Weather to 'die' for

First things first, I must apologise for the quality of the picture, my camera is broken and as good as the iphone is it doesn't take the best close up pictures.
 The last challenge at The Cardmadfairy had over 130 entries which is absolutely brilliant and as it was my turn to choose a winner I spent a long time out in Blogland, criss-crossing the virtual globe. What a fabulously talented bunch of crafters is all I can say, really inspirational.

The new challenge  is to use DieCuts and Punches, which is very handy as my lovely daughter  bought me some new diecuts for Mothers Day along with some other bits and pieces. The image is called Julia and she can be found here. I thought she was perfect for the fabulous weather we have been having, every day this week as I leave work I  see children playing on the swings in the park next door. An early taste of Summer.

The sentiment is from a set of stamps that came with a magazine. The flowers I punched out of a free set of papers which I also used for the backing and the border is a Martha Stewart punch. I also used the same paper to paper piece her dress.
I am entering these challenges:
http://cropstop.blogspot.co.uk Bright and Summery
http://littledarlingschallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ outside
http://digitaltuesdaychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ your favourite colour (green)
http://partytimetuesdays.blogspot.co.uk/ anything goes
http://citycrafter.blogspot.co.uk/ colour challenge
http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.co.uk/ always anything goes

Spring Blossom with a Sentiment

I will keep it brief this time as I am full of cold and planning to go back to bed! Our new challenge at

  The Cardmadfairy is to Add a Sentiment. I decided to add it to the image which you can find here before I printed it out.

We have been studying Japan this week at school and the children have painted blossom trees for their Mothers day cards so I thought I would continue the theme.

The larger flowers are another idea I picked up at Make It Farnborough. They are made from lots of layers of  crepe paper which I die cut and secured with a brad before scrunching up the layers and adding a little distress ink to add definition.

Entering the following:

http://ilovepromarkers.blogspot.com/ anything goes

http://littledarlingschallenges.blogspot.com/ spring is in the air

http://rubysrainbow.blogspot.com/ lace

http://www.thepixiecottage.blogspot.com/ colours and sketch

http://digitaltuesdaychallenge.blogspot.com/ think spring

http://www.craftybloggersnetwork.blogspot.com/ floral

http://ladybugscraftsinkchallengeblog.blogspot.com anything goes

http://onestitchatatimechallenge.blogspot.com/ use a digi

http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.com/ always anything goes

Mother

I had a great time at the Make It show in Farnborough last weekend, there were so many talented demonstrators there showing off all the latest techniques and products, really inspiring. I had to be very strict with myself so I didn't go home with too many new things. Apart from the cost it would be hard to find homes for much more in my already crowded craft room! My head was buzzing with all the things I saw and wanted to try out, the only thing missing was my big sis Jenni who came with me the first year it was on but she couldn't make it this year. Hopefully next time we will be able to go together again.

The new challenge at THE CARDMADFAIRY'S DIGI DAYS is entitled 'Mum's the Word'.

 You don't have to use one of Jenni's images but if you do you can enter more than once.

 My card  this time is an unashamed copy of a layout I watched a demonstrator do at the show although on hers the main focus of the card was the two hydrangia style flowers and I have added the Cardmadfairy butterfly, which is one of my favourite images, as a focus. The background has been distressed and then stamped round the edge with a free image that came with a magazine, the backing paper is a Tim Holtz. The flowers are made by die cutting lots of flowers from an old Basic Grey paper, sticking them onto a punched circle and glittering the centres. The glitter which is not something I usually go for is something else I picked up at the Make It show. As you can see I have gone a bit mad and the whole butterfly is coloured with glitter using a special glue with a very fine nozzle! Great fun to do but I think I need a bit more practise!

Entering the following:

http://flutterbywednesdays.blogspot.com/ Open
http://thesisterhoodofcrafters.blogspot.com/ Use a digi
http://perfectsentimentschallenge.blogspot.com/ Anything goes /die cut
http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.com/ Always anything goes
http://sparklesforumchallenges.blogspot.com/p/rules.html Things with wings
http://www.trimmiescraftchallenge.blogspot.com// Mothers Day
http://craftyribbonschallenge.blogspot.com/ Celebrate your Mum
http://digidoodleshopsbest.blogspot.com/ Pink and Green
http://doyoustackup.blogspot.com/ Things with wings
http://sjpapercrafts.blogspot.com/2012/02/monthly-challenge-2-february.html Flowers & pink/red