Madcap Manor

Good afternoon, my lovelies! It's time for another Challenge at Dream Valley and we'd like you to use either dies or punches or both on your creation!  Our sponsor is All Dressed Up Stamps, and Wendy kindly sent the Design Team a couple of images to use: I went with Country Girl who is so cute! I used a lot of Spellbinders dies on my circle card! The colourful background paper came from a pad from Love from Lizi called 'Kaleidoscope.' So summery! I used the same colours for the image. The green trim is from my stash, and the 'hello' die is a very old one from Simon Says Stamp.   I have been trying out different sizes, shapes and folds for my cardbases recently, I find that it sparks new ideas! Take a look at my teamies lovely work on the Challenge blog and dig out your dies and punches! Thanks for looking and take care. love Mags b x

Good morning, all! We have a new Challenge for you at Dream Valley - Let's Get Krafty! I do like a good (bad!) pun! Our sponsor is the fabulous Polkadoodles . I have used the sweet Winnie with Balloon she is just so cute! I made a circle card, just for a change! The background isfrom My Mind's Eye kraft Funday collection (out of print now) and I used a Spellbinders' Grand Circles die to cut it out. The scalloped mat is cut with another Spellbinders die from Neenah Desert Storm cardstock, and I inked the edges withVintage Photo Distress Ink. Winnie's balloon is covered with Glossy Accents, and I added some sequins from stash. I made sure that the card would fit into a large square envelope BEFORE die-cutting: the last time I made a circle card it was too big to fit any of my ready-made envelopes!! My teamies have produced some gorgeous work, go and see, then join in! Thanks for looking, and have a good week! love Mags B x

Hi, guys! I can't believe that it's already a whole month since Boxing Day! Next month we will be celebrating St Valentine's Day - and our new CRAFT Challenge has a theme of Love/Valentine's/Anniversary . Very topical! I have made a wedding card for a friend's daughter, who is getting married in the spring. The colour she has chosen is a gorgeous burgundy, so that sorted out my colour scheme! I made a circle card to echo the moon on this gorgeous Over the Moon image by All Dressed Up Stamps. I used Copics to colour it - I made sure to scribble off the pen tips first, since I've found that my reds and greys can be very juicy. I covered the flowers and the bride's veil and gown with clear Wink of Stella. The paper is from an old magazine freebie, and I cut it with a Cheery Lynn die. The card base is cut with Grand Nestabilities circle dies by Spellbinders, and originally I was going to use the gold heart brad to hold them together, but it was easi...

Good morning! It's well and truly autumnal today, damp and windy, and fallen leaves are everywhere! Time to have a look at this week's CRAFT Challenge methinks! Our theme this week is Shaped cards - but no squares or rectangles! Instead, go for a circular card, or a hexagon or even a dodecahedron!!! I took the easy route and went with a circle. You'll notice it's another Christmas card! I used Grand Circles and a Grand Scalloped circle and my Grand Calibur to cut the base, gold card, green card and paper (which is from stash and very old!) The 'Noel' sentiment is printed from a fab digi Christmas Alphabet Blocks by Melonheadz Doodles . I hadn't come across them before, but they have some fabulous images, and their alphabets are fun! Melonheadz Doodles is one of our sponsors, the other is: The Stamping Boutique Go and be inspired by my teamies' creation, then take up the Challenge of a Shaped card! Thanks for looking! love Mags B x

Good morning! I hope you're all well and looking forward to a fun weekend! Not long to go now! Thursday brings another C.R.A.F.T Challenge and this week it's our regular Christmas theme. Our sponsors this time are: Stitchy Bear and Yours or Mine Papercrafts I used a lovely image from Stitchy Bear by Kaz Kraftz called Christmas Candle . I printed it several times and decoupaged the holly and also the flame. The berries have been Glossy Accented and there are gold Stickles on the candle flame and the middle of the poinsettia. Papers are by Lili of the Valley from their Classic Christmas pad. I used a Grand Spellbinders die for the card base, and Classic Circles for the two paper layers. For the card base I cut two scalloped circles and scored the back one half an inch down from the top, then glued that flap to the front. I added some white card to the inside, and fussy cut one of the smaller images that come with the candle set. Skate over to the CRAFT blo...

The current challenge at Anyone for Anya is to make a circular card, so I had a go at a skewed easel card. It's not very skewed at all, I got the fold wrong! Here's the front: I used a Marianne die to give the base dimensions. Papers are Vintage Rose by Craftwork Cards, and they are gorgeous! They were a freebie with (I think) Quick Cards. I'm always a bit nervous about using very busy paper, but I hope the pearlised teal card gives enough contrast. The image is CC Designs, and the stamped ribbon and bow are a new stamp from LotV which arrived yesterday! I stamped the bow twice and glossy accented it and decoupaged it with foam pads. I glittered round the striped paper and added glitter to her buttons and flowers and glossy accents to her shoes. Here's the inside: The sentiment is also LotV, and I just raised it on pads to act as a stop. The card is going to a darling little girl who will be 6 soon, and who has long blond hair like the image! I do like to tailor cards ...