Z fold card with spring gnomes

Hi Crafting friends.

This week I'd like to share a photo of a card I made for the latest polkadoodles challenge.

 I used one gnome image called Spring gnome - plants but I wanted more than one pot.  There is only one in the original gnome image so after printing this I cropped the main gnome out, and then cut and pasted several pots.  I made some smaller, some larger, and even flipped some so they added variance to the image.

I wanted this card to be really striking so I opted for a different fold, a 'z fold'.  The card is a 5 x 7 top-fold black, and I scored at 2.1/2 inches on the front folding it back to make a z fold card.  I coloured all of the images and fussy cut them, before arranging them on the card blank.  I used a dotty lilac card stock from my stash in the background to make a really happy spring card.

the sentiment is a stamp from Polkadoodles and a friend stamp from Crafters companion that I die cut in white and coloured with copics to match the image colour scheme 

I'd like to enter this into:

Moving along with the times - fun fold

Crafty gals corner - anything goes

Aud sentiments - spring and a sentiment

Daisy Chain challenges - not square

Love to craft - anything goes.

Thank you for dropping by - however you got here!  I'd love for you to leave me a little comment, or alternatively follow me on my other social media channels (links are in the top right of the page) 

See you again soon - crafting hugs!

Rachael

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Winter pastels colours

 Hello crafting friends

Today is once again a new challenge, the last for 2024, before we take a short Christmas break! What a year it's been for me, lots of life-changing moments and an awful lot of reflection!

I find crafting helps with my mental health and certainly when I need to reflect or back away from a situation for some distance and just stop thinking for an hour or two.

Anyway - back to the challenge.  I made this for the challenge using Winnie and Penguin from the white Christmas collection. Our theme was a pastel rainbow, but I chose to just use a few of the colours.

The papers are offcuts from my scraps drawer, and the colours match perfectly with my image.  Do you colour to match your paper, or colour an image and then find matching paper?  I do both, but this time around I coloured first.

I used a Kraft card square blank and rounded the edges on two sides as a point of difference from a usual square card.

The image was coloured using Copic markers in pinks, blues and violets, and I used a white gel pen to add detail to her cheeks, and stickles for the snow and her wings.

I then fussy cut the image out and mounted it on top of the car using foam pads.

I'd like to enter this into:

Thanks so much for stopping by - there is more inspiration on my Instagram pages if you prefer this way. If you are here - I would you to leave me a comment.  

See you again soon

Crafting hugs

Rachael 

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Pop up Bella bear

 Hello everyone. 

Time again for another challenge over at PD blog, and you can win some of the amazing images NIkky has.  There are loads of new ones, and a ton of oldies but goodies to choose from!

I used an image from the Bella Christmas bear release called 'Santa stop here'. Once I had coloured and fussy cutout, I used a pop-up die to add it to the inside of the card making it feel really special for the recipient. . The outside is decorated using the papers from the same release. The Christmas trees I took from the paper and enlarged them. Backing papers are more than just an accent behind the main image, have a close look and see what you can use in different ways!

I'd like to enter this into:

crafty catz - Anything goes

Creative fingers - anything goes

Jingle belles - christmas card with an animal

Most magical time of the year - Christmas

Creative inspiration challenge - anything goes

Thanks for stopping by today - please leave me a message so I know you have stopped here!

lots of crafting hugs!

Rachael 

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Octopus kisses

Hello crafters

Another fortnight has passed so it's time again for another Polkadoodles challenge over on our blog.  You can choose any theme and any project to share with us for a chance to win images.

I have today used one of my all-time favourite images - Winnie Octopus kisses   I have seen some comments recently about people not feeling confident to colour, so just as a reminder - Polkadoodles also do pre-coloured versions of most of the images, so if you lack confidence, or even if you need a quick card in an emergency, the pre-coloured images are amazing!

If you do like to colour - then for this image I used Copic markers for a base colour.  I used a couple of shades but didn't do much blending.  Over the top, I then used polychromos pencils to add depth to the shadows and texture across the image.  They are great for adding small detail too such as flicks in the hair. It really helped with the effect of pearlescence on the tail.  it looks like it shimmers between the purple and the turquoise. Finally, I added a white gel pen for a glittery effect

The papers are from my polkadoodles stash, when I print out digi images that have matching papers I keep them in a pile on my desk so I can pull them out when needed so I don't waste anything.

All then finished with twine, stickles glitter and some Nuvo drops.

I'd like to enter this into:

Creative fingers - Anything goes

Creative Inspiration challenges - Anything goes

Ally's Angels - anything goes

Crafts galore encore - Anything goes

Love to craft - Anything goes

Thanks so much for joining me - I hope to see your entries o our blog.

If you like my work then you can follow me on Instagram, Pinterest of facebook - the links are above.

See you all soon

Rachael 

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Shaped card

Hello crafting friends

It's Saturday and therefore another challenge over at Polkadoodles.

We were challenged this week to make a card, where the stamp was the shape of the card.

I used two images from the motorcycle tattoo gnome kit and placed them together to create this card. 

Using a craft artist I welded the images one behind the other and enlarged them to an A6 card size.  I then printed it out onto a robust card stock.  I placed another piece of card behind and fussy cut the two pieces together so I would have two equal bits of card to create the back.

I then coloured the front using copic markers, and added a sentiment from the gnome set.

To make the actual card, I creased the back piece (i.e. the blank card shape) along the bottle creating a hinge and glued them together using a strong adhesive.  This meant the card would both stand up and open.

I gave this to my Father-in-law for fathers Day - and he actually asked if I had made it, he didn't believe me! high praise indeed!

I'd like to enter this into:

Thanks for dropping by - it really does mean a lot when you leave a comment!  I have other social media channels linked in the top right for more ways to see what I make.

See you soon

Crafting Hugs
Rachael 

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Funky florals

Hello Crafting friends

It is again time for another challenge over at Polkadoodles with our famous anything-goes challenge.  The DT team this week were challenged to use 'things' rather than people or characters so I pulled out my funky flower stamps to complete this CAS card.

The staps have a supporting stencil you can use to colour them but on this, I just used some alcohol markers and a bit of shimmer pen.  I then fussy cut the flowers out and added them to the card blank.  I then realized it was missing something so I doodled the edge in a black fine liner to make them pop! 

I'd like to enter this into:

• Creative Fingers - anything goes
• Simply clean and simple - Anything CAS
• creative inspiration - anything goes
• Krafty Chicks - clean and simple
• Passion for markers - clean and simple

Thanks for stopping by and leaving any comments! i have other social media channels listed above if you want to follow me on these instead.

See you again soon

Rachael 

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Breaktime!

Hello crafting friends

Once again our blog challenge over at Polkadooldes starts again today.  I have gone right out of my comfort zone this week and coloured a whole scene with my copics

This image is called Breaktime with a theme for picnics, but never mind the food, he looks super comfy having his nap in the sunshine!

I enlarged the digi image to fit a 6x6 square card and then coloured with copics

I hope you like it!

I'd like to enter this into:

Thanks you for stopping by here, there are many ways to show you appreciate my work on social media the links are top right, or just leave me a little comment.  It really makes my day to read them!

See you again soon

Rachael 

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May Flowers

Hello fellow crafters

Just dropping in with a quick post to remind you about the polkadoodles challenge that is live now!  You have two weeks to enter but there is a new challenge every week meaning you have extra chances to win some of Nikkys gorgeous images!

 This week I went back to the Blooming lovely USB, which is also available as a digital download.

Because they are digis you can increase the size, and angle to make a gorgeous flurry across the page.

For this one I also decoupaged it to I fussy cut those flowers that appear to be on top for extra dimension, but if you don't want to do this, you can just print the flowers along with the sentiment, cut to size and you're done  The package also comes with recoloured flowers for a really quick and simple card 

I coloured it with Copics and added a black matt layer so it popped, but otherwise - a really simple but effective card, that could say anything from happy birthday to I'm sorry

I'd like to enter this into:

Allsorts - April showers bring May flowers

Kraftin Kimmie - flowers and purple

sisterhood of snarky stampers  flowers

CD Sunday - anything goes as long as it's from a USB/digital

Lil Patch of crafty friends - Anything goes

Thanks so much for stopping by - I'll see you soon with more card-making inspiration - but if you can't wait for my next installment (or don't like all the chat!) please follow me on Instagram or pinterest (links are above)

See you soon and crafting hugs

Rachael 

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Magical pony

 Hello everyone

As it's the 22nd, it's time for the new release inspiration from all dressed-up stamps.

There are two stunning girlies for you this month, perfect for those little (and not so little) girls in your life.

The two new images are available here from etsy  and are:

Magical pony

Watering time

Aren't they adorable?

I'd like to enter this into:

• Craft rocket Challenge - Layer it up
• Through the purple haze - girls
• unicorn challenge - add an animal
• Dream valley challenges - four legged friends

Don't forget our challenge is still on over at Facebook with the theme die cut and you can enter the blog challenge too as it's 'anything goes'.  We don't have many rules only that you must use an  All dressed up image!

See you very soon

Crafty hugs

Rachael 

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Egg-cited chick!

Hello everyone! 

Yay - Spring has finally arrived.  Outside is warm and sunny, with trees budding to life and flowers blooming!  this is my absolute favourite time of year....

To celebrate this, and the start of a new Polkadoodles challenge, here's this cute easter chick, re-purposed to celebrate spring.

This cutie is called egg-cited chick.  from the recent release.

I coloured him with copics adding lots of colour depth to the inside of the pot and adding white gel pen spots to the outside.  The sentiment is from the full bundle you can buy along with this chick.

The background is the square trellis one also from Polkadoodles with distress oxide ink in mustard seed.  The pink stamps are from the posy blooms stamps.  I then tore a strip of scrap pink paper to add interest around the sentiment

I hope you like this, and I also hope you'll check out our challenge blog for tonnes of inspiration from the talented DT!.

leave me some love if you stop here, or follow me on other social media platforms (links top right!)

I'd like to enter this into:

The alphabet challenge - adorable (anything cute)

Creative fingers - anything goes

lil red wagon - Spring

Passion for markers - animals

try it on Tuesday - anything Spring

See you all soon!

Crafting hugs

Rachael 

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Patch puppy

 Hi everyone

there is a new challenge over on our All dressed up Facebook page - the theme this month is die cuts or punches.

The image for this is called patch puppy and he can be found here

I coloured him with copics and fussy cut him leaving a bigger white border than I usually do.

The sentiment is a Julie Hickey die and the wishes part is from a polkadoodles sentiment stamp set called birthday celebrations.

The background circle is die cut, as are the flowers which are MFT stitched flowers dienamic.  I wanted a monochrome look for this card so stuck with blues and whites.  

I am in love with this card, it is so so cute!

I'd like to enter this into:

Thank you so much for stopping by - please leave me a comment if you land here!

See you soon

Crafting hugs

Rachael

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mini moo challenge 2023

 Hi Crafting friends

I have something a bit different to share.  For the last month, I have been participating in the mini moo challenge over at Vera Lane Facebook group.  A mini moo is a little card measuring 2.75 by 1.25 inches so it's tiny.

You really have to think about positioning and how to create texture in the background on a very small scale.

Each day there was a different theme or prompt and the idea was to use Vera lane artwork and a few other craft supplies to make a set of cards to enter a challenge.

The prompts to match the photo below were:

Girly	Dog gone it	winter	crafter	birthday	garden	Holiday	Cats
Home	Black and white	flowers	transportation	Go fish	love	Oh boy	Spring
Face it	Yellow	Lets fly	Monochrome	Dee-licious	For the birds	Vacation	Halloween
Bright colours	Got the blues	sunshine	Fairy tale	trave	Song title	Good books

Each time I look at them I have a new favourite! Today it's the pink one with the flamingo for the beach!  

My plan is to now add them to a journal and keep them as artwork

Thank you to #veralanedesigns for a fantastic challenge!

Crafting hugs

Rachael

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Born to ride!

 Hello everyone

Wow, these two weeks do sure come around fast for the next polkadopodles challenge. This card was made in advance of fathers day (i know it's not until June) but I had to make a men's themed card for the challenge and I saw this gnome.  My dad is a biker and I knew this would make the perfect card for him, so I've made well in advance to go into my stash until then.

The image is called motorcycle tattoo  and you can get him in a digi image, or precoloured if you are in a rush

I coloured him using copics, then cut him and some of the accessories out.  The papers behind are from an old pad I don't even have a cover for anymore

The 'born to ride' sentiment is with the set, and I typed a father's day sentiment on the computer for the bottom banner.

Men's cards can be really hard to make, but you will find tonnes of suitable images on the polkadoodles website that make it easier!

Our challenge is anything goes, using any image, and we look forward to seeing what you make!

I'd like to enter this into:

C.R.A.F.T. - anything goes

cards 4 guyz - any colouring medium

Pammies pinkie inkies - Anything goes

Allyangels - anything goes

classic design challenge - anything goes

See you again soon

Crafting hugs

Rachael

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thank you from Bella bear

Hi everyone

Just stopping by to share Bella bear saying thank you.  You can never have too many thank you cards in your stash, to show your gratitude towards others.

This was made for our latest Polkadoodles challenge over on the challenge blog.

 Each week there is a new challenge and the good news is that it's anything goes - with any image!

This is one of the latest daily deal releases from Nikky that is such good value.  You get a digi image and papers for such a tiny price, and they change regularly, new ones are added all the time!

I decided to have a white bear, that's what I love about digi images, you can colour in whatever you like, this type of bear could even be converted into a panda.

The papers behind are from Bob in the boat daily deal, so you can mix and match them.

I simply coloured in copics, added white gel pen dots and some glitter to her mug.  The hearts behind are from another polkadoodles stamp set just to add more interest behind her.

I'd like to enter this into:

Cutie pie challenge - something beginning with 'B'  Bella bear! 

Pammies pinkie inkies - anything goes

613 Avenue create - anything goes, option CAS

Lil patch of crafty friends - anything goes

Through the purple haze - anything goes

Thanks so much for stopping by - please follow me on other social media channels and leave me a comment.  I love to read them all!

See you again soon

Crafting hugs

Rachael

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Lily pad fairy

 Hi everyone

We have our latest challenge now on over at all dressed up Facebook, and the theme is to embellish it.  You can use whatever you like, as long as you use an All dressed up image, and add some embellies to brighten your card.

Here is my inspiration using lily pad fairy - available here from Esty

I coloured the image using a combination of copics and Polychromos pencils, before fussy cutting her out.

The oval die and the water lilies are from heartfelf=t creations.  I cut the flowers out and inked them before shaping them into water lilies.  I also added some ribbon from my stash to embellish this card.

Isn't she so cute?

I hope you will join in the fun over at our challenge, you can also enter our All dressed up blog challenge too, the theme is always anything goes, so you'll get two chances of winning and an image from the fabulous collection.

I'd like to enter this into: 

Paper Minutes - favourite color (Purple)

Shopping our stash - Flowers (The heartfelt creations flowers are really old from my stash)

Pammies pinky inkies - Anything goes

Lil patch of crafty friends - anything goes

The fairy and the unicorn - anything fantasy (fairy)

Thanks for stopping by - please leave me a comment if you do land here, and follow my other Social media channels for quicker updates and inspiration.

See you soon! Crafting hugs

Rachael 

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Rebel says hello

 Hi everyone

Not sure if you have seen the latest release from polka doodles, but she is just amazing!  I love the sassy attitude she has - perfect for any teenage girl, in fact, any diva would love this! 

I made this using a digi image (there are two types of rebel image, both the sketchy lines like this one and the solid drawn lines) I coloured her using a combination of copics and polychromos pencils and fussy cut her out.  The hearts are from another polkadoodles stamp set called Hoe grown, and the stencil is from the funky flowers release.

I finished the card using some geometric stripy paper and a pop of yellow and added a few glossy accent bubbles around her.

I think she is amazing 

I'd like to enter this into:

• Crafty cats - spots and/or stripes
• As you like it - favourite freestyle background I love to use a stencil, with some other stamped images to build my background and finished with some sparkle
• Simon says stamp - anything goes
• sisterhood of crafting - dots or stripes
• Stencil fun - use a stencil with option of hearts
• 613 Avenue create - no red hearts

Thanks so much for stopping by - please follow me on this blog - or on any of the social media channels (links are top right).

See you again soon

Rachael

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Bunita says 'happy mothers day'

 Hi Crafty friends

In the UK soon it is Mother's Day.  It's a bittersweet day for me, as my son celebrates with me being his mom, but I sadly lost both my Mom and my Mother-in-law.

I still however, have a Nan - so I always make her a card and send flowers as she looked after me a lot as a child, and deserves to be spoiled too.

This year - I made this sweet card using Bunita from Polkadoodles, and used it as your inspiration for this week's PD challenge

I used a combination of stamps and papers from Polkadoodles for this.

Firstly the image - Bunita Carrot cake, was coloured using polychromos pencils.  I wanted a soft, furry look for her.  I then fussy cut her out.

I used a paper pack called Sugar scrumptious for the backing papers, adding only a little ink around the edge.  The sentiment is also a PD one called great occasions.

I'd like to enter this into:

Make my Monday - all creatures great and small

The cutie pie challenge - mothers day

Crafty gals corner - add a heart

Krafty chicks challenge - all occasions

Creative fingers - anything goes

Thanks for dropping in - Don't forget to check out the other DT inspiration on our blog and join in with our anything-goes theme to win prizes (they don't even have to be Polkadoodles images!)

See you again soon

Crafting hugs

Rachael

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Up. up and away!

Hello crafting friends

Its time for another new release over at all dressed up and although valentines has passed, this release can be used for so much more.

Here is my inspiration using valentines boy

I coloured him with a combination of copics, then using polychromos pencils for extra depth and detail.

The papers are from a Nitwit digi kit that I layered together, and then fussy cut the cute image and added with foam tape for dimension

Here are all of the new releases

Looking good (re-release)

Valentines boy

Valentines girl

Our Facebook challenge is still ongoing here  with the theme of celebrations, or hop over to our challenge blog where the theme is anything goes!

Thanks so much for stopping by today - it really does mean the world when I get emails with your comments on them.  Follow me on Facebook, or instagram for more

See you again

Crafting hugs

Rachael

 

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Bee mine....

 Hi everyone

Over at Polkadoodles the latest challenge has been launched.  We have some fabulous prizes to be won for the random winner and extras for the Dts favourite.

This time I used the too cute range, with a bee stamp called Bee mine.

In the background I printed the sentiment onto a piece of card and cut it to size, then I used a stencil from the funky flowers range, the border stamp from the Bumpy road stamp set, and the hearts from homegrown

I printed and coloured the image using copics and added detail with a white gel pen.  The background was inked with mustard seed distress oxide.  

I then fussy cut the image out before adding foam tape pads for dimension

The border is doodled with a black fine liner, and I coloured the chequered bits in just for a bit of extra black and yellow stripy fun!

I hope you'll join us over at Polkadoodles, we would love to see you there.  If you land here - please leave me a comment so I know you have dropped by!

I'd like to enter this into:

• Dragonfly dreams - Love
• Lil patch of crafty friends - anything goes
• Allsorts challenge - anything goes with extra of hearts
• inkspirational - use stencils
• Craft rocket challenge - love/valentines

Thanks for stopping by!  See you again soon.

Rachael 

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Springtime

Hello crafting friends

I just love this time after Christmas when you can put away the frosty blues, reds, and greens and pull out the pastel shades!  Spring is my favourite time of year and the colour palette we can use is just the best!

This card was made for our latest blog challenge over at Polkadoodles.  It's always anything goes, so you can be in with a chance of winning some amazing images from the lovely Nikky, but you have to be in it, to win it!

I made this using some papers from the Winnie sugar sprinkles springtime collection and that is also where the digi image is from.

She was coloured using Copics and Spectrum noir brush markers, then fussy cut out before being laid on the papers using a die from my stash.

As the sentiment was printed in black, I thought it needed another bit of black to make it pop, and found this ribbon off-cut in my drawer.  

Isn't she super cute!

I'd like to enter this into:

Thank you so much for stopping by - it really makes a difference to know people are interested in my art.  Any comments, likes of follows I get are always appreciated! 

See you again soon

Rachael 

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