At Last

I'm so sorry everyone for such a long absence, but life has been so hectic over the last few months that a lot of things have not been done.  My poor blog being one of them.  I have so many cards to show you all it's going to take me posts to catch up, so I'll cram as many in as I can.  Right less yabba yabba from me and I'll get on with it.

First off, Polka Doodles samples and challenge cards.  Polka Doodle goodies can be bought from here.

 Pretty sweet CD for the first 7 Cards

 Some of the Gorgeous PD stamps, backing papers from A Sundae of Seasons CD and Kuretake Art and Graphic Twin Tips. I know I've said it before but they really are the best pens you can use for stamping and water colouring.

 A Magical Winter CD

 PD Flutterfly stamp.

Creative Expressions Demo Samples

Clarity Stamp TV samples

Phew, that's it for now.  More to follow later.

Design Team Call

A message from Nikky at Polka Doodles

"Okkkaaayyyy! We're looking for some new teamies to join us here at Polkadoodles!

Yep, we need some new blood to join our lovely talented team on this challenge blog and also to make samples for shows and TV! So, if you LOVE colouring and you're great with your Promarkers, Copics, Prisma's and Watercolours (or any other colouring medium) and it's your speciality then please email us with a link to your blog and NO MORE than 50 words about yourself and why you want to be on the Polkadoodles team. If you don't like colouring then don't worry - we cater for everyone, but you do need to be able to use digital products and rubber stamp.  It doesn't matter if you're a cardmaker, scrapbooker, a stamper or a CD crafter, we need someone who can be versatile and fit within the other talents on our fabulous, happy team. We look for all kinds of abilities and styles so you've gotta be in it, to win it, as the saying goes! You MUST have a blog where you post regularly. You MUST be able to commit to participating in the challenge blog 3 times per month, making TV samples when required AND commenting on challenge entries each week, so please ensure you can do all this before you apply - this is a permanent position and you must be able to offer the commitment we need. We will consider entries from around the world but as we need people who can also make samples, because of time constraints entries from the UK may have an advantage - if you're not in the UK please don't let that put you off, really we just need someone awesome, and we're looking for more than one person!! We will be choosing someone over the next two weeks and results will be posted here. Please do not leave comments etc, all bloglinks must be sent by email by 13th OCTOBER. Please ensure your links are correct and link to the homepage so we can see your blog properly. email us with a link to your blog and NO MORE than 50 words about yourself and why you want to be on the Polkadoodles team. (please note: Final decision will be announced on this blog after 13th October) ---- GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!! We can't wait to see your work! xx"

I'll be back soon with mahoosive amounts of cards and creations. Sorry for the lack of blogging but life just keeps getting in the way! 

Magmaker the publishers of Making Cards are launching a new Magazine Making Cakes and Bakes. Looks pretty scrummy to me so if you like your cakes and baked goodies why not take a look.

Calligraphy - to learn or not to learn?

Well here I am contemplating the question for about the millionth time.  It's something I've always wanted to do, but never found the time.  I see samples of calligraphy and think 'wow, wish I could do that'.  Well I could if I bothered to learn how, which I have now promised myself to do ........ sometime soon .......

In the meantime I will have to make do with my normal cheating, ie printing something off the pc and then tracing it with the aid of a light box.  Not brilliant but it does the job for the time being.

I've made a few samples recently for Kuretake, so if you've seen any of their recent shows you may recognise them.

 Chalk writers and one of the lovely corner punches by Kuretake

Chalk writers used with peeloffs (spits over shoulder).  To be honest I'm not a fan of peeloffs but they can be handy sometimes and there are many that do wonderful things with them.

Metallic writers, again with ppppppppp..... yeah them things lol.  These look stunning on dark card, I'll deffo be using these more often.  I think lush is the word for these.

Metallic writers used for writing. Thank goodness I got the spelling right, I think I may have had a right toddler tantrum if I'd finished and spotted a spelling mistake.  I used the pens on one of Polka Doodles stamps for the snowflakes.

Metallic green and green calligraphy pens

The calligraphy pens again

Art and graphic twin tips pens for the background and the coloured image.  Polka Doodles stamp with Kuretakes black sparkle embossing powder.  Kuretake fibres

A&GTT pens again with Polka Doodles stamp.  Kuretake corner punch used for the border and a couple of their brads

A&GTT pens for background and direct to stamp which they are particularly excellent for, very juicy so they stay wet for a long time and they don't pool on the rubber like most other pens.

Embossing pens and Kuretake black sparkle embossing powder.  The calligraphy was freehand, a bit wonky granted, but for me it's quite good.

Embossing pens and black sparkle embossing powder

Embossing pens and black sparkle embossing powder and yes it;s all freehand not a stamp.

 

Embossing powders and pens again. Corner punch for the border.

 Gold and silver pens (forget which ones) corner pinch and brads

 

Kuretake Painty pens.  Theses will go on most surfaces and they are really opaque so are excellent for one coat coverage

 Gold and silver pens, corner punch and gems. The flower was made from the waste bits form the punch

 Metallic writer, ribbon and brads

Gold pen, ribbons and corner punch.