Dream Valley Challenge 10 Ribbons

This week we have set the challenge for you to use ribbon on your creation over at Dream Valley.  We have a fabulous sponsor for you too - Crafty Ribbons are offering a gorgeous selection of ribbons for one lucky winner.

I made this birthday book for my sister.  She is useless at remembering birthdays so hopefully now she won't forget mine (LOL).  The paper I used is from a K&CO scrap pad and is double sided.  I folded the paper up at the bottom to make a pocket and then folded it in half to make 2 pages adding printed months with space for birthdays on each pocket.  I made the covers and used my bind-it-all to put it together, adding lots of ribbons down the spine.  I decorated the front with a stunning stamp from Delartful's Leo Plate and added a flower and some bling. 

Crafty Cardmakers Spotlight - Sentimental

At Crafty Cardmakers Spotlight this week we are challenging you to get sentimental. What we'd like is you to use a Sentiment as the focus on your item.

My card uses a sentiment by Tim Holtz (Stampers Anonymous Good Thoughts) as the main focus. I love this sentiment as it kinda reminds me of a fav. old song - Singing in the Rain, lol.   I stamped it on white card with Versafine Onyx Black, cut it out with Nestabilities Labels Four and then used Stampin' Up Pacific Point to sponge round the edges.  I matted it onto a piece of grey card cut with the same Nesties.  For the background I stamped the umbrellas (from PaperMania Stamping Chic Party set - odd combination of stamps I know but it works) in StazOn Azure onto blue vellum, attached this to some grey card with brads and attached the lot onto my card base.

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

Colour Create - Blue, Grey and White

Moving Along with the Times - Inspired by a song (Singing in the Rain)

Creative Craft Challenges - Make Your Own Backing Papers



ATC Challenge 4 - Father's Day

This week at ATC Challenges the theme has been picked by Tony and is Father's Day. My Teamies have made some fab ATCs so pop over and check them out. The prize this week is some gorgeous stamped images. All you have to do is make an ATC with the current theme to be in with a chance of winning.

I decided on an Easel ATC this week.  Tiny but such fun to make.  I used a stamp that came free with Craft Stamper years ago (do you remember those square, red rubber, foam backed ones - yep it's that old!).  I coloured the image with Whispers pens then matted and layered it onto white and black card.  The bg paper is from the lovely DCWV La Creme stack and the tiny sentiment is from Basic Grey with a bubble sticker popped over the top to hold the easel open.  To finish off I added some i-rock metal accents.

I'd like to enter this into the following challenges:

Tuesday Throwdown - Create a Masculine card

Ooh La La Creations - Father's Day/Special Man

Paper Sundaes - Easel Card

Paper Creator's Craft - For the Men

Little Claire's - Cards for Men

 

Quick and simple

 

 

I always need birthday cards or notelets so decided to have a play with my new stampset (Stampin Up Oh So Lovely bought second-hand) and see what I could come up with.  I seem to be leaning heavily towards Clean and Simple cards at the moment so just went with the flow, lol.  I used mainly Stampin Up Inks to ink my stamps with the paler colour for the bg stamp behind the image.  The colours I used were Bashful Blue and Not Quite Navy, Pretty in Pink and Melon Mambo, Certainly Celery and Always Artichoke.  The red flower was inked up with Whispers pens.  I added colour to the flowers using the Whispers pens too.  The images were matted onto co-ordinating card and I searched through my scraps folder and found some lovely papers to put on the cards, stamping the fabulous Prima Nouveau swirl on the side in the paler colour ink.  Now all I need to do is add the appropriate sentiment - or not!

I'd like to enter my cards in StampInsanity's Keeping It Clean and Simple Challenge

Birthday Belle

For this card I got out my new stamp plate from The Stampsmith called Flappers 3.  I chose one of the gorgeous ladies and stamped her onto photographic card using Saddle Brown StazOn, then cut her out using a circle nestie.  She is matted onto cream card cut with Nestie Eyelet Circles.  The papers are from K&Co (Life's Journey and Classic K Bailey pads).  The pink card behind the button paper has been punched using a Martha Stewart French Scroll border punch.  I stamped the sentiment (no make on it I'm afraid) onto cream card, added some ribbon, some pearls and a bunch of roses.

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

The Stampsmith - Birthday theme

Mojo Monday - Sketch

The Playdate Cafe - Colour Challenge (Blueberry, Cream and Dusty Rose)

Woodware USA - Happy Birthday

Stamp With Fun - Pearls and Flowers

Crafts and Me - Stamp Something

Pollycraft - Ribbon and Flowers

Lovely flowers

This card using just a monochrome pallet (brown/cream) and some simple floral arrangements.  I started with a cream square card blank, added a layer of dark brown, then another layer of cream on the top.  On this I stamped some flowers in the corner using Hot Off The Press Botanicals in Stampin' Up Chocolate Chip ink.  I added my sentiment from Paper Makeup Stamps in the bottom left corner.  The hand-made flowers were made by punching out flowers in cream and brown card using various punches (Woodware Flower, EK Success Retro Flower and Paper Shapers Daisy).  The cream flowers were then overstamped using Creative Expression French Script in SU River Rock and Chocolate Chip was sponged around the edges.  I shaped the flowers with a large embossing tool, stuck them together and finished them off with some little brown buttons.

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

The Crazy Challenge - Monochromatic

Craft Your Days Away - Monochrome

Just Some Lines - Monochromatic

Art Impressions Stamps - Monochromatic

Kaboodle Doodles - Floral Showcase

4 Crafty Chicks - Handmade Flowers

Scrapbook Sisters - An English Country Garden

My Mum's Craft Shop - Punch It

Dream Valley Challenge 9 - Father's Day

This week over at Dream Valley Challenges the theme is Father's Day.  Easy peasy!  All you have to do is make something; a card, an ATC, scrapbook page, in fact anything, as long as it follows the theme.  We have 2 fabulous sponsors for this week.  First, Karen's Doodles are offering 3 of their stunning digis and secondly we have One Stop Craft who are offering a £10 voucher to their store.
Here's my card:

I went for Tropical Herbert, and I coloured him with Derwent Studio Pencils.  I cut and matted him with circle Nestabilities.  The background papers are from the Basic Grey Hello Lucious pad.  I finished him off with a few brads from Basic Grey and some lovely green ribbon that matches my papers beautifully.

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

Karen's Doodles - Sketch

Ambers Crafts and Stuff - Special Man

Bows and Berries - Masculine

Celebrate the Occasion - Father's Day

Crafting for All Seasons - Father's Day

Craft Us Crazy - Father's Day

C.R.A.F.T. - Father's Day

Crazy 4 Challenges - Masculine card

Creative Inspirations - Father's Day

Delightful Challenges - Father's Day

Digis with Attitude - Father's Day

Delicious Doodles - Father's Day

Fussy and Fancy - Card for Man or boy

Fun at Fairy Knoll - Father's Day

Ladybug Crafts Ink - It's All About the Males

(Marks Finest) Speedy the Cats Friends Challenge - Father's Day

One Stop Craft - Father's Day

Paper Play - Father's Day

Stamp Insanity - Father's Day

Some Odd Girl - Manly Challenge

Simply Create - All About Your Dad

Sew Many Challenges - Father's Day

Sentimental Sundays - Father's Day

Sparkles Forum - Father's Day

Secret Crafter - Male Card

Stamp, Scrap and Doodle - Father's Day

The Stamping Boutique - Men Only

There's Magic In The Air -  Masculine

Wags n Whiskers - One for the boys

Woodware USA - Masculine

Fun at the beach

Today I decided to make a one-layer card with a seaside theme.  I started with a deckle-edged card blank because somehow it reminded me of the sea (maybe it's the wavy edge, lol).  I stamped the frame in the centre using a very old and totally unused stamp that I got from DoCrafts (so long ago I can't remember).  It has several frames and I coloured the one I wanted with a brown Whispers pen.  I stamped the little scene in the centre using my current favourite stamps, Hobby Art Coastal Scene-Its then added colour with Derwent Studio Pencils.  The sentiment is from another favourite set - Hero Arts Anytime Messages.

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

One Layer Wednesday - Summer Holidays

Sweet Stampin' - Playing in the Summer Sun

A Spoonful of Sugar - Here comes summer

Crazy Amigos Challenge - Summer

Deep Ocean Challenge - Anything Goes

Make It Monday -  Anything Goes

The Outlawz - Greetings Summer Party

Creative Cowgirls - Summertime Fun

Gingersnap Creations - Scene Stamping

Crafty Cardmakers Spotlight - Parchment

Warning: long post and lots of pictures, LOL

Over at Crafty Cardmakers Spotlight Jacki has set the challenge of making something with Parchment.  Now all you need is some parchment paper and a few tools that you probably already have - some kind of embossing tool (a ball tool) and something for poking holes (a pokey tool, lol).  There are loads of free patterns available on the internet and it's a great technique.  I really love parchment and have not done much lately as I've been suffering from carpel tunnel but as that is getting better, and provided I don't over-do it, I'm back making things out of this fab material.  Go check out what my teamies have made but here are my contributions:

My first 'make' was an elephant.  Yep, an ELEPHANT!  I've made this pattern before and just love it.  It's amazing what you can make out of this stuff - it's sooooo tough.  I traced the little beastie with white pencil and gold pen and added some colour to his roses and ankles with felt pen.  I then used a straight grid to make the patterns on his ears, trunk, legs and back.  Then I cut him out.  The hardest part was making his legs stay together but it's amazing what a bit of double-sided tape can do, lol.

For this card I used a pattern by Judith Marsden that doesn't need too much embossing.  I traced the tutu and the surrounding square with white pencil, then her hair with black pen and the rest with a sepia pen.  I embossed the tutu,, her hairband, her hair highlights and her hairband,  then coloured the ballerina on the back with Derwent Studio Pencils, adding a little extra on the front for added depth.  Then I used a semi-circule tool and a sun tool to make the square around her.  The corner decorations were made using a Pergamano Multi Grid (No. 6).  I then mounted it onto some rainbow card with some lovely pearly brads.

I'd like to enter my elephant in the following challenges:

June Blog Challenge - Schools Out - the monsters are loose

Paper Crafting Journey - Anything Goes/Your favourite technique

Delightful Challenges - Jungle Theme

Bloggers Challenge - Pets (now who wouldn't like an elephant for a pet, lol!)

Word Play Weekend - Tails (my elephant has the cutest tail!)

Find Joy . . .

My little girl has gone to Bonnie Scotland for just over 3 months to work in a Lab so I've made this card for her.  I started with a square white card blank, added a layer of navy blue, then a layer of white which I stamped with Stampin' Up Playful Petals in Night of Navy and then rounded the corners.  The sentiment is by Hero Arts (Anytime Messages).  I added the gorgeous butterfly (Darkroom Door Butterflies) stamped in the same ink.  I seem to be leaning more and more towards these CAS cards even though my craft room is full to overflowing with all sorts of embellishments! 

I'd like to enter my card in the folloing challenges:

CES Challenges - CAS

My Mums Craft Shop - Things with Wings

Flutterby Wednesdays - Open

Digistamps 4 Joy - On the wings of . . .

By the Cute and Girly - In the garden

Moving Along with the Times - No DP
Charisma Cardz Challenge - Something that flies
Guylou's Inimitability - Monochromatic
Just Some Lines - Monochromatic
Just Us Girls - Sketch
Cupcake Inspirations - Photo inspiration

ATC Challenges - Austin Powers

The new challenge over at ATC Challenges this week anything inspired by Austin Powers.  I had a lot of fun with this and came up with 2 different ATCs.

For my first ATC I used Hero Arts Circular Designs stamps, stamping them in bright inks (SU Melon Mambo, Tempting Turquoise, Tangerine Tango and Delightful Daffodil).  I added some bling with Sakura Stardust pens then matted and layered onto bright card, finishing off with some gold border peel-offs.

My second ATC was inspired by the man himself, lol.  I used bright turquoise card and created a jacket shape, adding stitching around the lapels with a gel pen.  Behind the 'jacket' I layered lace, then added a snazzy button for the final touch.

We'd love to see what you can come up with and if you want more inspiration go check out what the rest of the team have made.  There are even a couple of free downloads for you to use.

Having a Paddle

I haven't had a play with my Tilda stamps for ages so as the sun is shining brightly what better stamp to have a play with than Tilda in the Sea.  I stamped her onto watercolour paper and then watercoloured her with Koh-i-noor paints, adding a bit of Sakura stardust pen to the water to make it sparkle.  The bg paper is from DCWV Pocket Full of Posies which also has a bit of it's own sparkle but I've added some extra in the form of stitches although I'm afraid they don't show up too well in the photo.  I've used my Martha Stewart Scallop Dots punch on the white card layer.  I cut and matted my image using Nestabilities Labels Ten and ran the matt through the cuttlebug using the D'vine Swirls folder.  I've finished off the card with a lovely spotty ribbon, pearls, reindeer moss and three little sea-themed buttons.

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

Truly Scrumptious - Summer Sparkle

Penny's Paper-Crafty - Here comes summer

ABC Challenge - V for variety (3 types of embellies - pearls, ribbon, buttons, reindeer moss)

Crafters Companion - Here comes summer

Meljen's Designs - Coastal Fun

Stampin for the Weekend - Blue, buttons and bling

Art Impressions Stamps - Happy Summer

Paper Cutz - Beach or travel theme

Just Magnolia - Anything Goes

Fairy Fun Fridays - Summer Fun

7 Kids College Fun - Sketch (and Tilda in the Sea can be purchased here)

What's Growing Friday - Roses

 

Over at Trish's blog it's time for What's Growing Friday again.  In my garden this week my old-fashioned rose at the front of the house is collapsing under the weight of all the flowers.  I don't think this is supposed to be a climbing rose but what I do know is that I'm going to have to get DH to built some sort of support for it.  It's by the front window and smells absolutely glorious!  Using this as inspiration I made a roses themed card.

I used my new (well from ebay) Stampin' Up Roses in Winter set.  First I stamped the three-step roses onto pale pink card.  I used Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose and Melon Mambo for the pink roses and then So Saffron, More Mustard and Pumpkin Pie for the yellow roses.  Then I sponged round the edges with Pretty in Pink and Regal Rose, matted this onto some lovely bright pink card and attached it to my card base.  The single rose is stamped in the pinks with the addition of the leaves stamps (in Certainly Celery).  I cut the single rose with my circle Nesties and matted it onto some pink card (scalloped nestie) and then a pretty little doily from Poppy's Cabin that I also sponged with Pretty in Pink.  Poking out from behind this are two flourishes cut with my Sizzix Decorative Flourishes die.  The lovely sentiment is from the same Roses set, again sponged around the edges and I've matted it onto green card.

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

Creatalicious Challenges - Flourishes

Incy Wincy - Nature

House of Gilli - Flowers

Peachy Keen Stamps - Sketch with a twist (sponging)

A Spoon Full of Sugar - Flower power

Divas by Design - Florals

Cards and Scrap - Flowers

Cupcake Craftroom - Flowers and leaves

Daring Cardmakers - Roses and Honeysuckle

Colour Throwdown - Colour challenge (Pumpkin Pie, Melon Mambo, Certainly Celery)

Just one flower

I haven't played along with Less is More for ages but this week they have a fab sketch with a twist called Pick a Square.  You have to place your image in a square either in one corner or in the middle.  I chose to use the flower stamp from Stampin' Up Natures Wonders.  I stamped it with SU Soft Suede and then added some colour with felt pens.  It is matted and layered onto brown (honest it is brown) and pink card and then placed in the centre of a cream square card blank.  I apologise for the colours - bad photographer!

Wedding ATC

Today I made an ATC with a Wedding theme.  I used my Hobby Art Hillside Scene-it stamps (the church) and coloured it with Derwent Studio Pencils for a soft look.  I matted it onto silver card and placed it inside my gatefold ATC.  The floral stamp is by Inkadinkado (Garden Flower set) and is stamped in Encore silver.  I added some corner peel-offs to the front of the ATC as well as a little closure made by stamping a frame (Prima Clear Stamps) onto blue card in silver and added the words in black ink.  Then I tied a little blue organza bow to finish off.

I'd like to enter my ATC in the following challenges:

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge - Wedding/love

Digi Doodle - Weddings

The Rubber Cafe - Weddings/Anniversary

Craft Us Crazy - Rememberance/Love theme

The Cheerful Stamp Pad - Special reason

Papercraft Star - Wedding from photo inspiration (I used the colours and the arch windows as they reminded me of a church)

Going for a dip

It's really warm today, it feels just like summer.  I wish I could sneak off to the beach but instead I got out my Artistic Stamper stamps (Seaside No. 1 plate).  I chose the lovely bathing beauty and stamped her with Versafine Onyx Black, then mounted her onto pale blue card, rounding the corners with a punch.  The background card was embossed using Tim Holtz Alterations Texture Fades folder, Retro Circles and mounted it all onto a black card blank.  The banner was made by stamping the little shells from the plate onto white card and punching them out with a Woodware tag punch then threaded them on a piece of white fibre.  To finish off I added a lovely silver shell and some blue pearls.

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:

Paper Cutz - Use a banner

Bling It On - Embossing

Crafters Companion - Here comes summer

Penny's Paper Crafty - Here comes summer

Truly Scrumptious - Summer Sparkle

Everybody Art - Banners

Card Positioning Systems - Sketch

Join the team

I have to send my son some post so I made him this card to accompany it. The stamp is from Rivercity Rubber Works and is stamped in Versafine Vintage Sepia.  I've added colour to the team with a felt pen.  I matted it onto pale blue card and added a brad photo corner.  The two pieces of background card are embossed using Tim Holts Alterations Texture Fades folders - Rays and Retro Circles.  The final touch was 3 blue brads.
I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:
Kerry's Color Throwdown - colour challenge
Dude Time Doodles - Sketch
Scrapbook Sisters - It's a mans world
Simon Says Stamp - For a man
Scrapalicious -  Challenge 5 For a man
Crafty Your Days Away - Special Man
Stamping Scrapping Challenge Central - Boys, boys, boys
Lexi's Creations - For a man
Craft Your Passions - What a guy
Cards for Men - No paper
Sweet Stamps - Masculine