Out of The Box

I've started on some Valentines cards for the animal sanctuary charity shop. For this one I've used the box from the Stampin Up set Out of the Box. The stamped heart is from another Stampin Up set called I Love Hearts. Both have been stamped with Versamark and embossed with red powder. The heart has the word love on it which you can see in the close up. The other hearts are punched with a Woodware punch from mirror card and the image is layered on mirror card. A couple of heats in the corners and that's it. I'm entering this into this weeks challenge at Little Red Wagon which is boxes for Boxing Day.

Happy New Year

I needed a quick New Year card and I can't think of any suitable stamps I have so I've been searching through my CDs and came up with this. I've made the card in the DoCrafts Digital Designer programme - the first time I've used it. The image is from the Forever Friends Retro Collection Cd and the papers are from a Me To You CD. The greeting is from Hot Diggity Dog so quite a mix here. I think I need to have a bit more practice with the software as I'm sure it can do a lot more than I found with my quick play.

I'm entering this into the Polka Doodles New Year challenge.

Fetch A Sketch 39

This is my card for the Fetch a Sketch challenge this week. I did try a star shaped card but it looked very wrong so I went for the star on a card. The backing papers were freebies from Backing Papers For Free. I have so many backing papers I could open a shop myself but when it comes to using them it's a different matter. Either I don't have quite the right one or if I do it's too yummy to use! Thank goodness for this site.

I've edged both papers with stormy sky distress ink (it was still on my desk from making the tag earlier). The image is from the Big One CD from the Flippin Kids range. The stars just diecut and stamped on. The first ones I did I coloured with stormy sky but they didn't look right so I did them again and left white.A couple of star gems added to the corner and the card is finished.

Prague Tag

Not a crafty tag but a travel tag. I found a packet of self laminating tags that I bought in WH Smith sale quite a few years ago for 50p and have never used. Seemed a good idea at the time sort of thing but put away and forgotten about. So I decide to make a tag for OH as he goes to Prague at least twice a year. I've used Darkroom Door Prague Vol 1 stamped in majestic blue Versafine then I turned the card over and stamped it on the reverse too so that the tag is double sided. I also added some Inkylicious birds as it seemed a little bare. I then cut it to size, edged it with stormy sky distress ink and stuck it inside the tag. Very simple and it's now wrapped up under the tree. Probably the best present he's got - not sure he's going to be very impressed with the sandwich maker and oven gloves though!

Cosy Christmas

I packed up all my Christmas stash at the weekend but hadn't actually put it away. Then I realised that I hadn't made OH's Christmas card but I know he still has the Prague one I made him a couple of years ago  in his study so I thought I'd just pinch that and put it in a new envelope - job done. However, today I went to put the boxes in the spare bedroom cupboard where they live most of the year and found another box full of Christmas stash that I hadn't even opened this year! Of course I had to go through it just to see what I had missed. I can't believe I actually bought more papers this year.

I found a lovely Forever Friends set so I've used a topper from that to make him a card. I'm quite pleased as I haven't had to cut into any new papers as these are just scraps from other projects mounted onto mirror card I've added some Craftwork Cards poinsettia flowers and some heart gems which are always left on the sheet! So this will be us this Christmas, sat in front of a log fire with a glass of wine but I'm sure there will be a ginger and white bundle of fur between us.

I'm entering this into the Anything Goes - Traditional Christmas Colours challenge, Joanna Sheen - With Love at Christmas and the Forever Friends  - Christmas Cards challenge

Polka Doodles Birthday at Christmas

The theme this week at Polka Doodles is Birthday at Christmas/Young Adult. This card is for a friends son who has a Birthday at the end of this week. I've used an image from Polka Doodles Sundae of Seasons which is great for quick cards as there is such a variety of images both coloured and b/w. The backing paper is from my stash and the greeting is computer generated. I wanted to use the Marianne skates die but it was way too big for this 5x5 card so I've cut it from Shrink plastic. I did add a little light grey Promarker but once shrunk, it looked horrible so I've just turned it over to the plain white side. It had to be a quick card as I needed to post it today.

Marianne Die Birthday Card

This is a card for my friend and as she's received it now I can post it. I've used quite a few Marianne dies on it card plus a couple of embossing folder and a Nellie Snellen punch/emboss. The paper is from DCWV Cafe Mediterranean pad and the greeting is printed on the computer. I've lots of other bits cut out so will be making some more of these soon

Last Challenge of the Year at Sunday Sketch & Stamp

The last challenge of the year at Sunday Sketch & Stamp and it's a free choice sketch. I've chosen sketch 113 which was designed by Mandy

The stamp I've used is by Marianne Designs called Don Ice Skating and is free with this months Papercraft Essentials magazine. He's coloured with Promarkers, cut out and stuck onto mirror card. I've no idea what make the papers are as they were oddments in my box. I've cut a large snowflake from clear sticky backed glitter with a Cuttlebug die in the top left corner and added three other snowflakes on top. It was really difficult to get a picture without too much reflection as I kept seeing my hands in the mirror card.

Anything Goes Excluding Christmas

That's the theme for the current Joanna Sheen challenge. For this card I've used an image from the Digi Garden called Emily Paints. I coloured her with Promarkers and used a section from a Wilkinsons paint chart  on the left. The paint pot, brushes and sentiment are from Cathie Shuttleworth set called DIY Bits. I've used the Sunday Sketch and Stamp layout for my card although I've moved the paint pot to the right.

Clearly For Art Modelling Film

I saw a flower made with Clearly for Art Modelling Film and decided I needed some. It comes in a pack of 3 A4 sheets in clear, black or white. I bought a pack of the clear stuff and had a play. The first thing I stamped was a flower from the Chocolate Baroque Tangled Garden set. I must admit I was surprised how big these stamps are but they are gorgeous. Once stamped, I cut the flower out and coloured it with alcohol ink, then heated and shaped it. I then did the same with a couple of butterflies from the set.

 I then cut some flowers using Tim Holtz Tattered Flowers die and again coloured with alcohol inks, heated and shaped. I've seen these layered with paper flowers cut from the same die.

I've also used a Marianne leaf die and a butterfly die. These thinner dies did not cut so well despite as many shims as I could get through the Bug and I ended up cutting them by hand. I also cut some Elegant Florishes from a Bigz die.

I just love these leaves even though I had to cut them myslef

I then tried using the acetate from a Sizzix Bigz die and an embossing folder. These were both thinner than the Modelling Film but still wouldn't cut through unless I used a Bigz die. The results were slightly more fragile than the Modelling Film but perfectly OK. The great thing is that if you don't like the shape of it, you can just reheat it and shape it again. Now I just have to make something to use them all on

Catch A Falling Star

This is such a cute image. It's by Wild Rose Studio and it's one of the Printed Panels pre coloured toppers. These are great if you don't want to buy the stamps as you get 2 coloured and 1 outlined of each of 4 designs per pack so 12 toppers in all. I've layered it onto purple mirri card cut with a nestie die. The backing paper is from an old 12 x 12 Papermania pack. The stars are cut from acetate packaging and coloured with alcohol inks. I've cut them with a Spellbinders Presto Punch set which I got for £1 in a sale. I took a chance that they would work in the Cuttlebug and they do. The greeting is computer generated and layered onto a purple mirri star.

I'm entering this into this weeks challenge at My Mums Craft Shop which is Inspiration from a song and the Daring Cardmakers challenge which is Twinkle Twinkle

Forever Friends Christmas

There's a lovely sketch at Fetch A Sketch this week. I've used  some old papers from a DCWV stack, some mirri card and a Forever Friends image A few gems to finish a very simple card. I'm also entering this into the Forever Friends Monthly challenge which is Anything goes.

Tea light Holders

I saw these little tea light holders at a DoCrafts demo by Kate and had to have a go. They are so easy to make and look very pretty when lit - battery lights of course. It's just a strip of paper with the top edge punched, scored into sections and the apertures cut out and backed with vellum - yes the vellum bought at QVC. The apertures are cut with an X-Cut scalloped bunting die and the top is a Martha Stewart punch. I think we'll be having a few of these around the house this Christmas.

SNOW

This is my second entry into both the My Mum's Craft Shop Winter Wonderland challenge and the Joanna Sheen Cold & Frosty challenge. This is a retired Inkadinkado stamp which I got in Totnes in 2008. Unfortunately the shop called Finishing Touches has since closed down which is a shame as it was a lovely shop. I've stamped the image with majestic blue Versafine and added some glamour dust for sparkle. The snow word is from a very old kit from Lakeland - when they used to sell craft stash. The backing paper is from a DCWV pack

Sunday Sketch & Stamp

When I looked at this weeks Sunday Sketch & Stamp challenge, all the design team had made such cute cards with images from the Digi Garden. I just had to go and have a look and of course a few popped into my basket. This is Marie's sketch for this week

I've used Hannah Snowball Fight and coloured her with Promarkers. All the other elements are from my stash and probably several years old - I desperately need to use some of it before buying anything else. I found a pack of A4 Christmas vellum which I bought in the QVC outlet shop about 5 years ago. I've used quite a bit and there are still 58 sheets left - it only cost £4.23 but I think I'll be using it forever at this rate although I have used some for the flourishes on this card.

Country Landscape

I just love this die - it's so easy to make cards with it. It's called Country Landscape by Memory Box. For this card, I've cut some glitter paper with the die - I had to run it though several times as the paper is quite thick. I've layered it onto blue mirri card. I wasn't sure what to put on the top so I ended up running it through the Cuttlebug with the Swiss Dots folder to add texture. The greeting is by Stampin Up and layered with Stampin Up punches. I'm entering this into the challenge at My Mum's Craft Shop which is Winter Wonderland and also the Joanna Sheen challenge which is Cold and Frosty.

Sentiments

That's the theme for this weeks challenge at My Mum's Craft Shop. I've done a very simple card with one of  my Birthday stamps - it's from a set by Inkylicious called Journey. I've stamped it in Sepia Versafine and cut it with a lables die. I've added some colour to it with Pan Pastels. The backing paper is an old map that I picked up in a charity shop for 10p and the boot stamp is one I've had for ages by Arty Crafty. Card Candy in the corners and that's it.

Chocolate

Who doesn't love it! I do but I don't eat it. I gave it up about 11 years, 1 month, 12 days, 14 hours, 33 minutes and 26 seconds ago but hey, who's counting!

This is a card I've made for a friend's Birthday. The image is another of my Birthday buys from My Mum's Craft Shop. It's called Dip Me In Chocolate by My Favourite Things and comes with 3 sentiments but I've  used a Craftwork Cards sentiment that was in my stash. The papers are from an old pad by Papermania called Scrumptious. I'm entering this into the current Sketch N Stash challenge. It's their 100th challemge so you can choose any of their previous sketches. There's such a lot of choice but I've chosen to use sketch 40

Winter Pup

This is my entry into this weeks Sunday Sketch & Stamp this week. It's a lovely sketch and I think I'll be using it a lot.

The stamp is Winter Pup by Hero Arts. When I got my Christmas stash out I found a little box with this stamp (and the cat one) and various bits of them paper pieced. There were also two ATC's that I made dated 2007 so that is probably when I last used the stamp! The papers are from my stash and the white card is embossed with a Me To You folder. I've added glue and Glamour dust on his hat for a bit of sparkle. The greeting is by Wild Rose Studio and everything is matted onto silver mirri card

Anything Goes

When we cleared out my Dad's house a couple of years ago, I came across a bag of watches. None of them worked and they weren't valuable so I thought I may use some of the pieces on my cards at some point. I found them hiding in the back of a drawer yesterday and decided to make a box to keep them in. This was a Turkish Delight box  from last Christmas which has been sat in my craft room waiting for a makeover.

I've covered the box in backing papers and stamped the top with the Artistic Stamper Cogs background stamp and distressed the edges. I've also use Phineas Pinchbeck as a centrepiece and the letters are cut from Tim Holtz Carnival Sizzlit strip and embossed with clear powder. I've also added a few cog like sequins which came from Poundland.

I'm entering this into the Artistic Stamper November challenge which is Anything Goes and this fortnight's challenge at Anything Goes which is - Anything Goes.

Bold and Bright

I thought these Craftwork Cards papers fitted the Bold and Bright theme for My Mums Craft Shop challenge this week. The image is a sweet little stamp from a Blossom clear set which I got in Netherlands when I was there in March. I've got several of these sets but have never seen them online or in the UK. I've coloured her with Promarkers and the layout of the card is the sketch from Sunday Sketch & Stamp. The flowers are a Marianne die cut from scraps of paper and the leaves are a Joy Crafts die. The sentiment is from a Papermania set.

Pan Pastel Giveaway

I do love my Pan Pastels but only have a few colours and I was really pleased to find the Pan Pastels blog for some great inspiration. Even better they have some candy up for grabs which is the complete set of colours and tools.

Doesn't it look lush? It would look even better on my desk :)

La Pashe Wacky Wheelz

A very quick card as I nearly forgot my cousins birthday. This image is from The Big One CD by La Pashe as is the backing paper and sentiment. I've added a strip of card embossed in the Cuttlebug and highlighted a few bits of it with silver foil. I've used the current sketch at Cards For Men.

So Spooky (but cute too)

I wasn't going to enter the So Spooky challenge at My Mums Craft Shop this week as I don't have much Halloween type stash but low and behold the postman delivered this little cutie this morning - my prize from the wonderful Kitty after the Halloween themed week - thanks so much Kitty. He's called Vampy Hansel by C.C. Designs. Not quite Spooky as I think he's just too cute

So I got my Promarkers out and some backing paper by Polka Doodles and came up with this. I've followed the current Sketch N Stash layout and used the only other appropriate stamp I have in the top corner and added some ribbon and gems from my stash and hey presto. I'm also entering it into the Cutie Pie challenge which is Halloween.

My Mums Craft Shop Sketch

Just in time for this weeks challenge at My Mums Craft Shop which is the following sketch

The image I've used is DIY Legend by Wild Rose Studio. This is great for a quick card as no colouring required. The papers Man About Town again by Wild Rose Studio. I just love these papers and bought another pack when Kitty had a sale on a couple of weeks ago. The tools are Die-namics charms but they work really well with the image. The sentiment is by Craftwork cards and the piece of card across the middle is embossed with a Cuttlebug folder. All in all a very quick card

Autumn Breeze at Joanna Sheen

When I saw the theme on the Joanna Sheen challenge blog, I had just been sorting my Inkylicious stamps into DVD boxes and remembered this sentiment stamp. So I've stamped that with Vintage Sepia Versafine and embossed it then coloured the card with Pan Pastels. The rest of the stamps used come from a set called Autumn Harvest by The Paper Company Studio. I've had this set for years and it always comes out at this time of year. I just wish I knew of a stockist in the UK.. So a very simple card but I do love these colours. I've added some gilding flakes to the leaves at the top and a little at the bottom but it doesn't really show in the picture

Fallin' For You

This is my card for the Little Red Wagon Challenge and hopefully I'll be just in time. I've used  free digital stamp by Sliekje - she has some really cute freebies and this is one from last year. I've coloured it with Promarkers and cut with a Nellie Snellen fancy die but I've used leaves from Tim Holtz Autumn Gatherings die to put in the holes. The paper was randomly coloured with Pan Pastels before putting through the Cuttlebug. Th acorns are from the same die and covered with glossy accents. The papers are from the Woodland Folk pack by DoCrafts. The layout is from the current Sunday Sketch & Stamp challenge although I'm not sure if digi images count. I'm also entering this in Docerela challenge which is an inspiration picture of gorgeous autumnal leaves.

Paris

Darkroom Door is one of my favourite makes of stamps and I was lucky enough to get a couple of sets in the sale at My Mum's Craft Shop in Poundbury. So when the theme of Tickets came up on the My Mum's Craft Shop blog it was the perfect opportunity to get them out. I've used the Tour Eiffel set and stamped the images in Majestic Blue Versafine and edged them with Pan Pastels.The background paper is from the Wellington paper stack by DoCrafts and although I'm not keen on the Wellington image, these papers are fab. The ticket Sentiment is from the Sugarplum Daisy CD by Polka Doodles and I've added a ribbon from my stash.

Christmas Cuddles

I've made this card for the Anything Goes challenge which is animals. The image is Christmas Cuddles by Wild Rose Studio and is coloured with Promarkers with glitter added to their hats. I think this is such a cute image and will be using it a lot again this year. The background has white snowflakes cut with a Cuttlebug die and the blue is embossed with a Cuttlebug folder. I've cut some more snowflakes from a clear glitter sticky sheet and also cut the mat for the sentiment from it and although some of it looks cream, it is actually white.

Sunday Sketch & Stamp

Today is the first time in ages that I've actually wanted to make a card.. I'm not over the moon with the result but at least it's a start. I've followed the sketch at Sunday Sketch & Stamp

The image is one of the Vintage Ladies by Marianne Designs. I'm ashamed to say I got this set when I went to Netherlands in March and this is the first time out of the packet. The papers are by Prima from a pad called Botanicals which was free with a magazine a little while ago. The greetings are from a Personal Impressions set cut with Stampin Up punches and I've added a few gems and flowers to finish

Sketch N Stash 97

I've really not been making many cards for the last month and most of the ones I have made I missed the challenges they were inspired from. The same nearly went for this card but I've just got it on in time. This was made for a friends Birthday and hopefully she has received it by now so I can post it.

The image is a pre-coloured image by Wee Stamps produced by the Hobby House as die cut toppers. You can get them at My Mums Craft Shop in Poundbury which is a great shop to visit and the views from the front of the shop are spectacular. I've used the sketch at Sketch N Stash shown below

The papers are by Dovecraft from their Garden Party range and I used my new Nellie Snellen dies with the diasy shapes cut out of matching paper. The flowers are from Marianne's English Rose die again cut from matching papers. It's finished with a Craftwork Cards greeting and some gems.

I really need to have a clearout in my craft room as I think the mess is not helping my mojo but Buddy has decided to join me and is sleeping on the spare chair so I can't do too much in case I wake him :)