Going cuckoo....

How thrilled was I this week, when I got to play with 'Ikes Art - Cuckoo Clock'!?!

The theme over at Glitter n Sparkle, is..

"include an animal"

(on the last count, there were:

2 birds, one owl, three butterflies and a squirrel)

I love this image -

although it was a real challenge to colour! 

(You kinda think it all needs to be brown,

like a wooden cuckoo clock....)

...but I took that challenge and did my best with it. 

(Actually, I made a card after colouring the image, and just hated it, 

so ripped it up and binned what I couldn't reuse.

I had to print out the image again and I had a much better stab at it... )

So this is card number 2.

I'm much more pleased with it!

I coloured this with my promarkers...and used about 6 different shades of brown

 and 2 different greens

The two little birds (underneath the clock)

 were from my memory box die, which just fit beautifully.

The diecut corners are from a cuttlebug die that I got recently

(a bargain £1 for 4 corner dies,,,still sealed!)

and the butterflies are punched from my old favourite..Martha Stewart.

The distressed looking background is another fairly new item I have...

I won this on a blog challenge last year and hadn't got round to using it yet.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges...

Crafty calendar - things with wings - 5 June

Fairytale  - feathers and wings - 6 June

Simply create too - KISS - 5 June

Simply papercraft - anything goes - 4 June

Crafty creations - all creatures great and small - 8 June

Crafty gals - critters - 2 June

Pennys papercrafty - anything goes - 2 June

Through the craft room door - anything goes - 2 June

Tuesday throwdown - anything goes - 2 June

The pink elephant - anything goes - 1 June

Love to craft - anything goes - 1 June

Crafting from the heart - anything goes - 31 May

Girly

This week, I got the gorgeous image - "spa ha ha" from sweet pea stamps.

The challenge over at Glitter n Sparkle is "one for the ladies!" 

and I thought this card would suit one of my friends, brilliantly...

I love this image and didn't think it would need a lot of extra 'doing to it.'

Before printing out the image, I added the sentiment that came with it.

I did a really quick colour of the ladies skin, hair and bathrobes.

and embossed around the whole thing, then matted onto some patterned blue paper.

That was it!

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

Scrappers delights - anything goes - 31 May

Showcase your style - friendship - 27 May

Suzi bees - make it girly - 30 May

Polkadoodles - girly but no pink - 5 June

Crafting by designs - sentiments- 27 May

Pennys paper crafty - anything goes - 27 May

Creative corner - anything goes - 29 May

Creative knockouts - sentimentally yours - 28 May

A sweet card

I got this wonderful image - strawberry muffin - from Sunflowerfield designS,

for the challenge this week, at Glitter n Sparkle, which is 

USE RIBBON.

Almost immediately, I knew I wanted to use a red / white colour scheme, just because of

those delicious looking strawberries!

I diecut the border strip with my 'charlotte' memory-box die. 

The sentiment was printed on the pc.

I decoupaged the image and coloured it all with promarkers.

My favourite Martha Stewart punched butterflies made another appearance on this card, too:)

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

Sister act - anything goes - 22 May

Wags n whiskers - lots of layers - 29 May

C.R.A.F.T - birthday - 21 May

Moving along with the times - cute - 20 May

Fresh brewed designs - add ribbon or twine - 20 May

Imagination destination - anything goes - 20 May

Through the craft room door - anything goes - 20 May

Congratulations!

A supply teacher at our school was taken on permanently last week,. and she's thrilled.

So, I made her this card... and she loved it!

She said..."It's just my style!"

:)

The image is one I won, a while back, over at Beansie doodles...

she is called "Zilpha" and I thought this would be just perfect for the card.

I coloured her first, then picked a backing paper to go with her. 

This is actually a scrap - a piece I had saved, as it was a nice size and super, spring colours!

Its a lovely quality backing paper, I just found in my stash...

with glitter lines inbetween each stripe of colour.

A simple sentiment and a few punched butterflies, with an embossed edge

finished this card.

 I would like to enter this into the following challenges:

Hiding in my craft room - use your scraps - 16 May

Simply papercraft - anything goes / CAS - 21 May

Jos scrap shack - anything goes - 15 May

Crafty catz - CAS - 15 May

Craft for the craic - wings - 31 May

Chocolate coffee and cards - spring has sprung - 15 May

Art impressions - lovely ladies - 21 May

Fantastic tuesday - pastel colours - 12 May

Whimsy stamps - colour an image - 17 May

Pennys papercrafty - anything goes 12 May

Crafting from the heart - anything goes - 18 May
Craft your passion - anything goes - 18 May
Avenue 613 - lets celebrate - 17 May

Embossing.

I was waiting for another excuse to use this lovely, embossed frame...

and the time has come, as over at Glitter n Sparkle this week

the theme is "embossing... dry or heat"

The mermaid image is called "Mermaid Joelene" and it's from

Spellbinding Stamps.

It is a lovely crisp image and gorgeous to colour. 

I used my promarkers and mirage pens to colour her, 

and I added a sentiment from the pc, and a little more embossing behind her, 

using one of my embossing folders.

I used Glossy Accents on all the bubbles.

and finished by inking the edges of the frame .

I would like to enter this into the following challenges...

Just us girls - embossing - 15 May

Sister act - anything goes - 15 May

Jos scrap shack - anything goes - 15 May

Through the craft room door - anything goes - 12 May

Papertake weekly - anything goes - 12 May

Doodle pantry - use a digi image - 26 May

Whimsy stamps - colour an image - 17 May

Pennys papercrafty - anything goes - 12 May

Eureka stamps - feminine card - 11 May

Ave 613 - anything goes / lets celebrate - 17 May
Sentimental sundays - really girly - 17 May

Daisy delite

I just think this image is sooo sweet - It's called "Daisy delite daisy love pin up"

and it's from Lacey Sunshine.

It's the old favourite challenge this week, over at Glitter and Sparkle - 

it's ANYTHING GOES...

I had a friend in mind when I made this,

and I know she loves the green / yellow combo,

so used my promarkers to colour the image. 

The sentiment comes from Pink Petticoat

and the backing papers are from a set of 6 x 6 papers that I bought recently

in 'The Works'.

I punched the butterflies.

Inking all the edges gave it a bit of a softer feel.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges...

Allsorts - april showers bring may flowers - 8 May

Catch the bug - anything goes - 8 May

Crafty calendar - things with wings - 1 June

Brown sugar - anything goes - 6 May

Chocolate coffee and cards - spring has spring - 14 May

Crafts 4 eternity - inspired by nature - 7 May

Fussy n fancy - lots of flowers - 14 May

Simply create too - pretty woman - 7 May

Thats crafty - keep it simple - 8 May

4 crafty chicks - anything goes - 6 May

Aud sentiments - things with wings plus sentiment - 6 May

Cute card thursday - use a sentiment - 6 May

Crafting by designs - anything goes - 25 May

Inspiration destination - anything goes - 6 May

Whimsy inspires - colour an image - 17 May

Crafting from the heart - anything goes - 3 May

Crafts galore encore - anything goes - 30 May
Crafty hazelnuts patterned paper - use pattered paper - 31 May
Karleigh sue - may flowers - 31 May
Noor uk - flowers - 31 May
Come and get it - female - 9 May

Big birthday wishes.

This months challenge, over at Pattie's Creations, is to

"use flowers in your image" 

(Just flower embellishments are not enough... you must have flowers in your image.)

I used "thinking of you" from Patties Creations....

The image actually comes with the thinking of you sentiment, 

but I wanted to use this to make a card for my friends BIG birthday, so put a pink petticoat

sentiment with the image for this card.

It was lovely to colour with my promarkers and mirage pens. 

I added some stickles sparkle to the butterflies wings

(which is really hard to capture in a photo).

I finished off by edging, with a pin! 

(I carefully poked it in and out, all around the edge, to make a different kind of border.)

I would like to enter this into the following challenges...

My time to craft - spring flowers - 1 May

Crafty calendar - add a sentiment - 1 May

That's crafty - keep it simple - 7 May

Aud sentiments - things with wings plus sentiment - 6 May

Love to scrap - anything goes - 3 May

Crafting by designs - anything goes - 6 May
Whimsy - colour an image - 16 May
Digi choosday - CAS - 19 May
Through the craft room door - anything goes - 5 May
Crafting from the heart - anything goes - 3 May
Craft your passion - anything goes - 3 May
Crafty boots - thing with wings - 10 May
Come and get it - spring is in the air - 3 May

I'm early!!

...I've made a Father' s Day card already!

At Glitter n Sparkle this week, the challenge is to make an "easel card"

and I picked the "Superdad" image from Bugaboo.

(The little stars i cut out and popped close to the hero, are also with the image!)

The circle sentiment was a freebie I found some time ago.
My precious heart cropped up again... so versatile!
I punched the border, and the sentiment along the bottom,
is a bargian stamp that i picked up from Inkylicious, at a craft fair a few months ago.
It's the first time I have stamped it and I love it!
The backing paper for this card, came from an old dovecrafts set...all about the sea -
other papers included anchors, beach-huts, lighthouses and fish.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges...

Ladybug - anything goes - 30 April
Crafting muskateers - its a mans world - 28 April
Crafty calendar - add a sentiment - 1st May
Sister act - anything goes - 30 April
QKR Stampede - guy card - 30 April
Crafts for eternity - anything goes - 1 May
Chocolate coffee and cards - use a diecut - 1 May
Brown sugar - anything goes - 30 April
Creative card crew - use a sentiment - 26 April
Through the craft room door - anything goes - 27 April
Love to scrap - anything goes - 3 May
Cutie pie - all about the boys - 4 May
Crafty boots - red white or blue - 26 April
Crafting from the heart - anything goes - 26 April
Robyns Fetish - easel cards - 2 May
Scribble and scrap - anything goes - 9 May

Anything but a card...

A real challenge over at Glitter n Sparkle this week - 

"anything but a card"..

I got my thinking cap on and remembered some cute little chipboard heart tags I have,

 tucked away, waiting for just the occasion!

Ta-Dah!

The time is now...

Both hearts use the same image : Precoloure triple cake

from Limited Runs.

(which meant, I didn't have to colour the image )

 although I did use some glossy accents on the runny choccy and the cherry...

I backed the heart with some paper and a pc generated sentiment, 

inked the edges a little and drew some faux hand stitching around the edge.

I used my cropodile to punch a small hole in the top,

 to hang the brown, organza ribbon.

This second heart was made much in the same way...

And, I just wanted to show you where I have decided to keep one of my hearts... 

on the sign in my craft room!

I would like to enter these into the following challenges...

Crafty sentiments - anything goes - 21 April

Doodle pantry - anything goes - 26 April

Inky chicks - stitching (faux) - 25 April

Pinspirational - anything goes - 27 April

Through the craft room door - anything goes - 20 April

Craft my Life - anything goes - no cards - 1 May

Craft your passion - anything goes - 19 April

Get creative - must include a tag - 19 April

Not just cards - anything  goes - 27 April

Pennys papercrafty - one for the girls - 21 April

Little miss muffet - anything goes - 22 April

Movin along with the times - anything but a square card - 23 April

Sassy studio - have it your way ..fave colour combo ...(how can it be anythign other than chocolate coloured?!?! lol) - 23 April

Crafting with an attitude- freestyle - 23 April

Crafty Catz - girly - 23 April

Hiding in my craft room - freestyle - 25 April

CAS butteflies

Ooooh, a challenge I found so easy this week, at Glitter n Sparkle - 

"include a butterfly" (or 5!! lol... )

I used the image " Garden 16" from Fitztown.

(which has 6 separate butterfly images, although I only used 5

as I like using odd numbers of things... :)  )

The thing that probably took longest about this card, was sizing up and lining up

correctly all those butterflies. 

I fussy coloured them all with my promarkers and added a little glitter to some of them

and fussy cut around them to make a different shaped card.

The sentiment was printed from my pc.

A simple embossed line around the edge, finished this card.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges...

Crafty Calendar - add a sentiment - 1 May

A gem of a challenge - spring is in the air - 24 April

The stamping boutique - spring - 25 April

Sister act - anything goes - 17 April

Jos scrap shack - florals and butterflies - 18 April

Aud sentiments - birthday sentiment - 21 April

Little miss muffet - anything goes - 21 April

DRS - birthday blues - 15 April

C.R.A.F.T - colour your image only - 16 April

Pennys papercrafty - anything goes - 14 April

The paper shelter - birthday with sentiment  - 14 April

Mod Squad - butterfly focal - 14 April

Little red wagon - spring is in the air - 14 April

Inky impressions - spring is in the air - 13 April

Crafters cafe - shaped cards - 15 April
Passion for promarkers - birthdays - 14 April
Papertake weekly - anything goes - 14 April

Deep ocean challenge - things with wings - 20 April

The shabby tearoom - rainbow of colours - 20 April
Incy wincy designs - CAS - 12 April
Craftin desert divas - anything goes - 13 April
Crafting from the heart - anything goes - 13 April

Party time tuesdays - anything goes - 1 May

Creative fingers - anything goes - 17 April
AAA cards - springtime and CAS - 26 April

Lola (2)

I got another Lola image, from Craft sentiments this week...

she is sooo cute! 

This one is called "You're the best!"

It's for the "anything goes" challenge at Glitter n Sparkle.

I used a free paper for the backing, and embossed a panel for the sentiment.

I diecut the lacy edge along the bottom

and stamped the bunting onto another freebie (stripey) paper.

The butterfly is a has been punched .

I would like to enter this into the following challenges...

Creative fingers - anything goes - 10 April

Crafty catz - anything goes - 9 April

Card mania - flowers - 29 April

Our creative corner - colour your world - 30 April

ABC - go digital - 13 April
Dis digi designs - spring is here - 10 April
Hiding in my craft room - think spring - 11 April
Jos scrap shack - anything goes - 10 April

Special day

Over at Glitter n Sparkle this week, the challenge is the old favourite...

anything goes.

I have used a gorgeous image called "relaxing Lola"

from Crafty Sentiments, for my card.

I had a little girl in mind, while I was making this card.

All the paper I used are from the dovecrafts set "tea party".

I coloured the image with my promarkers and my new 'graph-it' pens

- which I won recently, on a challenge blog.

They are super easy to use and I got some gorgeous shades of orange, which I desperately needed!

The sentiment is from Pink Petticoat.

The flowers are from the dovecraft range. 

The butterflies are MS punched, and the birds and cat are memory box diecuts. 

I inked the edges of each paper and

drew some faux stitching on a few of the layers.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges...

Corrosive challenges - hop into spring - 11 April

That craft place - Easter / spring - 10 April

Dis digi designs - spring is here - 10 April

Crazy 4 challenge - spring - 26 April

Die cuttin divas - anything goes and a die cut - 6 April
Catch the bug - anything goes - 11 April
Crafty calendar - add a sentiment - 1 May
613 avenue create - anything goes - 11 April
i love promarkers - kids have fun - 7 April

Easter time 2

I've made another Easter card!

This time, it's my card for Pattie's Creations.

I used a Pattie's Creations image - Easter basket.

Even though I dillied and dallied with this image for a while, 

I found it a joy to colour.

I loved trying to capture the light and dark on the basket weaves and on the eggs.

I tried to give the bow a luxurious feel too (with my promarkers).

I played around with this image after colouring it. as I knew I didn't need 

much more, as I wanted the main focus to be the basket.

It came to me in a flash of inspiration, all of a sudden...

I have an embossing folder that I knew would work well with this image

 and - used with Kraft card - I think it worked!

I added the punched border to resemble a white fence, that I thought would

 make the basket "pop" even more.

The sentiment was generated on my pc and i cut it (and inked it) to look like a little tag.

I carefully chalked the edge of the embossed piece 

and embossed a clean line around the whole thing.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges...

613 Ave - anything goes - 4 April
AAA - CAS Easter colours - 22 April
Corrosive challenge - hop into spring - 11 April
That craft place - Easter / spring - 10 April
Pile it on - Easter / spring - 5 April
Robyns fetish - Easter - 4 April
My sheri crafts - Easter wishes - 4 April
Jos scrap shack - happy Easter - 3 April

Digi choosday - ovals (eggs ) - 21 April
Deep ocean - Easter / spring - 5 April

Crafty Catz - anything goes - 8 April
Jos scrap shack - anything goes - 10 April
The stamping boutique - Easter - 11 April
Country view - use kraft card - 31 April
Emerald fairies - spring flowers / Easter - 30 April

Anniversary

It's hubby's Mum n Dad's anniversary ...

and I made them this card,

as they love our cats.

The image is such a cutie! Its from "Dearie dolls".. a lady who designs digis in colour

and in black and white, and puts them free on her website. 

Thankyou, Mary Ellen!

I love the characters she draws and the little scenes she makes with them. 

Her cat ones are my faves, and I thought

this would be perfect for an anniversary card.

I also used a paper I got from the works - 99p for the pack,

some dovecraft paper flowers,

one of my bargain rolls of ribbon (4 rolls for 99p)

and a gorgeous precious hearts die cut.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges...

Scribble and scrap - anything goes - 11 April

Suzi bees - add a sentiment - 3 April

Digitally sweet - anything goes - 31 April

QKR Stampede - add a sentiment - 3 April

Simply create too - anything goes - 9 April

Aud sentiments - anything goes plus sentiment - 7 April

Crafty Ribbons - anything goes with ribbon - 1 April

Easter time

I thought it was about time I made a few Easter cards,

and so when the challenge of Easter cards came round at Glitter n Sparkle, 

it was just the poke I needed!

I used the image "Easter Lily and cross" from Stitchy Bear.

I didn't think it needed much more on this card. I embossed the edge,

 matted it on some colourful paper, added a sentiment from my pc, and a few MS 

punched butterflies, cut from a slightly sparkly card.

I coloured the image with my promarkers. 

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges...

Hiding in my craft room - any holiday - 4 April
My sheri crafts - use a cross, bunny or eggs - 5 April
Brown sugar - Easter - 2 April
Crafts 4 eternity - Easter  3 April
Jos scrap shack - happy Easter - 3 April
QKR Stampede - add a sentiment - 3 April
Simply create too - anything goes - 10 April
Crafters cafe - spring flowers - 3 April
I love promarkers - Easter - 1 April
Mod squad - Easter - 2 April

Shaped card

This weeks challenge, over at Glitter n Sparkle, is...

"make a shaped card"

which just happens to be what I made for 

(mine and ) my sisters 40th birthday...

I played around for a long time, to make this K shape... for her name (Kathy)
I used the amazing image form "A Day for Daisies" ..Flower Maiden 1
and coloured her with my promarkers.
It just shows how versatile this image is...last week, I used it to make a mother's day card
and this week, I made her into twins!
I added my fave backing paper from Anna Marie...
the washed aqua and cream polka dot paper.
Inking the edges gave a softer feel,
while my diecut swirls and leaves were the perfect backdrop for the punched flowers
with diecut flower middles (from Memory Box), in blues and whites.
A couple of soft pink (punched) butterflies and a precious heart (from Memory Box)
finished this card.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges...
Graph it markers -spring colours - 27 March
Fussy n fancy - girly - 2 April
Crafts 4 eternity -  pastel shades - 28 March
Brown sugar - anything goes - 27 March
A Day for Daisies - use polkadots - 28 March
Scrap and craft - flowers - 29 March
Sassy studio - anything goes - 26 March
C.R.A.F.T. - for a female / mothers day - 26 March
Crafting for all seasons - pastel hues - 1 April
Wordart wednesday - anything goes - 25 March
Whimsy stamps - use a diecut - 14 April
Scrappers delights - anything goes - 1 April
Paper shelter - spring delights - 25 March
Creative moments - anything goes special lady - 31  March
Digi choosday - anything but square - 24 March
Doodle pantry - anything digital goes - 26 March
Scrap creations - pastels - 28 March
Papertake weekly - happy anything - 24 March
Digi sketch - anything goes - 29 March
Whoopsi daisy - add a sentiment - 5 April

It's my birthday!

And I have had a wonderful weekend!

Look at what I made yesterday - 

How fab?!

Mum and Dad booked me, Mum and Kath (twin sis) and her daughter (Alisha)

onto a chocolate making course, as well as an

overnight night stay (with our hubbies too...all 8 of us)

 in a very swanky, wonderful hotel.

I feel like I have been treated like a queen this weekend 

and am so grateful to my family and friends

 for making this big birthday so special.

Oh... I have to put this pic on too...

we got a cake each...

(I'm on the right hand side of both pics )

hahhah... how sweet were we?! 

We even managed to "do the cake and prosecco"

at exactly the times that we were born - 10 mins apart!

xxx

I can't believe it!!!

I have made my first Christmas card! 

I was inspired, when this weeks theme at Glitter n Sparkle, was...

'Glitter n Sparkle'

and I saw this image - 'reindeer' - from The East Wind.

Glitter n sparkle is sure hard to photograph!! lol...

I glittered.. the centre of the snowflakes, 

the reindeer's antlers, the girls hat and gloves, the top of the sentiment and 

the outside edge of the blue dotty card. 

The border frame was already embossed, and from craftwork cards -

along with the sentiment. 

I would like to enter this into the following challenges...

Christmas at sweet stamps - blue christmas - 7 April

Crafting by designs - get ready for christmas - 18 March
Craftyhazelnuts christmas - anything goes christmas - 31 March

Mothering Sunday

It's Mothering Sunday here, in England, on Sunday.

This is the card I made for my Mum...

The gorgeous image is from 'A Day For Daisies.'... a digi stamp company.
(I love this style of drawing...and the fact it's a digi stamp,
means I can size it to whatever size I like... and they take up no room in my craft room!)

It's just like me, when I was young!

(I coloured it with my promarkers) 

I think my Mum will have a chuckle at this. 

I based it all, on an apron shaped card that I cut out free-hand.

(including the pocket, which was inked around the edge and also, around the card - and pocket - I 

drew some faux stitching, with my white sakura pen.)

Its hard to see in this photo, but the precious heart diecut is matt gold in colour.

The sentiment is from Pink Petticoat.

I finished the card with little ribbons threaded through each side.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges...

Creative moments - anything goes - 17 March

Inspiration destination - anything goes - 17 March

Little red wagon - cute cute cute! - 18 March

The paper shelter - girly - 17 March

Scrappers delight - anything goes - 17 March

As you like it - favourite stamp...digi or rubber - 25 March
Scrap and craft - mothers day - 15 March
Creatalicious - anything but a square or rectangle - 15 March
Die cut divas - childrens challenge - 31 March
Crafting from the heart - anything goes - 15 March
Crafty cardmakers - for a special woman - 22 March
The pink elephant - shaped card - 16 March
613 create - anything goes / aquamarine - 14 March
Suzie bees - anything goes / shaped card - 14 March

CAS

Another of my all time favourite images , comes from 'A Day for Daisies' - again!

This one is called "flower maiden 1" 

and is beautifully simplistic, which does not need a lot of colouring, I feel...

When I found this sentiment on my pc.... from files from long ago, 

I knew that the image would be perfect, with it. 

I printed the sentiment straight onto the card and added the image with 3d foam. 

There is very little colouring on the image, but what I have done, 

I used my promarkers for. 

Finally, I added a tiny bit of sparkle on the flower centres.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges...

Crafting for all seasons - girly girls - 16 March

Inky impressions - for a special lady - 17 March

Wordart wednesday - anything goes - 18 March

Crafts galore encore - anything goes - 31 March
Digi galore -  mothers day - 31 March
Passion for promarkers - for a special lady -17 March
Through the craft room door - anything goes - 17 March
Dream valley - mothers day - 16 March
Eureka stamps - anything goes - 16 March
Whoopsi daisy - add a sentiment - 5 April
One stitch at a time - anything goes with women - 22 March
A gem of a challenge - CAS -  13 March