Marathon Man

A scheduled post today with a good luck card for DH who will be running in the 2015 London Marathon today. 

The digi stamp is by Dr. Digi, which I cut out before colouring with Promarkers and is mounted on foam pads. The background was made with a Lil' inker cloud die and Lawn Fawn Hillside and Forest borders.  

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges:

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Week 174 ~ Used blue, grey and green snippets.

April Rudolph Days Challenge

Time for the April Rudolph Days Challenge.

The backing paper is from a Lili of the Valley paper pad. I used x-Cut punches for the postage stamp shapes and a Tonic snowflake paper punch.  Silver thread was wound round the corners of the blue punched shapes to match the silver sentiment and the blue shapes were attached with foam pads to raise them up. 

This has to be a scheduled post this month, so I'm hoping I can get an internet connection sometime between the 25th and 30th April to link it up to the challenge.

I would also like to enter my card for the following challenges:
Pixie's Snippets Playground - Week 174 ~ Used blue and white snippets

Butterfly Challenge #29 ~ Butterflies + L is for Lace

When I was invited to be a Guest Designer over on the Butterfly Challenge for a second time, I was absolutely delighted!  I chose the letter 'L' and Mrs A chose the theme of 'L for Lace' to go with the butterflies.  Although I could use real, paper or stamped lace, I opted for the real thing.

I made a spring fold card in pink, decorated with a Spellbinders 'Les Papillions Two' die cuts in white and matt silver.  The butterfly corner punch is one I seem to use a lot more now I've discovered the Butterfly Challenge!  The pink lace across the bottom is from The Works - a bargain at only £1 for the reel. Pink and pale silver pearls finished of my card.

I'm looking forward to seeing all your butterfly cards over on the Butterfly Challenge this fortnight and look forward to visiting your blogs.  Thank you, Mrs A, for giving me the honour of being your Guest Designer again.

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges:
Deep Ocean Challenge #102 ~ Shaped Card
Chocolate, Coffee & Cards Challenges #89 ~ Use A Die Cut
Buckwells Crafty Challenge #7 ~ Colour Challenge - use yellow, pink or green
Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge #76 ~ Anything Goes with twist - use a die or a punch

Up, Up, and Away!

The challenge on the Less is More blog is 'Up, Up and Away'.  This reminded me of a hot air balloon ride I had about 10 years ago, on a day much like today with lovely blue skies. The City Crafter challenge is to CASE the card here, by picking out one of the elements.  As I'd planned to use my Lil'inker cloud die for this card, I decided to make some clouds 3D, overlapping a square aperture.

The balloon is a Memory Box die, which I cut out three times to paper piece.  The finished balloon is attached with foam pads.  I used the cloud die on blue card to reveal the white clouds behind when it was attached to the card blank. I used the die again on white card so I could use the cut out clouds.  As all the coloured pieces of card I used were snippets, I'll be sharing my card in the Playground.

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges:
Less is More Challenge Week 220 ~ Up, Up and Away
City Crafter Challenge Blog Week 258 ~ CCCB Anniversary CASE THREE 

With Sympathy

A sympathy card made today for a neighbour who sadly lost her husband a few days ago.  I used the Memory Box 'Prim Poppy' die as a silhouette, but despite the sad occasion, I wanted to add a little colour.  I had a little snippet of the raspberry pink pearlised card left over from the card I posted yesterday, so I used this for matting.

Usually I prefer the sentiment 'Thinking of You', but somehow the sentiment 'With Sympathy' seemed more appropriate for this particular neighbour - I'm not sure why.  I punched out three tiny flowers from the pink card to finish off my card.

Anniversary Heart

Today's card is for friends who have a wedding anniversary tomorrow.  I decided to have the colour scheme of raspberry pink and white.

The raspberry pink pearlised card is from Anna Marie Designs and it really is the most beautiful colour.  The heart is cut with a Memory Box die, 'Heart of Hearts', which I backed with the pink card, before attaching to the scalloped base card.  I cut the aperture using one of the Dual Stitched Square Mats from Lil' inker Designs. I've had my eye on these for a while, but can't get them in the UK.  When I was lucky enough to win a gift voucher from Darnell of djkardkreations for an American website in the 'Light It Up Blue for Autism Awareness Blog Hop!', I knew which website I was going to choose.  The square that is cut out also has a stitched edge, so can be used for another project.  The pink card is attached with foam pads to make a frame and the sentiment is also attached with foam pads for extra dimension.  As the white card was a snippet, I'll be popping over to Pixie's Snippets Playground with my card.  (Also, the white hearts in the corners were the leftover snippets from the heart die cut - snippets of a snippet you could say!)

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges:
Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge #76 ~ Anything Goes with twist - use a die or a punch
Simply Create Too Challenge #83 ~ No Digis or Stamped Images
Buckwells Crafty Challenge #7 ~ Colour Challenge - use yellow, pink or green

Superhero

When I saw this Pink Gems Designs digi stamp on Jane's blog HERE, I just couldn't resist buying my own.  The digistamp is sent pre-coloured and as an outline.  I was at a monthly crop yesterday and, despite all the chatting!, I managed to make eight of this design for a craft stall I have at a school craft fair next month.  This is the first time I've used a pre-coloured digistamp, preferring to colour my own, but as I was making several cards to sell using this image, it saved a lot of time.

I started with a 7" x 5" red card blank. The embossing folder is an A4 Sizzix 'Dots' one, which my friend got in her Big Shot Plus bundle, which she kindly let me borrow yesterday.  I'm not sure it can be purchased separately, which is a shame because the A4 size is really useful.  Three black Card Candi finished off my card.  

Another Grey Hare!

A masculine card is needed for this weekend.

The stamp is by Woodware, coloured with Promarkers.  I attached two snippets of Anna Marie Designs 'Happy Birthday' paper to the top and bottom of the image.  I used SU Fringe scissors to cut the grey card, before attaching it to the white card blank.

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges:

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Week 172 ~ Used patterned paper and grey snipptet

Girls Like Football Too!

Another football card today.  I bought this Woodware stamp many years ago, because girls like football too!  I really like this stamp as the shirt is plain, so stripes, quarters or patterns can be added to make different team kits.

The stamped image is coloured in with Promarkers, matted and then attached with foam pads.  I embossed a piece of blue card with a football embossing folder for the background and added black pearls to finish off my card.

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges:

Addicted to Stamps Challenge ~ Girly But No Pink

Crafty Boots ~ Red, White and/or Blue Challenge
Penny Black and More April Challenge ~ Birthdays
Lawnscaping Challenge ~ Add Dimension 

Football Fan

  A couple of card challenges this month are to use Kraft card.  Well.....I must be the only crafty person who has never used Kraft card, in fact I didn't even have any!  So it was a quick trip out to Hobbycraft to buy some.  It's DH's birthday next week, so I thought I'd be mega-organised and make his card today.  As he's a football fan and his card just has to be blue and white - team colours, I suddenly spotted a Dovecraft paper pad in Hobbycraft called 'True Blue' which also had the Kraft colour in some of the patterns.  A match made in heaven!

I decided to make a Joy Fold card. The stamped image is called 'Football Border' by Unmounted Stamp Company. I chose these two papers as the one on the left picks out the hexagonal pattern on the ball and the one on the right has circles to match the shape of the ball.  The top left-hand corner needed something, so I embossed a snippet of leftover Kraft card with a football embossing folder and cut out one of the footballs, which I then attached with foam pads.  The card is kept closed with a metal football brad.

This shows the card open, with the panel to write the message inside.  I added a little football peeloff inside.  The closed size of the card is 7" x 5".

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges:

Country View Challenge ~ Use Kraft Card

Little Claire Monthly Challenge # 56 - Use Kraft Card

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Week 172 ~ Used white snippet for the image and Kraft card snippet for the football

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper April challenge ~ Use patterned paper
Penny Black and More April Challenge ~ Birthdays

Second Fundraising Cardmaking Evening

This evening a second group of non-crafty friends came round for a fund-raising cardmaking evening. (See post HERE for the first evening a couple of weeks ago.)  Over the two evenings I raised £102 ($150) for the PSP Association, as well as having a fun evening and everyone going home with several beautiful cards they'd made.  Thanks to my crafty friend Ruth, who again came along to give me a hand.

New Home

A friend moved home last Friday, so I've made her this stepper card today to wish her good luck.

The stamped image is by Lavinia Stamps, coloured with Promarkers and a Stardust pen to add a little sparkle. The patterned paper is from a Dovecraft Garden Party paper pad and as it's a detailed pattern, I decided not to add much in the way of embellishments.

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges:

Lavinia Stamps Challenge # 4 ~ Lemon and Lime

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Week 172 ~ Used white snippet for the image
Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper April challenge ~ Use patterned paper
Lawnscaping Challenge ~ Add Dimension 

Three Little Owls

A special card for a friend who loves owls.

I used a Joanna Sheena 'Owl Family' die, which I cut out several times, so I could layer the different colours I wanted to use.  The patterned paper is from an old Papermania paper.

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges:

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper April challenge ~ Use patterned paper.

Pretty in Pink

A girlie card today using one of the lovely Lili of the Valley stamps.

The embossing folder is by Embossalicious, but I've no idea of the name of the folder. The image was coloured with Promarkers and a silver Wink of Stella glitter brush for the stars.  I added silver star outline stars to the edge of the die cut scalloped circle.

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges:

Stamping Sensations April Challenge ~ Pretty in Pink
Addicted to Stamp Challenge #101 ~ Stars

Singing Sunflowers

When I saw that the challenge over on the Butterfly Challenge is 'Butterflies + M is for Music Notes', I knew what stamps I wanted to use.

The image and sentiments stamps are both by 'Butterfly Kisses'.  I knew that it would be a perfect image to add a little butterfly, punched with a Fiskars paper punch, for a little extra detail.  The image is coloured with Promarkers and I attached the little butterfly with foam pads.

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges:

Butterfly Challenge #28 ~ Butterflies + M is for Music Notes

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Week 171 ~ Used yellow and red snippets
Penny Black and More April Challenge ~ Birthdays
 As sunflowers grow in the  earth and my sunflowers are singing away, I'll also be entering the following challenges:
Shopping our Stash #196 ~ The Earth has music 
Words 2 Scrap By #16 ~ The Earth has Music 

Quick Card!!!!

I was at a friend's house this evening when I discovered that it was a mutual friend's 80th birthday today!  As the birthday girl buys lots of my cards, which I sell for charity, I couldn't miss sending her a card.  So, when I arrived home at 9.30pm, I got to work to make a quick card - finished in less than 30 minutes, which is quick for me!  It's a design I've done before, but I chose the combination of purple and white this time.  The butterfly is attached with foam pads to add some dimension.

As I'd had a glass of wine, good old DH drove me to her house so I could drop it through her door.  Lights were on, so she'll open it on the right day. Phew!!  

Negative Image

Another black and white birthday card today.  Usually I use this Die-namites 'Birds on a Branch'  die in black as a silhouette. I thought I'd see what it looked like in white backed on black instead and I really liked the result.

I've embossed the black backing card, although it doesn't show up very well in the photo.  The corners are punched with a butterfly punch which I bought many years ago.

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges:

Less is More Colour Challenge Week 218 ~ Predominately Black

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Week 171 ~ Used White Snippets
Butterfly Challenge #27 ~ Butterflies + C is for Corners
Seize the Birthday ~ Anything Goes

Zentangled Fox

I've had this Dreamweaver fox stencil for a little while, but have only just got round to using it.  It seemed perfect for a bit of Zentangling...... or my attempt at it!  LOL!

The oval die cut is from the Spellbinders 'Elegant Ovals' set.  I've scanned the card as it shows the embossed 'Pawprint Lattice' pattern better than taking a photograph. I've left a thin white border around the edge. I decided not to put on a sentiment as, although I've made it into a card, I think I might decide to frame it.

I would like to enter my card for the following chalenges:

Less is More Colour Challenge Week 218 ~ Predominately Black

Predominately Black

The challenge on the 'Less is More' blog is 'Predominately Black', so for this card I decided to try and design a card which is more black than white.  

The panel on the left is cut with a Memory Box die - 'Lucienne'.  I used a paper punch for the swan and layered him on Spellbinder oval die cuts.  The pearls in the top corner are white too, although they look a little grey in the photo.

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges:

Less is More Colour Challenge Week 218 ~ Predominately Black

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Week 171 ~ Used Black and White Snippets
Butterfly Challenge #27 ~ Butterflies + C is for Corners

Light It Up Blue For Autism Awareness Blog Hop!

After discovering the Autism Awareness Blog Hop today and seeing all the amazing blue card creations, I thought I'd join in and make a 'blue' card to celebrate Autism Awareness Day.  

The Blog Hop was started by Veronica Z and Tenia Nelson.  Both these blogs have an Inlinkz button for you to add your card to the gallery.  

You can also see the complete list of sponsors/prizes HERE on Veronica's blog. If you would like a chance to win a prize from one of these sponsors, leave a comment on this blog and/or any of the other blogs participating in today's hop.

Congratulations Veronica and Tenia, for organising this amazing Blog Hop.  Autism touches the lives of so many people - what a wonderful idea to start this Blog Hop to raise awareness. 

Here is my card.

The patterned papers are by Anna Marie Designs and the butterfly was punched out with a SU punch.  I used an x-cut butterfly embossing folder for the pale blue top half of the card.

Easter Bunny

An CAS Easter card today featuring a cute little rabbit.

The rabbit stamp was one of Hobbycraft's £1 stamps, which I paper pieced, embossing the tail first, then cut out so I could raise him up on foam pads.  The flower stamp is a really old Memory Box stamp, which I don't think I've ever used before. I stamped it in green before colouring in with Promarkers and adding a little pearl to the centre.

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges:

Addicted to CAS Challenge #60 ~ Cute

Addicted to Stamps Challenge #138 ~ Holiday
CASology Challenge ~ Spring
Crafty Boots Challenge ~ Easter
Little Claire Monthly Challenge # 55 ~ Springtime
Sweet Stampin' Challenge ~ Easter

Fishing

A masculine birthday card today, using a lovely Little Claire silhouette stamp I bought recently.

The backing paper is from Anna-Marie Designs.  

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges:

Stamping Sensations March Challenge ~ One for the Guys
Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper April 2015 challenge
Cardz 4 Guyz Challenge # 64 - Something beginning with S (Silhouette)
Seize the Birthday ~ Anything Goes