What started as one....

led to 7...cards that is! I bought a 6 x 6" paper pad ( First Edition - Hideaway) in the Range last week and decided yesterday morning that I would use it. It is so unusual for me to do that for two reasons, one is that it's very rare for me to actually buy papers at the mo (I'm still trying to deplete the paper and card mountain) and the other reason is that I have had it for less than a week and have used it already :) Normally I hang onto papers until they are well past their sell by date and I've stroked all the pattern off, and then I use them :)

I decided that I would use my pretty new papers to make a birthday card the new sketch on Kathy's Sketch File (which doesn't go live until next week). I then thought I would use the scaps to make another card and decided on an engagement card as I was down to the last couple on the rack, and this is what I came up with and it fits the new challenge at the Allsorts Challenge Blog, which is Lemon and Lime and the Papertake Weekly challenge which is "Here Comes the Sun - It was here yesterday but now it’s gone again, so for most of the UK girlies we will really have to use our imagination as we don't see the sun that often lol!!

So quite simply you just need to create a card that reminds you of summer or has a sunny summery feel."

The lace is from Creative Treasures, the ribbon, flowers and gems etc are from my craft stock and the butterfly is a MS punch.
Once I had finished this I thought I would use the remaining paper to make another card while it was on my desk but there wasn't enough so I had to cut into another sheet and I made this one which fits this weeks challenge at Passion For Promarkers which is "set by Andie and she has chosen “park life”.  We want you to dig out all your images that show what you can do in the park, such as play on the swings, walk your dog, ride your bike etc." It also fits the challenge for Penny Black at Allsorts and the remit is to use your favourite Penny Black Stamp. I really struggled with my choice of stamp as although I don't have many PB stamps, I do have a few faves :)

 The Penny Black image was coloured with Promarkers. 

The next card was made from the offcuts from the previous one (notice the pattern emerging?) with a strip from 

 another sheet used to cut the flowers and flourishes which are both Sizzlit dies. This card fits the Secret Crafter challenge of embossing as the brad was triple embossed and then dunked into some Glamour Dust.

 The next card was made for the DCM challenge from yesterday. It's Lythan's turn to set the Dare this week and her remit was to make a wedding card but I forgot my something blue, sorry Lythan. My card also fits the challenge at Moving Along With The Times which is "A card with clean lines, minimal elements, areas of white space and few or no embellishments." I haven't seen this challenge before but I love CAS cards.

I couldn't find a 'congrats' rub on so used a tiny peel off *sharp intake of breath* lol and the final card is made up of the tiny pieces left over from all of the above cards (Jules would be so proud of me :))

The image is from Pink Petticoat and the sentiment is a Papermania sticker. The gems are from my stash.


Well that's it from me for now. I am so pleased that I managed to do some challenges at long last and I'm off to bed now.


Night x

Hip hip hooray

Stupid title for a post but what the heck :) I managed to catch up with Kathy's Sketch Files too yesterday so am still please that I've done every single one.....maybe not in the month it was published but I've done them :) So here you go Mrs B, the final one from last year.....

Materials: papers - magazine freebie, image - The Digi Stamp Boutique, coloured with Promarkers, 

assorted punched flowers, sentiment done on the pc and everything else from stash.

I am also entering this card into the DCM challenge for this week (also set by Kathy) as I've used pointy flowers and the challenge this week is What's the Point?

I'd like to see cards featuring points or pointers of some kind - the hands of a clock, arrows, pointing fingers, view-points, pointy stars, pointy ears (hehe), pencil points.... maybe pins and needles could also be incorporated into your

 designs.

 Materials: papers - Be Loved, My Mind's Eye, image - Delicious Doodles coloured with Promarkers, 

velvet ribbon - Ribbon Oasis, MS punch and gems from stash

The winner of my papers (as she was the only entrant all week :)) is TRACIE Could you email me your details please (link is on my side bar) and I can get them in the post tomorrow. 

Thanks

Ready, Steady, Cook

The DCM Dare this week was set by Kathy

So, what's this week's dare all about?Here in the UK there's a TV programme that's been going for years. A couple of viewers are invited to bring a bag of cookery ingredients to the studio and two top chefs have to make a meal using the contents of those bags - they don't know what will be in the bags beforehand.So this dare is my take on that theme - I'll tell you the ingredients you have to use, then all you have to do is make the card.

Here are your ingredients:

3 different papers

At least one piece of chipboard

At least 1 button

At least 1 piece of ribbon

optional: 1 extra item/element of your choice

That's about it, all you need to do now is sort out your bits of stash and make up your card - you're allowed to use whatever paints, pens and inks you like, but otherwise you must stick to the ingredients in the list.

I combined my card with the Stamp Something as the main part of my card - the flower - is green!

This week we are thinking GREEN! Spring is right around the corner as is St. Patty's day, so what better challenge than Green Somethings! All you need to do is use the color green as the main part of your project. So it could be different shades of green papers, ribbons, or flowers. You could use greens to color your image, anything with the color green is good for this challenge.

I also used the sketch from the Inspirational Card Sketches blog (not bad eh?)

Phew..........that took some remembering!

Alphabet soup!

The DCM challenge from last Friday states This week, the title says it all - I want to see lots of circles, you can decide how you use them, whether it be the shape of your card or how you display circular elements within the design and thats it, nice and simple (I hope :-)). and one of the recent challenges set by Angelnorth on CBC is called All In A Row. As the title says, Joanne would like to see rows of something on the projects and by rows, she means more than three.

Papers are from Blonde Moments and the decoupage image is one I've had on my lap top for years so I'm not actually sure where it came from! Not sure where the ribbon came from either (not doing very well here am I LOL My row and circles, for both challenges, are the SA pearls on either side of the flower brad at the bottom of the card.

My next card also fits both challenges :)

Image is Uplifting Occasions by Penny Black coloured with Promarkers, backing paper is from one of the Basic Grey 6 x 6" pads and the sentiment stamp is another one from Kirsty Wiseman's freebie download. My row this time is the Card Candy from Craftwork Cards and the sentiment circle.

My final card fro now doesn't fit with a challenge but I thought I would show it anyway as all three cards were from DD1's birthday on Monday.

That's it for now, I haven't been idle, I've just been making wedding stationery samples which have been ordered. I have a mountain of cards to make today though so should be able to fit in some challenges.

On to the 'to do' list, it's not looking too bad at the moment!

Cards for DD's birthday on Monday done
Nephew's 21st on Tuesday done
A forum birthday on 10th (same day as mine :)) done
DH's BiL birthday
DH's cousin's birthday
DH's brother's birthday
70 Thank you cards
Wedding stationery samples done
Got my new Debbi Moore design kit this morning so need to get them done too in progress
Mother's day cards
Seating plan

Take care and tfl :)

Daring Card Makers.............

Woo hoo, a challenge on the day it was published :)) Keryn set the dare today and and here is her brief My dare for this one is the predictable, someone had to do it, theme of Valentines. Although I don't want you to feel you just have to make Valentines Day cards, feel free to make a card fitting any theme you like as long as it has a heart somewhere on it. Stamped hearts, punched hearts, diecut hearts, heart embellishments, cut from patterned paper, whatever, whenever as long as it has the right shape.

I randomly stamped the hearts straight onto my card blank using red chalk ink. The hearts and sentiment stamps are by MSE and I have to admit that having had them in my box for about 2 years, this is the first time they have seen ink!! The large greeting in the middle of the card is from Pink Petticoat and the gingham ribbon is from my stash.

I've also tidied my craft studio this afternoon as I have a client coming this evening ;)

I'm now going to start putting inserts in the cards I've made so far so that I can get them into the shops.

Back soon, thanks for stopping by xx

Friday again!!

Where on earth is this month going, it's going to be C*******s again before we know and I've got no cards made LOL

So what have I been up to then? Well apart from opening one of the wounds up in my mouth (I caught it with my toothbrush) I've got a fair bit done.

First off was finishing DD1's wedding stationery. She came round and helped me finish the last couple. I wonder if it qualifies for the DCM challenge from last Friday!! This week starts nice and easy...Any card, any theme and any colour scheme of your choosing - but the catch... some one else must actually make and assemble the card for you... (with your supervision)!Friends, relatives, or if there is no one close to hand, why not send instructions via email. I shall try it and see........

and let you know how I get on :))

DCM

My last post this evening/morning is for today's DCM challenge which is another team challenge. This week, we're setting another team dare which is to use traditional silver and gold on your cards. We'll leave it up to you as to whether or not you make a Christmas card.

This is the card I made this afternoon for DD1 and her fiance. She is Tatty Teddy daft and I found this decoupage sheet in the bowels of my My Documents folder. I don't know how long I've had it or where it came from. I used silver highlights on my card, cord, jingle bells, backing card and Stickles glue.

Daring Card Makers.............

It was Sue's turn to set the challenge this week on the DCM blog and here is her brief

Forever Autumn. I decided on this one after hearing the Justin Haywood song of the same name playing on the radio. I couldn’t get it out of my mind and kept singing it as I was working.So now I’m daring you to make a card that depicts Autumn.It can be an Autumn scene or it can be something completely different but using a palette of Autumn colours……the choice is yours!I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if a few of you are singing along by the time you’ve finished either, I know some of the DT were!

It's DS's 20th birthday tomorrow and in true crafter's tradition I made his cards this evening and thought I would tie them in with the DCM dare for this week, wellllllllllllllllllllllllll I got carried away ever so slightly as you will see ;)

Yet again, the papers were all from my scrap box and I've cut the name strip off so apart from the top of the first card which is Crate Paper Avenue (embossed with the Happy Birthday Cuttlebug folder) I don't know what any of them are!! The spotty wording on the first one was cut on the Robo, the rub on is Doodlebug and the happy was highlighted with a copper ink pad. The lettering on the second card was cut by hand (as if you can't really tell! :)) The sentiments are Papermania rub ons and the guitarist was cut on the Robo but I don't know where the file was from. It certainly isn't one that I've done as I'm not that clever LOL If it is your template please let me know then I can thank you properly! I finished the card with a couple of guitar charms. They definitely have an autumn feel to them.

DCM and others!

This dare is Dare 52 of Year 2 for the DCM so we hope you'll help us celebrate our 2nd birthday and join in with our new dare! Team member Rhi has decided to have a little break from cardmaking (we do hope she'll be back soon though!) , but she's come up with the idea for this dare and it's a great one for a Birthday Celebration, She'd like us all to
Paint the Town........ red, green, sky blue pink with yellow dots on, or any colour you fancy, with acrylics, H2Os or watercolours, with brushes, sponges or splatters. We don't mind, as long as you use paint on your cards. So have some fun with the DCM and get Painty this week.
My purple Christmas! The image is from Pink Petticoat and was coloured with Twinkling H2Os, paper is from Debbi Moore and the flowers are Prima.
This card is a using a sketch from Page Plans blog

I bought these gorgeous little Praying and Peeping Angel stamps by Judikins for our personal Christmas cards the first year I was making cards and still love them now. I simply coloured the wings and halos with Sakura glitter pens in gold and mounted them onto burgundy and gold stamps. The paper strip is from last years Christmas papers by Scrapworks and is gorgeous!

This card is the last one I made last night from the bits that were on my desk (well actually I couldn't get all the bits from my desk onto just one card I could fill a wheelbarrow thought LOL)

Paper is again from Scrapworks and the stamp is from Cornish Heritage Farms.

I have already found my quota of challenges for today so I shall be busy yet again......don't you just love it!

BOGOF (buy 1 get 1 free)

I used two challenges for this card yesterday,. the first being the DCM Dare and the second, the lovely sketch from Renee at Page Plans
It's me (Kathy) setting you a little challenge this time. One of the things I love about our dares is that although we all start with the same brief, the cards we produce are all so different.
So for my dare I'd like to see what happens when our starting point is the same quotation:
"Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best". Henry Van Dyke
I'd like you to use this quotation somewhere on your card It doesn't have to be on the front, or even need to be immediately visible. You could perhaps print it on vellum, add it on a tag, put it inside the card, or chop it up and use all the words "ransom note" style. I've chosen this quotation because I think we sometimes need reminding that everyone is special in their own way, and everyone, without exception has a talent to bring to the world - we should all value our own talents and those of other people more than we do.

I really enjoyed this one, so much so that I made two, thanks Kathy. Paper is Sizzix, frills are Doodlebug and the rest is from my stash.

I decided to make this one into a tag card. I added the ribbon and then mounted the tag onto navy sparkly card. I made a vellum pocket and edged it with (the dreaded) peel offs and added the sentiment.

I'm still making cards for the forces! I sent 120 last Monday, some of which were from my stock box and some were made specially. My mum came over on Thursday and she had made another 35, and I have 29 on my dest ready to have inserts in them. I have stamped and coloured some images ready to use as toppers as I want to get to the 200 mark. If you can help at all, there is a link to Emma's blog (Elf Creations) in my sidebar You don't need to make hundreds, just one card will help the appeal :)

I have to make DD's birthday cards today as it's her birthday tomorrow and it's still not done!

I need to do a stock take this week and I am dreading it! I thought that by making all these cards for the SOS Appeal it would make things a little easier as I've used quite a bit of stuff. Not a chance!!! If I'm not around for a few days it's because I am still counting card blanks LOL I must still have hundreds!

I will photograph all my SOS cards later and add them. Don't know how much later though as we are going out for a Chinese for tea for the two birthday babes in our house this week.

TFL X

So here it is...............

...........Merry Christmas ev'ry body's having fun! (I'll spare you all the rest of the song, my singing is dire LOL)

Today's DCM challenge is to make a Christmas card!! Jo here this week with a seasonal dare - just not this season :) I would love this week for you all to make a Christmas card... (yes I know it is only June tee hee) With a nice Christmassy scene just to get us all in the festive spirit and to pave the way for all the cards that we have yet to make....

So here is my very simple Christmas card. It was made by simply embossing a piece of gold card with one of my new Cuttlebug embossing folders, this was then mounted onto dark green card and then onto a cream base card. I punched a hole at either side of the base of the tree and tied it with red organza ribbon.....simple!

Yesterday DH and I were invited to the Christmas party launch at one of the local hotels. We had a beautiful three course meal (which knocked me out for the rest of the day as I don't usually eat lunch) complete with Christmas crackers and silly hats!! Anyway, the Operations Manager asked about the possibility of me making her Christmas cards to send to her clients. I was telling her about this folder and decided to make her a sample. I couldn't believe it when I saw the Dare over at DCM...........thanks Jo!!

The same hotel are holding a masked ball this evening booked by the Chamber of Commerce and have a fab marquee up for the occasion. I was asked if I could make them some signs for the champagne bar, toilets etc incorporating the masks!! I've never done anything like this before so it was a bit of a struggle and I didn't get to bed until 2.45 on Thursday morning but this is what I came up with.

I'm not overly happy with them but they went down well with both the hotel and the Chamber which I suppose is what counts. My Craft Robo certainly came into it's own on Wednesday as I used it to cut all the lettering.

Well folks, that's it for tonight, I'm off for an early night. DH is working and I am shattered. I have plenty more to show but will leave it until tomorrow. I'm not doing any work or h*******k this weekend, I am going to play :)

Take care and tfl.

DCM Friday plus

I can't believe where the last week has gone. I have missed so many challenges but need to make half a dozen cards ordered so should be able to fit some in this week. I have worked 19 hour days for the last two weeks. I just can't believe how much wedding work I've had in this week. It has been great and I've loved every minute of it but boy am I tired!! LOL

I realised at eight o'clock this morning that I hadn't even had a look at the DCM challenge this week (let alone done one :)) so as I had a teacher card to make I whizzed over and had a look. It was Tracie's turn this week and here is her brief "I want you to make a QUICK CARD! a card that takes you no more than hmm say 30 minutes max to do - start to finish. No set ingredients and pick your own theme, but be quick and be crafty! (and dont forget to tell us how long it took too).

I really must try to do 'unwonky' scans!! papers, card and vellum are from my scrap box - K & Co, Pink Petticoat and Papermania and everything else is from my stash and not sure where else. The die cuts are Cuttlebug. The sentiment was done on the pc and the card took me 15 minutes.

I can't believe that I am on week three of my stint as guest designer on Di Hickman's blog Here is Di's templateand this is the card I made

This card was made for DH's uncle for his birthday this week. Papers are K & Co and Under the Boardwalk by Daisy Bucket, stamp is from Clevercut and everything else is from my stash.

So what else have I been up to? Well, here are a couple of things I've done :)

Am off now to check out Sue's blog as I've been tagged :)

Teen spirit!

These two cards have been ordered but I thought that they fitted nicely with Rachel's first dare over at the Daring Cardmaker's blog

Now, this week it's Rachel's first time to set the dare;"Well I thought we have had plenty of flowers and hearts and girly things so I would like some cards with some teen spirit please."Quite a first challenge ! Thanks Rachel !

I just love this paper! It is Zach's Life collection from the Little Yellow Bicycle. It was among my order from Craft Obsessions which arrived this morning. Great timing David, thank you! :) The image is one of the Paper Nation stamps coloured with paints from the Works, the ribbon is from Ribbon Oasis and the brads are from Crafts By Carolyn

The papers this time are by Pink Petticoat and Twirl by Crate Paper. The stamp is City Devine by Penny Black and the greeting is from a kit DH bought me for Christmas the year before last from Craftwork Cards......I lost them and then found them while I was tidying a drawer! Sound familiar? LOL

I'm off to bed now but will be back tomorrow. XX

Daring Card Makers.............

.........Just Bex Forum and Di Hickman I managed three challenges this morning as it is my daughter's birthday tomorrow and I hadn't made her cards. First we have the DCM dare and this week it's Lythan's turn to set the dare.
My theme this week is
I am woman
As its coming up to Mothers day in the UK here’s a chance to make a card that celebrates women and girls . So I’d like to see a card with at least one feminine image on it . And that's it for rules really.Apart from this one. And it is sneaky.
No Tildas, Sugar Nellies or Bellas please. I love them all. But there are loads of great challenges out there using them so for this challenge you can give them a well earned rest.
I didn't find this bit too hard because I don't have any Tildas or Bellas! Anyway, here is my card

Meet Henrietta! I think she is brill, she is one of the new kits from Pink Petticoat. The papers are Pink Petticoat too. Her bum, bow and heart are paper pieced and I painted her first with silver pearlescent paint. Flowers and ribbon are both Prima and she was finished off with a couple of diamantes.
My next card is for the Friday night challenge on the Just Bex Forum posted by Nicky.
Get Girly
This is a weekend for celebrating women, so we're giving you this challenge set by Lisa (Funky Fairy), and we're asking you to.....get girly! Let's see all your 'girly' cards, the girlier the better . and I came up with this one
The image is also a new one from Pink Petticoat Again this was painted with my paints from The Works and I 'coloured' the bubbles with Stickles Stardust glitter glue. I added a couple of diamantes as bubbles.
Finally the card I made from hubby and I. I used Di Hickman's latest template for this card. She loves Forever Friends and this die cut was sent to my by a friend as a RAK. Perfect timing Sheilagh, thank you. He is really cute but I'm not very good with faces :(
Papers are Shabby Chic by Junkitz (I think), ric rac is a page frill by Doodlebug and I think the greeting is by Lettraset.
Well, it's March already which means loads of birthdays in our family, including my eldest daughter and an uncle tomorrow, my nephew's on Monday and mine next week (but I think I will cancel it this year cos I'm too old!!)
We had a weekend away last week and we went to Perth (DH's choice as neither of us had been :0) Not exactly my idea of a romantic weekend away. The service in the hotel was diabolical too so we shan't return ;)
I'm still very busy with work, which is why I haven't got very much to show at the moment. I also finished my first magazine commission this week and sent it off. Fingers crossed now that they find it good enough to publish.
I have been tagged twice in the past couple of weeks so I will now disappear to the blogs and grovel, then come back with the tags. I must also go and get dressed :)
Thanks for looking and again to all the lovely people who leave comments - I'm really missing blog hopping again. Message to self......make half an hour before bed and visit blogging buddies.

Another challenging day!

Why is it when you have something you really must do, it's harder to get your head round? I should be designing some new wedding stationery ready for a wedding fayre in a couple of weeks and what have I been doing?.............Colouring!!! Well I have actually been stamping, colouring, mounting and making cards for challenges! Tomorrow I do wedding stationery. LOL

So firstly we have the DCM challenge

Me and My Shadow

Hiya fellow darers, Jane here ! How are you all ? This weeks dare is a hard one !! Sorry everyone, but it had to be done !! :)
I want you to create not just one but TWO cards ! But wait........there's more ! I want both cards to contain the same embellishments and papers, ribbons etc- but arranged in a different way for a different occasion....the only thing being different is the wording....I'll let you have different wording ! (How nice of me eh?) I'm well aware this is a really hard challenge, and that I have thrown everyone into 2008 off the deep end....but go on- give it a go - I DARE YOU !

The stamp used on both is Hamish in kilt who I think is just adorable! He is coloured again with the shimmer paints from The Works (courtesy of Lisababe) (I know the darker blue is Phoebe by Basic Grey but not sure which one as I'd cut the bottom off :)) The lighter paper and star brads are from my stash and I think the round swirl brads were from one of the kits from Scrummy Stash Cafe Greetings were done on the laptop.

My next card is for another challenge, this time over on the JB forum and this time it's a template.

Again the image was stamped and coloured with the paints. The paper is pink haze and was embossed in the Big Shot with a Cuttlebug embossing folder. Ribbon and ballet shoe button are from stash.

My final challenge was a Di Hickman template and this is it.

Another card for DH to give to a couple for whom he is DJing. I love this lily stamp but only 'rediscovered' it just before Christmas. Charms and paper from stash.

The following cards were made simply because I had the images painted, on my desk! Rubber stamps for both of these cards are from Pixie Dust on ebay, charms and ribbon are from stash and the papers again are from my scrap box.

The final image (as if you didn't know) is City Divine by Penny Black. Flowers are Prima and the brad is Doodlebug.

Today is my stationery day. I am actually waiting to start a wedding order. I ordered all the card last week and it came on Wednesday but part of the order was missing and I can't start it till the pink card gets here, as it's an important element in the design.This is my reason for being up an about so early on a Saturday-to catch the delivery man if he comes, so he doesn't put a card through the door thinking we're out. I did start blogging last night but it was after 11pm and I was tired. I actually sat and watched tv for a change. I still feel lousy after the horrid cold I've had for the last 9 weeks. I went to see the do last Monday only to be told that I have a severe chest infection and my right lung is filling up with fluid. He gave me antibiotics and I have to go back on Monday to see if I need a stronger dose. :(

I am now going to make another cup of coffee, add my cards to the relevant challenge places and blog hop for a while. There are some seriously talented people around out there and the diffent styles etc are so inspirational.

Enjoy your weekend, thanks for looking. X