Driving Test

Firstly welcome to two new followers, Dotty and Jayne - I still can't believe folk choose to look at my cards and read my ramblings!

Have I gone too basic on today's card?

Needing a card for a young lad who has just passed his driving test, I went very CAS and graphic design-ish and created this:

Using a red 6x6 card base, I added a square of white card and arranged die-cut letters with the 'you passed' greeting. The 'L' plate was cut with some fancy edged scissors to give the ripped effect.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Watercooler Wednesdays #208 - all about occasions - 
Crafting With An Attitude #48 - anything goes
The Paper Shelter #370 - use letters or numbers
The Crafty Addicts #57 - anything goes
Get Creative Challenge #77 - use lots of red
Crafting From The Heart #236 - anything goes

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Party Like A Penguin

My third 'bird' card this month! I love this happy party penguin digi-stamp from 2 Cute Ink...

I've printed the image onto linen card, coloured with pro-markers and added a few pearl dots as embellishments. I've then mounted the image onto a black base card using foam pads - very CAS.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Crafty Gals Corner #184 - clean and simple

QKR Stampede #334- anything goes

Alphabet Challenge - w is for wings

Addicted To CAS #152 - birds

Avenue 613 #218 - use a critter

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

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Lilac Birds

A quick card to share tonight - another for my Mother's Day pile...

I've used a really old digi stamp - I think from Birdie Brown - and coloured it in shades of purple/lilac. I've mounted the image on some pretty polka dot lilac paper and that's about it really!

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Addicted to Stamps and More #327 - make your mark
Watercooler Wednesday #207 - feminine - Watercooler Rocker
Passion for Pro-markers #479 - flora and fauna
Double Trouble #21 - flowers and anything with wings
Stamping Sensations - all things bright and beautiful
Crafty Friends #102 - animals/birds

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Penguin Love

With the snow still on the ground outside, I was inspired to make a Christmas card - thought I'd start early this year!

I've used one of the cute penguin images from Digistamp Boutique (oh how I miss that store!). He's been coloured with pro-markers and I've used pale blue polka-dot patterned paper for the snowy background. I've used red circle border and placed the greeting under the scene to resemble a snow globe. Finally, I've used a die-cut pale blue snowflake with a glittery red heart as an embellishment.

I'm entering this card into the challenge at:

Winter Wonderland - anything Christmas
The Paper Players - love is in the air
Dragonfly Journeys #133 - I heart you 
Dragonfly Dreams - include a heart
Crafty Friends #102 - animals/birds
Brown Sugar #287 - love
Alphabet Challenge - w is for wings
Fusion Challenge - penguin love - honorable mention

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Lipstick Lady

Today's card is for my friend's daughter, Amy, who turns 17 at the weekend. She's a typical teenage girl - love dressing up and experimenting with make up. I have this old digi that is perfect for a make-up themed card...

I've used black  A4 card for the base, folded, then the front folded again - is this called a z fold?. The 'half front' is covered with some fabulous lips patterned paper from Trimcraft's  Bouffants and Broken Hearts range. The image is coloured with pro markers and mounted on a fancy square die. When the card is flat it covers the greeting inside.

Finally, I've added a greeting created in Publisher using Formal 365 font and some sparkly heart stickers as embellishments.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

A Gem of a Challenge Wk 1 - anything goes
The Paper Shelter #368 - use dies or punches
C R A F T Challenge #499 - anything goes
Moving Along With The Times #90 - anything goes
Watercooler Wednesday #206 - anything goes
As You Like It - fave shape or fold - I love the simplicity of this fold - it is easy to create (without templates) yet still has the wow factor.

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Birthday Pug

Pugs are very popular at the moment so I wasn't surprised when someone asked me for a pug themed pink birthday card for a 21st birthday (so many requirements!!)...

I found the free image by Googling 'Birthday Pug', and it was coloured using Pro-markers. The pink patterned papers are from The Range and the numbers are peel-offs. The greeting was made in Publisher  using Mountains of Christmas font.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Cute Card Thursday 566 - critters
Tuesday Throwdown 424 - anything goes
Crazy 4 Challenges 468 - let's celebrate
Jo's Scrap Shack 266 - anything goes
Pile It On 150 - land or sea animals

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Pink and Grey Posy

This morning I started to make a few Mother's Day cards for my box at work...

Using some lovely white linen textured card I created a 6x6 card base and die-cut the flowers and leaves from the same card. The flowers are very old Marianne dies and the stem is a Memory Box flower die with the flower heads cut off (I'm not keen on the shape of them). The butterfly die came with a magazine.

I coloured the die-cut shapes with pro-markers - the linen texture shows through  - I don't like mixing different card on the same card.

I added very tiny pearls to the butterflies and silver brads to the centre of the flowers. The greeting was created in Publisher using Formal 365 font.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Scrapyland Challenge #106 - anything goes (using dies)

Aud Sentiments #219 - anything goes

Creative Fingers #156 - anything goes

Passion For Promarkers #477 - flowers

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

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A New Home

Today's card is for a friend who is about to move into a new home...

I've used a very old black peel-off from Little Claire's (who appears to be no longer operating :-() I've coloured the image with Pro-markers and mounted it onto some sparkly black squiggle patterned paper from The Range. I've added some tiny key stickers and a greeting from the same peel-off sheet.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #98 - anything goes

Crafting From The Heart #235 - anything goes

Crafting With Friends #78 - anything goes

Crafty Sentiments - new beginnings

Crafty Creations #383 - anything goes

Thanks for popping in

Sharon

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Stamping Success!

Today's creation was made using one of my new crafty Christmas pressies - Tim Holtz's Stamping Platform and a very old stamp I have had for a number of years - a much loved Uptown Girls stamp from Stampin' Bella (Victoria and Juliette's Night Out - don't know if this is still available?)

It was so easy to use the platform - I felt as though I had much more control over the placement of the stamp and the pressure applied. I made a mask by stamping the image on thin photocopy paper and cutting out one of the girls (Victoria). I stamped the image again over the mask so that only the curly-haired girl (Juliette) was on my card. There were a couple of gaps in the image where Victoria's arm had been which I filled with a fineliner black pen but this doesn't affect the overall look - it's a sketchy sort of stamp image anyway.

I used a fancy star die cut 8 times to make the border around the image and the backing papers are from my stash. There's bling in the form of black shiny gems and the greeting was created in Microsoft Publisher.

This card is a lot smaller than I usually make - it's only about  4.5x4.5 inches but I thought I'd start small. My friend requested this to use more as a card to put some money in rather than an actual birthday card so it's an ideal size.

I can see where most of my money is going to go this year - on stamps and inks!

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Stamping Sensations - fabulously feminine
Sparkles Challenge #112 - new year new stash
Try It On Tuesday - something old, something new
Die Cuttin' Divas #403 - birthday
Crafty Friends Challenge #101 - new beginnings (my new adventures with stamps)

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Party Chris

A strange request to start the year - a 21st card for a young lady who loves Chris Hemsworth...

Well being the boring fart that I am, I had to Google who he was!! I then came across this fab pencil drawing effect image of him through Google images, printed and framed it then added a quirky birthday hat and random stars. The numbers are die-cut and I've added a computer generated sentiment (I believe it's 'Mountains of Christmas' font)

What else could I have done with such a bizarre request?? I thinks it's a fun card and the recipient won't have anything else like it!

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Crafty Sentiments Challenge - anything goes
Creative Moments Challenge #160 - anything goes
Watercooler Wednesdays - All about occasions WATERCOOLER ROCKER
Dream Valley Challenges #193 - anything goes
Crafting From The Heart #234 - anything goes TEAM FAVOURITE
Get Creative Challenge #76 - anything goes

Thanks for popping in

Sharon
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Camp Fire

Happy New Year everyone - hopefully the big man brought you lots of crafty goodies. One of my favourite pressies is a Tim Holtz Stamping platform - hopefully my fear/dislike of hand stamping will soon be a thing of the past. Watch this space!

I was asked by a friend at work to make a card for her soon to be 8 year old son who is into 'bushcraft' and likes nothing better than camping, hunting and fishing and the great outdoors...

The tent and fire are from a Crafts-U-Print camping sheet and I added some die cut trees and a couple of fluffy clouds. For the base card I used some brown card embossed with a wood pattern.

Very simple but his idea of Heaven!

I'm entering this card into the 'ANYTHING GOES' challenges at:

A Perfect Time to Craft #1

Crafty Creations Challenge #381

A Bit More Time To Craft #83

Crafting By Designs - January

As You Like It Challenge

Crafting With An Attitude #47

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

Merry Christmas

Wishing all my followers and friends who read this blog a very Merry Christmas

Love

Sharon
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Almost There!

I've just got a couple more to make tomorrow then the great Christmas card making extravaganza of 2018 will be over - the gold and silver mirri-card is starting to give me a headache!

Today I'm sharing with you a quick card I made for some of my friend to give to their Mams. The burgundy and gold makes a classic colour scheme but I'm also thinking this would look good in navy blue and silver....

These were so quick to make - everything is die-cut. I've layered 3 different sized snowflakes (Sue Wilson is the big die in dull gold, the middle one is Marianne designs in gold mirri-card and the smallest is a punch in silver mirri) and finished off with a gold pearl. The greeting is gold peel-offs which I've had since I first started card-making 12 years ago and die-cut letters.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Dies R Us 111 - anything Christmas
Crafty Cardmakers 224 - Christmas
Shopping Our Stash 384 - Tis the season
City Crafter 442 - snowflakes - SPOTLIGHT ARTIST

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Silver and Gold Wreath

Back in my craft room after a wonderful pre-Christmas 8 day break in New York. It was so Christmassy and I even managed to do some crafty shopping! We found a Michaels while roaming around The Bronx (as you do) and I got some lovely dies and papers not readily available in this country.

Today's card is for a friend to give to her sister - the request was 'make it blingy'...

I have a box of 'special card and papers' that is often looked at and admired but very rarely used - there's some lovely muted silver and gold card in there that seemed perfect for this card.

I've used grey linen card for the base and the 'wreath' was cut from an unbranded die very similar to Stampin' Up's whirly dies. I added tiny star and heart dies and a tiny bow embellishment. Finally, an assortment of sparkly gems were randomly added. This was so quick to make I managed to make 5 in an hour to give to some of my girlfriends.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

CAS on Friday #147- Christmas card - TOP 3
Use Your Stuff Challenge #339 - silver and gold
Watercooler Wednesdays #199 - ag feminine - ROCKSTAR
Crafting By Designs - holiday ag 
Moving Along With The Times #86 - anything Christmas
Creative Knockouts #275 - Christmas Delight - WINNER
Muse Christmas Visions #114 - festive free-for-all

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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A Beige Christmas

Today's card is a very unusual colour scheme for a Christmas card - boring beige!

The tree is a sticker in a pack from The Range which lucky for me co-ordinated with a patterned paper pad also from The Range. I've tried to bling up the card by using lots of shiny pearls and some pearlised linen paper for matting. I think this colour scheme is very elegant - classy Christmas rather that in your face Christmas.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends 94 - anything goes
Crafty Friends Challenge 97 - gems or pearls
Crafter's Castle 11 - anything goes Holidays
C R A F T Challenge 491 - Christmas
Crimbo Cracker 171 - anything goes
As You Like It - monochrome or rainbow - definitely monochrome for me. I struggle to match colours and patterns therefore keeping to one colour gives me less stress! I also think different shades of the same colour looks very elegant.

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Metallic Wreath

Each year I make a personalised Christmas card for my friend's daughter, Amy. This year, as she's 16 now, I made something a bit more grown up and contemporary...

I used a circle wreath die which I cut in very pale pink and filled each of the 'holes' with a variety of pearls, gems and metallic mirri-card discs. I've added scalloped borders, again in pink and made a sentiment in Publisher using Copperplate Gothic font. Finally, I've added a two-part die cut bow with the top layer cut in the same pale pink card.

And in true crafter's fashion I've just noticed I haven't filled one of the holes!

I'm entering this card into the challenges at :

Less Is More #384 - metallics
Watercooler Wednesdays #195 - anything feminine
Creative Knockouts #271  - border time
Cut It Up Challenge #160 - clean and simple

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Friendly Snowman

Another day, another Nanna card...

Today's card was made using a pre-coloured digi image from my files - the file was called PCS friendly snowman so I'm guessing it is from Pink Cat Studio? Anyway - it's certainly cute!

I seem to be making a lot of monotone cards lately and apart from the bright red scarf, I've stuck to shades of pale blue - two different sized polka dot patterns and a plain blue matting. I've added some die cut snowflakes to make a border and some blue flat-backed pearls as embellishments.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #93 - anything goes

Incy Wincy Designs - 5-17 Nov - Christmas

The Holly and Ivy Challenge #40 - anything Christmas

That's Crafty Challenge - winter wonderland

Crafting By Designs - anything goes November

Double Trouble - Christmas

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

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Glamorous Gran!

Today's card is for a friend to give to her glamorous youthful gran (or Nanna as we say up north!)

The digi image is an old one from Jellypark - there's not a lot of nice images around that can be used to represent an older lady. I've used a pretty green and pink floral paper and a 'cloudy' pink paper for the background matted on black. I've added dome black die scrolls and some gems to add a bit of interest and a tiny pearl on the necklace.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Allsorts Challenge Blog #492 - use pretty papers
QKR Stampede Challenge #320 - anything goes
Pattie's Creations Challenge #152 - birthdays
Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends #93 - anything goes
Cards 4 Galz #83 - let's go digital
A Bit More Time To Craft #79 - anything goes - WINNER

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Cute Penguin Couple

I'm snug in the craft room today adding to my pile of Christmas cards. I've used an old favourite digi for this card from Digistamp Boutique (I am so missing that store - I could have cried when it shut!)

I've coloured the image using Pro-markers and mounted it on die-cut ovals. The backing papers are from my stash and I've created a greeting using candy Round font. Finally, I've added a couple of tiny pom poms to the penguin's hats.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Winter Wonderland Challenge - colour it
Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge #39 - anything goes
Jingle Belles - not a creature was stirring
Sweet Stampin' Christmas - October anything goes
Fab N Funky #413 - Christmas
Alphabet Challenge Blog - P is for Penguins
C R A F T Challenge #488 - monochrome
Merry Christmas Challenge - anything goes


Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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