Fly High

 I began this card by embossing pale blue core'dinations cardstock with the Darice folder 'cloudy sky' from Crafter's Companion. I then sanded it and layered it on to blue and black mirri card before fixing it to the base card. Waterfall Stickles was spread on the clouds with my finger to give just a hint of glitter - lovely and messy! I then applied crystal and diamond Stickles to the top right hand corner of each cloud. Letters and words cut out using tattered lace dies were then glued to the card.
  The image 'Balloon journey' from House Mouse Designs was coloured using Promarkers, cut out and dusted with stormy sky distress ink before adhering it to the card with foam pads. A number 4 peel off was added to one of the balloons.

  I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
  Crafter's Companion - animals
  Dream Valley - for a child
  I Love Promarkers - use a number
  House Mouse and Friends - transport
  Inky Impressions - animals
  Send a Smile 4 Kids - animal cards for kids
  The Crazy Challenge - animals

Dancing Queens

  For this card I began by matting and layering pink diamond patterned paper and black card onto a white card base. Next pink floral patterned paper was layered onto black card and ribbon attached to two diagonally opposite corners. This was then mounted onto the main card and two double pink and black rows were added.
  Two digi stamps were printed using the Daisy and Friends CD ROM from Joanna Sheen, coloured using Promarkers and cut out. Using Spellbinders dies I cut out two white card ovals and mounted each onto black mirri card which had also been cut out using Spellbinders dies. Faux stitching was done round the edge of each white oval. The images of the girls were then adhered to these ovals using glue gel and these were then mounted onto the main card with foam pads.
   Finally peel off sentiments were added.

  I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
  Joanna Sheen - pretty in pink
  Ooh La La -inspired by a song (Dancing Queen by Abba)
  Whoopsi Daisy - use more than one image
  Crafty Catz Weekly - stitching with material (ribbon)
  Paper Pretties Wednesday - black, white and ? (pink)
  Crafty Sentiments Designs - make it girly
  Dream Valley - for a child

Dressing up

  Here is the next card, for a birthday at the beginning of September.
  The patterned papers used are from Wild Rose Studio Annabelle's paper packs and both have been layered onto blue mirri card, the very pink horizontal paper having had a ribbon wrapped around it before attaching it to the card.
  The image is from Lili of the Valley and is called 'new hat'. It reminds me of what most little girls love doing - dressing up in mummy's clothes. I coloured it with Promarkers and cut it out with a Spellbinders oval die. It was then mounted onto pink mirri card which had been cut out with a lacy oval die. I then stuck this onto blue core'dinations cardstock and cut around the edges before attaching to the card with foam pads.
  The Color Me Crazy flower by Petaloo was coloured using a Promarker pen and sprayed with Crafter's Companion pink glitter spray. A gem was then added to the centre and it was attached to the card along with some blue mirri card swirls. Finally a 'Happy Birthday' sentiment was added.

  I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
  Paper Pretties Wednesday - girly girl
  QKR stampede -anything goes
  Crafty Ribbons - anything goes with ribbon
  Dream Valley - for a child

Put your feet up

  The next series of birthdays occurs in my family, starting with my niece's husband at the end of the month. Whether he will have time to laze about at the end of the day is questionable - they have a two year old daughter!
  There are times when one or more colours in the printer run out. The base background for this card resulted from one such occasion and has remained in my box of papers for sometime waiting for  when it could be used. The other papers used are from Wild Rose Studio's paper stack for men and are matted onto red cardstock.
  The image, from Lili of the Valley, is coloured with Promarkers and is also backed onto red cardstock. It is attached to the card with foam pads.
  The card is finished with a sentiment.

  I wish to enter this card into the following challenges:
  Crafting with Dragonflies - card for a guy
  Lili's Little Fairies - it's all about the boys
  QKR Stampede - anything goes
  Crafty Musketeers - sketch
  Here Come the Boys - lazy summer days

The bee song

 
  Bees always remind me of summer (and  honey). As my daughter said, 'We hate wasps but love bees but they are similar!'
  For this card I have used various stamps from Chocolate Baroque. I began by stamping a honeycomb design at random over yellow pearlescent paper to form a background. (The paper was more yellow than the photo shows.) Brown ribbon was wrapped round this prior to layering it onto dark brown core'dinations cardstock. Words from the chorus of Arthur Askey's 'The Bee Song'  (bz bz bz bz honey bee)  were stuck onto the ribbon.
  The beehive topper was coloured with Promarkers and the wings of the little bees were glittered. I then edged the image with vintage photo and tea die distress inks. It also was layered onto dark brown core'dinations cardstock before fixing to the main card.
   Finally a large bee was stamped, coloured, cut out, wings glittered and fixed to the card.

   I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

   Lisa B. Designs - vintage
   Ooh La La - inspired by a song ( The Bee Song)
   I Love Promarkers - bugs
   Passion for Promarkers - use your favourite colour combo (brown and yellow)
   Eureka Stamps - dog days of summer
   QKR Stampede - anything goes
   Gingerloft - bright sunshine yellow
   Stamping Sensation - wings and things and a touch of vintage
   Addicted to Stamps - shabby/vintage
   Kaboodles Doodles - a song
   Crafty Ribbons - anything goes with ribbon

Afternoon Break!

  This is the first vintage card that I have made and I rather enjoyed the process.
  The Lili of the Valley stamp 'Take it easy' is coloured with Promarkers and edged with vintage photo and tea die distress inks. I then sanded the edges and tore them a little and then used walnut stain ink along the edges. The image was then mattered and layered onto cream and dark brown core'dinations cardstock.
   Sepia coloured floral paper, edged with walnut stain distress ink, was layered onto dark brown core'dinations cardstock and stuck to the cream base card. The stamp image was attached with foam pads.
   The sentiment, edged with vintage photo and tea die distress inks, was also mattered and layered onto cream and dark brown core'dinations cardstock. This was then attached to the card with thicker foam pads.
   I coloured twine with vintage photo distress ink and threaded it though three buttons which were then attached to the card.

  I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
  Penny Black and More - in the garden
  Lisa B. Designs - vintage
  Dream Valley - monochrome
  Crafting with Dragonflies - card for a guy
  Lili's Little Fairies - vintage/shabby chic
  Creative Corner - anything goes
  Addicted to Stamps - vintage/shabby
  Cute Card Thursday - button up
  Kaboodle Doodles - a song or a quote

The big prize

  I was asked to make a card for an elderly lady who is reaching a significant birthday, has premium bonds, but would not wish to have her age displayed on a card. So this is what I have come up with.
  The backing paper and champagne topper were printed using a My Craft Studio CD ROM. I decoupaged the bottle and cork on the topper and mounted it onto black mirri card.
  The two phrase 'toppers' were cut out using a Spellbinder label 1 die and then trimmed and mounted onto black mirri card cut out using the same die. They were fixed to the card with foam pads.
  The £1 000 000 was used in an oblique reference to her age and the 'premium bond prize' was cut from a printed leaflet.

  I would like to enter this card into the CD Sunday challenge 'add a number'.

Summer Birthday

  As someone whose birthday is in August I often find myself on holiday when commemorating that day. This card is for someone who suffers the same joy or fate.
  The background paper is printed from Joanna Sheen's House Mouse inserts CD ROM. The doily, which represents the sun, is inked with squeezed lemon and dried marigold distress inks. To represent the alternative weather, particularly if you holiday in this country, I have embossed a strip of core'dinations whitewash card stock with a Darice folder from Crafter's Companion called cloudy sky and lightly sanded it.
  The image stamped from one of Joanna Sheen's summer House Mouse designs is coloured with Promarkers and distress ink and layered onto blue and gold mirri card to reflect sea and sand. Unfortunately it doesn't show up well in the photo. Some blue and yellow gems finish the card.

  I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
  Joanna Sheen - embossing
  Crafter's Companion - animals
  I love Promarkers - summertime
  Little Claire's Designs - holidays
  Eureka Stamps - dog gays of summer
  Creative Corner - anything goes
  Wednesday's Crafty Cardmakers - fun in the sun

Carol Singer

  I have another new stamp from Lili of the Valley. This one is called 'A Christmas carol'. I just love their images, but my bank balance is dwindling.
  I began this card by attaching a narrow strip of red mirri card down the right hand side and adding  a 'Happy Christmas' peel off to it. I then attached red snow flake paper to the remainder of the card.
  The main image was coloured with Promarkers, cut out with an oval Spellbinders die, mounted onto red mirri card (also cut out with a Spellbinders die) and glittered. It was fixed to the card with foam pads.
  Finally a poinsettia made from mirri card and cut out using Spellbinders dies was added, gem stones being used as berries.

  I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
  Winter Wonderland - red and green
  Allsorts - use your new stash (stamp and poinsettia dies)
  Creative Corner - anything goes
  Lili of the Valley - make it festive

Relax

 This card is a little bit different to that which I normally make, since I do not often use a printed image which is not decoupaged, nor do I make a feature of the sentiment.
 The backing paper,  sentiment and topper are all printed from Joanna Sheen's Holly Pond Hill CD ROM.      Firstly the backing paper was matted onto pink pearlescent card. Pink ribbon was wrapped around a strip of the pink pearlescent card, after it had been embossed using a Cuttlebug folder called Victoria, which was then mounted onto pale turquoise pearlescent card embossed using the same folder. A pink bow was added and the embossed pieces attached to the right hand side of the card.
  The sentiment was matted and layered onto pink and pale turquoise card and then fixed with foam pads to the embossed panel. Four tiny pink gems were glued to the corners of the turquoise square.
  A one centimetre strip of the pink pearlescent card was embossed and the printed topper fixed to this to leave the embossed strip at the bottom. Four tiny turquoise gems were glued at random on this embossed section. The whole was then mounted onto pale turquoise pearlescent card  and attached to the main card.

  I am entering this into Joanna Sheen's embossing challenge. I also notice that her candy for this week is the CD from which this image came.

Results are in!

  Well it's that time when exam results are being collected. Good luck to all those who took them and I hope all have achieved what they wanted.
  The alphabetic backing paper was printed from La Pashe's CD ROM 'Something for everyone'. A white square was mounted onto black mirri card and fixed in the bottom right hand corner of the card. A peel off sentiment was then attached to the square.
  For the main image I used a Morehead stamp called 'Professor' and coloured it with Promarkers. The edges of the square were then distressed with black soot distress ink, although this does not show up very clearly in the photograph. I then mounted this onto black mirri card and attached it to the card with foam pads.

  I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
  Paper Pretties Wednesday - school rules
  Creative Corner - anything goes
  Here Come the Boys - only squares (lots on the background paper!)

Flying High

  This card is for someone who likes 'swinging in the trees'. Printed blossom paper was used for the backing paper. A strip of blue paper which had a pattern of leaves on it was attached down the left hand side and edged on the left by a blue boarder.
  The main image was made up of stamps from Joanna Sheen's House Mouse Design collection. I coloured it with Promarkers and distressed the edges with faded jeans distress ink before mounting it onto blue mirri card. The image was then attached to the card with foam pads. A further mouse was coloured and cut out and fixed so that he stood on the frame of the topper. A sentiment was then attached to the end of the branch. Three card candi were fixed in the bottom right hand corner. Finally glitter was applied to the blossom and candi.

  I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
  Crafty Cardmakers - 1 image, 2 patterned papers ,3 embellishments (mouse, sentiment, card candi)
  Eureka Stamps - blooms and blossom
  QKR Stampede - no squares allowed

Cocoa Time

  The background for this card is core'dination cardstock embossed with a Crafter's Companion embossing folder from the Beatrix Potter range and then sanded. A strip from the core'dinations whitewash collection, embossed with a Darice folder called 'clock background' (again from Crafter's Companion) and also sanded, was attached to the left hand side of the card.
  The stamp used is from Joanna Sheen's collection of House Mouse designs and is coloured using Promarkers. After  lightly distressing the edges of the topper with fired brick distress ink I mounted it onto maroon mirri card and then attached it to the card with foam pads. A circular sentiment was added to finish the card.

  I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
  QKR Stampede- no squares allowed
  Creative Corner - eat, drink and be merry
  House Mouse and Friends - liquid refreshment
  Passion For Promarkers - sketch
  Crafter's Companion - animals
  Joanna Sheen - embossing

Digging for victory

  As this is a male card I didn't want to make it to 'bling' but I didn't want the card to be matt, so I printed the backing paper onto centura pearl to give it a slight sheen.
  Two smaller squares cut from core'dinations card stock were then matted and layered centrally on the card.
  The Lili of the Valley image called vegetable patch was stamped diagonally onto a square of Neenah card, coloured with Promarkers and mounted onto brown core'dinations card stock. I used a Sakura stardust gel pen to make the faux stitching around the edge of the square and then fixed it to the card with foam pads.
  A square 'happy birthday' sentiment was attached in the corned with thicker foam pads.

  I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
  Penny Black and More - in the garden
  Allsorts - stitching
  Whoopsi Daisy - stitching
  Here Come The Boys - only squares

Three Owls

  This cute image from Crafter's Companion Mulberry Wood Christmas collection is called 'Wish upon a star'. I coloured it with Promarkers, glittered the snow and snowflakes and added flower soft  to the hat and stockings.
  The background of the card is formed from white card with wine ribbon wrapped round it layered onto wine paper. The coloured image was also layered onto wine card and fixed to the background card. I stamped a sentiment onto white card, mounted it onto the wine card, added glitter and fixed it with foam pads to the card. A bow and card candi finished the card.

  I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
  Passion for Promarkers - clean and simple
  Eureka Stamps - clean and simple
  Winter Wonderland - cute Christmas
  Addicted to Stamps - wonderful wings
  Flutterby Wednasday - any winged creature

Merry Christmas

  I am continuing with my Christmas card production. For this one I began with white centura pearl card, the edges of which were distressed with tattered rose distress ink before mounting onto the base card. A strip of centura pearl card was embossed with snowflakes and this also had tattered rose distress ink applied to it. It was then mounted onto red mirri card before fixing it to the main card.
  The image for the topper is from Crafter's Companion Humphrey's Corner 'At Christmas' stamp set. I coloured it with Promarkers and cut it out using a Spellbinders circle die and mounted it onto red mirri card cut out with a scalloped circle die, also from Spellbinders. The snow and snowflakes were then glittered. Flower soft was added to the hats of the reindeer and rabbit.The topper was then fixed to the card with foam pads.
  The card was finished with a 'Merry Christmas' peel off.

   I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
  Crafter's Companion - animals
  Eureka Stamps - clean and simple
  QKR Stampede - no squares allowed
  Passion For Promarkers - clean and simple
  Winter Wonderland - cute Christmas
  Joanna Sheen - embossing

The winners

  I have used La Pashe's CD ROM 'Something for everyone'  to make this card. The backing paper has been layered onto red card and this card was also used to back the sentiments (which were first outlined in black) and the decoupaged topper (which was first backed onto black mirri card).
  I would like to enter this into the CD Sunday challenge.

Feeding the birds 2

  Here is a second card using the Lili of the Valley stamp 'feeding robins'. This image I have coloured with Whispers Stroke markers, pens which I purchased five years ago but have never got round to using!!
  I wrapped red ribbon round the card and added a 'Happy Christmas' peel off to it. I also embossed some snowflakes randomly over the card. These and the snow and snowflakes on the image I then glittered.
 
  I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
  Eureka Stamps - clean and simple
  Winter Wonderland - cute Christmas
  Lili's Little Fairies - Christmas in August
  Lili of the Valley - make it  festive
  Creative Inspirations - something old (markers) and something new (stamp)

Feeding the birds 1

 I wanted to use up some scraps of paper left over from previous years Christmas cards so I cut the paper into 2cm strips and got weaving! Some of this was then cut to size to form the backing paper for this card. I used zigzag peel off to simulate stitching the 'patchwork' to the base card.
  The image for the topper is one of Lili of the Valley's new stamps - feeding robins - which I coloured with Promarkers and cut out using a Spellbinder die. I then cut out the windows. Glitter was applied to the snow and snowfalkes and a peel off was applied to the edge. The lacy edge of two doilies were cut out and used as a ruffle to edge the topper which was then mounted with foam pads onto patterned paper to create the interior view through the window. The completed topper was then attached to the card.
  I finished the card with a 'season's greetings' sentiment.

  I would like to enter this cord into the following challenges:
  Lili of the Valley - make it festive
  Creative Inspiration - something old and something new (papers ans stamp)
  I love Promarkers - use a doily
  Paper Pretties Wednesday - designer duds
  Allsorts - photo inspiration (background)
  Lili's Little Fairies - Christmas in August

All dotty!

  I have quite a few odd scraps of spotty paper (who can throw anything away? ) and this card was made to use some of those scraps.
  The background was formed by orange and pink spotty paper layered onto fuchsia centura pearl. A strip of smaller pink spotty paper was also backed by the fuchsia centura pearl and attached horizontally to the card.
  The stamped image 'daydream believer' from Crafter's Companion S.w.a.l.k. collection was coloured with Promarkers and also backed with fuchsia. The image was stamped again onto yet more spotty paper and the girls hair ribbons and clothes were cut out and fixed to the coloured image.
  The sunflower 'garden' was made by stamping onto even more (!!) spotty paper and cutting out and assembling seven separate images. Card candi was used for the flower centres.
  The card was completed with a label bearing the message 'with love' attached by ribbon.

 I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
  Crafting Musketeers - sketch
  Creative Corner - polka dots
  Whoopsi Daisy - paper piecing
  Dream Valley - summer days
  Penny Black and More - in the garden

Having fun

  This card reminds me of my five grandsons - always getting into mischief.
  The patchwork background is stamped using two of Joanna Sheen's patchwork rubber stamps. Sakura souffle pens were used for the faux stitching and once it had been dusted with milled lavender distress ink I mounted it onto pale lilac paper.
  The main image from one of Joanna Sheen's Mice and Crafty House Mouse stamps is coloured with Promarkers. I then used sparkle and sprinkle embossing powder on the thimbles and pins and while still hot I sprinkled clear glitter on top - very sparkly!! I then edged the image with milled lavender distress ink and mounted it onto pale lilac. Once positioned on the card I attached four card candi to the corners.
  Two stamped individual mice were then shaped and glue gelled onto the bottom corners to finish the card. What is the one in the right hand corner doing? Keeping a look out or telling on the others?

    I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
   ABC - stitching (around the patchwork squares)
   Wednesday Creative Inspiration - anything goes
   House Mouse and Friends - heat embossing
   Allsorts - photo inspiration (layout of background)
   Crafty Catz Weekly - pastel colours
   Cute Card Thursday - anything goes
   Joanna Sheen - boys will be boys

Sledging

 With the glut of birthdays out of the way for the moment I can concentrate on getting some of my Christmas cards done.
  For this card I matted and layered the paler snowflake paper onto dark blue onto darker snowflake paper onto dark blue again. I then added a strip of the darker snowflake paper again matted onto dark blue down the left hand side.
  The image for the topper is from one of Joanna Sheen's winter collection of House Mouse stamps. As usual I coloured it with Promarkers. I then mounted it onto silver mirri card cut out with a Spellbinders long classic scalloped rectangular die. This was then fixed onto the card, although lower than I had originally intended because I had the card upside down when I first attached it. ( managed to salvage most of the card)
  I finished the card off with die cut holly, a ribbon and mini gems for berries.

  I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
  Crafty Cardmakers - 1 image, 2 patterned papers, 3 embellishments ( holly leaves, ribbon, gems)
  Joanna Sheen - boys will be boys
  Wednesday Creative Inspirations - anything goes
  Cute Card Thursday - anything goes
  Crafty Musketeers - sketch

Summer holidays

  As a child my brother and I were often taken during the summer to a nearby pond where we would float his toy boat. This image brings back those memories.
  I used Promarkers to colour the Lili of the valley image 'By the river', edged it with distress ink stormy sky and mounted it onto blue mirri card cut out using a Spellbinders scalloped oval die.
  Pale blue paper matted onto pale green centura pearl formed the background. Two strips of blue patterned and two strips of green patterned paper were also matted onto the pale green centura pearl and arranged on the background. The stamped image was then fixed on top of this.
  A mini centura pearl envelope, inside which a card with a sentiment on it was placed, was attached to the bottom right hand corner. Two card candi finished the card.

  I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
  Joanna Sheen - boys will be boys
  Wednesday Creative Inspirations - anything goes
  Passion for Promarkers - summertime blues (blue/green)
  Here Come the Boys - sketch
  Dream Valley - summer days
  Cute Card Thursday - anything goes
  QKR Stampede - summer fun

Happy walking

  This Lili of the Valley stamp is coloured with Promarkers. Although under their 'boy stamps' this card was made for a female neighbour who likes walking - hence all the pink.
  Mounted onto mirri card both the image and the mount were cut out using Spellbinders label dies. Striped pink paper matted onto mirri card had ribbon wrapped round it before attaching it to the base card.
  Die cut letters form a phrase which was attached to pink paper matted onto mirri card before fixing it above the ribbon along which peel off happy birthday's run. The topper was then attached and the card finished off with candi.

  I wish to enter this card into the following challenges:
  Lili's Little Fairies - here come the girls
  Cute Card Thursday - anything goes
  Wednesday Creative Inspirations - anything goes