Some Mice will Celebrate ANYTHING!!

It's that time of the fortnight again at Di's Digis Challenge Blog... time for a new Challenge.  The theme this time around is Any Celebration; now how's that for easy?!  I've gone with another of Di's cute Mice images, what can I say? I just can't get enough of these little guys!  This is Tipsy Topsy Mice, available here.  Once again I've gone for a "fancy fold", I like trying new things - this is a Pop up Book Card. 

Here's a great tutorial from Splitcoast Stampers if you want to try yourself - it WAS fun :-))  I adjusted the measurements to metric... I can't be doing with all that 7/8" stuff... I'll have the (simpler!) metric version on my Templates and Freebies page soon.  That said, it's "Tax Time" here, I'm a bookkeeper and I've changed from PC to Mac... TODAY, so I wouldn't hold your breath on the template, lol.  It's easy enough to adjust anyway.  I coloured the image with Copics and Prismacolor pencils, as usual.  

It's the inside of this card that makes it that bit different, I really like it... and (once I nailed the template, lol) it was easy to make.  The card base is Kaisercraft, the patterned papers are from Echo Park's Walk in the Park collection.  The sentiment on the front is computer generated, the one on the inside is from Create With TLC (as are so many of the more interesting sentiments in my collection!), the swirly die cut is a Memory Box Corner Bow (the little bits are one of those cut up), the flowers were cut from scraps of the Echo Park paper with a Fiskars punch and the centres and DIY "enamel look" dots are from my huge collection of melted pony beads... love those things.

One of the really good things about this fold is that the card (provided you don't over embellish it outside OR in) folds really quite flat; perfect for posting.  You can see it's well on it's way to "flat" in the pic :-)

I added some gold sticker strips (peel offs) to define some of the edges on the inside of the card, but I did keep the embellies to a minimum, I left one of the panels blank to jot your greeting on... couldn't decide which one to put the sentiment on and which one to leave blank... still don't know if it's the "right" way around, but one thing for sure, it's stayin' that way, lol.

I used the sketch from the Digi Sketch Challenge ... one of my favourite sketch challenges, sadly this is the last one so I thought I'd make the effort and use it - no effort really, it's a good sketch :-)  I can't find the image of the sketch on the blog... but it WAS there - I saved it to my challenge folder... here it is (says Sweet Sunday on it, I'll have to go and check out the sketches... I love a good sketch, such a great starting point for a card)

In addition to the Digi Sketch challenge I'll be entering the following challenges: 

Fab'n'funky Challenges Birthdays 
The Crazy Challenge Spots and/or Stripes 
Clear It Out  Theme: Your Style Stash: Your Favourite Craft item - Digi images, bright paper… and "those" melted pony bead "enamel" dots :-)) 
Cuttlebug Mania Use a sentiment 
Crafty Cardmakers  Sentiment 
Aud Sentiments Animals and a Sentiment 
Send a Smile for Kids Animals for Kids 
Inky Chicks My Furry Friend 
Bunny Zoes Crafts Furry Friends 
Through the Craftroom Door Anything Goes 
Art by Miran Anything Goes 
Card Mania Challenges Anything Goes 
Craft Your Passion Anything Goes 
Addicted to  Stamps Bingo (Flowers/Stamped Image/Punches and Dies)

Of course if I wasn't on the DT I'd be entering Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge too... there's more than enough Patterned Paper on this little number... I'm going to share it there anyway... it's not always about the prize :-))

Talking of which, I hope you get a chance to enter this challenge... check out the rest of the team's work, fab or what?!  Don't forget if you use one of Di's cute images you have extra opportunities to win, BONUS!!

I'll be back soon, still got loads in my drafts, and once I started cleaning up the hard drive on my PC I found some reasonable pics of some of my other crafts too.. so I might as well share them. 

Until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna

My First DT Card For Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge

Well, as I said the other day... not that anyone was probably listening - 'tis the story of my life, lol - Hazel has decided to gather a Design Team for her Patterned Paper Challenge. 
As she gets a HUGE number of entries (it's so easy to enter, all you have to do is use some patterned paper on your creation!) I can see why she needs a DT!!  Here's my offering; not as "uncluttered" as my usual, it was in fact my first Criss Cross Card, I made it for my Mum's birthday last August (geez, we're nearly there again!) and it's been sitting in my Drafts waiting for a special occassion - which I've deemed this is :-)
My Mum LOVES these sweet images from Sugar Nellie.  This is one of the Vintage Adorable Collection (Digital of course, I'm a Digi Kinda Gal!) available here.  I printed the image on linen card, it just seems to say "vintage" to me better than smooth card, and coloured with some Copics and mainly Prismacolor pencils.  I've coloured her with "my" hair and eye colour... well when I was this age my hair was naturally this colour... now I have a little help :-))
I made the card base with Kraft... for its vintage feel... The all important papers (and there's a LOT of paper on this creation, trust me) are from Kaisercraft's Vintage Timeless pad and a Digital set "Basic Vintage", there's this and lots of goodies at Michelle R Designs I bought the matching insert set, but ended up just mix and matching my papers instead.  I can't believe how many times the word "vintage" is coming up in this post... so NOT me, lol.
The scalloped mats are Nestabilities Scalloped Circles, the rest of the mats are all cut from Lifestyle Crafts Nesting Circles dies.. there's so many in the set you can get very narrow mats - but it is a a lot of cutting (it was for my lovely Mum, so it didn't matter) 
The lace is from my stash, as are the pearls.  I used Viva Pearl Pen to add the "pearls" around the scalloped circle... I didn't have that many pearls left - and the pen is QUICK!

The gold embellishments are chipboard, from Make It Crafty... but Zoe doesn't sell them anymore, lucky I stocked up! - I embossed them with some Vintage Gold EP from Ranger
I added a sheer bow with a pearl brad to the insert, so you could pull it out (it was a bit snug, lol) I put a smaller version at the bottom of the image to tie it in.

I added a die cut from the Kaisercraft pad to some more of the nested circles and stamped Happy Birthday on it (ancient stamp of unknown origin) more of the Pearl pen... then I added MORE circles to the back of the insert and a jotting panel, finished the scalloped circle with, you guessed it, more Pearl pen.  There are "only" 12 circles cut for this card, but I kept trying to get more out of my coloured cardstock so I was cutting middles out and all sorts... like I said, a lot of cutting - glad it wasn't by hand!!

I added a stand to the back of the card to help it stand up "nicely", I didn't take a pic but it's the same as the one I used on the last Criss Cross card I posted here (which was actually made AFTER this one - I used the stand from this card as a template)

Well that's it for my inaugural Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge DT card.  Pop over to the blog and check out the rest of the new team... plenty of talent there, I am honoured to be in such "good company".  I hope you get a chance to enter the challenge as well... it runs for the whole month and all you have to do is use Patterned Paper... TOO EASY!!  As a bonus, there's always a great prize on offer too, woohoo!! 
I am entering the following challenges:

Sparkles Monthly Challenge Vintage or Shabby Chic

Cuttlebug Mania Use a Sentiment

Crafty Cardmakers Sentiment

Whimsy Inspirations Challenge Ribbon, Lace or Twine

Creatalicious Challenges Ribbon and Pearls

That Craft Place Layers

Papertake Weekly Take Your Pick (Product: Pearls)

Sugar Bowl Challenges Anything Goes (with a SN image)

Through the Craftroom Door Anything Goes

Art by Miran Anything Goes

Simon Says Challenge Anything Goes

Addicted to Stamps Bingo Board:I've used Lace Sentiment/Ribbon, or Ribbon/Punches or Dies/Layers or Lace/Stamped Image/Layers ... depending on whether a digi is a "stamped image" or not :-) and/or if the two bows and a loop qualify as "ribbonrow Until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna

A Little Bit of Christmas in June

Well it's June... but here in Australia we often have "Christmas in June" or "Christmas in July" events as the weather is more conducive to eating hearty food and sitting in front of a fire then... you know, "traditional" Christmas stuff.  I love Christmas... in June, July OR December :-))  Thought  I'd share a Christmas card today, nothing to do with it being June... it's another one out of my drafts from Christmas last year!  It's a "wobbler" card, I love these things; they jazz very simple card up just that little bit - making this card was FUN

 I used the gorgeous Christmas Tree Guy from Karen's Doodles, coloured with Copics, fussy cut then added to a Spring Wobbler (really will have to get some more of these... or have a go at a bit of DIY, yikes)  I added Ranger Glossy Accents to the eyes and Stardust Stickles to the fur on his hat... the nose is a Sparklet from Kaisercraft. 
I fussy cut him, then mounted him on his Wobbler (!) here he is wobbling away :-))
The white panel behind the image was embossed with an Embossalicious Snowflake folder.  The papers are from my (ancient!) stash, I think the red one is Kaisercraft.  The red, green and gold matting are all from my stash too.
The sentiment is from Craftworks Cards.  That's IT... told you is was a "simple" card!!
 I used the same basic layout for the inside, though I forgot to take a photo of that... it WAS Christmas, fair bit going on!

I thought I'd take this opportunity to announce that I've been lucky enough to be picked as one of the inaugural DT Members for Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - my first card as official DT member will be up on Wednesday when the new challenge starts, but this card would fit the challenge - coz all you have to do is use Patterned Paper somewhere on your creation,... so I thought Id show you just how easy it is to make something suitable for the challenge.  Hope you can pop back then and see what I came up... until then Happy Crafting :-)

THIS card is being entered in the following challenges: 

Fab'n'funky Challenges Christmas 
Outlawz Friday Colouring Challenge Anything Goes With a Christmas Twist 
Hiding in my Craft Room Any Holiday 
Sparkle's Christmas Card Challenge  Anything (Christmas) Goes
Pile It On Cultural or Family Tradition (This is THE family tradition in our house, lol) 
Top Tip Tuesday   Name That Tune (Oh Christmas Tree) 
The Outlawz  (CAS) Add Something Green (err, like a tree? Lol) 

Corrosive Challenge Leave a Little Sparkle 
Clear It Out Theme: Your Style (uncluttered, coloured image) Stash: Favourite Craft Item (digi image!) 
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge Use Patterned Paper - Tooooo Easy!! 
Through the Craftroom Door Anything Goes 
Paper Creator Crafts Anything Goes 
Art by Miran Anything Goes 
Little Miss Muffet Anything Goes 
Craft Your Passion Anything Goes

See ya soon, Donna

It's Summertime... and the Livin' is Easy

New challenge starts today at Di's Digis Challenge Blog... Summer Fun i the theme... which feels a little strange to me as it's literally midwinter's Day here, lol.  It has been mid 20's Celcius so not THAT wintery, though we did get some rain today, woohoo!!  Anyway here's my card for the challenge;

I've made a centre stepper card this time around, Crafty Calendar has a Fancy Folds challenge so I'm entering there.

The image is one of Di's newer ones, called (appropriately) Summer Sun Mouse ... available here - I LOVE this little dude :-))  The Paper Shelter  has Make It Digital, Bunny Zoes Crafts  has Furry Friends and both Cute As A Button and Crafty Cardmakers have For the Boys, so I'm entering their challenges.  

I coloured the image with Copics and Prismacolor pencils, adding some Sakura Glaze pen to the beach ball and Ranger Glossy Accents to the sunglasses.

Simon Says Challenge wants to see our favourite Technique or Product - mine is colouring... particularly with Copics. Without Words has Summer Holidays, Addicted to  Stamps has Summer Colours while Cuttlebug Mania has "Sunny" so I'm entering there.

I used paper from a pad I think is called Pool Party... the sentiment tags came from one sheet in it too... the orange one says "soak up the sun" and the green one originally said "Stay cool by the pool", but as mdy image is a seaside scene I covered the "by the pool" with a scrap of paper from the pad. Of course I'm entering Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge.  Aud Sentiments wants to see a Summertime Sentiment, tick, and Cute Card Thursday wants us to Add a Quote (hope this counts, it did say that a quote as a sentiment was okay)

I cut the wave bordered strip from one of the papers with a wave die, the "waves" on the paper were white, I went over them with Viva Pearl Pen to give a bit more depth.  Top Tip Tuesday  has Cut It Out as their theme, my die cut gets me in there.

The only embellishments on the card are the oh-so-cute pair of thongs... well that's what we call them here; flip flops, jandals, or rubber thonged sandals; whatever they are in your neck of the woods... anyway these are metal brads.  Oh, and a resin dot with "relax" on it as a finishing touch. Card Mania Challenges wants to us to Use a Metal Embellishment so I'm in!
I put the jotting panel on the back of this card as, if you put it inside the card it never sits right again after all the "opening and shutting".  Obviously I used more of the papers and another of the little tags/sentiment blocks... it looks crooked in the pic, but I've checked and it's straight so - I dunno, lol.
Moving Along With The Times has Inspired by a Song as their theme; Ella Fitzgerald's "Summertime and the Living is Easy" is the inspiration here,Corrosive Challenge has Pile It On - I've piled on the folds, the number of bits of paper (truly, all those little bands at the top of the sentiment blocks are tiny strips!) and Craft Your Passion,That Craft Place, Through the Craftroom Door, Art by Miran, Paper Creator Crafts and OSAAT have Anything Goes challenges so I'm entering them.

That's it for today's card, hope you get a chance to enter the challenge, that you're not to busy having Summer Fun :-))  Great prize on offer as always and if you use one of Di's super cute images there's extra opportunities to win, yay!!
I'll be back in a few days.  Until then, Happy Crafting, Donna

My First Criss Cross Card

I have been threatening to make a Criss Cross Card for some time... I drool over Teresa's beautiful makes regularly, but do realize mine were never going to be in that style; I'm no good at it!!  I wasn't sure if a simplified version would work, I think it did - I made my first one for my Mum's birthday last year which is "fussy for me"... and this ISN'T it!!!!  I have to find the photos for that one on my old laptop, so in the meantime here is my first Criss Cross card to be blogged; it was for my son's friend Chantelle's 30th birthday... he met her in Pre school and they're still great friends  - now they're both now nearly 31, aaaw 

The photos aren't great... my son (who is a photographer!!) took them just before going out as I had forgotten to take any, oops, and he didn't have the best light or camera.. at least you can get the idea, though I have to say I've finally found a style of card that's harder to photograph than Joy fold cards, lol. 
Crafty Calendar has a Fancy Folds challenge so I'm entering there.
The image is a Deviant Art Image called "The Necklace" from Jade Dragonne, I love her stuff!  it was extra appropriate as Chris bought Chantelle a heart shaped locket as her gift.  I printed on textured card and used Prismacolor pencils to colour, adding a bit of bling to the necklace.
The papers are digital... from Shery K Designs, the set's called simply "Lace".  I used four of the patterns in the pack of 10... they're all nice and so well coordinated.
The card base was textured black card left over from the bonbonniere boxes I made for my son and DIL's wedding (in 2009! Here's a link if you're interested) To say I over estimated the quantity I'd need for them is an understatement... I'll be using the "leftovers" until Doomsday :-)) 

Hiding in my Craft Room have their Super Scraps Saturday challenge on, BOY am I in with this one!

 
The black mats, including the Spellbinders Floral Oval and behind the image and the smaller Floral Oval behind the jotting panel, are made from black card heat embossed with home made black glitter EP.  The wooden "30" was painted then given the same treatment, it's a bit hard to see the glitter in the pics... but it was EVERYWHERE in my craft room for DAYS, lol  Top Tip Tuesday  has Cut It Out and Tuesday Throwdown has Frame It so I'm entering there.  Corrosive Challenge has "Pile It On"... I'm using the number of layers I've "Piled On" to enter there
The turquoise cardstock is from my stash, it's called Tiffany Blue and is VERY "Chantelle" :-)   The VERY bling-y rhinestone trim is a gift from my folk's overseas trips... the two sizes came from two different trips!
I made an easel/stand for the back of my first criss cross card ...  I made it straight at the bottom but it didn't sit right so I kept trimming... very wisely I used it as a template so when it came time to make this card it was a very easy job, and I think it really helps display the card style to it's best advantage.
I'll be entering the Anything Goes challenges at
Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends, Through the Craftroom Door, Art by Miran, That Craft Place and Paper Creator Crafts too
Well that's it for this card-from-my-drafts.  I'll be back in a few days with something else from my drafts (still got a stack in there, lol), or maybe one of my paintings.... or maybe one of the cakes I've made recently... well the twins' FIRST birthday isn't THAT recent, but you know what I mean.  Until then, Happy Crafting, Donna