Festive Bow

I like to mooch for inspiration on Pinterest and kept seeing these fantastic bow cards, so I had to try one for myself.   I actually made the bow a little while ago, but it got put aside for other things as I didn't really know what I wanted to do with it.
Being a fairly small space on the front, I figured a sprite would be the perfect image to use.  So finally I have finished it using 'Holiday Wreath Sprite' from Aurora Wings.

Products used:

• Recollections cardstock
• DoCrafts glitter card
• Sizzix Tim Holtz Festive Greenery dies
• Spellbinders Big Scalloped Oval die
• Distress Ink - Stormy Sky
• ProMarkers - Warm Grey 1&2, Cinnamon, Tan, Dusky Pink, Almond, Indigo, True Blue, Cobalt, Arctic Blue, Berry Red, Holly, Lush Green, Pine, Forest, Burgundy, Cardinal, Gold, Canary, Cool Grey 1, 2&4, Moss & Bright Green
• Sakura Gelly Roll - White
• Prismacolor pencils

I am entering my card into the following challenges:

1. Aurora Wings - Anything Goes
2. Get Creative - #71 Shaped Card
3. Simon Says Wednesday - AG
4. Passion For ProMarkers - WK454 Dies/Punches
5. Cut It Up - #153 Christmas In July
6. Crafty Gals Corner - #170 Christmas In July
7. Crafty Creations - #371 AG
8. Card Mania - #106 AG
9. Crafting By Designs - AG
10. C.R.A.F.T. Challenge - #477 Christmas

The Pirate Mermaid at Faery Ink

Today I am showcasing a brand new image by Faery Ink.  This one is so perfect for me as I love mermaids, but I also love characters on the darker side.

'Ophelia & the Pirate Skull' is now available in the Etsy store. Make sure you check out all the other new releases while you're there and be sure to show off your makes in the Faery Ink Facebook Community. 

I have made a shaker card for inspiration and you can find all the details over on my blog post here.

I am entering my card into the following challenges:

1. The Crafter's Cafe - #200 Lots of Layers
2. Colour Crazy - WK28 AG
3. World Wide Open Design Team - #7 AG
4. Brown Sugar - #280 July AG
5. Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - July AG

Big Hair, Don't Care!

I love images with big, flowing hair... I just don't love colouring them! I think I just try too hard with hair and then hate it.  

Considering this, I grabbed one of Make It Crafty Zoe's e-books 'Colouring Long Hair in fine detail' as it comes with a gorgeous image 'Zoe' by Krista Smith.

I usually colour all of the hair with my darkest shade first, working down to the lightest.  I often lose any highlight areas this way though, as I'm not really thinking about it.  Zoe's technique is to think about the highlight area first, then start with medium colour and take a section at a time.  

I'm really pleased with how the image came out, so I decided to put her on a card.

Products used:

• Kraft card
• Green card
• Spellbinders dies
• Recollections ribbon
• Heart Tinklings and word chipboard from MIC
• Spectrum Noir Sparkle 'Onyx Black'
• ProMarkers - Cinnamon, Tan, Sunkissed Pink, Putty, Umber, Henna, Cocoa, Caramel, Warm Grey 3, Hot Pink, Lipstick, Olive, Pear, Cardinal, Ruby, Holly, Lush Green, Mint Green, Burnt Sienna, Raw Sienna & Ginger

I am entering my card into the following challenges:

1. Make It Crafty - Anything Goes
2. Pammies Inky Pinkies - #1828 AG
3. TTCRD - 17-24 July AG
4. Crafty Creations - #370 AG

Key of Love at Ching-Chou Kuik

It's the last week of inspiration projects for July at the Ching-Chou Kuik Challenge Blog, but you still have plenty of time to enter the challenge. 
Don't forget the theme is Thankyou or Sympathy and you can enter your creations here

This week Lozzy challenged the team to use embossing on our projects, so I used a couple of different folders for extra texture.   I have used the image 'Key of Love'.

Products used:

• Card blank
• Cardstock
• Lace
• Ribbon
• Square gems
• Petal Lu flowers
• Sizzix Tim Holtz Script dies 
• Embossalicious and Crafts Too embossing folders
• ProMarkers - Burnt Sienna, Cinnamon, Tan, Dusky Pink, Satin, Rose Pink, Cocoa, Caramel, Burgundy, Burnt Orange, Mango, Berry, Pine, Lush Green, Leaf Green, Lipstick, Cardinal, Black, Cool Grey 5, Sky Blue, Arctic Blue, Powder Blue, Tulip, Warm Grey 3-5
• Spectrum Noir Sparkle - Spun Gold

I am entering my card into the following challenges:

1. TTCRD - 17-24 July AG
2. The Crafter's Cafe - #200 Lots of Layers
3. Let's Craft & Create - #139 AG/Red, White & Blue
4. Crafty Creations - #370 AG
5. Pammie's Inky Pinkies - #1828 AG

Merry Berries

I don't usually make Christmas cards until November but then I'm in a crazy rush, so this year I'm trying to get at least a few made early. 

I couldn't resist having a little play for Power Poppy's latest challenge and I have taken inspiration from Julie Koerber's Word Play post. I'm so used to just printing off images that I don't think about playing around with them too much.

I have taken two images 'Merriest Berries' and 'Candy Cane' and merged them behind the word Merry.  It took a little fiddling around to get them looking how I wanted and it took referring back to the full images to work out what was what when colouring!

Products used:

• Kraft card blank
• Black cardstock
• My Mind's Eye 'Sleigh Bells Ring' designer paper
• Recollections ribbon
• ProMarkers - Berry, Red, Lipstick, Crimson, Ruby, Cool Grey 1 & 2, Holly, Lush Green, Forest Green, Cardinal, Olive, Moss, Pear Green, Aegean, Sky Blue & Black
• White Sakura Gelly Roll

I am entering my card into the following challenges:

1. Power Poppy - Go Ahead.... Inspire Me!
2. Crafts Galore Encore - July AG
3. Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - July AG
4. Colour Crazy - WK28 AG
5. I♥Promarkers - #363 AG/Christmas in July

Hello Steampunk Friend at Ching-Chou Kuik

I'm back again with some more inspiration for the Ching-Chou Kuik Challenge Blog.  Have you joined in with our Thank You/Sympathy challenge yet?  If not, you can enter here.

This week the team were challenged to use some flowers. I always use paper or die-cut flowers, so this time I wanted to be different and use metal flowers... and with metal comes a Steampunk theme! 

I have used 'Steampunk Dragonfly' for a square layered card.  I don't like a lot of froufrou or excessive embellishments on a card, but using the layering method you can add a lot of elements without going over the top!

Products used:

• Papermania card
• Papermania 'Chronology' papers
• Gear dies
• Hill & cloud dies
• Sizzix Tim Holtz Friend Script word dies
• Tim Holtz Idea-ology Foliage
• Cosmic Shimmer extra thick embossing crystals
• Distress Inks - Walnut Stain, Stormy Sky & Forest Moss
• ProMarkers - Burnt Sienna, Caramel, Dusky Pink, Satin, Henna, Cocoa, Cinnamon, Walnut, Tan, Raw Sienna, Gold, Sunflower, Umber & Powder Blue

I used the extra thick embossing crystals to give these gears a plastic shine

I am entering my card into the following challenges:

1. Card Mania - #106 AG
2. Classic Design Team - #27 AG
3. Crafting With An Attitude - #41 AG
4. Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - July AG
5. Passion For ProMarkers - WK452 Hip To Be Square
6. Allsorts - WK475 In My Garden

The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo

There's an Aurora Wings image I've had for a while but kept putting off colouring; 'Dragon Lore' has such a lot of details, it's quite daunting to look at!!
However, I really love dragons and with the latest challenge being Once Upon A Time I had to go for it.   
I haven't based this one on any particular fairytale, rather the many Chinese tales based around dragons.  Although, I do love 'The Dragon & The Phoenix'.  I had a Chinese-themed wedding and this was the name I chose for my top table because of the symbolism - "Dragon is "yang" while Phoenix is "yin", and they complement each other in creating yin-yang balance to harvest successful matrimonial bliss. This celestial couple is the symbol of everlasting love and they being together is the ultimate symbol of marital happiness".  

I coloured the image with ProMarkers - Tan, Dusky Pink, Putty, Almond, Black, Cool Grey 5, Cardinal, Berry, Red, Lipstick, Shale, Holly, Pine, Forest, Apple, Pumpkin, Amber, Sunflower, Tulip, Warm Grey 1-3, Blue Pearl & Powder Blue.
Some added details with white Sakura Gelly Roll.  
Background using Distress Ink 'Stormy Sky' & Distress Oxide 'Worn Lipstick', with chunky gold embossing powder sprinkled over.
I framed the image and added a couple of 3D dragon stickers that I've had forever and can't remember where I bought them!!

I had to take the photo on an angle so to avoid reflections!

I am entering my picture into the following challenges:

1. Aurora Wings - #68 Once Upon A Time
2. Crafts Galore Encore - July Anything Goes
3. TTCRD - WK 3 July Anything Goes
4. Classic Design Team - #27 Anything Goes
5. Crafting By Designs - July Anything Goes

Thank You or Sympathy at Ching-Chou Kuik

Wow, halfway through the year, kids have finished school and things are hotting up! 
At the Ching-Chou Kuik Challenge Blog we have a brand new challenge with the theme THANK YOU OR SYMPATHY and you can enter here.  

I have chosen sympathy as it's not a subject I often create for.  I wanted to do something a little different image-wise so chose 'Two Ladybugs' from the set 'Butterfly & Ladybug'.  I have kept my card very CAS with just a little colour and an embossed background. 

Products used:

• White card blank
• Daisy Chain embossing folder
• X-Cut Oval nesting die
• Little Darlings rubber sentiment stamp
• Memento Dew Drop in Tuxedo Black
• ProMarkers - Black, Cool Grey 1-5, Walnut, Cocoa, Cinnamon, Canary, Lemon & Soft Lime

I am entering my card into the following challenges:

1. Cute Card Thursday - #537 Anything Goes
2. Classic Design Team - #27 Anything Goes
3. Colour Crazy - WK26 Anything Goes
4. Crafting by Designs - July Anything Goes
5. Crafting With An Attitude - #41 Anything Goes

A Bunch of Thanks

I was asked to make some thank you cards, so I thought I would experiment with some different colourways on the same image.  I love how different colours can completely transform the way things look.  This also satisfies my not wanting to make the same card again. I really love handmade cards being one-of-a-kind. The only time I really do bulk cards similar is for Christmas, but even then there are usually slight differences.

Products used:

• Card blanks
• Coloured cardstock
• Word dies
• Sequins
• ProMarkers - I was colouring a few at a time, so didn't write down the colours I used!

I am entering my cards into the following challenges:

1. Make It Crafty - Anything Goes
2. Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - #85 Anything Goes
3. Passion For ProMarkers - WK451 Add A Sentiment
4. TTCRD - WK 3 July Anything Goes
5. AAA Cards - #118 Use A Frame

A Batty Hero Birthday

My friend's son turned 6 a little while ago but you know how it is with blogging cards though, more important ones have to be done first!! 

His favourite colour is yellow, so I knew 'My Batty Hero' from Tiddly Inks would be perfect.  What kid doesn't love a superhero, right?!

I kept my card simple but striking, with some big yellow circles to represent spotlights in a dark sky.

Products used:

• Card blank
• Cardstock
• Papermania Capsule Collection 'Spots & Stripes Brights' paper
• Banner die
• X-Cut nesting circle dies
• Sequins
• ProMarkers - Cinnamon, Tan, Sunkissed Pink, Putty, Walnut, Cocoa, Caramel, Black, Cool Grey 4 & 5, Cool Aqua, Sunflower & Tulip

I am entering my card into the following challenges:

1. Tiddly Inks - #215 Anything Tiddly Inks Goes!
2. Pammie's Inky Pinkies - #1826 AG
3. Crafts Galore Encore - July AG
4. Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - July AG
5. Colour Crazy - WK26 AG