Choccie Box

Today's project is a little box/carrier I made to hold some mini choccie bars for the daughter of my crafting pal Jayne.  I wanted to take a small gift with me when we met up with them last week in Pentewan in Cornwall, where they were camping for a week.  

Here's a side view

The template for the box/carrier is available here on the Cards etc Challenge Blog for a donation and I'm entering their challenge #8 with my project. 

The papers were from my stash and the little doggie image is a Kan Ban stamp which I stamped with Memento Ink then coloured with Copics.  Seren loves my little dog Tilly, so I thought this image was perfect.

Finally, here's a view of the back. 

It was a fun project to make and I shall be making more of them in the future as small gifts for friends.

I'm off to Bristol today to spend a crafty weekend with a couple of pals, finishing with a trip to Artstamps at Newbury Racecourse before heading home on the train on sunday evening.  It promises to be a blast and fingers crossed that a few other pals will be able to join us on sunday at Newbury.  I'm sure I'll have piccies to share with you once I'm home again !

Thanks for visiting, hope you enjoyed today's project. 



STOP PRESS - BREAKING NEWS !!
I just heard that Queen Kat Designs are having a mega sale this weekend - 40% off their grey rubber stamps so head over there to pick up a bargain or two !

Technology rules !

Today's new challenge over on Cute Card Thursday has the theme 'Technology & Machines' for Challenge #171 - so we are looking to see some sort of technology related images/designs on your projects (eg robots, cars, computers, cogs, gears, MP3's etc).  Our prize Sponsor for this week's challenge is Whiff of Joy.

For my DT card I used the Robot Boy digi from imag-e-nation.com.  I just couldn't resist this cute little chap who reminded me so much of my youngest grandson.  He used to love to dress up in cardboard boxes, mostly as a robot like the boy in the image.   He's 'grown out' of this phase now that he's reached the grand old age of 7 years !!

I coloured my 'robot' with Copics and the robot and cog embellies have been in my stash for a while.  The other cogs were cut from matte silver cardstock using a set of Spellbinders shapeabilities.  I attached the image layer over a slightly larger scalloped layer cut from the blue cardstock, to match the base layer which I embossed with a folder in my Cuttlebug. The brick red layer was also embossed with a wall design folder.   The tiny robot embellies have ball bearings in the windows in their tummies which rattle when you shake the card.  Oh, by the way, the base card is a large 8x8, I don't often create such large cards, but I wanted to get all the elements in and this gave me the room to do so.

Hope you've enjoyed your visit today and that you'll have a go at this week's challenge - get those technology theme images out and let us see what you can do !!

Beside the Seaside, Beside the Sea.....

For today's card I decided to dig out my Letraset Aqua Markers for a change.  We've got a new challenge starting over on I ♥ Promarkers Challenge #72 - Flowers.  We want to see flowers or flower images on your projects.  This week's Sponsor is Di's Digis and I've used their 'Beach Background' image for my DT card.

I don't actually use watercolour techniques so much these days, most projects are coloured with Promarkers, but I did enjoy using my Aqua's for this image, they give a lovely soft and subtle effect.

I punched out lots of flowers from blue patterned papers and white cardstock and stacked them up, finishing with a faux pearl in the centres created with a blue Waco Pearlmaker Pen. 

The image layer is attached over an ornate frame layer cut using a nestie die from SU! Close to Cocoa cardstock and I added a length of sky blue seam binding which I first scrunched up then tied in a bow around the lower part of the card.
I'm looking forward to seeing your interpretation of this week's theme, post a link to your card on the ILPM blog to be in with a chance to win this week's prize, and I'll pop over and check it out.  Happy Crafting !

It's Hot, so Let's Have Icecream !

Here we are, the last tuesday in June already so I thought I'd bring you a project showcasing the Queen Kat Designs June Kit from Myka Jelina.

It's fabulous and perfect for the warm summer weather when icecream is so great for cooling you down !

Well that's my excuse for eating icecream anyway !!! What's your favourite flavour ? Leave me a comment and let me know -mine is pistachio, with double choc chip as a close second.

I coloured this little Sweetie with Copics and stamped the sundae image a few times and cut them out after colouring. There's Glossy Accents on all the sundae glasses and cherries and also on the bows in her hair. The bp was from my stash and the image cut out with a nestie. The flower strip was cut with a Martha Stewart punch.

That's it from me for now, thanks for popping in to check today's project.   I hope you have a great day, whatever you have planned.

Thinking of You

Sadly I seem to have been making far too many Sympathy cards in the past few weeks.  I created this one to send to my pal Annie who's Beloved Dad passed away recently.  I know it will be a stressful day today with the Funeral to cope with, so I wanted to just let her know that I was thinking of her and her family.  

I used a deckle edge C6 base card and a Clean and Simple design using an Inkadinkadoo stamp and Rich Cocoa Memento ink.  After stamping the image I added touches of Platinum Stickles

That's it from me for today, I have another of these difficult cards to make to send to my Cousin who's Wife passed away last weekend so I'd better get busy as it needs to be posted today. 

Feathers in the Wing of Time

I'm a bit slow getting my Less is More submission posted for this week - yesterday seemed mega busy, but I didn't seem to achieve much !  Don't you just hate days like that?

Well the day wasn't totally wasted as I did manage to complete my project for this week's challenge #21, which gives us a sketch to follow. 

I also completed a specially comissioned card for a friend who just didn't even try to find an appropriate one in the shops !  That's one of the things I love about handmade cards, they can be made so personal and specific.   I'll share the card with you another day.

Anyway, I digress !  I have a set of Clarity Stamps which I love - large and small feathers and the wonderful verse on the right.  I used the verse stamp to create a background, placing the stamped images so that the words I wanted to highlight are in the areas that are revealed under the circular feather images.  I stamped the large feather twice on some white card, then cut out scalloped circles from the image and dragged a dark brown marker around the edges to define the circles a little.  The 'plaited rope' edgings were created with an EK Success border punch using SU! Early Espresso cardstock.  The feather elements are attached with sticky pads to raise them slightly and the full verse is stamped inside the card.

I don't know why it's happening, but recently my piccies are making the cards look a bit 'wonky', must be the angle I am holding the camera I guess.  Must work on my photographic technique to improve the finished pics.   Until I do, some of the elements are looking as if they aren't fixed on straight, so I hope you'll forgive me !

I do have to say that the finished card didn't turn out as I had envisioned it, and I'm not that sure that I like it, so I may be back with a further submission later !

Thanks for dropping by to check out today's project - hope you've as much warm sunshine wherever you are as I have here in Cornwall today - such a lovely change after the dreadful weather we've had in recent weeks.

Not Your Average Pet

I had so much fun creating this card as my entry for this week's sunday theme challenge for the Craftbubble Craft Mad & Loving It group.  My pal Kathy is this week's Guest Design Team Member and her theme is "Not your Average Pet"  - what a great theme !

I dug out some of my older Magnolia stamps, coloured the images with a mixture of Copics and Promakers and cut each one out.

The grass was created using some SU! Garden Green cardstock and an icicle border die from Marianne's Designs, which I think makes perfect grass.

I stamped the African Sun image straight on to the base card before colouring it, adding the other elements with Pin Flair glue to give them just a little dimension.  There's Glossy Accents on Tilda's bucket and Edwin's matchette and just a touch on the ellie's eyes to make them shine. 

I'm also entering this card for the All That Scraps Magnolia Challenge #11 - In the good 'ole Summer Time.

I hope this project made you smile as much as it did me while I was creating it.  Thanks for dropping by today, I appreciate it !

Emma with Presents

Happy Thursday Peeps - hope you're having a great day.

There's a new challenge starting today over on Cute Card Thursday, it's Challenge #170 and this week we have a sketch to work with (see below).

Our prize sponsor this week is Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps.

For my DT card I chose this sweet new girl from Lili of the Valley called Emma Presents.  She looks as if she's had a fabulous retail therapy session ! 

I coloured her with Copics before cutting out with a square nestie.  I've added Glossy Accents to her shoes and the ribbons on her parcels, Stickles around the edge of the image layer and in the centres of the tiny flowers on the ribbon a the bottom.  It does look a little wonky in the picture for some reason, but it is on straight IRL honest !   The butterflies were punched and embossed with a Nellie Snellen set and the sentiments are digis from Cuddly Buddly.   Background paper is from SU!

I'm looking forward to seeing your lovely creations using this sketch, have fun and leave a direct link to your project on the CCT blog so we can drop by and take a look.

 

Winter Snow Scene

The theme for this week's challenge #71 on I ♥ Promarkers is 'Anything Goes' and our prize sponsor is Digi Doodle Shop.

I've used the 'Winter Snow Scene' digi from DDS for my DT project, coloured with Promarkers and lots of Star Dust Stickles for the snow.

I created a scallped oval base card using a large nestie in my Grand Calibur.  The image was attached over a layer cut from SU! Garden Green with a spellbinders Fleur de Lis Square die.

Trees were cut from the SU! card with a Marianne's Die, flowers were created using Nellie Snellen Punch & Emboss sets and the green gems were from my stash.

I hope you will enter the challenge this week, it's great to see everyone's fabulous creations.

Demi Bag'n'Tag

Today's project is a Gift Bag and matching Tag rather than a card.   There is a tutorial here if you'd like to have a go at creating one yourself. 

I'm featuring the lovely Demi from Queen Kat Designs on the tag, and I coloured her with Copics.

The tag is cut with a petite scallop oval nestie with smaller layers cut with dies from the set attached over the base tag shape.

I attached a few feathers between the top two layers of the tag to give the whole thing a little 'oomph' ! 

I used two sheets of A4 aqua coloured cardstock and one sheet of 12x12 double sided heavy weight paper so that the inside of the bag is also pretty.   You can just see the inside design in the pic on the right.

The bag is ideal for holding a small gift, a few chocolates or chocolate bars and a message can be added on the back of the tag.

Here's a close up of the image.


I hope you've enjoyed seeing today's project, thanks for dropping by.

Star Girl

Today's project features another new stamp from Queen Kat Designs.  This one is Star Girl by the artist Marlon Teunissen.  Isn't she gorgeous? 

One of my favourite colour combos is lime green and cerise pink and perfect for this card I think. 

I coloured her with my Copics before cutting out with a scalloped rectangle nestie, then layered over a slightly larger mat cut with a die from the same nestie set.  I added Spica Glitter pen to the stars, but the sparkle isn't showing up on the pic.

The flowers were from my stash, the green button in the centre was punched with a Martha Stewart punch and the tiny flower gem was also from my stash.  I tied a length of SU! seam binding around and tied in a knot holding the little tag on which I stamped a QKD sentiment. 

I nice simple and clean layout for this one as I didn't want to detract from the loveliness of the image.

Just Sooooo.... Big !

Happy Sunday to you, thanks for taking the time to pop in to see today's project.  This week the sketchie challenge on Craftbubble's Craft Mad and Loving It Group is hosted by Guest DT member my pal Kathy.  She's given us a great sketch to work with and the added twist is 'Masculine & Monochrome'.

For my card I used a kraft C6 base card, stamped this adorable little chap from Little Darlings Rubber Stamps using Frayed Burlap Distress Ink, then quickly used a waterbrush to drag in some of the colour from the outline before it dried.  I added extra touches of DI with the brush for the deepest shadows.  This is a technique I love to use as it gives you a vintagey sepia effect.

SU! cardstock in Early Espresso and Close to Cocoa to layer up the image and for the punched strip on which I used an EK Success border punch.  The sentiment is from a set by LOTV and I sacrificed a number of lush brown buttons from my stash ! 


The angle of the pic makes the top elements look a bit wonky unfortunately, but they are on straight IRL - honest !!!

That's it for today folks, do drop by again real soon.

'B' ees.......Knees......... !

I just couldn't wait to see what this week's challenge was on Less is More this morning!  and was still in my PJs when I logged on to check it out - what am I like eh?   Obsessed? Moi ?  maybe just a tad !!!!

This week the theme is 'Monogram' and I have to confess that a design didn't immediately spring to mind.   I pondered on it for some time before settling on this design for my card.

Now I know I don't have any suitable alphabet stamps from which to select a letter, so I set about creating one on the computer, printing it out in brown ink.  I cut the 'B' out using a nestie then stamped the tiny bee stamp from Crafty Individuals in Memento Rich Cocoa ink, adding a little colour using Copics.  I added Glossy Accents to the 'B' and also the bodies and heads of the bees to give them some dimension. 

Here's a close up view so you can see the effect more clearly.

The flower heads design along the bottom was stamped with a Debbie Moore stamp from her Secret Garden set. 

That's my submission for Less is More this week, hope you've enjoyed seeing it.

A 'Touch of Blue' in Pink and Green !

Firstly I'd like to welcome my new Followers - it always gives me a huge buzz when I log on and see new faces on the list.  Thank you so much for choosing to check out my creations, I do appreciate all my Followers so much, it's a pleasure to share what I am doing with you all.

My card today features a lovely new image from Queen Kat Designs, the artist Heidi M Drake has recently joined the Royal Court and we're so pleased to have her join us. 

I do love fairies and this lovely creature is called 'Touch of Blue'.  Well, you know me, if it says 'blue' I'm more likely to choose another colour for my project LOL and today's is no exception !

When I received the image, I was pondering on how to do something different with her.  So I got out my Distress Inks and after stamping the image on to white card, I set about adding DI over the top. 

I wanted to create a sort of marble effect and used the flat edge of some pieces of Cut'n'Dry and rubbed the ink on with horizontal strokes until I was happy with the finish.  I then used Cut'n'Dry fine nibs to add more colour to areas of the image.  There is clear Spica Glitter pen on her wings, but it is always so difficult to capture this on a photograph - IRL it does twinkle very prettily.

I matted the image layer over SU! Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz and Garden Green layers, first using a reverse corner punch on all the layers before attaching.  The bow was created from SU! seam binding and I added some Stickles around the edge of the image layer and on the flowers for added sparkle.

That's it from me for now folks !  thanks for dropping by today.

White Rabbit

I thought I'd do a split easel card for today's project.  The image is a new stamp from Queen Kat Designs - White Rabbit by the artist Deanna Davoli. 

I coloured him with my Copics before cutting out with a scalloped oval nestie, then matting onto a layer of SU! So Safron cut with a slightly larger die. 

The background paper is by Papermania and the red gems and sentiment are both from QKD.

This is a stamp from a new range, let me know what you think of it, I'd love to find out if you like him or not.

Thanks for visiting today.

Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A Pirate's Life For Me....

There's a new challenge starting today over on Cute Card Thursday.  This week we're asking you to use your birthstone colours on your cards and our Sponsor for week's prize is Tickled Pink Stamps.

My birthday is in March which has Aquamarine as it's birthstone and my star sign is Pisces which has Amethyst as it's stone, so I've used both these colours on my card.

Now how could anyone resist these adorable little Pirates from Nellie Snellen?  I know I can't !!  I'd just like to say a huge thank you to my pal Annie for allowing me to play with her stamps. 

I coloured these little chaps with my Copics and added touches of Glossy Accents to cutlass and gun.  The background is quite simple, just plain blue with two rectangular mats behind the main characters cut with a deckle edge nestie.  I didn't want it to be busy so that  the gems at the bottom would stand out more.  The pirate scroll in the background is a Magnolia stamp and I 'aged' it with Copics and hand wrote the wording before attaching gems in the appropriate colours. 

I feel sure Jack Sparrow himself would be proud of the fabulous haul of valuable gems this cute pair have collected between them, don't you? 

Thanks for dropping by today, I do hope you'll enter this week's challenge, I can't wait to see your creations.

I'm also entering my card in the Totally Stampalicious Challenge - Anything Goes, thanks to my pal Annie for bringing this challenge to my attention!

Black & White and one other colour

This week's I ♥ Promarkers Challenge is to use Black & White and one other colour.  Our prize sponsor this week is Die Cut Dreams.

I loved creating my DT card because I think B&W is such a great combination and most other colours look stunning against it.

I chose this lovely image from Chocolate Baroque and coloured it with Promarkers in shades to match the SU! Pear Pizzazz layer underneath. 

The sentiment is from Lili of the Valley and I stamped it with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto a circle of Pear Pizzazz cut with a nestie.

The black layer inside was embossed with an embossing folder and the black and white ribbon was from my stash.

I hope you like this simple design, I think it works well on this easel card.

Demi's Debut

I hope you are having a great day. Today is my 42nd Wedding Anniversary and my lovely hubby and I will be going out for diner at a local restaurant this evening. It will be extra special as my Dad is currently staying with us and he will be joining us for dinner, as will a couple of very dear friends. I'm already musing on the menu and deciding what I'm going to be eating !

Are you ready for another yummy new release stamp from Queen Kat Designs? I do hope so as today my project features the delightful Demi by Myka Jelina - isn't she a doll ?   

I loved colouring this beauty with my Copics before attaching her over a layer cut from the background paper using a Spellbinder shapeability die. The bp is from K & Co and it's double sided and so pretty on both sides, I didn't feel it needed any further embelishment. The bottom edge of the inside was cut with a Martha Stewart border punch.
I created the shaped base card using a large die and my Grand Calibur machine. The gems were from my stash.

Demi is available in the QKD Store.  I hope you've enjoyed your visit today, please let me know what you think of Demi by leaving me a comment.

Happy Birthday Square

I'm squeezing in another entry for this week's Less is More challenge.  Very different from my last entry and In fact I made three cards in this design using slightly different sentiments and colour ways. 



I now have a nice little set of simple birthday cards in stock which I feel would be fine for a male or female birthday.  Here's another of them in a different set of colours.

Here's the final card of the trio.

The sentiment frame is a stamp from 'I brake for stamps' and the circular sentiment is from Lili of Valley. 

In the set there is an empty space in the centre of the circles and a number of different words, enabling you to create just the right sentiment for the card you are making.

These will be my last LIM entry for this week, I have projects scheduled on here for every day, so there'll be something new to see if you care to stop by again during the week.
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Thanks for visiting.

Pisces - under the sea

Last week I submitted a CAS card for the Less is More Challenge which featured this adorable Pisces image from Queen Kat Designs.  Today's card is a little more ornate than the last one, although I have used similar colours.

For this card I coloured the image with Copics before cutting it out with a Spellbinders die.  Leaving the die in place, I sponged around the edges with Broken China Distress Ink.

Here's a side view to show the step card construction a little clearer.

I added clear gems up the sides to look like bubbles and some turquoise half beads on the front, all from my stash.  The 'seaweed' was created with a Martha Stewart frond punch.

It would be great to hear which of the two cards you prefer, the simple CAS one, or this more detailed one.