05 September, 2026

Just kidding

What kind of party is this, with the host being late? I'll try to make it up to you by being quick.
Therefore, without much ado I present you the current challenge over at the Alphabet challenge blog. We're at the letter J this fortnight, and we'd like to see something funny for "Just kidding". I'll be picking the winners two weeks from now, and I can't wait to see what you'll come up with in the meantime.
I for myself decided to create a rather simple card using a wonderful Bugaboo digi featuring a leg in a cast. And man, every time I use one of their images, I dearly miss this brand! 
Anyhow, I found the motif in my stash as I was going through things I could use for my DT inspiration. It was already glued onto a piece of light brown paper to frame it, so I started the other way round: I took different sized card bases from my stash to see which one fits best. Once I picked the kraft coloured one, I flipped through my patterned papers to see which paper would be best to use in the background. I opted for a beige sheet with rather large green and brown polka dots, and I liked the fact they are rather large, because the motif itself is very much CAS. And since there wasn't much to colour in the image, those large polka dots would have to do the trick colour-wise.
Once I glued the motif to the card itself, I added a couple of paper flowers. I haven't used paper flowers in a while, and it felt good to make use of them after ages.
Finally, I started looking for a quote to make my card funny. After all, a leg in a cast could be interpreted as a regular "get well soon" card. However, I didn't want to go with "Break a leg" (which I think even came with the digi), since the recipient probably wouldn't be a native English speaker. Instead, I printed one saying "Hals- und Beinbruch", which can be translated as a wish for a broken neck and leg - but of course it's just to make sure well wishes don't get jinxed! 
   
challenges:
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01 September, 2026

Insects

Better late than never, here is my DT creation for the current "Insects" challenge over at the Alphabet challenge blog. If you haven't participated yet, let this be your reminder to do so - as always, you can link up any project you have created, just make sure it features some sort of insects.
Now for my reminder post: the scraps I'm showing you this time are from my stash, I've created them a while ago to add to care packages for Ukrainian refugees. To personalize each box, I used a wooden keyring which I decorated with napkin decoupage. A keyring for keys to a new home, far away from whatever they've left behind. As I would only know the gender and age group of the recipients (child/teenager/adult), I decided to use different motifs which would make the gift suitable for anyone. I used white acrylic paint to cover the wooden circle, and then placed several mini motifs onto each side of said circle. The motift come from different napkins, and they are those tiny things you can only use in a bunch, because they would be too small for anything if used separately. Since amongst them are butterflies as well as bees, it makes a perfect DT inspiration. 
Additionally, I used cardboard pieces to enhance the bottom of small celophane gift bags. I decided to embellish those, too: I covered one side with a random patterned paper, while on the other side I used a monochrome paper. This side would be covered with stickers and a small welcome message.
And if small insects aren't your thing, how about some huge butterfly/plane hybrids, like the ones that embellish the House of Fun "Maj" in Prague? The iconic shopping centre has been renovanted in the past years, and reopened in 2024. It now features multiple floors of entertainment next to a number of shops, and much more. I haven't visited it yet as I'l not a shopping centre person, but I had a peek at its outside soon after its opening because those butterflies were something everybody would talk about. On the surface, the main debate was whether an installation like this is suitable for a facade in the old city center. Looking closer, the artwork of David Černý honours Czechoslovak fighter pilots who fought in the RAF during WW2, symbolizing peace, hope, freedom and democracy - values that need to be actively defended every day even today.
How they managed to hand those Spitfire bodies onto a vertical wall, remains a mistery to me. But it certainly looks magnificent when those giant "butterflies" beat their wings. 

challenges:
- allsorts challengeblog: ATG with optional twist "all creatures great and small"
- as you like it: favourite animal (butterflies - the sight of the first butterfly in spring is a very special highlight for me, more special than the sight of the first flowers. Even as the seasons change, butterflies will always bring me joy: they come in so many different sizes and colours, they symbolize freedom and fragility, and I can't get enough of them. And I guess they must be loved by others as well, since we wouldn't see so many butterflies on various crafting projects out there. I would always try to nurse injured butterflies when I was a child, and I understand now that things are more complicated than that. Which is why I'm happy to see more and more "insect meadows" each year in private gardens and public spaces, whether they are the result of sowing a specific flower mix, or refusing to mow a certain patch of grass.)
- card free zone: ATG but a card
- crafty gals corner: ATG with optional twist "summer vibes" -
- critter crazy: ATG animals (butterflies)
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