Sarah Kay Challenge Blog - Week 4* Scallop Sketch

The sketch for this weeks challenge can be found on the Sarah Kay Challenge Blog. The criteria -
make your work using the Sketch as your guide, you can rotate the sketch & even resize the Elements if you would like to, but do not move the elements around. As long as we can still see the original sketch layout and it can be easily recognised then that is fine! Please remember your work must include at least one Sarah Kay image

I love this one from Sarah Kaye. I have used all papers, free from Papercraft Essentials Magazine for the background, the glitter cardstock from my stash, Debbie Moore sentiment stamp and ribbon from Poppicrafts. I have coloured the image with watercolour pencils, and used a white gel in pen to decorate the hat and the edgings on her trousers.

So many ideas, stamps and papers, but oh so little time to craft...... I really need to get down to making some more boy cards - but the girl stamps around at the moment are so gorgeous, I keep putting of the boy cards until "tomorrow". I have made this quick card using Sarah Kay. I love brown shades of papers (even clothes), so as I had some papers which I like - they came free with Papercraft Essentials Magazine, I thought I would go for a card in brown shades. I have coloured the Sarah Kay girl with brown and tan watercolour pencils. I have used the circle punch to make circles from Dovecraft Masculine papers and then cut them in half to make scallops. The birthday girl stamp is from Debbie Moore stamps and the pink ribbon came from Poppicrafts.

A Spoon Full of Sugar - Challenge 10 -Animal Magic
We would love you to make a card with an animal somewhere in the design.

Don't forget you must include at least one Sugar Nellie, Rachelle Anne Miller, Sarah Kay, High Hopes or a Hanglar Image somewhere on your design.

Ok, so I was actually dreading this one - I dont have a Sugar Nellie Stamp with an animal on it (now I will have to invest in one or two...). But I have a few of the Sarah Kay stamps - havent had a chance to play properly yet - summer holidays etc and this one has some chickens on it - so I was in luck.

I have used the purple backing paper from Papermania Purples 12x12 papers, Purple bazzill cardstock, some satin ribbon from my stash, punched flowers made with paper and buttons from stash. I have coloured the image in using watercolour pencils, but I have used some tea to colour the straw box and the ground area of the image (works well, I thought). Once again the white gel ink pen has come in handy for decorating and the sentiment is a Debbie Moore stamp (one of ten) which I won from a competition in Papercraft Essentials Magazine (but more on that later)

Cute Card Thursday - Challenge 20

Things that grow!
The obvious things would be plants etc but really there are lots more things that grow, we look forward to seeing your own interpretations!

This is my first go at the Cute Card Thursday Challenge. I have used one of my favourite Sugar Nellie Stamps for the image. I have coloured her using watercolour pencils and paper pieced the flower and the watering can. I have used a teabag again for the staining and aged effect. I have used a small scroll clear stamp to stamp the edges of the image. The flower and ribbon are both from Poppicrafts. The sentiment is from Craftwork cards and the papers have been rescued from my stash.

Guest Designer Call - Whiff of Joy

Here is an extract from Katharina's blog - "I want to give you all the chance to be a part of Whiff of Joy. That's why I will take a Guest Designer every 2 months to join the team. And today I will start the first official Whiff of Joy Guest Designer call :)"

To enter the call create a card using the sketch, found on her Blog - Whiff of Joy - post it on your blog with a link to the post on her blog, then leave a link to you card under the post on her blog. You can enter your cards until the 30.7.2008 20pm GMT and the Guest Designer will be announced the following day.

I would love to be a Guest Designer, but have you seen some of those fabulous designs arounds. Still I've throw in the towel and had a go. I have used Billy and the Yee Hah sentiment from Pink Cat's Studio Billy Plates. I have paper pieced his trousers and hat - given his trousers a little fringe too! His shirt has been coloured in watercolour pencil and I have used a white gel ink pen to give him a check effect shirt. The rest of the image has been watercoloured and some teabag staining around the image to give it a distressed/aged effect. I have stained some string with a teabag too and glued it in place in Billy's hand. The main background paper has been taken from Dovecrafts masculine collection, the ribbon and birthday brad are from Poppicrafts and the remaining cardstock has come from my stash. I have stamped the background text onto a brown paper bag and tore and inked the edges for a rough look. The stamp used here is "Describe Him" by Artifacts.

This Week from A Spoon Full of Sugar - Challenge 9 Sketch.

I have used Dovecraft Kids papers (hearts) for the background and some papers from Papercraft Essentials magazine for the layers. I have also used bazzill card stock, the oval made with Keepsakes Majestic Board, flower from Poppicrafts, sentiment from Craftwork Cards, Ribbon from Poppicrafts, and small punched daisies. I love this stamp from Sugar Nellie - she portrays a few little girls I know, so well. I have paper pieced her trousers with bazzill card stock and her top has been paper pieced with Pink Petticoat papers.

Summer is finally here - the days have been warm and the nights, humid - but I'm not complaining - I love it! Time for crafting has been sparse though. I have been fitting in a few minutes here and there before going on outings and then before bed.....taking a whole day to complete a card!

This card has been made for Twin girls. I have used background paper which is free from Funky Fairy Inspirations and the patterns for the little sweaters have come from Craft Creations, Issue 9. I have knitted these using wooden kebab sticks - it makes the whole design a more mini version, which is better for putting on cards. I have used some bazzill pink cardstock along with some checked paper which came from Papercraft Essentials magazine. I have used the daisy punches for the flowers, ribbon from Poppicrafts and buttons from my stash.

Magnolia Challenge Blog this week - Challenge 29 - Bugs insects, ladybugs, if its creepy and its a bug - you should be including it in your work.

In the upper half of the card I have used Pink Petticoat paper. The lower half and the butterfly paper have come from my stash. I have coloured Tilda in watercolours and sat her on a daisy flower which comes from Poppicrafts, along with the ribbon. These have been layered onto bazzill cardstock and the image of the ladybugs on the flowers have been taken from a decoupage sheet by Le Suh.

My little one had his last session at Pre-school today until September. This morning while lining up all the cards for his Teachers and Assistants with their little gifts - I had a brainwave (not good at about one and half hours before you have to go), I should have at least made something to put their little gifts (earrings) in. White cardstock, paper trimmer, Papermania paper, Black cardstock, Daisy punches, doublesided tape, ruler and paper scorer - one hour later - six boxes, filled with white tissue paper and the earrings. Was so proud of my achievement - two boxes from one A4 sheet of card stock (box measure 31/2 x 3 x 1 1/4 inches). The toppers are not as square as I would have liked - now I can see a use for those square punches - more pound signs flashing before my eyes!!

New girl from Sugar Nellie's Sweet Art Ebony range. She came in the post this morning, and I just couldnt wait to have a play. As I had to make a thank you card from a little girl (well 7 years) to her teacher, I thought this would be just perfect. I have used Pink Petticoat papers for the background, Large flowers from Poppicrafts, Daisy punch flowers, pink bazzill cardstock and small piece of pink patterned paper from papercraft essentials. Thank you sentiment from Cards Handmade 4 U. I have used bright pink bazzill cardstock and some of the Pink Petticoat Papers to paper piece the Little girls clothes along with watercolour pencils.

A Spoon Full of Sugar Challenge Blog - This week

One for the Girls
we had boys last week so we couldn’t leave out the girls,We would like you to make a Girlie inspired card.

I have made my card using Sugar Nellie Stamp Maggie. The background of the card and the paper piecing on Maggie's Dress have made done using free papers from Funky Fairy Inspirations

The buttons, Bazzill cardstock and other papers have come from my stash. The "Its a Girl" sentiment has been made on the computer and printed on to paper from Funky Fairy Inspirations. The flower (cut in half) is from Poppicrafts and the circle polka dot centre from my stash. Now for the ticket labels - Made on the computer, stained with a teabag and the corners trimed with the circle punch - quick, and easy!

Its a Great Day for Blog Candy. I found this site Funky Fairy Inspirations which is brilliant and so amazing - they also offer free downloads of some of the papers which are fabulous, but also the products they sell are awesome. (more pound signs flashing before my eyes). The prize for this Blog Candy - a whole year of freebies of their New Realeases starting from August 2008 - What a Cracker!!!

So to be in a chance of winning - link the blog to yours and leave a comment.

Maya is giving away some of the most gorgeous blog candy and wait for it.........Hanglar and Stanglar stamped images in a paper bag which she has crafted - really beautiful. Link up your blog to her's leave a comment and then you are in for a chance of winning.

This is her description (from her blog):

"And here it is, my own little blog candy to celebrate that I have had 10.000 visitors! The candy is a paperbag filled up with.....Yes, Lots of H & S motifs. I have stamped up 140 images of the H & S that I have. What you have to do, to be in the drawing? You have to - Make a comment on this post - Make a post on your blog with a link to my blog candy, just to spread the word :) And thats it! If you don`t have a blog,just send me a mail on: mstensha(at)bbnett.no and you are in! I will draw a winner on Sunday 20 July at 21.00. Good luck! "

A Spoon Full of Sugar - This weeks challenge
One for the boys
We would like you to make a Male inspired card

I love this stamp especially as it leans towards the teens (always find it hard to please these ultra cool guys) and this Sugar Nellie is so cool with his skateboard and trendy clothes! I have used Dovecraft charcoal papers for the background, Pink Cat Studio Billy background plate for the skulls, Brilliance white ink, Cats Life Press One of a kind stamp for the circle sentiment and a black peel off sentiment. For the Sugar Nellie, I have coloured him using watercolour pencils, with some silver gel pen touches, and of course one of my other favourites - I have paper pieced his hat.

Oh and over on Funky Kits - the new Sweet Art Ebony and Honey and Pip stamps - who to choose?? I think I'm going to add a few to my birthday list, which is in 4 weeks - but can I wait that long??? Will they last that long?? Temptations hmmm

Tilda and Co Challenge Blog - this weeks challenge.

Challenge 28 - Distressed Tilda
Make her Distressed looking, a little rough around the edges, a bit of grungy!
So stay clear of these cute pastel colours if you can help it and get down and dirty with tilda!

As I didnt have any sort of tan/distressed coloured cardstock I have Tilda stamped on a piece of white cardstock, which has been stained with my old favourite - a teabag! Tilda has been coloured using watercolour pencils and the edges of the topper inked with black ink. I have matted and layered using cardstock which came from Sarahs Cards Ltd - February Kit. The spotted brown cardstock has been used from Dovecrafts Masculine collection and flowers punched using the large daisy flower punch. Dotted ribbon from Poppicrafts and brown buttons from my stash.

What a week it has been! I had a car accident last week. Basically I ran into the back of another car (a long story) but Thank God, I wasnt hurt and nor was anyone else. Sadly though I damaged my vehicle, but the other car wasn't even scathed! The build status was obviously more robust than mine! Now its all in the hands of the insurers, but I am without a vehicle - I suppose on the positive side to this I will now spend more time at home - thus more crafting!

Did anyone watch Wimbledon? The Williams Sisters (my favourites) won the doubles and Venus who is my favourite of the Williams Sisters, won the singles. But what about the match between Federer and Nadal? I dont normally watch men's Tennis - nothing against them - I just follow the Williams sisters - oh but I along with the family was glued to this match yesterday evening. We were behind Nadal all the way - shouting at the T.V. - feeling the highs and lows of the game (for Nadal) - it was brilliant. Nadal triumphed in the end - but what a fight!


Along with Stamps and Decoupage too, Stitching is one of my other favourite ways in which to make cards - although time consuming so I tend to only make them for the male relatives in our family. The stitching technique suits cards for men as there is no real requirement for loads of embellishments to finish the card off. The pattern for this card has come from Stitching Cards.com. They are available to buy as a download which you can save to your computer and use as many times as you like from there onwards.

This weeks challenge from A Spoon Full of Sugar

Circles

Make a card with a circle somewhere in the design, could be on the paper or the greeting or whatever else you can think of as long as it has a circle on.

I have used Hamish with flowers to create this card. I have paper pieced his outfit in black bazzill cardstock, and pearlised red and cream papers. The background papers are from Dovecraft and the red ribbon from Poppicrafts. The Handmade by stamped circle is made using the Handmade by stamp from Cats Life Press. The other circles have been cut out using a circle punch and the sentiments done on the computer. I have used peel off dots to embellish the circles and a few gems. I have also used a paper flower (half) from Poppicrafts and used a red marker to colour the petals. I am making these cards for my little boy's Preschool teachers and Assistants - the reasoning behind the Yellow trainers for Hamish. My Little one has a pair of Yellow trainers which he really love.

The week is flying by again, and I still have my favorite challenge blogs to link up to. This card has been done using an image from Pink Petticoat's, Lola Rose Occasions. I have used background paper from Dovecraft Charcoal papers, Bazzill cardstock, white ink pen and I coloured Lola using watercolour pencils. The flowers and ribbon have come from Poppicrafts - fabulous colours and I love the way they match with the black - have to be my favourite colours at the moment - not that I would be daring enough to be seen in a lime green bikini - or any bikini for that matter!