Pink & White Mimi

I bought two sets of beautiful papers this week and couldn't resist using them on my card today.  The trouble is that one was from a Christmas pad, and the others were hearts.  However, the Xmas papers were so generic that I don't think they are actually seasonal, so I've used them on a non-festive card !!  I wanted to create a really softly coloured card rather than it being too bright, so I've water-coloured my image with DI reinkers, embossed the largest panel and stitched around all the edges.

The theme today at Top Tip Tuesday is embossing and I've used an embossing folder called 'In Bloom'.  I followed a sketch from The Sketchy Challenges which was quite detailed, so with all the layers and embossing, I didn't add too many other embellishments or die cuts; just a few pearls, some embroidery threads and a single die-cut flower.

See my cards available to buy on eBay



Card Recipe:

• Image - Mimi Hearts from Stampfairy
• Colouring - Sakura Stardust Gel pens, Distress Inks
• Cardworks Card base
• Magnolia Cloudy Pink Hearts Paper
• First Edition Papers Silent Night Papers
• Craft Concepts In Bloom
• Memory Box Fancy Blossoms
• Memory Box Simple Banner
• Pearls
• Embroidery Thread
• Sewing Machine

I've been inspired by:

• The Sketchy Challenges - Sketch
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
• Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes
• Bunny Zoe - Pink & White
• Totally Gorjuss - Anything Goes with Pearls

Happy crafting.

Pencil Box

I bought a little magnetic pencil box several months ago planning to decorate it, and it's been sat beside my desk since then. So today, instead of keep moving it around so I can get to my stash, I decided to actually make it my project!  I've used some gorgeous papers that I got from a magazine (sorry I don't know what designer the papers are), and some matching vintage style ribbon.  The papers are edged in blue ink, matted onto pink paper which is edged in pink ink.

The image is from a Penny Black Transparent set called 'Hugs', and is one I've had for a while, but not used much.  I wanted a garden image to match the pretty rose papers.  The little butterflies and robin are from the same set, and I stamped them directly onto the backing papers.

See my cards available to buy on eBay



Card Recipe:

• Image - Penny Black Transaprent set called Hugs 
• Colouring - Promarkers
• Clouds - Dovecraft Shimmer chalks
• Vintage Style Ribbon
• Pearls
• Glossy Accents

I've been inspired by:

• Passion for Promarkers - Blue + 1 (pink)
• Stamping Sensations - Wings and a touch of vintage (vintage style papers and ribbon)
• Penny Black & More - In the Garden
• Nordsalten Hobbyclub - Round
• Totally Gorjuss - Anything Goes with Pearls

Happy crafting.

Michel

I've not used many Sarah Kay images, but that's what I've got to share with you today, and this little fella is rather sweet.  He's called Michel and I've made a centre step card to showcase him.  I think the card shape really makes him the focal point.

See my cards available to buy on eBay



Card Recipe:

• Image - Michel
• Cardworks Card base
• MME Dolled Up Papers 
• Neenah Classic Crest White Stamping Card
• Momento Stamp Pad Ink
• Memory Box Fairytale Flower Border
• Liquid Pearls
• 5mm Snow White pearls
• Vintage ribbon in Eggshell and Limoges

I've been inspired by:

• Penny's Paper-Crafty - Stitching
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
• Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes
• The ABC Challenge - S for Stitching
• Totally Gorjuss - Anything goes with Pearls

Happy crafting

Completely Crackers

Well thank goodness it's the weekend, although despite us welcoming in August this week, I'm in Christmas mode with a festive project.

I've made a cracker gift box, and matching tag, but in both cases they're HUGE!!  I've got quite a few pics so bear with me:

Firstly here's the cracker.  I've used a 12" purple scrapping page for the cracker base, and decorated it with Nitwits papers which I've edged with purple ink.

And from a slightly different angle so you can see the front better:

And here's the matching supersized tag using the same papers, and a cute Wild Rose Studio image: 

And a bit more close up on the image:

And finally, just to prove how large these items really are, here they are together with my bottle of Glossy Accents and my craft pencil :

I hope you've liked my supersized gift set.

See my cards available to buy on eBay



Card Recipe:

• Image - Bella in Pot
• NitWits Noah's Ark Papers 
• Neenah Classic Crest White Stamping Card
• Whimsy Sentiments Collection
• Purple 12" Bazzil cardstock
• Momento Stamp Pad Ink
• Memory Box Bianca Snowflake
• Vintage Ribbon Eggshell
• Purple Pearls
• Liquid Pearls
• Crystal Glamour Dust
• Glossy Accents
• Stickles

I've been inspired by:

• Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes

Happy crafting

Fairy Sunny Day

Ok, here's the card that I was meant to be making yesterday, when I completely forgot about the theme I was meant to be following, which was 'summer treats'.    The gorgeous glittered papers are from my favourite Papermania "Lucy Cromwell" pad, and feature mini cupcakes.

Now those are my kind of treats!

I've stitched around the edge of the insert panel, and kept the pink and aqua colour scheme in the image and embellies.

See my cards available to buy on eBay



Card Recipe:

• Image - Fairy Sunny Day
• Colouring - Promarkers, Copics, Sakura Stardust pens (for sparkle)
• Clouds - Dovecraft Shimmer chalks
• Papermania Lucy Cromwell Cupcake Papers
• Spellbinders Labels 18
• Magnolia Cloud Die
• Magnolia Leaf & Swirl (the leaf only)
• Memory Box Vivienne Butterfly die
• La La Lands Heart Banner die
• Wild Orchid Craft Flowers
• Pearls

I've been inspired by:

• Tiddly Inks - Summer Treats (cupcake backing paper)
• Wild Orchid Crafts - Birthday Party
• Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge - Stitching (I did the real stuff!)

Happy crafting.

Walking on Sunshine

I made this card to enter a couple of challenges, but then I got carried away and so completely ignored the themes for all but one of the one's that I'd picked out to enter. What a womble! Anyway, here is a little Tiddly Inks image of Wryn, and a simple circular card, with very few embellies which is soooo unlike me, but it just goes to show that I can be flexible.  (Sometimes!)

I cut the cardbase out using a large Go Kreate scalloped circle nestie and edged it with ink.

See my cards available to buy on eBay



Card Recipe:

• Image - Wryn Blooms from Tiddly Inks
• Sentiment -  Fairy Sunny Day from Tiddly Inks 
• Colouring - Promarkers, Copics
• Clouds - Dovecraft Shimmer chalks
• Go Kreate Scalloped Circles Die (for card base)
• First Edition Papers
• Wild Orchid Craft Flowers
• Dotty Ribbon
• Pearls

I've been inspired by:

• Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Ode to Sunshine

Happy crafting.

Pippi Locksocks

I've been playing with my new Sugar Nellie stamps, and decided to decorate a gift bag with this 'girl with attitude'!!

I love her 'don't mess with me' poise!

Last time I coloured her in similar colours with my DI reinkers, so today I've used my Copics for a change.

I'm not sure which version I prefer;  the DI's make it a much softer look, but these colours are really vibrant.  Either way, she's a cutie, and great for any occasion.

Hope you like her.

Here's a close up of the image:

I typed a sentiment onto card, and then cut it out using a Magnolia tag die, and tied it onto the bag's handles with 2 colours of embroidery thread.

See my cards available to buy on eBay



Card Recipe:

• Image - Pippi Longsocks from Sugar Nellie
• Typed Sentiment
• Magnolia Sentiment Tag
• Colouring - Promarkers, Copics
• Clouds - Dovecraft Shimmer chalks
• Papers from my local craft shop
• Memory Box Lavish Branch
• Wild Orchid Craft Flowers
• Pearls
• Liquid Pearls
• Crystal Glamour Dust
• Glossy Accents
• Embroidery Thread
• Satin Ribbon

I've been inspired by:

• The Sugar Bowl - Anything Goes
• Wild Orchid Crafts - Birthday Party

Happy crafting.

Just One More

I've got a 'just for fun' card with a summery theme today, featuring a little BBQ bear from Lili Of The Valley.  The image is called 'Just one more'!!!  A bear after my own heart!!! LOL

See my cards available to buy on eBay



Card Recipe:

• Image - Just one More from LOTV
• Colouring - Distress Inks
• Clouds - Dovecraft Shimmer chalks
• Cardworks Shaped Card base
• Papermania Lucy Cromwell Papers
• Spellbinders Labels 3 Nestabilities
• c'Art Us Border Die
• Memory Box Lavish Branch
• Memory Box Fancy Blossoms
• Memory Box Precious Hearts
• Glossy Accents
• Lace
• Brown Pearls

I've been inspired by:

• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Summer Food and Drink
• Creative Craft - Brown and Blue
• Totally Papercraft - Lace (the proper stuff)

Happy crafting.

Mountain Lily

Hope you're all having a good weekend. Today's card features the adorable Mountain Lily from The Stamp Basket.  I think that this is the first time I've used this image and I really like her.

I wasn't sure if this was a Christmas image because of the bell on her wings, but I decided that she could be either depending on the colour scheme and accessories, so I've stayed away from snowflakes and festive colours.

I've used a blue and brown colour scheme (the ribbon is a rich chocolate brown, not black as it appears in the photo).  The matting card is also a kraft colour brown but it is a shimmery paper, although again this doesn't show up much in the photo.

I've sneaked in some lace under the ribbon and a bow which is held on with a pearl brad.

My typed sentiment has been cut out with a Notables die on which I've then punched a hole at one end to create a small tag.

See my cards available to buy on eBay



Card Recipe:

• Image - Mountain Lily
• Cardworks Shaped Card base
• Wild Rose Studio Summer Picnic Papers 
• Neenah Classic Crest White Stamping Card
• Momento Stamp Pad Ink
• Walnut Vintage Ribbon
• Notables 2 die
• Liquid Pearls
• Crystal Glamour Dust
• Glossy Accents
• Pearls
• Pearl Brad
• Wild Orchid Craft Flowers
• Lace
• Tools : hole punch

I've been inspired by:

• Creative Creations - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Celebrate
• Creative Craft - Blue and Brown
• Papertake Weekly - Dieing for a Punch (I've used both - hole punched in my die cut sentiment!)
• Totally Papercraft - Use Lace (the real stuff!)
• Penny Black & More - Dies and Punches (I've used both)

Happy crafting

Starry Night

I've got a cute Bella the Heffalump Christmas card to share today.  This one's called Starry Night, and I've cut out the image and raised it up on foam pads.

I've also done my 'frame' technique again (see here for what I mean) and added some white flowersoft for snow.

The sentiment is typed in red and overwritten with red stardust gel pen.  Other than the sprinking of flowersoft and some white pearls in each corner, I've opted for 'embellishment-free'.  Ooooh I feel naked!

See my cards available to buy on eBay



Card Recipe:

• Image - Wild Rose Studio Starry Night
• Cardworks Shaped Card base
• Wild Rose Studio Annabelle's Christmas Papers 
• Neenah Classic Crest White Stamping Card
• Momento Stamp Pad Ink
• Spellbinders Labels 18
• Red Satin Ribbon
• Liquid Pearls
• Crystal Glamour Dust
• Glossy Accents
• Snow White pearls

I've been inspired by:

• Creative Creations Challenge - Anything Goes
• Papertake Weekly Challenge - Dieing for a Punch
• Penny Black & More - Dies and/or Punches

Happy crafting

Barry Swing

StampFairy are sponsoring Chocolate Coffee Cards today where the theme is animals, so I've made a cute card using Barry Spring to support their challenge as a guest designer.  I really love these bear images, and have coloured him using my distress reinkers.  I seem to have better luck painting bears with the reinkers than I do any other characters. I think the browns are easier to work with!   The flowers on the image are coloured with startdust gel pens

See my cards available to buy on eBay



Card Recipe:

• Image - Barry Spring  from Stamp Fairy
• Sentiment from LOTV
• Colouring - Distress Inks
• Clouds - Dovecraft Shimmer chalks
• Cardworks Shaped Card base
• Bazzill Basics Paper
• X-Cut border punch
• Memory Box Fancy Blossoms Die
• La La Land Heart Banner Die
• Spellbinders Labels 3 Nestabilities
• Pearls
• Glossy Accents
• Ribbon (from inside the shoulder of a top!)
• Bakers Twine

I've been inspired by:

• Creative Craft - Colour Challenge
• Papertake Weekly - Dies and Punches (I used both)
• The Ribbon Girl - Colour Challenge

Happy Crafting

Carolling Trio

The theme today at As You Like It Challenge is fancy folds, and I've created a J-fold (or Joy-fold) card.  I really love this fold as it is such an easy card to make, and looks really effective too, with the focus well and truly on the image without a lot of fuss.

I've used a Penny Black stamp that I've not used in a while, and I really love it.  I've painted it with my DI reinkers and added a few pearl dots around for snow.

Simples!!!

Here's a few quick pictures of how it was constructed from the two main parts:

See my cards available to buy on eBay



Card Recipe:

• Image - Penny Black Carolling Trio
• Typed Sentiment (Scrappy Looking)
• Colouring - Distress Inks
• The Snowman Papers
• Pearls
• Glossy Accents
• Liquid Pearls

I've been inspired by:

• Sweet Stampin' - Christmas in July
• Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Christmas in July
• Anything Goes Challenge - Anything Goes

Happy crafting.

Wish upon a Star

The theme today at ABC Christmas Challenge is O for "O Christmas Tree", and I've used tree die cuts instead of a tree on my image and one of my new Sugar Nellie images called 'Wish upon a Star'.  She's painted in DI reinkers and I've chalked clouds around the image and also chalked the edges of the trees to keep a simple blue and white colour scheme, although a bit of golden shimmer sneaked in there on her wings and a speckle of red on the gift and bells.  I've not included a sentiment as there's some Christmas themed text on the backing paper.

See my cards available to buy on eBay



Card Recipe:

• Image - Wish Upon a Star by Sugar Nellie
• Colouring - Sakura Stardust Gel pens, Distress Inks
• Clouds - Dovecraft Shimmer chalks
• Cardworks Shaped Card base
• The Snowman Christmas papers
• Ribbon
• Marianne Design Christmas Tree Die
• Pearls
• Glossy Accents
• The Hobby House 8mm Pearl Brad
• Liquid Pearls

I've been inspired by:

• Sweet Stampin' - Christmas in July
• The Ribbon Girl - Blue and White
• The Sugar Bowl - Anything Goes

Happy crafting.

Miss Muffett

The theme today at Top Tip Tuesday is "spooled items".  I've chosen to use cotton (for stitching the panels), sheer butterfly ribbon and some floral cut felt ribbon.  I took the inspiration for my colour scheme from the glittered paper. I've used this paper pad loads, but have not used much of this actual page from it, so I thought I'd use it today.

I cut out a square from the backing paper leaving a larger frame, and then matted the square I'd cut out onto purple card, and then stuck it back down over the frame I'd created.  The purple matting card had made the inner square larger, so that it easily covered the join, and it gives some more interest to the backing paper.  But hopefully you can see that the design on the paper flows from the inner panel to the outer one.  For example, the butterfly in the top left corner has it's left wing on the outer panel, and it's right wing on the inner panel, lined up perfectly.

See my cards available to buy on eBay



Card Recipe:

• Image - Miss Muffett from Bugaboo
• Colouring - Promarkers, Copics
• Clouds - Dovecraft Shimmer chalks
• Cardworks Shaped Card base
• Papermania Lucy Cromwell Papers
• Wild Orchid Craft Flowers
• Sheer butterfly ribbon
• Pink Doily
• Felt cut ribbon
• Pearls
• Glossy Accents

I've been inspired by:

• Anything Goes Challenge Blog - Anything Goes
• Creative Creations Challenges - Anything Goes

Happy crafting.

Posting Letters

My card for The Stamp Basket today features "Posting Letters" from Wild Rose Studio.  It's a really elegant image which seems to match the script papers from Marianne Design perfectly with their elegant vintage style.

Hope you like it.  Don't forget there are still a few more days left of The Stamp Basket summer sale.  The papers are on offer too, so if you like what you see, pop over to grab them before the sale finishes in the next couple of days.

See my cards available to buy on eBay



Card Recipe:

• Image - WRS Posting Letters
• Cardworks Shaped Card base
• Marianne Design Eline's Merry Little Christmas Papers
• Neenah Classic Crest White Stamping Card
• Momento Stamp Pad Ink
• Notables 2 Sentiment die
• Vintage Ribbon
• Liquid Pearls
• Glossy Accents
• Stickles
• Pearls
• All flowers from Wild Orchid Craft

I've been inspired by:

• Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Green
• The Hobby House - Vintage

Happy crafting

Bella carrying a pile of presents - Christmas style

It's yet another Christmas card today, featuring Bella carrying a pile of presents, from The Stamp Basket. The summer sale is still going, and there's a special Christmas in July feature at the moment.

I'm not really sure if this is a Christmas image (it could be a birthday image too maybe??) but I've coloured it in festive colours and used lovely Christmassy papers from Wild Rose Stuido called Annabelle's Christmas.

See my cards available to buy on eBay



Card Recipe:

• Image - Bella carrying a pile of presents from Wild Rose Studio
• Cardworks Shaped Card base
• Wild Rose Studio Annabelle's Christmas Papers 
• Neenah Classic Crest White Stamping Card
• Momento Stamp Pad Ink
• Whimsy Notables 2 Die
• Memory Box Snowflake Corner Die
• Liquid Pearls
• Super Sheer White Ribbon
• Vintage Style Ivory Ribbon
• Crystal Glamour Dust
• Glossy Accents
• All flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts

I've been inspired by:

• Sweet Stampin' - Xmas in July

Happy crafting

Summer Lovin'

I've made a little card to enter a few challenges that have caught my eye this week.  StampFairy is sponsoring I Love Promarkers, where the challenge is Anything Goes, but there are a couple of challenges featuring pink and green.  Now I'm not usually a fan of green, but I thought I'd give it a try!

Hope you like my creation.  I've kept it quite C&S which is really unlike me. But it's good to be outside your comfort zone occasionally!  (it won't last long!)

See my cards available to buy on eBay




Card Recipe:

• Image - Molly Throughout the Year (girl and tree stump accessory) from Stamp Fairy
• Colouring - Promarkers, Sakura Stardust Gel pen for butterfly
• Clouds - Dovecraft Shimmer chalks
• Cardworks Shaped Card base
• First Edition Hideaway Papers
• Martha Stewart LAce Doily Border Punch
• Ribbon
• Pearls
• Glossy Accents

I've been inspired by:

• Without Words - Summer Picnic (strawberry pink, cream and cucumber green)
• Anything Goes - Anything Goes

Happy Crafting

Barry Summer Swing for Samantha

I was looking for a card to give to the lovely Samantha for her birthday (which is today!!), and found none in my stash that were not overloaded with pink.  Since she doesn't like pink, I decided that I would just 'have' to make one specially for her, and restrain myself from using my own favourite colour.  I opted instead for a summery citrus colour scheme, with not an ounce of pink in sight.

She also likes C&S designs so I've tried (again) to keep it minimalistic, but it feels a bit unfinished to me!

Please pop over to Samantha's blog and wish her a happy birthday.  She's been having a bit of a rough time lately, and could probably do with some extra friendly comments.

Happy birthday honey!  Luv ya.

See my cards available to buy on eBay



Card Recipe:

• Image - Barry Spring 2 from Stamp Fairy
• Typed Sentiment
• Colouring - Distress Inks
• Clouds - Dovecraft Shimmer chalks
• Cardworks Shaped Card base
• First Edition Hideaway Papers
• Whimsy Notables 2 sentiment die
• Martha Stewart Lace Doily Border Punch
• Pearls
• Glossy Accents

I've been inspired by:

• Joanna Sheen - Citrus Colours (soooo not "my colours", this was a real challenge!)
• Without Words - Summer Picnic Colours (red seat, cream card for matting, green everywhere else!)
• Tando Creative - Favourite Artist (my all time favourite artist is Monet, and I just adore his Japanese footbridge over the water lily pond, which is probably one of his most famous paintings.  It looks so tranquil and I'd love to be sitting on the bridge dangling my toes over the edge!  I've used the yellow and green colours and also tried to capture the relaxing tranquillity of the scene in my project.  Click on the image below to find out more about the painting.  I love love love it!!  I just wish I could create something as classically beautiful!)

Happy Crafting

Baby Girl (and a couple of freebies)

I was asked to make a girlie version of a baby boy card I made a while ago, so I'm sharing the baby girl version with you today.  Because it was made to order, I also personalised it with the baby's name, Niamh.

I really love this image for a baby card, and it was lovely to colour. I painted it with my distress reinkers, and used my favourite Papermania Lucy Cromwell papers.

See my cards available to buy on eBay



Card Recipe:

• Image - Bath Time from LOTV
• Colouring - Painted with Distress Ink reinkers
• Cardworks Shaped Card base
• Papermania Lucy Cromwell Papers
• 10mm Aqua Satin Ribbon
• Wild Orchid Craft Flowers
• Spellbinders Labels Eighteen
• Memory Box Corner Bow
• Memory Box PoppyStamp Simple Banner
• Memory Box Locina Buckle
• Twine
• Pearls
• Bear paw charm
• Sakura Stardust Gel Pen (sentiment)
• Glossy Accents
• Sewing Machine

Today's project has been inspired by:

• Penny's - Think Pink
• Cute Card Thursday - Charms
• Dutch Dare - Bingo (Stitching, flowers, card for a child)
• Bunny Zoe - Pink & White
• LOTV - Pretty in Pink
• Penny Black & More - Dies & Punches

Freebies:
I had a query on my chatbox widget thingy yesterday from Ursula asking about a wedding sentiment.  I was sure that I'd created one, but couldn't find that I'd published it on my blog.  Anyway, when I checked my files, I actually found 2 that I don't think I've shared already yet.

So, as promised above, here are a couple of wedding sentiment freebies that you may find useful.  You're free to download them if you like them.  Just click on the image for a larger version, then right click and 'save picture as' to save to your own computer. 

My Freebie conditions are as follows:

1. Please become a follower, then you will see more freebies as they are posted,
2. Please leave a comment on this post to let me know you've downloaded it,
3. Please don't share my freebies directly with other people (this includes posting them to Pinterest which is against copyright), but please feel free to send people over to collect the freebies directly from my blog themselves by providing a link,
4. Please give me credit when you use them and post your finished creations on your blog.

I also adore seeing your creations using my digi sentiments, so I'd really love you to send me an email with links to your creations so I can pop over for a peek!

Happy crafting.