Three in one - Not managed that for a while !!

Before I start this post I would like to apologise for my absence the past few days - computer problems. OK on my own blog, but everytime I moved off IT started downloading everything I clicked on to my desktop ARGHHHH!!! Alternatively on the rare occasion I managed to leave a comment IT would then email me with every comment left on that post after mine .

I have downloaded a lot of my programmes onto my laptop now (it has Windows Vista - which doesn't like some of my programmes and I don't like Window Vista much either)
but I have managed to connect it to the internet (via a million miles of wire - should have got wireless) so hopefully at least one of them will work for me. I'd also like the thank the lovely Lora for offering her boyfriends service to help me sort out my computer. Hopefully hunny I won't need him now - but who knows - anyway thanks a million for that.

Well that's enough waffling - hope you're all enjoying the fabulous weather this weekend.

I used the Double Dutch Sketch, the Creative Card Crew's pretty flowers and Just Magnolia's Animals or Insects. The papers are HOTP Retro as is the Basic cardstock. The image (curtesty of the fabulous Tab) The dragonfly stamps (one I've had for ever) is stamped on vellum and heat embossed with pearl plum and pearl bue powder and I added a little drangonfly charm to the flower. The flowers themselves are a mixture and the leaves cut with the Leone Em ash branch punch.

Ooops - forgot to photo the inside again.
I've been back and photographed the inside - not that it's anything exciting!!

Whiff of Joy #32 - Blue & Brown

Brown and blue are the colours at Whiff of Joy this week - two of my favourites - I love brown with any colour, especially pastels.
I chose to do a 'boy' card as I have a few boy birthdays coming up.
Not sure what the paper is - no name - but perfect for what I wanted. Iembossed the brown behind Oakley with the Forest branch folder, decided it looked like a tree trunk and added some leaves - thought flowers would be to girly so I used circles and thought they could represent berries or acorns or even conkers. As the leaves and 'berries' are brown it must be autumn so Oakelys apples had to be Russet reds which I think are autumn apples. (Yeah right I think I've landed on Cloud 1, Cuckoo Land again) . The sentiments are Inkadinkado which I stamped onto die-cut leaves I've had forever and I've just noticed the card candy I've added to the corners (again because they look like berries) - the top left one has slipped, I expect it's well and truly stuck down by now.

Sketch Saturday & Cute card Thursday

This card is for a friend who likes a bit of bling (I don't normally do bling so there isn't much) and I followed the sketch at Sketch Saturday and hopefully the bling in the center of the flowers and the fairy wings and the dandelion head will qualify it for Cute Card Thursday. The image is one sent my lovely blogging friend in the US De and coloured with Copics, the paper is Basic Grey's Sugared. I cut the flowers with the EK Success Retro flower punch, the leaves and stamens with the Leone Em punches and the rest is from stash.

Truly Scrumptious challenge #8

This fortnight's challenge at Truly Scrumptious is a little bit different; we'd like you to make a card that has more than one fold. Because there are so many different options for this challenge we don't have a sketch or a theme for you this time. There are lots of tutorials available on the web - Splitcoast Stampers is a great resource - or visit any of our DT's blogs where you will find the instructions on how they created their cards for this challenge.

This week the fabulous Christine Dark, Sketching Stamper, returns as our sponsor. Christine is a very talented artist and has designed her own range of fabulous digital images - just pop across to her blog and take a look. The lucky winner of this challenge will be able to choose six images as their prize.

And there is a second prize up for grabs this week. We are looking for our first Guest Designer to join us for four challenges! The winner of this prize will also be picked using Random.Org. Please make sure you add the letter GD to the end of your post if you want to be entered into the draw for the Guest Designer spot.

The DT have made some fabulous cards this week, do visit their blogs if you want to know how they made their cards.

*****************************

I mad a card like this for my matey Tara's birthday in March. I enjoyed doing it so much as soon as I saw the brief for this challenge I knew what I was going to do.
The instructions for cutting this card are on the Stamparctic blog where they have the most amazing tutorials.

This is the card closed

With the first half flap open

With the first flap open standing

Fully open (the second flap at the bottom is stuckdown to take tags of whatever you please)

The back of the card.

You can make the card to whatever size you wish - I used a piece of 12"x12" cardstock, cut it down slightly so that the finished card is 5 1/2" square and fits a regular size envelope.

Materials
BCX - Bazzill : BP - Shabby Princess download 'Signature Collection' : Images - WOJ & Sugar Nellie : Medium - Ranger distress re-inkers : Various flourish and corner stamps : Irish Blessing from the Quote Garden : Rest from stash

House Mouse #39 ~ Birthdays

Arrrrgggghhhhh!!!!
I'm at screaming point - my computer is being 'stupid' again. It has a fit of every time I left click it downloads whatever I've clicked on to my desktop. My desktop now looks like a jigsaw puzzle waiting to be done. Never mind - move to my laptop - everytime I try to leave a comment on this it either tells me to try again later or shoots me off somewhere else.

I am only one day late with this posting - I have Emailed it to Suzy so hopefully it will be on the challenge blog before too long.

*******************

Hi everyone! The theme this at House Mouse is Birthdays. Make a card or project for a birthday boy or girl, or an invitation to a birthday party, anything birthday themed!

Check out what our lovely DT have come up with to help inspire you. Don't forget to check out their blogs for more details!!

I've used Basic Grey Papers Bittersweet, SU chocolate chip which I have debossed with the Textile folder. The cute image is coloured with Copics and I finished the card with a couple of tags (cut with nestie labels 4), sentiments from Penny Black and Personal Impressions, a couple of small roses and corners cut with the Vintage corner die.

Friday Sketchers

Friday Sketchers have a fabulous sketch this week - right up my street. I felt like doing "pastel/pretty" this time. The papers are Shabby Pricess - Child of Mine. I coloured the image with a mixture of disstres and SU inks. The flower are made using a Basic Grey stamp, stamped three times (heat embossed with pearl plum powder) and cut smaller each time, finished with a lilac rose and surrounded with the Leone Em ash branch punch. The corners (Xela crafts) were stamped and heat embossed with the Pearl Plum embossing powder. I used the EK Success tiny water lily punch to makde a flower for the Gorjuss girls hair to replace the scull & crossbones.

I've more or less echoed the front on the inside of the card.

Materials
BC - white linen : BO - Shabby Princess 'Child of Mine' : Image - Suzanne Woolcott's Gorjuss girl - Medium - Ranger distress re-inker & Su re-inkers : Basic Grey Granola flower stam & Xela crafts corner stamp : Funstamps Pearl plum embossing powder : Leone Em Ash branch punch : Rest from stash

A New Challenge Blog

New Challenge starting soon, called The Next Level it is being run by Dawn & Ann sounds exciting, they have some lovely candy on offer go take a peak.

The Next Level is the exciting new concept of Dawn (All Pink Girl) and Ann (Madgesty - Love to Create) probably better known as blog name Madge. Our aim in designing this new informative style of blog is not only to produce really creative Weekly Challenges that are not tied to any specific brand, but also to explore new avenues, ideas and techniques with a completely fresh approach.

The Next Level will not only be a fun and informative place to hang out for card crafters and scrapbookers of all levels, but it is hoped that it will also become a valuable source of information, hints and tips, tutorials, downloads and much more. We want to cover the craft of traditional card making but also add in a touch of digital, not too much to scare anyone away, but enough to explore the magical world out there at your fingertips for anyone wanting to venture.

Colour Create #17

Firstly, it is with great sadness that we say goodbye to Kim. She has been a wonderful team member and will be sadly missed, but she wishes to spend more time with the newest addition to her family and has other work commitments too. Take care Kim and we hope you can still join in with Colour Create when you get time. And remember, the door is always open for your return ;o)

Secondly, THIS IS THE LAST COLOUR CREATE CHALLENGE TO TAKE PLACE ON A SUNDAY. WE ARE MOVING TO A THURSDAY SLOT FROM 4TH OF JUNE, so you will have a little bit longer to come up with your entries for this week. In order to mark the change we will be giving away some candy for the first Thursday challenge, so don't forget to tune in!

Right, we best get on with business! This week's challenge has been created by our lovely Katy. Katy has a wonderful blog and makes the most stunning cards. Her layouts are always so inspiring and she creates an amazing 3D feel with her cards. Katy has an eye for the unusual and always manages to spot the latest trends before everyone else. She was certainly one of the first people to get her hands on the Martha Stewart Doily Edge Punch! Hop over to her blog to see some awesome cards and prepare to be impressed!

For this week's extra option we would like you to think shabby chic when creating your project, but please remember that this is not compulsory.

*****************

Well I've certainly manage the "shabby" - not so sure about the chic. The BP is Basic Grey
Two Scoops, the image is from the WOJ Spring collection and coloured with distress inks and I've inked stamped and the edges with a BG flourish stamp. Most of the edges are distressed with either ink or Basic Grey's distressing tools. This is a terrible photograph
I might try and re-do it now we have some light today.

Materials
DP Basic Grey Two Scoops : Image WOJ - Kneeling Willow : Ranger distress re-inkers : Provocraft Textile embossing folder : Inkadinkado sentiment : Twine - Ikea : rest from stash

Just Magnolia #6

I've had a really good day today (for a change this week). I had a wedding to do this morning and I really enjoy doing weddings. There is usually an atmosphere of excitement and anticipation and this one was no exception and let's face it you can't beat bacon butties and Bucks Fizz for breakfast!! When I arrived home I sat down and quietly and peacefully made this card and enjoyed doing so enormously. Now I shall have a bath, wash my hair, put on some snugglies pour myself a large G&T and celebrate the end of a tiresome week bydoing some visiting and commenting which have been pretty much neglected this week. "Let's get in Shape" is the title for this week's Just Magnolia challenge. This didn't quite turn out as anticipated - I visioned Alf with his head at the top of a point, his feet at the bottom. How on earth I imagined a card could stand on a point Heaven only knows ......derrrrrr.......... I'd never make an engineer (lol). But it does stand up and it opens so it wasn't a complete failure. I decorated the inside and the back - the back the same as the right inside leaving the white square blank to be written on.

Materials
BC - Lemon bazzill : DP - Digital Scrapbook Art - Verena Karolyi's Nature Walk : Image - Magnolia's Sitting Alf : Leone Em branch punches : Sentiment - Personal Impressions : Rest from stash

Basic Grey #36 - Doodling

This week at Basic Grey we would love to see some doodling on your creations, this can be any type of doodling you can think of so let your imaginations run wild :), but please remember to use at least 1 item from BasicGrey somewhere on your creations.

"Now please remember that we will be closing the blog down next week to completely update and re - vamp it, so this will be the last challenge here on BasicGrey challenges as you know it :), we wont be able to announce on the blog itself when we will be re - opening so keep an eye on the DT blogs for the news"

****************************

I really enjoyed myself this week - doodling away to my heart's content, although I have to admit I now have a bin full of rejected doodles. I doodled my image, I doodled leaves behind the flower and I doodled on the flowers. The image I did some time ago - it was originally for a project I was working on for Hannah (my grandaughter) who is Manga mad and spends so much time drawing Manga figures herself. It turned out too big for that project and got itself hurled on one side in disgust. I retrieved it, altered it somewhat and coloured it with Copics. I just used one sheet of Marrakech papers, cut the middle out of the square and use the middle section to matt the image and the sentiment which is Inkadinkado. The flower is cut with the EKSuccess punch (I think it's called Water Lily - but wouldn't swear to this), added to some doodles leaves (again coloured with Copics) and finished with some photocorners.

Materials
DP - Basic Grey Marrakech : Medium - Copics : EKSuccess - flower punch : Sentiment - Inkadinkado : Brad from stash

Whiff of Joy #31

Well I've just wasted a whole morning screaming down the 'phone. First to the local council who are trying to charge me extra council tax, for someone who doesn't live here. They passed me round from department to department and I yelled at them all - now I'm hoarse!!
Yesterday when I tried to use my bank card - the bank wouldn't accept it. When I 'phoned them this morning they kindly tell me someone has been trying to use my card fraudulently use at Apple Mac in the US for the sum total of £1. Apparently this is a test, if the £1 had gone throught then they would have hammered it for enormous amounts. So now my card is blocked and it will take 7-10 days for me to receive another one - Well Supa Dupa !!!
Last time this happened I had my card skimmed in Manchester - it was being used the following day in Australia to the tune of £1821.01 - I must admit my bank are pretty good - they pick up on irregular use pretty quickly.
But there went a precious morning.

Enough letting off steam - onto the card. I started this on Wednesday and have only just managed to finish it. I followed Heather's sketch at the WOJ challenge and used a mixture of papers from Laura Ashley, and Dovecraft. The image from the new Summer set is coloured in Copics. Now I've finished it - guess what - I don't like it, but I've done it so I'll post it.

Materials
BC - white linen : DP - Laura Ashley & Dovecraft : Image - Whiff of Joy : Medium - Copics : Flourish die - Sizzix : Rest from stash

Creative Card Crew's challenge #11 - Shape It

Oooh guess what - I won the challenge at Creative Cardcrew last week. I'd been on the blog to check out this week's challenge and not even noticed. Not until I was congratulated on my win (Win- what win?) did I go back and check. Observant is NOT my middle name.
This week's challenge is - SHAPE IT.

I'm in a monochrome mood today - influence by the weather hereabouts I think - that's pretty monchrome - grey, cold and miserable.

The papers are Bo Bunny and the image (one of the new summer WOJ) is coloured with distress re-inkers. I added flourishes cut with Sizzix die Swirly and the hydrangea flower with an EK Success Retro flower, Leone Em ash branch & Rose center

I'm still with my 'simple' insides.

Materials
BC - black bazzill : Papers Bo Bunny A Gift of Love : Whiff of Joy Image from the Summer set : Ranger Distress re-inkers : Sizzix die Swirly & Spellbinders Curved Rectangles : Punches - Leone Em Ash branch & EK Success Retro flower : Lace & rose from stash

Callling All Magnolia Lovers

If you love the new Magnolia "Chasing Butterflies" set and you would like to win a shopping spree worth $100 then carry on reading ! SIMON SAYS ........

"*BLOG CANDY ALERT!

OK Folks, our idea gallery is SERIOUSLY lacking for these new AWESOME stamps! I just know some of you have already made beautiful cards and projects with the Chasing Butterflies Magnolias from above. ..and some of you already have ideas on what you are going to create with these ever so cute designs!Would you enter your work in our blog candy contest? All you have to do is copy and paste the http address into the mr linky below from your work, enter your name, and leave a comment in the comments section stating which stamp(s) you used in your creation. You will be entered to win $100 shopping spree to Simon Says Stamp from your blog post!! The random drawing will be held May 31! Don't have the stamps yet...?? Just click on one of the links above and you will be taken to our store where you can purchase them! Or CLICK HERE and you will see them all in our Simon Says Stamp store.YES, THAT IS RIGHT! $100 SHOPPING SPREE TO SIMON SAYS STAMP!

To enter this fabby competition you need to go to the Simon Says Stamp Blog and follow the instructions below :

*Use Mr. Linky to showcase your work!
*Comment at this blog entry to let us know which stamp(s) you used
*We will draw a random winner May 31 for $100 shopping spree! YAHOO!

Please note that if you enter this blog candy, we might showcase you and your work on our blog and store in the future.

Sound good?

Luv, Heidi"

What are you waiting for........???

Copic Colour CHallenge #13

There's a fabulous sketch my Maddy at Copic Colour Challenge this week. Thanks for that Maddy. I knew exactly which papers I wanted to use - the BG Porcelain - the circles made my mind up about this. I coloured my Gorjuss girls with Copics no's R000, R02, G000, G21 and various E's for the skin and hair. I did photo these but it was so blurred (no light again) I decided not to post this. I used one of my old Friskars border punches again and wanted to add more embellies but restrained my self.

Materials
DP - Basic Grey Porcelain : Image Suzanne Woolcott's Gorjuss girl : Medium - Copics Dress - R000, 02, G000, 21, Skin - E00 & E02 Hair- E50, 51, 53, 57 & 49 : Nesties circles & label dies : Friskars border/embossing punch : Sentiment computer generated : Rest from stash

House Mouse & Friends #38

We have a sketch for you this week at House Mouse & Friends
You are welcome to turn or flip the sketch, but we should be able to see the original layout. Hope many of you will participate!

Check out what our lovely DT have come up with to help inspire you.

Don't forget to check out their blogs for more details!!

I'm late posting this today as I have been on a course all day and am now feeling somewhat brain dead.
I used K&Co Classic McKenna and the image Twinkle Toes was sent to me by the lovely Chris. I coloured it with Copics and cut and framed it with round nesties. The sentiment is computer generated and the lace, ribbon. brads and flowers are from my stash.

One again I kept the inside simple and I have a young ballet fanatic in mind for this card.

Just Magnolia joins Magnolia Down Under

Just Magnolia has a fabulous sketch by Naoual this week and, Magnolia Down Under's
theme is "Flutter By Butterfly". How convenient I had prepared this particular image for Just Magnolia.

The papers are a download called Spring Romantic by Doreen Stolz from Digital Scrapbook art. Dragonfly Tilda is coloured with distress inks and to keep as near to the sketch as possible I cut around her legs and just left the square at the top (does that make sense - or am I rambling again??!!) I've dug out all my old border punches - this one is a Friskars punch/embossing one and I'd forgotten how nice it is. I decided to add a few stamped butterflies but couldn't find them (this always happend when I reorganize by stash) so used a couple of mesh one from very old stash and tinted them to match the papers.

I've kept the inside simple - I'm into simple insides at the moment.
Materials
BC - SU : BP - Doreen Stolz - Spring Romantic : Image - Magnolia : Medium Ranger Distress re-inkers : Friskars border/embossing punch : Sentiment - Inkadinkado : Rest from stash

Colour Create #16

It is the fabulous Kim's turn to host this week's challenge at Colour Create this week. This week's challenge has been created by our lovely Kim. I'm sure she needs very little introduction as her cards are adored throughout blogland. Kim definitely loves her Magnolia stamps and I am so delighted to tell you that she has been asked to be part of the Magnolia Design Team......... yes, THE Magnolia Design Team!!!!! Congratulations Kim!!! Hop over and take a look at her work if you get a few minutes - it's amazing!!!

Here is your colour combination then:

For this week's extra option we would like you to add gloss, glitter or glaze to your creations (or all three if you like), but please remember that this is not compulsory. I can assure you that we have all included this element somewhere on our projects, but you may just have to zoom in to pick it up!

*************************

As soon as I saw Kim's fab colour choice I knew exactly what I wanted to do. When I first saw Stempelglede's beautiful Maribel I wanted....no needed her. She is not my usual type of stamp but so beautiful !!! It took me a while to find out where to purchase her from, then Stempelglede brought out their Grunge set - that was it - had to have. The postage was exhorbitant but a girl has to spoil herself sometimes - doesn't she? I've had the stamps for some weeks now and played around with them but not seriously used them.

The backing paper is download fron designer digitals which I printed onto cream parchment paper and lightly stamped corners with stamp from the grunge collection. I stamped Maribel many times but wasn't getting a good enough impression so I popped over to Gunhild's blog (Gunhild designs the stamps) where she has a tutorial on colouring Maribel. Ahhh - that's where I was going wrong - she needs stamping on shiny cardstock - couldn't find any in my stash (it's there somewhere) so I used glossy photographic paper which I think is perhaps a little to shiny. Has anyone tried inking on Photo paper - this is something I'm going to have to practise. I eventually got an image I was happy with but if you want to see some really amazing creations pop over to the Stempelglede blog - wowee - you'll be gob-smacked.
I finished the card with some flowers and leaves . The leaves are actually a tan colour but look brown in the photograph. My glossy is the image printed on glossed photo paper and the small roses are glittered although it doesn't really show.

I have to confess I haven't done the inside of this card yet - it took me too long to do the outer (lol). Sorry for this longer than usual post - I could go on but I'll stop here.

Basic Grey and Ice Cream

Two 0'clock and I'm just back from work - whoopee - the weekend begins here and am I ready for it.

This weeks challenge at Basic Grey is a really tasty one :), as its nearly summer what better way to celebrate than to have a challenge inspired by a hot summers day favourite treat , that's right Ice cream :), this weeks challenge we would like you to be inspired by your favourite ice cream flavour, you can be inspired many ways by your favourite ice cream (as you will see by our DT creations), so let your imaginations run wild, and we cant wait to see your tasty creations.

How boring am I - my favourite ice cream is vanilla. I like it because you can so much with it - chocolate sauce, chopped nuts, bananas, raspberries oooh my mouth is watering now. I eventually chose to represent lemon and lavender sorbet - another of my favourites.

I used Wisteria papers and one of my lovely teamie Chris's digi-images. I decided to leave thing pretty simple with little of no embellies and let the beautiful image speak for itself, although I will add a sentiment when I know what I want the card for.

Unexpected Goodies !!

I'm friends with my postie this week, he's brought me unexpected goodies.
First is two pair of earrings from the lovely Moni. It's her Birthday on Sunday (pop along and wish her Happy Birthday) and she sent me a present. I can't tell you how beautiful they are in real life - I love them so much - thanks Moni.

Second is a thank you card from Joey - again so much more gorgeous in real life. My skills as a photographer definitely leave a lot to be desired!! Thanks Joey - it's gorgeous and I shall treasure it.

Am I Late, or am I Early

This card is a mixture of two Whiff of Joy challenges. The sketch and the image were both for last week's challenge that I never managed to finish in time. I loved the sketch and so decided to adapt the card for this week's theme - a Friendship card.

The brown and beige card is core-dinations, the lemon/browny paper is some my S-i-l gave me and has not name on it and the green is K&Co. The image is coloured with distress inks and the sentiment is Inkadinkado. The rest is from my stash

Doraline visits Friday Sketchers

Oh I'm an idiot - I sometimes think I'm walking a parallel path to the rest of the world
- not quite with it. I made this card for the fab uber talented Tab's birthday and also
for Friday Sketchers thinking Tab's birthday was on Tuesday 14th May and I would have plenty of time to post it after she had received it. It is on 14th but the 14th is Thursday - ooops!!....nearly out of time but since the lovely Tab has just Emailed her thanks - I can now post it.

I used my new Doraline stamp - she flew in from Canada last week and I was itching to ink her up - isn't she gorgeous? Not my best colouring effort, but it never is the first time I ink up a stamp. I coloured her with Copics and used digi-downloaded papers from Sweet Shoppe designs by Melissa Bennett.

I even managed to remember to photograph this inside again - aren't I doing well?

Materials
BC - SU : DP - Sweet Shoppe designs : Image - Motivet - Doraline : Medium - Copics : Nestie labels 2 :
Rest from stash

Creative Card Crew's Minimal

The Creative Cardcrew are asking for minimal this week. I have an anniversary card to send soon and like to keep these fairly simple so decided this is where I would start.

The DP is Colour Connect Elegant Leaf by the Paper Company. I very simply added a few flowers tied together with a bow as a spray and added a computer generated sentiment.
A small pearl in each corner - and there you are - simple.

Truly Scrumptious Challenge #6

This weeks challenge at Truly Scrumptious is being hosted by our lovely DT member Dawn.

Dawn has drawn a fab sketch to inspire you and the theme for your card should be spots, circles and dots!

Apart from the pearls I followed Dawn's sketch to the letter apart from moving my pearls - the sign of a good sketch!! I used a spotty, doyty downloaded paper and embossed the middle panel with the Spots & Dots folder and the yellow with the Swiss dots folder. In deference to Dawn's love of cats I used my new image from Inkadinkado's Patterned Pets set and coloured it with Copics.

Oooops!! - I forgot to photograph the inside yet again.

Materials
BC - Mauve pealized : DP - download from the Sweete Shoppe by M Bennett : Image - Inkadinkado Patterned Pets : Medium - Copics : Cuttlebug folders - Spots and Dots and Swiss dots : rest from stash

Stampacular Sunday Challenge

I love the sketch at Stampacular this week - simple and elegant and one I shall certainly be using again. When I'm streaming with hay fever my brain can't cope with some of the more complicated sketch with lot's of layering - I just get brain-fug.

I inked up Sarah Kay's 'Picnic of Daisies' that my lovely blogging friend De in the US sent me. I coloured her with distress inks and used papers from my stash which I had once again cut the name off idiot that I am. I'd love some more of this but don't know what I'm looking for now. I stamped the Inkadinkado sentiment onto a vellum tag and attached it to the flower.

Materials
BC - SU : Image Sarah Kay Picnic of Daisies : Ranger distress re-inkers : Nesties labels 1 : rest from stash

We're on the Move at House Mouse

We're on the move at House Mouse as Our challenge this week is Moving !!

Please make a card or anything else for someone who is moving home/job or make a gift for someone who has just moved to your area - these are just some ideas as to what you could do but please feel free to interpret 'moving' as you wish.

Check out what our lovely DT have come up with to help inspire you. Don't forget to check out their blogs for more details!!

Firstly let me say how thrilled and honoured I am to have been asked to become a permanent DT member of the the HM challenge blog. I'm thrilled to be working with the fabulous team who produce the most amazing cards.

Now onto my card for this week - I chose my image first and matched my papers to it (I usually work the other way around) and if you'd asked me if I would do a bright red card I would have said NO - NEVER !!! What else could I have matched those poppies to. I'm not happy with the sentiment (computer generated) I wanted to say "Hope you're happy in your New Home - Longing to hear from you" - it would only fit if I made the writing so small you couldn't read it. Instead of the usual flowers or ribbon details I added a small envelope with a letter. I loved making this card which is fortunate as I had a sneezing fit (hay-fever) and knocked a glass of water all over the first one as I was finishing it and had to start all over.

Materials
BC - ? (had it forever) : Image - Special Delivery : Medium - distress re-inkers : Cuttlebug border embossing folder : Rest from stash

Just Magnolia & Sketch Saturday

Just Magnolia want us to practice our needlework this week whilst there is a lovely sketch for us to follow at Sketch Saturday so I decided to combine them both.

I ended up ordering cards the wrong size - 125cm instead of 145cm. Being too lazy to return them I decided to use them - Ohh why didn't I change them? - not a big difference in size until you start to use them.
Thankfully the sketch I was following adapted itself to a smaller card. Being in a brave mood I used a stitch on my machine I haven't used before and I must say I like it but will work closer to the edge next time. I used Paper Pizzaz cardstock and Basic Grey Infuse papers. Tilda is coloured with pastels and the sentiments are Personal Impressions.

Materials
Paper Pizzaz cardstock : Basic Grey Infuse papers : Magnolia's Tilda : Derwent pastels : Personal Impressions sentiments : Sewing Machine : Rest from stash

Colour Create #15 Blue & Green

As you already know, Juliet is our Guest Designer for May and has created another stunning card for you. Well, I'm delighted to tell you that she has been asked to join our team permanently and has accepted the invitation. Welcome Juliet, we're so pleased to have you on board ;o)


This week it was my turn to host the challenge and I chose blue and green as the colour combination and paper piecing as the option. I hope you like the choice of colours and more than anything have fun making your creations. Please remember paper piecing is only an option. Check out the other DT's cards - I love the amazing creations they have come up with for my colour choice.

Here is your colour combination then:

********************************

I chose the Whiff of Joy 'Confirmand Melinda' for my image this week. I stamped her three times - on white, the green/blue patterned and 0n blue. I cut her dress from the green/blue and bolero from the blue. I did actually try it the other way around - blue dress and headband with a patterned bolero but think it looks better this way around for this card. The basic cardstock is SU and papers are various downloads. I made the flower - the base is an actual fabric flower, the next layers are cut with the EK Success Retro flower punch and the center cut with a small balloon punch. I edged the petals with blue ink and 'furled' them in different directions. The sentiment is by Personal Impressions and stamped in the same blue ink as the edge of the flowers.

Materials
BC - SU : BP - dowloads by Katy Pertiet's Winter Break (Sweet Shoppe ) & Shabby Princess's Signature Colletction : WOJ image 'Confirmand Melinda' : Distress inks : Punches - EK Success Retro flowers and Leone Em Ash branch : Rest from stash