Cooking It Up #67 - A Yellow Birthday Sketch!

It's time for another recipe for your cards at my Cooking It Up With Katie challenge blog.
This week's ingredients are:

Start with a current Sketch
Make it for a Birthday
Use a little Yellow

Challenges:
Everybody Art - Anything Goes
Hooked On Crafts - Anything Goes
Lilypad - Ribbon
Ribbon Carousel - Coloring and Ribbon
Sketch and Stash - Sketch
CRAFT - Stitching (5 entries)
Digi Doodles Shop - Stitching
Creative Stamp Friends - Happy Birthday
The Sisterhood of Crafters - Male Birthday
2 Sisters - For A Guy
Mami Doodles - For a Man/Boy
My Mum's Craft Shop - For The Boys
Aly's - All About Kids
Card Makin Mama's - For A Child
Creative Inspirations Paint - Bright Colors
One Stitch At A Time - Things With Wings
Sweet Stampin - Things With Wings
Speedy The Cat's Friends - Buttons
One Stop Crafts - Stickers
Word Play - Blue
CR84FN - Aqua, Green and Yellow

Card Recipe:
Image - Rupert's Party
Paper - Spotted Owl Soup by Jillibean Soup
Medium - Copic Markers
Ribbon - Whimsy Cottage
Sentiment - The Paper Studio
Buttons - Dress It Up
Dewdrops - Robins Nest

I printed an additional image and colored and cut the balloons to give it a little POP! I bought these papers at the Great American Scrapbook Convention a few weeks ago and they were absolutely perfect for the color challenge! And of course they are a 6" by 6" pad and you know how obsessed I am with them :)
I hope this one brings you a smile and we'd love to see you playing over at Cooking It Up With Katie this week.
Katie

A Spoon Full of Sugar - Ribbons and Bows

We have a lovely girly challenge for you this week at A Spoon Full of Sugar as we want to see your Ribbons and Bows!

Challenges:
Everybody Art - Anything Goes
Hooked On Crafts - Anything Goes
Sweet Stampin - Things With Wings (2 entries only)
Crafty Calendar - Things With Wings
One Stitch At A Time - Things With Wings
Lilypad - Ribbon
Ribbon Carousel - Coloring and Ribbon
A Gem of a Challenge - Blooming Charming (flowers and charms)
Charisma Cardz - Pink and Green
CRAFT - Stitching (5 entries)
Digi Doodles Shop - Stitching
Cute Card Thursday - Birthstone (mine is November which is Topaz and Pearl)
Hanna and Friends - In The Garden
Whoopsi Daisy - Pile On The Flowers
Karen's Doodles - Flower Power
Picture and Scrap - Lace and/or Ribbon
Corrosive by Janet - Ribbons and Bows
House of Gilli - Ribbons and Bows
Cupcake Craft Room - Flowers and/or Leaves (2 entries only)
Emerald Faeries - Petals (3 entries only)
Crafts 4 Eternity - Embellishments with an R (I chose round, roses, ribbon)
Stamp Something - Something with Pretty Papers
One Stop Craft - Use a Sticker

Card Recipe:
Image - Sweet Blossom by Wee Stamps at Cuddly Buddly
Medium - Copic Markers
Paper - Daisy Dear by Heidi Grace
Doily Die - French Pastry by Cheery Lynn Designs
Die Cut - Spellbinders Octagons
Border Die - Marianne D Creatables
Roses - Prima
Ribbon - Michaels
Sentiment Charm - Bravissimo by Making Memories
Pearls - The Paper Studio

This gorgeous image just makes me smile every time I look at it.
I added lots of nice girly touches to it and we'd love to see your take on our challenge this week over at A Spoon Full of Sugar!
Katie

A Cheeky Little Valentine

I couldn't share this one until today as it is actually my husbands Valentine cutie!
(that's why you don't see the inside of this one ;))
We may be English but now live in Texas and he knows I have a little penchant for a good "Cowboy Romance" book and so I thought I could be his Cowgirl for the day :)
Also this is my first Kenny K card, some of my favorite card makers use these super images but I've not played with one until this card.

Challenges:
Kenny K - Circles
Cards For Men - 1 Image, 2 Papers and 3 Embellishments
Bearly Mine - For Men/Boys
Ooh La La - For Someone Special
ECP - Love
Totally Gorjuss - Love
Crafty Calendar - Love
Rainbow Lady - All About Love
Dutch Dare - Love Is In The Air
One Stop Crafts - Love Is In The Air
Scrap Stamp and Doodle - Love Is In The Air
Crafty Ann's - Love Is All Around
Winter Wonderland - For The One I Love
The Sisterhood of Crafters - In Love With Valentines
Crafty Sentiments - Valentines
Crafty Purple Frog - Valentines/Romance
AI Factory - Valentines
My Sheri - Valentines
CRAFT - Valentines
Sew Many Challenges - Valentines
Stampin For The Weekend - Valentines
Delcious Doodles- Valentines
Pixie Dust - Be My Valentine
Crafty Catz - Love/Valentines
Stamp Something - Something for Your Valentine
For Fun - Hearts
Stampin Royalty - Hearts
The Stamp Man - Hearts
Crazy 4 Challenges - Hearts
The Crafty Pad - Hearts

Card Recipe:
Image - Cheyenne by Kenny K
Paper - 365 Degrees by Pink Paislee
Medium - Copic Markers
Corners and Heart - Colorbok
Brads - Spare Parts

I used the great box tutorial on Rach's blog and it is so quick and easy.
Anyway, if my sweetie is reading this, Happy Valentines Day!!!

Cooking It Up #48 - Show me your Red Ribbon Corners!

It's a new challenge at my Cooking It Up With Katie
Also we are looking for a few new members to add to our merry band and all the details can be found over at the challenge. We are looking for full time members and Guest too so why not give it a shot!
On to the challenge, we are sponsored by the fabulous Digi's With Attitude this week and had some fun images to play with.

The ingredients this week are:
Use some Red
Add a little Ribbon
And don't forget the Corners!

Challenges:
Sew Many Challenges - Anything Goes
Catch The Bug - Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
Stamp Something - Digi Something
CRAFT - Die Cuts
Cute Card Thursday - Banish the Blues (use a funny image or sentiment)
Paper Play - Stamp It Out (use an image)
Phindy's Place - Embossing
One Stitch at A Time - Do It With a Digi
Kaboodle Doodles - Ribbon
Woodware - Ribbon

Card Recipe:
Image - Texting Tween by Digi's with Attitude
Sentiment - Sentiment Set 1 by Digi's with Attitude
Paper - My Sweet Cherry Pie by Nikki Sivils
Medium - Copic Markers
Die Cuts - Spellbinders and Quickutz
Ribbon - Hobby Lobby
Embossing Folder - Sizzix

This sassy girl certainly made me smile and I hope she will do the same for you too.
Be sure to check out the challenge and if you would like to be a part of our team, either as a full time member or as a Guest Designer then be sure to get all the details on our Design Team Call.

Cooking It Up #43 - Button me a Ribbon Animal

Happy New Year Everyone!
I arrived back from England on Sunday evening and am still in "home sick mode" but it is getting better with each day. We all had a fabulous time with our family, savoring every precious moment and it is always so hard to leave and travel 4500 miles back to our home.
But life goes on and picking up my crafting tools and creating helps make it all a little easier.
2011 is going to be a very busy year, more crafting opportunities than ever and I'm excited to get it off to a good start.


It's a New Year and time for a new challenge over at my Cooking It Up With Katie blog!

The easy "ingredients" for your card this week are:

Use a Button or two
Add some Ribbon
Show us an Animal!

Challenges:
One Stitch At A Time - Anything Goes
Auds Sentiments - Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
Fairy Knoll - Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Frosted Designs - Use a Sentiment
CRAFT - Thank You
Allsorts - Thank You
Cute Card Thursday - Thank You
Phindy's Place - Thank You
Winter Wonderland - Thank You
Stamp With Fun - Sketch
Secret Crafter - Buttons and Bows
Alota Rubber Stamps - Stamp, Ribbon and Bow

Card Recipe:
Image - Pink Gem Designs
Paper - Origins by Basic Grey
Medium - Copic Markers
Sentiment - Printed in Typewriter font
Flowers - Prima

This is such a cute image and I'm sure it will bring a smile to recipient of this Thank You card.
Be sure to keep checking back here everyday as I have some exciting pieces of news coming up and lots of new cards to share!

Pixie Cottage #49 - Special Friends/Family

It's another Once Upon A Wednesday here at The Pixie Cottage and it's time for another super sketch and theme to help you on your creative endeavors!
Along with the sketch we want to see your project made for "Special Friends and Family" just in time for The Holidays!

Challenges:
Paper Issues - Holiday Hookup
Challenge Up Your Life - Christmas or Advent
Stamp With Fun - Christmas
Allsorts - Christmas
Pear Tree Designs - Christmas
Top Tip Tuesday - Christmas
Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes Christmas
AI Factory - Happy Holidays
2 Sisters - Twas The Night Before Christmas
Tuesday Taggers - And The Stockings Were Hung
Hanna and Friends - Christmas in Red
Paper Cupcakes - Christmas with Red and Green
Crafty Ho's - Red and Green
CRAFT - Color Combo "Festivia"
Thrilling Thursday - Celebrate
Cute Card Thursday - Flowers
Sew Many Challenges - Flower Power
Frosted Designs - Ribbons
Craft Your Days Away - Punch It Out
Stampin B's - Use a Star (on the top of the tree)
Winter Wonderland - Bauble (on the tree)
Our Daily Bread - Photo Inspiration (the fireplace)
Sweet Stampin - 3 Papers, 2 Embellishments and 1 Image
Creative Cowgirls - Anything Goes
Mad For Markers - Anything Goes
One Stitch At A Time - Anything Goes
Creative Card Crew - Anything Goes

Card Recipe:
Image - The Stockings Were Hung
Paper - A Homemade Christmas by DCWV
Medium - Copic Markers
Border Punch - Martha Stewart
Flowers - Prima
Sentiment - The Paper Studio
Ribbon - American Crafts

This was the super sketch we had to start us off with.

I know that Winter is here and many of you would love to be sitting next to a warm fire like this!
The cold days mean more inside time so it's perfect for finishing off that Christmas crafting!
Katie

The Pixie Cottage Challenge #28 - Double Up - Guest Sketch

It's time for another Once Upon A Wednesday at The Pixie Cottage and another sketch from our fabulous Special Guest Sketcher Jay Jay!




Along with the sketch we have the added option of "Double Up" where we'd like to see you use two stamps on the card (one can be a sentiment)
You don't have to use a Pixie Cottage Stamp to enter but if you do have why not try out!
Remember you can use the sketch, the theme or both and can combine our challenge with any others you like!

Now this challenge will be running for 2 weeks instead of one as The Pixies need a little break and so it's vacation time, time to sit back with a Margarita or two and feel the sand between our toes.
So you have no excuse not to join in as you have two weeks to get your card completed and linked for us to see!

Challenges:
Stamp and Create - Stitching
Lexi's - Real or Faux Stitching
Ellephantastic - Stitching
Lots To Do - Stitching
My Time To Craft - Check It Out
CRAFT - Babies/Children
Papertake - Cutie Patootie
The Shabby Tearoom - From the Garden colors, Green, Cream, Red, Yellow, Pink and White
Create With Connie and Mary - Red, Pink, Green and Yellow
365 Cards Day 138 - Pick Your Own Recipe, I chose Gingham, Red/Green/Yellow, 2 brads and a Heart
Paper Make Up - Felt (the heart and flower are felt embellishments)
Res Q - Red and Metal
Bunny Zoe - Summer Days
Allsorts - Summer Days
The Secret Crafter - Summer Holidays
Wee Memories - Summer Fun
The Town Scrapper - Anything Goes
The Stampman - Anything Goes



Card Recipe:
Image - Hannah on a Swing (new)
Paper - My Sweet Cherry Pie by Nikki Sivils
Medium - Copic Markers
Flowers - Prima
Sentiment - Studio G
Felt flower and Heart - Colorbok




I adore this new image of Hannah, she looks so carefree and reminds me of the fun I used to have in the garden as a child.
We'd love to have you play along in our challenge too!

Lily Boo and a Pirate Too!!

Happy Saturday!
I wanted to showcase another of the cute Lily Boo images as it's now super easy to get Lily Boo images as they have a new home at Cuddly Buddly!
This one will be perfect for an upcoming Boy's Birthday.


Challenges:

Creative Inspirations - Sketch
Cuttlebug Challenge - Easel Card
Creative Card Crew - Easel Card
Paper Playtime - Ahoy Matey
The Crafty Pad - Embossing
Creative Craft Challenges - Stamp It Up
Sisterhood of Crafters - Movie Inspiration (Pirates of the Caribbean)
Wildflower Patch - Black, Violet and Lime
CRAFT - Purple, Green and Gems
Crazy 4 Challenges - 2 more Ribbons
Simon Says Stamp - Check It Out
Digi Doodle Shop - Circles and Dots
Paperplay - Card for A Child
Stamp With Fun - Birthday
Everybody Art - Birthday
Party Time Tuesday - Birthday (anything goes)
Thrilling Thursday - Celebration!
Crafty Sentiments - Birthday



Card Recipe:
Image - Little Shipmate by Lily Boo
Paper - Daisy D's
Medium - Copic Markers
Brads - Spare Parts
Embossing Folder - Tim Holtz for Sizzix
Sentiment - Printed





I hope you think this little guy is as cute as I do and I wish you all a wonderful 4th of July weekend!

My BlogAversary!!! A Little Candy and a New Card too!

A year ago yesterday I first put fingers to my keyboard and made my first blog post.
I'd be holding off FOREVER as it seemed like it would be more work and not enough fun but I couldn't have been more wrong!
In just a year I've made over 400 posts, have over 250 followers and over 54000 hits!
I've met some fabulous people, seen some superb creations and hopefully brought a smile to others through sharing mine.
To say a great big thank you I have a little package to giveaway.
To be in with a chance of winning please add a link and photo to your sidebar or a quick post about it and add yourself as a follower too if you aren't already.
The candy with run for 2 weeks and I'll draw a winner over the weekend of June 12th with the winner being revealed June 14th.
You could win this little bundle!



Creating Keepsakes 2 Minute Memories
Small Wooden frame to alter
Set of Chipboard coasters (perfect for altering)
96 Chipboard letters
3 sets of Clear Stamps
7 Chipboard accents

So please make sure you join in and add your link at the bottom in the gadget :)

Of course I couldn't really make a post without having a card and some challenges too so here you are!

Lili Of The Valley - Sketch
CRAFT - Blue and Green
ABC - V is for Vintage (I thought the image worked for this theme)
Creative Inspirations - Distressed
Crafts and Me - Distressing
Craft Your Passion - Distressing
Stampin Sisters in Christ - Distressing
Creative Challenge - Blooming Charming
ECP - Buttons
Gingersnaps - Read
Inky Impressions - Choice, I chose F for Flowers, R for Ribbon and Distress and S for Stitching
Sew Many - 3 techniques and a charm (coloring, distressing, faux stitching)



Card Recipe:
Image - Little Girls Story Time by Lili of The Valley
Paper - Unknown
Flowers - Wild Orchid Crafts
Swirls - Quickutz
Sentiment - Studio G
Border Punch - Fiskars
Die Cuts - Spellbinders Label 11
Medium - Copic Markers
Ink - Memento and Chalk Ink







I thought you may like to see which Copic markers I used to color the image.

I really like how this one turned out and the chair reminds me so much of one my Nana has, even down to the throw pillow and matching antimacassar covers.
Lili Of The Valley has some fabulous stamps and there are a brand new set being released soon and they have a fabulous blog candy giveaway of all the new stamps!
You can find all the details at their blog

I hope you like this one and please join in my giveaway, the more people that play the more fun it is!
Please add your name to the gadget below and add a link/post on your blog to advertise the candy.
Thanks and Good Luck!
Katie

The Pixie Cottage Challenge #18 - Vintage/Distressing - Guest Sketch

It's Once Upon Wednesday time at The Pixie Cottage and it's time for another Special Guest Sketch Artist!
This time we have one of the Queen's of the Copic Markers, it's with great pleasure that today our sketch is designed by the very lovely Suzanne Dean from Scrapbitz!
Suzanne is a whizz with Copic's and has done many tutorials showing us mere mortals how she creates her masterpieces. She also has online classes at her Color Me Creative Classroom for those wishing to learn hands on.
This is her fabulous sketch!



As well as the sketch we'd love to see you use a Vintage or Distressed technique on your projects. Remember you can choose to play with the sketch, the technique or both!

I have a few other challenges to go along with this card:

Crafty Cardmakers - Distressed
Die Cut Dreams - Shabby Chic
Tuesday Taggers - Out of Your Comfort Zone (this is the 1st Wedding card I've ever made and I'm not usually a vintage girl so both things challenged me)
Clearly I Stamp - Flowers
One Stop Crafts - Wedding Wishes
CRAFT - Weddings
Charisma - Weddings
Creative Inspirations - Celebrations
Creative Craft World - Easel Card
Stamp Insanity - Easel Does It
Creative Cottage - Fancy Fold
Crafty Pad - Use Punches
Crafty Ann's - Anything Goes
Paper Scissors Rocks - Die Cuts
Opus Gluei - Fit to be Tied (ribbons)
ABC - U is for Unused Stash (I've had these wedding papers and stickers for ages)
The Wildflower Patch - Ribbon, Sparkles and Dimension



Card Recipe:
Image - Maisy and Matts Wedding by Di Carubia
Paper - The Paper Studio
Flowers - Wild Orchid Crafts
Medium - Copic Markers
Border Punch and Leaf Punch - Martha Stewart
Sentiments - Marcella for K&Co
Pearls - Hobby Lobby
Ink - Chalk Ink and Memento Tuxedo Black



Here is the easel from the side.



I tried to make the image look like an old sepia photo, not sure if it turned out just as I wanted it but I like it anyway and hope you do too :)
Please come and play with us over at The Pixie Cottage and show us your inky fingers!
Katie

Lily Boo Too - Shaped Card Challenge

It's a new month and that means a new challenge at Lily Boo Too!
This time we want to see your shaped cards using any shape but squares and rectangles!!

I'm a very square girl when it comes to cards so I needed a little help from some other challenges to get my mojo working this time:

Cupcake Craft - Don't be Square
CRAFT - Shaped card
Meljens Designs - Shaped card
Pennys Challenges - Shaped Card
Practical Scrappers - Buttons
AI Factory - Buttons
Sophisicats - Card for a Child
Belli - Birthday and old stash (the flowers were in a box untouched for a year)




Card Recipe:
Image - Little House collection
Paper - Sugar and Spice stack by The Paper Studio
Medium - Copic Markers
Chipboard flowers - Colorbok
Fabric brads - The Paper Studio
Sentiment - KI Memories
Heart Buttons - Dress It Up by Jesse James





For my English friends in my best Lloyd Grossman voice "I wonder who lives in a House Like This?" LOL!!!
I hope you can get out from under the squares and rectangles and come and join us on our shaped card challenge over at Lily Boo Too!
Katie

The Pixie Cottage Challenge #14 - Buttons - Guest Sketch

Happy Wednesday!
It certainly is a time for change at The Pixie Cottage as we add another dimension to our challenges.
Starting this week we will be having a Special Guest Sketch Artist every other week to share a sketch with you! These are some of the most popular skechers in the card blogging world and you will be amazed at the work they have created for The Pixie Cottage

Starting us off is the artist from the uber (as my DS would say) popular challenge site Midnight Madness, yes it's Priscilla!
She has made this super sketch for us and if you run over to The Pixie Cottage you will see the fabulous card she made with the sketch using the super new Hannah With Butterflies by Sandra Hammer stamp which is one of my favorites!

Here is the exclusive sketch she created for us.



The additional thing we'd like to see this week is Buttons on your card.
Remember you can chose to do the Sketch, the product or both!

I found a few challenges to go with my card:

CRAFT - Buttons
Crafty Anns - Let The Sun Shine In
Teddy Stampers - Spring
Fun 2 Stamp - Flowers
ResQ - Pick at least 2 clues from a puzzle. I chose flowers, square, punch, buttons, pattern, Spring
Just Cute Bears - Flowers
Magical Crafts - Animal Antics
Paper Jewels - Sewing and Buttons
Simple Doodles - Inspire Someone
Raise the Bar - Spring for It
The Pink Elephant - 1 image, 2 dies and 3 of your favorite embellishment (I've actually got 4!)
Wild Flower Patch - Punch It Up and Be Bold



Card Recipe:
Image - Barnie in Spring by ArTish from The Pixie Cottage
Papers - My Minds Eye Summer Song
Medium - Copic Markers
Die Cuts - Spellbinders
Buttons - The Paper Studio
Border Punch - Martha Stewart
Sentiment - Color Oasis



Inside is more dp and a message mat.



I just hope a bee doesn't come out and sting Barnie on the nose! LOL
I hope you've enjoyed the card, if you have be sure to check out all the other Design Team member creations and maybe have a try at the sketch (or the buttons!) yourself.
Katie

Just Because - Relax with Mr Mouse :)

Happy Saturday Everyone!
I hope you are having lovely Spring weather, we are here in Texas, the usual storms have not yet arrived so we are enjoying sunshine and warmer temps. One thing that is not so good though are the dreaded weeds, I feel we are fighting a loosing battle and we've had to resort to spraying them as they just popped up too fast to pull them out.
After an afternoon of yard work I feel the need for a little R & R, just like the little character on my card today.
He is a new image from Meljens Design and he sure is a cutie!

I found a few challenges to go along with him:

Stamp With Fun - 3 Papers, 3 Flowers and 2 Buttons
Mojo Monday - Sketch
The Pink Elephant - Nature
Stamp With Sarah Kay - Green
Creative Cottage - Buttons and Bows
CRAFT - Buttons
By The Cute and Girly - Fairytales (I definitely think a mouse under toadstool would be reading a fairy tale :))
Practical Scrappers want to see markers
Simon Says Stamp want a Card for A Child
Handfull Of Stamps want you to Digi It
Papercutz want 3 patterned papers




Card Recipe:
Image - Mushroom Mouse by Meljens Designs
Paper - My Minds Eye Home collection
Medium - Copic Markers
Sentiment - Colorbok
Buttons - Dress It Up by Jesse James



Inside is more of the gorgeous glittered dp and a message mat.



I just love cute this little guy is, he certainly looks like he's enjoying his book.
I hope you can find some "me time" this weekend and do a little of what you really want to do :)
Katie