A Couple of Birthday Cards

I had to make a couple of cards for upcoming birthdays. The first is for my nephew who's turning 21. He's into bikes, so this decoupage from Imag e nation seemed idea.

I used a small version of the image to tile into a background paper over some Photoshop Elements generated stripes, and a larger version to print onto some shrink plastic. I've personalised the card inside, but won't show because I'm very wary of putting other people's names online. The ribbon is one of those pre-sticky ones from Tiger.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Digital Tuesday where they want something masculine,
LEJ Designs where they want us to 'show us your ribbons',



The second card is for a colleague. I made this one a while ago. While the card was being passed around at work for signatures, one person implied that she'd like to keep the card for herself rather than passing it on. So, her birthday's coming up now, and so I did something similar.

I made it into an 8 by 8 card because these image from the Enchanted Dreams CD are too detailed to print any smaller. The paper is from the CD too, and I've used a Martha Stewart border punch and butterfly dies from Spellbinders, and Marianne. To give them some sparkle, I sprayed the butterflies with Crafter's Companion Spray and Shine in irridescent.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Cute Card Thursday where the theme is 'Butterfly Kisses',
Creative Moments where they want 'things with wings',
Flutterby Wednesday where it's an open challenge,
Catch the Bug where anything goes,

Getting Started Early

I make a lot of Christmas cards every year - and I'm often asked when I start. The answer is generally, 'Easter!' Since I work in a school, I've normally got a break at this time of year, and many of the other cards I need to make are are normally up to date.

A couple of weeks ago, I bought some bits from a colleague who's giving up her card-making, and among that lot was a Dovecraft Christmas paper pack. It uses a fairly limited range of colours, so I picked out some Promarkers to match, and got stuck in to some colouring. Then, once I had a decent number of images, I assembled.

Last year, I won a few stamps from Whimsy Stamps, and this is one of those. Bearing in mind that I need to post a lot of Christmas cards, I try to keep the designs fairly flat, and I'm finding I prefer fairly simple designs anyway. I edged the image with Distress Ink and I've used dies from Spellbinders and Sizzix as well as some pre-sticky lace from Tiger.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Digi Stamp 4 Joy where anything goes,
Sparkle and Sprinkle where they want a digi image,
Catch the Bug where anything goes,

Another Whimsy Stamps image, again coloured with Promarkers and edged with Distress Ink. I've added a bit of sparkle to her wings with a Sakura Stardust pen. Dies used were by Spellbinders, and the border punches are from Tonic.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
CRAFT where the theme is Christmas,
Creative Moments where they want 'things with wings',
Card Mania where they want die cuts and punches,
Totally Gorjuss where 'anything goes with sparkle',

And a third Whimsy image. Dies and punches from Spellbinders and Tonic.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Forever Friends where they want die cuts/punches,
Whimsy Stamps where the theme is 'Pretty in Pink',
Lacy sunshine where anything goes,

This is a Mo Manning image that was a freebie several years ago. I've used it several times before, but it seemed perfect for this paper which is printed with the names of various Christmas carols and songs. Dies used all from Spellinders.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Bronte and Bella where they want 'Things with Wings',
In the Pink where they want 'things with wings',
Kaboodle Doodles where they want pink,

And finally, an image from Milk Coffee. I've used dies from Spellbinders and Tonic punches as before, as well as an embossing folder from the embossalicious range.

There are a few more that I've made, but they were made for specific DT requirements, so they'll appear in due course.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
ABC Christmas where the theme is 'Girl or Guy',
I Love Promarkers where they want embossing,
Whimsical Designs where they want embossing,
Die Cuttin' Divas where they want pastels,


I may be along later to link to some challenges ...

One Stitch at a Time Challenge 158

This week at One Stitch at a Time, our challenge is ... Anything Goes!

We're sponsored by:

See the challenge blog for more details.

This week, I worked with a lovely image from Delicious Doodles called Fuchsia and Hummingbird.

I gave the background of the image a faint blue tint in Photoshop Elements before printing. I coloured with Promarkers, and cut the image before mounting it onto some pretty mint green pearlescent card. For the background, I embossed some Coredinations card with an Embossalicious folder (petite dot) and then sanded it.

It's a simple card, but I love that colour combination, and I like the contrast between the pearlescent and the duller shade of the Coredinations.

I hope you can join us this week.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Sparkles where they want birds,
Digi Makeover where anything goes,
Crafter's Companion where they want flowers, (I used a DieSire embossing folder.)
Happy Campers where the theme is 'flower power',
Stampotique SDC 94 where they want flowers,
Ladybird Crafts Ink where anything goes,
Two Sisters where anything goes,
Catch the Bug where anything goes.

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 88

This time at Crafty Cardmakers, we're going with the date! It's April Fool's day, so we want humour! It can be obvious, subtle, or even an 'in joke', but as long as there's some humour involved, you're set for this challenge.

Our sponsors this time are:

and

See the challenge blog for details of prizes.

I've gone for a family-type joke. You see, my husband seems to answer most things these days with, 'Fair Enough,' but it always sounds (to my ear, at least) like, 'Fairy Nuff.' So, as a birthday card for him, I've made this:

The image is from Stitchy Bear, and she's always seemed to me to be a fairy who's not about to brook any nonsense from anyone. I added the sentiment in Photoshop Elements and printed on Crafter's Companion card. It's coloured with Promarkers. I cut the image with a Spellbinders die - the smallest of the Grand Ornate Ovals. That die puts tiny holes around the edge, and what are those for if not to stitch? So, I've added a round of backstitching. The paper is from a pad by Paper Pizazz. I haven't heard of them before, but a colleague is giving up her cardmaking and wanted to sell off some bits. I fell in love with a pad of paper, and this is from that pad. (Can't tell you anything else as it was coverless when I first saw it!) Now, my husband is a tidy soul - at least, he hates other people's clutter. (He doesn't seem to have a problem with his own, as it happens!) So, I've left the card plain.

I hope you can join us this time.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:


The Paper Shelter where anything goes,
Simon Says Stamp where anything goes,
My Heart Pieces where they want fairies or angels,
Creative Inspirations Ink where anything goes,
Lacy Sunshine where anything goes,
Robyn's Fetish where they want fairies,