I Am The Musicman

Hi y'all

I've taken out my Scraptastic May kit and I've found a sketch I like... the result...

 

 

Challenges...

LETS GET SKETCHY - May Week 1 team A - 'Sketch'

SCRAPTASTIC - Facebook

Blah... blah... blah...

 

 

check it out...

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvu0hV0MhbsbgUZQRIM0WMA/videos

 

Cha Cha Slide

Hi there everyone, it's gonna be a short post today, 'cause I can't be bothered! Yeah, I'm having an off day!  I'm feeling grumpy (even though I KNOW I shouldn't be!) and moany (predicta-text wanted to insert 'moody' here, even that has picked up on my state of mind!) and rather than inflict that on YOU, I'm gonna make this short and (not so) sweet...

 

I found this sketch at 'SCRAP365' and thought I'd give it a go... I'm NOT happy with the results, but I'm a grumpy c@w today, so I'm not the best judge...

<--- stamping (Scraptastic set)

  <--- Thickers (AC 'My Girl)

 

I used mostly AC (American Crafts) AMY TANGERINE - 'Yes Please' papers for this, with a few bits and pieces from my stash.

<--- is the sketch

 



 SCRAP365 - Sketch Day Happiness- 'Sketch'

ALL THINGS CRAFTY - Facebook

 

I'm off before I start having another moan, you don't need to heard my worries and I don't need to heard yours - actually I'd LOVE to heard yours, then I wouldn't feel alone!  (Gosh that sounds sad! I really am having a bad day!!!).  I hope you all have a good day x

 

Blah... blah... blah...

 

Feeling Blue?

I seem to have a blue theme going on!  I wonder why?  I'm not blue, I don't feel blue, blue is not my favourite colour.  Oh well, my crafting vibe is obviously in charge and dictating all the shots... so I'll just go with the flow...

 

Base card is made from an A4 patterned holographic card cut to 8 1/4" x 8" and scored at 4" then folded in half.  To this... I followed a sketch (see below) to create a dark blue layer, that had been embossed and then a smaller light blue layer, that has some glitter dotted on it.

 

 

 

The "Get Well Soon" is cut from the 'Phrases' CRICUT cartridge (at 3") and adhered using foam pads.

 

 

 The sentiment is computer generated and mounted onto some black CS, then adhered with... yes, you've guessed it - foam pads.

 

I found this cute little button in my stash, and managed to thread some of the same ribbon through it (I don't know how!) as I used on the blue mats.

 

 

Challenges:-

 

SKETCH SATURDAY - wk #284

 

NATALIE AND AMY'S CHALLENGE - Ch #14 - 'For The Boys'

 

FANTABULOUS CRICUT CHALLENGE BLOG - Ch #186 - 'Ribbons and Buttons'

 

DARING CARDMAKERS - 'The Other Occasions and Reasons'

 

A CARD A DAY BLOGGING

 

 

 

 

Blah... blah... blah...

 

 

 

 

 

Deer'est

Good Afternoon all...

I'm having a bit of a challenge day... can I combine a few challenges into one card?  That would be a yes!  So I have a sketch challenge, a colour challenge, a couple of 'anything goes' challenges and a specific element challenge (Christmas and Reindeer), here we go...

 

A white scalloped card base with a couple of patterned mats, the blue (x2 on the bottom) is from a stack by MY MIND'S EYE called 'Blink Of An Eye', the brown patterned mat (top) is from CRATE PAPER called 'Portrait Collection'.  I have used my CRICUT Expression to cut the shaped mat using the 'Elegant Edges' cartridge p.39 'oblong' feature key <Swirl2> in cream and the brown layer is cut using the 'shadow' feature key <Swirl2-s> all cut at 3 1/4". 

 

 

The CRICUT was also used to cut out the reindeer, it is from the 'Paper Doll Dress Up' cartridge  p. 74 ('accessories 3' feature key <elf-s>) and is cut at 3 1/4".  I have used a white gel pen to colour in his hooves and to make some highlights.

 

 

 

This sentiment was computer generated and mounted onto some brown CS to match the first base mat.  With a few red gems and some  ribbon et voila!

 

 

 

This is the sketch I used (DIE CUTTIN DIVAS)

 

 

 

 

The colour requirement (DARING CARDMAKERS)

 

 

Challenges:-

 

FANTABULOUS CRICUT CHALLENGE BLOG - Ch #185 - 'FCCB Anything Goes Cricut Crawl'

 

DARING CARDMAKERS - November Colour Combination - 'Blue/Brown'

 

DIE CUTTIN DIVAS - Ch #140 - 'Sketch'

 

ABC CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE - V For Vixen - 'Use a Reindeer'

 

CRAFTIN DESERT DIVAS - Craft it up, Link it up , Linky Party #18 - 'Anything Goes'

 

A CARD A DAY BLOGGING

 

 

 

 

Blah... blah... blah...

 

 

Grumpy Monkey...

Hi y'all

I've finished work for the day (well my first shift anyway, still got a bit of cleaning up to do in the club - at least the club will be clean, unlike my craft room!).

 

Craft room update...

 

Yep, it's still messy, I just shifted things around (piled it all on top of each other - my kind of 'pile it on' ha ha ha).  I crafted 'round the mess and came up with this...

 

 

 

CARD BASE - black cardstock (6" x 6") - from stash

IST MAT - 'BASICGREY' 'Life of the Party' 'confetti cake' (5 3/4" X 5 3/4")

2ND MAT - Kraft paper (4 1/8" x 4 1/8") -  from stash

3RD MAT -  'ECHO PARK' 'Dots & Stripes - Metropolitan' 'Leaf Small Dot' (4" x 4")

4TH MAT - black cardstock (3 3/4" x 3 3/4") - from stash

IMAGE - DR DIGI House of Stamps 'Grumpy Monkey' (3 5/8" x 3 5/8") - free online, coloured with promarkers

SENTIMENT - computer generated

EMBELLISHMENTS - black buttons - from stash

SKETCH - Friday Sketch Challenge - by Shirley

 

 

Challenges -

 

FRIDAY SKETCH CHALLENGE - Sketch #39 - 'Made By Shirley'

 

CREATED WITH LOVE - CWLC 33 - 'Button Up'

 

DARING CARDMAKERS - 'Make A Cute Angle'

 

PILE IT ON - #11 - 'Circle and/or squares'

 

CUTE CARD THURSDAY - Ch.#260 - 'Anything Goes'

 

TUESDAY ALCHEMY - Ch. #52 - 'Anything Goes'

 

ONE STOP CRAFT CHALLENGE - Ch. #220 - 'Anything Goes'

 

 

Blah... blah... blah...

 

 

 

 

No Cold Turkey For Me!

 

I am becoming positively obsessed with craft challenges, it seems to me that once you start it is VERY hard to stop!  Why would you wish to stop? Because they start to take over your life!  Its not that I'm dreaming of them or anything (although I might be about to), or that I haven't showered in a fortnight with my obsession taking over ALL aspects of my life (now that I think about it, as soon as I've posted this, I'm going for a long soak in the tub!). 

 

But you know its beginning to get out of hand, when you are putting post-it notes (virtual ones) on your desktop to remind you when a challenge starts, when it finishes, what the requirements are and/or what 'linky' number you are.  AND your desktop now looks like its been wallpapered with lots of little square, you know its time to give it up!  Do I sound obsessed... yes I think I do.

 

But worse... it has now got to the point where, not only am I 'piling it on' (that's more than one challenge for only one card/project) but I am tailoring my cards to fit half a dozen challenges!  The other day I made a card that a.) followed a sketch; b.) followed a colour combo; c.) Incorporated a digi stamp; d.) incorporated punches x 2; e.) matched a 'bingo' or 'tic tac toe' and f.) was masculine! What is going on... obsessed much? 

 

I think the challenges are beginning to 'suck' the joy out of crafting.  Although it is nice to follow, say? A sketch or a colour combo, (the operative word here is OR), I'm beginning to confuse myself (what goes with what, when, how, why, why, why!).  So this self-confessed challenge-aholic is going to cut-back on the challenges (or at least the combining of said same), and concentrate on simply 'making', for making's sake...

 

MY NAME IS KAREN... AND I AM A CHALLENGE -AHOLIC

 

I draw the line at 'cold turkey', I'm not that good!  And I DO so like to hear comments from other experts and crafters, and let's be honest here... you (or is it only me?) get 'loads' of comments when you've entered a challenge.  That, in itself, has reduced me to a challenge freak of epic proportions!  And if you should win? WOW don't get me started on that one... Oh, the joy of having your name randomly picked as the best (huh?, how can it be the best if its random? It doesn't matter does it, oh no, 'cause you're the best!).  Or being chosen as a 'top pick' and getting a blinky... is it any wonder that I'm becoming obsessed, when they (the challenge sites) prey so disgracefully upon my poor weak soul! 

 

"If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On"

From Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, 1602

 

My current list of challenges (remember all those post-it notes), requires... a 'manly' card; which follows a sketch; that has a tag and features a cut from my 'CRICUT', so...

(great sketch)

 

 

 

(... those are not little aliens you can see, but headphones! You most certainly could be forgiven for thinking otherwise!)

 

 

The card base is a piece of dk. brown cardstock, scored and folded in half.  To this I have added a patterned paper mat,  where the paper came from, is anybody's guess!  I followed a sketch and cut pieces of 'KANBAN' cardstock ('Retro Sounds' and 'Retro Music' from the 'So Feminine/So Macho kit) and mounted these onto more dk. brown cardstock.  Everything has had its edges inked with 'TIM HOTZ' distressed ink ('Tea Dye') and layered with foam pads. 

 

The tag was very simply cut 'free-hand' and been layered with both the patterned paper and more 'Retro Sounds' cardstock.  With a piece of ribbon and a 'Dad' peel-off for added effect. Oh and some faux stitching around the sentiment (just so you know its there!).

 

The 'CRICUT' cut was achieved with the 'CRICUT AMERICAN ALPHABET' cartridge.  All four cuts were used - 'shadow', 'shadow+shift', '<radio>' (p.45) and '<radio-s>' all cut at 2 1/4".  I love the simplicity of the cuts on this cartridge.

 

Its a shame my camera (or rather my phone) cannot pick up the beauty of this 'KANBAN' cardstock, it is foiled, and really is quite lovely.

 

No Cold Turkey For Me, challenges...

 

DIE CUTTIN DIVA - Ch. #105 - 'Try A Sketch'

 

CRAFTS AND ME CHALLENGES - Ch. #123 - 'Tag It'

 

CARDS GALORE CHALLENGE BLOG - March Ch. - 'Music'

 

CRAFTY CARDMAKERS - Ch. #86 - 'Masculine Birthday featuring Technology or a gadget'

 

A CARD A DAY Blogging - 'Wednesday'

 

... and repeat -   MY NAME IS KAREN

... AND I'M A CHALLENGE-AHOLIC

 



Blah... blah... blah...

 

 

 

 



Not an Anniversay

If I had managed to stay married, today would of been my 23rd wedding anniversary, but since I've been divorce for ten years... it's not!  I suppose the fact that I still remember the date (along with the date of his infidelity and the arrival of my decree absolute) is a testament to the devastation of a broken marriage.  Such a shame when things go wrong!  I suppose this is why I so admire anyone who has remained happily and faithfully married for any number of years!  So Happy (NOT) Anniversary...

 

I made this today...

 

 

All of the materials used are from my stash, promarkers (of course) to colour this digi stamp from 'SATURATED CANARY' she's called 'Nevaeh', all the papers and embellishments (including the promarker touched-up flowers) have been gathering dust in my share room... I've been VERY good today, using up lots of bits!

 

I followed a sketch from 'SWEET SKETCH WEDNESDAY' #195 (turned around)...

 

 

... and a colour combo from 'DARING CARDMAKERS' Challenge for March 

Even though I've combined a lot of different challenge requirements, I think it turned out pretty well!

 

Challenges...

 

SWEET SKETCH WEDNESDAY - Ch. #195

 

FAB 'N' FUNKY CHALLENGES - Ch. #160 - 'Pastel Colours'

 

DARING CARDMAKERS - 'March Colour Combo'

 

A CARD A DAY Blogging - 'Sunday'

 

 

Blah... blah... blah...

 

 

 

Wintertime Bear

Happy Sunday Everyone, I hope your day is going well.

 

I'm having a lazy day, it nice and peaceful, no kids (they're out visiting their grandparents), no parents (they're visiting the seaside) and no work!  Could anything be MORE relaxing?

 

My card today is a little trip into the "I'll do something different today" zone, so my chosen colours (or shades of said colours) are not ones I'd usually use, you decide, does it work? Or not?

 



The black mat has been embossed using a Sizzix embossing folder.  The rich dark pink cardstock is from Dufex and the glittery blue/white cardstock is by Hunkydory.

 

The polar bear is cut out using my Cricut Expression (naturally) using the 'JOYS OF THE SEASON' cartridge (p. 52), this was cut at 2 2/3".

 

The "wintertime" and the swirly dots are from my local pound shop.



 

I'm still not convince that it all works as a whole, but hey ho...

 

Challenges:-

 

FUSSY AND FANCY FRIDAY CHALLENGE - ch.#83 - 'Pink and Black

 

CREATIVE CRAFT CHALLENGE - Ch. #4 - 'A Sketch for You'

 

DIE CUTTIN DIVAS - Ch. #103 - 'Polar Bear'

 

LITTLE SCRAP PIECES - FunFriday Challenge - 'Emboss it'

 

CARDS FOR MEN - Ch. #4 - 'Wintertime'

 

A CARD A DAY Blogging - Sunday

 

 

Blah... blah... blah...

 

 



Basic Grey

Just finished work for the day!  Wales won the rugby (always a bonus) and all our loyal customers have had their cawl!

 

Now I can do some more crafting.

 

Sketch Saturday have another sketch to follow this week...

               ... so I decided to give it a go!

Used that lovely Saturated Canary stamp again - I just love it!

 

 

 



Card base - dark brown cardstock (5 1/2" x 11") - scored and folded in half

1st mat - dark red cardstock (5" x 5") - embossed

2nd mat - BASICGREY Life of the Party 'shindig' (2 1/2" x 5 1/4")

Top square (its not really square!) - dark brown mat (2 5/8" x 2 3/8), dark red mat (2 1/2" x 2 1/4"),  BASICGREY Life of the Party 'Ice Cream Headache'

Botton square (neither is this one) - dark brown mat (2 5/8" x 2 3/8), dark red mat (2 1/2" x 2 1/4"), BASICGREY Life of the Party 'Candy Bag'

Image Mat - dark brown (3 1/8" x 4 1/4")

Stamped image - SATURATED CANARY 'Summer' (3" x 4 1/8")

Inside...

1st mat - dark red cardstock (2" x 4 3/4") -  embossed

2nd mat - BASICGREY Life of the Party 'Candy Bag' (3 1/2" x 4 1/4")

3rd mat - dark brown cardstock (3" x 3 3/4")

4th mat - BASICGREY Life of the Party 'shindig' (2 1/2" x 3 1/4")

Brads and button - from stash

All edges have been inked with TIM HOLTZ 'Tea Dye'

 

Gosh when you write it like that ^ it seems really complicated ----- its NOT!

 

I'm glad I've got around to using this paper pad from BASICGREY, it really has got some lovely patterns, and... 'Ice Cream Headache' what a name for a piece of paper!

 

Challenges...

 

SKETCH SATURDAY - Ch. #247 - 'With Wings & Willows'

 

BASICGREY CHALLENGES - Ch. #88 - 'Anything Goes'

 

Blah... blah... blah...

 

 

Just Because...

Hello crafters,

 

I've never tried a sketch challenge before so I thought I'd give it a go... 'Sketch Saturday' had a fairly simple sketch (even for me!)...

 

 

... here what I came up with

 





The stamp used was 'Isabella' by SATURATED CANARY, gorgeous isn't she? Coloured with my promarkers, of course.  The white pearl card base is topped with a piece of white cardstock which has been embossed, on top of this is patterned paper  from an old stack (oldie but goodie) called 'Upcycle' by COSMO CRICKET ( it has a very vintage feel to it) I also used this for the thin border strip across the front. I matted and layered using green and purple and added a simple stamped sentiment onto a piece of  'Dots & Stripes - Candy Shoppe' by ECHO PARK (lovely, lovely 6x6 stack, all yellows, pinks, browns, orange and turquoise, I used 'lemon drop').  The stamp was a 'Mixed Sentiment' set by PERSONAL IMPRESSION and the buttons are from a local charity shop!  I hope you like this as much as I do...

 

Challenges:-

 

SKETCH SATURDAY - 'Week 246' - 'Sassy Studio'

 

COME AND GET IT - 'Colorful Challenge'

 

A CARD A DAY Blogging - 'Thursday'

 

May your glue never run dry!

 

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