A Jar of Love

Hello again friends!

This week seems a bit like "blog post fest", as my two DT's coincide with having new challenges launching!

This time, I'm sharing the new challenge at Incy Wincy Designs and this time we'd like to see your creations that say Get Well or With Sympathy. 

We're being sponsored this time by the lovely Tammy from A Day for Daisies, who is offering the random winner of this challenge a $12 Gift Certificate to the store. And even if you're not the lucky winner of this challenge do drop by the store as Tammy sometimes has some freebies on offer .... ;o) ! And there's always plenty of inspiration from the ADFD Design Team at A Day for Daisies Blog.

Tammy has also kind been enough to give each member of our DT their choice of image to showcase for this challenge, so here's my With Sympathy card, featuring an image from A Day for Daisies:

I don't know about you, but I always find sympathy cards the hardest to create and they take me a really long time. Maybe it's because I'm trying too hard to make something that's right for the occasion. I've kept this one really uncluttered and I shall keep it stashed safely so that the next time I need a sympathy card, I'll be able to send it straight away instead of being a day or two late whilst I create!

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card base - is Centura Pearl Snow White Silver which I've cut, scored and folded to make a 6 inch square card base. I've then embossed directly onto this using my Embossalicious Geometric Motif embossing folder, sadly no longer available from Crafter's Companion.
  
• Image - is Jar of Wild Poppies by Tammy at A Day for Daisies which I have brought to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the listed shades together with a tutorial from the Elements of Nature colouring class from Kit and Clowder before die cutting it with my largest Sizzix Framelits Scalloped Square Die.
• Poppies - CR6, CR11, DR5, DR7
• Stems - DG2, DG3, DG4
• Jar - IG1, IG3, IG5, CR11
• Sentiment - comes from a set by Kris at Imagine That Digi Stamp called Thoughts and Prayers Sentiments which I was lucky enough to win from their blog earlier this year. I've cut the sentiment into a fishtail banner, and then very lightly run my CR11 Spectrum Noir Pen around the edges of the banner for definition.

I hope I've inspired you to have a go at making either a Get Well or With Sympathy project. If you're in need of further inspiration, then do head over to Incy Wincy Designs and feast your eyes on the projects which have been made by my fabbie teamies. Then don't forget to come back and share your creations with us. This challenge ends on Saturday 3rd September 2016 and we'll be back on Monday 5th September 2016 with our next challenge.

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

• Challenge #44 - Mason Jars at Scribbles Designs
• Hip to be Square Card Challenge at Cards in Envy
• Challenge #50 - Keep it Simple at Paper Creator's Crafts
• L is for Love at Alphabet Challenge
• Challenge #327 - Embossing (Heat or Dry) at My Time to Craft
• Week 33 - Anything Goes at Digi Choosday

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

Hugs, Helen x

Having a Monster Day

Hi All!

I think my blog is going to be a bit like buses - you wait ages for one post, and then a "post fest" turns up!

I've been making a few cards for a colleague at school - he is running in the London Marathon next month raising funds for Breakthrough Breast Cancer, and as well as running he is doing other fund raising events. Yesterday evening he held a social at school: quiz, music from the Staff Band, a fish and chip supper (yummmmmmy!), an auction of promises and a raffle. I had offered a pack of cards to raffle and this was one of the cards I put into it.

I apologise for the poor quality of the photo - I took it late yesterday afternoon, by which time the natural light had gone, so I've had to lighten this a bit so you can see the details :o(

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base card - pre-made 14.7cm square card in white
  
• Embossing Folder - is a 6 inch Embossalicious folder by Crafter's Companion and it's called Geometric Motif. This folder came as a freebie with an order I placed last weekend, and I thought it was perfect for this card! I'm not sure if the folder is a new one or an old one ... either way I can't find it on the Crafter's Companion website, but there are plenty more there to tempt! ;o)
• Image - this cute furball is Monster Chris and he comes from the pen of Tammy at A Day for Daisies. I have brought Chris to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens and Spectrum Noir Pencils in the following colours, before cutting Chris out using the largest Die'sire Essentials Scalloped Circles die:
• Body - BT5, BT7, BT9 and 071 ... I made little 'c' shapes with my pencil to add "texture" to the fur
• Eyes - CG2
• Legs and Feet - TN7, TN8
• Outline - BT1
• Papers - are the "dotty" papers from a set called Lime and Chocolate Fusion which were a free download from docrafts. I cut narrow strips from the papers to make the cross and cut a pennant shape into the horizontal strip.
• Sentiment - is computer generated using the Word Art function in my word processing package. I've tried to use colours which match the chocolate, lime and turquoise dots in my papers.

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

• Challenge #117 - Add Polka Dots at A Day for Daisies Challenge
• Challenge #136 - Anything Goes at Addicted to Stamps Challenge
• Birthdays at Polkadoodles Challenge

That's it from me for today - hope you have a great weekend!

Hugs, Helen x

It's been a while .......... :o(

Hello there crafty friends! Hope you've had a fabby Christmas and are enjoying relaxing with your loved ones.

I'm sorry I haven't been around for months and months and months and months (think that probably covers it!) but life got super hectic and there just weren't enough hours in each day for the things I had to do, let alone crafting. Apologies to those DTs I let down in spectacular fashion; I'm a bad Mamma Mia :o( 

I haven't stopped crafting, just taken it at a more sedate pace and (to be honest) I wasn't even sure if my blog would still be here, but it is so I thought I might start by sharing one of my most recent creations:

This cute snowman image is by Tammy at A Day for Daisies (I think I've had it a while as I can't find it in the shop) which I coloured in using my Spectrum Noir Pencils before die cutting it with the largest circle from the Die'sire Essential Circles set. The papers are both from the Party Paws Christmas Papercrafting Collection CD-Rom which I have exported into my word processing programme and then digitally resized them to suit my project and edged with a blue border. The sentiment is by Paulette at Create with TLC.

Here's a close-up of the lovely snowman:

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

• Challenge #111 - Traditional Christmas Colours at A Day for Daisies

I hope to be back quite soon with another project to share. In the meantime, take care and happy crafting!

Hugs, Helen x

A Little Birdie Told Me .....

Hello friends .... yes, it's another mid-week post from me! Crafting forever, housework never!!!!! :o) Can you guess how I've been spending my days off this week, although I did manage 42 lengths in 35 minutes of swimming on Tuesday morning, and went to 2 studio classes yesterday morning!

I just thought I'd share a card with you that one of my friends commissioned me to make for her Mum for Mother's Day, which is on Sunday here in the UK. She asked me if the image could be of a cat and, luckily, I had just the right image in my stash (well, computer hard drive!). So here is the card I have made:

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 21cm x 12cm card.
• Mat and Layer Card - is lightweight card in pale green. On the bottom layer, I have used my Ribbon Heart Border Punch to make a decorative edge. On the layer behind the image I have die cut it using my largest Framelits Oval Die.
• Design Paper - is from the March edition of Cardmaking and Papercraft and is part of the Spring Florals collection, also downloadable here. 
• Image - this animal duo is called A Little Birdie Told Me and they come from the pen of Tammy at A Day for Daisies. I have brought this pair to life with my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following
  
  colours before die cutting the scene with my second largest Framelits Oval Die:
• Kitten - IG1, IG2, IG3, IG4, LV1
• Bird - TN1, TN2
• Flowers - LV1, DG2
• Grass - DG1, DG2
• Outline - IB1
• Background - Craf-T Chalk in Light Blue
• Sentiment - is by Paulette at Create with TLC and this was part of the May 2012 Club

I hope my friend likes this card, especially as I'm sharing it here before she's even seen it!

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

• Challenge #92 - Pretty Pastels at A Day for Daisies
• Challenge #206 - Mother's Day/For the Ladies at Craft Your Passion
• Challenge 228 - Mum at Totally Gorjuss
• Challenge 258 - It's a Girl Thing at Creative Inspirations
• Challenge #19 - For a Special Lady at Scrapper's Delights
• Challenge #64 - Anything Goes with Optional Twist of Birds of a Feather at 613 Avenue Create
• March Challenge - Animal Antics at Crafty Calendar

Hope you have a good rest of the week - I'm off for a bit more crafting :o)

Hugs, Helen x

Hey Cupcake!

Good Morning Friends and I hope you are well on this lovely Monday morning.

This post is scheduled as we at Casa Mia are back to school this morning after our well earned half term break! I don't know how I ever managed a job with 4½ weeks holiday a year, as I always seem to be looking forward to the next school holiday! :o)

Anyway, it's time for new challenge time at Incy Wincy Designs and this one should be easy peasy, lemon squeezy .... we're celebrating Birthdays! It doesn't matter whether it's for someone young or someone older, or whether it's girly or masculine ... get your card box topped up with us!!!!!

We're delighted to be welcoming 2 new sponsors this week, and they're both offering wonderful prizes.

Our first sponsor is Tammy and her team at A Day For Daisies. A Day For Daisies provides themed categories of over 3000 digital illustrations and a fast growing line of new clear polymer stamp sets, including fairy tales and magical mermaids, cutie kids, vintage illustrations, sentiments and lovely designs for all occasions! And Tammy is offering our first lucky prize winner a $12 Gift Certificate to her store.

Our second sponsor is Sandy at Scribbles Designs which is a world of Sandy's funky imagination and quirky characters. Sandy has loved art, drawing, water colouring and doodling for many years ... and with the digital image world she can now share it with all of you. Brrr (Penguin) was her first main character and her other quirky images followed not long after. And Sandy is offering our second lucky prize winner 3 digital images from her store.


Both of our sponsors have kindly offered the DT some images to use, and I have chosen this lovely image by Tammy at A Day For Daisies for this card:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card Base - is normal printer card in white which I have cut, scored, folded and stuck to make 5½" x 4¼" Criss Cross Pocket Card following this tutorial at Splitcoast Stampers. I've distressed all the edges with Craf-T Chalk in Light Brown, to lend a vintage air to my project.
• Design Paper - is from a set called Vintage by Craft with Helix, which I printed onto a further sheet of normal printer card to give some rigidity to this card base. I downloaded the set in May 2011 when I first started making cards (and was greedily devouring whatever supplies I could lay my hands on!) but a Google search has drawn a blank as to their availability now. Shame, because this is a nice set :o( I've tried to give these papers the glitz treatment by sweeping my Versamark Pen across the cherries and icing and added Holographic Embossing Powder before heating it.
• Image - this mouthwatering design is called Happy Birthday Tower and it comes from the pen of
  
  Tammy at A Day For Daisies. I've brought these beautiful cupcakes to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours before I die cut it using my second largest Framelits Oval Die:
• Cupcake Icing - DR1, DR6, Colourless Blender
• Cupcake Cases - IB1, IB3, Colourless Blender
• Decorations - JG1, DR3, DR4, GB5, PL5, LV2, Colourless Blender
• Stand - Silver Gel Pen
• Outline - BT1
• Insert - is digitally put together using another paper from the Vintage set, which I have sized in my word processing programme. I then set a white rectangle with curved edges over this, and then layered the sentiment, from Paulette at Create with TLC, over the top. Once I printed the sheet out, I used a corner rounder before using more Light Brown Craf-T Chalk to distress the edges.

I hope you'll come over to Incy Wincy Designs and see the other wonderful Birthday Cards designed by my teamies. Then come back and show us your creations celebrating Birthdays! - this challenge will end on Sunday 2nd March 2014.

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

• Challenge #25 - Die Cuts and/or Punches at Feeling Crafty Challenge - Second Entry
• Challenge #79 - Happy Birthday at Little Miss Muffet Challenges
• Girly Challenge at Milk Coffee
• February Colour Challenge at Catch The Bug Challenge

Hope you have a great week!

Hugs, Helen x