It's a Birthday Challenge at Di's Digis

We have a new challenge starting today at Di's Digi Challenges, the theme is "Birthday"  - too easy!  I decided to make a tri shutter card

The Di's Digistamps image I've used is  "Wendy's Presents", coloured with Copics and some Prismacolor pencil shading.  

I heat embossed the blue present and Wendy's headband with Iridescent EP, Digi Makeover has Embossing Heat or Dry for their challenge so I'm entering there and Bearly Mine Challenges has Digi days (Use a digi image or digi papers) for their challenge; never a challenge for me... I LOVE digis :-) so I'm in there too.
This tutorial for a trishutter card from Splitcoast Stampers is really good - I "metricated" the measurements - soooo much easier than that "one sixteenth of an inch" stuff, lol.  Creative Craft Challenges has Anything But Square for their challenge so I'm entering there.The papers are from Kaisercraft's Bubblegum Hills Collection, I added some white and some silver pearls from my stash to give it a bit of a lift. The butterflies have a lovely glitter finish, so much better IRL, Pile It On wants us to use Designer Paper, I'm in and Anything Goes Challenge has In the Garden plus Add some butterflies - so I'm in there too.

The pink flowers are from my stash, the centres are self adhesive (and nice and glittery too!) the flourish is Memory Box Corner Bow cut up.  Cuttlebug Mania has Die Cuts for their challenge so I'm entering there, the sentiment is computer generated; Aud Sentiments has Any Sentiment for their challenge, Seize the Birthday has Anything Goes Birthday and Through the Craftroom Door, Simon Says Challenge and Paper Crafting Journey all have Anything Goes challenges so I'll be entering them too.
Well that's about it for today's card, tri-shutters are really very simple cards to make (a bit time consuming with all the cutting and matting, but easy-peasy), the other thing I really like about them is that when they are "shut" they fit into a standard size envelope for mailing... provided you don't overdo the embellies of course, lol.
Hope you get time to pop over to the blog and check out the rest of the team's inspiration - and with such an easy (and useful) theme I hope you can enter the challenge too.  There's a super prize from Sweet Stamps and if you use one of Di's fab digis you go into an extra draw too!
I've got a few images coloured up, all I need now is time to make the cards to go with them, lol.  I have made a card for my Dad for Father's Day (which is tomorrow here in Australia) I was hoping to get one made for my hubby too, but it's 10pm and I only have time to make pavlova (for tomorrow's family breakfast - held here every year) or a card, the vote is currently strongly for pavlova, lol.  One way or the other, I'll be back in a few days; until then Happy Crafting, Donna

Roll Out Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer

I'm back today with a card for the new challenge over at Here Come The Boys, with the theme "Lazy Summer Days" - I am a bit late with my post as I was quite unwell earlier - I'm feeling a lot better now, thank goodness!

I've used one of the many fabulous images from Dr Digi, who is our sponsor for this challenge, this is Ambrose King of the Waves.  I've coloured with Copics adding some extra shading (which is really hard to see in the pic!) with Prismacolor pencils and some gloss to the eyes and swim mask. The clouds I did with versamark ink. A Little Bit Crafty  has Summer Sun, as does My Mums Craft Shop so I'm entering there.  Anything Goes Challenge  has By the Sea, Crafts-Too Challenge You has Summer Fun - Beach Colours, The Paper Shelter has Holiday Time and Without Words has Beach Holiday/At the Seaside so I'm entering there... and hoping that my card is CAS enough to qualify. 

I've made the card base with Kraft, again!  The mats are from scraps I had from a DCWV Mariposa pad, you can see them in my "red" scraps folder :-) Tuesday Throwdown are challenging us to Use Our Scraps... I could probably make a thousand cards with my hoard of scraps, lol.  The designer paper is from a Design by Dani pad "All American Summer", I got it as a digi from Jessica Sprague...   I've just discovered this site and they sell Echo Park Hybrids (one of my all time favourite pads is EP Walk in the Park... which is available as a hybrid, yay!)  I did have a bit of a spend up, aah, again :-)  Pile It On has Designer Paper as their challenge so I'm in. The only embellishments I've added are a couple of eyelets and the seashells, which I bought in a pack from my LSS.  I've added some to the front and also to the inside to use them as a stop for the easel. 

I cut the image panel (and the jotting panel inside, with more inked clouds) with an Mpress Victorian Frame die, I hand cut the mats using the die as a guide.  The sentiment is Craftworks, also with a freehand mat.

2 Sisters Challenge wants to see Square Cards, so I'm in, and Little Red Wagon wants Layers so I'm in there too.

Gem of a Challenge want Anything with a B - I have Beach, Burn (check out Ambrose's shoulders, nose and bald pate, lol), Bathers and of course Birthday. Seize the Birthday has Anything Goes Birthday (as always), so I'm in, Cards for Men has "funny birthday" and Inky Impressions, Cuttlebug Mania and Creatalicious Challenges all have "masculine" challenges, so in there too.  My Time to Craft has Sports (swimming, well Ambrose will go swimming after he's finished his ice cream, lol) and Through the Craftroom Door, Colour Me Copic, Cutie Pie Challenge, Paper Crafting Journey and Crafty Calendar all have Anything Goes challenges so I'm entering them too.

Hope you get a chance to visit the blog and check out the rest of the team's efforts, brilliant as always!  With such a nice broad theme and that fab prize from Dr Digi, hope to see you enter the challenge too :-)  

I'll be back in a few days with a card I've got sitting on my desk, until then Happy Crafting, Donna

Back to School at Di's Digis

Here I am... just as I said I would be (for a change, lol) with my DT card for the new challenge starting today over at Di's Digi Designs Challenge; I've made a diorama card, sort of, here it is.

If you want to make a "proper" diorama card there are a few excellent tutorials out there, here's one.  I did do a third layer, with the intention of cutting out the school house and having that on a middle layer, but (after taking an age to colour it) I decided it was too much... oh well I have a great background coloured and ready to go for another card :-)  I fussy cut the boy then stuck him to the front, and yes - cutting the shoelaces was fiddly, lol, The good thing about these cards is that, while they're really 3D when open, they flatten right down for postage.
I used two of Di's Digis on this card, Boy Off to School and School House.  I coloured the clouds with Versmark ink and a cardboard stencil and coloured the images with Copics adding some extra shadows with Prismacolor Pencils. Totally Papercrafts has Favourite Colour for their challenge - I love all colour :-)  Great Impressions wants us to make a Square Card, which I have, My Time to Craft wants to see an Aperture - the front of this card is more aperture than card, lol. Paper Pretties has School Rules, Clearly iStamp has Back to School and Pile It On has Outdoors so I'm in there too.
The papers are from Kaisercraft's Class Act pad, the border around the aperture is gold stickers (peel offs) and the metal embellishment at the top is from my stash.  Creatalicious Challenges has For the Boys and Hobbycutz has Card for a Child so I'm entering those too!

I made a small card to use as a jotting panel on the back, after sticking it on I realised that it made the balance all wrong - as in the card kept tipping over backwards!  - so I had to rip it off and stick just a single layer jotting panel on, not pretty but it works, lol. 
Bearly Mine Challenges, The Crazy Challenge and Through the Craftroom Door all have Anything Goes challenges running, so I'm entering them.
Pop on over to Di's Challenge and check out the rest of the team's work - awesome!!  Hope you get a chance to enter the challenge too - there's a great prize on offer from MarkerPop, and if you use one of Di's great digis you're in the running for an extra prize too, WooHoo!!
Well that's it for today. I'll be back in a few days, probably, lol.  Until then, Happy Crafting, Donna 

Kraft and Blue for You, Mum

Today I thought I'd show you the card I made for my Mum's 83rd birthday recently. 

I'm really happy with the card generally but couldn't get the hair right (I was going for a particular shade of red/blonde that my hair was when I was young... when I couldn't get it I bailed on the "mini me" theme and gave her blue eyes - mine are brown!)  I've ended up over blending, but as I was going for a soft look it's not too bad.  The image is "Rachael", one of Sugar Nellie's Simply Adorable range, available here.  Sugar Bowl Challenges have an Anything Goes theme, so I'm entering there.  I've used Copics for colouring, adding gloss accents to her earrings and glitter then gloss to her hair slide.

I love the Kraft colour with the wispy sort of background paper, which is digital; from Bearly Mine Designs - Spring Blossoms set.  I said in my last post that I was going to be using Kraft a lot more... but I had in fact already made this card, so I had insider knowledge, lol.  Sweet Stampin' want us to Use Kraft, Great Impressions want a Square Card, and Bearly Mine Challenges have Anything Goes, so I'm entering them all too!
The off-centre panel is blue cardstock from my stash, embossed with Cuttlebug's Divine Swirl folder.  I distressed over the embossing with Cloud White ink, it really lifted it.  Cuttlebug Mania have an Embossing challenge so I'm entering there.  Paper Crafting Journey have Distressed or Vintage for their challenge, so I'm in.
The image panel was cut with Nestabilities Standard Circles and the mat cut with Nestabilities Lacey Circles.  The horizontal strip was cut with Martha Stewart's Double Edge Punch "Diamond Fence".  
The swirl is a laser die cut I got from Make It Crafty... Zoe has decided to stop selling her laser cuts, boo hoo, I had a few sets of these and bought a whole bunch of others to stock up - in fact when I went to put my latest order away, I found whole sheets I forgot I had - could be the curse of the tidy crafter, putting things "away", lol.
I coloured it with some Kaiser ink, several coats, then embossed it with iridescent EP - my favourite type :-)  It's very glittery IRL;  Creative Belli have Glitter for their challenge and both Card Mania Challenges and 2 Sisters Challenge have "Favourite Embellishment" as their theme... I don't use a lot of embellishments, but I do like die cuts... oh, and pearls - I've used teeny tiny ones here at the top and bottom corners, they're actually silver and look really nice (it's the first time I've used them since I put them in my "stick ons" storage box the day I received them from Bunny Zoe Crafts, again, I sort of forgot about them!  The sentiment is from Sentiments 4 U and the little blue heart is from my stash.  Crafty Cardmakers has 1 image, tick, 2 papers (well I have 2 patterned papers) tick, and 3 embellishments (die cut, silver pearls and little blue heart) tick - I'm in!!

I decorated the inside to match the front, as usual :-)  softening the edge of the jotting panel with a little blue ink but not popping the layers up like the front. Simon Says Challenge and That Craft Place both have Monochrome challenges (I hope my Kraft card doesn't make it NOT monochrome!) so I'm entering there. Through the Craftroom Door, The Crazy Challenge and Crafty Calendar have Anything Goes challenges running so I'm entering there and Seize the Birthday has Anything (Birthday) Goes, so in there too.
Well that's about it for today's card, my Mum had a lovely day celebrating her birthday - my youngest son gave her a pamper package and taxied her around for the day (Mum loves spending time with Chris!) and then he took her to the Hyatt where we were waiting to have "high tea" with her;  Matt and Elaine brought the twins, which was a surpise for us as Chris has a bit of a cold and they didn't want him to share it with the babies.  Any of us being there was a surprise for Mum, and she loved it!  Dad even managed to dress appropriately, without her overseeing every step, lol.  I didn't take my camera, but snapped a couple of pics on the iPhone... not great quality but better than nothing :-)  If I can get them off my phone (it's not playing nice, lol) I'll add them next time.
I'll be back tomorrow with my DT card for Di's Digis Challenge.  Until then Happy Crafting, Donna

Here Come the... Squares!

So it's that time of the fortnight... time for a new challenge at Here Come The Boys, the theme this time around is "Only Squares" - easy peasy!  I went Squares to the max:-) I made a square card with squares on the patterned paper even a square button!  Here it is.

I've made the card base out of Kraft card, Sweet +Stampin' has Use Kraft so I'm entering there.  Great Impressions want a Square Card so I'm in there too!  I've only used Kraft a few times before, but I think I've found a new fave!

I didn't actually have any Kraft card (I have an A3 pad, but it's just paper) so I bought an A3 folder from Officeworks and cut it up; I got two 15cm cards, one 13cm card (ready folded) and a load of good sized off cuts (at least three cards worth plus odd sizes) from this one folder - it's really heavy card too, certainly a good back up supply, and it cost just $2.50
The image is from Bugaboo Stamps, who are our Sponsors for this challenge (YAY!!), this is Theodore Birthday Sign.  Hobbycutz has For a Child so I'm entering there.  I've coloured with Copics, adding some faux stitching with a fineliner, I've used brown as it's not as stark as black.  Totally Gorjuss has Hot Hot Hot as their challenge, I'm thinking my colours are "hot", so I'm entering there and Allsorts Challenges has Stitching so entering there too.
Digi Sketch Challenge  has an "Anything Goes" challenge whereby you can choose any Sketch; I used the sketch from January 2013, the last sketch from when the challenge was known as Willow Sketchie Challenge.  It incorporated Squares and suited the fairly CAS look I like, Whimsy Inspirations Challenge has a Clean and Simple theme, so I'm in.  I popped each layer up on foam dots, Delightful Challenges has Make it Pop (Use layers or dimension) so I'm in there too.
The papers are from Kaisercraft, Technologic and Class Act.  By Lori Designs wants us to use Designer Paper - I have, I'm in :-) and Paper Pretties wants us to Use two or more Designer papers, again I have!
The ribbon is from my stash, as is the square button; this is actually the back of the button  (the front is patterned blue and green) and I coloured it with Copics to match.  The metal "2" and "U" are from my stash too.  Cards for Men have Use metal for their challenge and Corrosive Challenge has Birthday with a number for theirs - this is a birthday and it does have a number on so I'm entering there.
I finished the inside of the card to match the outside... minus the button :-) oh, and I didn't pop up the layers either (it's too hard to write on the sentiment panel if it's wobbling about, lol).
Send a Smile 4 Kids,Hanna and Friends, Crafty Calendar, Papertake Weekly, The Crazy Challenge and Through the Craftroom Door all have Anything Goes challenges running, so I'm entering them all.

Well that's it for today's card, pop over to Here Come The Boys and check out the rest of the team's inspiration... they've really thought "outside the box" within a Squares Only constraint of course!!  I hope you get a chance to make a "square" card (for a man or boy remember!) and enter the challenge.  Don't forget that great prize on offer - 7 digis from Bugaboo Stamps :-)

I'm just settling in for the evening, we'll be watching the fourth test (cricket) soon, though I use the term "we" loosely; hubby will be watching and I'll be crafting or blogging with the odd glance to update myself... test cricket's like that, you don't have to watch every minute (unless you're my hubby of course, lol)  We just finished watching the (Aussie Rules) Footy, our team won - against the odds - and it was a great game (yes, I actually do like "footy", but only the Aussie Rules kind, soccer is too slow for me, I am easily bored, lol) the dog may get a run before the cricket, but I must admit I'm not feeling that motivated :-) a friend is popping in, with any luck she'll want a glass of wine, and then it'll be too late to walk the dog!

I'll be back in the week with a card I made for my Mum's birthday, until then Happy Crafting, Donna

Breakfast at Tiffany's

My son Chris was invited to a wedding recently by his friends Esther and Dom, they had the theme Breakfast at Tiffany's - down to having the ceremony at 8.30am so the meal was truly Breakfast. The invitations were made using lovely textured card in Tiffany Blue, and  had a logo on with the happy couple's surname "& Co" in the style of Tiffany & Co.  I bought some of the same cardstock (from my favourite speciality paper shop Starfish Lane) to make a card for Chris to give them.

The patterned paper came from Starfish Lane too, it's really nice IRL - it has a gold pearlescent sheen to it. Gem of a Challenge has Anything Pearlescent for their challenge so I'm entering there.  One Stop Craft Challenge has Keep it Simple, I hope this is simple enough to enter there.
The top part of the card is just plain white cardstock embossed with a Couture Creations embossing folder "Hedged Maze"; to make the embossing stand out I distressed it with some blue ink.  Crafty Creations has a Texture theme, as does The Pink Elephant; the cardstock is textured, I've added texture with the embossing and the sheer gold edged ribbon (from my stash) adds texture too, so I'm entering there.

The image is "Wedding Couple" from Mo's Digital Pencil, I think it's one of the best wedding images around, I masked the bottom of the dress so it fit inside a Standard Oval Nestabilities die (I didn't want the image to go right to the edge and look "chopped off")  I've coloured with Copics, adding iridescent embossing powder to the bride's dress and hair decoration.  Mo's Digital Challenge is G is for... in this case G is for Groom and Glitter.  Crafts 4 Eternity has Here Comes The Bride, so I'm entering there too.  Totally Papercrafts has inspired by a song, if I say "I'm Going To The Chapel" I bet you'll be humming "we're gonna get married..." in an instant! That Craft Place has Monochrome as their theme, I think this counts as monochrome so I'm in :-)
The sentiment is Kaiser as is the crystal feature (a Kaiser Sparklets) on the left of the image  which I've had in my stash for ages, like the gold bead sprigs and the blue pearls that finish the card off. Totally Gorjuss has Anything Goes with Pearls, so I'm in.  Crafty Cardmakers has 1 image, 2 papers, 3 embellishments for their challenge, I'm counting my gold sprigs and pearls as one embellie ("pearls"), adding ribbon and the crystal as another to enter there.

I cut the mat for the image panel with Nestabilities Floral Ovals, The Paper Shelter has Punches and/or Die Cuts for their challenge theme, so I'm in.
I finished the inside of the card to match the outside, the sentiment inside is from Kaisercraft too.

Papertake Weekly, 2 Sisters Challenge, Crafty Calendar and Cute Card Thursday all have Anything Goes challenges, so I'm entering them too.
When I make a "Special Occassion" card, I usually make a matching envelope or box, I thought I'd show some pics of this one.
The swirl on the front of the envelope is cut (from some of the Tiffany card) using a Memory Box Corner Bow die, I've added some "bling" and a flower cut with a Carl punch.
The inside of the envelope uses some (the last of the A4 sheet!) patterned paper.

Well that's it for today's card, I'll be back in a few days with the card I made for my lovely Mum's birthday - which was today in fact.  We just had dinner at their place, Chris came, as did Matt and the Elaine - with my darling twinnies of course!  Matt is still recuperating, he is off work for at least another four weeks at this stage, he is progressing though so it is getting easier.

If time gets away from me (as it often does, lol) and I don't get back yet with my Mum's card I'll be back on the weekend with a DT card, either way, until then, Happy Crafting, Donna

"Sew", there's a new challenge at Di's Digis

Yup, there's a new challenge starting today at Di's Digis Challenge Blog - can you guess the theme (the hint's in my post title, lol) we want to see Stitching, real or "faux"

I went with Faux Stitching, only because I'd finished my card - taken the piccies and everything - and then realised I'd forgotten to add (of all things) the stitching!!  

So it was out with the Fineliner and dash away!  I know this sounds, well, dumb, but this is the first time I've thought to use a ruler - and boy, does it make it neater lol!
I've used the sketch from Papertake Weekly, albeit flipped, they've got a "Sketchie Free For All" challenge where you can use any of their previous sketches; I went with #68, it's perfect for all the layers I like to add, Addicted to Stamps has a Lots of Layers challenge; suits me!
The image I've used is "Penny With Presents", available here.  I've coloured with Copics, adding Stickles to the present and Liquid Pearls to Penny's headband. Colour Me Copic has Pretty in Pink as their challenge theme, Penny's not in pink, but her pressies are (coloured with RV's) so I'm entering there.

The background paper is from my stash, the designer papers are digital from the Party Time Mega pack by Shery K Designs, nice and bright, too bright? Nah!  Divas by Design has Favourite Colour Combo as their challenge, I love all colour - especially with brown matting :-) so I'm entering there.  The image mat was cut with Nestabilities Lacey Squares, Paper Crafting Journey has Punches and/or Die Cuts for their challenge so I'm in.
The flowers are from my stash, they were white and some of the centre pieces of the petals hadn't come out properly... so I coloured the flowers pink and made the little pieces into leaves by Copic-ing them too :-) 

The sentiment is another freebie from the generous Paulette at Create with TLC. Totally Papercrafts has Inspired by a Song; I'm thinking Happy Birthday To You and entering there.
I finished the inside to match the outside, as usual. The Paper Shelter, Simon Says Challenge, Crafty Calendar, Cute Card Thursday, 2 Sisters and Pile It On all have Anything Goes challenges running so I'm entering them too.
Well that's it for today's card, pop over to Di's Digis Challenge Blog and check out the rest of the team's work - they all remembered their stitching!  

It's a nice easy challenge (if you remember to stitch!) so I hope you enter - there's a prize from Crafty Sentiments, and if you use one of Di's lovely images you go into the draw to win two more of Di's Digis.

That's it, I'm done, just watching the cricket before bed; it finishes at about 1.30 am here, so I don't generally last to the end of play but we're doing okay this test so the news shouldn't be too devastating when we get up in the morning, lol

I'll be back in a few days with a wedding card I made for my son Chris to give to some friends who got married this morning - it was a "Breakfast at Tiffany's" theme, so the ceremony was at 8.30am!!  Mind you it probably meant they had their choice of venue, (my older son) Matt and Elaine had to book nearly two years out from his wedding to get the reception venue they wanted... and that was for a FRIDAY!  Until next time, Happy Crafting - Donna