Sunshine and Happiness

I'm a Sweetie!  Well, that's what the lovely ladies at Cupcake Inspirations tell me - I'm their Guest Sweetie (aka Guest Designer) for this week and this is the card I've made using the Photo Inspiration for this week's challenge.

The uber cute image is Beachy Tia, a digi from Some Odd Girl. Stampin' for the Weekend has Holidays as its challenge theme, this little beach babe is CLEARLY enjoying hers, so I'm entering there. Ellephantastic Challenges  theme is Here Come the Girls, so Tiny Tia is entering there too.

I bought a few Some Odd Girl digis recently, this is the first chance I've had to get one coloured up and I thought Tia was just perfect for the colours and style of Cupcakes photo inspiration (they always find some seriously rockin' cupcakes for their inspiration!), she is coloured with Copics -after I took this photo I added some gloss to her sunnies, but I haven't taken another photo so just "think" glossy, lol. Stamp Something has its Digi Day challenge on, so I'm in!

I used the sketch from Papertake Weekly this time, very nice sketch - thank you very much ;-)  The papers are from American Crafts City Park collection (that I won from Tracy in March!!!) and my Echo Park Walk In The Park pad, man I LOVE that pad, I'm going to have to buy another one it just is so usable. 

The image panel is cut and embossed using Nestabilities Classic Ovals, I used Nestabilites Scalloped Ovals for the purple foil mat.  I used the same foil to mat the sentiment ticket (which was a blank ticket digi from Bizzy Becs, I added the sentiment on the computer) I used my smallest circle punch to clip the ticket/mat into shape - I really want a ticket die, but the one I want has been unavailable, I digress.... 

Cute Card Thursday wants us to Pinch and Punch (use at least one punch) and Crafty Creations has Use Three or more Different Dies or Punches as it's theme, this time so I'm in.

Well, even if there weren't enough punches on the outside of the card, the inside makes up for it: I used my new (literally opened the mail, and used the test cut!) Nellies Choice Floral Punch for the flowers on the inside, as well as my EK Success Doily Lace edge punch. 

Paper Play Challenges has Make your own flowers, Moving Along With The Times has Hand Made flowers, as does Craft Your Days Away  so my mail man arrived just in time for me to enter all those challenges, lol. 

The ribbon, pearls and flowers on the front are from my stash.
Digi Stamps 4 Joy and My Time to Craft has In Full Bloom and Bearly Mine Challenges have Flowers as their theme...but you don't have to make them yourselves so even the paper and the flowers on the front would get me in there!
Simon Says Challenge and The Paper Shelter have Anything Goes and Totally Gorjuss has As You Like It, so I don't even need the flowers to get in there, my colours cute image and great sketch are all as I like it, so I'm in!!
Well, that's it for Beachy Tia and me! Don't forget to check out the rest of the DT inspiration, all Sweeties, and have a go at the challenge too - so much inspiration to be had from those gorgeous cupcakes! 

I'm sorry this post is a bit lacking in the formatting department, Blogger is giving me a LOT of trouble (including not publishing my scheduled posts!)

Until next time, Happy Crafting, Dee

DIY King

The card I have today is for my husband for Father's Day.  Not only is he the DIY King, but, as it says on the inside of the card he is "Dad to our Incredible Young men".  It's a shaker card ... my first one!  

I've made it a shaker card, because that's the challenge theme this fortnight over at Here Come The Boys ...actually the theme is Slider or Shaker.  Hop on over  and check out the rest of the DT inspiration ...cute! 

The image is  "DIY King" - a digi (but of course!) from Just Inklined, perfect for my husband; especially right now as we're in the throes of Doing Ourselves a project in the al fresco area ... not today though, I'm letting him have a day off - to cook the barbecue for the family :-) I've coloured the image with Copics.  Stamp Something has its September Digi day challenge so I'm entering there (next week is their last challenge, I'll miss their challenge blog as it's one of my faves)

As I'd never made a shaker card before, I went trawling blogland and found a couple of good tutorials, here's one (so there's no excuse!) and to be honest it wasn't that hard!  I didn't use a die, I just cut the frame out using my trimmer; Sir Stampalot has "It's a Frame Up" as it's challenge theme, so I'm entering there.
The papers are Echo Park's Walk in the Park (yes, again!) and blue card from DCWV.  My mum and dad got me the trim last time they were in Malaysia on holiday, they just got back from their latest trip...I now have a whole new set of goodies! (this is the way they "pay" me for budgie sitting while they're away, lol) 

The sentiment is computer generated, the "DIY" uses Alpha Wood font (free from dafont.com) and I think it's perfect for this theme.  The little clear plastic beads have rainbow colours on them, they look for all the world like soap bubbles or water drops.

The inside of the card is basically an exact copy of the front, all in all a very easy card (once you get your head around the shaker thing, of course!)  The Paper Shelter and Simon Says Stamp have Anything Goes as their challenge this time...too easy, I'm in!  Sweet Stampin' has Anything But A Birthday so I'm in there too.
I've made a card for my Dad for Father's Day...it will make an appearance soon :-) I'd like to wish him, my hubby and all the Dad's celebrating Father's Day today a very happy day.

I have another post coming up (well as soon as I've typed it, lol) for a GDT spot for Cupcake Inspirations, I hope you'll come back and visit... until then, happy crafting, Dee

A Note for School

Today I thought I'd share a little project that I made a while back but didn't get around to posting.  It's a notebook suitable for "Back To School" or just as a notebook!!

The image is Schoolgirl Emma (with Pencil) by CC Designs, available at All That Scraps...great for "back to school", she is available without pencil too (surprise!).  I've coloured her with Copics then fussy cut her to sit on her little ribbon ledge.

I've altered a couple of these notebooks, Here is one of them.  They start life pretty plain with  a cute little pen attached, I "flatten" them out before I decorate them, it just seems to be easier that way...and I'm into "easy", lol. 

I covered this one with some scrapbooking paper, then added the bottom panel with paper from Kaisercrafts Class of '87, the ribbon is from my stash as is the little metal sticker.  One Stop Craft Challenge has Anything But a Square as its theme this time, this is not a square card...not square, not a card so I'm in!
The inside is covered with a panel of the scrapbooking paper, the scalloped border is from the Class of '87 paper and more of my dotty ribbon....that is basically it; told you it was easy!  Sundays With Chrissie want us to KISS (Keep It Simple Stamper) this month, lots of my cards are pretty simple...but they don't get much simpler than this, lol.

Creative Craft Challenges has Anything But a Card as its theme - no card here and Totally Gorjuss has As You Like It: definitely qualify there! Paperplay Challenges, Totally Papercrafts, Stamp Something, Just Us Girls Challenges and  Allsorts Challenge all have Back to School...so I'm in, in, in, in and in!

That's it for today, I'll be back in a day or so, until then Happy Crafting, Dee

Cherish

Well, I've been super busy...all that "life" getting in the way of  "craft".  It makes you cherish your crafting time, though that's not why this post is titled Cherish: that would be because the sentiment for this card suitable for an engagement, anniversary or even wedding is "Cherish"

I used a Digistamp Boutique image from their Cute Birds collection, I love these simple images for the lovely clean look you get when you colour them up (this colouring looks much "smoother IRL, honest!).  There are about a million (possibly an exaggeration, lol) to choose from, for all sorts of occasions  and they're all cute, IMO :-)  Moving Along With The Times has Birdys as its challenge theme, so I'm entering there.

Addicted to Stamps Photo Inspiration

Cupcake Inspirations Photo Inspiration

  Addicted to Stamps and Cupcake Inspirations both have photo inspirations, so I'm entering there. 
I used paper from Basic Grey's Lauderdale collection, it has such lovely bright patterns.  The mat behind the image panel and the punched strips are made from textured foil card by Sam and Lucy (from Spotlight), and the lavender card is from American Crafts embossed with Cuttlebugs Forest Branches embossing folder.
The image is coloured with Prismacolor pencils, I originally coloured it in soft pastels, it looked very nice but when I put the card together it was just too pale...so I added more pencil; One Stop Craft Challenge has Bold and Bright as its challenge theme, I think its bold and bright enough to enter, so I'm in.
Simon Says Challenge has this great Sketch this time around, so I'm entering there.
I cut the image panel with Nestabilities Labels Twelve, and the edge of the mat as well as the strips at the top and bottom of the patterned paper with Martha Stewarts Modern Garland edge punch (actually it's part of an "around the page" set),   Papertake Weekly has Dies to Die for as its challenge, so I'm entering there.  I added amethyst coloured rhinestones to these strips and the metal sentiment plaque has a glittery finish: Bearly Mine Challenges has Bring on the Bling as its challenge theme, this has plenty of bling (hard to photograph!) - so its in!
Digital Tuesday has Cute and Girly as its challenge theme, I'm entering there as I think this is cute and girly...though perhaps that's a bad thing if it's for a "couple based" celebration, lol.
 As it's such a simple sketch, I echoed it on the inside of the card, using the same papers.  Instead of adding a plain strip as a jotting panel, I made a sort of mini card, stamped Congratulations with Kaisercraft ink and sparkly embossing powder on the "front"  and punched and blinged one end of the "inside".
Well that's about it for my little card, I still have a few images ready to go...I might just make a few simple cards to satisfy my need to craft with the limited time I seem to have at the moment.
Until then, Happy Crafting, Dee

Hope Your Birthday Stacks Up

It's Sunday...so time for a new challenge over at Here Come The Boys.  The theme this time is Brown and Orange, so here's my card done in, wait for it, Brown and Orange!! 

The image I've used is Wilbur Woof from Pollycraft, but I think it may be discontinued :-(  It was one of the very first digis I bought...it's printed on the card I used to use to make my cards and I've got to say it's nowhere near as smooth as the card I use now (from Collins Craft) or the Xpress Blending Card I use when I'm feeling really flush...which is about the best I've used with Copics (this image is coloured with Prismacolor Pencils so I wouldn't have used my Xpress anyway, lol)
I've used this great sketch from Sweet Sketch Wednesday, you know I love a good sketch!!  I've put the sentiment where the flower placeholder is on the sketch, but it's allowed!!  The sentiment is (a digi of course!) from Hobby Palais, one of LOADS that Renate has there at a very reasonable price, I changed the colour to brown (easily done using Word) and erased the text from the inside of the circle, though I needn't have bothered as the brad (which I think was from Bella) was big enough to cover it anyway!
I'm really pleased with my pencil work this time, I've got a reasonably strong colour and I've kept some shading...usually I overwork the pencil until it's completely blended to one shade; not the idea at all!!  Still not up to Copic standard, but a lot less stress (it's really hard to ooze over the edge with pencil, and leaving the lid off the pencil doesn't send you into a melt down, lol)  One Stop Craft Challenge this time is Bold and Bright...I think this is Bold and Bright enough, so I'm entering there.
I added a bit of Gloss to Wilbur's nose and some gold Diamond Stickles to the blue gift...talking of which, My Time To Craft has "G is for...." as it's challenge this time; I'm in with my G is for Gifts.  A Spoonful of Sugar and  Divas by Design both have birthdays, so I'm in there tool
The papers are from Kaisercraft...the Handmade collection, with Chocolate cardstock from American Crafts for matting.  Allsorts Challenge this time is "You've Been Framed", I think this fits the bill, so I'm entering there.  Cards For Men has Anything Goes... I'm definitely in there!  
When I punched the edge of the brown starry paper (using Fiskars Apron Lace punch) I didn't do a very good job of finishing the corners...which is why I've glued this gorgeous little chipboard dragonfly on to the orange Card Candi (told you I'd be using that a lot, lol)  The dragonfly was one on a mini sheet that came as a little thank you with my order from Make It Crafty...thanks Zoe, so cute! 
I made the sentiment on the computer, I tried to stack the words up like the gifts in the image, not sure if it came off or not, lol.  I finished the inside with some paper that goes with the outside though it's not the same...it has a lovely bit of texture to it that you can't capture in the photo.
I used the same paper on a notebook ages ago, I've never posted it...I'll do that one day, lol.  Some ribbon and more of that great Craft Candi finish the inside off.
That's it for my Brown and Orange card, why don't you hop over to Here Come The Boys and check out the rest of the DT inspiration...don't forget to enter the challenge, you could win a great prize, and you've got a whole fortnight!
Until next time, Happy Crafting, Dee

Trick or Treat

This is my second post for today using some of the new release images from CC Designs, available at All That Scraps. My first post (here, or scroll down) used "Halloween Eyeball Birgitta" and this one uses two of the little darlings....Angel Birgitta and Devil Birgitta.  Why don't you go to the All That Scraps Blog and check out the rest of the DT inspiration; it really is fabarooney!!

The image panel is cut from a glittery patterned paper using Nestabilities Labels Nine, the images are coloured using Copics with just a touch of gold Diamond Stickles on the halo.  Copic Oz has All About the Hair as it's challenge theme this time...I've done a few cards where I've concentrated on the hair and I think it's paying off!  I'm entering there anyway, 'coz I like the Birgittas hair!

I used the sketch from Cupcake Craft Challenges this time, do love a nice sketch!  The Paper Shelter has a Recipe challenge this time: 1embellishment, 2 images 3 designer papers, this sketch lends itself to the three papers and my darling duo are definitely two images (I cut them out and foam dotted them for dimension, also because I wanted to used that lovely glittery background paper for the image mat, and I've used Dew Drops as my embellishment - I hope the ickle bit of ribbon doesn't count, though if I needed two embellishments I would hope that it DID count :-)
I generated the sentiment on the computer, using free fonts from DaFont...if you'd like to grab it feel free (just right-click and Save to your computer) there's a link on my Freebies page too, so it's available all the time (don't forget it's easy to alter the colour and size in Word!)  I had the sentiment panel (bit extreme calling something that size a panel, lol) attached using a beaded head pin, but it was very difficult to get it completely balanced...I did, but then decided it looked better fixed in that place anyway!

The papers I used are digis from Crafty Chaos Designs; the "Eye of Newt" collection (how cool is that name?!) I lightened them up a bit (in Photoshop, but you can achieve much the same result in Word), everything is mounted on blue card from American Crafts.This is the first time I've used these papers, I've had them sitting on my computer since I won them a LONG time ago (keeping my 150+ unused digi images company, lol) it's lovely to finally get around to using them.  I think I'm going to love digi papers as much as I love digi images...for the same reasons; they're so flexible - you can resize them,  you can change the hue, print off only as much as you need, you never run out - just print more - and they take up no room in my craftspace (plus added bonus, I can sneak them in to my stash without my hubby seeing them!) 

I used more of the paper from the Eye of Newt (that name!) collection for the inside of the card too.  I also used more of the Dew Drops that I used on the front, I was very careful what order I put them in because the way I had them at first they looked like traffic lights, lol.
The Crafty Pad has Cute and Girly as it's challenge theme, I think this card with its Cute Girlies on fits the bill, so I'm entering there.  Both Addicted to Stamps and Whoopsi Daisy Challenge have Anything Goes as their theme; definitely fits the bill there, so I'm in!
Anyway that's it for today, I'll be back on Sunday with my card for the Here Come The Boys Challenge...unless by some miracle I get something else finished before that, lol.  I hope to see you then, Happy Crafting, Dee