Wheely Wheely sorry I've been AWOL

I can't believe I've not found time to post for so many weeks.  Finally we got some decent weather so the Cricket club has been ramming in as many games as possible.  I've just managed to grab five minutes on the computer before I'm out for the Sunday XI on the beautiful Queen's Park in Chesterfield. Not literally out - I'll be the one with the score book.

Anyway, whilst I had five minutes (OK, maybe a few more than five).  I decided to join this week's challenge at the Sweet Stampin Challenge Blog as the challenge fitted in with a card I'd been asked to make by one of the girls at work.  This week's challenge is 'Wheels'.  My friend Vicky had asked me to create a card for her dad who was due to take his motor bike test so I've decided to enter the card I made for him.

The image is one I bought a while ago from Just Inklined called Born to be Wild.. It's perfect for those awkward men's cards.  I hope you like what I did with it.

What I really need is for Vicky's dad to like it.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Pretty Flamingo

This week's challenge at Passion for Promarkers is to be inspired by a song title.  As soon as I saw the challenge I knew exactly which stamp  I would use for this.  Why?  Because every time I open my From the Heart Stamps folder I see this image and start singing this song.  I had a lovely time colouring the image (something I'm not getting to do too much of due to the cricket season) and I'm really pleased with the result.  It's coloured with Tria Markers and I just kept the background to black and white with a hint of pink to help it stand out.  The background is velum stitched onto the same pink paper as the circle and I just added the gems to finish it off.  I hope you like it.

and here's the song that inspired it

Any excuse to watch Paul Jones!

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Wild Thing!

I don't normally double up on challenge cards but as I was making this card for Squirrel's Random Challenge I realised it would also fit nicely in with this month's Naughty or Nice Challenge.  I hope nobody minds.  Squirrel's Challenge was entitled 'Wild Things' and the Naughty or Nice Challenge was to 'Man Up'.

The image I've used was one I had on my wish list when Meljen's stopped selling digistamps.  I love the image but have to admit it has it's limitations for the type of cards I normally have in my box.  I do wish I had a few blokey charms as I think it could do with something but my stash is very girly I'm afraid.  Here's the card, I  hope you like it.

I did forget to take a picture of the insert which does fit it more into the 'naughty' category.

I just says 'You can Blame it on the Mid Life Crisis'.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Lots of layers - honestly!

Well, I'm back.  I have a nice new (old) laptop to play with so I expect my card making productivity to go down to next to nothing again.  Before it does I intend to enter this week's challenge at the Sweet Stampin Challenge Blog. I have to say, when I saw the challenge was lots of layers, I instantly went to my Sketches board on Pinterest.  I have hundreds of pins saved for just such an event at this.  However, I got distracted by a stamp on the desk and decided to play.  I've been trying to clean my desk up (don't ask, it isn't going well) but there is stuff everywhere.  I can't remember when I used this stamp last but I found it so I'm going with it. It was only after colouring it and making it up into a card that I realised I had used 'lots of layers' just not in the way I had originally envisioned.  There are four layers on the card base and I layered my image too.  This has to be the most CAS layered card I've ever made.  I hope you like it.  I do.

Thanks for reading.  It's good to be back.

Love Dawn x

AWOL

Just to let you all know that I have not dropped off the edge of the planet.  My computer has died - grrr.  I've just pinched my son's for a few minutes. I'm getting filthy looks as I type.  New machine is on the way so normal service will be resumed shortly, God willing.

I'm still following blogs on Bloglovin (I've just followed you Vi - thanks for following me).  It's frustrating as I can see all your lovely work but it won't let me comment.

Hopefully, see you soon.

Love Dawn x

'This week we are setting you a real challenge'

The title of today's post is a direct quote from this week's challenge at the Sweet Stampin Challenge blog.  How prophetic that turned out to be!  I lost my marbles completely and did something I've never ever done before.  I created a card which relied totally on my colouring skills.  I've always used something else - designer paper, embossing folders, die cuts etc.  I've never ever just coloured.

The challenge this week was 'Terrible Teens'.  I had a suitable Kenny K image already printed so I was ready to go.  However, I couldn't decide what to do with him.  He needed a cool background, not some pretty paper so I nipped over to Make it Crafty  and bought a brick wall background stamp.  That, I decided, was way to plain to be cool so off I trotted to Little Miss Muffet Stamps for some suitable graffiti to adorn the boring wall.  In the end I had three different stamps from three different companies but they came together brilliantly.  Just my dodgy colouring to worry about in the end.  Here is my card:

I daren't ask my terrible teen what he thinks.  I think it turned out OK.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Too much life...not enough craft

Well, all my plans this week went out the window very early on.  I had lots of ideas and challenges I wanted to attempt but it wasn't to be.  I literally had about an hour yesterday to do one card so I have decided it should be for the From the Heart Sketch Challenge as it is the one I do most regularly.  Unfortunately, I didn't read the 'twist' and just grabbed an image I'd already printed so it isn't enlarged or cropped - unless you count the fact that I had printed it larger than I normally would so I had to make an A5 card!  I did take a bit of a liberty with the inner panel on the sketch by placing it more in the middle.  I had to do it this way as my Birdbrain was stood in the middle.  At the time of posting the image I used was a freebie - thank you Faith.

Here's my card:

and here is the sketch:

I suppose I did cheat a bit as it's not really a panel it's a frame.  I do like how it turned out though.

I hope you like it.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Cheers!

I don't know if you noticed but From the Heart stamps have a whole new set of Pigwit stamps in the shop this month.  I'm totally besotted with them.  They are so cute.  Anyway, as I purchased a couple (well, maybe more than a couple) last week it was kind of inevitable that I used one for this week's sketch challenge.  Here he is:

and here's the sketch:

I hadn't originally intended to use a hand written sentiment on the card.  However, I seriously messed up the stamped one - hence the panel.

I hope you like it.  I'm really pleased with how he turned out.  Hey, that's two cards I'm pleased with in two days.  I'm on a roll!

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Afternoon Tea

I've been itching to join this week's challenge at Less is More this week but, frustratingly, life hasn't gone as I planned it.  However, I have managed to finish early today so, better late than never.

I love the idea of an old fashioned afternoon tea.  You know the type of thing - pretty little cakes and sandwiches on colourful china.  All dainty and nice (I can dream can't I).  I bought the image from the digistamp boutique last week.  I sort of fell into my basket when I was browsing!  It wasn't the only one either.  It was perfect for what I had in mind.  I think I should mention at this point that this week's challenge is pastel colours.  This is what I came up with.

I'm pleased with it.  I hope you like it too.  The photo doesn't show up the gemstones that well but I was looking for something to add a finishing touch and, in a totally serendipitous moment, found some pastel pink and green stones I didn't even know I had.  I just embossed the panel across the middle, added the die cut frame and stuck the image on.  I wish all my cards would come together as easily as that.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Burger it!

Have you ever had one of those weeks were nothing goes right.  I had the whole of last week off and had great plans to craft and blog every day.  Well, once the first couple of cards didn't go to plan the rest of the week swiftly followed. I can't say it was a total write off as I did get to see a couple of friends for a change and I had a lovely day at Chatsworth House on Wednesday. This week's card for From the Heart Sketch Challenge did seem to want to give me some grief though.  I wasn't even sure I was going to enter but here it is:

and here's the original sketch:

It should have been fairly simple.  I did try to put the image in a circle but it looked too squished up so I fussy cut it - like I normally do.  Then I couldn't get the colours to stand out on the original backing paper I'd chosen so I picked out the red from the ketchup and went with that as a backing.  I did add both a button and a bow but, just before I took the photo, I went mad and ripped them both off.  I'm not convinced but it's staying like it is.

I hope you like it better than I do.  I'm back at work tomorrow so inspiration will be hitting me from all angles no doubt.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

CAS!

One of the first blogs that I started to follow was Simply Less is More.  They have a clean and simple challenge every Saturday.  I'm not sure why I was drawn to follow it as CAS is a style that I find difficult and I certainly wouldn't describe it as 'my style' at all.  I have, very rarely, been tempted to have a go and, as I had a week off this week, I decided to give it a go.  The challenge this week was to create a CAS card with patterned paper on it.

Here's my effort

I used the colourful flowers set from Digistamp Boutique and printed the branch and some flowers onto card stock.  I coloured the leaves with promarkers before printing the flowers onto patterned paper.  I layered my panel and the sentiment on the same paper and added large brads or small gems to the flower before assembly.  I need to thank Hannalie from the Desert Diva Blog as the sentiment is one of her freebies.  Now there is a lady who has nailed the CAS style and I'm in awe of her work. I stalk her blog on Bloglovin and I would definitely recommend a visit.

This week's posts are all turning into a fan fest. I'm obviously spending too much time on Bloglovin.

I hope you like my card.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Pretty Paper

I have to admit that I'm just a little bit awestruck having found that Pauline Bird is following my blog.  Please take a look here and you will realise why I'm so pleased.  Thank you for following me Pauline, I'm going to have to up my game now!  There is a reason that I mention this - it's not just some crazy blog stalker being overwhelmed and grateful.  It was through Pauline's blog that I discovered another challenge blog.  Crafty Hazlenut's Patterned Paper Challenge is a new discovery for me and a good excuse to use up some of my ample paper stash.  I pretty much always use designer paper on my cards but it's always as a background to whatever stamp I'm using.  Well, I've been inspired to focus on the paper this time instead.  A crafting friend of mine gave me a Laura Ashley paper stack at least a year ago and, although I love the papers, I just couldn't think of what to do with them.  Here's what I did with one of the sheets.

It is such a pretty paper I didn't want to cover the pattern up like I usually do.  I printed a digital sentiment (from Pink Petticoat - who are unfortunately no longer trading) and added it to the ribbon and finished it off with some grey gum drop things (they are sparkly but is doesn't really show on the photograph).  I have to admit to loving the final card so much I made two more - one for Church and one for spare.

I hope you like it.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

A Mice Surprise

I've been a very bad blogger recently.  I have allowed life to take over and neglected my crafty/blog time. My long looked forward to Saturday without the boys went totally pear shaped.  Would you believe my son got on the team bus to play American Football before he realised he'd left his pads and helmet on the dining room table!  Cue one unexpected trip to Birmingham and no blog entry to From the Heart Stamps sketch challenge last week.  That, coupled with the ELO concert over-running, and my husband not returning from London until Sunday afternoon - meaning I had to take Patrick to Cricket as well - meant my entire weekend went down the Swanee.

Oh well, that was last week.  This week I have a week off work so no excuses.  Here is my take on this week's Sketch Challenge.  I die cut the top panel as well as the banner so I covered the 'twist' as well as the sketch.

Here's the original sketch

I hope you like it.  I really missed playing last week.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Bonjour!

I'm in a very French mood at the moment.  I've been learning French on the Duolingo site in my lunch break (in a bid to keep me off silly games on my phone).  Then I saw a seriously pretty paper stack in the Range which kinda jumped into my basket.  All I needed now was an excuse to use it. This week's Sketch Challenge at From the Heart Stamps was an ideal opportunity.  I had a code left over from entering the challenge before so I popped onto the site and purchased the most perfect image to complete my French themed card.

Here's what I did with it, Voila!

here's the original sketch

I really wish I'd dressed him in pink or grey now, instead of the green, but I've got plenty of opportunity to try that.  I've hardly touched that paper stack yet.

Thanks for reading

Love Dawn x

Feeling Colourful

I have to admit being a little bit daunted by bright and cheerful colours.  Don't know why but orange, yellow, anything sunny like that just isn't me.  As this is the case I'm a bit surprised by this card.  I don't know where it came from but when I started to colour it the whole thing just seemed to work.  I must have just had those colours handy as it's not a combo I use at all.  Anyway, I mounted it onto some glittery card stock with a bit of floral ribbon and I'm really pleased with it.  I've decided to enter it into the 2 Cute Ink Challenge Blog as the theme this time is 'anything goes'.  Heidi's images are all so cheerful and can be found in her Etsy Shop.

I hope you like what I did with this one.  I surprised myself but I love how it turned out.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Wrong Colour

This week I decided to join the Sketch Challenge at Bugaboo as I had several of their images coloured up and ready to go.  I had a really cute baby image in my box all dressed up in a blue baby grow so I made a lovely card.  Then on Monday my niece had a baby girl!  To be fair, I did know that she was expecting a girl but I've had that image coloured for ages.  Oh well, I'm just going to have to create a girlie version for the brand new Phoebe Rose (she's a stunner, just like my other two great nieces).  Our family have been truely blessed by all three of them.

Here's my baby boy card

and here's the sketch

I did flip it as the baby was pointing the other way.  I also used die cut clouds to cut across instead of ribbon or a border.  I'm really pleased with how that turned out.  I hope you like my card.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Floral Frenzy

My life seems to be a bit of a floral frenzy at the moment.  We are busy revamping (and by that I mean blindly adventuring into the unknown) our garden.  My husband has a new job and he's very close to our local market where there is a brilliant plant man.  We've been buying and planting all sorts of things that have taken our fancy.  Heaven knows what it will look like when it all starts to bloom.  A frenzy it will probably be.

It was also our Church flower festival this weekend and I was awestruck by the amazing displays - and very jealous of the talented ladies who can make plants tell a story like they did.  My flower arranging skills are second only to my gardening skills.  Vase, Flowers, Plonk!  That's me.

Anyway, what I can do is create floral cards so the current challenge at Polkadoodles Crafting Challenge Blog seemed appropriate for me to join in.  Here's my effort, you know - Paper, Ink, Plonk!

The image is from Bugaboo Stamps and it has to be one of my absolute favourites.  I hope you like what I've done with it.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Four Legged Friend

This week's challenge at Passion for Promarkers is four legged friends.  Funnily enough I'd been asked to make a fortieth birthday card for a work colleague's husband.  She mentioned he was into Westies and Lorries.  Well, men's cards are hard enough and I couldn't remember seeing any lorry stamps about so I opted for the Westie theme with half a mind to enter this Challenge.  You could tell it was half a mind as I took it to work on Friday, forgetting to take a photo of it first - duh!  Never mind, I'd printed a couple of spare images out anyway (not being very successful at colouring animals and thinking I may need a couple of attempts).  In the end I was really pleased how both cards turned out.  Here's the one I made for the Challenge.

The image is from digistamp boutique, which may have something to do with why I'm pleased with it.  I find their images so easy to work with.

I hope you like it.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Bling it on!

Well, this week's sketch at from the heart stamps gave me a bit of a nightmare.  When I saw the sketch I had it in my head to attempt a drape fold panel - something I've seen a lot of lately on Pinterest.  That meant I needed a double sided paper.  Not a problem, I have more paper than I will ever need (but never enough to stop buying more). I had decided to use a new stamp bought last week, Pigwit Icing on it.  It was a bit big for my card so I just coloured the cake and cut around it - well you know what I'm like for fussy cutting.  I put it all together and...I hated it!  It was way too overdone.  Anyway, I've ripped it all to bits and decided on a straightforward card following the sketch.  Well, almost.  I've put the cake on the opposite side and used an oval sentiment instead of a fishtail banner.  What I did do was throw some bling at it.  What do you think (sorry about the dodgy photo - I used my son's camera phone and didn't want him sulking as I pinched it again to take another).

Here's the original sketch.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Forgotten Fun

I've been making cards for years and years and my style and techniques have changed considerably. My current passion is for Digital Stamps - you may have noticed - but I have a room full of dis-guarded tools and paraphernalia.  I've been so obsessed by my pro-markers that I'd forgotten what fun it was to get inky.  This week's sketch at From the Heart Stamps gave me an opportunity to remember.  It wasn't so much the sketch (I could easily have used a panel of backing paper) but the idea of sponging got hold of me.  It's been a while!  Here's my card for this week's challenge.

 
and here's the original sketch

I masked off a panel and used two colours from Adirondack - watermelon and mountain rose - and I'm genuinely surprised they'd not dried up over the years.  I even sponged the flower stamp and used a tiny paintbrush to ink in the dots and strips.  The 'happiness' stamp is from an ancient set from Hero Arts that I've had longer than the ink.  

Maybe my plan to move to a larger craft room would not be necessary if I de-stashed a little.  Then again, I couldn't go back to my past and re-live the fun if I'd got rid of my inks and stamps could I?

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Pink Gin

The one advantage I've found with stalking other people's blogs is that you get to find all sorts of new challenges that you were previously unaware of.  One such challenge blog is Dream Valley Challenges .  The current theme is 'Girlie' and the only problem with that is which of my many images to use.  I have cute girls, sassy girls, older girls, young girls and even larger girls (to which I can relate without a problem).  In the end I went for the sort of girl I would aspire to be - sort of fun loving and elegant and with a slightly slimmer figure than the one I've got).  This is one of my favourite images from Kenny K and just so she matches my colour theme I've given her a pink gin (I could aspire to one of those too!)

Here's my card, I hope you like it.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Hello Spring

The spring like weather has been in short supply so far this bank holiday so I thought I'd create something cheerful in springy colours.  I decided to enter the Creative Inspirations challenge this morning and their theme at the moment is Nature.  There does seem to be plenty of it about in the garden, despite the weather's best efforts.  Here is my best effort on the theme.  I hope you like it.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

It Nearly had a New Home...

...In the bin!  You have no idea of the agony this card has given me this week.  It's daft really as I had it all planned out in my head.  I was even pleased with how it turned out when I'd coloured it but when it came to putting it together things got heated.  I'd chosen my paper before I coloured everything so it would co-ordinate.  Then I realised that my image was bigger than I thought so I had to find some other paper to correspond so I could make my square bigger.  I hid the join with the first set of ribbon but I realised that it wouldn't go across the front without looking odd and the second set got lost behind so I've got one of each.  Then I messed up the matting (OK, so that's not really unusual for me - I just binned the first mat and started again).  Then came the sentiment.  What fun!  I tried stamping it - the letters were too wide apart.  I tried transfers - the colour got lost on the cloud.  I decided to print it...and an hour later we were in business.  I really miss my old printer.  You could put scraps of odd shaped paper in and it would print, what bliss!  I only wanted a small sentiment so I decided to use an A5 sheet so I didn't waste so much card.  I can't print A5 without changing my settings on both the computer and the printer.  Then I tried feeding it in the manual slot so I didn't have to empty my paper tray.  That's when the jam happened.  To be fair it was only one jam.  However, my printer disagreed.  I've had all the slots and covers open...several times.  I've had help off the Internet.  I've switched it on and off, twice!  I did everything but get on my knees and pray - and that was next on my list - when it suddenly decided to play ball.  In the end, rather than risk it, I printed on A4.

Don't look for the red ink thumb print I found before uploading the photo.  I'd had enough by then.  Anyway, here's the card

And here is this weeks sketch at From the Heart Stamps

I flipped it upside down and used a rectangle instead of the oval.  I hope you like it.

Thanks for reading and have the rest of a Blessed Easter

Love Dawn x

All about Birthdays

Now I know I like to cut it fine but this one may just be the closest I've ever got to the wire.  I was on Bloglovin this morning and I was checking out a card on Mrs B's Blog when I followed a link to a Challenge Blog I'd not come across before. Dream Valley Challenges run a fortnightly challenge and the current challenge is 'All about birthdays'.  Perfect!  I'd coloured one of my prize images from Bugaboo last night that would fit the bill brilliantly.  I'll just check when the link closes.  Eek, less than two hours - I'd better crack on.

Anyway, here is my card.

I hope you like it.  I seem to have a thing for purple and green at the moment. Maybe I need to hide those promarkers and find some other colour combos.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Too Many Birthdays

I'm definitely cutting it a bit fine with my blog challenge cards this week.  There are just too many birthdays in March.  We start with my hubby, three days later it's out wedding anniversary, 6 days after that my son was 18 and to top it off my Grandma is 99 tomorrow!  To be honest, I'm surprised I've managed to get any challenges done at all.

Here is this weeks sketch challenge card for From the Heart Stamps

And here's the sketch

I kept it fairly straightforward this week.  I didn't really have much time to think outside the box.  I hope you like it.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Bright and Cheery

Just a quick post tonight as I'm up to my neck in it but, having created this card a couple of days ago, I need to get it in under the wire.  This week's challenge at Catch the bug challenge blog is to make a bright and cheery card.  I was lucky enough to win last week and one of my prize images was crying out to be used for this.  I am really pleased with how it turned out and I hope you like it too.  Here's my card

Cute image don't you think?

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Bloglovin

I had fell out with Bloglovin earlier this evening but I've since found out I have a follower (Waves frantically - Yoohoo!).  As this is the case I'm claiming my blog on there in the faint hope that I may be able to catch a few more - just so you don't feel lonely out there.
Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Oh Boy

Wow, look at me - blogging on a school night!  It's only 'cause Bloglovin is playing silly games with me tonight so I've got a spare five minutes before I try again. This is actually a good thing as I made a card for this week's Sweet Stampin Challenge.  This week's theme is 'Boys to Men'.  It's quite appropriate in our house this week as my soon to be 18 year old son has made me realise just how quickly this transition comes about.  Here is my card for the challenge

The image is from Digistamp Boutique and it's part of the Fun time Dan set (find it here).  I've usually struggled with kids cards but I bought this set and I've loved it.  I hope you like what I did with it.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Happy Birthday Hubby

I was ever so organised with this week's sketch challenge at from the heart stamps.  It was a case of having to be as I needed the card by Thursday.  I couldn't possibly have blogged it before then though, seeing as though it was my husband's birthday card!  I have to admit, I've pinched it from the window sill so I could take a photo of it and I've got to put it back before he returns from American Football training.  As that is the case I'd better get on.  Here's this weeks card:

And here's the sketch:

I will admit that, if I were to make it again, I would have shrunk the image a little.  The original plan was also to have two layers of bunting but when I added it the whole thing looked heavy and over done so I whipped the second one back off quick before the glue dried.

Hope you like the card.  Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Your Starter Madam

This weekend I've been lucky enough to have time to make a few cards (OK, I admit it, I've not done any housework).  The benefit of this is that I can enter more challenges.  I have a habit of writing down which blog and what challenge but I rarely get cards done in time.  Anyway, this weeks challenge at the Bugaboo Challenge Blog is 'anything goes' so I didn't even have to think hard about it.  I've got loads of their images and I even had some printed ready to colour.  There's a freebie every Friday and I downloaded this one a few weeks ago.  

Do you ever look at an image and instantly think of a caption for it.  I did with this one.  For some reason I even thought of the ideal person for the card - naming no names Sis (I'm only jealous as she's been out every night since Tuesday!)

Here's my Card

Believe it or not, the backing papers are from a Christmas set but I was in a spots and stripes kind of mood.  I hope you like it.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Poorly Sick Chick

I have to admit to struggling for this week's challenge at from the heart stamps.  I had an idea all planned out in my head and then spotted that one of the design team had used the same idea on the midweek inspiration.  Rats!  I should make sure I do these things when I think of them instead of waiting for the weekend when I can use crafting as a way to avoid housework.  Anyway, I had to come up with something else and I've been deliberating all week.  I tend to print lots of images (so I don't waste card) when I'm printing the one I need and I had printed two sick chick images of the same size a couple of weeks ago.  This meant I already had an image to base the card around and I could also indulge my need to fussy cut by layering one on the other whilst leaving the panel as part of the sketch.  Here is my poorly sick chick

And here is the sketch

I promise there are two different backing papers, even though my contrast just looks like a slightly wider stripe.  I will also admit to using another brand of digi for the plasters (I hope it's allowed) as they were just perfect in the circumstances.  I do love the fact that you can resize digis  so they fit your scheme.

I hope you like my card.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Deep Purple

I may have mentioned before but I'm so loving the Sketch Challenge at from 'From the Heart Stamps'. I think it may have something to do with the fact that they appear to be liking my cards, yippee!  Anyway, I was pleased with this weeks sketch but I didn't have any of their stamps that would cover what I had in mind.  Shame! I would just have to go and find one in their store.  Shh, Do Not Tell the Hubby!

Once I had what I wanted it seemed to take me ages to colour them in and even longer to cut them out and layer them up and this is what I came up with.

This is the original sketch

I have to admit, now I've made the card it looks totally different from the original sketch.  I will admit to using a rectangle instead of a square and I did use the cut out butterfly instead of the circle (well it is me, it wouldn't be one of mine without some fussy cutting) but I think I spaced my flowers too far apart.  As the backing paper has stitching on already I didn't add any string or ribbon.

Oh well, I like it and I hope you do too.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

A New Challenge

After my recent success with a couple of my challenge cards (believe me, I've not stopped grinning yet), I decided to branch out and try a different blog challenge.  I've been a big fan of Tiddly Inks for years and I have been following the blog challenges on Bloglovin - as I do.  But, as yet, I haven't dipped my toe in the water.  I noticed this particular challenge about a week ago and I even found a stamp in my collection (I think it was a freebie from years ago - not sure if it's available still).  However, I've been up to my neck in it this week and thought I'd missed the boat.  Well, I've just checked and the challenge is still open so, here goes.

The challenge was to create a 'Thinking of You' card and, having trawled through my collection of Tiddly Inks stamps, this one stood out to me as the obvious choice.  I hope you like what I've done with it.

I wish I had a better camera.  It's so much clearer in real life and I love how it's turned out (oh, good grief, that's two cards I'm pleased with in two weeks!)

Thanks for reading

Love Dawn x

Don't you dare mention my age!

Well, I have to admit I've had lots of fun with this sketch this week.  I bought a couple of new digis at From the heart Stamps this week as I am loving their sketch challenge.  I wasn't even bothered that it was another 'off centre' design.  I just wanted to colour my new favourite stamp and enter it.  So here is the sketch

And here is what I've done with it

Yes, I know, I fussy cut the image again but I'm really happy with how this looks (believe me, that doesn't happen often).  I did originally use numbered backing paper to try and fit in with the twist but it didn't look anywhere near as good as the oriental writing.  I particularly like the sentiment as I'm having a rather big birthday myself this year and I could do with my own ninja to keep a lid on it.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Valentine for my Valentine

Well, I'm still grinning from having my lighthouse card picked as a Top 3 Pick at From the Heart Stamps. I'm so chuffed I've been telling anyone who'll listen.  However, it does kind of pile on the pressure to come up with something for this week's sketch.

He is this week's sketch and I have to admit to being a bit daunted.  I'm very much a symmetrical kind of card maker and the fact that the blue bit was bigger than the striped bit was sending me a bit OCD.  I kept looking at it and thinking it's really not my week but, hay ho, I did need to send a valentine to my husband and the love of my life (just one card, they are the same person!) So here's what I came up with.

I promise that there are two black panels and they are embossed with different folders but you can't really see 'cause I covered the edge with red and black hearts - mainly so I couldn't really dwell on the top panel being smaller than the bottom one.  I suppose, technically, I should have left the cute little mouse as a square panel but I am just one of life's fussy cutters so I cut him out and covered the balloon part with more hearts.  Now all I have to do is hope the hubby doesn't read my blog until after I've given him my card.  I hope I haven't deviated too far from the sketch.  All the elements are there, they are just covered up with glittery hearts.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

New Look and a New Sketch

Well, as I seem to be blogging a little more often these days I decided yesterday to revamp the old look.  It's fairly easy to do as I used a new background from 'the cutest blog on the block'.  I hope you like it.  I do.

I also managed, with a little spare time I didn't expect to have (long story but my colleague had been making me tea with skimmed milk instead of soya and a really grotty stomach ensued) I managed to do a card for this week's sketch challenge at From the Heart blog.  I will admit to bottling out of the twist as what I had in mind didn't fit that bill.  I was also in two minds as to whether to enter or not as my card looked different in my mind than it turned out in real life.

When I saw the sketch I had an instant plan for the lighthouse stamp I bought last week (you can find it here).  My plan was to create the diagonal element of the sketch with string and tie a nautical knot to compliment the lighthouse theme.  Unfortunately, the string was too thin for what I had in mine and para cord was too thick.  That only really left me with ribbon to go with.  You should be able to see the two layers of ribbon within the knot but it sort of got lost and left me with a different looking knot.  Although I'm happy with how it sits, it's different to my original plan.  Anyway, this is what I'm left with

and this was the original sketch

Oh rats!  I've just realised I could have put my sentiment in a heart shape.  Well, it's too late now.  I hope you like it.  Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x