Summer's coming with Creative Knockouts

Hi everyone

As I typed the title to this post I couldn't help but laugh as I looked out on the grey skies...looks more like winter's coming, lol. Oh well, we can but hope...

We've got a new challenge starting at Creative Knockouts

Our theme is 'Summer's coming' so we'd like to see your summer inspired projects. Here's mine...

We're being sponsored by the fabulous Bugaboo who very kindly gave us some brilliant images to play with. I've used Gus Tidbits - At my age which I've coloured using Copics. I made a CAS card so Gus could take centre stage. I've matted using red card 1/8th" and then black card 1/16th". I rounded the corners of the image plate before matting and added card candi to the corners. I finished off adding the fab sentiment using a Spellbinder Petite Labels One die inked with faded jeans distress ink...

I hope you like him. Please pop over to the challenge and leave my very talented team mates some love.

I would like to enter this for the following:-

Crafting for all seasons - One for the boys

Addicted to stamps - Make your mark

Inky Impressions - Anything goes

Simon says anything goes

Thanks for visiting. I better go take my dog for a walk quickly while it's stopped raining. See you again soon.

Hugs Helen xx

One for the boys with Ruby

Hi everyone

Ok, who stole summer??? 

I think it could be my fault. It was my Dad's birthday on Monday and I bought him a new sun hat!

Maybe should have bought wellies!

Anyhow, there's a new challenge started over at Ruby's Rainbow

I got to choose the theme and went for

'One for the boys'.

We want to see your masculine projects this time...

I've used a LOTV topper for this one and kept it simple, just adding some die cut grass and some corrugated card and ribbon from my stash...

I hope you'll pop over to the challenge and check out the fab projects from my very talented team mates.

I would like to enter this for the following:-

The Paper Shelter - Make it Manly

Crafting for all seasons - Boys will be boys

Thanks for visiting. I hope I'll see you again soon.

Hugs Helen xx

Happy Birthday to Ewe

Hi everyone

I thought I'd share a card with you today which I made for my Dad's birthday...

I've coloured this gorgeous Bugaboo image using Copics, adding glamour dust to the wool and glossy accents to the eyes and the balloon. I made a CAS card as I thought the image was so cute it didn't need any distractions. Here's a close-up...

I matted using my faithful Perfect Layers ruler, this time using 1/8th. Don't know where I'd be without this gadget. I seem to use it for just about every card now. Here's the inside of the card...

I would like to enter this for the following:-

Animal Friends Challenge - Happy Birthday

Allsorts Challenge - Happy Birthday

QKR Stampede - Clean & Simple

Divas by Design - Anything goes

A random fan - Anything goes

Papertake Weekly - Oh so cute

Crafting by designs - Anything goes

Thanks for visiting. I hope I'll see you again soon.

Hugs Helen xx

Lots of layers with Creative Knockouts

Hi everyone,

there's a new challenge over at Creative Knockouts.

We'd like to see Lots of layers on your projects. 

We're being sponsored by Crafty Sentiments who very kindly gave me this fab image to play with...

The image is called Little Friends and can be found here.

I've coloured using copics taking the colour scheme to compliment the backing paper which has been in my stash for years. The contrast is a rusty coloured card. I've used some whitewashed coredinations card, which has been embossed and sanded, for one of the layers. The image has been cut out using a Spellbinder Decorative Labels 22 die, inked with tattered rose distress ink whilst still in the die. The two butterfly dies are from Joanna Sheen. I've finished off with some ribbon and some gold pearls. This is a very different colour scheme to my usual cards and I'm really pleased with how it turned out. Hope you like it too.

I hope you'll join us for the challenge. You could win a fab prize from Crafty Sentiments but please remember to only link to 8 challenges including ours.

I would like to enter this for the following:-

Crafting for all seasons - Things with wings

Crafty Creations - Recipe (ribbon and die cut)

Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge - Anything goes

Thank you for visiting. Hope I'll see you again soon.

Hugs Helen xx

Celebrate Mom with Sparkles

Hi everyone

I hope you're enjoying the sunshine. I've just spent an hour in the garden getting rid of some weeds. I know I'm gonna regret it as I can feel my body seizing up as I type but I can't let Fibromyalgia win. The garden's been neglected for too long. Just need to do it a little bit at a time. Anyhow...

There's a new challenge starting today at 

Sparkles Monthly Challenges

Our theme for this month is

'Celebrate Mom or a Special lady'

I've saved one of the Mother's day cards I made earlier in the year. This one was for my late first husband's mum...

I used some Forever Friends papers for both the image and the backing, adding a doily, some ribbon, silver pearls, ribbon and a couple of flowers. The large flower has been made with a Cheery Lynn die and the small one has been punched. I've finished off with a stamped sentiment on a Spellbinder Petite Labels One die cut. I've used black card to mat using 1/16" perfect layers ruler.

I hope you'll pop over to the challenge and leave some love for my talented team mates. If you join us you could be in with a chance to win a fab prize from Marianne Design.

Thanks for visiting. I hope I'll see you again soon.

Hugs Helen xx

Gruffies for Ruby's animal challenge

Hi everyone

I'm here to share a card I made for my daughter's 20th birthday recently which fits perfectly with today's new challenge over at Ruby's Rainbow for our new challenge - 'Animals'.

This image was perfect for Nikki cos she loves both Pandas and ice cream! It's a Gruffies stamp from the 'Dancing Queen' set.

I've coloured using copics with Atyou glitter pen accents.

I also stamped the ice cream tub and the spoon which I coloured with copics and made a slot in the top of the tub to accommodate the spoon, mounting the whole tub with glue gel to give it dimension.

I've added a silver bunting banner using a Joanna Sheen die and punched a flower. The image has been cut out using a Spellbinder die and is sitting on a Spellbinder Labels 5 die cut. 

I've finished off with ribbon from my stash.

I hope you'll pop over to Ruby's and take a look at the fab inspiration from my very talented team mates.

I would like to enter this for the following:-

Sweet Stamps - Polka dots

Through the craft room door - Anything goes

Incy Wincy designs - Birthdays

Melon Headz - All about animals

Stamping Sensations - Anything goes

Crafting By Designs - Anything goes

Thanks for visiting. I hope I'll see you again soon.

Hugs Helen xx

Fabrications Birthday Wishes

Hi everyone,

Just thought I'd share the card which I made for my Sister-in-law's recent birthday...

I've used the Fabrications papers by Teresa Collins, which were a freebie with Cardmaking and Papercraft magazine, along with one of the matching chipboard sentiments.

The panel for the sentiment has been made using Spellbinders Opulent Oval dies. I've added a coloured doily and also made a panel using a Martha Stewart border punch and some ribbon from my stash. All matting is black card (aided by a perfect layer ruler).

The butterfly is a Cheery Lynn one. I added a piece of double sided adhesive to the card before I cut out the butterfly. I added micro beads to this but didn't like it and found that if I rubbed the beads off I got a lovely foiled look to the butterfly...happy accident!

I've finished off with an assortment of flowers.

I would like to enter this for the following:-

4 Crafty Chicks - Flowers

It's all about the vintage - anything goes

Crafting for all seasons - Lots of layers

Creative moments - anything goes/bingo (top row)

Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge - 2 or more patterned papers

Crafting by designs - Anything goes

Thanks for visiting. I hope to see you again soon

Hugs Helen xx

Baby it's cold at Sparkles

Hi everyone

There's a new month long challenge starting at 

Sparkles Christmas Challenges.

Our theme this month is

Baby it's cold outside

We'd like to see hats, scarves, mittens etc in your projects...

I've used a Forever Friends stamp, coloured with copics with added glamour dust cuffs and 'Fluff' snow.

The backing paper is from Dovecraft (Back to Basics Christmas). I've matted with black card and 1/16th mini perfect layers ruler (great invention!). The label at the edge of the image is Spellbinders Fancy Label Tags One. I inked it with red distress ink whilst in the die and then added a line of glitter using a quickie glue pen. I've finished off with some ribbon and a foil sentiment and snowflake...

We're being sponsored by the fabulous Marianne Design

I would like to enter this for the following:-

Christmas Card Challenges - Anything goes

Crafty Hazelnut Extra

Thanks for visiting. I hope to see you again soon.

Helen xx

Flowers galore at Creative Knockouts

Hi everyone

There's a new challenge over at 

Creative Knockouts

Our theme is 'Flowers Galore' so we'd like to see flowers featuring in your creations...

We're being sponsored by the fabulous Sassy Studio Designs. I've used an image called Miranda Sassy, which I've coloured with copics. I've used a Spellbinder Die D-Lite called Fancy Label Tags One to creat the frame for Miranda to look out of. I've raised the pink panel on foam pads too. The black panel with the roses on is the centre panel from the frame. I've added a Butterfly Flourish (Joanna Sheen) to finish off.

Now it's your turn...

I would like to enter this for the following:-

Crafting by designs - Anything goes

Inky Impressions - Anything goes

Creative Card Crew - Girly

Thanks for visiting, I'll be back soon to share another project.

Helen xx