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