Nearly there

Yes, it is nearly Christmas and I am still making Christmas cards!  I left this one quite late as I knew I would be seeing my Mother-in-Law and she wouldn't mind a bit of a late one.  This is the card I have made for her, using a Lili of the Valley image she gave me (thanks Ilse!).  Funnily enough, it is the same image she used for my card.

I am entering this card in the following Challenges:

The Sweet Stop - Layout
ABC Christmas Challenge - Your favourite die
Christmas Stamping All Year Long - To die 4
Anything Goes Challenge - Traditional Christmas Colours
Card Making Mamas - Happy Holidays
Die Cutting Divas - More Holiday Spirit
Hanna and Friends - Christmas
Sparkles Christmas Challenge - Button or Bow

DCC Christmas Challenge Half-way

The Christmas challenge over at DCC & Friends is now half way!  By now most of your Christmas cards should be done so you will no doubt have heaps to choose from to enter into this great challenge.  Visible Images have sponsored this month with a whopping £35 bundle of goodies on offer for the lucky winner.

I'm sure you have something stashed away that you can use to enter. I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and best of luck!

Bingo with PCJ

Well another fortnight has passed and it is time for another challenge at Papercraft Junkies.  This fortnight we are playing bingo!  For those of you who have never played before, pick any three from the grid below.  However, just like bingo, you must choose three in a row; across, down or diagonal.  If you are feeling really game, you can go for the full house!  One of everything!

For this challenge I have used the image "Frames Floral - 4 Bugs".  My row is across the middle; Flowers (in the image), Die cuts and Glitter (it is there, but a little difficult to see.  There is some on each bug).

I look forward to seeing what you all come up with and best of luck!

Pink & Turquoise Christmas

I can't believe that Christmas is nearly here.  Where did the year go?  Looking forward to the break from playing Mum's taxi and some go slow time in the sun and warmth (fingers crossed with the weather, Melbourne can be very temperamental!).

This month at Creatalicious Challenges we are looking to see all your Christmas creations.  However, there is a twist!  Throw away all your red, green, gold and silver bits and pieces, we want to see your pink and turquoise creations.  I must say this threw me a little as I completely forgot about the twist when I selected my image from this months sponsor - Cedar Chest Designs.

 Despite that, I think it has come up quite nicely.  I have used two images: "Christmas Welcome" and "Holiday Lampost".  I have actually only used the top half of the lamp post to create some wall lights.

Now it's your turn to create something and we look forward to seeing what you come up with.  Merry Christmas to you all!

Christmas Time at DCC & Friends

Hello again everyone!  I hope everyone is well and truly on their way to finishing all those Christmas cards that need making, so there should be lots of wonderful entries in this months challenge at DCC & Friends Challenges.  If you are anything like me, you still have a long way to go!

As you can probably guess, this months theme is Christmas.  This is my creation:

I have used the Make it Craft image of "Lizzy with a gift". The sentiment, baubles, ribbon and designer paper are from Stampin Up! and the snowflake punch is one of the Martha Stewart ones.

The sponsor this month is Visible Images and as an extra Christmas prezzie for the winner they have kindly donated £35 worth of stamps!  If that isn't an incentive to join this challenge, I don't know what is.  The stamps included are:

Live Well
Calligraphy Corner

Corset
Blow Out the Candles
Happy Birthday
However you spend it
Bronte Border
Good Luck Cat Set
Live Your Dreams
Large Butterfly

Good luck and have fun!

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Jingle Belles- Anything Goes
Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenges -Christmas
Emergency Crafters - Anything Goes
Digi Galore - Anything Goes
Artistic Inspirations  Anything Goes
Oozak - Anything Goes & Red
Sparkles Christmas - Button or Bow
Sweet Stampin - Snowflake and Bow
Digital Tuesday - Girly
Ladybug Crafts Ink - Snowflakes

Embellish it!

Welcome back to another challenge at Papercraft Junkies.  This fortnight we are "Embellishing it".  This means we want to see your wonderful creations that incorporate hand made embellishments.  So put away all your flowers, rhinestones and buttons and come up with something original.  Remember, there are free images for the winner and a bonus one if you use a Papercraft Junkie image!

My creation was definitely a bit of an undertaking.  I didn't like the first card I made, it just didn't turn out the way I had envisioned it.  I used one half of the Papercraft Junkie image "Snowman Frames" and always wanted it placed centrally.  So, what to do around the edges?  I ended up drawing the flourishes as I don't have any flourish stamps.  I scanned it into the computer and printed it on the red paper.  I didn't really want black, but when you only have a black printer......  I tried using a light box and tracking it, but the card was too thick and I couldn't see through it.

The pearls are also handmade.  I discovered on the internet (sorry can't remember the source) that using puffy fabric paint on acetate, you can lift the image when it dries.  Loving the concept I jumped in the car and went to my local Spotlight store.  I had a bit of a play and figured it would be just easier to blob the paint directly onto the image.  Takes a bit of an effort to keep consistent sized blobs, but the overall affect is quite good.

This is my finished card:

This is the card I made first off.  It uses the other half of the "Snowman Frames" and I made the background using the negative image of some snowflake dies and sponges.  It's a bit bizzy for my liking, but it will serve as another Christmas card.

Good luck and we look forward to seeing what you come up with this time.

I am entering this card into the folowin challenges:

Oozak - Anything goes & red
Artistic Inspiration - Anything goes
Crazy 4 Challenges - Snowman
Digi Galore - Anything goes
Dream Valley Challenges - Non-traditional
Emergency Crafters - Anything Goes
Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge- Christmas
Jingle Belles - Anything Goes

Thanks

My family and I recently went away for a week to sunny Queensland and had a fabulous time.  A friend kindly offered to drop in a feed our cat.  This is the card I made for her to say thanks.  I thought the image was rather appropriate!

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Card Making Mamas - Thanks

Fussy & Fancy Friday - Pearls and flowers

Inky Impressions - Give Thanks

Lollipop Crafts - We are thankful

Papertake Weekly - Flower Power

Charisma Cards - Keep your cool

Creatalicious Winter Challenge

Hi everyone, it's time for another challenge over at Creatalicious Challenges.  This month we are looking for Winter projects.  This is what I have come up with:

This challenge is sponsored by Stamp Fairy and the prize is $10.00 on any purchase from the store!

Good luck and I look forward to seeing what you all come up with this month.

I am entering this card in the following Challenges:

Charisma Cards Challenges - Keep your cool

Fab 'n' Funky - Bears

Fashionista Challenges - Blue Christmas

Fat Pages& Cards with Attitude - Add a Sentiment

Hooked on Craft - Christmas, no red or green

The Pink Elephant - Punches/Dies

Southern Girls - Christmas

Sparkles Christmas - Contemporary Colours

White on White Christmas

This fortnight over at Papercraft Junkies we are having a "White on White Christmas" challenge.  I have used the image "Doodle Christmas Tree" which is currently on sale, along with lots of other great images, so head on over and pick up a bargain for the last of your Christmas cards!  If you anything like me, you still have lots to make.

Has anyone used hot set powder before?  I tried for the first time and I must have done something wrong.  By the time I had made my way around the large snowflake, where I had started had all blown off!  Maybe I will just stick to glue next time.

I look forward to seeing all your wonderful creations and good luck!  You don't have to use a Papercraft Junkie image to join the challenge, but it would be great if you did.  Especially since the are on sale!

Papercraft Junkies "Wings" Challenge

Hi everyone.  Since my last post I have been invited to join two more design teams!  I'm very honoured and excited to now be a part of the teams over at Papercraft Junkies and DCC & Friends Challenges.

Today is my first post for Papercraft Junkies where the theme for this fortnight is "Wings".  I have chosen the "Owl scene of a tree" image, which I love.  I added the moon (Nestabilities are good for more than cutting circles!) to create the night time scene.  I'm very happy with the way it has come out.  I kept the card simple to emphasise the image.

If you want to join us, here are the rules:

1. You can enter as many other challenges as you wish, but you can only enter our challenge with a maximum of 3 separate projects.
2. You can enter any kind of craft you wish, providing it follows the challenge theme at the time. I.e, cards, boxes, altered art etc…
3. You don’t have to use a Papercraft Junkies image to enter, however we would love to see all projects you make using our images.
4. Challenges will run twice monthly on the 1st, and 15th of the month.
5. There will be prizes for each challenge, winners will be picked at random and there will also be a prize for someone who uses a PCJ image.
6. There will also be a Top 3 badge for the projects we like best in that challenge.
7. Please only post new creations, No back linking.
8. If you do not have a blog but would like to join in our challenges then please email your entry to submissions@papercraftjunkies.com
9. Most important rule of all HAVE FUN!

The winner will gett their choice of image over at the Papercraft Junkies Store.  I look forward to seeing what you create!

Fiona

Half way at Dawn's Crafty Cards

Hi everyone, it is half way inspiration time over at Dawn's Craft Cards & Friends Challenges.  This month the theme is "Autumn to you".  The prizes include two A5 stamp sets donated by Sue Wilson and sponsored by 

and also 4 digi stamps of your choice from the fabulous Paper Craft Junkies who are currently having a SALE and also offering FREEBIES!!!

My creation!

Feel like joining in?  Well grab those autumnal colours, stamps and stash!  Post your entries here.

Birthday Dinosaurs

My eldest is off to yet another birthday party (at least this time Daddy gets to play chauffeur ), but this one is a boys party.  I'm not making a colouring book this time as the child just isn't into that sort of thing.  However, there is still the birthday card requirement.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Sketch
Here come the boys - Punches (corner rounder)
Southern Girls - Animal Crackers
Inky Impressions Challenge - Lots of layers

Fairy Art Book

This year for all the birthday parties my girls have been invited to, I have been decorating art books and personalising them.  This is a recent present that I created.

I am entering this into the following challenges:
Cute Card Thursday - Fairies & Angels
Anything Goes Challenges - Anything Goes
CRAFT Challenge - Birthday
Fanshionista Challenge - Anything Goes
Mema's Crafts - Anything Goes
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
Color Me Creative - Orange
Flutter By Wednesday's - Open Challenge
Fab 'n' Funky Challenges - Die's and/or punches

First DT Post!

One thing I have always wanted to do, but been hesitant to do, was get onto one of the many design teams around.  I have applied a few times in the past, but nothing came of it.  Well, that has all changed!  I have been invited to join the design team over at Creatalicious Challanges and I'm thrilled.

Well this first challenge has definitely been that, A CHALLENGE!  The challenge for October is Halloween.  I have never done anything Halloween related in my whole life.  I have no images, or anything in my stash remotely spooky or appropriate.  "No worries!" I say, "I'm off to a craft show tomorrow and will be able to pick up some stuff".  Not a single thing was there.  If you were looking for Christmas stuff, you were laughing.  So, I managed to find some purple paper, a spooky house chippy and a gate die that would adapt.

Now to make something.  However, I only have that night to make my creation.  I'm off to sunny Queensland (bring on the warmth and sun!) the next day and have to upload it before I go.  Needless to say, it was  a bit of a late night, but I enjoyed myself in the process.  This is what I came up with.

This challenge is sponsored by Sassy Studio Designs and the prize is 4 digi images for the winner to choose!

I look forward to seeing what you all create!  I'm now have the painful task of rationalising which copics I will pack 8(.  Have fun!

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:
Southern Girls Challenge - Ribbon
Stamps & Fun = Creativity - Pins
Card Makin Mamas - Halloween or spooky
Dream Valley Challenges - Halloween
Emergency Crafters - Recipe
Paper Craft Journey - Bling



Rainbows

I made this card and matching drawing book as a gift.  My youngest daughter was invited to a rainbow party and we thought it would be nice to carry the theme into the gift.  The background is from Make it Crafty and the image is "Dandelion Girl" by Wee Stamps.

I am entering this into the following challenges:

Emergency Crafters - Somewhere over the rainbow
Send a Smile for Kids - Anything goes
Try it on Tuesday - Anything goes
Hookedoncraft - Let's celebrate

Engagement Card

I created this engagement card for a friend.  She asked me to make ir for her sister as she couldn't find anything nice commercially.  The image it "You and me baby" from Tiddlyinks.

I am entering this into the following challenges:

The Pink Elephant - Wedding/Anniversary
Dream Valley Challenge - Something Old (Ribbon) Something New (Die)
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

MiC Fairy and Flower

I made this card a little while ago to match a gift made for a 5th birthday.  Both images, the fairy and the flower, are from Make it Crafty.

I am entering this card into:
Southern Girls Challange - Flowers.
Fashionista Challenge - Card for a child

The Paper Shelter Design Team Call

I am entering this card in the Design Team call over at the Paper Shelter.

I made this card for my Mum & Dad who are celerbrating their wedding anniversay on the 10th. 

Lily of the Valley

This is a birthday card I made using a lovely Lily of the Valley image.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Emerald Fairies Challenge Blog - Birthdays
Creatalicious Challenges - Anything Goes
Dream Valley Challenge - Things with Wings
Fashionista Challenge - Winged Things
Hanna and Friends - Favorite Colours
Mema's Crafts - Anything Goes
Send a Smile 4 Kids - Birthday Fun
Try it on Tuesday - Bingo + Butterfly

Pink & Green with Circles

Ok, not the most inspiring of titles, but I couldn't come up with anything better.  I made this card and matching art journal for yet another birthday party the girls are going to this weekend.  After this one we have another three over the next two weeks.  At least one of the gifts was made earlier, so I have only two more to make in the immediate future.  I do know about another birthday Freyja will be invited to next month, but at least I will have a little breathing room.

I chose the design and the papers before looking at any challenges I might be able to enter them into.  Fortunately they can be entered into the following challenges:

Charisma Cards - Bling
Crafty Creations - Circles
Color Me Creative - Pink & Green
Copic Oz - Birthday Theme
Send a Smile 4 Kids - Anything Goes
Southern Girls - Die Cut

May the force be with you!

I made this card for my daughter's 6th birthday (where had the time gone!).  She is very much into the cartoon Star Wars that has been showing on ABC3 of late. The picture is of Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalkers Padawan learner.  I got the image from Deviantart, but forgot to note the artist!  She loved it, which was the main thing.  It was quite refreshing colouring some thing a little bit different that had set colours.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Charisma Cards - No flowers
Papercraft Star - Birthday card or bag

Guest Designer

Last month I entered a card of mine into the Little Miss Muffet Challenge and I won!  I was ablet to choose two images from their store and a third if I was willing to make something for their next challenge as a guest designer.  Of course I said yes! 

The top photo is an altered sketch book with the matching card below.  They are for a friend of Nessa's for her birthday early next month.  I'm quite pleased with the way they have come up.

I am entering the card into the following challenges:

Color Me Creative - Anything goes
CRAFT Challenge - Celebrate
Hanna and Friends - Sketch
Papercraft Star - Use a Stamp

Boy Card

The girls went to a boys 4th birthday yesterday and I made these for him.  The top picture is the card I made, while the bottom is a blank sketch book that I covered to match.  We gave him this with a packet of textas.

I found this car image a real challenge to colour.  I haven't done many non-person images before.  I'm quite happy with the outcome, but I think a bit more practice is required!

I am entering this is the following challenges:

Southern Girls - "All about the Boys"
Mad for Markers - "Masculine Colours"

Mum's Turn Not to Look

I coloured this image for my Mum's card.  I chose it ("Bella Rose Lattice Background" by Heartfelt Creations) as she made a comment about how she liked it.  Red is her favourite colour, so that choice was easy.  You can't see it, but the leaves and roses are actually lifted on dimensionals.


I am entering this card into the following challenges:
Copic Oz - Flower colouring
Crafty Creations - Mother's Day
Hanna and Friends - Mother's Day

Other cards

I don't really understand what is going on with the Marci card, it is up the right way on the computer, but it is uploading sideways!  Anyway, these are two other cards I have made this week, but I'm not entering in to any challanges.  Hope you like them.

Don't Look Ilse!

This is the Mother's Day card I have made for my Mother-in-law.  Hopefully she will heed the title and not look before we see her next weekend!

I'm quite happy with the card, though I think it would have been better if I have used two different prints of the blue.  Very happy with my colouring

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Hanna and Friends - Sketch
Papercraft Star - Polka Dots

Birthday Season is upon us!

Well, we have hit birthday season here!  All the kids from Nessa's mother's group are turning 6, so there are birthday parties galore.  The first was yesterday, the next two weekends there are birthday parties, skip a week and we get to Nessa's with about three more to come after that!  Those are the ones I know about and can prepare for.  Don't forget that there are Mother's Day cards to make in there too!

I'm very happy with the way this card turned out (thanks for the lend of the lattice die Mum!), both in my colouring and card composition.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafty creations - Little girls
Southern Girls - Girly
Color Me Creative - Celebrate

Rainy Day Birthday Card

I made this card for a friend's birthday and I am REALLY happy with the way it turned out.  It took me three goes to get the brackground to work, even though I measured it each time (we just won't go there!).

I am entering this card into:
 Mad for Markers "April Showers" challenge.
Prairie Fairy Fridays "Flower" challenge.
Little Miss Muffet - April Showers