Challenge 81 at Crafty Cardmakers

Hi everyone!

Our new challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers is to take inspiration from the song lyrics of  'Time In A Bottle' written and performed by Jim Croce 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dO1rMeYnOmM

If I could save time in a bottle
The first thing that I'd like to do
Is to save every day
Till Eternity passes away
Just to spend them with you

If I could make days last forever
If words could make wishes come true
I'd save every day like a treasure and then,
Again, I would spend them with you

But there never seems to be enough time
To do the things you want to do
Once you find them
I've looked around enough to know
That you're the one I want to go
Through time with

If I had a box just for wishes
And dreams that had never come true
The box would be empty
Except for the memory
Of how they were answered by you

But there never seems to be enough time
To do the things you want to do
Once you find them
I've looked around enough to know
That you're the one I want to go
Through time with

I was pondering the time of year, and how Christmas evokes so many memories of times past and this song came into my head. I expect we have all lost someone, parent, brother, sister, etc. who we remember at this time of the year so the song seemed really poignant. It was especially so for me this year as I had to move from my home of 54 years into a dinky little bungalow, and as yet I have no memories formed here, and as Christmas approaches I have been dwelling a lot on the past. However, I don't want you to feel maudlin so take inspiration from the song's theme, or from the lyrics. There are a lot of words mentioned in the song, that you could use to inspire something creative. Or you could create something to show us what you would do if you could save time in a bottle and spend it doing your favourite thing, or with your best friend, lover, child etc. A scrapbook page of memories perhaps, or something more practical relating to time. You can choose one of the words in the lyrics and create a theme around it.

Have a good read through and see what you can impress us with. I will be honest and tell you some of the team were not too keen on the idea, until they started thinking about it, so please don't just pass us by and not bother, have a good old think and see what you can come up with. There are so many Christmas card challenges at the moment, and this will be a nice deviation from those, you also have a whole month to think of something. So when you are all Christmased out and want to do something a bit different you can join us with your creation. Please remember to tell us in your post how the song's lyrics have inspired what you come up with. 

Go on we dare you!

As this is a month long challenge the whole team will be voting on whose entries they want to win or take out top spots, if there are enough entrants we may have a Top Ten instead of a Top Five.

We are sponsored by our lovely teamie Kim Reygate. As Kim told me 'I have been lucky enough to work with some fantastic companies during this last year, both teaching and making samples and most of whom are represented in the prize, so I would be more than happy to donate them to Crafty Cardmakers', represented in the list are Clarity, HobbyArt, Sir Stampalot, Stampcraft and Woodware, some of whom will be sponsoring us in 2013, so watch this space!

The items in the prize are Items from the top of the photo
Blue Magic stamp
2 Embossing Folders
2 Butterfly Stamps
Fluffy Stuff
2 ColorBox Queues
ColourBox Moulding Mat
Magnolia Stamp
Petal Stamps

We are also sponsored as usual by Milk Coffee Stamps with their usual prize of 5 digi images of the winner's choice.
  

MILK COFFEE DIGITAL STAMPS
Cute Digis for Cute Creations

Milk Coffee Stamps is a digital image shop specialising in cute and girly images. We provide high quality digital images with high resolution so you could resize at a big enough size for your project. We have many different image styles; sophisticated lady, cute girl, whimsical image, cute stuff, fairytale creature, and many other varied themes so they can fit many different crafting styles.

So after all that waffling, it's over to the team to hopefully inspire you. They have worked hard on this so please do stop by their blogs and leave them some love!

 

   
We won't be back now until 7th January, so all of us at Crafty Cardmakers want to thank you for your continued involvement in our challenges and to wish all of you out there a very Merry Christmas or Bright Yule and a healthy, happy and hopefully prosperous New Year. See you in 2013







So, here is my take on the challenge! 
I have taken the whole song as inspiration and taken the route of living life to the full, grabbing happiness where you can and enjoying everything!

I have made a wallhanging using one of my favourite sayings 'Live well, Laugh often, Love much'. 2012 has been a very sad and challenging year for me personally but already 2013 is looking good! So this has become my new mantra!!

I have crackled the background using acrylic paint and PVA glue, the flowers are made using a Marianne die as are the leaves. All the colouring is distress inks.

Now, why not pop over to the Challenge to see what inspiration my fab teamies have come up with? The challenge runs for a month this time so you have longer to play along!

Thanks for looking, off now to finish some last minute Christmas card making......not much time for blogging at the moment but hopefully will get back to it once Christmas is out the way!!!

Cheers, Sharon x  



 

Challenge 80 at Crafty Cardmakers

Good morning!

Hope everyone is safe and dry after the soggy weather we've had recently! Here in Devon we  had severe flooding last week and over the weekend, causing road closures, landslides and washing away roads and bridges which resulted in my drive to work taking 2 hours last Wednesday instead of the usual 25 mins. It was quite scary driving around a bend in a narrow lane to find a car bonnet-deep in water!

Anyway on to this morning's post.

Our Challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers this fortnight, hosted by Fiona, is a photo inspiration challenge.

Make a card or project inspired by the following photo. You can take inspiration from any part of it really, from the actual image or from the colours.

 We are sponsored again by

DI'S DIGI DOWNLOADS

$10 GIFT VOUCHER

and

CROP STOP

$15 Gift Certificate to the Crop Stop Store 

On to my Design Team piece for this challenge. It was fab having my favourite colours as inspiration but I spent far too much time playing with my stash and took ages to come up with something!

So here is my card, it is another CAS card - really not my usual style at all but something I seem to be turning to more and more lately! I wanted the simplicity of the colour scheme and the lovely die to be the focus and hope I have achieved this.

I used a DL sized card blank (another step away from my usual square card shape) and die cut the fab Memory Box christmas tree to leave an aperture in the front of the card. Behind the aperture, I fixed a piece of aqua card and then added the die cut tree back into the aperture on top of the aqua card. A pretty aqua bow, sparkly gems and a sentiment stamped in teal Stazon completes the card.

Why not pop over to the challenge blog and take a look at the fab creations of my team-mates, and whilst you're there why not have a go?

That's all for now, back soon xx

 

Challenge 79 over at Crafty Cardmakers

Hi everyone,

Our challenge this time over at Crafty Cardmakers is hosted by BettyC and she would like you to use more than 1 punch or die cut. You can have a combination such as 1 punch and 1 diecut as that equals two, or two punches, two diecuts. You can use more if you wish as long as there is at least two in combination or two of either on your creation.

Please remember to check the rules and make sure you follow the criteria.
Mr. Linky is set to block anyone that doesn't link back to Crafty Cardmakers and to the actual post being entered, so if you have problems please check first that you have linked correctly.  
We are sponsored by Hobby Art with this fabulous prize of two stamp sheets
  
CSS005 - Floral Bird House

 CSS006 Nesting

We are also sponsored by Milk Coffee Digital Stamps
with a prize of 5 Digital Stamps 

Milk Coffee Stamps is a digital image shop specialising in cute and girly images. We provide high quality digital images with high resolution so you could resize at a big enough size for your project. We have many different image styles; sophisticated lady, cute girl, whimsical image, cute stuff, fairytale creature, and many other varied themes so they can fit many different crafting styles.

Here is my creation:

I have painted a wooden photo frame blank with acrylic paint and die cut flowers and leaves using Marianne dies. I have added pearls to the centre of the roses.

Thanks for looking, back again soon xx

Challenge 78 over at Crafty Cardmakers

Hi everyone

It's new challenge time over at Crafty Cardmakers and this fortnights challenge is hosted by Tracey . Tracey would like to see a shaped card featuring a reindeer or two. No square or rectangle cards please.
We're sponsored by

THE STAMPMAN

 We are kindly sponsored for this challenge by The Stampman (and Lady of course!) who are ofering the winner a £10 voucher for their store, you can spend this online, in the shop or if you're lucky enough to see them at a show!  They have a ton of items in store, enough to tickle any crafty taste bud. 

and

DI'S DIGI DOWNLOADS

$10 GIFT VOUCHER

Here's my DT piece for this challenge:

I've used diamond Sparkle Medium and a reindeer mask by Imagination Crafts on glossy black card, cut out with a Spellbinders die and attached to teal card cut with the same die. A bow, snowflake charm and stamped sentiment from Hobby Art completes the card.

Now pop on over to the challenge to see the fab creations of my team mates, whilst you're there why not have a go yourself? 

Thanks for looking, back again soon

Sharon x

Trick or Treat

Good morning!

Here is my Guest Designer card for this fortnights challenge over at Little Miss Muffet Challenges.

The theme is Halloween colours and so I have gone for orange, black and purple.

I have used the fab Lil Kitty digi image from Little Miss Muffet Stamps coloured with ProMarkers. The spider and cobweb digi image is from Tiffany Doodles and the Halloween and Trick or Treat digi's are from Pink Gem Designs. I have used Distress Inks to colour the spiderweb background and the sentiments. The backing paper is from my stash as are the black ribbon and pearls.

That's all for now, thanks for looking x
 

Remember.....

Hi everyone

Challenge 77 launched today over at Crafty Cardmakers. Our challenge for this fortnight is 'Autumn or Autumn Festivals - NOT Hallowe'en' and is hosted by Josephine

Josephine says 'There are always so many Hallowe'en challenges around! So instead of creating a Hallowe'en card I would like to see something that depicts the Season of Autumn, or maybe Harvest Festival, Guy Fawkes, Diwali or some other festival that happens in the Autumn. If your theme is a lesser-known festival, please tell us about it in your post! But remember, this is not a Hallowe'en challenge!'

We are sponsored by

Milk coffee Digital Stamps
Cute digis for cute creations 

MilkCoffee Stamps is a digital image shop specializing in cute and girly images. We provide high quality digital images with high resolution so you could resize it at big enough size. We have many different image styles, sophisticated lady, cute girl, whimsical image, cute stuff, fairytale creature, and many various themes so it could fit any crafter with different style.

Here is my take on the challenge.

I have made a card for Remembrance Day/Armistice Day which is observed across the Commonwealth countries on November 11th and Remembrance Sunday which is observed as a Religious Festival on the nearest Sunday. I've kept the card simple and dignified to respect this poignant occasion.

I've used Sheena Douglass' Paint Fusion Poppy stamped onto watercolour paper, coloured with ProMarkers, then cut out and attached to a glossy black base card using silicone glue to give dimension. I've stamped and embossed a 'Remember' sentiment from my stash onto a further strip of glossy card and then curved this across the card using more silicone glue to keep the slightly domed shape.

Please take a look at the challenge to see what my fab team mates have come up with and whilst you're there why not have a go yourself?

Thanks for looking x

Clean and Simple!

Evening all

After winning last fortnight's challenge over at Little Miss Muffets challenge blog I saw that their latest challenge was 'Simplicity' ie they want to see a clean and simple one layer card. This is so far out of my comfort zone I just had to have a go...........can't believe a CAS card took so much thinking about (not to mention rummaging in my craft room - looks like a bomb site now)!! A real challenge!!

So here is my card

I've used ivory pearl card (that's what all the rummaging was for - it's been so long since I've used pearl card it was well hidden in my stash!) to make an A6 card blank, which I ran through my Cuttlebug with an embossing folder. The reindeer image and sentiment were freebies with last months Simply Cards & Papercraft magazine, these were stamped with Versamark and embossed with detail Silver powder. The tiniest red gem was added to the reindeer's nose!

So that's it....my first ever attempt at a CAS card and it's as simple as I can go.......had to sit on my hands to stop myself reaching for the Distress Inks to grunge it up!!!

I think I may be making a few more of these as my 'quickie' Christmas cards that I can bulk make.


I'm entering this card in Little Miss Muffet Challenges - Challenge 45 Simplicity

Thanks for looking, back soon.....I'm on a roll at the moment and have made a card 3 nights in a row, mostly DT work which will be shared soon! x
 

Challenge 76 at Crafty Cardmakers

Hello all,

Our challenge today over at Crafty Cardmakers is called Indian Summer and is hosted by Mynnette. 
Mynnette would like to see a created scene using any nature themed stamps you have, digis welcome. Examples of nature themed stamps are leaves, grasses, wildflowers, etc.  Anything nature and Indian (late) Summer or Autumn! Plus use only oranges, yellows, and reds for colors (black/brown and white/cream are allowed as well).  Perhaps a sentiment of gratitude for a late Summer or Autumn would also be appropriate!

Here is some inspiration for you~
 

We are sponsored by

 

DI'S DIGI DOWNLOADS

Here's my take on the theme, it was inspired by the view driving over nearby Woodbury Common on our way home one evening about a month ago, the stamp I've used reminds me of Pine Ridge up on the Common:

I've created a wallhanging using the 'Lakeside Shore' stamp by Sheena Douglass and coloured with Distress Inks - Fired Brick, Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed and Walnut Stain. The layers were die cut from chipboard and matted together. The red layer also has the image stamped in the same ink to give a watermark look in the background. Embelllished with black pearls, ribbon for the hanger, a bow and die cut leaves.

Now pop on over to the Challenge to see what fab creations my team mates have come up with, and why not have a go yourself?

Thanks for looking x


I'd also like to enter this into the following challenges:

Movin Along with the Times  - Seeing Red
My Heart Pieces - Use Black
Little Miss Muffet - Anything but square
Crafty Ribbons - Anything but square
Craft Us Crazy  - Anything goes

Pearls and Butterflies

Evening all,

A quick post from me today to show a card I made last night. I really didn't know quite where I was going with this card and I'm still not sure if I like it!! (Excuse the rubbish blurred picture - I was in a bit of a rush taking the pics this morning)

I used the fab new Tied Together embossing folder and new mini Exotic Butterfly die. I've put acetate in the central aperture so that the sentiment and butterflies appear to be floating.

That's all for tonight...I said it was a quick post!!!

Early night for me tonight ready for a day of crafty stash shopping at the Creative Stitches and Hobbycrafts show at nearby Westpoint, Exeter, tomorrow with my bestest crafty chum Suzy!! Top of my NEED list is a full set of Distress Markers! Can't wait!

I'll be back again soon...

 

Birdcage

Evening all,

This evening I'd like to share what i've been working on over the past few evenings. It's a canvas piece inspired by a recent post on the fabulous Hels Sheridan's blog.

A close up of the roses and that fabTim Holtz Word Band

I've used a mask and distress inks to colour the canvas background and added small patches of acrylic paint with a piece of bubble wrap to give a hint of texture. I was trying to keep the background very pale and pretty so that the birdcage would really stand out. The birdcage is covered with Stampendous Shabby White embossing enamel to give it a vintagey look. The roses, leaves and bird are cut from grungepaper and coloured with distress inks.

I'd like to enter this into the following challenges:

Love to Create - Things with wings
Creative Craft Challenge - Anything goes
Colour Throwdown - # 210
Crafts and Me - Roses
Crafting for All Seasons - Things with wings
Stampendous - September Embossing Techniques

Thanks for stopping by, see you again soon x

Design Team Debut!

Hiya

It's finally official so I'm allowed to say what I've been so excited about over the past few weeks! I've become a member of the Design Team for Crafty Cardmakers Challenge Blog, I'm so excited and honoured to have been offered a place on the team and can't wait to get involved!

Our Challenge this fortnight, hosted by our leader Lin, is Stitching and Lace. We would like to see some stitching, either hand, machine or faux on your project as WELL as some lace, real not faux. There is an added twist of using a sewing related image or stamp, if you have one, but it is not a requirement.
 
Here's my creation, it's a cover for the diary I have bought to keep track of craft challenges and cards to be made:

 

 

I've had this project in mind for a while now and as it fitted the challenge theme perfectly I had to make it! I've used swirly grungeboard for the cover which I have coloured using Peacock Feathers distress ink. I've handstitched it together using a strong cream coloured thread. A stamped sentiment (a recent freebie with a magazine) was placed behind the bookplate along with some cream cotton lace. An Idea-ology Hitch Fastener keeps the book closed and I have made a couple of page-markers using cotton thread and some Philosophy Tags. Love Tim Holtz products!!!

Now head on over to the challenge blog to see the fab creations of my fellow teamies and why not have a go yourself?

Thanks for taking the time to look, I'll be back again soon x

First Day at School!

Hi all

This morning my eldest daughter, Lily, started school and so I made her a card to celebrate the occasion! 

I have used the fab schoolgirl digi-image from Pink Gem Designs coloured with ProMarkers and the lovely background paper is from Nitwit Collections. I've coloured the image in the colours of Lily's new school uniform. Because the paper is so busy I kept it simple and finished the card with a strip of ribbon which I pleated, a bow and a computer generated sentiment.

Hope you like it.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Secret Crafter - Challenge #202 Back to School
One Stitch at a Time - Challenge 130 For Under 18's
Try it on Tuesday - Anything goes
Divas by Design  - Challenge 52 For a Child


Thanks for looking

I'll be back again soon x

 

A vintage birdie card

Evening all

Here's my latest card made for my sister's birthday yesterday:

 Recipe

Papermania Kraftstax card
Prima Botanicals paperstack
Marianne dies: Anja's Quadrate set, Birdcage - Morocco, Bird of Paradise, Ivy set
Memory box swirl die
X-cut urban tags die
Heat it up Verdigris embossing powder
Distress ink: Victorian Velvet, Frayed Burlap, Vintage Photo, Bundled Sage, Crushed Olive
Glossy Accents
Pearls
Roses (from Wild Orchid Crafts)
Stickles glitter glue 
Happy Birthday sentiment clear stamp from my stash


I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Ladybug Crafts - First Challenge - Anything Goes
Ruby's Rainbow  - Challenge 36 No image, just words
Dream Valley - Challenge 40 Something Old, something new (new is Anja's Quadrate die, old is verdigris embossing powder used on the birdcage)
Marianne Design Divas  Summer challenge


Thanks for looking, I'll be back again soon x

 

Mermaid Tilda shaker card

Hi

I'm back again, this time with a birthday card made for my eldest daughter's fourth birthday at the weekend......can't believe she'll be 4 already and starting school in 2 weeks - where has the time gone?

I thoroughly enjoyed making this card. I got quite carried away with embellishing and didn't want to stop adding bits!!

My daughter, Lily, has decided she wants to be a mermaid when she grows up (!) and so I had to use my favourite Tilda mermaid stamp for her card! I decided to make a shaker card and used the fab Marianne die to make the frame and cut out the aperture. I used shaved ice glitter behind acetate to hopefully look like a sparkly sea background!

The shells and starfish were cut from funky foam and coloured with distress inks - I love these little dies and think they look quite realistic!

Recipe

Aqua linen cardstock
Glitter card
White card
Acetate
Funky foam 
Marianne dies - Anja's quadrate set, Sea shells
Whimsy mini ticket die
Tilda mermaid stamp coloured with ProMarkers
Stampendous shaved ice
Tim Holtz memo pin
Cuttlebug number die
Antique Linen distress ink
Pearls

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Lovely Hanglar or Sweet Magnolia - Challenge 50 Your favourite image
The Cutie Pie Challenge - Borders and frames
Dies to Die for - Anything goes



Thanks for looking.......off now to make the next card! 2 down 3 to go! x

A comeback card!!

Hiya

Apologies, it's been far too long since my last blog entry. 
I have been going through an extremely sad time in my personal life which completely destroyed my crafty mojo.......

But I am determined to get it back, if for nothing else than to distract me from the sadness!

So, here is the first card I have made in weeks.

It's a birthday card for my eldest niece - teen cards are always a challenge, but this fab image from Saturated Canary fitted the bill perfectly! 

It also gave me the perfect excuse to try out all my new craft goodies...........a new Hobbycraft store has opened recently in a nearby town and so I had to go and check it out....twice!! I was lucky enough to have been given a 25% discount voucher for my first visit which I put to very good use, my best bargain being the fab mini sewing machine I bought as an early birthday pressie to myself from my little girls (!) to use in my cardmaking (I could not bring myself to use my big old faithful machine for cardmaking - that's for dressmaking alone!)


Here's the card:

Recipe:

Papermania Kraftstax
Prima Botanical Collection paper stack (fab freebie with Simply Cards & Papercraft magazine)
X-cut large ornate frame die
X-cut Happy Days die (ticket stubs)
X-cut Urban stamps - ticket stubs
Marianne Anja's Leaves 2 die
Tim Holtz rosette die
Tim Holtz memo pin
Cuttlebug number die
Saturated Canary image 'Catching Butterflies' coloured with ProMarkers
Frayed Burlap distress ink
Pink spotty paper and cotton lace from stash
Sewing machine

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Saturated Canary - Challenge 24 photo inspiration
Dies to Die for August Challenge - Anything goes


Thanks for looking......I have lots of family birthdays over the next few weeks so will be back soon with my next card!!

Sharon x