Big Bunch of flowers!

Hello all,

Well, this week I am going to show you a card using the most fabulous image called Winnie Celebrations - Big Bunch from our wonderful sponsor 

POLKADOODLES

Isn't she pretty?

This week, it is Team D's turn at Colour Crazy Challenge to inspire you.  If you haven't used Polkadoodles images before, well, really where have you been? Lol

Nikky Hall has an awesome array of fabulous goodies including dies, stencils, paper pads, digital download kits and images, digital downloadable papers and sentiments and so much more.  You really should go and have a look around the store, you are sure to find something that you love.

Remember folks, this is a colouring challenge.  We must see some hand colouring on your project.  We do not accept digital colouring/projects.

So, here is the card I made this time.

Now I was going to go with the same colour scheme as the image package but in the end I decided to go with an orange colour scheme instead.

The papers are from a Lili of the Valley paper pad which they sadly don't make anymore.  Such a shame because they were very reasonably priced and such fabulous quality.  Aah well.

The image is coloured with my Copics and the sentiment is one of Lisa Horton Crafts new Ticker Tape sentiment stamps.  Lisa has recently launched her own range after being with Creative Expressions for several years and I can tell you she has certainly hit the ground running.  If you are looking for good quality dies, stamps, papers, glitters and embellishments then why not just pop over to That Craft Place and have a quick look round.

Better still, why not tune in to Create and Craft on April 3rd as Lisa has THE most beautiful new release coming and you really will LOVE it.

So, please join in with our new challenge at Colour Crazy and above all, have fun.

TTFN

xxx

Challenges:

Creative Knockouts - Anything Goes

Krafty Chicks Challenge - All Occasions

Through the Purple Haze - Anything Goes

Pinky swear - keep a secret!!

Hi all,

No, I haven't got one to share with you, lol.  It is the title of the image I have used on my latest card and you can find her here.

This is my DT card for the Colour Crazy Challenge which started today.

Remember, we are a colouring challenge so there must be some HAND COLOURING on your project - we don't accept digital colouring I'm afraid.

Isn't she fab?

I have coloured her with my copic markers and just kept it really simple.

I often think that when an artist has gone to the trouble of coming up with an image it seems a shame to overcrowd them with flowers or die cuts.

I wanted this to be quite girly and that was the reasoning behind the paper choice here.

I just love that little pinky finger, don't you?

I hope you get chance to join in this fortnight, can't wait to see what you all come up with.

TTFN

xxx

Challenges:

Crafty Creations Challenge - Anything goes

A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes

Far Away Messages!

Hello everyone

Congratulations to all our winners in the February challenge.

Just a last little bit of inspiration for you.

This image is called Far Away Messages

Isn't she gorgeous?

My image was coloured with my copic markers and if I am totally honest, I am not really happy with this.  I had an idea in my head for the colours on her tail and it just didn't work out how I had imagined it.  I had done everything else and I didn't really want to start over so it is what it is!

Do you do that?

Have an idea in your head that just doesn't work out on paper?

What do you do?  Go with it or throw it away?

I'm just loathed to throw images away that have taken quite a while to colour up, seems such a waste of time.  Hey ho.  I now know what doesn't work! Lol

The little seahorse and starfish are wooden shapes to which I have added some of the fabulous Mermaid Tails Glitter by Lisa Horton Crafts - it is fabulous stuff and it changes colour depending on the colour of the surface you are applying it too.  It's awesome.

The backing papers are from one of my many Lili of the Valley pads which are no longer available.  Goodness knows what I am going to do when I run out. Mind you, that won't be for a little while yet as I have a few!! Lol

Back soon with some more, hopefully better, inspiration.

TTFN

XXX

Holly Flower Basket - Beautifully Pastel

Hello Polkadoodlers

How are you all doing in this nasty weather?

I don't know about you but I am getting fed up of the wind and the rain.  Roll on Summer and some warm sunshine.  Well, I can live in hope can't I? Lol

So, as my blog post title suggests I have a little Holly to share with you today.

Holly Flower Basket was part of the fabulous release earlier in the year and I have to say the images are all adorable.  I think this one would make a lovely Mother's Day card, don't you?

Using pastel colours was what the Design Team were challenged to do for the brand new challenge over at Digi Choosday today.  

Remember, you get a huge discount on selected digital downloads today, but you have to hurry, it doesn't last for long and it would be a shame not to take advantage of such a wonderful discount.

Coloured with my Copics in what I hope you think are pastel colours.  I tried a new blend for blonde hair this time which was a suggestion from a lady in the Kit and Clowder group on Facebook.  I quite like it, what do you think?  

The gorgeous papers I have used on here are from Winnie Wonderland Paper Heaven 5 and 6 - both gorgeous digital paper downloads.

The sentiment, which I thought fitted the image perfectly is from the Winnie Celebrations Sentiments Kit 1.

Quite a simple card this time but I really do think that these wonderful images speak for themselves, don't you.  It seems a shame to detract from the image with lots of embellishments.

Are you a clean and simple or a fussy and fancy person when it comes to making cards?  I'd love to know.

So, that's it for now.

See you again soon and I look forward to seeing what you make to join in with the challenge, which as you know is always:

ANYTHING GOES

Challenges:

A Bit More Time to Craft #110- Anything Goes

A perfect time to Craft February - Anything Goes

Classic Design Challenge February - Anything Goes

Crafts Galore Encore February - Anything Goes

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - Anything with patterned paper goes

Daisy Chain Challenges #38 - For the Girls

Love to Craft February - Anything Goes

Creative Crafters Challenge #25 - Anything Goes

World Wide Open Design Team Challenge - Anything Goes for a DT

Crafter's Castle -Anything Goes

Brown Sugar Challenge #298 - Anything Goes

Love Hearts with Oddella.

A very good morning to you all.

Do Valentine Cards always have to be in red or pink?

I don't think so, and that is the thinking behind my latest card.

This card features the gorgeous Oddella available here

As soon as I saw this image I just knew she was going to be on my Valentine Card.

Now because she is a bit, "out of the ordinary" shall we say, I thought that the colours I used should be non ordinary too.

You may or may not know that I love purple so that was the colour I went with.  I added a bit of bright green on her skirt to make it a non traditional plaid.

Now obviously she had to have hair that was "different" too so I went with a fabulous Red Head look for her.

The Design Team were challenged to add heart shaped balloons on our projects this week and I knew just how I was going to do that.

Have you seen the Timeless Rose collection which was released recently?  Well if you haven't just click on the link and go have a look - it is a gorgeous collection.  You don't have to buy the whole collection, it all comes as seperate components too, but to be honest when I looked, it just made sense to buy it all! Lol

So in the stamp collection is this perfect stamp of heart shaped balloons! Just what I needed.

I used the die to make a frame and then added a white square on top to stamp the balloons on.  The Heart shapes at the bottom are also part of the die set and I stamped a small heart from the stamp collection on top of them.

The backing papers are from the Winnie Wonderland Paper Heaven 6 download and I love them all.

All in all, I am pretty happy with how this came out.  I think I am getting a bit more adventurous with my layouts these days and that is thanks, in part, to being a part of this fabulous Digi Choosday Design Team.

Are you adventurous with how you put your cards together?  Do you prefer Clean and Simple or The more the Merrier?  Why not leave me a comment and let me know?

So, there you go, that's it from me for today.

See you soon.

xxxx

Challenges:

Always Fun Challenges - Anything Goes

Dream Valley Challenge - Love

Incy Wincy Designs - Love Love Love (and DT Call)

Colouring in Scrapland - Hand Colouring + Opt Love is All Around

Get Creative Challenge - Use Hearts

Angie's Digital Stamps - Anything Goes + Opt Love

CD Sunday Plus - Anything Goes

Dragonfly Dreams - It's A Love Thing

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Always Anything Goes

A bit more time to craft - Anything Goes

Darling Bud Marigold

Hi everyone

Welcome to another Team D challenge at Colour Crazy.

Sorry I am a bit late posting - been out all day and forgot to schedule! Duh!!

You know when you see an image and think, "I love that, I just have to have it"?

Well, that was the case with this gorgeous Darling Bud Marigold from Polkadoodles.

It is one of a set of Darling Buds images, all of which are gorgeous, but this one just stood out for some reason and I just had to use it for this challenge.

The fabulous POLKADOODLES is our sponsor for this fortnight and we got to choose which image we wanted to use, this was the one I chose.

So, having chosen my image, I printed her out and put her on my desk!!

WHAM!!!!

Where on earth do I start?

I just sat there for a while, staring at the image and thinking "what on earth have I done?"

Well, after a mild panic, I thought back to one of the fabulous classes that Alyce Keegan does over on Facebook in her group "Kit and Clowder"

Now if you haven't seen this group - 1. Where on earth have you been hiding? (lol) and 2.  You really should go and have a look.

My colouring used to be - shall we say - Basic!! (and that is an understatement, believe me!!)

Then, I found Kit and Clowder and my colouring really started to change.

Now, I am not saying it is beyond reproach, good heavens no.  There is always room for improvement, but - and here's the thing - I am learning to colour using techniques such as lightsource and shading/blending.  Trust me, you really should go and have a look.

Anyway, I digress.  Thinking back to a previous class, where there was a lot of fine detail, Alyce's suggestion was to not be too specific.

By that I mean, treat the image as a bigger picture rather than individual petals, such as here on this image.

So, I used five different colours and literally, dotted the colour where I thought it should go.

Now, I don't know about you, but I think nature is pretty random and following that rule of thumb, I am really happy with how this turned out.

I just love the colours of Autumn - so rich and elegant and always give such a brilliant display at an otherwise dull time of the year, don't you agree?

I decided that after all that work on the image, I wanted it to be the centre of attention so I added it to a stepper card as the main focus.

The papers I have used are from a Claritystamp paper pad called Rainbow River.  This is a double sided paper pack of the very highest quality.  Maybe not the cheapest paper pack around but undoubtedly one of the very best you will find.

The sentiments are both from Polkadoodles - I used Winnie Celebrations Sentiments Kit 3 and Winnie Special Moments Quotes.

These sentiment download kits are so bloomin' useful, there are sooooo many sentiments and quotes to fit just about every occasion.  If you just type "sentiments" in the search box, it will bring up loads and loads of downloadable as well as physical sentiments of every type.

I used the same paper pad to add little accents to the card.

Here's a little close up of the image to show you what I mean about the colouring.

Be kind now!! 🙏🙏

So, there you go then.  What do you think?

I just love these colours together and they are the first colours I think of when I think of Marigolds, although I know they come in other colours too.

The other thing I did different on this image was her eyes!

I always seem to go for blue or green eyes but just thought brown would be more suitable on this image.  Do you have a "go to" eye colour or do you vary them?

Let me know in the comments, I would be interested to see who says what.

So, that's it for now.

TTFN

***

Challenges:

Creatalicious Challenge - Anything Goes (option of hearts)

QKR Stampede - Anything Goes

Creative Fingers - Anything Goes

Crafty Catz - Anything Goes (Option Favourite colours - I LOVE the colours of autumn!)

Scrapper's Delights - Anything Goes

As you Like It Challenge  -Warm or Cool Colours - Your favourite and why.(Reasons quoted in post)

Aud Sentiments - Anything Goes with a sentiment

Krafty Chicks - Anything Goes

Southern Girls Challenge - Anything Goes

A Fairy Wren

Did you get chance to enter the challenge at Ching Chou Kuik's Facebook page this month?

I do hope so, there have been some lovely entries.

My final card to show you this month is called:

Fairy Wren

Isn't it just such a beautiful image?

I love the colour of the bird on this example so I decided to go with similar colours for him.

Again, coloured with my copics and the background is done with Pan Pastels.  This time though, I actually used a paintbrush to add the colour to the background and I am so much happier with the way it turned out.  The background papers are from Claritystamp.  They are all double sided and come in an 8 x 8 pad with four sheets of each design.  Superb quality, the only downside is choosing which side to use! Lol

The flowers are from my stash.  I shall add a sentiment once I decide who it is going to and why.

I really need to be more adventurous with colour I think, I always seem to go with purples and blues.  They are my "go to" colours.  What are your favourite colours?  Do you have any colours that you just hate to use?

Pop me a comment before you leave, let me know what you think about my card and also about your colour likes/dislikes.  I love reading all your different choices and reasons.

So, until next time.......

xxx

Challenges:

A Mythical Beauty

Hi all,

Do you prefer Fairies or Unicorns?

I mean if you had to choose something mythical, which would it be?

Well, for me it would be Unicorns.  I just love the thought that there might be something so beautiful and ethereal out there. 

So, with that in mind, and the DT challenge to use something mythical this week, obviously I had to choose a Unicorn image.

This one is called Unicorn Love (I mean who couldn't love this beauty, right?)

Sometimes, when you see an image, you get an idea in your head of how you want it to look don't you?  Well, in this instance it turned out better than what was in my head! Even if I do say so myself.

Coloured with my copics, I am just so chuffed with the end result.  I am particularly pleased with her hair. The background is done with distress inks using some Claritystamp masks and the sky is just done with brushed inks and some sponging over the top for the clouds.

The background paper is from a DCWV paper pad called The Once Upon a Time Stack.  Now let me tell you, I have had this pad for years!  You know what it is like, you see a paper pad in a store and you think "Wow! The things I could do with that!" and you just HAVE to buy it!  Well, that's what happened with this pad.  Trouble is, once I got it home, none of the projects I made fitted the papers so hence the reason I still have quite a bit left.  This backing paper was just SO perfect for this image, don't you agree?  So, image and backing paper - nothing else!! Does it need anything else? I don't think so, do you?

Thanks for stopping by, and please leave me a comment on my card before you leave.  I do love to read all your comments.  Hope you find time to enter the challenge over on Ching Chou Kuik's Facebook page and also over on the Challenge blog where the theme is exactly the same.  So that gives you double the chances to win doesn't it? 

Until next time.....

xxx

Challenges:

As you like it challenge - Anything Goes

Through the Purple Haze - Anything Goes

World Wide Open Design Team Challenge - Anything Goes

The Fairy and the Unicorn - Anything Fantasy Goes

A Special Celebration - Digi Choosday

Hello all.

Can you believe we are fast approaching the end of January already?

No, neither can I!! Scary innit??

Today I am sharing with you a little gift bag that I made, along with a tag, in readiness for the birth of my fourth grandchild? Eeeeekkkkk!!

As we don't know the sex of this little beauty, I can say that because they have all been little beauties up to now, I decided to stay pretty neutral with the colours.

I printed out some of the gorgeous papers from the Baby Boom collection and changed the colour to grey and white to fit my theme. This is a fabulous little collection which features 26 A4 backing papers and 16 embellishments - just perfect when crafting for a new baby.

It is always worth having a mooch around the store at some of the older images, because there really are some beauties.

Then I chose some of the 16 embellishments and again printed them in monochrome.

To the little bib I added a sentiment from the Winnie Celebrations Kit 1

Once I was happy with the sizing I cut out all the embellishments ready to add them to my little bag.  

I made the bag using my Silhouette and used Lemon Card for the basic bag.  Then I cut the monochrome papers to size and added them to the bag, leaving a little of the lemon card showing.

Because the embellishments were all printed in monochrome I could then use my Copics to add the lemon colour as and where I wanted it, just picking out certain details on the images.

I have added a little bit of lace to the tag, which will go inside the bag with my message written on the back, but I think I may change that to ribbon instead!

Obviously there will be a small gift in the bag when the time comes (not long now) but I don't want to show that in case my daughter sees it.

I think lemon and grey is perfect for when the sex is not known, don't you??  

What other colours would you use if you wanted to be neutral??

Anyway, I hope you like my little gift bag?  Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think.  Is it enough or is it too simple??  I'm really not sure.

Hey ho, it's made now isn't it? Lol

TTFN

xxx

Challenges:

613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes Opt twist shiny

CD Sunday plus - Anything Goes

Dragonfly Dreams - Anything Goes

Challenge Up Your Life - Anything Goes

Crafty Calendar Challenge -Add a Tag

Brown Sugar Challenge - Anything Goes

Black Haired Lady - Ching Chou Kuik

Hello my lovelies.

Hope you are all keeping well?

Can't believe we are just over half way through January already, can you?

Time goes so fast these days, I sometimes wonder how we all manage to fit everything in? Lol

So, today I am here to show you my latest Ching Chou Kuik creation.

This image is called Black Haired Lady and you can find her here.

Obviously, as she is called Black Haired Lady, I just had to do her hair black. 

The background papers are from a paper pad by Claritystamp.  Really good quality and double sided too.  Those pieces across the middle of the card are the reverse side of the main background paper.  Cool eh? 

Now, I wonder if any of you can spot a difference between this card and my usual makes??

Look hard now!!

No? Well, go on then, I'll tell you.

I decided to use watercolour pencils on this card for a change.  I have two huge sets of watercolour pencils that just never see the light of day so I thought it was about time they did.

I did the skin and hair first and because they didn't turn out too bad I decided to finish her off in watercolours too.

The challenge this month is New Year or Something New (new baby, new job etc).  The DT were given a challenge to use their least favourite colour.  Well, other than pink (which really scares me) I don't seem to use a lot of green so I guess that must be a least favourite colour then eh?

Having said I don't like using green, I actually quite like how this turned out.  I even did the background with watercolour pencils too.  

I have invested in some fine paintbrushes too, as I used water brushes for this project.  I think a paintbrush and water will give more control over the colour somehow.  Well that's my theory anyway and I shall let you know how I go on.

What is your favourite medium?  Pencils, markers, watercolours, pastels, oils, distress inks???  I'd love to know.

I will be back soon with another CCK inspiration post, so see you then.

TTFN

***

Challenges:

Crafty Catz Challenge - Anything Goes (opt twist something funny)

Cardz TV - Anything Goes

Creative Fingers Challenge - Anything Goes

Scrapper's Delight - Anything Goes

As You Like It Challenge - Anything Goes

CRAFT Challenge - Anything Goes

Craft Rocket Challenges - Something New (my technique)

Cute Card Thursday - What's New (My colouring technique)

Through the Purple Haze - Anything Goes

A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes

New Year, New Stash!

Hello everyone.

So by now you will know that our new challenge has started over at Ching Chou Kuik's Facebook page. (The challenge blog also has the same challenges each month so you can share them in two places every time!)

So my first card this year features Crane of Peace - as soon as I saw it I just had to have it, isn't it gorgeous?

Coloured with my copics and the background was done with pan pastels.  The backing paper is from a fabulous paper pad by Claritystamp called Rainbow River.  The sentiment is a Claritystamp Word Chain stamp.  Those gorgeous flowers are from a lady on Facebook - she makes so many different paper flowers and they are all stunning.  Here is a link to her facebook group, just in case you want to pop over and have a sneaky look. Lol 

Now the only thing I am not happy with on this is the sun! It really didn't turn out as I had imagined in my head - hey ho, I wasn't doing the whole think again!! Lol

I will be back soon with more Ching Chou Kuik inspiration for you.

TTFN

xxx

Challenges:

CRAFT Challenge - Anything Goes

Craft Rocket Challenge - Something New (My image)

Cute Card Thursday - Embellish

Moving Along With the Times - All things new (my image)

Southern Girls - Team Trace Anything Goes

Through the Purple Haze - Anything Goes

2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything goes with a critter

Worldwide Open Design Team challenge - Anything Goes

My Crafting Corner - Something new (my image)

Crafty Animals Challenge - Anything Goes with an animal

Winter Birthday Card - Digi Choosday

Hello everyone

Firstly, can I take this opportunity to wish you all a Very Happy New Year.

I hope you all had a fabulous festive time and enjoyed yourselves.

So, new year, new challenge.

This is my first project for 2020.  (Gosh that feels weird!)

Anyhoo, here we go.

Our challenges at Digi Choosday, as you probably know, are always ANYTHING GOES!  However, the Design Team always have little extra challenges to build in to their projects and this first project of 2020 was to make a Winter Birthday card.

Isn't she just beautiful?  She is called Snowdrop from the Darling Buds collection.  This collection of images is just tooooo pretty.  I think I may have to have them all! Lol

Now the image comes in black and white for you to colour yourself but as a fabulous bonus the download also includes a pre-coloured image and that is what I have used here.  The reason I went for the pre-coloured image on this occasion was because I wanted to make a matching tag and I wanted it to be an exact copy so I just printed two images in different sizes which worked perfectly.

The Happy Birthday sentiment is from the Winnie Celebrations 3 sentiments download and the other sentiment is from the Quotes - Winnie Special Moments download.

Now because I adore the image I didn't want to overpower it with lots of flowers and embellishments so I decided to just use a background paper.  Oh my, as soon as I saw this paper I just knew it would be a perfect background to the image.  This is from the Winnie Wonderland Paper Heaven 6 download - isn't it just the prettiest paper??

I always have to add my images on an angle (well more often than not anyway), don't know why, just think it looks a bit more interesting that way.  How do you like to add your images?  Are you a jaunty or level kind of crafter??  I'd love to know.

Anyway, just before I go, I want to remind you that not only is today the start of our new challenge at Digi Choosday, there is, of course a FABULOUS HUGE DISCOUNT available for you to use at the POLKADOODLES STORE.  Just hop on over to the challenge blog and you will find the discount code at the top of the new challenge post.  I'm sure some of you will have received a few pennies for Christmas eh?? Lol

Until next time.

xxxx

Challenges:

CD Sunday Plus - Anything Goes

Dragonfly Dreams - Anything Goes

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes

Challenge up your life - Anything Goes

Crafter's Castle - Anything goes

Crafty Calendar - Add a Tag

Brown Sugar challenge - Anything Goes

Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes

A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes

A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes

Classic Design Challenge - Anything Goes

Through the Window - Digi Choosday Challenge

Hello everyone

Well, things are moving along quite quickly now aren't they?  Not long before the big man goes a visiting!  Hope you are all ready? Lol

I wanted to show you my latest creation today which is a bit different for me.  I feel like I have regressed to my childhood! hahaha

For my card this time I made a "Window frame" which I cut out of Kraft card and then painted with white gesso.  I suppose I could have just used white card really couldn't I? Lol

So I wanted people to think that they were in this room and were looking out at the sweet little Carol Singer outside with her pretty little reindeer and singing birds. The image is called Winnie Heavenly Angel, Musical Winter, isn't she just the cutest?

In order to make it look like an inside window I added a piece of "net curtain" and a "pelmet" (gosh I sound old now don't I??)  I used a wooden skewer for the pole and then folded the top of the net over and stitched along the width and then threaded it onto the pole.  I was going to leave it like that but it just didn't look finished so added the chunkier lace on top.

To add to the feeling of being inside I attached a line of little stockings to the window sill. These came from the Winnie Winterland Tags and Frames digital download I changed the colour of these in my Craft Artist programme to match the "wallpaper" 😀

I added a sentiment, again from the same Tags and Frames download, which I again changed the colour on and then finished off the front with some sparkly gems.  

Then I coloured up the sweet little image and added it to the inside of the card.  I had to fiddle around with where it printed on my page so that when I trimmed the paper it fitted square on the inside.

The image is coloured with my polychromo pencils and the background is done with Pan Pastels.  I have added some sparkle to the fur on her hat and coat but it doesn't really show up very well on the pics.  Looks okay IRL though! Lol

So, there you go then.  What do you think?  Does it look like my granddaughter made it?? Lol (She is 2 by the way! 😂😂😂😂)

Now remember today is the start of the new challenge over at Digi Choosday which means not only do you have another two weeks to submit an entry for the challenge but you also get a MAHOOSIVE DISCOUNT on selected digital products over at the POLKADOODLES STORE.

Hop on over to the DIGI CHOOSDAY CHALLENGE BLOG and pick up your DISCOUNT CODE and have a mooch around the store.

You have to be quick though, it only lasts until midnight!

Right, I shall be off then.  Please let me know what you think of my project, I do love to read all your comments.

TTFN

xxx

Challenges:

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge - Christmas

Cutie Pie Challenge - Christmas Cuties

Dream Valley Challenges - Christmas

Incy Wincy Designs Challenge - Christmas without red or green

Make My Monday - Anything Christmas

Addicted to Stamps - Cold and Frosty (Last Challenge)

CD Sunday Challenge - Anything Christmassy

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes