Daft For Daffodils (Plus A Tutorial!)

Friday 29 March 2013

Hi Everyone!

I hope you're all keeping warm, I think this is the first day since last Thursday that it hasn't snowed (although it's early yet!)  I can't believe how much snow there has been - this was taken (not by me!) on Wednesday just up the road a bit:


Thankfully I wasn't too badly affected and we were able to celebrate my mum's 60th birthday on Wednesday night.

It's time for a new challenge at the Alphabet Challenge Blog and it's the last challenge for our lovely boss and leader Lesley :(  She's stepping down so she'll have more precious time for her.  But fear not!  The fabulous Shaz is taking over and I'm sure we'll be in safe hands!
Our lovely Caz had the task of choosing the challenge for the next fortnight and she chose...

D for Daffodils!

A lovely challenge, especially for this time of year, although our daffodils are buried under the snow!

Here's what I did:



I used this image not too long ago but I had to use her again for this challenge as she's just perfect!  She's called Flower Power Daffy by Digital Delights and I coloured her (slightly differently this time!) with the following copics:  Skin; E21,13,00,0000,R20. Hair; E77,59,57,55,53. Clothes; YG97,95,93,91,YR07,04,02,00.  Daffodils; Y19,17,15,13,11,G24,21,20.


The papers are Cosmo Cricket, Salt Air, but I thought the mermaid tails looked like daffodil leaves!
I cut the image out with a Spellbinder oval die and matted on a scalloped one.  The sentiment is by Pink Gem Designs and cut out with an X-cut die.  The little green pearls are from my stash and the lace is from The Ribbon Girl.


 The inside is done to match the front.


I also made a box to put the card into, so here's the set;


I was asked by one of my teamies to show how I made my daffodils, so here's a little tutorial.


First of all you need to make some small rolled roses by cutting out some circles (roughly 5 or 6cm diameter) and then cut them into a spiral.  I don't have any of the fancy dies for this so mine are all roughly cut, by hand (and scissors!).


Then, using a pair of tweezers, starting from the outside end of the spiral and curl around the tweezers.  I find if you curl it quite tightly to start with you can loosen it and it will keep a nice shape.  You need to loosen it a bit to remove the tweezers and then you can play with it to get the shape you want.  If I'm making roses, I will keep it quite tightly rolled, but for the daffodils I loosen it up a lot to keep the centre nice and open.


A good blob of glue will keep it nicely in place.  You only need to hold the paper together for a little while until the glue sets a bit, you don't need to hold it until it's completely dry - or this would take forever!


Once you've rolled the roses (or daffodil centres in this case!) you need to make some stamens.  I took a scrap of orange card and cut a thin strip - a couple of mm's wide and about 4cm long.  Fold it in half and then I grabbed an end with my tweezers and curled it around, removed the tweezers and squeezed between my fingers to make a wee curly nodule at the end.  Then simply push the folded end down into the glue in the centre of the roses (or if you haven't used as much glue as me, or it has dried a bit, add more glue down into the flower).  Leave to one side to dry.


For the next step I used a Spellbinder Dahlia die and used the third from smallest die to cut the outer part of the daffodil.  I then scored the die-cut from point to point (using a ruler and a scoring tool) and then folded along the score lines.  I then snipped in the valley between the score lines - to about half way from the outer edge to the centre.


Then, using a large ball tool and a cushioned  mat (mine is a promotional coaster someone left into work one time and it has a cushioned underneath!  Perfect for this as it's quite firm) I shaped each petal by running the ball around the edges of each one, using a fair amount of pressure.  After I did each petal I ran the ball in a large circle in the centre part to give the flower a better shape.  Lastly, for this stage, I nipped each petal closed along the fold line.


Nearly there now!
Using a good blob of glue, place the rolled roses into the middle of the petals.
Leave to dry for a few minutes.


Using another scrap, I cut (with my trimmer) some stems and leaves - the stems are about 4mm wide (and as long as you want) and the leaves start off at about 4mm wide and taper down to nothing.


Tip your flower up-side-down (making sure the glue has dried enough that it won't drip) and add a little drop to the back and attach one of your stems.
I'm adding my flowers to a card so I did the stems like this as it is flat and light-weight.  Another option that I think would be nice would be to paint a skewer green and attach it with a little bit of tan paper over the top of the skewer on the back of the flower, these would then be more sturdy and could be used on a different project!


Once all the glue has dried you can arrange your leaves and flowers on your project (make sure to put glue on the back of the flower head when attaching to your card as they are quite heavy) and trim the stems to length.
Here's my card again with my arrangement on it.


Phew!  That was a bit of a marathon!
If you give it a go, I'd love to see you enter the challenge at the Alphabet Challenge Blog!  Pop over and see what the rest of the DT have done too!

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Bunny Zoe's Challenge: Girly
Charisma Cardz Challenges; Happy Birthday
Digital Tuesday Challenge; Spring Colours
Fab N Funky Challenges; Boxed in
Forever Friends Fortnightly Challenge; Girls
Fussy & Fancy Challenge; Spring days
Kaboodle Doodles; Spring
Papercrafting Journey; Ribbon or lace
Scrappy Frogs Challenge; Luck O' The Irish
Sweetpea Stampers; Spring colours

Thanks for looking!
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Caught A Bug

Sunday 24 March 2013

Hi everyone!

Happy spring!  Although it doesn't look like it!  It's been snowing steadily for 3 days, but we seem to be getting a break from it today, hopefully it'll stay away - my mum is celebrating a big birthday on Wednesday and we'd need to be able to get there to help her celebrate!
We've been dealing with a combination of heavy snow and wind, and flooding, but I live at the top of a hill so I think I'm getting the better end of the bargain and am just snowed in!  There has hardly been a road open all through the countryside and the electric has been playing up too.  Who'd've thought it at this time of year?!  This time last year Ireland was having a heat wave - I remember cos I missed it - I was in Australia at the time.  After the heat wave, it started raining in April and hasn't stopped since, unless you count it turning to snow instead!
Hopefully we'll get a summer this year.

But enough of my weather rant!  Time for another challenge for the Pink team at Eclectic Ellapu!
Berni's turn to host this week and the fab theme she chose for this week is...

April Fools - anything whisy or funny!

See, didn't I tell you, fab challenge!!  Can't wait to see what everyone comes up with this week - I need a good laugh!

Here's what I did:



I made a pop-up card!


The image is "Caught A Bug" by Whipper Snapper Designs and I coloured it with the following copics: B12,0000, YG17,13,11 YR07,04,02, E57,55,53,51, Blender.


The papers are Basic Grey "Lime Rickey" and I used a Magnoila tag die for the computer generated sentiment - I thought the name of the stamp said it all!  Ribbons, charms and pearls are all from my stash (which basically means that I can't remember where I got them!).

Here's the card flat so it fits in an envelope:


So go and take a peek at what the rest of the DT have come up with at Eclectic Ellapu - you're sure to have a laugh!

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Charisma Cardz Challenges; Die cuts
Craft Your Passion Challenge; Ribbon or lace
Creative Belli Blog; St. Patrick/Green
Delightful Challenges; Get Well cards
My Heart Pieces; Not be square
One Stop Craft Challenges; Recipe
Scrappy Frogs Challenge Blog; Luck O The Irish (Green)
Top Tip Tuesday; ROFL

Thanks for looking!
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Christening Card

Tuesday 19 March 2013

Afternoon everyone!

Another cold one today, we're expecting more snow but I don't know if we'll see too much of it.
I hope you all enjoyed St. Patrick's Day, I didn't do too much as I wasn't feeling too well, I think the bug that has been doing the rounds at work is trying it's best to catch me.  So even if I wasn't out enjoying myself, at least I was looking a little green. Lol!

So it's time for another challenge at the Creative Card Crew and for this fortnight we are being sponsored by the fabulous Scrapping Center






And they're offering a very generous €15 to spend in their store to one lucky winner!

So, the challenge for the next fortnight is...

Masculine!

I know a lot of people really do find this subject challenging (and not just in card form! lol) including me.
Here's what I did:




I made a Christening easel card.



I printed out the name of the new baby before stamping the LOTV Baby Christening image and I coloured it with the following copics: E21,13,00,0000,R20,E35,B95,93,91,C4,3,2,1,0,YG11
The font of the sentiment is called Ribbon Happy - it's spotty, which I thought went well with the ribbon I used.

I used my score board to score lines diagonally on the card of the front and the base.  I added some pearls to the corners which started life off in white but I used my B95 pen to colour them blue.
The ribbon is from the Ribbon Girl and the flowers are vintage ones that I got ages ago and I forget where.  The little cross is from my stash.
The well used (I've got my money's worth here!) Magnolia swirl die has been utilised again.



And finally, I made a box for it to fit into.



So pop over to the Creative Card Crew blog to check out what the rest of the DT did!

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

4 Crafty Chicks; Clean and simple
Craft Your Passion; Ribbons or lace
Crafty Ribbons Challenge Blog; One for the boys
Daring Cardmakers; Make a cute angle
Delightful Challenges; One for the boys
One Stitch At A Time; No design papers
Stampin' For The Weekend; Childsplay
Totally Gorjuss; Something old (vintage flowers)
Totally Papercrafts; Easel cards

Thanks for looking!
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A - B - C

Friday 15 March 2013

Afternoon everyone!

Are you all ready for Paddy's day?!  Only another couple of days - and we get a day off work so woohoo!

And the F1 season officially started last night with the first practice sessions in Melbourne - I can't believe it's a whole year since I was there!  I remember at the Friday practice we got totally soaked!  I still feel like it was yesterday, even though so much has happened in the year since.

Anyway, time for another challenge at the Alphabet Challenge Blog and it was our lovely  Roxx's turn to choose the theme and she went for...

C for Coveted!

So all those things that you've been putting away and stroking cos they're too lovely to cut up - it's time to cut them up!

I made mine a while ago, but here's what I did:


The image is Charlotte by Kraftin' Kimmie and I coloured her with the following copics: Skin; E21,13,00,0000,R20. Hair; E37,35,33,29. Dress; R59,39,37,YR16,14,00,100,W9,7,B95,93,91,YG95,93,91. Shading; W5,3,E41,40.


The gorgeous papers are by Prima and they're called Doodle Deux, I love the colours in the book and I don't want to use them all up!
The Dies I've used are Spellbinders Wonky Rectangles and Memory Box Simple banner.
The sentiments are a mixture of computer generated and I the name on the banner is hand written (very brave I think, considering how terrible my writting is!)
The letters and ribbon have been floating around in my stash for ages.


The inside is another page out of the stack and I thought is was so nice that all I added was a LOTV sentiment.


So go and have a look at how brave the rest of the DT were at the Alphabet Challenge Blog and what lovely stash they've used up!

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Anything Goes Challenge Blog; Seeing double
Bunny Zoe's Craft Challenge; Girly
By The Cute And Girly; Favourite things
Cute Card Thursday; Anything goes
Fab N Funky Challenges; Add a sentiment
No Matter Which Challenges; Anything goes
Papertake Weekly; 1,2,3 - 1 image, 2 ribbons, 3 letter embellishments
Stampin' For The Weekend; Childsplay
Tuesday Alchemy; Anything goes

Thanks for looking!
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Happy Mother's Day...again!

Wednesday 13 March 2013

Morning everyone!

Has it been cold enough for you over the past few days?  Thankfully we didn't get very much snow this time but it has been so cold!  The sun is out today though so hopefully it'll start to warm up a bit!

I'm here today as I won the challenge at delightful challenges a few weeks ago (and all the better cos they choose the winners rather than a random pick) and I was asked to be a guest designer on their Digital Delights blog!  Of course I said I would!  They very kindly let me pick an image and a sentiment from their fab selection and this is what I did:


The image is Flower Power Daffy.  I reduced the opacity on the image before I printed it to have another go at the no-lines technique and I coloured her with the following copics: Skin; E21,13,00,0000,R20. Hair; YR09,07,04. Clothes; Y17,15,13,00,YG13,11.  And Dark brown, Crimson red and Black Prisma pencils.


The papers are Pink Petticoat gingham.  I used Spellbinders eyelet squares for the mat and I threaded some ribbon through the holes.  I hauled out my sewing machine and stitched around the edges of each mat - I also took the opportunity to turn up some jeans that I've being meaning to do for ages!  I made some rolled roses out of the yellow card and the gingham paper - I cut the spiral myself as I don't have any dies for that.  My favourite Magnolia swirl die has made an appearance again and the ribbons are from my stash.  I coloured the sentiment with some of the same copics I used on the image and then blinged it up with a glittery pen.


The inside with more of the same as the front.


I also made a box to put the card into - as the rolled roses make the card a little too big for an envelope.  Here's a picture of the card with the box.


I attached magnets in the ends of the ribbon as a closure and then added some more roses to cover it - one of the roses acts as the opening.  Here's a picture of the box opened.


I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Bunny Zoe Crafts Challenge: Girly
Crafts 4 Eternity; Marvellous Mums
Crafty Catz; All stitched up
Delicious Doodles Challenges; Use die cuts
Dream Valley Challenges; Mother's day
Fab N Funky Challenges; Add a sentiment
Forever Friends Monthly Challenge; Lot's of flowers
Joanna Sheen Challenge Blog; Mum's the word
Stamptacular Sunday Challenge; To die for
Whimsy Stamps Inspirations Challenges; Stitch it

Thanks for looking!
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Happy Mother's Day!

Sunday 10 March 2013

Hello everyone and a special Happy Mother's Day to all the mum's out there, I hope you're all having a lovely day and are being spoilt!  I'm going to spoil my mum soon - just need to finish this and wrap the present!

I'm not showing my Mother's Day card today though cos it's time for a new challenge at Eclectic Ellapu and it was the lovely NanaConnie's turn to choose the theme and as it is her birthday next week - on St. Patrick's Day - she has asked us all to make something with the theme of...

Birthdays!

So a lovely easy challenge this time!

I actually made mine a while back and this is what I did.


A nice simple card for a nice simple theme!  I used Milly Flower Power by LOTV and coloured her with the following promarkers:  Skin; Sunkissed pink, Oatmeal, Blush, Pastel pink. Flower; Magenta, Carmine, Cocktail pink, Orange, Pumpkin, Honeycomb, Lush green, Emerald, Honeydew. Dress; Burgundy, Hot pink, Lipstick red, True blue, Sky blue, Powder blue. Hair; Umber, Chestnut, Cocoa. Ground and shading; Shale, Caramel, Satin, Blender.


The papers are Stampin' Up! Cheerful Treat.  The ribbon is also Stampin' Up!.  The sentiment is Wild Rose Studio on Stampin' Up punches!  The border punch is a Martha Stewart one and the diamanté buckle is from my stash.


As always, the inside follows the theme from the front.


So take a minute to pop over to Eclectic Ellapu to check out what the rest of the DT have made!

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Crafty Ribbons Challenge; Anything goes with ribbon
Crafty Sentiments Designs Challenge Blog; Pretty in pink
Fashionista Challenge; Pink
Fussy and Fancy Challenges; Flowers
Oldie But A Goodie; Feeling floral
Passion For Promarkers; One for the ladies
Stamp N Doodle; A card for a female
Totally Papercrafts; Punch it
Whoopsidaisy Challenge; 2 patterned papers

Thanks for looking!
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Flutterby's

Tuesday 5 March 2013

Good morning everyone!

My back is still playing up but I've put it to the back of my mind over the past few days as my wee nephew was taken into hospital after the passed out at home.  He had another episode in the hospital but after a night in there and lot's of tests done they think it was a one (or two) off, and it's nothing to get too worried about.  He's back home now causing havoc again with his wee sister who missed him a lot on his night in hospital!

Time, though,  for another challenge at the Creative Card Crew and as well as some fabulous new teamies, we have a fabulous new sponsor..


Who are offering 4 digi's to one lucky winner!

And the challenge is...

Ribbon!

The design team were lucky enough to be given some of their digi's to work with and I chose the gorgeous Fae to use.  Here's what I did:


I made an easel card


I started off by opening the image "Fae" in PSE so I could reduce the opacity as I wanted to try the no-lines technique with a digi image.  I then proceeded, very carefully, with the following copics: Skin; E21,13,00,0000,R20. Hair; E49,39,37,35,33,R59. Butterflies; R39,29,27,BG49,45,02,G24,21,20,YR24,23,21.  And Black, Dark Purple and Dark Brown Prisma pencils.  Sorry the pictures aren't great, I couldn't get the light to stop glaring on the image.


The papers are DCWV Mariposa stack and the ribbon is from my stash.  The swirl is my favourite Magnolia die with a few swarovski's.  The Butterfly is a Spellbinder die and I inked it up with some distress inks before I removed it from the die.  I then painted some champagne mist ink on the bits that weren't inked before adding some bling in the form of Swarovski crystals.  The sentiment is by Wild Rose Studio's on Stampin' Up! punches.


The bit down the side was what was left of the 8x8 sheet I used for the top of the easel and I fussy cut around the design before I adhered it to the base.


So go and have a look at the Creative Card Crew blog to see the rest of the DT's (including the newbies!) fabulous work!

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

613 Avenue Create; Tic tac toe - green/bling/ribbon
All Sorts Challenge Blog; For a lady
By The Cute And Girly; Favourite things - copics
Crafty Ribbons Challenge; Anything goes with ribbon
Cupcake Craft Challenges; Sparkle
Dream Valley Challenges; Ribbon and bling
Joanna Sheen Challenge Blog; Layer it up
Moving Along With The Times; Lovely ladies
Patties Creations Design Challenge; Fancy folds
Sentimental Sundays; Fairy's with wings

Thanks for looking!
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