Summer Colour

Good afternoon Crafty Friends!

I hope this post finds you and yours keeping well and safe. Here at Casa Mia we are coping well with the "Lockdown" situation that the UK has found itself in since 23rd March. I have been working 2 days a week in the office (with proper social distancing) and my remaining 2 workdays have been spent at my new desk, the dining table at home! We are also enjoying some great family time in our allocated exercise slot each day and have had fun exploring our village and spotting rainbows that residents have put up in their windows. 

With it being the 15th of the month, it's time for our new challenge at All Dressed Up Challenges . As usual, our challenge is Anything Goes with an All Dressed Up Image. Not got any All Dressed Up images? Wendy has plenty of gorgeous images available in the All Dressed Up Etsy Store and has also very generously provided some freebies here - please send your friends over to ADU for the freebies though, to make sure they're available for other crafters to share!

It was my Mother-in-Law's Birthday yesterday, so what better reason to colour up one of Wendy's gorgeous images. I had a bit of a challenge making this card, as Papa Mia is working from home and has set up his work zone in my craft space (a.k.a. our study). So I'm stuck as to what crafty bits I can actually get to, in order to create. So, I am not especially happy with the layout of this card but I am super pleased with the colouring.

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card base - is a pre-made A5 card base in white card which I have embossed with a geometric circles embossing folder. I then swiped a pad dabbed with Vintage Photo Distress Ink over the embossing to give a bit more detail.
• 
  Image is the beautiful Hanging Basket by Wendy Burns, the artist behind All Dressed Up Digital Stamps. I have brought this image to life using my Copic Alcohol Markers and following one of my Kit and Clowder Monthly Bonus classes (the Vintage Bicycle Class from February 2019) before cutting the image out with my largest Sizzix Framelits Oval Die. Alyce (the art guru behind K&C) always says you can apply the techniques from the classes to any image, not just the one that the class is set on ... well, this just proves her point. And if you haven't tried any of Alyce's classes why not try now, whilst we are in these strange times - mention my name and Alyce will reduce the price of your class by $5AUS!

So, that's my very simple card for you today. However, if you head over to the All Dressed Up Challenges Blog you will be able to see the stunning inspiration from my very talented teamies. And don't forget to then come back an show us your creations - it's always Anything Goes with an All Dressed Image, for your chance to win some of Wendy's images. Our lucky winner is picked at random, and our Dressy Girls choose their Top 3.

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

• Challenge #180 - Use a Die at CAS on Friday
• Challenge #506 - Anything Goes with Optional Twist - Outdoors at Crafty Catz Challenge
• Challenge #160 - Use Flowers at Simply Create Too Challenge
• May Challenge 118 - Flowers at Moving Along With The Times
• May 2020 Challenge - Create a Custom Background, Do Not Use Designer Papers at A Place to Start
• May Challenge - Say It With Flowers at Stamping Sensations
• Challenge #27 - Flower Power at Digi Doodle Studios Challenge
• HLS May - Anything Goes with Dies Challenge at Happy Little Stampers
• Challenge 135 - Flowers at Crafty Friends Challenge

I hope that you and your families stay safe during these difficult times and, if your family has been unfortunate to suffer from Covid-19 then my thought are with you.

Crafty Hugs,

Helen x

Happy Easter!

Good morning crafty friends and a belated Happy Easter to you and yours! If you're in the UK, I hope you're enjoying the Bank Holiday weekend.


It's new challenge time over at Incy Wincy Designs and we're celebrating the fact that Spring is springing (can't say it's exactly sprung!) in the Northern Hemisphere as our topic for you to follow this time is Nature and it's Beauty.


We have two amazing sponsors for you this time.

The first is Naz and her team from Sasayaki Glitter who are offering our first lucky winner 2 Digital Images from her store. And if you head over to the Facebook Group Naz is offering a free image (for 24 hours only starting on 1st April 2018) for the April Progressive Challenge which would be perfect to enter in our challenge!

The second is Alyce from Kit and Clowder who are offering 3 lucky winners a $10AUS vouchers towards a class at Kit and Clowder!! Go and check out the website, where there are even a couple of FREE classes for you to try. The paid for "technique" classes come with individual feedback via the classroom and the Facebook Group has 1000's of members willing to help you  - as well as Alyce (the mastermind behind Kit and Clowder). If you haven't seen Kit and Clowder before, then pop on over ... but be sure to tell them that Incy Wincy Designs and I sent you 😊

Naz has been kind enough to supply the DT with some images to use, but my card features one of the images from the Kit and Clowder Elements of Nature Class, which was perfect for turning into an Easter card:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card base - is Kraft card which I have cut, scored and folded to make a 5¼ inch square card.
• Design Paper - comes from a kit called Owl Always Love Spring from the now sadly closed
  
  Summertime Designs. I have digitally overlaid 3 brown cords from the same kit over the green dotty paper to co-ordinate with the kraft card.
• Image - is this gorgeous Daffodil which is one of the exercises in the Kit and Clowder Elements of Nature Class. I have brought this flower to life using my Spectrum Noir Markers in the class colours using the class instruction book (there is also a video to colour along with too!) before die cutting it using one of the dies in my Die'sire Nouveau Stamping Frame set.
• Sentiment - is from a set called Special Occasion Stamps which was a magazine freebie some time ago. I have stamped this onto a banner shape I cut from an oddment of Kraft card using Gathered Twigs Distress Ink

I hope I have inspired you to  join our Nature and it's Beauty challenge at Incy Wincy Designs, but if you are in need of further inspiration, please head over to the blog and see the other gorgeous creations from my very talented teamies. Then come back and show us your projects!

And if I've inspired you to sign up to a class at Kit and Clowder then do please mention my name in the Referral Box, as you will get a rebate of $5AUS on your new class purchase 😁 and that can't be bad!!!!!!

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

• Week #507 - Pick any sketch from 215 to 506 at Sketch Saturday - I've used Sketch #322 from way back in 2014 as the inspiration for my card
• Challenge #200 - Easter or Spring Sentiment at Aud Sentiments
• Challenge #332 - Use a Digital Image at The Paper Shelter
• Challenge #129 - Easter at CAS on Friday
• Do Something Digi Challenge at Daring Cardmakers - I have digitally layered the 3 cords over my DP which is digitally resized. My image is also a digi.
• KBD Aloha Friday Challenge #115 - Spring at Kitty Bee Designs
• Spring Flowers Challenge at Di's Digi Designs Challenge
• Wild Card Week Challenge #434 - CAS at Just Us Girls
• Challenge #276 - Spring or Easter at Brown Sugar Challenge
• Challenge #387 - Easter at Fab 'n' Funky Challenges

That's it from me today - once again I wish you and yours a very Happy and Joyous Easter!

Crafty hugs,

Helen x

Up and away!

Good morning crafty friends - hope this post finds you well.

My poor little blog has been much neglected of late - although I've been creating for my DTs, those creations haven't made it on here 😧 and I'm aiming to change that now, and try to post all those creations I have made over the last couple of months!

This week saw the start of a new challenge over at Incy Wincy Designs and this time our challenge for you is Clean and Simple. Right up my street then, but may be more of a challenge for others 😉

We have two amazing sponsors for you this time.

Our first sponsor is the team at Sticker You who are offering our first lucky winner a $30USD Gift Certificate, and the good news is that you can use this on postage too!!!!!!






Our second sponsor is Maryanne who is the artist behind Createful Heart Digis, and she is offering our second lucky prize winner the 3 images that we have been lucky enough to showcase this time.







So, without further ado, here is my card for you:

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, I figured that I would need a card for Papa Mia and, given that we're not a particularly "slushy" couple, these little hedgies fit the bill just perfectly!

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card base - is Kraft Cardstock which I have cut, scored and folded to make a 12cm square card
  
• Image - is Up, Up and Away! by Maryanne at Createful Heart Digis which I brought to life using my Spectrum Noir Markers in the listed colours before cutting it out as a 12cm high panel to go on the outside edge of my card
• Balloons- PP3, CR2, PP5, CR6, DR5, DR7
• Hedgehogs - TN2, TN3, TN4, TN5, TN7  I used the December 2017 Kit and Clowder Marker's Class (which featured some cute furry mice) as the basis for colouring my hedgies, but I think I might have been a bit heavy handed with my pen flicks! 
• Sky/Clouds - Pale Blue Craf-T Decorating Chalk and a cloud template from my blogging buddy Annette. If you head over there, please be sure to let her know that you came from my blog won't you?
• Sentiment - came with my Crafter's Companion 2016 Advent Calendar and I die cut it twice; once out of red mirri card and a further one from plain black card to act as a shadow.

So there you go, my very clean and simple card to inspire you! 

I hope I have encouraged you to play along with us at Incy Wincy Designs this time but if you're in need of further inspiration, please do head over to the blog and check out the wonderful creations by my amazing teamies. Then come back and show us your Clean and Simple creation!

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

• February Competition - Love, Hearts, Valentine's at I'm a Crafter's Companion Facebook Page
• Challenge #275 - Valentine's Day at Brown Sugar Challenge
• Challenge #126 - Dies at CAS on Friday
• Challenge #143 - Love is in the Air at Pattie's Creations
• "I Heart You" Challenge at That's Crafty! Challenge
• Challenge #196 - Valentine or Love Sentiment at Aud Sentiments
• Challenge 64 - Love (St. Valentine's, Wedding, Engagement etc.) at Moving Along With The Times
• February Challenge - A Project for a Loved One at Sasayaki Glitter Challenge

Hugs,
Helen x 

I love Vintage

Good afternoon friends and I hope that this post finds you and yours well. How are you doing with any crafty resolutions you made? I'm not doing too well at the moment as I've been covering extra hours at work. However, my new job-share colleague started last week so I'm hoping that things will settle down in a few weeks, and I'll get some precious crafty time back!

It's new challenge time at All Dressed Up and, as usual, it's Anything Goes with an All Dressed Up Image. Wendy has plenty of gorgeous images available in the All Dressed Up Esty Store but if pennies are really tight, and let's face it, there are still 2 weeks to go until pay day (😉!) , Wendy has very generously provided some freebies here - please make sure you adhere to the terms of use if you're saving these though, to make sure they're available for other crafters too. Thank you!

So without further ado, here is my card for your inspiration:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card base - is a premade A5 card in white cardstock 
• Paper - is from a pad called Floral Fantasy by Lousie Tiler which was a cover gift on the March 2013 edition of Cardmaking and Papercraft magazine. I've used this pretty rose and butterfly paper with a gorgeous vintage colour scheme which I absolutely LOVE and which goes very well with my new SN pens in the Vintage set!
  
• Image - is of course by Wendy at All Dressed Up Digital Stamps and this gorgeous girlie is is Little Autumn Girl-01 from the Three Little Autumn Girls set - I had fully intended making 3 cards, using each girl from the set, but time just beat me to it! I have brought this cutie to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the listed colours before cutting her out and mounting her onto my card with a sliver of black cardstock behind her.
• Skin - FS2, FS3, FS4, TN4, FS8 (Blush)
• Hair - RB1, RB2, RB3, RB4 (from the new Nature 24 pen set)
• Top - PV1, PV2, PV3, PV4 (from the new Vintage 24 pen set)
• Scarf & Shorts - VB1, VB2, VB3 (from the new Vintage 24 pen set)
• Bag - PV1, PV2, PV3, PV4, VB1, VB2, VB3, BG4
• Boots - BG2, BG4, BG6
• Outline & Shadows - BGR1
• Sentiment - is from my  "go to" set, Swirly String Sentiment Set by Lili of the Valley which I have inked in Memento Black directly onto my image panel. Sadly, these sentiments are no longer available as stamps, but they are available as digis.

I hope that I have inspired you to come along and join in with our challenge but if you are in need of any further inspiration, please do head over to the challenge blog and check out the other wonderful creations by my oh-so-talented teamies. Then come back and show us your projects With an All Dressed Up Image. This challenge ends on 14th February, and we'll be back with our next challenge on 15th February 2017.

Don't forget that the Facebook Dressy Girls have another challenge for you which runs until the end of January ... their theme this month is Magical World.

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

• Challenge #270 at Freshly Made Sketches - great sketch ladies, thank you!
• Challenge #88 - Thank You! at Sparkles Monthly Challenge
• Challenge#171 - Anything Goes plus a Sentiment at Aud Sentiments
• Challenge #226 - Clean and Simple at QKR Stampede

Hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Hugs,

Helen x

The Christmas Tree Fairy

Good afternoon my crafty buddies and we're into our first December weekend - eeeek!!!!!

I must confess that I shared this cutie on Facebook yesterday, but didn't get a chance to blog her as I was on transportation duties for the Bambinos. 

The gorgeous girlie on this card was "behind" the first door in the Kit and Clowder Facebook Group Annual Advent Calendar and our very own "Dressy Artist" Wendy Burns was sponsoring this door and this cutie was the freebie on offer for Day 1. The Dressy Girls were asked to share their inspiration using her with the K&C Facebook Group and also the All Dressed Up Facebook Group.

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card Base - Black card which has been cut, scored and folded to make a 17 x 10 cm (approx) card
• Image - is Christmas Tree Fairy available from the All Dressed Up Esty Store and she has been created by Wendy, the artist behind ADU. I have coloured this cutie in monochrome using a free technique class which Alyce Keegan (the maestro behind Kit and Clowder) gave as a bonus to all members of the November Markers Colouring Class - you can still join this class up to 14th December, so if you fancy having a go at monochrome, why not sign up to the classes? I used my Spectrum Noir Markers together with my Blender Pen and my Spectrum Noir Clear Sparkle Pen

Here's a closer look:

I hope that you'll head over to the All Dressed Up Store and treat yourself to this cutie, even though she is no longer free. Don't forget to the share your creations using her over at All Dressed Up Challenges where it's always Anything Goes with an All Dressed Up Image (our current challenge ends on 14th December) and/or the All Dressed Up Monthly Facebook Challenge with an All Dressed Up image and the new theme for the month of December is "Sparkle".

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

• December Challenge - Anything Goes with the Bonus Theme of Clean and Simple at Spectrum Noir Facebook Monthly Challenge

Hope you have a fabulous weekend!

Hugs, Helen x

Snow fun!

Well, hello again friends! As promised earlier, here's another missive from me!

This time I'm bringing you the newest challenge from All Dressed Up and, as usual, our theme is Anything Goes with an All Dressed Up Image. 

Don't have any ADU images? Don't panic, you can find plenty in Wendy's Esty Shop and there are even a few freebies over on the Blog so you can "try before you buy" 😉!!!! Our Random Winner of this challenge gets 3 of Wendy's gorgeous images to play with, the DT will be choosing their Top 3 and you could even be in the running to be a future Guest Designer with us!

Wendy has once again let all the DT girls loose in the shop and choose their own image to play with, and here's my inspiration card for you:

I wanted to create a Christmas card for one of my brothers and his family, but good old Mr Mojo pulled a flanker on me and decided to throw a sickie at creation time. I really was unsure as to how this card would turn out, but I'm actually pretty chuffed with it!

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card base - is black card stock which has been cut, scored and folded to make a 19cm x 10cm card base
  
• Image - is of course by Wendy at All Dressed Up Stamps and these cuties are called Christmas Penguins (this link will take you straight to them in the store 😊!). I have brought this slipping, sliding trio to life using my Spectrum Noir Markers in the listed colours before cutting my card to an 18cm x 9cm rectangle and doodling a border around the edge with my silver gel pen.
• Fur - IG3, IG5, IG7, IG9
• Beaks & Flippers - FS5, CR1, OR3, TN4, TN8
• Large Penguin's Hat & Scarf - TB2, TB3, Silver Gel Pen
• Middle Penguin's Hat & Scarf - GT1, GT2
• Small Penguin's Ear Muffs & Scarf - HB1, HB2, Silver Gel Pen
• Snow - IG1, IG2, Spectrum Noir Clear Sparkle Pen

I hope I've inspired you to come over to the All Dressed Up Blog and play along with us in our Anything Goes with an All Dressed Up Image this month, but if you're in need of further inspiration please go over there and check out the other wonderful creations by my very talented teamies! This challenge will end on 14th December 2016.

Don't forget the Facebook Dressy Girls have their own challenge of Celebrations running until 30th November 2016. So have a look at Wendy's New Release as any of these images would be perfect to use  - why not combine your entries to both challenges for more chances of winning 😉!!!!!!

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

• Challenge #2 - All That Glitters at Daisy Chain Challenge

I hope you have a wonderful evening - take care!

Hugs, Helen x

There's Magic in the Air!

Good evening crafty friends!

Hope everyone is well. Phew, we've made it - half term beckons, so it's a week off from the alarm clock! :oD If you've already had half term in your area, sorry :o( !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's New Release Inspiration time at All Dressed Up and Wendy has drawn 4 super-cute digis that are perfect for October crafting - you may have already seen the first New Release Inspiration post (click here if you haven't as you don't want to miss the wonderful creations by half the Blog DT!) and now it's time for the other half of the Blog DT to have fun with these images:

Top left is Double the Trouble, top right is Have a Magical Evening, bottom left is Little Birdie and bottom right is Monsterific and if you click on each image name you will taken straight to that image in the shop!

I've been working with Have a Magical Evening and here's my card:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card base - is black cardstock which has been cut, scored and folded to make a DL cardbase
• Design Paper - is by Summer at the now closed Summertime Designs. This paper comes from Summer's digital kit Happy Halloween and is called Web Paper
  
• Image - is the super cute witch Have a Magical Evening drawn by Wendy at All Dressed Up Digital Stamps. I've brought this swinging witch to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the listed colours before adding a dash of white glitter to the moon and stars:
• Skin - FS2, FS3, FS4, TN4, FS8 (Blush)
• Hair - IG1, IG2, IG3, CR1, OR3, TN4
• Hat - FS5, CR1, OR3, TN4, TN8, IG3, IG5, IG7, IG9
• Dress and Boots - IG3, IG5, IG7, IG9
• Underskirt and Stockings - FS5, CR1, OR3, TN4, TN8
• Moon - IG1, IG2, IG3
• Outline - IG1, IG2
• Black Ribbon - from my stash

I hope I've inspired you to head over to the Esty Store and pop this cutie in your basket, but if you're in need of further inspiration please head over to the Blog and check out the other beautiful creations by my clever teamies.

Don't forget that we have our Anything Goes with an All Dressed Up Image Challenge on the blog until 14th November 2016 and the Facebook Dressie Girls are hosting their Halloween/Autumn challenge until 31st October 2016.

I've been inspired by and would like to enter the following challenge:

• Sketch #374 at Tuesday Morning Sketches - I have flipped the sketch so my image and bow are on the opposite sides to yours!
• Halloween Colours at Spectrum Noir Facebook Page

I would also like to enter the following challenges:

• October Challenge - Halloween at Crafty Calendar Challenge
• Halloween at Di's Digi Designs Challenge
• Challenge #120 - Black + One other Colour at Inkspiration Challenges
• Aloha Friday Challenge #83 - Halloween at Kitty Bee Designs
• Challenge #151 - Orange you glad it's Autumn (with ribbon) at Really Reasonable Ribbon
• Halloween at The Stamping Boutique Challenge
• Challenge #448 - Halloween at Cute Card Thursday
• Challenge #269 - Halloween at The Paper Shelter

Hope you have a great weekend!

Hugs, Helen x

Fairy Magic

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

Good evening blogging buddies, and here's my second post of the day as promised earlier!




It's new challenge time at All Dressed Up and as usual our theme is Anything Goes with an All Dressed Up Image. Don't have any ADU images? Don't panic, you can find plenty in Wendy's Esty Shop and there are even a few freebies over on the Blog so you can "try before you buy" ;o) Our Random Winner of this challenge gets 3 of Wendy's gorgeous images to play with, and the DT will be choosing their Top 3!






Wendy has very kindly let all the DT girls choose their own image to play with, so here's my inspiration card for you:

I've deliberately kept this card very CAS as it's for my Great Niece who will be 4 next week - I didn't want to chance any small embellishments falling off!

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card Base - is a pre-made 12.5cm square card base in cream
• Design Paper & Ribbon Slider - come from the long since retired Strawberry Kisses Papercrafting CD-Rom by Crafter's Companion. They are part of a "card companion" design where you get co-ordinating papers, tags, embellishments etc. All you need to do is cut them out and assemble :o)! I rescaled these in my word processing programme, so they fitted onto my card base nicely.
  
• Image - is the gorgeous Fairy Magic by Wendy at All Dressed Up Digital Stamps and she comes with this pretty scene of butterflies and sentiment around her. All I had to do was bring her life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the listed colours, before cutting her out and mounting her onto my card.
• Skin - FS2, FS3, FS4, TN4, FS8 (Blush)
• Hair - CT1, CT4, GB3, GB7
• Dress & Hair Band - TB1, TB2, TB3
• Wings - TB1, TB3, Clear Spectrum Noir Sparkle Overlay
• Butterflies - CR7 applied to acetate and picked up with Blender Pen which was used like a brush to give a "watercolour" effect
• Outline- IG1
• Grounding - IG1, IG2

I hope I've inspired you to come over to the All Dressed Up Blog and play along with us this month, but if you're in need of further inspiration please go over there and check out the other wonderful creations by my very talented teamies! This challenge will end on 14th November 2016.

Don't forget the Facebook Dressy Girls have their own challenge of Autumn/Halloween running until 31st October 2016 - why not combine your entries for more chances of winning some of Wendy's pretty digis? Some of the newly released images would be perfect to create with ;o) !!!!!!!!

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

• Challenge #07 at Classic Design Team Open Challenge (Second Entry)
• October Challenge - Anything Goes with Patterned Papers at CraftyHazelnuts Patterned Paper Challenge
• Challenge #22 - Anything Digital Goes at Ants in my Digital Pantry (AKA Doodle Pantry)
• Week 40 - Anything Goes at Polkadoodles
• Challenge #148 - Anything Goes at Little Miss Muffet Challenges
• Anything Goes at Seize the Birthday
• Celebrations Cards 4 Kids at Send A Smile 4 Kids
• Week 30 - Anything Goes at The Pencil Case

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Hugs, Helen x

Frosty the Snowlady .....

Yup, I'm bursting into song again ... but I don't think my new title will beat the original! ;)

Good morning crafty friends and hope this post finds you fine and dandy. Well, the weather did it's usual thing for a Bank Holiday in the UK didn't it. On the plus side, Saturday and Sunday were fine and dry here so I got quite a bit of washing done and even managed to wash my car ... I won't be parking under a certain tree at the gym again! I'll leave that one to your imagination .... :oD !!!!!!!!!

Anyway, I'm a little late bringing you this post  as I got carried away over the weekend (apologies) as yesterday saw the start of our new challenge at Incy Wincy Designs and this one is right up my street as we're looking for your Clean and Simple creations.

This challenge is being kindly sponsored by Rick St Dennis who is offering a prize of 2 digital images to our lucky prize winner. Rick's Zibbet shop features his cute, fashion, whimsical and unusual images ... there's bound to be at least a couple of images there to suit everyone's tastes! 

Rick was kind enough to let each DT member choose an image to showcase for this challenge, so here's my card for you featuring one of Rick's images:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card base - is a pre-made A6 card base in white card. I've embossed the card base and coloured it whilst embossing by applying my pearlescent blue Brilliance ink pad to the screen printed side of my (now retired) Sheena Festive Embossing Folder "Ornamental Snowflake" before running the card sandwich through my machine.
  
• Image - is Mrs Frosty Digi Stamp by Rick St Dennis which I've coloured using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the listed colours (the artist shaded areas make it really easy to colour!), before die cutting it with my largest Die'sire Essentials Rectangles die. A slick of Clear Spectrum Noir Sparkle Pen gives a frosty feel to the scene.
• Snow - IG1, IG2, IG3
• Hat & Lacy Collar - IB1, IB2, IB3, BT9
• Rose - TN3, EB3, EB8, DG2, DG3
• Carrot - OR1, OR2
• "Arms" (Sticks) - TN3, EB3, EB8
• Sentiment - comes from a set which was included with the Winter 2014 edition of the Crafter's Inspiration Magazine which I stamped using the pearlescent blue Brilliance ink.

I hope that I have inspired you to keep it Clean and Simple and share your creations with us at Incy Wincy Designs this time. However, if you're in need of further inspiration, please head over to the blog and check out the other great projects by my teamies. We'll be back with our next challenge on Monday 16th May 2016.

Don't forget that we've still got a DT Call on - all the details are on this post. Ever wanted to join a Design Team but nervous of taking that first step? Don't worry, we are a very easy going but incredibly supportive team. Go on, drop us an email - YOU could be the very person we're looking for!

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

• I is for Ink at ABC Christmas Challenge
• Week #410 - Pick any Sketch (215-396) at Sketch Saturday - I've chosen Sketch #381 
• E is for Embossing at The Alphabet Challenge

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

• #302 - Bright Christmas at Fab 'n' Funky Challenges
• Challenge 105 - Snowmen at Chrimbo Crackers - hope that a Snowlady counts ;o)!
• Challenge 423 - No Patterned Papers at Cute Card Thursday
• Weather Related Challenge at StarStampz
• Challenge #83 - Stamp or Digi Only (Christmas Themed) at The Glory of Christmas
• CHNC Challenge 279 - Anything Goes as long as it's Christmas at Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge

Whatever you're up to this week, I hope you manage to squeeze in some crafty time! Take care.

Hugs, Helen x

Look out ... they're behind you!!!!!!!!

Hello friends, and a very warm welcome to my newest follower, Karen Lunagirl - hope you enjoy following my crafty journey.

Regular readers will be pleased to know that me and "the automatic car" returned to the garage safe and in one piece, and I have been reunited with my own car, which didn't need any work doing - phew!!!!! Mind you, I got took some stick from PapaMia when youngest Bambino blabbed about my efforts at getting "the automatic car" onto the drive yesterday :oD!!!!!! If you're intrigued, please read yesterday's post and all will be revealed ........

After my embarrassment at nearly forgetting my brothers' Birthdays on Monday, I thought I should do something about it and maybe have some masculine cards in stock. So when a challenge reminder popped up in my blog feed and it coincided with the launch of a Facebook Challenge too, I knew what I was going to do.

Ta daaaaaaaaaaa:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card base - is Centura Pearl Snow White Silver which I've cut, scored and folded to make a 10.5cm x 14.8cm card with the fold at the top.
• Embossed Strip - is a further piece of Centura Pearl Snow White Silver onto which I've embossed part of my Embossalicious Birthday Text folder, before sticking this onto my card base. 
  
• Image - is by Wendy at All Dressed Up and these fun monsters are freebies on the blog! They do have some text with them already, but I masked this out using my word processing programme before printing them, as I didn't want the text showing on this card. I have brought this wobbly trio to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the listed colours, before hand cutting them out and attaching them to my card with foam pads to make them stand out.
• Spider - TN3, EB3, EB8
• Middle Monster - LY3, GB4, GB7, TN4, TN3, EB3, EB8
• Bottom Monster - TB1, TB4, TB8, TB6, LY3, GB4, GB7, TN4
• Grounding - IG1, IG3
• Sentiment - is by Paulette at Create with TLC and I think this one might have been a freebie on her blog in April last year. Again, I've hand cut the sentiment out to the right size, and stuck it to my card with foam pads.

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

• Challenge #167 - The Double at CAS Colours and Sketches
• April Challenge - Animals or Insects at All Dressed Up Facebook Page I know that a spider is an insect, and I'm hoping that monsters will count as animals ;o)

I would also like to enter the following challenge:

• Challenge #52 - Anything Goes with an ADU image at All Dressed Up

That's about it from me today - the Bambinos and I are off to town to have lunch at the big blue & yellow Swedish store ... yum, yum plus no washing up!

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

Hugs, Helen x

And Pretty Flowers All In a Row!

Good morning friends and Happy St. David's Day to any of my friends who are Welsh! 

Wow! We're one sixth of the way through 2016 already - how's it been for you? 

It being the first of the month, it's new challenge time at Feeling Sketchy and I do hope you'll be able to find the time to join in the fun this fortnight as we've got a fab sketch and an even fabbier sponsor for you!

We're welcoming back everyone's favourite sponsor and that's Jodie and her team from Bugaboo Digital Stamps. Jodie is offering a prize to the lucky winner of this challenge :o)

Here's the sketch we'd like you to follow:

And here's my take on it:

I've gone for a one layer (yes, honestly!), clean and simple layout although you could "go to town" and really dress this sketch up!

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card base - is Neenah Solar White cardstock onto which I've directly printed my image layout across the width of the cardstock and have measured it carefully so that the card will fold to DL size once it has been coloured.
• Image - is 4 Square Floral by Jodie at Bugaboo Digital Stamps. This image comes in a 2 x 2 square layout, so I've done a bit of tweaking in my word processing programme to get the 3 flowers side by side in one row. There is also a sentiment square, but I've chosen not to use this on this card. To bring my Floral Squares to life, I have used my Spectrum Noir Pens in the listed colours:

• Left Flower - CR2, CR5, CR6, GB8, GB10, EB8
• Middle Flower -
• Right Flower - HB1, HB2, HB3
• Leaves - DG1, DG2, DG3
• Sentiment - came with the Sentiment Stamp Set which was one of the freebies with Crafter's Inspiration Magazine Issue 6, sadly no longer available. I have stamped this directly onto my card base using Silver Versacolour Ink
• Ivy Detailing - is another magazine freebie, this time from Cardmaking and Papercraft. After I had masked all the blocks with a square of "post it" pad, I used this ivy stamp with Bundled Sage Distress Ink to resemble the design in the sketch.
• Dashed Border - is another stamp which has been stamped with Bundled Sage Distress Ink. Sorry, I can't tell you much about this set other than I bought it at Hobbycraft many years ago and it contains about 6 different border stamps in it!

I hope I've inspired you to have a go at this sketch, but if you're in need of any more inspiration why don't you head over to Feeling Sketchy and see the other wonderful projects using this sketch by my very talented teamies! Then come back and show us your take on our sketch. We'll be back with our new challenge on 15th March 2016.

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

• Challenge #26 - Floral at Crafty Friends Challenge
• Challenge #316 - One Layer Only at My Time to Craft Challenge
• Challenge #14 - N is for New Blooms/Spring Flowers at The Pencil Case
• Aloha Friday Challenge #66 - In the Garden at Kitty Bee Designs
• Challenge #121 - Glitter / Bling at Addicted to Stamps Challenge
• Challenge #77 - One Layer Wonder at CAS on Sunday
• Challenge #46 - Flower Power at Dragonfly Journeys
• Colouring Showcase Feb 28th - Flowers at Lacy Sunshine Colouring Without Boundaries Challenge

Have a great day - take care!

Hugs, Helen x