The view from here!

Just a very quick post as I'm getting ready for dinner..... here's what I am currently waking up to every morning!

see you in a couple of weeks!

The silliness of Supermarkets

I HATE supermarkets with a passion, so much so that it's normally OH who does the shopping. It's a rare occasion when I actually do a trolley dash but I force myself to push the wire thing with the wheels that never go in the direction you want them to when I need all the bitty stuff us women like to take on holiday with them - you know the stuff I mean - all those 'I'll buy it and take it just in case' things....... my bathroom cupboard already has several items of the 'buy it and take it just in case' items and still I buy more......
so - it was on one of the rare recent 'avoid the people who insist on having conversations in the middle of aisles' outings that I saw................... CHRISTMAS CRACKERS/WRAPPING PAPER/SHORTBREAD IN TARTAN AND RIBBON FESTOONED TINS etc etc

Come on - give me a break - I haven't even had my SUMMER yet...... why do supermarkets do it? Does anyone actually buy Christmas stuff now? If you do, can you remember where you've put it at Christmas when you actually need it? I've heard about avoiding the Christmas rush but THIS IS RIDICULOUS - it's only SEPTEMBER!

I was so inspired by the baubles and tinsel I made this christmas card - actually it had nothing to do with being inspired by the silliness of the supermarket and more to do with Maureen sending me two of these latest stamps from Wild Rose Studio.....

I adore, adore, adore the Annabelle and her big hat collection - every single one of them... I resisted buying them all (have a couple of spas to pay for over the next two weeks - LOL) but dipped into the piggy bank and bought two - and of course one simply has to have the matching papers dahling!

I coloured with promarkers, distressed round the edges and added a bit of glitter. Some of that white stuff that froths up when heated onto the post box and a white gel pen to highlight.

Stitched the backing papers which were both matted onto dark green card.
The tiny Christmas envelopes were in a pack I have had when I ventured into the world of flowersoft about 10 years ago -  (I couldn't bear to touch it actually, but kept the bits I'd bought that went with it!), I just cut them out individually and put them onto the bottom of the card.

The flowers were from my stash, and the gorgeous deep green leaves were a present from Alessandra. The red pearl and the crystal gem drops also from stash and I finished it all off with a dark green satin bow.

Challenges-
Ruby's Rainbow - Pearls/Flowers/Glitter
Fashionista - Anything Goes Christmas
Jingle Bells - Going Postal
Stampin 4 the Weekend - Start Christmas Early ( as the supermarkets do....LOL)
Craft Your Passion - Bling/Ribbon/Distress
Corrosive Challenges - Animal Companions

Thanks for visiting - hope you like the first Christmas Card of 2012 - am off to put all the 'things I bought just in case' into the suitcase!  x

CAS

Have no idea where the last couple of days have gone!  Promised myself some 'me' time today and happily played away in the craftie space once I got home from a shopping for a few last minute bits and pieces...
Finished off two rather OTT fancy creations, which I'll share at a later date and also remembered to pop on some ribbon to this one!

I am not a 'fussy and fancy' sympathy card  kind of person at all. Although I have seen some beautiful intircate and heavily embellsihed sympathy cards I alwasy think that you wouldn't have the inclination to aprreciate them whilst you're feeling so very sad. So I opt instead for plain basic ones - after all it's the thought that counts!

This was another quickie card made for my stash box - I have none whatsoever that actually say' with sympathy' - have a few that could be used as sympthy cards but none with the actual sentiment, so thought I'd rectify that by making a couple.
I used autumnal colours as that's what the weather is currently like here!
I masked off a rectangle with some post it's, and then used some of my fave colours from the DI drawer - Barn Door, Wild Honey and Dried Marigold.

The tree stamp has never seen ink until now (to my shame) and I bought it on a trip to the NEC two years ago! I used Brushed Corduroy DI on both tree and sentiment.

The stamped piece has been sat on the desk for a few days whilst I decided if I was going to leave it bare, add a couple of pearls (I stick pearls on everything given half a chance....), or add something else. In the end I opted to wrap a piece of scrap ribbon round it and then layer it onto a slightly larger card.

Challenges -
Ribbon Carousel - Sympathy
Creative card Crew - Tree
Creative Belli - Autumn
Lexis - Autumn Colours
Twisted Tuesday - Sympathy
C.R.A.F.T - Autumn  

Thanks for visiting and if you've left a comment, I really appreciate you taking the time!
Supposed to be our Club Finals Day tomorrow and the forecast is just dreadful - so I may manage some more time making messy before the big suitcase pack starts on Tuesday!
Enjoy the rest of your weekend. x

Bad Penny

Like a bad penny I've turned up again! I've also turned up the heater in the craftie space... my goodness it's been chilly here today - long sleeves, a cardi and socks have been donned this evening. Ah but only SEVEN more 'sleeps' till the big getaway! Well actually it's more like six and a half 'sleeps' seeing as how the flight is at some silly o'clock time but just think, I will be sunning myself in my favourite hotel, being spoiled rotten some 8 hours later! Are we there yet??????? LOL

Sorry - get back to the card...

I had some fun with stamps and ink for a change after being inspired on pinterest - I lurk about on there as you can get some fab ideas when your mojo has gone awol....

This is a layered card, made using linen textured paper.
The stamps are a mixture from Viva Decor, Personal Impressions and Hero Arts and the inks were also a hotch potch of different makes - Simply Red not by Mick Hucknall (!!) but a cheapie pigment ink bought in the bargain bin of somewhere or other, Wild Honey distress ink and Salmon Adirondack Lights.
Considering I just stamped using stuff laying about on the desk, it's not turned out too bad (well I think so anyway!).
The huge red button is from Mum's button box and the ribbon is from my stash.
The sentiment is from Hero Arts.

Challenges -
My Mum's Craft Shop - Buttons
Paperminutes - No designer paper
One Stop Craft - No Floral embellies
Love to Create - Ribbon
Totally Stampalicious - Ribbon
Sparkles Monthly - Nature

That's it from me for today - am away to look through blogland before bed! x

Vintage again!

A warm welcome to all my new followers - it's lovely to see you and I hope you'll drop by often!
After a very busy and long day on Saturday I had a mega 'chill out' yesterday and spent all day making cards and finishing all the half done ones! This card fest produced a total of 6 completed ones so I was feeling very pleased with myself.
I also cleaned off all the bits from the desk so I am now sat here with the finished articles and a desk that OH says loos like we've been burgled..........
Here's one to share for today -
I finally got stuck into the 5th Avenue papers which must have been here for over 6 months...!
This was quite a quick card to make and was inspired by one seen over on Pinterest.

Covered some card with the papers then attached some pearls to the scallop at the top right. The heavy lace is from my stash.

I used a K and Co die cut tag and covered it with some of the papers, and added some more lace and a string of tiny pearls, finishing with some pink satin ribbon through the tag at the top and three more pearls to the top left.
I punched out a butterfly, gave it a quick dusting with Spun Sugar DI and some glitter and once in position on the card stuck a pearl flourish from the bottom leading to the pearl string on the tag. I added a small pearl heart button.
Stamped a sentiment in Vinatge Sepia on the bottom and then co-ordinated the inside with the same papers.

The 'flower' was made using more papers from the stack, cut out with varying sizes of scalloped edged nesties, distressed, misted with water, scrunched, secured together with a brad then given a glitter treatment! The leaves are from a Marianne die.

Challenges -
Come and Get It - (Pearls Lace, Die Cut)
Card Making Mama's - Heart
Digi doodle Shop - Handmade flowers
Paper Shelter - Tag You're It
Stamp and Create - Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion - Blast From the Past - Challenge 106 - Die Cuts/Punches
Cupcake Craftroom - Pretty Pastels
Live and Love Crafts - Lace/Trim
Cards Galore - Ribbon/Lace/Button

Off for a cuppa and a trawl through blogland! x

Camera skills

How annoying is it when you cannot get a decent pic of something no matter how hard you try?!
I have been in front of 3 different windows in the craftie space, outside on the top of the recycling centre (well not ME, but I put what I wanted to photograph on the top of it...), laid down on the grass, placed on top of some real pretty cream lace, on top of plain white card, put onto dark card, taken on 'Auto' setting, 'Close Up' setting -  you name it, I've tried it and now I confess to being competely and absolutely defeated!

I was such a happy person when I finished this 'cos I thought it was sooo pretty and one of my better efforts at vintagey. My followers and friends will know that I am rarely satisfied with my creations - marks her report card - can do better!!! But this was one that I was pleasantly pleased with......... such a shame that my camera skills do not extend to a faithful reproduction!

But will describe it for you anyway - all the papers used inside and out are from Prima Botanicals pad.(Scrummy!!!).

 

Distressed, edges inked with Antique Linen DI and stitched onto cream cardstock.

I folded over the top right corner to reveal another paper layer and secured it with a metal bird charm.

 

Collaged elements (postcards, stamp etc) all taken from same paper stack.

The birdcage was painted with white acrylic paint, then I rubbed Weathered Wood and Peeled Paint DI over it and sealed it with some gloss Mod Podge.

I threaded some seam binding (coloured with Vanilla promarker) therough the top of the cage and secured with a flower.
The cream heavy lace is from my stash as are all the flowers - (which are in real life a soft peach colour hence my annoyance with the pic!). I added some glamour dust to the flowers and a pearl flourish.
I inked the edges of the tag with Dried Marigold DI, stamped the sentiment with Vintage Sepia, coloured the string with the same vanilla promarker and added a few more pearls. The tag is secured behind a punched, inked and glittered tiny butterfly.

Challenges -
Crafts and Me - Add a Flower
Crafter's Cafe - Stitching
Everybody Art - Vintage
Craft Room Challenge - Vintage
Crafty Cardmakers - Winged Things
Pretty Little Ribbon Shop- Lace and Pearls
Ribbon Girls - Pearls
Penny's Paper Crafty - Sew Charming
My Mum's Craft Shop- Anything Goes

It's been a nice day here, although not warm enough to be out and about without a jumper! But at least the sun is shining.... thanks for calling in - enjoy the rest of your day. x

Happy Monday! It's a gloriously sunny day here (summer has arrived at last!), so a quick post and then am off out to soak up some rays!
...... have you ever had an idea in your head then when you've put it all together it doesn't remotely resemble what you pictured in your head? This was one of those occasions.....
the 'man' card doesn't look anything like what I wanted it to but as I've constructed it, thought I'd better post it!

The Artemio stamps I bought a little while ago as I thought they were perfect for man/vintage cards - sadly my creativity hit rock bottom when I came to actually making!

The backing paper is by K and Co, the large compass/script collage stamp inked with several colours of Distress Ink and stamped direct to the backing paper, masking off the area where I was going to put the plane.

Plane stamped direct to paper with Sepia Versamark then stamped again onto a scrap of card, cut out and popped on with 3d pads.

Used Kraft paper for the suitcases, the sentiment is from an Inkylicious set and collaged some tiny postcards from a Prima paper stack.

I added a metal corner flourish, a TH disc secured with some string and a tiny camera charm which I tied to the handle of one of the cases.

Then I made the fatal mistake of thinking that the plane needed 'something'... couldn't decide what really and the glossy accents was in my opinion not a good idea...  maybe I would have been better stamping the plane in black ink rather than the Vintage sepia colour but hey ho too late now!!!!


Submitting this into the following challenges -
TIOT - Travel
Card Crafters Circle - For the Fellas
Squirrel and the Fox - 1 for the Men
Simply Create Too - So Old/Vintage
Hooked on Crafts - Cards for men

Hope the sun is also smiling down on you wherever you are! x

Anything but a Card and back to Messy!

Since my last post I have finished two cards which were looking sad half done on the desk! I also promised myself I would put the card making to one side for a  couple of days and do this project.

It seems a long time since I have completed anything that wasn't a card - I'm enjoying the whole card thing but also have acknowledged that I have missed the mixed media stuff and making something for no particular reason except for making sake!

I bought a Tando Mini Printer Tray at a visit to meet with Maureen at BarjanB recently. (Actually I bought rather a lot of stuff whilst dearly beloved was with Barry and Maureen's OH which left the coast clear for Maureen and I to mooch about in the shop!)

First, I painted the entire thing with acrylic paint. I used K and Co Flora and Fauna paper on the outer and inner cover.
I then randomly stamped over it with a Clarity 'crackle' stamp in Versafine Smoky Gray. It probably doesn't show up very well in the pic! and then inked the edges with Victorian Velvet DI.

The birdcage stamp is from My Mind's Eye and the tiny pearls for the hanging I glued on by hand - (real fiddly and don't think I'll be doing it again in a hurry!). The wording stamp is by PaperArtsy.

The fabric rose edging is from my stash and I made the flower by ripping into circles more of the paper stack, spritzing with water, scrunching up and securing together with a brad. The 'rose' was put onto two fabric leaves and a pice of tattered fabric that I inked with the same DI.
The inside front cover was stamped with a mixture of PaperArtsy and Inkylicious bird themed stamps and some scraps of lace glued on. 

The 'tray' interior was then rubbed all over with the DI and stamped over again with the same crackle' stamp.

From the top -
Birdhouse and the Ivy is a Marianne die. Scattered Straw DI used on some string and then glued to make a 'thatched' roof! Popped a tiny mirror onto the back of the heart opening.

Silver wire wound round with three small blue beads to form what I hope looks like a nest! attached to a small crocheted circle.

Bird image from same paper stack. Word stamp from an Invoke set. Feathers, green fibres and a small speckled egg all from my stash.

Three small black dewdrops from stash and wording 'without wings' cut from an odd sheet of paper.

Egg stamp and egg wording from an Invoke set stamped onto 'duck egg blue' coloured card

Two scraps of lace and three scrabble letters from my stash.

There are a couple of challenges that my tray may fit -

MAWTT - Flying High
Totally Stampalicious - Anything Goes
Natalie and Amy - Anything Goes
Unique Crafters challenge - Altered project 
Tando Creative - Leaves and trees

Thanks for calling in - hope you liked my little creation as a change from my usual cards! x

Monday Second!

Promised another post and I've had my little mooch around blogland so before I pop off for the night here's another I made earlier.
Tell me are you fed up with these papers yet?????
Promise I only have one more made from this stack.. but there's lots left so don't be surprised if more appear over the coming weeks as I am absolutely DETERMINED to use it up!
Then I can start on the second drawer of 36........................................ LOL


This was the quickest in the world to make, just 3 different papers, cut to fit the card blank and stitched together --- (and here's the confession - they weren't complete sheets - I did throw some of the smaller ones in the bin but kept these - does it count as 'using up a paper stack' ????) 

The organza ribbon is a strange colour and I have no recollection of buying it but it blends perfectly with these papers (maybe once the rest of the ribbon is used up I will stop the obsession with using up the stack???). I wrapped some round the papers (covering up some of the stitching ..DOH!) then made it into a quadruple bow. 

The flower was made using scalloped nesties in varying sizes, spritzed each one with water then crumpled together and assembled with a brad to secure the middle and glued with a pop up dot onto the ribbon..

Sentiment stamp was a freebie from a craft magazine stamped in Versafine Onyx Black and I finished it all off with some blingy flourishes.
Quite like it so will probably do a few of these and leave off the sentiment so they could be used for any occasion.

Challenges
Stamptacular Sunday - Roses and Ribbons
Cupcake Crafts - Flowers
Love to Create - Hand Made Flowers
Fashionable Stamping - Hand Made flowers
Crafting for all Seasons - Stitching
Sentimental Sundays - Stitching and a sentiment
Come and Get It - 3 d Flowers
Crafty Catz - Ribbon and bows

That's all for now - am locking up the craftie space and going to make a dash for the house and hope that I don't get too wet! Thanks for dropping in! x

Monday First

First post tonight - got home after getting drenched (AGAIN) - Didn't anyone tell the weather that bowls is a SUMMER game, supposed to be played in SUN??? Cold and wet, green flooded so we all just came home, yet another competition abandoned - don't anyone say anything to me about global warming - I've put the heating on - it's like November!!!
It's been a couple of weeks since I managed an entry into the Less Is More challenge and I was pleased to get a card finished this week - the others from the last two weeks are lying here unfinished!
This week the theme was 3-2-1.
'All that you need to do is to incorporate 3 of something, 2 of something and 1 of something else!'
So here's my countdown ( or was it dusty bin... talk about showing my age...) card!

I initially intended to only use 3 stamps but ended up using four with the sentiment stamp!

The flower heads (which are 2 stamps from a Hero Arts set) were stamped in Tea Dye DI and then stamped over again using Antique Linen DI. The wispy grasses off the edge of the circle are also from the same set and the sentiment is a stamp that was just laying about on my oh so tidy desk and fitted into the frame!!

I cut out the stamped image with a nestie then cut another circle from a piece of rusty coloured textured cardstock and stuck the stamped image over it.
The remains of the card stock was cut to fit inside a scored card blank and just positioned to the left of the stamped circle.

I finished the card with 3 bronze sparkly gems, a punched out butterfly and added a teeny bit of glamour dust onto the flower heads for some bling!
So my 3-2-1 are
1 butterfly
2 shapes - circle and the other bit!
3 gems. 
Sorry about the pic quality - light here is terrible!

Mission Accomplished! (Twice!)

Once again I am back to using up paper stacks - why do we buy so many papers? I have enough papers to stock my own shop but still I buy them... even worse I have lately taken to buying digi paper packs too so now my PC's hard drive is also full of patterns!
When I bought this particular pad it was a 'simply must have' - I absolutely loved it - still do which is probably why I only used about 4 pieces from the 48!
I have today made 3 cards using it (Ella Blue by GCD) AND I have not kept the smaller snippets - they went straight into the bin as they're other things I never ever use up - now I am feeling very smug 'cos I accomplished using paper I have kept for no other reason other than it was pretty!
Will share the other ones at a later time but here's one of today's makes:-

I was the Guest Designer over at Try It On Tuesday for their last challenge and their current one is to follow a sketch so I used the sketch as a base for this card.

All the papers are from the same stack and the inside is co-ordinated to match.
The background damask style paper is actually flocked so there is a lovely textured feel and it's definitely 'strokeable'!
The brown script paper is heavily linen textured and I used some gorgeous lace (a present from Alessandra) - two different widths and colours of organza ribbon for the bow and popped a couple of pearl pins (the brown larger one was a present from Sassy) through both lace and bow.

The vintage dress form stamp is by My Mind's Eye and is part of their Lost and Found series. Stamped using Versamark Sepia ink, cut out with a Marianne die and the last of my brown pearls popped onto the middle.

I finished with three paper roses - (yes Maureen I finally managed it after you explained I was trying to roll them from the inside not the out!) - which were cut using another Marianne die.
I am submitting this into the September challenge over at Unique Crafters in the Card class. 

Other Challenges -
LEJ - Vintage
That Craft Place - Vintage
Craft Your Passion - Power of 3
Created with Love - 3 of a Kind.

Off to get the washing in before the rain - thanks for calling in!x

Belated Celebrations

Have been away for a few days on the South coast - at last I saw sunshine in what has been a dreadful wet and grey Summer here! Weather was hot and sticky and I didn't moan once about the humidity level - 'cos the ice cream van was never far away!
Came home last night to yet another torrential downpour and this morning skies have resumed their normal grey colour..... so it's like I've never been gone! But only 29 days to go till the suitcase gets packed for a whole two weeks of sunny lazing about!!

Made two cards before my little break - may share both today but it depends on time factor-
first is based on one seen in a craft magazine and designed by the hugely talented and inspiring EMMA. I had the papers (more things bought - looked at - felt - put away....) which are Flower Garden by Tilda - and secured the mask from Barjan.
No excuse now not to use the papers!!

I suppose it may be deemed to be a little late for Jubilee celebrations but we still have the Paralympics to continue being proud and patriotic. 
This was my first time at using the mask to cut out shapes - my use of a craft knife for straight lines is not the best but the mask made it really easy and I managed not to cut off any finger tops.

Square piece of dark pink card from the paper stack, followed by the union flag design cut from the teal based floral paper, another shade of pink for the layering of the centre cross and then a smaller cross from another different sheet.

Flowers were made using my trusty nestie blossom dies and the rosette also made from the same paper stack.
PC generated sentiment and a couple of sparkly gems to the ends of the banner.

The gorgeous sparkly crown is from my stash from ImagineDIY.... hurt me to use it really!!! LOL
Same papers used to decorate the inside.

Challenges -
Cutie Pie - Borders and Frames
Hooked on Crafts - Let's Celebrate
Creative Inspiration - Sentiment as focal point
Paper Shelter - Anything Goes
Card making Mama's - try something new (using a mask)
Clear It Out - Inspiration/use your stash/Glittery (I used the papers from my stash, my glittery crown charm and my inspiration came from this pic -

So that's the first for today - have a few things to do, not least to catch up on what you've all been doing in my absence - have a lovely day! x

CAS

Today's share is a quick CAS card made using left overs from other recent makes which were just about to get scooped up into the bin -
then I remembered seeing something whilst on a blog trawl (it may have been on Pinterest - am spending a lot of time on there just lately as inspirational ideas abound!!) and realised that the bits on the desk could be used.

Plain white 7 x 5 card with a layer of aqua coloured paper (left over from previous post) used as a base.
I printed the 'congratulations' wording onto a small piece of white linen card and also printed 'Mr' and 'Mrs' onto another leftover piece of the aqua paper.
The 'towels' were made by just tidying up the edges of some card previously embossed with the trusty 'swiss dots' folder and two tiny scraps of lace stuck on, then the aqua strips glued over it.
I thought they still looked a bit plain so retrieved the tiniest piece of paper from the bin and cut with some scalloped scissors to edge it then glued it onto the bottom.

The 'towel rail' was made using a bamboo barbie skewer and secured to the linen card with a couple of silver brads. The 'towels' were then simply rolled over the top and secured.   

Desk looks quite tidy now without all the left overs lying about!

Challenges -
Paper Shelter - Clean and Simple
Sentimental Sundays - Clean and Simple
Hooked on Craft - Let's Celebrate
1 Stitch at a Time - Anything Goes
Crazy 4 Challenges - White on White.

A big hello to my new followers - it's great to see you! Well it's raining here again now so that's the perfect excuse to go back to the craftie space and untidy the desk again! See you soon. x

Mint Julep!

Some years ago when I was young and foolish (!!!) I tried a Mint Julep cocktail as I used to really like mint flavoured ice cream.
I thought the cocktail would taste the same........... obviously they don't put generous helpings of bourbon in mint flavoured ice cream as I quickly found out when this pale insipid looking concoction arrived with green stuff languishing in the bottom of the glass and half a tree branch sticking out of the top.......
Whilst making this card I remembered the disappointment I felt when the glass did not contain anything that remotely resembled the colour (or taste!) of my beloved mint ice cream!
 
 The card happily does!

I am sticking to my promise of getting to the bottom of the paper stacks and using it up (it's a very slow process....). The paper I used for the background is from a Craftwork pack which I think was called Ooh La La. I distressed the edge, ran some Versa ink in sea breeze colour around the edge and then stitched it onto a pice of minty/aqua coloured card.

The gorgeous aqua coloured lace was a present from Alessandra (and Bailey - LOL) and i used it across the centre of the card base and then threaded it through a K and Co tag with a scrap of ribbon in the same shade. I added a die cut corner to the bottom end of the tag to give it a lacy edge and glued on a small pearl.

The image is from Stampendous, coloured with promarkers, antique linen dusted round the background of the stamped image, distressed and stitched and raised on 3d pads onto the tag and card base.
The Eiffel Tower cut out and the tag on the bottom left were also in the same craftwork card pack.

Feeling especially adventurous I made the flower out of vellum cut with my nesties! A pearl, some more scraps of ribbon, a couple of die cuts and two pearl and crystal pins (a present from Sass )all added.

I finished it with a couple more pearls, a pearl heart and stamped 'beautiful' onto a piece of co ordinating paper. The same colour scheme continued through to the inside.

Challenges -
Fashionable Stamping - Ice Cream colours
Addicted to stamps - Pearls and Lace
Stamp and create - Stitch It Up 
Totally Stampalicious - Fave colour combo - (I like all colours really so it was hard to choose a fave!)
Ribbon Girl - Bingo - (Ribbon, Pearls, Image)
Just Some Lines - Layer It Up
NMWC - Anything Goes
Moxie Fab World - Mint Challenge

Hope you're all having some sunshine and maybe an ice cream or two?? Oh and for those of you who are wondering - my disappointment didn't last long - of course I drank it - then had another just to make sure ..... left the tree branch behind though! x

Give Away and a Stepper

Have had a bit of a clear out of a couple of drawers and have posted a pic on my other blog - http://bellesbitz.blogspot.co.uk/
there's no conditions - you don't have to be a follower or anything but if you want to go in the 'hat' pop over and add a comment to the post... can't do the linky thingy!!
The stash would be great for a craft club or similar - there's  ribbon, pots and pots of glitter, a couple of sticker sheets, some die cut shapes, lots of flowers and other bits and bobs.
Give away is open until Wednesday 15th August - each comment will be numbered from the top and will get Mr Random Generator to do the draw around midday.

Have lost my mojo a bit this past week - been busy and when I've had some spare time have ended up glued to the TV watching the Olympics and becoming all emotional at Team GB.

Hopefully it will return soon - but as it's a few days since my last post here's a quick stepper card to share.
LOTV image coloured with promarkers, papers from my stash, a hand made flower with candi centre, some die cut flourishes and a couple of pearl pins. 


Challenges -
Challenge Up Your Life - Anything Goes
Card Making Mama's - 1 image,2 designer papers, 3 embellishments
Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes
Emergency Crafters -  a photo for inspiration this week - and I used some of the shades from the flowers

Enjoy the rest of the weekend! x

Just a quick post - as always am running round like a headless chicken - have stripped and re made bed, flicked a duster round, had a cursory run through with the hoover and ironed some of the pile..... (did you hear that Teresa???? Ironed... yes I did say IRONED - LOL)

Have an evening function some two hours drive away, (best frock at the ready!) - so it's a stay overnight followed by a visit to BarjanB tomorrow to meet up with Maureen.
Hope the weather improves for this afternoon's journey - it's currently bucketing down here and the M6 is not my favourite piece of road at the best of times!

Onto the card - a LOTV image, coloured with promarkers and then cut out with a nestie and placed onto another die cut frame. I added a die cut corner in the same dark pink.
The papers I have had in my stash for ages and as I am determined to try and make a dent in the paper pile the ones at the bottom got pulled out and used!

















The sentiment is a freebie from TLC.  Dark pink grossgrain ribbon, ribbon roses and a few pearls to embellish.... and the same colour schme and papers carried on to the inside.

Challenges -
Incy Wincy - Sugar and Spice
The Pink Elephant - Use Ribbon  
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
2 Sisters - Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
Stampin' for the weekend - Photo Inspiration

I really want to eat one of those cupcakes right this minute! So am off to pack my overnight bag before I am tempted to rummage in the fridge looking for something scrummy.... see you in a couple of days! x

Serene Summer

I saw this stamp when buying a present for someone - that's the trouble when you go internet trawling round crafty sites - you go with the intention of buying one thing for someone else and end up buying six things for yourself as well!
But I really liked it so as ever it was a 'have to have it' moment.

The image just makes me feel peaceful - I am not a painter but one of my friends who is an accomplished artist says using watercolours are the best bit of therapy she can have........... 
I opted for a simple layout using only one DP and just distressed the edges a wee bit.
The image was coloured with watercolour pastels, cut out with a nestie and lightly distressed.
Putting it straight onto a large lacy doily I think kept the 'soft' overall feel.
I finally got round to using one of my new dies - called honeyblossom sprig and although I used some pale green card  hope you can see enough of it -  isn't it pretty?
Secured a rather large organza bow with a pearl buckle and the two pins were a pressie from Sassy - clever girl she is! They're lemon pearly tips with silver bits, creamy pearls and lovely shimmery glass beads.  
Flowers and pearls all from my stash and the inside decorated to match.
Challenges -
Creative Inspiration - In the garden
Cupcake Craft - The Great Outdoors
Order of the Opus Gluei - Seasons (Summer)
MAWTT - Summer
Divas by Design - Flowers
Creative Craft - Summertime
Really Reasonable Ribbon - Bling with Ribbon

Have a great day everyone! x

Guest Designer at TIOT

Happy Monday! - Warning!! A picture heavy Post!!!
A couple of weeks ago I was asked to be a Guest Designer over at Try It On Tuesday - as you can imagine I was well pleased, not least because the permanent DT are such an amazingly talented lot so I am in exalted company!
TIOT is a challenge blog which sets a theme and then encourages you to make anything within the guidelines of the theme, cards, altered art, ATC, scrapbook page, tag - anything you want and this fortnight's challenge is also an 'open' one of  'Anything Goes' so you can literally do whatever you want!

A friend recently asked me to make 'something other than a card' for her sister's 50th Birthday. The birthday girl is a mad footie fan (like me!) and her team wear orange and black....

I used white pearlised card dusted with a combo of Wild Honey and Dried Marigold DI to make a box. Using the pearlised card as a base has meant the box kind of 'shimmers'.

The border is an MS punch cut from black pearlised card and I made a tag, attached it with some black satin ribbon tied into a bow across the top.

Opened up it reveals a mass of shimmering gold, white and black.

I double layered the inside of the box so that the panels had some weight to 'drop'. 

I gold embossed the large butterflies entirely and used a Stemplglede flourish stamp to gold emboss the black pearlised panels and the bodies of the tiny butterflies.  I made a rose using Spellbinders  blossom dies and popped a dew drop in the centre of it.  

Although this took quite some time to make I am happy with the overall result - even if I'm not so happy about my photography skills! I've blamed the combination of embossing powder and shimmering card as well as the awkward shape but I hope you can see enough of it to imagine it in real life!

Please pop over to TIOT and join in this fortnight - the DT have some fab inspiration for you too.

Other challenges -
Crafty Bloggers - Anything Goes
Paper Playtime - Anything Goes
Fashionable Stamping - Anything Goes
Take A Word - Butterflies
Whoopsi Daisy - Lots of layers
Come and get It - Anything But a Card
The Crafty Pad - Things With Wings
Poodles Parlour - Anything Goes
Crafty Catz- All that glitters

Thanks for looking in today - and if you've been able to find the time to leave me a comment, I appreciate it and hope you have a lovely day whatever you're doing. x 

My Old Piano

I have sat down here and just realised that it is a whole week since my last post - this is completely unprecedented (except when I'm lying on a faraway beach - just 50 odd days to go but who's counting?????? LOL)
It has been a busy 7 days really - and once again I have been out all day today and another all day event tomorrow - I have made only a couple of things and have nearly finished something else but haven't been in enough during the day to take any decent pics.
But I thought I'd better scribble a few words in case you thought I'd given up blogging.. !
So here's a card I did some time ago and thought I'd share -

I used black pearlised cardstock and drew what I hope looks like the shape of a grand piano (!) then cut it out.
The notes are also cut from white and black pearly card. 

I printed sheet music direct onto vellum then clear embossed and placed it as extra page behind the piano lid.

Added a bit of black and white ribbon and in true Liberace/Elton John style a diamond buckle  and a clear sparkly gem for a bit of bling!

Not the most difficult thing to make but the musician recipient liked it a lot!

Challenges -
Fab 'n Funky - No Stamped images
Creative Card Crew - Use black cardstock
Papertake Weekly - Make your own - and I made my own 'piano'!
Card Crafters Circle - Clean and Simple

Know it's not much to share, hopefully will have a bit more time next week - thanks for not forgetting about me whilst I've been AWOL! Will try and get round to visiting you all over the next couple of days - Enjoy the rest of your weekend. x

Keepy - Uppy!

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


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

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


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

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


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


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