I won't be around for a while......

My mum is seriously ill so I'm spending as much time at her bedside as possible.

Dad's Birthday Card

I find it so hard to make cards for men, so I thought I would challenge myself to use my alcohol inks that have been laying in a drawer for ages virtually unused. I used 3 colours and the blending solution on acetate and was quite pleased with how it turned out. I also made a bookmark for my Dad with the left over acetate. The sentiment stamp is by Autumn leaves, stamped and embossed in green. I used a couple of nesties, then added it to the card with foam pads. The gorgeous butterfly is by K&Co. and the pearls are Prima. The lace and ric rac are from stash. I very rarely make a card without a cutesy image, so it was fun, but challenging to try a different style.

I'm going to enter this card into Pile It On Challenge 14 - Say it with words. I was one of the people who suggested this challenge, so I really wanted to enter it.

Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge - Open, anything goes

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 18 - A challenging challenge - (this was certainly that with no image and the use of alcohol inks)

Design Dollies - Let's take a walk in the park - (I've entered this as the alcohol inks remind me of the colours you would see in the park, and also the butterfly, which you would see in Summer or Spring)

CAS-tastic Challenge 1- Anything CAS - (I'm not sure if this card would be classed as CAS, but compared to my normal style, for me it is CAS)

We had a lovely day on my Dad's birthday with all the family together for a birthday tea. I love spending time with him, and even at 44 I'm still a daddy's girl lol.

Delightful Sketches New Challenge and new releases at Digital Delights

It's new release day today from Digital Delights of the Under the Sea images. It's a fab new collection.

We've also got a new challenge for you at Delightful Sketches. We are being sponsored this fortnight by Pink Hedgehog Paper Crafts who have a fabulous prize for our winner. They're offering a set of Oregon Raindrops in every colour. The value of this prize is $25!! The DT have used Oregon Raindrops, brads and ribbon on their cards supplied by our sponsor. The Oregon Raindrops are gorgeous and such great quality.

For my card, I've made an oval shaped easel and followed the fab sketch. I've used the octopus, seahorse, starfish, sentiment and background images - they all just go so well together! I've coloured with promarkers and cut out the images. I've added the octopus and seahorse to the background, as well as some Oregon Raindrops. The dp is K&Co., blue ribbon from Pink Hedgehog, black ric rac from stash. I've also used a button, Stickles, Glossy Accents, and wiggly eyes on the starfish.

I'm sad to say that this will be my last creation for Digital Delights on their Design Team. I have decided to step down for family reasons. Hopefully I'll be able to enter some of their fabulous challenges when I have time. I have really enjoyed being a part of such a great team and would like to thank Wendy for giving me the opportunity to work with her wondeful images and for believing in me.

I'm entering this card into these challenges:

Cards For Men Challenge 8 - Fancy Folds

The Crazy Challenge - Don't call me flat

Paper Sundaes Challenge 13 - Make a scene

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge 46 A Sketch

This week at C.R.A.F.T. we have a sketch for you. The prize is a fab Cosmo Cricket Mini Deck Garden Variety.
I've made a little clutch bag for this challenge. I've used a template from WS Designs. The bag is made with chocolate colour pearl card. I've added a 3D sentiment sticker by Dovecraft, and the gem swirl is by Prima. The dp on the flap is Tim Holtz,which I've punched with a fan MS corner punch. The butterfly is also Tim Holtz, punched with a Martha Stewart punch, to which I've added a couple of gems and my clear Copic Spica pen. The flap is kept shut by a BasicGrey magnetic clasp.
I'm going to enter this into the challenge at Paper Makeup Stamps Make Up for the Weekend #23 - to use a template of some kind.

I ♥ Promarkers Challenge 10

We have a fab sketch for you to follow this week at I ♥ Promarkers. Our sponsor is Whimsy Stamps, and the winner will get a gift certificate for $15 to spend in their online store. The Design Team were all lucky enough to be given some of the new images. I've used the Love Bunnies by Katie Sowa, and a sentiment from the Love You Sayings by Raindrop Echo Designs
The image is coloured with a selection of grey, pink and blue promarkers, and I've added a little bit of white flower soft to the female bunny's tail. I've used my X Cut circle shape cutter to cut out the image, as it was too big for Nesties, then inked the edges with Weathered Wood Distress Ink. I've added the pricked holes by using my Tim Holtz ruler and a pricking tool, then joined them up with a black fine tip promarker pen to look like stitching. I've used this effect on all the papers. I've also rounded all the corners for a softer look. The dp is from a Tim Holtz stack (my favourite papers at the mo), and the backing paper is a grey/silverish sheet of Bazzill. The pearls with roses are by Prima, which I've trimmed and added to the corners. The silver ribbon, button and pearl string threaded through the button are from my stash.. I've used a white 8 x 8" card blank.
I'm planning to give this card to a special couple on their wedding day.
Please remember that to be included in the prize draw, your work must be new, you must follow the sketch, and provide a link from your entry post back to the I ♥ Promarkers blog.

I'm entering this card into these challenges:

Your Next Stamp Challenge 14 - Stitching real or faux
Polka Doodles Week 14 Challenge - Wedding Celebration
Prairie Paper and Ink Challenge - Friday Sketch (mine's been turned)
Sew Many Challenges Week 10 - Stitching
Stamp Something Challenge - Stitching
Hand Full of Stamps #23 - Digi It
My Time To Craft Challenge 87 - Pretty Pearls
Papertake Weekly Challenge - Cutie Pie
Tuesday Morning Sketches #41 - Soft hues, flowers, ribbons (the flowers are the 4 roses in the top corners)
Totally Stampalicious - A Critter card
Aly's Sunday Sketch #15 - Buttons
The Corrosive Challenge Blog #59 - Textures
Paper Jewels April Challenge - Sewing and buttons
Magical Crafts Challenge 12 - Animal Antics
Lili of The Valley Challenge 50 - Blue and Silver
Our Creative Corner Challenge - Bows
Stampin' For the Weekend Challenge - Ribbons and Bows

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge 45 - Buttons

Challenge 45 at C.R.A.F.T. is buttons. I'm sure everyone has lots of buttons, so add them onto your creation wherever you like. We're being sponsored this week by Claire at Hope Jacare Doodles, and the prize is........BUTTONS - lots of gorgeous buttons! Most of the DT have used Claire's images this week. Mine is Clara Cupcake, isn't she fab?
I've used a DL card this week, for the first time in ages. I felt Clara suited this shape for some reason lol. She's coloured with promarkers. The hearts round her dress and her hairband have red Stickles on them, and I've added Glossy Accents to the icing on the cupcake. I've put 6 yellow Papermania buttons in her hair, I wanted to do something different with the buttons! The edges are inked with Adirondack. She's been matted onto pink card which has been punched at the side with a Martha Stewart fan punch. The dp is The Candy Floss Paper Stack by Wild Rose Studio, which has been punched again with anMS fan punch and matted onto pink card. I've added Glossy Accents to the cupcakes on the dp. Ribbon and sentiment stamp are from stash. Sentiment has been embossed with hot pink embossing powder.

I'm entering my card into these challenges:

PaperPlay Challenge10 Week 14 - Shiny, Happy People - (Red Stickles and Glossy Accents used on image)
Our Creative Corner Challenge - Break out the buttons!
KL Stampin' 'N' Scrappin' - Recipe of 1 image or sentiment (or both), 2 different patterned papers, at least 3 embellishments (different or the same)
One Stitch At A Time Challenge 7 - Anything Goes - second entry (3 entries allowed)
Stamptacular Sunday Challenge 53 - Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice!
Kaboodle Doodles Challenge 28 - Digi Girl (can be combined with up to 9 challenges)
Pollycraft Monday Challenge 38 - Anything Goes

I ♥ Promarkers Challenge 9 Animals

Sorry I'm so late, it's been one of those days!

The challenge this week at I ♥ Promarkers is a theme of Animals.

The prize is a £10 gift voucher to spend at the fantastic Joanna Sheen store.

For my card I've used my new frog stamp by Bildmalarna. It's coloured with various green, brown, orange and yellow promarkers. I've used Glossy Accents on the icing on the cake and the frogs' eyes. The image has been matted onto brown Core'dinations card cut with a scalloped circle nestie. The sentiment has been stamped with Sepia Versafine, then gone over with a Sakura pen to give it some sparkle. The dp is from a Capsule stack by Papermania. The 3 gems have been coloured with a dark brown promarker. The corner stamp and ribbons are from stash. The cardstock is 6 x 6" brown Core'dinations.

I'm entering this card into these challenges:

Magical Crafts Challenge 12 - Animal Antics

Simon Says Challenge - A card for a child

Passion For Promarkers Week 46 - The young ones

DaisyDoodles Stamps Challenge 5 - Sketch (I've turned the sketch)

One Stitch at a Time Challenge 7 - Anything Goes

A Spoon Full of Sugar Challenge 98 - One for the Boys

Practical Scrappers Challenge - Markers (markers have been used to colour the image, and also to ink the edges of the card and go over the sentiment with a sparkly marker.

Gingersnap Creations Challenge 46 - Frosting - ( used Glossy Accents)

Cards For Men Challenge 7 - A fun card

Artful Inkables Challenge 17 - Use a CD/Album cover for inspiration - (mine is Crazy Frog by Axel F)

Roses on Paper Challenge 35 - Layers (Bildmalarna stamp)

Charisma Cardz Challenge 13 - Animal Magic

Crafty Calendar Challenge 7 - A fun card

Freebie Friday at Digital Delights

Freebie Fridays at Digital Delights are now monthly, but they're worth waiting for!

Go grab this cute bear on our pages at SNR Card Universe or Paper Craft Planet while she's available.

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge 44 purple and Turquoise

The challenge this week at C.R.A.F.T. is a colour theme of purple and turquoise.

Our sponsor this week is Donnas Den, who are offering a fabulous set of rubber stamps.

I've kept my card fairly simple this week. I've used Audrey, a digital download from The Greeting Farm, and coloured her with promarkers, then cut her out. The turquoise dp is MME, and I've used a Martha Stewart punch around the page, then added it to purple paper. Audrey has been added with foam pads for dimension. The sentiment stamp is by Penny Black and has been stamped in purple. The cardstock is Bazzill 6 x 6".

I'm entering these challenges:

Roses on Paper Challenge 34 - Punch It

AiFactory Challenge 30 - Anything Goes

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Open theme

Crafty Creations Challenge 61 - Anything Goes

Delightful Sketches & Challenges Buttons & Bling

It's time for a new challenge at Delightful Sketches and Challenges, and for this fortnight, it's a theme challenge of 'Buttons and Bling'.

We're being sponsored by the fab Simon Says Stamp, with the prize being  $20 to spend in their store.

For my card, I've used Queen of Hearts Bonnie, which is available at the Digital Delights store. I've cut a heart aperture in a red A5 card, then added some self adhesive red glitter paper to the background. I've then added a couple of yellow swirls cut on the Cricut, and some buttons. The Queen has been coloured with promarkers, with some red Stickles added to the hearts on her dress, and gold to her crown. I've added some jump rings to dangle her from the top of the card. The heart at the top is a button covered with the red glitter paper. The yellow heart is cut with a Nestie, with yellow Stickles round the edge, then I've attached 3 mini playing cards to it that have been inked round the edges in red, with foam pads for dimension. In the other corner are 3 red heart gems, which I've added onto the top of 3 larger hearts punched out from card that has been inked and stamped with text. Lastly, I've stamped swirls over the card with Versamark and embossed with clear embossing powder. It's very different to my usual square cards, and I had fun experimenting.

I'm entering this card into these challenges:

S2G Twisted Thursday #50 - Anything Goes

The ABC Challenge - R is for Red

Oh Alice Chapter 6 - Fine print

Totally Gorjuss Challenge 23 - Hearts