Scrummystashcafe challenge

The challenge this week was "Get the Edge" and you had to use decorative edges or borders in your project. I have used a stamp from Dimension fourth, stamped in black staz-on. I coloured the image with pencils, blended with Zest-It and a paper stump. I used decorative scissors to cut around the image and matted him onto some Rustic Gems paper. I then took some black cardstock and cut around this with the same decorative scissors, so that it was slightly smaller than my card blank. Finally, I placed the image onto the black card, again having left the greeting to be added at a later date.

My Time To Craft/Papertake Weekly sketch

As my week off work comes to a close I managed another couple of cards today. The first takes in two challenges. The My time To Craft challenge this week was "Sparkle" and the Papertake Weekly one was a sketch which can be seen by clicking on the blog link under My Fave Blogs below.
I have used an image from Funky Fairy which I coloured with watercolour pencils. For the bubbles is used my glue pen and added a liberal amount of glitter(this is the sparkle but I don't know how well it will show up!). The horizontal strip on the card is pink Bazzill cardstock and then vertical is a green Anita's Sticky ribbon. I have matted the image on to a piece of Laura Ashley paper and then added some Primas with a gem in the centre.
I have yet to add a greeting when I decide what I will use the card for.I really like this sketch and am sure I will use it again. As for Sparkle, well, you can't get enough of that, can you:0)

Yet more Fat Pages!

Being off on holiday this week has been great because I have caught up with loads of things, house related and crafty:0)
I am on a Tilda/Sugar Nellie Fat Book list on Craft Swap forum so have quite a few pages to make before the end of August. I made 6 pages today, all using Sugar Nellie stamps as I am still waiting for my Tildas to arrive. I have stamped all the images in black Staz-on and coloured them all with my pencils and Zest-It blending solution. I am really enjoying this new technique so may bore you all with it soon!
The papers are from The English Paper Co., a pad I got as a Christmas Pressie from Secret Santa.
That is all for today, promise no more fat pages for a while :0))))

Arty Girlz & Fat Book Challenge

The challenge from Arty Girlz this week was "Chocolate" and the Fat Book Challenge on Craft Swap Forum was "Glorious Food". As choccie is one of my favourite glorious foods I decided to do a page that incorporated both. It meant that I had to open one of my Easter eggs- the sacrifices I make in the name of craft :0). I have covered the page with the gold foil the chocolate was wrapped in. Then I took my scissors to the wrapper and placed the image of the chocolate truffle on the page. I cut out the "Heaven" from the wrapper and laid it over the page, just underneath the choc. YUMMY(the chocolate bar is yummier)!!!

Flowers Fat pages

I am on a Flowers Fat Book list on Craft Swap Forum. I have 19 pages to make before the end of June so thought I had better get started. I made seven last night and they will be posted tomorrow. I have used the new Laura Ashley papers and stamps on them all and highlighted areas with Stickles in Star Dust. I am loving these papers and stamps :0)

Funky Fairy/My Paper World challenges

I have made a card which covers both of these challenges. The Funky Fairy challenge was "Bling" and the My Paper World one was sketch #7.The strip of paper and the stamped image are from the new Laura Ashley range. I have added the strip of paper to the card balnk per the sketch and placed some yellow Bazzill cardstock across it. I then painted the stamped image with Cosmic Shimmer Sparkle Paint in Lime Twist ( this is the bling part) and left it to dry. I then added more bling by using the same paint around the edges of the card. I then mounted the stamped image on 3D foam and added 3 Primas with flower brads in their centres to the bottom right per the sketch. I finished with a peel-off greeting mounted on some yellow Bazzill.I am hoping the bling will show up in the photo, the paint gives a wonderful shimmering two-tone effect.

Sunday Stampers challenge

This weeks challenge was set by Linda E as it was her birthday. She chose "Party Hats" and I was stumped cos I don't have a party hat stamp! However, I found a sticker with a party hat on it in my Brenda Pinnick Scrapbook Kit. I stamped a Sugar Nellie image which I have coloured in using coloured pencils blended with some blending solution(Zest-it) and a paper stump. I tried this technique for the first time on another image and have discovered that I need to use lots of solution and more colour than I was initially. Once I sussed that out, it was fine. I have made a fat page for a Tilda/Sugar Nellie list that I am on. The paper is by K & Co (Brenda Walton)Scrap Pad To Go. I have then placed the stamped image over this. I placed the sticker on some cardstock and cut it out, then mounted it on 3D foam.

March Scrapbooking Challenge

Each month on Craft Swap Forum Lesley sets us a challenge for a scrapbook page. As I am a novice I find these very good for ensuring I attempt to do something with my photos, even if only once a month:0). This month the challenge was "Spring is in the Air". You had to use green & yellow, flowers, journalling on a tag and photos on any theme. I have used a 12x12 paper and chipboard flowers from a Brenda Pinnick kit. The photos are all of a family day out we had last spring in a local heritage park. I have added some journalling to a chipboard tag and threaded this with green ribbon, both items are from the same Brenda Pinnick kit.

New Home card

I had to make a quick card this morning. I decided to open a recent TSV from QVC that I hadn't used yet- the Concept Card Kit. I haven't used one of the cards from the kit but have removed elements and added them to my own card blank. The door image has been mounted onto brown Bazzill cardstock and then placed on 3D foam. Very simple - I knew the kit would come in handy when I was short of time :0)

Florries ATC challenge - 100th!!!!

Over on Craftswap we have a weekly ATC challenge which was started by a much loved member who sadly passed away last year. We have continued the challenge in her memory. This is the 100th Challenge and Hels has set the theme of "Friends and Flowers".
I have stamped "Friends" in clear embossing ink and covered it with a Cosmic Shimmer embossing powder in Mallow Flame Aurora(a gorgeous pink).The stamp is by Hot Of The Press. Once embossed I covered the ATC in Dusty Concord Distress Ink and wiped it over with a damp baby wipe. I have then added some Primas in co-ordinating colours.

The Batik Technique

The tag technique from my friend Hels this month is batik. I stamped a Paper Artsy image in clear embossing ink and covered it with clear embossing powder which I heated. Then I covered the tag with Distress inks in Scattered Straw and Broken China. Then using my house iron cos I don't have a craft one, I covered the tag with a paper towel and laid the hot iron over it. This melts the embossing powder and lifts it off the image. You are then left with a negative image on the tag. The boys in the image look a bit spooky with their white eyes I thought- next time I try this technique I will use a different stamps :0)
I stamped the text in Broken China. On the back of the tag I have stamped another image from the same plate and some text in Broken China again and finished the tag with some co-ordinating ribbon. Hope Hels approves of my efforts.(click on the images to get a closer look)

House Mouse birthday card

I adore House Mouse stamps yet have only managed to acquire 4 of them. It is a friend's birthday soon so I decided to use one of the stamps to make her card. I stamped the image in black staz-on and coloured it in using watercolour pencils. They are just a cheapy set but I think I need to invest in better ones that blend and smudge better. All recommendations gratefully received.
I then matted the coloured image onto some red/pink paper from Funky Fairy and matted this onto the card blank. I finished off with a Happy Birthday peel-off. I hope she likes it :0)

Sugar Nellie birthday card

This is for a friend who has a birthday soon. I have stamped the image with black staz-on and coloured her in with Marvy le Plume pens. I covered a card blank with some K & Co paper, leaving a small border down the sides. I then mounted the stamped image onto the card using 3d foam pads and added a mat of pink Bazzill with a peel-off greeting on it.

A birthday card for my uncle

My aunt asked me to make her a card to give her hubby on his birthday this Sunday. I have used papers and an image from Joanna Sheen's Egyptian Adventure. The image is mounted on some Bazzill cardstock as it the greeting. Hope they both like it

Daring Card Makers challenge

This weeks challenge was "Teen Spirit" I have used a stamp that I got from Dimension fourth of a Sk8ter Boy as I think some teenagers are into skateboarding(aren't they)?
I have coloured him in with a mixture of watercolour pencils and Marvy le Plume pens. The stripy background paper is from a Dovecraft 6x6 pad. I have then coloured in some peel-offs with a black peel-off marker and added the word COOL to the card(again, a word I associate with the youth of today :0)

ATC weekly challenge

This weeks challenge was "purple" so I used Milled Lavender Distress Ink pad to cover the entire ATC. I then stamped one of my new Gibson Lady stamps from The Artistic Stamper using Dusty Concord Distress Ink. I then edged the ATC with the Dusty Concord and added a purple flower brad.

Sunday Stampers Challenge

This weeks challenge is "I'm a Laydeeeee!" so I have made two cards. I couldn't decide between my new oriental lady stamp or the lovely one I got the other week. The oriental lady has been stamped in black-staz on and then watercoloured. I had to copy the image on the wooden block to get the shading right. I then edged the mat with gold Krylon pen and mounted it onto red pearlescent paper which I had covered the A6 card blank with.
The other stamp is again stamped in black staz-on and coloured in with Marvy Le Plume pens and a black watercolour pencil.I covered an A6 blank with some Basic Grey Periphery paper(which I love). I took an Adirondack Dabber in Bottle along the edges of the stamped image and then mounted this onto the card. I haven't added greetings to either card as yet as I don't know what I will use them for. I am much happier with these efforts than other recent ones :0)

Another mishap

I have attempted the Hidden Depths challenge on the Craft Swap Forum challenge blog. You had to follow the folding instructions and then decorate the inside using different techniques from the outside (the hidden depths).The theme was to be Spring. I have inked up the inside of mine using distress inks over some flower, butterfly and dragonfly peel offs which I then removed. I was happy enough with this part. Then I decided I would use papers over the outside- my mistake.I cut it into 3 strips and used DS tape to stick it in place, matching up the design. HOWEVER, when I close the card, the creases show as these have not been papered over??? Perhaps I should have used inks on the outside and papers inside. Will have to have another go at this when I get the chance. Well, Simon did call it a challenge

Papertake Weekly challenge

This weeks challenge was a frame card. The frame tutorial gave instructions and although I tried to follow them, my card is a bit dodgy!!!! I have used a Henrietta image from Funky Fairy for inside the frame and the matching text along the bottom of the card. I used some red pearlescent paper on the front of the card and some Prima flowers with a flower brad to finish. You should pop over to the Papertake blog and see the fab cards shown on there. Mine is not quite up to the same standard but I shall keep practising :0))))