Circles

Marie is hosting for us today at Crafty Cardmakers & More, and she has chosen 'Going Round in Circles' as her theme.  
Circular cards or at least one circle (of an obvious size please, buttons DO NOT COUNT) on your project and two fab sponsors again this time in Hobby Art Stamps and Di's Digistamps.

 
Shaped cards are a little out of my comfort zone but I have recently tried to use the Grand Nesties which have been gathering dust in the drawer and make some different shapes.
I used ivory linen textured card as the base and lightly sponged the inside of the nestie with Crushed Olive DI - this colour was the nearest match to the green card which I had laid out ready for the layering.

The papers are from the Botanical pad by Prima and were just saved snippets from a larger project.
Layered them onto the green and stitched together then added some cream vintage lace andstitched it all onto the base card.
Cream seam binding for the bow and glued the lovely rose cameo in the centre before adding the two pearl pins.
The sentiment was stamped using the same DI onto a scrap of the same paper and tucked behind the lace.

Challenges -
Pixies Snippets Playground- week 128 
CTFH - Anything Goes
Crafting when we can - Leftovers 
Scribble & Scrap - Anything Goes
Graph'it - Frilly and Fancy 

Thanks for calling in - and hope you'll find time to share your creations with us this challenge! x

Robin's Egg Blue

I spent a quiet time last night just making a few CAS cards with some stamps that had never seen ink - yesterday was Mum's anniversary (4 years - time may REALLY have passed but it doesn't seem like it to me) and after a visit to some friends I went and took some flowers and then once we came back home I just sat and fiddled about with basics - nothing too fussy as I wasn't in the mood.

I bought some SU stamps a little while back and this is from the Morning Meadow set.

The pigment ink I used was a real cheapie (99p I think!) and has the lovely name of 'Robin's Egg Blue'! Bought just 'cos I liked the colour!
Just basic white card and stamped the floral sprays then ran an inked sponge along the edge of the card. In the middle of each of the larger flowers I used some Perfect Pearls.
The flourish, sentiment and larger blossom are also from the same set.
Cut out the blossom and then used Perfect Pearls on the stamens and then glued a larger pearl in the middle.

I intended to make this a One Layer card but ended up with the large flower stuck on with 3d foam pads!

Challenges -
Craft for the Craic - Summery/Flowers
Get Inky - Summer
Stampin with the Dragon - June - CAS
Paper Shelter - Flowers
Kraftyhands - Floral Fancy
Stampin 4 the Weekend - Anything Goes

Weather here today has been horrendous, thunderstorms and really heavy rain - but the sun is now in my eyes through the window! Thanks for calling in, enjoy the rest of your weekend, whatever you're doing. x

Time for Tea

I go missing for ages then turn up two days running!
Had some 'me' time yesterday - chill out after a very busy couple of weeks - our holiday seems such a long time ago now!
So during my 'me' time I had a bit of a messy play in the craft space (I should have been doing the cleaning but hey - there's only us here! LOL).
A couple of inky things started then set aside, I mooched about in the paper mountain, pulled a few out and made two cards  mainly to satisfy my craving for frippery as I've been doing quite a bit of CAS lately!

The papers I think are from a Papermania pad? Anyway there's a couple more sheets now used up whoever made them!

The second paper layer was stitched onto the background. I added some cotton lace which for some reason reminded me of a tablecloth with it's pointed edge!
The image is of course from LOTV - love her turban (wonder if she's got a few rollers underneath?? LOL)
Machine stitched the main image onto some co-ordinating textured card and raised it up with 3d foam pads onto the paper doily and then fixed to the base card.
Dusty Concord DI used on the sentiment stamp.
Finished it off with some lilac shoestring ribbon which secures a little metal tea bag charm.
Inside co-ordinated to match (to use up ALL the paper!)

Challenges -
Use Your Stuff - Patterned Paper
Suzie Bees' - Layer It Up
My Besties UK - Tea
Path of Positivity - Happiness (is a nice cuppa and cupcake!)
Desert Island Crafters - Itinerary - No Flowers/Use Ribbon/Use Metal
Inky Chicks - Metal Embellie
Paper Nest Dolls - Anything Goes

Off out to the club again now then to another club this evening to support the other half and his band of merry men! Have a great day whatever you're doing and will catch up with you all later - thanks for visiting! x

Summer Blossoms - VSC DT

This month at Vintage Stamping Brenda chose the theme of Summer Blossoms.
With a fab prize on offer from our sponsor I hope many of my followers will join us - and remember your make doesn't have to be vintage although you do have to stamp!
(I have scheduled this post so if you pop over to Vintage Stamping and the challenge hasn't yet uploaded please check back later!)

I chose this pretty floral spray from Flonzcraft, stamped it onto kraft cardstock and heat embossed with white ultra fine embossing powder.
I coloured it with Distress Inks in shades of Worn Lipstick and Crushed Olive than added a few sparkly gems.
The sentiment was also stamped and heat embossed

The white line round the edge was done with a gel marker and a white shoestring ribbon popped around the card then it was stuck with 3d pads onto a bright white base card.

I just wanted a CAS look to this card which is for my 'pink stash'  - many people have mentioned how expensive postage costs are for heavily embellished multi layer cards so I am trying to do some with minimum embellies as well as the more frilly and fancy ones!

Other Challenges -
Card & Scrap - CAS
Inkspirational - Bloom
Choc, Coffe and Cards - Embossing
MTTC - No DP
Less Is More - More than 1 Stamp

Have a great day whatever you're doing. x

Another Birdie

I have met myself coming back this week - can't believe it is almost a week since my last post and to all my blogging buddies I am really sorry for not getting round to visiting you - once the weekend is over I think things may become a little more calm.
Decided to finally blog a card which was made ages ago- the lunatic start to the summer bowling season has lessened a little bit , the 'madness of May' gets me every year! And we've been more so this year as we had the Bowls England Commonwealth Games Squad come for practice against us as part of their preparations for Glasgow and on Thursday the Bowls England President brought a different team to play too. Have some great pics - but here's one of the club side (I'm the first in white in the front row in the middle) and the Commonwealth squad - 

I have made nothing at all this week and my stash is getting seriously low so I really do need to get stuck in- there's just not enough time!!
We had a County game yesterday and this weekend I am away supporting the other half whilst he plays for County (today) and Club (tomorrow) - but at least the sun is shining!

Anyway back to the card - the image was a challenge win from Beccy.

I printed it onto hammered cardstock for some texture, masked off the birdie and inked the background with distress inks, then painted the bird and added a coating of glossy accents.

Cream base card, and matted used some left over DP from the 'not big enough to cover an entire card' drawer, hiding the gap with some dark brown grossgrain ribbon!
Image matted onto same scrap card and fixed on with 3d foam pads
The ivy and bird house were also cut from the left over drawer and the two wooden buttons were from my stash.

Thanks for visiting and bearing with me whilst I chase my own tail -will try and visit you all very soon.

Challenges -
Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
Craftitude - Anything Goes
Fussy and Fancy - Outdoors
Crafts 4 Eternity - Die Cuts/Male/Buttons
CCC - Anything Goes

Enjoy your weekend! x

A Little Birdie

Am still playing catch up - not only in blogland but also with the housework and ironing! Too wet to do anything outside so decided to have a rest from all the boring chores and play about with some stamps and ink! (Doesn't take long for me to get fed up cleaning! LOL)

Made a card relatively free from any embellies - I think my crafting goes in cycles - I have recently become very addicted to CAS and trying to perfect that look which others seem to achieve so effortlessly! I've found that at the mo I am making more of these than the heavily embellished ones (which isn't help using up my paper mountain either!) - this though is one in which I DID actually use some paper from the stash!


The houndstooth check paper is I think Basic Grey (but I may be wrong!). Layered it onto textured card in as near a shade as I could match.
The same textured card run through the embossing folder and used as a background for the image.

Image of course is from Stampin' Up Simply Sketched set. Stamped in Brushed Corduroy DI, oval nestie placed over and then sponged inside the nestie, adding a few paintbrush strokes of peeled Paint DI to the 'reeds'. Birdie was coloured with Scattered Straw and Mustard Seed.
Sentiment stamp also from the same set and the ribbon and buckle were a candy win.
This card was intended to go in the 'man' stash but am now not sure it's 'manly' enough with the addition of the ribbon?

Challenges -
Crafty Catz - Embossing
Crafting For all Seasons - Wings
Divas by Design - Anything Goes
Suzie Bees- For a Man
Simply Create Too - For a Man
Deep Ocean - Wings
Sentimental Sundays - Things with Wings

Thanks for calling by - I am still trying to visit you all after my absence - coffee now and another stroll through blogland coming up! x

No Marmalade for the Toast!

Arrived home at 4am - lovely holiday - fell into bed, got up to .......... RAIN! There's a surprise. Thought about just leaving everything in the case and going straight back! LOL
Missed my making messy though if not anything else and have had a chill out day finishing off a few bits and pieces as I have a busy weekend coming up.
So here is a change from cards -

 NOTHING is safe in our house according to the long suffering other half. If it's not cutlery it's marmalade jars!
In my defence I tell him that I use up odd scraps for these projects so am not buying stash.. he believes every word - love him to bits!
So the rinsed out marmalade jar which was waiting to be taken out for recycling walked up 3 flights of stairs on its own to the craftie den and sat looking at me on the desk.

I lifted out the lacy scraps drawer and found a bit of burlap big enough just to wrap round the entire jar. Once glued and dried I added a piece of wide pink lace to the bottom and a smaller width piece to the top then tied some shoestring ribbon round it (in the ridge of the screw top).
The lid was first painted with primer and once dry  overpainted in a pale pink acrylic paint. Some more lace suitably glued on the top and then stitched together in the middle to create a ruffled effect. The vintage drawer knob was in my stash and I fixed it to the top.
Finished the rather untidy edge with some pink braid.
The label was cut from a scrap of paper and I just stamped a bit of text over it with Memento London Fog  (which doesn't show up very well in the pic!). Two pearls to the edge.
Finished it with a pink lace flower (cut from a tatty scrap) and three pearl pins.
Quite happy now! Pretty jar now sat with some of my other bits on the shelf - much better than it being crushed at the recycling centre! LOL (and because it's from scraps and odd bits it's off to the Playground for me!)
Challenges -
Scribble and Scrap - Anything Goes
Creative Card Crew - Shabby/Vintage
My Craft Creations - Anything Goes
Lexis- Ribbons/Lace
All Crafts Challenge - Anything but a Card
Clear it Out - Vintage/pearls
Craft Room Challenge - Recycle
Craft Your Passion - Pearls/Lace
Fashionable Stamping - 3D Object
Pile It On - Shabby Chic

Thanks for looking in. Now off for a proper trawl through blogland to catch up with you all! x

Flowers

Here I am surrounded by beautiful hibiscus, bougainvillaea and the most enormous geraniums with a view out across the sea - Bliss!!Thought I would do a quick post and share one I made before I came away.  I understand the weather has finally taken a turn for the better back home and I hope it stays that way cos I don't want to be coming back to cold and wet next week!

So here's my card -
a CAS offering inspired by Pinterest (where else?) done with a Memory Box stamp which I bought some time ago and another that has only just seen ink!
I used my fave linen textured card and stamped the flowers with Pickled Raspberry and Crushed Olive DI, then matted it onto another slightly larger piece of white card.
Scored round it on the base card then punched out a border using a very very old Fiskars border punch - took some doing as I think the punch is blunt!!! A thin scrap strip of pink paper then stuck behind.
Finished with a stamped sentiment, (same scoring round) and added a few sparklies.
Challenges -
CASual Fridays - Thirds
Inky Chicks - CAS
Fantastic Tuesday - CAS
Crafty Sentiment - Flowers
Inky Impressions - Flowers
Pixies Snippets - (pink strip and card used for stamping/matting all odd bits!)

Thanks for visiting - hope I will be forgiven to not commenting on all your wonderful creations whilst am here sunning myself - promise will come visit you all very soon! x

AWOL

Have been unable to find 10 minutes to myself this week - and even more annoying is I have some new stamps and I haven't been able to play.......and as I'm currently in the middle of packing a suitcase for a 10 day trip starting on Sunday it's unlikely that they will see ink until I get home!
Am going to try and have a 'messy' evening tonight (if I get myself organised!).
So this is a quick share

A commisioned stepper card for a footie mad boy (one after my own heart - LOL) - made in ultra quick time and hope it doesn't show!
Image matted onto black and white card, papers from my stash also matted onto black card.
The boots and the footballs were on a sticker set I bought a long time ago - the footballs are made from plastic so they're dimensional.
Stamped the sentiment and then just chopped it to resemble something like a flag shape and fixed it with a bit of black and white twine.
Uber fast make but the person who ordered it loved it - thank goodness.

Challenges -
Daring Cardmakers - Football related
Creative Romance - 1 for the Boys
Crafty Catz - Black/White/ I other colour (green)
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Sister Act - Anything Goes.

Back to the suitcase - will be along later to visit you all, thanks for dropping in. x

Ribbons and Bows - Vintage Stamping DT

This month over at Vintage Stamping our challenge is 'Ribbons and Bows'.

We would love for you to join us and you may make anything you like as long as there is some form of stamping on your project! 

I am continuing in my quest to use up paper pads so once again I steeled myself and used one of my all time faves - Ella Blue.

The stamp is from our sponsor - I used Versamark Sepia and clear embossed. Coloured it with Promarkers then (carefully!) cut round it. I added three really tiny pearls to the lady's neckline - how fiddly was that!!

The bow is made from two different types of ribbon - a brown organza type and a lovely chocolatey 'silky crush' piece.
Popped in a couple of pearl pins.

Made some paper rolled roses, stamped a sentiment and then decorated the inside to match.

Hope you can create something to share with us this month - we love visiting!
Challenges -
Craft Room Challenge - Roses and Romance
Penny Black & More - Anything Goes
Sentimental Sundays - Shabby Chic
Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes
Ribbon Girls - Flowers
Dream Valley - Anything Goes
Fantasy Stampers - Distress it 

Springtime in Paris

The weather has taken a down turn today - it's wet windy and quite cool - in fact it's COLD!! Not a lot of spring weather here!
Am spending the rest of the day up here in the craftie space and am going to have a play with some new stamp sets later - but before I go make a mess with the inks here's today's share.

This is a variation on a card made a little while ago - when stamping now I always stamp a couple cos it is not unknown for me to make a mess of colouring or stitching or anything!! So when I have something in my head to do I make sure that I have another image ready - 'just in case' - then I end up with stamped images which only occasionally get used up when the first one goes according to plan!

The Inkylicious image was stamped using Memento London Fog onto a dark ivory textured linen card and then distressed with Antique Linen. The rose was also coloured with distress inks.

The background paper is one of the last remaining sheets from the Prima Botanical pad (note to self - a congratulatory pat on the back for using up at least ONE of your pad stash) - edges distressed and  the same DI used.

I had this scrap of script vellum laying about so tucked it in behind all the crochet pieces and the lace edge, then machine stitched it all.

The crochet circles are secured together with a pearl and bronze button and I stamped then fussy cut an Eiffel Tower image before popping a small pearl in the top right.
Inside decorated to match.
Challenges -
Crafting By Designs - Anything Goes
Crafting for all Seasons - Lots of Layers
Paper Pretties - Spring
Creative Moments - Spring
ALBC - Flower Power
Delightful Challenges - Add Dimension
Craftitude  - 1-2-3 (1 image, 2 DP's, 3 embellies)
Nat and Amy - Rubber Stamping
It's all about the Vintage - Flower Power

Hope the weather is better where you are and thanks for calling in! x

Grungy?

Second offering from me today (the first is my Crafty Cardmakers DT post below - which doesn't really count as a post as it was scheduled!!)
My ardent followers will know that I've been making a mix of card styles recently but particularly some CAS cards for the 'pink box' because of high postage costs. I've been following the CAS challenge blogs and managed to enter a few - this is another.

Addicted to CAS this week has a challenge of 'Grunge'.

I don't think I'm a  CAS Grunge person! I really struggled as in my mind this theme is for canvas and stuff where you can chuck lots of mixed media bits at it!
 Anyway I gave it a go so any comments/tips/criticisms you have I will gratefully accept!

Just a mixture of splatter stamps inked with Adirondack Stonewash and Latte Inks and the wheels were Brushed Cordorouy DI.
Stonewash also used on the sentiment stamp
Matted onto co ordinating coloured paper before mounting onto the card.

Pleased with the overall look of it and don't think it looks too bad and with the added bonus of it being unembellished it will fit the bill of 'not too expensive to post'!!

Other Challenges -
Lexis - Masculine
Eclectic Ellapu - Birthday
Sentimental Sundays - CAS
OSAAT - Anything Goes
Without Words - For a Man
Sweet Stampin - No DP
Pile It On - Stamping

Thank you for taking the time to look at my card today and if you've left a comment I appreciate it! x

Crafty Cardmakers DT - Bugs!

The weeks are passing really quickly and it's time for our team's next challenge at Crafty Cardmakers & More.
This time Kim has set the theme - 'Its a Bug's Life' - so anything which has a  butterfly, dragonfly, ladybird or any other INSECT as your main image or focal point.

I opted to do a CAS card this time and a rectangular one instead of my usual square offerings to use up the rest of the card from my previous post!

This was a quick card and meant I could also use up some scraps of polka dot paper.
Simply punched out the butterflies and overlaid the linen textured card.

Some co ordinating polka dot ribbon from my stash tied round the top. 
Raised it up onto the base card with foam pads after stamping and embossing the sentiment with Turquoise Versacolour ink and clear embossing powder.  

Added a few tiny sparklies to the centres of the butterfly bodies.
Another card for the 'not too expensive to post 'pink' stash box'!
Hope you can join us with your insecty creations this time round - one of the two fab prizes from our sponsors may be heading your way!

Other challenges -
Pixies Snippets Playground - Week 122
That Craft Place- Anything Goes
Squirrel and the Fox - Punches
613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes
Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything Goes
Have a great day and thanks for stopping by today! x

A bit of ink

Today I had just been messing about with colours on a piece of scrap card mainly to see what they were like together when it struck me that the top part of the card had some colours in that looked like sky and a summer sun!
So I simply chopped it up into three equal sized pieces and took out some small grassy ferny type stamps.

Inked the small stamps with Peeled Paint DI and stamped a couple of times on the pieces.
The pieces overpowered my usual square card and i didn't really want to chop them up any smaller so I had to use a DL card instead!

Scored lines above and below and then from another piece of the inked scrap where I'd used different colours I punched out a small butterfly.
Wee bit of glitter on the butterfly and job sorted.  No sentiment yet as I don't know what I'll use it for!

Challenges -
Simon Says - CAS
A.I - CAS
TTRCD - Anything Goes
Eureka Stamps - CAS
CASology - Cue Word- Garden
Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
Created with Love - In the Garden
Butterfly Challenge 6 - Glamorous Butterfly
CAS-ual Fridays - 3 (3 stamps)

Have a great weekend! x

The Greatest Game Ever Played

We have a lovely day here so it's off out for me in a little while - as the rain is set to supposedly set to return tomorrow!
Am carrying on making the odd 'man' card and here's another for my 'show and tell' today.

Amongst my collection of images was this one of the vintage golfer - when you look at how he is dressed , shirt, tie and jacket, it makes you wonder how he could hit a golf ball!

I printed the image out on linen embossed card then distressed running 'Tea Dye' round the edge. Then matted it onto a dark brown card.

The papers were from my stash and although I think I've been using them up the piles are not getting any smaller - I think the Paper Fairy is coming in and secretly adding to them....

The plaited twine I have had for absolute years (and I MEAN years) - wrapped it round the matted card and stuck it on the top with a button 'golf ball' .
The crossed golf clubs are from the same button set.

Finished with a stamped sentiment (a freebie from a magazine) which I just tucked underneath the golf ball.
Inside decorated to match.

Challenges -
Penny's Paper Crafty - Masculine
Paper Shelter - Masculine
House that Stamps Built  -Repeat Impressions DCC423 ~ For the Guys.
Divas by Design - Movie (The Greatest Game Ever Played - which is about the 1913 US Open)
Seemacrafts - Vintage
Crafting Cafe - One for the Boys
Fantastic Tuesday - Anything Goes

Thanks for taking the time to come and see me - I'll be back later to catch up with you all - have a great day whatever you're doing. x

Blossom

Someone asked me recently what kind of card maker I am - messy I answered! I don't think that was the purpose of the question though - the person wanted to know if I was a 'frilly and fussy' one or one that liked to make 'plain understated' ones.
It was a really difficult question because I actually like to do both - every girl needs frothy bits don't they? Conversely though I do confess to trying to perfect the CAS style too.

There are some amazing CAS card makers and amongst my list (long list!) of people who I think make brilliant simple cards is Loll - and I chose to case the design of one of her cards for this make which uses up a long neglected and at one time favourite stamp.
(I think it was a Hero Arts one - it used to be wood backed but I took it off the wood when my collection grew and I ran out of storage space!)

I love these oriental style cherry blossoms - makes me smile when I see cherry blossoms in flower as you know then that spring is here and summer is just round the corner.

Stamped in Versafine Sepia several times and coloured with Distress Inks. Then cut out into squares and some glossy accents applied to a couple of each of the blossoms inside each square.
Scored two lines on plain white card and added some corrugated kraft cardstock between the scored lines before the blossom squares.
Sentiment also stamped with Versafine Sepia.
Challenges -
Hobbycutz - CAS
Pixies Playground - Snippets
Crafty Catz - letter 'B' (Blossoms)
Stampin with the Dragon - Springtime
Time 4 Scrap - Spring
ABC - J for Just as you like
Crafters Cafe - CAS

Thanks for visiting today -  have a wonderful Sunday whatever you're doing. x

Another beautiful day here - clear blue skies and lovely sunshine - it's amazing how more upbeat you feel when the weather is nice!
A warm welcome too to my new followers - Leisa and Christine - thanks for following my blog and I look forward to seeing you often!
Here's my share for today

Had a little play about with some watercolour pastels on a Wild Rose Studio 'Annabelle' stamp then stitched it onto pale pink card.

The background papers are from Pink Petticoat, again layered onto pink card and stitched.
I am using the pink lace on a mixed media project at the mo so it was out on the desk - wrapped it round the papers then made a bow using a pearl buckle.
Flowers, pearls and pins are from my stash and the little pink ladybug is a wooden embellie bought years ago!
Decorated inside to match.

Challenges -
Crafting With Dragonflies - Special lady
Creative Card Crew - Spring
Fantastic Tuesday - Pastels
Ruby's Rainbow - Ladies
Nutcrafters - Girly
Fab n Funky - Flower Power
Paper Crafting Journey - Special lady

Thanks for visiting today - hope the sun is shining wherever you are. x

25 years

Recycled Ribbon.

Sorry I've been AWOL from posting - it's been quite a busy few days so although have found some time to visit blogland, have had no time to actually post!
Am currently waiting for some glue/paint and other mess (LOL) to dry so popped on for a quick share.

 Used more paper from the Papermania pad which was still on the desk from the last 'teddy' card.
Another LOTV square which I 'enhanced' (LOL) with some Distress Inks and matted onto red card.
The Picket Fence die and the Heart Banner die were little 'treats' to myself a couple of weeks ago and I used plain white card for them both.
The ribbon is recycled. A friend bought me a Christmas plant basket and this ribbon was tied to the handle - she said - 'I know you'll use it on a card' so couldn't disappoint her could I????
Some twine, a couple of pearls and a stamped sentiment with the off cuts from the banner and the inside decorated to match.
This is another for the 'Viv's Stash/Pink Box'.
Challenges -
613 - Anything (option- recycle)
Ribbon Girl - Anything LOTV
2 Sisters - Teddy Bears
Susy-Bee's - Anything Goes
Crafty Catz - Animals
Mema's - Anything Goes

Hope your weather wherever you are is as sunny and bright as it is here! Have a great day and thanks for visiting. x

Tag

Having a rummage about in the lace baskets I found lots of odd bits which I haven't been able to bear to throw away - (I was obviously a squirrel in a former life) - I dragged out a few scraps and left them out on the desk  as I have had this idea rattling round in my head and wanted it all to 'come together' before I made a mess of making something -
- and the reason why I didn't want to spoil anything is the centrepiece - it was made by the lovely Caz and it came with fab candy stash which I was fortunate enough to win!

Originally I didn't want to use either of the two gorgeous hand made brooches from the candy pile - they're just too beautiful but it seemed a shame not to - at least this way the tag can sit out on display in my craft room and be seen!
So thank you Caz - and I hope I've done your creation justice!

I inked the tag with Old paper, Vintage Photo and Worn Lipstick DI, then randomly stamped some script over it. (Can't see this very well on the pic but trust me it's there!)

I covered the whole of the tag then with some old lace which had a fancy edge and stitched it, then just added more and more odd scraps, stitching them all as I went along.

The brooch was then pinned to the centre and I cut out a vintage pic and popped it into a metal frame, covered it with Glossy Accents and stitched to the base of the tag.

The 'believe' was another scrap found in the lace basket and I raised it up slightly by arching it before stitching the ends. Used some seam binding ribbon and more odd lace looped through the top.

Am putting this into Pixies Snippets Playground this week to earn some brownie points for using up odds and ends!

Thanks for taking the time to call in today - have a great day whatever you're doing.x

Other Challenges -
Creative Moments - Girly
Clear it Out - Anything Goes with Stitching
Fantastic Tuesday - Anything Goes
All Crafts - Anything But a Card
Glitter n Sparkle - Pearls and Lace
Crafts 4 Eternity - Anything But a Card
Crafty Hands - Shabby Chic
Fairies Challenge - Vintage
Pile It On - Feminine

Anything Goes at Vintage Stamping!

Today our challenge at Vintage Stamping is 'ANYTHING GOES' so you can make anything you like as long as somewhere on your creation there is some stamping!
I made a 'Man' card!
Aren't I good??? LOL I am not a maker of 'man' cards really - I cannot make something and not put a ribbon, bow, flower or sparkly on it somewhere........... and 'men' don't like all that 'sort of stuff' do they??? LOL
But this one was something that I actually enjoyed doing for a change! 
 The papers are almost as old as me.. well not quite - but I've had them for years - so I dusted them off and used them!
The vintage hot air balloon stamp is from our sponsor and can be found here - the plate is full of brilliant male themed vintage machines so maybe now I will do more man cards!
I stamped the balloon image three times then  decoupaged. I thought about adding Glossy accents - may still do- undecided!
Matted the image onto black card and added a metal corner which I had rubbed over with 'Olive' metallic rub as it was a very shiny silver to start off with.
The script is from an embossing folder which has a large butterfly on it - Just tore off the butterfly and again rubbed over the card with some 'Gold' and 'Olive' metallic rub (as the black card lacked any depth), then sealed it.
The two Edwardian gentlemen is an old stamp which may be from Paperartsy but can't remember - likewise I have had the sentiment stamp for ages and again don't know whose it is.

Thanks for taking the time to visit today - and as you can make anything you want why don't you enter the challenge this time - you may be able to have a spendie on some new stash if you win!

Other Challenges-
Dragonfly Dreams - For the Boys
Ecletic Ellapu - For the Boys
Sentimental Sunday - Vintage/Steampunk
Corrosive Challenges - Metal
Fussy & Fancy - All about travel
Crafty Bloggers - Embossing
Simon Says Stamp - Journey
Incy Wincy - 3/2/1 - (3 stamps, 2 papers, 1 embellie)

Scrunched up Pansies!

I finally finished this after a lot of leaving it on the desk and looking at it wondering why on earth I chose to use this colour combo.... all down to the 'carry on using up the paper' theme which is my mantra at the moment.

I have no idea how old this paper is (nor in fact where it is from!) - it maybe a HOTP pad but who knows??? LOL
I am really unsure about the finished card .. but thought I would share it anyway.

With the bold pattern and dark colour of the background papers I found them quite difficult to work with.  I used minimal colouring on the image (which is from A Day For Daisies) trying to co-ordinate the colours with the papers., using Tea Green and Pastel Green shades on the fairy dress with some DI's on the flowers and the rest. 

Dark maroon card first with the patterned paper stitched on top. I cut out more of the maroon card using a fancy oval nestie then chopped it up to make the corner, adding a piece of co-ordinating paper and stitched it all together.
A couple more fancy corner dies stuck to the top of the card.

Strip of maroon velvet ribbon onto some more offcuts then the coloured image positioned over it. Few little sparklies added and some glamour dust to the wings.

The flowers were done using some old pansy shapes from my stash - I scrunched them up and stuck them together to try to make fuller flowers (am not sure if they overpower the card or not!) - added a few leaves and a couple of flourishes.

The sentiment hides some very erratic stitching round the top of the image! Papers also used on the inside to finish it all off.
Challenges -
Crafty Calendar - things with Wings
The Craft Garden - Use 3 (Ribbon/Floral paper/Green)
Cupboard Trilogy - Friendship
4 Crafty Chicks - Colour an image
Paper Crafting Journey - Anythning Goes
Crafting By Designs - Anything Goes
Crafty Hazelnut's patterned paper- Anything Goes

Thanks for taking the time to stop by - appreciate it and any comments you leave! have a great Sunday. x

Va Va Voom!

Couple of days ago arrived back to a cold, wet Manchester Airport - the week in the sun passed by so quickly!
Have played a bit of catch up round blogland and a bit of catch up with other things since coming back - have 3 half finished cards on the desk and Mr Mojo is alive and well and still lying on a sunbed somewhere - cos he ain't here with me!I have not settled to do anything since I came home -so rather than leave another day with nothing shared here's one I finished before I went away.

I don't make many cards for the stash which could be used for kids really - think it's because I don't have any little ones in the family so unless I'm asked for one specifically they're not made!
But I did buy some LOTV squares last year as I thought they'd be useful - this is one of them.(And the ONLY one I've used up to now!)
He's a nice Ted I think!

Papers are a Papermania male themed pad (??) and matted them all onto black card.
The little wooden star was coloured with Distress Inks and I added a couple of black pearls.
The tag was attached with some twine which was a challenge win.
Inside decorated to match!

One for the 'pink box' and have now set to using up the other squares until Mr Mojo gets himself back on a flight!
Challenges -
Chocolate, Coffee and Cards - Use stripes
Polkadoodles - Animal Magic
Sister Act - Anything Goes
Crafting Cafe - One for the Boys
Cute Card Thursday - All Boy
Delightful Challenges - Square
2 Sisters - Teddy Bears

Hope you all have a great weekend! x

You've been Framed!

Our challenge this time at Crafty Cardmakers is 'You've Been Framed' -(projects must have a frame of any kind (stamped/diecut/decorated) as the prominent feature) and we're being sponsored by Sir Stampalot and Di's Digistamps.

My linen textured card was inspired by one of the many beautiful cards made using die cuts over on Pinterest and was inked with a mix of Victorian Velvet and Spun Sugar DI after securing a fancy frame nestie to it.

After cutting out the oval shape I cut the large piece to fit the front of a 7" x 5" card.

On the card base I sponged again so that it would show through the cut out frame and then positioned  the larger piece over it with foam pads.

The oval frame was then placed inside with thinner 3d foam pads - this meant that the oval frame sat just beneath the cut out piece but wasn't flat!

The trusty Honey blossom die cuts ( love this flower stem to bits!) were layered a few times at the side and I kept the little branch and leaf offcuts to one side.

Sentiment stamped in Victorian Velvet and cut out with another fancy tag die.
The offcut leaf and branches were then just stuck underneath and the card was finished with a couple of die cut butterflies.
Other Challenges -
Alphabet Challenge - D for Diecuts
Use Your Stuff - Die Cuts
Craft Your Passion - Anything but Square
Totally papercrafts - Pastels
Allsorts - Use Those Dies
Pile It On - Floral Fantasy
Come & Get It - In the Garden
OSAAT - Anything Goes
Scribble & Scrap - Anything Goes

Hope you can join in with our challenge and I appreciate any comments you leave! x
QUICK UPDATE - Now that I have left the sunshine (sob sob) I am cheering myself up by popping into the playground for a quick go on the swings!

Inky musings

I have spent a little while today 'card completing' - with some inky bits that I did a few weeks back.

Sometimes I just like to ink and stamp without finishing anything off - then when the coloured bits drawer gets a bit full I have a mammoth matting and layering fest!

This share is ALMOST finished now - only almost - no sentiment or greeting as I'm not sure what I will use it for yet but have left enough space to stamp something in the top right I think. This card will be staying in my own stash as I don't have many left now.

I used quite a few different colours and also mixed Distress Inks with Adirondack ones - overall though am not too disappointed with how it turned out - although I look at many other similar cards and still feel I have a long way to go in the blending stakes!

The stamps are of course from Inkylicious - Humming Bird Garden.
Just matted and layered onto black and pink card.

I am busy sorting out a few things as we're off on a quick sunshine break on Thursday - just for a week - hopefully the weather will be a bit better than the grey sky and rain we've had here today. I will have internet access though so you're not rid of me!
As ever I appreciate any comments you leave me - tell me what you think about my inky attempts and any tips you have will be gratefully accepted!
Challenges -
Crafty Bloggers - Nature
My Craft Spot - Anything Goes
Use your Stuff - Ink
613 Avenue Create - Birds of a feather
Fashionable Stamping - Silhouette

Have a great day whatever you're doing. x

Bits n pieces

Another make with a few tatty bits!
This is another of those commissioned Golden Anniversary cards.

By the time I'd made them all (for the same recipient) I was running out of ideas so this one (which was sent from me) is a variation on a previous card.

I had some of this gold card which has a soft sheen on it - it's not as glaring as mirri card (which I always find difficult to work with) and I did like the overall finished effect once done.

Another quick and simple card really and a bit of a different shape for me!
I put some of the gold card behind the doily and chopped off the edge.

I had a scrap of white card leftover from the actual base so just cut it out using a fancy circle die and placed it on the top of the doily.

The honeysuckle blossom die is one (if you look at my blog regularly) you will know that I simply love and use to death really!

Cut out a couple and bunched them together securing with a small white organza bow and glued to the layered doily.
Two tiny die cut butterflies and I finished with a gold embossed anniversary sentiment.

Challenges -
Craftitude - Anything Goes
Crafts 4 Eternity - Anything Goes
Cut It Up - Anything Goes
Daring Cardmakers - Use Dies
4 Crafty Chicks - No patterned paper

A quick trawl through blogland for me now - thanks for popping in! x

Snippets

Have done a few bits the last couple of days - this one was inspired by a creation on Pinterest sometime last year and I drew a rough sketch and kept it - thinking it would be great for using up odd bits of paper.
So use up I have! Melissa Frances Fifth Avenue to be exact - and theres only now 3 full pieces left.. so am feeling very pleased with myself that I am sticking to the 'use up the paper' promise I made.

Not only that I finally opened a pack of pink parchment paper and used a piece of that as a background as I didn't want plain white card (couldn't find any pink card the right shade!).

The dots and music paper with edges distressed duly stitched to the parchment.
Some lace from my stash and some pink shoestring ribbon threaded through a pink button and tied into a bow.
The little tage sentiment is a teeny scrap from the same paper pad and I just stamped a very small sentiment onto it.

Cut out two scalloped circles and mounted with foam pads.
The butterfly was cut out with a die - (twice) and glued together so I could pop up the top set of wings to give some depth. Not sure which make the die is!!
A quick and easy card and used up scraps!

Challenges -
Butterfly Challenge - Stitching
Penny's Paper Crafty - Buttons/Bows 
Make My Monday - Butterflies
SOS - Buttons/Bows
Pixies Playground - Snippets
Dragonfly Dreams - Up in the Air

Thanks for looking - am now off for a quickie trawl through Blogland to catch up with you all! x

Undies!

Sunny weather has departed over the last few days and it's been quite cool after being able to wander about without a coat last week!
Had a bit of a colouring session last night and made this card up. (Light here not very good today - very grey!)

The image is called 'Vintage Slip' by ADFD and I think it's so pretty.
I coloured it with DI and Promarkers then stitched it onto a scalloped blue frame.

The background paper is once again from my stash, matted and stitched onto blue background.
I used some Coredinations for the embossing and again stitched onto blue.

The hand dyed ribbon was from my stash and I added a couple of cherry blossom flowers - am still deciding whether or not to take off the leaves (which I coloured with Shabby Shutter DI) and change for another colour as I think they look too yellow.

I printed out a TLC sentiment, altered the font colour and after framing it stuck on a small silver bird charm.
Inside decorated to match.

Challenges -
ABC - H for Hair
Bearly Mine - For the Girls
Nat & Amy - Flowers
Gem of a Challenge - Female
MTTC - Charming
Suzie Bee's - Emboss It
ADFD - Anything Goes
Creative Corner - A Little Birdie
Hope everyone's enjoying their weekend and as always if you've left a comment or taken a look at my blog I appreciate it! x

Imagination

The lovely weather tempted me outside this week so only messed about in the craftie space at night time - hence no pics - resulting in - no posts!
This morning though the weather is grey and misty which is typical as now I'm struggling to take pics!!

This make was a bit of an experiment for me but in real life the background colours are lovely and dreamily soft so for once I am happy with the finished article.
The paper was a present last year and it was one of those that I deemed 'too nice to use' - LOL!

All the embossing was done in WOW Fine Bright White direct to the background paper.
I am never very confident when stamping/embossing direct to a background like this one -thankfully I managed this without any mistakes!

The dragonflies were from a clear stamp set bought on my very first NEC visit (in 2009!) and I added a wee bit of Stickles to them.
The border stamp is of course from the beautiful Poppy Meadow set by Indigo Blu.
The sentiment was a recent purchase from Inkylicious - love it! 
Some tiny sparkly gems randomly placed, then matted onto a soft green background card.

Challenges -
 YNS - A fab inspirational photo
Alphabet - C for Country Flowers
Stampin for the Weekend - Anything Goes
Aud Sentiments - Anything Goes
Crafty Little Fairies - Things with Wings
Addicted to Stamps - Anything Goes
City Crafters - Rainbows
Oldie but Goodie - Spring has Sprung
Crafty Bloggers - Nature
Sisterhood of Crafters - Sentimental Journey

Thanks for taking the time to call in today - hope you all have a great weekend. x

Vintage Stamping DT - Something for Yourself

This month over at 'Vintage Stamping'   Claire chose the theme and set a task of  'Just for You' meaning  make something for yourself to keep or something that you would like to receive from somebody else! As always there's a $20 spend up for grabs from  Flonz Crafts. (Remember we need to see some stamping on your project but even though we have 'Vintage' in the title your make doesn't have to be!)

I decided to have a change from cards and made this for me to keep -

Had lots of fun and as always made lots of mess!

I started by covering the Art Parts spool and bases with some papers from my stash.

I sanded the edges to make them tidy then ran some Tea Dye DI round them.

A quick covering of Mod Podge to seal. On the bottom I put a clock button, some old lace and two filigree metal flowers.

The fob watch is also Art Parts.

The base part was also covered with paper from the same pad and then I over stamped over it with a Blossom Branch stamp from our sponsor and embossed in Weathered Wood EP.

I used gold embossing powder on the top piece randomly dabbing  some Weathered Wood.

Assembled the two pieces together with 3d pads.

Out with the Shrink Plastic!! Clear piece and a cream piece. Stamped a pocket watch on the cream piece and stamped a sentiment - 'Time Began in a Garden' as always held my breath when I blasted it with the heat gun!

A bit of broken chain from an old necklace and a gold metal butterfly.

The 'flower fairies' were cut from a scrap of paper and stuck to a scrabble tile - edged the tile with silver (probably should have used gold but just picked up the silver pen!). Finished it with a die cut flower and some lace 'leaves'.

Hope you can find time to join the challenge this time - we love to see your creations!

Other Challenges -
All Crafts - Anything but a Card
Cheerful Stamp Pad - Anything Goes
Rhedds Creative Spirit - Altered
Altered Eclectics - Alter Something
Quirky Crafts - Secret Garden
Crafts & Me - Anything Goes
Fantasy Stampers - Spring Colours
That's Crafty - Anything Goes

 We're having some glorious Spring weather at the mo - hope you're all enjoying it and long may it continue!x

Same design - but different!

Whilst making a card last month (here) I thought it could be interpreted for different occasions so when I was asked to make some Golden Anniversary cards I decided to utilise the design for one of them.
This was a quick card but am pleased with the result.

White pearlised card layered onto some gold matt finish card.
I stamped the flourish branch and sentiment and gold embossed.
Cut out the two hearts with the remains of the paper and put the left over gold card behind the smaller of the two then layered them together.

Scrap of gold stretchy twine into a bow and glued in place.

I thought about embossing a '50' in the centre of the heart but didn't want 'gold overload' as really it is not a colour I like working with!
I'll share the others I made for the same happy couple at a later time.


Challenges -
Die Cut Divas - Emboss it
Gem of a Challenge - Anniversary
OLLCB - Anniversary
Crafting When We Can - Anniversary
Fantastic Tuesday - Anything Goes (Square)
Incy Wincy - Anniversary
That's Crafty - Anything Goes

Have a great day whatever you're doing. x

Simple Joys

Did a few  cards without much embellishing or blingy stuff for the stash. This is one!
So many people are saying about how much postage costs are I have made quite a few cards just recently that are relatively flat and of course I try not to go OTT on men cards with thick embellies anyway!

 The papers are as old as Methuselah and I just found them at the bottom of yet another paper stack whilst looking for something else, so here we are in March and I am continuing with the promise to myself to use up papers and not buy any more.

Basic layout and just chopped up the papers into large squares for layering.

Used pastel chalks on the pic which is of course from LOTV.  (I resisted the temptation to add a few 'z's abpve his head!)

The sentiment was a freebie from TLC and I changed the font colour to blue to match the colour scheme. Think it fits perfectly with this image cos dozing off in the sunshine under the shade of a leafy tree is joy indeed!

It's been a lovely day here - getting spoilt cos that's 3 nice days on the trot - maybe spring is on it's way finally?
Hope the weather has been kind to you wherever you are - thanks for visiting! x
Challenges -
Nutcrafters - Boys
Male Room - Blue/Green/Brown
Suzie Bee's - Masculine
Ladybug Crafts - Boys
Paper Crafting Journey - Manly/Boyish
Divas by Design - Hear it for the Boys

Guest Designer!

I was very fortunate to have been asked to do a guest DT spot over at Stamping Sensations.
Their challenge this month is a subject which is close to my heart as it's 'PRETTY IN PINK'!
So here is my contribution -

The papers are from Raspberry Road called 'Antelbellum'. I did some random stamping in Vintage Sepia ink using a flourish stamp from a Stempelglede set and then attacked the edges! (Normal people call this 'distressing - LOL)

I used another stamp from the same set to make the 'postcard'

Used Victorian Velvet DI on all the edges then stitched the layers together.
The vintage lace  stitched across then the main image matted onto plain pale pink card added. This lovely delicate vintage image is a freebie from a fab Dutch site called JanetK which I printed onto linen textured paper.

A die cut heart with a little pearl button, a stamped tag and some hand dyed ribbon for the bow. 
Inside co-ordinated to match.
So there it is! Thanks for looking and hope you can join in the challenge this month!
Other Challenges -
Alphabet - Buttons and Bows
Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
Creative Romance - Pink/Lace/Ribbon
Crafty Ribbons - Ribbons/Buttons
Crafts Galore Encore - Use a Stamp
Country View Crafts - Paper Chase

Am feeling better than I was earlier in the week so can only hope that now I have turned the corner and am over the worst! Fingers (and everything else) crossed!! Thanks for looking and if you've had the time to leave me a comment I appreciate it!
I have a free day today (3 orders to finish) so will pop round to see you all later. x