Friday Sketchers #74 Challenge

I've gone very plain and simple for the Friday Sketchers #74 Challenge This will be running until 23 October 2009.

All I've used on my card blank, is an embossed piece of mirrorboard, 4 squares of deckle edged cream paper, and a peel off of a butterfly and a dragonfly.

I've topped it up with a tag which is embellished with a butterfly image.

Here is the image to follow and a picture of my card. Thank you for looking!

Stampin' for the Weekend Challenge # 20

Stampin' For the Weekend have set a challenge this week for their Challenge No 20. They have done a sketch for us to follow.

I fancied making a plain card that could be for any occasion.

All I used on this card was my cardstock which I got from The Paper Mill, my silk flower embellishment, attached to the card via a brad.

Here's the sketch and  my card. Thank you for looking!

ABC Challenge and Carol's Sketch Fun Challenge #16

I have managed to combine 2 challenges with this next card I have made.

The first of the  2 challenges I have entered is the ABC Challenge, where the theme is "F for Flying",  (this has been sponsored by Wendy of  Secret Crafter who is offering 1 lucky person a £20 voucher to spend instore) now I wasn't too sure about what I could put on this card, as I originally thought about planes or helicopters and I don't have any stamps or images of them, but then my daughter said "what about birds, butterflies, bees and dragonflies" and then my friend suggested fairy's.

I wasn't sure what design to use on the card, so I have combined it with Carol's Sketch Fun Challenge #16 where she has given us a sketch to follow. The prize for the winner of her challenge is a Crescent Stamping Gift Voucher worth £10.

Here is my card!

Passion for Promarkers "Any Colours & Sketch" Challenge - Week 21

There are multiple posts for today with various challenges entered, please scroll down to see the others too. Thank you!


I entered the Passion for Promarkers  Challenge this week, the sketch  was really fun to follow and as we could use any colour Promarker pens this was handy as I have only recently started collecting them and so I only have 30 of them right now.

The colours I used were "pastel yellow", "magenta", "dusky pink" and "cinnamon"

The backing papers I used on my card are new today. They have a wonderful flock velvety feel about them I couldn't resist using them as they feel so lovely and soft!

The card was from cardstock and the sentiment was from my local craft store.

I embellished them by punching out some flowers and adding gem embellishments.

The sketch is below, with the card I made below that. The stamped image I used was one of those I received today which I won a few days ago! 

Christmas & Birthday Cards #47

The people over at Christmas & Birthday Cards have  drawn a sketch for us to follow, which I must admit I did find difficult but I'm quite pleased with the result. The prize winner will get a Whiff of Joy - Henry Celebration Mouse Stamp. The Closing date for this is evening of Sunday October 25.

I used various card and papers to embellish the front of this card, I added some mirror board for effect too.

My card and the sketch are below, I hope you like them.

Stamp with Fun Challenge # 28

Stamp with Fun Challenge  have set a challenge this week. They gave us a sketch  to follow, which their designer Tina 46 designed for the challenge.

The card I used on the card were from my card stock and I cut the green flowers out of co ordinating paper to the leaves on the flower decoupage picture.

The background papers were a flock designer paper  which I bought today from my local craft shop.

Sunday Sketch & Stamp #13 and Colour Create Challenge #29

I have made a card and used this on 2 challenges this time, as it  fitted in pretty well with both.


Clare over at Sunday Sketch and Stamp  has set a sketch to make a card by. The closing date for this is midnight GMT on Saturday 24th October 2009. If you take place in this challenge you could win a £10 gift voucher for Joanna Sheen's website!

 The Colour Create Challenge #29 is open till 22 October 2009 and is sponsored by Chris; the Sketching Stamper

You can win 6 images from her digi store!

The theme for their card is "Red, Yellow, Black & White" with an optional extra of flowers and checks, which I have also included!

Here is my card!

The Supplies I have used are as follows:-

Checked and sentiment written paper from papermania

Flowers - White cardstock and red gems

Sentiment - local craft shop

Image stamped and coloured in red yellow black and white as the colour theme suggests. (green also included for the leaves but I couldnt really use any of the other colours for leaves as it wouldn't look right)

Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #39

The people over at Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge have set a challenge to make a card by following their sketch, and you have till Thursday 15 October at 10pm Mountain Time.

I decoratively stamped out  the edges of some white card for the middle panel, and then used my nesties for the oval shapes in the middle, and stamped Happy Birthday on it. The backing paper I bought were of a "flock" design and I bought them from my local craft shop today.

Stamptacular Sunday Challenge #28

The people over at Stamptacular Sunday Challenge have set a challenge for us to do. You have till 17 October 2009 at Midnight to enter this challenge. The only thing they stipulate is that it must be original, created only for this challenge, and that it has a well known character on it as this challenge is called "Character Counts!"

I found a brass stencil I've had but never used in my craft box, so I embossed and then lightly chalked over the whole image so you can see the embossing. I realise I should have used a different colour when I chalked but I've never done this process before so I hope to improve on this technique next time I do it.

The flower embellishment was from my local craft shop with a brad for the centre, and there is a sentiment on it too

The papers I used I had in my craft box already.

I hope you like my card!

Our Creative Corner Sketch Challenge

Our Creative Corner Sketch Challenge have set a challenge to follow a sketch this week, I had a decouapge of a red car and so I thought it would be nice to make a more masculine card (ok so I added a few flowers but I realised that after I had finished the card, oops!)

Below is the sketch I had to follow, and below that is the card I made from it.

Supplies:-

Paper - Stock

Cardstock - The Paper Mill

Car Decoupage - Ebay

Flowers - punched out of card stock with gem centre

I'm SOOO Happy!

I just HAD to share with you all some good news!

I'm sooooooo happy! I have just won some blog candy!!!!!!! 

First time I have won anything while doing the blogs, so I am totally over the moon!

I have won 30 stamped images of Spooky Tilda's over at Sassy Design's by Susie !!

Thank you Susie, I have sent you an email!

My Grafico Challenge & Inspiration Blog Challenge #19 - Team B

Team B over at My Grafico Challenge & Inspiration Blog have set their challenge this week to follow the sketch below.

As I didn't have any grafico stamps or images, I did what they suggested and downloaded a freebie image.

I rotated the sketch as the printed image was portrait and not landscape.

Supplies:-

Cardstock - The Paper Mill

Hearts - Punch from Ebay

Sentiment from local craft shop

Image - Grafico

My Grafico Challenge & Inspiration Blog Challenge #19

Team A over at  My Grafico Challenge & Inspiration Blog have set the challenge this week with the theme of "Pink, Pink and More Pink". I didn't have any Grafico stamps or images as requested so I downloaded a freebie as suggested and here is the picture I have come up with.

Supplies:-

Freebies - Grafico blog site

Pink Ribbon printed out from my pc

Foam pads -  local craft shop

Cardstock - The Paper Mill

Charisma Cardz Challenge #40

THIS IS NOT MY FIRST POST OF THE DAY SO PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FURTHER IF YOU NEED TO! THANK YOU! 

The challenge set by Charisma Cardz Challenge Blog this week is to make a card using their "recipe", which is as follows:-

1 Ribbon

3 Flowers

3 Papers

1 Charm

For the papers, I used my K & co Hopscotch designer papers, choosing 3 different patterened papers, one as a frame and the other 2 as a background for the "inside" of the frame.

For the flowers, I used a flower punch to cut out some of the waste paper left over from trimming the papers to fit the card blank (waste not, want not) and then added a gem to the centre of each flower.

For the ribbon I found some silver ribbon I had and I coloured this using my Terracotta Promaker pen so it would match in with my card.

For the charm, I  found a sunflower charm in my craft box and I used my cropadile to place eyelets in my card, so I could thread thin wire through the holes, which held the charm.

Finally I found a decoupaged bear in my craft box so I added this to the card to finish the challenge.

This challenge is on till 8pm GMT on Wednesday 14th October 2009.

Friday Sketchers Challenge #73

I made a Christmas card for  Challenge #73 over at Friday Sketchers Blog, sponsored by Simon Says Stamp, you could win a $25 credit voucher!

A sketch was given to follow, and here is my card! 

Supplies:-

Sizzix Father Christmas die - Sir Stampalot

Cardstock - The Paper Mill

Ribbon and gems from local craft shop

Edging created using deckle edged scissors

Stamp Something and One Stop Craft Challenges

I've been a busy crafter this morning, I have created 3 different cards for challenges, so please bear with me, this may take a while!

First of all I made a card for the Stamp Something Challenge Blog, the theme is 

"Brown Plus Something", this challenge ends at 7pm ET on 15th October 2009 and you could be win with a chance to win 12 soft pastel Copic pens in a case,  and over at One Stop Craft Challenge, it is Sharon's 50th birthday, who is one of the design team, so in honour of her birthday, this week's theme is Birthday Cards/Projects", so I had a go at making a card, and this is the result below. I hope you like it!

Supplies:-

Card Stock - The Paper Mill

Happy Birthday Sentiment - local craft shop

Birthday Anya Stamp - Quixotic Paperie

"Corners" - hand made with card stock and deckle edged scissors

Cute Card Thursday Challenge #81 and Dutch Dare Card Challenge #62

I have incorporated 2 challenges with the card I have just made.

One of the challenges, Challenge #81, over at Cute Card Thursday Challenge asked that I  use a Charm, as this week's challenge is "So Charming". You will see the butterfly charm I used dangling from a piece of delicate white ribbon. I was hoping to give the impression of the butterfly flitting from flower to flower.

Their next challenge will be set next Thursday, so I would imagine the closing date for this challenge would be the evening of Wednesday 14 October 2009

For the other challenge, Challenge #62,  over at Dutch Dare Card Challenges I was set a card recipe to follow. 

2 different colours of cardstock

2 different pieces of patterned paper

2 flowers

2 brads

2 gemstones/buttons

The 2 different colours of cardstock used were the white, which I stamped the image on, and the red, which I cut the flowers out of.

The 2 different pieces of patterned paper were cut diagonally and stuck  onto the card to use as a background.

The flowers are plain to see and I used the brads as a centre piece for the flowers.

The 2 gemstones were stuck on either end of the sentiment.

This challenge ends on the evening of Wednesday 22 October 2009.

I have to say I'm really pleased with how this card turned out. 

Thanks for looking!

Supplies:-

Papermania Regency Papers - Staples

Sugar Nellie "Daisy" stamp - Funky Kits

Red and White Card - The Paper Mill

With Love sentiment - Local Craft Shop

2 gemstones - The Paper Mill

2 Brads - Local Craft Shop

Charm - Ebay

Stamping for the Weekend, Tuesday Taggers, C.R.A.F.T., and Treehouse Thursday Challenges

This is a card I made for a few challenges, I loved making this card, and I'm pleased how it turned out too!

The challenges I am entering this card into are as follows! 

Stamping for the Weekend Challenge - "The End of Summer is Here" (using colours orange, brown and leafy green)

Tuesday Taggers Challenge - "Shades of Autumn"

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge - "Autumn"

Treehouse Thursday Challenge #18 - "Just Because"

Thank you for looking!

Supplies:-

Papermania Regency Papers - Staples

Leaf punch - Ebay

Various Card stock - Papermill and Ebay

Paper lace - Lakeland

Nesties scalloped square - ebay

"just because you're special" sentiment - printed out on pc

Image - Stamped image kindly given to me by my friend

Sugarbowl and Creative Inspirations Challenges

I made a card this morning to fit in with a few challenges on the theme of Christmas. I think it's turned out a little fussier than I would normally like but I'm please with being able to fit it into so many challenges!

Creative Inspirations Challenge 18 - "Christmas in October" theme (to be in by 17 October 2009 at 10am)

Sugarbowl Challenge 21 Tiets' Sketch - "Christmas" theme, to follow a sketch (below)  and to use a sugar nellie stamped image (to be in by midnight GMT on 21 October 2009)

Supplied used:-

Christmas backing paper and snowflake peeloff - Jac's Crafts, Swansea

Image - Sugar Nellie "Partridge in a Pear Tree"

Pens used - Promarker Lime Green, Grass Green, Forest Green, Berry Red, Lilac, Blush, Cinnamon, Pastel Pink

Tags, Stars - stock

Card stock - Paper Mill and stock from last year

Wags 'n Whiskers Blog Hop

Wags n Whiskers have a blog hop to be in with a chance to win 9 of their stamps! All you have to do is go to each of the blogs they say, and leave a comment then afterwards, go back to their site and leave a comment saying which of the stamps you like the best.Simple to do and you could win loads!

Good luck everyone xx

Craft Enthusiast Blog Candy Offer - Not to be Missed!

Suzette  over at Craft Enthusiast is celebrating her birthday by offering some blog candy, a lovely set of stamps. She is willing to post worldwide,  this candy will run till 10th October and the winner will be announced on the 11th October.

You gotta be in it to win it! 

Good luck!

Whiff of Joy Stamp Kit and Blog Candy Offer

Katharina  over at  Stamping with a Whiff of Joy  Blog  is celebrating the release of the Winter Stamp Kit  by giving away a traditional Whiff of Joy/Elisabeth Bell Stamp Kit as blog candy  till 22 October 2009. 

The Stamp Kit includes 6 brand new, never before seen, main character stamps, 1 large accessory stamps, 3 small accessory stamps designed by Elisabeth Bell and 4 text stamps, designed by Katharina Frei. 
No worries if you don't win the Stamp Kit (though excellent if you do!)  as you can pre-order your kit from the Whiff of Joy website until the 23 October 2009!
Good luck everyone!

Cupcake Craft Challenge

The team over at Cupcake Craft Challenge  have set a challenge this week to make a card with the theme of 

"THANKS A BUNCH!"

I used some backing papers and then die cut with my Nesties to make a background for the Forever Friends bear which is holding a bunch of flowers!

The Prize for this is a $20 gift voucher & Free Shipping!

I added a few more satin flower embellishments and some gems for decoration.

Thank you for looking at my card! (apologies for the image being so dark, but when I used the flash it bleached the image so much you couldn't see a lot of detail)

Passion for Promarkers "Any Colours & A Recipe" Challenge

The Passion for Promarkers team are running a challenge this week, there is no

 picture to follow, but there are 3 criteria to meet.  

a) 3 different shapes (not including the card base)

b) 2 papers 

c) 1 ribbon

The sponsor this week is Letraset who are offering the winner a 5 pack of promarkers.

Thank you for looking!

Congrats Kim!

A Big congrats to my mate Kim for hearing 3 lots of good crafting  news in one day. Wow I'd love to be at her house when it all arrives, it'll be like Christmas! Well done Kim! 

I'm going to have a go at a card in a while, but for now I need to get some dinner done for the kids and myself, even though, to be honest, I don't feel like eating anything but I have to have something because of the medication I'm on.

Had some sad news this afternoon, as we found my son's hamster had died earlier today, so we have just had a burial in the garden for him. RIP Tyler x

It's never easy losing a pet is it, my son looks so lost bless him.

I'll be off for now, but wishing you all a good day no matter where you are in the world.

Lots of love, 

Karen xxx

Forever Friends "Colours of Autumn" Challenge

Joanne over at The Forever Friends Challenge Blog has set us a challenge to make a card with the theme of "Colours of Autumn", this challenge will run until 19th October 2009.

I used my new square Nestability die which I got today,  to cut out the shapes in the background, the oval Forever Friends Bear image was cut out using my new  Nestabilities Oval die.

I wanted to keep the card pretty simple,  as the theme was Colours of Autumn, and not any particular shape or sketch.

I love this time of the year, and the colours of the trees, leaves and nature, I usually run my cards by my son and ask him what he thinks once they're made, but due to the colour blindness he suffers from,  this one totally evaded him as he couldn't tell the difference between the greens and browns, and only a little difference of the orange.Hopefully you can see the difference though!

Here is my card, thank you for looking!

Kaboodle Doodle Challenge # 15

Chris over at Kaboodle Doodles has set a challenge by asking you to follow a sketch.

I rotated  the sketch to fit in with the image I wished to use.

I had fun using my new nesties. I bought the ovals and the scalloped squares and have incorporated both of them in this challenge.

The adhesive lace border along the middle was purchased about a year ago from   Lakeland in Peterborough and the card stock was purchased from The Paper Mill in Spalding.

The image of the balloon was among a set of images I had sent to me a while ago from my friend Kim. Thanks Kim! 

Below is the picture of the sketch and then the completed card.

Thank you for viewing!

The Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #38

Karen over at The Sweetest Thing blog has set a challenge this week to follow, which is below, your finished cards have to be in by Thursday 8th October at 10pm "Mountain Time". I'm not sure what time that is for the UK sorry.

I wasn't sure which colours to use, so I looked for the images I already had, and found this delightful one, and so followed the colours on the image I chose.

All the card stock I used came from The Paper Mill, the Happy Birthday peel off I used came from  my local Craft shop, Dalex Crafts. 

I bought the pretty blue flowers today from a "99p or less" shop, a complete bargain as I got about 30 embellishment roses for 99p!

Crafts 4 Eternity Recipe Challenge #1

The  C4E Team over at Crafts4eternity  have set a challenge to follow the sketch, along with using a punch and adding a knot or a bow, the winner will win a craftmakers goodie bag!

This challenge will be going on  till the 10th October.

For the punch requirement I used my Papermania Ornate Renaissance Punch, I used some Daisy and Dandelion stickers which I had bought some time ago, and added some ric rac ribbon, to incorporate the knot/bow part. 

Stamptacular Sunday Challenge

The people at Stamptacular Sunday Challenge blog have a challenge open till the 10th October at midnight EST.

I don't like  how it's come out  in the photograph, as I used a silky finish card, I think that's not helped as the flash is reflecting back.

The 2 criteria they say you have to include on your card is that it has a stamp on it, (mine has quite a few) and it must have a "PULL OUT!", as that's the theme for this week, as my card is a waterfall card, this also has a pull out.

Here's my card!

Carol's Sketch Fun #15

Carol has set a challenge to us  over at Carol's Sketch Fun to make a card by following the sketch below.

The challenge will close on 6th October at 10pm GMT. 

Supplies:-

6" white card blank from The Paper Mill

Decoupaged Image from Ebay

Peel off corners (from stock) coloured with purple Promarker

Lilac ribbon (from round the edge of my daughter's birthday cake!)

Congratulations ribbon (from Dalex Crafts)

Paper rose and ribbon from stock

Thank you for looking at my card!

Friday Sketchers Challenge # 72

Good morning everyone! I made this card to fit in with the Friday Sketchers challenge. I had a forever friends kit which I had used once a while ago and then didn't use again. When I saw the design sketch I just knew those were the papers that I was going to use!

I decoupaged up a forever friends bear and then, rather than matting and layering, I added a gold peel off round the edge, to give the impression of it being matted and layered. 

Rather than following the design sketch exactly, I offset the circle, rectangle and backing paper just to give it a little more interest.

As the image has a mainly white background, the photo hasn't come out too well,I took it with a flash and without, but the one without was so dark that I will have to put this one on.

Its terrible weather here today so I have bad light. Normally I try to take a picture by the window but today there wasn't a lot of light coming through (too dull a day, or maybe I need to clean my windows? lol) On taking the picture, I realised that the red circle with the white ribbon through the middle looked like a no entry road sign, I hope this isn't an omen that I won't get entry into the challenge!

OK, back to business, here is my card! I hope you like it! 

Thank you for viewing! xx

Crafty Calendar Challenge #1, One Stop Craft Challenge and Our Creative Corner Challenge

Here is the very first  Crafty Calendar Challenge!

This is an excellent new challenge blog set up by Georgia who is only 13! Amazing! 

She has a very talented design team behind her as well,  including a very good friend of mine, so I just had to have a go at this. 

The first challenge is to make an "Autumn Card" with an optional "Plants of Vegetation", so I have added some flowery backing paper.
You have till 8pm on the 5th November to make a card! Go on have a go!
I loved making this card, it was great fun!


I would also like to add this into the One Stop Craft Challenge, their subject is "Autumn Inspiration", their design team have come up with some wonderful cards  as well. Their design team have come up with some lovely cards.This challenge is on till next Saturday.


This is turning into a mega post, I have just found another challenge which this fits into! The people over at Our Creative Corner have a challenge this week with a "Fall/Winter" theme. Pop over and see what their design team have come up with.There is no time limit on this challenge.


I used a sizzix leaf die, cutting out brown, orange and dark green card/tissue paper. The reason I used tissue paper for the orange leaves was to try to take on the illusion of the fragility of the leaf as it falls off the tree and then gets thinner and crispier as it dries out. I have used Kay backing paper and then used some of the dark brown paper which I cut out the dark brown leaves from,  to use as a border on the left.
I stamped and inked the Sugar Nellie "Hug in a Mug" stamp onto white card, stuck this in the middle of the card, then surrounded it with the leaves I die cut.

Friday Sketchers Sketch #71

The people over at Friday Sketchers Blog have set a challenge to create a card using their sketch.

The prize they will give for this week are all 3 stamps from the traditional line from Motivet.

Please see below for the sketch and the card I have made. Thank you!

Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #37

The people over at Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge have set a challenge this week to follow the sketch below,  underneath that is the card I made. The image I used is a Sugar Nellie stamp, and the papers I used are classic K McKenna papers.

ABC Challenge

I have made the card below for the ABC Challenge this weeks theme is "E for Embossing".

I used a Cuttlebug embossing folder to create the embossed  card on the right and the flower image bottom left of the card was a brass stencil I had. The flowers I punched out, after embossing with the same Cuttlebug embossing folder that I used on the right.