Crimbo Crackers Challenge 203 - Mini Cards

It's time for a new Crimbo Crackers challenge and the theme is

Mini Cards

I've got lots of strips of card that are left overs from making card blanks and because I don't throw anything away, its got to the point that I need to use them!  So I've made these mini cards which are approx 3 inches square.  The music paper is from Dovecraft - Glad Tidings 6x6 stack and I found some chocolate brown and deep red card from my stash.

I've cut the fancy panel with a die (again, more off-cuts of card used!) and the wooden reindeer toppers are a few years old from Hobbycraft.  Twine from my stash.

Good luck with the challenge!  I'd like to enter the following:

CRAFT:  Christmas
Fab n Funky:  Christmas
Fezziwigs Festive Frolics:  Sing a long with Santa
The Holly and The Ivy:  Anything Christmas Goes

Daring Card Makers Challenge - December Elemental Inspiration

It's time for a new Daring Card Makers challenge and the theme for the week as it is the first Friday of the month:

Elemental Inspiration

You need to use the picture below for inspiration and to use at least 3 elements although colours count as one.

I've used the colour red, stripes, the word joy, reindeer, twine and the tag.  Papers are rather old and are from Dovecraft - Noel 4.5 x 6.5 stack.  I've cut the letters and tag from an offcut of off-white card and added the half pearls and waxed cord from my stash.  The reindeer is a few years old and from Hobbycraft.

Good luck with the challenge!  I'd like to enter the following:

Aud Sentiments:  Christmas or Winter Sentiment
CCEE Stampers:  Bold Christmas Statement
Simon Says Stamp:  Traditional Christmas
Die Cuttin' Diva's:  Christmas

Daring Card Makers Challenge - Songs and Carols

Time for a new Daring Card Makers challenge and the theme this week is

Songs and Carols

I've made two little cards (I have loads of little envelopes from buying Christmas cards in January sales because I want the envelopes!) from off-cuts of card.  The chocolate brown and burgandy layered card is from my stash and I've added papers from Dovcraft Glad Tidings 6x6 paper stack.

The wooden reindeer are a few years old and from Hobbycraft and the half pearls are also from my stash.

Good luck with the challenge!  I'd like to enter the following:

CRAFT:  Christmas
Cute Card Thursday:  Christmas
Crafting By Designs:  Anything Goes
Watercooler Wednesday:  All Occasions

I Love Promarkers - Challenge 371 - Ribbon or Bow

Time for a new I Love Promarkers challenge and the theme this fortnight is

Ribbons or Bows

We are sponsored by Ikes Art and I've used Rabbit #1, coloured with Promarkers and then fussy cut out and layered onto the papers I found in my stash (trying to use up what I have!) and on a die cut shape for extra depth.

The ribbon I bought from Hobbycraft a while ago and I've added a button from my stash and bakers twine to finish it off.  Good luck with the challenge!  I'd like to enter the following:

Simon Says Wednesday:  Anything Goes
Watercooler Wednesday:  Anything Goes
Die Cuttin' Diva's:  Anything Goes
Through The Craft Room Door:  Anything Goes

Polkadoodles Challenge - Anything Goes or Christmas!

The current Polkadoodles challenge is underway and the theme for the challenge is:

Anything Goes

The DT were challenged to go with a Christmas theme and I've made a cute Christmas card using one of the new release clear stamps - Christmas Robin Cuddles.  Coloured with Aquamarkers and watercolour pencils.  I've then used random things I found in my stash to finish the card off (amazing what I find when I'm having a tidy up!)

I have a feeling the Ponisetta is from Hobbycraft which I bought in a sale a few years ago and the swirly bits are from a little X Cut die - I've just layered them up.  Half pears are also from my stash.

Good luck with the challenge!  I'd like to enter the following:

Aud Sentiments:  No Sentiment on Front of Card
Star Stampz:  Hand Coloured Image
Craftaholics R Us:  Die Cuts
Mod Squad Challenge:  Things With Wings
Artistic Stamper:  Anything Goes

Jellypark Challenge 2 - Photo Inspiration

It's time for a Jellypark challenge! We really enjoyed visiting all the entries for our first challenge and so glad you liked the snowman Claire offered!

For our second challenge we have a photo for inspiration:


So you can pick which ever elements you like to create your card. I've used a Papermania scalloped edge card blank and this sweet Jellypark image - Little Girl and Balloon which I've coloured with Promarkers and added glossy accents to the balloon.

The ribbon came from Hobbycraft and the papers are from my offcut box. I've dotted liquid pearls around the edges of the card and doodled a line around the other elements.

Good luck with the challenge - for more details pop over to the challenge blog! And there you will see the rest of the Design Teams creations plus the two new releases for this fortnight! You'll see the two cards I've made but I'll be blogging them tomorrow so check back then!

I'd like to enter my card into the following challenges:

Crafts and Me Challenges: Ribbon
Stampin' B's: Ribbon
My Mum's Craft Shop: Fab and Funky

• Image: Jellypark, coloured with Promarkers and glossy accents
• Card blank: Papermania
• Ribbon: Hobbycraft
• Everything else: My stash
  

Cutie!

There's a new challenge blog - Bearly-Mine challenges and their first one is a sketch:

The stipulation for each challenge is to follow the theme and to use Bearly Mine digital papers. Which is not difficult with a great range of freebies to download! And I've used two of them! The card blank is the other part of this card which looks a bit purple in this photo although in real life it is more pink.

I've rounded the corners of the papers and inked them. The image has been coloured with Promarkers and is from Soft Pencil and I've used a set of Nesties to cut and layer the image. The chocolate brown pearlescent card is left over from some Wedding stationery I made in 2009 (see - I just don't throw things away!)

The Prima flowers I found in my stash and the Papermania sparkly brads I bought from Hobbycraft at the weekend for 49p - bargain!

• Papers: Bearly Mine freebies
• Image: Soft Pencil, coloured with Promarkers
• Flowers: My stash
• Brads: Papermania
  

Rubies and Tin

A very timely challenge on Daring Card Makers this week, as it is:

Birthstone for July is Rubies

On Sunday (11 July) it is my Mum and Dad's 40th Wedding Anniversary which is traditionally a Ruby Anniversary. And today is our 10th (tin) Wedding Anniversary!

And even though I've known for quite some time that I would need to make a special card for my parents, I've still left it to the last moment. To the point that I could not sleep last night for thinking about it, so got back up at 11:15 and made the card whilst peace and quiet reigned throughout the house! I was in danger of gluing my fingers to the table by 1:15am so went back to bed.

This is a very similar layout to the Sapphire Anniversary card I made a few months ago, but as it worked and I liked it, I decided to replicate it here! The photos are scanned copies of their Wedding ones so I could get them to a workable size.

My Mum and Dad look so young! My Mum actually made her own Wedding Dress and her two sisters were Bridesmaids and she made those dresses too! It's quite sad but touchingly funny when I look at the group photo - both sets of Grandparents are no longer here - my maternal Grandparents died in 1977 and 1979 so I have good but limited memories of them, whereas my paternal Grandparents died in 1997 (the week we got engaged) and 2004. The funny ones are my Aunts and Uncles who look so dashing in 1970!

I've used My Mind's Eye Bella Bella 12x12 double sided papers (only used the pattern) plus lightly grained red 12x12 cardstock. The cream ribbon and gems are from my stash, with the red stain edged organza bought especially for the card.

All the paper flowers are from Hobbycraft and they are such a good buy and look so realistic!

The next photo shows where I'll write the message. I actually forgot that I would need somewhere to write to show who it is from....

Oh, the hat pins I've made myself!

On Sunday, Mum and Dad will be in competition with the F1 British Grand Prix and the World Cup Final. They should have known that 40 years ago!!

• Papers: Printed - Bella Bella from My Mind's Eye; Plain - 12x12 cardstock
• Ribbon: Mostly my stash, red from Hobbycraft
• Flowers: All from Hobbycraft
• Everything else: My stash
  

Blue Sapphire

I was asked to make a very special Wedding Anniversary card by an old school friend of my Mum's - it was to be her In-Law's Sixty Fifth Wedding Anniversary - and could I make a special card?! Of course! So I did a bit of research (google!) and found that a 65th Anniversary is Blue Sapphire, so I used those colours as the theme.

I made a Joy Fold card as I wanted to incorporate some photos of when the couple were courting which I tidied up in photoshop before printing onto photo paper. All the backing papers are Basic Grey and are from the Wisteria Collection. The base card is a lovely linen effect cream 300gsm card that worked wonderfully well with the theme. The bow on the ribbon hold the front of the card down but is flexible enough to let the card be displayed.

The flowers I bought from Hobbycraft and they are beautiful handmade flowers and look very lifelike! The gems I also bought for the occassion along with the blue satin edge ribbon.

The verse was asked to be included on the card and I've printed it on my computer with a font and colour to match the overall card. The blank panel inside the card had an insert upon which the message could be written and then stuck inside the card as it would be a little tricky to write it directly onto the card with all the flowers on the reverse!

I made the hatpins myself and used some pearl beads that were left over from making my Wedding dress 10 years ago.

My Mum and Dad celebrate their 40th - Ruby Wedding Anniversary this summer so I now know what I'm going to make - just will substitute the blue for red!

The card also fits the current challenge on Charisma Cardz of a Wedding or Anniversary card.

• Papers: Basic Grey - 12 x 12 papers - Wisteria Collection
• Flowers, Gems and Blue Ribbon: Hobbycraft
• Everything else: My stash
  

Polkadoodle Challenge 22 - Sketch

It's Friday again so its another Polkadoodle Challenge! Nikky has given the Design Team this sketch to work with:And I'll be honest here, this was a very quick card to make - been a bit of a hectic week again - Jacob been ill (generally everywhere) and work manic, so almost forgot to make my card for the week. I remembered I'd made a few flowers for the tutorial a while ago and decided that one fitted the sketch perfectly!

I've used papers from Candy Doodles and you can see how the flower was made by clicking here and following the tutorial. The ribbon is from Hobbycraft and was quite cheap if I remember rightly! The swirly dotty bits around the edges of the card are the rubber stamps that complement Candy Doodles - I coloured the dotty ends in. And then I had to doodle around the edges as I was a bit heavy handed with the stamping.

Quick and simple!

Hope you can join in with this week's challenge - you have until 12noon on Sunday 25 October to enter and you don't need to use Polkadoodle products but it would be great if you could! Good luck!

• Papers: Candy Doodles cd
• Ribbon: From Hobbycraft
• Stamps: Rubber stamps from Polkadoodles
  

A Christmas Snowflake!!

Although this post is a little close to the deadline, I did actually make it earlier in the week, just not managed to take a photo of it in daylight! Anyway, the challenge this week over on Funky Fairy is the following sketch (and I do like sketches!)


I inadvertently flipped the sketch (only because I embossed the wrong side and I'd already cut the shape!) The backing paper is from, I think, the free download number 1 from the Inspirations Blog. The vellum part circle has been embossed with the Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder and inked with black. The snowflake is foam and from a pack of 30 from Hobbycraft (it was half price!) Bugle and seed beads from my stash and ribbon too.

The sentiment has been stamped in blue ink and is a Studio G clear bargain pack.

I quite like this card and it all sort of happened!

• Backing paper: Funky Fairy free download
• Snowflake: From Hobbycraft
• Embossing: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots
• Sentiment: Studio G clear stamp bargain pack
• Others: All from my stash