Challenge 17 'Photo Inspiration' & Winner of No.16

Challenge 17 - 'Photo Inspiration'

How to play: This fortnight you must make a papercraft item (card, giftbag, tag...anything goes) which has been inspired in some way by the photo above AND use a digi image somewhere. You don't have to use a 'Bee Crafty' image. Submit by Saturday 21st November (Midday UK) by posting on your blog and commenting below. The PRIZE is one of Bee Craftys downloads. (See full rules to the right.)
Now enjoy the beautiful creations of my very talented Design Team - all the images they have used can be purchased at our shop (use the purple button at the top of the blog)

Kim's gorgeous card uses lovely materials and cleverly picks up the pattern on 'Whimsical Girl & Birds' dress

Christine has created a wonderful Christmas card in these alternative colours with an added bit of sparkle and softness using 'Whimsical Girl & Snowman' Victoria's vibrant greens and pinks reflect the image brilliantly with a great added sparkle on 'Little Lady Birthday' image Trixi's lovely matching set particulaly picks up on the spots & dots element, great soft pinks and perfect placing of 'Bunny with Flowers' (also uses Doodle Dots from CupCake Crafts)

Sheri's beautiful card shows her wonderfully skilled crafting, lovely materials compliment the 'Whimsical Girl & Bird' image

Winner of Challenge 16 - Distressing - is Claire at CraftyC for her lovely card featuring different distressing techniques which enhance the design. Congratulations!

Challenge 16 'Distressing' & Winner of No.15

Challenge 16 - 'Distressing'

How to play: This fortnight you must make a papercraft item (card, giftbag, tag...anything goes) which features 'distressing' AND use a digi image somewhere.You don't have to use a 'Bee Crafty' image. Submit by Saturday 7th November (Midday UK) by posting on your blog and commenting below. The PRIZE is one of Bee Craftys downloads. (See full rules to the right.)

Distressing tips;

- Distressing doesn't mean destroying your work, the aim is to add depth / texture and enhance it.

- Consider using ink/chalk/paint effects, tearing, scrunching paper up, using tools...

- Give it a light touch or be bold, start lightly, you can always add more distressing (but you can't take it away!)

- Focus your distressing on the edges of the elements that make up your card.
Now for my DTs inspiring examples and different approaches to distressed, you can find the images they have used in my shop here.

xxx

Trixi's Halloween card uses images from the 'Halloween set.' She has distressed the edges of the paper and card using XCut scissors and then inked up the edges with black ink.

Sheri's card, featuring 'Little Lady Birthday,' uses Basic Grey designer papers that are distressed and then all the edges were inked with Chocolate Chip ink for extra detail.

Lori created a scrapbook page which is the perfect place to do some distressing. Using 'kitty,' 'seated bunny' and 'puppy' and of course her own adorable photos.

Christine's card uses the free birthday cake image (scroll back through the blog.) The two round cuts were distressed with brown chalk. K&Co. design paper distressed using a Tim Holtz distressing tool around the edges. Another piece of K&Co paper punched with the MS doily lace punch and distressed edges.

Kim's Christmas card featuring 'Fluffy Bunny Christmas' sees the use of a plastic knife over the edges which were then well inked.

Victoria's Christmas card using 'Wish Fairies Christmas' keeps it subtle with delicate distressing effects.

Winner of Challenge 15 (Sketch) is this great Halloween card by Donna at 'luvocardz', love how the colours and eye detail have been picked up. Congratulations!

* Sorry this post is a day late everyone!*

Challenge 15 'A Sketch,' Our New DT Member Victoria & Winner of Ch 14

Challenge 15 - 'A Sketch'

How to play: This fortnight you must make a papercraft item (card, giftbag, tag...anything goes) following the sketch above AND use a digi image somewhere.You don't have to use a 'Bee Crafty' image. Submit by Saturday 24th October (Midday UK) by posting on your blog and commenting below. The PRIZE is one of Bee Craftys downloads. (See full rules to the right.)

Now for my DTs inspiring examples, you can find the images they have used in my shop here.
We are pleased to welcome Victoria to the Bee Crafty DT and she has created a wonderful first design from the sketch using 'Whimsical Girl & Snowman'

Kim's card uses some great colours and pretty snowflake embellishments with a 'Wish Fairy Christmas' image.

Trixi's wonderfully textured and warm card uses 'Fluffy Bunny Christmas'

Christine's pretty autumn card has a wonderful array of flowers to compliment the image from the 'Floral Set'

Lori's bold colours and great distressing really sets off 'Flower Girl' (this one is a freebie image if you scroll back through the blog!)

Sheri's charming card sees delicate pattern paper and embellishments work wonderfully with 'Fluffy Bunny Christmas'

Winner of Challenge 14 (Christmas) is... the lovely Donna! Congratulations x

NEW IMAGES!! Challenge 14 'Christmas.' Winner of Ch 13

NEW IMAGES!! Find these for just 99p each in our shop HERE!
Whimsical Girl & Snowman
Fluffy Bunny Christmas
Wish Fairies (original)
Wish Fairies (Christmas)

Challenge 14 - 'Christmas'

How to play: This fortnight you must make a papercraft item (card, giftbag, tag...anything goes) with a Christmas theme AND use a digi image somewhere.
You don't have to use a 'Bee Crafty' image, but I hope you'll be tempted to with our exiting new designs! Submit by Saturday 10th October (Midday UK) by posting on your blog and commenting below. The PRIZE is one of Bee Craftys downloads. (See full rules to the right.)

Cheak out our great guest and design team creations...

Guest Designer - Victoria with a lovely set of matching cards and gift bags using the Original Wish Fairies. I am also very exited to announce that Vistoria will also be joining our DT from next fortnight!

Sheri - Bee Crafty's extremely talented new DT member. Sheri has perfectly combined the two Christmas Wish Fairies in this beautiful card.

Lori - two gorgeous cards using Whimsical Girl & Snowman (love the fluffy trim!)

Trixi - has made a charming, traditionally inspired card using Fluffy Bunny Christmas.

Kim - has gone to town by designing not only a lovely card using Whimsical Girl & Snowman, but a lovely gift box too! WINNER of Challenge 13 'Bookmarks' is....Jane for her subtle and complimentary colours and perfectly perched character on the stack of books. Congratulations!

Another sad goodbye. Due to a huge number of commitments Dei has had to leave the DT, she will be missed as a great crafter and contributer and we wish her well.

Challenge 13 'Bookmarks'; a FREEBIE!; a Tutorial; Winner of 12 & a Sad Goodbye

Challenge 13 - 'Make a Bookmark'

How to play: This fortnight you must make a bookmark (any style) AND use a digi image.

You don't have to use a 'Bee Crafty' image, but I hope you'll be tempted to! Submit by Saturday 26th September (Midday UK) by posting on your blog and commenting below. The PRIZE is one of Bee Craftys downloads. (See full rules to the right.)

As a special treat I'm giving away this free 'stack of books' digi image, please feel free to take this image and maybe use it on your entry. Just let people know you found it at Bee Crafty. (Right click and save to your computer).

Now check out the super guest and design team creations to inspire you. You can buy all the images they have used in my shop here.

Guest Designer - Donnas beautifully coloured bookmark sees 'bookish bunny' looking completely at home on top of these books!

Sue has used a fantastic jumbo paperclip style and personalised each with a different image.

Lori shows how versatile 'seated boy' can be with her two very clever and different bookmarks.

Trixi has made a brilliant monster bookmark from the 'Halloween Set.' Super design with great child appeal!

Kim went to town on this project creating a gorgeous bookmark set and more (be sure to check out her blog.)

Dei presents a wonderfully distressed bookmark, cleverly stretching and combining images.

Christine bring us this pretty corner bookmark using 'bookish bunny' and has kindly provided a tutorial to help you make one too!

1. Materials: solid cardstock / image / whatever you want to decorate the bookmark with

2. Cut a piece of cardstock 5” square and mark with a pencil at 2-1/2” on each side

3. Score between two of the marks on adjacent sides

4. & 5. Cut off the other two corners

6. Fold at the scored lines

7. Cut another piece of cardstock in a triangle with 3=1/2” sides, fold in the corners and adhere the triangle to close the flaps

8. Here’s a photo of both sides of a corner bookmark

9. Now it’s time to decorate as you would like, adding the tail before adhering the DP

The Winner of Challenge 12 (digi papers) is the talented Maria for her clever use of digi papers not just in the background, but in the flower and dress. Congrats Maria!

I would like to say goodbye to Sue who is leaving our design team. Sue has been a great contributer and will certainly be missed...here is a little reminder of some of her lovely creations.

Be sure to come back next fortnight when we will welcome our super new DT member Sheri!

New images! Challenge 12 'Using Digi Papers.' A Special Sponsor & Winner of Ch11

4 new additions to the Bee Crafty shop!

Halloween Set
4 themed illustrations; ‘trick or treat,’ ‘fat bat, 'pumpkin’ & ‘mini monster’ PLUS ‘mini monster’ pattern paper! Each sent as a separate Jpeg for maximum versatility and just £1.99 for the set. Click here to go to the shop

Here's an example using the pumpkin illustration and Cupcake Cards & Crafts ‘Doodle Dots’

For the boys…

…and by the boys (I have my husband to thank for drawing this fabulous modern Dodge Challenge and he is primed to sketch others if there is a demand!)
Only 99p here

Something New – Folding Shape Card Template ‘Cupcake’

This versatile template comes as a PDF with 4 different versions. Just print, cut and decorate (you can also alter the size using Adobes select tools.)

Just £1.75 here

Have a look at these great examples by Trixi and Elaine;

Also available is the single cupcake illustration at just 75p here
Challenge 12 – ‘Using Digi Papers’
This fortnight we have the fantastic Cupcake Cards & Crafts ‘Digital Downloads’ as a sponsor

How to play:
You must use digi papers somewhere in your craft item

Any papercraft item is allowed but it must use digital papers AND as usual you must also use a digital image (it doesn't have to be a 'Bee Crafty' image, but I hope you'll be tempted to use my images!) Submit by Saturday 12th September (Midday UK) by posting on your blog and commenting below. The extra PRIZE this fortnight is some digi papers from Cupcake Cards & Crafts as well as one of Bee Craftys downloads! (See full rules to the right.)

The Bee Crafty Design Team have been lucky enough to use papers from Cupcake Cards & Craft this fortnight in addition to Bee Crafty images. Some of the DT had lots of prior experience using digi papers whilst others had none. Check out their great creations….

Guest Designer Sheri with her beautiful card using ‘Scribbles Digital Designers Mini Sets – Candy’ & ‘Whimsical Girl’

Christine’s delicate, pretty layered card using ‘My Lazy Sunday Digital Papers’ & ‘Fairy Angel Floating’

Dei’s charming card using ‘Scribbles Digital Designers Mini Sets – Olive’ & ‘Whimsical Girl Butterfly Catcher’

Lori created this stylish card using the ‘Doodle Dots Collection’ & ‘Seated Boy’

Kim’s bright, summery card uses ‘For the Colours of Life' & ‘Whimsical Girl Butterfly Catcher’

Sue’s bright, fun card uses ‘I Love Candy, The Papers’ & ‘Fluffy Bunny Pair’

Trixi has created a pretty calendar using ‘Doodle Dots Collection’ & ‘Whimsical Girl and Bird’

Here are a few great reasons to use digi papers;
# They are economical, once bought you can print as many times as you like
# You can resize papers and print the exact size you need to save waste
# You can modify areas to suit your design e.g., block off sections where a layer will be using ‘MS Word’
# They're always in stock and take up no room…great for last minute cards!
# If you have Photoshop or similar you can insert the patterns into images, ‘virtual paper piecing’ Also you can select the colours from the digi papers and insert them into an image so your creations have a great colour match
# You can alter the thickness / thinness to suit your project by printing on different paper / card

Winner of Challenge 11 is… Larissa and her gorgeous card (are you seeing spots!)

Challenge 11 'Just a bit more../OTT,' Winner of 10 and DT Inspiration

CHALLENGE 11 - THEME: 'Just a bit more...' or 'OTT' (over the top)

How to play:

Throw simplicity and reserve out of the window, we want a paper craft item (card or other) that leaps out at us and demands attention!

Here are a few suggestions, but how you interpret the theme is entirely up to you.

• This item might be the sort you couldn't fit in an ordinary envelope or something that would have a very specific market. Go Over The Top!
• Maybe focus on;
  Embellishments e.g., 'explosion of flowers,' 'loads of bling,' 'reams of ribbon,' 'multiple images'....
  Design e.g., 'excessively folded card,' 'incredibly involved project,' 'loads of layers'....
  Style e.g., 'super girly...butch...sweet...spotty...chintzy...'

Check out the great DT inspiration below!

Any papercraft item is allowed but it must have a bit of 'digital' somewhere (image, papers...) it doesn't have to be a 'Bee Crafty' image, but I hope you'll be tempted to use my images! Submit by Saturday 29th August (Midday UK) by posting on your blog and commenting below. The PRIZE is one of my downloads! (See full rules to the right.)

WINNER of Challenge 10 (colouring in) is the talented Jodi!

DESIGN INSPIRATIONS [using Bee Crafty digital images - available here]

Guest Designer, Lynsey - Why have one windmill when you can have three!

Sue - Make more of the image by creating a full blown 3D scene (love the curtain Sue!)

Trixi - 'Just a bit more...' dots, circles and two for the price of one bunnies! Gorgeous.

Kim - Busy up backgrounds with more blocks of patterned paper and layer up 'just a bit more...' than usual. Great job!

Dei - 'Just a bit more...' humour, cuteness, bursts of flowers and bunnies! I'm still smiling at this one Dei :)

Lori - ...loves dots and buttons... Use this challenge to pile on your favourite things!

Proof indeed that adding more elements to your creations doesn't necessarily mean they'll look like you dropped the contents of your craft box all over them!

We look forward to your creations and interpretation of the theme.

[If you didn't visit us last fortnight scroll back to check out the great tutorials]