Cool Dude's Birthday card

Hiya peeps,

Another evening of watching tv whilst here on my laptop, with the added addition tonight of a Thursday evening catch up with my ex partner (father to my youngest daughter). He only stayed
for just over an hour but it was still long enough to have a good chat. Next one will be Saturday evening after our daughter spends the day with him.
On to why this blog post.....

I finally decided to enter a challenge over with Nikky Hall's delightful images from Polkadoodles digital blog challenge. As the theme was boys stuff there was no question to me as to which Cd I was going to use & that is my favourite "male themed" one called Pretty Tuff.  I love this Cd as the boy images are so "today's boys" right down to having an mp 3 player, leaning against something etc inc the image I decided to use of a boy riding a bicycle. As for the colouring, I went with copying the pre coloured image that comes as part of all the images on the Cd. The blue spotted "distressed" backing paper is also from the Cd. The star patterned ribbon is from my own stash as are the "scrabble type" letters. The star shaped buttons are from a large bag of different shaped/coloured buttons that I recently won from a company called Crafty Ribbons.

Im thinking of adding "Grandson" to this card with a lovely verse inside as this card would so suit one of my grandsons, he loves playing scrabble & rides his bike loads.
Thats it for today, Ive got to go sleep sometime, well after putting this on the blogs... I hope you like my card... ;)

I am entering this in to the following blog challenges:

Digi Choosday Challenge: theme is BOYS STUFF

http://digichoosday.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/wk-11digi-choosday-challenge-boys-stuff.html


Crafty Ribbons Challenge: theme is Anything goes with ribbon
http://craftyribbonschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/challenge-81.html

Crafting Musketeers Challenge #11

Good Morning Peeps,

Yes Im late again, by a day.... I was very busy yesterday for most of the day as I had an urge (lol) to play Monopoly!!! After playing a new version that you buy companies (as in Samsung, McDonalds, EA Sports, etc and the playing pieces are McDonalds fries, the Universal Studios symbol with a film clapperboard on top, a posh car & a motorbike to name a few) we then went onto the original game  (which I won with my highest ever total of £8000+ and loads of properties inc Mayfair & Park Lane with 3 houses on each)  then another quicker timed game that we agreed to finish at 10pm....my daughters boyfriend won that. After playing games for over 9 hours I was ready to sleep!!!  I did promise to my daughter that we would play again ever 2nd Sunday afternoon... ;0 Nothing better than making your children smile ;0

The time is here for my project/creation for this months halfway reminder for my other Design Team membership, The Crafting Musketeers Blog Challenge number 11.
The theme this month is Art Deco and we are very special to be sponsored by Debbie Moore Designs, and you could win these 2 fabulous cds from us if you are chosen as the winning entry.

Hop over to the challenge blog:  Crafting Musketeers  and after reading our rules for all entries get your creation made and entered via the link on our blog.

This is my creation for this challenge, using a free download from Debbie Moores newsletter (which I no longer receive so I dont know if she still offers them). The template I used for the shape is also a free download from her website.

I didnt have to colour the image topper as it came pre-coloured, but I did go over some areas, jewellery, feathers, roses. the "squareish" designs on the dress, the headband with a Sakura Gelly Roll pen in the glitter effect of "Clear Star" to give an added extra "something" to the card. The pale green grosgrain ribbon "flower" is very simple to make, just fold back the ribbon on itself while going round holding it between my thumb & a finger. 
Please contact me if you wish to see picture instructions. 
Enjoy creating!!!

Challenge 5 at Stampin For The Weekend Blog.....

Good morning peeps... its now 3.30am and as I fell asleep in my chair at around 8pm I am now wide awake so I thought I would write this.  

I hope you all are well today?  Im ok at the moment, I finally have my health on side with my head lately but I know its only down to the vitamin D capsules & Folic Acid tablets that my doctor prescribed for me to take every day. 

Right, on the challenge for the fortnight... The theme is Anything Goes!!!!

This theme is so popular that I certainly dont envy the member of our Design Team that has to comment on all the entries that we will have.. yes we DO visit all the blogs, commenting on as many as possible. There aren't that many obstacles that stop us but the main one is the verification box as this takes up so much of our time (and believe me, we don't have enough time really but we do it because we love crafting).

For my creation this time I decided to use card that I had just used for a competition on Facebook on the Lacy Sunshine group. (I wont know the results for a couple of weeks). 

The image is from Heather Valentin who is the owner & creator of Lacy Sunshine Stamps who designs, I admit, are gorgeous. I know they are a lot like a certain other so called "creator/designer" of other characters from the Sherri Baldy camp. This is another story (a long one too) where the outcome is good for Lacy Sunshine.

The image on my card below is called Amelia from the Lady Heather Curiosities collection

and is a real joy to colour with my Promarkers and Graph It alcohol markers,

oh, and a little touch of glitter effect from a Sakura Gelly Roll pen in the "colour" of Clear Star. 

I decided to create a clean & simple card so after a good fe minutes thinking of a nice background I suddenly came across a largish piece of black card, 

part of the range at Crafters Companion. 

I then chose a beautiful silk ribbon in the colour of Strawberry Glaze pink seam binding 

from a wonderful company called The Ribbon Girl, wrapping this really soft ribbon 

around the piece of black card & securing it in the right place & then creating a 

chocolate box 4 layer bow & sticking it down.  

Pink stick on faux gems from Mei Flower in the colour of Barbie Pink. 

The base card is the White Linen effect from Papermill Direct.

I hope you like my finished card and will join in with our challenge this fortnight over at 

STAMPIN FOR THE WEEKEND

Stampin' For The Weekend time..... challenge #4

Good Evening peeps,

I am so sorry that I havent posted for some days, its a case that I have been so busy trying to sort out my craft stash & its new home... & Im still no where near ready to move the large craft table into my bedroom/craft area. Trouble is because of my disabilities I cant do more than a small amount at any time & then it knocks me out & I end up sleeping a lot ;(


On to this challenge, Sparkle and Shine!!!!  

This challenge is sponsored by Bunny Zoes Crafts

Even though its not a stamped/digi image on my card we can still use it (as its classed as toppers) & I have used this card for something that I cant divulge yet. I hope you like it as much as I do.. It was a case of finding the kit after its been hidden within my stash for almost if not over a year & its like getting a new toy!! Kanban were an awesome company manufacturing in England before coming into liquidation. Now Aspire Crafts own them & have brought the company back to life.... (I have applied to be on the Design Team for Kanban at Aspire Crafts so fingers (and toes) crossed for me please that I get accepted).

There isnt a lot to say about this card, its an A5 size, a spiderweb printed acetate dome over it with 2 circular sentiment toppers & one rectangle that says Happy Birthday. The cityscape scene was supposed to be a pop up card from the Spiderman kit manufactured by Kanban a couple of years ago (that I have only used a couple of items from). I decided to just stick the cityscape scene down on to the red backing paper, but leaving the taxi (in the front) as a pop up, adding decoupaged Spiderman as though he is flying through the air using his web slinger. I then just added the 2 sentiments on the card itself, topping the whole card off with an A4 piece of printed acetate (securing at the inside of the front & at the rear of the card with double sided extra sticky tape. Then to finish the card off I just added quite a large circular topper to the lower right on the acetate.
An impressive card even if I say so myself!!!!


Come over & join us at Stampin' For The Weekend.... ;) 

http://stampinfortheweekend.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/sparkle-and-shine.html


I am entering this card into the following blog challenges:

Craft All Day Challenge Blog: Theme is: Anything Goes
http://craftallday.blogspot.com/2014/03/challenge-4-anything-goes.html

Crafting Musketeers Challenge #10.....

Good Afternoon peeps... yes its challenge time again, (the reminder post using Team B's creations that is).


The theme for this challenge is "Butterflies" and it has been sponsored by the wonderful
Dreamees

Here is a little bit about them.

 Dreamees is run by mother and daughter team Carol and Hayley Bignall.
"Founded in 2010, Dreamees has grown from strength to strength over the past months. We've managed to secure stands at shows around the country (venturing from Worcester up to Sunderland and across as far as Manchester & Hull!) and have recently decided to aim for larger shows including Whichcraft and the NEC (Nov 2012). With over 15 CD Roms and a range of polymer stamps that grows weekly, Dreamees has successfully featured in many leading papercraft magazines such as 'Complete Cardmaking with your PC', 'Papercraft Essentials', 'The Complete Guide to Digital Crafting' and soon to be 'Creative Cardmaking'.
Dreamees became manufacturers of Polymer plates in January 2012 and have since supplied growing and established businesses, along with providing custom stamps for paper crafters.
As of November 2013, Dreamees have appeared on Create & Craft TV multiple times and continue to do so."


Right: here is my project for this month and again, from me, its another altered item. This time I have decorated a 3 set of "wood" planters & tray.  
Photos from start to finish (well, until I seal them with waterproof varnish):

I used a black gesso paint by Indigo Blue for the base main colour & added a textured paint in a stone colour by Stamps Away around the rim of the pots & tray. I even painted the inside of each pot in the black. I might go over the black inside of the pots with an acrylic paint when I have more time.

The butterflies were painted using the textured paint in the stone colour & a lovely pumpkin colour. I painted the butterflies through one of 2 Spellbinder dies that I have (from the Papillion set). Thats why they are so rough. On the opposite side to the stone & pumpkin coloured butterflies I painted a different shape of butterfly in a glitter paste, 2 were done in the gold colour & one in the silver (as shown in one of the above photos).

Well, pop over to the Challenge Blog, and try your luck to win this fabulous prize of: 

Fiery Flower stamp, a Daisy Chain Stamp, a small Butterfly stamp and the Fly By Butterflies CD

You have until the end of the month to enter!!! Good Luck ;0

A little birdhouse for someone...

Good Afternoon peeps, yes its a mini birdhouse... 


Made from paper mache (I think). The little tulips were stamped on using Distress Ink. The tulip stamp is a small clear stamp by Dreamees and the bird house was brought from That Craft Place online shop

After painting with gesso topped with acrylic paints, I used 4 different colours of acrylic paints for the stamped images & the detailing on the top of the birdhouse.
The ribbon band & chocolate box bow says Spring Time on it and gives a cheery brightness to the round house. I used a small mask full of different scrolls for the pattern on the top. This ribbon is from my own
stash as is the springy ladybug in some of the photos. 

Check out our Fortnightly Blog Challenge for this & all of the other DT members projects here: 
Anything But A Card Blog Challenge

Stampin' For The Weekend, where creativity meets a fortnightly challenge for every crafter to join!!!



I am also entering this creation into the following blog challenges:

Through The Craft Room Door - theme: Anything Goes
http://ttcrd.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/ttcrd-challenge-jan-27-feb-4-2014.html

A Birth Congratulations for my newest Step Grandson...

Yes I have a new Step Grandson, by the name of David Jonathan, weighing in at  5lb 9oz at 4 weeks premature on 22nd January. There were some problems with the little man but he finally came home late this week. He is doing so well now but obviously still small. Both of his names come from David's paternal Grandad who sadly died some years ago, but it suits little David.
Let me introduce you to David at just a few hours old....

I have taken my time over making this card for him as I wanted it to be perfect!! I think I have achieved that with the finished card photographed below.... as I love to layer lace & ribbons to give more dynamic effect & different textures. I too, have to add a bow and/or buttons to every creation as a handmade item of papercrafting is not proper without either of them!! ;)

The image topper was a gift from the artist herself, Helz Cuppleditch. We have been talking, via email & Facebook for a while now & she very kindly said she would send me this topper when I was telling her about baby David & also looking at a photo on Facebook one day of the same topper but in pink.. 


I am entering this in to a Design Team call for one of my favourite online shops & blogs, called
Crafty Ribbons. 
Their website is available by clicking here: Website for Crafty Ribbons

Their Inspiration Blog is available here: Crafty Ribbons Inspiration Blog

and their Challenge Blog is available here: Crafty Ribbons Challenge Blog