Felt

This weeks Pollycraft challenge is to use felt on your card. At first I thought 'oh no I don't have any felt' (well I do but it at my parents house and despite having taken about 80% of my craft stuff to uni (it started off being less than 50% but things just kept coming back with me and I made quite a few purchases along the way :-) )). I thought I'd have to wait 'til Sat when I go to Coventry to sort out my new house but then I remembered that Wilkos (very close to the uni) might have some felt in the kids section... and they did! It was in the form of a make a puppet kit though and so the colours where only grey, orange and yellow.
So, I have die cut snowflake shapes out of the grey felt which was meant to be the elephants trunk to go on this card. This is a kraft card blank which Clare sent me- thanks I love it! The papers are from CES and the image a Pollycraft one. I have kept the design quite simple- too simple maybe???
I will also enter the card into this weeks Passion for Promarkers (anything goes) and ABC Christmas (Q is fro quote and image) challenges.

Pink, Brown and Aqua

I thought I'd make a Christmas card today to go in my stash but I also wanted to make a card for this weeks CES challenge (pink, brown and aqua). At first these colours looked a bit difficult for Christmas until I remembered my Hugs and Honey papers when are just those colours and Christmas themed. The photo shows that maybe the papers I choose have a bit too much red in them and it clashes a bit, but it is not quite as bad in real life, although perhaps not ideal. I have used my new (well, not brand new, but new to me) Cuttlebug snowflake die to make the snowflakes. I'll be using this again lots since I like it!! The image is one given to me by Clare (thanks) and the sentiment a stamp from Crafters Companion. I will also enter the card into this weeks Cute Card Thursday (sketch) and ABC Christmas (Q is for quote and image) challenges.

Fancy Folds

This weeks Stampfairy challenge is to make a card with fancy folds. I take it this means using a non-standard base card type and so I have made another of these triangle type cards (which I think are really designed for Christmas cards- in the shape of a Christmas tree- but they look good for other cards too). I quite like this base card type (it folds down flat to go in an envelope and stands up with some velcro to hold the flaps together to make the pyramid). I have used a Lenny cupcakes image which I have digitally cut down to make a single Lenny with the balloon.

These cards are really easy to make. You just need three squares of card. Score each diagonally and then stick them together like this: (back)

(front):

Add some velcro dots or tape so that the recipient can stick it together.

Autumn Already

I wasn't best pleased when the theme of this weeks Pollycraft challenge was autumn colours since I'm in denial that the summer is nearly over (Ok, it is over really, especially with all the rain we have had today!). However I do like using autumn colours in card making and I dug out this digi from last year which I don't think I have used before (or maybe I did, but it was only once at most). It is great (I love cats). I have followed this weeks Sweet Sketch Wednesday sketch for the card and made another of those rosette flowers.

Tweet Bird ATC

While I was in the mood I thought I'd make another ATC. I feel in love with this Pink Petticoat image last weekend and so have used it again. I have used masking with stamping to make my own background for this one layer ATC. The birdie and the detail on the writing is coloured with PMs. I have pierced holes with a needle round the edge for extra detail and added 3 gems to the flowers on the bird. I'm not too sure about the result, but it is way out of my comfort zone and so for a first attempt at these things it isn't too bad I guess.

I will enter this into this weeks Passion for Promarkers (no patterned papers), Digidoodle Shop's Best (anything goes) and I love Promarkers (paper piercing) challenges. The ATC is part of Deb's charity ATC swap- check it out here and please donate and join in.

Little Pops

The new releases from Digistamp Boutique are called 'little pops' and there is a fab freebie this month of one of the new images- a little person flying a kite. (I think Sally-Ann must work secretly for Letraset when she designed these images- trying to get us to buy the new fine tips for the PMs (and they would have come in handy colouring this image; it took me two attempts).)

I thought for a little image I would have to try a little card and so have made an ATC for the first time. I have been meaning to make a couple of ATC to support Deb's charity ATC swap and so this was the perfect opportunity. (If you haven't already joined up to the swap then it is worth checking out and the money goes to a good cause.)

I will enter this into this weeks Passion for Promarkers challenge (no patterned papers) and this weeks Digidoodle Shops Best challenge (anything goes).

Pollycraft Blog hop!

Amazing prizes to be won and a chance to see a load of new images which are being released on Monday.

Blog hop starts here.

Inspiration from crafting friends

I wanted to try something different today and I am a huge admirer of the cards which Katie makes on her blog. I recently won a copy of Quick Cards made easy in which she had two articles and so I thought why not try and make a couple of cards of a similar style. I was looking through the Pink Petticoat blog yesterday too and found this fab freebie download which I have used.

The papers are from Papermania and the cardboard is recycled off a box- can't say it is an old box as it was one I was meant to be packing my things into for moving house soon, but a bit missing from the side in the name of crafting can't be too bad can it? The tissue paper really is recycled from a present that came wrapped in it at Christmas (lucky I hoard things isn't it?).

The digis are coloured with Promarkers and there are 3 tiny gems added to the flowers on the bird for sparkle (a bit hard to see in the picture unfortuantly). I have added little bits of detail round the edge of the card with a black fineliner and inked the edges of the papers in black. The concertina flowers I have tried to make before but they didn't turn out that good in the past. I saw an amazing flower on a card which Wynneth made for this weeks CMLI challenge and so had to give them another go. The trick is using a long enough piece of paper (which I probably didn't and certainly didn't do in the past either).

I'm fairly pleased with these cards and had great fun making them. It is a style which I found I thought I could add what I wanted and there was no 'right' or 'wrong' which was lovely and freeing, if you get what I mean. I'll be testing out with cards like this again in the future I think!

Amazing candy!

I saw this on Deb's blog and had to go check it out. Amy is offering candy of 1000 sheets of 6x6 papers and a load of stamps too!

Special Friend

This weeks CMLI sketchie was set my GDT Wynneth and the theme was 'special friends'. I have used this image from the Lucy collection (Digistamp Boutique). I've not used it before but seen some really really amazing DT cards with it on the Digistamp Boutique blog and so thought it was about time I got it out. It is such a fun image- love it!

The papers are Pinkpetticoat ones which came free with the July issue of Quick Cards made Easy which I recieved as a candy prize from Katie's blog- thanks so much and your feature articles are great (well worth buying the mag to see more of Katie's work and hints and tips).

The card also follows the recipe from this weeks Digi Doodle Shops Best challenge (1 ribbon, 2 backing papers and 3 buttons).

3 firsts in one card!

I seem to have managed to try out three things which I hadn't tried before in this card- maybe that is why it took me so long to make this afternoon (or maybe it was just that I was tired and my brain wasn't there for card making). Anyway, the three things are 1) a twisted easel card, 2) this image (which I have't used before) and 3) bunting on a card. I love all three and will be making more twisted easel cards (and probably normal easel cards) for Christmas as well as using bunting on cards much more often- it seems to be very fashionable at the moment. Of course Chester will also get many outings over the next few months :-).

I will enter this card into this weeks I love Promarkers challenge (easel card), ABC Christmas challenge (Q is for Quote plus and image) and CES challenge (bunting, banners and flags).

Mouse Wedding

I thought I'd make a wedding card for a change, having printed out this image a while ago and not used it. I seem to always go for while-on-white (or almost that at any rate) now for my wedding cards- it seems to suit them I think. This time I have used the sketch from this weeks Sweet Sketch Wednesday challenge. I will enter the card into this weeks Cute Card Thursday challenge and this months Digistamp Boutique competition.

Triangular card

I learnt how to make this type of card at a demo last Saturday and wanted to test it out. I think it is meant to be ideal for Christmas cards (in the shape of a Christmas tree kind of), but I felt like getting out my Lofty Party stamp that I haven't used for ages and making this really colourful birthday/celebrations card. I will enter the card into this weeks Digi Doodle Shops Best challenge (shaped card).

First Birthday

I made this card for my flatmate who's nephew will be 1 soon. She really loves her nephew and shows me all the pictures of him on her phone- so cute! I decided to use one of my Stampfairy Lenny Cupcakes images along with some papers I have had for years and years. I will enter the card into this weeks I love Promarkers challenge (sketch) and CES challenge (mix and match papers from different designers- I actually have no idea who designed these two backing papers because they were 12x12 pieces and I have used the bit which said on the back and so don't really know if they are from the same designer or not. However, I don't think they are, and they are certainly not from the same range. If I'm wrong then I'm really sorry and remove my entry from the challenge.)

Recycling

This weeks Pollycraft challenge was the theme recycling. I have rather gone to town with the recycling on this card- got a little carried away! The grey card I have used for matting is from an envelope (one of those card backed ones to stop the contents from getting creased- thanks so much to Clare for the contents of the envelope- a lovely surprise this week). The leave 'paper' is actually a paper bag I was given when I bought some things in a market the other week. The button is off an old item of clothing (not sure what now) and the string is from the inside of a metallic cord (I always pull the inside out so it is easier to tie the cord).

I have followed the sketch from this weeks CMLI challenge, which has the theme 'hello'.

This little piggy...

I got this image a few weeks ago and this is it's first outing. My hard drive with all my digis crashed last Sunday but luckily I had all my Stampfairy digis in my email account still and so all was not lost. As for everything else on the hard drive, it has been recovered but I had to send it away to be fixed (get the data on Monday or Tuesday next week) but it has cost me a fortune :(. It has taught me a lesson in backing up that's for sure.

Anyway, I have made this card following the sketch for this weeks Stampfairy challenge.

Hugs and Kisses

This weeks Passion for Promarkers challenge is the theme 'Hugs and Kisses', but also the CMLI sketchie challenge set by Rosie yesterday had the theme 'cuddles'. I decided to try out this pop up message card which I learnt how to make at a demo yesterday. I chose this ultra sweet image- a bit too sugary sweet for what I usually make, but I do like these digis.

Having a bit of panic at current due to my external hard drive with all my digis, photos and papers for work has stopped working and is making a funny noise- ahhhh!!! Now I realise that I don't have a back up either- why ok why am I so silly not to have a back up??? Praying it will recover or else will have to pay a very expensive trip to somewhere to try and get them to recover everything, just can't think of the worst case that it can't be recovered. Might not be making many cards in the near future if I can't get my digis back!

Lenny Cupcakes

I was really lucky and won this image from Gerda's birthday blog hop last week from Chrissy's birthday card for Gerda (well this is part of the image since I have cut it down on this card). I have made this card for this weeks Stampfairy challenge (better late than never!) (pink, turquoise and purple) and followed the sketch from this weeks Sweet Sketch Wednesday challenge.

Christmas tags

This weeks ABC Christmas challenge is 'P is for presents'. You have to either make a Christmas present or present gift wrap using the photo inspiration (I have taken inspiration from the colours- white, red and green). I don't normally make gift tags for Christmas presents or gift wrap/bags since my family tend to just throw it away straight away and are only interested in what is inside! However, I decided to have a go at making some fairly simple gift tags and I am quite pleased with the results. I might use them on presents to friends rather than family, but they didn't take so long to make and so I won't be devastated if they hit the bin!

I have used my Willow Designs digi images, coloured with PMs and mounted onto red embossed card. I will also enter theses into this weeks Cute Card Thursday challenge (no designer papers) and Do it with Digis (Christmas in August). Might make some more of these at some point ...

This Old House

I have used another of my Digi Doodle Shop images this week to make this card for their sketch challenge. It has been a few weeks now since I have used one of their images. I wish I had my water colour pencils with me to colour this one because Promarkers are just a bit too vivid I think- lucky the colours in the photo are a bit muted compared to the real thing- not often you can say that!

Gorgeous

This week Pollycraft have a a sketch as their challenge. I have used July's freebie image from Pollycraft, this super critter called 'Gorgeous' to make the card along with some fab papers which I was given for my birthday by Clare (thanks!). I really enjoyed using this image. I coloured it with PMs and added a little GA to the frame of the glasses.

Mum's birthday card

I made a star card for Mum's 60th birthday recently and haven't yet posted it on my blog. This weeks I love Promarkers challenge is the theme 'things with wings' and I used two LOTV fairy images given to me in an image swap to make these two pages of the card.

This is the first:

(I can say now that I nearly got killed with that senitment!! I think it was only that she liked the whole card that I got away with it!)

And this is the second: