AIF 079 Mother's Day

We have a new challenge for you today at AI Factory and this week we have a Mother's Day Theme. Although we have had Mother's Day in the UK there are many parts of the world that celebrate it this weekend.

There are a load of brand new Mother's Day digis in the store and this is one of the new ones called Bird Holding Flower and it is only $2. Hop on over to the store here to purchase this little cutie and take a peek at the other designs too in our revamped store.

Now for the details of my card. I have used a sketch from The Pink Elephant for the layout and the finished size of the card is A5. The image has been coloured with Promarkers in bright colours to match the papers which are from a new pad I bought today from Dovecrafts First edition ranges. It's all limes, lemons and oranges. The paper on the bottom has got lots of glitter encased in it and the colours are very springlike.

I have added a lace trim with a lime green ribbon with white stitching in it. The edges of the ribbon have an irridescent thread woven into it. The sentiment has been recycled from a shop bought card and I used a Quickutz cookie cutter die to trim it and the green mat below it. The flower is 4 layers of blooms from Prima's E line range with a Papermania spotty button in the centre. I made a hatpin from flower and butterfly decorative beads and some tiny gold ones for spacers, the orange bow is also from Papermania. Last but not least I added lots of twinkle to the image with gems and Papermania glitter dots. For someone who didn't like using green I think I can definitely say I like it now, especially these brighter zingy shades :)

To enter this week's challenge visit the AI Factory Challenge Blog where you will see the full rules and details. If you play along with us and upload your image you could win this week's image.

You are not required to use an AI Factory image to enter, but there are some great freebies available here in the freebies section of the store. You will need to link up your entry before midnight EST on Wednesday May 11th. If you use an online gallery Such as AiF, PCP or SCS then please tag your entry with the challenge code AIF079 so we can see all your cards in one place. Whilst you are at our challenge site please take a look at the rest of the DT's wonderful creations.

I look forward to seeing your entries in our challenge and Good Luck !

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges (in Alphabetical order) :-

• 2 Sister's Challenge #37 - for a Mum
• ABC DT Challenge - May Flowers
• Aud's Sentiments #27 - Mother's Day
• Betty Bees Buzz - Mother's Day
• Bows & Berries #4 - Bold & Bright Colours
• Card Makin' Mama's - Create a card for Someone you Love
• CCEE Stampers #1118 - Cinco de Mayo (bright colours)
• Claudia & Company #81 - Butterflies
• Clear It Out Tuesday - Ribbon or Trim
• Craft Us Crazy #7 Mom & Flowers
• Craft Your Passion #56 - Anything Goes
• Crafts 4 Eternity R#17 - Anything Goes
• Crafty Ho's - celebrate influential women
• Crafty Sentiments - Flowers
• Creations by Gill M #6 - Birds in the Garden
• Creative Card Crew - For Mom
• Creative Cowgirls - Mother's Day
• Creative Inspirations #58 - Use a Digi
• Creative Stamp Friends #24 - Mother
• Cupcake Crafty Challenges - Something beginning with C (crystals)
• Cupcake Inspiration #109 - Mother's Day
• Daisy Doodles #32 - May Flowers
• Delightful Challenges - Mother's Day
• Digital Tuesday #109 - Ribbon & Lace
• Diva's by Design - Anything Goes
• Dream Valley Challenge #6 - Flowers
• Fairytale Challenges #14 - Mother's Day
• Flutterby Wednesday #153 - Anything Goes with Wings
• Fussy & Fancy Friday - Springtime (colours and papers)
• Get Creative With Ann #134 - Anything Goes With Animals
• House of Gilli - Lots of layers & real stitching on ribbon
• I Did It Creations #53 - Mother's Day
• If The Shoe Fits FF77 - Things With Wings
• Iris's Spot #18 - Anything Goes
• Let's Craft & Create #18 - Flowers
• My Sheri Crafts #55 - Mother's Day
• One Stop Craft Challenge #129 - Stitching (on ribbon)
• Paper Crafting Journey #9 - Bling
• Paper Cutz #89 - Anything Goes
• Paper Play #18 - Show your style (bright colours, patterned papers, flowers & bling)
• Paper Players #45 - Birds & Flowers
• Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
• Pear Tree Designs #47 - Free For All
• Phindy's Friday Challenge #53 - Glitter, Glamour & Glitz
• Pink Elephant #9 - Sketch for Layout
• Pollycraft #91 - Anything Goes
• Really Reasonable Ribbon #23 - Use 2 ribbons, lace or trims (1 lace, 1 ribbon)
• Scrappy Frogs - Anything Goes
• Sentimental Sunday #53 - Special Women
• Shannon's Sentiments #224 - Handmade embellishment (hatpin)
• Simply Create #42 - Metal (hatpin)
• Sisterhood of Crafters - Mother's Day
• Speedy the Cat's Friend #53 - Use a hatpin
• Stamping Vacation - Lay Ribbon over Lace
• Stamptacular Sunday #109 - Mum
• Stamp Insanity - Let's Bling it On
• Stamp Something - Things with Wings
• Stamp With Fun #109 - Lace or Ribbon (both)
• Sundays With Crissy #17 - Flowers
• There She Goes #105 - 3D Flower Fun
• Totally Gorjuss #78 - Create your own 123 recipe (1 image, 2 papers, 3 flowers)
• Totally Papercrafts #64 - Glitter (paper and self adhesive glitter dots)
• Try It Tuesday - Something old & new (old is flower & butterfly beads, new is papers)
• Tuesday Throwdown #47 - Mother's Day
• Wags n Whiskers #53 - Use a die or Punch
• Whimsie Doodles - MYO embellishment (hatpin)

365 Cards Day 135, GCA 49, TPE 23, CCC 48 & Paper Blooms, ABC

I've had a pretty good day today. It started off with me applying for jobs on the tinterweb and I've managed to get 2 interviews for Wednesday afternoon. One is for a job that I would really like so I'm keeping my fingers crossed on that one. he doctor is really pleased with my BP and I don't have to see him now for 2 months and I've managed to keep up with the 365 Cards challenges this week, that's much better than of late.

After all the rotten luck we have had lately it would be nice to see the tide turning for a bit.

• So this little beauty was made primarily for today's challenge at 365 Cards and incorportate the following challenges :-

• 365 Cards Day 135 - Create a window on your card using see through material
• Get Creative with Ann #49 - Spread your wings & fly
• The Pink Elephant#23 - Red, Light Blue and a darker blue
• Cupcake Craft Challenges #48 - Blossoms & butterflies
• Paper Blooms - make a shaped card
• ABC Challenge - W is for Window

The base card was cut using a free flower template that I got off the Inspire Me website. I cut a window from it to fit the size of the message die cut (can't remember where that came from but thik it may have been a QVC kit) I used my Nestabilities to cut a frame, an acetate window and another frame to sandwich it inside. The card base has been covered with a spotty paper from Clare Curds 'The Big One' from Papermania.

I added a tiny gem to the inside of the card as the flower centre on the die cut. The butterflies are textured cardstock stickers by Papermania. There was a lot of handcutting on this card but I'm pleased with how it turned out. Sorry for the shadows on the photo, I had to take it very late tonight and need to go beddy bies now.

365 Cards Day 106, TPE, Double Dutch, Pile It On, Stamp Simply, OCC & Crafty Creations

Paul's sister Jill is getting married on August to her fiance Steve, they have been together for about 3 years and both have children from previous relationships. They are tying the knot in Freeport in the Bahamas, having their honeymoon and then on the 30th August they will be having a blessing at a posh hotel. We have just received our formal invitation so I have made a formal acceptance.

The style of their invitation is very simple, just 2 lilac hearts entwined with the words 'Two Become One'. I decided to make my card along the same theme but of course just a tad more embellished as any handmade card should be :)

I have incorporated the following 7 challenges into this card :-

• 365 Cards Day 106 - Super Sketchy Sunday for the layout
• The Pink Elephant #19 - Wedding theme
• Pile It On #2 - Use at least 2 different ribbons
• Stamp Simply #91 - Use a semi- circle
• Double Dutch #20 - Monochrome card - any colour just different shades
• Our Creative Corner - Use a Border Punch
• Crafty Creations # 19 - Use the colour purple

I used an A4 sheet of card for the base in a darker shade of purple. The slightly patterned paper on top is form the HOTP Amethyst Cardmakers pack, the glitter paper embossed with the Heart Blocks Cuttlebug folder is a wrapping paper from Paperchase. I have used the largest of my Nestability dies to cut the shape. The darker paper edge with my Martha Stewart doily punch is a textured one from my stash from the Papermill, the upper layer of shimmer paper is from the HOTP pad and textured with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots Folder. The self adhesive spotty ribbon is from Docrafts.

The die cut hearts are Sizzlits dies. The solid heart has been embossed with the Cuttlebug Textile folder and is on 1mm foam pads. The holey heart is raised on 5mm and has a small ribbon tied through into a bow.

The sentiment is Docrafts peeloff which were originally silver. I have coloured them purple with a permanent marker.

365 Day 71 & TPE #17 & MTTC #64, 3 Clovers & If The Shoe Fits

Paul's Dad is an avid golfer and is very lucky to be able to go on holiday frequently and golf around the world. He is going to Spain in a week and will be away for Father's Day so I've made his card early as I'll need to give it him on Saturday.

I have used and older sketch from Day 71's challenge at 365 Cards and I hope I have been able to fit it in with this week's recipe challenge #17 over at The Pink Elephant.

I have used a digital image of Jim Playing Golf from Digistamp Boutique. I have paper pieced his hat, smock and shoes in the same K & Co backing paper. The brown scalloped edge strip was handcut using a Fiskars border template from a scrap of card. The image was coloured using water colour pencils and Marvy le Plume pens. The sentiment is from a Lets Make Cards pack layered onto a scrap of the paper. The golf ball button is from my stash and the other 2 are from Papermania. I have entered this card into the Father's Day challenge #64 at My Time To Craft

He never says anything about my cards so I'm not sure if he likes them or not, but at least I know I've made a nice card fro him even if he doesn't appreciate it. Paul likes it and that's what matters to me the most.

I have also entered this card into 2 other challenge blogs that I have become aware of thanks to Vickilyn a fellow 365'er. 3 Clovers Thursday has a challenge this week to make a card for Dad (or a man) and If the Shoe Fits....Scrap It! has a Wednesday card challenge to make a card for Father's Day. Both blogs look interesting with lots of challenges and I've added them to my ever growing list. I think before I concentrated more on just sketch blogs but there are so many other challenges to help stretch my creativity. I think my cards have definitely improved as a result of this.

400th Post and a 5 Challenge Card !!

This is my 400th post and I think this is one of the nicest cards I have ever made and it fulfils 5 Challenges YAY!!

The finished card measure A5 opening on it's side and was made from half an A3 sheet of white card. I used a Fiskars template for the scalloped edges and this was cut by hand with scissors. I added the little pearls, this decorating 3 sides of my card fulfilling todays challenge for Day 82 at 365 Cards.

The blue paper is HOTP from the Sapphire Cardmakers pad. The large 'L' is a Sizzix die and the use of the letter fulfils the challenge this week at The Pink Elephant. The letter was embossed using my new textile Cuttlebug folder which was part of my prize from Karen Maldonado. I am so pleased as I didn't have this one and nearly bought it at the Glitterpot. The rest of the Love lettering was done by hand. This then fits in with this week's Love and Marriage challenge at My Time To Craft.

Charisma Cardz had a new challenge up this morning to use Flowers, Lace and Pearls. The lace is an elasticated one, almost like a knitted texture and it is very tactile. I made a little layer from Prima flowers, a pearl headed pin, a pearl button and a small blue pearl heart.

Last but not least this weeks Cuttlebug Challenge is to use either the heart or butterfly combo. I bought the butterfly one at the Glitterpot as I had wanted it for sooooo long and have used it loads since. I used an offcut or a thick stardream card and it has made the embossing quite deep. I used a Brilliance inkpad on the letter and the butterfly to highlight the embossing and used tiny pearls on the body. The wings have been folded up and left loose.

I am so pleased with this card. I started off in the planning stage to see how many challenges I could tie together but it has turned out to be one of the cards that I am most proud of.

365 Cards Day 66 & The Pink Elephant 13

The challenge for Day 66 at 365 Cards is to incorporate a specificsentiment into your card. The sentiment was 'You are there, and I am here'. Obviously a bit of a challenge. I'd been mulling it over for a bit and whilst I was in Asda doing the shopping I suddenly thought it would be perfect for a 'let's get together for a coffee' type of card.

Whilst bloghopping yesterday I found a link to a Splitcoast Stampers Tutorial for making flowers out of circles by folding them. Within the tutorial it said you could use scalloped circles to make a carnation type flower and I wanted to have a go at it. I have lots of paper, but not much of it is double sided so the hardest part was trying to get the papers together to do them. I have a pack of papers that came from Costco last year which is where these came from but they are a bit darker than I would have liked them to be. Nevertheless I am quite pleased with how they turned out.

I covered the front of the card with the light green side and cut a scalloped circle with my largest Nestability die. I offset the edges off the card and trimmed to fit. The flowers are made from cutting the 2 smallest nestie dies and folding as per the linked tutorial. The stem and leaves was drawn freehand with a pencil then I drew over it with a Sakura Quickie glue pen and added fine grade glitter to the swirls. This is something I've never had the confidence to do before as I was always worried I would muck it up but I'm pleased with the outcome. 

The sentiment for the front and inside was printed onto paper and I then mounted the front onto card. I used a Craftwork Cards sentiment message that my friend Sarn gave me to make a template for the shape and drew around the edges. I have pierced the edges of the shape and mounted onto 3D foam.

The message inside was stuck on with double sided tape. I cut a frame with the nesties out of the green paper and stuck to bottom. The birdie is one of my new Hero Arts stamps that I bought at the Glitterpot. I coloured it in with Marvy le Plume pens and a silver gel pen.

The use of circles and scallops on this card has enabled me to enter it into the Pink Elephant Challenge this week.

I'm pleased with how this card turned out. I have learnt new techniques and done something different. Woohoo !!!

Pink Elephant 12 & Chocoholic Forum Challenges

Whilst I was rifling through the floral box to make the last card I came across this tulip die cut and thought I ought to use it with the paper pack that came with an issue of Making Cards magazine. It seemed such a perfect match it would be a shame not to.

I have used the sketch from challenge 12 over at The Pink Elephant for the layout. 

The main card is white and I have matted the tulip paper onto it leaving a border. I have used my Martha Stewart punch on some thin white card and layered another of the papers from the pack. I cut a small panel of white card and doodled around the edges with a Sakura clear glitter pen. The floral embellishment is glittered and came from Lets Make Cards. the sentiment panel is from the Making Cards paper pack.

I didn't get chance to make a card for a forum challenge that my friend Sarn ran a few weeks ago so will be adding this there too.

Forever Friends, 365 Cards & Pink Elephant

In England we have just celebrated St George's Day who is our patron saint. The challenge this week over at Forever Friends is to use the colours red and white which are the colours of our flag.

It's day 56 at 365 Cards and the challenge today is to make a clear card, either the whole card or just the front or back could be see through.

This is only the 2nd card I have made using acetate. This was the packaging from a Sizzix folder which I have recycled and embossed using the Paisley Cuttlebug folder which I am currently in love with. As the theme for the Pink Elephant Challenge this week is 'Don't Throw That Away' I am also going to enter this card as I like to recycle items as much as possible.

 I cut a scalloped border using the edge of a Fiskars Shapecutter template and adhered the acetate to the underside of the flap this created. I have used HOTP brads to provide decoration and a more secure anchor for the acetate.

The inside of the card is lined with a HOTP paper I have had in my stash for many years. The ribbon is from Docrafts and the Forever Friends image is a clear Papermania sticker that I have stuck to card and cut around. I have left the card without a sentiment just yet so I can use it for a suitable occasion at a later date.