Boy Cards ...

Nothing pink and sparkly on these cards, these are BOY cards :)

The first card uses digital papers from this kit and the second card features digital papers from this kit - both by Crystal Wilkerson. Watch Crystal's blog over the next few weeks as she is opening her very own Digital Scrapbook Store!

A Christmas Present ...

This year my brother has asked for an IKEA giftcard for Christmas as they just moved house and need to buy new furniture. So I had to make a giftcard holder for the card and doubled it up as his Christmas card and I'm entering it into the CPS challenge

 

I used more papers inside the card to make the little pocket for the giftcard

I used a new digital kit by Crystal Wilkerson called Merry and Bright as well as lovely satin ribbon from the Ribbon Girl and alphabet stickers from October Afternoon

Pretty Cards ...

You might have noticed (if you're a regular visitor to my blog) that I have an addiction to Crystal Wilkerson's digital designs. I don't think there is a single sheet of paper or digital kit that this girl has designed that I haven't loved and I was so pleased to see her make the move across to real paper designs through the Echo Park paper line earlier in the year. Anyway, I downloaded her Rainbow Sherbet kit this week and instantly had to go and play at my desk and I made these cards

I loved the colours and patterns of the papers and of course I had to add some Stickles sparkle (stocked up on Saturday from my lovely friend Jean) and then - just because I thought they needed even more sparkle and prettiness - I added a diamante heart charm, heart pins and pink ribbons from the Ribbon Girl

By LORi Designs Blog Hop ...

Today is the release of new digital stamps from Lori Boyd. They can all be found here at the By LORi Designs shop.

I've used George from the Tammy and George set for this card

(papers by Crystal Wilkerson can be found here)

You can visit the rest of the Design Team, leave a comment on each blog and you will go in the draw to win the new releases

Lori

Andrea - that's me :)

Arielle

Hannah

Jane

Jayne

Linda

Sheri

Sherryann

Tanja

Vera

I've also been playing with a few of the stamps from previous releases

(Cat stamp from here, papers by Zoe Pearn from this kit and a Papertrey sentiment stamp)

(Ladybug stamp from here, ribbon, bakers twine and button from the Ribbon Girl, stamp from Papertrey)

(Stamp from here, lace from the Ribbon Girl and lots of flowers and stickles to make everything sparkle)

Toot Toot!! and a Blog Hop ...

I have nearly burst with excitement during the last couple of weeks because of an email I got asking me if I would be interested in joining a new Design Team from ..............  Lori Boyd! Oh my goodness I just about exploded doing the excited dance as I replied to her email. Not only is Lori one of the sweetest people I know but she designs the cutest digital stamps (or you may have seen her rubber stamps here and here) and she makes gorgeous cards too.

So, there you have it - my exciting news! And I have a new badge to add to my list of people that I design for over there on the side of my blog

We thought a Blog Hop was in order as we are celebrating the new team as well as some new releases by Lori which can be found in Lori's shop here.

The whole Design Team are joining in and if you hop to each of them leaving a comment as you go you will go into the draw to win Lori's latest Grandparent and Bride & Groom stamps as well as 5 other digi's of your choice from Lori's shop. You have until Saturday night (midnight US time) to leave your comments on all the blogs to enter the draw

Lori

Andrea - that's me!

Arielle

Hannah

Jane

Jayne

Linda

Sheri

Sherryann

Tanja

Vera

I have played with the Grandparents stamps but as I didn't need a Grandparent card - I actually needed to make a 40th birthday card for a man - I changed his trousers to jeans and gave him brown hair instead of grey, snuffed out the old lady and he instantly appeared 20 years younger! I wonder if this could work in real life? I could be onto a winner there :o)

(papers by Crystal Wilkerson, Button twine from Ribbon Girl)

Sponsored by The Cutting Cafe ...

This week the Pink Elephant Challenge blog is sponsored by the Cutting Cafe

This is the card I made using some of the back to school files

Together with the Cutting Cafe files I used a cuttlebug embossing folder, Copics, Nestabilities die, this gorgeous and bright, cheerful spot paper from Crystal Wilkerson and that wonderful spotty ribbon is from the Ribbon Girl. I added the little white marks to make my apple look shiny and bright with a white inksentials pen and I drew the black checks around the border by hand

An Owl Card ...

This is my card for the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge

There is a tutorial to make it over on the Ribbon Girl blog today. I love these papers by Crystal Wilkerson - they seemed very 'owlish' to me :)

Now, whilst I was looking for the link to Crystal's papers I noticed there is a new category in the designers section over at Jessica Sprague.com   ~~~ COSMO CRICKET!!  Goodness me I hope this is what I'm thinking of because I just love Cosmo Cricket papers :o)

DCM Challenge ...

Over at the Daring Cardmakers blog this week it was Jo's turn to set the challenge and she wanted to see trees on a card.  This is what I made, I seem to need lots of thank you cards at the moment.

(I used Crystal Wilkerson tree, grass and spotty paper, polka dot buttons and bakers twine from Ribbon Girl and felt)

CPS 179 ...

This is my take on the sketch for this weeks challenge at the CPS blog

(Digital paper by Crystal Wilkerson, twine and polka dot button from Ribbon Girl, I enhanced the flower with felt cut with nestabilities)

Caardvarks July Challenge ...

The July challenge over at the Caardvarks blog is to make a birthday card - my favourite type of card to make :)

I used a new set of papers from Crystal Wilkerson, Party Time and added black card to make the colours pop and of course some pretty stitched grosgrain which always makes my heart happy :)

You Passed ...

I loved these little cars when I saw them over at Crystal Wilkerson's store and thought they would be perfect for a 'you passed your driving test' kind of card. It all went together perfectly with that gorgeous red spotty ribbon - don't you know I just love spotted ribbon :) and more of Crystal's papers

Odds And Ends Of Allsorts ...

This is the last of my catching up posts and I've got a few cards made with odds and ends and with products from various designers and shops.

Cosmo Cricket DeLovely papers, sizzix loopy border die, Purple Onion Designs sentiment stamp available from 3DJean)

(Baby Bud digital stamp, Cuttlebug embossing folder, nestabilities dies, Papertrey ribbon and sentiment stamp)

(Sweet Summertime papers and Lori Boyd charity digital stamp)

(Sweet Summertime papers, Whale digital sticker by Miss Tiina designs and those little splashes are dewdrop teardrops avaiable from 3DJean)

(Heather Ellis digital stamp, October Afternoon paper, Papertrey ribbon and sentiment stamp)

Crystal Wilkerson ...

Here I am catching up again :) I have lots of cards that I want to blog about so I have a record of them before I use them and with my computer issues and being so busy with my day job over the last month I am seriously behind so I'm going to try to play catch up this week :)

A while ago I discovered Crystal Wilkerson. Her blog is here and you can buy her digital designs here. She recently released her Sweet Summertime designs as a real paper line through the Echo Park manufacturer and I love everything about her designs! I already blogged some of my cards using her designs here.

(Sweet Summertime paper pack 2 and paper add ons, elements)

(Sweet Summertime elements, paper pack 2 and 3)

On Friday I downloaded another of her digital lines - Sweet Vintage Charm - so spent a little while yesterday playing with that

(Sweet Vintage Charm add on elements)

(Sweet Vintage Charm add on elements and add on paper pack)

(Sweet Vintage Charm papers, add on papers, frames and elements)

I'm back

Good grief, that was a long 2 weeks without my computer! Anyway, I'm back online now and can share some of the cards that I made during my enforced absence from technology :)

This card I made using a digital stamp that I had already printed and have had in my 'ready to do something with' drawer :)

Lori Boyd digital Lollipop stamp and Crystal Wilkerson papers, Prima flowers, Papertrey twine and a corrugated card star completely inspired by my friend Jane who makes lovely cards :)

Sweet Summertime ...

Well last weekend the weather was gorgeous and hot, temperatures hit 29 degrees, summer was on it's way and life was good. What a difference a week can make, I've taken my gloves back out of the cupboard for walking Haggis this week as the temperature has dropped back down to 10 degrees and it's grey, cloudy, wet and windy.

So, I've tried to tempt the weather by making some pretty cards inspired by the colours of summer and all using a new kit by Crystal Wilkerson called {Sweet Summertime} Now Crystal just released the kit in traditional paper form under the Echo Park label but you can also get it in digital form plus a stack of extras and I think Crystal has 25% off her entire store for the day on Monday

A few details - those metal tab clips with the embossed words are Making Memories and were reduced to 99p this week at Hobbycraft and the scalloped edge with the tiny scallops behind it? Two new dies from My Favorite Things, I think they are my favourite way to create pretty edges at the moment and this week they are bringing out some more - can't wait for the new designs :)