Sugar Bowl Challenge #20

Good morning to all in blogland. Thank you for visiting my little corner. Well it's the last day of another month and I'm quite pleased with myself because I have posted a card and entered a challenge every day this month. Not too bad for a rookie!!!

This card is for the Sugar Bowl challenge and it gave me a chance to use this new Nellie for the very first time. He is called "A Boy's Best Friend" and he is coloured in using Copic Ciaos. I hope you like him.

The papers I used are "Creative Inspirations" by Pizzazzill and "Wild Asparagus" by My Mind's Eye. The flowers, fronds, ribbon and sentiment are all from my stash. I have taken the liberty of moving the flowers a wee bit from where they are in the sketch because I think they work a bit better for me here. I really hope you like this one and I look forward to reading any comments you are kind enough to leave.

Hugs,

Fiona x

Papertake Weekly #24 & Whiff of Joy #49 & Simon Says Stitch it Up

Life is a whirl at the minute. Without going into details I've had a very long term back and hip problem (I've been on crutches for 2 1/2 years) and my treatment regime has just been stepped up to Physiotherapy on a Monday, Hyrotherapy (or Aquatherapy as they now call it) on a Tuesday and Thursday. That's a round trip of 40 miles 3 days a week. I also have my daily exercises at home. It all leaves me rather tired but I'm determined to keep up my card a day and my daily blog visits.



However enough of the whinging, this card is being entered into 3 challenges.
1. Papertake Weekly Challenge #24 where there was a great sketch to follow,
2. Whiff of Joy Challenge #49 which had a recipe of 6 brads, 2 flowers and 3 papers.
and
3. Simon Says "Stitch it Up"

The stamp I chose is "Bruno Bear with Cupcake" from Whiff of Joy of course. I coloured this cute chappie using my Copic Ciaos and mighty pleased with himself he looks.

The papers are:

1. Fancy Aged Florals (Beloved)

2. My Mind's Eye - Laundry Line (Fun lovin)

3. My Mind's Eye - Laundry Line (Pure Joy)

The flowers, fronds and brads are from my stash.
Ihope you think it all hangs together and feel able to leave a comment or two.

Hugs,

Fiona x

A Spoon Full of Sugar Challenge #70

Hi everyone in Blogland. Thank you for visiting my little corner, I hope you find something that appeals to you. I made this card specifically for the Spoon Full of Sugar Challenge this week. The sketch really looked as though it called for a wide range of papers and embellishments.
The stamp is "Fanny's Cuddle" by Sarah Kay and I have coloured her in using Copics Ciaos. I love Sarah Kays - nice and girly. The papers I used were:
My Mind's Eye Laundry Line - Flirty "Play"
My Mind's Eye Laundry Line - Coastal "Lucky"
Rayher, Hobby Kunst
Basic Grey - Pattern Paper - Euphoria (Luster)
Me and My Big Ideas
Nancy Watt Collection - Making Cards (Fashion Flowers and Dots)
Nancy Watt Collection - Velum (Butterflies and Hydrangeas)
I used copper wire to create a swirly embellishment and the buttons, flowers and greenery are from my stash.
I hope you like this enough to leave more of your comments. They really cheer me up.
Hugs,
Fiona x

Mojo Monday Week 105

Hi gang. Another weekend and time to post my entry for Mojo Monday. Yes that time of the week again, life is such a whirl in Blogland.
My card this week is centred around a stamp I've never used before. She is called "A Lot of Hearts" and is by Mimosa. I thought she was very cute with her bonny smile. She is coloured using my Copic Ciaos. The papers are Euphoria and Delirium Bliss, both by Basic Grey. The multi-curved borders were made on my Cricut Expressions by merging 2" circles. I also merged 2 1/8" circles to use as a mounting card for the papers. All the flowers, brads and pearls I used are available from Stampaholics in Perth.
I hope you like this card because I'm really am enjoying all the chatter back and forward so please, please feel free to leave any comments you might want to make.

Hugs,
Fiona x

Crafts 4 Eternity Sketch #50

Good Morning Bloggers. The start of another weekend but is it for rest or cardmaking - that is the question? Sport on the telly so hubby won't notice Lol.

Anyway to business. The colour combo to go with this Crafts 4 Eternity sketch is Orange and Brown and I liked the look of the sketch so here is my effort. I mounted a piece of basic orange card from the Papermill Shop onto my folded card and used that as a base. The BPs are Autumn Harvest from the Paper Company and Back to Back by Bo Bunny. The stamp is "Picking Apples" by Sugar Nellie and is coloured using Copic Ciaos. The flowers are Dahlia Box Blend.

I'm quite pleased with this card and hope you like it enough to leave a comment or two.

Hugs,

Fiona x

Basic Grey Challenge #4 & Secret Crafters Challenge #50

Good grief Friday already. Time passes quickly when you get wrapped up in cardmaking. I am now well and truely addicted. I'm really getting into the routine of leaving comments and it's great to feel one of the pack.

I made this card to be a combined entry for:

Basic Grey Challenge - Embossing

and

Secret Crafters Challenge - One for the Girls.

I chose Sugar Nellie's "Windswept" as the girlie bit and for the embossing I used Cuttlebug Sylized Flowers to emboss the backing papers and the pink card mounting for the image is heat embossed using a mixture of Bridal and Pink embossing powders.

The BPs are from Basic Greys Porcelain Paper Pad. The colouring was done with Copic Ciaos and the embellishments are from my stash.

Well must get on with the next card but please leave any comments you might want to make. They are always welcome.

Hugs,

Fiona x

Just Magnolia Week #23

Hi Bloggers, hope this little offering for the Just Magnolia Challenge finds you all well.

I have used Basic Grey Backing Papers from the Lemonade Pad and created a combination of pinks and green. The image, coloured in with Copic Ciaos, is "Tilda - Angel of the Year 2008" by Magnolia. She is mounted on one of the BPs then dark red mirra board. The ribbon and flowers are, as always from my general stash of crafting goodies.

The sketch for this required a scalloped edge along the bottom of the biggest backing strip but I'm afraid that unless you zoom in you might not see it properly (but trust me, it's there) - I created it using a Fiskars lace border punch.

I hope to like this enough to spare the time to leave a comment or two. I really enjoy reading your opinions.

Hugs,

Fiona x

Charisma Cardz Challenge #37 - Flower Power

This "Flower Power" challenge from Charisma Cardz brought back a lot of memories from the 60s, the era of Love and Peace. The decade in which I met hubby (not married till 1970) and set out on a wonderful journey together. (Do you hear the violins playing in the background?)
Anyway, enough of that and on to the card. I decided to make a round card so I got out the old Cricut Expressions and George and Basic Shapes cartridge and cut out two merged circles so that I could fold them to form a card. I also cut out a piece of black card the same size circle to form a backing for the front of the card. I used Magnolia's "Tilda Laying on Belly" and coloured her with the old Copic Ciaos and surrounded her with handmade flowers and fronds. I also included one small flower shaped charm.

I hope the flowers are not overpowering and look forward to any comments so might be kind enough to leave for me.

Hugs,

Fiona x

Creative Inspirations Challenge 27 - Animals

This challenge for Creative Inspirations has come along at just the right time for me. I have been asked by my "Ding Dong Avon Calling" lady, my friend Sally, to do a card for her father-in-law's 70th birthday in October. Last Wednesday, when she delivered my latest order, I was showing her some of the images and colours that I thought would suit a "man" card (I struggle with cards for men) and she thought this image of a Labrador would remind him of a pet he once had. So here we are.
Firstly let me apologise for the quality of the photograph. I am afraid that I had a lot of trouble getting a half decent photo of the dufex image without too greatly destroying the detail on rest of the photograph so I hope you'll bear with me.

I always use stamps on my cards but this time, on request, I am using this Dufex image (I feel I'm almost cheating. Lol). The backing paper is another one of my nameless wonders found in the bottom of the drawer. The "70th" and "Birthday" are cut out from silver Mirra card on my Cricut Expressions using the "George & Basic Shapes" cartridge having first merged the characters and the sentiment is from a card of diecuts. I cut decorative corners using a Sissix Bigshot and a Cuttlebug die and stuck them on the corners of the image. I produced an insert for the card on my laptop on Microsoft Word with a verse I found on one of the many free verse websites.

Please feel free to leave any comments you may wish to make. I would love to get your opinions on this one.

Hugs,

Fiona x

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Faking it

Hi fellow cardmaking addicts - Hope all is well with you all in Blogland.
This will be the first time that I have entered the Papertake Weekly Challenge and the subject is "Faking it" which I thought might be a bit of a teaser. I decided in the end to go down the fake lace path. I have a Fiskars 2-in-1 punch that cuts lace borders round 2 sizes of circles so I used that to cut the pattern round card circles in 2 shades of pink cut with my Cricut Expressions (George and Basic Shapes cartridge). I cut two sizes of green scalloped circles with my Nesties and mounted the small ones on the small pink circles and used the large one to mount "Country Garden" by Sugar Nellie which is coloured using my trusty Copic Ciaos. I used a flowered lattice backing paper (name unknown) and then cut the bottom edge of the card with a straight Fiskars lace border punch and backed it with a strip of green card before mounting all the circles. The flowers, ribbon and sentiment are from my stash most of which was bought in the wonderful Stampaholics in Perth.

I'm quite pleased with the result but would welcome any comments you would like to leave. They make my day.

Hugs,

Fiona x

Mojo Monday Week 104 & Simon says Stamp - Recipe

I can't believe it - another week away again!!! Time is flying buy and my stash of cards made for challenges is mounting up. I really need ideas from all you long time crafters out there as to what I can do with them.
Anyway I have made this card to enter into 2 challenges. This great sketch is for Mojo Monday challenge and I couldn't resist having a go at it. Simon Says Stamp this week was a recipe consisting of 3 Embellishments, 2 papers and 1 sketch.

The backing papers I chose are from the Granola pad (Flax and Grain) by Basic Grey. The ribbons, buttons and sentiment are from my stash and the embellishment at the top left corner is cut with a Cricut Expressions machine from the Storybook cartridge. I flipped and merged characters to give a continuous corner.
The image I used is "Bedtime Stories" from Sugar Nellie (I adore Nellies) and the wee boy and his doggie friend, who reminded me of my own Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, although ours is a Blenheim and not black and white, are coloured in using my Copic Ciaos.
Please feel free to leave any comments because I love getting feedback from you all.
Hugs,
Fiona x

Stamptacular Sunday # 24

I have decided to try the Stamptacular Sunday Challenge again this week. I thought the sketch was based on an interesting layout. It also gave me a chance to try out one of my new digital stamps. It is from "Pink Petticoat" and although a fairly simple stamp I thought it would go well with the papers from SEI double sided (Dill blossom). The flowers and leaves are from my stash and the fronds are again cut with my Martha Stewart punch.

I enjoyed this challenge and I hope you like the result enough to leave a comment. I get a lot of encouragement from them.

Hugs,

Fiona x

Creative Inspirations #16 - Lilac/Purple & Grey

I liked the sound of the required colour combination of Lilac/Purple & Grey for this Creative Inspirations challenge. I chose to use my "Pink Tilda - Ice Ballet Princess" stamp although I chose for obvious reasons to dress her in lilac and grey using my trusty Copic Ciaos. I'm afraid I don't know what the papers are called - found them in the bottom of the drawer.

The silver corners were cut using a Sizzix die, the fronds using a Martha Stewart punch and the flowers are from my bottomless pit. The sentiment was created on my laptop on Microsoft Word.

I hope you like this card enough to leave a comment.

Hugs,

Fiona x

Friday Sketchers #69 & Just Magnolia Week 22

For this card I have combined the sketch for the Friday Sketchers challenge with a Magnolia image and some embossing so that I can enter the Just Magnolia challange as well. The image is "Tilda picking Flowers" coloured in using my Copic Ciaos. The papers are from Crafty Individuals Springtime collection and the octagonal paper has been put through a Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder.

The butterflies were hand made from a paper from the Springtime pad and embossed with royal blue embossing powder by Heat it Up. Everything else came from my stash. I really enjoyed making this card and had to get hubby's compasses out to make the regular octagon so I hope you like it enough to leave some comments for me to read.

Hugs,

Fiona x

Charisma Cardz Challenge #36 & Cute Card Thursday #77

I am impressed with the way that so many crafters design cards so that they can enter them into more than one challenge so I have decided to give it a bash. I have made this card for the Charisma Cardz challenge for which the theme was "Patchwork" and the Cute Card Thursday challenge where the theme was "Pink and Green". I hope you like the result.

The papers I chose came from the Nancy Watts Summertime range. The flowers were madeSissix dies No. 656062 by Ellison and customised to suite my taste by introducing retro punched flowers too. The fronds were cut with my favourite Martha Stewart punch.

Comments as always are very welcome.

Hugs,

Fiona x

Sugar Bowl Challenge 19

I love the Sugar Bowl challenges because it gives me the opportunity to get into my growing stock of Sugar Nellie stamps. The image I used not for the first time because I love him is "Pringle" and I have coloured him with my Copic Ciaos. The papers are Basic Grey from the Granada paper pad and the Porcelain paper pad. The flowers are hand made using different sizes of retro punches. I decided to trim the required circle with crocheted edging but wove a matching plain ribon through it before sticking it on.

Please feel free to leave any comments you may wish to make as I really enjoy reading them.

Hugs,

Fiona x

Spoon Full of Sugar #68

The sketch for this Spoon Full of Sugar challenge had me scratching my head as to how I was going to deal with the arrow. In the end I got my Cricut Expressions out and found a flower on the Storybook Plantin cartridge that I could stretch to fit up the side of the card and go part way along the top. All the papers are from the Basic Grey "Lemonade" pack and everything else is from my stash. The image is of course Sugar Nellie's "Chick-a-dee" coloured using my Copic Ciaos.

I hope you like this card and will feel free to leave a comment. I get a lot out of reading them.

Hugs,

Fiona x

Mojo Monday Week 103

For this Mojo Monday challenge I used a new stamp called "Scarecrow" by Mimosa. I thought this image was really cute with that beautiful smile and coloured her with my Copic Ciaos. The base paper is "Urban" by Basic Grey. The other is from the Hot off the Press Paper Patterns - Soft Shades. The paper the sketch is mounted on came from my stash as did all the embellishments.

I hope you like this wee cutie enough to leave a comment.

Hugs,

Fiona x

Anyone for Anya - Buttons, Bows & Brads

The requirement for this Anyone for Anya challenge was to include buttons bows and brads. The basic card was Bazzill peach cardstock. I used a green card to act as a mounting for my green flowery paper (I don't have a clue what the paper is called or where I got it - found it lying at the bottom of a drawer).
I used my favourite Anya stamp with her trendy brollie and gave her a green outfit (not hubby's favourite colour but Hey!). I used small brads for her coat buttons. The flowers, buttons, bows and brads are, of course from my stash of goodies and the fronds are cut using a Martha Stewart punch.
I look forward to reading any comments you might leave, assuming you like it enough to comment.
Hugs,
Fiona x

Penny Black Challenge 65 - Hearts Desire

Since I started this blog the days are just flying in. It's time for the Penny Black challenge again and the theme this time round is "Hearts Desire". I chose to base this one on the stamp "Get together" because I love these cute little hedgehogs. I coloured them using Copic Ciaos and did their bristles with stickles. The papers are Laundry Line - Flirty Play from My Minds Eye and one from the Nancy Watt collection. The fronds were cut using a Martha Stewart punch. The embellishments are from my stash.

I hope you like this card enough to leave a comment - I love reading them and take a lot of encouragement from them.
Hugs,
Fiona x

Just Magnolia Week #21

Time again for Just Magnolia challenge and a great sketch this time round. I have used Magnolia's "Tilda with Bicycle" and coloured her with my Copic Ciaos. The papers are:

Rayher Hobby GmbH, Meridian Import Company and Studio Autumn Harvest. The Embellishments and Sentiment are from my stash. I've taken the liberty of moving the sentiment to the top as opposed to the bottom where it is in the sketch otherwise I would have had difficulty fitting it in.

I hope you like this effort enough to leave some comments for me to enjoy reading.

Hugs,

Fiona x

Charisma Cardz Challenge #35/ Secret Crafter Challenge #48

I have decided to enter this card into two challenges.
Charisma Cardz - Swirls, Curls & extra (the extra being a heart)
and
Secret Crafter - Hearts & Flowers.

This was a real design teaser because I had to think hard about where I would get swirls and curls and how I could tie in the hearts. In the end I decided to use my Cricut Expressions and chose designs from the Storybook Plantin cartridge. The intricate border was made up from two basic characters from the cartridge, one for the corners and another for the straight border that looks like interlinked hearts. I used my computer and Design Studio software to copy, flip and merge the shapes to create the whole border in one piece. The border was glued on and I sprinkled it with glitter to cover the surplus glue. The intricate heart shaped swirl in Tilda's hands was cut from the same cartridge.

The stamp, Magnolia's "2333G - Tilda with Hearts" slightly modified, was coloured using my Copic Ciaos. The lilies are from my stash and the sentiment is homemade on my computer.

I really enjoyed this challenge and hopefully you'll share my liking for the result. If so, please leave a comment - I love reading them.

Hugs,
Fiona x

Whiff of Joy Challenge 46

Another week flown by and it's time for the Whiff of Joy challenge. I have chosen "Claude Celebrating Giraffe" by Whiff of Joy as my stamp and coloured him in using my Copic Ciaos. The papers are by Nancy Watt. The embellies are from my never ending stash, although hubby has been trying to put the brakes on my spending so it is dwindling. Never mind my DIL, Lil-paper-pixie, is coming up in October and when we are both together in the shops we are unstoppable. My hubby and my son just groan when they see the shopping baskets straining under the weight of our chosen goodies.

Comments are, as always, much appreciated so leave as many as you want. I really love reading them.

Hugs,

Fiona x

Spoon Full of Sugar #67

The order of the day for this Spoon Full of Sugar challenge was "Distressing". Trust me to have done that in one of last weeks challenge so here is my latest attempt at it. I loooved making this one so I hope you think that everything goes together.

The stamp is "Puppy Love" by Sarah Kay and the papers are Basic Grey's Urban Prairie and Perhaps. The fronds are cut with a Martha Stewart punch and the embellishments are from my stash.

Comments, as always, are welcomed - I really appreciate them and reading them gives me a buzz.

Hugs,

Fiona x

Mojo Monday Week 102

I must say I like the Mojo Monday challenges because the sketch is always interesting.

I have chosen to use Magnolia's "Rainy Day Tilda", she is one of my favourites, and coloured her using my Copic Ciaos. The papers are Paper Flair Soft Patterns by Hot of the Press mounted on dark blue card. The sentiment is a stamp and the embellishments are from - you've guessed it - my stash. The corner is cut using a cuttlebug die.

Please feel free to leave any comments as I really find them encouraging.

Hugs,

Fiona x

Anyone for Anya Challenge - First Sketch

I made this card for Anyone for Anya Challenge. It's the first time I entered this challenge and I hope this is acceptable. I borrowed this sweet girl (Wendy I believe) from the Greetings Farm "Never Ever" collection. and coloured her in using my Copic Ciaos. The papers are from the Basic Grey Patern papers Euphoria Ferver and Euphoria Bless.

The sentiment is home made on my computer and the flowers and embellishments are all from my stash.

I enjoyed making this card in my favourite pastel shades and hope you like it enough to leave me a comment or two.

Hugs,

Fiona x

Penny Black Challenge 64 - Christmas

Time again for the Penny Black challenge and the subject is Christmas. That time of year is frighteningly creeping up on us again.

I used the Penny Black "Christmas Tree Ted" as the central feature of the card and coloured him up with my Copic Ciaos. The papers are by Kanban and the poinsettias were hand made. I used Flower Soft white to highlight the snow falling and on the ground and Ted's hat. The fronds were cut with a Martha Stewart punch. The sentiment is home made on my computer.

I hope you like this card enough to leave a comment. I look forward to reading any left for me.

Hugs,

Fiona x

Friday Sketchers Challenge 67

I must admit that when I saw that the Friday Sketchers challenge was asking for a colour combo of Blue and Orange I thought that they wouldn't work together but hey, what do I know. I'm quite pleased with the result.
I managed to make this card using scraps of paper from freebies from magazines. The embellishments are all from my stash. I should have kept a better record of where I got everything but I never dreamed that I would ever have a blog when I started.
The stamp I used is "Fairy Tink" from the Greetings Farm collection (courtesy of my DIL, Lil-paper-pixie) and she is coloured using my Copic Ciaos.
I hope you will be kind enough to leave comments. I get so much pleasure reading them.

Hugs,
Fiona x

Sugar Bowl Challenge 18

The sketch for this Sugar Bowl challange suggested to me that perhaps some distressing might be in order.

The stamp I used is "Country Style" coloured in using my Copic Ciaos. The papers are all unmarked oddments I had in my stock and the embellies are from my stash.

I really enjoyed doing this card and I hope you like it enough to leave a comment. They are so encouraging and its good to know what appeals to others.

Hugs,

Fiona x

Whiff of Joy Challenge 45

Bling was the order of the day for this Whiff of Joy challenge, so I decided that it would be a great opportunity to use some of my stock of glitter papers and card.

The stamp I used is "Leon Celebrating Lion" and a cheerful chap he looks mounted on cardstock cut out using Nesties with the the edges glittered with gold glitter.

The papers Are Glitter Cardstock by DCWV. The stars are cut out using my Cricut Expressions "George and Basic Shapes" cartridge and the buttons and "gems" are from my stash.

I hope you like this simple card and look forward to reading any comments you leave.

Hugs,

Fiona x