Once Upon a Snowy Night

Good morning friends and I hope life has been treating you well.

It's new challenge time at Incy Wincy Designs and this time we're going all Touchy Feely because we'd like you to add texture to your card.

We've got 2 great sponsors lined up this week who are each offering a prize.

Firstly, is Krista from Drawn with Character who is offering our first lucky prize winner 2 digis or sets from her store.

Our second lucky prize winner will receive 3 digital images from our own Nikki at Limited Runs Digital Stamps or, if the winner has used a Limited Runs digi on their creation, the prize will be 5 digital images! Now if that isn't a good reason to go on a wee shopping spree, then I don't know what is! Limited Runs also has a Facebook page, and Nikki is also offering a freebie over there for every 50 people who join the group. So why not head over there, join up and also tag your crafty friends!

Nikki has been kind enough to let me showcase one of her gorgeous digis so without further ado, here's my card:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base card - is a pre-made 14.8cm square (approx) card base in white
  
• Snowflake layer  - black card onto which I've stencilled through a homemade star stencil (it's not perfect but I'm pretty happy with the results!) with homemade texture paste ... and yes, I'm still crafting frugally ;o) !!!! I then sprinkled and rubbed some white glitter into the texture paste before it dried to give the stars some sparkle. Click on the photo to supersize it and check out that sparkle!
• Image - is the oh-so-cute Winter Fairy by Nikki at Limited Runs Digital Stamps. I've brought this patient percher to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the listed colours (I was inspired by a Christmas candle and holly image in the Kit and Clowder Elements of Nature Class), before fussy cutting the image out.
• Skin - FS2, FS4, FS9, FS3, TN4, FS8
• Hair - TN3, EB3, EB8
• Hairband - DG6, DG7
• Dress - LY3, GB4, GB7, TN4
• Wings - DG2, DG3, JG5, JG7
• Moon - IG1, IG2, IG3

I hope you'll come over to Incy Wincy Designs and go all Touchy Feely too, however if you're need of further inspiration, please have a look at the brilliant creations by my talented teamies. We're also welcoming Gintaré to the team as a DT member this week, so please come over to say "Hello" to her! This challenge closes on Sunday 5th June 2016 (so you've got 3 weeks to enter this time!), and we'll be back with our next challenge on Monday 6th June 2016.

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

• Make it Sparkle at Melonheadz Friends
• Challenge 204 - Mythical at Ooh La La Creations
• May 2016 Challenge - Anything Goes with Loose Glitter at Sparkle 'n' Sprinkle
• Fairy Dreams at Whoopsi Daisy Challenge
• May Challenge and Blog Hop - Use a Stencil at Country View Challenges
• Challenge #91 - Anything Goes with Optional No Designer Papers at Creatalicious Challenges
• Challenge #10 - Anything Goes at World Wide Open Design Team Challenge
• Pile It On #108 - You're a Star at Pile It On

Whatever you're up to this week, I hope you fit in some crafty time!

Hugs, Helen x

An English Country Garden

Hello blogging buddies and an especially warm welcome to Gabriella who is my newest follower! I hope you have fun on this crafty journey!

Hope you are well this weekend. I think the weather here is better than the forecast and my washing line is full, again! We've been having a bit of a clear out of stuff that's accumulated in eldest Bambino's wardrobes (ahem, it's not my crafty stash!) prior to us dismantling them and repainting her room in a couple of weeks, so I'm having a bit of an eBay weekend ;o)

It's also new challenge time over at Feeling Sketchy and this time we're being sponsored by Deedee from the now sadly closed Deedee's Digis. However, Deedee was determined to honour her sponsorship of this challenge, so she's let us have 2 digi sets for the lucky winner of this challenge.

Here's the sketch we're challenging you to create with this time:

and here's my take on it:

This is the card we gave to my M-i-L for her birthday which was yesterday, however she's in France at the mo (on an exchange trip with her church) so I've no idea if she likes it! I had fun making though and got a bit carried away with glue and sticky bits ;o)

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base card - is a pre-made 12.5cm square cream card blank
• Mat and Layer card - is Kraft Cardstock
• Papers - are from the Crafter's Inspiration Magazine Issue 10 (Spring 2016) CD-Rom and are a sneak peak from Sara Davies' newest Signature Collection - English Country Garden. Aren't these papers just dreamy? I've used a blue butterflies paper on a creamy background as my base layer, and then used a pale blue wood panel to use as my border.
  
• Sentiment - is from the Swirly String Sentiments Set by Lili of the Valley and I've stamped this directly onto the paper using Tuxedo Black Memento ink
• Flowers - are die cut and quilled using the Die'sire Stamen die and Kraft Cardstock (mental note to self: kraft cardstock is tough to quill!), together with the Die'sire Dahlia die and a floral pink paper from Sara's English County Garden Signature Collection. I've finished each flower by adding a clear gem to the centre.
• Leaf Sprays - are die cut from Kraft Cardstock using my Die'sire Classiques Delicate Flower die, and before I removed the card from die, I ran it back through my Big Shot to emboss the vein on the leaf.
• Doily - is by Papermania which was sent to me by my lovely blogging buddy Rachel ... thanks honey 'cos it's perfect for this project!

I hope I have inspired you to play along with this sketch, but if you are in need of any further inspiration please head over to the Feeling Sketchy blog and check out the other wonderful creations by my talented teamies! Then don't forget to come back and share your creations with us. We'll be back with our next challenge on 1st June 2016.

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

• #CMC80 - Flowers at Card Mania Challenges
• Challenge #7 - Flower Garden at Crafty Enjoyments
• Challenge #49 - Birthday at Dies R Us Challenge
• Challenge #47 - Blossoms and/or Butterflies at Live & Love Crafts
• Challenge #02 - May at Classic Design Team Open Challenge
• Something beginning with B at CD Sunday - my B is Butterflies on my design paper
• Challenge 31 - In the Garden at Crafty Friends
• Flowers Everywhere at Di's Digi Designs Challenge
• Monthly Challenge 69 - Butterflies at Little Claire's

Hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Hugs, Helen

Frosty the Snowlady .....

Yup, I'm bursting into song again ... but I don't think my new title will beat the original! ;)

Good morning crafty friends and hope this post finds you fine and dandy. Well, the weather did it's usual thing for a Bank Holiday in the UK didn't it. On the plus side, Saturday and Sunday were fine and dry here so I got quite a bit of washing done and even managed to wash my car ... I won't be parking under a certain tree at the gym again! I'll leave that one to your imagination .... :oD !!!!!!!!!

Anyway, I'm a little late bringing you this post  as I got carried away over the weekend (apologies) as yesterday saw the start of our new challenge at Incy Wincy Designs and this one is right up my street as we're looking for your Clean and Simple creations.

This challenge is being kindly sponsored by Rick St Dennis who is offering a prize of 2 digital images to our lucky prize winner. Rick's Zibbet shop features his cute, fashion, whimsical and unusual images ... there's bound to be at least a couple of images there to suit everyone's tastes! 

Rick was kind enough to let each DT member choose an image to showcase for this challenge, so here's my card for you featuring one of Rick's images:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card base - is a pre-made A6 card base in white card. I've embossed the card base and coloured it whilst embossing by applying my pearlescent blue Brilliance ink pad to the screen printed side of my (now retired) Sheena Festive Embossing Folder "Ornamental Snowflake" before running the card sandwich through my machine.
  
• Image - is Mrs Frosty Digi Stamp by Rick St Dennis which I've coloured using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the listed colours (the artist shaded areas make it really easy to colour!), before die cutting it with my largest Die'sire Essentials Rectangles die. A slick of Clear Spectrum Noir Sparkle Pen gives a frosty feel to the scene.
• Snow - IG1, IG2, IG3
• Hat & Lacy Collar - IB1, IB2, IB3, BT9
• Rose - TN3, EB3, EB8, DG2, DG3
• Carrot - OR1, OR2
• "Arms" (Sticks) - TN3, EB3, EB8
• Sentiment - comes from a set which was included with the Winter 2014 edition of the Crafter's Inspiration Magazine which I stamped using the pearlescent blue Brilliance ink.

I hope that I have inspired you to keep it Clean and Simple and share your creations with us at Incy Wincy Designs this time. However, if you're in need of further inspiration, please head over to the blog and check out the other great projects by my teamies. We'll be back with our next challenge on Monday 16th May 2016.

Don't forget that we've still got a DT Call on - all the details are on this post. Ever wanted to join a Design Team but nervous of taking that first step? Don't worry, we are a very easy going but incredibly supportive team. Go on, drop us an email - YOU could be the very person we're looking for!

I have been inspired by and would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

• I is for Ink at ABC Christmas Challenge
• Week #410 - Pick any Sketch (215-396) at Sketch Saturday - I've chosen Sketch #381 
• E is for Embossing at The Alphabet Challenge

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

• #302 - Bright Christmas at Fab 'n' Funky Challenges
• Challenge 105 - Snowmen at Chrimbo Crackers - hope that a Snowlady counts ;o)!
• Challenge 423 - No Patterned Papers at Cute Card Thursday
• Weather Related Challenge at StarStampz
• Challenge #83 - Stamp or Digi Only (Christmas Themed) at The Glory of Christmas
• CHNC Challenge 279 - Anything Goes as long as it's Christmas at Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge

Whatever you're up to this week, I hope you manage to squeeze in some crafty time! Take care.

Hugs, Helen x

Prom Queen

Good morning everyone!

Hope this post finds you well and, if you celebrate May Day, you are enjoying the Bank Holiday weekend. Hope you've not been affected by the weather madness either ... I am fed up of hail and chilly winds, after all it is May now!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's new challenge time over at Feeling Sketchy and I must confess that, although I like the end result of my project this time, it was rather a challenge!

We've got the lovely Jodie from Bugaboo Stamps as our sponsor for this challenge. She has so many amazing digis to suit all tastes that I'm confident our lucky prize winner will have no difficulty in enjoying their prize pack!

So here's Michelle's sketch for this challenge:

And here's my "take" on it:

I have created my very first scrapbook page! And it's wholly digital to boot!!!!!!!!

When eldest Bambino left High School last summer, I promised her that we would work together and scrap memories from Year 11. Well this sketch was just the impetus I needed to start scrapping! She helped me with it by choosing the photos and also the font on the journal card and banner.

My project recipe is as follows:

• Base layer - is Light Gray Flourish paper and it comes from a set from the sadly closed Summertime Designs called Dryer Lint at Tiffany's. I'm a bit of a techno numpty when it comes to PhotoShop, so I've used Microsoft Word to do the whole thing. I inserted the paper into Word as a picture, and then sized it to 15cm square, which will fit the scrapbook Bambino has got.
• Journal Cards - are from Winter Arabesque - Journal Cards kit by Melo Vrijhof at Pixel Scrapper Digital Scrapbooking. I've used the Banners Journal Card and the Flag Journal Card to which we've added the date and venue by using a text box with "no fill" and "no lines". The font Bambino chose is called Harrington.
• Ribbons - are the Floral Ribbon from Melo's Winter Arabesque - Elements kit at Pixel Scrapper Digital Scrapbooking
  
• Flower Paperclips - are from the retired Dryer Lint at Tiffany's kit by Summer at Summertime Designs. I've used Paperclip 13 which is a nice dark teal colour, toning in with Bambino's dress.
• Sentiment Banner - is another Word text box, this time with a grey fill and no line. The font Bambino chose is Harrington again.

Using the Word Picture Format tools, I was able to insert a drop shadow behind all the elements to give a 3D impression to the page.

So now all I have to figure out is how to print is out so the photos don't lose any definition, and then we'll pop it into Bamino's scrapbook!

If Michelle's sketch has got you stumped too, please head over to the Feeling Sketchy blog and see the other amazing creations by my wonderful teamies. Then don't forget to come back and show us your take on our sketch for a chance to be our lucky prize winner this time, or in the DT's Top 3! We'll be back with our new challenge on 15th May 2016.

I would like to enter this scrapbook layout into the following challenges:

• Challenge #309 - Always Anything Goes at Craft Your Passion
• Challenge #31 - April Challenge at Not Just Cards
• Challenge #139 - Lots of Layers at Creative Knockouts
• Challenge #2 - Always Anything Goes at Crafting in a Beautiful Mess
• Week 16 - Swirls and Flourishes at Polkadoodles - the swirls and flourishes are on my background

Have a great weekend!

Hugs, Helen x