Dottie's World Challenge

Good evening all, I hope you've all had a lovely Monday. Mine's been busy, I'm shattered!

I just wanted to show you the card I made for Sunday's challenge on Dottie's World.

Nicola set the challenge this week, it's called 'double up' we have to use two differnt Charmed Download images in the same card.

Well I've been playing with digital backgrounds so I decided to make a hybrid card, here it is...

I used Chick Dottie and two Dilly Dangles for the challenge. I'm really quite happy with the results.

DCM - Animalia

Yay! I've done a DCM challenge!!!!!They've been few and far between lately. Here's the brief.....
Hi everyone, it's my turn (Mel) to set the dare this week :)
I've based my dare on the book by Graeme Base called 'Animalia' (just because that book happened to be sitting near my desk when I realised it was my turn for the dare this week).
So, all you have to do is create a card featuring an animal. I hope you all enjoy having a play with this dare, don't forget to come back and let us know where we can see the cards you make - because we do love to see all the wonderful cards you makeI used the balancing cat from the Cat download collection. I cut it out and layered it on some K&Co Mira papers (my fave).
When I designed this cat I planned for it to balance on a brad and hold onto one with it's tail so I was relieved when it all came together as planned.
TFL

New Collection

Well what a week it's been, what with the launch of Dottie's world and finishing the new download collection AND going to work, I haven't known whether I've been coming or going.

Anyhow, if you haven't visited Dotties world recently you won't know about the new collection........cats! It's all been very exciting, you see this collection has been designed in quite a different style to Dottie and George and I'm hoping it will appeal to an even wider audience. The idea with some (not all) of the cats is that they interact with elements of your cards and layouts. thiese love cats are designed to sit nicely on top of anything square or rectangular.

And this one is designed to act as a hook for anything you want to hang.

I think you'll be seeing quite a bit more of the new cats on my blog over the next couple of weeks. If you'd like to see even more Dottie, George or Cat creations, tutorials, challenges or customer cards be sure to visit Dottie's World.

More News,

Some of you will remember my Curvy Card design. Well it was bought by WS Designs the Tempting Templates Store, to be made into a template. I recently recieved the new, improved prototype and let me tell you, it's way better now. Their fabulous designers managed to get rid of those silly hinges that it had before but kept it looking and opening just the same. I've made some example cards for their advertising and it should all be launched real soon.

Dottie's World Challenge - Bits N' Pieces

How exciting! A brand new challenge for Sundays. Over at Dottie's world the challenge has now been set. You have to use paper piecing on any Dottie or George image and match it to part of your card's background. There's a paper piecing tutorial on there for anyone who's never tried it before.

Here's my example card.

I finally got around to using my Once Upon A Time Matt Stack for this one. I just love the design on the papers, they're so oldy worldy.

Di Hickman Sketch

What a beautiful day! Good morning everybody, hopefully you're all out enjoying the spring sunshine and won't read this until much later on.


Today I have my card made using the new DiHickman sketch for inspiration.


Here it is....

'Naughty Dottie' has been raiding the chocolate cupboard! Just look at the mess she's got into! She's trying to look innocent but I'm not fooled, are you?

CCT Challenge- Gems and Jewels

I'm loving the challenges over at Cute Card Thursday. This week they challenged us to use jewels and/or gems on a card. Here's what I came up with...

Before you think to yourself "Ah that's neat paper piecing and colouring" let me tell you, the image was all coloured in before it was printed out! Well, I was in a rush! Once printed out I layered it onto some doodled scalloped paper then onto the card base.

I added acrylic dew drops for bubbles, gems for earings and pearl brads just for a bit of bling!

New Blog!!!!

There's not much on there yet but if you like the Charmed Downloads or even if you want some inspiration, tips, techniques and tutorials it's the place to be!
Over at Dottie's world there will also be; a weekly Dottie/George challenge and a Dottie/George creation of the week day (Thursdays). It's up and running now- it's very new though so bare with me.

SSC - Shaped Card

Gosh I can hardly believe it! Two challenges- two blog posts- two days in a row! I don't know what's happening to me!

Todays challenge is from the Scrummy Stash Cafe blog. they challenged us to make a shaped card. I'm not quite sure if I'll get away with this as it's just the front that's shaped. Any how, here it is, Police Officer George from the George at Work collection.

I've used my Prisma Colour Pencils again, this time I went for a more textured look by drawing black and blue outlines before blending it all together with Sensador.

This view shows the inside of the card. I decided to make it a thank you card. You never know when you might need to thank a kindly police officer. Not too soon I hope.
And last but not least, a detail close up, just because I like close ups.

CCT Challenge & New Collection!

Good afternoon,

I'm very excited today because I've finished the latest George Collection and it's just gone live. This is my favourite George collection, I can tell i'm going to have lots and lots of fun with it, I hope you do too. It's called 'George at Work', if you'd like to view the collection along with lots of customer card examples in the gallery - click the blinkie on the top right of the screen.

Speaking of George at work, I've just used him for the first time for the Cute Card Thursday challenge; This week, a nice easy theme, anything to do with gardens. Could be people gardening, having fun in the garden, a garden scene or perhaps some little animals you might find in the garden.
Make it cute and have loads of fun!

What could be more fitting than Gardening George?

I'm really pleased with this card because it proves that you can use flowers on men's cards, after all, men like flowers too! Especially gardeners.
I used my Prisma Colour pencils to colour him in and I made those mini garden tools myself, it's amazing what you can do with a little wire and some rolled up paper.

Di Hickman/ Split Coast Stampers

Hi all,I haven't been blogging much lately, I've just been soooo busy! I forced myself to get something done today though and here's the resultThe Challenge at SSC was to use ruffles so I made a paper ruffle to add to the side. I used the sketch from Di Hickman to give me the layout idea -which, of course I turned on it's side - It's the rebel in me!!!

The image is from the Dottie at work collection and it's my first attempt at using my Prisma Colour Pencils, I know it doesn't show them off very well but give me time.

Do You like my new look blog? It took me ages to put my fave blogs back up but I got there in the end, I just have all the other bits and bobs to put back on now. I've removed my music because I read a thread on a forum about what people most dislike about peoples blogs and nearly everyone said music - So it's gone!

I got quite excited today because the June Issue of Crafts Beatiful arrived through my door and I've got a double page feature in ther this month and some 'Ask the designer' tips in the free book. Yippee!

I'm so sorry I haven't been visiting blogs for a while, I really need to catch up.

New Collection!!!

I almost forgot to tell you, as of last night we have a brand new Dottie collection on site. It's called Dottie at Work and it's perfect for all those end of term thank you cards and a whole lot more. Take a look - click the blinkie!

DCM Most Distressing.

It's that time again over at DCM, here's the brief.....Hi it's Keryn here and it's my turn to Distress you all, or at least your cards with this weeks dare. You can make a card for any season, any holiday, any occaision but you need to use either a fingernail, curled edges, sandpaper, tearing, anything you like really as long as looks like it's had a fair bit or wear and tear.

For this challenge I had my first attempt at making a hybrid card, it was about all I had time for I'm afraid. I know it doesn't look all that distressed, especially with Dottie laid there like Lady Muck, far from distressed. But if you look closely enough you'll see that I did a distressed effect on the main image and the background before printing and then when the card was complete I attacked the edges with some sand paper.

I must admit I did have fun playing about with the images on the computer, I'm really pleased with my Dottie backing paper.

I'm blessed.

I'm not a religeous person as such, I do believe there is a God, a higher intelligence somewhere out there, keeping things going ever so efficiently. I also believe that I am lucky enough to have someone watching over me, I don't know what exactly, maybe a guardian angel or maybe a loving relitive long past - who knows! What I do know is I have been blessed with many extradinary friends who are always there for me, supporting me, encouraging me, even, at time protecting me. I'm not sure exactly what I have done to deserve it but I tell you what I don't half bloody appreciate it. If you scroll down my blog you'll see lot's of tokens of friendship I've recieved recently, each one just a special as the next.

Well, shall I get to the point?

I was sitting drinking my morning cuppa today- try to picture it - Dressing gown, bed hair, face all creased from the bed covers- you know the look right? There was a knock at the door, "no worries", I thought, my postie has seen me like this a hundred times (don't raise your eyebrows, I mean that completely innocently! LOL)

Well I flung open the door and there stood Prince Charming holding a beautiful bouquet of flowers! How embarrassed was I! He gave me the flowers and scarpered! I didn't think I was that scary. You won't be surprised to know that actually he was just a very handsome delivery man.

The beautiful flowers turned out to be a surprise gift from one of those super pals I've just been telling you about - Karen. Karen is the proud owner of Charmed Cards and Crafts.

The digital download section on Charmed, where Dottie and George live was all her idea - without her we wouldn't have Dottie and George, so technically I think I should be the one sending her flowers! But you see Karen is very big hearted and is forever thinking of others, she wanted to congratulate me on the 'birth' of Dottie and George.

Well Karen I just want to say a huge THANK YOU, your kindness touched my heart. xx

Aren't they beautiful?

How lucky am I!

Look what was waiting for me when I got home from a particulaarly crappy day at work. Isn't it fabulous! This card was made by Leo of Crafty Templates. Thank you so much Leo, it warmed my heart and brought such a huge smile to my face. At first glance you might think shes done some very neat paper piecing but you'd be wrong. This is actually a hybrid card. Shes added that fancy pink digi paper for Dottie's dress on her computer before printing! I really must have a go at this because the finished effect is superb.
I also love the funky effect she's achieved with the ribbon, it reminds me a bit of a lacy garter. Leo you are one super cool card maker and you made my day. Thank You xxxx

Hot Stuff Baby! DCM & Charmed

Here I am!!!! I bet you wondered where I was, well you know how it is but I won't bore you with the details, I'm here now and here's a surprise; It's not George, It's not Dottie it's........hot stuff baby!

The challenge from was to go with the theme 'Hot and Spicy' and the challenge set by my forum pal Mellie at Charmed Cards and Crafts is to use some Fimo on a card. Well, I haven't used any Fimo in years but you know what, I think Mellie has opened a can of worms here, I could very possibly be addicted! That's the beauty of challenges isn't it? They introduce you to things you probably wouldn't have tried otherwise.

Anyway, I'll stop waffling now and show you what I came up with.

As you can see I used the Fimo to make a chilli pepper.
This card will be perfect for my husband who loves very hot, spicy food.

Thank You Nicola

I haven't posted for a few days as I've been busy with other crafting projects that I can't show on here yet but I just had to come on today to show you the fabulous gift that my postie brought to me today. It's from my lovely, sweet friend Nicola/Enjay you should have a look on her blog, she's ultra talented and she's made a most fabulous set of ATCs. This lady must have a halo, and if she hasn't I'll have to make her one. She seems to spend her life doing things for others, she is one of the kindest people I know, thank you Nicola, I love it.

You can't see the handle in this photo but I think you can probably see that it's a mug, not just any mug, a DOTTIE mug! Dottie has always wanted to go to 'China' LOL.

Aren't I lucky!

Thank You's

Well it feel s like my birthday but it's not. I have been lucky enough over the past week to recieve two beautiful cards from two lovely ladies, for no particular reasons, just because they are so big hearted and thoughtful.

The first one was from Caz/ Foxy's Crafts, it's the one with skipping Dottie on it. Isn't it sweet? I love how she's layered the three sections and I really like lilac and green together, thank you so much sweetie, it was such a lovely surprise.

The second thank you goes to Sarah for the other gorgeous card with artist Dottie on. It's a beautiful card and what she said inside really touched my heart, I think she predicted tears because she sent a packet of tissues with it, how right she was. Thank you Sarah.

Here they are.....

And last but not least my third thank you goes to Martine for the lovely post she wrote on Inspirational Blogs, all about Dottie and George, thank you so much sweet heart, you made my day yesterday.

Boxing George

Here is my latest George card, I'm really pleased with the way this one came out, I've used craft metal for his clothes and for the embossed background. I colour in all of my images with Whispers brush pens.

Here's a close up.

I just want to take this chance to say a HUGE thank you to all the people that have been so supportive since Dottie and George were launched, I've had lovely emails of support, comments on forums, people displaying Download Dottie blinkies and lots of people generally spreading the word. I don't know what I've done to deserve such good friends but you know who you are and you are dearly loved in return. I'm not going to start naming names because I'd hate to miss anybody out.

Thank You.xxxxxxx

CCT - Wings and Caardvarks Flight of Fancy

Two post in one day! can you believe it? Well I've been a busy bee and completed three challenges today.

This one covers the Caardvarks 'Flight of Fancy' and the Cute Card Thursday 'Wings' challenges.

I've used Birdie Dottie and Layered her onto Dream Street Birdie paper. I finished of the spots with some glossy accents.

DCM - Butterfly Flutterby CCT - Wings

I haven't done many challenges recently, but I made time for this 2 one because I love butterflies. Here's what Jo from DCM said;
I seem to like butterflies at the mo. This week therefore I would like you to put some butterflies on cards. Stitched, felt, shiny, bright, plain, paper pieced, stamped, drawn... you get the idea :) any theme of card but it must have a butterfly somewhere on the card!

I used dream Street Die Cut paper, prima flowers, Flower Dottie and my Metamorphasis butterfly stamps for this one.