Word of the day: indulgence

Technically speaking I'm supposed to be getting on with some housework as there's no-one about today to try and keep entertained or get distracted by. But that's not altogether fun, so I've had a quite a morning crafting. Cherry's theme for the week is 'indulgence and opulence'. I've gone for indulgence with this fab Tilda imagine. What exciting purchases she must have in that bag!

I've given her slightly sparkly necklaces with a glitter gel pen and also lined the inside with a Kate Knight BP - very unusal for me.

I shall also enter this into:

Moving along with the times - fashion

Fussy and fancy - embossing and/or paper piecing

Sweet stampin' - oh so girly

Blue bauble

It's really rather rainy here today so my mood didn't quite fit for making a spring card (or to be able to put the washing out on the line!) so I meandered over to Die Cut Christmas Dreams and was immediately inspired by their challenge. It's a sketch, with a colour combo of blue and pink.

I've chalked the base card in soft blue and baby pink using a small bauble peel off as a resist. Then watercoloured and mounted a large version of the same bauble adding ribbon, gems and a greeting.

I must admit I find it hard to put mismatch ribbon or papers on a card as I like things symmetrical but I took a deep breath and went for it. I think it works quite well.

Sparkle!

This week's sketch challenge on CMLI is run by the lovely Cherry. Along with the sketch, the theme is "All that glisters, glistens, shimmers, sparkles, twinkles, shines..."

I've piled quite a lot on (for me!) and used a sparkly BP that I haven't used in a while. I really enjoyed watercolouring the little girl's hair to match my daughter's as this is going to be for her.

Flowers are from a secret santa present, the brads were in a bargain bin at the Stamp Magic show last October, the image from a pal and the first use of my new Nellie Snellen dies.

Here's the sketch:

Here's my interpretation:

Beach hut bunting

Saturday was sketch day as usual over at CMLI - often a highlight of the week. This week Kathy stipulated the use of a DL card and to use oodles of white space... so I had a rummage around and found this card stock which is textured and almost watercolour paper. I set about cracking open my watercolour pencils and waterbrushes as I relish any chance to practice.

A craft pal of mine has had a busy time of late and is taking a break for a few days by the coast. I thought this might be just the ticket to send to her for when she returns.

I've used Little Claire's beach hut stamp set and watercoloured the bunting and bucket & spade. The blue 'porthole' is chalked with two tones of  blue.

I'll also enter this into:

Little Claire - anything goes

One Stitch At A Time - anything but square

Paperminutes - water

Pixie Dust Studio - don't be square

Feathered 40th

My friend at work is 40 on Saturday. She's a wonderful lass and blessed with amazing skin so looks about 32...I put it down to all that fresh farm air when she was a kid. So I had to go with a nature theme for this one and of course, stick that all important 4-0 number on it.

I've used the Papermania birdsong papers and stickers,along with some fibres I got from Craft Obsessions (they are lovely over at CO, you get a little section of fibre or ribbon with your order as a nice extra). Then I die cut using a Nellie Snellen an embossed panel received in a recent swap from pal Kobie and heat embossed the 40.

I like how it has turned out and really makes a feature of the BP.

I'll also enter this into:

Creative Inspirations - plain and simple

Meljens Designs - birthday

Bow and Berries - blog candy

To celebrate the launch of Bows and Berries Digital Stamp Shop the gals are offering up some blog candy. Looks yum!

Why not hop on over and take a look at their new online store? It looks like they have some great digis to me :)

White Christmas...in February

Well, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm really enjoying making Christmas cards at the moment. I think it's because there are some great challenges around to get the creative juices flowing.

Over at DCD this week's challenge is 'White Christmas...with a hint of colour', so I've gone for a white and green combo as it also fits Clare's recipe on CMLI at Craftbubble. Clare is a real Christmas card addict, it's her fault I'm hooked! (Though anyone who knows us knows it's usually Wynneth that makes us do it.) Tee hee :)

I've made a spine which always covers up the ends of a ribbon border (we like practical AND pretty don't we?!), heat embossed a snowflake background and included a 'deconstructed present' in the form of the white dotty square with ribbon tags.

It's quite exciting doing the deconstructed thing as it helps see things from a different perspective and gives the elements quite a different effect I think.

So, entering this into:
Die Cut Christmas Dreams - White Christmas
Jingle Belles - no red she said
Stamp Fairy - white with a touch of colour
Challenge Up Your Life - monochrome