Snow Matey.....

The new challenge starting today over on I ♥ Promarkers is sponsored by Di's Digis and we have a sketch to work with.  Pop on over to the challenge blog to check out the details.

For my DT card I was planning to use a great DD digi but sadly my printer just decided to stop working and nothing I've tried will make it spring into life.  Looks like I'll have to get some technical help in.

So, as I was planning to create a Christmas card, I thought I'd just go ahead but use a stamped image instead.  I found this cute snowie pals image in my box of stamped images and I'm sorry I have no idea where I got it.  I believe it is by Whipper Snapper Designs but it may be a really old stamp as I can't find it anywhere online.  If anyone can confirm this or tell me who it's by, I'd be very grateful ! (thanks to Paula I can now confirm that the image is indeed a stamp by Whipper Snapper Designs called Snowmen with Scarves, and as she was kind enough to give me a direct link to the stamp in her comment, I just had to hop right on over and somehow this stamp - plus a couple others - just jumped into my shopping cart - oopsie !!)  So you may just see these cheery little chappies appearing on some of my cards at a later date.

I coloured the image of course with my Promarkers then added Crystal Stickles dusted with Glamour Dust for the snow and around the edges of the image layer and the sentiment.  I embossed the background layers in my Cuttlebug using a couple of different embossing folders.  The sentiment is from Cuddly Buddly and there's a little Stickles and GD on the snowflakes in the design.  Here's a close up shot to show the embossing a little clearer.  There's Glossy Accents on the hat and their noses to give them some dimension.

That's it from me for today, I'm looking forward to seeing what you make of this week's sketch.  Just post a link to your entry on the I ♥ Promarkers blog and we'll hop over and check it out.

Bringing you Messenger

Happy Tuesday !  For today's card I've used 'Messenger' designed by Terra Bidlespacher for Queen Kat Designs, to create a card.

I've coloured her with Copics and added some touches of gold Spica Glitter pen on the rings holding the ropes of the balloon and basket.

I thought this sentiment was perfect to go with the image as  I can just imagine her delivering lots of 'missing you' letters. There's a little Glossy Accents on her goggles to give the impression of glass too.

The stamp is quite detailed so I kept the rest of the design simple, I just doodled a freehand frame around the outside edges of the C6 card, added the sentiment and considered it done !

Thanks for looking

Happy Anniversary Kathy & Steve

It's the Wedding Anniversary of my dear friends Kathy & Steve today and I made this card especially for them.  I hope they like it and have a wonderful day. 

I know that Kathy loves anything purple, so I get a tick in the box for my colour scheme and she is also a fan of CAS cards - another tick I think.

The flower was created using stamps and matching punches from SU!.  The petals were stamped using Memento Paris Dusk and Potter's Clay inks, punched out and assembed into the flower shape.  The sentiment is from a set by Dark Room Door and again stamped in Paris Dusk directly on to the white base card.  The finishing touch was a purple gem in the centre of the flower.

Thanks for stopping by to check today's project.

Fairy Fleur

I've been playing with my Lavinia stamps again, but  wanted this card to be a more CAS (clean and simple) design.   So no background papers, brayering or Distress Inks, just a plain white background.

I started with a white 5x5 base card and stamped the lovely 'Fleur' directly on to it to build up the scene.  I was concerned that the Copics might bleed when I coloured the main fairy image, but luckily they didn't.

There is clear Spica Glitter Pen on her wings and the flowerhead and black Spica on her boots and the spots on her clothes, but as always it never shows up in a photograph.  IRL there is a great deal of twinkly fairydust around !

My design started life in my head as a true CAS project, but as I got so carried away with adding more of the foliage, mushrooms and stars, it got a tad too fussy to be CAS.  Still, I'm reasonably pleased with it and as there is no sentiment on the front, it will go into my box of 'any occasion' cards to use on a later date.

I'm still getting to grips with these gorgeous Lavia stamps and trying new techniques, thank you for allowing me to share another creation with you.

See you again next time !

A Life on the Ocean Wave....

I created today's card as my entry for the nautical themed challenge over on Craftbubble's Craft Mad and Loving It group this week. 

This stamp from Little Darlings was absolutely perfect for the challenge.  I coloured it with Copics and added Glossy Accents to the waves to give them some texture.  The background sky was created with some cloud stamps from a 'Build a Scene' set and the seagulls are from a Crafty Individuals set. 

I've had the tiny real shells in my stash for a very long time and I tied a length of twine around the bottom half of the card, finishing with a simple knot.  The image is attached over a layer of SU! Not Quite Navy cardstock just to lift it a little against the white background.  A sort of CAS design, a style I am so loving at the moment, as regular visitors may have noticed !

Thanks for checking out today's project.

Grace

Today sees a new challenge starting over on Cute Card Thursday.  For Challenge #176 we are asked to create our own backgrounds and not use any designer papers on our projects.  This week's prize is sponsored by The Stamp Shoppe.

For my DT card this week I decided to use a sweet digi image - 'Grace Standing' - from Sugar Nellie.  I coloured her with Copics and added some Glossy Accents to her hair ribbons, buttons and sandals.  I added the image over a layer of plum coloured card to pick up the shades used on the image.

I kept my design very simple, using a C6 deckle edge base card on to which I stamped the pretty hearts from a Nit Wit Collection set of stamps, then coloured the tiny hearts with a Copic to match the colours I used on the image.   No flowers, swirls or bling from me this week, sometimes it's nice not to include lots of embelishments and just let the image take centre stage.  I hope you like today's card.

I look forward to seeing your entries for the challenge this week.  Happy Crafting !

I'm Feeling Fruity !!!

... well, I had to be so that I could create an entry for this week's Less is More Challenge which has the theme - Feeling Fruity !

When I ventured into Viva Las Vegas Stamps while on vacation earlier this year (it certainly was an experience I can tell you !) I was faced with a huge mountain of pink rubber and a sign which said "10 unmounted stamps for $10".  Well, what was a girl to do?  I had to pick up a small basket and load it with a pile of stamps.

The images I've used on my card were two of these stamps.  I only inked up part of the one with the lines as I didn't want too deep a border under the watermelon image.

I stamped the images with Memento Cottage Ivy ink and coloured with Copics.  The sentiment is from my box of sentiment stamps and I'm sorry I don't know who it's by, I stamped it with Memento Rhubarb Stalk ink.

I really missed the LIM challenge whilst away on vacation, it's so nice to get back to it this week.

Thanks for dropping by today.

Things with wings

The I ♥ Promarkers Challenge theme this week is 'Things with Wings' and the prize is sponsored by Joanna Sheen.

For my DT card I used a digi image from Cuddly Buddly and background papers from the Vintage Rose Collection by Pink Petticoat.

I used an EK Success border punch on the edge of the floral layer, then tied a length of pretty pink ribbon around.

The image is layered over a piece of pale pink cardstock and the butterflies were created using a set of Nellie Snellen punch and emboss punches.  A touch of Crystal Stickles around the edge of the image layer and for the butterfly bodies and a tiny sentiment stamped in the bottom right, to finish off this simple card. 

Thanks for dropping by to see my project today, do pop by again soon.

Venus Moon

Happy Tuesday to you, hope it's a good one whatever you get up to. I've been busy working with my new release stamps from Queen Kat Designs for August and today's project features the totally gorgeous Venus Moon by Myka Jelina - don't you just love her?

I think you know me by now and that I do so love to experiment and push the boundaries with images and materials. Today's creation is one of my latest experiments.

Normally I use a nice smooth coated white cardstock on which to stamp my images when I am colouring with alcohol inks such as Copics and Promarkers.    I know that the colours don't bleed when I use the smooth cardstock, but sometimes I don't want to have my image on a separate layer and the cardstock isn't of a heavy enough weight to use as a base card.

For today's card I stamped the image directly on to a piece of subtley patterned background paper and coloured it with Copics. I then used some sequin waste and a couple of Memento ink pads to create a design at the bottom. I cut out some fronds using Marianne Designs dies and punched butterflies in three sizes using a set of Nellie Snellen punch and emboss punches. I punched two of each size, left one flat, which I attached to the card, then embossed the second layer and glued just the centre so the wings lift up. The butterfly bodies where created with a Waco Pearlmaker pen.

This is a much more simple and flat design than it appears in the picture and reasonably quick to do. I was very pleased that my experiment worked, it could have gone so horribly wrong ! and I will try it again in the future I think.

Bye for now....

I'm baaaaack.... !

.....  after a couple of wonderful weeks in sunny Spain entertaining my 7 year old grandson - you will note that I haven't actually called it a holiday !  lively young boy, small apartment, 30 degree + heat.... go figure.  Seriously though, I did have a great time and it was so lovely to spend time with my grandson as I don't get to see him that often.  Only problem is that hubby and I need a holiday to get over it !

"I've been as good as gold actually"

"Got to get my Arena finished before the tide comes in"

Yes, that IS a Purple and Pink cow you can see outside this beach restaurant - but the lasagna was delish !

"I need to exercise after eating that huge dish of lasagna"

"Look Grandma, I can swim now"

Just call me Jacques.....  !

Thought you might like to have a sneak peek at all the fun we had, I really missed my crafting though and hope to have something finished and posted up on here very soon - see Ya later !!!!!