Striding Out

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

Good morning friends and I hop you are well. It's been bitterly cold here all weekend and we've had lots of flurries of fine, powdery snow! Not enough to settle, but when we took our girls to a local theme park yesterday it certainly gives a different viewpoint on rides! :o)

This morning brings a new challenge for the Team A Divas at Whoopsi Daisy, and our theme for you this week is Use a Sentiment - nice and simple, so there can be no excuses for not coming and joining in!

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.

I've done something a little different this time and taken my digital layering one stage further to produce a wholly digital card layout:

This can then be printed out, and affixed directly onto a card blank.

My recipe is as follows:

• Design Papers - Design Papers - are from a set by Summer at Summertime Designs called 'Year to Shine'. The base layer is called Modern Circles and the top layer is called Red Floral. Again, I've used my word processing programme to put a border around each layer, so it looks like they're all matted onto black card.
• Image - This gorgeous girl is from Sheet 389 and she is just one of the gorgeous digis drawn by Linne at Whoopsi Daisy. On the sheet there are just 2 different images, but both images come in a black & white format so you can take the time to colour them yourself, or if you need a quick card then the pre-coloured option (as used here) is perfect! I think these images would suit older girls/teens, and I love this girl's look with her ruffled skirt and bows on her wellies!
• Ribbon - also comes from the 'Year to Shine'  kit and is called Ribbon 5. I love the pulled edge look it has to it!
• Sequins - come from another of Summer's (Summertime Designs ) kits, called 'One Year Older'. 
• Sentiment - is by the lovely Annette at Netty's Cards, and she originally designed this sentiment for me, to bale me out of a huge hole! It is now available, together with some other great freebie sentiments on her blog - if you go over there, be sure to tell her that I sent you! I recoloured the sentiment in a red/burgundy colour so it ties in with the rest of my card, before digitally layering the sentiment over a white circle which had a black border - again giving the impression of there being a mat!

I will print the layout and affix it to a card blank, and add photos later so you can see what it looks like on a card. I'll also get a close up of this gorgeous image for you!

Do come over to Whoopsi Daisy Challenge and see the other gorgeous creations the Divas have made "Using a Sentiment". We also have a blog hop running simultaneously with this challenge and you have the opportunity to win the sheet of image featured on each stop of the "Hop"! Don't forget to come and show us your creations. You've got until Sunday 3rd March 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 challenge:

• Challenge #4 - Mother's Day or Birthday at Inky Chicks
• Challenge #152 - Use a Digi at One Stitch at a Time
• Layer it Up at Joanna Sheen
• DSC #24 - Anything Goes at Digitally Sweet Challenges
• FYI40 - Photo Inspiration at For Your Inspiration I have been inspired by the colours of the photo, and also the idea of someone needing wellies to "scuff" through all those beautiful fallen leaves!

I'll be back later with my next post of the day. In the meantime, take care.

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

Popping Up ...

... to say Hi!!!!!


Thank you so much to all of you who wished me a speedy recovery from the lurgy - I think I'm just about over it now, with just a slight residual cough.


Anyway, it's time to tell you about the new challenge at Incy Wincy Designs. This week we want you to Pop It Up!!!! Now popping something up could take many forms ...  you could decoupage your image, use pop-up foam dots, make your image pop up, or even your whole card/creation!




This week's sponsor this week is Sassy Studio Designs who are giving this week's lucky winner a prize of 4 Digital Images. Lindsay has kindly allowed each DT member to choose one of her images to showcase this week, and here is my card for your inspiration:

Ooops - I'm so sorry, it looks like the bottom of the photo is really blurred. And I can't even take another shot as one of my daughter's gave it to a friend yesterday!

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - is Centura Pearl in Ivory, which I have cut, scored and folded to make a 15cm centre step card
• Design Papers - are from are from a download on the Club Inspire section of the Crafter's Companion website. The set is called Spring has Sprung and it was the download of the month in May 2012. The design (although you can't see it very well) is roses superimposed onto a delicately coloured impression of the Union Flag. 
• Image - is called Great Britain Honey and she is part of the Small World Honey Collection 1 by Lindsay at Sassy Studio Designs. I mounted the image using foam dots to pop her even further forward than the stepper already does! I have brought this sweetheart to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens and chalks in the following colours:


• Hair - TN2,TN3, TN4
• Skin - FS2, FS3, FS6
• Eyes - TB1
• Lips - CR6
• Dress - DR7, BT4, BT5
• Shoes - True Black
• Background - Craf-T chalk in Light Blue
• Sentiment Ticket - from the Crafter's Companion Spring has Sprung download. I exported the ticket into my word processing programme and then wrote "Happy Birthday" onto the ticket in a handwriting font, and coloured it in white so it showed up on the brown ticket. If you click onto the picture above, you can supersize the photo and hopefully see the lovely details on the ticket.
• Ribbon Slider - also from the Crafter's Companion Spring has Sprung download. I have put some foam dots under the buckle to give some dimension.

Here's a more sideways view of my card, so you can see how this card pops!

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 Designer, Trudy. Then come back and show us your creations that Pop It Up! You've got until Sunday 24th February 2013 to link your creations up.


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

• Challenge #20 - Happy Birthday at Broken Box Stock 
• It's Birthday Time! at Card Makin' Mamas
• H for Happy Birthday at ABC Challenge
• Challenge #151 - Make it Girlie at One Stitch at a Time
• Challenge #31 - For Mother's Day (or For a Female) at Simply Create Too - I've gone for the Female Card option as my daughter gave it to a girlfriend

Hope the rest of week is good for you!

Hugs, Helen x

I Love You!!!

Happy Valentine's Day to you! Thankfully I'm now over the worst of the fluey bug - phew, it wasn't pleasant and I haven't felt that ill for an awfully long time.

Anyway, in my absence there's been a new challenge launched at Lexi's Creations and this time our challenge is perfect for today. We're asking to see your Love / Valentine creations. 

Our wonderful sponsor for this challenge is the fabby team over at Joanna Sheen who are offering a £10.00 Gift Voucher to their store!

Our resident artist Lexi has once again let the DT loose in the Fairy Dust Crafts online store, and here is the Valentine's Card I've made featuring one of her gorgeous digis:

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 Papers - are from a download on the Club Inspire section of the Crafter's Companion website. The set is called Love is in the Air and it was the download of the month in February 2012. I have digitally put the layout together, so there is little bulk to my card.
• Image - is by Lexi at Fairy Dust Crafts  and this little sweetheart is called I Love You Bear. I brought this bear to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours:
  • Fur - EB2, GB6, GB8, GB10 - I had a slight mishap with my colouring on this as both my GB8 & GB10 pens ran out virtually straight away, so I hope the fur doesn't look too messed up!
  • Small Hearts - DR1
  • Large Heart - DR3 & Silver Gel Pen
  • Outline - WG1
• Ribbon and Sentiment Ticket - both from the Love is in the Air download by Crafter's Companion.
  
  

So this is my very simple card to my husband and conveys the perfect message (as said by Take That: eight letters, three words one meaning.)

Do come over and join in the fun at Lexi's Creations with us, and check out the Love / Valentine creations from the other DT girls and our talented Guest Designer Crafting Vicky. And if, like me, you're only just publishing your card to your partner do come back and link up your creations. You've still got a couple of days as this challenge ends on Saturday 16th February 2013.

I would like to enter the following challenge:

• Challenge 54 - Sketch at Little Miss Muffet Challenges
• Day  44 - Word Wednesday "Love" at 365 Cards
• Challenge #103 - Love is in the Air at Tiddly Inks
• Challenge #37 - Valentine's Cards at The Cutie Pie Challenge
• Love at Paper Crafting Journey
• February Challenge - Love is in the Air at Crafter's Companion Challenge Blog

Hope you have a good rest of the day!
Hugs, Helen x

Let's Play Tag!

Good morning friends - hope you are well.

This morning brings a new challenge for the Team A Divas at Whoopsi Daisy, and our theme for you this week is Tag It! 

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. In the last 10 days, Mr Mojo and I have spent too long huddled under the poorly blanket, so it's been good to finally feel like I have enough energy to craft ... and here is the result:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - is Neenah Classic Crest Card onto which I printed the image
• Image - This little cutie (I'm not sure if it's a fairy or a sprite!) is from Sheet 284 and she is just one of the gorgeous digis drawn by Linne at Whoopsi Daisy. To bring this little sweetie and star to life, I used my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours:
• Skin - FS2, FS3
• Coat - OR1, Silver Gel Pen
• Wings - BT2, Silver Gel Pen, Holographic Embossing Pwder
• Hat - PL4, PL5, BT1, BT4, BT5, Silver Gel Pen
• Mitts - PL4, PL5, BT1, Silver Gel Pen
• Scarf - BT1, Silver Gel Pen
• Trousers - BT4, OR1
• Stockings/Booties - PL4, PL5, BT1, Silver Gel Pen
• Ribbon - from my stash
• Embossing - around the edges of the wings and the star using my Versamark Pen and Holographic Embossing Powder. Click on the picture below to supersize it and check out the sparkle!

Do come over to Whoopsi Daisy Challenge and see the other gorgeous creations the Divas have made featuring "Tags". Then come back and show us your creations. You've got until Sunday 17th 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 project into the following challenges:

• Challenge #25 - Anything Goes at Sparkles Christmas Challenge
• Get in Shape at Winter Wonderland
• AC156 - Colour Challenge of Grape, Waterfall & Pumpkin at Annabelle Stamps

Hope you have a great day!

Hugs, Helen x

A Great Box of Tricks!

Hi,

This is just going to be a very quick post from me this afternoon as I'm still feeling rough ... and it's not a DT post either (still keeping up one of those resolutions!)



At the weekend, my youngest daughter went to a Birthday Party and was giving the Birthday Girl several pairs of earrings. She needed something nice to put the earrings in, so I said I'd make a box - at this point I should add that I haven't made a box before, only envelopes! So, out came my Crafter's Companion Ultimate Pro, and in a very short space of time this was the end result:

My recipe for this project was:

• Cardstock - Centura Pearl 300gsm in Purple from the Pastels pack which I measured, cut and scored using my Ultimate Pro to the right size
• Embossed Hearts - using the shape for envelope corners from the Ultimate Pro 
• Heart shaped Sticker - from my daughter's stash

I made up the box using the in-built Boxer Lines and following the instruction book which was very clear. And here's a closer look at the lid:

 

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

• January 2013 Competition - Anything But a Card at Crafter's Companion - Second Entry
• Anything Goes at Crafter's Digital Art Center

I can see I'll be making more of these boxes as they're very quick and easy to do.

Enjoy the rest of Thursday.

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