Alexander my Scottish Meercat

My challenge today over on my other blog is Scottish themed... in honour of the country that so generously adopted my husband and myself.  Last night was Burns night which is celebrated by eating the traditional dish of haggis, neeps and tatties.... ugh sorry not for me Scotland... I prefer  plain old English food.
My little Alexander meercat is a stamp from Hazel at Tabby Kat and I so love him. I coloured him with Copics and Promarkers and popped him into a little scene after stamping the trees, bushes and grass and again coloured them in.  The verse is from the same set of stamps.  I cut off the corner and added some tartan paper underneath... see it matched his sash very well.
Hope you like him... if so pop over and enter my challenge yourself and see the other lovely creations from my wonderful DT.
Hope also you like my new look blog pages... I thought I would have a slight change for the New Year.... note added comment button on here... wonder if this is a good idea or not lol??  Time will tell.
Have a great day whether in Scotland or elsewhere.

Challenge 177 - Poppies

This week on November 11th we remember those brave men and women who died for us whilst fighting in various wars so my challenge is to show Poppies on your creations. For this easel card base I took some Coredinations craft card and sanded the top roughly just enough to show the craft colour below.  I stamped the poppy stamps from an Inkylicious set and coloured using Promarkers and Copics and coloured the background with Distress Inks.  I sprayed over the top with Crafter's Companion glitter spray.  I added the sentiments from Hunkydory - the smaller one reads 'Don't count the Years - Count the Memories' and stamped some more poppies onto the craft card using black Stazon.
I hope you will Remember the brave ones and maybe create something in their honour.
Thank you..... we will remember.

Island Paradise

My challenge this week is 'Island Paradise'.  Now as most of you know I live partially on Bermuda so I am sure you expected Bermuda as my Island Paradise..... but no.....Hawaii is my Island of choice every time.
I have been many times and just love it there.... why could Geoff not have got himself a job there I ask myself ?    lol..... sorry must not sound ungrateful as Bermuda really is a lovely Island.

The background is an actual photograph of Malini Beach on the Big Island and was taken by the lovely Andrea Foulkes -  http://www.andreafoulkes.co.uk/ .
Andrea is a Past Life Regression Therapist and Soul Freedom Therapist and has appeared on British TV many times.  She is in Hawaii at the moment and has kindly given me permission to use her fabulous photo as a background for my card.
Hawaii is a very spiritual place hence the visit by Andrea.
Many thanks Andrea and lots of love, twinkles and rainbows to you.

So - I started with the background which is larger than A4, and added the Plumeria flowers (also known as  Frangipani to some) cut out and decoupaged over the beach.
Note the black sand on the beach as Hawaii is volcanic.
Plumeria is a flower seen everywhere on Hawaii and is the flower that Leis are made from.... mmmm  they smell divine.
I stamped my Hawaiian doll, from Limited Edition Stamps, coloured her with Promarkers and attached her arms and legs with silver brads to help them move.
I created the flowers at the top using an MCS template and added the Luau and Hawaiian Paradise which was created using my design Runner.  I edged the main white card with Victorian Velvet Distress inks and cut the fancy edges with my trimmer.

I do hope you like this little glimpse of Island life and a little education for those who did not know about the wonderful place that it is.
Please do go check out Andrea's website too for some interesting reading.

Pets

Stampndoodle are one of my favourite digi image companies... they do some superb images and they are sponsoring my challenge this week... topic being Pets.
For my DT card this week I used Craft Artist to create the main beach scene..... adding some extra colour with Copics and Promarkers. Yes Craft Artist yet again to the rescue.
The two dogs are images from Stampndoodle kindly given to the DT to use for the challenge.  As soon as I saw them I knew I wanted them running on the sand.... strange really as there was a cat image and I am very much a cat person..... but these two just appealed to me today.  They are coloured again with Promarkers and decoupaged onto the scene.  The message reads 'Summer Breeze, Make me feel fine'....... part of a song - very appropriate for the scene I think.
I hope you will enjoy this weeks challenge... the thought of winning images from Stampndoodle would certainly make me enter.

A Stitch in Time

This week my challenge, which is sponsored by ChiChi Memories is entitled 'A stitch in time'.  Now as most folks that know me know I don't do much stitching..... so why did I create this topic you ask???.... well lots of people do enjoy it so I made an effort and here is my DT card.
I created the main background in Craft Artist (I am enjoying playing with this cd program) and added the Mum and daughter from ChiChi.  They are coloured with Promarkers and decoupaged onto the main card.  The top two bows are also decoupaged.  I added lots of decoupaged and wooden parcels at the foot of the tree and added the sparkly 'just for you' chipboard button.
The red backing paper is created to look like pinking shears have been at it as is the green paper too.  I added the two wooden mittens which are stitched together using red and green glittery thread.... there you see stitching after all..... lol.
I hope you like my card... another off the list for later in the year.
Please do poop over and enter the challenge - you could win some lovely digi images.

From far away a friendly light

My challenge this week on my Challenge Blog is 'I am sailing'... yes another song title.
I loved this stamp and had to have it as I have a friend who lives in a wonderful Lighthouse at Dunnet Head in the North of Scotland - the stamp reminds me of how great a job the Lighthouses do.
The background was created using Mica Sprays.... greens and blues mixed then punched the edge with the Bubbles punch and distressed underneath the holes on the inside of the card. .  I stamped the image and coloured using a mix of Promarkers, Copics and... pens.  I cut the edges with my trimmer wavy blade and distressed the edges with Distress Inks.  I mounted the image onto the card and added a little felt flower I found in my stash.
The blue and turquoise ribbons are from the Ribbonbox.
I hope you enjoyed your sailing trip with me this week.  Please pop over to my blog and enter the challenge for the chance to win some lovely stamps from 'Time To Sow'

'Ticket to Ride' my 'Yellow Submarine'

My challenge this week over on my Challenge blog is 'Ticket to Ride' yet another song title.... here is my DT card featuring two songs, the Beatles 'Ticket to Ride' and 'Yellow Submarine'.
The background is a photo of the lovely blue ocean in Bermuda and the strange looking fish in the centre was actually swimming around... we still don't know what it was.... it is decoupaged.  I added the seahorse and octopus stamps and all the seaweed and nets from a Joanna Sheen set... I love it.  The main submarine is a lovely digi image from Chi Chi Memories who sponsor the challenge this week.  I coloured it with Promarkers and added some epoxy bubbles for effect.  The tickets are from my lovely friend Crafty Ann..... I added the typing and coloured again with the same Promarker.  I added some gems and little jewels to make it sparkle in real life.
I hope you enjoyed your 'Ticket to Ride' my 'Yellow Submarine'..... do enter the challenge you may win some digis for yourself.

A flower for my best friend

My challenge this week is 'Best Friends' so here is my DT card with a flower for my best friend. The background I created in Craft Artist my new cd.  The cute elephants are digi images from Chi Chi Memories who sponsor my challenge this week.  I imported them into Craft Artist, then printed out another set which I coloured with Copics and Promarkers.  I decoupaged them over the base card and added some sparkly flowers with gem centres - one slipped in the scanner sorry lol.
Do check out my challenge and enter this week - you stand the chance of winning some digi images for yourselves.

Mardi Gras

My new challenge today is 'Mardi Gras' which is celebrated on the 8th March. so here is my DT creation for this week.  I don't know if you know or not but I collect masks..... quelle surprise (I have lots of stamps too lol) ....... and if you come into our house you will see lots of them hanging on the wall in the entrance hall.  This is one I found in a second hand charity shop in Bermuda called The Barn.  It makes money for the Hospital there so as my husband works there I try to shop there often and was lucky last time to find this little treasure.  There was a vague pattern on it but all the paintwork had vanished or was very scratched so I re-painted it using some Suze Weinberg glitter paints on top of Promarkers and Copics. I added lots of gems and sparkles and new ribbons and hey presto I had another mask to add to my collection..... just need Geoff to put it on the wall now.
Do pop over to my challenge blog and enter the challenge - you may win a Joanna Sheen voucher to spend on goodies.

CHALLENGE 139 - Love and Romance

My challenge this week is 'Love and Romance' in honour of Valentines Day and here is my DT card. The scalloped card is from a QVC pack, run through the script Cuttlebug Embossing folder and coloured with worn lipstick Distress ink.  I added a torn and edged piece of wonderful red and silver glittery soft material paper (bought at NEC) then attached the lovely bird digital image from ChiChi Memories (they are sponsoring my challenge this week). I coloured him with Promarkers and added a couple of glitter hearts and the ticket together with some red rick rack ribbon and red and pink gems also from QVC.
Do pop over and enter my challenge and maybe win some of these lovely digital images.

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.

FROG HAS A BATH

Here is my card for the Cowgirl's Sunday Stamping challenge the topic this week being 'Spring'.  I thought the little frog having a bath was just right for this challenge.  I stamped, the stamp from Dovecraft Pepper and Friends, and coloured using Copics and Promarkers, matted onto two Nestability circles and added corners, gems and velvet and chiffon ribbons for effect. The base card is from my Fancy Pants  stash.

Let the sunshine in

Here is my DT card for Crafty Ann this week her challenge being to 'let the sunshine in'.  I printed out the chiminea from Ann's digi images and coloured with Promarkers and highlighted the flames with glossy accents.  I created the background using Distress inks and stamped a tree and some foliage, tree from Clarity - foliage from Hobby Ary then mounted the chiminia on top.  I added some acetate to a green window card and placed the image behind.  Then added  lots of sunny flowers with gem centres and the sentiments from Hero Arts on a Nestie flower shape and oversprayed the whole card with gold glitter from Crafter's Companion.
Do join in Ann's challenge if you can you could be lucky and win some of her lovely images for yourself.

EMBOSSING FOR CHRISTMAS

This week's Bah Humbug challenge is to use embossing on your card so here are my two.  The first one consists of some lovely plaid papers and an image of deer from who knows where and some Cuttlebugged mats and layers.  Some added sparkle, a snowflake gem, a peel off snowman (see girls am using them now) and a sentiment to embellish.

On the second card I embossed the lines using my Martha Stewart board then added some silver mirri card embossed with the Cuttlebug holly folder.  The image was stamped and coloured with Promarkers and Copics then overlayed with a lovely acetate frame from QVC.  Red gems, a couple of corners and a sentiment to embellish.

Do I get an award for making two each week then ladies??? lol

Peel Off Christmas Card

Another Christmas card for Bah Humbug challenge this week the topic being to use our 'Peel Offs'.  Yes, like everyone else I have stacks of them and never use them so nice to do so for a change - thanks ladies. I coloured the gold scenic peeloff using Promarkers and Copics then mounted onto a Nestie circle and distressed the edge with Distress Inks.  I Cuttlebugged a piece of white card using Snowflakes and Snow dots, one half embossed the other debossed then distressed using Broken China and Faded Jeans making the top darker than the bottom.  Adding a piece of gold ribbon over the centre and a blue bow I mounted the circle on top.  I chomped the corners and added the gold star and Merry Christmas peel off for embellishment.

Card for Someone Special

Here is my DT card for Crafty Ann's challenge to make something for someone special.  I made this for my sister-in-law who is going through chemo treatment at present and is feeling very tired a lot of the time.  The sentiment is from a Fancy Pants double sided paper sheet and I thought it very appropriate.  I printed out the heart backing paper from Ann and ran it through the Cuttlebug embossing folder and added to the stubby diamond fold card overlaying the sentiment and added some lovely glittered flowers with gem centres.
I took the rose image from Ann's digi images and manipulated it in MCS to lay it over the same backing paper then coloured with Copics and Promarkers.  I added silver Sakura to the edges of the hearts, petals and leaves and cut out the shape with Nestabilities. I added a simple red gem and three pearls for embellishment.
Do check out Ann's challenges and you may win some digi images for yourself.

In my garden I see...... a frog

Here is my card for my new challenge this week.  In my garden I see..... a frog - what do you see in yours?
I popped into my local craft shop just for a chat with my friend Lesley and saw a card made using this fabulous stamp from Dovecrafts Pepper and Friends.  Needless to say I just had to buy him as he is sooo cute.  I stamped the image and coloured using Promarkers and Copics, cut someNestie circles and mounted onto a sheet of Fancy Pants distressed paper.  A couple of green corners, red and green gems and some brown and green ribbon finished it off.  I seem to be into square cards at the moment.
If you see anything different in your garden pop over and join in my latest challenge and have fun.

One more for Christmas

Another card ready for Christmas and also for this week's Bah Humbug challenge 'Cool Combos'.  They asked us to use three or more of the previous challenge topics so mine are Trees, Snowmen, Glitter and Baubles (see I chose four).
First I stamped the image from who knows where, and coloured using Copics and Promarkers then added gold and silver glitter from Marvy Just glitter pens to highlight the snow,  the houses and the trees.  I then cut out the image and overlayed this lovely transparent acetate self adhesive glittered sticker from QVC.  I added some snowmen vellum to a silver card attaching with the two coloured bauble brads then added the scene and sentiment. Hope you like it ladies.

Sweet enough to eat???

Here is my DT card for CraftyAnn's challenge this week of Pink, Lemon and Lilac.  I transferred the lovely cupcake image (one of Ann's digi images)  to MCS then made the stack of cakes, printed them on lilac meltdust paper and embossed them.   I coloured using Copics and Promarkers  and added to the lemon card after punching with a Martha Stewart corner punch. The border is from a QVC cupcake set and the chipbaord embellishments are from the DCWV Sweet collection. I also added a little pink corner top right and ribbons from my stash and highlighted the hearts on the cakes with Glossy Accents.
Do pop over to Ann's blog and enter her challenges and have fun.
I am entering this into Gingersnaps Creations 'Celebrate' challenge too.

March Hare meets Mad Hatter at The Tea Party

Here is my entry for Dragon's Dream challenge Mad March days and also my first enty to Your Special Delivery 50/50 challenge blog using the cute Mad Hatter digi image from LLDI.
I stamped the large chipboard piece with the March Hare stamp from Sheena Douglass and the tea cups and tea pot from See D's using Black Archival ink. They were coloured with Copics and Promarkers then oversprayed with silver glitter spray from Crafter's Companion. I coloured the Mad Hatter with the same pens and oversprayed again.
For the heart tag I typed the words using Word Art printed them out attached to the heart and overprayed yet again with silver glitter.  The two tags are attached with red velvet ribbon.