Naptime?

I think of all the places I like best, the one where it's almost painful to leave, is tucked up and cosy under a big fluffy duvet. And not just first thing in the morning either, I have always been partial to an afternoon nap, and whilst my small person does still have a nap most afternoons, it's not long enough for me! I need at least an hour and a half, followed by another half an hour of half waking, day dreaming. Blimey, I'm making myself tired even as I write. Better get on then!
My crafting mojo has been a bit absent this week, have spent a large portion of every evening staring at paper without having the slightest clue what to do with it. This evening I decided to print off a few digis, colour them in in front of some random TV show, and see what happened.
Lo and behold, a card has emerged, and it is quite possibly the most un-usable card I've ever made! I mean what possible occasion would call for such a card? Any suggestions would be gratefully received ;)

The digi was no doubt a freebie, but sincere apologies to the artist, but I don't know who you are! The sentiment was another freebie from the oh-so generous lady at Create with TLC, who has a huge amount of wonderful word art and images available.
The pussy cat was coloured in with pencils and blended with Zest-it, and cut out with my Nesties 1, I have chalked all over the white card with a green chalk to soften it a bit, and then mounted it onto some green Bazzill card, and then onto some Cosmo Cricket floral BP, which again is layered onto the same green Bazzill. The ribbon was a gift, along with the buckle, and I thought it looked a little like a cat's collar so there it sits in all it's glory.... (?)
I would like to enter into the following challenges:
Ladybug Crafts Ink - Animals
The Outlawz Thursday Challenge - Anything Goes
Fab n Funky - Cute and Cuddly

Men. Again.....

Well I did mention that I had a few cards to make this month for the males of the species (although I'm not convinced they are the same species as me). Today's offering is a birthday card for my brother, and it is, even as we speak, working it's way through the postal system to hopefully land on his doormat on Monday 23rd May.
I made the card using a turtle stamp from Whipper Snapper, and coloured it in using my Promarkers, I've inked the edges with some Old Paper Distress Ink - find it softens the edges nicely and adds a bit of depth.

The BP's are the front and reverse of a MME paper called "Bloom" from the Bloom & Grow range. I bought a couple of sheets weeks and weeks ago, at a vastly reduced price, and they've lasted ages, despite using bits and pieces on loads of different cards. Also managed to sneak a bit of skinny turquoise ribbon on there too ;)

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
Crafty Catz Challenge #83 - Anything Goes
I Love Promarkers Challenge #66 - Animals
Ai Factory Challenge - Boys will be Boys

When inspiration strikes...

You just have to go with the flow! That's what happened to me this evening, and such a happy time has been had as a result. I have a few birthdays coming up in the month of June for some lovely ladies in the We love to send a RAK group on Papercraft Planet, so I was needing to find some inspiration from somewhere. Where better to look than on our good friend Blogger?

Browsing around (as you do), I saw the Clean & Simple Challenge, and thought "hmmmm, I could do that", then when I saw the entries on Mr Linky, I saw this one and the rest, as they say, is history. So with inky fingers and embossing powders galore I have 3 cards to show you this evening :)

This was the first one I made - I used a piece of card and low tack masking tape, to mask a band across the front of a plain white base card, then using Tattered Rose Distress ink, I distressed above and below the band. The sentiment is by Stampin Up and has been heat embossed in gold ink/clear powder. The flower image was an attempt at shadow stamping, and I know if I try to replicate it, I'll never manage it again! I inked up my stamp and stamped it once on scrap paper. I then stamped it again without re-inking just slightly to the left of the original image, again on the scrap paper. The stamp still seemed to have a fair bit of ink on it (Versamagic Pearlescent Poppy), so I thought I would stamp it for a third time, onto my card, and this would be the shadow image. Well, on the second stamping, it must have picked up ink from the first stamping but just on the right hand side of the stamp, so on it's third stamping, it has kind of made it's own shadow. I liked the effect, and I've just left it as it is!

With the second card, I got a bit more carried away. I did the same masking technique as previously and used a crackle effect background stamp with versamark ink and clear embossing powder to make the pattern. This time I used Wild Honey Distress Ink and worked this over the top of the embossed pattern. The Happy Birthday was stamped in dark blue pigment ink and embossed with clear powder, and the butterfly was done the same way, but on a bit of scrap card, and then cut out and mounted on a foam pad. The ribbons were a bit of an afterthought, and I probably shouldn't have bothered with them at all.

And finally #3. Same mask. Clear embossed Anna Griffin flourish stamp and Bundled Sage Distress Ink. The three birdies clear stamp was a gift from a lovely lady Down Under, and I can't remember who it's made by. I've stmped it using Versamagic Pearlescent Ivy and again clear embossed it. Same Stampin Up sentiment as before but this time its stamped in silver and clear embossed.

Bet you're glad to finally get to the end of that one, eh? I would like to enter all or any of them into the following couple of challenges:

Crafty Cardmakers - Embossing
Clean & Simple #140

As I mentioned, I got the idea for the Distress Inking above and below the masked border from this blog, and as it's written in German and I can't find the translate button, I do hope that the lady doesn't mind me being inspired by her artwork. My sincere apologies if this does happen to be the case. Still trying to work out how to leave a comment on her blog......

Crabbit

The sentiment on this card may mislead, so I will explain. For those of you you don't know my Dad, and let's face it, that's all of you, he is a funny sort of man. Don't get me wrong, he's my Dad and I love him to bits, he's just odd. The old Scot's slang word "Crabbit" is defined as "grumpy or miserable". That just about sums him up! But by the same token, he has an interesting sense of humour and a very dry wit. Which most of my friends just did not "get" when I was a teenager and caused me many painful conversations trying to explain what he actually meant.
Anyway, tonight's offering is in honour of his birthday, which is a couple of weeks away yet, but for once I am prepared. Another pertinent fact about this card is that most of the elements have been gifted to me by various lovely crafty friends from the "Anything Goes" group on Papercraft Planet - the image itself, the sentiment and the handmade,brown leathery background paper were all gratefully received gifts.
The handsome, wrinkly chap has been coloured using my promarkers, and mounted onto some green scrap cardstock and then onto the brown leather-look paper. The yellow background card was embossed with Swiss Dots embossing folder and then rubbed over with some Vintage Photo Distress Ink. The sentiment also has been inked in the same way.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
Totally Gorjuss - Not Square
Cute Card Thursday - Distressing

Men!

Mostly said with exasperation! Quite often with some bewilderment too. How do they manage to function with such odd ideas about life? However, I cannot escape from the fact that there are an awful lot of the blighters in the world, and I'm sure most of them do actually have birthdays, so every once in a while I'm going to have to make a card for one of 'em.

This card is for a friend's hubby, who strangely enough is rather partial to fishing.

Not many challenges out there this week calling for masculine cards, but I did find that the Pollycraft Monday Challenge this week is appropriate.

Oh, and the poor man's lunchbox is actually bright orange and not pink, as it looks in the picture!

Live and Learn

So what did I learn today, I hear all you lovely bloggers cry? Well I learnt to plan paper piecing a bit better! I've coloured this Ladybug Crafts Ink stamp a few times, each time colouring that comfy looking seat with Promarkers. Today I decided I would try a bit of paper piecing instead, and whilst it's a little fiddly, it isn't too time consuming.
However, look a little closer my friends and you'll see the error of my ways.... The nicely patterned upholstery is pieced on top of my original image, meaning our Nikki is well and truly sunk into her seat. Next time I'll stamp it again and piece Nikki on top too so it's all nice and even. It's all in the details....

I would like to enter this experimental piece into the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp - Paper Piecing or Piercing
Ladybug Crafts Ink TLT Challenge- Going Dotty