Blue Tilda

This weeks challenge on DCD is 'Tilda in blue'. I have made this card with a Tilda image I was sent for my birthday (thanks Rosie). Isn't it cute? I can't make up my mind if it is meant to be a huge spoon she is carrying (to make a cake with) or a tennis racket. Anyway, I have gone with the spoon idea here.

I have cut a window apeture by hand and added some lace on the back to look like curtains, and then a piece of blue card covered in glitter glue behind for a contrast.

I will also enter the card into this weeks Pear Tree Designs challenge, which is birthdays.

P is for Presents

This weeks challenge on the ABC Christmas blog is 'P is for Presents' with the optional extra of lace. I have used another of the images I got from Helen in the 'half-way there' blog hop candy to make this card. I'm not sure if the cream ribbon is really lace or not. It does have holes in it. Anyway, I like it and it is a bit lush.I will also enter the card into this weeks I love Promarkers challenge, which is to make a Christmas project. I have coloured the image with PMs, as usual.

Paper Roses Tutorial

This is a tutorial for Craft Mad and Loving It blog on how to make paper roses. There are several different tutorials around on how to make roses, but I haven’t seen anyone else give one on how to make them this way. (It’s not my original idea though- I saw the technique at a demo in a local craft shop this time last year.) The method is very similar to Karen’s rolled flowers but with an extra step.
Equipment:

scissors

pencil

paper- patterned, plain, coloured, white, mulberry... anything really which isn’t too thick.

ink pad in a colour which will complement your paper
gem(s) (one per flower)

some strong glue (UHU or equivalent is good)
a quilling tool (optional, but advised for beginners) 1) Draw a circle on the back of a piece of patterned paper and then a spiral inside the circle. Cut out.

2) Turn paper over to the ‘right’ side. Roughly go around the spiral crimping over the outer edge as shown: 3) Add ink with an ink pad around the edge which you are crimpled to add definition to the folds. 4a) Use a quilling tool (or roll between your fingers) to coil up the spiral starting from the outside. If using patterned paper you want the patterned side to be in the middle of the coil.
4b) As the coil gets bigger, remove from the quilling tool and continue between your fingers. At this point it is better if the turns are not as tight. 5) Add a blob of strong glue to the centre of the spiral and stick the coil to it. Then you have a finished rose! I have added extra definition with a Promarker and then some glitter and finally a gem in the centre.Stick to your card or project and add some foliage.

This is the card I have made. It uses the Cuthbert and Kiki freebie from Pollycraft. I will enter it into this weeks Pollycraft Monday challenge, which is the theme ‘Love and Marriage’. For other examples of the roses, I have made them with mulberry paper here for a delicate effect and patterned paper here. Experiment with different sized spirals to get the required ‘3D-ness’ which you want. Have fun!

Tortoise Hugs

I got this FAB freebie when I enetered Part 1 of 'Flash your Freebies' Pollycraft challenge. Thankyou Paula for being so kind as to offer freebies- they are very much appreciated and your images are great to work with. For Part 2, the challenge is to use your freebie and the theme 'green'. I have created this card.I will also enter it into this weeks Passion for Promarkers challenge, which is to use the colour green. (I have coloured the image with PMs, of course!)

Lace and Pearls

This weeks sketchie for CMLI (CB) was set by Karen and the theme was 'lace and pearls'. At first I thought- oh no not lace again. (I thought I didn't have any, having used up some scraps on another challenge with lace a while ago. However I found some at the bottom of a box- I think it is actually a cut up old lace dollie that I pinched from Mum ages ago.I will also enter this card into this weeks Passion for Promarkers challenge, which was distressing. I used Lauren's tutorial on CMLI for ink distressing. It worked quite well, but perhaps isn't strong enough to show up in the photo.

Distressed Burt with buttons

It has taken me ages to make this card. Not because it is particularly good, but because I have had loads of other things to do and so have been a bit start-stop with the crafting. I have used the fab 'Bert the Owl' from Pollycraft (a freebie a few months ago), coloured with PMs, and some We are Memory Keepers papers which I like. I am not so sure I am happy with the finished product- the ink distressing didn't go as I had planned. I really must get a glass mat and some proper distress inks instead of trying to improvise. I will enter the card into this weeks Passion for Promarkers challenge (distressing) and I love Promarkers challenge (buttons- and yes I have been extravagant and used 5).

Good Luck Elaine

My friend Elaine has a big day coming up and so I have made her a good luck card (I hope she doesn't check my blog!). I have used a Willow Design digi image and the free papers from this months copy of Cardmaking and Papercraft. The image and some of the flowers are mounted on an acetate cover to give a dimensional effect.

I will enter the card into this weeks Pear Tree Design (sketch with the twist of ribbon) and DCD (acetate) challenges.

Happy Birthday Mum!

This is the birthday card I gave Mum (her birthday was a few days ago). She is mad about chickens and so I found her a chicken digi image.I will enter this card into this weeks Pollycraft challenge which is 'happy birthday'. It was Paula's birthday yesterday too, so happy birthday from me.

A Monster Big Thankyou

I wanted to make a special thankyou card for some people I know. I have made the card for the first ever Craft Mad and Loving It challenge (new group on CB). The challenge is a sketch set by Rosie with the twist of 'Ink and Emboss my friend'. I have to admit that I am not too keen on embossing, but I have used some embossed cardstock as one of the layers and have distress inked it and inked around the edges of the other layers. The two big buttons are ones from an old jumper.I will also enter this card into the 'Flash your Freebies' challenge on Tales of Pollycraft since the image is a Pollycraft freebie which was released for Father's Day (I have cut out the jumper and replaced it with patterned paper since I didn't want the sentiment on this card).

Doggy Christmas card

I made this Christmas card last night for a number of challenges this week:

I love Promarkers- sketch and dog theme. (For one of the layers, I have cut an apeture instead, for a change.)

ABC Christmas- 'O is for ornaments' with optional extra of gloss (I have added glossy accents to the eyes, nose and skates in the image)

Passion for Promarkers- animalsThe image and papers I won in Helen's ABC Christmas half-way there blog hop candy. I love both! The ornaments are Anita's dimensions stickers backed with backing papers, cut out and attached to wire with beads. The papers and image are edged with chalk inks.