Di's Dies Challenge - no I'm not stuttering!

So it's that time of the fortnight again... time for a new challenge at Di's Digis Challenge Blog, yay!!  The theme this time around is "Use Die Cuts"... not a problem for many of us I would think, there are so many fabulous dies out there now... I want them ALL, my hubby thinks I'm well on my way to achieving that; little does he know "evil laugh"  Anyway, here's my card... an easel again, what can I say? I just like them :-)

It was my husband's brother in law's birthday recently and I really was scraping the barrel for a card, so there's nothing else for it... time to make some masculine ones, that said I really don't mind making "guy" cards :-)  The image for this one is one of Di's newer ones (I'm just lovin' her meeces in case you haven't worked that out by the fact that they keep appearing on my blog, lol) it's called "Fore You" which I thought was the perfect sentiment.. which is why I printed that exact one, rofl.  You can get your copy here

I coloured with Copics and Prismacolor pencils, as usual, but didn't go quite as intense as I usually do... why, this is positively pastel by Donna's standards.  It is a bit brighter IRL, it was nearly dark when I took the pics so they look a bit dusky... and I really couldn't be bothered setting up the light tent when it's only a bit off reality :-)
The papers are from Echo Park, Walk in the Park pad (I think, the cover's been off it for years!)  
Now for the die cuts; the image panel was cut and embossed using Crafts Too Squares (I took a leaf out of Lucy's book and left it in the die to ink the sky, leaving the border clean and white - thanks Lucy, I think it works a treat!)  The trees border (which I was hoping looked like shrubs in this instance) is the Freemont Pine Landscape Die by Poppy Dies, I drew around the die and cut the black cardstock "shadow" freehand... definitely stood out better with a background.  The clouds are Memory Box; I cut a few of them out first tacked them to the sky with temporary glue then inked with Versamark Sky Blue ink leaving the clouds white... looks so much better IRL, sigh.
The ribbon and black pearls are from my stash.  Ooh, and I added some Viva Pearl pen to the head of the golf club to give it a silver sheen, again better IRL.
I propped the sentiment up on thick foam squares so it works well as a prop for the easel.  I finished the "inside" of the card like a little scene and added the jotting panel to the flap - if you know what I mean, hope the picture explains that better than I just did, lol.
Usually I follow the same sketch for the inside and outside of my card, but obviously this time it's only the outside that gets to use the fabby sketch from Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2 I checked and you didn't have to use the pentagon shape :-) I just realised that I have the horizontal panel over the bottom edge of the image panel... I still have ribbon though so I hope it's okay (?!)
I found all these challenges to enter my card in... some sort of record I think!!

Simon Says Challenge Make It Masculine
My Time To Craft Male
Crafty Creations All Creatures Great and Small
Seize the Birthday Topping: Animals
Moving Along With The Times Happy Birthday
Crafts 4 Eternity Birthday
Aud Sentiments Bingo: I used Markers/Digi/Die Cut
Without Words Summer Holidays (Golf is my son's "summer holiday pastime... or was BC = Before Children, lol)
Little Red Wagon Use It Up (everything on the card except the new image!!) 
The Crazy Challenge Ribbon or Lace (Ribbon) 
Sweet Stampin' Something Old Something New (new image, old ... everything else!)
Inky Chicks Pearls (they're black, but they're pearls!)
Pile It On Focus on Colouring (Always Do, lol)
The Paper Shelter Make It Colourful
Digi Sketch Challenge Theme: Fave Colour Combo (I love all colour, use orange/green together a lot)
Cute Card Thursday Summer Colours
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge Use Patterned Paper
Craft Your Passion Anything Goes
Art by Miran Anything Goes
Paper Creator Crafts Anything Goes
Corrosive Challenge Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly Anything Goes
Through the Craftroom Door Anything Goes
Clear It Out Theme: Anything Goes Stash: You Choose!

Phew!  Well that's it for today.  Pop over to the blog and check out the DT's work.. it's to DIE for... see what I did there??  Hope you crack out your dies and have a go at the challenge, great prize on offer as always and if you use one of Di's cute images there's extra opportunities, oh yeah!
Until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna

Fairy Wishes for Fiona

Time for another card to make its way out of my Drafts Folder.  It's not the oldest, but I just fancied showing this one today :-))  It's the card I made for my Sister Fiona's 60th Birthday in December, apologies in advance for the photo-heavy post!

Fiona loves Fairies, Butterflies and Purple... got it all IN SPADES on this card, lol.
I used the absolutely gorgeous "A Little Bit of Gossip" from Sugar Nellie... available as a digi here, and in rubber too. I coloured with Copics and Prismacolor pencils, adding gloss to the ladybird and LASHINGS of Ranger's Bridal Tinsel Embossing Powder to the wings.  
Creative Colours Challenge has this pic as it's inspiration this time around... perfect for my card methinks!!
When I made it, it was based on a sketch from Sketch Saturday, couldn't believe my luck when I checked out the blog today and see that the current challenge is to use any sketch # 215 to 362, I used sketch # 241, albeit flipped.
The papers I used came from Kaisercraft's Lilac Avenue pad, I cut all the circles using my Lifestyle Crafts Nesting Circles dies, the silver card for the matting was from my stash.  The white lace with silver thread came from my stash too, as did the letters that made up Fiona's name, the twine and the numbers (which are foam, covered with Silver Stickles)  
I used a Martha Stewart punch for the butterflies, and the coloured rhinestones on the Fairy's wings are from the days when we were involved in ballroom dancing... the kids used to scour the floor between events and I scored a zillion of different coloured Zwarowski stones, don't worry, I also bought my share!!

This card was also a gift card holder, so I added a pocket to the inside front with textured cardstock, added some lace and a Memory Box Vivienne Butterfly die with some not-Zwarowski (so not so shiny!) rhinestones as a body.  I added a voucher to my sister's favourite craft shop... she's a quilter, lives over 400 km away from Perth and there's a branch of this shop in the town nearest her, so it was a pretty good choice :-) 
Obviously (only because I ALWAYS do) I followed the same sketch  for the inside of the card, using more of the same papers and embellies.
The butterflies on the jotting panel are from the same Martha Stewart punch as the little ones on the front of the card.
Next time, or at least once I've learned how to do it quicker than just loading pics, I'll do a composite shot of the "extra" photos, in the meantime... sorry 'bout all the pics, I just was really happy with the finished product and wanted to "share"!
I'll be entering my card in all the challenges listed below,  

Creative Colors Challenge Colour Inspiration (see pic)

Sketch Saturday Any Sketch from 215 to 362

Pile It On Focus on Colouring

Top Tip Tuesday It's All About Hair

Papertake Weekly Product: Glitter

Clear It Out Theme: Girls Stash: Die Cuts and Punches

Cuttlebug Mania Bling

Seize the Birthday No topping

Cute Card Thursday Too Cute

The Crazy Challenge Ribbon or Lace

Crafty Calendar Things With Wings

Creatalicious Challenges Butterflies

Great Impressions May: Celebrate Spring

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge Use Patterned Paper
Catch the Bug  Recipe (Canister #3 = Image/Die Cut/Bling)

Sugar Bowl Challenges Anything Goes

Hiding in my Craft Room Freestyle

Corrosive Challenge Anything Goes

Little Miss Muffet Anything Goes

Art by Miran Anything Goes

Simon Says Challenge Anything Goes

Tuesday Throwdown Anything Goes

Through the Craftroom Door Anything Goes

That's it for this card, I'll be back in a few days, until then, Happy Crafting, Donna

Designer Paper's All The Rage

Back I am with my DT card for Di's Digis Challenge Blog:-))  The theme for the challenge starting today is "Use Two or More Designer Papers"... always easy for me, I like nice paper, but interestingly it's "Two" I've used on today's card and not "more" :-)

The image I've used is Get Well Mice, how cute is it??  I coloured with Copics adding Glossy Accents to the jar and Viva Red Pearl to the jar lid.
The digital papers are from Nitwit Collections Ouchies Collection, available here. The teal coloured card I used for matting is from my stas as is the Card Candi. 

I punched the edge of the Get Well Soon panel with Fiskars Apron Lace punch and cut the image panel with Nestabilities Labels One, I cut the mat freehand using the outside edge of the die as a guide; popped the The faux stitching is red gel pen.
As usual I finished the inside of the card to match the outside.
I followed the sketch from Stella Says Sketch this time around, great sketch :-) and would like to enter my card in the following challenges

Top Tip Tuesday	Animals
Paper Creator Crafts	Animals
Digi Sketch Challenge	Sketch and/or Theme: Animals (I used the theme)
Fab'n'funky Challenges	Flora and Fauna (flowers or animals)
Little Red Wagon	To Die For
Cutie Pie Challenge	Layer It Up
Send a Smile for Kids	Anything Goes for Kids
Craft Your Passion	Anything Goes
Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends	Anything Goes
Little Miss Muffet	Anything Goes
Art by Miran	Anything Goes
Through the Craftroom Door	Anything Goes

Hope you get a chance to enter the challenge, great prize on offer as always... and don't forget there's extra "opportunities" if you use one of Di's fab images... check them out here 
Until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna

...and now for Nathan

Well as promised (?!) I am back with Nathan's birthday card from last March... as you can see it "matches" his sister's .... well I'm sure the "twin" thing isn't going to wash forever so I thought I'd make hay, lol.  I'll be back tomorrow with a DT card so I thought I'd better get this one in or another few weeks will go by without it hitting my blog!

As with Emily's card I used a Wee Stamps digi... it "matched" the Birthday Baby Girl and is called... you guessed it "Birthday Baby Boy"!! Like I said mine are digis, but that's a problem... hopefully only for the time being, it is available at Whimsy stamps as a rubber stamp if you're so inclined :-)  I coloured with Copics and Prismacolor pencils adding some Stickles and Gloss highlights, here's the images "side by side" as it were

I (in the matchy matchy mood I was in, lol) used the same fold as I did for Emily's card, but used a more "masculine" embossing folder; Cuttlebug's Swiss Dots and a more masculine punch which is one my folks got me from one of their many trips to Malaysia.  

I used the same foam letters (Coloured with Copics and "Stickled" to sparkle!) to spell out Nathan's name and coloured and heat embossed the rocking horse - which was in a Christmas set from Bunny Zoes Crafts, not available now... but another one with "other" goodies in has grabbed my attention :-))  Instead of pearls (as I used on Emily's card) I used gold flatbacks, they matched in well with the gold foil card I used for matting.
I used the same font to print the greeting inside the card and Versa ink to distress around the edges of, well, everything :-))
That was it!  I'm hoping that the layout of my card fits the sketch from My Time to Craft (albeit switched around) In addition I'd like to enter the following challenges.
I'll be back tomorrow with my DT card for Di's Digi's.  Until then, Happy Crafting, Donna

Hanna and Friends	Dots and or Circles
Gem of a Challenge	More Than One Fold
Seize the Birthday	Topping: No topping
Send a Smile for Kids	Anything Goes for Kids
Sweet Stampin'	CAS
Craft Your Passion	Anything Goes
Little Miss Muffet	Anything Goes
Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends	Anything Goes
Art by Miran	Anything Goes
Through the Craftroom Door	Anything Goes

Emily's First Birthday Card

Well I've finally found a bit of time to drag a card out of my Drafts Folder; it's the oldest I have in there... the card I made for my granddaughter Emily's first birthday; FIFTEEN months ago - ye gods and little fishes, where did the time go??  I was going to put both the twins' cards in one post, but decided to make two posts out of it, better value for money  Here's Miss Emily's card.

I don't know if this fold has a name... all it is is a piece of A4 card (in this case cream pearlised) with one end folded over to make a flap and the other end folded so the main front piece just fits under the flap when it's closed.  It's size is always determined for me by what punch I use to decorate the edge of the flap; if I use a shallow-ish punch (like the Martha Stewart Doily Lace Edge punch I've used here) the fold at the other end is made in one place, if I use a deep punch (like another Martha Stewart punch I use, Garden Trellis... which is being discontinued apparently, I'd better check out any I want before they go!!) it's made in another.  I usually then cut the "height" to make the card square, but as I have some rectangular envelopes in my stash I decided to cut it down to fit one of those.

I embossed the main part of the card with an Embossalicious Folder, Floral Frenzy, and inked all the edges with Orchid Versamark ink.  The letters making up Emily's name are self adhesive foam, from the kids section at a local craft shop (pack of a gazillion for $2) I coloured them with Copics then coated them with Ice Stickles... I did heat emboss one and it distorted a bit... not as much as I was expecting, but still wonky :-) .... so I defaulted to the ol' Stickles.  The inside of the card has a simple computer generated sentiment, mounted on gold foil card.... the embossing on the front of the main panel actually adds to the texture of the inside, I haven't bothered taking a pic though, you'll have to trust me on that one :-))

Now we get to that GORGEOUS image; it's one of Sylvia Zet's fabulous Wee Stamps images, I've had it for a while, saving it for a special occasion... my only granddaughter's first birthday qualifies, lol.  It's called simply Birthday Baby Girl and is a digi; imagine my horror when I popped over to Whimsy Stamps to grab a link and saw that the dreaded new European VAT laws have caused a (hopefully temporary!) closure of the digi section of the store... it is available as a rubber stamp so if you (unlike ME!!) "do" rubber you can still have it.  I SERIOUSLY hope it... and so many of my other favourite digi stores can find a way around these problems, I may have a LOT of digis, but there's still a LOT I'd like to get!

I coloured with some Copics and Prismacolor pencils (mainly the face with Copics, this is printed on linen card and I don't do a great job with pencils on faces with textured card!) I matted on gold mirror card, just for a little lift.

The flower is foam... can't remember the punch I used, coloured and Stickled, the pearl centre is from my stash as are the pearls

AAA Cards is celebrating their first birthday and have a birthday theme using this pic as inspiration (and CAS or Near CAS as an ongoing requirement) so Emily's First Birthday card is going to be entered there as well as in these challenges:

Little Red Wagon	Make an Impression (Dry embossing)
Gem of a Challenge	More Than One Fold
Send a Smile for Kids	Anything Goes for Kids
Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends	Anything Goes
Art by Miran	Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion	Always Anything Goes
Through the Craftroom Door	Anything Goes

I'll be back in a day or so with Nathan's FIRST Birthday in a day or so... truly!  Until then, Happy Crafting, Donna

Thanks Mum

The new challenge starting today at Di's Digis Challenge Blog has "Load on the Flowers" as it's theme.  As it's Mother's Day here in Australia tomorrow I thought I'd take the opportunity to make a card for my lovely Mum.  Happy Moither's Day to all those who celebrate this weekend too :-) 

The reference may be subtle, as to why I used this image, but the message I wrote on the back of the card says in essence thanks for showing me the right path, and for always being by my side.  I made a diorama card, Mum likes the cards I make that are a little bit different, and she doesn't like too much "stuff" on them, so I kept the flowers to a small "load" :-))  Another good thing about diorama cards is how they fold flat for postage... in this instance I made sure the flowers didn't protrude past the edge of the card when it was flattened, then thought about the fact that I won't be posting it anyway, lol

Both the images I've used are from Di's Digi Downloads... the background is Path and Fields and the little girl and her dogs is a new image called Daydream Izzy.  I inked the clouds and coloured the background image with Prismacolor pencils, Izzy was printed on textured card and coloured with Copics... with a few Prismacolor details.

It's hard to see, but I added another layer between the background and the front (which has acetate in it, I discovered last time I made a diorama that they're a bit wobbly with such a narrow frame, acetate helps a lot!) On the mid layer (which I just coloured green to look like low hills, I added small gemstone flowers.  The flowers on the front are Joycraft dies, the leaves are a new die I just got; Creative Expressions Faux Quilled Leaves.  I coloured some pearls from my stash with a Copic to add to the centres of the flowers and added some yellow ricrac from my stash.

The gorgeous patterned paper from a digital pack I got from My Memories... called Impressionists Canvas.  The back of the card is where I wrote my message, I just added a strip of the DP and some ricrac to jazz it up.  

Anyway that's it for today's card, hope you get a chance to check out the rest of the Design Team's flowery offerings.  Hope you enter the challenge too, great prize on offer as always, and an extra opportunity if you use one of Di's images too!!

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges: 

Hiding in my Craft Room	Let's Get Digital
Tuesday Throwdown	Flowers for Her
Great Impressions	Celebrate Spring
Pile It On	Mother's Day/For a Lady
Fab'n'funky Challenges	May Flowers
Addicted to  Stamps	Flowers
OSAAT	Anything Goes Special Lady
Craft Your Passion	Always Anything Goes
Art by Miran	Anything Goes
Catch The Bug	Anything Goes
Through the Craftroom Door	Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly	Anything Goes

Until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna