Say It With Flowers - Thank-You

Morning everyone and welcome to the May holiday weekend.  Hope you've all got something nice planned.  Not up to much here as Colin starts his exams on Tues, so I think it will be a tidyup/crafty weekend and possibly a run.

Today's card is to close my spell as Guest Designer over at Catch the Bug with Bugaboo Stamps.

Boy was that a quick month - but very enjoyable digging out old and new Bugaboo stamps again.

Today's card is just a thank you to Jodie, Min and the DT over at Bugaboo for inviting me to play along with them and for all the fantastic Bugaboo stamps I picked up along the way.  Thanks you guys!

 This card uses Bugaboo Thank you Tulip Block .  I double printed it then cut out and raised the flower heads using silicone glue to add dimension to the card.  Colouring by Promarker.

Challenges;
Catch the Bug - May,Anything Goes
Stamp & Create - Spring Flowers
Allsorts - Butterflies

Pretty Pastels

Gosh, this post almost went live with just a card and zip else!  Must attend to that now.

Morning all and welcome to this weeks challenge over at Moving Along with the Times.  Today Kelly has chosen

Pretty Pastels

as our theme - a theme that wasn't too well received by some of our design team - but we all got there in the end and if you pop over to the main MAWTT page I'm sure you'll agree the selection of cards is delightful.

For my card, I went with a super Art Impressions stamp called Girlfriends - Uptown Girls - I think these ladies are perhaps the Mums/Aunties of the Stamping Bella Uptown Girls - what do you think???

So the pastel Promarkers made their mark on this onw and because the stamp is so large, there wasn't much room for anything else apart from an MS doily trim and a couple of buttons. Papers a 12x12 Craft Creations sheet.

Challenges;
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
Pink Elephant - Pastel Colour Combo
Penny's Paper Crafty - Pastel colours
Scrappers Delights - Pretty Pastels

Bugaboo "Brave" - Party Planner

...And now for something completely different! (No hats in sight!)

To close my Guest Designer spot at Bugaboo, I was asked to write a tutorial for them.  Something I have never done, and something made even harder by the number of  turorials already on their blog.  Check them out, as they cover a huge variety of topics and are well worth a visit.

Anyway, what I decided to do was to prepare a party pack for a childs birthday using Bugaboo images, and it just so happens it was my nieces 8th birthday this month, so this is what I did;

We live in Scotland, and my niece just loves the Disney/Pixar film Brave, so we went with a Scottish theme - and as luck would have it, Merida in Brave looks like Brat Sitter - Curly Hair Girl over in Bugaboo, once coloured!

Obviously you can choose any theme your child likes as there are loads more characters and animals available at Bugaboo - and you can always adapt things to suit as I did.

Above I've shown you one of each of the items, but obviously they were mass produced.

Party Invites
Select your Bugaboo image and paste it into word, resize it then copy it three times onto an A4 sheet.  Have the column of images on the RHS.  On a second sheet type out your party invite details and this time align on the left of the page in triplicate.

Print the images first, then flip the card and re-feed it into your printer to allow the text to be printed on the rear.

*Do a test run first so you get the printing in the righ place before you start your mass production!

Finally score the card in the middle, fold and cut the A4 sheet into 3 small cards, of approx 9.9cm height.

It's then up to you whether you colour the invites or you send them out un-coloured for the guests to do themselves.  This image is Brat, Diabetic Kid - available here.  This was meant to represent my niece in school uniform - she approved!

Bookmarks
One of the activities we decided on at the party was for the girls to colour a "Merida" book mark.  So, using my fish-tail dies, the base of the book-mark was assembled and a ribbon and name tag affixed.  Enough Bugaboo Brat Sitters were then printed and cut out ready for the girls to colour & stick on.

Party Bag Tags
Again using dies, (Nestie circles and scalloped circles,) Brat Sitter was cut out and given a scalloped trim and a tartan ribbon all ready for the girls to colour then be attached to their party bag for home.  Nothing to complicated here, but another party idea.

Thank-You Notelets
Finally a set of thank you notelets was printed with blank insides so that thank-you's could be sent post party. These also carried a Bugaboo image - this time I went with Thank You Flower.  The beauty of digi's is that you can mass print using a printer.  I would have been ages inking and stamping if I'd chosen a rubber stamp but as I went digi, my card fronts appeared in under a minute.

The image was specifically selected with a border - so no need to mount.  Minimal colouring was needed - good for mass production and glitter & glaze were added to brighten the cards.

And these are they,

Other party items for this Scottish/Brave themed party included;
Bear Paw Cakes;Highland Coo Cupcakes; Tartan bean bags; Wisps; and tartan hair slides.  Depending on your theme and the age of children involved, you would taylor your party to suit your own needs.

Made using rectangles of tartan material and filled with red lentils.

Made with ribbon gathered in a chain and fixed to a hair clip.

Made with a ribbon sewn into a circle shape and attached to clip.

Blue bags filled with treats and hung about the garden like wisps.

Highland Coo Cupcakes

Bear Paws

Finally party games included the usual pass the parcel and corners along with a dressing up game and the tossing of the caber!

Obviously the adults had to show the girls what to do!

If you have any questions on any of the above, just email me and I'll try to help, Jx   (scazcat@gmail.com)

Challenges;
Brown Sugar - Anything Goes
Craftitude - Anything Goes
Get Inky - Diecuts
Creative Knockouts - Anything Goes
Creative Moments - Anything Goes
Whimsy Inspiration - Anything Goes
Wordart Wednesday - Anything Goes

A Bugaboo Extra

Think I said previously that my time as a guest designer at Bugaboo was coming to an end - I have however managed to squeeze out another card by snapping up this weeks new release - well how could I resist cats!

Love this new stamps from Jodie and when this goes live, they should be available in the New Release section over at Bugaboo stamps.

So here's my card,

Nothing too complicated here - it's a single layer card coloured with Promarkers.  The only hard bit was the sentiment - I am going to be so lost when Colin heads off after the summer - I need him for text boxes and the like!

Right, that's it for today, you'll be sick of me if I post a third card! Jx

Challenges;
613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes
Sentimental Sunday - CAS
That Craft Place - Anything Goes
Kitty Bee's Designs - Animals
Paper Crafting Challenges - No patterened papers
Sweet Stampin - No DP's

Hats

Are you picking up on a theme yet???

Welcome to the latest challenge over at an Oldie But A Goodie.  Today it's my turn to host the challenge and I've chosen, would you believe....

Hats

(Please also remember to use an item older that 6months on your project and to tell us what it is.)

As our theme,

And what better a stamp to use in a hat challenge than a Little Miss Muffet - Hatter!  This one is called Anna-Kristine Hatter - and as well as being my featured stamp she is also my item of 6 months+!(Not sure she is still available!)

Papers this time are a mixture of Bo Bunny Primrose Collection and Andrea Jayne's Hot Diggity dog (also 6m+) Finally colouring by Promarker.  Sorry if you are getting bored of hatters, think I have about 4-5 of these images so I might as well air them all in the coming weeks!

Challenges;
LMM- Anything Goes
Alphabet Challenge - F - Feathers - Peacock!
Brown Sugar - Anything Goes
Wags n Whiskers - Lots of Layers
SSW2 - Great sketch to follow

Hatters!

Just a quick CAS card today to show off a great LMM Hatter stamp - Linda Lee Hatter, to be precise!

Colouring is done by Promarker but sadly my CAS white card is a tad grey due to bad light! (White cards are always hard to photograph. Jx

Challenges;
Sweet Stampin - No DP's
I Love Promarkers - Hats
Simon Says Stamp - CAS

Colour Challenge

I can't believe how quickly April has flown past.  When I was asked back in December to Guest Design for Bugaboo, it seemed like ages away and now I'm on my second last post for them, the Easter holidays have been and gone and next month Colin sits his final exams and leaves school!  (Think I'm getting old!)

Anyway, back to today and the latest Saturday Challenge over at Catch The Bug.

It's a colour challenge this week and here is your colour selection to work from...

Now initially my card did pick up a lot more on the orange theme above when the image was set upon a Basic Grey paper, but in the end I switched it for the blue cause I preferred the water scene!  Still used shades of orange and yellow though so I'm hoping this is ok.

Challenges;
Passion for Promarkers - Sketch
Milk Coffee Challenge - Bright colours
Creative Card Crew - Girly
Fantastic Tuesday - Anything Goes
Artistic Inspirations - CAS
Crafty Catz - Anything Goes

Inspired by a Film

Well Easter has come and gone, as has the chololate and the holidays! I'm home alone apart from the cats and am here to tell you about the next challenge over at Diva's by Design.

This time we want cards

Inspired by a Film 

and I chose the film...Breakfast at Tiffany's starring Audrey Hepburn.

The image is a Stamping Bella one and the papers are Bo Bunny - Avenue's Collection.

Challenges;
Sketch Saturday - Sketch 206
Sweet Stampin - Lots of Layers
My Mum's Craft Shop - April Anything Goes
Ribbon Girls - Yellow/Lemon

Sponsoring the challenge this week are the fabulous Crafty Ribbons who are offering our winner a great prize.

& more ribbon news now - this lovely lady has just scooped top prize at the Ribbon Girls Challenge!  They don't have a winners badge but as my prize is a voucher, I guess it's safe to say...

SSS 208

Morning all and welcome to another Stella Says Sketch challenge over at Catch The Bug.  Today's sketch is shown at the bottom of this post, and here is my card using it;

This time I've used Kidz girl - cat, as my main image and I've gone with MME papers, an LOTV sentiment and a couple of dies.

Challenges;
Crafty Catz - Letter B - Bugaboo/Birthday/Bow
The Stamping Boutique - Birthday Cards
4 Krafty Girlz - Anything Goes
Creative Moments - Anything Goes - Girly
I love Promarkers - Cats or Dogs
Creative Knockouts - Furry or feathery friends - furry cat

Bugaboo Bingo - CC17

Well my blog has been somewhat dominated by Easter/Spring projects, at the expense of Christmas, so to rectify the situation I'm back playing Christmas Catch-Up - this time over at Bugaboo and Catch The Bug.

Today's Saturday challenge is

Bingo

and the grid is shown at the bottom of this post as well as on the Main Blog page.

I chose the middle line - Bugaboo/Players Choice(Glossy Accents)/Border
and here's my somewhat unseasonal card!

Challenges;
Crafty Sentiments - Use lots of white
Incy Wincy Designs - CAS
TTCRD - Anything goes
CHCE - Anything goes
Holly Jolly Christmas - Reason for the Season
Ladybug Crafts Inc - WoW
Crafters Cafe - CAS
Winter Wonderland - Little Robin Redbreast - on at the end!
CHCC - Hats - on the snowman & robin

Happy

Today is Thursday, which means a new challenge over at Moving Along With The Times.  Today Judith has chosen

Happy

as the theme - so as long as it's got Happy it's in!

For my card, I dug out those old Basic Grey papers again - had them for ages and never used these bright colours, then last week, all of a sudden I've used them twice! Think it's the sunshine yellow that is pulling me towards them - hopefully I'm dropping hints here for the weather as it's gone a bit chilly again!

My image today is a Saturated Canary one - a freebie a year or so ago, and now available to purchase.  That bow is back again too - another thing I've had for ages and not really used!  Colouring is by Promarker and I think that's about it!

Challenges;
A Gem of a Challenge - Spring is in the Air
Crafty Calender - Things with wings - the teeny tiny chick! (Perhaps too small?)
Crazy4Challenges - C4C231 - Eggs - in nest!
A Creative Romance - Eggcellent Spring

Pets

There are a lot of animal challenges around at the moment and for some reason it's doggy images that I have been colouring of late - must dig out the cats at the weekend!

Today's offering uses a lovely Lili of the Valley image and Papermania papers.  Colouring by Promarker.

Challenges;
Sketch Sat - 305 by Jen
Passion for Promarkers - All Creatures Great and Small
I Love Promarkers- Cats & Dogs
Crafting When We Can - Ribbon/Twine/Washi - Twine
Fantastic Tuesday - Pastel colours

Easter

A break from Bugaboo today as I move back to DT work and a new challenge over at An Oldie But A Goodie.  This time we are looking for

Easter

(Remember also to use an item of older than 6 months on your project and to tell us what it is.)

So my card uses a fab Lili of The Valley image which is my oldie and more of my favourite Bo Bunny Papers - Primrose Collection.  The dies were then out in force to make my flowers and bow to finish off my card.

Challenges;
Milk Coffee - Easter
Alphabet Challenge - E for Easter
Crafty Catz - Animals - rabbits
Delicious Doodles - Easter
Digitally Sweet - 83 - Easter
Polkadoodles - Animal Magic
Totally Papercrafts - Easter
Stamping Sensation - Dies & Punches
Simon Says - Easter
OLL - Easter

Quieter week for us this week, boys are hopefully revising for more exams and I'll be pottering about the house and garden.  May even start running - if it's warm! Jx

Cute Just Got Cuter!

I know I'm still working my way through my Bugaboo guest designing month, but as I like so many digi stamps now it's only fair that some of the others get a look in now and again!

So today, I'm back with All Dressed Up and another of their Freebies - available here.

I'm also back with another card made using the brilliant sketch by Kraftyhands - so love this one hence it's re-use!  Papers today are LOTV and colouring by Promarker.

Challenges;
Krafty Hands - That great sketch again - 2nd entry - is this ok???
All Dressed Up - Monochrome

Spring Time

Well I don't know about where you are, but I'd certainly say Spring has sprung here!  What a great week we've had weather wise, it's been dry, it's been sunny and dare I say it... it's been warm!

The daffodils are a mass of sunshine yellow at the moment and it's a joy to be outside again - albeit with a jumper!

Anyway, back to inside activities first, and this weeks Saturday challenge over at Catch the Bug.  This time our theme is, unsurprisingly

Spring Time

and with so many great Bugaboo Spring stamps available this year, the only problem is, deciding which one to use!  I went with Spring Friends available here.

So, my card uses Basic Grey papers and as always, is coloured by Promarker.

Challenges;
Kraftyhands - Sketch
Passion for Promarkers - So Sentimental
Thru The Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
Papertake - Spring has Sprung
Creative Card Crew - Spring
CHPP - Patterned papers
Crafters Cafe - Spring
Creative Knockouts - Spring is in the air

Sorry I haven't been around much this week, it's always the same when the boys are at home - too many other things to do.  So far this week, Colin has sat and passed his theory driving test, we've viewed various accomodation for him for the Autumn when he hopefully starts Uni. We've been visiting, gardening, shopping and basically doing things together - got to make the most of their time at home! Jx

Also winner at Creative Knockouts and getting a prize from Sweet n Sassy Stamps - no blinkie from CK!

Spring/Easter

Welcome to this weeks challenge over at Diva's By Design.  This week we are looking for;

Easter/Spring Projects

And the sponsor this time is Hobbycutz.

For my card I went with a super LOTV image, and my current favourite, Bo Bunny - Primrose Collection papers.

Challenges;
Crafty Catz - Spring Time
Brown Sugar - Easter
Sweet Stampin - Easter
Artistic Inspiration - Easter Animal/Anything Goes - Bunny
Avenue 613 - Anything goes
Crafty Sentiments - Easter
Card Mania - Easter
Make My Monday - Easter

Bugaboo Kitty Wagon

Well it's school holidays here again and both my boys are at home.  Seems strange to think after so many years of the school routine that in a few more weeks all that will come to an end and Colin will leave school.

In the mean time, there's a small matter of SQA exams again but that aside we plan a few adventures in the Easter Holidays.

In the mean time, I want to share another Bugaboo card with you using a lovely new image called Kitty Wagon - available here.

I'm really pleased with this card - I love the image and again I've used my current favourite Bo Bunny papers - Primrose Collection

Challenges;
SSW2 - Sketch 219 - loved it!

Doodle Pantry - Any Digi Does
Feeling Crafty Challenge - Anything for a child
Natalie & Amy's Challenge - Embossing
As You Like It - Favourite animal and why - CATS - love them all, I currently have 2 - a boy and a girl, quite different in looks and temprament and both adorable and I like them cause they are always there to talk to and to have a cuddle!
Crafty Ribbons - Anything goes with ribbon
CAS - Colours & Sketches - Colours
Allsorts - No flowers
Crafting When We Can - For a child

A Very Scottish Christmas

Today's card uses a super Bugaboo snowman and a lovely sketch from CCWS.  I had intended on using patterned papers on this card - the triangles are cut but when I started working on the contrasting white embossed panels I thought ...Scottish flag!

So here is the Saltire

...and here is my card!

Well its the opposite way round, but you get the idea and blue snow would have been plain daft!

Challenges;

CCWS - Super sketch

CHCCE - Anything goes

Charisma Cardz - CAS

Crimbo Crackers - Anything Christmas
Winter Wonderland - Snow balls