House and Home

I had a super birthday last weekend.. thanks to al for their good wishes, gifts and cards.
The best gift was that my husband came home from overseas most unexpectedly... and a wonderful time we had together too. And the best news of all he is coming back to work in the UK this summer... roll on I say.

This week over on my challenge blog you will find the challenge to be HOUSE AND HOME... so here is my DT card... well two tags actually lol.... yes still in tag mode.
The base tag was cut using Tim's tag die and some of the fab Candi Core card stock from Kanban... I love this stuff.  This purple has small checks in the background and I embossed with the diamond folder then sanded the top to get the worn look and paler purple.  The houses, bird and leaves and bunting are from Dyan Reaveley as is the sentiment.  Finished off with some super threads from Dyan and Craft Obsessions... they add a card with this thread tied to each and every order they send out... I love it.
I plan, eventually, to add these tags to a journal I am creating.
This next week I am off the the NEC yet again... this time to the retail show.. so see you there if you happen to be going.

The last challenge of 2011

As this is my last challenge for this year the topic is 'Your Choice'... so here is my DT tag.... yes another tag... I am addicted - just blame the Duke of Distress....
Sorry to say nothing Tim about this one.... I created the background using Pan Pastels my favourite medium right now... mixed some blues and purples with a touch of grey and this is what I came up with  - I like it... so easy to do and very effective.
I stamped randomly with Black Archival inks using some Kanban Time stamps and a freebie flower from Crafts Beautiful.  I found in the drawer here some decoupage sheets... no idea where from but maybe Create and Craft.. so made up this lovely Goddess like female and added some of  the Kanban wings to let her fly free. I added a silver circle and some turquoise ribbon and hey presto job done. Surprising what you can do even if you don't have everything with you... I hope you like.
So that is it for challenges this year.... please do join me in 2012 on my challenge blog for some more interesting ideas and techniques from my lovely entrants.
Thanks to them all for their wonderful support in 2011 and thanks to the fab DT too.
Have a Happy and Peaceful and Safe New Year and enjoy your crafting
I am also entering this for Aud Sentiments challenge this week.

Mr Steampunk

Here is the card I made for our friend's 40th birthday last week.... you know the one who had the party in Miami... only thing missing are the little light bulbs from Lord Tim..... Dennis is an electrical engineer.... I attached them when over in the States.
The base card and main image are from a Kanban Steampunk set and I added some glossy accents over the clock faces and the goggles. Cogs, wheels, screws and metal message all from Tim Holtz... fabulous as always.  I bought the light bulbs in the States and popped them on the card over there hence not scanning the finished card... no computer over there lol.
The inside had some super vellum papers with more steampunky stuff.... perfect for the man in question... and yes he loved it.
This is my DT card this week for CARDS FOR MEN.... do pop over to my challenge blog if you get chance and give the challenge a go.

New design easel card

Crafty  Ann asked us to produce a new and different shaped easel card this week so here is my DT card.   I really don't like making shaped cards for DT cards as they never come out on a photo as well as they do when you scan them but hey ho this is the best I can make it come out..... I cut out the strange shaped diamond card after playing around with some paper and quite liked the result.  The background card is from Kanban and as you see the light is reflected off the wonderful mirri swirls.  I added some glitter sparkle paper to the bottom of the card and added the cut out corners from the diamond shape to the corners.  The image is from Crafty Ann manipulated in MCS to make the tower of cupcakes , embossed with clear sparkle meltdust and coloured using Copics and Promarkers. I added the flowers from Prima to the base of the card.
Do pop over to Ann's blog and enter the challenge yourself - you may win some of her lovely digi images.  Check out the other DT cards too they are all fabulous.

Cantilevered Decoupage

I bought some Cantilever templates last week and here is my first attempt. It was made using the arch shape, difficult to scan of course but I am sure you will get the jist of it. The backing card and centre card are from my Kanban box with some added decoupaged flowers and gold peel offs. I do like these K cards so expect to see more soon.

Musical Valentine

DCM challenge this week was 'Heart' so here is my musical hearted valentine. The card was from my Kanban box folded into a gatefold. I stamped the heart from Stamps Happen, onto white card the coloured in with various pencils and direct ink to paper for the background. Edged with a corner rounder I mounted it onto peach coloured card also with rounded corners. The message reads 'the magic of music warms the heart and soothes the soul' by D Morgan.

Fashion Lady

A simple card for my challenge site this week. The background card was from my Kanban box with an overlaid image onto which I have chalked and added a pink jewel. Not up to stamping just yet but getting there.

Games Men Play

This is a birthday card for my husband on 31st and also for Sunday Stampers 'Games People Play' challenge. The background dominoes paper, beer glass, rugby and snooker decals are from a QVC set from Kanban. The main image I stamped and watercoloured with Lyra crayons then matted onto gold mirri card over the torn background paper. The snooker table, from Sharon Duncan, was part of the prize I won this week from Arty Girlz. All things on here are very relevant to Geoff of course.

Musical Heart

'Hearts 'was the topic this week over at Theme Thursday so here is my very quick and simple card. I stamped and coloured, with Lyra crayons, the heart stamp then added watercolours to create the background. Matted onto some sticky backed card from DCWV and mounted onto a swirly gate fold card from my Kanban box. I just finished it off with some brown and cream spotted ribbon.

Cheers Gordon

I am sure my Brother-in-law will be having a pint on his birthday so this card is very appropriate for him. The dominoes background paper is from Kanban with torn and distressed edges. The main image was stamped and coloured in watercolour pencils and matted on gold linen paper. The small glass image is also from Kanban. This is my entry for Papertake Weekly 'Men' challenge too.

Black, White and Pink

Black, white and pink was the challenge from Caardvarks this week. A very simply constructed gatefold card using black and white flowered card, black inside, and a black and white image both from my Kanban box. I have used pink chalks to colour the coat and a lighter pink for the skintones.