Not so Young Love

This is my last card as Guest DT for Cute Card Thursday, :-( this weeks theme is to have a couple on your card. Pop over and have a look at the other inspiration, why not enter while you're at it!   I've made this for my Aunty and Uncles Anniversary, we're going out to dinner with them tomorrow evening and I'm sure they'll get a chuckle out of it.  

It so suits them: They are always in their garden and, while my Aunty doesn't knit that much she does needlecraft, almost as relentlessly as I do "other" craft.  My Uncle looks (quite a!) bit like the gentleman in the image, which is "Flirty Seniors" from Make it Colourful, I love their images, so quirky!  
The background is from this (Aussie) site too, it's called Daffodil Dell, I'm entering their challenge; this time around the theme is to Colour a Background, this is the first time I've really done a background!  I used Prismacolor pencils to colour the "sky" and shadows, but chickened out and went with my lovely Copics for the rest!  You don't have to use Make it Colourful images, but c'mon, why wouldn't you....digis of course so readily and immediately available to all!  And, just so you know, I DON"T have any affiliation with MiC, I just like 'em!
I cut the image out, and popped it up on foam dots - my favourite way to get extra dimension, I used thicker-than-usual foam dots....it really stands out from the background.
The background paper is Fairie Florals by Prima, The lemon panel, which I embossed with Cuttlebugs Textile folder, the green panel and the stripy paper are from Kaisercraft's Lilac Avenue collection. I used Martha Stewart's Doily Lace border punch on the green panel.
The purple card for matting is from American Crafts Weave range. 
Lexis Creations has "Ribbon but no bows or knots" as it's theme this time around, my lovely orange polka dot ribbon, which has been "hanging around" - literally - my studio for months gets me entered there.

The sketch is from Friday Sketchers this week, I really liked it, and I got the colour inspiration from Cupcake Inspirations, so I'm entering their challenge too, how bright and cheery are those cute little cuppies?!  They have such a spring feeling to them.  I'm entering my card in the challenge at Stamp Something and Totally Gorjuss this week which both have Spring as their theme.  

Delicious Doodles has Floral Fantasy as it's theme, not only are there flowers aplenty in the background, there are flowers on the corners of the image panel, so my Flirty pair would have been going there, but one of the other challenges I'm entering limits you to entering six and that would be seven, so I'll give it a miss this time, but next time I'll only enter challenges without restrictions!!  
I just couldn't find the "right" flowers for these corners, in the end I cut up some that came as a sort of ribbon and coloured them with Copics.  I left the one at the top right without a centre: I thought it looked like the sun and the corner piece on the opposite side looks like a sun umbrella for my Oldies to sit under!  
Sweet Stampin' has "Weather" as it's challenge theme, so I'm entering there.
I finished the inside of the card really simply, using elements from the front.
I hope you liked my card, and I hope my Aunty likes it too....by the by, this Aunty is my mothers sister; my mum is unwell at the moment, she has just had Bronchial Pneumonia and now is suffering from two broken ribs - from coughing!! My Aunty, to go out in sympathy I'm sure, fell over a dog while out walking and has broken her wrist!!  Mmmm, yes it is a bit hereditary, my husband reckons I could trip over a leaf!
My niece (finally) had her baby, 9lbs 4oz - not bad for a first!  I'm off to visit, I've seen his picture and he is GORGEOUS!
 Hope you enjoyed this rather longwinded, not like me I know lol, post.  Until next time Happy Crafting, Dee

Welcome Little One

Well, another baby boy card!  As I said a few months ago, there were babies on the horizon, and they were all boys!  

This is a card I have made for my niece, as of today she is 4 days overdue - it's nice to have a card ready instead of scrambling as I usually am!  I'm superstitious though (thanks to my Celtic/Gaelic background, lol) so I haven't made it "for Rachel" exactly: it's just a baby boy card that I can use when needed :-)
The sketch I've used is for Cute Card Thursday's challenge this week: this is my penultimate project as Guest DT, I can't believe how quickly it's gone!  It is a great sketch, you know I love the straightforward ones!  Why don't you pop over and have a look at the other DT inspiration, and have a go at the challenge yourself.
I've done an easel card, which is the challenge theme for Creative Inspirations this time.  I really loved how easily it came together and don't know why I don't use them more often. I popped everything up on foam dots because I really like my cards to be 3D, which is Delicious Doodles challenge theme this week, I hope this is 3D enough!
The image is another Tiddly Inks image; "Sleep Tight" from the Baby Inks range.  Digi, of course - you know I AM a digi kinda gal!  Coloured with Copics, again - Copic kinda etc.... I've added some Stickles to the stars and the swirls, of course it looks much nicer in real life: anyone who has EVER posted pics with bling knows how it never shows up, lol.
The yellow paper is from Inque Boutique's Cabana collection and the blue "oh boy" paper is from a pack from BigW! The blue card I used for matting is from American Crafts "weave" range, Creatalicious Challenges has "Two Tone" as it's theme this time, so I'll be entering there.  
The circle is blue vellum embossed with Cuttlebugs Swiss Dots folder, this is the first time I've used vellum on the front of a card - except for a sentiment panel -  and I like how it adds a layer without adding any real "weight", if you know what I mean!   Using this panel was going to help this card fit two challenges, then I realized it didn't satisfy the other criteria for EITHER of them, oh well, it made me try something "new".
The Baby Boy embellishment came in a pack with some other cuties - they will probably feature very soon on the next baby boy card!  The pearls are on a strip by Bella - how much easier is it to add them on a strip than one at a time like I usually do?!?  
Pollycraft has "Swirls and Pearls" as it's challenge theme, and as this card has both I'll enter there, The Crafty Pad has "Use a Digi", easy peasy for measy!!!  
Tuesday Morning Sketches has "KIDS: Keep It Delightfully Simple, with a kid theme" for it's challenge, cute!  I think this fits the brief, it is certainly simple and babies are kids, so why not, lol.  Sweet Stampin' has "Slugs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails" as it's theme, and that's what little boys are made of, so I'm entering there.

Finally, but not leastly (as they more or less say) I'd like to thank those of you who left your best wishes on the post for my Mums Get Well Card, it really cheered her up and she is well and truly on the road to recovery - she'll probably even come to the football with us on Sunday - though she is such a fanatic, she'd probably leave her deathbed to go!!
Until next time, Happy Crafting, Dee

The Music of my Heart

The sentiment on this card is a line in the N'SYNC hit "Music of my Heart", it's a lovely song here's a link if you'd like to read the rest of the words.

This card is for my GDT spot at Cute Card Thursday this week; the challenge theme is "Music".  Go and check out the rest of the DT inspiration, and why not have a go at the challenge while you're there?

The sketch I used is from Card Patterns weekly sketch challenge, great little sketch - you know I love the straightforward ones! 

I used the colour Recipe from Crafts 4 Eternity for their challenge this week, the papers I used from Kaisercraft's Lilac Avenue 6" collection have the exact shades of purple and green, the plain paper I used for the matting is the aqua in the recipe.The sentiment is computer generated, using free downloadable fonts.  If you'd like to grab it for yourself I have - or will have by tomorrow ;0) a jpg in my "Tutorials, Templates and other Freebies" page here is a link.   I cut and embossed it using Classic Circles Nestabilities.  The image panel and it's mat were too big for even the largest of these nesties, so I reverted to an old favourite: Fiskars circles templates and their cutting tool.  It did the job just fine, but it did make me realise how much easier it is with a die cutter: that Grand Calibur looks more appealing all the time!

The aqua "lace" is in fact plastic with little rhinestones in it, it's translucent so it is nice and "light" looking.  My lovely Mum and Dad got it (and loads of other goodies) for me when they were in Malaysia on holidays last week, as a reward for budgie-sitting!  Bargain really, as the bird is so easy and quite entertaining - my mum hand reared him from a featherless three day old and has taught him to say quite a few things.  My dad is Welsh, so it's quite funny to hear the bird ask for a cup of tea with a Welsh accent, no REALLY!!  All I can say is he must hear it A LOT!

I used Valentine Zoe from Digistamp Boutique, coloured with Copics.  Isn't she just adorable.  There are loads of great little images over there, I used Blooming Lullabelle on a card for my niece, here , and one of the cards I did in the first few weeks of cardmaking used a DSB image "Love Owls" here is a link to that one; my colouring has certainly improved since then - at least I think so, lol!  I've got about 20 more I haven't got around to using yet.  But I will!  DSB have a monthly challenge, and all you have to do is use one of their images, which is no hardship, so I'm going to enter this card there.

The purple flowers are from Prima, the lime green brads in the centres are from my stash, as are the purple rhinestones in the centre of THOSE.  Whoopsi Daisy Challenge this week has "Use Flowers" as it's theme, so I'll be entering there and as Papertake Weekly has "Triple Tastic, use three of something" I'll be there too with my three flowers.

ABC Challenge has "Q is for Quote" as it's theme this week.  Usually there is a limit on how many challenges you can enter along with their challenge, but this week they have lifted the restriction (for the next couple of weeks, apparently) so yay, I can enter there too. 

The inside of the card has been finished very simply, I cut some of the stripy paper on an angle  reflecting the diagonal-ness(?!) of the front.  Some more of the trim and a butterfly cut from a scrap of Kaisercraft Utopia paper using Martha Stewart's Monarch Butterfly punch.  I decorated the inside flap of the envelope (which I have recently started to do) with some more stripy paper, but a pale version  - it looks pretty good.  

Well that's about it for my Music themed card.  I'll be back in a day or so with some more waffling.  Until then, Happy Crafting, Dee

Cute Card Thursday Turns 3

Cute Card Thursday has turned three, so their challenge for this week is to make a card suitable for a third birthday. As Guest DT member for March, I've made this card:

I used the sketch from Eat Sleep Stamp for this week, I've missed the deadline for entering the challenge, (I'm still working out posting times for DT work vs cutoff times for challenges, lol)  but I've used the sketch anyway as I  love their sketches: they're always nice and straightforward.  This time there was a circle in the image spot, the vast majority of the time I would USE a circle, this image just wouldn't fit - at least not without using a circle that covered about 80% of the card, lol.

"Wink Pretends" is the name of this cuter-than-cute image, which I think is perfect for a little boy.  He is a digi, of course, love my digis! and you can get him, and many more gorgeous images from Pixie Dust Studios.  Just so you know, I don't have any affiliation with Pixie Dust, I just love 'em.  Wink, and his little green friend, were coloured with Copics, some Platinum Stickles on the flag and some Star Dust Stickles here and there on the water. 

The green polka dot paper is from a discount store "budget" pack, I have found that it is perfectly acceptable to use as background paper, it just doesn't take a lot of handling - so not so good for some techniques.  The stripy paper is from Kaisercrafts Up, Up and Away 6" collection, the light brown stripes are glossy which unfortunately (but typically) doesn't show in the photos, it "lifts" the paper. I've matted everything onto card from DCWV Neutrals Mat stack, which is self-adhesive - good if you're sticking it to the background, like the stripy piece but just STICKY if your'e popping it up on foam dots like the image panel.  I've worked out that sprinkling a bit of talcum powder on gets rid of the stickiness making it easier to work with - and giving your card a pleasant scent as a bonus!

I painted the wooden number 3 and a couple of stars with Jo Sonja's Geranium acrylic.  Then I coated the number and all three stars with a thick coat of Royal Coat Gloss, I'm really please with how 3D they came out.  I added the rhinestone star to the gold ones to add interest.  The ribbon is from my stash, it's lovely and chunky too! The raspberry coloured brads have sparkle on them and I used a Bic marker to add faux stitching around the edge of the green panel to help tie the colours together.  
The inside of the card has an embossed sentiment and some trim from the front

I've use this colour combination for Bizzy Becs March colour challenge, which was Chocolate, Mint, Raspberry and Cream.  I'm also entering the Creatalicious challenge this time which had "make something for a male, use brown and add three stars", now technically I've used four stars, but I'm sure that it will be okay :-)

Sundays With Chrissy has "Add Stitching" as it's challenge theme: and YES, you can draw it on (which is probably the closest I'll ever get to stitching on a card - of all the crafts I do or have done, sewing isn't one that's figured hugely!)  The Crafty Pad has "Use a Ribbon", Stamp Something has it's digi week, like I said I love my digis! and Simon Says Stamp has.... Anything Goes - the easiest of all challenges.
Hope you liked Wink ;-)  Go over to Cute Card Thursday and check out the rest of the inspiration - why not celebrate their birthday by having a go at the challenge - and a chance to win a yummy prize!

Until next time, Happy Crafting, Dee

I'm Fairy Excited!

I'm excited.....again!  I've been asked to be Guest Designer for March by one of my favourite challenge blogs, Cute Card Thursday.  This card suits their challenge due on Wednesday 9 March (8pm GMT to be precise, I love GMT: I always have to try and work out "Mountain Time" or Pacific Daylight Saving time or whatever time to Western Australian time - GMT is MUCH easier, lol).

Actually I got "the" email weeks ago asking if I was interested in the Guest spot and completely MISSED IT!!  I was sorting out my inbox yesterday and found it... I dashed an email back telling Caz "Of COURSE I'm interested, and was I too late, sob". They obviously took pity on me and I"M IN! (March has five challenges this year, so I'm there for the next four anyway) I got this card made as quickly as I could, it may still get posted for this challenge, albeit late - not as an entry, of course!!

Phew, that was a bit long winded, wasn't it?  The rest will be short and sweet, promise (well short and sweet for me, lol)

The gorgeous image is Fairy Fae and she is from Tiddly Inks whose byline is "the spot for cute digitals" - got that right I reckon!  Fae was coloured with Copics including some of my new ones that came in the post TODAY, Yay!  Some Ice Stickles (Diamond) on her wings give her a little lift.  The light source is from the top left, which I never use; I was going to enter the challenge at Make It Colourful which was to use this light source, but I missed it, oops! Oh well, now I've tried something different.
I embossed the pink mat the image panel is sitting on with Cuttlebugs Textile embossing folder then sponged dark pink on it: hardly any of it shows, but I still think it adds a nice frame and some texture.

The patterned paper is from Prima "Faerie Florals" it's gorgeous, I've used it before on a few cards and, as there are three or four sheets of each pattern in the pad I've still got plenty left, goodie!

The tiny rosebuds at the bottom of the sentiment add a bit of texture too, as does the lace (which I scabbed - Aussie term for begged or scrounged) off someone in the family.

 I cut into the lace so that it would fit around the sentiment oval more easily and stuck pale green flat backed pearls in the centre of each little shell shape on the front (well I don't know, if it's not a shell what is it? - I didn't want to call them lumps, lol) and alternate pink and green on the lace in the inside.  The oval for inside the card was cut with Spellbinders Nestablities Classic Scalloped Ovals

I used this sketch from 

Sketch and Stash for their challenge this week, and a whole load of challenge blogs like Fab'n'funky Challenges, Delightful Challenges, Die Cut Dreams, By the Cute and Girly have "Spring" or a variation of it as their challenge theme this time around, so I'm entering there with my "springy" card.

Flutterby Wednesday has an open theme this time, so my Fairy Fae is going there, Creative Craft Challenges has "Thankyou", Totally Papercrafts has Pearls and Lace, Copic Oz, a challenge just for Aussies, has "A Little Magic" this month and  Stamp Something has it's Digi challenge this week - always a favourite challenge for me!  That's 10 challenges, THAT'S a lot of challenges, I love going and seeing how other folk in blog land interpret challenges - oh and I love showing off my little creations too, let's be honest!!
Until next time, tomorrow with any luck, Happy Crafting, Dee