Stylish Stencil

 Morning all.  It's time for a new challenge at Sparkles Monthly Challenge. We would like to see your 'Stencilled' projects please. I love stencils.  I've been looking forward to this one. I could used my favourite stencil from Funky Fossil.

This is my favourite stencil and, right now, I absolutely hate her.  I had such a brilliant idea for this card.  My idea was to use gold foil on a black background. A 'Goldfinger' type approach.  It was going to look stunning.  Well, in my head it did.  I spent an entire weekend trying to get an even finish to my foiling.  There are several sheets of black cardstock lounging in the bin as a testament to my determination.  In the end I fished out a piece of teal cardstock and stencilled her in black.  I'm glad I did in the end.  I'm much happier with the result. I stamped my sentiment and added some obsidian gems and that's that.

Please pop over and see the fabulous inspiration from the design team.  Then you can join in the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Autumn Elegance.

 Autumn Elegance.  Well, that's what I was going for anyway.  You can be the judge of whether I managed it or not.  

Autumn Elegance is the new challenge over at Make My Monday. Can't wait to see what you all come up with for this one as autumn is anything but elegant around here.  Soggy - yes, miserable - yes, uninviting - oh yes.  I haven't stepped a foot out of the house all weekend, and it has nothing to do with Lockdown. I just don't have any desire to wander into the dank and foggy world right now.  You can help me by keeping me busy commenting on your wonderful creations.  Here's mine.

I'll say one thing for tidying your craft room, you find all sorts of stuff you can't remember seeing before. I found several sheets, some in pearlised card and some in velum, of these beautiful leaves.  I have some gorgeous baby blue ones and some white but I chose to go with the ivory and cream.  They are all beautifully edged in gold and all I had to do was pop them out and arrange them.  Sounds easy enough (it wasn't).  I ended up with a couple of floating leaves to try and even up my wonky wreath shape.  The addition of a few goldy coloured gems also helped to even the shape out.  All I needed to do after that was stack a few sentiments to add to the middle.  I'm really pleased with the end result.  Not too much swearing either - bonus!

Ok, over to you.  Keep me tied to the computer and away from the miserable outdoors.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Party Animal

 Morning all.  We are up to P for Party over at The Alphabet Challenge.  Here in the UK we are in Lockdown once again so this is the nearest you are going to get to a party in the next month.  If you needed an excuse to join in then that's got you covered.  They can't fine you for joining a virtual party.  During the first lockdown we had a virtual cheese and wine party on a crafty Facebook group I'm on. I baked a camembert and drank quite a bit of white wine.  Well, you have to show willing don't you.

My party card started with a fun image from Bugaboo.  I chose the spotty backing paper and coloured my image to match.  Then I sat and fussy cut the whole thing out 'cause my little piggy bled out the lines and there was no way I was starting again.  I die cut lots of white balloons to add to my card blank for a tone on tone effect before sticking the rest of it together.  I'd had to cut off the 'happy' part of the stamp so I added 'wishes' instead. You can't see it but I covered the balloons and presents with Spectrum Noir sparkle pen.  I also added it to the chocolate chip ice cream.  Mmm, ice cream.  Do you think that is an acceptable choice for a breakfast this morning?  I'm tempted.

Ok, time for you all to get your party on.  Pop over to the blog and see the awesome inspiration and please join in the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Silver and gold

 Morning all.  Are you ready for a new challenge over at Cardz4galz.  I get to chose the subject this time and I would like to see Gold and/or Silver on you project please. It doesn't have to be Christmassy but this does seem to be an ideal opportunity to get started.

I had a lovely idea for layering an intricate cut file - cut on my cricut- with some glittery gold card I'd got lying around.  Now, my cricut and I have a love/hate relationship.  I have come to realise that, if I am going to use it, it will not go right first time around.  I popped some silver mirri card on the mat and selected the card setting.  I figured it wouldn't cut on that setting but it would give me an idea as to where I stood without ripping the card.  I watched it cutting my snowflake design and realised that I liked the etched effect.  OK, let's have a rethink.

I still used the gold glitter card.  I just layered it and used it for the die cut lettering. I used a piece of velum behind the words as it got lost on it's own.

I think I may etch some more mirri card with this design.  I think it works as well as actually cutting it.  What's the betting that I end up cutting it by accident (or just because my cricut is bloody minded and doesn't actually do what I want it to do).

Anyway, it's your turn now.  Let's see all that silver and gold.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Adult Content!

 Morning all.  It's time for a new challenge over at Cardz4guyz and we would like to see a card for an 'Adult Male'. I couldn't resist going a little cheeky with this one.  I dug out one of my old Kenny K images (sadly, no longer available).  To be fair, it's not the most risqué image I could have used but it was enough to, hopefully, raise a smile.

I used some silver card - embossed with one of my most male embossing folders.  I just added it to my card with a printed sentiment.  I coloured and fussy cut my image and popped her on the ribbon.  I have recently sorted out my ribbon box and was going to used some black and white checked ribbon but it was so wide it would have taken up a third of the card. Oh well, maybe next time.

OK, it's your turn.  Let's see your cards for an Adult Male (don't panic, they don't have to be that 'adult'.  This is just my sense of humour). Have a look at the design team cards.  They are all fabulous, and way more sensible than mine.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

 

Where there's a Will there's a way.

 Morning all.  We have a brand new challenge for you today over at Make My Monday. We would like to see your 'Masculine' cards please. 

Where to start?  I am still on a stash busting mission so I had a look through the digistamps I had printed out.  I bought a stamp from Mo's Digital Pencil such a long time ago.  I think it may have been retired but Mo has some brilliant male images if you need some inspiration.  I bought this one on a whim and I've never been sure what to use it for.  I really had to have it as it's called 'Will'.

Just look at him.  Such a stroppy little fella.  I have a Will of my own.  Thankfully, he's not often stroppy but that's the reason I had to have this little Will. Once I'd coloured him in and cut him out I added him to a stencilled background.  I'd already printed the sentiment from my computer.  I matted him on some backing paper and added to a card base.  I had to have a bit of bling 'cause I can't help myself.

Just in case you were wondering - here's my own Will.

Don't tell him I added his picture or I will get into trouble.  Luckily, he doesn't read my blog.

Ok, over to you.  Time to see your masculine cards.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

The Old Ones are the Good Ones

 Good Morning all.  We have a new challenge today over at The Alphabet Challenge and it's one of mine.  I have chosen the topic of 'O for Old Folk'. 

I have so many options for this topic and some inspiring old folk of my own.  They can be such fun.  It's the 'old enough to know better but young enough to not care' mentality. I fully intend to grow old disgracefully. 

I went with Mobility Malcom from Dr Digi. There are a whole section of oldies on his site.  I always have such fun with these sorts of images.  I started off with a red, white and blue idea in my head but ended up with more red, white and grey.  Oh well, grey fits the theme doesn't it.

OK, over to you.  Lets see your old folk please. We are in tier 2 lockdown here at the moment and I can't get to see my old folks.  This could be the bit of light relief I need to keep me going until I can go and see them again. Luckily dad can still tell me his rubbish jokes down the phone.

Mum and Dad are always up for a laugh.

Thanks for reading.  

Love Dawn x

Wreathed in Autumn Splender

 Thank you to all the entrants in my Retro themed Cardz4glaz Challenge.  I was really pleased with the entries we had and it was nice to see so many ways in which you all interpreted the 'retro' theme.  

Time to move on and, as hinted at in my previous post, the new theme is 'Fall/Autumn' but we don't want halloween cards thanks. Remember the wreath I messed up from earlier this week. Well, I decided wreaths are more a girl thing anyway and cut it again.  This time I got the size right. I stencilled a leafy looking pattern onto a shaped card base and added my simple wreath over the top. I stamped my sentiment and added a bit of bling but it needed something else.  It didn't look girly enough to me. Time for a bit of cuteness.

I coloured the cute acorns from 2 Cute Ink (sorry, I can't find them in the shop) and added them to the leaves. There, that's much better.  A bit of cuteness to cheer things up a bit.

Anyway, over to you.  Let's see your girly autumn cards please. If you pop back tomorrow I promise it won't be autumnal.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Anyone bored with autumn yet?

 Well the autumnal themed cards are coming thick and fast at the moment and I'm rapidly running out of ideas.  However, as this week's Cardz4guyz Challenge is 'Autumn Colours' I've had to put my thinking cap on.  Even if I'm not running out of ideas, I am running out of leafy stamps and dies.  It's a good job I've got my cricut.  I chose to cut a lovely autumn wreath.  I thought I would cut it in white and do some ink blending.  Well, I totally messed up the sizing on my cutting.  There was no way my wreath was going to fit onto a card.  I could, however, use the leaves for something different. 

I was really pleased with how my ink blended on the leaves (I really can't remember what colours I used as I didn't write them down).  The score marks on the die cuts looked lovely when I'd finished.  I chose to keep it very simple and used a pearlised card blank with the same card for a panel and the sentiment banner.  The scanned picture doesn't really do this justice at all.  In real life it's just lovely.  It's not what I had in mind but it's better than I had imagined.

If you are disappointed that it's not an autumn wreath pop back in a couple of days.  You never know your luck.

Please pop over and join in the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Hello Autumn

 Morning all.  The weather around here has definitely turned a little Autumnal lately and so has our new challenge over at Sparkles Monthly Challenge. Caz has given us 'Hello Autumn' for this month.  Time to break out the leafy stamps I think.  I've had this stamp set for several years. It was a magazine freebie and I still love it.

Having coloured and cut out two leaves I wanted them to be the focal point. I used a spare die cut square and - rather experimentally - pressed a green ink pad in the middle. It wasn't perfect but, when I placed my leaves down it looked like they'd got a bit of a halo.  I loved the effect and I probably won't ever be able to replicate it. I stamped some little accents from a Wplus9 stamp set and added a leaf shaped sequin on a bow made of embroidery thread.

I am so chuffed with the result for this card.  I didn't have any plan in my head and I probably couldn't get this result again.  

Now it's your turn.  Please show us your Autumnal cards.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Oranges and ...well oranges!

 Afternoon all.  I know, I'm late.  So sorry and all that.  It's alright having your DT projects all sorted out but then you get to work and think 'I'm sure I was supposed to do something this morning'. Anyway, better late than never.  I have to say I was so impressed by all the entries for my 'scraps' challenge over at Make My Monday but I must move over and give Debbie a chance.  She has chosen 'Orange as a Dominent Colour'. This gave me a great opportunity to use a stamp I'd bought but not yet used.  

When you are on a Design Team then you get to visit so many wonderful blogs that you probably wouldn't know existed otherwise. And because you get to see these blogs you also get to see stash that you also wouldn't know existed otherwise. It's a double edged sword! I had never heard of Aall and Create until I saw this stamp on a blog post.  Well, I just had to have it. It was so cute.  Once I'd got it I couldn't figure out what to do with it.  Until now...

To be honest, I'd done the background before I chose to add my little owl. I stencilled the background in one colour and then slightly offset it before stencilling again in another colour. I think it was fossilised amber and spiced marmalade but don't quote me.  I then inked a circle from my box full of scrap circles (I'm still on a scrap mission). I stamped some leaves from a freebie stamp in the same orange and then looked for something to finish the card off. I stamped him twice and decoupaged him after colouring.  I probably went a little too dark with the brown but I still think he's sweet. 

OK,  I need to go and do something with the other Aall and Create stamp that fell into my cart at the same time.  Let's see your orange creations guys.  Do Debbie proud like you did for me.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Navy Larks

 Morning all.  Are you ready for a new challenge at The Alphabet Challenge. We are at the letter N.  Debbie has chosen Navy Blue for our challenge.  Have you any idea how hard it is to get navy blue card stock in Chesterfield.  I couldn't find any anywhere. It's a good job I had some in my stash.  If I'd looked there first I could have saved myself a pointless shopping trip around town. Oh well, I now have some dark blue (but not quite navy) card blanks, a new glue pen and a Christmas die.  I'm blaming you Debbie!

Ok, I have the cardstock.  Now what?  Whilst pondering what to do I was watching. Kirsty Allsop on the TV and she just happened to be buying a mustard coloured cushion to go with some navy blue bedding.  Now mustard is not a go to colour for me - but if Kirsty says it will go then who am I to argue.

Well, what about that.  She was right.  

The die set is a Sue Wilson one I think.  I just layered it up and popped my banner on.  I am really really pleased with how this turned out. I'd make more like this but I'm out of mustard cardstock. No, really.  I have checked this time.

Please join in the fun.  We love seeing your inspiration.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Let's Go Retro

 Morning all.  It's my turn to choose the subject for the new challenge over at Cardz4galz.  I would love to see your 'Retro' projects please.  I chose the theme quite a while ago and, to be honest, I can't remember what I had in mind at the time. Oh well, I'm sure I can think of something.  

In the end I went with a Kenny K image.  Kenny used to do some really good retro images but, unfortunately, he is no longer selling his digital stamps. I created the sentiment within the image before printing.  I know how she feels.  The thought of running out of gin would worry me.  In my defence, I was worrying about running out of gin before it became fashionable.

I found some retro style paper and added a few die cut circles to compliment the pattern. Other than a bit of bling that just about did it. I'm really pleased with it. What do you think?

OK, I'll be back to check your entries soon.  Straight after I finish stock taking my gin supplies.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

CAS for a Guy - Oh Balls

 Morning all.  I can't believe how quickly the last two weeks have gone.  I had such a brilliant time checking out the entries for my Dragons or Dinosaurs theme but it's time for a new challenge so we have to move on. Julie has chosen the theme of Clean and Simple over at Cardz4guyz. Thanks Julie!  What am I going to do for this one?

I decided that a sports theme would be a good idea. We are talking a 'guy' card after all. I chose this digital stamp from Dr Digi's House of Stamps and laid the balls out carefully with the sentiment before printing them off. I carefully coloured the images in an attempt to create a one layer card.  Then the orange bled out and ruined that idea.  Oh Balls! 

Take two - cut out the sentiment and the balls and arranged them around a blended circle. Et Voila. What a save.

I'm actually quite pleased with how it turned out in the end. My track record for remembering birthdays is really poor (unless my mum remembers to remind me) so I'm sure this will come in handy at some point. Don't worry Tyler (my nephew) mum reminded me it's your birthday on Monday.

Please pop over and join in the fun.  The design team have some fabulous inspiration for you.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

A Bit Scrappy

 Morning all.  Time for me to choose the new challenge over at Make My Monday and I want you to 'use your scraps'.  I'm on a bit of a stash busting mission at the moment and I am trying desperately to get rid of some of the bits and pieces littering my craft room.  Honestly, if I just binned all the little bits I've got lying around it wouldn't look liked I'd touched it but I can't bring myself to do it. 

For my card I took one of my many offcuts of white card (yes I have a drawer full) and sponged a cloud background.  I created a white frame slightly smaller and added it to the front.  I then picked 4 bits of pink backing paper from my 'pink scraps' folder and used a new die from The Works to cut little balloons.

It was a bit fiddly, especially adding the strings - also cut from a scrap. I also cut some bits of confetti and added those as well. I'm getting to like it more than I did originally. It wasn't what I was originally going to do but when I bought the die I was struck by how easy it would be to cut from scraps.

The design team have come up with some lovely ways to use up their scraps so I do urge you to go and have a look.  I also have more pink scraps, and yellow scraps and blue scraps - you get the idea (I have a folder for each colour).  Any inspiration you can give me as to what to do with them will be gratefully received.  

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

A Mouse with a Martini - Oh My!

 Morning all.  Today we have a fun new challenge over at The Alphabet Challenge.  We have arrived at the letter M and Meg has given us the option of 'anything beginning with M'.  Off I popped to my stash of printed digi images for something to fit.  And, Bingo, I hit the jackpot.  A mouse in a martini glass.  This was one of the very first digital images I every got (sadly, Phindy's Place is no more). I found some happy birthday backing paper and coloured the image to compliment it. I even added a little spectrum noir sparkle pen to glitz it up a bit.

I added some blue gems and a little birthday banner and I love it.  OK, let's see what you have that begins with M.  Pop over to see what the design team has for you.  You really won't be disappointed.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

I love you more than coffee

 I love you more than coffee.  Not a sentiment I expect my husband to ever say to me.  I know he loves me but coffee is his one vice. He doesn't smoke or drink alcohol.  If it wasn't for coffee he'd be really cheap to run.

Anyway, I've gotten way ahead of myself.  Today is time for a new challenge over at Cardz4galz.  This week's challenge is everyone's favourite 'A One Layer Card'. Not my usual style and I find them really difficult to do.  However, I had recently seen a stunning card using a white embossed image on a kraft card blank. So off I went to find an image that would work.  I decided on one of my favourite Altenew sets Coffee with a Splash.  I  heat embossed a cup of coffee and the sentiment in white and painted in the image with distress ink (I think it was vintage photo - sorry, I've been to bed since making this and I can't remember). I then added a few coffee stains with the same ink and went way out of my comfort zone by adding splatters.

I know it doesn't really look very girly but I would love my husband to send me a card with that sentiment. I would really feel very special then.

Please pop over to join in the fun. I'd love to see what you come up with.  

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Red Dragon

 Years ago I read a book called 'Red Dragon'.  It was the first outing of Hannibal Lecter as a character and, brilliant as it was, I couldn't face reading 'Silence of the Lambs' after.  Anyway, there is none of that  scary stuff here.  Just this week's challenge at Cardz4guyz. As it happens I chose this challenge.  I would love to see either 'Dragons or Dinosaurs' on your projects please.  Definitely a Guy challenge this one.  

I chose a very old - and very favourite - wood mounted stamp with a beautiful dragon on it.  In fact, it was on one of the first cards I made when I joined the Guyz Design Team.  This time I heat embossed it with a powder called 'Chinese Red'.  No idea who makes it but it has tiny hints of gold in it.  I then blended the background with antique linen distress ink and around the edge with fired brick.  I was going to just leave it as it was - a panel in the middle of a slimline card.  It looked a bit unfinished so I fussy cut it out and mounted it on a panel.  I covered my card blank with another piece of backing paper and I am much happier with the result.

What do you think? 

Ok, now it's time to see your dragons or dinosaurs please. If you don't I won't have anything to comment on.  

Thanks for reading

Love Dawn x

Shape it off

 Morning all.  We have a brand new challenge over at Sparkles Monthly today.  We would like to see your 'shaped' cards.  I was really impressed by all the entries on my challenge (at least 3 patterned papers) last month and I'm sure you will all rock this one too.  Shaped cards are always challenging for me.  I'm strictly a square or rectangle girl.  I rarely even do fun folds so where was I going to start with this one.  I started with my cricut.  If I needed a shape I wasn't confidant cutting it without help.  I found a circle card in the shape of a football and cut that as my base.  I also had a Football Circles digi stamp from LOTV already printed out.  I coloured the 'Goal' circle in rich deep colours...and totally messed it up.  In order to save it I cut out the word and stuck it to a circle in the middle of my base.

And that should have been it.  I couldn't leave it though.  It just wasn't finished.  I just kept looking at it and wanting something else.  I eventually added the two footballs from the other circles.  I don't completely love it but it looks more finished now.

I obviously need help with shaped cards so please enter and show me your inspiration.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Meh...ry Christmas

 Christmas in September.  No, I'm not really feeling it.  I'm envious of all those well organised crafters that start their Christmas cards on Easter Monday.  I am always rushing about at the last minute.  One year I was still waiting for glue to dry on Christmas eve so I could deliver my cards before the Crib Service.  This is where challenges like today's Make My Monday Theme come in handy.  'Christmas in September' is what we want.  And, whether I'm feeling it or not, I had to come up with something.

A couple of years ago a scouting friend was moving house and decided that all the crafting stuff she'd collected to create with was coming my way.  Thanks Angie, love you lots.  Amongst all the stuff was a stack of Christmas stamps in CD cases.  I think they were call Cee Dees or See Dees stamps. Surely I could find some inspiration amongst all those (there are about ten cases).  I plumped for a lovely image of Mary and Joseph with baby Jesus.  Then I got distracted colouring some poinsettias.  Oh well, the best laid plans and all that.

I just coloured them in red and used traditional green for the background.  I dobbed some gems over my centres and mounted it on a red card base. I added a sentiment strip and cut out a couple of spares to hide the rough end.

OK, let's see what you come up with.  I obviously need some help and motivation.  I'm off to see Mary and Joseph now - well, I'd stamped them out so I suppose I should do something with them.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

 

Lovely Ladybird

 Morning all.  We have come to the letter L over at The Alphabet Challenge and we would like to see your Ladybirds (ladybugs) please.  I have several images with Ladybirds on them.  Mainly from Bugaboo and 2 Cute Ink.  After much deliberation I decided to go for one that I can't find in the 2 Cute Ink Shop. Typical isn't it.  Do not despair however, Heidi has several very cute ladybirds available. 

Once I'd decided on the image the rest was pretty simple.  Lots of dots and circles in red white and black. I did add a little sunshine and a couple of clouds to create more of a scene for my image.  Not sure it's quite me but it did turn out more or less how I'd imagined it.  

Ok, over to you.  Let's see those ladybirds.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

 

Buttons and Bows (Just the sort of stuff I don't really use much)

 Morning all. A challenging challenge for me this morning.  We would like your 'buttons and bows' over at Cardz4galz.  Buttons and bows - not something you will see me use often.  That is not to say that I haven't got tonnes of both.  Of course I have!  I just haven't got a clue what to do with them.  So, having rooted around in my craft room (I am trying to use stuff I've got lying about) I came across a fancy circle that's been in my bits box for ages. I'd cut a further circle in it to make it look like a bib and that's as far as I got.  Whoopee, I could now get rid of it - along with some of my millions of buttons and bows.

I picked a scrap of pretty pink paper and flung it all together. I used some tiny white flowers to finish off the corners as my buttons were really tiny and looked lost.  I left them to feature on the bib with a pink bow and a sentiment panel.  I'm really pleased to have used mostly scraps on this card.  Now, what do I do with all the rest of this stuff.

Please pop over to the blog and give me some inspiration.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Monochrome madness for boyz

 Morning all.  We have a fresh new challenge for you this morning over at Cardz4guyz.  We did monochrome for the galz a few weeks ago and now it's time to do the same for the guyz.  I have to say, monochrome is so much easier for guy card.  I chose blue for a colour scheme and cars for a theme.  Simples!

Mum needed a card for a friend who's a driving instructer and this fit the bill perfectly.  I'm not sure how he'll feel about being called an old wreck but mum liked it.  The stamps are an old set by Kanban. I've had them for years but never really got much use out of them.  I may do some more like this.  It was very quick and simple to do.

Please pop over and join in the fun.

Thanks for reading.  

Love Dawn x

Criss Cross

 Morning all.  Are you ready for a new Make My Monday Challenge? And this one was a challenge.  Have you ever made a 'Criss Cross' card?  No? Me neither.  There is a handy Tutorial over on Splitcoast Stampers. It's fairly easy once you get your basic shape.  The only thing that foxed me was having to cut two panels of paper to get my pattern to face the right way.  I have several triangles on my craft desk as testament to the fact that I couldn't get my head around it. I'd used some of my expensive papers too so I need to create something else with those offcuts.  I'd decided to go a bit tropical again - well, I'd bought that flamingo stamp set by My Favourite Things so I needed to get some mileage out of it. What do you think.

I couldn't resist doing a little stencilling behind my flamingo and I used an ancient stamp set for the tropical flowers. A little bling finished it off nicely and I'm quite pleased with the result.

I'm really looking forward to seeing how you all interpret this challenge. Please pop over and have a go.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Too Cool for Skool

 Wow, look at me.  Creating a card for fun instead of a DT project.  Crazy!  Well, she asked so nicely. 

Let me explain.  I've been following Donna's blog Duncan Street Designs for ages and I like to comment on her beautiful cards.  Recently Donna left me a lovely comment and happened to mention that she was part of a challenge blog called The Paper Funday Challenge.  She said she would love for me to enter the challenge, so here I am.  I am a little close to the wire as this month's challenge only has a day and a half to run.  I suppose that does mean there will be another challenge soon and maybe I will find time for that one too.

The challenge was 'anything goes' with an option of 'back to school'.

I've had the Tiddlyinks image printed out for ages and never got around to colouring him.  Thanks Donna, that's another bit of my stash used up.  I'm on a mission to use what's already there in my craft room.  It's a mission I'm failing at but the thought was there.  I also used an old (ancient) Spellbinders die and cut three pencils.  I have never used this die before so that's something else I can pat myself on the back for.  I'm pretty pleased with how they turned out once I'd coloured them.  So thanks - once again - to Donna and thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

K for Krafty

 Morning all.  We are up to the letter K over at The Alphabet Challenge and K is for Kraft.  We had a Kraft challenge a short while ago on one of the other blogs so I had to think a bit about this one.  I have some really pretty kraft papers so I started out by thinking about them.  I chose a pretty floral pattern that was just black print on a kraft background.  It was pretty - pretty boring if I am honest.  It needed livening up a bit.  Time to crack out the inktense pencils again.  I wasn't sure how the paper would take the colour or the water that I added to blend the pigment.  I started with just one flower and a few leaves.  Then I got bored so 'spotlight technique' it is!

I popped a black frame around it, just in case you didn't know what I was trying to highlight.  After that I just needed a little sentiment panel.  I did splash some shimmer pen over the main image and that's about it.

OK, now it's your turn.  Let's see how krafty you really are.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Hello, Hello

 Good morning all.  We have a lovely new challenge for you over at Cardz4galz this morning.  We just want you to say 'Hello'.  I had so many ideas for this theme - I can't remember any of them now of course - but the one that stuck in my head was a little critter popping out of an envelope.  I stamped a couple of critters (I think the set maybe My Favourite Things but when I bought it there wasn't any packaging) and created a couple of cards with different papers.

I always think cats are more girly but I do love little dogs too so I couldn't resist.  The speech bubble and sentiment come from the Lawn Fawn reveal wheel set that I bought from a friend and haven't dared use yet.  

OK, time for you to say 'hello'.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Take a Hike

 Morning all.  Are you ready for a new Cardz4guyz Challenge.  This time we are looking for your 'outdoor' cards - any outdoor pursuit would do. I'm not really an outdoorsy person, unless you count sitting by the pond reading a book. I suppose I could have chosen cricket as a theme again.  I do also like a good walk.  Maybe I am more outdoorsy than I thought.

I had a freebie stamp set from a magazine not so long ago and this pair of hiking boots was perfect for this theme.  The little footprints came from the same set.  It had to be done.  I used a piece of foam tape to raise the little footprint panel.  It's all one piece of green, I just scored where my tape was and made a little raised bit.  I added my circle dies - strategically placed over an ink splodge - but it needed something to finish it off. Gems didn't really fit the bill.  Bring on the little tin of bits.  Come on, admit it, we've all got one.  A little tin or box filled with little embellishments that we bought in the last millennium and could figure out what to do with.  It's been in the cupboard for ages and only comes out when you purchase more embellishments that you can't think what to do with.  I've had these little trees forever (they came with little tents, little bears, little moose etc - which remain in the tin if anyone has any idea what to do with them). I knew they would come in handy one day.  I may have to make another card like this just because I have more trees!

Ok, head indoors to your craft space and give us your outdoor projects please.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Just Beachy

 Morning all.  We have a summery new challenge over at Make My Monday.  We would like to see your projects 'on the beach'.  I would love to spend some time on the beach but this year is proving to be a challenge for everyone and I'd rather be safe at home for the moment.  Instead I have created a little beachy card in my not so sandy craft room.  

I have surprisingly little in the way of beach themed stash but I did find a piece of backing paper in my scraps that had all sorts of beachy bits on it. Right in the middle was a lovely big sandcastle that was just ideal.  

I fussy cut the image for a perfect focal point.  Once again (you will be sick of my stencils) I used a sandy ink through a shell shaped stencil and layered it with the rest of the backing paper.  I plonked my image in the middle and added my 'sunshine' die cut. At least this sandcastle should be safe from my son.  I spent many a happy hour when he was a toddler building sandcastles for him to destroy.

Please pop over and join in the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Patterned Paper Possibilities

 Here we are again, on the 15th of the month.  Time for a new challenge at Sparkles Monthly.  I have no excuses for lateness this time as I chose the challenge.  I would like to see 3 or more pattered papers on your projects please.  If you are anything like me you will have hoards of the stuff waiting to be used so here's your chance.

For my card I just picked a sketch from the realms of Pinterest and searched for some pretty papers that would go together.  To be honest, I'd put my card together before I'd even chosen an image to use.  I went with a sweet image (unfortunately, no longer available) from 'From the Heart'. I coloured it in pink and blue to go with my papers and popped it on.  

It's not actually a bad way to make a card.  I didn't have to agonise over my colour scheme and then try to match my papers.  Maybe I've been doing it the wrong way around all these years.  I bet I forget next time I feel like colouring.  Anyway, please nip over and join in the fun.  The DT have come up with some stunners for inspiration.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Thinking outside the 'Jewelry' Box

 Morning all.  It's been a busy blogging week this week and today we have a new challenge at The Alphabet Challenge. J is for Jewels.  OK, I totally drew a blank with this one.  None of my stamps seemed to fit the bill and I couldn't find any digistamps that I fancied either. I didn't think I would get away with two parcels from Seven Hills Crafts in one month so I had to think outside the box.  Or more accurately, inside the box - the jewelry box!

I don't really swap my jewelry much.  I wear a silver cross and chain and a ring that belonged to my grandma (other than my wedding and engagement rings).  I have earrings but I only really wear them if I'm going out somewhere but I do wear bracelets.  Having rooted around in my box I found a pretty piece of costume jewelry that my sister had bought me a while ago.  Unfortunately, it had broken and it was going to be a fiddly fix.  Luckily, it was perfect for this challenge.  I unlinked one of the panels and used it for my card.

I had used an embossing folder on some pearlised card and mounted it on the same coloured card blank.  I just added the panel and the sentiment.  I'm really pleased with it and, if I want to make more, I have several more panels from my bracelet to use.

Over to you.  Let's see your jewelled projects please.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Monochrome madness

 Morning all.  Cardz4galz has a monochrome theme for today's new challenge.  Now I don't know about you but I always tend to think male cards for monochrome.  Don't know why, it's just the weird way my mind works.  As a result I half created this card and let is sit for a while. I stencilled my background with London Fog ink, just because it was on my desk and I cut two layers from an old spellbinders label set.  One in white and one in grey.  And there it sat - and continued to sit.  You nearly got it as it was. I thought about just stamping a sentiment but it seemed like a bit of a cop out.  Anyway, whilst digging through my pile of pre-printed digi stamps I came across a three layer stamp from Tiddlyinks (no longer available). It isn't a typical Tiddlyinks image and I'd forgotten all about it.

Anyway, I gave it a dusting of the same ink that I used for my background and cut them out and shaped them.  I added a sparkly gemstone brad to make it really girly and uploaded it quick before I changed my mind.

As I obviously need persuading that monochrome is for the girls, I need to see you entries for inspiration. Come on, I'm desperate.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Gone Fishing

 Morning all.  We have a new challenge for you over at Cardz4guyz and it is ultra suitable for any Fishing fanatics you may know.  'Gone Fishing' is the theme of our challenge.  Now I don't really know any fishermen so I don't really have much in that line in my stash.  What I did have was a spellbinders die set that my husband bought me years ago and that had never come out of it's packet.  I just didn't know what I would do with fishing flies.  Well I do now.

I cut the dies from the same pearlised card that I intended to use as a background and created a tone on tone piece. I then cut out a couple of tags I'd got in a male themed booklet and popped them on to with a brad.  I know it's wonky but the little arms poked out from the top when I tried to straighten it.  I also messed up my fishing stamp so had to do it again on paper and add it down the side.  Other than that, I'm quite pleased with the result for this challenge.  No idea who's going to get it.  It will probably go in my pile of cards for church.  

Please pop over and have a look at the lovely DT inspiration.  And whilst you are there you can join in the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Simply Does It

Morning all.  We have a new challenge for you over at Make My Monday.  Don't worry, we've picked a nice simple one for you this time.  We would like to see your 'Clean and Simple' projects please. I can do clean and simple but I tend to do it by accident. So, let's have a think about it and try to do one on purpose.  Firstly, chose a stamp.  Maybe choose the lovely stamp that 'accidently' fell into my shopping cart when I was shopping for my tropical nightmare Island Fun card.  It's only a ickle stamp and it wasn't many pennies - honestly.  I just couldn't resist this tiny Toucan.

I stamped him and coloured him, along with some of the flowers in set.  I left him flat (apart from his wing) but popped the flowers up on some silicone glue.  It looked a bit lost on a blank card so I stencilled a pattern in Momento London Fog ink and layered them up. I added the obligatory bling and there you go.  Now why didn't I think to enter this for the Tropical card!  Oh well, never mind.

Please pop over and join the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

This is why I holiday at home

Alternative title - My Tropical Nightmare!

Well, if yesterday's card went perfectly today's has more than made up for it.  The Alphabet Challenge has come to 'I for Island Fun - anything tropical'.  Fun, she says! That definitely got lost in translation whilst making this card.  I have very little in the tropical line so I went shopping (shh, don't tell my other half) and bought a My Favourite Things stamp set from Seven Hills Crafts.  It had palm trees. It had flamingos.  It was just what I needed.  

So, I started by creating a lovely sunset using distress inks blended over a circle mask.  Well, 'lovely' may be stretching it.  It went straight in the bin.  I umm'd and arrr'd a bit and finally gave up and cut a circle from some backing paper.  I had a couple of goes at creating my island from some sandy paper with some more distress ink.  Then I came to stamping my images. I don't have a lot of coloured stamping inks so I dug out my mum's old watercolour markers and used them to stamp my palm tree and my flamingo.  They didn't work great but they didn't look totally rubbish either.  I cut everything out carefully and set about sticking my scene together and stamped the flamingo's legs where I wanted them.  I totally forgot to remove the flamingo and promptly ruined it with black ink.  Ok, that followed the sunset into the bin.  I stamped a new flamingo - which turned out to be different from the one I'd previously stamped and was facing the wrong way.  That also went in the bin.  Anyway, here is the result.  

I did fling a bit of sparkle pen at it to try and make it more appealing but you can't really see it on the picture.  Looking at it now I sort of like the effect the markers have on the stamp.  It adds a bit of texture.  Anyway, now it's your turn.  I'll be back to check the entries later.  I've got to go and empty the bin!

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Getting Krafty with Colour

Morning all. New challenge day for you over at Cardz4galz. Shell has chosen 'stamping on kraft' for this week's challenge.  Thank's Shell! Not something I would choose to do normally. So, just to make it even more of a challenge for me I also decided to create a one layer card for my design.  Was I really feeling well! This was never going to go right.  

Firstly, having chosen my stamp, I had to stamp it upside down in my stamping platform with the card stuck to the top side.  My stamp is a very old red rubber one that won't stick to a block.  It was given to me years ago by a friend. I stamped it twice for a clear outline and, miracle of miracles, it didn't smear or move and stamped perfectly.

Secondly, alcohol markers don't work well on kraft card so that meant I had to resort to my inktense pencils.  I've never had very good results with these. I much prefer alcohol markers.  Wow, second miracle of the day, I used a damp paint brush once I'd laid down my colour and I really liked how it turned out.  

This can't be right.  Something has to go wrong.  What if I add a sentiment up the side of the image.  I really was tempting fate.

And there it is.  Don't ask me how I managed it.  I bet I couldn't do it again.  The stars must have been in alignment or something.  I can't tell you how pleased I am with the result.  I can't believe I pulled it off.  Can you tell I'm a bit chuffed?

Anyway, now it's your turn.  You don't have to make it one layer but you do have to stamp on kraft.  I'm looking forward to seeing your projects.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x