Autumn

Oh my gosh, it's been 10 days since I posted or made any challenge cards! It's been such a hectic week with two births (my best friend's 4th child and my brother-in-law's 1st), five birthdays including my youngest son's and mine and all sorts of problems with our new house to sort out, so it's not really surprising I haven't got to my craft desk at all! To make up for it, today's card is for several challenges to give me time to catch up with myself! At CYDA the theme is 'Autumn Doodles' and I have handwritten the sentiment as I cannot draw to save my life! At CES this week's theme is 'Animal Antics', at Stamp Something it is 'Fall Colours'. There is a similar theme of 'Indian Summer' at Penny Black Saturday and finally I have made my own flowers to fit in with the theme of 'Grow Your Own' at YNS.

Stamp - Penny Black 'Bunny Bath' coloured with promarkers and chalks
Sentiment written using a Sakura Tiara pen
Paper - Papermania Capsule Collection
Shapes cut using Spellbinders Nestabilities Inverted Scalloped Squares and Shapeabilities Tags on the Cuttlebug
Border - Woodware punch
Brads, ribbon and card from stash

Christmas Easel Card

I thought it was about time to make a start on my Christmas cards, so today's card features one of the adorable Milton & Co stamps from Wild Rose Studio. I love my traditional red and green Christmas, but I've got some lovely new Promarkers and so have gone for blues on this card. I have followed the sketch at ICS and have also entered the challenges at Crafts & Me - theme - Easel Card, Just Cute Bears - theme - 'Punch It' and - Pollycraft - theme 'Cute & Cuddly'.

Stamp - Christmas Milton - Wild Rose Studio
Paper, card, gems and ribbon from stash
Blue card embossed using 'Holly & Berries' Cuttlebug embossing folder
Snowflake button - Dovecraft
Large holly leaves - Woodware punch

A Card for Ava

My sister-in-law went into labour this morning and as usual I had left things to the last minute and had to set to and make a card for my mother-in-law to give to her (beats cleaning the bathroom!). Luckily we know it's going to be a girl and they have decided to call her Ava, so I had something to work with. As a bonus I had a peek at some of my favourite blogs and I saw that this week's theme at CES is 'Baby Bonanza', so I have entered my card there. Hopefully I'll have another entry for the challenge soon as I am off to make her a card from my family now and hope that she holds on for a few hours to give me time to make it lol!!

Card made using the Glitter Girl's Keepsake Bookatrix Embossing Board
Card and DP from stash

Peel-offs, ribbon. charm and lace from stash

By the river

Today's card features a stamp I bought from LOTV a little while ago that I haven't used as I was unsure how to colour in the water. After a bit of a play I decided that none of my ink pads were quite the right blue and then I remembered my chalks that have been somewhat neglected recently and here is the result. I have also had a go at paper piecing with the 'sail'. I have followed the sketch at ICS, have used 'Stripes & Spots' for the challenge at Stamp Something and the image is just right for the 'One for the Boys' challenge at LOTV.

Image stamp - 'By the river' - LOTV coloured with Promarkers and chalks
Sentiment stamp - Kanban
Papers - Papermania Capsule Collection
Shapes cut with Spellbinders Nestabilities dies on the Cuttlebug
Finished with candy pips from my local craft shop.

Recessed Window Card

After whinging about my photographic skills, I have realised that my problem is taking photos indoors or on cloudy days - seeing as cloudy days are all we seem to be getting at the moment, I thought any future photos would be doomed! However, I have had a play with my phone camera (the only one I own) and have discovered the exposure button. Oh joy, what a difference it made! Now, I realise that I'm never going to win any awards for my photos, but at least they will be a lot less grainy! Looking at past posts I see that nearly all of my challenge card entries have included stamped images. This is quite a turnaround for me, as, until a few months ago I didn't like stamping at all. This was because I could never colour in the images to a standard I was happy with, but that all changed when I discovered Promarkers and now it seems that I don't ever make any other kind of cards. So I have decided to do something different for the challenge at Just Cute Bears where we have been asked to 'Go Dotty'. My card features Bubbles from the Daisy & Dandelion range and I have decoupaged her onto a recessed window card I made instead of my usual flat card. I thought she would be perfect for this challenge as not only are the papers/card dotty, but she has tiny dots on her ballerina dress.

Card from stash
Embossed dots done with my Cuttlebug using the 'swiss dots' folder
Homemade 'brads'
3d image, dotty paper and 'Birthday Girl' sentiment from Daisy & Dandelion decoupage set by Docrafts

Mermaid

I'm a bit cross with myself today. I made this card for the 'Myth & Magic' challenge at I Love Promarkers leaving it a bit late as always and now I can't seem to take a decent picture. I'll have to enter it as it is as I am running out of time, I'm not sure if it's a problem with my camera or my poor photographic skills (I suspect the latter!). Anyway, here it is photographic warts and all!

Image - digi stamp freebie from Pollycraft, coloured with Promarkers
DP - Papermania Capsule Collection
Cardstock , from stash
Finished with gems, ribbon and candy pips from my local craft shop

New challenge at CYDA and my first GD card

At last, it's challenge #3 at Craft Your Days Away- it seems to have taken ages to come around! I am particularly excited about this challenge as I get to show off my GD card. The theme is 'Girly 'n' Glitter' and I defy anyone not to be able to think of loads of projects for this challenge! I decided that my card would have to be pink - very girly and my favourite colour! I had lots of ideas for the images, but finally settled on a subject close to many girls' hearts - shoes! I had a lot of fun making this and would like to thank the girls at CYDA for picking me to be the first GD. Why not pop over there and have a peek at the DT's lovely creations and join in the fun.

Shoe and large sentiment stamps - Hero Arts
Small Sentiment stamp - Dovecraft
DP and card from stash
Swirls - Marianne Designs - cut with Cuttlebug
Roses - Wild Orchid Crafts
Finished with ribbon, candy pips, glitter and gems from my local craft shop

The only problem with being a GD is that I don't get to enter the challenge!! So I have found a few challenges that my card fits:

Crafty Cardmakers - Glitter & sparkle
Crafts and Me - Gems and sparkle
Creative Cottage - Celebrations
Your Next Stamp - Anything goes

Bears, Bears, Bears

I must admit I am a bit of a 'bearoholic', and I love this Bear image from Wild Rose Studio. At Just Cute Bears this week the theme is 'Embossing', at PFP it is 'Teddy Bears Picnic' and there is a great sketch over at ICS, so I have incorporated all these things into today's card and have even found a few other challenges that it fits.

Stamp - Wild Rose Studio - Milton & Co, Gardening Millie coloured with Promarkers
Papers - a mix from stash and Papermania Capsule Collection
Embossing done with my Cuttlebug using 'Swiss Dots' and 'D'vine Swirls' embossing folders
Gems and candy pips from my local craft shop

Other challenges I would like to enter
Stamp Something - Something Cute
CES - Floral Frenzy
Anything Goes - Say it with Flowers