Just for Dad

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Morning again folks!

Its new challenge time from Lexi's Creations this morning, and this time we'd like to see your creations that are for The Man in your Life. This can be for anyone who is special to you, as long as he's male!!!!!

Our sponsor this fortnight is our very own Lexi  from Fairy Dust Crafts and our lucky prize winner this time will get to choose 5 wonderful digis from Fairy Dust Crafts! However, Lexi doesn't stop at digis, she stocks embellishments, ribbons, charms, Promarkers etc. so her on-line shop is well worth a visit.

I have chosen to make a Father's Day Card so I'm actually organised come June, rather than scrabbling around as usual! I have used the current sketch at CAS - Colours and Sketches and rotated it for my layout (great sketch, thanks!) and chose this fun image which reminds me so much of my Dad when Papa Mia and I had our first house .... spookily, this chap even looks a bit like my Dad! :oD  

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 from the Paintbox Poppets Papercrafting Collection CD-Rom and I have used a paper from the Co-Ordinating Papers section (Design 1 Colourway 3).
• Image - is by Paula at, the sadly now closed, Pollycraft. I know that Barbara at Little Miss Muffet
  
  Stamps has taken on some of Paula's images, but this one doesn't appear to be listed there. He's called Mr Fix-It and I have brought him to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours:
• Hair - BG1, BG2, BG4
• Skin - FS2, FS3
• Jumper - DG2, DG3
• Dungarees - TB2, TB3, TB4, OR1
• Belt - TN8, Gold Gel Pen
• Tools - CR11, CT4, Silver Gel Pen
• Shoes - TN8, EB5
• Outline - BT1
• Sentiment - is from the Special Occasion Stamp Set which was a magazine freebie last year and I have stamped this in Memento Tuxedo Black ink. And yes, my Dad is the Best Dad!!!!!!! :o)

I hope you'll come over to Lexi's Creations and see the wonderful projects by my talented team-mates for The Men in their Life. Don't forget to come back and show us your creations! This challenge will end on Saturday 10th May 2014.

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

• Challenge #71 - Sketch at CAS - Colours and Sketches I hope that using both a cling stamp and digi stamp are OK for your challenge. If not, please feel free to disregard my entry.
• Challenge #174 - One for the Boys at Penny's Paper-Crafty
• Challenge #84 - Anything Goes at Little Miss Muffet
• For Someone Special at CD Sunday
• Challenge #204 - Clean and Simple at Sentimental Sundays

Hope you have a great week!

Hugs, Helen x

Perfect Sentiments

Hello again friends!

I'm back, this time with the new challenge from Lexi's Creations. For this fortnight we'd like the words to take centre stage on your projects as our theme is Focus on the Sentiment.

Our sponsor this fortnight is Priyanka from My Heart Pieces and our lucky winner for this challenge will get to choose some of Priyanka's sweet digis!

The lovely Lexi has opened the 'doors' to Fairy Dust Crafts and allowed us in (thanks Lexi!), and here is my card for you featuring one of Lexi's gorgeous sentiments:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card base - is a pre-made A5 card in Kraft which I have used in a landscape format
• Design Papers - are both downloads from Pixel Scrapper. The bottom paper is by Merisa Lerin and is called Blue 2 from her kit called Country Wedding Glitter Papers. The top paper is called Teal Giraffe Paper and it comes from a kit called Tiny but Mighty by Janet Scott. I hand cut both papers to make these "fishtail" banner shapes. 
  
• Sentiment - is by Lexi at Fairy Dust Crafts and it's called Slugs 'n' Snails sentiment. I had in mind that this would make an unusual new baby card, but I have seen some fun boy-ish images out there in blogland that this would be equally appropriate for! In case you were wondering, yes there is a "girly" version and you can see one of my projects featuring it here! I die cut the sentiment using my second largest Framelits Fancy Labels die before mounting it on my card using foam pads.

I hope you'll come over to Lexi's Creations and check out how my talented team-mates Focus on the Sentiment. Don't forget to come back and show us your creations! This challenge will end on Saturday 26th April 2014.

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

• Monday Challenge #133 - Tags and Banners (Use both or just one) at My Craft Spot

That's it from me today - have a great week!

Hugs, Helen x

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

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

Advent Countdown

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

Hi and welcome to my second post of the day - this time introducing this fortnight's challenge at Lexi's Creations. Yesterday was "Stir Up Sunday" at my church (we made our Parish Christmas Cake!) and next Sunday will be Advent Sunday here in the UK, so we're now on the countdown to the big "ho ho". Therefore Susan has set us a topical challenge and would like to see your projects celebrating Christmas. This one should be nice and simple, so no excuses for not joining us!

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!" 


Now, like most things at 'Casa Mia', there is a story behind this project. 

Youngest daughter and I were in a very well known store (that one that has "Magic & Sparkle") in our local shopping centre and as we walked past their Christmas Shop, we saw a perpetual Advent calendar. "Can we get that Mum?" she asked. Mr Mojo must have been light years ahead of my brain because I suddenly heard a voice say "I can make that" ... there was no-one else around us, so it must have been me! Well of course, she's held to me that statement! 


Here is another tutorial for you, this time showing you how I made the cubes for this project:

Materials:

1 piece of card measuring 10.5cm x 15cm for each cube (you can get 2 cubes out of an A4 piece of cardstock if you cut the long edge to 15cm, and then cut the 21cm side in half)
Cutting and scoring tools - I have used my Crafter's Companion Ultimate Pro together with The Boxer Board

Bone Folder
Scissors
Glue

How to cut, score and fold:

 Using the Ultimate Pro Boxer Board, butt one piece of cardstock with the short edge at the top of board and score at 1cm, 4.5cm, 8cm & 11.5 cm. Make sure you take the measurements at the right hand side of the board as I've shown here.

 Turn the cardstock round so the 1cm "tab" is on the left hand side, and butt the long side against the top of the board. Score at 3.5cm & 7cm.
On the right hand panel only, also score at 2.5cm & 8cm - these will make tabs for securing your cube. 
Again, make sure you take the measurements at the right hand side of the board as I've shown here.

  Turn your cardstock round again so the original 1cm "tab" is butted up to the top of your board and score (using the measurements panel at the right hand side of the board as I've shown here) in the right and left hand panels only at 3.5cm and 9cm - these will also make tabs for securing your cube.

I have marked the cutting lines in red on the template; the black lines are fold lines. The shaded areas are going to be cut away. Cut each of the RED lines - you may wish to round the corners on the 1cm wide "tabs" to make them easier to fold into your cube. Then fold and burnish the panels along the BLACK score lines so that they bend away from side of your cardstock you want showing, and your cardstock should look like this:

This point would be a good time to decorate the sides of you cube as it's the last time it's going to be flat! So, turn your cardstock over and embellish to your heart's content - just remember that the cubes have to rest on each of the sides so flat decorations might be best! :o)

 Now, to fold the cube!

With the decorated side of the cube facing up, firstly glue the two tabs marked 1 using a glue suitable for your cardstock - before the glue dries, fold the two side panels up and stick the cube side adjacent to these onto the tabs. Ensure that your folds are square before the glue dries, otherwise it will make your cube wonky. The cube is starting to take shape, and looks like this:

Do the same for the two tabs marked 2- this folds the "lid" of the cube down and the tabs will stick to the side we've just folded up.

Repeat this for the three tabs marked 3, which will close the front of the cube up - just make sure that the tab that's at the end of the front "wall" of the cube tucks in!

And here is the final cube. Each side is 3.5cm square, which gives a perfect base for numbers (or anything else) cut using the smallest of the Sizzix Framelits Scallop Squares Dies.

So, with a nod to that store, and featuring one of Lexi's wonderful images, here is my project for you, with not one, but two of these cubes!:

And for those of you who need a jog ... yes, there really are only 30 days until Christmas :o)

My project recipe is follows:

• Base Card - is the remainder of an A4 sheet of Centura Pearl in Snow White, once I'd taken the off the card I needed for the cubes. Using the Ultimate Pro Boxer Board again, I butted the short edge of my card against the top of the board and scored at 3cm, 7cm and 10cm. I folded and burnished these score lines so that they made 2 "feet" and a plinth to stand the cubes on. For added stability, I used double sided tape to adhere the cardstock together between the 7cm and 10cm fold lines.
• Images - I've used 2 images on this project. The first image is called Pine Forest and it comes from
  
  the pen of Beccy Muir at Beccy's Place. I think this was a blog freebie this spring, as I can't find it in her store. I recoloured the forest using one of the preset colours in my word processing package. The second image is Santa from the Santa Snowglobe (also comes with a Merry Christmas sentiment on the snowglobe base) by Lexi at Fairy Dust Crafts. I brought Santa to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours, before fussy cutting him and mounting him on a double set of foam pads (for added depth):
• Santa Suit - DR1, DR2, DR3
• Skin - FS7, FS8, FS9
• Beard - IG1, Colourless Blender
• Fur on Hat - IG1, Colourless Blender, White Glitter
• Boots - True Black and Silver Gel Pen
• Ornament - GG1
• Cubes - made using Centura Pearl in Snow White. I printed the numbers 0 to 9 (doing two copies of the numbers 1 and 2!) in my word processing package using the font 'Stencil' onto the Red Damask Paper  from the kit Believe by Summer at Summertime Designs. I gave the numerals a touch of glitz courtesy of my Versamark Pen and Holographic Embossing Powder before die cutting them into squares using the smallest of my Sizzix Framelits Scallop Squares Dies. I attached these to the cube shapes (you need to be able to make sequences of numbers from 24 to 1, so you need to make sure you have a number 1 and number 2 on each cube) and then made up my cubes using the tutorial above.
• Sentiment - is computer generated, again using the font 'Stencil' in my word processing package and printing onto the Red Damask Paper  from Summer's kit Believe.

I hope you'll come over to Lexi's Creations and look at the wonderful creations made by my teamies. Don't forget to then come back and link up your projects celebrating Christmas! This challenge ends on Saturday 7/12/2013.


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

• November 2013 Challenge - Christmas/Winter at Crafter's Companion Challenge 2nd Entry
• November Monthly Challenge - Christmas at Stamping Sensations - 2nd Entry
• Challenge 113 - Christmas Traditional Colours (Red and Green) using Die Cuts at Bearly Mine Challenge
• Monthly Challenge  #39 - Christmas at Little Claire's
• Christmas Challenge at Crafty Sentiments - I'm now following your Inspirational Blog as well for 3 extra entries!
• A Month of Holiday Cards Challenge at Beccy's Place - 2nd Entry and I'm hoping that a Holiday project (rather than a card) counts!
• Challenge #138 - Christmas is Coming at The Paper Shelter
• Photo Inspiration Challenge (Santa) at Winter Wonderland

Hope you have a good, and crafty, week :o) !

Hugs, Helen x

A Safe Haven

Here we go with another "post fest" - I got soooooo behind with my "makes" last week, that I'm all behind with my posts too. Sorry folks! I'd like to extend a very warm welcome to Heather, my newest follower - hope you enjoy my "makes"!

It's new challenge time at Lexi's Creations and this one is very topical for us in the UK as we'd like to see your creations for Father's Day or a Special Male Birthday.

Our wonderful sponsors for this challenge are the fabby team over at Joanna Sheen who are offering our lucky winner a £10 Gift Voucher to their on-line store. And with postage and packing free if you spend over £9 everyone's a winner if you buy in this Aladdin's cave!

Usually I would use one of Lexi's (Fairy Dust Crafts) beautiful images, but this time I thought I would give one of the images I recently won an airing! So here is a card for my Dad for Father's Day:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - is Centura Pearl in Ivory which I cut, scored and folded to make a 15cm square card.
• Design Papers - are by Summer at Summertime Designs and (in keeping with the nautical theme!) are both from her kit She Sells Seashells. The bottom paper is called "Striped" and the top paper is called "Cream Dots".
  
• Image - this lovely scene has been drawn by Teri over at Delicious Doodles and it is called In The Harbour. I have brought this idyll to life quite simply, using my Versamark Pen (which I used on the heavily shaded areas to give more definition) and my Craf-T Decorating Chalks in the following colours:
• Boat on Left - Ruddy Red, Burnt Sienna, Black
• Boat on Right - Turquoise, Burnt Sienna, Black, Light Blue
• Sand - Tan
• Harbour Wall - Dark Brown
• Sky - Light Blue
• Sentiments -  are computer generated using my word processing package and a font called Goudy Handtooled. 

Do come over to Lexi's Creations and see the other wonderfully inspirational male cards which have been designed by the other DT members and our Guest Designer Silvi. Don't forget to come back and link up the creations you've made for Father's Day or a Special Male Birthday. This challenge ends on Saturday 22nd June 2013.

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

• Father's Day at Going Grey with Scrap Creations
• Spots and Stripes at Joanna Sheen Second Entry
• Masculine / Father's Day at Simon Says Stamp!
• Challenge 17 - Father's or For a Male at The Crafter's Cafe Challenge
• Challenge #103 - Masculine at Top Tip Tuesday
• Card for a Male at Crafty Sentiments Designs
• Challenge 12 - We Love You Dad at Creative Craft Challenge

Phew - that's me caught up now! Off to work on next week's DT projects.

Have a great week!

Hugs, Helen x

Nestled among the Flowers

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

Hello again friends! The weather hasn't been too bad down here over the weekend - Saturday was wet, wet, wet but yesterday was warm, we had some sunshine and only a few spots of rain. Consequently we got quite a few outdoor jobs done.

Anyway, today sees the start of a new challenge at  Lexi's Creations. This time Susan is asking us to  Add Either Ribbon or Lace. She has asked that whatever haberdashery you use, it has to be an integral part of your design. Fingers crossed that I've done that! I have been casting my mind (and computer files!) back, and I can't believe this is the first anniversary of my appointment to the DT at Lexi's Creations. I still love Lexi's digis now as much as the first day I started using them ... I hope that you are all enjoying seeing these gorgeous designs.

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!" Well worth a visit.

As usual, Lexi has very kindly let the DT loose in her on-line store and here is my card for you featuring one of her gorgeous images:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - is Centura Pearl in Ivory, onto which I've embossed the largest flower shape from the "nest" on the Ultimate Pro Embossing Board Springtime Sweets and Cupcake Treats. I scored a fold line at the top of the flower leaving 2 petals at the bottom for "feet", and then cut this die-like shape out before folding it and cutting the back of the card out.
• Design Paper - is from a brand new set by Donna at Bearly Mine Designs called Floral Surprise. This is a beautiful collection of papers and I must confess I fell in love with this floral paper over text on the set preview, and that's why I bought the set! I carefully embossed the medium flower shape from the "nest" on the Ultimate Pro Embossing Board Springtime Sweets and Cupcake Treats onto the paper, ensuring that the flowers and hummingbird were  in the bottom corner of the flower shape, before cutting it out and mounting it onto my base card.
• Image - is by Lexi from Fairy Dust Crafts and is called Brooke - Thinking of You. I have brought this dreamy girl to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours:

• Skin - FS2, FS3, CR4
• Hair - GB8, GB10
• Top and Shoes - GB3, GB4
• Trousers - GG1, GG2
• Cushion - DR1, DR5, DR7
• Outline - IG1
• Flower and Rosette - I used my Flower Punch, a yellow flower paper from the Bearly Mine Designs kit Floral Surprise and some lace to make the flower following this tutorial by my former Crafty Pad teamie Leesa. I replaced the second and fourth paper layers with some lace. Once my flower was dry, I made a lacy rosette from the same lace (from my local haberdashery store) and mounted the flower onto the rosette, and then attached them to my card. It's the first time I've tried this technique, and I must confess that the lace soaked up the glue and has become rock hard, rather than the floaty layers I was hoping for! :o) I'll keep trying!

I have deliberately left this card sentiment free - I think it would be great as a Thinking of You card, but would do equally well as a Thank You or Birthday card. So, it's going into my "done box" awaiting it's occasion!

I hope you'll come over to Lexi's Creations and see how my talented teamies and our Guest Designer Yogi have used their Ribbon or Lace. Don't forget to come back and share your creations with us! You've got until Saturday 27th April 2013 to link your cards up.

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

• Flowers at Divas by Design
• Challenge #70 - Die-ing to Impress You (Use Die cuts and/or Dry Embossing) at Card Crafter's Circle
• Challenge #24 - Florals at Broken Box Stock
• Challenge #81 - Anything Goes at Bearly Mine Challenges
• April 2013 Challenge - Flowers at Crafter's Companion

I hope you have a great week - let's hope the weather continues to be dry and warm!

Hugs, Helen x

I Love You!!!

Happy Valentine's Day to you! Thankfully I'm now over the worst of the fluey bug - phew, it wasn't pleasant and I haven't felt that ill for an awfully long time.

Anyway, in my absence there's been a new challenge launched at Lexi's Creations and this time our challenge is perfect for today. We're asking to see your Love / Valentine creations. 

Our wonderful sponsor for this challenge is the fabby team over at Joanna Sheen who are offering a £10.00 Gift Voucher to their store!

Our resident artist Lexi has once again let the DT loose in the Fairy Dust Crafts online store, and here is the Valentine's Card I've made featuring one of her gorgeous digis:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - is Centura Pearl in Ivory, which I have cut, scored and folded to make a 15cm square card.
• Design Papers - are from a download on the Club Inspire section of the Crafter's Companion website. The set is called Love is in the Air and it was the download of the month in February 2012. I have digitally put the layout together, so there is little bulk to my card.
• Image - is by Lexi at Fairy Dust Crafts  and this little sweetheart is called I Love You Bear. I brought this bear to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours:
  • Fur - EB2, GB6, GB8, GB10 - I had a slight mishap with my colouring on this as both my GB8 & GB10 pens ran out virtually straight away, so I hope the fur doesn't look too messed up!
  • Small Hearts - DR1
  • Large Heart - DR3 & Silver Gel Pen
  • Outline - WG1
• Ribbon and Sentiment Ticket - both from the Love is in the Air download by Crafter's Companion.
  
  

So this is my very simple card to my husband and conveys the perfect message (as said by Take That: eight letters, three words one meaning.)

Do come over and join in the fun at Lexi's Creations with us, and check out the Love / Valentine creations from the other DT girls and our talented Guest Designer Crafting Vicky. And if, like me, you're only just publishing your card to your partner do come back and link up your creations. You've still got a couple of days as this challenge ends on Saturday 16th February 2013.

I would like to enter the following challenge:

• Challenge 54 - Sketch at Little Miss Muffet Challenges
• Day  44 - Word Wednesday "Love" at 365 Cards
• Challenge #103 - Love is in the Air at Tiddly Inks
• Challenge #37 - Valentine's Cards at The Cutie Pie Challenge
• Love at Paper Crafting Journey
• February Challenge - Love is in the Air at Crafter's Companion Challenge Blog

Hope you have a good rest of the day!
Hugs, Helen x

Moon Baby

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



Good Morning again my crafty friends!

It's time for the first challenge of 2013 over at Lexi's Creations and Susan is really easing us into the New Year gently as our challenge topic this week is Anything Goes ... so there can be NO excuses for not coming over and sharing your projects with us this fortnight!!!

Our wonderful sponsor for this challenge is our very own Lexi from Fairy Dust Crafts  - your one-stop shop for all of Lexi's gorgeous digital images and a growing choice of delicious crafting goodies. With postage and packing at just £1.50 and Free if you spend over £10, make sure you check out those goodies!  The prize for this week's lucky winner is 5 of Lexi's lovely digital images from the On-line Store. 


As usual, the DT has also been let loose in there (thanks Lexi!) and this is the card I have made to show to you today using one of Lexi's wonderful sentiments:

I'm sorry but it's another grey day, and it's playing havoc with my ability to take better photos.


My card recipe is as follows:

•  Base Card - made from Centura Pearl in Snow White, which I cut, scored and folded (using my Clevercut) to make a 15cm square card
•  Design Papers - are from the Strawberry Kisses CD-Rom and I have tweaked them using the in-built 'Colouriser' to get the shades of lemon and lilac that I wanted.
• Image - is by Stef H (Glitterbabe) and is called Asleep on the Moon - this is the first time I've printed out this "oh so cute small one", even though I won it in the 2011-12 Holiday Open House at The Crafter's Cafe! Unfortunately this digi has now been retired, although you can find some of Stef's other creations at Floppy Latte Digital Designs. I brought this little sleepy head to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours:
  

  • Skin - FS2, FS3
  • Hair - EB1, EB2
  • BabyGro - LV1, LV2
  • Moon - GB3, GB4, GB5
  • Outline - IG1
  • Clouds - Chalk in Royal Blue
• Stars & a bit of sparkle added to Moon - Versamark Pen and Holographic Embossing Powder
• Sentiments - the large one is called "Sugar 'n' Spice" and it is by Lexi of Fairy Dust Crafts - just perfect for a card for a new baby girl!!! I exported the image into my word processing package and then resized it so it fitted a shape I was happy with.  The "New Baby" tape is one I've used before and it comes from the Baby Tags Set by Claire Keay of Jellypark - I got this when I was a GDT with the Jellypark Challenge Team in April.. I then tool distressed the edges of them both, and colour distressed them using Chalk in Violet.

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

• Day 1 - New Beginnings at 365 Cards
• Something New (Image & New Baby) at Going Grey with Scrap Creations - Second Entry
• Old and New (Old - DPs from an old CD-Rom & New Baby Tape and New - Image) at Jellypark Friends - Second Entry
• Challenge 250 - Something New at Cute Card Thursday
• Use a 2012 Sponsor's Product at Oldie but a Goodie (Something old is the CD-Rom I used for my DPs and also the "New Baby" tape which I first used here when I GDT'd with Jellypark in April)
• Something New at Simon Says Stamps - Second Entry
• All About The New! (New Baby) at My Time To Craft 
• Challenge #26 - Something New with Chalk (New Baby) at Chalk Ah Lot - Second Entry
• Challenge 62 - New Beginnings and DT Call at A Gem of a Challenge - wish me luck as I've put my name forward in the DT Call 

Hope you have a good day!
Hugs, Helen x

Poinsettia for Christmas

Hi,

It's another Monday and  it's new challenge time at Lexi's Creations -  this time Susan is looking forward to Christmas ... nice and simple!!!

Our wonderful sponsor this time is Priyanka from My Heart Pieces. The prize that is up for grabs this week is 3 of Priyanka's lovely digital images. Pop over to her blog to check out her cute digis.



Lexi has, once again, let the DT loose in her on-line store again (thanks Lexi!) and this is the card I have made to show to you today using one of her gorgeous digis:



My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - made from Centura Pearl in Red (originally from a pack of Christmas colours) which is cut, scored and folded into a Triangular Tri-Fold card around 10cm square.
• Image - This beautiful flower is "Layered Poinsettia" and it is just one of the gorgeous images to have come from the pen of Lexi at Fairy Dust Crafts. I brought it to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in shades CR11,DR1, DG3, DG4, IG1. I then hand stitched a small seed bead as the centre of the flower as I layered up the bracts.
• Sentiment - is from the Christmas Sentiment Tickets set by Debbie at The Crafty Pad . I've coloured the holly brerries and leaves in the same shades as the poinsettia.
• Ribbon - from my stash

Head on over to Lexi's Creations and see the gorgeous creations by my talented team-mates - don't forget to come back and share your creations with us! You've got until Saturday 8th December 2012 to link your cards up.

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

• Delightfully Red and Green at Delightful Challenges
• Challenge #53 - Traditional Christmas Colours at Whimsy Stamps
• More than One Fold at Come and Get It Challenges (Second Entry)
• HIMCR #73 - Christmas! at Hiding in My Craft Room
• Monthly Challenge #27 - Christmas at Little Claire's Designs
• Challenge #1 - It's All About Christmas at Paper Creator's Crafts

Hugs, Helen x