Beautiful Butterflies

The card I have for you today is one I made for my sister in law last year.  The "Eclipse" style was all the rage at the time and I made a couple of cards in this style, this was the first - and I learned a few things from it, not enough to make no mistakes on the next ones, but at least different mistakes :-)

The paper I used for this card is absolutely lush in real life, with a soft textured finish, really good quality printing and gold foil details... of course none of that shows up in the pics, lol

I made an easel card, I love them and my sister in law does too... and it's a good chance to show the "eclipse" effect off with it's different angles.  I cut the edge with a Sue Wilson border die, the pink card was a bit light to support the weight of the card front (with all the added layers under the letters) so I backed it up with some acetate, I cut the corners with a curved corner cutter - so it doesn't spike you!

The letters were from a die set I bought from AliExpress, they are 3" tall.  Here's a link to a tutorial showing the Eclipse technique, it's one of the (many, lol) videos I used to learn.  I used three layers of black card to raise the letters up.  

The pearl trim is from my stash, actually it's some my lovely Mum brought back from Malaysia on one of her many trips... I've been loathe to use anything she has given me, knowing that once it's gone it's gone, but my SiL absolutely loved my Mum, so it felt "right" to use it

I used sticky back pearls from my stash on the centres of each "medallion" on the border die too.  The inside of the card was finished very simply, with just a strip of the pearl "ribbon" as a prop for the front of the card.  The sentiment is a stamp from Kaisercraft

That's it for today's card.  I would like to enter in the following challenges:

Cardz 4 Galz Wings

Crafty Cardmakers  Challenge #239 It's a Bug's Life

Double D Challenge Pearls, Gems or Rhinestones

As You Like It Favourite: Pink and Green or Blue and Orange and Why... I love all colour :-) I love Pink and Green together - perfect for pretty flowers AND butterflies

Cutie Pie Challenge My Favourite Colour... again, I love all colour.  Pink and teal green look so pretty together

Allsorts Challenges Feminine

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge Use Patterned Paper

Through the Craftroom Door, Digi Choosday, Crafty  Creations, Crafty  Creations,  Creative Fingers, Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends, Polkadoodles, Gem of a Challenge, A Perfect Time to Craft, Creatalicious Challenges, Crafting With Attitude and Corrosive Challenge all have Anything Goes

That's it for today.  I have to make a Father's Day card (or two!) for next Sunday... my Dad is deep in the throes of Dementia now, and doesn't know me from a bar of soap, but we still celebrate all the events and I still like to make his cards.... and he still likes the chocolates I always give him, especially so now; the only things he'll eat are sweet - sweeter the better!

Until next time (which may be after the next stage of my dental surgery, which is bringing it's own set of issues, tba) Happy Crafting, Donna

Lemon and Lime Birthday Time

I'm back today with a card I made for my lovely Daughter in Law's birthday

... I coloured it to match the birthday cake I made for her, which was lemon and lime flavour - her fave :-) and decorated with stripes.  I made an easel card - my fave (or one of them, lol)

The image is Stampin' Bella Brittany Birthday Girl.  I stamped on Linen card, using my stamping platform... so much better, but still room for improvement :-)
I had a little strip of stripey lemon-ish card that I thought was perfect for across the fold of the easel, I would have used that as the mat for the image but I didn't have enough, so I used some green stripy paper from my stash instead, could be Echo Park, but don't hold me to it!  
I die cut the edge with a tiny scalloped border die I got in a set from Ali Express.
I've coloured with Copics, adding shadows (and highlights, long story) with Prismacolor pencils.  There's a nice bit of glittery goodness on the image too, I used Stickles and Glitter Glue but I can't remember the flavours :-)  
The citrus paper is from DCWV, it's very glittery too.

I used the last scrap of the yellow paper with the scalloped edge on the top edge of the pocket inside the card, made to hold the gift card that was my DiL's gift and a little tag for the sentiment.  
The strip of rhinestone bling finishing the edge of the pocket helps make the "stopper" of the easel stronger, it is some of the (loads of, lol) such bling my lovely Mum bought me over the years... no doubt this came from one of their many trips to Malaysia, my DiL is very aware of such things and even commented on me "sharing" some with her, which I thought was very sweet indeed.  
The organza ribbon on the tag was from a present from my son (not my DiL's husband, t'other one) who loves to wrap gifts elaborately... and I love him doing so too as I get a lot of lovely ribbon and "bits" out of it, lol.
That's it for my card, oh here's a (iPhone, so not that great) pic of the cake that inspired the citrus them -it was YUM btw :-)
I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges:
Crafty Cardmakers  For Someone Special (my DiL is Special to all of us)

Fab'n'Funky Challenges Just Add Ink

As You Like It Favourite Colouring and Why I love Copics, they blend so well, have a good range of shades and are refillable (so cost effective)  I used Prismacolor pencils too, because I find them excellent for adding very small detail

Pixies Snippets Playground Snippets That yellow stripey bit :-)

Sweet Stampin' Anything Goes, Opt: Mellow Yellow Ooh yeah, we've got yellow
Catch The Bug, Cute Card Thursday, Through the Craftroom Door, Digi Choosday, Crafty  Creations, Crafting With Friends Challenge #2, Creative Fingers, Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends, Polkadoodles, Gem of a Challenge, A Perfect Time to Craft and Creatalicious Challenges All have Anything Goes

I'll be back soon, I really do have to get through my Drafts folder :-)  Until then, Happy Crafting, Donna 

Not Old, Vintage

The card I have today is one I made for my Sister in Law's 60th birthday... I didn't tease her TOO hard at the time as it is my 60th in the not too distant future and she has a good memory, lol.  I like to think that I am, like fine wine, "vintage" rather than old - and hence the theme of the card :-)
I had to take the pics using my light tent, I'm afraid they came out dark and editing them has made them over-contrasted... but at least that way you can see the details!

I used the fabulous "Friends Don't Let Friends Wine Alone" image from Bugaboo, available here.  Coloured with Copics (and some Prismacolor pencil detail), I added some personalization to the label on the bottle with a permanent marker and Glossy Accents to the bottle, wine and drinking and reading glasses... oh, and a little glitter to the earrings.

Of course it's an easel card, just because I like them - I think it adds a little dimension and still leaves loads of room inside for the message.
The birthday wishes sentiment on the front is cut with Sizzix dies (Tim Holtz Celebration Script Words) and gold foil, the "60" on the inside acts as a stopper for the card front... the numbers are wood I painted with burgundy acrylic paint and Glossy Accents.

The paper is from the very first pad I bought when I started papercrafting - Kaisercraft's Gypsy Sisters pad...  I have a few full sheets left (that's one on the inside) and some bits of other sheets... I made up the front panel with some of those - it's in three parts, though one of the original full sheets did look a lot like this (which is probably how I knew this would look okay, lol)   It fits with the sketch from Stella Says Sketch (albeit turned 90 degrees) so I'm entering there

Double D Challenge has this Mood Board and the theme Wishes are Possible... I have the colours, the bottle and the wishes... they also want us to use the word "Wish" or wishes which I (obviously) have.  As You Like It want to know if we like Monochrome or Rainbow - I actually really like monochrome cards... I think they're very classy, but I am a sucker for colour when it comes to celebrations - especially ones like this, when you need cheering up, lol, so I'm going "Rainbow" on this one.  Catch The Bug wants to see Something Yummy - well that would be the wine ;-) and Crafty Cardmakers   has Lots of Layers as their theme, I've got layers on the background (coz I'm a tightar$e and I've used scraps, lol) as well as the double matting, popping the image panel up on foam dots and the die cut sentiment, so I'm in

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge has Use Patterned Paper, which I have, Hiding in- my Craft Room wants to see scraps used in their regular Super Scraps Saturdays challenge as does Di in Pixies Snippets Playground where you always get to Use Snippets
Addicted to  Stamps, Little Miss Muffet, Through the Craftroom Door, Digi Choosday, 4 Crafty Chicks, Crafting With Friends  Challenge # 75 , Creative Fingers, Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends, Polkadoodles, A Perfect Time to Craft, Creatalicious Challenges, Crafting With Attitude, Corrosive Challenge and Die Cut Divas All have Anything Goes challenges so I'm entering them too

That's it for today.    

I'm not going to say anything about being back soon... every time I do some drama of varying size comes up to bite me in the butt... the latest being that I have had a rather serious infection in my top jaw - leading to my top central incisor, yes, the main tooth you see when you open your gob, quite literally falling out into my lap on Friday two weeks ago. It was horrifying!  Opened my mouth to talk to my sister, tooth on lap!!!

I went straight to the dentist who took some X Rays she didn't like the look of, and stuck the crown (which is the part of the tooth you see) back in - against her better judgement as the infection was quite apparent and the tooth (the part up in your jaw was clearly broken in two parts vertically so not a good anchor) but I wasn't leaving the surgery without SOMETHING.  It was purely cosmetic, couldn't eat with it... she called me back for an OPG, which is like a CAT Scan on the following Monday, checked it out and went "Whoa, above my pay grade".  

She promptly sent me to a maxillofacial surgeon. The surgeon - you know what they're like - was quite blunt, it's serious, you need to get rid of it, NOW, no we can't do it in the chair you'll have to come into hospital have it done under GA, if you can get a denture made in time good if not - too bad, you'll have to go toothless (my brain was exploding at this point!) I want it done next Tuesday (two working days hence!)  I rang my dentist as soon as I got out, she did an impression that afternoon, I picked up my denture on Monday - gotta say that's impressive service.  

I had the surgery on Tuesday last week... an implant is the next step... though I am going to have to have a bone graft as I have now lost quite a bit of bone (mainly through resorption, the infection has basically dissolved the bone) So, I have to go back to the specialist next week for a post-operative check, then back at two to three months for another scan which will determine how big a bone graft I will need for the implant (and so how big a "deal" it is) which will decide where I have it done and even if I can have it done

When I first got the quote I said I'd possibly just stick with the "prosthetic" (surgeon-speak for denture) as nearly $9000 is a LOT for one tooth... now I have had to have the extra process done it's going to cost even more - but I ALSO have now had a denture - which I have to REMOVE every night, which for some reason I am totally freaked out about (I wasn't even going to sleep in our bed with my hubby, I am so turned off by the whole toothless hag thing - despite being married 40 years and being through "a lot" together - daft I know, but quite "real") a denture I find uncomfortable to eat with and which has even affected my speech.... I can't imagine this being my "forever" now I'm thinking who cares what it costs, free me from my piece of plastic....... pleeeeese, lol. I'll be disappointed if we can't do it, we do have the money put aside for such things - we just didn't expect to spend it all on one tooth!  

It is a time-consuming process too, after the implant you have to wait two to three months before you can get the crown; well, it's my 60th in April so now, of course, I'm pushing to get it done before then.  Even if it can be done it can only be done within the limitations of healing so wish me luck

So, I'll be back when I can

Until then, Happy Crafting, Donna

A-Camping We Will Go

I made today's card for my son Matt's birhday (in 2016!)  He and his wife bought a camper trailer and went away in it for the first time for his birthday... we bought him a voucher from a Camping store - it was in with the card

I used a couple of digital stamps from the now sadly defunct Stamp Fairy (I bought BIG before they closed, I've got a few of these little sweeties to hand, lol) Lenny Camping 3 (which is Lenny and the camper) and Lenny Camping 4 which is Lenny with the campfire.  I cropped down two of the Lennys and added a bow to the "hair" of one before putting them in the campervan looking out... they are my twinnies, Nathan and Emily :-))... another reason I love digis so much, being so easily manipulated.  The colouring, as usual, was done with Copics and Prismacolor pencils

I made an easel card, because I love making them... the grass was cut with a die, I used it as the prop for the top of the card, and I also added a pocket "behind" or under it to put the gift card and a little tag with a jotting panel on the back

 The papers are from a 12" scrapbooking pad.  The clouds are Memory Box, mounted on foam pads.  The "Celebrate" sentiment is a digi from Create with TLC - quite possibly a freebie as Paulette is very generous :-)
I think the Happy Birthday die on the tag is from the Sizzix Tim Holtz Celebration Script Words collection, cut from black card and then coated with Glossy Accents
The little flowers are from a generic punch.  That's it.
I'd like to enter Matt's card in the following challenges

The Paper Shelter Digital Image

Aud Sentiments Summer and a Sentiment

As You Like It Flora or Fauna and Why - Fauna, I love all animals and I love using animal images because there are so many cute ones :-)

Simon Says Challenge Use More than One Stamp - Two digis used here

Allsorts Challenges Happy Birthday

Sweet Stampin' Bunnies and/or Bears

Send a Smile for Kids Anything Goes for Kids

Hiding in- my Craft Room Masculine
4 Crafty Chicks Masculine Birthday

Pile It On Sports and/or Hobbies - Camping with two little kids is more a Sport than a Hobby, lol
Little Miss Muffet, Through the Craftroom Door, Digi Choosday, Crafty  Creations, 4 Crafty Chicks, Crafting With Friends Challenge # 67, Creative Fingers, Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends, Polkadoodles, A Perfect Time to Craft, Create and Inspire, Creatalicious Challenges, Simply Papercrafts, Crafting With Attitude and Corrosive Challenge all have Anything Goes challenges

I'll be back soon (I hope) I've made a few cards in the twist pop up style (or whatever it's called, lol) as well as the LOADS still in my drafts, so I've got plenty to share 
Until then, Happy Crafting, Donna

Dry or Heat? Embossing That Is!

ETA:  I have spent 4 hours trying to edit and publish this post... it is now gone 2 am and I have no energy to spend trying to get it to publish all the pics and links ... Blogger doesn't want to play!I will return later in the morning to edit it.... must sleep now! Donna
Time for a new challenge at Di's Digi Challenge... and the theme, as the Post Title implies is "Embossing".  You can either crack out your embossing folders and go for Dry embossing or fire up the heat gun and grab your embossing powders.  I've done both, but either or is fine... I'm just an over-achiever, lol.

I've gone for a Christmas card, partly because I KNOW you can never have too many Christmas cards, and it IS only just around the corner - it's ALWAYS just around the corner - and partly because I just LOVED this image, one of Di's newer ones called Santa's Buddy and available here.  I've coloured with Copics, adding some Prismacolor details.

The heat embossing on the image is using Ranger's Clear Detail powder on the belt and Rudolph's nose, Glittery gold on the belt buckle and Ranger's Bridal Tinsel on the hat trim.
Of course the "main" embossing is found on the goild foil card I've used in place of patterned paper.  I used an Embossalicious Die'sire embossing folder "Let It Snow"... I can't tell you how pleased I was with the effect - it really does look great in real life.  
I embossed only half of the bottom panel, making it easier to attach the jotting panel (much easier to glue to flat card than embossed card, for sure!)  The black matting is from my stash, actually from a new pack I bought from Riot Art and Craft that comes with black, white and chipboard... really cheap!
The white card is from my ENORMOUS stash of "bits' left over from cutting my card bases out... it was exactly the right size, provided I used the right Lifestyle Crafts nested circle die of course, lol.

The green card for the holly leaves is also from my stash; I wish I could remember where I got it as it looks FABULOUS in real life, I cut the holly sprigs using a Cottage Cutz Winterland Holly die.  The red pearls are from my stash: they're self adhesive, but when I shaped the leaves (the die cuts little slits making this easy and desirable, they look so much better not being flat!) the "berries" kept pinging off... so I used clear craft glue and stuck them down good and proper, lol.
I think the sentiment is Kaisercraft, but don't hold me to it... and that's it!  Easy peasy and really quite effective.
I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:  

ABC Christmas Challenge	G is for Green or Gold
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Extra Challenge	Anything (Christmas) Goes
Cute Card Thursday	Something Shiny
Little Red Wagon	Celebrate
Tuesday Throwdown	Furry Friends
My Time to Craft	People and their Pets
Simply Papercrafts	Anything Goes (Always)
Creative Fingers	Anything Goes
Art by Miran	Anything Goes
Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends	Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion	Anything Goes
That Craft Place	Anything Goes
Little Miss Muffet	Anything Goes

I hope you get a chance to check out the blog, and a chance to enter the challenge too; great prize on offer as always, with extra opportunities to win if you use one of Di's Digis or a Candibean rubber stamp, if rubber is your thing.... I've decided this evening that rubber really ISN'T my thing; I spent two hours trying to stamp two images from a set I got in the mail yesterday.... between not getting a crisp image and smudging ink onto where it wasn't needed I had twelve failed attempts.  It just confirms to me that I AM, as suspected a digi kinda gal, lol
Until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna

Tic Tac Toe-tally Challenge Time

Yep, it's that time of the fortnight again... time for a new challenge at Di's Digis Challenge blog; this time around we have a Tic Tac Toe or Bingo Board.  I made a Christmas card, I read somewhere that it's only 7 weeks until Christmas, 'bout time I got serious about the card making :-) I made an easel card, nothing unusual in that, but at least this one is round for a change

I used one of Di's newer digis.. this is Jolly Reindeer Cheers, you can get him here... isn't he the cutest??!!  
I thought the oval die cut on the circular card looked like a stripy Christmas ornament, the main reason I used it though was because I wanted to show the "fold" of the easel and have the image stand out more... this is how it looks set up
I  coloured with Copics and, instead of adding Stickles and Glossy Accents as I usually do, I heat  embossed the fur on his cap with a white glitter EP I mixed myself (oh so technical; clear EP and white glitter, lol) and Ranger Clear on his nose and the ornaments... it is a more subtle finish than the "liquids" I usually use, but it looks quite nice :-)
Ooh, now for that all-important Tic Tac Toe Board... I used the line "Die Cut/Digi Image/Hand Coloring" or was it "Fancy Fold/Hand Coloring/Sentiment", lol

The snowy sky background I made myself in Photoshop, feel free to grab it... I'll have it on my Freebies Page too if you want to come back later... I have it in two shades and is 15cm or 6" square so prints up to quite a good size 
I used Lifestyle Crafts Circle Dies to cut the card and DP (which is from Basic Grey) and a Spellbinders Oval Floral Die (not to be confused with Spellbinders Decorative Elements Floral Oval die for the image mat ... really?? couldn't come up with a different name Spellbinders, geez!)  The plain red oval is from that set too but the gold mat was cut free hand as was the image panel. Here's a pic from the back
Actually I have half the set of these Oval Florals... I was in my LSS and trying to decide whether to get the set, coz they're not cheap, and I only use the bigger dies in all my sets and hate the waste; another lady was pondering the same set of dies, I mentioned (coz I'll talk to anyone, anywhere, lol) that I only want the big ones, she laughed and said I only want the small ones, I suggested we buy one set between us, she smiled and we left it at that... then when I was paying she approached me asked me if I was serious and we did exactly that; both left happy and even the shop owner was pleased as neither of us would have bought a set so one sale is better than none! 
I used a nice cream pearl card for the mat, it embossed beautifully too.

I used another Spellbinders die on the inside, it's one of the Banners set that has sat unused in my craft room for well over a year, oops! The embossing on these dies is what makes them a stand out... I cut a mat for the sentiment as it just didn't look finished without one.
The (digi) sentiment is from Pink Petticoat's Traditional Christmas Greetings set, the gold beaded thread and gold flatbacks are from my stash.
Well, phew, that's it.  If you made it this far, WELL DONE... I did manage to fill a page with info on what is a VERY basic card, but hey ho :-)  Hope you get a chance to check out the rest of the team's inspiration... and a chance to enter the challenge too of course, great prize on offer as always, and there's extra opportunities if you use one of Di's cute images... a digi from her webstore or one of the Candibean stamps if rubber's your thing ;-)

I'm entering my card in the following challenges 

Crafty Creations Colourful

Fab'n'funky Challenges Die Cuts and/or Punches

Cute As A Button Winter
Pink Gem Christmas Critters

Sweet Stampin' Christmas Christmas Travel (Reindeers = Christmas travel, hope so!)
Graphit Colour Challenge Christmas Sparkle 

Great Impressions Bling on the Holidays

Pile It On Anything But Square or Rectangle
Wags n Whiskers Not a Square
CCEE Stampers Circles (apart from 

Crafty Hazlelnut's Christmas Extra Challenge Anything Goes

Craft Your Passion Anything Goes

Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends Anything Goes

Through the Craftroom Door Anything Goes

Crafting With Friends Anything Goes

Creative Fingers Anything Goes

Art by Miran Anything Goes

Little Miss Muffet Anything Goes

Papertake Weekly Anything Goes

I'll be back soon.  Until then, Happy Crafting, Donna

... and now for September's Patterned Paper Challenge

Time's still flyin' over here... what about where you are??  Thought so, lol
It's time for a new challenge at Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper challenge... the theme's the same as always; Use Patterned Paper - yup, THAT easy!!
I made a card for my hubby's birthday (which was earlier in the year)  He has a great sense of humour, if you are REALLY easily offended look away now, lol.  Anyway, here 'tis

It's actually an easel card - just about my favourite fold, don't know if it's hubby's favourite or not, lol.  The image is from Dr Digis, he's "Ambrose Dunderton" and you can get your copy here.  I coloured with Copics and Prismacolor pencils - don't I always?!

I made the sentiment up on the computer, it relates to my hubby saying - ALL the time - when I ask if he'd like a wine, a beer or a cup of tea "ooh, a cup of tea, I know... I'm a boring old fart" to which I reply "ah yeah, but you're MY old fart" at this point we snicker like the teenagers we were when first we met and I get the cup of tea, rofl.   
The paper I've used is from Kaisercraft's Velvet Ensemble collection; there's lovely gold detail that isn't showing in the pics, but it really it is quite lush in real life. The brown and kraft card used for matting is from my stash, as is the hessian, which has been in my stash for ages, I've finally got around to using some!  The gold pearls are from stash too... but I use those a lot so I'm not quite so glad to have cracked them out, lol.

Colouring is my favourite part of card making, I really love it... I find it relaxing and am always a bit disappointed that I didn't quite get the result I was anticipating... I have to say I am VERY happy with this one; it has a real "depth" to it in real life, doesn't show quite as well in the photos, but like I said I'm happy with it as it's more a reflection on my photography than my colouring skills :-))  I added some more of the gold pearls for his buttons and some gloss to his glasses.
That's it!  Oh, I added a basic jotting panel - now THAT's it!
Pop over to the Challenge Blog and check out the rest of the team's work, inspiring :-) Hope you get a chance to enter the challenge this time around too, remember all you have to do is use patterned paper... no doubt about it that's EASY!!  Great prize on offer too, as always.  
I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges; 
As You Like It Favourite Layout and Why (Basic or CAS, shows off the image) 

Little Miss Muffet One For the Boys  
Sparkles Monthly Challenge More than One Fold

Seize the Birthday Birthday

Bizzy Becs Anything Goes

Art by Miran Anything Goes

Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends Anything Goes

Simon Says Challenge Anything Goes

Outlawz Friday Colouring Challenge Anything Goes

Through the Craftroom Door Anything Goes

Craft Your Passion Anything Goes
Cuttlebug Mania  Anything Goes
Clear It Out  Theme: Anything Goes, Stash: Anything Goes
That's it for today.  I'm going to New Zealand for a couple of weeks on Saturday... I have a DT card scheduled for then (I'll actually be in Melbourne for the weekend, then flying into Queenstown on Monday) hopefully it will post and I'll get some WiFi time in before we leave Australia.  Until then, Happy Crafting, Donna

My Favourite Type of Challenge

I have NO idea where the last two weeks went... but went they did!! Though there is more on that later.  Soooo it's time for the d Coloured Image", like I said colouring is my favourite part of cardmaking..latest challenge at Di's Digis Challenge Blog.  The theme this time is "Use a Han. so this is my favourite type of challenge. :-)  I thought I'd stick with favourite things and make an easel card... and of course I so love Di's images - what a feast of favourites!!

I've had a run on baby cards recently... my sons are at that age where their friends are extending their families. I had a few "girl" cards, I've got less now, lol, and very few "boy" cards so that's what I went with.  

The image is one of Di's new ones, Animal Ark... available here.  I coloured with Copics, adding detail with Prismacolor pencils.
I cut all the circles with my Lifestyle Crafts nesting dies, I love this set; 21 nesting dies gives a lot of matting options :-)  The matting is Bazzil and Kaisercraft, the patterned card came from DCWV Animal Crackers 8" pad... which looks like is retired now, shame.  I cut the waves with Memory Box Wave Edger Border Die, adding some more of the Ice Stickles to the edge for a bit of bling.
The Baby and Boy are Cottage Cutz dies and the Congratulations is Sizzix, I think!  I added a layer of Ranger Glossy Accents to all the die cuts, which gives a nice 3D effect. 
There are no embellishments on this card, at all, none!  With that in mind, and the fact that it's predominantly brown and blue I'm entering the challenge at Without Words... and the CAS challenge at 4 Crafty Chicks .  In addition I'm entering the following challenges:

Moving Along With The Times: Baby Baby 
Send a Smile for Kids: Bright Colours for Kids 
Cute Card Thursday, Pile It On, Crafty Cardmakers: Water 
Sparkles Monthly Challenge: Sun Sea and Sand (well I have "Sea", lol) 
Inky Chicks My Furry Friend (or friends in this case!) 
The Paper Shelter Use Some Circles (Oh yeah!) 
Papertake Weekly, Simon Says Challenge Not Square 
Creatalicious Challenges More Than One Fold 
As You Like It Favourite Single Colour and Why (Brown, it was the "guys" colour at my wedding 38 years ago... with apricot for the bridesmaids, the height of fashion.... then, and I always associate it with that happy time) 
Catch The Bug Bingo Board (Circle on card/Border/3 Layers) 
Craft Your Passion, Card Mania Challenges, Little Miss Muffet, Art by Miran, Aud Sentiments and Through the Craftroom Door Anything Goes

That's it for today's card.  Pop over to the Challenge Blog and check out the team's Hand Colouring, awesome!  Hope you get to enter the challenge this time around, great prize as always... and don't forget there's extra opportunities if you use one of Di's images; and with cuties like this, why wouldn't you??  
I hope to be back very soon with another card from my drafts; to be honest when I said I didn't know where the two weeks had gone - not quite true!  I have had a chest infection, being asthmatic it sorta happens most winters sadly, this one's been a doozy, and mainly we've been looking after the twins a lot as their parents have their own set of woes:  
They have had to move out of their house as the plaster on ALL the internal walls failed and has been removed and replaced... meaning the carpets had to come up, bathroom tiles replaced, built in cupboards replaced, everything repainted ... on and on - HUGE job that has been a nightmare to deal with as the builder is very disorganized.  
They've been out of their house living in short stay accommodation (with two year old twins and a business usually run from home and not transferable to rental accommodation, so my son has had to go "home" everyday to pick up and drop off machinery, had to find somewhere else to store his truck, go there everyday for that.... blah blah)  My DIL has been locked in combat with the builder, suppliers and trades.  She used to work for this (very well known builder) and has resigned as she's found the whole thing so distasteful... it took three years to get them to admit liability, and THEN the woes really began!

It has been a debacle, they haven't had to pay for much (the builder has paid as it's a warranty job, the house was only 3 years old when the problems began) but the upheaval has been extraordinary.  They should get to move back in next weekend, which will be fifteen weeks since they moved out, despite an"absolute guaranteed nine week turn around"  They are both sick, I think it's stress related, both the kids have been sick which is "being two" related, lol, so we've been trying to share the wear with them and we've had their dog (who's lovely, but I don't want TWO dogs) Suffice to say we're all ready for some "back to normal".

In addition my PC reached the end of it's useful life so I thought I'd "upgrade" to a Mac.  Our good friend Dave is an IT professional, has just completed his Masters and sold me his super duper upspecced Mac with ginarormous Thunderbolt display... I had it 13 days and fried the hard drive... with all my newly updated data on it, without backup of most.  Spent this afternoon installing new hard drive and reinstalling software (well Dave did) ... looks like next week is data restoration time, which will be me NOT Dave, lol, more dents in my craft time, spewing!!

Phew, feel better now I've got some of that off my chest

I will be back, with craft related not my-sorry-life-related stuff soon.  Until then, Happy Crafting, Donna