Really enjoyed myself today with a visit to the craft shop (well, I haven't been for over a week), and catching up on a few challenges. Just realised that G-Mex is this weekend and I am free so am really excited about going having never been to that show before.

Today's 'Little Extra' from Daring Card Makers is veeeeery interesting.......'Take a Letter Ms Jones.'

'OK, it's not about monograms, we've already done that. This time the challenge is to pick one letter and see how many things you can use on your card that begin with that letter.Now then, you can't choose "P" and just have pink paper, pink brads, pink ink, pink ribbon - oh no no no, that's not the way it works!You could however, useA pink card blank, paper, petals, plasma, a monogram P, something Purple, a Flower Pot...Or how about B?brads, buttons, birthday, banana (well, you never know..) blue, black, brown, blooms, buckles, bowsOr Sspots, stripes, string, sandals, Stickles, sunshine, stars, snowGot the idea? We're hoping this one will be great fun as well as maybe making you think really hard...'

So, I decided to have some fun with this one and take up the challenge of including a banana! Here is what I have included on my card - Bubbles (the name of the monkey of course!!!), BANANA, butterfly, balloons, brad, button, bow-tie, bling, ball, Best Birthday, blue and black and lots of other BRIGHT colours. 'Bubbles' is from DCWV Nana's Kids and the paper was a magazine freebie from yonks ago.

Next I did last week's mid-week challenge....

'Dash it! That's put me on the spot.....

Dot Dot Dot Dash Dash Dash
We'd like you to make a card featuring dots and dashes, spots and stripes - that's it, a nice easy and fun little theme for you to play with - just make sure you get both spots AND stripes on your card.'

Papers are Basic Grey 'Oh Baby! Boy', which are just divine, and provided the dots. I decoupaged one of the rockets, cut out the stars using my free PI templates, attached them with 3d foam and added the words 'You are a star'. The dashes are in the form of stitching around the stars and the join of the two papers. Unusual for a boys card to turn out successfully!!!

Finally for today is last Friday's challenge.....'Who's Pushing Your Buttons?'

'I know you've all got buttons stashed away somewhere, whether they've been purchased at a cardmaking store or you thriftily snipped them off DH's old shirt. I'd like you to find those buttons and use them somewhere on a card. They can be real buttons, craft shop buttons, die cut buttons, faux buttons or another type of button, surprise us all.'

The backing paper is Crate, I used PM rub-ons for the flowers and butterfly, stamped the scrolls with Heidi Grace stamp, added the buttons to 'Metal Hardware' and embellished centres. The flower I made using Daisy D's paper, organza ribbon, lots of tiny staples and a large button threaded with ribbon. I was pleased with how the flower turned out and will definately make more of these.