One Stop Craft Challenge - DT Card

Good morning everybody

I hope it is not pouring with rain, like it is as I write this.  No more garden time for me if it is.  It has been lovely pottering these last few days, and lots of stuff coming into flower.  In fact it has been really difficult to do any crafting with the sun shining outside.

This is my first DT card for the One Stop Craft Challenge - the theme being swirls and pearls, which was chosen by the lovely Suzi.

The is the first inking of a Sarah Kay image I have had for a while (along with quite a few others!).  It is Olivia with her Kittens.  The image is stamped on to 300gsm watercolour card with Versafine Ink, and is coloured with Distress Inks, which I have not used for a long time.  My papers are Prima Flights of Fancy, with both sides being used.  I have stamped a couple of swirls, and placed pearls on them.  The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts and the leaves are punched with Le-Em punches.  The lace is from stash, rubbed over with distress ink.  The base card on this is dark brown, and the leaves dark green, byut both seem to have come out looking black in the photo.

I am also entering this card for a number of challenges:

• The Crafty Calendar Challenge - The great outdoors
• ABC - V is for Vintage
• The Creative Cottage - Blooming Charmin'
• Simon Says Stamp - Use pink or blue with green and brown
• Creative Inspirations - Distressed
• Inky Impressions - Flowers, with the addition of something else, according to the theme specified, I have used lace and pearls
• Pixie Dust Studio Challenge - Add a pearl
• Flutter by Wednesday - freestyle, but must have wings, ie. a fairy, angel or butterfly
• Stamptacular Sunday, - Pearls and Swirls

Thanks for stopping by. I really appreciate your comments.

Mrs Hedgie in her Sunday best ....

This is Mrs Hedgie in her Sunday finery.  She is part of a set of clear stamps I have had lurking in my folder of clear stamps that had not been used before.  The sentiment is from the same set.  Do you like her trendy shoes??

I am entering her for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge, who have asked to see 'Lots of Spots', so I have obliged.  The paper is one I have had in my stash for a while, and as the strip was already cut off the bottom I cannot tell you what it is.  I have teamed the DP with co-ordinating Bazzill card, and on both papers I have punched an edge.  The colouring has been done with Distress Inks.  A little bling has been added to her hat.  The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts, and ribbon is from stash.

I am also entering this for the Creative Cottage Challenge, and they would like to see Blooms.

Thanks for stopping by. I really appreciate your comments.

And more news ...... wow!!

Hi everybody

I am overwhelmed - I have just won a spot on the Sweet Stampin Challenge Blog as a DT for six months!


Thanks for stopping by.  I really appreciate your comments.

 

Some great news ...

What a gorgeous day - sun was up early and it was blue, blue sky all day.  Added to that I have some exciting news ....


I have been chosen as one of the new DT for the One Stop Craft Challenge .  I am absolutely over the moon.

The challenge this week is Birthstones.  Why not pop along and join in.  Now I've got to look at something that represents the colour of mine, which is Peridot for August.

Thanks for stopping by.  I really appreciate your comments.


 

Whiff of Joy - Guest Designer Call

Every two months, on the 16th of the month, Katharina holds a guest designer call on behalf of Whiff of Joy. The call is open for 1 week from May 16th, and closes at 8.00pm on May 23rd.

To enter this GD call there are a few guidelines:

• Create a card using at least 1 Whiff of Joy stamp
• Color challenge!! Create a card using red, orange and 1 colour of your choice (neutrals like white and black can be used additionally)

Well - although I have used these colours before, very rarely have they been in this combination, and I realised that it needed something to separate them, so I have used black .

My image is from the the City Girl collection, called Dancing Willow.  I have used Copics for colouring.  The papers are Basic Grey Ambrosia, and seem to shout the colours required for this entry, with plain black card for the counts.  I have punched the edge of the striped paper and the black paper behind it with a Martha Stewart punch to give a zig-zag finish to the paper.  The flowers are all from Wild Orchid Crafts, with punched leaves.

Thanks for stopping by. I really appreciate your comments.


 

Weddings .....

We appear to be walking into the wedding season with the beginning of May.  So I am following. 

My card is a Lili of the Valley image, and I am ashamed to say that this is it's first inking!!  Bad lady ...  I think they are very cute couple.  My bride is slightly non-traditional, as I decided to give her a pale blue gown, and also another first, I have cut an out of frame nestie, following the very easy tutorial from the lovely Rach.  This can be found here. 

The image is coloured in Copics.  The background papers, which are very neutral, silvery grey, are printed from the Decadent Brocade CD available from Graphicus, on to White Silver Shimmer Card, which gives a lovely sheen  I have just slightly modified the intensity to get differing tones of the same sheet.  This is mounted on to Bazzill Bling card.  No idea what colour - but I think it was out of a Wisteria colour match pack.  Lace and ribbon are from Bunny Zoe's Crafts, and flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts, with punches used for leaves, and also the double edging across the middle.  The sentiment is from Magnolia, which I bought at the NEC.   I have also used Stardust stickles to give a little bling.

I am entering this for the following challenges:

Charisma Card Challenge, week 20 - its all about weddings
One Stop Craft Challenge, no. 79 - wedding wishes and DT call
CRAFT Challenge, no. 49, - wedding or birthday


Thanks for stopping by. I really appreciate your comments.

 

Welcome, Little One

There is a brilliant sketch by Jane on the Whiff of Joy Challenge this week.  I have loved working with it, and this is the third time this week I have made use of it in various different ways.

The image I have used for this card is Willow with Baby - isn't she cute. 

I have coloured with Prisma pencils this time.  The background papers are from an MME pack, with  Bazzill used for the base.  The lovely lace from Bunny Zoe's, and flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts.  Pearls from stash.  The punching has been done with a Martha Stewart doilly edge punch.

So this is being entered for the Whiff of JoyChallenge, no 78, using the sketch above,
and also
Pile it On, no. 18, Cute and Cudly - well I think so
Fab and Funky Challenge , no 22, Fancy Edges
Delightful Sketches - pull out your punches
365 Cards, 3 L's - Love, Leaves, Lace - I think this qualifies - baby love
Simple Doodles, You're on my Mind
Simon Says Stamp - Birthday/Celebration - I think this celebrates the birth of a child


Thanks for stopping by. I really appreciate your comments.

Do you believe .....

I hope you have all had a lovely weekend. 

This little lady is  Lili of the Valley Fairy on Tiptoe, and she is smelling the summer flowers surrounded by butterflies.

The sketch I have used for this is the one in use this week on the Whiff of Joy Challenge Blog, and I am sure I will be using it again very shortly!
The background papers are the love Basic Grey Kioski.  My pad is dwindling, and I am going to need another soon, but I have also spied some new ones out, so let's see.  I did say I love paper.

I have coloured with Copics, and used Stickles Crystal, which has a slight pink tinge to it when it is dry, which tones well with the colours of the papers.  The love flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts, and I have punched the leaves.  The pearls and pearl pins are from Bunny Zoe's Crafts.  I have used a Martha Stewart  butterfly border punch on the edge of the mottled green paper, and used the punch outs for the small butterflies, and a larger punch for the butterfly at the bottom.

This is a second entry for the Lili of the Valley Challenge, Here Comes Summer.

I am also entering it for

• Crafty Calendar Challenge, Outdoors
• Whoopsi Daisy Challenge, As you Like It
• Cutie Sunday, Freestyle
• Everybody Art Challenge, Pastel Colours
• Crafty Creations, Magical
• Flutterby Wednesday, CAS - well it is for me!!  haha
• Alphabet Challenge Blog - Butterflies
• Stamp Something - Birthday somethings
• Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - A recipe - 2 papers, 3 embellishments, 1 image

Thanks for stopping by. I really appreciate your comments.

Vintage, Distress, Whatever - round 2

I really enjoyed the themes expressed in the title, so have decided to make a second entry for some of the challenges.

Crafty Cardmakers - Distressed
Theme Thursday - Vintage
Crafty Ann's Challenge - No. 14, Anything Goes
Stamp Simply - Mothers Day

The image is a Stempelglede image,  Maribel, from UnikScrap.  However,  I have just discovered that Quixotic Paperie are going to be stocking Stempelglede .  Hooray!! - - just means I might end up spending more money because they are in the UK!!

I have stamped with Rangers Black Archival ink on to Clarity Silk card to get a photolike image.  I  then tinted the image with distress inks.  The frame was cut with a nestie.  The background papers are from the Decadent Brocade CD by Artylicious, which can be purchased from Graphicus.  Such beautiful papers on the Artylicious CDs I do wonder sometimes why I purchase other DP, but I just love paper.

Flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts, and the lace and pearls from stash.

Thanks for stopping by. I really appreciate your comments.

Vintage, Distress, Whatever ...

As I am sitting doing this post the sun is shining outside, and the bells are pealing across the fields at the church which is 10 minutes down the road from us.  Such a lovely day.

This style is slightly different from my norm, but something I enjoy doing, and in fact when I started stamping most of my cards were in this sort of style.

All the stamps I have used are B Line from L B Crafts.  The main image is called Stand By Me, and the other is Floral corner.  I have inked the background with Distress Inks, , and coloured the images with them as well.    The background paper is from a box of K & Co papers, with the mount a textured Bazzill on which I have used a Martha Stewart punch along the edge.  The leaves are punched with L-Em punches, flowers are Prima with a Basic Grey enamelled brad.  Ribbon from stash - I think it came from Craft Fairy as I always stock up with them at shows.

I am entering this card for the following challenges

• One Powerful Hour - 20's style
• Crafty Cardmakers - Distressed
• Theme Thursday - Vintage
• Crafty Ann's Challenge - No. 14, Anything Goes
• Stamp with Fun - No. 57, Friends

Thanks for stopping by. I really appreciate your comments.

Here comes summer - Lili of the Valley Style

Hi everybody

Better late than never.  Have you ever tried to do something without your OH seeing it.  Well this was my only opportunity to complete this card.  So this entry is for Lili of the Valley, Here comes summer ....

I am also entering this card for the Pollycraft Monday Challenge, No 42 - Here Comes the Sun

This time tomorrow last year were were driving to Gatwick to get a flight to St Lucia - the holiday was a belated 35th wedding anniversary present to ourselves.  We stayed in a brilliant hotel, and when we arrived they told us we not be having the room I had booked, but they gave us a beachfront carib style house, that was stunning.  There were also vouchers for the spa, and several bottles of champagne in the friend.  We came slightly addicted to it, because it was available every evening as part of the package, along with every other cocktail imaginable.  I'm not saying it was the holiday of a lifetime, but it was up there at the top.

So this card, represents that time.  If we were sitting on the beach, all we had to do was to put a flag in the ground for a waiter to come along to see what we wanted to drink.

The stamp is a cute Lili of the Valley image of a bear dreaming in a deck chair on the beach, with a drink at his side.  I suspect he was dreaming of a refill.  I have given him rosy cheeks.  The colouring is with Copics.  Papers and some embellishments are K & Co Que Sera, and the flowers are Prima Painterly Petals.

And just a little sweetener ...

The first one is a sunset on the beach outside out room, and the second is taken from a 6-seater charter plane, when we flew down to the Tobago Cays for some sailing and to visit some other islands and also to go to a marine park.  Absolute bliss!


Thanks for stopping by. I really appreciate your comments.

 

Flutter by Wednesday

Flutter by Wednesday have asked that we do something Clean and Simple with our butterflies, angels or fairies.  I was not sure whether I knew how do do this!  I always seem to load everything up.  So here it is ..... I hope it is not too plain, but I understand that the idea is there should be clean space around the image so that nothing detracts. 

This is a Stampin' Up image from the 2008/2009 catalogue, and I cannot remember the name of the set, but there are some lovely images in it.  The sentiment is from the same set.  I stamped with Stazon, and coloured with a mixture of Derwents Inktense Watercolour Pencils and Distress Inks.  I have mounted on to some pale pink Bazzill card that co-ordinates with the dress, and cut a small butterfly to go behind the sentiment.

Thanks for stopping by. I really appreciate your comments.

Anything but .........

The challenge no 78 on One Stop Craft Challenge, they have asked for anything but a card.  I have made a little box with some notelets (these aren't cards really - are they?!?)  in it for a friend.    She has been with me through thick and thin, and we have been friends for at least 36 years. and met when we were working in London for the same company, and discovered we were only 15 miles apart!

I saw the tutorial for this on Splitcoast Stampers, and adjusted the sizes to fit.  I saw something similar to this on the blog of the very talented Bev Rochester, and thought at the time, it was such a lovely idea.

The box is made from Stampin' Up cardstock, and image is from Birdie Love plate from Whiff of Joy, and flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts.  The butterly is from a due by Marianne's Creabilities.  Because it is not punched though all the tiny bits of waste have to be removed from the due with a pin, which is really fiddly.

The post looks poo - I could not get everything to line up properly!

Thanks for stopping by. I really appreciate your comments.

 

Is it really May?

We had hailstones yesterday and it has totally battered my lovely tulips in their pots.

This is the first time I seem to have got a decent coloured image of this stamp, although I have had it for some while.  The Sweet Pea stamps are quite exotic looking, and this is what I have tried to convey with this image, which is ching-chou kuik's Love is Gone.

I am entering this card for the following challenges:

• Bizzy Becs Creatalicious Challenge, no 9
• Whoopsi Daisy Challenge, As you like it
• Charisma Cardz Challenge, no 17 - girly with flowers
• The Corrosive Challenge - Celebrate, it's Janet's Birthday
• Crafty Angels, Week 33, with a recipe of one ribbon, two papers, three flowers

I have used Crate Paper, Plum Blossom paper, and the patterned paper is the reverse of the orange one.  The image is coloured with copics, and I have used a Sakura Clear glittery pen for accents, and some Stickles StarDust.  Ribbon is from stash and flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts, with leaves punched with Martha Stewart and Leome punches.  The dies for the background papers I bought at the NEC and are from Little Claire - they go throught he Cuttlebug really well.  Sentment is quite old and very inky, so not sure what it is.

Thanks for stopping by. I really appreciate your comments.