Halloween with a Twist

A lot of the challenges are halloween themed at the moment, but I don't have anything halloweenish to my name, so I had to improvise a bit!! Kaboodle Challenge 9 was to use the download provided so that provided me with something and I went off in search for another download and found the fabby bat paper on printable heaven. As well as Kaboodle, this card also fits the bill for Penny Black week 20 and I used black and orange card, the penny black image is coloured in with whispers markers, the papers are free downloads from kaboodle and printable heaven and the sentiments were done on my computer using the font tempus sans ITC. I dragged the edge of each section through my black ink pad and I sponged black ink onto the edge of the purple paper to try and achieve a spooky feel!!! Finally I finished off with a hand doodled cobweb. I hope you like!

Friday Sketchers 25 & Dutch Dare Challenge 21

I managed a 2 in 1 for sketch 25 on Friday Sketchers and Challenge 21 on Dutch Dare was to used black, pink and purple. I used black and hot pink card, the paper was a free download, the penny black image is coloured with whispers markers, the sentiment was done on my computer using the font segoe script and the five snowflakes are all decorated with silver stickles.

New Challenge Blog

The Sarah Kay and Tilda & Co Challenge Blogs have merged and now a fab new challenge blog called Magnolia Vs Stampavie starts on Sunday. Each DT member has some candy to give away, so go and take a look.

Poppicrafts Competition

There is a competition over at Poppicrafts where you have to create something using the colours black, green, pink or white and you aren't allowed to use an image. I decided to make a poinsettia flower that was inspired by Joanne. I used dark green and cream card, paper from the dovecraft victorian christmas range, gold paper, the sentiment was done on my computer using the font vivaldi and I finished off with some black jewels and a little red stickles. As I was making a poinsettia I thought I'd do a traditional christmas card, which is a challenge in itself for me as I don't do traditional!!!

To make the flower I cut 18 leaf shapes from basic printer paper. I coloured 6 of them green with a dark green whispers marker and 12 of them red. When they were dry I used a small embossing tool to score veins on each one - this makes each leaf stand up slightly. I then punched 3 snowflakes and I glued each green leaf to one of them and the 12 red ones to the other two. When they were all dry, I embossed the centre to make them all stand up a little, then I glued one layer on top of the other to form the poinsettia. I wasn't really sure what the centre of a poinsettia looked like so I used a black jewel and a small amount of red stickles to give it a slight sparkle!

Secret Crafter Challenge 4

Secret Crafter Challenge 4 was to follow a sketch. My mum asked me to make a card for her friend's 3 year old grand daughter, Grace, and the sketch was ideal. I used pearly white and pink card, the lovely background paper was from some blog candy that I won from Sally, the spotty paper was a free download from printable heaven, the penny black image is coloured with whispers markers and I have used grey water colour and some silver stickles to make the floor, I did the sentiment on my computer using the font Curlz MT and I finished off with a small bow and three flat backed pearls.

Tag You're It Week 29

This week's challenge on Tag You're It is to use the colours brown, pink and green. I have used some metallic copper and pink card, paper from the kaboodle party picnic range, the penny black image is coloured with whispers markers, the sentiment was done on my computer using the font segoe script, the two punched snowflakes are decorated with stickles and stuck on using square pads and I have finished off with two tiny pale pink stars in the bottom corners. Because the card is metallic it was very difficult to get a decent photograph and the tag looks better in real life!!! The snowflake on the top left is actually punched from pink card, but the lighting makes it look brown!

Sketch Saturday Sketch 21

Sketch Saturday Challenge 21 was a fab sketch that I will use again. I have kept it simple and I have used red and white card, some silver paper, paper from the dovecraft contemporary christmas range, the penny black image is coloured with whispers markers and I have finished off with three small jewels. Unfortunately the silver paper doesn't photograph too well, but in real life it is nice and shimmery.

Secret Crafter Challenge 3

The Secret Crafter Challenge 3 is "blue, white and a little bit of snowflake!". I have used white and pearly blue card, paper from the dovecraft winter wonderland range, the penny black image is coloured with whispers markers, the trim across the middle is made from some lovely dark blue metallic card (that is sadly almost finished!), the snowflakes are punched from blue metallic, blue pearly and white card with the white one being decorated with stickles, and I have finished off with three tiny star shaped jewels.

Papertake Sketch 13

This is the first time I have done a card for the Papertake Weekly Challenge, but it wont be the last! They have some great sketches on there. I have used pink and hot pink card, the paper is a free download from do crafts, the penny black image is coloured with whispers markers, the three punched snowflakes are decorated with stickles and there are two little jewels on the middle banner.

Kaboodle Challenge 7

The Kaboodle Challenge 7 was to create a tag. I used white and green card, paper from the kaboodle party picnic range, the penny black image is coloured with whispers markers, two snowflakes are punched from green shiny card and the other two are punched from white card and decorated with stickles and finally the sentiment was done on my computer using the font segoe print.

Dutch Dare Challenge 18

Challenge 18 on Dutch Dare was to make a Christmas card. On her recent visit I gave my Mum a lot of the christmas cards I had already made so I'm back to square one!! This is just a simple card and I started off with a different idea in mind, but when I stuck down the backing paper I decided it was too pretty to cover up, therefore this card evolved!! I have used white, blue and navy card, paper from the dovecraft winter wonderland range, the penny black image is coloured with whispers markers, I water coloured the snowball (although it doesn't show up too well in the picture), and finally I finished off with four small jewels in the corners.

Cupcake Challenge 9

This week's Cupcake Challenge was "Turn up the Heat". I don't have any heat embossing tools so I chose to use red as it is a hot colour and the girl in the stamp is a pretty hot chick!! I have used red and black card, black and white card, the penny black image is coloured with whispers markers and I have added a touch of stickles to the bag, the sentiment was done on my computer using the font Tempus Sans ITC, the three snowflakes are punched from shiny red and silver card and I finished off with three small jewels.

Tag You're It Week 28

The theme on Tag You're It this week is Autumn. This gave me the chance to used some paper that I have never used before and was perfect for the theme. I used cream card, brown paper with a wood grain pattern, gold paper, brown and cream ribbon, three amber coloured jewels and leaves that were die cut using a cuttlebug. I washed over the leaves with watered down gold ink, then when they were dry I roughly dabbed gold ink around the edge of each leaf and I embossed them to make them stand up from the tag. Unfortunately the gold ink doesn't show up too well in the photo, but it is quite shimmery in real life!!

SFOS Challenge 20 & Secret Craft Challenge 2

The Spoon Full of Sugar Challenge 20 was to use pink and green and challenge 2 on Secret Crafter was a sketch. I have a stack of stamped images and thought this penny black image was ideal for the pink and green challenge but after duefully colouring it I realized that it was fairly large and I was going to strugle to fit it on a card following the secret crafter sketch.....so after a bit of deliberation I decide to make a 2009 calendar. For the picture section I used green and white card, paper from the kaboodle party picnic range, the penny black image is coloured with whispers markers, the title was done on my computer using the font Tempus Sans ITC, the trim across the middle was done using green card and a wavy silver peel off and I finished it off with three pearly flowers and some stickles on the water (although the stickles don't show up in the photo too well). For the calendar section I made a 2009 calendar in excel on my computer, printed it off on pink paper and mounted it on white and green card. I then mounted both the picture and the calendar onto pink A4 card and I added a row of die cut flowers across the middle, which I slightly embossed to make them stand up from the page, and added a small jewel in the centre of each one. I punched two holes on the top and used a piece of plated cord to make a hanger. I hope you like!

Cupcake Challenge 8 & Penny Black Week 18

I'm on a roll with the 2 in 1's!!!! The Cupcake Challenge 8 is to follow a sketch and the Penny Black Week 18 Challenge is "thanks a bunch". I have used white and lilac card, lilac card with a square glitter pattern on it, the paper is from a free download from Arty Miss, the penny black stamp is coloured in with whispers markers, the flowers are cut using a cuttlebug, the sentiment is a silver peel off and I finished off the flowers with three small jewels. When getting the http info for the penny black link, I noticed I won last weeks challenge....Yippeeee!!!

Kaboodle Challenge 6

The Kaboodle Challenge 6 was to follow a sketch so I decided to make a christmas tag this week. I used white and navy card, papers from the dovecraft winter wonderland range, the penny black image is coloured with water colours, the sentiment was done on my computer using the font segoe script and I finished off with two punched snowflakes, one in silver card and the other in white card decorated with stickles. I used wavy scissors to make the trim across the middle, but unfortunately most of it is covered by the image. This is the first attempt at water colouring that I thought was good enough to go on my blog, I still have a long way to go with it and it is way harder than it looks!!!!

Secret Crafter Challenge 1 & CCT Challenge 31

I have managed another 2 in 1! The first Secret Crafter challenge was to follow a sketch and Cute Card Thursday challenge 31 was to use buttons and bows. I have used white and pink card, paper from the dovecraft glamour range, the penny black stamp was coloured with whispers markers, the sentiment was done on my computer using the font segoe script and I finished off with a flower shaped button, a white ribbon bow, two small flowers and a heart shaped jewel.

I've Been Tagged

A few days ago I was tagged by the lovely Chris. I have to write seven random or weird things about me, so here goes:
1. As a child I was obsessed with the film The Sound of Music.
2. I am an avid horse fan. I got my first pony when I was three and I have been a keen horse rider since.
3. I hate spiders....or anything with more than 4 legs.....very scary!!
4. I don't like hot, spicy food.
5. I am a qualified accountant and I worked for the NHS before giving it all up for a new life in Spain at the end of last year.
6. I own a website called The Animal Files which is/intended to be a wildlife encyclopedia. Please check it out if you have time!
7. In another life I would love to be a downhill ski racer.

I have to pass this on to seven people, so my chosen seven are the incredibly talented: Lauren, Sally, Deb, Kim, Dawn, Mrs Wonka and Nikki. Sorry girls if you have recently been tagged.

Penny Black Challenge 17

The Penny Black Challenge 17 is to follow a sketch. I have used white and pink card, silver paper, the checked paper is from the kaboodle party picnic range, the flowery paper is a free download from Arty Miss, the stamped image is coloured in with whispers markers, three die cut flowers, three little jewels and the sentiment and butterfly are silver peel offs. I slightly embossed the three little flowers to make them stand up from the card and I finished them off with a small jewel in the centre. The trim across the centre of the flowery paper was made from pink card cut with wavy scissors and I used a small hole punch to create the holes along the centre.

Kaboodle Challenge 5

The Kaboodle Challenge 5 was to use the free download provided. Once again, lovely papers but I just couldn't seem to get it right, and this is what I came up with in the end. I used black and white card, the stamped image is from a stack that I bought on ebay so I am not sure where it is from but it is coloured with whispers markers, the kaboodle papers, the flower was cut using a cuttlebug, the sentiment was done on my computer using the font segoe script and I finished off with some small jewels.

CCT Challenge 30

Challenge 30 on Cute Card Thursday was christmas animals. I decided to try a different fold, not sure what the technical term for it is but it is a square card that opens in the middle (I hope you can get the idea from the picture!!). I used white and blue card, the penny black image is coloured with whispers markers, the papers are from the dovecraft winter wonderland range and the punched snowflakes and the snow on top of the umbrella in the image are covered in stickles. I have just realized that I haven't added a sentiment to the card!!! never mind, there is writing on one of the papers so that should do the job!!!

Cupcake Challenge 7

This week's Cupcake Challenge was Christmas. I have made a simple, yet effective waterfall card from a tutorial here. I have used white, blue and navy card, two matt silver brads, a small piece of pale blue ribbon and the papers are free downloads from printable heaven.