One Stitch at a Time Challenge 198

This week at One Stitch at a Time, we've got that easiest of all challenges: Anything Goes!

Our sponsor this week is

This week, I got to work with an image from Beary Dust chosen by my team mate Hazel. It's called Shih-Tzu.

I decided to do a completely digital project this time, especially as the image is so complete without further work. I designed the background in Photoshop Elements, and then went hunting for a suitable quote. I found this one, which I'm sure will resonate with many dog-lovers. I finished with a stylised flower which is from Dover Books.

I hope you can join us this time.

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

Artistic Impressions where the theme is 'anything goes/animals',
Party Time Tuesdays where anything goes,

4 Crafty Chicks where anything goes,

Challenges and Candies where they want monochromatic,

Catch the Bug where anything goes,

Oozak where they want white with one colour (grey).

One Stitch at a Time Challenge 175

This week at One Stitch at a time, our theme is In the Summer! So, lots of scope there. (Those of you in the southern hemisphere could even make Christmas cards!)f

Our sponsor this week is:

I got to work with an image from Beary Dust this week. It's called Belle.

Now, I don't know about you, but that's a sun hat if ever I saw one! I've coloured with Promarkers, and cut the image and mat with nestibilities. The paper is a Kate Knight design from Dovecraft, and I've mirrored the brown flowers using a Sizzix die set (the daisy one from the Susan's Garden range), and a Spellbinders die for the leaves and trailing vine. I cut the flowers using some pretty brown card that's flecked with metallic gold, and finished the flowers with a liquid pearl in bronze.

I hope you can join us this week.

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

A Little Bit Crafty where the theme is 'Summer Sun',
Card and Scrap where anything goes,
Cut it Up where they're celebrating summer,
Delicious Doodles where anything goes,
Sister Act where anything goes,
Crafting Boutique where anything goes,
Happy Campers where the theme is 'summer',
Papercrafting Journey where they want die cuts,
Pollycraft where the theme is 'fun in the sun',
Nutcrafters where the theme is summer.

One Stitch at a Time Challenge 163

This week at One Stitch at a Time, the challenge is 'Summer Sun'. Of course, that's something that means something different to different people. Now, I'm not a sun worshipper. I come from west central Scotland, and I have a colouring not unusual in those parts. Ten minutes of sunshine, and I'm liable to turn a most unattractive shade of lobster! I'm not fond of hot weather either, and generally want to hibernate during periods of hot weather. It always drains my energy completely. So, no beach scenes for me!

Instead, I've gone back to my childhood. Sunny days then might (if we were lucky) mean a jaunt down the coast to Largs, a walk along the front and maybe even an ice cream!

The photo is one I took of Largs the last time I was there (several years ago). Because the card I use for Promarkers tends to muddy colour photos a bit, I printed the photo onto matte photo paper, then layered the Promarkered image on top. It adds a bit of dimension too as I've gently shaped the image and attached using Colall Glue Gel.

The paper is from Dovecraft's London collection. They had packs of it very reasonably priced when I was at Alexandra Palace the other week, and even if I never use the Union Flag festooned sheets, there are some gorgeous florals like this one, so I'll definitely get my money's worth. And you never know, I might even use the other sheets. (I'm perfectly patriotic, but it seems an odd theme for a greetings card.) The flowers and butterflies are from my stash, and I've added sticky gems to the flower centres.

I hope you can join us this week!

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

LEJ Designs where summer's coming,
Papertake Weekly where anything goes,
Moving Along with the Times where they want CAS,
My Heart Pieces where anything goes,
Papercrafting Journey where anything goes,
Left of Centre where they want us to use a digi,
Simply Create Too where anything goes,
CMC Challenge where anything goes,
Our Creative Corner where anything goes.

One Stitch at a Time Challenge 148

This week at One Stitch at a Time, our challenge is to use a digi! So, that's easy, sin't it?

Our sponsor this week is:

This week, I worked with an image from Beary Dust - one I've used before, but which is definitely worth a second outing! Her name is Corey.

I love her pose - it just lends itself so well to so many captions!

In this instance, I've made a card for my sister's birthday, adding the sentiment in Photoshop Elements before printing. I cut the image with one of my Nesties and coloured with Promarkers. I've matted using a Spellbinders decorative label die. The paper is one of the gorgeous Kate Knight papers from a recent magazine freebie pad. The border die is from Sizzix, as is the dragonfly die. I finished with some sticky gems and that's it.

I hope you can join us this week.

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

Digi Stamps 4 Joy where it's anything goes,
I Love Promarkers where it's anything goes,
The Paper Shelter where it's anything goes,
Whoopsie Daisy where they want us to use a digi,
Simply Create Too where anything goes,
Forever Friends where the theme is 'birthdays',
Papercrafting Journey where they want something 'for a girl',
My Time to Craft where they want 'things with wings',

One Stitch at a Time Challenge 143

This week at One Stitch at a Time, we want you to show us your folds! We want creations with more than one fold.

Our sponsor is:

Now, I know there are many elaborate ways of folding a card, but I went for one of the simplest - an easel card.

I wanted some very girly paper, and found this one on my hard drive. It's from Bearly Mine, and it was a freebie some time ago. I lightened it a little for the background, then added the Beary Dust image Corey and framed her using a transparent solid panel, with a feathered outline. I took another piece of the background image, and this time, I darkened it several times before shrinking it to a fraction of its original size. I then digitally pieced that into the image for her dress. I coloured her hair, skin and bolero using Promarkers. Finally, I added what seemed to me to be the obvious sentiment for the image!

I used a repeat of the background for the base of the card, and finished with some Spellbinders die cuts in Papermania sparkly paper, and some sticky gems.

I hope you can join us this week.

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

Digi Galore where it's anything goes,
Mema's Crafts where anything goes,
Emerald Faerie where they want an easel card,
Papertake Weekly where anything goes,
Artistic Impressions where anything goes,
Stampin with the Dragon where anything goes,
Daisy Doodles where anything goes (with a digi),
I Love Promarkers where anything goes,
Crafts and Me where anything goes,
Creative Moments where anything goes.

One Stitch at a Time Challenge 137

This week at One Stitch at a Time, we want you to 'Make one for Christmas'.

We're sponsored this week by


This week, I worked with an image from Beary Dust called Dyanna.

Now, it's not a specifically Christmassy image but she does look ready for a night out! I teamed her with a freebie Christmas paper from Jak Heath which she offered last year? It's beautifully subtle, and she offered various different shades. I decided to go a little bit traditional, and go for the green. I combined the Beary Dust image with the background in Photoshop Elements and added a suitable sentiment. Now, that was particularly easy because these Beary Dust images give you the ideal (for me) png options. They're transparent in the background, but solid black or white within the image. So, no messing around, just place, size, and print. (I'm never sure why other digi artists don't offer this option. All transparent is almost as difficult to use as a jpg!)

So, once I'd done that, my work was almost done! Well, actually, I added some colour to Dyanna - giving her dress a hint of green (too subtle a hint to be obvious in the photo ...) and doing her flesh and hair tones. Then, since they were still on the table due to a different project, I used one of my irridescent Twinkling H2Os to give her earrings and eyeshadow a bit of shimmer. I matted onto some pearlescent card from the Papermania Capsule collection, and cut some snowflakes from the same card using a Cuttlebug die in my Wizard.

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

ABC Christmas where anything goes,
I Love Promarkers where they want Christmas,
Willow Sketchie where the theme is Christmas,

One Stitch at a Time Challenge 114

This week at One Stitch at a Time, it's anything goes! And the lucky winner of this challenge will win images and papers used by the DT, which are available at the Stitchy Bear shop.

This week, I worked with an image from Beary Dust called Arrianne. I decided to do something a little different, and so got busy in Photoshop Elements to put together the bits I needed for a gatefold card.

As you can see, I've used the image several times.

I added the image to a background in Photoshop Elements, and added some paper from Stitchy Bear herself (which I bought a while ago, and won't be included in the prize). It's from her Oriental Beauty collection. I reversed the image for a bit of variety, then printed the panels and coloured the image using Promarkers.

Showing a different angle

And showing the card open. I did the sentiments in Photoshop elements too, and added two inside panels, including one with an oval to write a message. I finished the card with a couple of jewelled bows from my stash.

Hope you can join us this week!

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Stamp and Create where they want 'one for the ladies',
My Heart Pieces where anything goes,
Shelly's Images where they want us to 'show them what we've got',
Cardmadfairy where they want 'clean and simple'.
Crafty Catz where they want 'one for the girls'
Great Impressions where anything goes.

One Stitch at a Time Challenge 103

This week at One Stitch at a Time, our theme is Reuse or Recycle! Our sponsor this week is Creative Craft World.

This week, I worked with an image from Beary Dust called Berry.

I coloured the image with Promarkers and mounted it onto some card from the Papermania Capsule collection. The backing paper came from the same collection. The black card is Coredinations Black Magic which I embossed using a Sizzix folder in my Wizard, before sanding the embossed areas.

As for the recycling/reusing, here it comes! The flower was made using newspaper. I did shade it with Promarkers to soften the effect a little. I cut some scallopped circles in my Wizard with a nestibility die and joined the layers with a brad before scrunching and then unfolding each layer. I added two skeleton leaves to complete the effect.

Then, there's a bit of re-use going on. I've had some of those wire spring 'beads' for years, and I strung them onto a bit of jewellery wire, adding a clear 'jewel' I found at the bottom of a jewellery box. I then curled the ends of the wire around some round-nosed tweezers, and attached the result to some more of the Black Magic card with a couple of jewelled brads.

Hoep you can join us this week!

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
The Crazy Challenge where anything goes,
Ladybird Crafts where they want 'pink and girly',
Partytime Tuesday where anything goes,
Stamp n Doodle where they want embossing,
Flutterby Wednesdays where anything goes with a fairy or butterfly,
The Sisterhood of Crafters where they want a digi,
Simon Says Stamp where anything goes,
Emerald Faerie where they want embossing,
Sparkles Forum where they want things with wings,
Do You Stack Up where they want things with wings,

One Stitch at a Time Challenge 71

This week at One Stitch at a Time, our theme is 'Flowers'! Our sponsor is Joanna Sheen.

This week, I had a lovely image from Beary Dust to work with.

I coloured the image and background with Promarkers. The pink layer was punched with a Martha Stewart border punch. The flowers are bits from my stash, and the paper is some of the lovely MME pad called 'Springtime'. And that's it - really quite simple!

Hope you can join us this week.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Creative Craft Challenges where the theme is 'pretty blossoms',
Simon Says Stamp where 'anything goes',
Sarah Hurley where they want 'colouring',
The Rubber Cafe where they want us to use Spellbinder dies (label die used to cut image.)
Card and Scrap where they want dies or punches,
Emerald Faerie where they want 'girly'

One Stitch at a Time Challenge 64

This week at One Stitch at a time, our challenge is Picnics, or alternatively, 4th July. Now, this side of the Atlantic, 4th July is just another school day, so naturally, I went for the picnics challenge!

All the images used by the DT this week come from the collaboration package for June. Remember, if you spend $10 in the Stitchy shop during June, you'll get the whole package absolutely free!

We're sponsored this week by Lily of the Valley.

I got a lovely image to work with this week - from Beary Dust - and it'll be part of the package of images and papers you get if you spend $10 in the Stitchy store during July.

I coloured the image with Promarkers. Now, there's a story behind the paper pad! I went to a local supermarket one Saturday morning, and spotted a magazine for sale that had a freebie paper pad. I was in the process of making a card for a wedding and needed a low-key red pattern for that, and it had one, so I bought the magazine. A day or so later, I got this image through, and realised the same pad would be ideal. And even better, it's called 'Picnic in the Park'!

I used three different papers from the pad - two in the background, and I die cut a third to make the flower using a Marianne Creativity die in my Wizard. (It's actually one of the Poinsettia dies, but I think it works for this too.) I edged the flower with some Distress Ink in Barn Door.

The buttons are also from the paper pack - I cut them out and coated them with dimensional glaze before threading with gold yarn.

Hope you can join us this week.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Stamps R Us where they want us to use a digi,
House of Gilli where they want us to use flowers. (Only one this time.)
Scrap Creations where they want us to use at least three patterned papers. (Two in the background and one for the flower.)
My Time to Craft where they want us to use a die cut (flower layers),
Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge where the theme is'here comes summer',
Truly Scrumptious where anything goes,
Digi Doodles where anything goes,
Crafting for all Seasons where anything goes,
Fab 'n' Funky where they want 'cute and cuddly,
Crafty Calendar where they want teddy bears.

A Charming Challenge at One Stitch at a Time!

This week at One Stitch at a Time, we want you to dig out your charms and use one! That's all! I chose this challenge, because I've got charm I've had for years, and I just don't ever think to use them. In fact, having set the challenge, I decided to use a black and white handbag charm, and then designed the card around it.

And, even better, we're sponsored by Creative Craft World, and the prize is 5 Promarkers!

I was lucky enough to be able to choose an image from Beary Dust this week - she's called 'Glam' and she's available here.

I've done something very unusual for me - I've gone for black, white and silver! (I do love my colour.) But, something about the name of the image made me think of this colourscheme, and that was that. The image is coloured with Promarkers in a range of skintones and greys. I dabbed the background with Brilliance Ink in silver with a coarse paintbrush, and cut the image with one of my label nesties. The circle is also a nestie - pinking circles - and I've wound some pretty white sparkly thread around it to make a frame for my charm. The flowers are also cut with my nesties - Blossom 2, and the white layer edged with more Brilliance silver. The papers come from a CD from Crafty Computer Paper called Crafty Image Emporium, although the originals were red and blue so I recoloured as you see (and printed greyscale just in case there was any colour left). The ferns were punched.

Hope you can join us this week.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
My Grafico where anything goes,
Simon Says Stamp where they want 1 image, two papers (background and flowers) and thee different embellishments (flowers, handbag charm and spirelli-style circle)
Bling it On where anything goes providing there's bling (flower centres) and a charm.

Digi Doodles where they want 'black and white'
Paper Playtime where 'anything goes with a digi'
Papertake Weekly where 'anything goes'
KB Cute Monday where 'anything goes with a digi'
Craft your Days Away who want black and white
Cardmad Fairy's Digital Challenge where they want Glitz and Glamour.

One Stitch at a Time Challenge 39

This week on One Stitch at a Time, we're challenging you to use your favourite colours! This week, we're sponsored by Robyn who's offering a $10 voucher.

I've got a lot of favourite colours, but shades that I love, especially together, are peachy/coral colours with pale turquoise. And this week, I got to work with a gorgeous image from Beary Dust whose images are available at the Stichy Bear shop. It's called 'Precious'.

I coloured the image three times with Promarkers, and layered it - that hat just cried out to be layered! The background papers are from Papermania. The rest of the card shows off some of my birthday presents! The border is a Spellbinders border die which I cut in both colours. (The lower layer was cut through the middle so I could offset it.) And the flowers were made with a new Marianne die, which to my relief, cut really well in my Wizard. (I'd heard comments that they weren't compatible, but they worked fine for me.) I coloured the flowers with Promarkers to match the image, and finished them off with some brads.

So what're you waiting for? Make something in your favourite colours!

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges: Fairy Fun Friday who want us to make our own flowers,
Stamp Challenges who're having a 'Digi Day'
If the Shoe Fits who're looking for DIY embellishments (the flowers)
AI Factory weekly who're looking for die cuts/punches (the flowers and the border)

One Stitch at a Time Challenge 35

This week at One Stitch at a Time, we're asking you to 'Embellish' with your favourite things. And, even better, we're sponsored by Joanna Sheen who's offering the lucky winner a £10 voucher for her shop - and don't forget, most of her stock has free postage worldwide!

I got to use an image by Beary Dust which is available at the Stitchy Bear shop. This one is called 'Alice' and, although it needn't be used this way, it immediately made me think of Alice in Wonderland, and this was the result.

I had a play with the image in Photoshop Elements first - adding a background of an old door and a caption 'Curiuoser and curiouser'. That door image came from a CDRom I bought a while ago from Crafty Computer Paper - Crafty Image Emporioum. I printed the result onto Ryman Ink Jet card and coloured Alice with Promarkers then added some detail in Sakura Stardust Pen to add sparkle. I used some Papermania backing paper, and finished the card with some Prima flowers edged with Promarker and finished with sticky gems.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges: Alice in Wonderland who want a door, lock or key. (I've only got a bit of a door, hope that's ok.)
Digi-Doodle who want a digi-image of a person,
Polycraft Monday Challenge (If you don't think Alice in Wonderland is a Fairytale, feel free to remove the entry.)
Papercutz  where 'Anything Goes'.

I also used the image in a more 'traditional' way - printing without a background, and this was the result.

Again, I coloured Alice with Promarkers, and touched up the background with Distress Ink in Tumbled Glass. The background papaer is also Distress Inked - in Tumbled Glass, Faded Denim and Worn Lipstick, and then with stamped some flower and leaf images from a Tapestry Stamp set.

The embellishments were some swirls, and punched flowers which were coloured with Promarkers and finished with sticky gems.

I'd like to enter this card to the following challenges:
Digi-Doodle who want a digital image with a person,
Polycraft Monday Challenge where the theme is 'Fairytales'. I don't know if you consider Alice in Wonderland to be a fairytale or not - feel free to remove the entry if you don't think it is.
Crafty Ann's Challenge where they want you to use a digi and your favourite colouring medium (Promarkers).

I hope you can join us this week at OSAAT, and share your favourite embellishments with us.