Mmmmmm ... Chocolate and Cream

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

Hello friends,

It's half term here at Casa Mia ... whoo hoo!!!! We've got a week of not-a-lot planned, well I'm hoping to get in a fair bit of crafting but we'll see what the minor folk at Casa Mia have planned for me :o) Hope you're all staying safe in the wind and rain. I'd also like to welcome my newest follower - thanks for joining the rest of us on our journey through my crafting.

It's new challenge time at Lexi's Creations and this one may challenge Mr Mojo as it's Monochrome. It doesn't have to be just black and white though; you can choose any colour scheme you like, as long as you only use shades of that colour.

Our wonderful sponsors for this challenge are the fabby team over at Joanna Sheen who are offering our lucky winner a £10 Gift Voucher to their on-line store. And with postage and packing free if you spend over £9 everyone's a winner if you buy in this Aladdin's cave! This is the last time that Joanna and her team will be sponsoring us for a while :o( - thanks for all your support ladies!


The lovely Lexi has once again let the DT loose in Fairy Dust Crafts (thanks Lexi!) and by the way, there's a sale on there so do go and have a look! Here is my card for you featuring one of Lexi's sweet images:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card Base - is Centura Pearl Ivory which I have cut, scored and folded to make a 15cm square card
• Design Papers - are from a collection called Chocolate Chip and Cream Delight by Debbie at The
  
  Crafty Pad Designs (available from Card Making Downloads). I have used 2 different papers from the set which I sized in my word processing programme and then put a chocolate brown border around them to give a faux mat.
• Image - is called Hot Chocolate Scruffles and he comes from the pen of Lexi at Fairy Dust Crafts. This cute, and messy!, dog was die cut using the largest Framelits Fancy Labels die, before being brought to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens (thank goodness my collection was completed with the arrival of my Darks pack last week!) in the following colours:
• Fur - EB3, EB4, EB5
• Marshmallows - EB1, EB2
• Cream - EB1, Colourless Blender
• Cup & Saucer - EB6 which I dotted to make a pattern, EB7, EB8
• Sentiment - is by Paulette at Create with TLC and this was a blog freebie in November 2011. I took this into my word processing package and put the same chocolate coloured border around it to make a faux mat
• Ribbon - a recent "grab bag" purchase (15 different ribbons, each 3 metres in length for £5) from Hobbycraft which I can't find, unfortunately, on their website :o(
• Gems - from my stash

If you're short of inspiration on this challenge, do come over to Lexi's Creations and see the other wonderful creations by my teamies, our regular Guest Designer Silvi and this week's special Guest Designer Janny. Don't forget to come back and show us your wonderful Monochromatic creations - this challenge will end on Saturday 1st March 2014.


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

• C is for Chocolate Creams at ABC Christmas Challenge I've gone for a cream & chocolate colour scheme AND a creamy hot chocolate image!!!!
• Challenge #194 - Marie's Sketch at Sunday Sketch and Stamp
• Challenge #25 - Dies and/or Punches at Feeling Crafty Challenge
• DPDC 43 - Any Digi Goes at Doodle Pantry

Hope you have a great week!
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

Fluttering by

Phew .... has anyone else got or had the latest cold bug, the one with the fevers for several days and a lasting, hacking cough? I'm sorry to say that the house of "Mia" needs a sign put on the door as we've all got it in some form or another. I have been so unwell that my crafty efforts over the last week have just gone straight into the bin once photographed .... I haven't been happy with my creations at all!

Anyway, a day later than it should be, here are the details of this fortnight's challenge over at Lexi's Creations where Susan is asking us to use our Dies or Punches. Now this sort of challenge always throws me a problem, as I still don't own a die cutting machine, and I only have a couple of punches (mainly snowflakes!). 

Our sponsor for this challenge are the fabby team over at Joanna Sheen who are offering this week's lucky winner a £10 voucher to their online store - thank you! The lovely Lexi from Fairy Dust Crafts has, as usual, let the DT loose in her on-line store too so we can raid the digis (!) and here is my card for you:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - is Centura Pearl in Ivory, onto which I've embossed the largest rosette shape from the "nest" on the Ultimate Pro Embossing Board Springtime Sweets and Cupcake Treats. Having cut this die-like shape out, I then scored and folded the card to make a Rocker Card.
• Image - is by Lexi from Fairy Dust Crafts and is called DIY Butterfly. I printed out 2 butterflies in slightly different sizes (and I flipped one for good measure too!) onto plain white card and then printed the butterflies out again onto digital paper swatches in lavender and vanilla - these were scans I took from a paper collection called Emma's Garden which was a magazine freebie last month. I carefully cut out the wing shapes and paper pieced them onto the white card, before adding a bit of bling to the bodies. Having teased the wings upwards, I fixed each butterfly to my cardstock using wet glue to the underside of the bodies to give some dimension to the card.
• Sentiment - is by Debbie at The Crafty Pad

Do come on over to Lexi's Creations and see how my talented teamies and our Guest Designer Edith have used their Dies and Punches. Don't forget to come back and share your creations with us! You've got until Saturday 13th April 2013 to link your cards up.

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

• Challenge #175 - Lavender, Buttercream and Vanilla at The Play Date Cafe
• Recipe Challenge - Anything You Choose (Paper Piecing), Bling and Cardstock at Catch the Bug
• Challenge #148 - Shaped Cards at Sentimental Sundays
• Monthly Challenge No.16 - Paper Piecing at Forever Friends
• Challenge 47 - Your Favourite Style at LEJ Designs - very simple, less is more is my style!
• Challenge #230 - Shaped Card at Everybody Art Challenge

Have a great week, and if you have 'the lurgy' I hope you feel better soon!

Hugs, Helen x

Not 50 Shades of Grey

Hello friends and hope you are well ... I am struggling with the third bout of a cold virus in 5 weeks. I am sooooo not impressed! Anyway, I would like to welcome my newest followers Andrea, Christy and Kym - hope you enjoy this crafting journey that we're all on.

Monday saw the launch of the latest challenge at Incy Wincy Designs. This week we are challenging you to use Pearls and Lace.

Our sponsor this week is the wonderful Krista from  Saturated Canary who will be giving this week's lucky winner a prize of 2 digis from her shop. Krista has kindy given each DT member their choice of image to showcase this week, and here is my card for your inspiration:

Wow, this card has taken me so far out of my comfort zone it has taken a long time to put it together (coupled with the fact that my head is totally fuzzy at the moment!) however, I do have to say that I'm rather pleased with the result.

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - made from Centura Pearl in Black, which I have cut, scored and folded to make a 15cm square card
•  Design Papers - are from the Black & White Delight Paper Pack by Debbie from The Crafty Pad Designs. Unfotunately Debbie's online store closed earlier this month, but you can still get her digis by going to Card Making Downloads and searching for The Crafty Pad Designs. The base layer is called Paper 4, onto which I've layered Paper 2 and I have used Paper 6 to make the Rolled Roses.
• Image - is called Double Take by Krista at Saturated Canary. Isn't she a total stunner? I wanted to use a very muted colour palette and try to imitate a net or tulle skirt, so I have brought this cutie to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens and chalks in the following colours:

• Hair - TN2,TN3, TN4
• Skin - FS2, FS3
• Eyes - GB8
• Lips - FS6
• Dress - IG1, IG2, IG4, Colourless Blender
• Background - Craf-T chalk in Flesh
• Sentiment - 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.
• Rolled Roses - made using  Paper 6 (from the Black & White Delight Paper Pack) and I then inserted a small pearl into the centre of each flower. This is the first time that I have made these, so do let me know what you think of them!
• Lace - from my stash

Do check out the Incy Wincy Designs blog and see the other gorgeous creations by my talented team-mates and this week's  wonderful Guest Designers, Sandra and our former teamie Annette. Then come back and show us your creations featuring Pearls and Lace. You've got until Sunday 3rd February 2013 to link your creations up.

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

• Challenge #2 - Becky's Bingo Grid at Inky Chicks - I claim the right hand column of Flowers, Lace and Pearls
• Something Girlie at Stampin' for the Weekend
• Fortnightly Challenge 54 - Use Ribbon or Lace at Forever Friends
• 3-2-1 at Joanna Sheen
• Challenge 94 - Lavishly Lucious Layers at Top Tip Tuesday

Hope the rest of week is good for you!

Hugs, Helen x

Make new friends and keep the old ...

... One is silver and the other gold.

This is one of my favourite vespers that I have sung around a campfire at many national and international Guide events and is a nice reminder that we can keep what we hold dear. You may wonder why this post has started in such a thought provoking way. Well, this morning I bring sad news.

Today is the launch of the final challenge at The Crafty Pad as our lovely "boss" Debbie has reached the difficult decision to close both The Crafty Pad Shop and the blog. Whilst everyone at The Crafty Pad Blog is sad that we're closing, this is the right path for Debbie to take at this time. The eagle-eyed amongst you will have realised that I normally post for The Crafty Pad every fortnight.   However for our final hurrah, Debbie and Leesa & Dawn (our wonderful DT Co-ordinators who keep us all on the straight and narrow) have said we can all come out to play ... whoo hoo!!!!!!!!!!! And our final challenge theme is perfect for the occasion ... Friendship, Keep In Touch and Goodbye!

Our sponsor for you this week is the the fabby team from Joanna Sheen who are offering this week's lucky winner a £10 voucher to their online store ... just in case Santa misses anything off your Christmas list!!!!!



Debbie (our lovely Crafty Pad boss) has let the DT loose in the store for one final time, and here is the card I've made for you this week using one of Debbie's gorgeous images, and a very apt sentiment:

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 called My Sister's Quilt 2  and it was one of goodies from Paulette's May 2012 Club at Create with TLC.
• Image - this beautiful scene is called Girl at Wishing Well by Debbie at The Crafty Pad. I hope that she's making a great wish as she tosses those 2 silver coins into the well! I've brought this sweetie to life using my Spectrum Noir pens in the following colours:
• Skin - FS2, FS3
• Hair - GB8, GB10
• Dress - LV1, LV2, LV3
• Shoes - True Black
• Wishing Well - EB1, EB2, TN7, TN8, DG2, DG4, BGR1, IG2, IG4
• Sky - Chalk in Light Blue
• Grass - Chalks in Green and Dark Green
• Sentiment - is also by Debbie at The Crafty Pad and it's perfect for this weeks theme. It is called Imprints Sentiment and to keep things simple, I have just drawn round the inside edge of the ticket with my silver gel pen.

• Metal Heart Embellishment - this is a great "cheat" and I made this following this Faux Metal Tutorial at Splitcoast Stampers. I used an offcut of Neenah Card, onto which I heated 4 layers of silver embossing powder, before imprinting this little heart stamp. The embossing powder and stamp came from a bargain 50p bag of stamping bits and pieces that I bought at my Church's Autumn Fete!

Now's the chance for you to grab your favourite Crafty Pad images whilst you can. Everything is on sale in The Crafty Pad Store at 25% off until 6th January 2013 ... so go and grab yourself a bargain or two!

Please do hop over to The Crafty Pad and see the gorgeous creations by the rest of Design Team and please leave all the girls some blog love for all the fabulous creations they've shared week in and week out. Then come back and show us your creations. You've got until 8pm (GMT) on Saturday 22nd December 2012 to link your cards up and we'll be announcing our final winner and Top 5 on Thursday 27th December.

I would just like to add a huge "Thank You" to Debbie, Leesa and Dawn who invited me to join the Crafty Pad team in the Spring. It's only been a very short 8 months, but I've had a ball and I've loved showcasing the wonderful images. And, using my opening lines, we'll all go on to make new friends in Blogland, but I will keep in touch with all my 'old' Crafty Pad friends. And do pop in to visit me from time to time won't you ... you'll be very welcome!

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

• Challenge #200 - Wise Words at Crafty Creations

Have a great Sunday!

Helen x

A Sparkly Fairy

Good morning friends,

I'm really sorry - this post is coming out slightly later than it should be. Hubby and I saw the Human League last night, and it was only as we were driving over to Bournemouth that I remembered that I hadn't written my post up. The band were totally brilliant though, and by the end of the evening virtually everyone in the hall was on their feet bopping around ... my feet are rather sore this morning as I usually wear 'flats' and last night went out in heels!!!



Anyway, it being Sunday morning, it's time for a new challenge at The Crafty Pad and Pauline has set the challenge for Team A this week. Our theme for you is Add Some Glitter.

You'll love this week's sponsor. It's the fabby team from Joanna Sheen who are offering this week's lucky winner a £10 voucher to their online store ... having recently won a voucher which I've just spent, I can vouch for the fact that there are loads of goodies there to tempt a girl!!!



Debbie (our lovely Crafty Pad boss) has let the DT loose in the store again, and here is the card I've made for you this week using one of Debbie's gorgeous images, and the matching sentiment:

 

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - is Centura Pearl in Ivory, which I have cut, scored and folded to make a circular side stepper card.
• Design Papers - is one of the recent goodies from the Winter Club at Create with TLC. This one is called December Snows Paper 7 in this gorgeous red/pink colour combination.
• Image - this beautiful fairy is called  Fairy Chloe on Daisies by Debbie at The Crafty Pad. I've  taken a slight liberty and tried to give Chloe and her daisies a bit of a Christmas look and to do this I used my Spectrum Noir pens in the following colours:
• Dress - BP1, BP2
• Wings - PP1, PP3, PP4 and some white glitter to give a sparkly highlight
• Hair - GB3, GB4, GB5
• Tiara - White Glitter
• Skin - FS2, FS3, FS6, GB2
• Shoes - BP2, BP6
• Flowers - CR8, CR10, EB7, GB10 and that White Glitter again!
• Leaves - CG2, CG4
• Sentiment - is also by Debbie at The Crafty Pad and goes perfectly with Fairy Chloe. It is called Fairy Bling Happy Birthday Circle and I have distressed the edge using a Papermania pigment ink cube in a hot pink shade (I've just discovered The Range, as I joined a friend for lunch there last week!). This, of course, had to be blinged up ... so I set to work with my pot of white glitter again!

The weather looks a bit better now, so I'm going to try and get a clear close-up view of my card for you ... I'll post back later.

In the meantime, do hop over to The Crafty Pad and see the gorgeous creations by the rest of Team A. Then come back and show us your creations to which you've Added some Glitter! You've got until 8pm (GMT) on Saturday 1st December 2012 to link your cards up.

With the help of the girls at Feline Playful (thanks girls!) I would like to enter the following challenge:

 

• More than One Fold at Come and Get It Challenges
• Celebration with Sparkle at Eclectic Ellapu
• No Squares Allowed at That Craft Place
• Challenge 159 - Don't be Square! at Totally Gorjuss
   

Hope you have a great weekend and if you're doing "stir up Sunday" hope it goes well for you ... our Christmas Cake was made a couple of weekends ago, so I'm ahead on that one this year!

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

A Special Birthday

Good morning friends! I hope you are all well and staying safe and warm despite the awful weather both here and on the east coast of the US.

This post starts with a confession - I'm a very bad Mamma Mia (hanging head in shame). This card should have been posted on Monday to coincide with the launch of the new challenge Special Birthdays at Lexi's Creations. Susan has set this challenge because Lexi's is 3 years old so Happy Birthday to Lexi's!!! However, time has (yet again) evaded me and I had to spend my crafting time sorting out some probate paperwork. If someone manages to get the formula to bottle time, do let me know as I'll be the first in the queue :o)

 

 

Anyway,  because this fortnight's challenge is so special, we have two wonderful sponsors.

 

 

The first is My Creative Classroom who are giving one lucky winner a free seat to the class of their choice. 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 Fall Semester is well under way with over 100 classes to choose from. My Creative Classroom has a little bit of everything for everyone. We are offering classes on the Cricut, mixed media, rubber stamping, scrapbooking, sewing and more! Don't miss out on some wonderful classes starting this Fall:

• Mixed Media to Die For
• Holiday Cards
• NEW! Mug Rug Madness
• The Magic of Christmas
• All About Ribbon

We are excited to be sponsoring Lexi's Creations. 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 class of their choice.....Good Luck!

Our second sponsor is the lovely Lexi from Fairy Dust Crafts, who is offering our second lucky winner 5 Digital Stamps from her store - if you follow my blog regularly, then you'll know that Lexi draws the wonderful images that the Lexi's Creations Design Team mostly use for our challenges. What you may not know is that as well as the gorgeous digital images, Lexi's store also sells rubber stamps and lots of other fabulous crafting goodies like Viva Decor, Promarkers, a variety of lace and ribbons, embellishments, flowers, charms etc. and all at fantastic prices ... now that's well worth a visit!

 

 

Here is my inspiration for you using one of Lexi's newer images:

 

 

 

 

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - is Centura Pearl in Ivory, which I have cut, scored and folded to make a 10cm spring card.
• Design Papers - are both by Debbie at Crafty Pad Designs and come from the set Chocolate Chip and Cream Delight. I used the middle size of flower on my Ultimate Pro Embossing Board Springtime Sweets and Cupcake Treats to emboss and then cut the shape on my striped paper before fixing this to the diamond face on my spring card. I then cut my card to shape so that the face of the card is now a flower. The heart shape on the cream spotted paper was embossed using the middle sized heart on my Crafter's Companion Ultimate Pro before I cut this out and then I attached this to the flower face.
• Image - This little cutie is called "Ragdoll Penny" and she is one of the newer releases from Lexi at Fairy Dust Crafts. I brought her to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in various shades of brown as I wanted to try and achieve a vintage effect
• Sentiment -  is by Paulette from Create with TLC and was a freebie from her blog in July of this year - this makes a great statement about celebrating a 60th Birthday don't you think?!!!
• Ribbon - Cream satin ribbon from my dressmaking stash

Head on over to Lexi's Creations and see how my incredibly talented team-mates and our two fabulous Guest Designers Vickie and Lori are celebrating Special Birthdays - your project doesn't have to feature a milestone birthday like a coming of age, or one of the "bigger" birthdays because every Birthday is special! Don't forget to come back and share your creations with us! You've got until Saturday 10th November 2012 to link your cards up.

 

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

 

• Anything Goes at Card Makin' Mamas - Second Entry

Happy Crafting!

Hugs, Helen x

Say it with Flowers

Good morning friends!

I can't believe it's Team A's turn on the challenge this week at The Crafty Pad - now, who pinched the last fortnight? Anyway, Tina has chosen our topic this time and she has chosen Floral.

This week's sponsor is the lovely team at Joanna Sheen who are offering a £10 gift voucher to their wonderful craft store for our lucky winner.

As usual, the Design Team are showcasing the delightful images that have come from the pen of Debbie at Crafty Pad Designs, and here is my card for your inspiration:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - 300gsm Centura Pearl in Dark Chocolate, cut, scored and folded to make a 15cm square card
• Design Papers - are both by Paulette from Create with TLC and I chose them because of the flowers on them, especially the big daisies on the brown paper! The purple "quilted" DP is called Royal Smile Paper 6 and the brown DP is called WYWH Paper 31. I think both of these were freebies from Paulette's blog - she really is very generous and make sure you head over to her blog as she and her very talented DT are having a blog hop today, and they are promising loads of goodies ... and who doesn't like a goodie?
• Image - this little cutie is called Hedgehog Harry in a Circle of Flowers, and he's just perfect for today's challenge don't you think? He's been drawn by the talented Debbie at Crafty Pad Designs. To bring this Harry to life I used my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours:
• Hedgehog Harry - GB8, TN5, TN7
• Flowers - TN7, PL2, PL4
• Outline - IG1
• Frame - DG2
• Background - Chalks in Tan & Light Grey

I have deliberately left this card sentiment-free as I'm not sure what I'll use it for. It would do equally well as a Birthday card or a Thinking of You card.

Do head over to The Crafty Pad and see the gorgeous creations by the rest of Team A. Then come back and show us your Floral creations! You've got until 8pm (BST) on Saturday 6th October 2012 to link your cards up.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

• Challenge 18 - Feeling Floral at Stampin' for the Weekend
• SNSDC 73 - Hip to be Square at Sweet 'n' Sassy Digis
• Challenge # 140 - Starts with F at Fab 'n' Funky Challenges F is for Flowers

I hope you have a great Sunday!

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