Another week!

The days after my last post were busy just finishing off bits for the Macmillan Coffee morning at the Club on Saturday. Just 2 hours Saturday morning saw us raise £480!
So added to donations already received we've now just over £1,000 and with two more events (both bowling comps) in July and September still to come I am hoping for a mega amount by the end of our season and our Charity year.

A little pic of the specially bought hoodie which is going to be worn a lot this year - the pic was taken whilst I was setting up the table.
I have a quiet couple of days before our friends wedding at the weekend and will be catching up with what I've missed over the last few days!

Card to share -  I have used this Day for Daisies image such a lot - just think it is serene (and I need some of that after a manic few weeks!)
I coloured it with Promarkers and rubbed some pastel chalk in a light beige/pink colour around it to remove the stark white.
Simply stitched onto a co ordinating piece of card.
White base card, then the same colour card then stitched the patterned paper (from my stash).
Wrapped some lace round another scrap piece from the stash box, added a paper doily then the main iamge.
The flowers are some old stash secured with a couple of brads and some punched out leaves.

The bird cage charm was a 'must' addition and it also had to have the smallest shoestring ribbon bow and the usual pearls! Sentiment is from TLC and inside decorated to match.

Challenges -
Fussy & Fancy - Ribbons and Lace 
RRR - Flowers and Ribbon
Lil Patch of  Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
Buckwells - Flowers
Ecletic Ellapu (Pink team) - Anything Goes
Sentimental Sunday - Lace and Pearls
CAGI - 3embellies(flowers,charm, pearls), 2 papers, 1 image

Thanks for calling in, have a great week. x

Silent Woods?

I was delighted to be asked to do another Guest DT spot over at Crafting by Designs for this 'Anything Goes' challenge after being featured in their January spotlight. I hope that you will come along and join in.

Regular visitors will know that I make all kinds of stuff ranging from the 'Clean and Simple' to the 'Pile On As Much As Possible'.
This card is the latter (although I COULD have added more but restricted myself!).
I used Cream base card instead of my usual white and have had this stamp for a while but this is the first time it has seen ink. As Spring is technically almost upon us it seemed apt to use it!

I coloured it with Distress Inks then just cut round the edge.
The background paper is from Raspberry Road, stitched and distressed with Antique Linen DI.
I added some lace from my stash and a paper doily before putting the main image on.
The flower started it's life as cream coloured but it was too pale so I coloured it with Scattered Straw and Wild Honey DI.
The leaves were cut from some lace and coloured with Shabby Shutters.

The wooden birdcage is from Maya Road and again was dyed with DI - Walnut Stain. I plaited some twine for a hangar and finished off with some pearls and then decorated the inside to match.
The sentiment is also from the Raspberry Road 'Simply Amazing' collection.

Other Challenges -
Thanks for popping by today. Have a great day whatever you're doing. x 

Saturday already!

Can't believe it's Saturday - A quick post from me as it's been quite a while since my last one. Am beavering away getting organised for next Saturday so thought I would share a CAS make which is now in the card box.

I really like these colours together - and it was a bit of a happy  accident as I had originally intended to stamp the flower (from the SU Bloom with Hope set) in different shades of orange and yellow!

I used Memento Pear Tart (an awesome green shade which I LOVE!), and Adirondack inks Pink Sherbert and Wild Plum and stamped onto a left over piece of card.

I put a tiny sparkly in the shame shade in the centre of the flowers and simply rounded off the edges before layering onto the base card (with rounded off edges!)

The sentiment stamp is by Technique Tuesday and I finished it off with three more tiny sparklies in the same colours.

Haven't managed to enter the Less Is More Challenge recently owing to the other mayhem that's been taking place (see post below!!) but this week it's 'Makes Me Happy' and these colours DO make me happy as does the overall card, not least because it was never intended to look like this but I like it!!

Other Challenges -
Inspiration Destination - Anything Goes
Aud Sentiments - Bingo (Bling/Flowers/Pink)
Natalie & Amy - Flowers
Gem of a Challlenge - CAS
And Sarah told me that over at the Muse Card Club there is a lovely CAS sketch (I am following as many CAS sites as I can for inspiration as I really do want to not face CAS cards with trepidation!) so I have linked up my 'amazing' card (LOL!!).
Thanks for looking - appreciate you leaving me any comments and have a great weekend whatever you're doing. xx

A little bit of life

A whirlwind weekend -more of that later in the post- and now a chill out Monday. Am working away still on a few half done cards but as it's a few days since my last post am sharing this -

I had a small piece of white linen card left from another make and used it to stamp this image from the SU Moon Lake set.
Coloured entirely with Distress Inks.

Cut out the oval then embossed the red card. Simple stamped sentiment on another scrap piece secured with a silver brad and job done! I made two of these - the other is done with blue instead of red. Another couple for the Macmillan stash.
Challenges -
Get Creative - Embossing
Addicted to Stamps - Embossing
PB & More - Anything Goes
ShowCASe your style - CAS Birthday
Crafty Boots - Use a sentiment
Stamping Sensations - A/Goes

So onto the mad weekend - for those of you who don't follow me on Facebook (and at this point those of you that do can just ignore the rest of my ramblings as you'll all be bored of it by now....LOL)

A quick run down of events-
Friday- travelled to the Hilton Hotel, Coventry with my other half. Chilled out a bit with a couple of G and T's in the bar with some friends.

Saturday - a meeting at 10.30am then a quick change into what is described as 'uniform' for a Bowls England meeting starting at 1pm. Was invested onto the first rung of the Presidential ladder (pic below).

A 4 year commitment, starting with a 2 year learning curve as Vice President, then the highlight of the England Presidency in 2017 before the 'wind down' year of Immediate Past!  As if all that excitement wasn't enough then came the National Presentation Dinner - and those of you who follow my blog will know that my wonderful Club Bolton were named as Bowls England Club of the Year - so we were presented with the trophy and all the other things that come with it at the dinner! This was such a great night for me - lots of my friends from the Club and the County came to the dinner and I had a night (and day) to remember! Pic on the right is other half and me and the one with the trophy shows from the left - Jenny (who works really hard to promote our club), a quite startled looking (LOL) outgoing Bowls England President Adie - a lovely man who at the time of the pic taking was telling us to smile (!!!!), yours truly with her mitts on the trophy and a very proud Club President Ken.

Thanks for lasting to the bitter end! Have a great day whatever you're doing!
PS - My lovely blogging buddy Eve Marie has some brill blog candy - but it's only for a couple of days - pop over and see her - HERE BUT BE QUICK!!!!

Uninked

This week I have found a couple, a few, rather a lot of never seen ink stamps! Suppose I should resolve to ink them all at least once so am going to give it a go....
This LOTV stamp has been in my stash since a couple of days after it was released - it was one of those - 'I have to have it' stamps. So much for THAT! Had to have it that much that it just got stored away and neglected!

I wiped the dust from it and used it (rather like the backing paper - something else which has been in the paper box for EVER).

Cut out the image with a nestie and put it onto a pink scalloped circle then onto a green one.
Coloured with promarkers and added some Liquid Pearls for the icing and some glamour dust for the wings.
Stitched all together.

Stitched the backing paper onto a pink base and added some green ruffle ribbon and pink lace.
Finished with a cut out cupcake (from yet another old paper piece), some die cut corners amd a couple of pearls.
The sentiment came with the stamp. 

Challenges -
Addicted to Stamps and More - Make Your Mark
Crafting For all Seasons - Dies or Punches
Crafting by Designs - Bingo - Lace/Glitter/Pearls
Fab n Funky - Ribbon and Lace
Fantastic Tuesday - Anything Goes with a Die
Papertake Weekly - Bingo - Glitter/Free/Die Cut

Had a really nice day today - went for lunch with dear husband and my nephew (we met him halfway between where we both live!)- had a lovely leisurely lunch at Betty's in Harrogate - was nice to see him as we don't get to see each other often. A great catch up and a relax  which was just what I needed ahead of my BIG weekend! (All will be shown early next week - promise!) Thanks for looking in - have a great day whatever you're doing and will catch up soon. xx

Just Peachy!

During craftie space time this week I've had a bit of a colouring fest! I'd stamped quite a few images and printed out some digis during the time when I wasn't 100% and as I'm feeling much better decided I'd better make a start on colouring them.

This ADFD image has been coloured with a mix of watercolours and distress inks.

I stitched it onto an odd bit of peach card and then just distressed the edges.
Apart from the main background piece (which is from the Prima Fairy Rhymes stack),all the other bits used were just odd scraps, so this is my passport into the Playground this week!

All the paper pieces were distressed, edged with Antique Linen DI and stitched onto other pieces of peach card.
Some dark cream lace wrapped round and the odd bit of slubby fabric ticked behind the image was given the Distress Ink treatment ( Wild Honey). The peach ribbon was the last piece in my stash box and I saved an absolute miniscule amount to tie through the top of the bird cage charm.
Two snippets cut into two banners and the cage secured round the banners.
Some pearls to finish and the inside decorated with other odd coordinating remnants of paper!

Challenges -
Allsorts - Any Occasion not birthday
Suzy Bees- Anything Goes with a Bow
Simply Create Too - Anything Goes
Red Carpet Studio - My Fair Lady
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
Crafts 4 Eternity - Two (2 papers, 2 banners, 2 pieces ribbon)
Thanks for looking in today - hope you're having a great weekend. xx

A little bit of Mono

Had a bit of a scrabble round in the off cuts box and found some pieces that I think worked well together - this originally was going to be a 'man' card because of the mono colour scheme but somewhere along the way I started adding odd bits to it!
I think I had the inspiration picture from Pixels & Paper  in my head hence the addition of the Eiffel Tower instead of a vintage car or bicycle! Who can resist Paris?

All papers layered onto black cardstock.
I stamped the Eiffel Tower using Versafine Smoky Gray and cut it out.
Layered it onto a stamped background - the border stamp is a wood backed one, years old that I picked up in a bargain bin somewhere and the script stamp is another old one - used London Fog ink for these.
The ribbon is from a challenge win about 3 years ago and I just threaded some Bakers Twine through the old button before tying it onto the ribbon.

Looking at this button (another from 'Mum's Box'), I think this came off one of Mum's jersey jackets - it's quite detailed with it's silver filigree style centre - and I still have 6 more left!
 This was a definite 'use up some of that stuff' card.

Other Challenges -
Fantastic Tuesday - Add twine
RRR - Buttons and Bows
Party Time Tuesday - Anything Goes
CFTH - Anything Goes
Addicted to Stamps & More - Anything Goes
Crafty Gals Corner - Anything Goes

Thanks for visiting - Hope all is well in your world. xx

Sunday

Another week gone! Glad to say have improved a whole lot so a big thank you to everyone who sent me messages - I really appreciate you taking the time.
Have played a little in the craftie space this week and swelled the 'Macmillan Box'. It's a long time since I made an easel card and this week I made two!

Am continuing with trying to get as many specific occasion cards done as I can - although I have not one 'new home' card in the box at all - something I must sort out!
This one was quite quick to do despite all the cutting and I used up quite a few odd bits of paper for the die cuts.

I love this stamp!
Used white linen card coloured the stamp with Distress Inks and then chucked a load of glamour dust down the bride's dress - really sparkly in real life and am quite smug about how nice it looks! LOL

Used a variety of dies - the ovals are all from the same set. The fancy corner die is from a set I confess I don't use very often but it was the right size for this card!

I didn't like the plain straight edge with the fancy main oval so I decided to put a border die across the top - in fact I added two and put some ribbon across the middle to hide the join! I cheated a bit because the bottom one is only two tiny bits tucked behind the main oval - was running out of linen card scraps by this time!
Same die used to create the 'stop' for the easel (I think it is a Marianne one.)

The flowers are all from my stash, punched out some ferny leaves and I finished it off with a LOTV sentiment and a little pearl heart.

Unsurprisingly there's lots of 'love' themes about this week -
Allsorts - Love is All Around
Sweet Stampin - Add a Heart
Fussy & Fancy - All About Love
Cuttlebug Mania - Heart
We Do Doobadoo - Hearts & Flowers
Crafting with the Dragon - Hearts & Flowers

I have been absent from the Snippets Playground whilst I've been feeling yuk - but am going to poke my nose through the fence this week as I've missed everyone!
Thanks for looking in today. Have a great day whatever you';re doing! x

Blue Birdie

Have not managed to get round everyone's blogs over the last few days - so I apologise and promise to try and visit you as soon as I can. The comments may be short but at least you know I've been!
We still have a covering of snow up here - it's weird cos if you go half a mile down the hill there's not a sign of any white stuff at all - very cold today but the sky is blue so that always cheers me up!

Sharing a 'shabby' card today, made using stamps from SU Simply Sketched. I have made a lot of CAS cards recently and this was a change, particularly as I got out the sewing machine for the first time in ages.

Coloured little birdie with Distress Inks after stamping in Versafine ink.
All the papers were from my stash.
The ribbon is hand dyed - made a bow, stirched on the button in the middle and stitched it through the top of the birdcage (chipboard from Maya Road which had a thin coating of white acrylic paint as it was quite a dark brown originally).
Some lace, a doily and a couple of pearls finished it off.
The sentiment is from another SU set, Moon Lake and I continued the papers on the inside. 

Challenges -
Ruby's Rainbow - Soon be Spring
Crafts & Me - Add a Ribbon
Crafting by Designs - Anything Goes
Loves Rubber Stamps - Anything Goes
PB and More - Anything Goes (No digis)
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
Crafty Catz - Stitching

Off for a little trawl round blogland - have a great day whatever you're doing and if you've left me a comment I really appreciate it or even just popped in for a better look I hope you'll come visit again!  x

Can't believe it's Friday

As the title of this post suggests this week has been a bit of a blur really - actually make that the last two and a half weeks. Hence not a lot of making has got done but thought I'd share a 'case'd' card (only to prove that I am still in blogland!).
I apologise if I haven't visited you this week but I can manage to spend some time today as this is the first day where I have felt anything remotely like human. Am not brilliant - but on a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being tickety-boo), I am at least a 3 which is a marked improvement from 4 days ago where I felt minus 10 million!.

After Pinterest, I am getting a bit more adventurous using coloured card for CAS backgrounds - used a combo of stamps - main flowers are SU, leaves and flower bud are from Stampendous.

Stamped and heat embossed in white then watercoloured.
Flower heads stamped and hear embossed on vellum and a pop of green added in the centre of each.
Fussy cut and stuck over original image.
Few schparklies to finish!

Challenges -
Red Rubber Insp - CAS
Addicted to Stamps - CAS
Crafts 4 Eternity - No Patterned Paper
Just Inspirational - Heat Embossing
Tuesday Throwdown - Facets (Gems)
Polkadoodles - Flower Power

Thanks for all your good wishes -  visits to the Doc and a rush job to the Surgical Triage Unit for tests, tests and more damn tests are I hope behind me - will keep taking the tablets!
By the way - Eve (one of the Playground Playmates) has a give away on her blog here - ends next week!
Have a great weekend - we've got lots  and lots of lovely white stuff and bright blue skies -fabulous!! (Although sadly I haven't got enough energy to build a snowman!)

A bad week

The start of a new week and I still feel almost as bad as I did at the start of last week!
Doc gave me some pills to try and calm down the colicky spasms (which have worked a little bit) and then did a reasonably good Dracula impersonation by taking more than a few blood samples. All have gone off  for various tests. Results in the next couple of days so we will have to wait and see. I am NOT a good patient - I hate being ill! DH has the patience of a Saint.......

Have made virtually zilch too.  Tried to do some colouring yesterday - smudged the ink all over the place so it all ended up in the bin and I ended up snuggled back under my blanket!
I did manage to finish off a couple of cards (which didn't require me to THINK just stick!)
This was one of those 'am not sure' cards when it was finished but it has grown on me a little.

The papers are as old as me I think - distressed and stitched onto brown card then layered onto a lighter dark beige base. I cheated as the paper was 6" square and I only had one sheet left so just sliced it across the middle and positioned it top and bottom!

Rifled about in the lace baskets and found a few odd bits, layered it over and under some strips of scrap (I punched out scalloped edges).
Two die cut stems from an odd bit of cream card and a rose from my stash.
Finished with a scrap of the base paper, a tiny pearl button and some bronze pearls.
The sentiment was simply cut from an odd sheet of paper which had all different random words on it.
Lots of bits used so am sharing this in the Playground this week too.
Challenges -
Allsorts - Lace & Pearls
We Do Doobadoo - Romance
MAWTT - Button It
Crafters Cafe - Stitching
Fab n Funky- Button
Creative Card Crew - Shabby Chic
Thanks to everyone who sent me get well messages - am sorry I haven't been visiting very much - will try and get round - but the message may just be short! Hopefully it won't be too long till I get finally sorted! Enjoy your day. x

Sea

I have made very little this week - and what I have made has been pants! Have finally given in and made an appointment to see the doc tomorrow - am hoping that there is a quick remedy as I've had these cramps/pains and  been feeling completely wiped out like this since last Friday.
Consequently I haven't felt much like doing anything except feel sorry for myself! I know I'm poorly - I got new stamps and didn't even open the packet they came in for 2 days - OH was seriously worried.....LOL
Scanned through my drafts folder to share something and thought it was a little while since I posted a 'man' card so here's one!
I used coloured SU cardstock as my base (but can't remember what colour it is) and teamed it with some red. The striped paper is from K and Co and is part of a very large box which is that old it's as vintage as the image from a vintage male themed stamp set by Flonzcraft - stamped with Versamark 'Espresso' onto a scrap piece from another mat stack. Two small eyelets added before matting and a few corners punched out from the red scraps.

The little calendar pieces also from the 'scraps' box, simply torn up and shoved in

Used some red/white Bakers Twine, added the Anchor charm and stamped sentiment and finished off with 2 larger eyelets.


Challenges -
Ruby's Rainbow - Masculine Birthday
Crafty Gals - For a Boy/Man
Crafty Sentiments - For a Man
Cardz 4 Guyz - Anything Goes
Stampavie & More - Water

I am also dropping into the Snippets Playground for about 2 minutes - not well enough to be making snowmen or having snowball fights -  although the view outside is making me want to go sledging.....
this was taken yesterday - and it hasn't changed much today apart from the sky which is a bit clearer. Will try and stop by your blogs later. Have a great day whatever you're doing. x  

Friends

Have been a little bit under the weather in the last 36 hours, thankfully today am feeling a bit better but still not 100% and I think the fact that I wasn't up to doing much reflects in this card.

Now I look at it, I think I should have used textured instead of plain bright white card as although I know the idea with CAS is lots of white space there's too much uninteresting white space for my liking.  It didn't turn out quite the way I thought it would in my head - so it may or may not find it's way into the stash box!

The trellis design embossing folder used behind the die cut circle is an old and much used one.
I watercoloured the die cuts and popped a tiny green pearl into the centre of the largest flowers. And as there were just 3 left on the sheet I used them up!

The challenge at Less is More this week is 'Friends' and I have a feeling that I may have another go if I have time....

Other Challenges-
Dies r us - Embossing and Dies
Ladybug Crafts - Say it with Flowers
Uniko Studio - Love & Friendship
Quirky Crafts - Through the Window (Aperture)

Am away now back to the sofa, hot water bottle and fleecy blanket! Hope you are all having a good day and if you've left me a comment I really appreciate you taking the time xx

Wedding 1

Worked steadily the last few days in swelling the Macmillan stash box. Made a few specific occasion cards (Easter, Wedding Day etc) rather than my normal 'Do for Anything' (Just for You, Best Wishes) card in the hope that having a wide selection may tempt people to stock up for a few occasions!

The taking of this picture has caused me such angst!

I think my loved little camera may be about to go to the camera heaven in the sky... the colours are not true and there has been a lot of 'bleed' round the edges - this is the most passable pic but still not as sharp as I would have liked!
I used a 'Blossom' embossing folder (from an Oriental set) for the background, simply highlighted and layered image onto another piece of white card and ran some blingy round the edges and on the image itself.

The lace is from my stash, with a few pearls added and a die cut heart with a tiny organza bow.
The flowers were made using Spellbinders dies, popped on a corner die cut and a couple of punched ferny leaves and the inside decorated to match.

Challenges -
Aud Sentiments - Anything Goes
MAWTT - Dies and Punches
Crafting 4 all Seasons - Ribbons/Lace/Pearls
Crafty Gals Corner - Sweet Hearts
Paper Shelter - Punches and Dies
Creative Moments - New Beginnings
Crafty Catz - New Beginnings

We've had quite a bit of snow today but thankfully the terrible high gales from last night have calmed down a bit! Thanks for stopping by - Have a great day whatever you're doing. x

Some watercolour practice and a disaster!

Before Christmas I was lucky enough to get my grubby mitts on the 'Bloom With Hope' set (thanks Sylvia!). I made a card using one of the stamps but hadn't used any of the others, so yesterday with a couple of hours to spare I decided to make a one layer card and make the bright shiny stamps a bit inky!

The only thing with one layer cards is that if you make a mistake when stamping you're (to put it politely) knackered! And invariably the 'one layer' ends up becoming two.
Sadly I couldn't even do that with this one as I would have had to chop off too much - I stamped the bottom left of the card perfectly well, masking flowers as I went along.

Felt just a teeny smug as apart from one little smudge all appeared just fine. Turned my attention to the sentiment and placement - decided, stamped and again - just fine.

I left it alone for a while to give the ink chance to dry and then sat and spent a relaxing time using some new watercolours. Was happy!

The I decided (foolishly) that the top right looked a little bare - so I stamped again using just the smallest flower- fine. Masked over the stamp to add the tiniest bit of leaf and the damn mask slipped - hence what can only be described as the jumbly ink mass in the top tight trying to be disguised with watercolour. I was SO mad!

OH said it looks fine so have bitten the bullet and shared it. (Not before adding a couple of sequins and two of the tiniest gems!)
 Challenges -
Less Is More -  1 layer/New beginnings
Quirky Crafts - CAS
Virginia's View - Clean Slate
Simon Says Stamp - New
Happy Little Stampers - watercolouring (CAS)

We're still being battered by very strong winds here - the moor top certainly can whip up the worst winds I have ever experienced! But there's something about being all warm and cosy when the wind hail/sleet is battering against the windows isn't there! Thanks for calling by - stay warm and safe wherever you are. x

A change

2 posts in 2 days has to be a bit of a record  - I used to be able to join in with all the challenges at Less Is More but last year with so many other things going on things went a little bit astray and I didn't get to enter as often as I would have liked.
When I saw the challenge this week of 'Black, Metallic and 1 other colour', I had a 'light bulb' moment and remembered I had seen

something on Pinterest (where else?) that I had sketched into the 'Ideas' folder -and which fitted the challenge!

A bit of a change for me using black cardstock as the base and I was tempted to put it onto white card first but changed my mind.

The frame and the never before used die cut sentiment both cut from odd scraps of gold metallic card - it has a lovely sheen and is not quite so 'in your face' as mirri card.

Stamped onto bright white, popped it behind the frame and I simply had to add the 3 tiny gold pearls......!!!!

Other challenges -
Pixies Playground Week 158
Top Tip Tuesday - Keep it Simple

Am having another couple of hours in the craft room today -weather here is alternating bewteen massive hailstones and brilliant sunshine!
Thanks for looking. x

Another Baby!

Have done a few different things the last couple of days - Mr Mojo went walkabout for a day or two so made a couple of CAS cards which I will share another time (sometimes it is easier for me to just do something plain and simple when my brain will not handle layers and layouts) and also once Mr Mojo put in a (very short) appearance, finished off the baby cards.

This LOTV image is from their 'Babies' Art Pad - (I have found these images a little 'foggy' for me so when ever I use one I always end up with the Distress Inks or promarkers out and colour them again!)
I cut the image out with the fancy oval dies then coloured the background with pastel chalk, I then decoupaged the baby and coloured it using the aforementioned DI's!
I added a wee bit of glamour dust to the bottom of the dress and to the Cross.
The Guipure lace was a Christmas present from a crafting buddy - it's so pretty and has a lovely shine to it.

The backing paper is from my stash (I think a Prima pad) as are the flowers and pearls.
Used a tag die for the sentiment and finished with a tiny white shoestring bow - and of course used up more papers to co ordinate the inside.
Challenges -
Creative Inspirations - Finished with a Bow
Crafters Cafe - New
Crafting By Designs - Anything Goes
S.O.S - Use something new (my lace)
Die Cut Divas - Anything goes (w/die)
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
Rubys Rainbow - What Santa Brought (Lace)
Inspiration Destination #15 - Anything Goes

Another CAS day I think for me today! Hope you all are having a great day. x

New

I am intending  to stick to my promise about no more paper buying and keep using up what I have use up what I have. I am not averse though to printing paper!!! But am not going to buy any as I have far too many paper packs which are largely unused and have decided that the less I spend on paper the more I can spend on stamps and other stuff!

Have been able to have crafty couple of days and am trying to swell the 'Pink' box - which for a lot of this year will be 'green' cos we've adopted  Macmillan this year as the County's charity, so I am intending to split the proceeds from the sales 60- 40  with the larger portion going to Macmillan for this bowling season. 

I have had a bit of a 'baby fest' as these are for the 'box' and here's the first of 3 finished yesterday.
I used some pastel chalk to take the white glare from the background and hopefully little 'rocking baby' stands out a bit more! He has been highlighted with Distress Inks and Promarkers to give the colours more definition.

The papers are by Nitwits (from my stash) and I found the letters in another (unused) paper pad! Attached them with a little wooden peg and popped on 3 blue buttons.
Finished off by continuing the papers inside (in an attempt to keep using!)
 Challenges -
Buckwells - Anything Goes
Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes
That's Crafty - Blue
Gem of a Challenge - Something New
Dragons Lair - New Beginnings
Crafty Catz - Anything Goes

Another day in the crafty space for me today - have a great day whatever you're doing and if you've left me a comment or just called by, thank you! xx

Debby's Fave 5 and a time to reflect

Following from the Fave 5 Christmas Cards as always there is Debby's Fave 5 of the Year. If I thought choosing 5 from Christmas was bad choosing 5 from the year has been worse!! But here they are (and there's a special message from me to you all at the end of the post).
Am also joing Mynn over at 'On a Stampage'.

First up had to be this baby card (original post here) - am not a 'baby' person really but do like frilly and fancy (sometimes LOL) so when I was asked to make a card for a special arrival I turned to Pinterest (again!) for some inspiration and this was the result

Next is another fussy one! I love this sentiment - think it's so true-  original post here

Ok - so this one isn't a card - but it does rank amongst my faves so have included it! - original post here

A 'man' card - unusual for one to be amongst my faves - cos let's face it, we all hate making them! - original post here

  I have this year made quite a few CAS cards - out in blogland many have perfected this art of CUSP ('Completely Understated and Strikingly Perfect'!!) and I have become an avid follower of several blogs who make these gorgeous cards. Here is a 'case' from one - original post here

So that's it - another year has gone past. I hope 2014 has been good to you but if it hasn't may 2015 be better. For me it has largely been a good one, some lows but many highs. 

Sad today as it would have been my darling Mum's birthday - I miss her every single day and it's particularly hard when you can't share the 'highs'  - maybe that's why the sentiment on the second card means so much to me - it IS the little things (like sharing a cup of tea with your Mum) that make life so big.

Thank you for visiting me this year and I wish you all a 2015 filled with the 'little things'. xxx

Favourite 5 Christmas Cards 2014

Debby is once again hosting her 'Favourite 5 Christmas Cards'. 

I play along every year - and every year I have trouble picking 5 cards - not cos they're all my favourites but because there's such a lot I think I could have done better!

Anyway here goes with my 5 picks -

 My fave 'twiggy tree' die used every year for a lot of my cards, and a blue glass star which I've had in my stash for simply ever!

 One which I hadn't previously blogged - done on cream base card which is a change for me - getting the lines round the edges of the layered squares reasonable straight for embossing was a bit of a challenge!

Another White on White with a splash of colour and a few sparklies!

An image from the marvellously talented Mo Manning has to appear in every list of my fave cards!

And last but not least a  card which shows a stamp I used an awful lot this year - it's detail embossed beautifully and I made a lot of cards using different coloured embossing powders and spent a lot of time sticking on teeny gems in contrasting or coordinating colours!

 Looking back on this years I did manage to make my cards using different techniques - dies, embossing and of course colouring despite trying to keep those that I had to post very thin so it didn't cost a fortune!

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and thank you to Debby for hosting the Fave 5 again this year!

The Night Before....

Well here we are with another Christmas Day almost upon us!
OH and I spend our festive period quietly at home and whatever you're doing over Christmas I wish you all a lovely day filled with everything you could wish for.

Sharing another Christmas card - I expect everyone is fed up with them by now. This was the first year when I have been ready well in advance and I think perhaps I missed that last week panic when I still had zillions of cards to make like usual in previous years!!

I made two cards of this design - this gold and white one and another in the more traditional red/green combo on cream card which I will save for another time!

I gold embossed all the edges of the square panels and the edges of all the petals of the die cut poinsettia.
The flourish was cut from gold card with a recently acquired holly die and I also cut another petal layer from the same card for the base of the flower.
Popped a gold pearl in the centre of the flower and embossed the greeting.

As this had a few layers and I didn't want the flower to get squashed,  it was hand delivered!
Challenges -
Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
Just Inspirational - Christmas
TTCRD - Anything Goes
CAS on Sunday - Christmas
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Thanks for taking the time to comment, enjoy your Christmas. x

Trees!

Well I survived  the last 48 hours - JUST! Friday was spent cooking and baking and yesterday was the actual Party Day - think everyone enjoyed it - we came home, poured a very large Gin and Tonic for me, a not quite so large Whiskey for the other half and collapsed!! 
From today we are concentrating on our own Christmas (which as usual will just be the 2 of us and quiet) but I first need to get the Christmas Tree up otherwise it won't feel like Christmas at all!

All my cards are done and sent so am sharing some from the 'For Blogging' folder. These 3 are a variation on a theme from last year and were an original design a few years ago by the very talented Birgit.

I made a batch of these using up the odd snippets of glitter card for the green one and other odd bits for the pink and kraft ones - and of course a few scraps of lace!
Snow embossing folder on the background then the 'tree' shapes ran through the corrugating machine, pearls and lace added and some white organza ribbon then matted onto coordinating card.
The stars were punched from the oddments and another pearl added.
Am off now to get covered in glitter and tinsel (makes a change from flour) - will be back later for a chill out blogland visit. Thanks for visiting today and enjoy your day!x
Challenges -
Suzy Bee's- Anything goes with Pearls
My Time to Craft - Trees
One Sweet Challenge - Christmas
Challenge up your life - Christmas without stamps
Pixies Snippets Playground - Week 156/157
CHCCE - Anything Chruistmas

Grainy Pic!

Another bad card to photograph! Looks really grainy to me but after 20 minutes of picture taking I finally gave up and you'll just have to believe me when I tell you that in real life it's actually quite a nice card!

I made a conscious decision this year not to make cards with lots of layers that were expensive to post or even worse were well squashed and damaged when they arrived at their destination.

I popped up the snowflake edges to take the pic but it does actually lie reasonably flat -must have been OK cos it's now arrived and it's recipient said it was lovely....

Just basic white card with a piece of left over pale blue/white polka dot cardstock - scalloped edged because the left over wasn't straight and I had to disguise it to use it up!
The snowflake cut from an odd bit of white card, glittered and a centre blingy.
The PB sentiment stamped and hear embossed in white onto another teeny scrap of blue/white striped paper (the 'sister' to the polka dot one!).
 Will be paying a visit to week 155 at Pixie's Playground with my odd bits card this week too!

Challenges -
CASology - Snow
Use Your Stuff - Anything Goes
Crafting Musketeers - Bling
Crafty Sentiment - Winter
Sentimental Sundays - Ch 237 Anything Goes

I'm doing a Christmas Buffet for 45 club members on Saturday so will be up to my elbows in sausagemeat/turkey and smoked salmon for the next few days but will make some time to pop round and visit you all! x

Frosty

Title of this post describes the scene outside here this morning - beautiful - all sparkly white with a thick frost - (even the cars have turned white and blended into the landscape!) and a glorious clear blue sky - although the window up here on the top floor hasn't yet defrosted so I feel a bit like I am sitting in a white cave!

Am sharing another white card made up with odd bits of sparkly paper which I've been hoarding - (see previous post!)
Quick and easy - and because I wanted to get all sorted early it has made me use up quite a bit of christmas stuff this year although the 'seasonal stash' area is still overflowing. How did I accumulate all this stuff? I had a mega clear out 18 months ago when we moved and I swear I haven't bought any new Christmas stuff since but still I have tons of papers!

White snowflake vellum background (which is really pretty and I know why I didn't use it before now!).

Wrapped some sparkling white organza ribbon around and added a bow. Stamped the sentiment onto a scrap of vellum and clear embossed, adding a couple of tiny sparklies then tucked it underneath the bow.

Three snowflakes  die cut from glitter card and more blingy - and finished! (Card is now adorning my neighbour's mantelpiece - she thought it was really nice!)

Challenges -
Allsorts - White Christmas
City Crafter - Glittering Snowflakes
Opus Gluei - Let It Snow
Fussy and Fancy - Snowflakes and Ribbon
Crafty Catz - Last Minute Christmas
Crafty Creations - Die Cuts

Have a great day whatever you're doing. x

Winter

Winter has officially arrived here in my little part of England. And it has arrived with a BANG... snow, sleet, hail, coupled with the most horrendous gales (made worse by the fact that we are up on the top of the hills!). According to the forecast it is much the same everywhere so that makes for smiling crafters doesn't it - cos the weather is 'too bad for us to go out'..................!!!!

I have (I am glad to say) finished all my cards, now written and in the post. This is the first time for YEARS I have actually finished without having that mad rush that is usual for me.
So christmas stuff now ready to be put away for another year!!

What a devil of a job I had taking this pic - typical of White on White. I think this was made worse too by the sheen on the vellum paper.
Simple card really, tore some white pearlised card for the snow 'drifts' , used a snowflake background from a hoarded vellum paper stack ( bought about 4 years ago - one gold and one silver - so used some of it this year finally!), 3 trees cut from  the same white pearlised card then layered between the snowdrifts and liberal helpings of glitter.
The star was punched from silver glitter card and I embossed the sentiment.

 Challenges
Die Cutting Divas - No Red/Green
Incy Wincy - Snowy days
Dies r us - Winter Wonderland
TIOT - Winter Whites
Apart from the aforesaid (dusty) vellum sheet the rest was from odd bits... so it's off to the playground for me this week too!  Pixies Snippets Playground Week 154. 
Thanks for taking the time to pay me a visit - I appreciate it.
(I know people have been having trouble with word verification... can anyone tell me if it has appeared here on my blog? ) x

Last Posting Date

I am a smug little person today - spent yesterday writing my Christmas cards and discovered that in the 'Card box for Christmas' stash I only need to make about half a dozen more for some close friends.. Could this be the year that I actually have them all finished before the middle of the month???

This card is winging it's way across the pond  to our adopted niece who lives in the USA  -(or will be come Monday when I am robbed by that Dick Turpin man usually known as Royal Mail) 
Lauren is growing up fast now - she is I suppose a bit of a tomboy but has her 'girly' moments too so I am hoping that she likes this!

Stamped and coloured with Promarkers then the edges distressed and a little sprinkle of glamour dust.
The background holly paper from  my stash layered onto dark green card, then a scrap of coordinating dark green  holly paper stitched over.

A die cut corner and a great big dark green bow added, the post box given a little bit of that expanding flocky stuff (wish I knew what it's real name was......)  and finished with some red flowers and a green crystal drop.
The 'letters' were cut from a 'flowersoft' sheet which I have had for about 8 years - they just seemed to fit!
Inside done to match.

Thanks for looking today - it's a cold day here so no play possible as the green is frozen - we have been very lucky up to now -this is the first time we've not been able to get on the green this winter - for me now it will be in the warmth of the craft room for the rest of the day I think!

Challenges -
A Crafty Mess - A/Goes- Traditional Christmas colours
Alphabet -V for Variety - 3 different embellies (Flowers/Crystal/Ribbon)
Fussy & Fancy #128- Happy Holidays
Crafting with the Dragon - Christmas Time
Aud Sentiments - Bingo (Diecut/Stamp/Bling)
STAMPlorations - Stamps and Designers Choice - (September - Stamps and Markers)
Jingle Belles - Anything Christmas Goes
Completely Christmas - Anything goes/Twist - Holly

Bloom

We had a nice lunch out today with M-I-L before she goes off (again!) on her latest jaunt to sunnier climes for Christmas. Then I popped along to the Crematorium with some flowers for Mum, stood and had a little chat and told her all my exciting news - been one of the greatest things I have missed over the last 4 years - not being able to share in person and have hugs.

Anyway on to the card - was feeling a little 'christmassed out' (even though my card making is nowhere near finished!) and have been wanting to have a play with some goodies for a little while.

As normal when you want to do something different Mr Mojo decided he didn't want to appear - so I have CASE'd and put my slant on a card I saw on Pinterest earlier this year done by Nikki Spencer - I suppose this is quite a severe colour combo but I like it - although yellow is not normally a colour I use a lot.

I layered the flower (from SU's Bloom With Hope set) to give some depth and coloured with Inktense pencils-  the leaves were cut with an 'emboss and cut' punch and I used another stamp from the same set for the background.
The sentiment stamp is an old one as is the embossing folder I used on the dark grey pearlised card.
This is another card for the 'stash box'.

Challenges -
Inspiration Destination - Anything Goes
ALBC - Anything Goes NOT Christmas!
Crafty Sentiment - Anything Goes
Cards Galore Encore - Anything Goes
Fantastic Tuesday - Anything Goes - twist embossing

I think Winter has arrived here in my part of the world - it really is cold and the fields at the back of the barn are already white with frost. Perfect excuse to try and find Mr Mojo in the craft room I think! Thanks for visiting. x

Another Christmas Card

Grey skies equal bad photos!
Not the sharpest or the brightest but you get the general idea!
Another card made for my own stash.
Simple and quick too, so may make a couple more.....

Rudolph stamped in Adirondack 'Latte' ink then clear embossed.

Snowflake flurry embossing folder.

Wrapped some red and white twine round the bottom to break up the expanse of white (which I had to leave cos I wanted it to fit onto a 7 x 5 inch card base!)  and stamped a small sentiment onto a tag shape and tied to the twine.

Stuck it onto red card then layered it with foam pads onto the white base.

Added a larger red sparkly for Rudolph's nose and three of the tiniest red sparklies you have ever seen in your life which were at the bottom of the gem jar - I spent ten minutes chasing them round the bottom of the glass jar to get them out and then another 20 minutes trying to pick them up off the craft mat to stick them on!

Challenges -
Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
Fussy and Fancy - Happy Holidays
Crafty Little Fairies - Not Square
MAWTT - Inspired by a Song (a Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer - very original!!!)
Time Out - Embossing

Thanks for taking the time to visit - we have quite a nice day here so am away to the Club to play in the 'Frostbite' League (suitably wrapped up of course!). Have a great day whatever you're doing. x

One month away...

I have had a real nice few days - was at the Ladies National Presentation Dinner in the Midlands on Saturday night and yesterday spent a few hours in the North in the company of Sylvia and her friends making Christmas cards round Sylvia's kitchen table!
Two long drives but both worth it!
 In my crafting time on my own I have been busy getting on with some Christmas cards too...

I bought this PB stamp last year and used it once! This year I have made a batch of cards with it, using distress markers in Festive Berries (for the flower) and Shabby Shutter for the greenery.
I stamped one image straight away after applying the markers and then lightly spritzed the stamp for the second.
Simply layered each onto co-ordinating card then into white base card, a sentiment in the same inks and added a few tiny pearls to the centre of each flower.
It is the final Rudolph's Day challenge of the year -and also Sarn's final time as host so thought she might as well spend the rest of the time towards Christmas in shock that I have managed two challenges on the trot!

Other Challenges -
Love 2 Scrap - Sentiment stamped in colour
Merry Monday - Red/Green/White
Ooh La La - Christmas
C C A Y R - No Patterned Paper
PB & More - Anything Goes
Thanks for visiting. x

It's been a strange week!
Lots of places to book for overnight stays during May to September, trying to juggle a few home commitments amongst all the travelling and visiting across the country and generally just trying to get my head round the enormity of what is actually happening to me!

I spent a quiet day yesterday making a few Christmas cards for my own stash -
Made a couple like this - (had terrible bother taking a decent photo!) and just used up some odd leftovers for the die cuts and the embossed background. So I will be paying a visit to the much missed Playground this week.

I was going to put the birdie on the branch but changed my mind at the last minute and popped him on what was intended to be a snowy floor - not sure it works but hey ho - too late now!!

Snow embossing folder used then an oddment of white card just randomly cut with sharp scissors, sentiment stamped with Versafine Crimson Ink and layered over background with 3d pads. Teeny bit of sparkle on the edge.

Some sparkle added to the branches and a few tiny red gems (note to self  a great idea if you have loads of time to chase the tiniest sparkly bits round the craft table..... not so good if you're in a hurry!) 

Birdie stuck where his feet will get cold and a tiny red gem on the 'i' of the sentiment.

Layered the whole lot on white base card.

Challenges -
4 Crafty Chicks - Make it Sparkle
As You Like It - fave Christmas Style - Modern and CAS - cos I love White on White and think it's perfect for Christmas!
Aud Sentiments - Sentiment for December Holiday
Divas by Design - Snow
Delightful Challenges - You're a gem (Bling)
Crafting by Design - Christmas

I suspect I shall be getting a lot of practice at making a lot of CAS cards during the summer months over the next four years as crafting time will be at a premium!
Thanks for visiting and if you've left a comment I appreciate it. I am going to spend this evening trawling through blogland and catching up with all I have missed this last week! x

Lows and Highs

What a week!  Some desperate news over a 48 hour period last weekend, one not unexpected but the other a huge terrible shock and then on Tuesday morning whilst standing on a very cold and windy Railway Station I received a phone call with some amazing news which has now thrown me (and likely the other half) into a wonderful adventure over the next few years!

I don't want to bore you with all the details but I have been elected as Junior Vice President of Bowls England - so the succession means JVP in 2015, Senior VP in 2016, culminating in the Presidency in 2017. I am honoured, excited and maybe a little scared(!!) at the enormity of it all.

(The press release can be viewed a little way down the page here -  https://www.bowlsengland.com/news/page/1/presidential-and-selector-election-results or here  a little way down the page on the Clubs facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bolton-Flat-Green-Bowling-Club/504991522857091)

Anyway that's enough of all that - after all the excitement of the Club of the Year win and now the President thing I need some time out and I am going to spend today making messy - I have promised myself!
 About the card - a commission for a young lady's 3rd Birthday.
Image from All Dressed Up, coloured with promarkers and fussy cut. A wee bit of Frosted Lace stickles on the cake top.
Sentiment computer generated then cut with nesties, papers, lace, ribbon and pearls all from my stash.
Challenges -
In the Pink - KISS with lots of Pink
Crafting for all seasons - Birthdays
Creative Moments - Anything Goes - Celebrate
Fab n Funky - Birthday
Cuttlebug Mania - Girlie
Passion for Promarkers  - Lace
Fantastic Tuesday - Anything Goes with ribbon
Am away to blogland now for a catch up, thanks for coming to see me today. have a great day whatever you're doing. x

Angel

Since my last post I have had a weekend of shocks and bad news so haven't really felt like doing much but had to get the last of the commissioned cards finished today.
I managed to finish the order and take some pics (now all stored away for future use) and decided to post one today.

Just did a plain cream colour scheme - backing paper from my stash distressed and stitched. Added some cream lace and ric rac braid and a paper doily.
The angel image is from LOTV highlighted with a bit of sparkly. I distressed the edges, took the cotton out of the machine and just ran round the edges with an empty needle.
A piece of cream organza ribbon tied into a bow and added some stamped and gold embossed stars.
Challenges -
Alphabet - T - Traditional Christmas
Christmas S.A.Y.L - #36 Anything Goes
Crafts 4 Eternity - Ribbon & Lace
Crafty Catz - Ribbon & Lace
Creative Corner - Christmas
RRR - Winter Holiday with Ribbon
Crafty Calendar - All About Christmas

Thanks for looking today and if you've left me a comment I appreciate it very much. x