The 1950's

It is wonderful to see Carol back being able to craft once again, at CD Sunday Challenges.  Carol chose The !950's for our challenge this week, not that many can remember such times, or even claim to have been here on earth, sadly, as a very young girl,  I do remember wearing a very stiff net petticoat under a dress trying to achieve the flared dress as on my card. The papers and pyramid images are from The 1950's CD by Kraftyhands. I am looking forward to seeing your projects from the era and remember to have fun whilst creating your project.

Q - is for Quilts

We at Alphabet Challenges realise how quickly the weeks go by when we are using the letters of the alphabet each fortnight,  here we are with the letter Q - Jennifer has cleverly given us the word QUILT  for our next challenge  I knew I had nothing appropriate, but thought about it and have recently bought a wonderful stamp from Dreamees  at a very reasonable cost. I know I will be able to use this Patchwork stamp over and over again for backgrounds. I used papers from LOTV Country Gent pad. The greeting 'Have a Wonderful Day' is from Sheena Douglas stamps - Only Words. This may not be an easy challenge this time but come on let's see how you will not be beaten and have a go. Paper piecing which we recently featured may be helpful, I am sure you will find some wonderful inspiration from  the Design Team, above all please have fun, I did. 

Faux Silk/Faux Linen

I have been rather 'cutsie', over the last week or so, here is a card putting me back into my 'technique mode'.  At Technique Time Tuesday for this month, Mynette has demonstrated Faux Silk, though here in the UK, I have called this Faux Linen, the technique and result are the same, only the name is different. I used a new stamp from Inkylicious, called Poppy Lea. Coloured with Promarkers. The background is Core-dinations card, sanded back to expose the lighter grey tones. The completed image reminded me of Scotland, hence why I chose tartan ribbon to enhance. Only a few more days left, so again better late than never. Pop over to the blog to see how this effect is achieved, it is so easy, yet so effective.

Fat-Tastic Tuesday with Charms

It's early days with our NEW blog, Fat -Tastic Tuesday Challenges, for 4 inch square projects, this week we are asking you to create another project which measures only 4 inches square, check the list on our main blog and see how the design team have designed for the challenge of Anything Goes  with Charms. 

For my Fat Page, I have used papers from Boho Chic, coloured the petty girl from Crafty Sentiments with Promarkers. My charm says 'be yourself'. flowers and leaves are punch outs. If you haven't yet tried making a Fat Page why not have a go, it's different and can be great fun. Hope to see you soon.

#61 Baby Boy

At Here Come The Boys challenge blog, this week the challenge is Baby Boy.  I have been longing to use this sweet stamp from Pink Gem Designs. I used papers from Sweet Pea - Peas in a Pod, simply gorgeous papers. The sentiment stamp is from a set of circular stamps - source not sure. I coloured the main image with Promarkers, adding some white glitter to the stars. I know there are some followers who are concerned I have gone all soft and marshmallowy - don't worry ladies, the wicked, dark and grungy side of me still exists. LOL 

New Design Team Post

Well I have had a break and am ready to start afresh with a new Design Team post. I was so thrilled to be invited to join Sunday Stamp and Sketch challenge blog. This being my first DT card, but I have entered their challenges a number of times over the the past year or so. I like the concept of having a sketch to work from,

and the freedom to choose whichever stamps I would like to use within the design. For my first card, I decided to use the LOTV Kraft Christmas paper.  I have been longing to use this since I bought it at Doncaster show. Along with some Fizzy Moon Festive Fun papers. The stamp is from Little Claire, coloured with Promarkers with Glossy Accents glaze over the icing. Yummee! I look forward to being part of this amazing team who have some wonderful inspiration waiting for you. Wishing you lots of  fun creating from the lovely sketch designed by Kim.

Snow People

At CD Sunday Challenge, Beryl has this week chosen for us - Snow People.  I so love the name and topic, a great way to get another Christmas card made for me, taking it nice and gentle at present, trying to prevent the last mad rush as normal. Once again, sorry to be repetitive, but I can't resist the adorable images on Best of La Pashe 2012. For my background I used some of my stock from last year's LOTV blue Christmas pad. White card and silver mirri, along with some white Card Candy, and the decoupaged image from the CD. The sentiment is a Happy Christmas stamp from Dreamees. An easy card but isn't it just so cute? 

Back to Skool

Stampin for the Weekend are challenging us with Back to School. During this month I am involved in a Fat Page swap where the topic is also Back to School. This is the Fat Page ( 4 inch square project)  I made for my partner. The main stamp is from Crafter's Companions of the boy, I extended the school wall, added a wall poster from Crafty Individuals. Maybe I have partaken in a stamper's sin by adding some sticker books, but this was only to add a little touch of something to depict learning. All coloured with Promarkers.

Use Something Wooden

At the Craft Room Challenge this week they are sponsored by The MDF Man, so they wish us to Use Something Wooden. I was fortunate to spend some time and money at The MDF Man's stall at Doncaster and bought myself some Christmas Baubles and a few other items. I painted mine with ordinary white emulsion paint, stamped and added gilding flakes to one and stamped a winter scene on the other. I used gold embossing on the red and silver embossing on the white and blue. I made these for a stamping swap I am involved in, I was so pleased my partner said how much she liked them, it was my first attempt at stamping onto painted wood.
Stamps used, Katy Sue both Greetings Stamps, Stamps Away Christmas Scene. Flower on Vellum -Sheena Douglas

Anything Goes with Buttons

Fat-Tastic Tuesday  4 x 4 Challenges are back. After a change of ownership, a few changes here and there, we are back to provide challenges for anyone interested in producing 4 inch square projects. Please pop over to see the wonderful samples for the Design Team. I made a 4 x 4 card, though normally I make Fat pages, I so love playing with this size. I find it useful to try new techniques and new stamps. the stamps I used are from two sets Crafty Individuals CI 328 and Creative Expressions Antique Dress forms.I also used Distress Inks to colour my card. I greatly look forward to a renewed future for this great blog challenge. Fat Pages can be so much fun.

Your A Star

Sunday Stamp and Sketch have again provided a very interesting sketch with a number of layers. I recently bought a fabulous set of papers at a sale price, which I planned to use for boy's cards, I know you will know what I mean when I say it even has a wonderful paper smell, it is called Sweet Peas- Peas in a Pod. I have used a LOTV stamp, the Promarker colours used were of course guided by the colour of the papers. Here is the sketch I followed. 

Little Boys at CD Sunday Challenges

It's my turn again at CD Sunday Challenges to choose the theme, well it isn't really but things got mixed up, can't even remember why. LOL. I had no problem choosing the topic after I had seen this image on the La Pashe best of 2012 CD, it had to be Little Boys. I have five grandsons, two sons,  two nephews and three grand-nephews, we are a heavily loaded male family. I actually enjoy making male cards. The background is a piece of black card, I used a white pencil.  Taking the theme from the main image I asked my OH for some mathematical equations, I don't understand any of them, but thought they made an unusual and interesting card. The image and greeting are from the CD. Have fun everyone, please pop over to our challenge blog to see how the Design Team have again provided with some wonderful projects. Remember you MUST include something from a CD and mention which CD  you used to be considered for a winning position.

P = Paper Piecing

For the next two weeks at Alphabet Challenge the challenge for the letter P has been chosen by Pat - 

Paper Piecing.  For those who may not be sure what this is, it is a very useful and interesting technique where you can add papers of your choice to decorate a stamped image. Instead of using plain paper to colour with the various mediums available, sometimes stamping the image a second or multiple times will provide you with pieces of paper to fit onto your stamped image. The background paper is from LOTV Country Gent pad, The leaves, flowers and greeting are from Sheena Douglas stamp sets, - Always Floral and Only Words. leaves coloured with Promarkers. I look forward to visiting you to see how you all use your Paper Pieces, above all, have fun.

A Blue Christmas

I made this cute card a few days ago which suits several challenges.

Sweet Stampin - Feeling Blue

Here Come the Boys - A Blue Christmas

Crafty Cardmakers - Christmas Snow and Ice

The papers and image are from the CD The Best of La Pache 2012, the cute greeting is a stamp from LOTV. I have edged all the pieces with Broken China DI. Added Glamour Dust for the Snow and Ice. Thanks to all challenge groups for the inspiration from their design teams. 

Shiver me Timbers

I do enjoy working from a sketch and over on Sketch Saturday I found I was inspired to make the above card. pop over to their challenge blog to see their rules and the sketch. I do like their sketches in particular for I find them an interesting challenge. Today I made a card for a girl, with the theme of a female pirate from Crafty Sentiments, the skull and cross bones (swords) are from Tandastamps, (sadly no longer in business).

My background papers are from a 12" sq pad from Grace Taylor. Coloured with Promarkers. I added a covering of Glossy Accents onto the skull and swords. Thanks for the lovely inspirational cards and the challenge sketch. 

At CD Sunday Challenges this week Jenny has chosen for our challenge, Shop Till You Drop, thanks Jenny. I have been longing to use something from the Katy Sue Fabulous Fashion CD for a while now. I am so in love with this CD as well as the Fashionable Shoes. The colours are just so vibrant and wonderful and of course the designs are to die for. This card was made with a Shop Template and decoupaged dress from the CD, so I can't claim this to have been designed by me, for it is as it comes, I have merely constructed it, added a few jewels and a sprinkling of glitter here and there.  I do feel though it is worthy of being shown .I look forward to have you have spent your shopping time and the projects you have made for the challenge.

Scentimental - at CD Sunday Challenges

We at CD Sunday Challenges are starting a new month with a wonderful sponsor CD from Jem's Designs - Scentimental - I have chosen to use the Lundborg's Perfume. There are a number to choose from. Please do pop over to the main blog to see the wonderful scented cards from the Design Team. I made an easel card, cutting the main card to fit the pretty shape of the printed image. All papers are from the CD. Additional elements are the pearls, the butterfly, roses, leaves and greeting. I found this a wonderful CD to work with and am greatly looking forward to making more cards. Have fun everyone, I again look forward to visiting your blogs to view your creations.