DU2DS Challenge 45 - Shaped Card

Hi everyone, another fortnight gone by and the start of another challenge on Dare U 2 Digi Stamp. This time our theme is a shaped card and we have some gorgeous inspiration from my DT friends so we hope you can join us. I've made a swing/flip flop card which is a great shape but it's very hard to photograph :D and I've used a sweet 'Pure Innocence' digi image coloured with copic and promarkers. After the card was cut I stamped with a Viva background stamp and white ink, added a white panel which is stamped with two Viva flower stamps in distress ink then finished off with felt flowers and pearls. Thanks as always for your lovely comments, they're always appreciated. Have a good Friday.

DU2DS Challenge 44 - Blooms and charms

Hi everyone, a new challenge starts today on Dare U 2 Digistamp and this we have a lovely theme of blooms and charms.  There's gorgeous inspiration from my DT friends so I hope you'll join us.

I've used a sketch I just finished of a cherry bowl  which is digitally tinted and printed on linen card. The background paper is by Websters Pages from one of their digi kits the little heart is a Maya Road chipboard piece that I painted with white acrylic paint then glittered with Martha Stewart white tinsel glitter. Decorated with a Viva paper pen, red wire edge ribbon and a pretty pin. There are flowers in my background paper but I totally forgot the charm, oops! Have a good Friday and thanks as always for your lovely comments.

Dare U 2 Digi Stamp Challenge 38 - One for the boys

 Hi everyone, a card today for our new challenge on Dare U 2 Digi Stamp where this time our challenge is 'One for the boys'. I hope you can join us and there are some amazing cards from my DT friends as always.

I've used 'tyre tread star' for my 'Father's Day' card. The stars were printed onto linen card and then cut out and mounted onto black card punched with an MS punch and then white linen card base. Sentiment is by Elzybells and I've inked around the edge of the card with distress ink. I'm giving the star image away as a freebie so if you'd like it you can pick it up from here. TFL.

DU2DS 33

Hi everyone, it’s ‘no patterned paper’ this time at DU2DS and I’ve used one of my favourite combinations of kraft card sponged with white ink and doodled with white pen for my background. The card blank is cut on the Cricut and the white card is punched with an EK Success scalloped border punch. My image is a sweet Shy Bear digi from squigglefly coloured with pencils and then glittered with stickles. I added some scrunched ribbon, nestability die cut swirls, flower and gem to decorate. Hope you can join us for this one and there’s some wonderful inspiration from my DT friends. Enjoy your Friday, nearly the weekend :D. TFL.

DU2DS 30 – Hearts/Valentine

Hi everyone, here’s my card for the new challenge at Dare U 2 Digi Stamp where this time we have a theme of hearts/valentine. I’ve used the ‘love fairy’ which will soon be available in the digi shop and coloured her with pencils. There’s lots of stickles for sparkle and I’ve matted the image onto a square doily then a pink card blank edged with white ink. The pretty flower is misted with pink glimmer mist and I added some lemon opaque gems and tulle to finish it off. Have a lovely Friday….nearly the weekend! TFL.

DU2DS 29 - Buttons

Hi everyone, it’s our first challenge of 2010 on Dare U 2 Digi Stamp today and we’re starting off with a theme of buttons. There’s some great inspiration from my design team friends and we hope you can join us.

I’ve used my rose heart digi soon to be available which is coloured with markers and then cut out. I gathered some lace and glued it around the heart then added it to the lilac bazzil easel card which was embossed with a CB embossing folder then sponged with dusty concorde distress ink. The tag is cut from the same card with a nestie tag die and I added the heart shaped button, stickles and doodlebug rub on letters for the sentiment. Have a good Friday. TFL.

Dare U 2 Digi Stamp Challenge 28

Hi everyone, I hope you’re all getting close with your preparations for Christmas and not making last minute cards as I am :D but if you are we have a nice challenge on DU2DS from today which is ‘last minute Christmas cards’. There’s great inspiration from my DT friends and a prize of some images so I hope you can join us.

I’ve used the ‘Christmas wreath’ digi, coloured with markers and glittered with stickles and teamed up the images for my three cards with some ‘My Mind’s Eye’ paper. I used the reverse side of the paper to do a punched border and I’ve done some edge distressing and doodling too. Quite plain designs but I was able to make them quickly.

As I’ve been writing this post we’ve had several inches of snow which is very unusual, I think I’ll be staying put tomorrow! TFL.

DU2DS 25 and Just Magnolia Featured Stamper

Hi everyone, Friday again and time for another DU2DS challenge. This time our DT friend Larissa has designed a great sketch for us to follow which we all enjoyed using and we hope you can join us. There are some digital images for a prize and some great inspiration from my DT friends.  I’ve used a soon to be available digi ‘Got Turkey’ which is coloured with copics and then cut out, I’ve also put some glaze on his eyes and nose and added some sparkle with a copic spica clear gel pen on the turkey. The paper is by K&Co and I’ve distressed all the edges with scissors. I added some doodling around the edge of the card blank, a ribbon, gem and a doodlebug sentiment to finish off.

I was delighted to be asked by Bev and Jacquie to be a featured stamper on the Just Magnolia Challenge and I’ve done a little picture ‘how to’ for distressing which is up on the challenge now. Thank you very much ladies for inviting me, I really enjoyed doing it. This is the card I made to go along with the how to and it was made to one of Rach’s lovely sketches from a few weeks back.

This gorgeous Tilda was coloured with copics and cut out. I used some dark pink card for the layers and BasicGrey Lemonade papers.

I’m hoping to have something to post tomorrow but if not hope you have a good weekend. If anyone is going to the Craft Barn Mini Fest on Saturday, I’ll be there demonstrating the new Little Clair stamps and I hope to catch up with you there. Also, if anyone is going to the NEC on Sunday, I’ll be demonstrating on the Magnolia Stamps stand for a couple of hours in the morning and it would be great to meet anyone who’s going to be there too. TFL.

Dare U 2 Digi Stamp Challenge 24 - Colour Challenge Orange, Yellow, and Black or White

Hi everyone, Friday has rolled round again, so fast! Here's my card for DU2DS where this time the challenge is the colour combo of orange, yellow and black or white. I've gone for the black option and used one of my friend Sandra's gorgeous Rock Chick digi images, 'singer' and she's coloured with Copic markers. The paper is by BasicGrey from the Obscure collection and the card blank is a Papermania scalloped card. To decorate I've cut out some star shapes on the cricut from yellow bazzil card, sponged the edges with black distress ink and then coated them with the new Ranger Crackle paint 'Rock Candy' which is really gorgeous and gives a nice small crackle. I also added the black bead string (thanks Tara x), some sparkle gel pen, some black gems and a rub on sentiment. Hope you have a great weekend. TFL.

Dare U 2 Digi Stamp Challenge 22 - Punched Shapes or Die Cuts

Hi everyone hope you're all looking forward to the weekend and we're nearly there!!! Here's my card for DU2DS where the challenge this time is Punched Shapes or Die Cuts, so there are many possibilities including punches, nestabilities, dies, pre-cut chipboard etc. I've punched some snowflakes for my card from my background paper which is by K&Co and the name escapes me at the moment but I'll update when I check. I've used my new digi image 'Christmas Card Crisis' and watercoloured with distress inks then added stickles, sparkle glaze pen and silver glitter pen which hardly shoes up at! A straightforward card design as I wanted the image to be the main focus. To finish off I tied a red ribbon at the top and added some gems to the centres of the snowflakes.

If anyone is going to Ally Pally on Saturday I hope you'll shout as I'm going too and meeting up with some of my blogging friends for the first time which is brilliant. Have a great weekend. Chris x

Dare U 2 Digi Stamp Challenge 20 - A recipe

Hi everyone and I hope you're reading this second scheduled post :). Challenge 20 at Dare U 2 Digi Stamp is a recipe challenge suggested by Caroline, so thanks Caroline, I really enjoyed this one! As well as your digital image we'd like to see 2 patterned papers, 3 flowers and 1 ribbon. My DT friends have come up with some wonderful creations with this recipe and I hope you'll be able to join us. I've used my sunflowers image which is available in the digi shop, I often buy these flowers when they're in season as they're one of my favourites, they always seem so cheerful and make me smile. I coloured them with markers and then cut the image out. The card blank is cut from Bazzil card and my two patterned papers are Marrakech by BasicGrey. The paper edges are distressed with scissors and I've done some doodling with sparkle and glaze gel pens. Added some thin green ribbon and an arrangement of flowers and punched leaves to decorate. TFL and see you with another scheduled post in a few days. Enjoy your weekend. Chris x

Dare U 2 Digi Stamp Challenge 19- Blue, Green and White or Cream

Hi everyone, another Dare U 2 Digi stamp challenge card and this time it's a colour combo of blue, green and white or cream with a digital image. I've used my daisy vase image and coloured it with markers. The background is also coloured with markers and sponged at the edges then layered on BasicGrey Limeade paper which is also edge sponged. I've done some piercing and faux stitching on the patterned paper and added stickles to the image, a pretty ribbon courtesty of my friend Tara (x) , a rub on sentiment and some pearls. The dark blue card is core'dinations and I've distressed the edges with scissors. Isn't it typical that you only ever notice that things are skewed after you've uploaded your photo :), I'll leave you to find that one :D but it shouldn't take too long! Hope you have a great weekend. Thanks for visiting. Chris x

Dare U 2 Digi Stamp Challenge 18 - Distressing

Hi everyone, happy Friday and here's my card for this week's Dare U 2 Digi Stamp challenge. This week we have a dare of distressing and some great inspiration from the design team so we hope you can join us. We also have a guest designer this week and for the month of August, the lovely Jen has agreed to join us and has made a beautiful card, so welcome Jen and we hope you enjoy your stint on the team.

I've used my garden anemone image which will be available soon in the digi shop for this card and coloured it with markers and added some stickles to the centres of the flowers. I've distressed the edges with scissors and sponged all over with distress ink in old paper and a little touch of dried marigold then the edges with vintage photo. The card blank and matting layer is Apricot Bazzil card and the background paper I made by typing up the definition of anemone and printing out. I inked it all over with the same inks as before, screwed up into a ball, flattened out and then inked the surface lightly with vintage photo. The piece was then ironed flat again (seem to use my iron for craft more than for clothes, whoops!!) and distressed all the edges with scissors. I've finished off with a half pearl, lace edging tied in a bow and a yellow button sewn on with embroidery floss. Hope you all have a lovely weekend. TFL. Chris x

Dare U 2 Digi Stamp Challenge 17 - Sketch by Larissa, Copic Create - Botanicals

Hi everyone, my card for Dare U 2 Digi Stamp where this week we have a great sketch by my talented DT friend Larissa, thanks Larissa, I really enjoyed working with it and I hope you like my interpretation of it :D. I'm also entering this card into the Copic Creations Challenge where the theme is botanicals so I've used my new fuschia digi image (soon in the digi shop) and coloured with Copic markers. To make the card I used a Papermania scalloped card blank and sponged all over it randomly with distress inks in peeled paint and scattered straw. I scored double lines top and near to the bottom on my scoreboard to interpret the green shapes on the sketch and then added a piece of Making Memories Fa la la paper in between them. I tore the card for my image and sentiment into rough circles and also sponged these all over and mounted on dimension tape with some satin edged burgundy ribbon. Added some stickles and a pearl to finish. TFL. Chris x

Dare U 2 Digi Stamp Challenge 14 - Embossing

Hi everyone, a card today for Dare U 2 Digi Stamp Challenge 14 and this week the dare is to use embossing on your project. Hope you can join us this week.

I've used my new Butterfly Catcher image, hopefully available next week and I've coloured her with pencils and added some Star Dust Stickles. I've dry embossed some lines on the edges of the image and then inked around with a blue chalk ink pad before mounting with dimension tape on another piece of white card. The background piece is dry embossed again in a criss cross grid and I've also stamped and embossed down the right side of the panel using versamark ink and holographic embossing powder. It has a lovely shimmer but I wasn't able to catch it in this photo. TFL. Chris x

Dare U 2 Digi Stamp Challenge 11 - Chocolate Orange

Hi everyone, and a card today for Dare U 2 Digi Stamp where this week the challenge is a colour theme of Chocolate and Orange. There's some great inspiration for these colours from the design team so I hope you can join us this week.

I would probably give this card to my maiden aunt if I had one and as I don't it's probably going in the bin!!! So very briefly I used the arum lilies digi image which I coloured with pencils and cut out, it's all layered over coredinations brown card, sanded and inked with distress ink. The paper is MME bloom and grow and I've added some orange voile, a papermania sentiment, flowers and pearls to finish. TFL. Chris x

Dare U 2 Digi Stamp Challenge 10 - Ribbons

Hi everyone, hope you've all had a good week, it's nearly the weekend and also time for another Dare U 2 Digi Stamp challenge. This week our dare is ribbons and there's some fantastic inspiration from my DT friends with lovely ideas for using them, I hope you can join us this week. 

I've used my perfume bottles digi stamp which is now available in the shop (link at the top of sidebar). The colouring is done with pencils and I've added some stickles for a bit of sparkle. The background paper is Penny Black, white with gold embossed flowers, it's very pretty and I've managed to hoard it for a very long time so it's about time it was used.  The card blank and mats are pearlescent gold card and I've added the two pink ribbons and a Prima flower with a bead cup (thank you Bev) and pearl to finish. Oh, the sentiment is Papermania. TFL. Chris x

Dare U 2 Digi Stamp Challenge 9 - Sketch

Hi everyone and here we are at Challenge 9 on Dare U 2 Digistamp, I can't believe how quickly the weeks are going by! We have a lovely sketch to follow this week which was designed by our lovely and talented Donna and I really enjoyed working with it, definitely one to use again in the future. There's wonderful inspiration from the Design Team so I hope you can join us this week.

I've used my Anemone digi stamp which will in the digi shop very shortly and I've coloured it with pencils and then cut out. All the layers are bazzil and canson card, they've been distressed and pierced and faux stitched with a white gel pen on the edges and all the centres have been stamped with a PI swirl stamp with the sparkly version of Versamark. There's also a grid of scoring on the white panel, but it's not showing up at all in the photo. Added the ribbon, some pearls and the die cut sentiment to finish.

Dare U 2 Digi Stamp Challenge 8 - One for the boys

Hi everyone, Friday and time for another DU2DS challenge where this week the Dare is 'One for the boys'. Hope you can join us this week and put some of your digi images to good use for those Father's day cards that will be needed shortly :D. There's some great inspiration from the Design Team, hope you can pop over and have a peek. 

I've used Sandra's :D fantastic Simples meerkat for my card which is a birthday card for my hubby on Tuesday, hopefully he isn't going to read this post! The image is marker coloured, cut out and mounted over the background layers of bazzil card and a copyright free web image that I've resized and printed. I added a couple of tabs at the top which are corner rounded then added some BG Ambrosia brads. Doodled in white, trying to create a kind of leather look luggage effect, not sure if I've achieved it but I love doodling with white pen. Added my sentiment down the blank book spines and a bit of stickles to Simples cravat to finish it off. Hope you have a great weekend and for those in the UK a great bank holiday weekend, lets hope the nice weather continues. See you tomorrow with my BG card. Chris x

Dare U 2 Digi Stamp Challenge 7

Hi everyone and a card today for Dare U 2 Digi Stamp Challenge where this week the challenge is a lovely colour theme of Lilac and Lemon. Lots of inspiration from the design team so I hope you can join us.

I've used my Pansy image this week which will be available soon in the digi shop, the colouring is a combinatin of markers and pencils and I've matted it on lilac bazzil card. The card blank is made from lemon Core-dinations card which I've distressed on the edges, embossed with CB textile embossing folder. More distressing with some sanding over the embossing and round the edges and then sponging with dusty concord distress ink. The bottom edge of the card is punched with a ribbon border punch and threaded with lilac gingham ribbon to finish off. TFL and see you tomorrow with my BG card. Chris x