The carnival is IN DA TOWN!

Wooo-hoo, the big day is here and Mo's and ZO's Big MARVELOUS BLOG HOP is in the full swing!

If you didn't come here from Maria's Blog, you might want to hop to the beginning to Jak's Blog not to miss all the AMAZINGNESS on the offer!

Zoe from Make it Crafty and Mo from Mo’s Digital Pencil, came together to share the delight and fun of The Carnival. To celebrate - the two fabulously talented teams have come together for a massive blog hop to offer you plenty of inspiration when playing with these images.

Along the way you will find balloons with a letter in them. Write down the letters as you go because at the very end we want you to guess what the saying is!

There will be THREE grand prizes randomly drawn from the correct answers PLUS there will be hidden prizes along the way so make sure you leave some love as you hop along!

Now we know this is a super big hop, but we wanted to make sure you would get LOTS of inspiration! The hop will be open until the 28thApril so you will have plenty of time to come back each day with a cuppa to soak it all up! (Just don’t lose the letters you have been collecting!)

We would like to thank our fabulous sponsors, Mo’s Digital Pencil, Make it Crafty, Stamping Bella and Quixotic Paperie for providing the fabulous prizes for this grand carnival hop!

And here's my humble contribution featuring Aunt Flo and Candy Cart!

The story goes like that - aunt Flo arrives with a transatlantic flight to visit her young relatives only to find them gone gallivanting on the carnival. Disgruntled, aunt Flo gets the cab to drop her on spot to find and disinherit the ungrateful lot.

See, the dog is nervous NOT because she is afraid of her mistress, just traumatized from the long flight.

Colouring is Copics with a generous application of Sakura stardust pens. The swirls are from Make It Crafty. Flowers made myself of fabric and lace.

The papers are from Cosmo Cricket Togetherness pad.

I LIKE that card. Well, I like Aunt Flo with her daring fashion choices and grumpy attitude. One day I hope to be just like her.

And here is my balloon!

In case you're having trouble seeing the image, the letter is "L".

Make sure you leave a comment for a ‘possible’ chance at winning some hidden treasure!

Mo also has an image on offer for ONE DOLLAR for the duration of the blog hop so hurry and snag it!

And now shoo-shoo, hop on to Leah's blog - you do not want to miss her creation!

Challenges:

ABC Challenge -  S is for Sparkle

Freshly Brewed -  #43 sparkle and shine

Little Red Wagon - #77 clouds

Papercraft Star - #42 recycle

My Mum's Craft shop - #2 glitter

A Spoonful Of Sugar -  Lets Celebrate

Anything Goes Challenge  - pearls

Everybody-Art-Challenge - Pearls

Going Grey With Scrap-Creations - Digital Image

Try It On Tuesday  - Something Recycled in Your Project (fabric) 

Copic Creations -  Favourite paper to use with Copics(Make It Colour paper from Make It Crafty)

A Gem of a Challenge - Pearls and/or swirls

Crafty Ann's -  Raise a smile.

Fabulous Friday - Homemade/handmade embellishment

Thank you so much for hopping with us!
Hugs

Beating the blues

OK, here's another bit of proof that I'm a total weirdo.

The challenge at Sentimental Sundays is Winter. I sat down and came up with this:

I guess it's just my brain protesting against endless lashings of rain and mud here.

I coloured this image by Mo's Digital Pencil with Copics. Gave Bella REAL red cheeks so you can see she's using her whole lung capacity to get some sound outta that saxophone!! Poor-poor Bronte...

It's actually a get well card, btw. Thought I'd mention it.
The papers are from Cosmo Cricket...so wonderfully warm and lovely patterns.

Copic colours:
Skin: E55/53/51/50, R02/01/00
Dog:E79/09/08/99/97
Reds: R22/24/29, E09
Clothes yellow:E99/97/YR23,Y17
Saxophone: YR14, E35, Y02/08
frills: W9/7/5
Shadows: N9/7/5/3/1/0, 0

Challenges:
Craft Your Days Away (2nd week) - anything goes
Stamp, Scrap & Doodle - anything goes
Fairy Tale (2 weeks, 2 entries) - flowers
Raise The Bar - use a child image
Paper Play (2 entries) – cutie patootie
Color Dare - COLOR (poppy parade, so saffron, very vanilla)
Fab 'n' Funky - warm, toasty colours
Oldie But Goodie Challenge (2 weeks) - bright & cheerful


I am still away on our grown-up weekend!!
Thanks for visiting!
Hugs

Ho-Ho-Ho - and Merry Christmas!!

I absolutely and utterly know you have all been VERY NICE!

That's why I solemnly promise to you that this is my VERY last Christmas card for a long while:

 Hope it didn't happen in your house this year. We are having a bout of chicken pox here at Casa Messy!

Merry Christmas to you all and your families - enjoy and relax!

Love and hugs

And My Heart Melted..

It's simple, really. I spotted Mo's Little Drummer Boy in blogland and all my maternal instincts went into an overdrive. I want to stuff this cutie with wholesome-but-yummy grub, getting him into a warm puffa jacket and proper furry boots. And then he can drum away to his heart's delight.

I used to be tougher than that, honestly. Becoming a mother really alters your perception of pretty much everything.

Anyways, the card is actually for Sentimental Sundays challenge, theme being Inspired By A Song. Guess what song I was inspired by! Aw come on, have a go!

I wanted to capture both raggedness of the boy and warmth of the message in my colouring, so I played around with my Copics a bit, not that I wrote down any colours or something.

I kept the card almost without embellies. Except some bakers twine, of course. And two brads. It's GOT to fit into regular envelope!!!

I might pop in later on today if I get online and enter some challenges. :)

...and here come the challenges:
Double Dutch - Christmas Is coming
Penny's Paper-Crafty - Merry Christmas
Hanna and Friends - Just A Little Christmas
Crafty Catz - Your Choice
A Spoonful Of Sugar - Christmas Carol
CES Challenges - Anything Goes
Create 4 Fun - the sketch

Thanks for looking and happy crafting!
HUgs

Does that hat make my hips look fat?

I must apologize that I'm not able to do my blog rounds much or even sometimes answer emails - my laptop died and I only get very little chance to sit at the upstairs computer! :( Santa might bring me a new one (Santa has nonchalantly asked what specs would one appreciate in a laptop) but before that my communications WILL be erratic at best.

Isn't that pooch just darling! I got that image at Mo's and made a card for my dog-crazy parents (not that I'm any better myself!)

This is also a design team card for Stampin' For the Weekend where the theme is simple - CHRISTMAS. There's a fab prize too and a bonus prize of 6-month design team spot so if you're in any way interested, head over. You have until Jan. 7th to enter.

I coloured this slightly cranky mutt with Copics and used the lush papers and borders from Girl's Paperie. And some buttons. And baker's twine...of course.

I used the whole range of warm grays for the mutt and R20-ies for the hat and ribbon. The shadows are done with cool grays.

I'd like to enter these challenges:
Card Patterns - the sketch
Fuzzy Wuzzy - Christmas
Double Dutch - Christmas
Crafty Ho's - Red and Green
Spoon Full Of Sugar - Christmas Card
Allsorts - last minute Christmas
Hanna and friends - Christmas

Thanks for looking and happy crafting!
Hugs

Maybe it doesn't look sentimental..

...but this card is for Sentimental Sundays where the challenge is a recipe:
3 Patterned papers
3 Buttons
Ribbon

My hubby had his 40th birthday this week and that was what I made this card for. The image is SO him - minus beer gut, wee doggie and iPOD, lol. He's runs about 10-12 miles every other day. Wish I had his will power (cue a little sad look at my sizeable behind).

The image is from Mo's Digital Pencil, coloured with Copics and little background shading with Prismacolor pencils.

The papers are by Pink Paislee, sentiment is computer-generated by meself. I don't know where I got those buttons from but they're real cool. AND I managed to sneak some baker's twine on the card too - yay me!!

I would like to enter following challenges:
Hodge Podge Shop (2 weeks) - anything goes
Paper Play (2 entries) - stars 
Inktegrity - anything goes 
Flourishes - sketch 
Crazy 4 Challenges - script paper 

Thanks for looking and happy crafting!
Hugs

Stamp Something DT - Stripes And Spots

Hi again, it's my second post today - please scroll down for Phindy's challenge card!

I needed to make a baby card and stripes and spots from Stamp Something Challenge this week sounded just a thing for a job. Those cute papers are from American Crafts, such soft lovely hues - perfect for the wee ones.

The colouring is done with Copics, image is from Mo. I printed it on pearlescent card and heat-embossed with detail clear powder. All the edges are also heat-embossed with sparkly white powder although it doesn't show well on photos.

The pearl swirls are done freehand with Viva Pearl Pen in Cream - lovely stuff. I was delighted to hear that 7 Kids College Fund is going to be stocking it soon - luuuurveee that stuff!! And I was even more excited when I saw that they are now selling Xpress-It blending card for Copics - that stuff is worth it's weight in gold and notoriously hard to get! Tab is selling it with a good price too. So a happy dance here!

COPIC COLOURS
Face: E53/50
Robe: W5/3/1/00
Cloud: C5/3/1/00
Hair: C8/7/5/3
Sky: B01/00/0000

I'd love to enter this card into following challenges:
Creative Cottage (2 weeks) - celebrations
Technostamper - Sketch
Creative Inspirations - lace and sparkle
Fab 'n' Funky - anything goes
Digital Tuesday - (digi required) dots and stripes
Crafty Cardmakers  - glitter and sparkle
Crazy Challenge  - babies
Ooh La La Creations - stripes
Allsorts - new beginnings


Thanks for looking and happy crafting!
Hugs

Stampin' For The Weekend - Sketch and colour combo

This week on Stampin' For The Weekend we have a lovely sketch from Sandie together with a colour combo of Yellow and Blue.

Our sponsor this week is Crafts and Me with a cute Sweet Pea stamp.

I used Mo's cute fairy for my card and chose papers from Webster's Pages 6x6 pad, mainly because it had just the soft shades of blue and yellow I was looking for. For added depth I sponged all the edges with Memento inks.



The image is coloured with Copic markers and and the background done with Prismas and plain ol' sponging of Memento inks. I glittered the baby fairy's wings and some details on her dress and created a little water with Glossy Accents - I don't think it shows very well in the picture.

The fancy corner is the same yellow DP covered with double sided adhesive sheet and ran through with Sizzix die, then glittered. Little metal butterflies didn't photograph well, they actually look a lot subtler and very nice. Ribbon and lace from my stash and the sentiment is from The Little Paper Shop.



Copic Colours:
Skin: E13, E21, E00, E000, E02
Dress, flower: Y0000, Y00, Y11, Y13, Y15, Y17
Hair: E99, YR24, YR12, Y35
Water, wings: BG72, B00, BG000, Bg00000
Stones: W7, W5, W3, W1, G21
Green accents: YG67, YG06, G21

My plan is to give that card to the teachers in my girls play school when she moves on from baby room to toddler room. They are very fond of her and already getting teary, I kid you not!!!

I would like to enter following challenges with this card:
Meljens - Ribbon & Lace
Our Creative Corner - Gotcha Cornered
PaperPlay - something old (the butterflies, had them for AGES)
Hand Full Of Stamps - Water
A Spoon Full Of Sugar - Sunshine
Tuesday Throwdown - Summer

Thanks for looking!
Luvs ya all!!!

Girls just wanna have...

I've been itching to colour me some Mo for a while so decided to abandon my responsibilities and have some pure fun.



Loving that little diva and all her smashing accessories. Along with her attitude, lol. I really enjoyed colouring her, pretty much ignored all the rules and went happily overboard.

I used BoBunny Sophie papers again, that sheet with four printed fancy shapes is coming real handy! Loved the colours as well and thought they'd be PERFECT for a little diva.



Also used some Prima swirls and bright orange satin ribbon from my stash. I made the deep burgundy shaggy flower myself from wide 2-inch ribbon and dug out the big orange bling brad from scary depths of my stash. The sentiment is from My Favorite Things.

COPIC COLOURS:
Skin: E35, E21, E00, E000, E02
Boa, shoes: V09, V17, RV09, V06, V05, V04, RV11
Dress: YR07, YR04, YR02, yR00, YR0000, YR14, Y28
crown, necklace, earrings: Y23, Y17, Y08, Y28
Hair, gloves, shoes: C8, C7, C5, C3, C1, C00

I would like to enter this card into following challenges:
Sundays With Crissy - Relish To Embellish
JUGS - Digi
The Crazy Challenge - You're A Star
Crafty Creations - Child's Play
Simon Says Challenge - Recipe (2 papers, 1 image, 3 types of embellies: ribbon, bling, pins)
Bee Crafty - Bloomin' Marvelous ( must use digi image)
KL SNS Challenge - Girly Birthday
Meljens - Sparkle, glitter & bling
Bunny Zoe Crafts Challenge - Nice And Girly

Thanks for looking and happy crafting!
Hugs

Communion card - it's THAT time of the year!

It's going to be a quick post today, I have about gazillion things I need to get done! Life - so gets in the way of blogging, doesn't it!!??

The card I'm showing today was actually commissioned (I know, gasp!) for a Communion day of the little boy who's a big Celtic fan. I was also told that there shouldn't really be anything religious on the card.

So here it is:




I got a little Soccer Boy from Mo's Digital Pencil store and coloured his uniform to match Celtic team ... not sure how good of a job I did.

Kept the card very simple as 8-year old boys don't really appreciate frills too much - to my knowledge anyway. Just used MME Quite Contrary papers (again, I know, but they ARE perfect in every way, lol) and some card candy and MS border punch to add some interest.


I love Mo's image though, he really looks like he's having fun! :)

I would like to enter this card into following challenges:
Dare U 2 Digi Stamp  - One For The Boys
Creative Ispirations - Card for a Child
Digital Tuesday - Cute People
Mo's Challenge - LOVE
Rosie D's - Easel Card
Sew Many Challenges - Anything Goes

Thanks for looking and happy crafting!
Hugs

Baby girl - awwwww

My friend asked me to make a card for her friend's relative's baby girl... I know, I got a bit confused as well. But then I dug into my Mo Manning folder and came up with this:

I had loads of fun colouring the image and glittering it up to my hearts delight. It's all Copics this time, no inkpads in sight.

I made the frills on the bottom punching golden vellum and then layered some lace and frilly ribbon on top. 

The papers are from American Crafts (mmmmm....llluuurve those) and the wee bit of sewing was done by hand. The gems I just found from my bling drawer. They matched. What can I say.

The sentiment inside is from Whimsy Stamps digital sentiment set, I think it's called Bundle Of Joy.

I made a matching envelobox using Martha Stewart scoring board. Used the same patterned paper and trimmed the box with satin ribbon to finish it off nicely.

I would like to enter this card into following challenges:

Digital Tuesday - Vellum

Creative Inspirations - card for a child

Totally Gorjuss - Bling It On

A Spoon Full Of Sugar - Cute And Girly

Charisma Cards - 3D

One Stop Craft Challenge - Summer Breeze

Crafty Creations - Encouragement/Celebration

Die Cut Dreams - Lace it Up

Rosie D's - Easel Card

Paper Sundaes - Easel card

Mo's Challenge - LOVE 

Thanks for looking and happy crafting

Hugs

Bouncy card and bouncy news

Today I am sharing a little happy card I created for my birthday card stash (for the sort of cards my beloved would approve as well...you know, with sentiment and all...).






But before I start rambling about the card, let me whisper to you that I have accepted a DT position with Stampin' For The Weekend ... how freakin' cool is that!!!!

And hereby I solemnly promise that I will NOT get into any new design teams for a while ... would like to avoid that "hamster in the wheel" feeling! lol

I will start in June so it gives me a little bit time to get all ready and set. :)

Back to the card - it's a very simple layout designed to accommodate my October Afternoon scraps.




The image is from Mo and was coloured with Copics, cut out, paper pierced and matted on black.

The buttons, ribbon and twine were all from my stash. Sentiment stamps are from Little Paper Shop.






Pease note I did some FAKE stitching! Ha! Cunning, cunning me!

I would like to enter that card into following challenges:
Allsorts - Birthday
Stamp Something - Celebrate
Practical Scrappers - Patterned Paper
Crafty Cardmakers - decorate inside

Thanks for looking and happy crafting!
Hugs

Sentimental Sundays Challenge - New Beginnings

It's Sunday and time to show you my fist card for Sentimental Sundays Challenge. Since the theme was New Beginnings this time I went for a baby card. I know it's not a very traditional one but who says all the baby cards need to be soft pastels and frills??? Not me, obviously, lol.



This very fun image is from Mo's Digital Pencil and I used the sketch on their Dream Team blog!

The sentiment was computer generated and printed on patterned paper. The image was colored with Copics, cut out with Nestabilities circles and sponged with Memento and Distress inks. I managed to smudge the image with grey a little as well but didn't have time to go and color in a new one, so sorry about that!


I used Nestabilities to cut out the stars and clear plastic stars I colored with Copics. The ribbon is from my stash. Papers are from 6x6 Prima pad I've had for over a year and never used!Please check out the gorgeous work from the rest of DT on Sentimental Sundays blog and don't forget that Ann has a freebie sentiment set for you every Sunday!

Have fun playing our challenge, the only rule we have is that you need to have some sort of a sentiment on your project, be it a card, layout, 3d item - whatever; and it has to fit with a weekly theme. We are all very excited and dying to see your creations.

I would also like to enter my card into following challenges:
ABC challenge - Unused
Totally Gorjuss - Round and round
Stamp Something - Celebrate something
Creative Inspirations - Congratulations
Thanks for looking and happy crafting!
Hugs