A Note for School

Today I thought I'd share a little project that I made a while back but didn't get around to posting.  It's a notebook suitable for "Back To School" or just as a notebook!!

The image is Schoolgirl Emma (with Pencil) by CC Designs, available at All That Scraps...great for "back to school", she is available without pencil too (surprise!).  I've coloured her with Copics then fussy cut her to sit on her little ribbon ledge.

I've altered a couple of these notebooks, Here is one of them.  They start life pretty plain with  a cute little pen attached, I "flatten" them out before I decorate them, it just seems to be easier that way...and I'm into "easy", lol. 

I covered this one with some scrapbooking paper, then added the bottom panel with paper from Kaisercrafts Class of '87, the ribbon is from my stash as is the little metal sticker.  One Stop Craft Challenge has Anything But a Square as its theme this time, this is not a square card...not square, not a card so I'm in!
The inside is covered with a panel of the scrapbooking paper, the scalloped border is from the Class of '87 paper and more of my dotty ribbon....that is basically it; told you it was easy!  Sundays With Chrissie want us to KISS (Keep It Simple Stamper) this month, lots of my cards are pretty simple...but they don't get much simpler than this, lol.

Creative Craft Challenges has Anything But a Card as its theme - no card here and Totally Gorjuss has As You Like It: definitely qualify there! Paperplay Challenges, Totally Papercrafts, Stamp Something, Just Us Girls Challenges and  Allsorts Challenge all have Back to School...so I'm in, in, in, in and in!

That's it for today, I'll be back in a day or so, until then Happy Crafting, Dee

Cherish

Well, I've been super busy...all that "life" getting in the way of  "craft".  It makes you cherish your crafting time, though that's not why this post is titled Cherish: that would be because the sentiment for this card suitable for an engagement, anniversary or even wedding is "Cherish"

I used a Digistamp Boutique image from their Cute Birds collection, I love these simple images for the lovely clean look you get when you colour them up (this colouring looks much "smoother IRL, honest!).  There are about a million (possibly an exaggeration, lol) to choose from, for all sorts of occasions  and they're all cute, IMO :-)  Moving Along With The Times has Birdys as its challenge theme, so I'm entering there.

Addicted to Stamps Photo Inspiration

Cupcake Inspirations Photo Inspiration

  Addicted to Stamps and Cupcake Inspirations both have photo inspirations, so I'm entering there. 
I used paper from Basic Grey's Lauderdale collection, it has such lovely bright patterns.  The mat behind the image panel and the punched strips are made from textured foil card by Sam and Lucy (from Spotlight), and the lavender card is from American Crafts embossed with Cuttlebugs Forest Branches embossing folder.
The image is coloured with Prismacolor pencils, I originally coloured it in soft pastels, it looked very nice but when I put the card together it was just too pale...so I added more pencil; One Stop Craft Challenge has Bold and Bright as its challenge theme, I think its bold and bright enough to enter, so I'm in.
Simon Says Challenge has this great Sketch this time around, so I'm entering there.
I cut the image panel with Nestabilities Labels Twelve, and the edge of the mat as well as the strips at the top and bottom of the patterned paper with Martha Stewarts Modern Garland edge punch (actually it's part of an "around the page" set),   Papertake Weekly has Dies to Die for as its challenge, so I'm entering there.  I added amethyst coloured rhinestones to these strips and the metal sentiment plaque has a glittery finish: Bearly Mine Challenges has Bring on the Bling as its challenge theme, this has plenty of bling (hard to photograph!) - so its in!
Digital Tuesday has Cute and Girly as its challenge theme, I'm entering there as I think this is cute and girly...though perhaps that's a bad thing if it's for a "couple based" celebration, lol.
 As it's such a simple sketch, I echoed it on the inside of the card, using the same papers.  Instead of adding a plain strip as a jotting panel, I made a sort of mini card, stamped Congratulations with Kaisercraft ink and sparkly embossing powder on the "front"  and punched and blinged one end of the "inside".
Well that's about it for my little card, I still have a few images ready to go...I might just make a few simple cards to satisfy my need to craft with the limited time I seem to have at the moment.
Until then, Happy Crafting, Dee

Hope Your Birthday Stacks Up

It's Sunday...so time for a new challenge over at Here Come The Boys.  The theme this time is Brown and Orange, so here's my card done in, wait for it, Brown and Orange!! 

The image I've used is Wilbur Woof from Pollycraft, but I think it may be discontinued :-(  It was one of the very first digis I bought...it's printed on the card I used to use to make my cards and I've got to say it's nowhere near as smooth as the card I use now (from Collins Craft) or the Xpress Blending Card I use when I'm feeling really flush...which is about the best I've used with Copics (this image is coloured with Prismacolor Pencils so I wouldn't have used my Xpress anyway, lol)
I've used this great sketch from Sweet Sketch Wednesday, you know I love a good sketch!!  I've put the sentiment where the flower placeholder is on the sketch, but it's allowed!!  The sentiment is (a digi of course!) from Hobby Palais, one of LOADS that Renate has there at a very reasonable price, I changed the colour to brown (easily done using Word) and erased the text from the inside of the circle, though I needn't have bothered as the brad (which I think was from Bella) was big enough to cover it anyway!
I'm really pleased with my pencil work this time, I've got a reasonably strong colour and I've kept some shading...usually I overwork the pencil until it's completely blended to one shade; not the idea at all!!  Still not up to Copic standard, but a lot less stress (it's really hard to ooze over the edge with pencil, and leaving the lid off the pencil doesn't send you into a melt down, lol)  One Stop Craft Challenge this time is Bold and Bright...I think this is Bold and Bright enough, so I'm entering there.
I added a bit of Gloss to Wilbur's nose and some gold Diamond Stickles to the blue gift...talking of which, My Time To Craft has "G is for...." as it's challenge this time; I'm in with my G is for Gifts.  A Spoonful of Sugar and  Divas by Design both have birthdays, so I'm in there tool
The papers are from Kaisercraft...the Handmade collection, with Chocolate cardstock from American Crafts for matting.  Allsorts Challenge this time is "You've Been Framed", I think this fits the bill, so I'm entering there.  Cards For Men has Anything Goes... I'm definitely in there!  
When I punched the edge of the brown starry paper (using Fiskars Apron Lace punch) I didn't do a very good job of finishing the corners...which is why I've glued this gorgeous little chipboard dragonfly on to the orange Card Candi (told you I'd be using that a lot, lol)  The dragonfly was one on a mini sheet that came as a little thank you with my order from Make It Crafty...thanks Zoe, so cute! 
I made the sentiment on the computer, I tried to stack the words up like the gifts in the image, not sure if it came off or not, lol.  I finished the inside with some paper that goes with the outside though it's not the same...it has a lovely bit of texture to it that you can't capture in the photo.
I used the same paper on a notebook ages ago, I've never posted it...I'll do that one day, lol.  Some ribbon and more of that great Craft Candi finish the inside off.
That's it for my Brown and Orange card, why don't you hop over to Here Come The Boys and check out the rest of the DT inspiration...don't forget to enter the challenge, you could win a great prize, and you've got a whole fortnight!
Until next time, Happy Crafting, Dee

Trick or Treat

This is my second post for today using some of the new release images from CC Designs, available at All That Scraps. My first post (here, or scroll down) used "Halloween Eyeball Birgitta" and this one uses two of the little darlings....Angel Birgitta and Devil Birgitta.  Why don't you go to the All That Scraps Blog and check out the rest of the DT inspiration; it really is fabarooney!!

The image panel is cut from a glittery patterned paper using Nestabilities Labels Nine, the images are coloured using Copics with just a touch of gold Diamond Stickles on the halo.  Copic Oz has All About the Hair as it's challenge theme this time...I've done a few cards where I've concentrated on the hair and I think it's paying off!  I'm entering there anyway, 'coz I like the Birgittas hair!

I used the sketch from Cupcake Craft Challenges this time, do love a nice sketch!  The Paper Shelter has a Recipe challenge this time: 1embellishment, 2 images 3 designer papers, this sketch lends itself to the three papers and my darling duo are definitely two images (I cut them out and foam dotted them for dimension, also because I wanted to used that lovely glittery background paper for the image mat, and I've used Dew Drops as my embellishment - I hope the ickle bit of ribbon doesn't count, though if I needed two embellishments I would hope that it DID count :-)
I generated the sentiment on the computer, using free fonts from DaFont...if you'd like to grab it feel free (just right-click and Save to your computer) there's a link on my Freebies page too, so it's available all the time (don't forget it's easy to alter the colour and size in Word!)  I had the sentiment panel (bit extreme calling something that size a panel, lol) attached using a beaded head pin, but it was very difficult to get it completely balanced...I did, but then decided it looked better fixed in that place anyway!

The papers I used are digis from Crafty Chaos Designs; the "Eye of Newt" collection (how cool is that name?!) I lightened them up a bit (in Photoshop, but you can achieve much the same result in Word), everything is mounted on blue card from American Crafts.This is the first time I've used these papers, I've had them sitting on my computer since I won them a LONG time ago (keeping my 150+ unused digi images company, lol) it's lovely to finally get around to using them.  I think I'm going to love digi papers as much as I love digi images...for the same reasons; they're so flexible - you can resize them,  you can change the hue, print off only as much as you need, you never run out - just print more - and they take up no room in my craftspace (plus added bonus, I can sneak them in to my stash without my hubby seeing them!) 

I used more of the paper from the Eye of Newt (that name!) collection for the inside of the card too.  I also used more of the Dew Drops that I used on the front, I was very careful what order I put them in because the way I had them at first they looked like traffic lights, lol.
The Crafty Pad has Cute and Girly as it's challenge theme, I think this card with its Cute Girlies on fits the bill, so I'm entering there.  Both Addicted to Stamps and Whoopsi Daisy Challenge have Anything Goes as their theme; definitely fits the bill there, so I'm in!
Anyway that's it for today, I'll be back on Sunday with my card for the Here Come The Boys Challenge...unless by some miracle I get something else finished before that, lol.  I hope to see you then, Happy Crafting, Dee

Too Cute To Spook

Well, I think this little lady is too cute to spook...what about you?  This is one of the cards I've made to showcase the new digi release from CC Designs available today at All That Scraps

I've used another couple of the new release images in my second post for today...check it out here (or scroll up).  Why don't you go and check out the rest of the design team's great work at the All That Scraps blog too mucho "Too cute to spook" there!!.

The image panel is cut using my Large Scalloped Square Nestabilities, Birgitta is coloured with Copics, as is the background scene -Swiss Pixies Halloween Scene  - also from CC Designs.I've concentrated on the hair again in my drive to make it look realistic...which may be a superfluous gesture on a girl who doesn't have a mouth, lol.    Copic Oz has All About the Hair as its challenge theme so I'm entering there.

Birgitta is cut out and popped up on foam dots. After I'd taken the picture if my card, I decided to add some Gloss to the eyeball, you can see it in this photo.  I think it added a little something!The sketch I used this time was a goodie...it's from Sketch and Stash.  The stash I've used, apart from the brand new image, is the fabulous Card Candi I just got.  This is from the Jelly Tots collection.  I coloured the bottom piece of candi with some pigment ink...Copics wouldn't "take" which is unusual, but the ink did the job just fine. The designer paper is Doodlebugs Oogle Boogle- it's discontinued, apparently :-(  mounted on black card.  The sentiment is computer generated, mounted on purple card from American Crafts (I think).

I used one of my many generally-unused gel pens to add some faux stitching around the edge of the card and the sentiment, it just took the starkness off them.  The Pink Elephant has stitching (real or faux, me faux, lol) as its challenge theme so I'm in there.   I attached the sentiment using a brad from my stash.  The purple organza ribbon came from stash too...though I think it's actually from my cake decorating stash which means it's probably YEARS old :-)

The inside of the card is finished very simply using the same Nestie as the front...I can't remember the name of the paper, wish I could, I'd get some more - it's been very handy not just for Halloween either.
The polka dot flower and orange flower-brad centre just cheered it all up a bit.

Addicted to Stamps and Whoopsi Daisy Challenge both have Anything Goes as their challenge theme this time, so I'm entering there too.
Don't forget to check out the rest of the DT work...and to check out my other post of course, lol.
Until then, or next time you visit, Happy Crafting, Dee

Life's a Beach

I've got a card today I made just for fun! I coloured up a few images when I was away...quite a few actually - which I've had "sitting" on the computer for far longer than I care to admit, ho-hum sound familiar?  These photos aren't truly accurate for colour; I've had to take them at night to hit a challenge deadline and even though I've used my Daylight lamp, it's not the "same" as daylight proper.  Frankly, I'm too lazy to take them again and repost!  So here's my nearly-true-to-colour card...

The images are Summer Dreams and Tropical Beach, both from Make It Crafty.  Great little Aussie company that you just have to go check out. The background is coloured with Prismacolor Pencils, and the girl is coloured with Copics. Creative Craft Challenges has Summertime, One Stop Craft Challenge has At the Beach, Digital Tuesday has I Love the Sea, By The Cute and Girly has The Sea and Die Cut Dreams has Holiday Fun...this little scene fits all these challenges, so I"M IN!! A LOT!

Crafting Life's Pieces have this fabulous sketch for August, it was a really easy sketch to use, I love it.

I've used papers from Echo Park's Walk In The Park collection, and the polka dot paper is from Inque Boutique Cabana collection Stampin' for the Weekend has Spots and Dots as its challenge theme, so I'm entering there.  

The image panel is cut and embossed with Labels Twelve Nestabilities double matted on a sparkly sort of mango colour then lovely orange American Crafts textured card.  Everything is popped up on foam dots, bit foam dot crazy today really!!

The corners have Card Candi to finish them, I've been toying with getting some, now I have and I LOVE it, you'll be seeing more of it - for sure!  I made the flowers using a Fiskars punch I got on sale ages ago and have never used, I don't know why not now - it cuts really cleanly and is kind of cute.  The centres are brads from my stash.  Papertake Weekly's challenge this time was "Grow Your Own Flowers"... so my punched flowers get me in there and  Lexis Creations has a recipe challenge this time: 1 image 2 Flowers 3 papers...tick, tick, tick; I'm in!!

The sentiment ticket was a blank (digi, of course!) from Bizzy Becs, another little Aussie company.  I used Microsoft Word to add the sentiment by using a couple of text boxes (that way you can reduce the spacing between the two lines, and use different fonts more easily).  I mounted it on a piece of the orange card then used the edge of my hole punch to clip into the ends and corners.  I inked the edges with yellow and orange pigment ink to tie it all together.

The base of this card has a slight texture to it, like watercolour paper, it's not as prominent on the inside, though still there.  I used offcuts from the front, some more card candi and a couple more flowers to finish it off. An offcut of plain white card inked around the edge makes the sentiment panel easy to write on.

That's it for my card today, I've got a few more images up and ready but I do have some DT work for next week...and of course none of the images I have coloured are appropriate, for one reason (wrong theme) or another (new release...watch this space!)...doesn't matter, I get to play tomorrow anyway; though the footy - Australian Rules Football to you :-) is on at lunch time and my husband has converted me to a bit of a fanatic (through a sort of system of water torture, drip, drip, drip over 35 years!) so maybe not.  I'll just have to "craft" in between my real work next week, lol.

I hope that your corner of the world is safe and secure, and that for you "Life's a Beach", until next time, Happy Crafting, Dee

Everyone's a Mad Scientist...

The title of today's post is part of a quote from David Cronenberg; "Eveyone's a Mad Scientist....and life is their lab." 

The little Mad Scientist in THIS lab is Mad Scientist Honey by CC Designs,  the Skull, Spider, and Bat are from the CC Designs Halloween Accessories set and the Eyeballs are from the Honey Beaker and Eyeballs set. They are all available as digis only from All That Scraps, pop over to the All That Scraps Blog to see some of the other Halloween digis on review.  As it's August Digi Day over at Stamp Something I'm entering my Mad Scientist over there!

I used this sketch from Totally Gorjuss...isn't it, well, totally gorjuss??!!
The orange card is actually a folder I bought from a stationery shop when I was away recently...I bought a few bits and pieces thinking I could throw a card together, well THAT didn't work out, but I can still use the bits I bought, so it's fine.
The gorgeous patterned paper is one of the many fabulous digi papers available at Bearly Mine Designs, there are loads of freebies too - this is one of them - Donna is very generous adding freebies regularly. 
I've mounted the patterned paper on various textured black card, the image panel is cut using Standard Circles Nestabilities the mat using Lacey Circles Nestabilities.  Ellephantastic Challenges wanted us to add some layers, I've got layers in the background and also I've paper pieced the bat and skull (though it's hard to see) so I'm in!  The spotty ribbon is from my stash Stampin' For The Weekend has Spots and Dots as its challenge theme, so I'm in.
Honey is coloured with Copics, there are glossy accents on the glass beakers, her glasses and the spider...you can actually sort of see the shine in the photo - for a change! 
I tried to colour Honey's hair to look more realistic, my ATS teamie Shelby and Blog friend Brenda always have me in awe with "their hair" so I'm trying to channel them!  Copic Oz has "It's All About the Hair" as their challenge this time around, so I'm entering there as I feel I'm on track (though definitely not "there" yet, lol) for doing good hair.
The Sir Stampalot Challenge this time is Whatever You Fancy ...I definitely AM there, so I'm in. 

The sentiment on my card is a digi (of course!) from Hobby Palais, there's HEAPS to choose from...and they're really well priced!  For some reason the photo is out of focus...must be the camera, couldn't possibly be the photographer, lol.

The inside of the card is finished with more of that fabulous paper from Bearly Mine with the Lacey Circle Nesties featuring again for the sentiment panel, easy peasy!
That's it from my safe little corner of the world for today, I am thinking of those in the UK - and elsewhere for that matter - that are enduring the unrest and violence we are seeing on the news, I hope the impact on you is minimal and that sanity soon returns.  Until next time, Happy Crafting, Dee

Snake, Rattle and Roll

Okay, I'm back from the bush and ready to roll….you could say “snake, rattle and roll” lol.  My card for today is for the Here Come The Boys Challenge…our theme this week is “Critters”.  

The image I’ve used is a digi from Just Inklined: I do love their cute but not cutesy images: I mean this little guy’s a snake and yet he’s still really appealing!  His name is Ringo and he’s coloured with Copics, with a little green Stickles on the rattle.  It’s the monthly “Digi Day” challenge at Stamp Something, so I’m entering there.   Creative Inspirations has Summertime as its challenge theme, and Divas by Design has Summer; Ringo is a summer kind of critter - well definitely where I live in Australia, (though we don't get rattlesnakes) so we’re in.

I made an easel card, because I wanted to make a round card and I find an easel is the easiest way to get round cards to sit straight!!  Whoopsi Daisy Challenge, Moving Along With The Times,  Crazy 4 Challenges and Fuzzy Wuzzy Challenges all want Shaped cards - other than a square or rectangle this time around (pardon the pun!) my circular card is definitely not a square, so I’m in.  

The image panel is cut and embossed using Nestabilities Standard Circles, as is the mat.  The background paper is from Basic Grey’s Lauderdale collection -part of the goodies I funded with a recent voucher I won…or should I say partly funded; you know how it is – you may as well add a bit to make the post worthwhile, before you know it you’ve doubled the value!!

The inside of the card is finished very simply indeed, with some paper from a scrapbooking pack.

I struggled to get the right trim for this card, in the end I am really happy with the twine (which I purloined from my husbands shed); I plaited three pieces to make it nice and “ropey” looking and just tied it off in a knot leaving the ends loose.

I cut the grass from a piece of hand-made green paper glued to light card to make the “stopper” for the easel – if I had a die cut I would have used it, but I don’t so I just used my trusty scissors.  I coloured the edges to finish them off a bit more.  The leaves along the front edge are from a ribbon or string I got ages ago, the little Kaisercraft pearls are from my stash.

The sentiment is computer generated – my husband suggested turning the capital “S’s” into little snakes so I added forked tongues, cute eh?    Craft Your Passion and Papertake Weekly have Anything Goes as their challenge theme, so I’m entering there too.

What an easy card…quick to colour and so few embellishments!!  I really liked making it; I hope you enjoyed looking at it.  So why don't you go over to Here Come The Boys and check out the rest of the Design Team critters? Check out the great 1000 follower candy up for grabs while you're there!

I'll be back soon, until then, Happy Crafting, Dee.

Arianna is NINE!!

Well, I’m still away…I just remembered I had this card made up and ready to post, so I thought I would - post it that is!!

 This is the card I made for my nephew’s daughter for her Ninth birthday.  I’ve used one of the adorable Swiss Pixies by CC Designs – available at All That Scraps; this is Sweetheart Birgitta; she is coloured with Copics with some Diamond Stickles on her little wings.  Digistamps 4 Joy wants us to use an image of a child; I'm not sure if Pixie children count, but I'm entering there so we'll soon see :-)

I used purple card from DCWV Jewel collection for the base and mats; DCWV Endless Summer for the spotty panel – the spots are nice and glittery, and Kaisercrafts Magic Happens collection for the stripy panel.  The inside is finished with the same papers.

I cut all the mats with Nestabilities Labels Twelve, inking the edges of the image panel with some Kaisercraft ink.

The sentiment is stamped and embossed.

The number nine is a sort of ribbon slider, so I threaded some really wide pink organza ribbon through the middle of it - using wide ribbon makes the rest of the ribbon "puff" out and look like a bow.  Cupcake Craft Challenges want us to "use a number" - here's a number, so I'm in!!

Craft Your Passion has "Anything Goes" this week, Allsorts Challenge is Free and Easy and Sir Stampalot has Whatever You Fancy so I'm entering there.

Hope you like my great-niece's (eeww, KNEW that would make me sound OLD!!) card, I'll be back in a few days with another card.  Until then, Happy Crafting, Dee (I'm off now back to my little cabin with today's purchase; the BEST port I've ever tasted to go with the goats cheese I found yesterday; who needs "proper" food anyway?! lol)

Wet Weather and Wine

Well, I am writing this post from “Down South”…the cabin my husband and myself go to for “real” breaks – as opposed to holidays which (for us at least) are always very “full on”.

It is winter, and so there is a bit of blustery weather around…but that has made the cheese-and-wine-in-front-of-the-log-fire all the more appealing (it’s still not THAT cold to be honest, but we grab “winter” with both hands so we can justify all this sitting around wine guzzling, lol

Margaret River, the region we are staying in, is one of the premier wine regions in the world so the wine is a feature…but the wineries and so-called Cellar Doors are a major attraction in themselves, so many truly fabulous places and more impressive each time we come down.

The weather hasn’t kept our little visitors away; I thought I’d share some photos of them (taken from inside the cabin or from the verandah)  There's  kangaroos, of course...they're pretty timid and don't come right up to the cabin if they can see you, they're about ten metres away here - though they do come up during the night.   

 The possums and bandicoot visit in the evening; they come right up to the door, if you don't move too suddenly they'll practically take food from your hand. I love the way possums hold their food...they gaze at it before they eat it. 

We haven't had many finches or wrens this time..a bit cool for them I think,  but we have had the bronzewings and the ring-necked parrots: The parrots are my favourite because they have such ATTITUDE!!  There's always one on the roofs bars of my husbands car- running the show!  The rest strut around picking over the seed we throw out, the poor old Bronzewings get the leftovers, though they look like they get plenty -I'll have to get a picture up, they look like really overweight doves!

Anyway, I am colouring images like a demon for a cardmaking frenzy when I get home, lol.  I have got a card ready to post about…I’ll do that in the next day or so; the mobile broadband I bought specifically to use at the cabin doesn’t work – not enough signal – so I have to wait until we go into town (or at least half way there!)  For some reason there is coverage for my ipad, same network - go figure, but blogging from that is a bit of a pain, so I’ll just wait.

Until then Happy Crafting, Dee