January Same but Different at My Besties UK

Today is Same but Different day at www.mybestiesuk.blogspot.co.uk. This month the DT have all used this really pretty Sherri Baldy image no 688. You can purchase the digi stamp here. Don't forget to pop over to the My Besties UK blog to see all the fabulous cards the team has produced.

A little change for me today as I have used Copic pens for colouring the flowers as well as my usual Spectrum Noir markers. The Copic markers used are RV91 and RV93. I used them as I haven't really managed to find a lilac purple combination I like as much as this in my Spectrum Noir markers. However, I am happy to have finally found a brown hair combination I really like with them- I have used TN4 TN5 TN7 and TN8.

I have teamed the image with Trimcraft First Edition Mulberry Kisses papers and kept it pretty with lace, doilie, some die cut flowers and pearls. These papers are so lovely, and have a great texture too, I just love them.

I'd like to enter this card for these challenges:

Scrapbook Stamp Society Add 3 of Something (flowers)

Thanks for visiting today and for all your lovely comments. Cathy x

Put on your red shoes...

Since Monday, I've wanted to make something David Bowie related so today I've done that. A little tribute I suppose. It's not perfect but it's from the heart :-)

The image is by CustomizableArt 2015 and can be found here https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/209127934/tap-dance-digital-stamp-tap-dancer-digi

Words are of course from David Bowie's Let's Dance.

I've coloured with Spectrum Noir markers BG1, BG3, BG5, BG7, FS2, FS4, FS9 and Solar Red Sparkle pen.

Thanks for visiting today, I really appreciate all the comments I receive. Cathy x

My Sweetheart

Hi everyone. What a sad few days it has been. As a huge David Bowie fan, I was really shocked to learn of his death. I was actually quite surprised by how sad I felt, but it seems to have affected many people in the same way.

Today's card is a CAS Valentine card, made using Docrafts Forever Friends Classic Decadence. This decoupage topper, sentiment and the papers were actually free gifts with Creativity magazine. At first I wasn't sure about them, so they have sat in a drawer for a while. Then I came up with the idea for this card and I must admit I really love the result.

The banners have been cut with my new Sizzix Framelits Banner Dies. I've wanted some for a while so treated myself after Christmas. The black card is from The Range, the gold card is from a Create and Craft Member's gift and the cream card is Creative Expressions Foundation Card in Milk. I sat on my hands and didn't add any more embellishments.

Thank you for visiting and for all your comments. Cathy x

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Good morning everyone. Yesterday my youngest son went to a 4 year old friend's birthday party so I'm sharing the card I made for him.

Sometimes cards for boys can be difficult if you don't know them well but I have found that the Docrafts Roald Dahl collection is great for many children. For this card I chose images from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as I know the children at my son's nursery know that story well.

I used the Ultimate Die Cut pack, A4 Paper Pack and a ready tied bow for this card. I had the perfect purple card in my stash to match Willy Wonka's coat and have just used Tonic Circle Dies to cut the dotty paper and backing card for the centre circle.

Thanks for visiting today and for your lovely comments. Cathy x

Jade's Sparkling Butterflies- All Things Bright and Beautiful

Good morning everyone. Today I'm sharing my DT card for Jade's Sparkling Butterflies Challenge Blog. This is our new name for the blog formerly known as 2 Crafty Girls. Please take a look at the revamped blog, the DT are incredibly talented and all the cards are beautiful.

Our theme for the next fortnight is All Things Bright and Beautiful. Our sponsors for this challenge are:

Robyn's Fetish

That Craft Place

I chose this fabulous image from Robyn's Fetish, called a Little Birdie Told Me. The digi stamp is available to buy here.

I coloured the digi using Spectrum Noir markers:

Bird TB1 TB3 IG1 IG2 GB1 GB4

Flowers CT3 CT4 CR2 CR3 CR4

Tree Stump GB8 GB10

The papers and ribbon I used are from Docrafts Folk Floral range. I rarely use yellow but love it combined with the pink here. The frame has been cut using a Die'sire die and the flowers using First Edition flower dies. The buttons and gems are from my stash. I don't often do bright but I do like this spring like card.

I would like to enter this card for the following challenges:

Creative Inspirations Challenge 342 Florals

Crafty Addicts Challenge 6 Anything Goes

Cardz 4 Galz Something New (New digi and challenge blog name!)

Thank you for visiting today and for your lovely comments. Cathy x

Garden of love

Hi everyone. Today sees the launch of a new challenge at My Besties UK, our first of the year. As always, this month's challenge is Anything Goes and we also have the option of Circles this time.

For my card I chose this gorgeous image called Garden of Love. You can follow the link to purchase the digi stamp. After all the Christmas red and gold, I was ready to work with something really pretty so I've chosen pastel pinks and greens for this one.

For the background, I've used papers from the Trimcraft First Edition Mulberry Kisses paper pad. I've backed these with kraft card and I've used a Crafter's Companion BeBunni Floral border die to add interest. The flowers have been cut using Sue Wilson Daisy dies and the card finished with pearls and a piece of ribbon from my stash.

I'm determined to improve my colouring this year, having only started colouring less than a year ago, so have signed up to Kit and Clowder classes. Previously I've used a circle blending technique but have switched to feather blending this time. Still a lot of practice needed but I'm pretty happy with this image. Spectrum Noir colours used are:
Skin FS2 FS4 TN2 CR2
Hair TN1 EB1 EB2
Clothes, Hearts and Leaves FS6 CR2 CR3 LG1 LG2 CG2 EB1 EB2

I would like to enter ths card for the following challenges:
Crafts Galore Encore Anything Goes
ABC Challenge Y is Your Choice
Creative Knockouts All Things New (new colouring technique)
Allsorts Challenge What's New (new colouring technique)
Delicious Doodles Leftovers (ribbon)
My Besties Meet at the Scrappers Corner January Challenge
My Besties Aussie Challenge Use Flowers

Thank you all for visiting and for your lovely comments. I now finally seem to have my Google Friend Connect button fully functioning, so it would be wonderful if you would join up to follow my blog.

Cathy x

It's January (and we're hoping for snow)

Happy New Year everyone! 

I'm not really making any resolutions this year but have decided that every month I will make myself a calendar page. I was inspired to do this by the Trimcraft website and their calendar templates can be downloaded for free here . Hopefully if I put this on my wall I'll get better at meeting deadlines without stress!

As I write this, on New Year's Eve, we are being battered by yet another storm. Much of the UK has suffered terribly this winter and, although Somerset has escaped the worst this year, our thoughts are with those not so lucky. This weather has made me long for some snow- enough to close schools and workplaces for the day so that we can build snowmen and throw snowballs. We rarely get snow here in the South West but maybe if I wish hard enough...anyway that was the inspiration for my layout.

The paper used is from Trimcraft's First Edition Christmas Wishes pad. The snowman and sentiment are Crafter's Companion Nordic Christmas Stamps and I've coloured the snowman with Spectrum Noir markers. 

Thank you for visiting and for your lovely comments. I hope you all have a very Happy and prosperous 2016. Cathy x