Digi Doodle Shop's Birthday!

Good afternoon, peeps and I hope it is a truly good one for you! This week is Digi Doodle Shop's first birthday so, naturally, the challenge for this week is 'Birthdays' and here is my offer:

The image I've chosen is called 'Happy Birthday Cupcakes' and you can buy it from the store here. As you can see, I've coloured it on to a banner that's been hoisted on to the tree by the two cuties who appear courtesy of the Prima 'Jack and Jill' DP! It's coloured with Copics and Promarkers with a little help from their friends the Prisma pencils but I'm sorry I don't have the colours for you because things have been really hectic here for the past week but more of that in another post. I was so short of time to get this card completed in time for the challenge that I just pushed the pens away as soon as the colouring was done. Anyhoo, I can tell you that the flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts and the butterflies were punched with a Martha Stewart punch. It's rather a sad challenge for me because it's my last one for the DDSB Design Team since I've decided to step down because of pressure of other work. My teamies have been fantastic and I'm sorry to be leaving them and Judy and Joy, the owners of DDS but at least I know that I'll see them around Blogland. Thank you for looking today and I hope I'll see you all around Blogland, too. Enjoy the rest of your day!

Ribbons and bows

Good afternoon, peeps! Yes, that's the name of the challenge this week over at Digi Doodle Shop's Best so we're hoping to see lots of you joining in with the challenge to put lovely ribbons and bows on your cards. Here is my sample for the challenge and it's made using the the image 'Mouse Nap', which you can buy here in the store. Cecil is cuch a cute mouse and he looks very comfy here under his quilt. He's cut out with a Nestie shape and the DP's are from Crafty Individuals 'Springtime' pad - so useful for Spring projects. The distressing was done with Milled Lavender Distress Ink and the very appropriate sentiment is from Lili of the Valley. The lovely yellow satin ribbon is from my stash. I coloured Cecil with my Copics but I'm afraid I didn't keep a note of the numbers - sorry! I'll be back again tomorrow with another challenge but, in the meantime, thank you for looking today. I do hope you like Cecil and have a wonderful rest of the day!

Digi Doodle Shop's Best Challenge #50

Good morning, peeps! It's a bit of a chilly one here in Yorkshire so let's hope for brighter weather later! Well, am I a bad blogger or what? It seems forever since I last posted but I have been making cards and teaching a workshop and it's kept me fully occupied so I'll have lots of cards to show you after the weekend. Here's today's card for the challenge over at Digi Doodle Shop's Best this week, where we have to use pearls on our project. I don't know whether or not they show up well on this photograph (if you click on the piccie to make it bigger you can see them) but I used pearl stamens in the centres of the hydrangeas in the top left corner of the card, so I hope they qualify! This hydrangea image is so gorgeous and you can buy it here in the store. It was a breeze to colour and the Copic and Promarker colours are at the end of this post. The DP is from my Prima 'Fairy Flora' pad and the flowers and leaves are Prima also. The pearl stamens are from Wild Orchid Crafts and the circular sentiment is from Lili of the Valley and distressed with Bundled Sage Distress Ink. Whilst mentioning the colouring, this is really the first time that I've used only Promarkers to colour a large area of an image (I used them for the flower heads). The main reason I selected them is that the blue pinks seem much gentler colours in the Promarkers, the Copic blue pinks are very harsh in some instances. Anyhoo, I used three colours on each petal but I found that the ink tended to bleed outside the lines a fair bit and I had to do some cleaning up with the Copic Blender Pen. It's not the card I used because I used only Copics for the leaves, laying down many more layers of ink and no bleeding at all. Do any of you bloggers notice this and if you do, how to you cope with it? Please leave me a comment and tell me your secrets! I'll be back tomorrow with another challenge but, in the meantime, I do hope you'll join us at DDSB, it's a really easy challenge this week and you might win a lovely voucher to spend in the store! Colours used: Flower heads: Promarkers Blossom, Pink Carnation, Rose Pink - centres Copic YG00 Leaves & stems: G40, G82, G24, YG63, YG67

It's all down in black and white!

Good morning, peeps! The Digi Doodle Shop's Best Challenge this week is Black and White. Although you're allowed to use a small amount of one other colour if you need to and I did think about it, the lady on my card is wearing a white gardenia in her hair rather than a red rose - really, decisions, decisions!! Anyhoo, I followed the current Friday Sketchers sketch for this project and I'll also be entering it in that challenge. The central shape is cut from a Nestie and the image is coloured with Copics - warm greys for her dress and cool greys for her hair and the white bits of her gown and fan. I didn't feel the dress really looked black though until I deepened the shadows with a black Prisma pencil. The distressing around the image is done with Weathered Wood Distress Ink. The DPs are from a Papermania Capsule Collection pad and the ribbon was from my stash. The pearls and pearl brad were from The Hobby House. It was really a simple card to put together but I do think that monochrome is always so effective, don't you? Have a great rest of the day and until I 'see' you again.

Digi Doodle Shop Challenge #48 - Spots and stripes

Good morning, peeps and I hope today is being kind to you!
How about this for an easy challenge? The team at Digi Doodle Shop's Best would like you to show spots and stripes on your project and here's my offering:


I think you can just about see the stripes on the horizontal stip of the design! This week I'm following the sketch on Papertake Weekly Challenge, which is a great one from Dawny P so this card will be entered in that challenge.
The image is a new one in the store at Digi Doodle Shop and it's called 'Fascination' and this cute little bear is totally fascinated by his new friend. There's still 25% off selected images in the store until the end of the month.
I used spotty and stripey paper from Fancy Pants and it's called 'Father and Son' then the plainer paper is from my stash like the buttons and ribbon. The sentiment is from Whimsy, as is the die to cut out the ticket shape.
Copics:
Sky: BG10, BG000 + blender and Muted Turquoise Prisma Pencil
Bear: E40, E41, E42, E43, E44, R11
Grass/leaves: G20, G24, G40, G82, YG67
Daisies: YR20, YR21, YR23, YR24
Butterfly: B32, B34, B37
and various other Prisma pencils were used.
When you read this, I'll be doing some proper work to earn some pennies to feed my habit but, whatever you're doing today, enjoy it!

Digi Doodle Shop Challenge #47 - Anything Goes

Good morning, peeps! I hope the day is going well with you! This week's challenge over at Digi Doodle Shop is 'Anything Goes' and it doesn't get any easier that that so I hope you'll all be joining in with us! My offering is created with the image 'Daisy Girl', which you can buy in the store here and during February there's 25% off. I must admit, I've been wanting to use this image for some time, she looks so dreamy lying amongst the flowers and the long grass and that's why I chose the LOTV sentiment. She's coloured with Copics and Promarkers and the shadow is added with a Prisma pencil blended with Sansodor. The DPs are Prima Jack and Jill, the ribbon is from my stash and the pearls are from The Hobby House. The butterfly is cut with an MS punch. Well that's about it - quite a simple card from me this week but I shall be entering it in The Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge. All that remains is to tell you the Copic colours: Skin: E000, E00, E01, E21, R11, R20 Hair: E50, E51, E53, E55 'White' daisies: E40 and the centres Y00, Y06, Y08 Leaves/grass: YG01, YG03 and Promarker Pear Green Hat and pink flowers: R30, R21 and Promarker Dusky Rose I hope the day continues well for you and thanks for taking a peek at my offering today! T shirt and hat band: B000, B91 and Promarker Pastel Blue

A frog he would a-wooing go....

...leastways, that's how it looks to me!


Good afternoon peeps! and how is your Thursday going? I hope it's a good one for all of you!
This card is for the new challenge over at Digi Doodle Shop's Best this week, which is to make a project suitabe for Valentine's Day and I do hope you'll come and join us - there's a wonderful $10 gift certificate up for grabs that you can spend in the shop here, where you will also find the image I've used on my card - it's called 'Love Frogs' and it was quite a popular choice with the DT, as you'll see from the Challenge Blog and who can blame them? What a fun image it is and really easy to colour!
After I'd finished the colouring (Copic colours below) and drawn in the pond and the reeds behind, I realised that I'd basically created a red and green colour scheme. (My work doesn't often have a careful plan like some of you talented peeps out there - it just 'develops'!) So, the obvioous place to go looking for DP's was my Christmas box and this is just a random selection taken from my stash there, likewise the ribbon. The lace was cut with my Magnolia Doo Hickey Die and the heart shape was cut with a Sizzix Original die. The sentiment is computer generated and then cut out using the Sizzix shape as a template. The distressing on the heart is Barn Door Distress Ink. The leaves are cut with a McGill punch and the flowers are all from Wild Orchid Crafts.
Copics used:
Frogs: YG01, YG03, YG25, YG17
Lily pads & reeds: YG91, YG93, YG95, YG97
Pond: BG10, BG72, BG75, BG78
Sky: B000
Frog's lips and bow: R20, R22
Hearts: R29
Well, that's all from me today. I'll be back tomorrow with another challenge but, in the meantime, I'm also entering this in the Simon Says Stamp Challenge which is 'Love is in the Air' and the Papertake Weekly Challenge, which is 'Anything Goes' with an optional extra of flowers. Also, Cute Card Thursday Challenge 150, which is to 'Banish the Blues' - they're looking for humour and Bunny Zoe's Challenge, which is also 'Love is in the Air'.

Digi Doodle Shop Challenge #44 Swirls

Good morning, peeps! Here I am again but this time with the latest challenge from Digi Doodle Shop's Best and, this week, we'd like to see swirls on your project! Here is my DT card, which I really enjoyed making:



The image is called 'Fairy 1' and you can buy her here in the store. Isn't she gorgeous? I think that the artist must have used me as a model (I wish)!!
She's coloured with Copics and I may even be able to remember some of them but I coloured her whilst I was on holiday last week. The DPs are Papermania 'Rose Garden' and the swirly stem and vines are cut in pearlised card from 2 different Marianne D dies. The roses and stamens are from Wild Orchid Crafts and the sentiment is again from Pink Petticoat - it's from the Girly Curly Sentiments collection.
I think she looks lovely perched there on her rose with the her rainbow wings glittered with Glamour Dust. I hope you like her and that you come and join us with your very own swirly project!

Bye for now

Anything goes at Digi Doodle Shop's Best

Good morning, peeps from the edge of the Northumberland National Park! Yes, I'm here on a week long holiday and enjoying the beautiful scenery and I'd better get on with this post because I'm dependent upon mobile broadband and it has been known to drop the connection!! So, before that happens I'd better get on with telling you about the challenge this week at Digi Doodle Shop's Best, which is 'Anything Goes' so it's a really easy one - why not come and join us?
This card is my contribution this week. I've used the image 'Tug of War', which is available here in the store. That pooch is certainly trying to keep that sock!
The image is coloured with Copics and the flourish is a Marianne D die. The DPs are from the wonderful Mr Tim Holtz and buttons are from my stash.
Thank you for looking today and I'll 'see' you all when I get back!

Pink and Green - Clean and Simple!

Good morning, peeps!
Yes, that's the title of the challenge this week at Digi Doodle Shop's Best and, as you can see, I most certainly stayed with that theme!

I've used the lovely 'Spring Gathering' image,which you can find in the store here. I really had great fun colouring all the folds in her lovely dress!
The whole card design is very much a change for me in that it doesn't look like a florist's shop window! It's simply finished with ribbon and DP from my stash (I think the DP may be Anna Griffin but really not sure) and pearls from the Hobby House. I distressed all the edges with Frayed Burlap Distress ink. Of course my DH asked me if it was meant to be ripped! The corners are cut with a Cuttlebug die.
Copics used:
Skin: E000/00/21, R11/20
Hair: E50/51/53/33
Dress: R11/20/21/22, C1
Flowers: YG11, Y00/13, BG11/13
Grass/leaves: G20/24, YG67, G82
I hope you ike this one, peeps and that you'll join us for this week's challenge because pink and green are such a wonderful colour combo.
See you again soon with another challenge but, in the meantime, take care of yourselves!

Birds' nest tea?

Good morning,peeps!
Well, you've heard of birds' nest soup I expect, but on my card today the birds are making a nest in a teapot!!

I made it for the new challenge on Digi Doodle Shop's Best, which is to use buttons on your project - a nice easy one so I hope you'll all come and join us!
I think this is a great image that can be used for anything from birthday to anniversary and new home, a truly versatile one that can be used over and over again and you can find it here and while you're in the store, have a look around because the 50% off offer has been extended for another 2 weeks!
I coloured this image with Copics and Prismas and I'll leave the Copic numbers at the bottom of this post. The DP's can hardly be seen on the outside of the card but I have used the lovely Basic Grey Kioshi collection again. You can see them better on the inside of the card:

The ribbon and button are from my stash and the lace is cut from a Magnolia Doo Hickey die. The leaves are from a Marianne D die that I bought just before Christmas and was very glad for the opportunity to use because I just love the shape of these leaves! The flowers are from Prima and the pearl brad and spacer bead that form the centre are from The Hobby House. On the left side of the inside of the card, I used a MS Around the Page punch that I think is called 'Cherish' that I got from Oyster Stamps. The butterflies are also MS punches and the circular sentiment is from LOTV.
The 'purple haze' around the image and on the greeting tag inside was created with VersaMagic 'Spring Pansy' and a make-up sponge.
I'm also entering this card in the Papertake Weekly Challenge, which is Anything Goes with the option of adding lace to your work.
Copics used:
Main part of teapot: E40/41/42/43
Base and front of teapot: YR21/23/24
Flowers: V01/12/15/17
Leaves: YG93/95/97
Roof: R11/21/22
Birds: B12/21/23/24
Flower centres and birds' beaks: Y13/15
Well, that's all from me for today....loads of stuff to get on with and might also have to do some work in between - bummer!

Digi Doodle Shop Challenge #39 - Anything Goes

Good afternoon, peeps!
Well, it hasn't got any warmer here in the North of England and my card for this challenge is looking pretty frosty, too!

This is the fabulous 'Christmas Door' image and you can download it here from the Digi Doodle Shop Store. In fact, why not get yourself some more Christmas images ready for next year while they're on at half price. You can get some inspiration from my teamies at DDS Challenge site. This challenge is an 'Anything Goes' one so not all the images are Christmas ones but that's OK because all the images are half price at the moment!
Anyhoo, back to the card. It's coloured with Copics and Prismas and here are the colours:
Blue bows and glass: BG18/72/75
Wood: E15/25/27/29
Leaves: G24/29/99 & YG67
Door & bows: R22/24/27/29
Bells & baubles: YR21/23/24
Glass: C1/3
Shadows: W1/3/5
The DP I downloaded from Websters Pages and the small sentiment is a Stampington one. The snow/frost is created with Glamour Dust and the brads are from my stash.
I'm entering this card in the Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge, which is to show some snow and in the Papertake Weekly Challenge, whcih is another 'Anything Goes'.
I'd like to thank you all for visiting me and for your wonderful comments over the past year - please come back again soon. I wish you and those you love a very peaceful and joyous Christmas and a New Year full of happiness!

New beginnings

Good morning, peeps! Yes, that's the title of our challenge this week over at Digi Doodle Shop's Best and this is my card for the challenge:


This wonderful image is called 'Sleeping Infant' and can be bought here at the Digi Doodle Shop store and don't forget that all images are reduced by 50% for December, so grab a bargain while you can!
I have three young friends who are all pregnant at the moment so I think the odds are in favour that at least one will be a cute little baby girl just like this one!
I followed the sketch over on Sketch Saturday this week, so I'll be entering this card for that challenge too.
The DPs are from the Prima 'Jack and Jill' pad, which was given to me as a birthday prezzie by my good friend, Alison, mwah, mwah, hun! I must say that I think that Prima have come up with some fabulous papers recently and you may have noticed that they're making fairly regular appearances lately on my cards!
I coloured the image with Copics (numbers later) and the cute greeting is from Pink Petticoat and this set has been a fabulous investment!
The flowers are, of course, from Wild Orchid Crafts and the leaves were punched with a McGill punch.
I do hope you'll join us for the challenge this week and do stay warm and safe - we have such cold, horrible weather here in the UK at the mo .
Copics:
Pillow: B000, B00, B12
Sleeping suit and hat: R00, R11, R20, R22
Leaves and ribbon: YG11, YG03
Skin: E000, E00, E21, R11, R20
and I used Prismas for the shadow.

An unusual Christmas present

Good morning, peeps!
I'm not sure whether this parcel is in the process of being wrapped or unwrapped but someone's certainly in for a surprise at Christmas! Anyway this gorgeous image is for sale here at Digi Doodle Shop and it was great fun to colour with my Copics and pencils. No doubt you'll all be surprised to hear that I kept a note of the colours I used on this project and they're at the foot of this post!
This card is for Challenge #37 at Digi Doodle Shop's Best, which this week is to put animals on your project. Hop over there now and see what my talented teamies have produced for this challenge and we all hope you'll join in the fun.
The papers are from K & Co and the 'Noel' embellishment at the bottom is one of the die cuts from the pad,which is a Brenda Walton design. I simply distressed the die cut with Antique Linen Distress Ink and doodled some faux stitching around it with a black pen. The Nestie shape that the image is on is also distressed with the same ink. The gorgeous wide red organza ribbon is from Wild Orchid Crafts and the jewel brad and bead spacer are from The Hobby House. The green jewelled star looks most peculiar in this photo but it's a trick of the light - IRL it's the perfect green for the papers.
Copics used:
Mouse: W1, W3, W5, R11, R20
Box: E31, E33, E35
Paper inside: Y000, Y00, Y11 then I put E50 over the top to make the colour creamier
Paper outside: E50, E51, E53, G24, YG67, G29, R24
Ribbon: YG11, YG03, YG25, R22, R24, R27
Pillow: BG000, BG11, BG34
In virtually all parts of the image I used various coloured pencils blended with Sansodor.
Keep warm, peeps and I'll see you again soon!

The Perfect Tree

Good morning, peeps!
The challenge over at Digi Doodle Shop's Best this week is 'Let it Snow' and we have to show snow somewhere on our project. Well I think I went a bit overboard, don't you?!! But it's entirely appropriate to the weather outside because we certainly have plenty of this white stuff!
The title of this post is also the name of the image and you can buy it from the Digi Doodle Shop here. I think this image is just lovely with the little boy looking very adult carrying his axe and almost dragging his rather reluctant looking sister off to complete the task of finding the perfect Christmas tree. I really enjoyed the colouring, which I did with Copics and various coloured pencils blended with Sansodor. I added Polar White Flower Soft to the fur trim on their clothes and Glossy Accents to the little girl's wellies and the boy's axe blade. The 'snow' is twinkling with DecoArt Glamour Dust - I love the subtle shimmer this stuff gives!
The large snowflake (top left) is created from acetate cut with a Cuttlebug die, then Glossy Accents applied around the edges and the whole thing dipped in Twinklets Diamond Dust that I got from The Hobby House. It's out of stock at the moment but I'm sure that Gill will be getting more in soon. I do love this effect but I always find it difficult to cut the shape from the acetate and end up doing fine surgery with my scalpel to extract the full shape! On top of the acetate snowflake is a second one cut from vellum with a Marianne D die and I applied Quickie Glue to it and used the Glamour Dust again. I gave the same treatment to the small snowflakes and the pine branches. The gem brad and the buttons are from my stash. The doily behind that large snowflake is cut from a Docrafts 'Penelope and Percy' DP with a Marianne D die. The other papers are from a K & Co pad. All the distressing was done with an Adirondack Aqua ink pad.

I finished the inside with more of the K & Co paper and I used the scrap paper that was left over from cutting out the doily to create a frame on some card for a jotting panel - it seemed a shame to waste it! The photograph here looks very 'blue'...the light created from all the snow outside is really distorting the colours of the pictures and it looks much better IRL!
I do hope you'll be able to join us for the challenge this week and I'll see you again soon.
Bye for now!

She's all dressed up again!

Good morning, peeps and I hope you're not all frozen in this wintery weather! This little girl certainly ought to be judging by the way she's (not) dressed!
The challenge over at Digi Doodle Shop's Best this week is 'Red and Green.....any kind of project as long as it has these colours' - well I certainly took that literally, didn't I!?
As soon as I saw the title of this challenge my mind went to a card I made some time back (you can see it here) where I had used those colours on the image. Well, since then her twin sister has been drawn so I knew I had to use her for my card! You can buy her and her sister here.
She is coloured with my Copics and various coloured pencils blended with Sansodor and I put glossy accents on the shoes and bag. The DPs are from Papermania, Kars, Nitwit, Dream Street Papers and Kaiser - yes really, that many different brands! The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts, of course and the leaves were punched with my McGill punch. This is how I've finished the inside:

The edge of the pocket and the tag are finished with my Fiskars 'Threading Water' punch.
The sentiment is from the Pink Petticoat Curly Girly Sentiments and they can be bought here. I must say that I'm finding this set so useful, there really is something for every occasion.
Well, I seem to have wittered on interminably about this - if you're still with me, thank you and thank you for looking today. I do hope you'll join us for this challenge. I'm also entering this card for:
The Crafty Pad Challenge 98 'Red and Green'
Friday Sketchers Sketch 129