7 Kids College Fund Challenge - Halloween/Autumn and optional double image

Hi all!

So there, I think that is my first Halloween card EVER, lol. We don't really have a tradition of giving Halloween cards here.

BUT when the Halloween theme came up at 7 Kids College fund Challenge I did try my best. There is also an option to use a double image on your card. I used BAT TILDA and HALLOWEEN EDWIN I got from my lovely friend Tara, the Basic Grey Eerie papers (only Halloween ones in my stash, lol) also came from her. Gosh, it's great to have friends!!

The background for images is sponged with Memento inks (London Fog, Tuxedo Black, Lulu Lavender, Danube Blue, Cantaloupe). The sentiment is made from Doodlebug letter rubons.

I edged all the papers with Sakura Stardust pens (Orange and Purple), it gives a lovely subtle sparkle and definition. I also added purple Stardust pen to all the leaves.

The flowers I made myself from 2 inch ribbon and centers are your bog-standard acrylic gems I found in thrift shop. And I wasn't too sure about getting them since they came in pretty mad colours, lol

Check out the lovely work of our design team and don't forget to submit the card within next 2 weeks - fab prize as always.

I would like to enter the following challenges:
Stamps R Us (2 weeks, 2 entries) - halloween
Wild Orchid (2 weeks) - ribbons and bows
Craftalicious (2 weeks, 3 entries) - autumn colors or harvest theme
Paper Sundaes - things with wings
Scrappy Frogs (3 weeks) - make your own flowers
Stamptacular Sunday - fall colors
Raise The Bar - images that depict cooler weather
Delightful Challenges - make it sparkle
Paper Romance - handmade flowers
Totally Tilda - Glitter and Sparkle
Creative Card Crew - Bloomin Marvelous
Quixotic Challenge - Spooktacular
Magnolia-licious Highlites - Halloween

Thanks for looking and happy crafting!
Hugs

Sentimental Sundays - Let Us See Some Dimension

Hi and happy Sunday!

It's suddenly got quite cold here - I am actually pondering about putting the heating on and I'm usually the hot-blooded one! At least this sudden drop of temperature forced me to get my act together ans sort out kids clothes - putting away the summer ones and discovering with certain alarm that (surprise!) they have grown since last winter. Anybody want a hefty bag of used winter clothes??? No?? Darn.

Anyways, I decided to use the dimensions challenge at Sentimental Sundays for the card from my kiddos to their beloved nana. The card is in 6x6 format with a little extra front step.

I got those fab little Hanglars from wonderful Faye (a.k.a. Fluff) and had been itching to colour them for a while. I used Copic Markers but stopped writing down the colours sometime in midst of colouring the second image of three. I just used too many markers, lol.

The papers are from Echo Park (totally love their stuff, now if they did smaller format pads as well...) Most of the embellies are from a sticker sheet that came with the papers. I'm lazy like that. Just inked everything with Vintage Photo and I was good to go. This is fast becoming my favorite ink pad, next to Antique Linen.

The punch I used is from EK Success. It's my first time using it and I so love it!! The sentiment is from Whimsy Stamps, the set is called Birthday Letter Seals and is one of my big favorites.

I would like to enter thee following challenges:
Charisma Cardz (3 entries) - anything goes
Dutch Dare (2 weeks, 2 entries) - birthday cards
Creative Inspirations - 2 or more stamped images
Sisterhood of Crafters - birthdays
A Spoonful Of Sugar - anything goes
Karber - food and beverages theme
Stamptacular Sundays - Seasons change 
Crazy Challenge - Cook It 
Cupcake Inspirations


Thanks for looking and happy crafting!
Hugs

Cause we never have enough stash..

Just to let you now that Nellie Snellen Christmas punches are now on preorder at 7 Kids College Fund.

Tab is also now stocking 6x6 SEI paper pads. Those papers are so much prettier than you can see from pictures with all the glitter and foiled and shimmery papers in the pad. If you order before Sept 29th you can use a code KRISKRINGLE at checkout to get 10% off all SEI pads!

And not to forget Whiff Of Joy holiday collection - cute as ever!

I am really drooling over Sizzix/Basic Grey embossing folders on pre order - that plaid folder alone would make me very happy indeed.

 Now, and on that note I should go and stop another toddler fight that just broke out in kitchen. lol

Thanks for looking and happy crafting!
Hugs
Annika

Stamp Something - Fall Colour Somethings

I finally did it!! This gorgeous digi from Tickled Pink Stamps was printed on watercolour paper and then actually WATERCOLOURED with distress inks!! Yay!!! (doing not-so-funky-due-to-enormous-bum-dance around the table)

I had tried everything. And I mean every single tip there was to find to stop my printer ink running with water. Nothing worked. Until I found a tutorial by fabulous Rica (who, btw, is one of the coolest colourists EVAH!!!). She actually washes her digis. So did I. Yep. Just wash them, under running tap, rubbing gently. You will loose a little bit of crispness in lines but no more bleeding. And since you get the whole piece of paper wet evenly it will dry totally flat.

Word of warning though - it can only be done with watercolour paper - it's especially designed to withstand copious amounts of water. Any other paper will probably fall apart.

OK, now that I have calmed down - well, almost - couple of words about the card. The papers are from Cosmo Cricket Material Girl pad, all sponged with Vintage Photo. I made the flowers myself from gingham ribbons and punched the leaves with Xcut embossing punch from the same papers. Border punch is from EK Success (love it!!), lace and ribbon from my stash. All I added then was some buttons and a generous amount of flat back pearl. I don't really buy adhesive ones any more, find the non-adhesive ones easier to work with. Tombow glue is perfect for working with those - it has very precise application, never clogs and holds with a death grip.

Check out the gorgeous work of Stamp Something DT and don't forget to enter your project!

I would like to enter this card into following challenges:
Charisma Cardz  - anything goes
Paper Romance - handmade flowers
ABC Challenge  - D is for Distressing
Creative Belli  - embellishments starting with B
Creative Card Crew (2 weeks) - autumn or fall
ColourQ - old olive, peach parfait, so saffron, poppy parade, white
Crafty Little Place - brown, green and orange
Everybody-Art-Challenge - autumn
Paper Playtime - autumn
Paper Sundaes - fall or halloween colors
Scrappy Frogs (3 weeks) - make your own flowers
Lil' Lolita Boutique - stitching (flowers are hand stitched, buttons are stitched to card and BG paper also has some stitching pattern)


Thanks for looking and happy crafting!
Hugs

If you are looking for Phindy's Wnter Cuties Hop...

You can find it HERE

Phindy's Challenge - Thank You card

I love Fridays cause I can show another Phindy card then - boy am I mad about her stamps or what!!

Our new challenge theme is to make a Thank You card or project, any style is fine as long as you use Phindy's image!

I couldn't resist colouring up one of her Summer Cuties - I know it's autumn now but I think the image is perfect for gratitude card!

The colouring is a combination of Copic Markers and Prismacolor pencils with mineral spirit. The papers are from Pink Paislee and I sponged them with Memento Summer Sky and Danube Blue. The stitching was done by hand. I've kept everything very simple to let the image and sentiment take the center stage.

I would like to enter this card into following challenges:
Anything Goes - cute
Color Throwdown - melon mambo, pacific point, river rock
2 Sketches 4 You - SKETCH
Karber - food and beverages theme
Stamptacular Sunday - use a grid pattern
Secret Crafter - anything goes
Sweet Stampin - stitching


Thanks for looking and happy crafting!
Hugs

Little Cowgirl - Messy has been playing

I don't usually "do" western theme but this little Ride Em Cowgirl from Whimsy Stamps was just begging to be coloured up!

The colouring is a combination of Copic Markers and Prismacolor pencils with mineral spirit. The papers are from old and forgotten K&Co pad - aren't they lovely. It's therapeutic to go through your old stash once in a while, lol.

I also used a sentiment from Raindrop Echo Designs - it's from Gift Horse set but all of the sentiments in that set would fit the lil' cowgirl perfectly!

All the metal embellies were originally silver, I coloured them up with Copics (combination of YR23 and E37) to get more aged bronze look. I made the flower myself and the flower center is a combination of 4 metal pendants (the loops clipped off) and some acrylic gems.

I would like to enter this card into following challenges:
Anything Goes - cute
Creative Card Crew (2 weeks) - autumn or fall
Digital Tuesday - DIGI STAMP and it's all about the girls
Tuesday Throwdown - paper pleating
Paper Playtime - autumn
Corrosive Challenges  (2 entries) - use some of your unused craft stuff (papers, metal embellies)
Paper Sundaes - fall or halloween colors
Scrappy Frogs (3 weeks) - make your own flowers
Sundays with Crissy (monthly) - sparkly and shiny
Cinema Saturday - use metal
Sweet Stampin - stitching
Alphabet - U is for Unused stash
Stamp Man (2 weeks) - distress


Thanks for looking and happy crafting!
Hugs

Totally cheating

Thing is, I really like House Mouse images. Somehow though I have not yet managed to acquire any - surprising really, considering my stash building stamina.

So when I saw there was a blog hop on at House Mouse Challenge Blog, I really wanted to hop along too (admittedly quite smitten by their fab prizes).

But how do you participate in a challenge that requires House Mouse image if you don't own any stamps?

Well, you think. Then you remember you had a sheet of House Mouse decoupage someplace. Then you dig. Then you cut - a lot and badly. Then you stick it all together with oodles of glue gel and put together a card which feels totally wrong and not "yours". But hey, I DID try!!! :P

Because of the shininess and glare of the decoupage sheet I couldn't really show the dimension on the image. It's really built up from tiny pieced and looks very 3D.

Other than that things just didn't come together, I guess I find it hard to "bond" with ready-coloured image, lol

But I'm going to enter it into the challenge anyway. :D

Thanks for looking and happy crafting
Hugs

Sentimental Sundays - Wedding

Hi and happy Sunday! It's time for Sentimental Sundays and the theme is Wedding this time.

Before I get to the card I have some good news - after battling really major technical issues and being down for some days Whimsy Stamps website is now up and running again!! So if you were hoping to get your personalized stamp orders in - hurry over! Of course I'm not suggesting you should limit yourself to those only...lol

My card is a bit out of ordinary for me. Firstly I didn't have time (or energy) to colour up anything so I used Whiff Of Joy image I had coloured up about year and half ago. With Prismas. Yes, I know, the colouring sucks. Sorry.

Another unusual thing is that there is no paper on that card except the image. Everything else is canvas - all the layers, ribbon (just tore couple of strips and frayed) and even the flowers which I cut out with Marianne's Creatables. I embossed one of the layers with 5x7 Cuttlebug folder and sponged lightly with Antique Linen distress ink.

Then I added some torn-up raffia (idea from Tara again), couple of pearl pins, loads of flat back pearls. I tried to perk the image up by adding Flower Soft and Ultra Fine Flower Soft (the brown one) and some accents with Viva Pearl Pen in Gold.

Well, that's about it. Don't forget to play along to win a set of sentiments!

I would like to enter following challenges:
Secret Crafter - anything goes
Alphabet - U is for Unused stash (canvas)
ABC Challenge (2 weeks) - D is for Distressing
Paper Pretties - pearls, rhinestones or glitter dots
Lexi's Creations (2 weeks) - flower power
Wild Orchid (2 weeks) - pearls and pins


Thanks for looking and happy crafting
Hugs

Phindy's Winter Cuties - Wooo-Hoooo, We're Hopping!!!

Seriously, you HAVE to see Phindy's Winter Cuties!!! They are so adorable I just know I'm gonna end up getting them ALL!!!

If you came here from Ann's blog - you're on right track. If not - boy, if you have ANY time to spare go back to the challenge blog and start hopping. It's worth it for eye candy only, nevermind the fact that you can WIN yourself some Winter Cuties!! What do you have to do to win? First, you need to visit the DT's blogs and leave a comment at each one. Also, each blog will have a word that you need to collect as you hop along. Put the words together to make a sentence and leave a comment, including your sentence, at the last stop (the challenge blog).


My word is CUTIES.


Now, enough chatting - betcha you are impatient to see the CUTIES:

I used Basic Grey Capella papers on that card, some lace and snowflake punches. And Stickles. Everywhere.

Other than that it's just letting the image do it's work. Happy sigh.

COPIC COLOURS:
skin E21/00/000/0000. R02/01/00
Boots E47/37/35/33/31/41
hat, gloves, tights YG95/93/91, G0000
Coat E74/44/71/70/41


I would like to enter this card to the following challenges:
ABC Challenge (2 weeks) - D is for Distressing
ABC Christmas (2 weeks) - (christmas cards) S is for Santa
Paper Pretties - pearls, rhinestones or glitter dots
Die Cut Dreams - using a digi, sweet little girls
Aly's Sunday Challenge (2 weeks) - sparkly and glittery
Sundays with Chrissy (monthly) - sparkly and shiny
Craft Your Days Away (2 weeks) - girly and glitter
Our Daily Bread Designs - sparkle
Cupcake Craft challenges - sketch


And my second card, this time I went for warm traditional hues.

Papers are Basic Grey Jovial (GORGEOUS pad), everything else is the bottomless pit that is my stash. I sponged the papers with white ink, just to soften the lines a bit.

COPIC COLOURS:
skin E11/21/00, R02.01/00
Teddy E47/37/35/33/31/41
hair E49/47/37/35/99/97
jumper, bows, shoes E18/09/07/04/02
Skrt YG99/97/95/93/91

I would like to enter this card to the following challenges:
ABC Christmas (2 weeks) - (christmas cards) S is for Santa
Paper Pretties - pearls, rhinestones or glitter dots
Die Cut Dreams - using a digi, sweet little girls
Lexi's Creations (2 weeks) - flower power
Paper Sundaes - minimum of 3 different types of embellishments (ribbons, bead caps, flowers, felt, bling)
Scrappy Frog (3 weeks) - flower power
Totally Gorjuss - flowers
Sketch and stash - sketch


And now it's time to hop over to LINDA'S BLOG - you are up for a treat!!!


Thanks for looking and happy crafting!
Hugs

Three cards for three design teams - phew

This is going to be a long post again - got three cards to show you!!

First up is

STAMPIN' FOR THE WEEKEND - TAG IT.
The challenge is obviously to incorporate a tag into your project, easy-peasy!!

Our sponsor this week is Meljens who also kindly gave us the images to use. Aren't those kitties adorable - I'd take them any day. If my dog wasn't cat-eating kind, that is. lol

The flowers on card are also from Meljens - they're called Flower Layers and you get loads of flower shapes and leaves you can paper piece or colour. They're only available since yesterday at Whimsy Stamps. I paper pieced mine and shaped with embossing tool. Left them quite plain because I liked the homespun feel of the card.

Just a message to anybody who wants to order something from Whimsy Stamps - their website is experiencing some MAJOR technical issues and if you want to order something and know what it is, you can just email Denise with your wish and she will issue a Paypal invoice.

The kitties were coloured with my Prismas. I've been admiring gorgeous cards by Dorcas and Tara and it really has made me want to play with my pencils more. Those cute soft "cosy housewife" sort of papers are from Fancy Pants.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Pixie Dust Studio - animals
Some Odd Girl (2 weeks) - 3 or more images
Scrappy Frog (3 weeks) - flower power
Totally Gorjuss - flowers
Sketch Saturday - sketch


Next card is for
STAMP SOMETHING - DIGI DAY
Any project involving a digital stamp goes!

We have lots of different digi companies sponsoring - I got this cute image to work with from Wink Wink Ink. It came with several sentiments besides the one I used. I thought it would be fun to really make things fuzzy so dug into my forgotten stash of fibres and roughed up the papers. Lemme tell you, sewing with furry fibre is A MAJOR PAIN IN BUTT. There. I said it.

I coloured the image with Prismas (told ya - playing!) and made the vintagey lopsided flower from lace and Papermania brad. Leaves are made of satin ribbon.  The papers are from Jillybean Soup.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
ABC Challenge (2 weeks) - D is for Distressing
Wild Flower Patch - stripes
Ooh La La Creations (2 weeks) - stripes
Shabby Tea Room - inspired by nature and/or using the color green
Stampin' Sisters in Christ - faux or real stitching
Andrea's Stampin' Moments - thinking of you
Paper Playtime - if the shoe fits, buy one in every color (variety)

And the last but not least
PHINDY'S CHALLENGE - CHRISTMAS CARD FOR OWH
Now, another card for OWH. At least this time I knew what A2 card is. You can find some guidelines for making a card for Operation Write Home HERE.

The papers are from SEI and October Afternoon, I edged everything with silver leafing pen to keep the card reasonably flat but still define the layers. Green strip was put through the paper crimper and then accented with leafing pen again.

It's back to Copics for this card, I'll need more practice to colour hoomans (and fairies) properly with Prismas.

COPIC COLOURS:
Skin: E13/11/00/000
Boots, tights, hair: E39/37/35/34/33/31
hat, jacket: E79/74/71/70
Dress: E44/43/41/40
Cat: T3/T1, 0

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Paper Romance - birthday or christmas cards for OWH
Paper Pretties - pearls, rhinestones or glitter dots (you can't see them very well, but they're there, in the corner!!!)
Die Cut Dreams - using a digi, sweet little girls
Cowgirl's Sunday Challenge (3 entries) - christmas cards for OWH



Thanks for looking and happy crafting!
Hugs