Back to School

I can't believe that it will be September in a couple of days and end of Summer Holidays! There are quite a few 'Back to School' Challenges, so this is a quick card that I made yesterday. I was lucky enough to be drawn winner at Tuesday Throwdown a couple of weeks ago and won three digis from Sweet 'n' Sassy Stamps. This is one of them called 'School Boy Seth'. He looks a very polite and well behaved boy doesn't he, bless! He even has an apple for the teacher!!! LOL

I Alpha'd the Digital Image so that background shows through and made the backing to look like a Chalkboard. Ideally I would have liked to put a wooden floor for poor Seth to rest on but it didn't work out with outlines looking all wrong. I could have fixed this but it would have taken me hours and I didn't have the patience yesterday !!! The sentiment and equation were made on computer with Chalkdust Font. Buttons from stash. 

The formulas and book were from Microsoft Office Clip Art and they have lots of Back to School images which is fab! The book was blue though, so changed it to purple. The gorgeous pinstripe background paper is from Die Cuts With a View 'Latte' Stack. The card looked unbalanced so I added some 'masculine gems' LOL. They are purple - so think I can get away with it! Kids love sparkle too! Well that's my excuse!

Colouring: 

Promarkers: Pastel Blue, Lilac, Lavender, Tan

Copics: E00, E02, G82, G85, R24, E53

Prismacolor Pencils for Shading

I would like to say a big thank you for all your lovely comments on my Steampunk Sally card - I really do appreciate them :-))   I was SO surprised and chuffed that it won this week's 'Pretty in Print' contest at One Stitch at a Time, so it should be in Papercraft Essentials Magazine in October. I really enjoyed doing the Steampunk card and think I could really get into them!!!

Raining again!  :-((  which is shame for people at Summer Fairs and BBQs.  I am staying in nice and warm and hopefully going to have a relaxing evening. Going to have Hawaiian Pizza and watch a film. Might watch Jane Eyre!! :-))

I would like to enter this card into the following Challenges:-

Scrap Creations -  'Back to School' (ends 29th August 2011)  

PaperPlay - Challenge 34 - 'Back to School/Starting School' (ends 31st August 2011)  

Stamp Something - 'Back to School Somethings' (ends 1st September 2011) 

Allsorts - Challenge 118 - 'Back to School' (ends 2nd September 2011) 

Sentimental Sunday -  Challenge 70 -  Back to School (ends 3rd September 2011)

Creative Stamp Friends  Challenge 32 - 'School' (ends 4th September 2011) 

Thanks for visiting!

Have a great Bank Holiday evening!

Hugs Sue xxx

Steampunk Sally

I felt like doing something a bit different.  So here goes with my very first Steampunk Card. The gorgeous image is 'Steampunk Sally' and is from Stitchy Bear Digital Stamps.

One Stitch at a Time have another Challenge for the 'Pretty in Print' Contest and this week it is 'Bling it Up'. This card is very, very sparkly in real life, but it is hard to catch with camera. I made the backing paper on Gimp Software.  I wanted to create a 'Time Travel' theme and so used some images of Watches and Hourglasses. I used a canvas effect on software to make paper look textured, then distressed the edges and finally Stickled them with sparkly 'Stardust'. Sentiment was made on computer. Flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts. Black ribbon is from Handy Hippo. Key charm was from Shiney Rocks Co. Also amongst the flowers, by the hourglass,  is some very fine silver thread that has been curled to add texture.

I've zoomed in to show you how she sparkles LOL. I coloured her with Promarkers and then covered her in Ultra Fine 'Pearl' Glitter. I've had some pink feathers in my stash for years. When I got them out they were way too big but managed to find a little mini one at base!! I've added some 2mm pale pink gems to waistline. I have to say I love her outfit !!! if only I was young again and thin!! so I could carry it off! (sighs).

Colouring:- Promarkers

Skin: Blush, Pastel Pink

Eyes: Cornflower

Lips: Copic E25

Greys: Cool Greys 1,2,3 and 4

I would like to enter this card into the following Challenges:-

One Stitch At a Time - Challenge 76 - 'Bling it Up' (ends 27th August 2011)
Tuesday Throwdown - Challenge 63 - 'Dimension and Texture' (ends 29th August 2011)
Charisma Cardz - Challenge 34 - 'Glitter It' (ends 31st August 2011)
Fairy Fun Friday - Challenge 60 - 'Inspired by a Book' THE TIME MACHINE (ends 7th September 2011)
Gingersnap Creations - Challenge 115 - 'Tribute to Teens' (ends 18th September 2011)

Oh well, off to put my woolly jumper back on - it's gone freezing !!! unless I've got a chill ...
It's definitely feeling Autumny - just want to stay in, keep warm and read a book ... or Craft of course!!! LOL

Hope you are all well!
Enjoy the Weekend!
Love Sue xx
Edit: Not happy with photo so have added one taken in daylight! it's clearer, but it doesn't show sparkle - you can't win with a glittery card! LOL XX

A Piece of Cake

This is a card that I made for Laurie's 50th Birthday. As she will have opened it by now, I thought I'd pop it up on here. I seem to remember Laurie likes Coffees and Brown (as do I !!!) and so I chose this gorgeous MAMBI paper.

The digital image and sentiment are from Bugaboo Stamps. I bought two stamps and here I have used the sentiment from the other stamp. The cake looks more sparkly in real life! Not many bellies on this one. I've added two pearls for earrings and the polka dot ribbon from stash. I decided to leave it at that. I tried adding more decoration but didn't think it added to it so resisted! :-))

Colouring: (Copics by no. Promarkers by name)

Skin: E00, E02

Hair: Vanilla and Tan 

Dress: Paper pieced with DP

Boots and Bow: E55, E25

Cake: Kars Extra Fine Glitter

I decorated the inside too and personalised it. And that's it really. Quite a Clean and Simple card. Although not enough white for a Less is More Challenge! 

I would like to enter this into the following Challenges:-

Sentimental Sunday - Challenge 69 - 'Birthday' (ends 27th August 2011) 

Craft your Passion - Challenge 72 - 'They said WHAT??!!!' (ends 28th August 2011) 

Pollycraft - Challenge 107 - 'Autumn Colours' (ends 28th August 2011) 

Stamps R Us - 'Anything Goes' (ends 4th September 2011)

Fab 'n' Funky - 'Mono Madness" (ends Tuesday 30th August 2011)

Paper Crafting Journey - 'Anything Goes' (ends Tuesday 30th August 2011)

Hope you are all having a good week!

Love n Hugs

Sue xx

1,000 Sheets Blog Candy !!!!!!!!

Wowser! That's a lot of paper! Who wouldn't want to win this prize! Pop over to Amy's Blog and you could be in with a chance of winning. She is dividing the paper so that there will be 5 lucky winners!!! But that's still 200 sheets of paper each !!!!! and she has generously added some gorgeous stamps also!! So do take a look! 

I love my DP's so I'm keeping my fingers and toes tightly crossed for this one!!! 

Closing date is Friday 23rd September 2011.

Good Luck to All!

Love n Hugs!

Sue xx

Bold and Bright

Warning! You might want to put your sunglasses on before viewing this card! One Stop Craft have a 'Bold and Bright' Challenge! and I think this fits the bill !!! Oh but I did enjoy making this card. I adore this MAMBI paper and this gorgeous 'Fashionista' stamp from Sugar Nellie.

I didn't want to cover up this gorgeous paper, which I think speaks for itself - so not too many bellies on this one. Just some polka dot ribbon, a glittery button from stash and a wee pearl on centre of flower. The Sentiment was made on computer. Gingersnap Creations are having a 'Tribute to Teens' Challenge and I don't know why but this reminds me of being a Teen. You are bold and not afraid to wear whatever you like! As you grow older, I think you lose some of that daring in the way you dress. Although I do confess to owning a grey leopard-print jumper!!! But in my teens it would have been (and was) bright pink leopard-skin!!! LOL

Colouring: 

Skin: E00, E02 Copics

Hair: Pastel Blue, Cornflower Blue and Black Promarkers

Eyes: Pastel Blue Promarker

Lips, Leggings and Bows: R42 and R49 Copics

Green: G82 and G85 Copics
Top and Socks: Cool Aqua and Pastel Green Promarkers

Ah well, had a lovely relaxing day! My daughter just got back from a Conference at Oxford, so we just watched Who Do You Think You Are with JK Rowling. Amazing Programme! and it always sets me off again on my Genealogy! I am stuck at so many brick walls now though and need to go pre 1837 and delve into Parish Records. I wish I could get out and about more to go search. Might have to do a WDYTYA and pay for someone to do it for me :-))  

Finally, remember in my last post I said about not knowing what initials like WOC, DCWV and LOTV etc etc stood for when I first started out Stamping and Blogging! Well I have to report that unfortunately I still suffer from this sad affliction!!!! I was admiring the gorgeous snowflakes on a beautiful card that Vicky had made. She listed they were made with an NS Punch. The only name that kept popping into my head was ..... Nobby Stiles !!!!  LOL - How random! Yes it took me about 30 minutes to figure out Nellie Snellen !!! and I use Nellie Snellen Die Cuts all the time !!! Sad!!!

Oh and just in case there is anybody out there as bad as me and still wondering ....  MAMBI stands for Me & My Big Ideas ;-))

Anyway, enough waffle LOL! back to my card and .....

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:-

Colour Create  Challenge 77 -  'Blue, Green, White, Red and Brown' (ends 24th August 2011) 

One Stop Craft  Challenge 145 - 'Bold and Bright' (ends 26th August 2011)  

Ribbon Girl  'Ribbon Challenge' (ends 27th August 2011)  

Sir Stampalot  'Whatever You Fancy' (ends 27th August 2011)

Poodles Parlour  'Anything Goes' (ends 30th August 2011)  

Gingersnap Creations Challenge 115 - 'Tribute to Teens' (ends 18th September 2011)

Thanks for visiting and for all your lovely comments! and a big welcome to my new Followers!
Take care!
Love n Hugs Sue xxx

Flashback to October 2010

Moving Along With The Times are having a wonderful 'Flashback' Challenge, where you re-post (no back-linking) an old card or project that you are proud of or one that means something special to you. Sounds lots of fun to me!

I thought I would go way back to the beginning and choose a card that most people won't have seen. So this is from when I first started Blogging and Stamping. It was my 3rd Blog Post, and my 2nd attempt at a Challenge on October 2010.

What amazes me is that I did an Easel Card!!!  I really was 'winging it' and learning on the job here. I had a handful of Promarkers and only three stamps!!! I had bought Lili of The Valley's 'Dropping theShopping', 'Skating Along' and 'Christmas Candle' 

I was so naive that after buying these three rubber stamps in August, I bought a huge ink pad and thought that was it!! I took the unmounted rubber stamp and plunged it headlong into the ink pad and wondered why all I got was a dreadful mess !!!!!!! rofl ….. oh dear, memories! 

Anyway, after a lot of googling and looking at other peoples websites, I figured out what I needed. There was this strange Crafting Language that I didn't understand. What on earth was DCWV and WOC and Blog Hops?? LOL Sandy's Stamping Scene was the first Cardmaking Site that I ever came across and I was really blown away by her cards. They weren't just Greeting Cards, they were Works of Art!!! and it was where I first saw the Challenges!

Anyway, as I only had three Christmas Stamps, when some Autumn Challenges came up I had to be inventive and turn the snow into leaves !!! I remember hand cutting those leaves with bits of scrap paper!

I can't believe how my colouring has changed in a year! This looks very basic, no shading. 

Anyway, hope you have enjoyed this blast from the past! Some of my commenters for this card were Pat, Brenda, Clare, Andrea, Pinky, Tracy. I didn't really know you all back then but you, and my Followers to come, were all so supportive as I was starting out. So thanks for that! and hope you enjoyed a little trip down memory lane!

I would like to enter this card into the following Challenge:

Moving Along with the Times - Challenge 112 - 'Flashback' (ends 23rd August 2011)

Take Care!
Love n Hugs
Sue xxx