BINGO

August already!
Well I guess that means it's my turn to host the new monthly card challenge over at Auntys forum.
How about a game of BINGO! :)

I'm asking the girls to make up a line horizontally, vertically or diagonally.
But I wonder if anyone will go for the full house on one card?

I did 3 different lines.
1. Punch, Paper Piecing, Gems
2. Fake Stitching, Pink, Spots
3. Paper Piecing, Pink, Flowers

This fab image is Dottie Cupcake from Bugaboo Stamps. I coloured her with my promarkers, but paper pieced her dress and hair bow using the same paper as the background (Mini Dots from Bearly Mine Designs)
I used my SU mat pack to prick holes on the corners, then made the 'stitches' with a Cameo Coral SU marker pen. I used the same colour ink pad to stamp the flowers, they're from the 'one of a kind' stamp set, then punched them out using my matching boho blossoms punch, layered them, then finished off with a gem at the centre of each. I used a large fern leaf punch to go with them.
The sentiment is from SU's crazy for cupcakes stamp set.

Hope my friends enjoy playing bingo this month :)

I'd like to enter this card at:
That Craft Place - it's a girl thing (my second entry)
Paper Crafting Journey - PUNCHES and /or die cuts (my third entry)
Penny's Paper Crafty - add some stitching
Cute Card Thursday - anything goes
Creative Inspirations - anything goes

Thanks for stopping by xx

Rudolph Day - July

Over at Auntys forum, the 25th of each month is Rudolph day. July's challenge has been set by Kathy, and she has given us the theme... HOLLY.
Here's my card...

I chose this adorable image because firstly I so wanted to colour him up, and secondly, it has holly in the image too. This is 'Spencer Loves Christmas', a Pollycraft digi that is available to buy exclusively from Little Miss Muffet Stamps. Seriously, you need this little cutie in your christmas image collection.
I coloured Spencer with my promarkers, and teamed him up with gold vellum, gold mirror card, and papers from HOTP (red) and Kaisercraft (green).
The pretty border punch used is by Xcut.
I decided to embellish the card further by adding some homemade holly, made by using a small circle punch on some oval pieces of card stock that I had coloured holly green, finishing with a red button.
The sentiment used is from Stampin Up, from their 'Best Yet' stamp set.

That's another crimbo card made for the collection :)

I'd like to enter this card at:
Cards For Men - Christmas in July
 I Love Promarkers - Christmas in July
Crafting By Designs - Christmas in July
Crafty Catz - Christmas in July
Card Crafter's Circle - Christmas in July
Charisma Cardz - make your own embellishments

Blue Christmas

I'm late with my Rudolph day card for the challenge over at Aunty's Forum this month, but as the challenge is set until the 25th of the following month, when there will be a new one set, i'm still ok.
This time, Karen set the challenge, and gave us a theme of Blue Christmas.
Here's my card...

Both the image and sentiment are from the same set, a freebie with a craft mag last year, made by Hot Off The Press, and called 'enchanted christmas' (I've used the snowflakes from the set on this card). I stamped them with SU ink, ballet blue. I forgot how much of a lovely shade of blue this colour is. The patterned paper is by Echo Park and is from their 'All I want for Christmas' collection.

I followed Amy's sketch from Freshly Made Sketches. I'll be entering this card there, as well as:
Crafty Creations - KISS
The Crafty Bloggers Network - O's and X's challenge
(Ribbon, Stamps, Gems)

Thanks for looking :)

My Hero, My Dad.

I'm getting ahead of myself a little here, this will be my Dad's fathers day card, which is June 16th here in the UK in case you were wondering. I decided to use this image months ago and have been waiting for the date to get a little closer before making the card. Today is perfect, because it's my turn to set the monthly challenge at Aunty's Forum, and I decided on the theme 'From Boys to Men'... to make a male card.

The fantastic image is Super Hero by Kenny K, and is coloured with promarkers.
The sentiment was found online and I think it's perfect for this image, don't you?
The text paper is from my Kanban Male Backgrounds CD. Although I did have to alter the colour in my paint program to get the shade I wanted.
Finally I added some punched stars. And that's it, who said male cards are difficult to make eh?

I'm entering this card at:
Craft Your Passion - well read (use text somewhere)
Passion for Promarkers - to die for (use at least one die or punch)
Card Crafters Circle - masculine cards
Sweet Stampin - anything but birthdays

CAS get well wishes

Please scroll down to see my first LMM DT card and details of the fab new release!

Here's a quick card I put together in 40 minutes or so.
I already had the image printed for this card, all I had to do was colour it in, and assemble the elements of the layout , which is for this months card making challenge at Auntys forum. I knew I wanted to use this image when I saw Kathy's CAS sketch, although originally I intended to fussy-cut out the daisies, but just as I was about to put scissors to card I decided they'd look better within the frame instead.

The image is from Beccy's Place, coloured with promarkers, who also has a flowers theme challenge this month, i'm just in time to enter this card as the closing date is 30th April.
The sentiment is from SU's fun and fast notes stamp set.
I didn't have any plain green or deep yellow cardstock at hand, so I used white card and then grabbed two promarkers that i'd used for the image to colour a thin border around the edge so that it would match perfickly. Good tip that eh?
I added polka dots with dovecraft back to basics paper pack, and my swiss dots embossing folder which I used on the scalloped circle piece which is tucked beneath the top of the image.
I'd also like to enter this at:
Totally Gorjuss - embossing
Kaboodle Doodles - spring
I love Promarkers - square card with something round on it.
Penny's challenges - anything goes
Simon Says Stamp challenge - anything goes
Charisma Cardz - polka dots

thanks for looking :) xx

January Rudolph challenge

I always leave my christmas cards til it's too late. Ok, I do make the occasional one throughout the year, but I always need to do a last minute rush in December (happens to you too eh?) Anyway, this year, i'm determined to have a nice little stash of crimbo cards all ready. Over at Auntys forum, the 25th of each month will now be Rudolph day. January's challenge is a sketch and the option of a recipe (glitter, button, patterned paper and a stamped image)
So here are my first 2 Rudolph day cards...

Image: Gillian Roberts 'kitten christmas nap' coloured with promarkers
Papers: Stampin Up old olive DSP, Sizzix 'little sizzles - country', & Holly Hobbie christmas joy.
Others:  Woodware leaf punch, SU eyelet border punch, mulberry roses, red seam binding, computer generated sentiment.

I'd like to enter this card at:
Creative inspirations - anything goes (option of flowers)
Craft Us Crazy - The colour RED
Stamping for Pleasure - Rudolph day
The Paper Shelter - anything goes
Christmas cards all year 'round - anything goes

**************************

Image: LOTV 'deck the halls' coloured with promarkers
Paper: Sizzix 'little sizzles - country'
Others: kraft, pale blue & gold cardstock, SU eyelet border punch, glitter, ribbon, button & charm from stash.

I'd like to enter this card at:
I love promarkers - anything goes
MAWTT - bling it on
Crafty Catz - cute as a button
Sweet Stampin - ribbon
Top Tip Tuesday - layers

Thanks for stopping by today xx

Sketch Saturday #47 and I get to choose a GD!

This weeks challenge over at Sketch Saturday is being sponsored by Emma Lockley, Emma has sponsored us before and we're delighted that she offered to sponsor us again, and that she is donating a fabulous prize... a whole set of Stampin Up stampin pastels!
as well as another great offer for everyone! a FREE full size stampin up ink pad with every order over £45!
I hope you will take part in our challenge to have a chance to win this fab prize!


This week also means we have a new guest designer!
I needed to find someone fast! someone who could work quickly and would be up for the challenge, so I posted a message late thursday night(!) on Auntys Forum, every member of this fab forum is worthy of being a GD, there's a wide range of styles and it was hard to choose just one, so offering it open to them was the fairest way.
Diane contacted me, she was prepared for the challenge at short notice! she didn't disappoint! her card is amazing!!!
Thank you SO much Morti! xx


and here is my card for this week...


I have used SU card stock for the card base (really rust)
The patterned paper is from my stash, I don't know the name of it, sorry.
The large cookie is cut from creamy caramel cardstock, has close to cocoa 'choc chips' and has a 'bite' taken from it using the scallop circle punch (all from SU)
The image is of course by Whiff of Joy (willow with cookies), isn't she sweet? I coloured her mainly with distress inks and with a few colours from SU
The sentiment is also SU, from the 'Yummy' set
The ribbon is from my stash, I bought loads of ribbon for little money from eBid.

tfl, have a lovely weekend!

Jo xx

Ria's DT week (and some thanks)

It's time for another challenge over at Sketch Saturday, and this weeks sketch is FANTASTIC!
Ria, I don't know why you said you weren't a sketch artist, I think your sketch is sooooo beautiful!
Ria's DT week is being sponsored by Funky Fairys Papercrafts & Shaz is offering one of her fabulous downloadable papers as a prize for one of you lucky challengers. Thank you Shaz! xx

It's also time for a new guest designer!! Shary has very kindly agreed to join us for the next 2 weeks.

Here is my card this week...

I have used goodies that my fellow DT members have given me for my birthday last week.

The image, given to me by Jeanette is Willow with Hot Chocolate from Whiff of Joy, coloured with stampin spots and a blender pen. Jeanette also gave mesome metal charms and a pack of pretty pearls, some of which are also added to this card. All sent in an adorable handmade giftbag :)
I used my stylised flowers cuttlebug folder on the pale geeen cardstock.
The flowers were all given to me by Tracie, who I think gave me her entire flower collection as the bag she sent was crammed with them, she also sent me loads of ribbons too!
The sentiment is hand written.

Thank you also to Mandy, Sandra & Mariska for the stunning cards, Mariska also sent me some fantastic images and another WoJ stamp for my collection, Herb with bird, how lucky am I eh?!

I had a lovely birthday, my lounge is decorated with beautiful handmade cards, many of which came from my lovely friends over at Auntys, thank you all so much xx

It's my Dad's birthday tomorrow, I was infact due to be born on his birthday but decided to arrive exactly a week early :)

Blog award!

Woohooooo! I've received this award from my new friend Pauline, she has only been blogging since last Thursday and has already received this award herself! wtg Pauline! *claps*

and it's not hard to see why when you look at her beautiful cards, they are lovely!

I have also received this award from Jane, a fellow auntys forum member and lovely friend,

she never fails to support all of us and makes the most wonderful creations herself

Thank you ladies! xx

The rules for this award:

1. The winner can put the logo on her blog.

2. Link the person you received your award from.
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.

4. Put links of those blogs on yours.

5. Leave a message on the blogs of the girls you've nominated.

i'm going to cheat (sorry) and give this award to each and every one of you, i've made lots of lovely new friends since blogging and it would be hard to choose just 7 of you anyway.

So please feel free to add the logo to your blog if you wish, and say Jo awarded it to you ;)

Another gift bag...

I couldn't resist making another gift bag, and it fits in with 3 challenges too!

Arty Girlz have asked us to use pink on our projects,
Sassy Crafts have a magnolia challenge, where you can win a Magnolia stamp of your choice! CLICK HERE for more details and how to enter this challenge yourself,
and the 3rd challenge? well it's to do with the buttons and the bows... over at Auntys forum, we have crafting teams and each month one of these teams sets everyone a challenge, this month the challenge is set by 'Buttons & Bows' team and their challenge is, yep, you guessed it, to use buttons and bows!! (at least 2 of each per project)

so here is my Magnolia, Tilda, pink and lilac gift bag with added buttons and bows embellishments!





and the back...

Matchbox theatre

Sally from Auntys Forum set the teams an extra challenge to be completed before the end of March, so plenty of time but I knew what I wanted to do, a matchbox theatre!
I didn't use a small matchbox for this, I used a large 'cooks' matchbox.
I started by painting inside and out with acrylic paint, then added paper inside for a background to the theatre masks that were made from card. I used foam pads to raise the masks from the base. I then created a stage setting from burgundy card and used a gold gel pen to highlight it and create a surround. I used the wrapper from a chocolate bar to make the curtains lol.

for my Mother...

I have just completed this card for my Mom, it's for Mothers day on March 2nd (early this year).

Over at Auntys, the team challenge for Feb is to use paint somewhere in your project.

This technique was first shown by Crissi, she did a fabulous card for her sons birthday, I followed her instructions and made one for my sons birthday too. I think this looks so effective, so I decided to use this technique for my moms card.

I started off by printing out a photo of a daffodil, I cut a piece of acetate to fit over the top then drew the outline of the flower with a permanent marker. I took away the photo and painted in the flower with acrylic paints on the reverse of the design so that the black marker still shows and you just see a coloured in flower as opposed to a mess lol.

I used my new purple cows paper cutter to make the paper ribbons and hand wrote 'Mother' with black pen then gold gel pen.

Look what I got today!

Wooohooooo! My lovely friend Sally who runs Auntys Forum has now started producing her own stamps! and wow what a great design they are too, all her own designs, the bunny is becoming a bit of a trade mark of our dear Aunty Sally. You can see the full range of Bootiful Stampz in her store, aptly named Auntys Store. These are selling like hot cakes so if the ones you'd like have sold out, please bookmark the site so you can grab your favourite as soon as its back in stock, and theres more new designs to come too!
Sally very kindly sent me the 'pot of bunny' stamp, it's soooooo cute as i'm sure you'll agree.
I couldn't wait to try it out and have made this card which will fit in perfectly with this weeks Arty Girlz challenge!!! yay!

Creating Mayhems challenge

Over on Auntys Forum we have set up some teams (I'm a member of Tracey's Treasures) Each month one of the teams will get to set the monthly challenge that everyone else can take part in. The challenges started this month and was set by Jane's team, Creating Mayhem...

"Create a project in Monochrome, meaning black & white only but with one added colour as an embellishment (this can be a button, ribbon, flower or anything else used as an embellishment) this extra colour, is to depict Winter. Your project can be a scrapbook LO, bookmark, card, box or anything else that you wish to make, but it must be in a shape other than square."

My challenge entry is shown above (because I dunno how to add pics beneath my posts yet!)

A rectangular card with a hand cut snowman, my winter colour is orange because a snowmans nose has to be a carrot for it to be a real snowman!

Ok, so i've done it!

To all my friends on Auntys Forum who said 'Go on Jo, get yourself a blog'... well this is kinda for you...to stop nagging me! lol. I may need a poke with Storms poking broom from time to time though if I don't post as often as you hardened bloggers ;)

I'll add you all to this blog as soon as I can figure out how to do it.

While on the subject of Auntys...if anyone would like to join this fantastic forum which is the most special place on the web as far as its members are concerned then please click on the banner above, not only will you be given a warm welcome, but you can take part in all sorts of crafty activities including Card making, Scrapbooking, Jewellery making, Cross stitching, Topper swaps, Inchie swaps, ATC swaps, Fat Page swaps, Domino swaps, Circle Journals, even crafty Bingo! SO what are you waiting for eh?! You know you wanna...