Twins and Candles

A few months ago the lovely Vanessa posted a tutorial on how to stamp on candles, at last I have had time to give it a try. I am really pleased with the results, the image has stamped very clearly. I have made these for a little stall I am having at the local nursery school. They are in need of funds and are having a small craft fair.

This card is for one of my friends at work, a friend of hers has just had twin girls and asked if I could make this card after seeing my other "baby in the bath" cards. The image is from squigglefly and when you download it the image is already reversed for you.

I had a great time at the craft fair yesterday and purchased lots of new products so I am of to play with them Enjoy the rest of your weekend and thank you for all the comments you leave, I really appreciate them. I am going to add this to the paper play challenge as I have not used this card for any challenges.

Blue Butterfly

This card fits two challenges really well, the challenge at The Play Date Cafe ( which is always a colour challenge) is to use the colours black, white and either blue or green. I Love this Hero Arts butterfly stamp so much. I have paper pieced it, coated it with glossy accents and then sprinkled on some seed beads.



The card is embossed slightly at the edges.

The other challenge I am going to enter it for is the one on Lucys blog. It is to created a card that has been inspired by someone. Kathy has the most amazing blog and I am constantly inspired by her work and this is my interpretation of this card.

I am of to the Make-It fair in Farnborough tomorrow and I am so excited about it. This fair is held one a year and is the biggest craft fair in this area, I always look forward to going as there are always lots of stalls selling new products and also amazing demonstrations. I am sure to spend lots of money but its only once a year so it has to be done! LOL.

Hope you all have a fun weekend.

Going Digital

I am having a really busy week and so not alot of time for crafting, just a little time to practice my colouring. Digital images are so adaptable, its so easy to produce any size image to fit any card size. These are two small thank you cards (Didn't add the sentiment till after the photo was taken), I always like to keep some on hand. The image is from Bugaboo and really simple to colour. Every Friday they give away a free image, I got this a few weeks ago. (Its now $3) Keep a look out they always have great fun images.

Two cards and two challenges

I love trying different challenges as I feel they really stretch my imagination and make me try new things, perhaps styles and techniques that I wouldn't normally try. After a comment was left on my blog by Julie it led me to "The Play Date Cafe" a site that challenges you with colours. The colours this week are Red, Brown and Linen, so here is my interpretation of those colours. I made another of Dawn McVeys flowers, I love these so easy to make.


The challenge on The Daring Cardmakers blog is for a winter birthday and they suggested snowdrops. As I haven't got a snowdrop stamp I downloaded a line drawn image from google and coloured it. I then cut up a prima flower for the petals. I wanted the card to have a vintage feel to it so added the lace.
I am back to school tomorrow so less time to play. Hope you all have a great week and thanks for all the comments you leave they are really appreciated.

I am addicted to this image!!!

I am addicted to using this fantastic digital image from squigglefly, its such a cute image and so easy to colour. This card is for the sketch challenge over at ETBTKS. I don't usually like sketch challenges but this one wasn't to tricky so decided to have a go.

Made this using the Wheat Grass Stamp from Hero Arts. I have been inspired by all the great cards using this stamp on the flickr group and also it was an excuse to get all inky with my distress inks. They are such fun to use as you never know how things will turn out. Decided to add some glossy accents to the grass for dimension.



Not had much time for crafting over the last two days its my lovely daughters birthday today and we travelled to Bristol yesterday to spend some time with her. Its was so good to get together again, she is in her final year at University and is really busy so visits are few and far between.
Also please check out my side bar the lovely Vanessa has some amazing Blog Candy to give away. She is a very talented crafter and her blog is a constant source of inspiration, take a look I promise you won't be disappointed.

Hope you are all having a fun and crafty weekend.

Creativity Magazine

I was absolutely surprised and thrilled back in December to be contacted by Clare Curd to say that I had been picked for a talent spot in the UK crafts bi-monthly magazine "Creativity". I always buy this magazine as its full of card inspiration , craft projects and tips on photograpy. Docrafts sent me a pack of their products and I had to produce three cards. It was a really quick turn around of five days and it was Christmas week but I found it fun following a set theme, especially after making so many christmas cards.



Here is a close-up of the article on page 60, the magazine goes on sale this week in the UK.
I hope you are all having a great week, the sun is actually shining today but its still very cold.

More colouring

I love being on school holidays as there is a lot more time for crafting. I wanted to play some more with these images of Heather from Pure Innocence. This time I have gone for bright spring colours as I am looking forward to some warmer weather!


Again I have decided to leave the sentiments till later, when I know the occasion for the card. I shall probably make a label and fix it to the side of the card on the ribbon.
The Daring cardmakers blog challenge this week is to have a heart somewhere on your card , hopefully the heart on the watering can and dungarees count!
Hope you are having a great day where you are!

Kissing

Made this card using the kissing technique so wonderfully explained on DottyJos blog. Stamped my flower stamp with pink ink and the Antique Brocade stamp with burgandy ink. Kissed the two together and then stamped onto the white card. It creates this two toned effect. I then stamped Old Letter Writing in the background.


Added the buttons (love these little gingham buttons, I found these when I visited Libertys in London in November) and green pearls.
Hope you are all having a great Valentines Day.

Colouring Fun

I have been watching the blogs of some of my flickr friends DottyJo, Deirdre, Donna, Sanne and Alice lately and they all make amazing cards with digital images and copics. Its taken me a while but I am getting more confident with these pens and have made a few more cards.
This little mouse is currently a freebie at Bugaboo stamps, they have freebies every Friday and its a good way to practice without spending money.


These images of Heather are available from Pure Innocence stamps and are uncomplicated and fairly easy to colour with good results. I am not ready yet for the more tricky images that are available.

This is a close up, I think this would make a great Mothers Day Card.

Hope you all have a great weekend, I am looking forward to a week off work as its half term. Lots of creating I hope!

Wishing for Spring

I have been having fun practicing my colouring again with this free downloadable image from Tales from Pollycraft they have free images every Friday. I love this one it makes me think of spring and the warmer weather.



Check this out, some beautiful blog candy from the lovely and very talented Vanessa she has the most inspirational blog, please take a look I promise you won't be disappointed her cards are always stunning.

Wedding Two

I can't get the Caardvarks challenge out of my mind, I should imagine that anyone who is passionate about card making would love to have their cards featured in a magazine, especially Cards magazine as its so modern and forward thinking. I have been lucky enough to have three cards featured in the readers submissions section of the UK version of Cards but to be in the magazine as a featured artist would be amazing. Anyway thought I would have another try at it, have used papermania and BasicGrey papers. The hearts are stamped with an old Hero Arts stamp and paper pieced.

Here is a close up of the flower and lace, I made the pin by glueing a heart shaped bead on to a long pin. Hope you are all having a good week.

Babies Birthday

Just a quick post today. Love this image from squigglefly and its a great one to practice my colouring on. I added some glossy accents to the puddle and bath water to give it a shine. Hope you are having a good week. Looking forward to half term next week.

Weddings and Babys

I am lucky enough to be going to two weddings this spring which means a new outfit (Woohoo) and two cards to make. I was excited to see that Caardvarks new challenge is for wedding cards and the amazing prize is to be published in Cards Magazine. I think its probably everyones dream to have their card featured in a magazine. I made this yesterday as my first attempt and I will be giving this to my cousins daughter as her wedding colours are pink.

I wanted to have a try at making this card after seeing Mels stunning card here, the image is from "Squigglefly", I think the baby is adorable. Off to do a little gardening now as the sun has come out.

Thanks to everyone for your comments, they are really appreciated.

Boxes

My son bought himself a take-away curry last week and it came in this amazing box, I decided it would make a great gift box for a present and had a try at re modelling it. The challenge on "Everything but the kitchen sink" is to use Box tops so I am not sure if this qualifies but have decided to enter it just incase. I have used a cereal box top for the scroll on the side of the box though.


This is the end result and I am really pleased with the effect.


Here is a close up of the tags, I decided to use one of Janes fabulous buttons. I was lucky enough to win these on her blog a few weeks ago and they are very precious but I felt it was the finishing touch the labels needed.

I was so thrilled yesterday when I found that this card had been picked out by the Cards blog as one of the challenge winners this week along with Agata from the Hero Arts flickr group. Well done to all the challenge winners!

Amethyst

On the Daring Cardmakers blog challenge this week there is a prize of a Martha Stewart butterfly punch donated by Craft Obsessions oh how I would love to win that punch! The challenge is "Amethyst" which is the birth stone for February. As its mothers day soon in the UK I have made this card. The flower is made after watching Dawn McVeys "poofy flowers" tutorial. These flowers are quite addictive.


Here is a close up of the flower. Papers are BasicGrey. I am looking forward to a crafty weekend, the forecast is for rain so I am not venturing far!

Glitter

I love these new images that the talented Jane has designed for Squigglefly they are so versatile and I have been playing with them for the last week. This card qualifies for there latest challenge, which is " White and Sparkly" . As you can see lots of cuttlebug folders used and some lovely extra thick glitter on the cupcake. I also cut the top of the cupcake twice and pop dotted it to make it stand out.

As I have lots of Glitter on this cupcake I am going to enter it into Lucys Challenge as well.

Paper: BasicGrey Image: Squigglefly




Just playing with this one, wanted to use my new oval nesties ( a birthday present from my DH).

Paper: Bo Bunny. Images:Squigglefly

January CCC

Every month the lovely Deborah organises a card chain challenge. This is a fun challenge as, at the end of it everyone receives a handmade card from somewhere in the world. Last month the theme was Valentines or Inspiration. This was the card I received from Lynda in New York, and as you can see it is a beautiful card with two little tags that can be removed to put messages in. Thanks so much Lynda.



This is the card I made to send to Agnieszka. I used my new stamp, row of houses and added the hearts for the Valentine theme.

Stamp: Hero Arts. Papers: Basic Grey