Finally some cards.......

These last few weeks have all gone by in a bit of a blur really and I have not felt like doing anything - I am still feeling low and the weepy side is overtaking the creative side - BUT- made myself sit for a couple of occasions and colour in some digi stamps. Once coloured in, I then had another session making them up into cards for my Pink Day. (I am proud to say I have just sent off a cheque for £350 in donations in lieu of flowers for Mum - I know this would have pleased her greatly and I have been overwhelmed by everyone's generosity.)

Back to the cards ....... the beer barrel teddy was done for my friend's OH who likes the odd glass (or three) of Boddington's Beer! The other one has gone into the Pink box. Both images are freebies and I coloured them with a mix of distress inks and promarkers. Backing papers for beer barrel are by Papermania (Hampstead Collection) and the backing papers for the Wine card were a pressie from Maureen, and as she didn't tell me whose they were I can't tell you!

Crafts and Me and Paper Sundaes both have challenge themes this week of Birthdays so have submitted these.

For Mum

Don’t think of her as gone away -Her journey’s just begun,
Life holds so many facets and this earth is only one.

Just think of her as resting from the sorrow and the tears,
In a place of warmth and comfort, where there are no days and years.

Think how she must be wishing that we could know today,
How nothing but our sadness can really pass away.

And think of her as living in the hearts of those she touched,
For nothing loved is ever lost - And she was loved so much.

In memory of my much loved Mum, who passed away suddenly on 6th June 2010. x

Don't worry - beeeeeee happy!

Just a quick and quite plain birthday card from me today.

Made using a freebie digi from the fab Meljen's Designs, cut out with the nesties and layered onto black card. Coloured with Promarkers and a wee bit of glitter for the wings.

The ribbon had a plain white edging so coloured this with the same yellow (Sunflower) promarker!

Printed out the sentiment on the PC and used a DCWV tiny yellow gingham cardstock for the background.

Have entered this into the challenge this week at Stamp Something which is 'Digi'.

Another Card!

Had a few hours in the crafty space despite the glorious weather!

This card is just one for the stash - I might pop it into the 'Pink Box' or may use it myself as we have one or two men's birthdays looming at the Club!

The photo has a bit of an orangey tint to it - don't know why - the background is actually a dark red - but am sure you get the idea....

The image is a digi freebie called 'Light My Life' - I usually make a note of who offered the freebies so I can say thank you on here when I use one but am afraid I haven't kept where this one came from. I coloured it with Promarkers before layering onto dark red and blue cardstock. The striped paper was a present from Maureen and I again layered it onto blue cardstock before adding the 3 blue eyelets (supposed to look like portholes - LOL) and the plaited rope. The sentiment was printed out on the PC.

The card fits several challenges -

S2G - Create a card for a man using a masculine image

Crafts and Me - Distressed (no not me, the stripey paper! LOL)

Dare U 2 Digi Stamp - One for the Boys

I Love Digi - For my Dad (and even though I don;t have a Dad if I did I'm sure I would send him a card like this!)

Rainbow Lady's Challenge Blog - Home Sweet Home

I am Woman

I adore Da Vinci's drawings of women's heads. All of them seem to have a serene ethereal quality about them and I confess to having used them many times when I've been 'fiddling about' (which is what my OH calls what I like to call creativity!)

So this ATC - which is one I made earlier (LOL)- uses one of my favourite 'heads' - it also happens to be the same head that Jeanette over at So Artful has challenged us to use this week.

The ATC is a paper collage overstamped with a script stamp and fibres added and was made for no other purpose other than I wanted to!

Quick Card!

Have had this embossing folder for ages and wanted to use it to try it out so when I saw Stamptacular's Sunday Challenge this week was 'Life's a Beach' it gave me an excuse to spend a small amount of time making a card.

I used Coredinations 'whitewash' paper for the embossing, sanded it and then layered it onto bown and cream card. The stamp is this month's freebie from Craft Stamper magazine inked up with 'Vintage Sepia' Versamark ink and the embellishments and shells are all from my stash. The background paper is by Graphic 45.

I have the feeling that there's something missing from this card but am at a loss to know what! I am looking for a small pic of a seagull that I can use to sit atop the rope bound post! But at least I found some precious time to have a fiddle with paper even if I am not 100% happy with the result!

Tag

It's been forever since I have found time to sit and do anything creative. Today I had a free day and oh what joy when I saw the weather! Cold and wet means I can sit here and fiddle about to my heart's content without feeling guilty cos I'm not tidying the garden!!

It's also been forever since I have made anything for a challenge and this one finishes tomorrow!!

The challenge set by the 'Tag You're It' team was 'A Whiter Shade of Pale'. I have been cursing them ever since I read the blog 'cos the darn song keeps whizzing about in my head! (Which now has well aged me cos I just checked and it was 1967 when it was released!!!!)

So here's my effort complete with a quote from Procul Harums classic song.

'She said, 'There is no reason and the truth is plain to see.

But I wandered through my playing cards and would not let her be

one of sixteen vestal virginswho were leaving for the coast

and although my eyes were open they might have just as well've been closed'

The beautiful face image is printed onto fabric paper and edged with white organza fabric and the quote is printed onto vellum and attached with white eyelets onto the 'paisley' embossed paper background. Some fibres, pearls and a sparkly flower to finish and unfortunately my photography today is not the best so please if you want a better look enlarge the pic!

Flying back home

The trouble with holidays is they go over too quickly don't they? Still it was good while it lasted!Have been working through the mountain of washing since we arrived home (I think I also brought at least a dozen other peoples washing home with me... where on earth does it all come from ????)
As well as being absent from the blog I have (I'm ashamed to admit) also been absent from my Flickr groups. Another member of the Art N Soul group (Sherry) has been keeping things going in my absence and I'm grateful for her help! She set a challenge to make a hanging bird using a template. The template is one I've used before in a 'bird journal jam' swap with 5 other people and Sherry must have been pyschic cos I'd started to make another bird for my own journal!! Guilt got the better of me though so instead of adding it to the already bulging pages of my own journal I finished it and have submitted it for my Art N Soul group swap. I have only shown one side of the finished piece here - the reverse can be found on my Flickr photostream here.
As with all things that I'm doing recently, this was done in a bit of a hurry so I hope whoever gets it likes it!

An (unfinished) Feather In My Cap?

I have been tongue lashed by Maureen - LOL - who last night announced 'I've looked and there's nothing there' - meaning of course that I have been very lax at posting recently. I am desperately trying to get things organised here at home for the impending holiday and have had to bring forward and fit in a lot of matches which were supposed to be played whilst I was away - so there's the explanation for my absence!

I have decided to post this as it is - it's very much a work in progress as the outer frame is not quite finished - it will be left now until I come back from my holiday (if the volcanic ash cloud allows us to go that is.......)

The outer ornate frame is made from chipboard and I painted it with gesso then blue and white acrylic paint. The rectangular frame that edges the shadow box is tissue paper stuck on chipboard, painted and heated then rubbed over with bronze metallic powder.

Inside the box I put this lovely lady head figure - I bought it a while ago and have been waiting to use it. I gave her a blue hat complete with pink rose and feather and put some blue organza fabric and another feather on the bottom of the box.

The fabric and flower collage in the top corner doesn't show very well in the pic unfortunately - it was made with a triangle shape of crochet cotton (cut from a doily type thing that my gran used to stop her ornaments scratching her furniture), prima flowers (suitably coloured with promarkers) some vintage buttons and gold seed beads.

'Lots to Do' has a theme this week of 'Faces' (my lovely porcelain face figure!) and Tuesday Taggers is 'recycle' (my cut up doily thingy!).

Oooooo and I almost forgot..... I have been awarded my second ever Ginger Gem award from the team at Gingersnap Creations for my 'Caged Bird' canvas (scroll down a bit - it's here on this page!). How fabulous is that? So maybe I DID get a feather in my cap after all!!!!!

Bad blogger!

 Have not really had any time this week to post here on the blog and I'm feeling really guilty! I've been so busy with the start of the outdoor season and also trying to get organised for my imminent holiday I was sure I would meet myself coming back on several occasions - I did however manage to find a couple of hours to make a couple of cards -

The first card is one of a pair made for Maureen and Jan who have had a short break in their caravans - thought it was quite apt! The image was a freebie from Bugaboo and coloured with promarkers. The flower was also coloured with promarkers.

The second is a simple birthday card for one of the men at the Club, using some distress ink and a vintage stamp with stamped 'dog tooth check' backgrounds.

The Caged Bird

The Caged Bird title describes how I've felt this week perfectly. I have been longing to put aside the orderly (and OK yes I admit - cutesy - lol) card making stash and make a mess with paints and inks!

This project has been spinning round in my head for 4 days and today I finally finished it. I have, on several occasions, been really frustrated with myself as it never seemed to be about to 'come together'. I'm not sure it ticks all the boxes as far as cohesion is concerned but I confess that it was good to get back to the satisfaction that mixed media chaos brings to me after being more concerned that what I was making had to satisfy other people's tastes and not my own!

This canvas measures 12" x 10". I painted the background with a mixture of acrylics, watercolours and distress inks in shades of green, brown and white. Whilst the paint was still wet I put some plasterers jointing tape over it and brushed over some thinned down paint then quickly removed the tape to leave a small chequerboard appearance. Once dry I stuck on the script background (by Artylicious and printed onto glossy paper), used some alcohol inks first then painted it with gesso and then stamped the edges of the canvas. I used black Stazon for the crackle stamp and white Versamagic for the flourishes.

The large images on the right were cut from a Graphic 45 sheet that I have had for EONS -(I steeled myself before cutting into it- lol) and the one on the top left is an image from an old book with some gold paint, gold mesh and 3 small metal pieces added.

I used some Paperartsy and Elusive Images stamps for the foliage and the large bird was stamped onto a piece of acetate. The butterfly was a present from a fellow crafter and I used some Glossy accents on the wings and some tiny black gems. The caged bird is also acetate attached with clear glue.

Please click on the pic to enlarge.

The theme at 'So Artful' is 'Shy Beauty' - and I believe that the women's faces are beautiful (shy I'm not sure???) 'Lots To Do' has challenged us to use Alcohol Inks, Gingersnap Creations (GCSP3) has their Blue Moon challenge theme of 'Take on a Tutorial' and I chose the tutorial on 'Creating a Background With Acrylics' , the Sunday Stamper's theme is 'Free (as a bird)'. Sunday Stampers is also having a blog candy give away to mark their 100 weeks! Click on the link in my sidebar! and last but not least Mixed Media Monday's theme is 'Look what I've found'....and as I 'found' the courage to use the paper, I've submitted my canvas!

AWOL

Just to prove that I am still breathing I thought I'd better post something on here!

This card was made for a Ruby Wedding Anniversary I went to a couple of weeks ago.

I sponged the base white card with 'Port Wine' ink and highlighted the edges. Good old swiss dots Cuttlebug folder used again (don't know what I did before I bought this folder..lol) and then matted onto heavy embossed dark red cardstock. The sentiment is a digi image altered in Photoshop and then glittered over entirely before matting onto the same dark red.

Added some red gems and a red organza bow and finally a shiny large red heart above the sentiment.

The time has come now for 'crafting mode' to be a little less than it is in the winter but I am still intending to try and be creative over the summer, even if the opportunities are few and far between.

The challenge at 'Follow Your Heart' this week is 'Emboss It'.

A new arrival and a visit with old friends!

Have had a real nice two days despite having to attend a conference in Leamington Spa.

Whilst at Leamington I took the opportunity to meet up with Maureen! (You'd think we'd be fed up meeting exch other by now wouldn't you? lol... During the Summer we might only manage to see each other once... from September to April though we manage quite a few meetings! So last night I drove to Coventry and met with Maureen (and her long suffering OH who by now must be thoroughly sick of the sight of me....) and had some tea. Maureen always brings gifts and last night was no exception... another box of goodies for my Charity Day and some fabby papers for me along with some 'Somerset Studio' magazines. So my reading matter is all sewn up for the next few weeks!

After the conference today I stole some time to go visit another friend Sue (Sassy) who I haven't seen for such a long time.... she's recovering from an op and looks really well all things considered. It was wonderful to see her and she also had made me two fabulous presents.

So I want to say a huge thank you to them both - I am so lucky to have such wonderful generous friends and I appreciate them more than I can ever tell them.

So, after a murderous drive home (please please please someone dig up that M6 and replace it with something less stressful and accident strewn), I collapsed in the chair and have just popped on here for a few minutes.

This card I made a couple of weeks ago and as the challenge on Digital Tuesday this week is a Blue and White colour combo I have submitted it!

Martha Stewart lace punch, Cuttlebug swiss dots folder and a free image from Digital 2 for Tuesday coloured with promarkers used to make the card. I printed the sentiment on the PC.

Spring?

Well it's cold, wet and windy here at the moment and all my poor daffs are now bent double in the stiff breeze.....forecast though says it will improve later today. Yesterday afternoon we had a glorious blue sky with fluffy white clouds - I manage a 5 mile walk late yesterday afteroon without my scarf!!! So warmer weather I hope is on the way finally.

I made this card for a family birthday. Background paper is by K and Co, matted onto DCWV green cardstock. Coredinations Whitewash paper used with the Cuttlebug Script embossing folder and then sanded. The geraniums image and the butterfly are both from Penny Black and all these were also mounted on the green cardstock before adding to the base card. I finished with 3 gems from my stash.

Have submitted this for the following challenges -

Pollycraft's theme is 'Anything Goes'

Little Red Wagon's theme is 'Rolling into Spring'

Pink Elephant's theme is 'Nature'

Angel

Here is a revamped version of a fridge magnet I made some time ago.

I covered a piece of wood with a left over piece of K and Co paper and then used parchment paper to print out the saying. The parchment is stuck onto some thick cardboard.

The beaded Angel is a copy of a similar one that my Mum brought me back from Prague. (Shameless aren't I? lol) This was the second attempt at making one of these angels and I really enjoyed doing it, so have made another at the same time for my stash!

She's just attached with a piece of ribbon and a star brad. This is a replacement for the original one that sadly has faded on the front of my friend's refrigerator door. I hope she likes it!

There is a brand new challenge blog called Crafts and Me which started this week. The challenges are set every two weeks on a Wednesday and their first theme is 'Wings', so I have submitted my little magnet into the pot!

One of my first stamps!

This poor stamp has been tucked away for a very long time..... I bought it when I first decided I would start stamping..- bought it, looked at it and until today it's never seen any ink! It's called Floral Collage and is made by 'Stamps Happen'.

I coloured the image with promarkers (even the background 'cos like a fool I'd stamped it onto bright white card.....lol). After tearing the edges I used a mixture of Antique Linen distress ink and Dove Grey stazon around the torn sides and then mounted it onto card that I think Lawrence Llewellyn Bowen had a hand in designing. (Do you remember him - he painted walls and ceilings the most dreadful colours and used MDF everywhere!)

The paler background paper is by Artylicious.

I re stamped the dragonfly and coloured it then highlighted with glossy accents before 3d'ing it. (Please click on the picture to view it full size to give honest opinions about my colouring in and shading!)

Button (which is a sumptuous sludgy green and doesn't show up very well on the pic) and flower from my stash.

Now for the challenges -

Tuesday Taggers - Bugs. This week's challenge here is sponsored by The Craft Barn - go visit!

Passion for Promarkers - 2 images (which I did with my dragonfly layering!)

Corrosive Challenges - Spring

Papertake Weekly - Open theme

Charisma Cards - Spring

The Bicycle

Here's the second 'man' card of the weekend.

Talk about struggle! Anyways, it's not the best I've ever made but am afraid it will have to do! I cannot get away from the fact that there's always something missing from these cards - would love to pop on some 'sparklies' or similar - don't think they would go down well though.

I have tried to keep the design straightforward and as plain as possible without the card looking austere. I don't know if I've succeeded or not!

Gentleman stamp is by Elusive Images and is from their Eccentric Edwardian theme plate.

Sentiment is from Inkadinkadoo (used because it was circular and reminded me of a bicycle wheel...lol).

Background paper is K and Co.

Stamp Something has a theme of 'Doodles' this week and as the background paper fits, I've submitted this for the challenge and over at Quixotic Paperie the challenge is 'Monochromatic' so the colour scheme of blacks/greys fits too.

Moments

Just managed to get this posted in time for the challenge at Cards For Men, which is simply 'Happy Birthday'.

I have made 2 men's cards today both for birthdays we'll be celebrating tomorrow night after the Monday Night Bowling Madness.

Don't most of the men you know look at their cards, say 'That's nice, thank you' and then put them to one side? Or they display them on the mantlepiece/window ledge for a day or two until the 'cleaner' moves them? Trying to find a balance so that the card doesn't look like it's just been thrown together nor too flowery/frilly/girly is not an easy trick - I think that's why so many fellow card makers I know find making cards for men so difficult!

So here is one of todays 'not thrown together and not too flowery/frilly/girly' cards ....(I hope!!!LOL)

Background paper is Basic Grey, sentiment is from Paperartsy, Clock paper and single clock (highlighted with glossy accents) from Paper Pizazz and I used one of my (few?) purchases from the NEC in the form of the Martha Stewart punch! The sentiment inside is another Paperartsy stamp which says 'Enjoy the Moment.'

Paris Nights

A couple of weeks ago I got completely and utterly hooked on the beautiful 'Marie Antionette' style shoes. I spent hours trawling through blogs of people who made them and even managed to make a couple myself!

The first effort in pink you will have seen if you've been following my blog.... this one I made for Maureen (in case she wore out her shoes whilst wearing out the zip on her purse yesterday at the NEC! lol).

Some time back Maureen gave me some seriously strokable papers called 'Paris Nights'. I loved them and couldn't bear to use them.... until now! I only used two half sheets though.... the rest has gone back in the drawer to be taken out at regular intervals and gazed over!

The paper across the top of the shoe is a cream background with black flocked design. It feels very luxurious!! I used the co ordinating striped paper for the inside.

The ribbon is cream velvet and I added suitable amounts of bling in the form of black sequins and clear sparkly gems across the top of the shoe. Inside, I placed a small bundle of fabric, lace and pearls tied with a big cream organza bow. The tag is made out of the same flocked paper and i coloured a fabric flower with a black promarker, layered it with a cream one and attached it to the tag using a pearl brad.

I'm so glad Maureen liked it!

Over at 'The Character Cafe' this week, the challenge is 'anything but a card'.

You can't beat a good caffeine hit!

Aptly demonstrated here by Maureen - who is taking a few minutes rest from her 'shop till I drop' quest and her sole purpose of relieving her bank account of whatever there was in it........

The caffeine intake (in the form of a bottle of a well known brand of pop) also assisted Anne who made it her mission to buy up every new Tim Holtz Distress Ink at the ridiculously low price of £3...... by the time the rest of us got there there were none left..................................

Now Val.... Val is demonstrating how to pace yourself for the serious business of craft stash shopping by sipping water and taking some time out from the rigours of fighting to the front of stalls!!! LOL

Lovely day had by all...... my feet are killing me!!!!

Before I go to put the tootsies in a bowl to soak away the pains of the day I have to say a big thank you to Anne who arrived bearing gifts of a huge box of her gorgeous cards for my Charity. Although Anne and I have known each other 'on line' for a while, this was the first time we'd met in person.......Crafters never cease to amaze me with their generosity and thoughfulness and Maureen and Anne are no exception.

I really appreciate my crafting friends' help in my effort to continue to raise money for Breast Cancer Campaign. Thank you so much. xx

George

I have a letter from my Mum to explain my absence for a week....LOL! The time has just whizzed past since my last post - have been working on a small project which once finished will post.

In the meantime to prove to you all that I have been making a few cards, here is George the Friendly Giraffe. Have no idea why I called him George.... but it suits him I think!

The image was a digi freebie from Meljen's and I coloured him with promarkers. I sponged the background of the digi image with some Whispers orange ink. I thought the bright papers background might be a bit too much but once I added the cream layers and the ribbon, tag and the tiny gems I thought the card had a more balanced look.

'George' was only one of a few cards I've made over the last week and once this annoying internet speed gets back to normal and doesn't take forever to upload I'll post some more!

The challenge at Totally Gorjuss this week is Ribbon so George has gone in!

I'm off to the NEC tomorrow with Maureen and we're meeting Anne for coffee to recharge the batteries before the afternoon stall onslaught!! No doubt I shall be completely 'spent out' by the time I get back on the train home!

Black and White

Here is a presentation box made from a template kindly supplied by Jo. The box uses one complete sheet of A4 card with minimal cutting out and very little waste and I thought it might make a nice small present for someone with a couple of notelets inside. Jo's put a great tutorial on her blog so if you fancy having a go, pay her a visit.

I used card covered with Artylicious paper for the box and just added some gingham ribbon and a white scalloped border as I felt the paper made quite a statement!

I made 3 plain cards retaining the black and white theme - the box is big enough to hold 4 so perhaps I'll add another.

The two stamped cards were done by using white embossing powder onto black card - the larger one is a new stamp that I had not yet used so this was a perfect opportunity! The other card was done using a cuttlebug folder. I added gingham ribbon to all 3 and a couple of black gems on the larger stamped image.

Stampin for the Weekend has a current theme of Monochromatic, so this has become my entry!

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)

Shamrocks

Another card made for my charity stash.

Image was a digi freebie from Tiffany's Garden.

I printed it out onto inkjet watercolour paper for texture (which doesn't show up very well in the pic!) and coloured with promarkers, then just used a corner punch to give the edge a bit of decoration.

I think although this is a plain card, it's quite a nice one! (Even if I do say so myself!!LOL)

Card submitted into these challenges -

Shirleys 2 Girls

Tuesday Taggers

Cute Card Thursday

Tellens Place

which all have a 'green' theme and the challenge over at One Powerful Hour is Luck.

Birthday Card 2

Another man's card for last night!
Don't they look 'something missing'????? I have to really resist the urge to add some embellies, like flowers, organza frothy ribbons etc to cards! Having said that, I was reasonably happy that this was a suitable manly type card when it was finished!
The stamps are from Elusive Images done in Timber Brown Stazon and the background sponged lightly and randomly with Antique Linen distress ink. The main image matted onto brown then moss green card from the DCWV Neutrals stack (well it was out on my desk from the previous card!!). The striped paper came from Maureen again (thank you Maureen!) and this time I used MY new Martha Stewart punch for the lattice border!
The card fits a couple of challenges -
Quixotic Challenge - Leaves
Allsorts Challenge Wk 42 - Cards for Men

Birthday Card 1

Card made for one of the men at the Bowls Club who celebrated his birthday yesterday. I cannot get by the struggle to find themes for men's cards!

I printed the tiger image onto inkjet watercolour paper. This is the first time I've used this paper which is quite substantial and gives a lovely textured finish just like a watercolour painting. I sponged distress inks Dried marigold and Spiced Marmalade across the paper, then matted it onto black card.

The background paper is from DCWV Neutrals stack matted onto black card and the black fancy border was sent to me by Maureen who as you can see has recently acquired a Martha Stewart punch set (amongst other things!). I added a couple of sparkly squares to the back border.

This is my second submission to Pollycrafts 'Distressing' challenge.

A girl can never have too many!

I have been desperate to try and make one of these shoes after seeing so many beautiful examples on other blogs. Have to say though I didn't find this easy to do... think mainly because of the quality of the card/paper I used. My first attempt (which ended up in the bin) was done using quite heavy cardstock. This was real difficult to work with as I found it not pliable enough. Then I went to the other extreme and used ordinary scrapbook paper - too flimsy, no body at all and that too was consigned to the increasing large pile of paper accumulated from the attempts in the bin!

With increasing frustration, I resorted to basic white card and covered it with paper from the Papermania Regency range. As I started to assemble the shoe I remembered I had some slightly thicker pink card which had a lovely sheen and was covered in a rose design - I used this for the sole of the shoe which made it more substantial. I had a small round piece of foam about 1/2 inch high so I covered it with some stripey pink ribbon to make a heel!

The rose motif on the front was bought at the NEC - think it's one of those that you're supposed to iron on to something but it fitted well and I added a small pearl heart shaped button. The ribbons and lace were in my stash. I put together a small bundle of pretty lace, ribbon and fabric a pearl heart button and a pearl spray and tied it with an organza bow and slipped it inside the shoe as a small present. I finished the shoe off with an antigued and distressed tag with a French theme.

Close inspection shows that perhaps I could have been a bit tidier with some of the edges of the sole but overall I am happy with how this project turned out eventually.

If you want to see close ups of the front and the heel of the shoe they can be viewed on my Flickr account here.

Creative Inspirations is predominantly a card making blog but does allow other projects to be submitted, and their challenge this week is Lace, Pins and Pearls so have entered this. and over at Paper Sundaes the challenge is to use the colours Hollyhock, Crystal Blue and Sweet Leaf (or as near as you can!) - the rose decoration has 3 similar colours and there's also some ribbon in the pressie stash containing those colours so I'm hoping my entry will be accepted and finally Ooh La La's theme this week is open!

The Writing Desk

It's been such a long time since I've made anything using a vintage theme - so this week with some spare time I made this card. I think this much under used Inkadinkadoo stamp was one of the very first I bought - it's quite big so if you want to use the whole stamp the card or project has to be large too - which probably explains why I haven't used it much! But to me, it conjures up the elegance of a bygone era, when ladies sat at the writing desk and scribbled in their diaries about everyday things like love and life!

Image stamped onto cream card and then distressed used Antique Line, Tea Dye and Tattered Rose inks. French script stamp used on other bot of cream card, then both torn and edges distressed using Antique Linen. Those who know me are aware my sewing skills are not the best but practice makes perfect (or so they tell me!) so I attempted to stitch! I matted the main image onto dark red card and stitched it into place, then stitched the K and Co background paper (albeit not very straight!) onto the card before adding the main image and script paper. I'm hoping that the less than perfect stitching adds to the cards overall 'shabby' look? The vintage lace, ribbon, flowers and buttons are all from my stash.

I have submitted this card for a few challenges

Allsorts - Card for Mothers Day or someone like a Mum to you

Pollycraft - Distressing

Totally Papercraft - Mothers Day

Stamp Something - Designer paper, Ribbons and Buttons

Stamptacular Sunday - Back In Time

Gingersnap Creations Spicy Supply 42 - Lace and fibres

Secret Crafters - Stitching

My Time to Craft - Something for Mum

Flowers.

This card is for my Mum to send to a relative. I used Kay and Co papers, the Sarah Kay image was a freebie from a crafty friend and I coloured it with promarkers. The greeting is an Inkadinkadoo stamp which I stamped once onto white card then onto pink and cut out the pink and stuck it onto the white base. The lacy edges were done with a Martha Stewart punch.

The card fits in with a couple of challenges -

The Pink Elephant - add Green to your colour combo

Digital Tuesday - Use scallops (hope the greeting is scalloped enough!)

Cute Card Thursday - Use Ribbon

OSCC - Optimistically Pink

Simon Says Stamp - Girly

Floral Circle

Quite enjoyed doing this although cutting out the floral circle needed me to exercise patience which is not one of my strogest points!

The image was a freebie from Bugaboo and I thought it would be perfect for a lot of occasions like get well, sympathy or even just to drop a note to someone.

I coloured the image with watercolours, and then ran a black promarker round the edges to make sure none of the base white card was showing after I'd cut it out and I used 3d pads to raise it from the background.

The good old swiss dots folder used again and mounted onto lemon cardstock before placing onto a white deckle edged card.

Queen of the Screen - But no crown.......

Have had a small break from card making for a couple of days and caught up with other things (not housework...lol).

The next challenge at the Art'n Soul flickr group was to alter a jigsaw piece using monochrome colours. Although the closing date for this challenge isn't until 3rd April, I thought I'd better get this done whilst I had the chance otherwise as usual I shall be dashing about at the last minute!

The jigsaw piece measures 5" x 3" and was sent to me by Maureen some time ago. Poor old Thomas the Tank Engine was unceremoniously ripped off the front and I painted the piece with white acrylic paint to get rid of the grey card back and sides. On reflection I could have left these cos the theme was monochrcome..... doh!

I covered the front with random alphabet paper ( have no idea where this came from... found 2 sheets of it at the back of a drawer!). Used black and silver embossing powder on the edges and stamped the Paperartsy image onto white card with black stazon. I mounted the image and words onto silver mirri card and glued in place. The camera and film strip are a black and white photocopy of K and Co scrapbook paper suitably reduced in size to fit the piece and I finished with a silver star and heart. I then took what I thought was a metal crown charm from my stash - it was curved and wouldn't sit flat so I decided to flatten it............. this was NOT a good idea as the charm was plastic and promptly shattered into about a million tiny pieces when I pressed down on it with the edge of the hammer........................ so my 'Queen of the Screen' is currently crownless until I can get some flat crowns!

Despite the monochrome theme, I couldn't resist giving her a teeny touch of red lipstick!

Creative Inspirations is predominantly a card site but does permit other projects to be submitted for challenges. Their theme this week is also Monochrome so have linked this and Fab n Funky's challenge is black and white and fotunately for me so was Little Red Wagon's!

Coffee Time

An apt card I think for the challenge at 'Play Date Cafe'!

This week it's a colour challenge and the colours given are Red, Brown and Linen. This image is a digi freebie and I wanted to make a basic card which would be suitable for anyone to receive or send, be it just to drop someone a note or for any other occasion.

Cream base card, layered with red card and then the brown houndstooth patterned paper (which i have had in my stash for ever!). I coloured the image with promarkers using the 'Ivory' one to colour in the sentiment and the 'wall' behind the coffee pot as I foolishly printed them out onto white card!

I added another 'daisy' from the new punch (getting my money's worth!) and some cream ribbon.

I think this is an 'OK' card - not spectacularly pretty or adorned with embellishments, but hopefully one that the recipent might appreciate.

Distressed .....

no, not me! The challenge at Paper Sundaes is to use some form of distressing on your card so carrying on with making cards for the charity box I made this boy card.

The image was a freebie from Dustin Pike. I don't have a lot of experience with kids stuff, particularly for boys so hope this is a suitable card!

I coloured 'Sir Knight' with promarkers, sponged the white base card around him with 'Shabby Shutters' distress ink (doesn't show up too well on this pic, but trust me, it's on there!) and punched out 'half a daisy' with the newly acquired Martha Stewart punch and glued it onto the top right hand side.

The background papers are from a Christmas stack from HOTP and I used 3 small green mosaic tiles on the left hand side.

I have also submitted this for the challenge over at Cards for Men, which this week had set the theme of 'green'. I'm hoping that 'jolly green dragon' is green enough!

Spring

Once our Valentine theme had finished over at Hugz from the Heart, I had to think up another challenge. The Hugz group is an additional group to my 2 main groups on Flickr and was designed to sporadically celebrate certain dates in the year. So with all the terrible weather both here and across the pond (where 50% of the members are from) I decided we needed to spread some sunshine amongst us and decided to mark the official first day of Spring on 21st March.

Everyone has to work from the same template but can interpret the theme onto the template any way they want using any medium they want.

I used the same technique that I'd done on my Butterfly Note Holder with the idea taken from Craft Stamper magazine. The flowers however were a bit more difficult to do as they were so much smaller than the butterfly, each flower measures just 3 inches across! The mountboard was sponged using Antique Linen distress ink to form a muted base colour. I then stamped the other images using Mustard Seed, Dried Marigold and Shabby Shutters Distress Ink. The saying is an Elusive Images stamp - 'Can words describe the fragrance of the very breath of Spring?'. I attched the two flowers together using some bright orange cord. The main butterfly is attached using 3d pads and to finish the piece off I layered some flower s and used some bright orange fibres, a tag, a butterflycharm, heart button and flower charm all from my stash.

Challenge 43 at Gingersnap Creations is '3 colours I love'. This was a really difficult challenge for me as I love all colours and have no favourites for one more than the other. I like colours that blend well together and are pleasing to the eye so I hope the orange, yellow and green which remind me that warmer weather is on the way will be acceptable to the team at Gingersnap! Stamp Something's theme is Spring which is very apt for my flowers!

Sailing

Just trying to make a few men's cards for the fund raising - everybody I know says they have trouble making cards for men, so thought I should at least try and include a couple in the box.

This stamp is one of a series of collage stamps called Clear-2-Collage from a company called Butterfly Kisses which I bought specifically cos I thought it'd make men's cards. I have a 'thing' about collage stamps - my collection keeps growing but I hardly ever use them!

I used Azure Stazon ink on glossy white card and layered it onto a blue backing paper from HOTP Cardmakers Pack which has the map of the world imprinted onto it. The problem I have with men's cards is I am reluctant to use too much in the way of embellishments - my OH would be less than impressed with ribbons and flowers so consequently I end up agonising about what to put on a card to 'finish' it off! I found 'Jonathan Livingston Seagull' nesting in my stash... have no idea where he came from but feel he goes a little way to solving the 'bare' problem, although I still think this card could do with something else. What? I haven't a clue!!!! But..... fortunately for me the challenge this week at Cupcake Crafts is 'Keep it Simple', so I hope this qualifies!

Puppy Love!

One Stop Crafts has a sketch challenge this week and the theme over at Simon Says Stamp is 'What's Love got to do with it', whilst the theme at One Powerful Hour is not surprisingly, Love, and finally Tuesday Taggers also has a theme of ... yes, you've guessed, Love is All Around!

This is a Lili of the Valley stamp. Think it says everything about friendship and the unconditional love you get from a dog.

I remember a saying - 'happiness is a warm puppy' - and whoever said it got it right!

Image coloured with promarkers and edges inked with Tattered Rose Distress Ink, all papers from K and Co and the greeting is a stamp from Inkadinkadoo.

Visions of Tomorrow

Finally I managed to find some free time yesterday to use my newly acquired Cuttlebug Asian Folders. I ordered them ages ago and they finally arrived on Saturday morning which irritated me immensely as I had to go out on Saturday and couldn't play with them!

I bought them from the USA cos as usual they get all the good stuff before we do!! (It's so unfair.....LOL) and as I'm not known for my patience, I wasn't prepared to wait until they're released here!

Decided to do just a simple card using the bamboo folder on Coredinations paper. The first two lines of the quote are a chinese proverb, I made the last line up to finish the greeting!! Printed it out on DCWV Oriental theme paper and mounted it onto chipboard.

I bought these huge oriental coins at Manchester at the end of last month and have been waiting for the folders to arive so I could use them!

Kitty Love

Had a real good blog hop this morning and found lots of challenges on a 'love' theme!

The love of my life and I don't do Valentines as we have another occasion to celebrate on 14th Feb so it is very rarely I make a 'love' card - but this image from mygrafico I think could be used for a whole range of occasions from get well to birthdays or just to let someone know you're thinking about them - as well as being suitable for 'love'!!! I think the expression on kitty's face is brilliant!

The background hearts paper is from K and Co and I coloured the pic in with promarkers. The 'big hugs' greeting was done using GCF onto a downloaded frame from a company that sadly is no longer trading. The happy cat embellishment was in my stash and thanks to Maureen for the gingham ribbon!

Now then ... onto the challenges-

Cupcake Crafts - Four Legged and Furry

Pile it On - To the One I Love

The Pink Elephant - All About Pink

Stamp Something - Love Somethings

Papertake Weekly - Love Actually

Lili of the Valley - Valentines

Stampin for the Weekend - Valentine Themed

Wrinkly Indulgence!

Well if you spend long enough laying in the tub your skin DOES go wrinkly doesn't it!! So this little lovely must have looked like a prune when she finally emerged from those bubbles!

I love this stamp! It makes me smile......

As the stamp is quite big and I'm not really into making large A4 size cards I used the biggest sqaure card I had in my stock.. consequently once the image was put on there wasn't a lot of room for anything else! So contented myself with just using a punched border with some ribbon and flowers. Background papers are from DCWV, and the little silver charm from my stash.

Cute Card Thursday's theme is spots and dots so this is my entry.

Hope

I was real pleased to see the fabulous Pink Petticoat had a 'Think Pink' kit. Although it took ages to download (over an hour) it was well worth it.

This card obviously is for my stash to sell for Breast Cancer Campaign. I have made a few of these in different sizes and was thinking I could have done with an alphabet die for the letters as they were real fiddly to cut out properly. Maybe if these type of cards prove popular I shall invest in one.

As the sewing machine was still out (from the fabric postcard attempts) I decided to stitch the paper onto the card ( a first for me!) and I was happy with the result (eventually!).

I then had a thought that if I make more, I should attach the pink ribbon with a safety pin so it can be removed from the card - am considering?