Keep The Shape!

The Stampin' Chic challenge this week is:

Limited Supplies - Keep The Shape

(You need to pick a shape and follow it through all the elements of your creation...)

I thought this would be easy - but oh no! I went with the cupcake template (Craftwork Cards) as I'd started to make the base for something else but then either changed my mind or ran out of time). Anyway, the corrugated base had already been cut so I added some of the paper from The Big One (yep, still getting a work out with that one!) then randomly over stamped the paper pattern with the stamps and then added some glitter glue here and there (the picture doesn't really show it too well). I've also liberally inked all edges with black and bright pink for a bit of a grunge feel.

I then remembered I had these very sweet (geddit?!) little fimo cupcakes that were sent to me by Claire on the Crafts Forum as a swop for some stamped images. I've attached it to the card with some jute string as tried to keep it simple. And it does sort of go with the shape theme - the corrugated card is stripy and the jute is sort of stripy..... and the little cupcake embellishment with the shape of the card.... am I convincing??!!

• Printed backing paper: Clare Curd Signature Range - The Big One
• Stamps: Clare Curd Signature Range
• Corrugated Card & string: My stash
• Cupcake template: Craftwork Cards
• Cupcake embellishment: Claire
  

Blog Candy Winner!

A huge big thank you to all who entered - there were over 100 comments left and with links back to blogs this totalled 165 entries!!


And because of this, I've decided to give away a second and a third prize - these will be a selection of stamped images! I know, I must be mad!


So, the winner of all the blog candy (plus some stamped images) in the photo is:

Julie

Second place (stamped images) is: Ivolina

Third place (stamped images) is: Debsydoos

Please email me at mail@tiptoptoppers.co.uk with your details and I will get your winnings in the post to you as soon as possible!

I'm approaching 500 posts, probably at the end of May (if you trust my mathematical skills!) so watch out for some more blog candy!!

Pink Marshmallows and Chocolate Brown

The Cute Card Thursday Challenge this week is:

Marshmallows and Chocolate

Or at least the colours! I've had, for a while, on my list of things to do, to make an acceptance card for a Wedding we have been invited to (its Hayley's - I made her invitations and here is her forthcoming birthday card!) And as the challenge is in keeping with her colour scheme, I made this card.

The cake is a die cut from pearlescent creamy white card (had it in my stash for a long time!) and I've added pink and silver seed beads to the layers. Behind it is a piece of pink vellum and I've added a chocolate brown ribbon underneath.

Must remember to post it off to her now!

• All materials: From my stash
  

Baby Boy & Big Ribbons

It's a sketch this week on the Daisy and Dandelion challenge blog:

And because of the birthing explosion amongst my friends, work colleagues and nursery staff due to commence in the next month, I need to get organised for all the arrivals!

The stamped image was generously given to me by Kath which I've used watercolour paints and pencils to colour in (this image and others were coloured in whilst the boys were at a play centre party. Somehow I managed to concentrate with millions of kids running around screaming.... And I was not going to waste the 2 hours I had either!)

The backing paper, I'm not sure where it came from but I found it as a printed A4 sheet in my stash and I have a feeling I've had it for a long time! I've doodled around the edge of the image and the backing paper, just for a bit of closure as it seemed to wander off the edges somehow. The image has also been lightly chalked too as it was a little stark and I didn't have any blue chalk

The ribbon is from my stash (I have a roll also in baby pink!) and the card candy is from Craftwork Cards.

• Backing paper: Don't know - from my stash
• Image: Daisy and Dandelion stamped by Kath, coloured with watercolour paints and pencils
• Ribbon: From my stash
• Card Candy: Craftwork Cards
  
  

Friday Sketchers & Forever Friends

I've decided to combine two challenges this week, the Friday Sketchers, which is the following sketch:

And the Forever Friends challenge which is:

Monotone

I've tried to keep it to the blue theme with just a hint of black and white! The image is a sticker - I need to do more male cards and this is one of the two packs I bought before Christmas but have not yet used. It's mounted onto thick white card which I have lightly chalked and then inked the edge in blue. This is layered onto a plain light blue card, again the edges have been inked with blue. The sentiment is from the Clare Curd Signature Range (the male stamp set), the flourishes are a Studio G acrylic stamp (actually two layered together).

All the backing paper are from various Funky Hand cd's the two main elements are from Funky Daze, and the horizontal strip, I think is, It's Funky Too. The gems are from my stash.

• Backing Papers: Funky Daze and It's Funky Too
• Image: Forever Friends sticker
• Sentiment: Clare Curd Signature Range
• Flourishes: Studio G acrylic stamp
• Gems: From my stash

Funky Thirty

The challenge on the Cupcake Challenge blog this week is:

Folds

As I am trying to be organised and make the cards that I need for Birthdays etc in advance, I realised that I could combine the card I need to make for a friends 30th Birthday later in the month. I really enjoy making word books and I do like Funky Daze - so what better than to combine the two and get the challenge done?!

All the papers are from Funky Daze - I've just used three of them from the same collection for the pages, and another 2 for the letters. The letters I've printed using wordart (select the template which only has a border for the letters and then mess around with the font and size) and then layered them onto a darker background as they were a bit lost on the actual pages.


And then I've added ribbons here and there - either tied on or stapled for a different effect. It actually was quite quick to make once I got going.

And if you like word books, look out for a brand new cd release from Funky Hand at the end of the month - it is all word books and as part of the Design Team, I get to have a play - and the collections are all very fab - I do have my favourites - but not telling - you will have to wait and see!!

So, Happy Birthday Hayley when it arrives - you'll be 30 then?!

• Backing papers: All from Funky Daze
• Ribbons: From my stash
  
  

Daisy & Dandelion

In addition to the Daisy and Dandelion Challenge blog, their creator, Erica Martyn has started a monthly challenge on the D&D Official blog!

The first challenge for March / April is the following sketch:I've used one of the decoupage images (made it correctly this time and used all the pieces!) which has been layered onto a very fab fuchsia coloured flower (from Jozza!) and that has been layered onto a handmade pink vellum flower - you can just about see it. Now the vellum flower was to be used for something else but it didn't work out right, so I left it on the table as I knew I'd use it at some point!


The backing paper is a download freebie and is part of the Daisy and Dandelion collection (apologies for the poor picture - it was early morning and the sun was shining - honest!) and I've inked the edges. I've layered two different colours of ribbon across the front of the pattern, but not quite managed to stick it down too well as you can see from the flappiness on the photo!

The sentiment was originally stamped but the ink dried a lot paler than I was expecting so I went over it with a pink watercolour pencil.

Card candy has been added to the bottom corner.

• Backing paper: Free Download from Daisy and Dandelion
• Image: Daisy and Dandelion decoupage
• Ribbon: From my stash
• Flowers: Fabric one from Jozza, vellum made by me
• Sentiment: Don't know the name of the stamp
• Card Candy: Craftwork Cards
  
  

Funky Hand Easter Sale!

Funky Hand is having an Easter Sale! From 10am today (Friday 10 April) until 10pm Monday (14 April) you can get 15% off everything - this includes CD's, downloads and paper packs.

So go on - treat yourself to an Easter gift without the calories!

A Digi Stamp Challenge Blog!

Now I found this challenge site whilst blog hopping (I was actually looking at my Blog Candy entrants blogs - thanks Jenni!) and look what I found! The challenge site is called Dare U 2 Digi Stamp!

Basically, all you need to use is a digital image from any company plus, if you are able, digital papers.

And as always, I find these things at the 11th hour, I had to make this card in super quick time! This is their first week and its a sketch challenge:

The image is one of my favourites from the Holly and Madison download from Charmed Cards and Crafts, and yes, to save a bit of time, I've used the pre coloured one! All the printed backing papers and sentiment are from the Shabby Saturday download from Funky Hand - I rediscovered some off-cuts a few nights ago and wanted to use them. But had to print the bigger sheets off as what I had didn't fit the sketch. The green and black card is from my stash.


I've lightly inked the edges in black and the punch is a Martha Stewart one - I think its threading water or something like that. And the layered flower is from the never ending bag of flowers donated by Jozza.

A fairly quick card to make, to be honest and it is actually a lot more grungy green in real life.

• Backing papers: Shabby Saturday download from Funky Hand
• Image: Pre coloured Holly and Madison download from Charmed Cards and Crafts
• Punch: Martha Stewart
• Other card: From my stash
• Flowers: From Jozza
  

Dinos Again!

The Friday Sketchers challenge this week is the following sketch:

And I made not one but two cards based upon the sketch. It happens to be more Birthday parties for Samuel to attend so I need more quick boy's Birthday cards!

I really do like using my little dino stamp and its so easy to colour it with watercolour paints! All the backing papers are from It's Funky Too - the dotty one has actually been printed onto glossy photo paper for a different finish.

All edges have been inked in green and then black ink and the images have been gently chalked around the edges as the card was a little stark!

• Backing paper: All from It's Funky Too by Funky Hand
• Image: Dovecraft coloured with watercolour paints