She's one year old

A friend's granddaughter that is. Yes, a whole one year old. Seems like only 2 seconds ago she was just new born. Time is relative and so much has really happened in the last 12 months that the accelerator pedal seems to have been hard pressed down.
Any how, back to the card I have made to mark this milestone in a young girl's life.
Regular readers to my blog might be a bit surprised at this hehe.

Yes - it's pink! Lol It's a simple stepper card

The image is from Whoopsie Daisy. An image that has been stored on the pc and never printed before. Coloured with promarkers before cutting out with a nestie and inked before removing. Mounted onto a larger matt silver base. Some glossy accents added to the balloon.
The base card is pale pink and both lined and topped with a rainbow coloured paper. Two strips of a deeper pink paper next were edge punched. One attached to the card, the other on the "insert". Some pale pink sparkly organza type ribbon topped with a frilled pink ribbon across the bottom with a flower shape punched from the same matt silver then popped up a shiney silver "1" on that.
The sentiment was heat embossed onto the insert bit with a butterfly stamp that seems to have been made for this paper. An MS punched butterfly added in the corner with a tiny dab of stickles.
No gems, pearls or other little bits were added that could be swallowed if the little girl in question should get her hands on this.

A couple of challenges I'd like to enter this card into are
Bunny Zoe's Crafts - Celebrations
Cardmad Fairy's Digi Days - Don't Be A Square
Card Making Mamas - Birthday

Black and Blue

Smudgy Antics Challenge Day folks as it's Monday. This week it's all about black and blue. interpret as you will.

Take this theme however you wish. Black and Blue can be your color scheme, use the words Black and Blue in your sentiment, or bruise up some "normal" stamped image, etc. The more wild and creative you can get, the better!
We like it edgy and dark around here so show us what you've got!

This week I made a card. A "simple" double easel card. In blue and black with a touch of black humour added.
On the left is an image from the "Smitten" set from Smeared Ink. Coloured with pencils.
I added some text to the paper being read. "Man late for own funeral" for those that can't read it and a little thought bubble.

The "stop" is a rubber stamped image of a perfume bottle (Wild Frog Creations) layered up with silicon and dipped in UTEE.
The other side is Smeared Ink's Death Cab, Hearse #3. Coloured with pencils.

Again cut out and cut up to make a 3-D image. The "stop" here is a circle with flowers added to make a wreath. a black organza bow added.

The base is just a length of edge punched black card stock onto the blue cs base.

Now it's your turn. After you've been and visited my friends we'd love to see your interpretation on our theme this week.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges
Always Crafting - Anything Goes
Paper Creations Ink - Show Us your Favorite Technique - Layering a stamped image to make 3-D
The Crazy Challenge - Anything Goes
The Corrosive Challenge - Another Dimension
Our Creative Corner - Over the Edge
Forever Night Challenges - Anything Goes

Wicked with Wings

The challenge over at Smudgy Antics this week is just that. I had a really bad cold last week, almost flu like, and my head wasn't thinking outside the box, as it normally does, when I started this project. I started by stamping Bo-Peep from Smeared Ink onto a piece of A4 card with a mind to mask and stamp the raven wings using DI from the "Quoth the Raven" set, again Smeared Ink.
The picture then grew from there. Ravens followed by the skellie sheep. Upside down as if the ravens were having dinner. Then the fence stamp from the same set - Killer Bo Peep's Garden. Some of the toadstools as well. Ok I could have gone on, masking and stamping, but it had to stop somewhere. A Wicked amount of masking! lol
I coloured all this with promarkers except the ravens that were dry brushed with DI (purple, green and grey) to lift from the matt black. The background was created using chalks and a finger to blend. I stamped the letters (alphabet sets) to make the words using stazon.
Then cut down the sheet and made into a wall hanging adding a couple of strips of TH iron fence die cut from vellum. Some green braid threaded through the eyelets.

Your turn.
Let's see those "Wicked with Wings" entries people.

I am entering this into the challenge over at
Haunted Design House - Garden of Good and Evil
Poisoned Peas - Freestyle

Sir Stampalot's feb challenge - in the Garden

Annabel Lee

Annabel Lee was the last complete poem written by the Master Author, Edgar Allan Poe. It tells of a love so great, that when an untimely death befalls the beautiful Annabel Lee, the narrator's fate is that of a living death.
My project this week is a "meander book" made the same size as an ATC. Each page has one of the six verses and a picture that, I think, fits that verse. So a lot of pics. Are you sitting comfy?
The front cover
Pics taken from Moonlight Journey's Annabel Lee callage sheet. A home made lace and ribbon flower and some blood red gems and black pearls from stash.
The jade green cs to depict the sea and black satin ribbons to tie - from stash. All pages have been ink distressed with "stormy sky" DI. Each page also has black textured paper stuck to them.
Page 1 The image is from MirrorCradle.
Coloured with promarkers with chalks for the sea and sky












Page 2 Features one of the Symbology of Angels from Smeared Ink.

Again coloured with promarkers with a background of chalk.









Page 3
The background again from Moonlight Journey. The lady is from Ikesart coloured again with promarkers with a Cherry Pie stamp of Poe himself heat embossed in clear.









Page 4
This picture from Moonlight Journey, I felt, needed no extra embellishment.











Page 5
Just 2 more images that match the melancholy but also joined as the two lovers are joined.











Page 6
The ghost of the narrator as his love lies in her sepulchre.
Soot stamped image of EA Poe from the Quoth the Raven Set from Smeared Ink.









Back Page
This is the same image as on page 3. This time layered up with silicon glue to form a 3-D image and then covered with UTEE
















Did you last this long?

I am entering this into the challenge over at
Quoth the Raven - Annabel Lee
Haunted Design House - Love Lies Bleeding - Figurativly taken

Pink - To make the boys wink?

Over at Delicious Doodles Challenges this week, it's a pink week. Now this is a colour that I find hard to work with for some unknown reason. I have to tell myself it's "pale red" lol.
I went for hot pink instead of the pastel shades. I was hoping to get a better picture but a friend of my son's wanted it as a valentine card for his g/f, so it's away.
I used the Emo Valentine Fairy and Bleeding Hearts images. Coloured with promarkers. The hearts were attacked with some glossy accents as well. Some hot orange cs edged with my drippy goo punch to co-ordinate with the hearts. Some pink glitter card for the die cut swirls. Some green lace and some prima flowers with a large brad to finish it off all from stash. And I couldn't forget a little skully charm now, could I?

That's about it, except to say, let's see those pink creations over at the Delicious Doodles Challenge blog. Don't forget to go and say hi and leave some love at the other members of the DT.

A couple of challenges I'd like to enter this into

By the Cute and Girly - Hearts

A Valentine gift

I was asked to make a card to help raise money for the British Heart Foundation fund raising at work the other day. This is it.



No stamped images for a change. Some home made flowers stuck to a heart shaped card base that was dry embossed with ink on the folder. Some die cut leaves for added interest. A few die cut swirls and heart shapes are in there as well
All encased in a gatefold card with acetate insert (slightly larger so that it bows out) and laced up with red satin ribbon.

A little pocket on the back was stuck on so that a greeting could be written.
I'm happy to say that over a £1000 was raised on the day for this charity that we support. Hubby had a heart attack a few years ago and they do such fabulous work.

I would like to enter this into a couple of challenges
Paper Pretties - Unique fold
Celebrate the Occassion - Use a Heart
Paper and Such - Love

Crafter's Companion - Anything goes

Red Hot

A couple of days late with this posting - been a bit poorly.
Smudgy Antics is the challenge blog for the Smeared and Smudged forum of which I am a proud member and recently have been honoured to be chosen to be a member of the design team. This week the theme is RED HOT!!
Take the theme as far as you want to go with it. This is Smudgy Antics and we like things edgy around here! Make it funny, scary, or sexy...just make it Hot...Red Hot!

This is my project.

I have taken two of the Goth Fairies from Smeared Ink - Carina and Corneleus. Coloured with promarkers in flame colours then fussy cut out. The BP is home made from glossy c.s. and more flame coloured inks with a brayer. The base card is from stash - ink distressed to co-ordinate. The rubber corner stamp is also from Smeared Ink. I have tried to give the illusion of smoke with some dark grey vellum and a ball tool. Corneleus' appreciation of Carina's look done in the same way.
Some red gems to finish.
We'd love to see your "RED HOT" projects, so please do pay us a visit and link up so we know where to look.


I am entering this card into a couple of challenges
Divas by Design - Wings and things
Flutter By Wednesday - Anything with wings
Penny's Paper-Crafty - Anything Goes

day 3 of S&S Bloody Valentine hop

Everyone still here? Anyone wanting to join in the hop that hasn't arrived from Alison's blog - The blog roll can be found up top. Some awesome artwork has been shown in this "Alternative/Different Valentine's hop" that only Smeared and Smudged do as far as I'm aware.

My day 3 project went horribly wrong. I forgot to transpose my image, doooohhhhhhhh. I ended up having to scrape it all off my canvas and start again. Hence this is as far as I have got.


As I have to go to work today there'll be no time to complete :( It's an 8" canvas and the main image is from Smeared Ink. The spatters are from another SI stamp using fired brick DI and all the drips are from another stamp (no name)

Sooooo another quickie to fill the gap
Not bloody at all really, but I did use the same "deep inside my heart" digi. Just goes to show the versitility of some stamps. It's what you put with it that makes the complete picture.
A fatbook page
.
This time in blues and purples. The image is from the "French Fairies" set from Smeared Ink.
I superimposed and flipped the image onto the "deep inside my heart" image. The fairy was coloured with promarkers. the leaves have been heat embossed in plum and some glamour dust added to the wings. The little tear drop gems were red before colouring again with a promarker.
The writing in blue gel pel to complete. Mounted on textured purple cs from stash.
Now it's about time you headed of to Jane's blog and see what she has made to inspire us all.

Day 2 of Smeared and Smudged Bloody Valentine Hop

Morning everyone

Half way through this 3 day event to mark Valentine's Day in Smeared and Smudged style.
The Hop list is up top so you can't miss it and if you're hopping in order then you will have seen Alison's amazing artwork and will be on your way to visit Jane.
By the way - be sure to visit Black Dragon's day 1 post for some AWESOME info!!!

Back to my post for day 2. Two projects today as I'm also going to share the card I made for hubby to celebrate our wedding anniversary today.
First up. A simple tag. I have used the freebie image (coloured with promarkers) for entering the challenges over at the forum this month but it also available in the shop if you want to spend your pennies.


The little trident was made by twisting 3 straightened eyelet pins.
Had to have something to impale the hearts onto.



My drippy goo punch gets a good work out here. I was lucky to have a little gift from my daughter when she went over to the US last year - she found a rubber stamp which co-ordinates so well, and this was heat embossed as an extra.
The "sentiment" was stamped using SU! whisper white straight onto the BP. This was taken from a MSC "tinkering with steampunk" CD.
The impaled hearts are diecuts from glitter card. (I'm on a challenge to use this in some dark projects, it was there yesterday as well :-D - anyone notice?)

To finish it off - there is a copper eyelet and some blood red fibres as ties.

My anniversary card. Well hubby has come to expect cards that are out of the "norm" from me by now. I am glad to report he loved this one :-D.
I followed the sketch over at Deconstructed Sketches



I used 2 of the new Monster Heart digis available in the shop. Coloured with promarkers with a touch of DI. Basic Grey DP layered onto purple then onto very pale green card base.
Plenty of lilac lace and some green satin ribbon. A "made with love" heart shaped charm attached with a purple heart shaped brad after heat embossing the sentiment. A few dewdrops to finish.


I am entering into a couple of challenges

Project 1 - Tag

Crafty Catz - Valentine

project 2 - Card

Deconstructed Sketches - Their sketch # 38
Cardmad Fairy's Digi Days - Hearts
Hotshot Craft - One for the boys

Smeared and Smudged Bloody Valentine Hop Day 1

St. Valentine's Day has been marked by many events in the past. The most memorable of these has got to be the Valentine's Day Massacre back in 1929.
Smeared and Smudged are having our own little event, taking this as a theme, hence the name of the hop. The hop links are all up the top of my blog for the duration of this event and you should have come here via the very talented Alison if you're following the order.

My first piece is going to be hung on a wall in my den eventually, when I finish a frame.
The sketch is taken from the sketchy challenge in the forum for a scrapbook page.

Try as I might, I could not get the base card to photograph it's true colour of blood red. So you're going to have to use yoour imagination. The page features digi stamps from Delicious Doodles and Smeared Ink. Computer generated text by me.

All images are coloured with promarkers . Some glossy accents on the blood. I did wonder about using another stamp (Splatter) I have as the background but only after I'd stuck it all down. Typical.

There will be another piece tomorrow. Thankyou for looking,

Now off you pop to see what the lovely Jane has made.

Anything Goes

My first project for the Smudgy Antics Challenge Blog as part of the new DT over at the Smeared and Smudged forum, part of the Smeared Ink group.

The challenge this week is "Anything Goes". I'll leave you to read all the ins and outs at the blog.

I chose to do an altered picture frame together with a picture to go in it.

The image is Smeared Ink's Von Bayros- Dragon Lover. The winged hearts round the side are from the set of the Heart Wings.
Back to my main image. Printed out 4 times, coloured with promarkers and then fussy cut out bits from all the layers to make one complete dimensional picture.

mounted the whole thing onto glitter card for that frosty sky look adding a touch of glossy accent to the cup by our dragon's cushion.
The winged hearts are dipped in UTEE.

The frame is a plain black frame that I rubbed some bronze metallic wax into.
The vine was constructed using thin fuse wire and seed beeds. LOTS of them.
Both the vine and the hearts were attached to the frame with hot glue before finally fitting the picture in.

Now, don't forget to check out the rest of the gorgeous projects created by this fabulous new team.


I am going to enter this into a couple of challenges
Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes with no patterned paper
Catch The Bug - Anything Goes
Haunted Design House - Free for all

Shot Through The Heart

Yet another Valentine card - with a difference. Maybe you won't want to send this to your nearest and dearest? Or maybe you would?



This card co-incides with a few new images released by Smeared Ink this week - Bloody Valentine. I got to play with a few :-) having been elevated to that exalted position of Design Team Member. See the new badge over there on the right? Woo Hoo!!!
Anyway,
I followed this month's sketch over at the Smeared and Smudged forum, following the theme set by Haunted Design House - Shot through the heart. The sentiment came from the song by Bon Jovi.

The images are "Holding Heart" and part of the "Hanging Heart"





Both images were coloured with promarkers







The blood on the holding heart was covered with glossy accents. the entire hanging heart was dipped in UTEE.
The sentiment was written by hand on the "sketchy banners".
The backing paper is from Crafty Chaos .
Lace, chain and other cs from stash

I am entering this card into the challenges over at
Haunted Design House - Shot Through The Heart
Smeared and Smudged Sketch challenge - Their Sketch

SteamPunk ATC

I was in the mood for some fiddly stuff today. That, and needing to do a few things for a swap I'm in. An ATC fitted the bill perfectly.
I've had this image from Sassy Studio Designs for a few weeks and never got around to applying any colour to her. Today, stuck in the house because of the cold, seemed to be the ideal opportunity. It so happens that Just Inspirational Challenges are being sponsored this week by Sassy Studio Designs, there is a sketch and a theme of steampunk.

I did put a (cm) ruler up against my ATC as a size guide.
The image was coloured using promarkers.
Glossy accents used on the hat decoration and brooch at her neck. The glossy accents also came in handy for embedding those little watch hands in.
The background is from MCS "Tinkering with Steampunk" CD. The little swirls are die cuts from pearlised gold card. Ribbon is from stash.















I am entering this ATC into the challenge over at
Just Inspirational - Their sketch and theme

So Artful - Anything but a card and inspired by Georgia O'Keefe

The Stampman - Embellish It

Creative Craft World - Make It Mini

Do You Stack Up - Anything Goes

All Loved Up

It's the start of another challenge fortnight over at Delicious Doodles. This time around the theme is "All Loved Up". With Valentines day not far away, a lot of minds are turning towards affairs of the heart, declaring their love etc etc. This card was prompted, not only by this challenge but a request from my son. "An extra special card" for his fiancee.
I have used 2 Delicious Doodles images here as the main images. The plain heart and the Lovers.



A 3-D card


This initially starts off as a gatefold. The central aperture cut out to show the image underneath then a piece of acetate that is wider than the card attached to the flaps which are then tied together over the bowed acetate.

The images were manipulated on my computer so that they could be printed as one onto the background red card stock. I attached a little posy of roses as an added detail and a little gem for our ladies earring. The acetate (in stash) came with the hearts already printed on. I rubbed some gold wax onto some black waxed cord for just a bit of extra opulance. The base card is hammered cream card stock folded, as I said, gatefold style. I heat embossed some little swirls in the corners and made some holes (reinforced with eyelets) for tying it all together.


I added just a touch of red DI to the central edges to soften the overall effect. A small envelope type pocket on the back for adding a message and there we have it.

Please go look at the rest of the gorgeous projects made by my fellow teamies and then point us to yours by leaving a link on the Delicious Doodles challenge. We'd love to see all those "loved up projects" so please don't disappoint us.

There are a couple of challenges I'd like to enter with this card
Crafty Purple Frog - Valentine's Day/Show us some love
Do You Stack Up - Anything goes
Pals Paper Arts - Any reds
Penny's Paper-Crafty - Love is in the air
Truly Scrumptious - Love and hearts