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

Little Boy Blue

We have a new challenge starting today over at Here Come The Boys; the theme is "Little Boy Blue" - we want to see cards (for a male, don't forget) that are Monochrome Blue - so you can use as many shades of Blue as you like - and we'll even let you add flesh, hair or, like me, fur colours ;)

This is in fact the first card I photographed using my portable light studio, it looks a little "flat", but hopefully I'll get more adept and my cards will look more as they do in real life. 

This photo shows the dimension a little better.

I've used the gorgeous Baby Bear Scales from Di's Digi Stamps, so sweet and such a dream to colour with crisp lines and precise detail.  I've coloured with Copics, with a few Prismacolor pencil shadows.  I actually enjoyed keeping this card monochrome, which I didn't think I would! Totally Papercrafts has Monochromatic as their challenge theme so I'm entering there and Without Words wants us to focus on Blues so I'm entering there too.   The papers I've used are digis - the Baby Boy pack from The Stamp Fairy, the blue card is from my stash.

The image and mats are cut using Nestabilities Standard Circles and Scalloped Circles, the flourish is the Corner Bow die from Memory Box... I got it and some of it's stable mates from my lovely Mum for my Birthday; it cuts beautifully!  The scalloped border is cut using Fiskars Apron Lace punch. The little duck is (or was until I cut the shank off it!) a button from my stash.  Sweet Stampin' has Buttons and Bows and Polka Dots as their challenge theme, I've got them all, so I'm in!
I've followed the sketch from Friday Sketch Challenge, I've changed the rectangles to circles and used the flourish in place of the green element on the sketch... it's probably the most interpretive I've ever been with a sketch, but I think it's still clear that my card was based on it, so I'm hoping it's okay :-"
I used the same sketch for the inside of my card, that button is from my stash too.

That Craft Place has For a Child as their challenge theme, Cards for Men has Anything Goes as does Ready Teddy Go and Stamping Sensations Special Occasions Other Than Birthdays so I'm entering those too. 

That's it for today's card, pretty clean and simple really :)
Hope you can join in the challenge this time around, if you haven't gone Monochrome before give it a go... you might just love it like I did!  There's a great prize on offer of a selection of charms.  Pop on over to the blog and check out the rest of the Design Team's inspiration... even though we've all used blue, it's amazing the variety of projects that we've come up with!
My youngest son Chris is a photographer, he took some photos of his brother's (my eldest son's) new family aka "the twins" who are three weeks old now - I thought I'd share a couple of my favourites, here and over at Show Me Thursday

Nathan thought he'd take a bite out of Daddy's nose

Kruza watching over Emily

I have some other beautiful photos to share... I'll get them resized and proudly display them next time.  Until then, Happy Crafting, Donna 

Feline....BUSY!

I'm sorry I haven't been around much this week, it was my hubby's birthday last Saturday, mine on Tuesday and my son went back to work on Thursday so I've been over at their place yesterday and today helping my DIL.  In between times, we've bought a new TV for the Family Room and a unit to sit it on (TV hubby's idea, unit mine, lol), oh and of course that little thing called running a business!
I did get time to make up this easel card, but it is now 12.48 am and I'm just getting around to writing the post.  I took photos at midnight using my new portable photo studio (light tent thingy, lol) that I got for my birthday.

I've used "Feline Fables" from Di's Digi Stamps, coloured with Copics.  The papers are from Kaisercraft's Botanical Odyssey pad, the scalloped die cuts come in the collection.  The pearls are from my stash and I cut down a Craftworks sentiment to suit.
I used this sketch from Sketch Saturday, and would like to enter the following challenges

That Craft Place For a Child

Paper Crafting Journey Use a Sentiment

Paper Pretties Happy Birthday To...

The Paper Shelter Make it Bloom

Crafts 4 Eternity April Showers Bring May Flowers

Digital Tuesday Springtime

My Nifty Little Photo Studio

I'll be back on Sunday with my Here Comes the Boys DT card, I may pop over in the meantime and post some pics of my gorgeous (I know, I'm biased) grandies... my youngest son has taken some nice shots, but they are HUGE files so I have to convert them to .jpegs before I can do anything with them.

Until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna

It's All About The Bears

New challenge starting today over at Di's Digis Challenge blog... and it's All About The Bears.  Di has so many fabulous bear images I thought I'd take the opportunity to make a start on my Christmas cards

The image is called Santa's Long List, it and sooo many more can be found on Di's new website Di's Digi Stamps.  Moving Along With The Times wants to know what Film or Song inspired our creation; Santa Claus is Coming to Town was mine "he's making a list, he's checking it twice...." Ready Teddy Go has an Anything Goes challenge so I'm entering there, That Craft Place has animals, so in there too and The 2 Sisters Challenge is to have a hat in the image, which I have, so I'm in there as well.

Creatalicious Challenges have two challenges running - one on the 1st, one on the 15th; the "Challenge -the 1st" is a colour challenge; this is the palette this month, so I've entered there.
I've coloured the image with Copics, I try to get the furry look by stippling the lighter colour on instead of "stroking" - not sure if it looks like fur or like my marker was running out :P  Christmas Stampin' All Year Long has "Santa's Coat" for its' challenge theme so I'm entering there and Colour Me Copic wants us to use red (the hardest of the Copics, methinks!) so I'm in there too. 
The papers are Kaisercraft, December 25th pad, and Dear Santa pad  (I think), the Kraft card is from my stash.  Totally Papercrafts has Let's Get Krafty, which I have so I'm in there as well :)
I cut and embossed the image panel with Nestabiities Labels one, then cut around it in kraft for the mat.  The sentiment is one of the Mini Messages from Craftworks Cards, the Card Candi is from there to.  The Gold mesh ribbon is from my stash.
I followed the sketch from Sunday Sketch and Stamp this time around, for the inside too.  I cut the jotting panel with Nestabilities Decorative Labels One.
Bearly Mine Challenges and Catch the Bug both have Anything Goes themes so I'm entering there and Stamping Sensations has Special Occasions other than Birthdays so I'm entering there too.

That's it for today's card, very much about the image on this one, I loved colouring it, it's so sweet! Do pop over to the challenge and see what my teamies have been up to, I hope you'll join in - we have a great prize from MarkerPop and even if you don't win, you can get a discount at the store for the duration of the challenge using the code MPDDDC041313

It's my hubby's birthday today - he's 59, I can't believe it, I've known him since he was 20; where did the time go :-o  My mum and dad, my sister, my youngest son and my eldest son, daughter in law and the twins are coming over for dinner to help celebrate... it will be the first outing for the twins so we'll see how that goes (we've invited them for six o'clock but don't anticipate being ready for dinner until seven o'clock - I remember how much time it took to get ONE baby ready in those early days ;)
Until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna

Hayley, Queen of Hearts

The young lady across the road from us, whose 21st birthday card I made last year (here's a link) became engaged last weekend.  She and her fiancé are chefs and they had a Mad Hatter's Tea Party theme for their engagement... it was seriously good food, and the cake was FABULOUS (I hope to get a copy of one of their photos - I will share it; yup it was that good!  I made a card/gift card holder "in theme"

 I used Saturated Canary's Queen of Hearts image, I've had it for ages (like so many of my digis) and finally found time (and the ideal opportunity) to use it. I've coloured with Copics, Saturated Canary has Pretty Pastels for their challenge theme so I'm entering there, The Pink Elephant has Spring Colours,  Fab'n'funky Challenges has Spring, The Corrosive Challenge has Spring Fling  and Joanna Sheen has Spring into Spring so I'm entering there too.  Colour Me Copic has All About Hair - Queenie here has plenty of hair, I'm in ;)
The papers are from Kaisercraft's Made With Love Collection, the background paper is foiled, the bracket border is one of the die cuts from the pad and the pink heart border is Martha Stewart's Lace Heart Edge punch.  The pink hearts with the happy couple's initials on (stickers) are Mpress dies, I was going for a playing card look.

The inside of the card has more of the Made With Love paper and die cuts and a sentiment I got from Ginger's House, so many lovely freebie sentiments, thanks Ginger  >:D<  I left the inside cover as a "pouch" for a gift card. Stamping Sensations has Celebration Other Than Birthday as their challenge theme, so I'm entering there.  Bearly Mine Challenges, 2 Sisters Challenge and Catch the Bug all have Anything Goes challenges, so I'm entering those.
That's it for today's card... see I CAN do a short post :))  I'll be back in a few days, life's still very busy helping with my darling twinnies... they've been weighed again today; Emily has put on 200g since she left hospital and  Nathan has put on a whopping 250g - he's trying hard to catch up with his sister, bless him, he's still tiny!
Until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna

Sketch Time at Here Come The Boys

It's Sunday, and a new challenge is starting over at Here Come The Boys.  This time around we have a sketch for you to use. I love a nice sketch... and as you'll see this IS a nice sketch :)  Here's my card

and here's the sketch.........................
As soon as I saw this great image "Bathing Beauty" from Kenny K I thought of the film Memphis Belle (which I LOVE), she even has the anklet that the beauty on the plane had! The Cutie Pie Challenge current theme is Favourite Films, so I'm entering there.  I coloured the image with Copics.

I thought the papers from Kaiser's Vintage Timeless pad suit her well. The Pink Elephant wants us to use 3 papers + our favourite embellishment.  I've actually used 4 papers, embossing the square panel with Couture Creations Hedged Maze folder, then distressing the embossing back, I don't use a lot of embellishments on my cards (I just buy them, lol) but brads feature often, as the stars on this card do.  Foam dots don't count as an embellishment, but I use them A LOT... I love the 3D look :)
In keeping with the vintage theme I used Kraft instead of white cardstock, Moving Along With The Times has Lets Get Krafty,  Cupcake Craft Challenges want us to Get Our Kraft On and  Papertake Weekly have Anything Goes with the optional use of Kraft, so I'm entering there too.

I followed the sketch on the inside too, using some postcard scrapbooking paper from my stash, The Anything Goes Challenge has Mail It for their challenge so I'm entering there.
The sentiment is computer generated, I cut the image panel with Mpress Curved Rectangles die then used a smaller one from the set cut in half for the sentiment.  Simon Says Challenge and One Stop Craft Challenge bot have Birthday/Celebration challenges so I'm entering there.
That's about it for today's card, hope you can join us in the challenge this time around, pop over to the blog and check out my teamies inspiration... it's amazing how differently we all used the sketch.
I'm off now to my Son and Daughter in Law's place to visit them and the twins... and to take them some dinner (my Son and DIL that is, not the twins :))
Until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna

Two Peas in a Pod

Well, as promised, today I have the card I made for my folks to give my Son and Daughter In Law on the birth of the twins.  I'd like to thank all you lovely peeps that left comments on my previous post and on the post announcing their arrival - they are very much appreciated, as all your comments are :)

Simon Says Challenge has a Happy Birthday theme, this card is for a Birth-day (it was given when the bubs were only four hours old!) so I'm entering there.  I used one of the lovely new-ish Sweet November Sleeping Baby Fairies (Phew!) digistamps from All That Scraps, there's three in the set; this is "pea" and I've added the mirror image before printing (I love digis!) to make my "two peas in a pod".  Crafty Creations has Flowers or Fairies so I'm entering my baby fairies there, Aud Sentiments challenge is For a Child, so in there too and Gem of a Challenge has Make it Cute - I think it's cute, so in there too :)

I've coloured with Copics and Prismacolor pencils, embossing with iridescent EP around the edges of the image panel, the sentiment is computer generated. Catch the Bug has Anything Goes with Cardstock + Bling, so I'm entering those.  Totally Gorjuss has Something Blue, so I'm in there too :)

The image mat is cut with Nestabilities Lacey Squares. The papers, including the die cut borders, are from Kaiser's Lullaby pad.  This is the first time I've used the white lace/mesh fabric "stuff" that I got from Mulberry Crafts, I just felt that the card needed something to "soften" it, this worked a treat.  The ribbon, pearls and little hearts (white, coloured with Copics) are from my stash. Oozak has Anything Goes with Pearls Lace and Ribbon, I don't have a lot of each, but they're there so I'm in!

The sketch from Sweet Sketch Wednesday is a beauty... as usual!  I followed it for the inside of the card too!  Papertake Weekly has an Anything Goes challenge so I'm entering.
Well that's about it for today's card, very simple but quite sweet - my Mum doesn't like heavily embellished cards so she loved it, and was pleased to hand it over to her new Great Grandies ;)
The twins are coming home from hospital tomorrow (or later today, as it's past midnight!) so we may get to visit them at home over the weekend - and I can start catching up on all the cuddles we couldn't get when they were unwell!
I'll be back on Sunday with a DT card for Here Come The Boys... there's still time to enter our fab photo inspiration challenge - or I'll see you for the new challenge on Sunday.  
Until then, Happy Crafting, Donna

Twice as Nice

Today I have the card I gave to my Son and Daughter in Law on the birth of their twins... my grandchildren - still getting my  head around that one ;)

 As soon as I found out they were having twins, I knew the image I wanted for their card, this gorgeous Lili of the Valley stamp comes with the sentiment and is one of the sweetest images out there for twins.  Gem of a Challenge want us to Make It Cute and Crafts 4 Eternity want as Cute as You Like - I'm in, lol.
I don't "do" stamping very often, being a lover of digistamps (so much more forgiving than rubber... I must have stamped that sentiment 20 times before I got a good one, lol) I used Stazon ink, but I think I'll have to get some Memento as that's what seems to be the go.

I've used a fold I often use, I don't really know what it's called - really it's just a normal fold with half the front cut away :)  in this case I decorated the inside to match the front exactly, ensuring the ribbon and square doilies were aligned then added a dragonfly (from my stash) on the front doily in exactly the same spot as the one on the inside so that you could see a pink and a blue dragonfly with the card open or closed.

I coloured with Prismacolor pencils and (the devil being in the detail, lol) added an extra "roll" to the little girl's middle because in "our" twins case she is significantly chubbier than the boy :)  The papers are from Kaisercraft's Lullaby pad, Totally Gorjuss has Something Blue for it's challenge; I hope HALF blue is enough :p
I embossed the edges of the image panel, sentiment panel and square doily with iridescent embossing powder, giving the same treatment to the Card Candi (stash) on the bow on the front; looks lovely IRL!  The 2 Sisters Challenge is Sparkly and the Catch the Bug challenge this time around is Cardstock + Bling - I'm in!
As I said I finished the inside to match the front, I waited until the babies were born then printed their names and birthweights on tiny tags to add to the bow on the inside; I love little personal touches like that - my DIL does too. Love to Create wants us to use a tag somewhere on our project... hope this counts :)
The little pacifier charms on the front were from Pink Gem Designs, Divas by Design want us to Use Some Metal, as does Totally Papercrafts, so I'm entering there.
The ribbon came twice this width (I think it was from the Ribbon Girl) and I cut it down to a more manageable size.  Paper Crafting Journey has Ribbon or Lace - this is kinda both! - and the  Lili's Little Fairies  challenge is Buttons and Bows so I'm entering there too.  The Pink Elephant wants us to use Decorative Paper (easy) + our Favourite Embellishment - not so easy... I don't use a lot of embellishments, but ribbon and Card Candi are my "go to" so I'm entering there.
Cutie Pie Challenge's theme is Your Favourite Film, to be honest it's not my Favourite, but I was thinking of Twins with this card... there is a significant weight difference between our twinnies, I hope they don't end up like Arnie and Danny - 'specially as Emily is the bigger twin :))
Creative Craft Challenges has All About the Kids (babies are small kids, and these ones are MY kid's kids, lol) Aud Sentiments has For a Child as does Paper Pretties, so I'm entering there; The Paper Shelter and Simon Says Challenge both have Anything Goes themes so I'm entering there too.

I thought I'd share a photo (or three!) of the twins... I promise this won't keep happening, it is a craft blog after all - but they are so gorgeous - they've had a few issues with weight loss, so we are still not allowed to hold them :(  Daddy can - he's staying in the hospital full time, so he gets to "help", his reward is a cuddle!  Don't worry, I'll get my cuddle-fix when they're well enough;)

Hope they'll soon fit their size 0000 suits!

Well that's it for today's card.  I've got a card that I made for my mum and dad to give for the twins, so I'll be back with that in a day or so.  Until then, Happy Crafting, Donna.