Shoe Delight

Good afternoon crafty friends!

Hope you are well and that the weather is as sunny with you as it is here on the south coast of the UK; although that breeze is definitely on the nippy side! As promised last week, I have been creating projects as there are a couple of family Birthdays this week. Here is one of them:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card base - is a premade A5 base in white card
• Design Papers - come from a set by Janet Scott at Pixel Scrapper called All The Princesses. I have used the Gold Paper (which I have embossed using a retired embossing folder called Ornate Fans) and the Green Paper
  
• Image - is Heels Polka Dots by Jodie at Bugaboo Digi Stamps. I have brought this high heel to life using a combination of my Copic and Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers together with a slick of Clear Sparkle Pen over the bow and ribbon, before die cutting it with my largest Die'sire Essentials Ovals die. I left the cut in the die, and then sponged from the edge inwards using Scattered Straw Distress Ink.
• Sentiment - comes from one of the Crafter's Companion Advent Calendars and I have die cut this from plain black cardstock, and again slicked my Spectrum Noir Clear Sparkle Pen over the letters to add some glitz to the card.
• Gems - are from my stash

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

• Challenge #309 - Colour (So Saffron, Daffodil Delight, Pear Pizzazz) at CAS Colours and Sketches
• February BINGO Challenge at Catch the Bug - I'm claiming the middle column of Bugaboo Image, Embossing and Sparkle
• Sketch #491 at Tuesday Morning Sketches

I would also like to enter this card into these challenges too:

• Challenge #213 - Fancy Folds or Embossing at The Crafter's Cafe Challenge - I'm definitely going with embossing here thanks to this lovely, feminine fan embossing folder. I've used lightweight card and a digital paper and I like the way some of the card has distressed itself and got a white "edge" to it!
• Favourite out of Birthdays or Christmas and Why at As You Like It Challenge - It's Birthdays all the way here at Casa Mia!!!! I only make special Christmas cards for Papa Mia and the Bambinos, and for the Mother in Law. Everyone in the family gets a handmade Birthday card as their Birthdays are spread throughout the year, and I'm just not organised enough to make Christmas cards all year round!
• Challenge #329 - Clean and Simple at Addicted to Stamps and More

That's it from me for today - off to deliver this card to its recipient!

Have a good day.

Hugs, Helen x

Flowers and Swirls

Hello friends! Hope this post finds you fine and dandy!

It's new challenge day at Feeling Sketchy and this time we're being sponsored by the lovely Nikky and her team from Polkadoodles who are offering a prize pack to our lucky winner.

We've got another great sketch for you by Michelle:

We're not using any sponsor images this time, so here's my take on the sketch using my stash:

Of course, never one to do things by halves I made a trio of cards ... although we needed 3 "Thank you" cards as eldest Bambino's 3 Ranger Guide Leaders left the Unit yesterday and the whole Unit went out for a celebratory meal.

My card recipes are as follows:

• Card bases - are from white cardstock which I've cut, scored and folded to make a 9.9cm square cards
• Design Papers - are from the Mixed Media collection from the now sadly closed Bearly Mine Designs. I've used 3 different papers from the collection
• Flowers - are die cut using the middle and smallest petals from my Die'sire Flowers for All Occasions die. I've cut these from regular printer paper, and then (spurred on by a demo by Sheena Douglass that I saw on TV over the Easter hols) have then coloured them using Distress Inks as watercolours. The DIs I used were (from left in the above photo or in order in the photos below) Shaded Lilac & Milled Lavender; Salty Ocean & Seedless Preserves; and Vintage Photo & Milled Lavender. I finished the flowers with a clear gem in the middle. I think I need to practice this technique a bit, but as the paper was wet, they were quite easy to shape into pretty blooms!
• Sentiment border - has been cut using my Die'sire Edgeables Lattice die. I've cut this from white cardstock and then stamped the sentiment from the Swirly String Sentiments by LOTV directly onto the cardstock.

Here are some closeups of the cards, quite simple but pretty effective:

I hope I've inspired you to play along with our sketch, but if you're in need of more inspiration my incredibly talented teamies have come up with beautiful projects ... please go to the Feeling Sketchy blog and check out the gallery!

I would like to enter the following challenges:

• Challenge 421 - Handmade Embellishments at Cute Card Thursday

That's it from me ... hope you have a great weekend!

Hugs, Helen x

The Kettle's on ........

Good morning friends! Hope you are all well today. We're just starting the second week of the school hols here at Casa Mia, and I have to say that I'm feeling quite rested! 

It being the first Monday of the month, it's time to bring you the new challenge from Incy Wincy Designs and this time we'd like you to Colour Me Wonderful! We'd like to you to use your favourite colouring medium and, to be eligible for a prize and / or Top 3 place, you must state in your blog post what your favourite colouring medium is.

We've got 2 great sponsors lined up for you:

Our first sponsor is a new one to us, but Anne-Marie from AMB Illustrations has some great designs in her store; perfect papers and clip art for card making and scrapbooking! Anne-Marie is offering a great prize to our first random winner which is 5 free packs when you purchase 10 packs from her store ... that's 3 for the price of 2! Even if you aren't our winner, Anne-Marie currently has a Spring Sale on in her store - the details are on the store home page.

Our second sponsor is Heather and her team from Lacy Sunshine Stamps who are offering another prize pack to our second lucky winner.

Both of our sponsors have very kindly given the DT some images to showcase for this challenge, so here we go for something a bit different from me using my favourite Alcohol Markers and favourite Distress Inks, and featuring art work by Anne-Marie of AMB Illustrations:

Yup, I've made some ATCs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Would you like an adventure ......

For this ATC, I have stuck with my usual Alcohol Markers and used them with an Alcohol Resist technique following a tutorial by Alyce at Kit and Clowder. I discovered this technique because February's Create and Learn class came with the bonus of 4 background tutorials too! Thanks for these Alyce ;o) ! My ATC recipe is as follows:

• Base card - is Neenah Solar White Cardstock onto which I "drew" a 3½" x 2½" rectangle using my word processing programme
• Image - of a butterfly and floral swag comes from the Garden Party Clipart Set by Anne-Marie, which I opened in my word processing programme and then layered it onto my ATC rectangle before twisting it so it sat in the corner
• Sentiment - is called Word Art Adventure or Tea and it comes from a bundle called Sugar & Sweet by Marisa Lerin at Pixel Scrapper Digital Scrapbooking. I also added this to my ATC rectangle in an appropriate place ... and then I printed my ATC out.
• Background - has been created using my Spectrum Noir Pens in colours PP3, PP5, HB1, BT2, BT4 which I coloured in blocks over the ATC. Once these inks were dry, I used an Alcohol Resist technique with surgical spirit and a cotton bud to created highlights. 

It's Always Tea Time .....

For this ATC, I have turned to my favourite Distress Inks, which is what springs to my mind when I'm thinking background colouring. I have used this "Smooshing" Technique before, and the contrasting colours of ink have made a lovely blended colour. My ATC recipe is as follows:

• Base card - is Snow White Silver Centura Pearl which I've cut to a 3½" x 2½" ATC
• Background - has been created on Watercolour Card with Distress Inks in Salty Ocean and Picked Raspberry, a water spray and a piece of acetate using a "Smooshing Technique". I patted my first ink pad on the acetate, gave it a quick spray of water and then just "smooshed" it onto my card. Whilst it was still wet, I changed to my second ink pad and using the same technique added more colour to the card. Where the pink and blue inks have merged, I've created a lovely purple colour! Once this card was dry, I cut it ¼" smaller than my ATC so that it fits nicely.
• Image - is again from Anne-Marie's Garden Party Clipart Set; this time it's the silhouette of a teapot on a circle with a butterfly and swag, and this design comes in several colourways. I've cut this image with the second smallest Die'sire Essentials Circles Die before mounting it on my ATC.
• Sentiment - is called It's Always Tea Time and it comes from the English Breakfast Mini Kit by Marisa Lerin at Pixel Scrapper Digital Scrapbooking. This was die cut using my second smallest Die'sire Essentials Rectangles Die before it was mounted onto my ATC.

Tea Time .....

For this ATC, I have again turned to my favourite Distress Inks and "Smooshing" Technique, this time with toning colours. My ATC recipe is as follows:

• Base card - is Watercolour Card onto which I "smooshed" Distress Inks in Milled Lavender and Seedless Preserves. Because these colours tone rather than contrast, the blended colour is much more subtle. Once the background was dry, I cut the card to a 3½" x 2½" rectangle
• Image - is a further image from Anne-Marie's Garden Party Clipart Set; this one is very similar to the one on the previous ATC, but the elements are not "grounded" by a shape. I cut this out using my second smallest Die'sire Essentials Scalloped Squares Die and then, to avoid it disappearing into the background, gently distressed the edges with more Seedless Preserves Distress Ink.
• Sentiment - is another one by Marisa Lerin at Pixel Scrapper Digital Scrapbooking. This one comes from her Handwritten Kit #3 and is simply called Label Tea Time. It already had the border around it, so I simply cut this out, and attached it to my ATC.

So, I hope have inspired you to dig out your favourite colouring medium and that you'll Colour Me Wonderful over at Incy Wincy Designs this time. Don't forget to let us know what your favourite colouring medium is! However, if you're in need of further inspiration, please do check out the other great creations by my team mates. We'll be back with our next challenge on Monday 18th April 2016.


I would like to enter these projects into the following challenge:

• Challenge 357 - Create your own Background Paper at C.R.A.F.T. Challenge
• Challenge #16 - Anything Goes with option of Weather at ATC Around the World
• Challenge #115 - ATC or Small Card at Card and Scrap

My "Would You Like an Adventure" ATC into the following challenge:

• Monday Challenge - Try to Resist at Simon Says Stamp Challenge

And my "It's Always Tea Time" ATC into the following challenge:

• Watercolor - at Make My Monday Challenge - I'm hoping that "smooshing" my distress inks with water counts as watercolouring ..... if not, please feel free to delete my entry.

Whatever you're up to this week, I hope you have fun!

Hugs, Helen x

In the garden

Hello all! Hope this post finds everyone well, and gentle hugs winging their way round for anyone who's in need. 

How did everyone fare with the weather over this weekend? We were on the very bottom edge of a forecast snow belt which was drifting through overnight on Saturday but, by the time we got up on Sunday it was a cold, miserable and grey day :o(

It's new challenge time at Incy Wincy Designs (don't forget we're now bringing you challenges on the first and third Mondays of each month) but before I get to our new challenge, we've got another new DT member to welcome. So, join in with a big hello to Catherine  .... (waves wildly!!!!!!). Our challenge this time is Tic Tac Toe (or Bingo).

I think our excellent team leader Chris has out-done herself this week with our sponsors ... we're bringing you not one, not two but three fabby companies, which means 3 chances to win!!!!!!!!!

Our first sponsor is Craft Classes Online  who are offering a prize of 1 Virtual Seat in a Class. 

Our second sponsor is Di from Di's Digis who is offering a $12 voucher to Di's DigiStamps. 

And our third sponsor is Jodie from Bugaboo Digi Stamps who is offering our lucky winner 7 free digis.

To read more about our wonderful sponsors, please head over to Incy Wincy Designs.

Now, here's your Tic Tac Toe board, and to play along you need to have any row, column or diagonal - don't forget to tell us in your post which line and 3 items you're claiming!

And here's my inspiration for you using an image from Bugaboo Digi Stamps. I'm claiming the diagonal line from the bottom left hand corner up to the top right hand corner of Flower, Red, Rhinestone:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card Base - is Kraft Card which I've cut, scored and folded to make a 9cm x 11cm card with the fold at the top. I've used a sample sized Textures Woodgrain embossing folder (similar to this one) which came as a freebie with Crafter's Inspiration Magazine Issue 7 to give some detail to the card base, and then distressed this using Walnut Stain Distress Ink.
  
• Image - is called Make it Snappy - Thanks a Bunch by Jodie at Bugaboo Digi Stamps. This image is very versatile as it comes with the sentiment Thanks a bunch and without as I'm showcasing here. To bring this bunch of flowers to life, I've used my Spectrum Noir Pens in the listed colours before fussy cutting around the frame and foliage, and then mounting it on my card base.
• Petals - CR11, DR1, DR3, DR5
• Centres - EB1, EB3, EB5, True Black
• Foliage - DG2, DG3, DG4
• Outline - IB1
• Clouds - Light Blue Craf-T Chalk following this tutorial by my blogging bluddy Annette
• Frame - Clear Spectrum Noir Sparkle Pen
• Sentiment - is from a set which came as a freebie with Crafter's Inspiration Magazine Issue 7 and I have inked this with Walnut Stain Distress Ink
• Gems - are from my stash

I hope you'll come over and play Tic Tac Toe with us at Incy Wincy Designs and whilst you're there please stop by to welcome our new teamies this year Greg and Catherine. Also, don't forget to check out the other fantastic creations by my teamies. We'll be back on Monday 1st February with our next challenge. 

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

• January Challenge - Anything Goes at Spectrum Noir Facebook Page

That's it from me for the moment - take care everyone!

Hugs, Helen x

Jumbo Birthday Wishes

Morning everyone and hope this post finds you well. 

Normality should now have returned to Casa Mia with youngest Bambino and I being back at school last week, and eldest Bambino starts college this morning ... eek, that means the next long holiday is Christmas!!!!!!!

It's new challenge day at Incy Wincy Designs and this week we'd like to see your projects For the Boyz ... any masculine makes will be perfect and, I don't know about you, but I sure don't make enough male cards!

We've got a brand new sponsor this week; Krista Heij-Barber from Drawn with Character. And here is a little bit about her:

  I LOVE TO DRAW. THAT ABOUT SUMS IT UP.

It is what I have done since my Dad gave me my first "real art book", lets just say a few years ago. It is all I've ever wanted to do. I was lucky enough to live that dream and work as an Animator for over 15 years. Almost a decade of which I worked at Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida, up until they shut their doors in 2004. I since then, have concentrated on raising my 2 beautifully spirited children, while making a "new" career in illustration and design. It was this new path that let me to cookie decorating. This was a perfect outlet for me, combining my love of baking and my true "need" to create art. 
Once I got into cookie decorating and discovered all the possibilities, I wanted to find more images that I could put on a cookie. This is how Drawn with Character was born. I not only want to provide usable clip art for digital artists but cookie artists as well!

Krista is offering this week's lucky prize winner 3 digital images from her Drawn with Character Store. Krista also has a Drawn with Character Blog too, so please do head over to both sites and leave Krista some love. Krista also very kindly gave the DT a few images to showcase, but before I show you my card I'll just let you know how the background to it came about.

Whilst pottering around on Facebook a few weeks ago, I saw a lovely card shared in one of the crafting groups I belong too. Being intrigued by the background, I went to the lady's blog and she had linked up to this video by Laura Bassen demonstrating the "Smooshing" technique. I had to have a couple of goes before I got this quite right, and got slightly over-excited whilst smooshing, and inked the desk too .... glad I noticed it before Papa Mia did, else I'd have had some explaining to do!!!!!!!!!!!! :oD I think I need to invest in some watercolour cardstock, and also experiment a bit with my heatgun to avoid the card buckling, but I do love the "splatty" result:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card Base - is made from Snow White Silver Centura Pearl card, which has been cut, scored and folded to make a 9.9cm square card
• Background - is a piece of Neenah Cardstock onto which I've "smooshed" Tim Holtz Distress Inks in Mustard Seed and Peacock Feather using a piece of acetate, a Travel Spray Bottle containing water, and a Heat Gun. Once this background card was dry, I cut it to a 9.5cm square, to fit onto the base card
  
• Image - is Birthday Elephant sitting with a Cupcake by Krista at Drawn with Character. I wanted to keep the soft effect of both the drawing and my background, so I brought this cutie to life using my Spectrum Noir Pencils in the listed colours, before fussy cutting my image out and mounting it onto the background card so it slightly overhung the edges, as I liked the way this background looked behind the elephant.
• Elephant - 065, 066, 068
• Cupcake - 010, 013, 017, 056, 058, 047
• Sentiment - is from the Sentiment Stamp Set which came with the Crafter's Inspiration Magazine Issue 6 which I stamped directly onto the background using Memento Tuxedo Black Ink

I hope I've inspired you to have a go at making something For the Boyz ... please don't forget to head over to Incy Wincy Designs and have a look at what my talented team-mates have made. Then come back and show us your creations! This challenge ends on Sunday 13th September 2015.

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

• Challenge #32 - Boys will be Boys at Scribbles Designs Challenge (Second Entry)
• September Anything Goes at Catch the Bug
• Anything Goes Birthday at Seize the Birthday
• Cute Animal at Moving Along With the Times

Have a great week!

Hugs, Helen x