The Hobbit and a Golden Anniversary

I'd spotted on Dotty Jo's blog a new challenge - based on library books.  I'm a huge fan of our local library - I go through about a book a week on the bus to work, so if I was paying for them they'd cost me a small fortune!!

Anyway, challenge #2 at the Library Challenge is The Hobbit and I just had to play along!  I did it in school and I think I almost lost the will to live. It probably didn't help either that it was about 9000 pages long and it instilled in me a lifelong dislike for fantasy books.  I've even tried watching the movie - I mean, how could you not love a film with gorgeous eye candy like Orlando Bloom, Aidan Quinn, and the rest!  But no.  I'd nearly rather clean the oven.

I didn't have any spare hobbits in my stash, reckon this gnomey dude from Paper Smooches is the closest I was going to get ;)
MFT village die.  Coloured with watercolour pencils.  Gnome popped up on foam pads.

• Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday February - green
• Layout from Sketch Saturday #504
• Simply Create #136 - use green
• Happy Little Stampers March Watercolour challenge - anything goes, option - home

And following on from yesterday's silver anniversary, we have a Golden one (for their parents!!)
I've used my gorgeous sparkly card again and kept the sameish layout as my Mother's Day card.  Image from LOTV coloured with watercolour pencils and popped up on foam pads.  Personalised by adding their names to the book.

• Make My Monday #66 - gold or silver
• Addicted to Stamps #282 - make your mark
• Crafty Creations #361 - anything goes
• Crafty Catz #407 - layer it up

Birthday balloons and cute critters

Oh BrrrrBrrrrBrrrr that has been one cold week! We managed to miss most of the snow, even compared to Belfast 20 miles away where it was a winter wonderland!  The wee bit of snow we did have was quite dry, wispy, drifty stuff, and it's mostly melted today - Ruby will be devastated next time she puts her nose outside not to have any snow to stick her head in ;)

I think the cold weather has frozen my mojo, it took me ages to make this simple wee card!  Not helped by me sticking the front panel down wonky first time and then having to peel if off without totally destroying it.

Anyway, my stamp is an oldie from Whipper Snapper.  MFT stitched dies.  Coloured with watercolour pencils and clear gloss added to the balloons and glitter to the 'Pop'.

• Layout from MFT Wednesday Sketch challenge #374
• MFT Birthday Project - up up and away
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday- anything goes
• Just Us Girls #430 - balloons

And then I made this one from the leftover scraps!  Stamps from Paper Smooches - coloured with watercolour pencils.  I also stamped some little paw prints over the BG but they don't really show up in my pic.

• Layout from Paper Smooches March sketch
• Craftaholics R Us #9 - sequins
• That's Crafty - I heart you

Twit twooo

It's the usual Sunday night quickie from me - the fabulous David Attenborough and Planet Earth II is on telly.  It's one of the few programmes that I actually sit down and watch properly!  Even the music is amazing, never mind the filming!

This card is based on this week's featured stamper challenge over at Splitcoast - here's Jan's original
My image is from Paper Smooches, not sure about the sentiment.  Coloured with watercolour pencils, sparkle added to his beak and feet, and clear gloss to his eyes/feet/beak.  Owl popped up on dimensionals.

• Simon Says Stamp Monday - triotastic - I used 3 colours: brown, blue, gold
• Fab'n Funky #328 - things with wings
• Creative With Stamps #8 - use a bird stamp
• Love to Scrap #90 - anything goes

Day 27 of the Daily Marker 30 day colouring challenge

Arthur Alooishus and a wee owl

Boo hoo Sunday evening already, I shouldn't be complaining though, I've already had 3 days off work last week!   It's been yet another dull damp day here, though I much prefer it to the crazy snow over in the US!

I had a nice time CASEing Michele's gallery over at Splitcoast, and ended up making not one but two cards!

Card 1
Here's Michele's original - I kept her general layout. I'd meant to emboss the brown panel but had it stuck down before I remembered!  My image is:
4005-E Arthur Alooishus in his stripe shirt 
from Eat Cake Graphics.  Coloured with watercolour pencils.

This is one of my new DPs and I'm not loving it, in fact, I'm not loving any of the 3 pads I bought.  Guess that teaches me to get the stuff I really really want instead of what's on sale :(

• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - critters
• Bunny Zoe Crafts January - hearts
• Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper challenge - January
• Addicted to Stamps #177 - make your mark

Card 2
Here's Michele's original - I kept her general layout again and I was inspired by her dotty DP to get out my Dienamics peek-a-boo dots die that hasn't seen daylight for a while!
Sentiment and image from Paper Smooches - coloured with watercolour pencils and clear gloss added to his eyes and to the hearts on the sentiment.

• Paper Smooches January challenge - 4 colours - pink / red / green / aqua (I'm hoping the different shades of pink still only count as 1 colour!)
• Allsorts #347 - Valentine's Day
• 613 Avenue Create #160 - anything goes

The oddest Anniversary card ever?

OK, so my brief for this anniversary card was for a workmate's husband who's a bit geeky with glasses and loves books and their cat!  (Her words, not mine!) Think I have it covered there ;)

I used a few sets from Paper Smooches - coloured with watercolour pencils and clear gloss added to his boots and specs.
Peel off sentiment ... went a bit wonky though, think my '12' maybe isn't on a matching slant to the words?

My card was inspired by Tracey's card over at the Muse Challenge .. I used her general layout with an image in the bottom corner, sentiment in the top, and a coloured base.  I had a little snippet of green card left, so used my Paper Smooches heart die to add a bit of love to the card!

• Muse challenge #143
• Pixie's Snippets #204
• Crafting When We Can #108 - don't forget the animals
• Less is More #251 - numbers

Whoot!

Wowee Sunday evening already, and it's almost dark here already .... though the best thing about the dark nights is definitely warm PJs and cosy slippers ;)

I haven't had a play with my Paper Smooches stamps for ages ... I've coloured my owl with watercolour pencils and clear gloss added to his beak, eyes and claws, and also to the moon.  I've also splattered some brown and red inks on my background.  I had a snippet of the brown DP left, so used it to paper piece my branch.  Owl and moon both popped up on dimensionals.

This card was looking a bit boring, until I remembered my little silver stars, and they just jazzed it up nicely!

• Pile it On #86 - Birthday
• Layout from Sweet Sunday #286
• Papertake Weekly - things with wings
• Simon Says Stamp Monday - stamp and die 
• Crafty Creations #297 - out on a limb
• My time to Craft #304 - owls
• Pixies Snippets Playground #194 

Birthday critters

LOL, yes, that's my Lawn Fawn cloud border die again!  And Yes, I used my Wink of Stella pen as well ;)

Critters all from Paper Smooches.  coloured with watercolour pencils, cow popped up on dimensionals.
Taylored Expressions stacked stars dies.
Clear gloss added to their eyes.

• Layout from Try Stampin on Tuesday #226
  
• Paper Smooches SPARKS - anything goes
• Papertake Weekly - anything goes
• Addicted to Stamps #152 - make your mark
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - furry friends
• Cas-ual Chic CCC01 - embossing
• Sister Act #114 - anything goes
• Polkadoodles #28 - embossing
• Crazy for Challenges #294 - critters

[ Top 3 at Try Stampin on Tuesday :) ]

The most random wedding card ever?

I had the strangest card request that I've EVER been asked for .... a young couple who own a pizza shop, who have a baby boy, love rabbits and who are off to Australia for their honeymoon ... and to include ALL these elements on a wedding card!  Aarrgghh!

After having a major hunt through my stamps to find something suitable, this ended up being one of the biggest cards I've ever made at A5 size so I could squeeze everything in!  Here's a rundown of the stamps I used ...

• rabbit, kangaroo and hearts from Paper Smooches
• My chef is Luigi from High Hopes
• Baby from Lili of the Valley
• Mr & Mrs and sentiment from Woodware

All coloured with watercolour pencils.  Chef popped up on dimensionals.  I added some diamonds to the Mr&Mrs and chef's buttons for a bit of sparkle.

Considering I agonised over this card for a few days, I'm really pleased with how it turned out!  I think maybe the only thing I'd change if I was making this again (which I'm never likely to!!) would be to put my kangaroo under the 'Mrs' ... he kinda looks a bit odd floating there!

Paper Smooches SPARKS - Anything goes

Party Time Tuesdays #197 - anything goes

Stamp and Create April - anything goes

613 Avenue Create #120 - anything goes with diamonds

Papertake Weekly - cute
Addicted to Stamps #141 - anything goes
Cutie Pie Challenge #86 - boys

Greg's Valentine Card

Happy St. Valentine's Day!  No romantic meal for 2 for me ... we were at a 5 year old's birthday party with chocolate cake and pass-the-parcel instead ... much better craic :)

Anyway this is the card I made for my other half.  As you know I'm not into 'mushy' cards, and had half an idea knocking about my head for a few days to use this little alien and that sentiment.   I had intended to stamp my sentiment on the moon, but I forgot myself and embossed my circles before I remembered.  Not to worry, I love how it turned out!

Alien from High Hopes - Alien Special Set
Moon from Paper Smooches - Smarty Pants
Sentiment from The Alley Way Stamps - More than Words
All coloured with watercolour pencils.  White paint splattered on BG and a few starry gems added. I used my Cuttlebug to emboss the moon using an old Ellison Design folder.

Stamping Sensations February - anything goes
Stamp and Create February - all you need is love
Crafty Cardmakers #132 - love love love
Papertake Weekly - hearts +/or flowers
Crafty Catz #266 - for the boys
Sweet Stampin' - inspired by a song ... well what about Frank Sinatra and "Fly me to the Moon" :)
Allsorts #298 - any occasion other than Birthday
Penny's challenge #214 - embossing
Tuesday Throwdown #231 - love is in the air
Cuttlebug Mania - I {heart} you
The Alley Way Stamps February - anything goes (I'm not sure if my card qualifies or not as I've used other manufacturers too)

Get Well Owl

Oh brrrrrr it's been such a cold day today!   Poor Ruby got her walk at double quick time tonight!  Ah well, the heat's on and the Christmas tree and deccies are up, I've my cosy PJs on and the electric blanket is at the ready.  All is well :)

I've no mojo (and no time!) so everything's kinda CAS this weather. My stamps are from Paper Smooches, coloured with watercolour pencils and a white enamel dot added to his eyes.

Paper Smooches SPARKS - anything goes
Sweet Stampin - things with wings
Sister Act #86 - anything goes
Papertake Weekly - anything goes
CASology #124 - old - I used old stamps and old DP

A Squirrel note

Well that's us in to November already and Halloween done and dusted for another year.  We had an awful wet night on Thursday and hardly any trick-or-treaters ... anyone want some sweeties?!!

I'm hoping November will see the return of my mojo, it's been missing for ages!  Sorry I've been a bad blogger recently, I'm off work now for a week, Yippee, so I'll hopefully get popped round to see what everyone's been at :)

This card was inspired by Emily's (Art for the Heart) Squirelfest challenge - I don't have many squirrels in my stash, in fact, this Paper Smooches one might be the one and only!  Couldn't get the colours photographed right ... the strip down the side / trees are more of a sage green than this sludge grey shade!
Dienamics tab die; bling and googly eyes from stash.

Paper Smooches SPARKS - anything goes
Bunny Zoe Crafts October - animals
Daring Cardmakers - googly eyes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes

Love Bunny

It's been a yeuchy dark gloomy day .. I know our clocks only went back an hour but I think I've had the kitchen light on since lunch time :(

This card was inspired by this week's Featured Stamper over at Splitcoast ... HERE's Annette's original.
I've used all old stash on my card ... Paper Smooches bunny, heart and sentiment; CC Designs fence die; Martha Stewart grass punch; and some pink card candy from my stash.  I had a go at using white chalk on my blue BP for clouds - think it looks OK but doesn't really show up much on my pic.  Clear gloss added to my bunny's eyes and teeth, and the little heart popped up on dimensionals.  Other than that, nice and simple, and I love how it turned out :)

• Sister Act #80- anything goes
• Simply Create Too #73 - shop in your craft room
• As you like it - favourite style - definitely cute for me, I can't imagine using this little bunny on an elegant card ;)
• Simon Says Stamp Monday - anything goes
• Party Time Tuesdays #186 - anything goes
• Bunny Zoe's Crafts October - animals

Pet Sympathy

Oh dear, sickness and boredom don't go together and while I've been ill I've been shopping!  Bad me, I was doing so well at not buying new crafty stash ;)

I've fancied trying using stencils for ages, so this card shows one of my new goodies ... the wave stencil from Simon Says Stamp.  I've used it with chalk and quite like the random effect.
All other stamps from Paper Smooches.

• Paper Smooches SPARKS - anything goes
• CAS on Sunday #41 - black and white + one other
• Whimsy Sept challenge #75 - monochromatic
• Papertake Weekly - anything goes
• Simon Says Stamp - Stampember Stamp It challenge
• Simply Create Too #69 - use something new (my stencil)
• Layout flipped from Crafty Creations #271

A yellow kitty and a blue dog ;)

I thought I'd be a good girl and use up the scrap DP from my last card .... as opposed to sticking it back in the pack and then picking it up off the floor every time it slides out!  (I must get a better DP storage system LOL)
I coloured my kitty and puppy to match my DP, blogland has no restrictions on the actual colour of animals!

Puppy and sentiment both popped up on dimensionals.  Clear gloss added to the dogs eyes and the cat's nose.

Layout from Freshly Made Sketches #150
Crafty Girls #25 - anything goes
Seize the Birthday - anything goes birthday
Addicted to CAS #45 - geometric
Allsorts #273 - warm sunshiny colours
Crazy 4 Challenges #250 - animals, not bears or rabbits

Happy Kitty :)

It's been a wild and windy day today here, lashing one minute and sunshine 2 minutes later.  Ruby-doo has been in and out the back door like a yoyo and her raincoat on and off just as many times too!  My sweetpeas have completely toppled over in the wind, so they'll be for the recycling bin next weekend if not before :(  My green peas have already been lifted (they were delish), and the potatoes will be dug soon too, so my borders are slowly emptying out and heading for autumn whether we're ready for it or not!

This card was inspired by this week's featured stamper over at Splitcoast - here's Diane's original.  I'm so pleased that I managed to use some of my much-unloved washi tape and an old brad that's been in my stash for aaaages  :)

Paper Smooches SPARKS - anything goes
Less is More #185 - animal
Crafts 4 Eternity R#189 - something old
Cute Card Thursday #334 - Clean and Simple

Bookworm Bookmark

While I had my tag dies out, I thought I'd try something new and make a wee back-to-school bookmark using the partial die cutting technique.  It's dead easy, I'll give this a go again :)
Here's a link to the tutorial on Splitcoaststampers

Images from Paper Smooches, coloured with copics.  Eyelet and ribbon from stash.

Party Time Tuesdays #184 - back to school
Let's Craft and Create #95 - ribbon or twine
My Mum's Craft Shop #20 - Clean and Simple
Whimsy Stamps Inspiration Challenge #74 - back to school

PS If you haven't already seen it, go out and have a look at the moon ... its fabulous!!


ETA: Top 3 at Party Time Tuesday and also My Mum's Craft Shop :)

Dog Dog Doggy

Just a quickie post from me ... Dirty Dancing is on the telly :)  Most people watch the movie before they go to see the stage show, not me - I hadn't seen it for years!

Whipper Snapper image - coloured with pencils and stickles added to their collars and noses for some sparkle.  Sentiment from Lili of the Valley.

This card was inspired by the sketch over at MFT Wednesday Sketch Club MFTWSC188
Colour Combo from Color Throwdown #304 - bermuda bay, real red, smoky slate
Papertake Weekly - anything goes
CASual Fridays #134 - tic tac toe - I chose chevrons, black and sequins

And while I had a few scrap of DP left, I thought I'd have a go at the joint tag challenge over at CAS(e) This Sketch #87 and Tag You're It #3

This time I used a Paper Smooches image - coloured with pencils and clear gloss added to his eyes

Double Doggies

This card was inspired by the photo inspiration over at the Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge.
I watercoloured some stripes (didn't realise they were so wonky until I took the picture LOL) and then had some arty fun with the background ... I splattered some paint, added some paw prints and dots and some enamel paint.  I also managed to use up some old stash and added a doggy charm and an eyelet.
I love how it turned out!

Paper Smooches Sparks photo inspiration
Pile it On #28 - monochrome
As You Like It - animals or people? - I prefer to colour animals as I can never get the skin on my people to look right!
Creative Inspirations #273 - favourite occasion - mine's
birthday
Clear it Out - Keep it simple

Purrfect Kitty

I found a couple of sheets of this DP during my recent clear out ... I've absolutely no recollection of ever buying it!
I've used it with my Paper Smooches kitty and sentiment and also managed to use the paw print punch I had to have yet hardly ever use.  Bad me.

Paper Smooches SPARKS - anything goes
Layout from MFT Wednesday Sketch MFTWSC184
Cute Card Thursday ##329 - pretty papers
A Gem of a Challenge #123 - animals
Charisma Cardz #15 - anything goes

Beep beep

Movie night here .... we've Anchorman 2 on the telly.  The first one was soooo silly, and I'm sure this one will be too :)

This card was inspired by the pic over at the Cutting Edge challenge.  I watercoloured my paper and then splattered it with black paint when dry, cut it using my PS city die and stamped a few stars.  Nice and easy, just what my mojo needed ... he seems to have been on holiday for aaages :(
The wee car is super-old, I think it may have been one of the first embellishments I ever bought!  Yeyyy, go me for using up stash!

The Cutting Edge #2 - inspiration card
Paper Smooches SPARKS - anything goes
Simon Says Stamp Monday - W for White
Papertake Weekly - anything goes