Elvis Wesley Mouse, slips and slide into Christmas

 Hello Crafting friends

Whether you love it or hate it, the big 'C' word is on the way in only a few weeks!  I'm finishing the last of my cards to send, and this is a great opportunity to share this card with you to celebrate the start of a brand new challenge at Polkadoodles!

Today I am sharing a card made using Elvis Wesley moose.  He is a snake peek of a USB that's currently on sale on Polkadoodles website, and will be on the next TV show with Nikky.

The backing paper is also from the same USB.  I just love the bright bold background it makes.

So I printed him out on super smooth card and coloured him with my latest craft room addition a full set of Ohuhu Markers.  I have got copics, spectrum noir, and promarkers, but these might become my new favourite....  

When I printed Elvis, I did so in a lighter grey, so it's closer to a no-line drawing in places.  

Paired with a tag die cut and a tree from my stash, and of course some sparkle! 

If you want more info on the Polkadoodles challenge - all of the info is here, but it's a weekly challenge, with prizes for top designs and a lucky randomly drawn winner.  

I'd like to enter this into:

CRAFT challenge - Christmas for children

Craft rocket - Christmas

Crafty chicks - Christmas

The Holly and the Ivy - Christmas

For more of my designs, please follow me on my other SM channels the link is top right of this post.  

Thanks for dropping by, I love that you found me!  Hope to see you again very soon.

Rachael 

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Tiddlyinks Molly Swims image on 5x7 card

 Hi crafting friends, 

I'm back with a super cute card made using a Tiddlyinks image that I have had on my computer for ages and never used.  She's so cute, and perfect for the summer!

She is called Molly Swims and can be found on Etsy under the Tiddlyinks shop.

The backing papers are also from Etsy from a shop called Jenny L and these papers are called Secret Garden.  Again I downloaded ages ago and have not used them.

I cut the stripy paper leaving a 1-inch strip for the patterned floral paper.  The image was coloured with copics and fussy cut out.  I used a stitched circle die and placed it off the page to highlight the Molly.  The 'Hello' die is from Penny Black as is the sunshine sentiment, they are a seperate die and stamp set but work together to make phrases.  I then coloured the 'hello' in the same pink used on the rubber ring.

As a final touch, I put glossy accents onto the rubber ring and her sunglasses for a bit of shine.

She is just too cute!

I'd like to enter this into:

As you like it challenge - cute or floral I love anything cute, whether that's a cute girl or boy, or some critters.  I also love a floral, so on this card, I combined both!

Colour throw down - pink, yellow and green

Passion for markers - use a die (I used a stitched circle and a sentiment die)

A place to start - anything goes with option of add flowers

Creations in pink - mainly pink

thanks for stopping by - I hope you like my projects.  why not have a look on Instagram, interest or Facebook for more inspiration.  The links to my pages are in the top right corner.

See you all again soon.

Crafting hugs

Rachael 

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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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Jingle all the way

Hello crafters!

Another two weeks has flown by and we are now into to December on the countdown to the big day!

I am dropping in to share this super cute card in nontraditional Christmas colours - after all, why can't Santa be pink, just because a large drinks manufacturer said he was red, he can be whatever colour you like! 

I made the backgournd using the smaller star stmaps in the set along with two different blue shades of copic for the spots..  Its called Jingle all the way.  I then stamped the main images and coloured them in before fussy cutting and adding on foam pads to my card.

I stamped the setmeiment int he top corner, but the card needed something else... so i doodled a border around the whole thing and around the sentiment.  When mounted on black it really pops off the page.  A really modern take on a traditional classic!

I'd like to enter this into:

Thanks for stopping by - please leave me a comment if you land here, i love to read them and please either follow me on here, or on instagram, facebook or pinterest! 

See you soon!

Rachael 

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Blue Christmas

 Hello Crafting friends.

It's time again for more Polkadoodles inspiration, and this week I'm using one of the latest releases.

This gorgeous poinsettia wreath comes coloured and in plain digis, which I adapted in my own colour scheme.  who said they have to be red or white! They are a bargain, you get loads for only £3.99

I printed the images onto smooth card and coloured using copic markers, then fussy cut them out.  The sentiment which is also in the bundle printed and die-cut using an oval die.  The background I decided to emboss for extra interest and I then mounted it onto silver mirri card.  I then layered the card up onto a 6x6 square card finished with silver glitter and Nuvo drops.

I think this is so elegant, I think I might send it to my Nan.

I'd like to enter this into:

Creative fingers - anything goes #266

My time to craft - use poinsettias #73

Cardz for gals - Dry embossing #212

Fab n funky - use blue hues #584

Thanks for dropping by - for more inspiration please do check out my other social media (buttons are top right!)

See you soon

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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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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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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