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

Nestled among the Flowers

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

Hello again friends! The weather hasn't been too bad down here over the weekend - Saturday was wet, wet, wet but yesterday was warm, we had some sunshine and only a few spots of rain. Consequently we got quite a few outdoor jobs done.

Anyway, today sees the start of a new challenge at  Lexi's Creations. This time Susan is asking us to  Add Either Ribbon or Lace. She has asked that whatever haberdashery you use, it has to be an integral part of your design. Fingers crossed that I've done that! I have been casting my mind (and computer files!) back, and I can't believe this is the first anniversary of my appointment to the DT at Lexi's Creations. I still love Lexi's digis now as much as the first day I started using them ... I hope that you are all enjoying seeing these gorgeous designs.

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!" Well worth a visit.

As usual, Lexi has very kindly let the DT loose in her on-line store and here is my card for you featuring one of her gorgeous images:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - is Centura Pearl in Ivory, onto which I've embossed the largest flower shape from the "nest" on the Ultimate Pro Embossing Board Springtime Sweets and Cupcake Treats. I scored a fold line at the top of the flower leaving 2 petals at the bottom for "feet", and then cut this die-like shape out before folding it and cutting the back of the card out.
• Design Paper - is from a brand new set by Donna at Bearly Mine Designs called Floral Surprise. This is a beautiful collection of papers and I must confess I fell in love with this floral paper over text on the set preview, and that's why I bought the set! I carefully embossed the medium flower shape from the "nest" on the Ultimate Pro Embossing Board Springtime Sweets and Cupcake Treats onto the paper, ensuring that the flowers and hummingbird were  in the bottom corner of the flower shape, before cutting it out and mounting it onto my base card.
• Image - is by Lexi from Fairy Dust Crafts and is called Brooke - Thinking of You. I have brought this dreamy girl to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours:

• Skin - FS2, FS3, CR4
• Hair - GB8, GB10
• Top and Shoes - GB3, GB4
• Trousers - GG1, GG2
• Cushion - DR1, DR5, DR7
• Outline - IG1
• Flower and Rosette - I used my Flower Punch, a yellow flower paper from the Bearly Mine Designs kit Floral Surprise and some lace to make the flower following this tutorial by my former Crafty Pad teamie Leesa. I replaced the second and fourth paper layers with some lace. Once my flower was dry, I made a lacy rosette from the same lace (from my local haberdashery store) and mounted the flower onto the rosette, and then attached them to my card. It's the first time I've tried this technique, and I must confess that the lace soaked up the glue and has become rock hard, rather than the floaty layers I was hoping for! :o) I'll keep trying!

I have deliberately left this card sentiment free - I think it would be great as a Thinking of You card, but would do equally well as a Thank You or Birthday card. So, it's going into my "done box" awaiting it's occasion!

I hope you'll come over to Lexi's Creations and see how my talented teamies and our Guest Designer Yogi have used their Ribbon or Lace. Don't forget to come back and share your creations with us! You've got until Saturday 27th April 2013 to link your cards up.

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

• Flowers at Divas by Design
• Challenge #70 - Die-ing to Impress You (Use Die cuts and/or Dry Embossing) at Card Crafter's Circle
• Challenge #24 - Florals at Broken Box Stock
• Challenge #81 - Anything Goes at Bearly Mine Challenges
• April 2013 Challenge - Flowers at Crafter's Companion

I hope you have a great week - let's hope the weather continues to be dry and warm!

Hugs, Helen x

Penguin Love

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

Good morning friends! I hope you are well, and if you had time off over the Easter holidays I hope you had fun - just a shame the weather wasn't brilliant! It's back to being beckoned out of bed by the alarm again this morning as my 2 week Easter break from school is over. I'd like to extend a very warm welcome to my 2 newest followers, Jenny and Katie - welcome aboard this crafting journey!

It being Monday morning, it's time for a new challenge at  Incy Wincy Designs and this time our challenge is Feathers or Fur! All you've got to do is feature either a feathery or furry friend on your project!


We've got 2 awesome sponsors lined up for you this week:


Our first sponsor is the wonderful Teri at Delicious Doodles and she is offering our first lucky prize winner 4 "Yummy Digital Images" from her On-line Store.


Our second sponsor is the team at Cedar Chest Designs who are offering our second lucky prize winner a $10 Gift Certificate to their On-line Store.

The DT has been given some images from both sponsors to showcase this week, and here is my card featuring an image you can find at Cedar Chest Designs:

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 all by Summer at Summertime Designs and they come from the Winter Wonderland kit. The bottom layer is called Dark Blue Blizzard Paper, the middle layer is called Circle Dots Paper, and the top layer is called Falling Paper. I have digitally matted and layered these papers together using a dark brown outline in my word processing programme, so there will be little bulk to this card. 
• Border - following some very careful measuring (and lots of testing on scrap paper!) I used my Snowflake Punch to create this border. I have used a strip of Dark Blue Paper (from the Winter Wonderland kit) to go behind the border, just to make the snowflakes stand out a bit more.
  
• Image - this cute image is called Penguin with Heartstrings and it is by April, one of the artists at Cedar Chest Designs. I brought my little feathered friend to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours:
• Penguin - EB1, True Black, Colourless Blender, OR1
• Hat & Scarf - BT7, BT9, EB7, EB8
• Hearts & String - Silver Gel Pen
• Outline - BT1
• Sentiments - is by Paulette at Create with TLC and this piece of word art was included in the December 2012 "Club". I've superimposed this onto a tag from the Winter Wonderland kit before punching the hole through and attaching some Twine from my stash.

I do hope you'll head over to Incy Wincy Designs during this week and see the other creations featuring Feathers or Fur which have been made my my Teamies and this week's Guest Designer Valou. Don't forget to come back and show us your creations; you've got until Sunday 21st April 2013 to join in.

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

• Challenge 202 - Christmas at C.R.A.F.T. Challenge
• Two Weeks Challenge #2 - Punch Me! at Little Blue Button Stamps
• Red and Green Must Not Be Seen at Winter Wonderland
• Challenge #150 - Tag You're It at Sentimental Sundays
• Week 202 - The First Letter of Your Name at Allsorts Challenge Blog ... H (Helen) for Hearts and Hat
• Challenge #158 - Adorable Animals at Craft Your Passion

Hugs, Helen x

Goal crazy!

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

Hello again friends. This will be a swift second post from me as we're heading out to catch a train to London as it's the Easter holidays still for us!

It's time for a new challenge at  Incy Wincy Designs and this time our challenge wants to get Out of the Box! No, we don't want you to make a box or anything like that .... we're looking for your projects that feature the "Out of the Box" Technique. Still none the wiser? Don't worry - head on over to SplitCoast Stampers and check out this Tutorial which explains this very easy but visually stunning technique.

Our sponsors for htis challenge are the team at Milk N Coffee who are giving this week's lucky winner 5 Digital Images from their shop. And  with over 180 items in the shop, there is such a choice of "Cute Digis for Cute Creations"! 

The DT has been given some of these lovely digis to showcase this week and here is my card for you:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - made from Centura Pearl in Snow White which I cut, scored and folded to make a 10.5cm square card.
• Design Paper - is from the Men's CD of the Popcorn the Bear Platinum Triple CD-Rom Collection . This football paper is perfect for the image don't you think?
• Image - this fun image is by the artists at Milk N Coffee and is called Soccer Boy. Now because we're using the "Out of the Box" technique, part of the image has to be outside the shape of your die. No die cutting machine? No problem ... I haven't got one either!!!!! I used the smallest rosette from the "nest" on the Ultimate Pro Embossing Board Springtime Sweets and Cupcake Treats to de-boss the shape around my football fanatic. This way I could see as was using the tool where I needed to stop embossing and then start again around the top of his hair. Then when I cut out the shape, I just fussy cut around the hair spikes which left these "Out of the Box"! I brought this sporty lad to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours:

• Flesh - FS2, FS6
• Hair - GB3, GB4
• Football Strip - EB1, Colourless Blender, CR10, CR11
• Boots - True Black, OR1, FL3 
• Football - True Black, IG1
• Grass - CG1, CG2
• Sky - Craf-T chalk in Blue
• Outline - GG1
• Sentiments - is by my favourite artist for sentiments, Paulette at Create with TLC. This was a freebie on her blog last month.  I've used my normal hole punch for stationery (before realising is was slightly too large for the job!) to make holes in the side of the oval "tag" before threading some Twine from my stash through them.

We've got another new team member joining us from this week, so I hope you'll come on over to Incy Wincy Designs and give Avril a very warm welcome. Also check out the other great creations from the rest of the Design Team our Guest Designer Valou. Then don't forget to come back and show us your creations that feature the "Out of the Box" Technique. You've got until Sunday 14th April to join in.

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

• Challenge #98 - Girls and Boys Come Out to Play at Top Tip Tuesday  My TOP TIP for you is how to make your design come "Out of the Box" if you don't have a die cutting machine. If you have an embossing board you can used that as I described above, but if you don't you could use a Cookie Cutter and draw round that. If you use a digital image, you could use your Word Processing package to make a shape and superimpose your image onto that so part of the image is outside the shape. If you stamp, you could use an object from your home to draw a shape around your image. Why not experiment and see what you can come up with - just don't forget to leave part of the image outside the shape before cutting out!
• Twine Love Recipe Swap at Catered Crop
• ICC #104 - For a Child at Inky Impressions Challenges
• Challenge 77 - For a Child at Aud Sentiments
• For the Guys at Gingerloft Challenge - I'm hoping that a card for a boy counts!?

I hope you have a great week!

Hugs, Helen x

Très Chic!

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

Good morning friends and I hope you are well. Welcome to Viv, my newest follower ... hope you enjoy this crafting journey with me! I think I've finally shaken most of the bug that I had last week; unfortunately, I've given it to my family and they are sooooo not impressed with me. Oooops!!!

This morning brings a new challenge over at Whoopsi Daisy, and our theme for you this week is Swirls.

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 chosen one of Linnie's newest digis to showcase this week, and here is my card:

My card recipe is as follows:

• Base Card - made from Black card which I cut, scored and folded to make a 15cm square card
• Design Papers - the top one is from a paper collection called Emma's Garden which was a magazine freebie last month. I love the gorgeous colour, and the beautiful swirls. The bottom paper is by  Summer of Summertime Designs and comes from her kit Thanks for Giving - it's called "Torn Cream Paper"
• Image - This gorgeous girl is from Sheet 444 and she is just one of the gorgeous digis drawn by Linne at Whoopsi Daisy. On this sheet there are 2 "older" images, but both are included pre-coloured (for when you need a card in a hurry) and line drawning digis so you can spend more time colouring. I've brought this girl to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens and chalk for the background
• Flourish - is also by Summer of Summertime Designs and comes from the Thanks for Giving kit. It doesn't come in black, so I exported the swirl into my word processing programme and digitally re-coloured it to match my project. I also cut a small slit in the swirl so I could slip one corner of the image shape into it, to make it look like the flourish is a die, rather than a digi creation - do you like this?
• Sentiment - is of course by Paulette at Create with TLC and this was a freebie on her blog just last week.

Do come over to Whoopsi Daisy Challenge and see the other gorgeous creations the Divas have made with  "Swirls". Then, don't forget to come and show us your creations - you've got until Sunday 15th April to link your creations up. And, 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 #36 - Colour Inspiration at Chocolate, Coffee and Cards
• April Monthly Challenge - Pastel Colours and/or Polka Dots at Great Impressions Stamps
• Challenge #41 - Inspired by a Song or Movie at The Squirrel and The Fox - it just has to be the movie "Pretty Woman", although I don't remember Julia Roberts' character wearing anything quite this demure ;o)
• Girly Birthday Challenge at Creative Corner Challenges
• Challenge #166 - Use Any Shade of Pink at Kaboodle Doodles
• Challenge #161 - Birthday Girl in Pink at Totally Papercrafts
• Challenge #41 - Favourite Film at The Cutie Pie Challenge - "Pretty Woman"

Hope you have a great day - 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

How Bizarre ... this is no April Fool!

Morning friends - hope today finds you all well!

It's time for a new challenge at  Incy Wincy Designs and this isn't an April Fool .... honestly! :o) Our team leader Chris found the Bizarre, Wacky and Unique Holidays site,  and then challenged us to come up with a card for one of these Bizarre, Wacky or Unique Holiday Days! OK, so this required some thought as she has totally banned normal cards featuring Birthdays, Christmas, Anniversaries; your card MUST be a funny holiday taken from the website! The good news is that there's plenty of choice!!!!!

This week's sponsor is Dustin from Doodle Dragon Studios who has kindly provided the DT with choice of image for this challenge, and here is my card celebrating April 3rd - Don't Go To Work Unless it's Fun Day:

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 a Crafter's Companion Club Inspire download from December 2009 called Christmas Twist. I've done my 'usual' and layered these papers digitally in my word processing programme, using a lime green line around each "piece" of paper to create a mat.
  
• Image - this fun image is by Dustin Pike from Doodle Dragon Studios and is called Relaxin Rudolph.  I've brought this chillin' chap to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours:
• Rudolph - EB1, EB2, EB5, EB8, CR11, IG1, IG4
• Hammock - TN2, TN3
• Palm Trees - CG1, CG2, CG4, BP1, BP2, TN7, TN8
• Grass - CG1, CG2
• Clouds - Craf-T chalk in Blue
• Outline - TB1
• Sentiments - the main one is computer generated by me using a tag which I exported from the Christmas Twist download into my word processing programme, before superimposing a see through text box on the top of it so I could write a suitable sentiment for "Not Going To Work Day Unless It's Fun". The December 25 banner is by Paulette from Create with TLC and was a freebie on her blog last year. 

We've got a new team member joining us from this week, so I hope you'll you'll come over to Incy Wincy Designs and give Jackie a very warm welcome and see the other wonderful creations from the rest of the team and this week's Guest Designer Bunny. Then don't forget to come back and show us your creations that are Bizarre, Wacky or Unique Holiday Days - don't forget to tell us which holiday you're celebrating from the website. You've got until Sunday 7th April 2013 to join our challenge.

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

• Day 91 - April Fool at 365 Cards
• Challenge 88 - Humour at Crafty Cardmakers
• Challenge #35 - April Fool's Day at Created with Love Challenges
• DDC #56 - Laughter is the Best Medicine at Digi Darla's Challenges

Hugs, Helen x