Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 188

This fortnight, our challenge here at Crafty Cardmakers is to use a sentiment.

I like to keep well-ahead with DT makes, but for the past month, I've been fighting some sort of virus which, while it hasn't kept me from work, has left me feeling drained when I'm at home, so I've done almost no crafting. As a result, I'm short of cards for birthdays that are coming up soon, and defninitely needed to get some done. Fortunately, while the silly lurgy is still lurking, I've finally got some energy from somewhere, and I've managed a day in my craft room, and this is one of the results.

I've got a mixture of very old and very new here! The circle dies here, and the medallion set are among the first dies I bought, while the flower die and the embossing folder I used for the background are fairly new (to me). Some are from Crafter's Companion but most are Spellbinders. When I first bought a die cutter, it was a Wizard, and I stuck pretty exclusively to Spellbinder's dies because, despite the advertising, the Wizard didn't really do a good job of most others. But, that's water under the bridge (or a die cutter consigned to a cupboard), and now I've got a Big Shot Pro which has been cutting most of what I've used with it for the past three years or so!

So, die cuts and some Coredinations card which I embossed and then sanded down, and the whole thing is finished with a computer-generated sentiment.

I hope you can join us this time.

International Art and Soul Challenge 5

This fortnight's challenge at International Art and Soul is to distress something! Other than that, it's up to you.

Now,  distressing is not a favourite technique of mine. I'm not particularly fond of things looking aged or damaged, so it's something I find rather hard.

The background uses some Coredinations card which I've distressed with sandpaper. (My go-to technique for distressing!) The image was stamped using a stamp from, I think, Woodware using Memento ink. I then added some background colour to the cream card using Promarkers scribbled onto a perspex block and then sprayed with some clear alcohol, which I then applied to the card. In honour of the theme, I then distressed the edge of the image and later the mat using a pair of scissors. It's not at all obvious, but that's not too surprising given that I didn't want to overdo it.

To complete the effect, I've added a wooden butterfly. I shaded it roughly with Distress Ink and a little Alchemy Wax around the edges, and then stamped it with more Distress Ink using a Docrafts wood-mounted stamp I've had for ages.

And that's it! I do hope you can join us this time. I'd really love to see your distressing techinques and understand why people love these techniques!

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 184

This time, at Crafty Cardmakers, our theme is For a Special Woman/Girl, or Mother's Day.

 It's my daughter's birthday this week, so choosing someone to make for was easy.

As a centrepiece, I've used a die from Crafter's Companion, and matted the cut with an old favourite from Spellbinder's threaded with ribbon. The ribbon was originally white, but it's amazing what a little Promarker can do! The background uses a Crafter's Companion embossing folder, and I've used some Coredinations Whitewash card which I sanded, then I picked out flower centres with some sticky dots from Craft Creations. The sentiment is also Crafter's Companion, and the butterfly is cut using I die I've had for a long time and I'm no longer sure whose it is, although it's blue, so I suspect it's Marianne. For that, I've added a layer in Shimmer paper and a top layer with glitter card.

I hope you can join us this time.

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 167

This time, at Crafty Cardmakers, our challenge is Shabby Chic/Distressed. And we're sponsored by

See the challenge blog for details.

I must admit, I don't get 'shabby chic' as a style. It always seems like a contradiction to me, and I'm definitely not a fan of distressing or ageing techniques. So, this challenge was definitely a challenge for me, and I just hope that what I've come up with fits the bill.

I've used a vintage image from a CDRom from Crafty Computer Paper, and mounted it on a mat cut using a Spellbinders die, through which I threaded some ribbon. For the background, I've used some Coredinations card - some from the Chocolate Box collection and some from the Whitewash pad. I've used the same warm pink inner colour in both cases, and, in fact, used an offcut for the mat (turned the wrong way round.) I embossed both pieces together so the pattern was continuous, then sanded both pieces of card. To finish, I've used some sticky lace and some flowers and bits from my stash. When I did a sort through of my craft stash I found so much stuff that I've bought and then found out how to make for myself. As a result, I don't use the pre-made bits, so I'm on a mission to actually use pre-made embellishments and papers!

I hope you can join us this time.

Crafty Cardmakers and More Challenge 153

This time, the challenge at Crafty Cardmakers and More is to make something on the theme of, 'The Night Before Christmas'.

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

Clement Clark Moore

As you can see, there's a lot of inspiration there!

I chose to use an image I've had for ages. It's from the Crafty Image Emporium CD from Crafty Computer Paper.I've teamed it with a Spellbinders die cut mat, and some sanded and embossed Coredinations card. I've completed the card with some gold ribbon and some die cut holly finished with red glass beads.

I hope you can join us this time!

One Stitch at a Time Challenge 223

This time, at One Stitch at a Time, our challenge is, 'Anything Goes with Distressing'. So, lots of scope for you. Our sponsor for this challenge is:

And the prize is a pack containing images and papers.

This time, I worked with an image from Hope Jacare called 'Snowman Wreath'. Of course, the first card I made, I forgot the 'distressing' requirement. But first, the one I remembered to 'distress'!

A very simple design. I embossed the Coredinations card in the background with an Embossalicious folder and sanded it so the pattern stands out more clearly. The image is coloured with Promarkers, and I finished the card with a couple of bows made with my new Creative Expressions dies.

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

Sisters of Craft where anything goes,
Crafter's Companion where the theme is Christmas,
Creaine where they want red/green themes,
Doodle Pantry where 'any digi goes',
Always Something Creative where they want red/green,
Bearly Mine where they want Christmas Cards,
Crafts Galore Encore where anything goes,
Christmas All year Round where they want 'no patterned paper'.


And here's the one where I forgot the distressing requirement.

This time, I used a background I made using the acrylic block technique with Distress Ink, and I stamped and embossed a greeting over that. Again, the image is coloured with Promarkers, and the card is finished with some die cut bows.

I hope you can join us this week.

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

One Stitch at a Time Challenge 177

This week at One Stitch at a Time, we're having a 'Back to School' challenge. Now, this is one of those that I find hard, as I've never sent a 'back to school' card in my life, and even if I wanted that, my kids are either working or at university so it's not relevant anyway. Still, I've gone with a 'learning' theme, and a wish that would certainly be appropriate for someone starting on a course of learning - whether formal or otherwise!

I chose an image from Reece's Scrap Pieces called Little Painter.

I designed a 'frame' in Photoshop Elements, but couldn't print it and the image onto the same paper because what's best for printed colour doesn't work well with Promarkers, so it's two separate layers.

The background uses four strips of Coredinations Black Magic in shades or red, orange, yellow, and green. I embossed using an Embossalicious folder and my Big Shot Pro and sanded to reveal the core colours.

I hope you can join us this week.

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

Bearly Mine where anything goes,
Cuttlebug Mania where they want embossing,
Top Tim Tuesday where they want embossing,
Just Inspriational who have a photo for inspiration (from which I took the rainbow of colours.)
Crafting by Designs where anything goes,
Colour Me Creative where anything goes,
Sweet Stamping where they want 'bold and beautiful'.

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 81

We've got a different sort of challenge this time at Crafty Cardmakers. We want you to make something inspired by Time in a Bottle by Jim Croce.

You can listen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dO1rMeYnOmM

Or here are the words:

If I could save time in a bottle,

The first thing that I'd like to do,

Is to save every day till Eternity passes away,

Just to spend them with you.

If I could make days last forever,

If words could make wishes come true,

I'd save every day like a treasure and then,

Again, I would spend them with you.

But there never seems to be enough time,

To do the things you want to do once you find them,

I've looked around enough to know that,

You're the one I want to go through time with.

If I had a box just for wishes,

And dreams that'd never come true,

The box would be empty except for the memory of how,

They were answered by you.

But there never seems to be enough time,

To do the things you want to do once you find them.

I've looked around enough to know that,

You're the one I want to go through time with ...

We are sponsored by our lovely teamie Kim Reygate. As Kim said, 'I have been lucky enough to work with some fantastic companies during this last year, both teaching and making samples and most of them are represented in the prize, so I would be more than happy to donate them to Crafty Cardmakers. Represented in the list are Clarity, HobbyArt, Sir Stampalot, Stampcraft and Woodware, some of whome will be sponsoring us in 2013, so watch this space!'

The items in the prize are:
Blue Magic stamp,
2 Embossing Folders,
2 Butterfly Stamps,
2 Colorbox Queues,
Colorbox Moulding Mat,
Magnolia Stamp,
 Petal Stamps.

And, we're also sponsored by:

Milk Coffee

Now, I sometimes take things a bit literally, and this time, I just took some words directly from the song.

If I had a box just for wishes ...

And came up with this:

I used some 12in by 12in card to make a basic box. Then, I added some Papermania Shimmer card. I embossed some Coredinations White Wash card using a time-themed folder from Sizzix, and a butterfly themed one from Personal Inspirations (I think). I sanded the result to bring out the lilac shade. Then, I cut the Spellbinder's butterflies from the shimmer card.

I used the butterfly folder to emboss some panels for the sides of the box.

I finished the box with some silver-trimmed violet ribbon and a computer generated label that I cut with a Spellbinders die.

So, how are you going to be inspired by that beautiful song? I can't wait to see what you come up with.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Flutterby Wednesdays where they're having an open challenge,
Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge where anything goes,
Anything but a Card,
Creative Moments where anything goes,
Stampin' with the Dragon where anything goes,
Aud Sentiments where anything goes.

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 72

This week, at Crafty Cardmakers, we want to see 'Winged Things'! The challenge has been set by team mate Marie.

We're sponsored this time by

 

and

It won't surprise anyone who visits here regularly to find I've chosen a fairy image, although it's not from Ching Chou Kuik or Molly Harrison this time!

The image is from a stamp by Crafter's Companion, called something like Rose Bay Willow or some such. (Lost the details!) I've finally been happy with the stamped image, having mounted it onto some Kling On. Previously, I've tried the Crafter's Companion idea of rock-a-blocks, but they make the lines too chunky for my taste. And, I didn't use Promarkers! Just for a change, I pulled out my Derwent Coloursoft pencils. I blended using a blending pencil, and although it hasn't come out in the photo, I used four coats of the burnishing pencil on the wings for shine, before adding some detail with Sakura Stardust pen.

The paper is from Kate Knight (I love her bright, bold designs). I've added a Spellbinder die cut (Lotus medallion) which I cut using Coredinations Whitewash (outer section, raised) and Craft Creations Shimmer Paper(inner section, flat to paper). I decided the result needed just a little further embellishment, so I added some small punched flowers, and gave them bead centres. Then, I decided that the same beads would look great in the central cut out of the die cuts, so I arranged some there.

 I hope you can join us this time!

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

Fashionable Stamping where they want floral/hand-made flowers,

No Matter Which Challenge where they want die cuts/punches,

ATCs and Cards with Attitude where anything goes,

Fat Pages and Cards with Attitude where anything goes,

QKR Stampede where anything goes,

The Poodle Parlourhttp://thepoodlesparlour.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/winged-things.html where they want Winged Things,

Everybody Art where anything goes,

Paper and Such where they want winged things,

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 69

This week at Crafty Cardmakers, we want you to 'distress it'!

We are sponsored this time by

DIGI DOODLE SHOP

$10 Gift Certificate for the Store

We are also sponsored by

HOBBY ART 

I was lucky enough to have an image from Digi Doodle Shop to work with this week, and chose her Roadster image.

 Now, distressing is generally not my favourite technique. So, my distressing is generally pretty understated - no actual paper tearing or ruffling.

I coloured this lovely image with Promarkers, cut it with one of my nestibilities and edged it with ink - not Distress ink as I don't have any browns in that, but I used cocoa Versacolor. I cut  a piece of Coredinations Chocolate Box card using the same set of Nestibilities, and embossed it using a Sizzix folder before sanding to reveal the gears. The background paper is by JLJ Designs from a set called Pink and Chocolate which I got via Stitchy Bear Digital Stamps, but it's no longer available from there. I finished the card with some brads.

Hope you can join us this time. 

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

Bearly Mine where anything goes,

I Love Promarkers where they want die cuts,

Penny's Papercrafty Challenge where anything goes,

DRS Design where they want masculine cards,

Little Miss Muffet where anything goes,

Southern Girls where they want die cuts,

ATCs and Cards with Attitude where anything goes, 

Crafty Catz where they want a card for a man,

One Stop Craft where they want something 'for the boys'. 

Joanna Sheen where they want us to 'remember when'. 

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,

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 55

This time's challenge at Crafty Cardmakers is to use just the following colours: brown, cream and pink.

Our sponsors this time are:

This colour combination screamed 'sepia-toned photo' at me. So, I went in search of something suitable and came across this - it's from the Crafy Image Emporium CD from Crafty Computer Paper. I used some of my Chocolate Box Coredinations card embossed and distressed. The embossing folder is from Papermania. (I find I'm using that one much more than the Cuttlebug ones because it's a much better size. Although the folder is the same size, the embossed area is bigger and much better-suited to the cards I make. One of the irritating things I find is how many craft items are made for card sizes based on US Letter size - which means they're too short for standard A sizes or the 150 ish mm square size I tend to make. /rant)

I finished the card by using my new ribbon punch, a little pink ribbon and some lace.

I hope you can join us this time, and look forward to seeing what you come up with.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Charizma Cards where anything goes,
Digi Doodle Shop's Best where anything goes,
Polycraft Monday Challenge where anything goes,
Stamps plus Fun equals Creativity where they want vintage,
Pink Elephant where they want distressing,
Bunny Zoe's Crafts where they want lace.

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 53 - Anything Goes

The Crafty Cardmakers Challenge Blog has been quiet for a while. Over the summer, various bereavements, illnesses and family commitments reduced the team to almost no one, so we decided to take a break. But, now we're back, and our new challenge is everyone's favourite - anything goes!

Last weekend, I visited the BSSBS show at Alexandra Palace. I haven't been there before, but I'm pretty sure I'll be going again! (Although I should probably start saving up now!) So, I've been playing with my new toys - including a Speedball Brayer and various stamps. I've had a couple of brayers for a while - the Woodware ones with the metal handles, but I find that the roller comes away from the handle if you put any pressure at all on those - so I've never had much success with them.

For the background, I used a Versacolor ink pad with various shades of blue. (It's a pigment pad rather than a dye one, but it seemed to work fairly well.) Then I stamped the main image (from Lavinia Stamps) in Versacolor in Graphite. The foreground grasses are also from Lavinia Stamps while the branches and leaves are from Clarity. Both of those are stamped in Distress Ink.

Of course, having had my play and created whatever I felt like, I found I had no paper to match. At least, not in the right size. Most of my paper is 150mm square, so finding something big enough for a 5 by 7 card was a challenge. I fell back on my favourite for such occasions - Coredinations card. The one I used is from the Chocolate Box collection, and I embossed it in my Wizard with a Papermania folder, then sanded it.

I hope you can join us this week, and help us to celebrate the fact that Crafty Cardmakers is back!

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Four Crafty Chicks where anything goes,
For Your Inspiration where there's a lovely photo-inspiration
Fussy and Fancy Friday where they want us to try a new technique (brayering - still new to me!)
Crafts 4 Eternity where anything goes,
Creatalicious Challenges where anything goes,
Card and Scrap where the theme is embossing/distressing.

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 49

This time, at Crafty Cardmakers, we want to see your spots and stripes!

We're sponsored this time by One Stop Cards

I decided to do something a little different (for me) and went for some digital paper piecing. My success rate for traditional paper piecing is poor - I've never been happy with a result - so I wondered how it would work.

I searched my digital images for something suitable, and spotted this one from the Windows collection by Lillyboo. I bought the set ages ago, and have only used one until now.

I first sized the image in Photoshop Elements, then created three simple repeating patterns - two dots and one stripes - in 'sunflower' colours. Then I used the magnetic lasso tool to identify an area I wanted to fill, and filled it with an appropriate pattern. In the case of the bean bag, that also meant I'd lost the inner detail, so I repeated the magnetic lasso on the image layer, and copied that part to place on top.

The wall and carpet areas didn't have any detail, so they were simple fills, but I thought a bit of shading in the wall might give the impression of a shallow window recess, so I added some gradients. I think it works fairly well, but it's not too obvious in the photo. Once the result was printed, I coloured the rest of the image with Promarkers, and gave an impression of clouds using the blender pen.

The backing paper is from a freebie pad called Picnic in the Park by Serif. Then I pulled out some Coredinations card. The panel has been embossed in my Wizard and then sanded to bring out the dots. The flowers were cut using some of the Blossom 2 set from Spellbinders. The larger flowers were embossed but not sanded, and I removed every second petal in the upper layer. The top layers were cut from black Coredinations, embossed and sanded to reveal the goldy-yellow lower layer. The leaves were punched from white card and coloured with Promarkers.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Papercrafting Journey where anything goes,
Rainbow Lady's where they want digis,
I Love Promarkers where anything goes (with Promarkers)
Ruby's Rainbow where they want flowers,
Everybody Art Challenge where anything goes,
Just Some Lines where they want spots and dots.


I hope you can join us!

One Stitch at a Time Challenge 60

This week at One Stitch at a Time, we're challenging you to do some embossing! That can be heat, machine, hand or multiple - as long as something is embossed.

The first card I made for the challenge didn't work as well as I'd hoped, as I'd intended to add a triple-embossed sentiment to the image. For me, it didn't work in practice, so I went back to the drawing board and came up with a second idea.

The central image is Stitchy's 'Joy', and it's my first Christmas card of the year.

It's a lovely image, and I coloured it with Promarkers, including the new Silver marker in that range. It's cut with one of my Nestibility labels.

The background shows what is probably my favourite embossing technique - using Coredinations card, and sanding the embossed areas. I've used both their 'Whitewash' card and the normal variety here, as well as a couple of Cuttlebug embossing folders.

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

Sparkles Forum where anything goes,
Sketch and Stash who're having a Free Choice of their available sketches. I've used no. 7 - which is one I keep coming back to because I love it!
Top Tip Tuesday where they want squares
I Love Promarkers where they want 'No Design Paper'
AI Factory where 'anything goes',
Delightful Challenges where they want distressing (sanded Coredinations background),
Digi Doodle Shop's Best where 'anything goes',
Four Crafty Chicks who want distressing (sanded Coredinations background)
Crafty Hazlenut's Christmas Challenge where she wants die cuts.

One Stitch at a Time Challenge 57

Another Sunday, another challenge at One Stitch at a Time. This week, the theme is new babies, and we're sponsored by The Stamping Boutique who're offering five digis of the winner's choice.

I was lucky enough this week to be working with one of Sylvie's images - Baby on a Blanket which is available at the Stitchy Bear shop.

Since I don't have any new baby cards in my stash, I decided to be prepared and make two!

Both images are coloured with Promarkers, with spots added to the blanket with a Souffle pen. I've matted onto some patterned paper, and backed with some Co'redinations card. The paler one in each case is Whitewash, while the darker is the standard variety. (I wish I knew how to get hold of some more Whitewash in the UK, preferably a mixed pad. I've been hoarding what I've got, and that's kind of silly since I bought it to use it!) The card has been embossed in my Wizard using an embossing folder. Not sure whose - I didn't keep the packaging, but it's lovely and embosses a bigger area than the Cuttlebug ones - definitely a plus.

The sentiment is hand-written on a nestibility die-cut which I've shaded with distress ink in either Tumbled Glass or Spun Sugar and finished with some ribbon.

The flowers are either ribbon buds I was given for Christmas, or roses I've made using punched shapes and shaded with distress inks in the same shades as above.

When I come to use the cards, I'll probably personalise them with another circle on top of the greeting.

Hope you can join us this week.

I'd like to enter these into the following challenges:
ABC Challenge where 'R is for Ribbon',
There's Magic in the Air where they want flowers,
Lexi's Creations where they want monochrome,
The Crazy Challenge where they want us to 'just add flowers'
Craft Your Passion where 'anything goes'
The Stamp Man where they want embossing,
Crafty Catz where they want embossing,
Crafty Emma's Challenge where they want monochrome
One Stop Craft Challenge where they want monochrome.

One Stitch at a Time Challenge 22 (Again!)

(Second post of the day - scroll down for more from One Stitch at a Time.)

I suppose I could've put this card on the last post, but I decided to keep them separate because it's easier for those checking and commenting from challenge blogs if they're separate.

Remember, One Stitch at a Time is sponsored this week by Craft Brulee.

So, I made a second card for this challenge due to someone being unavailable, and this is it. I'm so lucky to have had two images from two talented artists to work with!

I used an image called Lady Klmt Esq. by Hope Jacare which is available from the Stitchy Bear shop, and there's still 30% off almost everything in the store. Isn't she amazing? I loved the swirls and flowing lines, and immediately thought of my Divine Swirls Cuttlebug folder and my new swirl punch. To make the most of the embossing, I used Coredinations card - some Black Magic which I sanded to reveal the pink, and some Gemstones which has a lovely lustre to it. I coloured the image and Prima flowers with Promarkers, and finished the flower with a jewelled brad. The image and green swirls have been raised on foam tape to give a little more dimension to the final result.

I think I'll be using that image again - I love that style of image to start with, and it's really fun to colour!

Don't forget to watch out for news of the exciting changes coming at Stitchy Bear stamps!

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

Totally Stampalicious which is calling for a splash of red. (Her collar and dress detail),
Wild Orchid Crafts where they want to 'Say it with Flowers'. (I hope one flower with three layers counts,)
One Stop Craft Challenge which is looking for pink, blue, green and a hint of red (collar and dress detail), and flowers and bling (jewelled brad in the flower) are also welcome,
For Fun Challenge whose theme is 'Favourite Colouring Technique' (Promarkers),
and Crazy Challenge whose theme is 'It's Cool to be Square'. (Square Card)

A Fairy with a Difference!

Now there's a fairy I'd definitely want on my side! She's full of character and seems to me to have a 'don't mess with me' attitude! Her name is Sparkles and she's from Stitchy Bear Stamps and she's really interesting to colour. I went to town with those flower petal/wings, mixing four colours - salmon pink, carmine, honeycomb and burnt orange - to get a gradation I liked. I've framed her with a nestibility frame cut from some Coredinations Whitewash card. I embossed it with one of the Spellbinders Impressabilities and then sanded it to reveal the stronger green. The background pink is also Coredinations, but the standard variety this time, embossed with the same pattern and, again, sanded. I cut the shape with a Craft Tonic punch and border system. The papers are from a My Mind's Eye pad that I love. I've finished it off with a tissue paper flower. I cut layers with my peony nestibility die and coloured them with the shades from the wings, then assembled them with a brad and scrunched. It does give a nicely mulit-tonal flower.

I gave serious thought as to whether or not to embellish further but decided that I love that sanded Coredinations so much, I really didn't want to hide any more of it!

At Anchor

A lovely lady called Teresa does some gorgeous artwork, and she's got some digi-stamps available at I Did It Creations. I fancied doing something a little different, and started out with her 'boat' image, and this is the result.




I coloured it with Promarkers, and the backing is in two parts. The darker section is Coredinations which I've embossed with a Fiskars plate in my Wizard and then sanded. I've then added a couple of bits of card I had left over from a previous project - card painted with a mixture of Cosmic Shimmer mist and Radiant Rain. I've cut and embossed both with a Spellbinders Lattice Borderability. The final addition is also a Spellbinder die - one of the snowflake set that I've always thought looks more like a ship's wheel, so I used some wood-grained card and added it.

It fulfils the requirements for three challenges: Passion for Promarkers Anniversary Week which is an 'anything goes week' except, of course, for the use of Promarkers.
Dare U 2 Digistamp which requires 'Something for the Boys' and
Crafty Catz which is also looking for a male-themed card.

Colour Create Challenge 33

It's been a while since I made any cards - I blame pre-Christmas busy-ness and a long-running low-level lurgy. Still, I got inspired today by the Colour Create challenge which was to make a card with the colours lilac/purple, aqua, black and white. Now turquoise/lilac is one of my favourite colourschemes, but I was a bit wary of having black with them. Still, I coloured a couple of Cute Daisy May images and this is what I came up with.





They both pretty much fulfil the challenge, but if I've got to choose one, I'll go for the first one.

Both images are coloured with Promarkers. I've used some Co'ordinations card embossed in my Wizard with a Cuttlebug folder in both too, and the sentiment is from an Anna Griffin stamp, embossed with Cosmic Shimmer embossing powder.

The larger flowers are made with my Wizard and the smaller ones came from Craft Creations.