What's your "Magic" Number?

Hello to you all. Hope you had a great Bank Holiday weekend if you're in the UK. I've only got one gripe ... who pinched the sunshine? It's like December here and Hubby's weather station says we've had 1.8cm of rain today. And I guess we'll still have a drought in the summer! Still, the plants we bought yesterday will be happy being "bedded" in to their new homes :o)

I would like to welcome a couple of new followers - a warm welcome to Durga and Desire, and huge apologies Desire for not having welcomed you a couple of weeks ago! I hope you'll both enjoy your visits to my creations.

Today is Post 3 of my sojourn as a Guest Designer at Top Tip Tuesday and this weeks it's new challenge time! This fortnight's challenge is Numbers, so we're looking for numbers on your projects ... perfect for Birthdays and/or Anniversaries, and we'd love to see how creative you can be!

We've got 2 amazing sponsors lined up for you for this challenge. Jodie from Bugaboo Stamps is offering one lucky random winner 7 digis of their choice! And Tammy from Shape EZ is offering our second winner 2 digital shape templates of their choice! Those are magic numbers worth winning me thinks! :o) And, as if that wasn't enough, you too could be a future Top Tip Tuesday Guest Designer just by leaving a great tip! Both of our fabby sponsors have given us the choice of which of their products we would like to showcase and next week I'll be showing you one of Tammy's great card templates. However, this week I've designed with one of Jodie's fantastically quirky images:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - made from Centura Pearl in Ivory which I cut and scored to make a 15cm square card
• Design Papers - are all from the set Only You by Studio Basic and available at Sweete Shoppe Designs. I've used 3 of the papers in this kit, layered them digitally and put a dove grey faux mat layer around each paper using my word processing programme.
• Image - this great couple are called AKV Love from the great range A Kid's View (Stick People) by Jodie at Bugaboo Stamps. Because this image is soooooo quirky (and the fact that I digitally layered this onto my DPs and my pens won't colour nicely on the card I printed this on!) I continued with the "kids" theme and actually coloured this image using some of my girls' wax crayons!!!!! I tried to keep the palette very simple and these are the colours I used:

• Him - Yellow, Red, Brown
• Her - Red, Brown, Black
• Heart - Red
• Sky - Blue, Red, Orange, Yellow
• Grass - Green
• Sentiments - the bottom sentiment comes from the Only You kit, and is perfect for an anniversary card. The top sentiment is computer generated and, again, digitally put onto my layout by using a text box in my word processing programme and colouring the background to tone in with the DPs. Now, regular readers will know that I craft frugally and don't have a die cutting machine, so here is my TOP TIP for you: Don't worry if you don't have alpha or numeric dies ... in your word processing programme, play around with different fonts and sizes to get something you like - I've used Showcard Gothic in pitch 36. When you're happy, copy and paste it several times and print. Cut the shapes out, and glue them on top of each other to get a 3D effect on your card.

So, I think that makes my Magic Number 20! Just need to find a safe hidey hole for this card (away from my hubby) and, even more importantly, remember in September where it's hidden!!!!! The Top Tip Tuesday girls have got some great projects and tips for you so do go over and see their Numbers. Don't forget to come back and show us your creations! This challenge ends on Monday 10th June.

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

• Challenge 55 - Celebrate at LEJ Designs
• Challenge 11 - For the Fellas at Creative Craft Challenges
• GGSC153 - Graduation, Wedding or Anniversary at Going Grey with Scrap Creations
• SOS#103 - Graduation or Anniversary at Shopping our Stash - the wax crayons I used weren't exactly my stash as they came from my girls' (now 11 &13 years old) arts and crafts cupboard. The crayons hadn't been used for I don't know how long (the girls don't do colouring any more, it's all handheld devices that play games!) and are well over 2 years old ... I think they came in a goodie bag to keep the kids amused from a holiday company eons ago!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope you have a great evening!

Hugs, Helen x

It's all in the Words

Hello again friends!

It's new challenge time at Lexi's Creations and this fortnight our challenge is for you to Focus on the Sentiment. No images this week and the sentiment has to be the main focus of your creation which can be anything card, gift, ATC, scrapbook layout etc. 

Our sponsor for this challenge is Priyanka from My Heart Pieces who is offering a prize of 3 digis to our lucky winner - here's a little 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.  

The lovely Lexi from  Fairy Dust Crafts has once again let us loose in her on-line store where there is a real treasure trove of goodies, not just digi-images! Here is my card this week featuring some of Lexi's work:

I've made this card for a work colleague who (with her husband) will shortly come to the end of the very long process of adopting a 5 year old girl. I wanted to give them a card that was a bit of a grown-up way of celebrating the expansion into a family!

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - made from Centura Pearl in Snow White which I cut and scored to make a 10.5cm spring card. Haven't made one of these for ages and I'd forgotten how good they look!
• Design Paper - is by Summer at Summertime Designs and is from the Sweet Springtime kit. This gorgeous paper is called "Wild Flowers" and I love the varying shades of pink.
  
• Sentiment - is by Lexi at Fairy Dust Crafts and is called Sugar 'n' Spice. I printed this into an oval shape which I cut out, and then ink distressed the edge of the oval using a Papermania Capsule Collection Pigment Ink Pad in Red Hot. I then coated this with Holographic Embossing Powder before heating it to give the whole thing a bit of sparkle - unfortunately the ink didn't take up the embossing powder very well!
• Butterfly - is also by Lexi at Fairy Dust Crafts and this image is called DIY Butterfly. Perfect for this challenge as I paper pieced the image using the "Dark Pink Blossoms" paper from the Summertime Designs kit Sweet Springtime. I then dabbed my Versamark Ink Pad over the wings and liberally sprinkled them with Holographic Embossing Powder before heating it. Just check out the sparkle!!!!!!
  
• Pearls - are from my stash and coloured using my Spectrum Noir Pen in shade PP6
• Ribbon - surfaced from my craft things put aside for Guides but not used. It was a bumper bag of ribbon and cord offcuts priced 99p (!) I think from Hobbycraft.

I do hope you'll come over to Lexi's Creations during the next 2 weeks and see what my talented team-mates have made which Focus on the Sentiment. Don't forget to  come back and share your creations with us! You've got until Saturday 8th June to link your projects up.

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

• Challenge #215 - Bingo! at Creative Inspirations I'm claiming the top line of Pink, Pearls and Glitter
• Challenge #217 - Flutterby Butterfly at Dutch Dare Challenge
• Challenge #46 - Anything Goes with Ribbon at Crafty Ribbons

Hope you have a great day!

Hugs, Helen x

Gardening with Clementine

Good afternoon friends and I hope you're well on "middle day! This is the end of "Post-fest" ... I've caught up now! However, it also means I've got to return my crafting items to their various hidey-holes as my husband is due back this evening from a business trip.

This post brings with it news of this week's challenge at Incy Wincy Designs where our challenge for you this week is Metal Mania. We would like to see either some Metal added to your project, or your image could have something on it that's made from metal ... so you could use brads, pins, staples, poppers; or an image with a swing, shovel, wagon, or anything else you can think of!

We've been sponsored this week by the wonderful Gerda at The Stamp Fairy and she is offering this week's lucky winner at $10 Gift Certificate to her store! She's also kindly supplied the DT with some wonderful images to showcase, and here is my card featuring metal staples, a paperclip and a watering can on the image:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - made from Centura Pearl in Ivory which I cut and scored to make a 15cm square card
• Design Papers - are both from the Summertime Paper Collection, which was a magazine freebie. On the floral paper, I used the largest rosette from the "nest" on the Ultimate Pro Embossing Board Springtime Sweets and Cupcake Treats as a die and embossed this shape onto the DP before cutting it out. I used a corner rounder on the polka dot paper before turning the top corner over to reveal a swatch of the floral paper which I had printed onto the reverse.
  
• Image - this little cutie is called Clementine Spring 3 and she has come from the pen of Gerda at The Stamp Fairy. I've brought this green fingered rabbit to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens and chalks in the following colours:
• Clementine's Fur - EB1, EB2, TN2, TN3, TN4
• Clementine's Hat - Paper Pieced with paper from Summertime Paper Collection
• Watering Can - BGR1, BGR2, BGR3
• Plant Pot - BT4, BT5, BT6
• Flowers - DR4, DR5, DR7, BG8
• Outline - GG1
• Grass - LG3, LG4, LG5
• Sky - Craf-T Chalk in Light Blue
• Sentiment - is by Paulette at Create with TLC. I superimposed the word art onto a banner shape in my word processing programme and, once it was printed and cut out, I gently distressed the edges with some Craf-T Chalk in Red before stapling it to the base DP.
• Twine - from my stash and coloured using a Spectrum Noir Pen in shade DR5
• Staples and Paperclip - are from my desk!

I hope you'll head over to Incy Wincy Designs and check out the very creative metallic projects from my team-mates, this month's Guest Designer Winnie and our very special Guests, Annette and Céline from the Stamp Fairy DT. Don't forget to come back and show us your creations which have Metal Mania! This challenge ends on Sunday 26th May 2012.

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

• Challenge #20 - Anything Goes with Optional Sketch at 613 Avenue Create ... I followed the sketch!
• Challenge #57 - Animals at Dream Valley Challenges
• If The Paper Fits (Paper Piecing) at Papertake Weekly
• Challenge #128 - Circles at Penny's Paper-Crafty
• May Challenge - Anything Goes at Chalk N Stock

Have a great afternoon everyone!

Hugs, Helen x

A Little Gift

Hi again ... sorry, but today is going to be a bit of a "Post-fest" as I've got some catching up to do. Life really overtook me at the weekend!

Anyway, enough about me. This is Post 2 of my stint as a Guest Designer at Top Tip Tuesday and it's time for the Mid-Challenge inspiration post.

A quick recap - our challenge is Box Clever, so we're looking for your box-makes or even altering an existing box. Our sponsor for this challenge is the lovely Melissa at MelJen's Designs who is giving a prize of 4 digi images of your choice to the lucky winner of this challenge. Don't forget that you too could feature as a Top Tip Tuesday Guest just by leaving a great tip!


I've made this cute little gift box (with an attached card - OK, I know Samantha said no cards, but I'm hoping that this one's acceptable!) which is just the right size for holding 3 tealights or some small chocolates. This one will be going to a friend who lent me some boots and clothing ideas for my trip last Friday to see the Rocky Horror Show!!!

My project recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - made from Centura Pearl in Snow White, which I cut, scored and folded following this tutorial at Splitcoast Stampers. Now, here's my Top Tip for you : If you're using a template or instructions you've not used before,make your project out of thin card first....it saves making a mistake and wasting a sheet of expensive cardstock! Luckily I followed my own advice so this is not the voice of experience :o)
  
• Decorative Edge - was done using one of the inbuilt "Decorative Embossing Lines" on my Ultimate Pro
• Embossed Heart Border - was also made using my Ultimate Pro, this time with the additional embossing board Springtime Sweets and Cupcake Treats. This board really is my favourite and I get soooooooooo much use out of it!
• Design Papers - are from the Summertime Luxury Paper Collection which was a magazine freebie
• Sentiment - is another magazine freebie, this time from a Special Occasion Stamp Set. I've stamped this "Thank you" directly onto the cardstock using Memento Ink in Tuxedo Black. It's the first time I've stamped directly onto Centura Pearl, and I'm not sure I've got it quite right as the ink has gone rather blurry. Any tips would be gratefully received!

Anyway, that's my very simple box ... do head on over to Top Tip Tuesday to see what Anda (also a GDT) and the Design Team have come up with for Box Clever and don't forget to come back and show us your makes! This challenge will finish on Monday 27th May.

I'd like to enter this project into the following challenge:

• DDC #63 - 3-D Creation at Digi Darla's
• Challenge #6 - More than One Fold at Hobby Cutz Challenges - Second Entry

Catch you later!

Hugs, Helen x

Watching the Flowers Grow ...

Good morning friends - I hope you are well. I'm not sure what has happened to the UK weather this last week, but it seems as though Spring has turned her back on us!!!

It's new challenge time at Whoopsi Daisy and this week we're really hoping that Spring has sprung as we'd like to see your May Flowers ... just in time for the first RHS Show of the season, Chelsea Flower Show! Those of you who are so talented at embellishing your projects with beautiful flowers will love this challenge ... for me this was more than a slight challenge!

As usual, Linnie is offering our lucky prize winner one sheet of images from the Whoopsi Daisy Store, unless you've used a Whoopsi Daisy Image for your project in which case you can choose two sheets of images. Linnie invited the DT to peruse the store again, but I chose to use this sweet image which was a freebie on the store blog, I think last summer (although if anyone knows better, please let me know!)

My project recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - made from Centura Pearl in Snow White which I cut and scored to make a 15cm square card
  
• Design Papers - are both from a collection called Emma's Garden which was a magazine freebie. I've edged this with a deep raspberry coloured border which I've tool distressed
• Image - as I've said, this beautiful image was a freebie last year, and it's called Girl and Butterflies. I brought this idyllic scene to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens and chalks in the following colours:
• Skin - FS2, FS3
• Hair - GB7, GB8
• Top -  BP1, BP2
• Trousers - EB2, IB1, IB2, IB3
• Hat - EB1, EB2
• Butterflies - IB2, GB1
• Flowers - CG3, GB4, BP5, BP7
• Background - Craf-T Chalk in Light Blue, Dark Brown, Light Brown, Dark Green and Green 
• Sentiment - is by Paulette at Create with TLC and I think this Happy Birthday Flag has to be one of the sentiments I use most regularly. I changed the colour of the sentiment by taking in into my word processing programme and recolouring it to one of the shades of blue so it fitted in with the card.
• Flowers - were made by taking a floral patterned sheet from  Emma's Garden Collection and punching the flower shapes with my flower punch. Once the shapes were adhered to the card, I then stuck Gems from stash onto them to "bling" them up a bit!
• Ribbon - is a thin pink organdie ribbon from my stash (originally from a local haberdashery store). I used 2 strands which I twisted together a couple of times in the middle to give the unusual style.

I do hope you'll come over to Whoopsi Daisy Challenge and have a look at the wonderful floral creations made by the Divas. Then come back and show us your projects featuring May Flowers. Don't forget that if you're using a Whoopsi Daisy image then you don't have to follow this week's theme!!! This challenge closes on Sunday 26th May 2012.

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

• Day 134 - Overlapped at 365 Cards
• Challenge #54 - Squares at Ruby's Rainbow
• Challenge #217 - Recipe (1 Image, 1, Sentiment, 2 Patterned Papers, 3 Embellishments) at Dutch Dare Card Challenges - my embellishments are the flower punch shapes, gems and ribbon twist
• Girls, Girls, Girls at Joanna Sheen
• Feminine at The Stamp Spot - Second Entry
• CMM69 - Punches at Card Makin' Mamas

I'll be back later this week with some more DT projects. In the meantime, have a good day!

Hugs, Helen x

Oh What a Pickle!

I apologise for the brevity of this post if you get to it quickly - I will be back later with a full write up, but there are a couple of challenges which are finishing soon that I would like to catch, and I need to collect my car from the garage following it's successful MOT!

This card is my DT card for Incy Wincy Designs where our challenge this week is Animal Antics.

We are being sponsored this week by Kim at Care2Stamp who is offering this week's lucky winner a $15 Gift Certificate to the store. Thanks Kim!

Kim also very kindly supplied the DT with some stamps to use for this challenge, and here is my card featuring one of the Whimsy stamps:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card Base - "Wonky" side-step Rocker Card (made from Centura Pearl in Ivory) using the largest rosette from the "nest" on the Ultimate Pro Embossing Board Springtime Sweets and Cupcake Treats as a die (I don't have a die-cutting machine!). I embossed the shape, cut it out and used it as my card base.
• Image - this squirrel in a spot of bother is Fluffy on Lily by Wee Stamps ... I'm guessing that the flowers are Lily of the Valley although I've coloured them as Bluebells. Ooops!!!! It looks as though fluffy has climbed up the flower stem only to find he's too heavy to perch on it and he's in danger of slipping off!  I used one of the circles from the "nest" on my Ultimate Pro Embossing Board Springtime Sweets and Cupcake Treats to frame this image, before bringing the scene to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours:
• Squirrel - TN5, TN7, TN8, PP1
• Bluebells - IB1, IB2, IB3, LG3, LG4
• Outline - GG1
• Sentiment - is by Debbie at The Crafty Pad Designs (available at Card Making Downloads) and this one is Fabulous Friend Sentiment Ticket.

I do hope you'll head over to Incy Wincy Designs this week and see the other wonderful layouts from my very talented team-mates and Winnie, our Guest Designer. Don't forget to come back and show us your projects featuring Animal Antics. This challenge closes on Sunday 19th May.

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

• PTT120 - Shaped Cards at Party Time Tuesdays
• Challenge #1 - Favourite Dies or Punches and DT call at As You Like It What makes this card my own? Not fussy and fancy! Just clean, simple lines showcasing a gorgeous image!
• Challenge #8 - Anything But a Square at Lacy Sunshine Challenge
• Challenge #19 - Create a Shaped Card at 613 Avenue Create
• Colour Challenge - Brown, Blue and Cream at Come and Get It Challenge
• Challenge #6 - More than One Fold at Hobby Cutz Challenge

Hugs, Helen x

Fiesta, not Siesta!

Good morning all from a very excited Casa de Crafty Mamma Mia. Why, I hear you ask? Well today is the start of my 4 week residency as Guest Designer at Top Tip Tuesday ... thanks for having me girls!!!!

Today is my  first challenge with the team, and the title of this one is Box Clever - this means make any kind of box. Our sponsor for this challenge is the lovely Melissa at MelJen's Designs who will be giving a great prize to the lucky winner of this challenge. Don't forget that you too could feature as a Top Tip Tuesday Guest just by leaving a great tip! 

Melissa has been kind enough to provide the DT with some images to showcase, and here is my box featuring one of Melissa's 'furry friends':

My project recipe is as follows:

• Box Base - made from Centura Pearl Card in Dark Chocolate which I cut to 10.5cm x 29.6cm (half an A4 sheet longways) and then scored using my Ultimate Pro to make the Wedge Box shape
• Design Paper -is by Paulette at Create with TLC and is called Fiesta Time. This was a goodie on Paulette's blog just last week as Paulette was celebrating Cinco Mayo ... the timing couldn't have been more perfect!
  
• Image - this hot dog is Chili Chihuahua and he is one the cute animal images you can get from  MelJen's Designs. I used the "out of the box" technique with the smallest rosette from the "nest" on the Ultimate Pro Embossing Board Springtime Sweets and Cupcake Treats - rather like a die, as I don't have a die-cutting machine. However, I find this technique works just as well, even if it's slightly more time consuming! I de-bossed the rosette shape around the image before cutting it out and bringing this canine cutie to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours:
• Sombrero - CT2, CT3, CT4, TB5, JG2, CR9, CR10, CR11
• Chihuahua - TN3, TN4, TN5, PP2, PP3
• Poncho - JG1, JG2, TB5
• Chillis - CR9, CR10, CR11
• Outline - GG1
• Background - Craf-T Chalk in Light Blue and Bronze Gel Pen
• Ribbon - was recycled having been cut from one of my daughter's jumpers! (Does anyone hook these lengths of ribbon over coat hangers when hanging a garment?)  

I think this box would be great for small Birthday presents (like make-up or hair bits that teenage girls tend to  give each other) or in a different size as Wedding favour boxes ... and it was oh so easy to make too!

I hope you'll come over to Top Tip Tuesday and see the wonderful Boxes made by the rest of the DT - we'll be back with our mid-challenge inspiration next Tuesday.

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

• Challenge #56 - No Squares Allowed at Dream Valley Challenges
• Challenge #35 - Anything But a Card at Delicious Doodles

Hope you have a great day,

Hugs, Helen x

A Joke for you

Good morning friends and welcome to another week! I hope this post finds you well.

This morning sees the start of a new challenge at  Lexi's Creations. Susan is challenging our 'little grey cells' this week (well mine at least!) as our new challenge is Black and White, plus one colour. This means that your creation has to be predominantly Black and White with a "splash" of one other colour. The DT girls have got some fab inspiration for you this week and if you need a little more help check out the regular DT girls' projects at this post, as we did this challenge last year!




Our sponsor for this challenge is our very own Lexi from Fairy Dust Crafts who will be letting our lucky winner choose 5 digital images from her store. Fairy Dust Crafts  is "Your one stop shop for Lexi's Digi images and a growing choice of delicious crafting goodies. Here you can find all Lexi's Creations digital images...also available as clear rubber stamps plus other crafting goodies in store now!"


As usual, Lexi has let us all loose in the store again (thanks Lexi) and here is my project featuring one of her cute images:

My bookmark recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - is Centura Pearl in Black, which I cut to 18cm x 6cm
• Design Paper - is Paper 1 and it's from a mini scrapping kit called Only You by Studio Basic Designs at Sweete Shoppe Designs. I thought this paper was quite apt as the background is newsprint! I imported the paper into the word processing programme on my computer, superimposed a text box on to it and then typed the joke "What's Black and White and Red all over?" I popped another text box at the bottom and made the writing upside down and small with the answer!
  
• Image - This cute ladybird is called Baby Ladybug and it is by Lexi from Fairy Dust Crafts. I used my Spectrum Noir Pens in CR11 and True Black, plus my Silver Gel Pen to bring this little bug to life, before fussy cutting it .... don't look too closely as I think I need a better pair of scissors! 

I hope you'll come over to Lexi's Creations during the next 2 weeks and see what my talented team-mates and this week's Guest Designer Jackie have made using Black and White, plus one colour. Don't forget to  come back and share your creations with us! You've got until Saturday 25th May 2013 to link your projects up.

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

• Challenge #18 - Black & white plus One at Charisma Cardz
• Seeing Red at Ooh La La Creations

Hope you have a great week.

Hugs, Helen x

PS: nearly forgot to tell you the answer to the joke, if you don't already know it  .... it's a book (or newspaper) because it's black typeface on white paper and it's read by people!!!!!!!!!!!

50 Shades of Pink

Good morning friends and hope you are well. A rather belated but still a very warm welcome to Robyn who is my newest follower ... sit back and I hope you enjoy the crafting ride!!!!!

I'm a tad late posting with the start of a new challenge at Whoopsi Daisy - I hurt my back over the weekend and it's only just eased up enough to be able to sit for a length of time and craft/blog! Anyway, back to the challenge! Our theme this week is For a Special Lady/Mother's Day. Here in the UK, we've already celebrated Mothering Sunday, so I've gone with the theme of "For a Special Lady".

As usual, our lovely "boss" Linnie is offering our lucky prize winner one sheet of images from the Whoopsi Daisy Store, unless you've used a Whoopsi Daisy Image for your project in which case you can choose two sheets of images. Linnie has also let us all loose in her store again,  and allowed us our choice of image for this challenge.

Before I show you my project for this week, I'd like to explain a little about why I've created this project and why the recipient is so special:

Karen is a colleague at school and a Breast Cancer Survivor. Late last year, Karen underwent surgery and was found to have secondary Breast Cancer. She has been receiving treatment for this and is determined to kick the big C into touch once more. She is fund-raising like mad for several Cancer Charities here in the UK and her biggest project is to hold a "50 Shades of Pink" Grand Ball in the autumn to raise at least £1000 for Breakthrough Breast Cancer UK, to help fund research into a cure for this dreadful disease.

Of course, my brain went into overdrive (I really wish it would sometimes consult me first :o)!!!!!) ... and this is the result, something that Karen can use for tickets, menus, advertising etc.:

My project recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - made from Centura Pearl in Fuschia (mine came in a pack called Brights from Crafter's Companion which doesn't appear to be available at the moment) which I cut to A6 in size (10.6cm x 14.8cm)
• Image - this glamorous girl is from Sheet 448 and is one of Linnie's newer creations ... I call them the "Misses" as the images are of older girls/ladies. As with a number of Linnie's newest sheets, this sheet comes with 2 different images, and both come coloured (great if you need a quick card) or as a line drawing if you want to take time over your project. I brought this Belle of the Ball to to life using my
  
   Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours:
• Skin - FS2, FS3, BP1
• Hair - GB8, GB10
• Dress -  IG1, BP1, Colourless Blender
• Stole - BP5, BP6, BP7
• Jewellery - Silver Gel Pen
• Outline - BT1
• Sentiment Tickets and Pink Ribbon - are by Debbie from The Crafty Pad Designs (her designs are available from Card Making Downloads) and these were freebies from the challenge blog last year in support of our Crafty Pad teamie Dawn who, at that time, was doing her own fundraisers for Breakthrough BreastCancer. I digitally set out the sentiment tickets around the edge of the card before inserting the rest of the wording, which was computer generated. The ribbon using my Spectrum Noir Pens in shades BP5 and BP6 before being affixed to the card.

Both Linnie and Debbie have very kindly given their generous and full permission for their images to be used on this layout for the fundraising, and I can't thank them enough for their support. 

Ladies - you're truly wonderful ... x x x mwah x x x  

Do come over to Whoopsi Daisy Challenge and have a look at the stunning creations that some of the Divas have made for For a Special Lady/Mother's Day. Then come back and show us your creations - this challenge closes on Sunday 12th May. And don't forget, as usual, if you use a Whoopsi Daisy image then you don't have to follow this week's theme!!!

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

• Challenge #66 - A Very Special Occasion at Fairy Tale Challenge
• Girly Girl at Jellypark Challenge - Second Entry
• Support Your Favourite Charity at Sweet Pea Stampers
• Challenge #7 - Monochrome at Lacy Sunshine Challenge
• Challenge #40 - Monotone at Artistic Inspiration
• Challenge #64 - For Mom or Special Lady at Love to Create Challenge
• IIC#108 - Mother's Day / For a Lady at Inky Impressions

Hope you have a great week.

Hugs, Helen x

Anytime, Any Place, Any Where!

Do you remember those adverts on TV? I do .... although I was only young at the time, honestly ;o) !!! Then I went on to become a Martini girl as I worked at their Head Office for over 10 years! Anyway, I digress. I hope that if you're in the UK you're enjoying your Bank Holiday weekend and that the weather is being kind to you. 

It's time for a new challenge from  Incy Wincy Designs and this week we've got a Colour Challenge for you. We want to see your creations featuring the colours Yellow and Grey.

We have two fabulous sponsors for this week's challenge. 

The first sponsor is Kenny and the team at Kenny K Downloads who are offering one lucky prize winner 4 digis from their store. 

Our second sponsor is the team at Doctor Digi who are offering our second lucky prize winner 2 digis from the store. Great prizes guys and thanks for sponsoring us this week!

Here is my card featuring one of the digis available from Kenny K Downloads:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - made from Centura Pearl in Snow White, which I cut, scored and folded to make a 15cm square card.
• Design Papers - are both by Summer at Summertime Designs and they come from 2 different kits. The bottom layer is called Golden Swirls and it comes from a kit called Golden Sunshine. The top layer is called Light Gray Dot and it comes from the Dryer Lint at Tiffany's kit. I embossed a wavy line using one of the inbuilt embossing features on my Ultimate Pro which I then cut up to, giving (I hope) an  effect similar to a die cut.
• Image - this "Martini Girl" is called Happy Hour and she is by Kenny at Kenny K Downloads. I
  
  brought this glamourous girl to to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours before gently tool distressing the edge.
• Skin - FS2, FS3, LV1, CR11
• Hair - GB8, GB10
• Dress - BGR1, BGR2, BGR3, GB4, GB6
• Shoes - True Black
• Jewellery - Silver Gel Pen
• Martini Glass - EB1, DG2, GT1
• Outline - BT1
• Sentiment - is, of course, by Paulette at Create with TLC ... how perfect is this for the image? I got this one from Paulette in April last year as a freebie from her blog.
• Ribbon - is from my stash and coloured using my Spectrum Noir Pen in GB4 so it tones in.

I do hope you'll head over to Incy Wincy Designs this week and see the other wonderful layouts from my very talented team-mates and Winnie who is our Guest Designer for May. Then come back and show us your creations featuring the colour combo of Yellow and Grey. This challenge closes on Sunday 12th May.


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

• Girly Girl at Jellypark Challenge
• Challenge 103 - Girl Birthday at Wags 'n' Whiskers
• Feminine at The Stamp Spot

If you're in the UK, have a great May Day Bank Holiday, and I hope everyone has a great week.

Hugs, Helen x