Bunny variations

As I mentioned last week, I got a mini production line going for a few simple Easter cards using this darling freebie bunny stamp. I never make any 2 cards exactly the same, but here's one where the slight variations were made with the following challenges in mind ;-)

Corrosive #57 - Easter

Everybody-Art #84 - Spring
Pile It On #12 - Animal-Riffic!
Ooh-La-La #50 - A button, a bow and some bling
Stamp Something - Doodle Something
The Pink Elephant #60 - Pastels
Totally Gorjuss #23 - Hearts

Recipe:
Main image: free with this month's Quick Cards Made Easy magazine - coloured with watercolour pencils, and edges doodled with Marvey and Gellyroll stardust pens;
Sentiment: free with magazine as above;
>Papers: Craft Creations;
Supplies: heart shaped button by Doodlebug; pearl gems from the Hobby House; ribbon from my stash;
Tools: none!!

Penny Black Challenge #94 - Butterflies & bees

Hello and welcome to another Penny Black Saturday Challenge. Thanks to everyone who played along last week with Carole's fab sketch, and don't forget to check the challenge blog to see if you have been randomly picked as our winner.

This week our thoughts are turning once more to spring themes, so our challenge is

butterflies & bees

Yes ... we would like to see at least one butterfly or bee (or both!!) on your creation. Don't worry if you don't have any PB images of these flying creatures - you can always use a punch, patterned paper or anything else you can think of that depicts a butterfly or bee - so long as you follow the one golden rule of having a Penny Black image on your creation too :-)

This week we have another fab prize for you from our regular sponsor, Dick at PB stamps - which is a lifetime 15% discount for his online store. With what is probably the largest stock of PB stamps in the world, that's a brilliant prize for all PB lovers!

The DT have all been as busy as bees ;-) making their gorgeous samples, so hope you will visit them and check them out. Here's mine .... this theme gave m a perfect opportunity to crack on with my Easter cards.

Recipe:
Main image: Penny Black "Bees & Bunny" (2305H) which was an RAK from Cathy - coloured with watercolour pencils;
Sentiment: Penny Black "Happy Easter" (2855D);
Papers: Papermania (background), BasicGrey "Oh! Baby Girl" - Hannah (discontinued) (panels);
Supplies: flower - Woodware; large pearl brad and green sparkly gems by Paper Company Studio; large spacer from The Hobby House; floral ribbon and small pearls from my stash;
Tools: large circle, large classic scalloped circle, large oval and large classic scalloped oval nestabilities; Martha Stewart butterfly punch; Leone Em "Ash Family" leaf punch.


I followed the sketch over at this week's Creative Inspirations #53

and would also like to enter this card for the following other challenges ...

Simon Says - Easter with Glimmer (I have used glitter card for my butterflies, plus sparkly gems and a shiny pearl brad)
C.R.A.F.T. #43 - Easter
Paper Play #12 - Easter
Fussy & Fancy #7 - Easter
Charisma Cardz #12 - Spring has Sprung
Cute Card Thursday #105 - Dimensions (I have used fluttering butterflies and layered flower with a big spacer)

ABC Design - Spring is in full bloom

Colour Create #41 -Your choice of pastels + Spring or Easter
Flutterby Wednesday #102 - fairy, butterfly or angel
BasicGrey #16 - tutti frutti (I have used orange, lemon & lime colours, with an obscure discontinued BG paper).

Looking forward to all your creations :-)

Beautiful bunny!

I don't normally go much for the freebies given away with craft magazines, but I really fell in love with this adorable bunny stamp that came with this month's Quick Cards Made Easy. It really got me in the mood for making a few Easter cards, and I decided to keep the design simple in line with the simple lines of the image... I also love fresh spring coloured gingham for Easter :-). So this is an example of a mini production-line I got going this evening ... please excuse the night time photo, but I need to get this posted before the deadline for a few challenges!

Talking of challenges ..... I would like to enter this one for the following:

Simon Says - a Splash of Green
Creative Inspirations #52 - White, Yellow & Green
Stampin' for the Weekend - Easter
Stamp With Fun #51 - Easter
Everybody-Art-Challenge #83 - Easter
Our Creative Corner - Think Easter!
Magical Crafts #11 - Easter or Spring
Incy Wincy #35 - Easter or Spring
Cuttlebug Be Inspired #76 - SpringCafty Catz #24 - Spring
Crazy4Challenges #29 - Spring
Frosted Designs - Think Spring (use a flower)
Sweet Stampin' Challenge #18 - Spring is in the Air
Allsorts #44 - Spring is in the Air
Crafty Cardmakers #17 - Spring into Spring
Secret Crafter #75 - Spring has Sprung
Paper Garden - Spring or Easter Colours
Challenge Up Your Life #16 - Spring Flowers
Creative Cottage #2 - Flowers
Totally Gorjuss #22 - RibbonPile it On #11 - Furry Friends

Recipe:
Main image: free with this month's Quick Cards Made Easy magazine - coloured with watercolour pencils;
Sentiment: free with magazine as above;
Papers: Craft Creations;
Supplies: pearl brad and pearl gems from the hobby House; flower and ribbon from my stash;
Tools: none!!

Just off now to finish up the rest of this mini-batch of cards ;-)

Penny Black Challenge #93 - Carole's sketch

Yippee! Here comes the weekend and it's time once more for a Penny Black Saturday Challenge. Thanks so much to everyone who entered last week's "spring colours" challenge - I think there must have been some good vibes going on cos the weather has brightened up considerably this past week. Don't forget to check out the challenge blog to see if you won last week's prize :-)

Now we know that everyone loves a sketch, so we have got a great one for you this week from our very own Carole.


This was really fab to work with, and the DT have come up with some brilliant interpretations which I hope you'll check out. Don't forget ... in order to be eligible for the weekly randomly-drawn prize you need to use a Penny Black image - we have noticed recently that a few people have perhaps not realised this is a requirement .. please feel free to visit the challenge blog for a little summary of exactly what we mean by this ..it's our only rule ;-)

Carole has also donated this week's fabby prize, which is 2 beautiful Cuttlebug embossing folders - you can never have too many of them, I'm sure you'll agree!!

Here's my card .... for some reason the sketch made me think of a Christmas card, which was probably no bad thing as I am already rather behind on my "one Christmas card per week" pledge from back in January.

Recipe:
Main image: Penny Black "Snowy & Hedgy" (3289J) which was an RAK from one of my dear crafty buddies - can't quite remember which one, but I'm sure you know who you are :-) ... coloured with watercolour pencils and liberally decorated with glamour dust;
Sentiment: Craftwork Cards;
Paper: Heidi Grace "Snowflake Garden" (from The Hobby House);
Supplies: pearls from The Hobby House, sparkly gems and sparkly fibre from my stash;
Tools: large and small classic circle nestabilities; Martha Stewart "Arctic Snowflake" punch; Bazzill Jewel Template - "Flowers & Flourishes".

I would also like to enter this one for the following challenges:

ABC Christmas Challenge - F is for Frosty
Pile It On #10 - Pastel Colours
Pollycraft #36 - Sparkly Things

Hope you have a great weekend ! :-)

CCC LotV candy - we have a winner!

Hello again, and thanks very much to everyone who took the trouble to visit and enter for my CCC blogoversary candy over the past 2 weeks.

I have used random.org to pick a winner .....

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers: 21
Timestamp: 2010-03-16 19:36:03 UTC

So the lucky winner of the three LotV stamps (including 2 Thomas the Cat from the newest release) is .......

Ribena Ruby!

Congratulations hun - please email me your address details and I will pop these little cuties in the post asap! Please claim your prize by Sunday evening, or i will draw another winner.

Hugs

Creative Card Crew #47 - Going Dotty!

Hello everyone and welcome to another Creative Card Crew Challenge. Wow!! ... what an amazing number and quality of entries for last week's "celebration" challenge - it was brilliant that so many of you could join us. Don't forget to check back later to see who has won my three LotV stamps blog candy :-), and who has won the prizes on the main challenge blog.

This week we have another great challenge - we'd like to see you all

going dotty!
and we have another fab prize sponsored by

which is this adorable House Mouse stamp.

The rest of the DT has been really going dotty so I hope you'll call by their blogs to check out their creations. Here's mine .... a few firsts for me as it is my first paper-pieced card and my first use of the fab Bazzill jewel templates to create my pearly flourishes :-)

I used the fab sketch from this week's Simon Says Challenge

and would also like to enter the card for the following challenges:

ABC - P is for Paper-Piecing
One Stop Craft Challenge #71 - Spots & Dots
Crafty Cardmakers #16 - A Feminine Celebration

Kaboodle #26 - Happy Birthday!


Recipe:
Main image: WOJ "Willow Shopping" coloured with watercolour pencils, edges sponged with Versamgic chalk ink, and bags paper-pieced;
Sentiment: Craftwork Cards;
Papers: MME "Pretty Please";
Supplies: pearls, spacers and pearl brads from The Hobby House; flowers from my stash;
Tools: "Labels four" nestabilities; Bazzill jewel templates "Flourishes and flowers".

Look forward to seeing all your creations!

Gone Fishin'!

Today is my darling husband's birthday, and he is a keen fisherman, so I have been hoarding this cute "Dandelion Goes Fishing" stamp set since last summer especially so I could make this card lol!

I was always going to make this card regardless of any challenges, but it's always nice to find some challenges to enter .. and here are a few that I believe this card fits.

Creative Inspirations #29 - Male Card
Double Dutch #28 - Boys only

Crafty Catz #23 - Something for the boys
Crazy 4 Challenges #28 - masculine card

Stamp Something - Something Cream & Green
Fussy & Fancy #6 - Green
Pixie Cottage #11 - Green

All that Scraps - Green

For Fun #2 - Green
Too Cute For Words - Green

Raise the Bar #8 - Go Green
Penny's Paper Crafting Challenge - Going Green

Clearly Inspired #9 - Think Green
Inky Impressions #31 - Think Green

Cute Card Thursday #103 - Celebrations!
Flourishes Timeless Tuesday #57 - Celebration!
Fun with Shapes & More #44 - Happy birthday!

Gingersnap #44 - Birthday Greeting
Die Cut Dreams #38 - No Flowers Allowed!

Pollycraft #35 - Distressing
Spoon Full of Sugar #94 - recycle (I have used buttons which were originally snipped from some garment or other!)
Secret Crafter #74 - Anything Goes
Ooh-la-la #49 - Anything Goes

Phew!! 23 challenges - a new record! not bad considering i didn't even consult a challenge list before I made this one ;-)

Here's a closeup of the cute fish charm I used - I also cut down a piece of raffia ribbon and stained it with distress ink, fondly imagining it might look like a piece of fishing net lol!

Recipe:
Main image: "Dandelion Goes Fishing" coloured wtih watercolour pencils, and edges of image distressed with "Antique linen" distress ink;
Sentiments: Hero Arts (main); "Dandelion Goes Fishing" (in corner);
Papers: K&Co - checked paper edges distressed using scissors;
Supplies: Hobbycraft raffia ribbon (stained wtih antique line distress ink); buttons, dewdrops, green ribbon and fish charm from my stash;
Tools: Fiskars paper cutter "deckle" blade.

Hope it will be a nice day for his birthday so we can have a little r&r :-)Hope you're all having a good weekend.

Penny Black Challenge #92 - Spring Colours

Wow another week has flown by, and it's time already for another Penny Black Saturday Challenge. Thanks to everyone who entered last week's easel card challenge - there were some amazing creations. Don't forget to check if you are the lucky winner of last week's prize.

This week our thoughts are turning to spring ...... I keep thinking that surely it must be round the corner now that Easter is nearly here?? So this week's challenge is to create a project using

Spring colours

Now I have interpreted that as yellow and green, but of course you can interpret it however you like so long as you use a Penny Black stamp or sticker somewhere on your creation.

This week we have a fab prize from our regular sponsor

which is a $20 spending spree in their online store - nice!

Here's my card .... I decided to go for an image and colours that would work for Easter .... and I felt that this wonderful "Spring" sentiment worked so well with the magical image of the butterfly on bunny's nose!

As I've had no crafting time this past week apart from producing DT cards I did my best to also tie this card in with a few other challenges:

Stamp With Fun #49 - Spring
Stampin' B's #49 - Spring
Tanda Teaser #137 - Simply Spring
Rosie D's #66 - Think Spring

By the Cute & Girly - Spring is in the air
Sassy Susie's #10 - Easter
CRAFT #41 - Citrus

There She Goes #45 - Yellow Spring Flowers
Charisma Cardz #10 - Beautiful butterflies
Flutterby #100 - butterfly, fairy or angel
Magical Crafts #10 - Things with Wings
Aimee's Challenge #3 - Things with Wings
Cupcake #81 - Flower Power
Creative Inspirations #51 - Charms
Papercutz #32 - Anything Goes!

Recipe:
Main image: Penny Black "Bunny Bath" (3616J) coloured with watercolour pencils;
Sentiment: Penny Black "Spring Magic" (2852C);
Papers: Crafty Creations;
Supplies: pearl brad, pearl gems and spacer from The Hobby House; raffia ribbon from Hobbycraft; butterfly print ribbon, flowers and enamel charm from my stash;
Tools: large classic scalloped rectangle and large classic scalloped square nestabilities; Crafts Too "butterflies" embossing folder.

Hope you will call by the other DT members' blogs as spring has really sprung with all their fab efforts! Look forward to seeing all your crafty creations :-)

Brightside award

I received this fabby award from the lovely Sharon ... and unfortunately I've been so mad busy for the past week or more that I've had no time to park my rear and actually put it onto my blog.
But at last!! I've got a little time to catch my breath, so here goes! To accept the award you need to take part in a little information sharing

Instructions:
1. Give a top 10 list of the things that makes you happy.
2. Give a top 5 list of trivia about yourself.
3. Share the award with only 5 persons and ask them to do the same thing.
4. Link the blogs you choose and link the blog of the person awarded you.

Top 10 things that make me happy:

1. My wonderful husband - esp. when he is cooking one of his yummy dinners for me 2. Talking to my mum on the phone.
3. When a card comes together and I'm happy with how it's turned out!
4. Weekend breaks with my husband - esp. pottering about exploring new towns or cities.
5. Reading a great book (esp. historical novels and biographies).
6. When the postie brings me a fab parcel of new crafting goodies :-)
7. Going out with friends to the theatre or a show.
8. Eating chocolate!
9. Finishing a work project and feeling I've produced good work.
10. When the train home from work isn't late (rare!)

5 trivia things about me (ooh I'm struggling with this one!)

1. I love history and am absolutely obsessed with the Tudors - so if i ever go on Mastermind that would have to be my specialist subject.
2. I used to take ballroom dancing classes and once took part in an amateur show as part of a Latin formation team ... these days I restrict my efforts to watching Strictly Come Dancing!
3. I once visited Israel on a mini-tour whilst on holiday, and saw all the amazing sights of Jerusalem and Bethlehem - the most fascinating palces I have ever visisted.
4. I wear my grandmother's engagement ring which is 85 years old.
5. I'm a real chocoholic when it comes to chocolate bars or boxed chocs, but I can't eat choc puddings ar drink hot chocolate as they are too rich and make me feel sick!

Just need to pass this on now .... so I'd like to pass it on to Marcea, Squirrel, Sue, Kaz and Kath.

Penny Black Challenge #91 - easel card

Woo hoo its Saturday, so it's time again for another Penny Black Saturday Challenge. It was fabulous to see last week's interpretations of Carole's fabulous sketch - don't forget to pop over the the challenge blog to check if you have won last week's prize.

This week we have another great challenge - we would like you to make an

easel card

The only other rule is that you need to use a Penny Black image or sticker somewhere on your creation.

This week we have another great prize from our regular sponsor Clair at

- an SU corner rounder punch.

The DT has been busy making some really gorgeous creations - hope you will pop over to their blogs and check them out. We also have a brilliant new guest designer for March - Nadine - so please do go and say hello!

I really love easel cards as they are so easy to make and give you a bit more "display" area than a standard card .... so I have taken the opportunity to make my mum's Mother's Day card.

I would also like to enter this card for the following challenges:

Simon Says - Mother's Day
C.R.A.F.T. #40 - Mother's Day / Flowers
Totally Papercrafts #6 - Mother's Day / Special Lady
Magical Crafts #9 - Something for Mum
My Time to Craft #81 - Just for Mum
Lili of the Valley #48 - Easel Card
Kaboodle Doodles #25 - Fancy Folds
Stamp Something - Something Girly
Crafty Calendar #6 - Flower Power

Spoon Full of Sugar #93 - beads (hope the little pearl beads on the flower stamens count ... they're all I've got lol!)

Recipe:
Main image: Penny Black "Wind Caressed" (3818J) heat embossed wtih detail gold powder and coloured with Cosmic Shimmer paints;
Sentiments: peel offs and Cuttlebug "Hippie Chick" alphabet lettering;
Papers: BasicGrey "Wisteria";
Supplies: roses from Hobbycraft decorated with stickles; large pearl brads from The Hobby House; floral ribbon and flowers with pearl bead stamens from my stash;
Tools: Fiskars paper trimmer "deckle" blade; Martha Stewart "doily lace" edge punch.

Looking forward to seeing all your creations and have a great weekend :-)

Creative Card Crew #46 - Celebrate! ... and DT candy!!

Good morning everyone, and welcome once more to the Creative Card Crew Challenge. This is a very special week for us, as CCC is on year old - yay! So it's

Happy birthday to CCC :-)

So this fortnight we have got the perfect theme in honour of the occasion .... yes, we would like you to

Celebrate!

You can interpret this theme however you like ... perhaps you would like to create a project to celebrate a birthday, friendship, Mother's Day, wedding, anniversary ... the list is endless :-)

And to help us get into the party spirit, boy do we have some fantastic prizes for you! Not just one, but FOUR prizes for lucky entrants .... I think the DT all wish they could enter too lol!! Feast your eyes on this little lot ......

1. A $20 gift certificate from


2. 3 digi images of your choice from

3. A fab prize from Nichola at

which is these 2 darling stamps

4. Last but not least, a one month GDT spot on the Creative Card Crew Challenge :-)

AND that's not all ......

We are also celebrating with

DT candy!

Most of the DT members are celebrating by offering a little candy for entrants to this fortnight's challenge ... if you want to be in it to win it, here's what you need to do ....

- Enter a project for this fortnight's challenge, using Mr Linky on the Creative Card Crew Challenge blog in the usual way.
- Visit each of the DT member blogs (you may like to show a little love for their fabulous cards whilst you're there :-))
- If you would like to enter for a particular candy, leave a comment according to each DT member's instructions
- Cross your fingers and wait for the winners to be announced after this fortnight's challenge is finished!

I am offering the following candy :

3 Lili of the Valley stamps
INCLUDING
2 from the new release due out 10th March!!

In order to enter for this all you need to do is leave me a link in Mr Linky directly to the project you have entered in this fortnight's challenge (please make it direct to your post, not to the whole blog). One entry only for my candy please so as to make it fair for everyone !! I haven't used Mr Linky before, so if he should take a holiday, please just leave me a comment with a direct link to your card and I will include you in the draw :-)

Update: please ensure that if you are entering for my blog candy that you have entered your card in this week's CCC Challenge and that it is a NEW project - any backlinks or projects not entered in this week's challenge are ineligible and I will delete the entries from Mr Linky so as to be fair for challenge entrants - thanks.

If you would like to leave me a comment about my card as well please feel free ;-) I will choose a winner randomly at the end of the challenge.

Don't forget to visit the rest of the DT's blogs to see their fab cards and find out what gorgeous candy they have got on offer.

Janna
Linda
Linda C
Maria
Paula
Pauline (me)
Sam
Victoria

... and for one week only, Sharon has rejoined us with her fabulous celebration cake!! :-)

After all that .... at last, my celebration card


I always think that this cute hedgie looks so joyful ... and no wonder, he is called "Hedgehog Joy" lol!

I followed the fab sketch for this fortnight's Sunday Sketch & Stamp #22 and would also like to enter this card for Cupcake Crafts #80 - round & round & FTTC #56 - scallops

Recipe:
Main image: Penny Black "Hedgehog Joy" (1436K) coloured with watercolour pencils, edges sponged with Versamagic chalk ink, and decorated with Papermania gems;
Sentiment: Penny Black "Critter Party" transparent set;
Papers: MME "Pretty Please";
Supplies: large pale blue pearl brad by Paper Company Studio; large spacer from The Hobby House; Papermania iridescent gems; ribbon and flowers from my stash;
Tools: large classic circle and large classic scalloped circle nestabilities; Shapeabilities "fancy tags"; Martha Stewart "garden trellis" edge punch (just seen); Leone Em "Ash Family" leaf punch.

Really looking forward to seeing you celebrate with us - have a great week!