365 Cards Day 137 & Some Good News

Hello everybody peeps !

I'm back with a card (can you believe I woke up thinking about the layout of this card? Is that sad or inspired - I don't know ?

But.... 1st things first. I have some absolutely fabulous news. Thankyou, thankyou and a milliion times thankyou to all the wonderful people who wished me luck with my interviews. I am thrilled to announce that I got the job that I REALLY wanted and I start on Monday.

Wooooooo Hooooooo !!!

I'm just a bit blooming excited :) I feel like a massive weight has been lifted and I am just so happy that I made a good impression at both interviews, but got the job that I really wanted. I'm going to be the office administrator in a small company that imports curtains. My previous experience of running a dedicated curtain department at Allied Carpets for years has stood me in good stead, also the fact that I have 20 years experience of being a good office all rounder. It will be ideal for me as it will be busy and I'll get involved in lots of things. Most important of all I'm looking forward to earning some money again so I can indulge in some 6 x 6" Basic Grey packs. LOL

Anyhoo, back to the details on the card. I have been able to include the following challenges into this little number :-

• 365 Cards Day 137 - Bind 2 pieces of something together to make a card
• CCEE Stampers #27 - Include footprints of some type on your card
• Paperminutes #71 - Colourscheme of red, white, black and green
• Cuttlebug Challenge #40 - A sketch plus include the textile folder as a bonus
• Lili of The Valley #32 - Animals
• Dutch Dare Card Challenge #56 - Die cuts or punches
• Our Creative Corner OCC - Pets

I started off with a DCWV textured card blank and cut the front off. I cut a piece of acetate and attached to the front with 3 black HOTP brads sticking to the positioning of the embellishments on the Cuttlebug sketch. The Cuttlebug textile embossing folder was used on a piece of white card. The corners were cut off using a circle punch. I added black gems to the corners from Paperchase.

The cat is a leather Sizzix diecut I bought off Ebay some time ago. I added a silve tinkling bell to thin green ribbon and some green gems for eyes. I used a white gel pen to highlight the legs. A black velvet ribbon has been added for a bit more texture. The red flower is a sequin and another gem added to the centre.

The footprints were added directly to the acetate. I used a punch to make a template in paper and drew through it with a Sharpie permanent pen.

I seem to be on a roll with acetate cards this week. I think I have been inspired by the DT at 365 cards as they have been using many of the Shortcuts products this week. With 7 chances to win a prize I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Well it has been a good week so far :)

365 Cards Day 96, Card Patterns # 17 & Cuttlebug # 34

The challenge at 365 Cards for today Day 96 is to make a card using fabric, ribbons flowers and buttons don't count.

Paul and I are following the GI Diet at the moment and one of the nicest parts of a diet that is working is to be able to get rid of clothes that are just far too big for you. Paul threw a really nice NEXT shirt away that it made from touchy feely modal fabric and as it was in such good condition I decided it was too nice to throw away and needed to be made into something. I've seen a butterfly shaped cushion in NEXT and thought I'd have a go at trying to do something similar.

I used a Sizzix die to cut the dress from the fabric. I have never cut fabric before and it didn't make a clean cut. Next time I think I will stick the fabric onto card before I cut it, on this occasion I did it the other way round.... oh well, you live and learn. The bottom layer of the dress is tulle and this is wrapped around to the back. Docrafts ribbon is used for decoration on the neckline and as a belt. I also snipped 2 flowers off to add to the shoes. Tiny gems from my stash were added to the flower centres.

The layout of the card is using this week's sketch # 17 from Card Patterns. I wanted a sketch which had a large rectangle to be able to show off the backing paper which is from Basic Grey Two Scoops. I matted this onto some co-ordinating card stock from my stash. The Be Inspired challenge this week at the Cuttlebug Challenge blog is to make an item using both Basic Grey and Core'dinations cardstock. The back panel on the card is a sheet of card from the Black Magic collection, this was run through the Devine Swirls embossing folder and then sanded to reveal the core.

The velvet ric rac is by K & Co and was part of the prize I received from The Cuttlebug blogs T member Karen Maldonado. The flower & pin ensemble uses flowers and a button also from this pack as was the tulle on the dress. The other flowers are Prima's from my stash and the large gems are by Paperchase.

The sentiment is from the free papers that came with Crafts Beautiful magazine this month and you can download them from their site. The very talented Kirsty Wiseman has designed them an she's got a project on the front cover this month. She was absolutely made up and I loved reading her post on her blog about this momentous occaison.

400th Post and a 5 Challenge Card !!

This is my 400th post and I think this is one of the nicest cards I have ever made and it fulfils 5 Challenges YAY!!

The finished card measure A5 opening on it's side and was made from half an A3 sheet of white card. I used a Fiskars template for the scalloped edges and this was cut by hand with scissors. I added the little pearls, this decorating 3 sides of my card fulfilling todays challenge for Day 82 at 365 Cards.

The blue paper is HOTP from the Sapphire Cardmakers pad. The large 'L' is a Sizzix die and the use of the letter fulfils the challenge this week at The Pink Elephant. The letter was embossed using my new textile Cuttlebug folder which was part of my prize from Karen Maldonado. I am so pleased as I didn't have this one and nearly bought it at the Glitterpot. The rest of the Love lettering was done by hand. This then fits in with this week's Love and Marriage challenge at My Time To Craft.

Charisma Cardz had a new challenge up this morning to use Flowers, Lace and Pearls. The lace is an elasticated one, almost like a knitted texture and it is very tactile. I made a little layer from Prima flowers, a pearl headed pin, a pearl button and a small blue pearl heart.

Last but not least this weeks Cuttlebug Challenge is to use either the heart or butterfly combo. I bought the butterfly one at the Glitterpot as I had wanted it for sooooo long and have used it loads since. I used an offcut or a thick stardream card and it has made the embossing quite deep. I used a Brilliance inkpad on the letter and the butterfly to highlight the embossing and used tiny pearls on the body. The wings have been folded up and left loose.

I am so pleased with this card. I started off in the planning stage to see how many challenges I could tie together but it has turned out to be one of the cards that I am most proud of.

Cuttlebug # 28 & 365 Cards Day 57

It's Day 57 Super Sketchy Sunday over at 365 Cards today and I have used the sketch as the layout for the Cuttlebug Challenge to make a 'home' orientated card.

The papers are from a free booklet that came with Simply Cards & Papercrafts magazine. I very rarely work with these sort of colours bur really liked how summery they were. The turquoise paper was embossed using the Cuttlebug Devine Swirls folder and then sanded to reveal the white core of the paper.

The 'house' is a Colorbok chipboard shape that  distressed. The sentiment is from a paper pack from Creative Cardmaking which I matted a few times on the backing papers and a scrap of navy blue card. This is nounted onto 3D foam.

The flowers are Prima Daisies and the brads are HOTP.

Happy Birthday Sarn :)

This very special card was made for a very special friend's birthday today.

I spent ages on it doing the beading and made it in the colouring she likes the best, I REALLY hope she likes it.

I have wanted the Cuttlebug butterflies FOREVER and they were on my wish list of items to purchase from the Glitterpot. I am absolutely delighted with them and can see me using them loads. I added a little Papermania bling to finish it off.

The card uses Clare Curd papers from Papermania. I am loving using these papers  especially the black and white ones.

I used the latest sketch from Jen Del Muro over Sketch for You to Try (SFYTT) for the layout. There are so many intricate layers I felt it would showcase the papers well and allow me to use lots of texture.

The challenge at 365 Cards day 48 was to score a grid on a card using a Score It board as they were sponsoring a week of challenges. Inspired by a technique I had seen on Mel Stampz blog I scored a diamond grid and at each intersection I sewed a black bead. It took a while but the results are worth it I think.

The challenge on the Cuttlebug blog was to utilize numbers in your card. I used my numbers embossing folder (for the first time!) on black card and sanded it down to reveal the white core, thus adding more texture and continuing with the the same colourscheme.

The sentiment is from my stash with a little white gel pen added to define the edges.

Happy Birthday Sarn !!!

ICS, Cuttlebug & 365 Cards Challenges

I've got another 3 challenges in one card with this tag shaped beauty.

The layout is courtesy of sketch #  8 over at Inspirational Card Sketches. I have never created a tag shaped card before and thought it would make a nice change. It also game me the oportunity to punch a gromlet for the 1st time with my Cropodile Big Bite. I am pleased to say that it worked 1st time and was so easy to set. The size of the card is just under A5 so it's a nice size. I have made myself a little template so I can do this type of card again with all the measurements already worked out. All the papers used were scraps so another bonus! The patterned papers are from the Laura Ashley collection by Dovecraft and the pink card was a Brenda Walton K & Co leftover.

Cuttlebug challenge #23 is to be creative with punches. I purchased some ribbon threading punches in November 2007 and have only just used them. They are the type where you punch the paper so it's got a funny threading shape in it and then you punch the shape out, in this case a circle. I used offcuts of a rose patterned vellum used on a project a few days ago. I threaded these on a thin strip of black card and then embellished the centres with Papermania gems. Two of the papers were embossed with the Swiss Dots folder and the Divine Swirls.

365 Cards Day 21 was to make a card inspired by the song 'Lean On Me'. The sentiment is a word art download I have had for some time. I always download these things with good intentions but rarely use them. I printed a few off on a thin sheet of A4 card so I will have a few for making cards. I rally should do that more often so they are already to be used.

This is the first week that I have been able to complete ALL the 365 card challenges. I still have 4 of the earlier ones to do which I fully intend to go back to.

365 Cards Day 15 & Cuttlebug Challenge 22 & Clare Curds Limited Supply Challenge

This card was made using the sketch from Day 15 over at 365 Cards and Challenge 22 at Cuttlebug Challenge to use glitter with a rubber stamp.

The backing paper is another of Clare Curds Signature Range by Papermania. I love the swirly ones in there and there are loads of black & white ones. The swirls are a rubber stamp which was inked with Versamark and ultrafine glitter was poured on. I am absolutely covered with glitter, oh what fun :) I have entered this card into a challenge on the blog to only use 1 sheet of patterned paper. That's 3 challenges in 1 Card, an all time world record for me!

The flowers are from shop bought silk flowers that I have dismantled, sometimes you get absolutely loads and they work out far cheaper than the craft ones. The buttons are from my stash as is the sentiment. The 'ribbon' is a piece of white core black card which has been embossed using the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder and sanded back to highlight the dots better.

12,000 hits and a bit of Crafting

Goodness I have been busy this week. We have been re-decorating the downstairs of our home and the Hall Stairs and landing. Everything has been upside down for about 5 weeks, we haven't watched ANY television during this time which has been quite amazing. I have been so much more productive. We are on the final stretch, carpets are starting to be fitted next weekend and it's looking really nice.

I've not had very much time for crafting this week so it was lovely to be able to unwind and make a few cards last night. One card I cannot show until tomorrow. I've got something REALLY exciting happening, but it's a secret and I can't say anything until tomorrow.

My blog has just hit 12,000 on it's counter. How on earth did that happen so quickly ? I know some of it will be me posting etc, but that has risen so quickly. I can only guess it is people visiting my blog because I have posted cards on sketch challenges.

This card was made using the Mojo 74 sketch and I wanted to use some embossed acetate to fit in with the challenge over on the Cuttlebug blog.

The pink square started it off, this was from a DCWV pad which is colorblocked and I loved the swirls in the paper. I used a square or acetate and embossed it with the Cuttlebug Divine Swirls folder. The other papers and 'ribbon' are Papermania Sweet Nothings, I do love that spotty paper. It looks fab when you ink the edges.

The butterflies are glittered chipboard shapes from DCWV and I added a small bow and some wire antenna from my stash.

a SFYTT & Cuttlebug Challenges

This card was made using the January 31st SFYTT Sketch at I {heart} 2 Stamp and incorporates the 'love' theme over at the Cuttlebug Challenge blog. In both cases it is the first time I have contributed to either of these.

The main background paper is some more of the embossed heart wallpaper that I discovered in B & Q. The strips are from the Papermania Sweet Nothings paper pack. The black circles were cut using Nestability dies and the red circles are textured with the Swiss Dots embossing folder.

The heart was cut using a Sizzlits die and the lettering was cut using a Cuttlebug alpha Red Tag Sale. Added bling is from my stash.