Simply Betty Challenge

Every month Betty is very generous and gives away an image to use in a challenge.  I haven't been able to do the challenge for a few months now (time!) but I saw this image and just knew I had to use her! She is called Summer and the challenge is to create your own background. 

I have never done a background without stamps or somesuch, so this WAS a challenge!  I did the clouds on the mat, and also did leaves on the layer down.  The clouds on the mat were done using copics and a mask, and the leaves were done with chalks and a mask.

Took the photo on top of the guinea pig hutch, but the sun has virtually bleached out the leaf background!  But can you see the blue sky?  Gorgeous!

And, of course, the obligatory closeup!  She was a gem to colour!

So there you go - thanks for popping by - I really need to get on with a blog giveaway soon - am sure I have a reason to celebrate!

Ruthie x

AudSentiments DT CALL!

Oh Yes! A DT call over at AudSentiments, coupled with an Anything goes challenge!  We are going to be busy!

Excuse the hurried post, but it is gone midnight and I am up for work in less than 6 hours!  Eeeeep!

Image bugaboo - first time doing a background with all the dots - nice result but gosh, so many dots!  

No one can say I am keeping you hanging around now can they - go on then, off with you over to AudSentiments to get your entry in! How could you NOT want to get one of these positions???

Ruthie x

Best Friends....

A really quick post up.....

 

Over at AudSentiments we have a challenge to use the word FRIEND on a card....

 

 

 

 

Cute image or what????

 

Thanks for stopping by......oh - and take a peek at aud sentiments next week - we have a dt call coming up...shhhhhhhh! x

Papercutting

I have been having a little play around with paper cutting recently - that's with a scalpel, not my wonderful eclips. 

 I cut the one above for my brother's birthday - he has lots of Queens on his walls! 

And this one is a Paper Panda design, but I did cut it and am quite pleased with how it turned out!

Thanks for popping by and don't forget our Aud Sentiments blog hop!

Ruthie x

Aud Sentiments Happy Birthday

Wow!  Three years old!!!  Seriously, who can imagine that?

Now, hopefully, you have arrived to me from Mel's blog - wasn't her creation gorgeous?  Phew, hard act to follow!....

If you didn't come here from Mel, then why not pop over to AudSentiments and find out all the information about our birthday celebrations?

So here is my card....the image was from My Heart Pieces....and I cut out the frame and lace edge with sizzix eclips machine - gotta love that!  The cut files were from Lettering Delights (oblong frame) and SVG Cuts (crochet edging).  

Regulation close up of image!  I did enjoy colouring this one - just such a gorgeous image! 

Now, you are on your way again - short but sweet visit!  Your next stop is Sandra's blog....WAIT!!!  Don't forget to leave me a comment to be in with a chance of the prize!  .....Ok, now you can go hop along! 

thanks so much for popping by....Ruthie x

Aud Sentiments - for a guy!

I know, I know...bad blogger, naughty blogger!!!!  I just seem to be really busy at the moment - have taken on a new horse, learning sign language,  started craft club at work, mum, full time work etc etc etc.  Mad!  AND those are all just excuses really because I am pretty certain I could squeeze the crafting in if I want to!  MOJO, where are you????

I couldn't refuse the chance to join in with this challenge though!  I LOVE Bugaboo!  The challenge over at AudSentiments is to make something for a guy and include a sentiment.

 I wanted to showcase the images completely!  BUT I was also aware that posting them on my blog as individual cards might allow the images to be copied.  So, I just took the pics as you see them.  Each of them use different images and I just wanted some quick and easy cards as standbys!  I quite like them uncoloured - I think it shows just how easy it is to use Bugaboo images, no fuss, no bother!  

Anyhow - thanks for not deserting me completely and popping by!  I have been doing some papercutting, so will post up images for that in a while!

Ruthie x

EASTER!

No, not yet.....but it is over at AudSentiments!  Our challenge this time is to use an Easter Sentiment.

I live on the Essex/London borders - quite close to Romford and Brentwood! Yep - The Only Way is Essex is alive and well over here!  Luckily, the weather has been chilly, so we have been spared an excess of ORANGE SKIN!   So, as homage to my surroundings - I thought I would use some lovely bright orange on the flowers and of course....the sentiment!

And a nice close up  on the bunnykins - he makes me smile so much!  I just loved colouring him!

So, if you want to bring out your hidden Essex - or just join in with our Easter Challenge (which has nothing to do with Essex really!) then pop over to Aud Sentiments!

Look forward to catching up with you over there x

Show us your inside.....

Lol - don't panic...we don't really want to see anything gross!  Over at AudSentiments the challenge is to show us the sentiment on the inside of your card.  We were sponsored by Rick St Dennis. 

And here is the inside....yes, a bit predictable!  

And a close-up on the image - I really enjoyed doing this monochrome colouring!

Thanks for popping over!

Rx

Paper Cutting

I have long been a fan of the wonderful PaperPanda.  She does the most incredible papercuts by hand.  So, methinks, I wonder if I could do that....

Turns out...I can!  With lots of Panda help!  Panda does a "Trainee Panda" kit, so of, course, I just HAD to have it!  The design above is one of the ones that came with the kit!  Also in the kits is a scalpel, cutting mat, starter designs - and the all important "Trainee Panda" badge - without which you cannot possibly cut anything!!!

There is also a facebook challenge to create and cut your own design with the theme of your favourite book.....here it is.....

Yep,  my own design and handcut....but then I wondered if my machine couldn't just do this so much quicker - and save my arthritic hands (have had child arthritis, so still have issues with certain things!)....

It did take a bit of fiddling to find the right paper - the poster paper used for the handcut was just toooooooo fragile.  So I moved onto copier paper weight - that wasn't quite right (by "quite right" read "complete mess") - then I grabbed some very lightweight card - think its about 150gsm...maybe...ish!

Here are the two side-by-side - handcut on the left.  Little fluffy bit at the bottom left of the photo is Popcorn Cat!

The machine cut one is the one above....

Close ups - left hand side are the machines, right hand side are the hand cuts.

So not really a huge amount in it.  I was very impressed that the eclips managed to cut it out at all (once I had got the settings sorted).  

So there ya go....lots of fun!

thanks for popping by today x

Aud Sentiments ADULT!

Lol - did that title make you come take a look?  Over at Aud Sentiments our challenge is to create and ADULT Valentines' card.  We have been sponsored by Sassy Stamps - so sexy!

This is my first attempt at colouring Black Hair - I asked my son's friend what colour to use!

I am so chuffed how it came out!  And surprised too!

Just have to hope Hubby doesn't see this on my blog before he gets it in real life!  ..... the card!

Rx

Birthday scientist

 Another image from Simply Betty - gone a bit mad on these!  

This was for Tony's birthday and lots of fun to colour.

Chuffed at how this one turned out!  Better than the last post!

Thanks for popping by today....Rx

Simply Betty Steampunk - oh dear!

The good and the bad - and the downright ugly!  

I decided to join in with another facebook challenge over at Simply Betty - so I got the image and set about deciding what to do with it.  

Hmmmm methinks - Steampunk....bet I have some bits on eclips cartridges I can cut out to go with this.  Dig, dig, dig...yep, a card front with cogs, and some clock hands, and a spooky fence....perfect!  So I duly cut them out - and they were gorgeous.

Then I coloured in the image - I loved doing her hair and think it came out well.

Then I tried to put it all together....oh dearie me....what a disaster!  Ready to look?....

Well, never say that I only put up the good stuff! 

Thanks for popping by - at least you had a giggle! 

Rx

Alicia's Challenge - thankyou

It seems like sometimes it takes me forever to make a card, and other times it just comes together....well this is both!  

I coloured this a while ago - all but the armchair!  Then it sat on my desk, looking at me!  I just couldn't find time to get that armchair coloured!  The image is from Alicia! and I love it so much.   

Well this weekend I finally finished colouring and it came together like a dream.  I am hoping that the lady who is going to receive this card doesn't spot this before I get the chance to give it to her on Saturday!

The challenge over at Alicia's is to use your fave crafty product - well I used two of mine, one you can see and one you can't!  My wonderful copics was the fave you CAN see!  And my collall glue is the fave you can't see!  Some of the other girls were raving about this at the crafty weekend so I just had to try it - and I love it! 

 Well, that's me done!  Thanks for popping by!!!

Rx

Laters, baby!

Lol - suspect some will get the title to this post and others won't!  Its from Fifty Shades of Grey - I haven't read it but have gleaned this much!  

This is for Lana who is reading the book now!  I used Saturated Canary's Grey Tie image - gorgeous!

The photos are a bit odd - no shiny bits in reality!  But my eyes are virtually crossed because this was a  really quick card for her birthday tomorrow - hubby's work colleague!!!

Dead chuffed with the colouring - could have been better, but I am getting there!  

Thanks for popping by!

Rx

Aud Sentiment....Winter Sentiment

We are announcing our new DT over at Aud's in the next few days - how exciting!  Here is my DT submission for the challenge...use a winter sentiment!  AND we were so kindly sponsored by Bugaboo - who you know, I just adore!

Rather usefully, this gave me the opportunity to work on my colouring again - kind of a mixed result on this one - some bits I really like and some bits are...less good!

And a closeup....

Thanks for popping over today - why not join in with our challenge...and possibly even get a headstart on next year's cards???

Rx

Simply Betty Challenge

Oh I have had such fun with this image - so much fun to colour!  I saw the challenge on Betty's facebook page and grabbed the image to play with...then I saw Deb Jennett's colouring and it blew my mind!  So, since I am still playing and learning, I hoped she wouldn't mind if I copied her colouring...and I learnt so much from doing it!  It is so cool to not think about light sources etc and just think about how you are laying the ink down and trying to replicate the style of colouring!  

Anyway - here is the finished card.....

And here is a close up of the colouring...I can truthfully say that I have never done such great colouring before - great by my standard and certainly not other people's!!!  AND not a patch on Deb's work, but I am so chuffed with the outcome!

Thanks for having a look - Betty still has the image available to use for this challenge - but you have to be quick - the challenge ends on the 7th Jan!

Rx

Merry Christmas!
Hugs to all x

Wedding anniversaries

I had a real funny one the other day.  Happily sat on Facebook chatting away (as you do!) and my neighbour messaged me - "do you sell the cards you make?".  

I dropped her a message back "yes sometimes, why do you need one?"

"Yes, now!" was her reply!  

She had her step daughter over and she had misjudged her anniversary date - she thought it was the day after!  So I quickly popped together this card - she was very happy!  

Then, this last weekend we had a silver wedding "do" to go to.  The couple were renewing their vows and also having a party - they are also our neighbours - we have such lovely neighbours and are so lucky!  So here is the card I did for them...

Shhhhh - don't tell anyone, but the base paper, numbers and heart are actually....wallpaper!  Lol - I cut the bits out on my eclips - haven't used it very much recently, so am hoping to get on and do some more with it!  It just cuts through things so well!

Thanks for popping by today x

Rx

Aud Sentiments - any sentiment!

Oooo, get me - another post less than 6 months after the one before!  I know, surprised me too!

Our challenge over at Aud Sentiments is anything with a sentiment!  

This is my project.....

Yes, one of THOSE cards!  I have wanted to make one of these for a while now, but just never got round to it - its really quite simple!  

I used a stamping up stamp for the flourishes on the paper

I made the sentiment myself and "adjusted" the image from My Heart Pieces.  It originally had a elfen lady behind the crib but the lady who will be getting this is very religious and would not have liked that, but I LOVED the baby, so I just cut the elfen being out!  

I do sometimes wonder if designers mind when we do things like this - I hope not! 

And I still have another project to show!  But thats for another day - out for a meal with one lot of work friends tonight, with another meal (with a different lot of work friends!) tomorrow.  Eeeeep, I think I will need to buy elasticated trousers!

Thanks for popping by - I lost quite a few followers when I was absent, but hey ho - thats life! So glad I still have some wonderful peeps checking in!

Rx

Its been a while.....

It really has been a while!  Life has been busy!  We have had an extension done and a complete remodel of our downstairs - we are nearing the end and no longer living in a building site!  

I will be back for a proper post at sometime really soon but just a quickie to let you know about our DT call and new challenge at Aud Sentiments.  Link is in the sidebar!

Here is my "anything goes" project....

It is a memory book!  

 

Cut these on my eclips.  Each page has a slide out tag for a photo - papers all from crafty weekend goodie bag!

 

These were made using a die I had from my crafty weekend LAST YEAR!  And ribbon from this year's bag - Amy you do spoil us!

 

This image is from Birdie Brown who sponsors Aud Sentiment for this challenge

 

Coloured with copics and sprayed with spray and sparkle from Amy and Natalie's shop

 

 Sentiment from Birdie Brown and flowers from Crafty Weekend goodie bag!  I have to say this was such a fabby weekend - more in another post!  And thanks to Sarah-Louise (tiggertastic) I can now stick those suckers down good and pretty!

Bling from crafty weekend

 

Sentiment from Birdie Brown and tree from eclips cartridge

 

 Bound it all up myself - first time I have tried this method!

Oh and finally finished my first attempt at a quilt - am feeling pretty chuffed - even though it isn't perfect (by any means!)

 

Mum's cat doesn't even notice the imperfections! 

Ok - am off now (hubby is doing something that I think I need to be involved with!!!)

Hugs to all - so glad to be back and have missed blogging! 

Ruthie x