Owl Love

This is a hand coloured image from the Owl collection on Lilly-Boo's Boutique. The images come in sets of 6 costing £1.99 for a set. There are 22 collections covering varying different themes. The images can be coloured in by hand - I used Promarkers - or can be coloured and sized in a graphics program.
I am using this card as entry for the 6th Polkadoodle challenge which required a hand coloured image and 'ribbon' made from paper. I did follow the sketch provided by Polkadoodles for inspiration and placed a dry embossed rectangle of self coloured card in the bottom left corner.

Lots of Layering

I had a card to make for my husband's cousin who will be 66 on Tuesday. I thought of using a giant 66 but decided not to. I decided I would make a card using his name. So using Sure Cuts A Lot I created the welded name. I converted this to an .svg, I then created the name with an oblong welded to it and saved as an .svg. I firstly imported the .svg file with the oblong welded to the name and instead of cutting in normal mode I cut it in shadowed blackout. I then converted the image back to normal mode and imported the name .svg. I lined the 2 .svg files up so that I got the sizes right and then deleted the oblong/name welded file. I firstly cut the name.svg in shadow and then cut it again in normal mode. I then pieced all the layers together producing the card at the top of the post. I saved the 66 foir the inside. I cut a small welded 66 and placed that on the inside matted layer.

Cricut Message Board, UK Crafters Thread of the Week Challenge

Each week a challenge is set on our thread and we all offer our version. This week the challenge was from a sketch, the sketch could be twisted or turned but must be recognisable. You can see the sketch at the top of this post.
I have chosen to use pearlised card which does tend to reflect back when you are photographing the card but I hope you can still see sufficient detail. I stamped the sentiment with Stazon ink on matching pink card.
Thank you for keep popping by, I hope you enjoy what you see.

Reached 10,000 Visitors

You have to be in it to win it - or so the saying goes. Pop over to visit Debbi, apart from being quite inspirational she is celebrating 10,000 visitors and is offering some amazing candy but even more could be added as if she reaches 100 followers she will add more candy.
Nothing complicated to do; all you have to do to stand a chance of winning the candy is:-
"Link this candy on your blog - either in a post or on your sidebar, I'm not fussy
Become a follower, if you're not already
leave me a comment on this post, telling me what ONE crafty thing you would buy if money was no object and why.
You may enter only once."
Go on have a go - you never know you could be the lucky one!

UK Crafters MB Swap

A few weeks ago on the Cricut Message Board in the UK Crafters thread a few of us decided to get together and have a card swap. It was decided that we could have it as a handbag or a briefcase or a ruck sack, any bag at all really.
As I decided that men cards' are always difficult I would go for a more unisex look and created a briefcase.

I thought long and hard about the sentiment and decided it was not to be a birthday card so went for 'Thanks', also I had never done any form of a pop-up card so decided to combine the two things together, as can be seen above.
I am so excited to see what the other members send me.

Yet More Blog Candy!

Dont miss this opportunity to win the most amazing quantity of candy, the only variety that will not cause you to put on weight!. What do you have to do? Pop over here, leave a comment and start following the blog - simple enough so take a moment or two to do it.

Polkadoodle Challenge & Brother's Birthday

My brother is a keen gardener and loves fresh flowers. He is a teacher and lives alone in a flat attached to his school but whenever you visit his flat there are always fresh flowers, so I decided to do a floral card for him.
I have been playing with the macro setting on my camera and we have some amazing poppies at the moment, despite the rain so I based my card around one of these poppy pictures. Then I saw this weeks polkadoodle challenge and decided the two projects could be one.
I have used an acetate outer sleeve and placed three flowers on here cut from matching card that have been run through the cuttlebug in the devine swirl embossing folder and then inked. The oval component is the photograph printed on photo paper, then I cut a cardboard section and attached the oval compenent half on the card half above. I had already printed the sentiment on the card prior to printing. I also distortes the image in photoshop and made a background pattern and printed this on vellum and punched the flower out which was attached to the card. The finsihed result is as can be seen in the photograph.
Thank you for popping by and looking at what I have been doing.

Enfys Blog Candy

Look at this amazing candy, it is being given away by our very own globe trotting Enfys on her blog. Not only does she give away amazing candy but she also crafts some amazing cards. Take a moment from your busy schedule and search through her amazing blog. Click here and it will take you straight to the chance to win the candy. All you need to do is leave a comment and post a link from your blog to the competition

Monochromatic Joy Fold Father's Day Card

A monochromatic joy fold card for father's day. A few diamonte added for a bit of sparkle.

Happy Father's Day was created in inkscape and then saved as an .svg file and then imported into Sure Cuts A Lot for cutting.

Father's Day Stubby Diamond Card

On the Cricut message board UK thread, we recently set each other a challenge to create a stubby diamond card. I decided to make mine into a card that could be used for Father's Day. My husband used to enjoy a game of poker when he was young and I believe this is a Royal Flush which is the best hand to have - mind you what do I know about poker - absolutely nothing.

I am afraid there was no use of the Cricut on this; the stubby diamond is created by folding an A4 sheet the playing cards where out of the crackers at Christmas and I computer generated the words 'Dealt the winning hand' and then cut out with a circular punch. The green base representing a card table is that 'foamy stuff' forgotten the name and then I scanned the Royal Flush once I had stuck the cards together and before I stuck them on the card and created a background paper. Then I matted this with red metallic card.

I have had to be sneaky to post this as he often looks in on the blog to see what I have been doing and I want this to be a surprise, but he is on a course this week so too tired to look in and by the time the course is finished Father's Day will have been and gone. Sneaky eh!

This is how to fold the card to achieve a stubby diamond.


I hope you have enjoyed this card and it has sparked some inspiration within yourself. Thanks for popping in and please do keep popping by.

Celebrating First Birthday

Look at this wonderful candy. If you would like a chance to win this candy then pop over to http://katzdesignz.blogspot.com/2009/06/im-in-mood-to-celebrate-candy.html. Leave her a comment and follow her blog, then you will have a chance to win this candy. How simple could that be? Dont miss out make sure you are in it to win it - or at least stand a chance to win it!

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Dont forget to leave her a note and follow the blog.

Tri-Shut Card

Men what a problem they are! My brother's birthday and no imagination at all and the time has now run out and I must leap into action. I searched the blogs and saw this idea of a tri-shut card. I searched further and found nice clear instructions on http://craftiblog.wordpress.com/2009/05/12/2009-05-12-5-12-x-11-tri-shutter-card-template/, so I started from here and adapted it a little. This is how the card looks when folded and closed.


Now this is how it looks as you start to open it out.



This is when it is fully opened.



I am totally happy with the mechanics of the card and have created an svg file to cut the base card and also one to cut the separate mats. I have to say I am hoping my brother is more ecstatic over it then I am. I feel the decorating has not got that 'vavoom'! But what can you do for men. I have put a blank mat on the back to actually write our greetings on.

I am left a little flat after burning the midnight oil to get it done as it needs to be in the post today, I would love to hear any constructive comments you all have to make.

Thanks for popping in and looking and listening.