All Loved Up!

Try it On Tuesday's challenge  this time is called 'All Loved Up'.

I steered away from the usual red and went for a rustic look!

The backing paper is eons old (found in the paper box) and I roughed up the edges and ran over with Antique Linen DI.

Edged with a paper doily and then cut out two hearts from some hessian ribbon.

2 small pearl buttons and some white thread on top and then added some twine and a larger pearl button.
Job done!


Thanks for looking - hope all is well with you in your part of blogland. x

Try It On Tuesday Mid Way Reminder

Our Hearts and/or Flowers theme at Try it On Tuesday has reached it's half way point. Some great creations added to our blog this time and there's still another week to go if you haven't had a go or even if you want to do another!

Just before Christmas my friend got married and this was the card I made for them.
The majority of the card was done using Centura Pearl and I used up a few oddly shaped bits of card which were in the folder with the full sheets to make the corner flourishes.

I opted to emboss the background to give it a bit more interest.

The 2 smaller flowers were made from some oddments of card too using a Spellbinders die - there wasn't enough to make the big one!
I forget how many rounds I cut but I wanted them to be full!

They are a bit of a faff to glue all together but I think worth it in the end.

Layered onto silver matt card and used a little bit of leftover to die cut the silver leaves and used the smallest pieces to pop behind the tiny heart shapes in the corner flourishes.

It's been a while since I managed to skip across to the Playground but am sticking my head through the railings this week!
Also sharing at
CYHTP - A/Goes
Alphabet Challenge - W for Weddings
Cut It Up - Have a Heart
MMM - Love

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

Cakes!

A wedding card to share today made with a stamp set that was a freebie from a mag.
I very rarely buy the crafting mags but there were quite a few stamps on the outside of this one which were mostly cake/tea themed - and I don't own many of these types of stamps (sounded a good enough excuse to me when I put it in the shopping trolley - although doubt dear husband thought the same......😘😘)

It's amazing though that a stamp doesn't look very big when attached to a whole sheet but when you stamp it, it suddenly looks HUGE!!!
After stamping it, I then had to decide what to do with it... then I remembered this much neglected die set (most of my die sets are neglected - LOL).

I embossed the bottom under the stamp a little and coloured the stand with Spun Sugar DI and a pale grey promarker before die cutting.
Did some subtle sponging (Tumbled Glass) round the bare white background of the stamp although it doesn't show up very well in the pic - just to take away the starkness of the white.
Layered up the two die cuts on foam pads, added some stickles to the cake tops and a pink pearl.
Sentiment stamped in Versafine, die cut and more foam pads!
Looks OK I think?

Sharing over at -
Crafty Friends Challenge - Love is in the Air
MTTC - Love is all you need
Cut it Up - Layers of Love
Alphabet - 'X' = Xtra Special Occasion
Crafting With Friends - A/Goes

We have a lovely day here for a change - been out this morning and it was nice to see the blue sky instead of watching the rain!
Thanks for visiting me today - hope all is OK in your  corner of blogland. x

Charms and Sparkles

I've spent this week catching up on the big holes in my stash. I've finished off the New Baby cards and made a couple that I think can be used for Weddings/Aniversaries/Engagements etc.

I had some off cuts of some glitter card left and was just about to pop them into the drawer when I remembered the sketch this week over at Freshly Made Sketches.

With a little bit of fiddling, I managed to follow the sketch and make another multi purpose celebration card. So well pleased!

This was quick and simple to do and overall I am happy with the result ( and it used up some of those left overs which are beginning to create a mountain).
I used two stitched edge dies for the square and the rectangle -they were both recent bargains at The Works.

Stamped the sentiment ( a freebie from a mag) onto vellum and embossed  with WOW Metallic Platinum.
Two champagne glass charms and a couple of blingy's for bubbles - finished (and all done in less than an hour) and it looks rather good in real life!

Next time could someone remind me how hard glitter card is to photograph - I've made rather a lot of cards using it and they are all going to be a devil to share!

Sharing over at -
Freshly Made Sketches ~323
CAS on Friday - Use a Die Cut
MAWTT - Love (Wedding/Anniversary etc)
Cut It Up - Layers of Love
Time Out - Photo Inspiration (Gold,white and glitter!)

Thanks for looking today! x

Finally A Share!!!

HELLO BLOGLAND! Have missed you.
20 days since I have been able to post anything - and am only here for a fleeting visit before off I go again.
Thanks to everyone who is still following me.
Have a commissioned card which I have made over the last couple of days whilst waiting for the washing to do and in between the ironing!

I don't often use digi stamps but this was one in my digi folder which I think was a freebie some time ago from Just Inklined.

The person who ordered the card thought it was a fun image for the bride and groom and I was asked to tie it in with a pink theme as the bridesmaids are wearing pink.

I confess I found this card really difficult to do - it's been such a long time since I have done ANYTHING but even longer since I've made anything that hasn't involved ink dusters and stamps!
Even worse I used the dreaded white pearlised card - which is just pants when it comes to photo taking!

Embossed the first layer with a swirly folder to give the background some texture.
Printed out the digi and clear embossed before cutting out with the oval frame die, then coloured with Promarkers. Added teeny flecks of glamour dust onto the edges of the bow on the shoes and a pink sparklie.
The flowers were all made from the rest of the pearlised card. I inked the edges of each of them with Spun Sugar DI and added a little more glamour dust.

A big pink bow and a couple of silver charms - the heart because it IS a wedding after all (!!) and the key for the poor groom to unlock his ball and chain!!
Can only hope they like it!

As it's been an age since I linked into any challenges am heading over to join in at
Crafty Catz - Make your Own Flowers
Fussy and Fancy - Flowers
In the Pink -Embossing
Simply Create Too - Use a Digi stamp
Creative Knockouts - Embossing

I cannot tell you all how much I appreciate that you are bearing with me this year. It is soooo busy and the travelling is immense. BUT - I am getting to visit lots of lovely places and meet lots of really nice people so being tired is worth it - and - you only get one go at it so you have to make the most of it!
Hope all OK with you and yours my blogging buddies. xxx

Finally!

Followers of my blog will know that a couple of weeks ago I was asked if I could make a Wedding card. Well who doesn't like a wedding???? The answer is ME. Because as soon as I said 'Of Course I can', I was given a list of very specific instructions as to what I had to include!!
I started the card without much enthusiasm I confess. As I tried to work out how to incorporate everything my already low enthusiasm diminished even more.
But my Mum always said that you should never give up  - so I didn't and think now I have presented something reasonably passable.
Instructions - 1. " One of your 'stand-up' cards (hope she meant Easel LOL), 2. Te couple are in their 50's so no 'young brides or grooms' (???), 3. He likes trains  4. She's a musician  5. Please add their names too
SIMPLES......................................................... not.
So here's the finished article. A front view and a stand up view

I used the brick embossing folder on the bottom to try and make it look like the couple were dancing towards the vintage train - they are raised up from the card so it does have a perspective effect in real life. I think the bride's head-dress has a vintage 20's feel to it so hopefully that counts as 'not young'!!
The clouds folder was a mag freebie and I rubbed some pale blue pastel chalk to give the sky a bit of colour.
I put the same grey shiny (not mirri) card behind the die cut train (the left over from the matting piece used) and punched out a few musical notes for steam.
The 'Just Married' sign was PC generated and hung with some embroidery thread. The card is in fact bright white so I mustn't be very good at pic taking as it looks quite dull here! 
Used the same musical notes punch for the base and added another sign with the couple's names secured with a silver heart brad.
Heaved a sigh of relief when this was finished - can only hope the person who ordered it thinks it is OK!

Challenges -
Allsorts - Vintage
Crafting with Dragonflies - Wedding
CFAS - Embossing
Creative Moments - Black/White and Grey
Crafty Catz - Dies and Punches


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

Sunday

Another week gone! Glad to say have improved a whole lot so a big thank you to everyone who sent me messages - I really appreciate you taking the time.
Have played a little in the craftie space this week and swelled the 'Macmillan Box'. It's a long time since I made an easel card and this week I made two!

Am continuing with trying to get as many specific occasion cards done as I can - although I have not one 'new home' card in the box at all - something I must sort out!
This one was quite quick to do despite all the cutting and I used up quite a few odd bits of paper for the die cuts.

I love this stamp!
Used white linen card coloured the stamp with Distress Inks and then chucked a load of glamour dust down the bride's dress - really sparkly in real life and am quite smug about how nice it looks! LOL

Used a variety of dies - the ovals are all from the same set. The fancy corner die is from a set I confess I don't use very often but it was the right size for this card!

I didn't like the plain straight edge with the fancy main oval so I decided to put a border die across the top - in fact I added two and put some ribbon across the middle to hide the join! I cheated a bit because the bottom one is only two tiny bits tucked behind the main oval - was running out of linen card scraps by this time!
Same die used to create the 'stop' for the easel (I think it is a Marianne one.)

The flowers are all from my stash, punched out some ferny leaves and I finished it off with a LOTV sentiment and a little pearl heart.

Unsurprisingly there's lots of 'love' themes about this week -
Allsorts - Love is All Around
Sweet Stampin - Add a Heart
Fussy & Fancy - All About Love
Cuttlebug Mania - Heart
We Do Doobadoo - Hearts & Flowers
Crafting with the Dragon - Hearts & Flowers

I have been absent from the Snippets Playground whilst I've been feeling yuk - but am going to poke my nose through the fence this week as I've missed everyone!
Thanks for looking in today. Have a great day whatever you';re doing! x

Wedding 1

Worked steadily the last few days in swelling the Macmillan stash box. Made a few specific occasion cards (Easter, Wedding Day etc) rather than my normal 'Do for Anything' (Just for You, Best Wishes) card in the hope that having a wide selection may tempt people to stock up for a few occasions!

The taking of this picture has caused me such angst!

I think my loved little camera may be about to go to the camera heaven in the sky... the colours are not true and there has been a lot of 'bleed' round the edges - this is the most passable pic but still not as sharp as I would have liked!
I used a 'Blossom' embossing folder (from an Oriental set) for the background, simply highlighted and layered image onto another piece of white card and ran some blingy round the edges and on the image itself.

The lace is from my stash, with a few pearls added and a die cut heart with a tiny organza bow.
The flowers were made using Spellbinders dies, popped on a corner die cut and a couple of punched ferny leaves and the inside decorated to match.

Challenges -
Aud Sentiments - Anything Goes
MAWTT - Dies and Punches
Crafting 4 all Seasons - Ribbons/Lace/Pearls
Crafty Gals Corner - Sweet Hearts
Paper Shelter - Punches and Dies
Creative Moments - New Beginnings
Crafty Catz - New Beginnings

We've had quite a bit of snow today but thankfully the terrible high gales from last night have calmed down a bit! Thanks for stopping by - Have a great day whatever you're doing. x

Wedding Day!

Time for another challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers (aren't the weeks just flying by?) and this time Sonia has chosen the theme of 'Cut It Out' - so dies and punches are to be used on your project this time and we are sponsored by HOBBY ART STAMPS and DI'S DIGISTAMPS.

I am sharing a Wedding card I made as a commission earlier this month. 

I was asked to include some 'pink somewhere' on the card as the Flower Girl attendants were wearing a baby pink colour.

I used my fave linen textured card, rescuing all the offcuts to use for the die cuts!

The background has a punched edge (Martha Stewart punch set) which I edged with Petal Pink ink.

The flower wreath was also randomly sponged with the same ink and some pale pink and  teeny white pearls were glued to the flowers.

The heart and butterfly die cuts also edged with pink ink and a couple more pearls to the butterfly body.
PC generated sentiment to finish.

Other Challenges -
Ecletic Ellapu (Pink Team) - Flowers/Anything Floral 
Pixies Snippets - Week 148
Stampin Boutique - Congratulatory 
Crafty Calendar - Bingo (Pearls/Sentiment/Die Cut)

Suzy Bees Blooming Challenge - A/Goes with twist - Wedding

Thanks for visiting - hope you will have a go this time with the challenge - have a great day whatever you're doing. x

Amour

Arrived home for a couple of days- did my washing! Ironing next (tomorrow) before I load it all back into the car again for another 12 days - Am hoping the motorway may be a little less hectic on Saturday morning!Weather here has alternated between very brief glimpses of sunshine and really heavy rain showers so made an excuse that as I was going to have to wait for the washing to dry I might as well go and lock myself in the craftie space!

It gave me an opportunity to make a card for someone who is getting married very soon - (it's OK she doesn't read the blog!) - all I have to do now is sort out a box!
I had a bit of a 'shabby' mood on me when I made this - I had already made two other cards with clean sharp lines and very few embellies for the stash (which I will share later in scheduled posts!)- and was bored with straight edges and stuff so went a bit OTT with this!

The background paper was done by Astrid and I printed it onto linen textured card, distressed the edges, used Antique Linen DI then stitched it onto the base.

A paper doily then another printed piece from Raspberry Road, cut into a banner shape, again distressed and stitched.

The centre was done with a fancy nestie, and a couple of oval layers, the sentiment is from an old stamp set.
Flowers, pearls, pins and shabby ribbon all from my stash and the inside decorated to match.

Challenges -
MAWTT - A little Vintage
Gliiter n Sparkle - Weddings/Love
Live and Love Crafts #26 - Stitching
Fussy & Fancy - Pearls/Stitching/Message
Dream Valley - wedding
Lexi's - Special Occasion
Crazy Challenge - Love & Marriage
As You Like It - Fave 2 Embellies (Got to be Ribbon and Pearls- use them as much as I can, wherever I can! They just seem to 'tie it all together' I think!)

That's it from me - have scheduled a couple of posts for whilst I'm away - thanks for visiting today - and if you've left a comment I really appreciate it! Enjoy your weekend whatever you're doing. x

Can't believe that my last post was Sunday! I've had a busy week - doing paperwork - and not the crafting kind of paperwork either more's the pity!
But I received a request for a wedding card so set to yesterday to rustle one up -
I don't know the intended recipients but hope that they (and the person who ordered it) like it!

 The whole card is made using Centura Pearl White.
I embossed the background using 'Budding Vine' embossing folder (which is one of my favourites), then layered it onto silver mirri card. I confess to not liking mirri card very much but think that for weddings and other glitzy occasions if you don't use too much it's fine as it gives a bit of shine to your projects......
I printed out the sentiment, then cut with the oval from the Radiant Rectangles nestie set and again matted it onto the silver.
I popped on a tiny rhinestone to make the 'diamond ring'!

The large corner die cuts I simply love and they always seem to be perfect for wedding creations.

The flowers were made using nestie blossom dies and once assembled I brushed on a wee bit of Stickles Diamond to give them some sparkle. The white leaves were done with an embossing punch and the silver ones are another punch which was one of the very first I ever bought.

The two tiny silver goblets are secured with a ribbon which is being 'carried' by the butterfly!
I have continued the theme on the inside.

Challenges -
Lexis - Sparkle and Shine
OLLCB - Inspired by a Song - ('I Do' by Westlife)
Crafters Cafe - Embossing
CRAFT- Congratulations
Delightful Challenges - Make the Cut
Cuttlebug Mania - Die Cuts
Delicious Doodles -  Anything Floral
Natalie & Amy - Embossing

Thanks for taking the time to look at my share for today - have a great weekend! x

Spring is on it's way?

Certainly feels like it here today! We had a hard frost overnight but during the morning the sun came out and is still here at 4pm! Unheard of! Not only that but it was warm enough to dispense with the 'North Face' body warmer under the jacket this morning on my walk too! The crocus and snowdrops are all flowering and the daffs have just started to poke their heads through the soil - so is Spring on it's way? I hope so!

I realised today it has been almost a week since I last posted....... I have been trying to visit all my blogging buddies but life has overtaken me this week! My head has been full of other stuff- but I was asked to make a wedding card and I managed to concentrate for long enough to put this together.

Not too difficult but was a bit fiddly and to be honest it doesn't look like I spent hours on it - which I did - because my concentration level was virtually non existent during the assembly process!!

I used white hammered cardstock throughout.
The punched edges are done with a MS punch - not the one I wanted to use (which was my doily lace one - but it decided to give up the ghost and won't punch through anything!) but think it looks OK.

On top of the punched layers I cut another piece of card and wrapped three strips of broad satin ribbon round it by mounting it onto foam tape to raise it from the square piece.

Another piece of white ribbon and some lace onto a piece of card which was then placed on top of the 3 ribbon piece and then the two pieces were matted onto the punched edged layer.

I printed out the sentiment in varying fonts using a grey colour and cut with a fancy tag nestie and added two little sparklies!
The butterflies were punched out and stamped with an Elusive Images flourish stamp in Smokey Grey ink and liberal helping of glamour dust applied! Couple more sparklies on the bodies.

The large pearl and crystal heart is of course from Imagine (where else! LOL) and I popped a scrap of lace under it to hang down - tried ribbon but it looked too 'heavy' so stuck with the lace.

Overall I'm reasonably happy with it and who knows if my new punch arrives later this week I may well re-do in a cream colour and let the lady choose which one she wants then the other can go in my stash!

Challenges -
Created with Love - Things that Fly
Love to Create - All that Glitter
OLLCB - Sparkle and Shine
Dream valley - Ribbon and Bling
2 Sisters - Love
Crafty Ann's - Love Actually
Daring Cardmakers - Fly Fly Butterfly
Pretty Little Ribbon - Anything Goes

I hope that you all have had the same sunny day as me! x