DDTIO - Shabby Chic

Over on Frankie's blog Dragon's Dream the TIO challenge is shabby chic, well I'm not so sure of the chic bit but this does look a bit shabby so hopefully it will be ok.
I started with cream card which I lightly coloured with a copic marker in waterlily, I then stamped a crackle background with tattered rose distress ink, it doesn't show in the picture but it's there. I used pumice stone distress ink around the edges and to stamp the two theatre masks, the rest of the stamping is done in another distress ink, rusty nail this time. The lace is coloured with the tattered rose ink and then I remembered I had some pink and brown ribbon so added a bit of that, the flower I made from 160gsm paper coloured with yet more distress ink. I have had the flat back pearls for ages so just thought I should use them too and finally there is just a bit of dazzle dust on the petals of the flower.

CD Sunday Challenge - Looks Like Summer

Over on CD Sunday this week we would like you to use the theme looks like summer as your starting point. As usual you can make anything you like as long there is an element that comes from a cd.

This week I have used the Pamela West cd as there are several images on there that would fit the bill, I love the idea of lying in a hammock with a good book in such beautiful surroundings, I added a border down each side punched with a MS punch and then I stamped out the basket and the dovecot just to add a bit of interest.

Hope you can come over and join us this week, we love coming and looking at your work. Check out the other team members blogs for more inspiration

Wendy
Cynthia
Christine
Doreen
Anne
Tess

Bah! Humbug! - Christmas Stockings

The challenge over on Bah! Humbug! this week is christmas stockings, sorry Ann but my sewing skills although ok are on hold at the moment so I did a card instead. I have had this stamp for years and can't remember where I got it from but it has been in a box unused so this is a perfect time to bring it out. A fairly simple card, I have used a backing paper from Season's Greetings cd and the flourish I cut on the cricut, I stamped the merry christmas with versamark and embossed with red, and that is basically it - oh and the image is coloured with promarkers.

Sweet Pea again

This is a card I made for a forum swap, I know my partner has got the card now so I am safe to show you it. The backing paper is printed from a cd that wasn't on general release, I sprayed it with sparkle and shine but because the nozzle got stuck it is a bit on the heavy handed side. I cut the mats on my Cricut and the bottom one I coloured with my silkies to match the dress of the fairy. The flowers were made from scalloped circles which were soaked with watered down silkies and scrumpled up then glued together, I put a sparkly gem in the centre and dabs of glue on the petals which I then dusted with dazzle dust, finally the sentiment is from Sweet Pea Stamps too, I bought a grab bag which had 6 sentiments in for $1.50, I cut this out with one of my nesties but because I wanted a very small border I cut the same size twice and trimmed on the embossing line of the top one and coloured the underneath one with more silkies.

I quite enjoyed doing this one and will be making more flowers this way as they are just a bit different and so easy to do.

Another Sweet Pea card

I am loving these Sweet Pea images and this time I've combined it with a couple of challenges, over on Rainbow Lady's blog the challenge is Lavender and Lace and on the Alphabet blog the letter this week is L and they have chosen lace.

I have coloured the image in with promarkers and just highlighted around the moon with stickles, the backing paper is from a pad I bought from Joanna Sheen and usually just sits in a drawer as I always forget I've got it. The card is coloured with milled lavender distress ink as is the lacy strip and the flourish. I have yet to decide on my greeting so this has to be added later, I've just finished off with some stones for a bit of bling.

Crafty Ann's challenge - shaped easel card

Well I've only had two weeks to do this but here I am at the last minute with my entry for Crafty Ann's fortnightly challenge.

I cut the heart shaped card out on the Cricut as well as the cake and the banner, to be honest I don't use the machine as much as I should and have set myself a challenge to use it more often. I cut the backing paper from a sheet of Basic Grey paper from the Two Scoops range and this one is called aptly enough Cupid's Arrow. I used a bit of distress ink around the base layer in tattered rose and then thought it would be good to use it on the edge of the banner. The little hearts around the top were bought from ebay a while ago to use on some wedding invitations but we had a change of mind so they will get used on other things. To finish the cake off I added a bit of dazzle dust to the edges of the cake and on the two hearts at the top. Not my usual style of card but it does you good to have a play and try something different.

Bah! Humbug! Challenge # 26 Card for a friend

Over on Bah! Humbug! this week it's a special card for a friend, this card is an 8x8 inch and is printed on to silver inkjet film. It is a nightmare to photograph so it isn't shown off to it's best, I have attached velvet ribbon and a tassel and the greeting is also printed onto the same film, I have layered it onto holographic card just to give it some substance as it is very flimsy.

CD Sunday Challenge # 12 - Kind Thoughts

Over on CD Sunday this week we would like you to incorporate some kind thoughts, for this challenge I have made a Christmas card. The quote comes from a booklet I bought a few years ago and then put it away and I couldn't find it, well it has turned up again so I am going to be using it this year for some of my cards, the booklet is cardmakers christmas card quotes from HOTP. My top backing paper I made using tumbled glass distress ink and stamped with a shooting star in broken china which isn't really showing up in this picture, the two snowflakes are cut from the same paper. The larger backing paper is from the Artylicious cd Seasons Greetings, once I had printed this out it was abit too blue to go with the paper I'd made so I used my colour duster to go over it with the tumbled glass ink.

I do hope you can manage to join in with us this week we love to visit your blogs and see your fabulous creations.

Now for something completely different

I haven't been making many cards recently and this is the reason, my friend is having a baby which is due in September so I started this shawl a couple of months ago to give myself plenty of time. I have really enjoyed doing it and as I haven't had a crochet hook in my hands for over 15 years think I've not done too bad a job on this. The shawl is quite large and is done in 4ply, in fact I like it so much I don't want it to go but it will be well cared for so don't really mind.

I hope now to catch up on things I should have been doing and get a lot more crafting done.

Bah! Humbug! Challenge # 25 Less is more

Over on Bah! Humbug! this week the theme is Less is More, well you can't get much less that an embossed piece of card layered onto a piece of paper. I did brayer some blue silkies onto the inside of the embossing folder before I put the card in but it doesn't really show up in the picture. I embossed the greeting in silver and attached to the card with a dinky bulldog clip I found when I went to the Port Sunlight show earlier in the year.

Just For You - CD Sunday Challenge no 11

It's Sunday again and over on CD Sunday we would like you to join us in creating something with the theme Just For You, it doesn't have to be a card it can be anything as long as you use something from a cd on it.

This week I have used the Artylicious cd Fantasy Floral, now this is a fairly old cd but so very useful. I printed out the backing paper and then used milled lavender to tone it down a bit. The fancy mat was cut on the Cricut and layered with a bit of the left over backing paper, the image is a SweetPea stamp and is coloured with promarkers and lightly sprayed with spray and sparkle in silver.

I have added a lovely glitter flower from Flora Dooles and the little black gems I have had for an age and think I bought them from Joanna Sheen.

I do hope you will come on over and join in with us this week, it would be lovely to see you.

Bah! Humbug! Challenge 24 Father Christmas

The challenge this week on Bah! Humbug! is Father Christmas, now I just couldn't make up my mind what to do after all there are so many images around but in the end I plumped for this one and now can't remember where I got it from, really must get more organised and save things in a properly marked folders.

Anyway I printed him out and then layered him onto a piece of burgundy card which I edged with a gold pen, the backing paper is printed from an Artylicious cd and then both were sprayed with glitter and sparkle in gold. The trim down the side was coloured with wild honey distress ink I think this must be my favourite colour to use at the moment, then I added some gems to add a bit of sparkle.

Ice cream holiday box

My great niece is very excited about her forthcoming holidays and wanted a box to keep her bits and pieces in that she will collect when away. I have used an old washing tablet box and painted it with my lovely new eco paints I then used a crackle stamp and covered the box in wild honey distress ink, I let her chose the things she wanted on the box and she wanted the ice cream cones the we found on the indie art cricut cartridge, she spotted the butterfly on my desk so wanted that on the top, the back has a sand castle on it but it is painted in pink as that is her favourite colour. I found the words once upon a time on another cartridge so we cut that out I then punched the trim and adhered it to the top flap. The cones, words and trim were cut in a pale yellow and inked up with the wild honey ink, when I find my small velcro dots I will fix just inside the lid to hold it shut. She is now one happy bunny but I bet it doesn't last much beyond the holidays but it was fun to do.

Cynthia over on Rainbow Lady's challenge blog wants ice cream or ice cream colours this week so I am entering this for that and also over on the Cricuteers forum they want something cut on the cricut and a pink summer feel so I am going to enter this into that challenge as well.

CD Sunday - In Full Bloom

Good morning all, I am feeling great today because the sun is shining and things are well in my world. I hope you like flowers (who doesn't?) because our challenge over on CD Sunday is In Full Bloom, now I know that most of us have at least one cd stored somewhere in our craft stash so now is the time to get them out and have a play. I have quite a few and this challenge was quite easy for me but to be able to join us you just need to use anything from a cd so even if you are a stamper you could just print off a bit of backing paper or even an element like I did with those butterflies.

My card this week as you can see is an easel card, I have used an image from Jane Netley Mayhew cd 2, I then used a MS punch to do the lacy trim, this was just punched out of plain white paper but I used my colour dusters and antique linen distress ink to take the starkness from it I used the same ink on the greeting to bring it all together. I used the ribbon to trim the centre of the lace strips and then decided to add it to the sides of the card, the butterflies are from a sheet on the same cd and although it doesn't really show the wings are not flat to the page but raised a little with pinflair glue. I hope you will join us this week and also go and have a look at the other design team's cards they make some beautiful things.

Another Christmas card

Over on Bah! Humbug! this week we have been invited to a childs christmas so how could I refuse?
I love easel cards and thought I'd do one for this challenge, the tree is a stamp from Creative Expressions as are the parcels, the little boy is a digi stamp from Mo's Digital Pencil, I fell in love with this stamp when I first saw it and used it for a new baby card but I think it works well for a christmas card too. I have coloured the images with both promarkers and copics, I am not a great lover of holographic card but think you can get away with it for christmas cards so have used it here to add a bit of bling.

I am also entering this card into the Winter Wonderland challenge which this week is a festive tree.

CD Sunday Challenge No.9 Have a Heart

Well it's back to sunday, these weeks are flying by but it's another challenge from us at CD Sunday . This week we want you to have a heart, you can do anything you like and even if you just use a piece of backing paper from a cd it will qualify so I do hope you join us this week.

My card is made with a Penny Black stamp and the backing paper comes from Joanna Sheen's Precious Petals cd, if you haven't used any of Joanna's cd's please do go and have a look as there is a great range and something for everyone. The image is coloured with Pro Markers and I've cut a couple of hearts with the Cuttlebug and put them through in the script embossing folder.

Sweet Pea Challenge - Aqua and Brown

The challenge this week on Sweet Pea Stampers is Aqua and Brown, well I love this combo so had to give it a go. The stamp I have used is one I got when I bought a grab bag a few weeks ago and what value, I am so pleased with them.

I have used the ever present on my desk promarkers, to colour the image and the backing paper is from Glenda's Decadent Brocade cd, I used the cool aqua promarker to colour some plain white paper which I then cut some flowers fromalong with the bronze coloured card I used to mat and layer, I also coloured the white ribbon with the same pen so I knew everything would match.

Passion for Promarkers challenge - Books

This week the Passion for Promarkers challenge is all about books, I have taken this digi image
and coloured with some of my promarkers and as I didn't have any colour scheme in mind when I chose the image I just grabbed a handful and took it from there. The backing papers have been subdued with distress inks as they were a bit bright for what I decided to do, I printed a page out with an extract from a fairy story and used more distress inks to age it. I used one of my MS punches to give me a border and finished off with a few flora doodles.

CD Sunday Challenge No.8 Girl Power

Over on CD Sunday this week we want you to do something with the theme Girl Power, it doesn't have to be a card just whatever you fancy but I do hope you join in with us.

This week I couldn't make up my mind what to do so in the end I plumped for this girl with attitude, I can't remember where she came from but there are several in the set. My bit from a cd is the backing paper and I was surprised to find it on Joanna Sheen's Dancing with Shadows, I was using the cd for another challenge and remembered that there was an extra bit of backing papers and as soon as I saw this I thought it fitted really well. The card is cut with a large nestie but not all the way around I missed one edge off so it was a shaped card, I then cut another whole piece and folded the original as you would an easel card and attached that to the front.

Bah! Humbug! Challenge #21 acetate

Over on Bah! Humbug! this week it's a challenge involving acetate, now I love acetate and as I missed posting my card last week decided to make sure this weeks was done nice and early.

This little card is quite involved really, I used alcohol inks on the acetate and then fastened it to the card blank, the holly wreath is cut on the cricut, I cut all the leaves and a circle to use as the base, I put a line of pinflair glue around the circle and layered the leaves onto it, this could be why it's not a perfect circle but then again nature doesn't do perfect cirles either, I dug out the bottle of Jones Tones paint which I have had for years and made little balls to represent berries unfortunately the card fell on the floor and they got a bit squashed but you still get the idea. I coloured some white ribbon with my promarkers and used the bow maker to do the bow on the top.

I then couldn't decide what to use as my greeting but remembered I had a load of these little plaques from a previous visit to Kanban.

Now the other card and I'm sorry it's a bit squiffy is the one I did for last weeks challenge but didn't get around to posting it in time but thought you should see it anyway and this is printed from Dancing with shadows cd from Joanna Sheen.

CD Sunday Challenge No.7 Feathered Friends

This week on CD Sunday we would like you to join us in creating something with the theme Feathered Friends. This week I've used a cd which came free on the Do Crafts Creativity magazine, quite often we get freebies and have a quick look but never use them so I decided that I would make something this time and this is the result. I have used aqua coloured gems to highlight both the birds and also some of the ends of the flowers.

I hope you like my effort and it inspires you to pop over and join in with us this week.

TIO Challenge #40 What's on your desk

Frankie over on Dragons Dream has challenged us to use what is on our desks, well if your desk is anything like mine I could keep going for a week! However I have chosen to use the Lavinia stamps and because I recently bought some ink dusters have used them to create the background colour. This was done using a small amount ofAdirondak Cranberry ink and some butterscotch, I used the cranberry to stamp the tree, toadstools and fairy, I then used lettuce to stamp the vines and the stars. I wasn't 100% happy with it so used wild honey distress ink around the edges. To finish it off I have sprayed the tag with spray and sparkle in gold, added a bright orange ribbon and it's done. Hope you like it!

Bah! Humbug! Challenge #19 Ribbons

The ladies over on Bah! Humbug! this week are being kind to us and are asking us to use ribbon, most of us use ribbons and for christmas cards is ever so easy so here is my card for the challenge. The stamped image is from a stamp I bought earlier in the year in a sale and coloured with both promarkers and copics, the backing paper is one I have used in a challenge before but don't want to waste it and the bell on the ribbon is off a Lindtt golden bunny which were selling for £1 each shortly after easter, loads of yummy chocolate and a little something for my stash!

CD Sunday Challenge No.6 Elegant Ladies

Over on CD Sunday challenge blog this week the challenge is Elegant Ladies, so I have used Glamour and Glitz cd from Debbie Moore, the card template is on the cd so saves you having to measure yourself and when folded it fits in a c5 envelope. I have used one of the backing papers from the cd and used a flower die to make up the flowers so everything matches, put a bit of glitter on the folds of the dress and the headress and it's finished.

A couple of wedding cards

I have had a few orders for wedding cards and these two are for the same people, not wanting to waste anything I have used the same image as I have used on my CD Sunday card for one of the cards and the other image is one that was requested after making another card for the same family for a previous wedding. I have used my templates to add the swirls in the gems and the flowers are from some dies I have only recently bought by Joy Craft and the leaves are from a woodware punch.

Bah! Humbug! Challenge #18 Punched borders

Over on Bah! Humbug! this week the challenge is punched borders, now I wasn't sure what to do and decided not to use one of my MS punches because that would be an easy option. I have used a punch I bought very cheaply thanks to one of the ladies from Bah! Humbug! quite a while ago, I have used a green paper with a circular pattern so thought this punch went really well with it so not really christmas things but I hope they work, I stamped the the greeting with a stamp I bought as part of a set at Port Sunlight by Penny Black, I used perfect medium and then swished some perfect pearls over and lightly sprayed with hair spray to fix. Hope you like it.

CD Sunday Challenge No. 5 Days gone by

This week over on CD Sunday we are challenging you to make a card with the theme days gone by, I need a few wedding cards (must be the season) so I have based my card on that. The image is from Joanna Sheen's Fashion Boutique, there are a couple of these images on the third disc in this set and I have used this particular one several times and it always goes down well. I have cut a couple of hearts and put them through the cuttlebug in the script embossing folder, I've finished the whole thing off with a feather and a couple of flowers, the card came from a visit to Kanban and has the word wedding around the outer edge. Hope you'll join in with us this week.

Bah! Humbug! Challenge #17 Christmas food

Over on Bah! Humbug! this week it's Christmas food so I have gone for gingerbread men, I cut everything out on the Cricut and the greeting is from a set of stamps I bought at the stamp show I went to yesterday. The background is sprayed with Glitz Spritz which is something I have had for years and not really used this particular one is called royal crimson fire.
The gingerbread people are coloured with promarkers and the icing is done using frosted lace stickles.

CD Sunday Challenge No. 4 - Country Charm

A bit late posting today but this is my card for the CD Sunday challenge, I have used another Joanna Sheen cd this time it's Cottage Garden. The pink backing paper is slightly marbled but you can't tell as it doesn't show up in this picture, I have edged it with a Martha Stewart punch this time and put some stones where the holes in the pattern are, finished it off with a bit of ribbon and the flower cut from some dies by Joy Craft.

Welcome baby

My friends baby is due next week so I decided that i'd get the card done in advance, I saw this image from Mo's digital pencil and just had to have it and it's been coloured with promarkers. I printed the backing paper from the Baby Love cd and used my MS punch to do the edges of the top layers. The flowers have been made with Joy Craft dies and I'm really pleased with them, the leaves have been punched out using a Woodware punch. I have yet to add a greeting as I do want to put the baby's name on and although they have chosen a name it could change once he arrives so I'm playing it safe.

Spring Thaw

Lynne over on Stamp-n-doodle has very kindly given us this lovely image to work with and share with everyone. I chose this image as soon as I saw it as it reminds me of the area my mum lives in, hence the word home on the side of the card.

This is coloured with promarkers but I made the mistake of printing onto photopaper as I didn't realise it was in the printer so not as easy to work with but I think presentable. Hope you like it.

Fantastic Blog Candy up for grabs

Over on Karen's blog Crafty Going's on she is giving away this fantastic candy, it is really easy to enter so get on over and have a look.

CD Sunday Challenge No. 3 - Baby Talk

Well it's back to Sunday so this can only mean one thing and that is CD Sunday, this week we have got a lovely easy one for you and it's Baby Talk.

I have used an image from the Joanna Sheen cd Baby Love, I decided not to use the backing paper that comes with the image on the outer of the card so used it as an insert, it is pale enough to put the verse over and still be able to read it clearly. I have used one of the Martha Stewart border punches and embellished with ribbon and a small rhinestone buckle.

Pop over to the blog and have a look at what the other team members have done, some great stuff there and hopefuly it will inspire you to have a go and join in with us again this week.

Bah! Humbug! Challenge #16 Snowflakes and ABC I is for ice

Over on Bah! Humbug! this week it's snowflakes so a bit of an easier challenge this time. Any kind of snowflake will do so I have used a background with some on and the ribbon has silver ones printed on and finally I coloured some white ones with a silver pen to tie everything together.

I printed the image out using MCS and also matched up the oval to put the topper onto, I cut both of these out with a craft knife after the first lot looked like a dogs hind leg by the time I'd finished with the scissors, I edged the oval with the same silver pen I used on the small snowflakes, the smaller square is matted onto glitter card and what a nightmare that is to get anything to stick down. I decided that the only thing that would stick was pinflair gel and the only thing that did was to lift all the glitter off the base card, I wasn't going to be beaten so scrapped all the glitter and glue of the back of the top mat and started again with the pinflair and this time it worked.

Oh I forgot to say that I sprayed the topper with the spray and sparkle in silver because it looked a little dull. Seems like a lot of effort for a five inch square, this time I've made this a tent fold. I am also entering this card into the ABC Christmas Challenge which this week is I for ice.

Bah! Humbug! Challenge #15 Pretty in Pink 2nd card

2nd attempt at the Bah! Humbug! challenge pretty in pink, this time the whole card is stamped with versamark and dusted with the perfect pearls. It seemed like a good idea while I had them out. I tried to take a picture instead of scanning but the reflection against the flash just meant you couldn't see the image properly, so it was back to the scanner and that is why there is a bit of shadow.

The stamp is a papermania one that people seemed to go mad for last year and it was selling for stupid money on ebay, I paid the princeley sum of £6.99 but I did hear of someone who managed to pick one up for 99p so if you like the stamp don't pay silly money for it. The stamp around the outside is one that I got from Clarity as the monthly stamp for March, I think it compliments the main image quite well. This card is an A5 landscape and just to finish it off I popped on some pearls that I bought from Hobby House while I was at the NEC in March.

Bah! Humbug! Challenge #15 Pretty in Pink

This weeks challenge over on Bah! Humbug! is pretty in pink, so I have used quite a few different things on this card although it does look a bit flat on the scan. For the background I stippled tattered rose distress ink using a large stencil brush, then I stamped the snowflakes with versamark and dusted them with berry twist perfect pearls. The stamped image is coloured with promarkers and the spellbinders snowflake die is also covered with versamark and dusted with the perfect pearls. As I cannot find any of my christmas greeting stamps I have had to resort once again to a peel off.

CD Sunday Challenge No2 - Artfully Asian

Over on the CD Sunday this week we are challenging you do do something under the heading of Artfully Asian, this is my take on this theme and to be honest although I love this style of cards I really struggle to make something I'm happy with. This week I have used another Joanna Sheen cd, Oriental Dreams. I have used a bamboo stamp to do the edges and then matted the backing paper on to gold mirri card, the ribbon is velvet and the tiny buckle I bought when Joanna had them on special offer.

I wanted to bring the colour of the bird out so used a bright blue card to mat the topper onto and again used gold mirri, the lantern and vase stickers were given to me a long time ago so can't tell you who makes them or where to find them.

I do hope you will join us again this week and look forward to seeing your creations.

Glenda's giveaway

Glenda is giving away some fabulous stamps over on her blog and some of them will be a real must have rather than a want. I have chosen to show you the Royal Fleur de Lys but there are a few others that will inspire you and one sheet that will be invaluable and that is the sympathy sheet. The crosses and words are just beautiful and so very useable, so go on over and take a look.

Bah! Humbug! Challenge #14

Over on Bah! Humbug! this week is Santa Paws, the ladies have requested we use something cute with paws.

I have used a stamp that isn't really a christmas stamp but have made it into one by the colouring and adding the words. It is a bit plain but when I tried to add a few other bits it just looked wrong so this is how it is staying, I've used a spellbinders die and mounted that onto foam pads and then put the stamped image on with pinflair glue added a sticker greeting and it's finished. A quick one this week as time seems to be running away with me.

Sheena Douglass Workshop #2

This is the second card I'm showing you today from my day yesterday, this is done with cosmic shimmer paints directly onto the stamp and then once on the card misted to blur the image, the same image was then stamped onto the card and embossed and painted with the same colours. Do you see a theme with the flowers, there were other stamps available but I just loved the lupins! Sorry I can't remember which set of paints they are but are quite a prety range.

CD Sunday Challenge No1 - Wings and Things

Good morning all, today is the launch of the new challenge blog CD Sunday, the theme this week is Wings and Things so this has loads of scope to ease you in gently, what do you think you will do? Well I've chosen a fairy but it could easily be birds, butterflies, or even aircraft if you have to make a man card.

I chose this image because it is the first image I printed from the Victorian Companian cd from Joanna Sheen, the backing paper is from a bundle I got quite a while ago at Costco and was such a bargain, approx 200 double sided sheets for about £20 so if you have a card I know they still have them. I punched a strip with a Martha Stewart punch which seem to be everywhere at the moment but they are such good quality it's not surprising and coloured a ribbon with promarkers to tie it in with the colour, finally I used some Flora Doodle flowers which I have been keeping for the right thing and what better event than the launch of a new challenge!

I do hope you can support Wendy and dust off those cd's which tend to sit on the shelf half forgotten and if you need insiration have a look at what the rest of the design team have done, it will have you reaching for your cd's we hope.

Sheena Douglass Workshop

Yesterday I went to a workshop run by the very talented Sheena Douglass, what a blast and oh my gosh how I wish I was even halfway there.

This is one of the cards we made and I know it looks a bit flat because it is scanned but it is really quite a pretty card even though it looks very brown, the day was centred around alcohol inks and was great to play.
This card has a background stamped and then coated with mica powders, but because the ones we got were from the antique collection the colours show in the light, once we had put the powders on we spritzed with water and left it until we got the look we wanted then dried it with a heat gun. The topper was made using a die cut for the topper and this was coloured with the alcohol inks, we then stamped a small flower onto the smallest piece of card which was already cut for us by Sheena's wonderful hubby Russ and just used an almost dry paintbrush to pull the paint out a bit to give it some shadow. This was layered onto the gold layer which we had sanded to give it a distressed look.

I'll be showing you some more things over the next few days but if you haven't been to one of her workshops I suggest you go on one if you can, mind you there will be a queue as most people there will be wanting to go again very soon.

Leaving us to have a baby

One of the girls in work is leaving us to have her baby and as usual I have left it to the last minute to get a card done, this is an 8x8 card to allow everyone to sign it. I've cut out the shapes on the Cricut, the letters on the Cuttlebug and the flourishes are using the bazzill templates. I have stressed quite a lot about this card but hopefully it will be ok, the flowers have been coloured with promarkers as they were white to begin with.

DESIGN TEAM MEMBER FOR CD SUNDAY CHALLENGE

I have been invited to join some other great card makers for the new challenge blog
CD SUNDAY which will open it's doors for business on Sunday 18th April.

We are hoping that you will be coming over to join in and use some of those cd's that are not only favourites but those that are sitting hardly used at the back of the cupboard or shelf. Work is already going on behind the scenes and I think you will like what the team have been doing for the first weeks challenge. There won't be too many rules and as long as you use something from a cd you can join in, even if it's only a piece of backing paper so that gives you lots of scope.

See you there on Sunday!

Rainbow Lady's Challenge- Red, Black and Gold with a bit of Oriental

Cynthia over on Rainbow Lady's challenge blog has set us the task of using red, gold and black with a bit of oriental. Couldn't decide what to do then remembered this stamp that I have had for a long time and vary rarely used. I stamped with Versamark and embossed with black powder, I then picked out some elements with gold mica powder, it doesn't look very bright here but it is in reality.

I used the same red card to cut the border and used the happiness chop which was on a sheet from Kanban, finally I stuck the coins on using Zig two way glue which I find amazing if it is used correctly.

Bah! Humbug Challenge no13 - Tags and labels

The ladies over on the Bah! Humbug! challenge blog are really making me work again, I always feel that tags look good when other people use them but not when I do so I can't say I'm over the moon with this card but I have had a go.

The little angel is a Sarah Kay stamp that I bought at a sale price last week from here, the service has been super quick and reasonable postage too.

You may notice that the backing papers have been seen before well I am determined that the pad I bought will be used so I will be doing quite a few pink and purple cards this year.

Bah! Humbug Challenge no12 - Embossing

This is my second card for the Bah! Humbug! challenge this week, I have used my cuttlebug wreath cut and emboss folder and die and coloured it in with promarkers. I've also used the swiss dots folder but instead of leaving it plain white I have brayered inside the folder with chatreuse Impress ink.

I have layered that onto some red backing paper and then put it onto a backing paper from the Seaons Greetings cd from Artylicious, finished it all off with a dreaded peel off, couldn't stamp onto the raised bobbles on the background.

Having a bit of a play

I'm all on my own this afternoon as OH is out at rugby, so I have been having a play. I bought a brayer and a few stamps from Lavinia amongst other things when I was at the NEC so thought I'd have a play and see what I could come up with, there are several stamps used on this and although you can't tell it is done on glossy card and I've highlighted the stars with just a touch of glitter. This isn't really for anything in particular but I guess one day it will be there for someones birthday, especially if they are into fairies.