You're Invited

Challenge this time was create a party invite instead of birthday card..... makes a pleasant change once in a while. That's just what Michelle over on Ellephantastic Challenges has asked us to create this week. Although I have let some challenges, I would normally enter, go this week due to other commitments I squeezed in this one before going away for a couple of days. Using one of Helen's great images - a freebie from last year - I came up with this. It even has a tear off RSVP at the end.
I used an aperture card and some acetate on the front to show the image behind. I'll try and remember where I got the pumpkin digis from, the bats are from TLC creations. The gravestones are a rubber stamp from recollections.

Challenge in Pink from The Duck Pond...continued

Yayyyy - 9 cards done. I've told The Duck I would like more time next time to come up with a collection of cards made from The Cardmaking Kits she is now selling and she's told me that she'll do something to me if I wake her up at 7o/c again hehehehehe.
Anyway I overcame the horror and trepidation of making a selection of cards in Pink and got on with it. There was more stash left over - enough for at least 3-4 cards as the piccy shows... that's my A3 cutting mat covered


and you can see it's great value given the quality of the papers. All Bazzil and Crate paper.
I did cheat a bit here on the Christmas card..... I used my own stickles on the fairy wings, but again ..... using only my adhesives (and thread) these remaining 3 of the 9 were born.




Well I think Karen has this great value for money card making kit for those new to card making and the seasoned veteran wanting a taster of the new products out there "all sewn up and wrapped in a bow".

I'm entering the Fairy Christmas card into the Flutterby Wednesday's challenge for their challenge this week

I wonder what next month's will be.........

Grandson's 4th Birthday

WOW - 4 already. I don't know if it's my old age but it seems like only yesterday that I was marvelling at how small he was, wrapped up in "swaddling clothes" at the hospital. He has been a source of joy to me. "Helping" Nana, reading to him, playing with him. Nothing beats that feeling when he breaks away from his mum's grasp to run down the drive because he can't wait for a cuddle together. He has that instinct that only the very young and animals have to know something is not quite right without being told. eg He knows when I need to rest and will get one of his books out. OK - I'm a proud granny and we'll all say the same thing about our own. My words are here for those that want to read them.
Anyway - I couldn't give him just a shop bought card this year, now, could I?
Using an image from Tiffany Doodles for the 4 and the "happy birthday" circle from Digital Design Divas and the Dragon from Stamping Dragon Designs, I made this "penny slider" card, using a thicker card than normal - I wanted it to be fairly robust. The card was sprayed with cosmic shimmers for that sheen. All other lettering was done using word art and cut out.

Challenge in Pink from the Duck Pond

What would you do for your best friend? Apart from the normal things like be there in a crisis, tell them they look a million dollars and mean it, ..... the list goes on........ make cards in PINK !!!!! She knew I would, only 'cos it's The Duck.
To cut a long story short.... my best friend Karen has started up on her own, filling a hole in the market, at least up here in Scotland. Making up a kit, which will be sent monthly, for making cards. Sourcing some gorgeous papers, card stock and various embellishments and the plastic sleeves to store in or for selling on. Each kit is all colour co-ordinated to take away that dilemma many have. "Make me some cards up please" says she. "Of course I will" says me. The package arrives .....luckily she'd had the forsight to put the contents in a plastic bag because the postie left it on the doorstep, and of course it rained, contents safe and dry. I open it up eagerly ....... PINK !!!! Well alot is. There are other colours of course but my brain only saw PINK at first. So the challenge was set. Link over on the left to see the kit supplied in full.
I've done 6 cards so far from the 9 blanks sent. Using only my trusty double sided tape and a bit of silicon glue I set to work. OK - I used some of my own brads and images as well but essentially the cards are made using only the supply sent. There's still loads left to do the other 3 but the camera is running short on battery power so they will have to wait. Some of the cards I am also entering into a couple of challenges.
The Tellen's Place, Skullflame, into Haunted Design House #048 - Wayward words
The Pink Kitty and birthday birds into CDAC challenges

MMSC63

I'm on time for another challenge over at Priscilla Styles Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge again. Can hardly believe it myself. I've been beavering away doing things except crafty things for too long (work seems to figure in there a bit too muchfor my liking). Anyway - to this card....
I used the current freebie offered by Priscilla over on CDAC - you have until the 29th July to join and nab it by the way. Using a graphics program I resized the image twice and changed the colour on two of the images then used glossy accents on them to get a satiny look to them. The original black just has a light dusting of black glitter and a couple of sequins for a belt. All three images were given a silky skirt then pieced onto hammered white card. Using a Lily of the Valley template I cut out the mounting papers and using one of the few edge punches I have a final layer in black and gold. Colouring a strip of white netting with a permanent marker I achieved the black to add to the lilac organza ribbon from Crafty Feelings. This was then all layered onto a sheet of papermania BP. The pins are homemade with pearls and crackle beads from stash with the diamond one from crafty feelings.

sew 'n' sew card

Sewing on cards... seems like a trend is being set. My sewing machine is now staying on the table rather than get someone to lift it up and down for me. Lol. Well over at Ellephantastic challenges - the request this week is for a bit of stitching on the craft work, as well as a few other challenges. This image from Fairy Knoll seemed to lend itself and Brandi is asking for dimension in her challenge over on CDAC and that is what I hope I have achieved.
The image is decoupaged after colouring with PM's with a touch of glitter on the lilac fairy's wings and the leaves have been given a sheen with glossy accents. This stuck onto a layer of card stock with dry embossed leaves, then onto white hammered card then another layer of card stock covered in voile. The little violet flowers are from stash and have been stuck between the different layers. This in turn was stuck onto yet another layer of voile covered cardstock onto which I had sewn ribbon and lace. Then layered onto the base card. So with the 4 layers of decoupage - dimension has been attained. So although I made this for Helen's challenge over at Ellephantastic, I am also entering it into a couple of other challenges.





Other challenges I am entering with this card are
Shelly's Images - Lots of Layers
Embellishment challenge #2 on CDAC - Dimension
Dare U 2 Digistamp challenge # 42 - Stitching
Stamp Challenges - Something Digital
Flutter By Wednesday - lots of layers

Happy Birthday to Angie

Over on Ellephantastic, it's DT Angie's birthday and as it's her turn to set the challenge, guess what the theme is. Yep - birthdays. Well this is my effort. A bit later in the week than I'd hoped to post.... work has been taking up a lot of my time as well as having a couple of nights when I needed to rest. Such is life.
I have used another of Helen's Roger images. Flipped it for the second bear. So easy to do with digis. As it's a 3-D card, I chose to decoupage them both as you can't have a skinny bear can you?
Coloured with promarkers. The table and chairs are adapted from a Cuddly Buddly image and the two birds pulling the banner are a freebie from Shelly's Images over on CDAC . The papers are all digis from various sources. The flowers are from Crafty Feelings.

Midnight Madness MMSC62

Although I have been a follower of Priscilla Styles's blog for a while, I haven't been active there for a while. This week though, I have at last finished a card on time. There is a choice of sketches and I have chosen the fancier one of the two because it suited the image better. The papers were a gift, so unfortunately I don't know the source. Pieced onto pearlised white. The flowers are homemade. The butterflies are from Priscilla Styles. Decoupaged after colouring in with PM's and edged with stickles. The ribbon from stash. Pink is not normally a colour I use but I have a couple of birthdays coming up that I need to make cards for and this will definately be one of them.

Gate Fold card

Over on character cafe They want a gatefold card. It was over on the CDAC forum that I got to hear about it. Well I promised Fink who has put a lot of time and effort into trying to get this group off the ground. The DT cards are great but the number of entries into each challenge appears to be diminishing... so get on over there and lend the girls some support.
My card image is one of the freebies of theirs of a cute cat. Coloured with promarkers, and inked the edges. Matted onto tan then the same chocolate brown of the base card. The beautiful turquoise is given the same treatment for the panels, inside and out. The ribbon, pins and clear gems are all from Crafty Feelings.
I am also entering this into Peartree Designs challenge for their animals challenge.

Ellephantastic Has Launched

As most of my friends know...I haven't been in the crafting community for very long. In fact it was only march this year that I started in blogland and almost from the start have been a follower of a marvellous lady called Helen Laurence who has inspired me to carry on through the pain of FM more times than she knows. Well, she has taken the plunge and launched her new shop and challenge blog so hurry on down to Ellephantastic and have a browse.
The first challenge is launched today .... Challenge #01 "Its up to you". I have used one of the first digis I ever got, just happens to be one of Helen's. The cute little Roger. I have spruced him up a bit for the party though with a shiny red bow and polished his nose. (using glossy accents) I also used the decoupage technique that Helen showcased a while ago to give him a 3D look. The congrats and best wishes are for Helen in her new venture.



I have used the sketchy and colour scheme for Julys challenges over on CDAC
I'm also going to enter this into Digi Doodles challenge for their circles and dots challenge and Lexi's Creations for their Layers/ 3D challenge.