International Art and Soul Challenge 102

 The challenge theme for this fortnight is Off to Dinner. I chose to use a stamp depicting two very glamorous ladies drinking cocktails as I imagine their next stop will be dinner somewhere very exclusive.

The stamp is from Crafts and Me which I've had for several years. I know the company went out of business a while ago, and I don't know if the image is available from anyone else now. I coloured with watercolour pencils and added some glittery accents with Sakura Stardust pens. I gave the background area an extra glitz with a Crafter's Compaion glitter marker.

The background started as a simple smooshed piece with Distress Oxide inks, but I wanted to add something to it, so I added a gel press impression with white acrylic paint and a stencil.

I do hope you can join us this time.

International Art and Soul Challenge 23

For our final challenge of the year, we'd like to see Lots of Sparkle! Other than that, you can make anything you want, although, at this time of year, I suspect we'll see quite a few Christmas cards.

I used the same image I used a few challenges ago, but this time, I've done a few things differently. First, I coloured with Sakura Glitter pens. They're not great for colouring large areas, but this image with its narrow swirls and sweeps is ideal. The background is another foray into the world of the Gelli Plate, and I've used acrylic paint and stencils. to add to the sparkle, I've used some glitter card for matting both the image and the background.

 I hope you can join us, and I wish you all the best for the Festive Season when it arrives!

One Stitch at a Time Challenge 229

This time at One Stitch at a Time, our theme is: Anything Goes with Purple! So, any subject matter, occasion, so long as there's some purple somewhere.

Our sponsor is:

See the challenge blog for details.

For this challenge I used an image from Crafty Girl called Pansies.

I coloured the image with a mix of Promarkers and Spectrum Noir pencils, and added some accents with Sakura Stardust pens in green and clear. The paper is from Papermania, and the image and mat were cut using Spellbinders dies. I made the flowers using mainly Susan's Garden dies, but added the leafy border (Crafts Too) and the stamen (Crafter's Companion). I finished them with some glitter glue.

I hope you can join us this time.

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

Inky Chicks where anything goes,

Party Time Tuesday where anything goes,

Crafting from the Heart where anything goes,

Craft Your Passion where anything goes,

Dream Valley where anything goes,

Whoopsie Daisy where anything goes,
KreativGefluster where anything goes,

Penny's where anything goes,

Sister Act where anything goes,

Stempelsonne where anything goes.

One Stitch at a Time Challenge 226

This time, our 'anything goes with a ... is Glitter! So, this close to Christmas, that's easy, isn't it?

Our sponsor for the challenge:

See the challenge blog for details.

I chose a digi from Sentimental Susan's range at the outlet called Christmas Tree Scene.

I added the sentiment in Photoshop Elements before printing, then coloured with Promarkers. To fulfil the 'glitter' requirement, I got out my Sakura Stardust pens and coloured the baubles and tinsel on the tree, the stars, and highlighted areas of the snow. That doesn't seem to be very clear on the photo. I dotted the sky with highlighter pen, but that wasn't quite bold enough for what I wanted, so I went back over with a Sakura Souffle pen in white.

I added some paper from my stash - something bold and bright like the image, and apart from a little matting, that's it.

I hope you can join us this time.

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

Creative Romance where anything goes,
Chocolate, Coffee, Cards where the theme is Christmas,
Crafty Catz where the theme is 'Last Minute Christmas',
Sister Act where anything goes,
Crafty Sentiments where the theme is 'Christmas',

One Stitch at a Time Challenge 224

This time at one Stitch at a Time, the challenge is: Anything Goes with Giving. So, lots of scope again, and we're really looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

Our sponsor is

See the challenge blog for details.

For this challenge, I chose an image from BBKakes called 4 You, so that definitely seemed to fit the bill!

And so you can see the rest of the sentiment, here's the inside:

I added the sentiment in Photoshop Elements before printing and colouring with Promarkers. I added a little shine to the watery areas using a Sakura Stardust pen, and tried to give the impression of a tiled floor by adding a grid using a fine-tipped Promarker. The background paper is from a Joanna Sheen CD - Ivory Cats and I finished with a die cut (die from Joy Crafts, I think.). I used the same digital paper to produce the insert, again using Photoshop Elements.

I hope you can join us this time.

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

Crafts Galore Encore where anything goes,
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper where anything goes,
Sisters of Craft where anything goes,
A Crafty Mess where anything goes,
Sister Act where anything goes,
Milk Coffee where they want a hand-coloured image.

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 94

This time at Crafty Cardmakers, the challenge has been chosen by Doreen, and she wants projects with a steampunk theme.

Our sponsors this time are:

and

See the challenge blog for details.

Now, steampunk isn't my favourite theme. In fact, I've got to say that I don't really get it at all, and my first reaction was to give it a miss. But, I hunted around, and came across a fabulous image from Make It Crafty called Metallic Flowers, and once I had that, I was off.

First, I imported the image into Photoshop Elements, then I added a filigree frame. I printed the result, and coloured with Sakura Metallic pens and water. The background was created in Photoshop Elements using a background that came with the software and an image from Delicious Doodles called Cogs Corner Piece which I placed at each corner. Then, I copied the smallest cog, making a 'string' of them between the corners.

I've cut with Nestibilities, and matted with gold mirror card.

I hope you can join us this week.

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

Nana Vic's Challenge where anything goes,
Charisma Cards where they want digi stamps,
My Heart Pieces where they want clean and simple,
Daring Cardmakers where they're having a 'Festival of Flowers', (5)
Digi Haven 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 ...

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,

One Stitch at a Time Challenge 125

This week at One Stitch at a Time, we're challenging you to limit your colours! So, anything you like, but use white plus one other colour (although you can use realistic skin and hair tones too if you need to.)

I got to work with a lovely, fun image from Hope Jacare which is part of the Frosty pack, and it definitely seemed to lend itself to limiting colours.

I coloured the image with Promarkers, and added some sparkle to those lovely Hope Jacare swirls using a Quickie Glue Pen and some Glamour Dust. The background was embossed using folders from Cuttlebug and Papermania, and I cut and matted the image using nestibilities. I did consider die cutting some snowflakes for embellishment, but decided that the embossing is embellishment enough (and it should let me post the card without having to go for a 'large' stamp which is always a bonus!)

Hope you can join us this week.

Daisy Doodles where the theme is 'outdoors',
Bearly Mine where anything goes,
Die Cutting Divas where anything goes,
Digital Tuesday Challenge where they want monochrome,
Party Time Tuesday where anything goes,
Stamping Boutique where anything goes,
Inky Impressions where they want embossing,
Papercrafting Journey where anything goes.
ATCs and Cards with Attitude where anything goes,
Fat Pages and Cards with Attitude where anything goes.

One Stitch at a Time Challenge 122

This week at One Stitch at a Time, its 'anything goes'! That's right, whatever you want to share!

Our sponsor this week is

 
This week, I worked with an image from Digi Blessings called Snowflake Butterfly.

 I adapted the sentiment before adding it to the image, then printed and cut using one of my nestibilities. I coloured with Promarkers, adding some pale blue sky with Derwent Colorsoft pencils and some glitter to the snowflakes with Sakura Stardust pen. I finished with some glamour dust 'snow' on the ground. Matting uses some holographic card, which was also used to cut some Cuttlebug snowflakes in my Wizard. The paper is from Kars and the ribbon is from my stash.

Hope you can join us this week.

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

The Crazy Challenge where it's Christmas in July,
The Pink Elephant where it's Christmas in July,
Truly Madly Crafty where they want animals,
Crafty Sentiments where it's Christmas in July,
Ladybird Crafts where it's Christmas in July,
Crafty Creations where they're having a 'free for all',
Divas by Design where it's Christmas in July,
Little Red Wagon where it's Christmas in July,
Stampavie and More where it's Christmas in Summer,
Forever Friends where they want Christmas with an animal.

One Stitch at a Time Challenge 101

This week at One Stitch at a Time, our theme is 'Digi or Don't', or, use a digi or don't use an image! We're sponsored this week by Joanna Sheen - she's got so many wonderful things on her site, and she doesn't charge for postage!

And there's also a prize available from Stitchy Bear Digital Stamps

The image I chose this week comes from Digi Blessings from Stitchy Bear Digital Stamps, and it's called Daydream Boy.

I coloured the image with Promarkers, and added some glitter detail on the wording and bee wings with a Sakura Stardust pen. The background paper is from the Papermania Capsule collection and the various embellishments are from my stash, and include a couple of paper flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts.

Hope you can join us this week.

I'd like to enter this card intot he following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp where anything goes,
Penny's Challenges where anything goes,
Shelly's Images where anything goes,
Digi Doodle's Shop where anything goes,
Crafty Purple Frog where the theme is Flower Power

One Stitch at a Time Challenge 91

This week at One Stitch at a Time, we're challenging you to be square! We want to see square cards, gifts, tags ... whatever you want. And don't forget, our lucky winner will get a gift voucher for the Stitchy Bear Digital Stamps!

The image I chose this week is from Floppy Latte Designs and it's called Christmas Lamp. It's available here.

I had so much fun colouring that image! I used Promarkers, of course, although I added some sparkle to the flame with a Sakura Stardust pen. The background card is some gorgeous textured card I've had for ages (but didn't want to use!) I think it came from Payper Box when I was one of the Olympia shows a year or two ago. I've cut some red and green squares using my nesties and added them on top. (Well, the requirment of the challenge is to be square!) I've even made sure I cropped the image to a square too. The final addition is some sticky gems.

Hope you can join us this week.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Creative Craft Challenges where they're having a 'free for all',
AI Factory where they want 'something red',
Fab 'n' Funky where anything goes,
Paper Shelter where anything goes,
Joanna Sheen Challenge where the theme is Christmas Wishes,
Creatalicious whose theme is 'Christmas and make sure it sparkles',
Gingerloft where the theme is Christmas or Winter.

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 57 - Heat Embossing

Well, this time on the Spotlight Challenge, it's my choice of technique, and I chose Heat Embossing. You can do anything you want as long as it includes some heat embossing.

We are kindly sponsored for this challenge by The Stampman (and Lady of course!) who are offering the winner the lovely prize pictured below.

Starburst Stains Brush on The Fun - Holiday Wreath

Deep, rich, vibrant colours with a two-toned shimmer!

These are all dye based products, which give them that vibrancy and can be used on any porous surface, (paper, wood, fabric, balsa, chipboard, etc).

Instructions on how to use: Add hot water, (filtered preferrably, especially with the stains), let sit at least 10 minutes.

Shake or stir before each use.

The only problem is that I'm not eligiblefor a chance to win, but you are, if you enter the challenge! So, show us your heat embossing!

I used this technique for the background on the card below. The butterflies were stamped with Versamark ink onto a shiny shoe catalogue then embossed with gold.

For the centre image, I stamped and heat embossed the image onto white card, then I coloured the image with Sakura Stardust pens which give the end result a 'jewelled' effect that I like.

So, show us your heat-embossing.  I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

I'd like to enter this into the following challenges:
Sassy Cheryl's where anything goes,
Papercrafting Journey where anything goes,

Flutterby Wednesdays where the challenge is open this week,
My Mum's Craft Shop where the theme is 'Things with Wings',
Get Hippity with Ippity where they want embossing,
Stamps R Us where the theme is embossing.

One Stitch at a Time Challenge 90

This week at One Stitch at a Time, we're seeing red! At least, we hope to see lots of red in your creations this week.

This week, I got to work with an image from Lil Diva called Skating Snowman Family and it's available at the Stitchy shop. Ths sponsor this week is Stitchy Bear Digital Stamps.

Isn't that a cute image? I coloured it with Promarkers and added a little sparkle with a Sakura Stardust pen. I framed the image in red card cut with my Fleur de Lis nestibility, and used some paper from my stash. The snowflakes were cut using a Cuttlebug die, and they've also got some Stardust pen added.

Hope you can join us this week.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Daisy Doodles where the theme is Christmas,
Kaboodle Doodles where the theme is 'Baby, it's cold outside,',
Polycraft Monday Challenge where the theme is Christmas Fun,
The House that Stamps Built where the theme is Christmas with snowflakes,
I Love Promarkers where anything goes,
Shelley's Images where they want red and green,
Four Crafty Chicks where they want snowflakes,

Delightful Challenges where they want red and green,
Cardmadfairy where the theme is Winter Wonderland,
Crafty Catz where they want snowmen,
.

21st Birthday Card

I was asked by a colleague to make a 21st birthday card. I showed her a couple of sites that had images I thought might work, and she went for Princess Jennifer Latte from The Stamping Boutique.

I altered the colour of the sentiment on the image from black to a burgundy shade, then coloured the image with Promarkers, and added a little Sakura Stardust pen for added glamour. I cut a mat with the Fleur de Lis nestibility set from Spellbinders in my Wizard.

The paper comes from a CD called Flower Power that I  bought from Crafty Emma a while ago, and it works well with the 'Barbie pink' theme I started. The flower border uses a Martha Stewart punch which I used twice. I didn't measure (or record how wide a strip I started with, unfortunately) but it turned out perfectly! I added some sticky gems and a computer generated sentiment, and a silk flower centred with a jewelled brad.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Dutch Dare where they want  us to use dies and punches,
The Paper Shelter where they want pink,
Truly Scrumptious where they've got a bingo (gems. flowers, punch)
Create Me Pink where they want flowers,
Digital Tuesday where anything (digitial) goes,
Daisy Doodles where anything (digital) goes,
Heart Song Inspirations where anything goes,

One Stitch at a Time Challenge 81

Before I get into this week's challenge, here's some news! A little while ago, the Stitchy Bear store suffered a catastrophic crash. Poof! And it was gone. Now, if you like digis, this seems like bad news, but the good news is that the shop is back and it's better than ever! And, to celebrate the re-launch, Stitchy has a freebie on offer! Just visit the new site here, register for the site, and use this code: a7b8ebc33b. It's only valid until tonight, so you'll have to be quick!

Now, to this week's challenge at One Stitch at a Time/ The theme this week is 'Favourites', and our sponsor  is Digis with Attitude.

This week I got to work with a really cute image from Reece's Scrap Pieces called Bathtime Lucy.

I coloured her with Promarkers and added detail to the bubbles with Sakura Stardust pen - probably my favourite ways of colouring an image. I love how the Sakura pen is so easy and mess-free while giving a gorgeous sparkle. As someone whose craft things are stored in small spaces in three different rooms and who crafts at the same table we eat at every day, I sometimes find the effort of looking out the glitter and clearing up the resulting mess is more than I can cope with when I'm short of time. With the glitter pens, I get the effect without the hassle. (That's not to say I don't use glitter too, but that's a different story.)

The butterflies are die cut from some gorgeous sparkly 'paper' from Craft Creations and finished with beads.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Bows and Berries where the theme is glitter (glitter pen on the bubbles)
Kaboodle Doodles where the theme is 'lots of layers' (I've used six.)
Flutterby Wednesdays where anything goes,
The Paper Shelter where anything goes,
Southern Girls where anything goes
Cardmad Fairy where they want 'lots of layers' (I've used six.)
Our Craft Lounge where they want patterened paper.
Designed 2 Delight where they want die cuts (image, mat and butterflies are all die cut).

One Stitch at a Time Challenge 79

It's been a while since I've done a DT card for OSAAT, but I've decided it's time to get back to normal. So, this is my card for this week's challenge which is that easiest of options - anything goes!

Our sponsors this week are The Stamping Boutique, and there's a fabulous prize to be won, so what're you waiting for?

My image this week is from Stitchy Stamps and it's called Night Angel. I've made a Christmas card, but the image isn't limited to Christmas - I think it could be used for a lot of other reasons.

The image was coloured with Promarkers and Stardust pens for the wings and details, then mounted onto mirricard which I cut with what is probably my favourite nestibility - the Fleur de Lis Rectangle. The paper is from Personal Expressions, and I finished it with some die cut and punched stars.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Flutterby Wednesdays where the theme is 'anything goes with an angel, fairy or butterfly',
Creative Card Crew where anything goes,
Crafty Boots where anything goes,
Di's Digi Design Challenge where anything goes.
Mark's Finest Papers where they want punches (plain stars are punched).

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 51

One of my favourite themes at Crafty Cardmakers this time - Butterflies! I think if I were to sort my craft goodies by theme, butterflies would probably come third to flowers and fairies!

I started with the butterfly - a beautiful digi from Delicious Doodles which I printed and coloured with Sakura Stardust pens in a range of blues, greens and copper. I then made some paper using the same image, coloured digitally, in Photoshop Elements.

The flower is from Prima, and I coloured it using Twinkling H2Os, and finished it with a sticky gem which I coloured to match using a Promarker. I used a Martha Stewart border punch. The 'stem' ribbon was coloured with Promarker, and the card was finished with a bow.

Hope you can join us this time!

One Stitch at a Time Challenge 70

This week at One Stitch at a Time, we're making things even easier for you! Our theme is 'Anything Goes'! So, whatever you make, you can enter. And remember, if you use an image from the Stitchy shop, you are eligible for our top 3.

We're sponsored this week by

My eldest has just finished his Maths degree, and I needed to make him a card. So I was very pleased when I got to choose a lovely graduation image from Stitchy for this week's card!

I went for a simple design - my son really isn't in to fussy things. I printed the silhouette, the coat of arms of his university and a sentiment, adding a 'glow' to the first two images, and cut them out. The background is hand-written. Not university standard Maths as I would've had to have asked him for that - instead I borrowed my daughter's A level text book and added some titles from memory. It's written on black card in a mixture of Sakura silver shadow pens and some rather nice multi-toned pens from Zebra that I've had a while.

To be honest, I've been looking for a good graduation image for a while, and while there are a few around with caps and the likes, this is the first 'person' I've found who looks like an adult.

So, what's happening in your life? A birthday, anniversary, university graduation? Or even if you've started your Christmas cards, we'd love to see what you come up with this week.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Craft Your Passion where anything goes,
KB Cute Monday where anything goes,
Bearly Mine Challenges where anything goes,
Shelly's Images where the theme is 'celebrate',
Stamp Insanity where anything goes,
Papercrafting Journey where they want cards 'for him',
Simply Create where they want silhouettes,
A Gem of a Challenge where they want 'one for the boys',
Ellephantastic where they want 'celebrations',
Paper Creator's challenge where they want 'special occasion',

Crafty Cardmakers Spotlight on ... Plastic!

Whose idea was this? Oh, yes, it was Judie's! This spotlight is about using plastic on your creation. And I had loads of good ideas which promptly fell apart when I tried to put them into practice. Still, I tried some different options, and came up with this.

So, where's the plastic! Well, there are several bits here. First, the silhouette image (a freebie from My Grafico) was printed onto film. Then, it was backed onto some 'Shimmer Paper' from Craft Creations which definitely has a plastic coating on the front to give that gorgeous shimmer. Next, there are the flower shapes. I stamped a background stamp onto shrink plastic, coloured it with Sakura Stardust pens, cut out the flowers using my nesties and trusty wizard, punched a hole in the middle and shrank them. They're finished with some flower brads. The background (which isn't plastic) is some card given the same treatment (except the shrinking, of course) as the plastic. The butterfly is a (plastic) peeloff stuck onto some white gauze which I cut out, and the whole thing is finished with some card (Martha Stewart border punch) and some ribbon which, given I'm sure it's a manmade fibre, I'd be inclined to call plastic too.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Sir Stampalot who want 'All Creatures Great and Small'
Digi Doodles whose theme is 'Nature'
Delightful Sketches whose theme is 'Get Punchy' (border punch and die cut flowers)
My Grafico where 'Anything Goes'
So, what're you waiting for? Get out your shrink plastic, your friendly plastic, your sweetie wrappers or whatever else you can think of.