Friday 30 April 2010

Polkadoodle Challenge Week 17 - Alter It!

It's Friday again so its another Polkadoodle challenge! This week it is my turn to host the challenge and I've picked the theme of:

Alter It!

I've used papers and topper from the brand new cd All Around and Everywhere which I've used to cover this plastic jar which I picked up on my last trip to the Scrap Store. I've inked and doodled around the edges of the paper.

It's a bit difficult to make a nice clean join so I've had to pretty it up with the tied ribbon! The topper is also from the cd and I've simply cut it out and layered it onto black card, punched holes in the side and tied it on with organza ribbon.

And here it is holding the windmills I made for last week's challenge!

To enter the challenge, please go to the challenge blog, link up your creation with Mr Linky and please remember you can enter it into upto 10 challenges including Polkadoodles. And the deadline is 12noon GMT on Sunday 9 May. Good luck!
  • All paperbased items: All Around and Everywhere from Polkadoodles
  • Jar: Scrap Store
  • Black card and ribbon: My stash

Wednesday 28 April 2010

Ladybird, Ladybird

The Rosie D challenge curently is a colour challenge for St Georges Day:

Red and White for St George's Day

And I've still got quite a few card orders on the go, and as luck would have it, I was already half way through making this - and it fits the challenge quite nicely!


All paperbased elements are from Paper Boutique from Polkadoodles - the ladybird and grass are layered / decoupaged and I've added a sentiment label (coloured with Promarkers) which is actually from Sugar Birdies - I've handwritten the sentiment.

Added some flowers and buttons and made the antenna from wire and card candy. I'm going to add the recipients name onto the grass.

  • All paperbased items: Paper Boutique from Polkadoodles
  • Sentiment: Sugar Birdies from Polkadoodles (coloured with Promarkers)
  • Everything else: My stash

Tuesday 27 April 2010

Craft Juice Tuesday - Week 11

It's Craft Juice Tuesday again! And this week I've decided to go with just one member of Craft Juice and this post is dedicated to them!

Now these tea cosy's really made me smile when I saw them as they are just so pretty! All made by AndreaLesleyCrotchet - click on each image to be taken to their Craft Juice listing.




See you again next Tuesday!

Monday 26 April 2010

Have A Great Day!

Well, I am right on the ball this week - only a day or so after the challenge has gone live and I've made my card! No last minute minnie for me on this one!! This card is for the current Bugaboo challenge which is to follow the sketch and the theme of:

April Showers

It was quite an inspired moment - the backing paper is a bargain 25p 12x12 sheet from my now joint favourite craft shop - Inspirations which has not long been open and is not too far from me (15 mins down the motorway towards Preston if I put my toe down). It's K & Co and is very nice!

I thought it went well with the image and I coloured it with Promarkers to match the paper. The coloured card is from my stash, along with the ribbon. The sentiment is an Anita's stamp and the largest of the three brads is Queen & Co, very generously sent to me by Jenny a while ago (see - I've opened them!!!) The other two are from my stash - probably Dovecraft.

  • Backing paper: K&Co
  • Image: Bugaboo coloured with Promarkers
  • Large Brad: Queen & Co from Jenny
  • Everything else: My stash

Sunday 25 April 2010

Caught A Bug

This is a new challenge blog for me - Passion for Promarkers, but seeing as I have 4 packs of the pens (with more planned!) I can hardly resist the challenges can I?!

The current challenge is:

In The Garden

I've coloured an image from Bugaboo with my Promarkers and added wobbly eyes to the little ladybird in the jar. All the backing papers are from Back to Nature from Polkadoodles and the ribbon was kindly donated to me some time ago!

A quick and simple card, and yes, I do think that the main image is a little wonky....!

  • Backing papers: Back to Nature from Polkadoodles
  • Image: Bugaboo coloured with Promarkers
  • Everything else: My stash

Who Me?

I'm a little close to the deadline for this one, but will submit it anyway - you just never know! I've followed the sketch for The Pink Elephant Challenge:
I made this card using papers from Salt and Pepper download from Funky Hand with some plain red card from my stash. The image - I've added the colour red with Promarkers - is from a sheet I downloaded from CraftsUPrint.

The buttons are from my stash. I do like the quirkiness of this image - just ideal for those stroppy boy cards!!


  • Backing papers: Salt and Pepper Download from Funky Hand
  • Image: Downloaded from CraftsUPrint and coloured with Promarkers
  • Everything else: My stash

Friday 23 April 2010

Simple Doodles Challenge 16 - Something Old

It's time for another Simple Doodles challenge! The challenge runs for 2 weeks and closes on Thursday 6 May just before the next challenge starts! The theme this week is:

Something Old

You can interpret that however you wish and you don't need to use a Simple Doodles digi stamp to enter - you can use what ever you like! But there are plenty of freebies on the challenge blog and the stamps are a joy to colour! My favourite is the dino which I've coloured with a combination of Promarkers and felt tips.


I've not got a clue where the backing paper came from as it was in my box of bits, but it is a digi one as I've printed it off. I've doodled a dotted line around the outer edge and then a wavy one inside with a Sharpie marker. The buttons are from my stash and the line of trees I think are a Sizzix extended die cut but I've had them for absolutely ages and not used them before, so that is part of my old theme. Plus the dino is old too!!

Hope you decide to enter - just remember to follow the theme and get your creation in before the deadline (the UK is approx 8 hours in front of the US so it gives you a little more leeway!) Good luck!

  • Backing paper: Don't know - it was in my bits box!
  • Image: Simple Doodles coloured with Promarkers and felt tips
  • Everything else: My stash

Polkadoodle Challenge Week 16 - Monochromatic

Another Friday already? Where did the week go! Because it is Friday it is another Polkadoodle challenge and this week the theme has been set by the lovely Nettie, who has asked for:

Monochromatic

Which simply is shades of one colour. Now I've made these windmills which if you look closely are all shades of one colour, I've just made them in four different colours!


The papers have been printed double sided and I've used a windmill template to cut the shapes out. And the papers are from the brand new cd from Polkadoodles - All Around and Everywhere - which is launched today at 10am on Create and Craft (so you'll get to see these windmills!)

The windmills were pretty easy to make especially as the large brads holds them together.

And to keep the balance (they had a tendency to twist round) so you see the front, I've glued a button to the reverse of the windmill which also hides the stick a little too. Notice that the glue wasn't dry when I took the photo!
Hope you are able to join in with our challenge - the deadline is Sunday 2 May at 12noon GMT and you can enter your Polkadoodle creation into 9 other challenges. If you are unable to meet these 'rules' then we cannot consider your entry for a top three blinkie or as a winner of the challenge.
Good luck!
  • All paperbased items: All Around and Everywhere from Polkadoodles
  • Everything else: My stash (Tesco for the kebab sticks!)

Thursday 22 April 2010

Another Sneak Preview!

I really am going to get my behind kicked by Nikky for showing two cards that I've made from the brand new cd All Around and Everywhere - it's so brand new that its not launched until Friday 23 April at 10am on Create and Craft!!

Ah well, but in my defense, I could not resist this sketch from Crazy 4 Challenges and it fitted the image so well!

All the printed elements you see on the card (spotty backing paper and ice cream treat) are from the cd. I've simply dotted some silver 3d paint around the edge of the backing paper, added some spotty chocolate brown ribbon with bows on the ends and used my Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder over the Nesties shape.

Although you can't really see it, I've added a bit of sparkle to the ice cream. So if you see the card on telly, you can say you saw it on here first!

  • All printed elements including image: All Around and Everywhere from Polkadoodles
  • Dies: Spellbinder Nestabilities and Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder
  • Everything else: My stash

Blog Candy Winner!

I've used a random number generator and it came up with the winner as:


Congratulations! Please email me with your postal address and I will get the goodies in the post to you!

Tuesday 20 April 2010

Sneaky Sample!

Apologies for the lack of blogging over the weekend and yesterday - got a good excuse though! Nikky at Polkadoodles is due to release her new cd on Friday at 10am on Create and Craft! The new cd is called All Around and Everywhere and I've been creating samples for her to show.

And when I saw this sketch from Moving Along with the Times, I knew just the image to use! Everything you see here with exception to the ribbon and button is from the cd. These cakes are just divine and look so real! Especially as I've added glitter glue to it (can't really see it on the photo).

All the papers and elements from each of the collections on the cd work really well together and the colours are so fresh and calming! I'm probably going to get my hand (and bottom!) really smacked by Nikky for showing this card - but if you want more then tune in to Create and Craft at 10am on Friday. Plus have a look at the Polkadoodle challenge blog on Friday as there is bound to be more samples from the DT using the new cd!


And remember - you heard and saw it here first!!!! Plus pre-order it from the website and you get free shipping!

Craft Juice Tuesday - Week 10

It's Craft Juice Tuesday again! This week it is all about things that I like the look of! Just that. Click on the photos to be taken to their Craft Juice listing.

Silver ball birdcage earrings by Debbychoi79

A set of three hex nut magnets from ScreamingMonkeyCircus

Lavender filled hearts from Homespunwithlove


See you next Tuesday!

Friday 16 April 2010

Polkadoodle Challenge Week 15 - Animal Magic

It's Friday again and time for another Polkadoodle Challenge! The weeks are flying by - we are already up to challenge 15 for this year!

The very lovely Claire has set the challenge this week, and it is:

Animal Magic

I've used Paper Boutique this week - printed the background directly onto my card stock and used the A5 sized monkey. I've only used the front elements and then layered them up using foam pads.

I positioned the banana and leaves where I wanted them and because I could! If you are thinking that the card is slightly wonky, well it is! I cut the excess card base away from the banana and then realised that I didn't quite have it balance, hence the slightly wonky monkey!


The sentiment stamp is from Papermania and I stamped it onto an offcut of card. The challenge is open until Sunday 25 April at 12noon GMT - good luck!
  • All paper based elements: Paper Boutique from Polkadoodles
  • Sentiment stamp: Papermania

Thursday 15 April 2010

Hi Cards

Another set of cards this time with the sentiment 'hi'. Made with papers from Patti Picklicious cd by Kirsty Wiseman and my trusty set of Nestabilities. The lettering is also from the cd - you just snip and stick!




Added a bit of jute string for that touchy feel bit! All printable bits and the actual card is a cream / ivory colour that has a slight linen effect to it and I bought it from the Papermill Shop.
  • Backing papers: Patti Picklicious by Kirsty Wiseman
  • Dies: Spellbinders Nestabilities
  • Just String: My kitchen drawer

Wednesday 14 April 2010

Let's Go Fly a Kite!

Lovely weather we are having! And so fitting for this card which is for the Lily Boo Too Challenge for April which is:

Spring Colours - Yellow, Pale Green and Blossom

I've used papers from Retro Fun Word Book download from Funky Hand with an image I got as part of the Special 50/50 Digital Crafting Group from Soft Pencil. Isn't it such a lovely image?

I've coloured it with my Promarkers and you can now see that my range of colours has been extended - I now have 3 packs (and a fourth is on it's way!) The sky has been coloured with watercolour pencils as the blue I have was a little too dark.

I've added organza ribbon underneath the bottom of the image and fastened it with a matching button and some fancy shaped wire. Only because it was an off cut of ribbon and only just the right length!!

  • Backing papers: Retro Fun Wordbook download from Funky Hand
  • Image: Soft Pencil coloured mainly with Promarkers and a touch of watercolour pencils
  • Everything else: My stash

Tuesday 13 April 2010

Craft Juice Tuesday - Week 9

It's Craft Juice Tuesday again! And I've gone for a springy summery theme this week because the sun is out and it is getting warm! Click on the images to be taken to their Craft Juice listing.

A homeless gnome from Glamasurus




Beautiful strawberry jester painting from Knk


These are very pretty napkin holders from DoilyMania


That's it until next Tuesday! But if you want your very own Craft Juice fix - click here!


Monday 12 April 2010

Little Doctor

I made this cute wobble card with a sheet purchased from CraftsUPrint a while ago because I thought it looked so cute and ideal for a poorly child. It's been decoupaged with foam pads and I've used my Cuttlebug Baby Face dies for the lettering around the base.

Plus a little bit of doodling and it is completed! It fits with the current Secret Crafter challenge which is:

Get Well

So I am entering it into the challenge! And I think I will send it to me as I am already suffering from dammed Hay Fever!!!!!! If this is the start of things to come then I'm not going to enjoy summer! I have to change the tablets to something different every year as the same thing never works two years in a row. And the only time I didn't suffer was when I was expecting the boys! It could just be an early blip. I hope!

  • All card elements: Sheet bought from CraftsUPrint
  • Sentiment: Cuttlebug Baby Face alphabet set

Sunday 11 April 2010

More Pirates!

The current Just Christmas and Birthday's challenge has this lovely simple sketch to follow:



And here is the second set of images from the CraftsUPrint download (see previous post for more detail!) Both the ship and pirate are pre coloured and have been cut from the digital sheet and added to the card.

All backing papers are from an exclusive collection from Funky Hand called Boys and Girls which was on a charity cd to raise funds for Rett Syndrome. The little stamp (coloured with promarkers) is a 99p Studio G acrylic stamp.

This is one of those cards that I really like and I don't think I'm going to want to send it or sell it!

  • Backing papers: Boys and Girls from Funky Hand
  • Images: Download from CraftsUPrint
  • Sentiment: Studio G acrylic stamp, coloured with promarkers

Pirate Treasure!

I do like simple and easy sketches to follow and the current challenge from Inktegrity is this sketch:

I've used printed elements from a sheet I bought from CraftsUPrint - the other elements are on another card that I will blog today! Basically the pirate, map and treasure chest are digital images, pre coloured, cut out and added to the card, along with some gold stars and doodling.

The backing paper is from Back To Nature cd from Polkadoodles - its not a plain colour but slightly mottled which makes it a little more interesting! The card will be personalised when I decide who it is being sent to!


Saturday 10 April 2010

Sad But Cute!

The current Sketch and Stash challenge is this sketch:

I've used my brand new image as part of the 50/50 Digital Stamping Group from Lil Diva Stamps which I've coloured with watercolour pencils and have added some splashes of glitter glue for rain drops. All backing papers are from Dreams Come True from Funky Hand plus some card candy and ribbon from my stash.


Shame the duck is looking so sad as its a really bright card!

  • Backing papers: Dreams Come True from Funky Hand
  • Image: Lil Diva Stamps, coloured with watercolour pencils
  • Card Candy: Craftwork Cards
  • Everything else: My stash


Some Good Good News!

Well, I have some good news! After being a Guest Designer for March on Simple Doodles, I've been asked to stay on and become part of the fixtures and fittings! And I've agreed! The challenges are every other Friday (I know it is Saturday today - I've 'lost' a day with it being all Bank Holidays etc!) and although I hope to be using as much as possible the Simple Doodle images, I can actually use any digital image or stamps that I like! So thank you Trish for asking me - I hope I live upto your expectations!

Anyway, this is the 15th challenge for the Simple Doodles Design Team and it is:

Inspire Others

So hopefully, I will! The image has been drawn by Trish and is a freebie download on the Simple Doodles blog. I've coloured it with watercolour pencils - it got a bit splodgy in places as I was distracted by watching Hook (Samuel is on Easter Break from school and loves the film!)

Backing papers are from the very wonderful new cd from Funky Hand - Dreams Come True and they have been slightly doodled on and I've added some card candy and a matching off cut of plain card too.

The challenge runs for 2 weeks - closing date is midnight PSD on 22 April (I think the UK is around 6 to 8 hours in front). And good luck if you decide to enter! There are lots of inspiration on the challenge blog along with a fair amount of freebies too - and the doodles are easy to colour in if you are not a colouring in kinda gal!

  • Backing papers: Dreams Come True cd from Funky Hand
  • Image: Simple Doodles freebie download coloured with watercolour pencils
  • Card Candy: Craftwork Cards

Friday 9 April 2010

Polkadoodle Challenge Week 14 - Wedding

It's Friday again so it's time for another Polkadoodle Challenge! This week Kerry has set the challenge and it is to create a Wedding card or project.

I've used all paperbased elements from Paper Boutique - I printed the background directly onto my card stock and then used a scallop card as a template, inked the edges and then punched holes within the scallops and threaded cream organza ribbon through and tied it in a big fancy bow at the top.
The decoupaged little church (some of the bits were fiddly so they got chopped off!) is also on the cd and this is the smallest size - there are also A6, A5 and A4 sizes. It all printed onto one sheet of A4 which I cut up and layered using foam pads. Added a bit of glitter glue to the doors, windows and scallop edging.


The silver heart charm is from my stash. If you want to take part in the challenge, pop over to the challenge blog for more details and you have until 12noon GMT on Sunday 18 April to enter. Good luck!

  • All paperbased elements: Paper Boutique from Polkadoodles
  • Everything else: My stash

Thursday 8 April 2010

I've Finally Used My Promarkers!

Can you believe it?! I've finally succumbed and open my only pack (so far - more are in the post!) of Promarkers - the flesh ones and I've used them!! Only been sat on the dining table for about 4 weeks - I kept looking at them and humming and arring - just don't know why its taken me so long as I'll be using them on EVERYTHING now!!

As I've only got the flesh tones - I've only coloured the flesh bits on this Penny Black image, the rest is watercolour pencils! I have the Manga additions 3 pack and Summer pack on it's way to me as I had some Amazon gift certificates that were begging me to spend them...... I have a very beady eye on the Polkadoodle shop for some more packs as they are at a very very good price......!!

Anyway, I'm really here to say that the card below is for the Penny Black Saturday challenge and this week it is:

Check It Out (Checks)

So, after colouring the image (those Promarkers were really easy peasy to use!) I've used some blue textured paper from my stash - I think this came from the scrap store a while ago - plus papers from Clare Curd Signature Range paper - the Big One.


Bit of inking here and there and some doodling and that's it! Not too sure about the ribbon, but it was a bloody good match for the paper and image colouring!

  • Printed Papers: Clare Curd Signature Range - The Big One
  • Plain Papers: My stash
  • Image: Penny Black, coloured with watercolour pencils and Promarkers (flesh bits)
  • Everything else: My stash

Passed

I was asked to make a card by Lisa to celebrate her son passing his driving test, and here is the card I made!

I used Paper Boutique from Polkadoodles (I have a bit of a thing about this car template and the sparkly Birthday cake!) and printed the A4 version onto 240gsm white linen effect card and then layered it up. More or less to the instructions (sort of), so it gives a front and a back to the car, both with a layered / decoupage effect.

I've added photo album tissue interleaving as 'windows' - vellum didn't feel right when I tried it, and also added the furry dice.


I printed the green 'P' in word and added them to the front and rear bumper and Conner's name has been cut using my Cuttlebug Baby Face alphabet set.

I'm just wondering if Lisa's car stays dent free.. and if so, how long??!!

  • All paperbased elements: Paper Boutique from Polkadoodles
  • Dies: Cuttlebug Baby Face alphabet set
  • Everything else: My stash

Wednesday 7 April 2010

Hello Cards

Here is the set of four cards that I sent as part of my Secret Easter Bunny swop - I sent them to Phoebe from the Crafts Forum.

Made with papers from Kirsty Wiseman - Patti Picklicious cd which have been cut using Spellbinders Nestabiities and the edges inked. The little tiny letters are also from the cd. And I've added seed beads across the front of the cards.

I've used some lovely cream / ivory 240gsm card which has a slight linen effect - you can just about see it in the bottom photo.




Once I'd decided what to make they came together quite quickly. So much so that I made a further 3 sets with different finishes and sentiments. So those will be added to my website at some point. When I find the time. I'm sure the days are getting shorter - feels like I only get 20 hours these days!!

  • All paperbased elements: Kirsty Wiseman - Patti Picklicious cd
  • Seed beads: My stash

Tuesday 6 April 2010

Retro Fun at Thirty

This is the first time I've managed to enter a Cooking It Up With Katie challenge, and I have a little confession to make too. The wordbook below has been made with the brand new Retro Fun wordbook download from Funky Hand which was released a few weeks ago, and I totally forgot to blog it for the launch....

But as it fits the challenge:


Something New
Something Old
Something Sweet

I thought I could show it anyway! The something new is the new wordbook and my first 'play' with the papers - lovely funky and bright, and well, retro colours! The old element is the fact that Claire (helllloooo again!) is 30 (although I've no room to talk!). And the sweet part, well, the colours remind me of Tootie Frootie sweeties (pic at the end of the post!)

I've printed each of the letters onto 240gsm white linen effect card and then cut them out, securing the end with eyelets and then cream and burgundy organza ribbon. The hat pin is one of my creations and has matching seed beads added onto it.

The flowers have been cut from scraps of card and use my flower Cuttlebug die and I've added seed beads to the centres. I've also dotted around the inside of the letters with a silver gel pen for effect.

Hope to join the challenges more often!
  • All paperbased items: Retro Fun Wordbook download from Funky Hand
  • Dies: Cuttlebug Flowers
  • Everything else: My stash