A Mommy's Day card

I am so addicted to these stamps they are way too much fun to color!  I created a few more cards.  The first one I'm sharing is a mother's day card...  I love this image the mermaid and her little one snuggled up to her back.  What better image to celebrate motherhood.  I decided to go with bright and cheery colors for this one.  I have never been big on yellows and oranges but for some reason I am just loving these colors right now!  I go through phases!  As you can see I went a little rose crazy but I couldn't help myself I used a few of my Martha Stewart punches on this card.  To seperate out the pattern papers and also all the leaves and branches to fill in the clusters.

As you can see I have a hard time deciding when to stop especially with flower clusters.  But that is OK I love them anyways.  The roses are from Iamroses... they are all so pretty I ordered a few assorted packs and luckly they had just the colors I needed.  I love when that happens.  The papers are odds and ends for my stash.  As always I have been inspired by some of the wonderful challenges around blogland here is were I am submitting this card

Crafts and me challenge -  Challenge 28 - Use- Yellow
ABC Challenge - R is for Roses
Scrapbook Sisters - challenge 29 - Mother's Day or for a Special Lady
Sweet Pea Stampers - Pack a Punch
Stampin' for the Weekend - For Mom

I think that is it!  Well thanks for looking!

Sweet Pea Stamps

I am so excited to have a chance to share a card with you!  But first... I got my package for the Semi-finalists at Heartfelt Creations this week so I've been hard at work all this week creating some projects for them.  Everything is done now so all that is left is for me to keep my fingers crossed until they announce there new design team.  If you don't mind please sent positive vibes my way!  Well enough about that, back to the card I am sharring with you today!  I got some GORGEOUS stamps from Sweet Pea this week and they have been patiently waiting to be coloured and here is the first one I played with

Isn't she beatiful!  I absolutely loved colouring her in!  She was stamped on Cryogen Iredescent cardstock and this stuff is so amazing... it gives off this incredible shimmer.  I tried to turn the image so that I could share the effect that this cardstock has... here it is

Isn't that just amazing.  If you haven't tried this stuff it is definatly worth looking into.  I got mine throught Paper Temptress.  Here is one more close up of the image.

The sentiment is a digital freebie that I picked up from Sentiments 4 You  It was prefect for this project.

I am entering this card in a few challenges

In a Sweet Pea Dream - Hello Spring
Totally Gorgeous - Spring is Sprung
Sweet Stamps - Center Step Cards
Stamp Something - Spring Somethings
Fab 'n' Funky - Do it More Than Once
Creatalicious - Two Tone
DYSU - Shine On
Make it Colorful - backgrounds

Bo Bunny Challenges

I didn't know that Bo Bunny hosts a card and sketch challenge on there blog, did you??  You can find it here.  Well I decided to play along and created a card and layout to share with them.  I used some of my old Bo Bunny papers to play with this time, I've got the Gabrielle collection coming, I can't wait!  I love there new collections!

First off the card challenge was Bling It On, I used the Flower Child - Love Beads which was my last piece in that collection! 

The flowers were fussy cut from the pattern paper, I stacked them using pop dots and added the brads as bling I also added a bit of glitter on the flowers as additional bling as well as a few pearls of the transparency border.  I am also going to enter this card in the Sentimental Sundays Challenge 47 which was to place the main focus on the sentiment.  This card is also being entered in the Card Challenge at Scrapbook.com as it is based on a sketch by Auntie T you can find her and her fab sketches here

I also decided to play along with there fabulous Friday sketch, there is still 3 days to get those submissions in if you want to play along.

I used the Bo Bunny Chiffon Dot paper and the Anna Sophia Faded Floral which is an older collection but still incredible in my opinion.  I fussy cut some of the flowers again for this page.  I really love the way this page came together, that is what I love about using a well planned quality sketch it makes for a foul proof layout!

Thanks for looking!  I can't wait to see there next set of challenges!

Prima for March

I have mentioned it a few times I am sure however it warrants saying it again... I love Prima, there flowers, there papers, there bling... Well I decided to play along this month for the great Build-A-Page contest that they have every moth... what a beautiful sketch they had to play with... well here see for yourself...

Here is my take on the sketch this month

The pics are of me and my daughter with our faces painted during my works Children's Christmas Party last year... I didn't have the right papers to scrap these pics so I was so happy when I got these gorgeous papers in this month's Swirlydoo kit!  I started with a Bazzill polkadot background Night Water is the color, I think, the Pattern Paper it Prima's Moulin Rouge Collection - Celeste  I also used one of the collections journaling card as a background for the main photo and as a title block.
I used a bunch of different Prima flowers on this page including a Caravan Nomad Rose, E-Line flowers Slate Blue and Tea Roses Peach Frost, The Gatsby Col Bay and Candy Gems - Fruity Tutti.  I added various Prima leaves to the cluster to fill it in and I also used there a section of some Prima Lace and Pearls in cream for the bottom border!  The pictures where taken at a Christmas Family Party with had at work.  I used some gesso around the photos to help them pop off the page a little more.  Say It In Pearls and Crystals collection flourish as well as the glitter alphas where coloured with my copic markers to help them tie into my colour scheme for this page.

Every month Prima always has there Product Pick and Palette's this month's colors were a little intimidating for me here is the palette...

Simply gorgeous but not a color that is plentiful in my stash  I tend to be drawn to vintagy colors and of course with a 10 year old daughter lots of pinks and purples... I did however have some of the Jack and Jill papers that I simply had to have and I've been hoarding them... shame on me!!  LOL!  But it's a good think I had them here is what I came up with

This is my darling daughter and sweetest nephew hamming it up for me.  Aren't they so sweet, lol!  The pattern paper is Jack and Jill - Sugar Skies, I used some cream cardstock which I stamped with the Prima Moulin Rouge - Acrylic stamp with Pealed Paint distress inks, I would dab a little ink off the stamp each time so that the pattern was distressed and uneven.  I fussy cut Jack and Jill and there sweet puppy from the pattern paper to use as an embellishment they are pop dotted for dimension.  I also used some old prima packaging to add some interest to the pics.  It is truly odd for me to do a page without flowers or bling but I like the simplicity of it.

The page was based on the sketch over at ScrapFIT Workout 40 - Super Sketch to the rescue this month!  What awesome prizes they have, you should really check it out if you haven't yet.  I am also playing with Lasting Memories Challenge 29 - Green & White I'm hoping that the cream is OK mixed in with the green and white.

Well that is it for today!  Thanks for looking!

Create - featuring ME!!

OK so I don't normally scrapbook myself but I figure that I should do a few layouts of me since my scrapbook albums will go to my daughter and as much as she might enjoy some layouts of herself she may also want some pages of her mom... so I guess I can't avoid it forever!  LOL! 

I used last week's sketch 146 at Creative Scrappers as a jumping blog for this page and I was also inspired by Challenge 13 at NVS what a great collage they had to find inspiration from full of blues and butterflies... I am also am playing at ScrapFIT for there Glitter & Glam challenge! Here is the page.

The quote is from a challenge over at Scrapbook.com that says "A day without scrapbooking is a day without sunshine" and of course that is some shots of me playing with paper the base is Pink Paisley, I really like those papers since I can coordinate them for whatever layout I'm working on I used Vintage Photo, Broken China and Faded Jeans on this with my blending tool, everything else is miscellaneous stuff from my stash.  I used some MS punches for the butterflies and the border; of course I had to add some stickles to my butterflies.  The title alpha's where once again died with my copic markers.  TFL!!

Scrapbooking + Quilling

Well I hadn't sat down to do an actual scrapbook page in a while and so I thought it was time.  I recently bought a new Cuttlebug die that is for a quilled daisy and so that got me thinking that I hadn't quilled anything in a very long time, add that to the fact that one of the Swirly challenges over at Swirlydoos was make you own embellishments and I found my inspiration!  I didn't actually end up using the quilled daisies on this page (so sad) but they will find themselves on another project shortly, I am certain!  This page was so much fun to do but to be honest I had forgotten just how time consuming quilling is... I actually spent all week on this project, well the hour before bed time when the house is quiet at least, lol!  Here is how my project turned out.

This page is based on Sketch 145 at Creative Scrappers, I used some of my TCP Grandmas Attic papers from my last Swirlydoo Kit.  I wanted a neutral background so that the quilling would not get lost on the page so I used the pattern paper as the base and I used some as a mat layer for my pictures and also to cover the alphas that I sugared.  Here are a few close-ups...

The flowers where blending into the background to much so I punched a few scalloped circles and mounted the flowers on that... I really like the additional colors.  I think those flowers where the longest to create just because the pattern on them is so intriquette.

For the alphas I started with raw chipboard letters covered them with the pattern paper then I used some smooch on a paint brush around the edges and covered the letters with glossy accents and dipped them in Diamond Dust.

Paper Issues is running a challenge right now - Birds & Bees (&Butterflies) so I am going to play with them and since Lasting Memories challenge right now is - You are the boss, which means anything goes I am going to participate there as well as Creative Scrappers, Swirlydoos, Scrapbook Star and Scrapbook.com

Well thanks for looking hope you are inspired to try something that you have not done in a while!

Playing in Paradise

It's Friday which means that it's time for another challenge over at Scrapbooker's Paradise.  This time there is a great sketch by Allison one of there DT members.  I got to play with the design team again this week!  What a great time I have been having with them... Here is the sketch that we got to play with

There was also a variation on the sketch for a layout but I stuck to the card, here is what I ended up with.

The image is from The Stamping boutique, she is called Princess Jennifer Latte Bubble Bath you can find her here.  I had so much trouble with my copic color selection on this card it took forever to get the color's to blend right... I eventually got it to a stage that I like it... and now I really like the way it turned out!

I will be submitting this card in a few challenges this week!  I love being able to play along and get inpired by all the different challenges available in blogland!  What a great place to hang out!

The Stamping boutique - Monthly Contest
Creative Card Crew - No Flowers
The Crafty Pad - Use Ribbon
Copic Creations - Complementary Colors
Make it Colourful - Colour With Shine

One more for good measure

Just wanted to share another card that I made today... I love the images at The Stamping Bazaar, this is Marvin ... isn't he just the sweetest!!  I am completely in love with him

Here are the basics for this card, the digital image was coloured with copics I used C1, C3, C5 & C7 to color Marvin and added Y08 and Y07 to give the flowers a bit of a color pop!

The cardstock is all Bazzill other than the white cardstock that the image is printed on of course that is  the paper is Magnolia Ink.  The flowers leaves and foliage were all punched and inked to tie into the flowers on the image.

Here are the challenges I am submitting this card for

Ths Stamping Bazaar - Bling It On
Play Date Cafe - Color Pop
Papertake Weekly Challenge - Anything Goes
Creative Card Crew - Gothic
All Sorts Challenge - Make Your Own Flowers

It's Happy Friday!!

I love that I am off every second Friday... this is MY day to relax and play, my daughter is at school and the house is empty... guilt free R&R!!  So I started playing this morning and here is what I came up with! 

The card is based on the sketch over at Kenny K Challenge Blog Challenge 34, for the the color palette I used Color Cue {12} challenge, since I used a digital image and it is March Digi Day Challenge At Stamp something this card is also being entered in that challenge.  I love playing along in challenges! 

The image is Download Diva from Kenny K, She is coloured with copics, here is the breakdown

Skin: E00, E21 & R20

Hair: E33, E35 & E37

Clothes: BV02 & BV04 - BG09 & BG15

The papers were all random scraps and of course the flower is a Prima sugared rose.

Thanks for looking.

Playing in Paradise - Challenge #5

What a treat it is for me to be able to play with the design team at Scrapbook Paradise this week, especially for such a fun challenge who doesn't like yummy cupcakes... I thought about colouring a cupcake stamp or doing a layout with cupcake embellishments but then I had this idea, I just had to try it and I love the way it came out!  I had so much fun putting this card together, it is simple and quick and perfect for a birthday, what can be better then quick and simple?  Well there is the added bonus that you could give this card to just about anybody regardless of age or gender that is always handy to have in your arsenal of cards!  Here it is...

I folded a piece of Kraft cardstock in half and drew the basic cupcake shape I wanted, making sure that the top of the card reached the folded edge and cut out my shape.  I used a Martha Stewart Punch pad for both the polka dot paper and the blue glitter paper (the blue one is my favourite sheet in that pad)  I folded the cardstock in an accordion at a little less then 1/2 " ... no fancy tools no measuring...  I ran some hot glue at the bottom of the card and spread out my folds till it covered the width of the base, then I did the same at the top and held it for a few seconds till the glue set... To do the icing I put the pattern paper over the base and cut around adding 1/2" again all around I then shaped the icing the way I wanted  and inked the edges with Robin's Egg - Color Box Pigment Ink.  I love that colour!!  I attached the icing with some pop dots to account for the thickness of the folded paper.  I used Thickers for the sentiment, this was silver so I used my copic markers to match them to my paper and well that is it!  Easy peasy!!  Oops, I almost forgot the cherry, can't have a perfect cupcake without a cherry on top!!  It was had drawn and cut and added to the top.. Well hope you liked my card and I really hope that you will be joining us in this week's challenge!  Happy Crafting!!

Exciting News to Share!!!

I woke up this morning and my first thought was that Heartfelt Creations where suppose to be announcing the semi-finalists for there new Design Team... I have never applied for a design team and so I wasn't sure what to expect... I rushed to my computer and here is what I found click here!

Yep ... Joelle Hancox ... that is ME!!!  I can't even tell you how excited I am to have made it to this next step!  I am completely at a loss for words, OK not really at a loss for words or else I wouldn't be blogging about it... but still... I'm thinking that I am going to have to have a glass of wine tonight to celebrate!  

Let me tell you why I am so excited about this team.  First there is the obvious... did you see what there existing team puts out every week... these are some fabulously talented designers and wonderful products.  There stamps are beyond incredible... I'm thinking of my current stamp collection and I have accumulated some GORGEOUS stamps (love them all to bits!!) but most of them are type specific... they are for cards or they are for pages... so many of there stamps work beautifully for BOTH!!!  Lisa Gregory one of there design team member's has done incredible work for them with her spectacular Layouts... I followed her all the way to Heartfelt Creations from Swirlydoos... When I got to the site... well I'll tell you... I visit the site every Wednesday to see what the team has put out that week... there is always a great mix of cards, altered projects and pages.  

OK well now I'm at a loss for words so it is now time to end this post and get some work done.

Scrapbook Paradise - Scraplift

This week, Carla, over at Scrapbook Paradise challenged us to scraplift a card that she created.  It is a beautiful card you can find it here.  Well I was a little intimidated when I was looking at it as I couldn't figure out how I was going to recreate this gorgeous card so I decided not to try... instead I used the shape of the card and the colors as inspiration, here is what I came up with

I went a little nuts with the flowers and gems, here is a secret (they help to cover up my mistake by taking some of the focus away from the image) I am convinced that there are no mistakes in scrapbooking only opportunities to over embellish... LOL.  I had a little mishap with the stamped image... it was not supposed to be so sparkly... I had paper pieced the umbrella, the coat and the boots in a pale yellow which I loved I used some perfect pearls on the button of the coat but then I forgot that I had done that and I grabbed the image smearing the silver all over the image... it looked bad!!!  I thought I could salvage the image by adding the silver to all the yellow pieces so that it at least all matched.  After it was done I hated it... I was about to through the whole thing when it occurred to me... everything looks better with glitter, I took out my stickles and well it isn't perfect but I don't hate it anymore and it does this really cool thing depending on which way you look at it is is very glittery or very shimmery depending how the light hits the card... My daughter loves it and to tell you the truth it is starting to grow on me.

Here is a close-up of the image.

Don't forget blogger friends to check back here on Friday, I will be sharing my project as play along with the design team for challenge #5, I know I said this before but I'm so happy to get to play with them.