Love is all around!

I don't do Valentines. Never have. Think it's a load of tosh!! Why should there be one designated day dedicated to showing someone else you care???? Do it all year round you loveless lot!!
Valentines Day = Money Making Exercise in my book!  Rant over.
Going to now spread a little LURRRVE with this card!!

I really liked this image from Mo Manning and have used it many times over the last couple of years.
Coloured it using Promarkers and then rubbed some pastel chalks for the sky and ground - merely to take off the stark whiteness of the card as the papers have more of a creamy background than white.
I think the papers were originally from a Christmas Paper Pad but they seemed to fit OK for the 'love' theme!

I followed the sketch from this weeks challenge at 'Card and Scrap' HERE and based the colours on the pic at Cupcake Inspirations HERE.
Sentiment is from SU 'Good Greetings' set, cut the oval with a nestie, matted onto red and punched out a couple of little hearts.
The ribbon was a challenge win from eons ago and I added a red button secured with some twine.

Challenges -
Fan-tastic Tuesday -  A/G. Twist - Sweetheart
OSAAT - Love is in the Air
Dragonfly Journeys - Queen of Hearts
Eceltic Ellapu - Love Actually
Come and Get It - 1 image, 2 papers, 3 embellies (ribbon, button, punched hearts)
Corrosive Challenge - Love, Love, Love
DP2 - A/G with Mo image

It's a wild day here! Perfect for sitting up here listening to the wind and rain! Thanks for taking the time to pay me a visit today - have a great day whatever you're doing. x

Tuesday!

Today I realised it is almost a week since I posted - and I have no idea why as I don't seem to have done anything since last Wednesday that prevented me from adding to my blog!

I made this in a hurry for someone to give to a young couple who have set up their first home together.
The Mo Manning birdies I think are really cute and the couple in question are described as a couple of 'love birds' so a quite fitting image!

I coloured it with Distress Inks and used basic bright white card.
The sentiment was PC generated and I just added a small silver key charm.
I was a bit bothered when I'd done as I thought perhaps it was a little too CAS... if there is such a thing (???) - but the sender liked it and the 'love birds' adored it I'm told so everyone's happy!


A super quick card and a super quick post  - I want to have a few hours in the craft room today! Thanks for looking - and I hope you all have a lovely day whatever you're doing. xx

Challenges -
Cute Card Thursday - New,
Crafting When We Can - New,
Crafting from the heart - A/Goes,
Craft your passion - A/Goes 

Packed again!

Only a mere 460 miles this week! Life is currently settling into a bit of a routine - home Thursday night after another really nice few days (and lucky again with the weather!), Friday washing day, Saturday a chill out day watching the men's County team and today ironed and packed up ready to go for the road trip down to the South coast tomorrow!
Am not sure though if we will be as lucky with the weather for the first Celebration match of the week on Tuesday but fingers crossed. The Club members who request the Bowls England team visit put so much effort into their hospitality and it's a damn shame when the weather doesn't play nicely!

So here is Mo's Video Boy, coloured with Promarkers and made into a card for a teenager. Just a basic layout with bold colours!

The papers are from a couple of sources - the striped was from a 12 x 12 sheet previously never used and the other background paper was one of 3 sheets left in a tattered old pad where the front has well gone to the bin so no idea whose it is!
All mounted onto a piece of textured card which I thought was a real odd colour but it matches OK!
The sentiment is a stamp picked up in a bargain bucket, inked in Faded Jeans DI.
The stars were just punched out from the offcuts. Inside decorated to match.

Challenges -

CRAFT - Male
Crafters Cafe - 1 for the Boys
Mod Squad - Masculine
Stampavie & More - Boys
Sweet Stampin' - Special man
DP2 - Anything Goes w/Mo's image- Twist - For Teenz

Time for a quick mooch round blogland - please accept my apologies if I don't get round to you tonight - am home for nearly a week (bliss!!!) from Thursday so I shall be a little more frequent visitor then!
In the meantime, thanks for keeping calling in - I really DO enjoy hearing from you! Enjoy your week. xx

Down Time!

It has just been utter madness this week - lots of dummies being spat out (all by the same person I might add) and so those left have had to turn to and get stuck in to sort it all out! Never rains etc etc!! LOL
So that explains my absence - will have a visit to you all hopefully either today or tomorrow too - need some down time and blog trawling is VERY therapeutic!
Onto today's offering -

Those who know us know that Dear Husband is a lunatic gamer (Friday night is Game Night - Do Not Disturb under Pain Of Death) and this is just HIM... although sometimes the red mug is replaced with the bottle of beer....
Image was coloured with promarkers, a little DI added round the edges and mounted onto a scrap of card.
All the papers were from my stash and popped on a couple of metal brads.

Whilst rummaging about for something else in a never used box I found a plastic container packed with these Scrabble Tiles - purchased a long time ago and hardly ever used - come to think of it, I really don't know why I bought them in the first place and probably now I've used them on this card they'll just get stuffed away again for the next 5 years.
Away now to get the papers sorted for yet another meeting- hopefully the last one in the sorry saga- then all can just go back to normal! (Or as normal as my life ever was! LOL)

Challenges
Fab n Funky - Masculine
The Male Room - Letters
Paper Shelter - For the Boys
SOS - Lost and Found
Crafting Musketeers - Mans World  
Creative Card Crew - Sentiment

Thanks for paying me a visit today - appreciate it. 'See' you all soon. x

Been getting on a bit with the commissioned cards the last couple of days although I think that today I might have to do something else as I am beginning to get irritated with Christmas!

This is another one of Mo's images I have had for a long time but rarely coloured. Opted for a pink and blue theme as something a little bit different from the normal red and greens.

The papers are from my stash and I added a little bit of spiders webby sparkly fabric stuff (no idea what it's real name is....) on top of the base layer before layering up everything else.

The stamp was coloured with promarkers.

Some blingy in the form of dies cut from sparkly paper and a few dabs of Stickles.

Another one off the ordered list!

Challenges -
Milk Coffee - Hand Coloured Image
Delightful Challenges - Patterned paper
Bearly Mine - Christmas Cards
C.R.A.F.T - Winter
I love Promarkers - Cute Christmas
Papertake Weekly - A/goes with sparkle/glitter

Am sat here listening to the rain lashing down - perfect excuse not to venture away from the craft room - (as if I even needed an excuse! LOL).
Thanks for visiting - have a lovely day whatever you're doing. x

Feed the Birds

Had a very exciting couple of days - more of that later at the end of the post.
In between all the madness I relaxed a little by carrying on with my commissioned cards. Here's another one done and on the stack which is half way finished.

I have had the image called 'Ragged Urchin' for a while but this is the first time I have coloured it.

I don't know why either- even though I can't pick a fave from the talented pen of Mo Manning this one does rate somewhere near the top of the list - there she is all muffled up against the cold, with patches and darns on her pinafore but she has managed to find enough pennies to feed a little bird to protect him from the winter - Love it!
I coloured her with promarkers.

Keeping embellishments to a minimum once again but couldn't resist the pearls!
The berry trim was in the fabric box and I estimate it's about 8 years old but I think it goes quite well with the papers and image.
The sentiment die was bought last Christmas and used for the first time for this Christmas....and the big green brad is another oldie!

So shall now tell you about the rather pleasant shock I got yesterday - received a phone call to tell me that my club had won the Bowls England Club of the Year................ OMG!!! How good is that!

If you're really interested the press release is here -
https://www.facebook.com/bowlsengland/photos/a.171055699631612.40631.141047599299089/726637634073413/?type=1&theater

What a year we've had - Commonwealth Games Squad match, Bowls England President's Team match, hosting the lawn bowls of the British Transplant Games and now Club of the Year - No wonder I'm worn out!

Oh and the best bit -- - - - -  another new posh dress required - well can't wear the same in February as I'm wearing at the end of November can I ????? LOL

Challenges -

Crafty Catz - Anything Goes

Delicious Doodles - Baby It's Cold Outside

Jingle Belles - Christmas card with a Creature 

Winter Wonderland - Pick n Mix (Brads, pearls and berry trim trim which I'm hoping will count in the ribbon/lace category)

That's it from me. Have a fabulous weekend everybody. x

Age is just a Number!

I hope everyone enjoyed the recent festive days and thanks to everyone who sent me messages, cards and prezzies!!!
We had a lovely quiet couple of days in our first Christmas in our new house and am keeping my fingers crossed that the current hailstorm will turn to snow 'cos I can't wait to see the hills and valley at the back all white!! (Yes I am definitely crazy wishing to be snowed in I know!)

My share for today is a commissioned card for a 70th Birthday.

The recipient is someone who can only be described as 'a party gal' and I was asked to reflect that in the card. The lady in question certainly knows how to have a good time and is the life and soul of any celebration and I hope I have captured her personality as asked.

I opted to use a centre step scalloped edge card as a bit of a change from my recent squares and rectangles.
The background is embossed although it doesn't show up very well (light here is not good - aforesaid hailstorm!!), and I matted it onto some red card.
The image is of course from Mo Manning and called 'Veronica' - she makes me smile! I coloured her with a mix of promarkers  and distress inks and decoupaged her onto a fancy oval frame.
I added a few tiny sparklies for a bit of bling and some spotty ribbon and a pearl buckle.
The 'pink martini' was a download, coloured then some stickles added for bubbly bits, and the numbers were also a download.
I finished with a few punched out stars and a sentiment from TLC which I cut out with a fancy tag die and I think is absolutely PERFECT to describe the 'party gal'!!!!!
Mo's DP2 has a challenge called 'Your favourite Mo card of 2013' - I have made many this year and can't choose really - so have opted to link the latest one!
 Challenges -
Digitally Sweet - Anything Goes
Delicious Doodles - Let's Party
Digistamps 4 Joy- Anything Goes
I Love Promarkers - More than 1 fold
Whimsy - Party Time
Digi Galore - Anything Goes
Pile It On - P is for - (Party, Pearl, Polka Dot ribbon)

Have a great day. x

Sufficient Sparkle!

I have been getting on with the commissioned cards - only a couple left to do then I can concentrate on getting back to my own Christmas ones as well as my DT's!
This is part of the order - no instructions other than a 'girly' card!
I bought this image from Mo's last year and this is the first time I have coloured her.
I am so pleased with the final result of this - although as ever the light here isn't very good so hope you can imagine what it's like IRL!

Bright white linen textured card ran through the 'Swiss Dots' folder, then a circular aperture cut out.

I coloured the image with Distress Inks, then got out all the sparkly stuff!!!
And before you ask, yes I DO have some left! But she seemed to be crying out to be 'sparkled' to within an inch of her life.................so I put it EVERYWHERE - on the background of the image, on her socks, hat, frill of her dress, wings, snowballs - oh and for good measure used some liquid pearls on her skirt. LOL

All the snowflakes were cut from white glitter paper and this really doesn't show up in the pic - but you get the idea!
Finished with a couple of sparkly gems.

Challenges -
Glitter n Sparkle - Add Glitter n Sparkle
Totally Gorjuss - Snows the way to go
Crafty Hands - Sparkle and Bling
Simply Create Too - Snow
Wags n Whiskers - Things with Wings
Happy Campers - Glitter It
OSAAT - Use a Digi
Gem of a Challenge - Winter Wonderland

Hope you've all had a great weekend! x

Birthday - Crafty Card Makers DT

This week's over at Crafty Cardmakers Lin has chosen the theme of 'Birthday'  to celebrate our challenge's Birthday!
So we would love for you to join in and share your birthday creations with us - some great prizes from our sponsors - pop over to the blog and check them out!

This is the last one of my recent commission for children's birthday cards.

I think this little ballerina from Mo Manning is such a cutie!

I printed her out and coloured her with promarkers then cut her out with a fancy nestie oval.
Her tutu was liberally covered with some pink stickles and all the papers were from my stash.
Added some corner die cuts and some pearls and ribbon before fixing the greeting.

The inside is decorated to match.

I can only apologise for the poor color quality of my pics recently - I haven't found somewhere yet in the new house that quite matches the light of the window of the previous office and think that my pics look a little 'washed out'!

Challenges -
2 Sisters - Make it Sparkle
Paper Creator - Think Pink
Word Play Saturday - Birthday
Sister Act - Anything Goes
Crafting Musketeers - Ribbons/Pearls
613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes
One Stitch at a Time - Use a Digi


Thanks for stopping in - know those of us here in the UK are busy enjoying this fab weather we're having - so hope the sun is shining for you too! x

Scribbles!

The rain today gave me the perfect excuse to sit and start on a small order of cards -as if I needed an excuse after having being deprived for so long.....

Monty is the great grandson of one of the ladies at the Club -and having bought this Mo Manning image a while ago - simply because I liked it!- I thought I would use it. As I am not 'child friendly' at all, I hope it isn't 'too old' for a 3 year old!

I imported the image into a graphics program and then added what I hope are kiddie type letters for the greeting.

Printed out and coloured with Promarkers - and I confess I really enjoyed colouring this little man - his facial expression is priceless!
I mounted him onto some blue cardstock.
The backing papers are from the Nitwits 'By the Sea' and 'Land Ho' collections and the two small tabs secured with brads on the left were added as I thought it looked a bit 'plain'!
I don't possess a Cricut or similar machine, nor do I have any alphabet/number dies so the number was hand cut - (Not perfect but passable!)
The two 'crayons' are from the button stash and the inside is decorated with the same papers.

Challenges -
Red Carpet Studio - Going Digital
My Time to Craft - Spots and Stripes
Fashionista -  Birthday
The Cupboard Trilogy - Birthday
Crafting Cafe - Here Come the Boys
Sweet Pea Stampers - For a Child
Gem of a Challenge - Male Birthday

Thanks for visiting - happy crafting! x

Late!

A snowy and cold day here - perfect for crafting - (any excuse LOL) - I love looking out onto the white garden - the field opposite has a white blanket over it and the only downside is the odd car that has come up the lane and spoiled the roadway with tyre marks!
Although we've managed to get out every single day for a walk during the last week, this morning the heavy snow falling beat us and we didn't manage it - forecast is for it to stop later so it'll be off for the crunchy march as normal!

Onto the card for today -
this is my very first card for the Design Team over at Crafty Cardmakers - I was delighted to be asked to join them and what a nice lot they are!

The challenge this week is 'Belated Birthday' - and if you're anything like me you'll need a few of these in your stash for those 'forgetful' moments!

Mo Manning Digi (poor sad wabbit), coloured with promarkers, cut out with a nestie and layered onto another scalloped nestie frame.
The papers are from My Minds Eye, layered onto a burnt orangey cardstock.
'I'm Late' Sentiment is from TLC again cut out and layered onto a frame.
The bottom sentiment I printed out onto the pc and then glued it onto a fancy tag.
Finished off with a bit of orange ribbon and a clock from my stash - inside co-ordinated to match.
I deliberately kept the layout straightforward and didn't use a lot of embellishments as I wanted this to be a card I could use for a man if necessary!

Come and join us this week - we're sponsored by Milk Coffe Digital Stamps AND Sir Stampalot - how cool is that - two prizes?! 
We all need to have cards like this to hand -just read the challenge rules and follow the theme - simples!

Other Challenges -
Whoopsi Daisy - Use a Digi
Created With Love - Anything Goes

Thanks for paying me a visit today - stay warm!

Oriental Miss

I love this real pretty image from Mo Manning. I think her facial expression is beautiful!

I coloured her using promarkers and am going to add a teeny amount of stickles onto the flower in her hair. I haven't yet decided if I shall leave this card as it is or put a greeting on it.

The background papers are from My Minds Eye and the oval frame was done using Coredinations paper, a Nellie die then the frame put through the cuttlebug using one of the Asian folders set and sanded.

I didn't have any flowers matching the kimono colour in my stash, so opted to colour the flowers with the promarkers.

I am entering this card into the following challenges -

Cupcake Crafts #81 - Flowers

Crafty Cardmakers - A Feminine Celebration (where you had to use a female form somewhere on your card)

Have a stiff drink......

..... before you look at this card!!! I can see you all now saying.. 'there's no way she made this' but I can honestly say this is deffo all my own work!!!!

Who said I don't do cute??????????????? Is this cute??? I don't know!!!

Mo Manning draws these digital stamps and I know a lot of seasoned cardmakers love them so I decided to try a few out for myself! This card will soon be winging it's way 'across the pond' to our lovely little niece in Texas.

The striped backing paper is Paper Artsy, I used the 'dots' stamp from Stampers Anonymous with heat set white Versamark ink on the red card which was then matted onto white card. The punched lime green pearlised border was done by Maureen who was showing off her Martha Stewart punches when she visited..LOL - (waste not want not!). The digi stamp was coloured with watercolours and promarkers and I added some 'frosty glitter' round the hat. Lime green and red flowers with a sparkly red snowflake and brad and the words were stamped onto the same lime green card with red stazon.

I am actually feeling quite smug on the completion of this card....it is such a huge diversion from my usual stuff..... may have to go and make some more! And I have found a site Cupcake Craft Challenges whose theme this week is Digital Stamps and another site called Digital Tuesday... so this has been submitted as my entry!