Happy Birthday Linda!!

Morning!!

Having got a bit behind with my general cardmaking for the last week or two as I was concentrating on all those teal cards, and pretty much the only ones that weren't teal were the some rather fabby challenges for Ladybug Crafts Ink and Scrapbook Sisters Challenges.  For the last couple of nights I was planning on a bit of me time, or me crafting to be more specific...

...but wouldn't you know it, one of the kids has decided to share their colds with me... bless (or bless you seeing as I am sneezing quite a bit...), I haven't had one like this in years, and have given in and am on the cold and flu stuff, my head feels like is stuffed with cotton wool, and my ears hurt!!  But I'm a woman and am made of strong stuff so I'm keeping going even if it has meant that the card I had planned to do for my friend Linda's birthday kinda got shelved - there's always next year - and I needed to do something quick cos I just couldn't go in with nothing today :-(

I've worked with Linda for 15 years (I started work at 12... honest!!), and in the last few months she's started cardmaking - yes another one I have tempted over to the pretty, sticky, lets play with paper side :-), and she already is building her collection of crafty stash nicely

Here's her card

It's nothing like I'd planned, even down to the image, but I did manage to stop spluttering long enough to stitch round the edges with gold machine embroidery thread

Hope she likes it:-)

Supplies

Image - Lily of the Vally, coloured with Copics

Sentiment - Ladybug Crafts Ink

Cream and Blue Cardstock; Paper - Basic Grey

Flowers - Wild Orchid Crafts & the Range

Satin Ribbon, Lace and Pearls from Stash

I'd like to enter this card for the Crafty Catz Challenge - Stitching
and Sarah Hurley Challenge 11 - All Sewn Up

Thanks for stopping by, more tomorrow

Sue xx

Scrapbook Sisters Card Challenge Number 4 - Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend!!

Morning!  Can you believe it is Wednesday already!!

Which must mean that it is time for another Scrapbook Sisters Card Challenge :-)

This week the theme is "Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend", (personally I think it's craft stuff closely followed by shoes and handbags, then diamonds, but I guess the song wouldn't have sounded quite the same, so diamonds it is!)  Cue loads of bling from me then :-)

Here's my card, hope you like it!

The papers are gorgeous ones by My Minds Eye, and they seemed appropriate for this image as Cinderella was originally a French failrytale, and these papers are full of French images and text

I had a great time colouring in this image, I usually struggle with pinks as they always seem to bleed over the edge, but I think I managed OK this time!  There are so many folds in her dress that it seemed a bit difficult at first but oddly I sometimes find more complicated images like this easier to colour than simpler ones, maybe because I can see where light and shade should be!!

Only after I finished this card I remembered that I have some clock stamps, and thought I was going to have to rip it apart and start again, but on checking they were far too big and would have looked all wrong, so I left it as it was, anyway I like the Tim Holtz ticket

Supplies - Cream and Black Bazzill, My Minds Eye Lost & Found Papers, Prima gem swirls - all from Scrapbook Sisters

Stamp - Cinderella by Kraftin' Kimmi;

Other - Tim Holtz Adage Ticket (distressed with pink inkpad); Wild Orchid Crafts Flowers; Stickles; Tuxedo Black Momento Inkpad; Copics; Pink Chalk Eyes

Why not give our challenge a go this week, it's up to you how you interpret the theme!!

Thanks for stopping by

Sue xx

Teal card sale - how it went, a HUGE thank you and blog candy winner!!!

I'm so sorry I didn't post last night, I was shattered after yesterdays card sale in aid of Ovarian Cancer, after which I had to go to a kids party (too many kids, too much noise!!), we then had to go to a friends house and left earlier than we normally would have as I was feeling rough :-(  Just a cold, but I needed sleep!!  I have a couple of photo's but from when we got there we were setting up, then I helped the them as they were running behind, so managed to snap a quick couple of pics as the doors were opened and the people started to come in and from then on I was a bit busy!!  Just as a taster, here's a couple of the stall. If I do this again I'm going to invest in some stand thingys

OK, what do you want to know first???   The sale? 

Well, after a bit of a slow start I was panicking... too many people saying "ooh, I know I must need cards but I can't remember who for"... and we only had £5 to show for all the work everyone had put in, cursing people being awkward, and my poor selling technique (!) we got cracking, I changed tack and when they commented how lovely the cards were, suggested that maybe they buy one or two if they couldn't remember whose birthday was coming up, and putting them by ready and waiting... and they started to sell!!  There were so many lovely people who bought cards, and gave such lovely comments about how fantastic everyone who had helped were, especially those from outside the UK for whom the postage was quite a bit.  There are so many stories to tell, but I'll share this one... a lovely gentleman (who I think was with his mum or carer) told me that he loved Christmas and wanted special cards to send to his family, and bought every single Christmas card we could find, plus a couple of others, as I am a bit (read, a lot!) soft, I did give him a discount, as he bought so many, and then told everyone he saw how fantastic they were :-)  I think the people he sends them to will be as touched as I was, and delighted that he has bought them with love and care too :-)

In all we took just over £106, which in 2 hours was incredible, and there were a few cards left over for me to give to the family to carry on with their fundraising.

Jo, Claire and their Dad (such a lovely man) have asked me to thank everyone for your efforts, they were so unbelievably touched that so many people had come together to do something positive, in memory of Barbara, someone whom they had never met, with the aim of funding research into Ovarian Cancer, it's diagnosis and treatment... they are delighted at what we have raised already, and love that they have something different to allow them to continue to fund raise with...

so from me, but more importantly from Barbara's family a rather loud, rather huge....

THANK YOU!!!!!

(if I could have made that flash and made whooping noises I would have!!)

Right, so the only thing left to do is announce a winner of the blog candy!!

As cards came in to me I gave you a number.... didn't know I was doing that did you!!  Tee hee!!

And the winner is...................

(Drum roll please....)

Number 24

Which unbeknown to you is....

....Sheila... aka http://thepainintheneck.blogspot.com/!!!

Congratulations Sheila!!!

I'll be in touch soon to arrange getting your rather fabulous candy to you!! 

On a personal note, I'd like to to thank everyone, especially all at Scrapbook Sisters for collecting cards for me, and to Hayley from Funky Farm Scrapbook Barn and Kerry from Ladybug Crafts Ink for their really generous contributions to the blog candy, and to everyone for getting involved in making a card... your help has made a difference, hopefully not only to the research and treatment of this illness but to the dedication of a family in their need to turn sadness into positive following the loss of Barbara, their wife, mum and nan


Thank you

Sue xx

Preparations!!

Morning!

I've had a busy couple of nights getting myself ready for Saturdays sale, I've gone through all the cards and made sure each one is in a little bag, with envelope and a price sticker.  Made boxes for the cards that are too thick to pop in a normal envelope

I've checked my tablecloth is clean (nearly, nothing on earth is going to shift that tiny little stain, grrrr) and have found a couple of runners to dress it up a bit, they all need an iron but that is a job for tonight or tomorrow (or my mum if she volunteers :-)  )  Tonight I'm going to see if I can make a little flyer explaining who I am, and why I have enlisted the help of so many of my fellow crafters across the world to make a teal card - at the last count we have 97 cards all packed and ready to go!! 

A massive thank you to everyone who has taken part, Funky Farm Scrapbook Barn and Ladybug Crafts Ink for adding to the blog candy incentive, and all at Scrapbook Sisters for being kind enough to let people leave cards for me at their shop - I had no idea when I started this we would get so many - I was thinking 40 or 50 tops including mine!

I wanted something to run along the front of the table and my hubby offered to make me a little sign (think he forgot that though cos they are really busy at the moment!) but I wanted to make something anyway, so over the last couple of evenings I made this

It stretches out like bunting (obviously) but to get a photo of it all stretched out would have meant laying it on my hall floor and hanging over the bannister to get a decent photo which didn't seem too sensible an option !!

Nothing over fancy, but I am quite impressed with myself, even more so as I realised after I'd done them all that I had forgotten to create a secret way for threading them on the ribbon, and had to sew them on (brave moment for me!) the stitching is a bit, err, wobbly, rustic, handmade in places, but I think it looks OK - you can't see in the pictures but I've used some lovely gold machine embroidery silk and I'm praying it's strong enough!!  I just wish I'd thought of doing this before I'd put the flowers through as I should have gone round the edges too - if it survives the weekend I might see if I can rejig it as I think there is another craft fair (not for charity this time though) in October sometime

The papers are freebies from a magazine, and I've just used some basic pink card, my border punches, an EK Success flower punch and some brads and some gold ribbon that I've had for ages

That's it from me today, more tomorrow

Sue xx

A bit cheeky... but there's blog candy to be won! Updated again!!

Updated 20/09/2010 with latest of what you can win!!

OK, I'm going to be a bit cheeky here, but hear me out, and see what you think!

A friend of one of my best friends is organising a fund raising event to raise money for Ovarian Cancer Research in memory of her mum who recently lost her fight against this awful illness.  As with all forms of cancer money is needed to improve early diagnosis and treatment, but it is not as well known or as well supported as some other cancer charities, currently the survival rate is only 40% 5 years after diagnosis, which is a shocking percentage, this increases to 70% when it is caught in its early stages, but a third of sufferers aren't found until late stage and the survival rate is only 15%. 

Clearly these are appauling statistics, so she has decided to do something positive and start fundraising.  One of the things she has done is to organise a craft event and I have said that I will have a table and will donate a percentage of everything I sell to her... now in a crazy moment I also said that I would make a few special edition cards of which I would give her 100% of the takings from- and give her any that were left to help her continue her fundraising.

From this the idea grew... So, the plea... would you help out and make a card and send it to me so I can increase the number of cards that she will get all the sales money from?  My idea is that the special edition cards are based on a teal colour scheme as that is the colour of the Ovarian Cancer wristbands, ribbons etc...

The event isn't until 25th September, so I will leave this post at the top of my blog until Wednesday 22th September

As a bit of an incentive I will be putting the names of everyone who sends me a card to sell into a hat and picking one out to win some blog candy .

This currently contains
Dovecraft Winter Wonderland 8x8 paper pack
Papermania Hampstead 6x6 paper pack
Nitwit Spring Whimsy Papers and Decoupage
Whitewash Collection 6x6 Cardstock Pad
Woodware Alphabet Chippies
Woodware Hearts and Florishes Chippies
One Pack fibres
Papermania Magnetic Clasps
Daisy and Dandilion Pumpkin and Aubergine Halloween Stamps
Daisy and Dandilion Pumpkin and Aubergine Trick Or Treat A4 paper pack
Daisy and Dandilion Pumpkin and Aubergine Die Cut Decoupage pack
Halloween Buttons
Bo Bunny Flowers
Prima Self Adhesive Diamante Swirls
Prima Say It in Pearls Self Adhesive Gems
1 pack Red Candy Dots by Pebbles Inc
1 pack self adhesive Pink Jewels by Doodlebug Design Inc.3 packs of gems/pearls, one pack clear beads
1 pack Petaloo Dazzlers
1 pack Alphabet Gel Candy by KI Memories
3 packs flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts and a pack of stamens
1 x pink lace ribbon
1 x black lace ribbon
2 yards Lilac Bubblegum Ribbon by Doodlebug Design Inc.
2 yarfs Tangerine Bumblebee Ribbon by Doodlebug Design Inc.
6 x 3feet assorted ribbon
£5 voucher to be spent at Funky Farm Scrapbook Barn

Stamps:
Sugar Nellie Butterfly Fairy Stamp (unmounted)
Sugar Nellie Peek a Bunny Stamp (unmounted)
Willow stamp from Whiff of Joy (unmounted)
Bella and Bronte Stamp by Mo Manning for Stampavie (cling stamp) 
Balloon Ruby by Ladybug Crafts Ink
Cupcake Ruby by Ladybug Crafts Ink
Day Off Ruby by by Ladybug Crafts Ink
Daydreaming Ruby by Ladybug Crafts Ink
Flower Ruby by Ladybug Crafts Ink
Shopping Ruby by by Ladybug Crafts Ink
Swing Ruby by Ladybug Crafts Ink
Tulip Ruby by Ladybug Crafts Ink
Fairy Sentiments by Ladybug Crafts Ink

In addition to all the stuff that I have put in, the blog candy is being very generously supported by Funky Farm Scrapbook Barn ...

The lovely Hayley has donated all this!!  Plus a £5 voucher to be spent at her on line shop!!!

 and by  Ladybug Crafts Ink

and the equally lovely Kerry has donated all 8 Ruby Fairy stamps, plus the sentiments!!

If you are interested in sending me a card to raise money for this charity, please send me a message, leave a comment or add yourself to Mr. Linky below - please feel free to spread the word round blogland too!  Oh and cards from anywhere in the world are welcomed - I will post the candy worldwide

Thank you

Sue xx

Scrapbook Sisters Card Challenge Number 3 - Over the Edge

Morning!! 

Wow, we had some beautiful entries for last weeks Scalloped Circles challenge at Scrapbook Sisters Card Challenge, and I really loved seeing how everyone interpreted the challenge :-)

This week we are going over the edge....

Ever have one of those days where nothing seems to work and where what you have in your head just won't come out on paper, or when it does it just looks awful (or you think it does!!)  I had one of those days with this card!! In my head I had loadsa balloons and they all went off from the set the cat is holding, but it just looked all wrong, so I took it apart and left the main image as it was!! .... Maybe it would have worked if I'd have used lighter papers, but I love the rich reds of these papers, the certainly make a change from all the teal cards I have been doing lately!! .... Maybe it's me liking things to be ordered and structured who knows!!

I wanted to use the over the edge nestie technique - if you've not done this before why not give it a go? There are quite a few tutorials lurking about but this one is the one I used. I love it when you find ways of using tools in a new way and this is something that looks far more complicated than it actually is, so you can look like a creative genius in no time :-)

The image is by Penny Black and I love the look on his face :-) Kinda of a "uh-oh, now what" look :-)

To create the look of sky I stamped him again and masked him and the ballons up and dabbed a few tones of blue chalk eyes all over, it's patchy and random, although this isn't showing up too well in the pictures. I love how the ballons turned out - I got a dark red Copic pen at the weekends crop and it has really helped to give definition to the ballons, I've popped some glossy accents on them to make them nice and shiney too.

This card was a first for me though, cos I did go over the edge in a second way... I decorated the inside of the card!! I've never done this before but I have noticed a few cards being done this way recently, and really like the look as it jsut makes a card look polished and complete. I'm not sure I'm gonna do it every time, but this is a really nice alternative to doing an insert sheet, and on dark cards like this I think it's a good idea and something that I will do in the future.

Supplies:

CS & Papers - White Cardstock; Red Bazzill; Wild Berry and Licorice Double Dot Cardstock, Bo Bunny; Fairytale by Fancy Pants??; Neenah

Stamps - Cat from Bubbly set by Penny Black; Just a note to say... by Papermania; Happy Birthday - LCI

Punches - EK Success Retro Flower; Tesco Daisy punch; Arch Lattice Border Punch, Martha Stewart

Other - Deckled edge Nesties; Black Gems; Copics; Glossy Accents; Tuxedo Black Momento, Herma

Thanks for stopping by, more tomorrow

Sue xx

Blog Candy Update and 4 more teal cards!!

Evening I think this is nearly it for my teal cards before Saturday as I have got to get the banner made for the front of the table and more boxes for the cards that are too thick to go into envelopes than I care to think about!!  I'll see how I go, might sneek a couple more in yet!!

No idea what on earth I'm babbling about???  Check out this post to find out how you can win my now even-better-than-before-candy...  just take a peek at what you could win!! 

I'm so grateful to Kerry and Hayley for their really generous support, and to everyone who has sent me a card already, there are a few days left to enter - I need your card to reach me in time for the sale on Saturday

Right onto the cards

First up... a couple of simple little cards made using the sketch over at Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge 91.  I've used two of the Digi Stamps by Mo Manning - You're My Best and I Love It, and I got my sewing machine out for these two, cute huh?

I just adore this image, just like my youngest son, although he seems to have taken ownership of all cuddly toys in our house!



Again so reminds me of my son :-) 

Aged 3 he takes the philosophy of

"If it's mine it's mine,

if it's yours it's mine,

if I like it's mine,

if I can take it from you it is mine,

if I am playing with something ALL of the pieces are mine,

if I think is mine it's mine,

if I saw it first it's mine,

if I had it then put it down it's still mine,

if you had it then you put it down it's now mine,
if it looks like the one I have at home it's mine,

if it is broken it's yours."

I'd like to enter them for these challenges

Little Red Wagon Challenge 46 - Stars
One Stitch at a Time Challenge 31 - Happy Birthday
Mo's Challenge 49 - Bright White (I'm really hoping there is enough white on these cards to qualify)
Paper Romance Challenge - Birthday or Christmas
Creative Cottage Challenge 23 - Birthday Boy

Next up, a pair of Thank You/Thinking of you cards

I'd like to enter these cards for

Cute Card Thursday Challenge 130 - Tweet and Flutter

I Did It Creations Challenge 22 - Keep it Simple

Phew, that's it for today, thanks for stopping by :-)

Yet another Teal Card...

Another teal card, and a couple more to show you later this evening as I have a busy couple of days ahead... Tomorrow is Totally Ladybug Tuesday where the Ladybuck Crafts Ink DT will be showing you their latest cards.  Wednesday is the new challenge over at the Scrapbook Sisters Card Challenge (still time to enter this weeks challenge of scalloped circles though!)

So I thought I might as well share the remaining card I made at Saturdays crop

The image is Jill is Two by Mo Manning

I adore the look of Humph on her face!!  I've not really blended the colour on her cheeks, I like them indignant!!

I'd like to enter her for these challenges

Totally Papercrafts Challenge 34 - Happy Birthday

 

More later

Sue xx

More teal cards

Evening!!  Just a quick post with a couple more teal cards

I noticed I didn't have many wedding cards in my box so thought I'd do a couple in white and teal for next weekends event - if you want to get involved, and have the chance of winning some rather fabby blog candy, there are still a few days left, click here to see what is going on and why!

Here's my teal wedding card, similar to ones I've done before, but at this stage on the teal card drive my brain is beginning to hurt and I'm going with if it ain't broke, don't fix it :-)

The image is Bride Nikki, and I have coloured her lightly with copics and added loads of Glamour Dust.  I have used a Martha Stewart border punch, and flower punches by EK Success and my bargain £2.50 punch from Tesco, D'vine embossing folder and nesties

I'd like to enter this card for the Crafty Pad Challenge 89 - Embossing

Card two...

There's a distinct lack of male themed cards in my stack, so in the last 30 minutes of yesterdays crop this is what I came up with

As it's for an older boy I think this is OK, lets face it do teenage boys really look at cards, and certainly OK for a half hour quick make

The image is by Kenny K and you can download him for free this month from his website - click here to go to the Kenny K website and check out all his fab digi images, papers are Bo Bunny Peacock Lane which I got from the lovely Hayley at Funky Farm Scrapbook Barn - I honestly don't think I could have managed to make so many teal cards without these papers, they are spot on... please excuse the pun :-)

I've got a couple more cards to share that I made at yesterdays crop, but they will have to wait til tomorrow :-)

If you know of any other challenges that these cards would be suitable for, please let me know!!

Thanks for stopping by

Sue xx

A rather fabulous day all round...

... hi, I've had a busy but great Saturday, hope you have had a good start to the weekend too :-)

I was up early (well, for a Saturday!) as I had to get my eldest son to meet the cubs as they went to Duxford for the day (I'll give you a synopsis of his review later!), from there I went up to the Scrapbook Sisters crop, and helped them finish setting up, then down to some serious crafting... ahem, well kinda...

We chat as we do, and we got onto one of the girls and her partners habit of sleepwalking/talking... now you know how these things go, we all have our little horror stories of this sort of thing (me about me included, but you had to be there... I'm not sharing that little gem on here!).  However, I have the sneaking suspicion that Julie got a picture of us all in the middle of me telling a story of a friend, who has a habit of sleepwalking... shall I share that one???   Oh why not!! ! Anyway, the short version of the story goes... so she wakes up and wonders why her bedsheets are muddy and there are leaves in the bed... her hubby tells her that he had to rescue her from the garden, where, in November, she was naked, holding onto one arm of the rotary washing line, and spinning round and round, going "wwwwwhhhhhheeeeeeee", like an over excited child, LOL!!!  Now, if that was me, I'd have kept quiet!!!  We were laughing so much (it's infectious!) and Julie had the camera out, so keep an eye on the Scrapbook Sisters blog as Julie is bound to put some pics up :-)

In between the hilarity I got four (yes four!!) cards done!! 

I think I've said it before, but these crops are so friendly... there is normally someone in the hall who has the doo wotsit that you have forgotten and is more than happy to share (or donate!), there are bits and bobs being passed from person to person, table to table all over the place, and it's lovely to see people helping each other... if you live near Kent, why not come along to the next one on 4th of December and have a fun day out with 80 or so fellow crafters??  Tickets will go on sale soon, so keep an eye on their website for them :-)

Right card, gosh sorry I'm really waffley tonight... you'd have thought I'd have had my fill of chatting for one day, but apparently not!

 I love to leave a bit more white space on baby cards than I normally do, no idea why, just me being quirky!!

And a close up...

Cute huh!!

This card is a perfect example of the SBS crops, as it has been made with bits I already had, some new things, and some that I have begged or, err, borrowed from people on my table :-)

Supplies:

White CS, DP - MME Quite Contrary; Pink Embossed Bazzill; Stampendous "Baby's Bath" Stamp, stamped on Neenah, coloured with copics, accented with Glossy Accents; Nesties Die - no idea which one but I borrowed it from Gayle (and unfortunately had to give it back); Prima Flowers (coloured with Chalk Eye); Epoxy Dot - Ladybug Crafts Ink; (White Tulle; Dummy Charm - liberated from Jakki's stash (but bought from a haberdashery shop in Rainham, Kent)

While I was at the crop, loads of people were giving me cards for my blog candy/card drive for Ovarian Cancer (click here for more info) - thank you - with these, the ones I have made, and those sent in from my blog friends we have over 70 cards already... there is still just enough time to make and send me a card though!!

I'd like to enter this card for these challenges
Pear Tree Challenge 17 - Pink
Secret Crafter Challenge 101 - Anything Goes
Crafty Emma's Challenge 4 - Baby Bonanza

Plenty more tomorrow... thanks for stopping by...

Sue xx

Gotta be quick, and a huge thank you

Uhh!!  I hate Friday nights!! 

Friday nights are swimming nights for both the kids and it's always a mad dash from work to nursery, to school and to the pool.  I shouldn't complain really as they are both doing so well, but it's normally the last thing I need after a busy week at work

Tonight was busier than normal as had to go to the supermarket on the way home to get some extra bits for my eldest sons packed lunch tomorrow as he is going to Duxford tomorrow with his Cub Scout pack and I'm trying to get myself packed for the Scrapbook Sisters crop!!  Phew!!

Tonight I am sharing a couple more Teal cards, both really similar so seems apt to pop them in the same post!

OK, card one

I'd like to enter this one for the Secret Crafter Challenge 100 - Sketch

I've used the rather adorable Football Jack from Ladybug Crafts Ink, along with some MME papers from the Quite Contrary Ranges  and some teal ribbon and buttons

The second card uses the same papers but the sketch from Stamptacular Challenge 76

I have used the equally adorable Policeman Jack, also by Ladybug Crafts Ink on this one

I would also like to say a huge, huge thank you to everyone that has taken the time to send me such beautiful cards to add to the collection in aid of Ovarian Cancer - I wish I could give each and every one of you a huge hug!! 

There is still a few days to let me know if you want to join in this great fundraiser - and get the chance to win some fabulous blog candy - please click here to join in the fun

Right, got to go and finish packing, more tomorrow

Sue xx

I'm late, I'm late!!

I was supposed to have a day off work today... and tomorrow... but one thing led to another and I ended up having to go in.... grrrr!!

Which has kinda blown my plans for having a quiet couple of days crafting!!

Anyway, really quick post cos I'm tired, but have had a brilliant evening crafting at my friend Debs house, check out her blog here :-), Debs was a lot more creative than I was but I put that down to me having the hump about working when I should've been playing!!

So tonight I'm sharing a card I made from the offcuts of paper and card from making my card for Lisa's Blog Candy (now finished)

It's a really simple one, inspired by something in last months Creative Cardmaking.  Not quite sure what is going on, 2 cards that are not square in 2 days!!!

I'd like to enter this card for these challenges :-)

Crazy for Challenges - Black, Red and Kraft

Creative Inspirations Challenge 42 - Anything except square or rectangle

Paperplay Challenge Week 37 - all shapes and sizes

More tomorrow (hopefully!!)

Sue xx

Scrapbook Sisters Card Challenge Number 2

Morning!

Today's Challenge for the Scrapbook Sisters Card Challenge is to use Scalloped Circles, I don't mind sharing that this challenge got me worried as I only own one scalloped punch and no scalloped nesties, I suppose that's why it's called a "challenge" not an "easy", LOL!!

I had it in my head to make a scalloped card, rather than using my one scalloped circle template on a square card and suddenly remembered that I'd got some shaped templates a while back with the intention of using them for scrapbooking.  To my shame I'm not sure if I have ever opened the packets, but now I have I can see I'm going to be using these for cardmaking a lot more.  Lesson learnt - I don't always need the latest tools to get a particular style of card done, I just need to look at what I've got in a different way... not that I shall be sharing that particular train of thought with hubby :-)

OK, enough waffle onto the card...

 I placed the template onto my folded card and drew round the outside and cut out the shape with scissors and went roung the edge of the card with a white pen to add faux stitching and glued a light blue gem onto each scallop.

I then cut some smaller circles from white cardstock and my papers using a circle cutter (no idea what it's proper name is but it looks a bit like a compass with a point and a sharp cutting blade!) I stuck these together and added some ribbon and lace before sticking to my card base 

The image has been stamped onto Neenah cardstock and coloured with Copics and cut out using a 3" circle punch.  I've inked the edges with Ice Blue Color Box Chalk, and added Gloss Accents to his glass and all those bubbles!

The sentiment is a freebie from Papermania, punched out with a 1" circle punch.  I've mounted this on a scalloped circle chippie which I have sprayed with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist

To finish the card off I have added some flowers and highlighted the petals with Diamond Stickles

Looking forward to seeing all the lovely entries in this weeks challenge, but please check out what the rest of the DT have got up to here

Supplies:

From Scrapbook Sisters: Paper - Cupcake Make A Wish by Basic Grey; Penny Black Stamp; Lace; Copics; Maya Road Chipboard Button; Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist; Diamond Stickles; Ice Blue Chalk Eye; Glossy Accents; Colour My World Template

From Stash: Blue and White Cardstock; Sentiment - Freebie by Papermania; Flowers; Ribbon; Gems

 

Thanks for stopping by, more tomorrow

Sue xx

Ladybug Crafts Ink DT Blog Hop

Hello!  Welcome to the Ladybug Crafts Ink first ever Blog Hop!!

You should have arrived here from Pinky's Blog, if not go back to the start at Kerry's blog.

The blog hop is to celebrate the first projects made by the new Design Team over at Ladybug Crafts Ink.   We have all been given the challenge of using the Mermaid Nikki image in any way we choose. I haven’t seen the other DT cards so are just as excited as you to see what they have come up with.

Here is my card.....

I decided that I wanted to keep this card elegant and uncluttered, well for me :-).  I had bubbles going through my mind when I made it and so I used some really unusual ribbon, I love this stuff -  it looks really organic, and a crystal/pearl swirl in shades of aqua, teal and crystal, although I did have to cut it about a bit to get it over the image which is on foam pads.

I've stamped Mermaid Nikki onto Neenah cardstock and coloured her with copics and cut her out on the cuttlebug.  I've used the same die and a Mesh embossing folder to sit behind the image, and chalked it all up with chalk eyes, I've added some stickles to Nikki's eyeshadow, collar and sleeves, and given her little crystal earrings too :-)  There's glossy accents on her shell and on all the bubbles.  That sounds horribly complicated but this card went together so easily!!

 Her tail has been stamped 8 times onto pearlescent vellum and layered up, leaving the edges slightly free, I've tried to show this in this photo, hope you can make it out!

Supplies:  Mermaid Nikki; Blue and White Bazzill Bling; Bo Bunny Sophie Stripe and Double Dot papers; Pearlescent vellum; deckled rectangles Nestabilities; Mesh embossing folder; Copics; Diamond and Turquoise Stickles; Momento Tuxedo Black; Ice Blue and Blue Lagoon Color Box Chalk Eyes; Ribbon; Prima Say it in Pearls/Crystals - Blue

There are 3 prizes to be won on the blog hop - one stamp for each prize from the Ladybug Crafts Ink collection.

So...... what do you have to do to win?.... It’s simple.......

1. Hopefully by now you will already have the blog hop banner on your side bar to promote the hop. If not grab it now! - As that is the first requirement.

2. You must visit each of the DT blogs in order and leave a comment on each of their posts.

3. At the end of the hop leave a comment on KERRY’s blog

4. There is a ladybug hidden somewhere on one of the DT blogs.... just email Lisa at...lisa.coe@btinternet.com and tell her where you found the ladybug. (teensy clue, it's bigger than you think it's gonna be!!)

3 winners will be chosen at random from 3 of the DT blogs.

The hop starts today and finishes on midnight Sunday 19th September. The winner will be announced on Kerry's blog on Tuesday 21st September.

Good luck and most of all have fun!

Your next step on the hop is Tams Blog

I'm entering this card for some challenges too
Crafty Catz Challenge 49 - Paper Piecing
Charisma Cardz Challenge 36 - Try something new or not done before (believe it or not I have never done paper piecing before!)
2 Sisters Challenge 6 Monochromatic
Craft Your Days Away Challenge 3 - Girly and Glitter
Our Daily Bread Challenge 29 - Sparkle
Crafty Calendar Challenge 12 - Blue
Fairy Fun Friday - week 35 - embossing
Stamp It Crazy Challenge 5 - Girly Girl
Fab 'n' Funky Challenge 39 -Whateva
Your Next Stamp Challenge 24 - Anything Goes
Gingerloft Challenge 1 - Anything Goes
My Time to Craft Challenge 106- Jewelled

Thanks for stopping by

Sue xx

OMG!!! It's a card for a man!!

Morning!  Where did the weekend go?  Not fair - it's Monday already so back to work I go :-(

I had a good weekend, dinner at my friends house on Saturday then home on Sunday policing homework... getting the big one to do it, stopping the small one from adding his own artistic doodlings to the completed pages :-)  Honestly my eldest is only 8 but he gets loads of homework - last year he had 13 pages to do in a weekend and I thought that was a bit much!  Certainly I don't remember getting homework until I went to secondary school, or maybe I've just purged it from my memory :-)

Ooh, and I fiddled around with my blog layout too, and sorted myself out with a proper title too!!  All on my own, no help from hubby (or my kids), although I did need a little lay down afterwards!!

Anyway, enough waffling, onto todays card...

I've based this card on the sketch over at Papertake Weekly

It's quite a simple card, but I thought it didn't need anything else... plus it's a blokes card, and frankly I like to leave them uncluttered and simple (insert your own joke here...), it's just that my overflowing stash severely lacks anything male themed :-) well I can't help it that I am drawn like a magpie to anything pretty and sparkly and most stuff sold for men just passes me by :-)  So a bit of ribbon, some buttons and a bit of twine is normally my lot!

For all of that, I really like this card, it's really relaxing, and I don't know if that is because of the Mo Manning image, or the colours of the Basic Grey papers or a combination of the two.

I haven't used this image much before, I think I thought it really complicated to colour, but maybe that was before my Copic collection grew, cos this was a doddle - I've just added some glossy accents around the boat and in the bucket.

I'd like to enter this card for the following challenges - all of them (except the sketch) are Autumnal challenges, so I hope you think this fits the bill, I thought so because there are browns and oranges in there and the papers are a bit faded, in the way that things look as the seasons change

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Sketch 47

Paperplay Challenge week 36 - Autumn is a Comin'

Allsorts Challenge - Colours of Autumn

No Time to Stamp Challenge 56 - lets hear it for the guys

Anything Goes Challenge 15 - Autumn
Cards for Men Challenge 19 - Transport (hope his boat counts!)

Thanks for looking, be sure to come for the next couple of days as there is a lot going to be happening :-)

Sue xx