Quirky crafts all white alright!

Monica set us a very challenging challenge over at the Quirky blog today, and it is All White. Everything on your project has to be white with the exception of any image you use. 

Our sponsors are the wonderful Stitchy Bear Digital Outlet, who provided the team with images and will provide our top three with prizes.

I used Cartoon Elephant leaning on a large pencil by Ken Benner, It is cute and funny and I wanted to stamp Happy under the pencil, which I hope I can get away with as it looks like part of the image (I hope).

I used Spellbinders labels number 1, one of my favourites which I have in plain, scalloped, fancy and grand varieties.

I coloured the image with Promarkers and some silver pen for the pencil metal bit. the elephant is fussy cut and decoupaged on top of another one (I hate fussy cutting, but you will read why in a minute.....). The panels behind are: scalloped, embossed with an Embossalicous banners embossing folder (which was NBUS until today), plain pearlescent, embossed with a Crafts Too Tied Together embossing folder in two parts (would have been a similar but bigger folder - see below), all then mounted on a scalloped 8" x 8" card blank. I added white brads, a gem to make his teeth sparkle and a gem star. The stamp is from a set by Marianne, and the word Birthday is the die from the same set which I used to cut out glitter card. The star border is also a Marianne die and has ribbon threaded through it, I had to cut two of them to fit and trim them a little at the ends. I used stars punched out by the die from the border to add round the edges. Finally Liquid Pearls in Opal White were added to the biggest embossed panel.

So what went wrong this time you might ask?

First of all after spending an hour or more colouring the image I reached for the stamp pad to stamp "Happy" then dropped it not once but twice onto the image. Luckily it only ruined the part where the pencil had doodled, so I had to either start over (this time stamping "Happy" before starting to colour like sensible people do), or fussy cut the image and decoupage it over a quickly coloured second one, I did the latter.

Second thing to go wrong was the second embossed panel, the first one was no problem, the second folder the eBosser took exception to and jammed it half way in. I tried the rubber mallet procedure but could not budge it. I went to bed and in the morning asked Hubby to help me. He couldn't shift it either, we took turns, he got a lump hammer instead of the rubber mallet, he got more bits of wood. We tried both ends, we took it outside onto a little wall so it was firmer, with cushions strategically placed for it to drop onto. Nothing, so we used half a bottle of washing up liquid trying to lubricate it. Later after stopping for lunch I had another go on my own and ended up with a large bruise from the rubber mallet on the base of my thumb! So I had to give up, get out the other die cutter and cut another panel and emboss it. So now I have a totally jammed ebosser with an A4 embossing folder jammed in it - any ideas (maybe bin it)?

Could it go any more wrong? Yes it could, if you add Liquid Pearls to your work, then forget and a) press down a corner that is sticking up, b) the whole card falls face down on your brand new home stitched hot pink mini photo studio background!

The moral of that story is wait for it to dry first!

Do you like the new pink background by the way? I bought an oddment of material, it has been cut and pinned for ages and finally I got the machine out and stitched it, not in my craft room where there is no room to work, but in the dining room! I wanted to make it a bit wider than I did, miscalculated the amount needed for hems, although it is the same width as the white, blue and grey panels that came with the studio.

This card has twinkled it's way into the following:

Tuesday Throwdown - bingo, stamp, enamel dots, die cut

Inspiration Destination - anything goes (Wed)

A Gem of a Challenge - Birthday (Sat)

Sketch Saturday - #370 

That Craft Place - words (Sun)

Little Miss Muffet - anything goes (Tues week)

The Ribbon Girl - Ivory (July)

Fab n Funky - no patterned paper (Aug 11th)

Won or top 3:

Allsorts - #320 add a banner or flag 

Quirky reminder - rosettes all the way.

I think this Cartoon illustration of a happy boy in a wheelchair, by Ken Brenner and available from our Quirky sponsor - Stitchy Bear Digital Outlet, is great. You don't often see images for kids in wheelchairs, and I thought I would make it into a well done card. I coloured the image with Promarkers and Graph'it Markers (the hair), die cut it with Spellbinders squares and matted onto a scalloped square. The trophy is a Marianne die. The sentiments are stamped with Hero Arts clear stamps. The rosette is a Sizzix Tim Holtz die. The card blank is shiny red card, I had to dumb down the lighting in the mini studio not to get too much shine.

Hop on over to Quirky Crafts to see some wonderful creations by the team and to play along with your rosette makes.

This card had raced into the following challenges:

Crafty Gal's Corner - anything goes (Wed 1st)

Inspiration Destination - anything goes (Wed)

Creative Fingers - #85 anything goes (Fri)

Glitter and Sparkle - sentimental (Sunday)

One Stitch at a Time - red, white and blue (Sun)

Pile it on - flag colours Red white and blue (Sun)

Chocolate, Coffee and cards - Seeing Red (Fri 10th July)

3-2-1 Blast off

Kenny was 3 at the weekend, where have 3 years gone? I made and posted this large card, is is C4 (A4/letter) size. I used two Kraftin Kimmie stamps, the rocket is by Rachel Anne Miller, and Astro Boy is by Annie Rodrigue and I thought they went together so well especially on the DCWV boy patterned paper. Images are coloured with Promarkers and Graph'it markers. The numbers and letters were die cut with Sizzix dies, and Birthday is die cut with a Marianne die from a stamp and die set, boy is a stamp from the same set. The little rockets are from a cute set I bought at the show by Lin & Lene Designs who are new to me. I added dots of Liquid Pearls and rays round the 1. 

This card is blasting into the following challenges:

TTCRD - anything goes May 18th - 25th

Little Miss Muffet - 112 anything goes (Thurs)

Sentimental Sundays - cute or funny sentiments 

Quirky caterpillar

It's Quirky reminder time, and I am sad that only two people have entered something that fits the challenge I set last week. The challenge is about children or animals playing dressing up, and the project must include ribbon.

This is such a cute image called Bugaboo Brats Bugs - Caterpillar. I put my sleeping child on a die cut bench, using a Joy Crafts die, in the garden (where all good caterpillars should be) surrounded by butterflies, and I used chiffon polka dot ribbon, and grosgrain ribbon with hearts both from Crafty Ribbons.

The papers are Marianne Rose Garden, and I used a Marianne icicle die to make the grass. The pink rose border is die cut with another Marianne die.

Marianne products used:

Marianne Design Creatables Die - Icicles LR0135

LR0212 Marianne Design Creatables Anja's Roses Border

Marianne Rose Garden paper stack and decoupage die cut butterflies - free with a magazine.

Inside I used more of the Rose Garden paper pack by Marianne.

This card has crawled into the following challenges:

Through the Craft Room Door - anything goes (23rd March)

Papertake Weekly - happy anything (Tues)

Catch the Bug - March Bingo Spring image, ribbon, button (25th March)

Little Miss Muffet - anything goes (Thurs)

Crafty Ribbons - anything goes with ribbon (Thurs 2nd April)

Cute Card Thursday - Spring fever

Polkadoodles - birthday (Fri)

Creative Fingers - #72 anything goes (Fri)

That's Crafty - wings and things (30th March)

Graph'it Markers - Spring colours (27th March)

Fussy and Fancy - #135 girly (3rd April)

Marianne Design Divas - for a boy or man (April 13th)

Die Cut Divas - Spring/children (March)

Craft Hoarders Anonymous - go green (April 20th)

Nearly Christmas, don't panic!

I am panicking as usual, cards not ready to give or post, shopping to do, labels for presents, wrap some presents, and it will all be over in a few days time!

I have cards to write and I know I need more, so here is the first one. Marshmallow Snowman from Meljen's Designs (on offer at $2 right now), coloured with Promarkers and Graphit's, and die cut with Spellbinders rectangle. The very pretty paper is by My Mind's Eye called Winter Wonderland, and I just had to turn the corner down, and secure it with a Papermania brad, so the other pretty polka dot side of this double sided paper showed up too. The stack came free with a magazine, gifts have got so much better.

Ribbon from Crafty Ribbons. The small stamped greeting in the corner reads Warm Winter Wishes and is from a Marianne set.

I have entered this card in the following challenges:

Tuesday Throwdown - #225 Christmas

Pile it on - anything goes/Christmas (Dec)

Winter Wonderland - fussy and fancy (Jan 2nd)

Chocolate Coffee and Cards - Christmas (any of the cards here) (Fri 26th)

Graphit's Markers - festive greetings (Jan 1st)

Pink Gems - Anything Christmas (Jan 3rd)

A batch of quick-ish cards, I had the Hero Arts reindeer, trees and snowflakes stamped, heat embossed and die cut for ages (sadly the snowflake dies have gone missing from the set so I will need to hunt for them and hope they are still in the room and not the trash). So all I had to do was stamp and emboss the background also with a Hero Arts and Sizzix collaboration set, and I used tri-coloured Brilliance ink in pink, blue and purple.

I added the embossed panel to a panel of pink metallic card cut with a Spellbinders card creator die, added some Let it Snow ribbon from Crafty Ribbons, and adhered it to a purple metallic card blank.

A leaping reindeer on this one, and more trees and snowflakes. This ribbon is Papermania.

I have entered these cards in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp - Winter (Wed)

Stamping Sensations - Winter Wonderland (Dec)

Die Cut Divas - snow/Christmas (Dec)

Rubber Dance - colour pallette (Dec)

That's Crafty - anything goes (5th Jan)

My time to craft - Christmas trees (3rd Jan)

Incy Wincy - anything goes (5th Jan)

Creative Card Crew - anything goes (Tues 6th Jan)

Pan Pastels - last minute Christmas (11th Jan)

This is a Spyder Lyn image (and is just 99p), I had them coloured (with Promakers) and die cut already (with a Spellbinders deckled long rectangle die) so simply had to add them to a card blank and add a bit of Crafty Ribbon ribbon.

I made three, and each image was coloured differently and one was a smaller size. I did wonder if I should add something else but these went off in the post today so it is too late now!

I have entered this card in the following challenges:

Papertake Weekly - the last Christmas card (Tues)

Cards Galore - anything goes (Dec)

I love Promarkers - #250 anything goes (6th Jan)

It's a Quirky Mythical reminder.

I'm late posting this because I have slept all day, I have a virus I think from my little grandson who stayed last weekend and had a cold, and gave me a lovely kiss goodbye! 

This is Tiny Bubbles from our wonderful sponsor Stitchy Bear Digital Stamps. I love her because she is a modern fairy with zendoodled wings and a punk cat - well it is a punk cat now! She is coloured with Promarkers, and Stickles glitter glue. I die cut her with Spellbinders dies, and kept to my favourite purple and lime green colour combination, and gave her a pink shadow, having seen this somewhere else and liking it.

I am still on a Christmas theme, so I found some freebie paper with stars on it, then stamped and die cut the sentiment with Marianne stamps and dies, and punched some more poinsettias with a Nellie Snellen punch and embossing set, and added some green microbeads to the centre for stamens.

The glitter got a bit out of control due to a blocked nozzle, it was outputting just glue and no glitter at first.

For those followers who entered my blog candy giveaway - I redrew a winner at the beginning of the month (after waiting over a month for the first "winner" to contact me), and I will delete the second drawn winner in the next couple of days and redraw for the third time! So you better check if you entered or you might miss out.

I hope you will hop over to the Quirky blog and see the beautiful examples the rest of the team have made.

This card has twinkled its way into the following challenges:

Papertake Weekly - Two or four legs (Tues)

Addicted to Stamps - anything goes (Wed)

Die Cut Divas - Holiday (Nov)

Glitter and Sparkle - cute (Sun)

Fussy and Fancy - #127 two of a kind - pair of wings, pair of poinsettias (Fri 28th)

ABC - x for xtra special (end Nov?)

Creative Fingers - #56 anything goes (Fri but which Fri?)

We've gone Quirky mythical - ladies!

Kemly set the Quirky challenge this time and it is Mythical Ladies. Our generous sponsor is Stitchy Bear Digital stamps who are providing all three prizes, and provided the team with images to showcase too.

I used Yddris Yddris by Alipeeps, and coloured her with Promarkers. I didn't know what I was going to do with her until she was coloured and fussy cut, in fact her hair is decoupaged because I coloured her skin green and then decided it wasn't right but I didn't want to start the hair over again. I have tried to give her shiny purple hair using several shades of purple and light grey for the highlights, does it work or not really?

She very much reminds me of Lord of the Rings, and I knew I wanted to frame her somehow, this embossing stencil that was free with a magazine looked promising. So after embossing some Coordinations and standing it, I cut out the centre to make my frame. The snowflake cardstock behind the image was also free with possibly the same magazine. My card needed a little more, and the poinsettias seemed just right, made using my Nellie Snellen poinsettia punch and embossing sets (I still don't seem to have the middle size, must remember to try and buy them), and layers of embossed poinsettia leaves in the same dark metallic purple that I used for the card base, with some teal layers to tie in with the background. Microbeads came to mind for the stamens, and I found a pack I remembered having and - wow I found teal which was perfect! This was in a set called Art Accentz Jumbo Embellishment Palletz by Provo Craft, which included pots of microbeads, seed beads and glitter. Once I got the pot open, over a small tidy tray, I could hear the beads pinging everywhere! Trying to get them back in the pot afterwards (the ones I caught in the tray of course, I am not hunting the desk and floor for microbeads!), proved tricky because somehow they seemed to expand. So I ended up re-organising some other stuff to get them into a locking organiser and I will use a little spoon with them in future.

Finally the sentiment is stamped with a Marianne clear stamp set and die cut with a Marianne Anja Label die (LR0421 Anja Lables and CS0862 Clear stamps.)

Hop on over to Quirky Crafts Challenge Blog to see some other gorgeous mythical ladies and to join in.

My mythical lady has been entered into the following challenges:

Through the craft room door - anything goes (Nov 4th to 10th)

Paper Take Weekly - anything goes (Tues 11th)

Christmas Card Challenges - faith based or anything Christmas (Sun)

One Stitch at a Time - #223 distressing (Sun)

Pile it on - add some sparkle (Sun)

Creative Card Crew - Christmas Joy  (Tues 18th)

Cards Galore - anything goes (Nov)

That Craft Place - anything goes (Nov)

Where is Santa Claus?

I made this card with the Marianne challenge in mind, and the challenge is black and white, or favourite colour combination.

I die cut the sleigh and reindeer, and village scene and adhered them to a panel of glitter card cut with a Spellbinders card creator die. I added Liquid Pearl reins and snow, with glitter on top for the snow.

I die cut the star borders and used some of the stars from that in the sky.

I stamped the sentiment onto a banner and heat embossed it with sparkly embossing powder, and finally I added some stickles glue to the star border.

I have used the following Marianne products:

LR0178 Sleigh

LR0178 Reindeer

LR0173 Village 2

LR0134 Christmas Star border

LR0421 Anja Lables

CS0862 Clear stamps

This card trotted into the following challenges:

We Do Doobadoo - enhance your die cuts (Sat)

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas challenge 201 - sparkle (Sat)

Christmas Card Challenges - no embellishments (Sun)

Glitter n Sparkle - anything but square (Sun)

Crafty Card Makers - cut it out (Mon)

Pile it on #44 - Feeling chilly (Wed)

Bunny Zoe's - animals (10th Nov)

Marianne Design Diva's - black and white (Nov 13th?)

Cards Galore - anything goes (Nov)

Die Cut Divas - holiday (Nov)

Singing a Quirky song - yes it's a reminder to come and play Quirky Charades

With a little help from my friends by John Lennon of course, and the quote comes with Pierre and Ernest, among other sentiments, from Paper Pretties and when I spotted it I knew I had to do it! We have two sponsors and three prizes, so come and play!

I coloured the image with Promarkers, die cut it with a Spellbinders label and the orange mat is cut with 5"x 7" card creator dies, the quote is cut with a Spellbinders nesting book die, the treble clef (musical note) is a Marianne die, and Thanks is from a new set by IO (Impression Obsession) which I bought as a bargain from Crafts U Love in their weekly bargain corner, I often find that the thing I would have bought was out of stock, but not this time.

I added some Tim Holtz paper string in black and white and orange and white (there is a definite orange and black theme going on here) and can you see the guitar charm tied to the twine?

Anyway hop on over to Quirky Crafts to play Charades or just to see the rest of the team playing!

This card has cycled into the following challenges:

Vintage Stamping - colour challenge (Mon) withdrawn due to no stamping,sorry I forgot when I entered this one, please discard.

Allsorts - Masculine (Sat)

My Time to Craft - charmed I'm sure (Sat)

Crafty Cardmakers - cut it out (Sun)

Bunny Zoe's - animals (10th Nov)

That's Crafty - hot and spicy (13th Nov?)

Wags and Whiskers - Let's be thankful (13 Nov)

Cards Galore - anything goes (Nov)

Crafty Boots - music (Nov)

Thank you - 102 follower blog candy. Extended to 30th Sept.

My blog candy will end on Sept 30th - see the details at the bottom of this post and please enter if you want. This post is pinned to the top, please scroll down for newer posts.

I planned this card to fit in with the latest Marianne challenge, use your newest Marianne product, as well as numerous black and white challenges, however I can only find one of those now and that is Stampotique (oh and that has ended too - but luckily the bow lets me enter the newest challenge) - so I guess I missed the boat on the rest!

It is a lot different to any card I have made before, change is good.

My latest Marianne product was going to be just the stamp set (CS0858), which I bought recently, but then I spotted this chicken wire embossing folder and die set (DF3404) - ordered it and it arrived this week. 

I stamped the letter from the set and cut hexagons from it with the die, black ink and white card. These were mounted on the embossed hexagons of the black square. Then the negative of the hexagon die, expanded, was trimmed and used on the black embossed square. I stamped the postcard, frank, watch, quill and a stamp from the set, the stamps and quill were coloured with Graphit pen in turquoise, in fact I air brushed the large stamp using my little spritzer and the Graphit marker! The black panel was mounted on a square of glittered white card and attached with white brads. I had some b&w Papermania Designer paper that was just right for the larger panel, around which I tied black and white polka dot chiffon ribbon. I had some black and white Prima blooms that were perfect, and found some polka dot brads for the centres. The sentiment is stamped from a Fiskars set. Finally I added a bow and some black glitter paper hexagons, and two white buttons. I think you can put more clutter on a monotone card without it looking too trashy - I hope so anyway!

This is the inside of the card, same paper and panel cut with Spellbinders scalloped square.

It seems appropriate that the card is a Thank You card.

Whoo hoo - I came in the top 3 at That's Crafty

That's Crafty - use stamps (Aug 22nd) - Top Three

I have entered the following challenges:

Marianne Design Diva's - use your newest Marianne stash (Wed 13th Aug)

Stampotique Designers Challenge - bows SDC159 (Wed)

We Do Doobadoo - shabby chic (Sat 23rd)

Pink Gem #125 - embossing (Sat)

Allsorts - #271 All sentimental (Sat)

Papertake Weekly - anything goes - optional torn paper (YAY I have torn paper!) (Tues)

Charisma Cardz - buttons and bows (Aug 20th)

Creative Fingers - #45 Anything goes (Fri 22nd Aug)

Stamping Sensations - anything goes (Aug)

Cards Galore - anything goes (Aug)

The Artistic Stamper - Anything goes (Aug)

102 follower Blog Candy.

Here is the first item in my 102 followers blog candy! I was thrilled to find I had got to 100, and even more thrilled that 102 people actually want to follow me, and combined with my recent birthday and several challenge wins myself this year, I decided I should give a little candy to my followers.

I will add some more bits to the candy, the winner will get this Tonic die and some other nice goodies, maybe stamps, ribbons, buttons, charms and more!

Here's a bit more candy, this is a useful set for Christmas.

Would you like to see a little more of what might be coming your way?

Here is some more candy!

 A few bits of lace.....

An assortment of charms......

and more goodies not shown here!

Here is the bag of goodies so far, looking good?

If you would like to win my candy please leave a comment, and add your link below.

I haven't decided on a closing date - I have set it to the end of August, maybe I will extend it - I will see how it goes!

My candy is ending on 30th September - whatever happens! You don't have to tell people on your blog, but it would be nice if you do!

Mother's Day cards.

I made a batch of quick (ish) Mother's Day cards all using the mini hats, and all with a panel of handmade paper under a scalloped or plain rectangle (or both) cut with Spellbinders long rectangles, and a couple of ribbons. I stamped and heat embossed the Hero Arts sentiment, and each card has either pearls or blooms or both.

This non fluffly Mum's day card is made using a Marianne stamp and die set, I am not totally happy with it, this is the first one. I need to make the top panel a different colour, maybe the patterned paper, or put this on a larger card so there is a gap. Anyway I was being frugal, the gold cup is cut from the centre of the gold panel, and the shorts and shirt are cut from the centre of the pink panel.

I am going to try different colourways. The panels are all cut with Spellbinders Card Creator A2 B set (I don't own the A set). The stamping is heat embossed.