Oriental Lady

Something different for today's card.

This card was made by iris folding a square, but instead of securing just the ends of each strip, I have secured the whole length to a base card. Then once the square was completed, I was able to cut a circle from it, to form the parasol top, without all the iris folding falling to bits. This means that you do not need an aperture in the card. The card was completed using black straight line peel offs for the struts, and a die cut lady.

I hope that kind of makes sense.

The challenges I am entering this card in are;

Cute Card Thursday - make your own (parasol top)

Papertake Weekly - do something different (different way of using iris folding)

and

Sketchy Colours - green and gold

Mono Poppy

Afternoon all.

This is my final card for my monochrome class at In 2 Crafting. I must confess it is my take on a card I saw at Ally Pally, and I am really sorry but I can't remember which stand it was on.

Again, this uses a Penny Black stamp, I just adore all their stamps, with a separate cut out image mounted on the side. The poppy heads have been lightly glittered with glamour dust just to add a little sparkle.

Today's two challenges are;

Fab 'n' funky - no design papers

and

Crafts and Me - sparkle (although it is hard to see in the picture)

;o)

Gorjuss Girl

Afternoon all.

What a lovely day I've had. I have had two lovely ladies here all day to craft and chitter chat with - what could be better.

Today's card is made using a lovely Sugar Nellie stamp, called Bear Hug, that I won from the Craft Catz Challenge blog a little while ago. Once again ladies, thank you for my lovely prize. The paper is from Basic Grey, and the backing card is Bazzil Bling.

I hope you like it :o)

The challenges I am entering today are;

C.R.A.F.T. - pink and brown

Stamp Something - charmed

Totally Gorjuss - use a Gorjuss girl

Cupcake Craft - Don't be square

Creative Inspirations - easel card

The Creative Cottage - circles

and finally

Penny's Paper-Crafty - shapes

Mouse Chain

Well, here it is, my second card for my monochrome class.

This one uses another Penny Black image, of 5 little mice making a daisy chain, from the T for transparent set, Micey Day, coloured with promarkers.

The flowers are made using one of the Marianne Design Creatables.

Today's challenge list is;

The Craft Garden - pastels

Daring Cardmakers - die cut crazy

Pile It On - make it sweet

Die Cut Dreams - make your own flowers

SophistiCat - card for a child

Pollycraft Monday - make your own flowers

A Spoonful of Sugar - 3D something

and lastly

Creative Craft Challenge - bloomin marvellous

:o)

Poppy Poem

Hello, and I hope you've all had a good day.

I've spent most of today preparing the samples ready for my monochromatic class at In 2 Crafting in a couple of weeks time - very organised for me - it will never last.

This is my first card of three (the others will follow on later). I have used my new Penny Black stamp - Poppy Poem, with momento ink - rhubarb stalk. The paper is London Town - red by Sandylion.

The layout for this card came from this weeks Critter Sketch challenge blog, and I am also entering it into the Crafty Angels challenge - summer, One Stitch At A Time - flowers, and Cards for men - monochrome.

I hope you like it :o)

Butterfly Dreams

Hello all.

After a showery morning it's turned into another nice day.

I have spent the morning moving back into my craft cupboard, after my lovely Dad has fitted shelves in it. No more groaning, when its always the box at the bottom that you want. I am also having a bit of a clear out, so check out my ebay items, using the link in my sidebar.

Today's card is another monochromatic one. I always find black and white so classy.

The challenges I am entering with it are;

Critter Sketch challenge - 10 items (silver card, black card, butterfly vellum, ribbon, card blank, 4 circle gems and 1 flower gem)

Papercutz - Mothers Day

and

Allsorts - be inspired

Hope you like it :o)

Orchids

Afternoon all.

What a beautiful day it is. Sunny, bright and very relaxing, especially watching hubby mow the jungle, after I came home from work.

For today's card, I left my pro markers in there box - don't faint, I know it's a bit of a shock.

Firstly the image was stamped in black onto a white piece of card. Then the coloured image was created by colouring with whispers pens straight onto the stamp, spritzing, and then stamping onto vellum. The vellum was cut down and laid over the black image, and held in place with two metallic brads. Part of the vellum was then torn away to reveal some of the black image below. I hope that makes kind of sense :o)

I'm on a roll with today's challenges;

Our Creative Corner - blooming blossoms

Secret Crafter - distressing (torn vellum)

One Stop Craft - metallic (brads & mirror card)

Crafty Creations - distressing (torn vellum)

The Creative Cottage - going green

Die Cut Dreams - tearing

and finally

Stampin' for the Weekend - getting to know you (Wild Orchids)

Santa

Afternoon Blogland.

I'm back to Christmas again. I was tidying up some left over kits and came across the bits for this card. The image is such a classic of Santa, and not the cutie ones we see now, that I thought I'd remake the card for Susie & Vikki's Christmas challenge - very vintage Christmas.

I have kept the colours to black, white and silver. The lower half of the card is covered in snowflake vellum, taped in place under the ribbon, and held down at the bottom with two brads. I have also added a couple of tiny gems to the snowflakes on the image to add sparkle, and balance the three on the left hand side.

Today's challenges are;

Susie & Vikki's Christmas challenge - a very vintage Christmas

Incy Wincy - black & white + one other (in my case silver)

ABC Christmas - I is for ice

Polka Doodle - monochromatic

and

Winter Wonderland - anything goes for Christmas

Beer Bear

Evening all.

I made this card this afternoon for an order. Its not my usual thing, but the lady I did it for seemed delighted, so that's good enough for me.

The image is a Craft Creations sheet (one where you get 6 images the same) that I have cut down to form my own pyrimage. The red panels have all been embossed with different Cuttlebug folders.

I have used the sketch from this weeks challenge at Inspirational Card sketches for the layout.

But I am also entering it in ;

A Spoonful of Sugar - happy birthday

and

PaperPlay - no patterned paper.

Thanks for looking :o)

Santa Paws

Morning all.

Just a quick posting before the school run, as I realised I'd miss the lunch time cut off if I left this card till later.

I made it with the Bah! Humbug! - Santa paws challenge in mind.

It uses a pyrimage sheet from the cold and frosty Popcorn Bear CD, with the matching snow backing paper.

I hope you like it - and sorry for the awful photo, time is not on my side first thing in the morning.

Have a good day !!!!

Baby Bear

Evening all.

I've just finished this card for a friend who is due to have her baby this week.

I have used the Marianne Design, Eline's Cuddly Animals - teddy, that I came across again this week, (only slightly buried, like lots of things in my craft room). I have embossed it using my Cuttlebug, then pricked and stitched the rest of the design. The card lies completely flat, until you pull the ribbon tabs and then it slides open and stands up.

The challenges I'm entering in with this card are;

The Crafty Pad - stitching

Allsorts Challenge Blog - in stitches

Daring Cardmakers - getting in a flap

Fab 'n' Funky - get it all out

and finally

Polka Doodle - animal magic

Thanks for looking, and let me know what you think :o)

Embossed K Card

Its another really quickie post today, as I am still battling the dreaded pelmet, and have a class this evening.

So it's another K card today, as I find these quite quick to do but they are still a bit different.

This one was made using a Quickutz embossing folder to give the aperture shape, then the embossed pattern around the aperture was glittered with Glamour dust.

Todays challenges are;

Winter Wonderland - embossed card

Charisma Cardz - monochromatic

and also

Stampin' for the Weekend - ribbons and bows

Spring Has Sprung

Evening all in Blogland, from the world of Sharon.

Well, one child is back at school, and small person has been out playing all day, so I thought I'd better get on with some curtain work.

Its so not going well, when you pop in the post office and the lady serving you starts laughing at your two racing car plasters on one hand, and the Winnie The Pooh one on the other. I must be more careful when cutting and pinning buckram - it bites back big time.

Anyhow, as a first aid break, I had another K card moment, using my nesties labels set as a template.

Just a few challenges for this one;

Creative card crew - Happy Birthday

Pile It On - Spring has sprung

Magical Crafts Fortnightly - something for the girls

Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge - open, anything goes

KL Stampin N Scrappin -Bling it on

Stamp Something - something layered

:o)

Popcorn Fishing

Just a quickie post tonight.

This K card has been made with the Just Cute Bears challenge in mind - one for the boys and Cards for men - fancy folds

Hope you like it ;o)

Butterfly Spinner

What a lovely sunny day its been today.

Popped to Wickford this morning, to In 2 Crafting, to pick up some bits for my monochrome class - watch this space and to see what I can come up with. I did have to buy a rather nice, Penny Black stamp with a poppy image on it, so much for the spending freeze after Ally Pally last week.

Anyhow today's card (sorry about the awful photo), is an old favourite for a spinning card.

Basically, it is made by folding back the front of any shaped card, and cutting an aperture halfway across the fold line using a punch or die.

Whatever image you suspend must have a front and a back, as both will be visible, I have used hearts for anniversaries, snowflakes for Christmas and of course my favourite for any occasion is this one - the butterfly.

The mechanism is as simple as a piece of fishing line stretched taught down the fold in the front of the card, with the die cuts sandwiching it.

The rest of the decoration is entirely up to you.

In this example, I have used a Cuttlebug cut and emboss butterfly for the centre, and a Cuttlebug border embosser for the edge.

Thanks for looking :o)

You know me, (the challenge addict), I'm entering it into;

Our Creatve Corner - Beautiful butterflies

One Stop Craft Challenge - Things with wings

Cute Card Thursday - Touchy feely (embossing)

The ABC Challenge - S is for sparkle

Totally Paper Crafts - Spring

and finally

Colour Create Challenge - Lilac, grey and white

Fairy Pearls

Evening all.

It's another day in the life of Sharon. Today has climaxed with blocked drains again - so I have dispatched hubby to the D.I.Y. shop to buy our own set of rods, as I'm fed up of paying out to have them done.

Anyhow, I was a good girl this morning and actually done some proper work, then this afternoon while number one son was out, and number two son had a friend round to play, I thought I might tackle a challenge or few. This fairy card was the result.

The challenges I'm entering are;

Flutter By Wednesday - open, but must include fairy, butterfly or angel

By The Cute And Girly - fairytale

Incy Wincy Designs - magical

Sweet Sketch Wednesday - sketch

The Creative Cottage - things with wings

My Time To Craft - pretty pearls

Fab 'n' Funky - neglected stamp

Our Creative Corner - bows

and finally

Crafts And Me - brown, pink and yellow

:o)

and thanks to Lisa Jane who pointed out that it also fits the Pollycraft Monday Challenge - pink and brown with green or yellow

See Saw

Morning Blogland people.

Here is my third card for my children's card class next week. I adore making cards that 'do something', so when my sister showed me this stamp, I just had to make it see saw. Honest Jacky, I will give the stamp back eventually.

I hope the ladies will like it, as it is a bit fiddly to do, but hey you have to challenge yourself every now and then.

I'm entering it in 3 challenges;

Cupcake Craft - Childhood memories (not sure if that's playing on a seesaw or pinching my sisters stuff lol)

One Stop Craft Challenge - On the move

and finally

Crafty Angels - My favourite things (Penny Black stamps and making moving cards in my case)

Thanks for looking ;o)

Tag-tastic

Sorry, I've hit Christmas mode again.

This cute little bear is from the Christmas Toffee Bear CD, which I adore, as they are lovely simple designs, that suit all ages and are easy to cut out - a big plus if time is short.

I'm entering him in two challenges ;

Bah! Humbug! - Tags and labels

and also a new find, courtesy of a lovely lady who left a comment on one of my cards, and I am so sorry but I couldn't find the post to give her name - but she will know who I mean - and a Huge thank you to her ;o)

Just Scraps - Tag

Moonlight Lizard

Afternoon all.

Having a better day today - still chaotic - but hey I think that's just my life.

This is the second card for my children's card class next week.

The lizard has a rubber band tongue, and I have used a removable glue dot at the end under the fly, so that it can be stuck wherever you like. The stamp is from the Woodware - in the jungle, clear set, and the leaves are made using various sized Woodware punches.

I hope you like :o)

I have found just one challenge to enter with this;

Creative Inspirations - green, brown and blue

Dangle

What a day!!!!

I've had an argument with EDF over the gas bill for the whole town, as it can't possibly be for just my house. I've meet my neighbour for the first time - we only moved in, in September. The local nursery delivered my cherry tree and hubby's apple tree. Then I measured a whole house for new blinds and curtains, that is being gutted after smoke damage from a fire. Then to top it all, I came home and found 3 rolls of curtain fabric had been dumped on my driveway with no explanatory notes !!!!!

Other than that, I have made my first card sample for my children's class at In 2 Crafting next week.

I have paper pieced the Penny Black stamp, ...in the rain, but have removed her legs and replaced them with string so they swing and dangle. I'm hoping the bright colours will appeal to little girls - my two boys said it was "pink and yukky!!"

Now for the challenges I'm entering;

Pollycraft - pink and brown & yellow or green

Crafty Pad - some colours of the rainbow

Critter Sketch -3 main colours

Paperplay - shiny happy people

and

Crafty Creations - paper piecing

Thanks for looking, and I hope you like ;o)

Humming Bird

Afternoon everyone.

Its going to be a really quick post today, as I'm a bit warn out after my Ally Pally trip, and I still have to unpack my new toys - what a chore!!!!

I was relatively restrained until I got to the Lili of the Valley stand, who had some of the new bear stamps that are released later this month. They were soooo cute, it would have been cruel to leave them there - but like the silly sheep I am, I forgot to buy EZ mount, so I can't play with them all yet. I did also have a bit of a Penny Black moment, and one or two or seven may possibly have come home with me - I hope hubby doesn't read this lol.

Anyhow today's card is a copy of one I did for a vellum class a little while ago. The vellum has been embossed with a cuttlebug folder, then coloured from the back with chalks. The top of the vellum is taped behind a piece of white card, and the bottom is held down with a ribbon, so there are none of the usual vellum and glue issues.

I'm entering it in two challenges;

Totally Gorjuss - texture

and

Fab 'n' Funky - Neapolitan ice cream (pink, chocolate and vanilla)

;o)

Christmas Parcel

Evening all.

My family think I'm losing the plot as I have made another Christmas card today. Matthew, my youngest, keeps saying "it's only April."

There is a logical reason for this though, I was sorting through my Lili of the Valley stamps, just checking what I need to pick up at Ally Pally tomorrow, and came across this little bear with a parcel, that I'd forgotten I'd got. He seemed ideal for a challenge or two.

The challenges I am entering today are;

Lili of the Valley - blue and silver

Susie & Vikki's Christmas Club - also blue and silver

Papertake Weekly - layout sketch

Moving Along With The Times - an easel card

and finally

Paper Cutz Challenge - 3 patterned papers

:o)

Reindeer Supporter

Funnily enough I couldn't concentrate on stamping and colouring this afternoon, so I had a nice cup of coffee and cut out this lovely reindeer decoupage, with the Susie and Vikki Christmas Club challenge (reindeer), in mind.

My sons little friend, decided he looked a bit like a football supporter.

The backgrounds have been embossed using my cuttlebug folders, so no preprinted backing papers were used, so I'm also entering it in the Allsorts challenge - no designer papers.

Finally, the layout uses this weeks Totally Gorjuss sketch.

Oriental Wallet

Just a quick visit to blogland today.

I taught my over the edge class this morning and I hope the ladies enjoyed it. Then I came home to a house of 6 year old children and a seen of utter devastation - "Oh well", as my Mum would say - "it's a clean mess dear !!!"

This is a card I've made again and again in various forms, as the little bar that holds the card shut comes completely out, so can be used as a bookmark as well - so quick, card and gift combined.

I thought this oriental version would fit nicely into the Rainbow Ladies challenge - red, black and gold + oriental theme.

I hope you like ;=)

Lets Have Cake

I made this card his morning for my friends birthday next week. I love the little chef hedgehog from Penny Black stamps, (well actually I love all their stamps), and the black and white gingham reminded me of chefs trousers.

Just a few challenges for this one;

Critter Sketch - layout sketch + gingham

Penny Black Saturday challenge - check it out

C.R.A.F.T. challenge - buttons

and

The Creative Cottage challenge - buttons and bows (hope the little bows through the buttons count)

:o)

Dragonfly Dreams

Afternoon Blogland.

I was a good girl last night and I did my DT card for the In 2 Crafting Blog, following a sketch by Lynne.

The image, is from a Creative Expressions, unmounted stamp set - Butterfly 2. It has been coloured with promarkers - of course (I have never done as much stamping as I do now, before having my beloved pens !!!!). The image was cut out using a Quickutz, nesting circles cookie cutter, and it was mounted onto a petite scalloped circle nestability die cut.

I hope you like it.

Please check out the rest of the DTs entries at the In2Crafting Blog, after the 15th April, and perhaps even have a go yourselves.

Here goes with the challenges;

I Love Promarkers - animals

and a brand new challenge blog,

Crafts and Me - fairies or wings

Fairy -tastic

Afternoon.

A quick apology to Lynne at In 2 Crafting, I set off into my little craft room to do my DT card, but the new Pink Gem stamps that arrived on Saturday, sat on my desk looking at me longingly, and before I knew what I was doing I got sidetracked with a quickie challenge or so. I will do my DT card soon - promise xxxx

Anyhow, this card sort of evolved as it went along to fit a multitude of challenges.

My friend Eirwen was laughing at me, as while we were chatting on the phone I was still colouring my fairy - it will all make sense when she sees this

The challenges I am entering are;

A Gem of a Challenge - sketch

Flutter By Wednesday - sparkle

Incy Wincy Designs - fancy folds

C.R.A.F.T. - purple and turquoise

Passion for Promarkers - the young ones

Pile it On - an easel card

My Time To Craft - on the spot

Daring Cardmakers - diamonds

and

Simon Says - a card for a child

I think that's it. I know - I'm hopelessly and sadly addicted, but hey it keeps me happy :o)

Sail Away

Morning All,

I have temporary stopped my mad cleaning spree, to make up this card for an order. The brief was for a local man, who loves sailing and all things sail related, so I hope this will be OK.

I have double stamped the image and decoupaged one on the other to add depth, then the reef knot was made using an odd piece of piping cord, threaded through eyelets.

I am entering it in A Spoonful of Sugars challenge - one for the boys (male inspired)

Have a good day :0)

Floral Fantasy

Just a quickie posting today, as I am in major clear up mode - even the kids are scared that if they sit still for too long they'll be scrubbed or thrown out.

This is one of my favourite flower cards - I made this last night as an order for someone, that seems to fit the Cupcake Craft challenge oooooh sooooo well.

To make it you need 3 super sized daisy punches. Then you pinch each petal of each flower around a pair of tweezers to shape them. The centre of each flower is shaped using an embossing tool in a circular motion in the centre, until the petals start to lift. The flowers are then stacked together, so the petals do not fully overlay each other to form the base of the flower.

The centre is made using a sun punch. You need 7 of these, 1 in green, 3 in bright yellow and 3 in paler yellow. Each ray of the sun is cut into two before each sun is balled in the centre to cup the punches. They are then stacked onto the base flower, green first, then the 3 bright yellow and finally the pale.

Finally the flower has been mounted onto a card, onto some K and Co. paper, which just co-ordinates so well.

I hope you like it, and can understand my vague instructions.

Thanks for looking ;o)

Daffy Popcorn

Hi all, hope you are not all chocolated out, and hope you are all having a good weekend.

Well, here it is, the final card for Fridays class.

I have used a WS Template for the curved edge, and the panel, and then images from the Floral Popcorn Bear CD to decorate it.

Now for my daily challenge fix ;

Just Cute Bears - Colour combo yellow and green

Charisma Cardz - Animal magic

Pollycraft Monday - Anything Goes

Magical Crafts Fortnightly - Animal antics

and lastly

The Pink Elephant - Nature

I hope you like :o)

My Hero

Happy Easter Everyone !!!!!

I hope you are all having a nice day.

I thought I'd try something different this morning, and try a digital stamp for the first time. This was a freebie that I downloaded and filed, and having a sieve for a brain I've forgotten where from SORRY. If anyone knows, if they let me know I'll post it - Thanks.

Anyhow I printed it off this morning and have coloured it with my fave promarkers in bright cheerful colours - and with no blending for a change.

I am entering it in several challenges ;

Paperplay - for the layout sketch

Totally Papercrafts - lets go digital

Bee Crafty (digital) - birthday

Our Creative Corner - buttons

and

Cards For Men - humour

I hope you like it xx

Scalloped Card

Good evening everyone in blogland.

I have just come back from having a scrummy roast dinner at Mums, and thought I would quickly post the second card designed for my on the edge class on Friday.

The easel base has been made using the nestabilities big scalloped circle. It has been decorated with Basic Grey - green at heart paper, and then finally finished with an embossed and glittered butterfly made using a cuttlebug set.

I'm going to enter it into two challenges ;

Creative Inspirations -Sentiment only - no stamped image allowed

and

Crafty Catz - colour combo - green, orange and white.

I hope you like ;o)

Christmas Pudding

This is a real quickie. I have used a DL card and cut away half the front, then I have sandwiched some printed vellum, behind some acetate, all neatly covered on the inside of the card with the half of card front that was cut away. I hope that makes sense. Then the little die cut Christmas pudding is made using a Davey Ray designs die.

I am entering it in Susie & Vikki's Christmas Club challenge - Christmas Food

Thanks for looking xx

Pretty In Pink

Evening all, and Happy Good Friday to you all.

I have spent most of the afternoon trying to create this card, ready for my Over The Edge class at In 2 Crafting, on Friday. The idea of the class is to make cards that do not have straight edges.

I picked the stamp up this morning from the shop, it is one of the new Marianne Designs, Little Sweethearts range. The card base is made using the mega nestabilities - curved rectangles set.

I hope my ladies will enjoy making it.

Now I've just got to come up with the rest of the class lol.

You know me though, I had to find a challenge or two to play, so I'm entering it in

Polka Doodles Challenge - Birthdays

and

The Creative Cottage Challenge - Pretty Pink.

:o)

New Home

Another different technique this morning. I made this for an order, for a friends, friend who is moving.

The house was formed by weaving pearl beads onto a wire.

I have used the Inspirational Card sketch as the layout.

I hope she likes it.

Never Ending Easter

Easter is nearly upon us, and I have made my last Easter card for this year.

I think I'm all egged out now, so I made a never ending card just to be a bit different. (Actually, I taught this in a class last year, and came across the left over kit and thought I might as well use it up.)

Anyhow, but to my addiction - the log challenges I am entering with this card are;

The Crafty Pad - Yellow, Green and Orange

A Spoonful of Sugar - A Shaped Card

Fab 'n' Funky - Spring is in the Air

Creative Craft Challenges - Eggstatic

Lexi's Creation - Easter

and lastly, but y no means least

Cute Card Thursday - So Egg-citing

I hope you like it, as these cards are great fun to make - and play with afterwards :o)