Halloween Shaker Box

Currently I am running a Halloween themed Blog Candy (click HERE for all the details) where you can win kits to make some Halloween 3D projects. One of the items I'm including is a shaker box kit. The one in the kit will be different to this one but I thought I'd show you another way of using the shaker die.

I've taken a break from the Goofy Ghosts and have used this Hoppy Occasions image of a Witchy Frog from Bugaboo. The Hoppy Occasions set have a froggy image for all occasions - birthday, graduation, wedding, Christmas and Easter!

I printed some of this green web paper from Pink Petticoat onto plain white card. Then I put it back into the printer and on the reverse, printed off the same paper but in a grey shade. Then I sent it through the Big Shot to cut it out. It looked great before even decorating it with anything!

Pretty Umbrellas

Another break from showing you my Halloween projects today! But the blog candy is still up for grabs. Check it out HERE!

I have to admit, this was a very quick last minute card. I wanted to show you the new Pretty Umbrella release which is happening today over at Bugaboo and the freebie you can get your hands on but didn't have much time as I was packing for my hols at the time and trying to get loads sorted!

I digitally layered the umbrella onto some cloud backing paper from Pink Petticoat. then coloured it in, cut the layer out and stuck it onto the backing panel. Quick and easy! So, head on over to the Bugaboo shop and get your hands on this image for free and see the rest of the collection available too!

Bugaboo New Release

It's NEW RELEASE DAY at Bugaboo. I've used one of the new images below to create a gift box using my Sizzix Carry All Die. It was dark by the time I finshed it as I made a few mistakes and had to redo a few things! I printed out some Pink Petticoat Doodle Papers onto linen card for the box - it's as nautical and sea like as I could find but I think it works.

I then printed the Tubing Bugaboo image and coloured with PMs. The image looks quite faded in these pics but they're not IRL.

Today's release also sees some new TEDDIES and CLOWNS being released. Head on over to the BUGABOO shop and the challenge at CATCH THE BUG for more inspiration.

A load of ATCs

Today I've been catching up on my ATCs. I have made three lots altogether.

The first two sets are for ATC SWAPPERS (my swap, where we are always happy to welcome new swappers, visit the blog for more details). This month there are two themes 'Yellow and Black' and/or 'Red and Black'. Swappers can choose one of the themes or do both - I've made some for both!!!

The Yellow and Black ones are made using a Digi from the Greeting Farm's Chibi Range. I think these images are great and quite unique.

I've used Pink Petticoat's Frillie Millie for my Red and Black set. The doodling hasn't come out in the pic so they look a little bare here.

The final set are for Addicted to ATC swap. The theme is Spring Colours. I chose the colours from the colour pallette they have on the blog. The image is a Bugaboo reebie this week and came just in time. Visit HERE to get your own copy (there's also another freebie there of a boy with a football). I got a bit carried away here too. Forgot that the swap is for 3 ATCs and not 4!!! Oops. Anyway, means I get to keep one myself - but which one, a brown rabbit or a white one?

Triptych ATC Swap

Here are the ATCs I made for the Feb swap at ATC Swappers. Our theme was Triptych. The cars are from a Pink Petticoat set I've had for ages.

I do like my Old Olive. Once again, I've used the papers and coloured the cars with Marsh Green Promarker to match.

Our next theme is a colour challenge, either 'Red and Black', 'Yellow and Black' or BOTH!!! Why not hop on over and maybe join in with the fun.

http://atcswappers.blogspot.com/

I Love Digi Challenge #2 ~ Sketch & A Card For Mum

Here we go with challenge number 2. I Love Digi is a Challenge Blog dedicated to the use of Digi Images so dust of those printers and get creating.

Our theme this fortnight is two fold. We have a Sketch to follow and the added challenge of making it a card for Mum as Mother's Day is approaching.

My card has been made using elements from Pink Petticoat sets. I have used a number of their backing papers and printed them in turquoise which is a colour I don't use very often. The Frillie Millies are so much fun to colour. The sketch for this challenge has been produced by Dawny:

Our sponsor this fortnight is Lexi Doodles:

Remember to check out the rest of the DT Members to see their work too:

Elaine - Leader

Callie Bev Karin Dee Poppy Mel Jane

And our Guest Designer this fortnight is : Dawn

So go ahead, make a card/project, post it on your blog and link it using Mr Linky on the I LOVE DIGI blog.

More Christmassy Cards

Didn't think I'd be able to resisit for much longer! Finally went ahead and bought some more Elzybells as part of their celebrations. If you've been wanting to get your hands on some of the stamps then now's the time as there's 10% off all orders and special stamp bundles - I went for the angels one, over £23 worth of stamps for £10.80!!! How's that for a bargain? Head on over to the Online Elzybells shop now and take a look.
I've actually been using some of the Eskimo stamps from Elzybells today. I've adapted a quick card I made a while back on here and played with the image and colours. The main difference is the doodle border.

And here's a close up of the 2 new colours (Agean and Lime Promarkers)



And here's a card I made when I was playing with my new stash that I forgot to include in the update before. Here I was practicing colouring with the ink pad and a blender pen. I think it really adds to it and highlights the flower well.


And my final update for today, here are my ATCs for this months swap over on my ATC SWAPPERS blog. The theme this month is Call of the Wild. These weren't my original plans but I had to change it as my printer is out of action (and has been for 3 weeks now and I'm still trying to sort it out, was adding my new CISS and the printer hasn't worked since). Anyway, enough babbling, I ended up using some PP images I'd printed ages ago and some of my SU stash -Chocolate Chip and Old Olive papers and cardstock and my wheel with chocolate chip ink.

More ATCs

This time for my swap over at ATC SWAPPERS. We have two themes this month due to a tie in a poll. The first is 'Black and Blue'. I went for this great fairy tale themed Elzybells stamp. The borders are black and blue. I've glazed the swords but this hasn't come out well in the pics. Also used stickles for the first time in ages.

The second colour scheme is Purple and Cream. I've used some Pink Petticoat images this time and matched the flower colours to the borders. Stickles used again, this time the ICE one to make some white wings.

How organised is this - have also made the thank you ATCs for the swappers (each swapper gets a bonus ATC from me this month). I've made them the same as last time but altered the colours. By the end, some people may have a complete collection of them lol!!!

12 have been made so far - if more join in then I'll have to get busy.

If there's anyone interested in swapping ATCs and wants to join in then contact me on

atcswappers@hotmail.co.uk

and I'll send on the relevant info about getting started. It's a small friendly swap with no rules on what to use or what to do. The philosophy behind the swap is JUST FOR FUN and that is what it has been, a lot of fun.

Simple Card Tutorial

As I said, here is another tutorial showing how I print a single Pink Petticoat image on an A5 piece of card to create a very simple card. The great thing about it is that once you've done it the first time and saved it, you can create them quickly when a 'last minute' card is needed. Again I am using Microsoft Publisher to create it.

Firstly open up Publisher and follow the path 'File; Page Setup' choose 'Printer and Paper' option and change paper size to A5 and Landscape. The result should look like this. If you don't have the red and blue border then you'll need to change this by going to 'View; Boundries and Guides'


Next click on the 'Insert Table' icon (highlighted in the above pic) and click and drag
from the top left hand corner to the bottom right of the page. The following table will appear automatically. Choose 1 row and 2 columns and then OK.

Here is what you'll be left with, a greyscale table splitting the page in half. This table does not print and so I simply use it as a guide.

Next I import my pictures. For this Tutorial I'm using the Dad's Taxi set. I went to 'Insert; Picture; From File' and then chose the file I keep it in. As they are A4 in size, it appears huge on the page. If you prefer, you can zoom out here to see the whole page.

Click on the image page and you'll see white circles in each corner. Once this has been done a Picture Toolbar will appear (mine appears at the bottom but sometimes it's a floating one and sometimes it's at the top). Choose the CROP icon (highlighted below).

You will notive that the white circles will have changed to black lines. This tells you that it's ready to be CROPPED.

I then use these black lines to remove the items I don't want which leaves just the starry car. Click anywhere away from the image to remove the crop function.

Click and drag the image to its place. If you want, you can alter the size, rotation etc here. The grey line from the earlier table helps to be able to centralise the image.

You are now ready to print and colour!!!

Hope you found this helpful and that I haven't confused you too much. The best thing to do is to have a go and practice.

Card Blank Tutorial

I've had a few e-mails asking how I make my card blanks using digi downloads and thought I'd make a quick tutorial on my money saving way. I get 2 A6 Cards out of one page and only print on half the sheet. I use Microsoft Publisher to make them (I am self taught with this programme so if I can work it out, anyone can)

I start by opening a blank A4 page. I then go to 'Insert; Picture; From File' and then go to my Pink Petticoat file and choose the background I want (for this tut, I have chosen Pretty Doodles in Teal):

In the above pic, I have used the rotate icon to flip it 90 degrees so that the image is landscape. If you can't find the rotate icon, you can follow the path 'Arrange; Rotate or Flip; Rotate Left. MAKE SURE THAT THE IMAGE HAS BEEN SELECTED AND THAT YOU HAVE THE WHITE CIRCLES IN EACH CORNER OTHERWISE THIS STAGE WON'T WORK.

I then drag the image so that the top left of it is lined up with the top left of the paper (does that make sense to anyone else???)

Then shrink the image by clicking and dragging on the bottom right hand white circle (It will change to a two headed arrow to illustrate this). Drag it until the right hand side aligns with the right hand side of the page -I usually make it smaller to start with and then drag it out larger as I find it easier to see the alignment. It should look like this:

Print it out using the borderless function of your printer (I have to change my paper type from Normal to Matte to allow me to choose this option).

I wanted a blue and cream card base but only have the white background option for the Pretty Doodles so I printed it onto a piece of cream linen cardstock.

Then simply cut the page in half as shown in the pic and fold

And there we have it - 2 A6 cards which can be used both landscape and portrait and only using 1 piece of A4 card and half the ink of printing a whole page.

I hope you like my first tutorial on here and I hope to make another one to show how I print a single image to create a simple one layer card as in the thank you cards I made a while back.

_____________________________________________

On a different note, can I thank everyone who sent me birthday wishes and all the great cards yesterday. Sorry I didn't manage to get on the computer yesterday but I will try and post a pic of some of the cards soon.

Thank you

Valentine Teddy

Here's a pic of a card I was going to enter into the Valentine Competition over on the Elzybells blog. I've used one of the new stamps and coloured it with Promarkers. It's been mounted on 2 nestie layers, a circle and a scalloped circle, for double the height. The background is an adapted Pink Petticoat design. I've used gold pen to highlight different areas.

Here's a close up of the image.

Gossipy Cards

Today, I finally managed to work out how to do borderless printing with my printer!!! I've been wondering how for ages but it never allowed me to tick the option - the answer in the end was to change the paper type to photo paper!!!

So here are two cards I made with my new found skill (lol). I decided to use my Elzybells stamps and here are the results:


I used the Pink Petticoat Pretty Doodles for the background and coloured the image in with Promarkers (YES, my Memento Ink has finally arrived).

Same image and backing paper, but in a different colour. I've added gold detail to areas of the doodles and inked the sides with chalk.
Here's a pic of the card open to see the difference between the back and front.

January ATC Swap

The end of the month has arrived and so it's time for swapping the ATCs at ATC Swappers. This was the first of the monthly swaps and the theme was 'Favourites'.

I used my favourite Pink Petticoat image - the groovy looking lion. He was coloured with Promarkers and was given a Stickled mane. He was then matted and layered on yellow and red cardstock which was inked with black chalk (another favourite techique of mine). The yellow layer is attached with foam squares to add dimension.

Check out the rest of the great ATCs at http://atcswappers.blogspot.com/. The February theme is Countryside - check it out and hopefully join in.

Taxi Milk Carton

Here's another of the Milk Carton boxes I made. I used the Dads Taxi Pink Petticoat set again - I think I may end up boring you with this set soon!!!

Dad's Taxi

Here we go with some more from this Pink Petticoat set. Lots of nice bold colours to brighten up this dreary day (although the sun has actually come out right now and it looks glorious outside).

Images coloured in with Promarkers and made into toppers with nestabilities. Matted and layered on Cuttlebugged cardstock.

I really like the fact that I already had Promarkers which matched the cardstock colours. A fluke if I say so as I hadn't gone out to intentionally buy them. So expect to see more of these colours used!!!