Debbi's Finnish Star

 

This is my attempt at the Finnish Star which Debbi has posted a tutorial for on her blog.  I'd seen a sample of this on display at the Papeterie, which I'm presuming was made by Debbi, and when she posted the tutorial for it I got tempted enough to have a go.  I'd intended to make a Halloween decoration but went for an autumnal one instead.  It matches the colours in the dining room which means it can stay up for longer too.

Whilst checking out blog challenges I had entered I discovered that the new challenge at The Crafty Pad is to make something that you would be proud to display on your wall but it must include some material (ribbon allowed) and some stitches (faux or real).  By this time I had the topper stuck on but managed to peel it off again and stitched around the edge of the bottom layer with two different colours of thread sewing clockwise first and then anti-clockwise to get a zigzag effect.

The image for the topper was printed from the DoCrafts CD Daisy and Dandelion and the layers were cut using circle Nestabilities.  As per usual I got carried away with the embellishments.  It started off with just the Quickutz leaves die cuts and then a few peeloff dots for sparkle but whilst looking in the ribbon box for something to hang it up by I came across the flowers.  The flowers were amongst a bag of buttons I bought from Create and Craft years ago when Alan and Barry were still the presenters.  I remember Alan being in his element that day with trays of buttons and singing away with his own ditty about buttons.  The punched fern leaves were the final touch and then it was time to step away.

I'd like to enter this project in the following challenges.
The Crafty Pad (two week challenge) - wall hanging plus material and stitches
Lollipop Crafts Challenge 54 - Embellish It
Paper Pretties Wednesday Challenge PWC177
The Paper Shelter Challenge 37 - Anything Goes
Delightful Inspiration Saturday Challenge - Cute Critters 
RRR Challenge 34 - Fun 4 Fall
Kaboodles Doodles Challenge 90 - Halloween/Fall
Bearly Mine Challenges 22 - Anything But A Card
Make It Monday - Anything Goes
Colour Create Challenge 82 - Burgundy, Gold, Green and Cream 

Thanks for reading
Liz x

Sprocket the Steampunk Aviator

 

This is the end result of yesterday's WOYWW? post.  I really enjoyed making this card with Sprocket the Steampunk Aviator from Saturated Canary digis as it was different and refreshing from what I usually put together and yet it still has a soft look, with plenty of embellishments and even a bow.  I'm not a get down and get inky crafter, and yet I don't do clean and simple either, it just tends to be clean and full on.  I'ts nice to dabble in something different once and a while though.

And so my first digi image stamped card has been made and I can see this becoming a new addiction.  There's no need to find a hiding place to store them either.  The more card samples I see made from Saturated Canary digi stamps the more I like them.  I have another image of Sprocket coloured in almost the same colour scheme as the card and am tempted to make a matching altered notebook now.

It's thanks to a posting made by Jak Heath that I felt brave enough to have a go at colouring this image with my Promarkers as I have difficulty in deciding where to put in light and shade if I don't have a coloured sample to follow.  I still struggled with the hair and initially she was to have been a strawberry blonde, as I was using the skin tones to colour with, but as I wasn't happy with each attempt it got darker and darker and just when I was fed up and giving up I went over the whole thing with cinnamon and this is the end result which I'm quite happy with as it tones in with the other colours I'd used.

As well as entering this card in this week's I Love Promarkers Challenge which is Tags I also used the  Sketch Saturday challenge for the inspiration for the layout.

As well as using a digi stamp I used the cogs stamp from the Stampin' up set Sense of Time to create a background paper. It was stamped and embossed using silver fine detail embossing powder.  The top backing paper is dry embossed using a cogs Cuttlebug embossing folder.  This paper, the gingham paper and the Happy Birthday paper are from a Cuddly Buddly download A Patchwork of Papers Orange.  The black and white checked paper and peach spotted paper is from the Docrafts Daisy and Dandelion CD.  I think I've finally used up all my Halloween scraps now.  Nestabilites were used for the circle embellishments, a Sizzix die for the tags and a Quickutz die for the cogs.

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges.

I Love Promarkers Challenge 89 - Tags

Sketch Saturday Challenge 178
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Totally Papercrafts Challenge 89 - Layer upon Layer 
Inky Impressions Challenge 30 - Anything Goes
Lollipop Crafts Challenge 54 - Embellish It
Paper Pretties Wednesday Challenge PWC117 - Embellish
The Paper Shelter Challenge 37 - Anything Goes
One Stitch at a Time Challenge 85 - Emboss It
Kenny K's Crafty Girlz Challenges 66 - Get Dotty
PaperCrafting Journey Challenge PCJ22 - Use a Digi 
Scrap Creations  GGSC87 - Doing it Digi  (top 3 digi stores  1st Saturated Canary, 2nd Cuddly Buddly, 3rd Teddy Bo & Co.)
Make It Monday - Anything Goes

Thanks for reading

Liz xx

WOYWW?

This is my picture for WOYWW? today and it's just me having a play.  Recently I watched a Kanban programme on Create and Craft with the theme of  Steampunk but by the time I'd decided that I'd like to buy one of the sets of stamps it had sold out and has yet to come back in stock.  However, I follow the blog of a very talented lady called Jak Heath and on one of her postings last week she had a card made with a digi stamp called Sprocket the Steampunk Aviator from Saturated Canary Digis by Krista Smith.

I loved the image and how Jak had coloured it so much so that I ended up buying it.  Although I have three other digi stamps in my collection this is the first one I've printed and coloured mainly because I had Jak's project to follow as to where to put light and shade in the colouring.  Although my confidence in colouring is growing, knowing where to put light and shade is something I still have difficulty with.  I was delighted to find that the printed image didn't bleed when I coloured it with Promarkers so I fear a new passion for digi stamps may be starting.

I'm hoping to use the sketch in the Saturday Sketch Challenge for the layout for this card and also to put the sentiment on tags and enter it in the I Love Promarkers challenge too.

Looking forward to seeing what's on everyone's desks this week and I hope you all have a spooktacular weekend.

Thanks for reading

Liz xx 

Penny Black Saturday Challenge Week 174 - Too Cute To Spook

 

 

This is my entry to the Penny Black Saturday Challenge this week where the challenge is "TOO CUTE TO SPOOK".  The Penny Black image I used for this one is a stamp I was lucky enough to win in Penny Black Saturday Challenge 154 and was coloured using Promarkers.  Although I've made Halloween decorations, and bits and pieces for table decorations, I've never made a Halloween card before.  I  really enjoyed putting this one together and managed to make my own layout rather than looking for inspiration on other challenge blogs.  Doing challenges is a great way to bring on your use of colour and layout and trying different themes.

The backing papers and embellishments for this card came from the "I'll keep it just in case box".  I've recently made a set of Halloween themed ATCs and also a couple of Halloween scrapbook pages so there were some bits to use up. The pumpkin and spotted papers are from the Docrafts Daisy and Dandelion CD and the gingham paper is from a Cuddly Buddly download A Patchwork of Papers Orange  The spider, web, BOO, ghosts, witches hat and pumpkin are all Quickutz die cuts.

I need to confess at this stage that I had to adapt the image I used, as I didn't have a Penny Black Halloween one, but it also meant I didn't have to struggle with colouring the balloon as the pumpkin fitted over the top perfectly. 

Hopefully it works okay apart from the hat facing in the wrong direction but I'm putting that down to the fact it got blown around in the terrible wind and rain we're having at the moment.  It's certainly strong enough to blow away, or wash away, a cobweb or two today.  Hope you enjoy the spooky happenings around you this weekend.

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges

Penny Black Saturday Challenge Week 174 - Too Cute To Spook

Allsorts Challenge 126 - Halloween

Pollycraft Monday Challenge 116 - Spooky Goings On! 

The Crafty Pad Challenge 144 - Halloween

Digi Designs Challenge Blog - Halloween

2 Sisters Challenge 62 - Pumpkin Patch (include a pumpkin)

Top Tip Tuesday Challenge 57 - Trick or Treat 

Cupcake Inspirations Challenge 133 

ABC Challenge - B is for BOO 

Kaboodles Doodles Challenge 90 - Halloween/Fall

Make It Monday - Anything Goes 

Thanks for reading

Liz xx

Wedding Card, Box and Tag

 

This is the wedding card, box and tag I've made for Elaine and Andy to give Andy's friends who are getting married next weekend.  Elaine has seen me make quite a few of these shoe cards using the Coppernob Elegant Shoe template so she asked if I'd make one for them to give Chris and Karen.   Also in the photo are a couple of the favour boxes for the wedding which Elaine and Andy decorated and filled with tablet which they have made themselves.  Pictures of the tablet making production can be seen in the next post.

The colour scheme for the wedding party is Cadbury's Chocolate purple for the bridesmaids dresses and Hunting Stewart tartan for the men.  We couldn't get tartan ribbon to match so decided on a green and purple combination to decorate the boxes and then carried on the same colour theme for the card.  The matching backing paper which has a tartan/plaid effect came from a Cuddly Buddly download A Patchwork of Papers Purple.  It couldn't have been a better match and I carried on the Scottish flavour with a few thistle on the the little topper.  

 

Information about what I used, plus tips on how to make this card can be read in the link to this older post.  Fingers crossed now that all goes well on the day and everyone has a lovely time.

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges

The Ribbon Girl Colour Challenge 12 - Lilac and Green

Make It Monday - Anything Goes

Emerald Faeries Challenge 11 - Flowers, Flowers, Flowers

Digi Doodles Challenge 79 - Green and Purple 

Thanks for reading today

Liz xx

Busy Day

It was a busy day in our house yesterday as it was the designated tablet (fudge) making day for the wedding table favours.  The only stirring I did was to suggest that it was fudge they were making, rather than tablet, but after a google definition search I was informed it was tablet.  I'm still not convinced though.   Firstly the boxes were all folded and Andy was given the task of attaching the bows.  Here's a picture Elaine took of them all laid out and ready to be filled.

Elaine took on the task of stirring the tablet during the boiling stage.  Here she is in action stirring the third and final batch whilst the second is cooling on the trays and the first had already been packed up in the little boxes.  Feet and wrists were beginning to ache by this stage.

The ATC bags were a perfect size to hold six pieces and fit in the favour boxes.  It was here that I did try to give some advice and suggested that the self seal fold over flap should go underneath the tablet so that it looked more pleasing when it came out of the box.  I was reminded that I had shopping to do at Tesco so I resigned myself to being the chief taster and refreshment provider for the day. 

It was at the beating stage that Andy was called in again as the more the mixure is beaten the thicker it becomes.  It ended up being a joint effort as Elaine scraped down the sides of the pot, where it had already begun to set, whilst Andy whipped it into shape.  Here's some pictures of them in action.  Sorry about the blurry hands but it captures the action of the moment.

 

It was a successful day though as they got it all finished and packed, ready to take with them next weekend.  Plenty of sweat but no blood or tears thankfully.  Wonder how their arms are feeling today.

The final product

I'd like to enter this post in

Make It Monday - Anything Goes

Thanks for reading

Liz x

WOYWW?

 

It's WOYWW? again and this was what was on my desk this morning.  It's the college holidays here and I'm having to share computer time with my son so hence the late posting.  It does mean that more attention is being given to chores around the house this week rather than sitting at the computer.  The ironing basket is almost empty and that doesn't happen very often.

Elaine and her partner have been invited to a wedding at the end of the month and she has been asked to make tablet for the table favours.  It's my friend's mum's recipe from a local W.I. book that we use.  We usually make this as a Christmas treat but Elaine had made some for Andy on Valentines day and I think he'd jokingly suggested that she could make it for his friends' wedding when they were making all their arrangements.  It's a small wedding so only thirty-five favour boxes are needed so she's agreed to do it and has bought lovely boxes from John Lewis to put it in.  We've discovered that ATC bags are ideal liners for the boxes.  She wanted a bow on the box to match the colour scheme of the day which is Cadbury's chocolate purple for the bridesmaids dresses and hunting stewart tartan for the men.  Guess who got roped in to doing bunny rabbit ear bows for the boxes.  We couldn't get the correct tartan so have opted for a green and purple mix.

I've also been honoured with the task of making a wedding card for them to give the happy couple so I've got that lovely Elegant shoe template from Coppernob out again.  It has been well used this year but this is the first wedding card I've made.  Not sure how this one is going to go yet but would like to add a scottish flavour of some sort to it and have even found some thistles amongst my stash.

Hope everyone has a good crafting week and I look forward to visiting all the desks to see what you're all up to.

Thanks for reading

Liz xx

PS  Ooops... have amended this posting as the original wording suggested that thirty-five lots of tablet were needed to be made instead of enough tablet to fill thirty-five little boxes.  It's not such a big task as I first misled you to think.

Penny Black Saturday Challenge Week 173 - On the Move

 

This is my entry to the Penny Black Saturday Challenge this week where the challenge set was to use an image which involves movement of some sort.  I chose this one which is Cheesecake Parade and coloured it using Promarkers.  I've always struggled with colouring balloons so that they look 3D but thanks to advice from Debbi I'm quite happy with the way this one has turned out.  

The colour scheme for this one came from the pieces of patterned paper I had left over from the card I made for the Sugar Bowl Challenge plus another piece from the printed papers leftover box.  The striped and spotted papers are from the CD Seraphina and Friends, the gingham paper came from a Crafter's Companion Papercrafts CD and the colourful harlequin paper was from a Cuddly Buddly download Peppy Papers Purple/Lime. 

The layout inspiration was taken from the sketch challenge on the 2 Sister Challenge Blog but as per usual I can't do a clean and simple and have added so many extra bits and pieces that the original sketch has become hidden.

TopTip Tuesday

The daisy embellishments were made using the small and medium Woodware daisy punches.  I punch daisies from left over bits of white card and layer them up.  The centre is cut from different shades of yellow plain and glitter cardstock using a ringbinder paper punch.  These are kept in a box until I need them for a project and then the petals can be sponged with ink to match the colour scheme of the project.  Other embellishments added to this card were brads, pearls, sequins, beads, sequins and ribbon.

This card is going to be for one of my crafty friends who turns fifty next month and is heading off to New York with her husband to celebrate.  This will be their first trip away by themselves since their family came along.  Hope you have a great time Heather.

I'd like to enter this card in the followng challenges

Penny Black Saturday Challenge Week 173 -  On the Move 

2 Sisters Challenge Blog - Sketch/Additional extra Halloween

Top Tip Tuesday 56 - Layer It

Lothian Crafts 19 - Anything Goes

Stamptacular Sunday Challenge 134 - You Choose

My Time To Craft Challenge 162 - Punches and Dies

Emerald Faeries Challenge 11 - Flowers, Flowers, Flowers

I Love Promarkers Challenge 88 - Ain't It Cute 

One Stitch at a Time Challenge 84 - Shape Up (circles, squares, triangles and rectangles plus diamonds on backing paper)  

Totally Gorjuss Challenge 103 - Bingo (bows, pearls,bling) 

Make It Monday 60 - Anything Goes

Thanks for reading

Liz x