Wrong colours for Spring!

Have a small commissioned project ongoing at the mo so haven't made many cards this week to share.
I found time though to make this CAS card using up some scraps on the desk! 

The leaf stamps were just laying about - have no idea how long I have owned them or who made them but thought it may be a good idea to put some ink on their pristine condition and use them at least once before they were consigned to the black hole known as the stamp drawers that are home to 'viv's stamp collection'. And I know we're supposed to be all pastel-ly and spring like but the weather here is windy and autmn-y!

Basic bright white card with a rust coloured textured scrap mounted across,  the three flat leaf images all stamped with Distress inks in Rusty Hinge, Brushed Corduroy and Frayed Burlap. The maple leaf was stamped twice, once directly onto the paper and once on a piece of scrap using Barn Door. I then cout out the leaf and mounted using foam pads. I then used some glossy accents and this has dried to a glorious perfect shine for once ('cos I usually end up with air bubbles or a sticky fingerprint in it..LOL).
I stamped the sentiment with Barn Door DI.

A basic, simple and quick card which I think will be great for my sadly lacking 'man' stash! I mean the stash of cards that are suitable for men not that I'm stashing away human beings.......lol
Not a very exciting card really but I hope it showcases CAS if nothing else!

Challenge -
Cropstop - Clean and Simple

Ok that's it - am off to work out why my carefully measured, scored, folded and glued box lid absolutely point blank refuses to fit on the top of my exploding box.......... grrrrrrrr!!!!!

Have a lovely Easter weekend, whatever you're doing. x

Diva!

What a change in the temperatures! Yesterday was a cold and grey day and although the sun has shone again today and I've got all my washing dry it's a lot colder than earlier in the week when I managed to fall asleep in the glorious warm sunshine and burn my face!

Here's another from the 'use up the coloured images' pile. 
A fab image from the gloriously talented Mo Manning who always manages to capture just the right facial expressions - she just makes me smile. I have coloured her with promarkers and added some black glamour dust on her pearl necklace and earrings after cutting her out with a nestie  and then sitched her onto two layers of scalloped nesties in pink and black cardstock.
The spotty backing paper and pink/black organza ribbon are from my stash and I cut a single 'droplet' from a length of black lace, popped a pink pearl in the centre and attached it to a length of the ribbon.  
The black edging is a Martha Stewart punch. 
Added some flowers,a couple of die cut flourishes and some more pink pearls. The sentiment was a freebie from TLC and I played about with it to alter the colour then stitched it onto a black scalloped circle. 

Inside I used some pink/white paper from Craftwork card as the base and another nestie die to make a blank for the greeting.
Challenges -
Crafty Catz - Use a digi
Crafts 4 Eternity - 3 of a kind (3 flowers, 3 pearls)
CardMadFairy- Dies/Punches
Crafty Ribbons - Black/White and one other colour
Fashionista - Feminine and bling
My Time to Craft - Easel Cards

Sorry my posting has been so intermittent just recently because of the nasty sore bones - but thanks for hangin' in with me and continuing to stop by and leave me comments - I REALLY look forward to reading them and visitng you too. x

Sunshine!

What a glorious day again today - wall to wall sunshine - have a suntan and it's only March!! A {very} warm welcome to my new followers - it's lovely to see you and I hope you pop in often 'cos I love visitors!

Have another here to share today from the 'coloured in images'drawer - doing what I promised and sorting through some of the piles - am soooo good aren't I?  
This is 'Melissa' from the Sugar Nellie 'Adorables' range and I don't know what it is about this stamp but it really is one of my favourites - I think it maybe because she looks so intense studying her little flower and quite sad too - or maybe she's not sad at all and is thinking happy thoughts!
Whichever it is, I think she is just lovely!

She is coloured with promarkers and I stitched her onto a sandy beige background.
The backing papers from Nitwits are called 'In The Meadow Too' and they were all stitched and layered onto the same beige card.
I added some white cotton lace from my stash - this is the last of it and as I have no idea where it came from won't be able to buy any more.
The flourishes were done using a Marianne die and I made the two roses using the rose creations nesties again. (Talk about get your money's worth!)
(Note to Maureen - am quite hooked on these now...and it's your fault! LOL)

I finished the front with some blue/silver pearls and continued the colour theme into the inside, using a thinner version of the same white cotton lace.

The sentiment reads in full -
I saw this flower.....  And thought of You  which I think makes it a suitable card to send for any occasion.

Thanks for calling in today and if you've left a comment I thank you lots- they really do make my day.
I hope the weather is as nice for you and if it is - enjoy the sunshine while it lasts! x

A few Spring themed challenges -
Stamps and fun - Handmade Flowers
Creative Card Crew - Spring
Paper Sundaes - Spring blossoms
Cupcake Craftroom - Spring Bouquet (OK - I know one flower doesn't make a full bouquet but I am using some 'artistic licence here......!!)
2 Sisters - Spring is in the Air
Crafty Ann's - Spring
Lollipop Crafts - Anything Goes

Totally Tropical!

Can you believe the temperatures? It's a gorgeous SUMMER's day here! It's ridiculously warm for March and I'm loving every second of it! So before I go outside to enjoy this fabulous sunshine I thought I'd post a card that's suitable for the weather......
This lovely Sugar Nellie image is called 'Summer'. Apt don't you think?!!!

I got her last year and this is the first time I've used her - (like a lot of my purchases....shhhhh)
The backing papers are from Summer Driggs' 'Flopsicle' collection (did someone mention 'summer' again.....LOL) and i layered them onto dark orange cardstock and stitched them all together.
I coloured 'Summer' with promarkers and used some distress ink for the pale blue sky background - which probably doesn't show up too well in the pic but has given the sky a lovely pale hazy colour.

The ribbon and pearls were from my stash and I am slowly depleting my challenge win flowers!

I used a gold coloured metal butterfly and thought the cocktail umbrella fitted perfectly!
The sentiment was a freebie from Rainbow Echo and I altered the colour using Serif, then cut out with a nestie and used a scalloped nestie to on the rest of the orange cardstock to make a frame.

The inside was co-ordinated using up the rest of the paper and a pearl buckle secured the ribbon scrap.

Challenges -
CardMadFairy - Use a Digi
Card Crafters Circle - Tic Tac Toe (Flowers/Digi/Die cuts)
I Love promarkers - 3 Different papers
My Mum's Craft Shop - Use a Digi
Stampin for the Weekend - Anything goes  
Crafty Purple Frog - Anything Goes
Pattie's Creations - Anything Goes
Sweet Stampin - Anything Goes

Thanks for dropping in to see me today - appreciate your visits and comments - have a lovely day whatever you're doing - am now off out to enjoy the sun while it lasts!  x

Cake!

First day of Spring - and it has been a really beautiful day here - gorgeous sunshine and blue skies - let's hope that the weather remains as good throughout Spring and Summer!
Have sat here (guiltily!) and enjoyed the sunshine streaming in through the windows.... and finished a card I started when the weather was a little less nice!

Stamped this image before Christmas - (another in the drawer of 'things to make up' LOL), and the card was starting to look a bit tatty round the edges so set to and made it up.

I coloured it with promarkers - and then stitched it onto some pink and green cardstock.
Layered it with foam pads onto a trusty doily and popped it onto the backing papers then added some sparkle to the Icing Sugar.
The papers were a challenge win last year and shamefully I only opened the pack last week to use them.
Stitched onto the same pink and green cardstock and added a couple of promarker coloured die cuts and two very very pink pearls!

The flowers were another challenge win and I added some green glass leaves - which probably don't show up too well in then pic but am really happy with how they look in real life! The flowers and glass leaves were placed onto a lovely pink and green hand crocheted cotton flower which was given to me by Maureen and I think came from her aunt. 

The ribbon is from my stash -it just seemd to tie it all together and I added a little metal heart charm which says 'Made With Love'. 

I decorated the inside to match.

Hope your day has been as nice - thanks for visiting - you know I appreciate you taking the time.  x

Challenges -

CraftyPurpleFrog - Pink and Girly
Papertake Weekly - Bingo (Gems, DieCuts, Flowers)
Passion for Promarkers - Animals
Birthday Sundaes - Animal Birthday Card
Fashionable Stamping - Bingo (metal, Sewing, Flowers)
Tuesday Throwdown - Spring Cleaning - and I am using my papers and old stamped images
Love to Create - Anything Goes
Pan Pastel - add a Flower

Best Friends

Have been away from the craftie space this week although I have managed to keep visiting some blogs - not all though and if you're one of those I didn't get to I promise I will get to see your creations over the weekend.
Some time ago I made a card like this for a commission. I always print off two images in case I mess up one and this one was coloured and in the 'things to assemble' drawer! I have been trying very hard to use up stuff and am not always successful but this is another image from Mo Manning which I like a lot and I decided to make it up into an easel.

I hope the horse lovers will forgive my less than perfect shading!

Anyway, little girl and her big friend were coloured with promarkers and the sky was painted with watercolour pastels.
 The image was stitched onto a cream coloured card die cut and then put onto the card with 3d pads. The backing papers from My Mind's Eye also stitched and layered onto the same coloured card and some very old cream cotton lace from my stash added.

The flowers were a challenge win from Crafty Emma's. I coloured the flourish with a promarker and used some cream ribbon to make the back for the flower rosette, then just finished with 5 brown pearls.
The base of the easel has a tiny galloping horse metal charm attached to the lace with a ribbon.
I need to add a sentiment yet - am still thinking!!!!

Challenges -
Forever Friends - Add a Charm
I Love promarkers - Anything Goes
Everybody Art - Easel card
Craft Your Passion - Easel Card
Digi Makeover - Critters
Papertake Weekly - For the Girls

Am now off to be pummelled by the physio so -
Thanks for visiting, the sun is shining here and I hope it's shining where you are too.... x

Script

Having not finished last week's in time to post before the challenge closed I am extra extra early this week for Less Is More which is a one layer card with 'script'.

Maureen is today holding a workshop at Barry's craft store on painting with Distress Inks so not to be outdone I decided even though it is too far for me to travel to be of any use/support/a nuisance to her, I would take part anyway!

The Elusive Image stamp was inked in versamark black first. I made a mask as I wanted to emboss the actual flower - it's really difficult when the stamp isn't a clear one but after two attempts I managed it using black embossing powder on the hydrangea.
It's given it a lovely raised effect which I am pleased with (for once!).

I painted the background script with Victorian Velvet and Spun Sugar and did the flower with Broken China and highlighted it with Dusty Concord.

Unfortunately I am not so pleased with the new card stock I bought recently- although it was supposed to be quite a heavy weight and felt OK when I opened it, it has really disappointed me - it coped with the DI painting quite well, but boy, did it buckle very easily with the heat embossing.
It also didn't cope particularly well with an embossing folder coming out all wavy when I ran it through the cuttlebug, so will only be using it in future for basic stamping projects.

I may well have to mat this onto other cardstock if I want to use it for more than just a 'notelet'.

Will have to see if the three heavy books currently on top of it straighten it out a bit!

Hope everyone is having a good day out in blogland, thanks for visiting and enjoy your weekend! x

Wistful

After saying in my previous post I don't make many yellow cards, guess what I've done?
Yep - a yellow card - LOL

I don't know what it is about this Stampin Up image but I have made a couple of cards now using it and am always drawn to colouring the dress yellow!!! 
I have lots of stamps/digis that I like, some I would even say I love and this is amongst those that I love - definitely.
Am at a loss to say what it's overall appeal is really - I just think she looks so wistful and lonely standing barefoot in the grass and looking at the two butterflies - she's probably nothing of the sort and is likely to be loving the moment but you'll forgive me my imaginative wanderings won't you???!
The papers are from Raspberry Road, distressed and stiched onto yellow card. I used one of my MS punches for the bottom border, cut the frame from the same yellow card with one of my 'recent present to me' nesties and stitched the image onto the frame. The image was coloured with a mixture of promarkers and Distress Inks, with a bit of glamour dust on the two butterflies (which hasn't shown up very well in the pic) and I added a white paper doily behind.
The blue flowers were amongst a prize from a challenge blog and the yellow one was made using another 'present to me' nestie set!
I finished the front with a lemon coloured patchwork heart button threaded with lemon and white gingham ribbon and three tiny silvery blue pearls.

The same colour theme was carried through to the inside.


Challenges -
Fab N Funky - Mellow yellow
My Mum's Craft Shop - Spring Colours
Let's Ink It Up - Show us your Flowers
CRAFT - Inspired by a Song (Yellow by Coldplay)
Crafty Catz - Mothers Day/Special Lady
Simon Says Stamp - Mothers Day/Special female
(My lovely Mum sadly is no longer with us but this woul;d have been exactly the type of card I would have given her on her special day - and anyway I think the image is one special lady!!!)

Thanks for paying me a visit - have a lovely weekend whatever you're doing. x

50 years!

Some family friends are set to celebrate their Golden Wedding next month - they're lovely people and no doubt like everyone else they've had good times and bad during their 50 years together - but it's quite an achievement isn't it?
OH and I will be well into our dotage to be celebrating this particular anniversary - we'd both well into our 90's!!!! At the mo we'd be happy to make the silver version!
I wanted to make a nice card for Bob and Joan as Joan always is so complimentary about anything I make but boy have I struggled!

I do not like the colour gold - I think it's really overpowering and am also not a big lover of yellow - think perhaps I have only ever made two yellow cards in my entire life that I am happy about and I made a well OTT Golden Anniversary card as a commision which I admit turned out fine and the recipient was happy with it - but Bob and Joan are real honest 'down to earth' people and OTT was definitley not the order of the day! 

I saw the idea for the stamped panels on Debby's blog - (don't worry I told her I was going to steal it! LOL) - and thought I could try and adapt for the golden wedding.

I used another stamp from the Stempelglede Vintage Garden set and stamped and gold embossed onto cream linen card. The  card was then cut into strips and I cut the bottom ends with the edge of a square nestie.

I attached onto cream linen card stock using foam pads.

The cream and gold ribbon is from my christmas stash and I punched a scalloped edge onto some gold card and attached it underneath the ribbon.

The flower is the last of a pile sent to me ages ago by Maureen and now I have my own set of nesties to make these she said she won't be sending me any more!!! LOL

The gold and pearl bead flower embellies and the gold mesh were from my stash and I used a LOTV stamp for the greeting.

I used some glimmer mist on the die cut butterfly (another sent by Maureen- and I only have two left now...hint hint....), gold embossed the body and added two pearls. 

I thought long and hard about gems for the butterfly trail but everything I tried didn't look right so instead opted for the easy option of gold embossing powder instead -  hope it looks OK!

Challenges -

Sparkles Forum - Things with Wings

DYSU - Things with Wings

Let's Ink It Up - Flowers

That Craft Place- Anything Goes

Stamping for the Weekend - Bingo- and I chose Ribbon/Sparkles/Flowers
Crafty Emmas - Flowers
Allsorts - Spread Your Wings

Thanks for stopping by today -  I appreciate you taking the time to visit and leave comments - have a lovely day! X

Pedal Power

What a difference a day makes! Yesterday blue skies, lovely sunshine and warm weather - today grey skies, pouring rain and on with the sweaters!
So after a quick trip to the supermarket and a whizz (well a stroll really cos my neck and back won't allow me to whizz anymore!) round with the vacuum cleaner as we have two viewings tomorrow I intend on spending the rest of the day in the craft room - will have to tidy up in there too unfortunately as the sight of the desk and paper strewn floor is likely to put off any prospective buyers. Am hoping that the next visitors are more than just 'carpet treaders' and we've had our fair share of those!

Onto the card - I made a similar one to this some time ago and the image was amongst a pile I had coloured and popped in a drawer so thought I would set to and get it made up into a card!

Mo Manning made a girl and boy version of this and although I like the little girl one, this one is my fave of the two! His little car backpack just makes me smile.

I coloured it with promarkers, then cut it out stuck it onto linen card using foam pads and added some embroidery thread for streamers from the handles.

The star paper is from a pack of sticky backed stuff - lost the front so don't know who made it and the stripey one was a scrap piece in my stash. I mounted the lot onto blue card and added three very large red buttons. I hope the big red bow hasn't made it too 'girly'!!
The inside has the same striped paper to co ordinate with a space for a greeting and the sentiment on the front was PC generated. I haven't fixed the sentiment permanently yet as I'm not sure if it's a bit too 'grown up' for  child!

Challenges -
One Stop Crafts - Button It
Card Crafters Circle - Buttons
Cupcake Craft - Boys and their Toys
Bronte and Bella - Anything Goes with a Mo's image
Pixie Dust Studio - Buttons
Creative Crafts - Boys will be Boys
2 Sisters - 1 image, 2 patterned papers, 3 embellies

Thanks for dropping in to see me today, I appreciate your visits and comments - Have a lovely day whatever you're doing! X  

Take time to smell the flowers....

It's a grey day here but not cold thank goodness! Had a wander round the garden this morning after I'd done the dreaded house work and the crocus, miniature daffs and snowdrops are all blooming - so spring is definitely on it's way - so thinking about Spring here's a little beauty from LOTV taking some time to smell the flowers!

I stitched the image onto the die cut frame and added some glamour dust bling onto her wings and the skirt. I keep forgetting I bought a white gel pen and hardly ever use it, but found it to dot a few pearly dots onto the flowers and in her hair.

The backing papers were from my stash and I matted the polka dot paper onto some lilac card, distressed and stitched it.

The square lacy doily was a present and I have been wating for an opportunity to use it - It seemed a shame to cover it really as it has a pretty design in the centre but I liked it layered behind the frame so used it anyway!
I coloured the hand made flower with a Promarker and punched out some leaves using the same lilac cardstock.

I tucked in a triple pearl pin and a pearl spray behind the organza ribbon and inside I continued the same colour scheme and used a scrap of the ribbon secured with a pearl buckle onto the die cut frame for the greeting.

Challenges -
Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes
Crafty Bloggers - Spring Time
Pixie Cottage - Anything Goes
Cutie Pie - Flowers
Pan Pastel - Use Ribbon
Kaboodle Doodles - Shades of Purple

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

Mojo has sailed away............

My mojo has seriously deserted me this week - I've had other things on my mind and have been a wee bit stressed out so consequently have not done any crafting other than to sit and shuffle pieces of paper about!

I made this 'man' card the week before last and as I haven't posted anything this week thought I should pop it on to share.

Not very inspiring is it?? LOL
Think it reflects how I feel!

Anyway, image stamped with Versamark and some light shading with promarkers. Two pices of black card put behind it in a 'fan/sail' type layout and mounted onto K and C striped paper.
I used some twine and a little fish charm on the top.

There are some 'Man' challenges about so am entering -
Sweet Stamping - Masculine 
Hotshot Crafts - One for the Boys
Wags N Whiskers - Masculine Birthday
Stamp, Scrap and Doodle - Manly
Whimsy - Monochromatic
Creative Card Crew - Masculine

Am off now to shuffle some more paper!!!
Thanks for visiting, have a lovely day whatever you're doing! x

Punches (not the boxing sort) LOL

Morning bloggers!
Am quite cheerful this morning despite the old neck and mid back giving me a bit of a reminder that things are not all that they should be!!
BUT - the sun is shining brightly here today - although cold I always think just seeing the gorgeous blue above you makes you feel good.
Have a couple of things almost completed - am doing projects in dribs and drabs rather than finishing one before starting another - consequently the desk is not the tidiest (again!).
Am trying to enter as many LIM challenges as I can and have a sneaky feeling that I may try and sumbit more than one this week as the challenge is for Dies and Punches. 

But here's the first one - the stamp is by Elusive Images and I inked it with Onyx Black versamark then added some holographic powder onto the silk art card. Was quite pleased with the finish this gave - made it sparkle a little in certain light but not overdone the blingy.(Will I get extra marks for that???? LOL)
I coloured it with promakers and then used a Nellie Snellen die to frame it. The piece that I cut it from I layered onto some pastel blue cardstock so that when I mounted the frame you could just see small parts of the backing colour coming through.
I used a Martha Stewart trellis punch for the edge and added a very thin piece of ribbon.
Quite pleased with this one!
No sentiment added as yet - can't decide on a 'Thinking of You' - then it could double as a sympathy card or Best Wishes - then it could be used as a 'get well'...............

Anyway, here's a little close up of the flowers as I've tried to show the sparkly... not sure if you can see or not!

Thanks for visiting me  - have a lovely day whatever you're doing and I hope the sun is shining where you are! x

Romance

Thanks for dropping in today and a warm welcome to my new followers.

Have been meaning to post this for a couple of days and the time has just gone as always. I am feeling very smug as I am continuing my resolution to use up some of this huge paper stack that I own and never cut into - so here's the latest offering using more of my Graphic45 Curtain Call papers. 

Can you feel the steamy passion??LOL

 

To coin a phrase -   they don't make 'em like that anymore'!!!  

All dark and smoulderingly broody with the odd sound of a bodice ripping thrown in for good measure!!!

And you weren't allowed to let both of your feet leave the floor during the 'passion' scenes never mind exchange mouth to mouth kisses!!! 

How times have changed - and not always for the better - now nothing is left to your imagination....  

   

Enough reminiscing! Back to the card - distressed,stitched and layered (yes the sewing machine is still out!), some old cotton lace from my stash, a couple of black card swirls and a doily inked with Antique Linen DI.

The satin ribbon kept fraying so I ended up using the pinking shears and I hope it hasn't spoilt the overall vintagey feel. I added the blingy buckle, a black pearl pin, two diamante pins and finished with two tiny sparkly hearts.

Challenges -

Dutch Dare - Distressing

Crafting 4 All Seasons - Love
The Crafty Pad - The letter 'B' - and mine is for Blingy Buckle!

Ruby's Rainbow - Vintage

Crafty Bloggers - Love is in the Air

Hooked On Crafts - Hearts

Friendships Garden - Love and 3 embellishments (no stamps allowed) 

Creative Craft - Valentines
Southern Girls - So Distressed

Have a lovely day whaever you're doing! 

Not happy......

but I decided to share with you anyway!
I have discovered I am deinfitely NOT a stripe person!
Oh the pain and the agony of my poor hurting head................
Here is the source of my anquish -
One Layer and STRIPES????????????????? How much can a body bear... I thought acetate was bad but STRIPES???????
I am putting myself in detention for the production and publication of this week's effort for the Less Is More challenge - and I'll let you into a secret - I wasn't going to show you but Maureen made me....

so brace yourselves - here it is.

Have you ever had an idea that seemed so simple and then when you tried to do it , it develops into the most difficult thing in the world?
Not helped by the teeny weeny fact that I don't posess anything remotely like a striped stamp.. (small detail???)

I vaguely remember seeing something like this on someone else's blog about a year ago - no idea whose blog it was and because my attempt is not as good as I wanted it to be that's probably a good thing as I wouldn't want anyone to think I'd made such a mess of their perfect idea!!!

So back to the stripes... I sat and cut 20 tiny strips from the sticky part of post it notes to create my grid... only took me about an hour! Then I had to position them so they were (reasonably) spaced.
The first three attempts went in the bin -(the ink was too dark, the spaces were too wide, I made a mess of taking off the strips...) and eventually arrived at something which is (just about) passable.
The stripes were done with Brushed Corduroy DI and the vintage car stamp and sentiment was inked with Vintage Sepia Versamark. 

I always think CAS are good for men and I wanted to do a 'man' card as I don't have many in my stash.... but am not sure this card will end up rectifying that or not..... depends on what you all say!!!! (Go on, I can take it.... I think!!!!!)

More Shabby!

Another very chilly and grey day here - have the heaters on full and am still not warm enough - need some fingerless gloves I think! Cold I may be, but I want to give a warm welcome to my new followers! It's lovely to see you!
Have a couple of unfinished projects laying about on the desk - mostly images which I've coloured that are waiting for assembly! Am trying to get round to making them up but I keep getting distracted by boring things like ironing!

Anyway here's one I DID manage to put together - this is another image from the Stempelglede Vintage Garden plate - just love these stamps!

Flowers were stamped  then painted with watercolours. I dusted some Spun Sugar DI round the edges, then distressed and layered onto dark pink linen textured card. I put some pale green linen textured card behind it and then ripped off some scrim and dyed it with the DI.
The other DP is from K and Co, layered onto the same pale geen and dark pink linen cardstock.
All the layers were stitched together - am going mad now with this sewing machine!!!!!!
The dark green cotton lace is from my stash as are the pink organza ribbon, pearl and pins. The flourish and the flower were coloured with promarkers.

Inside I used some more of the pale green and pink and just stamped onto the remnant of the K and Co paper. Stitched it to make a pocket and put a tag  inside the pocket which has a plain background to write a greeting. 
I am becoming hooked on distressing and stitching cards - hope I'm getting better at it with all this practice........

Challenges -
Just Traceys - Female with Lace/Ribbon or Tulle
CES - Lots of Layers
Anything Goes - Bingo (and I chose the bottom line of Swirls & Pearls, Flowers, Stitching, Ribbon & Lace)
Allsorts - Free and Easy
The Crafty Pad - Spring Colours
Our Creative Corner - Flower/Friend 

Thanks for dropping in today - have a lovely weekend whatever you're doing. x

PS - Over at Just Inspirational Challenges this week they are allowing you to backlink a February project for their challenge. They have 3 fab images to inspire you and I chose this one here of these gorgeous pink roses which fits in with my shabby card. Go check it out! 

Where did you get that Hat?

Woke up this morning to a wonderful pea souper of a fog - Looked like someone had stolen the world when I looked out of the window!
Has cleared a little bit now but not a day for doing a lot although I do need to do a bit of shopping for boring things like window blinds and a light fitting.
Have another distressingly stitched creation to share before I go spending money -
my previous stitched cards have been done on a tiny battery operated machine bought for about a tenner! I have long been the owner of a rather large fancy Brother portable machine and am also the proud owner of a Singer machine complete in a solid wood drop down table that belonged to my grandmother and was bought for the princely sum of £5 4s 11d over 50 years ago - both work perfectly and I used the Singer machine a lot to make my own curtains and stuff when I couldn't afford to buy ready made or have someone else do them for me!
The Brother, sadly, has seen the light of day 3 times in the last 5 years - but I made a resolution to use is this year - and yesterday I did.

So here is the finished project (she says smugly!) complete with a fancy stitch -I ignored the comments of DH about getting dust on the card etc etc etc

The image is of course from LOTV, mounted onto a brown cardstock frame cut with a nestie then layered onto a doily.
The papers are part of a pile of Candy stash I received from the lovely Debby - they're called 'Isabelle' by First Edition.
Distressed them all, stitched together, added a sentiment stamped in Vintage Sepia versamark and a flourish cut in co-ordinating card.
Finished off with a couple of bronze pearls, lightly glittered flowers and a couple of pearl pins.
 Here's a little peep at the inside too! 


Challenges -
Pixie Dust - Girly Girl
Poodles Parlour - Anything Goes
Fussy and Fancy - Polka Dots
Craft Your Days Away - Get Stitchy
Hotshot Crafts - Flowers

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

A first!!

It is Sunday isn't it???? And here I am with my entry for this week's Less is More challenge.
A record!!! After last week's flurry of activity just a few hours before the challenge finished, I have today managed to make a card with a whole week to go!!!
LIM are celebrating their first birthday and although I haven't managed all the weeks have enjoyed taking part and I have REALLY enjoyed visiting everyone else's (even on the weeks when I didn't submit anything!). So congrats to Chrissie and Mandi - and STOP EATING THAT BIRTHDAY CAKE!!! LOL

So - here it is -
I don't normally do DL cards but fancied one for a change. The cardstock is white pearlised card.
I have had a Viva Decor flourish set for a long time and rarely used it but saw it whilst looking for something else and thought it might fit the bill.

Finding the stamp was easy - the ink not so simple! After scrabbling about in several drawers and boxes, I found a pigment ink called 'Robin's Egg Blue'. I stuck my finger on it to check the colour and decided it was the right shade. (the front of my jumper also bears testament to that too cos I forgot I still had wet ink on my finger and pulled down the bottom of my sweater - which had in fact started off it's life as pink........................)

Anyway - after stamping the flourish twice I used some holographic embossing powder - this gave it a bit of luminous sparkle instead of just raised clear embossing.
The butterfly I inked using a tiny paintbrush with Spun Sugar DI and some of the Robins Egg pigment ink and then the same embossing powder. The butterfly wings are raised with 3d foam pads.
I thought the three pearls were a great shade match and I can't do a card without a teeny bit of bling!

Am also submitting this into Flutter By Wednesday - Open Challenge, Paper Sundaes - Clean and Simple and Pixie Cottage - Clean and Simple

After I'd done, I wondered about  whether the butterfly was a bit 'lost' being almost the same shade so I have taken a pic with a black pearlised one sat on the card - I may do another with a black butterfly, and stamp the sentiment in black ink and a few black pearls instead. What do you think?


Thanks for visiting - a big hello to all my new followers - it's lovely to see you.
I'm away to do a bit more paper distressing on a half finished card!
Have a great day whatever you're doing. x

Queen of Hearts or Queen of Last Minute!

Definitely the latter! Here I am at 8.35pm and just posting my entry into this week's Less Is More.
The flippin thing isn't even dry - and because of the light the pic is pretty damn awful too... but has to be linked before the Head Girls pull the plug on Mr Linky - so  I will taker a better pic tomorrow! Update - Tried again this morning but pic still not the best!!
The rules this week were really specific (and stern...LOL), Landscape with a panel and the panel had to be positioned exactly where the sketch said....
So I have!

This started off life as a free digi stamp and fortunately was 'panel shaped'!!!

I printed it out twice then stamped over one of the images with a large Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Collection grungy background stamp I picked up in a bargain bucket for about £2 about 3 years ago that has seen ink only once in it's entire life....(shame on me....)
I then cut out the hearts, coloured them with a promarker and mounted them onto the panel using foam pads to give them a bit of dimension.
I used some glossy accents on the largest heart (which isn't dry....yet). The whole panel was then layered onto red and black card before putting onto the white cardstock.
The sentiment stamp is another I have had for years.

OH and I don't exchange Valentine's cards - who needs a special day to show someone they're your whole world????!!!
BUT - it's his birthday on Valentine's Day  so this year he'll get a card with hearts on!


Other Challenges -
Cardmadfairy  - Hearts
Simply Create Too - Red Hot
Sweet n Sassy - Valentine
Digi Doodle -  Love is in the Air
MAWTT - At least one heart
Cheerful Stamp Pad - Romance is in the Air
Thanks for visiting - have a lovely weekend, whatever you're doing. x