PORTRAIT OF A BEAR.

This weeks challenge over at I ♥ PROMARKERS is Animals, so your cards have to have an animal on them. The sponsor this week is CRAFTY EMMA with a £10 voucher to spend in the online store.

I considered using an animal as my focal image but then I found this Sarah Kay stamp still unused in my drawer. The bear she's painting wasn't really enough of an animal so I searched for a cat image and found this one in an Ollyfant set of stamps by Kars, so I stamped it and masked it before stamping the main image. Ok, so the cat is a 'little' large, but hey ho! lol.


My papers are from the V & A collection and I inked them all around the edges. Using my Tim Holtz ruler (the one with the holes down one side) I used my pokey tool and punched around the edges of the panels then added a few flowers and half a dozen pearls and that was basically it. Oh, and a Martha Stewart punch for the mat.

Entering into:
AMBER'S CRAFTS 'N STUFF - Cats and/or dogs.
CRAFTS AND ME - Anything goes.
CREATIVE CARD CREW - Cute and girly.
DIVA'S BY DESIGN - For the girls.
PAPER PRETTIES - Use flowers.
TRULY SCRUMPTIOUS - Anything goes.
A SPOONFUL OF SUGAR - Anything goes.
CLAUDIA AND COMPANY - Birthday for a girl.
MAKE IT MONDAY - Always anything goes.
ONE STITCH AT A TIME - Anything goes.
STAMP SOMETHING - Anything goes.

NESTIE STORAGE...

Some time ago I made a storage book for my nestie dies. It was in an issue of Craft Stamper magazine and I thought it was a great idea and so easy to make with some card and magnetic paper sheets. I used Basic Grey papers (Infuse and others) to cover them.



Anyway, it's now so full that I can't actually get any more pages in it and I have dies all over the craft room so I've just made another one. The new one has all my Marianne D, Joycraft and Nellie Snellen dies in it and the old one now has all my nesties safely stored together. These are on my desk all the time and used constantly. So much better than keeping them in those horrible stiff plastic cases they come in.



Papers for this one are Basic Grey 'Urban Couture'. The stamp on the front of this one is from the Rescue Remedies set at Waltzingmouse Stamps (another Craft Stamper discovery). Really, that magazine costs me a fortune, lol. These stamps are 'nestie friendly' which means that when you've stamped it out, it will fit perfectly inside one of the nestie frames. A bit of distress ink around the edges and it's all you need.

Entering into:
BY THE CUTE AND GIRLY - Anything goes.
DESERT ISLAND CHALLENGES - 3 items from itinerary (paper, ribbon, stamp).
CREATIVE COWGIRL - Anything goes.
EMERALD FAERIES - Anything goes.
ONE STITCH AT A TIME - Anything goes.
SCRAPPY FROGS - Anything goes.

IT'S A BIRTHDAY ONE...

We're back!!! Our first challenge of the year over at THE CRAFTY PAD is a really easy one for you - Happy Birthday. We are sponsored this week by CRAFTY RIBBONS and the prize is these lovely ribbons.


For my card I used a grey pearlescent card and yellow. I haven't quite got all my mojo back yet so went for something relatively simple. The image 'Birthday Meeces' is available from THE CRAFTY PAD STAMP DESIGNS. The image was coloured with Promarkers and I embossed the back using a Crafts Too embossing folder and a Cuttlebug greeting border. Flowers, ribbon and brads from Papermania Sunshine collection. The frame is Nestabilities Label 7.



Off to check out the challenges now.

CUPCAKES

A bit of a yummy theme for challenge #36 at I ♥ Promarkers this week. We want to see your cupcakes or anything related to cupcakes. Our sponsor this week is DIE CUT DREAMS and Susie is offering some gorgeous plate and book card cuts. Pop over to the Promarker challenge blog to see examples of Susie's work and get a better look at the prize. They are gorgeous.

I won the challenge at Other Lovelies a couple of weeks ago and one of the images I chose from the sponsor LIMITED RUNS, was a Cupcake as I didn't have one.

My paper is K & Co 'Sickly Sweet'...oops! sorry. That should be 'Sparkly Sweet'

I wanted some cream on my cake and I remembered that somewhere in the deep dark recesses of my craft room I had some Anita's white 3D paint. It's been there for years, lol but I dug it out and used it and then sprinkled it with clear hole-less beads.

I didn't want to use my beaded nestie for this so I used the scalloped one with the holes. I cut the white, but then put some lilac pearlescent card through my bug with the die and just the embossing mat. I cut it out by hand and placed the bumps under the holes on the white one. I embossed more lilac card and then added some flowers and lace. Job done.



I'm entering it at:
CRAZY 4 CHALLENGES - Birthday
CRAFTALICIOUS - Anything Goes
FAB N FUNKY - Yummy, Yummy, Yummy
LITTLE RED WAGON Something old, Something new..new image and very old 3D paint.

INK IT UP...

Ooooh, two posts in one day. A rarity for me, lol.

I was in the mood for some inking and rubber stamping so I got out my distress ink pads and some of my gorgeous stamps from Onyx Impressions and sat down to see what I came up with. Onyx Impression stamps are just so beautiful. They have some super designs, cut in black rubber and really well made.

I stamped my tiger onto some orange paper from my Fancy Pants 'All Fall' pad but the black background didn't come out as dark as I'd like, so I stamped the tiger again, cut him out and used it as a mask. Then I used my Memento Black and some foam and really deepened the background. Some Marmalade was used to give some patches to the Tiger. That's Spiced Marmalade ink, not the stuff in a jar, lol and I used my black Promarker to draw my own stripes.

The frame is one of the newer Nestabilities...beaded oval.



Then I made a tunnel card. I'm quite fond of these at the moment, but this one didn't come out as well as I'd hoped. I'd actually binned 3 before deciding I'd had enough and going with this one. The black inking around the edges is a bit untidy, but I used a chalk ink pad, which I'd not done before, so I'll not be using one again.

I inked a piece of plain card with my distress inks and then stamped the scene on to it, making sure I had a yellow patch where the sun was. I then inked another the same and stamped the image again. This was cut along the tree and horizon line to make the middle 3D layer. The concertina folds were stamped with an orange swirl on the outside and inked black on the inside. More marmalade ink was added to the panels and then they were stamped with some Basic Grey swirl stamps.







They're really easy to make but just takes a little care (a bit more than I gave this one, lol).

RIP IT UP...

Oooops! I'm a bit late this week. Sorry.

Challenge #32 at I ♥ PROMARKERS this week is a sketch with an optional theme of 'rip it up'. The DT all used the ripping, tearing and distressing. Our sponsor this week is SIMON SAYS STAMP and a $15 spend in their online store is up for grabs. They'll even pay your shipping costs.

I used 7Gypsies papers and walnut stain distress ink for my card. The tag stamps, I've had for so long, I haven't a clue what/where/who....
It's taken me right away from cute and back to what I love best, so I enjoyed making this one.

WEDNESDAY AGAIN...

..and this weeks Challenge #31 over at I ♥ PROMARKERS has the theme of transport. Lots of interpretations possible for this one, so let's see how you all get around, lol. We are sponsored this week by LETRASET and the winner will receive a pack of 5 Promarkers.

I wanted to do something with a vintage type look to it so I chose my paper (just the one) from the V & A collection. My image is 'Tricycle Trip' from CHARMED CARDS & CRAFTS. It was coloured with Promarkers, of course, and I also put a layer of Glossy Accents over the red bike frame.



I'm entering it into the following challenges too:
CHARISMA CARDZ - Inspired by a song. My song is Main Road (lots of lines about a lucky little girl on a little red bike).
BEE CRAFTY - Anything goes.
COWGIRLS SUNDAY - Anything goes.
CRAFTY CREATIONS - Transportation.
BUNNY ZOE'S CRAFTS - Vintage.
PENNY'S CHALLENGE - Happy Birthday.

The lovely lyrics of MAIN ROAD BY LUCINDA WILLIAMS (and others).

On The Red River, on Bayou Pierre
Rosalee worked in White's Grocery
I'd get in trouble for goin' down there
She'd give me corn pops for free

Little red bike out on the main road
Lucky little girl
Little red bike out on the main road
Lucky little girl

Early in the mornin' brother and sister off at school
Mama sent me for wild flowers
Buttercups in the mornin' dew
A little red bike out on the main road too

Ghost tracks, water towers, picnics in a haunted roost
Horses waiting to be groomed need a little sugar too
Train game, moss monster, playin' down in the woods of bamboo
Mr. Black Snake ate all the bad snakes, Mr. Black Snake'll eat you too

Games turn into life
Once a tomboy now a tomwife

Little red bike out on the main road
Lucky little girl
Little red bike out on the main road
Lucky little girl
Lucky little girl

MYTH AND MAGIC

Well, I've got a couple of cards for you today and very different they are. The first one is my DT card for I ♥ PROMARKERS. The theme this week for challenge #30, as chosen by me, is Myth and Magic. Lots of scope here...dragons, fairies, mermaids...etc. We are sponsored this week by the lovely JOANNA SHEEN who is offering a £10 gift voucher to the winner to spend in her online store.




I have had my dragon image for a long time now so I'm sorry, I can't tell you where I got it from as I can't remember. The papers are Papermania 'Hampstead'. This is the first time I've actually found them suitable for a card, lol. I used walnut stain distress ink to ink all the edges (after giving them a good distressing with a sanding block) and did the same to the Sizzix 'Tim Holtz' hinge dies to try and make them look a little rusty. The swirl at the bottom is a nestability shape and the trellis is a Martha Stewart punch. I am also very fond of this fold and use it quite a lot now.

I'm also entering this at:
PAPERTAKE WEEKLY - Just One.
CHRISTMAS STAMPING - Anything but Christmas.
CORROSIVE CHALLENGE - For the Boys.
GINGERSNAP CREATIONS - Ancient Ages (I think this card has a distinct medieval look to it).
CRAFTY EMMA'S - Anything Goes.
STAMPIN' FOR THE WEEKEND - Anything Goes.
BELLI CHALLENGE - Old Stamps.


So, do you ever go back to basics? I am finding at the moment that crafting seems to have gone full circle and things that were popular at the beginning of the craze are now popular again. I am seeing more heat embossing, dry embossing, die cuts and other things. I am currently involved in a ZENTANGLE swap. Google it to find out what it's all about, but let me tell you that I, and I suspect many of you, were doing it as a child and possibly still do it without knowing that it's now got a fancy new name. Basically, it's doodling, lol but doodling with rules. Go search and you'll find some fabulous examples.

My second card resurrects another basic which also seems to be all the rage again now and it's paper piecing. Now, this is the first time I have ever done it as I didn't like it before, but using DP's for clothes and things seems to make such a difference and so I've used it on this card and I must admit, I quite like it, lol.

I think you'll agree...two VERY different cards from me this week.


My image is 'Charley' stamp from Cuddly Buddly and the papers are MME which was a freebie pad in a mag a few weeks ago. Her dress and hat are pieced and the rest of Charley and her flowers are coloured with my Promarkers. Labels eight nestability, Martha Stewart heart punch, Prima flowers and a bit of lace finish it off.

I'm going to enter this at:
FAB 'N FUNKY - Material World.

The lovely DAWN has given me this super blog award.


Thanks so much, hun. It's much appreciated.
Now, I have to nominate 7 people to pass this to, so I'll be back soon with their names and blogs. :o)

Well, I've written a bit of a tome this week, pmsl so I'll shut up now.

AUBERY BUMBLETHORPE

Meet Aubery. Isn't he just fabulous? When I saw him over at Just Inklined, I had to have him. Rock On!!!! lol.

He is coloured with Promarkers. Papers and brad are Papermania 'Hampstead' and a bit of Basic Grey too. The lattice is done with the Martha Stewart punch and I used a label nestie for the greeting.


I'm entering this card into the following challenges:
ALPHABET CHALLENGE - M for Men
PASSION FOR PROMARKERS - The colour Green.
PEAR TREE DESIGNS - Birthday.
ANYTHING GOES - Punches.
GINGERSNAP CREATIONS - GC62 Markers
CREATIVE INSPIRATIONS - Anything goes.
MAMI DOODLES - Anything goes.
COWGIRL UP - Anything goes.

I ♥ PROMARKERS # 16

Well, another week, another challenge. Nothing much different from me this time though as you saw Rooster a week or so ago, only this time I followed the sketch. So, this is my DT card for I LOVE PROMARKERS challenge #16. As already mentioned there is a sketch to follow. We are sponsored this week by the lovely DIGI DOODLE SHOP and the prize is a $10 gift voucher to use at the online store. All the design team used one of her images and you really should visit her store. She has some absolutely brilliant digi stamps.

So, here is Rooster again. :o) Coloured, of course, with Promarkers and made into a tent card again.

SCSC #78

THE SECRET CRAFTER challenge this week is 'Get Well'. I thought, seeing as they seem to be all the rage at the moment, I'd make an easel card. It's the first one I've done, but you've got to start somewhere, eh?
The image is from MY GRAFICO and I coloured it with my Promarkers. The papers are Daisy and Dandelion 'Some bunny loves you' and the rose is from WILD ORCHID CRAFTS. I used my Nestie label set with a computer generated greeting and e line pearls, the ribbon and lace were from my stash.
I'm not sure if I'll be making any more of these though, I'm not 100% keen. :o) Anyway, I hope you like it.

EXTRA, EXTRA...

Read all about it!!!

So, over at PASSION FOR PROMARKERS challenge blog this week, we had to follow a sketch. I really liked this one, and this is my entry.

SECRET CRAFTER has an 'Anything Goes' challenge this week, so I'm entering this there too. It's the first time I've entered a card for more than one challenge - I'm getting lazy in my old age, lol.


Papers are Basic Grey 'Indian Summer'. The flowers are from WILD ORCHID CRAFTS and I used Tattered Rose and Aged Mahogany distress ink pads.

'Love News' Tilda's clothes were done with Cardinal Red, Burgundy and Rose Pink. Her hair with Cool Grey shades 1-5, her skin with Blush and Saffron with a touch of chalk for her cheeks. Her shoes were done with Walnut, Cocoa and Cinnamon and the newspapers with Shale, Caramel and Satin.
The ribbon is from Lil Davis 'Merlot' card and the lace was from my stash.
I also used Nestabilities labels 1 and 8, Prima 'e' line pearls and Archival Ink in Maroon to do the stamping.
I'd just got back into my 'normal' style of crafting, but couldn't resist this sketch. I hope you like it. :o)

MORE BOXES

I've been covering boxes again. The first one is the smaller book box of the set of 3. The medium sized one was posted earlier. This one was gessoed first then acrylic painted and the papers are from the Papermania 'Sunshine' range. The image is 'Prairie Girl' from Mo's digital pencil, the frame was cut with nestabilities and the flowers are cut with Marianne dies.





The second box is to keep my cards in. I never have a big pile of ready made cards, and they were kept in a tatty old box under the table, so I decided to make something a bit prettier for them. I had to cut a box to the size I wanted but it's perfect for my needs. All papers are from MME 'Wild Asparagus' range.