Week 2 - Emma Canning Blog Hop and Free Image!

It's Friday so that can only mean that its time for a brand new challenge here at Polkadoodles!  And for the second week running (we are good to you!) we are offering an exclusive Emma Canning Digi FREEBIE that you can download instantly plus prizes as we are having a blog hop again!

The images for the hop have been drawn exclusively by Emma just for us - and for you!  And if you like the look of the freebies, why not treat yourself to some more - prices for a single image are just £1.25!

As with last week, you MUST use the freebie image and link up your creation with the widget at the bottom of this post AND complete the hop, leaving a comment at each stop as you go.  You don't have to make a card - you can make anything you want just as long as you use the freebie image.

To download the image, click to make it larger then right click and then save onto your pc.

Before you dash off to start the hop and to snag the freebie, I need to announce the results of the final challenge we set before the Christmas and New Year Break.  The theme was to use a combination of the numbers 2013 and the winners are:

The lucky winner of the Picknix vol 1 is Lisa-Jane!  Congratulations!!  Please email Nikky with your postal details.  Please remember to add the verification code and the challenge week in the subject field on your email - you must use the code PD1W0251 to claim your prize otherwise we cannot release it.

Our second place entry is:  Athina - please email Nikky with your postal details as you have won a copy of Back To Nature cd you must use the code PD2W0251 to claim your prize otherwise we cannot release it.

And third placed entry is Debbie Johns.  And your code for your copy of Sundae of Seasons is PD3W0251.

Congratulations to you all!  Please grab your blinkies from the sidebar.

The winner of this challenge and blog hop - remember you MUST use the freebie image AND complete the hop (leaving comments at each stop) to qualify will win 3 download bundles, the second placed entry will win 2 download bundles, and the third placed entry will win one download bundle!

We have a few little rules which makes our life a lot easier when we come visiting your blog:

1.  Please follow the challenge theme!
2.  Only enter your creation into a maximum of 10 challenges including Polkadoodles
3.  Please link your blog post and not your blog address with the linky tool - this saves us from searching your blog for your entry
4.  And please, no back-linking to previous posts - these will be disregarded from our top three voting
5.  If you have word verification on your blog it really does slow us down when leaving comments - please consider turning off word verification especially as the comment moderation has a spam section.

Good luck with the challenge - deadline for entries is Sunday 20 January at 12noon GMT.
Right, back to the hop!  The order for you to hop is as follows and please remember to leave a comment on each and to enter the challenge!  Good luck!

Polkadoodle Challenge Blog (you are here!)
Anjie  
Anne  
Clare Earl  
Jan
Kitty
Lou  
Margaret
Ruth  
Shell  
Flat Friends Challenge Blog

And if you need any inspiration in using the freebie image, then look no further - see what the fab Design Team have come up with!

Ruth:  I've kept mine quite simple and used Promarkers to colour the fab image from Emma, glitter glue, fancy dies and papers from Sugarplum Daisy.  I even found some spotty ribbon in my stash and a rather cute cupcake brad!  The ticket stamp is from the Pen and Paper Circle Club issue 5 magazine.  The brown card is from my stash along with the half pearls.

Anjie - For this card I have used the fab free image from  Emma Canning, which is coloured with ProMarkers. The papers are from the new Cherry Blossom Lane CD. I've cut out a few more flowers from the paper and glittered and decoupaged them. I've used a punch on the bottom of the card and also decorated the inside of the card with the same papers. I've finished it off with some faux stitching.

Shell - For my card this week I have used the fab freebie from Emma Canning (you can find more here)
The papers are from the Gingerbread Twist CD. I have coloured the image with a mixture of copics and promarkers, the tickets are from the Sugarplum Daisy CD.  I have added a few stitches around the finished image and some dots to the tickets, then added a few pearls and flowers to finish of the card.

JAN:  I used the gorgeous Emma Canning cupcake image as a focal point for a card this week.  Both background papers are from the 'Paper Boutique - Volume 1' CD. The image is coloured with Promarkers and nestles on a pretty little paper doily which I thought fits the cupcake theme nicely!  The sentiment can be found on the 'Sugarplum Daisy' CD and the flowers are cut from scraps of the background papers using a template from the 'Candy Doodles' CD (one of my favourites!)  

Margaret - I have used the lovely Emma Canning free digi image and coloured her with Promarker pens, all the background papers, sentiment ticket and the flowers are made using the newest of the Polka Doodles CD's Cherryblossom Lane and a couple of brads from my stash, with a bit of bling using Stickles Glitter Glue.

Anne - I've used papers from the Sugar Birdies CD and coloured Emma's lovely image with prisma pencils.

Kitty - For my card i used the gorgeous free Cupcake image from the uber talented Emma Canning! The papers are from the latest gorgeous collection Cherry Blossom Lane. The flourish is by Marianne Design which you can find here.

Lou - I have also used the gorgeous FREE cupcake image from Emma Canning and the papers are from Cherry Blossom Lane CD. I have embossed the background and added offcuts of ribbon, finishing the card off with some diecut stars.

Clare - Yes I too have used the gorgeous free image from our lovely Emma Canning. The red gingham paper is from the brand new Cherryblossom Lane CD. The yummy cupcake images are from the Sundae of Seasons CD.  I have coloured the image with Flexmarkers and added Red Berry Doodle Dewdrops.

Good luck with the challenge and the hop - deadline for entries is Sunday 20 January at 12noon GMT.

Week 28 Very British Olympics Red/White/Blue & BLOG HOP!

Welcome to another Polkadoodles Challenge and Blog Hop! We're hopping to celebrate the imminent start of the Olympics and have some very special prizes on offer to some lucky participants of the challenge and blog hop but please remember that you must do both to be in with a chance.
We're sure you'd like details of the prizes and the lucky winner with receive a Studio 12 Picknix Collection 1 CD and the 2 lucky runners up an Emma Canning Download.

So what are you waiting for - let's get the show on the road! Here's the list you'll need of all the blogs on the hop where you'll find details of the gorgeous creations from the Design Team all celebrating the Olympics and what it means to be British. If you get lost along the way then please do hop back here to be set back on the right track.

Ruth
shell 

Fliss
Claire HD
Lou
Jan
Claire P
Nelly 
Emma
NJ
Fabiola

Patty
Kitty
Clare-Mo

Before we get started, lets announce the winners from challenge 26 which was Fairies & Fantasy:

1. Shelby - Please use verification code PD1W2426 in your email to claim your prize
2. Eret
3. Kimbo

Congratulations! Please email Nikky for your prize and grab your blinkies from the sidebar - the first placed winner receives a fabulous Emma Canning Download! Please remember to put your verification code and the challenge week in the subject field on your email. In addition, you must use the same email address to claim your prize as your challenge entry otherwise we cannot release your prize.


We have a few little rules which makes our life a lot easier when we come visiting your blogs

1. Please follow the challenge theme!
2. Only enter your creation into a maximum of 10 challenges including Polka Doodles
3. Please link your blog post and not your blog address with the linky tool - this saves us from searching your blog for your entry
4. And please, no back-linking to previous posts - these will be disregarded from our top three voting
5. If you have word verification on your blog it really does slow us down when leaving comments - please consider turning word verification off especially now that comment moderation has a spam section

Now for the challenge part which is to make a creation (whatever you like as you'll see some of the team have made something other than a card), using the colours Red, White and Blue plus something that denotes British for our Olympics - you can see the Design Team has gone very patriotic!

Ruth: I've altered a brown takeout bag with the Britannia download kit that was a freebie on our Facebook page and used various dies - X Cut and Sizzix plus a little bow of red organza ribbon!  I gave this to my cousin who has just moved to Germany with her husband - there was a tea towel inside (very British!)

Claire - I decided that I'd make a little door hanger for my daughters bedroom using the fabulous Millie Bedtime from Emma Canning and the Britannia Kit (Nikky kindly gave it away as a freebie on our Polka Doodle Dandies Facebook page) - after all you don't get anything more British than the Union Flag (well apart from a nice cuppa tea!!). Also I'm sure if sleeping was a sport that my DD would win hands down!

Fabiola- I made a card as my creation. I used the gorgeous Millie Birthday from Emma Canning, I thought what better way to celebrate than with balloons, right? I also used the Britannia Kit. I loved and had so much fun making this project!!!

Nelly - Couldn't resist using circles as the main focal part of this card using Nestabilitie circle dies, I have cut images from The Pretty Tuff and Pretty sweet Cd's and design papers also from the cd collection and Polka Doodle Dandies Britannia collection.

Fliss - My card for this week is a celebration one as I love Emma's really cute Paige "I Love You" digi. I've coloured her with Promarkers adding a little pencil for detail then die cut into an oval and inked the edges. I've made a very layered card using background paper and Union Jack heart from the Britannia Kit, hearts from the new Studio 12 Picknix Collection 1 CD embossed with crystal powder for sparkle and a sentiment ticket from the Sugarplum Daisy CD.

Shell- For my very British card I just had to do a football themed one. I have used the Footballer and football's from the Pretty Tuff CD. I still think David Beckham should be in team GB lol

Kitty - For my card i used the gorgeous Emma Canning Mille Birthday, isn't she cute? Love her!

I also used the Britannia Kit, kept the design simple to show off the lovely papers!

JAN:  I made a scrapbook page for this week's challenge to record some 'Olympic' facts.  The papers are from the 'Britannia Collection' designed by Nikky Hall. I chose an image from the 'Sugar Plum Daisy' CD as a focal point, instead of a photo and added a little union flag in her hand (also from the 'Britannia Collection').  She is coloured with Promarkers and her t-shirt is paper pieced with a scrap of union flag paper.  The lettering was created on my pc and cut out of paper scraps left over from the background.  I cut five circles (to represent the five Olympic rings) and added an Olympic fact to each one before matting them on co-ordinating scalloped circles.

Claire I think we are all loving those lovely Emma Canning digi stamps this week. I have used Millies Birthday image available from the Polka Doodles store. Also incorporated the Britannia collection from Nikky to create my twisted easel card. Just a little doodled border with stickles and a lovely red velvet brad.

NJ Hello my lovelies, well the excitement is mounting for the Olympics! I have chosen to make a card using the Not For Girls CD. I used various sporting elements from the CD to show the different sports. I made a medal using red, white and blue ribbons and a brass button!

Lou: Well I seem to be copying NJ and I promise we didn't "liaise" ... lol. I have used only 2 papers and 1 topper sheet from the Not For Girls CD from the boxing section. The gloves and sentiment have been glazed to add further dimension and the stars were cut using a sizzlets die.

Clare - For my easel card I used the gorgeous Paige Wedding Day digi by Emma Canning and the Britannia kit from Nikky to paper piece Paige's dress and to use for my backing papers. 

Patty - For my card I used Kiddo on bike from Pretty Tuff collection on a plain white base add a layer on red and on top a layer of blue both bordered, and the ribbon in between the layer tied a double bow with white and red and on top of the layers a added the images and the sentiment bordered with some blue and red stars.

Emma - I did a digital card this time using the Britannia kit and all elements bar the central badge are Polkadoodles.

Hope you enjoyed the inspiration and we can't wait to see your entries and meet you in the hop.  You have until 12 noon on Sunday 22 July to participate. Good luck and please note that you MUST do the HOP to be eligible for a prize!

..........................

Week 21 Challenge - Male Theme & Blog Hop!

Welcome to Friday and 2, yes 2 Polkadoodle challenges!
This week its going to be a bit different - we still have our regular challenge but we also have a blog hop which is also part of the challenge!! And you know what that means - LOADS of candy whoop whoop!!

CHALLENGE 1: Now, we know not everyone like to do a hop for whatever reason, so we still have our normal challenge for the week which is MALE themed - you must make a card which is just for a man and you MUST include 1 button and a circle. We will choose our normal top 3 winners for this part of the challenge and the winner will receive a free download.

But that's not all...
CHALLENGE 2: Our second challenge is the blog hop - if you hop along with us this week you will have lots of chances to win a great free download and fabulous candy whoop whoop!!! The top 3 entries into the blog hop will ALL win a free Double Sprinkles of Kraft CD worth £16!!

If you've never taken part in a blog hop before it's easy peasy...all you need to do is visit each blog in turn and for this hop each Polkadoodler will give you a WORD. Now add all the words together when you finish and the sentence will actually give you the instructions for what you need to do to complete this week's challenge!
The list for the Polkadoodlers who are taking place is below - make sure you hop in order as the words that you collect will form a sentence for you. I'm not going to say any more - just hop in order!!

When hopping, if you want to be considered to win free Candy from each DT member you MUST leave a comment on their blogs - so don't miss out! Your entry will automatically be judged for both challenges BUT we will know if you have completed the Blog Hop so if you havent' you will still only be eligible for Challenge 1 download prizes.  FOR BOTH CHALLENGES JUST LEAVE  YOUR ENTRY AS NORMAL USING THE INLINKZ BUTTON, WE WILL SORT THROUGH THE ENTRIES AS WE WILL KNOW IF YOU FOLLOWED THE HOP OR NOT! ; )

The list to follow for the hop is:

Enfys

Lou

Em

Fliss

D'Anne

Colette

Ruth

Saskia

Claire

Miria

Audrey

Tracie

Josie

Nikky

From here you need to hop to Enfys who will start with the first word of the sentence. Good luck! If you get lost, just come back here and start again. The Design Team is spread across a number of different time zones and although we have syncronised watches, there may be a slight delay.

The top three from challenge 19 which was the Menu Choice are:

First Place: Irit
Second Place: Scrapjoanny
Third Place: Maud Martha

Congratulations! Please email Nikky for your blinkies! The first placed winner receives a download and please put in the subject field of your email your placing and the challenge number - this will make Nikky's life a lot easier!

The Polkadoodlers have a few little rules which makes our life a lot easier when we come visiting your blogs:
1. Please follow the challenge!
2. Only enter your creation into a maximum of 10 challenges including Polka Doodles.
3. Please link your blog post and not your blog address with the blue frog - this saves us from searching your blog for your entry.
4. And please no back-linking to previous posts - these will be disregarded from our top three voting.
5. If you have comment moderation and word verification on your blog it really does slow us down when leaving comments - please consider turning word verification off especially now that comment moderation has a spam section.

Good luck with the challenge and blog hop!

Both end at 12noon GMT on Sunday 5 June.

Don't forget to tune into Create and Craft on Sat 28th May at 11am and 3pm to join Nikky - she has some great demo's lined up and she will also be on your screens Tuesday 31st at 9pm right through till 9pm on Wednesday ; )  hint hint!!   Now, onto the Design Team inspiration!

Ruth: I've used the Father's Day download and made a word book! I've cut out the large letters from the download and then traced them onto some thick acetate which has been embossed. I've dotted a line around the edge with a Sharpies marker and that is about it!


Audrey For this project I used the new Polka Doodles Father's Day/Family Download Kit. I love this kit so much! I used the paer for the edges and top of the box. I inked the edges with S.U. Soft Suede Ink. I used the Father's Day embellishment for the top. I printed it out twice and used 3D Dots to give it some dimension and I used Stickles around the scalloped circle for some bling.


Saskia - A bottle of good red wine... isn't that the perfect present for Dad?! I used the Fathers Day/Family Download Kit to decorate the bottle and to make the tag!

Colette I used the Fathers Day/Family Download Kit and made a stair stepper card, I printed the DAD letters then use as templates to cut the word out of some of the patterned papers. I added a letter to each step of the stair to spell the word dad, added a couple of the sentiment panels from the download and a verse that I found somewhere on the internet. A couple of brads and some gold glitter finished off the card.

Josie: This week I also used the lush Fathers Day / Family Download Kit. I chose 3 different papers from the kit and one of the sentiments. I then printed out the male character and did lots of matting and layering! I couldn't not add some glitter too!

Claire I have created a gift card holder for a very popular voucher using the Fathers day Download kit, only added a little inking and some stickles!

D'Anne - I created a Father's day card using the Polka Doodles Father's Day/Family Download Kit. I used 3 of the pattern papers from the kit. I layered the center element three times and the saying twice. Enjoy the hop!

Fliss - In common with everyone else I've used the Fathers Day/Family Download Kit and in my case just the papers and the sentiment as I wanted to make a vintage style card (the dads in my case being pensioners!). I found a gorgeous vintage gent on his bike on the Not For Girls CD and a certain Queen song popped into my head so you can see where my inspiration came from. I rounded lots of corners and inked all the edges.

Lou: I have used the "Fathers Day / Family" downloadable kit from Polka Doodles for all the papers on my card, plus on all the stars. However the robot toppers/ elements are from the "NOT for girls" CD. Teague's name has been made using left over rub-on letters from various alphabet sheets and they have been mounted onto "Fathers Day / Family" papers. A little manly twine for an added embellishment . . . only because ribbon wouldn't do and my card is finished.

Miria This week I made a tie-tag for father's day: when I saw this paper on Polka Doodles Father's Day/Family Download Kit. it immediately reminded me of a patterned tie! I used the sentiment and the image from the same CD and added some brads and a diaper pin - so easy-peasy!

Enfys: I used the download papers (love them) to make this shirt card for Father's Day - the collar and tie were cut with my Cricut and the Designers Calender cartridge. I added some faux stitching and a couple of metal buttons.

Emma Hi there, I have used Nikky's fab download too, just love the colours of these papers. I just made a simple little wall plaque, the back is covered in the red paper too where I added my sentiments also. Just added a bit of twine and a button.

Tracie : I used the download to make my simple fathers day card. I love that you can rustle up a quick card using just whats in the download files!

Hi, Nikky here, I also used the download to make this really quick and easy card. I love the distressing on these papers but also the little Dad really makes me chuckle, he looks like my dad when I was a kid, complete with naff 1970's brown yucky jacket LOLOL.

In the download bundle is also a hilarious little sentiment which is all to do with my dad too, but I just know most people out there will relate to it - here's the complete bundle if you like the look of it you can buy it here...

Good luck with the challenge and blog hop - closing date for both is 12noon GMT on Sunday 5 June.
*****

Week 46 Challenge - Give Thanks & Blog Hop!

It's Friday so that can only mean another fab Polkadoodles challenge!

And this week is no ordinary week - it's Blog Hop time!!

But, before we get to the really exciting bit of this week's post I need to announce the winners from week 44 which was to make a quick Christmas card:

First Place: Hazel Second Place: Nicki Third Place: Claire
Congratulations! Please email Nikky for further details!

Just before we start, we also need to mention the Design Team Call - as we have lots of news today, we have published the details of the Design Team Call below this post, so if you are checking in to see the news please go to the post below this! x

Also, a quick heads up - Nikky will be on Create and Craft TV next Friday 26th November at 8am and she has some brand new lovely products up her sleeve that she will be launching on the show - make sure you watch, record, Sky+ or Internet watch - they're lush!

The challenge this week is being hosted by me (Ruth) although the challenge was set by Kris who was announced last week as stepping down from the Design Team due to other commitments, but we've kept with the theme and would like to say a big THANK YOU to Kris to her contribution and support during her term!

The theme for this week is to Give Thanks. In addition to the Blog Hop this week Nikky also has created this great sentiment...

for her challenge card this week and is giving it to you as a FREE DOWNLOAD for you which is perfect for this week's challenge and you MUST use the download to enter the challenge! You can alter it in any way you wish, but you MUST use the download! If you are stuck for inspiration, just look below at the creations the Design Team have made! The deadline for the challenge is Sunday 28 November at 12noon GMT and please remember to follow the theme and to link with no more than 9 other challenges to be eligible for a prize. Please no backlinking to older projects - only new work will be considered for the top three.

Ruth: Quick and simple is the theme for me again this week! I've used flowers printed from Sugar Birdies, curled and layered up to form the head of a flower and I've added a rather large sparkly gem to their centres! The stamping around the edges is made using one of the stamps from the Daisy Doodles stamp plate. I've handwritten the sentiment.

Enfys: One of the things in my life that I am most thankful for is the incredible pleasure and joy I get from my little grandchildren. So my cards reflect this and I have made them each a Christmas card using the Paper Boutique Vol 2 - Creative Christmas CD - you will see the other two cards on my blog.

Brenda - Two for the price of one! I made the first and was not sure, so did a second and decided I perhaps liked both. The first one uses various elements from the summer section of the new Sundae of Seasons CD and the second on my favourite Fairy Flutterby Gracie, coloured with Aquamarkers, glittered wings and papers from Paper Boutique Vol 1 CD.

Emma Hiya, I have used a little birdie, black and white stampie from the Sundae of Seasons CD and backing papers from there too. I think I am most thankful to all those close to me that enrich my life with love, so this card is for them.

Tracy: I have made this card to give Thanks to all my followers, who have visited me and given wonderful comments and kept me going when things are low. I have used everything from Sundae Of Seasons and the Babsie Flutterfly stamp.

Claire As some may be aware my Dad unexpectedly ended up in hospital. This card was created for the surgeon in charge of my Dads case (my Dad asked me to make it for him) I do indeed have a lot to be thankful for... thanks also to the staff at Ayr Hospital. Created using Sundae of Seasons.

Lis-m . One of the biggest things I am grateful for in my life are my two daughters. They have grown into strong and independent young women. They are both very different and yet I can see the closeness in them as they discover the big wide world. I am very proud of them both, and I love them more than they will ever know. I have reached for the Sundae of Seasons cd for my card this time, it is so very useful.

Jenny I've decorated a box of chocs with elements from Sundae of Seasons to say 'thanks' to all of YOU! All of the entrants to the challenges each week are fabulous and I wish I could give chocs to all of you, but instead the winner of my blog hop candy will get these in their parcel too!

Fliss - I've also made a card to say thanks to all my lovely followers as their kindness really makes my day and cheers me up when I'm a bit down. I've used my favourite Flutterby Fairy stamp, Gracie, and stamped her plus 2 butterflies and embossed them with clear powder. I coloured all the pieces with Promarkers and embossed the fairy wings with jewelled gold powder and the butterfly with crystal sparkle. I've used papers mostly from the Sundae of Seasons CD and made a step card. Pearls and a greeting finish it off.

Tracie: Call me old fashioned but I think there is nothing better than a thank you card from children who are given gifts so I am a mean mummy and make both my two write them. This card is to say Thank you for a special pressie. The elements are all from Jingle Jangles (thankyou is cricut cut).

Lou: Now I've totally turned the theme upside down as I want to "Give Thanks" and have made a scrapbook page about my family as I am very thankful for them being in my life. I originally made a similar page for Nikky and loved it so much thought I'd recreate it. I'm just waiting for the canvas frame to finished being stretched and it's going to be glued onto the canvas as a piece of art! The boys aren't too happy though but they're not brave enough to take it down either (when it finally goes up!). All the elements and papers are from the "Love and Cherish" CD - one of my all time favs!

Nikky Obviously Kris's inspiration for this challenge was Thanksgiving in the USA and although we don't celebrate it here in the UK I decided to make a card with the original inspiration behind it. Don't forget you can get the FREE DOWNLOAD which I designed for the sentiment on my blog here - you might as well do the blog hop at the same time ; )...here I used elements from the Sundae of Seasons CD...x

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

BLOG HOP TIME!

The Rules

• Deadline for taking part in the hop is Sunday 28 November at 12noon GMT.
• You must hop to all Design Team members who are listed below and leave a comment on their blogs.
• Collect a letter from each blog and keep it safe.
• Once you've visited all DT members, unscramble the word and come back to this blog and leave your answer via the comments section - all comments will be moderated and not published until the deadline has passed so there can be no cheating along the way!

By leaving a comment on each DT blog you will be entered into their Blog Candy draw - so don't forget to leave the comments!

We hope you have some fun during the hop and keep your eyes peeled for the Candy that is on offer - Nikky has been very very generous plus some of the Design Team have extras on their blogs too - you won't want to miss out on getting your hands on some Polkadoodle products! There is over £400 worth of products on offer - so get commenting and hopping - the more comments you leave the more chances you have of winning! Each team member has a different stash of candy so in theory you could win it all - all 10 lots!!

In addition (yes, there IS More, can you believe it??!) you need to read the info on the blogs VERY carefully to read about a fantastic special offer and pickup a special discount code for the Polka Doodles shop - they ship FREE to anywhere in the world!!

The order of the hop is as follows, although you can start at any point, just make sure you come back here to leave your comment and answer!

Tracy

Emma

Jenny

Ruth
Enfys
Claire

Lou

Lis M

Lisa - letter H

Tracie

Fliss

Nikky

Polkadoodle Challenge Blog (back here)

Not all of the Design Team are UK based so if their post has not yet published please check back in a short while!

Good luck and hope you have lots of fun!
Don't forget - for another chance at winning some fab Polkadoodle Candy, make sure you enter the challenge!

******