This is "Whaley" good!

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

Good evening friends and a slightly later post than normal from me with the new challenge from  Incy Wincy Designs. This week we want to see your creations featuring Ocean Animals.

We're sponsored this week by the wonderful Melissa at Meljen's Designs, who has kindly provided some images for the DT to showcase this week as well. Thank you Melissa!

So here is my card for you:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - made from Centura Pearl in Turquoise (mine came in a Brights pack from Crafter's Companion which they don't seem to have on their web site any more). This was I cut, scored and folded to make a 15cm square card.
• Design Papers - are all by Summer at Summertime Designs and they come from her kit Relax. I tried to use colours and shapes that evoked the sea and wave movements. From the bottom layer, the papers I've used are called Stripes, Turquoise, Paisley and Lime Circles. I have digitally matted and layered these papers together using a khaki/tan outline in my word processing programme. The letter tiles are also part of this kit, and I imported them individually into my word processing programme as well and layered them up onto the Lime Circles paper. I had to do a bit of nifty cutting with my craft blade around the "K" so that I could tuck the card rectangle underneath it!
  
• Image - this beautiful image is called Mamma Whale by Melissa at Meljen's Designs. At the moment this tender image is on half price sale, so why not treat yourself? I brought these 2 giants of the oceans to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours before gently tool distressing the edge.
• Mamma Whale - IB2, IB3, TB4, PP4
• Whale Calf - IB1, IB2, IB3, PP4
• Swirls - GT2
• Heart - PP4
• Outline - GT1
• Sentiment - is, of course, by Paulette at Create with TLC ... who else can come up with such cracking sentiments? I got this one from Paulette in May 2012 - I think it was a freebie on her blog.

I do hope you'll head over to Incy Wincy Designs this week and see the other wonderful layouts from my very talented team-mates and Valou - it's her last week as our Guest Designer and she has made some wonderful creations, so please head over to her blog and leave her some love. Then come back and show us your creations featuring Ocean Animals. This challenge closes on Sunday 5th May.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges (with a little help from the girls at Feline Playful - thank you!):

• Cupcake 240 - All at Sea at Cupcake Craft Challenges
• Challenge #157 - Stripes or Dots at Robyn's Fetish
• Craft it Up & Link it Up Party #5 - Use a Pun at Craftin' Desert Diva's
• RCS #34 - Thank You Cards at Red Carpet Studio
• GL Torn & Distressed at Gingerloft Challenges
• Challenge #33 - Something Fishy at Delicious Doodles
• Make us Laugh and Smile at Jellypark Challenges
• Inspiration Challenge - Colour Palette & Photo Inspiration at Crafter's Digital Art Center

Hugs, Helen x

With Thanks and Love

Good morning my crafty friends and welcome to another Monday! I'm back to school today, after having the week off for half term - I can say that having a quick week's break is enough to refresh me, ready for the 7 week run-in to Christmas!

It's new challenge day at Incy Wincy Designs and today our challenge theme is Giving Thanks. We'd like to see your projects that say "Thanks" or "Thank you" on them.

Our lovely sponsor this week is the superbly talented Krista of Saturated Canary, and she has kindly supplied each of the DT members with their choice of digi to use for this challenge. My challenge was which one of the pretty images to use. I did manage to make a decision (lol!) and here is my card for you today:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - made from Centura Pearl in Snow White, cut, scored and folded to make a 15cm square card
• Design Papers - my base paper is from the Vintage Grunge Postcard Collection by Debbie at Crafty Pad Designs. By loading the image into my word processing package, I have been able to tweak the colour to an aqua shade so that it matches the blue tones in the middle layer on my card. This middle layer is called Red Wallpaper Paper, from the Comforts of Home Kit and it has been designed by Summer at Summertime Designs. I have tool distressed the edges of these two layers
• Image - this totally gorgeous girl is Love Letters and I have brought her to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours:
• Skin - FS2, FS3
• Eyes - DG4
• Lips - DR7
• Hair - GB1, GB8, GB10 - I've tried to get some 'shine' in her hair ... not sure if I've managed it or not?
• Top - EB1, EB2, DR7, DG2, DG3
• Trousers - TB1, TB2, TB9
• Envelope - DR7
• Outline - BGR1
• Clouds - Chalk in Light Blue, using this wonderful tutorial on making realistic clouds by Annette. I'm not sure I've got it quite right, but it beats my clip art cloud on a repositionable note hands down! ;o)
• Heart Confetti - don't tell my girls this, but I discovered a little tub of confetti shapes hidden in their 'Art 'n' Craft' box when I was looking for some clay for a school project last week. I thought the little red hearts would be totally perfect and they add a great sheen to the project .... Ssshhhhhhhh!
• Sentiment - is by Paulette from Create with TLC and was one of the goodies in the recent "In Between Club". I've added Holographic Embossing Powder to the text ... just check out that sparkle!!!!!
• Gems - from my stash, but originally came from a french hypermarket in a bumper bundle I bought last year.

 

Do check out the Incy Wincy challenge blog and see the other great cards Giving Thanks which have been created by my talented teamies and this months Guest Designer Paula. Then come back and show us your projects - you've got until Sunday 11th November 2012 to link your creations up.

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

• Challenge #47 - Patterned Paper at Card Crafter's Circle
• Monthly Challenge - Sparkle at Visible Image
• Give Thanks Challenge at Scrappy Frogs
• Challenge #45 - Make it Sparkle at Pile It On
• All That Glitters at Sweet Stampin'
• Challenge #82 - Bold and Bright at My Mum's Craft Shop
• Week 44 - Bright Colours and Sparkle at Polka Doodles

Have a great week!

Hugs, Helen x

Whirling Leaves

Good morning my crafty friends, and I hope you are well this morning. A very warm welcome to both Gail and Asmah who have joined us on my crafting journey ... that makes 50 followers now and I thank you all for your encouragement and support.

 

 

As it's Monday morning, it's new challenge time at at Incy Wincy Designs, and this week it's a very simple challenge for you all ... Anything Goes!

Our sponsor this week is the lovely team at The Paper Shelter, who are offering our lucky winner a $20 Gift Certificate to the store. And with so many great images and design paper packs in the store, I'm sure any crafter would have no problem in spending this voucher!




The Paper Shelter were also kind enough to provide a variety of images for the DT to use this week. As the morning have definitely started to get chilly here on the south coast of the UK I thought I would use this lovely autumnal image:

 

 

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 Paper - is the digital background from the Autumn is Coming! set by The Paper Shelter. 
• Image - this gorgeous girl with the autumn leaves is the image in the Autumn is Coming! set by The Paper Shelter. In this set, you get an outline digi stamp and also this wonderfully pre-coloured image. As my coloured could not do this stamp justice, I decided to cheat and use the coloured image which I digitally super-imposed onto the set background. 
• Sentiment - is, of course, by the talented Paulette at Create with TLC and was a freebie she gave away on her blog last month. It is called Fall Spiral Poem. I printed out the label which comes with the Autumn is Coming! set in a large size, before putting it back through my printer so that the sentiment came out onto the coloured paper. I then fussy cut around the petalled shape, and then used Gold Versamark Ink to distress the edges, just to add to the autumnal feel! The Versamark Ink was a bargain ... I bought a sealed bag of what was billed as "Try a New Craft - Stamping" at my Church Fete last month. When I got home and opened the bag, I was amazed to find 2 sealed Ink cubes (gold & silver) 2 pots of embossing powder (also gold & silver) and a pack of 12 small rubber stamps (of which only 2 have been inked up). The princely sum for this bag was just 50p!!!!!!!!!!
• Ribbon - is white satin edged organza ribbon from my stash, which I recoloured using my Spectrum Noir Pen in shade JG6 before tying it in a bow.




I think that maybe my printer needs an ink refill, the camera isn't playing ball or that the light was just rubbish on the day that I photographed this card ... I'm sorry, but these pictures just don't do the card justice :o(
 

My Incy Wincy team-mates and Saumya (this month's Guest Designer) have got plenty of further inspiration for you, so do pop over and check out their creations for Anything Goes! Don't forget to come back and share your creations with us - you've got until Sunday 14th October 2012 to link your cards up.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges, with a little help from the girls at Feline Playful:

• DYSU #92 - Warm Colours at Do You Stack Up
• October Monthly Challenge - Fall at Great Impressions Stamps
• Fall/Halloween Project at Scrappy Frogs
• Challenge #184 - Photo Inspiration at Stamptacular Sunday
• Challenge #43 - Autumn Colours at Card Crafter's Circle
• Fall is Here at Card Makin' Mamas
• R#92 - Lots of Leaves at Crafts 4 Eternity
• Challenge #153 - Autumn at Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge
• Autumn Leaves at Emergency Crafters
• Challenge #23 Autumn/Fall at Simply Create Too

I hope that you have a great week!

Hugs, Helen x

Give an "Inchie"

Good morning my fellow crafters and I hope you are well today.

The last fortnight has disappeared rather rapidly again, and there's a new new challenge starting today at Lexi's Creations. Our challenge for you this time is For a Friend.

Our sponsor for this challenge is the lovely Lexi from Fairy Dust Crafts who is offering our lucky winner 5 digital images from her store (you should pop over there and see the other goodies she has and, if you spend over £10.00 she offers free postage and packing too!). Lexi has, as usual, given us our free choice of image for this challenge. Here is the card I've made:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - made from Centura Pearl in Dark Chocolate  cut and folded to a 10.5cm square card.
• Backing Paper - is cream with a pearlised sheen to it. I got mine in a multi-pack of different papers and card.
• Image - This gorgeous scene is called  Butterflies and it is one of the talented Lexi's (Fairy Dust Crafts) creations - pop over to Lexi's store by clicking on the link ... I can assure you that you won't be disappointed! After colouring in the image, I cut it into 9 inch squares, and then distressed the edges of these using brown chalk and a damp cotton bud. I deliberately keep my colour scheme muted and used my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours:
• Flower - GB3, GB4, GB5, CG4
• Butterflies - CR11, GB5, EB7
• Grass - CG1, CG2
• Sky - Light Blue Chalk
• Outline - BG1
• Sentiment Tickets - from The Crafty Pad Designs. You can get Fabulous Friend  by clicking here. On the other ticket, I took the image into my word processing package. I then hid the original wording by covering it with a white text box and generated the Get Well Soon  message myself. I hope Debbie doesn't mind that I tweaked one of her tickets!

Head on over to Lexi's Creations and see what my creative team-mates have created For a Friend and then come back and share your creation with us! You've got until Saturday 21st July 2012 to link your cards up.

With a little help from the girls at Feline Playful I would like to enter this card for the following challenges:

• Challenge 28 - Friend at Aud Sentiments
• Challenge #16 - Anything Goes at Chocolate, Coffee and Cards
• Challenge 224 - Gardener's World at Cute Card Thursday
• Challenge #2 - Get Well Soon at Chalk 'n' Stock
• Challenge #4 - Winged Things at Fashionista Challenge
• Summertime at Incy Wincy Designs
• Challenge #34 - A Card for Someone Special at Addicted To Stamps
• Let's Keep It Clean and Simple at Just Some Lines
• PPA138 - A Colour Challenge (Daffodil Delight, Early Espresso & Cherry Cobbler) at Pals Paper Arts
• July Monthly Challenge - Inchies at Card Making World

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