Shop Till You Drop ....

This is a stamp I've had for a while but haven't used lately - it's really cute and very easy to colour in too.  It's from the Tutti Cuti range and is called 'Shop Till You Drop'.  The papers I've used are from a Hot Off the Press pack that was a gift on a magazine and I've layered them with some kraft paper.

For the layout I followed the sketch at Simon Says Stamp and I added some flowers, Card Candi and a sentiment tag from Craftwork Cards.

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp

I Love Promarkers - 'let's go shopping'

Delicious Doodles - 'loads of layers'

The Stamping Boutique - 'anything goes'
Paper Sundaes - 'anything goes'

A Purple Patch ....

Here's a bit of a change to my usual pink colour scheme - I've hit a purple patch!  

I've used a digi stamp from Crafty Sentiments Designs called 'Amy Looking Out' and papers from a Forever Friends paper pack.  The strip across the middle of the card was punched using one of my Martha Stewart punches and then I've put a piece of white sheer ribbon across the top and finished it with two white flowers.  Finally I used some purple nailhead stickers and a tag sentiment from Craftwork cards.

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Sweet Stampin Challenge Blog - 'girly but no pink'

Craft Your Passion - 'die cuts and punches'

Lexi's Creations - 'use your punches and dies'

Crafty Sentiments Designs - 'use a digi' 
DYSU - 'stripes'

On Tiptoe ....

Today I have a Lili of the Valley card to share made using one of my older LOTV stamps called 'On Tiptoe'.  As always the image was stamped and then coloured with Promarkers - I did actually glitter the wings but it doesn't show up on the photo!

The papers I used are from Nitwits - from a magazine free gift - and I followed the sketch at Sketch  Saturday for my layout.  The lace and self adhesive pearls are from my stash and the sentiment from Craftwork Cards.

I'd like to enter the card in the following challenges:

Sketch Saturday 

Paperplay Challenges - 'things with wings'

Lili's Little Fairies Challenge - 'transport' (and yes fairy wings do count!)

Totally Papercrafts - 'things with wings'

Passion for Promarkers - 'pink, pearls and lace' 
Paper Pretties - 'a card for girls' 
My Time to Craft - 'fairy nice'
Oldie But Goodie - 'in the garden' (my stamp is more than 6 months old)

Chloe and Reindeer

 Time for another Christmas card!  This time I've used a super-cute stamp from Pink Gem Designs called 'Chloe and Reindeer'.

For this card I followed the sketch for the current Pink Gem Challenge.  The paper I've used is from Dovecraft 'Princess Fairytale' pack - not a Christmas paper but I thought it worked well with the design and it was perfect for paper piecing Chloe's coat and hat too!  I also paper pieced the reindeer using kraft paper and then added some Promarker accents on top.  The little sentiment is from Craftwork Cards and I finished it off with some pink self adhesive gems.

Some challenges for this card:

Winter Wonderland - 'pretty in pink'

DYSU - 'glitter/bling'

Polka Doodles - 'pretty in pink'

Crafty Catz - 'animals'

Totally Gorjuss - 'bling'

CES Challenges - 'paper piecing'

A Gem of a Challenge
Pollycraft Monday - 'cute critters'  
Crafter's Companion - 'four legged friends'

Seascape

Today I'm sharing a card made using two stamps from the Little Claire 'Seascape' set.  It's a really versatile set and also contains a yacht, life buoy and anchor - ideal for anyone who likes sailing or the sea.

I followed the sketch at Sunday Sketch and Stamp and matched the gingham paper to the colours I used for the lighthouse.  I added some kraft paper around the gingham and also the sentiment and a touch of ink round the oval stamped panel.  The Card Candi were also coloured to match my stamped image.

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Papertake Weekly - 'water, water everywhere'

Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog - 'it's a man thing'

Fashionable Stamping Challenges - 'nautical'

Saturday Challenge - 'a man's card'

Sparkles Forum - 'men only'

Sunday Sketch and Stamp
Shopping Our Stash - 'masculine theme'
Craft Your Passion -'punches or die cuts'

Making Cards Magazine - May 2012

I'm very exited to say that one of my cards is featured on page 90 of the current issue of 'Making Cards' magazine!  The card was made using the very pretty 'Trailing Birdhouse' stamp from Little Claire.  The die I used to cut the image panel is from Go Kreate and I also used some pale pink gems, pink card and paper from Craft Creations.  It's a very simple card but with a beautiful image like this, I don't think you need a lot of extra detail.

Here's the page from the magazine showing my card:

and also the page showing my fellow DT member Gaynor's card using the 'Deckchair' stamp from the same range :

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Totally Papercrafts - 'things with wings'

Cute Card Thursday - 'spring flowers'
Craft Us Crazy - 'flowers'
2 Sisters Blog Challenge - 'flowers'
PaperPlay Challenges - 'things with wings'

New Challenge at Little Claire Designs - Doing the Rounds

Today we've got a brand new monthly challenge on the Little Claire blog and this time our theme is 'Doing the Rounds' - lots of circles, polka dots etc.  For more details and to see the cards from my fellow Design Team members, click here.

For my card I've used the beautiful Swirly Whirly 'Poppies' stamp.  I stamped it once on the die cut circle and then again on scrap card and coloured and cut out the poppy heads, using foam pads to attach them to the base image.  The patterned paper is from Craft Creations.

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Ladybug Crafts Ink Challenge - 'shapes'

Crafty Creations Challenge - 'flower power'

Craft Us Crazy Challenge - 'flowers'

The Poodles Parlour - 'going round in circles'
2 Sisters Challenge Blog - 'flowers'
Sarah Hurley Challenge Blog - 'circles'

Mimic Creations - Create and Craft Pick of the Week!

A brand new Pick of the Week has just been launched on Create and Craft and I was lucky enough to be part of the Design Team making the sample cards for the shows and also getting a sneaky peek at the goodies on offer!

The Pick of the Week is a brand new CD rom featuring Mimic Creations - there's toppers, background papers, decoupage, invertage, envelopes, inserts and lots, lots more on the CD.  All the designs feature a well know character as you'll see from my cards below:

I really enjoyed working with the CD and also making my first attempt at invertage for the last card!  We were also given a variety of card, sparkly things and peel offs to work with and these are all featured on the POW shows.

I'd like to enter my cards for some challenges:

Crafty Ann's Challenge - 'it's a man thing' (first three cards)

DYSU - 'glitter/bling' (sixth and eighth cards)

Shopping Our Stash - 'masculine theme' (first three cards)

Listen to the Birds .....

I've treated myself to another of the D'Arcy's Diaries digi stamps - one of the latest releases called 'Listen to the Birds' - isn't it gorgeous?  I decided to do something a bit more vintage with this card and used one of the new kraft card blanks I bought a few weekends back when I went to the Samuel Taylor shop in Skipton.

The background paper I've used is from Kanban and I've added some lace, four paper flowers and Card Candi.  For the background to the digi stamp I've used Adirondack Hazelnut to add some extra colour.

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

D'Arcy's Diaries Challenge - 'flower power'

Crafty Purple Frog - 'let's get distressed'

The Stamping Boutique - 'distress'

Crafty Creations Challenge - 'flower power' 
Moving Along With the Times - 'shabby chic and/or vintage'

A Big Birthday ....

Yesterday I finally got time to have a play with the Polka Doodles 'Pretty Sweet' CD I bought a while back.  I made this card using one of the digi stamps and also some of the very pretty backing paper that's on the CD.  

I layered the paper with some kraft paper and added some striped ribbon and Card Candi plus a little flower which I coloured with my ink pad.  The '21' numbers were added with the stamps from the Little Claire 'Save the Date' set - they work just as well on their own as with the frames provided in the set.

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Bunny Zoe's Crafts - 'ribbons'

Polka Doodles - 'big birthdays'

Sweet Stampin' Challenge - 'dies and doodles' 
My Mum's Craft Shop Challenges - 'it's a celebration' 

Mimosa Hello and a Blog Award ....

This is one of the two Bildmalarna (I can never spell that!) stamps that I have and it's called 'Mimosa Hello' - I thought it was perfect for making a spring card in the hope that we might actually get some more spring weather here this year!  

The paper I've used is from a Nitwits pack that was a give away with a recent magazine (lots of great patterns in it) and I've layered it with kraft paper.  I've added a bit of ink to the paper flowers to take the whiteness off them and used Adirondack Cool Peri ink round the edge of my die cut shape.

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Paper Pretties Blog Challenge - 'use lots of layers'

I Love Promarkers - 'spring time'

One Stop Craft Challenge - 'pastel and die cuts'

The Crafty Pad - 'just die-licious'

Totally Papercrafts - 'bingo (flowers, lace, pink)'

Paper Sundaes - 'sundae bar - kraft, lace, die cuts'

Cupcake Craft Challenge - 'spring is in the air'

Crafty Sentiments Monthly Challenge - 'spring'

Crafty Sentiments Challenge - 'spring using pastel colours'

I've also received a blog award from the lovely Tracey and also from Crafty Nanny - thank you both!

 

Liebster is German for dearest, beloved or favourite. This award is bestowed on blogs with less than 200 followers who deserve more attention. Here are the rules that come with this award:

1. Link back to the person who gave it to you and thank them for thinking of you.

2. Post the award on your blog.

3. Give the award to 5 bloggers (with less than 200 followers) that you appreciate and value.

4. Leave a comment on the blogs of the give people you have chosen to let them know.

So here goes:

Carol from Carol's Crafty Corner 

Diane from Diane's Rambles 

Sharon aka The Little Stamper 

Gaynor from Gaynor's Cards 

Louise from Home is Where My Craft Room Is 

I could have picked a whole host more as there are so many gorgeous blogs out there.

 

New Challenge at The Squirrel and the Fox - Things With Wings

A brand new challenge has just been launched on The Squirrel and the Fox Challenge Blog and this time our theme is 'Things With Wings'.  For more details about the challenge and to see all the beautiful cards made by my fellow Design Team members, click here to go to the blog.

For this challenge we've been sponsored by Bugaboo Stamps

 

They're offering the lucky winner 7 digi stamps!

They also provided the Design Team with digi stamps for the challenge and I chose the very elegant 'Butterfly Border 6'.  I used some Cool Peri Adirondack Ink to colour the background on my card and then coloured the main image with Promarkers.  The sentiment is a peel off and I finished the card with some black Hobby House pearls.


I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Anything Goes Challenge - 'anything goes'
Papertake Weekly - 'anything goes'
Divas by Design - 'anything goes'
Crazy for Challenges - 'blue, white and brown' 
Catch the Bug Challenge - 'anything goes'