Pink and Brown Penny Black Hedgehog Stroll

This is the card that I made for my mate and docrafts demonstrator Becky James. I wanted to make something special for her as I won't be able to go to her demos anymore having moved 'up north'. I have loved going to her demos over the past few years, as I always learn new techniques and get great inspiration, and I have certainly put on some miles to see her, travelling to Southampton, Salisbury and Swindon. It was all worth it (although I'm not sure my chauffeur would agree!!)

It is also my entry to this week's Stamp Something blog challenge, which is Stamp Something Cute this week, and I think this card fits the bill perfectly!

I decided to make her a card using a Penny Black Hedgie image that I received from Judith B in the docrafts September '08 image swap.


The Penny Black 'Hedgehog Stroll' image was watercoloured using Whispers Brushstroke markers and highlighted with Craft Planet Iridescent Sparkle glitter glue. The corners of the image were rounded using the large XCut corner rounder punch and matted onto pink card.


A strip of the Delectable paper from the Basic Grey Sugared paper pad was punched using the Honor Multishaper punch, adhered to a strip of the pink card and highlighted with a pink Whispers Brushstroke marker and the Iridescent Sparkle glitter glue. A length of pink organza ribbon was tied around the pink panel and attached across a panel of the Luscious paper from the Sugared paper pad.


A large white Papermania Imaginisce paper flower was colour tinted with the pastel pink Whispers Brushstroke marker and highlighted with the Iridescent Sparkle glitter glue. The 'Birthday Wishes' circle sentiment, from the Hero Arts Birthday Messages stamp set, was stamped onto white card using Versafine Vintage Sepia archival pigment ink, cut out using a circle Nestabilities die and matted onto a larger circle of the pink card. A large Papermania bronze brad was used in the centre of the message and flower and attached in the top right corner of the card.


The Hedgie image was then attached over the pink panel to the left of the card, and the Luscious patterned paper panel matted onto pink card.


I also decorated the inside of the card, using squares of the Luscious paper with the corners rounded and matted over a strip of the Delectable paper. The sentiment, stamped using the Vintage Sepia ink, was one of the many free stamps I received with my order from Crafty Individuals.

Basic Grey Challenge #26 - Cupcake Chick

This card was inspired by the very talented Docrafts designer Becky James. She very kindly allowed me to make a copy of her bird template at the last Docrafts demo I went to over at The Range in Swindon. You can see her version of the bird here.

I decided to take part in this week's Basic Grey blog challenge, which is "rounded corners, not an angle in sight!"

I began by cutting out the pieces for the bird from two co-ordinating papers from the Basic Grey Cupcake paper pad, namely the orange brushstroke paper and the multicoloured flowery dots paper. Each piece of the bird was edged with ColorBox Prussian Blue Fluid Chalk ink. The pieces were assembled and a little googly eye was added.
The bird was then matted onto a piece of white card, which was also coloured with the Prussian Blue ink, and then matted onto the orange paper.
A hand-cut scalloped frame was cut from a piece of the multicoloured stripe paper, also from the Basic Grey Cupcake paper pad, and then edged with the Prussian Blue ink. The bird panel was then attached on top of the frame.
The daisy birthday sentiment circle from Aud Designs was then selectively inked using a blue Whispers Brushstroke marker pen and stamped onto white card. The word 'chick' was stamped using a set of the Studio G mini alphabet stamps.
The text and image of the sentiment circle was then traced over using a blue Sakura Stardust pen and the colour drawn out with a damp paintbrush to create a wash over the whole image. The sentiment circle was then cut out and attached to the card over a loop of orange organza ribbon.

This is something a little bit out of the ordinary for me, as I normally like everything to be straight and symmetrical, but having seen the beautiful card that Becky made at the demo, I felt compelled to make this one.
Hopefully the recipient of this card will like it as much as I do!!!

Cropadile II Big Bite

Well, I had to do it - didn't I?

I was considering getting the original Cropadile because I do most of my cardmaking late in the evening (or should that be early in the morning because it's usually well after midnight), and I have to either move into the bathroom to hammer in my eyelets to avoid waking anyone up, or decide that brads are a much better way to go!!!

BUT, then I saw that the new Cropadile II Big Bite was being distributed in the UK by Docrafts and saw it being demo'd by the great Becky James and thought it was pretty amazing.

Not being a scrapbooker (yet) I did wonder whether I needed something that could reach 6" into a piece of card. But, it does mean that you can add holes for whatever you may need them (eyelets, threading ribbon etc) for down the spine of a greetings card. And for just a few pounds more I decided it was the best way to go.

So, I've now got to wait 5-7 working days for it to arrive and for the inlaws to go home before I can have a play.

But, it does mean I'll already have one of my Christmas presents for 2008!