Simply Create Too Challenge 17 MIDWAY EXTRA - Summer / Vacation

Time for the Midway Extra inspiration point for the current Simply Create Too challenge and the theme is:

Summer / Vacation

Now I would love to do this - lie down in the grass but the old hay fever is rather restricting and I'd end up looking like the Elephant Man!

I've used an image from Digi Sparkle, which I understand that Heather no longer sells the images she drew although she still creates the most amazing cards! I've used Promarkers to colour with stickles for the wings.

The backing paper is printed as one - its not layered at all and its from Cuddly Buddly - and its part of this set here.  Really easy to make cards with these kinda backgrounds!  I've simply cut out the image with a Nestie die and layered it onto the card blank!

Good luck with the challenge - you've got a week left to enter!

I'd like to enter the following challenges:

Sassy Cheryl:  Summer Fun

Twisted Tuesday:  Holiday theme and two from list (Stickles and Die Cuts)

Fashionista Challenge:  Winged Things

Incy Wincy Designs:  Summertime

• Image:  Digi Sparkle, retired, coloured with Promarkers and stickles
• Card Blank:  Cuddly Buddly

Bee-lated

Sometimes I see a sketch and it catches my eye but I don't know what to do with it. I then have a think. Sometimes for a few days. And then inspiration strikes! Twice!
These cards are for the Willow Sketchie challenge which is a sketch:


Plus a recipe of: Sparkle / Shimmer, Floral and Yellow

I'd say I've covered all the requirements! I've used papers from my box of oddments so I couldn't tell you where they were from except that they are digital. The stamp is from the now no longer Digi Sparkle and I've coloured him with Promarkers, added some stickles to the wings and also around the edge of the image.


The flowers I found in my stash and I've added black card candy to the centre. I've used my Nesties dies to draw around for the shapes as square would not have looked right, plus more card candy and ribbon from my stash.

I've inked the edges and added a faux stitch around the main backing paper to stop everything 'falling off the edge'.

I am useless at remembering Birthdays. Actually, I remember them about a week before and then forget so my cards are always late! So these will come in handy!

I'd also like to enter the following challenges:

Craft Your Passion: Funny Sentiment
Hooked On Crafts: Things With Wings
One Stitch At A Time: Bling It Up
Sentimental Sundays: Birthday

• Papers: From my stash and don't know originator
• Image: Digi Sparkle, coloured with Promarkers and stickles
• Dies: Spellbinder Nestabilities
• Everything else: My stash
  

The Poundshop Is Fab!

I do like the Poundshop! Me and the boys popped in last weekend and I picked up two really obviously fake silver chunky necklaces with loads of charms on them which I knew would be easy to use on cards, and here one of them is! I've used one of the heart charms and added it via a jump ring to the deep burgundy ribbon.

The card fits the Die Cut Dreams challenge which is:

Weddings

The image is from Digi Sparkle (I am gutted to learn that Heather is closing Digi Sparkle at the end of May) and I've coloured it with Promarkers. The sentiment is also from the same digi set - you really get a lot for 99p! Plus there is a code on the website to use for 50% off - so fill your boots whilst you can!

I've layered it onto some random scraps from my stash along with the flowery panel. Three silver seed beads have been added to the top left corner. I've also dotted a silver gel pen line around the image and card edge.

From all the charms I can take from the two necklaces, plus I can probably use what is left of the chains too, I reckon I'll use them on around 30 cards! Not bad for £2 eh?! And I bought some foam tape too - three rolls for £1. I do like a bargain, especially if it is a crafty one!

• Image: Digi Sparkle, coloured with Promarkers
• Charm: Poundshop - originally on a necklace
• Everything else: My stash
  

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
  

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

Dedication

I'd been asked to make, at short notice 26 Dedication invitations, by a good friend. And is one of them! I've used a Digi Sparkle image which I coloured with Promarkers, and because I needed 26 all the same, I scanned the image and then printed it. I added the name afterwards as I just could not get it looking right on the pc! It's been layered onto blue card the same as the main image. The bears nose has had the glossy accents treatment too!


I've then dotted with a blue gel pen around the edges of the card and image. And that's it! I also did all the wording inside too. Thank goodness it was half term when I made them as I'd have never managed it otherwise as it took me just over 24 hours to make them!

It fits the challenge over on Digital Tuesday which is:

Celebrations

The Dedication is similar to a Christening or Naming Ceremony. I'll find out first hand when I go! And it is the same Harrison who has been featured HERE - just in case you were wondering! He's a bit bigger now though!

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

Party at Going Buggy!

Well, we all like a good party and what better than an online party and celebration that lasts a week! Enfys is doing just that to say thank you to all her followers and email subscribers and today is day one!

She has set a challenge of making a card that features a bug on it. This can include butterflies, dragonflies, bees etc and you could be in with a chance of winning some fantastic stash! For more details and how to enter click HERE to be taken to her blog! Ever day over the next week there will be prizes to win over on her blog!

I'll be popping up later in the week too as part of Enfys' celebrations, so keep watching my blog for further details!!

To enter Day One challenge create a card with a bug and go to Enfys' blog to link up your card - the challenge closes on Saturday 22 January at 12noon GMT.

For my card, I've used a Digi Sparkle image which has been coloured with Pomarkers and layered onto Funky Hand Girls and Boys download papers plus some random papers from my stash. A few gems here and there, bit of corner rounding and some inking and the card is complete! Plus bonus points for me here as I've used offcuts from my bits box and the card base is waste from the Scrap Store! The ribbon is Stampin Up and its called Tempting Turqoise!

Good luck in entering the challenge and I shall see you later in the week for more fun!

• Image: Digi Sparkle, coloured with Promarkers
• Papers: Funky Hand - Girls and Boys download
• Ribbon: Stampin Up
• Everything else: My stash
  

Baby Blue

I found a new challenge site last week - CD Sunday and entered the challenge, so have decided to go with this weeks too, which is:

Check It Out

Basically, as long as something from a crafting CD has been used and the theme has been followed, then it can be entered! I've used papers from Candy Doodles from Polkadoodles plus an off-cut that I found in the scraps box.

The punch is a Martha Stewart one and I've used the off-cut from making the card blank (trying to cut down on waste - not that I throw much away anyway!) The ribbon, found in my ribbon bag was just about the right length hence why it is not tied!

The cute bear, coloured with Promarkers is from Digi Sparkle. I've used one of my Nesties to cut around the image and added three square brads from my stash to the top corner. A bit of inking and corner rounding and the card is complete!

I have a feeling that, time permitting, I will be entering each week for these CD Sunday challenges as most of my stash is digital and on a CD!

• Papers: Candy Doodles from Polkadoodles
• Image: Digi Sparkle, coloured with Promarkers
• Punch: Martha Stewart
• Dies: Spellbinder Nestabilities
• Everything else: My stash
  

Love Is Patient

I nearly squealed when I saw the sketch and theme for the Charisma Cardz challenge! The sketch is:

And the twist is not to use an image but just a sentiment. I knew the perfect sentiment to use! I'd just bought one of the Wedding digi stamp sheets from Digi Sparkle and it had a passage from Corinthians which I've printed off for the focal point of this card. I've used my Nesties for the shape and the papers were a Craftwork Cards freebie pack from a craft magazine ages ago that I'd forgotten I had.
I've inked the edges with chestnut Whispers ink and some faded pink ink then added a chocolate brown organza ribbon and two stemmed flowers from my stash. On the sentiment panel I've added some little dots of liquid pearls just to finish it off.

The digi stamp sheet that I bought from Digi Sparkle has other verses on plus a very cute Bride and Groom so watch out for me using those!

• Sentiment: Wedding Bible Verses digi stamp from Digi Sparkle
• Papers: Freebie pack from Craftwork Cards in a magazine
• Dies: Spellbinder Nestabilities
  
• Everything else: My stash
  

December Blog Hop

It's time for the December Digi Blog Hop! This month I've used the two Digi Sparkle images that you could win (along with some others!) by joining in with the hop, collecting the letters from each of the blogs and then leaving the answer on the Digi Blog Hop post!

If you want to know more about these two cards and how I made them, click here and here! Whilst you are on the hop, you'll see all the other images that you can win too just by hopping, collecting letters, commenting on each of the posts and then leaving your answer on the main blog post! Easy!

If you have arrived at my blog from Vicki then you are on the right track! The letter you are needing from me is:

W

Now you need to hop to Ilse who will give you another letter. If you get lost then click here for the main post and you will see where you need to go to!

Good luck! The closing date is 25 December (think you'll remember that date!) There won't be a hop in January to give us a bit of a rest and to recharge our batteries.

As an extra incentive, for all those who comment on this post I will add to a pot and will draw a winner on 27 December who can choose three individual sets of images from Digi Sparkle worth £3! And if you add the hop details to your sidebar or blog then I'll add you twice to the draw! Let me know if you've blogged about the hop so I can come and visit you!

Simple Doodles Challenge 31 - Cute as a Button

It's time for another Simple Doodles Challenge! Kelly has joined our little but perfect team - so hello Kelly! The challenge theme this fortnight is:

Cute As A Button

Which this image certainly is! The Design Team have been sponsored for the challenge by Zlatoena Designs, however, me being me and being organised I'd already made my card and didn't have enough time to make another with the wonderful images supplied. So, I'll be making cards with those over the next week or so (I WILL make time!) and I'll show them. So apologies from me.

Moving on! The image I've used is from Digi Sparkle and is part of the Christmas Girls set. I am such a fan of Heathers images as they are a delight to colour and are modern but retro all at the same time! Isn't this a cutie?! Coloured with Promarkers with a blob of red glitter glue on the holly. Paper is DCWV 6x6 Christmas Wishes paperstack which has been inked around the edges and I've added thin satin ribbon and some buttons from my stash.

This is also one of the images you could win as part of The Digi Blog hop - click here for more details but be quick - hopping ends on 25 November!

Hope you can join in with the Simple Doodles challenge this fortnight - good luck!

• Backing papers: DCWV 6x6 Christmas Wishes
  
• Image: Digi Sparkle Christmas Girls, coloured with Promarkers
  
• Everything else: My stash
  

Christmas Gift

I've used this Digi Sparkle Christmas Girls image which is part of the bundle of images that can be won for next month's Digi Blog Hop! So consider this a sneak preview! The Digi Blog Hop is still open for November (closes 25 November) - my challenge post which tells you everything is here, or you can go directly to the Digi Blog Hop Blog.

This card is for the Digi Sparkle challenge, which this fortnight is:

Holidays

I've coloured the image with Promarkers and added a gem to the centre of the parcel. The card blank is Papermania and as luck would have it, matched my colouring and also the paper that I'd selected! Not often that happens so easily!


The printed paper is Dovecraft 8x8 Ho Ho Ho collection from last year. The red ribbon is from my stash, along with the gems and the embellishment is from a ribbon and tag set from Tescos last year. Another perfect match!

• Backing paper: Dovecraft 8x8 Ho Ho Ho collection
• Image: Digi Sparkle, coloured with Promarkers
• Card Blank: Papermania
  
• Everything else: My stash
  

Marvellous Achievement

A great sketch on Sketch and Stash this fortnight:


I've made this card for one of my friends as she has just passed her MA with a merit! Hence the sentiment! I've used paper left over from a previous project and its from Sundae of Seasons by Polkadoodles. I've added some inking and faux stitching around the edges.

The image is from Digi Sparkle and its one that I've not used before, coloured with Promarkers. The sentiment is computer generated, the ribbon is from my stash along with the flower, button and large brad. I have a feeling the flowers were freebies from a magazine at some point as I don't remember buying them!

The paper is actually a good match to the red of the cape, just the photo doesn't show it! Ah well!

• Backing paper: Sundae of Seasons from Polkadoodle
• Image: Digi Sparkle, coloured with Promarkers
• Sentiment: Computer generated
• Everything else: My stash
  

November Blog Hop

It's the first Monday of the month so its time for another Digi Blog Hop! All you have to do is follow the hop - you can start at any point, but it makes it easier if you start at the beginning! The beginning is at the Digi Blog Hop Blog and if you've come to me from there, then you are on the right track!
If you've been following the Hops for the last few months, you know that the Design Team will be showcasing the images that you can win - all for leaving a comment on each of our blogs, collecting the letters and going back to the start and leaving the winning word! Really easy and simple!

I've used the two images that form part of the winning bundle from Digi Sparkle. If you've not heard of Digi Sparkle or seen Heathers images before, then you are in for a treat! Lovely images, very good value for money (upto 6 images on a sheet for 99p!!) and a dream to colour!

The Design Team were given both these sheep images and with sentiments too. I've used my own for the single sheep (handwritten, badly!) but you can see just how lovely they are! The details for the flock of sheep card can be found here, and I've used papers from Funky Daze for the Birthday sheep along with ribbons from Fantastic Ribbons.

And the next one I can show is an image from Di's Digi Downloads. Again, I've coloured the image with Promarkers and have added a bit of glitter glue. More about this card can be found here.


Oh, and before I go, the letter you need to collect from me is

U

Keep it safe and now you need to hop onto Adriana who will show you more images and also provide another letter!

Good luck and don't forget to leave me a comment!!

Fairy Pink!

I really do enjoy the Digi Sparkle challenges although I must admit, the current one made me think a bit more! Heather is asking us to use:

A limited colour palette (2 or 3 colours only)

I was determined to use the lovely fairy image and wanted to use pink but got stuck! I then realised I already had some Funky Hand papers printed from Funky Little Christmas download. So the colours that I have opted for (not including white and skin tones!) are pink and brown.

I've used one of my Nesties dies to cut the scalloped shape and decided to part cut / highlight the fairy as I thought that too much white could be distracting.

The glitter I found in my stash and its sort of a coarse glitter which still gets everywhere! The ribbon and pearlescent snowflake are also from my stash.

Oh, and before I forget, there is a 25% discount at Funky Hand on all digital downloads until midnight 31 October - go and fill your boots, or at least your hard drive!!

• Backing papers: Funky Hand - Funky Little Christmas download
• Image: Digi Sparkle, coloured with promarkers and gitter
• Everything else: My stash
  

Super Birthday!

I found a new challenge site (well, new to me!) whilst blog hopping a while ago and the current Cards for Men challenge is:

Happy Birthday

Basically, the challenges are all male based, which, is no bad thing as sometimes these are the hardest cards to make!

I've used a Digi Sparkle image, coloured with Promarkers and printed my own sentiment. The backing papers are from Boys and Girls from Funky Hand which I found scraps of in my box and I am determined to use what I have hence the tall thin card blank!

The string is from my stash, along with the silver star. A nice quick card to make and such a fab image!

• Backing papers: Boys and Girls download from Funky Hand
• Image: Digi Sparkle, coloured with Promarkers
• Sentiment: Computer generated
• Everything else: My stash
  

Just a Cute Baby Bear!

I needed to make a baby girl card as a friend is due any day so this fits with the Just Cute Bears Challenge which is:

Baby Creation

I've used some fancy scissors to cut the scallop edge (I must expand my Nestabilities!) so its not quite perfect! All the card is from my stash and I've coloured a Digi Sparkle bear with Promarkers.


I've dotted around the edge of the card with a sparkly pink gel pen. The ribbons are from my stash and the Queen and Co brad was sent to me (along with a pot of others!) by Jenny (thank you!)

A great quick card to make so I think I'll make some more like this to pad out my box!

• Image: Digi Sparkle, coloured with Promarkers
• Brad: Queen and Co
• Everything else: My stash
  

Snowman

Another great challenge on Digi Sparkle this fortnight and once again I am almost last minute! The challenge is:

Christmas

I've used the snowman from the Digi Sparkle Christmas set, coloured him with Promarkers and a bit of glitter glue. Really sorry about the terrible photo but all the ones I took had a blue cast and this is the best I can offer!


I've added a bit of inking around the edges plus dots with a blue gel pen. The sentiment is a die cut that I found in my stash and I've added some pearlescent snowflakes. Ribbon is also from my stash.

I always wonder if I have enough Christmas cards so I think I'll be on a bit of a mission for the next few weeks as I have two Craft Fairs coming up - one on 20 November and one on 5 December so I need to make sure I have enough stock!

• Image: Digi Sparkle, coloured with Promarkers
• Everything else: My stash
  

To Kiss A Frog

It seems that this is the time of year for getting Engaged! So needing to make a card, I took inspiration from the Friday Sketchers sketch:


One of the members of staff at nursery (although we are no longer there, but it's been big part of my life for 6.5 years!) got engaged a few weeks ago, and knowing Kim, I think she'll like the card I've made!

I've used backing papers from a brand new digital scrapbooking kit from Alison Sloan called Forever Autumn. And its that new, its not even released yet, so this is a big sneak preview! A big thank you to Alison for letting me dabble with the kit!!

The image is from Digi Sparkle which I picked as part of my recent winnings from winning their Challenge, and I've coloured it with Promarkers.

The red heart has been made by me from fimo and everything else is from my stash.

Just got a few more Engagement congratulations cards to make now - one of my cousins got Engaged at the weekend. Ah, I do like a good Wedding!!!

• Backing papers: Forever Autumn Digi Scrapbook kit from Alison Sloan
  
• Image: Digi Sparkle, coloured with Promarkers
• Everything else: My stash
  

Herd It's Your Special Day!

It's no secret that I do enjoy working with sketches and the less fussy the better! This one is from the current Paper Play challenge: And I've used an image and sentiment from Digi Sparkle which will be part of the bundle of images that can be won on the November Digi Blog Hop - I'm part of the Design Team and receive the images so I can create something with them! I've coloured the very cute sheep with Promarkers and have layered both the sentiment and image onto card from my stash.

The background papers are from A Work In Progress (Cinnamon Toast Collection) and are intended to be used for digi scrapbooking but I like the papers so much I print and use! I've doodled a black line around the edge for definition and the thin black ribbon is from my stash.

The October Digi Blog Hop is still running - it is open until 25 October so there is still time to enter! For more details click HERE!

• Backing paper: A Work In Progress
• Image and Sentiment: Digi Sparkle, coloured with Promarkers
• Everything else: My stash