Flower Elf

Hi there 🙂 It’s been ages since I’ve had a play with an image from Aurora Wings, so my good friend’s birthday seemed like the perfect time! I remembered to choose some paper before I started coloring, so the color scheme was established. I colored this adorable big eyed elf (couldn’t find her in the Etsy store, though) with my Copics, and added some sparkle to the flower centers….because my friend loves sparkles, lol. I then matted the image with a cool stitched die.

I cut out the rest of the layers with different size dies from an elongated rectangle set. I was happy to find the floral swag die in my collection – yes, I forgot I owned it!! After cutting it from gold sparkle paper, I cut it again so I could make sure the flowers could match the rest of the card. A sparkly die cut sentiment finishes this off.

CRAFT Challenge – #686 Shaped Card

Passion for Markers – Week 700 Summer In Full Bloom

Die Cut Divas – A Birthday Themed Month

A Place to Start – July 2023, using ATG option

A Perfect Time to Craft – #7 July ATG

Ginger Fun

Hi there 🙂 I have another Christmas card to share today. July has really got me into the groove of Christmas card making, but I’m still lagging behind my usual rate!! I used a fun image from Polkadoodles for this card. I colored up Candy Cane Fun with my Copics, then fussy cut it out.

The image seemed to be perfect for a slimline card, and with the candy cane in the image, I just had to use the Twisty frame die from Whimsy. After assembling the card base, layering the twisty part with red to resemble a candy cane, I used a dark green for the centre part to provide contrast for the image. I popped the gingers on the dark green with some foam dots, then die cut a simple sentiment to add to the bottom of the frame.

I’d like to enter this in the following:

Christmas Kickstart Challenge – #76 Gingerbread Treats

Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers – Christmas In July Linky Party

Crafty Catz – #647 Christmas In July

Creative Knockouts – #499 Christmas In July

Dream Valley Challenge – #298 Christmas In July

Birthday Surprise

Hi there 🙂 I was thrilled to be asked to guest design at Coloring With Pencils this month! I was provided with an image from one of their fabulous sponsors….Amanda Jayne Designs…..to work with. I colored up Lily Quokka with my Prismacolor pencils, then cut it out with a die, fussy cutting a few of the over hanging pieces.

I layered 2 parts of a pretty die to frame this adorable little guy, then went to work looking through my paper stash to see if I could find some paper to use as a background. I was both thrilled and surprised when I found this striped piece, which was perfect for the colors I’d used on the image!! I tried 3 different colors of the die cut sentiment, but none of them looked just right. Then I had the brain wave to layer them up, and tada!!! Sometimes more is better, lol. I would like to thank the team over at Coloring With Pencils for inviting me to join them this month, and encourage any of you pencil lovers to check out their ATG with pencils challenge 🙂

Pammie’s Inky Pinkies – #2329 ATG

The Die Cut Divas – A Birthday Themed Month

Crafty Calendar – July ATG

Simon Wednesday – 4 Legged Friends

The Corrosive Challenge – #7 July ATG

Teddy’s Tree

Hi there 🙂 With all the Christmas in July activity, it gave me just the push to double down on my Christmas card making! I printed off this adorable digi stamp from Lili of the Valley, then took the time to look through the smaller pieces of Christmas papers to establish a color scheme.

I keep telling myself that things go a lot easier when I pick my papers before starting to color, but seldom do it!! Sucker for punishment, I guess!! I colored up James Christmas Tree with my Copics, then added a bit of Stickles on the snowflakes and star for some sparkle.

Since the papers were already picked out, the card went together fairly quickly and easily. I layered the printed pieces and the image, matting everything in a dark blue, then added a layered die cut sentiment and some home made enamel dots (made with paper dots with Nuvo clear coating them) to finish things off. Love how coordinated everything is in the finished product!!

I’d like to enter this in the following:

Passion for Markers – Week 699 Christmas Animals

Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers – Christmas in July Linky Challenge

Pixie’s Snippets Challenge – #459 Christmas In July with Snippets

Crafty Catz – #647 ATG with optional Christmas in July

Creative Knockouts – #499 Christmas In July

Double D Challenges – Christmas In July

Berry Fairy

Hi there 🙂 With the beautiful summer weather we’ve been having, this image seemed to jump out at me in all it’s berry goodness!! Berry Fairy Amai is one of many adorable fairies that you can find over at Mo’s Digital Pencil. I colored her up with my Copics, then set her aside while I figured out the rest of the card.

After wrecking more than a few pieces of cardstock trying out failed ideas, I decided on this layered, dimensional framed look. Each layer is popped on to the next with some foam dots. For the pink layer, I added a silver dotted border, done with a Posca pen. A silver die cut sentiment and a few sparkly silver enamel dots finish this card off.

I’d like to enter this in the following:

Rabisco Challenge – #47 July ATG

Crafty Catz – #646 ATG / Optional Make it Sparkle and Shine

Incy Wincy Designs – July – Food or Drink

Classic Design Challenge – #7 July ATG

Pammie’s Inky Pinkies – #2328 ATG

A Special 85th

Hi there 🙂 Recently, a special friend celebrated her 85th birthday. Her pride and joy is her fur baby, Mikey, so I wanted to incorporate him into her card somehow. I was going through my images, and found this one from Ike’s Art, which is now closed, after the owner, Suzie, sadly passed on last year 🙁 The flowers and the cat were perfect to use for my friends card. I colored the image up with my Prismacolor pencils, trying to match up Mikey’s markings along the way, and keeping the texture a bit rough to look like fur.

I matted the image twice, and placed it on a green background paper, also double matted. I die cut the sentiment and the number twice each, using the same silver shimmer and black papers that I used for matting, and glued them down so there was a shadow effect. I was really happy with the simple elegance of the finished card!

I’d like to enter this in the following:

Coloring With Pencils – July ATG

Country View Challenges – July – 4 Legged Friend

Crafts Galore Encore – #113 ATG

Crafty Calendar – July ATG

Polkadoodles Craft Challenge – Week 27 ATG

King For a Day

Hi there 🙂 It’s been a while since I’ve made a shaker card, so I figured now was as good a time to make one as any!! I’ve been meaning to use an image from the Coolest Chicks Ever set, from Angie Blom, for ages, and this card was the one to feature one!! I thought this one looked sort of like a rooster, so that’s what he became, lol. After coloring it with my Copics, I added some sparkle to the crown with Stickles, and then added some “confetti” around him.

I assembled the shaker using some coordinating printed card stock, and a bunch of fun shaker stuffers. The crown in the image gave me the idea for the sentiment, which I printed on the computer, then die cut into a banner. I have just the guy in mind as the recipient for this fun card!!

I’d like to enter this in the following:

Creative Inspirations – July – Feathered Friends

Rabisco Challenge – #47 July ATG

Gem of a Challenge – Week 14 ATG

A Perfect Time to Craft – #7 July ATG

Die Cut Divas – Birthdays

Baby Snail

Hi there 🙂 There always seems to be a baby card needed lately. I’ve noticed that there’s a few more people choosing not to find out the gender of their new little one beforehand, so a gender neutral card is a good addition to my stash. I used the adorable snail image from Mirtillamente. It’s from the Almost Cute collection (but I beg to differ on the “Almost” part, as I think it is so stinkin cute!!) I colored it up with my Copics, then fussy cut it out.

The background was cut with a die, and layered over some yellow card stock. I cut the sentiment out multiple times and layered them to achieve some dimension. A few die cut buttons, tied with a bit of floss finished this sweet card off.

I’d like to enter this in the following:

Digi Choosday Crafting Challenge – Week 27 ATG

Mirtillamente Challenge – #22 July ATG

Your Scrapbook Place – July ATG

Crafty Calendar – July ATG

Lil Patch of Crafting Friends – #209 ATG

Dog Days of Summer

Hi there 🙂 I was playing around with some of my dies, and came up with this super simple card background. A simple white die cut over a pretty blue leaves a world of opportunities for a card!! I had this super cool dog with sunglasses printed up, and figured he was perfect for this. The image is an older image from Twistoon (so old it was still labelled under the old name of Bloobel!!) I can’t find him in the store anymore, but saw a few other images that caught my eye!! I colored him up with my Copics, then fussy cut him out. To add a bit of jazz to his sunglasses, I pulled out this iridescent paint that I got a while back, and painted a layer over the lenses.

close up to show effect

After placing the dog on the card with some foam dots, I die cut a sun, and popped it on with some foam as well. I dug out one of the off cuts of the background die, and stamped a sentiment on it, then gave it some dimension by placing it with foam like the other elements. A quick and fun summer birthday card….done in a jiffy!!

I’d like to enter this in the following:

Dream Valley Challenge – #297 Use Dies and/or Punches

Di’s Digi Stamps Challenge – Summer Sun challenge (include at least 1 sun)

As You Like It Challenge – Favorite – Plain or Patterned paper? I like using plain paper, because it lets the image really pop!

Creative Moments – #247 Let It Shine!

Country View Challenge – July, A Four Legged Friend

Boots Full of Blooms

Hi there 🙂 When I was going through my digi stamp files, I couldn’t believe that I hadn’t had a play with this gorgeous Conie Fong image yet! I colored up the Boots Full of Blooms with my Copics, then cut it out with a pretty shaped die.

I then used another die from the same set to cut a frame in a muted, shimmery gold. I love the mixed rustic and feminine feel of this image, and decided to carry the them through to my card design. I took a piece of cream cardstock stenciled some lines around the edges and did a bit of blending with Distress Ink. After doing this, I layered a piece of wood printed paper on the bottom. For a feminine touch, I threaded some blue ribbon through a pretty piece of lace, and placed it over the join. After layering everything up, I finished off the card with a stamped sentiment on a die cut banner, and a few pearl embellishments.

I’d like to enter this in the following:

Dream Valley Challenge – #297 Use Dies and/or Punches

Jan’s Digital Stamp Challenge – July ATG

Rabisco Challenge – #47 July ATG

A Perfect Time to Craft – #7 July ATG

Crafts Galore Encore – #113 ATG