SNG - Awesomeness ....

.....  Hello and Good Morning!  It's been ages since I've posted in Sparkle and Glitter, fortunately my fab team mates have been holding the fort!!  I always have several of Rick's images printed and in a folder ready to be coloured.  I've used the colours from this week's Colour Throwdown - CTD#356 to colour this very elegant lady:

Stamps: Rick St Dennis Digi - Bal Masque; CAS-ual Friday Stamps - Mon Ami, Calm & Loving
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Memento - Tuxedo Black
Dies: Spellbinders - Labels 25 (S5-077) #5, Adorning Labels 25 (S5-210) #4; Die-namics - Fishtail Flags Layers Stax #2
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Stampin' Up! Card - Basic Black; Kaisdercraft DP - Fiesta!; Copic Markers; Wink of Stella - Clear; Vellum; Clear Embossing Powder; Inka Gold Wax - Emerald Green, Orange; UTEE button

I've used the sketch at My Favourite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge - MFTWSC#242 for the layout.  I always have a number of Rick's images printed out.  I picked this beautiful lady, who is obviously off to a Masked Ball, so I'm also submitting this to AAA Cards - AAA#46, where the theme is mask. I coloured her with Copic markers and added sparkle to her feathers, mask, earrings and lace with my clear Wink of Stella brush and then cut her out.  I die cut an ornate orange frame which I backed with black card to really show off the die cut pattern adhered it to the card and then added my lovely lady.  I finished the front with a sentiment stamped on vellum and heat embossed with clear powder.  The final touch is this fab button which I made at a class last year using UTEE powder.  I used Inka Gold Wax to add some colour and to bring out the flowers.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of green design paper and on the white panel added a flower and simple greeting.

If you like this beautiful lady - Bal Masque - you can find her at Rick's Zibbet shop, along with over 1,200 digital images from cute and funny to dark and scary!  Have fun!

52CCT - Technique ....

... Hello!  I've been having fun in my craft room this week - love my new tower unit, it is so much easier to find my stamps and papers now.  It's time for our technique challenge at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown and Julie wants us to make "Shaped Cards" - no squares or rectangles, but you can go mad for any other shape!  Here's my card:

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Wonderous Wreath
Inks: SU - Coastal Cabana, Daffodil Delight; Versafine - Onyx Black
Dies: Spellbinders - Circles Lg (S4-114) #7, Petit Scalloped Circles Lg (S4-115) #6; SU/Sizzix - Wonderful Wreath Framelits
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Basic Grey, Poppy Parade; Sequins; Wink of Stella - Clear

The colours are from this week's Colour Q challenge - cQc#304 and I've taken inspiration from the graphic photo too - love the hose wreath!!!  I used my circle dies to cut out the circles and also to cut a circle card from one of my A2 card blanks.  I adhered the red and grey circles on the white card.  I stamped the wreath on white card.  This is a three-step wreath - I stamped the full set of leaves after stamping off once, then the next set of leaves were added using full strength colour.  I finished the wreath with some yellow berries.  I cut it out with the matching dies and adhered it flat to the card.  I cut the sentiment from red card, added some sparkle all over with a clear Wink of Stella brush and attached it to the card.  I finished the front with some sequins.  On the inside I simply stamped another wreath and added a greeting.

Do visit our blog to see what the rest of the team have made - have fun!

UC - Summer .....

.... with a twist!!!  Hello, it's time for our August challenge at Uniko.  You don't have to use Uniko stamps on your card, but we'd love it if you did!  This month our theme is SUMMER and there's an optional twist of being inspired by our photo.  Here's my take:

Stamps: Uniko - Home Sweet Home, All Occasion Sentiments #1, Balloon Bash
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Memento - Tuxedo Black; Stampin' Up! - Melon Mambo
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Kaisercraft DP - All That Glitters; Copic Markers; Wink of Stella - Clear

As you can see I've been inspired by the photo!  I think that little house is just so cute.  The layout of this card is based on last week's Freshly Made Sketch - FMS#199 which I didn't manage to play along with.  I cut a strip of design paper with pretty summer roses in the corner and adhered it to the bottom of the card.  I used my MISTI to position and stamp the sentiments - I do love this tool.  The house was stamped four times twice on design paper and twice on white card.  I added some colour to the roof and walls and then adhered the pretty scalloped paper.  I colour the window and door with Copic markers, cut them out and adhered them to the main house.  I finished the front with a touch of sparkle on the curtains, front door and the little heart on the roof.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of dark pink design paper and added a balloon and some stars to the white panel.  There's plenty of space for my message.

As usual we have prizes for the winner of this challenge.  The DT picks a winner who will get a £20 eGift Certificate.  The DT also pick the Top 3 who will all get 50 Loyalty Points to be added to their customer accounts.  And there's more!  For those who use Uniko stamps on their card, there will be a random draw and this winner will get 150 Loyalty Points for their customer account.  We also do a random draw for all those who have gone with the optional twist (inspired by the photo) this winner will receive 100 Loyalty Points added to the customer account.

Now, why not visit our blog to see more inspiration from our Design Team and from our two fabulous Guest Designers - Darnell and Wiebke.  You've got plenty of time to play along closing on Friday 4th September 8.00am BST (3.00am EDT for those of us in the States).  I can't wait to see what you make!

New Home ....

...  Hello and Good morning!  Today Freshly Made Sketches is celebrating it's 200th challenge.  The challenge is being sponsored by Uniko and the Uniko DT have the great pleasure of helping the FMS DT celebrate this special challenge.  I've made a very clean and simple card:

Stamps: Uniko - Home Sweet Home
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Memento - Tuxedo Black; Stampin' Up! - Real Red
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Real Red; Copic Markers; SU Ribbon - Real Red; Wink of Stella - Clear

I love playing along with FMS.  My card using the sketch is for someone moving into a new home - I'm so pleased to finally get to play with Bev's wonderful set.  Don't you love the font for the word Home?

I made the card from red card.  I cut a panel of white card slightly smaller and stamped the house and sentiment, highlighting the word home with red ink.  I coloured the curtains front door bright red, and added just a touch of sparkle to the front door with my clear Wink of Stella brush.  On the inside I cut a panel of white card and left it blank for my message.

Do visit the blog to see all the inspiration cards.  Have fun!

TMR - Stash: Newsprint ....

..... Morning!!  It's time for our new challenge at The Male Room.  For the next couple of weeks we'd like your masculine projects to include NEWSPRINT.  I'm sure that like me, many of you have got newsprint design papers in your stash and this is your opportunity to use some of it!  Here's my take:

Stamps: Uniko - Time, Extra Time
Inks: Versamark; Stampin' Up! - Early Espresso
Dies: Memory Box - Postage Rectangle Layers (30052) #4
Accessories: Cream Lustre Card; SU Card - Early Espresso; Papermania DP - Bookprint; Gold and Silver Embossing Powder

I had fun going through my newsprint stash and found this lovely piece with an old pocket watch - which happens to fit nicely with this week's challenge at Cardz 4 Guyz - C4G#84 where the theme is "It's About Time".  And, as I used some metallic embossing powders on the card, I'm also submitting to this month's House of Cards Challenge - HOC#8AUG, where they want to see Metallics.

I randomly stamped a pocket watch image around the border of my card in Versamark and then heat embossed with a mixture of gold and silver powders.  I used my new Postage Rectangle die to cut out the newsprint and added some metallic embossing to sections of the image using my Versamark pen.  I layered the finished piece on some dark brown card and adhered it to the card.  I finished the front with a simple sentiment mounted flat to the card (for ease of posting).  On the inside I cut a mat layer of dark brown card and added a greeting on the cream panel, along with a couple more clocks!

Don't forget to visit our blog to see inspiration pieces from our Guest Designer Sue and also from the rest of the team.  You've got plenty of time to play along, deadline for submission is Tuesday 1st September midnight BST (for those of us in the States that's 7.00pm EDT).  And remember you can make any kind of papercraft project - we always enjoy seeing scrapbook layouts, 3D projects as well as cards.  Have fun!!!

ASM - Holiday ....

.... Hello and Good Evening!  It's time for our Holiday challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More!  You can make any kind of papercraft project - ATC, tag, card, scrapbook layout, etc but you must base it on Holidays.  Now this can be any holiday - Valentine, Easter, St Patrick's Day, Halloween, Christmas or even a National Holiday, oh yes, it might even by an actual holiday!  I've made a really clean and simple Christmas card - I always need lots of Christmas cards:

Stamps: Winnie & Walter - Happy Christmas; Stampin' Up! - Delightful Decorations
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Memento - Tuxedo Black; SU - Gumball Green, Certainly Celery, Real Red; Versamark
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Kaisercraft DP - Gingerbread; SU Punch - Christmas Decoration; Copic Markers; Wink of Stella - Clear; Gold Tinsel Embossing Powder

I've used the sketch from this week's CAS(E) this Sketch! - CTS#136 and the colours are from this week's Merry Monday Challenge - MM#169.  I cut a stripe of design paper which included all the colours - red, dark green and light green - and adhered it to the card.  I stamped a simple sentiment above the line and finished the front with a gold Christmas bauble (left over from a previous card) and a sparkly Christmas poinsettia.  On the inside I cut mat layer of design paper and on the white panel stamped a Christmas wreath with a greeting inside.

Our sponsor this week is STAMPlorations and the winner of the challenge will receive a $10 gift certificate.  Don't forget to visit our blog to see what the rest of the team have made based on our holiday theme.  Have fun!

Some new storage ....

... Morning!!  It's a beautiful morning here in Northville, the sun is shining, the skies are blue and it's really, really muggy!  I've a feeling there'll be storms before the end of the day. 

I don't have a card to share today, but I do want to share some photos of my work yesterday.  I recently (well in June) purchased a DVD tower storage unit for my Stampin' Up! and Uniko sets.  It was delivered just before our trip to Arizona, so we hadn't had chance to assemble it.  We finally got it done yesterday - it only took Jonathan and I about an hour and a half.  It is a bit bigger than I thought, but it's brilliant.

I managed to get all my SU sets in two sides of the unit - they previously filled (and were double stacked) a small bookcase.  I have them all in alphabetical order and it's right by my desk so I can easily reach whatever set I want.  My Uniko stamps are on the third side.  

I have so much space in the unit that I have been able to put in some wooden mount stamps, along with my collection of Kaisercraft 6½" × 6½" papers.  And there's still some space to fill :)

Since moving to the States in 2012, I've been getting more interested in mixed media and art journals.  I have built up a nice collection of paints, sprays, brushes, etc, but they were all in bags and it was difficult to get to them.  So last week I too my Mum with me and we went shopping to IKEA.  I'd seen some super videos on u-tube of the Raskog utility cart.  I bought two - one in cream and one in turquoise.

The carts are really easy to assemble and it only took me about 30 minutes to put together each one.  I really like that they are on wheels, which means I can take them to my kitchen (easier to clean here) and spray or paint to my heart's delight! 

The small bookcase behind the cards is where my SU sets used to live.  Moving the stamps sets to the tower meant that I could bring my glitters and gilding leaves closer to my desk too. It's been a really fun weekend and I'm so pleased with my reorganised craft room.

Before I go, I've one more thing to share with you.  Last week I went to my hair dresser to have my highlights done.  While I was there I had a bit of a brainstorm and did something that I've been wanting to do for ages:

One of my Pinterest boards has lots of pictures of wild hair colours - and I finally did it.  I have rainbow hair to match my opal and top.  I love, love it!  It might not last for long, but it's fun!  Have a great day.

RSD - Progressive Challenge Team B ....

...  Hello!  It's time for Part Two of our Progressive Challenge.  If you played along with Part One of the challenge, then you will be able to get your free image (which must be used for this part of the challenge) from Monique.  If you didn't play along with Part One, then you'll be able to find the cute August Mouse at Rick's Zibbet shop.  Team A have already shown off their creations with this sweet mouse and here's my card:

Stamps: Rick St Dennis Digi - Helen's August Mouse; Inkadinkado - Coastal, Down by the Seaside
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Stampin' Up! - Crumb Cake
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Kaisercraft DP - Tropicana; SU DP - Crumb Cake; Copic Markers; Wink of Stella - Clear

I printed the mouse on white card, coloured her with Copic markers, cut her out with a scalpel and then edged the image with a black marker.  With her pretty tropical blouse and gorgeous flower in her hat, Miss Mouse had to be setting out for her holiday on a tropical island.  Fortunately I found the perfect background in my stash of design paper.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of kraft design paper and added a simple image to the white panel.  Once again, I'm rather late with my card - technical issues last night (in other words I managed to destroy my first coloured image and had to start again!!)

Do visit Sparkle and Glitter to check out what the rest of the team have made using Helen's August Mouse.  Why not check out Rick's Zibbet shop - there are over 1,200 images from cute to dark, from fun to scary - they're all fab!!  Rick has created an Adult Colouring Book called Day of the Dead - and a Limited Edition of 100 signed by Rick and numbered is available at the Zibbet shop, but you can get an unsigned version from your local Amazon store too.  I'm waiting for my copy to arrive and can't wait to colour!!!

That's all for now.  Whatever your plans are for the weekend, have a great time.  We're going to be very busy - off to see a cruise - details later!!!

52CCT - Theme ....

... Good morning all!  We're having such wonderful warm summer weather that it's been really tough to think of Christmas cards this week, and I only finished this card late yesterday afternoon.  It's our theme challenge here at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown and Julie has picked a really fun theme - you need to make your Christmas or Winter card "FOR A CHILD".  Here's my take:

Stamps: Docrafts - Forever Friends Stamp G, Forever Friends Stamp H (both discontinued)
Inks: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Versafine - Onyx Black
Dies: Memory Box - Postage Rectangular Layers (30052) # 3 and #4
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Stampin' Up! Card - Pink Pirouette; Martha Stewart Glitter; Copic Markers

I used pastel colours on my card (soft pink for a little girl) so I'm submitting this card to Merry Monday - MM#168 and as there's a bit of a postal theme going on, I'm also playing along with Jingle Belles - JB:15:17.

I stamped the teddy on some white card, coloured her with Copic markers and then fussy cut her out.  I die cut the white postage stamp and then stamped the sentiment and teddy.  I adhered the coloured imaged directly on top and added some glitter to her hat.  I cut another stamp layer in pale pink and adhered both to the card base.  I've not done the inside yet - but will add a picture later.  I think this would look really sweet in pale blue too!  Edited:  I've finished the inside - fairly simple, a mat layer of pink card and another Christmas image with these cute teddies!

I do apologise for the quality of the picture inside!

Don't forget to visit the blog to see what the rest of the team have made this week.  See you soon.