Baby Shower

I hope everybody reading this has had a lovely break over the festive season.

I was lucky to receive lots of crafty goodies from Santa! Amongst my favourite pressies were some pastel Spectrum Noir pens and some Clearly Besotted stamps and dies - I can't wait to start playing.

However, today's card is for an imminent Baby Shower - we have no idea whether the baby is a boy or a girl so I have used the baby neutral colours of yellow and mint green...

The polka dot patterned paper and yellow matting papers are from my scraps stash  - the light has interfered with the colour of the yellow paper - it is a lot paler in real life. The epoxy stickers are seriously old - maybe either Memory Makers or K & Co. 

I'm playing along with the current challenges at:

Just Us Girls - wild card
Southern Girls Challenge - anything goes
Cute Card Thursday - anything goes
Allsorts Challenge #551 - anything goes
Pixie's Snippets Playground #368 - use snippets
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #120 - anything goes 

Many thanks for visiting
Best wishes for a happy and prosperous 2020

Sharon
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Dear Grandma

Today I'm sharing a card I made for a colleague to give to her Gran...

I've used some lovely glittery Nordic patterned paper for the background - it's so pretty in real life! The deer die came free with a magazine some time ago and I've added an embellishment snowflake with a glittery heart. Finally, I've added a tiny red pearl to the deer's nose - every deer needs a Rudolph nose!

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

Cuttlebug Mania - Christmas Time
Paper Funday Challenge #12 - Christmas Holiday 
Sisterhood of Crafters - anything Christmas
Aud Sentiments #242 - Christmas + sentiment
Crafty Cardmakers #242 - Christmas
Winter Wonderland - anything goes Christmas

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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My Favourite Snowman

Almost finished the Christmas cards now!

Today's card features one of my favourite Christmas images - this gorgeous snowman digi from Pink Cat Studio (I think) - I've had it for years!

It's for a child to give to grandparents so I've kept things cute and simple...

The blue and white spotty background paper makes perfect 'snow' and I've used a striped red and green paper to coordinate with his scarf. Finally, I've added a tiny holly sprig with some sparkly red gem 'berries'.

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

Sweet Stampin' - Christmas
Allsorts Challenge #549 - snowmen
Creative Knockouts #327 - Christmas delight
Winter Wonderland Challenge - anything goes
Always Fun Challenge #139 - snowmen
Alphabet Challenge - S is for snow

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Nutcracker Christmas

I'm not really sure when the Nutcracker soldiers became associated with Christmas - it certainly wasn't when I was a child! But now they are everywhere and are ideal for today's card - for a friend's child to give to his uncle and his husband - not the kind of card readily available in the shops...

I've used striped textured card as the base, some traditional tartan patterned paper for the backing and added a touch of shine with gold mirri card backing. The cute nutcracker men are die cut decoupage - I love them! I've added a simple Christmas greeting created in Publisher,

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

Southern Girls Challenge (Trace) - anything goes
Aud Sentiments Challenge #241 - Christmas/winter sentiment
Holly and Ivy Challenge #61 - anything goes
Just Us Girls #516 - wild card week
Always Fun Challenge #138 - anything goes
The Cat's Pyjamas Challenge # 363 - Nov/Dec/Jan holiday
Fab N Funky #459 - Christmas

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Lovely Bubbly Birthday !

Today's card was a request from a friend at work - to make an 18th birthday card based upon a card she had seen in Clinton's card shop..

So I took the main elements: the vellum balloons, the present and the champagne glass and created this:

I used a lovely stripe embossed card for the base card and used various dies to make the tiny parcel embellishments for the elements. The balloons and champagne glass are also die-cut and I've added loads of tiny gems to add some girly sparkle.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Crafty Challenge Calendar - cute and girly
Creative Fingers #175 - anything goes
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #536 - make embellishments
Southern Girls Challenge - anything goes
Craft Rocket Challenge #65 - happy birthday
Crafting With An Attitude #57 - anything goes
Little Red Wagon Challenge #524 - you say it's your birthday

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Frosty The Snowman

Today's card is for my lovely Mam...

I've used loads of different dies here - in fact the only part of this card not die cut is the snowman (an old digi from Digistanp Boutique which I fussy cut) and the 'snowscape' which I created free-hand. I've also used a tiny glitter heart sticker in the middle of the snowflake.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Crafty Friends Challenge #123 - Christmas
Outlawz Festive Fridays - anything Christmas
Stinkin' Inkers - die-lirious and punchy
Createful Heart #14 - anything goes
Try It On Tuesday - cold, cold, cold
Crafty Sentiments - Christmas
Addicted To Stamps #368 - holiday

Thanks for visiting my little blog

Sharon
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Magnificent Stags

Today's card is for a friend at work to give to her brother and his husband at Christmas - there are very few cards in the shops for gay couples and I love the challenge of making something original...

Last year when we were in New York I dragged my other half up to the Bronx as I had located a Michael's store there! I got this wonderful die set for $3 in a bargain bin ...

It would have been rude not to buy it! I love the stag die - it's perfect for masculine cards.. I used some grey toned wood-effect patterned paper for the background and kept the layout simple making the dies the focal point of the card.

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #535 - Christmas
Southern Girls Challenge - anything goes WINNER!
My Time to Craft #410 - Christmas animals
The Paper Shelter #406 - Christmas Spirit
The Sisierhood of Crafters - forest friends
Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge #464 - anything Christmas

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Gaming Birthday Boy

Today's card is for a little boy who loves playing on his PlayStation...

I've really raided my stash for this one! The papers came from a Making Cards Magazine from about 10 years ago. The image is of course from Lili Of The Valley - from an art pad which are discontinued (why do companies discontinue their best products???)

I've matted all the papers on red and blue card and added a greeting created in Microsoft Publisher.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Creative Fingers Challenge #174 - anything goes
Brown Sugar #295 - anything goes
Crafty Friends #122 - anything goes
Gem Of A Challenge #22 - anything goes
Paper Shelter #405 - card for a child
Cute Card Thursday #607 - anything goes
Penny's Paper-crafty Challenge #455 - anything goes

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Stag in Blue and Gold

I'm busy making masculine Christmas cards this week using my various stag dies I have acquired over the years - I do love a stag head on a Christmas card!

Here's one I made using blue and gold as a colour scheme...

I've used a large dots embossing folder for the background with some very shiny blue and gold striped card.

The die cut stag is mounted using foam pads onto white card then double matted using coordinating blue and gold card. I've added a greeting created in Publisher an 3 matching blue flat-backed pearls.

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

Gem of A Challenge #21 - anything goes
Incy Wincy Designs - animals
Dragonfly Dreams November - Christmas/winter
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #117 - anything goes
Crafty Friends Challenge #22 - anything goes
Aud Sentiments #239 - anything goes
A Perfect Time To Craft November - anything goes

Thanks for popping in

Sharon
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Decoupaged Rudy

Today's card is a cutie for a friend's young son to give to his Grandparents...

I've used a cute image of Rudolph which I've decoupaged using foam pads and added a fun touch with the 'googly eyes'. The layout is simple with some festive mitten patterned paper as a background to coordinate with the image. The greeting was created in Publisher using an aptly named font Mountains of Christmas.

I'm playing in the challenges at:

Cute Card Thursday #606 - Christmas
52 Weeks To Christmas - deer or moose
Rudolph Days Challenge - anything Christmas FAVOURITE
Holly and Ivy Challenge #59 - anything goes
Fab N Funky Challenge #455 - Christmas
Jingle Belles  - Rudolph and friends

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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21

I was asked to make a card for a friend for her nephew's 21st birthday - the main requirement that it was 'not fussy - very plain'...

So I kept a very simple colour palette of black and silver with a flash of red for the bunting. To add a bit of texture I embossed one of the black layers with a crisscross folder - I don't really know what this pattern is called but it has a masculine feel.

Finally, I've added 3 black brads to the tiny red bunting.

I'm entering the challenges at:

Creative Inspirations (October) - masculine
Brown Sugar #294 - anything goes
The Sisterhood of Crafters - clean and simple
Watercooler Wednesdays - all about occasions
Crafting With An Attitude #56 - anything goes
Southern Girls Challenge - anything goes

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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A Very Pastel Christmas

Oh my - where has this month gone!!

I haven't had a chance to post much but the Glittertastic household has a steady Christmas Card production going... only about 40 more to make!

This is a very simple layout I often use for quick cards and I'm loving this colour scheme - eau de nil and silver.

I've used a Christmas Tree sticker (Anita's I think) and added silver pearls and a star as embellishments. I've then built up the layers using pretty eau de nil patterned papers with embossed sparkly silver paper for the matting. The greeting was done in Publisher and I've used a pretty die-cut border along the bottom of the panel.

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

Crimbo Crackers #196 - anything goes
Allsorts Challenge #542 - add silver or gold
Creative Sketchy Girls #41 - Christmas card
Dream Valley Challenge #212 - add a sentiment
Crafty Cardmakers #243 - sparkle
Moo Mania #202 - dies or punches

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Kenny K Golf Boy

Today's card was a request from a friend to make a golf themed card for her son's 18th Birthday....'

I remembered I had this fabulously cute digi image from the super talented Kenny K which I coloured with pro-markers and fussy cut.

I used flowered green patterned paper for the 'golf course' and a masculine tartan for the flag and border (I somehow associate tartan with golf!)

I added the birthday boy's age on the flag and created the greeting in Microsoft Publisher. Two die-cut clouds add some further dimension.

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

Watercooler Wednesday #242 - all about occasions
Creative Moments #178 - anything goes
Little Red Wagon #518 - cut it out 
Digi Choosday #41 - anything goes
Addicted To Stamps And More #362 - make your mark
Crafty Creations #400 - anything goes
A Bit More Time To Craft #101 - anything goes

Thanks for calling...

Sharon
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CASE-ed 21st Card

Back to card making after a three week break with relaxing holidays in Bulgaria and Marrakech - I've a couple of special orders to make then I'm in full Christmas card mode!

I was inspired to make today's card after finding a card using the same stamp by Donna at Donna's Doodles (sadly no longer posting):

I loved the layout of this card which I have kept but I've changed the colours, the background die to a circle, the position of the greeting and the Card Candy placement.

I have had this old Woodware '21st' stamp for about 5 years - I've coloured with vivid blue and lime green pro-markers, then carefully fussy cut. The patterned backing papers are from a DCWV  pad and I've added a greeting created on the computer in Publisher.

Finally, to make the numbers really stand out I've added some Card Candy, also coloured with the same pro-markers and attached with foam pads.

This card is soooo bright!!

I'm playing along with the challenges at :

Retro Rubber #120 - anything goes
The House That Stamps Built DCC 0219- circles
A Perfect Time To Craft - anything goes
The Paper Shelter #400 - let's celebrate 400 challenges
Addicted to Stamps #361 - anything goes
Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday - October Challenge

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Bicycle Boy

Today's card uses this fabulous boy on a bike pre-coloured image from a Lili of the Valley art pad - unfortunately no longer available (they were sooo useful!). It's for our nephew who loves playing outside on his bike with his dog...

I've used glittery patterned papers from The Range, a greeting created in Publisher and a die cut number 9 and some stars. It was quite quick to put together - pre-coloured images are great for fast cards.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #113 - anything goes
Ellibelle's Corner Sept Challenge - things beginning with B - boy, bike
Cute N Crafty Challenge #31 - family
Crafty Creations #397 - anything goes
Crafting By Designs - September anything goes
The House That Stamps Built #419 - things beginning with B - boy, bike

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Game On

I was asked to make a card for a teenage boy who is gaming mad...

So after trawling the Internet for inspiration, I made him a card with the thing they use to play the games (a control?)

The main shape was traced and hand cut and I added various die-cut shapes for the buttons. To add a bit of texture, I used coloured Card Candy for the 4  brightly coloured knobs and some plastic string (scoubidou string) for the wire. I've used a die-cut red circle and metallic mosaic patterned paper for the background and embellished using a few flat-backed pearls.

I'm playing in the following challenges:

Aud Sentiments Challenge #234 - masculine
Creative Fingers #169 - anything goes
Cardz 4 Guys #227 - celebrate
Get Creative Challenge #83 - anything goes
Crafty Friends Challenge #117 - add embellishments
Brown Sugar Challenge #292 - anything goes
Double D Challenge - pearls gems or rhinestones

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Star-themed 21st Birthday Card

I was asked to make an un-fussy birthday card for the grandson of a colleague at work for his 21st birthday and I turned to my collection of dies and embossing folders for inspiration...

The star embossing folder inspired me to use a star as background for the die-cut numbers. I added the swirly lines die behind the mirri star and a simple greeting created in Publisher.

It was very simple to make but the heavy embossing and shiny star make it look 'special'.

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

Arty Divas Challenge #2 - anything goes
Creative Knockouts Challenge #311 - sparkle and shine
Southern Girls Challenge - masculine TOP PICK
Allsorts Challenge #532/3 - sun/moon/stars/baby TOP 5
Dragonfly Dreams Challenge August - no patterned paper

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Sweet Sixteen

I just don't know where the last week has gone - I've been so busy making cards I haven't had time to post them! First world problems!

Here's a card I made for a colleague at work to give to her Granddaughter on her 16th birthday...

I've gone retro and used an old stamp I've had 7 or 8 years from Stamping Bella - I've only die cut the top part of the image as I've always felt her legs were far too skinny! The papers are also quite old - from the Piece of Cake collection by Dovecraft.

I've coloured the image using coordinating Promarkers and used a variety of fancy dies as borders. Finally I've used some flat backed pearls and two tiny die-cut hearts as embellishments - you can just see the hearts as they have been cut in the same brown colour as one of the papers.

I'm entering this into the challenges at:

Retro Rubber Challenge #117 - anything goes
I ♥  Promarkers #390 - birthday
Watercooler Wednesdays #234- all about occasions
Crafty Creations #396 - anything goes
The Paper Shelter #393 - punches or dies
Crafty Sentiments - anything goes
Passion For Promarkers #506 - punches or dies
QKR Stampede #358 - anything goes


Have a nice day

Sharon
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