Pink Gem, Totally Gorjuss, Paper take Weekly and Flutterby Wednesday

Finally got round to making a card.  Have had a busy few days and not much time for crafting.  My other half took a few days off at the end of last week and we took the girls to The Ulster Folk Museum in Bangor and Ice Skating at Dundonald on Friday.  Saturday we went to go to Belfast Zoo, only it was very wet when we arrived, so instead went out the coast road to Portaferry, across on the ferry boat to Strangford and then home in time for the X-Factor. Sunday was not to bad a day, so decided to get a little more fence painting, etc done in the back garden, so that it is ready for the winter. Then on Monday I started to get uniforms, etc labelled for going back to school as my youngest daughter Hollie started back today (Thursday) and is in P5.  Seems like only yesterday she started P1 and cried for the whole year as she didn't want to stay.  Tuesday was a big day for my eldest daughter as she got her GCSE results.  She got 4A's, 2B's and 4C's.  Although one of the C's is being checked as she had got a 'B' in her maths in January and the mark is shown as her re-sit in June, which was lower.  Anyway, I was over the moon at these results, but she was not happy as she thought she wouldn't get back to do AS/A levels, as you need B's in the subjects you want to do and she got a C in Home Economics.  Had an interview in the afternoon and she got back into Lower Sixth and she was really happy and said that meant more to her than getting the results.  She is for doing Spanish, French, English Literature and hopefully Home Economics.  Will know later today about that subject.  Tomorrow will also be my eldest daughter Shannon's birthday and she will be seventeen, so I suppose it will be driving lessons for her.  So onto my card eventually.  Sorry for all the waffle, but it keeps like a little diary for me, you know with old age and all that forgetfulness you get.
As I have missed a few challenges and am doing a little bit off catch-up, I am entering this card into four challenges.
Pink Gem - Follow Sketch
Totally Gorjuss - A Star - (hope the star on the little fairy/sentiment is ok for this challenge)
Papertake Weekly - 3,2,1 Recipe - 3 Layers, 2 Designer Papers and 1 piece of Ribbon
Flutterby Wednesday - Open Challenge - Just use a fairy, butterfly or angel - used a fairy
Cardblank - Craftwork Cards
Cardstock - Paper Mill and Doodlebug
Patterned Paper - Doodlebug
Martha Stewart Punch
Sentiment - Elzybells
Image - Pink Gem
Ribbon and Gems - Doodlebug
Coloured with Distress Inks
Stickles
Thanks for popping by, it is very much appreciated, as are all your comments.  Hopefully will get a bit more crafting done again after the girls are all back at school on Tuesday.

Sketch Saturday # 116

Just a short post today.  Started this card on Wednesday evening but couldn't get a sentiment to suit.  Spent most of yesterday still thinking what to put.  Came up with 'Just Cruising', don't know if it is appropriate or not.  Then  I got a little carried away and started to add little flower rub-ons to the car and sentiment and some extra gems in the corners of the card and image. I am entering this card into Sketch Saturday # 116.
Cardblank - Craftwork Cards
Cardstock - Doodlebug
Patterned Paper - Doodlebug
Gems - from Hollie's stash (she doesn't know I 'borrowed' them)
Rub-ons - Doodlebug
Image - Elzybells
Coloured with Distress Inks

Thanks for popping by.  Was at  'The Bushmills Distillery' this morning (9.30am) for a guided tour to see how their famous Whiskey is made.  Back home for lunch and now we are either heading to the Zoo or Dundonald Ice Bowl for the girls to go ice - skating.

Friday Sketchers # 115 and Pollycraft Monday # 57

I started to make this card last night, although only got it finished today.  I have had this image for a couple of months now, but liked her so much, that I was scared to ink her up.  I thought the sketch at Friday Sketchers would be a good time to try her.
The card is for Friday Sketchers # 115 and Pollycraft Monday Challenge - Theme - Faux or Real Stitches.  I went for faux stitching, although my pen seemed to be running out of ink, so maybe the photograph won't detail it enough.
Cardblank - Craftwork Cards
Cardstock - Doodlebug and Die Cuts with a View
Patterned Paper - Doodlebug and Die Cuts with a View
Image -Sugar Nellie
Ribbon - Doodlebug
Coloured with Distress Inks
Ticket sentiments - Sizzix - Have had these for a few years and only used them once before
Faux stitching - Marvey Pen
Letters (with) from stash
When I had used these ticket sentiments before, I was able to change the letters to another colour.  It wouldn't work for me this time, so went over the words with a brush marker and changed them to black instead.

P.S. Didn't think I was going to get the photograph uploaded as blogger has changed how to do this and it took me a minute or two to figure  out the new format.
Thanks for popping by and I hope you are not having the rain and thunder that we are having.  Sunday was definitely a blip, as it actually felt like summer,  for one day anyway.

Truly Scrumptious # 38, Cute Card Thursday # 125 and Totally Gorjuss #43

I have made this card for three challenges and hope it fits in with them all ok.  The first is Truly Scrumptious - Follow sketch with the optional theme of Golden Oldie.  I don't really have any old stamps as cardmaking is only new to me, but this would have been another one of the first stamps I would have purchased. The second challenge is for Cute Card Thursday - Theme of trees and/or leaves - this is one of only two similar stamps I have with a tree on it and the third challenge is Totally Gorjuss - Colour Aqua.  I have had these papers for a few years for scrapbooking and never used them as never seemed to have the right photograph for them.  As the paper wasn't double-sided I think I would like a little gem for the folded corner, but don't have any in these colours, so will add one later.
Cardstock - Doodlebug
Patterned Paper - Doodlebug
Image - Pink Gem
Coloured with Distress Inks
Ribbon - Doodlebug
Sentiment - Free with magazine
Cardblank - Craftwork Cards - Normally I just would cut my cardstock to size and make a card, but have seen quite a few people  use these card blanks, so thought I would give them a try.  They are really sturdy and come with matching envelopes, which is good, as quiet a few of my earlier cards, I can't get envelopes to fit.  6 x 6 is just too small and 8 x 8 is too big.  

Thanks for popping by and your comments are much appreciated.

Sketch Saturday 115 and Flutterby Wednesday 117

I have inked up one of my new images and I think she is going to be another one of my favourites.  She is called the Woodland Fairy and is a new manga from Funky Kits.  She was lovely to colour, although I think my stickles ran into each other and sort of destroyed her wings.
My card is for two challenges - Sketch Saturday 115, really liked this sketch and will definitely use again and Flutterby Wednesday 117, which was an open challenge - just use a fairy, angel or butterfly.
Cardstock - Paper Mill
Patterned Paper - Doodlebug (I have had these papers for years and never used them but seem to be using them more now for cards, than I did for scrapbooking)
Woodware Punch for flowers
Image - Funky Kits
Sentiment - Elzybells (only came across this site from another blog, although it is closing down and everything I think has 50% off, so got this sentiment for a bargain £1.25)
Coloured with distress inks
Stickles
Sequins - Doodlebug
Thanks for popping by, it is much appreciated and I hope my posts are now showing up on dashboards and whatever the problem was has now been sorted.

Friday Sketchers 114 and Papertake Weekly

Feeling strange after not crafting for a few days.  Everything I tried with this card, just didn't seem right.  I felt I needed to add a little more to the sketch.  After sorting and tidying my craft supplies, I realised I was about to run out of my herma glue, so this card is made with double sided tape and I don't think I will use it again for this, as I really need to lift and reposition a few times, before I am happy with it.  Hopefully, my glue will be here tomorrow. I was going to just make this card clean and simple with cardstock only but I didn't like it, so added patterned paper to the layer across the middle, then decided to add paper again between my circles.  Then decided to add little strips top and bottom to bring the card together.  These weren't in the sketch, so I hope it is ok to add these.  When I took the photograph of the card to put on the computer, I realised I hadn't added the stickles to the punched flowers.  When I did this, I then saw I hadn't added stickles to the flowers in her hair and hadn't finished colouring the grass, after I had changed it to a circle shape.   Normally I lift out all the supplies I need before I start but I was busy doing other things as well as this card and kept going back to it, so it was taking me longer and I wasn't really concentrating the way I should have been.  Anyway I got it finished in the end.
I am entering my card into Friday Sketchers 114 and Papertake Weekly. Their theme was something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.  You didn't have to use all of these if you didn't want to. My image was one of the first stamps I purchased when I started cardmaking - so something old.  The happy birthday stamp was free with a magazine and I hadn't inked it up - so something new. I have nothing borrowed on my card. I used the blue cardstock  for something blue.  Hope this fits the theme ok.

Cardstock - Die Cuts with a View and Doodlebug
Patterned Paper - My Minds Eye
Image - Sugar Nellie
Ice Stickles
Coloured with distress inks
Sentiment stamp - free with magazine
Crafts too - flower punch
Woodware - Tag punch
Ribbon from stash

I have noticed that my posts are not coming up on followers blogs or dashboards.  I am sorry about this and hopefully it has been sorted out.
Thanks for popping by and hope your are having a nice day.

Problem with blog posts

Just a quick note to see if anyone can give me some advice.
Two of my followers (my aunt and cousin) had told me that my blog posts weren't coming through on their dashboards.  They deleted themselves and rejoined my blog and I did the same to theirs.  Still didn't work. Yesterday, while I was commenting on Ann-Marie's blog, one of my followers, I noticed on her sidebar that my last blog post was also coming up as four months ago. I searched on google and it gave me some instructions for the feedburner.  I followed these and a few updates have went through, but they have stopped at 4 weeks ago, whereas my last post was a couple of days ago. I also seem to have lost a follower, maybe they thought I had stopped crafting or just don't like what I am doing. Sorry for that.
I am not really technical and don't know what else to do, so any help is much appreciated.
donna-keys@talktalk.net is my e-mail address.
Thanks and hope to get back to crafting today, as I have spent the last couple of days sorting out all my craft supplies and rearranging them and it took a lot longer than I thought it would. Although I did find a few papers,etc I had forgotten about and I really think I should get back to doing some more scrapbook layouts as well as cards.
Thanks for popping by and your help is much appreciated.
Donna

Mojo Monday 150 - Contest and Papertake Weekly - White and Bright

Before I mention my card for today.  Guess what - I won the challenge at Winter Wonderland this week.  It was to make a card with no designer papers.  I won four digi images from Sassy Design Studios. Haven't really tried digi's, so this will give me plenty of practice.
Anyway, my card for today is for Mojo Monday 150 - Contest and Papertake Weekly - White and Bright.  Found this sketch a little difficult. Also, the Martha Stewart punch doesn't really show up on the patterned paper.
Cardstock - Bazzill
Patterned Paper - Junkitz
Ribbon - Mirielle
Gems - K & Co
Martha Stewart Punch
Image - Pink Gem
Sentiment - Pink Gem
Coloured with Distress Inks

Thanks for popping by.  Have a nice weekend.

Sugar Bowl - Challenge 40, Pollycraft Monday - Challenge 55 and Cute Card Thursday - Challenge 124

This card was made using one of the new Mangas that I purchased recently from  Sugar Nellie. Didn't think I would ink it up and use it just so quickly but the challenge at Pollycraft Monday was the theme - Fit for a Princess.  Glad I purchased it now.
The other two challenges I am entering this card into are Sugar Bowl Challenge 40 - Do It Yourself.  You could choose your own sketch from the sketch gallery for this one.  I have only recently started entering challenges so thought I would use a sketch that I hadn't used before.  I went for Kathy's Sketch number 30. Really liked this one. The last challenge is Cute Card Thursday - Whateva. So thought I would enter the card into this challenge also.
Cardstock - Bazzill and Die Cuts with a View (probably need to stock up on a few more colours)
Patterned Paper - K & Co (this is really nice paper and is the same pad I used for the baby card in my last post)
Computer generated sentiments
Image - Sugar Nellie
Coloured with Distress Inks
Martha Stewart - Circle Cutter (haven't made my mind up about this yet.  Don't get a clean cut every time, but you do have plenty of sizes to choose from.  Find cardstock not as easy to cut as thinner paper

Just realised when I uploaded image, forgot to add stickles to her ring and crown.  A princess does need a bit of bling.
Thanks for popping by. Donna

Sketch Saturday 114 and Totally Gorjuss 41

I made this card last night and I am quite pleased with it.  I have never made a baby card before and didn't think I had any images that would suit, so wasn't going to enter the challenge at Totally Gorjuss, which was a baby theme.  However, on checking my stamps I came across Arthur.  I had got this stamp in the goody bag from Funky Kits, some time ago and at that time, didn't think it was an image I would use.  So if I hadn't being doing this challenge, I probably still  wouldn't have used it.  Glad I did.  When I first purchased this goody bag, I wasn't sure about the stamps that I got, but have since used two,  they might not have been my choice of purchase, but they have certainly been very useful, so maybe I need to think a bit more about stamps that I purchase in future.
The card is being entered in Saturday Sketch 114, although I have rotated the sketch and Totally Gorjuss - birth, christening or first birthday.
I was going to use the card for a first birthday, until I found this sticker for new arrival, which matched the papers I was using.  I have had these papers for at least two years and never used them.
Cardstock - Bazzill and Paper Mill
Patterned paper and sticker - K & Co
Martha Stewart Punch
Woodware Punch
Doodlebug Brads
Image - Sugar Nellie
Coloured with Distress Inks

Sorry, photo looks a bit blurry.
Thanks for popping by and have a nice day.  Weather wet as usual.  Summer is definitely passing us by again this year.

Friday Sketchers 113 and Flutterby Wednesday 115

I made this card last night when I had a little free time.  Decided on my challenges and what image and papers I would use and sat for a while.  Just couldn't seem to get motivated as I was feeling very tired.  Anyway, I should craft more often when I am tired as I do like this card. I do prefer brighter colours and easier sketches.
Cardstock and Papers - Doodlebug
Image - Sugar Nellie
Coloured with Distress Inks and Papermania Watercolour Pencils (I only have one shade of green in the distress inks)
Sentiment - Pink Gem
Woodware Circle Punch
Tonic Studio - Butterfly Punch
I am entering this card into Friday Sketchers 113 and Flutterby Wednesday 115.  Thanks for popping by. Another wet day today, summer will arrive, when the girls are back at school, no doubt.

Truly Scrumptious Challenge 37 and Winter Wonderland

I have made this card for two challenges, although I haven't made my mind up yet if I like it or not.  The first challenge is Truly Scrumptious Challenge 37 to follow a sketch, with the optional theme of something recycled and the second challenge is Winter Wonderland which is to use no designer papers.
Cardstock - Die Cuts with a View, Bazzill and Core'dinations
Cuttlebug Snowflakes Embossing Folder
Ribbon recycled from a gift bag
Image from Little Claire Designs
Coloured with Distress Inks
I have sanded the core'dinations cardstock to reveal a lighter shade of blue, which is quite nice.  I am not really into ribbon and bows on my cards, however, I do like them on other peoples cards as they seem to be able to use them better.  Maybe I just don't have the right types of ribbon. 
Thanks for visiting, I do appreciate it.