Martial Arts for Little People

Hi, I'm just using the extra hour in bed to catch up on my blog...like I said I have been crafting even if it doesn't look like it here!

So my nephew was just 7 and this is the card I made him.  Apologies for the blue tinge on the seven...the glossy accents wasn't quite dry when I took the picture.  The weather during the week has been so dull that it has been quite difficult to get photographs done and I literally had to put this in the envelope as soon as the glossy accents were dry.

The stamp is a lili of the valley stamp.  I asked them to do a little karate kid a while ago and sure enough the next release of boy stamps included this little chap.  I think that he is one of my favourite boy stamps that they do.  He was stamped in black soot distress ink and coloured with copics.  I've had the backing papers for some time now so can't remember who's they are, but I suspect they are papermania.  I distressed the edges with Pumice stone distress ink and in ink splat stamp from Paperartsy.  I find this stamp so useful that it is permanently on my desk.

To add to the oriental feel I added an Asian coin.  This is made from air dry clay.  I have a great Asian coin mold which works well with the clay or UTEE.  I like using the clay because you can paint it really well.  I painted it with black acrylic paint and then using a finger rubbed some treasure gold over the top before buffing it with a cloth.   For a little extra interest I tied a piece of paper twine around the centre of the coin before attaching it to the card.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
"Clearly Inspired - Ribbon or twine"
"Crafty Catz - Male card with a number"
"Poodles Parlour - Anything goes"
"Addicted to Stamps - Make your Mark"
"Paper Pretties - Masculine"
"Stamp n doodle - ribbon/twine"
"Tanda Stamps - all things manly"
"Anything goes challenge - home made embellishment"
"Craft-room challenge - Oriental", I know you don't do cute Zoe, but this was the closest I was going to get to the theme this week.

Easel with a Twist

Just thought I would share this card with you as it fits several challenges atm. The card is for hubby's aunt. It's her birthday on Monday, but I think I am safe to show it as she doesn't know about my blog!


Basically this is perfect for her as she is an excellent cook and makes all the special birthday cakes and wedding cakes for the family. The stamps are from Lili of the Valley (except for Dune Dots which is exclusive to the Treasury in Kidderminster). Colouring has been done using Copic Markers and distress inks. The jam jar, umbrella and jam have been coated in Glossy accents and some glitter has been applied on the icing sugar. The flowers were made using Tim Holtz tattered florals die and the leaves were made using a Spellbinders foliage die.

This fits with 6 challenges as follows:

"Delicious Doodles - Hairy Legs"

"Glitter Fairies - Easel Card"

"4 Crafty Chicks - Birthday"

"Some Odd Girl - Show us your easels"

"Stampavie and More - Easel cards"

"Lili of the Valley - Anything but a Christmas card"

Goal!

I just thought that I would show you a man card....never an easy card to make! This is the card I made for my husband's birthday....He is a football (soccer if your're American) referee in his spare time so Football is always a good place to start..only problem is that he has probably had at least two cards from each football themed stamp that I have already. So I had to find a new image. I found this Momanning image and downloaded it from her site. Hubby's fav team is the Blues or for the uninitiated...Birmingham City. So my footballer is coloured in blue. The papers were all from the Treasury in Kidderminster...(About a Boy series I think), the rosette was made using a Tim Holtz die and the tab was a Stamp'in Up punch. The image was coloured with Copic markers and distressed with Distress inks.

I would like to enter this into several challenges as follows,

"Birthday Sundaes - Must have Birthday Sentiment", some of the paper had got a bit neglected at the bottom of a pile of offcuts.

"Here come the boys - Cards only, must be masculine for the man in your life"

"Marks finest papers - Make it masculine"

"Alphabet Challenge - V is for Vibrant"

" Delicious Doodles - Hairy Legs"

Two's Company

Hi there I just thought I would share this anniversary card with you. I made it for my mum and dad's 50th Wedding anniversary hence the golden, champagne colours. The image was stamped in black soot distress ink and coloured with copics. The flowers and leaves are Tim Holtz dies and the lacy borders were punched with a Martha Stewart punch.

I'm entering this into the following challenges:

"Cupcake Crafts - Two's Company"

"Penny Black - all creatures great and small"

"Stamptacular Sunday - Punch it"

"Lili of the Valley - Creature Comforts"

"Cuddly Buddly - feature two little characters"

Oh a little tip...you know one of those well I tried it and it failed...you see the numerals...well they were cut using Tim Holtz Vintage Market....I then coloured them with gold Krylon pen....then coated with glossy accents...guess what they turned green...great if you want a verdigis effect but I wanted gold...so the numerals you see here were coloured using gold eco green pure gold acrylic paint...Glossy accents don't turn this green!

Traditional Red and Green for Christmas

Just a quick post....by the end of this week I will be another 5 days behind, perhaps things might get a bit more sane next week! Fingers crossed!

Card was made using Tanda stamps, Copic Markers and Distress Inks.

Aqua, white and glitter

The next challenge over on "the Lili of the Valley challenge site" is aqua, white and glitter. The glitter is not obvious on my card but it is on the stole...promise!

A Sketch

I haven't done a Lili of the Valley Challenge for a while so I thought I should make an effort this week. This week's challenge is a "Sketch". For my card I used Copic markers, Tim Holtz dies, Brusho inks, embossing folder, Martha Steward punches glossy accents and accent beads.

The flowers, handmade paper and the seam binding were all dyed using Brusho ink.

The sentiment was mounted in a die cut taken from a fruit juice carton that was coloured with alcohol inks and triple embossed.

P is for Pastels

Over on the "Alphabet Challenge Blog" P is for Pretty Pastels. This gives me the chance to enter my next Ethel and Murray card....Ethel has had another purple rinse. For my card I used Spellbinders oval die, Spellbinders tag die and various punches. The image of Ethel was coloured using Copic markers.

Holiday!

The sun is shining here in Newquay, we've just been for a walk across the beach and through the rock pools.

My youngest seems to like it here...she even wants us to buy a place and come here every weekend....

My eldest is complaining that it's cold (typical, she's not happy unless she's complaining)....

I think it's lovely though! >
DH has found a pub showing Sky sports and has camped out there for the afternoon so he's happy.

The girls have just decided to go down to the beach and have left me to make the most of the Wifi here in the hotel. You have to pay, but you get a voucher for the same amount in drinks and snacks so it works out OK in the end....only problem is I keep losing the connection....just found out that I had lost everything I'd typed and have started again from scratch!

These pictures were taken this afternoon.

Yesterday I was looking for some challenges to enter my next Ethel and Murray creation into and holidays seemed like a good theme. For my card I have chosen Ethel looking glamorous on her sunbed. She reminds me of my late Grandma....do you remember the pink and purple rinses? Well that's what inspired this card.

I coloured Ethel using Copics. ;The background paper was some scraps left over from some sample cards made for the Treasury in Kidderminster...I thought they looked a bit like the tiles you would find around a swimming pool.

I've found three challenges that I would like to enter with this card......

My Sheri Crafts Challenge - "Vacation"

Stamping for the Weekend - "Holidays"

Sew Many Challenges - "Summer time"

You will not believe the problems I have had trying to post these links.....
>the internet here is really bad, so the copy/paste doesn't want to play ball...worked fine yesterday! So if they don't work I apologise and will try to fix them later.

O is for only 3 embellishments

Hi,

Just seen that the new "Alphabet Challenge" is O is for only 3 embellishments. I initially read this wrong....I was trying to read of my ipad (recent birthday pressie from my hubby) screen in the sunshine yesterday and thought that the challenge was zero or 3 embellishments..Today it is raining on the edge of Dartmoor so I can actually read my computer screen....a change of plan was needed....

I was going to show you my next Ethel and Murray creation with no embellishments..ho hum will have to find another challenge for that one.

In the mean time I can share a card using a digital download from Charmed Crafts. My 3 embellishments are 2 flowers and one ribbon. The flowers were made using Tim Holtz tattered florals die and handmade paper from Ikea. A bit like the string in the last post I haven't been able to get any more of this paper, but it does make the most beautiful flower embellishments...basically I cut loads of layers...screw them up and then sponge distress inks over them...in this case I have used Victorian Velvet Distress ink. The image has been stamped in Black Soot and coloured using copic markers. The background was stamped using my dotty stamp and sponged in Spun Sugar. The background papers are from a V&A set from Papermania, I think.

Other equipment used....Spellbinders dies...Martha Stewart Punch....SU punch....

The other day Zoe told me about a blog that has a summary of loads of Challenges called "Feline Playful" I've just been over there to check it out and realised that I can enter my card into four more challenges....so here we go.....

Fussy and Fancy - "3 or more of your favourite embellishments" , these flowers and gingham ribbons are my fave embellishments at the moment!

Crafty Ann's - "Scallops and or Fancy Borders", think my Martha Stewart punches get me in on this one....

Card Makin' Mamas - "Pink" - This card is predominantly pink...

Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge - "Pink and Brown" ...pink already mentioned...brown gingham ribbon and brown glittery brads as the flower centres.

Thanks for looking.....off to look for some challenges to enter my next Ethel and Murray card for "Creative Expressions"

Relax!

Creative Expressions are doing a monthly challenge and the idea is that you use their stamps, other than that anything goes...I think that Tatty Button counts so I am entering this card into the "August challenge". For my card I have used Tatty Button and the button stamps...in addition to this I have used my dotty stamp, the running stitch from Tanda mini stitches set and the brick border from Tanda Architectural elements.
Tatty, the wall and the buttons were all coloured using copic markers....a serious amount of masking before using the distress inks (Weathered wood and Pumice stone) and the dotty stamp....then glossy accents on Tatty's lips and the buttons

I spoke to Dad today and he is a little better, he says he doesn't notice the difference but Mum has so fingers crossed.

Helloooooo

Ooops! haven't posted here for ages! Sorry,I just had to prioritise the Tanda Blog when time was short.

Quick update so far...Em has had to postpone her op date...she wants to be able to swim on holiday, but apparently if she cancels the date she was given, government rules say she has to go back to the gp...to be referred back to Dudley hospital to get another date....how ridiculous is that! She isn't an urgent case so the op date had been already deferred since the original consultation...no fault of Ems that the dates now fall in the time when all families with kids are looking at going on holiday and postponement takes it outside what is permissible?!

Dad is getting weaker by the day, and mum hasn't been well too...so they are struggling... apparently the hospital cannot get the right size needles for biopsy dad needs..this has been going on since the beginning of Jan....where are the government guidelines on this?!

Creative Expressions are looking for new design team members...so I thought I might just have the weekend to prepare for this...then...DH has a serious nose bleed....we ended up in A&E on Friday night!!!!...Not a good time to hit A&E!...DH had to stay the night as they couldn't stem the flow...I got to bed at 2am...and obviously didn't sleep..then back up to hospital in the morning. Had to leave him there as I'd promised to do my bit for the village gala painting faces...DD2 rowing Sunday morning...loads of washing to do....where did the weekend go? Now can I get something made to fit their challenge and get it posted by 5pm?....maybe/maybe not


Today I made a card for one of our nephews and thought I would share it...just had to play around with Tim Holtz dies and fruit juice cartons! thanks to Meikoningin for the juice carton tip....for some reason I don't seem to be able to paste her link here...but if you go to the tanda steampunk teaser challenge you will find her in the comments. Her work is fab so you really should visit!

I decided to enhance the metal effect by triple embossing my juice carton embelishments, this added to the thickness, helping to enhance the effect.

LOTV Happy Birthday Challenge

this This week's challenge over at Lili of the Valley" is to make a birthday card. I have just made this card for a certain little niece who's birthday is today. I just hope it didn't get squished in the post! I used the fairies on tiptoe stamp coloured with copic markers, a touch of glossy accents on the flowers and wand and a little clear star sakura pen on the wings and skirt. I've used my dotty stamp again to help with the distressed edges. The butterfly was from the Artylicious CD Rom Butterfly Bliss, and having coloured my fairy, I realised that I didn't have any lilac background papers in the house! Luckily the trees on the Artyicious Essence of Nature CD Rom have worked. The flowers were made using handmade paper from Ikea (Every time I go there now I am looking out this paper as it makes fabulous flowers, but they seem to have stopped doing it!) The flowers are cut using Tim Holtz dies, scrunched up, distressed with DI and then a little shimmer added with pearlised medium. The dies are new, they are from Spellbinders and I got them from the Treasury in Kidderminster this week. They are so pretty I couldn't wait to use them. They have so many gorgeous dies out at the moment it is really hard to choose...I ended up getting two dies and then going back the next day for some more.

Peach and Green with LOTV

This week's challenge over on "Lili of the Valley" is Peach and Green. Possibly an unusual and difficult colour combination, but luckily it fit the papers that I was playing with when I was trying to replicate the flowers that Patty showed me, that ultimately led me on to the floaty skirt..see previous post... My card is for my next door neighbour and good friend....she's the blond, I'm the brunette. It's her birthday today and this is her card. Coloured with Copics, and distress inks. Edges of flower and leaves distressed with chalk inks. Dies are spellbinders and Tim Holtz. Punch is Stampin' up. Lili of the valley stamps of course! apart from my dotty one that is..and lots of distress inks and glossy accents .

White and one other colour

The Alphabet challenge this week is W for white and one other colour...had to think about this one...have something planned for a future teaser but didn't want to use it now....so I'm doing white and blue...the stamps are from Graphicus..the card perfect for a moody teenage skater boy! LOL!

Stamped with black soot distress ink and coloured with Copics.

Just been speaking to Zoe tonight (11/04/2011)....and she has just told me about another challenge that this card fits....so I am entering this card into "Crafty Cardmakers Spotlight Teenage boy challenge"

There doesn't seem to be anything about back linking in the rules so I hope this is OK!

Lots of Layers!

Thanks to Zoe, I have just seen that the April Challenge over at "The Artistic Stamper Blog" is Layers. I've just made this card for a friend who's perfect present would be another hen! Best of all I did use a Chicken wire background stamp from the Artistic Stamper on one of my background layers. The main stamp is from Crafty Individuals and this has been coloured with copics. Not sure that the colouring is brilliant, but it did the job, will probably use watercolours next time as I think they will be more subtle. Other stamps used are my dotty stamp, LOTV (sentiment) and Paper bag studios. The layer stamped with the chicken wire and Paper bag studio grungy stamp (have no idea what it is called) is brown parcel paper, the next layer up is some handmade paper that I made in a class over 10 years ago....it just resurfaced in my pile of stash! All four layers were stitched together and the raffia tied around before being stuck to the base card. The eggs were coated in glossy accents to give a bit more interest. The punches were from Stampin' Up. Edges have been distressed with distress inks.

PS...Just seen Zoe's simply square card for the "new Crafty Individuals challenge" and thought this fits the square theme too!!! How lucky is that!? Unusual for me to do two challenges in one.

Mother's Day

Morning, I hope all you mothers in the UK had a great day yesterday! I know I had a lazy day...tea and breakfast in bed, a big bouquet of flowers and treated to dinner in the evening. I was going to do a bit of gardening but we had a massive hail storm complete with thunder and lightning in the afternoon that put paid to that! Maybe gardening gets done today if things brighten up a bit.

Well being the day after I can share the card I sent to my mum, this also happens to fit in with the Challenge on "Really Reasonable Ribbon Challenge Blogspot" The Challenge was to use ribbon together with punches or dies.

For my card I have used ribbon, Martha Stewart punchs, Stampin' up punches, a Spellbinders die and Tim Holtz tattered florals die. The main stamp is a Leanne Ellis stamp coloured with copic markers and distress inks. The sentiments are LOTV and a custom stamp from Tanda. The Dotty stamp is my stamp available from the Treasury.

V is for Vehicles and a little story or two!

V is for Vehicles is the latest challenge over on the Alphabet challenge blog...I'm spoilt for choice as I've been making loads of cards that fall under that category over the last few days....all with Tanda stamps...but I'm saving those for future Teasers....well they are teasers...what can I say! LOL!

So I will just have to share this card....it's a digital download from Charmed Crafts.... for the boy next door who just passed his driving test! Images are coloured with Copics...backing papers are Papermania...I think?!

I have fond memories of being driven around London as a very little girl in my would be God mother's VW Beetle.("would be" because I was never Christened and she would have been my godmother if I had if you see what I mean)..she was Canadian and so was the Beetle.....we got a lot of very shocked looks from other drivers....surely this little girl couldn't be driving!!! it was a Hoot!... LOL!!!

That just reminded me of another funny story! This awesome lady took me to see Swan Lake at Covent Garden....we had seats in the Stalls and as I was only little...I took a cushion to sit on....in the days of the IRA the security guards were not going to let me take the cushion into the auditorium because it might have been a bomb....I got quite upset! I told them that there was absolutely no way that I was going to sit on a bomb and they were stupid to think such a thing....they let me though with my cushion. The ballet was magical...I still enjoy ballet to this day.

Punch it with Lili of the Valley!

The challenge for the last week over on the Lili of the Valley Thursday challenge blog has been Punch It!

I just made this card with a new Martha Stewart round the corner punch...I really wanted to get the flowery one, but decided that, practically speaking, the leafy one would be more universal in that it would be OK for guy cards as well as girly cards.


The tab was also a punch, namely Stampin up, apart from this dies were Tim Holtz and Spellbinders nesties. Colouring was with Copic markers and distress inks and stamps were Lili of the Valley and my dotty stamp. Papers were from the Treasury.

U is for Up In The Air

Over on the Alphabet Challenge Blog the challenge this week is "U is for Up In The Air". I thought that the new swinging Tatty Button stamp would be perfect for this. The image was coloured using copic markers. The papers and dotty stamp were all from the Treasury. The sentiment was a custom stamp from TandaStamps.