Everybody Art - wood

Ok, let's see if I can get back into this blogging lark.... apologies for disappearing!  I haven't made anything for at least a month - Dex got flu, I caught it, we were both really ill and then mine turned into pneumonia... sigh!  It's not been much fun, but I'm more or less better now.

Anyway,  I'm here with my DT card for Everybody Art, where our challenge is 'wood'.

I've kept this fairly simple and easy - I haven't felt like picking up the copics yet, so I used some old-ish Craftwork Cards goodies.  The image, papers and and card candy are all from the Enchanted Woodland set, added a sentiment and some punched leaves and that's about it.

Thanks for popping in, hope you have a lovely evening :o)

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge GDT

Hello :o)

I'm a bit late posting this, but I'm Guest DT over at CRAFT Challenge this week... there's a fab sketch to follow.

I've used a super cute image from the sponsor Sweet n Sassy Stamps - isn't he sweet?  I've used papers from an old Basic Grey pad, the sentiment is from Digi Stamp Boutique (now closed) and the little tab die is MFT die-namics... finished off with a sparkly Doodlebug enamel dot.  Oh, and a little Paper Smooches dotty border stamp that I added to the coffee cup label.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

Cute Card Thursday - anything goes

Kitty Bee - animals

2 Crafty Critter Crazies - anything goes with a critter

Little Red Wagon - lions & lambs (and other animals)

Thanks for popping in, hope you have a lovely evening :o)

Sweet Stampin - Graduation/ Happy Birthday Dr Seuss

Happy Saturday :o)

Over at Sweet Stampin' this week, we're celebrating Dr Seuss's birthday, so you could make anything inspired by Dr Seuss or you could follow the graduation theme (with or without a Dr Seuss quote).

I had a vague memory of a digi from Bugaboo Stamps, probably from years ago... looked through my digi files, and yep, I own it (probably never used, along with hundreds of other digis).  So what seemed like a bit of a tricky theme was made quite easy in the end... I really should make an effort to use more of those poor unused images!

Items Used

Digi stamp - Youer Than You - Bugaboo Stamps

Colouring - copics

Papers - random Doodlebug leftovers

Border die and stitched fishtail tab - MFT Die-namics

Enamel heart - Doodlebug

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

Crazy 4 Challenges - add a pet

Cute Card Thursday - buttons/ enamel dots

Crafty Catz - anything goes + optional for a boy

Watercooler Wednesday - masculine

Thanks for popping in, hope you have a lovely weekend :o)

Sweet Stampin' - Valentines

Happy Saturday :o)

This week's challenge over at Sweet Stampin' is Valentine's, which means that for a change I actually have Pav's card made already, instead of my usual night before mad rush... yay!

The urge to add 'stuff' was strong, but I resisted because Pav isn't one for lots of fuss... I still spent far too long trying to add stuff and then taking it away though!  Love these cute cat images, and I've coloured him to look a bit like our Boris.

Items Used

Digi stamp - Simply Sweet Kitty Wishes set - LOTV Etsy Shop

Colouring - copics + Nuvo clear sparkle pen (on the heart)

Papers - Basic Grey (old ones)

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

Snarky Stampers - K is for Kitties

Craft Rocket - Valentine

Dream Valley - love & kisses

Dragonfly Dreams - include a heart

Thanks for popping in, hope you have a lovely weekend :o)

As You Like It - favourite shape or fold

Hello :o)

Over at As You Like It, we'd like to see your favourite shape or fold... we're sponsored by Fantastic Ribbons with a £10 voucher for the lucky winner.

I'm not usually a 'fancy fold' type of cardmaker (I think I'm a bit lazy for all that faffing lol!)... I do quite like a shaped card base though, and use this Grand Nestabilities Labels set quite a lot when I want something a bit more interesting than a plain square.  For the stamped feet, I inked up the whole stamp in Memento Ink in Summer Sky, and then dabbed Distress Ink in Blueprint Sketch around the outside of the stamp, mainly because I didn't have a blue ink that was quite right on its own.

Items Used

Stamp - old one, but think it's Personal Impressions

Papers - Doodlebug 'snips & snails'

Inks - Memento Ink in Summer Sky, Distress Ink in Blueprint Sketch (plus some that I smudged around the image, can't remember which ones!)

Frame die - Grand Nestabilities Labels 4

Scalloped frame die - MFT die-namics

Baby die - Simon Says Stamp

Star punch

Doodlebug enamel dots

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

Simon Says Wednesday - anything goes

Use Your Stuff - enamel dots

Addicted to Stamps & More - anything goes

Thanks for popping in, hope you have a lovely evening :o)

Sweet Stampin' - hat tip to Burn's Night

Happy Saturday :o)

I'm here with my DT card for Sweet Stampin', where we'd like to see all things 'Burn's Night' inspired... so anything with a Scottish flavour - tartan, whisky, thistles, etc.

Mine is not a brilliant take on the theme to be honest!  I needed this card for Pav's Grandad, and thought I'd team the image with some tartan paper... think this is maybe more 'plaid' than tartan though?

Items Used

Pre-coloured image - not currently available in a pre-coloured sheet, but available as a digi stamp HERE

Tag stamp - Sentiment tags (family ones retired)

Papers - Country Gentleman (retired) - LOTV

Twine & buttons from my stash

Thanks for popping in, hope you have a lovely weekend :o)

As You Like It - anything goes

Hello!  Hope you all had a fabulous Christmas, and Happy New Year to you too :o)  My blog's been a bit on the quiet side, and it'll probably stay that way for the next week or two - it's Dex's birthday next week and he asked for his room redecorating as his main present.  We're dismantling everything tomorrow, painting all weekend, new bed and carpet arriving on Monday, and then we've got all his new furniture to put together... not looking forward to it at all, but it'll be worth it when it's done!

Anyway, I'm here with my card for the new challenge over at As You Like It, where our challenge is a super easy 'anything goes' theme, and we're sponsored by Lili of the Valley's digi shop.

I always feel like a big cheat when I use a pre-coloured image, but they do come in very handy when you're short of time.  This particular image doesn't seem to be available in the art sheets, although there are similar ones in this set and this one, but you can find it in digi form HERE.  I (whispers...) actually tore paper for this card... very rare for me as I find it a bit scary, but really like it when I can bring myself to do it!

Items Used

Image - pre-coloured art pad (retired, see above) - LOTV

Papers - Watercolour Dots Warm Sunrise - LOTV

Ribbon - Stampin' Up

Sentiment stamp - Clearly Besotted

Old star punch and button from my stash

Hopefully I will at least manage to catch up with some of your blogs, even if I don't manage to blog much myself... thanks for popping in :o)

LOTV - Kitty Wishes

Happy Saturday :o)

Have you seen the new Simply Sweet digi sets released over on LOTV's Etsy shop last week?  You can see them all HERE.  Perfect timing for me, as I needed a card for a birthday party Dex was invited to.

I used the fab Kitty Wishes set (I really do LOVE these cats!), along with the 9 very cute images, you also get loads of sentiments to add to them, and they're super quick to colour.  The papers are from the Galaxy Stars set - if you want these don't hang around because once they've gone they won't be restocked unfortunately.  The star is an old punch, button and twine are from my stash.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

Cute Card Thursday - anything goes (2nd entry)

2 Crafty Critter Crazies - anything goes (with a critter)

 Animal Friends - anything goes

Little Red Wagon - purrs & wags

Thanks for popping in, hope you're having a great weekend :o)

Papercraft Challenges - special occasions

Hello!  Sorry for the long gap... I've been busy but not sure that excuses quite such a long gap between posts.  Hopefully I'll be around a bit more now.

I'm here with my DT card for Papercraft Challenges, where our theme is 'special occasions'.  We're sponsored by Dr Digi who kindly provided images for the DT to use.

I made this for Morgan's 16th birthday, which is happening at the end of this month, and I'm totally in denial about!  I mean it's just not possible that I'll have a 16yr old soon, is it?!  The image is called Slam dunk Duncan, coloured with copics in his favourite Chicago Bulls colours with some neon yellow touches, as he likes a bit of neon.  The papers are old Doodlebug ones, and the '16th' sentiment is a Digi Stamp Boutique one available from LOTV HERE (or will be, when the site's working properly again!).

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

A Bit More Time to Craft - anything goes

Craft Rocket - boys/ men

Always Happy Birthday - birthday

Thanks for popping in, hope you have a lovely evening :o)

Hippo Tons of Fun

Hello again :o)

You may have already noticed that Digi Stamp Boutique have now moved to Lili of the Valley HERE... Sally-Ann decided to concentrate on drawing her lovely images, and released some very cute ones to celebrate the launch.

This one is Hippo Tons of Fun and I coloured him with copics.  The papers are Doodlebug, the stitched mats and the little tags are all MFT Die-namics dies, and I added some enamel dots and baker's twine from my stash.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

Simon Says Wednesday - use a die/ punch

Dies R Us - birthdays

Crafting with Dragonflies - animals

Thanks for popping in, hope you have a lovely evening :o)

Sweet Stampin' - summer brights

Happy Saturday :o)

Our theme over at Sweet Stampin' for this week is 'summer brights'... my (teenage) son needed a birthday card for his friend, so I've gone CAS for this one.  It's always safest with those male teenage creatures to go for super simple, just on the off chance I inadvertently add something embarrassing (worst crime ever....).

There are lots of card blanks in my stash, from the 'old days' when I often bought them instead of just cutting them myself... I recently found several packs of tall, thin cards, 21cm tall and just under 7.5cm wide, they've got a fab ribbed texture too, and really suit CAS designs I think.

I used the 'sun ray' stencil from MFT, with Distress Inks in Squeezed Lemonade, Ripe Persimmon and Festive Berries.  The sentiment is a stamp from this set from Digi Stamp Boutique, embossed in detail white on black card and popped up on foam pads... and that's it!  Sooo simple but approved by the teenage one :o)

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

Simon Says Wednesday - anything goes

Craftaholics R Us - sunshine

Cute Card Thursday - CAS

Seize the Birthday - anything goes

Thanks for popping in, hope you have a lovely evening :o)

You Rock set - Digi Stamp Boutique DT

Hello :o)

You would not believe how long it took to photograph this card... I'm not sure I believe how long it took to photograph this card!!  Occasionally I like to prove to myself (again) just how useless I am at getting photos of anything that isn't square...

It's only got the front folded in half, nothing remotely complicated, but I was quite pleased with how it turned out.  I used a new set from Digi Stamp Boutique called You Rock, which comes with the Father's Day text that I've added.  The papers are foiled ones from a Craft Sensations pad (from the Range), I added some sparkly gold dots and a MFT die-namics bow die and that's about it.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

Simon Says Wednesday - frame it

Craftaholics R Us - kraft

Cardz 4 Guyz - Father's Day

Thanks for popping in, hope you have a lovely evening :o)

Male sentiments - Digi Stamp Boutique DT

Hello everyone :o)

I actually have a few cards made for a change, so hopefully my blog won't be empty this week!...

Today's card is a quick and simple one, using a new set from Digi Stamp Boutique called Male Sentiments - Distressed.  I made the 'Grandad' text quite big (the card is 6 x 8") and added the 'Father's Day' sentiment from this set.  The dog is a Marianne Design die, and the background was made by dabbing various distress inks onto a MFT watercolour backdrop stamp and then stamping several times.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

Always Fun - for a male/ dad

Crafty Cardmakers - for a man/ boy

Crazy 4 Challenges - masculine cards

Simply Create Too - for a male

Thanks for popping in, hope you have a lovely evening :o)

Sweet Stampin' - presents

Hello everyone :o)

Apologies for a very boring blog lately, hopefully things will pick up a bit when the kids go back to school next week!  Today's card is for our new challenge at Sweet Stampin', where this week's theme is 'presents'.

I've used a cute image from Bugaboo, as the dog looks a bit like a friend's dog and it's his birthday on Monday (the friend, not the dog lol).  It'll also be our wedding anniversary, so I need to get a wriggle on and make a card for Pav!  Anyway... I coloured the image with copics, the papers are Doodlebug, sentiment stamp is Clearly Besotted and the black twine is from my stash.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

Catch the Bug - anything goes

Sweet Stampers - birthday

Seize the Birthday - patterned paper

Simon Says Wednesday - anything goes

Thanks for popping in, hope you have a lovely weekend :o)

NEW Special Dad - Digi Stamp Boutique DT

Happy Saturday :o)

Just popping in with some quick cards I made this afternoon, using a fab new set from Digi Stamp Boutique.

This set is Special Dad - Square - perfect for quick Father's Day makes.  I printed the images on linen card, added Glamour Dust around the inner circle for a bit of sparkle and shimmery silver dots, for a bit more sparkle lol.  The papers are digi ones from Raspberry Rd, found in my printed stash (I have lots!), and everything is matted on silver mirri card from Hunkydory.

I'm entering my cards for the following challenges
MAWTT - sentiment only, no images
Simon Says Wednesday - for the boys
Brown Sugar - masculine/ father's day

Thanks for popping in, hope you have a lovely evening :o)

Everybody Art - hidden message

Hello everyone :o)

Ooh, isn't it hot?!  Too hot for me really, but I'm not complaining (yet lol), we've had such a loooong winter it makes a nice change to feel the sun.

So, I'm here with my Guest DT card for Everybody Art, where our theme this week is 'hidden message'... eek!

I'm not very imaginative with this sort of thing, at all!  But I needed a card for Pav's step-dad, and I had a fun CD to play with that came with Making Cards magazine.  So I've used one of the dog images from the CD, placing that onto its own 'mini-card', then used a fab digi sentiment from the Large Birthday Sentiments set from Digi Stamp Boutique on the 'inside' and fixing the 'mini-card' onto the card front.  I added a little twill ribbon tab to make it easier to open, and wrapped bakers twine around the card front to keep the image panel closed.  I coated the dog's glasses with Nuvo clear sparkle pen, and added some little buttons from my stash.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

Simon Says Wednesday - animal magic

Back to Basics & Beyond - use a craft CD or kit from a magazine

Crafty Friends - animals

Allsorts Challenge - fancy folds (not sure it qualifies as fancy, but t'is a fold lol)

CD Sunday - anything goes

Thanks for popping in, hope you have a lovely evening :o)

'That' embossing folder again...

Hello everyone :o)

This one's similar to a recent 21st card... a friend spotted that one and ordered one for her son.

I used 'that' embossing folder from Craft Stash again... so useful for male cards!  The main embossing is on black card, with silver gilding wax rubbed on to pick out the details.  I added some silver mirri card for some of the layers and the numbers, which were cut using a Crafter's Companion die.  The sentiment is a clear stamp available from Digi Stamp Boutique HERE.  The scrabble letters are Whimsy, gaming controller is Clearly Besotted and the gems were from The Range (bought because I apparently had nothing in the right shade of blue!).

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

Fab 'n' Funky - embossing

Pause Dream Enjoy - lots of layers

Make My Monday - embossing

Thanks for popping in, hope you have a lovely evening :o)

Papercraft Challenges - CAS

Good Morning :o)

I'm here with my first of two blog posts for today... this one is for Papercraft Challenges, where our theme is CAS (clean & simple).

I try not to buy too many stamps at the moment, as I just have so many that have never been used at all... but I do have a bit of a soft spot for dragons, so couldn't resist this set from MFT called Magical Dragons.  I coloured him with copics, and added a bit of Nuvo clear sparkle pen on his wings.  The sentiment is from the same stamp set, I just shaped it into a curve on a clear block before stamping.  The stitched square and dotted circle dies are both MFT, and the enamel dots are Doodlebug.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

Just Us Girls - prominently purple

Crafty Catz - anything goes + optional CAS

Seize the Birthday - birthday + optional vibrant colours

Back later with my Everybody Art GDT card... hope you have a lovely day!

Quick Print Butterflies - Digi Stamp Boutique DT

Hello everyone :o)

For today's card I've used one of the new A4 Quick Print Butterflies from Digi Stamp Boutique.

The sheet includes 4 butterflies on lovely watercolour effect backgrounds, plus 4 sentiments, for some very quick but pretty cards.  There's a sheet of birds available HERE too.  I've  kept my card quite simple, printed the sheet on linen card and added some patterned paper scraps, a Papermania sparkly dot and an MFT die-namics leafy flourish die, cut into pieces.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

Incy Wincy - nature

Make My Monday - things with wings

Dex is spending the day at his friend's house tomorrow, so I'll be able to get a bit of colouring done without the guilt!  Love the holidays, but getting things done can be a challenge.  Thanks for popping in, hope you have a lovely evening :o)

Sweet Stampin' - embossing

Happy Saturday :o)

I'm here with my DT card for Sweet Stampin', where our challenge is 'embossing'.

I bought this embossing folder from Craft Stash recently and hadn't had chance to play with it until now... there are loads of different designs using the same layout, and I think I might need a few more lol.  I embossed plain black card, then rubbed on some silver gilding wax (love this stuff!), embossed a piece of white card and cut and layered the curved piece from that.  The sentiment is a clear stamp from Digi Stamp Boutique HERE, the game controller is a stamp/ die from Clearly Besotted, the number dies are Crafter's Companion and the gold dome embellishments are Papermania.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

Allsorts - be there or be square

Simon Says Wednesday - happy birthday

The Paper Girls - masculine birthday

Inspire.Create - masculine

Thanks for popping in, hope you're enjoying the weekend :o)