Jake's 17th

Today is my son's 17th birthday..... 17!!.... those years have gone by in a flash.

I think you can guess what Jake's favourite pastime is eh? ;)
In fact, he's now studying Computer Games Design at college.

Everything is hand cut, except for the larger buttons on the controller which were punched out, and I used card candi, coloured with promarkers for the smaller buttons.
The patterned paper and alphabet (Jake) are from 'Don't Blink' by Bella Gypsy.
'17 TODAY' was cut using a Tattered Lace alphabet die.

Check it out!

Welcome to my stop on this month's From the Heart Stamps blog hop.

Our theme this time is "Check it out!"... we're using checks or plaids in our projects.

As you hop along, please leave a comment on each blog.
One random commenter will be selected on each blog to win an image of choice from the FTHS store.
Additionally, one commenter on the From the Heart Stamps blog will be selected to win a $15 gift voucher to the store!

If you have arrived here from the lovely Imke, you are in the right place. If you haven't, why don’t you start at the From the Heart Stamps blog, so you don’t miss anything. The full hop list is there too.

Here's my card...

This time, i've used our new Stamp Of The Month, Pumpkin Patch Girl (Faithful Friends), along with one of the four sentiments that you get for free with this image.
I have coloured this cute little girl with promarkers, but paper pieced her dress with the check design paper which is by Bella Gypsy (Grumble Grumble Glow). The floral paper is also from the same collection.
The pumpkins were also paper pieced using the same orange paper used for the layering, it is also by Bella Gypsy (Excitable), it does have a very slight pattern to it, though it's not clear here. I coloured over top of the pumpkins for some shading.
The green backing paper was found in my stash.

I'd like to enter this card at:
Penny's Paper Crafty - use a sentiment
Creative Inspirations - warm colours
Simon Says Stamp (Weds) - make it colourful
Cutie Pie Challenge - cute & girly

UPDATE:

Now, please head over to Kathy's blog to see what she has made for this hop.

I hope that you enjoy hopping with us today.
The hop will end on Monday, September 7th at 6am EST (11am UK time).
Winners will be posted on the From the Heart Stamps Blog on Wednesday, September 9th.

If you're interested in getting this image for yourself, you can read all about our progressive challenge HERE.
Also, if you'd like to enter our latest I {heart} sketches challenge, the details are HERE.

Good luck, and happy hopping! xx

FTH March Blog Hop

Welcome to my stop on this month's From the Heart Stamps blog hop.

Our theme this time, as it's February, is "Going Green", we'd like you to use any shades of the colour green, or to use something recycled on your card or project please, or do both if you'd like to!

As you hop along, please remember to leave a comment on each blog.
One random commenter will be selected on each blog to win an image of choice from the FTH store.
And additionally, one commenter on the From the Heart Stamps blog will be selected to win a $15 gift voucher to the store!

If you have arrived here from Jessica, you are in the right place. If you haven't, why don’t you start at the From the Heart Stamps blog, so you don’t miss anything. The full hop list is there too.

Here is my card...

I've used Daffodils for my card today. I love daffs, they are my favourite flower, So bright & cheery, they always make me smile.
I've coloured my daffs with promarkers and complimented them with papers from Bella Gypsy's 'Grumble Grumble Glow' collection, which I duffed up slightly on the edges.
The sentiment was cut using 2 word dies from Clearly Besotted Stamps.

I'd like to enter this card at:
Creative Card Crew - Green
Digi Galore - It's all about Her / Mother's day
Addicted to CAS - Distress
Sugar & Betty's - Anything goes
That Craft Place - Mother's Day / Anything goes

Now, please head over to Kathy's blog to see her fantastic card for this hop.

I hope that you enjoy hopping with us today.
The hop will end on Monday, March 9th at 6am, EST (11am UK time).
Winners will be posted on the From the Heart Stamps Blog on Wednesday, March 11th
Good luck, and happy hopping! xx

Inspiration Wednesday

It's inspiration day at From The Heart Stamps.
I was asked to make a funny card for a Batman fan, I think this will do eh?...

This great image is Super Birdbrain.
The sentiment i've used here is a freebie by The Alley Way Stamps.
I coloured the image with promarkers.
The papers come from 2 sources; Stella & Rose, Hattie by My Mind's Eye (grey), and The Last Key by Bella Gypsy (yellow star), matted on to grey cardstock.
I punched out some stars from yellow card, and then die cut the recipient's initial with a Die-namics By the Letter die.

I'm entering this card at:
Top Tip Tuesday - Use an action image (action hero counts right?)
Simon Says Stamp - Anything goes
Sugar & Betty's - Anything goes
Sweet Stampin - All or nothing (I chose lots of layers)

Join us on Facebook and “Like” our page to read about the latest FTH news.We'd also love it if you'd join our Facebook Group too, this group makes it easier for you to share pics of your FTH makes, we'd love to see them!
To enter the latest sketch challenge please click HERE.
You can find our Stamp Of The Month challenge and details of how you can join this progressive challenge HERE.

Please remember to join us on Friday for this month's Blog Hop!
Happy crafting! xx

Birthday Brew... and a treat for you!

It's time for a new I {heart}sketches challenge at From The Heart Stamps :)

Here's the sketch, and an optional inspirational photo too, should you wish to use it as well as the sketch and/or twist, which, this time, is to make a Birthday Card...

Join in the challenge, and EVERYONE who plays will receive a $1 discount code for the store, and if you are the challenge winner, you will receive a $5 discount code to the store! :)
Remember though, you must use an image by From The Heart Stamps to be eligible, and please include a pic of the sketch in your blog post too.

Here's my card, the one my son gave his dad yesterday for his birthday...

I've used the image Birthday Brew, this was the first image I ever bought from From The Heart.
Then I discovered the Birdbrains, Pigwits, Faithful Friends and other glorious images too :)
You get 4 free sentiments with Birthday Brew, 2 of which i've used on this card.
I've used papers from Bella Gypsy 'The Last Key' (star design), and 2 Echo Park papers, the spotty piece is from All I want for Christmas, and the zig-zag from Splash!.
I've used my tiny bubbles embossing folder, and Die-namics 'By the Letter' dies for 'DAD'.

You can find more inspiration, and enter the I {heart} sketches challenge by clicking HERE.
Please join us on Facebook and “Like” our page to read about the latest FTH news.
We'd also love it if you'd join our Facebook Group too, this group makes it easier for you to share pics of your FTH makes, we'd love to see them! 

I'm entering my card at:
That's Crafty - blue is the colour
Crafty Catz - polka dots
Papertake Weekly - anything goes
Crafting By Designs - anything goes
Penny's Paper Crafty - anything goes
ABC challenge - A is for Anything goes


Now, you may have noticed that I mentioned a treat for you :)
Well.....
How would you like to win a $10 voucher to spend at From The Heart Stamps?!

HUGE THANKS to Faith for being so generous, enabling me to give this voucher to a lucky crafter xx

Not only was it my husband's birthday yesterday, but tomorrow (13th Jan) is my 7 year blogoversary!

So, if you'd like to win this voucher and go shopping for some awesome images to add to your own collection, all I would like you to do is leave me a comment please, saying that you'd like to win the voucher. No strings attached, just a comment. As Aleksandr Meerkat would say..."Simples!"
If you want to tell your friends by posting about this candy, then please do (Thank you), but it isn't a requirement to be eligible to win.
You have until 11:59pm, 19th Jan to leave your comment, and i'll announce the winner on Tues 20th Jan.
Good luck! xx

Thanks, Little Misses.

There's a new challenge starting today over at Little Miss Muffet. This time it's a colour challenge, Blue & Green.
Today is also my last make as a member of the design team, so I decided to make a thank you card which I am dedicating to all of the Little Misses, both on the blog and on facebook, with thanks for their inspiration, support, friendship and kindness. Special extra thanks to Barbara for trusting in me and giving me the opportunity to showcase her amazing images, and to Faye, for organising everything, for all the fun you bring with it, and for not glittering me! lol... Love you girls! xx
I'd also like to thank those of you who have left such lovely comments for all of my LMM makes over the past 16 months xx

No image today, I've used the Clothes Line Metal Die to show you another way to use this die as well as with the range of hanging clothes images. Just a way to get a little more out of your die :)
If you have this die, you may have noticed that it doesn't have as many pegs here, I decided to snip off the pegs that I didn't need. Of course you don't have to do this, it's just that I wanted one peg per letter for this card.
The letters were cut using Dienamics By The Letter dies, and adhered to the card with foam pads.
I raided my scraps tub of papers that I thought went well together, staying within the blue & green challenge theme.
From left to right, they are: First Edition, Hideaway..... Sizzix, Little Sizzles, Country..... Lawn Fawn, Peace Joy Love..... Echo Park, Splash..... Dovecraft, Merry Magic..... Bella Gypsy, Moody Blues.
The flowers and leaves were made using a mix of punches.

I'm entering this card at:
The Pink Elephant - anything goes
Fantastic Tuesday - anything goes
Inky Impressions - anything goes
Creative Inspirations - flower power

You'll find the challenge rules, a place to link up your entry and awesome inspiration by the Little Misses on the challenge blog.
Please visit the Facebook Group and the LMMS page, where you can see cards made by the Little Misses uploaded throughout the day.

Playing with a full deck

I'm here today with an Inspiration Wednesday post for From The Heart Stamps, and another Birdbrain image, hope you haven't got tired of seeing these fantastic little dudes, actually, how can anyone get tired of the Birdbrains, they are AWESOME!
By the way, have you seen the new images? *nudge* ;)

But wait! please don't go just yet, let me show you my card for this week...

My daughter wanted a funny card for a friend in her crib team, so I had to use Birdbrain Card Sharks...

and the text inside...

hmmm, now I see that the 2 l's on the word full look too close together in the photo, but in 'real life' it looks ok and is legible.
A simple design was needed, and I decided to match the cards to the background, so I paper pieced them with the same digi paper which is from The Last Key, by Bella Gypsy.
The text is computer generated.

I'd like to enter this card at:
Sweet Stampin - paper piecing
Crafting from the Heart - anything goes
Sister Act Card Challenge - anything goes
Fan-tastic Tuesday - anything goes
Crafty Creations - things with wings
Creative Inspirations - clean & simple

FTH June Blog Hop

Welcome to my stop on this month's From the Heart Stamps blog hop.

Our theme this month is "One for the Guys"

As you hop along, please leave a comment on each entry. One random commenter will be selected on each blog to win the image that the designer used. And additionally, one commenter on the From the Heart Stamps blog will be selected to win a $5 gift voucher to the store!

If you have arrived here from the lovely Imke, you are in the right place, if not, why don’t you start at the From the Heart Stamps blog, so you don’t miss anything.

Here is my card, using an image from Birdbrain Football Fanatics.

Because an american football looks similar to an english rugby ball, I decided to colour up this image for an England rugby fan.
I used this week's sketch for my layout.

Papers: Bella Gypsy Designs, The Last Key and Moody Blues collections.
Sentiment: Birdbrain Football Fanatics.
Colouring Medium: promarkers.
Other supplies: Xcut 'diamond' border punch.

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges:
Paper Makeup - anything goes
Allsorts - for the guys
Papertake Weekly - anything goes
A Random Fan - let's polka dot (mine are massive!)
I love Promarkers - digi does it
Simon Says Stamp - father's day / masculine

Now, please head over to Kathy's blog to see what she has made to inspire you.

Thanks for hopping with us today. The hop will end on Monday June 9th at 6am, EST.
Winners will be posted on the From the Heart Stamps Blog on Wednesday June 11th.
Happy Hopping! x

FTH May Blog Hop

Welcome to my stop on this month's From the Heart Stamps blog hop.

Our theme this month is Get Well or Encouragement

As you hop along, please leave a comment on each entry. One random commenter will be selected on each blog to win the image that the designer used. And additionally, one commenter on the From the Heart Stamps blog will be selected to win a $5 gift voucher to the store!

If you have arrived here from Jessica, you are in the right place, if not, why don’t you start at the From the Heart Stamps blog, so you don’t miss anything.

Here is my GD card, using Rainy Day Birdbrains...

I have coloured using promarkers, I sponged the sky with SU inks though (basic gray and a touch of bashful blue)
The papers are by Bella Gypsy 'The Last Key' (grey gingham), and Echo Park 'Times & Seasons' (navy piece)
The borders were made using the Xcut 'diamond' punch.
The sentiments come with the image.

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges:
That Craft Place - Anything goes
I Love Promarkers - Not quite straight
Simon Says Stamp - Anything goes

For your next stop on the hop, please head over to Angela, and see what she has created to inspire you.

Thanks for hopping along with us. Don't forget to tell your crafty friends!
The hop will end on Monday May 5th at 6am, EST (11am UK time)
Winners will be posted on the From the Heart Stamps Blog on Wednesday May 7th.
Happy Hopping! xx

Nights in white satin

A great song, but that's not the reason for my post's title, bear with me, all will become clear ;)

The other day I had the opportunity to choose a digital kit by Bella Gypsy Designs, thanks to a Facebook contest where all we needed to do was link up to a kit we'd like to receive for free.
I was one of the lucky winners! and received this beautiful kit; Moody Blues...

Moody blues / Nights in white satin... gerrit? ;)

This is such a beautiful kit don't you think? I just love the powder blues and dark greys together, very elegant.

Well, i've had a play...

I love these papers already.
The image is a new one from DigiStamp Boutique, Birthday Quacky. What a cutie!
The pretty bottom edge has been punched using my SU eyelet border punch.
I found the blue sheer ribbon in my ribbons tub, and I thought it would look great with these papers. I should have tied my bow a bit neater though eh? lol

Quacky is off to the parties at:
DigiStamp Boutique - March competition
Tuesday Morning Sketches - sketch #241
Crafting By Designs - use ribbon
Digi Galore - Anything goes

Happy Wednesday everyone!, i'll be back later with another card :)

Scooter's Buddies...

...That's the name of this image. I bought it before Paula closed Pollycraft's doors for the final time :(
Glad I got the image though, but I don't know why it's taken me so long to colour this one up...

I've used promarkers as is usual for me. I chose colours to compliment the papers which are by Bella Gypsy (The Last Key). I printed them onto card stock though to get more stability as I've used a cArt-Us die to cut out the frame behind the image.
The sentiment is from Paper Smooches, from the Sentiment Sampler set.
I've cut flowers with my Die-namics flower and leaf trio die. Then added a bit of bling to the centre of each one.

I'd like to enter Scooter and his buddies at:
Digi Galore - Anything goes
Stampin for the Weekend - Anything goes
Lexi's Creations - Punches and dies