Karens Doodles 17th challenge

Time for a new challenge at Karen's Doodles UK and this week we have a colour theme - black, white and 1 other colour.  I always seem to end up using pink when I have one of these challenges to do, and I drifted into doing the same again!  Not very original of me, but I think it suits the image.

I've used the lovely Princess Kitty image which is available from Karen's Doodles here, and coloured her with promarkers with some touches of silver gel pen and sakura clear stardust pen.  I'm not all that happy with my colouring on this one - it was too hot in my craft room and I'm not very good in the heat!  Also the photo makes it look like I haven't used any shading on the cat's fur at all, but I have, it's just not showing up.  I'm not sure what the papers are as I've had them for ages, they're possibly Dovecraft, cardstock is coredinations.  I've used my Nellie Snellen flower punch again, with a black Green Tara flower, and added black flat back pearl centres.  Finished off with some card candy dots that I've coloured to match with a promarker.

I'm also entering my card for the following challenges:

• A Spoon Full of Sugar - animal crackers
• Pollycraft Monday - pinkalicious
• Sew Many Challenges - anything goes
• KL Stampin & Scrappin - sketch (I changed the centre shape, hope that's ok)

Crafty Cardmakers 24

It's time for a new challenge at Crafty Cardmakers and this week we'd like you all to get 'inky fingers' - add some ink to your projects, in anyway you like.  And as you can see from my card, you don't have to use much if you don't want to!  I had to keep mine fairly 'clean' looking as it's for an order.

I've used a sweet little princess image from Digistamp Boutique, coloured with promarkers.  The papers are K&Co Wild Raspberry, with coredinations cardstock and a little bit of bright pink spotty Doodlebug paper that I found in my scraps (for the flowers).  I've finally used my new Nellie Snellen flower punch to cut the flowers - with all those male cards I've had to make, this is the first chance I've had to use it.  Added flat back pearl centres.  Used the MS doily lace punch for the borders and the sentiment is computer generated.  It might not look like there's any ink on my card, but I've used Tattered Rose and Worn Lipstick distress inks around the edges of the pink papers, flowers, image & sentiment, and Antique Linen on the yellow paper and flowers - it IS there, honest!

I'm also entering my card for the following challenges:

• Papertake Weekly - sketch (altered slightly)
• Stamp With Fun - birthday
• Paper Sundaes - birthday card (I meant to make this one a few days ago, to enter their princess challenge, but missed it, so this fits last week's challenge too lol)
• The Corrosive Challenge - flowers
• Digistamp Boutique - monthly competition (umm, possibly my 7th entry... they'll be banning me!)

Right, now that my 2yr old is having his nap, I need to pack up some card orders to take to the post office later, make some engagement party invite samples, make a start on a DT card, put Dex's nappies in the wash... oh and have some lunch lol.  Better get a move on!

Catching up

Ok, I'm officially completely confused - can't get photos to list in any particular order and getting very frustrated.  I'm sure it's just me lol.  I'm also being a rubbish blogger this week, and even though I've made loads of cards I've not got round to blogging them.  It's the heat I think, it makes me lazy.... it's been sooo hot today and it's supposed to be even hotter tomorrow.  Anyway, I thought I'd add some of the cards I've made this week.

The first cards are all for an order - they're teacher thank you cards and are very similar to some I've made before (as requested by my customer).  I've used a cute little girl image from Digistamp Boutique, coloured with promarkers.  The papers are from the Pink Petticoat gingham download, printed onto linen card.  Mounted the images on little doilies from Joanna Sheen and added computer generated sentiments.  Simple :o)

This one is my hubby's Father's Day card from the boys, that I forgot to put on my blog before Father's Day - I followed the sketch at Delightful Sketches and missed entering the challenge there too, oops!  The image is another cutie from Digistamp Boutique, again coloured with promarkers.  The papers are Cosmo Cricket with red cardstock from my stash and a freebie sentiment from The Creative Cottage.  Added some Papermania sticky dot thingies (can't remember their real name lol), they're actually bright red and yellow but the colours aren't showing up well.  The spotty ribbon is one that my 7yr old son insisted we HAD to buy the last time he was in a craft shop with me... well how could I refuse?

Promarkers colours used:

• Monkeys - vanilla, tan, coral (cheeks), sunkissed pink (ears)
• Tops - sunflower yellow, tea green + soft green
• Present - tulip yellow, sunflower yellow, gold, poppy, shale
• Outline - cool aqua + blender
• Ground - cool grey 1, 2 + 4 & blender

I'm entering my cards for the following challenges:

• My Partner in Crafting Crime - teacher/ student inspired (the first cards are all teacher thank yous)
• Craftalicious Challenges - monotone (the first cards are all mono)
• Digistamp Boutique - monthly competition (my 6th entry I think, all cards use DSB images)
• Crafty Catz - let's go digital (all cards)
• Charisma Cardz - for the boys (last card)
• Pile It On - stickers (last card)

Karens Doodles 16th Challenge

Well I'm running a bit behind today - I changed over to the 'new blogger' (I know, everybody else did this ages ago, but I don't like change!).  I thought it was supposed to make adding photos easier, but I can't seem to get them where I want them and there's no logic to where they end up.  After lots of faffing this morning, I gave up and just used one pic!  Anyway, onto the new challenge at Karen's Doodles UK and this week we'd like to see you 'tag it' - it can just be a tag or you could include a tag on your card.

I've used the lovely Rosie Dance image, available here.  I've coloured her with promarkers and given her dress a good coat of glamour dust - I love that stuff :o)  The tag was cut with a sizzix bigz die that my friend lent me, and I think I might buy the die now I've played with it... actually there's no might about it lol.  The paper is from the Forever Friends Pink Parfait pad, ribbon & gems from my stash and the rose is from Wild Orchid Crafts.  There's not much to it really!

I'm also entering my tag for a couple of challenges:

• Crafty Creations - we want to see you shine
• Kaboodle Doodles - dash of purple

A girly teacher thank you

 

Hurrah, at last - I made a girly card!!!  Oh, I did have fun with this, it's made such a nice change from all those men's cards.  I was halfway through hubby's Father's Day card and I just couldn't take it anymore, so I put it to one side and made this one for an order instead.  I'll have to go and finish hubby's card now though.

I've used a sweet little girl image from Digistamp Boutique, coloured with promarkers, with lots of lovely glamour dust on the heart.  The papers are from the Forever Friends Pink Parfait pad, with coredinations cardstock.  I've printed the verse out onto one of the papers, then mounted it on layers of card, and used the MS doily lace punch on the bottom edges.  Ric rac ribbon from stash and Green Tara flowers with a button from my stash to finish.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Charisma Cardz - all about bling (hope my sparkle qualifies!)
• Bunny Zoe's - nice & girly
• Bee Crafty - pink & girly
• Crazy 4 Challenges - paper flowers
• Digistamp Boutique - monthly competition (my 5th entry!)

Gardening Grandpa

Yes, I know, ANOTHER father's day card, sorry! This is the last of my customer orders though, then I just have to do one for hubby from the boys. And then I'll start working through a looooong list of orders for teacher/ nursery thank you cards! At least I get to use some girly stuff on those though :o)

I've used another of Di's fabby images, this one is Gardening Pop and he's available here. He's coloured with promarkers as usual - I've not had time to write out a list of shades used (doing well with that aren't I eh?), but thought I'd share the colours I used for the bear, because I like this combi for bears - I used vanilla, then sandstone for the shaded areas, then went over all the sandstone with apricot to warm it up a bit, then over again with vanilla - it looks awful while you're colouring, but I love it when it's finished. The papers are MME, cardstock is coredinations - one piece is embossed with the cuttlebug swiss dots folder. Added a freebie sentiment from The Creative Cottage, and the Grandpa text is computer generated.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• I Love Promarkers - bears
• Just Cute Bears - here comes summer
• Our Creative Corner - gotcha cornered (decorated corners)
• One Stop Craft - fab sketch (although I did change it a teeny bit)

Father's day again

Here's another father's day card for an order (again!), I'm getting desperate to use girly things now! Still one more ordered card to make and I haven't made my hubby's father's day card yet either. I know I'm still being rubbish at getting around all your blogs - I'm just struggling to find the time at the moment, sorry.

I've used a fab image from Di's Digi Downloads, available here. I've coloured him with promarkers and used oval nesties to cut him out. The papers are Papermania, with coredinations cardstock. Sentiment is a freebie from The Creative Cottage, and added some nestie stars in the corners with some little spotty Papermania buttons to finish.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Passion For Promarkers - sketch + male themed
• A Crafty Little Place - one for the boys
• Fab 'n' Funky - just for dad
• Allsorts - lace and/or buttons

Karens Doodles 15th Challenge

It's Wednesday again and time for a new challenge at Karen's Doodles UK - this week we'd like to see your summer creations. Karen has lots of lovely images for summer and there were some new ones released this week, so there are lots to choose from in the shop. Or you could just use summer colours, that's fine too :o)

I've made two similar cards, although the first one is my 'official' card lol - I needed two though (yep, for orders again), so thought I might as well put them both on. I've used one of Karen's fab male images Time To Relax, coloured with promarkers. The papers are all from my favourite pad at the moment, Small Wonders Boy by K&Co, cardstock is coredinations. The sentiment on the first card is a digi one from Pink Petticoat, the second one is computer generated. Finished with some big flat backed pearls on the first card and Papermania buttons on the second one.

I'll add my list of promarker colours later - it's a long list and I need to get this posted lol.

I'm also entering my cards for the following challenges:

• Creative Inspirations - one for the boys
• A Spoon Full of Sugar - enjoying the sunshine
• Quirky Crafts - summer
• Sentimental Sundays - summertime
  

Crafty Cardmakers 23

It's time for a new challenge at Crafty Cardmakers and this fortnight we'd like to see your 'cards for men'. This one was easy peasy for me as all I'm making at the moment is male cards, so I had lots to choose from... actually I lost my ability to choose and sent a load to Vix for her to choose for me lol :o)

Both of my cards have been made for orders, for customers with quite different requirements. The first wanted the 'daddy's little princess' message, with a baby girl image, the second just doesn't do 'cute', so I always have to leave my comfort zone a bit when I make cards for her.

I've used a Mo Manning image for my first card, coloured with promarkers. The papers are MME, with coredinations cardstock. The 'princess' sentiment is a digi one from Create with TLC, the circle one was a freebie from The Creative Cottage. Raffia lace from my stash. For the second card I've used another freebie circle sentiment from The Creative Cottage, nestie stars, coredinations cardstock (and some dark brown cardstock from my stash) sanded back. The 'dad' paper is a download from Summer Driggs.

I'm also entering my cards for the following challenges:

• Cupcake Craft - one for the boys
• Friday Sketchers - sketch (1st card)
• Stampavie & More - dots (1st card)
• Cards For Men - father's day (my second entry, hope that's ok!)
  
  

More male cards

Now, I really like making male cards, honest I do... but I've made so many lately I'm getting flower withdrawal symptoms - I've got a new flower punch that I'm desperate to use, but I'm going to have to wait a while yet. Sigh. The first card is one that hubby asked me to make for his grandad for his name's day (a Polish thing) and it was made in a big hurry this morning before we went to visit Pav's family. So it's not the most interesting card lol - I do quite like it though. I've used a Jim image from Digistamp Boutique, coloured with promarkers. The fab grassy paper is Doodlebug, with some bright green cardstock and jute ribbon from my stash.

Promarker colours used:

• skin - ivory, blush, oatmeal + sunkissed pink for cheeks
• hair - warm grey 2
• top - meadow green & apple
• hat & trousers - pastel beige & sandstone
• lawnmower - leaf green & bright green, cool grey 3 & 4 + ice grey 1 (wheels)
• grass - meadow green & grey green
• outline - pastel green + blender

This card is another father's day one for an order. Mikey monkey images from Digistamp Boutique, coloured with promarkers - 2 different Mikey images used, printed one out smaller and popped it up on foam pads, for a sort of 'father & son' monkey type thing lol. I can never remember if these papers are Papermania or Dovecraft, but they're very handy for male cards. Cardstock is coredinations, sentiment is a Pink Petticoat digi, finished off with some card candy. Made this one before I started writing all the promarker colours down, so no list for this one!

I'm entering my cards for the following challenges:

• Digistamp Boutique - monthly competition (think this is my 4th entry and I still have loads more cards to make for this month, sorry!)
• Totally Gorjuss - for the boys
• Creative Inspirations - monochrome (the first card obviously!)

Father's day for grandad

I'm going to keep this as short as possible, in the hope that I'll have to time to visit some of your blogs when I've done! This is another father's day card for an order, a grandad one this time. I've used a sweet little Martha & Marvin image from Digistamp Boutique, coloured with promarkers (ooh I know how to surprise you don't I?!). The papers are from the Small Wonders Boy pad by Brenda Walton for K&Co, I love all of these papers, they're just gorgeous. Papermill cardstock, ribbon from stash, sentiment was a freebie from The Creative Cottage.

Now I know I said I'd keep this short, but I thought I'd try and keep a note of which promarker shades I've used from now on - I probably won't remember everytime but I'll try. A few people (mainly Lindsey lol) have asked which shades I've used before (well it's a handy excuse to buy more pens isn't it?). Sooo here they are:

• Martha & Marvin - tan & cinnamon (bodies), sunkissed pink (ears), coral (cheeks)
• Marvin's top - powder blue, duck egg, meadow green & apple
• Martha's dress - lime zest, lime green
• Ground - meadow green, apple, marsh green + blender
• Outline around image - pastel green + blender

I'm also entering my card for the following challenges:

• Totally Papercrafts - animal magic
• Stamp Something - happy somethings
• Charisma Cardz - spots & stripes
• Paper Sundaes - summer fun
• Papertake Weekly - sketch (+ optional lilac & lemon which I obviously didn't do!)
• Digistamp Boutique - monthly competition (3rd entry)

Another father's day card

Another father's day card for an order - I enjoyed this one, it came together sooo easily! I'm having to keep my cards fairly simple at the moment because there are just so many to make - there are still a few that I haven't blogged yet.

I've used a sweet Mo Manning digi stamp, coloured with promarkers. The papers are from the Little Checks and Pin Stripes downloads from Pink Petticoat, printed onto linen cardstock, with coredinations cardstock. The sentiment was a freebie from The Creative Cottage, backed with a Nellie Snellen die. Ribbon from stash (it started out brown but I coloured it black with a promarker), finished off with a couple of black rainbow drops - yes, I know most people call them dew drops but the tube I have definitely says rainbow drops so there lol.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Truly Scrumptious - fab sketch + optional checks or gingham
• C.R.A.F.T. - fathers day/ male
• Cards For Men - fathers day
• One Stitch At A Time - boys to men
• Crafty Creations - childs play
• Create 4 Fun - black, white + 1 other colour
• Crafty Catz - red & black

Karens Doodles 14th challenge

We have a lovely sketch for you to follow this week at Karen's Doodles UK - unfortunately I forgot to save a copy of it to my pc before writing this post, but you can see it on the challenge blog! I used the sketch to make my hubby's anniversary card.

I love these little Nutsy images, they such fun and so easy to colour - they're available in Karen's new shop here. I've coloured Nutsy with promarkers, the papers are MME Be Loved, and I can't remember which cardstock I used - could be DCWV or coredinations. The heart was cut with an MS punch and I've handcut a plain one to back it with. The sentiment is from Create With TLC, if I remember right it's one of the freebie ones. Added a button from my stash to finish it off.

I'm also entering my card for the following challenges:

• Creative Craft - for the man in your life
• Pile It On - quirky
• Crafts & Me - friends & family

Apologies again for not managing to get around all your blogs lately, I'm still wading through my card orders - I'm going to try and visit some of you today though!

Daddy's little princess

I've had a couple of orders for 'daddy's little princess' style father's day cards this year - it didn't sound too difficult but when I started I realised how hard it is to make a princess themed card for a man lol! It's always going to end up girly really isn't it? I've got to come up with something for the other one too.

The princess image is from Digistamp Boutique, coloured with promarkers and mounted on a nellie snellen circle die. I've just realised I've missed out colouring a bit of her fringe but I think I quite like it like that! The papers are from a paper cellar wedding pad, cardstock is coredinations. Computer generated lettering with a digi sentiment from Pink Petticoat. I've kept it quite simple but it's still very girly - my customer liked it though.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Digistamp Boutique - monthly competition
• Sentimental Sundays - new or neglected stash (new image, neglected papers)
• Sew Many Challenges - father's day with no blue (definitely no blue here!)
• My Partner in Crafting Crime - show papa some love
  

Pretty kitty

I do love this little cat :o) This one's for an order - for something girly with a cat, so hopefully this will be ok. The image is from Di's Digi Downloads and it's available here. I've coloured it with promarkers, and used nestie circles to cut it out and blossom nesties to mount it. Papers are from the K&Co small wonders girl pad by Brenda Walton - I've got the boy pad too and I love them, they're such lovely colours. Cardstock is coredinations, butterfly cut with the MS monarch butterfly punch, with added pearls. The sentiment is computer generated.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Sweet Sketch Wednesday - fab sketch
• The Corrosive Challenge - die cuts
• Allsorts - strawberries & cream
• Stamp Something - digi

I managed to get an anniversary card made for my hubby, but I'm saving it for a DT in a few days - he liked it anyway :o) Ooooh just realised I haven't blogged about my trauma on Friday lol (which was our anniversary)! I popped out for an hour to take the kids to see my Grandma, and on the way back, on the busy dual carriageway not far away from home, stopped at a traffic light and the car died on me and refused to start again! Aagh! Cars all around me, and I'm stuck there with no idea what to do! Luckily a lovely man in the car behind me and another from a nearby garden, offered to push the car out of the way, then the police turned up and I had a police escort too lol. Being me, I didn't have the RAC details on me and my phone battery was dying too, so I had to get hubby to come and rescue us, and we called the RAC when he got there. When RAC man got there, he pointed out that the car probably would have re-started if I'd taken it out of drive (it's an automatic), which was slightly embarrassing! To be fair though, the police tried to restart it and so did hubby, and they didn't think to put it in park either! He did change a part though that he said caused it to cut out in the first place. I was sort of hoping it'd be something serious so I'd have an excuse to get a new car lol - I've had it for about 9 years and it was already a couple of years old when I got it. RAC man helpfully said that it was in excellent condition inside and should last a good few years yet... grr!

Anyway, I'm off to wade through a few more of my orders. Hope you're all having a lovely Sunday!

Bear with roses

This card is one that I've made for an order, I do love these little bears. This is 'coco' from Digistamp Boutique and I've coloured him with promarkers (as usual!). The ovals are cut with nesties, papers are MME, with coredinations cardstock - the little tag is from the same MME paper pad, and the flowers are punched from one of the papers using an x-cut punch. Card Candy flower centres, leaves punched using a woodware punch, a computer generated sentiment and a little flat backed pearl on the tag to finish.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Friday Sketchers - fab sketch, I'm sure I'll use it again
• Charisma Cardz - flowers
• Digistamp Boutique - monthly competition
• Making It With Meslyn - saying it with tags & flowers (their 1st challenge - hope this is ok for entry, not sure if there are any rules I've missed!)
  

Now I'm off to try and make a quick anniversary card for my hubby - it's our wedding anniversary tomorrow, and last year I don't think he got a card at all! This year I'm even busier, but I'm going to do my best between working on my orders. Hope you're all having a nice day and I'll try and pop in to see you all later :o)

Karens Doodles 13th challenge

Oh dear, I'm running very late today! I'm absolutely snowed under with orders at the moment and my brain has turned to mush - apologies also if I've not managed to get around your blogs this week, I'll make up for it when things calm down. Right onto this week's challenge at Karen's Doodles UK - distressing... not my usual style but I do enjoy doing it occasionally. Oh, and before I forget there's a sale on at Karen's Doodles at the moment and she has a brand new fabulous store - go and have a look here.

I've used one of Karen's brilliant new male images, available in the store, coloured with promarkers. Papers are Basic Grey, with green coredinations and some brown cardstock from my stash - I've distressed all the edges with my scissors. The sentiment is from a Popcorn bear set, jute ribbon and button from stash, stars cut with nesties.

I'm also entering my card for the following challenges:

• Simon Says - father's day/ male
• Stampavie & more - summer
• Everybody Art - summer
• Party Time Tuesday - anything goes birthday (1st challenge)
• Papertake Weekly - summer fun
• Cupcake Craft - summer delights
• Stampin With The Dragon - summer
• Crafty Catz - the boys are back