Take a Leap at Sweet Stampin'

Good morning, it's time for a new challenge at Sweet Stampin' -and what better choice of theme could there be today? We've called it 'take a leap'- interpret it however you like! 

I've chosen to use this gorgeous silhouette stamp from Inkylicious- she looks to me as if she's leaping with joy (maybe it's stopped raining at last!!) The centre panel is created with  a stencil and Distress inks, image and tiny flowers stamped on top, the background is sponged with DIs in rainbow colours and the tiny flowers stamped at random around the edges, each tiny flower has a dot of glitter in the centre but no chance of seeing it in the photo! 

The Sweeties have come up with some brilliant (and diverse!) ideas this week, so do hop over and take a look, we'd love to see what you make of this theme -hope you choose to play along.

Thanks for visiting

Happy weekend

x

Challenge entries:
CRAFT #546 -(Amazing) Just the Way You Are
inspirecreate #63
inkspirational #208

Crafty Catz #495- optional twist- use pretty papers

Good morning, once again it's Friday...another week just flown past...and time for a new challenge at Crafty Catz. This week it's  our very talented Janette's turn to choose the optional theme for us to use,  she picked 'use pretty papers'. I think it's probably safe to say that most of us have far more papers than we'll ever be able to use, so a great choice Janette!

Our lovely sponsor this week is Little Blue Button

I made a card with a very simple matted design using a sweet sponsor image, Charlie on the Swing, she's coloured with copics and I've paper- pieced her dress. The papers I've used are from LOTV, sadly no longer available.

So, dig out those pretty papers and put them to use- come and play along with us this week- if you're looking for inspiration just click HERE to see what the team have come up with this week.

Thanks for visiting, hope you have a happy weekend.

Chris

x

Challenge entries-
audsentiments #245
kraftychicks #496
sisterhoodofcrafters -patterned paper
watercooler #260

Music to my ears...

Good morning, I've another Bugaboo card to share today

 featuring Kidz Sitter Music, one of the many older images available. I've coloured him  with copics and teamed him up with some papers from  my 'scrap' stash, a die cut circle frame (Tonic Studios) and a stamped sentiment. 

For more designs using fabulous Bugaboo images hop on over to Catch the Bug !

Thanks for visiting

Have a good day!

x

Challenge entries:
aplacetostart. February Challenge
jansdigistamps #8
useyourstuff #392
allfunchallenges. #3

Never too old...

It's

at Catch the Bug!

Good morning, did you know that it's Tell a Fairy Tale Day? I made a card to celebrate as I've always been a big fan of  Fairy stories!  The pretty image is of course from Bugaboo , she's called Belle of the Ball and I've coloured her to look like Belle from Beauty and the Beast. When my two eldest granddaughters were little dots they both absolutely adored Belle (the Disney version). I think it's because she has brown hair, like Olivia the elder off the two and Ruby just slavishly copied her big sister! 

I die cut some 'hills' from green dp and added the little castle, part of a set of dies courtesy of Jo, for winning one of her challenges  at Tales From the Craftroom, thanks Jo!

The stamp and die cut 'princess' at the top left hand corner of the card are part of the same set.

The stamped sentiment bottom right is Stampendous...and so true!

Thanks for visiting, have a good day

Chris

x

Challenge entries:

alwaysfun #151 (Disney's Beauty and the Beast)

allsorts #560

fairyandtheunicorn Feb. Challenge

polkadoodle.#8

aperfecttimetocraft. #2

creativesketchygirls. #45

Crafty Catz Challenge # 494- optional twist- Food

It's Friday again...another week has flown past and it's time for a new challenge at Crafty Catz, this week our lovely and talented Nick chose the theme of  'Food' - as always the theme is optional if you prefer not to use it!

We're sponsored this week by BECCY'S PLACE

There are so many lovely digis to choose from in the shop and if you visit the Blog there are loads of fabulous free images and great tutorials as well as her own challenges.

To make my card I used a fabulous and fun image from the Big Wishes set, the elephant with the cake,  it's gorgeous and was fun to colour up! I printed the image twice and cut out the cake image to pop up on some foam pads for a bit of dimension.  The blue background is embossed, papers are from Doodlebug, cake ribbon from Crafty Ribbons- attached with a brad I've had for so long it's probably an antique- and stamped sentiment. The little added cupcakes are one of Beccy's freebies-available here. The letters around the image are die cut separately and stuck on.

As always, there are some wonderful cards created by the Crafty Catz team to be enjoyed here  and we hope you choose to play along this week, it's a great theme but you don't have to follow it to join in!

Thanks for stopping by, have a lovely day and a great weekend.

Chris

x

Challenge entries:
Colour Crazy  Wk 6
creatalicious#181
creativecrafters #25
craftrocket #67
cookie.- challenge #136
addictedtostamps #377
craftinghappiness  #36
beccyschallenges February

Birthday Train

Hi, this is a scheduled post...I've had a last minute invite for a day out in London tomorrow with my daughter and granddaughters, so I thought I'd better do this post now! This week's challenge theme  at Fab'n ' 'Funky is 'for a child, I made this card for my friend's grandson- a train and dinosaur- loving 3 year old! The train is a digi, well three digis to be exact! I think it's from LMM but not certain. I coloured up the engine and carriages with copics and cut them out. The dinosaurs are freebie colouring page images I found online, also coloured with copics and added to the train. The card background is created with distress inks and stencils I drew the 'track' with a black pen and added die cut clouds and sentiment. I had a lot of fun making this but it did take quite while!

There's more to see over at Fab'n' Funky so please do hop over and take a look.

I'm off to bed now, I've a feeling tomorrow is going to be a busy day!

Thanks for visiting

Chris

x

Challenge entries
dreamvalley #219
incywincy (17-29/2)
mmmchallenge #116
classicdesign #2
gem of a challenge #4

Gift box with rosebud tag

Good afternoon, welcome to a new week...one week nearer to spring! Hoping everyone survived Storm Dennis without too much damage, so awful for those poor people whose homes and businesses have been flooded ...again!
Today, I'm sharing a little gift box/bag -it's ideal for packaging choccies or small toiletries and is really quick and easy to make.from 1 sheet of A4 cardstock.  I saw this idea online and thought I'd make my own version - here's the link -Top 10 creative diy gift box ideas.
 I added a tiny tag, Rosebud Tag, it's one of my favourite Bugaboo images ever, so beautiful and so quick to colour as it's part shaded already.

For more ideas of lovely items you can create using fabulous Bugaboo Stamps pay a visit to Catch the Bug, the Design Team come up with the most lovely ideas.

Thanks for visiting- have a great week.

xx

Challenge entries:

Allsorts #559

C.R.A.F.T. #544

lovetocraft #43

lets craft and create #156

notjustcards Feb Challenge

Cheers Birthday Boy!

Good morning and happy weekend, this week's challenge theme at Sweet Stampin' is 'Birthday Boys',  I made this side stepper card for a friend we've known since we were all young, the most laid-back guy I've ever met! He does like a pint -or two and often sports a striped t shirt (someone told him that stripes were slimming...) I've had this fun digi for years, it's from Ladybird Crafts Inc.-sadly no longer trading :( Now this could actually be our friend, the resemblance is amazing!) I coloured him up with copics and added a few stripes to his t-shirt, and popped him onto the front of my embossed card. The embossing folder was a magazine freebie and I've added some die cut sentiments and stars to finish.

For more ideas of what to make for the boys please take a look at Sweet Stampin' Challenge Blog where you will find some fabulous creations from Team Susan. We'd love to have you play along and share your ideas with us too.

Thanks for visiting and have a great weekend.

Chris

x

Crafty Catz Challenge #- 493- Optional twist- Critters

Good morning, the weekend is almost here and it's time for a new challenge at Crafty Catz. It's our fabulous Ginny's turn to pick a theme and I was SO happy when she DIDN'T opt for a Valentine/hearts/love theme!!  Thank you Ginny, Critters  is much more to my taste! 

Our wonderful sponsor this week is Some Odd Girl

The prize is a

$10 Gift Voucher to the winner but if the winner used a sponsors stamps on their project It is doubled to $20.
Also entrants can use code CRAFTYCATZ20 for the duration of the challenge for 20%  off digis in the shop  

https://www.someoddgirl.com/

The DT were able to chose an image each to use, so generous! and after a long time perusing the shop I chose Gangsta Bunny...how cool is he!!

As usual I've coloured the image with copics. Papers are Doodlebug, 

no idea about the sentiment dies, might be Tonic. 

There are plenty more cute critters to admire over at Crafty Catz so come on over and feast your eyes! We hope you choose to play along this week, remember the theme is optional!

Happy Valentines Day for those who choose to celebrate it!

Thanks for visiting 

Chris

x

Challenge entries:
southerngirls (7 Feb Challenge)
addictedtostamps #376
Creative Moments  #184
artydivas #15
aplacetostart Feb Challenge- masculine
useyourstuff. #391
2craftycrittercrazies Feb Challenge
classicdesignchallenge #2

Oldie But Goodie at Catch the Bug

It's Oldie but a Goodie day at Catch the Bug....I made this  bright sunny card to cheer myself up on a wet cold day! The cute image is Kidz Daisy 2 , the papers are doodlebug,  A couple of die cuts and a little wooden ladybird. (Ladybird was attached (very firmly!) to a wooden peg- nearly did myself a mischief prizing it off!).

I'm off to do the weekly shop now, can't put it off any longer.

Thanks for visiting

xx

Challenge entries:
pammiesinkypinkies #2006
lilpatchofcraftyfriends #125
daisychain #38

Christmas at Sweet Stamping - February Challenge

Good morning, the new challenge at Christmas at Sweet Stamping begins today, the theme this time is 'Feature a Sentiment'. I used a previously uninked Woodware stamp to make my card, It's quite large so just a simple layered design. I stamped the image twice, once onto a deep red design paper (very plain just a bit of variation in the shades) and again -this time in red pigment ink, which I heat embossed with clear EP onto a cream coloured dp with subtle printing on. I cut out the cream tags, inked the edges, punched the holes and added the eyelets and fibres. I then used foam pads to adhere them over the image on the red paper. 

There are loads of wonderful ideas from my team over at CaSS so please hop over and take a look- hopefully you'll be inspired to play along :)

Thanks for visiting and have a lovely day

Chris

x

Challenge entries
christmas24 #03
cardz4guyz #238
Holly and Ivy #65
MLCCB #19
Winter Wonderland (7/2 Challenge)

Oops!

I'm a tad late with this post...totally forgot about it yesterday...another senior moment! Anyway, better late than never with this week's cute Friday Freebie at Catch the Bug...hop over now for details of how to grab your free image, you won't want to miss this one! Our new Saturday challenge starts today too so it's a good opportunity to check it out while you're there!

PS Heart Die is Tonic Studios

Thanks for visiting and have a great weekend.

Chris

x

Challenge entries:
creativecraftcottage #126
C.R.A.F.T. #543
Double D -Hearts
getcreative #88
mmmchallenge #115
allsorts #558

Crafty Catz # 492 -optional twist embossing

 Good morning, how is it possibly Friday again already! I can see that this year is going to whizz past at the speed of light, just like the last one!  Friday it certainly is so that means it's time for a new challenge at Crafty Catz. Jac is in charge this week and her chosen theme is 'embossing, wet or dry'.We are lucky to have 2 fabulous sponsors this week 

Crafty Ribbons

and 

All Dressed Up

 

The DT were given some gorgeous images to use, I chose Just So Cool because this sweet digi looks just like my eldest granddaughter...so pretty with the longest skinniest legs, and like my girl she's totally immersed in her music! I coloured the girl with copics the

n masked her legs so I could stamp and emboss the music swirl and flower image over the top, was a bit worried that the heat tool would affect the masking fluid but all good! The red panel behind the image is embossed with tiny stars (not easy to see in the photo). I added a stamped sentiment, die cut and punched musical notes. Olivia will become a teenager in April and I think she'll love this card even though it doesn't feature Harry Potter :))

There's plenty more to see over at Crafty Catz - as always the team have come up trumps!

Remember, you don't have to follow the theme if you prefer not to, it's always Anything Goes.

Thanks for stopping by

Have a happy weekend

Chris

x

Challenge entries:

artydivas #14

alldressedup #101
polkadoodle WK 6
creativefingers #179

In the Pink at Fab'n' Funky

Good morning (just!) the theme for this week's challenge at Fab'n' Funky is 'In the pink', and this is a card I really DID make earlier probably about 2 years ago! It was for one of granddaughters' birthdays, when she was going through her 'pink and fairy' stage...now it's all about the football, but she still loves a donut!! If I remember correctly it was the first time I tried this particular fold which I've used quite a few times since (it's really easy :)) he sweet little fairy is a My Besties image, I've used copics to colour, the papers were magazine freebies...I was particularly pleased to find the donut paper!

There's loads to see this week over at Fab'n'Funky, the team have produced some beautiful creations to inspire you, we'd love to have you join us with your fabulous pink creations!

Thanks for visiting

Chris

x

Challenge entries:

digichoosday #5

lemonshortbread #112

aperfecttimetocraft #2

creationsinpink. (15 Jan Challenge)

besties February

fairyandtheunicorn February Challenge

Guest Design for LeAnns World

Good afternoon all, hope you enjoyed a happy weekend. Mine was very enjoyable, we took the 'big' granddaughters bowling on Saturday night, I haven't been bowling for years...last time I did I couldn't use my right hand properly for weeks, I did some damage to my dodgy wrist- so I didn't risk playing this time, it was very tempting to have a go but not worth the pain and inconvenience if I did it again! It was fun watching the girls though, they loved it...especially 10 year old Ruby who got a strike with her first bowl, she was over the moon!

Yesterday the 'little' granddaughters came for tea - reading and games with 5 year old Emily and lots of cuddles and smiles from baby Charlotte.

I recently won a challenge over at LeAnn's World 101

and was invited to Guest Design for them this month. The sweet digis are lovely to colour so I was very happy to accept.

I coloured the cute Sonya using my trusty copics, fussy cut her and popped her onto my layered die cut card. You'll find loads of inspiration using these sweet digis over on the Challenge Blog, and their challenges are always anything goes, so why not play along!

Thanks for visiting

xx

Challenge entries:

avenue613 #230 banners and bows

craft-deebowz February Challenge

creativecrafters #24

gem of a challenge #3

artydivas #14

do-allkreatives #38
classicdesign #2

Stella Says Sketch at Catch the Bug

It's time for a new sketch challenge at Catch the Bug

This is the sketch

and here is my card-

featuring Wizardry Wizard 06

anything HP related still  hugely popular with the granddaughters!

Thanks for stopping by

x

It's all about the BOOKS!

Our challenge at Sweet Stampin' this week is all about BOOKS- a subject dear to my heart! To celebrate World Read Aloud Day (5th February) we want to see your creations about books, you can interpret it how you like...inspired by a book, use book pages, feature a book etc, just please remember to include some stamping.
I started out intending to make card, got out some stamps inks etc and then ended up making a page in my art journal (latest obsession!). I stamped the book first, then applied some blue and pink distress inks through a stencil made by cutting a swirl shape from the centre of a piece of copy paper, then stamped and embossed some tiny glittery stars over the swirl.  I removed the stencil and masked the swirl using the cut-out shape and smudged some yellow DI around the book, then stamped the fairies, dragons, castle and black sentiment. I finished by stamping 'imagine' randomly and inking the edges of the page.

The message in the book is handwritten.

For me the magic is always in the book! 

For more inspiration and ideas please hop over to Sweet Stampin', we would love you to play along with this fabulous challenge

Thanks for visiting my blog today, enjoy your weekend

Chris

x

Challenge entries

laviniaworld #19

Crafty Calendar February Challenge

Good morning, the February challenge at Crafty Calendar begins today. This month we're sponsored by the fabulous Doctor Digi

The theme is use die cuts/punches.

I made a card using the oh- so- glamorous Deirdery-Dunderton- isn't she gorgeous!

Copics for colouring, paper pieced dress and apron, various die cuts and punched leaves. The sentiment is a stamp. 

I tried to get a better photo by using a stronger light...just ended up with deeper shadows and dodgy colours! 

Please come and play along with us this month, just click HERE to be transported to the Challenge blog where you can check out my teamies' fabulous creations and add your own beautiful entries!

Thanks for visiting

xx
audsentiments #243
abitmoretimetocraft. #109
papercraft-challenges #54
worldwideopendt #01