A Sketch challenge

The challenge is sketch 188.

It actually closes tomorrow at noon so I'm cutting it a bit fine but here goes.

I have taken the sketch and moved the image section to the side. I hope that isn't considered cheating!!!

I added a bit of checked paper to a bought pale green envelope to jazz it up a little.

 I actually made three of these as they where really quick and easy.

Supplies:

Pattern:   Stitching Cards Bookmark Flower 5
Thread: DMC metallic range. Gun metal grey. Sorry no colour code

Card stock: 160gsm in white

Scraps of paper in mauve, pink and green

Scraps of ribbon: pink organza, green and purple satin

Flat backed gems

Envelop: bought

Checked paper: Paper Pizzazz: plaids, checks and stripes range.

Animal

Addicted to CAS has a new challenge. Here is the cue card

and here is my card

I saw something similar done with stamps and decided to make my own pattern. I choose to stitch it in satin thread to give it a bit of interest.

Supplies:

Pattern: My own

Thread: Satin in light blue, lemon and dusty pink. All DMC but no number codes, sorry

card Stock: 160gsm white

Paper: Butterfly double sided 80gsm Black pad

Tic Tac Toe

Tic Tac Toe is the new challenge # 59 at Clean and Simple on Sunday.

You get to choose a vertical, horizontal or diagonal line from this grid

of course I had to choose something that went with the "stitches" option and lucky for me that was a butterfly. So I choose the butterfly, female, stitches option and here is my entry.

The colour selected definitely makes it a "female" card.

I did some doodling in silver around the edges to complete.

(Edited to add that this card was named one of the Top 3 over at CAS on Sundays challenge # 59. Thanks for the honour ladies.) 

My second card along the same lines didn't photograph too well. IRL the burgundies are not so similar in colour and the butterfly stands out better. 

I added multi coloured peel offs to the corner to complete.

Supplies:

Pattern:Stitching Cards. Free Butterfly Pattern
Thread: mauve and burgundy: brand and colour code unknown.

Glass beads

Scraps of mauve and burgundy paper.

Hybrid gel pen in silver

Pilot Fineliner in black

Peel offs

Champagne flat backed gems

Oh my stars

There is a new challenge over at Splitcoast Stampers. Free 4 All called "Oh my Stars".

This is absolutely perfect for me as although I don't often stitch stars, except on Christmas cards, I do have a star die which I use often. So here is my entry for this challenge

 I added flat backed gems in black and a couple of doodled black dots to complete.

  My inspiration

Supplies:

Card stock: 200gsm in turquoise and red

White paper

Black flat backed gems

Pilot fine liner

Cuttlebug

Sizzix 4 dies stars (657910)

Wedding

A new week, a new challenge at CASology.

I was commissioned to make this card

by a colleague after she had seen this card

She choose blue as it was one of the colours of the wedding. She didn't like the bells as she thought they looked to 'Christmassy' so I merely duplicated the hearts instead.

She was very happy with the end result.

Supplies:

Pattern:Stitching Cards Bookmark Bells, Hearts and rings
Card Stock: 160gsm in white

Paper: scraps of red, gold and free blue and white download from Google.

Cuttlebug

Embossing folder: Cuttlebug Organic Flourish
Thread: Pink, red Brand and colour code unknown.

             Dark Blue DMC 0181

             Light Blue DMC 800

             Gold DMC E436 

For a Rugby lover

This is the card I made for my nephew who is a rugby player. 

The base card was kraft and the sentiment was computer generated.

I took my inspiration from this card but swopped the American football for a rugby ball.

Supplies

Pattern: Stitching Cards. Football
Thread: Copper: DMC Antique Effects E436

Card Stock: Kraft

Paper: Emerald green

           Stripes: Free download from Google

Sand between my toes

Splitcoast Stampers. Free 4 All have a fun challenge this week. It's "Sand between your toes". 

I bought these cut little felt flip flops (or jangles for the Australians and Kiwis out there) when I was in Australia and they were perfect.

I decided to make gift tags for a change.

My tags are hand cut and I did some faux doodle stitching around the edges to complete.

Supplies:
Felt embellishment: Make unknown

Card stock: scraps of 160gsm in white

Paper: Blue: Free download from Activity Village.       
                    Yellow: Paper Pizazz Soft tints

Pilot Fineliner in black

Pentel Dotliner 8.4mm roller glue

Birds

Another challenge entry, this time for Addicted to CAS.

The cue card is 

Initially I wasn't overly excited about this cue as I don't have many bird patterns but then I remembered  my peacock pattern and it was A for away.

My colour inspiration came from this lovely card

Source: Wendy E

Supplies:

Pattern: Stitching Cards Peacock
Thread: Kreinik Metallics Blending Filament 095 
Card stock: white 160gsm

Paper: Aqua and gold

The Colours of May

Last night I was stitching in front of the TV and half listening to the movie that was showing at the time. It was "Eat, Pray, Love" based on the book by Elizabeth Gilbert . 

I have watched it before so wasn't paying much attention but one scene did stand out for me. It's when an Italian man tries to explain the art of doing nothing "Dolce something or another"!!! He said that Americans are particularly bad about being able to do nothing and I think that South Africans suffer from the same complaint.

I do have one past time which I treasure and try to indulge in as often as possible and that is to spend time at our local Botanical Gardens. If I have a quiet Friday afternoon after work, with not too many errands to run, I'll take my book, buy a cup of coffee from the little charity kiosk in the gardens and spend some time reading or people watching. A thoroughly enjoyable way to spend an hour or so 'doing nothing'.

Today's card is for the Splitcoast Stampers Free 4 All. The theme for this week is "The colours of May" 

Evidently an emerald is the birthstone for May and a sapphire is the mystical stone so those two colours must be in your card.

Here is mine.

My inspiration is from one over at Limedoodle Design.

Source: Debbie Hughes

Supplies:

Pattern: Flower Stitching Cards Bookmark flower 5 

           Sentiment Stitching Card Words Birthday Wishes Capitals
Card stock: white and sapphire 160gsm

Thread: White: DMC blanc

             Green: Make and colour code unknown

Jagged Edges

Challenge number 30 over at Butterfly Challenge is Jagged edges.

These two cards were a commission for a Granny to give to her twin granddaughters. She wanted  essentially the same design just in different colours.

They fit the challenge perfectly.

I have a special ruler which allows me to get the torn look. I prefer to use this as it is neater than just doing it free hand although I try to remember to tear on the back of the topper. As you can see I got it right on the top one but forgot when assembling the bottom one. Oops!

Supplies:

Pattern: Stitching Cards. Free Butterfly  Reduced to 50 %
Thread: All brands and colour codes unknown

Card stock 160gsm in white

Paper: Scraps of cream embossed, mauve and apricot

Beads: pearls

Jef Paper Tear Edger

Floral wreath

Another challenge over at CASology, this time

I am really enjoying stitching floral wreaths at the moment so chose a circle and made this card

and then I made this one just because it was fun!

I made the paper flowers on the first card but on the second one they are bought.
A stamped sentiment and bit of washi tape finish the look.

My inspiration came form 1001 Cartes.

Source: Francine Vuileme

Supplies:

Pattern: Form-a-Lines Free flower circle
Thread: Cerise: DMC 326

             Pink and green: Unknown

             Blue: DMC 809

Olba Bloemenponstang punch with attachment Q006 and Q007 for flowers
Pink and white washi tape

Card stock: 160gsm
Kaiser craft mini clear stamps
Liquid Pearl in platinum

Anniversary wishessssssssssss.........

This week has seemed like the longest ever. Last week we had a 3 day week as both Monday and Friday where public holidays. That was really great but unfortunately it makes the next normal work week seem ever so long!!!! However it's weekend now and time for some me time.

The latest challenge at Splitcoast Stampers. Free for all is "Getting Hitched." This is perfect as it is my sister's wedding anniversary this month. After 18 years of marriage I reckon a bit of anniversary humour wouldn't go amiss.

Neither of them is particularly fond of snakes and actually where they live there are no snakes, but she is a girl from Africa, originally, and they are both nature lovers so I'm sure that they will appreciate the humour.

Supplies:

Pattern: Easy Embroidery on paper by Joke de Vette

Thread: No brands or codes available

Gold sequins

Scrap of read paper.

White card stock 160gsm

Envelope: Free download from Creative Park

Sketch

I have never taken part in a sketch challenge before but have decided to participate in the one over at
Sweet Sunday Sketch.

Here is the sketch.

I have moved the panel from the top to the bottom.

Supplies:

Pattern: Stitching Cards Free Flowering Vine

Card stock: 160gsm in blue and white

Thread: White DMC Blanche

             Blue: Make and colour code unknown

Flat backed gems in black, clear and one blue for centre of blue flower.

Black, white and gold

There is a new challenge over at Addicted to CAS and it's

I choose to make this card. I battled a bit with the tail and am still not 100% happy with it but here it is never the less.

I was given this pattern so have no idea of the source, sorry.
My gold is the edging on the topper.

Supplies:

Card stock: white in 160gsm

Paper: Paper Pizazz dots, checks, plaids and stripes

Flat backed pearls

Rolfes metallic pen in gold

Thread: metallic gun metal grey

Small wobbly eye

White with a hint of colour

Recently I discovered a new challenge which I am going to enter. It is over at CAS on Sunday and the challenge is Challenge 57: white with a hint of another colour.

I choose to make some cards with leaves on them as we are slowly, and the operative word here is very 'slowly', moving towards winter. Where I live here so close to the coast we don't experience distinct season changes, no leaves turning beautiful colours and besides the humidity being absent and less rain the weather is pretty much unchanged from summer at the moment. I envy people who experience the lovely colours of the trees in autumn.

I distress the edges of both toppers and used bakers twine on the first and washi tape on the second to finish off.

Supplies:

Pattern:Form a lines autumn falling leaves
Thread: Blue and green . Both manufactories and codes unknown

Ink: Colorbox in chestnut brown

Washi Tape: green and white zigzag

Blue and white baker's twine

Lacy bits

This fortnights challenge over at Butterfly Challenge. is Butterflies and lace. As  I have mentioned before lace is not something that I use a lot of on my cards but here is my second card for this challenge and once again you have to use your imagination to identify the 'lace'.

I stretched the definition to include a lacy gold peel off which I put on either side of a strip of satin ribbon. I used a metallic pen to give the squares a blue border.

Not sure why I decided to do the card in this acid yellow colour, it's not my favourite! The one below is definitely more to my liking!!!

For this one I used red foil stripes at the base to complete the look. To get them straight I attached a strip of double sided tape to the fold and when I peeled it off I had perfect stripes. The faux stitching was done with a gel pen.

Supplies:

Pattern: Stitching Cards. Free Butterfly
Thread: light blue and metallic gunmetal grey

Card stock: White 160gsm. Acid yellow and pink scraps

Narrow double sided tape

Foil Art: Red

Gold peel offs

Blue polka dots satin ribbon

 Gel Pen: blue

Rolfes metallic blue pen

Paper: red

Flight

When I saw the new cue card over at CASology which is 

I knew immediately which pattern I had to stitch. It is one of a couple of new acquisitions and this was the perfect opportunity to make it.

I choose to do the dragonfly wings in a rayon thread as it has a sheen to it. Even though the flower is meant to be a dandelion I had seen this pattern stitched with the purple flower and decide to copy that. To complete I added some 'glitter' to the edges of the topper.

Supplies:

Pattern: Prick 'n Stitch. Dragonfly and dandelion
Thread: Silver DMC E168

             Purple: DMC 3837

             Blue: Rayon 3325

             Green 0254

Card stock: white 160gsm

Foam squares

Derivan 3D Kindyglitz in Glt. Crystalina

Butterflies and lace

The challenge at Butterfly Challenge is butterflies and lace. Lace is not something that I use a lot of on my cards so I had to think out of the box a bit with this one and here is what I came up with

 I used a lacy punch to make some card stock lace. Think that qualifies as lace, well I hope so anyway.

I made a second card with the same layout, just no lace this time.

My inspiration.

Source: K Dunbrook

Supplies:
Pattern:  Stitching Cards. Free Sweet Violet Pattern
Punch: Lacy Manufacture unknown
            Butterfly: Martha Steward
Cuttlebug
Daisy embossing folder
Liquid Pearls in gold
Thread: Green DMC 131
             Blue and coral make and number code unknown
Flat backed pearls
Daisy Paper: Free download from Crafty Ferret.

Stars and Kraft paper

Today is actually a public holiday for us and I'm enjoying some time at home playing in my crafting room.

As I said a couple of posts ago this time of the year just seems to be full of male birthdays.

This one is for my Husband's brother. He is actually a twin but I'll show you the card I made for his sister at another time.

I cut the squares using a die and then cut a star in the centre of each square. I backed the stars with some white paper, added some baker's twine and voila all done. Very quick and simple.

The inspiration for this card came from something similar spotted on Pintrest.

Supplies:

Card stock: Kraft, red, lime green and bronze

Paper: White

Baker's Twine: Red

Die: Sizzix 8 square die (657565)

       Sizzix 4 star Dies (657910)