Challenge!

This ATC is posted today as an entry on the Arty Girls challenge blog. I used a few drops of Distress Re-Inker and some gold Perfect Pearls in a spritzer bottle for the background. The diamond stamp is from Tim Holtz and is 'inked' with a gold Dabber. The butterfly image is from Penny Black.

Jigsaw

Made this card with Basic Grey papers for the background. I coloured 'naked' jigsaws with a Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad. The Stampendous stamp was loaded with Tsukineko's Glue Pad before being embellished with gole leaf. I love the button brads and need more!

Spotty Dotty

A colourful card for a beautiful spring day. The background papers are from Papermania as are the brads and ribbon. The stamp is from Penny Black coloured with Marvy Le Plumes and a waterbrush. Very simple card.

Spring

The background acetate on this card is from a bunch of flowers I was given by a colleague. It was much too nice to throw away. I used Hero Arts flower stamps using black Stazon and added some matching brads.

Bright Inks

Made this card to cheer up the gloomy weather! The main background is made using a spritzer filled with water, Tim Holtz Distress Re-inker drops and some Perfect Pearls mixed in. I spritzed the card a few times and dried inbetween. The image is a Stampendous flower spritzed with the same mixture as before. I triple embossed the image with clear EP then bent it to leave cracks. The swirly background is made using my trusty Cuttlebug rubbed over with Tim's Distress Ink Pad in Marmalade. I don't think this card has photographed very well sadly.

Anniversary

Had to make a quick anniversary card for a friend so used a tried and trusted layout! The coloured papers are by HOTP. The embossing folder is from Cuttlebug and the vase stamp is from Hero Arts.

Silver Anniversary

Made this card for a friend of a friend. Used the lovely Cuttlebug embossing folders and dies from Quickutz.

Fishing Son

This card was made for a friend's son. He is a keen fisherman and fortunately I had some old Jolee's stickers I bought from Ebay a couple of years ago.

I've been tagged

I have been tagged by my new blogging friend Sharon. I now have to tell you 7 random facts about myself and tag 3 more people. Here goes...

1. My favourite crafting shop is Michael's in the US. Don't tell my hubby, but it's the only reason I go to Florida! Whaddya mean he already knows? Lol

2. My favourite crafting person is Carol Smith from Plaid Inc. She re-lit my crafting fire in the early days of QVC.

3. The first ever record I bought was Tweedle Dee by Jimmy Osmond. **runs and hides behind settee**

4. Last week I went to my first ever Spiritualist church service.

5. I spend most of my Winter Saturdays and Sundays watching my youngest son play football.

6. I recently had a card featured in a two page spread in Craft Stamper.

7. Dawn Bibby knows my name and always says hi!

The 3 people I am going to tag are Mand, Pink Gem, Leonie

Champions

Blackburn Eagles champions season 2007/08. Celebrations after the final match of the season and a 4-0 win. My son, pictured back row, 1st left, scored his 100th goal.

My 100 Goal Hero

Here's a picture of my son who is 15. He plays football for 2 local teams. At the beginning of the season his dad set him a goal target of 75 for the season and promised him £75! He reached that target by Christmas. After an amazing and successful season, today he scored his 100th goal. The 2 teams have won their leagues. Both teams have a great bunch of lads. Well done to EVERY team member and to their managers.

Bellas

Finally got round to making some cards with my lovely Bella stamps. Coloured them in using Marvy Le Plumes and a waterbrush. The background papers on the top card are from Papermania. The embossed patterns are with Cuttlebug folders.

Shadows

The background of this card is made using a spritzer filled with water and some drops of Distress Re-inker by Tim Holtz in Fired Brick and a 'pinch' of Gold Lustre pearl powder from Blonde Moments. The flowers are stamped in Black Soot Distress Ink Pad and topped with clear embossing powder. The embellishment is a sticker I have had in my stash for a while. I don't think the effect has photographed that well, but it looks quite stunning in real life!

Tag with Tim

Here's a tag I made when I went to the Tim Holtz demo day. Obviously all the products used have the name of the man himself attributed to them! I love the clock stamp - must add it to my ever increasing wish list.

Here is a tag made by the man himself Tim Holtz. He was demonstrating how to ink a stamp and this was the way he didn't want to do it, although he thought it was still cool. I claimed the tag for myself and asked him to sign it, which he did. What a guy!

Eiffel Jigsaw

The background papers for this card are from Basic Grey who make the most gorgeous papers. The stamp is from Putting on the Ritz and the jigsaw pieces were a bargain from Lakeland last year. The ink pad I used is by the fabulous Tim Holtz.

Cat

Made this card using Dovecraft papers, Cuttlebug embossing folder and a cat stamp from my stash. I was pretty pleased how it turned out and is one I don't want to give away!

Floral Duo

These cards are made using the newish papers from Dovecraft. The message stamp is by Hot off the Press and the floral embellishment is from the gorgeous Prima range.

Footballing Variation

Here's another card featuring Jolly Nation's footballer rubber stamp. The background is made using the Cuttlebug 'happy birthday' folder.

Football Fan

Made this card for a colleague's husband who was 70 recently. I love the simplicity of the Papernation (or should I say Jollynation now?) stamps. The 70 is cut with my Cuttlebug and the Birthday is a section cut from Cuttlebug's embossing birthday folder.

Tim Holtz

Yesterday I met Tim Holtz. All I can say is wow what a man! Tim was the special guest at the opening of Dawn Bibby's new workshop premises in Oswaldtwistle here in Lancashire. He demo'd his talents and products throughout the afternoon. He was so inspiring and produced some amazing effects. I had a fantastic day and want to thank Dawn, Leonie and everyone else connected with Topaz for a great afternoon.

Made this card for a Valentine swap I am involved in at Katy's Corner. The stamped image is from Putting on the Ritz. The hearts are cut from Quickutz die. The text is a Hero Arts stamp I have had for ages. Hope the recipient likes it!

Footballing 40

This is a card I made for a friend of my husband. The papers are from Dovecraft. The stamped image is from Papernation coloured in with a waterbrush and Marvy Le Plumes.

Craft Stamper ATC

This ATC is based on a card project I recently had featured in Craft Stamper magazine (February 2008 issue). The background is made using a piece of black card with glue applied all over. On top of this I placed a piece of white tissue paper and scrunched it before pressing it down. It was then inked using black Stazon. The stamp is one of my favourites. The brads are from Papermania.

Paris

The background papers are some I have had for ages and haven't really wanted to use. They are by Tim Holtz. This stamp is from Putting on the Ritz and was inked with Stazon.

Vintage Swimmers

The stamp is from Inkadinkadoo and has been inked using Tim Holtz Vintage Photo Distress Ink Pad. The flower is by Prima and the background pattern is from a Cuttlebug embossing folder highlighted with Distress Ink.

Nana 70

I made this card for my boys to send to their Nana for her 70th birthday. I have to admit I stole the idea from my card swapping buddy, Susan. The bags and shoes are by Hero Arts and stamped onto acetate. The pink card underneath the images has silver ink applied randomly with a baby wipe. The various brads are from Papermania and Dovecraft.

Mum is 70

My mum was 70 earlier this month - she doesn't look it though. I made this card using DCWV Pocket Full of Posies papers. The vase stamp is from a recent Hobbycraft sale and cost me 29p! The flowers are the gorgeous Primas. The swirly stamp is from Inkadinkadoo and I embellished it with flower brads from Lakeland.

Twins

Made this card for a friend of my husband who just became an auntie to twin boys. The letters are cut using Quickutz' Phoebe alpha. I used various papers, the blue embossed one is by K & Co (I think).

Snowy Acetate

Snowman from Woodware and papers from K & Co. I stamped the snowman using Stazon on acetate and also direct to the card. I painted the acetate with H20s and liked the different effect it produced. The star brads are from Papermania.

Winter Folds

The folded embellishment is made from K & Co papers. Snowflake brad is from Lakeland and the square brads from Papermania. Winter Wonderland stamp as before.

Cheery Snowman

Another snowman stamp from Woodware. He is coloured in using H20s and decoupaged. The tiny gem is from Papermania.

Snowman

The snowman is an acrylic stamp from Woodware (link below). He is coloured in using H20s. I stamped the background card and then cut out the snowman without his arms and present. The present is decoupaged. The Winter Wonderland stamp is from Delta and has been a favourite of mine this year. The snowflakes are from Cuttlebug.

Brolly Snowman

The snowman stamp is an old one and I think it is by Hero Arts (may be wrong!) Ribbon is from Papermania as are the gorgeous gem. The lettering is from my Cuttlebug.

Fairy Pink

The fairy stamp is from Woodware and is coloured in using Twinkling H20s. The papers are once again by K & Co and the ribbon from Papermania.

Pink Christmas

Tree stamp is by Hero Arts stamped onto K & Co Christmas papers. The snowflake mat is made using my lovely Cuttlebug and highlighted with a pink ink pad. The gems scattered on the tree are by Papermania.

Girly Christmas

Papers by K & Co, stamp by Penny Black. Coloured using Twinkling H20s. Details of companies in post below.

I saw mommy...

I just love these Penny Black stamps. I coloured the image using Twinkling H20s. The christmas tree brad is from Lakeland and the papers, I think, are by K & Co.

40th Birthday

Made this card for a colleague who turned 40 earlier this month. I used a Penny Black stamp and coloured it with Blending Blox ink pads. The background paper is from the Pocket Full of Poses range.

Happy Travels

Made these cards for a friend whose nephew is off on his travels. I cut up an atlas (!) and used some of my stash that I've been keeping for about 4 years!

Faded Memories ATC

Rubber stamp used is by Inkadinkadoo stamped with Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad. The flower is by Prima. Some of the background paper has guilding flakes on.

80th Birthday

A work colleague asked me to make a card for her Mum's 80th birthday. I used Brenda Pinnick chipboard for the numbers and Cuttlebug's Olivia for mum. The background papes are by HOTP.

Alcohol Inks/Chipboard

The flower has been dabbed with colour (using a baby wipe) from Distress Ink pads. I tapped parts of it with the Essential Glue Pad and then dipped it into a tub of Gold leaf. The flower is chipboard bought from Poundland. My husband hates pound shops, but even he will agree it turned out ok! The corrugated mat at the back is also a pound shop purchase - can't remember how much it cost though:)

Heart Flowers

I cut hearts from white card with a Quickutz die and applied Distress Inks with a babywipe. Next I dabbed round the edges with a different coloured pad. Finally I spritzed them with water, waited for them to dry and mounted them on 3d foam. I caught the pointed ends of the hearts underneath a button brad before adding a ribbon.

Dabbers

I bought the Adirondack Dabbers a while ago but only just began to use them this week. This effect is quite subtle but textured.

Distress Inks

Made this card with Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pads. I inked up the stamp and spritzed the stamp with water before stamping on the card. I tapped the ink pad around the edges and spritzed again. I left it to dry before adding a ribbon. I quite like the smudged effect that it left. Not everyone's cup of tea I know, but I am pleased with it.