Thursday 30 April 2009

Cute Card Thursday - Mirror Mirror

This week on Cute Card Thursday they want us to use something shiny. This came just in time for me because I had some scraps of Mirri board left over from a magazine commission that I've just finished. My shiny element (the border) is subtle but at the same time effective (well I think it is anyway!)

The paper and the embellishments are K&Co Cut N Paste and the stamp is one of the Annie stamps from Charmed Delectable Stamps available only from Charmed Cards and Crafts, she'll go on sale very very soon but you can pre-order the whole set now if you don't want to miss out.

Here are some close ups....

Wednesday 29 April 2009

Truly Scrumptious- Good Enough to Eat!

I really enjoyed doing the Truly Scrumptious Challenge last week so I've decided to play again!

This is a fab one, here's the brief;

"We have another sketch for you to work with this week with the additional challenge of make a card that is truly scrumptious and good enough to eat! Remember to follow the sketch and the theme to be in with a chance of winning this weeks fantastic prize".

With the release of the first Charmed Delectable stamp range imminent I wanted to make an Annie card to show on the Delectable blog so although this card covers just one challenge it will be on two blogs - I hope that's OK??

Here's what I came up with...
Not fantastic lighting I'm afraid but other than that I'm really happy with how this card turned out. The papers are My Minds Eye, the yummy embellies are K&Co Cut & Paste (I think!) and the stamp is an Annie Acrylic stamp from the soon to be released Charmed Delectable Stamps.

Thank you for looking, to see the sketch and join in with the challenge pop over to the Truly Scrumptious Blog.

Sunday 26 April 2009

Dottie's World Challenge -Teen

It's Adele's turn to set the challenge for us this week over at Dottie's World and she's come up with a cracker! To coincide with the launch of the new Mikey downloads, she wants us to make a card for a teenager!

So without further ado, here's my effort!

My Mikey wants driving lessons for hiss 17th birthday in September and I just know he'll do well so I made this congratulations card for him, OK it's premature but I know he'll be getting it one day.

The great thing about downloads is that you can make them whatever size you like (within reason!!) I made Driving Mikey nice and big and made the image form the shape of the card front, I like doing cards like this because you don't have to come up with a layout idea- the picture makes the card for itself!

I printed out some L plates and well and truly distressed them so look as though they had been discarded , easy yet effective!

Thank you for dropping by, if you'd like some more inspiration or if you'd like to play along, please pop over to Dottie's World.

Thursday 23 April 2009

Cute Card Thursday-Getting Edgy

I love this week's CCT Challenge, here's the brief...

"For this weeks challenge we would like you to either tear, sand, distress or sew the edges of your card."

I decided to go for some distressing with my Tim Holtz edge distresser...


I decided to use the Prom Prince Mikey download for this one, I think edge distressing works great for masculine cards. My son Mikey (funnily enough! LOL) has his prom coming up so I thought this would be great for him.

The papers are from my Basic Grey Ambrosia pad.

Wednesday 22 April 2009

Truly Scrumptious

Well I'm finally getting back to normal here now that the new digi collection and the stamp range are finished so I can start to do challenges again!!! Yippee!!!


I had a look in my sidebar for a Wednesday one and found Truly Scrumptious, I popped over and discovered that they have the perfect theme to go with the image I've been wanting to use.

The challenge is to make a card for a child and to base it on their sketch. The great thing about challenges is that they get you do things you wouldn't normally do. The sketch had lots of layers on it and I don't normally do that so it's been a great exercise for me. I enjoyed it too!
Here's what I came up with...


Before I carry on I must tell you, this is one of our Annie images that will be available to buy as stamps very soon from Charmed Cards and Crafts (you can pre order them here). Now, because they are still in production I'm using printed images for my cards. The image you see on my card is printed smaller than it will be as a stamp. I didn't think about it until it was too late.

Here's another picture of the same card to give you a glimpse of the inside

The tags, ephemera and paper are all from the K&Co Cut & Paste Collection
I was amazed at how many die cut shapes you get in the ephemera pack, it's packed full! Such good value for money I have to say.

So, here are the close ups....



Copic Colour Challenge

Here we are again with another fabulous Copic Colour Challenge! Boy don't the week pass quickly, I hope they continue to pass quickly because I want to go on my holiday to Turkey... NOW!!!!

I didn't have the exact colours this week (I'm very tempted to buy the other set of Copics) Here's what I came up with.....



The Main colours that I used to try to meet the requirement were; RV04 RV23 B00 B32.



Obviously I had to add to the list, I didn't want our Mikey looking camp! Here's a close up...


The Image is Mikey & Madison from the brand spanking new Mikey download bundle available to purchase from Charmed Cards and Crafts,

The papers are K&Co.

Have a lovely day,

Louise xx

Tuesday 21 April 2009

Meet Mikey!

I meant to blog this this morning but I forgot. If you've visited Dottie's World today you'll have seen it anyway, it's my first card from my newest download designs, launched today at Charmed Cards and Crafts!

Meet Mikey......

People are going mad for Mikey! I'm chuffed to bits! If you'd like to read more about this brand new download set just visit Dottie's World or if you just want to rush of to the store you can click here.

Thank you for looking.xxx

Sunday 19 April 2009

Dotie's World Challenge - Christmas (!!!!)

It's another prize week over at Dottie's World! (thank you Karen). To be in with a chance of winning the challenge prize pop over and play along!

The theme is Christmas - it's never too early!
Here's what I came up with.......
As you can see, you don't have to go all green red and gold to do Christmas, I've gone for much more muted tones for my card. The papers are My Mind's Eye, the sentiment ins Imaginisce and the image is Madison in the mountains, I enlarged her and cropped her.

I love making these little distressed rosettes, they're so easy and a great alternative to flowers, all you have to do is tear some circles of patterned paper, distress the edges (I use my Tim Holtz edge distresser) scrunch them up, un-scrunch them then pile them up voila!

Why don't you pop over to Dottie's World to find out more.

Wednesday 15 April 2009

Copics Colour Challenge

It was my turn to choose the colours this week so I went for may fave which is Cardinal, I then chose two colours to compliment it; Cadmium Orange and Olive.

I decided to use one of my cat downloads, I haven't used them in ages so this is long over due....

I used the three main colours for the darkest areas the other colours used were;

Chrome Orange YR04, Lime Green G21, Lipstick red R29, Golden Yellow Y17.

I made some little hearts, distressed them and piled them up....


As you can see, I'm too impatient to wait for glue to dry!

I found these heart charms in my stash the other day and now I can't stop using them.

This is going to be my father's day card to my dad, I love how the little kitty looks up to it's parent in admiration, that's just how I would look up to my dad.

Why don't you pop over to the Copics Colour Challenge blog to see what the rest of the team came up with and why not join in!

Tuesday 14 April 2009

A Quickie and a Peek

Yes it's me! You're not seeing things I'm actually here on my own blog writing a post! I had this idea that when the Easter 'break' came along I would do some challenges and blog everyday! Yer right like that happened! I did manage to draw a range of stamps though so I haven't done bad eh?


I made this bookmark/notelet in the wee small hours to show on Dottie's World, I know it's not up to much but it did only take 15 minutes, do you remember Taz of Tasmania? Well that was me whizzing around my craft room last night after I remembered it was my turn to show something on Dottie's World today (EEK!)

If you actually think it's OK and you would like to know how I achieved this, intricate, time consuming result (!!!)ROFL. Just pop over to Dottie's World.

Onto the sneaky peak, as I mentioned before Karen and I put our heads together to come up with a brand new range of stamps, they're not available to buy just yet but you'll be able to pre-order very soon. We've been giving some previews on the Charmed Delectable Stamps blog that Karen has put together to showcase the stamps and give you all the news, she's also designed some fab blinkies too so you should pop over and pick one up.Here's the peek...


See the full card here, you'll have to scroll down because the blog candy post is staying at the top.

Sunday 12 April 2009

Dottie's World Challenge - Handmade

Wow what a cracking challenge Nicola has set us this week! First of all here is what she said

I want to see completely hand made cards, no bought backing papers or embellishments, the odd ribbon is fine though, but if you're gonna use backing papers I want you to have made it, if you use embellishments I want you to have made it,not just bought and stuck on and of course a Charmed Card and Crafts Download...................................................

Did you read that bit about the odd ribbon? Yep I'm afraid that's my fault! LOL I was so caught up in the handmade aspect I forgot about the embellishment specification! Sorry Nicola, mmmmwahhh.
I actually make cards without patterned papers quite often but I fancied doing something different for this one. I drew the background and coloured it in a water colour style with my Copics. I didn't have the time or the patience to cut Holly out so I scanned my background, added some black lines on Photoshop layered the digi image of Holly onto it then printed out. Once printed I coloured Holly with my Copics. The rest is self explanatory and very simple but simple is all I've had time for this week.

I hope you like it. Pop over to Dottie's World to see what the rest of the team came up with and to join in!

Thursday 9 April 2009

Stamps Stamps Stamps & Candy!

Good morning folks,

You know I've been so busy I've left you all in the dark! Many of you will already know my news but if you visit my blog but not Dottie's World you might not know! Shock horror! We can't be having that now can we? I need to shout my news from the rooftops!

As you know I've been selling my designs as downloads with the help of Karen of Charmed Cards and Crafts for over a year now (yes it is that long!!) and over that time we've always had people asking us to make stamps as well as the downloads, some people are addicted to rubber (and acrylic!LOL) so we need to feed their cravings! It would be wrong not too!

Anyhow, it took us a while to get around to it but after careful thought and planning we decided to come up with a brand new range - different to the downloads. It's always hare thinking up a new character, there are so many other stamps that it's hard to come up with something completely original but I think you'll agree that our little Annie has a look all of her own.

Now I bet you're expecting me to show her to you now, well I cant but don't despair! You are only a mouse click away from reading more news and seeing some previews of her in our new blog created to showcase the new, SOON TO BE RELEASED Delectable Stamps!

Just to get you in the mood here's a sneaky peek
Now, if that's not enough to tempt you over to the new blog take a look at this candy that Karen is kindly giving away to celebrate the launch of the stamps....

Now your ears are pricking up aren't they! he he!

Go on, off you go - you know you want to! Charmed Delectable Stamps

Wednesday 8 April 2009

Copics Colour Challenge

Hi folks, I'm sorry I haven't been around much, I've been working flat out on our first range of stamps, no rest for the wicked eh?

We had a stamp to play with from this week's Sponsor - Toodles and Bink for the this challenge, here's what I came up with - rather hurriedly I might add!

I cut the leaf detail from the Mira paper and arranged it in a pattern the shape of the squirrel's tail, it also goes quite well with the leaf detail on the image doesn't it.

To find out more about the challenge and to see the colour list pop over to the Copics Colour Challenge Blog.

Sunday 5 April 2009

Dottie's World Challenge- Bright and Beautiful

Oh what a beautiful morning! And oh what a beautiful challenge we have from Juliet this week! Here's what she said...

"This week's challenge is simply to make a project using 'bright and beautiful' colours and embellishments - of course featuring one of the Charmed downloads too. Lots of scope there then on this bright and beautiful morning!"

Well what better reason could I ask for to get my good old K&CO Mira papers and embellishments out. Oh and a Sizzix die that I bought in the big sale and never used, here's what I came up with....
Ingredients

Image; Chick Dottie from the Dress Up Dottie Download collection

Patterned papers and paper embellishments; K& Co Mira

If you fancy playing or even if you'd just like to see some fabulous cards from the rest of the design team pop over to Dottie's World.

Wednesday 1 April 2009

Copics Colour Challenge #7

Well would you believe it? It's challenge day again!!! Where does time go?

We have a colour list to use this week - I love these! It doesn't matter if you don't have the same colours, just find the closest match you have. The only one I had the same was the brown one. Pop over to the Copics Colour Challenge blog for more colour details.

Here's the card that I made - pictured with the 3 colours I went went with...

Although I used all three colours, my main focus was on the blue, I even used it to colour the Satin ribbon and button! The only plain ribbon I had was white so I thought I'd give colouring it a go, it's come out OK hasn't it! I'm actually really happy with this card, I hope you like it too.