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Thursday, 25 April 2013

Beccy's Place Thinking of You


I have been a follower of Beccy’s Place for a long time and am therefore lucky to have collected a large number of free images. I am however ashamed to admit that upto now I have only ever coloured one in L I keep intending to join in the monthly challenges and never seem to get round to it so I made a special effort for this one. The challenge this month is to use any floral image from Beccy’s Place.

The one I have used was a freebie (still available!) and I have based the colours of red and black on the roses vellum background which is a very deep red with black in it. I coloured the rose on the image/sentiment to match and created many layers for the vellum base and the image. I used Fiskars punch to create the layered element on the left hand side and added some ribbon and a bow. I added 2 gems to the corners and declared it finished. I added some glossy accents to the flower and leaves but not sure that you can see it very well in the photo.

I am trying to get myself better organised and have created a schedule which should allow be to be better focused on what needs making and when. I like to have a balance between DT work but also with other projects I want to work on and thus far my list is allowing me to be more structured with my creativity and get more projects done. Time will tell if this continues……

Materials Used in this Project are as follows:-
Card size – DL Letter
Paper – Red Rose Vellum by Artoz
Tools – Letraset Promarkers & Flexmarkers, Fiskars Punch
Embellishments – Glossy Accents, gems from Dovecraft, ribbon by Papermania, ribbon bow recycled from an old Christmas Card

Techniques – Punching, recycling

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


Wednesday, 24 April 2013

The Stamping Chef Guest DT All Boy


This is my second card as a Guest Designer at The Stamping Chef in their All Boy Challenge.


I have used this super cool image Graffiti Jack, I thought it would make a great boy’s birthday card.

I used Promarkers and Flexmarkers to colour it in and then cut the image out.
I tried to make a shaped card so the wall was on one layer in front of the sky but it was too heavy and wouldn’t stop open so I added the sky background to the card base. The paper is from an American Crafts pad Neapolitan. I got a 12’’ stack from TK Maxx for only £6.99, complete bargain but I am not sure why the sky is green?

The bottom layer of the card is an embossing folder. I used some Kraft Core cardstock from Tim Holtz and sanded it down. This whole section is mounted on 3d foam and then the image is popped up on another layer so it is very dimensional.

I do hope you will check out The Stamping Chef. Tamara creates some wonderful images, some cute, and some sassy. There is a fortnightly challenge on the blog and on Facebook there is a group TSC Recipes where there is a weekly free image Progressive Challenge. There is loads going on and the people over there are lovely.


Thanks for having me as a Guest DT Ladies J

Materials Used in this card are as follows:-
Card Size – A6
Paper – Neapolitan by American Crafts, Kraft core card from Tim Holtz Core’dinations
Tools - Letraset Promarkers & Flexmarkers, Embossing folder, 3d foam,
Embellishments – button from Papermania, Baker’sTwine, tag from stash
Techniques – Embossing, distressing

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


613 Avenue Create – #16 Anything Goes & optional colours
A Gem of A Challenge - #76 Distress It
Aud Sentiments  – #78 Card For a Guy
Cards For Men - #8 Anything Goes
CDAC Anything Goes – Any Handmade Craft
Crafting By Designs – Anything Goes
Creative Inspirations Paint – Anything Goes
Delightful Challenges – Colour My World
Desert Island Crafters – #52  (1, 2, 5, 8)
Digital Tuesday – #207 Birthdays
Inklings & Yarns - #12 Anything Goes
Kenny K’s Krafty Krew - #140 Anything Goes
Make It Monday #137 Anything Goes
My Time To Craft - #218 Stitching Real or Fake
Outlawz Thursday Twisted – TT0418 – Card With a Tag
Paper Shelter - #109 For The Boys
Penny’s Challenge - #124 Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp – Anything Goes
Simply Create Too - #35 Use Your Stash (1st time used embossing folder & tag 5+ years old)
Sisterhood of Crafters – Free For All
Totally Gorjuss  – #180 Embossing
Word Art Wednesday - #77  Anything Goes

Monday, 22 April 2013

Twinkle the Snow baby


OMG, I have made a card without any Designer Paper. That is virtually unheard of in the world of Made By Mandy I can tell you….. I am however very proud as both the sentiment and paper strips have been recycled from old Christmas cards.

The cute snowman is Twinkle The Snow baby by Michelle Perkett. The current challenge at Sparkle n Sprinkle is to use a digi and you get a free image from Michelle Perkett if you use a store image. I do follow Michelle’s blog and have been lucky to have quite a few freebies and have also purchased some images in the past too. This little Snowman is just so cute and anyone who knows me / follows me / takes even a tiny bit of notice of me know that I love making Christmas cards with snowmen images.

I coloured it up with some Promarkers and added some glitter to my silver star. I cut it out using a Fiskars round template and then used some scrap blue card for the Nestabilities die.
I had a look at the current sketches with a circle focal point and found this brilliant one from Artful Delight’s challenge blog. The striped panels inspired me to dig out bits and pieces that I have cut from old Christmas cards. I found the most glittery mid blue twinkly border and using a scrap of blue card laid strips of the papers on it and trimmed to fit on my card base. I then used an old sentiment, cut it out with another nesties die and then matted that onto dark blue. Other than the base every single bit of paper/cardstock is recycled or an oddment so essentially this is a ‘free’ card. I therefore decided to add oodles of gems to the scalloped frame J That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it.

So we have a gorgeous cutie patootie image with the teeny little heart and I have another Christmas card ready to go. That’s 12 already this year so I know I will be avoiding the last minute panic I had last year. I was so unhappy last year, it was a very stressful time made worse by a death in the family on Christmas Eve and I never even got my tree up. I am determined to be better organised for it this year so I can enjoy it more and RELAX J

Materials Used in this Project are as follows:-
Card size – A6
Paper strips & Sentiment – All Recycled from Christmas Cards
Tools – Letraset Promarkers & Flexmarkers, Nestabilities dies, 3d foam pads, Glamour dust glitter, lots of gems
Techniques – Diecutting & Recycling

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


2 Sisters Challenge - #140 Blue and/or Green
613 Avenue Create – #16 Anything Goes & optional colours
Artful Delight – 31 Sketch for Layout
Catered Crop – Add Glitter
CDAC Anything Goes – Any Handmade Craft
Christmas Stampin All Year Long - #12 Celebrating Snow
Craft Your Passion - #159 Diamonds are a girls best friend
Crafts and Me - #129 Bling It Up
Crafty Boots – Recycle (paper strips & sentiment all from old cards)
Creative Inspirations Paint – Anything Goes
Cupcake Craft Challenge - #239 Monochromatic
Desert Island Crafters – #52  (1, 4, 6, 7)
Die Cutting Diva’s - #111 Use A Star
Digi Darla Challenge - #59 Use a recycled item (paper strips & sentiment all from old cards)
Everybody Art – #232 Bling
Get Inky - #2 Bring on the Bling
Hobbycutz Challenge – #4 Monochrome
Inky Impressions - #105 Punches/Dies
Jingle Belles – Recycled (paper strips & sentiment all from old cards)
Joanna Sheen – Recycle
Make It Monday #137 Anything Goes
Paper Crafting Journey – Use A sentiment
Penny’s Challenge - #123 Use a Sentiment
QKR Stampede – #35 Punches or Dies
Sparkle & Sprinkle – Use a Digi
Tammy Scrapin’ Corner - #59 Bling It Up
Three Scrappy Gals – Recycle
Whoopsi Daisy – Use Circles
Word Art Wednesday - #76  Anything Goes

Sunday, 21 April 2013

TSC Lost Fairy


The Stamping Chef has a weekly progressive freebie competition on their Facebook page TSC Recipes.

You email for the image, which is this case is Lost Fairy, you upload a card in the folder, you get lots of lovely comments from some very nice people and the chance to win a free image. If you ask for the freebie you MUST make a card with it though or you will not be allowed to get freebies again, it’s only fair J

I knew immediately that my fairy was going to be purple and coloured her with Promarkers and Flexmarkers. I added loads of Glamour Dust glitter to her wings and was covered with it, I am calling it fairy dust.


I used the latest sketch from I {Heart} Card Sketches for the layout using a lilac cardstock with an allover glitter flower pattern from the Daydream First Edition pad. The butterfly papers are from the Dreamcatcher pad. I added my favourite die cut flourish from Cheery Lynn with some sequin flowers and self adhesive gems. I added a gem bindi to the fairy’s face and a freebie sentiment from Cindy of Bluebirdflats.

If you don’t take part in the challenges on Facebook you are missing out on some lovely free images so I hope you will pop over there and join in the fun.

Materials Used in this card are as follows:-
Card Size – A5
Paper – Daydreamer & Dreamcatcher First Edition pads by Dovecraft
Sentiment – Freebie from Bluebirdflats
Tools - Letraset Promarkers & Flexmarkers, Cheery Lynn die, 3d foam
Embellishments – Dovecraft gems, flower sequins, Glamour Dust glitter
Techniques – Diecutting,

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


OSAAT #160 Use A Digi


There's a new challenge today at One Stitch At  A Time 

Use a Digi

Our sponsor this week is Stitchy Bear’s Digi Outlet and there is a fabulous prize of all the images used by the DT on Challenge #158 for the lucky winner who uses a Store image

Please head on over to the NEW LOOK  & REBRANDED Stitchy Bear’s Digi Outlet to check out all the lovely digis on offer from our great designers. There are some freebies available and there is a selection of cut price Monthly Specials that change often, there really is so much to choose from thanks to our very talented designers. There is also a weekly free image with a purchase of over $3.

Also, to keep ahead of all the latest news you can sign up to the newsletter & become a follower at the



You must use a store image to win the main prizes and all other entries will be in a draw to win $3 to spend in the store

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It was Choccy’s turn to choose an image this week from Luke Carr Designs and we are using Sword. The image immediately made me think of a child battling dragons so I went looking through my stash for some suitable paper and found a completely unused pad of Archaic paper by Basic Grey. It has dinosaurs not dragons but I declared it close enough J

I coloured the image with Promarkers and Flexmarkers using browns and blues and cut the image out using a Nestabilities die that looks a bit like a heraldic shield. I distressed the edges with an inkpad and raised it on 3D foam.

I used a sketch from Sketch N Stash for the layout. I covered my card blank with a sheet of the brown paper, cut the spotty and dinosaur paper into quadrants and added the image in the middle. The sentiment was a freebie from an older blog Making Our Mark which I cut into a banner shape and added with more foam tape.

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 Please pop over to OSAAT to see the fab cards from my colleagues on the DT. I look forward to seeing your entries for this challenge

Materials Used in this Project are as follows:-
Card size – 6” Square
Image – Sword by Luke Carr Designs

Paper – Archaic by Basic Grey
Sentiment – Making Our Mark
Tools – Letraset Promarkers & Flexmarkers, Nestabilities dies, 3d foam pads, small ink pad
Techniques – Diecutting & Distressing

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