The challenge this week at Crafty Creations is Owls and our design team were lucky to have been given a choice of some brilliant owl digi images from our sponsor Blackleaf Studios who are very generously offering 10 digi papers to this week's lucky winner!

Sorry, no time to hang around today - have to go and set up my stall at Let's get Krafti in the North Kirk, Penicuik - will be there for the next 3 days so may not have much time for blogging, unless of course they have wi-fi!


I'm entering my card in the following challenges:

Paper Sundaes - Things with wings

Craftilicious - Harvest festival/Autumn

Stamptacular Sunday - Fall colours

Our Daily Bread - Wing it

Stamp, Scrap & Doodle - Stitching

Stamp Something - Fall Colours

Crafty Cardmakers Spotlight challenge

Today's card is my DT card for the Crafty Cardmakers Spotlight challenge and this week the spotlight spotlight is on everything Oriental. My teamies have come up with some gorgeous projects so pop on over and have a look if you need some inspiration. The prize for this challenge is an Oriental cardmaking kit from The Stampman.

I  used an unmounted stamp which I've had for years and have long forgotten from whence it came and started by using two colours of Distress inks on my card then stamping the image in black Versafine, I used a post-it note to mask the image and stamped the bamboo to frame the left side of the image and while the mask was still in place I spritzed on some green Altered Originals ink. The backing is some handmade oriental paper which I've had kicking around for a long time and I used some Mizuhiki cords to tie a knot which the instructions called Felicitatieknoop (not sure which language the instructions are in - just as well there were diagrams!). The greeting translates as Love.

I am also entering this in:
Corrosive challenge - Masking
ABC challenge - Distressing  - oops too late for this one!
and
Spoonful of Sugar - Anything goes

Glad it's Friday and I'm feeling better although my elder teenage son is poorly and I had to take half an hour off work this afternoon to go and collect him from Macdonald's, where he works and take him home - can't believe they wanted him to stay at work and sent him to the chemist for something to stop him vomiting, fortunately the chemist had more sense and told him to go home to bed and take paracetamol to bring his temp down. Hope he'll be feeling better soon too.

I made this card a couple of days ago but the light wasn't good enough for a photo either before or after work until this morning. The image is a freebie from a very generous and talented crafter called Anne Bodil who regularly shares her lovely digi stamps. This one was coloured with Promarkers and I added a little glitter with a gel pen and a water brush for a subtle sheen. The flowers are from Petaloo and the sentiment is a rub-down which I've had on my desk for ages. Backing papers are from Making Memories.

Entering this one for:

Digital Tuesday - It's all about the girls

Anything Goes - Cute

Tuesday Throwdown - Paper pleating

Sunday Sketch & Stamp - Sketch

Ai Factory - Anything goes

Charisma Cardz - Anything goes

Halloween is coming

Stitchy Bear Stamps have just released a collection of new digi stamps just for Halloween including 3 from my alter ego Cardmadfairy.

Jessica - dressed for the Halloween disco

a Cat Costume for the fancy dress parade

and Ghostly - perfect for Trick or Treating

Falling Leaves

Falling Leaves is the theme for this week's Crafty Creations challenge and I have used one of Mo Manning's gorgeous new illustrations for my DT card. I coloured the image with Promarkers and inked round the edges of the white card then mounted it onto a nice russet coloured cardstock. The fabulous backing papers are from an Autumn/Halloween 12x12 pack by Max Bringmann KC which a friend picked up for me from Lidl of all places!

Our sponsor this week is our own DT Jaime who is offering this gorgeous stamp set to our winner - pity I'm not allowed to enter!


Other challenges this is appropriate for:
Paper Playtime - Autumn
Paper Sundaes - Fabulous fall
Stampin Sisters in Christ - Fall colours
Totally Gorguss - Wild Thing -Animals
Going Grey with Scrap Creations - Fall
Creative Card Crew - Autumn

I'm feeling a bit off colour today and when I've finished this post I'm off for a sit or maybe even a lie down for a little while, I have to work for the next 5 days so need to be feeling better by tomorrow.


So today's card has been a little bit of a challenge - firstly I decided to make something other than the usual square card then, because a couple of the challenges were asking for hand made flowers, I made the flowers by cutting round a template that I got a long time ago from Kirsty Wiseman's blog then colouring the patterned paper with Broken China distress ink and spritzing with some pearl pigments, next I ran them through the big shot with a Cuttle embossing folder and then creased each petal to add some dimension, adding some aqua coloured Stickles round the edge of each petal before finally stamping some gold swirls on a piece of cardstock and punching out circles which I topped with some very underused Page Pebbles which have been languishing in my drawer for ever! Crickey that was a long sentence - you deserve a medal if you stuck with me through that lot :o)

The backing paper is from Papermania, the sentiment from Funky Kits and the swirly frame was one I won in a challenge a few weeks ago. I also used some alcohol inks on the acetate butterfly to make it a little more interesting.

The challenges I'm entering today are:
Pink Elephant - the colour Aqua, DP & embellishments
Corrosive - Clean up the dust - unused craft stuff (the Page Pebbles)
Cowgirl-Up - Anything but a square card
Paper Play - All shapes & sizes
Scrappy Frogs - Make your own flowers
Passion for Promarkers - Make your own flowers

What I made today

Today's card is a Christmas card for several different Christmas challenges. I am quite late in getting started with the Christmas cards this year - I've usually done quite a few by this time but this is only about my third. I'll have to try to find a few more Christmas challenges to get me into gear!
Anyway for this one I've used a Pollycraft image which I stamped and then coloured with Promarkers, using a little glue pen and ultra fine glitter on her bobbles and a touch of Glossy Accents on her buttons and holly.
The backing papers are SU as is the snowflake stamp I've used to make the baubles. The sentiment is Papermania. Apologies for the photo - I left it a bit late in the day and the light wasn't too good.

I'm entering the card in these challenges:
Glitterbabe's - Anything goes
Aimee's - Christmas
Just Inspirational - Christmas
MAWTT - Christmas
Fussy & Fancy - Christmas Colours

Creative Inspirations challenge 43

Pink and black is the colour combo for the new challenge at Creative inspirations, and I love the vibrant feeling to all the DT cards this week. We are being sponsored by Bugaboo Stamps who are offering 7 digi stamps to the winner.

My image is Pinky (appropriate name don't you think!) from Tiddly Inks and I really enjoyed colouring her - especially that long hair! The backing papers are from DCWV - (the black with pink dots) and Making Memories. I stamped the little flowers on the pink paper and used a scrap of left over pink ribbon and some seldom used fabric flowers from my stash held together with glittered brads to ebellish. I'm afraid I've forgotten where the sentiment stamp came from but I think it works perfectly on this card.

I'm entering the card for these challenges:
Cinema Saturday - Use metal
Secret Crafter - Anything goes
Creative Belli - Embellishment starting with B (brads)
and last but not least
Papertake weekly - Inspirational Photo

Another card to share using one of Meljen's cute images which are only available at Whimsy Stamps, unfortunately Whimsy are having some trouble with their site at the moment but are trying really hard to get things up and running again as quickly as possible.

Sorry no time to chat today - have to rush off to work as soon as I've had my toast!

Today's card was made with all these challenges in mind:
Crafty Catz - Chocolate & green
Fairy Fun Friday - Embossing
Sew Many Cards - Embossing & digi
Stamp Something - Digi stamp
Stampman - Distress
Cute Card Thursday - Birds or butterflies
Daring Cardmakers - Things that fly

Baby, baby

Today I'd like to share one of two baby cards I have made this week for a colleague. She is so excited to see her new baby nephew for the first time, her sister lives in Australia and she is arriving with her baby son tomorrow for an extended visit to meet his Scottish relatives.

The image I have used is by Meljens Designs, isn't it just so sweet? I have coloured the image with Promarkers and added some Stickles for a bit of sparkle and doodled around the border. I used Papermania backing paper and pearlescent card from Southfield which I punched with a Martha Stewart border punch. I then die cut Thomas's name with a Sizzix alphabet die and finished it all off with a bit of organza ribbon from my stash.

Entering this one for:
Ooh La La - Stripes
Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything baby
Little Red Wagon - Use stars (I doodled some extra stars)

Catch a falling star

Very quick post today before heading out to work - the card I have to share this morning is my DT card for Crafty Creations where this week's theme is Music and/or Dance. We are sponsored by Tiddly Inks who generously supplied us with the gorgeous digi images you will see on the team's fab creations.


Also entering this one for the following:
Die Cut Dreams - Sweet little girls
Karber - Cards for girls
Lexi's Creations - Flower power
Aly's Sunday Challenge - Sparkly & glittery
Sunday's with Chrissy - Sparkly & shiny
Craft Your Days Away - Girly & glitter
Going Grey - Gotta go digi

Whoo's up for an Alcohol Inks challenge?

This week's Spotlight challenge at Crafty Cardmakers is to use alcohol inks on your project.

I have combined last weeks Clean & Simple theme and the Alcohol Inks from this week for my DT card. I used the alcohol inks on memory glass (why is it called memory glass - anyone know?) and stamped my owls on top using Jet Black Archival Ink. I attached the glass to white card using Glossy Accents then layered the white onto green card, the little gems are hiding the spots left by the Glossy Accents! I then cut a strip of the green card and punched a border with a Stampin Up punch and layered some ribbon on top. The backing paper is Bloom & Grow by MME and the little sentiment is from Studio G.

"memory glass...because crafter's were creating memories by using the glass to make ornaments and loved one's pics with some art! they started out using microscope slides like 1" x 3", enclosing two pieces with metal tape, etc. then the idea grew to different size glass pieces."
Thanks so much for the info Joanne!

Also entering the challenges at:
Clearly iStamp - Owls
Paper Romance - Clean & Simple
Daisy Doodles - Keep it Simple
Stamping Vacation - Sparkle is a No No

OSAAT - Rainbow challenge

One Stitch At A Time has a very special challenge for you this week... they are challenging you to make a special "Rainbow Themed" card. It's an anything goes type of challenge, but you must have a rainbow or the colors of a rainbow in your creation.

The reason for this Rainbow challenge is in honor of a very special little guy named Cameron. If you click below, you can read his story...

http://fortheloveofcameron.com/

A little History and the reason for this Super Challenge this week...

A very very good friend of Stitchy's who is known in the digital world by the name "FUNKY" , has built a beautiful fundraiser blog for her grandson Cameron..He is autistic and Funky and her daughter are striving to help Cameron..

Some of you may know Funky, she has been in the digital scrapping world for a very long time. If you could find it in your heart to help Funky and her little guy out, it will not go unrewarded. We know times are very hard for everyone right now, so if you can't give even a dollar, please don't feel bad, but please do go and read his story, he's quite a character lol..Thank you in advance all that take part in this very special challenge - have fun & good luck!!!

We have 10 GREAT PRIZES FOR 10 equally great WINNERS...and that is only at the main blog...

Prize #1 is all 5 of My (Stitchy Stamps) New Release Stamps

Prize #2 is all 5 of Beary Dust's New Release Stamps

Prize #3 is a package from Craftbrulee

Prize #4 is a package from Rod

Prize #5 is a package from I Am Roses

Prize #6 is 3 New Release Stamps

Prize #7 is 3 New Release Stamps

Prize #8 is 3 New Release Stamps

Prize #9 is 3 New Release Stamps

Prize #10 is 2 New Release Paper Packs and A Sentiment Sheet

We will also have ONE KID WINNER....who will win ONE PRIZE of THE 3 NEW KIDS KORNER RELEASE STAMPS.

My new stamp for the challenge is now available at Stitchy Bear & I Did It Creations

and here is a card using the image

New Halloween images

I have been working on a couple of new images for Halloween and before releasing them I wanted to make cards to see how they look. This is one of them and I'd be really interested to hear what you think ..... would you buy this image?


Entering the card for these challenges:
Southern Girls - Anything goes
Simon Says Stamp - Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas
Incy Wincy - Halloween Celebration
Daisy Doodles - Anything goes
Pixy Dust Studio - Black & white & 1 other colour
Sew Many Challenges - Halloween

Cupcakes again

The card I'd like to share this morning is the second one featuring a cupcake this week, the image is (I'm 99% certain) an old freebie from Pollycraft and I've had it printed out ready to colour up for a very long time. When I saw that this week's challenge on Passion for Promarkers was Sweet Treats I thought this image was just the ticket. I coloured it with Promarkers and added some stickles on the icing and the flame, I then finished the icing off with glossy accents. The papers I've used are from Making Memories Cheeky Collection - Abby.

Also entering the following challenges:
Scrap Creations - Children theme
Fab'n'funky - What'eva
Your Next Stamp - Anything Goes
Creative Cottage - Celebrations
Freshly Brewed - Brown

Crafty Creations - Transportation!

Today's new challenge is up at Crafty Creations and I have my DT card to share. I used the absolutely gorgeous Up & Away by my fab teamie Claire (Hope Jacare) because it's a regular sight from my front window. We have hot air balloons taking off from the sports field in front of our house between May & September each year, dependent of course on the weather - the wind has to be not too strong and the sky needs to be quite clear. Anyway it's a great sight seeing the huge balloon inflating and taking off at close range:



I bought my husband Neil a balloon flight for his 50th birthday and he said it was one of the best things he's ever done!

My card was coloured, naturally, with my promarkers and I added a bit of texture with Sakura Glaze pens and a bit of glitter with Gelly Rolls. The backing papers are by Doolicraft, which I'd never heard of and I found them in TK Maxx of all places! The flowers are 3 sizes of punched circles of the dp, distressed and held together with little heart shaped brads.

I'm also entering the card in these challenges:

I Love Promarkers - Transport
Cowgirls Sunday Challlenge - Anything goes

Drunken Stampers - Serenity now
Stamptacular Sunday - Distress it
Everybody Art Challenge - Handmade flowers

Fab new blog - well worth a look

If you haven't yet discovered Feline Playful go now and check it out. It is a fantastic new blog which is a great timesaver for all crafters who enjoy taking part in challenges regularly. Karen checks out the challenges and lists what each one is on a daily basis, so instead of trawling through all the different challenge blogs you can just go and look at Feline Playful to decide which ones you want to take part in. Brilliant - oh and she has candy too!

Something new

I love to try new crafts and have been meaning to try feltmaking for some time, my sister Gillian had been doing a bit recently and she inspired me to have a go at needle felting while I was staying with her for a couple of days last month. Since then a great opportunity to attend a feltmaking workshop arose through my work at the library, so I went along on Friday and had a fun time trying out wet felting for the first time and spent the day making this bag. The organisers of the workshop are hoping to start holding regular workshops locally so I may well be doing a bit more of this, although I have to say, it was quite hard work - I came home exhausted and it sure didn't do my Tennis Elbow any good!! Thanks to all involved in a fab day.

Out of my comfort zone

Today's new Creative Inspirations challenge has taken me right out of my comfort zone - I hardly ever make any cards that are not square or at least rectangular but the challenge chosen by our lovely Dawn, who is stepping down from the DT, is - Anything but square or rectangle!

I thought about this until I almost ran out of time but finally came up with a cupcake shape to base the card on. I used Distress Inks to colour and stamp on the cupcake case and used coloured card edged with Distress Ink for the icing. The little mouse is a digi stamp which I bought & printed out before my lovely husband accidently deleted all my digi stamps so I'm afraid I don't have any details on where it came from (if anyone can help, I'd be delighted to add the credit to my post). The image was coloured with Promarkers, the sentiment is Stampin Up.

Our sponsor this week is Fantastic Ribbons who are giving away a huge bag of assorted buttons to our lucky challenge winner.

I am also entering my card for the following challenges:
Polka Doodles - Shaped Card
Dare U 2 Digi - Shaped Card
Bee Crafty - Anything goes
Stamp Something - Something Cute
Paper Romance - Furry Friends

A little bit of fantasy

I fancied getting my fingers inky today so decided to make a card for the I love Promarkers challenge Myth & Magic. I wanted to do a watery background so I chose a Michelle Perkett digi stamp to use as my image. I used distress inks, and a water & Blonde Moments Pearl Pigment powder mix (which I spritzed all over the background and over the image after colouring it with Promarkers) finally I sprayed on some Jade spray ink from Art from the Heart - you should see my fingers now!!

Anyway here is the result, I hope you like it :o)



I'm entering my card in these challenges:
I love Promarkers - Myth & magic
Charisma - Inspired by a song
("The Mermaid's Song", is a melancholy Gaelic song of lost love between a mermaid and a mortal youth.)
Cute Card Thursday - Material girl (fabric flowers)
Fab n Funky - living in a material world (ditto)
Digi Doodle - Write me a message

Crafty Creations challenge

Today's card is my DT card for Crafty Cardmakers. This week's challenge is White Plus One - use white with only one other colour. As you can see I have used blue as my Plus One, I actually coloured my Tilda image with something other than Promarkers!!! I know - shock, horror! I used my watercolour pencils and coloured most of the image with two shades of blue. I used a very pale flesh colour and a tiny bit of black for the hair, but it's 99% blue - honest!

This is also suitable for the challenges at:
The Pink Elephant - Mostly white
Sentimental Sundays - Clean & simple
Lexi's Creations - Emboss it
Die Cuts R Us - Anything goes