Cup Cake's galore

Hi everyone, last week I came across a great magazine dedicated to cup cakes as I always create a mess when baking I decided to take the magazine apart, laminate and bind the recipe's.  I've used a sweet image from  Mo Manning which I've coloured with Promarkers, sorry  I can't remember where I bought the wood letters or the papers used. Anyways I'm really happy with the end result except the picture which could have been better, still that's the way it goes.

I've not entered any challenges for ages and as the theme over at Sir Stampalot has a foody theme I though I would enter for the fun.

Sir Stampalot October Challenge

Thank you for stopping by

Kathleen x

Molly Blooms

Wow....... Another card in matter of days, the elusive card making mojo has returned, not sure how long it will last so I'd better make the most of it :-)  So in keeping with the celebration what is more appropriate than Molly with her banners.

For the this card I've used a Molly Blooms stamp using the sketch from this weeks challenge over at Passion For Pro markers, sorry the papers are mix of scraps so not sure who's they are.  The image was coloured with Pro markers, I've used seam binding for the bow and a Prima butterfly completes the card.

Hope you like
Kathleen xx

I will be entering this card into the following challenges
Passion For Promarkers - Sketch 
Charizma Cardz  - Sunshine Colours
Colour Create - Cream,Aqua, pale pink.
Craft Us Crazy - Anything Goes
Dutch Dare - Colour Combo
Divas By Design - Pastels
Flutterby Wednesday - #163 butterfly,Fairy or Angel

Molly Blooms Farm Yard Birthday Card

It's been weeks since my last post and for this I apologise, for whatever reason I lost that thing called Mojo having said this I had a pleasant afternoon painting this Molly Bloom stamp which I've decoupaged onto watercolour paper, once this was done I decided to take the opportunity to create a birthday card, it's a simple enough card no frills or surprises but I have to admit I really like the simplicity of it.

I do have an issue the larger Molly Bloom stamps, the one above just fit my 6" x 4" acrylic block and with my Christmas scenic Molly Bloom I had to resort to using a DVD case which I found really difficult to centre and stamp evenly probably due to me having small hands!!   If anyone has found a better alternative to using the larger stamps I would love to know.  There was also a problem with the above stamp despite stamping the image a few times for the decoupage there was an area of the tree which did not make contact with the paper fortunately I managed to fill the gap with paint so that it was not noticeable.  Anyways it's nice to be back and I hope you like my latest effort.

Oops nearly forgot I coloured the image with inks on watercolour paper keeping a watercolour effect as I painted.

Kathleen x

I will enter this card into the following challenges.

Sir Stampalot - Anything Goes
Creative Craft Challenges - Let's 3D It

A Simple Birthday Card

This is the first card I've made since February and it's for my hubby who's birthday is on the 3rd May.  He did however tell me that he wanted a card without ribbons, flowers, or any rubbish sticking on it ( his words not mine).  The card actually became a challenge in itself firstly because I don't have many if any stamps suitable for men, I did find this LOTV stamp which I've not used before the second challenge was colour hubby's favourite colour is black, he wears nothing else but that colour.  With this in mind I decided use the Promarker cool grey's to colour the image, I had to make two attemps at the colouring as I wanted to leave a lot of white contrast for clarity.  The card stock is a textured Ivory, I've also stamped the image on the card insert.

I'm disappointed with the photographs as I had to take the pictures early this morning so the light was not great.  In reality the card looks  really crisp and neat. 

Hope you like
Kathleen x

I'm going to enter the card into the following challenges.

I Love Promarkers - No designer Papers
Crafty Creations - White Space
Moving along with the Times - Anything Goes
Creative Card Crew - Childs Play

Gift Box - Hat Box

I had the idea to make this gift box after chatting with Kaz at Crafty Bunch where she mentioned a challenge with a hat theme.  I already had this circular box and an old template for a hat and completed the project last night.  To be honest when I started to decorate the box I had in mind a more shabby look but like so many crafting projects they end up nothing like the original idea.

I've used a plain striped paper which I've stamped with tiny flowers and leaves along the base of the box and round the edges of the lid.  The hat was made from the template below and decorated with ribbon, flowers and trim.

Hat Template

I'm not sure who created the original template to give credit too except to say I've had it quite a few years.  I've writen the sizes I've worked to but any size can be worked from the diagram.

I was looking at  Sir Stampalot Challenge which is Ladies and Fashion and I think this project fits their theme.

Hope you like and thanks for stopping by
Kathleen x

I'm entering this project into the following challenge

Sir Stampalot - Ladies and Fashion
The Shabby Tea Room - #56 Spring Color

Paper Topiary

Hi everyone sorry I've not blogged for quite a while, the saying 'It never rains but it pours' comes to mind which put crafting and my blog on the back burner for a few weeks, it's only been this last week where I've felt like doing any crafting at all and I have to thank Sue of Crafty Bunch for getting me back on the crafting track with paper topiary tree's.

Sue had created a wonderful paper topiary tree and I just had to have a go myself, typical I'm a glutton for punishment and had to make three using my scrap leftover papers. 

• The tree on the left I made using the Nestabilites Scallop dies, wetting and scruching the circles into flowers shapes.  I left the flowers to dry and sprayed with starch and fixed to a round polystyrene ball with crafting glue ( I found after that a glue gun works so much better).  The base is a recycled tin which I've covered with paper and finished with a lace edge. (approx 50 flowers used)

• The flowers on the tree back right were made with a MS punch and another flower shaped punch, pinned together with brads and glued to the ball. the stems were made by holding a few wooden kebab sticks together and bound with Tim Holtz paper tissue or you could use Japanese washi tape the exact same thing with lots of colours and patterns to choose from. (approx 100 flowers used)

• The flowers on the front tree were made from using the two smallest flower shapes from the Tim Holtz 'Tattered Florals die. (approx 60 flowers used).

I hope you like this project as much as I did creating it.

Kathleen x

I will enter this project into the following challenge

Sir Stampalot - Spring is in the Air

Spring Is In The Air

I love Spring and to me it's the best time of year, I've noticed Crocus are starting to bloom giving a beautiful splash of colour, which makes me feel all warm and happy inside.  Having said this I've been  off colour all week so I've not had the energy to do very much this week and that includes crafting. 

I made the card above for the I ♥ Promarkers challenge, and theme is Stitching real or faux and of course the use of Promarkers, our sponsor is Digi Doodle Shops Best and for my card I chose this sweet  image as it had a lovely Spring/Summer feel to it.  I actually blew the dust off my sewing machine and stitched the background strip with pink cotton choosing a leaf type stitching to compliment the die cut leaves, flowers and a mix of designer papers to complete the card.

Before I forget I have a small blog candy giveaway just scroll down to my previous post and leave a comment I'll draw a winner on Friday.

Thank you for stopping by I really appreciate your comments
Kathleen x

Saturdays Child

Saturday's here and what better way to celebrate than using this fabulous image from Mo Manning  appropriately named Saturdays Child,  I've used Promarkers to colour the image and added a little bit of organic raffia seemed to suit the image.

I've also had a little sort out and came across two Crafters Companion Ink Pads as I only need one I'm putting the extra one on this post as a giveaway.  If you would like the chance to win just leave a comment on this post.  No need to become a follower I will draw a winner next Friday. I'll post world wide so everyone is welcome.

Kathleen x

I will enter this card into the following challenge

Sir Stampalot - All Creatures Great and Small

Mo's Savannah on Easter

Just a quick post I was browsing the challenges this morning and decided to have a go at Mo's Challenge which is a sketch by Cathy, I was just in the right frame of mind to have a couple hours of colouring and chose this image called Savannah on Easter, not that I had any thoughts of creating an Easter card, I just loved the image and had the urge to colour her with Promarkers, I've also added glitter to the edge of the petticoat but as always happens the camera has not picked this up.  The backing papers are a mixed bunch of off cuts from other projects the daisies on the bottom edge of the image are paper punched and the heart is a Mariannes die, a few flowers completed the card.

Hope you like

Kathleen x

I am entering this card into

Mo's Challenge #70 a sketch by Cathy
Totally Paper Crafts - Do It With Digi's
Cute Card Thursday - Shiny Happy Cards
Dutch Dare - Show some Sparkle

Pretty Sitting Tilda

First I would like to thank everyone who entered the first I ♥ Promarkes Birthday Blog Hop and for all your lovely comments.  I used the random generator thingy and the winner of my gift is....Drum roll............

Denise - The Crafty Den

Congratulations Denise if you could contact me with your details I'll get the goodies in the post, you can reach me at this email address  tcup@hotmail.co.uk

Now onto my card for the latest I ♥ promarker Challenge and the theme for this week is Paper Piecing and our sponsor  is Die Cut Dreams.  Remember we need to see Promarkers being used to be eligible for the prize draw.

It seems ages since I last did a Tilda card and to be honest I bought this little beauty at the NEC last November and had completely forgotten I had her  (how sad is that), I've coloured her with Promarkers and the potted plant is an Hanglar Stanglar stamp which I bought sometime ago and it too is having its debut with Tilda, I've paper pieced the plant pot with some scrap DP, the flowers again are coloured with Promarkers.  The lacy cloth is cut from a paper doily, the flowers are from Wild Orchid and the backing papers are from the V&A Hanoverian collection.  Lol just lately all my cards seem to tilt to oneside I must get an arm prop when I'm taking the photo's.  Oh yes nearly forgot I used the word processor for the text on the plant tag and cut this freehand.

Thank you for stopping by and for your lovely comments
Kathleen x

I will enter this card into the following challenge
Magnolia Stamp Lovers - Pastels
Moving Along With The Times - Photo Inspiration

                                                   

Promarker Blending Demonstration

I thought it was time to have a play with the camcorder and create a demonstration on how I coloured this little Hanglar Stanglar image.

I make no apologies for the times I say 'Ivory' or for my peculiar Yorkshire/Midlands accent, I do however apologise for the grainy video's which I had to compress loosing quite a lot of picture quality.  I've divided the demonstration into three parts.  The jacket and hat are featured first followed by the skirt scarf etc finishing with skin tones and hair.

Part #1

Part #2

Part #3

I hope you enjoyed my demonstration

Kathleen x

I ♥ Promarkers Birthday Blog Hop

This week over on I ♥ ProMarkers, we’re having a Blog Hop to celebrate our 1st Birthday which will also be our weekly challenge. I hope you will all join us in our first ever Blog Hop, with a Birthday themed card and don't forget we need to see Promarkers being used on your project
We’ve got prizes from Whiff of Joy and Letraset for the lucky winner and also, all the DT girls have a little prize to give to someone leaving a comment on their blogs. The Blog Hop will end at 6 pm on Tuesday 1st February and the winners will be placed on the challenge blog, along with our next challenge, on Wednesday 2nd February.

For the Birthday Blog Hop I decided to make this card with one of the very popular digital stamp from Sugar Nelli, I've coloured her with promarkers and completed the card with flowers and a simple birthday sentiment.  Now on to my prize for the Birthday Blog Hop which is:-


                                       15 Colour Box Ink Pads plus a small wad of square doilies

                                      Plus 3 packs of Japanese papers, mulberry leaves and roses

For a chance to win, just leave me a comment and complete the hop around the DT blogs.
Here’s the sequence of DT blog, you need to hop around them in this order and leave your comment on each one.

Karen

Kate

Julie

Lorraine

Wynneth

Ruth

Tine

                Then go back to I ♥ ProMarkers and leave a picture of your project with Mr Linky.

                                    Good Luck and thank you for stopping by Kathleen x

I've entered this card into the following challenges
Cupcake #128 - Seeing Red
Whoopsi Daisy - Give Us Your Heart
Polka Doodles #5 - With Hearts
My time To Craft - Hearts and Flowers
Papertake Weekly - Have a Heart

6" Card Box Template

Sometimes it's not always possible to send out cards in an envelope especially if there are layers of flowers, ribbon and bling attached to them.  I usually make my own card boxes sometimes I leave them blank or like the one below it's as much fun decorating them as it is making the card to fit it. 

                                      Here is my template which I'm happy to share with you.

Hope you like and thank you for stopping by
Kathleen x 

Lavender and Lace

This week at I ♥ Promarkers the challenge theme is Lavender and Lace and our sponsor is Digi  Doodle Shops.  My card was made using one of their images, which I've coloured with Promarkers, I've sewn silk ribbon around the oval and found a fab piece of lace which I've used to cover the background paper, to be honest I thought it might be too deep but it seems to work so I'm happy with it.

Hope you like and thank you for stopping by.

I will enter this card into the following challenges.

Pink Gem - #13 Ribbon and Lace

Creative Stamp Friends - #17 Shapes

Digi Doodle Shops Best - #43 Anything Goes

No Strawberries But Lots of Cream

It's one of those days where I've played with paints and paper, not I might add with anything definite to make, I wanted to try out some Aqua Markers from Letraset and I managed to paint this Hanglar girl on  lightweight watercolour paper, as I was in play mode I decided to use nothing but watercolour paper to construct this card, I was interested in creating texture using only one type of paper. I used the sketch by Donalda  from Just Magnolia and Hanglar Stanglar Challenge with a slight variation to the band. The watercolour paper is white, but it has a creamy look to it which reminded me of Strawberries and Cream, no idea why lol.

I've not made my mind up yet about the Aqua Markers, the only advice I will offer is do not use the pens direct to paper or use the blender as I've found the pigment takes off a layer of paper which leaves nasty dark spots on the colouring.  I used a cheap watercolour brush and water. scribbling the pigment onto an acrylic block and picking the paint up with a damp brush applying washes of colour until I was happy (which is nearly always never).  Anyways I've enjoyed my day despite it being cold, dark and flippin miserable outside
Hope you like and thank you for taking the time to stop by
Kathleen x

 I think this card suits the following challenges

Just Magnolia and Hanglar Stanglar - week #90 Sketch by Donalda
Lovely Hanglar - #16 Anything Goes
The Shabby Tea Room - #45 White and Bright
Hodge Podge shop - White on White
Stamp Something - Something Cute

Use those punches

Hi this week's challenge at I ♥ Promarkers is to use Punches we need to see punches being used on your projects to be eligable for the prize draw.  This  week our sponsor is Crafty Individuals and there is an awwwsome prize for the lucky winner,   Don't forget to use Promarkers on your project too.
For this card I used a Mo Manning digital which I've coloured with Promarkers, the papers used are from the Jack n Jill paper stack by Prima Marketing.  The flowers and leaves are paper punched and the heart I made from a Nesti die and further decorated with a heart charm and silk ribbon.
Hope you like and thank you for stopping by
Kathleen

I will enter this card into the following challenge

Incy Wincy Designs - #76 Go  Dotty
Kaboodle Doodles  #49 Do It With Digis
Tellens Place - Punches
2 Sister - #21 Gettin Girly
Craft Your Days Away = #11 Anything Goes

Oh What Joy!

I bought a couple of Sugar Nelli digital stamps the other day and the image on this card is called Joy and she is just adorable, I did however have some doubts about colouring her as shading is already applied to the images and I always prefer to add my own shading and light source.  Once I started to colour I realised there was plenty of scope to enhance the shading etc especially on this image.  I've used Promarkers to colour the image, the papers are from the collection Gossamer, I've embossed the oval background and also added new  laser cuts from the Papermania Bird Song pack, hearts and ribbon complete the card.  I've used the sketch from this weeks challenge over at the Sugar Bowl and will enter this card into their challenge

Hope you like and thank you for stopping by
Kathleen x

I will also enter this card into the following challenges

Sugar Bowl #50 - Marlene's Sketch
Cupcake Craft Challenge #124 - Something New ( new laser cuts and image)
Ooh La La Creations #71 - Bling it On

Recycle Challenge

Hi this week I ♥ Promarkers challenge is Recycle and for my card I salvaged a couple of buttons from an old cardy which was destined for the rubbish bin.  Our sponsor this week is Joanna Sheen who is giving a £10 voucher to the lucky winner.
I made this card using papers from the jack n Jill stack by Prima Marketing, the dragon stamp is called Dragon's Luck and is a  Sweet Pea stamp and I've used Promarkers to colour the image.  Hope you like and thank you for stopping by.
Kathleen x

I will enter this card into the following challenges

Kaboodle Doodles - #48 Anything Goes
The Shabby Tea Room - #43 Eleven Elements
Ladybug Crafts Ink TLT - #9 Anything Goes
Southern Girls Challenge - #9 Anything Goes
In A Sweet Pea Dream - Ribbon and Bows

Oh Dear... Who's Sulky Now

Hi all... It's an age since I last posted anything and to be honest I was fed up of logging on and seeing the same flippin Cracker on my previous post, so this evening I blew the dust of my colour pencils and coloured this image by Mo Manning, isn't she adorable despite the sulky face.  I've decided to mount and frame it rather than completing as a greetings card, hence no sentiments and minimal bling.   It's been a couple of years since I did anything with colour pencils so I'm a bit rusty, plus I usually paint larger projects so I've had to adjust how I applied the colour to a small image and was not sure if it would turn out OK. 

I've used Faber Castell PolyChromo pencils on  pastel paper building layer upon layer of different colours  until I was happy with the end result and for once I obeyed the golden rule know when to stop lol.  I do have a pointer in regards to colour pencils Prisma/karisma pencils are wax based and any completed work will, after time develop a white bloom, it can be easily removed with a soft cloth so it's best to seal work first before this happens.  Faber Castell Polychromo pencils are Oiled Based slightly harder to blend but they won't develop the white bloom to mar any work.  Hope you like and thank you for stopping by.

Wishing you all a very happy, productive and creative 2011

Kathleen x

I will enter this project into the following challenge

Mo's Challenge - #63 Bless the beast and the children
Craft your Passion - #39 Anything Goes