Guest at Desert Island Crafters - Little Things Bring Joy!

A few weeks ago I was picked in the winning list at the Desert Island Crafters challenge.
If you haven't played there before then you should give it a go as it is a fun concept.
The whole idea is that you are given a list of 10 items and you must include at least 3 of them on your project, easy eh?
So as a winner I got to host a challenge and my crafting itinerary is:

1.Color Your Image (any coloring medium) (check!)
2.Stitching (check!)
3.Use a quote for a sentiment (check!)
4.Something with Wings (check!)
5.Make it Pop Up (check!)
6.Use 3 different shapes (check!)
7.Make it Manly (fail)
8.Use felt/fabric (not ribbon) (fail)
9.Give it Life (use an image of something alive) (check!)
10.Use 3 different colors only (apart from skin/hair) (check!)

So to play you have to include at least 3 of them, should be fun don't you think?

Challenges:
Digi Doodles Shop - Anything Goes
Sew Many Challenges - Anything Goes
Meljen's - Frame It!
Frosted Designs - Circles
Do It With Digi's - Girly
Patties Creations - Stitching (2 entries only)
Ribbon Carousel - Stitching (and ribbon)
Stampin Bee's - Ribbon
Thrilling Thursday - Summertime
Crafty Ann's - Summertime
If The Shoe Fits - Summer
Stampin Sisters In Christ - All Creatures Great and Small
Digital Tuesday - Garden and Wings
Everybody Art - Garden
Paper Play - In The Garden
Papertake Weekly - Sketch
Creative Craft World - Anything But Birthday

Card Recipe:
Image - Meljen's
Sentiment - Bits of Ivory
Paper - K and Co Watercolor Bouquet
Medium - Copic Markers
Border Punch - Martha Stewart
Ribbon - The Whimsy Cottage
Pearls - Recollections
Roses - Treasures by Shabby Chic

I hope you liked this and will come along and play with my itinerary at Desert Island Crafters, remember just choose 3 of more from my list and you're in!
Katie

A Vintage Garden Mini Album - A Little change of direction

Today I want to share a mini album I made.
Before I made cards I was a scrapbooker and have over 20 completed albums made over the years.
But I also liked to dabble in mini albums and altering items and I think that is where the transition into card making started.
Every now and again I like to take a break from cards and go back to playing with books :)
This is one I made this week.
As it has a lot in it there will be many photos but I hope you like it.
Also because of all the work I thought I'd enter it in a few challenges too ;)

Challenges:
Cheerful Stamp Pad - Anything But A Card
Paper Romance - Anything Goes
I Did It - Anything Goes
Crafty Catz - Friendship
Rainbow Lady - Shabby Chic
CCEE Stampers - Distressing
Anything Goes - Distressing
Patties Creations - Make Your Own Embellishment
Some Odd Girl - Handmade Embellishment
Allsorts - Homemade Flowers
Thrilling Thursday - Ribbon
Fresh Brewed - Ribbons and Bows
The Shabby Tearoom - Buttons and Bows
Tellens Place - Buttons
Frosted Designs - Metal (used brads)
Southern Girls - Brads, Gems or Dewdrops
Sisterhood of Crafters - Ribbons and Brads
Crazy 4 Challenges - Flowers
Stampin B's - Flowers
Bunny Zoes - Flowers Everywhere
Creative Cottage - Fabulous Florals
Crafty Creations - In The Garden
Fussy and Fancy - Embossing
Incy Wincy - Punches or Dies
4 Crafty Chicks - Photo Inspiration
Crafts and Me - Anything With Wings

Project Recipe:
Paper - K and Co Bailey
Roses - Wild Orchid Crafts
Paper Flowers - Prima
Punches - Martha Stewart
Doilies - Wilton
Flat Back Pearls - Queen and Co and Michaels
Pearl Beads - Offray
Sentiments - Crafty Secrets, Colorbok, Autumn Leaves and Memories Complete (most discontinued)
Embossing Folders - Sizzix and Cuttlebug
Die Cuts - Sizzix
Chalk Ink - Cats Eye in Chestnut Roan
Scoring Tool (for rosette flowers) - Scor-Pal

Now this book is on eBay and if you'd like to see more photos (each page individually) then be sure to Take A Look Here
I hope you've enjoyed the trip around my mini book today and keep checking back as there may be more in the future :)
Katie

Cooking It Up #50 - I Wish for White Wings!

It's a new challenge at my Cooking It Up With Katie challenge blog!

The ingredients this week are:

Use some White
Add some Wings
Finish with Wishes

Challenges:
Digi Doodle Shop - Anything Goes
Robyns Fetish - Anything Goes
Thrilling Thursday - Show Us What You Got (anything goes)
Totally Paper Crafts - Do It With Digi
Flutterby - Open (as long as Angel, Fairy or Butterfly)
Crafts and Me - Things With Wings
Just For Fun - Wings of A Bug
Dare To Be Sassy - Punches
Wags N Whiskers - Punches
Digital Tuesday - Punches and Digi
Challenge Up Your Life - Monochrome
Phindy's Place - Monochrome
Stampin For The Weekend - Monochrome
Stampin Bees - Monochromatic
Creative Cottage - Fabulous Florals
Desert Island Crafts - Pick 3 (I picked Monochromatic, Border Punch and Sparkle)
Lexi's - Flowers

Card Recipes:
Image - Heart Butterfly by Limited Runs
Paper - Garden Vignettes by My Minds Eye
Medium - Copic Markers
Border and Corner Punch - Martha Stewart
Rhinestones - Treasures by Shabby Chic
Die Cut - Spellbinders
Sentiment - Studio G
Roses - Wild Orchid

I printed and colored two of the butterflies and cut them out. Then I spritzed them with Smooch spray and let them dry. The I folded up the wings on the top butterfly and adhered it just on the body so the wings stand up.
We'd love to see your take on this recipe so come along and play at Cooking It Up With Katie

Pixie Cottage #47 - Paper Piecing

It's time for another super sketch and challenge at The Pixie Cottage and we'd love to see you give it a try.
It is one of my favorite techniques and that is Paper Piecing!

Challenges:

Charisma Cardz - One for The Girls
Whoopsi Daisy - Girlie
Speedy the Cats Friends - Bows
Gingerloft - Bows
Sweet Stampin - Buttons and Bows
Praire Fairy - Buttons and Bows
Meljens - Buttons and Bows
Paper Play - Stars
Sentimental Sundays - 3 papers, 3 buttons and some ribbon (and a sentiment)
Craft Your Days Away - Texture
Alphabet Challenge - E for Embossing
Lots to Do - Embossing
Sketches in Thyme - Open Sketch week (any card as long as you use a sketch)
Crafty Sentiments - Christmas
Stampin B's - Holiday Card
Christmas Stampin All Year Long - Anything Goes Christmas
Crafty Catz - Christmas
One Stop Craft - Christmas Cuties
Totally Gorjuss - Oh Christmas Tree
Stamp It Crazy - Christmas
Stempeltraeume - Red and Green
Paper Cutz - Anything Goes
Woodware USA - Anything Goes
Paper Cupcakes - Anything Goes
Top Tip Tuesday - Anything Goes
I Did It Creations - Surprise Me (open week)
Tuesday Throwdown - Embellish It

Card Recipe:
Image - Hannah with Hearts
Paper - Homemade Christmas by DCWV
Medium - Copic Markers
Die Cut - Spellbinders
Embossing Folder - Basic Grey for Sizzix
Tree - Sizzix
Ribbon - Stash
Rose - Wild Orchid Crafts
Sentiment - Printed in Santa's Sleigh Font
Buttons - Dress It Up

This was the great sketch we got to work with (I turned it to fit the image)

I paper pieced the dress, boots, hearts and hair tie and I just love the extra touch this adds to the image.
This was a sketch that when I first saw I thought I couldn't use but when I turned it on it's side I thought I'd give it a go and I'm really pleased with how it turned out.

Katie

Pixie Cottage #46 - Let It Snow

It's time for another sketch and theme challenge over at The Pixie Cottage.
With the cold weather coming to visit us here in Texas and snow forecast for most of my homeland of the UK (and lots of Europe too) you'll be glad to see the theme fits perfectly!

Challenges:
Alota Rubber Stamps - Let's Celebrate Christmas
Scrappy Frogs - Merry Christmas
Crafty Creations - Christmas is Coming
Cards For Men - Christmas for a Man/Boy
Digi Doodles Shop - Anything Goes
Hodge Podge Shop - Anything Goes
A Spoon Full of Sugar - Anything Goes
Daisy Doodles - Anything Goes (but you must a Daisy Doodles or Pixie Cottage image)
Paper Play - Let It Snow
Simon Says Stamp - Let It Snow
Stampin B's - Snowflakes
Crafts and Me - Snow
Treehouse Thursdays - Glitter
One Stitch At a Time - Season or Event
Scrap It With A Song - Winter Wonderland

Card Recipe:
Image- Winter Window by Sandra Hammer
Paper- Homemade Christmas Stack DCWV
Medium- Copic Markers
Sentiment- 7 Gypsies
Glitter- Stickles Icicle
Shine- Liquid Embossing Sepia Gloss Finish

This is the sketch you can choose to work with this week.

I added lots of Stickles for the snow on this one, took 2 thick coats to get it as sparkly as I wanted!
I really like this image, nice to make a classic looking card instead of cutesy for a change and I hope you like it too.
Katie

Think Ink Guest Challenge - Punching!

A few weeks ago I won a challenge at Think Ink and the prize was to be a guest designer for a challenge and to set the challenge too!
So today's the day and my challenge to you all is a super simple one, I want to see you using Punches! Now there are so many fabulous ones out there (I'm a little addicted to the Martha Stewart ones myself) that I know you don't need an excuse to play along do you?

Challenges:
Moving Along With the Times - Sketch
One Stitch At a Time - Season or Event
Alota Rubber Stamps - Let's Celebrate Christmas
Scrappy Frogs - Merry Christmas
Lexi's - Traditional Christmas Colors
Crafty Pad - Red and Green
Die Cut Dreams Christmas Club - Anything Goes Christmas
Papercutz - Christmas with lots of Bling
Stamps R Us - Sparkles and Scallops
Meljens - Sparkle and Shine
Oldie But Goodie - Glitter (old image and NO digi)
Treehouse Thursdays - Glitter
Simon Say Stamp - Sparkle
Crafts and Me - Glitter
If The Shoe Fits - Tickle me With Tinsel (make it sparkle and shine)
Fresh Brewed - Show Your Own Style (more is more and lots of sparkle!)
Paper Romance - Favorite Things (at the moment my are anything glittery and shiny)
Anything Challenge - Let It Snow
Crafty Calendar - Winter/Snowflakes
2 Sisters - Snowflakes
Totally Papercrafts - Snow or Snowflakes
Paper Play - Let It Snow
Stampin B's - Snowflakes
ECP - Snow
Stamping Vacation Music in You - Winter Wonderland
Rainbow Lady - Edge It
Digi Doodles Shop - Anything Goes
Hodge Podge Shop - Anything Goes

Card Recipe:
Image - Post A Note by Artful Inkables
Paper - A Homemade Christmas by DCWV
Medium - Copic Markers
Paint - Puffy by Tulip
Glitter - Glamour Dust by Viva Decor
Border Punch - Martha Stewart
Snowflake punch - Emagination Crafts
Ribbon - Michaels
Sentiment - Hobby Lobby

I again used one of my favorite Christmas card technique which is to use Puffy Paint for the snow and while it is still wet I sprinkle it with super fine glitter and then heat it to pop it up. This is so easy, really inexpensive and I think it adds a great dimension to your project. It looks wonderful on the fur on Santa's suit too :)
I hope to see lots of you playing along this week so be sure to add your entry at Think Ink
Katie

Mr Straw sends a Thanksgiving Message

It's time for another Fall card and this one is for Thanksgiving.
Mr Straw is one of the cutest scarecrows I've ever seen and he was such fun to colors. I used a non Fall set of papers but I think they worked perfectly on this card.

Challenges:

Challenge Up Your Life - Easel Card
Lots To Do - Easel card
Creative Inspirations - Fall/Halloween
Speedy The Cat's Friends - Punches or Die Cuts (I used both)
Simon Says Stamp - Punch Em
ECP - Autumn/Fall
Crafty Creations - Autumn
Stamping Vacation Occasion Oasis - Thanksgiving
Stampin B's - Thanksgiving with a Pumpkin
Aud's Sentiments - Thanks
Diva Coffee Break - Poppy Parade, So Saffron and Baja Breeze
Inky Impressions - Flowers
The Paper Variety - Photo Inspiration (colors)
Digi Doodles Shop - Anything Goes
Moving Along With the Times - Card For A Child

Card Recipe:
Image - Mr Straw
Paper - The Guy Stack by DCWV
Medium - Copic Markers
Border and Corner Punches - Martha Stewart
Flowers - Wild Orchid Crafts
Sentiment - O Scrap

This is a close up of the image, isn't he the cutest?

These are the Copic's used on this card.
I hope you like this and wish you a very Happy Halloween this weekend!
KAtie

Cooking It Up #28 - You Can Be My Hero

We have another super challenge at my blog Cooking It Up With Katieand this week we are sponsored by Whimsy Stamps



The recipe is:
3 papers
Something Clear
Music/Song


Challenges:

Charisma - Inspired by a Song
The Stampman - Music
Our Creative Corner Sketch - Sketch
Stampin B's - Use a Charm
ABC Challenge - C is for Charms
Totally Papercrafts - Charming
Just Inspirational - Use a Digi
Meljens - Stripes
Ooh La La - Stripes
Digital Tuesday - Dots and Stripes
Digi Stamps 4 Joy - Photo Insporation (I chose the spots, stripes and red)
Paper Playtime - Knights, Castles and Damsels in Distress
Alota Rubber Stamps - Fairytales
Going Grey - Children
Speedy The Cat's Friends - 5 of Something (used 5 dewdrops)
Cowgirl Sunday - Anything Goes
Gingerloft - Anything Goes




Card Recipe:
Image - Knight Connor
Paper - Basic Grey Oliver
Medium - Copic Markers
Sentiment - Printed
Dewdrops - Robins Nest
Charm - Hobby Lobby





This is such a cute little guy, perfect for a birthday card or a Good Luck card.
I hope you like him and that you'll come along and play with me and the team at Cooking It Up With Katie this week!

Pile It On - Butterflies, Bugs and Bees

It's another challenge at Pile It On and this week we have the fabulous sponsor by Digital Delights.
We have a great Summer theme and it's really something that buzzes and flies! LOL
We want to see your Butterflies, Bugs and Bees on your projects.

Challenges:

Stamp and Create - Stitching
Anything Goes - Punches
Digi Doodle Shop - Punches or Die Cuts
Crazy Challenge - Birthdays
Ooh La La - Birthday
Partytime Tuesday - Anything Goes Birthdays
Stampin Bees - Birthday Card
Paper Romance - Birthday
Totally Stampalicious - Birthday
PearTree Designs - Birthdays
Caardvarks - Birthdays
Cowgirl Sunday - Bugs or Animals
Paper Pretties - Glitter
Meljens - Sketch
Challenge Up Your Life - Celebrations
One Stop Crafts - Patterns
Creative Inspirations - Animals
Alphabet Challenge - N for Nature




Card Recipe:
Image - Digital Delights
Paper - Target $1 spot (last year or the year before!)and DCWV
Medium - Copic Markers
Sentiment - Printed
Punches - Martha Stewart





Hopefully you can see how I colored another basket and popped it on top for dimension.

A Sweet Treat - Wishes For an "Ice" Birthday!

Happy Monday!
I seem to be leaning more towards the "punny" at the moment when it comes to sentiments on my cards and this one is no exception ;)
When I saw there were new digital stamps at Cuddly Buddly Crafts I just knew some of them would have to find their way into my cart. I especially like images for boys as so many images these days are geared towards girls and I know we all need those Boy cards every now and again.

And there were challenges I wanted to play in too:

Charisma - Sweet Treats
Stampin B's - Food or Drink
AI Factory - Celebration and Sparkle
Papertake - Sparkly, Shiny and Special
Stamp Something - Celebrate Something
Allsorts - Birthdays
Our Creative Corner - Masculine Birthday
Scrap Stamp and Doodle - Masculine
I Love Digi - Charming
Secret Crafter - Metal (used a metal charm)
Lili Of The Valley - Sketch
Pals Paper Arts - Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive and Real Red
Dare U2 Digi - Anything Goes (with a digi)
Fun Two Stamp - Your Latest Stamp
Crazy Challenge - Something New (new image)
Drunken Stampers - Use Your Scraps



Card Recipe:
Image - Best Buddies by Cuddly Buddly
Paper - Basic Grey Origins and K&Co
Medium - Copic Markers
Glitter - Diamond Stickles and Art Institute Ultra Fine Glitter
Brads - The Paper Studio
Chipboard buttons - Colorbok
Ribbon - Hobby Lobby
Die Cuts - Spellbinders Labels 11
Sentiment - Printed





I used both Diamond Stickles and Art Institute Glitter on the ice creams to add a little extra sparkle.
I think these two little guys are super cute and hope you to do :)
Katie

Challenge 17 for Delightful Sketches - 2 cards to see!

A double posting day but it's so worth it!
And this post has two cards making a double double!!
It's New Release day at Digital Delights and it really is a super collection of images.
Each Design Team Member got to play with one of the new images along with the fabulous new sketch at Delightful Sketches and Challenges



As always I added a few challenges to help me along the way.

Papercutz want a Teen Birthday card
Stampin B's want Red, White and Blue but non patriotic (missed the deadline on that one :( )
Frosted Designs want a Star on the project
Bee Crafty wanted Stitching (I used Faux) and a digi image
Corrosive wanted Stitching too
Sophisticats wanted Stitching too
Rosie Dees had a Just For Men theme



Card Recipe:
Image - Reece Baseball Batter
Paper - DCWV
Medium - Copic Markers
Star buttons - Jesse James
Border punch - EK Success
Sentiment - Printed



Inside is a message mat with the second part of the sentiment.




Here's a close up of Reece. I must admit I'm not a huge baseball fan and was a little intimidated about creating a card with him but I love how he turned out!



Now we have a wonderful sponsor this time, Stamp Happens, who are offering their latest set as a prize and I got to make a card with an image from that set of stamps! I had Maddie from the Zeke and Maddie collection. I used the same sketch but added a few other challenges to help me complete it.

Artful Inkables wanted Naughty or Nice
Copic Creations wanted you to use Copic's to color your embellishments. I colored the grey flowers, the fabric brads and the Dewdrops
Drunken Stampers wanted Mardi Gras as your inspiration
Etsy Inspired had a jewelry and mobile store to look at and I chose this mobile as my inspiration, the circle and flowers are almost the same on my card
Fussy and Fancy want you to Dazzle them
Paper Cutz want a Teen Birthday (both cards work for this theme)
One Stitch at A Time had their 1st challenge and they want, surprise suprise, Stitching on your card! (I did faux)
Crafty Creations want Stitching too
ABC were at O is for One Paper
Digital Tuesday wanted All Things Girly



Card Recipe:
Image - Maddie
Patterned Paper - Heidi Grace Midnight Kisses Mini Foil Floral
Foil cardstock - American Crafts
Border Punch - EK Success
Embossing Folder - Crafts Too
Flowers - Prima and Wild Orchid Crafts
Sentiment - Studio G



Inside is more dp and a message mat



This girl was so fabulous to color, I can't wait to play with her again!

So I've given you two examples of how the sketch works so be sure to join in with the sketch and show us your creations at Delightful Sketches and Challenges
Katie

Do you need some more Christmas ideas?

Happy Saturday!
It's coming up to the Holidays soon so we all need new stamps ;)
Well today I have a new card with another new stamp from The Pixie Cottage!
This time I'm using an image drawn by the fabulous Eileen Gutierrez and it is so sweet!
All the new Christmas/Winter stamps will be in the store soon

Now that Halloween is over I'm sure the challenge blogs will soon be full of Christmas but the ones I chose for this card are mainly technique and embellishment based.

Creative Card Crew wanted Ribbons and Gems
Sophisticat wanted Buttons and Ribbons
Rosie Dees want Pink, White and a Wafer (corrugated cardstock)
Everybody Art gave me the sketch
The Secret Crafter wanted an Easel style card (and I love those!)
Crazy 4 Challenges also wanted an Easel card
Stamp With Fun wanted a card with a Scene
Pennys wanted a Winter theme with Sparkle and Ribbon
My Time To Craft had the theme of "So Many Scallops"
Sparkle Creations wanted a Christmas card with multiple Squares
But finally I found a Christmas challenge and that's exactly what Stampin B's wanted to see, a Christmas Card!

I'm sure you'll be sick of seeing it soon but I just had to use the Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses collection, it is my first choice for Christmas papers.
I did an easel style card and love the way it displays your art work and yet it is so easy to do.
The flowers are Prima from Michaels but they look to be discontinued.
I didn't have any pink corrugated cardstock so I painted it with Making Memories paint to match the dp.
I used the brand new Extra Deep Garden Lattice border punch from Martha Stewart (I got mine at Michaels so you may lucky and get to use a coupon!)
The button (used as the stop on the easel) is also Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses and sentiment is a Studio G from the $1 spot at Joanns.


I had such fun creating this card and I hope it gives you a little push to get started on your cards for Christmas too.
Katie