Santa Birgitta in Review

The second post for today (my first is here, if you missed it and want a quick look) is another of the CC Designs Swiss Pixies that are on review at the All That Scraps Blog and available to buy in the shop now... as digis or rubber.

This is Santa Birgitta, coloured with Copics with some Diamond Stickles on her wings, I think she's one of my favourite Swiss Pixies...then again I say that about all the girls, lol.  Charisma Cardz has "Cutesy" as its challenge theme, absolutely no doubt Birgitta belongs there!

The papers are from Kaisercraft's Christmas Carnival 6" pad...I love the pastels with a pop of colour in this collection, the red circles on this paper are foiled and the spots on the blue piece are glittery - perfect for Christmas.  Bizzy Becs wants us to use Circles, circles aplenty here, so I'm entering the challenge and Sir Stampalot have "Blue and Green" so I'm entering there too... hopefully there's not too much red and pink here: it is mainly blue and green, so I should be alright.

I used the sketch from Pink Ink Sketch Challenge, I like a nice straightforward sketch like this.  Originally I had a pin, per the sketch, but I replaced it with the sentiment and I didn't even realise until I posted the pic that I had put the embellishment on the opposite side... hope it still "counts".  Christmas Stampin' All Year Long want us to use our favourite sketch from any blog challenge; so this is it and I'm in there too!  The sentiment is a digi from Hobby Palais, cut with a Standard Circle Nestie mounted on the smallest Lacey Circle Nestie... which doesn't cut out the lacy bits, so makes quite a good solid mat; though I've indulged myself and bought a set of Scalloped Circle Nesties which I'll probably be using for this sort of application.  I've got some scalloped circle punches, but you can't beat Nesties for giving a finished look to the edges.

I bought about ten metres of the Christmas ribbon because I thought it was a good size, and it was on super special, I didn't realize just how versatile it is.. so it was an extra good "buy"!

The Chipboard snowflake is a lasercut from Make It Crafty, I sacrificed about four from the sheet trying to get them out, but I have it sorted now: who knew you had to take your time, lol. It's painted with Jo Sonja paint and smothered with Stickles, the centre is a Sparklet from Kaisercraft; it doesn't matter how I try I can't capture their fabulous sparkliness :-)  A couple of pearls and Tada...fini!  

Once again, the inside of the card is very simply finished.  I stamped and embossed the sentiment with Kaisercraft Jade pigment ink and sparkly embossing powder.
Digital Tuesday has an Anything Goes challenge currently, so I'm entering there and the Gem of a Challenge is Cold and Frosty.... I'm not sure sweet little Birgitta is that cold and frosty, but I'm sure she fits the challenge :-)
That's it for today, don't forget to hop over to the blog to see some more projects with the Swiss Pixies, I'll be back tomorrow with some more, oh and a little blog hop action for Anita Be Stampin' too... so, as they say, stay tuned!  Until then, Happy Crafting, Dee4Donna :-)

Heidi Ho

All That Scraps is having a review of some of their fabulous Christmas digis -Swiss Pixies, Sugarplums, Sweet November...loads of the little lovelies!  They're being showcased at the blog today and tomorrow, with more to come next Thursday and Friday.  Today I have two posts using some of CC Designs darling Swiss Pixies, the first is a very simple card made using Ornament Heidi, available now at All That Scraps.  The second is here.

I made a DL card... well I call it a DL card (simply because I don't know the proper name) but it's really a card-that-fits-a-DL-envelope, lol... because I thought it suited both the wide sentiment and the image; and they post at standard rate :-)  Allsorts Challenges has Anything But a Square so I'm entering there, as a rectangle isn't a square!

The paper is Precious Purple Holly from Alison Ellis Design's Christmas Celebration collection, it's got really good foil on; nice and shiny, lol.  Sundays with Chrissy has Christmas in Non traditional colours as its challenge theme this time... hopefully that means not in Red and Green as purple seems to be fast becoming a traditional Christmas colour!

I coloured Heidi with Copics, adding gloss to the ornament and Diamond Stickles to her little wings, then cut her out and popped her up on foam dots against a silver foil panel cut with Nestabilities Labels Nine.  Some silver border stickers finish it all off; they looked too bright around the "Merry Christmas" so I coloured some with Copics RVs which gave them the right colouring and still kept the metallic look needed to tie in with that lush paper.

I finished the inside of the card off with some of the paper from the front- quick is the key for Christmas cards, lol.  Charisma Cardz has Cutesy as its challenge theme so I'm entering there, and Digital Tuesday has Anything Goes, so I'm in there too!

That's it for Heidi... don't forget to go over to the All That Scraps Blog and check out some more of the team's inspiration...I'll be back later with another Swiss Pixie and I'll be "drip feeding" my offerings over the next week, hope you'll come by and check them out :-)

Until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna... oh that sounds so formal (I'm thinking Dee4 may work, as in Dee for Donna, maybe that wouldn't cause confusion with that other Dee in blogland, hmm) 

Two Down....a Lifetime to Go

Today is my Son and Daughter-in-law's second wedding anniversary.  I made them a card...but of course!

Matt and Elaine favour this sort of streamlined look, I find it quite hard to not have an image to colour!  The cream paper is left over from their wedding invitations (I like this sort of synergy I use paper that a gift came wrapped in on thank you cards, and that sort of thing) The textured dark paper (the other principal colour for their wedding was black) is sensational: it's so hard to see in the photos, but it is a dark brown/black with an iridescent teal and ruby sheen...GawJusss!

I couldn't find a ribbon that "went" with it, and as I wanted to add some bling (in a subtle sort of way!) I borrowed an idea from my blog friend Woo and added double sided tape to a strip of black ribbon, sprinkled lovely Fire Fox glitter on it then zapped it with my heat gun...which set it beautifully.  Papertake Weekly has Anything Goes with the Optional use of Bling...so I'm entering there.  

Obviously it is an easel card, I made the sentiment on the computer, printed it on linen card and attached it to a piece of card that I used as the stopper for the easel: This piece of card is scored where I want it to fold up, then tucked under the black paper on the base. I tried to photograph it so you can sort of see how it works in these pics.

The filigree metal embellishment is from IPaper, I added the large flat back pearl in the middle and the smaller pearls.  Three graded pearls on the faux ribbon help bring it together.  Divas by Design wants us to Use Metal in their current challenge, so I'm entering there, and One Stop Craft Challenge has Use 3 of something; my three pearls -twice -get me in there, but only once, lol
Craft Your Passion has a Bingo challenge: I've used Pearls, Free choice and Ribbon, I was going to use Punch Sentiment Bling, but this must be my first card ever that I didn't use a punch on, lol!

That's about it for this very simple card.  It took a bit of working around to get it how I had originally imagined it... but I'm really happy with the way it has turned out - I just hope Matt and Elaine are too!

I had tried out some glitter around the sentiment too, but it didn't work out; rather than wasting the piece I used it as a backer for the little sticker I put on the back of my cards, excessive? Probably!  The sentiment suits this size card (fits DL envelope)  I made it in Word, but will convert it to a jpeg if you'd like to grab it from my freebies page.  Allsorts Challenges  has Anything but a square as its theme and Pollycraft has Anything Goes; it's not square, and it's definitely "anything" so I'm in :-)

I'm colouring like a fiend at the moment; I've got a couple of DT releases and reviews coming up next week - all on Thursday and Friday.  I'm trying to finish a couple of other things in the meantime, I'll see how I go.  Either way, until next time, Happy Crafting, Dee... for Donna (yes, I may have to be "Donna" on my blog, as there has been a few issues with another Dee in blogland; nothing sinister, just several mix-ups that I could almost foresee and would prefer to prevent in future, so I may just have to be "Donna" for at least the time being - not a problem, it is my name after all :-) 

Anything Goes at Anita Be Stampin'

Anything Goes is the challenge theme at Anita Be Stampin' this week.  Here's my DT card:

I've used the digi image "Willa" (get yours here), as you can see by the size of the rock on Willas ring finger...she's engaged, so congratulations are in order :-)  Willa is coloured with Copics with some Stickles added to her ring. 
I've used the sketch from Sweet Sketch Wednesday, I added my little heart embellie on the bottom right of the image instead of the top, but that's the only change.  Papercrafting Journey challenge is Use a Digi, too easy!
The bottom edge of the card is Martha Stewarts Heart Edge punch, not that I have it (though I am thinking it could be a good one to get); I bought pre punched borders from Poppy's Cabin, that's where the heart embellishment came from too.  Okay, I'll fess up, I cut the card short and decided to add a border as an alternative to making the whole card smaller, I like the look and may even do it on purpose in future, lol.  Creative Craft Challenges has Fancy Edges as its challenge theme so, albeit it practically by accident, I'm entering my fancy edged card there!
I added white pearls to the border and the heart, and coloured some with Copics for the corners of the image panel, Bizzy Becs has Girls and Pearls as its challenge theme...got both on here, so I'm entering there.
I inked the edges with some Kaisercraft ink to make the border stand out against the inside of the card, used the same ink on the edges of the heart and image panel and to stamp the sentiment.  I embossed the sentiment (can't remember where it came from) with sparkly EP to tie in with the lovely glittery paper, which is from Kaisercrafts Lilac Avenue collection, of course all the glitter is just about impossible to see in the photos.  Totally Papercrafts  has Glitter It as its theme this week, this really does have glitter... not to mention the bling on her ring, lol. 

More paper from the Lilac Avenue collection for the inside, with the jotting panel cut with Classic Oval Nestabilities with a Scalloped Oval mat.  A different heart die cut from Poppys Cabin and some more pearls coloured with Copics.
Copic Oz has Springtime as its challenge - it is Spring here in Australia - and this card fits the bill with its spring flowers and of course Spring being the engagement/wedding season.  The Simon Says Challenge is Anything Goes, the same as Charisma Cardz; definitely in there!
That's about it for my card today, why dont' you pop on over to the blog and check out the rest of the team's inspiration...it's worth it :-)  Why not enter while you're there, don't forget to check out the rules...and the prize!!
I'll be back soon with another offering, until then Happy Crafting, Dee

Here Come....Monsters!

Well the challenge theme starting today at Here Come The Boys is monsters:  As you can see by my dear little chaps, they don't have to be THAT monstrous

I love these little dudes, they are from the Monsters collection available at Digistamp Boutique.  Like all the Digistamp Boutique images I've used, they're a dream to colour.  I've used Copics with Gloss on their eyes...not that the photo shows it up.  All you have to do to enter Digistamp Boutique's monthly challenge, is use one of their images....too easy, I'm in!  Paper Crafting Journey wants us to use a digi...very nearly as easy as too easy for me, lol.

I used the sketch from Sketch and Stash - I couldn't quite fit all my monsters on the circle so I cut them out and popped them up on foam dots... which you know I love to do :-)  
The paper is from a pad I picked up in Big W (I didn't just pick it up of course, I bought it!!)   It's simply called Masculine and it's got some great prints for guys, the quality of the paper itself isn't fantastic, but if you're backing it up, (like I have here with cardstock from American Crafts) it's fine.
The image panel is cut with Standard Circles Nestabilities, and the blue mat behind the sentiment (which is computer generated) is actually the smallest Lacey Circles Nestabilitles.  I would have preferred to use Scalloped Circles Nesties, I've ordered some from the US but I still haven't received them... two MONTHS later! It's the first time I've had any real problems ordering over the net (which I do a LOT) but as the order is over $100 worth, I am a bit concerned and am trying to get some action on it (and so the blame game begins!)
Some Bakers Twine that I won in a Candy and some Card Candi finish my monstrous card off. 
As usual the inside of the card is finished with papers from the front.  I used a larger Nestabilities Lacey Circles to cut the light blue circle between the jotting panel and the red mat.Charisma Cardz Challenge, Simon Says Challenge  and Sweet Stampin' all have Anything Goes as their challenge themes this time, so I'm entering my mini monsters there.
I had an absolute ball making this card, I love it and hope you like it to.  Don't forget to pop over to the Here Come The Boys blog to check out the rest of my teamies work, if you enter the challenge I may just come and visit you too!  I'll be back if a few days, until then Happy Crafting, Dee

Wanna join a fun Design Team?

Pssst....have you heard!?! Anita Be Stampin is looking to expand the design team. Check out all of the details of how to join this fun team here.