Sugar Nellies

Here are some cards I have just made using the same Sugar Nellie stamp. I normally stamp onto white paper but wanted to see if it was possible to stamp directly onto different coloured card and then colour in the images with Lyra watercolour crayons and I was surprised at the depth of colour which can be achieved with these crayons, it is possible to get good coverage. I hate stamping directly onto a card blank but have to say it IS easier with Rockablocks instead of my usual acrylic blocks, though I am not sure if it is entirely down to the product or the fact I was less nervous!!!

TILDA & CO TEMPLATE CHALLENGE

I love Tilda but wasn't sure about taking up this template challenge by Tilda & Co as I have never followed a template before but I eventually came up with this card. The white square card has been stamped with Versamark flowers and coloured with pink and green shimmer chalks. Tilda has been coloured with Lyra crayons and mounted onto Cuttlebug circles. The pink & green ribon attached to the acrylic sentiment is Maya Road. Some of the embellishments were a magazine freebie.

ARTY GIRLZ DOODLING CHALLENGE CARD

Today I had time to make two challenge cards. The first is for Arty Girlz Doodling challenge. The bear stamp is Anita's and the sentiment by Stampin Up. I doodled the stitch and hearts border and the dots on the teddy.

Competition Cards

I haven't been in a very creative or cardmaking mood lately and have only made a couple of cards, one of which was for Joanna Sheen's Fashion Boutique competition which I can't post but I found a folder containing photos of cards I made for Cardmaking & Papercraft magazine's Cardmaker of the Year competition. I entered cards into the Cuttlebug, Dovecraft, Joanna Sheen, Paper Cellar and Paper Mania sections (didn't win any prizes) but here are the cards:

WISH UPON A STAR

I have just made this card for the latest Arty Girlz Star Challenge

The stamps are from one of Jayne Nestorenko's beautiful Cute Companions sets (Poppet the mouse, star and wish upon a star sentiment).

Poppet was coloured with Lyra watercolour crayons which I bought from Joanna Sheen along with the pearls on her dress and the pink Sparkle n Sprinkle glitter I used on the star (also the Crafty Secrets paper behind the apertures!).

The little hat is a Syntego embellishment. I finished the card off with some tiny pastel coloured eyelets and an organza bow plus pink pearl flower.

Rainbow Lady's Two Feathers Challenge

I enjoyed making this card for Rainbow Lady's second challenge (http://rainbowladyschallengeblog.blogspot.com/2008/02/challenge-two-feathers.html) ...to make a card etc. using one or more feathers. I used a new bird stamp, watercoloured it with Supapoint pens and then hunted round for co-ordinating card, paper, feather and ribbon, luckily (having far too much craft stash) I managed to find some and here is the result:

I am Woman

I got one of my favourite stamps out for this week's Daring Cardmakers Challenge (http://www.daringcardmakers.blogspot.com/) with the theme 'I am Woman' I don't know what make the glittery antique looking card is as it was a gift from a friend, but the paper inside which is also showing on the right hand side is Artylicious.

I stamped my lady with sepia Versafine onto glossy cardstock brayered with various cats eye chalk inkpads. She is mounted onto gunmetal mirri card and attached to a piece of gold/green paper courtesy of a Corner Adorner punch.

I then tied a bow around made from green silky fibre. I chose the sentiment for no better reason than the colours match the rest of the card, plus I had forgotten all about the Heartwarming Vintage Renaissance booklet it came from....only found it whilst searching for something else! It did make a change from Tilda, Bella & co!

Tilda &Co Challenge - Wishing You Well

Any excuse to make a Tilda card!!! Here is my attempt at the latest Tilda & Co Challenge to make a card to cheer up a sick friend:

(http://magnoliachallengeblog.blogspot.com/2008/02/challenge-8-wishing-you-well.html

I coloured my Tilda with pearly paints and Sakura pens. The lovely papers were a gift from a friend. The mini flower is Prima. The letters were free on a craft mag last year. I finished off my card by threading bright pink yarn through eyelets down the left hand side and added some strips of sticky ribbon in pink and green.

Theme Thursday 'Warm Colours'

Yet another challenge card!!!! This is for Theme Thursday's 'Warm Colours' challenge. (http://themethursday.wordpress.com/)

I have used a Stampingbella stamp coloured with brush marker pens matted and layered onto Artylicious damask paper, red mirri card, pink and orange cardstock. I then wrote on the sentiment and fixed the topper to my card (embossed with Cuttlebug's birds & swirls) with pink and orange eyelets. I finished it all off with pink and organge bows.

Tanda Teaser - Toy Box Treasures

I am trying to take part in more challenges and here is my card for the latest Tanda Teaser Challenge entitled Toy Box Treasures (http://tandastamps.blogspot.com/) The stamp I have used is Joanna Sheen Past Times stamped in Versafine sepia onto linen card. I then did some punching and added a bow and 2 little teddies plus a birthday greeting.

Acetate Card Challenge

Tonight I have made a card for Rainbow Lady's first challenge which was to use acetate somewhere in your creation. I actually started off by stamping a piece of acetate with Versamark using a stamp from Elusive Images Damask Squares set and heat embossing it in purple. The lady with a fan stamp (Artkure) is embossed in gold and watercoloured.

The main card is purple mirror card embossed with the Cuttlebug. Finally I stuck the embossed acetate onto a piece of green mirror card, mounted it along the bottom of the card with foam tape and threaded the pearl rope through the corner of my card punched out with a rose corner punch.

Spring in your step

I'm not convinced spring is around the corner as it's so cold but it's nice to think spring at least! Tonight I made a card for the Papertake Weekly Challenge which was to make a spring themed card and here it is. The frame is by Cuddly Buddly and the hippo is Henrietta by Pink Petticoat coloured with pearly paints. The blue backing paper behind the frame is by Basic Grey. I made the blue flower with sentiment myself and it reads 'spring is nature's way of saying let's party!' which is a quote by the actor Robin Williams.

http://papertakeweekly.blogspot.com/

Theme Thursday 'By The Sea' Challenge

I think I've caught the challenge bug this week! Tonight I have made an ATC for the Theme Thursday challenge 'By The Sea' ......the background is stamped with a ship stamp in Adirondack denim ink on a background created with various shades of blue and sepia inks. The image of Admiral Lord Nelson has been stuck onto navy mountboard and triple embossed.

http://themethursday.wordpress.com/2008/02/13/theme-thursday-by-the-sea/

Friends Forever Card

Here is my card for the latest Daring Cardmakers challgenge which was to make a card with a love/friendship theme. The duck stamp I have used is Duck in Boots by Sugar Nellie, coloured with Sakura/Whispers pens plus Tinkabella inks. I cannot remember the make of the Friends Forever stamp! The paper is Basic Grey's Gypsy.

I had never heard of the 'you make my day' award until today...when I was lucky enough to recieve THREE from the following lovely ladies whose craft blogs I visit on a very regular basis...most days in fact!

I would like to return the honour and say thanks Edna http://ednasplace.blogspot.com/

Wendy http://craftblog.craftybutterfly.co.uk/

and Cynthia http://rainbowladyscraftyblog.blogspot.com/

.....you make my day too!

(I don't think this blog template allows me to use link words of my choice when inserting hyperlinks into posts so apologies for having to link to your blogs this way girls! If it's just me being HTML challenged could someone point me in the right direction please?)

There are some wonderful craft blogs out there. I also enjoy looking at Jane's gorgeous card creations and would like to give this award to her too http://janescraftycreations.blogspot.com/ Jane you have inspired me to actually use my Keepsake boards, thanks :)

Finally, another blog I have to single out is the very talented Glenda Waterworth's Artylicious blog http://artylicious.blogspot.com/ Who could not fail to be inspired by her stunning artwork and encouraged to have a go at different techniques after reading the great tutorials both in her blog and in the monthly Graphicus Guild newsletter. Elusive Images rubber stamps are a joy to use!


I think this award is a wonderful idea and for anyone else this post and would like to make similar awards, here's how to do it:

1) Write a post with links to 5 blogs you find of interest and that inspire you.

2) Acknowledge the post of the award giver.


3) Display the logo 'You make my day'


4) tell the award winners that they have won by commenting on their blogs with the news.

Fashion Boutique Cards

I feel as though I have made lots and lots of cards this month but posted very little! These cards are from Joanna Sheen's latest CD Fashion Boutique. The envelope card is an engagement card and the other 2 are birthday cards.

My latest card is for a friend's 40th birthday and it's the first time I have used a great new envelope template which is being sold to raise funds for The Samaritans on the Costa Blanca.

http://www.freewebs.com/template-envies/

I stamped the oriental lady onto black card then onto white and heat embossed with black magic embossing powder, coloured her with H2O paints, Sakura pens and decoupaged the image which was then mounted onto grey mirror card and pale blue card both embossed with a Cuttlebug swirly folder. It's very difficult to tell due to the scan but the base card is linen printed with a lovely blue silk effect from Joanna Sheen's latest CD set Fashion Boutique.

Red & White Tilda With Buckle

I set out tonight to make ONE card to fit TWO challenges - Daring Cardmakers Red & White only card and Tilda & Co Challenge card with buckle and this is the result:



The floral paper is Pink Petticoat and the red paper used for Tilda's dress is by HOTP. I have used various Sakura pens to colour the stamped images and Irridescent Red Twinking H2O paint on the house windows and Tilda's wings. The flower is a mini Prima. I punched the border of the card with a Fiskars border empuncher which I very rarely use because it's a bit like weight training at the gym (only harder to do) and nearly always results in a sore hand and wrist!

Sugar Nellie 'Maggie' Card

I played with a new stamp tonight.....Dress Up Maggie by Sugar Nellie...saw it and just had to buy it because it's so cute! She is coloured with pearly paints in shades of lilac. Can't wait to try my other new Sugar Nellie now :)

Tilda with Bouquet Card

I went about this card in a strange fashion as I started with a new paper I wanted to use (Basic Grey's Gypsy (the pink and green floral on the left of the card) and matched everything else to that. The basic card is a lilac/pink card blank with the front folded in half.

The pink and green patchwork paper on the inside right of the card is by Crafty Secrets, the flower with gem below that is K & Company, the ribbon and paisley slide are Maya Road Candy/Soho & the pink flower to the side of Tilda is Prima.

Tilda has been coloured with brush markers and Sakura pens and attached to the square with foam pads (unknown pink textured paper and green Crafty Secrets paper which is the reverse side of the patchwork paper).

Glenda's Direct To Paper Challenge

Although I have tried the direct to paper technique a couple of times in the past I had no idea how to build up layers of colour using inkpads and stamps until I read Glenda's brilliant step by step guide to this technique. I was so inspired by the beautiful papers she created I have had a go myself today. They aren't great but for a first attempt I am pleased enough to go back and have another go as I am always nervous of trying new craft techniques and find a lot of guides difficult to follow but Glenda's instructions were cystal clear! http://artylicious.blogspot.com/2008/01/direct-to-paper-technique-plus.html

This was my first attempt (and the one I like best). I started off with a not very nice shade of green cardstock and built up the colours with cats eye chalk inks. The first background stamp was one of the new Elusive Images Damask Squares, followed by a stamp with waves and a turtle in a darker blue Versacolor ink. The ship is stamped in Ranger Adirondack denim blue.

This was my first attempt with the cat stamp but I thought the background stamp was too prominent on this one. I used the largest stamp from the new Elusive Images Damask Squares set for the first background stamp, followed with the butterfly stamped in a slightly darker shade. The cat is stamped with Sepia Versafine ink.

Here is my second attempt at the cat using the same combination of stamps.

This next picture shows paper coloured with various shades of pink and lilac inks...mainly Brilliance and the lady is stamped with Imperial Purple Versafine ink. The background is stamped with a lovely large floral stamp and dragonfly from the Elusive Images Damask Squares set (again)...I love those stamps!

My final attemp at this technique was using a mixture of deep yellow and red chalk and Versacolour inks. The background was stamped with a border stamp and flower from the damask set and the Elusive Images Mackintosh bauble is stamped with Versafine ink.

Hide & Seek

Today I made a card for this week's Daring Cardmakers Challenge which was to make a card with a hidden element of some description. I enjoyed the challenge, it certainly made me think! There is a hidden message inside the flower ("lots of love" sticker). The papers are all Pink Petticoat and the flower is from a template by Cardigami.

Me and My Shadow!!

I haven't had time to take part in the Daring Cardmakers' weekly challenge several for weeks now and decided I would have a look on Friday and take part no matter what the theme was....luckily it was an interesting challenge which I enjoyed very much (to make 2 cards using the same embellishments but with different wording). Here's my attempt...a birthday and a get well card. For the cards I brayered Kaleidoscope inks onto glossy A4, cut and folded the blanks. The images are stamped with my new Tilda onto flesh, pink, blue and yellow paper then cut and pieced. I made 2 tags from cream card added eyelets and threaded multi pastel yarn through, then mounted the stamped images using 3D foam. I wrote the greetings on a couple of blue bubble stickers and finished the cards off with a blue and pink gem. I have had the rainbow inkpad for a while but this is the first time I have used it and was pleasantly surprised by the result.

Birthday Cards

I have just been trawling through lots of scanned images and photos on the computer and forgot all about these birthday cards made over the past month! I have got my picture folders in a bit of a mess....copies of copies etc. etc!

First cards of 2008

My first cards of the new year are all made using images from craft CDs. The good luck card is from Andy Carolan's brilliant Card Toonz Vol 1 which has some very cute and quirky little characters. The lady on the 60th birthday card is from Sharon Duncan's Decoupage Delight's CD Rom (the backing papers are Hot Off The Press) and the embossing is courtesy of the Glitter Girls' Keepsake board. The main image on the birthday wine card is also from Sharon Duncan's great CD. It was wonderful to say goodbye to all those Christmas cards, though I really MUST start making them in the summer this year!