Oh baby!

Have you seen Karen's latest Sweet Sunday Sketch challenge #57 yet? When I first saw it I thought, "uh oh, another difficult challenge", but then I imagined graduated colours and considered doing a sunset card (yellow to deep orange). I got very excited! And then I thought it would be a good way to showcase some stitching. So I umm'ed and ahhh'ed and landed on this...

The stitching didn't come out brilliantly, but I don't suppose you can expect much from a £20 mini sewing machine! I really wanted to do the graduated colours, but I didn't have the right cardstock. Perhaps I should have inked up some white cardstock. Hey ho, nevermind, perhaps I'll do it later in the week.

Oh, and in case you read my blog yesterday, I ended having a good day at work, albeit it being mega busy - my mojo came back just in time!

Papers/cardstock: Bazzill cardstock, Cosmo Cricket Honey Pie papers
Mediums: Distress Tea Dye ink
Stamps: none
Accents: lace ribbon (from Bunny Zoe's Crafts here), ribbon from stash

Tools: Nestabilities blossom and classic circle, Fiskars Apron border punch

Happy birthday to .... who?!!

Have you tried the Embellish Magazine Color challenge yet? You have to use pink, blue, green and brown with a birthday theme. Goodness, I found it really, really hard! I've been mulling for days what to do and then I was browsing Cath's Moxie Fab World and she has a challenge to use floss - ping! A light bulb went off in my head and I immediately thought of this design...

I'm still not convinced I colour combination! But it was a good opportunity to use a couple of fav techniques - embossing the spots on the banner, using my Scor Pal to emboss the lines on the brown card and using the floss (of course!).

That ribbon does actually match the pink cardstock really well, but the photo makes it much lighter. I chose that sentiment because it's in a wave which I thought would go well with the banner (flying the breeze an' all that!). I do like this design and think it would look great with sorbet or pastel colours.

Anyhoo, not in a very good mood at the moment - got another very busy week at work that I'm dreading. It's very unlike me - I'm one of those people who usually get on people's nerves for being so upbeat all the time! No doubt I will find my mojo soon! ;)

Papers/cardstock: Bazzill cardstock

Mediums: Elzybells Sugar Candy pigment ink pad, blue ink pad

Stamps: Hero Arts background dot stamp, Hero Arts Wavy Wishes

Accents: American Crafts ribbon, Bazzill floss
Tools: Woodware triangle punch, Fiskars Apron border punch, Scor Pal

Follow your heart - it knows the way

What a great saying, huh? I got the freebie sentiment set when I bought during Stampin' Up's sale-a-bration. I wanted to make a card for one of my dear friends who is going through a divorce at the moment - they're never smooth sailing. I wanted to let her know I'm thinking of her as we live far apart from each other. It's my sort of virtual hug to her.

I used challenges to get some inspiration and I ended up making three cards! The first is for Picture Perfect Creations challenge - Megan left me a lovely comment against one of my blog entries and thought I'd return the compliment by joining in with her very first challenge. Here's the card with the challenge below...

The second and third cards are for Moxie Fab World's Trigger Tuesday challenge, using bright yellow and red based on the picture below...

I'm getting brave with those bright colours now! I tried using them before but my cards always looked like a 3 year old had made them! I think the trick is to use top quality materials in achieving a professional finish. I shaped teh butterfly wings and used foam pads under the yellow matt to keep the cards from looking too plain. And don't ask me how I got the ribbons to twist that way - total fluke, not my skills in ribbon tying!

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

First card:

Papers/cardstock: Bazzill kraft and other cardstock, BasicGrey Wisteria paper pad
Mediums: Brilliance ink pad
Stamps: Stampin Up Whimsical Words
Accents: ribbon and gems from stash

Tools: EK Success butterfly punches

Second cards:

Papers/cardstock: Papermania linen white cardstock, Bazzill red and yello cardstock

Mediums: Versafine blank ink

Stamps: Stampin Up Whimsical Words

Accents: Bazzill ribbon, Papermania pearls
Tools: Fiskars effervescent border punch, Fiskars Lacy Days of Summer border punch

Sweet Stampin Challenge #13

No, it's not a typo! It's a weekly challenge where you can use Stampin' Up products, but it's not compulsory. I've never played it before, but as I've got some Stampin' Up goodies, I thought I would use it as an opportunity to make a card using only their products, except for the ribbon (I don't have any Stampin' Up accent stock yet).

This week's Sweet Stampin challenge uses really bright colours and I don't have any Stampin' Up printed papers (yet!) so I spent hours trying to come up with a design. I found it really, really hard! Anyway, here it is...

I feel like it needs something up in that top left corner, but buttons, dew drops, pearls just didn't work!! But I think perhaps I like it plain. I also used foam pads under the matt to give it some depth and interest.

Well, I'm so pleased it's the weekend - have a good one everyone!

Papers/cardstock: Stampin' Up card in Tempting Turquoise, Cameo Coral, Summer Fun, Real Red and Whisper White

Mediums: Stampin' Up inks in Tempting Turquoise, Cameo Coral, Summer Fun, Real Red

Stamps: Stampin' Up Flight of the Butterfly, Inkadinkado Flourishes
Accents: ribbon from stash

Tools: Nestabilities classic circle and scallop dies, Fiskars scallop border punch

BasicGrey challenge

This is the first time I've played the BasicGrey challenge and I own so much of their stuff it seemed crazy NOT to! So here's my card...

I think I like my card, but I really don't like the flourishes! I think I might pick them off! And I've just noticed a little stray bit of paper stuck by the jute ribbon!! Goodness, I'm messy. I love making my scrunched paper flowers now - haven't bought a Prima flower for at least a year!

Happy Friday everybody!

Papers/cardstock: Bazzill cardstock, BasicGrey Wisteria paper pad

Mediums: Distress Tea Dye ink, Copic Caios

Stamps: The Greeting Farm Miss Anya Love

Accents: jute ribbon (bought from Bunny Zoe's Crafts here), Papermania pearls in white, BasicGrey brads
Tools: Nestabilities classic square die, EK Success flourish punches

A girl can never have enough...[fill in fav item here]

Happy Thursday everybody! And, boy, am I ever pleased that it's nearly Friday! Another long, hard week at work and no time to be creative, **humph**. I was so desperate to get my mind off work when I got home this evening that I quickly knocked up this card...

I didn't use any sketch or challenge and I made it in an hour - that's super fast for me!!! I normally mull over a design for days if I don't have a sketch! It's quite an old Stamping Bella stamp, but it will never go out of fashion. And I always like to think my waist and bum looks that good from behind. Well, yeah, keep on dreaming...

Hopefully I will have another card to share with you tomorrow, until then "adieu"!

Papers/cardstock: Bazzill cardstock, Cosmo Cricket Nutmeg paper pad
Mediums: brown ink, Copic Caios
Stamps: Stamping Bella savvyshoppabella, Papermania Queen of Shopping (sentiment)
Accents: ribbon from stock, 4mm pearls in coffee

Tools: Nestabilities Labels One die, EK Success embossed curve border punch

Kung Hei Fat Choy!

Kung Hei Fat Choy to all my blog buddies, here is a card for you! Being half Chinese (the other half being English and Portuguese), we always use this as a good excuse to eat lots of yummy Chinese food and be with family. Well, I've done plenty of both this weekend and wanted to share a little of it with you all for your continued encouraging and kind words.

This is the year of the Tiger, but I don't own anything crafty with a tiger in it, not even a cat! So decided to do this week's Flower Power challenge for Anyone for Anya. I've kept to the oriental theme by using my Sakura flower punches (Sakura is Japanese for the blossoms of the cherry tree). I also used my Derwent Colorsoft pencils to give Geisha Anya a softer look and do you like that strip of black? It's stiff, coarse, matted fibre - love how it gives the card such interesting texture.

I also used Taylor Expressions's sketch below to make sure I joined in with Taylor's 100th sketch celebration! I thought it would be ideal to showcase the delicate Sakura flowers.

Chinese New Year lasts for three days, so two more days of celebrations to go, woo hoo! (Goodness, I'm gonna have to go on a diet from Wednesday...)

Papers/cardstock: Bazzill cardstock, DCWV Far East paper

Mediums: Memento black ink, Derwent Colorsoft, Sansol, Distress Inks Tea Dye

Stamps: The Greeting Farm Geisha Anya and sentiment

Accents: textured "ribbon" (got from Bunny Zoe's Crafts here), brad from stock

Tools: Nestabilities octagonal die, circle cutter

More Valentine cards - but who to give them to?!

I don't know what got into me last night, but I intended to go to bed before 11pm but didn't quite make it! On my way to the bedroom, I swung by my craft room (just because I love being in there) and ended up making two cards! I didn't reach the bedroom until 1am! So here is the first one and I used the Inspirations Sketch challenge #18 (think the deadline was on Wednesday - yup, another one missed!)...








For the second one I used Mojo Monday sketch week 125...









I used the left over hearts from the Martha Stewart doily heart border punch from the first card and covered them with Diamond Glaze - they look like sweet little brads. Great stuff, will be using that more!


Now what can I make next...



First card
Papers/cardstock: Bazzill kraft and brown cardstock, Papermania pink smooth cardstock, BasicGrey Bittersweet papers
Mediums: Memento brown ink, Copic Caios, Distress Inks Tea Dye (shading on label), Smooch Moonlight (dots on cup)
Stamps: Hero Arts So Sweet
Accents: ribbon and buttons from stash

Tools: Martha Stewart doily heart border punch, Nestabilities Labels One (still my fav!)


Second card
Papers/cardstock: Bazzill brown cardstock, Papermania magenta smooth cardstock, BasicGrey Bittersweet papers
Mediums: Memento brown ink, Copic Caios, Distress Inks Tea Dye (shading on label), Diamond Glaze
Stamps: Magnolia muffin, MFT Be Mine sentiment
Accents: ribbon from stash
Tools: Martha Stewart doily heart border punch, Nestabilities Blossom die

Smooch!

Phew! I managed to make my hubby's Valentine's card at last. He doesn't really appreciate cards (let along handmade ones!) and he's not the romantic type either so I always struggle to make him cards! He does have a great sense of humour though so I thought I'd do something less soppy and more in keeping for what I like getting from him - kisses!

As I always find it so hard to make cards with clean lines (always look so unprofessional!), I decided to use a lot of texture - clear embossing powder on the dotted side border, embossed black matting, white linen cardstock for the background and hearts AND used Diamond Glaze on the lips. And of course my fav foam pads behind the heart in the foreground and the lips. This card took me ages!

I am entering this card into three challenges this week. Firstly, Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge #60 (which I didn't think I'd be able to manage as it looked so difficult!)...

Secondly, Crazy for Challenges #23 "Be My Valentine" and, lastly, By the Cute and Girly February challenge to make a card themed around "love" (just found this blog!).

Papers/cardstock: Papermania white linen cardstock, red and black smooth cardstock, red foam sheet

Mediums: Versamagic Red Magic ink, Versamark ink, clear embossing powder, Diamond Glaze (on lips)
Stamps: Inca lips, Hero Arts dots background stamp
Accents: Stampin' Up ribbon
Tools: Woodware heart punch, Cuttlebug houndstooth embossing folder, Quickutz Neat Freak alphabet dies, Wizard die cutter

Love you so

Just a quickie tonight - so tired after another loooong week at work! But I did manage to create a card last night for Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #55 and here it is...

And here's the sketch...

Papers/cardstock: Bazzill vanilla cardstock, Cosmo Cricket Little Girls paper collection

Mediums: none

Stamps: none

Accents: Papermania Pearls, Crate Paper Blue Hill brads

Tools: Nestabilities Blossom Two, sewing machine

My first There She Goes challenge

Does anybody know where you can buy There She Goes stamps in the UK? I love their stamps but can't find them readily, but I still like ogling at their blog to see all those fab DT cards! They have a weekly challenge and this week's one is to use red, pink and brown - yum! I've never played their challenges before because I thought you had to use their stamps, but you don't! So here is my entry...

I used the Sweet Sunday Sketch challenge #54 sketch again as I thought it would showcase that yummy paper and butterfly!

Papers/cardstock: BasicGrey Indian Summer, various Bazzill cardstock
Stamps: none
Mediums: none
Accents: Papermanie adhesive pearls
Tools: Martha Stewart String Lace edge punch, Quickutz Revolution butterfly die

I believe in fairies!

Well, for those who really know me I'm a very practical kinda gal and there's no way I'd believe in such nonsense - but I'd like to! Must be my sensible versus nonsensical sides clashing... sorry, off on a tangent again..

This is the first time I've done a Quixotic challenge and here is my card...

The photo (as usual!) doesn't do it justice, that Bazzill Bling flower really does set off the fairy very nicely - I just love them and I managed to get a whole load of them half price last year (yup, which means I have far too many in my stash).

I was going to submit it for the Sweet Sunday Sketch challenge too but missed the deadline - again! ; ( Blimey, gotta get a clock with functionality that goes off when challenges are near to closing...gotta patent that...

Papers/cardstock: BasicGrey Indian Summer, Sir Stampalot's Copic Premium Seriously Smooth White Cardstock, various Bazzill cardstock

Stamps: TGF Angel Anya, TGF sentiment

Mediums: Copic Caios, Deco Just Glitter pen in Gold (on the wings)

Accents: Bazzill Bling flower

Tools: Martha Stewart Garden Trellis deep edge punch

Avid book reader!

OMG, I hear you say. Surely I haven't managed to make two cards, two day's in a row?!! I enjoyed making yesterday's card so much that I made another card before I went to bed last night! Thank goodness for sketches - halves my creative thinking time so I can make a card in an hour!

This time I've used Wild Sprout Annika and all I could think of was was tweed and chintz! Not normally the elements I tend to go for, but for some very strange reason I just love this little lady. Even with her totally over-sized head - she looks like she's going to topple over any minute, but I still think she's adorable!! What is that about?!!!

Anyway...sorry...gone off on a rant there. Here she is...



I've used Mercy's Tuesday Sketch challenge #59 below and gorgeous BasicGrey Wisteria. I've also started using Copic Premium Seriously Smooth White Cardstock (bought from Sir Stampalot) - this is seriously amazing! I found blending and lack of bleeding helped my colouring in skills no end!

I found the sketch really hard to do, even though it's the most simplest I've used. Trying to keep it interesting was a real challenge and I ended up making a vintage looking flower to go with that chintzy paper - I think I like it, but it needs something else, can't think what though!

Back to real work (that helps me pay for my crafting addiction). Have a great weekend everyone!


Papers/cardstock: BasicGrey Wisteria, Sir Stampalot's Copic Premium Seriously Smooth White Cardstock (this is seriously amazing!)
Stamps: TGF WS Annika, Tgf sentiment (can't remember from which set though!)
Mediums: Copic Caios, Distress Ink Antique Linen, Memento Tuxedo black ink
Accents: Papermania pearls, BasicGrey button, Bazzill ivory floss
Tools: Nestabilities classic square die, EK Success nesting scallop punches

Sassy!

At last, I have used my Sassy Suzi from TGF! I love this image sooo much that I was scared to use it as I didn't think I could do it justice! Crazy, yeah I know - it's a stamp for goodness sakes!!! Still, I treated it with kid gloves and came up with this...

When I make my cards I usually start off with the image I want to use and choose the paper I think best goes with the style of the stamp. This time round, I knew straight away that Suzi was wearing a pair of jeans and a suede coat with cream fake fur trim! Luckily I had some BasicGrey Granola to match!

I used the Anyone for Anya sketch below because I thought the simple style would showcase the image - a perfect match! Overall, I think it came out pretty well and can't wait to give it to someone!

Papers/cardstock: BasicGrey Granola, Bazzill cardstock

Stamps: TGF Sassy Suzi
Mediums: Copic Caios, Distress Ink Tea Dye
Accents: Stampin' Up ribbon

Tools: Nestabilities classic square die, Quickutz Katie alphabet dies