Hoppy Easter!

This is my second post of the day - please scroll down to see my first post

Hello again friends!

I'm back with this fortnight's challenge at Lexi's Creations and this fortnight we're helping you to get ready for the forthcoming Bank Holiday weekend (here in the UK) because we'd like to see your Easter creations. Don't forget that we are a multi-craft blog so your project doesn't just have to be a card!

For this challenge our sponsor 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!" With a sale on too, why not head over and treat yourself?


The lovely Lexi has also let us have pick of Fairy Dust Crafts once again, and here is my project featuring one of her seasonal Easter digis:

These little bunny shaped gift boxes are sooooo cute, and perfect for popping some mini eggs (or a couple of fun size chocs as I forgot to get some eggs .... ooops!) in. Can you imagine the squeals of delights from little ones if they have to go on an Easter Egg Hunt to find the treasure in one of these boxes?


My project recipe is as follows:

• Bunny Gift Box - is normal 80gsm printer paper onto which I've printed my chosen paper. This one is called Hoppy Easter! from Quick Cards Made Easy magazine - you can get the download here. I then followed the instructions in the March 2014 issue of Cardmaking and Papercraft magazine to make the origami bunny ... no glueing required!
• Image - this cute bunny guarding the easter eggs is called Easter Bunny Bella and she comes from the pen of Lexi at Fairy Dust Crafts. I decided to make Bella into a tag to adorn my bunny gift box, but I printed out Bella before I made the box - fatal error as the sizes are somewhat incongruous! Never mind ... Bella still looks lovely! I have brought her to life with my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours before fussy cutting her and adding a hole at the top of her head:

• Bella - PP3, PP4, IG1, Colourless Blender, True Black
• Eggs - EB1, CT4, IB2, LV2, CG4
• Grass - CG2, CG3
• Outline - BT1
• Twine - from my stash

I hope you'll come over to Lexi's Creations and see the other lovely projects from my fellow DT members and our guests this time Hazel and Silvi. Don't forget to then come back and share your Easter creations with us - I know we all love visiting your blogs! This challenge will end on Saturday 12th April 2014.

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

• Monthly Challenge #43 - Make a Tag! at Little Claire's
• Week 12 - Animals at Digi Choosday
• Challenge 58 - Animals at Creative Card Crew
• Challenge #88 - Holiday at Addicted to Stamps and More
• Add a Tag at Crafty Little Fairies
• Challenge #58 - Easter or use Bunnies at Simply Create Too

That's it from me for today, but I will be back later in the week ..... can't say more than that for now :o) !!!!!! Have a great day!

Hugs, Helen x

I need a huggle!!!!!

This is my first post of the day - please scroll up to see my second post

Good morning friends and I hope this post finds you well. We had simply gorgeous weather over the weekend, and I got spoilt for Mother's Day too .... hope things were good for you and yours!


Anyway, we've got another new challenge at Incy Wincy Designs and this week you can choose your challenge (within reason) as we're playing Tic-Tac-Toe (or Bingo)!  And here is your board created by Karen from which you need to choose 3 in a line (either horizontal, vertical or diagonal) - we don't mind which, as long as you tell us in your post what your line is.

We've got two wonderful sponsors again this week.

Firstly, the team at Polka Doodles are offering 4 digital stamps to our first lucky prize winner.

Our second sponsor is Nikki from Limited Runs Digital Stamps who says "Limited Runs Digital Stamps is a place where I can enjoy a calorie free cupcake, there are over 120 flavours to choose from one for every occasion. It's not all sugar in sweets there are tons of Christmas,Halloween Backgrounds,Fairies,Critters and lots more to see. I've also kept the prices lower then most shops seeing I know as a crafter on a budget it's nice to get a great deal and there are some hidden ones to even save more. So grab a cuppa and pop in and take a look around. 

Join in the monthly giveaway where you can win 5 free digi's from Limited Runs." Nikki is offering a prize of 3 digital stamps to our second lucky winner.

Here is my card for you this week, featuring a digital image from Limited Runs Digital Stamps:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card Base - is Centura Pearl in Snow White Silver which I have cut, scored and folded to make a 15cm square card.
• Design Paper - is a freebie (quite an old one I think) by Donna at Bearly Mine Designs. I just love the black swirls on this paper! As usual, I digitally sized this paper in my word processing programme before putting a black coloured border round it to give a faux mat layer.
• Image - this snuggly couple are called Emily and Huggle and they've been drawn by a new artist to Limited Runs Digital Stamps, namely Courtney (Nikki's niece). My youngest and I call cuddles "huggles" so this image is perfect for her ... when I showed her this image in Nikki's store, her little
  
  eyes lit up, so I'll be stashing this card for her birthday later in the year! I brought Emily and Huggle to life with my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours before die cutting them with my second largest Framelits Flower Die:
• Hair - PP2, PP3, PP4, CG2
• Skin - FS2, FS3
• Dress - CG1, CG2, CG3, PP6
• Boots - CG2, CG3, PP6
• Huggle - EB2, GB6, GB7, GB9
• Outline - BT1
• Sentiment - is by Paulette at Create with TLC and I think it was a freebie in January 2012
• Lace - is from my stash

This is my Tic-Tac-Toe (or Bingo) card - why not head over to Incy Wincy Designs and check out the other lovely creations by my teamies. Then come back and play Tic-Tac-Toe/Bingo with us and share your creations. This challenge will end on Sunday 6th April 2014.

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

• March challenge - One for the Girls at Bearly Mine Inpsiration & Challenges (Second Entry)
• Challenge 132 - Getting Girly at Art Impressions

I'll be back shortly with my second post of the day - in the meantime, take care!

Hugs, Helen x

A Little Birdie Told Me .....

Hello friends .... yes, it's another mid-week post from me! Crafting forever, housework never!!!!! :o) Can you guess how I've been spending my days off this week, although I did manage 42 lengths in 35 minutes of swimming on Tuesday morning, and went to 2 studio classes yesterday morning!

I just thought I'd share a card with you that one of my friends commissioned me to make for her Mum for Mother's Day, which is on Sunday here in the UK. She asked me if the image could be of a cat and, luckily, I had just the right image in my stash (well, computer hard drive!). So here is the card I have made:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card Base - is Centura Pearl in Snow White Silver which I have cut, scored and folded to make a 21cm x 12cm card.
• Mat and Layer Card - is lightweight card in pale green. On the bottom layer, I have used my Ribbon Heart Border Punch to make a decorative edge. On the layer behind the image I have die cut it using my largest Framelits Oval Die.
• Design Paper - is from the March edition of Cardmaking and Papercraft and is part of the Spring Florals collection, also downloadable here. 
• Image - this animal duo is called A Little Birdie Told Me and they come from the pen of Tammy at A Day for Daisies. I have brought this pair to life with my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following
  
  colours before die cutting the scene with my second largest Framelits Oval Die:
• Kitten - IG1, IG2, IG3, IG4, LV1
• Bird - TN1, TN2
• Flowers - LV1, DG2
• Grass - DG1, DG2
• Outline - IB1
• Background - Craf-T Chalk in Light Blue
• Sentiment - is by Paulette at Create with TLC and this was part of the May 2012 Club

I hope my friend likes this card, especially as I'm sharing it here before she's even seen it!

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

• Challenge #92 - Pretty Pastels at A Day for Daisies
• Challenge #206 - Mother's Day/For the Ladies at Craft Your Passion
• Challenge 228 - Mum at Totally Gorjuss
• Challenge 258 - It's a Girl Thing at Creative Inspirations
• Challenge #19 - For a Special Lady at Scrapper's Delights
• Challenge #64 - Anything Goes with Optional Twist of Birds of a Feather at 613 Avenue Create
• March Challenge - Animal Antics at Crafty Calendar

Hope you have a good rest of the week - I'm off for a bit more crafting :o)

Hugs, Helen x

Prima Ballerina

Good Morning my lovely friends and we're already in a new week! I had planned to write and schede this post before the weekend as I was doing some celebrating, but I got waylaid ... another 40-harummph birthday, but who's counting!!!!!! 


Anyway, we've got another new challenge at Incy Wincy Designs and this week we're going all girly as your creations need to feature Ribbons, Lace and Pearls. 


We have 2 amazing sponsors this week which means we are able to offer a great prize to 2 lucky winners!

Our first sponsor is the lovely team at The Paper Shelter who are kindly offering our first lucky winner a $20 Gift Certificate to their store. Don't forget that with every image you buy from The Paper Shelter you don't

just get the black and white line drawing; you get a coloured image, Design Paper, and a complete composition for when you really need that card in a hurry - OK, we all know we sometimes have those times!!!!! Normally for me at 8am when my girls remember it's so-and-so's birthday today - can you make a card Mum? :o)

Our second sponsor is a new one for Incy Wincy and it's Wendy from All Dressed Up. Wendy is offering our second lucky winner 2 digital images from her store. Here's a little bit about Wendy:

Hi I am Wendy Burns I live in Nottingham UK with my husband and two children who have been the inspiration behind the characters,  in particular my daughter who has kept me up-to-date with blogging and trends.  I work predominantly within the textile children’s wear market, fashion and interiors.

I trained as a textile designer and although my work is digital based, I love to retain that hand drawn /sewn feel which I hope comes across in my artwork.

Digital stamps is a new challenge for me and the opportunity to work with the All Dressed Up Team and has been very exciting, in particular the creative way my characters have been given individual personalities by the designers .

All Dressed Up is a newly launched blog with an enthusiastic team who are passionate about stamping.  The coordinators Marilyn and Tracy along with an amazing design team are also known as The Dressy Girls.

We have a friendly Facebook page, regular blog posts, tutorials, challenges and freebies .The stamps can be purchased from the Etsy shop which is updated on a monthly basis.

We really are friendly bunch and would love to see your creations so please feel free to contact us and visit the All Dressed Up Challenge Blog.

The DT have been really lucky as both our sponsors have very kindly supplied us with images to use for our inspiration projects for this challenge. I have used an All Dressed Up image for my card which I made for one of my dear friends who celebrates her birthday next week - I think I'm safe in posting this now 'cos I don't think she peeks at my blog!

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card Base - is Centura Pearl in Snow White Silver which I have cut, scored and folded to make a 15cm square card.
• Design Paper - is by Marisa Lerin at Pixel Scrapper Digital Scrapbooking and it is called Polka Dots 21 Paper Pink (from her Vietnam Papers Kit #3. The colours in it resemble the small girls I see running around in their leotards and tutus, getting ready for a ballet class in the community facilities at work! As usual, I digitally sized this paper in my word processing programme before putting a raspberry coloured border round it to give a faux mat layer.
• Image - this dancing diva is called Love to Dance and she comes from the pen of Wendy all All Dressed Up. This girl also comes with a lovely polka dot heart and her own sentiment, neither of which I've used on this card. I brought her to life with my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours
  
  before die cutting it with my largest Framelits Oval Die:
• Hair - TN6, TN7, TN8
• Skin - FS2, FS3, CR4
• Leotard & Leggings - DR6, DR7
• Wrap & Tutu - PP5, PP6
• Trousers - DR5, DR6, DR7
• Ballet Shoes - Already printed in Black
• Outline - PP1
• Background - Craf-T Chalk in Pink
• Edge Distressing - DR6, Colourless Blender
• Sentiment - is a freebie by my lovely blogging friend Annette, and I have to confess this is one of my faves (I know I only used it a couple of weeks ago!). I recoloured this to a similar raspberry shade as my faux mat using my word processing programme before adding a couple of pearls from my stash to it.
• Ribbon - is pale pink sheer organza in 2 widths which I think came from a local haberdashery store. The wider ribbon is layered both ways in an offset cross shape and I have also used it to make a bow under the lace flower. The narrow ribbon runs under the cross of wider ribbon and through both the lace flower and button before being tied in a bow.
• Lace - is from the same haberdashery store and I have sewn running stitch along a length of it and then gathered it into a flower shape. I was busy making this whilst waiting for youngest to get changed after her swimming class at the weekend when a lady came up to me and said that she'd been watching me make it and how intricate and delicate it was! Yet they really are soooooo simple to make :o)
• Metal Button - was rescued (sorry, I mean recycled!) from a lovely pair of trousers that my eldest grew out of and it's been sitting in my crafty stash, just waiting to be used!

So that's my card featuring Ribbons, Lace and Pearls - I hope you'll come over to Incy Wincy Designs and take a peek at the other gorgeous creations by my very talented team-mates, before you share your creations with us! This challenge will end on Sunday 30th March 2014.

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

• Challenge #11 - Use a Button at All Dressed Up
• Metal or Faux Metal at Top Tip Tuesday
• Challenge 169 - Buttons and Bows at Penny's Paper-Crafty
• March Challenge at Chalk N Stock (Second Entry)

Hope you have a good week!

Hugs, Helen x

Cupcake for One!

Hello friends and I hope you haven't fallen off your chair with the shock of a mid-week post from me! Having been for a swim yesterday morning, it's off to the gym this morning for a yoga based studio class ... via the coffee shop first to catch up with a girlfriend! How's your week going so far! I would like to warmly welcome Bridie who is my newest follower - thanks for joining the rest of us on my crafting journey and I hope you enjoy it!


I had a play around with my blog yesterday and changed the design of it ... what do you think? Although I loved my old blog layout, especially the colours and font, it wasn't quite the same when the creator took all the flower decorations off-line. I know she has to make her money for designing blog layouts, but I couldn't justify upgrading to pay for my layout! So my blog will be like this for a bit, although it may take me a while to get used to it as it is quite different :o)


Today I thought I'd share the card I made for Papa Mia's recent Birthday:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card Base - is Centura Pearl in Ivory which I have cut, scored and folded to make a 15cm square card base
• Design Papers - are from a set by Summer at Summertime Designs called Freedom ain't Free. Although this is an American 4th July themed kit, it still works as a "Blokey" kit. I have used the Blue Plaid Paper and Pendant Paper which I digitally sized in my word processing programme before putting a dark blue border round them to give a faux mat layer, and Red Paisley Paper which I die cut using my largest Framelits Scalloped Square Die.
• Image - this rotund and rushing chef is called Special Delivery and he was created by either Joy or Judy at the now sadly closed Digi Doodle Shop. I was lucky enough to win a Candy Prize of a gift voucher for their store from Dawn (a former teamie at The Crafty Pad) in 2012. This was one of the images I chose and he's been sat on my hard drive for nearly 18 months - shame on me for not having
  
  used him before!! I brought this chap to life with my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours before die cutting it with my second largest Framelits Scalloped Square Die:
• Hair - EB3, EB4, EB5
• Skin - FS2, FS3, FS6
• Apron, Neckerchief and Hat - TB3, TB4, Colourless Blender
• Shirt - EB1, EB2
• Trousers - DR5, DR6, DR7
• Shoes - IG4, IG9, True Black
• Cupcake - EB2, EB3, EB4, OR1, Colourless Blender
• Platter - Gold Gel Pen
• Outline - TB1
• Sentiment - is by Debbie at The Crafty Pad Designs (available at Card Making Downloads) and it comes from the Happy Birthday Sentiments set. I've added a slick of Spectrum Noir Pen TB1 inside the flourish, just to tie the sentiment in with the image.

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

• Boys Stuff at Digi Choosday
• Challenge #3 - Celebration (Kool and the Gang) at A Song in Your He{art}
• Challenge #87 - Make Your Mark at Addicted To Stamps
• Challenge #4 - It's Birthday Time at A Random Fan - sorry ladies but Google/Blogger won't let me sign in to follow your blog. I think this might be a "them" problem rather than me or you as I've seen comments from other crafters who have the same problem. 
• Bunting at An Oldie But A Goodie Challenge - I think everything about this card is old ... card stock nearly 3 years old, DPs and sentiment both 18 months old as is the digi and this is the first time I've used it (embarrassed face!!!!!) 

I hope the rest of the week is good for you and yours!

Hugs, Helen x

A Winter Window

This is my second post of the day - please scroll down to see my first post

Hello again!

I'm back with this fortnight's challenge at Lexi's Creations. This time we'd like to see your creations featuring your Punches and Dies. Don't forget that we are a multi-craft blog so your project doesn't just have to be a card!


For this challenge our sponsor 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!" With a sale on too, why not head over and treat yourself?


The lovely Lexi has also let us have pick of Fairy Dust Crafts once again, and here is my card featuring one of her gorgeous digis:

Like a number of my projects here at Casa Mia, there's a story behind this card. Late last year I saw this beautiful card by Beccy at Beccy's Place. Coincidentally, around the same time, Split Coast Stampers featured this tutorial to make glowing lights. Sooooooo I've case-d Beccy's card (by peeking through the window) and used the tutorial to make this card!

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card Base - is a sheet of matt black card stock into which I've die cut a square using my second largest Framelits Scalloped Square Die. 
• Window Frame - was made from Centura Pearl in Snow White from which I die cut a square using my largest Framelits Scalloped Square Die. I then used one of smaller dies from the same set to make the individual "panes" before giving the edges of the panes a coating of glue and dusting of White Glitter to give  snowy effect.
• Punches - are snowflakes punched from Snow White Centura Pearl in 2 sizes. I bent the fronds upwards to give them some dimension.
• Sentiment - is by Paulette at Create with TLC and this was a blog freebie in December last year. It
  
  seems quite apt for a snowy window scene looking in at a glowing Christmas tree doesn't it?
• Image - this stylised tree is called Funky Christmas Tree and it comes from the pen of Lexi at Fairy Dust Crafts. I've made this tree glow very simply by using a White Gel Pen to highlight the "baubles" and "lights" on the tree, and then gave these areas a dusting of Craf-T Chalk in Magenta and Turquoise. I die cut this using my second largest Framelits Scalloped Square Die and mounted it inside the card, directly behind the window aperture.

So, this is my rather modern take on a Christmas Card ... do you like it? 

Do come over to Lexi's Creations and what my fellow teamies have made, and then come back and share your projects featuring your Punches and Dies with us. This challenge will close on Saturday 29th March 2014.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges (with some help from the girls at Paper Playful):

• March Challenge at Chalk N Stock
• Challenge #3 - Anything Goes at Completely Christmas
• Challenge #185 Trees at 4 Crafty Chicks
• Challenge #131 - Take a Peek (window/opening cards ) at Art Impressions
• Challenge #250 - Christmas at C.R.A.F.T. Challenge

Hope you have a great day!

Hugs, Helen x

And All That Jazz

Morning friends! How are you are today? We had a simply gorgeous weekend here and yesterday was wall to wall sunshine with not a cloud in the sky. Hope you had a great weekend too!

It's new challenge day at Incy Wincy Designs and this week we're looking for your Monochromatic creations. Skin tones are OK, but otherwise your creations should be tones of one colour!

This challenge is being sponsored by Rick St. Dennis and this week's lucky winner will receive some Digital Stamps from his store. Pop over and take a look at all the fun and quirky stamps he has, which are beautifully drawn which makes them a breeze to colour! You can also read all about Rick here.

Rick kindly supplied each DT member with her choice of image to use for this challenge, and here is my card for you:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card Base - is made from Centura Pearl in Teal which I have cut, scored (using my Ultimate Pro and Boxer Scoreboard) and folded to make a 14 x 16.5cm  Centre Step card. I then embossed the card base using my Embossalicious Petite Dot 6" x 6" Folder, sadly no longer available from Crafter's Companion.
• Design Paper - is a blog freebie from Paulette at Create with TLC which I think I got in April last year. I die cut this using my largest Framelits Fancy Labels die.
• Image - this gorgeous songstress is called Chanteuse 2 JaZz BaBY and she has been beautifully
  
  drawn by Rick St. Dennis. Rick's shading on the drawing made it very easy to bring this cabaret star to life with my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours before die cutting it with my second largest Framelits Fancy Labels die:
• Hair - IG2, IG4, IG2
• Skin - TN2, TN3, TN4 (this is the first time I've tried a darker skin - how did I do?)
• Jewellery - BT5, Silver Gel Pen
• Gloves - BT2, BT5
• Dress - BT2, BT5, BT6, BT9
• Shoes - BT6, True Black, Silver Gel Pen
• Microphone - True Black, Silver Gel Pen
• Shadow - IG2
• Sentiment - is another freebie by Paulette at Create with TLC from May last year. I hand cut the banner shape before mounting the image on my card.
• Pearls - from my stash and coloured using my Spectrum Noir Pens in BT4

I hope you'll come over to Incy Wincy Designs and look at the other wonderful creations by my teamies. Don't forget to then come back and show us your Monochromatic projects - this challenge will end on Sunday 23rd March 2014.


I would like to enter this card into the following challenges (with some help from the girls at Paper Playful):

• March Challenge - Monochromatic at Crafter's Companion
• March Challenge - Let's Emboss It at Die Cut Divas
• Challenge #20 - Emboss It at Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge
• Challenge #210 - Shaped Cards at Totally Papercrafts
• PWC301 - Birthday Cards at Paper Pretties Wednesday Challenge

Hope you have a great week.

Hugs, Helen x

Smart Shoes!

Morning friends! How are you are today? I'm running a little late with this post (think the sun at the weekend must have gone to my head!) .... but I'm here now and there's still plenty of time to play with us! I'd like to warmly welcome Gloria who is my newest follower and is joining us on the madcap journey through my crafting; hope you get some inspiration from my creations.

Anyway, Monday saw the launch of this week's challenge at Incy Wincy Designs and this one should be fun. We're looking for you to link up your creations that are Black and White, plus One other Colour. Skin tones or a little grey for shading are OK, but that's it!

This challenge is being sponsored by the lovely Jodie at Bugaboo Stamps who is offering this week's lucky prize winner their choice of 7 digital stamps from her store. And even if you're not our lucky winner, don't forget that Jodie has a Friday Freebie available at her store. 

Jodie has also kindly supplied the DT each with their choice of image to use for this challenge, and here is my card for you:

I don't think I've ever used orange on a card before ... don't know why not because I really like it!

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card Base - is made from Centura Pearl in Snow White Silver which I have cut, scored and folded to make a 15cm card.
• Design Papers - come from a kit called Dreamsicle by Summer at Summertime Designs. I've used White and Black Paisley for the bottom layer, with Orange Dots on the left hand side and Dots Paper on the right hand side.
  
• Image - this very girly shoe is called Heels - Polka Dot and it comes from the pen of Jodie at Bugaboo Stamps. I flipped the image before printing it and then brought it life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours and fussy cut it:
• Polka Dots, Shoe Lining, Bow and Ribbon - OR1, OR2, OR3
• Heel - Silver Gel Pen
• Outline - BT1 (OK so I cheated just a little bit here in using a pale turquoise instead of pale grey for this!)
• Sentiment - is a freebie by my lovely blogging friend Annette. If you head over there, please be sure to tell her that you came from my blog.
• Lace - from my stash (originally from a local haberdashery store) and is nearly 2 years old!
• Gems - from my stash (originally from a French Hypermarket) and are nearly 3 years old!

I hope you'll come over to Incy Wincy Designs and look at the other wonderful creations by my teamies. Don't forget to then come back and show us your projects featuring Black and White, plus One other Colour - this challenge will end on Sunday 16th March 2014.


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

• First Challenge - Make it Girly at Hobbybook Designer Challenge
• Challenge #27 - Girlz Rule at Creative Knockouts
• Bingo at Papertake Weekly - I'm claiming the diagonal from top right to bottom left of Gems, Free, Lace
• Challenge #134 at Sketch 'n' Stash - the stash I've used are the gems (nearly 3 years old!), Lace (nearly 2 years old) and DPs (downloaded nearly 2 years ago and never used ......!)

Hope you have a great week - I'm off to choose some images following a candy win last week at Crafting Vicky's blog!

Hugs, Helen x

Mum's the Word!

Morning all and hope you are well.


It's new challenge time at Lexi's Creations and this one will get you organised super early as we're looking for your creations for Mother's Day. Your creation doesn't just have to be a card ... a gift, scrapbook page, anything as long as it is something you can give to your Mum on Mother's Day.


Of course everyone likes the opportunity to win a prize, and this fortnight our sponsor is the lovely 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!" Lexi has very kindly let us loose in the store too, and here is my card featuring one of her gorgeous digis:

It's the first time I've made a teepee card, and it's one I think I'll make again, especially as it doesn't quite look like I've coated the card in glue and then thrown my embellishments tin at it!!!!! My uncluttered style remains intact!

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card Base - is normal printer card in cream which I have cut into 10.5cm squares, and then scored, folded and stuck to make the Teepee card.
• Design Papers - are from a set called Enchanted which are available from a scrapbooking site I've found called Pixel Scrapper. The papers I've used are called Colourful Roses and Wood and were both designed by Sheila Reid. 
  
• Image - this lovely scene is called Butterflies and it comes from the pen of Lexi at Fairy Dust Crafts. I've brought the image to life very simply using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours before I die cut it using my third largest Framelits Oval Die with an "Out of the Box" technique:
• Butterflies - CR4, CR5, CR6, GB9, GB10
• Flower - LV2, LV3, GB9, JG6, JG7
• Outline - BT1
• Sentiment- is digitally put together using 2 elements from the Enchanted kit: the Love Circle Stamp and Purple Stain, both designed by Brooke Gazarek. I've then added a computer generated sentiment to this using the Kristen font in my word processing package to make the sentiment appropriate for my MiL (regular readers may remember that she's a "church" lady, so normal Mother's Day sentiments are no good!). I then printed this out onto the same cream coloured card, before mounting it on a blank side of the teepee.
• Bow - is made using ribbon from a recent "grab bag" purchase (Hobbycraft - £5), a button from an Assorted Bag and finished with a twine bow.

So, there you have it ... an unusual card for my MiL for Mothering Sunday. I hope you'll come over to Lexi's Creations and see the other gorgeous makes from the DT and our Guest Designer Bo, and then come back and share your Mother's Day projects with us. This challenge will close on Saturday 15th March 2014.

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

• March Challenge - One for the Girls at Bearly Mine Inpsiration & Challenges
• G is for Girls at ABC Challenges
• Fun Folds at Sweet Stamps
• Challenge #64 - Something Spooled  at The Squirrel and The Fox - Ribbon and Twine
• Challenge #101 - any Sentiment for a Girl at Aud Sentiments

Hope you have a great day!

Hugs, Helen x