Three Cards, Eight Challenges

Morning, gosh my second post for the day, must be on a roll lol!  I made these cards yesterday in a spot of crafty therapy and relaxation and they fit numerous challenges.

This first one is for my mum's best friend, Brenda who turns 60 on Monday. They went to school together, went clubbing together and now, will be using their new bus passes together lol!.   This one's entered into

Simon Says - Vintage with flowers

These are new stamps, I don't have many Tilda Magnolia cos I think I'm one of few people who find them a bit freaky - where's their mouths lol!  However, I have loved every single card I've seen with this image and I've had my first ever attempt at the masking technique!  Wowzers it was easier than I thought!

Brenda doesn't like too much fuss on her cards and I didn't want to distress this.  I think the papers have a distressed look to them and anyway and the colours are quite vintage. The lace was originally sewn onto some shabby blue ribbon, which obviously wouldn't match so I unstitched some to use separately.  The photo corners where drawn once freehand to make a template on black cardstock.  I edged the burgunday paper with a lovely gold paint pen - which I've now lost somewhere on my craft table so can't tell you which one it is - sorry!! 

RECIPE

Stamps - Magnolia

Colouring Mediums- Copics, Promarkers and Inkessentials White Marker 

Papers - Basic Grey 

Lace - Stash

Circle Die Cut - Nesties

Flowers - Hobby House

Leaf Punch - Leone Em

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My second card is for my uncle Chris. He was in the Royal Air Force for years and did a couple of stints posted over in Holland - which his family LOVED!  This fits...

Cards & Things Challenge - Sketch

Quixotic Challenges - One for the Boys

Your Next Stamp Challenge - Spring Colours

RECIPE

Digi Image -Sugar Nellie (Funky Kits)

Cardstock - Stash

Papers - Basic Grey

Card Candy - Stash

Metal zig zag Brads - Stash (possibly Papermania)

Sentiment - done on laptop

Circle  Punch - XCut

Card Candy

I'm sure he'll love this image!

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My last card today is for Mother's Day.

Paper Cutz Challenge - Feminine with fairy and the colours pink, green, white and lavender/blue

Totally Gorjuss - It's For You Mum

Allsorts - Mother's Day

Magical Crafts Fortnightly Challenge - Something for Mum

Papercutz ideally want this to be a birthday card too (I missed that little detail!) but I hope they'll still be happy with this.  I LOVE papers with circles on and have loads of em on 12x12pages! As soon as I received this stamp I thought of this paper!!  I don't know what went on with this pic but in reality the colours in the random circle paper isn't as bleached!!  No matter what I do though I can't get a better pic than this!  I have again used the lace after removing it from the blue ribbon it was attached to.

RECIPE

Stamp - Lily of the Valley

Pink paper - stash

Patterned Paper - by Crafty Creations Ltd 

Die Cut - Nestabilities

Border Punch - Martha Stewart

Lace - Stash 

Flowers - Prima

Polka Dot Brad - stash

Sentiment - done on laptop

Circle Punch - XCut  

Phew, and that's all of them! I loved making these as have been wanting the opportunity to use these images.  It also gave me chance to practice with my copics and promarkers.

Thanks for stopping by.  Am off to gymnastics now with Emily then gonna help Pete decorating our bedroom - yes I've had to resort to cracking the whip with him now for him to get him to finish it lol!

Take care and happy crafting

Mel X

A One in Seven Card

Good morning everyone.  Brrrr, we had a really heavy frost last night, it's still quite cold but we now have bright sunshine!  I feel reassured that spring is just around the corner.

I've made a card today for one of Emily's friends, whose mother is frantically preparing for her daughter's ninth birthday - party in their home.  Think she is very brave opening up the house to quite a lot of 'tweenagers' lol!

I used the sketch over at Allsorts for this.  I am not entering this in their challenge as I've already put in my entry.  They do not want links with other challenges for this one as they have a DT call out.  So, if you have time, why not take a look over there.

ABC Challenge - New

Cute Card Thursday - Bloomin Gorgeous

Dutch Dare - Summer in Winter

Pile it On - Enough of Winter Colours

The Pink Elephant - Your Favourite TPE Challege (mine is
#51 Polka Dots, a Bow & Pink)

Saturday Spotlight - Bigger is Better (Flowers - 4 on each)

 This was a fabulous sketch to work with and I love this new image and girly papers,which are quite summery too.  There flowers are each made up of four which is a bit OTT for me, so hope that satisfies all the briefs!

RECIPE

Image - Mo's Digital Pencil
Colouring Mediums - copics and watercolour pencils
Papers - Basic Grey
Cardstock - Sizzix
Flowers - Prima
Bow - ribbon from stash
Glitter - Glamour Dust
Card Candy

Thanks for stopping by.  Enjoy the rest of your day.

Mel X

Allsorts Challenge plus DT CALL

Good afternoon everyone!  It's a miserable wet day here, so I've been amusing myself bloghopping - gosh, there's a lot of talent out there!!  I am LOVING being on a design team and consider myself very lucky to be on one.  I appear to be down a bit on challenge entries myself so thought I'd 'get back on the horse', so to speak LOL! 

This weeks challenge over at Allsorts is a sketch and a DT call.  I am going to try out for this though I doubt I'll get the call - that said, don't know if yer don't try!! They are such a talented bunch of ladies - and a very popular challenge!  If you have time, why not pop over and try out too?

This was a great sketch to work with - so much so I did two other cards based on this design LOL!

I wanted to do a card for my step brother Jonathon.  So far I am managing to stick to my New Year's Resolution of ACTUALLY using the cards I make, rather than saving them in a box LOL!

RECIPE

Image - Charmed Download

Colouring Mediums - copics and watercolour pencils

Black cardstock - stash

Papers - Basic Grey

Sentiment - done in Word on laptop

Buttons - papermania

Green Twine - stash

I hope he like's it!  Thanks for stopping by  my little haven of peace and quiet!  Enjoy your day.

Mel X

Something Special - A Retirement Card

Evening everybody, are you all ready for Christmas?  I've still got a bit of shopping to do, trying to crack on with the wrapping for now!!  I've a few more cards I want to make before Christmas.  Once they're done I intend to pack away most of my craft stuff to the loft outta the way til after all the festivities.  I don't have my own craft room so this plan should hopefully ensure the dining room remains tidy!

This card I have done for my mum's best friend who turns 60 at the end of December and retires on the 4th January.   I am entering it into the following challenges;

Magical Crafts Fortnightly Challenge - Special

Allsorts Challenge - Pearls and Swirls

Stampin' for the Weekend - Blue and Brown

Daring Cardmakers - Going Dotty

Totally Gorjuss - Free and Easy

Quixotic Challenge - Lace

The layout design is my own.  I decided against any sentiment on the front as I think that may detract from all the elements - I think my craft stuff  kinda exploded on it a bit LOL!  The insert inside reads

"Congratulations on your Retirement,

time now to spread your wings and let the fairy

within you fly"

The flourish is gorgeous but quite big and I cut it to use in the two area here.  The flourish was also quite expensive but I LOVE the effect so think am gonna get creative with a pencil and create my own in the New Year.

I have also gone round the edges of the cardstock and papers with my uni silver paint pen to give a slightly gilted look to the edges.

RECIPE

Image - Mo's Digital Pencil

Colouring Medium - copics, water colour pencils

Blue Cardstock - Stash

Papers - My Minds Eye and HOTP

Border Punch - Martha Stewart

Leaf Punch - Leone Em

Flowers - Prima

Pearly Flourish - Prima

Lace - local haberdashery

Card Candy

Glamour Dust

My mum's friend has been ill lately so I hope this cheers her up and that she can soon wave goodbye to the pressures of work, really enjoy her retirement and let her hair down.

Thankyou for stopping by my little haven in cyber space.  I hope you like what you see!  Take care and happy crafting. 

Mel X

A Card for Emily

Hi everyone, here's my second card for today, a Christmas card for my daughter and it will be entered into the following challenges:

Sunday Sketch and Stamp -  Sketch

Allsorts Challenge Blog - Purple

PaperPlay Challenges - Christmas Without Red or Green

Incy Wincy Designs - Snowflakes

Glamour Dust has been applied to her hat and scarf.  A silver Uni paint pen has been used to edge each piece of card and paper.

RECIPE

Image - Mo's Digital Pencil Too

Cardstock - Sizzix

Papers - Dovecraft

Colouring Mediums - copics and watercolour pencils

Snowflake - stash

Ribbon - stash

The sentiment was created on my laptop.  Thankyou for stopping by, I hope you like what you see.  Take care.

Mel X