Snowy Street

Hi All,

Another Christmassy card for you today.  I've been making a good start on them this year.  Although I'll need to pick up the pace if this year carries on going so fast.

I printed the papers and topper from the Debbi Moore Victorian Christmas CD-ROM.  The topper was originally a full A4 sheet so I used my printer properties to reduce the size by 75%.  This is the first time I've done it this way and it worked a treat.  The red cardstock is Cor'dinations.  I also used Cor'dinations for the holly border and corners.  These were cut using Spellbinders Holly Accents .  I raised the border with foam pads to hold up my easel card.

Finally I used my Quickie Glue Pen to add dots of glitter all over the topper.  The glitter was from My Craft Studio.  I hope you can see it from the photo.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

1.  The Crazy Challenge - #124 Christmas in July
2.  Crafty Sentiments Designs - Christmas in July
3.  The Pink Elephant - TPE156 Christmas in July
4.  Divas by Design - #43 Christmas in July
5.  Hooked On Craft - #22 Christmas in July

Has anyone else started their Christmas crafting?  How are you getting on?  I've resisted putting on my favourite Jim Reeves CD so far but it might be time to get him singing "White Christmas" soon!

Happy crafting,
Rachel x

Fab'n'Funky Challenges #129 - We're All Going On A Summer Holiday

Hello crafty friends,

We were all starry eyed over your wonderful creations last week.  The winner and Top 3 can be found on the Fab'n'Funky Challenges blog.  Be sure to pick up your badges!

It's that time of the week again and we have a great new challenge for you.  The talented Anne-Marie is your host and she has chosen a brilliant theme...

Summer Holiday

We are sponsored by Digi Doodle Shop this week. 

They have loads of great designs so check out their website here. 

I chose an ice cream theme for my card and wanted to make something with blue and red. 

I made a 6" square card blank from heavy white card and then rounded the corners with a large corner punch from X-Cut.  The light blue paper was actually printed from My Craft Studio by picking the colour of her skirt from the scanned image.  This is a really simple way to get a perfect colour match. 

The red and dark blue card is from Create and Craft and I used a small corner punch for those layers, also from X-Cut.  I took the red card and embossed it with my dotty embossing folder through my Cuttlebug.  I sanded back the top layer to make the spots white and then coloured with my Cyan Promarker.  I added glitter to the edge of this layer with my Quickie Glue Pen.

I used an EK Success punch for the border and Spellbinders Labels Four for the matting and layering shapes.  My image is from Tiddly Inks and called Wryn's Sweet Treat.  I coloured her with Promakers in the following colours:

Lipstick Red
Ruby
Cyan
True Blue
Indigo Blue
Walnut
Cinnamon
Caramel
Dusky Pink
Putty
Almond

I cut the pearly swirl from one of the Creative Expressions self-adhesive swirls.  These come in black and pearl and are really lovely.  The sentiment was from my stash.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

1.  The Cutie Pie Challlenge # 22 - Glitter and Bling
2.  That Crafty Place Challenge Blog - Anything Goes
3.  Card Mad Fairy's Digi Days Challenge #37 - Summertime
4.  Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge #140 - Seeing Spots
5.  Incy Wincy Designs - Summertime
6.  Simon Says Stamp and Show - Layered
7.  Creative Card Crew Challenge #14 - Swirls and Pearls

Hope you are enjoying some good weather.  I'm hoping the forecast is right and we get some sun on Friday.

Happy crafting,
Rachel x

Fab'n'Funky Challenges #127 - Stars and/or Stripes

Hello all,

I hope you've had a good week.  I'm really hoping the sun makes an appearance next week when I start my holidays.  No sign of it through the mist just now.

Your cute and girly projects were so special last week.  A real treat for us.  The challenge winner and Top 3 have been picked and you can check if it was you by visiting the Fab'n'Funky Challenges blog.  Don't forget those winner's badges too.

Now, for this week's challenge we are led by Judith and are celebrating Independence Day!  We want to see your...

Stars and/or Stripes

That's right, we want you to use stars, stripes or both on your projects.  We are sponsored by two brilliant companies this week - Tickled Pink and The Paper Shelter.  Check out their websites for fab images and more.  I had great fun creating this card and plan to give it to my friend Lynsey.  She has started her Triathlon competition season and is doing so well.  Hope this spurs her on even more.

I used Serif's Craft Artist Professional to recolour my papers and then simply printed them from there.  I covered my A5 card blank with the starry paper and then cut the stripey paper to form the layer.  The stripey paper was put through the Cuttlebug using a starry embossing folder.  I hope you can see from the photo that I have used the debossed side of the paper.

I coloured my Tickled Pink image, Lil Pinkette Faith, using Promarkers and Flexmarkers in the following colours:

Mustard
Bright Orange
Honeycomb
Blush
Dusky Pink
Cinnamon
Henna
Blue Grey 1

I used Spellbinders Labels Twenty-Five to cut my image and I think this is a really versatile shape.  Since I had a couple copies of the image already printed I stamped the sentiment onto a spare banner and then cut this out and attached the ends so that the middle stands off from the card.

The orange stars were coloured using the Bright Orange Promarker and then cut using my X-Cut star dies.  I layered these all up with foam pads. 

Be sure to check out the rest of the DT creations.  

Wave those stars and stripes for us - can't wait to see what you come up with this week.

Happy crafting,
Rachel x

First Christmas Card of 2012

Yes, you read right!  I've started my Christmas crafting very early this year.  Well, early for me.  Last year I was still sticking things together on Christmas Eve!  Although I did have a half finished kitchen in my living room where I craft!


Enough of my babbling and on to the card itself...

I've started with a 8" scalloped card this year.  I used Nigel May's A-May-Zing Craft Into Christmas CD-ROM to print the backing paper, ribbon border, topper and sentiment.  Nigel produced the CD in conjunction with Crafter's Companion and it really is a must have for your Christmas projects.  I printed off about 10 sheets and then remembered that I had only looked at the first CD!  Brilliant!

I covered my card blank with the blue snowflake paper and then cut around the scallops with a craft knife on a glass cutting mat.  I added my ribbon border with a tape runner and then trimmed the edges.  The topper is mounted on a piece of Cor'dinations cardstock that I cut with a square die and my Grand Calibur.  You can't really tell from the photo but I have also decoupaged my snowman with foam pads.  My sentiment is mounted onto the same green Cor'dinations cardstock.

The snowflakes came from Spellbinders Create-A-Flake Three, Create-A-Flake Four and 2012 Snowflake Pendant.  I added glitter with my Quickie Glue pen and used MCS ultra fine glitter. 

I'm not sure that this photo really shows up the glitter but I added a little to each snowflake.  To finish off I added some faux stitching around the edge of the scallops with a black fine liner pen.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

1.  Charisma Card Challenges #25 - Anything Goes
2.  Incy Wincy Designs - Anything Goes

3.  Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge #192 – Christmas
4.  Tammy's Scrapin Corner #16 - Anything Goes

Happy Christmas crafting,

Rachel

Fab'n'Funky Challenges #127 - Cute and Girly

Hi Everyone,

It's official - we are all dotty!!  One winner has been picked at random and Anne-Marie has also chosen her top 3.  I'm not sure how she every managed to choose.  Check out the Fab'n'Funky Challenges blog to see if it was you!  Don't forget to grab your badges too.

Now onto the challenge for this week and we have the lovely Pat P as our host.  She has chosen a fantastic theme this week...

Cute and Girly

I have used a Saturated Canary image called Ivy.  We are sponsored by Joanna Sheen so be sure to check out her brilliant website for a great range of crafting products.

Isn't she cute?  I used Promarkers and Flexmarkers to colour my image in the following colours:

Blush
Dusky Pink
Cinnamon
Walnut
Cobalt Blue
Soft Green
Tea Green
Wild Orchid
Pink Pearl
Blue Grey 1

Once she was coloured I scanned her onto my computer and use My Craft Studio to make matching papers with the colour picker tool.  I really love doing this as the papers are guaranteed to be the right colour.  After scanning the image I used Ranger's Glossy Accents to glaze her glasses. 

I covered my A5 card blank with the pinky paper and then stamped the flourish in Perfect Medium clear ink.  Unfortunately I think my ink pad had dried out and the embossing powder wouldn't stick.  So to add the glitter I used a Quickie Glue Pen and Hunkydory Diamond Sparkles.  I also added a small border of glitter all around the card. 

My image was cut out with Spellbinders Romantic Rectangles.  This is the first time I've used this die and it is so lovely.  Although, it did take a couple of runs through my Grand Calibur to get a perfect cut.  The minty paper was put through my Happy Birthday embossing folder and mounted onto silver mirri-paper which hasn't shown up in the photo.  I added my toppers with mounting foam.

I'm entering this card into the Allsorts Challenge 160 - Any Die Will Do. 

Can't wait to see all of your cute and girly projects this week.

Happy crafting,
Rachel x

Fab'n'Funky Challenges # 126 - Polka Dots

Hi Everyone,

We sure do have a lot of wonderful Dads!  One winner has been picked at random and Emma has also chosen her top 3.  What a hard job she had with so many wonderful entries.  Check out the Fab'n'Funky Challenges blog to see if it was you!  Don't forget to grab your badges.

Now onto the challenge for this week and we have the lovely Anne-Marie as our host.  She has chosen one of my favourite challenges so far...

Polka Dots

I loved making this card.  It just came together when I saw the wonderful Bugaboo image.  We are so lucky to have them as our sponsor this week.  Check out the brilliant Bugaboo Stamps website for some great digi's and inspiration.

Apologies for the slightly blurred image.  I think my ribbon flower was so big that the camera kept trying to focus on that instead of the whole card!

I used Kanban Tutti Frutti pearlescent cardstock for the base card and scored it in half with my Ultimate Pro.  I added a section of polka dot paper and then punched a scalloped edge into brown pearlescent cardstock.  This was achieved with an EK Success punch.  The glittery ribbon came from DoCrafts online store.  I coloured the image with Promarkers in the following colours:

Cinnamon
Henna
Walnut
China Blue
Cobolt Blue
Blender

The shape for my image is one of the Spellbinders Grand Labels Twenty Three.  The ribbon rose actually started life as wired ribbon on a Christmas present!  I pulled out the wire from one edge of the ribbon and then scrunched up the other edge, still on the wire, to make a ruffle effect.  I  attached it to a length of super sticky tape on my craft sheet and simply rolled it up and then secured the end into the tape.  It is attached with another piece of super sticky.  My sentiment came free from Create and Craft as part of the Club Member's free gift about a year ago.

Looking forward to seeing your dotty projects. 

Happy Crafting,

Rachel x

Nadia's Amazing Birthday Giveaway

If you haven't seen Nadia's Amazing Giveaway in honour of her birthday, you better check it out quick!  5 lucky people will be picked out on 21 June to win one of the pizza boxes full of crafty goodies.  Schating!

I'm keeping everything crossed for this one!

Good luck,
Rachel x

Fab'n'Funky Challenges #125 - Happy Father's Day

Well, you've all gone green!  Great entries for our last challenge and if you made one of the many wonderful creations, check out the Fab'n'Funky Challenges blog to view our winners.  Don't forget your winner's badge too.

Now we move onto another great challenge and this week we are celebrating...

Father's Day

We would love to see your cards for your darling Dad's!  We are sponsored by the wonderful Lili of the Valley (LOTV) this week and the lucky random winner of the challenge will receive a £10 voucher to spend online.

Now, onto my card for this challenge.  I used LOTV stamp called "Lazy Afternoon".  He does look very relaxed!

Before I started making this card I asked which were my Dad's least favourite colours.  Turns out, he really doesn't like pink and green.  Well, I'm afraid grass only comes in green, as far as I know!

I coloured my image with Promarkers in the following colours:-

Cinnamon
Henna
Walnut
Lemon
Yellow
Grass
Forest Green
Sandstone
Blush
Almond
Indigo Blue
True Blue
Arctic Blue

I inked the edge of the topper with Bundled Sage Distress Ink.  The wood effect base cardstock is from Hunkydory and I simply cut this with my craft knife and metal ruler.  I used the size of the toppper to judge the size of my frame and used a square metal die to produce it.  The wooden leaves were from crafting.co.uk and the letters were from Spellbinders Donna's Alphas, cut in yellow pearlescent cardstock.

I hope Dad likes his card.  Hope you all have a fab crafty week.

Happy crafting,
Rachel x

Cricut Sneak Peek - Art Deco

Hi Crafty Friends,

Something a bit different from me this evening.  Do any of you own a Cricut cutting machine?  Have you cut out shapes from this cartridge and that but never made anything with all those cuts?  Well I'm here to give you some inspiration!  I hope! 

It's finally clicked for me.  The books that come with the cartridges are the key!  This is just a sneak peek of a card I have made with my new Art Deco cartridge. 

Why a sneak peek I hear you ask!  Well, I have another blog dedicated to all things Cricut and I would love you to take a look.  It's not brimming with card ideas just yet but with my new lease of Cricut life it soon will be!

Hope you are all enjoying your weekends.

Happy Cricut Crafting,
Rachel x

Fab'n'Funky Challenges #124 - Go Green

Hi Everyone,

What a busy week!  I hope you've all enjoyed your celebrations, whether Jubilee related or not!  We had loads of great entries for our last challenge so check out the Fab'n'Funky Challenges blog to see if you were one of our lucky winners.  Don't forget to pick up your badges too.

Now onto the challenge in hand.  We have the lovely Judit hosting this week and she has chosen a great theme...

Go Green

You can either use something recycled on your project or incorporate the colour green.  Our sponsor this week is Digi Darla Designs and the DT were lucky enough to have a play with some of her wonderful images.  Check out the link to see which digi's you'll be colouring next.

I have chosen to use the colour green and have made a shaped card this week.

I started with some heavy weight cardstock and cut two of the medium sized Grand Dahlias from Spellbinders.  I scored along the top of the backing shape and then glued together with sticky tape.  The papers came free with a scrapbooking magazine about a year ago.  I was having a tidy up and found them in the bottom of a drawer so thought it was about time to put them to good use.  The image was coloured with Promarkers and Flexmarkers in the following colours:

Marsh

Forest Green

Leaf Green

Apple

Cool Grey 4

Blue Grey 1

Dusky Rose

Rose Pink

Cadet Blue

Glacier Blue

I used Spellbinders Labels Eight to cut out the image and sentiment which came from a selection of Forever Friends stamps.  The flowery ribbon was from Crafts U Love and I found it in the sale for only 99p!  Bargain!

DT Call

We are having a DT Call over at Fab'n'Funky Challenges.  We are also looking for Guest DT members too.  All the information will be contained in the post for this week.  If you would like to be considered, just leave us a comment over on the F'n'F blog.  The calls will run until Sunday 17 June.  We look forward to welcoming some new members to our team.  Good luck!

Happy crafting,

Rachel x