Have you ever done one of those tests...

where there is a long paper to do with all sorts of commands like "underline the fourth word of the third sentence", then when you get down to the last command it is "don't do any of the things above", in order to teach you to read through the instruction first?

Well I feel a bit like that with this week's Daring Cardmakers challenge.

Oriental Splendour
I would like you to make a card with an Oriental influence and the ‘Take Away’ I referred to is the twist in the tail.... no red or black

In fairness, I was feeling slightly giddy at moving back into my craft space. But that isn't really any excuse for this is there?
I did remember not to use red... If I have time I will redo it in different colours. I quite like the screen effect of the panels. I'll add on a sentiment when I need it. Some of the paper is from DCWV All Dressed Up stack that my lovely friend Sue sent me. Yes, the Sue that set the dare. Oh the shame. the other paper is from a Kand Co mat stack. They are just the best value as they are great for cardmaking rather than matting photos and are double sided and a lovely texture. the butterfly is a Cuttlebug die. I have a thing for butterflies at the mo' as you will see...

this weekend at Scrapitude there is a wonderful card making challenge weekend. I love it because it is ever so relaxed and supportive. A bit like this gem of a forum really!
I set a challenge called 3,2,1, Go where you have to use 3 of one thing, 2 of another and 1 of another. Easier to show than to tell.
You would NOT beleive how long this card took to make and i still don't really like it! It has 3 stickers, 2 ribbons and 1 strip of patterned paper. I added a peeloff (gasp!) and oodles of doodles. I bought loads of ribbon for the Church card club from Crafty Ribbons which is where that wonderful pink ribbon is from. the paper is K and Co again and the stickers from Docrafts.

And you would not beleive that this card took about 20 minutes
actually maybe you could! Ever so simple and even more shiny in real life. 3 adhesive black gems; 2 patterned papers (those DCWV papers again, one with extra white gel pen) and 1 shiny ribbon.

Tina challenged us to use at least 2 patterned papers and die cut/punched embellishments
more of the paper that Sue gave me (just so lush, now I am trying really hard not to buy the stack myself. Some pink co'ordinations card was put through a Cuttlebug emobssing folder and sanded. The die is a Sizzlit heart that was outlined in black. The black and cream zebra print was scallopped with a border punch and ribbon finished it off. I will probably add "sending you love" rather than use it for valentines.

Kimmy gave us a sketch challenge and I kept to it pretty straightMore of the Kand Co and cuttlebug!

My craft space is now plain white all over and it is so bright that I was able to take this photo at about 7pm last night without a flash!
More crafting fun tomorrow which is good as I have loads of overdue projects!