Gardening Glory

Here is a little something to help you remember warmer days and being outside without 7 thermal layers and waders. You can buy Green Fingers and Thumb from the Dr Digi store plus you can get a bundle deal if you want!

That marrow is a whopper but to be honest, I'd rather be sitting in the summer house sipping something cold and alcoholic!

I've coloured the image with Promarkers, used a sentiment from a Funky Hand download and a page (with carefully placed elements) from a paint catalogue.

I'd like to enter the following challenges:

Suzy Bee's Blooming Challenge: Anything Goes

Aphid Assassinator

Looks can be deceptive.  Take for instance Mr Thomas Gunn, or Tommy Gunn as his friends call him.  At first glance appears to be a gun totting, viola case carrying, pin stripe suit wearing, hard faced kinda chap. 

But look a little further and you'll realise that the gun is actually an oversized bug sprayer, the viola case does indeed contain a viola (larger than a violin case and therefore more imposing), the pin stripe suit is because all his others are at the dry cleaners.  And well, he can't help what Mother Nature dealt him in the way of looks.

 Tommy Gunn - the Aphid Assassinator is available to buy from Dr Digi for the tax free amount of £2.

I've coloured him with Promarkers and used a vintage advertising topper from Nicecrane Designs.  The banner has been handwritten by me.  Background colouring courtesy of a used tea bag!

I'd like to enter the following challenges:

Card Mania:  Summer Blooms
Creative Creations Challenges:  Anything Goes
Tammy Scrapin Corner:  Use A Digi

Image:  Dr Digi, coloured with Promarkers
Advertising image:  Nicecrane Designs
Sentiment:  Handwritten
Everything else:  My stash 

Dude Time Doodles Challenge 32 - Photo Inspiration

There is a new Dude Time Doodles challenge! It's a photo inspiration challenge and here it is:

To be honest, even though it is a rather springy photo inspiration board it reminded me of grass cutting as the first cut will be due soon (not that its me that does the grass cutting - I did it once when I was 5 months pregnant and even then I think I did a good job although we have a much better lawn mower now!) and I could not think of a more perfect image than Lawrence of Lawn.

He's been coloured with Promarkers and I've made a sort of step card. The cloud paper is Echo Park - Sidewalk Chalk paper pack and I've used block coloured card from my stash to randomly cut grass tufts. I've not yet added the sentiment as this will be a birthday card for one of my Uncles so that will be added nearer the time.

Good luck with the challenge - for more inspiration, pop over to the challenge blog!

I'd like to enter the following challenges:

Celebrate the Occasion: Shaped Birthday Card
Creative Card Crew: Humour
Deep Ocean Challenge: Spring
Creative Craft Challenges: Boys Will Be Boys
Gingerloft: Spring

• Image: Dude Time Doodles, coloured with Promarkers
• Backing paper: Echo Park, Sidewalk Chalk
• Other papers: My stash
  

Get Funky Challenge 8 - April Showers

It's the start of another month so it's time for another Get Funky challenge! This month the theme has been set by Kathy who has chosen:

April Showers

Pop over to the challenge blog to see some wonderful samples (as always!) from the Design Team and to familiarise yourself with the rules.

I've made a card which will be for a gardener hence all the rustic elements - garden twine and a cork tag - and it will be personalised nearer the time. I've used Funky Daze papers for the wellies and also the background with a lot of chalking and inking to provide the depth and shading to the wellies!

I've added metal eyelets around the edge of the card and I've threaded the twine twice through the holes so it looks all joined up.

Hope you can join us this month and good luck if you do!

• Printed papers: Funky Daze from Funky Hand
• Everything else: My stash
  

Polkadoodle Challenge Week 6 - Hearts & Flowers

Another Friday and another Polkadoodle Challenge! This week it is the lovely Dolly who has set the challenge of:

Hearts and Flowers

For my sample, I've used a welly boot template that I bought ages ago from Craftwork Cards and then papers from Sugar Birdies that I cut to fit.

I've inked and chalked the boot to give it definition and a little character. The flowers are also from Sugar Birdies but I printed them at A5 so they would fit! I've curled the edges and added buttons with jute string through the centres.

Perfect card for a gardener!

• All paperbased elements: Sugar Birdies cd from Polkadoodles
• Buttons and jute string: My stash and kitchen drawer
• Welly boot template: Craftwork Cards
  

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
  
  

Pink Welly

The Digi Stamper Challenge this week is a coloured theme:

Pink and Green

I enjoyed using this welly template last time from Craftwork Cards so decided to use it again, but as a pink welly! Plus, thinking about it, its a bit of a hidden green theme going on too! The pink card has been chalked and inked to give it depth and structure, the flowers were freebies from a recent craft magazine and the button in the centre is from the lovely Helen at Peggy Crafts.

The image is from the Holly and Madison collection by Charmed Cards and Crafts, and I've coloured her with watercolour pencils and added a bit of glitter here and there.

• Template: Craftwork Cards
• Image: Holly and Madison downloads from Charmed Cards and Crafts
• Button: From Peggy Crafts
• Flowers: Freebies from a recent craft magazine
  

A Bit Of Stitching On A Card

Now for this weeks Dottie Challenge, set by Adele:

I want to see stitches on your work, either hand sewn or machine- the choice is yours

I've bought the new download from Dotties World this week to treat myself (well, why not?!) The collection is called 'Holly and Madison' and its a corker! Not only do you get the images for you to colour, but they all come pre coloured too! But for my downloads first outing, I have done my own colouring so I could use these papers.

Now, I've always wanted to do a bit of stitching on a card but don't quite trust myself on my ancient Singer not to get my fingers in the way (I'm a pro when it comes to fabric but don't think that paper and card would be as easy!) so I got out a darning needle and some old I think embroidery thread (its on a wooden bobbin and is a 'Bright eye' brand - if that's any use!) and away I went!

I was careful not to do too much plus the needle made larger holes than I was expecting, but I think I got the balance right. But the best bit is, I think the centre of the flower (flowers from Jozza by the way - ta!) which was part of my button swop and the colours are just perfect (thanks Jacqui!)

I've coloured the image with watercolour pencils and added a little red glitter glue on the hair bobbles, belt and flowers.

The backing papers are again part of the Mily Designs download that I don't know where it came from and I just love the colours together. All corners have been rounded and edges inked in blue.

So - go and have a look at the new downloads and at the examples on the blog as you won't be disappointed! And hope you can join in the challenge this week!

• Backing papers: Mily Designs
• Image: Holly and Madison download from Charmed Cards and Crafts, coloured with watercolour pencils
• Flowers: From Jozza
• Heart stitched linen button: From Jacqui
  
  

It's not crafty!

This is not a crafty post! I used to do a lot of gardening before I had the boys, and grew nearly everything from either seed or cuttings. But, time is tighter these days, I just don't do as much gardening as I would like. So Simon does most of it - well, grass cutting and pulling the big weeds out and mulching.

Even though the summer this year has not got going properly, my gardens are looking quite good! The clematis which I nearly killed last year (bad combination of greenfly and forgetting to water it as its in a big pot) is thriving and has masses of flowers!

I love red hot pokers and have big clumps of the in the front and back. I grew these from tiny little plants the summer after we moved to the house, so they are 8 years old now. Last year something munched all the flowers and I had nothing to show, but this year is very different! I'm now thinking of attempting to grow some that are not traditional in colour...

Last night (before it chucked it down) the boys played on the trampoline. We bought the trampoline a month ago from Netto as it was a bargain - costing less for the whole thing than B&Q were charging just for the net enclosure!

It's quite huge - 10 foot diameter! And they love it as you can see!! For some reason, they insist on having a football with them!

And because I had the camera out, they wanted a photo of themselves!