Christmas Shaker Card

When I saw Dawn's amazing nautical shaker card here I got this idea for a Christmas card. I was inspired by the pattern and layout, and I decided to go with the shaker card theme as well. Since I knew what I wanted to make this card came together really quickly (and that's nothing that happens often to me).
I tend to make Christmas cards in traditional colors, but lately I've found myself wanting to try new color schemes, so this time I went with blue, white and some brown from the wooden reindeer. I wanted to add a bit of sparkle, so I changed my original plan of using white snowflake sequins and replaced them with golden star ones instead. I also used gold glitter EP and heat set my sentiment on a strip of vellum. The DP is from Authentique. To make the frame I used a Marianne die.

This card is for these challenges:
1) CASE Study Challenge – Anniversary blog hop
2) Jingle Belles - use Gold
3) Allsorts - #274 Early Christmas makes
4) ABC Christmas Challenge - Q for Quick and Easy
5) Crafts 4 Eternity Recipe Challenge - Something old (sequins)+Blue (paper)+Something new (reindeer and DP)
6) City Crafter Challenge - #226 Shake it up - Shaker Card

Nautical Scene with Lighthouse and Boat

"Lighthouse" - that's our optional twist over at the Outlawz Twisted Thursday this week. Our August sponsor is Marker Pop.
I used a Maja Design DP for the frame and as background for the vellum with map. The map is made with a stamp from Prima, I heat set it with blue EP. The lighthouse stamp is Graphic45. I used a metal boat charm from Storyteller, and cheesecloth to make the ocean. The birthday greeting is made using my Dymo.

This card is also for these challenges:
1) Sweet Stamps - #184 Masculine Birthday
2) Come and Get It - Anything Goes with a Sentiment
3) Eclectic Ellapu - Seaside or Nautical
4) Top Tip Tuesday - Anything Goes

It looks blue, but it is purple!

No, it's not a baby card or a card for a child, its' a card for a grown-up lady who loves purple and teddy bears. The thing is, the DP with spots look blue in the photo. I took pictures outdoors, indoors, with light and dark backgrounds, but it comes out blue whatever I did. But it's a purple paper, I'd describe the color as dark and light lavender. But never mind:)

I took inspiration from the design of Laurie's pencil boxes, you can find them here. I loved the office supplies look, so I made a notebook page using my Fiskars punch and used a paper clip with a star that has been in my stash for at least a couple of years. I also used 3 enamel pearls, string and a wooden teddy bear. The birthday greeting is made with my Dymo.

This card is for these challenges:
1) CASE Study Challenge – Anniversary blog hop + CASE
2) Crafty Creations - #270 Use something from your Stash (paper clip, string and pearls)
3) Try It On Tuesday - Use Your Stash (paper clip, string and pearls)

Candy Winner - Cardmaking and Papercraft issues no 133 and 134

The winner of "Cardmaking and Papercraft" issues no 133 and 134 is number 23

.... and that's you CHRISSY

Please contact me with your address so I can send the magazines to you!

Birthday card for Nonni

I made this card for Nonni's birthday, which is today. She's on several DT, but I met through Inkspiriational, a challenge blog I've been following since the start.

You can see Nonni's beautiful work on her blog Korttikarkuri. I'd describe Nonni's style as mainly CAS and colorful. She's made a lot of cards using some really cute owl and bird images, so that was what I had in mind making this card for her.

I started paper piecing this bird, made the background and suddenly realized I had used the colors of this fortnight's challenge over at Ink! So I'll be entering it there as well.

The bird is made with a stamp from Papermania, the sentiment is from Whimsy Stamps, papers are Doodlebug Design. I also added some yellow and orange pearls.

If you want to make a birthday card for Nonni you can link it up here.
And Ink's "Red, orange and Yellow" challenge can be found here.

Boys will be Boys

Boys will be Boys - that's our optional theme over at the Outlawz Twisted Thursday this week. Our August sponsor is Marker Pop.
For this card I haven't used any stamps. I love this boy image, he reminds me of my youngest nephew, so this will be his birthday card. He will turn 6 later this year, which is a big thing for him. The image and sentiment are cut out from a designer paper. I used neutral colors for this card - kraft paper, white paper, corrugated card and a DP with stars - and white gesso. The star I cut with a die.

This card is also for these challenges:
1) Moving along with the Times - Feeling a little Vintage
2) Perfectly Rustics - Masculine Card
3) Unstampabelles - A Significant Birthday
4) The Male Room - Seeing Stars
5) Fab 'n' Funky - #226 For the Kids
6) Seize The Birthday - Anything Goes Birthday

Vintage Child Image

I've wanted to make this card for a whole week now, but since I've barely been at home I haven't got any playtime in my craftroom until today. My layout is inspired by the sketch over at House of Cards. My papers are from Fabscraps, and I've used a pre-colored image from Nicecrane, you can find it here.  I cut it out with a Spellbinder die and used two others to make the silver frame. For the leaves I used a die from Memory Box. The crocheted flowers I bought on a sale, the brads are from my stash. I stamped a greeting on a strip of paper and curled up the edges with the help of a paintbrush for a for a vintage feel. I machine stitched with white thread.

This card is for these challenges:
1) House of Cards - Sketch (Vintage)
2) A Gem of a Challenge -  #126 STITCHING
3) Dies R Us Challenge - Die cuts and Stitching
4) Crafty Creations - 2W - #269 Flower
5) Shopping Our Stash - #164 Back In The Day
6) Sweet Stamps - #182 In The Garden

I also want to remind you of my candy - I'll give away 2 issues of "Cardmaking and Papercraft"and the freebies that came with these magazines. You can check out the details HERE.

Fairy Mother and Baby

Our new challenge over at Outlawz Twisted Thursday is Anything Goes with the optional theme of "Spread Your Wings and Fly". Our August sponsor is Marker Pop.

For this card I've used a darling image from ADFD. I colored it with my Promakers and added glitter glue to the fairy mother and baby's wings.
The frame is made with a die from Marianne. I cut it out of kraft paper and added a coat of white gesso and then distressed lightly with ink. The butterfly border is made using a Tim Holtz die, the sentiment is Memory Box. I used 3 different DPs but I don't remember where they're from, I've had them for a very long time. The lace I bought on one of my travels, flowers from my stash.  

I also want to remind you of my candy - I'll give away 2 issues of "Cardmaking and Papercraft"and the freebies that came with these magazines. You can check out the details HERE.

This card is also for these challenges:
1) Digi Sketch Challenge - Sketch and/or Fairies (T)
2) Crafty Little Fairies - Cute and Cuddly
3) The Stamping Boutique - #28 Use Lace
4) Chocolate, Coffee & Cards - #71 Fairies
5) Eureka Stamps - Things with Wings

Candy - "Cardmaking & Papercraft" issues 133 and 134

I just got home from a weekend away visiting friends and family in Sweden. We've spent about 660 miles total in  a car from Friday-Sunday! I'm looking forward to doing a bit of relaxing and catching up in blogland during the week.

Since my last "Cardmaking and Papercraft" candy I've received two new issues - no 133 and 134 - and they came with a die and a paperpack.

If you'd like to be in the chance of winning all you need to do is:
1) Be or become a follower of my blog (No candy only blogs)
2) It would be great if you could help spread the word by mentioning my candy on your blog, but it's not a requirement
3) Add your name in Mr Linky below
4) Add a comment to this post

I will post the prize anywhere in the world.
The winner will announced on August 24. Good luck!
 

Men @ Work

It's Thursday and we've got a new challenge for you over at  Outlawz Twisted Thursday! Every week is Anything Goes with an optional twist - for this week it's MEN @ WORK. Our August sponsor is Marker Pop.
For this card I've used one of my favorite LOTV stamps - I love this little painter! I colored him up using Promakers. I used my new oval dies to make the frame for the image and a bow die from Tim Holtz. I stamped the birthday greeting and made a frame for it as well. The DP is Maja Design. I used blue pearls from Storyteller.

This card is also for these challenges:
1) Inkspirational - #62 - Use markers or pencils
2) Come and Get It - It's All About Dies
3) Allsorts - #270 Favorite Things (boy images, kraft, dies)
4) My Time to Craft - #254 Use Kraft
5) Storyteller - #21 Bling/Pearls
6) Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

Monkey Business

I just had to have this monkey from Bugaboo. I printed it in a size bigger than planned, so I needed to be a bit creative with the layout to make it fit.
I used papers from BoBunny, one with spots and one with animal names and sounds, for a feel of wild life. Since I used green for the frame of the image I mounted the DPs onto green panels. The bush I made with a Memory Box die. I stamped a birthday greeting onto an oval die cut and embellished with glittery brads.
My sister has 2 young boys, aged 7 and 5. The oldest one started school last year, and the youngest will start this August. With school age comes invitations to lots of birthdays, so this one will probably go to one of their classmates.

This card is for these challenges:

1) The Squirrel & The Fox - #75 Inspired by a Song or Movie (The Jungle Book)
2) Chocolate, Coffee & Cards - #70 Polka Dots
3) Cardz 4 Guyz - #30 A Song Title (Monkey by George Michael)

Three Boys on a Horse

This image has been on my work desk for some time, I've been waiting for the right sketch to pop up as I've been lacking ideas for a layout to suit this image.
For the background I used corrugated paper which I gave a coat of white gesso. I sanded the pattern of the beige embossed paper with stars. The sentiment is cut out from a DP. A bit of texture was added with string and cheesecloth. I stitched around the edges using brown thread and added 3 star shaped brads.

This card is for these challenges:

1) Sketchy Colors - #219 Sketch
2) Pile It On - #31 Stitching Real or Faux 

3) Simply Create Too - #67 Old/Vintage
4) City Crafter Challenge - #222 Animal Magic 

5) Card Mania - Vacation or Travel