Snow is falling, all around ..... !

Good Morning my crafty friends and welcome to a new challenge at Lexi's Creations. This fortnight our challenge is Christmas In July. Now I don't know about you but last year saw me making cards for my nearest and dearest at about 8pm on Christmas Eve (!!!!!!!!!!!) and this year I'm trying to be slightly more organised :o). So, I was really pleased when I saw this challenge title as it's forced me to have something done several months ahead of time!

Susan has lined up a new sponsor for this challenge and for this challenge we're welcoming Priyanka from My Heart Pieces. Here is a little bit about her:

Hi I am Priyanka from India, I am a student here.I want to welcome you in my wonder land My Heart Pieces. This art world is for me a wonder land, because what I can imagine I can give shape only here. Like fairy, vampire is not happen in real life. I greatly appreciate it that you give your valuable time to see my digis. I always try to keep an extra touch on my every images so they can make a place in your heart and can directly touch their heart who receive your hand made gifts. So come and enjoy. My store have an Challenge Blog and freebies every Monday.


Head over to Priyanka's blog to see her gorgeous line drawings.

The lovely Lexi has let the DT loose in her  on-line store again (thanks Lexi!) and this is the card I have made to show to you today:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - made from Centura Pearl in Snow White onto which I embossed the largest rosette shape from the "nest" on the Ultimate Pro Embossing Board Springtime Sweets and Cupcake Treats. Having cut this shape out, I then folded the card in half to make a wavy edged Rocker Card.
• Design Paper - is called Snowflakes, and is part of a kit called "Winter Gifts" by Summer at Summertime Designs. I embossed the largest circle from the nest on my Ultimate Pro Board, cut this out and then fixed it to my base card.
• Image - This gorgeous scene is called  "Merry Christmas" Santa Snowglobe and it is one of the talented Lexi's (Fairy Dust Crafts) creations - click the link to head over to Lexi's store and have a look at the lovely digi images she has there! To bring this enchanting image to life, I used my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours:
• Tree - CG1, CG2, CG4, TN7, TN8
• Snow - EB1
• Garlands - BP1, BP2
• Bauble - BP6
• Hat & Suit - BT1, BT2, BT4
• Boots - True Black
• Skin - FS2, FS3
• Stand - GB8, BGR1, Colourless Blender
• Sky - Chalks in Light Blue, Turquoise and Royal Blue which I've blended to try and get the effect of the sky just after dusk.
• Iridescent Embossing Powder - on the little stars in the sky and the big one on the tree. If you click on the photos to 'super-size' them you can just make out the embossing!
• Charm - came in a package I won at the 2011 Holiday Open House at The Crafter's Cafe. It came with a loop of silver thread which I've just tied in a bow 

Head on over to Lexi's Creations and see what Christmas creations my creative team-mates have made, and then come back and share your creation with us! You've got until Saturday 4th August 2012 to link your cards up.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges, with a little bit of help from the girls at Feline Playful

• Christmas in July at Going Grey with Scrap Creations
• Christmas in July at Ladybug Crafts Ink
• Challenge 26 - Ho Ho Ho Christmas at Crafter's Companion
• Challenge 38 - Christmas in July at Cardmadfairy's Digi Days
• Say It With ... Christmas at AnnaBelle
• Christmas in July at Jellypark Challenges
• Pink and/or Purple AND Aqua and/or Green at Winter Wonderland
• SNSDC63 Christmas in July at Sweet 'n' Sassy Digis
• Christmas in July at Stamping Dragon Designs
• Challenge #39 - Circles at Little Miss Muffet (Hoping that a card that started life as a wonky circle before being folded in half to create a Rocker Card counts!)

Whatever you're doing this week, have fun!

Hugs, Helen x

It's gotta be love!

Hello friends!

Team A at The Crafty Pad are choosing the challenge again this week, and the lovely Joanie has set our task. She has chosen the theme of Interactive - make it move. So, your cards have to move, pop-up, spin, waterfall ... anyway you want it, as long as it moves!

We have a great prize lined up for our lucky winner this week, courtesy of our friends at Crafty Ribbons - this lovely bundle of Teddy Bear Picnic Ribbons ... do you think anyone would notice if I slipped in a entry to this comp as I think these ribbons are gorgeous?

Debbie, our lovely boss lady, has let the DT loose in The Crafty Pad Store again, and I chose the cute image called Teds in Love and here is my card:

Of course, we've gone interactive so this is a "shaker" card ... and here it is shaken, definitely not stirred!

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - made from Centura Pearl in Snow White onto which I embossed the smallest rosette shape from the "nest" on the Ultimate Pro Embossing Board Springtime Sweets and Cupcake Treats onto the top layer of my card and then cut this out to leave an aperture.
• Design Papers - are called Colourful Polka Dots and Lots of Hearts Gray from a kit by Summer at Summertime Designs called Dance with Me. I used the same rosette shape from the "nest" on the Ultimate Pro Embossing Board Springtime Sweets and Cupcake Treats to get the aperture on the DPs, and cut these out.
• Image - Teds in Love is just one of the many wonderful images by Debbie at Crafty Pad Designs and you can get your own copy of this lovestruck duo by clicking here! This couple came to life courtesy of my trusty Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours:
• Girl Bear - IG1, IG2, IG4
• Boy Bear - IG4, IG5, IG6
• Heart and Rose - CR10, CR11
• Shaker Aperture Pocket - made from acetate, some thicker card (to separate my 2 layers of acetate) and fine red glitter (which I think came from a magazine earlier in the year)
• Sentiment - computer generated using a banner and font in my word processing package

Why don't you hop over to The Crafty Pad and see the lovely projects that my "Teamies" and our awesome Guest Designer have made. Then come back and show us your Interactive creations! You've got until 8pm (BST) on Saturday 28th July 2012 to link your cards up.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

• Challenge #16 at {PIN}spirational Challenges
• Challenge #33 - Cute Animals at Ruby's Rainbow
• Challenge #50 - Shades of Grey & one other colour at Craft Your Days Away
• Use a Digi Stamp at The Poodles Parlour
• Challenge #150 - We Celebrate at Hanna and Friends
• Challenge 117 - Anything Goes at Digi Doodle Shop
• Challenge  #73 - Anything Goes at The Paper Shelter
• PSC41 - Anything Goes (with a sentiment) at The Perfect Sentiment
• Challenge #7 - The use of Acetate at Creations by Gill M

Have a great weekend, and enjoy the (whispering) sunshine!

Hugs, Helen x

Thank you for the Music

Hi,

Well the end of the academic year here in the UK is rushing to meet me like a runaway freight train (!), and I realised yesterday that I needed two very quick "Thank You" cards for my girls' respective Keyboard Teachers. One daughter has decided (reluctantly) that she's not going to continue with keyboard lessons in September and the other one's teacher is moving onto pastures new. So it was the usual, Mum we need cards in a hurry!

Fortunately, I knew exactly what I was going to make for them! And here are my finished cards (sorry that I forgot to photgraph them together, but they are mini-cards ... honest!):

My card recipes are as follows:

• Base Card - made from left overs of Ivory Centura Pearl 300gsm Card and  Centura Pearl in Dark Chocolate which were cut and folded to make square cards of around 9cm (3½ inches) in size.
• Backing Paper - is Brown and Red Dots Paper from a kit by Summer at Summertime Designs called Apples and Almonds. Even these were printed out onto scraps of paper that were left over from making envelopes!
• Image - this beautiful monogram is called, appropriately enough, M is for Music and was a goodie given away last year by the exceedingly generous Paulette at Create With TLC. I knew when Paulette offered these on her blog that they would prove very useful for cards for music teachers!

So there you have it, 2 very simple but effective cards each conveying a written message inside from each daughter to her music teacher, and my thanks to them as well for sharing their love of music with my girls.

With a little help from the girls at Feline Playful I would like to enter this card for the following challenges:

• Challenge #41 - Mini Cards at The Stamping Boutique
• Timeless Tuesday #177 - Sentimental at Flourishes
• Challenge #18 - Anything Goes at Tammy's Scrapin' Corner
• Challenge #153 - Sentimentally Yours at Corrosive Challenges
• Anything Goes at That Craft Place
• Anything Goes at Catch The Bug
• Keep It Clean & Simple at Just Some Lines (2nd Entry)
• Challenge #140 - Spots at Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge
• Monday Challenge #1 at The Crafty Bloggers Network
• Challenge #12 Anything Goes with optional Colour Inspirations at Jackson's Digital Expressions I've picked out the Cherry Red from the colour board

Hope you have a crafty week!

Hugs, Helen x

Give an "Inchie"

Good morning my fellow crafters and I hope you are well today.

The last fortnight has disappeared rather rapidly again, and there's a new new challenge starting today at Lexi's Creations. Our challenge for you this time is For a Friend.

Our sponsor for this challenge is the lovely Lexi from Fairy Dust Crafts who is offering our lucky winner 5 digital images from her store (you should pop over there and see the other goodies she has and, if you spend over £10.00 she offers free postage and packing too!). Lexi has, as usual, given us our free choice of image for this challenge. Here is the card I've made:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - made from Centura Pearl in Dark Chocolate  cut and folded to a 10.5cm square card.
• Backing Paper - is cream with a pearlised sheen to it. I got mine in a multi-pack of different papers and card.
• Image - This gorgeous scene is called  Butterflies and it is one of the talented Lexi's (Fairy Dust Crafts) creations - pop over to Lexi's store by clicking on the link ... I can assure you that you won't be disappointed! After colouring in the image, I cut it into 9 inch squares, and then distressed the edges of these using brown chalk and a damp cotton bud. I deliberately keep my colour scheme muted and used my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours:
• Flower - GB3, GB4, GB5, CG4
• Butterflies - CR11, GB5, EB7
• Grass - CG1, CG2
• Sky - Light Blue Chalk
• Outline - BG1
• Sentiment Tickets - from The Crafty Pad Designs. You can get Fabulous Friend  by clicking here. On the other ticket, I took the image into my word processing package. I then hid the original wording by covering it with a white text box and generated the Get Well Soon  message myself. I hope Debbie doesn't mind that I tweaked one of her tickets!

Head on over to Lexi's Creations and see what my creative team-mates have created For a Friend and then come back and share your creation with us! You've got until Saturday 21st July 2012 to link your cards up.

With a little help from the girls at Feline Playful I would like to enter this card for the following challenges:

• Challenge 28 - Friend at Aud Sentiments
• Challenge #16 - Anything Goes at Chocolate, Coffee and Cards
• Challenge 224 - Gardener's World at Cute Card Thursday
• Challenge #2 - Get Well Soon at Chalk 'n' Stock
• Challenge #4 - Winged Things at Fashionista Challenge
• Summertime at Incy Wincy Designs
• Challenge #34 - A Card for Someone Special at Addicted To Stamps
• Let's Keep It Clean and Simple at Just Some Lines
• PPA138 - A Colour Challenge (Daffodil Delight, Early Espresso & Cherry Cobbler) at Pals Paper Arts
• July Monthly Challenge - Inchies at Card Making World

Hugs, Helen x

Beach Baby

Good morning friends and welcome to another week with The Crafty Pad! It's Team A's turn on the challenge and this week it's the lovely Ms Pauline who has chosen the theme of At The Seaside. We would love to see beach huts, buckets & spades, ice cream - anything to do with the seaside on your cards this week. We have two great sponsors lined up for you this week.

Letraset are offering one lucky winner a pack of Mid-Tone Promarkers and our second lucky winner will receive 3 Digital Images from The Stamping Boutique.

Tracey Malnofski has also kindly supplied the digital images for the DT to use this week, just to give you a taste of what you can find in her store. I have chosen this gorgeous image called, appropriately enough, Beach Baby.

For my layout inspiration I've followed the current sketch at Tuesday Morning Sketches, which I think is a totally gorgeous CAS style. If you've been following me for a while, you'll know that frilly and fussy doesn't sit easily with me - I'm rarely happy with my fancy creations!

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - made from Centura Pearl in Snow White  onto which I embossed the largest rosette shape from the "nest" on the Ultimate Pro Embossing Board Springtime Sweets and Cupcake Treats. I folded the card to make a hinge on the side, and 2 "feet" at the bottom and then cut round the embossed shape.
• Design Papers - from a 6x6 paper stack called Beach Babe by Fancy Pants Designs, which was a magazine freebie, possibly with Cardmaking & Papercraft last month ...I think!. I used the largest circle from the "nest" on the Ultimate Pro Embossing Board Springtime Sweets and Cupcake Treats to emboss circles on the DPs, and then cut them to shape.
• Image - Beach Baby is just one of the many fantastic images by Tracey at The Stamping Boutique and you can get your own copy of this cutie by clicking here! I defy you to pay a visit to the store and come away empty handed! This little sand baby came to life courtesy of my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours:
• Sand - CT1, CT2, CT3, CT4
• Sea - BT2, BT4
• Sunsuit - BP1, BP2, CG2
• Skin - FS2, FS3
• Hair - TN4, TN5, TN7
• Flag & Spade - BP6
• Sky - light blue chalk
• Thread - White waxed Linen thread from my stash, which I then coloured using my Spectrum Noir Pen in shade BP6

Why don't you hop over to The Crafty Pad and see the great cards from this week's awesome Guest Designer and my "Talented Teamies" - I'm sure their creations will transport you to warmer climes, away from the dreary British "summer" ;o)!

Make sure you then come back and show us your At the Seaside creations! You've got until 8pm (BST) on Saturday 14th July 2012 to link your cards up. I know all the DT girls really love coming round your blogs and seeing your cards.

With a little help from the girls at Feline Playful, I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

• Sketch #153 at Tuesday Morning Sketches
• Challenge #16 - Anything Goes at Chocolate, Coffee and Cards
• Challenge #64 - Photo Inspiration (Hot Pink & Lime Green) at My Mum's Craft Shop
• Challenge #37 - Summertime at Cardmadfairy's Digi Days
• CIC#55- Some Like it Hot at Clearly Inspired Challenge
• Challenge #17 - Summer/Vacation at Simply Create Too
• SNSDC61 - Beach and Sand at Sweet 'n' Sassy Digis
• Challenge 29 - Cute or Cuddly at Poodles Parlour
• Summertime at Crafty Sentiments
• Going Round in Circles at Joanna Sheen

Hope you have a great Sunday! Happy Crafting!

Hugs, Helen x

Moove over ... there's a new girl in town!

Good morning friends and no, I have not taken leave of my senses (although my nearest and dearest would say that they were long gone - lol!) and made a 'typo'. Today, I would love to introduce you to Moorag, this month's new release by Debbie at The Crafty Pad.

Debbie has really gone wild this month because she's releasing loads (and I mean LOADS!) of wonderful things to tempt you. Firstly there are 4 different images (both line drawings and coloured images) of Moorag and her friends, then there is a set of 5 Moorag Design Papers, and finally there is a pack of 9 moovellous (sorry, couldn't help it!) sentiments, all with a bovine theme! Debbie has asked the whole Design team to use at least one image and sentiment this month for your inspiration, so here is my card (with a little layout help from the girls at Sweet Sketch Wednesday as Mr Mojo pulled a 'flanker' this week and went walk-about!):

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - Centura Pearl 300gsm card in Ivory, cut and folded to make a 15cm square card.
• Design Papers - are from two different digital sets, both by Debbie at The Crafty Pad Designs. The green and cream papers are from another new set called Mint and Cream Delight Paper Pack and I have used paper designs 5 and 8. The Black Cow Paper comes from the Moorag the Moo Papers.
• Image - Moorag with Pail of Milk is by Debbie at The Crafty Pad Store and is one of the four new digiss being released today. Click here to go directly to the New Releases section at Crafty Pad Designs. Don't forget to check out the other great images that are also newly released. I tool-distressed the edge of my oval and then brought Moorag to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours:
  

  • Moorag - True Black, FS6, IB2, GB4
  • Pail - EB1, EB5, EB7, EB8
  • Flowers - PP4, PP5, DR3
  • Grass - CG1, CG2, CG4
• Sentiment - is one of the great new sentiments in the set of 9 dreamt up Debbie (with a little help from one the DT girls!) to accompany the Moorag images. Click here to be taken directly to the New Releases in Debbies store. I also tool-distressed the edges of this. 
• Gems - from my stash.

So now I've whetted your appetite, here are some very good reasons to make sure you head over straight to The Crafty Pad Challenge Blog

1. If you need further inspiration, have a look at the moovellous projects from the other DT Girls! Don't forget to pop over to their blogs and leave them some love too!
2. The wonderful Debbie is giving one lucky reader a BUMPER PRIZE! She is offering all 4 images (either coloured or uncoloured - your choice), the full set of 9 sentiments AND the set of 5 Moorag Papers ... and they could be coming to live with Moo!!!!!!!! To be in with a chance of winning this huge stash, all you have to do is leave us a comment on the New Release Post and let us know what you think of Moorag and her friends!
3. We're even giving you a second chance in this draw - simply make sure you follow The Crafty Pad Challenge Blog (and if you don't already, why not?) and then leave us a further comment letting us know you're a follower! :o)

All comments left on the New Release Post up to midday (BST) on Monday 9th July 2012 will be entered into our draw, and the winner's name will be announced on the Blog in our Winner's post on Thursday 12th July.

 

 

With a little help from the girls at Feline Playful, I would like to enter this card for the following challenges:

• Sketch #160 at Sweet Sketch Wednesday
• Challenge #39 - Bingo at The Stamping Boutique - I claim the top line of Flowers, Bling, and Image & Sentiment or I could go for the left hand vertical line of Flowers, 3 or more layers, 2 different DPs or I could have the four corners of Flowers, Image & Sentiment, 2 different DPs and Distressing ... whichever you like girls!!!!!! :o)
• Happy Birthday at Moving Along With The Times (2nd Entry)
• Challenge #114 - Distressing at Robyn's Fetish
• Challenge #25 - Girls, Girls, Girls at Bunny Zoe's Crafts
• Challenge #37 - Birthday / Happy Everything at Victorine Originals
• Challenge #120 - Use a Digi at One Stitch at a Time - all the papers, image and sentiments are digis
• Challenge #146 - Use Something New on your Project at Stampin' Sisters in Christ - apart from the gems and base card, everything else is new!
• Summer Daze at Joanna Sheen
• July Monthly Challenge - Show us your best stay in the lines colouring at Great Impressions Stamps

In my excitement I nearly forgot to welcome my newest followers Sue and AJ - how rude of me ladies, I'm soooo sorry!!! However, I'm glad you could join me on my crafting journey.

That's all for now folks! Have a great week!

Hugs, Helen x