Welcome Jett Mark 1

Recently the lovely Di from Pixie's Snippets Playground contacted me to see if I would like to GD for her snippets challenge - which of course I DID, lol - and I thought I'd share a card-in-a-box I made to welcome a friend's baby "Jett"... I made the christening cake for Jett's mum nearly thirty years ago so I like the synergy here :-)  The bonus, from The Playground's point of view is that these cards can (and in this case does) use a LOT of snippets!

I have made a metric version template of this card if you'd like to grab it from my Tutorials, Templates and Other Freebies Page, here's a direct link
The cute image, fussy cut but as one piece, is from Di's Digis... it's called Animal Crew and you can get it here. I coloured Copic markers, with a lot of detail added (like the lion's mane) using Prismacolor pencils. Glossy Accents to the balloon and a die cut sun... from Lawn Fawn's Spring Showers set
The papers I used were snippets from Die Cuts With a View's Animal Crackers pad - it has loads of glitter and, bonus to me, matching chipboard die cuts... these are what I have jiggling around on their acetate stalks.  I didn't realize until I was looking for the name of the pad that I've used this image/paper combo before here  - I obviously like it :-)


The chipboard corners came in the chipboard pack too, the tag with "Jett" on also, the letters for bub's name are wooden ones from my stash.
Like I said there's a lot of snippets on this card, the "frame" around the background (which I actually stencilled clouds onto, though you can hardly see them) IS a frame because I needed a bit more of the dark blue patterned paper to fit one of the outside panels.  I fetched the piece out of the waste basket to make the belly band, can't believe I threw it away tbh, I keep some very small snippets :-)
The little monkey die cut is from that embellie pack too, I have a velcro closure under it to hold the band together
The other side of the outside on these types of cards is where I usually put the jotting panel, as I didn't have a piece of the dark blue card left big enough to make a frame I thought I'd make a pocket to put a tag in instead... that itself is made up of two snippets as I didn't have a big enough piece left of any of the patterns I'd used to do it in one piece :-)  I added a brass eyelet and some baker's twine from my stash and used the plain side to jot my message
That was it for this card, thanks again to Di for asking me to be a Guest in the Playground.  I actually made two cards for this baby, one for my sister and her partner to give... the baby is her partner's daughter's first grandchild - when I did the christening card my sister wasn't his partner... and to make things even MORE interesting, we all met when I went out with him (met through a school friend) when I was 16!!
I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Tuesday Throwdown Tag It - The tag on the front, or the lift-out tag in the back

Cuttlebug Mania, Simon Says Challenge Frame It - The frame behind the image

Fab'n'Funky Challenges Bring me Sunshine

Crafty Cardmakers  For a Man or Boy

As You Like It Favourite Card Base Shape or Fold - I love "different" folds, that add a design element, this is one "favourite" - though I actually make square cards the most!

Die Cut Divas Animals or Pets

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge Use Patterned Paper

Little Miss Muffet, Digi Choosday, Crafty  Creations, Through the Craftroom Door, Crafting With Friends Challenge # 84, Creative Fingers , Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends, Polkadoodles, A Perfect Time to Craft, Simply Papercrafts, Crafting With Attitude and Corrosive Challenge Anything Goes

I hope you get a chance to join in Di's Snippets challenge... it really is no challenge at all, and a great way to clear out those Bits :-)
Until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna

It's "Allwhite", it's a MEGAPOST

I have a white-on-white card today... something I do very rarely, mainly because I find them so HARD, lol.  Also, after the card I thought I'd share what's been taking a huge chunk of my crafting time recently... I've been working on sorting my craft room (fine tuning the storage really) and I've been working of my dies storge... lots of white card involved there too!  Sooo, this is a very picture-heavy post.  First the card

I made this sympathy card for our friend Gerald on the loss of his lovely wife Thelma... she was such a sweet lady and is sorely missed by us all.
The background paper is a tissue like paper with solid white dots on (hard to see in the pic), I've had some of this paper for years, I have it with white dots and with multicoloured dots on... I only use it on "special" cards, but I do take it out regularly to stroke it - it's very tactile :-)
I cut the oval aperture with a Spellbinders Standard Ovals die, the frame is Spellbinders Floral Ovals die using white card that I ran through a Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder first.
The foliage is a Cheery Lynn die... Fanciful Flourish I think, the butterfly is Memory Box (Vivienne Butterfly?) with some clear rhinestones added to it's body.  Some more of the rhinestones added to the swirls on the flourish

I gave the inside much the same treatment as the outside, with the standard oval sentiment matt being placed on top of the Floral Ovals one instead of going to all the trouble of cutting a frame as for the front.  The sentiment was made on the computer, I printed it in dark grey instead of black so that it doesn't look as harsh.  I did finish the inside of the aperture with a frame like the front, it didn't NEED it, but it does make it look a lot more "finished".  That's it for the card, I'd like to enter in the following challenges:
Cuttlebug Mania Butterflies and/or Birds

Monochrome Magic Monochrome, Opt: No Patterned Paper

Simon Says Challenge, Catch The Bug, Little Miss Muffet, Through the Craftroom Door, Digi Choosday, Crafty  Creations, 4 Crafty Chicks, Crafting With Friends Challenge #68, Creative Fingers, Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends, Polkadoodles, Create and Inspire, Creatalicious Challenges and Simply Papercrafts all have Anything Goes challenges.  I'm entering Pixies Snippets Playground challenge with my next "project" 

Now... you thought THAT was photo heavy, nooo, that part of the post is coming now :-)

I have been slowly doing "the sorting" of my craft room that I promised myself I would do when we stripped the room out and started from scratch...when we did the "new" kitchen - FIVE years ago!!  I am very nearly done now, yay! I'm going to take pics of the room and storage "options" and make a new page for my blog... today we have "Dies Storage 101", lol
I had some of my dies already in CD cases, I have kept my nested sets in CD cases and have now put all my other dies into DVD cases. I've put kraft paper in the covers and cut one of each die to add to that cover. Magnetic paper inside each case keeps the dies secure. 

A Dymo label on the edge lets me see what's what when they are stacked in the CD holder unit I have them in... which is attached to the end of my set of Ikea Billy units as seen above,  Phew!
I used LOADS of my white snippets getting all these dies cut, so I'm going to enter THIS project in Di's challenge over at Pixies Snippets Playground, hope it counts

I had to work out how to get the whole of my big alphabet die sets into one DVD case... I came up with a sort of stacked pocket system for the inside of the case... really works well, though it took several evenings of frustration!
I have a few more dies coming in the mail, but essentially I am DONE, yeehaw! I also have a few oversized ones that I have to work out a suitable system for, but that's a problem for another day.  
I thought, while I'm here, I'd show a few pics of how I keep multiple letters or words in line: First I line the letters up (my trimmer isn't dirty, I covered this one with clear contact as I was sick of the white measurements wearing off!) then I put clear low tack tape over them to pick them up.
Next I add glue (in this case a Zig pen) place them where I want them - rub to adhere, remove low tack tape, voila!  Not rocket science but someone may find it useful.  I cut my script words with double-sided tape on the back, but still get them "straight" on the low tack tape before taking the tape backing off... it stops the fine cuts from "stretching" when you take the backing off too, so bonus
If you've made it this far..... CONGRATULATIONS on your stamina, and thanks for your interest :-)).
I am working now on my clear stamps (in the bottom of my skinny cabinet).  My lace, ribbon, buttons, twines and embellies including every bead I own HAVE been sorted into suitable containers, I just have to tweak the labelling of those... again I'm very happy to be on this side of the sorting process, lol.  I will add pics of all those to my Craft Room Page... when I have pics and page :-)
That's it for today (Do I hear a "Thank Goodness for that"? lol) 
Until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna

A-Camping We Will Go

I made today's card for my son Matt's birhday (in 2016!)  He and his wife bought a camper trailer and went away in it for the first time for his birthday... we bought him a voucher from a Camping store - it was in with the card

I used a couple of digital stamps from the now sadly defunct Stamp Fairy (I bought BIG before they closed, I've got a few of these little sweeties to hand, lol) Lenny Camping 3 (which is Lenny and the camper) and Lenny Camping 4 which is Lenny with the campfire.  I cropped down two of the Lennys and added a bow to the "hair" of one before putting them in the campervan looking out... they are my twinnies, Nathan and Emily :-))... another reason I love digis so much, being so easily manipulated.  The colouring, as usual, was done with Copics and Prismacolor pencils

I made an easel card, because I love making them... the grass was cut with a die, I used it as the prop for the top of the card, and I also added a pocket "behind" or under it to put the gift card and a little tag with a jotting panel on the back

 The papers are from a 12" scrapbooking pad.  The clouds are Memory Box, mounted on foam pads.  The "Celebrate" sentiment is a digi from Create with TLC - quite possibly a freebie as Paulette is very generous :-)
I think the Happy Birthday die on the tag is from the Sizzix Tim Holtz Celebration Script Words collection, cut from black card and then coated with Glossy Accents
The little flowers are from a generic punch.  That's it.
I'd like to enter Matt's card in the following challenges

The Paper Shelter Digital Image

Aud Sentiments Summer and a Sentiment

As You Like It Flora or Fauna and Why - Fauna, I love all animals and I love using animal images because there are so many cute ones :-)

Simon Says Challenge Use More than One Stamp - Two digis used here

Allsorts Challenges Happy Birthday

Sweet Stampin' Bunnies and/or Bears

Send a Smile for Kids Anything Goes for Kids

Hiding in- my Craft Room Masculine
4 Crafty Chicks Masculine Birthday

Pile It On Sports and/or Hobbies - Camping with two little kids is more a Sport than a Hobby, lol
Little Miss Muffet, Through the Craftroom Door, Digi Choosday, Crafty  Creations, 4 Crafty Chicks, Crafting With Friends Challenge # 67, Creative Fingers, Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends, Polkadoodles, A Perfect Time to Craft, Create and Inspire, Creatalicious Challenges, Simply Papercrafts, Crafting With Attitude and Corrosive Challenge all have Anything Goes challenges

I'll be back soon (I hope) I've made a few cards in the twist pop up style (or whatever it's called, lol) as well as the LOADS still in my drafts, so I've got plenty to share 
Until then, Happy Crafting, Donna

Twofer

Well, AGAIN Long Time No See :-)  Today I thought I'd add the oldest cards from my Draft Folder - they are both sympathy cards for our friends on the loss of OUR friend their mother, Thelma... the second one I was too embarrassed to dedicate a post to so I've snuck it on the end of this post, hence the "Twofer" title.  I did make a nice card for Thelma's hubby, that can come another day - today we have the "runners-up", lol

Here's the first one

To be honest, this card does look SO much nicer in real life, I was happy with it.  The gorgeous embossed card is pearlised, the embossing is very heavy, I got it from my favourite "speciality" paper store Starfish Lane with my birthday voucher from Son #2 :-)  

The lace ribbon with glittery bits came from there too, the pearl and rhinestone embellishment was from eBay.  I added a very fibrous dark brown ribbon on the top edge of the lace ribbon - the whole card is very tactile and using good quality papers and embellies was essential to the finished effect

I used a sentiment I have used before for Sympathy cards, just typed out on the computer.  The small flourish at the bottom is a Memory Box die (Ivy Tendril I think).  That's it!  

The inside is finished along the same lines as the outside, as per usual

Now, the feeling of quality the first card had just didn't happen with my second card; it should have, I used great quality paper from Starfish Lane again, but to be honest I'd spent so much time on the Widower's card I was pushing it to do anything too elaborate for the other two cards - I wanted them to be different and ended up with one just looking second-rate.  In the interest of warts and all crafting, here it is...

 I used a Portacraft embossing folder (which I obviously like because I've bought it twice, lol) sponged with burgundy ink on the one half and added the floral paper, which is really very nice in real life, with a subtle glittery sheen to it, matted onto burgundy card to the other half.  The burgundy trim covering the join is also from SFL.  The sentiment is available on my freebies page, here; the matt was cut with Nestabilities and ink added to the edge to tie it all together.  A couple of burgundy pearls from my stash and that was that.  Again, as usual, I finished the inside with elements from the front.
I'd like to enter one or other of these cards to the following challenges:

Moving Along With The Times Sentiment Only

Creatalicious Challenges Anything Goes, add a Sentiment

Cute Card Thursday Flowers, embossed on the first card, printed on the second

Die Cut Divas Flowers, embossed on the first card, printed on the second

Crafty Cardmakers  No Patterned Paper (First card)

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge Patterned Paper (Second card)

Pixies Snippets Playground Use snippets (the patterned paper on the second card, why there's only half on each layer! though my lovely son bought me more for my latest birthday)

Little Miss Muffet, Cardz 4 Galz, Catch The Bug, Through the Craftroom Door, Digi Choosday, Crafty  Creations, 4 Crafty Chicks, Crafting With Friends Challenge # 67, Creative Fingers, Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends, Polkadoodles, A Perfect Time to Craft, Create and Inspire, Simply Papercrafts and Corrosive Challenge all have Anything Goes themes

That's it for today... at least I've got all my cards from 2015 out of my Drafts Folder at last... except for that one sympathy card!!  I'll be back - "soon", maybe with something new (I've been adding to my dies collection like a crazy woman, lol, organizing all my stash is what's been taking up my crafting time!) until then Happy Crafting, Donna

Forget Me Nots

Well, getting worse... over a month since my last blog post, sigh.  I still have over 50 projects in my Drafts folder, so here's a card I made for my Daughter in Law's birthday last year 

I used an image from Fairy Tangles called "Forget Me Nots", hence the Post Title, isn't she gorgeous?  I coloured with Copic Markers, adding shading and detail with Prismacolor pencils... my usual (and favourite) way of colouring.  I added some glitter with Stickles and Viva Liquid Pearl "pearls" to her hair.

The image was cut with a Spellbinders oval die, the gold frame cut using Spellbinders Oval Florals die.  The sentiment was computer generated, printed on my laser printer then foil-embossed using my laminator and Deco Foil.
The lovely background paper is actually left over from the wrapping paper I used to wrap my DIL's present - it is really good quality and worked well... so well I went back to the stall I bought it from and bought some more!
I finished the inside of the card along the same lines as the outside, as I usually do :-) 
I would like to enter the following challenges:

The Paper Shelter Birthday Card
Crafty Cardmakers Birthday Card

As You Like It Favourite Colouring Medium, Copics and Prismacolor pencils... love the blending properties of the Copics and the detail the pencils add

Simon Says Challenge Sparkle and Shine

Allsorts Challenges Use Pearls... hope Liquid Pearls count!

Pixies Snippets Playground Snippets- the wrapping paper DP

Hanna and Friends Bingo Flowers/Dies/Pearls

Card Mania Challenges Spring - spring colours

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge Use Patterned Paper

Cutie Pie Challenge Delightful Digis

Card Mania Challenges Spring

Create and Inspire Anything Goes, option: Dies or Stencils

Creatalicious Challenges Anything Goes option: Dies or Punches

Little Miss Muffet, Through the Craftroom Door, Digi Choosday, Crafting With Friends Challenge # 65, Creative Fingers, Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends, Polkadoodles, A Perfect Time to Craft, Simply Papercrafts, Crafting With Attitude, Corrosive Challenge all have Anything Goes challenges

Well, that's it for today, I hope to be back soon with another offering - wish me luck!

Until then, Happy Crafting, Donna

Belated Birthday

I was going through my Drafts Folder (which has still got loads of projects in, sigh) and found this "belated birthday" card I made for my hubby's brother-in-law a couple of years ago; the thing is when I found it I realized I've missed his birthday again this year (it was last week so I'll just have to get one made and sent... late - again, lol)

The image is from Mo Manning... called, appropriately enough "I Forgot".   I coloured with Copics and Prismacolor pencils - don't I always, lol, and cut it out with a Spellbinders Nestabilities Large Scalloped Square die
I used paper from Kaisercraft's Class Act pad.  I embossed some heavy black paper to match the card base with a Cuttlebug Forest Branches embossing folder for texture then cut it with one of the (Lawn Fawn I think) Stitched Border dies that I use all the time to put the panel across the top
I added some chevron ribbon from my stash - goes well with the chevron DP - and the "OOPS" which are acrylic letters I've had for a while.  I made the "I Forgot" sentiment on the computer.  The rest of the sentiment is on the inside, and Brad's name in the acrylic letters too
The inside of the card has some of the DP and ribbon from the front; it is a gift card holder as well as a card so I made a pocket on the inside front to hold the "scratch and match" tickets we get for Brad every birthday (family joke), I used embossed yellow card on the inside to brighten it up a bit.

That's about it for this card, very simple really... it's that cute image that makes it work I reckon :-)  I would like to enter my card in the following challenges: 

Aud Sentiments Has this Bingo Board, I've used either Die Cut / Embossing / Pattern Paper or Ribbon / Digi / Die Cut

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge  Use Patterned Paper

Card Mania Challenges Embossing

The following are "Anything Goes" challenges

Creatalicious Challenges (Option: Birthday, which I've used)Create and Inspire, Simply Papercrafts, Crafting With Attitude, Corrosive Challenge, Card Mania Challenges, Little Miss Muffet, Through the Craftroom Door, Digi Choosday, Crafty  Creations, 4 Crafty Chicks, Crafting With Friends Challenge #63,  Creative Fingers, Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends, Polkadoodles and A Perfect Time to Craft 

Hope I'll be back a bit sooner next time, though it is the twins' birthday next week (they're 5 already, can you believe it?!) and I haven't made their cards yet - I'm not making their cakes this year as they are helping Mummy :-)) but I still have to get their cards done and the rest of their present sorted.  Either way, until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna