My First Card in a Box

Today I'm sharing a "Card in a Box" ... it's the first one I've made, and I'm using it as my DT inspiration for the new challenge starting today at Di's Digis Challenge Blog.  Warning: this is a "Photo Heavy" post, the darned thing was hard to capture in pics, lol

I absolutely loved making this card, the young lady from across the road (I've known here since she was four!!) had a "little" boy last week, his name is Alakae and he weighed in at 8lbs 4oz -I met him today and he is GORGEOUS! Congrats to Hayley and Dave :-)

I found a few templates and tutorials on the web, here's a good tutorial, but I ended up making my own template because I wanted one in metric (hard to find) that folds down to a 15cm or 6" square (even harder to find!) here's a link to my template, it's on my freebies page.  I added a belly band to keep it from springing open too readily - these cards really do go amazingly flat for posting, if that's a consideration and still have the multiple layers we all love!  Bunny Zoes Crafts and Divas by Design have "layers" challenges running so I'm entering there.

The image I've used is Butterfly Baby Ted, he's gorgeous too, isn't he? I coloured with Copics then fussy cut him (and the butterflies!) and mounted them on strips of acetate of differing lengths to give a more "floaty" feel.  Corrosive Challenge is Cut it or Crop it, so I'm definitely in!  I smothered some die cuts from Make It Crafty (they no longer stock them, sadly) in Stickles and added some butterflies to acetate strips behind the teddy and some baby themed ones to the different layers inside the box and to the flaps as well.  Ladybug Crafts Challenge has a For the Boys or Use Die Cuts challenge, I'm in on both fronts, lol.  The die cut on the front flap was cut using a Nestabilities Standard Circle die from the Kaisercraft Lullaby pad, I put the baby's birth details on this flap and stuck a plain panel on the back of the card to use as a sentiment panel.  Card Mania Challenges, Gem of a Challenge, Tuesday Throwdown and The Crazy Challenge all have "baby" challenges so I'm entering there while Bearly Mine Challenges has for the boys, so in there too.
The "welcome" is made from beads I've had in my stash for-eva! and the gold pearls and Card Candi are from stash too.  The patterned paper is from a pack I got in Spotlight, it's so lovely and fresh, I'll be entering Hazel's Patterned Paper Challenge for the first, but I doubt last, time :-)  The Paper Shelter wants to see Anything But a Card, so I'm classing this as a box to enter, lol, and Fab'n'funky Challenges wants to see shaped cards, so I'm hoping this is in the spirit of that challenge and entering there too.  Through the Craftroom Door, Paper Crafting Journey, Little Miss Muffet, Stampin' for the Weekend and Clear It Out have Anything Goes challenges so I'm entering them as well.
Well that's it for today's card-in-a-box, check out the rest of my teamies inspiration... hope you get a chance to enter the challenge too; we have a FABULOUS prize from Little Darlings Rubber Stamps, and if you use one of Di's lovely digis you go in an extra draw... win/win I say :-)  
 Sorry about all the photos today.... here's another one in an effort to show the layers, lol, I LOVE these cards and have already started making a couple more - and I saw the recipient's reaction when they opened it today (which of course you don't always see) and it was truly worth the work... they loved it too :-)
Until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna

Hippo Birthday Chris

The card I have today is another from my drafts... it was made for my son Chris's birthday - in November, and no, it's NOT the oldest I have in there; I really will have to get some more posted, lol.

The image I've used is a digi from (the sadly now defunct) Pollycraft, some of Paula's images are available at Little Miss Muffet Stamps, but not this one, aaw.  In case you were wondering Chris turned 29, but I used another of these images (bought in a mega bundle) for one of Chris's friend's birthdays (no, I haven't blogged it yet, lol) and he loved it, so I thought this would be a nice light hearted theme (he's feeling his age, poor love!)Stamping Sensations has an Animal Antics challenge, so I'm in.
I coloured with Copics and added some extra shading with Prismacolor pencils, gloss to the eyes and toenails and some stickles highlights too.
I've used a lot of layers on this card, I usually do (though it's hard to see in my pics) and it's Chris's favourite "technique" for want of a better word so I made sure there were plenty here, Bunny Zoes Crafts has a Layers challenge, I'm in, and Creatalicious Challenges has Happy Birthday so I'm in there too.
The papers are digital, from Shery K's Party Time pack, with the green polka dotty paper and green cardstock from my stash.  The glittery balloon is from a set of acrylic stickers I've had for yonks, I cut it out and moulded it a little to give it dimension then mounted it on foam dots.  The baker's twine is also from my stash; I cut a little slit in the image panel either side of Hippo's "hand" and threaded the twine under it so it looks more like he's holding it.  
The Card Candi is also from my stash, the sentiment is one I made on the computer, here's a copy if you want to download it - or it will be on my Freebies page if you want it later- don't forget you get the best results if you open the image first, then right click and "Save As"
I finished the inside of the card using the same sketch and elements as on the front, this sentiment was yet another fab freebie from the ever-generous Paulette at Create With TLC :-) 

As Chris's gift was a certificate from his favourite clothing shop, Politix, I made this card with a shallow gusset and glued the envelope with the certificate in to the inside cover, I used another of the acrylic stickers to hold it shut.  Tuesday Throwdown has "For a Special Man", Chris is very special, a true gentle-man, so I'm entering there and also in the Digi Sketch Challenge, Papertake Weekly challenge, Bearly Mine Challenge and Aud Sentiments challenge all of which have "for a guy" theme.  I'm also entering Through the Craftroom Door, Paper Crafting Journey, Stampin' for the Weekend and Colour Me Copic's Anything Goes Challenges.
Well that's it for today's card.  I'm pleased to say Chris liked it, he got the tongue in cheek reference to partying... he doesn't drink, but he does like to party - and he's determined never to be too old to do that; wish him luck with that one, lol.
 I'll be back soon with another project from my drafts... though I have just made a Card in a Box, which will make an appearance soon - I'm planning on using it for a DT card on Saturday, but if it's not suitable or I can't wait that long (I'm pretty chuffed with it, lol) I'll be sharing it sooner.  Either way, until then Happy Crafting, Donna 

Back from Margs

Well I had a lovely break in Margaret River, had a bit of wine and a wind down and managed to colour up exactly ONE image while there, lol - the best laid plans and all that!  This card is for the new challenge starting today at Di's Digis Challenge, the theme is Ribbon and Bows

I used one of my favourite folds for this card, cutting away half of the front so the "inside" paper becomes part of the front decoration.

It lends itself to particularly well to symmetrical sketches, which is why i used this one from Digi Sketch Challenge.  

The image is one of Di's newer ones, called Candle on Top, I think it's super sweet :-)  I coloured with Copics, adding some Stickles to the hats and cupcake case and some gloss to the candles and the strawberries.  Paper Crafting Journey and Cute Card Thursday both have "Pink" challenges, so I'm entering them, while Stamping Sensations has Animal Antics so in there too.

The papers are from Merci, matted onto some white sparkly card from my stash, even though the sparkle doesn't show in the photos, sigh.  Crafty Creations has "It's All About S", I have Stripes, Sparkles and Sweet - the image, of course  and Strawberries :-) The vertical edge of the front was cut with a Martha Stewart Doily punch, the edge inked with pink and purple.  The sentiment is from Hobby Palais cut with Nestabilities Standard Circles.

The sparkly ribbon is self adhesive, it came in a pack from Portacraft.  To make the bows I folded a piece over and put talc on the inside of the loops so they didn't stick together then wrapped a small piece around the join.  I used Memory Box's Corner Bow Die on the corner of the image panel and a cut down version on the inside.  Delightful Challenges and That Craft Place have Ribbon challenges running too, so I'm entering them, and Through the Craftroom Door, Papertake Weekly, Stampin' for the Weekend and Colour Me Copic, The pearl floral embellies are from my stash, as are the pink rhinestones I backed the centres of them with.

Well that's about it for today's card, I'll be back in a few days with another card from my drafts. Pop over to the challenge blog and check out my teamies inspiration it's FAB, hope you get a chance to enter the challenge this time around, such an easy theme and a fab prize from Love Bug Creations... and don't forget if you use one of Di's cute images you go into an extra prize draw, bonus!

I have to go to the Doc's on Monday as I have developed a reasonably large lump under the largest of my incision sites from my gallbladder op, I think it's a seroma but as I have to get results from all of those tests I had done last month I may as well go now and make sure!  Other than that I'm recovering pretty well, some adjustments are still being made with my diet, my digestion is more sensitive than it was but I'm hoping it'll settle down soon.

Until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna 

Time to "Wine" Down

Well, I had my gallbladder removed  (or Cholecystectomy, if you want the posh term, lol) and am now recuperating at my favourite place; Margaret River.  It went well enough, for some reason it took a lot to come out of the anaesthetic , my hubby thoughtfully (?!!) took a pic of me at my worst... no I'm NOT going to share!  I had a bit of pain, mainly from the gas they blow you up with, and the bruising from that is pretty spectacular (two of my friends didn't have anything like this, so I don't know why I did)  As I can't drive for another week, we thought we'd come Down South for a week of R&R, involving Wine and (less than usual as my digestion is doing some adjusting) Cheese... of course!  Here's a pic taken on my ipad - as I left the recharger for my camera at home, duh.  Cheeky rosé mine, beer hubby's :-) he moved to wine and port - very relaxing

I have finally got a bit of time to blog, so I'm going to post a few cards and o some visiting, ah, lovely.  The card I have today is actually one of the more recent ones I have in my drafts, I made it for my Dad's 85th birthday (gosh that sounds old!) in May.

The fab image is from the Stamp Fairy, I have loads of Stamp Fairy images, just love 'em, this is one of the Lenny Cupcakes set and perfect for a "Dad" card - birthday or Father's Day.  Charisma Cardz, Allsorts Challenges, Bearly Mine Challenges, Sweet  Stampin', OSAAT , Delightful Challenges, Colour Me Copic and The Paper Shelter all have "guy" or Father's Day challenges, so I'm entering them.  I coloured with Prismacolor pencils, giving the textured look I was after. The papers are Kaisercraft, the Save the Date pad - which I think they're discontinuing which is a shame, great papers!

I added the gloss to the noses, flame and candle  and glitter to the icing with embossing powder (I made my own glittery embossing powder simply by adding fine glitter to clear detail embossing powder, it's so much better than just adding loose glitter and dries quicker than Stickles)  Aud Sentiments has a Bingo Challenge, I've used the Die Cut/Embossing/Two Word Sentiment line - the sentiment is stamped on one of the die cuts that came in the pad.  The "Dad" sticker is on a big brad, from Doodlebug I think.  The inside of the card is finished to match the front, more of the same paper, another big brad, more stickers!

I used a sketch from Papertake Weekly... they have a regular "Sketchie Free For All" challenge where you can use any of their sketches, so I often go there to find a sketch for a card I'm not going to blog straight away, mmm,  actually I often go there to find a sketch full stop! This is Sketch # 46, one of many to choose from :-)  I've got a few more cards in my draft that have used other Papertake sketches, I might just have to get them blogged while the free for all is on, lol.  The Simon Says Challenge has an Anything Goes theme, so I'm entering there too.

That's it for today's card, I'll be back in a day or so with another - girly one next time I think.  I'm off now to a winery for lunch, it's really cool today - about 15C - so the fire will be on... lovely!!  Might swing past the Candy Cow (homemade fudge, yum yum) on the way home, or maybe the Margaret River Providore for some dhukka and relish - ah, choices choices, lol. We had rain this morning and the kookaburras are telling me we're in for some more later, we'll be snug in our cabin by then :-)  Until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna