Easter Bunny

Today's creation is a fun card for a child for Easter...

What  I used:

The brightest pink card ever!

Patterned card - Kanban

Bunny - Spongy image sticker - The Range

Circular Nesties dies - Spellbinder

Border die - Sissix 

Greeting - computer generated using Beautiful Maples font 

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

The Sisterhood of Crafters - Easter/Spring

Cute Card Thursday #679 - Easter

C. R. A. F. T. Challenge #592 - Spring/Easter

Creative Fingers #204 - anything goes

The Cutie Pie Challenge #157 - Easter/Spring

Make My Monday #145 - Easter/Spring

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

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Birthday Love

Today's card was inspire by this sweet sketch at The Paper Players...

And this is what I created...

What I used:

Topper and papers - Making Cards Magazine (many moons ago)

Kraft card base

Greeting - computer generated using Pumpkin Cheesecake font

Another cute card to add to my lockdown card box. I''ll have loads to take into work when we eventually go back!

I'm also playing along with the challenges at:

Little Red Wagon #594 - add a heart

Aud Sentiments #271 - animals and a sentiment

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

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Baby Giraffe

It's Monday which means there is a new challenge at Dream Valley Challenges ...

There's no sponsor today so the theme is 'anything goes but our generous blog owner, Marlene, is offering a prize for one lucky entrant. It could be you!

As always the design team have come up with some inspiration to get your creative juices flowing - here's my card:

What I used:

Digi - Bugaboo

Coloured with Spectrum Noir markers

Papers - from a Pebbles Inc. baby kit

Greeting - computer generated using Schoolbell font

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Kraftin' Kimmie #753 - cuteness

Gem of a Challenge #6 - anything goes

Colour Crazy Challenge #11 - anything goes

Simon Says Stamp - use 2 or more papers.

Addicted to Stamps #401 - make your mark

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #154 - anything goes

So have a pop over at the Dream Valley Challenge Blog to see some more lovely inspiration from my teamies on the design team and have a chance at winning Marlene's prize.

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

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Black Butterfly

 Another day, another butterfly card. They really are my 'thing' at the moment...

This was a very quick card put together out of my scraps box.

I used:

Grey linen card base

Black plant die cut - Memory Box Die

3D Butterfly - The Range

Flat backed pearls - The Range

Wood effect paper - it's actually a Papermania envelope turned back to front!

Computer generated greeting - Candara white font on a black background.

I'm playing along with the 'anything goes' challenges at:

Creative Fingers #204 

Crafter's Castle #39

Through The Craft Room Door (16/3)

The Creative Crafters #38

Love To Craft #56

A Perfect Time To Craft #3

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

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Spring Tulips

Nothing says Spring has arrived more than seeing tulips everywhere! Now that the weather has improved I've been out walking and there's some lovely bursts of colour in local gardens - I wish I had green fingers!

Today's card uses some lovely tulip themed toppers and papers that came with Making Cards Magazine a couple of years ago...

I do like the net effect of these toppers - so pretty.

What I've used:

Toppers and papers - Making Cards Magazine

Circle Nesties dies - Spellbinders

Teal coloured linen card - Core-dinations

Flat-backed pearls - The Range

Computer generated greeting - Paper flowers font

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

Crafty Sentiments #16 - anything goes 

Daisy Chain Challenge #50 - flowers

Daring Cardmakers - plant a flower

Always Fun Challenge #205 - Spring

Through The Craft Room Door (16/3) - anything goes

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

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Lilac Butterflies

 I've been busy doing exams this last week so it was nice to relax today and get crafty...

 

What I used:

Sweet Dixie butterfly die

Unbranded label dies

Spellbinder Nesties circle die

Glitter striped ombre card

Vellum

Glittery gems

Computer generated greeting - Paper Flowers font

I cut two butterflies in coordinating lilac and pale turquoise card and layered them on a vellum circle. I also added tiny glittery gems on the wings. The greeting was created in Publisher and I layered it on a vellum backing.

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

My Time To Craft #452 - make it feminine

Creative Fingers #203 - anything goes

Mod Squad Challenge - beautiful butterfies

Creative Moments #210 - anything goes

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #590 - feminine

Thanks for  visiting

Sharon

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A Magical Day

I was recently asked to join the design team of the Dream Valley Challenges blog - an exciting opportunity to meet other cardmakers and get to use some fabulous images from the various sponsors.

Today's card is for my first challenge which is sponsored by the fabulous Paper Shelter - home to lots of cute images for all occasions.

So the first challenge I am participating in has a very appropriate spring theme of:

Pretty In Pastels

Here's my card:

What I've used:

Image - The Paper Shelter Ellie

Coloured with Spectrum Noir markers

Papers -  Papermania - Spring Burst

Die cuts - ovals - Spellbinders Nesties

Die cuts - butterflies - free die from a magazine

Sentiment - computer generated

Isn't she sweet - she totally rocks lilac hair - she was a delight to colour! The tiny butterflies were created with two die-cut layers - a lilac bottom layer and a vellum top layer to create the effect of movement. I've also added some tiny ivory flat-backed pearls.

So have a pop over at the Dream Valley Challenge Blog to see some more lovely inspiration from my teamies on the design team and have a chance at winning 3 digital stamps from The Paper Shelter.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Seize The Birthday #209 - 3 shades of green

Fairy and Unicorn Challenge - anything goes fantasy

The Paper Players - Spring in the air

Angie's Digital Stamps #50 - use green TOP 3

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

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Hoppy Birthday

Today's card uses a very old much loved digi - the hopping penguin! He's one of my go to images for birthday cards...

I've coloured him using pro-markers and used a very bright and cheerful colour scheme.

What I've used:

Hopping Penguin digi image - 2 Cute Ink

Sparkly Papers - Deco Time (from The Range)

Flat-backed pearls

Circle dies

Greeting - Follow You Into The World font

I'm entering the challenges on the following challenge blogs:

Cute Card Thursday #676 - anything goes

Passion For Markers #581 - use a circle WINNER

QKR Stampede #415 - anything goes

Polkadoodles wk 10 - anything goes

Crafty Catz #541 - anything goes + dies

Crafty Friends #150 - happy birthday

Thanks for looking - stay safe

Sharon

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Bee Happy #2

Today's card was inspired by this week's fab sketch at The Paper Players

I'm still on a mission to use up old stash and I came across some lovely bee themed papers and toppers that came with the now defunct Complete Cardmaking magazine some years ago. I also made use of some rarely used dies in my collection...

What I've used:

Ivory A5 card base

Greeting, papers and topper from magazine

Unbranded honeycomb die

Bee die from the range

Flat-backed pearls

I just love that bee die -it's so cute! The patterned paper is very subtle which makes the honeycomb and the bee really pop.

I'm also playing along with the challenges at:

Crafty Creations #419 - anything goes

Crafty Sentiments - anything goes

A Bit More Time To Craft #135 - anything goes

2 Crafty Critter Crazies - anything goes

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

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Fabulous 40th

 One of my lovely work colleagues is celebrating her 40th Birthday this week - we share the same birthday - so I've made her something a bit more adventurous than my usual cards...

It's my take on a stepper card - the first one I've made from scratch. A lot of lessons were learned here but once you get the measurements right the rest is a doddle. In hindsight I should have made the side 'steps' a bit taller - there's another step the same size as the front step behind the balloon step.

Still - I'm very happy with the result. I used:

Black and white polka dot patterned paper mounted on black card

3 shades of pink glitter card

Unbranded balloon dies

Spellbinders Lacy Circle dies

Gemini 'Celebrate' greeting die

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

Alphabet Challenge - X is for extra folds

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #152 - anything goes

Inspired By... - take a number

Time Out Challenge - birthday card

As You Like It Challenge - favourite reason to send a card. I always enjoy making and sending 'big birthday' cards - there's something about having a number on a card that takes people back to their childhood. Even for random birthdays like 27th! Also, I seem to collect number dies and it's a great opportunity to use them!

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

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LOTV Anniversary

 back in the day when they were available I bought a number of the Lili Of The Valley Art Pads of pre-coloured LOTV images - todays card is made with one of these cute images...

Needing a quick Anniversary card to catch today's post I created this:

I've trimmed the image and matted it on a die-cut scalloped square. The pretty patterned paper is from a pad from The Range and I've added a greeting using Gourdie Handwriting font.

Simple but effective.

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

Crafter's Castle Feb 21 - love

Watercooler Wednesdays #310 - all about occasions

Creative Knockouts #390 - anything goes

Krafty Chicks #548 - all occasions

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

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Krafty Floral Wreath

 I was greatly inspired for today's card by the sketch at AAA Cards...

What a very clean sketch - I love it!

I used an old wreath image from Digistamp Boutique which I coloured with Spectrum Noir blendable pencils. These are lovely to use - the colour really pops on the kraft card. I mounted the image on a white stitched edge die cut square and added a die cut greeting.

I'm also playing along with the challenges at:

Crafty Catz #539 - anything goes/in the garden

Krafty Chicks #547 - clean and simple

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #152 - anything goes

Colour Crazy Challenge wk 7 - anything goes

Thanks for visiting

Sharon 

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Daisy Daisy

One of my favourite challenges over the years has been the clean and simple Less Is More who are celebrating their 10th Birthday - where has the last 10 years gone???

It is also one layer week which I always find a challenge as I'm not a stamper - thankfully I have files full of digi images. I've used and old image from Digistamp Boutique to create this quick card...

I've elongated the image and printed it on bright white card. The greeting was created using the appropriately named Paper Flowers font. I used a black fineliner to colour the frame and spectrum noir pens to colour the delicate daisy image.

I've cut the base card to create a long thin card for a change - most of my cards are square or A5.

I'm also playing along with the challenges at:

Alphabet Challenge - W is for woodland flora or fauna

As You Like It Challenge - digi, rubber or clear... always digi for me - I like the flexibility of being able to resize the images to suit the card I'm making, They also take up a lot less space. Plus, there's loads of freebie images out there!

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

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Jolly Nation Golfer

For today's card I've dug deep into my crafty stash - this Jolly Nation decoupage golfer is about 13 years old. I've always had a soft spot for decoupage and this range of images was among my favourites.

I've created the background by just colouring the card with the big end of the promarkers - it's hard to see but the 'grass' is raised with pads. I've added an embossed background to represent the texture of a golf ball and the Argyle patterned paper compliments the golfer's pullover.

The greeting was created in Publisher using Copperplate Gothic font and as a final embellishment I've added a couple of clouds.

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

Watercooler Wednesdays #309 - masculine twist

Aud Sentiments #268 - anything goes

Fab N Funky #511 - birthday TOP 3

Creative Fingers #282 - anything goes

Seize The Birthday #208 - create a scene

Creative Knockouts #389 - lots of layers

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

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Bee Happy

I've been using up lots of magazine freebies recently and these cute papers and topper came with a very old issue of Making Cards magazine...

How cute are these bees! I've simply matted the topper and papers on black paper and kept the layout very basic, The greeting also came with the kit. Another simple card to add to my 'lockdown pile'!

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

Pammie's Inky Pinkies Ch #2107 - anything goes

Try It On Tuesday - oh so cute

Through The Craft Room Door (Feb 16) - anything goes

Crafty Sentiments Ch #16 - anything goes

Unstampabelles Ch #108 - anything goes but no stamps

Dream Valley Ch #241 - add some green

Crafting Happiness Ch. #84 - cookie inspiration: TOP PICK

Thanks for popping in

Sharon

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Scandinavian Folk Style Christmas Deer

 I really love deer and stag dies and I've been playing about with some today to create some early Christmas cards...

I've used a line textured card as the base - it is such a bright white colour and feels lovely to touch. The main deer die is one of my favourites - I've had it so long I can't think where it is from but aren't those antlers pretty! 

The border die came from The Range - I've done these in red to match the deer's red nose and to create a Scandinavian folksy feel to the card. The greeting was created in Publisher using a font called 'Lilly'. Finally I've added a few tiny die cut snowflakes.

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

Christmas Crafts All Year 'Round - D is for... DEER

Winter Wonderland - anything goes

The Crafting Challenge Feb - dies or punches

Cuttlebug Mania - put an animal on it

Cute Card Thursday #673 - clean and simple (CAS)

Thanks for popping in

Sharon

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Llama-zing day

Today's card uses a very cute llama image that came with Making Cards Magazine some years ago.

I've matted the image on very bright pink card and used a couple of coordinating patterned papers that came free with another magazine, The greeting was created in Publisher using Pumpkin Cheesecake font. For embellishments I've used some paper flowers from Dovecraft's Basics range and some pink flat-backed pearls.

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

Penny's Paper-crafty Challenge #489 - anything goes

Cute Card Thursday #672 - anything goes 

Crafty Friends #149 - animals/birds

Crafty Catz #537 - anything goes

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #151 - anything goes

Crafty Animals Challenge #47 - anything goes with an animal

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

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Be My Valentine

I guess it's time to make my one and only Valentine card for this year... for my long suffering other half. He's a sweetie - he puts up with me getting excited about paper and my creative mess!

I've tried to make it as masculine as possible using wood effect patterned paper and kraft card...

I used a 15cm x 15cm kraft base and added a 13x13 square of wood effect paper ( a Papermania freebie with Creativity magazine a few years ago) distressed around the edges. The bunting (a very old Die'sire die) is also in kraft and I've added larger flags to the 3 middle banners.

The letters are also Die'sire and I've added a glittery red heart. The greeting was created in Publisher using 'Good Mood' font. Finally I've added a couple of tiny pegs to 'hold up' the bunting - I bought these about 10 years ago to make cute baby cards but then lost them somewhere in the craftroom!.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Aud Sentiments #267 - love + sentiment

C R A F T Challenge #585 - love/Valentine 

Moving Along With The Times #127 - love/Valentine

The Paper Shelter #455 - for the one I love

Try It On Tuesday - falling in love

Use Your Stuff #415 - use hearts

Thank you for popping in

Sharon

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Happy Day

I'm trying to use up stash I have had for years including freebies that come with magazines. I have hundreds of these - I used to review magazines for publishing companies and got sent 4 or 5 magazines each month! These floral chipboard pieces came as part of a kit with a magazine many moons ago...

I kept the design simple using some pink graph paper as the background matted on some bright cheerful fuschia coloured card. The greeting also came with the kit.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Fab N Funky Challenge #509 - anything goes

Watercooler Wednesday #307 - feminine twist

Through The Craft Room Door (02/02) - anything goes

Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday (Feb) - hearts or flowers

Crafty Sentiments - anything goes

Unicorn Challenge #62 - use flowers

Thanks for visiting - stay safe

Sharon

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Birthday Cupcake

 A quick card today using up a Kanban cup cake die cut topper from a kit I've had for a while...

I've mounted the topper on a range of die-cut scalloped and normal circles and used a coordinating blue polka dot patterned paper. I've added a decorative border from the kit and die-cut tiny pennant triangles to create bunting to match the bunting around the cake.

Finally, I've added a greeting created in Publisher using 'Hello' font.

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

Gem Of A Challenge #3 - anything goes

Just Add Ink #529 - just choose 2 (banner and border)

Crafty Catz #536 - anything goes

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #150  - anything goes and a very happy birthday!

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

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