A Dashing Farewell...

9 Minutes and 15 seconds later...

I'll still be playing along for fun, but for now this is my final 10 Minute Craft Dash as part of the Design Team.  The lovely Paulina invited me to continue for another term, but I thought it was time to let someone else take a turn to inspire you - plus now I'll be eligible for some of those fantastic prizes, like this weeks Denami Design Gift Certificate LOL!

With such a fantastic colour combo matching these gorgeous My Mind's Eye chipboard flowers and sentiment, I thought I'd try and do a super quick card this week, but the best laid plans don't always go to plan!!  I completed this card at a friends house, and used her Big Shot rather than my more familiar Cuttlebug, and lost almost half my dash time trying to work out the correct "sandwich" for the Big Shot - ooops!!!  I love the added texture achieved by using this fabulous textured material paper from Gina K Casual Friday, paired with the weathered wood paper from Simple Stories Vintage Bliss, and the faux stitching from the Lil Inkers Stitched Rectangle die cut.  To add to the texture, all the elements are pop dotted for added dimension.

10 Minute Tips

• Ready-made chipboard shapes and/or sentiments are a great go-to for timed challenges.
• If you are using unfamiliar equipment, or a technique you have not used for a while, make sure you have all your tools together and know what you are doing BEFORE you start the timer LOL!

Play along for your chance to win this fabulous Denami Design Gift Certificate!

Playing along at Lets Get Trendy Now! 3 Textured Layers Challenge too.

You're Never Too Old to Craft Dash...

9 minutes and 16 seconds later...

This weeks 10 Minute Craft Dash colours with its red, butter yellow and pale blue, reminded me of a day by the seaside, so what was more perfect for a day by the sea than this gorgeous boat!

This week I die cut my Paper Smooches flag from some Crate Paper cardstock, then stamped it with this gorgeous Verve sailboat and sentiment.  Next up I stamped the same images directly onto the card base, then stamped just the boat and waves onto red stripped and yellow polka dotted Echo Park papers. I fussy cut the waves, the boat and the sails before using a glue pen to adhere the boat and sails to my card base.  I positioned a strip of double-sided tape on my card base across the "you are" on my sentiment, and used this to secure the twine wrapped twice around the card, before adding pop-dot tape to the back of the sentiment flag, making sure they were positioned above and below the level of the twine (rather than at the same level as the twine), and adhering the sentiment flag. The two bottom corners of the card were rounded using a corner punch (yes, I forgot to do this before I stuck down my sentiment flag, so I had to lift it out of the way before rounding the corner, then stick it back down again LOL).

10 Minute Tip

• Plan to do all your die cutting at once, all your stamping at once, all your fussy cutting at once and then assemble and adhere everything as the last step - not swapping back and forth from one to another saves TIME :)

There's 10 days to enter, and in case you need any more motivation, there's a gorgeous prize up for grabs from Timeless Twine too!

Playing along with the Paper Players Summer Holiday Challenge,

Cupcake Inspirations At the Beach Challenge,
CAS on Sunday Make it Masculine Challenge.
Simon Says Stamp Masculine / Father's Day Challenge
and Paper Crafts July Nautical Card Challenge 

A Courageous Dash...

8 Minutes and 57 seconds later...

This fortnights 10 Minute Craft Dash colours would be just PERFECT for a baby card - and guess what Paulina has as a fab prize - you guessed it, Little One, the newest, sweetest baby stamp set from Precious Remembrance Shop.

I remembered this week why die cuts are just perfect for the 10 Minute Craft Dash with this card (and its 7 die cut pieces!) being created in 8 minutes and 57 seconds, using a combination of Websters and Basic Grey papers and a sentiment from Verve, on a base of corrugated card I have had in my stash for a while!!!

Just thought I'd add a couple more 10 Minute Craft Dash tips here too:

• I often use a pre-made 6 x 4 inch white cardstock base for the card - even if I add another colour on top whilst the stopwatch is ticking, I know exactly what size I need to cut it - and every second saved counts! 
• I always make sure I have a clear idea/sketch to use for my card, including what colours I think I will use where. 
• If I am using die cuts, I cut all the same coloured shapes in one pass through the die cutting machine - then add the next coloured sheet of paper and cut all those shapes in one pass etc (kind of like an assembly line!) and make sure I keep a safety pin handy to help remove the coloured paper from the die cuts quickly.
• When I use foam to pop dot on my Dash cards I use the foam tape on a roll and peel off the backing BEFORE I cut it so that I can whack the tape straight onto my card and don't have to fiddle to remove the backing tape afterwards. 

I'd LOVE to see what you can create for the 10 Minute Craft Dash - just head over to Pretty Pink Posh and link up your creations there, and don't forget to check out the other FAB creations from the Design Team!

Playing along with this fab Retrosketch,
CAS on Sunday - Pastel Pretties Challenge,
CASology - Bloom Challenge and
Simon Says Stamp - Flower Power Challenge too

 

A Dashing His & Hers...

I'm so very far behind on my His & Hers Online Card Classes homework from last week, that having already created this card for this fortnights 10 Minute Craft Dash, I thought I'd try a "His" version of the same card.  Using the same layout and sentiment stamp, but substituting more masculine papers and elements - replacing spots with weathered wood, gingham with a starry night sky, a blossom branch with a twig die-cut and a plump coral birdie with a more svelte red one.  This red & white birdie combo reminds me of Christmas, and I'm playing along with Festive Fridays Element Challenge.  Thought I'd play along with Dream Valley Challenges No Squares Allowed - with not a square in sight - just LOTS of rectangles!

Here are the "Hers" & "His" cards side-by-side for comparison:

Many thanks for stopping by, much appreciated

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(Spring) Time to Dash...

I do hope you get a spare 10 minutes to do the Dash this fortnight - I love seeing everyone's creations in the 10 Minute Craft Dash gallery - and with aqua in the mix this week I am particularly looking forward to it!  Check out the inspiration from the Design Team too - very delish!!!

This week I couldn't resist incorporating this gorgeous die-cut birdie and sentiment from this fortnights sponsor, WPlus9 Design Studios.  To save on time, I started this challenge using a pre-made 4x6 inch card in white cardstock.  My branch was a die-cut element from Crate Paper, but I decided to make life more challenging and fussy cut the cream border away from the die-cut, thus eating up 3 minutes of my 10 Minute Dash!  Background patterned papers are from MME, originally I had planned to craft cut the window shape from my coral patterned paper to revel the aqua gingham, but as luck would have it, the piece I cut away from my 6x6 base was exactly the right width to use behind the window frame, and much less risky than trying to use a craft knife in a hurry LOL!  My first attempt at stamping my window frame die-cut went wobbly, so I die-cut a new frame and re-stamped it - my back-up option if I messed up my second attempt was to use my window frame in reverse - but it was second time lucky!  I layered my aqua gingham, coral spots and aqua gingham papers using double-sided tape, then pop-dotted my kraft window frame over the aqua gingham.  Then I used my glue pen to adhere one end of my branch to the coral paper, and placed the other end of my branch over the window frame before pop dotting my die cut birdie inside the window.  I love the extra texture created by not fully securing the branch to my card - and it saved on time too, 9 minutes and 21 seconds from start to end!

With this FAB prize up for grabs from WPlus9 Design Studio, 

I'd love to see what you can create in the 10 Minute Craft Dash this fortnight!

Playing along with Simon Says Stamp Happy Mail Challenge too

Dashing Around in Circles...

Todays 10 Minute Craft Dash colours are super SPRINGY!!!!!  Some weeks I really wish I wasn't in the Design Team, but only because I'm not eligible to be in the running for any of the FANTASTIC prizes, like this weeks $20 Avery Elle Gift Certificate!!!

I managed to complete this weeks card in 9 minutes and 33 seconds - it would have been less except I decided to change the sizes of the pink and green circles half-way through the dash!  My butterflies and circles are die cut using MFT dies from a combination of papers by Websters, Fancy Pants and Jilly Beans.   I inked this cute sentiment from Ali Edwards by Technique Tuesday in Hero Arts Bubble Gum, before pop dotting the butterflies.

Playing along with CAS on Sunday Round and Round Challenge too.

A Crafty Dash Towards Spring...

Well maybe in the northern hemisphere, but not quite here!  

This fortnights 10 Minute Craft Dash colours reminded me of Spring, so I kept my Dash card super simple, with a gorgeous Memory Box branch die cut from mint paper and added these three fabric flowers from my stash, die cut my Paper Smooches love sentiment from cardstock, and pop dotted over Crate Paper timber textured pattern paper, and voila - 8 minutes 17 seconds this week - and I didn't have to panic about stamping my sentiment this time LOL!

With this fabulous Gossamer Blue kit up for grabs, 

why don't you give the 10 Minute Craft Dash a try!

Also playing along with Addicted to CAS Spring Challenge, and 

Little Red Wagon Be a Negative Nellie Challenge

Almost Dashed...

I thought I'd set myself a somewhat less ambitious card for this fortnights 10 Minute Craft Dash, so as the timer started I was much more relaxed - BIG mistake, as "Dash" and "Relax" are two words that should not share the same craft space LOL!

I had rather leisurely scored my cardstock base, and trimmed my checked Pink Paisley paper and kraft cardstock to size, adhered my checks to the cardstock base and nicely rounded the corners, fetched some washi tape to hold my MFT heart die and branch dies and WPlus9 bird die in place as I cut them, laid out my ready to be assembled card on the table then looked at my stopwatch in horror, just under three minutes to go!

I really pushed this one to the wire, as I umed and ahed about whether I had time to stamp my sentiment, and it did not stamp as crisply as I would have liked, I grabbed my brown marker and handwrote over "some" to try and rescue my stamping efforts - and JUST scrapped in at 9 minutes 58 seconds!  Next time I know not to relax til AFTER my card is created LOL.

FAB prize for this fortnights 10 Minute Craft Dash is:

Joining in with Moxie Fab World Card Creations Week Emphasise the Negative Challenge and 

Adicted to CAS Wings Challenge too.

 

Doing the Dash for May Arts...

I always seem to like to challenge myself to the almost impossible when I start my 10 Minute Craft Dash!

This week I managed to JUST squeak in at 9 minutes 55 seconds - I had a last second panic because I had forgotten to stamp my sentiment, so I risked stamping after it was all assembled, luckily it paid off with 5 seconds to spare!  I need to be super, super organised before I start my timer - a clear picture in my mind of what my card will look like (or at the very least a sketch), the papers, cardstock & extras close at hand, my craft space tidy, all the tools I know (or think) I'll need handy.  I usually set up my Cuttlebug on the floor next to me so it doesn't take up valuable real estate on the table LOL.  First thing I do is cut all my cardstock and patterned paper to size and create my card base.  This week my scalloped circle was created using a punch - a much more time effective option than the Cuttlebug, but you are restricted by its size.  To save time, and because I knew I only needed part of my grass die-cut, I did not roll the last inch or so of my diecut through the machine - this meant it was MUCH easier to remove the die-cut grass from the die.  I glue penned my tree foliage to my kraft cardstock before I die-cut the tree trunk, so it was perfectly aligned and adhered with only one die-cut cut needed.  I knew I wanted the tree trunk longer than the die cut, so I just elongated my tree trunk cut out using scissors.  Perfect for playing along at Emphasise the Negative Challenge at Moxie Fab World too.  I stamped my deer onto a spare piece of the woodgrain patterned paper before fussy cutting.  The whole time I was cutting I was thinking - it would have been much faster to stamp this little guy onto the kraft cardstock, but once I had those scissors in my hand there was no stopping me!  A glue pen is super handy & super quick for sticking down all those fiddly bits in a hurry, and as always I peel the backing from my foam tape roll before I cut to it size to pop-dot my card.

Hope this weeks 10 Minute Craft Dash Challenge inspires you to give it a try, 

especially with a FAB ribbon pack from May Arts up for grabs!

 

Playing along with this weeks Simon Says Stamp A Bit 'o Green Challenge too.

A Dashing Smooch...

So glad you have joined me for this weeks 10 Minute Craft Dash - with a FAB gift voucher from Paper Smooches this week, even more reason to give it a try!

This week I had a cardstock base just about ready to go, with this gorgeous chocolate hearts paper by Bo Bunny left over from my mad rush of Valentine's cards.  I tried stamping for the first time using Hero Arts Cup O' Joe - and loved it, stamped three in a row on cardstock and two patterned papers (inking between stamps) and they all stamped perfectly - I was very impressed!  Fussy cut mum and baby elephant, cutting straight from mums trunk to her foot, and gluing baby elephant on top to save time.  Even with gingham checks to align my cardstock I went slightly off course - oops, just pretend you didn't notice LOL.  Wrapped the twine around my card and half knotted before threading through my button and tying in a bow - perfect for this weeks Paper Players CAS Buttons & Bows for Baby Challenge.  Rounded the bottom corners as a last second finishing touch.  Phew - 9 minutes 48 seconds, just in time!

Check out the rest of the 10 Minute Craft Dash Design Teams fab creations, and some super cards from Paper Smooches Designers too.  Hope you are inspired to join in!
Remember you can pull out your supplies before it starts, even have a sketch in mind, 
and if you don't quite make the 10 minutes you can still post your creation 
(but you won't be eligible for the prize).
P.S. As luck would have it this weeks colours are sooo close to the Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge that Kim has encouraged participants to link up for both Challenges :)

 

Dashing Hearts...

Excited to present my first 10 Minute Craft Dash Challenge DT card, with this card taking just under 10 minutes - 9 minutes 53 seconds to be exact!  This weeks 10 Minute Craft Dash winner will receive a FAB gift certificate from Denami Design.

I make sure I am really organised before I start my timer, with all my papers and supplies close at hand, a clear workspace, and a sketch of what my card will look like (or at least what I think it will look like!)  I die cut my clouds from the heart paper first, then embossed my white cardstock, and juggled my paper over the embossed cardstock to work out the best positioning of the swirls before cutting the cardstock to size.  I stamped my TAWS birds and fussy cut them, I had also stamped and started to fussy cut a balloon before I realised I would run out of time to incorporate the balloon and the birds, so I just focused on the birds - and made a second version featuring the balloon later!  I stamped my sentiment and hand cut the fishtail before assembling my card, including pop-dotting the die-cut layer - keeping in mind to use foam tape and peel off the backing before I cut my tape to save time.

Don't forget to stop by and check out the rest of the DTs creations for more Craft Dash inspiration:

Paulina Nakamura (Dash Creator)

Cassie D' Ambrosio

Jess Larsen

Meredith MacRitchie

Poorvi Gupta

Sindhura Prajay

Also playing along with:
The Alley Way Stamps BE Inspired
Addicted to CAS Hearts
Keep It Simple Dry Embossing

Now I Must Dash... Come & Join Us!!!

I don't know if you've had a go at joining in Paulina's fabulous 10 Minute Craft Dash.  It's a FAB idea - getting together all your supplies and starting your stopwatch!  I know I was unsure at first as I am usually a VERY slow crafter, but I thought I'd give it a go.  It's amazing how much quicker it makes you as a crafter, and it gives you more confidence in your decisions!  I enjoyed it so much I thought I'd apply to join her very first DT.  I'm so excited to say - I made it!!! Paulina has put together an amazing DT from around the globe.

Paulina Nakamura (Dash Creator)

Cassie D' Ambrosio

Jess Larsen

Meredith MacRitchie

Poorvi Gupta

Sindhura Prajay

Why don't you take the Challenge!  

The next 10 Minute Craft Dash Challenge starts Wednesday February 6th.