#201 Feathered Friends

Good Morning and Happy Easter to you and your families. It's not Easter here in Cyprus until May but we have lots of visitors from the UK for the Easter holidays and it's lovely to see everyone again. The Winter's are much quieter here and once UK Easter arrives the whole island comes to life again.

It's my turn to choose the theme at Ooh la la challenges and I have chose 'Feathered Friends'. At this time of year the birds are very busy and noisey in our garden. They seem to be arguing over every little piece of grass or straw for their nests....it's really funny to watch them. We get lots of beautiful birds visiting too. This is an Eagle Owl who came to visit a couple of years ago......in the daytime would you believe!!

Here is my inspiration for you.

The image and background paper are from the Ooh La La CD Shawn Jenkins Collection. The diecut flowers are Sizzix and the lace trim is from a new shop just opened here in Cyprus aptly named The Little Shop.

 The owner is stocking mainly woodcrafts and decoupage materials but she does have stamps and some lace and she plans to sell punches. So it's a beginning and I will visit her to encourage this new enterprise here in Paphos.

I hope I've inspired you to join the challenges. You do not have to use and Ooh La La image but it would great if you did and remember you can get freebies at Ooh La la Creations. You'll find the link on the challenge blog. Just click on the link in the sidebar to take you there.

Happy Crafting and Happy Easter to you all!!

'All Creatures Great and Small'

Good Morning. I know I'm a bit late....not like me as I usually schedule my post. My excuse..... not been too well and other half is still struggling with a heavy cold so our sleeping has been non existent really. Hey ho onwards and upwards. We WILL get better!!!

Last time the challenge at CD Sunday was set by me..... a Colour challenges using a photo for inspiration. Wow what a lot of colourful entries. I'm blown away by them all and will have a difficult task choosing my winner!!! You'll have to wait two weeks though!!

This time Jocelyn has chosen 'All Creatures Great and Small'. There are some fab CDs out there to help you create something for this one. Remember it doesn't have to be a card it can be  anything crafty as long as you use a CD and don't forget to mention in your post which CD you've used. This is giving the designer some well deserved credit and we're nosey and like to know!!! You don't have to use the image from the CD it can be the background paper or the sentiment or ribbon strips....anything really . As long as there's something on there from a CD.

Here is my inspiration for you.

I used an older CD from Fjdesigns 'Fee meets Westie'. The images are to make up into pyramage but I decided to use them singularly.

The card is a triple easel with graduated sizes for the easels. The shapes were die cut from nesties and the bottom layers were embossed used the Swiss Dots folder. The sentiment 'HELLO' is made up of single peel off letters. I added a small die cut butterfly to the stopper and you can just see that there are also butterflies on the images. Finally a Happy Birthday peel off sentiment added to the back easel.

A fun, challenging card to make. If you search you should find a demo on Youtube.

I hope I've inspired you to have a go and enter our challenge over at CD Sunday (link in the sidebar). My teamies have created some fab cards to inspire you so pop over and give them some love.

Have fun and I look forward to visiting you soon.

Easter Cards with the Dragonflies.

It will soon be Easter in the UK and Oz. Easter in Cyprus, Greek Orthodox is not for a while yet so we get two Easter celebrations here!! With this in mind Hilde has asked us to create an Easter card for Crafting with Dragonflies' next challenge.

We had some fab 'Girly' cards from you in the last challenge.....thank you for your entries. It's my turn to choose the top three.....it won't be easy! Pop back next week to see if it was you (link in sidebar)

This is my inspiration for you for Easter.

 

I started with an A4 white card stock and folded it in half. Then I took a piece of A5 card stock and cut out an oval in the centre with a scalloped circle die.. I then embossed it and placed it on top of the main card.

The cross was made from some plastic mesh which I cut into the shape of a cross then threaded ribbon through the holes. A crafty friend showed me this technique many, many years ago and I thought I'd give it a go again. I had used some of the crosses to hang from the tree at Christmas so they were to hand, as I'm still tidying up my Christmas stuff !!!.

 

The leaf spray was a Signature die from Joanne Sheen web site and the flowers Spellbinders. I also die cut the 'Easter Blessings' from an Alphabet die set. Finally I added a flat backed pearl to the centre of the cross.

 

I hope you'll be inspired to join us at Crafting with Dragonflies. All entries must be cards and although there's no prize on offer you do have the honour of being in our Top Three chosen by the DT members.

 

Have fun and I look forward to seeing your creations!!

# 200 'Spring is in the Air'

It's time for a new challenge at Ooh La La.......where do the weeks go!!

This time Avril has chosen a lovely theme for this time of the year 'Spring is in the Air'. Here is my inspiration for you.

My image was printed from the Shawn Jenkins collection. There is something for every occasion on this CD so well worth investing in it. There were some extra butterflies on the same topper sheet so I placed them in the centre panel. I found some matching wooden butterflies in my stash......think they may be from Lidls'.....and placed them in each corner. The sentiment reads, 'Spring is here.....Let's have some fun'. I thought this would make a pretty Easter card as it has a birds nest and eggs on the image too.

For more inspiration pop over to Ooh La La challenges.....link in sidebar. My teamies have created some fab designs to inspire you. You don't have to use an Ooh La La CD but if you do we would be pleased. There are also some freebies in the shop website, so well worth a visit too ooh-la-la-creations OnLineCraftShop

Have a crafty week and I look forward to visiting you soon.

Unstampabelles..... ' Unlock your potential'

Another scheduled post from me as I'm away this weekend for an hotel break. With Mothers Day on Sunday March 6th it has come at the perfect time.

It's a new month and a new challenge at 'Unstampabelles'. Susan wants you to 'Unlock your potential' with the twist to add a key. The twist is optional however but the main rule is NO STAMPS neither digi or rubber etc.

So your creations could be :

•  congratulations,
• doorways,
• boxes or treasures
• new job,
•  school,
•  uni,
•  graduation,
•  life,
•  retirement,
•  marriage,
• parenthood

Just a few ideas that Susan has come up with to help you on your way. This is my inspiration for you.

It's a treasure trunk made from card which I painted red using poster paint. The 'straps' are red ribbon strips with gold spots.....how lucky was I to have the perfect ribbon in my scrap stash!! I hand drew and cut out the lock in gold card. Then added two diecut gold hearts to the front. The box is filled with diecut  and charm hearts. There are also gold diecut hearts on the side panels. The 'Ticket to Love' is printed from an OLL CD. I added a key charm with red string tied in a bow and hung it over the front of the box. Eh Voila!! This was made when I was creating Valentines hearts etc. So perfect timing Susan!!

Thank you for looking and I hope I've inspired you to have a go at this new Unstampabelles challenge. There's a great prize on offer too.

 

A fab 6 x 6 stencil and some pretty jewels kindly donated by Susan.

 You have until the end of the month to create something for us to drool over but don't forget no stamping please!! I look forward to visiting you all soon. Have fun!!

CD Sunday Photo Colour Challenge

 

Good Sunday Morning to you. I'm scheduling this post as I'm away again!!! Just for the weekend and of course it coincides with Mothers Day. So an extra treat for me!!

 

Happy Mothers Day to you if you're in the UK. I know it's different in other parts of the world but for us Brits here in Cyprus we celebrate it at the same time as the UK. So it's today!!!

 

Now on with the challenge details at CD Sunday and it's my turn to choose a theme. I have gone for a photo inspiration for you this time. I thought the colours of those chicks were scrumptious and I couldn't resist it. You can choose to use either, the colours or the image or both, in your creation. So lots of scope I think. 

 

 

This is my inspiration for you. I chose the colours and an Easter theme.

 

 

I started off with a square white card blank. Then covered it with designer paper from an Ooh La La CD 'Dreams of Tranquilty'. The image was in my stash, bought from CUP downloads. I printed it twice and decoupaged the eggs in the basket. I made a double bow using two colours of narrow ribbon that matched the colours of the eggs and placed it on the handle next to the tag sentiment.

 

I hope I've inspired you. For some other ideas pop over to CD Sunday (link in the sidebar) and see what the rest of the design team have created.  You won't be disappointed.

 

Now don't forget our rules. To use something from a CD, however small, and to give credit to the CD. Also follow the theme and the usual challenge rules which you can find at CD Sunday.

 

There's a wee crafty gift for my winner plus the honour of being in our Top Three.

 

I hope you're all having a fab day and those of you who are Mums, I hope you are being thoroughly spoilt!!!

 

I look forward to seeing your interpretation of the photo I have chosen to tantalise your creative buds!!

 

Have Fun!!!

Crafting with Dragonflies

Ajax?Good Morning to you. Hope this works as I'm away for the weekend. Just in time for Mothering Sunday!!!

Over at Crafting with Dragonflies there's a new challenge for you . Hilde would like you to make a 'Girlie Card'. The challenge last time was to make a 'Birthday Card' and there were some wonderful creations. Thank you all so much for entering. It's going to be a difficult task for Hilde to chose her Top Three.

This is my inspiration for you this time.

 I used a premade pink handbag template for the base of this card. I ran the flap part through the swiss dots embossing folder. Then added designer paper from a pack to the bottom section. The faux fastener at the top is plain black card stock with a die cut flower added. To the centre I placed a wooden flower and a black heart gem. I cut a banner to put the sentiment on, which is a Happy Mothers Day peel off. Around the handle I added pink flat backed pearls to finish.

So this my inspiration for you. If you want to see more 'Girlie Cards' just click on the link to 'Crafting with Dragonflies' which you'll find on the side bar.

I look forward to visiting you soon to see your 'Girlie Cards'.

Have fun!!