Upbeat, positive and ready for life....

It's is so easy when it's dark, cold, dreary and depressing outside to bring that into your home and take on the mood of the weather....well today I decided that no matter what the weather was doing outside I was going to try an remain upbeat! So yes I have the obligatory piece of black clothing on but I have got a shocking pink top on to go with it!!!

The card I am sharing with you today is based on the current sketch challenge over on Splitcoastampers, it is a nice clean look, which is what I am tending to prefer at the moment. And like a good lil' girl I used some of my extensive range of papers that I have been stroking for years, and a stamp that I haven't used yet! I have also been looking at the current challenge over on Daring Card Makers, its called Most Distressing, I am pushing my luck by saying my paper is distressed...OK I admit I didn't distress it but it is very distressed looking!

The image was stamped with Graphite Black Brilliance ink and left to dry while I measured, cut and placed the patterned Paper Elements - Sweet Peppermint cardstock onto my white A5 card. I coloured the Geisha using my Copics and Prismacolor Metallic Gold pen, outlined her with cool grey, and then lightly brushed over the whole image and then focused on the edges with Pearl Ex Powder Pigment in Blue Russet. To help incorporated the gold that I had used on the Geisha into the whole card I placed gold dots using my Prismacolor Pen around the outside of the main mat area.

What do you think?


.....................................................................................................................
Recipe -
Stamp - Dimension Fourth
Paper - Paper Elements - Sweet Peppermint, standard white cardstock
Ink - Graphite Black Brilliance
Accessories - Copics, Prismacolor Maker, SCS sketch

Did you know that today is Workers Memorial Day - international day of remembrance and action for workers killed, disabled, injured or made unwell by their work.

Shrink to Fit

Over on DCM they have a challenge today....

You are allowed to cover no more than a 5x5cms area of your card with paper or
embellishment - the rest of the card must be left plain

I just so happened to have some new stamps on my desk that I want to try out... they are Inkadinkado - Put your Stamp on it- Amy Smith Made It - the Flourish pack....this is an adorable set with doodle style flowers, butterflies, and birds.

I hope you can see from the picture it looks like a postage stamp as I embossed the scallops as well ....this card is going to my friend who has just bought a house in London...to say I hope she has fun in her new nest!

My image in total is actually 4cm by 4cm!

Recipe:
Stamp Inkadinkado - Put your Stamp on it- Amy Smith Made It - the Flourish Pack....this is an adorable set with doodle style flowers, butterflies, and birds.
Prismacolor pencils and Mineral spirts
Nestablities
Blue and white standard cardstock

Chick Hello

The DCM challenge is sponsored by Paper Pesto! This week and it’s a sketch…so this morning lying in bed trying to pretend it wasn’t time to get up the idea of what to do came to me, and it pretty much turned out how I imagined (makes a change!)

I stamped the images on plain white cardstock, coloured them using Prisma pencils (Canary Yellow, True Blue, Orange and Poppy Red), blended with white spirit and using my Nestabilites and Cuttlebug I cut them into circles – I used to avoid circles at all costs before but not now! I then used a slightly larger scalloped edge die to cut some black cardstock to sit behind my main image. The base card is matt card stock (4 ½ by 5 ½) onto which I mounted some yellow card stock, which had been embossed using my Cuttlebug and the circle embossing folder. The ribbon is actually two different ribbons, black velvet and yellow gingham. The main image on the left-hand side at the bottom is raised on 3d foam.
Although this card is really simply, I loved making it, I find some cards inspire you others drain you…this one inspired me and I can’t wait to play again….thanks for looking.





Recipe
Ink - Black Stazon
Stamps - Chick Family from Stampendous!
Pencils - Prisma in Canary Yellow, True Blue, Orange and Poppy Red
Cuttlebug,circle embossing folder, velvet ribbon, gingham ribbon, 3d foam

Razzle Dazzle Birthday

The card today is based on the DCM challenge to use only red and white and the Spiltcoaststamper Sketch template that you can find here. I know the DCM challenge is late, I kept looking at it thinking ‘no can’t do it, where would I start?’ etc and then the penny dropped ummm it’s a challenge its not supposed to be easy! Doh


I used pearlecent red card stock as the base. I stamped white card stock strip with a flourishes stamp by Rhonna Farrer using Versamark, onto which I applied Ranger Rich Red embossing powder and heat embossed. I cut out a block of the same red cardstock that I used as the base; corner punched it and mounted it onto white card stock. I used Versamark ink and another stamp from Rhonna Farrer but this time I used Matt White embossing powder from Funstamps. The final layer is the red cardstock onto which I put white card stock, the sentiment stamps are from Stampendous Mega Happy range, which I inked in Versamark and embossed with Red Razzle Dazzle.






Stamps - Stamps


Cardstock - Craftworks and Wilkos(!)

Embossing Powders - Colemans

Happy Birthday to Moo! and The Girl at the Gate

Happy Birthday to Moo! Is my entry for the SCS CC152 – It’s a colour challenge, using Apricot Appeal, Ballet Blue and Real Red, its even more of a challenge as these colours are Stampin Up! Colours, none of which I own, so I had a real close look at the fantastic entries and found as close a match as I could.

I also did the DCM Midweek challenge A little Extra Doodling, I added some faux stitching, but I also paper pricked the hole for some of the stitching and that is something that I have done before, but its something I will do again as I really like the effect.

I stamped the cow on white cardstock with Brilliance Graphite Ink and then coloured the image in using copics. (its not great but I am still learning!), I cut the image out using my Cuttlebug and small scallop Nestabilites die. I then used the same size die but the normal scallop on a blue card stock, which I mounted the image onto.

I cut out two stripes of card, one in muted yellow and the other the same blue I had used previously, faux stitching added, some pin pricking, and the edges inked with Mediterranean Blue Brilliance ink. I wrote Happy Birthday to Moo! Free hand and mounted onto the base cardstock which is red. I assembled all the pieces and added a final touch of bling with coordinating gems.

The stamp is from Dimensions Fourth
The cardstock in Kanban
The Gems are Papermania

The copics, and Nestabilites can be bought at numerous web sites.

The Girl at the Gate



The Girl at the Gate is stamped using Graphite Black by Brilliance onto white cardstock, coloured in using Prisma Colour Pencils, baby oil and prisma markers, mounted on some pale blue cardstock, then some forest green cardstock. The base card is a pearlescent gold, and a final touch is a dark green ribbon.



The stamp is from Ibrakeforstamps
The cardstock in Kanban and Craftworks
The ribbon is from a haberdashery department
The prisma pencils and markers can be bought at numerous web sites.

Bells Bows and Baubles

I did this card for the mid week DCM challenge yesterday afternoon, by which time it was too late to photograph as it was so dark and mirri card does not scan all that well!

• Silver Mirri Card
• Papermania peeloffs
• Papermania ribbon
• Peeloff's Permenant Makers

Golden Highlights

The DCM challenge this week is Golden Highlights.

I stamped the image on cream cardstock, then mounted on some wonderfully glittery and shimmer gold paper, and again onto some more cream cardstock, I rounded all the ends with a corner punch before mounting them on the base rich textured green card. I then cut away an inch off the right hand side of the front of the card. On the now visible rear of the card I cut some slits and threaded through the ribbon.

Stamp - Paper Inspirations Thomas Nast Santa #2
Ink - Graphite Black Brilliance
Gold Glitter Paper - Kanban
Cream Card - Kanban
Green Textured card - Papermania
Ribbon - Anna Griffen

I am obviously in a less is more frame of mind today if my card for the Midweek challenge on DCM is anything to go by!


Santa's Little Helper is still trying to motivate us into getting those Christmas cards made and this week our subject is
Piles of Parcels
we'd like you to put some gorgeous, tempting, beautifully wrapped Christmas parcels on your cards this time.


No Peeking!

• Stamps are from See D's Fun Christmas Collection
• Ink is Graphite Black from Brilliance
• Colours are from Prismacolor makers
• Base card,white cardstock and red cardstock are general crafty items I have lurking

This weeks DCM dare is....

Getting Corrugated...

hmm don't know if I have any corrugated card....might have to get my ribblers out that haven't seen the light of day for a few ...years (yikes!) but when I went looking I found a few small bits of coloured corrugated card that I must of got free with a magazine at some point! So I used those colours as the basis of my card, along with the first impression of my Presentahbella from Stamping bella.

So what did I use - a black 5by5 square card, some coloured corrugated card, the stamp is Presentahbella,the ink is Graphic Black Brilliance Dew Drop, and I coloured the image using Prismacolor markers.

DCM midweek challenge

This week we'd like you to make and share cards on a theme of
Snowmen and Snowflakes

DCWV winter stack for the card

Papermania Snowmen Stamp

Anita's snowflake stamp

Blue in from Briliance

Blue ribbon from American Crafts

Organza Ribbon in light silver

and a glitter brad from Papermania

Its my neices birthday coming up soon and when I was doing the Santa for the DCM Cut It Challenge I came across this template from crafty templates which suited it perfectly!

For Abby it has to be pink and sparkly and I think this fits the bill!

I used K&Co Papers, some pink glitter card that I got from a show last year, and some glittery brads.

DCM have set a challenge and CUT!
Any theme goes, so for those of you needing a break from Christmas crafting this is the perfect opportunity to have a change. All styles are welcome but there MUST be an element of handcutting somewhere. It could be a greeting, a shape, letters printed on your pc and handcut, anything goes as long as you did it by hand.

I used the Santa template from Crafty Templates, which I mounted onto plain white smooth card stock, Santa's body and head are separate so you can 3d mount if you want. I have coloured him using Prismacolor makers and a bit of glitter on the bobble on his hat.

I took a photo in daylight today, not sure if it's any better!

Sorry for that lack of posts, work and the house took over my life for a week or two but service should (hopefully) be resumed.

This is a card done for the Ribbon Challenge on DCM!

I used Red chiffon ribbon, DCWV Christmas paper, HOTP Christmas Brad, SEE Dee's Santa stamp, Black Stazon, Primacolor Markers, Iridescent sparkle glitter glue.

The DCM Darethis week....

Kathy here to set you a really Beastly dare this week! The theme is ANIMAL and you can use anything that's animal inspired - not those diddy little ones like bugs, birds and butterflies (though you can include them in your design of course) but what I'd really like to see is bigger, wilder, more fabulous or fantastic creatures So you could maybe use animal die cuts, animal prints on paper or fabric, or maybe animal words or phrases "grrrrr get down tiger"!!!! You could invent your own wild and wonderful beasties, or go back in time for dinosaurs, or into the world of mythology for all sorts of incredible creatures. How about a card in the shape of a tiger, elephant or monkey? Now, there's a challenge for you.... I'd love you to all go really wild over this one and have loads of beastly fun

I had a hunt through my stamps, and found two, well a few more then two actually(oops),but two that grabbed my attention so I made two cards. The first is a stamp from Tanda Stamps, which I inked with Impress Dye Inkpad in Fawn and stamped onto some plain white cardstock, this was then mounted on some warm brown Bazzill Cardstock, I used some pale brown/cream ribbon from American Crafts Elements, and again mounted this all on some Brenda Walton cardstock from the Maison range. Finally this was placed on a plain white square card.

The second card has an image from I Brake for Stamps which has been inked with black Stazon, I have done some shadowing and a little bit of colour with Prismacolor Pencils and blended with baby oil gel. Then I have simply layered on to different coloured cardstock and added some brads....the image I felt didn't need any extra fussyness!

Christmas Words

I had a go at the DCM mid week challenge today, nothing to exciting ming, I enjoyed using things that I haven't used for a while like Liquid Applique and Glitter


The challenge:

Christmas Words
We'd like you to use Christmassy words on your card, not just in the sentiment but for this challenge the word/s should form the main focus of your card.



I simply used some paper from the now infamous DCWV Christmas Paper Pack, onto which I glued HAPPY CHRISTMAS which I had created on the PC using the Snowman font. I then used some white liquid applique, which I zapped with my heat gun to puff it up, and on top of this and in some other areas to highlight I added some red and green glitter. The final touch as a bow in the middle to make it look like a present.



Not to sure about this card, but I did have fun making it!

Tearing Purple Holes for Christmas

OK lol So just so this is perfectly clear...I obviously read what I want to read not what is written.......I did the mid week challenge from Daring cardmakers and used my new whale of a punch...which left me with some lovely paper with well a hole in it! so when my brother phoned to say my niece had done really well in her junior cert (Irish exams) I thought oh...I can use that paper and its got a hole in it and I can do the hole challenge............so I made a card for my niece which you can see below..................

It was only when I went back to look at the Daring Cardmakers website that I realised that a. tearing had to be involved (slightly lacking in my card) b. purple was involved (luckily by chance I had used a purple greeting!) c. a Hole....yep I managed that bit....and finally d. for Christmas .....oops!

I used basic grey papers, a Papermania rub on, an accent brad and a chipboard flower from Brenda Pinnick.

Big and Little

The girls at Daring Cardmakers came up with a mid week extra challenge called Big & little.......you have to use the same thing in a big size and a little size on your card.....plenty of head scratching later......I remembered I got my firs Whale of a punch recently....and some new fab Basic Grey papers and ribbons.....this is what I came up with.


Basic Grey papers - Gypsy
Basic Grey ribbons - Gypsy
Birthday Wishes stamp
Whale of a punch - circle
Small Circle Punch

Swirl Stamp from Autumn Leaves

and some faux pearl gems

Ahhhhh!

What is going on in my life? I mean I have not got five minutes to myself between decorating and working I am busy 24/7 and its driving me crackers!

But I have been working from home the last two days and today I managed to sneak in a half hour of crafting!


I rose to the challenge set by the Daring Cardmakers - make a card using black and 1 other colour..............so I choose lilac................



The stamp is from Autumn Leaves Rhonna Farrer Flourishes v:I, black stazon, black bloom from Sarah and lilac bloom from Prima, and I simply wrote Hello with a fine liner top and bottom oh and a papermania black brad!

Killing two birds so to speak!

Both CBC and DCM had fab challenges and I decided to join them together to make my card....Wings and Blooms..............




I used Black Tie Bling Blooms from the Bazzill Collection, brads are from papermania, the stamp is from Tanda Stamps, ink from Stazon, standard black card stock and blue glitter paper is unknown.

P.s Peacocks do fly and therefore have wings.....they are known to roost in trees in the evenings to keep away from predators!

Aislings Birthday Card

To my horror I realised that I have been a really really really bad Auntie Jukie and not sent my niece a birthday card for her 19th Birthday......................oops! So DCM came to my rescue...no they didn't make the card for me but they gave me a 'recipe' for one.....Here are your 3 ingredients: 1 stamp1 piece of chipboard (bought or "faux") 1 piece of metal... so I sat scratching my head thinking what would Aisling like ...oh she loves her car that she bought last year with her 18th Birthday money, which means she can nip up and down from Cork where she is at uni studying nursing, to home in Limerick. Aisling is one of those girls/women we all love to hate, she is beautiful (and I am not be biased!) tall, slim and really really nice....and I don't honestly know where my sister got her from.......hehe.



Anyway this is the card I made:-

I used an unmounted Beetle stamp from Stamps Away, which I inked with a DewDrop Brilliance ink pad in Platinum Planet, the paper on the left is from Basic Grey Perhaps Range, the A is a chipboard letter from Provo Craft Alphaletterz in Madeline Pinks, the two flowers are metal pink brads from an unknown source, and to finish it off I used some organza ribbon.