The Secrets out!!

Hi blog friends

Well I just couldn't wait a second longer to tell my secret!  I'm sooo excited.

 I just got my 1st DT team place with Fab'n'Funky challenges, I only started blogging this year - my new years resolution, even though I've been following craft blgs for ages now, it was just taking the plunge - and it makes the blogging much more fun too.   I've enjoyed it so much I've already met such a lot of lovely people and it gives me a reason to make my cards. 

Being on the Fab -Fab'n'Funky design team means I've got even more excuse to make more cards - with lots of inspiration thrown in. The girls have all been so welcoming and helpful to a newbie like me - special big hugs to Wendy for helping me get my 1st DT card posted when I was having problems - you're a star - if I had an award I'd give it to you x

Congrats to the other newbie DT members Sheila and Judit - I'm sure we'll all muddle along together girls!   I think I know how Meryl Streep felt at the Oscars - this is my Oscar speech - and I'd better shut up before I get boo'd off  lol.

So here it is my 1st ever DT card, as soon as I saw the theme for the week I knew I had the perfect stamp. The theme is leap into action - in honour of leap year and sponsored by Joanna Sheen.   The prize is £10 to spend in store and I'm sure you can all come up with some creative ideas of leaping things, animals, people - anything to celebrate our once-in-four-years day. So hop on over to the challenge blog and do your worst - or should that be best!!

closer view of details

What I did....

Stamp - Leaping into Spring from Whiff of Joy by Elizabeth Bell
Coloured with - Copics and prismacolor pencils
Papers  - Kim & Co
Flowers - Wild orchid craft (pink sweetheart) and green prima
Tag - cut with Sizzix
Sentiment- have a hoppy day - Dawn Bibby - woodland friends stampset
Lace and ribbon from my stash
Kraft card and papers distressed with Tim Holtz tea die distress ink

Hope you like it and good luck with the challenge.

I'm also entering for the following challenges

One stopcraft challenge - colour on kraft (distressed kraft card)
Allsorts challenge blog - anything goes
The pretty little ribbon shop challenge blog - Anything goes
Sweet Sketch Wednesday

sketch for challenge 142

See you soon

Very excited hugs

Judith x

My favourite colour - green

Hi blog friends

I've had a really exciting weekend - but shh its a secret so I'll have to tell you later!!
Started this card last night and got up early this morning to finish it.  My favourite colour is green, I often make pink and green cards but when I saw the challenge on Fab 'n' funky challenges this week was green, blue and white I had to give it a go.  Is not a combination I've used recently - if ever but I think I love it.

close up of the details

What I did...

Stamp image - Lili of the valley - coffee break
Flower stamp (around outer card) and sentiment stamp- Dawn Bibby woodland deer and cup cake
Distress ink (stamping and ink on card - Tim Holtz shabby shutters
Tag - cut with sizzix die
Card - Craftwork cards scalloped card
Papers - K & Co sweet nectar
Coloured with - copics and prismacolor pencils
Pearls - kaisercraft
Flower - wild orchid inside of prima
Lace and vintage seambinding ribbon  - from my stash

I didn't want to go overboard with the embellishments because the bright colours are enough by themselves withour too much clutter (thats a technical term!).  Think I need to expand my blue and green colour pallet - I can feel another birthday present coming on!

Must go off to do some ironing - I know boring - but going to the cinema tonight to see "the Artist" and if we want to go out dressed in clothes tomorrow its getting to be a must!

I'm entering this card for the folowing challenges

Fab'n'funky challenges - Green blue white
Lilis little fairies - afternoon tea
Little miss muffet challenges - fancy or lace
Crafty sentiments designs - 2 designer/diferent papers
Allsorts challenge challenge blog - Your choice
Sentimental Sundays - Lace and pearls

See you soon

Hugs

Judith x

Easter is coming!

Hi blog friends

I was determined to get a card made today - I've had a busy week at work and at home and just couldn't catch up with myself at all.  I don't think I've recovered from staying up til one in the morning watching Tim Holtz on QVC.  I ordered the new distress pens and they arrived today - ooh big excitement!! haven't had a proper play yet (they're supposed to be my birthday pressie and that's not for a fortnight - but I'm sure I can have a little lend for a while!!)  I treat myself to some other goodies as well - all in aid of the birthday but I think that excuse might have just run out - not that I can complain, my hubby never comments on my ever growing stash and the mysterious parcels that turn up - I think he thinks it keeps me quiet, so a small price to pay!!

I'm still on the Saturated Canary thing but today is very pretty pretty for a change.  I thought I'd get a couple of Easter cards made, not that I send a lot of them but I really like the stamp so thats reason enough for me. 

A close up of the detail

What I did...

Stamp - Saturated Canary "Murray"
Paper - Dovecraft Back to Basics
Flowers - Wild Orchid
Card and Ribbons from my stash
Buttons - Papermania
Punch (borders on card) - Martha Stewart
Sentiment - Craftwork cards

I coloured her with copics and prismacolor pencils.

I hope you like it -let me know what you think, I love to read your lovely comments Thanks for looking.

I'm entering this card for the following challenges

My time to craft - anything goes
My Mums craftshop - Buttons and bows
MAWTT- lots of layers
Paper Pretties - use punch or die cuts
Allsorts challenge blog - Anything goes
Crafts and me Challenge blog - Shades of spring

Hugs

Judith x

Guess who's been watching Tim Holtz today!!

Hello blog friends

I've been looking for a bit of inspiration to enter the Saturated Canary challenge which is anything but rectangle or square. I've had a couple of tries with circles but they just didn't look right - then I started to watch Tim Holtz on QVC today!! Out came my distress stuff and I was away - What an inspiration that man is!! I haven't done any full on distressing for a while and I really enjoyed myself

Close up of the detail

The stamp is from Saturated Canary and another of the new release called Honey. I coloured her with copics and prismacolor pencils and stuck on a couple of heart gems . The tag was cut with cricut wedding cartridge in kraft card and distresed with brushed corduroy distress ink then the top layer was cut from white card and I distressed again with the brushed corduroy. The diamond pattern stamp is from crafty individuals stamped with worn lipstick distress ink and some areas were embossed with worn lipstock disress embossing powder to add some texture. I then stamped with a selection of post stamps in fired brick and tea dye distress ink. Still needed some more distress - I was watching the master at work! - so painted the whole backgroung with crackle glaze. It took me a while to get the stamp image -which I had cut out - to blend in but eventually settled with a distress of both brushed corduroy and worn lipstick around the edges and that helped bring the whole thing together - phew.
I finished off with some ribbon from my stash that I distressed with tea dye ink and some buttons and a leaf diecut I already had cut out - think its from the cricut Cindy Loo cartridge but not certain, finally I finished off wth a couple of pins in the top.

I had forgotten how messy and how much fun this type of project can be - its something I think I'll do again soon.

I'm entering this tag for the following challenges

Saturated Canary challenge - anything but square or rectangle
One stop craft challenge - create your own background
Creative craft challenge - Bingo - ribbon/ pink/gems
Papertake Weekly Challenge - Include Kraft card on the card



Thats me for today

hugs

Judith

Trixie the circus girl

Hi there

Had such a busy weekend that I just haven't had a chance to do any crafting - or at least finish any!

I got some of the new Saturated Canary digi stamps last week and couldn't wait to play - these little girls are all so pretty, they deserve to be totally dressed up and I certainly gave this one the treatment!

a close up of the detail

This is what I used

Stamp - Saturated Canary Trixie, circus girl
Papers -SEI Coture collection 6x6
Coloured with - Copics and prismacolor pencils
Sentiment - Craftwork cards
Flowers - Wildorchid crafts
Ribbon and pearl swirls - bought from Sam Pooles Creative Studios
Pearl brad - Whiff of Joy
Die cut - Spellbinders
Leaves - Papermania midi punch

I tried to give her a "strawberry blonde" look which I think worked well, I used copics E50,E51 and E53 as the basis of the colour but it was the shading with the prismacolour pencil pc1034 colour "goldenrod" and sansodor  that really did the trick I think.  I love experimenting with the prismacolors.  I got a lovely big box at Michaels craft shop when I visited  Florida last year and was there for the Black Friday sales, the whole box of 48 was only about £15!! - why can't we get bargains like that here in England?  But having the lovely selection of colours on top of the ones I already had has made me much more adventurous and its lovely to experiment with all sorts of colours I probably wouldn't have thought of buying.  I used a selection of the copic colours I had used to colour her to do a spotty background around her and I was pleased with that effect too.  I decided to restrain myself and hold of with more pearls and my favourite butterflies  -even I have to admit that there is such a thing as too much!!

Thats me for today - but could be back with more Saturated Canary tomorrow - if the day goes to plan.

I'm entering this card for the following challenges

Fab 'n' funky Challenges - try something new (experimented with new colours and a new digistamp)  Creative Belli Blog - recipe - 1 ribbon/2 designer papers/3 colours and 4pearls
Totallypapercrafts challenge - Ribbons and bows
Card Makin Mamas - Happy birthday
My Mums craft shop challenge - Pearls and swirls
Paper Creations Ink  -Show us your style using your favourite technique  - colouring/blending
Saturday Challenge - Bingo - swirls/flowers/pearls
Sunday sketch and stamp - sketch #94

Hugs

Judith x

For a man - keep it simple!

Hi again

Just a quick post today.

I was asked to make a card for a man - with the instruction -  nothing at all fancy or frilly - definately no bows! -keep it simple (well he is a man!)

This is what I used:

Craftwork card 8 inch and half a six inch covered and mounted in the centre

Papers - Papermania pastels colossal paperpad

Craftwork card candy in a toning blue colour

Stamp -Lili of the valley - Cheers bear 

Coloured with  promarkers and prismacolor pencils

Nose and glass highlighted with glossy accents

Faux stitches around card and numbers with a fine marker pen

Numbers - cut with Cricut Cindy Loo cartridge

Happy birthday(inside card) - cut and layered with Cricut Simply Charmed cartridge

I hope this simple man likes his simple 30th birthday card!!

I'm entering this card for the following challenges

Creative card crew - Masculine
kaboodle doodle challenge - Where the boys are (boys or masculine)
Truly Scrumptious - All creatures great and small (bear )

Paperplay Challenge - critters

Hugs

Judith

A rainbow card

Hi there

I bought this Saturated canary stamp because I knew I had this rainbow/umbrella paper and thought it would work well together.  I've used the sketch from sweet sketch Wednesday challenge this week.

Sweet Sketch Wednesday sketch #141

I used bright colours to colour her to tone with the rainbow colours.  This is what I used:

Stamp - Saturated Canary - Let it rain
Paper K & Co
Distress ink - Tim Holtz Tea Dye
Ribbon - Carnmeal cottage
Die cut umbrella and tag  Cricut paper dolls cartridge
Die cut oval - Spellbinders
Coloured with copics and prismacolour pencils
Glossy accents used on wellies and umbrella handle
All other embellies from my stash

The card is exactly as I had "seen" it before I started the only thing I'm not sure of is the card I used for stamping the image which is Neenah card - it is what I normally use - dont know it its a bit too white - has anyone any ideas for a good card for alcohol markers that not quite so white - suggestions gladly received!

I'm entering this card for the following challenges

Sweet sketch Wednesday - # 141
ABC challenge - jazz it up - bling/glossy accents/ bright colours
Totally papercraft - rainbow
Crafts and me challenges - distressed
Incy wincy designs - recipe -3 embellishments (umbrella, tag, bow), 2 papers 1 image


Thats me for today

Hugs

Judith x

A card with all my love

Hi again

I made this card today as the last of the valentines!  It is a lili of the valley stamp called "The little things" and just so cute.

I chose the paper and after that the card was made around it really.  The paper actually has a lovely music design on it but by the time I finished embellishing it the whole thing is covered up!

This is what I used

Paper - Songbook by Marianne designs
Heart die cut - Wedding cartridge on Cricut
Ink for edging - Tea dye Tim Holtz
Lacey diecut border - Martha Stewart
Coloured with - Copics and prismacolur pencils
Flowers -Prima with a dark red rose in the centre
Sentiment and heart stamp -  Dawn Bibby woodland rabbits stamp set
Gold pearls - kaisercraft

Hope you like it

I'm entering this card for the following Challenges

Lili's little fairies - Jacques valentine sketch
Card Makin Mamas -Valentine
Dream Valley challenges - Valentine
Delightful Challenges - Love
The Crazy Challenge - Valentines day
Make my Monday - hearts and flowers
Creative craft challenges - Valentines
Hugs

Judith x

A special Sarah Kay 50th birthday card

Hi All

The card I have made today came to me as inspiration in the night and I got up early this morning to make it!  I was asked by my workmates to make a special card for us all to sign for one of our friends who turns 50 this month.  I've got a  bit of a vintage/distressed thing going on at the minute and found some lovely K & Co Margo papers that I had forgotten about, the flowered one is really beautiful and glittery - can't think why I haven't used it up already - but I'm glad I hadn't.

I love these Sarah Kay children stamps - I treat myself to 3 a couple of weeks ago and still have a little boy as yet uninked, that I'm looking forward to using and hear tell that there are some new ones out soon - just as well I have a birhtday coming up - I've got a list of crafty things that I absolutely "need". 
But back to the card.  The image is coloured with copics and prismacolor pencils - I love colouring these charaters with their little jeans - they are so well drawn that they almost colour themselves. I distressed the card and papers with Tim Holtz brushed corduroy.  I used Kraft card for matting and  die cut embellishments - I have a stash from a vintage phase I went through a while ago - so at least I don't have to stock up - just as well as paper mill closed.  All the die cut embellishments are from the paper dolls cartridge fom the cricut expression machine, this is such a useful little collection of just all kinds of extras that you can incorporate into a card, all that is except for my favourite Martha Stewart butterflies - I think I'm going to start a wheres wally type of thing for people to spot them on my cards - not that it would be hard! The ribbons are from my carnmeal collection, the pearls from kaisercraft, the gorgeous little screw brads I got from Sam Pooles Creative Studios - I had them in mind for boy/men cards when I bought them but I knew they were just perfect for this little signpost.

I'm entering this card for the following challenges

The ABC challenge - I as in pairs - two screw brads and two butterflies
Paper Pretties - add texture to your card ( texture on embelishments - wood, basket)
Crafters Companion monthly challenge - anything goes
The Crafty Pad - Something begining with B - Butterflies and Basket and Bows
CES Challenge Blog - More than 2 layers
Creative Craft Challenges - Bingo - Brown Ribbons Flowers
One stop craft challenge - Hearts, ribbon, flowers
The pretty little ribbon - Anything goes

My My Pricilla Pie!

Hi Again!

Been on a bit of a roll and managed to get another card finished today. Sometimes I know exactly what I'm doing - today wasn't one of those cards,!  I picked out the stamp and the papers but that was where it all went a bit off track - I wanted to make a large card for someone who asked  for a special 50th birthday card - that card didn't get made!!  I'll have to try again tomorrow - don't you just hate when that happens.... but I was reasonably happy with the card I ended up with,

close up of the detail

The image is another of those delish Saturated Canary digi stamps that I downloaded and printed just waiting to be tried out - think I'm a little bit addicted - called Pricilla Pie,  I started off co-ordinating her with a paper with a blue and slight lilac tinge but abandoned that one - hence the slight lilac tinge that should ideally be slight green with the paper I used - for perfection - but in real life it looks more blue, its a bit more lilac here and the Craftwork cards Happy Bithday sentiment doesn't show up well on this post but looks fine on the photograph, can't win I suppose.

I coloured her with copics and prismacolour pencils and the papers are K and Co.  The pearl brads are from Whiff of Joy and the ribbon from my carnmeal cottage collection.  The lace and cherry blossom flowers were bought from ebay and the leaves are a Martha Stewart punch. 

I'm entering this card for the following challenges

Sundays with Crissy - Birthday card
Paper Pretties - Add texture to your card
Truly Madly crafty - Ribbon and bling
Just Tracys Crafts - A card for a female
Crafts and me challenge - A new image
Creative craft Challenges - Bingo =Blue Lace Flowers

Beautiful Neveah - with love x

Hi all

I've been dying to use this stamp since I got it - she is soooo beautiful!  I almost finished this card last night when the blade on my cricut machine decided to give up half way through cutting the star borders and my head had run out of ideas of what else to do so I put her away and went to bed.  I had left my pack of new blades at my daughters house (just the sort of thing you leave at someone elses house isn't it - best not to ask!) so had to think of something else to finish off  - it had been a cute "Star" sentiment cut to match the other stars but not to be! So a couple of stars and some glitter had to be rustled up together with a craftwork cards "With Love" sentiment - always handy when you need one!  Besides with all these valentines love challenges around this week perhaps its just as well.

The pretty lilac card used for the layers and stars is from bazzill, papers from K and Co, the ribbon from Carnmeal Cottage.  I coloured her with copics and prismacolor pencils the little stars and sparklies are from my stash.  I quite liked her when I was done, but the making of it did go on a bit!!

I'm in all on my own tonight all my men are out doing their own thing (no I haven't got a hareem of men just two sons and a husband - ha ha that was nearly a good typo I had put 2 sins and a husband!!)  so might make another card or should I do the ironing??? - really should do the ironing or if I'm in wonderwoman mode maybe both!

I'm entering this card for the following challenges

Creative Inspirations challenge - Love
Stampavie and more challenge - Love
Fab and Funky challenges - love is in the air
Papertake weekly challenge - Anything goes
My Mums craftshop Challenge - It must be Love
Crafty sentiments designs challenge - Lets get girly
My time to craft challenge - A is for adorable
Mad for markers challenge blog - Rs and RVs - (used to shade on dress and trim on dress)

Thats me for now

Hugs



Judith

Love Grows

Hi there

I've definately got a love thing going on at the moment - love must be in the air!!

This is a cute little girl from Sarah Kay for Stampavie.  I coloured her with copics and prismacolour pencils and shaded the kraft card and white card with Tim Holtz brushed corduroy distress ink.  The papers are K and Co and the sentiment stamp comes with a Lili of the Valley stamp (see my last post for the stamp)  I cut the vine leaves from my cricut expressions machine and the two little tags with a sizzix die. the flowers are a spellbinders die - I certainly went through the die cutting machines tonight!! The pearls are from Kaiser craft, I love their sets of coloured pearls in various sizes  Finally the narrow gold ribbon I got from carnmeal cottage

Close up of the details on the card

I think I need to get away from this love thing for my next card - perhaps something cute, I have some Saturated Canary images that I 've printed and die cut that I'm just dying to colour so I might treat myself tomorrow!!

I'm entering this card for the following challenges

Sir stampalot - In the garden
Paper creations ink - #18 recipe 1 image, 2 patterned papers, 3 embellishments (flowers pearls, ribbon)
The poodles parlour - anything goes
Sentimental sundays -  feel the love (plus a sentiment)
Crafters companion monthly challenge - anything goes
Little miss muffet challenges - valentines and love

thats me for today

Big hugs

Judith

More love xx

Hi there

Another card with lots of love today.  My daughter asked me to make an engagement card for her friends and it gave me the chance to use one of my new LOTV stamps that I just got this week, they have lots of lovely spring stamps on sale at the moment so I stocked up!

I coloured with copics and prismacolour pencils and added the lovely K and Co papers for lots of lovely spring colours.  The card is a cordinations and has a lovely texture and sheen.  I cut the die cuts with spellbinders dies and the butterflies are a Matha Stewart punch,- one of my favourites that I use often, the label is a sizzix .  The flowers, ribbon and pearls are all from my stash
I am entering this card for the following challenges

Lilis little fairies - spring colours
Sweet stampin challenge - the one I love
Paper Pretties - use ribbon or twine
Creatalicious challenges - love - using punched border, ribbon, flowers and bling
Delightful sketches - punches and dies
The crazy Challenge - flowers
The craftypad challenge #156 -fresh spring colours
crafty sentiments designs- Dies and or punches

Thats me for now

hugs

S.W.A.L.K.

Hi there

I have another of those absolutely gorgeous Saturated Canary girls today - I just love, love, love them- Krista is so talented - I have a whole batch of them printed off and ready to colour - so watch this space!

I have made this card totally over the top with hearts, so it must be a valentine card!  There are three different heart papers - sorry can't remember where from, the hearts die cut is spellbinders and the swirl is from my cricut expression cartridge - cindy loo.  I made the little envelope from some scraps and stamped it  SWALK with my little craftwork card candy stamps - they are just so useful.  The hearts stamped on the white card are from a Dawn Bibby set I've had for ages and never used - I knew they'd come in useful sometime! Finally the pretty pink organza ribbon is from my carnmeal cottage collection! -and everything else from my stash.  I coloured her with copics and shaded with prismacolor pencils- this digistamp is so well drawn and a pleasure to colour!

I'm entering this card for the following challenges

Allsorts challenge blog - one or more hearts
Truly Scrumptious - Love and hearts
MAWTT - Have a heart
Fab and Funky challenge - Use a digi image
Deep Ocan challenge - Love you
Joanna Sheen challenge - love is in the air
Creative Belli Blog - hearts/valentine
Saturated Canary challenge -Red pink and white
The crazy challenge - flowers

Thats me for now

Hugs

Boyz II Men !!

Hi again

Boyz II Men

No card again today -been havin too much fun again!  Got something half done before I went out to the Sage at Gateshead to see Boyz II Men, definately worth seeing - I've seen them for  the last 3 years - they are just so good live - but for now I've come to "the end of the road" its late and I have work in the morning so thats about it - just making my excuses really - still a gir'ls got to have music or life's just not worth living!!

Hugs