Sentimental Sundays - Thank You card and a bit of a rambling

Hi and I hope you are having a lovely weekend!

We at Sentimental Sundays are ready to offer you a new and fun challenge - this week we want to see cards of gratitude. All you need to do is include a sentiment on your card, no other requirements except the weeks theme. As always there's a themed set of freebie sentiments for grabs and this time I got to pick the quotes and sentiments for the set, how cool is that!!!




The image is from a really cool ETSY shop I discovered very recently called Adayfordaisies. She has wonderful and very different images, well worth checking out! She has sales on until the end of May so hurry up! :)

I coloured the image with pearlescent watecolours. I did a bit "rougher" colouring trying to match the style of the image somewhat. Don't know how well it worked, I'll leave it for you to judge.

The papers are from OA Thrift Shop collection, big butterfly is from Jenny Bowlin, smaller ones are punched. I softened all the papers with Old Paper and Tea Dye distress inks, used the same inks on butterflies and painted Cosmic Shimmer Sparkle Paint on top. The ribbon is actually a fancy yarn I ruffled up. The lace is from my stash. Pearls are from Prima, they were originally white but I coloured them with a Copic marker.


To give you an idea how sparkly the image is I took a photo at this angle, it screwed up the colours and shading but you can certainly spot the bling factor! lol




Some of you have noticed my new fancy signature and watermark last week - well, they were not my creation! Out DT leader Ann who is making all those fab sentiments will start selling personalized watermarks and signatures through Whimsy Stamps soon and used us as her "test group". Let me tell ya, I don't mind experimented on AT ALL. As long as it doesn't involve scalpels or yucky foods, of course!

Now, enough rambling, let me enter this lil' card into some challenges!
Mojo Monday - sketch
Sweet Stamping - Pimp Your Card
One Stop Craft Challenge - Pearls and Swirls
Totally Gorjuss - Wings
Inky Impressions - sparkle, watercolouring, distressing
The Crafty Calendar - The Great Outdoors
Flutter By Wednesday - Butterfly AND Angel
Ooh-Lal-La - Bright and Cheerful
Oh Alice - Swirls
Lucy's Cards - Digital

Thanks for looking and happy crafting!
Hugs

Phindy's Challenge - buttons and a QUESTION for my readers

Hi and happy Friday to everyone!

Fridays are cool cause it's time to show you yet another card with one of Phindy's phabulous images. The challenge couldn't be simpler this time - use buttons. EVERYBODY has buttons. If you don't, go on, snip some off from the shirts of co-habitants. They'll be delighted!

Yeah. Well. Here's my card.



The image is called Reading to Sissy and it's available other way around as well (sister reading to brother), there's also afro-american version. I loved the image from the first sight since my kids are at similar age so when I needed a card to send to my parents this was a very obvious choice.

Colouring is all Copics, glitter writer on the trims of the babygro, just a little bit of clear glaze to liven the eyes.

The ribbon is from my stash, buttons from Bunny Zoe's Craft. Papers are BG Nook and Pantry (which, next to Origins seems to be one of few BG collections that actually work for me). All the stitching is done by hand and border punch comes from MS.



Please pop in to Phindy's Challenge Blog and have a look at the gorgeous work of the DT, it's going to be a treat - I think this week my card is definitely the weakest of the bunch!!!

Now to the QUESTION: I have had a lot of questions in my comments and via email about my colouring. I am truly honoured and VERY flattered that you like it and absolutely delighted that there seems to be quite a few people who find my work pleasing and fun. Thank you all so much!!!

I do not consider myself to be an expert in any way but if it could help somebody I might try and start making notes on Copics I use on images. Would that be helpful? Leave me a comment and let me know or drop me an email.

Now, before I leave, let me enter this card into some challenges. Cause I'm a junkie like that.
Pixie Dust Studio - Going Round And Round
Stamp Something - 2 of Something (buttons, ribbons)
The Crafty Pad - Over The Edge
Daisy Doodles - Anything Goes
Your Next Stamp - Use A Border Punch

Thanks for looking and happy crafting
Hugs

Those suffering from good taste - avert your eyes NOW

LOL ... you still looked. Big hugs for your bravery!

My friend asked me to make another baby card which I cheerfully did. Then I showed it to my Beloved who stared a while and announced:

"Jordan's Wedding!"

Now I understand most of you won't have a clue who Jordan is or what's the story with her wedding so here's a little picture:

And here's my card:





I kinda suspect Beloved was on to something!! lol

So all I'm going to say is that I used an actual rubber stamp and I do not remember the make (edited: found out it's by In2Stamps!) but I totally adore it. It's coloured with distress inks and stickled excessively.

Papers are from DCVW and flowers from different sources. Corner dies from Sizzix, tulle from my stash.

I still would like to enter this card into following challenges:
Totally Papercrafts - Photo inspiration
Totally Gorjuss - Bling it on
Pixie Dust studio - round things on card (card candy, flowers)
Stampavie and more - Birthday card for a girl
Digital Tuesday - Cute People
Inky Impressions - Flowers, Card Candy, Watercolouring
One Stop Craft Challenge - Birthstones
A Spoon Full Of Sugar - Celebrations

Thanks for looking and happy crafting
Hugs
Annika

Isabella's Challenge - Memorial Day or The Colours Of Your Country

This time our challenge at Isabella's Challenge was to create a card either with Memorial Day theme (which can be either patriotic or just cvelebrating the beginning of the summer) or use the colours of our country.

Since I have a very foggy idea of Memorial Day I decided to use a colours of my country. I am Estonian and our national colours are Blue, Black and White.



I snook a little bit of earth colours on the card as well not to have it too sombre. Earth colours count like no colours, right??? Please tell me it's right!!! lol

The papers are from MME and Lily Bee, white embossed card is from my stash. The buttons are of unknown origin but I just liked the soft round feel of those on a fairly severely structured card.


The image was coloured with Distress Inks on pearlescent card. The sentiment is lovely but it was one of the crappiest rub-ons I have ever had an honour to meet. My fingers are still bleeding, I'm telling ya' - and if you look closely the cardstock is marred as well.

To soften everything up I tied a lovely white double sided satin ribbon into a bow and stuck a Jenny Bowlin butterfly on top. Cute. At least I think so. :D



The image is available from Isabella's online shop.

Now it would be good time to hop over and have a look what the rest of the DT has come up with. I know you won't be disappointed.

I would also like to enter this image into following challenges:
Charisma Cardz - 3D
Stamp Something - 2 of Something
Inky Impressions - Ribbon, Watercolouring, Round(buttons)
The Crafty Pad - Over the Edge
The Crafty Calendar - The Great Outdoors
The Crazy Challenge - It's a Girl Thing
Pile it On - Out Of the Box (ribbon is over the edge plus I have used a colour combo I usually don't go to)

Thanks for looking and happy crafting
Hugs

Communion card - it's THAT time of the year!

It's going to be a quick post today, I have about gazillion things I need to get done! Life - so gets in the way of blogging, doesn't it!!??

The card I'm showing today was actually commissioned (I know, gasp!) for a Communion day of the little boy who's a big Celtic fan. I was also told that there shouldn't really be anything religious on the card.

So here it is:




I got a little Soccer Boy from Mo's Digital Pencil store and coloured his uniform to match Celtic team ... not sure how good of a job I did.

Kept the card very simple as 8-year old boys don't really appreciate frills too much - to my knowledge anyway. Just used MME Quite Contrary papers (again, I know, but they ARE perfect in every way, lol) and some card candy and MS border punch to add some interest.


I love Mo's image though, he really looks like he's having fun! :)

I would like to enter this card into following challenges:
Dare U 2 Digi Stamp  - One For The Boys
Creative Ispirations - Card for a Child
Digital Tuesday - Cute People
Mo's Challenge - LOVE
Rosie D's - Easel Card
Sew Many Challenges - Anything Goes

Thanks for looking and happy crafting!
Hugs

Sentimental Sundays - Get Well Card

This time at Sentimental Sundays we are looking for cards which we never have enough in our stash - Get Well cards. At least I know that I never can find one when I need it.

I used the image from Isabella's Sketchbook called Birdbath and the digital Get Well sentiment set which is available at Whimsy Stamps. Dead handy, that.

All the images and sentiments were printed on pearlescent card, heat embossed and then coloured with Copics. I cut out and 3D-d the image, unfortunately I had used a really heavyweight card which did not lend itself to much manipulation and curving, lesson learned. Next time I'll try something more lightweight.

The papers are from Crate Papers Brooke collection, really loving those, gorgeous warm colours and fabulous texture.

I used some ribbon from my stash, EK Success border punch, two different Cuttlebug folders, Prima Crystals, Card Candy and my Nestabilities labels. Boy, now that I'm looking at it it's quite a hefty list and it was supposed to be a very simple card, lol.

Now check out all the fabulous work from the rest of the DT at Sentimental Sundays and get crackin' on those Get Well cards. There are sentiment freebie set available and a winner bags some digital word art from Ann as well!

I would also like to enter my card into following challenges:

Mercy's Tuesday Challenge -  Sketch

Charisma Cards - 3D

One Stop Craft Challenge - Summer Breeze

Crafty Creations - Encouragement/Celebration

Creative inspirations - Punches or Die-cuts

Thanks for looking and happy crafting!

Hugs

Baby girl - awwwww

My friend asked me to make a card for her friend's relative's baby girl... I know, I got a bit confused as well. But then I dug into my Mo Manning folder and came up with this:

I had loads of fun colouring the image and glittering it up to my hearts delight. It's all Copics this time, no inkpads in sight.

I made the frills on the bottom punching golden vellum and then layered some lace and frilly ribbon on top. 

The papers are from American Crafts (mmmmm....llluuurve those) and the wee bit of sewing was done by hand. The gems I just found from my bling drawer. They matched. What can I say.

The sentiment inside is from Whimsy Stamps digital sentiment set, I think it's called Bundle Of Joy.

I made a matching envelobox using Martha Stewart scoring board. Used the same patterned paper and trimmed the box with satin ribbon to finish it off nicely.

I would like to enter this card into following challenges:

Digital Tuesday - Vellum

Creative Inspirations - card for a child

Totally Gorjuss - Bling It On

A Spoon Full Of Sugar - Cute And Girly

Charisma Cards - 3D

One Stop Craft Challenge - Summer Breeze

Crafty Creations - Encouragement/Celebration

Die Cut Dreams - Lace it Up

Rosie D's - Easel Card

Paper Sundaes - Easel card

Mo's Challenge - LOVE 

Thanks for looking and happy crafting

Hugs

Phindy's Challenge - Card for a Man or a Boy

Hi and happy Friday! This time at Phindy's Place our challenge is to create a card for a man or a boy.

I went for a very masculine (I think) image from Phindy) called Firewood. How much more manly can you get!? lol

The image was coloured with Copic markers and sponged with Distress and Vresacolor inks. I tried to have the coloring a bit more "rugged". Manly, you see...

Then I rummaged through my paper drawers and found this cool patterned kraft card by Jillybean Soup. Yes, I know, I'm doing it the wrong way around ... but honestly, I usually TRY to have a paper in mind before I start colouring. Just not this time, lol.

I matted all the layers on deep moss green and dry embossed the layer underneath the image with Fiskars texture plates, I thought it was a cool pattern and good way to add taxture since I wasn't going to add much embellishments wise to the masculine card.

I attached some fancy paperclippy thingies to the image and threaded ribbon through them. The card still looked a wee bit too naked so I sneaked in couple of Maya Road leaf pins and life was good again!

Now it would be a good time to go and check out the fabulous work from the rest of DT and get crackin' on your Phindy card. You know you want to! :)

I would also like to enter following challenges:

ABC Challenges - Unused (patterned paper and pins)

Secret Crafter - Metal

Dare U To Digi Stamp - One For The Boys

Thanks for looking and happy crafting!

hugs

Bouncy card and bouncy news

Today I am sharing a little happy card I created for my birthday card stash (for the sort of cards my beloved would approve as well...you know, with sentiment and all...).






But before I start rambling about the card, let me whisper to you that I have accepted a DT position with Stampin' For The Weekend ... how freakin' cool is that!!!!

And hereby I solemnly promise that I will NOT get into any new design teams for a while ... would like to avoid that "hamster in the wheel" feeling! lol

I will start in June so it gives me a little bit time to get all ready and set. :)

Back to the card - it's a very simple layout designed to accommodate my October Afternoon scraps.




The image is from Mo and was coloured with Copics, cut out, paper pierced and matted on black.

The buttons, ribbon and twine were all from my stash. Sentiment stamps are from Little Paper Shop.






Pease note I did some FAKE stitching! Ha! Cunning, cunning me!

I would like to enter that card into following challenges:
Allsorts - Birthday
Stamp Something - Celebrate
Practical Scrappers - Patterned Paper
Crafty Cardmakers - decorate inside

Thanks for looking and happy crafting!
Hugs

Isabella's Challenge - Birthday Cards

It's Wednesday and time for another fun challenge at Isabella's Challenge blog. Easy-peasy this time - a birthday card.

I decided to venture out of my comfort zone this time and create something I usually don't do. No cute kids or funny animals in sight, lol. Just a totally gorgeous image of Isabella's called Morning Flower.

I coloured it with Copics and added some Sakura glitter pen and ultra fine Flower soft. The image was cut out from copy paper first, masked and then the whole background stippled with various chalk inks.

Nestabilities were used to cut out the image and the mat.

The papers are from Fancy Pants Roadshow collection, gems are from Prima and the butterfly was cut out from a scrap of lace I found in my stash. The ribbon was also something I dug out from mu ribbon drawer.

All the papers were ages with distress inks and the fancy edge on right side was cut out from one of the papers in the collection. The bit of a stitching was done by hand.

Now head over to our challenge blog and feast your eyes on the gorgeous creation from the rest of the DT. Believe me, it's going to be a treat!

I would also like to enter my card into following challenges:

Allsorts - Birthday

Papertake - Say It With Flowers

Stamp Something - Celebrate

Card Patterns - Sketch

Stampavie and more - Flowers

Practical Scrappers - Patterned Paper

Whoopsi Daisi - As You Like It 

Thanks for looking and happy crafting!

To infinity and beyond

Hi and happy Monday!
Today I'm just sharing a card which was a bit of an experiment - I printed the image from Mo onto watercolor paper and tried spraying it with fixative. Didn't work, by the time the ink didn't bleed any more the watercolors were just pooling on surface. So I went in with Copics instead and the result was quite interesting - because of the partial sealing of the paper markers were behaving like watercolors as well.



Papers were all from my scrap folder so no idea what they are, sorry. The ribbons are from my stash, buttons from Basic Grey and pins from Fancy Pants.



I am not particularly happy with the card itself, I needed it quick so just threw together but I wanted to show a happy accident. Because I think the textured feel of the image looks kinda cool!

I'd like to enter that card into following challenges:
Crafty Cardmakers - Distressed
Totally Papercrafts - Wedding/anniversary (this was my anniversary card for my hubby)
Stamping For The Weekend - A card for a Male
Cute Card Thursday - Someone Special
A Spoon Full Of Sugar - 3 buttons and 3 designer papers

Thanks for looking and happy crafting!
Hugs

Sentimental Sundays Challenge - New Beginnings

It's Sunday and time to show you my fist card for Sentimental Sundays Challenge. Since the theme was New Beginnings this time I went for a baby card. I know it's not a very traditional one but who says all the baby cards need to be soft pastels and frills??? Not me, obviously, lol.



This very fun image is from Mo's Digital Pencil and I used the sketch on their Dream Team blog!

The sentiment was computer generated and printed on patterned paper. The image was colored with Copics, cut out with Nestabilities circles and sponged with Memento and Distress inks. I managed to smudge the image with grey a little as well but didn't have time to go and color in a new one, so sorry about that!


I used Nestabilities to cut out the stars and clear plastic stars I colored with Copics. The ribbon is from my stash. Papers are from 6x6 Prima pad I've had for over a year and never used!Please check out the gorgeous work from the rest of DT on Sentimental Sundays blog and don't forget that Ann has a freebie sentiment set for you every Sunday!

Have fun playing our challenge, the only rule we have is that you need to have some sort of a sentiment on your project, be it a card, layout, 3d item - whatever; and it has to fit with a weekly theme. We are all very excited and dying to see your creations.

I would also like to enter my card into following challenges:
ABC challenge - Unused
Totally Gorjuss - Round and round
Stamp Something - Celebrate something
Creative Inspirations - Congratulations
Thanks for looking and happy crafting!
Hugs

Phindy's Challenge #5 - Christmas ... in May

It's Friday and time for another fun challenge at Phindy's Place! And this time we're celebrating Christmas - yes, I know it's May but it's never too early to get started with Christmas cards to save yourself some December panic!
Let me tell you, Phindy has some of my all time favorite Christmas images but my biggest love of them all must be that little girl with the polar bear. It just makes me all gooey and nostalgic!




I have always felt that this image was calling for watercolors but my printer ink bleeds with water whatever fixative or heat setting I try. SO - I printed on pearlescent card, sprinkled embossing powder on quickly and heat embossed. Now pearlescent card is NOT a perfect surface for watercolors but after a lot of twiddling around I managed to get a half decent result. I used a mixture of Twinkling H2O-s and non-branded palette of pearlescent watercolors.


  Isn't it just a wonderfully warm image?I wanted the image to be focal point so didn't mess with very complicated layouts. All the papers and the fabric strips are from Papermania new Hampstead collection, I edged everything with a sponging of Old Paper distress ink and then chunky glass glitter. The mosaic tiles are from Papermania as well.



The wonderful sentiment is from Eat Cake Graphics, cut out with Nestabilities long ovals. Then I added some lace from my stash and MM felt snowflakes attached with brads. After a bit of hmmm-ing and aaahhhh-ing I coated the snowflakes with glass glitter as well. There you go, very snowy effect! lol



  Now head over to Phindy's Challenge blog and feast your eyes on the rest of creations by our wonderful DT!I would also like to enter that card into following challenges: Crafty Cardmakers - DistressingDare U 2 Digi Stamp - Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly - Shiny, Sparkly and Special
Pile It On - Cute and Cuddly
My Time To Craft - Toooo Cute!
ABC Challenge - Unused stash (I've had those mosaic tiles and snowflakes for ages and have never used them!)
Thanks for looking and happy crafting!
Hugs
Annika