A 'grey' Christmas!

Been a lovely day here today so made the most of it out in the fresh air!
Am sitting here thinking about what I am going to do for another challenge but in the mean time - brain cells are struggling for inspiration - I thought I'd better post this.

I was a bit unsure about these papers but decided to keep the clean stark colour combo of grey and white and just add a splash of colour on the image.

I also followed a sketch for the first time in ages! 

The little boy hanging stars on his tree is another from LOTV (just for a change - LOL) and I added some crimson onto his hat and stars and used three different shades of grey for his clothes. Some glitter used for a wee bit of bling and I popped the image onto a nestie frame and layered onto the card with 3d pads. I used a Nellie Snellen die for the corners.

I thought about puttin red gems instead of the card candy on the white ribbon but once I'd coloured them with one of the grey shades decided to leave it as it was and just let the image make the statement.

Challenges -
CRAFT - Stars
Willow Sketchie - Sketch
Frosted Designs - Die Cuts
Winter Wonderland - What a Cutie 

Thanks for visiting - off to try and galvanise my grey cells into action!

Anyone seen the number 14?

Bus I mean!!! So I don't post for a week then here I am two together! LOL
I apologise for the pic - will take another tomorrow but I really wanted to get this second go at last Saturday's LIM challenge....

Found the leaf stamp (as mentioned in previous post)................. not in any of the stamp drawers at all but there I was looking for a nestie (to make a frame for a christmas card) when I saw this little bit of red rubber complete with cobweb poking out from behind the metal cabinet.......... so after making the spider homeless, I inked it and accomplished my mission to use this brilliant quote.

Unfortunately electric light is not good for pics is it? But never mind, you'll get the general idea!

I used Versamark 'Umber' ink for the outline of the leaf and then clear embossed. I coloured it with a variety of distress inks (amazing on something so small- lol), used Frayed Burlap, Rusty Hinge and Barn Door! I think maybe I could have made the stem of the leaf a wee bit thicker so that it covered the end of the twig but overall am reasonably OK with the finished article!
I sponged some Vintage Photo distress ink round the edges of the card and finished with a gingham ribbon.
(Oh and the twig image was a digi download from somewhere about two years ago and I altered the colour to brown using Page Plus.)

I toyd with the idea of stamping more leaves along the bottom below the ribbon but decided to leave bare - the 'one red leaf' didn't look to me like it needed any friends!

First one for tonight!

Oh boy am I sooooo late posting this card. I did this for last Saturday's Less is More challenge and only got a chance to take a decent pic of it today. Whenever I've had any free time, it's been after 5pm so it's dark and gloomy and my camera REFUSES to take any decent pics even with the flash.
Tried scanning but because of all the white space the scan wasn't very good either! So finally found time this afternoon to take a pic before the light went.
It was 'one layer' week this week and I always struggle with it. (Who knows this might eventually end up being more than one layer but as it is at the moment I can submit it!)

The one layer challenge was entitled 'leaves'. I had a fab quote from Samuel Coleridge but couldn't find the damn leaf stamp I needed to use (note to self - tidy up the stamp drawers....).  I have promised myself that as soon as I put my hand on the elusive stamp I will make a card using the quote anyway!

Is anyone else like me? Is everybody always happy with their entries into one layer challenges? Having finally overcome my fear of stamping straight onto card I don't know why my heart drops to my boots every time it's one layer week!
So cos I couldn't find the stamp (and all the hundreds of other leaf stamps simply would NOT do - well in my mind anyway), I threw away the stamp and quote idea and ended up with an embossing folder!
This though was a 'first' for me - not the embossing folder, but I used distress ink on the folder before embossing. On the third attempt it finally looked OK enough for me!
I added a wee bit of stickles onto the berries and some sparkly red string to the top. No sentiment as yet - might add one to the front later - am still considering the options!!!
Challenges -
Christmas Card Challenge - Holly
Less is More - Leaves

PS - Have just seen that this effort looks soooo much like another LIMette entry - she used the same folder for this - and she's my namesake - so Viv, if you're looking I promise I didn't CASE your card!!!!! (great minds etc etc ...or fools seldom...????????) I actually only looked through the other submitted cards when I'd uploaded both of mine......... sorry.

Brrr...............

Flippin 'eck, it's been cold here today!
Been out all wrapped up and am now sat in the craftie space with the heaters on high. Supposed to get a bit warmer over the next few days thank goodness.
I have a few cards done but it was too dark today when I got home to take the pics so am sharing this one which I  finished over the weekend.
The little boy who it's for is, I'm told by his proud great grandparents 'a little love'! They all are aren't they when you can give them back when they become tetchy or misbehave! LOL.
The image was given to me by a fellow crafter - isn't he a happy chappie all wrapped up AND he comes with a present too!!!
He's coloured with promarkers and glittered, then layered onto red and green cardstock. A sparkly snowflake and a teeny red bow with a bauble popped on for a bit more bling!
I added some fluffy stuff round his feet - (bet they're not as cold as mine are though!)

Challenges -
Here Come The Boys - Red/White/Green
Partner in Crafting Crime - Use Something Free (and that's my free image)
Craft Your Passion - Let It Snow
Fab n Funky - Baby it's cold outside.

Whiter than White

I made a whole batch of these yesterday - they were quick to do and I like the CAS style - this week I have gone through various styles - Lots of frills to Vintagey/Distressed back to frilly and fussy and now on to CAS!! For a further change I opted to do 7 x 5 cards instead of my usual 6 x 6!

Two cuttlebug embossing folders, white pearlised card, some ribbon to hide the join (lol), a die cut snowflake suitably blinged with lashings of glitter and a freebie sentiment with a few sparkly gems and voila!!

Last year I was so rushed making my own cards to send and I am hoping to be more organised this year - so the few made yesterday will swell my stash a wee bit.

I did them in two different colours - gold and silver and changed the sentiments on each so am keeping to my 'never make two the same' rule.

Challenges -

Creative Craft - Minimalistic

Delightful Challenges - Snowflakes

PaperCrafting Journey - Embossing

Crafting For all Seasons - Texture

Top Tip Tuesday - Anything Christmas 
Southern Girls - Inspired by a Song (white Christmas)

Busy?

I have a couple of makes to post today - spent a couple of hours yesterday clearing up leaves in the garden - looked real tidy - come out today and it doesn't look like I did any tidying up at all!!!
Anyway after the exertions with the rake I treated myself to some crafting time.
First one for today is another commisioned card for a baby born this year and am still on the 'do non traditional colours' theme!
I remembered seeing a Mo Manning image of a baby and a bauble........... when I went to Mo's new shop I couldn't find it!! So I emailed her and asked her where it was - it was still in her old shop and she put it in the new one for me - how good was that?  After all that effort I hope I've done it justice for her!

I didn't want to colour the baby's clothes in 'traditional' colours as I thought it would be too 'in your face'!. I tried paper piecing which again looked too strong and bold. So I opted for the mustard yellow which I hope is not too wishy washy or 'unbabylike'.

I wanted to make the bauble sparkly so I used two different colours of GlitterMagic fine glitter. I dusted the edges of the image with distress ink to take away the stark white and them framed it onto dark gold pearlised cardstock.
I went completely overboard with the glitter and stickles on this card - I attacked the doily, the edges of the image, the edges of the sentiments and the ribbon! Nothing escaped the glitter maniac.............. not even the colour co-ordinated inside.
I finished by dabbing some random dots using a white gel pen on the background of the image and popped a couple of flat backed pearls in the bottom right corner and resisted the urge to stickle them too.......
Am hoping this baby likes sparkles!

Challenges -
C.R.A.F.T - Cute
My Mum's Craft Shop - Sugar and Spice
Scrapbook Sisters - Baby
Truly Scrumptious - Bingo (and I chose Glitter/Punch or Dies/Ribbon)
Papertake Weekly - First Christmas
Partyime Tuesday - Bling It On

My participation in the Less is More challenges has been much depleted of late and I really wanted to try and enter some more as the ' little tasks' set DO make me think!
I was determined last Friday that whatever the challenge was (even if it was ACETATE!!!!LOL), I would take part. How Admirable!!!!!!!
By Saturday night when I got round to reading the challenge I was regretting my rash announcement that this week was definitley the one where I would find time............ I mean....... red and ORANGE????????
I am not an 'orange' person- the occasional clementine or satsuma maybe but otherwise orange is not in my colour or taste palette! (and I don't like Tango either!!)
So consequently it has taken me three days to finally come up with something that I thought was passable enough to submit. The other entries are all amazing (-aren't they always???) and these talented people bring out such feelings of inadequacy!!!!

This DL card shape is something of a change for me, but it seemed appropriate for the stamps. The stamp is from Clarity and although I bought it about 3 years ago, this is the first time it's seen any ink!! (Go on, admit it, you've all got 'virgin' stamps in the drawer!!!)
I used Spiced Marmalade and Barn Door Distress Inks and some clear embossing powder. The dark red strip has a velvety texture although this hasn't shown up very well in the pic - I think it's called 'suede paper'. I added a couple of sparkly gems, the sentiment was pc generated and the card base is linen cardstock.  
Other Challenges -
Cards For Men - Christmas Card
Bows n Berries - CAS
   
Thanks for stopping by - have a crafty day wherever you are. 

A very vintage Christmas

I still have a few more commisioned cards to complete but I spent yesterday making a couple for my own use.

It's been a while since I got embossing powder all over the place so enjoyed myself making a bit of a mess with the powder and the distressing tool!

This card has lots of layers - gold cardstock layered onto white card, then cream flourish paper from the Echo Park 'Season's Greetings' stack. I distressed the edges of the flourish paper then embossed with gold. The music script paper was also distressed and embossed then layered onto gold card.
The Tag also got the same treatement!

I used Frayed Burlap and Antique Linen Distress Inks on the paper doily. The gold flourish was just done by gold embossing a plain white die cut.
I added some cream grossgrain ribbon and a metal snowflake brad to secure the ribbon knot and finished with the same ribbon on the tag.

It was a change for me to get back to vintagey/shabby and I really enjoyed it - so no doubt there'll be more on the way once I've finished the ordered ones! 

Challenges -
Crafty Emmas - Inspired by a Song - (O Christmas Tree)
Corrosive Challenge - With a Flourish
I Did It Creations - Christmas
Our Craft Lounge - Distressed
Craft your Passion - Anything Goes plus Brown
Heart Song Inspirations - Anything Goes

Non Traditional?

Decided this year to try and use more than the traditional colours for christmas cards, so up to now have used lilac and pale green, the traditional red/green, an aqua blue and here is the latest one - pink and brown!
I have had this brown and pink polka dot ribbon for quite a while and found it the other day whilst ferreting about in the ribbon scrap box so made the decision there and then to use it on the next Christmas card.

I coloured Mo's image with promarkers - my colouring on this wasn't the best as I tried to do it in electric light - but it's passable!(just....) - the Daylight lamp is on the christmas list as a present to myself..... I glittered her hat and parts of her coat and the dog's scarf with Stickles.
The backing paper is a glittered brown and pink spots from the First Edition 'Love Letters' stack and I layered it onto dark brown cardstock. I used the same dark brown to frame the image and then ran some tickles round the edge.
The flowers are by Wild Orchid Crafts which I added a liberal helping of glitter for some more sparkly bits and the jingly bells are from my christmas stash! I printed the words onto another piece of card from the Love Letters stack and made into a tag shape to co ordinate with the sparkly spotty tag from the mat pad.
Couple of pink pearls and a die cut sparkly snowflake finished the front and the inside  has a co-ordinated colour scheme.
Lots of Challenges -
The Craft Garden - Christmas Card but no red or green
Sundays with Crissy - Christmas Card with non traditional colours
By the Cute and Girly - Christmas Girls
Crimbo Crackers - Anything Goes
Crafty Ribbons - Bingo - and I chose Flowers, Ribbon and punches/dies
Paper Crafting Journey - Use a Digi
Delightful Challenges - Sparkly Christmas
Winter Wonderland - Glitter
Crafty Cardmakers - Pink and Brown
Ribbon Girls - Jingle all the way to Christmas

White Christmas

Quick share today - got to get on making the rest of the order!
This Christmas Roses image is from Just Inklined. I used it quite a bit last Christmas but coloured it with more vibrant colours than this one. I wanted to do a predominantly white card and didn't want colour overload!

So I used the palest promarkers I had for the actual flowers and pale greens for the leaves. I was left with no choice for the red holly berries!!!!

First I tried the image with an embossed snowflake background but the folder I have only has large snowflakes and it was not balanced - so out with the trusty swiss dots and white pearlised card instead.
(I'm sure I can use the snowflake background on something else).

I tried some lace too but ended up with the punched strips instead topped with some organza ribbon and tied a big bow.
Just popped two pearls in the bottom left to finish it off and a wee bit of bling in the flower centres and to highlight the frames.

Challenges -
 Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes (plus a bit of bling if you want)
Craft Your Passion - Bingo - I chose the middle row - Ribbon, Free, Pearls
The Pixie Cottage - Make a Christmas Card

Monday Blues

Hello my friends - welcome to the start of another week!
Thankfully the internet now seems to be back to normal so maybe I can go back to coming calling on you all again this week.
Had a busy time really, couple of presentation lunches ( too much food - now on diet), and a few meetings but I still found time to do another card for the Xmas order!
I had SUCH a bad time with this one - I picked out some DP and then coloured the image to tone in. When I put the coloured image onto the paper, it looked soooo bad! The paper was really overpowering and I tried everything cos I really wanted to use the paper!

After a couple of days staring at it, adding different things and general fiddling about, I changed the paper! Which meant of course I had to find something that went with the colours I'd used on the image!

So here is the finished effort - the colour is rather 'in your face' here on the screen and I'm a little unsure it doesn't look the same in real life! The paper has shades of icy blue in varying degrees, but I quite like it and I hope it's OK.

The snowflake backing paper is by Frosted Designs and the image is of course by Mo Manning - it's called 'Pammy's Stocking' and I like it lots!

Die cut flourish added with lots of stickles, a punched snowflake border with stickles and a couple of sparkly gems and a 3D foam snowflake again dosed with stickles!

Challenges -
Corrosive Challenges - With a Flourish
Come and Get It - Anything Goes
Christmas Inspirations - Die Cuts/Punches
Pollycraft - Anything Goes
DP2 Challenge - Holiday/Celebration

Our internet speed is slightly better - still not brilliant but enough for me to be able to have a quick blog trawl this morning!
It's a beautiful day here (for a change), although cold so have a quick share with you before I pop outside and do a bit of garden tidying.
There's a lady at the Club who supports my breast cancer fund raising efforts by purchasing cards for her grandchildren/great grandchildren. I make cards for their Christmas and Birthdays and I am eternally grateful for her support particularly as just lately my sales/orders have not been as good as in previous years, even though now I am pricing everything as low as I possibly can - am just covering the cost of making without adding the extra 25p or so as normal, consequently am having to try and hold back a little on the embellishments as these are expensive and push up the price -(Sign of the financial climate I fear, I can only hope that next season things improve!)

So here is another one for her Christmas order -

Papers are from K and Co, die-cut image from LOTV layered onto red and green paper, used my nesties to cut out the frame for the image and also the greeting, placing some punched out snowflakes on the circle.
Added some flat backed pearls, a red organza ribbon bow with a sparkly snowflake button and then edged the card, snowflakes and highlighted parts of the image with 'Star Dust' Stickles.
 The inside is decorated to match.

Am entering into a couple of Challenges -
Christmas Inspirations - Die Cuts/Punches
CSAYL - Sparkly
Creative Belli - 1234 - and I used - 1 image, 2 layers,3 snowflakes and 4 pearls.

Day 12

So here we are on day 12 of 'no broadband'.

I have so missed visiting everyone's blogs but am afraid it just takes too long to load up your pics and more often than not the error message comes up saying 'web page has expired'. It is so damn maddening - after more arguments with the ISP who will NOT understand that there is nothing wrong here (OH even changed the phone cable just to make doubly sure), and accept that the problem lies with them. The last time this happened it was a fault at the exchange but trying to get them to go out to the Exchange is a monumental task. We're both thoroughly fed up. I am trying to get round to visit you all but it is such a slow process.

So with the week's frustrations now vented (!), here is something to share.

It's been a long time since I treated myself to a stamp but I simply HAD to have this one from Nellie Snellen. Isn't she lovely?! I stamped her up with Versamark Onyx Black and coloured her with promarkers.

I am quite pleased with my colouring but would still appreciate any tips on becoming better! I have been given a new ultra fine promarker nib and found it dead useful, so will probably invest in some more.

I used some 'fluffy stuff' on her hat and on the tree branch - again this was a first for me and I like the effect - cant' believe it has taken me so long to buy some of it! 

The star backing paper is very very old (about 5 years I think - lol), and I used some broad purple organza ribbon before layering the image onto a purple die cut frame.

The snowflakes are from a die 'borrowed' from Maureen (!) and I popped some purple pearls in the centre before going a wee bit mad with the 'Diamond' Stickles!

The ticket sentiment was PC generated using 'snowcaps' font and I have continued the colour scheme inside the card. I finished with a couple of suitably glittered purple paper roses.

As I have been 'challenge bereft' for over a week, I have spent an hour this morning and found these -

My Time to Craft - Punches and Dies

My Mum's Craft Shop - Food and Drink

I Love Promarkers - Cute

Crafty Creations - Christmas Birthdays

Crafting When We Can - Christmas Come Early

Promarkers Challenge - Stars

Where is my broadband?????

Aggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!! Day  5 of the worst internet connection speed ever. Have just done another test - upload speed of 0.05mbps and download of 0.24mbps. It's so maddening!!!! ISP don't seem to know (or care) what the problem is - last phone call went on for 23 minutes (and of course at OUR expense).
So just a quick share cos I really can't be bothered waiting while it tries to upload!

The colour of this card rather reflects my mood..... BLUE!!!!! LOL

Have no idea why the bit of bling ('Waterfall' colour Stickles) on the frilly sleeves and on the band of the hat is showing green - in real life it's blue too!

Challenges -

C.R.A.F.T - Recipe (1 Ribbon and 2 shapes (my triangle DP is one and choose between the flourish or the image for the other!) and glitter

Charisma Cardz - In Stitches

Papertake Weekly - 3 different shapes

Wish I was (still) THERE!!!!!

If your weather is as grey, wet and horrible as it is here (and has been I might add since I stepped off the plane), have a look at this amazing Cyprus sunset, taken on the night before we flew home.Fabulous isn't it - and the best thing was the days were as good!!!! As with all holidays though they end far too soon and once you've been back a couple of days they just become a distant memory!

My sun tan is going the same way - LOL.

So on to other things  - as mentioned the weather here has been appalling! It has finally stopped raining in the last hour but it's grey skies and heating on!
To add to my 'return home' depression, our internet decided to go on holiday too. Although we have some download speed it's worth than 'dial up' so viewing, uploading and commenting is nigh on impossible! ISP says 'it MAY improve in the next five days.....' - so much for me trying to control my high blood pressure.....
I have spent rather a long time doing this post but I really wanted to upload SOMETHING!!!! (And I had a little snooze whilst waiting for the links to work)

Here's a make to share - I had stamped this 'Cinderella' image from Kraftin Kimmie before I went away and have finished the card in the last couple of days (in between restraining myself from putting my fist through the computer......)

Image was paper pieced using Versamark Onyx Black onto lilac and white polka dot paper. Rest was coloured with promarkers and some perfect pearls dabbed on the 'jewellery' for a bit of bling!  The clock was made using an embossing folder and cut out as were the clock hands. I ran some black chalk across the clock face and did the same with the hands which I attached using  a black eyelet. I popped a bit of glossy accents onto the hands and matted the whole clock onto a scalloped pearlised black die cut. The background papers are 'Paris Nights'.  Some lilac ribbon, a couple of purple pins, card candy(coloured with a promarker and some Diamond Stckles) finished the front and continued the colour scheme through to the inside.


Challenges -
Anything Goes - Diecuts/Punches
Kraftin Kimmie - Sparkle and Shine
Crafty Cardmakers - Anything Goes
Cutie Pie - Recipe- Gliiter/Lilac/Ribbon
Pixie Cottage - Dark and Spooky (and I think the idea of Cinders carriage turing into a pumpkin is VERY spooky!)

Thanks for visiting - I promise to try and get round some blogs and have a look at what you've all been up to - if I can stay awake long enough whilst they upload!!

DIY

Not had any chance to blog or even comment on all the lovely blogs I follow recently for various reasons which I won't bore you with - suffice to say my blood pressure is sky high and the holiday I am about to go on cannot come soon enough (and not surprisingly, it's just what the doctor ordered!!! LOL) - so the bags are packed, the passports are at the ready and now all I'm doing is waiting for 3am to load the car and get to the airport!

In the meantime thought I should pop something on so none of you forget me.....LOL

I spotted this image from Just Inklined when going through my 'wedding phase' and seaching for different stamps - you've already seen the Ball and Chain and this one made me smile too - not least cos I'm always telling DH when he's doing stuff around the house that I have no need for somewhere to park my bike...rofl!!!!
I coloured 'Builders Bum' with a variety of  the softer colour promarkers like Satin, Ivory etc and just added the splash of blue for the jeans and used green for the toolbox to match the backing papers.
The grey spanner was a button from a 'builders button' set I bought eons ago and it only took me an hour to find which drawer it was in - took me longer to find the damn spanner than it did to make the card!
This was a quick man's card for my depleted 'Man' stash. I spent a few hours this week when time permitted making lots of basic mens cards for the Birthdays we celebrate at the Club every Monday night - we only give one card to the Birthday Boy/Girl from all of us but it;'s amazing how quick the pile goes down.
I am submittinging this into a couple of challenges - if by some miracle I win (well we can all hope can't we?????) - can someone tell the challenge blog I'm on holiday please?????? 
Challenges -
Craft Your Passion - Occupational Hazards
Crazy Challenge - Men Only
Here Come the Boys - Bingo Recipe - 2 squares (well there's loads on the backing paper!), Charm or Button (my spanner) and Die Cuts (I used a nestie to cut out the image).






See you in a couple of weeks!

I wish....

.....someone was sending me one of these!!!! (A 'new home' card that is not a birdie in a cage!)

Once again it's almost mid week before I am managing to post my Less is More card.

This week the challenge was 'Seeing Double' and it had to be a one layer card.

I really liked these bird cages from My Grafico and the sentiment (from TLC) I think is a perfect one for wishing someone well in their new home. 

The teeny birdie is a Papermania stamp stamped in Onyx Black Versafine ink and I edged round the card with a pink gel pen then a black liner to 'frame' the image.

I was undecided about the pink pearls but threw caution to the wind (LOL) and glued them on.. of course once they're stuck that's it, you can't change your mind!

Overall, don't think it looks too bad in real life - but I'm sorry about the pic.....!

Goes together like a horse and carriage?????

This stamp from Just Inklined made me smile....and inspired by a Jak Heath design I have CASed it and made it into a card as soon as I could!
What a fab shoe as well dontcha think? Not that I could walk in anything with a heel as high as that now (am resigned to 'flatties' unfortunately!) but it's nice to remember when I COULD wear them!

I opted for a fairly simple layout with clean lines to show the image off to it's best and although very little colouring was required I did use several shades of grey promarkers on the ball and chain (LOL) and used Ivory and Blossom promarkers on the shoe. After colouring I used a liberal amount of Cotton Candy Stickles on the ribbon and glued a little pink pearl in the centre of the knot.

The embossing folder is by Indentz and my pink backing paper by K and Co.
This was another attempt at using an image 'outside the die' - think it's best to stick to simple ones until I perfect it! But am pleased with this one - not messy at all (not like the last one!).
I used a scalloped die to edge the oval one and a Martha Stewart punch for the bottom border.

I finished it all off with some pink and white spotty organza ribbon and of course a lock and key for our stilletto wearing woman to make sure her catch doesn't escape!

Challenges -
 Stampin for the Weekend - Tickled Pink
Lil Red Wagon - Diecuts
I Love Promarkers - Metal Embellishment or Charm
Charizma Cardz - Inspired by a Song 
and
Saturday Challenge - Inspired by a Song
(Love and Marriage, Love and Marriage, Goes together like a Horse and Carriage etc etc!)

Multi purpose card and a Moan!

I wasn't surprised to see it's been a week since my last post - have been struggling to find my mojo and to pick myself up from yet another disappointment after a further viewing of our home resulted in the same feedback from the estate agents - 'the bedrooms are too small'. Our home is a 3 bedroom cottage with 3 reception rooms built circa 1820 with a complete self contained annexe (which Mum used to live in)and the estate agent provides a glossy brochure complete with floor plan and room measurements.......... so why when the measurements are there do people waste my time (and theirs) by coming to look anyway? How big does a bedroom have to be - if you can get a bed, wardrobes etc in it what else do you need???? I have lived here quite contentedly for almost 25 years and now there's just the two of us we need to get something with not as many rooms and a smaller outdoor space. It makes me mad then depressed when I keep having people traipsing through my private space when they obviously are just 'carpet treaders'. Read the damn brochure and look at the floor measurements you idiots!
RANT OVER...................

So I made a couple of cards this week, neither I think are very inspiring - they're both destined for the 'Pink Box' and I hope someone thinks they're OK!
One of them fits the challenge this week at Less is More which is to include metal somewhere on your card.

I don't know whether the gold mesh I used in the aperture of the die qualifies but I also used a pair of metal champagne flutes secured with a white ribbon just in case!
I layered the die cut from white pearlised card over some gold card.
I forget the last time I used a dreaded (cannot bear to say it really) - peel off - but as I can't print in gold then needs must!
I opted for the word 'Celebrate' instead of congrats etc as I thought this card could be used for a special birthday or occasion as well as wedding or anniversary. 
Less Is More - Metal
Ooh La La - Anniversary
The Paper Shelter - Embossing

I am late again this week with my Less Is More attempt. I don't know where all the time is going - does the clock go faster as you get older? Or is it just because what took you ten minutes to do twenty years ago now takes you an hour????

So back to the card - this week we were allowed to 'Take 3' - that is choose three previously posted challenges and make something.... There was not a cat in hell's chance that I would choose acetate!
So I chose

Masculine - week 7
Embossing - week 15
Something with Legs - Week 23 (!!!!!!!!!!!)

I was tempted to also add  week 29 - 'Things that Move' - but looking at him prostrate on the bed there doesn't seem to be a lot of movement does there.... !!!!

I dedicate this card to all those long suffering women who put up with interrupted sleep patterns due to their partners snoring!

Challenges -
Less Is More - Take 3
Tuesday Throwdown - Punny Sentiment

Wedding

How the days (cold and wet ones) have flown by this week! Have made a couple of cards and one of them I didn't photograph before I gave it to the person who ordered it so can't share it!

This one is another order and I remembered to charge the camera and attempt to take a pic before I pop it into it's box ready to go.

I used some very pale lilac pearlised card for the background then embossed and layered two further pieces of white pearlised card. 

The cute LOTV image was suitably dusted with lots of white and pinky Stickles for a bit of sparkle and bling, then mounted onto a frame cut out with one of my newer nestie sets, in the same white pearlised card and stuck onto the card using 3d pads. The sentiment was PC generated and mounted onto one of the smaller nestie frames.

Some white hand made roses, a couple of pearls, organza bow finished with silver heart charm completed the front of the card.

The base of the easel was decorated in the same embossed card and I added a couple more pearls and a pearly heart.
As always with these deeply embellished easel cards I have made a co-ordinating box to protect it.
Sorry the photos are dark - once again it's like a November day here - cloud, cold and occasional rain!
Challenges -
Paper Creators - Easel Card
Kaboodle - Easel Card
Heart Song Inspirations - Anything Goes
Ellephantastic - Layers
Deep Ocean Challenge - Hearts

Watch the Birdie! (Inspired by a Blogger!)

I spend hours trawling through other peoples blogs looking at their creations, particularly when I am completely devoid of inspiration. This card is a product of one of those happy hours some time back - I saw something similar and decided to give it a try. 
Unhappily, I didn't save the link to the blog so I cannot share  - so if it was you that inspired me then I thank you. (And your creation was stunningly beautiful and much better than mine!).

I very rarely use distress ink for stamping but thought it was worth a go - and the card I saw had been made using Tim Holtz Artful Flight stamps (which I don't have!)

So the second card from me today is one I made with a birdcage stamp borrowed from my personal craft hire shop otherwise known as Maureen !!!!!!!!!!!
I stamped in Victorian Velvet Distress Ink and then sponged the edges with Spun Sugar before cutting out with a nestie.

The birdie is also stamped with Victorian Velvet (he's an Elusive Images stamp) and I gave him a tiny pearl eye!

The background paper is from the V and A Hanoverian collection and I love the linen texture - they also distress beautifully! I stitched onto pink cardstock and also used some paper from the Madeleine collection by K and Co again distressed and stitched and then used a 'textile' embossing folder on some pink cardstock and swiped the distress ink over the embossing.

Two shades of pink organza ribbon made into a double bow, pearls, roses, hatpins and a PC generated sentiment printed out in an exact a colour match as possible cut out with a nestie finished the front of the card.

The base was done using the same papers and I made a decorated box with the papers and some of the ribbon for the card to sit in.

Challenges -

Glitterfairies - Pink
Shopping Our Stash - Weakest Link (and mine is definitley papers- buy them, can't bear to use them, look at them and stroke 'em!!)

Incy Wincy - 3 embellishments, 2 papers, 1 image

Dream Valley - Distressing

Pollycraft - Distressing

Pink Elephant - Stitching

Cupcake Craftroom - Soft and Sweet
Papertake Weekly - Pearls and Ribbon

Shire

I received a request to make a card for a 12 year old girl who's absoluely mad about horses so I used this lovely image called 'Shire' by Mo Manning. Isn't it just lovely?! She's gone to the field, apple in pocket to feed her best friend and have a big hug!  
After commiting the cardinal sin of colouring then trying to match up with papers, I discarded the first effort - after wasting several hours with all my papers out of the drawers and boxes!

I opted instead for these papers by Nitwit - so now I had a better idea of toning colours I re did the stamp. Icoloured it with promarkers and used some pastel chalks for the sky. I thought the bottom of the image was glaringly white so after using the promarkers to outline the edge of the grass I also blended in a bit of pastel chalk there too. Although it hasn't shown up very well in the photo (lots of cloud here today), I am really pleased with the effect 'in real life'!

The papers were matted onto brown cared and stitched. The cream cotton lace is lovely and I suppose I perhaps should have left a bit more on view! The sentiment was PC generated.
A promarker coloured flourish, some organza ribbon, some glittered flowers and a couple of bronze pearls to finish. I also found a small galloping horse charm in my stash so I added that under the ribbon!
Challenges -
Wags n Whiskers - Outdoor Fun
CCEE Stampers - Kiss
PaperPlay  - 3 Different embellies (pearls, flowers, ribbon), 2 patterned papers and one piece of lace
Sassy Studios - More than 1 die cut (flourish and the lacy edged frame)
I love Promarkers - Easel Card
Celebrate the Occasion - Birthday

Let them Eat Cake!

Well - I wouldn't advise eating THIS cake on the card cos it wouldn't taste very nice!

Got a phone call YESTERDAY and was asked to make a golden wedding card - "one of them stand up ones" (LOL) - and "you know - a NICE one" - Aren't ALL my cards nice???????????? LOL

Anyway, being the fool that I am, I said yes - then the bombshell - "I need it for Friday and can collect it tomorrow night from the Club" ...............
Where is the card fairy?????? Whose house is the card fairy in waving her wand and whipping up cards in double quick time? She ain't in my house but I had to don the tutu and tiara and wave me own magic wand (commonly known as the cuttlebug) and get cracking!!

To be honest, gold is another colour I'm not too keen on - (mind you wouldn't object if someone wanted to send me the REAL stuff ) - and I always steer away from using too much of the colour preferring to just use it to accent a card rather than make a card in the whole gold/yellow colour.

So here it is - Lots of white embossing (Textile, Budding Vine folders), layered onto gold card and look - I baked a Cake!!!!! Years ago when I first started card making I tended to buy ready made embellishments and just stuck them on as 'toppers' - after a while I began to buy the embellishments then take them to pieces to use them as templates! This is one of those templates - it's cut from card and then decorated in whatever way you want - wedding, birthday,anniversary!  I used some 'absolutely ancient had in my stash for years' gold and pearl sticky backed ribbon and some seed beads, then stuck on some white paper roses. The two larger gold roses I found in a drawer - I think I cut them off something- finished it off with a bit of gold string and couple of pearl hatpins (didn't have any gold ones).  I rubbed a wee bit of 'Stickles' across the two flourishes and cut out two hearts and layered them onto the gold card.

The sentiment was PC generated and after several attempts at printing out in varying shades of mucky yellow to bright orange I used grey! I made a gold card box and decorated the top using up some of the scrap from the embossing edged with a MS punch.

Challenges - 

Little Claires - Wedding Anniversary

Crazy 4 Challenges - Monochromatic

Crafty Catz - Embossing

DYSU - Emboss It

Anything Goes - Celebration