Sass-i-tude!!!!!

Good morning friends and I hope this post finds you well. Well after the wind, rain and hail this weekend, yesterday evening was dry and clear. I hope this is a precursor to some better weather .... but I'm not holding my breath! My heart goes out to anyone who's been wind or rain affected, and I hope you get sorted soon.

I've had a couple of weeks away from blogging as I hurt my neck and couldn't manage to stay in one position long enough to craft. However, all is well now so I'm back with the launch of the new challenge this morning at Incy Wincy Designs. I'm really looking forward to seeing your creations this week as we want you to go Sassy and Sexy.

We've got 2 amazing sponsors this week who have both offered a prize, so there'll be 2 happy crafters next Monday!

Our first sponsor is My Creative Classroom who are offering our first lucky winner a seat to a Workshop Class of their choice, and here is a little about them:

My Creative Classroom is an online arts and crafts learning center. Our interactive and in-depth courses are instructor led and filled with wonderful projects and techniques to help you get the most out of your supplies.  Our Spring 2014 Semester is under way and will offer well over 100 courses. Along with our Traditional Instructor-led Workshop Classes we have also added Self-Paced Workshops. We've recently added more classes to our Library, which offers retired classes at 40%-50% off regular price.

 We have opened our brand new challenge blog, My Creative Life 2014 , which will issue challenges to help us use all of our supplies this year. Along with that is the companion course with the same title, which is FREE to our newsletter subscribers. Come join in on the fun and test drive MCC.

We are excited to be sponsoring Incy Wincy Designs Challenge. You can view our entire class list on our website at My Creative Classroom. You can also view classes on our Facebook Page too! One lucky winner will receive a free seat to a Workshop class of their choice.....Good Luck!

Our second sponsor is Lindsay at Sassy Studio Designs who is offering our second lucky winner 4 Digital Images of their choice. Lindsay has also very kindly given the DT their choice of image to use for this challenge (Thanks Lindsay!) so if you're spoilt for choice, head over to Incy Wincy Designs and check out the inspiration from the DT.

Here is my card for you, featuring Bubble Gum Sassy:

I'm not sure about how sexy she is, but she sure is SASSY!

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - made from Centura Pearl in Ivory which I cut, scored and folded to make a 15cm square card. 
• Backing Paper - is from a set by Summer at Summertime Designs called Freedom. I've used a paper
  
  called Stars. 
• Heart Shape - is also from the Freedom kit and I've digitally layered it onto the paper
• Image - this girl with sass-itude is Bubble Gum Sassy by Lindsay at Sassy Studio Designs. I have brought her to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours:
• Skin - FS2, FS3, PP5
• Hair - GB8, GB10
• Top - DR5, DR7
• Trousers - EB1, EB2, Colourless Blender, TB3
• Sneakers - TB3
• Bubble - Craf-T Chalk in Pale Pink
• Outline - BT1, IG2
• Sentiment - is by Paulette at Create with TLC which was a freebie only a couple of weeks ago. When I saw it (knowing I had this image to use) I knew it would be totally perfect!
• Twine - from my stash wrapped around the card 3 times and tied in a handmade bow

I hope you'll come over to Incy Wincy Designs and be tempted to join us on this challenge sharing your Sassy and Sexy projects. This challenge will end on Sunday 16th February 2013.


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

• Challenge #193 - Katrina's Sketch at Sunday Sketch and Stamp - I've flipped the sketch so it suited the direction the image was facing and used a heart instead of the circular shape
• Include a Sentiment Challenge at Whoopsi Daisy Challenge
• Make it Girly at Come and Get It Challenges
• Challenge #27 - One Heart at Challenges and Candies Blog
• Challenge #20 - Showcase (and Explain) Your Favourite Style at As You Like It Challenge - OK, where to start on explaining my favourite style? 
• A square card base - check! 
• Digital Papers from a co-ordinating set, which means I can play with re-sizing, and layering papers/images to get my layout - check! 
• Coloured image, OK so I know my colouring isn't the best (still can't get a 'glossy look' to hair) but I have managed a lighter patch on this girl's trousers - check! 
• Minimal Embellishments, so they don't overpower either the image or papers - check! 
• Sentiment from my "Go To Sentiment Mistress" - check! 
• That must be my favourite style then .... not necessarily CAS but everything showcased to perfection - check! :o)

Have a crafty week!

Hugs, Helen x

Winter Wishes

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

Hello again friends!

It's new challenge time at Lexi's Creations and this one will ease you into the New Year gently as it is Anything Goes! 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 images:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card Base - is Centura Pearl Snow White with hint of Silver which I have cut, scored and folded to make a 15cm square card
• Design Papers - are from a kit called All Is Calm by Summer at Summertime Designs. My base layer
  
  is called Branches and Berries Paper, the next layer is called Blue Snowflake Paper and the top layer is Blue Brown Checkered Paper. I sized the papers using my word processing programme so that I was able to put a dark brown border around them to make a faux mat. Then I cut each layer out and mounted them onto each other. To add an extra bit of sparkle I highlighted all the visible red berries to make them a bit glossy and frosty by popping a blob of glue onto each one and then giving them a liberal dusting of White Glitter! You can just catch the glittery bits in the photo, and I think it makes the paper look like shop bought glittered papers.
• Image - is called Kiri and she comes from the pen of Lexi at Fairy Dust Crafts. This gorgeously glamourous girl was die cut using my second largest Framelits Fancy Labels die, before being brought to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens and Cra-T Chalks in the following colours before I gave all the "fur trims" a liberal coating of White Glitter:
• Skin - FS2, FS3, TB2, PP5
• Hair - GB8, GB10
• Parka - TB2, TB3, TN7
• Jeans - TB5, TB6
• Boots - TN7, TN8
• Background - Craf-T Chalk in Light Blue which I dotted with a cotton bud/q-tip
• Sentiment - is by Paulette at Create with TLC and this was a blog freebie in November 2013. I took this into my word processing package and recoloured it blue so it tied in with the rest of my card
• Gems - from my stash

I hope you'll come over to Lexi's Creations and see the other wonderful creations by my teamies, our regular Guest Silvi and our Special Guest Designer Caroline. Don't forget to come back and show us your wonderful creations - remember it's Anything Goes! This challenge will end on Saturday 18th January 2014.

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

• Challenge #76 - Sketch at Little Miss Muffet Challenge - I've added a row of gems just to give my design a bit more sparkle!:o)
• Challenge #18 - All that Glitters at Creative Knockouts
• Challenge 18 - Your Favourite Colour and Why at As You Like It Challenge - this cool blue colour is perfect for Winter Birthdays as it alludes to snowy and frosty weather ... quite unlike the wet and windy we're experiencing in the UK at the moment!
• Challenge #97 - Blue with Bling (Winter) at Love to Create Challenge
• Make It Girly at Whoopsi Daisy
• Challenge #69 - Layer Up! at Delicious Doodles

Whatever you're doing this week, have fun - if you're in the UK or in the weather affected parts of the US and Canada, please stay safe.

Catch you soon!

Hugs, Helen x

Wake Up and Smell the Coffee!

Good afternoon everyone and "Happy Hump Day"! We're over Wednesday lunchtime, which means it's downhill to the weekend ...... wheeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!

I know I don't usually do mid-week posts (unless I'm GDTing) but I'd been toying with this card in my mind. And then yesterday, a whole host of challenges popped up in my blog reader and crystallised my thoughts. So this morning I went for a run (OK, if you'd seen me it was more of a waddle ... and then I bumped into 2 students from school, waiting to be picked up to go to their college course; I was looking puce and sweating buckets! Heaven only knows how many sniggers and giggles I'll face tomorrow!) and then went to my yoga class. Came back at lunchtime, knuckled down ... and here's the result of this afternoon's labours:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - pre-made Kraft Card Blank in A6 size
• Design Papers - are from a kit called Comforts of Home by Summer at Summertime Designs.  (I think that's quite appropriate given the image and sentiment don't you!) The bottom layer is called Large Dots Paper and the top layer is called Red Chevron Paper. 
• Image - this lovely image was a digi freebie on The Alley Way Stamps Blog in November 2012
  
  (unfortunately it is no longer available) and I believe it was drawn by Alison Spelman - can't you just smell the coffee? I looks like it probably is now part of a stamp set called Breakfast Club. I die cut around the digi using an oval die before paper piecing it - my TOP TIP here is to make sure your scissors don't have any sticky residue on them which could wreck your fiddly cutting, give them a clean ... I find that a bit of cotton wool soaked in nail polish remover does the trick (and it doesn't involve rummaging in "himself's" shed for the white spirit either!!!!!) The bottom layer and handle are from Small Dots Paper (Comforts of Home kit), the band reminded me of a wrapper you get with a take-away coffee so I paper pieced this from a sheet of Kraft Card and then the heart shape was printed on Red Dots Paper (Comforts of Home kit) - once the heart was stuck on the other layers, I gave it a slick of Glossy Accents to highlight it. I finished the oval off by hand drawing some faux stitching in my metallic Bronze Gel Pen.
• Sentiment -  is by one of my favourite "sentimentalists" and that is Paulette from Create with TLC. This was a recent freebie on her blog ... thank you Paulette. I have put the sentiment into a speech bubble from the Speech Bubbles set, a freebie from Squigglefly. Again, this came under the spell of my trust metallic Bronze pen, and came out the other side with some faux stitching on!
• Ribbon Slider - is made from a length of satin ribbon in sage green and a faux button. This was made from 4 circles punched from Kraft card using my 1.5 cm circle punch which were stuck together, had 2 holes punched through and then slicked with glossy accents which was allowed to dry before threading my ribbon through.

So there you have it - and I'm quite pleased with this afternoon's work! Now I've just got to put the shopping away and cook tea, oh and hide the evidence of this afternoon's crafting session and pretend I've been doing housework :o) !!!!!!!!!

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

• Be Inspired #41 at The Alley Way Stamps
• Challenge #114 - Borrowed Sketch at Top Tip Tuesday - my TOP TIP is above 
• Challenge #73 - Seeing Dots at Little Miss Muffet Challenges
• Get Krafty - Use Kraft Cardstock at Ladybug Crafts Ink
• SFC4513 - Polka Dots at Squigglefly
• Challenge #188 - Add Some Doodling at Craft Your Passion
• #104 - Paper Piecing at Crafty Cardmakers
• Stitching - real or faux at Just Inspirational Challenges
• Challenge #65 - Stitching - real/faux at Crafting for All Seasons

Whatever you're doing this afternoon/evening, have fun!

Hugs, Helen x

Thank you for being my Friend!

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

Hello again friends and welcome to my second post of the day - this time it's for a new challenge at Lexi's Creations. I know our American friends are celebrating Thanksgiving, so Susan has set our challenge as being Thanks or Thanksgiving. If you don't celebrate Thanksgiving, you can make a card to say "Thanks" instead!

This week's sponsor is Priyanka from My Heart Pieces who is offering a prize of 3 digis to our lucky winner and the lovely Lexi from Fairy Dust Crafts has also let the DT loose in her store again!

Here is my Thank You card featuring one of Priyanka's images and one of Lexi's sentiments:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - made from Centura Pearl in Ivory, which I cut scored and folded to make a 15cm square card
• Design Papers - are from a kit called Thanks for Giving by Summer at Summertime Designs. The bottom layer is called Cranberry Dots Paper, the next layer is called Jeweled Floral Paper and the top layer is called Torn Green Paper. I have digitally layered these papers, adding a chestnut brown border to them as a faux mat.
  
• Image - this carefree cutie is called Cute Freebie and she comes from the pen of Priyanka at My Heart Pieces - at the time of writing this post (Sunday night) this freebie was still available... just click the link, and please remember to let Priyanka know you came from my blog. The swinging girl was cut out using the second largest Framelits Flowers Die before being brought to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens and Craf-T Chalks in the following colours:
• Girl - GB8, GB10, FS2, FS3, GB2, GB4, GB5, TH7, TN8
• Branch, Flowers, Foliage - OR1, OR2, OR3, DG2, DG4, TN8
• Swing - BGR3, GB4, GB5
• Outline - GG1
• Background - Chalks in Burnt Sienna and Dark Green
• Sentiment -  comes from the pen of Lexi at Fairy Dust Crafts and is a very thoughtful way to say "Thank You" to a friend. I also added a faux mat of a chestnut brown to this before cutting it out and fixing it to my card.

I hope you'll come over to Lexi's Creations and say Thanks or celebrate Thanksgiving with us and this week's Guest Designer Silvi - this challenge ends on Saturday 23/11/2013.

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

• PTT#145 - Thanksgiving / Thank You Notes at Party Time Tuesdays
• Challenge #55 - Autumn Splendor at Nutcrafters
• Midweek Papercraft Party 12 - Thank You or Thanksgiving at Handmade Harbour
• Stella Says Sketch Challenge #145 at Catch The Bug
• Challenge #36 - Friends at The Crafter's Cafe Challenge
• Challenge #93 - Feminine at Aud Sentiments
• CMM76 Thankful Tidings at Card Makin' Mamas

That's it from me today! Enjoy your Monday, and we'll catch up soon.

Hugs, Helen x

Away with the fishes ... ?

Good morning friends - hope you are well and stayed safe in last Monday's stormy weather.

The Half Term holidays have come (... and gone!), and I'm back to school today. Scary to think that the next time I'll get some time off is the Christmas Holidays. Eeeeeeeekkkkkkk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Eldest came home from New York safely on Friday - she had an amazing time but was absolutely pooped and slept for 14 hours that night! They only had a delay of an hour flying out which wasn't due to the weather at all, but a medical emergency who had be evacuated from the flight and "de-bagged". I think she's smitten with NYC, and would love to return.

It being a Monday morning, it's time for a new challenge time at Incy Wincy Designs, and this week our challenge is for you to use Ribbon, Twine or Fibres. Our sponsors this week are Lindsay and her lovely team from Sassy Studio Designs who are giving this week's lucky winner 4 Digital Images!



Lindsay has also kindly given us some images to "play with" this week (thank you!), and here is my card for you:

Hmmmmm ... this looks like another photo "di-sas-ter". Will get a better shot during daylight hours and post it!

My card recipe is follows:

• Base Card - is Centura Pearl in Ivory which I cut, scored and folded to make a 15cm square card.
• Design Papers - are from a kit called She Sells Sea Shells by Summer at Summertime Designs
• Image - this very surprised youngster is called Little Honeys - The Little Mermaid and she comes from the pen of Lindsay at Sassy Studio Designs. My Little Mermaid was brought to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the listed colours before being fussy cut:
• Hair - GB7,GB8,GB10, CR4, CR5, CR6 (I'm still not sure that I've got the 'light shine' in hair right, but I'll keep trying!)
• Skin - FS2, FS3, CR5, BT4
• Shell Bikini - CR5, CR6
• Fin - BT4, BT5, BT6
• Outline - BT1
• Shell - is an embellishment from the She Sells Sea Shells kit, which I fussy cut and then slicked on some Glossy Accents to make it stand out!
• Ribbon - white organdie with a Satin Trim from my stash

I hope you'll come over to Incy Wincy Designs and look at the other gorgeous creations by my team mates and this month's Guest Designer Sandy together with our Special Guest Designer Annette. Then don't forget to come back and show us your creations featuring Ribbon, Twine or Fibres!

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

• Challenge 14 - Case your Favourite Designer at As You Like It Challenges OK, this probably is not so much casing but more like stalking!!!! This designer's blog was one of the first I followed when I ventured into 'Blogland' and I am always totally blown away by her absolutely wonderful creations. I can only aspire to be able to create "gorgeousness" as well as she does, but now she has started making more C&S creations, I can at least attempt to be as creative as her! The designer I'm casing is ..... Annette 

Have a good week.

Hugs, Helen x

Attishoooo

Good morning friends and welcome to Monday. By the time this post goes live, I'll have been up for about 6 hours and will maybe have gone for an "early bird" swim too! The reason behind this? At the time of posting, eldest should be airbourne on her way west ... to New York City on a Geography Field Trip with school. We had to be at school at 4.45am - groans all round! Let's just hope that her flight doesn't get delayed.

Enough of the domestic notices! It's new challenge time at Lexi's Creations and this one is a great excuse to top up your "card boxes" as we'd like to see your creations for a Birthday Celebration.

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!"

As usual, Lexi has let us all loose in the store again (thanks Lexi) and here is my project featuring one of her cute images, using the current sketch at Bearly Mine Designs:

I'm sorry that this is a scan of my card - forgot to take a photo whilst it was daylight! Also, I've haven't put a sentiment on this card yet as I couldn't find one that said "One today" that I liked ... I shall have to keep looking on that front!

Anyway, my card recipe is follows:

• Base Card - made from Centura Pearl in Snow White, which I cut scored and folded to make a 15cm square card
• Design Papers - are from a kit called Patio Picnic by Summer at Summertime Designs
• Image - this very surprised youngster is called Ellie Blowing Bubbles and she comes from the pen of Lexi at Fairy Dust Crafts. Ellie was cut out using the second largest Framelits Scallop Squares Die before being brought to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens (I think some of my pens may be having a protest about not being used for a while as they don't seem to be blending very well!) in the following colours:
• Ellie - CG1, CG2, CG3, PP5, PP6
• Bow - DR1, DR2
• Bubbles - EB1
• Outline - CG1
• Sentiment -  none yet, but it will be for a First Birthday which my twin nieces will be celebrating in December
• Ribbon - white organdie with a Satin Trim from my stash

I hope you'll come over to Lexi's Creations and add to your stash of Birthday Celebration cards along with us and this week's Guest Designers Kate and Silvi - this challenge ends on Saturday 9/11/2013.

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

• Challenge #109 - Monthly Sketch Challenge at Bearly Mine Challenges
• Challenge #38 - Child's Birthday at Little Claire's Challenge

Hope you have a great week.

Hugs, Helen x

PS: I'll bring more photo's later today, I hope!

It's all in the Words

Hello again friends!

It's new challenge time at Lexi's Creations and this fortnight our challenge is for you to Focus on the Sentiment. No images this week and the sentiment has to be the main focus of your creation which can be anything card, gift, ATC, scrapbook layout etc. 

Our sponsor for this challenge is Priyanka from My Heart Pieces who is offering a prize of 3 digis to our lucky winner - here's a little about her: 

Hi I am Priyanka from India, I am a student here. I want to welcome you in my wonder land My Heart Pieces. This art world is for me a wonder land, because what I can imagine I can give shape only here. Like fairy, vampire is not happen in real life. I greatly appreciate it that you give your valuable time to see my digis. I always try to keep an extra touch on my every images so they can make a place in your heart and can directly touch their heart who receive your hand made gifts. So come and enjoy. My store have an Challenge Blog and freebies every Monday.  

The lovely Lexi from  Fairy Dust Crafts has once again let us loose in her on-line store where there is a real treasure trove of goodies, not just digi-images! Here is my card this week featuring some of Lexi's work:

I've made this card for a work colleague who (with her husband) will shortly come to the end of the very long process of adopting a 5 year old girl. I wanted to give them a card that was a bit of a grown-up way of celebrating the expansion into a family!

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - made from Centura Pearl in Snow White which I cut and scored to make a 10.5cm spring card. Haven't made one of these for ages and I'd forgotten how good they look!
• Design Paper - is by Summer at Summertime Designs and is from the Sweet Springtime kit. This gorgeous paper is called "Wild Flowers" and I love the varying shades of pink.
  
• Sentiment - is by Lexi at Fairy Dust Crafts and is called Sugar 'n' Spice. I printed this into an oval shape which I cut out, and then ink distressed the edge of the oval using a Papermania Capsule Collection Pigment Ink Pad in Red Hot. I then coated this with Holographic Embossing Powder before heating it to give the whole thing a bit of sparkle - unfortunately the ink didn't take up the embossing powder very well!
• Butterfly - is also by Lexi at Fairy Dust Crafts and this image is called DIY Butterfly. Perfect for this challenge as I paper pieced the image using the "Dark Pink Blossoms" paper from the Summertime Designs kit Sweet Springtime. I then dabbed my Versamark Ink Pad over the wings and liberally sprinkled them with Holographic Embossing Powder before heating it. Just check out the sparkle!!!!!!
  
• Pearls - are from my stash and coloured using my Spectrum Noir Pen in shade PP6
• Ribbon - surfaced from my craft things put aside for Guides but not used. It was a bumper bag of ribbon and cord offcuts priced 99p (!) I think from Hobbycraft.

I do hope you'll come over to Lexi's Creations during the next 2 weeks and see what my talented team-mates have made which Focus on the Sentiment. Don't forget to  come back and share your creations with us! You've got until Saturday 8th June to link your projects up.

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

• Challenge #215 - Bingo! at Creative Inspirations I'm claiming the top line of Pink, Pearls and Glitter
• Challenge #217 - Flutterby Butterfly at Dutch Dare Challenge
• Challenge #46 - Anything Goes with Ribbon at Crafty Ribbons

Hope you have a great day!

Hugs, Helen x

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

Easy on a Sunday Morning

Hi Friends!

I hope you're enjoying your Saturday - we've got blue sky, some 'cotton wool' clouds and it's a lovely day! I'd like to welcome Julie who is my newest follower - thanks for sharing this journey!


I want to share a card with you that I've made for my Dad's birthday tomorrow. It's OK - my Dad doesn't know about my blog, so I'm quite safe posting this up! :o)  I've used the current sketch at Tuesday Morning Sketches for my layout, only I've flipped the sketch.

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - is a pre-made A5 card blank in Kraft
• Design Papers - are all by Summer at Summertime Designs and they come from a kit called Fathers and Fedoras. The base layer is called Random Blue Paper, the banner is made from Stripes Paper, and the top layer of paper is called Grunge Paper.
• Image - this idyllic Sunday scene is a rubber stamp (I know, I can stamp too!!!!!!!!!) which I won a couple of years ago from Little Claire's Designs. It's called, not surprisingly Sunday Morning and this is only the second time it's been inked ... shame on me! I brought the image to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the listed colours before using the "out of the box" technique with the smallest rosette from the "nest" on the Ultimate Pro Embossing Board Springtime Sweets and Cupcake Treats to de-boss the shape around the scene. By de-bossing, I could see where the tool was, and knew just when to stop and then start again leaving the table legs, parts of the radio and the top of the cafetiere outside the shape.


• Radio - TB2, TB3, TB4, TB9, Silver Gel Pen
• Cafetiere - EB2, EB8, BT1, Silver Gel Pen
• Mug - EB1, EB2
• Table - TN3, TN4, TN5
• Book - DG1, DG2
• Sign - DG2
• Glasses - Silver Gel Pen
• Outline - GG1
• Sentiment Ticket - is by Debbie at The Crafty Pad Designs (available from Card Making Downloads). This ticket is called Happy Birthday Plain Style. I coloured it using my Spectrum Noir Pen in TB2 and Silver Gel Pen so it goes with main colours of the card and image.

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

• Challenge #206 - Kraft, White, Sky at Cupcake Inspirations
• Sketch #194 at Tuesday Morning Sketches
• Challenge #35 - For the Boys at Eureka Stamps
• Challenge #61 - For the Guys at Love to Create
• Challenge #53 at {PIN}spirational Challenges 
• Challenge #78 - For a Guy at Aud Sentiments
• Inspiration Challenge - Colour Palette at Crafter's Digital Art Center

I hope you have a great weekend, and I'll be back on Monday with my regular DT posts - see you then!

Hugs, Helen x

Is Spring Coming?

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

I was going to title this post "Spring is Coming", but as I sit here typing this post with yet another snow flurry hurtling past the window and hubby's new weather-station display advising that the outside temperature is a paltry 1.5 degrees Celsius here on the south coast of the UK, I can't believe that Spring will ever arrive! When I cast my mind back to this time last year I was wearing cropped trousers and sandals to work, and this year I'm still well and truly wrapped up in my winter woollies! :o)

Never mind, over at Incy Wincy Designs this week, we're going to try and take your mind off the chilly weather and think of warmer climes as our challenge for you this week is Pastel Colours. 

We've got not one, but two great prizes from our fabby sponsors for you this week. Our first lucky winner will receive a Goodie Bag from Iva Nova Chest and our second lucky winner will receive two digis from Saturated Canary.


Krista Smith (the artist behind Saturated Canary) also gave the DT their choice of image to showcase this week, and here is my card featuring one of Krista's gorgeous images:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - made from Centura Pearl in Snow White which I cut, scored and folded to make a 15cm square card.
• Design Papers - are from the Energy kit by Summer of Summertime Designs. The main paper is called "Plaid" and the banners are cut from the "Green Damask" paper.
• Image - is of course by the very talented Krista Smith from Saturated Canary. This gorgeous girl is called Springtime and I've brought her to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours:

• Skin - FS2, FS3, FS6
• Eyes - LV1
• Lips - CR4
• Hair - GB1, GB3
• Dress & Gloves - GB1, TN2, EB1, CR4, CR5
• Socks - CG1, CG2, PP1, PP3, TB2, TB3
• Leggings & Shoes - TB2, TB3
• Flowers - CT3, CR4, LV1
• Grass - CG2, Craf-T chalk in Lime Green
• Clouds - Craf-T chalk in Light Blue
• Outline - GG1
• Sentiment - is by Paulette from Create with TLC and was a freebie on her blog last year. I have cut this into a banner shape too, and then distressed the edges with Craf-T chalk in Pink. To save you doing the maths, 18,250 days makes someone 50, and this card is for my neighbour who is 50 today ... Happy Birthday to her!
• Flower and Gems - are from my stash

I hope you'll come over to Incy Wincy Designs and see the other wonderful creations from my team-mates and this month's Guest Designer Jackie. Then don't forget to come back and show us your creations featuring Pastel Colours. You've got until Sunday 31st March 2013 to join our challenge.

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

• JUGS #181 - Photo Inspiration Challenge at Just Us Girls
• Come Rain or Shine at Joanna Sheen
• Challenge #206 - Spring Colours at Creative Inspirations
• Easy as 1-2-3 Challenge at Crafter's Digital Art Center (1 Flower, 2 Design Papers, 3 Pieces of Bling)
• Challenge #35 - Bring on Spring at Chocolate, Coffee and Cards
• It's Springtime at Card Makin' Mamas
• Pretty Pastels at Jellypark Friends

I hope you have a great Monday!

Hugs, Helen x

Boot-iful!

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

Hello again friends - normal service is resumed with two blog posts in one day! Whoopeeeeeeeee!

Today sees the launch of our latest challenge at Lexi's Creations and this time Susan has set us the challenge of Monochromatic creations. 

Our wonderful sponsor for this challenge is our very own Lexi from  Fairy Dust Crafts who is giving this weeks winner the great prize of 5 digis from her online store. She's also kindly let the DT loose in the store, so here is my monochromatic creation.

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - made from Centura Pearl in Snow White, which I have cut, scored and folded to make a 15cm square card.
• Design Papers - are from a set by Summer at Summertime Designs called "Dryer Lint at Tiffanys".  I have digitally put the layout together with a faux mat (a border), so there is little bulk to my card - it also cuts down on the amount of paper and ink I'm getting through too! The base layer is called Medium Gray Stripes, the mid layer is called Light Gray Flourish and the top layer is called Dark Gray Dot.

• Image - is by Lexi at Fairy Dust Crafts  and is called  Vintage Boots. I brought them to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in  the following colours: 
• Boots - True Black, IG8, IG6, and IG4
• Pearl Buttons - EB1
• Outline - IG1
• Background - Craf-T chalk in Grey and Black. The jury in the house of Mia is still out on whether the background suits the image ... but it's too late to change it now!
• Sentiment - is of course by Paulette at Create with TLC. It's called Happy Birthday Flag and I think it was a freebie on her blog in August last year. This has to be one of my favourite and most used sentiments as it's perfect for this style of project!
• Pearls  - from my stash

We're delighted to be welcoming our newest DT member Rachel to the team, and life has settled down for Tracey Mo who is returning to join us - make sure you head over to them to give them a warm welcome! Then come over and join in the fun at Lexi's Creations with us, and check out the Monochromatic creations from the other DT girls and our talented Guest Designer Julie. This challenge is running until Saturday 2nd March 2013 so there's plenty of time for you to link up your projects.

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

• Challenge #20 - Happy Birthday at Broken Box Stock - 2nd Entry
• It's Birthday Time! at Card Makin' Mamas - 2nd Entry
• Black and White at Joanna Sheen

I hope you have a great week - it's half term here and it's a gorgeous sunny day, so I'm hoping to get out and about a bit this week. I'm also hoping that I'll get enough peace to get some crafting in too! :o) Whatever you're doing, have fun!

Hugs, Helen x