LARF .....

I tell you .... I've just found something that made me laugh my socks off. I got it from the Blog of one of my new followers Jacki  (check out her Blogs - she has a great tutorial one as well).
Anyway, it was a link to find your Fairy name. (Check out Jacki's Blog and you can get yours) I ended up becoming  Feather Saturnwand hahahaha - doesn't that just conjure up an image - especially as I was just blogging today that I don't DO cuddly+cute and fluffy stuff - well not with ease anyway. ! It just made me chortle, and now I'm off to draw an image of myself under that guise. Watch this space....  

YIPPEEE - HOW ABOUT THAT :-)

Hello again lovely Peeps,


I have an announcement........ I have been picked for the Design Team on FOREVER FRIENDS MONTHLY CHALLENGE BLOGSPOT and I am soooo chuffed. Don't you just LUV those little bears. ?? I suppose now though I am going to have to put my 'cute + cuddly' hat on for my FF Challenge entries and definitely move the Dark Half stuff to it's own Blog or my FF teddies will be well traumatised. LoL
To think that at the beginning of this year I was not even thinking about being a Design Team Member and now I am on 3. WOWZA. I am having great fun. Please pop over and have a look at the site and there is Fornightly Challenge too. The DTs are really talented ladies and are bound to give you some inspiration. :-)

Thanks again for choosing me Girls - I am honoured. :-) :-)   ( Doing a little dance here)  .. LoL

WARNING, WARNING, WARNING !!!!

Hello my faithful Followers;

 WARNING - what you are about to see, some viewers may find disturbing.......

NO - I haven't lost my mind.
NO - it is not a protest about Meat....
It is this week's project for Haunted Design House Macabre Monday Challenge, where they have really gone over the top with the title "Hacked to bits" !!!! LoL.
I think this is definitely one for my dark half blog (about to go 'Live' any day now).
You can't say you weren't warned !!

Considering I have almost a phobia about scary eyes, I think I did very well to produce this image :-)
Meat photo courtesy of Smithfield Market UK.
Chainsaw available from your local Power Tools supplier !!
Now, of all the power tools I own, I don't actually have one of these ! Probably just as well as I am apt to cut myself just looking at a sheet of paper. I'd probably lose a leg getting it out of the box !!  Hahahahaha

Anyway, my lovlies, I hope you can now continue with the rest of your day/evening without having been too traumatised :-)
Don't worry, I shall be back to 'normal' tomorrow.  mwah

Hugs

Ike xx
Art on the Dark Side Challenge 75 - Sometimes They Come Back


WINNER  of GT

SPRING TIME

Hello everyone,
Well, my mojo is working extremely well today. I have filled two multiple orders for Mothers Day cards, 2 birthday cards, 2 Challenges and I am up on my next 3 challenge projects !! Gosh it must be the Spring weather getting to me. Today has been a balmy 24 degrees, no wind and everything is green. I have baby chicks getting ready to hatch tomorrow - so it could be a late night for me :-) I love to watch them..no matter how many times I've seen them before, it's still a miracle every time :-) :-) At least in my creative mood I might get some more digis drawn up tonight for my site - you can find them at http://www.ikesart.com/
Anyway, enough rambling. Here is my entry for Daisy Doodles Creative Challenges No.30 - Spring.

I have used items from Card Kit 1 from Daisy's Digi  Doodles Store, for this project. I have made a pop-up diamond card using dusky pink cardstock. I then used all 3 of the backing papers to make a patchwork backer, for the main diamond and the bottom stand of the card. I threaded some pink ribbon through a beautiful off-white lace I bought in town from a wonderful Greek lady. Her shop is like Aladdin's cave and she has hundreds of beads, and many different styles of lace to name but 2 items. I could spend a fortune in there, but you have to laugh at the total disarray of the place... however, she knows where everything is, so what's the problem ?? This is Greece after all !!
Anyway, back to the card.... I decoupaged 3 daisy images and the little frame and made the 3D butterfly, which I attached to some fuse wire so he kind of hovers over the flowers. :-)
There are more elements to this kit, and there is also another kit in shades of yellow, which is also FAB. Why not pop to the store to have a look. :-)

SPRING TREE

I tried something a little different here... a triple step-back card. I used digis of the tree and flowers from Digi Doodles Shop and the bear is Forever Friends. I coloured everything in my graphics package. I think he looks really sweet amongst the flowers.

I am entering this at Forever Friends Colour Bingo Challenge. I used the middle row... green, dusky pink + yellow - the pinky colour is on his cheeks.  :-)
Forever Friends Monthly Challange  No 3 - No designer papers

IN HONOUR OF JAPAN

At Use It Tuesday this week Challenge No.4 is related to recent world events. You must make a project using something red in honour of Japan AND use something from your stash that you've been hoarding.
As an added twist...they are going to make a donation to the Red Cross based on the number of participants to this Challenge. If they get 1-25 players, they will donate $50;     26-50 players they will donate $75 and so on up to $400!   So feel free to get the word out! UIT would love to make a great donation on behalf of their fellow crafters.

Here is my card for the Challenge.

I used papers and images from  the Joanna Sheen CD - Eastern Treasures.

I have cut out the image multiple times and made it 3D using silicone.

The thing on this card that I have been hoarding is the little butterfly Charm. I only have 2 and was given them by a friend ages and ages ago, and never wanted to use them. So, here is one ... there's no use keeping them in a box eh ?!!!

SSDS CHALLENGE - PHOTO INSPIRATION

Well, here is my project for this week's  SSDS Challenge - Photo inspiration. This is the photo we were given :

For my card I went with the butterfly/feminine aspect.
For the card I used plain green card stock. This is A5 size but I cut 3cm from the right side of the front, so the lace border sticks out on it's own. My images and papers are from Joanna Sheen's Victorian Companion CD. I made a matching plain pink backing paper, taking a colour from the butterfly lady image. I then used two of the JS backing papers to make a weave onto which I mounted the main  lady image. I chose a rose image and did a 3D layer outside the frame and a small accent at the top. I placed a strip of pale green ribbon down the side of the card and across, just below the bottom,  and added a small pearl buckle. The side of the card is trimmed with lace from my stash.
I am entering this for;
ASpoonfull of Sugar Challenge 144 - Ribbon/Pearls + Flowers
Creative Craft Challenges - Lace

DO IT YOURSELF - 1st Challenge as part of SIMPLY CREATE Design Team

Well here he is - I cut the cat from felt + gingham. Stuffed and mounted him on card by sewing and stuck on some googly eyes,  (the only bit I didn't make) and a small leather nose - hacked from my husband's wallet LoL.  Oh - he has fishing line wiskers too. I then  distressed the "front" of the card with red ink and stuck him on there. I cut and sewed his patchwork mat for the base, and used a strip of gingham to make a rosette. Glued some string in the middle of it and used felt scrap for a tag. :-)
This is my first project as a new member of the Simply Create Design Team, and I am extremely chuffed to have been picked. Thanks Girls xx
We have got some really FAB challenges coming up, so please pop over and join us. :-)

I am entering KlothKat for the 2 Sisters Challenge 32 - Make your own Embellishments

Card Making Mamas Challenge 17 - Animals

Phindy's Place Challenge 49 - All about Anuimals

Tellens Place Challenge - Texture

Totally Papercrafts Challenge 59 - Cute + Cuddly

Southern Girls Challenge - Add an Animal

ABC Challenge - Quilting or Sewing

Crafty Creations Challenge 111 - In Stiches

Belli Challenge 113 - Letter C    (Cat & Cloth)

PARIS

I love this elegant lady of the 20's. I have done her in 3D - 3 layers altogether, and put a 3D ticket for the Moulin Rouge .... very nice too - I've been there...just once as soooo expensive. Curly fringey thingy is from my stash but the colour matches really well.
I am entering her for Stamping Vacation Challenge - Getting Geographical : Paris

AMAZING

WOWZER - would you believe I have been chosen for the Design Team on SIMPLY CREATE. These are an amazingly talented bunch of ladies and I am soooo proud. Check the Blog out Friday for our latest Challenge. You're going to be stunned at the DT projects I can tell you. :-)

I have had to keep quiet about this since the weekend, so I'm really, really pleased to publish this now.
Whoopee  :-) :-)

HAVING A BAD HAIR DAY ?........THE DARK HALF RETURNS

Well now, my Dark Half has surfaced again with this little creation for Macabre Monday HDH081 - "Dastardly Divas"  at Haunted Design House.......don't ya just LUV that site  ????.... ya don't ??....then ya should - and that's THAT.
This week their sponsor is Barbara Jensen Designs, which is soooo coool. :-)  Why not explore your dark half and pop over to HDH ?

I was really pleased with her snake eyes so here's a bigger shot....

I used plain white card as a base and covered it with snakeskin paper - I got from who knows where and when ? The Medusa image is my own - I worked on her all day. She is in a snake frame and she has been 3d'd in just one layer, as I my eyes were too knackered by then to cut more. Sentiment came to me in a flash hahahaha.
Now don't cringe.... it's just something different !

SPRING CHICKLETS

Well, here is my 3rd and final entry for the Digital Drawing Competition at CDAC.
My little chicklets with some daffs. So far this past 2 months I have raised a brood of 7 and then a brood of 10.... 100% hatch rate on that one !!!. Have got 8 more incubating right now, so one more week to go  :-)

SNOWDROPS

This is my 2nd entry for the Digital Drawing Contest at CDAC.
I have left this on here as a line drawing but have tried colouring it in one of my graphics programmes and it comes out really nicely. I have to see it done in Copics.... hopefully it will look even better. :-)
If you fancy entering something yourself - why not pop over to CDAC and have a go. Amateurs or sellers - both have sections in the Comp. It's open until 31st March. :-)

BLUETIT&CATKINS

 I am going to enter the drawing contest at CDAC.  You have to make an Digi Stamp/Image with a Spring feel to it and I thought Bluetits and Catkins were perfect for that. You are allowed to enter 3 drawings or sketches and this is my first one. :-)  If this goes down well I might even offer it for sale when my Website is up and running.

POPPY DAY

This project was inspired by a painting I am working on at present about the first World War, and the
images come from that. The backing paper and decoupage poppies are by Hannah Hay. Quote is from the poem by Wilfred Owen.
I am going to enter it into Haunted Design House Challenge this week... "Alas Poor Yorick", as I think it fits because all the men that died - each would have had people that "knew them well".

SWAN 21

My 3rd Card as DT Member of SSDS is this 3d Swan card for 21st Birthday.
The card pieces are cut from a GSD on my cutting machine and is from Forever Memories For You. I embossed the 3d swans with small dots using a small Ball Tool and made swirls on their necks. The wings are also embossed with dots and then layered onto the body with silicone. Inside the card I printed a birthday banner (in Greek 'cos my friend is Greek !!) and applied two more 3d swans - as on the front - only slightly smaller this time. The row of bows is strung across the inside and embellished with flower shapes in oyster blue. It's a very complicated card and takes a fair while to complete, but is well worth the effort for a special occasion.
I am entering for multiple Challanges this week;
2 Sisters Challenge 31 - Furry Friends
Pink Gem Challenge 17 - Anything but Square
CES Challenges 28 - Inspired by Song
Shannons Sentimenets Challenge 18 - Unusual Fold
Delicious Doodles Challenge 17 - Dimensional Project
Sugar Creek Hollow - Anything Goes
If the Shoe Fits Scrap It  Challenge 17 - Aquamarine
AiFactory Challenge 72 - Things with Wings
DoYouStackUp Challenge 11 - Add a Bow
Crafts & Me - Photo Inspiration Challenge

SPRING

This delightful little lady is Desiree from Bugaboo Stamps. She is sitting on a piece of ribbon from my stash. The diamond papers are from Robyns Fetish and the daisy paper at the back was free with a card magazine.
I used my Fiskars punch to make the scalloped edges.
I am entering her for Catch the Bug Challenge - Scallops.
Card Mad Fairy - Challenge 4 - Nature
Stampin with The Dragon  - Bring on Spring

ERIC........

Here is my entry for this week to Peggy Gatto's Friday Foto Collage
I thought it might give her a laugh. Why not pop over and see her site - it's great fun :-)

GUEST DESIGN SPOT

Hallo everybody Peeps,
Happy Sunday.
Today I am lucky enough to be spotlighted on PaperWorks Co as their Guest Designer and I'm really chuffed about that..... THANK YOU guys. They have a great Blog and some FAB Challenges, so why not pop over and join them ?
Anyway, here is my card that is showcased thereon....

Recipe:
I used  "Paddy Papers" and the image "Irish Birdie" - both from Doodle Pantry.
The birdie comes as plain digi or Pre-coloured.
I Decoupaged the image/sentiment and shamrock, and added a bow from my stash.
I cut the border across the middle with a Martha Stewart punch.
The card is on 15cm square white card stock.

I am entering this card in Cupcake Inspirations Challenge 102
Sentimental Sundays Challenge 46 - Go Green
Delicious Doodles Challenge 16 - Green for St Patrick
Card Cupids Sunday Challenge - Create a Green Card
The Cheerful Stamp Pad Challenge 13 - Is it Spring Yet ?
Allsorts Challenge Block Week 94 - Luck O The Irish
Wee Memories Challenge 47  WMC47  Green Themed

SPRING

Hi there Folks,
this is my 2nd card as DT member on SSDS. This weeks Challenge is .... SPRING.
Why not pop over to SSDS and join in x

I am entering her for;

Send a Smile 4 Kids Challenge 5 - Anything Goes

THE DAY THE FAIRY ELEPHANTS CAME !

I'm still in surreal mode today and found an interesting site where you are encouraged to alter a photo and make something different, so I thought I'd have a go. This week it's Tulips. Tulip image supplied on site.
http://fridayfotocollage.blogspot.com/2011/03/tip-toe-through-tulips.html
Here's my effort .....

I am also entering this at Delightful Challenges - Butterflies :-)

EVEN SAURON CAN'T RESIST THE LURE OF THE CUPCAKE !!!!

One Cake to rule them all .....................................................

I thought I'd do something surreal with the Cupcake Challenge and I used one of the Live Like A Hobbit papers by Cali Designs. This was a Freebie and you can find it here:    http://calidesign.wordpress.com/
I inserted the eye of Sauron into the window and coloured the cupcake in my graphics programme, and then decoupaged the Cupcake - a Freebie by Cathy from Paper Garden Projects - Birthday Cupcake Set.  Go check out the site :-)
Backing paper made in graphics programme.
Saying courtesy of Tolkein.
I am entering this for;
Cupcake Inspirations Challenge 101

AWARD

OMG - Guess what ?..... reading one of my Comments today I found a really great surprise.......the very talented LYN from Spyder's Corner and  Dragonsmoore (her Digi store), has given me an Award. Here it is :

                                                             

This is an Award to highlight Blogs that are worth having a look at. This is a really cool idea and if you accept the Award, you Post about it and present it to 3 - 5 other Blogs that you rate as worthy of a "looksee", but are not so well known and don't have gazillions of followers. I have limited mine to people with less than 100 and I have picked;-


Siobhan http://the-monkey-hut.blogspot.com
Rene    www.creativelycapturingmemories.blogspot.com
Karen   http://creationsbycopse.blogspot.com/
Tammy   http://ttscraps.blogspot.com/
Suzanne http://sue-mycraftycorner.blogspot.com/

Please take the Leibster Award and post it in your side bar, and pass it on to 3 - 5 other Blogs if the fancy takes you, then maybe we can all get mega amounts of followers like the amazing Spyder - she has Freebies too so check out her fabbo site... hmmm....or is it a Web  hahaha  :-)

Thank you Spyder xx

SUNDERLAND A.F.C

I thought I would put this one up as I'm particularly pleased with it. I made it for a friend (who's obviously an avid Sunderland supporter). It's another ZigZag and I used a football pitch for the basic card and embellished with photos about the Team. A little word art was added to the manager's photo. I think it's a good result  :-)

I am entering this for Creative Card Crew  Challenge - No Flowers

THE DARK HALF REVISITED

Another visit to my Dark Half :-)
Backing papers from The Angel Company.
Quote - courtesy of Mae West.
Ribbons from stash.   Image is my own.
You can even open it up and slip your secrets inside !!!
I am entering her for Creative Card Crew - Gothic Challenge
Haunted Design House - Macabre Monday HDH079
The Crafty Pad Challenge 111 - Use Ribbon
Alphabet Challenge Blog - R for Ribbons
Delicious Doodles Challenge 15 - Make the card You want,

WINNER of HDH GT

LUCK O' THE IRISH

This card uses image and papers from Doodle Pantry I sewed the backing paper onto white cardstock. I then cut squares from three other papers and sewed them onto pale green card in a quilt pattern. I matted this block onto the backing paper. The elements have stiched edges and are mounted onto the card with foam pads for added depth.
I am entering him for:
Stamptacular Sunday Challenge 101 - You Lucky Duck
Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge 124 - Patchwork Backgrounds
ECP Challenge 33 - Green
DYSU Challenge 9 - Just Green it
Kaboodle Doodles Challenge 57 - Go Green
Craft Your Passion Challenge 48 - Anything Goes
CD Sunday Challenge Blog - St Patrick's Day
Corrosive Challenge Blog 106 - Going Green
Crafty Ho's Challenge Blog - St Patricks Day
Creative Inspirations - Gone Green
CES Challenge 26 - St Patrick's
Cardmaking Mamas Challenge 16 - Something Green
Fairy Knoll  40th Friday Fun - Think Spring
Mami Doodles Challenge 21 - Green
Paper Cutz Challenge 81 - St Patrick's
Stamping with the Dragon - St Patricks
Stamping Vacation - St Patricks

SHY BUNNY

I have tried another experiment with black & white.... there is a hint of GOLD on there too on the first paper but it didn't really show up on the photo.

This lovely little image is "Shy Bunny" from Tiffany Doodles.
I printed him twice and decoupaged him. The top image I used the "feathering" tecnique to make him look furry. I tore round him and edged with smoky grey chalk.
I have matted and layered on black cardstock using papers from The Angel Company and Daisy Doodles.
Lace &  ribbon and pearl detail from stash.
I am entering him for;
Paper Sundaes Challenge 59 - Stripes
Totally Gorjuss Challenge 70 - Sketch
One Stop Craft Challenge 121 - Colour Challenge
Craft Your Days Away Challenge 15 - Black & White
Stamp Something Challenge - March Digi Day
Totally Papercrafts Challenge 56 - Pearls & Lace
PaperWorks Co - Recipe - Modern Glamour White, Lace, Pearls + Splash of Colour
The Fuzzy Wuzzy Challenges No. 7 - Sketch

MUM

A bright sunny card for Mum.
Papers by Joanna Sheen.
Elements from stash.
Entered for;
Kraftin Kimmies - Challenge 68 - Twine or Floss
The Paper Players Challenge 37 - Spring Has Sprung
Crafty Ann's Challenge 35 - Birthday
Craft Us Crazy Challenge 3 - Nature

NEW PAD

This is a fun little froggy card for a new home.
The image is from Doodle Pantry. He comes already pre-coloured so I didn't have to mess about. I used the colours from his surroundings to make mats and placed them on pale blue cardstock A5 size. I enlarged his waterlillies in my graphics programme, then cut them out and decoupaged them into the corner. I put a sentiment on a tag by Silke and attached it with sticky pads.
I think he's a jolly little chap and would make anyone smile.
I am entering him for Doodle Pantry Challenge No. 9 - Use a DP Image.

ATTITUDE

Typical Teenager when you try to do their washing ?????

This fine specimen of Youth is "Jimmi" by Simply Betty Stamps. The backing paper is my own concoction :-)
I am entering him for Allsorts Challenge Week 93 - Card for a Teenager.
Digis With Attitude Challenge 20 - Anything Goes

WHOOPEE... DESIGN TEAM MEMBER

Hello everyone,

I am very excited as I have been chosen to join the Design Team at Stamp, Scrap & Doodle Saturdays.....
They are some extremely talented girls, and I look forward to working with them.  Thank you for choosing me Ladies xx

So, if you would like some fun and are feeling creative, why not pop over to SSDS and have a looksee. New Challenges will be posted every Saturday and we hope you will join us for some fun and Prizes. Challenges are open to everyone and you are all eligible to win. :-) http://ssdschallenge.blogspot.com/

Anyway, here is my 1st DT card for SSDS. This time it was using the Sketch below. I turned mine into Landscape mode and cut my base card into a step design. The basecard was plain white and then I cut two blue panels and used toning backing paper on them. Paper is Flower Power by Fairy Pixeler.
The card template is by Sue Bryant.
I added a butterfly surround to make it more interesting and fixed a fretwork butterfly as the embellishment, which was cut with my CraftRobo.
I used strips of the backing paper and pale blue card down the side, onto which I slid a darling little pearl buckle I just recently got (from Taiwan).
I stamped a piece of the blue card and cut round it with fancy scissors to make a tag. After chalking the edges with toning chalk, I fixed it to the card with a pale blue jewel brad from my stash. And Voila !

Here's my Card ...

Hope to see you again soon.
Ike xx

OWL BE MISSING YOU :-)

This is a fabulous little Owl Digi and a separate Branch - both from Tiffany Doodles. I thought he could either look very sad or sarcastic/ snooty, so I opted for "sad" this time.
I made him a bit bigger and coloured him in my graphics programme.
I made a Twisted Easel base card from white cardstock and covered the "inside/base" in blue check paper from Sissix - Little Sizzles "Classic" pad.
I tore round the owl image and edged it with blue chalks, then mounted him on a piece of blue gingham - which I had frayed round all  four edges, and secured him with glue and a decorative pin. I then Decoupaged him in 2 layers, because I couldn't resist the urge to anally cut round his eyelashes... twice !!!!   Hahaha :-)
For the base, I made a sentiment and mounted it on sticky pads. I then enlarged the leaf images from the Branch Digi and cut out the leaves to decoupage around the sentiment. I scored and folded them a little down the centre for depth. And Voila !!

I am entering him for;
Dream Valley Challenges Challenge 1 - Anything Goes

BO

This lovely little chap is "Bo", one of the delightful Digi creations by the very talented Christy Croll. You can find him and more at Tiddly Inks.
I have coloured him and used him several times on the card - with and without his balloons :-)
Added some rainbows for plenty of colour and his main card has rainbow swirls and hearts.
He's on a zig zag card which is a little difficult to photograph, but I guess you get the idea.
I am entering him for Tiddly Challenge No. 40 - COLOUR ME.
Digital Tuesday Challenge 100th Celebrations
KB Challenge 5 - Anthing Goes with a Digi
Paper Playtime Digi Monday Challenge 40 - Anything Goes
WoodwareUSA Challenge 16 - Anything goes
Gingerloft Challenge - Furry Friends
Bee Crafty Challenge 47
Sentimental Sundays Challenge 44 - Anything Goes

THE DARK HALF

This is an easel card in landscape.
Black and white papers are from The Angel Company.
Decoupaged  Monster is drawn by me :-)
Sentiment courtesy of Stephen Bishop.
Red fluffy cord from stash.

I am entering him for Haunted Design House Macabre Monday HDH078 - My Beloved Monster
PaperWorks Co February Sketch No. SS71

WINNER of GT