ANOTHER FLY-BY BLOG POST

Hi All

A late one tonight ... phew what a crazy day I've had! Just non stop work then some commission crafting plus two mega quick cards for a couple of challenges. Not sure I'm happy with them but can't guarantee more crafty time until the weekend so here goes ...

First up is to enter the Less is More Challenge where the theme is a colour combo of Green and Yellow. I have to say they aren't my immediate 'run to' colours but it's fun to experiment!

                                   

I've used a pre-coloured digi stamp from Clearly Digi Stamps then added a good helping of glossy accents to the flower heads to make them 'pop', the sentiment and scalloped border are from Clearly Besotted 'In the Frame' set and Stephanie's new stand-alone scalloped edge dies. A wrap-around of twine from my stash and a few 3d foam pads to raise the front panel and that's it.


Next up is a joint challenge for CAS Colours and Sketches and Addicted to CAS where the theme is 'Baby'. It's my gorgeous Clearly Besotted that jumped off the shelf again! The 'In The Frame' stamp and die set with the 'Baby Love' stamp set for the sentiments. Final bits and bobs from my stash are the design papers and enamel dots.

Right I am desperately in need of a strong brew and a catch up of TV so hope to catch up with you all again at the weekend. Enjoy the rest of your week and thanks for stopping by.

SPARKLE CHRISTMAS FUN 2

As promised here's my second card, which this time I've combined with the Freshly Made Sketches Challenge as well as Less is More, Color Throwdown and Pixies Snippets Playground (once the gates are unlocked).

Items Used:

Papers: Clearly I Stamp (Dinosaur Digi Set) & Papermania glitter card

Sentiment: Clearly Besotted - Signature Christmas stamps heat embossed with silver WOW Ep.

Snowflake Dies: Marianne Creatables

Sizzix Dotty Embossing Folder

Some silver pearls and kraft coloured candy dots from my stash

That's all for me for today so hope you enjoy your Sunday and the Advent countdown begins!

CRAFTY BEE AT WORK TODAY

Hello Friends

Hope you are keeping dry in this disgusting weather today ... I took the dog out for a walk this morning but neither of us were keen and thankfully I hadn't done the housework before Cookie decided to shake himself like crazy as soon as we got home! Don't you just love 'em?

So what better place to play once the jobs were done ... yep the crafty cupboard. I've had quite a few commissions to do recently and isn't it great when you can combine them with a challenge or two?

For my very first time I'm going to try one post with multiple photos and challenge entries! May have to edit this if it doesn't work though!

Here's number one which is a commission for my daughter's friend, who wasn't being particularly helpful in giving me ideas and themes! After much head-scratching and web surfing I came across the Seize the Sketch Challenge and thought I'd make use of the lovely sketch along with some amazing free papers I downloaded ages ago but haven't ever used. Think I'll be making an effort to use them in future though.

Seize the Birthday (sister challenge to Seize the Sketch) have an anything goes challenge so I'm going to drop my card in there too.

Arrrgh! Only just noticed that my card doesn't entirely match the sketch ... Oh **** Well I'm going to enter anyway and hopefully get an acknowledgement for trying! Sorry ladies.



Card Recipe:

Papers: All Freebies from Shery K Designs
Sentiment: Computer Generated
Dies used: Nestabilities Labels, Sizzix Framelits Pennants, Clearly Besotted Florals, MFT Die-Namics numbers and a Martha Stewart Butterfly punch
Button, twine and gems from my stash plus a drizzle of glamour dust here and there




So onto my next card which is for a challenge I've never entered before - the CASE Study Challenge. I spotted it while checking out Amy Wanford's blog and couldn't resist entering as I had the perfect ballerina die cut image which was a freebie from Dies to Die for.

I was also itching to try out my new poinsettia stamp and die set from Clearly Besotted. I stamped three of the large outline poinsettias onto white vellum then heat embossed with clear embossing powder. I added glamour dust to the veins for extra dazzle but think I've perhaps got a bit carried away with the old glamour dust as I decided my ballerina would look pretty cool with a glittered tutu and ballet shoes!!! I've attached the vellum poinsettias to white card with brads covered with candy dots in coordinating baby pink and I'm hoping my cluster of 3 can pass as the 'circle' in the CAS - Colours and Sketches Sketch Challenge which is where my card is heading too.

Card Recipe:

Image: Ballerina from Dies to Die For, Poinsettia Stamp and Dies from Clearly Besotted
Papers: From Do-crafts (Forever Friends)
Sentiment: Uniko Studio
Sizzix Swirls Embossing folder used on the Kraft semi circle
Candy Dots from my stash


    


Did I say I'd been a busy little bee today?

So here's my last card which is another commission; this time for an 18th birthday card where the recipient loves owls.

My cute little owl reminds me of barn owls out in the countryside and on that note I've decided to enter him into the CASology Challenge where the cue word is 'Country'. I'd been watching some videos on using acetate on cards so decided to make an acetate cover for the card and layer my images on the top with the scalloped circles behind. Looking at the photo you probably can't tell there's any acetate so you'll just have to take my word for it.



Card Recipe:

Images, Papers & Sentiment: Clearly Digi Stamps who are sadly no longer trading (I stocked up before they closed the doors) but you can purchase items from Doodle Pantry
Acetate, metallic cord and gems from my stash plus I've added a few glossy accents for extra definition.




Wow that's got to go down as the longest blog post I've ever done ... a marathon indeed. Going for a lie down now or should I do the ironing???? No contest!

Hope to catch up with you all tomorrow and enjoy the rest of your evening.  Fingers crossed this multiple blog post will work when I come to enter the challenges Hee Hee!

FUNNY LITTLE MONSTER

Another late one from me; the reason being I've been tearing my hair out and my house apart looking for my mojo! I think with the craft event last Friday and cutting and sticking like crazy for the last few weeks that I've lost it.

Anyway I decided to have a go at the Less is More Challenge featuring a One Layer Card of Witches, Wizards or Monsters I think. I feel this is a bit of a cheat card really as I've used a pre-coloured digi image from Clearly Digi Stamps (sadly no longer trading) with sentiments from them too.  I'm always itching to add some embellishment, glitter or dazzle with these one layer cards and basically have to tie my hands behind my back to stop me adding things BUT I have added a couple of glossy accents to my one-eyed monster and placed him in a teardrop shape using my PC just for some added detail.

I think he's quite cute really and not particularly scary! I did attempt to colour a wizard stamp for a second entry but honestly my hubby announced it looked like something a 3 year old had coloured so I gave that one a miss!

Catch up with you all soon and I'm being lazy tonight ... NO card recipe as I've detailed the items used above.

A NUTTY BIRTHDAY

And here's my second card for the CAS(E) This Sketch Challenge.

If you read my blog on Sunday you'll know that one of my favourite Digi Stamp Companies is closing this month and I seem to have gone mad for their products so here's another one using Clearly Digi Stamps.

Card Recipe:

Image, Papers and Sentiment: Clearly Digi Stamps - Birthday Critters
Gems from my stash plus glossy accents for added definition

OOOH YUMMY CITRUS COLOURS

Care sunglasses may be needed!

I've made this card for the Dynamic Duo Challenge and although they are bright I'm loving these colours. It really isn't that long since my summer holiday but the nights are drawing in so fast and the days have been a bit wet and bleak so these colours remind me of summertime zing.

This is also my second entry for this week to Pixies Crafty Snippet Playground and if you read my post yesterday I mentioned the special 2 week prize draw that Di is running so check it out here if you fancy playing along.

Have fun and catch up with you all later ...

Card Recipe:

Papers: TK Maxx, Pink Petticoat, Clearly Digi Stamps
Cutting Die: Butterflies from Clearly Besotted
Sentiment: Pink Petticoat
Bakers Twine & Gems from my Stash and Candy Dots from Stampin' Up

FEELING MORE POORLY ...

And here's the second one for Less is More...

Card Recipe:

Image: Clearly Digi Stamps - Silly Citrus
Sentiment: Pink Petticoat
Twine from my stash, base of card embossed with a Mini Mosaic Folder

FEELING POORLY

Back again as I've just made two cards to enter the Less is More Challenge which is a one layer card week and the theme is Get Well.

While thinking about how to play this one yesterday I received a notification that one of the companies I have bought digi stamps from in the past (Clearly Digi Stamps) is to close at the end of this month :-( and I've only recently discovered them so extra sad ...

BUT every cloud has a silver lining and first of all they have a 25% offer on all products until the end of September and not only that Laurie Wilson of Doodle Pantry Digital Shop contacted me to explain that any illustrations she produced for Clearly Digi Stamps will become the property of Doodle Pantry from 1st October and will be available here.

So with a touch of sadness I decided to buy a couple of the digi stamps and adapt them for my get well card and I was torn between the 2 images so I'm entering them both! Here's the first one ...

   

Card Recipe:

Image: Clearly Digi Stamps - pre-coloured images from 'Dangles'
Sentiment: 'Feeling Down?' is Computer Generated
Twine from my stash
Plus first blog post using my brand new Stampin up candy dots!
Glossy accents for definition

A SKETCH WITH SNIPPETY BITS

Well that's day 1 at work ticked off - not that eventful but why am I more hungry on a work day? Maybe I should cash in on that and starve myself on the non-work days! On second thoughts ... perhaps not!

So on to my post; having submitted a really cheeky entry to the Pixies Snippets Playground Challenge on Sunday I'm now feeling rather guilty.  I'm loving CAS but perhaps a few more bits and pieces should be included so here's another one.

CAS again as it's also for the CAS(e) this Sketch challenge too.

Card Recipe:

Papers & Mini Flowers: 'Aloha' from Clearly Digi Stamps 
Sentiment: Uniko Studios
Tools: Lattice Embossing folder from Crafts Too
MFT Die-namics Sentiment Strips
Leaf Die from Clearly Besotted Fancy Florals
Gems from my stash

DAYS OF THE WEEK DOUBLE

QUICK ... you may need to grab your sunglasses for this one!

This card is a commission for my friend's daughter - just hope she likes BRIGHT colours! The reason: CAS-ual Fridays colour challenge this week which I've teamed with the Sketch Saturday Challenge. Oh and if the Pixies on the playground could have seen me searching to the depths for the teeniest snippets then painstakingly cutting and sticking all those little banners together I think they'd be able to justify a second entry from me this week?????

Thanks for all your photo tips it's much appreciated. I'm still playing about with different backgrounds but haven't decided if I'm wasting my time yet.

So the sun is shining and it's a long weekend so enjoy the rest of your day. See you soon.

Card Recipe:

Cutting Dies used MFT Die-namics Numbers & Sentiment strips (cut in half) plus Framelits circles
Papers: Clearly Digi-stamps & Pink Petticoat
Sentiment: Pink Petticoat
Gems, Twine and Button from my stash

   

WHAT ANOTHER DINOSAUR?

I should apologise but I can't ... I am love struck with these little dinosaurs (might not be saying that if it was a REAL-LIFE thing). So one little dino was posted yesterday for Sketch Saturday and this one is for the Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge.  The images just seemed to slot well with the sketches so here goes:

Oh before that I will just say I made 6 cards in total like this as I've quite a few cheeky little nephews and friends too who can quite happily slot into my cute dino character. Cute on the outside and terrifying if you cross them!

Bit nutty but I've called my dinos Fred and Ginger; this one GINGER as it's that kind of colour and yesterday's Fred! Think I need a holiday... LOL

Card Recipe:

Image, Papers and Sentiment: Clearly Digi Stamps
Gem from my stash
Plus glossy accents added again for extra dazzle!

DON'T YOU JUST LOVE A DINOSAUR?

This is Sketch Saturday on Thursday!!! Just had a very busy few days and a bit behind with posting. I discovered a new digistamp website a couple weeks ago called 'Clearly Digi Stamps' and if you love a bit of digistamping then check them out here.  There are lots of pre-coloured images too which co-ordinate with the papers so if like me colouring isn't your forte then they are IDEAL and TERR-i-fic!

If this has appeared on my blog then Mr Bloggy the Scheduler needs a pat on the back and hopefully I'll have remembered to link it to the challenge too!

Card Recipe:

Image, Papers and Sentiment: Clearly Digi Stamps
Brads from my stash
Just a touch of glossy accents added to his spikes for definition

ALOHA HAWAII ...

Morning All

First of all did I say that I would have lots of crafting time during the school summer holidays?  That was the plan but certainly not happening much yet...

Secondly I haven't had to hide in a darkened room since Monday following THE shopping spree!  I survived JUST; it was quite painless - not so much on the purse though where my son was concerned but on the plus side my daughter was pretty disappointed at what was on offer.  On the down side I had to take her to Liverpool on Wednesday to conclude the holiday shopping which was much more successful in her opinion.

We had a family outing in Liverpool for my Dad's birthday; he loved the Grandad card too.  He went for a cultural day at the Art gallery but my mum chose the shops and I think it's the first time in about 50 years that she's hunted out bikinis - brings back memories I guess of times gone by with a perfect figure!!!!

So it's my birthday today and my treat is to spend a day crafting if I can find my mojo.  The shopping can wait, the iron has been locked up, I'm being taken out for a meal this evening so no cooking required!  I may put the washer on if I can prise myself away from all that glitters and sparkles in my cupboard.

Anyway on to my cards - and I have 2 to post today.  The first one is for one of my American cousins who is moving to Hawaii next month with his young family.  What a fabulous holiday destination for the family - hope he's plenty of room but I think my crafty auntie will miss her gorgeous little granddaughter.

Card Recipe:

Image: Aloha Digi images from Clearly Digi Stamps
Papers: The Papermill Shop & Clearly Digi Stampshttps://www.cdstamps.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=virtuemart&Itemid=54
Sentiment: Clearly Digi Stamps
MFT Party Banner Die and X-cut corner punch used
Glitter gems from my stash
Glossy Accents added for extra sazzle!


Challenges:

CAS(E) this Sketch
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes

ANOTHER SWEET BIRTHDAY

Just one more for me today and it's another entry to Pixies Crafty Snippet Playground and Seize the Birthday

I made this card last weekend in time for Pixies last Sunday but realised I couldn't post it early as it was for my Son's Girlfriend who tends to 'stalk' my blog (in the nicest possible way)!  I think I was also following a colour challenge but not sure which one.

Anyway I used lots of odds and ends and snippets so hope you like.  A little mouse features on this one too to tie in with the card my son sent.

Hopefully regular blogging will resume next week.  Enjoy the rest of your day

Card Recipe:

Image: Cr8ive Hands - freebie
Papers: TK Maxx & Clearly Digi Stamps
Sentiment: Pink Petticoat
Martha Stewart Butterfly punch and pearls from my stash