Keepy - Uppy!

I have met myself coming back the last few days, not least because this viral throat/coldy thing refuses to go away completely and I am swinging between times of feeling fine and times of feeling like something very heavy has decided to sit itself on my chest! Darn nuisance!


I've also played a few games this week and today I was organising and running a competition just up the coast from where I live - and - it's been a lovely day, we even saw lots of sunshine.

So crafty time has been at a bit of a premium this week and I have only managed to make a couple - and both of them are with the new 'Little Masterpieces' releases from LOTV.


This tri fold card was quick to do - the card is a pre cut and scored blank which is actually called a 'Baby handbag' card kit - 
- which if you're anything like me and completely incapable of measuring stuff properly are the best things since sliced bread! All you have to do is open the pack, fold them and add whatever you want! This pack also gives you extra circles and die cut scalloped edges so I got some K and Co green paper which has a  grid design on it - have no idea why it reminded me of a football field but it did...... . and decorated the card and the scalloped circles with it. 

I cut out the footie image (isn't he great? Budding Becks I think!) with a nestie then layered it up inside the scallop and die cut frame. I just added a teeny bow of black and white twine on the front.
Inside I added a some embellishments (football boots and 3d footballs)which I picked up in a Hobbycraft sale.
No sentiment as yet because I think I may personalise it for a little person that I know!


Challenges -
Sisterhood of Crafters - Let's Hear it for the Boys
Craft Room Challenge - Sports
Card Crafters Circle - Children
Crafts 4 Eternity - Crazy Circles
Emergency Crafters - Circles
One Stop Crafts - Olympic Sports 


That's me done - my bed is calling - enjoy the rest of your weekend!x

Bring me Sunshine?

There's still a complete lack of the yellow ball in the sky here so instead tried to transfer my (very) distant memory of it onto this card!
To be fair, it HAS stopped raining but the grey skies just refuse to budge... a bit like my cold - we're now on day 6 and I am really FED UP!!!! Sore throat has gone (almost) so I think I'm now on the 'up' side..... found enough energy this morning to make this....

If you are a follower of my blog, you may have realised by now that I really like these Wild Rose Studio set of stamps!
This one is called 'Kitty Picnic'. Coloured with promarkers and watercolour pastels, then put onto a frame.

I distressed and stitched the backing papers - one has a diamond pattern and the layered one is polka dots - then used some of this stunningly gorgeous lace which was a present (along with some scrummy mini Toblerones) from Alessandra. Popped the framed image on top with 3d foam pads.

I hand stitched the large organza ribbon rose onto two scraps of the lace, and added a couple of goldie tipped pearl pins and a small die cut flourish.
The sentiment was a freebie from TLC and to finish off I added a Cheery Lynn die cut corner and a couple more flat backed gold pearls.
Same papers are used inside.
I hope if you day is as grey as mine is here, this card has brought you some sunshine and thoughts of picnics on warm summer days!
Challenges -
Daring Cardmakers - Lace and pearls
Truly Madly Crafty - Animals
OLLCB - Whiskers
Crafty Boots - Bingo - (Yellow - Dots -Lace )
Lets Ink It Up - All Girls
That Craft Place - Anything Goes
Lexi's - For a Friend

It's only words.....

or not as the case may be!
This is a quick post and a quick card for this week's Less Is More  challenge. The old cold just refuses to go away at the mo and I am getting sorely irritated with myself as I am struggling to finish up all the half done bits on the desk... hopefully I'll be back later with another post but don't hold your breath!
 Challenge this week was THREE of something -
"Three of anything, three colours, three images, three stamps, three words, the number three, it's up to you, but don't forget the lots of white space, a simple design and just one layer"

Agggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhh!
The dreaded one layer - as you can see I have added a little teeny weeny absolutely minute piece of ribbon as an embellie......well two pieces actually- (down on knees, begs for forgiveness....).

This image makes me smile - Marcel Marceau in triplicate!
I love their little scrawny elongated necks!!

So I thought maybe it could be a card used for saying sorry? Or just to send someone a message of comfort?

Printed direct onto bright white card, coloured it slightly with promarkers and although you can't see it very well the central body has had some glossy accents placed on his cherry red lips - just right for kissing and making up!!! LOL
The sentiment was PC generated and I embossed a couple of lines at the top and a single line at the bottom. I have resisted the temptation (for now- ha ha) to add a couple of black pearls onto the bottom below the embossed line......... maybe I should put it away before the urge becomes too much!

Luckily there is another challenge I can submit this too - over at Cupcake Crafts the theme is 'Le Tour de France' - anything France related - so even though I would normally go overboard with the red, white, blue, loads of papers layers and embellies, I have entered this for a change.

Cold - and not just the weather

From the post's title you might have deduced that since Wednesday night I have been full of an absolute stinker of a cold... I very rarely get colds (about one a year) but boy oh boy when I do, they're of the type that just knock you off your feet - raging headache, throat feels like someone is dragging barbed wire through it,face swollen cos my sinus are blocked, unable to breathe and generally feeling like I've been run over by a bus!  Other than that I'm fine!!!!!!!!! LOL

Consequently I have not felt in the least bit like making anything or blogging so in true 'Blue Peter' tradition - here's one I made earlier!

This was a commissioned card which I finished at the beginning of the week for a 90th Birthday. Same gate fold design as a previous post with a different colour background. I finally mananged to get a good embossing 'sandwich' with this Marianne 'Anja' die and it looks just like lace in real life!
I like this shade of purple - it highlights the embossing enough without being too overpowering.

I made the flower again using my blossom nestie set and mounted it onto a nestie Fancy Tag.

I had a bit of a rummage round the inky stuff - a long long time ago OH bought me a complete set of Whispers pads in a storage caddy - and there looking at me were a couple of ink pads in purple shades - I thought they may well have been long dried out but as luck would have it, some of them are still Ok enough to get a wee bit of colour from them. This one was called Rio Purple.
I sponged it onto both sides of all the flower petals before making up the flower and onto the punched out butterflies. then just ran it lightly over all the embossed bits. Couple of lilac pearls (which were a challenge win) and a springling of Diamond Stickles down the butterflies bodies.

Inside I cut another fancy tag and sponged inside the die.

Made a box for it, ran the ink pad round the edge of the box and used up some of the discarded flower petals to make a smaller flatter flower with a lilac pearl in the middle for the box top.
Looks OK doesn't it? (at least I think it does!) 

It's not too bad a day here for a change - windy but at least it's dry - and I've managed to get some washing out on the line - am going to try and do my LIM challenge today - if I can stop sneezing and coughing for long enough!

Have a great Sunday whatever you're doing. x

Challenges -
Classy Cards and Such - Handmade Flowers (used Spellbinders Fancy Tags 2)
Ruby's Rainbow - Emboss It
Samuel Taylors - Card using Die Cuts - As always there's lots of lovely goodies up for grabs this month!

Quick card and quick post!

Been missing for a couple of days - will be catching up on all your blogs today and thought I'd better pop on a card to show that I am still making a mess here in the craftie space and haven't upped sticks and gone to warmer climes...although it has crossed my mind... a LOT!!!
Thankfully today we have dry weather at the minute - lots of grey cloud about though so can only hope the water doesn't fall again - summer temps it certainly ain't...

Card for my 'Pink' stash to share today - I have quite a few of these lovely Saturated Canary images, and made this one with a sugar pink and pale green colour scheme.
Am real pleased with the way it turned out - it's actually a collage of presents from my friends in blogland - lace from Alessandra, pic from Juney, the butterfly punch from Maureen, and the lovely lace corner was part of a Cheery Lynn die set from Barry - (who's website is almost ready to go 'live' so we can all go spend )!!!
The backing paper, pins, ribbon and card were mine though!!!!!!!!!!!
Usual flourishes, pearls, flowers to decorate with a liberal doses of glamour dust on the butterfly bodies (!) and of course the same colours used on the inside.
Off to take a chance and hang out the washing - fed up with the kitchen looking like a chinese laundry and I absolutely REFUSE to use the tumble dryer in JULY!!!!
Have a lovely Wednesday whatever you're up to and maybe I'll 'see' you all again later! xx

Challenges -
Bearly Mine - Pearls and lace
Creative card Crew - Swirls and pearls
{Pin}spirational - photo inspiration
TIOT - Ribbon, 2 papers, Bling and a butterfly!
Saturated Canary - Bling It On

Our weather is on the up (shhhhhhh... it might hear us!!) - been a really good day today - no rain, some sun and quite warm....

The LIMettes have set us a challenge of 'Gold' this week... I have a card ready on the table that needs photographing but the light now here is not good - and I finished this a short time ago and took a pic of it straight away .... suppose I should have finished them both THEN took the pics... but that would have meant me engaging the grey matter and I've had a stressful day. (Not going to divulge too much but after a number of years spending a lot of time and effort doing a voluntary team captain job that no one else wants I am completely disillusioned with the attitude from some.... don't get me wrong, they're not all bad - just the odd one but that odd one is beginning to get right on my nerves!!!! - 'nuff said!).

Back to the card.... disappointed really with the pic but only cos it doesn't show the stunning sparkly blue eyes our little pussy cat now sports!  I coloured them with a Kuretake 'wink of stella' GL Blue pen.. which was a present from the lovely Alessandra - and boy do these eyes sparkle!(probably not as much as Bailey, Alessandra's feline friend ......lol) - but what great pens! Never seen them before (much to my shame) but suspect I may be investing in some more.......

Aperture cut in white linen card with a nestie, gold circle frame also cut with a nestie and the pic printed direct onto linen card. Then used 3d foam pads to stick the gold framed kitten cat under the aperture. 
I used WOW Gold embossing powder on the collar and tag and strung some metallic gold embroidery thread top and bottom, then coloured the cat dish and the two eaten fish (!!) with a gold marker pen. 

Am glad you've  called in - I appreciate it. x

I saw sun!

WELL!!! I was very scared this morning when I got up and opened the curtains cos there was this big yellow thing in the sky surrounded by patches of blue with the occasional white cotton wool ball nearby................. it's been so long since I saw the sun, I've forgotten what it looks like! Made the most of it too 'cos would you believe we've now been given an 'amber alert' weather warning for the next couple of days and have been told to expect torrential downpours! So, I haven't put the wellies away just yet.....

Here's today's card to share - Been messing with the dies again as you can see!

haven't made this for anything or anyone, but wanted to try out my two new sets of Cheerry Lynn Butterfly and Corners Dies (Thanks Barry!).

Can someone tell me though why pearlised card is soooooo difficult to photograph.. must have taken about 40 pics and am still not happy - even ventured outside and tried there but that was even worse!!!

Used white Centura pearl card, altered the colour of the sentiment to a soft green colour, printed then cut it out using Fancy oval nestie. I'm not normally a slushy sentimental person but this one appealed to me.
Edged the frame with Versacolour in Evergreen.Cut out another larger fancy nestie oval and then cut a 'fancy tag', used the same Versacolour to edge both. I cut the tag in half and layered it behind the smaller of the two ovals then layered them all together.

The 'rose'  was made with spellbinders blossom dies and I inked it with Spun Sugar DI, found this very large pink pearl bead in my stash and glued it in the middle! The flourish is a Marianne die. 
The smaller butterflies were punched out and also inked and a sprinkling of glamour dust somehow found it's way onto both flower and small butterflies.....
The intricate butterfly (which I just love!) was cut from the same card and inked with the same DI and I popped a pink pearl onto the body. The corners were edged with the evergreen ink and a few more pearls added to both corners and the edge of the tag.

Some challenges -
Shelly's Images - What the Text
MAWTT - Make It Sentimental
Southern Girls - Pearls
My Mum's Craft Shop - Photo inspiration (green/pink/white)
Cupcake Craftroom - Layers
Shopping Our Stash - Triple Threat (Use 3 of something- mine was butterflies and pearls)
Creatalicious - Anything Goes
Sassy Cheryl's - Anything Goes
As always, I'm thankful for you coming to see me, I hope you're all enjoying your day whatever you're doing. x

A warm welcome to my new followers - it's lovely to see you and thanks for being interested enough to pop in and comment.
What on earth has happened to our Summer?
The weather here agin this morning is wet and the skies are grey - yesterday I had to have the light on whilst making messy in the craftie space and I suppose today is going to be no different. I am listening to the weather forecast at the mo and the radio man is saying no change - Am definitley now counting down the days till the September holiday!

Just a quick card to share this morning - I'm currently working on a couple of things ordered by some friends and the desk is littered with Distress ink, embossing powder and acetate... need to get on and finish so I can tidy up!

I am one of the large number of us who always struggles with 'man' cards - kids are fine 'cos you can get away with an odd ribbon or two but once they become teenagers and then even worse grown up adults I never seem to be able to come up with any ideas other than plain and simple!

BUT - have recently invested in a couple of stamp sets - and this is one of them -
I went a bit mad and bought the matching papers too..... called 'Man About Town' by Wild Rose Studio - to make sure that I had plenty to make a few cards with!

Made a batch of them to make sure I've always got one when I need it - didn't mess about with any embellies other than a couple of card candy and just to make them a bit more interesting continued with the papers inside.

Very sophisticated isn't he? Not that I know anyone who takes their martinis shaken not stirred..... but a girl can live in hope.....................................



Couple of challenges -
Top Tip Tuesday - One for the Men
Cards for Men - Happy Birthday
MAWTT - Happy Birthday
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

Thanks for visiting - if it's raining where you are I hope you're dry, if the sun is shining - I'm really jealous!!!

I have been very good this morning and done the ironing and there's another line of washing on the line drying - it's not too bad a day here - some blue sky and a little breeze - lots of cloud about though so am keeping fingers crossed no rain for a change....!

As I didn't manage the Less is More challenge last week - (made my card then forgot to post it...... can an MRI affect your brain cells?????? LOL - my excuse anyway!) - I sat this morning and did this weeks as quickly as I could!

The theme was to take inspiration from the LIM blog banner - which consists of music, flourishes, flowers and script - I normally sit for hours when the LIM challenge is set desperately seeking some mojo, but this time it all came together pretty quickly... I hope it didn't come THAT quick that you thinks it looks terrible!!!

I knew what I wanted to do but realised I don't possess any music script stamps (note to self - BUY SOME!!!) - I do however have some images of sheet music saved so printed one out onto linen cardstock. I thought about tearing instead of cutting but opted for clean lines to make sure I kept in with the spirit of LIM - which is all about CAS cards and lots of white space. 

I used a Hero Arts stamp set bought a couple of weeks ago in a craft shop closing down sale (bargain at a fiver!) - stamped the two circles in Black Onyx Versafine and cut out with nesties, then stuck them both onto the music layer. Masked the largest circle off and stamped again with the flourish stamp from the same set.
I resisted the temptation to add any Kraft type colour to the card as I thought it would be too much.
As the LIM banner has a bit of bling too I didn't need any excuse to dip into the embellie box - I thought the pearl and diamante tiny circle fitted quite well.
I finished off with 3 tiny gemstones and a stamped sentiment which I think is from Papermania and reminded me of the script on the LIM banner.
Am entering this also into the CASual Fridays challenge this week, which is to use two circles.

Hope you're all having a beautiful day and as always, thanks for having a peep at my latest offering! x

Another die cut card

Had a busy weekend then spent yesterday working myself up to a bit of a state before I went for an MRI scan. I am not a lover of confined spaces and was a little apprehensive to say the least - when I got there they lay me down and put this cage thing over my head - cue time to panic! The Doc was really nice - cage thing taken off with a promise from me that I would lay as still as a statue during the scan... lay down again, shut my eyes, stuck in the earplugs and didn't move for 20 minutes! Needed some help to get me up off the trolley - talk about seized up!!!
So today I have relaxed a bit after doing the ironing (yuk!), and finished off putting inserts into several sympathy cards - it's one of the least things I enjoy about cardmaking -inserts are a nuisance!! But the cards were ordered so it had to be done!

I then had a play with the dies again - I had several cut off strips of linen card laying about on the desk and used it up by cutting out lots of flower petals, some tags and some flourishes. With the little pile cut out on the desk I thought I'd better do something with at least a few of them - and here is the result - once again this has been inspired by something similar seen elsewhere during a trawl - but overall am happy with the way mine has turned out.

The card measures about 6" square.
I used white linen textured card and the Anja die from Marianne. This is the first time I have used this die and confess that it hasn't embossed as well as I had hoped - so I need a bit more practice to get the 'embossing sandwich' right, but it looks OK.
I made it into a gatefold and put some dark sandy coloured cardstock inside.
The rose was made with the nestie blossom set and it's layered onto a nestie fancy tag with a couple of Marianne flourishes.

All the edges of everything were inked with versacolour Bisque and some Glamour dust put on the rose for blingy!
I received two butterfly punches for my Birthday so made good use of the smaller one, cut two out, coloured them completely with the versacolour and added a couple of tiny pearls to the bodies and glamour dust to the wings.
Inside I put another of the same shaped tag to use as a space for the greeting.

Challenges -
Allsorts - To Die For
Crafty Calendar - Flowers in Bloom
Crafty Cardmakers - Create your own flowers
Whoopsi Daisy - Things With Wings
Craft Your Passion - Things with Wings
Fashionista - Winged things
Squirrel and the Fox - Make it sparkle
2 Sisters - Anything Goes 

Hope you're all enjoying your day - and thanks for visiting - !

Have been sitting this morning thinking of warm sunshine, blue skies and gentle breezes rocking a hammock - 'cos we've just paid for our holiday! Certainly wasn't looking out of the window - rain, wind, grey skies... typical British Summer really!!!

I decided I needed to do something soft, gentle and soothing - couldn't afford a pamper day at a luxurious spa - so made a card instead.....................
I adored this Cheery Lynn Lace Faerie Queen die as soon as I clapped eyes on it.
I also saw it made into a beautiful card along similar lines to this and decided to give it a go.
Using just dies without images gives me an opportunity to use up some of the pieces of card that I have left over too.
The whole thing is made with centura pearl card.
I used Nestabilities dies for the fancy square frames, and inked the edges with versacolour Petal Pink ink, then layered them with 3d pads.
The 'lace faerie queen' was also inked lightly then given a little dusting with glamour dust for some sparkle and 3 soft pink pearls stuck on the body.
The flower was made using several layers of  the smaller of the Nestabilities Blossom dies and again it was given the ink and glamour dust treatment.
I had originally intended not to add any sentiment on the front at all but whilst I wanted to achieve 'clean and simple' - it looked 'bare and stark' -  (well according to me anyway!!) - so a greeting of some sort was needed.
This sentiment came from TLC -  and it's simple statement I thought meant the card could be used for any occasion. I  altered the colour in Serif and then cut it out with another fancy tag die, adding another pearl.
Tied some white organza ribbon round the side and popped a couple of pearls at the top. 


Challenges -
PaperPlay -  Use a Die
Crafty Ribbons - Clean and Simple
Delightful Challenges - Anything Goes
Divas by Design - To 'Die' For
Whimsy Stamps - White on White
Use your Stuff - Make it by Hand
The Crazy Challenge - recipe - and I chose Ribbon, Pearls, Dies

As ever, thanks for visiting - off to get a jumper 'cos it ain't very warm here at all! x

Sunshine!

It's been a lovely couple of days here - the sun finally decided to come out and stay for a couple of days! (Forecast from Thursday onwards ain't so bright but hey ho, make the most of it while it lasts!)
I've been busy with a couple of projects and have a few finished cards, pics all taken and saved but thought I would post this one tonight, before I go in to watch the footie... Don't know why I'm watching - they make me real frustrated when they give the ball away and real nervous as I never believe they're going to win!!! But in true patriotic manner I shall be shouting at the TV as per usual!So before all the manic behaviour I am sharing a serene card!!!!!!!!

Oh dear, look who's been shopping at Wild Rose Studio again??? I am soooooo ill disciplined.....lol

This one is called 'In the Meadow'.  Image was stitched onto a die cut frame cut from Coredinations cardstock.

The backing papers are from Imagine and were what were left from the 'Rose' post (see below) and just seemed perfect for the image. I stitched them onto the same pink card after distressing the edges a little.

The beautiful sparkling white lace was a present from Alessandra - isn't it gorgeous? Was gritting my teeth as I used it! I added the fabric flowers from my stash.

I coloured the seam binding with 'Pink Carnation' promarker, tied it into a bow and secured with a pearl buckle, adding 3 pins and a couple of pearls.

The sentiment was a freebie (and I'm really sorry I can't remember where from but thank you whoever you are) and I mounted it onto another die cut frame with a couple of flourishes.

The base of the easel was made with the rest of the polka dot paper and the scrap remnant of the pink card was cut using an MS punch (one of my birthday pressies from dear husband), and i stuck a couple of tiny pearls onto the flowers and some larger ones onto the prop.
This wasn't made for anything specifically - sometimes it's just nice to make to make if you understand what I mean!

Challenges -
Craft Your Passion - Flips and Folds
Cheerful Stamp Pad - In the Garden
One Stop Crafts - Pink, Green and White Easel
Sketch and Stash - Free choice of previous sketches - Sketch number 8 (tilted slightly)
Creative Card Crew - 1,2,3 - 1 image, 2 papers and 3 pins   
Papertake Weekly - Bingo and I chose Ribbon/Free/Blooms
Card Crafters Circle - Include a Sentiment
Pretty Little Ribbon Shop - Lots of Layers 

Hope the sun has shone in your part of the world and thanks for stopping by to see me. x

A card and a thank you

A card to share today which I made a couple of weeks ago for a family celebration. 
This week's challenge at LIM is 'Something Shiny' and I am going to submit this on the basis that it has lots of white space and yes,yes I know, it's got embellishments but there's not a lot.... well I don't think so anyway!! Am sure if I have exceeded the boundaries I'll be told.......... and I shall go on the naughty step!

Made using my basic white linen textured card with two strips of silver mirri attached to another white linen panel.
The die was an early birthday present to myself and I am afraid I am now well into fancy dies........ I thought this was such a versatile one that could be used for anniversaries if cut with different coloured card, Christmas, Sympathy, etc - all ocaasions really - well that was my excuse for buying it!!
I think the embossing effect on the flowers is lovely - am not sure though that you can see it on the photo - 'cos of the mirri card.
Stuck the die cut onto the centre panel and then I silver embossed the wooden numbers from my stash for more silver effect!
The silver organza ribbon was simply wound round the centre panel and secured with a suitably blingy heart buckle from my fave blingy site - Imagine.
 Shiny it is, and am hoping it's LIM enough for LIM!!!

Other Challenges -
DL Art - Recipe- 2 colours (Silver and White), Ribbon and Embossing
My Mum's Craft Shop - Clean and Simple
Unstampabelles - Ribbon

And finally - just want to say a great big THANK YOU to all my blogging friends who sent me birthday wishes, gorgeous presents and fab cards yesterday. It made me very happy!!!

Roses grow on you

Firstly, a huge welcome to all my new followers - Lynda, Berni and Sheryl - it's lovely to see you and I hope you enjoy visiting me - and thanks to everyone for all the lovely comments you leave me - I'm so happy that you take the time and I love reading them!
Today is yet another grey, cloudy and damp day, so don't be surprised if there's more than one post!
I recently won a whopping £25 voucher from Imagine and of course didn't wait long to spend it - I cannot resist all the blingy stuff on that site but they also have some gorgeous papers, so spent some of my prize on the lovely touchy feely designs.(Like I need more papers????!!!!!!!!!)

The ones that I used for this card are heavily linen textured and I think they're really pretty.
This was a really quick and simple card to make and I also used up some of the stuff laying about on the desk - stitched the papers and added a remnant of white vintage lace.

The 'rose' was made from pink tissue paper (another bit of recycling as one of my birthday pressies was wrapped in it!) cut with two sizes of scalloped nesties and scrumpled up to give a ruffled appearance. (idea for this came from my bloggin buddie Lynne). I had a bit of white lace from an old net curtain that had a flower pattern on it and a scrap of fuchsia pink slub linen so cut out two of the flowers from the lace and used a larger nestie to cut out from the pink material. I secured it all together with a pearl brad, then mounted it onto a fancy nestabilities tag cut from pearlised card.
The sentiment was computer generated printed onto the same pearl card and I coloured the punched butterfly with a promarker.


Challenges - 
Lollipop Crafts - Flowers In Bloom
Love to Create - Recycle (my net curtain and tissue wrap)
Bearly Mine - Dies/Flowers/Sentiment
Creative Card Crew - Inspired by a Song (Rose Garden, Lynn Anderson)
Everybody Art - Roses
TIOT - Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
Truly, Madly, Crafty - Monochrome


Well the rain is drizzling down again - so instead of pulling up the weeds I will have to  sit here and watch them grow! Have a great day! x 

I am managing to keep my promise to myself of doing as many LIM challenges as I can. This week's challenge was a one layer card and to use a flourish.
I am still not 100% sure about one layer cards but think I'm getting better - slowly!
There's not a lot of sympathy cards in my stash - in fact their sum total is 2 - so thought that this one layer CAS challenge might help increase the numbers - also slowly!

Plain white card and I embossed two straight lines a third of the way along - (still can't get my head round completely plain!) - The Elusive Images stamp was inked with Dusty Concord DI. I know that DI doesn't give a crisp finish to stamped images but I wanted ethereal rather than sharp and thankfully it turned out OK.

I masked off the butterfly once the ink was dry and used pastel chalks to colour the background - the colour IRL is a pale violety/pink shade and I quite like it.

I used yellow and blue pastel chalks for the butterfly which doesn't show up very well in the pic but looks just fine on the card (!), then some glamour dust for a tiny bit of sparkle and to give the winged thingy some definition without going overboard - this is a sympathy card after all!

The pearls are from my stash and the sentiment from Dovecraft also stamped with Dusty Concord.

After all the feverish glueing and assembling of embellies, flowers, die cuts and layers of the last few days making this this gave me a feeling of serenity - sounds daft I know but I DID find it quite relaxing - even though i had my usual panic of stamping straight onto card at the beginning!

A BIG warm welcome to all my new followers - it's great to see you -and I really love your comments - love visiting you all too - you're a talented lot!! Have a nice day whatever you're all doing. xx

Mono

Have been fiddling with this card for a few days! It's been one of those were I probably tried too hard to incorporate stuff instead of just making it the way I wanted - but - it is an order so the customer is always right - well not always (LOL) -but I thought I needed to make some sort of effort to put on SOMETHING that she wanted!
That said, I didn't do exactly everything although I did make it an easel card like she asked for - she said the 'birthday girl' liked music, did some beautiful cross stitch - oh and was the local methodist minister!
Not having any suitable images of lady vicars with dog collars I opted for the music and sewing theme.... wrong decision number 1. After a few attempts at incorporating both themes I decided to do only one - opted for sewing - wrong decision number 2! There are literally HUNDREDS of images of ladies with sewing machines, ladies sewing quilts but could I find ONE that just showed a woman cross stitching that I could use? NO!

The old music sheet paper was staring at me from the desk whilst I contemplated (well actually I was now beginning to get annoyed....lol) and I nearly succumbed and went back to pianos etc but  I found this silhouette from the Crafty Pad.

Printed it onto pearl cardstock, then clear embossed and layered onto a black scalloped oval. The spots on the backing paper have a wee bit of sparkle which I hope lifts the austerity of the monochrome a bit. I used the fancy oval die again too as a backing for the image.

The heavy white lace is one of my faves from my stash and I added a triple organza bow secured with a pearl buckle, a couple of die cut flourishes and some black, white and clear pins.

The roses were made from the same pearlised card.  
The sentiment was pc generated and I found this little cotton reel and silver thimble in a bag of unused buttons!
On the base I used the same DP, another die cut oval as a space for the greeting, a couple of pearls on the 'prop' and two more items from the unused button pack - a rather large lethal looking sewing needle (!) and a pair of scissors. 

Challenges -
Addicted to stamps - 1 or more pins
Robyn's Fetish - Add Lace
Just Some Lines - Black and White
CYDA - Bingo (Glitter/Lace/Pearls)
Card Crafters Circle - Monochromatic
4 Crafty Chicks - Monochromatic
Crop Stop - Monochromatic
Really Reasonable Ribbon - Flowers/Ribbon
My Mum's Craft Shop - Bingo (Flowers/Pearls/Die Cuts)
Truly Madly Crafty - Monochrome

As ever my desk is like the proverbial bomb site so suppose I'd better go clean up! But before I go I thought I'd share this with you - sent to me by fellow crafter Alessandra who saw them live (lucky girl) - just click on the link - hope you enjoy it. x
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usADINi17cI&feature=BFa&list=UUkfcMwocGcoeP5V3vJzH5nw

A try at something different

Have been continuing finishing off some cards that were ordered by a relative when I've had some spare time this week.
I decided to try something a little different for me and steer clear of images, stamps and flowers!
I even managed to not use any ribbon!
There are so many fabulous dies out there now and I have come to the conclusion that I want them all - I've seen some beautiful cards made using fancy dies and although I don't own many I thought now was as good a time as any to make something using some of the ones I had.

So here is my finished card.

I used centura Pearl card (which is my excuse for the poor qaulity photo) and first embossed with the trusty old Swiss Dots folder. Then I cut four corner flourishes and two of the larger fancy ovals after printing out the sentiment. I also cut a tag from one of the fancy tags sets and cut it in half.

The die cuts were all sponged lightly with VersaColor pigment ink in 'Bisque' colour. It's a pretty sandy/peachy coloured shade and am a wee bit upset that the pic doesn't actually show the true colour but am sure you get the idea!

I layered the 'cut in half' tag first then added the two fancy ovals so that the fancy edge of the tag was just visible. I stuck some pearls onto the ends of the tag and four very tiny ones onto the oval frame.

The two butterflies were given the same ink treatment, a little pearl each and a liberal dose of 'Diamond' stickles - well of course it was too good to be true - having resisted everything else I was not able to resist the 'bling'!

Am quite pleased with myself with this one, turned out better than I hoped and I've enjoyed making it - only trouble is, I now have to have more fancy dies - Definitely!
Challenges -
Southern Girls - Things with Wings
Lia Stampz - Things with Wings
Freshly Brewed - Pop It
Creative Belli - Sentiment Only
Ladybug Crafts - Big Birthdays
Crafting for all Seasons - Layers
Whimsy Inspirations - Things with wings
Emergency Crafters - Anything With Wings
Stampin for the Weekend - Bugs or butterflies
Once again we are blessed with wet, windy, cool weather! Think we had our Summer last week! Thanks for calling in - off for a cuppa! x

Fashionista Challenge - Simply Summer

Happy Monday! 
Am sharing this with you and you need to be gentle with me.. cos i'm very very scared at posting this...... this is my effort for my guest designer spot over at Fashionista. This is the first time I've ever done a GDT and was real pleased to be asked. I hope I've done a reasonable job and that my card inspires you to join in!
The theme for the new Challenge is 'Simply Summer'.
You can create any type of paper crafting project  and you may use any image and enter as often as you like! Just link back to the Fashionista Challenge in your blog post and then upload your entries to the Fashionista blog. The "Top 5" will be announced on June 18th, then the voting begins! The "People's Choice" winner, announced June 25th, will receive a $12 gift cerificate from this month's sponsor:-A Day for Daisies
How good is that! And if you cast a vote you too could be in with a chance of winning 2 digis from Saturated Canary.
So here it is - big drum roll pleas for my first ever GDT card......

I used this stamp called 'Collecting Seashells' and I think it's so lovely - reminds me of many hours with my Mum on the beach holding shells to my ear to hear the sea...
I coloured the image with promarkers and stitched it onto a nestie frame. The papers Nitwits 'Land Ho' collection and I stitched them onto a sandy coloured card base.
I had this striped ribbon in my stash and used it over a punched shell border, and popped on some tattered muslin type fabric, all frayed at the edges 'cos I wanted to give it a 'washed up beachy' feel. I tatted some more of the fabric and threaded through a pearl buckle to make a bow.

All the shells are real collected from the beach (I have a huge bag and it will probably take me forever to use them which is probably why there's so many on this card!).-
I glued a little pearl in the centre of the razor shells by the pc generated sentiment - which made me smile when I was doing it cos each time I asked Mum if there was something precious inside any shell she told me the mermaids had already been and taken it to keep it safe!  To me the sentiment is particularly poignant and oh so true.
A couple more pearls, a tiny 'post card', a couple of tags and a silver metal flip flop charm finished the front.

Inside was decorated with the same papers, a shell stamp (which was a freebie), and a metal embellie with shells on it.
Am entering this into the following challenges -
Joanna Sheen - Remember When
Crafty Boots - Anything goes
Wags N Whiskers - Summer Fun
Pixie Dust Studio - Summer
Paper Pretties- Summer
Raise the Bar - Hello Summer
Aud Sentiments - Any Sentiment
Inky Impressions - Summer Fun
Allsorts - Beside the seaside

Thanks for dropping in today - a big welcome to my new followers, and am wishing you all a good week! x

Vintage

What a dreadful day for the Jubilee celebrations - it's been non stop rain here in my part of the country all day and looking at some of the pics the rest of the UK has been much the same.
I have spent the day in the craftie space - a relatvie has asked me to make a few cards for special celebrations that are coming up this year in her family, a silver wedding and three 70th birthdays!
Have done the 25th anniversary card and will show it sometime in the future but wanted to share this one with you instead.

The stamp is a corset one by Hampton Arts. I cut off the bottom! For the stand I used another stamp from a dress form  which was a freebie from a magazine. Why not use the whole dress form stamp I hear you ask? Well it had flowers on it and it wasn't what I wanted!

So stamped the two in Versamark Sepia onto cream card and cut them out then stuck them together, then added a few tiny pearls down the front.

The papers are by K and Co and are a really lovely soft green. I stitched them and used a nestie to cut out the shape for the layer.
I really love this heavy lace - I thankfully still have quite a bit left in my stash in both cream and white  and used the cream for this card.

The seam binding ribbon was scrunched, dampened then dried with a heat gun and I used rather a lot to make the bow but I think it works. I secured it with two pearl pins.
The sentiment was PC generated and I sewed on a small pearl button then decorated the inside to match.

Challenges -
Corrosive Challenge - Not too Shabby
Pan Pastel UK - Something Vintage
The Crafty Pad - Ribbon
The Ribbon Girls - Use ribbon/lace
Secret Crafter - Anything Goes
Crafty Catz - Buttons and Bows

So that's all from me for now - am going to brave the rain and run back to the house to make a cuppa! As always, thank you for visiting. x