New Challenge at The Squirrel and the Fox - Love

A brand new challenge has just been launched at The Squirrel and the Fox challenge blog and this time our theme is 'love'.  For more details about the challenge and to see the gorgeous cards from my fellow Design Team members, have a look at the challenge blog here. 

Our sponsor for this challenge is:

and they're offering the lucky challenge winner 7 digi images of their choice!

Bugaboo also gave the Design Team a choice of digis to make our challenge cards and I picked the very cute 'Heart Mouse' which you can find here on their website.  The backing paper I've used is from Nitwits and the punch I've used is a Martha Stewart one.  The sentiment stamp is from Elzybells.

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

Crafting When We Can - 'animals'

Papertake Weekly - 'anything goes'

The Paper Shelter - 'anything goes'

Chocolate, Coffee and Cards - 'feathers and fur'

Flossie in Circles

This card was made for a sketch challenge in one of the online groups I belong to - I wasn't sure about the sketch before I started but now I've made the card I quite like the result!

The main image I've used is 'Flossie Daisychain' from Little Claire - I stamped the image and then die cut a circle so that you only see Flossie and her little cat.  The line of 'stitching' across the bottom of the card is stamped with 'Georgina's Buttons and Stitching' set which is also from Little Claire as is the pink button.  This was stamped, coloured and then cut out - far more practical for posting than attaching a real button!  The papers I've used are from Craft Creations and, as always (!), my Card Candi was coloured with one of my Promarkers.

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

One Stop Craft Challenge - 'button it'

Crafty Purple Frog - 'pink and girly'

Moving Along With the Times - 'cute as a button'

A Little Bit of Christmas ....

This card was made for a swap in one of the online craft groups I belong to - we do a Christmas swap every month of the year.  

For my card I've used the very cute 'Christmas is Coming' from Little Claire - one of my favourite Christmas designs and one I've had for a long time.  The paper I've used is from DCWV and I've added some red card, Card Candi coloured with Promarkers and a peel off greeting.

Some challenges for this card:

Sparkles Christmas Forum - 'use a peel off'

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - 'seeing red'

2012 Christmas Challenge - '#week 14'

Crafting When We Can - 'animals'

Flossie and Butterflies

It's a grey and miserable day here today so I thought I'd share a card which hopefully will make everyone think of spring!  The stamp I've used is one of the brand new Flossie range from Little Claire - this one is called 'Flossie and Butterflies' and can be found here on the website.  

 

I made the easel base card using some Go Kreate dies and the paper I've used on the base is from Craft Creations.  The card itself is made from Bazzill and I've added some Card Candi coloured with my Orchid Promarker.  The sentiments are peel offs.

 

A few challenges for my card:

 

DYSU - 'things with wings'

Cute Card Thursday - 'signs of spring'

Allsorts Challenge Blog - 'spread your wings'

Crafts and Me Challenges - 'things with wings'

Chloe in the Garden

I hope everyone is enjoying their week so far - I managed to get lots of crafting done yesterday including this card made with one of the very cute Pink Gem stamps called 'Chloe in the Garden'.  The paper I've used is from the latest issue of Creative Cardmaking magazine - there's a lovely selection of coloured toppers and papers from Pink Gem in the middle of the magazine.  The sentiment stamp is also from Pink Gem and I've layered the card up with some kraft paper and pink card.  I've coloured my Card Candi to match the papers.

Some challenges for my card:

Pink Gem Challenge - 'perfect pastels'

Divas by Design - 'spots or stripes'

Passion for Promarkers - 'for Mum/female relative'

Craft Your Passion - 'anything goes'

 

Afternoon Tea

The current challenge on the Nutcrafters Challenge Blog is 'Just for Mum'.  I've used the very sweet 'Afternoon Tea' stamp layered up with some pink and blue gingham paper and the image panel die cut with a X-Cut die - nice and simple because it's such a lovely stamp!  My finishing touches are some Card Candi and a little peel off greeting.

As well as the Nutcrafters challenge, I'd also like to enter the card in the 'drink up' challenge at Chocolate, Coffee, Cards and 'mother's day (female themed creation)' at Dream Valley.

I'm off for a day of card making - a perfect way to spend my day off!

Less is More - Neutrals

It used to be a standing joke when I first started making cards that everything I made was brown!  That was in the days before Promarkers and I could never use watercolour pencils or any of the markers that were on sale properly so I played it safe and used brown!

This week's challenge over at Less is More is to use neutral colours so I opted for browns.  I used the 'Silhouette Cats' stamp set from Little Claire and stamped my main image in sepia Versafine.  I then placed a circle punched out of a post-it note on top of the street light and then applied Adirondack hazelnut ink with some Cut 'n' Dry foam.  The little sentiment is from an Elzybells set.  This panel was then matted on to a piece of white card which I edged with brown ink and I also edged the card blank to match.

More Class Cards!

As well as the 'Made for Men' class last Saturday, we also had another class running using the very popular 'Butterfly Tree' stamp set from Little Claire.  The cards for this one were a combination of designs from Heidi (one of the other DT members) and myself and here are the three cards I designed:

first of all, a very simple card using the little birdhouse which I decoupaged:

next, a tag card using one of the butterfly images:

and finally an easel card using the main tree image:

Some challenges for my cards:

Ladybug Crafts Ink TLT Challenge - 'pink and girly' (final card)

Passion for Promarkers - 'pastel colours'

DYSU - 'things with wings'

Crafty Catz - 'punches and dies' (dies used on first and second card)

New March Club Stamp from Little Claire Designs

The new March club stamp set from Little Claire has just been launched on the website today and this month it's a great men's set called 'Man Squares'.  You can find the stamp set plus full details of the club here on the Little Claire website.

Here's the first of my cards made with the set - this is the club card for March so anyone who's a member of the Little Claire club will receive instructions and materials to make the card:

I've decoupaged the wine bottle and the tie and finished the card off with some Card Candi coloured with my Sandstone Promarker.

Here's the second card:

I've used some of the new 'Newsprint Card Candi' on this one - I really like these and the white ones can still be coloured with Promarkers!

Some challenges for my cards:

Creative Craft Challenges - 'boys will be boys'

Sweet Stampin' Challenge Blog - 'it's a man thing'

Cupcake Crafts - 'boys and their toys'

Divas by Design - 'spots and/or stripes'