Roller Derby

Roller Derby  

I couldn't believe it when my two favourite digi stamp designers teamed up to have a competition together. The competition consisted of TSC and Simply Betty providing a Roller Derby image, unfortunately as it is only a week long comp I decided realistically I'd only have time for one image. I choose Bettys image because, well she was my fav :-) The condition was just to use black, hot pink and lime green in the card.

I knew in my head what I wanted to do and I think I got there eventually, although in hindsight which is a great thing I would have used black card for the base. I used my cameo quite a lot for this card including the stepper card as I wanted to add my vinyl text to some acetate.

 I used patterned paper from my scrap pile which is huge,and coloured the image with promarkers. The skull and ribbon also came from old stash and I added some black gems for continuity. 

I really hope you like it.

Its difficult to see but I deconstructed Bettys image slightly in the software to cut the helmet, knee/elbow pads and skates from the same vinyl. It took a bit of work and was very fiddly but I think it looks well. 

Miss Maggie

Shes not sure what to make of her award, she came 9th out of 22 dogs which wasn't bad for a dog who did no training. The dog that won is off to a Crufts qualifier!!

I'd like to enter the following challenges please:

http://thestampingchef.oo.gd/Gallery/index.php?/categories/flat
http://sisteractcardchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/challenge-21.html
http://cutiepiechallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/challenge-51-anything-goes.html

Spika the bad mermaid

Spika the bad mermaid

Hi,

This month Simply Betty gave us the option of a good or a bad mermaid as our generous freebie, and as my last few cards have been sunny and colourful I thought something on the dark side would be fun, so I choose Spika the bad mermaid (I didn't use the sentiment that read 'bad to the gills' just because I couldn't squeeze it in). Here she is making sure no-one gets their hands on the sunken treasure.

I really wanted to challenge myself to colour hair a bit more realistically with pro-markers, so I followed an excellent tutorial by Donna Marie in her facebook group and although I've a very long way to go I think I'm definitely heading in the right direction. I added some green stickles to the scales on her skin (because a card isn't a card without sparkle)

I really wanted to add a treasure chest but after searching my stash (I'm still sure i have one somewhere) I headed to the sil store and bought this lovely template. I cut the wood out of 2 different shades of brown and the treasure from some left over glitter card. The tiny lock I coloured with metallic pro-markers. The treasure I made up of gold glitter card, sticky pearls, coloured gems, plastic coins and the fish came from a packet of jolee stickers. 

I returned to my trusty cuttlebug for the photo corner which I cut out of brown card and coloured with metallic pro-markers. The patterned paper I used has been in my stash forever and day so it was nice that it matched perfectly. 

I just hope Betty likes what I've done with Spika, theres some seriously amazing enteries for this challenge and if you get a change to look at blog http://simplybettystamps.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/good-vs-bad-facebook-challenge.html

Miss Maggie

Not so impressed with using it as a board of shame

"Thats better now FEED ME" (puppy dog eyes)

I found this chalk board today in Dunelm mill for £2.99 and thought it would be perfect for a notice board for Maggie (no more post it notes). This is the first thing I've made with vinyl so I'm really happy with how it turned out. 

Maybe Maggie shouldn't have gone to spec savers

I'd like to enter the following challenges please

http://simplybettystamps.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/good-vs-bad-facebook-challenge.html

http://craftyourpassionchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/challenge-174-all-at-sea.html

http://milkcoffeechallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/show-us-those-coloring-skills.html

http://simplychallengedchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/july-30th-challenge.html

http://sisteractcardchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/challenge-18.html

Thank you so much for having a look, and I love reading comments if you have time to leave one xox

Simply Betty Summer Fairy take 2

Simply Betty Summer Fairy take 2 

I love how non-card makers think that it only takes a matter of minutes to create a card, my lovely boyfriend asked me to make a 40th birthday for his friends wife, for that night (and bearing in mind I received the request when I was still in work).I do love when he asks though as it isnt very often.

My original plan was to use my lovely cameo to cut out a simple 40 (I just learned how to do this recently) and put some nice background paper behind it, then I remembered the second Summer Fairy I had coloured for her last challenge. I'm so happy with how it turned out, especially as I'm not one to create under pressure. It might even be my favourite so far.

I coloured Summer with pro-markers and added some stickles to her wings, I added a little blue to her wings and love the effect it made, especially with the stickles. To give her a more 3D effect i gently rolled out her wings, only sticking down her body so it looked like she was flying. 

Miss Maggie

Miss Maggie has been zonked out in the hot weather so there hasn't been to much craic from her, HOWEVER we did take her for a walk in the forest were she managed to get her paws covered in mud, then she got kicked out of the pub (that was my fault I didn't see the sign that said no dogs in the beer garden!!). I still cant believe shes been in our lives an entire year (on the 11th July).

So proud of her muddy paws

My beautiful girl

First and last orders for us

'don't you think its time you get me a new bed?....in pink this time please'

I'd like to enter the following challenges:

http://simplychallengedchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/july-30th-challenge.html (I hope my cut out, fairy and gems count as lots of embellishments :-))

http://craftyourpassionchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/challenge-173-3d-it.html

http://craftycreationschallenges.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/challenge-232-summer.html x

http://sentimentalsundays.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/challenge-165-anything-with-wings.html

http://thatcraftplaceblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/new-challenge-its-girl-thing.html

Thanks very much for popping by and if you have an extra minute I love reading your comments 

Kathy x

Simply B summer fairy challenge

Simply B summer fairy challenge

When I saw the gorgeous image Betty was giving us for this months challenge I knew I had to take part. The condition of the challenge was to use a different background, not stamped or paper. I knew that I wanted to draw a flower for summer to dance on, but the problem was, apart from doodling I haven't drawn since I was at school and I wasnt that great then.In addition it definately didnt help having Oliver Jeffers (world famous childrens illistrator) was in my G.C.S.E. art class!! 

All this aside I gave it a go, a simple sunflower, and I'm so glad I did because I love how it turned out. 

I had originally coloured Summer in blues and green (promarkers) but she got lost in the vibrancy of the sunflower so I coloured her again with dark hair and a red dress, for her wings I used ivory with subtle hint of tea green. Off course I had to use stickles on her wings.

I couldn't find any yellow paper in my stash to match the card so I coloured some white paper with promarkers to mat my image and added some yellow gems to the corner. I kept the card clean and simple as the images were so bright.

I really hope you like her, and most of all I hope Betty thinks I did her gorgeous image justice xox

I'd really appreciate any feedback x

Thanks for popping by Kathy and Maggie (the naughty pup who presented me with a dead rabbit yesterday) xox

I'd like to enter her into the following challenges:

http://digisketchchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/in-summertime.html

http://milkcoffeechallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/summer-fun-challenge.html

http://sentimentalsundays.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/challenge-161-all-things-digital.html

http://sisteractcardchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/challenge-13.html

http://thatcraftplaceblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/flowers.html

Simply Betty Spring Swap hop

Simply Betty Spring Swap

It seems like such a long time ago that I took part in the Simply Betty Spring Swap, it was organised via facebook where everyone who wished to take part was paired up and you had to send a 'spring basket' filled with approx $25 of crafting goodies, sweeties etc to your buddy.

My spring fling buddy was Wendy from Colorado. We had the option of someone from the UK or further afield and I thought it would be fun to swap with someone in America, its so nice to send and receive crafty bits (and candy) not available at home. I had so much fun choosing things for Wendy, adding little touches from home like a magnet with an irish blessing and my favourite chocolates. If you pop over to her blog you'll see what I sent  http://Jazzydoodledesigns.com, I hope she loved hers as much as I loved mine.

Here are all the gorgeous goodies I got from Wendy, I cant believe she sent sooooo much and all in my favourite colours, and we both made the same style of card.

The gorgeous card made with Bettys spring swap image (cant wait to blog hop to see how everyone used her), gems, ribbons, buttons all in my favourite colours, and the gorgeous cross is going to be used on a scrapbook page of my beautiful goddaughters scapbook (which I'll give to her when she's 21-shes 3 on monday)

Excuse the carpet :-)

Washi tape, beautiful easter stamps, prima flowers, lots of yummy 'candy' (as the Americans say) and my uber stylish new peg bag  (lets just hope the weather cheers up so I can use it more). 

I love paper and look how much Wendy sent me, they're just gorgeous and cant wait to use them

A pressie for Miss Maggie from Jazz

Isn't it all gorgeous  (sorry over using the word gorgeous but its all just GORGEOUS), I havent used any yet because I'm just back from my holiday but Maggie managed to demolish her bone in about 3 minutes.



Thankyou wendy for being such a generous and sweet swap buddy and I know we've started a lovely and long friendship, and thankyou Corinne for organising this fun swap xox

Here is the blog list for everyone who took part

SBS http://simplybettystamps.blogspot.com/

Jennifer Raffenaud

Barb Ettinger

Nicki Ringleman

Corinne Jones

http://wishuponascrap.blogspot.com/

Trish Sakulich

http://www.scrappintillthecowscomehome.blogspot.ca/

Robin Bogle

http://www.rcz28.blogspot.com

Maria Williams

http://pinxinx.blogspot.com

Trudie Howard

http://trudiescakesandcards.blogspot.co.uk/

Wendy Billings

http://www.jazzydoodledesigns.com

Roz Wolfe

http://www.wolfepak5.blogspot.com

Sheri Loatwall

http://www.mammasscrappin.blogspot.com/

Stacey Stratis

http://anastasiasarts.blogspot.com/

Lucy Gregg

http://loopylass2010.blogspot.co.uk/

Louise Mann

http://louisescraftycards.blogspot.co.uk/

Jo Walker

http://joscardsandstuff.blogspot.co.uk/

Lisa Nelson

http://www.distinctiveLMNts.blogspot.com

 Michelle Klaebe

http://www.inkandsew.blogspot.com.au/

 Dawn Brown

http://stampersgonewild.blogspot.com

Elizabeth Melih (Emily Shroom here)

http://emilyshroom.blogspot.com.au/

Jackie Rakoski

http://stampingsister.blogspot.com

Kathy Smyth

http://kathyjsmyth.blogspot.co.uk

Carrie Robinson
http://carriescreativecards.blogspot.co.uk/

Marie Franklin

http://marie97-lotlot.blogspot.com/

Erin Fairclough

http://elfiessparkleanddust.blogspot.co.uk/

Melissa Varga

http://cheesestampersinparadise.blogspot.com/

Katya Bess

http://www.kattyxotica.blogspot.com/

Tanja Charles

http://craft-teeinthecity.blogspot.com

Jennifer Anderson

http://Creativearmywife.blogspot.com

Summer Hills-Painter

http://1craftypainter.blogspot.com/

Darcy Schroeder

http://craftingwithdarcy.blogspot.com

Veronica Chasteen Rosenshein
http://www.artbyveronica.blogspot.com

Julie Hasel

http://tigerlily2g1b.blogspot.co.uk/

Tanya Johnson

http://little-scrapper.blogspot.com 

Dianna Cinko Sowerbrower

http://diannas-craftyplace.blogspot.com



I'll blog my card another day as I know I'm very naughty and posting a little late for the hop (always late no matter how hard I try), thanks for popping by xox

Happy Easter

I know I've been a little quiet lately but I have been busy gathering for my simply Betty Spring swap,  Betty gave us a free image to use for our swap which I'm looking forward to sharing with you on the blog hop at the end of April. My partner is Wendy Billings and I've had so much fun gathering goodies for her which my lovely BF has taken to the post office for me this morning :-) Wendy was super organised and my parcel arrived the other day but I didn't want to open it until I send hers, watch this space for the blog hop where you can see everyone's spring swap goodies. Check out Wendy's blog, shes super talented and she has a doggy too call Jazz Jazzy doodle designs

Happy Easter from Miss Maggie and I

xox

A very un-easter easter card

 

A very un-easter easter card

I made this card for the Simply Betty February challenge using her lovely free image, we had to choose between a boy and a girl without seeing them first, I let my boyfriend choose and of course he choose the boy (definitely not my usual style). The one condition of the challenge was that no pastel colours were allowed, as soon as I read this I decided to give sepia a go. I had found a promarker tutorial in an old issue of a card making magazine just a few days before, it didn't turn out as I intended, but for a first attempt I'm very happy. After seeing all the amazing entries for the challenge I knew I wouldn't have a hope in winning so just had fun playing.

For the card I coloured the image with promarkers, the patterned paper is cosmo cricket and the ribbon is citrus strip from Anitas. I had fun experimenting with my new sillhoutte cameo which I used to make the eggs, tags and title, all finished off with a card candi and diamond glaze for some depth.

I'd also like to enter this card into the following challenges:-

http://anythingchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/challenge-87-make-it-manly.html
http://deepoceanchallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/
http://www.craftdoormagazine.com/

Miss Maggie

For those of you who like to hear about Miss Maggie, here she is not helping me wash the car. So many people came to say hello to her I think it took me twice as long to get the car clean, its so nice to see the sun starting to make an appearance and the neighbours certainly got quite the welcome home (pet me, fuss me please)

If you thought the last bone was big this is even bigger (he spoils her but at least its lasting more than a few hours)

And my very very favourite photo, shes so elegant and lovely (I know I'm biases)

Thanks for popping by and I really do appreciate your feedback and comments xox

Burlesque Simply Betty 21st Birthday card

 Finally I can show off one of the Burlesque 2 Simply Bettys (http://simplybstamps.net/) I bought in the secret release, they're just so much fun and I'm sure it'll not be long before I make the other 2 into cards. When the 500th person joins her facebook group shes promised a freebie (and she's nearly there).

I was asked to make a card for a friend in work whose niece was turning 21 this week, the card was from the entire family so she'd asked me to make it in A4. I chose this image because it was for a fun loving bubbly girl and what could be more fun than swinging on a star :-)

For this card I found it difficult to get thick enough A3 card and ended up buying a packet of 175 gsm card from Paperchase and sticking two sheets together to form my base, I then layered some black card with the polka side of docrafts Christmas reindeer/polka paper and again used the black paper to layer the Simply Betty image (I used a 5 euro cent coin and my scalpel to make the photo corners).

Betty was coloured using promarkers and I added a little detail on her costume with black stickles. The stars and dots (these were the centre of a button die) were glitter card I got in tesco cut out with my cuttlebug. The black 21 letters were also cut out with my cuttlebug and black stickles added for a little glamour.

Im very proud of my die cut label because I used my new cameo silhouette to cut the label in black and then reduced it in size and added the writing so it would have the negative effect of the writing showing through, I then used my white gel pen from Paperchase to fill in the A, E and O letters. Although there were a few moments of frustration and a few sheets of paper wasted, I think it turned out really well for my first proper play with the silhouette. I think the black gem brads just finished it of nicely.

I couldn't get a white envelope anywhere so I customized a brown one with a star stamp, I did get a little carried away :-)

I'd love to enter my card into some challenges

Craft your passion: All that Glitters
Daisy doodles: anything goes
Papermakeupstamps: digi makeover
Love to create challenge: All that glitters
Make it Monday: Anything goes
Ooh la la creations: sparkle-and shine
Song bird: Age card
http://thepapershelter.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/challenge-100-celebrations.html
As for Miss Maggie, she got the biggest bone from the pet shop today, munch munch :-)

Thank you so much for having a look xox

Morning Betty 50th Birthday Card

Its crazy how much time passes so quickly between being able to post but I hope you like the card I have made.

I made this card for a girl in work for her sister in-laws 50th birthday, I didn't have much time to make it so I went back to my very favourite Simply Betty stamp, morning betty. Its always a worry making a card for someone with a free rein but thankfully she loved it, so much she asked me to make her another for a 21st but in A4, now that will be a challenge but I have ideas floating around in my head and they include Bettys secret release from last month. Hopefully they'll not be a secret for too much longer and I'll get to share it with you xox

For the card I coloured Betty with promarkers and used the plain part of some paper I got free from a magazine, I hand stitched the grey strips to give it a little interest and added some liquid pearls to the centre of the flowers after giving them a 3D appearance. Off course theres always glitter, because everything always looks prettier with glitter. Inside it reads "getting old aint for sissies - Betty Davies".

I'm so glad she liked it. 

Miss Maggie was a little rascal today, my lovely boyfriend who was looking forward to his BLT all day (I know because I tried to steal it last night) had just settled himself in front of the rugby with his sandwich when the air turned blue, and I mean Ive rarely heard him swear. Missy had snatched his sandwich!!! she was literally in the dog house :-(

Id like to enter this card into Simply Bettys Anything goes Challengehttp://simplychallengedchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/

Grandad meets Maggie

Grandad finally got to meet Maggie, he just loved her and thankfully she was good as gold. Grandad is 81 and just loves dogs, so much he always has dog biscuits in his pockets for any he meets when he's out and about. 

Thanks for having a look xox

Simply Betty Steampunk Challenge

Simply Betty Steampunk Challenge

This is my entry for the Simply Betty Steampunk Challenge which Betty very kindly provided the image for.

This was my first attempt at a steampunk card but I think I got the basic concept, it did take a few days of popping in and out of the craft room but I'm so glad I took my time. Shes such a cute image (am I allowed to call steampunk cute? :-)

Again I cant believe what a frugal crafter I have been again. The pearl pin, clog paper and the paper I used for the rose were from my Alys Den RAK last year, the rose paper wasn't quite the right colour so I coloured it with my promarkers. I also coloured the image with promarkers, adding a little diamond glaze here and there. The ribbon was from a friend, and the keys were earring I bought many years ago in a sale in Claires.

Thanks again Betty for the image https://www.facebook.com/groups/486424581374935/
                                                  http://simplybstamps.net/