Let the Little Fairy in You Fly!

DS was invited to a birthday party.  I was told that the birthday girl likes Tinkerbell.  I didn't have any Tinkerbell images but I decided to run with the fairy theme.  I bought several Magic Fairy books and pulled out all my fairy stamps.  I let him pick.  I thought my cute Paper Makeup images would be perfect but he liked the older looking fairies from Sweet Pea Stamps better.  We finally settled on this one, "Masked Fairy in Green" as the most appropriate.  I unfortunately had a Wink Stella accident right at the very end, requiring lots of blotting and needing me to cut out the image.  She was then mounted on some old Creative Memories DP.  I fussed endlessly on how to embellish the card and finally when I was ready to give up, the purple butterflies actually fell onto the card.  I had bought them two years ago for DS's Hundred Day display and am reusing them.  Who knew that purple butterflies could be the perfect embellishment.  Anyways, he's thrilled with the card, even if it isn't Tinkerbell.  He's now asked if he can colour some of the fairies again.  He's been talking about how he enjoyed colouring with Mommy's special pens outside with Mommy last year.

Challenges this Card Meets:
Freshly Made Sketches
AAA Cards - Birthday (Made for a birthday, even if it doesn't say so on the card.)
Crafting When We Can - One for the Kids (8 year old B-Day)
Fashionable Stamping - Old Favourites (Love all my Sweet Pea stamps but haven't used in 2 years)
Corrosive Challenge - Every Little Thing She Does is Magic
Crafty Calendar - Things with Wings
Fantasy Stampers - Girl Power
Send a Smile for Kids - Anything Goes
Loves Rubber Stamps - Add a Sentiment
Sentimental Sundays - Funny or Cute Sentiment

Ariel

DS, age 6, was invited to a mermaid birthday party and wanted to make a card for the birthday girl.  Thankfully I had about six Sweet Pea mermaid images to choose from.  Mommy ended up making a card in the time it took him to decide on the perfect image.  He coloured it with my Copics.  Yes, I held my breath the whole time.  He then used my new Big Shot Pro cut out the red panel.  He had lots of fun inking the Cuttlebug folder for the water but was very confused and worried that it wouldn't look like water until he saw the whole effect.  The card was truly a labour of love.  It took him most of the afternoon to colour and assemble it.  He was so sorry he then had to give it away.

Challenges this Card Meets:
Fab N Funky - Anything that Looks Like Summer
One Sweet Challenge - Favourite Technique (DS loves being allowed to use Mommy's Big Shot machine so his favourite technique is dry embossing.)
Papertake Weekly - Occasion-ally (Birthday card for a mermaid party)
Sweet Pea Stampers - Torn Edges
Use It Tuesday - Uninked Stamps

The Little Mermaid

I was playing around with my new text stamp from Waltzing Mouse.  The background looks so much better in real life.  The green text is more visible and seems to tone down the yellow  so that it matches the sun.  The mermaid image was coloured with a mixture of copics and prismacolour pencils.  I don't have a large collection of either especially a year ago so I was playing.  I do love how it created a more realistic blend on her hair and softened the background.  The colouring is not the best since I've improved a lot in that time. It's neat to see how I've gotten better with more practice.

Challenges this Card Meets:
Speedy TV's Simple Salutations - Mermaid

Laughter in the Rain

I had so much fun with this card.  The background was made by sponging ink on a piece of large plastic ribbon.  I'd had it for ages and just came up with this idea.  I thought it went so well with the dragon's spots.  They kind of remind me of dragon scales.  What do you think?  I also love  his bright yellow skin.  I've always coloured my dragons green so I really enjoyed the change.  This is going to open up some possibilities.  The flowers were coloured with copics.  I just love this technique!  I'll never buy anything but white from now on.  The dragonflies were given to me by my friend.  They are from a Creative Memories punch.  I tend to be careful of using dragonflies on my cards since they have been adopted by the palliative care society here in BC.  I sometimes worry about sending an unintended message.  My mother would be so offended by having a dragonfly on her card - as if I was wishing ill.
What I really like about this card is that without a sentiment and with such bright colours it can be used for so many purposes:  birthday, encouragement or just because.

Challenges this Card Meets:
Fab'N'Funky - No Patterned Paper - Hope this counts since I made my own.
Sentimental Sunday - Anything Goes
Stamping with the Dragon - Animals
That Craft Place - Make your own background 
The Crafty Bloggers Network - Anything Goes

Wonderland

It's raining Cats and Dogs at For Fun Challenges.  I had so much fun pulling out my Sweet Pea Stamps for this one.  This paper was on my table so when I saw the cats, I was thinking the Cheshire cat in Alice and Wonderland.  I know many people lean towards cards focusing on pets but I don't know anyone with a cat or a dog so I improvised a bit.  This was made doubly fun by the fact DH is not a big fan of my fairy cards as he calls anything with a fantastical bent.  Hope you'll join us this week!

Challenges this Card Meets:
Crafty Catz - Punches and Dies
Cupcake Craft - Yellow and Red

Sweet Pea Stamps Stamp Off Entry

Link to the Sweet Pea Stamp Off - I'm entry #6!

I'm very excited. I've made it to the second round of the Sweet Pea Stamp Off. The winner is up for a $50 gift certificate and I love their images. DH is complaining that all my cards look very similar recently - lots of fairies and dragons.

This round we were challenged to make a fancy fold card. The phrase, "Make the card the gift" really stuck in my head. My family rarely keep cards so I had to think of something that would appeal - I chose a card with a detachable bookmark. One thing my family does do is read. The perfect mini gift.


Here is the front of the card. The image is Rain Dragon. I just love this image - very fun for little people cards and quite versatile.


This second picture is of the bookmark itself as it is folded into the card. The image is Dragon Luck. The sentiment is actually part of a larger sentiment that said Autumn Wishes that I cut down to use just the part I wanted. I used to be terrified of damaging my stamps but have found I get way more use out of my stamps now. I can always lay them back together on my block if I want to use the bigger sentiment again.

The third picture is of the inside of the card and the back of the bookmark, which was scored with a perforation tool to make it easy for the precipitant to detach later. My brother will be so happy to see me using the Christmas gift he gave me.

If you have made it this far, I would so love it if you please go vote for my card. Follow the link here and click on entry #6. Thanks for your support!

Additional Entries this Project Meets:
In a Sweet Pea Dream - Hello Spring
Charisma Cards - To Die For
Everybody Art - Happy Birthday
Lexi's Creations - Ribbon but No Bows or Knots
Pear Tree Designs - Happy Birthday
Stamp with Fun - Spring
Stamping with the Dragon - Bring on Spring
Sweet Pea Stampers - Scallops

Love's Life's Fairytale

I've entered to the Sweet Pea Spring Design Contest. There are just so many fabulous cards. But with a prize of $50 just to use the stamps I love to play with, this was no contest. I just had to play. I would love it if you would go here and vote. If you vote for me, I'm card #10, it would be even more appreciated!

The contest requires that you only use Sweet Pea Stamps cards and images. I have only two horizontal sentiments and I like the idea of life being a fairy tale. It's what we make of it isn't it? The quote just screamed for me to use this image, Storytime by Lisa Victoria. Since the challenge on Sweet Pea Stampers is to use scallops and on a Sweet Pea Dream is to use pink, the elements started to come together.

The tricky part for me was the three decorating elements in the top right corner. I didn't want to use the standard flowers and wanted something that fit my fairytale them. The stick pin was found rummaging in my stash and I thought it added the element of riches (may we never feel want). The crown for loyalty (think of a claddagh ring) and of course the hearts because love is life's true fairy tale. I hope you enjoy!

Challenges this Card Meets:
Creative Card Crew - No Flowers
Fab N Funky - Make it Girly
My Time to Craft - Jewels (Pearls)
Paper Playtime - Pink and Glitter
Tuesday Throwdown - Use Scraps (If it's pink, its a scrap left over from doing a cousin's wedding invites two years ago.)

Mardi Gras Fairy - For Fun DT Card

What started out as a very CAS card did not end up that way. I was really challenged by this week's choice of Green, Purple and Gold for our For Fun Challenge. I then decided to use my background stamp to emboss in gold. That meant I needed to pull out some green and purple inks to sponge - uh oh. I don't have purple TH ink, which seems be the only ink I can sponge without really aweful blotches. I'm still working on that! So I experimented with using Victorian Velvet layered with Faded Jeans to create a violet colour. Genius!

I was going to go simply stamp a butterfly, mounted in the middle with a vellum friendship sentiment. However, at the last second remembered my Masked Fairy in Green from Sweet Pea Stamps which I'm embarrassed to say I have had for months and have never gotten around to inking. She's embossed in gold and coloured with my limited selection of Copics. The wings and accessories are all covered with Star Dust Stickles to add some glitz and interest. This just seemed to fit the Mardi Gras theme better.

The jury is still out on the large posy I made since I think it results in a lack of focal point on the card. Is it the image or the flower? Anyways, the flower was made with my Tattered Flowers Die, sponged with Victorian Velvet, run through my Big Shot with my Victorian Lace embossing folder and then sponged again with Faded Jeans and Victorian Velvet a second time. A half pearl and rhinestones finish it off.

A large gold ribbon with green over top are used to ground both the flower and the image to the card.

Challenges this Card Meets:
7 Kids College Fund - Purple, Green and Gold
In a Sweet Pea Dream - Warmer Weather (It's snowing here, so spring will be warmer!)
Challenge Up Your Life - Fairy Tales (She reminds me of the movie, Ever After.)
Crazy 4 Challenges - Flowers
Creations by Gill M - Purple, Green and Gold
Incy Wincy - Spring is in the Air
Oldie but a Goodie - Spring is in the Air (BG stamp has been around for YEARS, the Sweet Pea stamp since at least September but probably more like summer so it should qualify too.)
One Stop Challenge - Spring Flowers
Pear Tree Designs - Ribbon
Stamp Something - With Flowers
Sweat Pea Stampers - Sweet Pea Favourites (How to choose!?!)

Snow Queen

I am so excited! I have been accepted as a Design Team Member for "For Fun Challenges". Thank you so much Pauline! I hope you'll join us and play along.

This week it's a recipe challenge. 1 image, 2 brads and 3 papers. The image is Sweet Pea's Winterberry from ching chou kuiks Fantasy collection. She was stamped in Memento blue ink to give a softer look than my usual black and coloured with Copics. The snowflake brads were from my stash. The DP from BoBunny. I bought everything that was left at my LSS - I just love it! I used Night of Navy as a layering piece. I did not count my base. The "dewdrops" came from Michaels in a big bag for five dollars. I'll never run out! I used crystal glaze to adhere them but the glue oozed out the sides a bit. I think I'll try glue dots next time. I'm still debating whether or not to add some glitter. I do love my glitter!

Challenges This Card Meets:
7 Kids College Fund - Anything Goes
Christmas Card Challenge #5
Crafty Catz - Your Choice. I chose Challenge #60, Christmas
Jingle Bells - Something Old (snowflake brads) and Something New (the beautiful image and papers)
Mark's Finest Papers - Use Something New (the beautiful image and papers)
My Time to Craft - Brand Spanking New (the beautiful image and papers)
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Paper Sundaes - Something New (the beautiful image and papers)
Stamping With the Dragon - Your Favourite Winter Colour (Blue)

A Hop, Skip and A Jump

My latest order from Paper Jewels came earlier this week and I've been just dying to play with it. I'm also all Christmased out for the moment. Give me happy spring images!

The image is a super fun one by Sweet Pea Stamps from Lisa Victoria called Rain Dragon. I just love this image, it's cute and can be used for all sorts of cards. I love images I can use for DS's little friends' birthdays and special events.

Here I was trying for a little boy's birthday but that corner just screamed for embellishment and I couldn't think of anything for a boy that fit the corner. Can you? I did really like this patch though since I thought it matched the lighthearted feel of the card.

The sketch layout comes from this weeks Sketch challenge at Splitcoaststampers #SC312. The base is Real Red and the DP is from BoBunny's It's My Party line. I just love the red dots at the bottom. It seems to mimic the dragon's skipping. The rain and puddle was covered with Diamond Glaze to give the effect of water and the image was coloured in Copics.

Challenges This Card Meets:
In a Sweet Pea Dream - Anything At All
Cute Card Thursday - One for the Kids
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Sweet Pea Stampers - Anything Goes

Dreaming Softly

I don't know why but the monocromatic brown makes me think of dreaming and this Sweet Pea stamp certainly has that dream-like feel especially since I coloured her in such soft, muted tones. It's hard to see but it is completely coloured.

I wanted to play with this week's Sweet Pea Stamper's challenge but didn't have multiple DP that co-ordinated. I found one piece of brown DP that had large 4 inch stripes of variegated brown so I decided to use that for all my elements. I used my SU French Script background (retired) stamp to create on layer of DP and my lace embossing folder for another. The flower is made from Tim Holtz's tattered flower die with a Basic Grey brad. The sentiment is from SU's Life Special Moments, also retired.

The card will be part of a package of birthday cards for Christmas.

Challenges this Card Meets:
Sweet Pea Stampers - Sketch
In A Sweet Pea Dream - Flowers
Critter Sketch - Texture
Daring Cardmakers - In Threes (three rows of ribbon, 3 shades of brown paper, 3 flower petals)
Everybody Art - Monochromatic Brown
Fab 'N Funky - Forget Me Not (I won this stamp six months ago and coloured a few images but have never made it into a card.)
Papertake Weekly - Autumn Skies

Mermaids and Fairies

This is my second to last challenge for the Hope You Can Cling To Challenges of SCS and to me, the hardest. I've been thinking about it for a couple of days and planned it out yesterday. I'm so glad it's a beautiful as I dreamed.

The image is Sweet Pea Stamp's Kimono Butterfly Mermaid, which I received from Connie at http://sodakstamping.blogspot.com. I just love this image. I hope I did it justice. I did end up having to extend her tail at the bottom. The rectangular stamp just wasn't quite long enough for my oval and it looked funny just ending on a straight line. It's coloured with Copics and Prismacolour Pencils for her hair.

The layout comes from SCS's sketch challenge #304. I remember when I started on SCS, in 2008, I couldn't believe how complicated the sketches were and how many layers were involved. I figured I would never use them. Now I've used 3 just this week. Oh how times have changed!

The card is quite large, measuring 5 x 7 inches. I had to cuttlebug the embossing in two parts, the seam is covered by the image. I had wanted the image to look like a picture frame hanging on a wall.

Challenges this Card Meets:
A Sweet Pea Dream - Things with Wings
Sweat Pea Stampers - Dry or Wet Embossing (Pink Panel)
Crafty Creations - Fables and Fairy Tales (The Little Mermaid)
Incy Wincy - Anything Goes
Lexi's Creations - Anything Goes
One Stop Craft - Embossing

Fairy Wishes for a Friend

I've been playing with my Sweet Pea stamps again. Coloured several so I hope to have more cards soon. I should be playing with my new images but I just keep reaching for "Red Hearts." The funny part is, I love to colour her in blues, greens and purples. I haven't coloured her in red yet. Maybe that should be my next attempt. She's coloured with prismas. I love the softer effect of prismas on these cards. I also find the prismas easier to blend for greater depth than Copics but that just may be my bias.

The flowers were made with my Tim Holtz die and the fabric from one of DH's old shirts. He's lost a lot of weight this year and all his beautiful dress shirts don't fit anymore. I couldn't bear to throw them away so while looking the other way, I took my fabric scissors to them. Probably not the safest way to do it, but hey, I love the colours.


Challenges this card meets:
Craftalicious - Anything Goes
Flutterby Wednesday - Anything Goes
Creative Card Crew - Fairy Tales
Crazy for Challenges - Birthday Card
Cupcake Crafts - Scary Creatures (You do not want to deal with angry fairies!)
Delightful Challenges - Metal Mania (Brads)
Simon Says Stamp - 3 embellishments (homemade flowers, ribbon, glitter), 2 DP, 1 image
Sweet Pea Stampers - Brads or Bows (Brads)

I just received some fabulous new Sweet Pea images thanks to Connie at SoDakStamping and wanted to play with the new Sweet Pea challenges. That was until I read them. How on earth are you supposed to combine Green, Purple and Orange when you don't have Halloween stamps? I was muttering to myself about it while thinking I'd try something else when I had a serendipitous moment. (Don't you just LOVE that word?!) I had been wrapping gifts earlier in the day and my wrapping bits drawer was open. There was a scrap of floral wrapping paper that featured orange, white, purple and green. Clutter can be SO inspiring. I admire people that can craft in a clean space. I just don't know how they can get inspired. My best ideas are accidents, um, let me rephrase that - eureka moments.
Cards this challenge meets:
Creative Card Crew - Blooming Marvelous
Delightful Challenges - Purple Green and Black
In A Sweet Pea Dream - Orange, Purple, Black
Incy Wincy Challenge - Anything Goes
Moving Along with the Times - Fairies or Fantasy
One Stitch at a Time - Anything Goes
Paper Sundaes - Things with Wings
Practical Scrappers - Stamps
Sweet Pea Stampers - Charms