Happy Monday and a card based on a sketch challenge eek

I'm not alone at home today as I have an icky sicky child, he's all snuggled up on the sofa with the remote so perfectly happy.

Today I want to share a card I made following the sketch over at the Willow Sketchie Challenge Blog. I'm still getting used to sketch challenges, I've mentioned before that I find them quite intimidating for some reason.

The challenge sketch is:-

there's a twist to the sketch you also have to add 1 button and 2 ribbons.

so here is what I made:-

The backing paper is a polka doodles paper as is the sentiment, I used a cute little Winnie image and cut it out with my nelly snellen dies.

There is a sheer ivory ribbon along the bottom of the card and a sheer pink ribbon holding the button in place.

Challenges entered:-

Willow Sketchie Challenge - November 24th

Crafting when we can challenge borrow a sketch - borrowed from Willow Sketchie Challenge - ends Sat 10th Dec

Happy Crafting

Mel :o)

Jellypark Challenge Number 10 - Give Thanks

It's time for challenge number 10 over at Jellypark friends challenge blog and the theme this time round is Give Thanks.
We would love to see all of your Thanksgiving projects and if you're this side of the pond Thank you projects.

I was so pleased when I saw  the theme as it gives me the perfect opportunity to make a card to say Thank You to some special people.

This post has a few more pictures than usual.

I have created this card to say a huge Thank You to everyone associated with Jellypark. First of all the extremely talented Claire her images got me back into card making after a significant lull and I adore working with them. I feel very honoured to be a part of the design team. 

Thank you to both Claire and Jennifer for giving me a chance to be on the DT, I had only just started out in blogland when I applied for Jellypark and wouldn't have been most peoples choice.

Next a big thank you to Jennifer for looking after us all so well and running the challenge blog so beautifully and teaching me that there are many more flavours of coffee than just a jar of Nescafe :o), Oh and giving me paper envy every time I see her cards.

Last but by no means least the design team, Jennifer,  Ruth, Suzie, Tracey, Lisa and Sara such a lovely, supportive group of talented and crafty ladies. We have some cracking group conversations and my life is enriched so much as a result.

Anyway this one's for you ladies xxxxxxxxxxxx
p.s meant to say thank you to promarker for bringing out the fine nibs, I couldn't have coloured the tiny images without them.

Happy Crafting.

Mel :o)
Challenges entered:-
inky impressions challenge - iic 33 - give thanks

Crafting for all seasons - challenge 14 - thanksgiving-thank you or follow the sketch

The sisterhood of crafters - giving thanks
fresh brewed designs -fbc-73 - thanks

Jellypark new release - November 18th - Girl with winter coat

Whoop another Jellypark new release and she's a corker, I loved making this card soooo much. I went for a pastel colour scheme and lots of girly bits and bobs.

I used some papers from a new digi kit I bought thanks to a tip from one of my DT buddies :o) I paper pieced the little girl image and thanks to the wonderful range of colours available in promarker I was able to match the rest perfectly :o) The snowflakes are made from a lovely glitter card stock which I bought from a bargain store close to where I live, I have put little flat back pearls in the centres. The ribbon was white but I coloured it with my promarkers and threaded it through a little die cut buckle. I made the matching sentiment in a graphics package and glittered around the edges.

I reckon this is Christmas card number 10 made whoopee.

Pop on over to the jellypark challenge blog and have a look at the gorgeous cards from the rest of the design team including our two wonderful guest designers, Linda and Jenn.
Happy Crafting.

Mel :o)
Challenges entered  :-
Crafty catz weekly challenge - 109 - snowflakes
polka doodle - week 45 - swirls and pearls
The paper shelter - challenge 40 - snowflakes

Jellypark new release - November 18th - Skating Boy

It's new release time over at the Jellypark store and now you can get your digis sent to you instantly upon purchase, how cool is that? One minute you're looking at your computer screen and the next you're sitting colouring in the image, ain't technology grand :o).

I went for a digital/hand coloured approach for this one and I was really happy with the result.

I glittered around the star and the tag with a lovely white/silver glitter. I also put little black glitter spots on the jumper and hat but they didn't photograph so well.
Pop on over to the jellypark challenge blog and have a look at the gorgeous cards made by the design team.

Happy Crafting.

Mel :o)
Challenges entered:-
crafts and me challenge - challenge 61 - simple design I used glitter to embellish.
abc christmas challenge - w for winter sports

A mid week post for a change...

I meant to do this yesterday but for some reason on a Monday time always gets away from me. Now I have the house to myself I thought I'd grab a cup of coffee and get busy posting.
Last week I  managed to get a very cute free snowman image from dude time doodles. As soon as I saw him, a card design bounced into my head, love it when that happens :o)

The papers are from a wonderful digi pack that I bought last week, the snowmen are a freebie image as mentioned previously and the idea came from the incoming text alert sound from my phone. It's from the computer game Worms and I think most people will have heard it at some point. I've had it on my phone for a few years and it still makes me giggle every time :o) I put some super shiny glitter around the paper edges and the snowmen, I am going to make a few of these because I love it so much.

This one is being linked to :-

dude time doodles - use the freebie snowman
glitter geeks - week 23 - humorous
2 sisters challenge blog - challenge 65 - anything goes

Crimbo Crackers 2nd Challenge

The very lovely Ruth over at the Crimbo Crackers Challenge Blog has announced her new challenge which is "Make it Sparkle". The Crimbo Crackers Blog is a fabulous idea, being able to make Christmas cards all year long is a big bonus for me. For this the 2nd challenge Ruth has been sponsored by the very talented Claire of Jellypark fame. As a fellow Jellypark DT member Ruth asked the DT team if we would like to make cards for the challenge. Oh yes please, Christmas+Sparkle= one happy crafter.

Here is my creation.

The papers are MME, the image is a beautiful new release from Jellypark (she is gorgeous) almost as nice as the freebie Christmas Fairy which is available when you join the Jellypark Group over at The Crafter's Cafe.

The ribbon came from a gift I received last Christmas and I hot fixed some gems to it. The sentiment came from the Polka Doodles Christmas Pack. The image is coloured with promarkers and glittered with an irridescent glitter glue.

Bit early but Merry Christmas and Happy Crafting.

Mel :o)
Challenges entered :- Crafty hazel nuts christmas challenge-challenge 45 - bright colours and/or sparkle
Christmas blog challenge - make your card sparkle
Top tip tuesday - challenge 59 - christmas
Sweet n sassy digis - snsdc27 - christmas holiday
inky impressions challenges -iic32 - glitter it up
digital tuesday challenge -136 - anything goes
send a smile 4 kids challenge - holiday wishes

Jellypark Challenge Number 9 - Non-traditional Christmas Colours

Whoop it's challenge time again over at the jellypark friends challenge blog. We also have a fantastic new guest designer for November, Linda McClain. Linda makes absolutely beautiful cards and she has a wonderful blog called catered crop :o).

This time round the challenge is non-traditional Christmas, I love making Christmas cards using unusual colours, however on this occasion I decided to go one further and make a card which is going to be posted to a friend on the other side of the world. She will no doubt be spending Christmas Day having a BBQ on the beach so I figured this card was quite apt. Who says snowmen always have to be made out of snow, sand would work just as well :o), okay so technically it isn't then a snowman but you get my drift (pun intended).

This image is from the wonderful Jellypark Store and for the background I have used some Jellypark scrapbook elements like the sun, ice cream, starfish and bucket and spade. He is coloured with pro markers and then cut out and decoupaged (might regret that when I come to post it). I made him a little shell ensemble for the rim of his hat. 

That's all from me.

Happy Crafting Folks.

Mel :o)
Challenges entered :-
The Craft Garden - Christmas but no red or green
Ladybugs crafts ink challenge - challenge 44 - non-traditional christmas or distressed

Jellypark 4th November New Release Image

I have a Jellypark  new release image to show, only the one in this post, so pop on over to Jellypark Friends Challenge Blog for the other one. This little fella is soooo cute. I sat down at my craft table for this card as opposed to my computer. I love mixing it up :o)

All of the papers are from the Polkadoodles Magical Winter CD including the ones that I made the little paper flowers and co-ordinating sentiment from. He is coloured with promarkers (one day I shall use something else, well maybe) and I've hung little beads from his antlers. I distressed the edges of the paper with my amazing tool that my sister bought me and then finished it off with some faux stitching. 

I haven't decided who's getting this card yet but I've got 7 made now whoop, spoilt for choice ;o)

Happy Crafting.

Mel :o)

Challenges entered:-
Mamidoodles -Challenge 37 - Christmas 17-11-11
Crimbo Crackers- Challenge 1 - anything goes
Marianne design divas - Dying to diecut Marianne Poinsettias
Pollycraft challenge blog - challenge 117 - anything goes
The Paper Shelter - Challenge 38 - Christmas Fun

It ain't papercraft but it's the next best thing!!!

It is my favourite time of year by far, I love the run up to Christmas. It is also the time of year when I start making my Decorations for Generations. They came about almost 10 years ago after my mum gave me some christmas decorations which I clearly remembered from my childhood. My Angel is older than me, but she's been very well looked after so she doesn't look anything like her 40+ years.

I spent my formative years living in Germany and I think that definately influenced my choice of Christmas Decorations. I don't theme my tree, it's more of an anything goes type of affair festooned with decorations from all over the world, some of my own creations and finished off with things made by my little ones. 

Here are a couple of pictures from one of my ranges :o)

   More to follow soon :o)

Happy Crafting.

Mel :o)