Do it Yourself

Morning all.  I hope you are ready for a new Cardz4guyz challenge as it's my turn to pick the subject.  No pressure, but I'm expecting you all to join in.  My subject is DIY.  Couldn't be easier for a Guy card surely.

I chose to use Carpenter Joe from Tiddlyinks for my DIY cards.  I can't actually remember why I purchased this one, or if I've ever used it before.  It did fit the bill though so I'm not complaining.  I also got to use a very old spellbinders die cut sign that has been sat forever in the box.  I think it was one of my first dies when I got my old wizard years ago.  I've used the tools but never the sign.  It just goes to show, if you hang onto it long enough, it will come in handy for something.

I even went daft and splattered some paint on my background - and you all know how I hate making a mess like that.

I used a few brads in the corners and flung some card candy at it (well, the middle bit looked too empty).

Right, your turn.  Pop over and see the fabulous DT inspiration and I'm looking forward to commenting on all your entries.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Bye Bye Back to Basics

Today should have been a new challenge over at Back to Basics and Beyond.  However, we have come to a mutual decision to close this challenge.  I have loved my time as a Design Team Member.  I've revived old techniques long forgotten and learned so many new ones.  I shall miss it.

Thank you to Cazro, our wonderful organiser.  Thanks to the lovely ladies on the design team, both current and past.  This was my second DT post and I still had a lot to learn.  I couldn't have done it without their support.  And finally, thanks to all those who have entered our challenges over the months and entertained and inspired us. 

Bye Bye Back to Basics and Beyond.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Friends are such a Blessing

Morning all.  Don't Mondays come around quickly?  We have a new Make My Monday Challenge today so I suppose that's a bonus.  This time we would like to see your Friendship cards.  I've been so lucky to make new friends through crafting on the internet and this challenge has been chosen by Debbie, who is one of them.  Living on the other side of the Atlantic we will probably never meet but she is such an inspiration and never fails to offer encouragement.  This card is a tribute to her and my other crafty friends.  

I've used a favourite set from Wplus9 which was just made for this.  I inked the background with distress ink (squeezed lemonade, spun sugar and worn lipstick) and just stamped the blooms around the edge.  I filled in the gaps with a cluster of flowers from an un-named set that I've had forever and never used.  After that I just stamped the sentiment and mounted it on a couple of other inked ovals for the middle of my card.

The gems are from my stash and I'm so pleased with how this turned out.  It's not at all like my usual stuff but I hope it's a fitting tribute to Debbie and the rest of my inspirational crafty friends.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Be Joyful

Morning all.  The Alphabet Challenge has a fun new challenge for you today.  The subject is J for Joy.  

I'm loving this one as it gives me a chance to use a stamp I bought 'just because'.  Have you ever just seen something that made you smile you just had to have it?  This is what happened to me when I saw Mo Manning's image Joy.  It made me smile so much.  You can see the Joy in the image.  And this was the Challenge that it had been waiting for.

I've kept the card very simple because I think the image says it all.

Please pop over and join in the fun.  I think we could all use a little Joy sometimes.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Is your Beach Body Ready?

Morning all.  Time for some 'Summer Fun' over at Cardz4galz.  Any Summer Fun would do but, as I've been dieting since 2 weeks before Christmas, I thought I'd show off my Beach Body to you.
Here it is, what do you think?

And that's as close as you are going to get to me in a bikini.  Yes, I have lost 3 stone.  Yes, I am a shadow of my former self. No, I still don't own a bikini and I have no plans to buy one.  Believe me, the world will never be ready for that.

The image is one of my absolute favourites from Mo's Digital Pencil and she's such fun to colour.  I love her curves.  Believe it or not, the sandy coloured backing paper is a Christmas one.  I've hidden the snowfake under her bum.

Why not pop over and join in with your summer fun designs.  

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Music to my Ears

Morning all.  Who's up for a new challenge at Cardz4guyz? There's lots of scope with this week's subject of 'Music'. 

I've got tonnes of potential stamps for this one.  The hardest part was deciding on which one.  In the end I went with this brilliant Jukebox from Dr Digi purely because I'd bought it and never coloured it.  I don't know why 'cause it was so much fun to colour.  Plus, I had the perfect background papers to use.  They were a freebie from a long forgotten magazine but they screamed out to be used with this stamp.  Here's the result.

And I have to say it's a relief, after a few weeks of mojo malfunction, to be pleased with the result.

The Design Team have created such a diverse group of cards for this subject you just have to pop over and check them out.  And whilst you are there you can join in the fun.

Thanks for reading. 

Love Dawn x

Going off the edge

Morning all.  Time for a new challenge over at Back to Basics and Beyond.  This week we are pushing you right off the edge. There is a fab tutorial from Jennifer McGuire on You Tube and you can access it here.  The idea is to use a larger stamp around the edge of your card - and if you use Jennifer's technique you can create two cards at the same time.

I don't really have a lot of large stamps but I think I need some as I loved doing this technique.  My plan was to use a cherry blossom stamp but it was an odd shape and didn't really work so I chose the lily from the same set (I think it's Papermania).  I just coloured it in and used a die cut sentiment.  I could have used one of the sentiments from the stamp set but they are small and I was afraid it would get lost.

What do you think?

One thing I will say for Back to Basics and Beyond.  It is still managing to teach an old dog new tricks.  I think I need to invest in some more stamps as I can't really do this with Digis.  Well, I suppose you could but it would take a coat of thinking over first.

Please pop over and join in the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x