The Friendly Dragon

Today's card uses one of Dustin Pike's images, that he generously gives away. You can find more of these little treasures on his website, and enter into his challenges at Doodle Dragon Studio.

This design is a little different for me, I have kept it relatively clean and simple with a lot of white card showing. I have used striped and polka dot paper for the accents, with a little ribbon for detail. The image has been coloured with water colours, then cut out and attached with foam tabs, to the layered mats cut with a Nestibilities die.

The sentiment, typed directly onto the card using my computer, can be for a special friend or famaily member.

Be sure to check out the various links for some excellent inspiration.

Other challenges entered:
..Stamp Scrap and Doodle - Clean and Simple
...Totally Stampalicious - Birthday Challenge
....The Crazy Challenge - All About Birthdays
.....Simple Doodles - #23 Get out of the Box
......On Stop Craft Challenge - #9 Patterns
.......Charisma Cards - #30 Something With a Tail
........Digi Doodle Shop - #18 Punch or cut me

Have a Mice Day

I got a little carried away with this one, with regards to extra dimension, so I decided to make a gift bag. There are numerous templates with instruction on the web, and it really wasn't too difficult to make up.

This is the current image for the progressive challenge at Designed2Delight, and I thought I would try my hand at paper piecing. . I cut out and inked two patterned flowers, as well as the original image, and layered them slightly off centre, attaching with foam tabs. The flower centre has stickles, brown pearls and glass microbeads.

The bag was made from polka dot paper from my stash, and a nestabilities die was used to cut the mats. Green ribbon was used for the handles and the little bow below the image. An then, although I initially forgot, 2 little buttons so that I can enter into the Double Delight Challenge #4.

I even know who I will give this to, along with instructions to pass it along, so that it doesn't become more 'stuff' that has to be kept forever....

Other challenges entered:
...Simon Says Stamp Challenge - We are all going dotty
....The Creative Cottage - #19 Touchy Feely
.....Lexi's Creations - #19 Paper Piecing

Quack...Quack..staying cool!

This summer has definitely been a hot one, and we've had an occasional puddle or two as well. I think this little duck has the right idea for keeping cool!

This card is being entered in the current challenge over at CDAC for the *Wink*Wink Ink group. The image is still available there as a freebie, so be sure to check them out. The challenge requirement was to use one of their images and a homemade embellishment. I made the flower, cutting the large flower on my Silhouette, then embossing, inking and shaping it. Two additional layers were added (from my stash), and a crystal brad fastens it together. Then I added blue Stickles and some glitter pen.

I have used water colours on the image, except for the sky, which I inked to create clouds. To the puddle, glossy accents were added, followed by some Stickles high lites. A Martha Stewart punch was used to create the lacy mat, then edged with blue glitter pen.

This is now my second easel card and I find it a nice change from the basic card, but a little more difficult to photograph. I am submitting my entry to the Spotlight Challenge at Crafty Cardmakers which is for an easel card. There is lots of inspiration there!

I am also entering the Cooking it Up With Katie Challenge #22, Button me a Blue Bow, for reasons that are self explanatory,

and a couple with a Summer Theme:

....CAS-tastic Challenge - #13 Inspired by Summer and
.....Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge - #42 Summertime

Just....Thinking of You

This little cutie, 'Summer Milly' from Pink Gem Designs may be thinking about how fast summer days go by. We are approaching the end of July and I don't know where the time has gone! Hopefully you are all enjoying a great summer.

The layout for this card follows challenge Sketch #6 for 'A Gem of A Challenge'. A pretty sketch, I felt it was perfect for my very first easel card. I just had to move the sentiment.

Another first, I used my sewing machine and stitched the red square to the gingham paper.

Using a fine black marker, I added a doodling design border around all of the gingham paper.

The image itself is coloured with water colours, but for the roses I used Tombow markers. The two larger flowers and the sentiment label are chipboard, which I first painted green and then coated with crackle accents. Then, just a few gems and some yellow punched flowers and I was done.

Some other challenges that I also entered:
..Papertake Weekly - Cutie Patootie
...Meljen's Designs - #17 Easel Card
....Cowgirl's Sunday Stampers - Anything Goes
.....Bunny Zoe's Crafts - #2 Summer Days
......Stamp Scrap and Doodle - Digis (use a digi image)
.......Practical Scrappers - Use 7 or more items

Card Drive for Michelle...

In making this card for the challenge at Guylou's Inimitability group over on PCP, I realized it could make a good encouragement card. The image indicates a hint of rain on a summer's day, and the sentiment and bright colours offer the suggestion of promise.

The current challenge at A spoon Full of Sugar is a card drive for Michelle, a fellow stamper who is recovering from a very serious accident. To learn more, and see if you can help, be sure to check out their website. Hopefully, when she receives these cards they will bring her some cheer.

I have followed the sketch layout #113 from Sketch Saturday which has helped me to create this card.

The image (Jessica, from Guylou) has been coloured with Prismas, while the different layers have been attached with foam tape for added dimension.
The background layers have all been sponged with Lipstick Distress Ink, to provide a nice warm glow.

There are a couple more challenges that I can enter into, as listed below:
....Digi Doodle Shop's Best - #17 Anything Goes
.....Crafting with Deedee's Digis - Make a Fellowship Card and send it

Get Crackin'

Well, it's Thursday again, and time for the entry for Designed2Delight's progressive challenge. Also, the sister challenge, over at Double Delight is looking for us to Pop It Up.

Although it is difficult to see in the photo, the body of the chicken has been printed and coloured twice. The second body was cut out and added over the first one with foam tape. In addition, the sentiments and the image layers have been attached with foam tabs. This time, I coloured the image with Prisma pencils and gamsol. Distress ink was added to everything on the card to tie it all together.

The top sentiment, I created with Photoshop, while I used a Robo Master cutting file to cut out the word Birthday.

This card follows the challenge idea from Character Cafe, which is looking for a 'Rectangle' shape to fit a business envelope. This also works for the current challenge at Charisma Cardz where it can be 'Anything but Square'.

Another challenge entered is at Creatalicious, which requires we show some 3D, and then a Birthday challenge that is underway at Craftalicious.

Be sure to visit the different websites and get inspired!

Special Birthday Card

This birthday card is for someone special, who will be reaching a milestone age that I am not allowed to mention....hence, the young feminine theme. Luckily for me there are a number of challenges this week with a birthday theme that I can play along in, and they are listed at the end of this post.

I have chosen 'Petticoat Patty', one of Phindy's digis, and by using the colour blue, will be entering into their Got the Blues challenge (#14).

Because my image is a cute little creature, I am also entering into the Challenge at Moving Along With The Times (#55) for their animal theme.

For those of you with machines that use cutting files, be sure to check out Monica's Creative Room. This is where I found the means to create the wonderful laced frame which complements the image. You will find some wonderful files here, created by a very talented lady.

I have used water colours for the image, and various card stock to create the different layers. Foam tape has been used to raise the centre panel and give some dimension. A little extra detail has been added to the image layer by punching the corners with the Martha Stewart eyelet lace punch, and then a little bling with some gems, perfect pearls, flowers and a ribbon bow.

Also entered into the following challenges:
..Pollycraft Monday Challenge - #53 Happy Birthday
...Craftalicious Challenge - #4 Birthdays
....Digital Tuesday Challenge - #68 Happy Birthday

Little Mermaid

This card, combining a number of challenges, uses one of Pollycraft's free digi images for their current challenge Bold and Bright.


This sketch from I-(heart)-2stamp provided the design inspiration I needed, and I used water colours and Stickles glitter, to make the mermaid sparkle!

I have used the scalloped oval die from Nestabilities for the image and mat, adding a leafy stamp and blue inking to provide an underwater feel.

The papers and ribbons are from my stash, but provide a nice complement to the summer theme. If you notice the little fishes, and the dotted paper in behind the image, they also sparkle with glitter!

Other challenges entered:
...One Stop Craft Challenge with its colour recipe of pink, blue and green
....Aly's Sunday Challenge #22 of Under or by the Sea
.....Stamp Something - Something Digital challenge
......One Stitch At A time - #22 Digi Madness

One of Gram's Little Treasures - Helena who is 7!

I have had a little visitor this weekend, and when she has slowed down long enough, she has done some crafting with me. Her image, from Michelle Perkett, was coloured with pencil crayons and markers. She stamped blue flowers on the background paper and really enjoyed adding the ink around the card. Stickles were another favourite, added to the cupcake with its yellow, green and orange flower icing. Of course, she is really excited to be on my blog and to enter into her first challenge at Children's Challenge Corner.

Two - In - One

No, it's not toothpaste, nor golf...its the new digi provided for the Designed2Delight challenge and its sister challenge, "Emboss It" at Double Delight. Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol were used to colour the image. The background mat is embossed, inked with gold metallic and then distressed with black ink. A Martha Stewart punch around was used for the black cardstock, the first time I have used it on a card.

The orange and yellow found in the image are again repeated in the flower and ribbon, and have been added to the sentiment. The same brads which hold the image in place are used for the flower centre.

Other challenges entered:
...Cas-tastic Challenges - CWC012 - It's Simple
....The Crazy Challenge - It's Hip to be Square
.....Paper Sundaes - #26 Lots of Layers
......Practical Scrapper - Embossing

A little humour to make the medicine taste better...

Well, I am going to need a get well card soon, and this image just seemed to hit the spot. This is the latest freebie from Sassy Studio Designs and can still be found at their group on PCP.

My card follows the Sassy Studio sketch for their current challenge #28, and this time I used Prismacolor pencils on the image.

The image was cut with my new Nestabilities label die, then backed with black followed by gold metallic card.

To the striped DP, which I've had for quite a while,I added flourishes in black ink. The black card stock was embossed with dots and then inked with gold metallic.

Let's hope this brings a smile to someone's face, and may he get well real quick!

Other challenges entered:
..KL Stampin N Scrappin Blog - #38 Dry Embossing
...Paper Sundaes - #26 Lots of Layers

Here's Looking at You....

Well, today we had a bit of a breather, with some much needed rain for the gardens and a wee bit cooler for me! Although I like the summer sunshine, the heat and humidity really don't like me.

This pretty image from Karen's Doodles was available as a freebie, and I am using it on this card for one of her current challenges Keep It Clean and Simple.

I chose to work with black and white, creating my own background paper using a stamp I purchased a number or years back. After painting the image, I cut around the upper portions and attached everything with foam tape, giving it extra dimension. A little black ribbon and a couple of leaves finished the project.

Other challenges entered:
..A Crafty Little Place - Sketch Challenge #46
...Stamp Something - Recipe Something (1 DP, 1 ribbon, 1 image)
....Polka Doodles - #27 Summer Theme
.....Aud Sentiments - #6 No Sentiment
......By the Cute and Girly - Warm Summer Days
.......Paper Sundaes - #25 White Plus One

Housework can wait...

This image, 'Spring Cleaning' is one from Nana Vic's Digitals. Some of her images are available for free over at her group on the new CDAC site. While there, make sure you have a good look around. There are lots of other freebies and challenges to be found.

The sentiments for this one I made myself, as I felt it called out for a little humour....

I followed the current sketch at 2 Sketches 4 You. The simple lines worked well.

Water colours and a little glitter pen were used on the image, and a some glossy accents was added to the water in the pail. I used an embossing folder on the background mat and then added further detail by inking over the raised areas with a silver metalic ink pad.

Other challenges entered:
..Paper Sundaes - #25 White plus one other colour
...The Shabby Tea Room - #17 Let's Make and Impression
....Digi Doodle Shop - #15 Texture
.....Craftalicious Challenge - #3 Cute
......Aly's Sunday Challenge - #21 Red or White or Blue

A Birthday Wish

What a beautiful day! Much to nice to stay indoors and do housework...but much too hot too go outside and do anything...so it's a great day to make a few cards!
This is the latest image in the Designed 2 Delight relay challenge, and it is still available free for a few more days. In addition, your project can be entered in the new Double Delight challenge if you make it a Tent or Tent Topper card. Be sure to check it out.
Other challenge submissions:
...Simon Says Challenge - Check it out
....Fairy Fun Friday - #26 Anything Goes
.....Sentimental Sundays - #10 Celebrations
......The Pink Elephant - TPE#74 Recipe (3 layers, 2 die cuts, ribbon)

Time to Relax

Well summer is here and school is out, which means a lot of young people have time on their hands. For me, that meant reading lots of good books. This image, 'Reading Rachel' from Sassy Studio Designs, brings to mind my grand daughter who has the same love of reading.


This card follows the sketch for challenge #10 at Cas-tastic Challenges, and their sponsor this week is Sassy Studio.....a chance to win more digi images!

I created a somewhat vintage look with this card, by tearing and inking a piece of paper on which I used brown ink and a script stamp. Gold peel-offs are used on the vertical strip, creating a semblance to a book spline. For the image, I used water colours.

The sentiment is one from Create With TIC, a website that offers many such sentiments both to purchase and for free!

Other challenges entered:
..Sentimental Sundays - #9 Encouragement and Support
...Craft Your Passion - #12 Colours (blue turquoise and brown)
....Challenge Up Your Like - #23 Vintage
.....Scrap the Art - #10 Summer Dreams