Hallowe'en in August!!

Not Christmas in July but Hallowe'en in August!

This was a daily challenge on Mad Crafters Giggles on Facebook.

Anyway it took my fancy as I had just noticed
the digis

Delicious Doodles 'Pumpkin Corner'

and

Dragons Lair 'Spooky Tree'

I printed both on a dusky pink cardstock and then coloured them  in using Promarkers
 in a variety of basic colours including orange and lime green,

I cut a roughly circular shape around the 'Spooky Tree' and a rectangle around the 'Pumpkin Corner'
 then distressed them around the edges with Tim Holtz 'Ripe Persimmon'.

I was basically following the square version of this card sketch for Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #304

I used a cream pre-folded square card base, matted it with a pale pink cardstock, added my shapes and a few embellishments...and this is how it turned out...

As well as the Mojo Challenge I am also submitting it to the following Challenges

Craft Blogging Central Challenge #1 - 'Anything Goes'

Delicious Doodles Challenge #47 - 'Anything Goes'

Sister Act Card Chalenge #18 - 'Anything Goes'

I wanted to add an entry to the Make It Monday challenge too. I was doing this late last night though and didn't get it quite organised...MIM#151 allows you to link to a favourite make from any time.

I made the following card recently for my daughter's Birthday. I used one of my favourite poppy stamps from Indigo Blu, stamped with one of my favourite ink pads - Hero Arts 'soft canteloupe'.

 My daughter's favourite colour is orange!

I originally posted this in Nearly the end of May but think it also fits with Hallowe'en colours!

Happy Crafting!!

Just for fun!!

Very exciting!

Today is the launch of the Just for Fun Challenge Blog!

I was honoured to be invited to join the very talented group of crafters who make up the Just for Fun DT!!

 I hope I can add a little something in my own small way!

The first challenge is 'Anything Goes'.

If you have read any of my blogs you will know that I am 'between craft rooms'!

My husband and I recently left Abu Dhabi and we are back in the UK awaiting our next 'expat posting'.

Anyway I decided that my 'Anything Goes' card was going to feature a beautiful butterfly embellishment that I picked up in the Naif Street Souq in Dubai - a very colourful area of Dubai with small shops overflowing with inexpensive ribbons and bows, buttons and beads, laces and gems...

Because I didn't want to detract from the lovely gold,beige and brown butterfly,

 the rest of the card is very minimalist.

I started with a pre-folded white card and just added horizontal and vertical banners in gold and brown papers. The butterfly and a few sparkly floral beads completed the picture.

And here it is...

Happy Crafting!

Some cute cards

I have just added another card to my 'cute cards for kids' collection...

Today's card is the one bottom left. I used the Bugaboo image 'girlpeek5'.

 (Bottom right was Bugaboo 'beachbaby')

My second set of cute cards are my 'Here comes Summer' ATC's for the UK ATC Swap on facebook.

Finally I have my entry for the Digi Darla Challenge #73

This used the prescribed digi plus sundry embellishments and micro beads.

Happy Crafting!

Stitching and stuff

I am more likely to use a needle in non-card making projects...

for instance last Christmas I made this for my sister and family - my great nephew was not phased by the fact that Santa's sleigh was pulled by a kangaroo - I originally bought the kit for the picture in Australia and then developed it into an advent calendar!

Also in the Autumn last year I knitted and crocheted items

 for the Portsmouth Museum of the Royal Navy Yarnscape...

Here is a collage that was on show at the Museum - I hope to try and visit this Summer!

And then quite recently I had a go at my first quilt - a tipsy 9 patch,

 using lots of fabrics I had in my 'sewing stash'.

Anyway I have seen so many lovely cards and ATC's using stitchery I thought I would try and use more...

For instance my aunt sent me this lovely fuchsia card that she made for my Birthday...

and then a friend gave me this as a 'farewell' card...

So...here are some of the stitchery cards I have done...some ATC's in February

and then a cross-stitched ATC yesterday...

Finally, the two cards I have made for Sketch'n'Scrap Challenges this week,
 have stitched pockets attached.
 These were purchased, but I could have stitched them myself had my machine not been in storage!!

I wrote about the first card in my last blog but the second is made following this sketch -
 Sketch'n'scrap Card Challenge #6.

 Here is my card:
The papers are from 6x6 pads in my stash,
 the stamps from 'Keep Stamping' magazine and Hobbycraft.

Happy Crafting!

Sketches

 I quite like following sketches to make my cards. The above picture shows 4 cards I recently made for a PPS Dubai blog featuring a card sketch challenge

The following sketch is for Sketch~N~Scrap Card Challenge #5

This is my take on it...

Funnily enough I used a tag on it - I now find the Challenge #6 also includes a tag -

 maybe I will have a go at that tomorrow!!

I used a purchased stitched pocket over banners of scrap papers.

 The tag was stamped using a stamp from 'Get Stamping' magazine.

The ribbon, gems and butterfly were from my stash...in fact the butterfly was attached to a present I recently received - nothing is ever wasted in my house!!

Happy Crafting!