Chris's Birthday Card

It's my brother's, Chris, birthday in about a week and a bit and so I thought I'd better get on and make him a card. This download from Pollycraft suits him really well since he likes nothing more than to slump in front of the box (TV) at times. Even better though, is that all the money from this download goes to YAA (Yorkshire Air Ambulance). There are more details on this lady's blog, who is trying to raise money for YAA in memory of her father. I think it is such a incredible thing to do and I'm sure her father would be very proud if he knew.I will also enter the card into this weeks I love Promarkers challenge, because I have used their sketch. I have made a swing type card for the first time- I saw the card blanks to buy in a catalogue and had a go at making it myself- not sure I have got the dimensions right, but I will try it agian another time.

Make your own flowers

Both Pollycraft and DCD have the challenge to make a project using flowers you have made yourself this week. There is also an ace tutorial from Karen on DCD. I always admire her flowers and wondered how they were made and now I know! I will have a go in the next few days, but might have to improvise a bit, not having a diecutter or the relavent Sizzix die!

I made my card for the challenge on lgs (craftbubble) too since the theme there is butterflies this week. The flowers are the ones I know how to do best- roses! I haven't made them for a while and am pleased with the result and for once the photo is ok too!

Butterflies and orange

I made this card for this weeks LGS challenge (CB) which is a sketchie set by Katie! The twist was butterflies. Since I have used orange papers I will also enter it into this weeks ECP challenge which is to use orange.

WSC 22nd April

This weeks WSC was set by Rosie and the recipe to follow was one butterfly, something pink and some fairy dust! I have used Missy from Willow Designs and printed her on photo paper and then used Promarkers to colour her in. It made a change, but colouring on photo paper is quite difficult since the ink dries too quick and leaves more noticable brush marks than normal paper. I'm not sure if it visable on the photo but I have put a trail of 'fairy dust' (glitter) from the butterfly.

Candy

Pollycraft has Candy- a surprise digi prize which will be announced in a week. Paula has also designed a great image to raise money for the YAA (Yorkshire Air Ambulance). All proceeds will go to this cause. I think it is such a lovely idea to help a friend raise some money for charity and the image itself is brillant. I intend to make a birthday card for my brother with it. Also if you make a project using the image you can enter it for a challenge on Emma's blog.

I is for Ice

This weeks challenge on ABC Christmas is to make a project with the theme 'I is for ICE' and an optional extra of a snowflake. I have made this card using heat embossing on the chipboard snowflakes and on the central pannel. It's the first time I have embossed an image into the powder rather than stamping an image and then putting the embossing powder on afterwards. I was quite pleased with the result and it makes a change from colouring images with pens.I will also enter this card into this weeks Die Cut dreams challenge which is 'tear it up'. I have torn the edges of the matting card and tried out the faux tearing on the background. I don't have a brayer or the ink for it and so just used an ink pad. There are snow flakes on it too, but they are a bit too light ot come out in the photo. If I did again I would try and make the background balck darker.

Black, white and another colour

This weeks I love Promarkers challenge was to make a card with the black, white and one other colour only. I made this card using black, white and blue. The image is from Pollycraft and it is the first time I have used it. I didn't have any suitable papers and so made these myself using my Promarkers as well! I quite like the result.I have followed the sketch from this weeks Pollycraft Monday challenge and so will enter this card into that as well.

Pollycraft Monday

This weeks Pollycraft Monday challenge was a sketch. I made this card with one of the fab Pollycraft spring downloads and some papers I downloaded for free a while ago. I am quite pleased with the result although I think I needed a bigger gem for the centre of the flower and didn't have one the right size.

Double Trouble

I made this card for this weeks LGS sketchie challenge (Craftbubble). The sketch was set by GDT Clare and the theme was seeing double because it used two images and two embellishments. The images were sent to me in a stamp swap.

Good Luck for the Marathon

I made this card for my friends who are doing the London Marathon next week (really hoping that you don't look at my blog in the next few days Nicola!). I have used the sketchie and recipe (faux stitching, polks dots and 2 buttons) for this weeks WSC and have used one of the new Willow Design downloads too (Alfie Keeping Fit). I printed the pre-coloured picture on to some photo papper for the first time and used my Promarkers on the glittery letters to make them more black than gold (I thought black would go better with the rest of the card but only had gold letters and so made them blacker). I also wrote their names on the buttons in pen.

If you would like to sponser Nicola and her husband Steve, then go here. She is raising money for University Hospital Birmingham Charities and there is more information on the work they do on her sponsorship page.

WSC 15th April

This weeks WSC was to follow the sketch and the recipe (polka dots, faux or really stitching and 2 buttons). I made this card with my new french Lofty stamp. I am quite pleased with the result. I tried the faux stitching after seeing it on Lauren's DT cards on lgs (Craftbubble). Hers was so good that for weeks I thought it was real. Not sure mine is as good, but practice makes better (if not perfect). The photo isn't that great since the flowers look black, but they are in fact dark red to go with the red, white and blue in the rest of the card.

I Love Promarkers

This weeks I love Promarkers challenge is to follow the sketch by Karen. I have made this card using a Pollycraft image, coloured with Promarkers, of course! The papers are downloaded fromt the internet and the embossed card was cut from a pre-scored embossed card blank because I don't have a diecutter to do it myself. The little heart gems I got today.

Pink, Brown and Green

This weeks Pollycraft challenge is to use the colours pink and brown and either green or yellow. I have used green on my card. The image is one from Pollycraft which I got as a freebie. it is the first time I have used it and I really like the detail on the fairy in the ballon basket.

Support Nicola Running the London Marathon!

My friend Nicola is running the London Marathon on the 24th April, after months of training. It is a fantastic achievement (the training alone in my view).
She has decided to raise money for University Hospital Birmingham Charities, which aims to make patient experiences more pleasant and successful by funding training, research and equipment or environmental changes in the hospital. It is Nicola's local hospital, but it is also the place where all wounded soldiers returning from Afghanistan are treated and so UHB Charities has a national influence.
If I even manage to increase her sponsorship by one person, then I am really grateful. If you would like to support Nicola then visit:
http://www.justgiving.com/Nicola-Cumley

ECP Challenge 10

This weeks challenge on ECP is to make a card, scrapbook layout or altered art using the sketch provided. I made this simple card last night using some papers I downloaded for free at the weekend. I am quite pleased with the result, but don't really know anyone who I could send a card like this to. Never mind, I enjoyed making it!

Spring Garden

This weeks challenge on Lets Get Stamping (CraftBubble) was to follow the sketch by Lauren and use the theme 'spring garden'. I made these two cards. They both have the free papers from the inside of the latest issue of Cardmaking and Papercraft as well as some others I downloaded. the pony is a stamp I got from the seconds at the NEC a couple of years ago (Little Claires stamps I think) and the mouse is a freebie from Digistamp boutique (I think it is meant to be a male mouse since he is called Malcolm, but I have made him female here!).

Messy rabbit

I made this Messy Rabbit card last night for this weeks WSC. The challenge was to follow the sketch and the recipe which was- something shiny (shiny paper and glossy accents on the image), somehting punched (punched border along the bottom) and some texture (the glossy accents, handmade folded flower and the purple mesh). I will also enter this card into this weeks I love Promarkers Challenge, which is to make a card with an animal on it. The image is of course coloured with Promarkers!

H is for Holly

This weeks challenge on ABC Christmas is 'H is for Holly' and there is an optional sketch to follow. I like doing sketches and so followed it to make this card, although some of the elements have been moved around slightly. The image is 'keeping warm' from Willow design Stamps and he has bits of holly peeping out of the stocking. I have also added paper holly leaves to the front of the card as embellishments.Since this week the theme for the I love Promarkers challenge is animals (and there is no sketch) I will enter this card into that challenge too. (I think that Walter the Owl is an animal.) If I have time I will try and make a second card for this challenge.

Pink and Green

This weeks challenge on LGS (Craftbubble) was a sketch set by Karen and the twist was to use the colours pink and green. I made this card using an image I received from a image swap on Craftbubble. The flower I made myself by folding up some paper- I have seen them in a magazine to buy and thought I'd have ago at making them instead!I will also enter this into the Pollycraft Monday Challenge which is becoming weekly from now on! The theme this week is 'anything goes'. They have launched some ace new digi stamps and have some fab prizes this week too! I will try and make a card just for this challenge too (feel a bit lazy entering something for two), but I have loads of work to do and so not sure I will have time.

WSC- 1st April

This weeks WSC was to follow the sketch set and to use the recipe- 3 buttons, 2 papers and a ribbon. This is the second recipe card I have made in a week, after never having done one before! I like them- it adds another dimension to the challenge and makes me think a bit more!
I used this Willow designs download and made a Christmas card- silly at this time of year I know. I got a bit carried away and decided to make Walter the Owl look like a robin with a red breast, only to realise afterwards it doesn't really work since the sign he is holding says 'I've been a good owl..'. Never mind- hope the recipient doesn't notice.

Swirls

This weeks I love Promarkers challenge was to folllow the sketch and include swirls and or flourishes on a card or project. I made this card last night with an image I received in an image swap on craftbubble. It is (of course) coloured with PMs and I have added some gold glitterations stickers as flourishes in the corners as well as using backing papers with flourishes on them.