INTAAS Orange and Black

This challenge theme was set by DT member Chriss and it's Orange and Black. Come long and join us at International Art and Soul, we'd love to see you.

My scalloped card blank is a 7x7 by Crafts UK. The coloured card is by Papermill and the image is one from Saturated Canary. I cut the card with two Spellbinders scalloped dies and once the image was coloured I also cut this with the smaller die. I used my trusty Promarkers to colour the image. Very simple but done.

I won't be entering my card into any challenges as I'm taking a rest for a short while to refresh myself!

Thank you all for supporting me over the past few years, it's very much appreciated.

INTAAS -Transport

The theme for this challenge is 'Transport' so why not join us at International Art and Soul with your ideas? The challenge was set by design team member CraftyGirl

My card blank is  7x7 by Crafts UK.

I started by cutting a maroon card to fit the card blank leaving a small white edge and then cut bright red card to fit on top of the maroon. This was the mat for the Dr Who tardis image which was copyright free from the internet. I added it to the centre of the mat and then generated the sentiments on my computer. 'Happy Birthday Michael' is for my great-nephew's birthday and he is a massive Dr Who fan. That was set at top left and bottom right was a fun comment 'Michael WHO?' 

The coloured card is all from Papermill, the sentiments cut with a Spellbinder circle die, both sentiments edged roughly with Promarkers to, hopefully, emulate the edges on the tardis image.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Creative Fingers - Anything Goes

Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Crafting Happiness - Add a Sentiment

Dragonfly Dreams - Happy Birthday

Gem of a Craft - Anything Goes

Crafty Calendar - Anything Goes

Arty Divas - Anything Goes

Crafts Galore - Anything Goes

INTAAS - Birthdays

'Birthday' is the theme set for this challenge over at International Art and Soul and was set by DT member Chriss.

Once again my card blank is a 7 x 7 by Craft UK. 

The base mat is yellow card by Hobbycraft topped with a CostCo paper in mottled green. I used this image that I last used about 2016 but I still can't remember who created this digi. I coloured him with my Promarkers and cut him with a Spellbinders oval die before matting on to a green scalloped oval. The only addition was the Happy Birthday sentiment set at the top left. I have a sheet of these sentiments which are sticky backed ready to fix to a coloured card of your choice as a background plate. I'm not sure where I got them from as I've had them for years and only used or two.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Creative Fingers - Anything Goes

Moving Along with the Times - Anything Goes

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

AAABirthday - Anything Goes Birthday

digidesign - Add a sentiment

Arty Divas - Anything Goes

Crafts Galore - Anything Goes

Hope to see you next time. 

INTAAS The colours of Fruit

This challenge theme is 'The Colours of Fruit' and was chosen by DT member Jennie over at International Art and Soul.

After much thought I decided to use some die cut leaves to show the colours of various fruits.

My card blank is a 7 x7 by Craft UK.

I used yellow card by Hobbycraft as the base mat and then topped it with a caramel coloured card by Sue Wilson which I'd embossed with a Crafter's Companion embossalicious folder of leaves. I then used my various Spellbinder leaf dies to cut out an assortment of leaves. I was thinking of oranges, lemons, grapes, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries but I'm not sure what I was thinking of for the bright green leaf at the bottom!  lol

After arranging them at the bottom of the mat my only addition was the Happy Birthday sentiment which I generated on the computer before backing with more red card and setting at the top right. The various card was all supplied by Hobbycraft, Papermill and Sue Wilson.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Aud Sentiments - Summer + a Sentiment  (all these fruits remind me of summer)

Moving Alon with the Times - Anything Goes

Seize the Birthday - No Stamping

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

AAA Birthday - Anything Birthday Goes

Arty Divas - Birthday

Crafts Galore - Anything Goes

Once again, that's it till next time, hope to see you then. 

INTAAS - Red White and Blue

The theme for this challenge is Red, White and Blue and was set by team member Chriss. Come and join us at International Art and Soul with your project.

I embossed a sheet of white card with a Crafter's Companion embossalicious folder of bunting before setting it against a bright blue mat - the blue card from Papermill. I die cut two red shapes, the top left is a die by Memory Box, if  my 'memory box' serves me correctly. lol  The bottom scroll die is by Spellbinders. The red card is by Hobbycraft.

Mr card blank is by Crafts UK.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Gem of a Craft - Anything Goes

Creative Fingers - Anything Goes

Crafty Gals Corner - Anything Goes

Everybody-Art - Two colours, white doesn't count

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Arty Divas - Anything Goes

Classic Design - Anything Goes

Crafts Galore - Anything Goes

INTAAS - 4 Legged Friends

Please come along and join us at International Art and Soul to take part in our challenge theme of 'Four Legged Friends' which was set by Mimi.

My card blank is a 7x7 by Crafts UK. 

I think it was almost twenty years ago when I ordered a book of gold and a book of silver glitter paper and in that time I've used probably one sheet of each! They are by Papermania and I decided to use a sheet of gold for the background to this lovely image of our four legged friends. 

When I first started my blog in 2011 I entered a Stitchybear blog challenge and won three images = this was one of them. When Stitchy sent them to me she asked if I would let her see what I did with them and I duly did that. She then asked me if I would join the design team and so started my first role as a blog design team member. I've lost count of how many teams I've been on since but that has changed over the past few years as I've slowed down. INTAAS is my team now and we have a super group of team members. 

Back to my card - I coloured the image with my Promarkers and then set it directly on to the gold paper as the mat. My only addition was a Spellbinder die cut in top right and bottom left corners. They were cut in brown card by Sue Wilson. Another simple card but I like it and the gold is much brighter in reality.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Cards 4 Galz - Die Cuts or Punches

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Critter Crazy - Anything Goes with a Critter

Classic Design - Anything Goes

Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes

Crafty Animals - Anything Goes with an Animal

Sweet Stampers - Animals

INTAAS - SUMMER

Please come along and join us for this challenge of 'Summer' the theme chosen by design team member Jennie, over at International Art and Soul.

I'm so behind with my DT cards and I'm desperately playing catch up. I just made it with this card. I bought four new plants last year for the large pots in my garden, a hydrangea and three senettis. The hydrangea was treated as advised by the garden centre, leaving the dead flower heads on until the frost had passed. This didn't work and it died. The senettis were in the shed over the winter and came out as spring arrived to no avail and they died too. My son and DiL were visiting and took me to the garden centre to get four new plants for the four, now empty, pots. One different type hydrangea, a freesia, a primula and a lupin. When I saw the lupin I had to have it as it reminded me so much of when I was a little girl. We had lupins of almost every colour in our garden and I loved them. Believe it or not it was a lovely sunny day when I took the photograph! This to me says summer. The irises I discovered when the raised beds were demolished. I nurtured them and they are repaying me with their beautiful colour. One pot of them is a little slower in flowering but I think one bud has opened today so it should be just as gorgeous as this one in the next few days.

Sorry I've waffled on but now I'll tell you what I've used for my card.

The card blank is a 7x7 by Crafts UK. The coloured card is by Papermill and Hobbycraft. I embossed the yellow card with a Crafter's Companion embossing folder. The doily I've had for probably 20 years. I cut the photo with a Spellbinder oval die and then it was set on top of all the layers as the focal point. I'm hoping the colours of the card remind you of summer, yellow, lilac and orange.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Beyond the Blue - Flowers

Creative Fingers - Anything Goes

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Dream Valley - Summer Colours

Inspiration Station - Inspired by - A Flower Shop - happy memories

Use your Stuff - Anything Goes

Thank you for visiting. 

INTAAS - Things with Wings

The challenge over at International Art and Soul is 'Things with Wings' chosen by design team member Christine. 

I'm not quite back into crafting, managing only an hour at a time so another simple card from me. Once again my photo is not up to scratch, my scanner is playing up for me so I've had to make do with the less than perfect image. 

My card blank is a scalloped 7x7 card by Crafts UK. I used Brushos on the actual card base as a sunny background to the actual mat. The muted green paper is from Costco and I've had a case of it for years. I cut it with a Spellbinders scalloped die and fixed it to the sunny background. The lace butterfly is by Craft Box UK but don't know where the small butterflies are from as I was given them by a friend. They were added to the bottom corners and then a small stamped 'Happy Birthday' was added, again cut with a Spellbinders scalloped die. The yellow card used to stamp the sentiment on is by Hobbycraft. The stamp was a freebie from a magazine many years ago.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Creative Fingers - Anything Goes

Aud Sentiments - Use a Birthday Sentiment

Creative Knockouts - Things with Wings or Furry Friends

Seize the Birthday - Birthday + Signs of Spring

Crafty Gals Corner - Spring or Easter

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Craft Galore Encore - Anything Goes

International Art and Soul - Hearts

This theme is 'Hearts' and was chosen by Debbie, our DT member, over at International Art and Soul.

The card is a 7x7 blank by Crafts UK. My first matt layer is a red card by Hobbycraft with another, pale yellow card by Hobbycraft that was embossed with a Crafter's Companion embossalicious folder, set as the second layer. On top of that I added the Spellbinders intricate Hearts dies cut in red again. I thought it did need a sentiment but didn't want to spoil the effect of the beautiful frame. I decided on the small Crafter's Companion 'Love' die which was cut in gold and was a perfect fit for the centre of the large heart.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges: 

Aud Sentiments - Anything Goes + a sentiment

Modsquad - Valentines

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Arty Divas - Anything Goes

#btchallenge109 Bastel-Traum - With Heart

Crafts Galore - Anything Goes

Love to Craft - Anything Goes

Sheepski Design - Square

INTAAS - GRADUATION

The challenge theme at International Art and Soul was set by DT member Debbie and is 'Graduation'.

I used a small 6x6 Crafts UK card blank. The base mat was bottle green card from W H Smith and on top of that I added a small sheet of Simply Cards & Papercraft checked paper. Before fixing the base mat to the actual card blank I added a strip of dark green satin ribbon across the bottom section of the mat. I've had the ribbon so long I'm not sure where I bought this one. The graduation stamp is from a sheet of Clear on Clear (?) stamps by Dimension Crafts which I've had since I first started card making maybe 25 years ago, After stamping and cutting with a small Spellbinders scalloped circle I added gold glitter, from Create and Craft, to the edge of the sentiment plaque. Have you noticed that I'm using my ribbons and glitter now? I've not used them for quite a while but I'm finding items I'd forgotten about until I reorganised my craft room - although I have to say  I hadn't forgotten my ribbons. I've got so many rolls of ribbon I could never forget them or misplace them. lol That's job done, quite a simple card.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes

Creative Craft Cottage - Use Ribbon and/or bow

Daisy Chain - Add Ribbon

DL. Art Thankful Thursday - Graduation

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes

Crafty Creations - Anything Goes

Dragonfly Dreams - Add Some Sparkle

INTAAS - Your take on a Nursery Rhyme

I set the theme for this challenge over at International Art and Soul and I chose 'Your take on a Nursery Rhyme'. 

It seemed a good idea when I chose this theme at the beginning of the year but when it came to making it well, that was a whole different story. I had so many rhymes going through my head I couldn't decide. One that was eventually forefront was Monday's Child which was a favourite one for my mother to recite. My late husband and I were both born on a Thursday so it had to be that - and then I discovered that one of my DsiL was also born on a Thursday so her card is ready for her birthday later this month. Here is the inside in case you don't know this rhyme. 

My card blank s a 7x7 by Crafts UK. A sheet of postage stamp images from various countries was fixed on top of a sheet of red card from Papermill - I have no idea where I got the postage stamp paper from and if anyone knows please tell me. That was the base mat taken care of before I started colouring the little hobo. This is an image I won from Lacy Sunshine a few years ago and I love it. After colouring with my Promarkers I cut the image out with my Spellbinders circle die and set it against a Spellbinders scalloped die cut in bright orange card, again from Papermill. It was centred on the base mat and then a small sentiment stamp - which I think may have been on a freebie stamp sheet from a magazine - was stamped, coloured, cut with a small circle die and set on a turquoise scalloped circle. I love how this turned out, by using all the colours in the image on the backing card it makes it very colourful. To top it off I added some glitter to the centre of the flower in her hat and on the sentiment. I bought the glitter MANY years ago from Create and Craft.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything Goes with a critter

Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes

Crafty Animals - Anything Goes must include animal

CCC Digi Creations - Must include sparkle/shine

Digi Doodle Studios - Bring on the glitz/must use glitter and hand coloured image

Colour Crazy Craft - Anything Goes with hand coloured image

I Love Promarkers - Anything Goes with the option of a girly card

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes

Dragonfly Dreams- Add some sparkle

International Art and Soul - Bunny

Please join us at International Art and Soul with our theme of Bunny. I had to use Peter Rabbit because he's my favourite rabbit of all time.

My card blank is a 7x7 by Crafts UK. I made a mat of bright turquoise card which covered the whole front of the card. I stamped the images of Peter Rabbit and his friends using Joanna Sheen's stamps. My Promarkers came out for the colouring before I used Spellbinder oval and circle dies to cut them out. I then used Distress Ink round the edges. The ribbon I've had for years and I have two boxes full of rolls of ribbon so I decided I had to use some of them. Three strips were placed across the bottom half of the mat before fixing Peter Rabbit in the bottom left running towards his friends in the top right. The little Happy Birthday sentiment was on a sheet of sentiments but I have no idea where I got them, sorry. I matted it on to pale blue card to match the distressed edges of the images.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Craft Rocket - Use Dies/and/or Spring

Creative Knockout - Birthday Wishes

Stinkin' Inkers - Hop to it

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes

Passion for Markers - Soft Finishes

The Cutie Pie - Bunnies and Blooms

2 Crafty Critter Crazies - March challenge must have critter

Animal Friends - Hare or rabbit

Crafts Galore - Anything Goes

Crafty Friends - Happy Birthday

INTAAS Use Pink for a Pink Christmas

We were set this challenge theme by Jennie and it's 'Use Pink for a Pink Christmas'. Head over to International Art and Soul and show us what you do with this challenge.

Once again my card blank is a 7x7 by Craft UK. The pink card is by Papermill and makes the perfect mat for this joyous sentiment and image by Bugaboo. I embossed the pink mat with the Tied Together embossing folder by Couture Creations. After printing the image/sentiment I coloured it with my Promarkers, obviously using pink as the main colour. I cut it with another of my numerous Spellbinder dies before fixing to the base mat. Mei Flower tiny pink pearls were added to the embossed background.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Crafty Catz - Anything Goes with option of Christmas

Craft Rocket - Christmas/Winter

Sisterhood of Crafters - Embossing (Wet or Dry)

Word Art Wednesdays - Anything Goes (with uplifting words)

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes

Crafts Galore - Anything Goes

Digi Doodles Studio - Christmas/Winter (hand coloured)

Di's Digi - Emboss It (Wet or Dry)

Allsorts - Santa, Elves, Angels or Christmas

Thank you all for visiting, stay safe.

INTAAS Fairies and/or Elves

Come along and join us at International Art and Soul with our challenge theme of Fairies and/or Elves. I chose to use a fairy.

My card is a 7x7 scalloped blank by Craft UK. For the mat I used pale yellow card by Hobbycraft and then matted on some yellowy/green paper by The Works. These were both cut with Spellbinder scalloped dies. The image is by Bugaboo and I coloured her with my Promarkers before cutting with a Spellbinders circle die. I matted this on to a yellow scalloped circle, again the card by Hobbycraft and the die by Spellbinders. I added Hobbycraft gems to the edge of her dress and the edge of her sleeve. The sentiment was generated on the computer and cut with another of Spellbinder's dies. I edged the sentiment with Distress Ink before adding to the top right of the image.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Crafts Galore Encore - Anything

Creative Craft Cottage - Spooky and/or Cute

Love to Craft - Anything Goes

Crafty Creations - Anything Goes

I Love Promarkers - Anything Goes with option of Birthdays

Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes

Digi Choosday - Anything Goes

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything

INTAAS Autumn Colours

'Autumn Colours' is the theme for this challenge over at International Art and Soul. Please come along and join us we'd love to see your autumn colours.

My card is a 7x7 blank by Craft UK. The orange card is by Papermill and I matted a zigzag paper on to it the base orange mat. The image is Hester Hen by Claire of Hope Jacare and I coloured it with my Promarkers before cutting with a Spellbinders die and then I edged with Distress Ink. A strip of  brown hessian type material was stretched across the bottom right corner and then I sat the image to the left of the card just overlapping the material. I have a roll of this material but can't remember where I bought it, sorry.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Crafty Gals - Fall Colours

Cut It Up - Fall + 3 layers

Crafty Catz - Anything Goes with option of Colours of Autumn

Crafty Creations - Anything Goes

Digi Choosday - Anything Goes

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes

Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes

Crafty Animals - Anything Goes with a critter

INTAAS Card not square or rectangle

Come and join us with the challenge theme of 'Card not square or rectangle' over at International Art and Soul.

My card blank started off as a Craft UK 7x7 square but I cut it with a large Spellbinder oval die. The yellow paper is double sided from a pad of freebie papers with Cardmaking and Papecraft magazine. I cut two ovals in smaller sizes using the two different sides of the paper as the mat for the ornate Spellbinder heart which I cut in white. The Happy Birthday stamp is from Lili of the Valley vintage set and I coloured the tiny flowers on it with my Promarkers before cutting with another Spellbinder die, this time a circle. The finishing touch was a Snipart embellishment from Craftbox at the top left.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Aud Sentiments - A birthday sentiment

Through the Purple Haze - Anything Goes

Crafty Sentiments - Happy Birthday

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

IAAS Anything but a card

Hello, I'm so glad to be joining you all again after having a rest for a while. My eyes haven't been at their best so I had to take a step back from crafting and my laptop to give them a chance of recovering. 

Come along and join us at International Art and Soul and show us what you can do with the theme of 'Anything but a card'.

You will see from my project that my wallets are a little skew-whiff in that the holes for the ties aren't punched centrally . I've been making them for a while and needed to get them finished for Christmas so couldn't hang on any longer in the hope that my eyes would play fair. I'm sure my family won't mind when they open them up. lol

When Eric was alive we used to shop for weeks looking for fun toys and quirky items for our two sons and DsIL. We used to spend a huge amount of money to fill Christmas sacks for each of them and I was sure they would like the money instead. I asked them and each one said 'yes please'. They still get a stocking with the usual £1 coin in the toe, fruit, sweets and little gifts so I was happy as it made my life better too - no more trawling the shops for weeks on end.

The wallets each year are never the same as wallets from previous years . The letters for their names are cut with Spellbinders dies. I used a strip of double sided tape the length of the name and then added silver glitter - I'm not sure they'll thank me for this! I punched holes in the three open edges and tied silver tape for the men and jewelled ribbon for the ladies. 

I hope you all have a lovely Christmas and I wish you all the very best for 2020.

I'm entering my wallets into the following challenges:

Brown Sugar - Anything Goes

Creative Artiste - Anything Mixed Media

Fab 'n' Funky - Anything but a card

A Bit More to Craft - Always Anything Goes

More Mixed Medium - Anything Goes

International Art and Soul - Flowers

The theme over at International Art and Soul is 'Flowers' and was set by Maggie. Come and join us and show us what you can do with flowers.

My card blank is a 7x7 by Craft UK. I started by cutting the row of flowers with a Joanna Sheen die. I then used my Promarkers to colour them in.  The green mat is a 'grass' paper from a Joanna Sheen pad. I fixed the row of flowers to the bottom edge of the mat and then used a Sue Wilson die to make the fancy fence in Papermill brown card. This was set at the top of the 'garden'. lol The stamped sentiment is by Bee Crafty and I used Promarkers again to colour the tiny flowers. A Spellbinders die was used to cut out the sentiment and then I used a pale pink Distress Ink on the edges. I raised the sentiment on pads before setting slightly to the left of centre.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Brown Sugar - Anything Goes

Cut it Up - Focus on Sentiment (must have die cut)

A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes

A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes

Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes

Scribbles Designs - Include a Sentiment

I Love Promarkers - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes

Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes

IAAS Monochrome

Come along to International Art and Soul and join us with the 'Monochrome' theme.

I decided to go with black and white for my card.

I've used a 6x6 card blank by Craft UK. I cut a large black scalloped square with a Spellbinder die as the base mat. I next embossed a square of white card with a Crafter's Companion embossalicious folder of clouds. The sentiment is one that I love. I received a card, just because, from some very old friends of mine who now live many miles away. The card was in aid of Barnardo's and designed by Kirsty R Walker so I presume the verse is also by her. I hope she doesn't mind me using the sentiment on my card. I printed it in black before cutting with an oval Spellbinders die and matting on to a black scalloped oval. I set it towards the bottom of the main mat and then added a stamped image of a feather, stamp by Visible image. I stamped it in black Memento ink before cutting it carefully, leaving a small white edge, before adding to the top left of the base mat. 

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

Brown Sugar - Anything Goes

Crafting with an Attitude - Anything Goes

Crafty Creations - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes

Get Creative Challenges - Anything Goes/Monochromatic

A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes

Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes

Thank you all for visiting, see you again soon I hope.

IAAS Christmas in July

Why not come and join us for 'Christmas in July'? We're here at International Art and Soul with Jennie's theme. 

I've made a very simple card but it looks quite effective. I used a Craft UK card blank 6x6 in size. I made a mat of red card with bottle green card matted on top. All the card is from Papermill. The image is from a Joanna Sheen Victorian Companion CD. I printed it and then cut it with a Spellbinders oval die before matting on to a gold scalloped oval, again cut with a die by Spellbinders. The image was then set as the focal point on the card and it was finished. 

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Kitty Bee Designs - Christmas in July

Crafting With An Attitude - Anything Goes

Crimbo Crackers - Anything Goes

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes

The Holly and Ivy Christmas - Anything Goes Christmas

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes

A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes

Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes

Merry Little Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes

Thank you all for visiting. I hope to see you again soon.