She sells seashells

Here is my DT card for Pear Tree Designs for this weeks ‘Summer Loving’ challenge.So any card to do with the loving of Summer/Summer themed.We also have a new sponsor Robyns Fetish Digital Stamps.The are offering 3 x digital stamps of the winner’s choice.They will also be sponsoring us the last Monday of every month.Why not head on over and be in it to win it and draw some Summery inspiration from the fabulous DT cards too!

I’ve used C.C. Designs Sugarplums Sunglasses Emma and coloured her with Promarkers.I’ve coloured over her sunglasses with  a black Copic Atyou Spica glitter pen .The edges have had Fired Brick Distress ink applied,then I misted with water and dabbed it with a tissue to give a sea spray effect. I’ve used Nestabilities Ovals  and Scalloped Ovals and the image has been mounted on foam pads. The other stamp is a freebie by Crafty Individuals that came on the front of the July issue of Craft Stamper magazine.The shell has been stamped in Rhubarb Stalk Memento ink,then coloured with Promarkers and had the same ink and water treatment.This has been layered onto a piece of card cut with one of the Squares Nellie’s Multi Frame Dies.Again this has been adhered to the card using foam pads.The papers are K & Co and the card is Papermania Textured.All edges have been inked with more Fired Brick.Ive also used a large corner rounder, a Martha Stewart Quilted corner punch and an EK Success Dotted Wave Edger punch.I hadn’t got any small blue gems to use on the corner so I filled the holes with Sky Blue Copic Atyou Spica glitter pen.

This is also an entry for these challenges :

Kah-Wink-E-Dink : Free for all – kick start to Summer

Pixie Dust Studio : Use 2 or more images

Paper Play Challenges : It’s Sunny Here (use sun or sunglasses on your card)

S2G : Something New (stamps)

Sew Many Cards : Anything Goes

Stampin’  B’s : Summer Fun

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge : Strawberries and Cream (colours)

Crafty Ho’s : Picture inspiration (I know there’s not too much blue.it was more of the shells/Summer hols beach type thing)

Rosie D’s : Summer Birthday

Cupcake Inspirations :

Sundays with Crissy: Monochromatic (Mostly!)

Fresh Brewed : Anything Goes

I Did It Creations : 3-D –  add dimension

Bunny Zoe’s Crafts : Nice and Girly

ABC Challenge  : Xtra Dimension

Digi Doodle Shop’s Best : Anything Goes

Shelly’s Images : Rule of 3 ( three DPs)

Die Cut Dreams : Life’s a Beach

Delightful Sketches : It’s all about Summer

Lexi’s Creations : 3D

Ooh La La : Simply Summer

Passion for ProMarkers : Your favourite thing.I love nothing better than going to the beach on a beautiful Summer’s day armed with my bucket and spade making sandcastles with the kids.People were wholly impressed with the 68 we built on our first day last year but that didn’t really compare to this little beauty we rustled up a few days later :

We think there are 102 but our youngest (in the pic counting) seems to believe there are about 200 – I think that has more to do with the fact he went round twice.Bless!

The colours in this card also remind me of yummy strawberries and cream.Another fave of mine – especially with a sprinkling of sugar and oodles of thick cream.

TFL

Lisa x

Berrylici-mouse

This weeks challenge at Pear Tree Designs is in the form of a sketch set by Donna :

Our sponsors this time are Lilac Lemon Designs and they are offering 2 stamps – Ballet Shoes and Plane.I own some of their stamps and I can say just how good they are.So why not pop on over become a Follower and grab yourself the chance to win!!

I just LOVE this stamp.Well I don’t think there are too many I don’t like!But she’s such a sweetie.I thought I’d use some nice  fruity Summery colours to go with the (little) bit of sunshine we’ve had of late.She’s been coloured with Promarkers and I’ve applied Diamond Stickles to the edges of her wings and ends of her antennae.I’ve sponged Desert Sand Memento ink around the edges.The papers are K & Co and the coloured card is Core’dinations So Mod.I’ve created the pelmet using a Martha Stewart Scallop Two Dot  punch and inked it.I used my Crop-o-Dile to fix the hexagonal eyelets then threaded some ribbob I cut from a top.They’re the pieces that hold it on the hanger.I used a Lip Pattern punch on all corners. 

I’m going to enter it in these challenges :

Papertake Weekly : Ice cream flavours.I’m going all posh here with blackcurrant sorbet topped with a sprig of mint (guess who watches too many cookery programmes)

Lexi’s Creations – Something old (eyelets and ribbon)

Paper Play – Something old (same again)

Meljens Designs – Fiber,ribbon or lace

Really Reasonable Ribbon – Ribbon as a border

Bunny Zoes Crafts – Nice and Girly

Wednesday Stamper – I love

AiFactory Challenge – Distress it

Stemple Magie – Animals

Gingersnap Creations – Wings

The Shabby Tea Room – Cottage Comfort : Warm colours and/or stripes

TFL

Lisa x

Beer Monster

I made this card for my DH from me for Father’s Day.The kids thought it was hilarious and DH loved it.Phew.

He’s a freebie from PollyCraft and I’ve coloured him with Promarkers.I’ve given the glass a coating of Glossy Accents and added an extra dribble running down the glass.I didn’t put it there because I stuck my finger in it to test if it was dry and leave a great fingerprint in it,you understand(if you believe that you’ll believe anything).And I glazed his eyes with some too or maybe he’s wearing his ‘ Beer Goggles’ ?Here’s a closer peek:

I inked round the edges in Crushed Olive and Pumice Stone Distress Inks.I created the greeting on the computer.It was intended as a way of saying Thank You to my DH for being a great Dad as well as fiting the image. I added the same inks to the edges.The papers are Basic Grey Archaic.All the shaped pieces have been cut using Nestabilities Labels 4 with the dark green one being passed through a Cuttlebug Seeing Spots folder and lightly sanded.The square eyelets are from when I bought the first Crop-o-Dile and the round ones are quicklets I had from before I had any kind of eyelet setter.The snake skin piece is an old belt that I took the backing off and then adhered using Glossy Accents.

These are the challenges :

The Cuttlebug Spot – Laying out at the Spot

Lexi’s Creations – Something old (belt and eyelets)

Paper Play – Something Old (same reasons)

My Time to Craft – Xtra Special

Creative Card Crew – Thank you

Crafty Ann’s Challenge – Embossing

Creative Inspirations – One for the boys

Caardvarks – Embossing

Flourishes Timeless Tuesdays : Embossing

Speedy the Cat’s Challenge – Embossing on your card

TFL

Lisa x

Monsters Inc?

There’s a bit of a story attached to this card I made for my youngest,who’s 6, to give to his  Dad for Father’s Day.Quite often in the early hours of the morning he comes sneaking into our bed for cuddles because he’s afraid of the monsters in his room.Although it’s the monster that’s looking scared here – maybe he’s heard Daddy coming to sort him out!What’s his favourite film? Monsters Inc. – would you believe!!

I’ve used a Dustin Pike freebie image called Scaredy Monster.He’s been coloured using Polychromo pencils along with a blender pencil in Sulley-ish(is that a word?) colours.Distress Inks in Broken China and Stormy Sky have been applied around the edges.The papers are from the K & Co Hopscotch pad and the card is Core’dinations So Mod.The sentiment has been computer generated and I’ve used an inverted corner punch to turn it into a tab. I’ve pierced some holes and added faux stitching.All edges have been distressed using the Tim Holtz Paper Distresser tool.The large button and fibre (that’s been lurking for about 3 years!),in darker Sulley colours are from my stash.

This is an entry for the following challenges :

Lexi’s Creations – Something old (fibre)

S2G Twisted Thursday – Something old (same as above)

Paper Play – Something old (same again)

My Time to Craft – Xtra Special

Shelly’s Images – Father’s Day/Masculine

Crafty Creations – It’s a stitch up

Creative Inspirations – One for the boys

AiFactory Challenge – Distress it

Meljen’s Designs – Fibers,ribbon,lace

K L Stampin ‘N’ Scappin – Let’s get shabby

Creative Card Crew – Thank you

TFL

Lisa x

Little Boy Blue

I made this card for DD1 to give to her Dad for Father’s Day.She’s 16 and lost interest in making her own cards so now she just comes to me when she needs one.The layout comes from Wynneth who was GDT on last weeks Let’s Get Stamping group at Craftbubble.There was also the twist of ‘Eastern Promise’ :

I printed a piece of vellum with Oriental script from a Crafters Companion CD.I attached to the card with brads.I stamped a character from Banana Frog’s Kaawii Kokeshi set in some Memento inks then coloured his face with Promarkers.I rounded the corners with a punch then inked the edges with matching inks.I matted this onto some Core’dinations So Mod card that I’d used a Matha Stewart Punch Around the Page Quilting set on.I stuck a small piece of Argyle ribbon on the side and added a brad.The sentiment is a lucky coin from the same set.The border was made with the same cardstock and punch set.The white circular thingy is actually a  beer bottle cap that I squished (technical term!) in my Big Shot.I added a stamped flower from the Banana Frog set with a brad in the middle using Glossy Accents.I don’t think DH noticed it was a flower – that was my plan!I stuck it to the card using more Glossy Accents.Nice simple card with added interest.Best way to make boy’s/men’s cards in my opinion.

Here are some other challenges this card is for :

Lexi’s Creations – Something old (bottle cap and CD)

Paperplay – Something old (same as above)

S2G Twisted Thursday – Something  old ( same again)

Shelly’s Images – Father’s Day/Masculine

Kah-Wink-E-Dink – Father’s Day cards

Creative Inspirations – One for the boys

Rosie D’s  -Something Blue

TFL

Lisa x

Makes a change from blue

This is a card for my FIL.I wanted to make something uncomplicated (as I do with most men’s cards) so I used this K & Co paper from the Hopscotch pad.It has a nice multi-layered look without me having to put the effort in – LOL (or maybe more of a Muttley snigger).I used the Polka Dots Cuttlebug folder on a piece of So Mod Core’dinations card,punched the edge with a Martha Stewart Traditional Scallop punch and inked it with Rich Cocoa Memento ink.Next I cut a Nellies Multi Frame Die Oval from cream card and stamped the car ( it’s an old stamp I won on eBay a couple of years ago).I coloured  it with my Polychromo pencils then used my new blender pencil over the top.I inked the edges with a mix of Potter’s Clay and Rich Cocoa Memento.I printed the sentiment on the computer and cut the tag from a Sizzix Bigz die.I think I made a pretty good job of lining it up considering I couldn’t see  where I was cutting exactly – it’s so much easier with Nesties!It was inked in the same way.I foung a lovely piece of  hairy string (love the stuff) and tied the tag on.I then mounted it as one very carefully using foam tape.

Here are the challenges this is an entry for :

Cards for Men – Father’s Day

The Cuttlebug Spot – Laying out at the Spot

Incy Wincy Designs – One for the Guys

Lexi’s Creations – Something Old (stamp)

Paper Play – Something old (same as above)

S2G Twisted Thursday – Something old (you’ve guessed it – same again)

AiFactory Challenge – Distress it

Shelly’s Images TTT Challenge – Father’s Day/Masculine

Crafty Ann’s Challenge – Embossing

Caardvarks – Stamps and wet/dry embossing

Pollycraft Monday Challenge – Let’s have a sing song (Driving in my Car by Madness)

Flourishes Timeless Tuesday – Embossing

Kah-Wink-E-Dink – Father’s Day Cards

Creative Inspirations – One for the boys

Meljen’s Designs – Fiber,Ribbon and Lace

Speedy Cat’s Challenge – Embossing on your card

TFL

Lisa x

He was a Sk8er Boi…er…Dragon

I often take a peek at Dustin Pike‘s blog but I’ve never been brave enough to use one of his images in case I do it no justice.Well I decided to bite the bullet as I had to make a card for DS2’s  friend.Altho’ I look a LOT of stamps I never seem to find good ones for boys – but this image is just perfect.It has a real element of fun as well as some action going on.He’s a freebie and he’s called Skate Dragon.I’ve used my Promarkers to colour him and whitened the skull on his t-shirt and the soles of his skate shoes with a gel pen.I’ve taken the whiteness of the card away with Distress Inks in Broken China and Stormy Sky and a latex cosmetic sponge.I work off small glass work top saver I bought in Poundland.I’ve found this works a treat.All the papers are Making Memories.I’ve  cut a small circle from a Nestie featuring the number 6 as this is the lads age.I highlighted it with some more gel pen and ‘wrote’ over it using Glossy Accents.It’s been mounted onto a Woodware button.The other buttons are a mix of Bag-O-Buttons Whirligig in green and one blue one cut from DD1’s old school shirt.I’ve used a medium corner rounder punch and a corner inverter with the guide off to create the shaped bottom edges.I thought it suited the dragon theme pretty well.I can’t take credit for the layout as it’s actually a sketch set by Lauren on the Let’s Get Stamping group at Craftbubble.I was a little to late to join in the challenge but I still wanted to make some thing with it.I am quite pleased how the card turned out over all but I’m still not sure if I’ve done enough on colouring the image.

Here are the challenges I’m going to enter with this card :

CCEE Stampers – One for the Males

Cupcake Craft Challenge – One for the Boys

Incy Wincy Designs – One for the Guys

Pollycraft Monday Challenge – Let’s have a sing song (think the title of the post says it!)

Crafty Creations – Child’s Play

Stampavie and more – Dots

Charisma Cardz – Spots and stripes

Stampin’ for the Weekend – Summer/Travel (might be a bit of a cheeky interpretation)

Totally Gorjuss – For the Boys

Stamp Something – Happy Something

Just Us Girls – Let’s Get Digital

Crafty Hos’ Challenges – Think Bright

Magical Craft – Something for a Male

Simply Saturday – Simply Sponged

Busy Beauties Creation Station – Anything Goes

One Stitch At  A Time – Celebrations (Birthday)

Clearly i Stamp – Birthday Bash

Lexi’s Creations – Something old ( button from shirt)

The Shabby Tea Room – Summer Fun

TFL

Lisa x

A treasured moment

This is my DT card for Pear Tree Designs where the challenge for this week is a Father’s Day Project – to create something relating to Father’s Day.We were extremely lucky to  be provided with this fantastic digital image,The Dock, from The Character Cafe who have kindly offered to become a sponsor for the blog.

I’ve coloured the image using Promarkers and have added touches of Glossy Accents to give a hint of sunlight hitting the water.Here’s a closer view:

I used a splash of orange to break up the blue and green.All papers are Making Memories Ethan range.The buttons are Papermania.I’m sure my Husband will NEVER understand just how lucky he is to receive THREE on one card.The thread is some I’ve had for yonks laying around in my stash.The sentiment is from the Hero Arts Anytime Messages set.I’ve also used a Nellie’s Rectangle Multi Frame Die and a Sizzix Sizzlets Photo Corners # 2 Die.

I have to admit my DH is probably more of a Footie fan than a fisherman but when I saw the closeness of the father and son here it put me very much in mind of the relationship between my DS1 and his Dad.He loves nothing better than to follow him around and try so hard to be just like his Dad sharing some special moment.Hence the reason I chose this sentiment – and the blonde hair for the boy. 

This card is for the following challenges too:

Cards for Men – Father’s Day

CCEE Stampers – One for the Males

My Time to Craft – Xtra Special

Tuesday Throwdown – Nautical/Water theme

Simon Say’s – A recipe : 1 image,2 papers,3 different types of embellishment(buttons,thread, photo corners)

 Your Next Stamp – Buttons

Paper Cutz – Father’s Day

Stampin’ for the Weekend – Summer/Travel theme

C.R.A.F.T. – Father’s Day/Men’s cards

By the Cute and Girly – Something Old (thread),Something New (image),Something Borrowed (layout is similar to one in a magazine),Something Blue (papers and colours in image)

Daisy Doodles – Father’s Day/Manly

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge – Include a quote

Totally Gorjuss – For the Boys

Stamp Something – Happy Something

Just Us Girls – Let’s Get Digital

Our Creative Corner – Gotcha Cornered

Sentimental Sundays – Summertime

Crafty Hos’ – Think Bright

Rosie D’s – Something blue option of fishing/fish

Magical Crafts – Something for a male/Father’s Day

Stamptacular Sunday – A tribute to all Father’s

Creative Craft – For the man in your life

Cas-tastic Challenge – Button,Button…Who’s got the Button?

TFL

Lisa x

Thoughts of Summer

I can’t believe we’re into the third week of Pear Tree Designs challenges – think it’s definitely a case of time flies when you’re having fun!

This week’s challenge consists of a sketch with the twist of including some flowers in your project.Here’s the sketch:

A rather gorgeous stamp by Pink Gem Designs is being offered as the prize so why not visit the challenge site to take a peek at her and take part.You’ll get to see the other DT’s fabulous creations too!

I’ve been desperate to ink this little beauty up for the short while I’ve owned her so I grabbed the opportunity as I had quite a few challenges in mind that I could enter using her.She’s a C C Designs Swiss Pixie and I’ve coloured her with Promarkers.I was going to use the Out-of-the-box technique so that her legs stuck out over the edge but I decided to cut her out and mount her on foam pads over a Nestie cut scalloped circle that I had embossed with my new Kassie’s Brocade Cuttlebug folder for something different … And not because I’d stamped her too close to the bottom of the card and cut the bottom scallops off.Ahem *moves swiftly on*.I’ve layered this onto a larger scallop and pierced around the edges.I then took a strip of card , punched the bottom edge with Martha Stewart’s Hydrangeas punch, scored some lines,added some more piercing and rounded the top corners.The paper is K & Co and I’ve stamped the greeting from the Siwss Pixies set and coloured the flower with Promarkers.I cut the two flowers with  Floral Dies 1 and the swirly leaf  from Ribbon Flower 3 dies by Marianne Designs Creatables.The flower gem has been tinted using a Promarker.Diamond Stickles have been used to pick out the embossed circles on the flowers,the centres of the flower in her hair,the one on the sentiment and her wings.Here’s a closer look:

She looks very thoughtful laid among the flowers and the greenery.There’s nothing I like to do in the Summer than relax in the garden,soaking up a few rays lost in my own world.Mind you it doesn’t last very long – one of the kids always wants something.Bless them!

The challenges that helped with the creative process are :

Creative Card Crew – Pink and Green

Little Red Wagon -Altered Embellishment (Gem and flowers)

Stampavie and more – Summer

Your Next Stamp – Use a border punch

Charisma Cardz Challenges – Flowers

Everybody Art Challenge – Summer

Meljen Designs – Dry embossing 

Pixie Dust Studio – Punch it out

E.C.P. – Green

Stampin’ for the Weekend – Summer/Travel

Our Creative Corner – Summer Inspiration 

Crafty Ho’s Challenge – Anything goes

Cupcake Inspiration –

Sentimental Sunday – New  (stamps and folder) or Neglected (paper).

Sundays with Crissy– Relish to embellish

The Corrosive Challenge – Die cuts

Busy Beauties Creation Station – Anything goes

Alphabet Challenge – F is for Flower

Ai Factory Challenge – Anything goes with a punch

Stemple-Magie – Flowers

Paper Makeup Stamps – Flowers

Oh Alice! – Show us your muchness (I’d say this card is typical of my signature style plus the cute stamp,Promarkers and Stickles)

Caardvarks – New (stamps and folder)

Craftalicious – New (same reasons as above)

Stamp Scrap and Doodle Saturdays – Handmade embellishment (flower)

Tuesday Throwdown – Trees and Nature (flowers and colours)

Paper Play Challenge – Flowers and Sparkle

Cupcake Craft – Dazzle Us

TFL

Lisa x