Little Claire challenge 6 - my sketch!

Time for our new challenge at Little Claire and a bit of a first for me - for this fortnight our challenge is a sketch... my sketch!  Obviously I've made up my own layouts before but I've never made one into a sketch.  It's very simple so I'm hoping some of you will join in... will be a bit sad if no one uses it lol.  I need to work on 'prettying up' my sketches before I make another one I think.  Anyway, here's my card...

I've used the Oh Man! set of stamps, and I've paper pieced the chair and footstool and coloured the rest with promarkers and koh-i-noor pencils.  The papers are MME, with dark brown Papermill cardstock.  Sentiment is from the same stamp set, buttons from my stash.

Here's my sketch

As you can see, I've jigged things around a bit for my card - even when it's my own sketch I don't seem to be able to follow it perfectly lol!  I have to say a HUGE thank you to the Little Claire DT girls who've done a fabby job with it :o)

I'm entering my card for the challenge at Cute Card Thursday, where they want you to follow a sketch - either an old one from their blog, one from another challenge or one you create yourself.

Stamp Something - with wings!

Time for a new challenge at Stamp Something and this week we'd like to see some 'things with wings'.  We're sponsored by Simon Says Stamp so there'll be a fab prize for one lucky winner :o)  Here's my card...

Oh I did have fun making this one :o)  I used yet another stamp that I've not managed to use before - so many stamps, so little time!  This little cutie is (obviously) from LOTV, and I've coloured her with promarkers and koh-i-noor pencils.  The papers are Echo Park 'walk in the park', love them!  Cardstock is core'dinations, flowers and buttons from stash.  I stickled the button in the centre of the flower, and the fairy wings for some sparkle.  The tag was cut on the cricut using the 'stretch your imagination' cartridge, sentiment is CC Designs, pearl from stash.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Sketch Saturday - fab sketch
• Pear Tree Designs - colourful
• Everybody Art - fairies
• Totally Papercrafts - glitter
• Crafts 4 Eternity - anything goes
• Creative Friday - open theme
• Paper Sundaes - sparkle, pearls, die cuts, yellow (use at least 2 - managed to use a little of them all!)

So did you all see THE wedding?  Bit tricky to watch it with 2 small boys who soon got bored, but Kate looked lovely and they seemed very happy.  We're a house of germs again - all coughing and sneezing at the moment... hubby started it so I'm blaming him!

Little Claire sneak peek...

Little Claire are bringing out a great set of sentiment stamps soon - all fabulous and they stamp so clearly, I love them :o)  Here's a get well card I've made using one of the stamps...

I've stamped the sentiment in Rich Cocoa memento ink - the little bit of colouring has been done with promarkers and a touch of sakura clear stardust pen.  Papers are Dovecraft 'animal antics' (I think!) with core'dinations cardstock and some ribbon from my stash.  Just a simple little card but I'm quite happy with it :o)

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Moving Along With The Times - anything goes
• Cards For Men - circles

Pink & Brown Gorjuss Girl

I've had a lovely crafty day today, almost all day in the craft room :o)  Dex's 2nd day at nursery and my nerves seem to have settled a bit!  Here's one of the cards I made today...

I've followed the sketch at the Sugar Bowl, but had a very stupid moment and completely forgot that the optional theme was buttons!  I'd obviously meant to put them where the card candy is on my card, but only remembered when it was too late - oops.  Image is obviously a Gorjuss Girl, coloured with promarkers and koh-i-noor pencils.  The papers are Dovecraft 'back to basics', with core'dinations cardstock.  Sentiment is CC Designs, cut into a corner using circle nesties.


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

• The Crazy Challenge - 3 different papers
• Anything Goes - pink & brown
• Party Time Tuesdays - anything goes

Cute cats

I've been keeping myself busy with lots of DT stuff today, because it was Dex's first official day at nursery... eeek!!!  I hardly slept at all last night and I've been a nervous wreck all day - pathetic really, isn't it?!  Dex was fine, he's had loads of fun but was really tired and nodded off on the sofa when we got home!

Most of my cards I've made today can't actually be shown yet, but I did make this one using the Little Claire Cat in a Box stamp...

No colouring on this one, because I thought it looked nice stamped in Rich Cocoa memento ink onto one of the plain blue sheets from the GCD 'ella blue' pad.  I've just added some pearls from my stash, and a ribbon that I cut out of some new pyjamas!  Well, it was the right colour :o)

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• My Time To Craft - perfect pets
• Creative Card Crew - recycling (ribbon)
• Creative Craft - recycled (ribbon)
• Creative Inspirations - pets/ animals
• Moving Along With The Times - recycle
• The Corrosive Challenge - animals

Nursery again tomorrow for Dex, so hopefully I'll get lots done and will try not to worry so much about him now I know he's enjoying it!

Less is More wk 12 (again, sorry!)

Yep, I'm having another go at the 'off centre' challenge at Less is More this week!  I don't usually enter more than once, but I was trying to do something else and it just wasn't working out.  So I gave up and got some random stuff out to play with instead.

This card I like...

And this one I really don't like!

I wouldn't normally blog a card that I dislike as much as this one, but there's a reason I have done... this stamp set (a Papermania CCSR set) was one of the first I bought not long after I started card making.  It put me off stamping for a long time!  The stamps are quite soft and I just couldn't seem to use them.  I wasted so much card trying - there's some lovely flowers in the set that I really wanted to use but couldn't get a decent impression.  I put them away and decided I wasn't really a stamper.  Obviously I eventually changed my mind, and have got more confident, and I'm AMAZED that I've actually managed to use one of these stamps - and on linen card too!  However, I hate the design, the sentiment is far too pale... it's all wrong.

The other reason I've posted this card is that Katina once asked me if I ever made a bad card, and this is proof that I absolutely do lol!  AND look what you're doing to me Chrissie and Mandi - I made a one layer card without being told I HAD to!!

**Edited - Following Mandi's suggestion, I've 'lopped a bit off' :o)  Any better?**

Hope you've all had a fab time today!  We've had a big dinner at Pav's mum's so I haven't had any chocolate yet... looking forward to my lovely big Dairy Milk egg now though :o)

Less is More wk 12 - off centre

Yay, Chrissie and Mandi have been kind to us this week and given us a non-scary challenge at Less is More :o)  This week they want to see off centre creations... I do this quite often without thinking about it, but it's funny how tricky it can be when you're actually trying to do it!  This is what I ended up with...

I've used a fab stamp set from Pink Gem Designs, stamped in 'tangelo' memento ink onto Papermill linen card.  The paper is Echo Park 'walk in the park' with aqua core'dinations cardstock.  I've used my new Tim Holtz on the edge die for the scallop border - a sneaky purchase when I was demoing last week!  Finished off with a button from my stash.

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

• CES Challenges - spring colours/ images
• CRAFT - flowers
• Papertake Weekly - spots n stripes

It's thundering here at the moment although it's still really warm - no rain yet though... probably our fault for hanging washing out 10mins before it started lol.  I'm fairly sure I won't manage to blog again this weekend, so I'll wish you all a very happy Easter!  Hope you all have a fabby time and enjoy eating lots of yummy choccie :o)

Oh, just remembered... Dex did something really cute today... Pav took him to the park this morning and they went in the brand new refurbished playground that has only just opened.  Dex was beyond thrilled, he loves playgrounds, and there's a huge sandpit with sit-on diggers.  He loved it!  Anyway, apparently he climbed up the ladder to the slide, and was just about to slide down when he said he needed to tell Daddy something.  So he climbed down the ladder, said 'I love you Daddy' and then went back up the ladder.  So cute :o)

Stamp Something - recipe somethings!

This week at Stamp Something our challenge is 'recipe somethings'... now normally I'm not a recipe sort of girl, I'm just not very good at following them.  But this one is easy peasy!  We'd like to see sparkle, flowers and buttons... even I can manage that :o)  We're sponsored by Funky Kits so there'll be a fab prize for the lucky winner.

Jean at Busy Bees has asked me for some Gorjuss Girl samples so she can put them up in the shop, so I've got a great excuse to get out all my GG stamps that haven't been inked for a while.  I really enjoyed making this one :o)

This is Bumblebee, and I've coloured her with promarkers and koh-i-noor pencils, and paper pieced her pretty dress.  Oh, and glamour dust for her wings of course.  The papers are Echo Park 'walk in the park'.  Flowers cut with my x-cut punch, but instead of shaping them I've embossed them with the 'swiss dots' folder, and added button centres.  Sentiment is Penny Black - love this one but it's the first time I've got round to using it.  Added a little punched flower on her dress, with a teeny pearl centre, and a pearl heart in her hair.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Cupcake Craft - lots of layers
• Creative Craft - embossing (on the flowers)
• Oldie But a Goodie - fit for a queen/ princess
• Simon Says - emboss it (embossed flowers)
• Flutter By Wednesdays - open challenge
• Delightful Challenges - paper piecing
• Crafty Catz - children's cards
• Fussy & Fancy - springtime
• Pile it On - smells like rubber
• Birthday Sundaes - anything goes birthday

Hoping to get some crafting time later, but just in case I don't (hubby's off and will moan about me being in the craft room when it's so nice out!), I hope you all have a fabulous Easter!

Little monsters...

Oh I've been a rubbish blogger this week!  Last week I was busy with preparing for my demo amongst other things, so this week I wanted to spend more time doing fun things with the boys.  Especially seen as Dex will be starting nursery next week.  So I'm sorry if I've missed returning anyone's comment - promise to catch up properly next week if not before.

I'm not all that happy with this card... couldn't seem to get going properly, but I suppose they don't all have to be masterpieces lol.  This is one of the super cute little monsters that are one of Digistamp Boutique's recent releases.  I've coloured him with promarkers, used glossy accents on his eye and glamour dust on his 'hair'.  The papers are some Doodlebug scraps.  Added some spotty ribbon loops and a star frame which is a Nellie Snellen die.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Cute Card Thursday - no text
• Charisma Cardz - jokes & laughter (sorry, I know it's not hilarious but the monster's quite funny...)
• Incy Wincy - bright & bold

 

Less is More wk 11 - acetate!

I'm sure the wails and moans from LiMettes could be heard EVERYWHERE this weekend when the new challenge at Less is More was announced... I loathe acetate!  I'm convinced somewhere buried in my craft room there's a sheet of acetate pre-printed with black flourishes, but I've searched for ages and can't find it.  So this is what I ended up making...

Oh the air was BLUE while I was making this!  I decided to die cut a butterfly, but I ran it through the Big Shot and it didn't cut through.  So I ran another piece of acetate through, twice this time, and it still didn't cut through.  So I got another piece and ran it through the Big Shot 6 times... it still didn't cut through... aaaggghh!!!  So I resorted to following the lines that had been partly cut, and cutting it out by hand. Then I embossed it with a little daisy embossing folder that was free with a magazine.  I've sprayed it with lots of Crafter's Companion iridescent glitter spray (not really showing in pic but very shimmery in real life) and added some pearls.

Now I've finished it, I've no idea if it's really clean & simple enough... maybe I've used too much paper?  I don't know, I'm just glad to have it done!  The most annoying thing is after all that effort, you can't really see the sparkly acetate properly in the pic anyway - all seems a bit pointless lol!

More Tres Chic samples

**2nd post for today - scroll down for my Little Claire DT cards**

Well I've had a lovely day demoing at Busy Bees, and I'm now having a little rest with my feet up :o)  I spent far too much while I was there too... only problem with a demo in a craft shop, I'm too tempted by all the lovely goodies!  Anyway, I just thought I'd show a couple more of the sample cards I made using the Tres Chic products from Craftwork Cards that I demoed with today.

I think I might have gone a teeny bit overboard with the sparkle and bling on my second card lol!

Right, off to catch up with you all now...

Little Claire challenge 5 - animals

I've scheduled this post because I'm demoing all day, so fingers crossed blogger will play nicely!  Our new challenge at Little Claire for this fortnight is 'animals' and I'm quite pleased with myself because I've managed to use a stamp set that's never been inked before :o)  I have far too many stamps that have never been used!

My first card is the one that I've actually used as my DT card for the challenge, but it was actually the second card I made.  I've used Stampin' Up Kraft cardstock, with dark brown core'dinations.   The stamp set is Silhouette Dogs - there are quite a few stamps in this set but I've used 3 of the dogs and the paw prints, and stamped them in Rich Cocoa memento ink.  The sentiment is also from Little Claire, but I can't remember which set that one's from!  Added a little touch of Sakura clear stardust pen on the bee's trail.

I like this card, but decided it was probably a bit too plain... I think the Less is More challenges are doing strange things to me!  I seem to be very drawn towards simple stamped designs at the moment and love stamps that can be used simply like this.

Hopefully my demo will be going ok, and I'll be having a fun day... will catch up with you all when I get back!

Stamp Something - april showers!

Time for a new challenge at Stamp Something and this week we'd like to see your 'April showers' somethings.  We're sponsored by Whiff of Joy so there'll be a lovely prize for the winner :o)  Here's my card...

Look - my first Whiff of Joy stamp!  Isn't he cute?  He's a new one that I bought from Crafty Emma's Store... got the papers from there too actually.  I've coloured him with promarkers and koh-i-noor pencils, and used glossy accents on all the rainy bits.  The papers are First Edition, with core'dinations cardstock.  The little tag is Craftwork Cards, with a CC Designs sentiment stamped on it.  Added some card candy to finish.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Stamp With Fun - sketch
• Totally Papercrafts - springtime
• Fussy & Fancy - for a child
• Cute Card Thursday - weather inspired
• Simon Says - for a child
• Fab n Funky - all spotty & dotty
• Creative Card Crew - spring
• A Spoon Full of Sugar - all creatures great & small (hope the little frog counts!)
• Craft Your Days Away - spots & stripes

My Core’dinations Creative Frenzy

Yesterday I was told about a Design Team Call at Core'dinations (thanks Vix!)... it ends tomorrow and I don't think I have even the teeniest tiniest chance of making the team, but my chances are slightly higher if I actually apply, so here goes...

For my first card I've used a LOTV stamp, coloured with promarkers and koh-i-noor pencils, with lots of glamour dust for sparkle.  Papers are First Edition 'up up and away'.  All coloured cardstock is obviously core'dinations.  The butterfly was cut with a MS punch, with pearls from my stash, sentiment from Craftwork Cards.  I've followed the sketch at I Love Promarkers for this one, so I'm entering my card there.

For this one I wanted to show how nicely stamps work on core'dinations, even though it's textured.  My card base is core'dinations (as is the rest of the cardstock) and I've used a Little Claire flower stamp and stamped all over the base in a slightly darker shade of yellow.  Then for the main image square I've stamped the flower in orange and the sentiment in red.

And my final card is 'one I made earlier'!  An embossed owl, simply sanded back to show off the design better... I love sanding core'dinations, it's so effective :o)

In all honesty, I think Core-dinations will probably be looking for people who do more 'interesting' things than I do, but you never know!  Fingers crossed eh?  Oh, here's the link for the DT call if any of you want to squeeze a quick entry in before it closes tomorrow!

Off to catch up with some of your blogs now...

Tres Chic samples

I'm doing a demo on Saturday at Busy Bees, using Craftwork Cards products and as usual I'm very nervous!  I always get a real attack of nerves before a demo, and then I end up having a great day... so fingers crossed this one will be the same.  Jean asked for some example cards to put on a sample board in the shop, and these are my first ones...

These are both using the new 'tres chic' range from Craftwork Cards - really lovely products but so far from my comfort zone!  I'm really pleased with the first card and not so impressed with the second one.

Apologies if I'm a bit on the quiet side this week, I'm REALLY busy and it's the school holidays too... will still do my best to comment when I can though!

Crafty Cardmakers spotlight - teen & tween boys

Our spotlight challenge for this fortnight at Crafty Cardmakers Spotlight is 'teen or tween boys'.  Now this is actually better for me than cards for teenage girls - I really struggle with those!  Here's my card...

I've used a Sugar Nellie stamp, coloured with promarkers and koh-i-noor pencils.  The papers are First Edition 'up, up and away', with dark brown cardstock from Papermill Direct.  The stars were cut with my favourite sizzix primitive star die and then distressed... wondering now if I should have distressed all the papers and not just the stars.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Create 4 Fun - sketch
• Catch the Bug - 4 or more layers

So, are we all loving the school holidays so far?  My little darlings are driving me a bit potty already so I suppose I'd better take them out this afternoon while the weather's still nice :o)

Less is More wk10 - 1 layer & sentiment focus

This week's challenge at Less is More is a one layer card, with the focus on the sentiment.... umm.... eeek!  Now, if this had been any other challenge, I'd have passed on this week and not even attempted it.  But as it's Less is More, and I've played along every week so far, I had to get on with it!  This one is my first attempt...

I found this stamp while I was looking for the stamp I used on my second card, and thought it might work... not sure if it really did though.  The sentiment is an Elzybells stamp, butterfly is from a Pink Gem set.  Not really keen on this one, so I made another card...

This is my second card, with the sentiment I was looking for, which is from Paper Makeup I think.  The flower is from Little Claire.  I think this card worked better than the first one, but I'm not sure if I got the focus fully on the sentiment... I'd intended the flower to be slightly paler than it turned out.  I like this one though.

Hubby's been cooking while I've been playing in the craft room so I'd better go and eat... will visit you all in a bit though :o)

Stamp Something - sassy circle somethings!

Time for a new challenge at Stamp Something and this week we'd like to see something sassy, or something with circles... or you could do both if you like.  We're sponsored by Kenny K so there are some fab images to be won :o)

I haven't got any Kenny K images (yet...) so I've used this fabulous new image from Digistamp Boutique - this is Lindy Smith and I think she's quite sassy and super cute of course :o)  This card is about as 'fussy' as I get... and I really like how it turned out, which is quite unusual for me!

I've coloured Lindy with promarkers and koh-i-noor pencils.  I used a viva pearl pen to give her some 'real pearls' on her necklace, but me and the viva pens... we're not the best of friends and so her pearls are a bit splodgy!  The gorgeous glittery papers are First Edition.  The flowers were cut from one of the papers using an x-cut punch and then snipped with scallop scissors as with my previous card.  Added pearls and lace from my stash, and the sentiment is a CC Designs stamp.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Stampavie & more - sketch
• Karen's Doodles - fancy & feminine
• My Partner in Crafting Crime - layer it up
• A Spoon Full of Sugar - tons of texture
• Crafts & Me - glitter
• Crafty Sentiments - glitter
• Paper Sundaes - spring blossoms (3rd entry)
• Bunny Zoes - birthday creations with lots of pearls
• By The Cute & Girly - cute & girly

Dex is wailing loudly so I'd better go and see what's up!

Digistamp Boutique April giveaway - Olivia

Today I've made a card using a super cute little cat called Olivia from Digistamp Boutique.  She won't actually be released until next month, but you could win her, along with a £5 voucher, over at the Digistamp Boutique blog here.

I've coloured Olivia with promarkers, with some glamour dust on her flower.  The papers are some sparkly 'animal antics' ones from Dovecraft, teal card from Papermill Direct.  The flowers were based on a link I spotted on Dawny P's blog, and they're basically made using a a retro flower punch (mine's an x-cut one) and then snipping a wedge out of each petal with a pair of scallop scissors - cute aren't they?  I've also sprayed them with Crafter's Companion glitter spray, and added some button centres.  The little tag sentiment is Craftwork Cards and the pearls are from my stash.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Simon Says Stamp - spring or easter
• Paper Sundaes - spring blossoms
• Allsorts Challenge - blooming blossoms
• Birthday Sundaes - anything goes (must be birthday)
• Papertake Weekly - anything goes + something new (the image)

I've been experimenting with my photo - decided to try a different background from my usual white.  What do you think - is it an improvement or not?

Post it note easel

Here's another of my projects made with the new stamps that Little Claire will be releasing on Create & Craft tv on Thursday morning.  This tree stamp is from the 'Claire's Bistro' set, and I've stamped it on Kraft card and coloured it with promarkers.  The paper is from my stash, I'm not sure what make it is, buttons are MME and the border is a MS doily trim punch.

These little post it note easels are really easy - it's just a normal easel card made using an A6 sized base, with a post it note pad added instead of your usual stopper.

Right, off to squeeze in some commenting... I'm a busy bee at the moment!

Less is More wk 9 - a touch of red

This week at Less is More it's a colour challenge - a touch of red... and I decided to stamp with red on Kraft.  Hope there's not too much red for the challenge!

This is also a little 'sneak peek' of one of the new stamp sets that Little Claire will be releasing on Create & Craft tv on Thursday morning.  The corner stamp and sentiment are from the 'spiky flowers' set, and there's another flower stamp in the set that I've not used here.

I've stamped with Lady Bug memento ink onto Stampin' Up Kraft card, and then added some sparkly touches with a Sakura stardust pen... not really showing up in the pic though.  The card base is made from textured Stampin' Up Kraft card.  I'm wondering now if I should have added some gems but I think I quite like it as it is.

Mother's Day card - at last!

Oh I'm terrible - I was actually finishing my mother's day card this morning!  I'm always so last minute with everything, something I really need to try and change.  Anyway here's the card...

The card is a large 8" square.  I bought this Wild Rose Studio stamp with my mum in mind - her fave flowers are daffodils, so I always get her a couple of bunches of daffs along with whatever else I buy her.  I've coloured Milton with promarkers and koh-i-noor pencils, and cut out an extra daffodil so I could 3d it.  The (very busy!) papers are Doodlebug, butterflies cut with a MS punch, Papermania gem stickers coloured with promarkers (on butterflies), Pink Petticoat sentiment.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

•  Secret Crafter - butterflies
• Totally Gorjuss - sketch
• Passion for Promarkers - bugs
• My Time to Craft - mum's the word
• Paper Play - for mum
• Crafty Sentiments - mother's day
• Stampin for the Weekend - for mum
• Paper Sundaes - spring blossoms
• Creative Inspirations - mother's day/ mum
• Crafty Calendar - April showers bring forth May flowers

Hope all the mums have had a lovely mother's day - hubby made a cooked breakfast and I had lovely cards and gifts (although I'm not sure if Dex is willing to part with the chocolate orange!).  Hugs to all who find mother's day difficult.

Digistamp Boutique new releases

**2nd post for today - scroll down for my Stamp Something DT card**

I've been playing with some of April's new releases from Digistamp Boutique today, there's some really lovely ones :o)

I've used the handbag collection for my card - they actually come as 4 separate images, but I put them all together in Photoshop and added the text before I printed it all out.  I've coloured them with promarkers with a bit of glamour dust here and there.  The papers are K&Co, cardstock is coredinations.  I cut the swirly corners with a sizzix die and the pearls are from my stash.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Papertake Weekly - sketch
• Charisma Cardz - bling & sparkles

You can see all the new releases from Digistamp Boutique here and some examples below.

Stamp Something - digi!

It's Friday and that means a new challenge at Stamp Something... and this week it's our regular monthly 'something digi' challenge - nice and easy!  We have lots of lovely sponsors so there are some great prizes to be won.

I've used a fab image from one of our sponsors Sassy Studio, coloured with promarkers and koh-i-noor pencils.  The papers are Making Memories, with some bright pink Papermill cardstock and some shimmery yellow card that I think might be Bazzill Bling.  Flower and ric rac ribbon from my stash, card candy and sentiment from Craftwork Cards.

I've followed the sketch at The Sweet Stop so I'm entering my card there.

I don't know what's up with me today - I've been so sleepy all day, I'm not with it at all!  Hope I'm not coming down with something nasty.  I've promised Dex a trip to White Post Farm tomorrow, so fingers crossed I'll be ok and it won't rain!