Robots and Spots

This weeks Friday Sketchers challenge is:

And this is what I made. The robot stamp is by Papermania and I've used a black Ink It Up ink pad as its more watery and easier to use on such a large surface. I've rounded all the corners, inked them and also chalked the background to the image as the white card was too stark.

The papers are from the same collection 'For Him' 6 x 6 and the stamps are from a clear acrylic Studio G set. And I've coloured in (badly as it was dark!) the little star on the boy sentiment.

I think I need to use this stamp more often!

• Backing papers: Papermania 'For Him' 6 x 6
• Robot stamp: Papermania
• Other stamps: Studio G acrylic set
  
  

Fore A Top Bloke (Bad Joke!)

There is another new challenge blog in blogland! This one (Stampin' Chic) is by Clare Curd and her new Signature Range (which I do like!) Anyway, I felt in need of a little retail therapy over the weekend and had a good look at the clear stamp packs Clare has launched. And as my stash is a little light on the male themed cards, I went with the fellas stamp pack. And you get a lot of stamps for just under £6!

Anyway, the current challenge is:

LIMITED SUPPLIES CHALLENGE
We challenge you to only use no more than ONE piece of patterned paper, that's it one piece of patterned paper but of course you can also use other supplies like brads, ribbons etc., you can also use plain card if you have it... in fact whatever you want as long as you use no more than ONE piece of patterned paper!

The image actually helped a lot in choosing the backing paper! Just had to go for the diamond pattern! Printed backing paper is Dovecraft 6 x 6 which I've rounded the edges and inked. I've coloured the image with watercolour pencils and also inked and rounded the edges. The brown plain card is from my stash and the card candy just finished it off! The layout of the card is actually based on a recent Forever Friends sketch which I liked.

PS Bad joke in the title - sorry, but could not resist!

• Backing paper: Dovecraft 6 x 6
• Image & Sentiment: Clare Curd Signature Range (image coloured with watercolour pencils)
• Card Candy: From Craftwork Cards
  

Cakes at Tea Time

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

Time for tea!

So here is what I made! The cupcakes have been cut using free templates from a recent craft magazine (I can't remember which one - sorry!) but I cut them slightly larger than the pencil line. The papers are still off cuts from Huge Funky Love (I can't bear to throw any papers away!) and I've inked the edges in Chestnut Whispers ink and also a little pink ink pad.

I bought some clear / iridescent glitter glue over the weekend which adds a really nice touch to the top of the cupcakes!

The tag is a super sized Sizzix Scallop tag which has been cut from lightly hammered ivory card, edges inked again and I've chalked it too as it was a bit stark. Sentiment is stamped with Whispers Chestnut ink and I've used my little wooden Studio G alphabet stamp set. Ribbon from my stash.

The little cupcakes were really easy to make so I think I'll be attempting these again!

• Backing papers: Huge Funky Love
• Template: Freebie from a craft magazine
• Dies: Sizzix Super Sized Scallop tag
• Sentiment: Studio G mini wooden alphabet stamp set
• Ribbon: From my stash
  
  

Spring has Sprung!

It's offical! Spring is here! We visited the Botanical Gardens in Southport on Sunday as its been around 2 years since our last visit and the fact that Samuel has to go on a walk and spot the signs of spring for one of his homework excercises. So here are some of the photos from Sunday.

This dragon has been carved from a fallen tree. Here you see Samuel being a bit posey!

Jacob refused to have his photo taken, but Samuel was only too willing to stop and smile! Jacob is actually stood behind him (you can see his shadow) sulking.

Of course the boys had to play on the swings and climbing frames!

And later on, we went on the minature steam train on the front in Southport. And we had ice cream! Samuel enjoyed his and if you are thinking he's relatively clean - he wasn't by the time he finished - it was everywhere!

Daisy & Dandelion - New Beginnings

Another new challenge site has worked its charm on me and got me entering! This is the new Daisy and Dandelion challenge site - the range has only been launched this month but it does appeal to me for those cutesy cards that I can't always do particularly well!

Their first challenge is:

New Beginnings

I've used one of the stickers from the freebies on the current Do Crafts magazine (you get two sheets worth - who-hoo!) The papers are from Funky Daze and were off cuts from a previous project. The sentiment is a masked part of a Papermania stamp (the 'sweet' bit made the sentiment too big and wouldn't fit on the card!) Both image and sentiment have been layered, corners shaped and inked and then fixed to the card with foam pads.

The ribbon is from my stash and I just could not tie it right so did something else with it - double sided tape and brads hold it together!

I had a little spend over the weekend and a pack of the decoupage from the Daisy and Dandelion range fell into my basket..... Never attempted decoupage before but this looks quite easy as its pre cut and numbered. I was always good at painting by numbers so I think I will be able to manage this! So that means I will be back to do more challenges!

• Backing paper: Funky Daze
• Image: Free stickers with current Do Crafts magazine - Daisy and Dandelion
• Sentiment: Masked Papermania stamp
• Ribbon & Brads: From my stash
  

Mug Swop - What I Sent

Now I know my recipient has received her goodies - I can do the reveal! I sent all in the picture plus some other crafting bits and bobs.

The mug is a Grommit limited edition and his nose changes colour depending on how hot the tea is so you know when the brew is right!


My recipient, Barbara, does not have a blog so can't link this post up but I did get a lovely email from her to say thanks!

Big thank you to JennyFlower for organising it!

Spring Is In The Air!

The Cupcake Card challenge this week is:

Spring

And I've just about made this one in time! My original plan went very very wrong so was scrapped (it really was that bad and a big disaster!) so plan B. The backing paper is Basic Grey Sultry (generously donated in a mini stash swop by Jozza) and the bits I've not used I've kept. A little bit of it has been stuck under a round clear dome sticker to make the centre of the flower as the titchy maroon brad looked a little lost!

The maroon backing card is from my stash so too is the ribbon (which was 10p for around 4 metres from Blackburn market). And the layered flower are two Prima's and were free from a website in the USA.

Although you can't really see it, I've inked the edges with my fading black ink pad.

Inspired by the cherry blossom trees near where I work which will be coming into flower in the next couple of weeks.

• Backing papers: Maroon card stock from my stash, patterned paper Basic Grey Sultry (from Jozza)
• Flower: Prima freebies
• Ribbon: From my stash (Blackburn market originally)
  

Bright and Green

There is a new weekly card making challenge site - Creative Card Crew - and when I spotted it on my fellow Funky Hand DT member Carol's blog, well, I just had to enter!


The first challenge is:

Green

I've used papers from a bargain pack (it has papers and pop out sentiments) from Craftwork Cards in the sale - I think it was only a pound and there are 4 papers 6 x 6 and either 6 or 8 sheets of pop out sentiments - and I bought a few in different colours! The centre panel I've layered onto card stock, and the sentiment is a Studio G acrylic stamp. Organza ribbon is from my stash. The little daisy flower is left over from earlier in the week and the butterfly embellishments. And the daisy hides an ink splodge!

All edges have been inked with a little green ink pad.

• Backing papers: All from a pack from Craftwork Cards
• Sentiment: Studio G acrylic stamped with bright green ink
• Flower: Papermania
• Ribbon: From my stash
  
  

Welly and Flowers

The Pink Elephant challenge this week is to use the following colours:

Pink, Green and Brown

And all I can say is that this was a pure Eureka moment! I was really struggling of how to add green into a card when I remembered I had this welly template from Craftwork Cards. And wellies are green! Add some flowers (pink and brown of course) and ta-dah! Challenge met!

The green card is from my stash and I've chalked it vigorously to give it some definition and highlights. I really enjoy using chalks - it takes me back to when I was at college and used a lot of charcoal and chalks when I did life drawing classes.

The flowers have been cut using my lovely Cuttlebug flowers die and the papers are yet more off cuts from Huge Funky Love - the card candy is from Craftwork Cards.

And this card will be for my Mum for Mothers Day - so organised eh?!

• Template: Craftwork Cards
• Backing papers: Green for the welly - my stash, flowers - Huge Funky Love
• Dies: Cuttlebug flowers
• Card Candy: Craftwork Cards
  

How To Use Denim!

Another week and another challenge on Dotties World! Now I liked this challenge as it meant I could use the freebie from the new collection - Holly and Madison's World Tour! The challenge is:

Get the feeling!!!!!

I would like to see some kind of fabric incorporated in the card or item, it could be felt, ribbon, lace, cotton etc and of course a Charmed Cards and crafts download.

The backing papers are from the recent Crafts Beautiful magazine - I downloaded them and the 4 papers printed onto 1 sheet of A4 card but I've only used two of them. To be honest, I could not resist the gaudy paisley pattern but knew that the Holly image would look good with it! The image is pre coloured and Ive inked the edges and also chalked the background to soften it a little.

And I've used some denim off cuts and stitched them to the card, slightly randomly, as you can see! The button is made by me from fimo and has seed beads stuck into it.

• Backing paper: Freebies from Crafts Beautiful
• Image: Holly freebie pre coloured
• Button: Made by me
• Brads: From my stash
• Denim: Samuel's old worn jeans