WOW an Arte Y Pico award - this from Finland

Thank you so much Eija, I am both flattered and honoured by this award from someone who makes the most delightful cards and turns her hand to jewellry as well. The rules are:

1. Pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also for contributing to the blogging community, no matter what language.
2. Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog.
3. Each award winner (upon acceptance) should show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award.
4. Link to the Arte y pico blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award.
5. Show these rules.

My chosen five are:

Over to South Africa to Desire - (whose cards are delightful and scrapbooking amazing) . Tara who inspires with her cards but also to spend more money than I should as well (Lol).
Gina a Docrafts friend who is new to blogging - but watch this space !!!
Dawn whose versatility amazes me.
Sarita whose cards are stunning.

There are so many more I would like to give this award to but I'm only allowed 5 (boo hoo).

Tilda & Co Challenge 41 - Rainbows

I struggled to get going with this Tilda & Co challenge this week.
I found some rainbow vellum in my stash but decided it was too bright, but I have used it as a backing paper. The rainbow paper that Tilda is stood against is from a Printshop programme I have. I decided she should wear a rainbow outfit which I coloured with watercolours (note to self - start using Copics and Prismas more often).

I though everything looked a little bright so I added some white cotton lace, bought at the local markets' haberdashery stall. I used a peel-off sentiment and added flowers and brads from stash.

House Mouse Challenge ~11

That Natural feeling is this week's theme. This seems to have taken me forever - mainly because my leaves took so long to dry. I used a natural leather paper as the base and corrugated brown card for matting and layering. I cut the flower with the corrugated and brown paper and used a twill (died with Tim Holtz distressed ink) as the ribbon. I tied the button with garden twine. The image is coloured with watercolours and used a computer generated sentiment. Now all that is left to do is make a box for it otherwise it will have crmbled leaves.

Cuttlebug Challenge #4

This challenge is to emboss patterned paper. Being perverse I decided to emboss spots on the stripes and stipes on the spots. Unfortunately the spot on the grey are so tiny the whole piece looked a little flat so I distressed it. I made this as an anniversary card for a friend, so used flowers with a jewelled brad as the center piece. I have yet to add a sentiment (I am being extremely wishy-washy about sentiments at the moment). The papers were part of a swap, I'm sure they're Laura Ashley, but not sure of the type.

Sarah Kay & Sketch Saturday Challenges

Animals is the theme for this week's Sarah Kay challenge.

I thought Rose looked a little sad with only one kitten so I decided to give her a fleet (or should I say litter) of kittens. One black, one white, one black & white, one ginger and one a mix of all the others. (I think I might have my 'silly' head on again). I followed the sketch for Sketch Saturday which I really like and think worked well with the image which is watercoloured.

The papers are a download from Digital Scrapbooking Art, the corners are cuttlebugged with one of the Vintage corner dies. I added liquid pearls around the edge of the circle and flowers, brads and ribbon from stash.

Stamp Something Challenge

This is a card for an I made for an blogging friend. The paper are the absolutely gorgeous Kay & Co - Blue Awning.I stamped the bird, by Inkadinkadoo, in blue and heat embossed it with blue pearl powder and added gems to to highlight it. The sentiment is Aud Desings and the rest from stash. The quote inside reads - `Our birthdays are feathers in the borad wing of time` ~ Jean Paul Richter

Basic Grey challenge (Wassail papers)

Shapes is the brief for this weeks Basic Grey challenge. When I first saw this I thought Hmmm.............. I'm not sure about this one. I ended up thoroughtly enjoying it. I manage to get a square, circle, rectangle and several triangles into this. I watercoloured the image, cut it out and matted and layered it onto a rectangle. This is the second time I have used this image (Sarah Kay - Joy of Giving) and found it much easier this time. I wasn't sure about the ribbon but felt the card definitely needed something, then it was bottom heavy so I added a ribbon to the top, then the sides looked bare so I added two triangles with small square brads. At this point I had to tell myself to STOP. I think I can safely say this card created itself.

Stamp with Sarah Kay & OCC sketch challenges

I'm not at all happy with this one. I chose the wrong backing paper (not blue enough), I stamped the image in grey Stazon thinking it would give the image a more ethereal look (should have used black) and I didn't find this image the easiest to colour (it's new to me - I think I need more practise with this one).

Other than all that - it's OK. I used the
OCC sketch and Stamp with Sarah Kay challenge of blue and brown.

The image is coloured with watercolours and prismas. There is no sentiment as yet as being in a 'wishy washy' mood I couldn't make my mind up what to put. I think my mojo's gone walkabouts again.

Artzy Girl & Whiff of Joy Challenges

The Artzy Girl challenge this week is the colours Blue and Orange, which went nicely with the sketch design for Whiff of Joy challenge. Willow is coloured with watercolour and enhanced with pearlized chalks which don't show on the photograph. I used Basic Grey and core-dinations cardstock, cut the corners with Provocraft Vintage corner die. The sentiment is Aud designs and the flower and brads from stash.

SBS21 Challenge

This card is for our SBS 21 challenge. The brief is a sketch layout, plus using something or, some technique that you haven't used before. I decided to try some resist stamping. I have tried this but each effort has been consigned to the bin so far and never made it to a card.

I used Inque Boutique's Silhouettes to stamp the forground in white Stayzon and heat embossed it with white powder. I then inked the card with green at the bottom and blue at the top, trying to pull them together in the middle.

The flowers and leaves are highlighted with white stickles to achieve a frosty effect which unfortunately doesn't show on the photograph. Silly me had the bird stamped underneath the ribbon (derrr....) so I had to restamp it, cut it out and attach it to the ribbon. It is finished off with the two hearts (as per the sketch) which I don't particularly like. I'm going to have to do something about this, perhaps use blue, or green hearts - suggestions would be gratefully accepted.

Sarah Kay Challenge

Sarah Kay challenge is 'Treat Yourself'' and I've had the template for this packet for sometime and never used it - so I thought - now is the time. I chose some leather paper I bought in Germany - mistake no. 1 - it really didn't want to play, but a little brute force and some extra strong glue did the trick eventually. Trying to stick paper to this also proved a problem. I don't tend to keep chocolates in so I bought some to fill the packet, no sooner had I photographed them outside than they disappeared. The image is coloured with watercolours and mattered and layered onto nesties. I put eyelets in the front and the flap of the pocket and threaded ribbon through these and finished it off with a flower and pearl brad - all from stash.

WOW - Another Award

This one from Gina a Docrafts friend who is new to blogging but well worthwhile watching I can assure you. Thanks Gina I'm both flattered and honoured.

The rules are that you can pass this award to only 6 blogger friends.

Here are my six:

Laura
Ikki
Ann
De
Tiffany
Sarita

House Mouse Challenge - Not a Card

I set off with what I think is a good idea, I begin and then think "oh why oh why did I start this?". (I've got another why did I start this on the go at the moment). This weeks HM challenge is anything but a card - I thought I know I'll do a notebook. Started it and then worked out I needed to do 10 illustrations - that's like doing 10 single cards - am I stupid or what ?
I have only photographed 5 and there are a couple I haven't even done yet (new HM stamps in post - need to have something to use them on when they arrive) The images are all wtercoloured and the papers are various downloads from Digital Scrpabook Art.

House Mouse stamps
Cuttlebug: Fancy corners and borders dies

Zutter: Bind-it-all

Brads, ribbons & pearls from stash

Basic Grey and Sketch Saturday challenges

The Basic Grey challenge this week is stitching (it would be when my machine has 'conked out') - so some of the stitching is hand done, other faux. I used Sketch Saturday's Sketch and

Two Scoops papers and decided to do a 'pretty' card this week. I'm not too good at pretty so I struggled somewhat. I'm not sure what the image is - I received it in a swap, but I watercoloured it, cuttlebugged a few embellishments and finished it off with flowers and brads from stash.

Papers: Basic Grey - Two Scoops

Cuttlebug: Floral borders die

QuicKuts: Flourish die

Penny Black Saturday Challenge

My first ever ATC, or should I say ATC's. This is the challenge this week for Penny Black. I only intended to do one, but enjoyed so much I thought why stop and did another. A sort of negative and a positive. I used Nesties to cut out the ovals and papers that have been in my collection for ever. I watercoloured the images, added twinkling H2o's to Hedgie's parcel and cheeks and silver glitter to the bow. The flowers, brad and beads are all from stash.

Stamps: Penny Black - Critter Party

Cuttlebug & Spellbinders Nestabilities

Cuttlebug Challenge

This week cuttlebug challenge is to make something other than a card using cuttlebug folders.

This is a box which I have been intending to alter for sometime - it was one of my cat's Christmas presents (don't laugh - my cat often gets more Christmas presents than I do).

Anyway - thanks to this challenge I've eventually got round to doing it.

I used the Spots and Dots folder on core-dinations paper and then gently sanded of the top layer. It took ages, now I just have a fine layer of dust everywhere to clean up. I added a flower to the top and a label to the side, left blank until I decide what to put.

This is the best picture I managed to get of the cat who gets the presents - see that evil look in his eye - he hates having his photograph taken and usually runs and hides in the wardrobe as soon as the camera comes out. He was a rescue kitten who was taken from his 'Mummy' at two weeks old so he gets forgiven quite a bit (too much I think).

Tilda & Co Challenge 40 - Tabbed Sketch

This week's challenge is a tabbed sketch. The basic cardstock is core-dinations and the papers are HOTP - Earth's Pallette.Tilda is coloured with watercolours and matted and layered onto three offset nestability circles. I embossed the beige square with the Snowflakes folder and inked the edges. The sentiment is a Cristmas words stamp set by Lakeland and stamped with Versa Colour. Flowers and brads from stash. Cardstock: Core-dinations

Cuttlebug: Snowflakes folder and round Nestabilities

HOTP: Earth's Pallette

Ooh-la-la Challenge

Ooh-la-la challenge this week is Flowers. Lucky me, I'd just finished this card. I haven't done a twister card for a while (since Mother's Day actually) and thought I might do a few twister Christmas cards. The front of the card is embossed with the cuttlebug Snowflake folder, the circles cut with Nesties to which I added Prima Christmas flowers. The sentiment is a peel-off which I attached to a piece of ribbon. Cuttlebug: Snowflakes embossing folder & Nestabilities

Prima: Chrismas flower bubble

Ribbon and brads from stash

Our Creative Corner Challenge

This weeks challenge is 'Anything but Square' . I've just done a couple of round cards so decided I would like to do something different. Oval? - too much like round, so I opted for Octangonal - but wished I hadn't bothered half way through. I used HOTP Earth's Pallette papers. I stamped the snowflake with Versamark Ultra Metallic blue and heat embossed it using Funstamps Pearl blue embossing powder, I then finished it off by glittering small sections which don't show on the photograph. After cutting it out I attached it to a Cuttlebugged (snowflakes) embossed octagon. I finished the card with a bow to which I attached a holographic snowflake (which again doesn't show on the photograph) and a charm with a diamonte center. Stamp: PSX

Cuttlebug: Snowflakes embossing folder

HOTP: Earth's Pallette papers

House Mouse Challenge

I just love these House Mouse challenges - they are such a delight to work with. This week's challenge is a sketch. I used Basic Grey's Fruitcake papers. The stamp, Holiday Smooch, I decided to cut out - (do you ever start something and wish you'd never bothered) - although I do like the finished result!! The image is coloured with watercolours and the pearls decorating the wreath were coloured with peel-off pens. I finished it off with brads and ribbons from stash.

Stamp: House Mouse - Holiday Smooch

Papers: Basic Grey - Fruitcake

Sarah Kay Challenge

This week challenge is doodles (mine are more like scribbles I think).

I used downloaded paper from Digital Scrapbook Art - Claudia Designs - Flowers of Love.

The image is coloured with watercolours, I used flowers from Mad about Cards and brads from stash. For the doodles I used Whispers pens and highlighted them in white.

Cuttlebug & Nestabilites - corners.
Stamp: Sarah Kay - Rose's Garden

Something Different (SBS21 Layout Challenge)

The SBS21 put out a layout challenge, so I thought I'd have a go. There is a one or two page layout to follow - I chose the one. Something different for me,

I'm not a natural scrap-booker, although I have been scrapping my Africa photographs for

about 5 years now and have almost finished which means unfortunately I have already used my best photographs. I have to admit it's the journalling I find difficult.

Basic Grey (Archaic & Lilykate papers): Penny Black & Sketch Saturday challenges

Three challenges is one with this card, woohoo!! This is fortunate as I have no heating downstairs and no computer of crafting stuff upstairs (soon to be remedied I hope - I'm cold!).

The sketch is this weeks Sketch Saturday (a really enjoyable one to work with) and the Basic Grey challenge was a choice of colours - I chose the brown and cream one. Finally the Penny Black challenge is 'Thanks a bunch'. The basic cardstock is cream linen and I used Lilykate paper as a base and the striped Archaic as a feature paper. Hedge is coloured with watercolours and the sentiment is stamped and I finished the card with flowers, ribbon, pinwheels and brads from stash.

Papers : Basic Grey - Lilykate and Archaic

Cuttlebug and Nestabilities

Stamps: Penny Black & Hero Arts

Cute Card Thursday & Ooh-la-la Creations Challenge

The Cute Card Thursday challenge this week is buttons and bows, whilst the Ooh-la-la one is Shabby Chic.

The main image is one I've had for a while - it's gold on cream with an acetate overlay. I distressed the edges and mounted it on core'dinations cardstock which I sanded down. The newsprint is aged and inked around the perimeter and mounted onto shabby chic brown paper and finally onto cream linen cardstock. I added two buttons tied with cord to finish the card.

Tilda & Co Challenge 39 - Arts Apart

Looking at my last two posting I think I'm in a 'silly' mood this week. This weeks challenge is to incorporate metal so I put Tilda on a swing suspended by two metal chains, which are free-hanging. Great - except she keeps getting her pigtail caught in the chains - I might yet have to give her a haircut! Tilda is coloured withwatercolours, I've added some watercoloured die-cut leaves and Prima flowers.Just to make sure this card will not get through any metal-detector I added a bee, a dragonfly and a heart charm.

Stamp: Tilda & log from Autumn collection

House Mouse Challenge 8

I found this challenge somewhat difficult and I don't have any Halloween stamps or any House Mouses that look like they're in a Halloween situation - so my poor little Happy Hopper got himself detached from his balloons again. But I did substitute them with two hand drawn 'friendly' bats carrying him away from the inferno. The 'flame' paper is a vellum so I placed a further three bats behind the vellum to try to create some perspective. I stamped a cobweb in each corner and used the brads to attach the vellum to the card.

This is not a brilliant card, but it was just so much fun to do.Stamp: House Mouse - Balloon Journey

Here's Mine

Sarah Kay Challenges

This weeks' Sarah Kay is a sketch challenge. I decided to trim the front edge of the card and place the scallops on the inside edge using cut out hearts to make a feature for the card inner.

I used papers from the Laura Ashley contemporary range. The image (Fanny's cuddle) is coloured with watercolours.

I find it difficult to know when to stop sometimes, I wanted to add more embellishments, but the card decided it really didn't want anything else - nothing looked right.

It didn't photograph well as some of the grey's look a little brown, when they're not.

Stamp: Sarah Kay - Fanny's cuddle Papers: Laura Ashley - Contemporary Spellbinders: Shapeabilities

Here's Mine

Penny Black Challenge 17 Sketch # 3 & Cute Card Thursday

In thoroughly enjoyed this sketch challenge and co-ordinated it with the Cute Card Thursday challenge - Christmas animals. I coloured the image with the faithful watercolours and glittered his hat with Stickles. I decided to cut him out so that I could shape and round his body, things were going great till I got to his claws - ooooops - don't look too close - I chopped off one of his claws. (I don't know why I put that - you'll have a look at his amputated claw - won't you?)

I embossed and cut the flourishes and flowers; the flowers onto glitter card. I stamped the sentiment onto glitter card, but I'm not too happy about this and would be grateful for comments, suggestions and criticisms.

Penny Black : stamp

Cuttlebug: Textile & Birds and Swirls folders QuicKutz: Flourishes die

Nestabilities Aud Designs - Sentiment

Mine's Here
Mine's here

Ooh-la-la Challenge

A simple cuttlebug card this week which I think speaks for itself. This is to be a birthday card for a friend you is on the same forum as myself.

Cuttlebug : Stylized flower folder and Butterflies cut and emboss folder

Nestabilities : Round dies

Basic CS, ribbon, ribbon sentiment and pearl gems from stash.

Here's Mine

Basic Grey (Phoebe papers) & Daring Cardamkers Challenges

Both the Basic Grey and Daring Cardmakers challenges this week are scallops. I have just done a round scallop card and a friend asked could I do her one, so this suited all three purposes.

I love the 'Phoebe' papers but have to admit to not finding them the easiest to work with.

I used magenta coloured card for the base, cut with the largest nestability die, leaving the top two rounds just off the die so they remain fastened together. I cut the centre piece with oval nesties and attached the flower with a pearl brad and a added rub-on sentiment. I decorated the inside of the card with more 'Phoebe' papers, a flower and a further rub-on sentiment.

Papers: Basic Grey Pheobe

Cuttlebug & Nestabilities

Flowers, brads and ribbon all from stash

Mine
Mine

Another Award x 2

De my very talented SBS21 sister and Barb w whose cards are delightful both gave me this award. I want to share this sweet blog award with a few of Blogging buddies. Feel free to post it in your blog or not. I just wanted to let you know that I appreciate all of you who visit my blog regularly and leave me such wonderful comments, suggestions and encouragement. Thank you so so much!

I am sharing this award with Tara , Ann & Pauline
and anyone else who hasn't had this award please feel free to take and pass it on.

Javablu Award

Ooooh - how thrilled am I.

The very talented Sharon has honoured me with this award. She gives the most clear and precise tutorials I have ever

had the joy to come across.

The rules are:

1. The winner can put the logo in her/his blog.
2. Put a link back to the person who gave you the award.
3. Nominate at least 5 persons with a blog, but first you have to tell why you want to give it to
those persons.
4. Put a link to those you have nominated.
5. Visit the blogs to the nominees and tell them you gave them an award!

My nominees are:
1. Ann who has become a true, fun loving, blogging friend. (and who is going to give me some help - but doesn't know it yet).
2. Jane whose versatility amzes me.
3. Sarita whose stunning cards inspire me.
4. Amy Sheffer whose blog I always rush to when my creative mojo deserts me - I always find there hiding amongst her amazing cards.
5. De a SBS21 sister who always seems to be there for people when they need help - a true friend.
6. Tiffany She makes me giggle and I just wish I had her energy.
7. Tara who aids and abets me to spend more money than I should (LOL) xx
8. Eileen a friend who creates the most amazing 'cuttlebugged' cards

There are many more to whom I would love to dedicate this award to but I think I had better stop here.

Artzy Girl Challenge

The brief for this week's Artzy Girl challenge is 'Red', not a colour I work with very often.

I decided to have a 'Christmas Tilda' which I coloured with watercolours. I embossed the two squares with the cuttlebug Snowflake and Winter house folders on glitter card which unfortunately doesn't photograph very well.

Stamp: Magnolia

Provocraft: Snowflake and Winter house embossing folders

QuicKuts: Flourish die

The rest from stash

Mine's here

House Mouse Challenge

This was a most enjoyable challenges. I decided to do a cross-over card (detailed instructions can be found on the Splitcoast Stampers site). The brief for this challenge is tags so I used Happy Hopper with balloons cut out the image and pasted it onto two tags, I added a third tag with a little computer generated sentiment and joined them together with ribbon. I finished the card with a slip over band to which I added a flower decoration.

Papers: Doreen Stolz - Fresh Summer
Stamp: House Mouse - Happy Hopper
Ribbons, eyelets and brad from stash

Here's Mine