Sprinkles of Kraft!

I'm just about getting this blogged in time for the Waltzing Mouse challenge this week - I blame having to wait for the glue to dry!

Anyway, its for the Waltzing Mouse challenge - the sketch to follow is below. I've used papers from the very new and lovely Polkadoodles cd - A Double Sprinkle of Kraft. Which, as you've probably guessed is based around kraft card / paper and the various textures and colours.

I've used two of the papers from the cd plus some brads from my stash, garden twine and I've also made the scrunched up grungy flower.


And here is a close up of said flower. I've cut various sized circles with my nesties and then sprayed both sides with water, scrunched up then left on kitchen towel to dry overnight then pinned the layers together with a brad and then scrunched up again. Really simple! And it made lovely colours on the kitchen towel too!

Watch out for more from the cd in the very near future - if you like Kraft then you will love this cd!

• All papers: Polkadoodles - A Double Sprinkle of Kraft cd
• Dies: Nesties
  
• Everything else: My stash
  

Let's Hear It For The Boys!

This is the first time I've entered a Sisterhood of Crafters challenge! The sponsor this fortnight is the very wonderful Dude Time Doodles of which I just happen to be on the Design Team so it seemed only right that I entered the challenge! The theme is:

Let's Hear It For The Boys

And this boy (!) is celebrating! He's Dale Isenhardt and he looks like he has just won a race! I actually made this card for my husband's Birthday as he is a big F1 fan - I know that this is probably Indy Cars but it looks a little Formula One too! The papers are from Love Love Love download from Funky Hand and the sentiment is from an Our Betty stamp set also from Funky Hand. A few dabs of glitter glue here and there and the card is complete!

• Image: Dude Time Doodles, coloured with Promarkers


• Papers: Love Love Love download from Funky Hand


• Sentiment: Funky Hand

Dude Time Doodles - April New Release & Blog Hop!

It's time to reveal some of the new releases over at Dude Time Doodles and we as a Design Team celebrate this with a Blog Hop! I've made a door hanger and used papers from Funky Hand - Dreams Come True cd which I've printed onto thick card then glued the two sides together so its more rigid. The very shiny letters (silver holographic card) have been cut with my Sizzix Round-a-Bout alphabet set, a bit of doodling and some card candy and side one is completed..... If you are wondering what the sentiment says, it is 'the throne room'.... And it is occupied! Arnie is enjoying some peace and quiet and is not put off by the pink toilet roll! And just so you are very sure, this side of the sign features Arnie and the word 'occupied!' Again, some card candy and doodling and its complete! Arnie has been coloured with Promarkers. For more new releases, please visit each of the Design Team - if you've arrived at me from Cleota then you are on the right track! Just be sure to leave comments as you hop around as one of us will be a mystery hostess where you just might win a little Dude Time Doodles prize! So to be in it to win it, leave a comment! From me, you need to hop over to Hetty. Good luck and don't forget to comment! Because we are truly International, we try and link directly with each other's posts, however due to the time difference you may be awake when I'm snug asleep in my bed, so once I'm up, I'll link it up!

• Image: Arnie Loo from Dude Time Doodles, coloured with Promarkers


• Papers: Dreams Come True cd from Funky Hand


• Dies: Sizzix Round-a-Bout alphabet


• Everything else: My stash

Chocolate Carrot!

It's not every day you see cute bunnies carrying a chocolate carrot! The digi image is a freebie from Dustin Pike and the challenge this week is:

Anything But A Card with an Easter Theme

So here is my offering! I've coloured the image with Promarkers plus a little glitter glue on their powder puff tails and glossy accents on their noses.


They are attached to a gift pouch via a strip of acetate and I've added extra bits of card to the back of it to help it boing around a bit more! The gift pouch template I found on the Waltzing Mouse website and its a freebie download. I simply printed it out and then cut it out! Really quick to make and you can add extra features by using fancy scissors or adding ribbons etc.

Papers are from Funky Hand - Craft The Year Away and I've printed on both sides. A bit of inking and some brads from my stash and the pouch is finished!

And before you ask, yes, I still have all the eggs left and no, I won't be eating them as this is destined for a little boy who will be enjoying his first Easter!

• Image: Dustin Pike freebie, coloured with Promarkers
• Papers: Funky Hand, Craft The Year Away cd
• Template: Waltzing Mouse stamps
• Everything else: My stash
  

Craft Juice Tuesday - Week 58

Welcome to another week of Craft Juice Tuesday! It seems that Spring has finally Sprung in the UK and the clocks are now set at British Summer Time. So, continuing the theme, here are some spring related items from Craft Juice! For more details, just click on the photo.

A beautiful applique purse from Lynwood Crafts

Individually covered beads to form a bracelet. Buy from Maffa

Or what about this wonderful spring scene picture! Buy from Little Treasures

See you next Tuesday for more Craft Juice Tuesday!

You Don't Want To Mess With These Two....

The boys had an Aspire Martial Arts competition yesterday in aid of Comic Relief, and here are some photos from it! This is Jacob (red head gear and brown stripe belt) sparring - look how high he can kick! This was the play-off for third place ..... And he won!

Happy Jacob with his certificate and medal!

Next up was Samuel competing in a different category (Jacob was in the under 6's although he was the same size as over 6's and he's only 5!) The first picture is from his first fight, which he won. Samuel has red head gear and red stripe belt.

And this one is for the play off for first or second place - wearing black head gear this time.

Which he won! He was so pleased!

As you can see!

Jacob also got a certificate and medal for participating in the Hand Drill section where he came 4th. To be honest, I think he was more bothered about getting medals!

Needless to say, they both slept well last night!

Get Funky Challenge - Zing Into Spring!

Welcome to my little zing into spring for Lou's Get Funky challenge! The monthly challenges start on the 15th of each month and run to the 14th of the following month, hence the Funky Fifteenth!!

To be in with a chance of winning a Funky Hand download, you need to follow the theme and to use a Funky Hand product - each month Anice will provide a download for you to use (if you don't already have any Funky Hand products) and it will also fit with the theme for that month's challenge.

I've used the flower freebie for this month - you can just see it layered behind Our Betty and I've cut out some of the flowers too.

Our Betty and the gift can be found here, along with the sentiment. All the dotty papers are from the new download Rainbow Polkadots.

For more details on how to enter - click here - and you can also see the papercrafting delights from the other Design Team members! Good luck!

• Images and sentiment: Our Betty stamps
• Papers: Rainbow Polkadots and Funky Freebie
• Everything else: My stash

Quick and Cute!

A quick card just making it in time for the ABC Christmas challenge! The theme this fortnight was F for Freebie supplied by The Stamp Fairy which had to be used with the sketch below, and here is my card:

I've coloured the image with Promarkers plus a little glitter glue on his hat and then cut it all out and added it to the front of the card with foam pads. The ribbon is from Tesco and all the backing papers I found in my box of off-cuts, which I am trying to use up! And to finish, a bit of inking, some doodling and some card candy!

Told you it was a quick card!

• Image: Freebie for the challenge from The Stamp Fairy, coloured with Promarkers
• Papers: From my stash
• Ribbon: Tesco
  

It's Fluffy!

Another fab challenge from the Tiddly Inkers this week! And I made the top five for last week - who-hoo! Anyway, for this week it was a bit of a tricky one - use the photo for inspiration (see below) and to make a shaped card. Now I don't have any of those fancy machines, just my sturdy and trusty Original Red Sizzix machine and my Nesties!


So I've used the largest shape and made this card with Bazzill Swiss Dots cardstock, a bit of glitter glue around the edges, some card candy and I've recycled a fluffy handle from a box of Christmas cards. And yes, I did buy the cards for the fluffy handle! The image has been coloured with Promarkers and it is actually straight on the card despite the wonky photo!

And I had to tie the fluffy one with a bit of ribbon to keep it together! And I'm now finding bits of lilac fluff all over the place!

• Image: Tiddly Inks, coloured with Promarkers
• Everything else: My stash
  

Simply Create Challenge 40 - DIY

Welcome to another Simply Create challenge! Our Design Team has expanded too - all of us are listed in my sidebar and we are a truly International Team!!

This fortnight the challenge is:

DIY (Do It Yourself)

I've gone for one of the fantastic template cards from Polkadoodles Paper Boutique Vol 3 and this wonderful interactive card, perfect for the handyman in your life!

I've simply cut out all the elements - there are different sizes on the cd - and layered them up how I wanted. A little bit of doodling here and there and the card is complete!

Although it looks complicated, it probably only took around 2 hours to make - and that is including printing all the elements, cutting them out and gluing together!

I've not added any of my own embellishments to this but probably will before I send it!

Good luck with the challenge - click here to go to the Simply Create challenge blog for more details and how to enter!

• All elements: Polkadoodles Paper Boutique Vol 3 cd
  

Polkadoodle Challenge 12 - Stashbox Stamps - Spring Has Sprung

It's Friday! So time for a Polkadoodle challenge! This week Claire has set the challenge and as it is the last Friday of the month, it is time for the Design Team to delve into their stash, select a non Polkadoodle stamp and to use it with other Polkadoodle products.

I've cheated slightly and used a digital image from The Clipart Fairy but all the patterned papers are from Sundae of Seasons. Some offcuts of red, blue and green card for layering and a bit of doodling, and my card is complete!
The image has been coloured with Promarkers and the bow has been attacked with glossy accents!

Good luck with the challenge - it is open until Sunday 3 April - click here to go to the challenge blog for more details!

• Image: The Clip Art Fairy, coloured with Promarkers
• Printed papers: Sundae of Seasons
• Everything else: My stash

Another Bookmark!

Yes, another bookmark! Well, its easier and more economical to make more than one at a time! This one uses a Dustin Pike image, which I've coloured with Promarkers. I've used some new card that I bought a box full from The Papermill Shop - its 300gsm and is not a true bright white in colour but it has a slightly watercolour texture hence the lovely bleeding of colours!

It's for the Stamping Vacation challenge of:

When I Grow Up - Truck Driver

I've only coloured one side - and the Promarkers did not bleed through either (result!) and then laminated it for extra durability.

• Image: Dustin Pike, coloured with Promarkers
  

Not Quite As Quick As I Thought Bookmark!

It's been a while since I joined in with the Delicious Doodles challenges and again this is one that I knew exactly what to make when I saw the challenge theme:

3 Dimensional Project

So here is a bookmark! I know, not very exciting, but I do like making them (or maybe its just the laminating bit I actually enjoy!) and they always seem to go down well at Craft Fairs and the boys like them too!
This one uses a Delicious Doodles image that I've had for a fair while, and she's been coloured with Promarkers. I have snipped the hair pin bits off as they were a bit fiddly. I don't know where the paper came from as it was in my box of bits (see - I am trying to use it all up!) and I've folded it over so its double sided.

I used one of my Nesties for the shaping - simply drew around it and then cut it out. A bit of doodling and inking around the edges and then I laminated it all. The colour in reality is a lot closer to the backing paper, but at 6:15am this morning it was the only chance I got to take a photo!

The bookmark actually took a lot longer than I thought to make it - hunting through the box for the right bit of paper and then trying to make it look right as with straight sides, it just didn't work! And I got engrossed in an episode of MASH!!

• Image: Delicious Doodles, coloured with Promarkers
• Paper: Don't know
  

Up Up and Away!

For some reason, and I don't know why, the Stamping Vacation Challenge blog has completely passed me by! That is, until now! It's a daily challenge but with a month to create - perfect!!

So here is my first ever entry - there will be more!!

This one is:

Lots of White Space and Gingham

It sort of looked better in my head, probably because I thought I had a decent selection of blue gingham ribbon that was a lot wider than what I found. Ah well! Teach me to look properly next time and then do the colour scheme to fit!

I've combined two Digi Sparkle images - the hot air balloon - which I snipped the basket bit off and used some black thread instead and the clouds. All have been coloured with Promarkers and the clouds have a little glitter glue added. I've also added the border around the edge of the card with Promarkers. The sentiment has been printed via my computer and the gingham ribbon is from my stash.

If you've not had a look at the Digi Sparkle website before, you really must! Wonderful images to colour and such a great range of digi stamps too and bargain prices! I am a big fan and Heather is a very talented artist! So go and have a look (and purchase!)

• Images: Digi Sparkle, coloured with Promarkers
• Sentiment: Computer generated
• Everything else: My stash
  

Monkey

Sometimes I see a challenge theme and I know EXACTLY what I'm going to make! So for the CD Sunday Challenge this week, the theme is:

Wild Thing

And my monkey is a wild thing! And cheeky! Its from the first Polkadoodles Paper Boutique and I've selected which sheets to print as its only front card (in the sense that the cd's allow you to also make a rear!) I've layered up the elements with foam pads (cheap, cheap ones which have gunked up my lovely little scissors!) And added some wobbly eyes from my stash.


Great card to make and it doesn't take long to cut all the bits out either - great for doing in front of the telly at night!

• All paperbased items: Polkadoodle - Paper Boutique Vol 1
• Wobbly eyes: My stash
  

Craft Juice Tuesday - Week 57

Welcome to another Craft Juice Tuesday! This week it's all about fruit! For more information about each item, just click on the picture!

What about this orange strawberry mug?! From Petrilo Pottery
Food on the go? Sliced apple necklace from Quincifier

Ohh! Just look at this printed apple design from Ialbert

See you next Tuesday for more Craft Juice Tuesday!

Enviroment Green

Just about finished this card on time! It's been in progress all week but as I decided to do a Tidy Up it didn't get finished! The Tidy Up is still not quite finished and I now realise just how much stuff I have and that I really do need to use it up before I buy more! The box of off cut bits of card is almost overflowing so I'm hoping to drastically reduce it over the next few weeks!

Anyway, the Tiddly Inks theme this week is:

Green

So, I've gone with a slightly different take on the theme - enviromentally! I won a gift certificate recently from Tiddly Inks and was trying to decide if I should use the robot image or one of the new releases for this challenge. The robot won, as you can see!
I've coloured him with Promarkers and all the papers are from Craft The Year Away from Funky Hand. I'd printed them off for something but not used them. I've faux stitched the edges of the card and image - the other peices have just been dotted with a fine black pen. Sentiment is computer generated and I've used some embroidery thread from my stash for the bunting.

The bunting came about because I'd picked the wrong shaped card blank to use (in an effort to use what I have!) and had covered it with the backing paper before I realised. So there you have it - robot bunting!

• Image: Tiddly Inks
• Papers: Craft The Year Away from Funky Hand
• Sentiment: Computer generated
• Everything else: My stash
  

Boingy Fairy!

I could be pushing my luck with this one! The theme on Doodle Dragon Studios Challenge is

Spring Showers

So, thinking laterally about this one, the fairy is the spring! She's attached with a strip of acetate and she's been coloured with Promarkers plus some glitter glue on her wand and wings.

I've made an easy wobble card using some left over card stock and covering it with a scrap of card which is from Craft The Year Away from Funky Hand. I've cut the letters using my Cuttlebug Baby Face alphabet dies and then added glossy accents over the top. The ribbon and brad covering the fold at the top of the card is from my stash.

So there you have it - the fairy is springing and showering good wishes with her sparkly wand!

• Image: Dustin Pike, coloured with Promarkers and glitter glue
• Sentiment: Baby Face alphabet from Cuttlebug
• Papers: Craft The Year Away from Funky Hand
• Everything else: My stash
  

Three Hearts

I won a gift certificate for Fred, She Said as part of the Digital Tuesday blog hop a few weeks ago, and although I had heard of Fred, She Said, never looked into it. Anyway, I choose the images I wanted and here is one of them! I've used the pre coloured version (because there were lots of pretty colours!) of Patience the Angel. I've layered her dress and that's about it! All the papers I have used are from Funky Hand (various collections) and just random bits in my bits box.


It fits the Waltzing Mouse challenge which is a new one to me - I found it whilst blog hopping and not got a clue how I found it! And get me for being so quick off the mark!! Actually, I'd already made the card and then realised it was a perfect fit for the Waltzing Mouse sketch for this week. Now all I need to know is the lottery numbers.....!!

I've added some faux stitching and a few seed beads on the bunting. The embroidery thread is also from my stash. This is such a lovely image and as I have lots of different colours that are pre coloured, you'll probably see more of Patience!

• Image: Fred She Said, pre coloured
• Papers: Funky Hand
  

Polkadoodle Challenge 11 - Books!

Welcome to another Friday and a Polkadoodle Challenge! This week Tracie has set the theme of:

Books!

So, however you interpret this but as long as it's a book theme!

I've used the brand new Alice Stamps which will be launched this weekend at the Great Northern Papercrafts Exhibition at Harrogate (look out for this card!) along with a matching cd full of papers!
I've used the plate of heart tarts stamp and also the sentiment stamp. I've coloured the tarts with Promarkers and added glossy accents over the top. It's all been cut out using a Nesties die as a guide but I made it more rectangle than square! The backing paper is from the cd from the same set.

The card blank is from my stash - cut down from a rather large sheet, and the organza ribbon is also from my stash.

Good luck with entering the challenge - its open until Sunday 27 March at 12noon GMT and please remember our rules! For more details have a look at the challenge blog!

• Image and papers: Alice set, coloured with Promarkers
• Everything else: My stash
  

Vellum Dedication

This is the final card for the Dedication on Sunday! I've used a vellum circle which has had the edges dotted with Liquid Pearls plus a Digi Sparkle image which has been coloured with Promarkers (how I love these teddy bears!) and cut out with a Nesties (and the edges dotted also with Liquid Pearls).


The ribbon, buttons and embroidery thread are all from my stash and I printed the sentiment on the pc. It follows the Sketch Saturday sketch:

So I think I now need a fix of pink after all that blue!

• Image: Digi Sparkle, coloured with Promarkers
• Dies: Nestabilities
• Sentiment: Computer generated
• Everything else: My stash

Embossed Dedication

Another Dedication card, but this time its for the Forever Friends challenge which is:

Monochromatic

I've used a Forever Friends image from a cd I got with this months Papercraft Inspirations and although its not a decoupage image, I printed three images and then layered different elements up.
The background has been made using a Cuttlebug D'Vine Swirls embossing flower and I've dragged an ink pad over the top. The edges have been dotted with Liquid Pearls and also around the edge of the Nesties die cut. Sentiment is computer generated and the ribbon is from my stash.

Look out for the final Dedication card later on!

• Image: Forever Friends
• Dies: Cuttlebug D'Vine Swirls embossing folder, Nestabilities
• Sentiment: Computer generated
• Everything else: My stash
  

Dude Time Doodles Challenge 10 - Inspiration + Easel Card

Welcome to week 10 for Dude Time Doodles challenges! This week there is not only an inspiration board (see below) but there is a twist! We want you to make an easel card! Now this did fill me with dread at the start as I'd only ever made one before, but to be honest, it was easy peasy!!

I've used KO Kurt as my image inspiration and he's been coloured with Promarkers. The backing papers are from my bargain pack at Costco and are by Memory Stor. The card blank is from my stash and a small part of a much larger sheet that I rediscovered under Samuels bed during The Tidy Up.
The sentiment (sorry but Blogger will NOT put it the right way up) is by TLC and I've inked the edge and added a fine dotted line too.
And here is the inspiration board for the challenge!

Don't forget - follow the theme and make an easel card, make it for a male (we're not Dude Time Doodles for nothing!) and get it in before the challenge expires! For more details - pop over to the challenge blog! Good luck!

• Image: Dude Time Doodles, coloured with Promarkers
• Papers: Memory Stor 12x12 double sided
• Sentiment: TLC
• Everything else: My stash
  
  

Not An Easel Card!

I'm just about making the Sweet Sketch Wednesday challenge in time this week. Something to do with faffing around too much and not making a decision! I've been asked to make some Dedication cards for Sunday, and this is one of them:

I've used a Di's Digi image, coloured with Promarkers and a little glitter glue plus half pearls, prima flowers and a rosebud from my stash. The sentiment is computer generated and the papers are from Nana's Nursery 8x8 stack which I bought half price in the January sales.

And although you can't really see it, I've used a Martha Stewart punch for the panel down the centre. The ribbon in real life is a really good match with the papers - I blame the lighting in the kitchen for the bad colour! And it follows the Sweet Sketch Wednesday:


Got a few more Dedication cards to show over the next few days so stay tuned!

• Image: Di's Digi's coloured with Promarkers
• Papers: DCWV Nana's Nursery
• Everything else: My stash