Tilda again!

My second orange and green card in a week ... is there a bit of a colour theme going on with me?  No, I just hadn't put the Sizzix paper pad away from the last card I made and I was too lazy to go upstairs and find some new papers.  February seems to be a busy month for birthdays for me so I need to get focussed - only a two day working week for me this week, so hopefully I will manage to get a bit of crafting time to myself.

I had made this card using the Sketch and Stash sketch but forgot to upload it last night before the close of the challenge - oops!

I used my new Marianne doily die, MS border punch, woodward Grass paper punch, Tilda stamp, and a digi sentiment (can't remember where it came from, sorry).  The image has been coloured with pro markers and the papers are from Sizzix Earth Tones pad.

I am going to enter this card into the following challenges:

Pile it on - Punch it

Totally Gorjuss - As you like it

Scrap, Stamp & Doodle Saturday - Punchy challenge

Penny's Challenge - Anything goes

Thanks for stopping by,

Amanda

The dreaded "man card"

After my recent failure to have any back up stocks of the dreaded "man card" and having to resort to the card maker's shame of buying a card for the occassion, I have tried to make an effort to boost my card stocks.  Okay, so I know that one card will not make a huge difference but at least I won't go into mild panic when the next male birthday is approaching. 

So, for my man-card I have gone with the fairly universally liked theme of beer!  I can't tell you a man who doesn't like beer - I guess there's one or two around, but they are quite rare!  I have dug out one of my neglected digis - probably my favourite man-themed digis - Jim with Beer , from Digi Stamp Boutique.

The image has been coloured with pro markers and I've used papers from a Sizzix Earth Tones pad.  I printed the sentiment on my PC and added a few dots around it, together with the image, a bit more manly than faux stitching, I thought.  Three "man friendly" buttons stitched on and, hey presto, card finished! 

I am going to enter this card into the following challenges:

Digi Stamp Boutique - Use one of their images

Sweet Sketch Wednesday - I used their sketch

Fab 'n' Funky - Use a digi

Penny's Challenge - Anything goes

Sisterhood of Crafters - Anything goes

Thanks for looking and don't forget to enter my blog candy draw!

Amanda

OSAAT Challenge #46

I'm back with another new challenge card today - this time it is for the new One Stitch at a Time challenge blog.  The challenge for this week is: As You like it!  So, it's up to you what you'd like to make. It is also the start of our Christmas Club - pop to the challenge blog for some great news on joining in with the Christmas Club.

For this challenge we are being sponsored by the amazing Kenny K Shop who are offering some great prizes to the lucky winner.

I have made my first Christmas card of the year using "Lite Brite" by Stitchy - available in the Stitchy Bear stamps store here.  The tag is also a Stitchy digi and the paper is from a Forever Friends Cosy Christmas pack.  The paper looked quite elegant so that is why I've chosen a fairly plain black and white scheme and kept the colours to a minimum.  I've coloured the image with pro markers, added a few black jewels and matted the design onto gold mirri and black card.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Karber Weekly Challenge - Use a digi + Ribbon

Penny's Challenge - Anything Goes

Paper Cutz - Anything Goes

Pattie's Creations - Black, White + one other colour

Hope you like!

Amanda

Craft Your Days Away Challenge #12

What an amazing response we had to our last challenge over at Craft Your Days Away.  The only problems was, there were so many entries, that we had trouble keeping up with the commenting on the lovely entries. You really did an amazing job on the challenge!

This fortnight our challenge is "Love" so we want to see your loved-up creations.  We are being sponsored by the lovely Meljen Designs who is offering 4 of her lovely digis to one lucky winner. 

The DT were lucky enough to have some Meljen images to play with and I just loved this one with the cute cat getting a great big hug!  It was hard to pick which design to use; they were so completely adorable.

 

I have coloured the image with pro markers and *surprise, surprise* there's not an ounce of glitter to be seen on this card!  The papers are from a neglected Sizzix pad Earth Tones and the little metal heart brad is Papermania.  The sentiment stamp "sending you hugs" was part of a freebie set from the current issue of Simply Cards and Papercraft magazine.  I've also used my MS border punch and a Sizzlits Corner Accent die cut for the swirls.

Some come and Craft Your Days Away and show us your "Love" themed creations!

I am going to enter this card into the following challenges:

Sweet Sketch Wednesday - I used their sketch
Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - It's a couple thing (hope the cat counts - well, I'd rather be with my cat than with some people!)
Totally Papercrafts - Add a heart
Fab 'n' Funky - Animal Magic
I love pro markers - keep it sweet and simple

Thanks for looking!

Amanda

New Challenge blog and I failed again!

I must hang my head in shame as I have failed miserably again!  As a card maker, today I committed the ultimate crime - I bought a birthday card for a friend's birthday this week.  Despite all good intentions of getting a good back up of cards, I hadn't got one suitable for this birthday.

However, in my defence, it was a "man card" and we all know how awkward they can be (the men or the cards???  I'll let you decide!).  And, I did try my best to purchase a card that looked a little bit as though some effort had been put into it by someone - it had a little wooden and fabric yatch glued on the front! 

Must try harder in future Amanda!!!  I bet there's loads of you out there who can sympathise with my dilema!  Confession over now so I can start to feel less guity!

Anyway, there's a new challenge blog launching on 5th February 2011 over at Little Claire's and to celebrate they have some great blog candy for one lucky person:

They have some really cute stamps in their range so don't forget to pop along to their blog and have a nosey around!

Thanks for looking and keeping watching out - I'm sorting out a bit of blog candy for my own blog soon!

Amanda

OSAAT Challenge #45

There's a great new challenge over at One Stitch at a Time today.  Our challenge for this week is "NEW" so you can interpret that however you want; it could be new baby, new job, new home or you could use some of your new stash that you have waiting to be used (like I did).

I decided to use my new Martha Stewart floral border punch which I really love, and the image is also a new one for me - don't you just love that hat!  It makes a change for me to make a card without using my beloved pro markers but this image was just lovely as it was. 

The hat is from an amazing new collection by Floppy Latte Designs available in the Stitchy Bear Stamps Store - it is an amazing collection of silhouette digis with a milinary theme.  I just love them all - there's one to suit all of us ladies I'm sure!!!

I have made this card for my Nan who will be 86 (I think) next month - and probably wouldn't be very happy with me telling everyone her age!  She always appreciates a nice handmade card and when I visited her over the festive season she had all of the Christmas cards I'd made her over the past few years proudly on display.  My Nan likes feminine and glamourous so I'm sure she will like this card.

Here's what I've used on my card:

Image - Little Hibiscus - The Hat Series by Floppy Latte Design available from the Stitchy Store available here

Nestabilities scallop circle and Nellie Snellen scallop rectangle dies

Card and paper - DCWV

Woodware Grass paper punch

Flowers, feather, jewels and ribbon from stash.

So, pop on over to the challenge blog and join in with our "NEW" challenge.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Craft Your Passion - let's tie one on (Ribbon bow)

Kaboodle Doodles - do it with digis

Freshly Brewed Designs - Black, White and one other colour

Delightful Challenge - Easel card

Fashionista Friday/If the Shoe fits - Photo inspiration

Totally Papercrafts - Happy Birthday

Thanks for looking!

Amanda

Feeling blue

It's the card that's blue - not me! 

I bought this stamp just before Christmas; I fell in love with it and just had to have it.  It is called "Looking Chic" and is by Penny Johnson.  I coloured this image up with pro markers, intending to make it into a Christmas card, but never got round to it, so I've turned it into a birthday card instead.  Blue isn't one of my "safe" colours but it's always good to step outside of the comfort zone every now and then.

The flowers are by Petaloo and the pearls and sentiment came from packs that I got from a £ shop.  The paper is from Papermania and there's just a bit of Stickles glitter around the edges.

I am going to enter this card into the following challenges:

Sweet Sketch Wednesday - I used their sketch

Curtain Call color challenge - I used their colour scheme

The Crazy Challenge - Animals

Fab 'n' Funky - Anything Goes

Stampin for the Weekend - New and Blue (my stamp is new and the blue pearls/sentiment)

Thanks for popping by!

Amanda

Craft Your Days Away Challenge #11

Hiya! 

Hope you're all sticking to your New Year's resolutions ... I didn't make any this year, so at least I can't break any.  I didn't do too well with last year's "not to buy new craft stash and to use what I've got" because my craft stash has grown and my bank balance reduced!!!

I hope you've all found your crafting MOJO after the festive break because we've got a new and brilliant challenge over at Craft Your Days Away Challenge blog. The challenge for the next two weeks is a nice and easy one to start the new year off with:

Anything Goes! 

Remember, we are a multi craft blog so it does not necessarily have to be a card. It could be a scrapbook page, a gift or anything else, as long as you've crafted it. Besides card making, I love to make small teddy bears and this is my first one of 2011 so it fits in perfectly with our Anything Goes.  Surprise us and show us what you have crafted your days away making!

For this challenge we are being sponsored by Simon Says Stamp who are offering a $10 voucher to be spent in their store.  Pop over to the challenge blog for the full details or click the blinkie to visit the Simon Says Stamp store.



I have used a hand dyed short pile, purple mohair to make the bear, he has glass eyes and his nose has been stitched with DMC cotton perle thread and the ribbon is by Anitas (I think).   Maybe 2011 is time for you to learn a new craft - I started making teddies a couple of years ago and, I might not be an expert, but it is a really enjoyble craft so long as you can sew basic stitches.

So, I can't wait to see what you make for our challenge and don't forget to have a look at the other DT blogs - they've come up with some great ideas for this challenge!

Thanks for stopping by,

Amanda

A new card from me at last!

Happy New Year Everyone - all the best for 2011!

Finally I have managed to make a card for some challenges - it seems like ages since I made a card. I don't really "do" new year celebrations so I had a lovely quiet New Year's Eve at home,  making a couple of cards and having a play with some of my new craft stuff.  I won a voucher from One Stop Card Crafts in a recent challenge and placed my order a few days ago.  The parcel of goodies arrived yesterday and it was just waht I needed to give me a bit of inspiration again!

I think that I am totally done with red and green and Christmas for quite a while now so I wanted to make something completely different.  Yellow is not really a colour I go for but I am really pleased with how this card has turned out.   I've used my favourite Tilda with Curls stamp and coloured her with pro markers.  I have used some of my new Diamond Stickles to add a bit of sparkle to the distressed edges and the border punch is from Martha Stewart.

I am going to enter this card into the following challenges:

Sweet Sketch Wednesday - I used their sketch

Just Magnolia - Anything Goes

Cutie Stampers - Lucky Charm

Incy Wincy Designs - Distressing

Cards and More - Distressed

I love pro markers - Anything goes

Passion for Pro markers - Anything goes

Die Cut Dreams - Girlie

Crafty Emma's - Anything goes

Thanks for looking!

Amanda