Three Wishes & Zero Lottery Wins

Dia Daoibh!

The next HQFCB challenge is Anything Goes Fantasy with a genie twist—because who hasn’t daydreamed about finding a magic lamp and wishing for lucky lottery numbers? (Though knowing my luck, the genie would be on a coffee break, and I’d end up with "eternal patience" or some other useful nonsense.)

Onto today’s card! I raided my "vintage" paper stash (circa 2018—practically antique at this point) and paired it with a sentiment from a free stamp set from a 2015 magazine (because nothing says "fantasy" like hoarding supplies and craft magazines for a decade). The star of the show is this sassy genie from Create A Smile’s Flaschenpost set, who clearly knows I’m three wishes away from chaos. Coloured him with Promarkers, then went full magpie with iridescent glitter (obviously) and silver thread.

A few challenges:

• Alphabet Challenge -  K is for keep it simple
• Simply Clean and Simple  - SEP : Birthdays
• Craft Rocket Challenges #129 Dots and/or Stripes
• Krafty Chicks #784 - Birthday
• I Love Promarkers #590 - Anything Goes or Gnomes

Wishing you all the luck of a genie who actually listens—and may your weekend involve less glitter cleanup than mine. (Spoiler: It’s everywhere. Everywhere.)

Sláinte, 

Wendy R. 

P.S. Pro tip: If your genie offers unlimited wishes, ask for more storage first. Crafters know what's important. 😂

TAKE ME TO YOUR CAKE

Dia daoibh!

Ah, a glorious Monday morning – the start of autumn if you go by the old Irish calendar, where Lughnasadh on the 1st of August kicks off the harvest season. The air has that crisp bite to it, the kind that makes you feel alive – but it’s still just warm enough to dry the laundry without it coming back stiffer than cardboard. Honestly, nothing beats the smug joy of bedsheets flapping on the line, pretending you’re in an Ariel ad while really just standing in the back garden with a peg bag.

Now, onto my card. 

Today’s star is an alien, die-cut from an SVG I designed in CorelDRAW. I cut him out of core card and glitter card, then layered him up for a bit of 3D fun. Kept it CAS – though with three eyes, this fella clearly spots chocolate cake from light years away. Forget UFOs, he’s definitely landing for dessert.

Challenges:

• Sisterhood of the Snarky Stampers #265 - A is for Alien
• Just Us Girls #788 - Word Week: Birthday
• Seize The Birthday #297  -No Flowers
• The Male Room #201 - Universe
• CAS Colours & Sketches #566 - Sketch Challenge 
  

And let’s be honest – with his glittery finish and those three peepers, he’s either here to invade Earth or audition for a boyband. Either way, I’m ready.

Sláinte,

Wendy R. 👽

Black Glitter, Bald Tyres & Birthday Cards

Dia daoibh!

Let me tell you a tale of terror, tread, and terrible judgment. I popped down to get the car “checked” – you know, the kind of check where you're hoping for a bit of air and a nod of approval. Instead, yer man looks at my tyres, raises an eyebrow, and says, “You got here on these? Fair play to ya – I'd have called a priest.” Apparently, they were less "roadworthy" and more "may spontaneously combust if you look at them sideways." So, four new tyres later and a quiet sob into my debit card, I now glide through the village like a woman who definitely didn’t wait too long.

Anyway! On to the card – the real star of the show (unlike my tyres).

This cool birthday number was made with my Silhouette Cameo, which at this stage should probably be paying rent. I die-cut both the sunset background and our dashing skater, who I layered up like a good lasagne – bit of height, bit of drama. And yes, that’s black glitter on the skater – because just because it’s a “masculine card” doesn’t mean it can’t sparkle like a fella who uses fancy shampoo and owns at least one cardigan. Perfect for that lad in your life who’s too cool for Hallmark but not above appreciating a bit of handmade magic.

A few challenges:

• Krafty Chicks #780 - Birthday
• Creative Crafting Uncles #67 - Layer It Up
• Cardz 4 Guyz #376 - Summer Holidays
• TIME OUT Challenges #294  - Pick 2 (or more):Transport & Stripes
• Make My Monday #257 - Masculine Card
•  AAA Cards #296 - Sketch: 
  
• AAA Birthday Challenge #76 - Sport 
  

Thanks a mil for stopping by – and if your car’s been sounding like a cement mixer full of cutlery, go get your tyres checked. You mightn’t get a card, but you’ll live to make one.

Sláinte!

Wendy R. 🚗

Scale Up the Fun!

 Dia Daoibh!

August's challenge over at HQFCB is "anything goes" with the option of featuring a dragon. Well, who am I to resist a bit of fire-breathing fun? I mean, who needs a therapist when you have dragons to craft with?

I'm absolutely smitten with this wee dragon from iStock.  I've coloured him in with my trusty Promarkers and then, of course, I had to add some glitter and glossy accents... because dragons deserve to sparkle, right? The HB2U are die-cuts that I've layered up for some dimension, and then gave them a dusting of iridescent glitter. More sparkle, you say? Absolutely! The card is also embellished with enamel drops for an extra pop. Speaking of layering... let's talk double-sided foam tape. That stuff is the bane of my existence! I swear, wrestling with that tape is harder than taming a real dragon! Anyone else feel my pain? 😂

Galloping, flapping or maybe flying… this fantasy critter is heading straight for some challenge fun:

• CAS on Friday #314 Animal
• Seize The Birthday #310  - Anything Birthdays with option of Favorite Color
• Crafty Catz #699 Anything Goes
• I Love Promarkers #587 -  Anything goes or Super Heros
• Creative Knockouts #551 Sparkle and Shine
• Little Red Wagon #818 Masculine 
• Make My Monday #257 Masculine Card 

Right so, that's my dragon birthday card! It's got more sparkle than a dragon's hoard! But don't just take my word for it! Head on over to HQFCB to see what the rest of the DT has conjured up! And then, of course, join in the fun and enter the challenge! Show us your fire-breathing creations!

Sláinte!
Wendy R. xx

Birthday Craic

Dia Daoibh!

Well now, not much going on this week unless you count me arguing with my double-sided tape and losing—again. But I am thrilled to be Guest Designer over at the AAA Colourful Challenge Blog! The designers there are a fab bunch of crafty geniuses, and I’m chuffed to join them for Colourboard #18—a bright explosion of pink, orange, yellow and green that looks like a party straw convention.

The challenge runs 15th July to 14th August, so plenty of time to get your rainbow on. 

I hit the scrap stash and die cut some bold, stripy bits in those juicy colours, added a few stars (glittered to within an inch of their lives), and popped them up on foam pads for dimension. The sentiment—"IT’S YOUR DAY"—is from my beloved Sizzix alphabet dies, survivors of the Great COVID-Clearout™. I couldn’t part with them then, and I won’t now, not even if you bribe me with crisps. The coloured enamel drops? Ha! I live in Ireland. We’ve got rain, not rainbow drops. So I faked it with teeny punched circles and a blob of Ranger Glossy Accents—job done!

A few challenges:

• AAA Birthday Challenge #75 - Summer Birthday 
  
• Die Cut Divas - Jul - Happy Birthday
  
• Heart's Quest Celebration of Love #7 - Birthdays, Engagements, Weddings, Anniversaries and/or Sympathies
  
• Crafty Catz #698 - Anything Goes - Child's Birthday

Come join the fun over at AAA Colourful and show the world your best and brightest. The more colour, the better—unless you’re my washing machine, in which case, please stop turning everything pink.

Sláinte,

Wendy R. 🌞

Mer-Mazing!

 Dia Daoibh!

Your brand new HQFCB Design Team member here, ready to dive into some fantasy fun! I'm absolutely buzzin' to be part of the Heart's Quest Fantasy Challenge Blog team! Woohooo!

May's challenge #5 of 2025 over at HQFCB is "Anything Goes" with a wee nod to mermaids if you're feelin' fancy. Now, I'm a sucker for a good mermaid tale. Anyone else remember Splash from the 80s with Daryl Hannah? Begorrah, I was always mesmerised by that tail!... 

Soooooo, I whipped up a card featuring a mermaid tail! I cut it from glitter card with my Silhouette Cameo, because who doesn't love a bit of sparkle? The wee fishes are die-cuts, and I've used gems as embellishments. Sure, you can never have too much bling, can ya?

Onto a few challenges:

• Dragonfly Dreams - May Challenge: Sea Life
• Creative Fingers - No. 300: Always Anything Goes
  
• Simply Clean and Simple - May 2025:  Clean & Simple (Optional: Flowers)
  
• Creative Inspirations Challenge #26:  Anything Goes
  
• Krafty Chicks #766: Birthday
  
• Little Red Wagon #805: Use Your Stash (using all the stashed gems)
• Crafty Calendar Challenge - May Challenge: For a Child
• Allsorts Challenge Blog #822: Inspired by a song  (Ocean Eyes by Billie Eilish)
• Leigh SB Designs Inspirational Challenges - May No. 41: Mermaids or Halfoween in May or Anthing Goes 

Right so, that's my mermaid-tastic creation! Don't be a cod ;)... head on over to HQFCB  and enter the challenge! Show 'em what you're made of!

And now, for a mermaid joke to leave you with a smile:

What do fashionable mermaids wear?

Sea-quins!

 yes.. I'll see myself out ...

Sláinte! 

Wendy R.

Green, I Am!

 Dia Daoibh!

I'm absolutely chuffed to be guest designing over at Colorful Options! Thanks a bunch for having me! 

May's mood board is a special one – it's a collab with Park Hopping My Happy Place. The challenge? Pick a colour from the inspiration photo and make it shine! Now, being the maaaaaassive Star Wars geek that I am, my brain immediately went to the green scale and conjured up Yoda. 

Yoda is coloured with my trusty Promarkers, of course. For the backing paper, I got a bit crafty and created my own with some ink and a splash of watered-down bleach – a bit mad, I know! Since we're talking intergalactic vibes, I went a bit bonkers with the green gems to give that stars/planets feel. The sentiment is fitting (you know, with Yoda talking backwards and all! :).

I kept it simple by layering Yoda and the sentiment with foam pads for a bit of dimension. And naturally, the card is embellished with glossy accents and those wee little gems. Can't resist a bit of sparkle, can I?

Onto a few challenges:

• Shopping Our Stash #546 - Outta This World (Aliens - or Monsters, Stars, Moon or Planets)
• Sisterhood of the Snarky Stampers #261 - M is for Manly
• The Creative Crafters #87 - Always Anything Goes
• Addicted to Stamps and More #491 - Make Your Mark 
• Passion For Markers Challenge  #786 - Birthdays

Hope you like my Dagobah-inspired creation!

May the 4th be with you all... and may your lightsabers be fully charged!

Sláinte!
Wendy R.