Joy to the World

The second card I have managed to create this afternoon - a nice clean and simple card.

For this card I used the following challenges as inspiration:

• Simon Says ... Anything Goes 

• Less is more Week 196 - Non Traditional Christmas Colours 

•  Sketch Saturday Week 334 sketch below

For this card I used the following from my stash:

• Kraft A5 Card
• Joy to the World Sentiment Stamp (not sure where I got this one from)
• Silver Stamp Ink
• General Buttons
• Starry Night Stickles

I hope you enjoy this CAS card. 

Wet and Windy November Christmas Card

Well as here in Bristol it is a wet and windy day I decided to take the opportunity to make some Christmas cards.  I have already made a good start on my Christmas cards and have made 25 out of 50 but its time to start on the more personalised ones for closer friends and family.

I decided I would also use a couple of challenge blogs for added inspiration. This card used:

• Simon Says ... Anything Goes
• and a sketch from Mojo Monday- sketch 469

For this card I used the following from my stash:

• A5 white card (not quite the dimensions of the sketch but dimensions that worked for my design).
• Pearlescent Purple and Silver Card
• Papermania Kraft Card
• Hobbycraft Penguin Toppers
• Baking Paper from Lili of the Valley Snow Princess 8x8 paper
• Hobby craft Christmas Washi tape 
• Stardust and Twilight Stickles.
• Hunkydory frosted morning sentiments.

Here is my finished design - I hope you enjoy.

Birthday Girl

This weekend sees the Birthday of the hubby's mates wife.  So time to make a card ...

I gained inspiration for this card from the following blogs:

• All Sorts Challenge Week 249 - Purple Passion
• Daring Cardmakers - Light as a Feather
• Crafts 4 Eternity 176 - To Die For
• CAS-ual Fridays 131 - Three Thirds
• Mojo Monday 346 - Sketch as below

Purple is my favourite colour so the Purple Passion challenge was a must for me.  As soon as I saw the sketch and the Light as Feather challenge I knew I had the perfect design.  I used some old paper stock on a purple card to give a nice backing.  I used my die cut to shape to cut my circular design and stuck 3 feathers to it along with the "Happy Birthday" Sentiment onto the die cut.  I then cut the 2 strips to put behind it from some pink pearlescent card stock and attached jewels. I cut a further strip for the border strip on the left hand side and 3 more jewels.

I hope you enjoy the design I certainly enjoyed making it and am very pleased with the results - simple and elegant.

Girls Birthday

Well this weekend we are off to a friend daughters 6th birthday (she was also our flower girl).  So I needed to make a birthday card for her.

 I found a digi-stamp I had for ages but not used and thought it would be perfect.  I coloured it using pro-markers and backed it on some old purple card stock that I have.  I put this together with the card and some forever friends ribbon.  I die-cut a circular shape and made a 6 from jewels.

I used the following challenges as inspiration:

• Simon Says - Anything Goes
• Sketch Saturday - Week 308 - sketch as below

I hope you like my creation below:

21st Birthday Celebration

Tomorrow sees the 21st Birthday of the hubby's cousin, so I have made him a card to help him celebrate. For this card I used a digi stamp which I got free with a magazine and coloured using my pro-markers.  I used some old blue card stock and blue ribbon along with the sentiment.

I used the following challenges for inspiration for this card:

• Simon Says Stamp - Keep it Clean and Simple
• Handmade Harbour - Midweek Papercraft Party (34) - Birthday or Best Wishes

This is the card I created.

Happy Anniversary

Well the 23rd of April saw my mates 3rd Wedding Anniversary.  Her and her husband were busy holidaying in America for their anniversary so that gave me a little extra time to get the card done, but I am planning on sending her card and presents up to her in the next couple of days so thought I had better get it done.

I would like to enter the card in the following challenges:

• Twisted Tuesday Challenge 2TC75 - Black/White and one more
• Simon Says - Keep it clean and simple

I hope you like the card below.  I used some black card blanks I had, some purple card stock I had left over from my wedding invites and some die cuts for the bride and groom image.

Mothering Sunday Card

Well this is the last of the March Card.  Plus I have now received the materials I need to complete my mates wedding reception invites.  April is a quiet month for me on the card front with only 2 cards on the list I need to do.  Hopefully alongside making a good start on the invites and a couple of knitting projects I have lined up (knitting is a new skill that I am learning and I am finding it is a really good chill out to do after work in an evening - especially when I am too tired for card making) I will be able to make a few challenge cards / cards for fun.

Matt's mother used to do quilling herself so I thought it would be fun to make her a quilled card.  Once I had started the quilling I had a sudden brain wave of what I could do with the card.  I quilled the butterfly and dragon flys ad then stuck these to some back foam squares.  I stuck these to an 8x8 card blank and used some ribbon I had down the right side.  I then used a mothers day digi stamp which I printed on lilac card and die-cut using my Grand Calibur. I finished the card using a green and an orange butterfly embellishment that I had as a freebie from a magazine. I hope you like it as much as I enjoyed making it.

There is only one challenge that I wish to enter this card for which is the Crafts 4 Eternity 169  challenge for special mums.

Birthday Card

Another card completed earlier this week as Wednesday was my husbands cousin's birthday.

I haven't entered this card into any challenges this week, and I really just let my inspiration run with me.  I hope you enjoy it.

Mothering Sunday - Card 1

Well this is card no 8/10 for March and is a card for my mother for Mothering Sunday next week.  Leaves me 2 cards to make a birthday card for the hubby's cousin, and another for his mother for Mothering Sunday.

I decided that I would use the quilling technique to make a card for my mother - quilling some flowers.  I used a vase template that I had so that it would look like flowers coming out of a vase.  I used some old paperstock that I had for the vase and a border down the edge.  I then used a free digi-stamp from Nettys Cards to create the Mothers day sentiment and used my grand calibur to cut it out.

 

For this card I used the following Challenges:

• Paper Take Weekly Challenge - For Mum or Girlie
• Hand Made Harbour - Midweek Papercraft Party 29 - Spring - Flowers, Rabbits or birds
• Crafts 4 eternity - Challenge 168 - Anything goes.

Male Birthday Card

Well had a busy weekend last weekend with Matt's birthday but managed to get another 2 cards completed this weekend.  The first of these were for a relation of my husbands whose birthday it is today.  He is one of those men that have everything they want or need so we were struggling on what to get him.  He is however an avid gardener although he does struggle to do as much recently as he would like.  I was scanning through some of the Digi-stamps that I own and I came across a lovely one from Just Inklined which I thought was perfect for this card.

This card was also inspired by the following challenge blogs:

• Crafts 4 eternity Challenge 168  an anything goes challenge
• Tuesday Throwdown - Challenge 187 - a tic tac toe challenge which I used "CAS, Digi-Image, and Die Cuts"
• Monday Mojo-337 - this was the sketch below

I used my Grand Calibur to die-cut out the Digi-Image which I had coloured using my pro-markers.  I then added the sentiment and seed packets.  I used some paper stock I had from PDA card and craft for the rose paper, and some DoCraft Bright Spots and Stripes for the Strip of tan spots.  I hope you enjoy the card.

Challenge Birthday Card

Time for another of my many March cards.... taking my total down to 4 left after this one.

This card is for my Brothers birthday at the end of the month.  He is a keen Cricket fan so I used that to help inspire a cricket themed card.

I also used the following challenges for inspiration on this card.

• Allsorts Challenge - Week 249 - Sport
• Papertake Weekly Challenge - Bingo - I used Die Cuts, free, Glitter
• Mojo Monday 336  - See sketch below

I used my Grand Calibur machine to Die cut the circle and the label.  I then created the topper with some cricket themed glittery embellishments and finished the label off with a sentiment. 

Hopefully my brother likes the card.  I have shared it below with you:

Challenge Birthday Card

Well my second post and second card of today, giving my March total of 5 made out of the 10 needed. This card is for my husbands mates birthday on Saturday (A different friend to the one whose 30th it is - its a very busy time of year).

This card was inspired by the following challenges:

• Papertake Weekly Challenge - Anything Goes
• Crafts 4 Eternity - Challenge 166 - Spots and Stripes
• Twisted Tuesday Challenge - T2C71 - Live a Clean, Green Life
• Sketch Saturday - Week 300 - The sketch is as per the image below

For this card I coloured a monster image that I have had for a while with my pro-markers.  I backed this image on some green card.  I used some Do Crafts Capsule - Spots and Stripes - Brights paperstock which I cut on an angle to give a slant to the stripes.  I created a thick boarder across card using this.  I then attached the monster image with a birthday topper and used a yellow spotty ribbon across the card to finish.  I used a black Card to accentuate the colours in the card.  Here is my finished card - I hope you like the finished project as much as I enjoyed making it:

Challenge Card - 30th Birthday

Well its been a busy weekend...both crafting and non crafting... I spent yesterday at a D of E assessors training which was a great course and very inspiring.  Today other than tidying the house and sorting through things I have had the chance to do some crafting.  One of my projects I have on the go at the moment is a knitted cat - I have made great progress on that this weekend and look forward to sharing it with you when I finish.

This is the first of 2 blogs to talk about 2 cards I have managed to make today.  This one is for My husbands best mate who's 30th birthday is next Sat (the day before my husbands 30th).   I have themed this card to match the present that we have brought him.

I used the following challenges for this card:

• Cute Card Thursday Challenge 311 - What a Gem!
• Simon Says Stamp - Tag it challenge - I used this to inspire the tag with the glasses on as it is a celebration of a 30th birthday.
• Papertake - Anything Goes Challenge
• Mojo Monday 335 Contest - I used this sketch for inspiration.
  

I used some textured paperstock on the card.  I then embossed the tire track with my Grand Calibur on some Brown card stock and then enhanced the track using black ink. I used my pro-markers to colour the Sports Car Alf card from Digi Stamp Boutique.  I punched a black "tag" out and used a stencil to stamp some silver glasses.  I then used a birthday topper with red ribbon and the "3" and "0" gems.  I finished it off with gems in the centre of the wheels and on the tag and ribbons.

I hope you enjoy the finished card I had great fun making it and challenging myself with the various challenges.  Hopefully the birthday boy like it next weekend.

Challenge 30th Card

Well its another month so here comes the first post in March and another card ticked off the list.

This time it is a 30th Birthday card for my husband who is an avid photographer.  This will go alongside the 30 birthday presents that I have brought him :)

I brought a photography Digi-stamp set from Tiffany Doodles.  I coloured the stamp using my trusty Pro-markers.  I backed it with some Blue cards stock that I have also backing the "Click" stamp.

I then used some FilmStrip Washi Tape to edge the card and used a Birthday topper and Do Crafts Art Deco "3" & "0" numbers to finish it off.

Inside I used the Film strip again to do an edge, and by the edge I stuck some photographs on some pearlescent paper to make it look like Polaroid photos.

I took inspiration from the following challenges for this card:

• Papertake Weekly - Anything goes
• Handmade Harbour - Celebrate Card
• CAS-ual Fridays - Challenge 129   There challenge is to use at least 2 shades of grey.

So that is another of my many cards to create this month ticked off the list... 7 more to go.  I have also designed an invite to my mates UK wedding reception in September.  I have now received the go ahead from him ... just waiting on numbers and I can make a start on those.  Hopefully I will be able to share one with you later in the year.

New Technique and 2 March Cards ticked off

Well it has been a very busy few weeks since I posted the Valentines card.

Matt and I had a very nice early valentines break in Cirencester the weekend of 7-9th February.  It was lovely to be away and have some relaxing time together - this is likely to be the last chance we get to go away before our honeymoon in September.

I have also had a busy few weeks creating a blog associated with our honeymoon.  We are going away for the whole of September feel free to take a look here. Please leave us some comments especially if you have any ideas of places we must visit whilst over there - especially as this is an area we are really looking at at the moment.

March is a busy month for me with 8 birthday cards to make and 2 mothering Sunday.  Plus I have been asked if I would make the invites for the British Reception of my mates wedding (we are attending his wedding in the states as part of our honeymoon).  I now have a rough idea for these invites and have ordered some materials for these (he needs all the invites complete by June).  Whilst waiting for the materials to arrive so I can do him a mock up I thought I would make a start on the 10 cards I need to make this month.

I got some Quilling stuff in a magazine and thought I would give it ago (my Mother in Law also used to Quill so she also gave me some stuff).  Therefore the 2 cards that I have to share with you today are demonstrating this new skill rather than linking them to any challenges.

The first of the 2 is for my mates son's birthday on 5th March.  He will be 11 this year and I decided I wanted to do something fun for it.  I started with the Frog and decided a fish would go well.   It did take me some time to work out how to incorporate the sentiment to this design when I suddenly thought of the "air bubble" sentiment idea.   I hope you like the card - I am pretty pleased with it as the first time I have ever Quilled.

The second card that I have created today is for my Sister-in-Laws birthday on 12th March.  She has recently had a baby and is rather "sheep" obsessed at the moment.  Therefore I decided to have a sheep theme to her birthday card this year, and I thought this was again a good way of incorporating Quilling into a card.  I really enjoyed making this card although it was hard work getting the quilled circles to form a nice shape on the sheep's body.  I decided to keep it pretty CAS whilst incorporating the sheep design.  Again I hope you enjoy it.

So now onto the next few.  I have 2 mates of my husbands birthdays on 15th March (one of these is a 30th) and I have my husbands 30th birthday on the 16th March as the next cards I need to create.  I have an idea for my husbands 30th although I am still deciding how to incorporate the number 30 on the card.  I also have an idea for his mates 30th as we have brought him a car themed present therefore I think a car themed card would also be very apt.

Challenge Blog - Valentines Card

Well another week and another challenge blog.  Both the hubby and I are very active Scouters.  As such he is out tonight visiting a group so I thought I would take the opportunity to make a Valentines card for him.

When looking for inspiration for last weeks birthday card I came across a Cuddly-Buddly Digi-Stamp that I haven't had the chance to use yet.   I decided this would be the perfect basis for a valentines card for my hubby! It is the first valentines day since we have been married - we have decided we are not sharing presents this year but instead just sharing a weekend away together and have a nice meal (we are doing it this weekend instead of valentines weekend as have had a good offer).

So I coloured my Cuddly-Buddly Love mouse design using my trusted Pro-Markers.  I used the tan on the mouse, and layered it to accentuate the colour, I also used the cocoa and some rose pink for the nose and tail.  I then used Poppy and Cardinal reds on the lettering which I found gave a lovely rich colour. I used some Red glossy card stock as a Matt to the Digi-stamp. 

I then decide to use some forever friends paper stock as a backing to the card, and also used a forever friends topper to finish the design. 

I used the following challenges as inspiration to create this card:

Totally PaperCrafts Challenge 204 - Clean and Simple (CAS) 

Passion for ProMarkers Week 232 - Anything goes

Allsorts Challenge Blog 244 - Love is in the Air

 I really enjoyed making this card and I hope you guys enjoy the card as much. So here it is - 

So we are away relaxing this weekend but hopefully I will find some time this week / next week to take part in some more challenges.  I also need to create some cards for the Hubbys 30th in March as well as his sisters birthday, my brothers birthday, his best mates 30th and Mothers day! A busy march is on the cards!

Challenge Birthday Card

Well it has been a while since I have had time to blog anything unfortunately.  Mainly due to being so tied up last year with getting married and all the fun organisation around that. 

I am hoping to have a bit more of a peaceful year this year although we are having our honeymoon in America for the whole of September - cant wait! Whilst we are over in the states we are also going to my best mates wedding which will be great! 

Well lets hope with it being a bit more of a relaxed year I will have time to blog a bit more and undertake more challenges than I managed last year.  This isnt the first card I have made this year... I have already had a few birthdays in early Jan but this is the first challenge card I have made this year!  Its a card for my best mates birthday on 2nd Feb... this is the same friend whose wedding we are going to so all very exciting.  I do find that it can be a struggle some times doing masculine cards but I did really enjoy creating this card which was also inspired by one of my favourite films - Monsters Inc.

I used some digi-stamps that I have had for some time back when Pollycraft was closing.  I coloured the stamp using my faithful Pro-Markers. I didn't have quite the right colours I needed for the body but managed to achieve a reasonable colour using the Cool Aqua and Pastel Green colours blended.  I wanted to keep the card quite masculine so used shades of green for the socks.  I used some blues card stock to also give a nice masculine matt to the card.  I used some brown card stock to create a strip across the card and used some Do-Craft birthday 12x12 paperstock to create a bright and fun strip.  I accentuated this strip with 2 lengths of twine crossed over to the right of the strip and finished it with a "Happy Birthday" tag.

For this card I used the following challenges for inspiration:

• Daring Card Makers Earning your Stripes Challenge I did this using the striped birthday papers as a strip across the card.
• Passion for Promarkers Week 232 Challenge - This challenge was an anything goes challenge.  I coloured my Monsters Inc inspired monster using my well used Pro-Markers.
• Simon Says Anything Goes Challenge with Twine or String Challenge 
• Totally Papercrafts - One for the boys challenge 
• Simply Less is More Week 156 challenge using the sketch below:

So after those materials and inspiration here is the finished product I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it:

So the presents are in the post to him, and this card also will be tomorrow! Hopefully he has a great birthday on Sunday.

I look forward to creating many more challenge cards / designs in the up and coming weeks and months.