Viv's Visuals

2012-01-31T19:31:00.000Z

Well I think I blinked and missed the weekend!
The last few days have simply flown by and I have no idea where the time went - or what I did whilst it was going!!!!
Here's my share for today (and the last few days! LOL)-
I am sooooo unsure about the colours on this card. The papers are by Raspberry Road and if my Mum was still with us, she'd have described them as 'sludgy green colour'!!!
I just wanted to do something a bit different from my normal colour schemes but am not sure if I achieved the objective - which was after all to create a card that someone would be happy to receive...........!

Anyways, this LOTV stamp was one on my shopping list for the NEC in November - I didn't go but my friend did! She says she bought more stuff for me off my list than she bought for herself........ little fibber - don't believe it for a minute!

So back to the stamp - it saw ink for the first time on Friday and I coloured it with watercolour pastels after duster brushing the edges with crushed olive distress ink. Think these little mice are the scrummiest things ever!

I added a little bit of sparkle to the rose bucket I mean BOUQUET.... which probably doesn't show up the best in the pic but looks OK 'IRL'.
I used a paper doily(duster brushed with crushed olive distress ink) , some pearls and a length of lace from my stash and finished with a scrap cut off from the lace box, a couple of punched out card flowers and leaves and a sentiment which was a freebie stamp in a craft mag.

Stitched, layered, distressed (several times!) onto dark green cardstock - oh and the inside is decorated to match the front!

Challenges -
One Stop Crafts - Stitching
Crazy Challenges - Flowers
Sweet Stamping - Animals
Crazy 4 Challenges - Layer it On
Craft Your Days Away - Distressing
My Time to Craft - A is for Adorable (and I think the mice are just that!)

Thanks for dropping by today - am off for a coffee so I can then sit and catch up on all your newest creations. x

Watercolours

2012-01-26T11:06:00.005Z

Sun shining here at the mo, but wintry showers forecast - it's quite cold despite the sunshine.

I finished this card yesterday afternoon and it was too dark to take a decent pic - but at least it means I have something to share with you this morning!

I fell in love the minute I saw this Stempelglede stamp set last year and have used all of the stamps on the plate (which is unusual for me! - Normally I buy a set, use one and the others gather dust!!)

This beautiful birdie though is my fave.

I duster brushed 'Tattered Rose' distress ink around the edge of a piece of scrap cardstock grading the colour to the centre so it was barely visible when it reached the middle. I then stamped the image in Versamark and spent a glorious couple of hours with my watercolours.
All the papers used apart from the first pinky/peach base are by Raspberry Road.

The birdie was distressed and layered onto co-ordinating cardstock and stitched.
I then distressed, layered stitched, distressed, layered, stitched and distressed-layered-stitched again with all the other paper and card. The birdie was mounted onto foam pads.
The pink lace piece peeping out from behind is from my stash.

I used the same distress ink on the flourish and stamped a sentiment onto co-ordinating card and cut out with a nestie and finished the front with yet another button from Mum's box and a scrap piece of shabby ribbon.

Here's a close up of the birdie so you can click on it to enlarge if you want to and a peep at the inside.

Challenges -
Cheerful Stamp Pad - Birds of a Feather
Creative Stamp Friends - Old Fashioned/Antique
Crafty Bloggers - Distressing
My Mum's Craft Shop - Flowers
Craft Your Days Away - Distressing
Crazy Challenges - Vintage
Alphabet Challenge - 'Y' for 'YOU choose'
Moving Along With the Times - Bloomin Marvellous

Thanks for visiting me today, have a lovely day whatever you're doing. x

Holes!

2012-01-23T11:27:00.001Z

Well Apertures to be a wee bit more precise!
Apertures are the challenge at Less Is More this week. I made this card on Saturday but am sidetracked in making another 'shabby,fancy,vintagey, distressed' creation at the mo and only realised this morning I hadn't posted it!
So in complete contrast to the previous post (and no doubt the next one-LOL) here's a clean and simple card in an attempt to get at least a 6 out of 10 from the Head Girls!

The image is called 'Spring Rain' from DZDoodles.
I separated them and printed the Umbrella onto the front of white linen cardstock. The sentiment was also PC generated.

I used an oval nestie to cut out the aperture positioning it outside the frame of the brolly so that the handle would sit in the centre. It was a bit fiddly cutting round the handle of the brolly and I maybe should have stuck an acetate piece into the 'hole' to give it a bit more strength but hopefully it'll stand up OK the way it is.

I lined up the wellie boots and printed on the inside of the card - there is a 'Get Well Soon' sentiment underneath.

I took the pic of the inside before adding some glossy accents in an attempt to imitate raindrops!

I like CAS cards but have always found them difficult to do - the ideas I have in my head never quite turn out the way I think they will! Temptation is a terrible thing and I deliberately sit at the end of the space well away from the drawers and boxes containing all the embellies when I'm making for LIM - can feel detention looming if my hand strays towards the flower box!!! LOL

I'm also entering this into the One Stop Craft Challenge of 'Under the Weather' this week.

Thanks for dropping by - have a lovely day whatever you're doing - I'm back to the distressing tool and the sewing machine! x

Shabby

2012-01-21T10:54:00.004Z

Morning everyone! The sun is out here at the mo - let's hope it lasts although the forecast is for showers....

I have been wanting to make this for over a week once I got the stamp and finally finished it yesterday. I cannot tell you how much I actually enjoyed making it - fiddling about with lace, scrim, paper and of course distress inks - I was in heaven!!
I used Broken China, Bundled Sage, Crushed Olive and Spun Sugar on the stamp and I am beginning I think to finally get the hang of the duster brushes.
The papers are all from the delicious Raspberry Road 'Moments in Time' collection.
There are a lot of layers on this card and was panicking a wee bit as I didn't think the machine was going to co-operate! In the end I didn't stitch the actual stamp but mounted it with 3d foam pads!

So- 4 layers of papers all distressed, edges dusted with broken china ink and stitched.
Some cream and pale blue antique style lace from my stash.
Some scrim which I dyed with the distress ink and the flourishes were cut out with my new dies (a christmas present from Maureen).

The little Eiffel Tower is shrink plastic. (Don't you panic when it first starts to shrink???!!!LOL). I added a couple of pearls in the top left corner, a tiny sparkly dragonfly and a piece of fabric stamped with 'Paris' which I again dyed.

I absolutely adore shabby ribbons and this length was a present from Maureen. It was cream so out with the distress ink again! The button is another from my Mum's button box - its got a beautiful pearl centre and has a real antque vintage look to it. I hand stitched the ribbon and button . I am really pleased with this bow - it just seems to look 'right'!

I followed the colour scheme and theme into the inside and waste not want not, used the ends I cut off from the ribbon with a ribbon slider to frame the space left for the greeting.

Challenges -
Sugar Creek Hollow - Go Girly
CardMadFairy - Ribbons and Bows
Paperplay - Ribbons
Crafty Catz - Ribbons and Bows
Gingersnap Supply - Ribbon
Digital Tuesday - Romantic Card
Crop Stop - Shabby/Distressed
Penny's Paper Crafty - Ribbons and Buttons
Ladybug Crafts - Bows
Allsorts - Needles and Pins

2012-01-17T16:12:00.003Z

Some friends of ours have recently had a baby so I took the opportunity to make a card using one of my favourite LOTV stamps - (actually I love all LOTV stamps so I can't choose a favourite - so they're ALL my favourites - LOL!)

But I like the simplicity of this baby stamp which looks equally at home on a clean and simple card as well as a more fussy and fancy one.
All the papers used on this offering are from Raspberry Road.
I coloured the stamp with promarkers and brushed some distress ink around the image. I thought at first I may have been a bit heavy handed with the ink but when I'd layered the image onto the blue and yellow die cuts and stitched it, decided it looked OK.
I paper pieced his little blanket and the sentiment on the front is a freebie from TLC which I cut out with one of my 'christmas presents to myself' nestie dies and I thought it just fitted perfectly with our little boy who is obviously getting lots of comfort from his blanket!

I confess that I have stitched everything in sight on this card!

Not content with decorating the front I carried on the theme into the inside.
Please click on the pic to enlarge it for a better view.
The ribbon under the space for the greeting is from my stash. I have had it for at least 5 years and have never used it - how bad is that?
The ticket sentiment was printed out and I used the duster brush on it again to make it a soft shade of blue. It says -
'Other than a dimple in a cute little chin, What is more adorable that a toothless grin?'
I considered the usual flowers, pearls, organza ribbon etc that I always end up putting on my baby cards but decided to just leave the front as it is as for a change.
Those who know me know I am most definitley NOT a baby person - but I really like making baby cards!!!

Challenges -
Crafty Boots - New Beginnings
Ooh La La - New Beginnings
By the Cute and Girly - New Beginnings
LOTV - Favourite Stamp
Freshly Brewed Monthly Challenge - Use Something New (my nestie labels)
CYDA - New Beginnings
One Stitch at a Time - Anything Goes

Thanks for visiting - a big hello to my new followers, it's lovely to see you! And to all of you who call in regularly and leave comments, i appreciate each and every one of them.

Enjoy the rest of your day whatever you're doing. x

Curtain Call part 2

2012-01-16T13:35:00.000Z

Following on from last Thursday's post, here's the second in my set of cards using those papers which I gritted my teeth to cut into!

Papers stitched and layered as before onto beige and black cardstock.

I really liked this part of the collaged paper - I can imaging someone being outrageous in the 1920's and dancing in front of the Eiffel Tower!

This time I added a die cut flourish coloured with a promarker and messed about the the promarkers and coloured up some prima flowers in the same beige colour and black.
I punched out a small flower from a scrap of the spotty paper from the last card.

Added a large pearl in the centre and two pearl pins to finish the outside.

Inside I added a border from the same paper and layered up some co-ordinating card onto the black background to make it easier to write a greeting.
There is a few more to come from these papers!

Challenges-
Unstampabelles - Anything Goes
Crafty Emmas - Vintage Dahling
Dream Valley - Anything Goes

and this week Cupcake Inspirations have this scrummy cupcake pic to inspire

Thanks for visiting again - have a lovely day. x

Second Go and an apology

2012-01-15T11:21:00.001Z

Apology first - I am having problems leaving comments on a lot of blogs.I know this is not just me as others have said they're having problems too.
The blogs that have 'embedded comments' enabled will not open the comment box - instead it just goes to a blank white screen. If you have the 'pop up' comments box then there isn't a problem. If you can change, please would you? Then I can leave a comment to show you that I've visited and admired your creations!
In the meantime I would like to say sorry to the blogs that I follow or visit regularly if you haven't received a comment - I am trying but the white screen keeps appearing! I will still be dropping by and hope to be able to leave you a comment soon.

OK - that done with, here's an offering from me for this morning (there may be more later as it's cold here and tum still growling so am not planning on doing very much in the shape of 'real work'!!!!)

This is my second entry into the Less Is More 'Birds- One Layer' challenge for this week.

I used my favourite linen textured card.
The stamp is coloured with watercolour pastels - it's been a while since I did any painting with watercolours and I enjoyed the relaxation that I get from a paintbrush and palette!

The CAS thing sometimes leaves me thinking there should be 'more' not less on some of my efforts and this is no different. But CAS it has to be, so I opted to put on three tiny black pearls at the bottom and knotted a length of ribbon across the top

I haven't added a sentiment yet. I may remove the ribbon and stamp a sentiment when I come to use it!

Thanks for visiting - I might be back again a bit later!
Have a lovely day whatever you're doing. x

New inks!

2012-01-14T13:46:00.004Z

For a change I have been able to do this week's Less is More Challenge on the day that it's posted instead of the usual middle of the week/last minute Friday entry!

This is the first of two one layer cards (other one isn't dry) for the Birds theme.
Had a poorly tum this week so in between feeling sorry for myself I indulged in a bit of retail therapy and bought some distress inks.

(Bargain at £18 for 6! And great service from the company who are based in Lincoln -on e-bay they're called 'The Mad Crafters' (which is where I got the offer) but I think they have a store called ali-craft.co.uk on the web - they were here within 48 hours of ordering....it's the first time I have used this company but it definitely won't be the last.)

So was quite happy when I saw the challenge this week cos it was crying out for inky things!

I used an Elusive Images stamp from a set I have had for a while - can honestly say there isn't a stamp amongst the plate that I don't like (which is unusual when you buy a complete A4 plate cos there's usually one teeny one that you will never use!)

The birdie clinging on reminds me of the wheatfields we had this summer in the field opposite.
I stamped him in Versamark Onyx Black and masked off the area around him before playing with some new (and some old) inks. Colours used - Chipped Sapphire, Dusty Concord, Stormy Sky for the top and Peeled Paint, Bundled Sage and Crushed Olive for the bottom.
The sentiment stamp is from Papermania I think.
Other Challenges-
I Brake for Stamps- Simple
Bloggers Challenge - Wings and Things
Crafty Creations - Something New
City Crafter - Back to Black

It's a beautiful day here - but very cold so I hope the sun is also shining where you are and thanks for visiting. Have a lovely day! x

First one

2012-01-12T11:58:00.004Z

One of my promises this year was to use up at least a tiny amount of the paper I buy and hoard 'cos it's 'too nice to use'. We buy the stuff because we like it then put it away and don't use it, and some are even known to take it from the drawer every now and then and stroke it!
So - I used some of this before Christmas when I made a music themed Gothic Arch for a swap and was determined that the rest of the sheets (couldn't afford to buy the whole book so just bought four sheets!!), were going to be used up now that I had steeled myself to cut into them.

Be warned now - this will not be the only card made with this paper!

Yummy Graphic 45 Curtain Call papers stitched onto cream and black cardstock then mounted onto cream base card.

I cut out a piece showing some dancing ladies and stitched this onto the same card base combo.

Used Versamark Ink in Black for the Eiffel Tower and Dove Grey for the postage stamp and stitched again.

The lace is from my stash. I made a paper flower and stitched a button centre.

The Moulin Rouge ticket is from the same paper and I used a strip to co-ordinate the inside. I will probably add a cream square to the inside to make writing a greeting a bit easier!

Challenges -
MAWTT - Spots and/or Stripes
My Mum's Craft Shop - Girls
The Pixie Cottage - Stitching
Incy Wincy - Vintage
Truly Madly Crafty - Anything Goes
Anything Goes - Anything Goes
PaperPlay - In Stitches
The Poodle Parlour - Button Up

Thanks for visiting - hope the sun is shining where you are! x

Purple Patch?

2012-01-10T16:38:00.004Z

My tiny little bit of creativity seems to have deserted me completely lately.
I tidied my desk, put away all the stuff that was laying about and sorted all my papers into some semblance of order - since then - nothing!! I had to tidy the desk as there was no space to work, now I've got loads of space to work and a blank mind (no comments from those who know me well thank you...LOL)
Here is an offering for this weeks challenge at Less Is More.

I confess I am not a lover of the colour purple. There are a couple of LIMettes who love it so I apologise in advance for the next comment - think I could probably live without the colour!!

Consequently purple inks etc are in very short supply in this craftie space.

I was also reluctant to use this stamp as I know someone else has already done so, but I like this stamp and to be honest it was all I could think of using when I read the challenge on Saturday, so use it I have!

My background is on glossy paper.
I have some very old Whispers inks - so old I thought they'd have all dried out by now but there were a couple that still had a little bit left - one thankfully was called Violet - so I used that, plus Adirondack Rueberry, plus a Dove Grey Versamark ink, plus a Big and Juicy Birthday stamp pad - inked them all onto the craft mat then got out the duster brush and mixed them! The result is this plummy purpley colour which IRL is actually quite nice!
The stamp was embossed in Seafoam White and although you can't tell by this awful pic (the light here is terrible), I have dotted some sparkles onto the flower heads.
Matted onto white then purple card, a length of ribbon added then put onto card base which has been (very) lightly sponged with the Violet ink pad.

This actually looks much better here on my desk than it does in the photo (it must look OK cos I'm not unhappy with the result for once!) but you'll just have to take my word for it!
Have also submitted this into the Sketchy Colours challenge which is Purple and Grey.
Thanks for visiting, whatever you're doing I hope you're enjoying yourselves! x

Train

2012-01-06T14:05:00.000Z

What a bad blogger I've been this week! The old mojo went walkabout so have concentrated this week on my neglected family tree.
Not finished with this particular line of the family just yet so my visits may be a wee bit sporadic for the next week or so until I hit the usual brick wall and put the tree away in frustration!!

But so none of you forget me, here's my share with you for today - isn't this Mo image just lovely?! He just loves his train to bits!

The red and black train is a button from Mum's box. Some time ago, when she was still able to knit, she bought a collection of fancy buttons for children's cardigans- those she didn't use were kept in the old tin - some lovely unusual ones in there which I've promised to use this year.
Think it works quite well against the blue really - I added some crystal gems in a flourish design for the smoke and it gives just a good amount of sparkle (well I think so anyway!! LOL)

Challenges -
Truly Madly Crafty - Anything Goes
Ruby's Rainbow - Something for a child
My Time to Craft - Hugs and Kisses (well - he IS hugging the life out of his train!)
Crafty Boots - Celebrations
The Pink Elephant - Anything Goes

Thanks for visiting - appreciate all of your comments. Will catch up again later.
Have a great day whatever you're doing. x

Favourite 5

2011-12-31T15:57:00.001Z

Bit of an odd day for me today as it would have been Mum's birthday, so the old mojo has taken itself off with the kleenex somewhere - no crafting but spotted this yesterday on Debby's blog and thought it might be a little bit of fun and something for me to do as I knew I wouldn't feel much like doing anything.............oh yes, something for me to do allright..... how do you choose just FIVE???

Coops has chosen seventysix million........ well 10 anyway!
I've been good and whittled down my 2011 creations to the said 5 so without further ado, here they are -

This was my very first side stepper and also my very first first place in a card challenge so obviously I was pleased with it!!

The Adorables collection of stamps from Sugar Nellie saw me spending quite a bit this year! Had to have them all - this one is called Faith and was amongst the first that I did using the sewing machine on cards!

This was one of 5 commissioned cards in the space of about 2 weeks - I made one for a lady at the Club and when others saw it I had a rush job to make two more wedding cards and two more anniversary cards in the same design!

(If you want to see 2 of the others they're here and here!)

HAD to include this christmas card made using a digi from the ridiculously talented Mo Manning and done in what I think were non traditional Christmas colours for a change.

and finally what I call a 'grown up' card! A CAS card which I actually really enjoy doing!

So there we are - it was so hard to choose just 5 cards and I was amazed to see actually how many I have managed to do this year - I've enjoyed my crafting year as always and it's been just great visiting everyone's blogs looking at all your magnificent creations. Thank you for allowing me into your blogland world and a big thank you to all my followers and visitors.

Thanks too to Debby for giving me something to do today - have spent a while going through all my pictures and taken my mind off other things

Wishing you all a wonderful 2012.

One Ticket to Ride

2011-12-30T15:03:00.004Z

We've had some horrible weather the last few days and today has continued the trend - lots of rain and dark skies... woke up this morning and was just settling myself down again in what I thought was middle of the night darkness when I looked at the clock....... which showed the time to be 8am!
So have had a quick trip to the supermarket with OH, as always everyone else is preparing for a siege (is war about to be declared?????) - do people REALLY eat all that stuff they put in their trollies???? How many parties are there on New Years Eve? Everyone I speak to says ' we're not doing much, staying in and watchin telly' or ' don't like going out New Year' etc etc so who is coming to consume the mountains of food and drink I have seen going through the checkouts??? OWN UP NOW!!!!!!
I felt quite indaequate with my milk, a small joint of beef and some carrot and turnip!!!! (Actually there was a few garlicky mushrooms and some cheese as well but no doubt you get the idea that my poor trolley looked quite bereft and sad as it only contained such a paltry amount whilst all it's friends were puffing out their chests and doing weight lifting impersonations!)
OK - enough of the drivel -

I actually tidied my work space on Tuesday (and Wednesday....) and thought that instead of putting away the scrappy bits I should use them up - so here's the result.

It seems such a long time since I did anything really messy and having bought this 12" round canvas on a recent shopping trip with Maureen I decided to alter it rather than add it to the pile - I was originally going to make a clock but the best laid plans etc etc.....
The Leanne Elllis stamp from the 'Journey' collectionwas bought from a fellow crafter on E-bay earlier this year - a bargain, so thanks Anne! Coloured with promarkers and UTEE'd three times for a high gloss.
I tore some K and Co paper for the backdrop and distress inked the edges of the canvas, then set about using up the scraps which I'd placed in a small pile to be put away.
Some of this stuff had been lying about on the desk for months and I just kept shoving it to one side!

The chipboard pieces were from an Ecetera Dimensional Embellishments pack and having used up the other bits only had these two left. I secured them together with an old button cut off one of Mum's cardigans. It has a lovely antiqued outside with a shiny jadey green pearly centre which was the exact same colour as one of the promarkers I'd used on the stamp!

The little wooden heart is from a tag on one of my presents - it started out it's life as pale pink but with the help of the promarkers is now a pale greeny blue colour!

The seagull is actually a brooch which I have had for ever and all the other bits (heart charm, Tim Holtz 'Wander' disc, buttons, ticket, fibres) are all from my stash.

Challenges -
Ooh La La - Anything But a Card
Crafts 4 Eternity - Include a Quote on your Project. (Absence makes the Heart grow Fonder)
Try It On Tuesday - Altered Week
Craft Room Challenge - Anything Goes
The Stamp Man - Favourite Project of the Year. - This was quite difficult really - but eventually decided that the last thing I have made is always my favourite!!!!
I Love Promarkers - Anything Goes

The Warm Fuzzies!

2011-12-28T11:57:00.000Z

Was your weather unseasonably warm on Christmas Day? We have some friends in the South of England who said it didn't feel like Christmas at all as the weather was too warm! Last year we were bothered cos we were snowed in!!

We have sun and blue skies today but a very very strong wind - a walk later to blow away the cobwebs I think....
Anyway whatever your weather was I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas.

As I've neglected my ancestry research of late, am doing a bit of what my husband lovingly calls 'talking to dead people' today - need to do a bit of internet trawling before visiting the library - but before I get my head buried in the past here's a share with you for today.

I sent this at Christmas and forgot about linking it to the challenge - fortunately I'd photographed it!

Am submitting this into the current
House Mouse challenge which is called 'the Warm Fuzzies'! Doesn't that make you want to snuggle up in a fleecy banket?? LOL

(I was full of warm fuzzies after a couple of Tia Maria's on Christmas Day!!!! - Actually looking at the pic which is a wee bit blurred maybe I had the 'warm fuzzies operating the camera too.....)

Other challenges -
My Time To Craft - Winter Pals
Oldie But Goodie - Christmas Animals
Paper Creations Ink - Something Old (which was my HouseMouse stamp), Something New the DP papers which I bought this year for Christmas)

Thanks for visiting - have a nice day whatever you're doing.x

2011-12-24T14:50:00.000Z

To all of my blogging friends and followers -

I wish you a wonderfully happy Christmas filled with everything you could wish for.

Thank you for your visits, comments, help and inspiration and
may 2012 be a fabulous New Year for you all.

xxx

Silent

2011-12-21T18:52:00.002Z

I haven't been about as much this week but no doubt as everyone else is mad busy in the run up to Christmas, I won't have been missed.
I've mananged to visit a couple of blogs over the last few evenings but to be honest I'm dog tired when I get home every night and am struggling to do anything apart from flop down on the sofa then take myself to my bed!

Have several cards that I finished and didn't share yet so here's one for now......

I was inspired by another card maker, Steph, who's forte is clean and simple cards, and she had done a version of this in black and white which was lovely, so I had a go at CASEing it.

I used white pearlised cardstock and printed the sentiment in dark grey ink.

I have had some dark grey satin ribbon for eons and have always wondered what to use it on other than sympathy cards, but as I had some grey pearlised cardstock I decided to try using the grey/white colour scheme for this card.

Some snowy white cotton lace and the grey ribbon were stuck onto the white card just below the sentiment and I added a tiny silver wreath charm under the bow.
I layered it onto the grey card then onto white again and was really pleased with the simplicity of this card - it's recipient took the trouble to mail me telling me how beautiful she thought it was so that made me happy too!
The added bonus was that it was real quick to do - so I made a few of them using different colours for the sentiment and adding co-ordinating ribbon. I also used up my entire stash of christmas charms (which weren't many really!! LOL), so will have to buy some more for next year! (Any excuse).

A few challenges -
Partytime Tuesdays - Use Ribbon
Papertake Weekly - Last Christmas Card (and this was amongst the last ones I made even though it mightn't be the last I'll post!! LOL)
City Crafter - Winter White
Creative Craft - White on White
Paper and Such - Quick Last Minute Card
Whimsy Stamps - Charms

Music is my first love.....

2011-12-18T16:33:00.002Z

Once I saw the theme this week at Less Is More, I kept hearing the words to John Miles' amazing song - if you don't know it go listen HERE !! (Showing my age now aren't I? LOL)

Anyway back to the challenge - the theme (if you hadn't guessed) was Music.
From a 7 year old singing the second verse of 'In the Bleak Midwinter' solo at a school carol service to Handel's Messiah with the Merseyside Youth Orchestra at Manchester Free Trade Hall and the Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool in my teens to listening to my wonderful OH playing his piano (and keyboards), music has been very special to me throughout my life.

So with my passion for music it is suprising that I possess very few musical stamps - but it didn't matter as I had already formulated in my head what I wanted to do - which is a first for me as usually I'm agonising for hours!!

Random musical notes stamped round the edge of a 6 x 6 card.
The image (printed onto glossy white card) just shouts ' Joy' at me somehow - the sheer happiness of having music which makes you want to dance wherever you are and whatever the weather - and the sentiment seemed to fit perfectly.

Since I have taken the photo (light was going so rushed to snap the pic) - I have added some really tiny white gems to the points of the umbrella (I had some 'raindrop' shaped gems but they were far too big and looked ridiculous!!) - the tiny ones added just a touch of sparkle and hopefully look like raindrops!

Cold!

2011-12-14T17:25:00.001Z

My goodness it's cold here today! The wind is icy and chills you right through. Been out shopping for the food for the Xmas party on Saturday - 48 coming again this year - hope the weather holds and we don't get as much snow as last year when after spending the Friday cooking Turkeys we woke up on Saturday to 2 feet of snow and unable to get out of the drive - Party cancelled till the New Year! Hope we don't have a repeat this year, if only because I would like to be able to get my OWN food in my freezer!

Thought I'd share another one already in the post -

I followed a sketch from somewhere for this - then forgot to enter it, now can't remember whose sketch it was - what a sorry state!

Mo's image coloured with promarkers then layered onto red cardstock.
Little mouse doesn't look cold does he? All snuggled up under his blanket.

The backing papers are from My Mind's Eye and First Editions and the sparkly gems are from my stash.
I added a bit of red ribbon and am still playing with the new nestie tags as you can see!

Challenges -
Come and Get It - Red, Green and one other (and I used cream) colour
One Stitch at a Time - Use a Digi
Crafty Boots - Christmas
Truly, Madly, Crafty - Christmas Image and Colours
Make My Monday - Red Ribbon
Hooked On Crafts - Christmas

Am done!

2011-12-11T12:01:00.002Z

So I am finished - not literally - just mean I have finished making my cards so am feeling quite smug - but what am I going to do now? Iron? Dust? Clean windows? Put up the christmas tree? Definitely not!!!!
Haven't decided about the tree this year - didn't bother last year as didn't feel like Christmas at all after losing Mum and it being her birthday on 31st Dec and all and confess that this year am still not feeling christmassy despite all the glitter and snow dust etc that's all over the craftie space desk and floor....
Might get down the small fibre optic one for the dining room so at least when OH and I are eating our turkey it looks a little bit like Christmas... am still considering!!!
Thought I would share this card with you as it's already been received and opened -

I adore these K and Co Winter Wonderland papers. So much so that the stack I bought two years ago still has half of them left as I hate cutting into them! They'll be a collectors item if I keep them any longer but don't be surprised if I'm still using them in 2020!
The 'snowflake' is actually cut from the sheet and I just used 3d foam pads after adding some sparkly gems for a bit more bling!
The blue antique lace layered across some red cardstock is from my stash as is the red organza ribbon and red satin Christmas tree.
The sentiment is a freebie from TLC and I cut it out with a nestie, then sponged it with Tumbled Glass distress ink, punched a hole and added an eyelet making it into a tag. I ran a glue pen across the letters and dusted some red glitter over it.

Challenges -
Jingle Belles- Christmas
Card Mad Fairy's Digi Days - Tags (and I hope my tag on my card fits the challenge)
Crafty Calendar - Cold and Frosty
Sugar Creek Hollow - Tags
Card Makin Mamas - Christmas
MAWTT - Last Minute Christmas

So with my cards finished have to decide what project to start next... maybe I'll make a couple more for next year???? LOL
Thanks for visiting - have a nice day whatever you're doing.

Cloud

2011-12-08T12:33:00.003Z

I have spent an absolute age this morning trying to take decent pics of some of my recent makes - have given up as a bad job. The sky is as grey as can be and using the flash on the camera makes the pics even worse! Actually we're having some horrendous weather and the forecast is for more of the same today - we're not as bad as a wee bit further up the coast into the Cumbrian hills or Scotland I don't think, but it's definitely not a day for being outside. (not that I needed any excuse to stay in the craftie space......)

Just wish the light was a bit better!

So with my apologies in advance here is a card I've made for our niece in America which will be delivered by M-I-L next Tuesday when she arrives there for her annual Christmas pilgramage to see all the American relatives!

I opted for a pink and brown colour scheme with liberal doses of sparkle, both with the DP papers (by First edition from the Love Letters and Summer Breeze stacks) and by the glitter I applied on anything that stood still long enough!
The image was a present from a friend some time ago and has been laying on the desk waiting to be coloured.
I used some pink pearls and a PC generated sentiment layered onto brown cardstock.
Even though this is going to be delivered by hand, I couldn't go too mad with the embellishments - M-I-L goes 'across the pond' like she's preparing for a siege so there's not a lot of space in any of her cases and what space there is means whatever there is in there is in danger of being crushed to death!

Challenges -

Creative Belli - Winter/Christmas

Penny's Paper Crafting - Merry Christmas

Incy Wincy - Non Traditional Christmas Colours

St Nick

2011-12-07T16:04:00.001Z

Had a lovely day yesterday with Maureen and her 'long suffering' - we again met half way between our respective homes at Trentham. No gardens this time - was quite a cold and grey day with some spots of rain and of course I had to keep my husband from wanting to go and fall on his bum on the ice rink ....
BUT we DID have a HUGE Christmas Lunch with the suitable Mincmeat and Apple tart for pudding, a wander round the shops and a nice day!
Have a quick card to share with you - I made one similar to this last year and I really like this stamp and so didn't need much excuse to use it!

St Nick was stamped on white pearlescent paper in Cranberry ink and the edges distressed.
I didn't have enough of the backing paper to cover the entire card so had to improvise by cutting it into two pieces and hence the snowflake border mounted onto dark red and white card which was made wide enough for the ribbon to cover and also hid the empty space on the card. I ran some white versamark ink acrossd the backing paper as it was a very deep red.
The snowflakes were lightly inked with the same cranberry colour and then I added some glossy accents and a sparkly gem.
Apart from having to wait for the glossy accents to dry this was a quick card and I also used up some scraps of paper!

Challenges -
Try it On Tuesday - Father Christmas
Creative Card Crew - Tis the Season
My Time To Craft - Vintage Christmas
Truly, Madly Crafty - Xmas Image and colours (and I hope my Cranberry qualifies!)
Addicted to Stamps - Christmas Card

Green (and grey....)

2011-12-04T11:44:00.000Z

Green is the colour challenge over at Less Is More this week.... grey is the colour of the sky outside!
Another really horrible day here - it hasn't stopped raining in the last 24 hours but I'm hoping that Ive managed to ward off the chill that was threatening me last night.
Am just off out for an hour but thought I'd post this, my first entry into the LIM challenge.
It isn't very inspiring I'm afraid - my brain has the fuzzies!!

So - white cardstock layered onto green. I cut out a small square piece of foam with deckle edge scissors to make the background stamp and used shabby shutters distress ink. The idea was to make it look like a brick wall!

I inked the holly flourish stamp with peeled paint distress ink and stamped round the edge of the card. I cut out a couple of tiny leaves stamped with the same ink and then added these to the sentiment which I mounted onto the same green card. Finished with some red stickles for the berries and a red flat backed pearl on the leaves under the greeting.

As I still have a few more cards to make I doubt whether this will be my only entry into this week's challenge!

Catch up with everyone later - off to brave the rain (again!).

Challenges -
Less Is More - Green
Daring Cardmakers - Holly
Gingerloft Challenge - Christmas
Inkurable Stampers - Holly

First Christmas

2011-12-03T22:49:00.001Z

Quick post with one to share tonight cos it's late and I am wanting to go and snuggle up in my bed with the hot water bottle! Got absoluely soaked through today - rain was that bad, it went through my showerproof (???) jacket and made my jumper wringing wet - came home had a huge bowl of soup but am still shivering - so it's bed as I don't want to be full of cold in the morning.

This was a card made for a gentleman at the Bowls Club who had seen the previous one I made with this image. Their family has just grown with the addition of their first great grandson and he asked me to make him a Christmas card using the same Mo Manning digi image.

Craft Creations Foiled Stars paper used, matted onto silver holographic card. Have no idea why this paper is called 'Foiled Stars' as the stars aren't foiled at all!! They just blend into the background and you really need to get up close to even see them!

I coloured with promarkers and again ran my glue pen across the bauble before applying a helping of glitter. I used a silver metallic pen to colour the stars on the bauble.

I put the image onto a silver frame cut out with a nestie.

The metal star with the blue star gem was in my stash, as were the silver stars I used on the easel prop. I secured the large metal star with a blue organza bow.

The sentiment was PC generated and I added a couple of silver pearls to finish the card off.

The pic isn't very good (so what's new) but this time my excuse is the glare from the holographic card!

Challenges -

Glitter Fairies - Easel Card

Creatilicious - Christmas and it must sparkle!

Crafty Anns - Recipe and I chose Ribbon, Bauble, Silver

Card Mad Fairy - Digi - Winter Wonderland

Patties Creations - Christmas

Some Odd Girl - Easel card

Thanks for stopping by - your visits (and comments!) are REALLY appreciated.

Off to get on the pj's and the wooly socks!

Away in a Manger

2011-11-30T15:36:00.000Z

From CAS to OTT?
Was a bit concerned about the colour scheme I chose for this card - I wanted to do another 'non traditional' colour and sorting through the stack of papers - (did I really buy all those paper pads????) - I picked out pastel pinks, blues, pale greens but then found this pad from My Mind's Eye full of brown, cream and blue tones.
So decided to give it a go. What do you think?

I Know the designs on the paper are not 'christmassy' and probably the traditionalists with red green gold silver etc may not be particularly enamoured with it but I think it's turned out OK.
The image is from Mo Manning. Isn't the expression on the little angel's face just brilliant?!I coloured it with promarkers and pastel chalks (although you can't see the pastel blue background behind the little angel very well) and added some glamour dust onto the wings.
Papers were all layered and distressed.
Coloured the flourish with a promarker to tone in and added a couple of brown pearls to the bottom left corner.
The flowers are from Wild Orchid and my local haberdashery shop!
Oh and look what I got for Christmas - a new nestie set of tags!!! (Well they were a Christmas present to me from me......and I actually bought two sets but shhhhhhhhhh.......lol)

Challenges -
Digistamp 4 Joy - Christmas but no animals
For Fun - Christmas
My Mum's Craft Shop - Keeping Warm (and baby certainly is that all snuggled up in the hay!)
Craft Your Passion - Anything Holday Related

Thanks for visiting - appreciate all your comments.

2011-11-29T18:21:00.001Z

What horrible day it's been here weather wise - we've had lashing rain and howling gales and it's not very warm at all!! On the up side is the wind has almost stripped the trees bare so once we can get a chance to get outside and clear up all the dropped leaves the garden shouldn't need much tending to - thank goodness.

Here's my offering for today - love these mischevious elves from Mo Manning - there's a whole set of them - this one is called Little Elf Mim.

The pic is a bit wishy washy - when really the Echo Park backing papers are a rich deep red but you get the general idea!

Mim is coloured with promarkers and I used some fluffy stuff on the hat and hemline.
The bauble was run over with a glue pen and then glittered.
I finished with a PC generated sentiment and a dark red satin bow.
Another one for my Christmas pile!

Challenges -
DP2 - Elves, Fairies, Santa or Snowmen
Pollycraft - Christmas Fun
Craft Your Days Away- Buttons OR Bows
MAWTT - Ribbons and Bows

CASE'd card

2011-11-27T16:01:00.001Z

I saw a card made like this some time ago and scribbled a sketch of it onto a bit of paper. I wrote down who's card it was on another piece of paper and dabbed a bit of glue to keep them together - yesterday I found the scrap of paper with the (bad) drawing on and a torn corner where the other piece had been stuck on - so - if this was your original idea I thank you for the inspiration and hope I've done your awesome card justice.

Spent a long long time punching out the leaves for this and made my hand sore so resorted to using my foot after a while!! (A trick I learnt from Maureen.....lol)
It was painstaking sticking them all on the embossed circle individually but I got there in the end.

I'm beginning to use this diamond shaped embossing folder nearly as much as the swiss dots one - But I do like it and think it's a perfect 'all occasion' design and is suitable for a man's card too.

I used white pearlised cardstock and red polka dot paper and placed some red satin ribbon across the paper join.

I put the 'wreath' on the card with foam pads for a bit of dimension positioning it slightly over the edge of the card and then trimmed it to the card edge for an 'off centre' effect.
I stuck on a small red bow and some red gems for a bit of bling!

The sentiment was stamped using Stazon Blazing Red Ink.

This is my second entry into the 'Bit of Bling' Less Is More challenge this week and I'm feeling quite smug with myself as my Christmas card stash is growing - albeit slowly!
Guylou also has a 'wreath' challenge this week.

2011-11-27T13:16:00.000Z

Having problems with the camera today! (What's new???? LOL)
This is the first of 2 cards for Less Is More challenge this week (the other not dry so will post later!).
The challenge was 'a bit of Bling!'

This really is a CAS card - just white pearlised cardstock embossed with a winter design layered onto a dark grey pearlised card then onto more pearlised white cardstock.

The sentiment and tiny snowflakes were stamped in Pearlescent Blue ink and clear embossed. The sentiment was a freebie in a homestyle magazine and I thought it was one of the best freebies I've acquired recently! It came with a couple of flourishes, four different types of tiny snowflakes and a flourish frame. Not bad!!

I just spent a wee while sticking tiny sparkly gems on each of the snowflakes.

Sorry the pic is a bit naff - I'm actually pleased with the way this one turned out - it looks quite good 'in real life'!

Challenges -
Dream Valley - Sparkle
Paper Sundaes- Winter Wonderland
Crazy 4 Challenges - Snow
Less is More - Bling

Back to other things

2011-11-26T11:11:00.003Z

Our Art n Soul group over at Flickr has periodic challenges and the last one for this year was to make a Bookmark.

The group is an International one so setting challenges for swaps is quite hard as we can't make anything that will cost a fortune to post.
The bookmarks were going to be swapped randomly between the group as Christmas presents and I also added a second challenge of a Christmas tag to accompany your bookmark so the recipient had something to open!

Never one to set simple tasks I also told the group they had to have lace somewhere on their project.

The closing date is 30th November and here I am with only the darn bookmark finished!

I'll set to tomorrow and get the tag done but thought for now I'd better blog the bookmark as even though it's on the Flickr group's photostream we always upload onto our blogs if we have one as well.

The bookmark measures about 6" long and is linen textured 'Paris Night's paper on thin but strong mountboard.
The image was printed onto cotton fabric and stitched to the paper.
I added some scraps of lace from my bits box which I stitched by machine and hand.

The printed ribbon seemed quite fitting for a bookmark as I think reading is such a great thing - there's nothing better than burying your head into a book and losing yourself in a story - so these times when you can escape into another world and not worry about everyday life for a short time are definitely moments to be treasured!

It's been quite a while since I made anything other than cards and even though I was panicking a bit because I had so little time left to complete my own challenge (LOL), I quite enjoyed assembling this!

There's a couple of challenges that my little bookmark will fit -
Fussy and Fancy - Make a Gift
Dutch Dare - Recipe - Ribbon, Image, Layers
Papercrafting Journey - Anything Goes

The Christmas Flower

2011-11-22T17:12:00.001Z

Here's a card made with one of the images I've coloured over the last couple of days.
I spotted a layout similar to this while blog hopping and thought it was beautiful - so thought I might have a go at my own interpretation!

The flower has three layers and the top two were finished with glossy accents. I used some gold Stickles on the flower centre and dotted some red glitter onto the holly berries.
I am really pleased with the way the glossy accents has dried on the petals - they're shiny and bright - just like a Xmas card should be!

White pearlised card was used for the embossing and I put some broad red ribbon between the two embossed designs.
Am undecided whether to add a greeting or not - I quite like the starkness of this card as it is.
Shall pop it in the stash and decide when I come to send it!

Challenges-
Make My Monday - Flowers, Foliage or Snowflakes
CardMadFairy - Texture
Digi Doodles Best - Red and Green (and although there's more red than green, there is some green on the leaves!)
Digital Tuesday - Sparkle and Shine
Pile it On - the letter 'P'

Happy Monday!

2011-11-21T11:09:00.000Z

Hope all is well with everyone here in blogland - thanks for visiting!
Quite a grey day but at least the overnight rain has stopped - had a reasonably craftie productive day yesterday - gots lots stamped and coloured - now all I have to do is assemble them all onto papers and cardstock!!!

This card is for my own stash - I love these snowmen from Sassy Cheryl - the whole collection make me smile - and isn't this one just brill with his cup of cappucino - just what is needed on a cold grey November day - complete with marshmallows of course!!

I wanted to give him a 'cool' look so opted for the blue/brown colour scheme rather than trad christmas colours. I used some glamour dust on his scarf and dotted his clothes with a white gel pen. The spotty background paper just seemed to fit him even though it's not specifically a Christmas paper!
The sentiment is a freebie but I altered the centre wording to something I thought more appropriate for a coffee bringing snowman (!) and the blue seam binding ribbon was a pressie. I threaded a sparkly snowflake button through the ribbon and finished off with some punched snowflakes with tiny gems for sparkle.

Challenges -
Sassy Cheryl - Anything Goes
I Did It - Snowmen
Pan Pastel - Frosty and Bright
2 Sisters - Let it Sparkle
Crafty Emmas - Snowflakes
One Stop Challenge - Blue
Crafty Catz - Snowflakes

Second visit!

2011-11-20T13:05:00.001Z

Don't say you weren't warned - you'll be sick of me by the end of today....

Second entry into this week's 'Silhouettes' challenge at Less Is More.

Image stamped with Onxy Black Versamark over a background sponged with Whispers Inks - Royal Blue and Starry Night. I ran a distressing tool round the edge of the image before mounting onto black card.

The 'moon' was dusted with some glamour dust and thanks to Chrissie I ventured with the glue pen and some glamour dust across the wording to give the 'magic' some sparkle.

I randomly sponged the excess on the make up sponge around the white space - I was real careful as normally I am so 'heavy handed' what I want to appear 'subtle' sometimes looks the 'Invasion of the Coloured Blobs!'

Thankfully, the colour is very light and there's still lots of white space to satisfy our Head Girls! LOL

Two tiny black pearls in the bottom right corner finished it off.

2011-11-20T11:10:00.000Z

Be warned - this will not be the only post of the day!
And if you've any bunting, then put it up cos here I am with my FIRST entry this week into the LIM challenge (and it's only SUNDAY!!!!) Don't know what I'm going to do on Thursday now - or for the days inbetween - no anguish over what I'm going to do and I'm running out of time etc etc.... trouble is, my head is full to bursting with stuff that I want to do for this week that I probably won't get anything else finished cos I'll be flitting about from one half finished thing to another!
So here's the first of the 3 that I've started - this one is complete, the other two are waiting on the desk!
I have had numerous discussions with other crafters about digi stamps. Some think they cannot be classed as 'hand made' as it's the PC that does all the work! Not true! Whilst I love good old fashioned rubber stamps and making messy with ink, I DO also like digis and think that if you've limited space for storage and not a lot of cash to throw about then a small stash of digis are invaluable and anyone who has ever worked with them will know that it's not easy and the PC definitely DOESN'T do all the work particularly if you're printing straight onto card!!!!

This beautiful digi was a freebie from TLC and I thought it perfect for the challenge this week which is 'Silhouettes'.

I know this has a couple of layers but I have tried to keep the card clean and simple - I like black/white/pink colour combo so it was natural that I would use it - I wanted to use the linen textured card and have found that sometimes printing direct onto it doesn't turn out the best so played safe with this one and printed it separately just in case it wasn't as sharp as it should be. Actually it printed beautifully, which I think is probably to do with the brilliant quality of the image rather than the quality of my printer!

The sentiment also is a TLC digi freebie and it's one of my favourites as I think it is so true, when someone does show you kindness your day seems so much brighter.

Challenges -
Less Is More - Silhouettes
Crazy 4 Challenges - Black, White and one other colour
Mark's Finest Papers - Black,White and one other colour

Thanks for visiting - off to see if my ink has dried - be back later!

A 'grey' Christmas!

2011-11-19T19:23:00.001Z

Been a lovely day here today so made the most of it out in the fresh air!
Am sitting here thinking about what I am going to do for another challenge but in the mean time - brain cells are struggling for inspiration - I thought I'd better post this.

I was a bit unsure about these papers but decided to keep the clean stark colour combo of grey and white and just add a splash of colour on the image.

I also followed a sketch for the first time in ages!

The little boy hanging stars on his tree is another from LOTV (just for a change - LOL) and I added some crimson onto his hat and stars and used three different shades of grey for his clothes. Some glitter used for a wee bit of bling and I popped the image onto a nestie frame and layered onto the card with 3d pads. I used a Nellie Snellen die for the corners.

I thought about puttin red gems instead of the card candy on the white ribbon but once I'd coloured them with one of the grey shades decided to leave it as it was and just let the image make the statement.

Challenges -
CRAFT - Stars
Willow Sketchie - Sketch
Frosted Designs - Die Cuts
Winter Wonderland - What a Cutie

Thanks for visiting - off to try and galvanise my grey cells into action!

Anyone seen the number 14?

2011-11-17T21:20:00.001Z

Bus I mean!!! So I don't post for a week then here I am two together! LOL
I apologise for the pic - will take another tomorrow but I really wanted to get this second go at last Saturday's LIM challenge....

Found the leaf stamp (as mentioned in previous post)................. not in any of the stamp drawers at all but there I was looking for a nestie (to make a frame for a christmas card) when I saw this little bit of red rubber complete with cobweb poking out from behind the metal cabinet.......... so after making the spider homeless, I inked it and accomplished my mission to use this brilliant quote.

Unfortunately electric light is not good for pics is it? But never mind, you'll get the general idea!

I used Versamark 'Umber' ink for the outline of the leaf and then clear embossed. I coloured it with a variety of distress inks (amazing on something so small- lol), used Frayed Burlap, Rusty Hinge and Barn Door! I think maybe I could have made the stem of the leaf a wee bit thicker so that it covered the end of the twig but overall am reasonably OK with the finished article!
I sponged some Vintage Photo distress ink round the edges of the card and finished with a gingham ribbon.
(Oh and the twig image was a digi download from somewhere about two years ago and I altered the colour to brown using Page Plus.)

I toyd with the idea of stamping more leaves along the bottom below the ribbon but decided to leave bare - the 'one red leaf' didn't look to me like it needed any friends!

First one for tonight!

2011-11-17T19:07:00.002Z

Oh boy am I sooooo late posting this card. I did this for last Saturday's Less is More challenge and only got a chance to take a decent pic of it today. Whenever I've had any free time, it's been after 5pm so it's dark and gloomy and my camera REFUSES to take any decent pics even with the flash.
Tried scanning but because of all the white space the scan wasn't very good either! So finally found time this afternoon to take a pic before the light went.
It was 'one layer' week this week and I always struggle with it. (Who knows this might eventually end up being more than one layer but as it is at the moment I can submit it!)

The one layer challenge was entitled 'leaves'. I had a fab quote from Samuel Coleridge but couldn't find the damn leaf stamp I needed to use (note to self - tidy up the stamp drawers....). I have promised myself that as soon as I put my hand on the elusive stamp I will make a card using the quote anyway!

Is anyone else like me? Is everybody always happy with their entries into one layer challenges? Having finally overcome my fear of stamping straight onto card I don't know why my heart drops to my boots every time it's one layer week!
So cos I couldn't find the stamp (and all the hundreds of other leaf stamps simply would NOT do - well in my mind anyway), I threw away the stamp and quote idea and ended up with an embossing folder!
This though was a 'first' for me - not the embossing folder, but I used distress ink on the folder before embossing. On the third attempt it finally looked OK enough for me!
I added a wee bit of stickles onto the berries and some sparkly red string to the top. No sentiment as yet - might add one to the front later - am still considering the options!!!
Challenges -
Christmas Card Challenge - Holly
Less is More - Leaves

PS - Have just seen that this effort looks soooo much like another LIMette entry - she used the same folder for this - and she's my namesake - so Viv, if you're looking I promise I didn't CASE your card!!!!! (great minds etc etc ...or fools seldom...????????) I actually only looked through the other submitted cards when I'd uploaded both of mine......... sorry.

Brrr...............

2011-11-16T18:38:00.000Z

Flippin 'eck, it's been cold here today!
Been out all wrapped up and am now sat in the craftie space with the heaters on high. Supposed to get a bit warmer over the next few days thank goodness.
I have a few cards done but it was too dark today when I got home to take the pics so am sharing this one which I finished over the weekend.
The little boy who it's for is, I'm told by his proud great grandparents 'a little love'! They all are aren't they when you can give them back when they become tetchy or misbehave! LOL.
The image was given to me by a fellow crafter - isn't he a happy chappie all wrapped up AND he comes with a present too!!!
He's coloured with promarkers and glittered, then layered onto red and green cardstock. A sparkly snowflake and a teeny red bow with a bauble popped on for a bit more bling!
I added some fluffy stuff round his feet - (bet they're not as cold as mine are though!)

Challenges -
Here Come The Boys - Red/White/Green
Partner in Crafting Crime - Use Something Free (and that's my free image)
Craft Your Passion - Let It Snow
Fab n Funky - Baby it's cold outside.

Whiter than White

2011-11-10T13:39:00.003Z

I made a whole batch of these yesterday - they were quick to do and I like the CAS style - this week I have gone through various styles - Lots of frills to Vintagey/Distressed back to frilly and fussy and now on to CAS!! For a further change I opted to do 7 x 5 cards instead of my usual 6 x 6!

Two cuttlebug embossing folders, white pearlised card, some ribbon to hide the join (lol), a die cut snowflake suitably blinged with lashings of glitter and a freebie sentiment with a few sparkly gems and voila!!

Last year I was so rushed making my own cards to send and I am hoping to be more organised this year - so the few made yesterday will swell my stash a wee bit.

I did them in two different colours - gold and silver and changed the sentiments on each so am keeping to my 'never make two the same' rule.

Challenges -

Creative Craft - Minimalistic

Delightful Challenges - Snowflakes

PaperCrafting Journey - Embossing

Crafting For all Seasons - Texture

Top Tip Tuesday - Anything Christmas
Southern Girls - Inspired by a Song (white Christmas)

Busy?

2011-11-10T12:58:00.000Z

I have a couple of makes to post today - spent a couple of hours yesterday clearing up leaves in the garden - looked real tidy - come out today and it doesn't look like I did any tidying up at all!!!
Anyway after the exertions with the rake I treated myself to some crafting time.
First one for today is another commisioned card for a baby born this year and am still on the 'do non traditional colours' theme!
I remembered seeing a Mo Manning image of a baby and a bauble........... when I went to Mo's new shop I couldn't find it!! So I emailed her and asked her where it was - it was still in her old shop and she put it in the new one for me - how good was that? After all that effort I hope I've done it justice for her!

I didn't want to colour the baby's clothes in 'traditional' colours as I thought it would be too 'in your face'!. I tried paper piecing which again looked too strong and bold. So I opted for the mustard yellow which I hope is not too wishy washy or 'unbabylike'.

I wanted to make the bauble sparkly so I used two different colours of GlitterMagic fine glitter. I dusted the edges of the image with distress ink to take away the stark white and them framed it onto dark gold pearlised cardstock.
I went completely overboard with the glitter and stickles on this card - I attacked the doily, the edges of the image, the edges of the sentiments and the ribbon! Nothing escaped the glitter maniac.............. not even the colour co-ordinated inside.
I finished by dabbing some random dots using a white gel pen on the background of the image and popped a couple of flat backed pearls in the bottom right corner and resisted the urge to stickle them too.......
Am hoping this baby likes sparkles!

Challenges -
C.R.A.F.T - Cute
My Mum's Craft Shop - Sugar and Spice
Scrapbook Sisters - Baby
Truly Scrumptious - Bingo (and I chose Glitter/Punch or Dies/Ribbon)
Papertake Weekly - First Christmas
Partyime Tuesday - Bling It On

2011-11-08T12:09:00.002Z

My participation in the Less is More challenges has been much depleted of late and I really wanted to try and enter some more as the ' little tasks' set DO make me think!
I was determined last Friday that whatever the challenge was (even if it was ACETATE!!!!LOL), I would take part. How Admirable!!!!!!!
By Saturday night when I got round to reading the challenge I was regretting my rash announcement that this week was definitley the one where I would find time............ I mean....... red and ORANGE????????
I am not an 'orange' person- the occasional clementine or satsuma maybe but otherwise orange is not in my colour or taste palette! (and I don't like Tango either!!)
So consequently it has taken me three days to finally come up with something that I thought was passable enough to submit. The other entries are all amazing (-aren't they always???) and these talented people bring out such feelings of inadequacy!!!!

This DL card shape is something of a change for me, but it seemed appropriate for the stamps. The stamp is from Clarity and although I bought it about 3 years ago, this is the first time it's seen any ink!! (Go on, admit it, you've all got 'virgin' stamps in the drawer!!!)
I used Spiced Marmalade and Barn Door Distress Inks and some clear embossing powder. The dark red strip has a velvety texture although this hasn't shown up very well in the pic - I think it's called 'suede paper'. I added a couple of sparkly gems, the sentiment was pc generated and the card base is linen cardstock.
Other Challenges -
Cards For Men - Christmas Card
Bows n Berries - CAS

Thanks for stopping by - have a crafty day wherever you are.

A very vintage Christmas

2011-11-07T12:21:00.001Z

I still have a few more commisioned cards to complete but I spent yesterday making a couple for my own use.

It's been a while since I got embossing powder all over the place so enjoyed myself making a bit of a mess with the powder and the distressing tool!

This card has lots of layers - gold cardstock layered onto white card, then cream flourish paper from the Echo Park 'Season's Greetings' stack. I distressed the edges of the flourish paper then embossed with gold. The music script paper was also distressed and embossed then layered onto gold card.
The Tag also got the same treatement!

I used Frayed Burlap and Antique Linen Distress Inks on the paper doily. The gold flourish was just done by gold embossing a plain white die cut.
I added some cream grossgrain ribbon and a metal snowflake brad to secure the ribbon knot and finished with the same ribbon on the tag.

It was a change for me to get back to vintagey/shabby and I really enjoyed it - so no doubt there'll be more on the way once I've finished the ordered ones!

Challenges -
Crafty Emmas - Inspired by a Song - (O Christmas Tree)
Corrosive Challenge - With a Flourish
I Did It Creations - Christmas
Our Craft Lounge - Distressed
Craft your Passion - Anything Goes plus Brown
Heart Song Inspirations - Anything Goes

Non Traditional?

2011-11-04T13:00:00.006Z

Decided this year to try and use more than the traditional colours for christmas cards, so up to now have used lilac and pale green, the traditional red/green, an aqua blue and here is the latest one - pink and brown!
I have had this brown and pink polka dot ribbon for quite a while and found it the other day whilst ferreting about in the ribbon scrap box so made the decision there and then to use it on the next Christmas card.

I coloured Mo's image with promarkers - my colouring on this wasn't the best as I tried to do it in electric light - but it's passable!(just....) - the Daylight lamp is on the christmas list as a present to myself..... I glittered her hat and parts of her coat and the dog's scarf with Stickles.
The backing paper is a glittered brown and pink spots from the First Edition 'Love Letters' stack and I layered it onto dark brown cardstock. I used the same dark brown to frame the image and then ran some tickles round the edge.
The flowers are by Wild Orchid Crafts which I added a liberal helping of glitter for some more sparkly bits and the jingly bells are from my christmas stash! I printed the words onto another piece of card from the Love Letters stack and made into a tag shape to co ordinate with the sparkly spotty tag from the mat pad.
Couple of pink pearls and a die cut sparkly snowflake finished the front and the inside has a co-ordinated colour scheme.
Lots of Challenges -
The Craft Garden - Christmas Card but no red or green
Sundays with Crissy - Christmas Card with non traditional colours
By the Cute and Girly - Christmas Girls
Crimbo Crackers - Anything Goes
Crafty Ribbons - Bingo - and I chose Flowers, Ribbon and punches/dies
Paper Crafting Journey - Use a Digi
Delightful Challenges - Sparkly Christmas
Winter Wonderland - Glitter
Crafty Cardmakers - Pink and Brown
Ribbon Girls - Jingle all the way to Christmas

White Christmas

2011-11-02T13:28:00.000Z

Quick share today - got to get on making the rest of the order!
This Christmas Roses image is from Just Inklined. I used it quite a bit last Christmas but coloured it with more vibrant colours than this one. I wanted to do a predominantly white card and didn't want colour overload!

So I used the palest promarkers I had for the actual flowers and pale greens for the leaves. I was left with no choice for the red holly berries!!!!

First I tried the image with an embossed snowflake background but the folder I have only has large snowflakes and it was not balanced - so out with the trusty swiss dots and white pearlised card instead.
(I'm sure I can use the snowflake background on something else).

I tried some lace too but ended up with the punched strips instead topped with some organza ribbon and tied a big bow.
Just popped two pearls in the bottom left to finish it off and a wee bit of bling in the flower centres and to highlight the frames.

Challenges -
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes (plus a bit of bling if you want)
Craft Your Passion - Bingo - I chose the middle row - Ribbon, Free, Pearls
The Pixie Cottage - Make a Christmas Card

Monday Blues

2011-10-31T11:08:00.000Z

Hello my friends - welcome to the start of another week!
Thankfully the internet now seems to be back to normal so maybe I can go back to coming calling on you all again this week.
Had a busy time really, couple of presentation lunches ( too much food - now on diet), and a few meetings but I still found time to do another card for the Xmas order!
I had SUCH a bad time with this one - I picked out some DP and then coloured the image to tone in. When I put the coloured image onto the paper, it looked soooo bad! The paper was really overpowering and I tried everything cos I really wanted to use the paper!

After a couple of days staring at it, adding different things and general fiddling about, I changed the paper! Which meant of course I had to find something that went with the colours I'd used on the image!

So here is the finished effort - the colour is rather 'in your face' here on the screen and I'm a little unsure it doesn't look the same in real life! The paper has shades of icy blue in varying degrees, but I quite like it and I hope it's OK.

The snowflake backing paper is by Frosted Designs and the image is of course by Mo Manning - it's called 'Pammy's Stocking' and I like it lots!

Die cut flourish added with lots of stickles, a punched snowflake border with stickles and a couple of sparkly gems and a 3D foam snowflake again dosed with stickles!

Challenges -
Corrosive Challenges - With a Flourish
Come and Get It - Anything Goes
Christmas Inspirations - Die Cuts/Punches
Pollycraft - Anything Goes
DP2 Challenge - Holiday/Celebration

2011-10-26T12:57:00.000+01:00

Our internet speed is slightly better - still not brilliant but enough for me to be able to have a quick blog trawl this morning!
It's a beautiful day here (for a change), although cold so have a quick share with you before I pop outside and do a bit of garden tidying.
There's a lady at the Club who supports my breast cancer fund raising efforts by purchasing cards for her grandchildren/great grandchildren. I make cards for their Christmas and Birthdays and I am eternally grateful for her support particularly as just lately my sales/orders have not been as good as in previous years, even though now I am pricing everything as low as I possibly can - am just covering the cost of making without adding the extra 25p or so as normal, consequently am having to try and hold back a little on the embellishments as these are expensive and push up the price -(Sign of the financial climate I fear, I can only hope that next season things improve!)

So here is another one for her Christmas order -

Papers are from K and Co, die-cut image from LOTV layered onto red and green paper, used my nesties to cut out the frame for the image and also the greeting, placing some punched out snowflakes on the circle.
Added some flat backed pearls, a red organza ribbon bow with a sparkly snowflake button and then edged the card, snowflakes and highlighted parts of the image with 'Star Dust' Stickles.
The inside is decorated to match.

Am entering into a couple of Challenges -
Christmas Inspirations - Die Cuts/Punches
CSAYL - Sparkly
Creative Belli - 1234 - and I used - 1 image, 2 layers,3 snowflakes and 4 pearls.

Day 12

2011-10-21T11:39:00.000+01:00

So here we are on day 12 of 'no broadband'.

I have so missed visiting everyone's blogs but am afraid it just takes too long to load up your pics and more often than not the error message comes up saying 'web page has expired'. It is so damn maddening - after more arguments with the ISP who will NOT understand that there is nothing wrong here (OH even changed the phone cable just to make doubly sure), and accept that the problem lies with them. The last time this happened it was a fault at the exchange but trying to get them to go out to the Exchange is a monumental task. We're both thoroughly fed up. I am trying to get round to visit you all but it is such a slow process.

So with the week's frustrations now vented (!), here is something to share.

It's been a long time since I treated myself to a stamp but I simply HAD to have this one from Nellie Snellen. Isn't she lovely?! I stamped her up with Versamark Onyx Black and coloured her with promarkers.

I am quite pleased with my colouring but would still appreciate any tips on becoming better! I have been given a new ultra fine promarker nib and found it dead useful, so will probably invest in some more.

I used some 'fluffy stuff' on her hat and on the tree branch - again this was a first for me and I like the effect - cant' believe it has taken me so long to buy some of it!

The star backing paper is very very old (about 5 years I think - lol), and I used some broad purple organza ribbon before layering the image onto a purple die cut frame.

The snowflakes are from a die 'borrowed' from Maureen (!) and I popped some purple pearls in the centre before going a wee bit mad with the 'Diamond' Stickles!

The ticket sentiment was PC generated using 'snowcaps' font and I have continued the colour scheme inside the card. I finished with a couple of suitably glittered purple paper roses.

As I have been 'challenge bereft' for over a week, I have spent an hour this morning and found these -

My Time to Craft - Punches and Dies

My Mum's Craft Shop - Food and Drink

I Love Promarkers - Cute

Crafty Creations - Christmas Birthdays

Crafting When We Can - Christmas Come Early

Promarkers Challenge - Stars

Where is my broadband?????

2011-10-14T19:00:00.000+01:00

Aggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!! Day 5 of the worst internet connection speed ever. Have just done another test - upload speed of 0.05mbps and download of 0.24mbps. It's so maddening!!!! ISP don't seem to know (or care) what the problem is - last phone call went on for 23 minutes (and of course at OUR expense).
So just a quick share cos I really can't be bothered waiting while it tries to upload!

The colour of this card rather reflects my mood..... BLUE!!!!! LOL

Have no idea why the bit of bling ('Waterfall' colour Stickles) on the frilly sleeves and on the band of the hat is showing green - in real life it's blue too!

Challenges -

C.R.A.F.T - Recipe (1 Ribbon and 2 shapes (my triangle DP is one and choose between the flourish or the image for the other!) and glitter

Charisma Cardz - In Stitches

Papertake Weekly - 3 different shapes

Wish I was (still) THERE!!!!!

2011-10-12T13:14:00.002+01:00

If your weather is as grey, wet and horrible as it is here (and has been I might add since I stepped off the plane), have a look at this amazing Cyprus sunset, taken on the night before we flew home.Fabulous isn't it - and the best thing was the days were as good!!!! As with all holidays though they end far too soon and once you've been back a couple of days they just become a distant memory!

My sun tan is going the same way - LOL.

So on to other things - as mentioned the weather here has been appalling! It has finally stopped raining in the last hour but it's grey skies and heating on!
To add to my 'return home' depression, our internet decided to go on holiday too. Although we have some download speed it's worth than 'dial up' so viewing, uploading and commenting is nigh on impossible! ISP says 'it MAY improve in the next five days.....' - so much for me trying to control my high blood pressure.....
I have spent rather a long time doing this post but I really wanted to upload SOMETHING!!!! (And I had a little snooze whilst waiting for the links to work)

Here's a make to share - I had stamped this 'Cinderella' image from Kraftin Kimmie before I went away and have finished the card in the last couple of days (in between restraining myself from putting my fist through the computer......)

Image was paper pieced using Versamark Onyx Black onto lilac and white polka dot paper. Rest was coloured with promarkers and some perfect pearls dabbed on the 'jewellery' for a bit of bling! The clock was made using an embossing folder and cut out as were the clock hands. I ran some black chalk across the clock face and did the same with the hands which I attached using a black eyelet. I popped a bit of glossy accents onto the hands and matted the whole clock onto a scalloped pearlised black die cut. The background papers are 'Paris Nights'. Some lilac ribbon, a couple of purple pins, card candy(coloured with a promarker and some Diamond Stckles) finished the front and continued the colour scheme through to the inside.

Challenges -
Anything Goes - Diecuts/Punches
Kraftin Kimmie - Sparkle and Shine
Crafty Cardmakers - Anything Goes
Cutie Pie - Recipe- Gliiter/Lilac/Ribbon
Pixie Cottage - Dark and Spooky (and I think the idea of Cinders carriage turing into a pumpkin is VERY spooky!)

Thanks for visiting - I promise to try and get round some blogs and have a look at what you've all been up to - if I can stay awake long enough whilst they upload!!

DIY

2011-09-20T20:19:00.001+01:00

Not had any chance to blog or even comment on all the lovely blogs I follow recently for various reasons which I won't bore you with - suffice to say my blood pressure is sky high and the holiday I am about to go on cannot come soon enough (and not surprisingly, it's just what the doctor ordered!!! LOL) - so the bags are packed, the passports are at the ready and now all I'm doing is waiting for 3am to load the car and get to the airport!

In the meantime thought I should pop something on so none of you forget me.....LOL

I spotted this image from Just Inklined when going through my 'wedding phase' and seaching for different stamps - you've already seen the Ball and Chain and this one made me smile too - not least cos I'm always telling DH when he's doing stuff around the house that I have no need for somewhere to park my bike...rofl!!!!
I coloured 'Builders Bum' with a variety of the softer colour promarkers like Satin, Ivory etc and just added the splash of blue for the jeans and used green for the toolbox to match the backing papers.
The grey spanner was a button from a 'builders button' set I bought eons ago and it only took me an hour to find which drawer it was in - took me longer to find the damn spanner than it did to make the card!
This was a quick man's card for my depleted 'Man' stash. I spent a few hours this week when time permitted making lots of basic mens cards for the Birthdays we celebrate at the Club every Monday night - we only give one card to the Birthday Boy/Girl from all of us but it;'s amazing how quick the pile goes down.
I am submittinging this into a couple of challenges - if by some miracle I win (well we can all hope can't we?????) - can someone tell the challenge blog I'm on holiday please??????
Challenges -
Craft Your Passion - Occupational Hazards
Crazy Challenge - Men Only
Here Come the Boys - Bingo Recipe - 2 squares (well there's loads on the backing paper!), Charm or Button (my spanner) and Die Cuts (I used a nestie to cut out the image).

See you in a couple of weeks!

I wish....

2011-09-13T11:14:00.001+01:00

.....someone was sending me one of these!!!! (A 'new home' card that is not a birdie in a cage!)

Once again it's almost mid week before I am managing to post my Less is More card.

This week the challenge was 'Seeing Double' and it had to be a one layer card.

I really liked these bird cages from My Grafico and the sentiment (from TLC) I think is a perfect one for wishing someone well in their new home.

The teeny birdie is a Papermania stamp stamped in Onyx Black Versafine ink and I edged round the card with a pink gel pen then a black liner to 'frame' the image.

I was undecided about the pink pearls but threw caution to the wind (LOL) and glued them on.. of course once they're stuck that's it, you can't change your mind!

Overall, don't think it looks too bad in real life - but I'm sorry about the pic.....!

Goes together like a horse and carriage?????

2011-09-09T18:29:00.002+01:00

This stamp from Just Inklined made me smile....and inspired by a Jak Heath design I have CASed it and made it into a card as soon as I could!
What a fab shoe as well dontcha think? Not that I could walk in anything with a heel as high as that now (am resigned to 'flatties' unfortunately!) but it's nice to remember when I COULD wear them!

I opted for a fairly simple layout with clean lines to show the image off to it's best and although very little colouring was required I did use several shades of grey promarkers on the ball and chain (LOL) and used Ivory and Blossom promarkers on the shoe. After colouring I used a liberal amount of Cotton Candy Stickles on the ribbon and glued a little pink pearl in the centre of the knot.

The embossing folder is by Indentz and my pink backing paper by K and Co.
This was another attempt at using an image 'outside the die' - think it's best to stick to simple ones until I perfect it! But am pleased with this one - not messy at all (not like the last one!).
I used a scalloped die to edge the oval one and a Martha Stewart punch for the bottom border.

I finished it all off with some pink and white spotty organza ribbon and of course a lock and key for our stilletto wearing woman to make sure her catch doesn't escape!

Challenges -
Stampin for the Weekend - Tickled Pink
Lil Red Wagon - Diecuts
I Love Promarkers - Metal Embellishment or Charm
Charizma Cardz - Inspired by a Song
and
Saturday Challenge - Inspired by a Song
(Love and Marriage, Love and Marriage, Goes together like a Horse and Carriage etc etc!)

Multi purpose card and a Moan!

2011-09-07T12:05:00.000+01:00

I wasn't surprised to see it's been a week since my last post - have been struggling to find my mojo and to pick myself up from yet another disappointment after a further viewing of our home resulted in the same feedback from the estate agents - 'the bedrooms are too small'. Our home is a 3 bedroom cottage with 3 reception rooms built circa 1820 with a complete self contained annexe (which Mum used to live in)and the estate agent provides a glossy brochure complete with floor plan and room measurements.......... so why when the measurements are there do people waste my time (and theirs) by coming to look anyway? How big does a bedroom have to be - if you can get a bed, wardrobes etc in it what else do you need???? I have lived here quite contentedly for almost 25 years and now there's just the two of us we need to get something with not as many rooms and a smaller outdoor space. It makes me mad then depressed when I keep having people traipsing through my private space when they obviously are just 'carpet treaders'. Read the damn brochure and look at the floor measurements you idiots!
RANT OVER...................

So I made a couple of cards this week, neither I think are very inspiring - they're both destined for the 'Pink Box' and I hope someone thinks they're OK!
One of them fits the challenge this week at Less is More which is to include metal somewhere on your card.

I don't know whether the gold mesh I used in the aperture of the die qualifies but I also used a pair of metal champagne flutes secured with a white ribbon just in case!
I layered the die cut from white pearlised card over some gold card.
I forget the last time I used a dreaded (cannot bear to say it really) - peel off - but as I can't print in gold then needs must!
I opted for the word 'Celebrate' instead of congrats etc as I thought this card could be used for a special birthday or occasion as well as wedding or anniversary.
Less Is More - Metal
Ooh La La - Anniversary
The Paper Shelter - Embossing

2011-08-31T13:54:00.001+01:00

I am late again this week with my Less Is More attempt. I don't know where all the time is going - does the clock go faster as you get older? Or is it just because what took you ten minutes to do twenty years ago now takes you an hour????

So back to the card - this week we were allowed to 'Take 3' - that is choose three previously posted challenges and make something.... There was not a cat in hell's chance that I would choose acetate!
So I chose

Masculine - week 7
Embossing - week 15
Something with Legs - Week 23 (!!!!!!!!!!!)

I was tempted to also add week 29 - 'Things that Move' - but looking at him prostrate on the bed there doesn't seem to be a lot of movement does there.... !!!!

I dedicate this card to all those long suffering women who put up with interrupted sleep patterns due to their partners snoring!

Challenges -
Less Is More - Take 3
Tuesday Throwdown - Punny Sentiment

Wedding

2011-08-30T17:05:00.002+01:00

How the days (cold and wet ones) have flown by this week! Have made a couple of cards and one of them I didn't photograph before I gave it to the person who ordered it so can't share it!

This one is another order and I remembered to charge the camera and attempt to take a pic before I pop it into it's box ready to go.

I used some very pale lilac pearlised card for the background then embossed and layered two further pieces of white pearlised card.

The cute LOTV image was suitably dusted with lots of white and pinky Stickles for a bit of sparkle and bling, then mounted onto a frame cut out with one of my newer nestie sets, in the same white pearlised card and stuck onto the card using 3d pads. The sentiment was PC generated and mounted onto one of the smaller nestie frames.

Some white hand made roses, a couple of pearls, organza bow finished with silver heart charm completed the front of the card.

The base of the easel was decorated in the same embossed card and I added a couple more pearls and a pearly heart.
As always with these deeply embellished easel cards I have made a co-ordinating box to protect it.
Sorry the photos are dark - once again it's like a November day here - cloud, cold and occasional rain!
Challenges -
Paper Creators - Easel Card
Kaboodle - Easel Card
Heart Song Inspirations - Anything Goes
Ellephantastic - Layers
Deep Ocean Challenge - Hearts

Watch the Birdie! (Inspired by a Blogger!)

2011-08-19T12:03:00.003+01:00

I spend hours trawling through other peoples blogs looking at their creations, particularly when I am completely devoid of inspiration. This card is a product of one of those happy hours some time back - I saw something similar and decided to give it a try.
Unhappily, I didn't save the link to the blog so I cannot share - so if it was you that inspired me then I thank you. (And your creation was stunningly beautiful and much better than mine!).

I very rarely use distress ink for stamping but thought it was worth a go - and the card I saw had been made using Tim Holtz Artful Flight stamps (which I don't have!)

So the second card from me today is one I made with a birdcage stamp borrowed from my personal craft hire shop otherwise known as Maureen !!!!!!!!!!!
I stamped in Victorian Velvet Distress Ink and then sponged the edges with Spun Sugar before cutting out with a nestie.

The birdie is also stamped with Victorian Velvet (he's an Elusive Images stamp) and I gave him a tiny pearl eye!

The background paper is from the V and A Hanoverian collection and I love the linen texture - they also distress beautifully! I stitched onto pink cardstock and also used some paper from the Madeleine collection by K and Co again distressed and stitched and then used a 'textile' embossing folder on some pink cardstock and swiped the distress ink over the embossing.

Two shades of pink organza ribbon made into a double bow, pearls, roses, hatpins and a PC generated sentiment printed out in an exact a colour match as possible cut out with a nestie finished the front of the card.

The base was done using the same papers and I made a decorated box with the papers and some of the ribbon for the card to sit in.

Challenges -

Glitterfairies - Pink
Shopping Our Stash - Weakest Link (and mine is definitley papers- buy them, can't bear to use them, look at them and stroke 'em!!)

Incy Wincy - 3 embellishments, 2 papers, 1 image

Dream Valley - Distressing

Pollycraft - Distressing

Pink Elephant - Stitching

Cupcake Craftroom - Soft and Sweet
Papertake Weekly - Pearls and Ribbon

Shire

2011-08-19T11:00:00.002+01:00

I received a request to make a card for a 12 year old girl who's absoluely mad about horses so I used this lovely image called 'Shire' by Mo Manning. Isn't it just lovely?! She's gone to the field, apple in pocket to feed her best friend and have a big hug!
After commiting the cardinal sin of colouring then trying to match up with papers, I discarded the first effort - after wasting several hours with all my papers out of the drawers and boxes!

I opted instead for these papers by Nitwit - so now I had a better idea of toning colours I re did the stamp. Icoloured it with promarkers and used some pastel chalks for the sky. I thought the bottom of the image was glaringly white so after using the promarkers to outline the edge of the grass I also blended in a bit of pastel chalk there too. Although it hasn't shown up very well in the photo (lots of cloud here today), I am really pleased with the effect 'in real life'!

The papers were matted onto brown cared and stitched. The cream cotton lace is lovely and I suppose I perhaps should have left a bit more on view! The sentiment was PC generated.
A promarker coloured flourish, some organza ribbon, some glittered flowers and a couple of bronze pearls to finish. I also found a small galloping horse charm in my stash so I added that under the ribbon!
Challenges -
Wags n Whiskers - Outdoor Fun
CCEE Stampers - Kiss
PaperPlay - 3 Different embellies (pearls, flowers, ribbon), 2 patterned papers and one piece of lace
Sassy Studios - More than 1 die cut (flourish and the lacy edged frame)
I love Promarkers - Easel Card
Celebrate the Occasion - Birthday

Let them Eat Cake!

2011-08-15T12:28:00.001+01:00

Well - I wouldn't advise eating THIS cake on the card cos it wouldn't taste very nice!

Got a phone call YESTERDAY and was asked to make a golden wedding card - "one of them stand up ones" (LOL) - and "you know - a NICE one" - Aren't ALL my cards nice???????????? LOL

Anyway, being the fool that I am, I said yes - then the bombshell - "I need it for Friday and can collect it tomorrow night from the Club" ...............
Where is the card fairy?????? Whose house is the card fairy in waving her wand and whipping up cards in double quick time? She ain't in my house but I had to don the tutu and tiara and wave me own magic wand (commonly known as the cuttlebug) and get cracking!!

To be honest, gold is another colour I'm not too keen on - (mind you wouldn't object if someone wanted to send me the REAL stuff ) - and I always steer away from using too much of the colour preferring to just use it to accent a card rather than make a card in the whole gold/yellow colour.

So here it is - Lots of white embossing (Textile, Budding Vine folders), layered onto gold card and look - I baked a Cake!!!!! Years ago when I first started card making I tended to buy ready made embellishments and just stuck them on as 'toppers' - after a while I began to buy the embellishments then take them to pieces to use them as templates! This is one of those templates - it's cut from card and then decorated in whatever way you want - wedding, birthday,anniversary! I used some 'absolutely ancient had in my stash for years' gold and pearl sticky backed ribbon and some seed beads, then stuck on some white paper roses. The two larger gold roses I found in a drawer - I think I cut them off something- finished it off with a bit of gold string and couple of pearl hatpins (didn't have any gold ones). I rubbed a wee bit of 'Stickles' across the two flourishes and cut out two hearts and layered them onto the gold card.

The sentiment was PC generated and after several attempts at printing out in varying shades of mucky yellow to bright orange I used grey! I made a gold card box and decorated the top using up some of the scrap from the embossing edged with a MS punch.

Challenges -

Little Claires - Wedding Anniversary

Crazy 4 Challenges - Monochromatic

Crafty Catz - Embossing

DYSU - Emboss It

Anything Goes - Celebration

Bad Day!!!

2011-08-14T11:47:00.000+01:00

Looking through the stash I also noticed there were no anniversary cards - some fund raiser I am! Hardly any men cards and no anniversary ones!

So I made a couple quick and quite basic ones yesterday.

I was really pleased with the first one - thought it was clean and simple and kinda cute. I used my favoutite swiss dots embossing folder and just matted and layered onto black card, then added a scalloped border and some red/white polka dot ribbon which matched perfectly with the little red birdie.

The birdies are from Summer Driggs, printed out twice and used 3d pads after cutting out to give them some dimension then put the cut out ones on top of the original printed ones. Matted and layered onto red and black card and put on the front of the card.

Admiring my handiwork I then came up with what I thought was a 'good' idea.Make them shiny! So out with the glossy accents and a couple of sparkly gems for the birdies eyes. Great....................... until I saw how the glossy accents had dried................... my black and white spotty birdie is now navy blue and grey and my red and white one is now dark red and pink............... I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO not impressed!
Note to self - next time the light bulb goes on and presents you with an idea, try it out on scrap first - or - turn the switch off!
OH says it looks fine and it's only because I know what the original one looked like - he thinks I'm a terrible critic of my own work, so it will go in the stash and I will do another - this time without the glossy accents!
So into the following challenges it goes -
Crafty Ann's - Fancy Borders
Just Some Lines - Embossing
Challenge Up Your Life - No patterned Papers

The second one is lacking something but have no idea what - think I'm in such a tizz about the first am not thinking straight - so - I shall share it with you now then put it to one side and try and finish it later!

I used the scrap embossed paper from the first card and some K and Co paper. Digi stamp coloured with 'pear green' promarker (how novel! LOL) and once again some glossy accents - some polka dot ribbon and ???? No idea!

Hope I can come up with something later to tie it all together!

Inks

2011-08-13T17:21:00.001+01:00

Less is More challenged us to use Inks this week. They also asked if possible not to use the computer. Although I have a lot of stamps and technically should have used one of them to make my card I hope I will be forgiven the use of this gorgeous digi stamp.There's also not a lot of white space - so this week no doubt the Head Girls will make me go onto the naughty step! I am in two minds about submitting it really but wanted to post it so will take my punishment and hope I am not excommunicated!
In my defence it IS one layer!!!!! If I get more time I'll probably do another with an actual stamp!

Whatever happens punishment wise, this card is destined for the 'Pink Stash' as I'm always getting asked for 'men' cards and I never have a lot 'cos I don't like doing them - so think this might be suitable?

The image is called Summer Fence from Stitchy Bear Stamps. It reminds me of the fields opposite and behind where I live - and as we're in the flight path between two fields, the pheasant (and it's family) regularly come and visit!! Thankfully the rabbits seem to stay across the road so the flowers etc are safe!
I printed onto linen textured card then used torn up post it notes to mask. I used Shabby Shutters, Bundled Sage, Mustard Seed, Dried Marigold and Wild Honey distress inks, all applied with shaving brushes.
The sentiment is a stamp (stamped with Versamark) but have absolutely no idea which set it came from!
Challenges
The Paper Variety - green, orange and yellow
Less is More - Inks

2011-08-13T11:24:00.003+01:00

This creation did not start off it's life as a Christmas card - and who knows it may yet not end up as one either! LOL

The image is called 'Winter's Gift' so maybe it will also be acceptable as a card for another occasion during the winter months - hence once again I have not put any sentiment on it! (Although I've left a space at the top left should it be needed!)

Have also tried the 'outside the diecut' technique - with limited success as my cutting out is not always the neatest!

I tried to keep the design as simple as possible, opting for pale K and Co paper for the background and layered everything onto blue cardstock. The vintage lace is the last of this colour in my stash and wasn't quite enough to go across the length of the card so I had to improvise with the addition of the MS border down the left side and cut the blue lace top fit either side!

I coloured her with promarkers and added some glitter for her wings and stickles dotted around her head and finished with a big blue organza bow, some cherry blossoms which were a challenge prize from Crafty Emmas Store and a couple of pearl pins and flat backed pearls.
The inside is co ordinated with the same backing papers and a round blank scalloped circle for the greeting.
Challenges -
MAWTT - Fantasy
Wags N Whiskers - Sparkly
Truly Scrumptious - Lace it Up
Pretty Little Ribbon - Use pretty ribbon
Delightful Challenges - Things with Wings
Little Miss Muffett - Outside the Diecut
Saturday Challenge - Christmas is Coming
Stamp Insanity - Lace and Pearls
Flutterby Wednesday - Open theme (butterfly,fairy or angel)

Any Excuse!

2011-08-10T18:51:00.002+01:00

So today here has been windy, wet and COLD! So cold that we succumbed earlier and whilst we ate our tea put on the heating in the house!

The office even though it's outside is one hundred per cent warmer than the house (my excuse for staying out here for 10 hours a day! LOL)

Have done a couple of makes today, this one I started yesterday and am still undecided as to whether it is finished or not. I was thinking about a couple of flowers, then I thought about a shoe charm and then I thought I wouldn't add anything else! I shall place it in the stash and think about it!

Another of Mo's newer images, this one's called 'Big Shoes' -(hands up all those who insisted on teetering about in their Mum's high heels risking ankle injuries) - and I coloured her with promarkers. I loved the little heart on her bum!

The papers are called Bohemian Summer by Michelle Coleman and they're just scrummy! Sentiment by TLC seemed to just fit! Once again I have decorated the inside of the card to co ordinate with the outside using the same papers.

Challenges -

Creative Card Crew - Best Foot Forward

Cupcake Craft - Sew Mad

Plethora of Pink!

2011-08-09T16:00:00.000+01:00

I have had a rush on 40th Birthday cards recently - there must have been something in the water in 1971!!

A lady wanted another like the Forty and Fabulous one but done in pink - I have a thing about making two cards the same - so - here is what I've come up with and I hope it's OK for her! And PINK enough!

The image is from Bugaboo coloured with promarkers and some stickles used on the hat, ankle bracelet and the earrings for a bit of bling! I edged the main image with a teeny bit of glitter for some sparkle.I colured a couple of flourishes (thanks Maureen) with a promarker to co-ordinate the colours and isn't it always the way that out of a TON of ribbon, I didn't have one that was the right shade? So out again with the trusty promarker.

I have had the 'cocktail glass' metal charm for eons and I was sitting staring at the bottom left of the card thinking it was missing something when this little light bulb appeared over my head and illuminated the charm! I actually think it looks fine - I hope!!!
Pearls, flowers etc all from my stash.
Oh, and |I made and decorated a box for it to go in!

Challenges -
Catch the Bug - Anything Goes
Passion for Promarkers - Divas with Glam and Glitter
Bunny Zoes - Easel Card
KB - Anything goes with a Digi
Charizma Cards - Flowers, Pearls, Glitter

Patriotism

2011-08-07T14:30:00.000+01:00

"Use the colours of your flag" - simples........................... except the colours of the Union Jack are also the colours (amongst others) of France! Hence the french influence here (although I bet there are not many French Chefs who would be seen waving a good old British Banger about on a fork! -LOL)

I love this little chef though - he's rotund and happy (and I have forgiven him for reminding me of that detestable man on the annoying Insurance advert......!!)

So here is my entry for this week's Less is More challenge of Your Flag Colours.

I used the Houndstooth Check embossing folder for the background and coloured the Cook (!!) with promarkers, matted and layered onto flag coloured card and added three bits of Card Candy.

The ribbon has been lying in my stash crying for lack of misuse - if I was in the USA I'd have well used it up by now - but us Brits seem to have a bit of a thing about showing Patriotism which I think is quite sad. Wherever we come from we should be proud of it!

Time for Tea

2011-08-04T11:57:00.002+01:00

This card evokes many memories of my Mum.

For one, she would not drink tea out of anything other than a china cup and saucer (a trait I confess to have inherited - I will accept a mug but it must be bone china!) Secondly she did not like tea made in the cup either! Teapots were the thing! Thirdly she adored roses - particularly pink ones. And lastly, whenever anything went wrong in life her solution was to 'sit down and I'll make you a nice cup of tea' - tea was a magic wand it seemed - 'cos after you drank it hey presto, your troubles did not seem as bad as you thought!

The teacup and napkin is a free image from the talented Ann Fenton which I coloured lightly with distress inks and promarkers after printing on linen paper. The rosebud backing paper is and the fabric roses, lace, pearls and organza ribbon are from my stash. I added a teapot charm to the ribbon.

I was quite sad putting this together and the sentiment stamped directly onto the doily is so true - I think of her every single day.................... and I think I now need to go and pop the kettle on, warm the teapot and get out the china cup and saucer.

Challenges -

Digital Tuesday - Doilies

Cupcake Craftroom - Soft and Sweet

The Ribbon Reel - Challenge 7 - Photo Inspiration
Sentimental Sundays - In the Garden

'Pear'fectly simple!

2011-08-03T17:32:00.002+01:00

It's been such a long time since I've made a plain card. My games and travelling along with my ordered cards have kept me busy and the ladies at the Club rather seem to like 'More, More and More' on cards rather than less!

But I DID promise myself that if I could spare a short while I would try and make plainer cards as well as continuing with the easel frilly and fancy efforts - this week the challenge at Less is More was 'Feeling Fruity' and in case they were considering excommunicating me from the Limettes owing to my prolonged absence I thought maybe I should try to submit something this week!

This digital stamp was one of the very first I downloaded. It was offered as a freebie and thus began my attachment to digital stamps as well as good old red and grey rubber ones!

The stamp had the word 'Forever' underneath the pear. I chose to alter it, using a free sentiment from TLC which I liked better!

I printed the image out twice and coloured the pear with 'Pear Green' and 'Lime Zest' promarkers. I cut out one of the pears and attached it using 3d foam pads to give it some dimension. I then gave it a liberal coating of glossy accents! And as the challenge at Ambers Crafts this week is Sparkly/Shiny I've submitted glossy pear into the challenge pot!

Matted and layered onto white and green card and I used the shaving brush to put some 'Shabby Shutter' distress ink round the edges of the large white card to soften the edges of the white background.

This card is destined for the pink stash - I think - or maybe I shall just give it to the most important thing in my life - my other half who sits in the office with me and smiles indulgently when I'm throwing glitter and glue around the place and littering the floor with off cuts of paper!

Baby

2011-07-30T11:37:00.001+01:00

Here is another easel card ordered by a lady for her newest great grand-daughter. I bought this LOTV stamp some time ago and have been waiting for someone to ask me for a card for a reason to use it!
I love the 'comfort blanket'!
So - papers are from Craftwork cards (argyle, gingham and dots) all in varying shades of pink, layered onto DCWV pink cardstock. The image cut out with nesties and layered onto pink. I coloured the image with promarkers and added a liberal helping of stickles on the blanket.
The safety pin was in a collection of baby buttons gathering dust in my stash - it seemed perfect to use to hang the name and birthdate from!
Some pearls, a paper flower secured with a pearl brad and some gingham ribbon finished the front. I hung a tiny gold rattle from the ribbon.

On the base I used the same papers and found a tiny gingham fabric heart which luckily for me co-ordinated really well!

I made a box to match using a small pink pram button from the same stash as the pin. .

Happily, the lady who ordered it was delighted with it!

Challenges -

MAWTT - Brand Spanking New

Little Darlings - Girly

Pixie Dust studio - Monochromatic

Secret Crafter - Monchromatic

Hooked on Craft - Cute and Cuddly (And don't you think new babies are??????LOL)

Phindy's Place - Die Cuts

I Love Promarkers - Anything Goes

Allsorts - Free and easy

Happiness......

2011-07-26T12:06:00.001+01:00

is definitely a hug! Maybe the sunshine here has something to do with it but my spirits have picked up a little today - this is the fourth day in a row we have had nice weather!

I started this card over the weekend in between winning a County Final on Saturday, then losing another (by just ONE shot) on Sunday! Irrespective of the scores both days I enjoyed both events thoroughly - and it has been such a long time since I have been even the tiniest bit enthusiastic about bowling - hopefully my enthusiasm will remain during the National Championships!

Back to the card - I could not help but fall hopelessly in love with this scrummy winged thing! She is such a cute toadstool hugger and it even prompted me to get out the sewing machine. I distressed the edges of the image, then dusted with some distress ink (this doesn't show up very well in the pic!). I stitched her onto DCWV cardstock then layered onto papers from My Mind's Eye ('Mabel' papers).

'Toadie Cuddler' (LOL) was coloured with promarkers and a tiny bit of white highlighter and I gave her wings a quick dusting of glitter.
The sentiment was PC generated and attached to the flourish(again coloured with promarkers) with an orange peg. The flowers and ribbon were from my stash and the gold pin was a present from Maureen. I decorated the inside using the same paper and cut out a central piece with my nesties to give the sender a place to write a greeting.
Challenges -
Digital Tuesday - Garden with Things with Wings
Creative Craft World - Anything But Birthdays
Crafty Catz - No Pink or Blue
Daisy Doodles - Anything Goes
Everybody Art - Garden

Anniversary

2011-07-21T13:38:00.002+01:00

Have you ever started something and then been sorry????? I had sooooo much trouble with this card and I have no earthly explanation as to why!
I had what I wanted to do in my head but when it came to actually doing it, the first two attempts ended up in the bin - I could not get it the way I wanted it no matter what I did. I finally settled on this and I hope the lady who has ordered it this ruby wedding easel card will be happy with it.

Even though I love Liverpool FC, I find red a real difficult colour to work with! I think it can be overpowering if you use too much and I hope I've managed to get the balance right here.

I opted for lots of textured card, made using my two favourite 'Budding Vine' and 'Swiss Dots' embossing folders. The backgound card is also textured with 'bubbles' -(bought in a pack, not embossed by me!).

The main sentiment focus was a freebie some time ago and I have used it before. I covered it with some very fine glitter and then added a metallic heart. Cut out with nesties, some flowers (both fabric and paper), a butterfly and a few pearls and it was finished.

Challenges -
Hooked On Craft - Love
Flutterby Wednesday- Anything Goes
Craft Us Crazy - Anything Goes
Kaboodle Doodles - Embossing
House that Stamps Built - Repeat Impressions DCC720 Designer’s Choice Challenge- Glitter

2011-07-18T11:29:00.002+01:00

The weather here once again is DREADFUL! I am fed up with the rain. (Even though it means I can make messy with paper, it would be nice to see some SUN!)
I made this card yesterday (when I should have been dusting... lol - a friend of mine said - 'After 4 years the dust doesn't get any thicker'- don't suppose I'll get away with finding out if her saying is correct!!!!)

I used papers from Pink Petticoat. The background is the 'rose stencil' paper. The pale pink polka dot paper layered and punched hasn't shown up very well in this dreadful light - (honestly, it's so dark, you'd think it was November!) so I apologise for the poor quality of the pic.

I coloured the LOTV image with Distress Inks and Promarkers, adding a liberal bit of Stickles onto the feather boa for some bling! I may add a tiny sparkly gem to the flower centre yet....
Lace and pearls from my stash, flowers a present from my friend, and the sentiment from TLC which I put onto a PC generated ticket shape and then dusted with Distress Ink to co-ordinate with the colours used.
The inside of the card has been decorated to co-ordinate with the front.
Challenges -
LOTV - #105 - Pink and Blue
Totally Papercrafts - Girly Girls
Phindy's Place - Pretty Pastels
Emerald Faerie - All things nice (Girly)
ABC Challenge - Y is for Yesterday (Choose a letter from a previous challenge and I chose R for Roses from April 2011)
Southern Girls - Birthday
Sparkles Forum - Elegance and Lace

Relax!

2011-07-16T21:50:00.000+01:00

What a day weather wise here! We've had torrential rain this morning with some really strong winds, then mid way through the afternoon the sun came out and bathed us in gloriously warm sunshine! Unbelievable!

I took the opportunity today to catch up with some paperwork and once again neglected the housework, although I did manage some ironing.....

I didn't make this card today either - it's one I made earlier!!! LOL

A quick make with one of LOTV's cutey images - don't you love his socks?????!

Anyway he's enjoying a relax with his 'Happy Times' paper, snuggled up in a comfy armchair (and if his weather was like ours this morning, who can blame him!) The sentiment is by TLC.
Challenges -
PaperCrafting Journey - For Him
Crafty Creations - Boyz to Men
Crafts 4 Eternity - 3-2-1 Recipe Challenge - (and I used 3 Card Candy buttions, 2 DP papers and one fancy punch)

Summer finally???

2011-07-13T21:30:00.001+01:00

Well this is the third day we have had some nice weather! Do you think our Summer has finally arrived?
Forecast says not - nice tomorrow again but then rain, rain and more rain!!! So here is a Summer card - made for Maureen for her birthday and as her birthday has come and gone (and don't tell anyone but it was a 'special' birthday - LOL) I can now safely share it with you. (Please note I resisted any references to AGE on the card.....I thought putting a pensioners book on the front might be a bit naughty.... after all she wanted her age to be kept a secret......rofl)

Oh how brave am I??? She's floating on the seas somewhere so she won't see this.....I hope....

Anyway back to the card -

This is one of my fave digis and as I was feeling adventurous I coloured it with Chalks and Distress Inks....... not usual for me to use chalks but I quite enjoyed it. The Topiary tree has a serene quality I think and I wanted to reflect that with the colouring, hence the use of chalks.

A wee bit of stickles on the butterfly wings for some sparkly accents and a couple of pearls and some flowers from my stash added to papers from a variety of paper pads plus a small butterfly charm! Suitably distressed around the edges and as it was for the 'sewing queen Maureen', I stitched it together!
Challenges -
Crazy 4 Challenges - Summer Themed
Crafty Catz - Vintage Look
Dream Valley - Summer Themed
One Stop Craft - Summer Time
Paper Playtime - Summer
Stamp Something - Bugs or Butterflies

Two down .....

2011-07-11T16:31:00.001+01:00

Here's the second of my three orders for 'special' birthday cards!

This time it's for a 60th Birthday early next month. The lady whose birthday has a fabulously flamboyant and dramatic dress sense so I thought this image of a 'Diva' from Mo Manning might fit!

Don't you love her!

I decided to use a bold colour for this card - the papers are from Summer Driggs (Tiffany Collection) and I really like the aqua blue green colour.

Diva was coloured with promarkers and a liberal helping of Stickles used for her gloves.

I outlined both image and sentiment with the same Stickles, added a large white satin bow and finally opened the pearl and rhinestone flourish packs that I bought some time ago and have been hoarding!
I also used some tiny pearls for Diva's necklace and earrings and a couple of sparkly gems on the flourishes on the base of the card. Bags of Bling!
The sentiment inside reads -

'have a historic 60th Birthday' (and no doubt she will!!! LOL)

Challenges -

Fairy Fun Fridays - Pearls and Swirls

Fab Friday - Recipe - Ribbon and pearls/rhinestones
Wags N Whiskers - Birthdays
Cupcake Craft - Choose from 150 challenges - and I chose Challenge #47 - Pearls and Swirls

Aud Sentiments - Use at least two words
Gingerloft Challenge - Make it Sparkle

Life begins....??????????

2011-07-07T14:13:00.000+01:00

This freebie image from Broken Box Stock made me smile and I hoped it wouldn't be too long before I got round to using it.

When I got an order for a 40th Birthday card I thought it would fit perfectly. The image comes with a sentiment that say's TGIF (Thank God I'm Fabulous!) but I opted to make my own sentiment to fit in with the age.

Easel cards seem very popular with the ladies at the bowls club and I confess to enjoying making them!

Once again I used a flower made by Maureen and the purple pearly topped hat pin was a present from Maureen too (I think she's been having another clear out!!!LOL).

The starry paper and the striped paper were both matted onto purple DCWV cardstock and stitched together. I coloured the image with promarkers and added some liquid pearls for the bracelets. The flourishes were coloured with 'Orchid' and a bit of glitter rubbed over it for some bling. Lilac organza ribbon from my stash.

(Anyone any tips (apart from using pinking scissors) to stop organza fraying please?)

I made a white box to protect the card and just added some of the paper and an organza bow to the box top to tie it all together.

Am entering this into the following challenges -

Fab n Funky - Purple Haze

Penny's Paper Crafting - Happy Birthday

Digital Tuesday - Bling it On

Craft Yor Passion - Anything Goes

Pedal Power!

2011-07-02T16:43:00.001+01:00

Unsurprisingly there are an absolute zillion challenges out there this week with the theme of Red/White and Blue or Patriotic or Stars and Stripes etc as the 4th of July is almost upon us!

So Happy Independence Day to all lovely followers from the USA!

And in keeping with the theme of Independence, don't you just love this image from Mo Manning?!

Little boy on his trike being very independent and grown up without his stabilisers!
This card started out it's life differently in my head.... but a disaster whilst colouring the ribbons that flow from the handlebars prompted me to think again.
I ended up cutting him out excluding the streamers and improvising with some promarker coloured pieces of string!

The stars background is from DCWV, matted onto dark blue cardstock and likewise the striped paper.

The red buttons have been rattling round in the button box for a while so I thought it was time I used them up and I finished with a rather large(LOL) red bow and a PC generated sentiment.

Entering this into some of the challenges -

Some Odd Girl - Bright and Bold
Delightful Challneges - Red, White and Blue

Southern Girls - Bring out your inner child!
Stamp Something - Digi Day

Fairy Knoll - Red, White and Blue
Craft Us Crazy - Red, White and Blue
Crafters Companion - One for the Boys

Amber's Crafts - Red, White and Blue

Penny's Paper Crafty - Red, White and Blue

Crafting 4 all seasons - Red White and Blue

Stylishly Fabulous 40!

2011-06-30T19:16:00.000+01:00

Had a day of just pleasing myself today after a small bit of paperwork this morning. So as usual when I have any time for me, I spent it making a mess!!!

Don't you just love paper, glue, stamps and ink everywhere????? One of the downsides about having a craft room cum office which is away from the house is that you tend to forget there is housework - hence the thick layer of dust which is covering all my furniture...lol... on the upside though is because I am not in the main house I can make as much mess as I want, then happily shut the door and go into the (dust laden) house without a backward thought!

So today I set to and finished this card which is a commission for a lady at the Club who's daughter is (in her words) "very chic and modern and has a succesful career".

I really like this bold colour combo and hope she will too.

The stamps I confess are not mine.... they belong to Maureen and I stamped them out when she was here last year and despite my best efforts to hide them when she was leaving she managed to halt all my attempts at theft - Maureen also made the paper scrunchy flower (which I absolutely adore but don't have the patience to sit and make!) and it started life on another card but I rescued it and recycled it!

I used black cardstock layered with bright yellow and white then some black and white spotty paper. I used a MS punch then stuck it over some yellow card and found a small piece of yellow spotty ribbon which luckily stretched just enough! Image and the flourish coloured with Promarkers and I used three tiny gold pearls were from my stash. The 'Fashion Fades' sentiment I had to print out on the PC as I had used up the orginal stamped ones.

The wording on the base were also PC generated and I tried to match the font as near as I could to one of the original stamped sentiments which I used on the box lid.

I made the box from the same black cardstock used for the card and used the last scrap of the spotty ribbon for a little bit of decoration.

Please let me know what you think!

Challenges -

The Crafty Pad - Bold and Bright

Pear Tree Designs - Stamp Something

Little Darlings - Favourite colour combo (one of many!)

Dream Valley - Ribbons

2011-06-28T21:06:00.002+01:00

Finally can post this card as it was given to the recipient yesterday!! It was meant as a bit of fun really - ther gentlemasn concerned has been known to laugh (occasionally) but he is fondly known as 'Grumpy' at the Bowls Club. (Grumpy or not, he is VERY good at serving the odd glass or two......)

I know it's been over a week since I put anything on here and I am beginning to think all my faithful follwers will have deserted me - it's been a ridiculously hectic week and I am finally glad to get a couple of days where I don't have to be rushing off to a bowling green or a meeting.

OH and I have today spent a whole day doing what WE wanted - in the form of meeting up again at Trentham Gardens with Maureen and her long suffering, having a picnic lunch (and no, it didn't rain), a wander round all the lovely shops (I bought - she didn't - HIGHLY unusual - lol), and having a giggle and a seriously relaxed time.

Back to the card -

Image is from Bugaboo (I bet all of us know someone like Gus here - LOL) and I coloured him with Promarkers, papers are from My Mind's Eye and the 'Grump' quote is from TLC.

Have had a quick trawl through blogland and found the following challenges -

Digis With Attitude (and boy has Gus got attitude!) - Anything Goes

Rainbow Lady - Use a Digi

I Love Promarkers - Anything Goes

Sisterhood of Crafters - Male themed

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

2011-06-20T12:18:00.000+01:00

Not for me it wasn't as I was catering at the Club!!

But on Saturday night I did manage to make this card for the seriously low 'man card stash' - (Actually seriously low is an understaement - non existent would be more apt....)

The whole 'man card' thing always frustrates me as I have terrible serious urges to put bows, flowers, and any other embellies imaginable onto the card - and because I know my OH would look at me really strange if ever I gave him a card with a bow or heaven forbid a flower on it, I consequently think all my attempts at man type cards are plain, boring and downright uninteresting!
Here's the latest offering for the 'pink box' - black and white themed with a LOTV image of someone having a little snooze under a leafy tree. I dusted the image with some 'Bundled Sage' (for the grass) and some 'Tumbled Glass' (for the sky) and added some black pearls (see - couldn't resist a bit of embellie could I?????). The flourish was coloured with a black promarker and the sentiment was PC generated.
Lots of man challenges about so here's a few-
2 Sisters - For a Guy
Phindy's Place - Black and White
Wags N Whiskers - For the Boys
Fashionista Friday - For Men
Dream Valley Challenges - Fathers Day/Man themed

2011-06-17T16:26:00.002+01:00

A big thank you to all my blogging buddies who sent me cards and wishes for my birthday - my Club team played on the night so after the game we celebrated a 'skin of the teeth' win and the birthday with some cake and cups of tea (well they drank the tea - I had a glass of plonk!).

I bet by now you're all saying 'Not another Wedding Card' - trust me I'm also saying it! I have had so many requests for the same type of card using this LOTV stamp that I now have firmly placed it away in the drawer - am hoping the 'June Wedding' syndrome is nearly at an end! I have always tried never to make more than one of any design but as these are orders I suppose I can break my cardinal rule a little bit.

Used the usual heavily textured cardstock, brushed over with Tumbled Glass Distress Ink, my Grand Nesties which after dusting I edged with Stickles for a bit of bling, the LOTV stamp coloured with Promarkers and some Frosted White Stickles on the bride's dress.

Inside I printed the sentiment on the PC and again dusted over all the card stock with distress ink. The heart punch formed the base for the prop for the easel and I also decided to decorate the hand made box with a die cut flourish and some silver rings.

All the embellishments/flowers etc are from my stash.
I found a couple of challenges -
ABC - 'W' for Weddings
The Craft Garden - Something Old (LOTV stamp, pearl hearts), Something New (Embossing Folder), Something Borrowed (Heart Punch), Something Blue (Ribbon and Flowers and of course the Distress Ink!)
Prairie Fairy - Weddings

Here comes Summer????

2011-06-12T11:49:00.005+01:00

Not if you look at our weather today! Summer is a long long way from here - it's wet, windy and miserable.. oh and COLD!!! So that's a good enough excuse to spirit myself away in the craftie space and do some catching up on unfinished projects!

Here's the first one finished - an easel card made using one of Ange's fab Tatty Button stamp designs

I used some paper from an old stack I had by K and Co called Daisy. OK I know Tatty is watering a sunflower but use your imagination a bit!

The green trellis paper was layered onto yellow cardstock, distressed and stitched. I used my usual Promarkers and watercolours to colour and matted Tatty onto green card then layered onto the yellow cardstock punched out with a MS trellis punch. I made some paper flowers and found the teeny green and yellow ladybug in my stash. Finished the front with some pearls and a small sentiment stamp from Papermania
The prop for the easel inside was made using the same MS punch (with the scalloped edge cut off) and I layered yellow trellis paper from the same paper pad onto green and stitched again. I added a circular scallopped green and yellow layered nestie for a greeting space.

Challenges -
The Crafty Pad - Just Because You Can
Paper Sundaes - Girly Girl

Spoonful of Sugar - Here Comes Summer

Totally Papercrafts - Summer

Totally Gorjuss - Flower Power
Stampin For the Weekend - Lemon and Lime
Stamp Something - Something Punched

Crafty Ho's - Summer

Be Quick!

2011-06-09T22:46:00.003+01:00

It's amazing how people who don't craft think that I'm like Hermione Grainger and can just wave a black stick about and create something in five seconds... I wish!!!
At about 9.30pm last night someone said - 'It's my husband's Birthday and I can't get out without him to buy a card, please do one for me? He likes steam trains and aeroplanes and things....'
'Ok' says me, 'Not a problem, when do you want it for?'
'Well' she says, it's his birthday at the weekend'
Aghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ! Got home at 11pm last night and had a lot of running about to do this morning and I also have another 3 unfinished projects on my desk and am out all day tomorrow............

I had a quick look round for the magic wand but obviously the card fairy had stolen it.

So there lies the story behind this basic effort - (and basic it is but if anyone asks me I'll say it's'Clean and Simple' - LOL)

The card is larger than I usually make - it's 7" x 5" . The herringbone paper is from the DCWV Natural stack and the steam train is an old rubber stamp which I have had for absolute eons... and the card fairy found it for me whilst I was looking for something else! So her magic wand worked after all (well, a little bit....)

Have no idea who made the stamp - I think I bought it on e bay from Malaysia or somewhere equally exotic -but it stamps up quite nicely with some Versafine and I put it onto textured cream linen cardstock. .

I added some metal brads in the corners as I thought it looked too plain and used 3d foam pads to lift it from the front of the card. The sentiment both outside and inside (Wishing you a Wonderful Day) is computer generated. Not one of my more startling efforts but time beat me - hope she likes it enough to give to her dear Husband!
Challenges -
Craft Us Crazy - Masculine
PaperPlay - Man's Card
Fab n Funky - Magnificent Men
Here Come the Boys - Fathers/Hubby/Man

Finally.....

2011-06-07T17:15:00.000+01:00

finished this card!

I borrowed this Birdcage stamp from Maureen before I went on holiday - and today I forced myself to sit down and finish the card. I had stamped the image direct onto several pieces of cardstock and then left them!

So as I have had a couple of hours free this afternoon I tried to make them up.

The background is brushed using Tumbled Glass and Spun Sugar Distress Inks and the branches around the edge were done by masking off part of an Elusive Images Stamp. I decoupaged the birdcage and coloured it using Petrol Blue promarker then after layering it up applied some Glossy Accents. It's really shiny in 'real life' and I am happy with the result!

I used a scrap strip of silver beads for the hanger of the cage and coloured some white flowers with the same promarker, finishing them off with some tiny gems.

The sentiment is by TLC.

I had a little trawl in blogland today and found the following challenges-

Shopping Our Stash - Unfinished Objects
Paper Sundaes - Let's get Sentimental
Charizma Cards - Something That Flies
OLLCB - Happy Birthday

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

I AM still here!!!!!!!!

2011-05-31T13:58:00.002+01:00

I have not stowed away in the hotel - HONEST!! Although the way the weather has been since we came back from Cyprus has prompted me to wish I was had found a broom cupboard or something where I could have hidden myself! Have had very little free time at all the last 10 days and I have had several e mails asking if I was OK as there has been nothing updated onto the blog. So thank you all for asking, but I'm just fine and wishing there were more than 24 hours in a day at the moment!

I also apologise for not getting round all your blogs just recently but promise to do some catching up now things are a (tiny) bit calmer. I have only made this card since the holiday. It is a commission for a lady whose Great Niece is getting married next week. She liked a previous one done with this stamp and sentiment which someone bought before she had a chance to grab it and asked if I could do another! As I really like this LOTV stamp it was no hardship to use it again!

Instead of a pale blue theme as on the previous similar card I used pink accents for this one and lots of textured cardstock. The embossed piece behind the layered cuttlebug grand nestie shapes was done using a lovely folder called ' Budding Vine' by Craft Concepts and I dusted it with Spun Sugar Distress Ink - although it can't be seen very well on the pic (my awful photography AGAIN!), it has highlighted the embossed piece beautifully. Please click on the pic to enlarge!
The stamp was coloured as always with Distress inks and promarkers and the dress highlighted with Stickles. I edged the shaped pieces with Spun Sugar ink and then added a wee bit of 'Cotton Candy' Stickles for some glitter. The flowers and pearls were from my stash, the heart was cut out for me some time ago by Maureen and I put some inked textured cardstock behind it. Inside the easel I tried to come up with a greeting that matched the Inkadinkadoo sentiment - it reads - Wishing you a Lifetime of Sharing- and the card stands up by means of another 'Maureen sent' heart punched strip.
Challenges - Paper Cupcakes - Easel Card
Paper Paytime Ch #46 - Wedding/Love
Dream Valley - Stamp Something
Crafty Emmas - Embossing
Crafty Cardmakers - Love the lasting Kind
Make It Monday - Anything Goes
AI Factory - Pretty In Pink

See you in a couple of weeks!

2011-05-06T20:56:00.002+01:00

Tomorrow night I shall be here! Not HERE - but THERE - where the pic is!

I aplogise for the lack of blogging this week but have been doing terribly boring things like shopping for new dresses and shoes and having my hair done!!! LOL

This hotel has to be my favouritist (is that a word????) in the entire world! (And yes they really do put candles out onto the decked area of the room in front of the private plunge pool).

From the minute we came back last September I have been counting the days till we go back - and even after THIS one is over we're going back again in 4 months time - so I can start the countdown all over again when we get back to the UK.
A massage in the Spa, being waited on hand and foot, having towels put on sunbeds for you by a 'pool boy' (actually he's about 26 and comes from Oldham!! LOL) , yummy food, amzingly huge strawberry shakes with lots of real strawbs in thick ice creamy stuff which I absolutely HAVE to have during the afternoon (have to watch this - mightn't get into the dresses if I indulge too much ), long lazy days in the sun - I cannot WAIT!!!!!

Whatever you're doing over the next two weeks, enjoy it!

Here Come The Boys!

2011-05-01T16:31:00.001+01:00

A brand new challenge blog devoted entirely to men/boy cards started today called Here Come the Boys.

My bloggin buddy Teresa is on the DT (her cards are amazing!) - so I thought I would show a bit of support and enter their first week - (as I'm away on holiday at the weekend this may be the ONLY entry for a while!).

The first challenge is Anything Goes so there's plenty of scope!

I coloured my Mo Manning image with Promarkers (which incidentally is the prize for this week at Here Come the Boys) and used this cute sentiment from TLC which I really like!
Poor doggie is having the breath hugged out of him isn't he????LOL And I bet he knows lots of little boy secrets........

Poppy!

2011-04-30T13:15:00.001+01:00

Had a busy week but have managed to squeeze in some crafting time!
I've a couple of things yet to finish before the packing needs to be done and this was one of those not quite finished so have sat this morning and completed it. Am going to sit out in the garden for a while this afternoon - the weather has been so good - makes me almost sorry we're off to even sunnier climes next weekend!!

Back to the card - please meet 'Poppy' !
Poppy is another image from Sugar Nellie - she's not a new image but I think she is so pretty!
I decided not to colour her in the traditional poppy red and opted for a softer pinkie/peachy colour to co ordinate with the papers.Poppy was coloured with promarkers and I dotted a bit of white ink here and there on her petals then added some 'Cotton Candy' stickles for a bit of sparkly!
I was tempted to sew the Nitwits papers but I'd packed the tiny machine away in an attempt to tidy up so didn't want to make the room untidy again - opted just instead for distressing the edges.

The circles cut with my new nesties and the sentiment is from TLC - I altered the font colour to tone in with the card - (pat on the back to self for getting clever with Serif program....lol). Just looking at Poppy gives me 'happy thoughts' so it seemed to fit!

I used the same Stickles on the fabric flowers and then stuck them onto white petals coloured randomly with the same colour promarkers used on the image.

A couple of pale green pearls, some ribbon and a glass leaf spray finished the front.

As has become the norm for me just lately, this is another easel card - and left blank inside for an appropriate greeting.
Challenges -
Totally Gorjuss - 1, 2, 3
Just Add Ink - Add a Flower
Sew Many Challenges - Easel Card
Fairy Fun Fridays - Showers or Flowers
Fussy and Fancy - Springtime
Charisma Cards - Showers/Flowers