Holiday in Venice

For today's card I've used one of my favorite stamps - a cling stamp from Penny Black with the views of Venice. Never been there, but it's on my wishlist of places to see. What I love about this image, apart from the design, is that it's so easy to use with various designs and techniques. In the past, I've paper pieced her, I've colored her with Promarkers and Distress Inks, but today I chose to leave her uncolored, having stamped her onto a DP. Previously  I've cut her into a square shape, into a circle and today it was the oval shape's turn!
You can't see much of the lace, which I bought during a trip to Latvia. I often stock up on lace while abroad. The flowers and DP for the image are from Prima, the striped DP is Maja Designs and pearls are from Storyteller. I didn't want to ruin the elegant look with a sentiment, and in this way I can use this card for many kinds of occasions.

Those of you who visited my blog last week know I participated in Bugaboo's Christmas in July 7 day event. Guess what??? I was the lucky winner of the Grand Prize!!! I'm so happy, look at what I won:
Images 7 Free per month for 6 months ($126 value)
Free Bugaboo Christmas in July images
4 month Guest Designer Term

This card is for these challenges:
1) Make My Monday - Vacation
2) Open-Minded Challenges - #15 Vacation Related
3) Sweet Stampin - Use your favorite Stamp
4) ABC Challenge - P is for Pearls
5) Tuesday Throwdown - #204 Take Us On Vacation
6) Eclectic Ellapu - Travel/Holiday

Bugaboo's Christmas in July - Day 7

YES! I did it! 7 Christmas cards in 7 days! The final challenge over at Bugaboo was to make a card with something with 'C'.
I used my candy cane embossing folder, candy striped paper, circles and it's a cute and childish design.
I'm quite pleased with this card, and I actually chose to use pink on my card, even though I didn't have to! Pink for Christmas has definitely grown on me.
I also had to add a bit of glitter paper, I like sparkle for Christmas. I used by bow easy to make the bows and I used a frilly ribbon. For the tags with sentiments I used stamps from LOTV. Silver mirri card was used for the panels. Image colored with Promakers, I used my blender pen quite vigorously!

This card is for these challenges:
1) Catch The Bug - C is for.... (Day 7)
2) House of Cards - Add a Bow (or more than one) + Cute
3) C.R.A.F.T. - #268 Christmas in July
4) Divas by Design - Christmas
5) Crafting for all Seasons - #81 Tic Tac Toe (Ribbon+Square+Pink)

Bugaboo's Christmas in July - Day 6

Day 6 of Bugaboo's Christmas in July challenge is photo inspiration. As you can see I was inspired by the beachy theme with sand, blue water and sky, so I made a scene with left over DPs and kraft in these colors for my Santa. With his coconut drink in his hands I wanted to create a tropical feel, hence the palm tree and paper with coconuts and pineapples, which is part of a digi set called "Aloha" from Doodle Pantry. The red DP is from a Christmas collection. I stamped two postmarks in the corner. I chose tags from LOTV for the sentiments and attached them with a red brad. I also used gold paper for the panel and frame.

This card is for these challenges:
1) Catch The Bug - Photo (Day 6)
2) Doodle Pantry - Make it Christmas or Make a Splash
3) The Crafting Cafe - Feeling Fruity
4) Bearly Mine - Let's go digital
5) Sparkles Forum Challenges - Christmas in July

Bugaboo's Christmas in July - Day 5

Day 5 is a bingo challenge. I chose the top horizontal row of Bugaboo image + funny sentiment + embossing.
I kept this clean, only using 2 gems as embellishments to decorate Stella's earrings. She's colored with Promarkers and I gave her hat some glitter. The sentiment is part of the set, but without the speech bubble frame.
I used an embossing folder that came free with a magazine. It's a border one, but I used it several times, avoiding to put my paper in the same place within the folder for a more random pattern. I mounted it onto panels of red paper and silver mirri card.

This card is for these challenges:
1) Catch The Bug - Bingo (Day 5)
2) Crafting with Dragonflies - #30 CAS
3) Inky Chicks - #33 Christmas in July
4) Completely Christmas - #20 Anything Goes

Paper Pieced Flowers

It's Thursday and that means there's a new challenge over at Outlawz Twisted Thursday where this week's challenge is
Anything Goes with the optional twist of SUMMER. Our sponsors for July are Anne's Digital Art and Paper Temptress.
I've used one of Anne's images. I paper pieced the flowers and fussy cut them, then I mounted them onto a panel of white paper decorated with leaves made with a MB die. I used a black pen to draw the fine black lines around the panel and card base, and the sentiment is made with letter stickers.

This card is also for this challenge:
Shopping Our Stash - #160 I can't put it down (or away)
I often end up fussy cutting my images, and I love paper piecing too, so I couldn't be without a pair of good scissors

Bugaboo's Christmas in July - Day 4

The challenge for day 4 is a recipe challenge: kraft, snowflakes and embossing. For this card I chose to play with the ice skating Sunbonnet image. I colored her with Promarkers and gave her some glitter on the brim of her bonnet. For the sky, I used blue paint and a snowflake stamp from Fiskars. I heat embossed with white EP. The houses are made with stamps from Panduro. I stamped onto kraft and used a white gel pen for the snow. The ice is made of foil, I got it from my sister who's a hairdresser, she uses this type when doing highlights. She's also given me some green and pink foil to play with. They come in very practical small rolls.
I added seam binding ribbon with an ice skate metal charm, as well as letter stickers for the sentiment.

This card is for these challenges:
1) Catch The Bug - Recipe (Day 4)
2) Passion For Promarkers Challenge - Christmas In July
3) Card Mania - How charming
4) Sparkle N Sprinkle - Anything Goes with Glitter, Embossing Powder and/or Flocking
5) Glitter n Sparkle - #93 Anything Goes
6) Sparkles Forum Christmas - A Winters Scene

Bugaboo's Christmas in July - Day 3

For day 3 it's a color challenge. And THAT turned out to be a challenge for me! This is my third attempt, I do struggle with non traditional colors and Christmas. The biggest issue was to add something yellow, I kept wanting to add gold, I tried ribbon and what not, but digging through my boxes with embellishments I found this button shaped brads and on they went:)
The image is paper pieced and fussy cut. The sentiment is from Dylusion.
Another A2 card fit for postage!

This card is for these challenges:
1) Catch The Bug - Colors (Day 3)
2) Crafty Boots - Christmas in July
3) QKR Stampede – #96 Paper Piecing
4) My Time to Craft - #253 Paper Piecing

Bugaboo's Christmas in July - Day 2

Day 2 at Bugaboo's weeklong Christmas in July event is a sketch challenge.
The image is colored with Promarkers. I've held on to this DP for a while, it's one of my favorites, but I recently came to the decision to start using my favorites FIRST, while loved. I mounted my DP onto a panel of silver mirri card. I used  oval dies and a lattice die from Spellbinders to make the frame. I used lace and seam binding ribbon, a stamp and glitter frame for the sentiment and rhinestones from my stash.

This card is for these challenges:
1) Catch The Bug - Sketch (Day 2)
2) Holly Jolly Christmas Challenge - Christmas Critters
3) Sweet Stampin - Christmas in July
4) Simply Create Too - Christmas in July
5) The Stamping Boutique - #25 Fussy Cut Something
6) The Glory of Christmas - #37 Anything Goes Christmas

Bugaboo's Christmas in July - Day 1

You will see lots of Christmas cards coming from this week as I aim to participate in all of  Bugaboo's yearly Christmas in July challenges, which started yesterday. There are 7 in all, and for the first day we were to make a card with a Santa on it. Since I'm a slow cardmaker it's quite a challenge for me:)
I used 52CCT's sketch as inspiration for my design. Santa is colored with Promarkers and I added loads of gold glitter glue to the star. The sentiment is heat embossed. I used sequins and pearls from my stash.
I kept the design clean, it's a A2 size card that will fit neatly into an envelope for postage.

This card is for these challenges:
1) Catch The Bug - Show us your Santa (Day 1)
2) 52 Christmas Card Throwdown - July Blog Hop + Sketch
3) Winter Wonderland - Three of Three (Sequins and Rhinestones)
4) Addicted to Stamps and More - #103 Holiday

Snowflake Sticker

Over at 52CCT there's a stash challenge - use stickers. I've got tons of stickers from the time before I had any stamps and did other crafty things than cardmaking. If I'm not mistaken, this snowflake sticker should be at least 5 years old. So it was time to get it used!

The card has several layers of silver mirri card, glitter paper and blue panels. When I first had decided on the design the card came together quickly.
I kept wanting to add a sentiment or some ribbon, but finally settled with a clean layout and only added 13 rhinestones.

It's quite tricky to take photographs of cards with so much sparkle and shine, but I hope you can imagine how it looks IRL.

This card is for these challenges:
1) 52 Christmas Card Throwdown - July Blog Hop + Stash Stickers
2) Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge - #185 Glam it up!
3) jingle belles - Something from Stash at least 1 year old
4) Shopping Our Stash - Bonus Challenge with jingle belles
5) Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge Extra - Anything Christmas
6) Love to Create - Fussy & Fancy OR Clean & Layered

Fun in the Sun

It's Thursday and time for a new challenge over at Outlawz Twisted Thursday! This week's challenge is Anything Goes with the optional twist of FUN IN THE SUN.
Using the twist will earn you a second entry in the draw, and in July our sponsors are Anne's Digital Art and Paper Temptress.

This is the first time I've merged two digital images. The fence is made by Anne and the boy and his dog is a digi from Pink Gem Designs.The image has been colored with Promarkers and a blue paint for the sky.
I've only used scraps for this card and I chose to go with bright colors for a summery feel. The dies used are MB clouds, Spellbinders frame and Dienamics sentiment. I mounted the clouds on foam and also added a wooden sun from my stash.



This card is also for these challenges:
1) ABC Challenge - O is for Orange
2) Digi Sketch Challenge - Theme "In the Garden"
3) Incy Wincy Designs - Summertime Activities
4) A Gem of a Challenge - #123 Any Animal

Pink for Christmas!

This time I've challenged myself to use non-traditional colors, being inspired by the color scheme over at 52CCT. I'm not quite sure about how I feel about this card as I usually make Christmas cards in traditional colors or in brown and beige tones.
I've used lots of pink: the DP with spots, panels, seam binding ribbon and rhinestones. The snowy DP is grey and the punched greeneries are light green.
I've used a Santa stamp from Tim Holtz and a sentiment stamp from LOTV. The stars are made with Memory Box dies.
The layout is inspired by the sketch over at Sunday Sketch and Stamp.

This card is for these challenges:
1) Sunday Sketch & Stamp - #212 Sketch
2) 52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Color challenge
3) Completely Christmas - #19 Anything Goes

Ship

For my birthday, I got plenty of new stash: several stamps, dies, papers, ribbons, embellishments... One of my new goodies is this boat stamp from a Tim Holtz set. I love nautical cards, so this was just perfect! I've also wanted a map stamp, and I got one as well, this one is from Prima.
For my card I was obviously inspired by the sea, but also Stars and Stripes and the red, white and blue color scheme.
I started out by heat embossing the ship using blue embossing powder on a piece of vellum. I attached it to a red and white DP with Stars and Stripes from Maja Design. I slipped the map, stamped with blue ink onto kraft, behind the vellum. I used white string, a star metal charm and three rhinestones. I didn't find a sentiment that I thought would fit with the layout (I often forget to plan ahead for the placement of a sentiment), so I stamped one on the inside. The panel on the front is mounted on foam and I've used a dark blue paper for my card base.

I'd like to enter this card into these challenges:
1) Crafty Catz - #238 Stars or Stripes or Both
2) 4 Crafty Chicks - #201 Nautical
3) Seize The Birthday - Stars and stripes
4) Stampotique Designers' Challenge - #154 Travel/Vacation
5) Twisted Tuesday - Red, White & Blue with the twist of Stars  

Christmas in July

I don't know about you, but I really struggle making cards after a holiday. It's not lack of mojo, it's just that I can't seem to get the ideas I have turned into real life... And to make a Christmas card after 2 weeks in the sun doesn't make things easier...
Anyway, I managed somehow to get my DT card ready for Outlawz Twisted Thursday where this week's challenge is CHRISTMAS. Our sponsors for July are Anne's Digital Art and Paper Temptress.
I've used papers from Maja Design which are not from any Christmas collection. The wreath - one of Anne's images - has been printed onto kraft, I paper pieced the leaves and used red and gold glitter glue for the berries. I added the wreath to a vintage image as a frame, then I mounted it all onto a doily. The sentiment is stamped, and I've used a Martha Stewart punch for the edges. Pearls from my stash.

This card is also for these challenges:
1) Completely Christmas - #18 Anything Goes
2) Christmas Card Challenges - #31 Anything Goes
3) Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - #183 Use a Sentiment

Candy Winner!

It's time to announce the winner of my candy!
There were 31 entrants, and I had help from random.org to pick my winner to make it all fair.
I also want to say welcome to my new followers, I hope you'll stick around, and I will visit your blogs as well once I get settled after my holiday:)

And the winner is number 16 - DONNA NUCE

Please send me your contact details so I can send the package to you.

Anything Goes and Candy Reminder (final day to enter!)

If everything goes according to plan I should be on my way back home from holiday at this moment. I look forward to catch up on what you've been creating while I was away...
I wanted to share with you my DT card for Outlawz Twisted Thursday where the challenge is ANYTHING GOES. I've used an image from My Besties who's our sponsor for June together with Paper Temptress.

I wanted to try a different kind of fold and I found the tutorial for this design in a Norwegian craft magazine called "Ett Trykk". It was really fun to make, and I'm sure I'm going to use this design for cards in the future as well. I colored my image using Promarkers, and I used DPs from Authentique. I love this butterfly border die, and I added some punched ones as well. I also used a Martha Stewart punch for the border, lace, string and a metal charm from my stash. The birthday greeting on the inside of the card is heat embossed.

I also want to remind you of my candy - I'll give away 3 issues of "Cardmaking and Papercraft"and the freebies that came with these magazines. It runs until Midnight (Norway time zone) - check out the details HERE. I will announce the winner tomorrow, on July 1st.

Here are some more pictures of my card:

Candy Reminder

To go to my candy post click here

Candy Time!

I will be rather absent from blogland the rest of this month, so I thought I'd offer a candy for you to join in on during my absence.
By mistake I managed to purchase two subscriptions of the same magazine, so I thought I'd offer one of you the chance to enjoy my duplicates.
One lucky winner will receive "Cardmaking and Papercraft" issue number 130 - 131 - 132. These magazines come with a set of 9 sewing metal charms, an embossing folder and stamp from Daisy Chain and a set of 14 clear stamps.

I will post the prize anywhere in the world. All you need to do is:
1) Be or become a follower of my blog (No candy only blogs)
2) It would be great if you could help spread the word by mentioning my candy on your blog, but it's not a requirement
3) Add your name in Mr Linky below

I will announce the winner on July 1st. Good luck!

Blue and Pink Girly Card

Over at the Outlawz Twisted

Thursday this week's optional twist is FAUX OR REAL STITCHING. I've used an image from My Besties who's our sponsor for June together with Paper Temptress. To be in the chance of winning one of these prizes all you need to do is enter in one or more of our challenges in June.
I colored this image using Promarkers, and I used 3 DPs. I love this butterfly border die, it's the first time I use it. I used pink organza ribbon and machine stitched along the edges with pink thread. The edges have been distressed using Spun Sugar DI. I added one of my strawberry charms - strawberries are definitely something I feel represents summer. A stamped birthday greeting, as well as cheesecloth and pearls from my stash, and voilà!

This card is for these challenges:
1) My Besties Norge - #20 Charms and/or Punch
2) Crafts and Me Challenge & Inspiration Blog - #149 Add Wings
3) Desert Island Crafters - #78 (1,2,7,9,10)
4) Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge - #32 Anything Goes
5) My Besties Aussie Challenge - Stitching

Children at the Seaside - Card #4

Nicecrane has a lovely set of pre-colored vintage style images called "Children at the Seaside" - you can find it here. It consists of five different images, and this is my card using the fourth of these images.

I used one of my Spellbinder dies to make the frame, and I added some stitching with red thread. I mounted it onto a striped blue paper and kraft, and I used a Martha Stewart punch around the edges, which I distressed them with Walnut DI. I've used 2 stamps, one from Storyteller for the sentiment and a floral corner from Kort&Godt. The butterfly is a wooden button from Edelweiss, and the seashell is a brad from Memories. Red and white ribbon and cheesecloth from my stash.

This card is for these challenges:
1) Fussy and Fancy - #115 Outdoors
2) TIME OUT Challenges - Summer with optional twist flowers
3) Fan-Tastic Tuesday - #38 Summer
4) Creative Card Crew - #63 Nautical
5) Divas by Design - Red White and Blue
6) Rhedd & Rosie's Challenge Blog - #34 Back in Time/Vintage

CAS Nautical Scene

After several attempts and 3 cards in the trash I finally managed to make a CAS card.
I love nautical scenes, and for this card I've used a stamp from Stampendous. It's one of my favorites, I've used it several times before, but I believe it's been almost a year since it last got inked.
This time I decided to paper piece the image. I used 2 DPs, white paper and kraft. The largest sailboat is mounted on foam for dimension.
I mounted the scene onto a panel of kraft and added no sentiment to the front (I was afraid I'd have a 4th card ending up in the trash...)
And that's about what I can tell you about my A2 sized card.

I want to enter this card into these challenges:
1) Inkspirational - #58 Clean & Simple
2) Addicted to CAS - #40 Transport
3) CAS on Sunday - #35 Paper Piecing
4) Card and Scrap - #77 Clean and Simple
5) Creative Corner - Use an old stamp that you haven't used in a long time

Make it feminine

Over at the Outlawz Twisted Thursday this week's optional twist is FEMININE. I've used an image from My Besties who's our sponsor for June together with Paper Temptress. To be in the chance of winning one of these prizes all you need to do is enter in one or more of our challenges in June.
I've used parts of the image, which you can find here, as I wanted it to fit inside of this die cut silver mirri card frame. The die is from Marianne. I've used blue and brown colored papers from Prima. There are lots of pearls on this card, half pearls, a pearl brad and liquid pearls on the image. I've used a gorgeous flower lace that I bought when visiting Riga in Latvia earlier this year. I also added a little piece of lace to make the ribbon that holds together her braided hair. I used a MB die and vellum to make the swirl and a gorgeous metal bird cage charm. The inner panel is machine stitched with white thread and I've also added some cheesecloth.
I normally don't add this many items to a card, I often feel that I end up making the card look messy, but I'm quite happy with how this one turned out. The photo below shows how I decorated the inside.

This card is also for these challenges:
1) My Besties Norge - #19 Pearls / Beads
2) Try It On Tuesday - Feminine & Fancy
3) Crafty Bloggers Network - BINGO (die cuts+image+patterned paper)
4) The Squirrel & The Fox - #70 Girls
5) That Craft Place - Ribbon / Lace

Metal and Wings

The colorful photo over at Time Out inspired me to try something new to me - to make a Steampunk style card and to color hair in non-traditional colors. The image is from Hannah Lynn - I just loved her mechanical looking wings. I colored her with Promakers in colors from the photo.  I decided to use my MB gears die as well as a gear charm. I used bronze embossing powder and ancient gold frantage to give the gears a metal look. I covered a frame of kraft with purple embossing powder. The DP is Graphic45, I stamped the sentiment from TPC Studio on the reverse side of the patterned paper.

This card is for these challenges:
1) TIME OUT Challenges - #6 Photo
2) Rhedd & Rosie's Challenge Blog - #33 No Flowers
3) Inky Chicks - #Use A Metal Embellishment
4) Sentimental Sundays - #208 Things with Wings
5) Tuesday Throwdown - #197 Wild Colored Hair

Shaker Card with Santa

Over at the Outlawz Twisted Thursday this week's optional twist is ANYTHING GOES. I've used an image from Stitchy Bear Designs, our sponsor for the month of May together with Paper Temptress. To be in the chance of winning one of these prizes all you need to do is enter in one or more of our challenges in May.
The image, which you can find here, is colored with Promarkers and I've added glitter to the fur trimmings of his outfit. The background is sprayed with Dylusions "After Midnight" spay. I've used a tree die from Memory Box and flocking for the snow. The frame is made of white paper. The only place I found to add a sentiment was with the string. The little tag is made with a LOTV stamp and a pearl brad from my stash.

This card is also for these challenges:
1) Craft Your Passion - Frame It
2) Christmas at Sweet Stampin' Challenge Blog - Here comes Santa
3) 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown - Stash Challenge (old tag stamp and brad, new tree die, blue mist)
4) Christmas Cards All Year 'Round - Santa or something associated with Santa
5) Crafty Creations - #264 Use something that begins with "S"(Shaker card, Snow, Santa, Spray, String)

Little Sailor

I'm almost out of cards for young boys, so I decided to ink up sailor Edwin today.

My layout is inspired by the sketch over at "Sketchy Colors", I flipped and rotated it.

In addition to the Magnolia stamp I've used a banner from Kaisercraft, a sentiment from Kort&Godt and seashells and starfish from Graphic45.

The background DP with stripes is also from Graphic45, the one with the clouds from Pebbles.

I used my wavy border die from Memoy Box and circle shaped dies.

I added platinum EP around the circle to make it into a frame, and I covered the kraft base with cheesecloth.

I attached Edwin to a string, and I machine sewed with blue thread around the edges.


This card is for these challenges:
1) Sketchy Colors - #212 Sketch
2) Come and Get It - Lots of layers
3) Allsorts - #260 Happy Birthday
4) A Gem of a Challenge - #120 Fabric or Felt
5) Fan-Tastic Tuesday - #36 One For The Guys