Christmas in July at Fab and Funky

Well it's Wednesday Morning and that can mean only one thing it's time for a new challenge over at Fab n Funky Challenges . We had some wonderful entries for the Anything but Square challenge last week and you can see the winners over on the blog. Whilst you are there check out teh DT inspiration for this weeks challenge there are some gorgeous cards there.

This week it is Ginny's turn to host the challenge and she has chosen the theme of Christmas in July. 

Our sponsors this week are the wonderful

Dilly Beans Stamps 

The Winner will receive 3 Digi's of their choice from their Store.

And also

My Creative Classroom

Who are offering a fabulous prize of the winners choice of a class

So without further ado here is my card 

The image is Gingerbread House from Dilly beans coloured with promarkers 

the main house is coloured using 'Spice Cinnamon and Honeycomb' which seemed so appropriate to the image.

The Candy canes are 'Mint and Berry red'

I also used blossom, dusky pink, mustard yellow,canary yellow,and pear green.

The snow was great fun to do and is just white acrylic paint dabbed on and pulled up to give texture using a spatula and then a really thick layer of white stickles was added it gives it a frosty look which doesn't show up very well in the picture.

Once everything was dry the image was fussy cut and I mounted it onto a die cut which is one of my spellbinders nesting frames. this was mounted onto a red frame cut with the largest square in the set and that was stuck to a panel of gold backing paper on a 6x6 card blank. 

Finally I die cut the computer sentiment and added a red organza bow (it started life as white but looked wrong so I coloured it with a berry red promarker. I added the candy cane charm using bakers twine. So you have it another Christmas card finished and ready to go.

I am entering this card into the following challenges
http://simplycreatetoo.blogspot.co.uk - Christmas in July
http://cardmaniachallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ - Christmas in July
http://alwaysplayingwithpaper.blogspot.co.uk/ - Merry Monday Challenge anything Christmas
http://www.craftysentiments.blogspot.co.uk/ - Crafty Sentiments
http://lejdesignschallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/ - Christmas in July
http://www.platypuscreekdigitals.blogspot.co.uk/ - Christmas in July
http://cutedaisymay.blogspot.co.uk/ - Christmas in July
http://thesquirrelandthefox.blogspot.co.uk/ - Christmas in July
http://stampandcreateblog.blogspot.nl _ Christmas in July
http://inkyimpressionschallenges.blogspot.ca - Christmas in July

Ebony and Ivory - with Ooh La La Creations

Once again we had some wonderful entries for our last challenge and Dawn had a really difficult job selecting the top three - you can pop over to the challenge blog to see her choices. So this week it is Lorraine's turn to chose the theme for the next fortnight at the Ooh La La Creations Challenge blog. She has come up with Ebony and Ivory - and apart from the fact it has resulted in me singing the flippin' song in my head all day it also inspired me to come up with this really simple easel card.

Made using the Femme Fatale CD from Ooh La La creations 

I started with a 6x6 card blank and folded the front in half to form the easel. I then cut two panels of backing paper which was mounted onto black card and these were stuck to the two halves if the front of the card keeping the fold line clear.  I used the same backing paper on the inside of the card and layered this onto black holographic card and white mirror card before sticking to the base of the card.

By adding the extra layers of card to the backing paper it weights the front of the card so that it doesn't  tip over when the easel is opened.

I decoupaged the image from the CD, I stuck the base layer to black card and then cut all the way round her before adding the layers of the waistcoat, top hat and gift. I also printed another base layer which I cut using a Marianne star die, I then layered it onto a star cut using the largest dies in the set and used this as a guide for positioning the decoupage figure with her legs and head outside the star outline.

Once happy with this I stuck her to the easel making sure that she would sit above the line of the fold when the card was opened.

I printed the two greetings and die cut these and several other stars using the same dies set. The Happy birthday was layered onto a black holographic and a white mirror card star with each one at a slightly different angle and these were then stuck to the side of the card.

The other greeting was stuck to the base of the card as a stopper for the easel and a further star cut from black holographic card was layered over this.

To finish off I added clear star shaped gems to the front of the card and added a black velvet brad.

I am entering this card into the following challenges 

http://onestopcraftchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes 

http://papertakeweekly.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes 

http://sisteractcardchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes 

http://cdsundaychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Hats

http://crazychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - without stamps

Anything but Square at Fab 'n' Funky

So here we are my first post as a full fledged member of the Fab 'n' Funky design team. I have to say there were some beautiful entries for last weeks challenge of use a doily and you can check to see if you were a winner over on the Fab 'n' Funky challenge blog. Whilst you're there check out the DT creations for this weeks challenge - 'Anything but Square' The theme has been chosen by Angelique and we have two sponsors this week.

DigiDarla Designs 

And 

StampArt Design by Kathryne

For the challenge I got to work with this wonderful design from DigiDarla - called Cheery Cheerleader 

Considering the time of year she just cried out to be coloured in red white and blue.

I used Spetrum Noir pens as follows 

Hair TN 4 TN6 and GB7

Skin FS2 FS3 TN2 and PP1

Outfit and Pompoms 

CR8,CR10 and DR1

TB2,TB3, and TB4

IB-1 to highlight the white bits

I then added stickles iridescent glitter over her T shirt and shoes and the white areas of the pompoms to add a bit of sparkle.

I love circular easel cards and all the base shapes were cut using an x-cut circle cutter in different sizes. 

The backing papers are a combination of papers from my stash and some from a black and white folder on the Ooh La La Femme Fatale CD that have just had the red or blue boosted in MCS before printing off. 

I cut some triangles from scraps of paper t make the bunting which was then just stuck down on the background and tiny little star gems were added at the corners of the pieces.

I added a rose from my stash that had been glittered with ultra-fine glitter and then hand rolled some roses from red polka dot paper. I added some ribbon and some leaves. The finishing touches were the gems which I have had in my stash for as long as I can remember.

The sentiments were computer generated and cut using inverted scalloped circle and plain circle dies from nestabilities.

So all that remains is to wish All of my American friends a Happy 4th of July.

I am entering this card into the following challenges. 

http://craftycatzweeklychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - say it with flowers
http://craftyfriendschallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/ - use bling - The stars and the glitter
http://craftyourpassionchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ - red white and blue
http://www.digidarlas.blogspot.co.uk/ - Red White and Blue
http://digihaven.blogspot.co.uk/ - Fun with flowers
http://lacysunshinechallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes
http://littlescrappieces.blogspot.co.uk/ - Let Freedom Ring any project to celebrate 4th of July
http://nutcrafters.blogspot.co.uk/ - show us some texture - Ribbon and stickles
http://paperplaytime.blogspot.co.uk/ - Red White and Blue
http://sisteractcardchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes
http://thatcraftplaceblog.blogspot.co.uk/ - Flowers
http://2sisterschallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/ - use stripes
http://www.craftdoormagazine.com/ - Anything Goes
http://craftsandmechallenges.blogspot.co.uk - Anything Goes
http://happycamperscc.blogspot.co.uk - Bling The stars and the glitter
http://tuesdaythrowdown.blogspot.co.uk/ - Stars and Stripes
http://pileitonchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Bling

First Dance

Having had a trawl of some of my favourite blogs I found that, I could combine a few challenges.

 I decided to go with Allsorts challenge blog for the colour theme as they are doing lavender and lace, I added some cotton lace and doily to the design as well. Over at Totally Papercrafts the theme was wedding  and CD Sunday have chosen Dance as their theme and this reminded me that on the Debbi Moore Deco Wedding CD there was a lovely image of a couple dancing, I printed this off in the lavender colour scheme from the CD and printed off the matching backing papers.

Tuesday Throwdown were asking for glitz and glimmer so I used Centura Pearl white with a hint of gold to create my card blank, as this has a lovely subtle shimmer to it. I also added a thin layer of stickles iridescent glitter to the top layer of my decoupage and the brides veil.

 Crafty Catz and are featuring flowers in their current challenge so I printed off the flowers from the Debbi Moore CD onto velum and then cut the various sizes and layered them up adding pearl centres.

I added some leaves and branches which were cut from the off cuts of the card stock I used for the card blank.

I used my tattered Lace winter floral dies to cut the leave and branches and then coloured them using a promarker.

During the design of the card i ran into a bit of a problem as I didn't have any in the right colour. I tried using white from my stash but the threading on the lace was lost and the lace didn't stand out enough when layered on white ribbon. I just used the same promarker as I had for the leaves and branches and coloured the white ribbon from my stash to match.

Delicious doodles were asking for a charm to be added and so I added the heart charm and the string of pearls.

Finally the challenge at sister act is Anything goes - so I figured that the card fit their challenge as well.

The finishing touches to the card were the inserts which again feature a paper from the Deco wedding CD by Debbi Moor that I have added faux embossing to via my graphics programme.

Edit - following a lovely comment from Anna on this blog having posted it initially a few hours ago I am taking her up on her invite and joining in at C is For Challenge - where the theme for their very first challenge is flowers.

So these are the Challenges I am entering

http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ Lavender and Lace
http://sisteractcardchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes
http://cisforchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Flowers
http://craftycatzweeklychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - say it with Flowers
http://cdsundaychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Dance
http://deliciousdoodleschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - use a charm
http://tuesdaythrowdown.blogspot.co.uk/ - glitz and glimmer
http://totallypapercrafts.blogspot.co.uk/ - June Bride and Groom

Fab and Funky use of doilies

Well this will be my last post as Guest Designer for Fab 'n' Funky, as of next week I will  be joining the team full time. Thanks to Judith who has asked me to stay on with the lovely ladies of the team. i am really excited about working with some more of the great digis from the wonderful sponsors we have coming up over the next few months.

We had a wonderful response to last weeks challenge to include animals in the design and you can find out who the winners are over on the Fab 'n' Funky Challenge blog  Whilst you are there take a look at the new challenge. This weeks theme is set by Pat and is to use a doily in your design.

I got to work with this wonderful little bird house digi called 'Welcome Home' from

digistamps 4 Joy 

I used some pretty papers from Lily Bimble, matted onto grey card and added faux stitching in white pen. I used the doily as a mat  behind the fussy cut stamp. I added two computer generated sentiments and some rhinestones and added a bow tied in vintage seam binding.

As a finishing touch I fussy cut some of the flowers from the digi to add to the corners of the card to complete. I then added a layer of stickles iridescent glitter glue to the flowers for a bit of sparkle.

I coloured the image using Spectrum Noir Markers in the following colours 

House - IB1, GT1 and then coloured over the whole house with a Sakura Gel glaze Pen in turquoise to give a sheen to it.

Roof - IG1, IG2, IG3

Flowers and Leaves - FS5 FS7, HB1, HB2, HB3, LG1, LG2

We have just had new neighbours move in and I popped the card through their door to welcome them to the street they were delighted with it. They are a lovely young couple and Megan and Richard and Megan was even more thrilled when my hubby told her I had made the card for them. 

I am entering this card into the following challenges
http://trimmiescraftchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/  Recipe
http://challenges4everybody.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes
http://craftyourpassionchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ - In the Garden - I have a bird box in my garden
http://craftycatzweeklychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes
http://deliciousdoodleschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Stitching Faux or real
http://digihaven.blogspot.co.uk/ - Flowers
http://ladybugscraftsinkchallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/ - Flowers and ribbon
http://sisteractcardchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes
http://hobbyhousechallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes
http://theribbonreelchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - candy colours including flowers ribbon and lace - I used paper lace in the form of a doily
http://totallypapercrafts.blogspot.co.uk/ - Flowers and bows
http://tuesdaythrowdown.blogspot.co.uk/ - Glitz and glimmer, glitter gems and the glaze on the birdhouse

S is for Steampunk

I have been trying to come up with an idea for my Brother-in-laws birthday card for a few days with no luck then yesterday whilst looking for something else entirely I came across a topper. It was an odd one I had left from a set by Kanban and I had a piece of patterned paper from their Alchemy paper pad left in my stash. Andrew used to ride motorbikes and even built his own trike but had to trade it in for a car when his family came along so the topper was perfect.

The piece of patterned paper also worked really well for him as he lives in London.

However one piece of paper and a topper do not a card make. I used a CD Rom from Crafty Catz called  'A Touch of Steampunk' to supplement the papers. I printed them onto pearlised paper so that they had a metallic feel to them. Once I had done this I decided that they would work well on the outside of the card

I made an A5 gatefold card blank from plain white card and then added panels of the paper from the CD which I mounted onto dark red Centura Pearl card, and trimmed to leave a narrow border. Then stuck these panels to either side of the card front.

I added some die cut cogs to the front of the card and then added the topper at an angle. I made my own embossed metal greeting panel  by embossing a piece of metal carft foil using the Papermania cogs triboss folder and then I embossed it again using a sizzix happy birthday folder. I cut it out and mounted it onto the dark red card and then trimmed to leave a border before sticking it to the front of the card. The screws are metal brads from the Papermania Chronology range I snipped the legs off and stuck one in each corner of the topper with gel glue.

inside the  card I used the Kanban patterned paper for the centre panel, which had been mounted on gold  mirri and then I cut a central frame from the panel - I cut a gold frame from mirri which had been embossed with the Cogs embossing folder in the Tim Holtz range. I added two cogs to decorate the frame and then added two panels of paper from the CD mounted on the dark red card before finishing with more cogs down the left hand panel. So that's all the family birthdays sorted now until November when everything goes a bit silly with, my Hubby, two brother-in-laws and a grandson all celebrating birthdays and two family wedding anniversaries to make cards for all in the space of the first 3 weeks in November.

I am entering this card into teh following Challenges
http://pinkgemchallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/ - Male Birthday with sentiment
http://craftycatzweeklychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes and add some embossing - the greeting plate and the frame inside the card
http://incywincydesigns.blogspot.co.uk/  - Tic Tac Toe I chose use die cuts - the cogs, emboss it teh greeting panel and frame, use metal - the greeting panel and the screw brads
http://sisteractcardchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes
http://sparklesforumchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ - Stempunk or vintage
http://cdsundaychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - S is for ..... I chose Steampunk
http://hobbyhousechallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes
http://thesquirrelandthefox.blogspot.co.uk/ - Use metal

Welcome Little One with Ooh La La

Wow what a lot of buttons and bling on our last challenge over at the Ooh La La Creations challenge blog,. There were some lovely entries and I don't envy Wendi the job she had of choosing the top three. This week Dawn has set the challenge theme for you all and wants you to show us your projects designed around the theme of  'Welcome Little One'

I mixed and matched from the 'Everyday Occasions CD' to come up with my design below

I used my main image from the 'Little Ones' folder on the CD and then I cropped the top and bottom off the main image in the 'Our Baby' folder and joined them together to make the train border. The backing papers were from a selection in the two folders mentioned and these were layered onto pale lemon card before I added Faux stitching. 

The bunting was from the embellishments folder and I added the lettering using a Sakura Gel Pen. The finishing touches were the three little organza flowers from my stash.

Inside the card I used backing paper from the 'Little One's' folder and before printing it out I overlaid

it with the DL insert from the same folder which had been shrunk to fit in the centre so a greeting could be added.

I am entering this card into the following challenges
http://challenges4everybody.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes
http://craftycatzweeklychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ -Anything Goes
http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes
http://sisteractcardchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes
http://hobbyhousechallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ _ anything Goes