Summery Delia

Delia is sooo cute, isn't she? And she's wonderful to colour too. This time, I have coloured her with pro markers, paper pieced her dress, shoes and star and used some Stardust Stickles. I love paper piecing - its so easy and the effect is always fab, especially with the addition of a little shading.

The paper is First Edition Spring Drop and some card form The Works. I have used part of a Cheery Lynn Fanciful Flourish. (This has to go down as one of my best craft purchases as it is used on so many of my cards!).

My sewing of the pink ribbon isn't very straight, but maybe that adds to the hand-made-ness of the card, huh?!

I made this card for the first of a few parties that Euan has been invited to, for one of his "best friends", Mya. He had a brilliant time at the party today.

Now originally, I had intended to follow the Sugar Bowl sketch and enter that challenge, as well as the Sugar Nellie Facebook challenge of Senti-metal. But, no matter how hard I tried, and no matter what combinations of paper I used, I struggled to get it to look nice, so I gave up for now and did my own (simple) thing! but I will try the sketch again with another image.....maybe it will work with my lovely hedgehog Aviator image I have coloured up.....

But, I WOULD like to enter the following challenges:

Moving Along With the Times - Happy Birthday

Fab 'n' Funky - Cute And Girly

My Mum's Craft Shop - Favourite Stamp

Paper Shelter - Punches and/or Dies

Party Time Tuesdays - Anything Goes

 

Dream Valley Challenge 35 - Things With Wings

Wow, yet another fortnight has passed already and, at Dream Valley, our theme is Things With Wings. Which is a lovely easy one for everyone! We are sponsored by Digi Doodle Shop and you could win yourself a $10 voucher to spend in their shop!

 Now, we have only one week left of school and nursery here, so my creation is a Thank You card for Louise and some of her class mates to give to her teacher. The background paper has been made from scraps of Memory Box Spearmint papers, matted onto green and red papers. The felt butterfly is a Papermania Henbury Lane one that I have sewn red beads onto. The sentiment is LOTV and perfect for a teacher card, amongst others! Now, just one more to make for Euan to give to his nursery and another for a friend.

 So, what will you make for us at Dream Valley? A card, a layout, jewellery......or something else? Can't wait to see!

 Happy crafting!

Susie x

Ava Card and Bookmark

Now, Krista Smith seems to be one of the most generous artists out there: generous with her thoughts, which I find so inspiring, and generous with her fabulous artwork.

This little beauty, Ava, was a freebie and she is just soooo beautiful! I've coloured her with my Polychromo pencils and was my first success colouring blond hair with my pencils. The papers are the pretty First Edition Summer Breeze and I have used my favourite Cheery Lynn Fanciful Flourish die too. I have cut her using the (very easy) Out of Box technique that Bev did a tutorial for. It is really so easy, you MUST try it! I've use a scrim heart and flower to complete it. I'd like to enter the following challenges:

Saturated Canary - Anything Goes

Crafty Catz - Summertime

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

And here is the front and back of my bookmark I made for the last Saturated Canary challenge, but did not have time to blog :0(

 

Dream Valley Challenge 34 - For That Special Guy

And who could be more special to a mum than her son? Euan turned 4 on Friday and I am sure I have no idea where those 4 years have gone to!

I have coloured LOTV Astronaut (I LOVE this range of stamps, especially the boys ones!) with promarkers and gloss and used a mx of MME Everyday Flair and Bo Bunny Alora papers. Euan's favourite colours are blue and red, hence the choice.


For our Dream Valley challenge, you can make any project you like, as long as it's for A Special Guy - father's day, male birthday, etc.... The choice is yours. I can't wait to see your creations!

 

Susie x

A few photos of the birthday boy

 

 

Little Pippi

I love this little Pippi - she's cute and full of attitude and the boots are pretty cool, huh?! I've coloured her with my beloved Polychromo pencils and even managed blond hair with them (normally I end up with brown hair and need my pro markers to get blond hair!).

 

I've followed the fabulous sketch at The Sugar Bowl and used MME Everyday Flair papers. I love the fresh summery feel of these papers....and they're unfussy. I've used a part of a Cheery Lynn Fanciful Flourish and a simple flower. I'm leaving the sentiment until the card is needed.

 

I've also entered the Sugar Nellie Facebook page challenge, which is Wings.

 

I hope everyone is doing ok. I haven't been blogging much lately - was on holiday, then Euan has been not very well, this week it's the dancing show and Euan's birthday......so hopefully I'll drop by your blogs soon!

 

Take care, peeps,

Susie x

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

 

Dream Valley Challenge 32 - CASE the DT

 

For our 32nd challenge, we would like you to CASE (Copy And Selectively Edit) the DT - so you choose one of our creations and copy elements from it.

 

For my card, I used one of my favourite Sugar Nellie images Hello Little Friend (she seems to be out of stock at the moment) and used my Polychromo pencils to colour her. I've used my nesties to cut her out and mat her. The backing paper is a collection of my First Edition Spring Drop scraps, stuck to some copy paper, cut to size and edged with pro marker. I've used some wide white ribbon and layered a strip of Bo Bunny Alora paper on top. A sentiment, Sherbert Pips Card Candi, hearts cut from scrim and some cross stitches finish it.

So if you CASEd my card, you could use some or all of the following elements: the image, colours, layout, using your scraps, using pencils, stitching, die cuts........I am really looking forward to seeing what everyone comes up with - our DT is so diverse, as are our wonderful followers!

 

We are sponsored by One Stop Card Crafts AND Craft Ribbons, so good luck, everyone!

 

Susie x

 

 

Sugar Bowl 83

Thankfully, I've managed to fit in an entry to the Sugar Bowl before I head for holidays! I've used Catch a Falling Star and coloured her with pro markers and stardust stickles. She hasn't been used for a while but suited a card I was asked to make. I've used First Edition Up, Up and Away papers, which I adore! ( Funnily enough, the title of the papers rather suit the reason for the card too!).

 

I've used the Cheery Lynn Fanciful Flourish, but cut off the leaves. The stars are punched, with punched flowers at the centre. And I love these sentiment tickets from LOTV - and perfect for this card ( a kind of good luck for a show).

 

Hope you'll all be good while I'm away!!

Susie x

Gorgeously Cute Aviator

How cute is this little hedgehog? He's called Aviator and is from Sugar Nellie (as if you didn't know!). I was lucky enough to win the Sugar Nellie Facebook challenge a few weeks back and chose this little fella as my wonderful prize. He is going to be used A LOT and I love that he would suit a man as well as a boy.

I have used my Promarkers to colour him, with some gloss on his goggles and the cockpit of the plane. I added a few checks to the scarf....not sure why......just fancied having a go!

The little boy that I have made this card for loves planes, hence my choice of image and the replacement of the bumble bee for the Sizzix die cut aeroplane, which has also been embossed with my Swiss Dots folder. (I haven't used the aeroplane die for ages.)

 

I followed the fab sketch at Sketch Saturday and the colour scheme on the Sugar Nellie Facebook challenge. I would also like to enter the following challenges:

Crafty Cardmakers - For the Boys

That Craft Place - One for the Boys

Creative Belli - Animals (plane die)

Fab 'n' Funky - Celebrate Male-ness

My Mum's Craft Shop - Embossing

 

Sugar Bowl 82

I haven't used this little Gorjuss Girl for a wee while, but Up, Up and Away is cute, isn't she? I've coloured her with my dearly loved Polychromo pencils and Stardust Stickles. The papers are Bo Bunny Alora, matted onto red paper. I've used my absolute favourite die, Cheery Lynn Fanciful Flourish, decorated with a few small punched flowers with gem centres. Are you fed up seeing this die on my cards yet? No? Oh good!!

 

I would like to enter the following challenges:

The Sugar Bowl - Sketch, Scrolls and Swirls

Cheery Lynn Designs- Flowers

Opus Gluei - Use Flourishes

 

Have fun!

Susie x

 

Dream Valley Challenge 31: For a Special Lady

The new challenge at Dream Valley is "For a Special Lady" and I've made my card for my extremely special little lady, Lou. She turned 8 yesterday and I really don't know where the last 8 years have whizzed to. She is as beautiful as ever, and getting so mature......we have had some lovely, more grown up conversations with her lately. It scares me that time can move so quickly and that my little girl is not so little anymore, but it's also kind of exciting and interesting too.

 

Anyway, for this challenge, we are sponsored by the very awesome Saturated Canary. The team were massively excited to receive an image from Krista and I chose Bubbles for my Special (Little) Lady. Bubbles looks like a more grown up Cinderella and Lou LOVED her princesses, especially Cinderella........and everyone loves bubbles so this image is absolutely perfect for her! I've coloured her with Promarkers, gloss and Stardust Stickles.

 

I wanted to make something a little different for Lou.......I looked at so many options but decided on my usual easel card, but tried to make it a bit different by cutting "bubbles" from a cello card bag. They were a bit of challenge tothey to stick, but I'm pleased with the result, although I'm not so sure the "bubbles" are all that obvious in the picture. Here's another pic that might show it, and the colouring a bit better:

 

Well, I need to be off......hubby's 40th today.....

 

Can't wait to see what you create. Have fun!

Susie

 

Ps Here is some info about our amazing sponsor:

My name is Krista Smith. I am the artist behind the Etsy shop, Saturated Canary Digis. I began working in the stamping world about a year ago when I was hired to create rubber designs for the sweet Scottish company, Sugar Nellie. They launched my artwork under the name 'Simply Sassy.' I moved into the digital world just this past month (it's been a super busy month, indeed!). And-- I love it!! There is a little more freedom here, as I can create anything that pops into my head:)! I am so humbled by the artistic talent of the girls coloring in my designs-- it is truly an inspiration! Likewise, I am so thankful for the friendships I've made in this wonderful and lovely crafty community! It's been a true delight! I'd love for you to stop by my challenge/inspiration blog, Saturated Canary Challenge and join in the fun...And, while you're there, click over to my personal blog (Saturated Canary) and introduce yourself! I am a bit eclectic and touch on everything from family (I've got me a great one!) to fashion (obsessed!)...Please say 'hi!'...I'd love to be friends!:)

Winner gets $10 Voucher

Scraps and Flourishes

I love to use up my scraps.....did you know that?... You did?......Oh, ok, lol!! Well, I've used up LOADS of scraps in these four cards!

 

Firstly, I had fun sticking the First Edition Up, Up and Away paper strips and scraps to some 6 x 6 paper I don't use any more (although normally, I just use my computer paper). I really love this bit - deciding which strips to put beside one another. While I was waiting for it to dry properly, I die cut some Cheery Lynn Fanciful Flourishes and looked out my Buttermint Card Candy, which go perfectly with these papers.

 

This was the first card I made and it uses almost a full sheet of the scraps paper. It includes a little ribbon and a die cut scalloped circle from my VERY neglected (but previously extremely well used) Papermania Venetian Skies pad. (Extra brownie points for using neglected stash?!). The punched daisies have a bit of silver doodling added.

The second card I made, uses another sheet of scraps. The Venetian Skies paper hides a die cut circle cut from the scraps (which I have used on the top card). I got the beautiful satin ribbon from Dunelm Mills and I love how easily it makes pretty bows.

The third card uses 3cm squares of the scrap off cuts, layered onto navy paper. The sentiment has been stamped directly onto the card. The flowers have also been punched from the scraps.

The last one (shown at the top) uses the dies cut scrap circle from card 2, together with the scrap from a previous die cut ages ago from white paper.

 

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Pretty Little Ribbon Shop - to Die For

Craft Door Magazine - Show us your favourite technique (using up my scraps)

Cheery Lynn Designs - Birthday

Craft Your Passion - punches and Die Cuts

Lexie's Creations - use your punches and dies

A Fanciful Flourish Card

I love using up scraps and I love this MME Everyday Flair paper pad - the colours and designs are lovely and fresh, but simple! And for this card, I've used my new Cheery Lynn Fanciful Flourish die. I've admired it on others' blogs for a while and I am really pleased with it! I'm guessing you might be seeing rather a lot of it in future!!

I have also included a crocheted flower that I have made. My Nan taught me to crochet years ago and, after a trip to Dunelm Mills, I took a notion to try it again. I found a really easy flower pattern and practiced with my cheap wool, although it is maybe a little chunky to use on a card, so I had a try with some embroidery thread - a much flatter, more delicate result! I've added a punched, embossed flower and brad and my new favourite LOTV ticket and word stamps finished off my simple card.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

The Poodles Parlour - Going Round in Circles

Truly Madly Crafty - Handmade flowers

Paper Sundaes - Anything Goes

Thanks for looking and for any comments you leave. I really appreciate it.

Susie x

 

 

 

Luv a Latte with a Latte (Shock!)

I do love this Luv a Latte stamp and, for once, I have kept her coffee cup and NOT substituted it for a champagne glass!!

 

I have coloured her with my Polychromo pencils again, but the paper is quite rough, so the finish isn't quite as "polished" as normal, although each time I look at it, I become a little less critical of it. The Sugar Bowl sketch has been used once again, and the optional theme of Stripes has been observed this time. I've used a Cuttlebug embossing folder for the stars paper and folded and sewn the white ribbon into pleats. The stripy paper is from the MME Everyday Flair paper pad. The ticket and wording is from LOTV.

 

Isn't it strange how designs and layouts change from your initial plans?! For example, for this one, because I wanted the image to "pop", I used white embossed paper. I knew I wanted to pleat the white ribbon, but it all looked too plain. I tried loads of different embellishments, in lots of different positions, until I eventually tried placing it all onto another layer of paper, patterned this time. Then, I was finally happy with it and the embellishing was easy. Yet for my Delicious card, I had planned to use a number of different patterned papers, but decided that it just looked far too much and pared it down to just 2 papers!! Best laid plans, and all that!

 

Have a lovely day, peeps.

Susie x

 

 

Dream Valley Challenge 30 - Earth Tones

I LOVE an excuse to get time to make some jewellery, so Dream Valley's challenge of Earth Tones was an absolute gift for me!

I've had this gorgeous ring pendant for ages and had fun sketching a few ideas to go with it while I had the kids at soft play one day. The waxed cord is from Dunelm Mills, which has recently opened near us. Originally, I had planned that the beads would be added alternately to each of the double cords throughout the necklace, but after the first couple, I decided that I actually liked it better with both cords being threaded through one bead at a time (must be my simple tastes again!).

I have sewn a few tiny seed beads and a yellow Swarovski crystal to bling it up a little and make "more" of the pendant. The earrings were made ages ago but seem to suit this necklace, although it matches better when I actually wear it!

I've made this necklace for myself to wear with my summery vest tops, whilst on holiday. Although I love colour, I also love the range of browns and khaki that I seem to have in my hot summer wardrobe!

So, what will you make for our Earth Tones challenge? Remember that you can make any crafty project as long as it fits the theme. And this fortnight, we are sponsored by Bead Crafty - oh I'm sooooo jealous!!

Happy crafting!

Susie x

Sugar Bowl 81

I know it's not really, but it feels like ages since I played along with the Sugar Bowl and the Sugarnellie Facebook Challenge.

 

Delicious was one of the stamps I chose when I was lucky enough to win the Sugar Bowl one time. I used my head, rather than my heart, for choosing this one, so it's taken me a wee while to get it coloured, but I'm so glad I have! And my head was right to choose it as I can think of loads of peeps it would suit. I'm also starting to love it like my other Sassy stamps!

 

I've coloured her with Polychromo pencils and Stardust Stickles in colours that suit the challenge on the Sugarnellie Facebook page. I love this colour combo and it goes perfectly with my First Edition Spring Drop papers.

I've kept it simple, apart from some birthday goodies in the form of a stamped and coloured cupcake, bottle of champagne and glass. I've also doodled around them edge of the image in a white embossing pen - not particularly obvious, but it's there!

 

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Sugar Bowl - sketch

Sugarnellie Facebook Challenge - colour inspiration as in photo above

Ruby's Rainbow - Birthday Cake

Anything Goes - Anything Goes

And just a note to any iPad fans - I am now able to use my iPad for blogging. I am using the Blogsy app and it is brilliant! I am able to add photos from my gallery, camera roll and photostream (after first uploading REALLY easily to Flickr) and even managed to add the design seed photo through the Google part of the app. I haven't yet mastered how to get the Facebook page URL to show in order to add a link for the Sugarnellie page, but I'll keep trying. I'm hoping that this might mean that I'll be able to blog a little more often as I can do it from my craft desk or in the kitchen, rather than having to schedule computer time!

Happy crafting and blogging, my lovely friends!

Susie x

A Couple of Male Cards

I really enjoy making male cards- keeping them simple but trying to add interest through texture, rather than fuss- it suits my kind of style.

The first card uses one of my all time favourite images,  No. 1 Fan, coloured with promarkers. The papers are a mix of Bo Bunny Alora and Basic Grey Oliver, matted onto red paper.  I've used my favourite scrim, with layered paper on top, some corrugated card (previously a Starbucks wrap) and some punched stars.  I've added some rafia cross stitches too and some faux stitching around the circle.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

The Sugar Bowl - Sketch
 Karen's Doodles - Make it for a Male
Stampalot - Happy Birthday

The second card, uses the other halves of the papers, layered onto red paper.  I've coloured LOTV's Deckchair Dreaming with my polychromo pencils - pleased with the grass on this one!!

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Cards for Men - Great Outdoors
Crafty Purple Frog - Anything Goes
Lili's Little Fairies - Anything Goes
Moving Along With the Times - Cute 'n' Cuddly

Dream Valley Challenge 29 - Wedding / Love

 Our lovely teamie, Mel gets married today, so in celebration of her big day, the theme at Dream Valley this time is Wedding / Love.  And you should see Mel's amazingly beautiful creation - WOW!

For my card, I have used Sizzix Wedding flower with various scraps of card and paper, a MME flower and a gorgeous gem brad from stash.  I've layered 3 hearts. one cute from gorgeous vellum (that's always slightly disappointing when I try to use it!!) and the sentiment.  As you can see, I've gone a bit mad with the dies and my Big Shot!  The papers are Summer Driggs free downloads - one is the Dryer Lint at Tiffany's kit, but I'm not sure about the spotty one.

We have our wonderful sponsor One Stop Card Crafts with the following prize for a lucky winner:

I'm looking forward to seeing your lovely creations for Dream Valley.  Happy crafting!

Susie x

Hamish and His Tractor

I haven't used this little guy for ages, but I thought he suited a two year old really well.  I've coloured Hamish with Tractor with Promarkers and a liberal amount of gloss on the tractor. 

The papers are a mix of Basic Grey Oliver (I think), First Edition Up, Up and Away and Bo Bunny Alora, with some Bazzil Basics card for matting.  The letters came with a scrapbooking set I got from Costco last year and i love them - great size and perfect with my circle punch!


I would like to enter the following challenges:

Sugar Bowl - Sketch

Crafting When We Can - One for the Boys

Crazy 4 Challenges - Use some Green

Sweet Stampin' - Use Lots of Green

Totally Papercrafts - Male Card

Dream Valley Challenge 28 - Easter

The challenge, for this fortnight, at Dream Valley is Easter.  Originally, I thought I'd make a scrap page of our Easter outings , but realised that there weren't many last year due to us moving house just beforehand and the year before, we were sledging and skiing at Aviemore, which just didn't seem Spring enough!  So, I opted for a card instead.

We are being sponsored by Mulberry Crafts AND Meljen's Designs this challenge and the team were lucky enough to get a few images to play with.  I have used the super cute Meljen's Designs Little Lamb, coloured a little with promarkers.  I've used the Sketch and Stash sketch, some VERY neglected papers and ribbon. 

I'm looking forward to seeing your wonderful Easter creations at Dream Valley.  And remember that you could have the chance to win:

A goody bag from Mulberry Crafts or 4 images from

Happy crafting, everyone!
Susie x