Brand New Challenge Blog and DT call

Quirky Crafts forum has launched the Quirky Crafts challenge blog, so the fortnightly challenges that were previously hosted on the forum will now be on the brand new stylish blog. We also have some great new sponsors, so there are lovely prizes to be won if you enter and win. Of course new sponsors are also very welcome, and will be featured on the blog and forum. There are also great guest designers who are joining in with the DT.

There is also a design team call out at the moment and open until 28th February, so hop on over and find out all about it.

Win this gorgeous stamp in the current challenge ending tomorrow.

Challenge reminder

Over on the very friendly Quirky Crafts Forum we are having a ball with great new challenge sponsors and prizes this year. The current challenge is teddy bears, so get your teddy bear stamps, papers, dies or punches out and make a card or any other craft project and join in.
The challenge this fortnight is sponsored by The Crafty Pad and you can win a prize of the lovely stamps over there.
My DT card uses one of my favourite Crafty Pad stamps, a teddy holding the word hugs:

The calendar and the next card are made using stamps or images from The Crafty Pad too.

So what are you waiting for, get over there and enter your project before Sunday when another challenge will be announced which is sponsored by The Cutting Cafe who are the sponsors for February.

Its snowing again

Will it be enough to make everyone stay home from work I wonder? I have lots I can do, I have to make my Crafty Ribbons Challenge project, sort lots of stamps, photograph and catalogue them and plenty more. I am stocked up with food to last a few days too having been shopping again tonight.
The lovely Ali at Crafty Ribbons told me not to give away my ribbony goodness, Crafty Ribbons are kindly going to sponsor Quirky Crafts forum and provide prizes for a challenge - how kind is that? Ali is so nice and all the people at Crafty Ribbons, really nice people so go over and visit the blog and the shop which is having a great January sale now. Link is in the next post.

Quirky Crafts Challenge 19 - Yellow

The first challenge of 2010 over on Quirky Crafts forum is Anne's Yellow, make a creation including yellow in the design somewhere.
The challenge is sponsored by Debbie Moore of The Crafty Pad, and I used Debbie's Roshell duck digital image to create an A4 calendar which opens to reveal birthday and Christmas reminder sheets for 2009.
Debbie has donated two stamps as the prize that the winner of this challenge will get. So get your yellow stash out and get crafting, any craft project can be entered and you have two weeks to enter.

I enlarged the Roshell image (which is one of the big advantages of using a digital image, apart from not having to store and find them) and printed it on printable pearlescent card which was a bit tricky to colour, but I used my ProMarkers and Trias to do this. I cut the images out with the Victorian Fiskars blade and mounted in on blue pearlescent card which I also mounted the calendar months on and cut the letters and numbers from with Sizzix Lollipop dies. All paper is Papermania and is from a stack issued a few years ago. Blooms are all Prima, gem brads are Dovecraft, blue pearl domes are Papermania, grossgrain polka dot and blue ribbons are from Crafty Ribbons. Calendar was from Crafty Devils but I cut it up, Birthday and Christmas reminders were created by me in Word.

I think it looks really nice on my wall.

This is the inside with a  Christmas card and gift list on the left and birthday reminder by month on the right.

 

I also made this birthday card for my son, the stamps are Cherry Pie Art Stamps and I thought it would remind him of his honeymoon which was partly in Dubai where he saw camels, he said "why have you made a card with camels on in the middle of winter", so it was lost on him slightly! I also stamped some matching wrapping paper, but it didn't photograph well and is gone now. Sentiment is from a Daisy and Dandelion stamp set.

Snow

It is so cold, I feel sorry for any rough sleepers and the wildlife in this weather. Alfie is not keen on the snow. The birds are hungry, and the local stream is very pretty all captured with my new camera a very welcome Christmas present, it is a Canon EOS500D. I have loads more snow photos, and will bore you with them soon as well as hopefully videos of the craft room horror story and the makeover, but I just need to work out how to edit the video, and I am really struggling to understand the movie editing software.

 

 

 The first fortnightly challenge of 2010 on Quirky Crafts forum begins on Sunday, I will soon be able to show you what I have made for my DT example. We have an exciting new sponsor and a great prize for the winner of the new challenge.

Today I had lots of post, the first since the snow. I had a package of sale goodies from Crafty Devils, and two packages of stamps from the USA, I also had a package of gorgeous ribbons from Crafty Ribbons, and I am to make a challenge project using some of them soon.

Quirky Crafts Challenge 18 - Christmas

I picked this fortnight's challenge over on the Quirky Crafts Forum and I thought we should do Christmas before we get there. My card is stamped and embossed in silver using two Penny Black stamps. I love this tree and hope to use it in many ways, but as it is so near Christmas I might not manage that. Still have loads of cards to make though so maybe sticking to one stamp and design is the way forward, also it is hard to remember who I gave which card to last year. I made 11 of these cards with varying trimmings. All panels were die cut with Nestabilities large rectangle and large scalloped rectangles.
Ribbon was a RAK from Deanne, thanks Deanne, and I think I have some more of the same somewhere in my stash, if only I could find it.........

We have just been to our first Christmas party of the year and it was good fun. Took another evening out of making those cards though!

You can enter any project you like in this fortnightly challenge, and you could win a prize. There are some wonderful DT examples on the forum including an altered tin, and an exploding box with darling tree in the middle.

Sneaky peek of challenge 18

Tomorrow is Challenge 18 over on Quirky Crafts forum, and here is a sneaky peek of my creation, I hope to make another creation but I can't say definately.
If you are anything like me, and you probably aren't, I have such good intentions, print off various challenges, think through what I am going to make and then suddenly it is too late, the challenge is over and I didn't make my card. There are two that ended today which I really wanted to enter and missed them.

Two more days to enter

Nobody has made a card using Lyn's very versatile sketch yet and there are two more days to make your card, enter the challenge on Quirky Crafts Forum and win a prize. There are some great examples by the design team on the forum and their blogs.

Quirky Crafts Weekly Challenge 17

How do you go about creating a design team challenge card?
1. First, you know what you need to do a couple of months in advance, you should not make the card in advance - you should leave it until as late as possible, the day it is due is best.
2. If a sketch is required, pick a stamp but don't try it for size against your Nestabilities die sets, that way it is more of a challenge when you find it doesn't fit any of them and you have to start again, but not before you have stamped 4 images on 6 sheets of card and heat embossed in an attempt to get a good one, and having cleared a space you should realise that there are bits of punch waste that you also need to clear, and while doing that you should tip up your newly opened embossing powder. Clear up the powder liberally covering your clothes, then for good measure tip the pot up again and repeat. Also your first stamping attempt should use dried up ink, so you have to do it again.
3. After that discover that the stamp was too big, and look for some you stamped last year that were the perfect size all the time.
4. Finally get your inky fingers all over your newly stamped image for a smutty effect.
So here is Lyn's sketch and a nice one it is too:

Followed by the finished attempt, and for good measure forget to go cook and eat your tea so you eat too late and cannot sleep!

Hop on over to Quirky Crafts forum to see the other DT member's cards or visit their blogs from the links at the side. If you show us your card on the forum you could win a prize, and you have two weeks from today to enter.

Hey, I just realised I matched the colours in the sketch drawing, which was not intentional and would not have been the case if the first image was the right size!

Better late than never - Quirky Crafts Weekly Challenge 16

Weekly Challenge 16 is masculine, so as I was in the wedding card mood I thought I would do a Civil Partnership card. I have never made one of these before but have been meaning to for some time, so would be grateful to know if the wording is suitable or if I should put something else. I am going to make a card insert in the paler colour so it can be written on, unless I do another heart to write on.

On the gadget front: I am awaiting the delivery of The Slice in pink. I wasn't going to buy one, didn't think I needed one but what changed my mind was the fact that there is a tag cartridge which works with The Tag Maker. I bought The Tag Maker a long time ago before The Slice existed and was disappointed when I found it didn't cut the tags. You either had to trace round a template and cut them out or buy a die cutting set which was only available in the USA and was mega heavy so postage was HUGE, and you needed a die head for every shape and in every size or it wasn't worth bothering and the whole set that you could get, which wasn't every size or shape, cost a lot in the first place so I have justified buying The Slice. I got it at a good price, the pink one comes with two carts and I bought the tag cart at a bargain price.Hoped it would arrive today, but roll on Monday's post now.

Quirky Crafts Weekly Challenge 15

I still haven't got my photo programs sorted out but I grabbed this from Quirky Crafts Forum thanks to Fe who put it on there for me. The challenge this week is set by Anne and is a recipe: two shades of pink, one ribbon and three eyelets. I used dark and light pearlescent card cut using the Sizzix XL mover and shaper die with a tree shape, and I used the darker colour tree which is stuck to the inside so it shows through the aperture. The tree is decorated with gems, and a star which is on the outside. I stamped a greeting with my new Just Rite stamps (won in the Christmas blog hop) and the circle Nestabilities, and some ribbon I recieved as a RAK from Deanne, thanks Deanne for that and the rest especially the little choccy bar, yum! Finally I added three pink star eyelets. A pretty quick card to make really.

 I was trying to clear a space to make this, and find a box for the Just Rite stamps to live in and I knocked over a tub full of bits, you know the kind, you just pop odd eyelets, stamped images, spare die cut shapes etc in it, well there was a lot and it went everywhere!  I did find things I had forgotten were there though.

Should be showing you my DT card but....

Last week Windows 7 arrived despite the postal strike - hooray (I think).

Friday evening I decided to install it, had to do a back up first, and I had to locate and download a backup program for Firefox and in particular Thunderbird as I didn't want to lose all my emails yet again! So I managed that, and backed up then started the install process. I had no idea it would take so long, was it because I chose full install over upgrade?
Well I sat there into the early hours waiting to put in the key, did that then got told after it rebooted again that I had a fake copy of Windows, and would I like to register online, buy a licence or re-enter the key? I re-entered and all seemed well, left it and went to bed.
Yesterday I found that all my files and programs had been moved to a folder called "Windows Old", I did see a warning that it would move old windows program files to this folder, and my simple brain assumed it meant actual Windows files not everything!
The warning also mentioned something about being able to see them but not to use them. This means that many of my programs do not work, and even if I copy them into the right place again they still do not work.
I tried re-installing my internet security program and got an error message saying there was a file that would make my PC unstable so it wouldn't be installed, but luckily I found I could download the latest version which according to Kapersky is the only compatible version, and use it with my existing licence key. Phew.
Now onto the DT card for this week, I cannot get the Cannon Zoombrowser software to work, I am now having to resort to installing an XP version from disk and hoping it will install so I can update it, as the full program no longer seems to be available from Cannon online. I know I must have a download of the Vista version somewhere in my old files, but I can't find it - unless it is on one of the back up disks prior to Friday, deep joy!
So that is the program that grabs my photos from the memory card or camera, then I need a photo editing program and that means I need to try and get Serif working which I haven't yet got to.

Sooooo, to get to the point, I had to email my photos to Fe from the memory card and she has got them onto Quirky Crafts forum for Challenge 15, in fact I might be able to grab a copy from there to show you here......

Quirky Crafts Weekly Challenge 14

Look at this great prize which you could win if you enter Challenge 14. 

Challenge 14 over on Quirky Crafts Forum is to create a project with a Halloween or autumn theme. This is my attempt! I used Annie by Charmed Delectable Stamps (in fact this stamp is called elegant Annie), gave her a die cut witches hat and pumpkin, and the leaves, ghost eyelets, Papermania ribbon, Hero Arts Boo and spider and web stamps from the Owloween set, and the bats are sequins. Black blooms, and Making Memories swirly brad, with glitter paper in the background, and grey paper. Does Annie look spooky?

Sneaky peek of Challenge 12

Sneaky peek of my creation for the Quirky Crafts Forum weekly challenge that will be revealed in full tomorrow.  Can you guess what it is yet? You still have time to enter the Out and About challenge that ends tomorrow and you could win a nice little surprise if your creation is picked as the best.

Quirky Crafts Challenge 13

It is challenge 13 over at the Quirky Craft forum.  The topic is Out and About chosen by Fe Fe.  You can make any papercraft or altered item for this challenge and you could win a prize.  You have two weeks to enter the challenge.

I choose a Penny Black stamp called Wooly Dames, stamped with Memento ink, coloured with Promarkers. Cut out with Spellbinders Nestabilities labels 2. Papers are K&Co so is the stick on jewel. Sentiment is Hero Arts, blooms are Bazzill Wings, ribbon by Papermania.

Quirky Crafts Challenge 12 Vintage

Quirky Crafts Weekly Challenge 12 is Vintage. This is only the second vintage card I have ever made, though I have lots of lovely vintage stamps, well 3 if you count my Charlie Chaplin card, but that didn't look terribly vintage!

I fell in love with this stamp by Inkadinkado but I had never used it.  I think it worked very well.
Ink Memento, inked edges Colorbox chalk ink, image coloured with Twinkling H2Os, papers by Papermania and Craftwerks, Hero Arts blooms, Craft Box stickers, and some mock brads.  The clock mock brad is Magic Scrapz by Designer Flair, the paper lace was from Lakeland, and the ribbon from Ribbon Oasis.

If you want to enter your craft project into this challenge you could win a prize, enter by 8 p.m. next Sunday to be in with a chance to win. Pop on over and see the rest of the design team's projects.

Sneaky peek of Challenge 12

Later this evening Weekly Challenge 12 will be posted on the Quirky Crafts forum.  For your delectation here is a sneaky peek of my creation.  Can you guess the theme yet? Check back later to see the whole thing and this week's prize.

You still have a little time to enter last week's challenge and win the prize, see post further down for details.

Board Games challenge at Quirky Crafts

You can make any project to enter this challenge, based on any board game and there is a little prize for the winner. Only two days to go now, and nobody has entered so if you enter now you have a really good chance of winning.

Board games- Quirky Crafts challenge 11

Deanne set the challenge of board games which is a good one. I had lots of ideas but left it to the last minute once again. The Mahjong card took ages and went horribly wrong in all sorts of ways so I am not sure it is good enough to give to anyone (believe me it is worse than it looks).

The scrabble card was a last minute 10 minute card, well it took a bit longer to find the right scrabble letters, and I remembered I had some gaming papers that I was given by a magazine for having something published and looked them out, this one is perfect!

You could win a great little prize if you enter the challenge this week and are picked out. Any type of crafting qualifies.

Think of all those games, chess, draughts, monopoly, snakes and ladders, ludo - there must be loads that could inspire a project for this challenge!

Quirky Crafts Challenge 11

Unfortunately due to Fe being ill this week's challenge is delayed, but here are a couple of sneaky peeks.