Rudoph's Helpers!

Hello again! I am back with a little oddity card to share with you - oddity because it's made from odds and ends.  The base is a narrow strip left over when cutting a square card out of an A4 sheet of cardstock, and seems too big of a left over to add to my bit box for die cutting so I turn them into small cards that will fit in a 5" square envie.  The topper on the front is one of my older Penny Johnson stamps for Stampavie and I just coloured with my Copics and added Stickles and glaze.  I had a lot of problems with the red on that nose though .. .. red Copics are tricky and bleed easy.  Anyway, from a distance it doesn't look so bad, and with the warm grey shades I used for Rudolph it just adds to the shadow .. .. right?

I covered the base card with a scrap of Marianne Design paper, and an oddment of die cut chicken wire, then added the bow and more die cut bits and pieces embellishing with more Stickles.  I'm quite pleased how this little card turned out considering it's made from oddments of scrap.

The Marianne Design dies I used were chicken wire - DF3404, mini poinsettia - LR0142, bells and holly leaves from COL1363.

The Incy Wincy blog challenge theme is for wild animals - I have Rudolph the reindeer plus his wild robin helpers.  And the Crafty Ribbons challenge is for animals plus ribbon - so I can enter with them too.

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas challenge just want you to use some of your favourite things, mine are colouring with my Copics, and of course my Marianne Design die cuts, especially the flowers I use to embellish nearly all my projects!  And, I won the last challenge and have received a lovely package of Kanban goodies already - thank you!

And a big thank you to Eve for giving me the link to Pixie's blog and the Snippits Challenge, I shall be joining in and adding Pixie's blog to my blogs I'm following list.

I'm scheduling this post so fingers crossed it pops up tomorrow morning whilst I'm busy - I'll come along later in the day to do the linking up. Thank you for stopping by to take a peek, and if you leave me a comment I'll come visit you too.

Crazy in Love at CCT

Hello again! It's Thursday so time for another challenge at Cute Card Thursday, and this week we are 'Crazy in Love!'

Our sponsor is Bunny Zoe, with a £10 gift voucher to spend in the store, so with Valentine's around the corner come and join in the fun!

I've made another little C6 card for St Francis Animal shelter where I found Izzy .. .. and created a little scene with an old Penny Johnson stamp design for Stampavie and the Summer Scenery set for Don and Daisy at Marianne Design.  I've coloured with Copics .. .. .. here's the card:

The papers are by Nitwits and I've used a Marianne heart die and coordinating stamps for my embellishment along with the little red heart gems.  A simple design, but I like it!

Browsing through my blog role posting list and saw Deb had put a little cutie onto a challenge called 'In the Pink' - not heard of them before but then I've been out of things for a while, anyway thank you Deb for introducing them to me.  Their challenge is for love and hearts, in addition to lots of pink, so hopefully they will like my card too!

Thanks for stopping by, and hope to see you again soon!

From the Bit Box

Sorry to have been away so long .. .. and I never got to join in with a DT creation for Cute Card Thursday 'Just for Laughs' theme this week, or for the Marianne Design Divas letters and/or numbers challenge .. .. I will try to do better!

I'm still kept busy with Izzy, and thankfully, fingers crossed, I've found a lovely chap to help finish off the decorating in the bungalow.  He also spent time getting to know Izzy and giving me some advice as he used to have spaniels too.  I have to seal the wall behind the bed in the guest room tomorrow (smelly stuff so hopefully it wont be too cold to have the window open) ready for wallpaper to go up later in the week, I hope.

Today I stopped by St Francis and gave them a selection of cards to sell in the office, and they asked if I'd like a stall at the summer fair in July .. .. not sure about that as still need to do a lot more work to get Izzy socialised and happy to meet other dogs, and people! Anyway, they like my cards so that is good to know, and here's another one for them.  I'm keeping things flat, and this one is blank inside so it could be for any occasion.  An old Stampavie stamp, but oh so cute, coloured with my Copics but looking a bit washed out due to taking the picture on a dull day with the lights on. The small square base I'd already got cut so rummaged about and found pieces of Cuddly Buddly digi paper in my print out box and little green stars in the waste jar. Nice when I can use up the old stash .. .. especially as I just succumbed to buying some new!

Santa's Helpers

I'm back! I took a few days away from crafting and the computer to spend time with DH.  It was lovely to have him around for a long weekend, even if some of it was spent shopping, working (him), gardening and DIY.

Today I am back with my 3rd card created with the Penny Johnson Santa stamps for Stampavie, and another effort at using the Fancy Labels 8s.  I've stamped the image then coloured with my Copics before cutting out the image to fit inside the medium die cut shape - but found that my plain label 8 was either too big or too small so I had to cut by hand to get the image to fit the shape properly.  A little inking around the edge hides any unevenness, hopefully, and gives a shadow at the same time.  I found some old gold card in my stash so have used that for the fancy cutting, and it wasn't too bad so I reason some card is better than others with these dies.  The base is a kraft card that I'd chopped a piece off for some reason, and rather than keep it for chopping up I went with the shape .. .. ..

Here you can see inside a little where I've added a greeting stamped onto a fancy white cut square I had in my stash, and then decorated with the Marianne die cut holly sprays.  The red paper is also from a Marianne Christmas pack, but I can't remember which one.  To finish off I found the little square green gems in my stash - they need glue so are a bit fiddly to put on, but eventually they look 'squared up' and the glue dries clear anyway!

I'm too late to enter a couple of challenges that I had in mind when I created this card, but thankfully there are plenty of Festive ones around just at the moment.  Fab 'n' Funky are looking for traditional Christmas colours, the Winter Wonderland challenge is a Christmas card for a child, and the Sweet Stampin' Challenge blog are looking for Christmas creations too.

I don't have anything else to share with you just at the moment so will probably disappear again for a few days.  I do have to get into Bodmin for shopping and would like to finish tidying the garden if the weather improves this week.  And of course there is still DIY that needs to be done .. .. I need to find someone to hang wallpaper that's been sat on top of my wardrobe for over a year, just on one wall in the bedroom, but I've decided it's too much for me and my wonky neck to tackle these days.

Animal Magic for CCT

Good morning! well it still is just .. .. I've been delayed waiting for the internet upgrade to kick in, the man has been and done whatever needed to be done so now it's a case of let's see if it works!

Here is my second card made with the cute Penny Johnson stamp for Stampavie called 'gifts for you', and my DT card for this week's Cute Card Thursday challenge 'Animal Magic'.  Our sponsor for this challenge is Nikki at Bunny Zoe's crafts, do stop by the CCT blog to see the DT inspiration and read all about the challenge.  The stamped image is coloured with my Copics, plus Stardust Stickles for Santa's fur trims and over the flakes, then I used a white pen for highlights on noses.  I've cut the image out with the fancy labels 8 die and then matted it over a plain red label 8 piece - I am determined to use those dies and this time the fancy one cut a bit better.

Here's the card.  The papers are by Marianne Design and I've added the faux blanket stitch with a white pen then simply decorated with ribbon and Marianne die cuts as the text is printed on the paper already.

I've cut the poinsettias with LR0142 and added the blue snowflakes behind (chopped up a bit to resemble fronds) from one of the flakes in LR0123.  The little red hearts are waste from a previous die cut piece, I keep the bits in a little jar waiting for a 'rainy day' when I need them!

The theme at the Squirrel and the Fox challenge is animal antics so that fit's my card too!  The Papertake Weekly challenge if anything goes with the option of Christmas, and the Crafty Little Fairies theme is Christmas in November.

Shh! Santa's here!

Last week I stamped out 4 of my old Penny Johnson Christmas images for Stampavie and have managed to get 3 of them coloured, and 2 made up into cards - that's on the ball for me!  At least I have something to share with you for a few days, and today my first card is with Shh!  I've coloured the image with my Copic pens and added Stardust Stickles to Santa's fur trims.

 Let's see the card then .. .. ..

I've been playing around with the fancy labels 8 dies again, I'm determined to get some use out of them seeing as they cost so much!  I've created a base card and edged it with red ink, then simply added the layers. I am not happy with the way it cuts, or perhaps it's the paper that stretches on the second pass, see at the bottom there - hopefully one of the non-crafty neighbours wont mind or notice!

 Because it's so plain and simple I added the red patterned paper from Marianne Design to the inside as well with a plain 8 label to write the message on.  The text is from a MD set of banners and stamps, COL1325, and the felt die cut snowflake is from CR1227.

The Allsorts challenge is for Christmas Cheer, I think this Santa with the little pup fits that theme just right!

That's if from me today folks.  I have got my car back, and things were not as bad as expected.  The exhaust was an easy weld for my Smart man, but I did have to have a new back tyre as it was almost flat and he was too scared to pump it up as the canvas was showing in places!! How I didn't have a blow out he doesn't know - probably because I'd been driving around with it almost flat!  Thankfully it didn't cost an arm and a leg - just the leg!  I need to get out to get my happy pills, but as the weather is blowing up a storm here I am thinking one more day of being mildly depressed wont matter .. .. .. .. and I do have a couple more cards to finish off, and there's a carton of fresh chicken soup in the fridge that needs using up as well as some of those part baked rolls to cook, so I reckon there's no need to venture into the storm today!

My Little Lamb #2

I am scheduling today's post for the Cute Card Thursday challenge as, hopefully, DH will be along this morning to take me out for the day .. .. ..

Our challenge this week on CCT is Spring Fever and we are sponsored by Bunny Zoe's Crafts.  I have inked up Penny Johnson's My Little Lamb design for Stampavie - a favourite that has been in the top ten on my side bar for ever!  This is only the second card I have made with this stamp and hopefully you will like it as much as the first one.  I coloured the image with my Copic pens and have used soft patterned papers by Nitwits' Thimbles Too collection matted with Blushing Bride card by SU!

Here's my card.  I've added the soft pink organza ribbon and just a few Marianne diecuts to finish things off, along with the green gems.

Marianne dies I used are: heart LR0159, flowers LR0234, leaves LR0228 & LR0192.

The Addicted to Stamps challenge is Bring On Spring, at Creative Stamp Friends it's also Spring, and at Craft Your Passion it's for odd numbers of embellishments - I'll get around to linking up with them when I get home.

Decorating Rudolph

I've had this cute Rudolph stamp by Penny Johnson for Stampavie for some time, but I've only just got around to colouring him in. I've used my Copics: the E40 - E49 for Rudolph and the birds, RV32, 34 and 17 for the pinks, YG00, 03 and 17 for the greens and a little B60 for the shadow along with an old B60 pen I topped up with blending solution so it's now a very pale version of the original.

And here's the card. I've used another of the old Papermania papers and added the white faux stitches around the edge then matted with dark brown cardstock. The ribbon is from my stash and to embellish I simply punched out lots of poinsettias with my different sizes of Nellies Choice punches and added the centres with my Wacco pearl maker pen in pale amber.

I've been looking around the challenge blogs, and found the Corrosive Challenge blog theme is for funny or punny creations, hope decorating Rudloph counts! Divas by Design have a Christmas in August theme, and I found a new to me blog called Crafting When We Can with a do it your way theme, so I'll enter with them too.

And I nearly forgot the Stampavie and More challenge which is for Christmas - just made it!

Shhh!

Copics:
skin tones: E000, E00, E21, E02
sack and puppy: E40, E41, E42, E44
reds: R22, R24, R27, R29, R59
boots and belt: C1, C3, C5, C7
shadows: W1, W3, B0000, B000
yellows: Y11, Y17, YR23
greens: G40, YG63, YG67

I'm not happy with this scanned picture, the red poinsettias are brighter than this, although the sparkle does show up quite well. And I just noticed that the little gold star in the centre of the left poinsettia has shifted - I'll have to try and push it back. The stamped image is called Shhh, by Penny Johnson for Stampavie and coloured with Copics, then I inked the edges with Walnut DI before adding the Platinum Stickles. I'm still in the inky mode but wonder if this card has come out a bit dark for my liking - but as it's a Christmas card I think I've gotten away with it. I've gone over the baubles, the star and Santa's belt buckle with a clear glaze pen but it doesn't show up. The red patterned digi papers from Cuddly Buddly have also been inked and stickled then to embellish I diecute the Marianne mini poinsettias and swirls plus punched out little pieces of frond from scraps of red card. At last, another Christmas card for my box .. .. 2 down and how many to go!

Cupcake Craft challenge is 'seeing red' this week, so as I have lots of red on my card, I'll enter!

My little lamb

My camera is bug***d! so I've had to pop this card on the flat bed scanner in order to share it with you - looks like I may have to do this for the foreseeable future, until I can save up for a new camera or get mine fixed, but a new one might be cheaper! I had a little camera for Christmas but it's useless for taking close ups of the cards - I can get in really close for a macro image on the details, but just can't get a clear picture of all the card. I've wasted hours fiddling with different settings to no avail.

Back to today's creation then. I have a stack of cream cards that are just 120mm square so need smaller images for them, or I need to keep the image as the main focus of the design as I have here. The picture is washed out, the pinks are certainly brighter and as I've layered with 3d foam and stuck on the butterflies and flowers so the wings and petals can be raised up, the scanner has let in too much light and hasn't got things in focus. I've been trying my hand at the distressed/vintage style again and have inked all the edges with Walnut DI then added Stardust Stickles around the edges of the image, the text and the papers. The image came out last year and is called 'my little lamb' by Penny Johnson for Stampavie. I coloured with Copics, sorry no list today I put them away and forgot to make a note. The patterned papers are from Kim's yellow Cottage digi collection and I've matted with pink textured cardstock. I punched a lacy edge for the horizontal layer, but then covered it up with the circular sentiment! To embellish I've punched out little butterflies, leaves and hydrangea flowers, added tiny pearls and a piece of satin ribbon. I quite like how this one turned out, but just wish I had a better picture for you.

Challenges I can enter into are: If the shoe fits who are looking for pink creations, Critter Sketch who are looking for critters, and Crafty Creations who want to see 3 little words.

Have a Heart

Copics:
skin tones: E000, E00, E21, R00
hair colours: YR20, E34, E35, W1, W3, W5
clothing: BOOOO, BOOO, BOO, G000, G00, YG41,
hearts: R81, R83, R85
cill and shadow: E40, E41, E42

that's the challenge we have for you on the Oldie but a Goodie blog this time around. Don't forget, our challenge is to use a STAMPED image at least 6 MONTHS OLD on your creation, in addition to the current theme. Debs has donated a fabulous Messy Rabbit prize for this challenge so why not come and join in the fun with us!

I've inked up this love bubbles stamp by Penny Johnson for Stampavie and coloured with Copics before pricking, inking the edges with Spun Sugar DI and then going around with Stardust Stickles. The papers are from Kim's digi Cottage collection in rose, again pricked, inked and stickled. I've used the sketch on the Create 4 Fun blog for my card layout, cutting the circle with a Nellie's Choice die, and adding a floral embellishment created from various punched and die cut pieces and a bloom from my stash. The ribbon I got at a craft fair ages ago and the pearls are made with my cream pearl maker pen.

Now with so many Valentine challenges around blog land at the moment, I've chosen to link my card up with just these .. ..
Stampin' for the Weekend, Secret Crafter Saturday and Cutie Sunday all looking for Valentine creations and Allsorts theme of it must be love, love, love!

CCT sketch

Copics:

E000, E00, E21, E02, E13, E33, E39
B21, B41, B23, B45
G02, G05, G07
W1, W3, W5, W7

This week on Cute Card Thursday our challenge is to create with the sketch designed by Lynn. Our sponsor for this challenge is Kraftin Kimmie Stamps. Fingers crossed you can see this card today as I've scheduled it to appear whilst I'm having fun at the Westpoint craft fair with my friends!

Those of you who regularly follow my blog will know that I don't go in for complicated sketches and lots of different patterned papers, so this was a bit of a challenge for me! As a starting point I had a rummage through my paper box and discovered these digi designs from Designer Digitals that come from the same set so the colours match. I cut out my layers then added a white line and pricked faux stitches around the edges, I then chose this cute image by Penny Johnson for Stampavie and coloured it to match before cutting out with a circle Nestie to fit the sketch. My green is a little brighter than the green on the flowery layer so I will have to add to my green Copic collection! It's a simple little card for my craft sale box so I just added the blue ribbon, a sprinkling of white pearls, a text greeting and punched 3 little stars from the dark burgundy card I used to mat my image. It should be thin enough to post at normal rates too - always an advantage!

The Allsorts challenge blog would like to see creations for men or boys this week so here's my card for them.

Out with the old!

Copics
puppy: E40, E71, E74
kitten: E30, E31, E33, R20
hearts: R32, R35

This week on Cute Card Thursday our challenge title is 'Out with the Old' - we want you to use some of your old stash before getting in with the new! Our sponsor for this challenge is Stamp Shoppe Creations, please see the CCT blog for details.

I've inked up one of my older Penny Johnson for Stampavie stamps and coloured the cuties with Copics - and forgot to do a shadow to anchor the image so I will have to go back and do that, I'm still getting back into the swing of crafting again! The papers are old ones from a magazine, and the flower is an old Magnolia stamp I inked up 3 times so I could add some dimension to it after colouring and cutting out the layers. The little red hearts are from my stash, and apologies if you can see the glue - I had to take the picture before it was dry and the daylight was fast disappearing, not that we had much of it yesterday. The ribbon and button are also from my stash and I've just added a little punched heart border and white stitches to finish things off.

As my card isn't totally finished, I'm not going to link it up with any other challenges. If I remember I'll take another picture to replace this one, once I've added my shadows!

Jolly Holly!

I'm back with a card to share with you after a blogging and crafting break. Well I had to take down the decs and clean the house, return some clothes to the shop as they were to small - hubby thinks I'm skinny! and then last night my grandson was rushed into hospital. He's going to be ok, just a febrile convulsion although when he stopped breathing and turned blue his parents really panicked! His elder brother get's them too and his Mum did as a child, so it looks like they both have inherited the condition from her, but should grow out of it. This morning he is back home none the worse for wear, then I had to pop along for my mammogram and a delicious coffee and danish with MIL afterwards.

So I have been busy - but not too busy to colour in this cute image - a Stampavie stamp by Penny Johnson I got on sale from Bunny Zoe's store. I'm sorry I don't have the Copic pen colours for you, it's been a work in progress for several days in between doing all those other little things. I have reluctantly had to leave the ABC Christmas challenge blog design team, not that I didn't enjoy being on the team, but I have collapsed vertebrae in my neck and the amount of time it takes to leave comments on the entries was causing me some problems. I got medical retirement from my secretarial job because of it and recently the extra time spent at the computer has reminded me how painful things can become. So now I am back to joining in with them as a player - and for the first challenge of 2011 it's A for anything goes! My papers are from the local craft store bargain bucket and the little buttons just finish things off so I can enter the card with the For Fun blog challenge to use 3dps, 2 buttons or brads and 1 image. My crafting resolution for this year is to use up the stash - isn't it always! but also to try and keep the embellishments to a minimum so the postage doesn't cost so much next year. I'm hoping that the little buttons will squeeze in under the 5mm rule.

Thanks for stopping by and I'll be around to catch up with my blogging buddies asap!