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

Farewell to 'Poldo...and a Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Bone Graft

I have a card today that I made for my dear friend on the occasion of her lovely Dad Leopoldo's passing.  He was a really lovely man and is sadly missed

I tend to keep sympathy cards on the simple side, especially those for men.  This time around I used heavy linen card, stamped the trees from Stampin' Up's "Lovely as a Tree" stamp set (I LOVE this set, it was expensive but it stamps so well and I think the images great) with Stazon Timber Brown ink.  I used sponge daubers to colour the background, the linen texture really grabs the ink, looks nice IRL
The (computer generated) sentiment was done using my laser printer, deco foil and a laminator.  I matted the image and the sentiment panel on textured brown/black metallic card and added gold brads to the corners to finish them off.
I used the largest of the stamps to stamp a scene inside the card, masking off one end to extend the scene out to the edge of the card.  There are a couple of "ghost" trees in the background too, though I was nervous, so they are very light, lol
Obviously more colouring with the sponge daubers and Versacolour inks to complete the scene.  The advantage of this technique is that you can write over the top of it... so even though the sky was creeping up the page a bit it really didn't matter - there was plenty of room to write my message
That's it for just about the simplest card you can get!  It did look more impressive in real life... honest :-)  I would like to enter in the following challenges:

As You Like It Favourite: Layers, One or Many and Why... I like patterned paper and like to layer up my cards, but I also love One Layer cards... I just find them "hard", so this is the sort of compromise, lol
Simon Says Challenge Make a Scene

Pile It On Your Favourite Colour - I love "autumn colours", always have :-)

Catch The Bug, Through the Craftroom Door, Digi Choosday, Crafty  Creations, Crafting with Friends Current Challenge, Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends, Polkadoodles, Gem of a Challenge, A Perfect Time to Craft, Creatalicious Challenges and Crafting With Attitude All have Anything Goes

.... and now to the "funny" thing that happened on the way to the bone graft
I was due to get the block bone graft done to my upper central RIGHT incisor on Wed last week.  
When I had the Cone Beam scan done that determined the extent of the bone loss, it picked up a small "bubble" at the top of my top LEFT eye tooth... nothing to worry about says the Maxofacilliary specialist, your dentist can resolve that with a root canal.... okay, not great but I'll get it done. When I had my hip replaced the surgeons were VERY keen to get any areas of inflammation removed if possible; I had my gallbladder out because I had gallstones (which were not pleasant), but I was dallying on getting it removed until it's potential to cause problems for the bone surgery were pointed out.  That it mind, I thought I'd get the root canal done on the Thursday BEFORE the bone graft so it was all done and dusted before going for the bone graft... about which I was (and now AM) very nervous about, after hearing some horror stories about facial swelling, pain etc

I had the root canal done, as soon as the anaesthetic wore off it didn't feel right.  I've had them before and this was WAY more painful.  The pain increased overnight, I got little sleep.  Went to the dentist on Friday got antibiotics, still in pain.  Went to the dentist Saturday morning as I was still in pain and my face had started swelling... she didn't see me but had left me Codalgin Forté - codeine based, didn't touch it.  Ibobrufen helped but not for long at a time, swelling continued.  I went to the after-hours GP clinic at the hospital on Saturday evening, he was a little concerned, thought the dentist had pierced the sinus cavity and infected that, said the next best thing to IV antibiotics is a needle in the bum, okay, he gave me Tramadol for the pain and a course of strong oral antibiotics - after the injection.  
Got no sleep again (third night in a row) with the pain
Sunday the swelling kept going up.  I was going to go back to the clinic but my sons both thought the time had come to go to Emergency.  I (reluctantly as I loathe waiting for hours anywhere!) went, they actually took me straight through even though they were very busy (Joondalup has the busiest Emergency Department in Australia, so when it's busy for them it's BUSY, lol)
They were not happy that the swelling and redness had started to go down my neck... I was worried about my eye closing and the proximity to my brain, they were not, lol.  It was facial cellulitis and there was "involvement of the lymph" no degree detailed just that term "involvement"... the worry apparently is sepsis, and not helped by my RA. 
They admitted me, I had three lots of two different IV antibiotics over a day and a half .... and had to ring my surgeon to cancel the bone graft.
I'm all good now, even the discolouration has gone... my dentist is jittery though :-))  She's never seen anything like this, I told her she's just too young to have!  She wanted me to go to an Endodontist to check it out, but I'm sick of shelling out for dental so just went back to her yesterday - she was amazed at how recovered I am... though I DID tell her that I have lots of practice at getting "unusual" things and heal pretty quick from most of them.
So, I thought I'd have time to "blog", but I haven't.  The couple of days I was completely out of the work loop (should have taken my laptop up, didn't think of it and hubby was pressed as it was) made three days extra work when I got home!  All caught up now :-)
Still, I hope to get back on here soon..I have so many cards to blog.  Until then, Happy Crafting, Donna x

Fore.... Matt, with a Twist

The card I have to share today was for my son Matt's birthday this year - I still have last year's to blog, but this one is "Autumnal", his birthday's in Autumn and I love Autumn, AND it's a fancy fold which I also love so it's today's choice :-)

Matt was going to a schmancy new golf "place" for his birthday - we were all going along... and then, the evening before, he had a very bad reaction to some meds and ended up going to hospital by ambulance.  They kept him in for the night... he got worse (anaphylactic shock) and still looked like an inflatable red M&M when he was discharged the next afternoon... so he didn't go to golf, making this card look like a cruel joke - as I gave it to him anyway, lol
The real "treat" of this card is that it is a Twist and Pop Up card so here's the all-important inside....tada

and a couple of shots of the card in action, as it were

I followed an excellent tutorial (here) that uses metric measurement, yay, so much easier than converting :-)  this is not the first one of these cards I've made, though it is the first I have "blogged", so I know from experience I prefer the metric template :-)
I used a digital Alpha from one of my (many, too many unused, sigh) digital scrapbook kits called "Brick and Metal"... one guess which this is, lol.  
I made the letters BIG and added drop shadows in Word, they don't really show in the pic, but they do make a difference IRL.  I attached them with some bronze eyelets that I also used on the front.  The patterned paper used inside is from the same Kaisercraft pad as that on the outside, the black on blue is flocking, it adds a nice texture
Talking of the front: I just loved the image, it's "Stroke of Genius" from Digi Doodle Shop, (no longer available I fear) I enjoyed colouring him up with Copics and Prismacolor pencils.  I used a kraft card base and added some paper from a Kaisercraft's pad.  The image panel was attached to its mat with some bronze coloured eyelets then propped up on foam tabs.  

I found a flat back that had lots of facets on it, that was exactly the right size for the golf ball... it looks really good IRL. 
That's it for Matt's birthday card, I hope you liked it, I'd like to enter it in the following challenges:
Give a Crafter A Cookie Has "Autumn Colours" and this gorgeous Cookies pic as inspiration  
Crazy 4 Challenges Just wants us to Make a Card

My Time to Craft Has Use Kraft Card

The Paper Shelter Has Let's Celebrate

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge Always gets us to Use Patterned Paper

Moving Along With The Times and Addicted to  Stamps Have Autumn or Autumn colours themes, Cute Card Thursday, Catch The Bug, Little Miss Muffet, Through the Craftroom Door, Digi Choosday, Crafty  Creations, 4 Crafty Chicks, Crafting With Friends Challenge 74, Creative Fingers, Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends, Polkadoodles, Create and Inspire, Creatalicious Challenges and Crafting With Attitude All have Anything Goes

I will be back in a few days with another offering (I have managed to find most of my cards photos all bar two that I can remember, lol - so I have got quite a big Drafts Folder again)  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

BBQ in a Box

G'day from WA :-)  The project I have today is a card-in-a-box I made for my son Chris's birthday... in 2015! (Well his birthday IS at the end of November so it's not as dire as it sounds, lol)  We bought him a barbecue as his gift so I thought I'd make a card that went with it

I thought the black and silver was "manly", and the papers I used were, in fact, part of the box of goodies said son bought me for MY birthday - he likes to know what he has chosen is "useful" to me so it gives him a buzz when he sees it "in action".  The black with silver glitter on it is a tissue sort of paper, the snippet of grey and white stripe is flocked and the silver and white on top is foil; all the food groups covered there :-)  The black and white polka dot strip is also paper, though I could just as easily have used ribbon.  The stars (MFT Die-Namics Stacking Stars) on the top are attached to acetate strips, 
I made the whole box from silver card, the decorative strip around the middle is cut using a die.  Of course the real feature of a "card-in-a-box" is what's IN the box... so here it is

Obviously, all the same elements used on the inside as on the outside... plus black leathergrain card. The barbecue is made from that card, the legs are black straws with an eyelet joining them and the wheels are Card Candi I've had in my stash for years.  
The controls on the bbq are silver flat back "pearls" and the red "light" is a hole-less pearl.  I used a jewellery finding (the type that you use to have a multiple string necklace) as a handle for the bbq lid.
Having a son called Chris is handy sometimes... the "Chris" on the right-hand panel was cut from a "Christmas" die, Memory Box I think, the Happy Birthday is an Elizabeth Crafts die and the 31 are Kaisercraft
The lid of the barbie opens too: I wish the plate of MY barbecue was as clean and shiny as it is on THIS one, lol

That's about it for my bbq in a box.  I would like to enter it into the following challenges:

As You Like It: Favourite Die and Why - "Chris", from the "Christmas" die... I love it because I love Christmas, use it a lot ... and the die cuts nicely too :-))

Card Mania Challenges Monochromatic
Crazy 4 Challenges #419 "Opposites" - black and white

Fab'n'Funky Challenges With a Number

Allsorts Challenges Old Favourites - the Christmas die, and those silver "pearls"

Pixies Snippets Playground Snippets (striped paper)
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge Use Patterned Paper
Tuesday Throwdown, Aud Sentiments, Through the Craftroom Door, Digi Choosday, Creatalicious Challenges, Paper Creator Crafts, 4 Crafty Chicks, Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends, Polkadoodles, Crafting With Friends Challenge 59, Corrosive Challenge, Little Miss Muffet, Create and Inspire, Crafty  Creations, Creative Fingers and Simply Papercrafts all have Anything Goes Challenges

I'll be back soon (hopefully) with another offering, quite likely from my drafts... though I have been adding to THAT recently so it may not be an "old" make.  Until then, Happy Crafting, Donna

Another Simple Card

I have (yet another) simple card from my (yet again) Drafts Folder today, ONE day I'll get back into my Bloggin' Groove.  I've still got a lot of cards "unblogged" so I'll keep chipping away at them :-)
This is a card I made for my Sister in Law when her son died in 2015... I can't believe it is over two years since sweet Bradley went to a better place, but it is!

The grey and white designer paper is gorgeous in real life... just impossible to capture in photographs!  It has a lustre on the gold and a true pearl finish to the white... yummy!  It is from one of my "birthday vouchers" from my son, from one of my favourite haunts for "fab" paper... Starfish Lane in Perth.'

I popped the patterned paper (with flat black mat) up on foam dots.  I used versa linen light card for the image, colouring the sky and grass with Prismacolor pencils before printing the trees - which is just a free-to-use image I downloaded from the net, resized and flipped to make each tree look a little different.  I added a few native grass trees (Brad loved the bush) with permanent marker and some long grass and shadows around the base of the trees, I also added some highlights to one side of the trees to indicate light source... and to just break it up a bit!
The sentiment on the front is from a clear stamp set, can't remember the maker, the larger dots (they are faceted, but that doesn't show in the pics) are stickers I've had for yonks, the small flatbacks are also from my stash

In the inside I used a sentiment I made in Photoshop a while ago, I have the .png file for it on my "Templates and Freebies page" or here, if you'd like to grab it, and the same techniques and finishes on the front.  I added the jotting panel to the inside "cover" as I think it looks nicer than writing on the card base itself
... and that's it :-))
I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges: 

Moving Along With The Times Theme: Trees

Allsorts Challenges Theme: Colours of Autumn

Paper Creator Crafts Theme: Reds, Browns and Oranges

Cupcake Inspirations Using this pic as inspiration.......

Fab'n'Funky Challenges Theme: Masculine Touch

Cuttlebug Mania Theme: Masculine

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge Theme: Use Patterned Paper

… and the following challenges have "Anything Goes" themes
Aud Sentiments, Polkadoodles, Cute As A Button, Little Miss Muffet, Crafting With Friends  Challenge #54 , Creative Fingers, Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends, Create and Inspire, Creatalicious Challenges, Simply Papercrafts, Crafting With Attitude, Paper Creator Crafts, Corrosive Challenge, Card Mania Challenges

So that's all folks for today.  I hope to be back a little sooner with my next card, I also hope to MAKE a Christmas card or too... but it's my son's birthday (again, I know!!) so that will have to take precedence, along with his cake of course

Until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna

Life's a Circus

It's the first of the month so there's a new challenge starting at Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge, you know - the one where all you have to do is use some patterned paper on your creation!
Sometimes life is a circus... well mine is, lol.  This card however was not to celebrate that fact but to celebrate my son's 30th birthday; he had a circus/carnival theme party, I made this card with that circus theme and his cake along the same lines and colours, so I thought I'd share some pics of that too, first the card - easel of course, we all love 'emin this family!

The papers are from stash and Kaisercraft, the red stripe on the stripy paper is foil, it looks really nice IRL.
I printed the image (called Circus Tent, available from Make it Crafty, here) on linen card, coloured with Copics and Prismacolor pencils and added Ranger's Antique Gold Embossing details.  
The whole base is covered in red foil card.  The swirls are Memory Box and they and the fancy border trim (a die, Nellie Snellen I think) - which is actually a "stopper" made by sliding half a strip of card under the stripy paper and leaving half "free" for the front of the card to sit against when folded - are cut from the same red foil card. The tickets used for the sentiments are from Bizzy Becs (I think!), I cut the red mats around them freehand.
The rhinestones on the border and corners are from my stash.  I added the "Circus Chris" sentiment to the image before printing using a free font called Bingo Star for Circus and another for Chris.  That was basically it for the card..... the cake took a bit more work :-))

It was a "rainbow" cake, so first I baked six different coloured cakes, I stacked them (not dry like in this pic, but with yummy chocolate ganache between the layers) then put a layer of ganache over the whole thing before adding a thin layer of fondant before decorating as you can see.  
The big top roof was just cardboard covered in fondant :-) and the tent poles were straws with twine... but everything else was fondant, or in the case of the animals peeking out of the tent, royal icing.
The ringmaster took the most work, as usual I left my run a bit late and each element didn't really have time to set firm enough before I stuck it altogether... so he ended up a bit squashed looking :-)  
Chris takes his parties very seriously, this one was no exception; he hired space at a very nice park, hired oversized games such as Connect Four, Chess etc, he had face painters, balloon animal makers, gymnasts performing and a popcorn machine and chocolate fountain in the food tent - a real "kids" day that everyone seemed to really enjoy - I was surprised at how "into it" we all got; the tug of war and egg and spoon races were particularly competitive, and the average age was ... well, not kids! 

I shrunk down a copy of one of the invitations Chris had made for the ringmaster to hold in his hand.  The bottom cake was a rainbow cake too... I kept all the bits of different coloured cake mix I didn't use in the Big Top part of the cake and swirled them together (well three shades in each of two cakes) then gave them the gananche fondant treatment.  Even the board is covered in fondant - for a butter cake this thing weighed a LOT!!
Well that's about it for the cake too.  You don't have to do anything elaborate to enter Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper challenge... just use some Patterned Paper, any project...doesn't even have to be a card, why not give it a go?  Great prize on offer as always, and so easy!!
That's it for today, I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Papertake Weekly Take Your Pick: (Technique,embossing)

Sweet Stampin' Use a Non-white base (Red Foil) 
Seize the Birthday Opt: Border punches or dies 
Polkadoodles Favourite card shape (any easel) 
Cute Card Thursday Masculine

Without Words For the Boys

Outlawz Friday Colouring Challenge Anything Goes

Art by Miran Anything Goes

Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends Anything Goes  
Craft Your Passion Anything Goes 
Simon Says Challenge Anything Goes 
Through the Craftroom Door Anything Goes

Until next time, 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