I'm Fairy Excited!

Good morning friends and hope you are well.

This morning is very exciting for me as I am very pleased to be able to tell you the secret that I've been bursting to say for the last 2 weeks! I've been asked to join the Divas at Whoopsi Daisy, and I've said yes!!!!! So today is my first challenge, and the theme this week is For A Child. 

Our lucky winner's prize is (as usual) one sheet of images from the Whoopsi Daisy Store, unless you've used a Whoopsi Daisy Image for your project in which case you can choose two sheets of images. Linnie has also kindly let the DT loose in her store to choose an image to showcase (thanks Linnie!) and here is my card for your inspiration today:

I've used a layout from Tuesday Morning Sketches for this card - I love this sketch and it's one I've used several times now. My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - made from Centura Pearl in Snow White onto which I embossed the largest rosette shape from the "nest" on the Ultimate Pro Embossing Board Springtime Sweets and Cupcake Treats. I folded the card to make a hinge at the side, and 2 "feet" at the bottom and then cut round the embossed shape.
• Design Papers -  came from the set Blooming by Jady Day Studio and is downloadable from Sweete Shop Designs. I love the "ice cream parlour" colours in this pack!
• Image - This gorgeous little fairy is from  Sheet 391 and she is just one of the gorgeous digis drawn by Linne at Whoopsi Daisy. To bring this little sweetie to life, I used my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours:
• Skin - FS2, FS3
• Hair - GB8, GB10, PP4, PP5
• Dress - GB1, GB4, PP1, PP3
• Wings - PP1, Silver Gel Pen
• Mirror - PP4,PP5, GG1
• Wand - PP5, Silver Gel Pen
• Outline - GG1
• Clouds & Shadows - Craf-T chalks in Light Blue and Grey
• Sentiment - is called Fairy Sentiment Ticket and is 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. I printed the ticket onto another DP from the Blooming set before cutting it out.
• Bling - from my stash

Do come over to Whoopsi Daisy Challenge and see the other gorgeous creations the Divas have made "For a Child". Then come back and show us your creations. You've got until Sunday 3rd February to link your creations up. Don't forget if you use a Whoopsi Daisy image, then you can make any style of card or project - you don't have to follow this week's theme!

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

• Challenge 11 - Embossing Wet or Dry at Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge
• Challenge #23 - Soft Pastel Colours at QKR Stampede
• No Squares Allowed at Pixie Dust Studio
• Challenge #36 - Something New at The Squirrel and The Fox - my new DT position and a new image and new papers!
• Challenge #201 - Winged Things at Dutch Dare - I'm chancing my luck that "fairy wings" will count!
• Anything Goes For Kids at Send A Smile 4 Kids

Hugs, Helen x

You're having a laugh

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



Good evening my blogging friends, and a very warm welcome to my newest followers: Carol, Hippieaud, Linnie, Megamuffins and Nicola! Thanks for joining me on my crafting journey ladies!

With apologies for this being a rather later post than it should have been, a new challenge has been launched at Incy Wincy Designs and this week's challenge is Make us Laugh! We've got two great sponsors lined up this week who have each provided a wonderful prize as well as the DT with some hilarious images to showcase.

The ever popular team from Bugaboo Stamps is our first sponsor and the awesome prize on offer from them this week is 7 Digi Images! Don't forget that everyone's a winner with Bugaboo as each Friday there's a "Friday Freebie" on their website, and who doesn't like a freebie?

Our second sponsor this week is the team from Doctor Digi's House of Stamps. They say ..."Welcome to the brilliantly bizarre brain of Dr. Digi's House of Stamps. Here you will find Monsters, Aliens, Odd balls and Dundertons as well as many many more wonderful digital stamps. Our artist and founder cut his teeth in the craft world at the company "Just Inklined", where his unique digis made a huge impression. We're hoping to continue to entertain and amuse, with our growing catalogue of great value digis with a sense of humour."

So, without further ado, here is my card showcasing an image from Bugaboo Stamps (think I'll try and get a better photo in the morning, assuming there are no blizzards here!):

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - made from Centura Pearl in Snow White, cut, scored and folded to make a 6 inch square card
• Design Papers - are all from a kit by Summer at Summertime Designs called "Cheers to the New Year". I have used Gray Dots Paper for my base layer, and then digitally inserted "Rainbow Bursts Paper" with a thick black outline around it to make it look like it's matted onto black paper/card. I have used "Corner Frame Ribbon" from the same set, just to add a bit of Birthday Pizazz to my card which frames my image and sentiment beautifully
• Image - is called Stella Birthday - Fireman Call. I brought this rather grumpy one to life courtesy of my Spectrum Noir Pens and chalks in the following colours:
  

  
  • Hair - BG1, BG2, BG3
  • Skin - FS2, FS3
  • Eye Shadow - TB3
  • Mouth - DR7
  • Top - IB2
  • Skirt - IG10, True Black
  • Shoes - True Black
  • Cake -TN4, TN5, BP6
  • Candles - CT2, CT3, PL4
  • Cake Board - BGR1
  • Hat - OR1, CG4
  • Outline - GG1
  • Background - dots of Chalk in Flesh, Light Blue, Grey
• Sentiment - although the image comes with a funny sentiment, I've used one by Paulette at Create with TLC. I think it was a freebie on her blog in April 2012.

Do check out the Incy Wincy Designs blog and see the other funny creations by my talented team-mates and our wonderful Guest Designer Sandra. Then come back and Make Us Laugh! You've got until Sunday 27th January 2013 to link your creations up.


I would like to enter this card into the following challenges (with the help of the girls from Feline Playful):

• Challenge #95 - Celebrations at Wags 'n' Whiskers 
• January 2013 Challenge - Anything Goes at Chalk 'n' Stock
• Monthly Challenge for January - Birthdays at Forever Friends 
• Happy Birthday at Moving Along With The Times 
• Challenge #35 - Anything Goes at The Squirrel and The Fox 
• January Bingo Challenge at Catch The Bug - I claim the middle vertical line of Sentiment, Bugaboo Image, Ribbon (the corner frame) 

 
Hugs,
Helen x

Feathers, Flowers and a Diamond!

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

Hello again friends!

It's time for a new challenge at Lexi's Creations again. Wow, you sure loved the Anything Goes challenge ... I was quite worn out heading round your blogs looking at your creations, and I'm sure the other DT girls felt the same! This fortnight, Susan has set us the theme of Fancy Folds ... no one-fold cards please, but cards with multiple folds.

Our wonderful sponsor this time is Priyanka from My Heart Pieces. The prize that is up for grabs this week is 3 of Priyanka's lovely digital images. Pop over to her blog to check out her cute digis.

 I decided to challenge myself (again!) and use a card fold that I've not tried before, a Diamond Fold Card. There is a great tutorial here on this fold (including a video) at Splitcoast Stampers but the measurements are all in inches and a standard sheet of A4 of paper or card isn't quite big enough to get a strip that is 12" long! So, with apologies to Splitcoast Stampers, here is my tutorial (the first one I've ever done, so I hope it's OK!) using metric measurements and making this card from one A4 sheet of card:

Materials:

1 A4 sheet of paper or card - I used 120gsm card in cream. You could print a digital paper onto your card first to save you having to decorate your card when it's complete. I've left mine blank

Cutting and scoring tools - I have used my Clevercut Paper Trimmer

Bone Folder

Ruler

How to cut, score and fold:

 Cut the paper card so it measures 27cm x 9cm

 Measuring along the long edge (27cm) score at 4.5cm and again at 22.5cm. Fold along these score lines both ways, so folding the flaps to both the front and back of your card.

 On the reverse of your card (especially important if you're using a DP) mark the long edge (27cm) at 13.5cm

Using a ruler (or like me, the straight edge on my Clevercut) line up the 2 marks at the midpoint on the card. Now, take one side of your card and fold it along the straight edge so that top of the strip of card is now folded over and running along the ruler. Move your ruler to the other side of the midpoint marks, and do the same with the other side of your card.

Turn the strip round and repeat the last stage, and you end up with 2 diagonal lines each side of the midpoint going out to the flap and intersecting across the card.

 Now the clever part, folding the card!

I found the easiest way to do it was to pinch the top and bottom triangles with my left hand, whilst teasing the left hand triangle and left hand side of the diamond in to make a sharp point - photo below. The mechanics of this will fold the top and bottom triangles in half.

And then unfold the flap ... one side done!

Repeat the folding process on the other side, and unfold the flap

Turn the card round so the flap are at each side, let the spring in the fold open out naturally and the card will sit nicely on the bottom point of the diamond and the two side flaps. It's now ready to decorate and embellish as you choose - the side flaps measure 4.5cm x 9cm and the diamond is 9cm high by 9cm wide.

And here is my finished project using the card base photographed above using a gorgeous digi by Lexi at Fairy Dust Crafts (thanks Lexi!):

 My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - made from cream card, which I cut, scored and folded (using my Clevercut) as above to make a Diamond Fold Card
• Design Papers - are called Green Paper and Yellow Floral Paper. They are both from a kit by Summer at Summertime Designs called Moments.
• Image - is by Lexi at Fairy Dust Crafts  and this little cutie is called Lillie with Tulips. I brought this very happy feathered friend to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours:
  

  • Beak & Feet - OR1
  • Feathers - GB3, GB4
  • Bow - DR3
  • Petals - GB1, GB3
  • Stamens - DR3
  • Stalks, Leaves & Grass - DG2, DG4
• Outline - TB1
• Clouds - Chalk in Light
• Sentiment - is by Paulette from Create with TLC, and is simply called "Thank you, Thank you". This was a freebie on her blog in May 2012. I have used my Versamark Pen and Holographic Embossing Powder to highlight the script on the sentiment. Click on the photo to supersize it and check out sparkle!
  
  

  
  

  
  Do come over and join in the fun at Lexi's Creations with us, and check out what Fancy Folds the other DT girls and our talented Guest Designer Jen Zeeb have made. And then come back and link up your creations. This challenge ends on Saturday 2nd February 2013.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

• Challenge 252 - Diamonds are Forever at Cute Card Thursday - my diamond is the shape of my card
• Challenge AC154 - Colour Challenge (Artichoke, Pineapple, Pumpkin) at Annabelle Stamps - I'm hoping that the splash of red and blue sky is OK
• Challenge 63 - Emboss It at Pink Gem Challenges
• Thank You Challenge at Pixie Dust Studios
• Bingo at Aud Sentiments - I claim the upwards diagonal line of Flowers (as I've got flowers on both my DP and image), Embossing and "You" 
• Challenge 25 - More than One Fold at Artistic Inspirations

Don't forget to let me know what you thought of my first attempt at a tutorial! Hope you have a great week!
Hugs, Helen x

Lighting up a New Home

Welcome to Monday morning friends and time for a new challenge at Incy Wincy Designs. Before I get to that I would like to welcome my newest follower Annette. Annette makes some really delicious cards, and currently has a Candy Challenge over at her blog.





 
Back to the matter in hand and this week's challenge. This week we're playing Bingo (Tic-Tac-Toe) and using the board below, we're going for a row, column or diagonal of 3.

We've got two lovely sponsors for you  again this week who are both offering amazing prizes.


Our first sponsor is Iva Nova Chest who are offering our first lucky winner this beautiful goodie bag featuring flowers, ribbon and bling in shades of purple.



Our second sponsor is our very own Incy Wincy Teamie Nikki, from Limited Runs Digital Stamps. Nikki is offering our second lucky winner a prize of 3 digis from her store, and she has kindly provided the Design Team with some gorgeous images to showcase this week.




So here is my project for you, featuring the middle row of Punch, Metal Pins and Anything but a Card - a Candle Gift for someone moving into a New Home:

My project recipe is as follows:

• Candle - small unscented block candle in white from Ikea
• Image - This sweet little bird house is called Birdhouse #2 by Nikki at Limited Runs Digital Stamps. I printed the image first onto some thin card before then carefully taping a piece of white tissue paper over the top of the printed image, and then used my Spectrum Noir Pens to bring this little nest box to life.
• Sentiment - computer generated
• Borders - from the Paintbox Poppets Papercrafting CD-Rom. I cut & pasted the borders from the PDF file, and transferred them into my word processing package so that I could lay them out with the sentiment. I carefully cut around the borders and then used a new Heart Border Punch to decorate the border. You can see this design in the picture
• Posh Pins - homemade using silver header pins and beads from a selection pot.
• Twine - from stash and tied into a multi-layered bow using the bow maker on my Ultimate Pro. 
•  Putting the image onto the candle - Once the images were dry, I carefully cut around them and then placed each one onto the candle holding it in place with a piece of Greaseproof Paper. Unfortunately, I didn't get my placing quite right, as the ends of the borders are not at the same level! :o(    I then used my hairdryer to heat this 'sandwich' up and make the image melt into the candle … just be very careful that you don’t burn yourself at the same time. There is a great tutorial on SplitCoast Stampers with a video showing you how to do this!

I think that small candles like these would make great gifts for Teachers or Classroom Helpers, or even as a quick Hostess Gift if you're invited to a party at short notice. 

Do check out the Incy Wincy Designs blog and see the other gorgeous Bingo / Tic-Tac-Toe  projects from my talented team-mates and this month's Guest Designer Sandra.  Don't forget to come back and show us your projects, and make sure you tell us which line you're claiming for Bingo! This challenge finishes on Sunday 20th January 2013.

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

• Week 189 - Dies and Punches at Allsorts Challenges
•  January Challenge - Anything But a Card at Crafter's Companion Monthly Challenge

Hope you have a great and crafty week!

Hugs, Helen x

PS: Not sure what's happening with Blogger this week - just realised that what I thought had posted in English, has actually posted in Arabic or Cyrillic!!!! Have changed it now and apologies to anyone who couldn't read my post!

A Spoonful of Sugar ...

... makes life a lot sweeter, especially as this is the first "Bit of Sugar" I own!!!!! :o)


Hello my crafty friends and a warm welcome to Nikki, my Incy Wincy teamie and newest follower!

I hope you're sitting comfortably because, yes, this is a mid-week post from me. I made a few crafty New Year Resolutions to myself; one was to use up some of the stash I've got hoarded (mainly in digi form on my computer) and another was to make cards for fun and not just to meet my DT commitments. So here goes, my first "resolution" card of 2013!

Isn't she just divine? I've used the current sketch challenge over at The Sugar Bowl for this layout, and it's such a great sketch I'm saving the layout for those days when Mr Mojo refuses to come out from under the duvet!

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - Black card from my stash (bought for the first card I ever made before I started blogging!), which I have cut, scored and folded to make a 15cm square card
• Design Papers - are from several places, because I wanted to achieve a vintage look.



• Bottom layer - called My Garden Papers 4 by Paulette from Create with TLC, and I've these stashed since February last year when they were a freebie on Paulette's blog!
• Middle and Top layers - both by Debbie at Crafty Pad Designs; although the store is now closed, you can still get Debbie's gorgeous images and papers by going to Card Making Downloads and searching for The Crafty Pad Designs. The middle layer is Paper 5  from the Chocolate Chip & Cream Delight Papers  and the top layer is the Red Paper from the Vintage Grunge Baroque Collection.
• Mat Layer - Well I've kind of cheated a bit here, as I layered all my papers and image together digitally. Once I had decided on the size and shape for each section, I selected the option to format the shape, and then went to "Colour and Line". I chose quite a heavyweight line (6 points) and then a colour option that suited my image. This gives the effect of there being 8 layers on the card, when (as you can see) it is in fact flat ... apart from my sentiment and base card layer!
• Image -is of course by Sugar Nellie and she was the freebie that Karen very kindly gave away on the blog last week. She came ready coloured, so I didn't need to wield my colours! I have simply outlined her using my Spectrum Noir Pen in GG1 and then I put clouds around her using my Chalk in Light Blue. I tried to make it look like she is sitting on a dry stone wall but using my Chalk in Grey, but I don't think I managed this at all - back to the drawing board.
• Sentiment - is by the wonderful Annette at Netty's Cards.  Annette has some lovely freebie sentiments on her blog - if you go over there, be sure to tell her that I sent you! Annette is also currently running a Sentiment Candy competition, where she's asking her followers to come up with ideas for sentiments. When I was making this card last night, I could have done with one that said "Belated Birthday Wishes", so I left Annette a comment on her blog post. Guess what I found in my Inbox when I logged on this morning ... ? So, I replaced the sentiment on my card to this brand new one that Annette has created. I have edged the design with my Versamark Pen and Holographic Embossing Powder ... just to add some Birthday sparkle! Click on the photo to supersize it and see that sparkle! Thank you soooooooooo much Annette. Lots of hugs winging their way down to you ... Mwah ...

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

• Challenge 98 - Fiona's Sketch at The Sugar Bowl
• Day 3 - Layered Cards at 365 Cards (I'm hoping that digital layering will count)
• SNSDC 86 - Something New at Sweet 'n' Sassy Digi Challenge - my New things are the Digital Image and Sentiment
• Challenge #43 - Something New at Crafting for all Seasons my New things are the Digital Image and Sentiment 
• First Challenge - Anything Goes at Inky Chicks

Resolution kept for this week, it's now back to DT projects! Have a great day!

Hugs, Helen x

Moon Baby

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



Good Morning again my crafty friends!

It's time for the first challenge of 2013 over at Lexi's Creations and Susan is really easing us into the New Year gently as our challenge topic this week is Anything Goes ... so there can be NO excuses for not coming over and sharing your projects with us this fortnight!!!

Our wonderful sponsor for this challenge is our very own Lexi from Fairy Dust Crafts  - your one-stop shop for all of Lexi's gorgeous digital images and a growing choice of delicious crafting goodies. With postage and packing at just £1.50 and Free if you spend over £10, make sure you check out those goodies!  The prize for this week's lucky winner is 5 of Lexi's lovely digital images from the On-line Store. 


As usual, the DT has also been let loose in there (thanks Lexi!) and this is the card I have made to show to you today using one of Lexi's wonderful sentiments:

I'm sorry but it's another grey day, and it's playing havoc with my ability to take better photos.


My card recipe is as follows:

•  Base Card - made from Centura Pearl in Snow White, which I cut, scored and folded (using my Clevercut) to make a 15cm square card
•  Design Papers - are from the Strawberry Kisses CD-Rom and I have tweaked them using the in-built 'Colouriser' to get the shades of lemon and lilac that I wanted.
• Image - is by Stef H (Glitterbabe) and is called Asleep on the Moon - this is the first time I've printed out this "oh so cute small one", even though I won it in the 2011-12 Holiday Open House at The Crafter's Cafe! Unfortunately this digi has now been retired, although you can find some of Stef's other creations at Floppy Latte Digital Designs. I brought this little sleepy head to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours:
  

  • Skin - FS2, FS3
  • Hair - EB1, EB2
  • BabyGro - LV1, LV2
  • Moon - GB3, GB4, GB5
  • Outline - IG1
  • Clouds - Chalk in Royal Blue
• Stars & a bit of sparkle added to Moon - Versamark Pen and Holographic Embossing Powder
• Sentiments - the large one is called "Sugar 'n' Spice" and it is by Lexi of Fairy Dust Crafts - just perfect for a card for a new baby girl!!! I exported the image into my word processing package and then resized it so it fitted a shape I was happy with.  The "New Baby" tape is one I've used before and it comes from the Baby Tags Set by Claire Keay of Jellypark - I got this when I was a GDT with the Jellypark Challenge Team in April.. I then tool distressed the edges of them both, and colour distressed them using Chalk in Violet.

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

• Day 1 - New Beginnings at 365 Cards
• Something New (Image & New Baby) at Going Grey with Scrap Creations - Second Entry
• Old and New (Old - DPs from an old CD-Rom & New Baby Tape and New - Image) at Jellypark Friends - Second Entry
• Challenge 250 - Something New at Cute Card Thursday
• Use a 2012 Sponsor's Product at Oldie but a Goodie (Something old is the CD-Rom I used for my DPs and also the "New Baby" tape which I first used here when I GDT'd with Jellypark in April)
• Something New at Simon Says Stamps - Second Entry
• All About The New! (New Baby) at My Time To Craft 
• Challenge #26 - Something New with Chalk (New Baby) at Chalk Ah Lot - Second Entry
• Challenge 62 - New Beginnings and DT Call at A Gem of a Challenge - wish me luck as I've put my name forward in the DT Call 

Hope you have a good day!
Hugs, Helen x

A Guiding Light

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

Good morning friends and a belated Happy New Year!

It's the end of our holiday break at Incy Wincy Designs,  so we're back with our first challenge of 2013. We want to know what you got for Christmas, so this week's challenge is Something NEW!

We've got two lovely sponsors for you this week who are both offering amazing prizes as well as kindly providing the Design Team with some gorgeous images to showcase this week.




Our first sponsor is the lovely Kim from Care 2 Stamp who is giving one lucky winner a $15 Gift Certificate to her store.






Our second sponsor is the team from Cedar Chest Designs who are offering our second lucky winner a $10 Gift Certificate to their on-line shop.

And here is my card for you this week featuring a new image from Cedar Chest Designs and a technique that's new to me called Poppin' Pastels:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - pre-made A5 card in Kraft card
• Design Papers - are called Large Dots and Blue Waves from a kit by Summer at Summertime Designs called She Sells Sea Shells.
• Image - is called Framed Lighthouse by Cedar Chest Designs. This image would make a great Birthday card for a Dad or Grandad, as well as a "Thinking of You" card. I brought this scene to life using this technique called Poppin' Pastels . As my image is a digi rather than a stamp, I used just my Versamark Pen and chalks to colour the cottage and the lighthouse and I used the following colours. I quite like the effect this is, putting a layer of Versamark down and then applying chalk over the top - what do you think?
• Lighthouse - Black, Yellow, Yellow-Orange, Red, Grey
• Cottage - Dark Brown, Grey, Red
• Grass - Dark Green, Green
• Sky - Turquoise
• Sentiment - keeping with the nautical theme is, of course, by Paulette from Create with TLC and was a freebie on her blog last summer. I have tool distressed the edges of this and then colour distressed it using the turquoise chalk.

I'm sorry about the quality of the photos. I've really struggled to get decent photos of this project as it's so grey outside there's precious little daylight, and using a flash just seems to wipe the colour. Roll on summer!


Do check out the Incy Wincy Designs blog and see the other gorgeous  projects featuring Something NEW! from my talented team-mates and this month's Guest Designer Sandra. Kim from Care 2 Stamp has made a GDT project too so make sure you leave them both some blog love for joining us!  Don't forget to come back and show us your projects, and make sure you tell us what it is that's NEW! This challenge finishes on Sunday 13th January 2013.


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

• Something New (Image and Colouring Technique) at Going Grey with Scrap Creations
• Old and New (Old - Chalks & DPs and New - Image & Colouring Technique) at Jellypark Friends
• New Something at Simon Says Stamps (New Image and Colouring Technique)
• R#105 - Something New at Crafts 4 Eternity (New Image and Colouring Technique)
• Challenge #26 - Something New with Chalk at Chalk Ah Lot (New Image and New Colouring Technique)

Hugs,
Helen x