New Challenge Blog DT Call

My matey Georgia is starting a new challenge blog and is now looking for 9 Design Team members - hop over now and take a look.

Here's the new blog logo and excerpts from the blog itself

We are looking for 7 Design Team members.

UPDATE: WE ARE NOW LOOKING FOR NINE DESIGN TEAM MEMBERS, AS JUDGING BY THE AMOUNT OF ENTRIES SO FAR, IT WILL BE MUCH TOO HARD TO CHOOSE JUST SEVEN!

 If you would like to be a Design Team member for the Crafty Calendar Challenge, please could you email me your three favourite cards you've made and tell me a little bit about yourself?

You can email your three cards to Georgia at: gwelch96@googlemail.com

You have until 10:00pm (UK TIME) on Tuesday 15th September 2009. I will announce the seven new Design Team members on Wednesday 16th September 2009, and then I'll email them the details of the October Challenge, coming up on Friday 2nd October.

Whoopee - The Mousies are back of their Hols

I have so missed my weekly Mousie fix. I actually missed the last challenge as I was about to move and had no internet connection so it seems like for ever since the last challenge at House Mouse.

 

This weeks challenge is from Janneke and her challenge this week is 

a Giftcard

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

I wanted (needed) a giftcard for a friend in England who is due to have a baby soon. I've already done a card for a baby girl and bought some gorgeous pink baby things and left them with my daughter.  I thought I'd better prepare for a boy, in which case I will send money which should fit nicely into this envelope along with the card. 

I haven't decorated the front of the envelope yet as when I find out the details I will personalize it.

I used  Baby Monica (I know a girl - but my only suitable mouse that is the right size) but I have given her a blue bow in her hair (lol).  Monica is coloured with Copics and I cut and embossed her mat with octagonal nesties.  I used ancient paper from stash,  punched the edges with the EK Success Fleur-de-lys punch and cut the envelope flap with MS flourish sedge punch. The flowers are a mixture from Wild Orchid and Papirloftet.

Sketch Saturday

I decided to use the sketch over at Sketch Saturday for a Christmas card - my second so far this year - that coming  from one whose New Year's Resolution was to make one per week. That only leaves me about 32 

to catch up (lol).

The card is Bazzill and the pale bule one from Papermania which I stamped randomly with one of Inkadinkado's winter birds using a Colour box ink called Orchid (can't say I've ever seen a blue Orchid!!)

Anya is coloured with Copics using the watercolour technique to keep it soft and gentle. The beige and blue backing papers are both run through the 'bug' using the snowflakes folder and the snowflakes cut with an EK Success punch. The flowers are some of last year's leftovers and the sentiment is an ancient one from Lakelnd Plastics.

Image  - The Greeting Farm's Anya & Inkadinkado - Winter birds

Medium - Copic Markers, Colour Box inks

Papers - Bazzill cs and Papermania ?

Tools - EK Success snowflake and corner rounder  :  Cuttlebug embossing folder - Snowflakes

Embellishments - Flowers, brad & pearls from stash

The Sugar Bowl challenge

This one is for the Sugar Bowl's sketch + buttons. This is the first time I've managed the Sugar Bowl challenge for quite some time.  Fabulous sketch by Kathy and I really enjoyed making this card and actually quite like it!! I used the image Country Garden from the Home Grown range and coloured her with Distress inks. The paper is K&Co Urban Rhapsody Sugar Rush and the flowers cut with the Woodware Cherry blossom punch from Papermania vellum Blue & Green rose. The corners are a stamp from Exelacrafts.

Stamp - Sugar Nellie - Home Grown - Country Garden

Medium -Ranger Distress inks

Papers - K&Co Urban Rhapsody -sugar Rush  :  Papemania Printed Vellum Blue & Green roses

Tools - Woodware Cherry Blossom punches, large & medium

Embellishments - Ribbons & buttons from stash

Just Magnolia

Ribbons and bows are the order of the day at Just Magnolia

And before anyone asks - NO - I have not received my Summer Magnolia's - my supa dupa bloggy friend Tara was kind enough to send me a few images to 'Keep me going  till mine arrive although I must admit I've really given up hope of ever seeing them.

I started colouring Tilda with distress inks, forgetting that Tara uses Copics and then wondered why I was getting some bleeding - Copic but not distress friendly paper I presume.  Quickly reverted to Copics but ended up having to cut Tilda out - not the easiest image to cut out I must say!!! I used three layers of ribbon on the left - wide brown, medium width pale pink and depper narrow but the narrower one 'slid' over the medium in the photo so will have to re-photograph it when daylight appears.

 

Image - Magnolia, Tilda from Summer collection

Medium - Copic Markers

Papers - Basic Grey Infuse

Tools - EK Success Scalloped scallop border punch

Emmbellishments - flowers, ribbon & pearls all from stash

I see Mr Blogger has been playing around again. He's taken away my favourite ink colour - brown and changed all the texts grrrr........

Now I've got a white background to my text - why?? I didn't ask for that and I can't seem to get rid of it , is it me or do you all get so cross about things like this!!!

Right that's it - had enough - it will have to stay as it is

Four awards

The first two from my lovely Norwegian blogging friend Hanna ...............................

............and then two from the fabulous Moni

I shall hopefully pass these on before too long.

I was busy all day yesterday moving my craftroom around - WHAT - you might say!! - she's only just moved into it - yes well, it just wasn't working for me and I think things are better now, more space, more light. If this doesn't work I shall just have to move it again.

My project for today is to make a new birthday book - mine appears to have disappeared and I'm missing birthdays right, left and center and if you are one who I've missed - my humble apologies!!!

Colour Create DT - Ruby. cream & gold

Yet another fortnight has fled by and here we are again with another challenge at Colour Create with a fabulous colour choice by the lovely by the lovely Chris

Ruby, Cream and Gold with the extra option of Gems

We have to thank the fabulous Heidi over at Simon Says Stamp (our regular monthly sponsor) who has given us another $25 voucher as a prize for the winner this challenge.
This is one fabulous shop and I'm devastated I'm not eligible for this prize!!

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To colour, or not to colour that was the questoin this week. Consequently I redid this image about 5 times. I stamped Miss Anya on cream paper and just coloured in the red,
then I tried giving her gold hair - awful!! Tried colouring her in completely - that was not the look I was aiming for, eventually ended up with this one and I'm still not sure - partially because the red turned out a different red on my photograph.
I've checked all my camera settings, tried it on various ones but still it's different. The gold button on her coat are my substitute for gems.
I had no papers the right colours, normally at this point I would look in my downloads are print some - no printing ink - am waiting for a delivery. I've just had an email from the supplier (in German!!!) I think it says it's on it's way but can't be sure - so it's wait and see.
I resorted to printing my own papers, I have two Colour Box red inks, Chianti and Merlot, so I used Merlot and poured my self a glass of...............guess what!! - to help me along the way. The stamp is from K&Co Lotus floral set. The corner cut with the cuttlebug vintage corners, the borders with MS lace doily and EK Success Parisian border and the leaves with a Woodware leaf punch.

Materials
Stamps - Greeting Farm - Anya : K&Co Lotus floral set
Colouring Mediums - Derwent Colour soft pencils & Colour Box ink
Papers - self
Tools - Cuttlebug vintage corners : MS Lace Doily : EK Success Parisian : Woodware leaf punch
Embellishments - All from stash

Creative Card Crew

A fabulous sketch by Nicola this week at Sketch Saturday but sadly I don't think I've done it justice with this rather strange card. I used Magnolia's parrot, masked it and added some vine leaves, both from the Animal collection. The papers are a mixture of Papermania Secret Garden and Dovecraft's Wild Blossom. I cut leaves and attached them to the swirls. I'm finding the light here in Germany is somewhat different and am struggling with photographing cards and this one is far more orangey that it appears here.

Image - Magnolia - Parrot & Hanging leafs
Colouring Medium - Copics
Papers - Papermania - Secret Garden & Dovecraft Wild Blossom
Tools - EK Success corner rounder, Woodware leaf punch, Sizzix swirly die
Embellishments - Ribbon from stash

Sketch Saturday

This is for the great sketch at Sketch Saturday. I am totally fed up with my camera at the moment, the green on the image has turned out a very different colour -why???
The sentiment is supposed to go in the top right where the flower is but due to having lost some stamps I could find one to fit and so inserted it under the side of the image.

Image - Sarah Kaye - Picnic with Daisies :
Medium - Copic markers
Papers - SU
Tools - EK Success Scalloped scallop edger & Retro flower
Embellishments - Owl charm - The Hobby House : rest from stash

Friday Sketchers

I love the sketch at Friday Sketchers this week and really enjoyed making this card which just flowed. As my removal men left a box behind which contained all my 12"x12" papers and cardstock I am reduced to searching my stash to find alternatives. I have pile of velums, patterned and plain which I've had for years and I've used just a few of them here. If backed with white paper or card they are so effective. I've even used some of the pale green vellum to cut out the leaves which gives them a gentle, dainty look. My gorjuss girl is coloured with Copics, cut and embossed with round nesties and then coloured round the perimeter. I normally use inks but decided to use pearlised chalks which give a lovely sparkly effect, but do look better if you don't get them in the images hair!! I have now wiped them off and will re-photograph this in daylight tomorrow. The center flower is from Hobbycraft and the two heather stems either side were from my local market in Blackburn.

Materials
Stamp - Sugar Nellie Gorjuss Girls
Mediums - Copic markers & Dovecraft pearlised chalks
Papers - Unknown
Tools - Spellbinders round nesties : Leone Em ash branch punch : Woodware leaf punch
Embellishments - Larger rose Hobbycraft : Heather stems - local market : Pearls - Basic Grey

Just Magnolia - Rachels sketch

A fabulous sketch by the lovely Rach this week at Just Magnolia. I've been in a thoroughly wishy-washy mood today and if you could see the state of my room - how any one person can make so much mess just making one card is unbelievable.

The papers are Paper Pizzaz Retro and I used Tilda with cat (Ithink that's what it's called)
and coloured her with Copics - who knows maybe one day she have a cat that isn't white.
The circles are cut with Spellbinders, the leaf swirls are BossKut and the leaves are cut using a Woodware punch. The large flower is from Papirloftet and the sentiment is a mixture of two - can't think what. The pearl stems, small roses and ribbon are from my stash. I think I shall go to bed now and hope I'm in a better frame of mind tomorrow so
Night night folks.

OMG another award!!!

This from the lovely Sharon my Truly Scrumptious "Boss". Thanks so much angel - It's so appreciated.

I shall pass this on to
Martha (aka Theneon)
Torico
Christine
Moni
Tara
Tab
again for all the lovely comments they have left and support they have shownwhilst I have
been busy moving countries.

Five awards

This first one is from my lovely mate Georgia



The next three are from my fabulous friend Moni - you're spoiling me sweetie!!!




And last, but certainly not the least the final one from the talented Stephanne

I would like to pass these awards on to
Karen
Julia
Sandie
Sandra
Riet
June
who have all supported, visited and commented, even when there was nothing much to comment on - thanks to all of you for supportive comments when they were desperately needed.

My search for Craft's shops - the only one I found (one I knew about anyway) was closed - it closes at 1.00pm on Saturday.
Anyway Tara Welch never mind you're not coming if I don't find any craft shops hereabouts - you're supposed to be coming over here and bringing the contents of a craft shop with you. Actually I might end up having to open one myself.

Basic Grey DT, Double Dutch & Just Magnolia Monthly challenges

WOW my goodness it does seem we were missed, we all couldn't believe the amount of you who entered the last challenge, we really hope that you enjoyed it as guess what, Yep its time for another challenge :)

First though we have some winners to announce :)

We had sooo many entries to our blog candy, thank you soo much everyone, But there can only be one winner and that lucky person is,

Cazzy Congrats hunny!!

Now to announce the 5 lucky people from the last challenge who will go through to the monthly drawing, those lucky people are,

44 – Sandy Shores

76 – Michelle Roos

112 – Virag Eva

59 – Keke

13 – Karen B

Well done ladies you will now all go through to the monthly drawing and could be in with a chance of winning this months fabulous prize which has been sponsored by our one and only sponsor Simon Says Stamp and it is pictured at the top of the challenge blog.

Now its time for the new challenge :)

Feel free to use White and Skin colours too and Be sure to also use at least one item from BasicGrey somewhere on your creation to be in with a chance of winning the monthly prize, we cant wait to see your creations. Be sure to check out the other DT's fabulous creations.

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I really enjoyed this one - fabulous colours, although I did boob - I was under the impression is sould be pink, cream and brown not pink yellow and brown - oops!!
My excuse is cream is a very pale yellow - that should do it!!!
The Double Dutch challenge is Pink, brown and Cream so I'm covered for that.
(I'm now in Germany Erica so please don't shout at me so loud - I'll hear you!!)
The Magnolia monthly challenge is based on the amazing 3D tutorial that the uber talented Debby Yates of A Scrap Journey did. I used Alva with flower, coloured her with Copics and gave her four hats, three faces, two dresses, three frills on her dress, to sets of boot, three arma and four flowers. Writing that down made me realize why it took me so long (lol). When I use this technique I use a ball point tool on the reverse of the element to give it more shape and form, consequently this makes it difficult to photgraph as the sides of each element are glued to the side of the one underneath leaving the middle part 3D'd. I think you can just aout see this is the lousy photograph in the middle. (NB to self - for heaven's sake get yourself a new camera)

Ingredients
Stamp - Mangnolia - Alva with flower
Papers -Basic Grey - Eva
Tools - EK Success corner/border punch : Leone Em Ash branch punch
Embellishments - Flowers - Hobbycraft & Carnmeal cottage : Pears branch - Craft Creations : stick pin & beads from stash

Right - I'm off now to try and locate some craft shops in the area - not very hopeful, be back later to post a couple of awards and maybe another card - wish me luck on my search.

Stampavie & More

This is my effort for Stampavie & More whose challenge this week is "Buttons, blue and brown". The papers are a download from Designs by Krista called Sundance. I think I shall be relying on downloaded papers quite a bit as my stock of 12"x12" patterned papers got left in England and were too heavy to post. The Sarah Kay image 'My Sweet Lil' is coloured with Copics using the watercolour technique to keep it soft and light. I didn't want a brown bear so decided Lil would have to have a Polar bear for this card.
She is cut and matted using the Spellbinders curved rectanges then matted again onto cream cs the edges of which are cut with the EKSuccess Scalloped diamond punch. I struggled with buttons - the blues weren't the right shade, the browns were too large and dominant so I resorted to using clear ones. although they didn't show up very well on the cream so I cut three little flowers with the small Woodware cherry blossom punch and sat them on these. The flower is from Papirloftet and the leaves cut with a Woodware punch.

Stamps - Sarah Kaye 'my Sweet Lil'
Papers - Sundance from designs by Krista
Tools - Spellbinders curved rectangles : EKSuccess Scalloped diamond border punch
Woodware cherry blossom and leaf punches : Copic markers
Embellishments - Flower - Papirloftet : rest from stash

Truly Scrumtious DT & Stampartic challenge

This week at Truly Scrumptious we would like you to create anything other than a card.

The lovely Sandra (Sandra Dry Digi Stamps) is our sponsor for this challenge. She is one very talented lady who had designed her own range of gorgeous digi stamps and our lucky winner will get to choose six digi stamps as their prize.

I chose to make a box - (never doing anything the easy way!!) it took forever. The consolation is I discovered the Stampartic challenge this week is to make a box, so at least it covers two challenges. I cut the base and lid with the Spellbinders curved rectangles also the Papermania Nostagia Dp papers on the lid. The swirls are cut with the BosssKut corner swirl die and the flowers and leaves are a mixture from my stash and I inked the edges of the large rose with Colour box inks. The only stamps used are Stempelglede's grunge circle on the inside of the lid and Basic Grey's Flourish corner in the top right hand corner of the outside lid. The ribbon band around the side is cut with the EK Success Parisian border punch. The sentiment on the inside lid is a Papermania stamp.

Materials
DP - Papermania's Nostalgia - warm
Stamps - Stempelglede's Grunge collection - Basic Grey's flourish edges - Papermania sentiments
Dies - Spellbinders curved rectangles - BossKut's corner flourish
Inks - Memento - Rich Cocoa, Colour Box
Embellishments - Flowers and leaves from stash

Just Magnolia & Copic Creations

Oooooh - errrrr - I've just realised I forgotten the hearts - I'll try and sneak one in when no-one is looking (hee-hee)

This is my effort for Just Magnolia (Friendship) and Copic Creations (colouring with red, pink & hearts).
The tartan paper is from the new Basic Grey June Bug range. I cut the red border around Tilda with the Martha Stewart Flourish punch and the 'ribbon' she is sitting on with the EK Success Scalloped Diamond punch, then ran it through the cuttlebug with one of the frills border folders. The trio of red flowers with ribbon and pearls has been knocking about for ages (heaven only knows where it came from). I thought I thrown it out once but it re-appeared, so I decided the best way to get rid of it was to use it - so there it is!!

Cardstock - white linen, black - Papermill shop
DP - Basic Grey June Bug
Image - Magnolia
Colouring medim - Copic markers (Dress & socks R20, 22, 27 & 29) (Skin E50, 00 02 & R20) (Hair C3, 5, 7 &100) (Tag - E31 &33)
Punches - Leone Em Ash branch, Martha Stewart border, EK Success
Embossing - Provocraft frills folder
Flowers - from stash
Sewing Machine

Only Three Days Late

I actually started this card for Copic Creations challenge 'Eyes' but as this challenge closed on the 14th August I guess I'm a little late (hee-hee). Still - I've eventually finished it so I'll post it. I think (think - that is) I'm sorted out now - craftroom more or less organised - still a couple of boxes that want trawling through, plus the box that got left at home (my removal men missed one box altogether and 'bird brain' here didn't notice either).

I used Basic Grey Wisteria papers and actually cut around the wisteria so it hangs over the image - not sure I like it. I Googled the image, played around with it in Printshop to turn it into black and white and remove much of the shading. I used the EK Success Fleur-de-lys border and the BossKut leaf flourish punches. The flowers are Prima, the pearls Basic Grey, the sentiment Papermania and the ribbon is from stash.

I'm trying to get together some blog candy - both to celebrate my arrival in a new country and also to say thank you to all my friends and followers for all the wonderful comments and support during my lack of visiting and commenting for the past 6-8 weeks. I am having to send back to England for it as the craft shops hereabouts are few and far between. So for the time being it has to be "Watch this Space".

At Colour Create we have a new design team member to introduce to you - Deanne - welcome honey.
Deanne has a wonderful clean style of card making. She will be be a breath of fresh air to everyone and such an inspiration because she only uses stamped images under duress. I think it takes real talent to make the kinds of cards she does and what a clever lady she is. Please visit her blog because you will not be disappointed, her projects are beautiful.

This week we have another new colour combination and prizes for 5 people (yes, that is 5 separate prizes!).
Here are your colours - blue, sand, silver and black and the option is 'Summer'

Next our sponsor for this challenge is:

And we have been given 5 sets of vouchers to give away to people for 10% off anything ordered in their store.

Handy hippo have almost everything crafty in their online store from stamping supplies to wedding stationary, embellishments, paper and card to jewellery making. New in the store at the moment is 12" x 12" textured card in 75 different colours, Penny Black Stamps, Peel-off ribbons, Buttons, Dufex stickers and Laura Ashley products. You will really be spoilt for choice.

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I'm still struggling - I think it was easier working with limited resources than having all my stash here and not being able to find anything (I labelled boxes crafts, books, clothes etc. but didn't put which specific item was in each box - another lesson learnt the hard way). I think I might go 'missing' again until I've sorted it out and organised everything. Not being able to find anything I had to forgo the 'Summer' option, although she is barefoot and wouldn't being doing that in the middle of winter would she?

I used the Sugar Nellie image Penpal, coloured her with Copics, cut her out and mounted her on silver card. The papers are SU, the flourish stamp is Magnolia (stamped in blue but actually turned out looking more grey) and the rose from Papirloftet. The border is cut with an EK Success punch and the leaves from Woodware.

Whoo hoo I've managed a challenge card.

I think this is my first challenge card for about three weeks and I feel like I've totally lost
the plot.
This one is for Just Magnolia and the lovely Martine's fabulous sketch - loved it sweetie, especially the pocket bit and will certainly be using it again.
I would have used one of my Magnolias Stamp club summer stamps if I had received them - but heaven only knows where they have got to. Have emailed Magnolia (twice) but
not heard back as yet.
I used Tilda and the Safari bus from the Animal collection. I boobed again - brought my copics with me, plus one or two stamps but guess what - no Copic friendly paper. I
already had the bus stamped up so no problem, but Tilda I had to stamp on ordinary cardstock and couldn't manage to colour her dress satisfactorily so I ended up paperpiecing
that and her boots.
The papers are SU, the flowers a mixture (mainly Prima) and the ribbon, small spacers and pearls are from my stash. I didn't have any eyelets for the tag so I made hole with a pokey thingy, threaded ribbon through and knotted it to cover the slighty untidy holes.
Not my best effort bu hopefully when my things arrive tomorrow and I sort them out normality will resume!!

Basic Grey challenges re-opening DT card

For our re-opening we have a fabulous sketch by the amazingly talented Tara...... thanks hun - I really enjoyed using this sketch and will certainly be using it again. Our challenges are now fortnightly which gives you all extra time to enter and prizes will be monthly (sponsored by the fabulous Simon Says Stamp store). Five entries will be chosen at random and entered into the monthly prize draw.

I made the card before I left the UK and finished it once I had arrived here. The Gorjuss girl is coloured with Copics and I used the fabulous Boxer papers. I did push a few flowers into my suitcase but was stuck for leaves. No - problem I cut the holly leaves from a Christmas decoration and trimmed them to size and shape. The sentiment is Papermania and the flowers, ribbon and pearls from my stash.

I would like to thank you all for your best wishes and lovely comments whilst I have been 'Missing in Action'....... they really have kept me going and some reduced me to tears - you are all so lovely and hopefully I will be round visiting you all in the next couple of weeks.

Truly Scrumptious DT card

At last I've managed to upload my Truly Scrumptious DT card. I've had a virus (well, my computer has), so I've not been able to do anything as Mr. Blogger wouldn't let me in until I'd sorted it. As I'm so late with it I'll keep it short and sweet. The image is Ketto Agnes and is coloured with Copic Markers. The papers are Basic Grey Lime Rickey, the flowers Prima and the leaves Prima flowers cut, shaped and coloured with Copics (my leaves and punches are still on their way - me thinks they're doing a world tour on their way to me). The pearl brads are papermania and the rafia ribbon is from Hobbbycraft. I struggled with the bling so I had to make do with using Stickles on Agnes's dress, wings and the flowers.

I shall be back shortly with my Basic Grey DT card (thank goodness we're open again, I've missed it so much and I hope you'll all join us and enter the fabulous blog candy as well).