Furry Friends for Father's Day

How cute is this little guy?!  He is from SugarNellie and is called Furry Friends Texting.  I coloured him with pencils and some Stardust Stickles.  He's even had an Apple watch added to his wrist as he's that cool!!

The gorgeously colourful papers are Beachside from Lawn Fawn, matted onto orange paper to make it 'pop'.  The sentiment has been made up from the Clearly Besotted "You & I" and "Pretty Petals Plus" sets - I love the fonts!

I think I'll enter him in the Sugar Bowl challenge!

A Magnetic Bookmark for (Gran)Dad

I’ve been having a bit of fun with my children creating a bookmark to give to my dad for Father’s Day.  

We decided that we liked Sid the Robot (a Sarah Hurley Special Edition stamp set by Clare Brown) best for our bookmark and started by stamping him at the bottom of a piece of white card 6cm wide by 23.5cm long.

Another robot was stamped at the the other end of the strip so that they were facing different directions.  This means that they will both be upright when the bookmark is complete.

Euan and Louise love colouring and generally make a really good job, so I left them to it and got on with the rest of it.

We chose some double sided patterned card from one of Sarah's A Few of My Favourite Things packs and cut it into a strip 7.5cm wide by 25cm long and rounded each corner. 

The centre was scored to make folding easier and I attached the magnets with double sided tape at each end of the patterned side.   The magnets are optional, but I like the idea of a bookmark that cannot fall out of the book! My magnets were recycled from extremely cheap and horrible bookmarks I bought ages ago, but you can buy magnetic strips or dots from craft stores.

When Euan and Louise had completed their colouring, Euan round the corners of the strip of robots. 

We also scored the centre to make folding easier (or thinner card can just be folded in half) and punched a small hole at 3cm on the score line.  If you would rather not have a ribbon tassle, you do not need to punch the hole.

I like a ribbon, or tassle to make my bookmark obvious when it's in my book, so we selected some co-ordinating 5mm ribbon and put it through the hole, securing it with tape on the wrong side of our robot strip.

We added glue to one half of our robot strip and stuck it to our coloured strip by lining up the folds of each strip and pressing the surfaces firmly together.  We then added glue to the other half and stuck securely.

As a finishing touch, we added some Silver and Stardust Stickles to our robots.

 My dad will love his magnetic bookmark, which has been created by both grandchildren and daughter with a lot of love and fun!

Additional Ideas:

You could add a polyshrink Sid the Robot charm to your ribbon like the charms I made for my Doodle Home Keyring. 

A co-ordinating card, like Clare's would look great with it.

And I LOVE the idea of Jaine's Promise Cards!

Items Used:

Sid the Robot stamp set

Card from A Few of My Favourite Things

White card

Colouring pens / pencils

Glue

Stickles

Ribbon

Magnets

Guest Designer for Sarah Hurley

My post today, is as a guest designer for Sarah Hurley - how exciting!!

Contrary to many crafters I know, I LOVE making boys' cards! My style is fairly clean and simple, definitely un-fussy and this, I think, suits male cards rather well.

So, for these cards, made for twins, I have used Special Editions Stamps Sid the Robot by Clare Brown. He has been coloured with Promarkers and Stickles - in my experience, boys like a little bit of bling too!

I have used scraps of paper from various A Few of My Favourite Things Kits, all pieced together to make a larger background. A strip of irridescent mesh (from A Few of My Favourite Things Kit) and ribbon from my stash has been added, which provides a little texture (and a bit more bling).

So, with the same character and ingredients, I have made two cards which are the same, but different!! Do you have a favourite?

Now, just a wee reminder that your fabulous creations can be added to the Sarah Hurley challenge and the current theme is Celebrations!!

Quick ingredients list:

Image - Special Editions Stamps Sid the Robot by Clare Brown

Papers and irridescent mesh - A Few of My Favourite Things Kits

Age and Name - Clearly Besotted Basic Alphabet and Basic Numbers

 

Happy crafting, folks!

Susie

 

 

 

 

Euan is 6......already!

And to celebrate his birthday, I made him a card and matching frame. The image is called Baron and Butch and is from Mo's Digital Pencil. It really is the perfect image for Euan - he loves our border collie, Buddy and he loves his iPad mini!!

I've coloured everything to be authentic - Buddy's markings, his favourite ball, Euan's socks and iPad.....and I loved making a custom iPad with Euan's fave apps: Safari, Minecraft and music!!!! I used promarkers to colour the image and Clearly Besotted 's Basic Alphabet and Geometric Style for the named bunting.

I love making things personal and special to the recipient! Here's a close up of the card:

 

Dream Valley - Boys/Men

Happy New Year, folks! Did you have a good break for Christmas and New Year? We had a lovely time - Santa was extremely good to us and we had a fantastic break up in Aviemore - bliss!

So, at Dream Valley this fortnight, our challenge is Boys / Men. I had a few items I could show for this theme as December and January are petty busy for us with male birthdays, but I finally decided on this little guy, Striker. I love him almost as much as Aviator! This is a birthday card with a tag that holds a gift card, like so:

Hopefully I've not lost the bit of paper I used to record my measurements!

I would like to enter the following challenges:

The Crazy Challenge - Cards for Men

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

Creative Card Crew - Anything Goes

 

A Couple of 80th Cards

Alf is pretty cool, isn't he?! I've coloured him with promarkers and polychromos and the clouds have been stamped using a thought bubble stamp and Tumbled Glass Distress Ink. They have also had a bit if Stardust Stickles added too. The papers are the gorgeous Kaisercraft On the Move - I love the colours in this pad!

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Digistamp Boutique challenge - Anything Goes

Cards for Men - Sports

Stampin For the Weekend - Anything Goes

I was also asked for I an 80th card for a man who likes reading, travel and fine red wine. I saw the Freshly Made Sketch and thought that it might work for this card. (Unfortunately, I am too late to enter the challenge.)

I've used a Sizzix embossing plate to add texture to the background and the twirly border was from a Basic Grey pack. The aeroplane has been cut using a Sizzix die and some gloss. The wine bottle and glass is from the Digistamp Boutique Fancy a Tipple set, coloured with my beloved polychromo pencils, Platinum Stickles and gloss. I've also made a little book, using Inkylicious Tiny Text for the pages (unseen) and a bird picture cut from some RSPB address stickers. (I've cut the twine ends shorter now, so they no longer hang over the wine glass.)

I would like to enter Joanna Sheen - Father's Day / Male Card challenge.

 

A Travel Inspired Father's Day Card

At Dream Valley this fortnight, our theme is Father's Day / For A Man. And one of the cards I was asked for was a card for a dad who likes holidays and weekends away........bit tricky to start with until I was looking through all my stash and came across the Travel Smash Book journalling sheet......so I cut out the suitcase and shortened the note part.....and used the LOTV tickets and sentiments....and the Clearly Besotted Going Places set for the train and sentiments.....some sticky tags that I've had for ages and twine completed the card. Once again, I have used my Distress Inks for the stamping: Antique Linen, Peeled Paint, Bundled Sage and Frayed Burlap.

I would love the enter:

Clearly Besotted challenge - Anything Goes (again!)

Creative Belli - Father's Day

Simon Says Stamp - Transport (train on the background)

Papertake Weekly - Hello Boys

Dino-Mite Dad

I've been using these cute little Clearly Besotted Dinosaurs again, this time for a Father's Day card.  I've coloured him with my Distress Inks (and it's one of the latter ones so I'm happier with the colouring on this one!!) - Peeled Paint, Bundled Sage and a tiny bit of Worn Lipstick for his tongue. 

The papers are Papermania Birdsong, with a little bit of scrim over that and the white background.  The Dinosaur's background has been embossed with a Sizzix plate and the chipboard hexagons are from the Basic Grey set I've had for ages. 

The Dino-mite sentiment is also from the Clearly Besotted set and has been stamped in Peeled Paint DI, with a little gloss on that and the die cut letters.

I would like to enter the Clearly Besotted challenge (and try to remember, this time, to put GD in the title so that I can be considered as a guest designer....how amazing would that be?!!).

Anyways, off to the information session for Euan starting Primary 1!  Have a good day.

Susie x

Euan's Birthday Card

Can't quite believe that my wee boy has turned 5, but he has! On the day, he had lots of fun with his archery set, some cars and his Olympics DS game, had a Greggs sausage roll, a birthday haircut and was suitably excited about his first ever party!!

He had advised me that he wanted dinosaurs on his birthday card and that it was to be "a standy-up one"!  Just as well he said as I wouldn't have chosen dinosaurs for him - probably transport or pirates!  So, I tested out my new Distress Inks (in Bundled Sage, Peeled Paint and Faded Jeans) on the rather cute Clearly Besotted Dino-mite stamps and enjoyed some painting.....it was great fun but I was sadly out of practice!

I've used the fab Freshly Made Sketches layout for the top part of the easel card, using a variety of papers, a bit of twine and a little gloss.

The bottom part of the easel card uses sentiments from the dinosaur set and chipboard letters from the Basic Grey set I've had for ages and were perfect for propping the easel part up, and another dinosaur (this was the first and, therefore, the worst coloured one!!)

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Freshly Made Sketches - sketch

Clearly Besotted - Anything Goes

Sports

Another fortnight has passed and I have been able to blog a little more - hurray! And today, for our Sports challenge at Dream Valley, I would like to share a card I have made using the fab Lili of the Valley image, Riding My Bike. I've stamped him with Frayed Burlap Distress Ink and coloured it in my polychromo pencils.

The background has been stamped using a freebie car and the Clearly Besotted bike using Distress Inks in Tumbled Glass, Antique Linen and Frayed Burlap. I've ended up using this process for quite a few cards recently and particularly like this combination of colours. Everything has been mounted onto Kraft card, with only a little twine, buttons and a charm to complete it.

What will you make for our Sports challenge? And......would you like to apply for our Design Team call? Details are here. Good luck, folks!

 

A Pretty Church

 

When I was asked if I could make a First Communion card, I knew this gorgeous Digistamp Boutique image, Pretty Church, would be perfect. I printed it onto white card and Kraft paper and coloured the church with promarkers and polychromos. I loved adding the brickwork detail!

 

The papers are Darling Dear- I love the colour combos in this pad. I added a bit of pearly detail using the pearl wand - a fabulous purchase!!

 

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Digistamp Boutique - Anything Goes

One Stitch at a Time - use a Digi

 

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Dad's Birthday Card

My goodness, what a busy time we've had lately....even more so than normal!! I've had lots of fun making orders for friends, have loads on at school/nursery, 4 family birthdays, Scott's been working extra hours AND we're getting work done in the garden! So, that's my excuse for neglecting my blog and my lovely blogs buddies. It looks like it will remain extra busy for the next month too, but I'll try to increase my blogging time, if I can.

Anyway, when my sister and I were at school, my mam and dad had a VW Caravanette that we (very affectionately) called Tess. She was orange and cream and made for lots of lovely days out, weekends away and "camping trips" in the drive!! So when I saw this little stamp in Hobbycraft (for only £1!), I had to buy it.

I played about for a while, stamping with black ink and colouring in, then decided to see how they looked with my Distress Inks. I loved the colours, so went with this idea for my dad's birthday card. The papers are Kaisercraft On the Move and I love the colour combination.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Divas By Design - Anything Goes

CRAFT - Happy Birthday

Moving Along with the Times - CAS

Crafty Catz - Anything Goes

Totally Papercrafts - CAS

Sweet Stampin - CAS

 

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Funtime Dan the Pirate

How cute is this image? He is Funtime Dan, by Digistamp Boutique and I've coloured him using my promarkers, gloss ( on the port holes) and Platinum Stickles (on the bird's tail). The papers are from my stash, but I'm afraid I don't know the name. The sentiment is from the Dino-mite Clearly Besotted set.

I would like to enter the Digistamp Boutique challenge and Sketch Saturday (at first, I thought it was a bit of a challenging sketch for me, but it looked like it would suit the image perfectly so I gave it a shot!)

Susie x

 

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Star Wars Boy

Well, I don't know about you, but I am loving having the bairns off for Easter....so much more time to be together and do lots of things we keep meaning to but don't always have time for.....like watching The Great British Sewing Bee, or going to the park, or sewing a doll's dress, or visiting gran & grandad and their new kitten, or going to the Falkirk a wheel, or........!!

But before the holidays, Lou asked me to make a card for one of her school friends. This fab Saturated Canary image, The Force Boy, seemed perfect. I have coloured him with promarkers and used the fab Darling Dear papers from American Crafts. I have also used a bit of hessian underneath the red zigzags, for some texture. The next one she's requested is one with a doughnut on - wish me luck!!

Anyway, I would like to enter the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Anything Goes

One Stitch at a Time - Anything Goes

One Stop Craft - Birthday

 

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Freshly Made Aviator

I just LOVE this little guy and I LOVE the sketches at Freshly Made Sketches! The little guy is, of course, by Sugar Nellie and is called Aviator. I have stamped him onto my new Ryman's 200 card (which I am very impressed with!) and coloured him with my promarkers and gloss for the goggles, plane and wings.

I've used my new Kaisercraft Journey On papers, some cord/thread, a button and a sentiment to complete my card. The sentiment has been made using my Clearly Besotted Just for You set.

So, I would like to enter the following challenges:

Freshly Made Sketches - sketch

Sugar Bowl - Anything Goes

Sugar Nellie Sugary Sunday Facebook Challenge - Anything Goes

Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes

 

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Dream Valley - Celebrations.....and a DT Call

Our new theme at Dream Valley is Celebrations, which is really easy, huh!?! Birthday, baby, home, Christmas, wedding........ The list is endless!

I decided to show the birthday card for a fantabulous friend. I layered lots of scraps onto Kraft, then gold paper. All pieces were edged with promarker to define the edges. The sentiment s LOTV, the aeroplane die is (with some gel pen and gloss) and there are some buttons, ribbon and raffia from stash.

I really love using my scraps and this is one of 6 or 7 cards i have made embracing this technique. You can see the others on my Facebook page.

So, what will you make for our Celebrations theme at Dream Valley? Remember that it can be any craft as long as it fits the theme. And our sponsor is Digi Doodles.

We are also running a DT call to add to our lovely team. The details are here.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

Susie x

Skateboarding

I seem to be addicted to Krista's Saturated Canary images just now...they're so awesome and fabulous to colour.

I've had this Skateboarding image coloured since the Men's Wimbledon final and finally had time to make it into a card. I'm pretty sure I layered my polychromos on top of promarkers. I love my polychromos.....have I ever told you that?!! The papers are a mix from stash- Basic Grey Cupcake (I think) and MME Everyday Flair, matted onto red Papermill paper. I've added some of my favourite scrim and rafia and a few embossed stars.

I would like to enter the Saturated Canary challenge - The Great Outdoors (skateboarding's an outdoor activity, isn't it?).

2nd Sugar Bowl 88

I'm so pleased I've had time to play in the Sugar Bowl again. The sketch is fab and suits my simple style, and the cards I had to make, perfectly!

I've coloured Hamish and Tractor with Polychromo pencils, which I love using. The papers are mostly MME Everyday Flair, matted with red paper. A bit of scrim and some buttons add texture.

We were at Callum's party today and it was fantastic- Euan thoroughly enjoyed himself with his friends in soft play and the tractor ride, as well as the party games and food. And we all had a great time together afterwards looking at the animals, playing in the sand and in the play parks. Almond Valley was brilliant and we'll definitely be back!!

 

Dream Valley Challenge 33 - Humour

Wow, where does the time go to? Challenge 33 already!

Anyways, this fortnight's challenge at Dream Valley is Humour. Now, I must admit that humour is not my strong point - I can never remember a full joke and rarely say something witty, but the fabulous image I kindly got from our sponsor, Bugaboo, I loved, especially together with the sentiment!

The image is called Gus Birthday - Optional. I've coloured it with pro markers and glossy accents on his glasses and the number plate. The papers are MME Everyday Flair, which I love, and the buttons were from stash. I've used Nesties Labels 2 to cut the image, border and sentiment.

I have used the fantastic sketch at Sketch and Stash, although I've just realised that the spotty paper should have gone from top to bottom....oh well, that's what happens when you're crafting in between looking after a sick son, cleaning up sick, issuing medicine and seeing the doctor!! Good excuse to make another card, huh!?!

Have LOTS of fun with this challenge - remember that it doesn't need to be a card, it can be anything as long as it follows the theme of Humour. We are also sponsored by Craft Emma's Store. I can't wait to see your entries!

Happy crafting and enjoy the sunshine!

Susie x