I spy ... with my little eye ....

.... Something beginning with "B" ... That's what we were asked to use for this week's One Stop Craft Challenge #61, so I couldn't resist using my brand new Lili of the Valley Teddy Bear with Bouquet, BasicGrey paper, BasicGrey opaline pearls and pearl Brads :-)

I also spied several other challenges that I tried to incorporate into this card. I followed the fab sketch for this week's Sketch Saturday #84

I also used a few of my favourite things ... as Crafty Cardmakers #11 wants to know what were our fave new products and/or techniques for 2009. Well I have lots, but would have to include use of multiple flowers with spacers and Leone Em punched leaves - it just adds so much more dimension and interest to the card (as well as postage charges lol!!) Also during 2009 I discovered Hobbycraft raffia lace, which I just love to weave with narrow ribbon to co-ordinate with my papers!

I also used some new items of stash for this card, which puts it into the frame for a few more challenges. My LotV teddy stamp was a Secret Santa gift from a group of crafty friends (awww!); and I bought my "labels 4" nesties several weeks before Christmas but bizarrely have never used them until now! So I would like to enter this card for
Stamp Something - New Somethings
Fussy & Fancy #1 - New
Papertake Weekly - New Beginnings (can include something new on the card :-) )

I also decided to make a Thankyou card to enter for Totally Gorjuss Challenge #11, now that cards don't have to always contain a Gorjuss Girl stamp. Last but not least, I have done a bit of smudgy distressing on the edges of the image, in line with the challenges from Corrosive #46 and from Creative Card Crew #42 ... and yay!! I've just popped over there and discovered I've been picked for their DT call - woo hoo! So I guess I'd better enter this challenge whilst I still can lol!

Edited: Thursday morning (7/1) I have spotted that the new LotV challenge #44 is Thankyou. Now I know that backlinking is naughty and I never normally do it .... but seeing as this card was posted only a few hours before the challenge started, it is my first ever LotV card using my adorable first ever LotV stamp (first of many I hope!!) , and LotV is a "fun" rather than a "prize" challenge this week ... I hope they'll let me share it ;-)

Recipe:
Main image: Lili of the Valley teddy with bouquet, watercoloured and decorated with Stickles and BasicGrey pearls;
Sentiment: Penny Black "Salutations" transparent set;
Paper: BasicGrey "two Scoops";
Supplies: Flowers by Petaloo and Woodware; raffia lace from hobbycraft; pearl brads and spacers from The Hobby House; dragonfly brad , ribbon & corner peel-offs from my stash;
Tools: nestabilities "labels four"; Leone Em "Ash Family" punch; Fiskars paper trimmer "Victorian" blade.

A Time for Celebration!

Well here we are, almost at the end of 2009 already ... where on earth has the year gone to??

In anticipation of the New Year's party I'm hoping to get to on (weather permitting!) I have made a New Year celebration card for the hostess.

I followed the excellent sketch at this week's Create4Fun Challenge #52, which I rotated 90 degrees to the left. I tried for once to be a bit imaginative and get a bit of artistic licence going (!?!). It's the first time I have cut out a figure and placed her over a background shape .... I know people do this a lot with Tildas but I don't have any of those .. thought I'd try it with Annie, and I'm pretty pleased with the result :-) I also went in for a bit of criss-crossing with some cord ... hope this is close enough to the original sketch!

This card was also made with quite a few other challenges in mind:

Cupcake #71 - A Time for Celebration

Everybody-Art-Challenge #71,
Stamp with Fun #39,
Stamp with Stampavie #75,
and
Lili of the Valley #43
all have the theme this week of
Happy New Year

Simon Says Stamp - Party!
(well, it's for a New Year Party, and I have to say Annie looks like she's started already lol!!)

Daring Cardmakers - New Beginnings
Our Creative Corner - Celebrate Food or Drink
One Stop Craft Challenge #60 - recycled
(my silver star holographic card is recycled from an Asda tissue box!!)

My Time to Craft #72 - Anything Goes
Creative Card Crew #41 - Anything Goes (3rd entry!)

Blimey! I've just counted up and that's 12 ... just about my best effort yet lol!! I actually also made this for 2 more challenges but alas due to poor lighting conditions today for taking phots plus going out for the day .. I've missed them - never mind!!

I love easel cards but am finding them very difficult to photograph (and the miserable daylight conditions don't help lol) ... so here are a couple more closeup shots - first of the "front" of the card ....

... and also the "base" part of the easel.

Recipe:
Main image: Sugar Nellie "Fizz", coloured with watercolour pencils;
Papers: free with issue 10 of Creative Cardmaking magazine;
Supplies: silver gems and stars, silver cord all by Papermania; silver/white ribbon from my stash; recycled silver holographic card from Asda tissue box!;
Tools: large classic circles and large classic scalloped circles nestabilities; numbers cut using Cuttlebug "Hippie Chick" alphabet dies.

I'd just love to wish everyone who visits my blog, end everyone who I visit a

Happy New Year!

Take care, have fun, and here's to more fab blogging and crafting in 2010 ! :-)