Brusho flowers

OMGosh how did it get to be the end of March already, it just sorta crept up on me!

I was very lucky recently to win some $$ on a Simon Says Stamp hop and treated myself to this Prima stamp designed by Christine Adolph - isn't it gorgeous!  I also splashed out a new paintbrush - I wouldn't normally have spent so much on a brush, but it's FAB and I love using it!

Coloured with watercolour pencils and then masked off so I could spritz it with water and knock in a few grains of purple Brushos. I think this is my first brushos effort that I like how it turned out!  I also went over the large purple flowers with my clear sparkle pen and added a few silver sequins for a bit of extra interest.

• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes
• The Card Concept #70 - purple haze
• CASual Fridays #170 - no dies
• Crafty Creations #338 - anything goes
• Tuesday Throwdown #336 - sparkles

Too late for cake?

So here's this week's sketch over at Splitcoaststampers - if you'd like to play along, please link your card here

I thought I was going to have difficulties with this layout, but I loved using it!  I've used these sweet DPs which certainly make up for the lack of cake on my little girl's plate ;)

Stamps from Eat Cake Graphics:
Abagail's too late for cake
Am I too late for cake (text)
Coloured with watercolour pencils and sparkle added to her dress and bow.
Sentiment popped up on dimensionals.

• As you like it - favourite colouring medium - mine's watercolour pencils, I love the soft effect and they're definitely way more economical than copics!
• CASual Fridays #170 - no dies allowed
• Allsorts #408 - cakes and sweet treats
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes
• Word Art Wednesday #276/277 - anything goes

Daily Marker 30 day colouring challenge

Woof Hello

Just a wee quickie make from me tonight, I've been busy recently and no time for card making or blogging!  We had the most glorious sunny weekend so there was lots of washing done (= ironing mountain!) and some weeding done in the garden (= rediscovered sore muscles!)  It was fab to see some decent weather though :)
I've also been finishing off a cross stitch project that has been several years in the making!  It's off getting framed at the minute so I'll hopefully share the finished result at the weekend.

This card is based on this week's featured stamper challenge over at Splitcoast - here's Hideko's original.   I diecut my rectangle and distressed the background.  Then fussy cut my Tim Holtz pup and added glossy accents.  Doodled stitching.  Nice and easy and I love how it turned out :)

• AAA Cards #86 - diecuts
• Less is More #321 - use a frame
• Creative Inspirations #271 - anything goes
• Word Art Wednesday #274/275 - anything goes

Leaving card

Hurrah for Friday, and it's due to be a nice dry sunny weekend.  The clocks go back too, so it will be lovely to see the brighter evenings :)  So I'm hoping to get out and tackle the front garden, but we'll see how that goes ;)

This card was just a wee quickie for a colleague in work.  I chalked some clouds in the background and then added a few die cut ones for good measure.  The stars appeared when I made a little smudge that needed hiding ;)   Image is an olide from Penny Black, balloon covered with clear gloss and glitter.

• Addicted to Stamps #234 - CAS
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - use more than one die or punch
• Happy Little Stampers March - CAS + die cuts
• Love to Scrap #95 - anything goes
• Word Art Wednesday #274/5 - anything goes

SC637 Flowers and butterflies

Here's the new sketch over at Splitcoaststampers, if you'd like to play along you can link your card here.

For my card I had to move panel #6 as I couldn't get my sentiment to fit in.
I've used this oldie from Lili of the Valley - my photo has paled out the colours, she's not really as sickly looking in real life ;)
Coloured with watercolour pencils.  Sparkle added to the flower and clear gloss and some dots of stickles added to the butterfly.

• Simon Says Stamp Monday - layer it up
• Crafty Catz #162 - add some pink
• Crafty Calendar March - Mother's Day / special female

The Daily Marker 30 day colouring challenge

Now that's what I call a cake!

Just a wee quickie post tonight, looooong day at work and I'm knackered!

I've been on a card making frenzy these past few days - a few special orders, but I'll share them later in the week.
All the hard work on this card is done by my gorgeous new DP (from the Range) and then I just coloured my Stamping Bella image to match.  Sparkle added to the icing and her ribbon, and clear gloss to her crown.

• Colour theme from Bellarific Friday 
• Layout flipped from Sketch Saturday #455
• Simon Says Stamp Monday - layer it up
• Stamp Ink Paper #91 - Andrea's birthday

The Daily Marker 30 day colouring challenge

Mother's Day

So this is my Mum's card for Mother's Day.  It's hard to remember sometimes what I've given her for Birthdays etc, but I don't think I've used this stamp on one of hers before.

Image from Whiff of Joy - coloured with watercolour pencils and sparkle added to the flowers and to the little heart snippets.
I didn't quite get the dimensions of my layout right - the pink panel should have been shorter to show off the little heart panel which is mostly hidden now!
Sentiment stamp is an oldie from Lili of the Valley.
Dienamics stitched circles die.

• Sketch from MFT Wednesday Sketch Club #324 - I didn't have any fancy curved edge dies so had to go with a straight edge
• Creative Inspirations #270 - use an LOTV stamp
• Sweet Stampin - Mother's Day
• Crafty Cardmakers #184 - for a special woman
• Simon Says Stamp Monday - layer it up

The Daily Marker 30 day colouring challenge

A little mousey note

It finally stopped raining this afternoon, hurrah!  Last week's forecast was mild and damp, and the coming week is cooler with showers ;)  I can't wait for a dry spell to get out to the garden and tackle the weeds - the lawn is sodden, wee Ruby is the only one who enjoys tearing round it at the minute!

This card is based on this week's featured stamper challenge over at Splitcoast - here's DJ's original.  I enjoyed making this card, DJ has a fab gallery and she makes layering look so effortless.

I've used this oldie Whipper Snapper stamp - coloured with watercolour pencils and the flowers fussy cut and popped up on dimensionals.

• Creative Knockouts #185 - border time
• CASual Fridays #169 - off the edge
• Crafting when we can #140 - add circles
• Inky Chicks #80 - flowers
• Penny Black and More March - anything goes

Daily Marker 30 day colouring challenge

Birthday balloon

I was rooting through my stash recently and found this oldie from High Hopes, I don't know why I get stuck using the stamps lying round my table when there's so many fab oldies hiding in the cupboard!

If I was making this card again, I would have stamped the balloon on the other side, so that the fish was looking into the card.  And I maybe would have used blue for my stencilling on the BG instead of green (yes, that's lime green there, not this odd sludge colour that my camera is showing you!)

Coloured with watercolour pencils.  Clear sparkle added to the fishie and gloss to his eyes and the balloon edge.

• Layout from CAS(e) This Sketch #213
• Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday Feb - use some green
• Retro Rubber #58 - anything goes - I reckon I've had this stamp maybe 5 or 6 years
  
• Love to Craft #8 - anything goes
• Word Art Wednesday #274/5 - anything goes

The Daily Marker 30 day colouring challenge

Yummm Cake

Happy St Patrick's Day!  No drowning the shamrock for me (yet!) ... I've spent my day off work painting woodwork, but I've the beers chillin for later ;)  St Patrick might have got rid of the snakes, but unfortunately he didn't do much for the weather - it's been a yeuchy damp dark chilly old day, but the crowds seemed to have enjoyed the craic at the parades in Belfast and Dublin anyway.

I got a real bargain at the Range yesterday - a massive pack of this pretty pink pastelly mix for £2.99, I'll not need to buy any more for a day or two!
Image from Penny Black - coloured with watercolour pencils.  Sparkle added to her apron, and clear gloss to the icing.

• Layout from Freshly Made Sketches #279
• CASual Friday #169 - off the edge
• Pile it On #128 - humor/pun
• Word Art Wednesday #274/5 - anything goes
• Penny Black Saturday March - bright and cheerful colours

The Daily Marker 30 day colouring challenge

Bunny Bookmark

It's reminder time over at Naughty or Nice - this month's theme is to feature a creature.  There's a fab prize from Bugaboo up for grabs too.

I've made a new bookmark with this bunny set that I won recently from Simon Says Stamp.  It's based on  Peeps that Americans eat at Easter - they taste like marshmallows with a very sugary coating :)

I don't have a bookmark shaped die, so partially cut a tag die, moved it down to create a longer shape and cut again.  Of course I didn't get it quite right, thus the die cut squiggle was needed to cover a slightly snipped card ;)

I used my distress ink pad to stamp the BG bunny and then to add some splatters.  Tiny bunny covered with my clear sparkle pen, and then I thought I should cover him in clear gloss too in case the sparkle would come off in my library book!  White enamel dots to finish and an eyelet for my ribbon (couldn't tell you the last time I used one of these!)

• Tuesday Throwdown #334 - tag / bookmark
• Sweet Stampin - anything but birthday
• Crafty Creations #337 - anything goes

SCS Sketch #636 Spripey Bear

This is the new sketch for the challenge over at Splitcoaststampers.  If you'd like to join in, please link your card HERE

This is actually my second crack at this sketch, the first one was mojo-less and ended up in the recycle pile!

I've used this cutie from Eat Cake Graphics:
Arthur Alooishus in his striped shirt
coloured with watercolour pencils and clear sparkle added to his shirt.

• Word Art Wednesday #274/5 - anything goes
• As you Like It - favourite stamp brand - mine's Eat Cake Graphics, love their cute humorous images and they're fun to colour
• Seize the Birthday - anything birthday

The Daily Marker 30 day colouring challenge

Birthday flowers

Roll on tomorrow ... we get a freebie day off for St Patrick's Day, so I treated myself to Thursday off too, so tomorrow is really Friday for me ;)

Here's a wee quickie using an old favourite from LOTV - coloured with watercolour pencils and sparkle added to her top and to the flowers.  Dienamics scribble die.  Doodled borders.

• Layout from Mojo Monday #488
• Addicted to CAS #106 - Doodle
• Creative Inspirations #270 - use a Lili of the Valley image
• Penny Black and More March - anything goes

Daily Marker 30 day colouring challenge

Masculine sympathy card

Hmmmm, not sure if this one works or not, think it's that sparkly green BP that's putting me off!  I was trying to make some sympathy cards that are less 'girly', so I might have to keep practicing ;)

This lovely LOTV stamp is a bit of a 'go to' one for sympathy cards, it's so pretty and dead easy to colour too.  I've fussy cut it out and popped up on dimensionals.

• Layout from MFT Wednesday Sketch Club MFTWSC
• Tuesday Throwdown #333 - thinking of you
• Creative Inspirations #270 - use a Lili of the Valley image
• Inspiration Destination #123 - anything goes
• Sweet Stampin - anything but birthday

Daily Marker 30 day colouring challenge

Ruby's birthday card

No not my Ruby (I'm not quite that bad that I give my dog a birthday card!), this one's for a friend of my Mum.

I was inspired by Anita's beautiful card over at the Muse challenge - I kept her floral theme and layout, but I've used some of this oldie unloved DP and coloured my Simon Says Stamp flowers to match.

Sorry I haven't been round blogland much - my pc is playing up and just turns itself off after half an hour, and when it does want to work its superdooper slow.  Grrr.  Might have to put a new one on my birthday list ;)  Can't complain much though, it's nearly 10 years old.

• Muse Challenge #206
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - for a special lady
• Cute Card Thursday #468 - ladies only
• Daisy Chain Challenge #6 - make it feminine
• Addicted to Stamps #232 - make your mark

The Daily Marker 30 day colouring challenge

And here's a wee quickie that I had to make when I found this ice cream DP in my stash.  The picture's a bit glary as the sun was streaming through the window when I took the photo.  It was lovely to see it, our weather has been a bit damp and yeuch recently!

My image is from Eat Cake Graphics:
Unselfishness (MMM ice cream)
I wish I'd used a bigger circle die and I've lost most of my enormous dog's butt and tail!

• Layout from Stamp Ink Paper #89
• Creafty Creations #336 - anything goes
• As you like it - favourite stamp brand - mine's Eat Cake Graphics, I love their cute humorous images.

SC635 - Birthday Bunny

So here's this week's sketch over at Splitcoaststampers, if you'd like to join in you can play along here
I wasn't sure at all about this layout as I thought it would look 'odd' with the wonky shaped central panel - my card making OCD kicking in again ;) - but I LOVE how it turned out and I think this is my favourite card I've made for a while!

For my DT card I've used this really old High Hopes bunny stamp.  I'm so pleased with how his fur turned out - I put on a base coat with my watercolour pencils and while it wasn't quite dry, I dotted on a bit of colour with my brush straight from the pencil nib and just kinda built up the texture.
I also added some gloss and glitter to his tail, and went over my tulips with a clear glitter pen.

• Dream Valley #151 - lots of layers
• Allsorts #405 - spring
• The Flower Challenge #6 - anything goes
• Crafty Calendar March - mother's day / special female

Day 8 of the Daily Marker 30 day colouring challenge

Murderous Kitty?

Oh dear, this is the last Brushos effort I'm gonna share until I'm happy with the end result!  I'd thought this one looked not too bad, but now I'm looking at it on my blog, he kinda looks like he's standing in front of a murder scene with all that blood red!  Or maybe that's just me? ;)

I used an olide text stamp on top of the Brushos and then added some even older silver peel offs.  Kitty is another oldie from Penny Black - yeyyy, go me, just have to use up the oldie paper stash next ;)
Image coloured with watercolour pencils, popped up on dimensionals and clear gloss added to the balloon.

• Penny Black Saturday March - bright and cheerful colours
• Simon Says Stamp Monday - make your own background
• Seize the Birthday - anything Birthday goes
• Inky Chicks #79 - happy Birthday
• Craftimg When We Can #139 - mixed media

Day 7 of the Daily Marker 30 day colouring challenge

Birthday Fishes

Just a quickie post tonight - it's been a loooong day in work and I'm in need of a relaxing soak in some bubble bath ;)

Here's another Brushos effort, don't think I've quite got the hang of this yet, but it's good fun!
I've used this Avery Elle fish that I love - coloured with watercolour pencils and some clear stickles added to his 'light' (?)
My 'Happy' got a bit lost in the background, so I highlighted round the edges with a white pen to make it stand out a bit better.

• Layout from Sugar Pea Designs #29, though I flipped the vertical panels.
• Happy Little Stampers March watercolour challenge - smoosh
• Pixie's Snippets Playground #271/272
• Simon Says Stamp Monday - make your own background

Day 6 of the Daily Marker 30 day colouring challenge

Guest Designer for Penny Black and More

.

I'm Guest Designer over at Penny Black and More this month :)
I've always had such a soft spot for their critter stamps - I hadn't actually realised how many I had until I went to look for some for this card.  Of course I ended up using one of my newest ones!

I've had quite a bit of use already from this little mouse from the U R the Gift set and I think he looks fab with my MFT alpha set!  That quill looks perfect for beautiful handwriting. (I'm v jealous, my writing is awful!)

• Word Art Wednesday #272/273 - anything goes
• Classic Design Team Open #12
• 613 Avenue Create #195 - anything goes
• Crafty Creations #336 - anything goes

Day 5 of the Daily Marker 30 day colouring challenge

Golf themed cards

 I was asked to make some cards for a Golf Club for the new captain and assistant captain ... it's hard enough to make special request cards, but worse when you've only one golfing stamp ;)
So after a lot of thought and dithering about, I just made two the same but different!

My golfer dude is an oldie from High Hopes, and my grass on the first one is a useful one from Eat Cake Graphics: Bunch of Grass

In both, I've coloured them with my watercolour pencils and then added some sparkle and clear gloss to the golf club and ball.  Doodled borders.


Card 1:

• Addicted to CAS - doodle
• The Card Concept #68 - lime and aqua
• Simon Says Stamp Monday - based on a book - The Bogey Man by George Plimpton
• Sweet Stampin - no designer paper

Card 2:

• Layout from Freshly Made Sketches #277
• Addicted to stamps #231 - anything goes

Day 4 of the Daily Marker 30 day colouring challenge


I was also asked to make a 'sorry' card, I'm not sure if this works or not - does it even look like a golf ball in the rough?  Not sure.  I may or may not remake this one if I can think of something else!  Or if you've any suggestions, feel free!

• Simply Create Too #125 - lots of green
• Creatalicious #110 - anything goes, optional use lots of green
• Curtain Call - green
• Happy Little Stampers March CAS challenge - die cut
• Crafty Cardmakers #183 - go green

Brushos Effort

Yippeee for Friday! The beers are chillin in the fridge ready for an outing to our friends so it's just a quickie post tonight. ☺☺☺

I finally joined the bandwagon and got myself some brushos, so this is the first effort.  Not sure if it entirely works on this or not, but here it is anyway!  Reckon I'll be studying some tutorials over the weekend ;)

• Layout from MFT Wednesday Sketch Club #322
• Happy Little Stampers Watercolour challenge March 
• Word Art Wednesday #272/273 - anything goes
• Creative Knockouts #183 - dies or punches

Day 3 of the Daily Marker 30 day colouring challenge

March calendar page

I enjoyed making my birdie card the other day so much that I thought I'd use it for my March calendar page, I reckon I could look at these happy guys for a month all right!

I sponged the bottom bit with my brick wall stencil and then chalked in my clouds.  I'm so pleased with how straight my numbers are - it's only taken about 2 years of practice to be able to write them in a straight line LOL!  Whipper Snapper stamp - stamped twice and coloured with watercolour pencils; clear gloss added to their beaks and wings.

• Moving along with the times #40 - rainbow colours
• Cute Card Thursday #467 - anything goes
• As You Like It - what do you make other than cards - I make these calendar pages for me and my Mum every month, much nicer than a shop bought one!
• Tuesday Throwdown #332 - things with wings

Day 2 of the Daily Marker colouring challenge