Happy New Home

Wow, how did it get to be the last day of June already - this year is whizzing past!  I suppose I should get a move on with my Christmas cards ... sum total so far = 1, I'm not sure what happened to the master plan to make a few every month ;)

This card is for a friend who moved away a few months back and is now moving to a new house - she's a wee bit homesick, so I thought I'd make her a cheery card for her new home.

I've based it on Jennifer's fab card over at the Muse Challenge #74.  My wee house is from a Simon Says Stamp set, and Sm Sunnie from High Hopes.  Coloured with pencils and some red stickles added to the heart on the house.  I thought it needed something so I splattered some pink paint to the white base and hey presto!!  Oh and of course some googly eyes, who doesn't love googly eyes?!

Simon Says Stamp Monday - W is for White
Addicted to CAS #41 - sun
Sister Act #63 - anything goes

Card for Marlene

Whoops hadn't realised this photo was so wonky until I uploaded the pic!
This card is for a work colleague, though I don't really know her very well which is why she's getting a simple bunch of flowers ... though I must say, this is one of my favourite stamps!

I've told myself that I'm not buying any more DP until I use what I've got,  and I've nearly finished this one.  Think the band will come out to play and fireworks if I do actually manage to use an entire paper pad!!  There may also be some flying pigs ;)

Image coloured with pencils. The name is stamped using a Block Alpha set from Sarah Hurley which I'm loving; I don't think I've used the Thank you stamp from a Tiddly Inks set before.

Sketch flipped from MFT Wednesday Sketch Club MFTWSC182 and inspired by Barbara's DT card
Totally Gorjuss #242 - pink and green
Simon Says Stamp Monday - I ought to use this more
Creative Inspirations #271 - clean and simple
CRAFT #265 - thank you
Crafty Girls #21 - anything goes

Turtally Awesome

Our new challenge at High Hopes is to use
Ribbon or Twine
Play along with your High Hopes stamps for the chance to win a new one of your choice ... if you're looking for stockists you'll find details on High Hopes blog :)

I've used Sitting Shelby and Turtally Awesome sentiment.  I water coloured my image ... I'm definitely no expert but I love how he turned out!  I also dusted off this old embossing folder as I thought the texture was perfect for my wee turtle :)

Other Challenges:
Dream Valley #84 - monochrome
Layout from Retro Sketches #120
Stampin' for the Weekend's last challenge - anything goes

Another Teacher card

This is another one of my Thanks Teacher cards ... the request was made for a red themed card to match the school colours.  My general layout was inspired by Beverley's fab card over at the Muse challenge #73... this turned out to be a great quick card, so I might be making more of these!!

I used pencils from a Paper Smooches set  - some sparkle added to the bit below the eraser. I also splattered some red watercolour paint and some bling for a bit of added interest.

Dream Valley #84 - monochrome
Less is More #177 - use watercolours
Charisma cardz #13 - sparkle and shine
Stamp and Create June - Thank You

Thanks Teacher

Boohooo back to work today ..  I shouldn't complain though, as I had a really lovely week off!  Not so much fun coming back to almost 160 emails to deal with though!  Ha, it's great to be popular ;)

I've had the usual last minute rush orders for some Thank You teacher cards - this one uses stamps from Paper Smooches - coloured with pencils.  I've no idea about the DP ... I'm trying to be a good girl and use up some of my unloved stash!
I added clear gloss to the apple and the land in the globe.

Layout from Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge
Simon Says Stamp Monday - I ought to use this more
Daring Cardmakers - oodles of doodles (my borders)
Crafty Girls #20 - anything goes
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - June

Gingham Girlie

How did it get to be Thursday evening already?!!  I've been off work all week, and the weather has co-operated beautifully and it's been sunny and glorious ... I've been to the beach twice, sorted out the pots in the garden (and spent a small fortune in the garden centre oops!), and then tomorrow we're off to visit the new Titanic Belfast exhibition that we've been meaning to go to for aaaages.

The weather has been so good I haven't had much time for cardmaking!  This little girl was still knocking round my table from a card I made last week, so she got another inking.  Paper pieced her outfit and coloured the rest with pencils.  My fancy border is a sadly neglected Tim Holtz border die.  Martha Stewart butterfly punch.

Layout from Tiddly Inks #135
Penny's Challenge #182 - your favourite embellishment (mine's gems)
A Gem of a Challenge #121 - use gingham ribbon +/or DP
The Squirrel and the Fox #72 - use something metal (staples)
Simon Says Stamp Monday - anything goes
Divas by Design - 3 or more layers
Crafty Girls #20 - anything goes

And here's a wee pic of Ruby lovin the beach just to make you go Awwww :)

Summer Sail Boat

Our new challenge at High Hopes is ...
Water
Play along with your High Hopes stamps to win a new one of your choice - water could be a lake, ocean, rain, bath, etc. 

I must confess that I completely forgot what the challenge was when I was making this card and didn't add any actual 'water', I was so engrossed in what I was doing.
But, hey, you don't know that, so I'll just say that I've used these pale blue, lilac and navy panels to symbolise the sea and sky and my stitching is the foam on the waves.
Do you think I got away with that?

My image is Summer Sail Boat - coloured with pencils and popped up on dimensionals.

Oh and my regular buddies will notice that there's no dirty splodges on my card.  Yes the birthday fairy delivered a swanky new camera for me to play with.  Yippee :)

Other Challenges:
Layout from the Deconstructed Sketch #155
Cute Card Thursday #325 - so macho
Crafty Girls #20 - anything goes
Moving along with the times - keep it clean and simple
Addicted to CAS #40 - transport
Sketchy colours #215 - blue, lilac, brown
Simon Says Stamp Monday - anything goes
CASology #100 - celebrate
The Card Concept #12 - nautical (I used the CAS theme)

Card for Katie

This is just a quickie post ... I've already spent too long on this computer and Coast has just started with the lovely Neil Oliver, I could listen to him chittering on all day!

Image from Tiddly Inks - coloured with pencils .... I hope I have Katie's hair colour right!
Clear gloss and sparkle added to the heart balloons and to her bows.
I didn't have any pale purple cardstock, so just coloured some with my pencils and then die cut them.

Dies: Marianne design butterfly; Taylored Expressions heart border; Memory box corner die.
Woodware corner punch.

Seize the Birthday - any birthday, option of summertime
Pile it On #23 - use patterned DP
The Squirrel and the Fox #70 - let's hear it for the girls
Layout from Sketch n' dies #8
My Mum's Craft Shop #18 - ink it up

A boy's card in pink?!!

I was asked to make a card for a guy who'd worked on the volunteer recruitment team for the Giro d'Italia - the big Italian bicycle race that started in Northern Ireland last month (if you missed my post on it you'll see the cyclists zipping past here)

Now, you might think that a cycling related card would maybe have a bicycle on it? Oh noooooooo!

My first thought was for a pink sheep. Hahahahaha
The whole of Northern Ireland went pinktastic for the Giro, and even the horses and sheep were dyed pink (I think they used beetroot juice or something)   Oh, and no, we don't normally dye our animals ;)

Apologies for the crappy photo of my card ... the pink colours didn't quite come out right and there's the usual dirty splodge in the middle too.  But I think there may be a new camera on the way for an impending birthday pressie .... yippee!!!

Image from Taylored Expressions ... white flowersoft added and then touched with a pink copic marker.  My bunting is an oldie stamp from Creative Expressions.

Fab'n Funky #220 - laughter is the best medicine
Oldie but a Goodie - Father's Day / Masculine
Stamping Sensations June - animal antics
Stamp and Create June - Thank you
Natalie and Amy's challenge #21 - four legged friends

Hello Henrietta!

Our new challenge at High Hopes is
at least 2 designer papers
Play along with your HH stamps to win a new one of your choice.

For my card I've used Henrietta's Front , Cluck sentiment, and Chicken Wire background.  Henrietta is coloured with pencils, clear gloss added to her beak and legs, and some red stickles added for a bit of sparkle.
(... if you like 'Henrietta's Front' you should have a look at her backside LOL)

Other Challenges...

• Layout from Sketch Saturday #313 
• Stampin for the Weekend - anything goes
• Crafting when we can #71 - use your scraps .... I always have plenty of those ;)
• Stamping Sensations June challenge - animal antics
• My Mum's Craft Shop #18 - ink it up

Perfectly Pink!

Booo, Sunday evening already!  Not to worry, only this week to work and then I'm off for a whole week.  Roll On!!  Must remember to order up some sunny weather from the Met Office ;)

This simple card uses one of my favourite Penny Black stamps, isn't he a cutie!  Coloured with pencils, clear gloss added to the butterflies, and a bit of bling.  Nice and easy!

• Sketch flipped from MFT Wednesday Sketch Club #179
• Cute Card Thursday #324 - perfectly pink
• Papertake Weekly - anything goes
• Top Tip Tuesday - monochrome
• Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge #180 - bears or mice
• Penny Black and More challenge June - your favourite stamp
• My Mum's Craft Shop #18 - ink it up

Rainbow Smiles

No rainbows in sight for us today ... its been mostly rain, drizzle and showers today!  Typical, there's a beautiful blue sky now ... too late, I'm in my PJs!
Mind you that didn't stop me going round my back garden this evening with my bug spray to accost our greenfly. A few of our plants are absolutely infested.  Yeuch. they give me the heebie jeebies. Now slugs, they're on a whole other level of their own.  {{Shudder}}

Anyway, I was lucky to win a mini set from a blog hop a couple of weeks ago at The Alley Way Stamps and chose this Face It set.
My colour combo is based on the inspiration pic at TAWS Be Inspired ... I didn't have any rainbow DP so made my own with watercolours.  The big surprised face is popped up on dimensionals, as is the sentiment.  Clear gloss added to all the eyes.

Be Inspired #53 - photo inspiration
Pile it On #22 - humour
Papertake Weekly - anything goes
Crafty Creations #264 - it's all about S - smiles / silly
My Time to Craft #250 - no design papers
Sketch from Clean and Simple #294
Stampin for the Weekend - anything goes

Pelican's Post

Our new challenge at High Hopes is a nice easy one ...
Oldie but a Goodie
(so use an older HH stamp and be in with the chance to win a new one of your choice)

I've used Pelican's Post and also little Bubbles, one of the newer stamps.  Coloured with pencils and clear gloss added to his eyes and the blue rope.



Other challenges...
Layout from Sweet Sunday #221
Papertake Weekly - anything goes
Creative Card Crew #63 - nautical
Lexi's Creations #117 - Happy Birthday
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper challenge - June
Sweet Stampin - Father's Day / special man/boy
Allsorts #261 - for the guys
Crafty Catz #233 - anything goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes

Double wonky card

I've been mojo-less this past while ... I partly blame Pinterest as you spend more time looking at everyone else's creations and less time trying to motivate yourself to get on with your own!  Ah well, meantime I've managed to get some fence painting done and lots of weeding too :)

I managed to stamp both my image wonky on this card and then take a wonky photo Ha.  Anyone else would have stamped another image but not me ;)  My sentiment panel at the bottom does make it look less wonky in real life!
Image from Whipper Snapper - coloured with pencils and a few clear gems added for a bit of sparkle.

Sketch Saturday #312 is a free choice, so I chose #224 ... but I've just realised I missed the embellishment on the sentiment panel
Crafty Catz #233 - anything goes
Cute Card Thursday #323 - blues and hues
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes