Saturday 31 October 2009

Halloween Has Left The Building!

So Halloween is over for another year (and if Mr Blogger is playing nicely, this should be published on the right day!)

The current challenge on Your Special Delivery is

Halloween

And to use the freebie Frannie. This is their second challenge and I was really pleased to be awarded the second prize place on their very first challenge!! So thank you for picking my card!

Anyway, onto my take on the challenge! I've coloured the freebie image with watercolour pencils and added a little bit of glitter glue for the streak in her hair.

The papers are freebie downloads from The Creative Cottage (I really do like this collection but they are only available for a month!) and the gnarled twisted tree is from my stash (Jacob picked it out for my card, which surprised and delighted me at the same time!) The bats are table confetti (and they are metallic purple!) and from my stash.


So I now really do need to make a start on my Christmas cards.....
  • Backing papers: Freebie digi download from The Creative Cottage
  • Image: Freebie digi download from Your Special Delivery, coloured with watercolour pencils and glitter glue
  • Everything else: My stash

Baby Giraffe

I try and get images coloured in advance so that I have a nice little supply of them for last minute card requests. Fortunately, I had this cute Lost In Paper Scraps giraffe ready as I'd been asked to make a new baby boy card and the image is just perfect for it!

I've used the current Lili of the Valley Challenge sketch, which is:
The digi image is a freebie from Lost In Paper Scraps (all Dawn's freebies are listed in her side bar and there are some fantastic images to choose!) and I've coloured it with watercolour pencils.
All the backing papers are from V Funky (you may have seen this combination before!) with the ribbon and tiny bottle charm from my stash. Card candy from Craftwork Cards.

A bit of corner rounding and inking and it's complete!

One

Another new challenge blog found whilst blog hopping! It's called Creative Craft Challenges and it's a fortnightly challenge - so I'm hoping I can join in fairly often!

Their very first challenge is a theme which is:

The First One

So it can be a first for anything, and I've gone with a First Birthday - I've been asked to make the card so thought I'd get ahead of myself!

Papers are from Now That's Funky which I've cut down and made into a word book - the letters I printed onto the card using Microsoft Word Art. It's not too fancy as it's for a little boy who probably would not appreciate lots of frills and ribbon although I couldn't resist the mint green organza ribbon to hold the pages together!

Friday 30 October 2009

Polkadoodle Challenge 24 - Recipe

It's Friday again and another Polkadoodle challenge! The weeks are just flying by and I really need to start to think about making more Christmas cards. But that can wait just for now! This week, Nikky has challenged the Design Team to use her brand new double cd - Not For Girls, plus a recipe of doodles, 3 brads and a stamp. So your challenge is to make a male card, use 3 brads and a stamp.

For those eagle eyed viewers out there, you will notice that I cannot count (6 brads) and that a stamp is sadly lacking. Now the first excuse, is that it looked more aesthetically pleasing to use 6 red brads. And the second excuse. I printed a sentiment from one of the sentiment sheets. And then lost it. And with time not on my side, and lack of ink I've not been able to print another.


Still, my little brother won't know it's missing as this will be his Birthday card. I am so organised - it's not until the end of December!

Anyway! All the papers you see on here are from Not For Girls cd plus loads and loads of other stuff - check out the rest of the DT for some fabulous samples! Go and have a look at the challenge blog for details of what you can win for this challenge!

You have until Sunday 8 November at 12noon GMT to enter! Good luck!

  • All papers: Not For Girls double cd from Polkadoodle
  • Card Candy: From Craftwork Cards
  • String: From my kitchen drawer

Thursday 29 October 2009

Lots of Blooms!

I really must stop blog hopping. It is very bad for my time! I've found another challenge blog! Actually, I tell a lie, I found it whilst searching for white Prima flowers on ebay. I'm in the process of making three Wedding acrylic / acetate albums (I've only shown two of them to you as the third will be revealed as part of the Get Funky November challenge!) and I've run short of white Prima flowers.

So I ventured onto ebay. Found a seller with lovely blooms and a direct website link. So I click and I then buy!! A nice mixture of different sized and coloured Prima blooms and I must say, very quick shipping! Ordered on Monday afternoon and arrived on Wednesday and cheap postage and packing rates too!

Anyway, whilst on the lovely flower website (The Craft Garden) I notice that they have a blog and also a challenge running! It is a monthly challenge and this is their first one, which is:

To Use Flowers

Yeah! So I have - two more sides of Donna and Danny's acrylic Wedding album are completed.


In case you were wondering, the strange reflection on the acrylic is the French door handle as I take my photos in front of the huge windows.
I bought a lovely selection of blooms and the white Prima flowers will be on the third Wedding album!
  • Backing papers: My Minds Eye 'Bella, Bella' 12 x 12 double sided papers and Rayher brown 12 x 12 paper
  • Everything else: My stash

A Different Kind of Day

Yesterday was a day with a difference! We got to see 'Katie' in all her glory! 'Katie' is one of the North West Air Ambulances and she lives at Blackpool Airport.

We had seen 'Katie' before but she was in her hangar for the night and it wasn't quite the same experience - here are some of the photos from yesterday.

Me, Simon, Jacob, Samuel and my Dad.

Neil (the pilot) very patiently explained and demonstrated the equipment and let the boys have a go at moving the swivel stretcher from the side doors and also from the rear of the helicopter. And yes, there is another child in the pic - that is George - Heather's grandson!

Both boys got to be pilots (in fact Samuel's high visibility jacket says pilot on the back!) and tried the helmet on for size.



The North West Air Ambulance relies entirely on charitable donations and costs just over £3.6 million a year to maintain both helicopters, with around 4 missions a day. We had to wait a few hours as Neil and the Paramedics had been called to Whitehaven and then to Grassmere before they came back to Blackpool, but it was well worth the wait! We also got to see other light aircraft in the hangars and watched close hand others landing and taking off.
If you want to make a donation - however small - you can do so by clicking here.
Huge thanks to Neil, Heather and George for making it such a great day for us!!

Wednesday 28 October 2009

Sweet Birthday

The Dare U 2 Digi Stamp challenge this week fitted very nicely with a certain little ladies Birthday card that I need to make. No prizes for guessing her name! So Lynsey - you ain't seen it yet!! The challenge is:

No Squares Allowed - Shaped Card

I've used digi freebie papers from The Creative Cottage (I do like this collection!) called 'Home Sweet Home', along with the digi images - the birdie and flowers. There are other motifs and images too.

I've added a wobbly eye on the birdie and card candy in the flower centres. The lettering has been printed using the Word Art package on Microsoft Word, cut out the letters and stuck them on! Simple! The ribbon is from my stash.

Another Page Completed!

Both acrylic / acetate Wedding albums are coming along nicely, and I did like the current Friday Sketchers challenge which is this sketch:


So I've complete another page (two sides) of Hayley and Stephen's album. You'll have to excuse the reflections on the acetate!

The papers again are Papermania 12 x 12 double sided 'Brown Ornate Clusters' along with Bazzill Basics 12 x 12 paper. The ribbon, flowers are brad are all from my stash.


Not many pages left to complete now!
  • Papers: Bazzil Basics 12 x 12 paper and Papermania 12 x 12 double sided 'Brown Ornate Clusters'
  • Everything else: My stash

Tuesday 27 October 2009

Autumn

There is a new monthly challenge blog called Crafty Calendar and their very first challenge for October is:

Autumn

There is also the optional theme of plants and vegetation, which I think I could possibly say that my card depicts this!

The image is a Penny Black which I've had in my stash for some time and I've coloured it with watercolour paints.

I've then layered it onto papers from Now That's Funky from Funky Hand. I've inked all the edges with chestnut Whispers ink and also rounded corners for the image and sentiment stamp.

The sentiment stamp is Anita's which I bought 5 of for a bargain £1 during the summer - all different ones of course, but you can never have enough sentiment stamps (at least this is what I told myself when I made the purchase!)
I'd actually made this card early in October and created the post as a draft, but as I tend to blog at least once a day, it had got pushed down the order, and I've only just spotted it!
  • Backing papers: Now That's Funky from Funky Hand
  • Image: Penny Black, coloured with watercolour paints
  • Sentiment: Anita's with Chestnut Whispers ink
  • Ribbon: From my stash

Monday 26 October 2009

Dragon Rocket

I found another new (to me) challenge whilst blog hopping earlier in the week - Digital Tuesday which is a weekly challenge and you need to follow the theme and use a digital image in the creation. Which, I have a lot of - so easy for me to enter!

This week, the theme is:

Things With Wings

I choose this Dustin Pike dragon flying a space rocket, which I've coloured with watercolour pencils. Samuel has been invited to another Birthday party so this card will be for that - I do like to be organised!

I've used papers from Funky Daze (oh how I like this particular colour collection - just perfect for kids and male cards that feature dragons!) which I've inked the edges. For a change, I've used a coloured card blank - I have a pack of these that I found and could do to use them up.

Card candy from Craftwork Cards and the sentiment is a 4 sided Birthday stamp.

  • Backing paper: Funky Daze from Funky Hand
  • Image: Dustin Pike coloured with watercolour pencils
  • Sentiment: 4 sided Birthday stamp
  • Card Candy: Craftwork Cards


Sunday 25 October 2009

Some More of the Other One

As I now seem to be on a roll with completing the acrylic / acetate Wedding photo album for Hayley and Stephen I am finding more sketches and layout challenges that will fit what my requirements. The current Inspirational Sketches challenge is the following:


And I've created the first page and front cover of the album. Of course I am not doing it all in order - why that would be just too organised and easy for me to follow! Plus some of the photos don't lend themselves too well to certain layouts so I've had to be picky.

And this is the front cover, which after some deliberation, I decided to keep it simple and it's not quite to the sketch, although the above pic is. I've made the pin myself with beads left over from making the Wedding Stationery - the ribbon is too.

The photo has been layered onto Bazzill Basics paper and the printed stuff is 12 x 12 double sided Papermania 'Ornate Brown Clusters' which I've rounded the edges and inked them.


The sentiment stamp is Papermania and was a freebie on a magazine a while ago and has been layered onto Rahyer 12 x 12 card.
Just got 2 more pages (4 sides) to do and then the back cover. Not bad going eh?!
  • Printed paper: 12 x 12 Papermania 'Brown Ornate Clusters' double sided paper
  • Brown paper: 12 x 12 Rahyer card
  • Sentiment: Papermania freebie acrylic stamp
  • Everything else: My stash

Bubbling Brewing Cauldron

I found a new (to me) challenge blog whilst hopping around last week. The Incy Wincy challenge currently is:

Halloween

I've used freebie downloaded digi paper from Vicki - A Work In Progress (although I know that this particular collection, Grape Crush is no longer available) and the bubbling brewing cauldron image is a freebie digi image from Robin Willis.

I've not done much except liberally ink the edges with my faded ink pad and my good one, and then doodled a wobbly line twice in black in and once in white gel pen. The ribbon is from my stash and I've coloured the bubbles with two different shades of green glitter glue. It looks a bit flat but the card is really quite punch in real life - I blame the kitchen lights and for being up at before 5am (the clocks have gone back an hour in the UK) with one of the boys.........

  • Backing papers: Grape Crush freebie download from Vicki
  • Image: Freebie download from Robin Willis
  • Ribbon: From my stash

Saturday 24 October 2009

And Another of the Same!

Once again Mr Blogger doesn't like both my pictures and insists on turning one of the around! I have done two layouts of this sketch - the other mirrors this one on the reverse.

Anyway! I've used the sketch from The Crafty Pad for this layout (plus it means I get Donna and Danny's album a little bit more finished!)

Again, I've used My Minds Eye 'Bella, Bella, Bella' 12 x 12 double sided papers and Rayher chocolate brown card. The three pink brads are from my stash (and actually match some of the pink flowers in Donna's bouquet!)

The heart gem is left over from when I made their Wedding Stationery and the 'love' charm is from my stash. The reverse of this acetate / acrylic album page is the same layout. And when Mr Blogger will let me show all my pictures the right way round, I'll share them!

  • Backing papers: My Minds Eye 'Bella, Bella, Bella' 12 x12 double sided papers and Rayher chocolate brown paper
  • Everything else: My stash

A Different Wedding

The current Sketch and Stash challenge is the following sketch:

I have actually completed two layouts of the sketch - one on each side of this acetate album but I cannot show the other side, as no matter how many times I faff with the picture and re-upload it, Mr Blogger insists on putting it on it's side. And it looks daft, so I'm not showing it!
The Wedding showed is the second one we went to during the summer (there were 3 Weddings in 6 weeks!) and this is Donna and Danny.
I've used my very new My Minds Eye 'Bella, Bella, Bella' 12 x 12 papers which have been layered onto part of a 12 x 12 sheet of Rayher dark brown card. The gem hearts and chocolate brown ribbon are left overs from when I made Donna and Danny's Wedding Stationery.

The flowers and pearl brad are from my stash. I've used a Papermania acrylic or acetate album.
Watch out for more layouts from this Wedding - coming up very soon!
  • Papers used: My Minds Eye 'Bella, Bella, Bella' 12 x12 double sided and Rayher brown 12 x12 paper
  • Everything else: My stash

Friday 23 October 2009

Carol Singing

I think I am just about going to make this in time! It's been a while since I entered a Penny Black challenge and because I am now going to try and make all the challenges I enter as Christmas cards I could not resist this sketch:

And I knew I had the perfect image (somewhere)! I bought the pre stamped images ages ago from ebay, so I've coloured it with watercolour paints and inked the edges with black and brown inks.
The papers are Papermania 6 x6 A Wonderful Christmas Time and are lovely! The buttons are from my stash (if you can see them - sorry about poor lighting!) and the twine just adds that sort of something to it!

A quick card really. Don't know why it took me all week to make it! I have another of these images so think I'll make another one just like it!
  • Papers: Papermania A Wonderful Christmas Time 6 x 6 stack
  • Image: Penny Black coloured with watercolour paints
  • Everything else: My stash

Polkadoodle Challenge 23 - Halloween

It's Friday again so its another Polkadoodle Challenge!

This week, Nikky has asked us to use the Halloween download and to get creating!

This had to be a quick one this week for me due to the lurgy earlier in the week. I've used Frankenstein Jack - layered onto the backing paper. I've liberally inked the edges with my good black ink pad and then added the sentiment.

The bats are table confetti from my stash.

Told you it was a quick and simple one this week! You have until 12noon on Sunday 1 November to enter the challenge - good luck!
  • All paperbased elements: Halloween download
  • Bats: From my stash

Thursday 22 October 2009

Howdie

Another autumnal card, this time for Dottie's World Challenge which asks for:

Autumn / Fall Colours

I've used a pre coloured Holly in the USA image which I've chalked and then inked. The papers are DCWV Retro Stack 6 x 6 which I have inked the edges (where you can see it!) with Chestnut Whispers ink.

The lovely, lovely ribbon is from my stash (49p for a big bundle from Blackburn Market a while ago) and the button is from my stash. For those with good eyesight, you will be able to see that it is a Tesco button!

That's about it folks - been a tad under the weather this week - a horrible bug that has really drained me and limited my crafting way too much. Hope to be back on track very soon!

  • Backing papers: DCWV Retro Stack 6 x 6 papers
  • Image: Holly in the USA precoloured
  • Everything else: My stash

Tuesday 20 October 2009

Tangerine, Turquoise & Chocolate

The current Pollycraft challenge is a colour theme:


Tangerine, Turquoise and Chocolate

I completed their last challenge and because I managed the 5 'S' I got to pick a free download from their shop! After a lot of deliberation, I finally settled on Tyler and Piper Rockstars and used one of the images for this card.

I've used watercolour pencils for colouring with a little glitter glue on the guitar. All the card is from my stash on which I've doodled and inked the edges. The brads are from my stash too.

The sentiment is from the male Clare Curd Signature Range. The Pollycraft image was a dream to colour so watch out - I'll be using it again!
  • Backing papers: From my stash
  • Image: Pollycraft - Tyler and Piper Rockstars coloured with watercolour pencils
  • Sentiment: Male stamp set from Clare Curd Signature Range
  • Everything else: My stash

Monday 19 October 2009

Reindeer With A Fold Flat Nose!

The Lili of the Valley challenge currently is to make:

A Christmas Card for a Child

I've drawn inspiration from last months Papercraft Inspirations magazine but used my own templates to make this reindeer complete with fold flat nose! I've used shiny red card and white card from my stash - the reindeer is cut from Bazzill basics paper and has been inked and chalked.

The white card has been run through the Swiss Dots Cuttlebug embossing folder and then the edges have been inked. The reindeer's nose is made from circles of thick red vellum which I've folded and glued on the fold so it will go flat in an envelope. The bell is from my stash.

This was quite quick and easy to make, so I think I'll be making more for my Christmas box!

  • Reindeer papers: Bazzill Basics
  • Other papers: From my stash
  • Embossing: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots
  • Everything else: My stash

Frosty Blue

The current Bee Crafty Challenge is this sketch:
I used a freebie download image from the blog which is this flower girl, however I turned her into a blue snow girl with excessive glitter in her hair and basket. The glitter is quite coarse so didn't realise it would stick to everything.

The image has been coloured with watercolour pencils and I've used papers from Blue Christmas download from Funky Hand. The snowflakes are confetti and have a lovely iridescent shimmer to them.

I was going to add a sentiment but forgot. So it will be added later!
  • Backing papers: Blue Christmas download from Funky Hand
  • Image: Bee Crafty freebie coloured with watercolour pencils
  • Snowflakes: From my stash

Sunday 18 October 2009

Funky Coffee

The Digital Ink challenge this week is a sketch:

I was determined to use the funky coffee cup digi freebie from Lost In Paper Scraps, so I made it fit the sketch! I coloured it with watercolour pencils and decoupaged the larger circles.

The backing papers are a freebie download I found on a digital scrapping blog (I can't remember which one, when I do, I'll edit this post!) I've doodled a fine black line twice around the edges of the two layers and then added a white gel pen one over the top.


Edges have been lightly inked with my trusty fading black pad, and then I added some purple ribbon (it is in real life, just it looks a bit murky in the photo). So I've rotated the sketch a little to make it fit what I wanted to use!

Saturday 17 October 2009

Autumn Anniversary

The Pink Elephant challenge this week is

Fall

There are so many different collections that I could have used for this, but I have been asked to make a Wedding Anniversary card and to use autumn colours, so what better than to combine it with this challenge!

The papers are from Patti Picklicious and I've printed them onto 300gsm linen ivory card, rounded edges and lightly inked them too. The ribbon is from my stash as too the hat pin, beads, brad and heart charm.

Fortunately, as the card is in landscape, it holds up under the weight of the charm! I actually think I bought the charm in a pack of 6 from B&M Bargains but they are really study!
I am really pleased with this card, so I think I'll be making more that are similar as a set for my up and coming Christmas Fairs on 21 November and 6 December. I may have to buy more ribbon though. Ah well!!
  • Backing papers: Patti Picklicious by Kirsty Wiseman
  • Ribbon: From my stash
  • Charm: From B&M Bargains, I think
  • Everything else: My stash

Help! Mummy!!

I had been very good and not bought any new stash for quite some time. Until this week that is. And I blame Dottie's World Challenge blog for it. Oh yes I do! Their challenge this week is:

Halloween-ish

And I clicked on the link to their download shop and saw the Halloween stuff... and well, I just had to buy (but got some freebies too along the way!)
So, after a shaky start and not really knowing what I was going to make, I had a little eureka moment and went on a mission. Well, not me really, the husband did for some bandages.

And I made this!

I covered the card blank with black card and dabbed silver ink around the edges and across the card. I then embossed some torn squares and then inked them before adding to the card. The orange ribbon is from my stash as I thought the card needed a bit of colour.

I used the mummy image from the download, enlarged it and then cut it out and then added the bandages. It's attached to the card with a piece of acetate so it boings around. And in the top corner I've added my last fimo spider!

  • Image: Halloween download from Charmed Cards and Crafts
  • Embossing: Cuttlebug folder
  • Spider: Made with fimo by me
  • Everything else: My stash

Friday 16 October 2009

Autumn Angela

The Secret Crafter Saturday challenge is:

Autumn Colours

I'd been asked to make a word book Birthday card so decided to use the beautiful papers from Now That's Funky. I printed the letters out using Wordart - just resized them to fit all 6 on one sheet of A4 and then cut round them and added to the pages. Really easy to do! I'd printed the outline of the letters in a dark orange which didn't show up too well against the zingy papers, so went round the outline with a fine black pen.


All the bits and bobs that I've added to the card are from my stash. I've added a different coloured panel to the back of the last letter so a message can be written on it.
These are really lovely papers, and I think you just may be seeing more of them over the next few weeks!! I printed onto 220gsm off white card as the normal stuff I have is a bit too thin and wobbly!
  • Backing papers: Now That's Funky cd from Funky Hand
  • Everything else: My stash