Autumnal colours at Crafty Cardmakers and More

Hello!!

This weeks challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers and More is

Autumnal Colours

Which in my little corner of the world is very apt as the days are becoming noticibly shorter, the nights are chiller, the morning dew hangs in the air and the leaves on the trees are turning into the most spectacular colours before falling all over the garden!

It was from this that I drew inspiration for my card, using a TPS image coloured to tone in with the Bo Bunny papers - these were old papers which had already been cut into, so I am feeling quite virtuous and frugal :-).

Anyway, without further ado, here's my card

This isn't my normal colour scheme, but really like how this card turned out!  The gems, ribbon, button, pins and charm are all from my stash

Please may I enter these challenges
My Time to Craft - Autumnal Colours
Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge - Anything goes with Autumnal Colours 
Alphabet Challenge - R is for Ribbon
Crafting With Friends - Anything Goes
Simply Papercraft - Anything Goes
Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
 

Thanks for stopping by

Sue xx

I made the wrong card... but check out this weeks challenge at Crafty Cardmakers and More...

Hello!!

Wow, I've not posted in so long! I am naughty, but life is a bit hectic at the moment, what with work and holidays (and the piles of washing that follows).  Anyway, the chaos has made me make a complete whoopsie... you see this fortnights challenge at  Crafty Cardmakers and More is No patterned papers. Not Warm Summer Colours. Which was the challenge that ran when I was on my holidays...  I am such an idot!!  And I've only just realised my mistake, and it is too late to make another card now! 

Seeing as I like my card (and it took me ages to put together for one reason and another), I thought I'd share it anyway.

 I went for a deckchair look with my papers!  And used a Kraftin' Kimmie image from my stash

I found this little (sun)glasses charm in my stash too

Ho hum... Anyway, check out what all the rest of the lovely DT did... Their creations are fabulous and actually meet this fortnights theme.  Not the last one!

Thanks for stopping by

Sue

xx

Getting Stitchy at Crafty Cardmakers and More...

Hello!

This fortnight at Crafty Cardmakers and More the theme is  

Stiching

This can be done on a machine, or by hand or faux, the choice is yours!

I used my machine to stitch round the edges of my panels, I was going to add some hand-stitching too, but for the life of me I could not find my embroidery threads!!

The papers are some old ones I had in my drawers, sometimes it's nice to use things up rather than reach for a new pad every time!  That they went so well together and that brown and blue are my absolute all time favourites were an added bonus :-)

In keeping with the use of my old stash I reached for one of the first stamps I ever bought -  a Gorguss Girl image from long ago, she's still a cutie!   Just visible in this shot is the banner dies I got from Stampin' Up a while back - I cut each out, then trimmed a couple of millimeters from each and layered them up.  I've distressed the edges of these with Vintage Photo as I have each of the panels.

Again I've distressed with Vintage Photo, but lightened it up with a bit of Antique Linen.  The postmarks are stamped with a Stampin' Up pad (although I stamped first on a scrap of paper to take some of the ink out as it's a bit juicy!  I then sprinkled some Stampendous Embossing powders on the panel, before fussy cutting and layering my image on top with foam pads.

You can see  the stitching a bit better in this shot!  I've been playing with a HOTP die that came with a magazine recently, and love how it looks embossed and sanded.  The gems, button, charm, and pins are from my stash, and I just had to use this rich looking velvet ribbon over some lace.  I tried tying a bow, but because it's single sided it looked all wrong, so had to settle for a knot!

To mirror the banners at the top I hand cut a sentiment panel and distressed it too.  The sentiment is another item from my early crafting days and is from a Woodware set.  As I've been doing quite a lot lately, I bowed the sentiment, by fixing foam pads in the middle to stack it up, and double sided tape to attach the edges.

Please may I enter these challenges

Hiding in my Craftroom - Freestyle
Kitty Bee Designs - Sew Cute
Polkadoodles Challenge - Girly but no Pink
Sister Act Challenge - Anything Goes
Creative Knockouts - Tic-Tac-Toe (Rubber Stamp, Embossing, Die Cuts)
Southern Girls - Spots and Dots

It's all about the hair colour at Top Tip Tuesday

Hello!!

I really loved making my card for this fortnights challenge over at Top Tip Tuesday - not just because the sponsor is the fabulous The East Wind, and I could crack out my previously unused Aurora Vine image.

The challenge is 

It's All About the Hair Colour

So I went for the sort of colour that I would have loved to of had when I last had mine done a couple of weeks ago, just that I can't because of work (boooo!!!)

I used some papers by Echo Park that have been in my stash for ever... I kept it quite neutral as I wanted the image to pop :-)  No idea who made the rose stamp to the left of the image, but I thought it went quite well with the card!

I decorated the inside of the card to match

In preparation for my recent colour change (I've gone a bit red ombre... well it was red ombre when I had it done... it seems like my hair did not want to be red as most of it has washed out already.... humf!) I did a bit of searching on Pinterest to get some ideas, and found these lush pics

 If you like the purple look this is a great source of inspiration

 I coloured her dress in greys, and added a pop of pink here and there, and a dash of glitter to her headdress, shoes, and glove thingys (I'm sure there is a proper name for them, but I have no idea what it is!!)

Please can I enter these challenges
Incy Wincy Designs Challenge - All Layers/No layers (I've gone for lots and lots!!)
Come and Get It Challenge - Tic-Tac-Toe (Die Cut-Design Paper-Ribbon)
Suzy Bee's Challenge - Anything Goes w/twist - Make it Girlie
Crafting From The Heart - Anything Goes
Wags and Whiskers - Lots of layers

That's it from me today - have a great week

Hugs

Sue xxx

Double Trouble at Top Tip Tuesday

Hello!!!

This time at Top Tip Tuesday the theme is 

Duo

This is open to interpretation, and if you need some more ideas then head over to the challenge blog for more explanation or ideas!

The challenge is being sponsored by All Dressed Up, and I used the Love My Sister image as a starting point for my card

I used some old papers from my stash - I think they are Echo Park from years ago!    I coloured my image with copics, although annoyingly I think I used the wrong card as it bled out horrifically!!  I have obviously mixed up my cardmaking cardstock with my stamping cardstock... oh rats!!  I kind of rescued my image by going round it with a blue pen, hmmm... 

Anyway, that's it from me for today, hope you are able to join in with our challenge this time

Thank you for looking

Sue xx

Dotty... Crafty Cardmakers and More

Hello!!

This week at Crafty Cardmakers and More the theme is 

Dots

Well it didn't take me long to find several papers in my stash that met the theme, so I was grateful to be able to be able to use some up!  The great thing with the black and white colour scheme is that you can use up odds and ends of your stash!  The papers are a mix of manufacturers, and all had been cut into previously, but with little/no tonal differences (as I often struggle with with coloured papers) they work well together)

Once I had picked my papers, I turned my attention to which image to use, and it seemed quite retro to me, so I went with Retro Selfie from Kenny K

 

I coloured the image with my copics and added some velvet ric-rac along the bottom, for a bit more of a vintage feel :-)  Along with the big satin bow I think it works well, although I did cheat a bit and use a pre-printed sentiment as I wanted to use a round sentiment to go with the dotty theme, but for the life of me can't find my round sentiment stamp!!!  It will turn up when I'm not needing it and looking for something else no doubt!

The white paper behind the image is a script one, but has grey dots on it too, and I could not resist using the fishnet paper too as it seemed to go with the image ;-)

Anyway, hope you are able to join in with the challenge this time

Thanks for stopping by

Sue xx

 

Tripple trouble at Top Tip Tuesday

Hello!

This fortnight at Top Tip Tuesday the theme is Three of Something which is my sort of challenge...

So... I started with three papers to make my card

I can't find my distressing tool anywhere, so just used my scissors... hmmm probably not the safest thing to do, but hey!!  

 

I coloured this Saturated Fairy image with my copics... I am quite happy with how this turned out!  I'm not quite sure how I got her dress like that, but it looks OK in the picture but looks even better in real life :-)

I then got a bit carried away with the whole three things, and put thee embellishments on (pearls, charm and button...

 

Then I spotted I had used three ribbons, (well, two and a lace...)

 

Thanks for stopping by

Sue xxx

All Stripey at Crafty Cardmakers and More...

Hello!!

This week at Crafty Cardmakers and More the theme is stripes, and I took the opportunity to use some lovely MME papers from my stash, plus a strip of corrugated card .

I tucked a ticket behind the image which I stamped then distressed with distress inks, and added some lace, velvet ric rak and layered buttons, plus some flowers .

The image is from Saturated Canary and I have coloured her with my copics

Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by

Sue xxx

Stamps Only at Top Tip Tuesday

Hello!!

How are you?  Can you believe we are half way through February already?

This week at Top Tip Tuesday the challenge is to stamp - no digi's are allowed, which caused me a real dilemma as so many of my images are digi's now.  Still I had a good rummage through my stamp collection and found this cute little image from Lili of the Valley that hasn't been inked up in an absolute age!  Shocking really as I found some lovely stamps that I used to use all the time, and haven't touched in ages - maybe this challenge will inspire me to use them more often!

I couldn't resist chucking everything on this card - although no flowers or pins, I just had to use some of my straws again :-)

 

 Isn't this image adorable?  Just love the little mouse in the bottom right waving :-)

Anyway, hope this challenge encourages your creativity too :-)

Thanks for stopping by

Sue xx

Fluttering Birthdays...

Second week at Top Tip Tuesday... and I just had to have another play!

Hello!!

Happy Tuesday!!  I just loved my card for this fortnights Top Tip Tuesday and how her bright blue hair came out - check it out here - and just had to have another go!

This time I got out my pink copics for her hair, well dusky pinks anyway!  To go with the whimsy and slightly vintage look of this card, I decided to dot some stampendous embossing powder here and there on the image

Hope you like it!

Sue xx

Joining it all up with Crafty Cardmakers and More

Hello!!

This week at Crafty Cardmakers and More we would like to see you combine two or more images - this can be a stamped image, or you can go digital, as I have done

I've used a couple of my Kenny K images and joined them up on the computer.   Now for some this would have been easy, but not for me as I had to change my software when I got a new laptop.  So I huffed and puffed, and just could not get the thing to do what I wanted!  Then my 12 year old came over, and with a few clicks had it sorted for me.  He was explaining what he was doing, but I have no idea what he was going on about.  I shall have to get him to talk me through it... slowly... and deal with the looks of "Come on Mum, catch up..." that are ineviatble...

Anyway, here's my card...

I kept it simple, and just used an embossing folder on some co-ordinations cardstock and got a rough nail file out and sanded it back (I've found rough nail files are perfect for sanding, and they are cheaper than the stuff that is sold for crafting!)

The sentiment has been stamped onto white c/s, distressed and cut out with a section of a spellbinders die

At the last minute I decided to colour a second sitting image and layered her over the first... IRL it means she pops from the card more :-)

Anyway, hope you are able to join in with the challenge this time

Thanks for stopping by

Sue

xx

Show us your new stuff @ Top Tip Tuesday

Hello!

I soooo meant to post more this week, but it's been kinda one of those weeks where nothing has gone quite to plan..I've got a few images coloured, and a couple of cards nearly finished, but not a lot I could share!!  Anywhoooo this fortnights challenge at Top Tip Tuesday is to show us something new.... it might be a new technique, or a product that is new to you - tell us though what it is, as I for one am hopeless at guessing and my crystal ball is broken :-D

I've several new things here... the papers are a new purchase - Vintage Frost Basics from Live and Love Crafts -  (sshhh don't tell anyone!!)...and I LOVE them, the are sooo usable

 the fabby image is new (from this weeks sponsor Hannah Lynn - she's the rather gorgeous Rainbow Sky Mermaid) and the colouring technique is new too, as I always end up colouring my images with blond, brunette or black hair, but I have loved some images where the hair has been coloured in the sort of colours I would LOVE but would get fired for these days (the time when I had jet black hair with streaks of jade, peacock and navy or pink, violet and purple have long since been unacceptable...boooo!!!!)  I am so wanting several more of these images... my new fave!!

I really loved colouring this image with her funky hair, and do you know what, I think I somehow managed to do her hair better than I usually would.. how does that work!!!   I think swapping colour has been a real boon though, as I hope to translate what I've figured out back to when I need to colour in sensible colours!!  I've also been playing with colouring eyes - not all images lend themselves to this due to the size of the pupil, but there is shading in her eye colour too!  And I used my new Stampendous Shabby Blue embossing powder on this image too... I just tapped some here and there and heated it up - all a bit random ;-)  I think it works with the distresed cardstock

That's it from me today - hope to see your new creations!

Thanks for stopping by

Sue xxx

You can't take the fussy out of me!

Hello!!

In complete contrast to yesterdays Clean(ish) and Simple(ish) card, I just have to post something a bit more... erm... busy... just to redress the balance!

I've made this card for one of the girls at work... she has a thing about shoes, and always wears fabby clothes (but then she has the advantage of being much younger than me, has no kids to drain her bank balance (or to have left their marks on her figure) and living at home...).  Anyway, she was delighted with her Christmas card and I knew just the image to use for her Birthday card :-)

 I went all monochrome for this one, and used some download papers from Michele R Designs.  I've not used many printable papers before but saw these, and loved them!  I added some distress inks to the outside of each paper, and added lace, ribbon, cheesecloth and a charm. I decided to keep this card monochrome - although it all looks a bit brighter in the photos than in real life!!

 

The Cinderella image is from Kraftin Kimmie, but I think she may have been discontinued :(  Anyway, I've been practicing my colouring of fabric on her skirts... I'm getting there with it I think!  I mounted her on the right of the card... well she is running away!  I added gems to her earrings and necklace, and glitter to her skirt... and popped her on the edge of a die cut which has also been dry embossed, stamped and dotted with some embossing powders (I think it was the pink and gold glitter one, and the white and gold glitter one... I got a bit carried away!!)

 

Please may I enter these challenges

Tuesday Throwdown - Favourite Embellishment - Ribbon

Sparkle and Sprinkle - Anything Goes with Glitter/Embossing Powder

The Paper Girls Challenge - Sparkle and Shine

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Old (image) and New (papers)

Fairytale Stampers - Anything Goes

Pile It On Challenge - Digi Papers or image (stamped image, but digi papers)

Anyway, thanks for stopping by

Sue xx

Keeping it simple at Top Tip Tuesday

Hello!  Happy New Year :-)

This fortnight at Top Tip Tuesday the challenge is 

Clean and Simple

And oh boy, this was a toughy for me!  My style is usually more is more, and I tried a couple of attempts before inspiration struck (at 3.30 in the morning!!).  I'll share one of my other attempts later this week, and you'll see why it didn't make the cut :-)

Anyway, I used a Retro Selfie image from Kenny K and it kind of came together...

I went for lots of white space with this image, and just added some twine left over from a Christmas gift wrap pack (am I the only crafter that eyes up the wrapping on other peoples pressies and snaffles all the ribbon... no thought not!!) a Stampin' Up! sentiment, blingy button and some Tim Holtz Film strip... of and some stitching... so maybe a bit more than a proper CAS card should be.. but everything is relative :-)

 

I've coloured her up with my trusty copics, then fussy cut her out and popped her on top of the film strip

 

Actually, despite the fact it took me faaaarrrrr loooonnnggger to put this one together than my usual style, I really like this card... the strong image doesn't need too much and I love the black, white and pop of red combo :-)

Please may I enter these challenges

A Gem of a Challenge - Something New (image)

One Stitch at a Time - Anything Goes with Stitching

Quirky Crafts Challenge - Clean and Simple
Kenny 's Krafty Krew - Anything Goes with a Twist: New Beginnings (not sure if I've understood this, but mine is to try something different from time to time!)
Clear It Out Challenge - Anything Goes (my Stash item is the film strip, which I have had for ages)

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Party Time Tuesdays - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by

Sue xx

Ladybug Crafts Ink Grand Finale

Hello

This is one post I never wanted to write, and I'm welling up as I type this ;-(

After much soul searching, Head Ladybug has decided the time is right to close the doors on Ladybug Towers :(  As of today there is a massive sale on over at the online store - get your bargains while you can, as once they have gone they've gone... click here to go directly to the store.

I'm delighted that so many of my fellow DT members have returned for our last hurrah... which is

Your Favourite Image

As ever, we'd love for you to use a LCI image, but it's not compulsory...

Anyway, before I go all teary eyed, here is my card, using Dancing Nikki...

I coloured Nikki with my copics, and added a touch of bling here and there...

And I just had to decorate the inside too...

I'd like to take the opportunity to say a huge thank you to Kerry for having the courage to set up LCI in the first place, it was her images that got me into stamping and colouring in the first place, and for asking me to join the original DT, and for being a fabulous friend over the last few years;  to all the DT members past and present for making this a complete blast, I will miss working with you all

Hugs

Sue xxxx

Special Ladies at LCI

Hello!

It's time for another challenge at Ladybug Crafts Ink - and this time it is the turn of the super-talented Julie to choose, and she has picked 

For a Special Lady

You can interpret this however you like - Mothers Day, a special birthday, or just a fabulous card for a friend or relative.

All the DT have used images from the Nikki range - this is probably where I should confess just how much I love this range of images, as they were what got me into colouring and cardmaking in a big way - and I have loved returning to use Original Nikki - available as a digi here or a stamp here, or

check out the entire Nikki range in either digi here or stamps here

I couldn't resist going all out on this card - I think I have done enough plain and simple cards of late, and I was just crying out to get everything on here!!  So there's ribbon, flowers, lace, die cuts, pearls, cheesecloth, stitching, charms, brads, glitter, gorgeous papers, and some frantage embossing power too (super impressed with myself at finally using this stuff!!)  I really love this card - and I think Nikki has a hint of 50's glam to her :-)  Either way, how stylish is she with her shades up on her head, and her cute pooch at her feet:-)

 

I've coloured her with my copics, sticking to pale lilac tones

Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Please can I enter these challenges
Papertake Weekly - For Mum or Girlie 
Sweet Stamps - Anything Goes
Through The Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
Creative Card Crew - Charms
Fan-Tastic Tuesday - It's Hip to Be Square
Craft-Dee BowZ - Anything Goes with a Handmade Bow
Tuesday Throwdown - Tic, Tac, Toe (Die Cuts, Flowers, Ribbon)
Shabby Tea Room - Anything Goes
Sparkle and Sprinkle - Anything Goes with Glitter, Embossing Powder or Flock

Hugs, Sue xx