Naughty or nice

I find making card s for men really hard.  I really have to think about them.  Can't go too crazy with flowers, don't want to over do it with the ribbon and just how much is too much on the embellishments?

Kenny K's Krafty girlz challenged us to use two or more girls on our card this week and to use die cuts.  This card instantly popped into my head.  Well if you see the Christmas images available it just made good sense.

I had the "Santa Claus is coming to town" tune going around in my head when I was looking through the digis that I have.  I have promised myself that I would make more effort to make more Christmas cards now and not leave it till the last minute panic I had last year for people I had forgotten.

This is inside the card.  ll of the working was attached using foam pads to give them a bit of height.  I have edged the different elements with peeled paint distress ink and all of the fur trim bits have been glitter glued in clear iridescent.  

I will also be entering this card for the challenges at :-

One Stop Craft Challenge - Just for men

The Crafty Pad - One for the boys

Ians gone dotty

My friend from work Ian will be celebrating his birthday tomorrow.  He is great to work with and always remembers every ones birthday.  He is also a practical joker and we have all been on the receiving end of one of his pranks at one time or another.

Since he has opened his card, I thought it would be OK to post it here.

I had to take the picture late evening, so I apologise for the picture quality.

The background paper is by Bo Bunny and the dots are velvet flocked.  the i,age is a digi stamp from Teddy Bo.  I finally bought myself a Martha Stewart Border punch and the matching corner punch, so expect to see this a bit for a while :-).

Ian loved his card and it got a good giggle in the office :-)

I am entering this card for the following challenges:

Allsorts - Green and Blue

Cute Card Thursday - Use at least one punch

Fab N Funky - It's so funny

The Corrosive Challenge - Funny or use a pun

Sparkles Forum Challenges - Punch it

Locked in Green

It is very rare for me to make a green card.  I'm not sure why, but I've given it a go for this card.  I've had a go a putting together a Steampunk Grunge card.  Not sure what I was doing, but I had fun.  Youtube is your friend when it comes to research.

I didn't have any cogs and I kept seeing them on steampunk cards, so I had a go at making some myself using some build a snowflake dies.  Many of the elements of this card have been copper leafed and embossed.  I also embossed the backing paper that I created using distress inks.  For full details on how I put this card together look here.

This is a close up of some of the elements that I made or coloured.  The little key on the right was a gold coloured earring that I took the back off of.  The heart (originally silver coloured) was a charm from a necklace that I bought and posted a little while ago.  The buttons were also originally silver coloured.

Lots of touches of gold pen on this image.  I have dragged a bit of vintage photo ink over the image as it stood out too much from the rest of the card.

This is a clearer image of the dry embossing.

I will be entering this card in the following challenges:

Fab N Funky - Go mad with embossing

Kenny K - Vintage / Grunge

Stamp Something - Use a Digi stamp

Xmas Folds

I have finally started making stuff for Christmas.  This is my first project.  I think I have been in denial for the last month or so, but I know that if I don't start now, I wont get everything finished in time.  I apologise for the number of  pictures in this post, but I think you will understand.

The original idea for my card came from a very talented lady.  Her blog is called Mariannes Papirverden .  I am very inspired by all of her makes.  I actually followed a tutorial on YouTube to make this.

When closed, my card measures 3"x6"

The inner part of the card was made from one sheet of A4 which I cut down to size.  I will lay flat when fully opened.  I have used a version of this fold before as shown here.

The back needed something so I have stamped a lovely little bear which shows up on a lot of my Christmas cards.

This is the front of the matching bag I made for the card showing the same little bear.  The bag is made from one A4 sheet of the same paper I used inside the card.

And the back.

I will  be entering my project for the following challenges:

Christmas Stamping All Year Long - Fancy Shmancy Folds

Crafty Creations - Dies and Punches

Creative Card Crew - Anything goes

Die Cut Dreams - Make a gift bag or box

Thank you brightly

I'm still working on less is more, so this weeks challenge at Charisma cardz was perfect.  They asked us to use no more than a third of the card.  I think I managed that :-)  

Just Us Girls set us a colour challenge. Black, red, yellow and green.  I have used Doodlebugs la-di-dot cardstock which has velvet flock and looks and feels very lush.  As soon as I saw those two challenges I got a clear picture in my mind for what I was going to make.

The faux stitching I have used fits in nicely with the stitch in time challenge over at Fab N Funky and the bold bright colours are good for the challenge over at One stop Craft.

The thank you stamp I have used on my card came free with a magazine,but it was the perfect addition for the challenge at Stamp something.

Daddygate

Hands up if you don't make many card for men.  I have both of mine up.  For some reason I find it hard to come up with ideas.  I think it is the thought of not using flowers or lace lol.

I have called this one Daddygate as it is a gate fold and I couldn't come up with a better name.  All of my cards have a name as I often ask people what they like from different cards if I am making one for them to use.

The design for this card came from this weeks sketch challenge over at Card Patterns and I have used the 321 recipe from this weeks challenge at Allsorts - 1 Designer paper, 2 punches or dies (I used a corner punch plus my nesties) and 3 buttons.

I am also entering Daddygate for the following challenges:

Fab n Funky - Magnificent Men

One Stop Craft - Fathers Day

Paper Play Challenges - Card for a male

Funky Diva

This card was a lot of fun to make.  Mainly have to admit because I got to use only of my bargains.  I found sheets of Bo Bunny velvet flocked 12x12 cardstock for just 50p a sheet.  Well I had to buy some and the colours are brilliant.

The design for my card came from this weeks sketch challenge at Stamptacular Sunday.  Spots and dots where the requirement over at The Crafty Pad and Kaboodle Doodle asked us for lots of layers.  I have used a Kenny K digi stamp (love their stuff) and added glitter to her boots, because she needed more bling.

Green Double Easel

I'm loving the easel variations that are cropping up all over the place.  Expect to see a few here over the next few weeks.

This one is a commission for a mothers day card.  Penny Black asked us to use green and Saturday Challenge asked us to do "Flowers for mum" so that formed the basis for this card.  The double fronts were done using a sketch from the Corrosive Challenge and Charisma cardz asked for an easel card.

Publish Post

The whole card is made from white card overlaid with green printed vellum.  To this I have added white lace, 3mm yellow ribbon and gems.  I have used two Penny Black stamps from different sets.  I liked the idea of the little mouse showering the ground  with flowers and having another little critter enjoying them.  I've dotted some glitter glue on the flowers and butterfly's for a little glitz and have also added a few gems.

I hope she likes this one.

Xmas Vintage

Now I'm not really sure what I am doing when it comes  to vintage, but I love to have a go.  This is my first card for a while and it was so good to do some crafting for a change.

I went with a red green and cream theme as, to me, these are classic Christmas colours.  I bought the decoupage boy last Christmas and the papers were my one paper treat to myself this year.  I have 3 drawers full of paper and have promised myself that i will use some up before I buy any more.

I am entering this card for the following challenges:

Allsorts Challenge Blog - Light up the night.  The little boy is carrying a candle lamp

My Time To Craft - Vintage Cards

Saturday Challenge - Christmas

Hidden Message

This one is a traditional red and green Christmas card with a twist.

I'm still using up last years stash.  The papers used on this one are all form the Daisy and Dandelion "Christmas Collection - A winters tale" paper pack that I bought last year.  I loved them so much that I bought 3 pads.  I ran out of crafting time before Christmas, so there is still some left over for me to use now.

My apologies for the quality of the pictures, but I had problems with getting the lighting right.

The image is a stamp from Penny Blacks "Jolly Follies" collection.  I have added glitter glue for snow and have added a few star shaped gems.  This is my first attempt at one of these cards.

I am entering it for the following challenges:

Creative Inspirations - Christmas in September

Paperplay Challenges - Hidden Extras

Papertake Weekly - Sketch

Three Bears

Have you ever seen a sketch and been immediately able to see in your head how the finished item would look?  This card came from one of those sketches.  I got it close to what I imagined and I'm quite pleased with it. Thank you JUGs.

 This stamp has featured on quite a few of my Christmas cards this year.  I think it's so cute.  It was a freebie on a magazine last year and has had plenty of use since I got it.  I have edged the die cut circles in worn lipstick distress ink and have added silver string to the back of each to create the look of Christmas tags.  All three of them have been attached using 3D glue dots to give them a slightly raised effect.

I will be entering this cards for the challenge over at A Spoonful of Sugar - who asked us for spots and stripes and for the challenge at SCSC who asked us for an easel card.

Jolly Xmas

I've been wanting to make a stair step card again for ages.  This time I went for the traditional red and green, but I wanted to use them in a non-traditional way.  The basis of the card is red mirri board and I have raided the scraps drawer for the black and green papers.

I have punched silver and red snowflakes and stuck them onto black buttons.  I've had the reindeer topper since last year.  It is one from a pack that I bought in the pound shop last year.  I'm finding lots of great stuff in my stash.

This card will be entered for the following challenges:
JUGS - Green Red and Black
A Spoonful of Sugar - Anything goes
Papertake Weekly - Animal Magic

Christmas Corner

I was itching to make something today and I haven't had much time, so this one is a quick make.

The paper is from a pack that I bought last year. I also bought the ribbon, sentiment and charm for last years Christmas makes too. The image is from a stamp that was on one of last years magazines, so this is all old stash stuff. I'm trying to use up what I already have rather than buying new this year. Not doing too bad so far.



I am entering this card for the following challenges:

Just Cute Bears - Punches or dies
Secret Crafters Saturday Challenge - Anything goes

Pearly Christmas

I'm so far behind on my Christmas crafting I don't know where to start. This is the card that I made today.

The image is printed on velum and is from a sheet that I bought last year. I've been good so far and have only spent a fiver on new Christmas Stash. I have promised myself that I will use up some of my old stash before I buy any more. I have used invisidots for vellum to attach the image to some cream textured card.

The pearls that I have use came from an old broken bracelet that I have been meaning to re thread for ages. The papers are from my scraps drawer. I have two of those to use up and they are quite deep. It is fun looking through them for my latest projects, but sometimes I get side tracked and end up making something else that was inspired by a piece of card or paper that I found.

This card was inspired by:

A Spoon full of Sugar - Sketch

Creative Inspirations - Pastel Green, pink and cream

Simon Says - Pearls and lace

Garden Girl

I just had to squeeze in a quick card to keep me going until my youngest goes to bed.

I keep buying Digistamps. They are so useful and versatile. This one is part of one of the Holly and Madison Collections (there are a few). I haven't used it before and it is perfect for the "In the garden challenge over at Every Body Art.

I have coloured her with a combination of whispers brush pens and Sakura Gelly Roll pens for added sparkle. She is actually three layers deep to get a decoupage effect. It took bit longer than I thought to cut everything out, but it was worth it.

The leaves and flowers in the basket along with the skeleton leaves on the front go with this weeks theme over at Cute Card Thursday and the glittery effect coupled with the gems put this card in line with the challenge over at My Time To Craft.

With a bit more time there are a few changes I would make to this one, but I think I did OK for a kinda quick make.

Leaf Fairy

The Color Dare challenged us to use pink, green and black. I don't have many green papers, so choosing the one to use for this challenge was fairly easy. There is a lovely sketch over at Card Patterns, so my card is based on that. I bought a new border punch this week and this is the first time that I have used it. Might take a bit of practice to get it just right I think :0)

I love digi stamps. You can re size them to fit any project. I always print a few per sheet in different sizes so that I usually have something suitable for a project.

Stamp something asked us to put doodles on our design. Not something that I usually do, but I have tried my hand at some faux stitching. My Sakura glitter pens came out again for that added fairy shimmer.

Simon says..... use charms

And so I did. I love charms on paper crafting projects, so it is really no hardship to use them when asked in a challenge.

I took two pictures so that you could see the card open and closed. This is my last card for today and it is for the Simon Says challenge.

Have a good week everyone. Hopefully it wont take me till next weekend to get crafting again.

Small sweets

I love the image I have used on this card. I think it is so versatile and sweet.

I tend to stay away from stripey paper as I am always scared that the card will look to cluttered. The image I have used is not too complex, so I think I got away with it. I love Gorjuss girl stamps and this one has probably had the most use out of all of the ones that I own.

I made this card in response to the challenge over at Totally Gorjuss

Elfin Pink

I've had a number of commission cards to make over the last few weeks and I have been using the challenges as inspiration.

As well as my ever present glitter glue, all of the papers that I used came from Papermania's "Naughty and Nice Christmas" and the elf decoupage is a Toread from Readdy Crafts. I made this card using the sketch from this weeks challenge over at Friday Sketchers.

Sweet n Simple

Sometimes the simplest things are the best. Moving along with the times set us a sketch to follow with the instruction to use a background paper with text on it.

Choosing the paper was easy. This is from Papermanias "Naughty and Nice Christmas" paper pack.

The image is from a free stamp that I got with a crafting magazine.

I think that this one is Simple and sweet!