Skating Snowman

Hi Everyone, after my son has "played" with my 'puter and made it better, (problems before and after Xmas), I am able to post.

I HAD to enter Deedee's Digis last challenge before she closes due to the new EU VAT charges. It has affected quite a few small companies, so sad.  I am entering the challenge, however as the EU VAT takes place at the end of December and before the end of the challenge, I will not be entering for the prize, just the support of Deedee, who was so brilliant when I was GDT with her digis.

Here is my card, it is for my #3 brother who is 75 next week, it's OK that I post it as he doesn't visit here, although my SIL does! So Anne here is his card, it will be with you soon. :)  I love the play on words with the Brrr, especially as I always say BRUVVA to my brothers, I know I'm eccentric! LOL.

~It's one layer, with lots of PS shadows and shading to hopefully make it look layered.

Digistamp Bear Boy by Deedee's Digis
Sentiment by Deedee's Digis
Background DP is Jilbert's bits of bytes Watercolour
Snowflake confetti by Mommyish
Patterened DP by Digi Dewi
Snowmen alpha is by Nibble Scribbles

http://www.deedeesdigis.com/2014/12/our-last-digi-of-month-challenge.html

DSC # 120

It's time for a new challenge at

 Digitally Sweet Challenges

the Theme is 

Anything Goes or 
your favourite project from 2014

sponsored by  Bugaboo Digi Stamps

I followed this colour combo and sketch

 I made 2 shapes in PS and added 2 overlays, 

shadows and embossed the holly overlay. 

This was quite a simple card to put together, 

a little longer to finish though LOL. 

Cupcake Mistletoe by Bugaboo 
Holly overlay by Brooke Gazarek at Pixel Scrappers 
Merry Christmas stitched overlay by Brooke Gazarek at Pixel Scrappers
Bow by Creative Bloom at Pixel Scrappers

Happy Christmas and New Year

DSC # 119

It's time for a new challenge at

 Digitally Sweet Challenges

the theme is 

Anything Goes with a twist - 

snowflakes

Stitchy Bear

I have coloured this in PS and used a PS brush to make the snowflake cut out around the centre rectangle, to do this I used a snowflake brush and then selected the eraser tool, you can use ANY brush to achieve this. I added a drop shadow and an inner glow to the same layer, then duplicated the layer and used an outer glow. I also used a PS snowflake brush to go over the snowflakes in the image to add a bit of colour.

                                    

DP's by Panda Bear Designs at Stitchy Bear

Image Stitchy Bear Digital Stamps

DSC # 118

It's time for a new challenge at

 Digitally Sweet Challenges

the Theme is 

Christmas -
using non traditional colours

sponsored by  Lunagirl

Hi Everyone, my offering today is something that I would not normally do, however this is a challenge right? and in the end I am quite happy I had this challenge to do, as it made me think of the true meaning of Christmas and it doesn't matter what colour is traditional as long as the message gets across. So here is my offering, I used a few blending options, brushes and layers and effects in PS to get the effect near enough to what I envisaged. (I really have a lot of learning to do in PS).

The image is from Lunagirl
Digital Paper by  A Pennington at Pixel Scrapper
Snowflakes by Mommyish at The Digital Press



http://frosteddesigns.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/friday-challenge-holiday-project.html  Holiday without red and green - Yep!

http://jinglebellesrock.blogspot.ca/2014/12/jingle-belles-rock.html  Anything Goes

http://alohafridaychallenges.blogspot.ca/2014/12/aloha-friday-challenge-38-unusual.html  Unusual coloured Christmas

http://mimchallegeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/angels.html  Angels - Yep!

http://lovetocreatechallenge.blogspot.com.au/2014/12/challenge-145-non-traditional-holiday.html  Non traditional Christmas - Yep!

Snowman friends

Hi Everyone, thought I would let you see one of my Christmas cards. VERY CAS for me, but I love those happy snowmen and seeing as I had to do 80 cards VERY quickly, it had to be CAS.  Coloured digitally in PS, I followed the "Merry Christmas" Design Seeds colours.

I layered the framed top with 3D tape and added lots of sparkle. Not a good photo, it's difficult on these Winter days.

Digi by The Stamping Boutque
frame by Marisa Lerin at Pixel Scrappers
font is Tropicali script BTN Bamboo

I'm entering it into the FB challenge at The Digistamp Boutique

http://a-crafty-mess.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/challenge-2_5.html  Anything Goes/Christmas colours

http://craftycatzweeklychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/crafty-catz-challenge-258-snowmen.html Snowmen

A visit from me for DSC 117

It's time for a new challenge at

 Digitally Sweet Challenges

the Theme is 

Use a Sentiment as the main focus

sponsored by  Lacy Sunshine

My fabby image is Holly's Garland, another cutie from Lacy Sunshine and a different shape for me too. 

DP's and bow from ADB Designs 

Sentiment DSB

sketch #3 from 613 Ave

Hope you will have a looky at the other DT posts HERE

See you next time.

On a break!

Hi Everyone, I am going to take a bit of time away from the computer.

I hope to see you in the not too distant future. 

In the meantime here are a few photos I took this week of Llansteffan Beach and Llansteffan Castle, the castle is overlooking the River Tywi as it enters Carmarthen Bay near the village of Llansteffan in Carmarthenshire.
It was 10C with a stiff breeze, but as you can see beautifully sunny.

Click on each picture to enlarge to see the beauty of the area.

Looking out to sea 

The Castle and it's placement on the coast

The Castle framed

The Castle in silhouette 

Looking across the Estuary to Ferryside

Looking further inland across the Estuary

Looking out to see from the car park

Looking inland from the beach

The coastal train

Closeup of the train 

Rolled seaweed left by the tide

I believe this is a sedum, below tide level

DSC # 113 Sparkle N Sprinkle

Firstly today I want to welcome back to Digitally Sweet Challenges Denise Pustelniak, she was such a great help in my very first DT post with DSC, thank you again Denise.

It's time for a new challenge at

 Digitally Sweet Challenges

the Theme is 

Cosy Winter Moments

sponsored by  Sparkle N Sprinkle

I chose this image as my cosy moments, as it reminds me of a cheese and wine party we had with friends. that really was cosy winter moments! Especially towards the end of the evening LOL.

I coloured the image "Wine Tableau" from Sparkle N Sprinkle in PS, I am so happy with my colouring, as I am understanding more about the way to use brushes and layers.  

Tips on colouring in PS as I did, with trepidation, originally.  (Especially for a great blog friend Mary H)

1. right click and duplicate the main image twice, hide the original layer by clicking on the "eye" to the left of the image in the layer column. 
2. right click choose blending options, change the top layer to "multiply"
3. start painting with a basic brush on the 1st copy layer. I would magnify the image for this to make it easier.

You will be able to colour without having to worry about painting over the lines as the "multiply layer" is on top with the lines intact. You'll see this if you hide the painting layer. I hope that will help you start your colouring.

It is possible to just use the 2 layers to colour the complete image, professionals use different layers for different colours and blending options. I am not a professional so have found a way to do it without making it very complicated. I'm not saying it is the correct way, but it gives a bit of confidence and if you go really wrong, you still have your original image and you multiple layers to start again, (just remember to make another duplicate layer from your original to start again.) You can progress to more layers as you feel more confident with this way.

I've used a few techniques in this, i.e. dodge & burn to add shadows, brushes for the snow in the window, blur for the wine in the bottle, stainless steel style for the knife, embossing for the holly swirl overlay.  It did take me a few hours to complete, but I am very happy with it.

I laid out the images I wanted on the page in PS, printed and added them to the card. I decided to add a tag and lots and lots of sparkle and it does too, shame it can't be picked up in the photo, hopefully you will see I added it to all the frosty part of the card in the closeup. 

Wine Tableau Sparkle N Sprinkle

Holly overlay by Brooke Gazarek at Pixel Scrappers

Frost overlay, sorry no file name.

Green and red papers are shapes in PS.

http://sparklensprinklecreativechallenges.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/november-2014-challenge.html Anything Goes

DSC # 112 Anything Goes

It's time for a new challenge at

 Digitally Sweet Challenges

the Theme is 

Anything Goes

sponsored by  Scrappiness Designs

Hi Everyone the challenge today is Anything Goes, but I decided to go with a card as I have just the person this can go to.  We had a fabulous digi kit "My Back Yard" to play with this time and it was difficult to choose. In the end I chose a sketch that would use a few of the DP's and then made a little "picture" of the elements. I suppose I shouldn't say it, but I love it, it makes me smile.

Original PS layout.

This is it printed and layered.

Go and see what my Team mates at DSC have created here

Challenges

http://divasbydesignchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/anything-goes.html  Anything Goes

http://ema-ginationstation.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/AG-ch-no-5.html  Anything Goes

http://kraftinkimmiestamps.blogspot.ca/2014/10/first-wonderful-wednesday-for-november.html  Anything Goes

Vellum lampshade

I had a few people ask what the lampshade was like lit up, so thought I would add a short post to show you. The first one is with the crystal glass of the original post, the second one is taken on an ordinary wine glass.   The crystal shapes show through, which was a surprise to me.

Bags and card

Hi Everyone, sadly this is my last GD post for Deedee Digis, I have enjoyed the experience and fun so much this last month and want to thank Deedee for the opportunity to be GD for a whole month, plus the use of her fabulous images and sentiments, also for being the kindest and most generous person I could have been GD for. Also  Kathy D for help with the intermediate challenges I decided to do as well.

For my last GD post I decided I had to do a little extra, so a card and 2 bags is my offering today.  I used Deedee's "Dashing through the snow" kit to make the digital paper in PS to use on the card and the gift bag and that fabulous penguin image.

I used a cut file for the gift bag by Shirley's Cards Here and used the jpeg shape in it, to make the shape in the card. I made the gift bag slightly larger to accommodate the canvas bag.

I suppose this is quite a simple project, I'm not one to over embellish as you know, but not quite CAS either. I'm actually quite pleased how the set worked out and I Love those penguins they are such fun. The sentiments are from the same kit.  I have just realised I haven't made a gift tag, - no problem will do it and add it before giving this gift. Oh! yes and I WILL pretty pack the canvas bag with the same DP paper I made.

This is a picture heavy post - you have been warned LOL.

The set

The gift bag

side view of the bag

The card

The canvas bag

I added Decoart Snow Writer and then glitter

The effect peeled off after I moved the bag to a different location oh! well. at least it didn't mark the image.

To prove the bag was able to be packed into the little Gift bag.

Gingham DP by Just So Scrappy
canvas bag from Hobbycraft

Snowman card

Hi Everyone, here I am again with another of Deedee's digis, I'm having a lot of fun this GD month.  My card today is another one of the Snowman tags I used from the Snowman tag kit, but I decided to do an "over the top card" it includes the sentiment from the kit, with a little addition from me.

I used DP paper from Delicious Scraps, the large snowflake was printed on A4 card, using a glitter style effect from ADB Winter Frost Glitter styles in PS, then cut using a file from Birds Cards,  I also added lots and lots of glitter with Glamour Dust.

http://polkadoodle.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/week-42-christmas-fun-polkadoodles.html

http://sisteractcardchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/challenge-79.html

http://christmasstampin.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/challenge-33.html

Vellum

Hi Everyone, due to the talented Marie - Greece being hostess of the Addicted to CAS challenge this month, I decided to show her that I can VERY occasionally do a little CAS LOL.  Whether this will be allowed I'm not sure, but here goes.  It's a lampshade cut from a file I found on the web years ago, so sorry I do not have who it is designed by.  The tree die was a freebie in a magazine either last year or the year before.  VERY simple, cut the shade and trees out of vellum, stuck the trees on the shade and glittered them. - Simples!

http://addictedtocas.blogspot.gr/2014/10/challenge-50-vellum.html Use Vellum CAS - Yep!

DSC # 111 Steampunk

It's time for a new challenge at

 Digitally Sweet Challenges

the Theme is 

Steampunk

sponsored by  Lunagirl

Hi Everyone, our challenge this week is completely out of my comfort zone, so much so that I had to find out what "Steampunk" meant, yes of course I have seen it around and greatly admired what had been achieved,  I didn't understand it, but that is what a challenge is isn't it? 

Anyhow, this is my offering and I have to apologise for my efforts. I did what I think it means. Science fiction with Victorian tendencies.  I think!  Perhaps someone could correct me, if I am wrong.

I have used Luna girl steam punk numbers 1,2,3,8,9,10,11, and Stitchy bear sailship and paper numbers 1,2,3,4.  

I placed the images into the surreal world of Steampunk, imagining that the ship was going up into the new world through the frame, which is a PS Brush by Elbereth-de-Lioncourt and the man was asking the lady with the bike to fly off with him, he already is halfway there with the flight! shapes on his feet.  The clock represents time she doesn't have to go with him.  The balloon leaflet is hanging from the frame, again in the surreal world.  I used a few PS masks, blending options, overlays etc, I won't bore you with the the how to's.  I may go back to this and play more when I have time, I think there is so much more than could be done. I'll blog it when I do.

This was hard work, but when I got into it I quite liked the surreal world, where imagination can be set free outside the norm.

This is a whopper of a plug!

Hi Everyone, I have enjoyed the free Dearie Dolls images so kindly given by Mary Ellen Smith on her blog Here for a few years.

Because of her kindness I felt it my duty to do a whopper of a plug for her book about a little pig who is frightened by Halloween.

This is the link to Amazon where it is available.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OP4V6CI 

I hope you don't mind me doing this, after all it's the only way I can thank her for all the images I have had.

Thank you Mary 

Christmas card

Hi Everyone. Here I am with my GDT post for Deedee's Digis with, would you believe it, a Christmas card, now that is something I don't usually do this early LOL.  I thought this magnificent Stag / Moose coming out of the forest looked so peaceful, it had to be the Peace on Earth sentiment included on the Winter Woods kit.

I printed and cut out the stag and background and printed his head and antlers again, which I cut out and 3D layered on the background layer, I added lots of glitter - of course.

I cut a 3D frame & box card on my Cricut with a file from Shirley's cards, I think it suited the image coming out of the woods.  I cut some snowflakes and added bling to the centre and a bow to one of them.   The sentiment colour was matched to the image and I embossed it in PS, the DP by A Heimann in 2012 was also matched from it's original colour to the image. I cut the included box and added the DP and a snowflake, plus a label for the addressee. I forgot to take a photo of the card in the box with the ribbon around it duh!

Black and Orange

Hi Everyone, as GD I saw that I could use another of Deedee's images, however, I have done a bit of playing in PS and have achieved something I haven't done before, nothing new on that front LOL.

I used the original image, clipped to a circle, added a layer mask to show the cat only, and a graphic pen filter, this way I left the original layer whole, but made the rest into a, shall I call it a "line drawing?"  I have to say this was all in "playing" I didn't know what I would come up with and something I hadn't done before, but I love the effect.

I then had to do something with it, I searched my files and came across one I hadn't used before, not unusal, as I have more than I should have!  The cutting file is by Krewella Kreations here. The paper is also from KK. I changed the colour in PS to match the card. I changed the sentiment from the file too, as I found this freebie (no longer available) by When the Scrap Hits the Fun blog, and liked it,  after cutting out I added 3D gloss to the nose and eyes of the cat and paw pads then added ribbon.

http://www.fairytalestamper.blogspot.de/2014/10/challenge-46.html Something New - 1. new use of PS filters. 2. Digi is new 3. Haven't used the cut file before, so I suppose that is new too.

http://sentimentalsundays.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/challenge-229-too-cute-to-spook.html  Too cute to spook - Yep!

http://simplycreatetoo.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/challenge-72-halloween-or-use-lots-of.html  Use lots of Orange - Yep!

Celebration

Hi Everyone another GD card for Deedee's - subject Party Celebration for the challenge going on at the Outlawz.

I used the same sketch as Here love how they look so different. The DTs and image are all from the Fun and Festive kit at Deedee's Digis, it's a FREEBIE, go to the Try It section and download. The kit also has outline images so you could change the colours of the cake.

DSC # 110 Your Hero

It's time for a new challenge at

 Digitally Sweet Challenges

the Theme is 

Your Hero

sponsored by  Bugaboo Digi Stamps

My Hero, of course it is my Mum, a stylish, elegant, lovely lady who worked hard throughout her life, she was still working in her early 70's.  A fit, beautiful woman, who lived through hardship and still maintained her lovely smile.  

Due to what I call negligence, after a knee replacement, she had to have an amputation above the knee when she was 83.  The hours after the operation, one of my brother's and I entered her room imagining she would be very ill, in fact we didn't think she would survive the operation, but, we should have known better, with the temerity of this remarkable woman, she asked us "What have I missed today?".

Within 24 hours she was travelling around the ward in a wheelchair and never looked back.  She didn't take to a prosthetic limb so lived the next 8 years doing everything in her "little flat" (as she called it) in her wheelchair, on her own. She had carers come in, but they only went there for a chat as she had already done what they were supposed to do.  I was working full time and did what I could but, she insisted that I had enough to do than look after her!  She loved going out in the car each Sunday when she would tell hubby - "follow your nose" when asked where she would like to go. It didn't matter where, she just loved the countryside and the sea.

There is one story I have to recount, which I think shows how she loved to be centre of attention too.

 When she was 89, she told everyone she was 90 - just in case she didn't reach 90!  as she wanted to have a celebration, she certainly did, with at least a hundred cards, she was thrilled and couldn't stop smiling. One of her friends said to me "she doesn't look 90 does she?" I had to agree, what else could I do?  I didn't lie though, as she certainly didn't look 90! We, the family, had to laugh though.  

When her real 90th birthday came around, my youngest brother planned her 90th birthday celebration, which took place at the Celtic Manor Hotel in Newport, (NATO have been there recently) he arranged surprises all night, with over 100 family and friends invited from all over the UK and family from the USA, a Welsh Male Voice Choir from her home village singing for her, amongst other things, and fireworks  to finish the most memorable evening.  The evening is still talked about within the extended and close family.

She saw her 90th birthday and her 91st.  The Minister at her funeral also regaled the story of her twice over 90th birthday, which had people nodding and smiling in recognition, this was my MUM.

After sending the layout to the family, one of her granddaughters sent this reply which I thought I had to add.
"I miss her so desperately, and as I get older I miss her even more !  She was such a "Force" in my life, and maybe, some of her style did rub off on me ! haha
One thing Nana did,  which we all took for granted, was that she loved her children and family so much, it was at an exclusion of everybody else, we WERE HER LIFE !  A very selfless act, that we all took for granted, as she was always there for us, and especially for me!"

Baby Boy

Hi Everyone, my 3rd offering for Deedee's Digis is this baby card for my son's Community Psychiatric Nurse, who has just had a baby boy, well his wife has LOL.

I printed the image on printable acetate, so it hopefully looks like the stork is flying to the house, I then coloured the image from behind with marker pens to make it a stronger colour for the acetate.  The house is made from the blue paper from the same kit "Special Delivery" (it also has pink for a girl and different skin tones for the baby).

The house was prepared in PS, by adding the door and windows on top of the main background. I printed out another layer for the door. I added the included sentiment to the corner of the card.  The inside was also done in PS with the another sentiment included in the kit and of course the smashing stork again.

The roof is a cut file, so is the flower border to which I added red Stickles.

I know I use PS. but I'm sure this can be done in any program including Word, by you clever people but, which would baffle me LOL.

Inside - Baby delivered and hanging on door knob LOL

roof border by  Heather M 

flower border by SheryKDesigns