challenge which fitted perfectly with an image that I had coloured with my Promarkers plus a little inking around the edges.
I got the image as part of the Design Team for The Digi Blog Hop and is from Digi Sparkle. I had an idea to make a sort of slider card as the image can be spun around! So she's either jumping for joy or doing a cartwheel!

I've used papers from Funky Daze from Funky Hand which I got out of my bit box. I've highlighted the Happy Birthday sentiment by using my Nesties as I didn't have any other sentiments that really went with the card. To be honest it took longer to make the slider spin thing than it did to make the card!

The ribbon and brads are from my stash. This Digi Sparkle image, plus the matching boy one are part of the blog candy available to win in The Digi Blog Hop, along with a number of other digital images from various artists.

• Image: Digi Sparkle, coloured with Promarkers, from The Digi Blog Hop
  
• Papers: Funky Daze from Funky Hand
  
• Dies: Spellbinder Nestabilities
  
• Everything else: My stash
  

Stripey Bloke

The Penny Black Challenge this week is to make a card for:

A Male

I've had this stamped image a while and he's been coloured with Promarkers. And I've just noticed that I've not finished his shirt off. Ah well! I've used some thin card that was originally packaging and layered it onto the card base. Also used Papermania For Him 6x6 paper stack along with blue card from my stash.

The brads, button and string are also from my stash. A bit of black inking around the edges and the card is complete!

• Papers: Papermania 6x6 For Him stack, plus plain papers from my stash
• Image: Penny Black, coloured with Promarkers
• Everything else: My stash
  

Old Fart

Yes, that is the title of my post and it is also the sentiment on this word book card! By special request too! The customer asks and the customer gets! It also fits in with the current Creative Inspirations challenge which is:

Anything But Square or Rectangle

Each letter is a page which opens out creating a book. I've used papers from Funky Hand - Girls and Boys which was created as part of a charity cd so was not available to purchase singularly.


Each letter has been printed out using Word Art and then layered onto the pages with a fine black doodled line just inside the letters. I've added other embellishments and eyelets to the large letters and have used snaps from W R Memory Keepers to hold it all together. The smaller letters have been cut and then layered onto black card using my Sizzix Round-a-Bout alphabet die.

Lets hope the recipient sees the funny side!

• Papers: Girls and Boys from Funky Hand
• Dies: Sizzix Round-a-Bout alphabet dies
• Snaps: W R Memory Keepers
• Everything else: My stash
  

Craft Juice Tuesday - Week 30

Welcome to another Craft Juice Tuesday! Both my boys have celebrated their Birthdays during the last week, so this has provided inspiration for my Craft Juice Tuesday post!

These rings made by SouZouCreations intrigue me! And look at this one - complete with a gift and a little balloon!

A wonderful personalised cushion from polkadotsandposies

How fabulous is this Batman themed cake box?! 14 individual cake boxes - count them! From Favorcakes

See you next week for more Craft Juice Tuesday!

First Day At School!

Jacob's first day at school! Here he is looking all smart in his uniform and I know the jumper looks a little big but from past experience the child grows quicker than it wears out! You'll have to excuse the slightly out of focus photos - not due to emotion, but for the fact that the light was still poor at 8:30am and using the flash was too harsh!

And Samuel had to get in on the photo too! Notice he is doing his best to stand taller than Jacob! With just 2 years age difference, there is only around 4 or 5 inches height difference and they have the same shoe size!

Well, Jacob is happy to go back to school again tomorrow and he's already visited the Headmasters office. On a tour of school, not because he is a pest!

Another Birthday Boy!

Happy 7th Birthday Samuel!
I think there was more water outside of the paddling pool after you 'dived' in than inside it!

PS Photo taken early June when it was decent weather!

Stitch It Up!

A while ago I covered a card blank with this paper and then realised it wasn't quite what I wanted so since then its stayed in a box just waiting to be used! I had the colour in mind when I coloured the image from Michelle Perkett Studio with Aquamarkers.

It fits with the current challenge which is:

Stitch It Up - Faux or Real Stitching

The paper is from Funky Fairy - Pinkie Pops which I don't think is available any more. I've cut the image out with my only set of Nestabilities (I'm hoping for more!) and layered it onto more pink card and some black too.


The ribbon is from my stash and I've made a double bow by adding seperate lengths of ribbon and gluing them down. The large gem hides the messy bits!

A bit of inking and faux stitching around the edges of the card and layers and its complete!

• Image: Michelle Perkett Studio, coloured with Aquamarkers
  
• Papers: Funky Fairy - Pinkie Pops
• Dies: Nestabilities Spellbinders
  
• Everything else: My stash
  

U Rock

As if by magic, I'd already printed and coloured this Tiddly Inks image in preparation for Samuel's Birthday (which is tomorrow) but I'd not got round to making a card with it. So I was pretty pleased with myself when I saw the Tiddly Inks challenge which is:

Birthday - Create a Card

And you'd think that I wouldn't have left it to the day before his Birthday to actually make the card. Well I have, but its finished! So all is well that ends well!

I've used the U Rock image, coloured with Promarkers and layered onto various card from my stash. The sports paper is a freebie download from a magazine, I think Papercraft Inspirations from a few years ago. One of those that I print and then forget I have!

The lettering has been cut using my Cuttlebug Baby Face alphabet set and also the number is from the Sizzix Round-a-Bout alphabet die set. A bit of inking along with some garden twine and a random button that I found, and its complete!

What's the betting that I actually forget to write it and give it to him tomorrow morning?! If I do, I'll have a good excuse as its Jacobs first day at school and I still have to name his shoes, wellies and coat. By the time I get back home at 9:10 I'll be calm and looking forward to the two hours of peace (almost) before I go and collect him. I was thinking that I could do with doing some cleaning up, but my time would be better spent trying to make a dent in the Christmas card orders that I already have - its only September!!!!!!

First Day at School photos will follow tomorrow! That I CAN guarantee!

• Image: Tiddly Inks, coloured with Promarkers
  
• Printed Papers: Papercraft Inspirations freebie
  
• Other Papers: My stash
  
• Dies: Cuttlebug Baby Face alphabet, Sizzix Round-a-Bout alphabet
  
• Everything else: My stash
  

Simple Doodles Challenge 26 - Spots & Dots

Welcome to another Simple Doodles challenge! Now I'm a BIG fan of spots and dots (but not if they are on me!) and what better way to celebrate this than setting the challenge as:

Spots and Dots

I've used long neglected papers from Pink Petticoat - Big Dots Mini Download, which I don't think is available any more which is a shame. I've made a word book using Word Art letters and cutting them out, layering onto the thick backing card. I've run the letters through my Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder too for more dots!

A bit of doodling with a blue gel pen (really does not show up in this photo!) and a black fine liner along with some added embellishments, eyelets, ribbon and the card is complete!

With a bit of luck I'll get to meet the little chap this is for next week!

• Backing papers: Pink Petticoat, Big Dots Mini Download
• Embossing: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots
• Everything else: My stash
  

Polkadoodle Challenge 36 - Sketch Recipe

It's Friday again so time for another Polkadoodle challenge! A sketch has been set this week with the stipulation of 3 brads, no fabric ribbon and the flap must be shaped. I've been very good and very naughty!

Very good as I've followed the sketch and the 'rules':
But very bad as I've used elements from the BRAND NEW cd which hasn't been released yet! I've gone for a Halloween theme - all the elements are from the cd - the haunted house is a pre-coloured digi stamp that I've inked with a very faded black stamp for a more spooky look.

The faux stitching has been created with a white gel pen, and I've added three silver snaps at the top of the flap. The spider is also a digi stamp from the cd and he is suspended on some strands of thread and I've added wobbly eyes to his face.

The pumpkin has been coloured with Promarkers along with the mummy (he is so cute!) and I've used my Sizzix Round A Bout alphabet die for the letters.

You're going to want this cd when its released - full to the brim with fab papers, digital elements and ideas!

Good luck with the challenge - you have until Sunday 19 September to enter!

• All elements: Brand New CD from Polkadoodles - to be released
• Snaps: W R Memory Keepers
• Dies: Martha Stewart scallop punch, Sizzix Round A Bout alphabet die