Carly in the spotlight

   The digi I used here is called 'Carly celebrates' and is from Make It Crafty. Having printed it out I lightly, in pencil, drew an oval where I thought the spotlight might fall and then two straight lines from the widest points of the oval to meet above Carly's head. I then coloured it using Spectrum Noir pens and cut it out using a Sellbinders labels 8 die. I cut black card using a Spellbinders decorative labels 8 die and matted the image onto this.
   The background paper is from Papermania and I cut a rectangle from this so that when attached to the blank white card base Happy Birthday would be positioned  under the matted image. I framed this paper with narrow peel off which I had coloured using permenant markers.

   I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
   Scrapebook Stamp Society - anything goes
   Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes
   Addicted to Stamps and More - make your mark
   Crafting From the Heart - anything goes
   Word Art Wednesday - anything goes
   Crafty Gals Corner - anything goes
   The Pink Elephant - anything goes
   Party Time Tuesday - anything goes
   Through the Purple Haze - anything goes
   Everyboby Art - anything goes

Spring lamb

   We have another spring challenge at Eureka Stamps this week. I have used digi numbers 36303 (spring set of four) and 3702(590) (Happy Easter script).
   I began by making a base easel card from white card. I printed the lamb image in grey and coloured it using Promarkers and distress ink. I then matted it onto black core'dinations cardstock and then onto the front of the easel card.
   In my stash I had a wild flower design which I had previously printed onto centura pearl paper. I matted this onto black core'dinations cardstock also before attaching it to the base of the card. The sentiment was also matted onto black cardstock and then used as the stop to the easel.

   I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
   Ooh La La Creations - Easter/spring
   Creative Inspirations - feathered friends/animals
   Cute Card Thursday - Easter
   I Love Promarkers - Easter/spring time
   Whoopsi Daisy - add a sentiment
   QKR Stampede - add a sentiment
   Allsorts - feature a creature
   Digi Sketch - furry animals
   Brown Sugar - Easter
   Digi Designs - spring is here
   Glitter n Sparkle - Easter
   Crafty Boots - Easter
   Creatalicious - anything goes
   Pile It On - Easter/spring
   Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes
   Crafting From The Heart - anything goes
   Fantastic Tuesday - anything goes with the twist Easter
   Suzy Bee's Bloomin' - anything goes with the twist add a sentiment
   Word Art Wednesday - anything goes
   Dream It Up - marching into spring
   Meljens Designs - Easter
   Alphabet - C is for cute and cuddly

Lucky clover

   I began this card by distressing design paper with green distress ink. I then coloured white ribbon using two different green Promarker pens before wrapping them round this paper. I then matted and layered it onto green card and white card and made a double bow from the two coloured ribbons which I attached to the card.
   The digi image called 'Rory's lucky clover' is from Lacy Sunshine and I coloured it using Promarkers. I cut it out using a postage stamp die from Spellbinders and while still in the die used the same distress ink as previously used around the edges. I then matted it onto green core'dinations cardstock and attached it to the card.
   I coloured some small flowers from Wild Orchid using Promarkers and arranged these on the card. Lastly, I stamped a sentiment from the Tatty Twinkles set of stamps called 'He loves me', coloured it using Promarkers, matted it onto core'dinations cardstock and attached to the card.

   I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
   QKR Stampede - add a sentiment
   Crafty Ribbons - anything goes with ribbon
   Inspiration Destination - anything goes
   Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes
   Suzy Bee's Bloomin' - anything goes with the twist add a sentiment
   Pattie's Creations Design - green in your image
   Crafty Gals Corner - anything goes
   Lacy Sunshine - go green
   Make My Monday - green
   Eclectic Ellapu - go green
 

Egg hunt

   I printed the background paper from My Craft Studio's Papercraft Library volume 4 CD ROM. Before matting and layering it onto green core'dinations cardstock and white card I cut round one of the clumps of grass and fixed a coloured egg behind it.
   Apart from the rabbit all the images are from a Tatty Twinkles Easter give away digi. The rabbit stamp used is from Clarity Stamps. All were coloured using Promarkers and cut out using scissors. I shaped Tatty and the basket slightly, placed the basket over Tatty's arm and attached both to the card using glue gel. I then attached the fencing using cut up foam pads. Finally I shaped the rabbit and second egg and attached these to the card using glue gel.

   I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
   Without Words - the bunny is coming/Easter
   Cute Card Thursday - Easter
   I Love Promarkers - Easter/spring time
   Scrapbook Stamp Society - anything goes with the option Easter
   Fantastic Tuesday - anything goes with the twist of an Easter card
   Animal Friends - Easter
   Dream Valley - Easter
   Papertake Weekly - a cut above
   Inspiration Destination - anything goes
   Crafting From the Heart - anything goes

Daffodil wishes

   The theme for our new challenge at Crafty Cardmakers and More is Spring has sprung. Here in the spring sunshine daffodils are beginning to come into bloom, so I used this theme for my card.
   I wrapped two row of narrow ribbon round pearlised card from an empty fudge box and then matted it onto white card. I used the Tattered Lace die Kedleston scalloped oval to cut a frame from yellow core'dinations cardstock, colouring the inner oval using Promarkers. The daffodil was cut from white card using another Tattered Lace die and again coloured using Promarkers. I attached a small bow to the flower stem, a little glitter to the flower trumpets and ten mini gems to the lower of the two horizontal ribbons. Finally a formed a sentiment from peel offs.

   I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
   Cute Card Thursday - spring fever
   My Craft Creations - anything goes
   Crafty Catz - no design papers
   Buckwells Crafty - flowers
   Inspiration Destination - anything goes
   CAS-ual Fridays - springtime melodies
   Bunny zoe's Crafts - spring colours

April showers

   Our challenge theme this week at Eureka Stamps is 'think Spring'. I immediately thought of April showers so chose this Eureka Stamp digi, number 36303. It is one of a set of four and I printed it in blue rather than the normal black and then coloured it using Spectrum Noir pens. The clouds were coloured using distress inks and a masking technique. It was then matted onto white card.
   I then used a Sakura glaze pen on all the raindrops to give them a bit of a sheen. The sentiment is another Eureka Stamp digi (number 11904) and I matted it onto blue core'dinations cardstock before atteaching to the card using foam pads.
   The parasol was cut using a Tattered Lace die and coloured using pens. I then backed it onto white card, shaped it slightly and attached it to the card using glue gel.

   I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
   Cute Card Thursday - spring fever
   I Love Promarkers - your favourite song (Singing in the rain by Gene Kelly)
   QKR Stampede - think spring
   Crafty Catz - no design papers
   Crafty Sentiments Designs - bright colours
   Crafty Boots - spring
   Fab 'n' Funky - spring into colour
   Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - spring
   Word Art Wednesday - anything goes

Easter eggs!

   I began this card by matting the spotty paper onto brown core'dinations cardstock and wrapping yellow organza ribbon round one end before matting the whole onto white card.
   The digi eggs are from Dragons Lair Designs and to it I added a chicken using a stamp from Clarity Stamps. I coloured the design using Promarkers cut round part of it and matted it onto wood panelling design paper. I then cut this out using a Spellbinders classic rectangle die making sure that the chicken was outside the die. I then matted it onto core'dinations cardstock and attached it to the card.
   I added a bow to the ribbon and then attached peel off letters which had been coloured using a permanent marker pen.

   I wish to enter this into the following challenges:
   Dream Valley - Easter
   Cute Card Thursday - spring fever
   Papertake Weekly - happy anything
   Scrapbook Stamp Society - anything goes with the otion of Easter
   Animal Friends - Easter
   Bunny Zoe's Crafts - spring colours
   Dream It Up - marching into spring
   Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - spring
   Crafty Boots - spring
   QKR Stampede - think spring

Pastel colours

   It's the third Saturday in the month and that means the start of another challenge at Send a Smile 4 Kids. The theme this time is pastel colours, so come on what are you waiting for!

   We have three very generous sponsers for this challenge: Milk Coffee Stamps is giving their winner 3 digis, All Dressed Up  Stamps is giving 2 digis and The Cutting Cafe is giving 3 sets of digis or cutting files.

   Donating your card is not a requirement to enter our challenge, but our kids in the thhirteen hospitals we currently serve would love it if you did!

   

   My first card uses the digi 'Charlotte and butterfly' from Milk Coffee Stampers. I thought it could make quite a nice mother's day card. I matted designer paper from my horde onto pale lilac mirri card and tied lilac organza ribbon round the lower part of this before matting it onto white card.

   I coloured the digi image using Promarkers and cut it out using a Spellbinders oval die having first cut round that part of the butterfly that fell outside the die and placing it over the cutting edge. I then matted this onto pale lilac mirri card which had been cut using a Spellbinders scalloped oval die. 

   Using a Tattered Lace die I cut two butterflies from the designer paper and attached the thorax to butterfly shaped mirri card.

   I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
   Crafty Ribbons - anything with ribbon
   In the Pink - lots of layers
   The Paper Shelter - spring delights
   C.R.A.F.T. - female
   Digi Galore - it's all about her/mother's day
   Butterfly - butterflies and p is for patterned paper
   A Gem of a Challenge - pretty in pink
   Creative Moments - anything goes/special lady or mum
   Through the Purple Haze - for your mum or any other woman in your life

   My second card uses the digi 'Daddy's little helper' from All Dressed Up Stamps and is again coloured using Promarkers. Being a boy's card I didnt' want to make it fussy so I matted and layered the image onto three different coloured core'dinations cardstock and then onto white card. I then attached card candi and two quarter card candis to the corners of the layers.

   I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
   Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - anything goes
   My Craft Creations - anything goes
   Whoopsi Daisy - add a sentiment
   Inky Impressions - pastel colours
   Crafty Catz - no design papers
   Fantastic Tuesday - anything goes with the twist make it square
   Penny's Paper-Crafty - use your favourite embellishments (card candi for male cards)
   Dragonfly Dreams - add some embellishments (card candi)

Computing teddy

   The theme for this week's Creative Corner challenge is 'for a boy'. I matted the spotty paper onto brown core'dinations cardstock and white card. I found the paler brown paper in my stash so matted this onto the middle of the card. I also found the narrow strip of card in the box of stash so added this as well. I knew there was a reason for not throwing anything away!
   The Lili of the Valley stamp is called James and laptop and I coloured it using Promarkers. Having cut it out using a Spellbinders circle die I matted it onto brown mirri card which I had cut out using  a Spellbinders scalloped circle die. After attaching it to the card I added card candi to horizontal strip of card.
   The sentiment is also from a Lili of the Valley stamp and again coloured using Promarkers and matted onto brown mirri card.

   I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
   My Craft Creations - anything goes
   Stamping Sensations - one for the guys
   Incy Wincy Designs - colour challenge
   Digi Sketch - anything goes
   Papertake Weekly - happy anything
   Brown Sugar - anything goes
   Inspiration Destination - anything goes
   Fantastic Tuesday - anything goes with the twist make it square
   Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper - anything goes
   Suzy Bee's Bloomin' - anything goes with the twist spots
   Word Art Wednesday - anything goes
   Scribble and Scrap - anything goes
   Alphabet - c is for cut and cuddly

Gnome is where the heart is

    I can remember as a child walking past a garden in which there was a gnome fishing in a little pond and this is what started my love of gnomes.
   On this card the gnome is a digi stamp from Make It Crafty called 'gnomey-drew' and I have coloured him using Promarkers. The image behind him is another digi from the same company: this time a cropped digi called 'mushroom house'. I faded out the edges of it and coloured it using Dewent coloursoft pencils.

   I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
   Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - anything goes
   Whoopsi Daisy - add a sentiment
   Digi Sketch - anything goes
   Creatalicious - anything goes
   Addicted to Stamps and More - anything goes
   Crafting From the Heart - anything goes
   Fantastic Tuesday - anything goes with the twist make it square
   As You Like It -  favourite is digi because you can re-size the image
   Little Miss Muffet - anything goes
   Creative Moments - anything goes

Believe

    Iam not very good at running but I do enjoy being active so I can relate to the sentiment I have used on this card.
   The card was designed by combining various digital images. The background is from My Craft Studio's Setting the Scene CD ROM and the sentiment is from their Papercraft library volume 2. The runner is a Make It Crafty digi called 'kimberley - jogging'. I reduced the second runner in size and also rotated it a little.
    I coloured the background using Spectrum Noir pens and the figures I coloured using Promarkers because I felt this way I would obtain a greater contrast between the background and the figures.

   I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
   Little Miss Muffet - anything goes
   Eclectic Ellapu - anything goes
   The Pink Elephant - use green
   Make My Monday - a scenic card
   Crafting When We Can - favourite hobby or activity
 

Easter cross

   I was asked to make some Easter cards which had a religious theme. I could not find many images  to use. These are a selection of cards using one image.
   The digi image was from the CD ROM ' The Next Big Thing' by Just Inklined. I coloured them using Promarkers And then used disress ink round the edges. They were then matted onto core'dinations cardstock and white card. I finished the card with old dry transfer lettering that I found in my stash.

   I would like to enter these into the following challenges:
   Without Words - Easter
   Buckwells Crafty - flowers
   Scrapbook Stamp Society - anything goes with the option Easter
   ABC - F is for festive (Easter)
   Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - anything goes
   Cute Card Thursday - celebrate (Easter)
   Addicted to Stamps - celebration (Easter)
   Inspiration Destination - anything goes
   Word Art Wednesday - anything goes
   Electic Ellapu - anything goes

Green wishes

   The theme for our Eureka Stamps challenge this week is green. I have used Eureka digis numbers 40502 (shamrock border) and 28804 (wee bit). I coloured the border using Promarkers And distressed the edges using distress ink. I then ran a Promarker pen round the edge of the card to introduce some definition before attaching it to the base card. The shamrock and the three little hearts were formed from part of a Tattered Lace die and were again coloured using Promarkers.

   I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
   Cupcake Inspirations - lucky
   Digi Designs - lots of green
   Ribbon Girl - green
   Crafting By Designs - anything goes
   Addicted to CAS - green
   The Stamping Boutique - St. Patrick's day
   Pattie's Creations Design - green in your image
   Lacy Sunshine - go green
   Tuesday Throwdown - good luck
   Eclectic Ellapu -  go green

Life's in the balance

   The Make It Crafty digital image I have used on this card is called 'kimberly-weigh-scales' and I coloured it using Promarkers. The sentiment was one I found on a My Craft Studio CD ROM.
   Before attaching the design to a white base card I inked the edges using aPromarker pen.
   I hope my sister enjoys the humour.

   I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
   Passion For Promarkers - for a special lady
   Inky Impressions - for a special lady
   Papertake Weekly - mum's the word
   In the Pink - for a special lady
   Fab 'n' Funky - focus on the image
   Simon Says Stamp Monday - B is for  ... balance
   A Gem of a Challenge - pretty in pink
   Little Miss Muffet - anything goes
   My Craft Creations - anything goes
   Inspiration Destination - anything goes
   Crafting From the Heart - anything goes
   One Stitch at a Time - anything goes with women
   Creatalicious - anything goes
   Crafting By Designs - anything goes
   Word Art Wednesday - anything goes
   Sweet Stamps  - anything goes

For a special woman

   We are starting a new challenge today at Crafty Cardmakers and More, the theme of which is 'for a special woman'. I chose to make a birthday card for my sister, since I don't have anyone for whom to make a Mother's Day card and used items from Crafter's Companion Scruffy Little Cat.
   I matted and layered papers onto white card and then matted and layered strips of the same papers to form a horizontal band on the card.
   Next I matted a large topper from the same collection onto brown core'dination cardstock and fixed it to the card. Two smaller accents were added to the bottom of the card. I attached pearls to form a string falling over the topper.
   The stamped sentiment is from the Chanel Scruffy Little Cats set of stamps and was again matted onto core'dinations cardstock.

   I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
   Whoopsi Daisy - add a sentiment
   The Crazy Challenge - happy birthday
   Papertake Weekly - anything goes
   In the Pink - for a special lady
   Inspiration Destination - anything goes
   C.R.A.F.T - 3 embellishments (pearls, sentiment, small accents), 2 papers, 1 image
   Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - special lady/girl
   Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper - anything goes
   Penny's Paper-Crafty - one for the girls
   Word Art Wednesday - anything goes
   Lacy Sunshine - passion for fashion
   Dragonfly Dreams - add some embellishments
   Clear It Out - stash and theme anything goes

Party!

   Our theme for this week's challenge at Eureka Stamps is 'anything goes'. I decided to make a birthday card and have used digis numbers 14303(470) (party poopers), 9008 (happy birthday) and 4403 (par-teee).
   I matted and layered paper from Papermania onto dark brown core'dinations cardstock and cream card. All colouring was done using Promakers and the edges of each piece was distressed using distress ink. All were matted onto core'dinations cardstock.

   I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
   Creative Inspirations - something old (papers and cardstock)
   I Love Promarkers - distress those edges
   Whoopsi Daisy - add a sentiment
   The Crazy Challenge - happy birthday
   Digi Designs - birthdays
   Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper - anything goes
   The Stamping Boutique - more than one layer
   Word Art Wednesday - anything goes
   My Craft Creations - anything goes
   Papertake Weekly - anything goes
   Inspiration Destination - anything goes
   Crafting From the Heart - anything goes
   Doodle Pantry - anything digital goes

Easter/spring cards

   It's the first Saturday in the month and that means time for the start of another challenge at Send a Smile 4 Kids and the theme this time is Easter or Spring cards. We have three generous sponsors again: Crackerbox Palace (3 Digis), The Cutting Cafe' (3 sets of digis or cutting files) and Kitchen Sink Stamps ($25 gift certificate).

   The first card I made used the  digi 'basket on a stump' from Crackerbox Palace. I coloured the eggs using Sakura Srardust gel pens to mimic the effect of silver foil wrapping. Everything else was coloured using Promarkers. I distressed the edges using distress ink before matting it onto gold mirri card.

   For the background I matted and layered yellow spotted paper onto gold mirri and white card. I then attached two strips of a different paper, one vertically and one horizontally and outlined them using gold peel offs to keep the depth down.

   I would like to enter this into the following challenges:

   Without Words - the bunny is coming/Easter

   I Love Promarkers - distress those edges

   Inky Impressions - dots or stripes

   Animal Friends - Easter

   The Stamping Boutique - more than one layer

   My second card is a pocket shaped card and created from a pocket shaped digi from The Cutting Cafe'. The sun and flowers were also digis from The Cutting Cafe'. Again I coloured all using Promarkers. The leaves were die cut using a Crealies Creative shape die. I glued gems to the flower centres and coloured peel offs to form the sentiment.

   I would like to enter this into the following challenges:

   Whoopsi Daisy - add a sentiment

   Allsorts - spring is in the air

   Brown Sugar - spring

   Creatalicious - no square or rectanular cards

   Fab 'n' Funky - shaped card

   Dream It Up! - marching into spring

   Suzy Bee's Bloomin' - anything goes with the twist a shaped card

Special wishes

   This week our challenge at Creative Corner has the theme nature inspired.
   I used the Tattered Lace die tumbling vine to create the mirri card scroll down the right hand side of paper from Wild Rose Studio's peach blossom paper pack. I then tied organza ribbon round the middle of the paper before matting and layering it onto pink mirri and white card.
   I coloured the Bugaboo digi 'Chibi flowerpot peeker' using Promarkers and cut it out using a Spellbinders grand scalloped oval die. This was then matted onto mirri card before attaching it to the left hand side of the card. A coloured peel off was then added to the flowerpot label.

   I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
   Clear It Out - theme/stash anything goes
   Bunny Zoe's Crafts - for the girls
   Dragonfly Dreams -add some embellishments
   The Pink Elephant - girly girl
   Sweet Stamps - girly
   Make My Monday - girly birthday
   Word art Wednesday - anything goes
   Penny's Paper-Crafty - one for the girls
   Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper - anything goes
   Fantastic Tuesday - anything goes with the twist add a ribbon
   Stamp and Create - is it spring yet?
   In the Pink - for a special lady
   Papertake Weekly - anything goes
   The Crazy Challenge - happy birthday
   Creative Inspirations - something old (mirri card and ribbon)

The run away train

   My great nephew will turn one a little later in the year and I thought this digi train from Little Miss Muffet was just the thing. I coloured it using Promarkers, keeping the colours more or less solid as it was for a tot and then fussy cut it out.
   The background was created from a combination of My Craft Studio images and the railway line was drawn using Spectrum Noir pencils. I then cut a narrow slot in this so that I could attach the train to the card through them using several pieces of folded paper. I then attached a card pull to these pieces, having coloured the card first, so that the train runs along the track.
    Lastly I added glitter to the 'It's your birthday!'

   I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
   Little Miss Muffet - birthday celebrations
   The Crazy Challenge - happy birthday
   Addicted to Stamps - use a number
   Cupcake Inspirations - sparkle
   Digi Designs - birthdays
   The Paper Shelter - make it digital
   Glitter and Sparkle - anything goes
   Inspiration Destination - anything goes
   My Craft Creations - anything goes
   Brown Sugar - anything goes
   Sparkle n Sprinkle - anything goes
   Word Art Wednesday - anything goes

Block calendar

   This week our challenge at Eureka Stamps is to make anything but a card. I have often wanted to try my hand at making a block calendar, so I got out pencil, set square and ruler and set to.
   The digi I used in the design is number 57701 (baroque background) and I coloured it using Spectrum Noir pencils and blanding fluid. The numbers on the blocks are as follows 0,1,2,3,4,5 on one and 0,1,2,7,8,9 on the other. The design with the months were matted onto each side of pink card so that only three pieces were required to go into the slot at the back of the container.
   Here is one of those pieces

   I would like to enter this into the following challenges:

   Ooh La La Creations - lots of folds (for the container & cubes)

   Addicted to Stamps - use a number

   The paper Shelter - make it digital

   Crafty Boots - anything but a card

   Brown Sugar - anything goes

   Glitter n Sparkle - anything goes

   Inspiration Destination - anything goes

   Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes
   Crafting From the Heart - anything goes
   Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - anything goes