New Challenge at Here Come The Boys

It's time for a new challenge over at Here Come The Boys... and the theme this time around is "Must Have Buttons".

I made a card for my husband's brother in law who, though he has just turned 40 (he's a lot younger than us!) has got a chronic "bad back"... so I made the sentiment "You know you are 40... when your Back goes out more than YOU do!"  I think he'll see the humour in it - certainly hope so  [-o< The Pink Elephant has Masculine Birthday as their theme and Colour Me Copic has Celebrate Something so I'm entering them and Corrosive Challenge has My Sentiments Exactly so I'm in there too.

The image is from Just Inklined, this is Throwback Fred... how (un)cool is he? lol. I've coloured with Copics, adding gloss to his eyes and glitter glue to his chain and medallion.
The papers are from Kaisercraft's Shaken Not Stirred collection, I reckon they're great papers for "man" cards.  Creative Craft Challenges has Just Checking (Use checks) as their theme, so I'm entering there and My Mums Craft Shop has Spots or Stripes so in there too. Left of Center Creative Challenges has Red and/or Black so, you guessed it, in there as well!  The red and black cardstock are from my stash.  
The buttons are from my stash too - I wish I could remember where I got them from, they are so useful for this sort of card, having the necessary "drama" to them :) As well as Here Come The Boys having a "use buttons" challenge Stampin' for the Weekend does, so I'm entering there. 
I used the sketch from Sketch and Stash, a nice straightforward one - which suits this style of card; Crafty Creations want us to KISS - Keep It Simple that is ;) so I'm in, Bunny Zoes Crafts want us to CASE a DT member - I've CASED Mina; her Jump for Joy card in particular.
There's a lot of layers on the card, I LOVE layers :) Cupcake Craft Challenges has Lots of Layers as their theme, so I'm entering there.

The Paper Shelter, One Stop Craft Challenge, Whimsy Inspirations Challenge, Creative Inspirations, Eclectic Ellapu and Through the Craft Room Door all have Anything Goes themes so I'll be entering them too.

Well that's about it from me... and Throwback Fred!  Why not pop over to the Here Come The Boys blog and check out the rest of the team's inspiration - I hope you have a chance to enter the challenge, the lovely Bugaboo are sponsoring with 7 digis and with so many to choose from it's one great prize :) 

I'll be back in a day or two, until then Happy Crafting, Donna

Flowers for Mum

Today I have another Mother's Day card... this is the one I made for my Mother In Law; as it's technically from her son I used a "boy" image :)

I've only made one Centre Stepper card before, and that didn't have the extra "step" in it... I think I like this one better :) Penny´s Paper have Step card or Easel card for their challenge, and the Anything Goes Challenge is Shaped Not Square so I'm entering there. Cuttin' and Stampin' has Shaped and Divas by Design has Shaped (not square or rectangle)  so I'm hoping my rectangle-with-a-bump gets me in there too; I know I can enter the Hobbycutz challenge which is More Than One Fold - this thing took longer to cut and fold than all the rest of the making!

As I said I used a "boy" image because the card is from my hubby, this is Joe With Flowers from Digistamp Boutique coloured with Copics.  I'll be entering Left of Center Creative Challenges who want us to use a digi image, Digistamp Boutique's monthly challenge as I've used one of their images and Tuesday Throwdown's challenge Smell the Roses (flowers in the image or paper, I have both) Colour Me Copic and Great Impressions both have Celebrations as their challenge theme, so I'm entering them too.

The papers are from Kaisercraft - Peachy Keen, I love these colours and we're heading into autumn here so they are season appropriate; My Mums Craft Shop has Spots or Stripes for their challenge (I have stripes), Oozak has Anything Goes with Earth Tones for their challenge, Clear It Out has Anything Goes, Use Stash and 2 or more papers; the papers and the cardstock (DCWV) are most definitely from stash, as are the paper flowers that I got from a discount store right at the beginning of my card making journey, so I'm in.  Stamping With The Dragon has A Flower for Mum while Crafty Calendar, Without Words, By the Cute and Girly, Simon Says Challenge, 

Card Mania Challenges, and My Sheri Crafts all have some sort of "Flower" challenge so I'm entering them.

I've used two dies from Memory Box, Puffy Clouds and Wrought Iron Fence - this is their first outing, I LOVE them!   I think the fence is really effective in this brown colour, it looks kinda rusty :)  I used the largest of the clouds on the "inside" (back?) of the card to decorate the jotting panel, My Time to Craft has Show Us Your Inside for their challenge, I'm in!

I created the sentiment on the computer, feel free to grab it if you like (it will be on my Freebies page for later anyway).  Aud Sentiments wants us to use a Sentiment for mother and child, I think this is suitable so I'm in there,2 Sisters Challenge, Creative Belli, Creative Inspirations, Going Grey with Scrap-Creations, Hanna and Friends and The Squirrel and the Fox  all have Mother's Day themes so I'm entering there too.  

Crafty Creations want us to KISS - Keep It Sweet and Simple that is ;)  This card really is quite simple (folding aside, lol) so I think it can go there, Love to Scrap, The Paper Shelter, Whimsy Stamps and Forever Friends all have Anything Goes challenges - I KNOW it can go there!

Well, that's it for today's card, I'll be back on the weekend with a DT card, until then, Happy Crafting, Donna

Show Us Your Bling at Di's Digi Designs

Well it's that time of the fortnight again... time for a new challenge at Di's Digis Challenge Blog, the theme this time is sure to be popular; Show Us Your Bling!  I made a card for my Mum for Mother's Day, which is tomorrow here in Australia (and in the US, I believe)

I've given myself an extra challenge this time around; to see how many challenges I could enter with one card, I've listed them at the end of this post... I've got to say it's been more time consuming making links and checking rules than it was to make my card!  Talking of which....
I used the super sweet new image from Di's Digi Stamps called "Decisions".  It reminded me of when I was a little girl (a looooong time ago!) and I liked to dress up just like my Mum - which led me to ponder the fact that when I became a mother I wanted to be the sort of mother she was and that now I've become a grandmother that I still want to be like her; hence the sentiment (which I did on the computer and will pop on to my freebies page shortly)
I used the sketch from Sweet Sketch Wednesday, I do like a nice sketch :-) 
I printed the image on linen paper and coloured with Copics, it being a "bling" challenge I embossed the gold necklace with Golden Sparkle EP and added Liquid Pearls to the pearl necklace.  I added gloss to the mirror too.
The papers (also printed on linen paper) are from  Nitwit Collections Romance and Roses FQB, I was surprised how few floral papers I had in my stash so I bought a couple of digi sets last week.  
The matting card is Kaiser (I think, it's been in my stash for a while)  The mat behind the image panel is cut using Nestabilities Fleur De Lis Rectangles, from a beautiful (and impossible to photograph!) handmade paper  with silk threads, I used the same paper on the "inside" of the card.
The acrylic and crystal trim is from my stash, I got it in Malaysia last year, the swirls on the base of the easel and above the top sentiment are stickers I didn't I think I'd use and now wish I had more of!  The blue pearls are Kaiser. 
That's about it for today's card.  Pop over to the Di's Digis Challenge Blog and check out the rest of the DT inspiration, it's awesome!  Hope to see you join in the challenge too, there's a great prize from Digi Darla and of course if you use one of the many fabulous Di's Digis you're in with a chance at winning two more!
Now here's that list of challenges I'm entering:
Left of Center Creative Challenges Use a digi image

Deep Ocean Challenge Sparkle

Penny´s Paper Die Cuts and/or Punches

Sweet Sketch Wednesday Sketch

Digi Makeover Favourite colour combo (Pink and blue are my favourite combo - especially since the twins were born, lol

Bunny Zoes Crafts Fave colour (I love all colour!)

One Sweet challenge May - Spring Colors

Forever Friends Pastel Colours

Crafty Creations Something Old (the card + the bling) Something New (Image and papers)

Delightful Sketches Use Stash (card and bling)

Clear It Out Theme Anything Goes Stash; Use 2+ papers

Joanna Sheen Music and Lyrics (Dressing Up by The Cure)

Colour Me Copic Celebrate Something (Mother's Day)

Great Impressions Celebrations (Mother's Day)

Crafty Sentiments Use a Sentiment 

Aud Sentiments Sentiment suitable for Mother and Child (to my Mother, from HER child :) )

Stamping With The Dragon A Flower for Mother (Floral paper)

Card Mania Challenges Flower Power (Floral paper)

Fresh BrewedFresh Brewed Designs Flowers (Floral paper)

Digi Stamps 4 Joy Women are Special - My Mum sure is special!

Kaboodle Doodles For the Ladies

Inky Impressions Mother's Day/For a lady

WhoopsiDaisy  - Mother´s Day or for a Special Lady

Little Red Wagon  All About Mom

Tuesday Throwdown My Mother, My Friend  (She sure is!)

Hobbycutz Mother's Day

Pile It On  For a Mother

The Pink Elephant Mother's Day

Celebrate the Occassion Mother's Day

Chocolate Coffee Cards Mother's Day

Creative Belli #169 Mother's Day

Creative Inspirations Mother's Day

Cuttin' and Stampin' Mother's Day

Going Grey with Scrap-Creations Mother's Day

Sweet Stamps  For Mom

Hanna and Friends Mother's Day

Corrosive Challenge Mother's Day

The Squirrel and the Fox  Mother´s Day

V´s Sweet Ideas  Mother´s Day

Papertake Weekly Anything Goes

Divas by Design Anything Goes

Paper Crafting Journey Anything Goes

613 Avenue Create Anything Goes

Eclectic Ellapu Anything Goes 

Fussy and Fancy Anything Goes

Love to Scrap Anything Goes

Loves Rubber Stamps Anything Goes

One Stitch at a Time Anything Goes

Through the Craft Room Door Anything Goes

Whimsy Stamps Anything Goes

eta: Phew, finished entering into the challenges - won't be repeating this feat any time soon!

Until next time, Happy Mother's Day to those who are celebrating and Happy Crafting to everyone! Donna 

Paper Piecing at Here Come The Boys

Sorry I'm a little late with this post... we had the twins over today so their knackered parents could have a break :) my Son and DIL came for breakfast, left them with us for the day and when they came to pick them up at 5ish I decided to make dinner for them as well - they only left an hour ago, and yes, I am a bit tired :D 
Anyway, a new challenge is starting today over at Here Come The Boys, the theme is Paper Piecing. 

Paper Piecing is not to be confused with Paper Piercing!  We want to see some of your image stamped/printed on to patterned paper then pieced into the image. It's my Dad's birthday (his 84th!) on Tuesday, I've made a card for him.   
I've used a great "male" image from Di's Digi Stamps, this is "Time for a Snooze", it looks like a great idea to me; Wine, Cheese and Bread and a little lie down :) Sweet Stampin' wants us to Create a Scene - this little scene was already made, I hope it counts!

I've coloured with Copics and added some gloss to the glass, bottle and Dad's nose!  I paper pieced the shirt and trousers, adding some shading where appropriate with Copics.  The papers are the same as I used for the rest of the card; from Basic Grey's Oliver pad, the "denim" is Kaisercraft, as is the grey matting.  My Mums Craft Shop has Spots or Stripes for their challenge so I'm in there, Moving Along With The Times has One for the Guys as their challenge theme so I'm entering there, Colour Me Copic has Celebrate Something and Creative Craft Challenges has All About Animals as does Cards for Men, (hope Teddy BEARS count, lol) so entering there too.
Papertake Weekly has it's regular "Sketchie Free For All" challenge running (yay!) I chose Sketch #68 as I thought it leant itself to the sort of fold I used, I use it a lot it's a good way of showing off all the layers that I also like to use, Cutie Pie Challenge  theme is Lots of Layers, no probs I'm in! It makes decorating the inside seem better value for money too, when you see it with the card closed, lol.
The FABULOUS sentiment, though I probably will struggle to explain it to Dad (wit unfortunately does NOT improve with Age or Wine) is from Create With TLC... and what's more it's a freebie! Thanks Paulette :-)  Aud Sentiments wants us to use a Birthday Sentiment, I have so I'm in.
Bearly Mine Challenges, Paper Crafting Journey and

Catch The Bug all have Anything Goes challenges on so I'll be entering them.

Well that's it for today's card... not an embellie in sight!  Quite a few foam dots, but you can't see them, lol.  I wasn't sure about this challenge when I first saw it, but one of the good things about being on a DT is it makes you stretch yourself... in the end I really enjoyed making this card, using a digi stamp made the paper piecing EASY and I think he looks pretty schmick too, lol.

Why don't you pop over to the Here Come The Boys blog and check out my Teamies work - there's some fab projects as always.  I hope you give the challenge a go yourself, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did (in the end!)  There's a great Teddy Bo image as the prize, yum!  We're celebrating our 2nd Birthday too, and have a fab BIRTHDAY CANDY for you to enter - WOOHOO :D

I'll be back in a day or so with another little project I've been working on, until then Happy Crafting, Donna 

Notes for Mother.

Today I have something a little different, I've made a set of note cards in a presentation box as one of the little gifts I plan to give my Mum on Mother's Day - which is next Sunday here in Australia; Mum's always needing a card for this or that so I made them with different sentiments.  Warning; Photo-Heavy post coming up 

I made the box by cutting up a box that one of the presents to my grandbabies came in, it holds six cards, six envelopes and I made some envelope seals by printing on self-adhesive paper which I mounted on a piece of card on the inside of the lid. Here's a picture of them...  

Gem of a Challenge has Recycle for their challenge theme, so I'm entering there, That Craft Place wants to see an Altered Item, hopefully this is fine to enter there too.

The patterned paper is silver grey, the black is flocked and has silver glitter detail, very pretty IRL.  The ribbon is from my stash, it's glued on up to the slider and to the edge of the base, the bow keeps the box shut (the lid is "hinged") 

The whole idea came about when I saw the theme at Less is More is this fab Sketch - I really love a sketch and thought this nice Clean and Simple look is easy to replicate to make a set of cards like this!  Easy it was, but time consuming nonetheless.    

I used a digistamp from Digistamp Boutique one of  the Black Floral set.  I used word to change the colour so I could have a set of six variations, I added six different sentiments (Thinking of You, With Love, Just Because, A Note To Say... and For You)  I'll be entering the Digistamp Boutique Monthly Challenge

I mounted each image on cardstock to match the image and sentiment (made on the computer) and added pearls from my stash to match too - those I didn't have a match for I coloured to suit with Copics.

I used my Versa Mark pen, traced over the image and embossed with Clear Detail EP - it's hard to see in the photos, but it's there!)

I did a simple embossed border using my score board, mounted the image panel on foam pads then the sentiment on to that with more foam pads.  
Simon Says Challenge theme is "Happy Mail" - cards that are for Just Because rather than specific occasions, I'm in - in spades!  Sweet Stampin' has Anything But a Birthday so I'm in there too :-)
I used the same image on the inside of the cards, scaled down and flipped (I love digis!) to "fit" the outside edge of the card. Bearly Mine Challenges and Paper Crafting Journey  have Anything Goes challenges so I'm entering there.
That's (finally!) about it for today's project, I'll be back on Sunday with my latest offering for the Here Come The Boys challenge.  I

I've had a lovely day today, we went in to Perth to the Mint to buy some gold as a birth gift for the twins; Perth Mint is world renowned, it holds over 3 billion dollars worth of gold reserves from countries around the world,half of that from the US alone!  It's a beautiful old building and it has a most drool-worthy jewellery shop.  The watch I got for Christmas came from there, made with a 1959 (yup, I'm that old, lol) Australian sixpence as its face and a fob chain - it's gorgeous!  We had lunch at one of our favourite haunts and I've done nothing but craft/blog since we came home - perfick!
Until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna

Any Shape But Square at Di's Digis... and some more photos of those twins!

There's a new challenge starting today at Di's Digis, the theme is Any Shape But Square.  I've gone oval, and made an easel card because that seems to me to be the best way to stand a round bottomed card up, lol

Paper Pretties wants to see our Fabulous Folds - I hope an easel is Fabulous enough [-o< Once again I've used my light tent for the photos, I still haven't got it quite right, but it is SO convenient! 

I've used the lovely new Bride image from Di's Digi Stamps - I've flipped it just because I could ;) (one of the things I love the most about digistamps!)  Bearly Mine Challenges wants us to use a Digi, I'm in!  
My card is the Not Square version of the sketch at Sketch Saturday.  Stamping Sensations wants Special Occasions Other Than Birthdays, Sweet Stampin' wants Anything But Birthdays and Corrosive Challenge has Life's Special Occasions so my Wedding card is going there.  Fab'n'funky Challenges has Love is a Many Splendoured Thing, so I'm in there and Divas by Design has Inspired by a Movie - I love My Best Friend's Wedding, so I'm entering there too:)

I've coloured with Copics, basing the whole colour scheme on the yellow/green colour of the polka dot flowers that I bought last week when (yet another) one of my favourite Scrapbooking shops closed down.  I had the Bazzil cardstock in my stash and it matches really well.  The stripy paper is lovely IRL, I got it from Starfish Lane - with a voucher for my birthday from my lovely son Chris :) I bought some really lussssshhhh papers; if I can bear to cut into them you'll see it here, lol.  Cupcake Craft Challenges has Monochromatic for their challenge, I'm in.

I cut the card using "old technology", my Fiskars cutting system and Large Oval Shapes.  The image panel was cut using Nestabilities Standard Circles and the mat was cut with Nestabilities Floral Ovals, Stampin' for the Weekend  has Die Cuts or Punches so I'm entering there.
The pearl string is from my stash... it's ANCIENT, at least fifteen years old!  The ribbon has been recycled from a gift, Gem of a Challenge has Go Green for their challenge, I'm thinking recycling is Green!
I stamped the sentiment using a Kaisercraft stamp and Stazon ink... I'm not the best stamper in the world (hence my love of user-friendly digis) but found that putting the sentiment behind the sheer ribbon hid a multitude of sins ;)  Paper Crafting Journey has Use a Sentiment as their challenge theme so I'm entering there. 
I raised the strip up on foam dots so it acts as the stop for the easel.  I added some Swarovski crystals to the flowers and iridescent sparkle to the bride's dress - it is showing very yellow in this picture, it's nowhere near this yellow IRL!
Simon Says Challenge has an Anything Goes theme this week, so I'm entering there.
That's about it for today's card, I hope you can join in the challenge this time around, we have a fab prize from Creations By AR, and don't forget if you use one of Di's Digis (and why wouldn't you?!) you go in to an extra draw too.  Pop over to the challenge blog and check out the rest of the DT makes... and you'll see how much fun not being square can be!
We had the twins today so that Matt and Elaine could have some time for themselves; we had a lovely day, the babies were so good and we got to show them off when we took them for a walk (well WE walked, they were in their pram!)
I thought I'd share a couple more of the photos Chris took of them last week - 

Emily; the image of her Mum

Nathan; Mini Matt

Daddy's hands are just a bit bigger than the babies!

An arty shot to end the show

 Until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna