Kathy's Dare!

As you may have gathered from my title it's Kathy's turn to set the dare over on the Daring Cardmakers blog and here is what she is looking for.

Okay, for my dare we're heading to the playground for a game of Hide & Seek. I'd like you to make a card which has a hidden component of some sort.The hidden part could be a tag, a concealed photo, message or something along those lines, maybe a pull-out or pop-up.Anything goes as long as there's something extra for the recipient to find on your card that's not immediately visible when they open the envelope.I knew straight away what I wanted to achieve but didn't know what image to use on the card front! After stamping and embossing quite a few images this is what I came up with, I hope you like it.

I'm not sure what happened with the scan of the first image but the photo anchor is pink! The main stamp on the front of the card is from the Doodlebug Wedding set, the pink brad is also by Doodlebug, white organza ribbon is from Ribbon Oasis, lips stamp is Anita's and the photo anchor is Papermania.

If you stop by and look at my work please let me know. You don't have to comment if you don't want to......just say Hi! I am receiving hits from all over the world now and would really love to 'meet' some of the people who stop by. I will always leave a message by return.

Thanks for dropping by :)

My craft room

I don't think I've actually entered one of these blog candy posts before but I thought I would have a go at this one. I am really proud of my craft room. To some it will always look messy no matter what I do to it and it is definitely shrinking (!) but it is all mine and it cost us (Only Joking ) a lot of money so I could have it..............we had to have a conservatory built as this was the dining room :))

It doesn't actually look too bad to say that I've been working all week. I have to share the room with hubby. He has his desk and pc etc behind where I was stood to take this last photo. I keep trying to move him into the cupboard under the stairs with the coats and tumble drier, but he's not having any!!! LOL

Thank you

I received this beautiful card on Wednesday morning from Jo, a new blogging friend. It really brightened what was otherwise a grim, wet day.
Thanks again Jo, it made my day (and I bought those papers this morning *oops*)

Finally.........

I've got half an hour to update my blog!

First off is the DCM Little Extra - Now, as you are probably aware, both Lynne and Gillian sadly stepped down from the Design team recently, and all though the DCM team's door is always open for them, we thought it would be nice to pay a little tribute to them in appreciation for all their wonderful work during their time on the DCM design team. Lythan came up with an idea that we make a card in the 'style' of either Lynne or Gillian's cards. Or maybe pick your favourite of theirs and use an element from their cards on your own card. Everyone has their own style- we thought it might be a little challenge to try out a different style for a change! I decided to go with Lynne's 'style' albeit loosely! This was ordered by my friend Sue and her brief was just that...........brief!! A 'special' wedding anniversary card for Rob (her husband) and an equally special card for their son's birthday. I decided on the acetate card for Rob and the 'Lynne influence' is in the stitching, embossing and inking on the front (nowhere near Lynne's talent though). I ran some blue card through the Big Shot with a Cuttlebug folder and cut the hearts with one of the large Sizzix heart dies, I think it was #2. One was cut in dark blue and one in light blue and I just layered them one on top of the other and mounted them on the card. The acetate is from Joanna Sheen.

This was a card lift from one, made for a challenge, by the lovely Sue and this is it. Cute eh?

The next order I finished was for an exploding box.
Papers are a mix of Papermania, English Paper Company (who sadly are no more), ribbons are from Ribbon Oasis and the bits and pieces are from my many craft boxes.

I made the following card last night for another very good customer who likes the Sizzix figures. They are going to Barcelona next weekend for a friend's 30th birthday and this was the request....." Its my friends 30th and we are going to barcelona for weekend and thought a card with us 5 girls on the front with Happy 30th Birthday Becky and maybe barcelona here we come on the bottom or something. Our hair colours are me ginger, 2 long brown, 1 blond and 1 becky short brown. Just put us all in the same thing, like pink tshirt or something."

The orange and yellow papers represent the Spanish flag and the rest is self explanatory. The glasses are silver mirri card. Becky's badge is die cut 30 on a small red circle and covered with Glossy Accents.

I have another card to blog but that one deserves a post on it's own so I will do that one next then I shall do this weeks DCM dare as I have another card to make before I carry on with wedding stationery.

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

It's raining, it's pouring

What a grotty day! It is cold and grey and very very wet and my poor little daffodil has finally shown it's pretty little face!It's now got a friend next to it about to open!

Now for a few cards made over the last day or so.

All the images have been stamped using black Versafine ink and coloured with my paints from the Works. Backing papers and card are all from my scrap box (es!)

Thanks for looking.

Papercraft Essentials

DH came home this evening with my copy of Papercraft Essentials and I was thrilled to see my 'runner up' card in it. Up until now I didn't know which of my cards had been chosen and I couldn't remember which ones I'd sent in!! Anyway, it is there (middle right), in print and I can't stop smiling.......it's like winning all over again (or should I say runner upping!!)and this is the card in the flesh

Paper and image are both Pink Petticoat (thanks Liz).

Double dare

This card incorporates the DCM Little Extra which states

We want to see your Crafty Christmas Presents ! Make a card using a new toy you had for Christmas, or in fact any crafty goodies that you received. Its a great chance to try out all your new toys/papers/embellishments! We'd love to see what crafty presents Santa dropped into your stocking....

and the second January challenge at Just Bex which is

Ok so a Card Challenge for you all to play along with. This is a new idea for a challenge so we will see how / if it works! This is all about using the shapes you are given somewhere on your card. They can be any size but you MUST use all the shapes somewhere. You can add additional embellishments etc as much as you like. So the shapes you have to incorporate into your card are

and here is my masterpiece!!

Santa didn't actually drop the stamp into my stocking but he did leave me an envelope with some money in so I could buy something I needed (so I decided that I needed some more of the Sugar Nellie stamps ;) ) This one is Dress up Maggie. She is coloured with the pearly paints from The Works. Backing paper on the corners is K & Co and the brads are Doodlebug. For the challenge on JB the four triangles are at the corners, two circles are the brads, two rectangles are the large image mat and the greeting and finally the three squares are the card, the image and the square image mat!

Scrap attack

Well I finally managed my scrap page for the first challenge of the year on Just Bex set by Sue

So our FIRST challenge for 2008 is a Scrappin' one We would like a LO - at least 8 x 8 - showing your 2007 highs or lows or whatever depicts 2007 for YOU

and here is my page

I'm still not a very confident scrapper but I do enjoy it (and I like buying paper!) but I'm hoping that confidence will come with experience. I've been scrapping properly for about 8 months now and love getting inspiration from all over the internet including page maps. The flowers are a mixture of Papermania and Prima, the 2007 is cut on the Robo and the wording is Wingo Zingo Sizzlit die. Not sure where the spotty paper is from.
I'm now going to try to do the next challenge and have a look at the little extra as I've a couple of cards I need to make.

For Sale

If anyone would like to buy the new Docraft stamp for the Marie Curie cancer appeal then I have one for sale.

I bought the stamp for myself and used it to make this card. I stamped some of the images and sent them to my mum as I knew she would like it, so I got her one too. She rang me this evening to tell me that she has been and bought one after seeing the images I sent her! The stamp cost £4.99 (£2.50 of which has gone to Marie Curie) and postage will be approximately £1.09. I thought I would ask here as I know there are some people who read this who don't have access to a Docrafts stockist. I can be emailed through the link on the right hand side of my blog. I am happy to take Paypal and you don't need an account to use the service.

I hope this might be of use to someone!

Meet Hamish ...........

.........he is just adorable. I bought him and a Maggie stamp before Christmas and fell totally in love so ordered a couple more. They arrived this morning so more excuses to play! I made this card for my dad's birthday on Boxing Day (from one of Di Hickman's sketches)

Paper is K & Co and text rub ons are Doodlebug.

I mentioned the other day how DH messed (!) up my room just to put two small shelves up. Well here is the evidence

I suppose he did me a favour really, because as well as having new shelves to fill, it made me tidy my table, baskets and any other junk which I'd piled over there!

Here are the after pics.....

I still need to do all the drawers but that will come with time :) I can't be bothered today, I'm going to have a go at a scrapbook page instead!

Challenges galore........

.........well three actually!

The first one is the DCM dare for this week.The first dare of 2008 is set by me (Lynne).For this weeks dare, I would like our cards to celebrate'New'So not only New Year, but maybe New Home, New Baby, New Job or maybe a card for someone who is starting a new chapter in their life.

Here is my cardThe paper is Girlie Girl by Fancy Pants, the ribbon is from The Range (I think it might be Dovecraft but not sure-it was a pack of 4 small rolls for 99p), image is a Doodlebug stamp and greeting is a Studio G stamp-bothe are stamped using Pearlescent Orchid by Brilliance, striped paper is Making Memories Kate I think and safety pin and charm were from stash.

My second challenge card is from the latest sketch by Di Hickman

Here's my card

Flowers are all Prima, chipboard 'u' is Scenic Route covered with yellow card, the word 'thank' is cut from the same card using the Sizzlit alphabet Wingo Zingo and mounted onto a nameplate sticker by Doodlebug and finished with yellow brads.

My third card was a challenge to myself-to try to do something with a beautiful flower stamp from CHF I love rubber stamps as I can't draw to save my life! I can't colour properly either and lovely looking at the way other people colour their images.I coloured the image with the cheapo pearly paints from the Works, mounted it on some pieces of paper/card from my bit box and added the diamantes (who doesn't like diamonds on their birthday?) LOL

Well that's it for now. I'm going to start a scrap page as I printed a few photos this morning and they are now dry.

Better pic

I managed to photograph the card just using the normal lighting in my room and it's a lot better than the scan! My son even came down and showed me how to 'watermark' my image. He wrote down the instructions for me but it is all gibberish............I will probably muck up next time I come to do it as I couldn't follow Di's instructions. I've got a new laptop so am using Vista (which I have yet to get used to) so I can't find anything at the mo!

The yellow still looks peach though so I don't know what's wrong with it. The daffodil is painted using cheap pearly paints from the Works and has a real shine to it.

Wednesdays efforts

What a grotty day! It has snowed almost all day but very lightly. We did have a light covering but it has disappeared now, but it has been really grey all day. My poor little daffodil is still standing but it hasn't opened yet (I can't say I blame it!)
I managed a couple of cards yesterday. Hubby is dj'ing at a golden wedding anniversary tonight so this card is for him to give to the couple.

Papers are K & Co, flower is gold mirri card cut with a Cuttlebug die and finished with a diamante. This is the only time I ever use C6 cards as I find them too small and because of the size I find that you can't charge accordingly.

The next card is also for DH as he is doing a wedding on Saturday

This card is actually white but it looks a pale lilac to me. The mat for the images it lilac pearlescent. The images are just stamped on a piece of white card which has been inked with silver ink. I finished it off with a couple of diamante hearts and a piece of white 3mm ribbon from Ribbon Oasis

My third card was the result of playing with the new Marie Curie daffodil stamp from Docrafts.

I don't know what's happened to this one, the colours are awful. I scanned the card as I usually do but this one is horrid!! The stamp has actually been stamped onto a very pale ivory card and mounted onto a very vivid yellow card, the base card is white linen and the Paper Frill from Doodlebug is actually yellow! Strange............ I shall try photographing it in a bit and see if that makes any difference. I'm also going to see if I can follow DI Hickman's tutorial on how to make a copyright brush for your cards etc.

I will be back in while, hopefully with a better picture! Thanks for looking.