Relax

   I was asked to make a male birthday card so it being summer what better than to relax in the garden.
   I matted and layered designer paper from Wild Rose studio's Blackberry Lane paper pack onto navy mirri card and white card. I then die cut navy and dark green mirri card using the Signature die butterfly flourish. I used the green mirri for the main part and filled in the butterflies wings with the navy.
   The stamped image 'Take it easy' from lili of the Valley was coloured using Promarkers with a light dusting of distress ink round three of the edges. I matted this onto navy mirri card cut out using a Spellbinders postage stamp die.
   The letters, also out of navy mirri card, were cut using Tattered Lace elegant alphabet dies and the words were cut out using Tattered Lace all occasions sentiments dies.

  I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
   Lili of the Valley -male or sporty
   Whoopsi Daisy - summer is here
   QKR Stampede - include a dog or a cat
   Crafty Cardmakers and More - wooden it be lovely (wood on the deckchair)
   Crafty Sentiments Designs - summer/summer colours
   Fantasy Stampers - here comes summer
   Sweet Stampin - summer fun
   Sweet Stamps - summer
   Fairies - summer
   Creative Moments - anything goes/for the boys

Shopping

   I had some old paper that I had designed several years ago when getting to grips with a graphics program in my stash. The wording on it is 'shop till you drop' so it seemed appropriate for this image.
   I wrapped brown satin ribbon round it and then matted and layered it onto brown core'dinations cardstock and white card.
   The image is another one from Crafter's Companion Scruffy Little Cat collection of stamps and is called 'Ashleigh' and was coloured using Promarkers. Using a Spellbinders labels eight die I cut out the image and went round the edge with a brown Promarker pen. I also used the same die to cut out the brown mirri card which I attached to the card before attaching the offset image with glue gel.
   I folded more of the ribbon to form a bow and fastened this to the card. A wooden butterfly from Hooy Cutz was glue gelled in the centre of this. The card was finished with a coloured peel off sentiment.

   I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
   Without Words - femme fatale
   Crafty Cardmarkers And More - wooden it be lovely
   Hobby Cutz - something old (paper, die and ribbon) and something new (stamp)
   Clear It Out - colour of your favourite ice cream (creamy vanilla and chocolate) and anything goes for stash
   Inky Impressions - anything goes
   Crafty Catz - anything goes
   Creative Fingers - anything goes
   Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes
   Crafting From The Heart - anything goes
   Fantastic Tuesday - anything goes
   Scribble And Scrap - anything goes
   Lacy Sunshine - anything goes
   Party Time Tuesdays - anything goes
   Crafting At The Weekend - anything goes

Mermaid

   I have some shimmery paper in my stash which changes colour depending on the angle at which you view it and I have thought many times about how or where I could use it. Then I came across this digi stamp called Mermaid Izzy from Di's Digi Stamps and an idea was born.

   I matted and layered water design paper printed from All Day Everyday Limited Anniversery Edition of the My Craft Studio CD ROM and the shimmery paper onto a pre-cut white scalloped card. Across this I attached a horizontal strip printed from The Tale of Two Bad Mice CD ROM from Crafter's Companion.

   The digital image was coloured using Promarkers and metallic pencils from Dewent. I then added glitter to the mermaid's tail and pearl and matted it onto core'dination cardstock cut out using a floral oval Spellbinders die and then onto the shimmery paper. After fixing this to the card I attached a flower coloured using Promarkers to the hair and added a pearl which had also been coloured using Promarkers to the flower centre.
   The tag is made from coredinations cardstock cut out using a smaller floral oval die and matted onto the shimmery paper. I coloured two more pearls and peel offs before attaching them to the tag.

   I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
   ABC - N is for nautical
   The Crazy Challenge - by the sea
   Crafty Calendar - petals and pearls
   Digi Sketch - feeling blue
   CD Sunday - use dies
   Crafty Sentiments Designs - summer/summer colours
   Digi Designs - lots of layers
   Imagination Crafts - all that glitters
   Glitter n Sparkle - include some yellow
   The Pink Elephant - sketch
   Bunny Zoe's Crafts - layers

Chocolate

   I love chocolate, particularly dark chocolate, so when I came across this stamp called 'The Chocolate Factory' from Lili of the Valley I couldn't pass it by. Those cheeky mice have found a way of lifting off the chocolate box lid, although I myself would prefer the saucepan of chocolate!!
   I matted squares of dark brown and white core'dination cardstock onto white card. I then cut two doilies in half, two halves I coloured with yellow distress ink and two with purple distress ink, and arranged them on the card. (Chocolates are often displayed on doilies in chocolate shops.)
   The stamped image was coloured using Promarkers. I framed this with purple core'dinations cardstock the centre of which had been cut out using a Spellbinders label four die. I then matted this combination onto dark purple core'dination cardstock and attached it to the card.
   The paper flowers were printed from a My Craft's Studio CD ROM. After I had stuck the components together I sprayed them with gold glitter and added black stickles for the centres. I attached these to the card along with a yellow bow.

   I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
   Penny Black and More - use your favourite stamp (well it's chocolates)
   Send A Smile 4 Kids - animal cards
   I Love Promarkers - use a doily
   Glitter and Sparkle - include some yellow
   Stampin For The Weekend - anything goes
   Pile It On - cute
   Delicious Doodles - make a scene
   Loves Rubber Stamps - handmade flowers
   Creative Fingers - anything goes
   Fantastic Tuesday - anything goes
   Scribble and Scrap - anything goes

Skate Boarder 2

   I used this image a month ago to make a card for one of my grandsons. This is a card for his twin. I generally make cards on the same theme, then there is no squabbling! I also went through my box of off cuts of printed papers to see what I could use and this determined the colours used on the image which is coloured using Promarkers. The strips of paper were matted onto core'dination cardstock as was the image. The main backing paper was matted onto white card. I attached a peel off number 7 to each of the card candi before gluing them to the topper.

   I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
   Dream Valley - monochrome
   QKR Stampede - sports
   Inky Impressions - for the boys
   Digi Designs - use lots of layers
   KennyK'sKraftyKrew - anything goes with a twist brown
   A Little Bit Crafty - child's play
   Creative Fingers - anything goes
   Creatalicious - happy birthday
   Pink Gem - for a child
   Tuesday Throwdown - celebrations
   Creative Moments - anything goes/for the boys
   Oldie But A Goodie - father's day/masculine (the printed paper)
   Clear It Out - anything goes

Just Relax!

   This card is for one of my step daughters whose birthday is on Tuesday. She has five boys under 14 so I think she could do with a little relaxation.
   The image is Lola, one of the Scuffy Little Cat stamps from Crafter's Companion. I coloured it using Promarkers and used liquid pearls for the string of beads. The edges were rubbed along a distress ink pad and then the edges of the card were brushed with the same ink. I also used the ink to colour the vintage lace from Marienne design before wrapping it round the corner of the card. After matting the image onto white card I fixed four pearls and a bow to this lace. Finally I stamped a sentiment and attached this to the card.

   I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
   Without Words - femme fatale
   Papertake Weekly - lace and pearls
   Crafty Sentiments Designs - CAS or full on
   Love To Create - anything goes
   Hobby Cutz - lace and bows
   Simon Says Stamp Monday - anything goes
   Crafting From The Heart - anything goes
   Sweet Stamps - anything goes
   Tuesday Throwdown - celebration
   Through The Purple Haze - anything goes

BBQ

   The theme at Creative Corner this week is summertime, so come and join the fun.
   I used the Lili of the Valley stamp 'Just one more' and coloured it using Promarkers. I pleated grey ribbon around a circle topper from a Christmas kit(!) to create the rosette and added peel off letters to it.

   I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
   Lili of the Valley - male or sporty
   Ooh La La - father's day/male
   Paper Pretties - summer fun
   Addicted to Stamps - outdoors
   Cupcake Inspiration - for the boys
   Crafty Sentiments Designs - CAS or full on
   Digi Designs - ribbons/bows
   V's Sweet Ideas - summer fun
   Glitter n Sparkle - father's day/men's cards
   Catch The Bug - summertime
   The Cutie Pie - a cute one for dad
   Scribble and Scrap - anything goes
   Fantasy Stampers - for the boys
   CAS-ual Fridays - what a catch!
   Creative Moments - anything goes for the boys
   Clear It Out - anything goes
   Fairies - summer

Study in gold

   Sometimes I just like to experiment with different colouring mediums and see what turns out. This is one of those experiments. The end result is a little more shiny than the photograph shows, only the leaves appearing matt.
   This image is one of the Pilkington butterflies from Stamps Away. I coloured the leaves using a gold Letraset metallic marker and the flowers using a black Promarker pen and a gold gel pen. This was matted and layered onto gold mirri card and white card. I then edged the design with black peel off edged with gold.
    I stamped the butterfly a second time, going over the markings using the Promarker pen. I then covered the white area with a Quickie glue pen and applied gold gilding flakes. After cutting it out I decoupaged it to the design, attaching it with glue gel. Finally I added the greeting.

   I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
   Allsorts - white and gold plus one (black)
   Crafty Sentiments Designs - CAS or full on
   Imagination Crafts - all that glitters
   Love To Create - anything goes
   Simon Says Stamp Monday - anything goes
   Through The Purple Haze - anything goes
   Open Minded Crafting - things with wings
   Dragonfly Dreams - anything with wings
   The East Wind - bling
 

Tug of war

   I couldn't resist this stamp when I saw it and felt it was calling out for bright, vibrant colours. It is 'Annabel - tug of war' from Lili of the Valley. Is Annabel about to fall in the puddle? I coloured it using Promarkers and after cutting it out with a Spellbinders wavy rectangle die brushed the edges with distress ink. I then matted it onto core'dinations cardstock cut out using a Spellbinders label 1 die. I haven't used different shaped dies together like this before but in this case I think it works.
   The striped paper from DCWV was matted and layered onto a paler shade of core'dinations cardstock and white card. I then matted strips of spotted paper onto core'dination cardstock, attached the ribbon round the ends and fixed to the card in the form of a cross. I then fixed the image on top of this and added card candi to the corners and different sized gem stones to the top and bottom. Finally I attached a bow to the centre top of the card.

   I wish to enter this card into the following challenges:
   Send A Smile 4 Kids - for the girls
   Creative Inspirations - bright and bold colours
   Crafty Little Fairies - spots and stripes
   QKR Stampede - anything goes
   Inky Impressions - for the girls
   Crafty Catz - 2 different dies
   Addicted To Stamps - outdoors
   Incy Wincy - bright funky colours
   Crafty Ribbons - anything goes with ribbon
   Scrapbook Stamp Society - anything goes
   Scribble and Scrap - anything goes

Cake making mice

   It's those little mice again, they get everywhere. This time they are in the 'cake shop' - another stamp from Lili of the Valley. I have coloured it  using promarkers and then matted it onto pale blue mirri card.
   The papers I used were in my box of printed stash so I cannot remember from which CD ROMs they were printed. The  vertical strip is also matted onto the pale blue mirrri card, whilst the candle disigner paper had ribbon wrapped round the base. The flourishes are wooden pieces from Hobby Cutz which I covered with acrylic paint and then sprayed with iridescent sparkle. Finally I attached three bows.

   I wish to enter this card into the following challenges:
   QKR Stampede - anything goes
   Stamping Sensations - animal antics
   Crafty Ribbons - anything goes with ribbon
   Digi Designs - ribbon/bows
   Crafting From the Heart - anything goes
   Fantastic Tuesday - anything goes
   Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper - anything goes
   Bunny Zoe's Craft - layers
   Creatalicious - happy birthday
   Scrapbook Stamp Society - anything goes

Gardening mice

   My father was keen on his gardening and was for ever potting up plants, so this stamped image, 'The potting shed', from Lili of the Valley brings back many fond memories, although I don't know what he would have made of the mice! I coloured it using Promarkers and having cut it out used two strands of embroidery thread to buttonhole stitch around the edge. This brought back memories of my father's sister because it was she who gave me all her threads when she was nolonger able to carry on with her embroidery work.
   Originally I was going to then use denim from an old pair of jeans to use as a backing, but I could not find a piece sufficiently large enough and usable because then I thought that it would look like a patch. Instead I found some papers that were given away with a magazine sometime ago. These I matted and layered onto core'dination cardstock and white card. I then finished the card off with card candi and a sentiment.

   I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
   Lili of the Valley - male or sporty
   Ooh La La Creations - father's day/male
   Crafty Little Fairies - spots and stripes
   Passion For Promarkers - one for the boys/men
   Whoopsi Daisy - anything goes
   Digi Sketch - for the men
   Papertake Weekly - for the boys
   Crafty Sentiments Designs - father's day/for a male
   Catch the Bug - anything goes
   The Cutie Pie - a cute one for dad
   Creative Fingers - anything goes
   Oldie But A Goodie - father's day/masculine (old thread and papers)
   Hobby Cutz - father's day/masculine
   Crafting From the Heart - anything goes
   Fantastic Tuesday - anything goes
   Animal Friends - hobby
  Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper - anything goes
   Fantasy Stampers - for the boys
   Delicious Doodles - stitch it!
   Tuesday Throwdown - special man
   The Pink Elephant - father's day/masculine
   Crafting at the Weekend - anything goes

Pride and joy

   This image from the Lili of the Valley stamp called 'pride and joy' reminds me of when I first met my brother in-law. He had a yellow sports car which he kept polishing with his handkerchief! I coloured it using Promarkers and metallic gel pens. I also added Stickles to the star on the bonnet. I then matted and layered it onto three different shades of green core'dinations cardstock.
    For the card background I matted and layered paper from Wild Rose's Man About Town paper pack onto two shades of the core'dinations cardstock and white card. The grey vertical strips are the 'waste' from core'dination packs. I have added silver card candi and a sentiment to these.

   I wish to enter this card into the following challenges:
   Lili ot the Valley - male or sporty
   Ooh La La - father's day/male
   Cute Card Thursday - so macho!
   I Love Promarkers - stripes
   Passion for Promarkers - one for the boys/men
   QKR Stampede - father's day
   Digi Sketch - for the men and/or sketch
   Papertake Weekly - for the boys
   Crafty Sentiments Designs - father's day/for a male
   The Cutie Pie - a cute one for dad
   Oldie But a Goodie - father's day/masculine (old stamp)
   Hobby Cutz - father's day/masculine
   Bearly Mine - one for the boys
   Fantasy Stampers - for the boys
   Sweet Stamps - for dad
   Tuesday Throwdown - special man
   The Pink Elephant - father's day/masculine
   Bunny Zoe's Crafts - layers
   Fairies - boys
   Creative Fingers - anything goes

Summer butterfly

   The sun is shining brightly outside and the butterflies are making an appearance so here's a card that reminds me of summer.
   The image is from a collection called Pilkington Butterflies from Stamps Away and is coloured using Promarkers. The sentiment is a stamp from Flower Soft's second set of Floral Sentiments Designs.
   I punched holes down the left hand side of the card and threaded ribbon through the card and finally I added a bow to the base of the design.

   I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
   ABC - M is for monochrome
   Alphabet - I is for inspiration
   Allsorts - one layered card
   Crafty Ribbons - butterflies and ribbon
   Digi Designs - ribbons/bows
   Dragonfly Dreams - anything with wings
   Loves Rubber Stamps - clean and simple
   Open Minded Crafting - things with wings
   Scribble and Scrap - anything goes
   Scrapbook Stamp Society - anything goes

Birthday girl

   This card is a little different to the one's I feel comfortable in making as I have used a lot of unrelated colours - red, blue, yellow and green - and made it more fussy than I would normally do.
   The Digistamps4joy image called 'Bettie bow' was coloured using Promarkers. I attached this behind the aperture created in the blue centura pearl card which had been cut and embossed using  the Die'sire die 'precious'. This was then matted and layered onto pale yellow paper and white card. I then attached narrow peel off around the edge of the image.
   I made punched flowers from core'dination cardstock and gem stones and fixed these to the card along with bows and mirri card flourishes. I finished by adding peel off sentiments.

   I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
   Digistamps4joy - girly/feminine
   Send a Smile 4 Kids - for the girls
   I Love Promarkers - digi does it!
   Paper Pretties - hip to be square
   Papertake Weekly - anything goes
   Glitter and Sparkle - use a digi
   The Squirrel and the Fox - let's hear it for the girls
   The East Wind - embossing
   Party Time Tuesday - colour challenge
   One Stitch at a Time - use a digi

Christmas post

   I've managed to make another Christmas card! I matted paper from Kaisercraft onto white card and then two strips of another Kaisercraft designer paper onto that. I then bordered the two strips with gold peel off.
   The digi image called Santa's letter is from Digi Stamps 4 Joy. I coloured it using Promarkers and the cut it out using a Spellbinders lacy oval die. I added Woodware's Fluffy Stuff to the snow on the box and fence. After colouring the edges I applied another gold peel off to the inside oval. Once I had fixed this to the card I added waste peel off circles to the centre of the side semi-oval spaces. Finally I added a bow made from wired ribbon.

   I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
   Digistamps4joy - christmas
   I Love Promarkers - digi does it!
   Glitter n Sparkle - use a digi
   Papertake Weekly - anything goes
   Crafty Sentiments Designs - anything goes
   Catch the Bug - anything goes
   Crafting From the Heart - anything goes
   Completely Christmas - anything goes
   Stampin for the Weekend - anything goes
   Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Extra - anything goes
   Creative moments - anything goes

Doggie in the window

   My grand-daughters have expressed a wish for a dog so I have made a birthday card for the eldest which was inspired by the song that was often sung at home when I was young - 'How much is that doggie in the window?'. I believe it was sung by Patti Page. Conveniently there was a digi freebie on Ike's World challenge called 'Kristy's Pet 2'.
   I coloured the above mentioned image using Promarkers and distress ink. The window was created by using a window stamp from Little Claire's Designs on acetate that I salvaged from packaging. This was perhaps a little thick as I had difficulty in scoring it so that I could open the windows and also in cutting it. The frame was stamped with the same stamp and was coloured using Promarkers. I then cut out the window pane part, replacing it with the acetate.
   The border around the card is white peel off which I coloured using permanent markers.

   I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
   Ike's World - song or film title (How much is that doggie in the window?)
   Crafty Catz - inspired by a song (How much is that doggie in the window?)
   Hobby Cutz - no designer paper
   Scrapbook Stamp Society - anything goes + optional colours beige and blue
   Love to Create - happy birthday
   Stampin With The Dragon - clean and simple
   Crafty Sentiments Designs - anything goes
   Stamping Sensations - animal antics
   Paper Pretties - hip to be square
   I Love Promarkers - digi does it!

Holiday scene

   This week at Creative Corner we want you to use an old stamp in our challenge. Many of us have stamps in our stash that we have not used for a while, so come and join us in the fun.
   For this card I have used one from Sheena Douglass called 'Stream of life'. It reminds me of the summer holidays I used to spend in the Lake District. I coloured it using Promarkers and after matting and layering it onto black card and silver mirri card I added Glossy accents to the river in the foreground and the stretch of water in the background.
   I wrapped black ribbon round the lower part of mauve core'dinations cardstock before matting and layering that onto black and then white card. I then added light mauve and black card candi to the ribbon.

   I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
   Crafting Musketeers - stamped image
   Digi Sketch - use a stamp
   Papertake Weekly - anything goes
   Crafty Sentiments Designs - anything goes
   Hobby Cutz - no designer paper
   Scribble and Scrap - anything goes
   V's Sweet Ideas - summer fun
   Loves Rubber Stamps - anything goes
   Scrapbook Stamp Society - anything goes
   Fantastic Tuesday - summer
   Crafty Creations - it's all about 's' (summer, scenic, stream)
   Crafting at the Weekend - anything goes
   Addicted to Stamps and More - holiday
   Sweet Pea Stampers - photo inspiration

Pink giraffe

   I have used another of Rachelle Anne Miller's stamps to make a card for one of my great nieces. I think the images are such fun.
   I matted and layered pink checked paper and pink mirri card onto white card. The image which is called 'Wild about you' was coloured using Promarkers and I matted and layered it onto two different coloured pieces of core'dination cardstock before attaching it to the card. I then added a card candi to each corner.
Using Promarkers I coloured two petaloo flowers and added these to the bottom right hand corner adding another card candi for the centre. The piink tag was cut using a Spellbinders nested leaf die and I coloured the peel offs before fixing to the tag. I also added a bow.

   I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
   Stamping Sensations - animal antics
   Digi Sketch - use a stamp
   Ribbon Girl - numbers
   Glitter n Sparkle - cute
   Stampiin for The Weekend - for the girls
   Love To Create - happy birthday
   A Little Bit Crafty - child's play
   Delicious Doodles - for the love of animals
   Nutcrafters - animals
   Cute Card Thursday - perfectly pink