More purple

Just spent a couple of hours using up odds and ends - made a couple of cards and thought I'd share this one with you -

Embossed the edges of a standard white square card with a border folder.
Layered a left over piece of  embossed card onto a lilac base and then cut out two triangles from the lilac piece.
Both of these triangles went through the 'crimping' machine and stuck different sizes of pearls on one and wrapped some braid round the other.
Punched out a star and put a pearl in the middle and finished it off with a white bow.

Quick, easy and used up some leftovers instead of either hoarding them or chucking them in the bin!  So this will go into the Playground this week as a snippets make!

Challenges -
Christmas Card Challenges - Bows
TTCRD - Anything Goes
Hobbycutz - Bingo (Pearls/Free/Ribbon)
MAWTT - No papers
Beccy's Place - Holiday Cards

Am now nicely settled in the craftie space with the cup of coffee and am about to come calling! Thanks for visiting! x

The Colour Purple - Crafty Cardmakers DT

The last two weeks have flown by and it's time again for another challenge at Crafty Cardmakers.
Hosted by Fiona, who  decided to tax my brain cells and choose the theme of Purple!
So cards/projects that are all or mostly purple please - hair/skin colours are allowed.

This is not a colour that I use a lot - not because I don't like it but because I struggle to make anything with it  that I actually like when it's done!

However, I am actually quite pleased with this effort for a change!

I used basic purple coredinations cardstock for the background.
Stamped it with a lovely floral branch stamp from Flonzcraft and then white embossed.
I used Dusty Concord DI and lightly coloured some of the flower petals.

The flowers were done using an old set of stamps so have no idea who made them!
I punched out the butterfly and gave it a little blingy.
Finished with some antique style lace and shoestring ribbon.
No sentiment ....yet.... but maybe it doesn't need one?

Other Challenges -
My Time to Craft - Butterflies
Flutterby Wednesday - No Orange or Black
Sister Act - Anything Goes
Paper Crafting Journey - Anything Goes
Craftin Boutique - Anything Goes

Hope everyone is safe, warm and dry! Thanks for finding the time to come see me today. x

White stash!

Finally found some 'ME' time yesterday and then sadly discovered the mojo had gone walkabout!

With creative ideas sadly lacking I thought I'd best stick to CAS cards as simple layouts were all that my brain cells would manage.

And it also gave me a chance to use up some of the smaller pieces of pearl card laying about - cuttlebug to the rescue, some dies and embossing folders and a bit of glitter and so began a Christmas card making session.

Two cards to share - one tent card, one square, same basic design just using different die cut trees and sentiments.

The punched out glittery snowflake was not intended originally -  but there was a dirty mark on the embossed piece which I didn't notice until I stuck the other bits on - happily the little glittery flake covered up my smudgy sins!

The sentiments were stamped using Stone Gray Stazon - I treated myself to a little PB stamp set this week and these were included in the set. 

Challenges -
Charisma - WOW
Aud Sentiments - Christmas Sentiment
Allsorts - Treemendous
Craftin Boutique - Anything Goes
Nutcrafters - Lots of Layers
Crafting Musketeers - Christmas
Pixie's Playground - Snippets

These are the first of quite a few done yesterday so am feeling rather smug as for once I am getting myself organised! Whether it will last or not is a different matter!!
Thanks for calling in today - hope you're all having a great weekend. x

UPDATE - 
Everyone asking me about the die for the larger top card - it's a Memory Box one called - would you believe - 'Twiggy Tree'!! LOL

'Belleek

This week has seen friends visiting (days out and lunches!), two other lunches (and travelling to Cumbria and Yorkshire) in the form of Northern Counties Presentations, my own Club presentation night (some polishing of silver and washing of crystal) and today is the Club AGM (lots of minute taking and typing later!) - so before I collapse in a heap I thought it about time that I at least posted SOMETHING!!!

I made this card after being inspired by the hugely talented Sylvia-Anne.
Her CAS cards are so beautiful and I tried this simple method with a Christmas card which I have already shared and thought it would be perfect for a quickie Sympathy card - I don't like making them but it's something we all need....

I used Versamagic 'Pixie Dust' Chalk Ink on the embossing folder.
The card used in the embossing folder was some high quality  bright white stamping card which has a subtle sheen.

Believe me I held my breath as I ran it through!
First attempt and it turned out just fine!

The ink is lighter in places (altho the pic isn't the best) and it gives a fab subtle effect which is just perfect for a 'soft and gentle' card.

I stamped the sentiment in grey ink and cut out with a nestie tag. Raised the middle slightly and popped on a couple of pearls before layering the finished piece onto linen card.
This is the first of several 'Belleek Style' cards  now in my stash -Thank you Sylvia!

Challenges -
Keep It Simple - Be Inspired
CAS(e) -  Challenge 50 (Sketch)
Paper Shelter - 2 Colours
Craft Your Passion - Add some Embossing 

Off to get all the paperwork ready - hopefully the meeting won't take long, then I can come back and catch up with everything that's gone on this week whilst I have been AWOL!!
Have a great day. x

A Visit to Grandma's House - Shabby Chic - Crafty Cardmakers DT

It's time for another challenge at Crafty Cardmakers and this one is one of my ABSOLUTE FAVES!! So I hope you will find time to join us this fortnight - prizes up for grabs!!
A big thank you to fellow Teamie BettyC who set this challenge - SHABBY CHIC. Love it!
 I have had soooo much fun creating this project and I used up lots of little bitty things - fiddly, time consuming, messy desk and sticky fingers - just what us crafters love!

 Be warned now before you go any further this is a VERY picture heavy post - I have put 'close up' views at the bottom - please enlarge if you want a better look!

I bought this house shaped box some time ago and had already painted and distressed it but when we moved house it got packed away and I finally got round to making it up.
It gave me a chance to just - well have a 'play'!

My gran was an accomplished dressmaker. She made everyone's wedding dresses, bridesmaids outfits, winter coats etc and all my summer dresses. I was the proud owner of a beautiful red velvet dress with a white crochet collar one Christmas when I was about 8 followed by a luscious brown corduroy coat with a leather collar for my birthday.

So this project is in it's own way a tribute to her amazing needle skills - and of course her prowess with a Singer sewing machine!

Quick run down through the 'storeys' -
Attic - small cardboard box liberally stamped, a little Paris Passport rescued from another project, a hat, parasol, old clock and old sign, a bit of lace thrown in!

First floor - Paris backed Perfume Advert, small parcel of fabric, vintage lace and a teeny pink thimble, some 'rolls' of fabric (done by using cocktail sticks and scraps!), a couple of tiny buttons, sewing machine (stamped on metal) and a 'remember' sticker. Dressmakers dummy covered in paper and some floaty fabric, a mirror made by using modelling paste, acrylic paints and metallic rubs for the frame with the insert from a piece of tin foil, a reel of vintage ribbon secured with a sparkly pin and a small cotton reel.

Ground floor -from the left -  image printed onto fabric (reminded me of the way my hair was done in 'ringlets' when I was small!) edged with vintage lace, a fabric rose and a pearl earring,
Centre - a sewing 'basket' containing some vintage style pins, a safety pin, tape measure and scissors, a button and specs and a candelabra to see by!  

Right - a ladies vintage boot, more buttons and a tiny hanger with a feather bit all sat on some vintage lace.

Challenges -
Natalie & Amy - Shabby Chic
Altered Eclectics - Alter Something
Dream Valley - Buttons
The Crafting Cafe - Anything Goes
All Crafts Challenge - Anything but a Card
Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything Goes
Created with Love - Sewing
ALBC - A little bit Shabby

I hope you have enjoyed my little trip down memory lane - the box is now sat on my work room wall where it evokes memories of my childhood!
Thanks for visiting today - have a great time whatever you're doing. x

Halloween Dance

I am not a Halloween person! Nor am I inclined to read or watch anything remotely spooky.... (apart from Casper that is!) but once in a while seeing all the masks, capes, spidery things I am tempted to produce something non cute that could be (loosely) interpreted as suitably scary.

Perhaps the image is not your normal kind of anniversary/wedding card subject but the sentiment seemed to fit with it so a wedding/anniversary/engagement card it is....... for someone who likes all things Twilight Zone!

Basic white card covered in some black paper then a piece of purple crackle style paper.
After distressing the edges, some Pumice Stone DI applied and some faux stitching in black along the edge.

Image matted and distressed in the same way, coloured with a mix of promarkers and Distress Inks.
Black lace, black pearls and flourishes and two die cut gothic style corners.

The freebie sentiment printed onto the purple paper. The two 'bats' are tiny cut outs from the corner dies - they didn't start off life as bats - I just used a pair of scissors and trimmed the off cuts a bit!!

The metal heart charm is a dull dark grey colour - the shine comes from the flash on the camera - I had a devil of a job taking this pic (perhaps not a good choice of descriptive person for Halloween??? LOL) - its very grey and damp here today and the dark colours didn't make for good photo taking!

So there it is - my Halloween offering for 2013!

Challenges -
Creative Insp - Happy Haunting
MAWTT - Spooktastic
CRAFT- Halloween
Crafty Catz - Halloween
LOC - Halloween
Card Crafters Circle - 3 embellishments
Country View Crafts - Something Spooky
Emergency Crafters - Halloween

Thanks for stopping by - have a great day whatever you're doing. x

A little bit shabby...

have been working on a couple of projects (not cards) but got withdrawal symptoms... so  with lots of bit and pieces left on the desk I made this....

Not a stamp in sight - just paper, lace and various bits and bobs.

Whilst the sewing machine was uncovered I put it to good use - the backing paper is from First Edition and I stitched onto cream card after suitably distressing the edges and running round them with Pumice Stone Distress Ink.

The large width lace is from my stash - it's stretchy so was a bit awkward when stitching!

Covered the dress form with paper from the Papermania 'Bookprint' stack which I bought last year and have never used one single sheet to my shame.... and then added some black lace threaded through a pearl heart buckle.

All the other lace, ribbon, ric rac braid were odd bits left over.

The 'C'est Magnifique' sentiment I found in an envelope - obviously rescued from something else at sometime or other so stitched round it and stuck it on with foam pads adding a lace flower with a cameo button middle on the bottom.
Three tiny black pearls in a corner, some pins stuck into the silky crush ribbon bow et volia` - French Shabby Chic!! (I hope!)...

Challenges -
Delightful Challenges - Distress
Crafting by Design - A.Goes with Ribbon/Lace
Crafting 4 all seasons - Pins and Lace
Timeless Tuesday - Pearls and lace
Whimsy Insp - Shabby Chic/Vintage
Oldie but Goodie - Lace/Stitching/Ribbon from the Bingo board
Cute Card Thursday - Neutral Zone
PNDC - #14 Vintage
Unstampabelles - Stitching
My Craft Creations - A/Goes

I appreciate you taking the time to look and thanks for leaving comments!
Hope you're all having some craft time wherever you are in the world time zone.xx 

White on White

I hate White on White! Or at least trying to take a decent pic of WOW cards!!

The cards made with it I usually love - I think the stark simplicity of them is stunning - and there's lots of beauties on display this week over at Less Is More - and their WOW CAS challenge also has the theme of Christmas - so another card for the Christmas box - and you'll just have to believe me when I tell you that this is actually quite a nice card in real life!

I so so so struggled to get a decent pic - my pathetic photography skills, coupled with the lack of decent light (very grey day here today) and of course my ridiculous notion of using the dreaded pearl Centura card as the focal point all combined to make one naff picture! But you'll get the general idea....

Simply made with dies layered onto each other and finished with a sparklie in the centre.
Layered onto a linen textured card that has a lovely sheen. 
The sentiment was stamped in silver ink and clear embossed.

A quick card but another one towards the Christmas stack!
Other Challenges -
KIS - White
Paper Creator - Dies
Inky Chicks - 2 different die cuts

That's it from me - time for bed I think! x

A new DT post!

Some news to share with you all - I have been asked to be a Design Team member for 'Vintage Stamping'! 
The challenge is monthly and although it says 'vintage' in the title the things you make don't have to be vintage themed - you can enter any sort of project as long as you follow the theme for that particular challenge and you have to STAMP!!

This month's new theme starts today and it's 'Female Beauty' - I've done a bit of a tongue in cheek effort using one of our sponsors retro themed stamps - and I hope now that they're not regretting asking me to join the team!
I confess that this WAS made in a bit of a hurry too.... hope it doesn't look like it!

The papers are from Summer Driggs - the pack is all in shades of lemon, grey and black.

I lightly coloured the stamp with  promarkers and made a scrunchy flower from the same papers.

The sentiment is PC generated, ribbon, pearls and the little black flower embellie from my stash.

Challenges -
Craftitude - Anything Goes
Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
Stampin with the Dragon - Yellow
Totally Papercrafts - Humour
MAWTT - Anything Goes

Thanks for visiting - have a great day whatever you're doing! x

Back to the Washing....

My kitchen floor looks like a jumble sale sorting room. Little piles of different coloured things have sprung up like tiny mountains and are patiently waiting to be drowned in water and soapy suds - there are two things I dislike about holidays - packing/unpacking(that counts as one thing cos it relates to suitcases LOL) and all the washing you have to do when you come home!!!!!!
So with one pile done, second pile in I decided to do something quick to ease me back in slowly to the craftie space.
Complete with my suntan (which even if I do say so myself is spectacular...) I opted to make - - - a Christmas Card!

Done quite simply by rubbing some very old Pearlescent Ice Blue pigment ink across the reverse of a snowflakes embossing folder and running through the Cuttlebug. (I was surprised that there was still some ink left in this pad - it's YEARS old!)

Sadly the pic is not the best owing to the fact that it is very gloomy here on the moors today but at least you get an idea.

I used some paper that had a light sheen to it so where the ink is patchy in places it has allowed a lovely iridescent sheen to show through and the snowflakes look shimmering.

The vellum was a scrap found in a drawer, torn into strips. I stamped the sentiment then heat embossed with silver powder.
Finished with a snowflake charm.

Made a few of these in a silly hope that I may not be rushing about last minute as normal....... am not holding my breath though.

Challenges -
Holly Jolly - No patterned paper 
Just Insp- Metal Embellie
Xmas Cards All Year - Getting Ready
Christmas Card Challenge #44 - Anything Goes
Use your Stuff - Heat Guns
Glitter and Sparkle - Add Some Metal

Am now settled down for the rest of the day to have a good old trawl round blogland and catch up and also to do some serious crafting - haven't got anywhere else left in the house to put any more washed stuff to dry - (good excuse....)