Fairy 30th birthday

Ever have those days when a card just WON'T come together?  I've spent nearly all day on this, tried I don't know how many sketches but couldn't get any of them to work.  So after chopping up far too many sheets of paper, I gave up on the sketches and made it up as I went along.

My mum asked me for a 30th birthday card for a friend of hers, hopefully this will be ok.  I've used this pretty fairy from LOTV for the first time.  She's coloured with promarkers and koh-i-noor pencils, with lots of glamour dust for her wings.  The papers are from a Papermania 12x12 capsule collection that I bought yesterday at Busy Bees - I only called in for glue and to sort out some details for a couple of demos I've got coming up!

Oops back to my card... umm yep, papers, flowers and brads are Papermania, cardstock is Papermill.  Sentiment from a set - possibly Kraftin Kimmie.  '30' cut on the Cricut, and can't remember the name of the butterfly die (not doing very well am I?), pearls from stash.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• LOTV - circles
• A Spoon Full of Sugar - birthday wishes
• Flutterby Wednesday - anything goes (+ fairy, butterfly or angel)
• Paper Pretties - glittery
• Crafts 4 Eternity - easel cards
• Crazy 4 Challenges - flowers
• Sweet Stampin' - oh so girly
• CES Challenges - flowers & flutterby's

 

Stamp Something - with flowers!

I'm running a bit late again - decided to take the boys for a much needed haircut.  They were very good, apart from Dex having a little 'accident' on the hairdresser's chair... oops!  Potty training's been going so well with hardly any accidents - it's just typical that he'd do it while we were there!

Anyway.... it's time for our new challenge at Stamp Something and this week we'd like to see your 'flowery somethings' - easy peasy :o)  We're sponsored by Simon Says Stamp and the prize is a fab $20 gift certificate for their shop.

I've used a fab new image from Digistamp Boutique - this is Zoe and flowers.  I've  coloured her with promarkers and koh-i-noor pencils.  The papers are Cosmo Cricket, with cardstock from Papermill.  Added some flowers from my stash, with Papermania dew drop centres.  I haven't added a sentiment, but I need a little stash of Mother's Day cards for people to buy, so this will probably end up as a Mother's Day card unless someone grabs it for a birthday before then!

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Papertake Weekly - sketch (2nd entry using this sketch, hope that's ok!)
• Fab n Funky - 1 image, 2 embellishments, 3 papers
• The Creative Cottage - fabulous florals

Last night's film (The King's Speech) was fab, I really enjoyed it - and my yummy cinema hot dog LOL :o)  When I got back I was amazed to see so many lovely comments on my little sheep card, thank you everyone!  I managed to return quite a few comments last night, and I'll be visiting the rest of you today. 

Less is More - spring

I've finally managed to make a card for this week's Less is More challenge which is a 'spring' theme.  It's so much harder finding the time (and peace!) during the school hols.  Anyway here's my card.

I've used a cute little sheep image from Digistamp Boutique, coloured with promarkers.  The paper is from my current favourite Dovecraft 'back to basics' pack, just layered onto plain white card.  Flowers cut with an x-cut punch with spotty button centres.  Hope it's clean & simple enough!

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

• Do You Stack Up? - anything goes
• The Sweet Stop - sketch
• Crafty Sentiments - spring

I'm escaping to the cinema tonight with a friend, leaving hubby to sort the boys out, think we're going to see the King's Speech.  I've been looking forward to my cinema hotdog all day lol :o)

Cuthbert bear

  

Morgan went to a birthday party today and this is the card I made for the birthday boy... Morgan loves personalised stuff so I added his friend's name and age to the image before I printed it out.  Morgan said it was 'awesome!' so hopefully Jaden liked it too :o)

I've used a cute 'Cuthbert' image from Pollycraft, coloured with promarkers and koh-i-noor pencils.  The papers are Making Memories, with Papermill cardstock.  Added some card candy to finish.  I would've liked to have done a bit more with the sketch, but I didn't have much time or energy - stress levels are running high this school hol!

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Papertake Weekly - fab sketch
• Karen's Doodles - masculine
• Passion for Promarkers - one for the boys
• My Time To Craft - hats
• Creative Inspirations - stripes
• Totally Papercrafts - do it with digis
• Simply Create - it's bright in here
• CES Challenges - spots & stripes

Special Uncle 30th

Here's a simple card I've made for an order.  I've used the Cricut to cut the stars and numbers (all from Plantin Schoolbook cart I think) and embossed them using the 'swiss dots' folder (numbers) and 'spots & dots' folder (star).  The papers are Papermania, cardstock is Papermill, ribbon & buttons from stash.  Used the MS zig zag punch for the border and the sentiment ticket was from here.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Mojo Monday - sketch
• Sentimental Sundays - inspirational photo (I've used the colours)
• Cooking With Cricut - emboss it
• Fantabulous Cricut - emboss it
• Crazy 4 Challenges - use die cuts to create your card

My head's spinning at the moment... the school holidays are a little wearing!  I love my boys, and they love each other, but OMG they wind each other up when they're together all day!  We went out to see the lovely baby Jessica today, and they weren't too bad while we were there, but this afternoon... agh!  Also, when we got back I realised that hubby dear hadn't quite shut the freezer door last night, and everything in there has defrosted... double AGH!!!  Still, it's guilt tripped him into a takeaway tonight ;o)

Crafty Cardmakers - fairies & punches

It's time for a new challenge at Crafty Cardmakers and this fortnight we'd like to see fairies... but with a little twist as you must also use at least 2 punches.  I had fun with this one - I've had this LOTV stamp for a while but I've not had chance to use it yet, so this was a good excuse to get her coloured in.

I've coloured her with promarkers and covered her wings in glamour dust.  I'm now wondering if the area behind her arm should have been coloured as part of her top though!  Probably, but never mind...  The papers are my current faves from one of the Dovecraft 'back to basics' packs - at least I'm getting plenty of use out of them but sorry if they're starting to bore you now!  Cardstock is coredinations, butterfly cut with a MS punch, computer generated sentiment cut out with the Stampin' Up word window punch, MME flower buttons & pearls from my stash.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Sketch Saturday - fab sketch
• Stamps R Us - for the girls
• Lili of the Valley - my favourite colours (I have sooo many faves, but choc & pink are one of them!)
• Ooh La La - pink, pink & more pink
• Papertake Weekly - putting on the glitz
• Crafts & Me - wings
• Paper Pretties - card for a child
• Cute Card Thursday - shiny happy cards
• Totally Gorjuss - check it out
• Cutie Sunday - pink & brown
• Corrosive - magical creatures

A cricut photo card

Here's a photo card I've made for an order... I thought I'd try out my new Wild Card cricut cartridge that came last week.  Up until today I've just randomly cut things with it, but not really put anything together.

So, the photo was provided by my lovely customer, cardstock is a mix of Papermill (soft ruby red & dark brown) and Stampin' Up (Kraft).  I've cut the frame and '30' on the cricut using the Plantin Schoolbook cartridge.  The argyle backing was made using cuts from the Wild Card cartridge.  The star corner was also from Wild Card - cut twice in red & brown so I could 'pop up' some of the brown stars.  Sentiment is a digi one from Cuddly Buddly, coloured with promarkers, and mounted on a nestie peony die.  Added a little ribbon tab to finish.

I'm entering my card for the challenge at Die Cuttin Divas, which is 'I'm seeing stars'... hope it's ok for the challenge - I'm very new to the cricut!

Now I won't go too miserable on you, but I just need to say a big Happy Birthday to my beautiful little angel Harvey who was born sleeping 4 years ago today.  It seems I was right, and all of my family have forgotten - even my mum... I've had lots of lovely messages from friends though.  I've actually been ok for most of the day, had a few little weepy moments, but mostly I've not been too bad - a vast improvement on last year when I spent what felt like the entire day sobbing!

Off to do a bit of catching up with everyone's blogs now :o)

Stamp Something - funky!

Time for a new challenge at Stamp Something and this week we'd like to see your 'funky somethings'!  We're sponsored by Funky Kits, so there's a fab prize for one lucky winner.

I've used a Sugar Nellie stamp Rock Idol, I think it's such a fun image :o)  I've coloured him with promarkers, the papers are from one of the new Dovecraft 'back to basics' packs - again!  I seem to be hooked on these papers at the moment.  Cardstock is from Papermill Direct, sentiment is a digi one from Cuddly Buddly, ribbon & button from my stash, and the star was cut with the Sizzix 'primitive star' die.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Cards For Men - 1 image, 2 design papers, 3 embellishments
• Crafty Catz - one for the men/ boys
• Creative Craft - cards for a teen
• Claudia & Company - about a boy

For anyone interested in the potty training saga - Dex is doing SO well :o)  He's not really had any accidents, apart from a couple of times when he's been distracted and forgotten he didn't have a nappy on, and even then he's managed to stop himself and do the rest on the potty.  So YAY I think we might have cracked it!  Although, I must admit that sometimes... on about the 20th trek up the stairs to empty the potty... I do wonder why it seems such a great idea to get them out of nappies!

Easter chicks

Here's a set of very simple Easter cards... actually I'm itching to pile on some extra bits and pieces!  But they were supposed to be quick and simple, and they've turned out more or less as I imagined them, so I'm resisting the urge... so far!  Please excuse the very wonky photos - everything on the cards is straight, it's just wonky photography.

I've used a cute little spring chick image from Digistamp Boutique, coloured with promarkers.  I added the 'happy easter' text to the images before I printed them out.  The papers are from one of the new Dovecraft 'back to basics' packs, with coredinations cardstock.  Added some little gems on the flowers, and that's it!

I'm entering my cards for the following challenges:

• Charisma Cardz - spring has sprung
• Do You Stack Up? - dots
• CES Challenges - cute & cuddly
• Creative Inspirations - plain & simple

Thank you for your lovely messages on my last woe is me post, you're all fab :o)

Pretty flowers

Today's card is a simple one using one of the lovely Flower Doodles images from Digistamp Boutique.  I've coloured it with promarkers, and added some little 'spots' to the vase with a black fineliner.  The papers are the new Dovecraft 'back to basics - blue' - love these, I bought the pink pack too (because I really needed more papers... lol!).  Cardstock is from Papermill Direct, ricrac ribbon and flower button from stash, Craftwork Cards sentiment.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Sketch n Stash - sketch (new image & papers, everything else from stash)
• Secret Crafter - a stamped flower 

I must apologise for being so useless at commenting at the moment... it's coming up to the 4th 'birthday' of Harvey, who was stillborn (at 41wks of pregnancy) and I'm struggling a bit to be honest.  I always find the day itself hard, but this year I'm a bit low already.  It feels like everyone else has forgotten this year - so many members of my family have reminded me about my uncle's birthday, which is on Saturday, the same date as we lost Harvey... I'm hardly going to forget that date!  Anyway, this time next week I'm sure I'll have picked myself up again, and hopefully my mojo will return with my good mood.

A cutie chick

Especially for you Katina lol ;o)  Katina left me a comment asking how I was getting on with my cricut... by coincidence I've been playing with it and my SCAL software today.  I've cut lots of different shaped animal cards - bought the SVG files here - but so far I've only made up the chicks.  I've been asked for a batch of Easter cards so I've done a few of these as part of the order.

I actually cut it all in yellow, then coloured the eyes black and the beak & feet orange with promarkers.  I've sponged orange ink for a bit of dimension, and then added some white highlighter here and there.  Simples :o)

Less is More week 2 eeeeek!

Not so long ago I had a go at a few one-layer cards and decided I was RUBBISH at them... hubby would generally laugh at my efforts which didn't help.  I was never going to make one again.  But I've got it into my head that I'm going to do the challenges at Less is More each week, and this week is the dreaded one-layer card (with a flower or tree).  I shuddered, I sobbed, but I've had a go!  Hubby says 'it's not that bad' which is an improvement on laughing out loud...

The thank you sentiment is from Elzybells, the flower and dot stamp are Stampin' Up.  I've added some pearls from my stash, and then because it looked a bit boring, I outlined the flowers and dots with a Sakura clear stardust pen.

I'm also entering this at Totally Papercrafts where their challenge is clean & simple.

We've finally had a breakthrough in the potty department today :o)  Dex was 3 last month but has been stubbornly refusing to use the potty or toilet.  This morning when he got up his bottom looked a bit sore, so I convinced him to keep his nappy off and said if he managed to use the potty he could have a marshmallow... lol such bribery!  Amazingly it worked - he's done every wee on the potty today, and we've got through quite a few marshmallows...

Stamp Something - for your valentine!

Ooh I'm running late again... I usually visit my scrummy baby 'niece' Jessica on Tuesdays, but we had to rearrange for Friday this week.  Gorgeous as she was when she was born, I wasn't feeling particularly broody - now she's at the cute smiley chuckles stage and I could almost be persuaded to have another lol.

This week at Stamp Something our challenge is 'something for your valentine' and we're sponsored by Whiff of Joy.  Unfortunately I haven't got any Whiff of Joy stamps, something I must sort out I think!  So I've used this super cute image from Digistamp Boutique - this is Barney and Heart.  I've coloured him with promarkers and added a bit of 'glow' using koh-i-noor pencils.  The papers are digi ones from Sweet Shoppe Designs, printed onto linen card, with some brown coredinations cardstock.  Flower and button from my stash.  For the sentiment I've used stamps from a Country Companions set by Papermania - the 'for you', 'with love' and the hearts are all separate stamps.  For some reason the sentiment panel looks wonky but it's just my dodgy camera skills!

Lots of valentines challenges around at the moment, so I'm entering my card for the following:

• CPS card sketches - fab sketch
• Crafty Catz - valentine/ love
• Cute Card Thursday - hearts & flowers
• CRAFT - valentines
• Flutterby Wednesday - at least 3 hearts (+ butterfly, angel or fairy)
• Passion For Promarkers - let there be love
• Papertake Weekly - have a heart
• Digital Tuesday - from the heart
• Creative Craft - hearts & flowers
• A Spoon Full of Sugar - let's see some love

Ooh exciting!

Sorry, me again!  Just had to quickly tell you that Little Claire now have a range of digistamps - how fab is that?!  Have a look here to see them all, and there's a freebie image hiding amongst them too :o)

Male 21st birthday

I made a card today but it's a DT one so I can't show it yet... so I wasn't going to show anything today, and then I remembered this one.  I made it a few months ago for an order, but I just thought something looked a bit 'off' with it, so I didn't bother blogging it.

Another one of those where I love all the individual bits of it, but it's not really working for me!

Off to have a wander around your blogs, see what you've all been up to :o)

2nd attempt at Less is More!

I thought I'd have another go at the challenge at Less is More - I seem to have a head full of ideas at the moment and not enough time to try them out.  This is another one that isn't as nice as it was in my head though!  Too plain I think.

This is loosely based on last week's sketch at Mojo Monday.  The sentiment stamp is from a Papermania set, the flowers were cut from some spotty paper I found in my scraps (an old Funky Fairy digi one I think) using an x-cut punch and I added pearl centres.  There's not much to say about such simple cards is there?

Less is More

Well I had to join in didn't I?!  I've seen loads of people having a go at the 1st challenge (pink, black & white) at Less is More so I've had a play today and this is what I've come up with.  It's possibly verging on the boring side of clean & simple because I was feeling a bit uninspired... well actually I wasn't, I had lots of ideas but none of them were working today!

I've used a stamp from Little Claire called Spikey Flowers.  Added some bright pink pearls in different sizes, and used a Stampin' Up sentiment that was part of a magazine subscription gift ages ago.  Bright pink and black cardstock is from the Papermill.  And that's it!

Apologies for being a bit rubbish at returning your comments today - I've got a cold and we all know what a wuss I am about being ill!  I keep sitting down to do a bit of commenting and then I can feel myself getting sleepy so I have to get up and bring myself round again.  So I'm trying to catch up but in short bursts!

Crafty Cardmakers - hearts

Well it was my turn to choose the challenge at Crafty Cardmakers for this fortnight, and I thought I'd stay with the valentine's theme that's everywhere at the moment, and decided on 'hearts' as my theme.  It wasn't quite as simple as I thought it would be, mainly because I've finished all my valentine's orders and made hubby's card.  I needed a 'special' card for my cousin's 18th birthday though, so I thought I'd pile lots of hearts on this instead... obviously I'm now doubting myself and wondering if it's really suitable but there's not a lot I can do about it now!

The card blank is a large 8" square.  I've used one of the gorgeous Simply Sassy stamps from Sugar Nellie, and coloured her with promarkers and koh-i-noor pencils.  It's the first time I've coloured this one, although I've had her for a while - I thought she might be a bit tricky but she wasn't really.  The papers are digi ones from Sweet Shoppe Designs, printed onto papermill linen card, with some pink linen card from my stash.  I cut the big hearts on the Cricut (plantin schoolbook cart), the numbers were cut using the Sizzix 'night & day' alphabet and then covered in stickles.  Added some flat back pearls to finish.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Create 4 Fun - fab sketch
• Ooh La La - for someone special
• One Stop Craft - numbers
• Cutie Sunday - hearts
• Pile It On - bright & breezy
• Stamp With Fun - love

Our 1st challenge at Little Claire!

**My second post for today - please scroll down for my Crafty Calendar GDT card**

Oh, you have no idea how nervous I've been preparing for this!  As I'm the one setting up the challenges, I'm just hoping everything runs smoothly - hope you'll all come and join in with us :o)  So, for our very first monthly challenge over at Little Claire we thought we'd keep things nice and simple with an 'anything goes' theme.  You can use any stamps, not just Little Claire, but we'll be voting on a 'top 3' from the entries using Little Claire stamps.

I've used a stamp from one of my favourite sets Lazy Days, coloured with promarkers.  The papers are GCD Studio 'ella blue', with Papermill cardstock.  Sentiment is a digi one from Digistamp Boutique available here, mounted on a nellie snellen die.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

• PaperPlay - stamp it out
• Passion For Promarkers - inspirational photo
• Fab n Funky - choc & blue
• Charisma Cardz - no embellishments
• The Crafty Pad - something for the boys

Crafty Calendar GDT

Hopefully this scheduled post will work - it's very rare I'm up this early at the weekend lol!  I was very happy to be asked to be Guest Designer at Crafty Calendar this month :o)  The theme is 'love' and we're sponsored by the fabulous Squiggle Stamps, who provided the DT with some lovely images to use.

I've use Daisy with Balloon, isn't she adorable?!  I've coloured her with promarkers and koh-i-noor pencils.  The papers are Cosmo Cricket, with red cardstock from my stash.  Big hearts cut on the Cricut (Plantin Schoolbook cart), heart buttons from my stash and the sentiment is a digi one from Cuddly Buddly.  I think I might have gone ever so slightly over the top with all the hearts.... lol.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

• Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge - hearts a flutter
• Stampin' For The Weekend - valentines
• Do It With Digis - valentines
• Crazy 4 Challenges - valentine's day
• Secret Crafter - valentine
• Simply Create - give your heart away

Stamp Something - digi

Time for a new challenge at Stamp Something and this week we're having our regular monthly digi challenge - so nice and easy, you just need to use something digi :o)  We have lots of great sponsors so there are some fab prizes to be won.

I've used an image from one of our sponsors Digi Doodle Shop, this is Twitty Diddle, isn't he funny?!  I'm a bit GRRR at myself over this card though - I coloured the bird to match the bright green in the stripy paper... but where's the bright green?  Under the bloomin' image, that's where!  How's that for bad planning?  GRRR again!

Anyway, onto my card... I've coloured the image with promarkers and koh-i-noor pencils.  The papers are Cosmo Cricket, ribbon from my stash, borders cut with the MS zig zag punch, computer generated sentiment cut with the Stampin' Up word window punch.  The little dots are from Papermania and they never show up properly in photos - they're actually bright red.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Sweet Stampin - fab sketch
• Cute Card Thursday - banish the blues (use something funny - hopefully the bird counts)
• Delightful Challenges - come fly with me
• CES - bold & bright

Alex & Felicity valentine

I should just point out that this card is for an order - as my hubby is not called Mark, I wouldn't want to give anyone the wrong idea lol!

I've used a fabulous Alex and Felicity image from Digistamp Boutique, coloured with promarkers and koh-i-noor pencils.  The card blank is a large 8" square, papers are a bit of a mix... the pink one is DCWV, other one is possibly Bo Bunny but I'm not sure.  Heart is an MS punch, swirly corner is a sizzix die, scalloped mat cut on the Cricut (accent essentials cart), sentiment made in Word.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Truly Scrumptious - fab sketch
• Cards For Men - valentines/ love
• Simon Says - love is in the air
• I Love Promarkers - anything goes
• Delightful - have a heart
• Totally Gorjuss - as you like it
• Paper Sundaes - valentines
• Craft Your Days Away - love