Cute Animals

Good morning friends - hope this post finds you well and if you've just celebrated Easter, I hope it was a joyous one for you! I'm scheduling this post as we're heading out for the day, so I hope Mr Blogger behaves!

It being a Monday morning means there's a new challenge at Incy Wincy Designs and this time we'd like to see your projects featuring your Furry Friends!

We've got another fabby sponsor for you this week ... it's Veronica and Pedro from The Paper Shelter. When you buy an image from The Paper Shelter, you're really buying a pack of goodies! Each image comes both as a line drawing so you can use your own colour scheme, or it comes pre-coloured for those makes you need in a hurry. You also get a paper design, and a composition with the coloured image on the paper for those times when you need a card like yesterday!!!!! :o)

Veronica and Pedro have very kindly given the Design Team a couple of packs to showcase this week, and here is my project for you - 2 mini cards:

I think I'll make a batch of this sized card, and then leave them in my desk drawer at work. Then, when I get into work and someone says "Don't forget it's ********* Birthday today" at least I'll have a card sat there that I can whizz out!!!!

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card base - is Centura Pearl in Ivory which I have cut and scored to make two 10 x 10.5cm cards
• Images - are by Veronica at The Paper Shelter and they are called The Most Adorable Raccoons and The Most Adorable Cavalier. I have used the composition for both of these, so it was just a case of resizing the design to fit my card, layering over the sentiment (as appropriate), pressing the print button and cutting the design out!
• Sentiment - on the Raccoon card is by Paulette at Create with TLC, and this was (I think) a freebie in March 2014.
• Pearls - from my stash

I hope you'll come over to Incy Wincy Designs and check out the other wonderful creations featuring Furry Friends by my very talented team-mates. Don't forget to then come back and show us your creations. This challenge will end on Sunday 27th April 2014.

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

• #33 - Furry or Feathered Friends at Creative Knockouts 

Hope you have a great day!

Hugs, Helen x

Easy on a Sunday Morning

Hi Friends!

I hope you're enjoying your Saturday - we've got blue sky, some 'cotton wool' clouds and it's a lovely day! I'd like to welcome Julie who is my newest follower - thanks for sharing this journey!


I want to share a card with you that I've made for my Dad's birthday tomorrow. It's OK - my Dad doesn't know about my blog, so I'm quite safe posting this up! :o)  I've used the current sketch at Tuesday Morning Sketches for my layout, only I've flipped the sketch.

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - is a pre-made A5 card blank in Kraft
• Design Papers - are all by Summer at Summertime Designs and they come from a kit called Fathers and Fedoras. The base layer is called Random Blue Paper, the banner is made from Stripes Paper, and the top layer of paper is called Grunge Paper.
• Image - this idyllic Sunday scene is a rubber stamp (I know, I can stamp too!!!!!!!!!) which I won a couple of years ago from Little Claire's Designs. It's called, not surprisingly Sunday Morning and this is only the second time it's been inked ... shame on me! I brought the image to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the listed colours before using the "out of the box" technique with the smallest rosette from the "nest" on the Ultimate Pro Embossing Board Springtime Sweets and Cupcake Treats to de-boss the shape around the scene. By de-bossing, I could see where the tool was, and knew just when to stop and then start again leaving the table legs, parts of the radio and the top of the cafetiere outside the shape.


• Radio - TB2, TB3, TB4, TB9, Silver Gel Pen
• Cafetiere - EB2, EB8, BT1, Silver Gel Pen
• Mug - EB1, EB2
• Table - TN3, TN4, TN5
• Book - DG1, DG2
• Sign - DG2
• Glasses - Silver Gel Pen
• Outline - GG1
• Sentiment Ticket - is by Debbie at The Crafty Pad Designs (available from Card Making Downloads). This ticket is called Happy Birthday Plain Style. I coloured it using my Spectrum Noir Pen in TB2 and Silver Gel Pen so it goes with main colours of the card and image.

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

• Challenge #206 - Kraft, White, Sky at Cupcake Inspirations
• Sketch #194 at Tuesday Morning Sketches
• Challenge #35 - For the Boys at Eureka Stamps
• Challenge #61 - For the Guys at Love to Create
• Challenge #53 at {PIN}spirational Challenges 
• Challenge #78 - For a Guy at Aud Sentiments
• Inspiration Challenge - Colour Palette at Crafter's Digital Art Center

I hope you have a great weekend, and I'll be back on Monday with my regular DT posts - see you then!

Hugs, Helen x

Popping Up ...

... to say Hi!!!!!


Thank you so much to all of you who wished me a speedy recovery from the lurgy - I think I'm just about over it now, with just a slight residual cough.


Anyway, it's time to tell you about the new challenge at Incy Wincy Designs. This week we want you to Pop It Up!!!! Now popping something up could take many forms ...  you could decoupage your image, use pop-up foam dots, make your image pop up, or even your whole card/creation!




This week's sponsor this week is Sassy Studio Designs who are giving this week's lucky winner a prize of 4 Digital Images. Lindsay has kindly allowed each DT member to choose one of her images to showcase this week, and here is my card for your inspiration:

Ooops - I'm so sorry, it looks like the bottom of the photo is really blurred. And I can't even take another shot as one of my daughter's gave it to a friend yesterday!

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - is Centura Pearl in Ivory, which I have cut, scored and folded to make a 15cm centre step card
• Design Papers - are from are from a download on the Club Inspire section of the Crafter's Companion website. The set is called Spring has Sprung and it was the download of the month in May 2012. The design (although you can't see it very well) is roses superimposed onto a delicately coloured impression of the Union Flag. 
• Image - is called Great Britain Honey and she is part of the Small World Honey Collection 1 by Lindsay at Sassy Studio Designs. I mounted the image using foam dots to pop her even further forward than the stepper already does! I have brought this sweetheart to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens and chalks in the following colours:


• Hair - TN2,TN3, TN4
• Skin - FS2, FS3, FS6
• Eyes - TB1
• Lips - CR6
• Dress - DR7, BT4, BT5
• Shoes - True Black
• Background - Craf-T chalk in Light Blue
• Sentiment Ticket - from the Crafter's Companion Spring has Sprung download. I exported the ticket into my word processing programme and then wrote "Happy Birthday" onto the ticket in a handwriting font, and coloured it in white so it showed up on the brown ticket. If you click onto the picture above, you can supersize the photo and hopefully see the lovely details on the ticket.
• Ribbon Slider - also from the Crafter's Companion Spring has Sprung download. I have put some foam dots under the buckle to give some dimension.

Here's a more sideways view of my card, so you can see how this card pops!

Do check out the Incy Wincy Designs blog and see the other gorgeous creations by my talented team-mates and this week's wonderful Guest Designer, Trudy. Then come back and show us your creations that Pop It Up! You've got until Sunday 24th February 2013 to link your creations up.


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

• Challenge #20 - Happy Birthday at Broken Box Stock 
• It's Birthday Time! at Card Makin' Mamas
• H for Happy Birthday at ABC Challenge
• Challenge #151 - Make it Girlie at One Stitch at a Time
• Challenge #31 - For Mother's Day (or For a Female) at Simply Create Too - I've gone for the Female Card option as my daughter gave it to a girlfriend

Hope the rest of week is good for you!

Hugs, Helen x

A Sparkly Fairy

Good morning friends,

I'm really sorry - this post is coming out slightly later than it should be. Hubby and I saw the Human League last night, and it was only as we were driving over to Bournemouth that I remembered that I hadn't written my post up. The band were totally brilliant though, and by the end of the evening virtually everyone in the hall was on their feet bopping around ... my feet are rather sore this morning as I usually wear 'flats' and last night went out in heels!!!



Anyway, it being Sunday morning, it's time for a new challenge at The Crafty Pad and Pauline has set the challenge for Team A this week. Our theme for you is Add Some Glitter.

You'll love this week's sponsor. It's the fabby team from Joanna Sheen who are offering this week's lucky winner a £10 voucher to their online store ... having recently won a voucher which I've just spent, I can vouch for the fact that there are loads of goodies there to tempt a girl!!!



Debbie (our lovely Crafty Pad boss) has let the DT loose in the store again, and here is the card I've made for you this week using one of Debbie's gorgeous images, and the matching sentiment:

 

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - is Centura Pearl in Ivory, which I have cut, scored and folded to make a circular side stepper card.
• Design Papers - is one of the recent goodies from the Winter Club at Create with TLC. This one is called December Snows Paper 7 in this gorgeous red/pink colour combination.
• Image - this beautiful fairy is called  Fairy Chloe on Daisies by Debbie at The Crafty Pad. I've  taken a slight liberty and tried to give Chloe and her daisies a bit of a Christmas look and to do this I used my Spectrum Noir pens in the following colours:
• Dress - BP1, BP2
• Wings - PP1, PP3, PP4 and some white glitter to give a sparkly highlight
• Hair - GB3, GB4, GB5
• Tiara - White Glitter
• Skin - FS2, FS3, FS6, GB2
• Shoes - BP2, BP6
• Flowers - CR8, CR10, EB7, GB10 and that White Glitter again!
• Leaves - CG2, CG4
• Sentiment - is also by Debbie at The Crafty Pad and goes perfectly with Fairy Chloe. It is called Fairy Bling Happy Birthday Circle and I have distressed the edge using a Papermania pigment ink cube in a hot pink shade (I've just discovered The Range, as I joined a friend for lunch there last week!). This, of course, had to be blinged up ... so I set to work with my pot of white glitter again!

The weather looks a bit better now, so I'm going to try and get a clear close-up view of my card for you ... I'll post back later.

In the meantime, do hop over to The Crafty Pad and see the gorgeous creations by the rest of Team A. Then come back and show us your creations to which you've Added some Glitter! You've got until 8pm (GMT) on Saturday 1st December 2012 to link your cards up.

With the help of the girls at Feline Playful (thanks girls!) I would like to enter the following challenge:

 

• More than One Fold at Come and Get It Challenges
• Celebration with Sparkle at Eclectic Ellapu
• No Squares Allowed at That Craft Place
• Challenge 159 - Don't be Square! at Totally Gorjuss
   

Hope you have a great weekend and if you're doing "stir up Sunday" hope it goes well for you ... our Christmas Cake was made a couple of weekends ago, so I'm ahead on that one this year!

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

Happy Birthday!

Hi,

Good Morning my crafty friends and a very warm welcome to Katie - my newest follower! Hope you enjoy my creations Katie.

Today is new new challenge Monday at Lexi's Creations and this one is a great challenge! Simply Happy Birthday - easy peasy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :o)

This fortnight, we are being sponsored by the lovely girls at Joanna Sheen who are offering our lucky winner a £10 Gift Certificate Thanks girls!

The equally lovely Lexi at Fairy Dust Crafts has given everyone on the DT their choice of image and here is the Birthday card I'd like to share with you today:

My inspiration for this card layout came from a Sketch Challenge at  Incy Wincy Designs when I was GDT with them in April (I loved this sketch then and I still do - it's proving to be very useful!), and also by the current colour scheme at The Play Date Cafe.

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - made from Centura Pearl in Royal Blue (I got mine in a Darks pack from Crafter's Companion but they don't seem to stock this any more) cut and folded to a 15cm square card.
• Design Paper - is called The Courtship Papers 2a, and is by Paulette at Create with TLC. This was one of the goodies she sent out to subscribers of the May Club.
• Image - This gorgeous girl is Roxi (what a pose and I just love the choppy bobbed hair-do!) and she has come from the pen of the talented Lexi from Fairy Dust Crafts - pop over to Lexi's store by clicking on the link ... I can assure you that you won't be disappointed! I embossed an oval shape onto the Royal Blue Centura Pearl using my  Ultimate Pro Embossing Board Snowman Delight and Candlelight, cut this out and then mounted Roxi onto it. Roxi came to life through the nibs of my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours:
• Trousers - TN3, TN4
• Top - BT4, BT5
• Belt - TB5, IG1
• Skin - FS2, FS3
• Hair - GB8, GB10
• Outline - IG1
• Aqua coloured Gems - from my stash
• Sentiment - computer generated in my word processing package using a Banner shape, word art coloured aqua to match my card colour scheme and sized to fit in the banner.

I'm delighted with the way this card turned out. Now this card is actually going to be for my eldest daughter who will be 13 next month. She doesn't do "pink, fluffy or girlie" and this image is utterly perfect for her. I think this we'll be seeing "happy tears" when she opens this card! My only challenge will be keeping this post safe for the next 3 weeks ... Hmmmmmmm! :o)

Head on over to Lexi's Creations and see what Happy Birthday projects my "Talented Teamies" have to show you. Don't forget to come back and then show us your creations! You've got until Saturday 23rd June 2012 to link your cards up.

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

• Challenge #135 - Aquamarine, Poolside, Clay at The Play Date Cafe
• Challenge #56 - Any Sentiment for a Child's Birthday at Aud Sentiments - OK so I know she's going to be thirteen ... but she's still my little girl! :o)
• Challenge #114 - Anything Goes at Craft Your Passion
• Week 23 - Happy Birthday / Celebration at Craft Punked
• Anything Goes, using something that's at least 6 months old at Oldie but a Goodie ( 2nd Entry to this challenge) - Well, it's those gems again ... I bought 4 rather large mixed bags (of shapes, sizes and colours) from a French hypermarket last August.

Hugs, Helen x

A Yellow Birthday

Hi,

Well, it's the weekend again and mine has got off to a wonderful start as I found out on Friday evening that I won Marianne's Blog Candy, which is a copy of the brand new Crafter's Companion Paintbox Poppets CD! Thank you Marianne, and I'm sorry if I got a little excited when I posted my comment on your blog :o) !!!!! March is mad for birthday's in this family, so I've got another birthday card to show you:

This layout is the current sketch challenge at Sassy Cheryl's, which I've rotated through 90° to suit my image. OK, now I know what you're thinking ... I only do sketch challenges, as my Mr Froggy New Home last weekend was also a sketch! However, I like the CAS lines of this sketch and (this might be slightly controversial and I don't want to offend anyone) I think sketch challenges even things up for less experienced cardmakers like me.

My Card Recipe is as follows:

• Base card - shop bought A6 Kraft card
• Yellow Design Paper and Blue 'Ribbons' - both from the talented Summer at Summertime Designs. Summer creates digital scrapbooking kits but I love her papers which easily transfer to the cardmaking world! The blue 'ribbons' are from her brand new kit Comforts of Home and the beautiful golden yellow polka dot paper is from a kit called Golden Sunshine.
• Small piece of Design Paper - from Create With TLC (one of my most favourite places!) and is called Happy Birthday to You 7, and it was a goodie which Paulette sent out in The February Club which I subscribed to. This paper has also got some texture in the print as well as these lovely, spring-like colours.
• Sentiment - another freebie, this time by Gerda at Stamp Fairy. The sentiment is black, so I took it into my word processing package to change the colour to a turquoise blue, so that it match the blue colours on my card.
• Image is called Teenage Girl and she is a Jellypark digistamp. I don't think she's available in the store but there are plenty more gorgeous images there to tempt you though! I think I picked her up as a freebie image that Claire from Jellypark was offering at The Crafter's Cafe. To bring this relaxing teenager to life, I've used my Spectrum Noirs in the following colours (old numbering system):
• Skin - 132, 133
• Hair - 96, 91
• Jumper - 35, 33
• Leggings - 68, 65, 64
• Socks - 120, 33
• Outline - CG1
• Design finished with 3 pale blue gems from my crafty stash.

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

• Challenge #105 - Sketch Time at Sassy Cheryl's
• Challenge 49 - Happy Birthday at Aud Sentiments
• Challenge #100 - Anything Goes! at Craft Your Passion
• Challenge #111 - Mellow Yellow at Fab 'n' Funky
• Challenge #136 - Something Old Something New at Incy Wincy Designs (Old - Gems; New - Ribbons from Comforts of Home kit) 
• Challenge #47 - Spring Colours at My Mum's Craft Shop

I hope that you're enjoying the same Spring weather that we've got here on the south coast, and that you're having a great weekend!

Hugs, Helen x

Yet another Birthday!

Hi,

Another week brings another birthday! A niece celebrated her 17th birthday earlier this week and here is the card I made for her:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - Centura Pearl 300gsm card in Ivory (Crafter's Companion) cut and folded to a 12cm square card.
• Backing Paper and Sentiment are both by Create With TLC and were goodies the February Club. I can see this sentiment will be getting quite a bit of use and it looks just as good going vertically like this as it does horizontally!
• My gorgeous image is called Saffron and she is Little Miss Muffet image - although I'm not sure she's available in the store, but there are plenty more delightful images there to tempt you! Barbara was offering her as a Follower's Freebie in January. 
• I brought this cutie to life (although I'm not sure I've got the sheen on her hair quite right!) with my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours (original numbering system):
• Hat & Scarf - 68, 65
• Hair - 104, 100, 92
• Skin - 132, 133
• Coat - 96, 91 
• Muffler - 171
• Boots - 91, 98
• Outline - CG1
• I completed my design by adding 3 pieces of Bling to highlight Saffron's hat and also put them under the sentiment.

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

• Anything Goes! at Willow Sketchie Challenge
• Anything Goes (for using a Little Miss Muffet Stamp) at Little Miss Muffet Challenges
• Challenge #39 Happy Birthday (Second Entry) at Card Makin' Mamas

Have a great weekend!
Hugs, Helen x