DILLY BEANS

 While hopping around in Blogland, I came across this cuts blog.  I loved their header and when I saw their CUTE freebie, I just had to have it!!  Have a look at the Dilly Beans Challenge blog. They also have the cutest digi's in their shop!!!  Anyhow, here's my "card" I made with the freebie.  I 3D paper pieced the snowmen and then made the frame from chipboard. Took me the whole of Sunday, but it was SO worth it, as I really love how it turned out!

Here's some of the "before" pieces.

And here's a side view of some of the layers.

A close up of the snowmen!

And last but not least, my completed frame. Think I went a but overboard with the snowflakes on the sides, but who can blame me, this is the closest I have come to "snow" since I was two years old (and thats a darn long time ago) LOL.

See you soon!

Engagement card for a friend

Since I started making cards (which isn't all that long ago) I've come across something called "Kraft".  Well, seeing as I have no idea what it is and where to get it, I went along to a local craft store and bought a big piece of brown cardboard.  I first stamped one of my new Maggies onto the card, just to test it, and I immediately LOVED it!  Its a whole new technique to me, but when two friends got engaged recently, I knew this was my opportunity to try it out again!  So, here's my finished card.........

It's not real clear on the photo below, but the background paper shows through the  tissue paper with the sentiment on it and looks rather nice (if I might say so myself, lol)

 Until I get more Promarkers, I'll definitely be doing more pencil on Kraft(cardboard lol) images!

Don't know if this qualifies as a "fancy fold" but I'm entering it into the latest challenge over at Mo's challenge.

MIC CHRISTMAS ELVES

This is basically a work in progress! LOL, told DH earlier that at least I have until Christmas to finish them.  For some reason, I'm always quick to start on a new project, but not so quick to finish them :(   At any one stage I'll  have two or three unfinished projects on my "table".  (I'll get back to the "table" issue in a later post)

My latest project involves cubes decorated with green, red and gold, eventually spelling out " Merry Christmas" and decorated with all seven (yeah 7) of the new Make it Crafty Christmas Elves ! Aren't they just toooo darn cute??

At the moment I have two (partially) completed cubes, three colored and cut out elves and one or two still in some process of being colored, cut etc.....Not every cube will have a elf on (unless I get some serious mojo on different color schemes for these little guys).  I'm posting this in the hope that if its out there for the whole world to see, I'll maybe finish it a (little) bit quicker.

Here's a little peak of what I'm working on......

Note to self :  PLEASE start looking at making a photo box(is that what it's called) to take some decent photo's!

See ya soon!


 

3D paper piecing

I've been spending a lot of time on Mariska's blog Sending you a little smile .  I love her cards and boxes with the 3D paper piecing!!! For the Orange and black challenge over at Make it Colorful / Make it Crafty I decided to give 3D paper piecing a go with this little guy!  Haven't had time to make him into a card yet but watch this space to see what I did with him!

 and a view from the side to see the different layers.

That's it from me for now...............

It's a couple hours later and I've managed to turn him into a card!!

PAPERBAG MINI ALBUM

Hi guys, I've been gone for quite some time (again) (I know) but this time I had a good reason.  I've been participating in my first ever swap!!  The swap was over at Crafter's Digital Art Center and Priscilla worked really hard in finding me a partner from South Africa!  Let me tell you, its awesome and terrible at the same time!!!  I was forever agonizing about my album, did I do it neat enough, will she like the colors, what else should I put in, what if she does not like it and so the list continues.  I guess I just wanted to give someone something that I wouldn't mind getting myself?

Here is the cover.  The names on the front, is the names of my swap partners two boys.

 The first page as you open the album. All the little flaps are for tags or photos.

 The album was made for my partner, to put photos and journaling in of her boys.  All the digi's used throughout the album are from Dustin Pike.  I've colored some of the digi's, but left some for Olga to color herself (or maybe the boys would like to color them).

 The next two pages

 Then the next two, my son helped with the little envelope.

 The next two pages are my favorite.  They are very plain but it gives the Olga lots of space to do her own thing!

 The next two pages, with space for photos.

 Last page - my kids love this digi. Written on the pot under the bunny is : Black Jelly Beans.  LOL

 Inside every bag is a tag.  I just tied ribbon to them.  This is the view from the side.

The two ladies at the post office liked my album and even asked if I sell them (a big NO) so I really hope that Olga and her boys will love the album and hopefully be able to use it.

A giftcard holder for a friends' birthday

A few weeks back Kenny K's Krafty Girlz had a challenge to make a pocket card.  I did not enter the challenge, but suddenly remembered about it when I decided to make a card for a friends'  birthday.  I decided on getting her a gift card from a local bookstore so I thought the pocket card would be a fun new thing to try.  The image I used is Lady Raven and I chose her because she has an uncanny resemblance to my friend!!!

Here is my pocket card.

and here is a close-up of Lady (Estelle) Raven.

We had loads of fun at her birthday breakfast this morning and my card was a hit!

BAD BLOGGER

After the last time, not posting for quite some time, I promised myself I would not let so much time pass before posting here again.  Yeah right, see how that one worked out for me!
I've been so busy checking out other people's blogs, cards and coloring that I didn't do much coloring etc myself.  When I sat down to do this post, I couldn't even remember how to do a new post (yeah, I'm so ashamed) *blush*  Anyway, the reason for my sudden return is ................... I've found a challenge on Make it Colorful that I really wanted to give a go. 

The challenge is to color dark skin! PHEW!! You wouldn't believe how hard it was finding a image to color with a dark skin!!!  After much deliberation I decided on Dante's Drum by Mo Manning.  I simply love her images and its never hard to find something cute there! My only problem was finding something that I would use again.  Okay, so without to much further babbling.................

Here's Dante feeling irie!

and here's a closer look

Really had so much fun with this one.  I colored him mostly with watercolor pencils (see the smudge on the drum) and here and there used my Promarkers.

  Just goes to show I need to make more time for coloring!! LOL