A couple of cuties

Yesterday afternoon I felt like pulling out an image from my image wallet to colour rather than getting out my stamps and ink; and I settled on this cute pair of Penny Black bunnies. I couldn't quite decide whether to make them into a love themed card, but then decided with the spring-like flower they are holding I would make them into an Easter card instead.

I followed this week's Papertake Weekly sketch #52 (had to fiddle around slightly with the position of the sentiment, or poor bunny's whiskers would have been trapped behind it and we coudn't have that, could we?)

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

Daring Cardmakers - Year of the Rabbit
Dutch Dare #97 - 3 papers + 3 flowers + 3 sparkly things + 1 ribbon
Ooh-La-La #72 - Three of a Kind (3 sparkly gems)
CES #21 - Bold & Bright
Paper Play #4 - Layer It Up
My Time To Craft #125 - Embossing
Pile it on #5 - Punch it!
Stamptacular Sunday #96 - Whateva!

Copic Creations #42 - What's New?

( daisy & yellow cherry blossoms from WOC)

Recipe:
Main image: Penny Black "Daisy Bunnies" (3108K), coloured with Promarkers and Copics;
Sentiment; Penny Black;
Papers: papermania "Forever Friends - Spring time";
Supplies: large daisy and cherry blossoms from Wild Orchid Crafts; ribbon and gems from my stash;
Tools: small classic circles and lacy circles nestabilities; Martha Stewart "Wild Flowers" PATP corner punch; Leone Em "Ash branch" leaf punch; Cuttlebug "daisy pattern" embossing folder.

Must dash now to work - catch you later!

Penny Black Saturday #136 - Sketch by Me!

Hi there and welcome to another week of the Penny Black Saturday Challenge. What a talented lot of bargain hunters you are, judging by the fabulous entries for last week's January Sales challenge! Don't forget to check out the main challenge blog to see whether you've bagged some more booty by being picked as last week's lucky winner of the prize from Fantastic Ribbons.

So on to this week's challenge, and we have a sketch for you drawn by li'l ol' me .. hope you like it!

This week's prize is a 15% lifetime discount voucher from PB Stamps - how fab is that!

The other ladies on the DT have really excelled themselves with their interpretations of my sketch - here's my effort.


Recipe:
Main image: Penny Black "Message from above" (2617J) coloured with Promarkers;
Sentiment: LotV;
Papers: Papermania "Henbury Lane";
Supplies: curly wild rose, cherry blossoms, small roses, lace and pearls all from Wild Orchid Crafts, covered in Stickles; sparkly ribbon and clear gems from my stash;
Tools: large and small cirlces and scalloped circles nestabilities; "doodles" shapeabilities; Martha Stewart "Ash Branch" leaf punch.


I made this card to fit the following challenges:

Simon Says - Animal Antics
I ♥ ProMarkers #50 - Lavender & Lace
Passion For Promarkers #84 - Let It Shine
Top Tip Tuesday #19 - Fabulous Flowers
Crafty Catz #67 - Flowers
Crafty Sentiments #27 - Favourite Things

(PB stamps, LotV stamps, flowers, glitter, lace :-) )

Little Red Wagon #65 - Lace

Challenge Up Your Life #36 - Scripture in the Background
Totally Gorjuss #65 - As You Like It

Looking forward to seeing your creations this week.

Oldie But A Goodie #11 - First DT card :-)

Good morning, and thanks for looking in on my first DT card for the Oldie But A Goodie Challenge. I was really thrilled when Francesca asked me to join the team, and the ladies have all given me a really warm welcome so I couldn't wait to get started. Luckily I managed to get myself organised for once in advance, as my cardmaking has had to go out of the window the past few days!

This fortnight is Tracy's turn to pick the challenge, and she has chosen

Fairies, mermaids, dragons or any magical being

Tracy has also donated this yummy prize - an adorable "Pepper & Friends" clear stamp set.


There are just a few simple rules to follow to be eligible for the prize - just follow the challenge theme with a new project, and use a stamped image (no digis) for a stamp that is at least six months old ... and don't forget to have fun!!

The other ladies on the DT have created some really magical creations, so please do check them out - here's mine.


As it happens I only have one fairy stamp that is older than six months, so there wasn't a lot of agonizing to do there! I really do love this LotV fairy - she was one of the first (of many!!) LotV stamps I ever bought, and I think she looks really pretty in so many different colour schemes. Here is a closeup of the front, as I find easel cards soooo difficult to photograph successfully!

I remembered that I had also got an old Penny Black sentiment stamp which combines the notions of spring and magic, so I decided to make a fairy card in spring colours decorated with spring flowers.

Recipe:
Main image: LotV "Fairies - On Tiptoe" coloured with Promarkers and sprinkled with fairy dust (I mean ... glamour dust!);
Sentiment: Penny Black "Spring Magic" (2852C);
Papers: Papermania "Forever Friends - Spring Time";
Supplies: flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts; pearls from The Hobby House; large pearl brad and ribbons from my stash;
Tools: large circle and large scalloped circle nestabilities; Martha Stewart "floral vine" deep edge punch; Marianne D Creatables "Flower swirl" die; Magnolia doohickey "vintage tag" die.
Challenges:

Magical Mondays #14 - FlowersCrafty Cardmakers #38 - Flowers
Kaboodle #51 - Bling It Up!One Stop Craft Challenge #115 - More Than One Fold
Paper Sundaes #53 - Distressing
(inked edges on the vintage tag)
Corrosive #100 - Reuse, Reduce, Recycle
(the ribbon used for the bow is recycled as it was wrapped around a bed throw I bought from Laura Ashley a bout a year ago)
Simply Create #35 - Use your Punches
Penny's Paper Challenges #45 - Anything Goes

Hope you can join in the OBAG Challenge this fortnight, and look forward to seeing your creations!

Woo hoo! Exciting news!

I was really thrilled when Francesca emailed me to ask me if I would like to join the DT for the Oldie But a Goodie Challenge - and so of course I said yes!!

Oldie But A Goodie posts a new challenge fortnightly on a Tuesday, and the idea is to dig out your older stamps ... the main rule is that your main image must be stamped (no digis) and must be a stamp that is at least six months old. This is fab for me as I love many of my older stamps - especially Penny Blacks which I don't think ever date :-)

The ladies on the team have all given me a very warm welcome, and I'm really looking forward to working with them all. There is a new challenge starting tomorrow (25th January), so I'll be back with my first DT card. Being as I'm crocked up at the moment luckily I already have it prepared :-) .... here's a sneak peek .....

May All Your Wishes Come True

I have been desperate to play with my cute new LotV "dandelion clock" fairy ever since she arrived over a week ago, and finally I got round to it on Friday afternoon, in an attempt to perk myself up. Good job I did really, as my cold has gone absolutely streaming since then to the point that I have now given up on crafting altogether until I'm feeling better!

I absolutely love dandelion clocks, and everything about this darling stamp made me think about soft shades of lilac and lavender. I don't seem to be able to put down my FF "Spring Time" papers at the moment, and I think I went a bit crazy with the flowers lol!

Recipe:
Main image: LotV "Dandelion Clock" coloured with Promarkers and sprinkled with glamour dust;
Sentiment: Craftwork Cards;
Papers: Papermania "Forever Friends - Spring Time"; glitter dot cardstock from local craft shop;
Supplies: all flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts; pearls from The Hobby House; ribbon from my stash;
Tools: Fiskars "Victorian" cutting blade.

Challenges:

I followed the sketch for this week's Lili of the Valley #81


and would also like to enter for

Flutterby Wednesdays #138 - Open theme with butterfly, fairy or angel
CES #20 - Angels & fairies
Stamp Something - Cute Somethings
Crafty Pad #105 - Something Girly
Wee Memories #40 - Anything Goes

Hope you're having a great weekend ... I'm off now to dose myself up some more lol!

Penny Black Saturday #135 - January Sales!

Good morning everyone, and welcome once more to the Penny Black Saturday Challenge. Thanks to everyone who joined in last week and don't forget to check whether you have won last week's prize. Just a short post from me today as I'm still feeling pretty much under the weather, and also apologies because it also means I have not completed my commenting this week. So straight to business ... this week we have got a theme for you... January Sales Yes, we would like to see your bargain stash used on your project. Don't forget that the only rule is that you must submit a new piece of work, which must feature a Penny Black image, large sentiment or stickeroo as its main focus. This week's prize is four roll of ribbon of the winner's choice from Fantastic Ribbons, for one randomly drawn winner. Hope you will visit the main challenge blog to see the fab creations from the rest of the team - here's mine. I didn't actually buy anything in this year's January sales (aren't I good??) so I reached for a couple of bargains from craft fairs I have visited previously. Many of my PB stamps have been bought at a discounted rate from the "bargain bucket" on the Stampers Supermarket stall at Port Sunlight, including this one. I also got a good price for my MS border punch last year at Aintree craft show. Recipe: Main image: Penny Black "Crossing Bridges!" (3206J), coloured with Promarkers and Copics; Sentiment: Penny Black "the journey" (3177F); Papers: Papermania "Forever Friends - Spring Time"; Supplies: flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts; pearls from The Hobby House; ribbon from stash; Tools: large circles and lacy circles nestabilities; Martha Stewart "floral vine" deep edge punch; Leone Em "Ash Branch" leaf punch; Cuttlebug "Daisy pattern" embossing folder. I would like to enter this for the following challenges: Sketch & Stash #53 -

(new paper; neglected stamp, sentiment, embossing folder and border punch) Fab 'n' Funky #56 - Animal Magic Simon Says - Bingo!

(Punch/die cuts, embossing; ribbon) Crafty Catz #66 - A Forgotten Stamp Wild Orchid Challenge #15 - Let's Get Sentimental Top Tip Tuesday #18 - All Sentimental

Paper Sundaes #52 - Favourite Challenge from the Past Year (3rd entry)

(this time I have chosen #14 - No People) That's all from me - hoping to spend the day with my feet up :-)

Keeping It Simple

There hasn't been much going on in my craft space for the past few days, as I have been off work since the middle of the week with a stinking head cold. I've spent the past couple of days ambling listlessly around the house - yesterday I never even got dressed til mid afternoon, so I'm feeling pretty dopey and sorry for myself. I thought today I would try making a card to cheer myself up a bit, but my energy has got up and run for the door, so I stuck with a couple of simple themes which didn't require too much mental attention lol!


I made a card which is rather more simple than my usual style, and would like to enter it for the following challenges:

Challenge Up Your Life #35 - Clean and Simple
Creative Craft - Monochromatic Madness
Crafts & Me #22 - Monochrome
Wee Memories #39 - For the Love of Ribbon
Papertake Weekly - Ribbons and Pearls
Creative Belli #109 - The letter P (petals, pearls)
Pile It on #3 - Anything Goes
Paper Sundaes #52 - Favourite Challenge of the Past Year (2nd entry)
(this time I have chosen #46 - Adorn Those Corners)

I have to confess I also made this card with a view to entering it into the Passion for Promarkers Challenge ... but ... errr ... I didn't use Promarkers - oops!! (told you my head was full of cold lol!!)

Recipe:
Main image: Penny Black "Blush" (2666K) inked with Marvey brushstroke pens;
Sentiment: LotV sentiment circles;
Paper: Papermania "Forever Friends - Spring Time";
Supplies: pearls from The Hobby House; patterned ribbon from my stash;
Tools: small circle and lacy circle nestabilities; Martha Stewart PATP corner punch "Wild Flowers".

Off now to cheer myself up with a coffee and a cupcake ... see if that will get my mojo back on track!! :-)

Hello baby!

I rarely have the need to make baby cards, but I made a couple last week for "New Beginnings" challenges - one for a girl and one for a boy. No sooner done than a colleague's wife had a baby girl, and next minute another colleague asked me if I could make a card for another baby girl ... I was actually quite thrilled as I don't very often get asked to make one.

So here's another card for a baby girl - my second within two weeks!


Recipe:
Main image: Penny Black "Basket of Joy (2075F), coloured with Promarkers;
Sentiment: LotV sentiment circles;
Papers: checked paper by Deja Views; glitter dots card from local craft shop;
Supplies: wild rose and cherry blossoms from Wild Orchid Crafts edged with Stickles; blossom stems from local craft shop; ribbon-threaded lace from my recent winning prize pack from An Oldie But a Goodie Challenge;
Tools: large, small and lacy circles nestabilities; Martha Stewart "eyelet lace" PATP.


Normally when I send cards that have raised elements such as flowers, I put them in a padded envelope (top tip - Wilkinsons padded white CD mailers - decent looking and 70p for four!!) ... but in this case I didn't feel it would be appropriate to provide a padded envelope to the girl who is giving this card as it would rather spoil the ambience. So I got a bit carried away and made a box for the card :-)

I made the base from normal white linen cardstock, and the lid from the same pearlescent pink bazzill that I had used for matting the image on the card. I told myself I wasn't going to spend too long decorating it, but came up with the quick but (I hope) effective idea of plonking a fancy tag on the top ready to write the baby's name and date of birth. This also had the added advantage of allowing me to use my brand new "Magnolia vintage" tag which I have been itching to do for the past couple of days :-)


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

Passion for Promarkers #82 - Baby Cards
Crafty Creations #101 - New Beginnings
Crafty Pad #104 - Something New
Penny Black At Allsorts (January) - All You Need is Love
Totally Gorjuss #63 - Cuddly
Corrosive #99 - Lace and Pearls
Incy Wincy #76 - Go Dotty
The Ribbon Girl #4 - Pink & Green
Top Tip Tuesday # 17 - Anything Goes
(I have also left 2 tips linked to this post)

Paper Sundaes #52 - Favourite Challenge of the Past Year
(I really like the Paper Sundaes Challenges, and have chosen #40 "For Someone Little" - I am a bit late entering with this as I was a bit confused what was required [doesn't take much!!] but now I've looked again at the challenge i would like to enter ;-) )

I have also used (and flipped) the sketch for January's Crafters' Companion Challenge #8 for a second time - not sure if two entries are allowed but I'm giving it a go :-)

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

A few of my favourite things (2nd post today!)

Whilst waiting excitedly for my new LotV stamps to arrive, I thought I would pass the time by playing with another of the stamps I have had been storing but not got around to inking up. I have had this adorable bear and butterflies since last summer, but am ashamed to say this is the first card I have ever made using him ... but I'm certain it won't be the last :-) . As predicted I also used some more of my scrummy new FF "Spring Time" paper, and threw around a few of my fave WOC flowers including a yummy daffodil which was part of my Secret Santa Christmas present :-).


Recipe:
Main image: LotV "Bear and Butterflies", coloured with Promarkers & Copics and decorated with glamour dust; Sentiment: Craftwork Cards;
Papers: Papermania "Forever Friends - Spring Time" pad;
Supplies: all flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts, glittered with Stickles; pearls from The Hobby house;
Tools: Martha Stewart "Wild Flowers" PATP edge punch and small monarch butterfly punch; Leone Em "Ash Family" leaf punch.

I specifically made this card to tie in with two of my favourite challenges - Lili of the Valley challenge #80 - Things With Wings, and the sketch for Wild Orchid Challenge #14.



I would also like to enter this card for

Sentimental Sundays #37 - Anything With WingsWinter Wonderland - Paws for Thought
Stamp With Stampavie #124 - Glitter
I ♥ ProMarkers #48 - Punches
Pollycraft #75 - New Things

( stamp, paper, edge punch)

My Partner In Crafting Crime #17 - Something New
Stamp Something - Anything Goes
Fuzzy Wuzzy #5 - Anything Goes

Since I made this card my latest LotV stamps have arrived - yippee!! - so I daresay I will be having a stamping frenzy in the near future lol!

Penny Black Saturday #134 - Card buffet

Woo hoo !! Saturday again, and time for anther Penny Black Saturday Challenge. Thanks as always to everyone who entered last week - there were some fab entries. Don't forget to check the main blog to see if you have won any of last week's three prizes .. including my scrummy "Aspire" stamp :-)

This week we are trying something different and new, and would like to invite you to join us for a

Card Buffet
Please take any 4 of the following items:

Patterned Paper
Ribbon
3 gems
3 flowers
3 buttons
Twine
A charm

.... and use them to make your card.

How yummy is that??

And talking of yummy, we have a fab prize this week for one lucky randomly drawn winner, from our regular sponsor Penny Black Inc.


It's these 2 gorgeous "slapstick" stamps - woo hoo!

40-024 Rain or Shine


40-011 Paisley Swirls



Don't forget that in order to be eligible for the prize, you must link to a new piece of work. and must use a Penny Black image, large sentiment or stickeroo as the main focus of your project.
the other DT members have been tucking in to the buffet with a vengenance, but luckily they left some for me ;-) so here is my card for this week.
Earlier in the week i put in a li'l order to The Glitterpot and it arrived the next day (amazing!), so I just had to play with my scrummy new paper pack which is "Forever Friends - Spring Time" - you will be seeing quite a few of cards using these papers in the near future. I had a little root around and found these cute heart shaped buttons in my box, which I thought went pretty well with the papers. I had also got in mind that I wanted to make a cheer-up card for a colleague and friend who has been quite poorly recently, so the "Friends" charm just kinda suggested itself, and I decided to be bold and try some twine instead of ribbon - so that was 4 items from the buffet - job done!


Recipe:
Main image; Penny Black "Duckling" (3347H), coloured with Promarkers;
Sentiment: Whiff of Joy "swirls" set;
Papers: Papermania "Forever Friends - Spring Time";
Supplies: Papermania shiny purple twine; charm from Bunny Zoe's Crafts; buttons from stash;

Tools: Martha Stewart "doily lace" punch.
I would like to enter this card for the following challenges:

Simon Says - Sketch

(I rotated it by 90 degrees to the left and must admit that I have only just spotted the delicate swirls .. but luckily it seems some of the DT didn't include them either so I hope they'll be kind ;-) )

Oldie But A Goodie #10 - Bright & Cheerful
Cupcake #124 - Something New (my paper pack)
Really Reasonable Ribbon #16 - Heart Theme
Paper Play #2 - Cutie Patootie
Top Tip Tuesday #17 - Anything Goes
Craft your Days Away #11 - Anything Goes

Have a great weekend and help yourselves to the buffet ;-)