Sir Cliff Richard...

We're all going on a summer holiday.
No more working for a week or two.
Fun and laughter on a summer holiday.
No more worries for me and you.
For a week or two.

We're going where the sun shines brightly.
We're going where the sea is blue.
We've seen it in the movies.
Now let's see if it's true.

Everybody has a summer holiday
Doing things they always wanted to.
So we're going on a summer holiday
To make our dreams come true
For me and you.

We're going where the sun shines brightly.
We're going where the sea is blue.
We've seen it in the movies.
Now let's see if it's true.

Everybody has a summer holiday
Doing things they always wanted to.
So we're going on a summer holiday
To make our dreams come true
For me and you.
Hmmmmmm, hmmmmmmm...
Hmmmmmm, hmmmmmmm...
Hmmmmmm, hmmmmmmm... 

Yes, that song has been going through my head for the last few days as I created my guest design team card for my good friend Ann's challenge over at Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog.  The fun challenge chosen for this fortnight was to use a Sir Cliff Richard song title as a starting point.  How fun is that? 

For my card I used Crafty Ann's Tropical Beach digi stamp and I must admit that I really spent some time creating this card as rather than colouring the whole thing (coward that I am) I printed the scene on sky blue card and then built up the layers colouring some layers with Promarkers and finally using real sandpaper for the beach.  I'm pleased with the result, but must admit it wasn't a card to be made in a hurry!  Great fun to make though.

My Cuddly Buddly character in bikini was stamped onto card, coloured with Promarkers and then cut out and attached to the acetate front of the card.

 

This photo taken sideways on shows the acetate front and the layers at the back of the card.  It's the same style of card as a Christmas card I did a few weeks ago which can be seen here.  I love how these turn out and will be doing some more soon.  They are easy, but I know Max and a few other people said they would like a tutorial so I will (time allowing) do one quite soon.

 

The sentiment is computer generated and after printing it out I remembered buying some sunshine charms quite a while ago and of course just had to dig them out.   Three hours later and craftroom looking like a bombsite I found them and attached one to the sentiment with some gold thread.  Gold links would have looked good, but I thought I'd done enough searching for one day - LOL!  You will be pleased to know that I have bought a storage container today so that I can sort out all the wonderful embellishments that came to light during the mad scramble.

My card is also for the following challenges...

• Craftalicious - Birthdays
• Stamp Something - Go Digital
• Daring Cardmakers - 'I want you to think of a beautiful summer day looking over the bright blue sea glistening in the sunshine. What do you see?'
• Cupcake Craft challenge - Acetate 
• Cutie Sunday - Sun, Beach and Ocean
• Sentimental Sunday - I can see clearly now - sentiment and acetate
• Crafty Calender Challenges - Summer

Have a fantastic weekend everyone.  

Ann xxx

Yeah it's Bah! Humbug! day and Christmas Stockings...

I just can't believe that another week has passed by and it's Friday Bah! Humbug! time again.  It's just unbelievable.  This week our theme is Christmas Stockings.  My stamp collection seemed to be lacking in stockings so I used the new challenge as an excuse to buy not one but two cute Stampavie stamps.  I just couldn't decide which I liked best!  This all took place before I saw the totally gorgeous Lili of the Valley stocking used by our Guest Designer Debs or my decision would have been even harder.

Materials used on cards...

• basic card stock and mirri board
• patterned papers from NEC bargain magazine 'Creative Cardmaking Special Edition Winter'
• Gillian Roberts Stampavie - Christmas Stocking stamp
• Gillian Roberts Stampavie - Robins stamp
• Scalloped Nestie
• Gold peel of sentiments
• Gems
• Polar white flower soft for top of stocking
• Robins coloured using Derwent Coloursoft pencils
• Christmas Stocking coloured with Promarkers

Challenges...

• Promarker Challenge - Animals
• Fab 'n' Funky - Christmas in July
• Cute Card Thursday - Get a head start on Christmas

Get Well Quick...,

A small card I've just made and posted to cheer up a friend.  My new Lili of the Valley stamp - (how cute is she?) - combined with more of the papers from the My Mind's Eye pad that came with this month's Card Making and Papercraft magazine.  Coloured with Promarkers and finished off with a sentiment clear stamp from a collection by Hero Arts.

Challenges...

• Lili of the Valley - Sketch
• Craftalicious - Cute

Have a fantastic Wednesday everyone.  Working later today so won't be around till tomorrow or maybe Friday for the new challenge at Bah! Humbug!

I've been dusting...

Not the house though!  After seeing Ink Dusters being demonstrated by Inkilicious at the Stamp Magic Show at the Dome, Doncaster I've had quite a good time trying them out.  So easy to use and very effective.  The colours don't show up quite as well in this photo as in real life - honest!

Card size 8" x 8"

Materials used...

• Ink Dusters by Inkilicious
• Adirondack Ink Pads
• Stamps by Lavinia
• Labels die from Spellbinders
• Black Inlaid glitter card and plain black card
• Black organza ribbon
• Sentiment stamp from Popcorn the Bear set
• Swiss Dots embossing folder
• Stickles to add a touch of magic dust

As the card is for a special person (my friend Max's daughter) I just had to make the inside a bit special too.  I used a CD by Debbie Moore called 100 Fantasy Silhouettes to create a fairy themed insert.  Using the snapshot tool I was able to capture the border on the image and manipulate it to make a border on the insert.  Had to use a pen to touch up the corners to make them meet, but I reckon I'll get away with it.

Challenges...

• Friday Sketchers - the sketch
• Flutter By Wednesday - Open theme, but remember to include a creature with wings.
• Daring Cardmakers - Silhouettes

 Have a brilliant day everyone.
Ann xxx

Pretty in PInk...

This card so nearly ended up in the bin and I'm still not 100% happy, but my pink loving daughter says she likes it and so it made it to the blog.

My downfall was matching the shade of pink in the paper to my Promarkers.  I just wasn't happy with the colours I achieved at all.  To rescue the situation I decided to stamp the little lady on to the two shades of pink card and do some paper piecing, which worked quite well and at least covered my disaster.
The fab floral backing paper is one from the free 'My Mind's Eye' paper pad in this month's Card Making and Papercraft magazine.  A gorgeous little collection - so pretty.  I didn't want to hide this paper too much so used vellum topped with pearls on the scallop nestie circle for that part of the sketch.

My card is for the challenges at...

• The Sugar Bowl - the sketch and scallops (scalloped vellum circle and scalloped flowers both on the patterned paper and the die cut tiny flower embellishments)
• My Time to Craft - Angelic (this tiny tot has to be an angel in the way 'she's taking time to smell the flowers')
• Aud Sentiments Challenge - No sentiment at all
• Alphabet Challenge - Kids
• Craftalicious - Cute

Have a great start to the week everyone.

Ann xxx