Promarkers and Blending

I do like my Promarkers. A lot. And when I saw the little competition on Enfys' blog, well, I just had to indulge! I started off using felt tips (and that was not so long ago) to colour my images when I wanted more zing and intensity, so armed with a set of 48 felt tips from Tesco (a bargain at £2.50!) I learnt how to blend and build up colour. The hard way. Felt tips don't, won't and can't blend. But Promarkers do!

Even when the image has been left for a while, you can still go back and layer more colour over the top or add a complementary colour and build it up that way.

Personally, I always start with the lightest colour I want on my image and then add darker and darker where I need shadow or to add form. I also use opposite colours - if I'm using reds I add a green too as it gives more intensity. And you know, black is never black - always a mix of primary and secondary colours! Think of kids and paint - by the time they have finished, all the paint is a muddy blackish colour! That way your black looks real black and not flat black.

Anyway! For my card here, I've used a sheet of acetate and papers from Funky Daze from Funky Hand plus some mint green organza ribbon that I seem to have a never ending roll of!

I've used my Nesties to cut the shape and then stamped the sentiment directly onto it. The image has been added after I've coloured it with Promarkers with foam pads so it gives more depth. Both the sentiment and gift are from the Our Betty acrylic stamp range from Funky Hand.

The Promarker colours that I have used are:

Apple
Meadow Green
Pear Green
Pastel Blue
Powder Blue
Royal Blue

I use what I like and how I like it - everyone is different but its about finding your own style and developing that! I'd love to be able to colour hair with the fab highlights, but it's just not me yet, so I'll carry on doing my own thing.

• All papers: Funky Daze from Funky Hand
• Image and Sentiment: Our Betty acrylic stamps from Funky Hand
• Colours: Promarkers
• Everything else: My stash
  

Going Buggy - Blog Hop - My Winner!!

Huge apologies for all those who have been wondering and waiting for me to announce who won my blog candy as part of Enfys' Blog Hop.

I'd not forgotten. Well, I did, then remembered and then forgot again. But I have remembered again!

I used a random number generator but can't get a screen shot for some reason, but it picked

KAT!!!

Congratulations! Please email me your postal details to tiptoptoppers@btinternet.com and I can get some candy off to you!

Thank you to all who joined in and to all my new followers! I hope you like what you see and that you continue to follow me!!!

Party at Going Buggy - The Hop!

I hope you are enjoying the week long party on Enfys' blog! And today it is the blog hop!! En asked me a while ago if I'd like to be part of it - how could I resist?!

And I've made a card too as I don't like to blog without a picture! There is still a card challenge running on her week long party which is bugs - click here to be taken to the post - you have until Saturday 22 January to get your entry in!

I've used a kraft card blank, used some Stampin Up ribbon (tempting turquoise) plus a wonderful stamped image from Polkadoodles which I've coloured with Promarkers. The turquoise and yellow layers are from my stash and the little tiny pearls are from Bunny Zoe's Crafts.

So, onto the Blog Hop! If you've arrived at my blog from Papercraft Inspirations Magazine blog then you are on the right track! All you have to do, is sign up to follow my blog, add a comment to this post and then hop on over to Paul on the Letraset blog!

I am so chuffed to be the letter between these two places - I am a subscriber to Papercraft Inspirations and I do love my Promarkers and Aquamarkers - how did I manage before I discovered these gems?!

Anyway, the letter you need from me is E. Keep it safe! Good luck! And I'll draw a random entry from my blog to win a bit of candy too - don't know what it will be yet but I'll find something!! You've got to be in it to win it!

• Card blank: Kraft card
• Image: Polkadoodles rubber stamp, coloured with Promarkers
• Ribbon: Stampin Up Tempting Turquoise
• 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
  

Simple and Cute!

I've missed so many of the Lili of the Valley challenges, mainly due to lack of time! But I'd been sent some of the lovely die cut images by Enfys some time ago and I liked the look of the current sketch challenge, so I went for it!


And made two cards! It seemed a shame not to make both a girl and a boy card! The images are Lili of the Valley and are just so sweet! For both cards I've used similar elements - for the girl card I've used papers from Tinker and Co - Shabby Quilt along with a Martha Stewart punch which I've threaded the ribbon through via another punch I had plus ribbon and seed beads from my stash. The brad was also sent to me by Enfys an age ago!

The matching boy card again uses papers from Tinker and Co but this time Spring Fresh along with a Fiskars border punch, ribbon from Stampin' Up (Tempting Turquoise) and again seed beads and brads from my stash. The large sentiment brad is from Enfys too!

So there you go! Two pretty quick and simple cards to add to the baby box!

• Images: Lili of the Valley
• Papers: Tinker & Co Shabby Quilt and Spring Fresh kits
• Punches: Martha Stewart, Fiskars and one of mine
• Boy ribbon: Stampin' Up - Tempting Turquoise
• Everything else: My stash
  

A Make Do Round

I was sent some scalloped edged card blanks a while ago by Enfys, however I wanted a purple one to match the Lily Boo image I coloured. Why I don't find the papers / card first and then colour the images I will never know. And will never learn!

So, I've traced round an existing one so its a little wobbly in places. The Lily Boo Too challenge this month is

Anything Goes

The purple card is from my stash, along with the ribbon and the gems. I've gone around the edges of the scallops with a white gel pen to provide a contrast.

The image is Lily Boo from Circle Girls and I've coloured it with Promarkers plus a little glitter glue. And no sentiment as it would spoil the balance of the card!

• Card blank: Created using another blank
• Image: Lily Boo, coloured with Promarkers and glitter glue
• Everything else: My stash

All Round!

The lovely Enfys a while ago sent me some shaped cards that she had cut and because I've hardly used them, I thought this sketch from the current Sketch and Stash challenge would be perfect!


The decoupage fairy image is from a die cut sheet with another image on and it only cost £1! I think it is Kaban but I'm not sure but I thought the little fairies were really sweet and I sometimes struggle with girly cards so this made it all so much easier!

I've added gems around the edge of the card and tied some lilac ribbon into a number of bows across the folded edge of the card.

Although you can't see it too well, I've added dabs of glitter here and there on the fairy and the gift.

The backing paper is from Polkadoodles - Candy Doodles cd and I've cut two circles the same size, inked the edges and then snipped triangles from the top layer so I can fluff up the edges. Thought it added a bit more interest!

• Card blank: Cut by Enfys for me
• Backing papers: Candy Doodles from Polkadoodles
• Image: Not sure - I think Kaban
• Everything else: My stash
  

A Round Princess

The CRAFT challenge currently is:

Digi Colouring

I've used a Digi Sparkle image from the 50/50 Digital Stamping Group which I've coloured with felt tips. The round scalloped card was kindly donated (along with quite a few others) by the lovely Enfys so this determined the colours I was going to use!

I've threaded ribbon through the scallops and tied it in a sort of bow at the top and added a brad to hide the joins from the ribbon holding the princess crown charm. The pink backing paper is from Funky Daze from Funky Hand and the lilac hammered card is from my stash.

Be warned - the next few days I'll be posting more than one card per day as I've had a good run at card making over the weekend as the boys were at Hotel De La Grandparents so I could craft away without refereeing fights, wiping noses and building train tracks....

• Card Base: Donated by Enfys
• Image: Digi Sparkle coloured with felt tips
• Pink Backing paper: Funky Daze from Funky Hand
• Everything else: My stash
  

Delightfully Delicious!

Just could not resist the Stamp Something challenge this week! As it asks for:

Delightfully Delicious Somethings!

I've wanted to use one of the scalloped edged round cards that the wonderful Enfys sent me a while ago after I asked how she made them (ciricut I believe!) - so thank you En!

The giant cupcake is from Candy Doodles by Polkadoodles and it is printed out to be decoupaged and I've just added a few dollops of liquid pearls here and there.


The circular backing is also from the same cd and I've then threaded some pink grosgrain ribbon through the holes in the card and tied a big bow at the top.

A wonderfully girly and delightfully delicious card!

• Card base: Donated by Enfys
• Cupcake decoupage and backing paper: Candy Doodles from Polkadoodles
• Ribbon: My stash
  

Fancy Folds and Fathers

Now, these cards are probably not quite right for the Dare U 2 Digi Stamp Challenge for this week as it asks for

Ribbons

But, in my defense, twine can be classed as bloke ribbon, right?!

Anyway, the top card has been made for my Dad for Fathers Day and the bottom one I've made for my cousin Claire for her Dad (he is a gardener, so quite apt!) and I've filled it with some plant labels and some garden wire. My Dad is getting a small bar of chocolate in his and a gift card, when I get round to getting it!

I've followed the tutorial in a recent Papercraft Inspirations magazine which was written by the very inspiring Enfys and even I managed to follow the instructions (I have been known to make it up as I go along despite having guidance!) Basically its a sheet of 12 x 12 paper, cut down to 11 x 11 and then folded and cut quite expertly and although you can't see it - there is a bit that folds out at the back, in the way of a traditional card does.

The twine has been added through eyelets and actually serve the purpose of holding the pockets together - I've glued the right hand side one. The images - George at Work - are downloads from Charmed Cards and Crafts and I've layered them onto dark blue card. Lettering is Cuttlebug Baby Face alphabet die cuts.

• Card Stock: Can't remember it's name!
• Image: Charmed Cards and Crafts
• Sentiment: Cuttlebug Baby Face alphabet
  
  

For a Teenager

It has been a while since I last managed a Dottie's World challenge so made amends with this one! Really enjoyed the challenge, plus I managed to use some of my new papers! The challenge is:

To make a card for a teenager

Oh to be a teenager again eh?! Anyway, I used a Holly in the USA download (I think this was a free image) which is pre coloured and I've just added a bit of sparkle to her hat (or rather a cack handed bit of sparkle - teach me to try and craft when its too dark and I can't be bothered putting a light on!) The image has been chalked around the edges and layered onto some lovely pearlescent gold card as to the sentiment.

The papers are DCWV Retro 6 x 6 paper stack, ribbons are from my stash and the chipboard flowers were sent to me by Enfys and are Colorbok. Quite a quick card to make once I got going - it just took me 3 nights to choose which papers to use!

• Backing papers: DCWV Retro 6 x 6 paper stack
• Image: Holly in the USA download from Charmed Cards and Crafts
• Sentiment: A 4 sided block thing from Mad About Cards
• Ribbon: From my stash
• Chipboard flowers: Colorbok sent to me by Enfys

Using That Last Butterfly

The challenge this week on Tag! You're It is:

Wings

I mentioned on a previous post that I had one butterfly left over from the embellishment pack - and here it is! I still had the off cuts of paper lying around too and decided to be brave and did a bit of paper weaving! I made the tag shape from card and then made the weaving, stuck the finished part to the tag and then trimmed. And inked the edges in pink. Really simple. Surprisingly simple really as I thought I'd have bits of paper falling out all over the place!

The ribbon is part of the huge donation from Enfys (its organza and is rainbow coloured - not stripes but it changes colour along the length) and I've secured it with a brad from my stash.

• Backing paper: It's Funky Too and Huge Funky Love from Funky Hand
• Embellishment: Freebie Dovecraft embellishments from a recent Do Crafts magazine
• Ribbon: Generous donation from Enfys
• Brad: From my stash
  
  

Cupcake Alert!

The Cute Card Thursday challenge this week is:

"FOOD & DRINK"

Create a card with an item of food or drink on it somewhere - as simple as that!

I'd bought a few chipboard templates a while ago but not got round to using them (unless you count taking them out of the pack a few times and looking at them!) One of the templates was a cupcake which I thought would be perfect for this challenge. Plus I really should make more shaped cards as I really enjoy it!

The cupcake wrapper (is that the correct terminology?!) has been cut from pink corrugated card and the fondant iced top is from Funky Daze (Fun Daze collection). As I liked the dot pattern, I decided to layer it a little and randomly so it looks like the icing is slithering down the bun. Yum!


All edges have been inked in pink and I've added some tiny beads for sprinkles - I think they were a freebie from yonks ago and I'd just not used them before. I've used two ribbons around the middle of the cake (the organza was donated by Enfys - the spotty one I bought from Hobbycraft) and the daisy brad was from a lovely lot of stash as part of my camper van swop with Alex last summer.

Inspiration for the colours has been drawn from Molly and Izzie - but be warned - don't visit if you are hungry!

I think I could be making more of these as they look so good! And they passed the 'what is it test' - asked the boys what they thought it was. Slight pause before they both said CAKE!! Just need to watch Jacob as he will probably try and scoff it!

• Backing papers: Funky Daze
• Template: From Craftwork Cards
• Ribbon: From Hobbycraft and Enfys
• Brad: From Alex
• Gem sprinkles: From my stash
  
  

Cute Elephant for a Baby Boy

The Cute Card Thursday challenge this week is:

Animal Magic

I needed to make a new baby boy card for a friend who has recently had a baby (congratulations Philippa!) and I drew inspiration from the current issue of Papercraft Inspirations for the shape of the elephant. I drew the elephant freehand onto some thick scrap card which I then used as a template. The main body is cut from funky foam and the gingham backing paper and ear was a download from the magazine.

I cut the frame with a Sizzix scalloped oval die with the outer part run through the Swiss Dots embossing folder. All the edges have been inked with a bright blue pad. The ribbon is from my stash, the little brad and button were generously sent to me by Enfys. I've also dotted the edges of the card with a pale blue gel pen.

I used the remaining scalloped oval parts to make another card but cut the elephant in white foam. And now I think I'll make some in pink!!

• Backing paper: Download from Papercraft Inspirations
• Dies / Embossing: Sizzix Scallop Oval and Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder
• Ribbon: From my stash
• Brad & button: From Enfys
  
  

A Cheeky Little Number!

The Tag You're It Challenge this week got me thinking. The challenge is:

Love and Romance

I've done with Valentine cards for the year but still wanted to do the challenge and I wanted to use my new downloads from Charmed Cards and Crafts. So this is what I came up with!


The backing card is really lovely - its sort of grained but not really noticeable. The silver card is also from my off-cuts box and I thought it went really well with the theme. All edges have been inked and rounded. I've dabbed a bit of red glitter glue to give a bit of sparkle - cos a girl needs sparkle! The image was pre coloured not because I'm being lazy this week - I'm just busy!

The hearts are made from fimo at the same time I was making the buttons for the handmade swop (my makes will be revealed later in the week!) and I've threaded some ribbon through.

The flowers are two layered together with a brad which has been tied with ribbon. So, what do you think? Does it qualify for love and romance?!

• Card: From my stash
• Image: Pre coloured Holly and Madison download from Charmed Cards and Crafts
• Ribbon: From my stash (donated by Enfys)
• Flowers: From my stash (bought from Mad About Cards)
  
  

Dottie Challenge - Spring is Nearly Here!

My first contribution to Dottie's World Challenge as joint Guest Designer for February!

The brief is:

Spring is nearly here......so I want to see shades of yellow & green

Now, I know what you are thinking - where are the shades of yellow? Well, I'm blaming the very poor daylight for not showing the true colours! And if you still don't believe me, I've used the Monday Morning collection from Funky Daze - so you can check the colour-ways! I'm quite impressed with myself with the blue on Dottie's dress following through on the backing papers!

I've rounded and inked all the edges (dark green Whispers ink), neatly cut Dottie out and added 3d foam pads behind her so she stands out a little. A little more than she already is! The ribbon is from a recent generous donation from Enfys and the flowers are from a recent stash swop with Jozza. Thanks ladies!! The brads are from my stash.

Check back this time next week to see what the weekly challenge is - hope you can join us!

• Backing paper: Monday Morning collection from Funky Daze
• Image: Dottie
• Ribbon: From Enfys
• Flowers: From Jozza
• Brads: From my stash
  

Doctors Orders Number 9.....

You need to think creativity for this one! The challenge this week on Tag - You're It is:

Numbers

I had a little think about this one. I really need to make a get well / recover quick card for my Dad as he is due to have a knee replacement op on 11 February and I wanted to be a little organised for it. So, I had a Dottie printing extravaganza and printed this little image out (along with others!) I had to google the bingo lingo to make sure I was right, and so the tag was born!

I made up the shape of the tag myself (basically the blue star card was an off-cut and I was determined that I was going to use it up!) - I used a roll of sellotape for the shaped bit at the top. I layered it onto some dark blue card to give it an edge. The ribbon was from a very generous Enfys (how can you give away that much ribbon??!!) The sentiments are stamped with blue Whispers ink (with black residue - opps not cleaned the stamps too well eh?!) and I've used my little wooden Studio G alphabet stamp set. And the number 9 is cut with the Sizzix Round-a-Bout Alphabet set.

Do you think my Dad will see the funny side of it?! She looks a bit like the Catherine Tate character doesn't she?! Lets hope he's dosed up on numerous painkillers if he gets a nurse like that!

• Backing papers: Funky Daze
• Image: Dottie (Pre coloured cos I am lazy bones!)
• Ribbon: Kindly donated by Enfys
• Sentiment: Studio G mini wooden alphabet set
• Dies: Sizzix Round-a-Bout alphabet die set
  

A Cheap Card!!

And just by the skin of my teeth, here is my entry for this weeks Cupcake Craft Challenge! Actually, I had made the card during the week but not managed to photograph it.....

Anyway, this week it is a sketch:

And the card was a very cheap one to make! The papers are from the current Papercraft Inspirations magazine (although I downloaded the jpeg files so I can print to my hearts content!) and the image was from a swop from Enfys.



The ribbon at the side is actually card (again from PI), sentiment is handwritten, flowers cut using my Cuttlebug flower die (what else!) and off cuts of pink card. Bronze coloured brads from my box full!

• Backing paper: Freebies from Papercraft Inspirations
• Image: My Favourite Things - How Sweet from Enfys
• Dies: Cuttlebug flowers
• Sentiment: Handwritten

Ruby Tuesday & Cake

The Friday Sketchers Challenge this week is:

I have sort of already made a New Years Resolution to stop printing papers when I have so many smaller scrap bits! So, I am making a determined effort to use up some of the overflowing stash of small pieces of printed backing papers that I have. Either that or I will run out of room!

This card uses some of the papers from Ruby Tuesday from Funky Daze and the stamp is one of my new ones (this is becoming a habit!) which was only 99p! I've coloured the image with watercolour pencils and there is a bit of gold glitter in there too. The dots around the edges of the paper have been made by using a new toy that Enfys has sent me - its a plastic faux stitching template but I thought I'd use the guide holes to add some dots!

Apologies for the gaudy looking cupcake but I tried to recreate the colours on the paper!

• Backing papers: Ruby Tuesday collection from Funky Daze
• Stamp: Dovecraft coloured with watercolour pencils and gold glitter

Tamara Sketch 70 - Funky Flowers!

This is the first challenge I've managed for a few weeks and as soon as I saw it, I knew what I was going to do! There are a number of Funky Hand Design Team birthdays in November and as I cannot cram 30 hours into a 24 hour day, I've had to double up challenges and birthday cards. So this one is for Enfys - so you ain't seen it, right?!!



Tamara's Sketch this week is: And here is my card:

There actually is a panel behind the two flowers, I just cut it a bit too small! The flowers have been cut from vellum - the black and white is cut from backing paper from Funky Seasons from Funky Hand and has been alternately layered with clear vellum. The flowers are my own template and have been cut by hand, all secured with daisy brads. The main panel is also clear vellum which has been inked lightly around the edges with a very worn black ink pad!

The panel which is largely hidden under the flowers is silver vellum and has been embossed with the Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder. The ribbon is velvet and the sentiment is hand written.

Happy Birthday Enfys!

• Backing paper: Vellum printed with the Black and White collection from Funky Seasons and layered with clear vellum
• Embossing: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots
• Ribbon: Velvet from my stash
• Brads: Papermania daisies