Happy Monday! After all the rain we are blessed this today with lovely blue skies and sunshine! So I hope the sun is shining where you are - and as the weather has taken a turn for the better (at least for today- LOL), I have made a summery card.
I recently won a challenge where the prize was a gift voucher to spend in Mo Manning's store... (as if I needed any more encouragement to get any more of Mo's stamps.........) anyway after much deliberation I spent the voucher (and a bit more besides) and this cute image dropped into my shopping cart....

It's called 'Catching Up' and don't you just remember giving your toys tea? I love the way the dolly, bunny and Ted are all positioned so they can pay the utmost attention!

Coloured it with pastel chalks and promarkers and distressed and stitched it onto green cardstock. The backing paper is by K and Co and again distressed and stitched onto the same green card.

I added a lacy paper doily and cut out some flourishes with a Marianne die. The flowers are from my stash and I popped a couple of co-ordinating pins above the flowers.

The spotty satin ribbon I have had for ever - there wasn't a lot of it but I managed (just) to get enough to make the oversized bow, securing it with a pearl buckle.

The quote was printed on the pc and the inside is co-ordinated to match with a space left for a greeting.
Lots of challenges -
Lexis- Lace or Ribbon
Paper Playtime - Anything Goes
One Stitch at a Time - Here comes Summer
Paper Sundaes - Ribbon and Pearls
Mo's Challenge - Fave Colour Combo (pink and green)
Crafty Ann's - Stitching
Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
Thanks as always for calling in, leave me a comment then I know you've visited me and I can pop across and see you too! x

PS - For those of you who voted over at Fashionista I wasn't lucky enough this time but thank you all for the time you took to go and vote - the winning card was fabulous and Alyce was a deserved winner! 

Sketch

Think the 'Head Girls' took pity on us this week and gave us a CAS sketch to follow this week over at Less Is More.  I am normally not very good at all following sketches but even I couldn't make a mess of this one!!!!
Pop across and check it out - if you don't normally do CAS cards then there's bags of inspiration to be had from the challenge participants the majority of whom are definitely the Queens of Clean and Simple.

So keeping with the theme of Queens, here's my offering for this week with another little Queen Bee.

I always panic going 'straight to card' and as normal had to trim it again to make it central - despite using rulers, post it's and anything else laying about on the desk I never manage to get the image perfectly positioned! (Should have gone to specsavers!)

Used my usual linen texture card and I coloured the collage image with promarkers. I didn't want to go over the top with the colours as I wanted the bee to be the focal point so tried to use soft pastels to contrast with the yellow.

The bee was layered using 3d foam pads and I added a bit of glamour dust to the wings - well a queen has to have a bit of bling doesn't she???? LOL
The sentiment was a freebie from TLC - never used it before but it just seemed to fit with the collage somehow.

Other challenges -
Phindy's Place - Clean and Simple
Inked Paws - Clean and Simple
Catered Crop - the letter 'B'
A big 'Hi' to all my new followers - it's lovely to see you and I hope you visit me often - when you do leave me a comment then I can come visit you too!

Enjoy what's left of the weekend, and hope you're not all too wet - did someone say drought??????? Where??????? 

x 

PS - Just a couple of hours left to vote over at Fashionista!  

Has winter returned?

Flippin 'eck! It's been pouring down here today - cold, wet, windy - 'orrible!!!!
Had to go out too as I had a hospital appointment so braved the weather and went for lasagne and garlic bread with OH afterwards - which was nice and at least the steaming coffee warmed me up a bit.

It's been a  couple of weeks since I've had enough mojo (and time) for Less is More - have managed a couple of CAS cards recently but none of them have fitted the challenges - maybe I shouldn't have posted them and saved the pics in case Chrissie and Mandi come up with a theme and I had a card to fit???
Am not so sure that this is really up to the mark either, but have posted it anyway so hope it passes muster.........

The basic card is Ivory linen (although it looks white here). I like this embossing folder and use it a lot - the stamp is 'Garden Chic' by Ecogreen  - have you ever bought a set of stamps cos you really like them and then struggled for ideas as to what to do with them? 'Cos that's exactly what happened to me with this set.
Determined to try and create something with them instead of them gathering dust in the drawer, I dusted the stamped image with Shabby Shutter, Wild Honey and Scattered Straw distress inks. I used a watercolour brush and coloured the poopy heads with Barn Door DI and then used some glossy accents.

The little bee is from the same stamp set and I added a tiny bit of glitter to it's wings. The twine started off it's life as black and white so ran it across the ink pads. As the LIM challenge called for a charm to be used I added a flower to the twine and tied them all together.


Overall I think this is an 'OK' effort. I have another idea in my head and if I can get the cells and the hands to work together I may submit another - but don't hold your breath!

Other Challenges -
My Time To Craft - Garden Gems
Paper Pretties - Clean and Simple
Shopping Our Stash - the letter 'B'
Fab N Funky - No Designer Paper

Thanks for looking - hope you're all warm and dry wherever you are! X

Recycled!

Over time, I have saved pieces of coloured tissue paper when stuff I have bought has been wrapped in it - I only save the coloured pieces cos the white is plain boring!!!

So you can understand I was real happy when a recent little spendie resulted in the goods arriving wrapped up in the most delicious Aqua Blue tissue! Like everything else I store {hoard} in the craftie room though the pile has become slowly bigger and bigger and is now getting real crumpled cos the little allocated space is stuffed to bursting.

Not wanting to throw it away (after all it is BOUND to come in useful for something...), I promised to rationalise it just a little.. trouble was, I knew I remembered seeing something done with tissue paper but couldn't remember what!

Spookily, a couple of days later, one of the blogs that I follow (here) lit up the light bulb over my head.
So there it was... that thing that I remembered somebody mentioning and doing and it was soooo simple and effective why had I forgotten??

Senior moment pushed firmly to the back of the  mind, out came the cuttlebug, nesties and tissue and here is the result.

Layers of tissue cut with two different sizes of scalloped nesties then secured together with a brad, scrumpled up and then flattened out a bit to give the petal ruffle effect.

Flourishes are Bazzil cardstock cut with a Marianne die. My fave linen textured cardstock used, two lines embossed and a centre panel mounted onto the same blue card. The sentiment was stamped with 'Robins Egg Blue' ink and then clear embossed.

Am quite pleased with this simple and quick CAS card.

I made a few in similar design.... but the one thing I have noticed about tissue paper - despite using LOTS, I still have LOTS left!!!!!!!!!! 

Challenges -
Whoopsi Daisy - Use a flourish
Made Especially For You - Recycling
Stamp, Scrap and doodle - Recycle
Truly Madly, Crafty - Handmade Flowers
Opus Gluei - Flourishes

Thanks for visiting - and if you've voted for me (see below post) a DOUBLE thank you - happy crafting! x

Vote for Viv????

Ooooo - how good is this! I'm in the top 5 over at the Fashionista Challenge blog with this card!
If you want to vote for me to be the overall winner from the Top 5 (or even if you want to vote for someone else...LOL) please pop over HERE and cast your vote

Thank you!! x

Quick update Sunday 29th April- voting now finished and winner announced tomorrow. Thanks to all my lovely followers who voted for me - I appreciate every single one of you! x

Getting your money's worth!

If you're thinking this looks familiar then you're right!
I made a very similar card last weekend.

This one was made at the same time for my MIL to give to her good friends as they celebrated their golden wedding yesterday and I couldn't post till they had received it.

Some time ago during an internet trawl I came across a site called 'Imagine' which is primarily for people who want to make their own wedding invitations etc. This shop supplies amazingly gorgeous embellishments at real reasonable prices and for the likes of me, who doesn't have a stationery business, the best thing is they offer in single quantities too. So.. despite the imposed 'saving up to have a couple of massage spas on September holiday' spending ban - I succumbed and ordered one or two... well a few really!

Made the easel with white pearlised and gold mirri card on a scalloped card base, used a MS punch for the edging and the prop, and the inside sentiment was computer generated - I think it's a lovely sentiment for an anniversary. I popped a couple of sparkly heart shaped gems onto the base too.

The front of the card was done with the same Viva 'Flourish' stamp which I think is going to become worn out very quickly!! Embossed with gold embossing powder and the gold ribbon was from my stash. The crystal diamante heart securing the ribbon looks absolutely fabulous in real life and this pic does not do it justice at all.
I'm really glad I bought a few of them and suspect this last little pile may not be the only purchase from this shop. 

The celebration was a lovely intimate occasion with just 30 close family and friends sitting down to a great meal in a private function room at a local golf club and I was very happy that they liked their cards!

Challenges -
C.R.A.F.T - Wedding/Anniversary
Crafts4Eternity- Something new
Alota Rubber Stamps - Easel Card
CYDA- Metal (and the heart is metal based)
Stampin for the Weekend- Sparkle and Shine
Cards Galore - Celebration
Bearly Mine - Embossing

Thanks for taking the time to look at my little creation - hope you're all having a perfect day whatever you're doing. x

Another CAS

I said I'd made a couple more CAS cards and here's another.

I love this Marianne die - think it's really delicate  and it's useful for these kind of clean and simple cards as it adds a bit of a 'lift' to the design without over embellishing.
I used bright white linen textured card  and embossed two lines.The spots were done using a Tim Holtz stamp inked with 'Spun Sugar' DI and I duster brushed round the inside of the frame.
The dress form and lacy banner stamps are by My Mind's Eye inked in Versamark Onyx Black with the banner stamped across a scrap piece of paper already coloured with the DI.
I thought it looked a bit too'clean and simple' so added some tiny pearls to the lacy banner, to the middle of the dress form and also a couple to the top of the card!
It's been a bit of a blustery day here - we've had some heavy showers and some lovely blue sky - but it's windy and not very warm at all!
We've been out and had a (light????) lunch - beef stroganoff for me but of course had to have some cheesy garlic bread too so am feeling over fed - but at least I don't have to worry about what to have for tea!!!!!!

Challenges -
Paper Sundaes - Anything Goes
Sugar Creek Hollow - Die Cuts
Card Makin Mamas - Girly
Craft Your Passsion - Die Cuts
The Stamping Boutique - Anything Goes

Am off to tuck myself up in the craftie space and try and do a bit more 'fiddling'!

Thanks for calling in, and as ever if you've left a comment I appreciate you taking the time. I'll be popping in to see all your latest creations with my coffee as always.

Hugz from me. x

Mum's Button

A week of mixed fortunes and emotions has been thrust upon us this week. We have had a firm offer on the asking price for the house - though they still have a place to sell, at least I felt a bit more positive about things . It may still all go pear shaped but hey ho have got to look on the bright side!
Then I had that silly fall which has really knocked me for 6 (and there was me thinking I had LOTS of padding on my backside!!)
 And then yesterday was a real bad day - last October whilst out walking we came across a little cat in the hedge. It followed us over a mile back to our house which surpised us as we're used to ferral cats living in the fields around us and over the year have fed lots of them and with the exception of one, none have been trusting. It had no collar and we thought someone had just dumped it on the country lane. We rang the local paper and kept a look out in the village to see if anyone had lost a cat but nothing.
It's been a house guest coming and going as it pleases ever since. Was an affectionate little thing and beloved husband loved it to bits. It used to jump up on his tummy and nuzzle into his chin!
On Thursday we bought a carrier and made an appointment to take it to the vet as we thought it was likely to stay with us now and we wanted to get 'her' checked out. At the vets it was discovered it was in fact a 'Him' and it was chipped. The vet contacted the owner and left a message. Cat came home.
At 6pm last night my husband was treated to a telephone call tirade of verbal abuse from the cat owner (who incidentally lives across the fields) who ranted on about why we didn't take it to a vet sooner etc etc etc.
The more he tried to explain the worse this lunatic woman got. Eventually he got her address from her and he drove (our) little loving cat back to it's awful owner. He was so upset last night and we're both really sad today cos we'd become really attached to her (him) waking us up howling outside the windown at 6.15am cos she (he) wanted feeding and we've really missed her (him) today whilst we've been here in the office. Friday 13th indeed.

Now I've poured out all my news I have a card to share - have made a few clean and simple cards the last few days (mainly because I can't get comfy after the fall!) - and here's one that I have left without a sentiment until I decide wedding? or anniversary? or thank you? etc etc!
I used white pearlised card and the stamp is a Viva Decor one which I embossed with Ultra Fine WOW pale gold embossing powder.
The metal button is from my Mum's button box - and it came from a short very tailored jacket (similar to the shrugs that are about today) that was a wedding outfit - I remember her wearing the dress and jacket - would have been in the mid sixties - she looked so chic and stylish complete with her stilletos, matching handbag and leather gloves- and of course her 24"waist!
I threaded some broad white satin ribbon through the shank at the back (with some difficulty!!LOL) 

Well if you've made it to the end of this ramble, I thank you for sticking with it and hope you're not bored or even worse asleep!

Challenges about that this is suitable for -
Craft Your days Away - Metal
Crazy 4 Challenges - Buttons.
Stampin with the Dragon - Weddings
Pixie Dust Studio - Ribbon

Thanks for visiting and listening to me - and to my new followers - don't panic, my posts aren't always this long!!!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. X

Fairy for Hire?

Grrrrrrrr.......... am sat here - very uncomfortable - slipped on some steps this morning and came down very hard on the base of my back - had a couple of painkillers so if I start to ramble (more than usual- LOL) you'll know why!
Trouble is, jarring my spine like that has kicked off the neck again - so am in a sorry state..................actually am just ANNOYED at myself more than anything else! So just ignore me....!

So hands up  -who wishes they had one of these?????

Get in the QUEUE!!!!!!

Wouldn't you give absolutely ANYTHING to just be able to summon up this little star and have her whizz round the house.......... (and of course the craftie space!)

A spakling bathroom, towels neatly folded and not left on the floor, dining table free of clutter (mostly mine), kitchen floor gleaming - oh the list could go on and on... and on.....and I suppose she woujld even tidy away all the paper and card into colour co-ordinated piles!

Alas! Just a dream.... but if I find one I am willing to hire her out.... for a small fee!!!!!!!! (Well gotta buy more craft stuff somehow!) 

Mo's image coloured with promarkers and glittered, gold pearl stickles used on the tiara and I used a white gel pen on my new found friend's dress!
Opted not to go over the top with embellies - after all the whole object of the housework fairy is to leave you free of clutter - so instead gave her a suitable polish laden 'cloth' (secured with pearls as befits a fairy) and made her a yellow fluffy duster from a cocktail stick and a few maribou bits lying on the desk.

Challenges -
Digital Tuesday - Birthdays
My Time To Craft - Fairy Nice
Digi Makeover - Bright Colours
Mo's Digital challenge - Anything Goes with a Mo image

Almost forgot - a warm welcome to my new follower- Claire - - hope to see you often!
Enjoy the rest of your day everyone! X

Butterflies, hearts and CAKE!

BE WARNED!! THIS IS A PICTURE HEAVY POST!!

Happy Easter! Are you all full of choccie?? I have been VERY good so far as I've been busy finishing off this project.

This is for a friend who's grandson is getting married later this year and they wanted something different than the normal cards.

The wedding colour scheme has the bridesmaid dresses in gold and caramel so I picked the gold colour to theme the box.

I used white pearlised card which has some sparkly dots embossed on it for the basic box  which measures about 9cm square. The heart ribbon I have had in my stash for a long time and I wrapped it round each individual side, securing it underneath another layer of card inside.

The box lid was decorated with a handmade rose made with the rose creations nesties, which I embossed the petal edges with gold embossing powder and dabbed a little bit of 'Diamond' stickles for a bit of bling.

The two satin flowers with the pearls are from my stash as is the gold mesh. I tied two gold curtain rings with white ribbon and secured underneath the flower decoration, then stuck it all onto the lid.

I then began to finish off the inside - first I added another layer of gold card on the four sides to add a bit of extra weight, then embossed some pearlised card, cut out a fancy frame with a nestie and glued on some pearl hearts.

The names of the bride and groom and the greeting space were printed direct onto the pearlised card and glued on.

The inside centre of the box was layered with the same sparkly spotty card as the outside and I made the 'cake' using the same white card and gold embossed a border around each layer.

The butterflies were punched out by my own personal craft supplier (otherwise known as maureen - LOL) and I added a wee bit more diamond stickles to make them gitter.

The acetate strips were cut from a nestie package and the gold hearts were from my stash.

On the top of the 'cake, I put a pair of gold goblets, added a bit of sparkly fibre and some pearls.

I am really pleased with this exploding box, the butterflies and hearts wave about brilliantly when you take the lid off and think although it took me a while to put together, it was worth the effort! I hope the recipients think so too!!

A couple of challenges about so am submitting this into -

Craft Us Crazy- Anything but a Card

Flutterby Wednesdays - Open challenge

Just keep on Creating - Anything Goes 

Pretty Little Ribbon Shop - To Die For 
The Crafty Pad - Just Die-delicious
Gingerloft - Anything but a card
Dream Valley - Wedding/love
Crafting when we can - Things with Wings

Thanks for calling in today - please leave a comment then I know you've paid me a visit - I love visitors! x

Wrong colours for Spring!

Have a small commissioned project ongoing at the mo so haven't made many cards this week to share.
I found time though to make this CAS card using up some scraps on the desk! 

The leaf stamps were just laying about - have no idea how long I have owned them or who made them but thought it may be a good idea to put some ink on their pristine condition and use them at least once before they were consigned to the black hole known as the stamp drawers that are home to 'viv's stamp collection'. And I know we're supposed to be all pastel-ly and spring like but the weather here is windy and autmn-y!

Basic bright white card with a rust coloured textured scrap mounted across,  the three flat leaf images all stamped with Distress inks in Rusty Hinge, Brushed Corduroy and Frayed Burlap. The maple leaf was stamped twice, once directly onto the paper and once on a piece of scrap using Barn Door. I then cout out the leaf and mounted using foam pads. I then used some glossy accents and this has dried to a glorious perfect shine for once ('cos I usually end up with air bubbles or a sticky fingerprint in it..LOL).
I stamped the sentiment with Barn Door DI.

A basic, simple and quick card which I think will be great for my sadly lacking 'man' stash! I mean the stash of cards that are suitable for men not that I'm stashing away human beings.......lol
Not a very exciting card really but I hope it showcases CAS if nothing else!

Challenge -
Cropstop - Clean and Simple

Ok that's it - am off to work out why my carefully measured, scored, folded and glued box lid absolutely point blank refuses to fit on the top of my exploding box.......... grrrrrrrr!!!!!

Have a lovely Easter weekend, whatever you're doing. x

Diva!

What a change in the temperatures! Yesterday was a cold and grey day and although the sun has shone again today and I've got all my washing dry it's a lot colder than earlier in the week when I managed to fall asleep in the glorious warm sunshine and burn my face!

Here's another from the 'use up the coloured images' pile. 
A fab image from the gloriously talented Mo Manning who always manages to capture just the right facial expressions - she just makes me smile. I have coloured her with promarkers and added some black glamour dust on her pearl necklace and earrings after cutting her out with a nestie  and then sitched her onto two layers of scalloped nesties in pink and black cardstock.
The spotty backing paper and pink/black organza ribbon are from my stash and I cut a single 'droplet' from a length of black lace, popped a pink pearl in the centre and attached it to a length of the ribbon.  
The black edging is a Martha Stewart punch. 
Added some flowers,a couple of die cut flourishes and some more pink pearls. The sentiment was a freebie from TLC and I played about with it to alter the colour then stitched it onto a black scalloped circle. 

Inside I used some pink/white paper from Craftwork card as the base and another nestie die to make a blank for the greeting.
Challenges -
Crafty Catz - Use a digi
Crafts 4 Eternity - 3 of a kind (3 flowers, 3 pearls)
CardMadFairy- Dies/Punches
Crafty Ribbons - Black/White and one other colour
Fashionista - Feminine and bling
My Time to Craft - Easel Cards

Sorry my posting has been so intermittent just recently because of the nasty sore bones - but thanks for hangin' in with me and continuing to stop by and leave me comments - I REALLY look forward to reading them and visitng you too. x