...round and round we go...

Yippeeee it's that time of week again! I think I am a bit stirrr crazy this week, cooped up designing at lastminute.doodles as usual heheh. Have had a bit of an eventful one this week with a sad death in the family, a fridge door episode and now a sudden giant crack in the bath which I'm getting blamed for due to my fat lardy backside. tut. And headaches and bad hair days galore, what joy. Anyway, to hell with the headaches I am munching a Mars bar as I speak and will suffer the consequences later. Now you know why there is the crack in the bath. tee hee!

Right on with business!

First of all this week I have to say a massivo welcome to our 3 new Doodlers, Kris, Claire and Boni...wahahaaaay girls, welcome welcome, what have you let yourself in for! hahah! The newbies have done us proud this week and we know we made a good choice - mind you, they've been a little quiet so far but I have no doubt that will soon change! If you haven't checked out their blogs yet then you need to get on over there, links are on the sidebar.

I also need to just mench that we are back on Create and Craft TV on Monday 17th August at 9am (OMG that's like a 4am start for us to do that, eeeek!!!) when we will be launching our brand new Crimbo CD Jingle Jangle Christmas. You can actually pre-order this from our website right now if you want to make sure you get your mitts on it first, as we think it might be another big seller again.

Well, last week's challenge sketch seemed very popular and I have to say it is a format well used by moi, I find it quite a useful format. As always it was pretty hard to choose the winners this week but we had to do it and the lucky peeps are:

in joint 2nd place - Raindropecho and Cornish Mist

and our winner for this week isJo! Yayyy well done to all 3 of you! Pleeeese email me for your pwizes (sales@polkadoodles.co.uk).

Right, this week we have another sketch for you and I'm sorry but I love love love circle cards, so here ya go...

So here's what the teamies came up with this week, some fab creations I think this week, what a treat and lots of inspiration here I think. The closing date for this one is Sunday 16th August at noon GMT. You can also see a fabulous tutorial for this sketch and another idea from Lou, who is our Guest Designer for August, so if you're struggling with this one make sure you check out Lou's fab idea here. Right, let's get on with the show...

created by Krista....spoookeeee! Krista's used the Polly on the ladders from Candy Doodles and used the circle as the moon, way to go Krista hun! Love the thinking on this one and in nice and early for Halloween too (if you're thinking about Halloween too make sure you checkout the Polly Halloween download bundle on the website, there will be more sneaky peeks of that coming soon from the DT I'm sure!)...

created by Claire...wow! the team all LOVED the colours Claire used here and I like the way she's used the circle but has just used it on top of a normal card without the cutout shape. Those colour combo's have made this such a bright and cheerful card and she's been busy with her markers too...
created by Boni...I love this. Boni has cut the card shape using a scallop cut on her Cricut and then backed it with black, then she's used the raw edge flowers from Candy Doodles but combined the black with the Lulu collection from Sugar Birdies - lovely!...


created by Kris...wow! Lovely bright offering here from Kris. She's combined the flower from SB with the paper and gingham flowers from Candy Doodles and this is a great card, I LOVE what she's done on the inside here...

created by Kath...I always run out of adjectives each week when I get to Kath, her work is truly scrumpsh and I need to think of some "Kath" words I can use. Well, it's just, just, it's Kath! Awesome! She's used Candy Doodles papers combined with one of my Stackie flowers and well, I am always a sucker for gingham in any form, bra, knickers, paper, ribbon, anything...
created by Enfys...some of you may have already seen this stunner on the TV shows, it always gets picked out of the samples by the presenters and there's no wonder, it's simply devine, a really unusual colour combo but it works so well! En has used the same cut as Boni here for the scallop and it works soo well...


created by Sue...dots and flowers and that lush butterfly from Candy Doodles, all my faves in one place! LOVE this one Sue, it's very simple but it works soooo well, black is awesome on cards it gives such a striking combo. If you need to make a last minute card and don't have much stash to hand you will always win if you make a black/white/pink combo, I don't know anyone who doesnt love it...

created by Saskia...I love the way Saskia has distressed the edges of her circle here, it looks great with the patchwork effect, this is such a pretty card...


created by Kerry...a fab flower effect from Kerry, those stitched layers look fab! here she's used my ditsy daisy chain papers from candy doodles and I think the flower shapes are also from the daisy collection too (you'd think I'd know wouldntcha!)

created by Ruth...I think Ruth has a thing for these distressed flower circles and she always inspires me with them, I love love love 'em! This is a really contemporary card and it works for any occasion, just lovely lovely!

So make sure you have a look at Lou's fab tutorial below and we expect to see loads of circle bags this week!! Enjoy :D

hugs from the team xxx

Circle Sketch Tutorial

Well, this is our first tutorial! Lou kindly agreed last minute to be Guest Designer for what remains of August and considering she was preparing to go on holiday I don't know how she managed! Anyway, manage she did and here is her fabulous tutorial for this week's sketch...

Circle Bag made using Challenge #12 sketch

I wanted to make a bag to match my card or alternatively a novel “envelope” to fit my card. This circle bag can be made just using 1 piece of A4 printed card (if it is to be plain!)

I have used:
1 x A4 card with 1 printed design
1 x A4 card with 2 different printed designs (A5 in size)
Pink card for matting & layering
CD, ruler, pencil, glue, scissors & string, scallop punch
ribbon scraps as final decoration

1: Turn over your A4 printed card that has your chosen main design & draw around the CD twice. Mark both circles where you would like your bag sides to reach (as per photo below). There is no particular science here, it’s where you think the sides should end!

2: The easiest way to work out the length you need for the side, is to use a piece of string. Start at 1 point/mark and carefully work around to your other mark. Using your pencil, draw on the string and cut at this point.

3: Measure the string and this will give you the correct length for your side. Mark this on your original A4 piece of card. The width of your side for this sized bag is 5cm.

4: Using the same A4 card, draw on your handle which fits on the same piece of card. Cut out all your pieces.

5: Taking your side strip, score both sides lengthwise (approx 1cm in from the outside). Using your bone folder or scissors, carefully curve the card. This will help you later on when you fit the side to your circles.

6: Apply glue or strong double side tape to the folded tabs. Peel away one side only & begin to cut “teeth”.

7: Join this side to your back circle starting at your 1st mark. Remember to check which way the pattern goes before sticking down ! I prefer to hold the shape in my left hand, feeding/sticking the side down with my right . . . We all have our preferred ways!

8:Once you have stuck the side all the way around, take your bone folder and go over all the “teeth” on the inside to make sure that they are securely attached. Now put this to one side and decorate your front circle. It is much easier if you do the decoration first due to the circular shape. I have decorated the circle but not stuck my flower on as it will be easier to stick the front circle to the other parts. This iswhere the 2 A5 sized papers come in as they have been used to make my layered flower & centre strip.

9: Now it’s time to join the front circle to your side (& back circle). As before, remove the DS tape from the side panel & cut some “teeth”. Lining up your marks, feed the side to your front panel. This is where the curving really helps which you did earlier with your bone folder. Remember to check which way the pattern goes before sticking down ! Once in place, again use your bone folder to ensure that your “teeth” are stuck down.

10: Attach your handle to the side of your bag. I have made a further side panels to cover the handle.

11: Before I stuck my front panel down, I marked where I wanted my flower to go as I wanted to secure the flower with ribbon: I then punched 2 holes in this front panel. So much easier to do it now and not later ! Added my flower to the front and finished with a ribbon knotted thing!

By Lou Sims (http://www.lulucardmaking.blogspot.com/)

Yaaayyyyy Newbies!

I'm mega-pleased to announce the winners of our Design Team call tonight and in celebration I am having a tottie of Pear Cider for the first time which is rather lovely!

Firstly before I announce the lucky victims, oops I mean winners, I would just like to thank all of you who entered because we had STACKS of hopefuls and to be honest it's dead poo choosing only one out of the dozens of you who are fabulously creative and fun. So we had to choose 3 in the end. Please don't be downhearted if you weren't chosen, it really WAS a difficult decision and it took us all ages to choose by a very democratic process. And if you didn't get in this time please enter next time we have a vacancy, you've got to be in it to win it!

So with a large glass of cider in hand I just want to welcome Claire, Kris and Boni to Team Doodle and I'm sure you're all looking forward as much as we are to seeing their fab contributions!! Yayyyy! Well done girls, welcome aboard!! hic!

Right, hic, see ya Friday, don't forget to get your challenge entries in. Nite nite xx