May Calendar

Hee I was flying close to the wire with next month's calendar page for my Mum ;)   For this month, I've gone with the theme 4-legged visitors who visit her house.  From left to right, we have Poppy the labrador, Ruby the Westie, and Freddie the very timid lurcher (he's looking a bit squished here by the cheeky cat!)  Mum doesn't have any cats but they do like to frequent her rose bed and leave her unwelcome messages!

My stamps are from Eat Cake Graphics ...
3002-F Rowley smells something
3015-F Webster's tilting his head
2045-L Leap frog

Doggies coloured with watercolour pencils.  Clear gloss added to their noses.
I went for the bokeh look with my background.  I diecut a few different circles in a bit of card and used it as a template to chalk in lots of different circles.

• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes
• As you like it - favourite animal - well it has to be my wee Ruby of course!
• Dream Valley #130 - all creatures great and small
• Cute Card Thursday #423 - no DPs
• Inspiration Destination #83 - anything goes

Mermaid and a bunny

Hi All!  Sorry I've been MIA ... I've had no mojo all week and every card I made ended up in the bin! So these are the first efforts I've been prepared to share :)

My first card uses this super cute mermaid from Eat Cake Graphics
1056-I Mara Mermaid floats
Wish I was there!
Coloured with watercolour pencils and Spectrum Noir sparkle added to her mermaid outfit.
Silver peel offs from stash.  Clear gems. Blue ribbon from my ribbon mountain.  Taylored Expressions DP.  Wonky Stitched circles Dienamics die.

• Layout from Sketch Saturday #410 - I chose sketch 410
• Sweet Stampin - water water everywhere
• Crafty Cardmakers #161 - 1 image, 2 DP, 3 embellishments (ribbon, gems, peeloffs)
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes
• Simply Create Too #108 - ladies only

My second card uses this bunny from Lili of the Valley.  Coloured with watercolour pencils.  Clear gloss and glitter added to the grapes and to his medicine.  

• Tuesday Throwdown #291 - anything goes
• Less is More #274 - DP + CAS
• My Time to Craft #320 - get well soon
• Cutie Pie #98 - woodland friends

Webster's tilting his head

I had one of those days today where I just injured myself from start to finish!  First I sliced into my thumb when cutting the carrots, then I snipped my finger with my scissors when making this card and to finish me off I whacked my thumb on a shelf.  Ouch, ouch and ouch!

Anyway, enough waffle ....  here's a sweet little puppy for you (and a naughty one at the very bottom of my post!)  This is Webster's tilting his head from Eat Cake Graphics - coloured with watercolour pencils and popped up on dimensionals.

My general card design was inspired by this week's featured stamper at Splitcoast - here's Virginia's original.

I must confess, it felt like it took FOREVER to make this card!  I splattered my BG with white paint (I love my Tim Holtz splatter paintbrush thingy) and then die cut the sentiment (Simon Says Stamp).  I added clear gloss and glitter to the white sentiment.  Sequins from Taylored Expressions and some clear bling to finish.  (The colour of the base is more like the pinky colour in the close up)

• Tuesday Throwdown #290 - monochrome
• Creative Inspirations #249 - your favourite things (my Eat Cake Graphics stamp and my bling)
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - make it girlie
• Sweet Stampin - pink and girlie
• As you like it - favourite animal - mine has to be dogs! ... don't think my wee Ruby would be too pleased if my favourite animal was a cat LOL
• Time Out #55 - celebration and die cuts
• Stamping Sensations April - one for the girls

And just to finish the doggy theme, here's a wee pic of Rubydoo.  She has the whole garden to sit in, and where does she choose?  Yip, the middle of my border.  Don't think the delphinium will recover (don't look at the weeds LOL)

Pussy cat, pussy cat, where have you been

I've been playing with my Eat Cake Graphics stamps again ;)  This is
2016-G Kitty Sebastian has very long whiskers
and the sentiment is
8042-D Did someone say cake!?! (text)

Coloured with watercolour pencils and clouds chalked in BG.  Dienamics stitched frame die.  DP from Taylored Expressions.

• Layout from Share Joy #32
• Time Out # 55 - celebrations with option of fussy cut/die cut
• Seize the Birthday - anything goes
• Allsorts #360 - red, white and blue
• Craftyhazelnut's patterned paper challenge April

Try Stampin' on Tuesday DT card

So here's our new sketch for #267 over at Try Stampin' on Tuesday.
Hope you'll play along ... there's an optional theme of using pastels if you like.

For my card I've used this fun stamp from Eat Cake Graphics:
1034-K Auntie Daisy enjoys freedom
Isn't she fab, I know quite a few people she reminds me of!

I coloured her with watercolour pencils, and then paperpieced her dress and added a touch of sparkle to her flowers.  Simon Says Stamp sentiment die.  I found this pink card candy in my stash that was a great match.  Not sure of make of flower die.  I also managed to use up some of my gold peel off lines :)

• Tuesday Throwdown #290 - monochrome
• Cute Card Thursday #421 - handmade embellishments (my flowers)
• Crafty Catz #320 - monochrome
• Penny Black and More April - birthday
• Craftyhazelnut's patterned paper challenge April
• Crafty Calendar April - anything goes

Lavender and peach flowers

OK, so I didn't quite manage to mix a peach colour with my water colours, but maybe it's near enough?
And I know I'd said no more sympathy cards for a while, but when I was ready to stamp a sentiment on this one 'Thinking of You' seemed to be the most appropriate!

Simon Says Stamp flower stamps - not fussed on my colouring, kinda wish I'd stuck with my pencils.
I added some clear gloss and glitter to the flower centres, so its nice and sparkly but doesn't show up in my pic.  I masked off my flowers to splatter the BG and then doodled a border.

• General card theme inspired by Tracey's beautiful card over at the Muse challenge #162
• Just Us Girls #339 - lavender, peach and ivory
• Pile it On #106 - doodle
• CRAFT #359 - clean and simple
• 613 Avenue Create #172 - anything goes
• Sparkles #79 - thinking of you

ETA: I wasn't happy at all with my colouring on these flowers so I got my watercolour pencils out and added a bit more detail ... I think it looks better now!

Bunnies and roses

I don't think I've tried this masking/chalking effect before ... this one was inspired by this week's featured stamper over at Splitcoast - Here's Barbara's original.

I used Brewster Bunny from Eat Cake Graphics -  coloured with watercolour pencils and clear gloss and glitter added to his bobble tail..  Blingy sequins from Taylored Expressions.  Doodled border.

• Pile it On #106 - doodle
• Addicted to Stamps #189 - clean and simple
• Penny's challenge #273 - anything goes
• Dream Valley #129 - anything goes

My second card uses up some leftovers - great to find a sketch that was perfect for it!

Image from Lili of the Valley - coloured with watercolour pencils and Spectrum Noir sparkle added to the flowers.  Pink sequins and some mini gems to finish.

• Pixies Snippets Playground #225
• Fab'n Funky #300 - girly and pretty
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - let's do the polka
• Layout from Pals Paper Arts PPA296
• CAS on Sunday #81 - tic tac toe - I used patterened DP, stamp, something shiny

Pretty in pink

We had a {mostly} bright and breezy day today (interspersed with sleet and hail!), and I was inspired to get on with my Spring cleaning and am feeling dead pleased with myself now and less guilty about my crafty time ;)

My first card uses more of this fab DP from Taylored Expressions, and my cute kitty stamp from Eat Cake Graphics ...
1013-G Gwen and her kitties
Coloured with watercolour pencils.  Clear gloss and glitter added to my heart stamp (from The Alley Way Stamps) and sentiment from Paper Smooches.  I also chalked in some light clouds in the BG but they haven't really shown up in my pic.

• Layout from CAS(e) This Sketch #168
• Cats Only Challenge #5 - furrything goes
• CASology #193 - pink
• Creative Inspirations #249 - your favourite things ... Eat Cake Graphics stamps and my DP
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - let's do the polka
• My Time To Craft #319 - people and their pets

I reckon I've enough sympathy cards in my stash now, so hopefully this will do me for a while!

This card was inspired by Anita's beautiful card over at the Muse Challenge #161

I watercoloured a piece of paper and then inlaid my floral dies.  I hadn't quite thought it out enough to keep the little bits that were cut off the side safe, so there was quite a bit of rooting through my scraps to finish this one!!

I added some Spectrum Noir sparkle to the flowers and clear gloss and glitter to the flower centres.

• CRAFT challenge #359 - clean and simple
• Tuesday Throwdown #289 - use your die cuts
• Inspiration Destination #81 - anything goes

We had a busy day in the garden too, with lots of visitors to the garden.  This wee robin is a regular visitor.

And the sparrows are always great at bath time ... they're game though, last thing I'd want on a freezing cold day would be a freshwater bath!

If you zoom in you'll see the water going everywhere! 

Sparkly Primroses

Brrrr it's a cold day out there, the North wind always makes our house feel chilly.  On the plus side it was a great drying day on the washing line, though on the minus side there's that pile of ironing ... think I can probably ignore it for another day or two before it topples ;)

My card today uses an ooooooold stamp that I bought years ago at the Belfast craft show thinking it would be good for a sympathy card and then really struggled to use it.  I've coloured my image with watercolours, and then decoupaged them (haven't done that for ages either!)  Added Spectrum Noir sparkle to the flowers and clear gloss to the swirls and then doodled a border to match the image.  I like how it turned out, so hopefully I'll not be leaving it so long before inking again!

• Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday March - pastels
• AAA cards #62 - anything CAS
• Dream Valley #129 - anything goes
• Simon Says Stamp Monday - April showers bring May flowers
• Clear it Out - Spring and a flower
• Moving along with the times #18 - spring flowers

Sympathy cards

I was asked to make a few sympathy cards, so thought I'd start with my 'go to' sympathy flowers from Whipper Snapper.

For my first card, I coloured my flowers with watercolour pencils. I had a little tiny snippet left of this dotty DP, so used it to paper piece a couple of flowers.  Clear bling added for a bit of sparkle.

• Layout from MFT Wednesday Sketch Club #276
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - polka dots
• CAS on Sunday #80 - flowers
• Pixie's Snippets Playground #224
• Simply Create Too #106 - purple and green
• Sweet Stampin - paper piecing

For my second card I again used my watercolour pencils, but also added some Spectrum Noir sparkle to the flowers and clear gloss to the jar.

Dienamics stitched rectangle and also scribble dies.

• Allsorts #358 - purple passion
• Tuesday Throwdown #289 - use your die cuts
• Crafty Creations #313 - stitching real or false
• Penny's Paper Crafting challenge #273 - anything goes

Furry friends

A beautiful sunny day today, and I spent all afternoon ..... hemming my kitchen curtains :(  Its a job that's been bugging me for, oooh, maybe 5 years and today was their big day!  Hurrah for me ;)

I managed to squeeze in a couple of quickie cards too.  My first one uses an oldie High Hopes bunny and some of my rediscovered flower soft.  I don't think I've ever used the heather coloured stuff before.
Bunny coloured with watercolour pencils and Spectrum Noir sparkle added to the tulips.  I was a bit stumped by the sketch as I couldn't find a thank you sentiment to fit, so I used just a peel off and stuck it over all 3 layers. Taylored Expressions DP.

• Layout from CAS(E) this Sketch #167
• Clear it out - Spring and a flower
• Inspiration Destination #80 - anything goes
• Tuesday Throwdown #288 - furry friends

I always seem to lack some masculine birthday cards in my stash, so I've used one of my Katzelkraft dogs for this one.  I heat embossed my dog and the sentiment.  Background watercoloured. 

• Layout from Creative Inspirations #248
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - Happy Birthday
• Simply Create #106 - purple and green
• 613 Avenue Create #171 - anything goes, option masculine
• Allsorts #358 - purple passion

A mouse sextet

I'm gonna have to get this Taylored Expressions DP off my table, or I won't have any left at this rate!  Though maybe it's not actually a bad thing and then it won't go into the 'too good to use' pile ;)

I thought this sketch would be a good one to show off my little mouse from Eat Cake Graphics ...
5039-C Daisy Mouse
Coloured with watercolour pencils.  Paper Smooches heart die.  Bit of bling and some doodling and that's it really!

• Layout from Sketch Saturday #407
• Penny Black and More challenge April - Birthday
• Creative Card Crew #110 - die cut
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - Happy Birthday

Somewhere over the rainbow

Naughty or Nice have an over the rainbow challenge this month and a DT call too, so I thought I'd have a go!

Debby Hughes had a fab watercolouring tutorial over on her blog today, if you fancy having a go with watercolours I'd definitely recommend it.   I used red, blue,green, yellow, orange and purple - think I could have been a wee bit braver with the depth of my colours, it turned out more pastel than I'd planned but I do like it :)
I also added some Spectrum Noir sparkle to the petals, clear gloss to the flower centres and some sequins and bling to finish.

• Naughty or nice #26 - over the rainbow
• Simon Says Stamp Monday - try to resist
• Cute Card Thursday #420 - something shiny
• Simon Says Work it Wednesday - pastels

My 2nd rainbow card uses this gorgeous DP from Taylored Expressions :)

Stamp from Lili of the Valley - coloured with watercolour pencils.  Silver sentiment sticker and silver sequins and bling from stash.  Nice and simple!

• Layout from The Challenge #67
• Tuesday Throwdown #288 - furry friends
• Polkadoodles #14 - floral frenzy

To the moon and back

When there's a programme on about the solar system or black holes or the expanding universe I'm always glued to it.  I usually only understand it for the first 10 minutes and then my brain just explodes and I've no idea what they're on about.  Still find it fascinating though!  And I must confess to giving Tim Peake a wee wave every time I see the space station pass over ;) ... I wonder if he's ever seen a dude like this when he points his camera the other way!

My little alien is from High Hopes - coloured with watercolour pencils and clear gloss added to his eyes.  Dienamics wonky stitched circles die - then embossed with an old sizzix folder.  Black card splattered with white paint.  Silver and red stars from stash.

• Cute Card Thursday #420 - something shiny
• 613 Avenue Create #170 - anything goes
• Creative Card Crew #110 - die cut
• Layout from MFT Wednesday Sketch club #275
• Penny's challenge #272 - anything goes

Double take?

Brrrrrr ... we've had every weather going today, rain, sun, drizzle, thunder, sleet, snow and a wind that would cut the face off you!  Did I think Spring was on it's way a few weeks ago? LOL

My cards this evening are a bit of a take 2 of yesterdays!  A friend in work saw my giraffe baby card and wanted one for her daughter who loves giraffes, and then I had to make another thank you card for a wee gardening group.

Card 1 - Giraffe stamp from Whipper Snapper - coloured with watercolour pencils.  Background giraffe print stencil coloured with pink chalks.  Sentiment/alpha set from Paper Smooches.  Taylored Expressions sequins.

• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - Happy Birthday
• My Time to Craft #318 - girlie
• Pile it on #105 - animal prints
• ABC challenge - E is for Everything
• Sparkles challenge #78 - make it girlie

Card 2 uses my Penny Black stamp again - coloured with watercolour pencils and clear gloss/glitter added to the snail's shell.

• Layout from Mojo Monday #442
• The Sketchy Challenge #96 - I used the flowers and things with wings option
• Inspiration Destination #80 - anything goes

Baby Teddy Flynn

This is for a colleague in work who had the most beautiful baby boy at the weekend.  Couldn't get a decent pic of it though ... I'd stencilled a giraffe pattern in the BG in pale blue, but it hasn't really shown up in my photo :(

Giraffe stamp from Whipper Snapper - coloured with watercolour pencils.  Paper Smooches alpha set.  Doodled border.  Nice and quick!
Oh and I'm lovin my new DP from Taylored Expressions, I'm gonna need another pack soon at the rate I'm going through it!

• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes
• CRAFT #357 - create your own background
• AAA Cards #61 - stencilling
• Sweet Stampin - include a number
• Pile it On #105 - animal print

Try Stampin on Tuesday #265 DT Card

So this is the new sketch for Try Stampin on Tuesday #265, and there's an optional theme of 'Spring is Here' ...  Hope you'll play along!

I flipped the sketch and used this cutie from Eat Cake Graphics ...
1135-M Abundance (MMM-Butterflies)
Coloured with watercolour pencils.  Clear gloss and glitter added to the butterflies.  I mounted my clouds (Lawn Fawn dies) on darker cardstock to match the frame round my image.

• SYUP Cats only challenge #5 - furrything goes
• Creative Card Crew #110 - die cut
• Creative with Stamps #1 - butterfly
  
• Stamping Sensations April - one for the girls
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes
• Creative Knockouts #135 - outside fun
• Dream Valley #128 - girlie