Hope Springs Eternal

These little guys really "hope" they get a bit of that fabulous pudding!  Not the traditional use of "hope" at Christmas... but relevant all the same, lol. 

As soon as I saw this gorgeous image from Lili of the Valley, I KNEW I had to have it!  So.... I bought it, and about thirty to keep it company, lol.  So far I've coloured up this one, sigh
Anyways, I digress... I coloured the image with Copic markers, added some Prismacolor pencil shadows and highlights and coloured the cutlery with a metallic pencil... gives a a good finish.  I added glitter to the dots on the green scarf... which you can't see in the pic, Glossy Accents to the "cherries" in the pudding... which you can't see in the pic, and Stickles  to the "snow"... which you can't see in the pic unless you reeeeallly try, lol.  But they're all there, honest

I used a kraft card base because I liked it with the vintage-y feel of the image (though I've fiddled around making a 'bright' version and it doesn't look vintage at all, lol) and I used papers with the same style... I think they're both Kaisercraft, but the tartan strip may be Basic Grey
I used red glitter card that I bought in a pad (because I couldn't get any of the one I usually use) and it is BRILLIANT!  It doesn't shed at all and even the tiny little scallops (from a set I bought from Ali Express... which I LOVE) cut cleanly

The image was popped up on two layers of foam dots, the tartan strip on one... it does look 'flat' in the pics but good IRL.  The "Hope" sentiment is a stamp from a set I have had since my very first days of cardmaking... I bought the set for the flourishes that came with it and have only 'seen' the sentiments (there are only three one-word sentiments) since I reorganized my stamps - I put sentiments together and in theme - and have them more readily accessible.  

I used Coffee Archival Ink for stamping, to continue in the vintage/homegrown vein.  I stamped my all-time favourite (I use it on at least half my Christmas cards!) stamp for the sentiment inside the card.  This is a very old stamp, I got it from my sister... it was wood mounted, but not any more :-) and she got it from her friend years before that; that's what you call upcycling, lol
That's it for today's card.  I'd like to enter in the following challenges:

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers Y is for Yummy

As You Like It CASE a DT's card… and say Why; I CASEd Brenda's… Adding sparkle is my "go to" for Christmas cards :-)

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge Use Patterned Paper

Aud Sentiments Christmas or Winter Sentiment

My Time to Craft Winter Scenes… this is a "scene", hope it is "scenic" enough

Cardz 4 Galz Cute Christmas… this cute card is for my friend Mirella; she is my biggest fan now my lovely Mum has gone :-)

Simon Says Challenge Traditional Christmas (I've used traditional Christmas colours

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Anything Christmas Goes, option: Use something beginning with "R"; I have Running mice, Racing to the pudding because they're Really hungry :-)

Send a Smile for Kids Happy Holidays-  or Anything Goes - for kids

Winter Wonderland Anything Christmas Goes

Cuttlebug Mania has Christmas

Creatalicious Challenges, Anything Goes, Opt: Winter
Addicted to  Stamps, Through the Craftroom Door, Digi Choosday, Crafty  Creations, Creative Fingers, Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends, Polkadoodles, Gem of a Challenge, A Perfect Time to Craft and Cute Card Thursday All have Anything Goes

It's been six WEEKS since I posted anything on my blog... there's been a lot going on.  
Don't know what it is with my family, but the drama continues.  The latest is my nephew Craig's house burnt to the ground on Wednesday (well it's been condemned, the roof has collapsed etc)  $300,000 worth of damage to the house, and most of his possessions ruined by smoke or water if not fire.  He was NOT insured.  
Of course my sister is devastated for him; he bought the house from the proceeds of a Workers Compensation payout for an accident in which he lost his right arm... he will not be in a position to buy another house, ever.  He has no money, we have all chipped in what we can to get him the basics... we don't really know what the next step is towards getting the house sold (the house needs to be demolished to increase the value of the block of land it sits on, ironically) all we know is it will cost big bucks 
It has put a damper on Christmas... usually my favourite time of the year.  If you are so inclined say a prayer for him, or appeal to the stars.  
I hope to be back soon, I have SO many cards to 'blog'
Until then, Happy Crafting (and pay your house insurance!), Donna x 

Another Naughty Knight

The card I have today is very similar to one I made for my hubby for his birthday (here's a link to that one if you missed it)... in fact this card was made first, it was for our friend's 50th birthday - I had printed up a different cheeky sentiment but that got spoiled (something to do with impatience and ink) and I already had printed the one for hubby; so they ended the same sentiment - I know, but I ran out of time to reprint, and luckily he's the sort of guy who loves a bit of cheekiness :-)

The image is Brave and Cute Knight from The Paper Shelter, I coloured with Copics, adding some highlights and extra shading with Prismacolor pencils.

The papers are absolutely lush in real life, they are from Kaisercraft... "Velvet Ensemble" I believe... it's a pretty old pad so I'm not sure it's still available,  it is a shame if it's not.  

The borders at the top (both the patterned and the black) are cut with Paper Roses Cloud Borders dies... they have a nice stitch detail along them, which is hard to see in the pic, but does add a nice detail.  It's my favourite way to add stitching to cards... I'm useless with a sewing machine (though I love the look on other's cards) and when I add "faux" stitching using a pen (my other "go to" for stitching effect) I invariably smudge it or don't plan ahead - Dies are much more of a safe bet, lol  I added more of the same papers inside along with the punch line.  

The font is called "Storybook" and I think that fits really well with the little knight :-)  The number on the front was actually from my stash of years ago... they were digits from clockface sets I had when I was teaching egg decorating - though it was my sister who sourced them as she was  running a ceramic studio at the time.  Hands up if you remember ceramics, lol

I would like to enter my Cute and Brave knight in the following challenges:

Die Cut Divas Autumn Colours

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge Use Patterned Paper
Pixies Snippets Playground Snippets... it's the last of that luuuuush paper, sob

As You Like It Favourite Style of Stitching and Why: Die cuts with stitch lines…because they came in all sorts of designs and give a lovely crisp fool (read "Donna") proof finish! 

Allsorts Challenges Add Something Gold and/or Silver: The "50" is gold to match the gold in the patterned paper

Through the Craftroom Door, Digi Choosday, Crafty Creations, Creative Fingers, Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends,Polkadoodles, A Perfect Time to Craft, Creatalicious Challenges (Opt Autumn),  Crafting With an Attitude and Corrosive Challenge all have Anything Goes Challenges and Cutie Pie Challenge has Anything Goes as Long as It's Cute… this little guy is a tad cheeky, but no denying he's a real Cutie :-) 

That's it for today.  I'll be back.... Until then, Happy Crafting, Donna

Clowning Around

G'Day from WA :-)

The card I have today was the card I made for my eldest son Matt's 36th birthday in 2017... just getting around to posting it... and no, it's not the oldest one in my Drafts folder, lol.  

 Matt has coulrophobia - a fear of clowns, so being a loving Mum I'd thought I'd tease hm about it.  Well, not really... I actually thought he'd got past this more than he has, he is very much better than he was... and it such a nice clown, but.... ah well.  We are a "jokey" family, he took it in the spirit it was intended, thank goodness.

The image is a digi from Rick St Dennis called, unsurprisingly, "Clown with Balloons".  I coloured with Copics adding some deeper shadows with Prismacolor pencils.  Glossy Accents to the balloon after adding the numbers "36" with my laser printer and then foiling them in iridescent foil with the laminator (hard to see in the pic, pretty effective IRL.  I added some fluffy/glittery cotton balls cut in half on his costume and hat (they DID try to fall apart, but I got 'em, haha) 

The paper is from a Kaisercraft pad, I only had a bit of the paper on the front left, so I cut around the edge of the windmills to give a banner-like effect. I used more paper from the same pad and used the same technique to cut around the flags on the piece I used on the inside of the card, and some more scraps to make the pocket to hold the gift card that was Matt's present

I also foiled the computer-generated sentiment using the laser printer/laminator technique, not that it looks shiny in this pic, mind you the glitter on the DP doesn't show up either, sigh

That's it for today's offering.  We are still (technically) in winter here, though the weather has been really very nice (not that winter is ever "bad" here... I've lived in England and Wales, I know the difference, lol) so I've (technically) got a bit more crafting time on hand.  It hasn't quite panned out yet, but I live in hope :-)  Work is very quiet, beyond the seasonal slump... the economy is pretty sluggish at the moment and hubby and I are enjoying a taster of (semi) retirement... gotta say, we are now not worried that we'll be bored when we DO retire, we are busy, busy, busy, lol.  My "other" bookkeeping clients are in the same boat, same industry more or less so no surprise THERE! If we go back to boom times I think I'll give them up, I'm enjoying the pace I'm at much better, One Power Ball....

Anyway, I'm entering my card in the following challenges:  

Little Red Wagon Digi Do (Use a Digital Image)

Aud Sentiments For a Child + a Sentiment (Matt's my child, and it IS a "child" image, so I hope my entry fits the bill)

Sweet Stampin' Spots and/or Stripes (Spots and stripes on the clown's cossie)

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge Use Patterned Paper

Pixies Snippets Playground Use Snippets (The piece on the front)

Send a Smile for Kids Anything Goes for Kids (Again, this is a "kid" image, hope it's okay to enter)

Catch The Bug, Cute Card Thursday, The Paper Shelter, Simon Says Challenge, Through the Craftroom Door, Digi Choosday, Crafty  Creations, Creative Fingers, Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends, Polkadoodles, Gem of a Challenge and A Perfect Time to Craft All have "Anything Goes"

and I thought I'd add a picture of "the new dog", not ours... our son said he would leave it until little Rocky was gone before getting another dog.... true to his word, now Rocky is gone, here's Miss Molly with her new owners, The Twins
She is a sweet girl, and the kids love her... unlike her previous owners from whom she was rescued... so sad, but now not, she's landed on all four soft little feet :-))

Until next time, 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

Flying Pigs

The card I have today is one of my older ones from my drafts folder, it was made for my hubby (I know, I only showed you last year's a few weeks ago... this is from the year before!)  He has a wicked sense of humour, so it's another tongue in cheek job. When anyone asked how old he was he (EVERY birthday!) answers 29, so I thought I'd have a little joke about it

I think I may have mentioned before that my hubby loves pigs... or at least he did until the inevitable avalanche that comes when you announce that you like something makes you yell "ENOUGH already", he still gets them from me though, hehe.
This image is called Cincinnati, from the sadly now defunct Paper Pretties.  I thought that when reading the first part of the (computer generated) sentiment and seeing the flying pig he would immediately think that I had put the obvious "yeah, and pigs fly" on the inside as the retort... but clearly we have been together a LONG time because he basically guessed that I had put an equally unlikely flying-pig assertion on the inside, as sadly Stefan doesn't look good for 29 - though not at all bad for 62, as he was on this day

I coloured the image with Prismacolor pencils and added Stickles to the clouds.  The image panel and mat were cut and embossed with Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels 12.
The papers are Kaisercraft Fine and Sunny, with the stripy paper on the banners also from Kaisercraft... but as they came out of my snippets folder I can't remember which pad.
A long time ago I melted (a LOT of) pony beads in the oven to make the little "cabochons", or flatbacks or pearly thingys :-)  like I said I have a LOT - but still I could only find three exactly the same translucent red, so the one on the inside is a bit of an odd man out... the inside's not finished exactly the same as the front (didn't have enough of me snippets for a start, lol) so I think it's okay.  Of course all the layers are popped up on varying thicknesses of foam dots to give it dimension.
Well, that's it!  I'm going to enter this card in the following challenges

Moving Along With The Times For the Boys

Sasayaki Glitter Male Project

As You Like It Fur or Feathers and Why: I like "fur", love most animals... my pig here is HAIRY rather than furry, but I hope that doesn't get held against him... he's still cute:-)  I don't like birds as pets much - probably exacerbated by inheriting my Mum's budgie that drives me crazy with his squawking!  Nice to look at in the garden, but fur beats feathers in an "As You Like It" kinda way

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge Use Patterned Paper

Pixies Snippets Playground Snippets

Tuesday Throwdown, The Paper Shelter, Little Miss Muffet, Through the Craftroom Door, Digi Choosday, Crafty  Creations, Creative Fingers, Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends, Polkadoodles,  A Perfect Time to Craft, Create and Inspire, Creatalicious Challenges, Crafting With Attitude and Corrosive Challenge all have Anything Goes

I will be back on 16th (I'd like to say I'll be back with a card from my Drafts before that, but I know me, lol) with a GD card.  Until then Happy Crafting, Donna 

A Little Naughty Knight

When Di asked me if I'd like to be a Guest Designer at Pixie's Snippets Playground (Duh, YEAH, lol) I sent her a couple of cards; she used a "safe" one last time and this time she's using this one. I was a little worried it may be too risqué for some peeps, she assures me it's fine -  it is a card I made for my hubby's birthday (last year!).... he has a great sense of humour and is a little bit cheeky - his birthday card reflects this so if you are reeeeely easily offended by the slightly-saucy please look away now; if you're like the rest of us, you'll need to go to the picture of the INSIDE of the card to get the punchline :-)

The super cute image is from the Paper Shelter, he is called Brave and Cute Knight - so absolutely perfect for MY Brave and Cute Knight :-)  I coloured him up with Copic markers, adding some detail with Prismacolor pencils.  His jerkin is coloured blue and gold because that's hubby's (and my)  favourite footy team (The West Coast Eagles) colours.  I did the sentiment up on the computer using a free font from DaFont.com "Storybook", perfect for my storybook character in a dark grey rather than black

I cut the wavy border on the patterned paper - which (I think) is from DCWV La Crème stack (and the ribbed, pearl chocolate/black matting card, featured as a straight border at the bottom of the card also) using a Spellbinders Curved Border die.  I made another version of this card for our friend, it is almost identical but the colours are stronger... which makes quite a difference, but that's for another blog post, lol.
That's it for this very simple card, which he loved btw... noting that the punchline is somewhat different than it was when we were young... forty plus years ago, lol.  Well,  hopefully, you've all got over your blushes now :-)  I will be entering this card in the following challenges:

The Paper Shelter Going Digital

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers Over the Hill

Crazy 4 Challenges Masculine

Cute Card Thursday CAS

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge Use Patterned Paper

Aud Sentiments Anything Goes Plus a Sentiment
Simon Says Challenge, Little Miss Muffet, Through the Craftroom Door, Digi Choosday, Crafty  Creations, 4 Crafty Chicks, Crafting with Friends, Challenge # 70 , Creative Fingers, Polkadoodles, Create and Inspire, Simply Papercrafts and Corrosive Challenge all have Anything Goes themes

Thanks for checking out my card, until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna

A Little Bit of Christmas in June

Well it's June... but here in Australia we often have "Christmas in June" or "Christmas in July" events as the weather is more conducive to eating hearty food and sitting in front of a fire then... you know, "traditional" Christmas stuff.  I love Christmas... in June, July OR December :-))  Thought  I'd share a Christmas card today, nothing to do with it being June... it's another one out of my drafts from Christmas last year!  It's a "wobbler" card, I love these things; they jazz very simple card up just that little bit - making this card was FUN

 I used the gorgeous Christmas Tree Guy from Karen's Doodles, coloured with Copics, fussy cut then added to a Spring Wobbler (really will have to get some more of these... or have a go at a bit of DIY, yikes)  I added Ranger Glossy Accents to the eyes and Stardust Stickles to the fur on his hat... the nose is a Sparklet from Kaisercraft. 
I fussy cut him, then mounted him on his Wobbler (!) here he is wobbling away :-))
The white panel behind the image was embossed with an Embossalicious Snowflake folder.  The papers are from my (ancient!) stash, I think the red one is Kaisercraft.  The red, green and gold matting are all from my stash too.
The sentiment is from Craftworks Cards.  That's IT... told you is was a "simple" card!!
 I used the same basic layout for the inside, though I forgot to take a photo of that... it WAS Christmas, fair bit going on!

I thought I'd take this opportunity to announce that I've been lucky enough to be picked as one of the inaugural DT Members for Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - my first card as official DT member will be up on Wednesday when the new challenge starts, but this card would fit the challenge - coz all you have to do is use Patterned Paper somewhere on your creation,... so I thought Id show you just how easy it is to make something suitable for the challenge.  Hope you can pop back then and see what I came up... until then Happy Crafting :-)

THIS card is being entered in the following challenges: 

Fab'n'funky Challenges Christmas 
Outlawz Friday Colouring Challenge Anything Goes With a Christmas Twist 
Hiding in my Craft Room Any Holiday 
Sparkle's Christmas Card Challenge  Anything (Christmas) Goes
Pile It On Cultural or Family Tradition (This is THE family tradition in our house, lol) 
Top Tip Tuesday   Name That Tune (Oh Christmas Tree) 
The Outlawz  (CAS) Add Something Green (err, like a tree? Lol) 

Corrosive Challenge Leave a Little Sparkle 
Clear It Out Theme: Your Style (uncluttered, coloured image) Stash: Favourite Craft Item (digi image!) 
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge Use Patterned Paper - Tooooo Easy!! 
Through the Craftroom Door Anything Goes 
Paper Creator Crafts Anything Goes 
Art by Miran Anything Goes 
Little Miss Muffet Anything Goes 
Craft Your Passion Anything Goes

See ya soon, Donna

"Hammy" Birthday to Tam

The card I'm sharing today was made for one of my son Chris's friends for her 30th... as it's her birthday again in about six weeks I thought I should get this one out of my drafts!  Tam loves pigs so the image choice was simple :-)

 I decided on this little piggy (pun intended, lol) from the sadly now defunct Pollycraft - I actually have a few pig images as my hubby loves them too and I l tend to grab them when I find them :-)  I coloured the image with Copics and Prismacolor pencils.  The Crazy Challenge has Cute Little Animals while (somewhat coincidentally) Crazy 4 Challenges wants to see Animals (though not bears or bunnies) for their challenge so I'm entering there.  Cupcake Inspirations  has Party Time and  Great Impressions has a Birthday Bash, so in there too.
Tam has made all the right noises over the years re the cards I have made, and I know she likes easels so that was what I went with here.
The paper is from Kaisercraft's Save the Date pad, those banners and pinwheels are lovely and glittery IRL, impossible to capture on camera though, grrr, as is the gloss finish on the circles on the base.  I'll be entering Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge.  I used one of the precut borders and made a stopper for the front of the card to sit against, adding a wooden "30" that I painted and glitter embossed.  The sentiment came with the image and the mat for that is another of the Nesties.  I cut out one of the pinwheels and added it to the corner of the sentiment with a brad from my stash.
I cut the mat for the image with Nestablities Lacey Squares, the image panel itself is just a rectangle with the edges trimmed with a corner rounder.  The patterned paper triangles are matted on cardstock from my stash which are mounted on foam dots to give some dimension.

I used metal letters from my stash, they are so old I simply can't remember where I got them from, I threaded them onto twine (stash again!) and then cut little slits next to the piggy's trotters and threaded the twine "under" them so it looks more realistically like the pig is holding the string, 'coz clearly "REALISTICALLY" that's what the pig would be doing, lol.  Crafty Creations wants to see our Stash, tada! and Clear It Out wants to see our Favourite Colour Combo, I love all colour, especially fresh juicy colour like this!

I added another Lacey Squares Nestie mat for the jotting panel, which I cut and embossed with a Crafts Too Square die and added another of the cut out pinwheels.  The "growing old..." sentiment came in the Save the Date pad.
Well that's it for Tam's (last) birthday card, I hope to share this year's a lot sooner, lol.  
Fab'n'funky Challenges and Send a Smile for Kids have Anything Goes for kids challenges, this card isn't technically for "a kid" but Tam is a kid to me and it's definitely kid-oriented so I'm entering there, I'll understand if it's not allowed though :-) Top Tip Tuesday , Tuesday Throwdown, Through the Craftroom Door, Crafty Girls Challenge, Little Miss Muffet,  Stamping Sensations and Crafty Calendar all have Anything Goes challenges - I should be alright there, so I'm entering them :-)
I will be back on Thursday with a card I've made as a Guest Designer for Little Miss Muffet, which I am most excited about, I hope you can pop over and check that out.  Until then, Happy Crafting, Donna

Christmas in July

Well, here in Australia Christmas is right in the middle of Summer, so all of you in the Northern Hemisphere that think Christmas in July  feels "odd"... welcome to my world, lol.  When we celebrate "Christmas in July" (my son has a big party on the last weekend in July every year) we take the opportunity to have traditional hot food and mulled wine - not to say we don't love the crayfish (rock lobster), prawns and crisp white wine we have on Christmas day proper :-))  The Christmas cards I'm showing today were in fact made for Christmas 2013 - I wasn't going to share them, (they're very basic) then I thought about the "in July" thing and decided why not?!

All three cards use images from Bugaboo... I find them a fabulous source of images to colour in a hurry... and with a sense of humour (which I like in a Christmas card, as the rest of the season feels a bit like you're playing for Sheep Stations, lol)  The first one is Stella Christmas - Fruitcake, coloured with Copics with Gloss on the "fruit" and glasses, Stickles on the ornaments and iridescent embossing powder on the fur trim on the hat.  The red card is from my stash, the gold stickers around the edge of the image panel are also from my stash.

The second card uses Merry Christmas - Tree. coloured with Copics, Gloss on the ornaments and Stickles on the stars.  The green mat behind the image is from my stash too, again edged with gold stickers - I have a gazillion of these things in my stash, it's nice to get some used!

The third card is covered in paper from a Kaisercraft's pad - can't remember the name, so I'm entering Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - more of the red card as a mat for the image panel; the image is JJ Christmas Cheer - On Blitzen! ain't she sassy? lol  Moving Along With The Times says Girls Just Want to Have Fun, so JJ's IN! and  Crafty Creations has Let's Party, so (hic) in there too.  Sweet  Stampin' has a Christmas in July challenge... we're in! 

Once again I've coloured with Copics, Gloss on the glass, bubbles and JJ's glasses, Stickles on the headband and Sparkly Fluff on her tummy detail and tail.  Christmas Stampin' All Year Long has a recipe challenge; 2 CS, 1 Image, 2 Embellishments, 1 Sentiment - I hope coloured cardstock and patterned card count as 2CS and "hic" counts as a sentiment :-))  I'll understand if it's too much of a stretch tho', lol

The polka dot ribbon from my stash, actually we got about a hundred metres of polka dot ribbon when we were in Malaysia a few years ago, it's some of that :-)  Jingle Belles wants us to use something from our stash more than a year old, not a problem.... EVAH!  The embellishment in the centre of the bow came from ebay. 

That's it!! I told you they were very basic cards, still I'm sure they qualify for the following challenges: Bearly Mine Challenges has Let's Go Digital (no challenge at all for me!) and Through the Craftroom Door, Aud Sentiments and Charisma Cards have Anything Goes themes.

I'll be back in a few days with another offering, until then 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