OSAAT - Summer Breeze

Hello everyone.  This is my first post as a participating design team member for the team at One Stitch at a Time.

The theme for the challenge is Anything Goes and it is being sponsored by Stitchy Bear Digital Stamps - and the image I got to work with is 'Window' by Priyanka.


Here is my design team card....

The image is colored with Flex Markers.  I cut out the image, including the fencing, the lattice work and the birds.  The image is mounted on a card from a Hunkydory kit.  I repositioned the birds in the image around the birdhouse on the backing paper.  It is difficult to see in the picture, but the fence is mounted on foam so it is sticking out a bit.  I added some Dazzlers flowers for a bit of bling and dimension, and a bit of vintage ribbon on the edge to balance the whole thing out (and also because the flower pattern on the paper does not continue on that edge as the original was A4).

Please do pop over to the main blog to see the work from the rest of the design team.  Don't forget that it is an Anything Goes Challenge, so it should be easy to come up with a project to link up!  I can't wait to see all your lovely creations.


I would like to enter this card into the following challenges as well:
Paper Crafting Journey - Summer
Digi Doodle Shop Challenges - Summertime
The Poodles Parlour - Use a Digi Stamp
Cardmadfairy's Digi Days Challenge - Summertime
Pattie's Creations Design Challenge - Summertime and must use a digi or image
Digi Designs Challenge Blog - Pile on the Flowers
Everybody Art Challenge - Summer
Jackson's Digital Expressions - Anything Goes and optional color inspiration
Incy Wincy Designs - Summertime
Stamp and Fun = Creativity - Summer

Thanks so much for looking, and please leave a comment if the mood strikes you.  I'd love to know what you think!

Take care and I hope you can visit again soon.

xx Denise

JIC Challenge - Two for the price of one!

Hello everyone!  Due to a happy accident, this week's challenge at Just Inspriational Challenges has two wonderful sponsors....








and here is your inspirational photo.....



Here are my contributions for your considerations :)

This card was made using a variety of digikit elements, most of which were from a kit by Scrapper's Delights.  The digi stamp is also from Scrappers Delights.  I made the layout using CAP, and inserted the digistamp in line art form for coloring with Flex Markers after printing.  The only non-digital aspect besides the coloring is the striped backing card, which is from a Hunkydory set offered as the free members gift at C&C.  It went perfectly with the challenge colors and my layout.  It is nice when things work out that way.

This card layout was also done in CAP.  The only non digital element is the coloring of the Stamp n doodle image, which was again done with Flex Markers.

I have to say I am becoming quite addicted to using Craft Artist Professional for my card making.  I tend to think of things that might look good 'after the fact', so doing the layout digitally allows me to put a ribbon underneath a layer that on a normal card I might have already glued down..lol.  Saying that, I did consider a ribbon under the image layer on my first card, but I had already glued the striped card down..... so I still have work to do with my planning!

Please stop by the main challenge blog to see what the rest of the design team have created and to link up your own wonderful projects!  We also have a facebook group if you want to join in there.

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you can visit again soon.
xx Denise

Betty's 3 Blog Hop

Hello lovely people!  I am very happy to be taking part in a special blog hop.  A bunch of fans of Simply Betty Stamps were lucky enough to get a hold of a pre-release set of the Betty's 3 digi stamps.  They are Movie themed and you can get them here for a limited time.  They will only be digis until they go into production as clear stamps I believe.

You should have come here from Leslie's Blog.   If you just happened here by chance and want to complete the full blog hop, it starts at the Simply Betty Stamps Blog.  There are some very talented folks and some adorable Bettys 3 along the way, so it is well worth the time to hop through.

Anyway, the pre-release set had six in the series, but as there are only so many hours in a day, and so much cooperation from my back, I only managed to color and card up these two adorable Bettys...

 
As you might have guessed, the first Betty is Lord of the Rings themed.  I colored the image with Flex Markers and used Papermania metallic markers for the headpiece and the belt buckle.  For the insert, I took the sentiment, which is also a Simply B Stamps design, and gave it a textured metal appearance in Craft Artist Professional.  It doesn't come out very well in the pic unfortunately.  The swirl paper is from Hunkydory, and the other papers are just random bits from my stash.  The circles are all cut out using Grand Nestabilities dies and the border is punched with a edge puncher.


Next, please say hello to Sherlock Holmes Betty.

Again, Betty Holmes is colored with Flex Markers.  I used bits of card and ribbon from my stash.  The black card just under the image has flecks of gold in it which you can just make out in the photo.  I added the gold corner flourish stickers to pick the shiny gold up a bit.

I've not finished the inside of this one yet, but as I have company, and the hop is starting in two hours I will have to leave it there.  I can assure you it is going to be lovely.  Actually, I really can, because the sentiment is another by Simply B Stamps!

Well, as this is a blog hop, you should get hopping....(but I would of course love for you to leave a comment before you go).  The next stop on your hopping tour is Teresa so stop by to see her Bettys 3 creation(s) and let her know what you think.

Take care and thank you so much for visiting.  Please come back soon if you can :)

xx Denise

Dylan in the Daisies

Hi everyone!  I hope you are having a lovely day. 

I have been a busy girl coloring up some of my digi stamps, so I thought I would card one up and share it!

This little fella is Dylan, and he is one of my very own digi stamps!  I am super excited that he is available to buy from Crafty Boots here.

I had fun drawing him, and even more fun coloring him.  I kept the card simple as I wanted Dylan to be the main feature.  The image is colored with Pro Markers.  The layers are cut with Grand Nesties.  The grey swirl baking paper is Hunkydory and the flowered paper is from a Forever Friend paper pack.

I will keep this short and sweet....  I hope you like the card and especially the image!  Please let me know what you think.  I am new to drawing digi stamps so any feedback is very much appreciated.

Take care and I hope you can visit again soon.

xx Denise

Happy Birthday to Nina Collins!!!!

This blog post is extra special because it marks the birthday of our dear friend Nina Collins!!   I actually have a lot to thank Nina for (even though she may not know it), because it was her birthday card that got me in gear with drawing digi stamps.

Although there are a plethera of fairy themed stamps, both digi and rubber, and I do own many of each, I was given the challenge by my other half to draw a fairy image especially for Nina.  Some of you may have seen the image in the Crafty Boots Shop already, but this is her debut in colored form.

The image is colored with Pro and Flex Markers, and it is one of the (now many) Daffy's Digis available only @ Crafty Boots.  I am sure Nina won't mind if her special fairy is available to others :)

The flowers are from a bundle I got from Create and Craft.  As I said in a previous post, I love these flowers and should have bought two bundles...or three...or four.  The colors are gorgeous and the detail is really amazing.  I used various papers from my stash including K&C, Create and Craft.  The sentiment is from Hunkydory.  I cut the shaped layers using a Grand Nestie.  Since I didn't particularly want to make an enormous card, I decided to have the layers extend over the top of a half A4 landscape card.  I still had to make a custom envelope, but I was hoping the entension would give it a bit of 'lift'.


Happy Birthday to you Nina!!!!  I hope you have a wonderful day and an even more wonderful year to come!!

xx Denise

A Beary Happy Easter

Happy Easter everyone!

Although I have not been doing a lot of card making lately, I did find the inspiration to make some Easter cards for friends and loved ones.   I decided to post one of them and throw my hat in a few challenges.

This card is for my dear friend Ines, who hopefully will not see this post until after receiving the card.

The image is stamped from an adorable Forever Friends Easter set.  I just love these little bears.  They always bring a smile to my face.  This particular stamp is one of my favorites.  Anyway, The coloring is done with Flex markers with a bit of Papermania Metallic markers for the easter egg.

The layers are cut with Grand Nesties, and the purple layer was done with pre-embossed paper (Hunkydory if I remember correctly).

The base card is actually a fabric card from a Create and Craft set.  Although the card has a birthday sentiment on the front, I thought the colors and the pattern would work well with this image, so I just covered it with the layers.

In my personal card making, I don't tend to use tons of embellishments, but I thought the butterflies and flowers would be a nice compliment for the image.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges...

Card Makin Mamas - Easter Time
Stampin' for the Weekend - Ready Teddy Go
Hanna and Friends - Easter / Spring
My Mum's Craft Shop  - Easter Creations / Animals
The Sisterhood of Crafters - Easter
Scrapalicious USA - Easter

Okay, well I have an easter dinner to sort out.  As I recently started weight watchers, this is slightly more challenging than usual.

I hope you all are having a wonderful Easter weekend and that the Easter Bunny brought you some of your favorite things.  I got some lovely Clarity Stamps (although they have not yet arrived, the Easter Bunny told me they are on their way.  YAY!!)

Take care and please feel free to leave a comment and visit again soon.

xx Denise

What's New Pussycat

At first I was having difficulty deciding which song to call on for inspiration for my latest design team card for Crafty Boots Challenges.  Then I received my new Strawberry Kisses cd and stamp set from Crafter's Companion and it went the other way, the stamp inspired the song.

Looking at this little kitty popping out of the flower pot just made me just imagine her saying 'What's New' - so you guessed it the song is 'What's New Pussycat' by Tom Jones.

 

The image is colored with promarkers.  I then cut it out with my Grand Nestie scalloped oval die.  I distressed the paper with Mustard Seed and Broken China Distress Ink.  The swirled backing paper is from Hunkydory , the pastel yellow backing is sikl art card and the polka dot layer is from K&C.  I added the sentiment, a bit of vintage ribbon and green felted brads to finish it off.

Anyway, I hope you like the card.  I have really enjoyed becoming a member of the Crafty Boots Design Team because it has really encouraged me to develop my cardmaking.  It has also been wonderful because I look at all the entries in each challenge and get to see so many inspiring projects.

I would also like to enter this card in the following challenges:
Cropstop Challenge-54 - Distressed, Vintage or Shabby Chic
Delighful Sketches Vintage/Distressed
Crafty Purple Frog Challenges - Anything Goes
Sentimental Sundays -challenge-86-die-cuts with sentiment
stamptacularsundaychallenge - challenge-148 seeing spots
The Squirrel and Fox - Challenge 9- Critters
Let's Ink it Up - Challenge 19 - (Rubber Stamp) - Anything Goes
Craft Your Days Away - Challenge-37-distressing
Crafty Anns Challenge Blog - What's New Pussycat

Please feel free to leave a comment.  I love reading them all and as I am still relatively new to cardmaking any tips or suggestions are most welcome!

Thank you for looking and come back again soon ;)

xx Denise

Baby Monkey

Ok, so as many of you know, I am all but laid up with a bad back and now a cold / the flu to boot.  It is had to tell if my muscle pain is back or illness related, so suffice to say I am just a mess all around.  However, my will to craft is strong, and although it has taken me the better part of 4 days to put this together, I managed to do a card that fits a couple of challenges.

The first challenge / inspiration came from the Crafty Bloggers Network Challenge 4 - Sketch Challenge.  I have never entered a sketch challenge, because I usually let the card's format come to me as a result of the elements.  However, I remembered seeing this adorable digi stamp at Pollycraft  - Christmas Chester, Chester's Star   and I thought he would be a nice way to follow the sketch.

Here is the card:

 

Here is the sketch:  

 It is really a lovely set up for a card and I don't know that I would have thought of the checker board backing.

Here are a couple more pics of the card to show some of the detail in the monkey and a bit truer representation of the colors with the flash.

I colored Chester the Monkey with Letraset flex markers and pro markers.  I wasn't happy with the color the star ended up, so I thought some heat embossing with gold sparkle embossing powder would do the trick (and I think it did).  Finally I wanted to bling it up a bit with various colored gems and a few small pearls.  (What is Christmas without a bit of bling?)

I was lucky that my brand new Hunkydory paper came in the post today (yes, on Sunday - my mailman chooses random days to take off and / or deliver the mail).  Anyway, I used two different sheets of the beautiful lavender / purple with gold flourishes paper as the checkerboard in the back.  I cut a small strip of gold mirror board and put some purple Happy Christmas ribbon on it.

Then for the layers behind the monkey I used dark blue holographic card from the Hunkydory pack topped with a textured white paper that has been in my stash for ages.   You can see the texture a bit better in the close up of Chester (above).

In addition to The Crafty Bloggers Network Challenge, I would also like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Passion for Promarkers - Week 127 Theme Swirls and Sparkles
ends Monday 28/11/11

Pollycraft Monday Challenge - Challenge 120 - Christmas Fun 
4 week


I think that is about it for now, as it has taken me literally 3 hours to put this post together..lol.

Thank you as always for looking and I love to get your comments!

Take care and keep on crafting!

xxDenise