Lili's flowers

Somehow the last 2 weeks have gone by in such a blur that I haven't had a chance to make any cards let alone do any blogging- but I'm back! Work is still a bit crazy but in 3 1/2 weeks I should have all the time in the world! Anyways, here's a new card I've made using a Lili of the Valley topper and some Craftwork Cards products.

I started with an 8x8 card blank and trimmed the main background paper to fit it. Before attaching it to the card, I mounted the topper onto a pink dotty paper and put this in the centre of the backing paper. I then got 3 Craftwork Cards flowers (from a wreath kit I won) and used large gem brads to attach these to the backing paper. I then used double sided tape to mount everything onto the card base.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:-

Creatilicious 'summer'

Paper Shelter 'buttons &/or brads'

Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenges 'girl power'

Lili's Little Fairies '1,2,3'

Crafty Catz 'say it with flowers'

anything you can do...

Here's another Harry Potter themed card using the Bugaboo 'Har Repotter' digi images. I've now used them for both cards and bags but this is one of my favourites.

This card started with an 8x8 card blank which I attached the grass & cloud print papers onto. The Harry, Draco & golden snitch digi stamps all came from the Bugaboo website and I coloured them with a mix of promarkers & spectrum noirs. I trimmed the images leaving a small white border & then attached them to the card with 3d foam.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:-

Stampin' for the Weekend 'anything goes'

Cute Card Thursday 'fly like a bird'

Here Come the Boys 'use a digi stamp'

Graph'It Markers 'new beginnings' (this part of the film was a new beginning for Harry- finding out he was a great flyer and leading to him becoming the new Seeker for Gryffindor!)

Delightful Doggy

I recently found a new way of making shaped cards by taking 2 pieces in the same shape and joining them at the top and then creasing the back piece to create an easel style card. It's given me a great excuse to use my cricut machine a bit more which is one of those crafting things I absolutely love but don't use half as much as I should! This card is made using the 'Create a Critter' cartridge.

This was an incredibly simple card to make and I did it using the free cricut design studio software and the 'Create a Critter' cartridge. I cut 2 body pieces in the pale brown colour and then used scraps for the layers for the face & collar. It can be done with most of the animals on the cartridge and is great for using up those scraps of card that we all keep!

I am entering this card into the following challenges:-

Challenges 4 Everybody 'anything goes'

Creative Card Crew 'no patterned paper'

Creative Inspirations 'anything goes'

Polkadoodles 'animals'

Daring Cardmakers 'forgotten treasures'

Baby x2

I always try to have cards for every occasion when I go to a craft fair so that I can pretty much cater for anything anyone asks for (it still doesn't happen though!). I was really pleased to get some lovely 'twins' themed toppers in a recent Kanban blockbuster from C&C. I like this toppers slightly funny take on the twins theme- baby x2!

The backing paper comes from the same kit as the toppers and I simply mounted it onto an 8x8 square card. I decoupaged the main circle topper and attached this over the join of the 2 colours on the backing paper. I then addded the 2 other toppers in the corners to complete this CAS card.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:-

Totally Gorjuss 'baby'

wedding book

As I mentioned in a previous post, I recently got 2 new templates from the 'House of Zandra' stand at the Sincerely Yours show in Lincoln. This is the first thing I've made using the book card template and I can see that there will be lots more to come.

From the front it almost looks like a normal card-

But actually it's a 3d book card-

When you open up the front, there is a deep recess inside creating various opportunities for creativity!

Here's a close up view of the insides-

I started with 2 pieces of black A4 card, using the templates to cut the shapes required. I made up the box element using super sticky tape to attach it. I then used my ScorPal scoring board to emboss the detail on the book cover and then used some gilding wax to add extra detail. I cut some 'gorjuss' backing paper to fit inside the box and to cover the sides. I then added the 3 black paper flowers with card candi centres. I stamped the bunting using white ink onto black card and attached across the front of the box on some cream coloured string. I then decorated the front of the book with the 2 cream hearts (Kanban) with peel-off letters. This is quite a simple box compared to what can be achieved but for my first go, I'm really happy with it.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:-
Crafting Musketeers 'use a stamped image'
Cute Card Thursday 'ebony & ivory'
Catch the Bug 'going to the chapel'
Challenges 4 Everybody 'anything goes'

good luck bunting

I recently got a brilliant paper pad called 'up, up & away' for a bargain price from my local dunelm shop. This is the first card I've made using it- I love the colour combo.

I rounded the corners of a 6x6 square card blank and then inked it with 'pumice stone' distress ink. I cut & rounded a piece of glittery backing paper and added this to the card. The topper is from Lily of the Valley and was already coloured so I simply matted it onto a plain green cardstock that came from the same paper pad as the patterned paper and then put it in the bottom corner of the card. I got some new stamps from the 'Little Claire' range at the Lincoln Sincerely Yours show and I've been desperate to use them. They are a set of letters, numbers & patterns on bunting meaning that you can make any words you want. I stamped them onto the plain green card and then cut them out leaving a small border before glueing them onto a string stretched across the card. This gives them movement and extra dimension to the card.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:-

Lili's Little Fairies 'good luck'

Stampin' for the Weekend 'cute'

home to nest

This is the second card I've made using the Papermania 'home to nest' decoupage pack and was one of those cards that just sort of happened without realising what I was doing almost!

I really loved the egg design backing paper so wanted to use it in some way. I chose an A4 card sheet that had a matching brown shade and folded it into an A5 card. I then found a matching egg design die-cut that had the bird house in the corner but was otherwise plain. I cut the middle from that die-cut to make a frame, mounting it onto the matching brown card with 3d foam to raise it. I then placed the decoupage topper inside the frame, placing the blue tit (I think!) onto the frame and the topper. I used a message from the set, mounting it again on the matching brown card and then punching a hole & threading with some raffia.

I am entering this card into the following challenge & DT call:-

Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge Blog 'birthdays'

gardening great

Here in the UK it will soon be Father's Day (I'm not sure if it's the same day everywhere else in the world?) but for me, more importantly, it's my grandads birthday. He loves gardening so the new Papermania 'home to nest' range is perfect. This is the first card that I've made from the kit and will more than likely be his card.

I started with a sheet of A4 green card that I folded into an A5 card. I then trimmed and mounted a backing paper from the 'home to nest' A4 decoupage pack. The decoupage topper came from the same set and I mounted it onto the same green card as the base card and then a dark brown layer. Before mounting this onto the card, I wrapped some raffia around the topper and tied it at the front of the card.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:-

Love to Create 'special guy'

Crafty Cardmakers 'father's day'

Purple Purple Purple!

Anyone who stumbles across my blog occasionally, will probably know that I absolutely love the colour purple so when the latest Polkadoodles challenge was posted, I knew that I'd have no problem making a card for it-

I chose one of my favourite Saturated Canary images as a starting point and used my promarkers & spectrum noirs to colour it using mainly shades of purple. I then mounted it onto a purple mirror card and put this onto an 8x8 white card blank mounted with a textured DCWV purple paper. I then added the 3 flowers & the gems to complete the card.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:-
Stampin' for the Weekend 'monochrome'
Cutie Pie '3,2,1' (3 flowers, 2 textures & 1 colour)
Polkadoodles 'the colour purple'
Totally Gorjuss 'anything goes with flowers'
Papertake Weekly 'anything goes'
Paper Shelter 'flower power'

Owl shaped card

A couple of weeks ago I went to the 'Sincerely Yours' show in Lincoln and was really impressed by the 'House of Zandra' stand. I've already bought the 'Fabulous Fashion' cd-rom from C&C so wanted to look at the ideas of how to use it. I ended up buying some brilliant templates that I can't wait to use- no time at the moment though! They did have a great idea for unusual shaped cards by cutting 2 pieces of card in the same shape and then folding the back piece at the top and attaching that to the front piece- certainly the easiest way I've seen of joining an unusual shaped card and great for using with the cricut (much easier than welding an image anyway). This is one of the first cards I've made...

I used my cricut 'Create a Critter' cartridge to cut the owl twice out of dark brown card. I creased a fold into the top of the back piece and used strong double sided tape to attach it to the front piece and make my card stand up. I then used papers from the DCWV 'Girlhood' stack to cut the decorative layers & a scrap of yellow card for the beak & claws. I used double sided tape to layer up the different aspects of the card.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:-
Songbird 'all creatures great & small'
Paper Shelter 'shape it up'

Ron @ The Burrow

Here's another of the cards I've made using the fabulous Har Repotter digi stamps from the Bugaboo website. Today, it's Ron who is one of my favourite characters in the books and films (Rupert Grint is great!).

Both Ron and The Burrow are digi images from Bugaboo, so I started by colouring them with my spectrum noirs & promarkers. I used distress inks and a handmade paper mask to create the hill for the Burrow to sit on. I raised the toppers with 3d foam and then added some peel-off stars around the house.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:-
Challenges 4 Everybody 'anything goes'
MayzyArt 'anything goes'
Love to Create 'bookmark, book or reading'
Creative Inspirations 'anything goes'
Cute Card Thursday 'too cool for school'
Crafty Catz 'storybook or nursery rhyme inspired'
Catch the Bug 'anything goes'