Tags are it at Card Mania

Some time ago I was asked if I'd like to be Guest Designer for the Card Mania Challenge... of course I said yes!  Of course in the mean time my hip replacement op has come up and I am currently at "Day 3" so I have scheduled this post. This is the first project I will be sharing, I'm "guesting" until the end of the year so it's the first of seven!  The theme at the challenge this time around is "Tags" - here's mine

We're being sponsored by Colorink Digital Stamps I've used the gorgeous Flower Boy Bunny image from Colorink, isn't he cute?!  I coloured with Copics and Prismacolor pencils, added some gloss to his eyes and nose then "fussy cut" him and mounted him on some foam dots for dimension.  The image comes with a sentiment but I actually forgot to add it, so it's sitting printed ready for another project :-))

The textured purple paper is from my favourite "special" paper store, Starfish Lane.  The pale lilac has flocked leaves on it and is from Kaisercraft's  Lilac Avenue pad, as is the central tag, which is what the whole tag was built around.  I added some shading with Copics to make it a bit less flat looking.  I added some more of the lilac paper to the back of the tag to write on, it's not flash as i hand cut it and probably would have benefited from ruling it first, next time :-)
I put a gold eyelet in with my trusty Crop-A-Dile and added some purple ribbon from my stash.  I was going to add some more embellies, but I just didn't think it needed them so I "stepped away from the tag", lol.  
So that's it for today's tag... I don't "do" tags very often but I'm thinking it's a great way to get some of my lovely digis "out there", and so useful too.
Now you don't have to make a tag to join in the challenge, you can make a card or project with a tag on it instead.  Pop over and check out the rest of the team's inspiration, well worth a look - hope you get a chance to enter the challenge, there's the fab prize from Colorink as added incentive don't forget :-)
I hope to be back online very soon, I'm in hospital for a while and probably won't be up to much for a week or so, but look forward to seeing you then.  Until then, Happy Crafting, Donna

I don't know if I'll get the chance to enter these challenges, but my tag suits the following: 

Tuesday Throwdown	Opposites Attract: pic, opposite sides of colour wheel
Through the Craftroom Door	Anything Goes
Delightful Challenges	Cute and Cuddly
Outlawz Friday Colouring Challenge	Anything Goes, opt Christmas twist
Art by Miran	Anything Goes
Little Miss Muffet	Make it Mini
Corrosive Challenge	Halloween Colours
Charisma Cards	Anything But a Card
Catch The Bug	Anything Goes

It's a Recipe... Easy as 1,2,3

A new challenge starts today over at Here Come The Boys... it's a Recipe - a nice easy one; we'd like you to use 1 image, 2 brads or buttons and 3 papers.  Here's what I came up with.

I've made a gatefold card, my blog mate Joey has been making a few of these recently and I thought what a good idea!  Paper Play Challenges has Fancy Folds for their challenge and My Time to Craft has More Than One Fold (but no easels!) for theirs, so I'm entering there.
I used the sketch from Sketch and Stash this time, you know I like a nice sketch.  I added "extra" panels to the front of the card so it overlaps more than a gatefold normally would.  The gold stars are on a "string", they're from the stash I bought earlier this year in Malaysia, the two brads are also from my stash, I think they are by Bella.
The image is Alf With Beer from Digistamp Boutique, so I'll be entering the Digistamp Boutique monthly challenge. Cards for Men wants to see our "digital images and paper", I'm not sure if this means both, I've used a digital image I'm going to enter there and see if it's enough :-)
 I paper pieced Alf's jacket, which I don't do very often, but couldn't find one challenge with paper piecing as the theme... no doubt they'll all come up next week, lol.  I've coloured with Copics and Prismacolor pencils, adding gloss to his eyes and Liquid Pearls to his lovely "frothy", which is an Aussie term for a beer :-) and his buttons.

The papers are from DCWV La Creme 12" pad and Kaisercrafts Le Chateau (La, Le, talk about The French Connection, lol) 6" pad, the paper on the  horizontal panel (which is the one I used for his jacket) has flocking on it, which I've discovered is even harder to capture in a picture than glitter!  The brown cardstock is Bazill. I softened the edges of all the paper panels with Bark Versamark ink; Crafty Calendar has Browns and Creams as their challenge theme, so I'm entering there.

I made the sentiment up on the computer, mounting it on a little hand cut tag, attaching it with a brad means it moves around - men like moving parts, even on cards, lol.  Paper Crafting Journey wants us to Use a Sentiment, Bizzy Becs has For a Male (include a tag) and Creative Craft Challenges has All About the Boys as their themes, so I'm in!  Bearly Mine Challenges have an Anything Goes theme... definitely in there :-)
That's just about it for today's card, why don't you pop over to the Here Come The Boys blog and check out the rest of my teamies creations... there's loads of inspiration to be found, and you can check out the great prize for the challenge, which is such an easy recipe it shouldn't even be called a challenge, lol.
I'll be back in a day or so, until then, Happy Crafting, Donna

NOT Twenty One Again!

Yup, another Birthday card... but this one is NOT for a Twenty First... it's for my Mum, and seems as you asked it's her 82nd!  Her birthday is not until next week, but she and my Dad left for a holiday (yes, Penang again!) this evening and won't be back for two weeks; As her gift I gave her some Malaysian Ringitt to spend while away, so this card doubles as a gift holder.

My mum loves easel cards (so do I, so that's handy!) and she also loves these sketch style of images; this one is called simply Poppies and is from Delicious Doodles - digi of course!  I used Copics to colour the image but I did add some Prismacolor shadows and a few "veins" with pearl gel pens, it looks really effective IRL.  Bizzy Becs still have their Flower Power challenge running and Divas by Design has Flowers, so I'm entering those.   Crafts 4 Eternity has Brilliant Birthdays so I'm entering there. 
I used Mpress Victorian Frames dies to cut the image and sentiment panels, I cut the mats for them using the next size up and there really is too great a difference between them to leave plain, so I embossed them with a Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder, then embossed them in the frame die again which gave the nice finished edge and flattened the dots a bit to make it more subtle, I'm happy with the result.  I rubbed some Liquid Pearls on the mats to to soften the effect.
I've used the sketch from Stamping With The Dragon again, I know I used it for my last card, but I really did find it to be a very versatile sketch, and I think this card looks quite different from the last despite being to the same sketch.
I've used papers from Prima, Faerie Florals... I used my Cuttlebug Forest Branches embossing folder to add some texture to the panel behind the image, I can't believe how different it made the paper look, before I embossed it that panel just blended into the background, definitely be using THAT technique again!  The Stamptacular Sunday Challenge is to use three or more papers, so I'm in, Sassy Cheryls Tuesday Challenge is to use Pretty Papers, these really ARE pretty, so I'm entering there and I'll be entering the Sassy Cheryl Show Me Thursday challenge too, why not? :-) 

I made the pocket for the money and a tag (cut with the same die as the image, using some of the buff coloured card that is the base layer, it has embossed dots on it to, but they were flat enough to still be able to write on) by just not gluing the top edge of the lower panel... it works as a prop for the easel too. 
The butterfly is cut from scrap dp, and Memory Box Vivienne Butterfly die, the corner embellie is another Memory Box die, Macarena Corner,  I added some Liquid Pearls to those too.  The "body" of the butterfly is a strip of rhinestones that I got, believe it or not, in Penang when we were there in March, the pearls are from my stash (Totally Gorjuss has Pearls as their challenge) as is the lovely translucent ribbon with the gold swirls on.  I mounted the ribbon on a panel of card cut with a Spellbinders Classic Border die.  
The acrylic dragonfly is also from my stash, as is the lace edging so I'll be entering Lisa's Waste Not Wednesdays challenge. Everything is popped up on foam dots (I'm going to have to do my 50km trip to the scrapbook shop that stocks my faves, as I'm running out already!) so I'm entering the Paper Play Challenges Layer It Up challenge  - no challenge for me really, I LOVE layers :-)
I love all ice cream, though it's not particularly the season for it here right now, lol, I'm entering the My Mums Craft Shop Favourite Ice Cream Flavour challenge with Tutti Frutti being the colours of my card.  Bearly Mine Challenges and Deep Ocean Challenge  have Anything Goes themes, so I'm entering there too.
That's it for today, I hope you like my card, my Mum did... and that's the main thing (mind you she is a "good" Mum, and likes everything I do, what a sweetie)  I'll be back in a few days with my next offering. Until then, Happy Crafting, Donna

Baby Love

The card I've got today will be going to my son for one of his friends who is due her baby any day...we know it's a girl so I went VERY pink!!

The image is one of the digis I bought recently from Some Odd Girl, this is Snuggly Baby Kaylee...ain't she cute?!
I coloured Kaylee with Prismacolor pencils, I still have a way to go before I'm completely happy with the results, (still doesn't come close to Copics) but I do feel I'm improving and as I am about to expand my collection considerably that should help.  Mainly I am determined to master pencil colouring!!

I've used the sketch from Sweet Sketch Wednesday, I love symmetry so this is definitely the sketch for me!  
Stampin' for the Weekend has Tickled Pink as its challenge this time, so I'm entering there.  Simon Says Challenge this time is Sing it and The Secret Crafter has Inspired by a song, the song for this card is by the Supremes:  Baby Love which is Pollycraft's challenge this time so I'm in there too.
I inked the edge of the card with Kaisercraft ink then used a panel of quilted white card that has a lovely ultra smooth finish.  The patterned paper is from my stash. the pink matting is from Grace Taylor. 
I used Nestabilities Labels Four to cut and emboss the image panel, the border piece down the middle is one of the goodies I got from Poppys Cabin along with some doilies, Teresa uses them so beautifully I thought I'd have a go (now... I dunno!), thanks Teresa for the link! 

The "Girl" on the front is from Kaisercrafts Lullaby collection, originally that was the paper I was going to use for the card, but in the end this is all that I used.  I was also going to use another of the tags from the pad, but it wasn't quite strong enough in colour, so I made my own version:  I typed the sentiment on the computer, cut out the tag shape freehand and stamped pale pink dots all over it; then darker pink around the edge with one of my border stamps (that I've had for ages, finally cracked it out)  The four little pearls, from my stash, mirror the four pearls on the outside.

I changed the centre of the flowers to these lovely Sparklets from
Kaisercraft.  Moving Along With The Times has Sparkle as its challenge theme so I'm entering there. Craft Your Passion has Use The F Word as its challenge theme...I've used Flowers as MY F Word!
I made the pins up using some textured heart beads, seed beads and a couple of Swarowski crystals...I've finally bought some longer pins, but I think these ones are long enough in this "arrangement".
Creatalicious Challenges has Anything Goes, so I'm in...Stamp Something has Anything Goes as its theme this time too -as it is their last challenge I will be entering there for the very last time :-(
That's it for my card today, I'll be back in a few days with my next Here Come The Boys card... or before with yet another baby card for another of my (same) sons friends who is due a baby (don't know whether to go pink or blue at this stage so I may do TWO more baby cards, lol)
Until then, Happy Crafting, Dee

Sun, Sand and Seagull

Today I have a LONG post and lots of photos, but it IS two projects, so I'm sure you'll let me off, lol. I've made a card and tag set using the new release from CC Designs available at All That Scraps on FRIDAY 27th MAY go check it out, and while you're over there check out the rest of the DT inspiration!

I've used Hawaiian Gretel and the Beach House on the card, and Gretel again and the Seagull on the matching tag - all Digis, but of course!  I coloured the images with Copics and Prismacolor Pencils....one of the "Gretels" is in Copics and the other in pencil; I wasn't making them as a set, but once I started colouring the second one I realised I was going with the same colours so I just went with it!

The bucket and spade are part of the Beach Borders digi stamp set from Whimsie Doodles. 

I've used this beautiful picture from Allsorts Challenge for their inspiration challenge this week, the papers are from Kaisercrafts Seaside Collection (how appropriate, lol) including the tags - thats the tag ON the tag the one on the card ;-) Stamp Something has "Beachy Colours" as its theme this time, and Delicious Doodles has Let the Sunshine In, so I'm entering there.  Lexis Creations has Spots and Stripes...Spots on the card, in it goes!

You may recognise the sketch from Crafting Lifes Pieces for this month; I used it on My Mum's Mothers Day Card. I've never used a sketch twice before, I'm really happy (and to be honest a little surprised) with how different the end product is - it's a great sketch to work with.

The lace border on the card was cut with my new (bought at the State Craft Fair, along with far-too-much-other stuff, lol) Nellie Snellen border die..love it!  I used mini ric rac (from the show) on both...I think it looks like waves on the tag :-)  I wonder if you can guess where the flowers on the card came from, yup same show....the same guy spent forever cutting up bits of ribbon for me last year and this year - I might wear a disguise next year, lol.  Sundays With Chrissy has "flowers" as it's theme this time, so I'm entering there.  The starfish on the tag is from my stash.

Another tag from the Seaside collection is hanging over the edge of the card, which means I can enter the challenge at Craft Your Passion this time which has "Let It All Hang Out" (how cool is that) Everything is mounted on foam dots, I know it doesn't show in photos, but looks good IRL...Digital Tuesday has Add Some Texture as it's challenge so I'm in there (all those layers AND my embellies = texture plus!)

The pearls and the rhinestones (which are really TINY, but very sparkly) are from my stash. There's Gold Stickles on the stamens of the flower too, again, hard to see!

I used a new (new to me, that is) Nestabilities Labels Nine to cut a jotting panel inside the card, I distressed the edges with Kaisercraft Coral Rose ink. I used the cut out as a base for the tag, adding another label cut from the coral colour to make the tag bigger.  I inked the edges of these too.  I punched two tiny holes and used very fine gold thread as a hanger.  My Time To Craft has Use A Die Cut as their challenge, so I'm in there for both the card and the tag and Bizzy Becs has Create a Tag so I'm entering there with my little tag. Totally Papercrafts has No Squares as it's challenge theme, so I'll ignore my very square card and use my absolutely not square tag to enter there, lol.  

By The Cute and Girly has Anything Goes this month, you can only enter once this month, so I really had to think about what project I wanted to "show"...I've decided this is my favourite so I'm entering there....it's a big decision because I've made a card for my last Guest spot on Here Come the Boys (I'll be posting that on Sunday, come back and see what you think) and I LOVE it! I've just decided this set is better for Cute and Girly :-)

Finally! That's the end of my post for today....did you survive? I hope you're not too bored :-)  Thanks so much for visiting me, and looking at my little card and gift set.  Leave a comment, even if it's to tell me my posts are too long! If you leave a link I'll do my very best to come back and visit you.  Until next time, Happy Crafting, Dee

Relax and Unwind

Relax and Unwind, I thought was the perfect sentiment to go with this gift basket full of bathtime goodies.

The sentiment and the images are part of the My Rubber Ducky set from CC Designs, which is going into retirement at the end of March.  I made a tissue box with some more of the set, if you haven't seen it, here's a link.  You can get this set, and quite a few other digis being retired at the end of the month at All That Scraps: Use the code "olddigi" and get your 10% discount!!  Pop over to the ATS Blog and see what the rest of the digi Design Team did with some more of these soon-to-be retirees.

The main tag was cut out and embossed using the largest Lacey Circles Nestabilities, the white circle was cut out (and embossed) using the largest Classic Circle Nestabilities.
I added a patterned circle on the back of the tag (Kaisercrafts Bubblegum Hills 6" collection) with a plain circle to write on inside it, using the same set of Nesties.  The images (all from the same set) were coloured with Copics; I made the Ducky on the back of the tag bigger (being able to alter size and "flip" images is one of the reasons I LOVE digis so much!) and popped him(?) up on foam dots for dimension.  I added Jo Sonja's Texture Paste to the soap bubbles, which is a separate image (which is another reason I love digis, they're so easy to mix and match).  I dried the Texture Paste with my heat gun and it puffed up beautifully - I've been using this stuff for years in my decorative art and it has never done that, I've always used a hair dryer so maybe it's the extra heat that does it; for whatever reason it's perfect!  I just hope I can replicate it when I want to.

Some Diamond Stickles around the edge front and back and some pink ink around the plain circle and it's finished - or so I thought!!
I tried four different ribbons to tie this on to the basket, who'd have thought that it would be that hard!  I didn't want to clash with the main ribbon on the basket.  I settled on this ribbon because it is neutral in colour and being organza is still nice and "light" looking. 
This is the first tag I've ever made, I find I like the concept (you don't always need a card, so a tag is like "card lite")
I'm going to enter my tag in Fab 'n' Funky's challenge this week "Make it Girly". Simon Says Stamp has Anything Goes" as does Craft Your Passion so I'll be entering there too.
I'll be back in a few days with a project using some more of the retiring digis; I want to get them out there before they go forever - I will have to get on to some of my other images - I had a quick look at my digi images folder this morning and there are over 100 that I've bought but haven't used yet- that's not counting freebies and prizes or other images in sets I've used one of - OR CHRISTMAS!!  Oh My, am I the only one that does that: Sees likes buys stores, repeat!? If only these talented artists didn't keep putting out more and more gorgeous stuff, I'd be fine, hmmm.
Anyway, until next time Happy Crafting, Dee

More Vintage Christmas

Well here's another vintage Christmas card, I made a few while I had all the "makings" out on my worktable.

For this card I used the sketch (#111) from Eat Sleep Stamp for this week's challenge.  I followed it pretty closely, really all I have changed is using a square card and putting the tag on an angle - tags just look better like that!!

I used Kaisercraft's 6" paper pads  "Dear Santa" and "Tis the Season" - isn't that background paper glorious, so santa and so vintage!!The tag is from Graphic 45's Christmas Past sheet, the ribbon is from my stash   - I've had it for a while but have never used it.  Wish I could find it again, it is really nice to use: it sits flat and doesn't fray.I used  a scrap of border paper to sit the sentiment (which is a sticker) on, and mounted the centre panel and sentiment panel on burgundy leathercraft card.  A couple of gold brads finish it off.

When I stamped the greeting inside the card (I really should stamp the insides first as I often mess that bit up!), it was a bit crooked.  To cover this up I glued an embellishment I got from a discount store over the stamping then stamped little flourishes around it with Ancient Page ink.  I used the same ink to antique the edges of the card inside and out.
I have a few more vintage cards for a future post, all I need now is the time to make the rest of my Christmas cards and write posts for them.These are relatively quick cards to make - just as well, I have left my run late.  In fact this makes this card (along with the rest I have yet to make, lol) qualify for the Allsorts Challenge for this week: "Last Minute Christmas"

 Oh yes then there's making my famous fruit cake truffles and not forgetting it's my sister's birthday next Tuesday and I always make her marzipan treats.  Christmas shopping? asks you - dream on, says I!!
Where oh where did the last month go (I'm usually very organized, but seem to have lost the plot a bit this year:  though I'm going to cut myself a bit of slack as there has been a LOT going on around here)  I suppose all I have  to do is invent the 30 hour day and I'll be right, lol.
Anyway, enough of this dribble, 'til next time Happy Crafting, Dee

Vintage Christmas

I finally sat down and made a few Christmas cards, in the vintage style for a change of pace.  This is the first of them.

Crazy 4 Challenges had a great sketch to work with, I'll probably use it again very soon as you get to use up your scraps and by now I have a LOT of scraps!
I used burgundy Leathercraft cardstock, and papers from the Kaisercraft "Dear Santa" and "Tis the Season" 6" pads.  I love these little collections, the colour matching is all done for you and there are always a couple of "fancy" papers in there - like the gold foil that is on the cream paper on this card (that, of course, you can't see in the photo!)
The tag is from Graphic 45 "Christmas Past", I mounted it on a mat of the burgundy card then added a couple of red crystal brads before popping the whole thing up on foam dots.  The ribbon is from my stash, though I've never used it before - now I've used and loved it, I wish I had a load more - or at least could remember where I got it!!!
See you soon, happy crafting, Dee