Tuesday, April 10, 2012

24 Carat Easter

This is quite a long post, I'll forgive you if you just "look at the pretty pictures", lol.
Finally, I have a card to show today.... Mrs Mojo is still conspicuous in her absence but I did sit and play over the weekend and I've come up with a couple of cards - this one I started before I went to Malaysia!!  
It looks darker in the photo than IRL, I didn't take the picture until dusk and my options were "take it in the shade" or "take it in stippled light"... I went for "shade" :-)
The image is Dusty Rabbit from Just Inklined, and I think he looks like we do with our Easter eggs - he's certainly having a "24 Carat Easter", lol.  I got this image LAST Easter and never got around to using it, now I have so I'm entering Lisa's Waste Not Wednesdays challenge to use stash.  He's coloured with Copics and Prismacolor pencils.  
My Mums Craft Shop and Top Tip Tuesday want to see our Easter creations or things with Animals on... I've got both! Do You Stack Up wants to see our Friendly Critters, Crafts 4 Eternity has Bunnies and Chicks as its theme, Crafty Sentiments MONTHLY ChallengeThe Secret Crafter and Craft Your Days Away have Easter themes and The Paper Shelter has Anything Goes with Easter in Mind, so I'm entering all those challenges.
I've used the sketch from Sweet Sketch Wednesday, always a great source of sketches... this one was perfect for the larger than normal image panel, cut using my new Impress Ornate Frame dies.   I bought eight new sets, here, and they're pretty good; they cut really crisply and while not as sturdy as Nestabilities (they "warp" a little, but flatten out again) they're really good value.  Simon Says Challenge this time around is to use our Favourite Crafting Tool - I think my Cuttlebug is my favourite, if I discount my paper cutter, which I use on every card (you do tend to dismiss those "essentials", don't you?) 
The Crafty Pad has Just Die Delicious and Sweet Stampin' has Dies and Doodles; you can see my attempt at doodling around the edge of the mat behind the image panel.  To be honest, there's quite a difference in size between these two dies (largest and second largest) and it needed something to fill the space up a bit, so the doodling fit the bill well.  The sentiment is computer generated, with some Card Candi.
The inside of the card, as always, is finished using elements from the front.
I've used Martha Stewart's Garden Trellis punch as a border on the yellow cardstock, from American Crafts (as is the orange).  The metal floral trim on the front is a purchase from Malaysia (though it was harder to find "stuff" there than I thought it would be - my Mum always brings stuff back, she does well!!)
I've used papers from my Inque Boutique Kabana pad, luckily I bought two of them (actually they were stuck together and we couldn't get them apart without damaging them so I got a "deal" for buying the two!) as I find it very versatile. I distressed the edges of everything with Versamark Lime ink, I wish I hadn't, but once I started I was committed, as it changed the whole look from "clean" to "country",  sort of :-)
 The flower on the front is from my stash, with some Diamond Stickles to "lift" it, those on the inside were punched using Nellie Snellen Floral punch set (which does add some texture, but I go over the back of the petals with my ball tool to add more dimension, and a small flower punch from my LSS (embossed for dimension also).  The centres are Dew Drops from Robins Nest, Green Stickles in the centre of the small flowers.  The greenery is a Martha Stewart punch too, "Pine Branch". 
The Pink Elephant has Flowers as its challenge theme, so I'm entering there. 
Stamping With The DragonThe Craft PlaceCards for Men and Cupcake Craft Challenges all have "Spring" challenges, so I'm entering there and Fairy Fun Fridays and Papertake Weekly both have Anything Goes challenges, so entering there too.
That's it for today's card, ended up being a much longer post than I intended, sorry about that :-)  I hope you had a 24 Carat Easter and don't find going "back to the grindstone" too hard.  
Until next time, don't forget to enter my Candies - links in my sidebar, Happy Crafting, Donna

32 comments:

downrightcrafty said...

what a gorgeous Easter Creation, thank you so much for joining us at the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge this week
Hugs and Happy Easter
Kate x
ps I have candy if you are interested :)

Tracey T said...

I SO know how this bunny feels! This is such a great image, Donna and I love the die cuts and the doodling. It's always great to have you playing along with us at Sweet Stampin'. Hope you had fab Easter break. Hugs, Tracey xx

Jeannie said...

What a silly bunny! I love the colors and all of the great embellishments you used! Thanks so much for joining us this week at Sweet Sketch Wednesday.

Peace & Luv,
Jeannie

cotnob said...

What a fab card, I love the fun image and your gorgeous embellishments.
Thank you for joining us at The Crafty Pad this week.
Pauline
x

AN said...

Kiitos liittymisestä The Paper Shelter has Anything Goes with Easter -haasteeseen ja onnea arvontaan!
Korttisi on upea! Kaikkea hyvää elämääsi sinulle sinne <3

Debbie said...

What a lovely card, thank you for showing us all at ~Sweet Stampin'~ this week. Debbiexx

Patti P. said...

Donna, what a cute and funny image. I too have some in my stash that I need to print off and color. Love those dies and your faux embellishment of the outside one. Your inside is as beautiful as the outside. So glad you could share with us this week at Sweet Sketch Wednesday.

Patti SSW/DT

Cards By MI said...

Such great fun card. Love it! Thanks for playing with us over at the Paper Shelter this week.
Love n hugs
Marie

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous card Donna so sorry you missed the TTT Deadline the challenge closed at 6pm UK time Monday! but the good news is we have a new challenge and it runs for nearly 2 weeks! hugs me xx

JoanieMc said...

Oh, I love the bunny, he is so adorable..lol You made a great creation and thanks for sharing it with the Crafty Pad Challenge this week.

Hugs
Joanie

pinky said...

This is just gorgeous Donna. Thanks for joining us at Crafts4Eternity.
Pinky

Unknown said...

What a fabulous expression on the bunny's face .
fantastic card I love this one.
Hugs Elaine

Linda Anderson said...

This is beyond words adorable!! Love, love, love that bunny image! Such gorgeous embellies too. Thanks for joining us at Sweet Sketch Wednesday.

Linda

Brodders said...

Great work:) Thanks for joing us this week at Cupcake Crafts and good luck - Jane x

Julie said...

Great Easter card - love the colours you've chosen!

Thanks ever so much for joining us at CYDA for our Easter challenge!

Julie x

Genevieve said...

Beautiful card & sweet little image. Thanks so much for joining us this week @ Sweet sketch Wednesday :)

Genevieve DT

mulberry station said...

Your card makes me smile. It is so adorable. Thanks for joining us.
Nancy SSW-DT

Venus said...

Hi Donna, I really like your card, the bunny makes me smile and the die cuts are fabulous. Thank you for joining us at the Crafty Pad

Venus-DT
http://weheartpapercrafts.blogspot.com/p/my-giveaway.html

Arlana 11426 said...

Your card is just so SWEET.. Love your Bunny. Have a sweet day!!! Arlana@SSW!!!

Heide said...

What a fun image! Great card and love all the detail that you have added. Thanks for joining us at Sweet Sketch Wednesday.
Hugs, Heide SSW-DT

michele said...

Fabulous card Donna! Thanks for joining us at crafts 4 Eternity this week hugs x

AuroraDawn said...

Wow Donna, your card is fantastic! Fabulous colouring and design layout. Its stunning!!

Thank you for joining our 'Spring' challenge at That Craft Place. Please come back and join us again soon :O)

Inky Hugs

Dawn
xxx

xxxtglxxx said...

Gorgeous easter card and such a fun image! :)

Thanks so much for joining us at Sweet Stampin this week,

hugs

xxalisonxx

Pat K said...

Super cute card Donna and I know how he feels! Love your doodling around the edge, cheerful paper choice and fab colouring.

Mickaela Sundkvist said...

Such a great card! I love the coloring on the carrot, you really gave the image a depth. The doodling just turned out great and what a wonderful idea to use it for a fillout between dies, i have to try it soon...

Thank you for joining us at Sweet Stampin' this week.

Love Mickaela

Curly said...

He is absolutely gorgeous he has had too many carrots by the looks of him,

Thank you so much for joining us at The Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge with absolutely adorable creation its just perfect,

I hope you will try to join us again next week,
Have a lovely day,
Hugs Bridget SCSC DT

HelenR said...

Gorgeous card, I love the doodles! Thanks for joining us at Sweet Stampin' this week! Helen :) x

Kezzy said...

Gorgeous card, really love the image and the embellishments are stunning. Thank you for joining us at That Craft Place Challenge Blog :-) Kezzy x

Liza said...

A lovely creation, thanks for joining in with our spring theme this week at CCC.

Liza x

Wishcraft said...

Love it hun, such a fun card! Thanks for joining in with my WNW challenge :o) Hugs, Lisa x

Delphine said...

Fantastic card and your image is fab! Thanks for joining us at Cupcake and good luck! Delphine xx

Mandy said...

Gorgeous card,love the cute image and colours...Thanks for joining in with us at Cards for Men,hope to see you next time....
Mandy x