Bev's Crafty Place

H 'O' ppy Birthday

2012-03-05T19:06:00.000Z

I'm really under the weather today....the hospital refused me my treatment due to my flu symptoms, and my old neighbour ( who is in hospital) has "gone down hill" so I'm worried about him.

Yesterday, I pulled out a box with my dies in and found this old friendly frog, so decided to use him for my project.

The layout came from Clean and Simple

and the colour palette from Pals Paper Arts, my choice colour was Melon Mambo ( you know I cant help but use the green/pink combo!!)

Here's the card where my hungry frogs are trying to jump the highest to catch their prey

I sponged the frogs with Always Artichoke, and made the long tongue out of a scrap of Melon Mambo. The foliage and dragonfly were stamped in Always Artichoke, and the Melon Mambo flowers were stamped on white card and cut out to place in the grass. The sentiment was done with SU Write markers so that the green O could be added at the end, and it was raised on 3D pads.

Recipe :

Card = Lucky Limeade, Whisper White, Melon Mambo, and white card base from my stash

Stamps = Organic Grace, Out of the Box, Fresh Cuts, and Woodware sentiment

Inks = Always Artichoke, Melon Mambo, and Black fine Letraset pen for the eyes

Tools = Big Shot and Sizzix Frog

Thanks for looking, and I hope to have the energy to be back soon

Bear Hug for Mum!

2012-03-04T11:12:00.001Z

Again this week has been pulled from under my feet without me realising!!

So today I've tried to mix several challenges into one creation.

The first is ColourQ for these gorgeous colours

and the second is
Mojo Monday where they have this sketch

And the last is Stampin' Royalty where they set us the hard task of making a project with
"DRESSING DOWN" (NO EMBELLISHMENTS!)

After a lot of head scratching, I decided to put my trusty Big Shot to work and came up with this card

Here is a close up of the bear. Isn't he cute??? I'd forgotten about this die ( and the others in the box) so you may see a few more turning up in my next creations!!

The yellow and orange cards were embossed ( sorry my photo doesn't do them any justaice!! ) and had their edges sponged. The green card was shaped with a border punch and stuck down before the stamped label was placed over it. The bear was cut with a large die, edges sponged, and face drawn on before he was raised on 3D pads to "hug" the sign.

Recipe:
Card = Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Very Vanilla, White card coloured with Lucky Limeade Write Marker, and brown card from my stash
Stamps = Baby Blossoms, and sentiment from Just Believe and Papermania
Inks = Lucky Limeade, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, and Soft Suede, Black, and White markers for the bears face
Tools = Big Shot, Sizzix Texturz, Nestabilities Labels, Die-Monde bear die, Martha Stewart border punch, and Stamp-a-ma-jig
Extras = 3D pads

I'm due in hospital tomorrow for my new RA treatment, however, I seem to have come down with a heavy cold and a cough that sounds like a barking dog!!!! so I don't think the Dr will allow me to have it. Please keep your fingers and toes crossed for me.

Thanks for stopping by, and hope to be back soon with another card.

Floral Get Well

2012-03-01T18:19:00.000Z

My second card of the day is one for the Clean and Simple challenge where they have this sketch

This is my second attempt, as the stems I drew to flow through the words on the first one didn't quite match up, although I prefer the pink with the green instead of the blues. What do you think??

This was my first attempt!!!!

Recipe:

Card = White from my stash

Stamps = Garden Silhouettes and Curvy Verses

Inks = Bermuda Bay, Island Indigo, Lucky Limeade, Blushing Bride, and Melon Mambo

Tools = Stamp-a-ma-jig

Thanks for dropping by

Romance and Diamonds

2012-03-01T16:22:00.000Z

Today, I've finished the card I started at Jacqueline's on Tuesday, that I was making for the Make My Monday challenge where the theme is still Romance, and this week they are looking for Flourishes and Diamonds.

Here is my card

The heart flourishes were stamped in Versamark and heat embossed in gold and the hearts cut out by hand ( I must get a set of heart dies) with the one in the front raised on 3D pads. The rose buds are a spiral circle rolled up with a pink diamond bead in the centres, and the leaves were made with the SU Bird punch in white card and coloured with the green SU Write Marker. The sentiment "always" was part of a stamp from Whimsical words, and the "love" was written by hand, with a diamond in place of the O.

Recipe :

Card = Very Vanilla, Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler, and cream card from stash

Stamps = Always Elegant, Baroque Motifs, and Whimsical Words

Inks = Versamark, Old Olive, and Cherry Cobbler

Tools = SU Bird Punch, and heat gun

Extras = 3D pads, pink diamond beads, diamante gems

Thanks for looking today.

Happy Birthday to Ewe !!

2012-02-25T18:53:00.001Z

Just where has this week gone??? I'm sure that Old Father Time has got himself a Segway!!!

Anyway, the card I've made this afternoon is for 2 challenges.

The first is CAS-ual Fridays with this recipe of using a Pun.

and the second is over at Less is More where Mandi and Chrissie are saying "DONT SCRAP IT!!" and use our left overs ( of which I have plenty!!)

This is just a handful of my scraps which I keep in a 12 x12 box so I can easily see what colour I'm looking for............well, that's the theory anyway!!

Here is the card I came up with using a black faced Suffolk Spring Lamb as my focus. My sister used to rear this breed and if she doesn't see this blog entry she will have this for her birthday in July!!

Recipe :

Card = Real Red, Bashful Blue, and white card from my stash

Stamps = Simply Said and Verve

Inks = Pear Pizzazz, Melon Mambo, Poppy Parade, Blushing Bride and Grey ProMarker

Tools = Big Shot, Sizzix Stuffed Lamb die, and a Butterfly punch ( Fiskars I think?)

Extras = 3D pads, and gems

I hope the sentiment isnt too cheesey and obvious.

My old neighbour is due out of hospital tomorrow, so the next few days are going to be quite busy again but I hope to get the craft stuff out at some stage.

Thanks for stopping by

Just for you

2012-02-22T12:39:00.000Z

Today's card I am going to enter in for the Simply Stampin challenge where they have this lovely warm colour palette,

and the Pals Paper Arts challenge where they have this sketch

I went around to Jacqueline's today to craft ( and chat as usual!!), and the first card I made was admired by Louie ( the handsome black cat), but he decided it needed a little something extra so inked up his paws and added his marks to the flower design!! Aaaaaaahhhhh!!!!!

So after his help, I redid the design and ended up with this card

The ribbon was some candy I won ages ago, but it matches the Melon Mambo perfectly.

Recipe :

Card = Pretty in Pink, Wisteria Wonder, Whisper White, and Clarity Silk card

Stamps = Just Believe

Inks = Wisteria Wonder, and Melon Mambo

Tools = Martha Stewart punch

Extras = Ribbon

Thanks for looking today, and I hope to have time to visit some of your blogs to see what wonderful creations you've been making.

With Sympathy

2012-02-20T16:31:00.000Z

Today started with the sad news that one of our close friends has lost his battle with Cancer, so when I sat to make his wife a card I decided to go monochrome.

For my layout I used the sketch over at the Clean and Simple challenge , and as it's made with several die cuts, I'll try the Less is More challenge again.

Here is the card

I stamped the flower buds in Versamark and heat embossed them with black powder (that's why the camera flash has reflected off them!!). The white card was put through the Big Shot and Nestabilities labels, the side ribbons are SB border dies, and the corners are Marianne designs. The center panel is raised with 3D pads for added dimension.

Recipe :

Card = Whisper White, Basic Black, and card from my stash
Stamps = Ornate Flowers and Woodware sentiment
Inks = Versamark and Basic Black
Tools = Big Shot, Nestabilities Labels and Border, Marianne corners, Heat gun
Extras = 3D pads, Xcut corner punch, and Black embossing powder

That's me for today, I cant concentrate after hearing the news, plus I'm still worried about my old neighbour who's still in hospital. The WRI hospital is still in Lock-Down with Norovirus so I cant even visit him, just phone him on his bedside phone, which is not the same as a personal visit, and I seem to always call when he's seeing the Dr, nurse, or is in the bathroom!.

Anyway, I may be back tomorrow, I just don't know how I'll feel.

Thanks for dropping by today and looking at my work.

Hello Flower!

2012-02-19T16:25:00.000Z

Today's card is for the Less is More challenge where Mandi and Chrissie want us to use PUNCHES OR DIE CUTS

I need a Birthday card for my friend, who calls everyone "Flower", So out came my beloved Big Shot, and here is what I came up with

Recipe:

Card = Pumpkin Pie, Daffodil Delight, So Saffron, Pear Pizzazz, and cream card from my stash

Inks = Pumpkin Pie, Wisteria Wonder, Lovely Lilac, and TH Tea Dye

Stamp = Verve

Tools = Big Shot, SB Shapeabilities Daisies, Marianne vine, and SU Butterfly Punch

Extras = 3D pads and Lilac gems

The pansies were made by punching out 2 butterflies, sponging the edges with lilac, and then sticking them together, the centres were darkened with a write marker and a gem added for some bling. Once the daisies were cut, I sponged through the die to add some shading to the centres and petals before removing the metal.

I hope she likes the bright colours.

Hope to be back again soon, and thanks for dropping by

Happy Birthday

2012-02-18T18:19:00.000Z

Today's card is for 2 challenges.

The first is Stampin Royalty where they have this sketch

and the second is ColourQ where they have this colour palette

Here is my card

Recipe :

Card = Very Vanilla, Real Red, Pretty in Pink, and cream card from my stash

Stamps = Baroque Motifs, Ornate Flowers, and Verve

Inks = Real Red, Pretty in Pink, and Pool Party ( I don't have Cool Caribbean )

Tools = Big Shot, Nestabilities, Cuttlebug Swirl embossing folder, Martha Stewart border punch, and Readicut 2 step flower punches

Extras = 3D pads and white Pearl gems

I wasn't too sure about the blue flower stems and Baroque Motif at first, but I think because they are so pale they can pass as bluey green foliage. What do you think??

I've had a terrible few days............On Thursday night, I found my old neighbour ( a widower who is on the verge of Dementia) in a Diabetic coma again and had to get the ambulance out. Thankfully, he is still in hospital and the Dr.s have found more complications that I wasn't aware of, so he is now getting the right treatment he needs. I hope for his sake he will be there for a while yet, so that some Home care can be sorted out for when he comes home, as his son lives in London and there is no one else other than me.

I hope to get some more crafting done in the next few days, but who knows what will happen??

Thanks for looking today

Mum's the word!

2012-02-16T16:13:00.002Z

I've been really busy again over the last few days, but I have managed one card which I'll be entering into the Clean and Simple challenge where they have this sketch

and Make My Monday challenge where they are looking for HEARTS AND FLOWERS with die cuts if possible.

So of course I have had to have a go and decided to combine the two.

Here's my card

I started by sticking a semi circle of vellum stamped with hearts on the left of the card ( I used a snail tape pen so that the glue did not show through the vellum). I then coloured my flower stamp with write markers and stamped it on a cream circle. The daisy flower dies looked similar to the stamp so my faithful Big Shot came out and cut 4 daisies.

I have to admit my mistake now...........After the final touch of the word 'Mum' was added, I dropped the acrylic block on the stamped flower disc........AAAAAAAAaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!! So the mark had to be covered with something. I decided on this butterfly die, as although it is large, the wings are very dainty and don't swamp the design too much. What do you think??

Recipe:

Card = Rich Razzleberry, Real Red, Poppy Parade, Very Vanilla, and cream and blue from my stash

Stamps = SU Ornate Flowers and Papermania

Inks = Poppy Parade, Rich Razzleberry, Crushed Curry, and Lucky Limeade

Tools = Big Shot, Nestabilities circles, Shapeabilities, and Marianne

Extras = 3D pads, and blue gems

Thanks for stopping by today and hope to see you again soon

Neopolitan Mothers Day

2012-02-12T17:30:00.000Z

I hope I am successful in submitting this card on time to the 2 challenges I've chosen to create for!!!

My card is in the colours of Neapolitan ice cream, as this is what I thought of when I saw the photo inspiration at Stampin Royalty #110

and the layout follows this sketch at Mojo Monday

Here is the card I came up with

Recipe :

Card = Pretty in Pink, Melon Mango, Soft Suede, Whisper White, and cream card from my stash

Stamps = Upsy Daisy, Fiskars and Papermania

Inks = Melon Mambo, Blushing Bride, and Soft Suede

Tools = Big Shot, Nestabilities labels, Cottage Floral embossing folder, and Stamp-a-ma-jig

Extras = Ribbon, 3D pads, and Gems ( added to vowel i's in text after photo taken!)

I hope you like it?

I'm off to link it before my time runs out, so TTFN

Too Late!!!

2012-02-12T08:15:00.000Z

I don't believe what I've done!!! I spent ages making the flowers for the MMM card, and I've missed the deadline!! Doohh!!
Not to worry, there is next week to come. I'll just have to make sure I'm organised!!

Love Letter

2012-02-12T08:07:00.001Z

Today's card is for Make My Monday Challenge . Their theme is ROMANCE and this week it's also SCRIPT OR VERSE

This is my card

I've torn all the cards and sponged the edges to age them, and the letter I've rolled up each end to make it look like a scroll. The Fimo wax seal has had the Postmark stamp pressed into it and then stuck down to hold the ribbon in place. I made the rose buds by cutting a circle of card into a spiral and then rolling it up, and added a pearl in the centres.

Recipe :
Card = Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler, and cream card from my stash
Stamps = French Foliage and Baroque Motifs
Inks = Sahara Sand and TH Tea Dye
Tools = 2 Step Bird Punch
Extras = Fimo, Ribbon, and White Pearls

Thanks for looking today and I hope you'll come back soon

Just Peachy!!

2012-02-11T21:03:00.000Z

This is the second card of the afternoon, and I'm entering it into the ColourQ Challenge where they have this picture and colours for inspiration

This is my card

I stamped the text image with the pink and red leaves, and then used write markers in peach and pink to colour the flowers. This was layered on nestabilities labels of the 2 colours. I then stamped three Versamark flowers on peach card, and heat embossed them, cut them out and arranged on 3D pads for dimension.

Recipe :

Card = Poppy Parade, Peach Parfait, Very Vanilla, and white card from my stash

Stamps = Fresh Cuts, Vintage Vogue, and Papermania

Inks = Poppy Parade, Regal Rose, Peach Parfait, and Versamark

Tools = Big Shot, Nestabilities, Marrianne die, and Heat gun

Extras = Clear embossing powder, 3D pads, and gems

I hope you like it, and can come back tomorrow

Always Elegant

2012-02-11T20:25:00.002Z

Today I have sat down in my study at my desk surrounded with crafting goodies, AND my laptop that is receiving an EXCELLENT signal!!! Oh such Bliss, to be out of the lounge so I can leave stuff out all night and no one will know what a mess lies behind the study door!

So with a few spare hours I've created 2 cards.

The first is for the OLW Challenge #78 where the theme is Circles Everywhere and must have more than 5 circles

Here is the card I made using the ornate stamp in the set, and repositioning it in each quarter of the card to create the design. I have purposely left a sentiment off as I wanted the pattern to be the focus.

Recipe :

Card = Square white card from my stash

Ink = Wisteria Wonder

Stamps = SU Always Elegant

Tools = Stamp-a-ma-jig

Extras = Purple and Lilac gems

I love this stamp and have been itching to use it for months.

Thanks for looking, and please come back again soon

Army Elf

2012-02-10T10:52:00.000Z

For those of you who dont know, my 4 year old nephew Nathan, has been army and elf crazy since seelng the 3D movie "Arthur Christmas" last December.

Now he is at the age where he is flexing his behaviour muscles, so I came up with a Special elf called Boris whom Santa has given the task of watching Nathan all year to see if he's good or bad ( just like the film!!). Recently he has gone a bit wild and naughty, so Boris has been forced to write Nathan a letter and send him a photograph of what he looks like!!

We didn't know if this would work or not, but the excitement on his face when the postman delivered a letter just for him, was enough to melt the coldest of hearts. He said he felt really special and straight away said " Nana, I've got to write back to him after tea" !!, so it looks like I need to make more army camouflage note paper for all the corresponding Boris and Nathan could be doing!!

Thank goodness I can use the internet again without fear of the connection going down half way through something important.

I'll be back tomorrow with something else I've been asked to make for my friend Pat.

Flower Pot cards

2012-02-08T22:27:00.000Z

Hi crafters, I think I've finally managed to sort out changing all my email address and passwords everywhere now, so it's nearly business as usual. Thanks for all your patience and good will messages.

Yesterday at our Craft club we made a flower pot card, and I made mine with Mother's Day in mind.

When the flowers are pulled up they reveal the insert with the message.

I added a piece of card on the back like a photo frame to support the card to stand upright. I then made another one for my sister to give to her Mum in Law.

Most of the flowers are die cuts, but the pansies were made with the SU large butterfly punch. Two yellow shapes were sponged with lilac ink and stuck on top of each other in different directions, and the centres coloured with write markers and finished with gems.

Recipe : Card = SU Cherry Cobbler, Orchid Opulence, Pretty in Pink, Wisteria Wonder, So Saffron, Pear Pizzazz, Very Vanilla, and Terracotta from my stash

Stamps = sentiments borrowed from Jacqueline and Joan

Inks = Wisteria Wonder, Regal Rose, Pear Pizzazz, Chocolate Chip, and TH Tea Dye

Tools = Big Shot, Spellbinders shapeabilities, CreaLies die, SU Build a Blossom and Butterfly punches, SU and Martha Stewart border punch

Extras = Ribbon, gems, and padded hearts

I hope the Mums like them?

I've not got alot of time tomorrow, but I will try to show you what else I've been up to, so please call back if you can.

Thanks for looking here today

Scottie note box

2012-01-29T17:47:00.000Z

Today I have been gripped to the Australian Open Tennis final, and what a match!!!

Anyway, while I've been sat in front of the TV, I've played around with a pretty box that my friend Pat had saved from a Christmas present, and then gave to me to make something useful out of it.

As she is crazy for Scottie dogs, and has one called ' Ebbie', I decided to make it into a box for note paper and pens to sit by her phone with a dog motif on the front ( I drew this by hand so hope she thinks it resembles Ebbs.)

Here it is

And here is a better view of the inside where I've lined it with contrasting card and the rest of the matching packing paper. I hope she will find it useful when I give it back to her!!

Recipe :

Card = SU Pumpkin Pie, So Saffron, Basic Black and the box with packaging

Tools = Big Shot

Extras = Ribbon, square note paper and two pencils

Tomorrow, I should receive my new computer router from my new provider, so I am hoping to be back on line by tomorrow night, and crafting can resume as normal at home.

I cant wait!!

Thanks for dropping by today, and please call again if you can. Oh yes, and a big 'Welcome' to my new follower Clare, I hope you like what you see here on my blog.

Mothers Day Swing card

2012-01-27T15:42:00.000Z

Hello friends

I'm still having trouble with the old Internet so I'm doing this post at my Mum's place.

I've just seen that my scenic card last week came in the MMM Top 3!!!! Thank you ladies, what a great start for the new year!!

My card today is again for the Make My Monday challenge , they are still doing a theme of Nature but this week its Flowers and Leaves.

I made a swing card for a change, in my favourite combo of Pinks and Green, what do you think?

and here is a photo of the front.

I used a single leaf from the Vintage Vogue border, to add on the stems of the daisies.

The butterflies are on 3D pads to add some dimension, and the ribbons are wrapped around the front and back panels and finished with a bow.

Recipe :
Card = SU Whisper White and Calypso Coral
Stamps = SU Upsy Daisy, Vintage Vogue, and Woodware
Inks = Blushing Bride, Calypso Coral, Old Olive, Pool Party, Bermuda Bay and Adirondack Black
Tools = Stamp-a-ma-jig
Extras = Ribbon and 3D pads

I cant wait for Monday to come so that I can have Internet access at home again, it's right what they say "you don't miss something till you cant have it!!". Soooooo true.

Anyway, please drop by again when you can, and thanks for looking today.

Country scene

2012-01-17T21:52:00.002Z

OMG!! What a nightmare I'm having with my Internet connections. Some days it's ok, then the next I have nothing...........hopefully by the end of the month I'll have a new provider and the nightmare will be over, and I can blog and comment on your blogs too. ( sorry you've not been getting them)

This is the first card that I've tried to post that I think will be ok, so fingers crossed it will be able to be published. It's for the Make My Monday challenge , where this months theme is NATURE and this week they want us to Create a Scene.

I'll also be entering it into Anything Goes challenge where Anything goes!!

Here is the scene I've made

I've used the sponging technique to create the hills and misty valley where my majestic stag is strutting his stuff!!!, and stamped the leafy branch and daisies in the foreground.

One of my New Year resolutions is to reduce the waffle in my posts, so I hope you can see what I've done and how I've done it!?!

Recipe : Card = SU Very Vanilla, Choc Chip, and square card from my stash

Stamps = Upsy Daisy, SU Stag, Clarity tree, and my design branch

Inks = Bashful Blue, Always Artichoke, Adirondack Pesto and Espresso

I will try to post again soon so please call back if you can.

Happy New Year!!

2012-01-07T19:47:00.002Z

Happy 2012 everyone!

I'm soooo sorry that there has been no activity on my blog since 19th December, but there are numerous reasons for my absence that I wont bore you with, but I can assure you that I will be creating again very soon.

Thank you for your patience and please drop by again to see what I've made.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-19T21:05:00.002Z

I'm sorry that I have not issued a post for some time, but there just isn't enough hours in a day!!!

I would just like to wish all my followers and blog friends a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy and Prosperous New Year!!!

Hopefully, Santa will bring me some nice crafting bits to play with for the challenges in 2012!!, so I'll be back then.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!!

Let it Snow!

2011-12-11T22:32:00.001Z

Brrrrrrrrr!!! What a cold wet day outside, thank goodness I'm still putting my decorations up indoors. Now you may think that my house must look like Santa's grotto, but watch out for the photos at the end of my post and see for yourself.

Today, I've only had time for a quick card that is for the Less is More challenge and they want a

ONE LAYER CARD

This time our theme is

Let it Snow!

So out came my snowflake stamps and sponges, and this is what I came up with

I stamped the snowflakes in Versamark across the top of the square card, and heat embossed them with white powder. The same was done with the sentiment. I then embossed 2 lines across the middle of the card and covered them with Post Its before sponging over the top area with blue inks. Gems were added for a little bit of bling.

Recipe :

Card = Whisper White

Stamps = Inkadinkado, and my stash

Inks = Versamark, Bashful Blue, and Brilliant blue

Tools = Heat gun and embossing tool

Extras = White embossing powder and gems

Thanks to my RA it takes me sooo long to do what takes a normal person only a few hours!!! but I think it makes my room look festive even if it does cause me pain to do it.
Here is my traditional red tree ( and I've just noticed the strange pale patch on the dining room curtains, and if it's not the reflection of the camera flash from the large mirror, it's a ghost ??)

and this is my fireplace, minus the large red baubles (which I hang from the top of the garland swag, and I think must still be in the loft) and the coals from the fire as Monty likes to steal them and hide them under the dining table!!

Tomorrow I'm off to Jacqueline's to play and it may be my last chance to go round before Christmas, so I'd better get my crafting stuff ready.

Thanks for dropping by and I hope you'll call again soon.

Blue Christmas!

2011-12-10T22:05:00.001Z

This afternoon, in between putting my decorations up, I took a break to have a coffee and finish the card I started yesterday.

My card is for the Pals Paper Arts challenge, and their theme is something for "Puttin' on the Ritz" with extra sparkle, shine, or decoration.

I thought of putting some "bling" on a Christmas tree, but as I don't have one in the form of a stamp, I decided to make one out of the scroll in the SU Strength and Hope set.

This is how it turned out

I started by stamping the whole scroll in Versamark on navy card and heat embossing it with a silver pearl powder. Then I reduced the size of each scroll the higher it went, till the fourth and last scroll was just the heart and leaves.

The BS was used to cut labels from the stamped navy and silver cards, that were then layered. I rounded the corners of a square cream card and a matt of pale blue card that had been wrapped with silver and navy ribbons was added, onto which the stamped panel was placed on 3D pads for added dimension. The finishing touches were the sentiment stamped in Versamark and heat embossed with silver powder, and the addition of clear gems to the tree and the "i" in Winter.

Recipe :

Card = Night of Navy, Bashful Blue, and Silver and cream cards from my stash

Stamps = Strength and Hope and sentiment from my stash
Inks = Versamark
Tools = Big Shot, Nestabilities labels, and Heat gun
Extras = Ribbons, Silver and Silver Pearl powders, and gems

Thanks for looking at my blog today and I'd love to see what you think.

Oh, and a big "Hello" and "Welcome" to my new followers, thank you for your support.

Snowmen Smiles

2011-12-10T15:25:00.001Z

Today, I've put my Christmas icicles and lights up outside, and I still have to put my indoor tree up and decorate it, but I can't get in the festive spirit yet, so I've made a card instead.

I will be entering it into the Friday Mashup challenge where they want snowmen, the colour palette of Blushing Bride, Baja Breeze, and Basic Grey, or both the snowmen and the colours.

I will also put it into the The Paper Players challenge where they are looking for a Christmas project with non holiday stamps or colours.

So here is my card with Snowmen in non traditional colours, what do you think??

I started with a white card and rounded the corners before randomly stamping snowflakes in pink and blue. I then used the BS to cut 2 Sizzix Snowmen, 1 grey and 1 blue label, and embossed the grey label with dotty snowflakes. The labels were layered, white stitches drawn on, and wrapped with a ribbon and placed on the card. The snowmen were coloured with SU write markers and had Cosmic Twinkles added before they were placed on the labels. Finally, the greeting was stamped in Versamark on blue card, heat embossed with white powder, and stuck on 3D pads between the snowmen.

Recipe :

Card = Pool Party ( I don't have Baja Breeze), Basic Grey, and White card from my stash

Stamps = Snowflakes and sentiment from a kit I've had for too long to remember where from

Inks = Blushing Bride, Pool Party, and Versamark

Tools = Big Shot, Sizzix snowman die and Texture plates, SB nestabilities labels, Heat gun, and Xcut corner rounder

Extras = Pro Markers, Cosmic Twinkles, Ribbon (coloured with Blushing Bride marker), White gel pen, and 3D pads.

Thanks for dropping by today, and I hope you liked my card.

I must let you all know that I'm having Internet problems at the moment, so if I go AWOL again it's because of that...........fingers crossed it will be ok till the new year.

Glitter Christmas

2011-12-08T20:10:00.001Z

Hello my blogging friends, I'm back in the crafting saddle but I'm not firing on all cylinders yet, so please bear with me.

Today I went to Jacqueline's, and as her challenge blog ( Make My Monday) is looking for a Seasonal project with Added Glitter, I decided to have a go at a technique I'd seen on TV done by Barbara Gray from Clarity Stamps. She uses some sticky paper ( designed and sold by her company )to create glittery scenes that then get stuck on acetate.

Here is the finished card, and then I'll try to explain how I made it!!

If I'd thought about it properly, I would have taken photos of the various stages, but I didn't think of it till the picture was complete!!!!

Anyway, I placed 2 strips of 1.5" double sided tape side by side, sticky side face up, and stamped the reindeer silhouette directly onto the sticky side with Black Archival ink. The tape was then placed onto the rougher side of a piece of acetate. With a craft knife I carefully cut into the tape backing paper to make a thin wavy strip under the deer, and peeled off the yellow backing ( too much pressure on the knife and it will cut the acetate as well, so carefully does it)

I then sprinkled blue glitter onto the exposed sticky tape. Either side of the deer I cut 2 Christmas trees, but the first parts of the backing to be peeled off were the stripes of tinsel and baubles ( glittered with red ), then the larger trees ( pale green glitter) and lastly the smaller trees ( darker green). I then cut a wavy strip across the background and sprinkled it with silver glitter, and finally the remaining yellow backing paper was peeled off and sprinkled with white glitter.

Now, to stick this glittery scene down, I stuck 2 strips of the tape onto white card and peeled off the backing tape. The glittery side of the acetate was stuck onto the tape to leave the shiny side of the acetate face up ( so the glitter is sandwiched between acetate and white card) and the scene was then trimmed and layered on some red and green cards. The sentiment was stamped in Versamark and heat embossed with white powder on the red card, and finished off with 3 white pearls.

I hope that this all makes sense to you, but I can thoroughly recommend this technique if you fancy getting glitter absolutely everywhere!!! I think poor Jacqueline will be finding it for weeks to come ( especially as Louise seemed to like lying on it!! ) , Sorry Jacqueline.

Recipe :

Card = Green Galore, Real Red, and Whisper White

Stamps = Clarity and Dovecraft

Inks = Black Archival and Versamark

Tools = Martha Stewart border punch, Heat gun, craft knife and wide double sided tape

Extras = Blue, red, pale green, dark green, silver and white glitters, White embossing powder, and White flat backed pearls

Thanks for dropping by today, and I hope my rambling instructions haven't scrambled your minds too much.

AWOL Apology

2011-12-03T15:46:00.001Z

Hi blog friends, I'm sorry that there has been no posts from me this week, but I had a horrible reaction to my RA injection drug which really knocked me off my feet. Now I've had lots of bed rest and doggy cuddles, I'm starting to feel human again.

I also owe Jacqueline a big apology, " Sorry Jacqueline", as I let her down for the Christmas Sale at the local Village Hall, I hope she can forgive me!

And now some good news, I've also just found out that I came Top 3 at Simply Stampin again, so a big "Thank you DT" to them, and apology for no entry to their challenge this week.

I hope to get back in the crafting saddle soon, so please call again in a day or two if you can.

Thanks for bearing with me

Bling Baubles

2011-11-28T22:23:00.001Z

Here we are at the start of another week, and another week closer to Christmas! Where is the time going??

Today's card is for the Less is More Challenge where the subject is

This is my card

First I inked up the flourish with Versamark and then I masked off the edges to make a round shape, before stamping onto a white card.

I then heat embossed the shape with gold powder ( sorry but my photo is not the best to show the gold), and repeated the process twice more ( placing the stamp by using the Stamp-a-ma-jig ). The sentiment was stamped in red across the top, and gold wiggly lines drawn to hang the baubles, and the finishing touches were the "bling gems".

I was pleased with my efforts until I drew the lines to hang the baubles, and then I realised that the right hand one is a little too close to the top one, but I couldn't do anything to disguise it, so just went with it.

Recipe: Card = from my stash

Stamps = Bliss and Dovecraft

Inks = Versamark and Real Red

Tools = Heat Gun and Stamp-a-ma-jig

Extras = Gold embossing powder, Gold Pilot marker, and gems

Thanks for dropping by, and please call again if you can.

CASE Lotus Pendent

2011-11-27T20:51:00.001Z

I hope you've all had a good weekend and a Happy Thanksgiving, and maybe even had some free time for crafting.

Today I have a quick card to show you that I'll be entering into the CASE Study Challenge, where their months muse Kryssi Ng had designed this inspiration card.

I will also be entering it to a new challenge blog I've found, Friday Mashup that had a colour pallette to use of Aqua, Chocolate and White. Their theme was the colours, Christmas, or both "mashed"together.

This is my card

I started by stamping the text along the bottom after masking off the area with masking tape and repositioning it with the Stamp-a-ma-jig. I then stamped the leaf up the edge in brown. The BS was used to cut the blue pendent, which was placed in the lower left hand corner. The finishing touch was a blue gem and sentiment stamped across the pendent and text strip.

Recipe: Card = Tempting Turquoise, and White card from my stash
Stamps = French Foliage and Fiskars
Inks = Tempting Turquoise and Chocolate Chip
Tools = Big Shot, Shapeabilities Lotus Pendent, and Stamp- a- ma-jig
Extras = Gem

Thanks for dropping by today, I hope you saw something that you liked

Fresh Cut Thank You

2011-11-27T16:59:00.001Z

I just love Sundays when there is a Grand Prix on the TV, as my family know that I love them so much they always try to leave me alone, so it means that I can craft while sat on the sofa!!

Yesterday I went with my family to see the 3D film "Arthur Christmas" at the cinema, and as my sister paid for me, I've made her a Thank You card.

I will also be entering it into 2 challenges;

The sketch is from the Clean and Simple Challenge ,

and the colour palette is from the Color Throwdown Challenge

This is my card

I stamped the flower and text stamp on white card in brown ink, cut it into a circle and sponged the edges.The flowers were then coloured with SU Write markers and placed on a brown scallop circle made with the BS. I then drew around a plate for the dome shape on some blue card and randomly stamped the flower in red and blue on it, and the leaf sprig in brown. I stamped the sentiment frame and text in brown on white card before matting it onto brown card. This frame and the floral disc were placed on 3D pads on a square white card that had had the blue card stuck at the bottom. The finishing touch was the red ribbon.

Recipe:

Card = Bashful Blue, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, and white card from my stash

Stamps = Fresh Cuts and Just Believe

Inks = Island Indigo, Real Red, and Chocolate Chip

Tools = Big Shot and Nestabilities
Extras = Ribbon and 3D pads

At the cinema we had to wear the sexy specs that make 3D what it is, absolutely brilliant! , but I dont think they'll make it onto the catwalks of London or Milan anytime soon!!.We were all amazed that Nathan and Sophie sat through the whole film without a peep, in fact Sophie went to sleep!!, but if you have kids I can highly recommend this film, there are even the odd one liners for the adults!

Anyway, thanks for dropping by and I hope to be back soon.

Baroque Noel

2011-11-25T16:11:00.001Z

This afternoon I've been to Jacqueline's to get some crafting done, ignoring all the chores I should be doing!, but my excuse is that with lack of sleep through pain, I'm too tired to do anything ( except craft that is!!)

The card I've made is for the Simply Stampin Challenge where they have this sketch

and the colours are from the ColourQ challenge

This is the card, and although these colours are not associated with Christmas I was happy with the outcome. What do you think?

I turned the sketch on its side and stamped the swirl onto some white card, and then layered it on some brown card. I then cut 2 strips of cherry card in different thicknesses and laid them horizontally on a white card. I inked up just the NOEL sentiment on the SU roller and stamped it onto one end of a white card strip ( using the Stamp-a-ma-jig ) that was then matted onto brown card and positioned between the cherry strips. The swirl panel was then stuck vertically across the strips. I then stamped the gingerbread men, candy canes, and baubles onto white cards and cut them out. The baubles were placed on 3D pads and placed as if hanging from the swirls, and the gingerbread men in opposing corners of the card. The one cane was added to cover an ink mark, and the other to even out the picture.

Recipe : Card = Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White, and white card stock from my stash

Inks = Early Espresso, Pumpkin Pie, Cherry Cobbler, and Daffodil Delight

Stamps = Baroque Motifs, Jolly Jingles, and Hung Up on the Holidays ( borrowed from Jacqueline)

Extras = Stamp-a-ma-jig, and 3D pads

Thanks for looking at my blog today, and I hope you liked what you saw.

I hope you all have a good weekend, and I'll be back soon.

Holly and the Ivy

2011-11-24T23:22:00.001Z

What a busy week I've had so far, and sadly with no time for crafting.

This card I started on Tuesday, and have only just managed to put it together tonight. My RA has flared up and the pain is keeping me awake, so to try to take my mind off it I've tried to do something useful.

It is for the Make My Monday challenge where the theme is Christmas with Flowers, Foliage, or snowflakes, and I'll also be entering it to the Pals Paper Arts challenge #121 who are looking for Elements of Style - Pearls.

For MMM, I chose the Flowers and Foliage option, as you can see its "The Holly and the Ivy" wreath with Poinsettias studded with pearls.

I stamped numerous holly sprigs onto green card and cut them out ( which took hours!! ) and stuck them down in a circle on a square white card. Years ago from Readicuts, I bought some printed flowers sheets that came with a set of matching punches, and I've used the Ivy punch and leaves for this project, touched with some Twinkles.

I then coloured some paper flowers with a red Pro marker and layered 2 together before adding them to the wreath on 3D pads. The finishing touches were the stamped sentiment, red bow, and white pearls in the flower centers.

Recipe : Card = Garden Green and white card stock from my stash

Stamps = Docrafts and Dovecrafts

Inks = Always Artichoke and Real Red

Tools = Ivy leaf punch

Extras = Red Ribbon, Pearls, and Cosmic Twinkles

I wish all my US readers a "Happy Thanksgiving", and my UK readers a "Happy weekend!"

Any minute now I will be turned into a pumpkin so I'd better get this post done PDQ!

On Saturday I'm off to see the 3D Arthur Christmas film at the cinema with my family........Nathan says I have to sit next to him incase I'm scared!! Bless Him. I'll let you know how I get on!

Thanks for dropping by, and hope you'll stop by again soon

A Christmas Hoot!

2011-11-22T19:02:00.001Z

Yaaaayy!! I've come Top 3 at the Simply Stampin Challenge again. I'm so pleased and must say a big "Thank You" to the DT for choosing me.

The card I've made today is for the Clean and Simple challenge #167 where they have this sketch.

I thought for a change I'd put my stamps aside and use the cute owl I made with Jacqueline's punch a while ago.

Here he is in his Santa suit, isn't he cute?

The card started with some green card that was embossed in the BS and placed on a white card. I then sponged a blue sky over a snowy hill scene on a white textured card circle, which was then matted onto a red circle. I then stamped some holly sprigs numerous times on some dark green card and cut them out to sit along the bottom of the scene. I then stamped the greeting on some white card and placed a tree shaped brad at each end. This was then raised on 3D pads for dimension and also somewhere for the owl to perch.

Recipe : Card = Wild Wasabi, Garden Green, Real Red, Chocolate Chip, Lavender Lace, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White, and white card stock from my stash

Stamps = Dovecrafts and Docraft

Inks = Bashful Blue, Always Artichoke, Real Red, Basic Black, and White Gel pen

Tools = Big Shot, Swirl embossing folder, Owl Punch

Extras = Tree Brads

Thanks for dropping by today, and as tomorrow is my Super Hero day with Nathan, I'll be back in a few days time.

Santa Sky

2011-11-20T16:27:00.001Z

I've not had much time for crafting today, but I have made a card for 2 challenges again.

First is CASE Study challenge #66 with this Kryssi Ng card for inspiration

and second is Simply Less is More week 42 where the theme is SILHOUETTES.

This is my card

I started by printing some Merry Christmas text background paper that I typed on my laptop, and cutting it into a square. I then placed a Post It note moon in the center of the top half of the paper, and sponged over it with some blue and black inks. When this was peeled off I was left with a white moon that showed the text still running across it. I layered this onto some black card and then a square white card. I then drew a skyline of rooftops on some black card, cut it out, and stuck it along the bottom of the sponged sky.

I then stamped Santa and his Reindeer pulling his sleigh in black across the sky and moon.

I Versamark stamped the sentiment on the rooftops and heat embossed it with white powder. The finishing touch was the randomly placed pearly star sequins.

Recipe : Card = Basic Black and white card stock from my stash

Stamps = Clarity and Dovecraft

Inks = Basic Black, Brilliant Blue, and Versamark

Extras = Printed background paper, Sequins and white embossing powder

Thanks for looking at my blog today, and I would love it, if you have time, to leave me a comment.

I'll be back soon

Butterfly Birthday Wishes

2011-11-20T15:18:00.001Z

Today I have made a card that I will be entering into two challenges.

The first is the Mojo Monday #215
where they have this sketch

and the second is Color Throw down #168
where we have this 4 colour palette

Here is my card

First I put some red card through the BS to emboss flowers on it, and then mounted it on a cream card. I then embossed some grey, yellow, and off white cards in different folders, sponged their edges and matted strips on the right hand side of the card .

Here's a closer veiw of the different embossing textures, although it's not very clear on the red card ( I forgot to use the tan matt!!)

My BS was working hard for this card as it then cut 3 multi layered yellow flowers and a large off white butterfly. If only the BS could do all these things without me having to crank the handle !!!

The flower parts were layered up, the large stuck flat, and the 2 smaller ones with 3D pads for dimension, and then arranged at the ends of the strips with some grey leaves cut with the 2 step Bird punch. The butterfly's wings were sponged with yellow and red inks and stuck between the flowers by its grey sponged body to leave the wings dimensional. To finish the sentiment was stamped in red on the off white card, 3 red gems added to the flower centers, and 3 yellow gems added in the bottom corner.

Recipe : Card = Real Red ( I don't have Red Riding Hood), So Saffron, Basic Grey, Very Vanilla, and a cream card from my stash

Inks = Real Red, So Saffron, and Sahara Sand ( I don't have grey ink)

Stamps = Verve

Tools = Big Shot, CREA lies Flower Die, Marianne Butterfly die, Sizzix Texture flower plate, Swirl, Budding Vine and Butterfly Kisses embossing folders, and 2 Step Bird Punch

Extras = Red and yellow gems

Well this took quite a while to piece together, what do you think? I hope you like it

For some strange reason Blogger wont allow me to post my Labels list, so when it's behaving again I'll add my lists

That's me for today, and I've got some busy days ahead, but I'll be back as soon as I can.

Thanks for dropping by

Santa is coming!

2011-11-19T18:37:00.001Z

Today's project is for three challenges.

The first is using the colours from the
ColourQ challenge #111

and the second is the sketch from the
CAS-ual Fridays challenge CFC #29

and third, I will also be sending it to the St Luke's Charity challenge where the theme is Christmas

This is my card

I started by stamping Santa's sleigh and filled it with the presents on some white card, masked it with a Post It note and stamped the fir tree behind it. The presents were coloured with write markers, and the edges of the card sponged before layering it onto the maroon card.

The sentiment and snowflakes were then carefully inked with a Versamark pen and stamped below it ( positioned with the Stamp-a-ma-jig ) and heat embossed with white powder. It all was then placed on a white card.

Recipe : Card = Whisper White, Rich Razzleberry, and white card stock from my stash

Stamps = Lovely as a Tree, Loads of Love Accessories, Jolly Jingles Roller, and Clarity

Inks = Pear Pizzazz, Pumpkin Pie, Rich Razzleberry, Brown Pro marker ( I dont have Crumb Cake but this was the nearest I have ), and Versamark

Tools = Heat gun and Stamp-a-ma-jig

Extras = White embossing powder

I hope you're all having a good weekend, and thanks for dropping by.

Joyful Robin

2011-11-17T16:18:00.001Z

After a couple of busy days, I've finished a card that I started on Tuesday for the Make My Monday challenge . Their theme is to Make a CAS Christmas Card with emphasis on the Sentiment.

Here it is

The text and jumping reindeer were Versamark stamped and gold powder heat embossed. In the center of the 'O' I sponged a blue sky over a snowy hill with holly trees in the foreground, and sat on the rim of the letter is a robin ( mounted on 3D pads ) who is looking through the hole.

Here is a closer view of him

Recipe : Card = White card from my stash

Stamps = Clarity and Papermania

Inks = Versamark, SU Pool Party, Poppy Parade, and Green and Brown Pro markers

Tools = Heat gun

Extras = 3D pads

I must say a big "Thank You" to my lovely sister Cassy, who bought the reindeer stamp for me, together with a Santa Sleigh that I promise I'll use soon.

I hope she likes what I've made?

I must confess to Jacqueline that this is my second attempt at the card ( I started the first at her house on Tuesday! ) as I wasn't happy with the first scene, and, I dropped the holly stamp which landed in the wrong place to turn it into a "Happy accident". This card I'm much happier with.

Thanks for dropping by today, and I'd love to know what you think if you have time to leave a comment?

Pink Daisies

2011-11-14T19:27:00.001Z

Todays card is for the CASE Study challenge where Kryssi Ng has made this card as inspiration.

Here is the card I made

I started with a white card, onto which I layered some Melon Mambo card that I had shaped along the bottom with a punch. On some white card I then stamped the daisy, masked it with a Post It, and stamped it again taller so it looks like its behind the first. I then added the sentiment in the other corner and the butterfly.

Recipe : Card = Melon Mambo, Peach Parfait, and White cardstock from my stash

Stamps = Inspired By Nature and Just Believe

Inks = Melon Mambo, Peach Parfait, and Pear Pizzazz

Tools = Martha Stewart Punchand Marianne designs butterfly die

I hope you like it, and Thanks for dropping by today

OLC Leafy Thank You

2011-11-14T16:21:00.001Z

This afternoon I had my RA treatment injection, so now I am resting on the sofa with a throbbing leg!!

Of course I couldn't sit doing nothing, so I've made 2 cards for the Less is More challenge where they want a OLC with Leaves as the theme, and the Simply Stampin challenge where they want something Leafy.

This is the first

I masked a strip off with tape and randomly stamped some leaves with Versamark and heat embossed them with clear powder. I then sponged and stamped over them with green inks and drew a wavy line across the top and bottom of the border. I stamped the sentiment, and then heat embossed a Versamarked stamped Fern leaf that lay over the coloured area.

and this is the second

I drew the wavy border again but this time incorporated the sentiment in the bottom line. Between these I stamped 4 suede leaves that had gold embossed highlights, and 1 brown leaf with no added extras.

Recipe : Card = square white cards from my stash

Stamps = French Foliage, Organic Grace, and Just Believe

Inks = Certainly Celery, Pear Pizzazz, Always Artichoke, Soft Suede, Adirondack Rust, and Versamark

Tools = Heat gun

Extras = Gold and clear embossing powders

After making these I realise that I dont feel too good so may have to have a lie down. Hopefully I'll be back tomorrow, so I'll say TTFN

Christmas is coming!!

2011-11-12T22:31:00.001Z

While watching my guilty pleasure ( the Grand Prix) this afternoon I have been able to do some crafting. Yaaaaay!!

And as I promised there is no sign of my Baroque Motifs on my card today!!

I have made it for the Clean and Simple challenge where they have this sketch,

and I'll also be entering it in the CAS-ual Fridays challenge where they want a tag or something with a tag on it.

In case you haven't noticed yet, Christmas is coming fast and so that was my inspiration for my card.

This is it

I first stamped the Christmas sentiments in red across the bottom of a white card, and put some more white card through the BS on a dotty daisy texture plate (looks like snowflakes ) and sponged the edges in red. This was placed on 3D pads to add dimension. A red and White tag were then cut in the BS and the white matted on top. On this I stamped the pick up with its load of presents and tree (using the Stamp-a-ma-jig) which were coloured with SU Write markers and Pro markers. The finishing touch was the ribbon bow to attach the tag.

I've just seen the cola advert ( the famous one in the red cans) on TV which definitely means that the " holidays are coming!!", so very soon the decorations will need bringing down from the loft and the house being transformed into Santa's grotto.

I've had a terrible morning sitting in a cold Kwik Fit garage..........I drove to my mum's yesterday and noticed that one of my front tyres pressure was very low, and when I came to drive home, it was completely flat (only at the bottom though!!??). There was no way anything could be done till today, so I was up early waiting for the RAC to come and do a temporary repair so I could drive to Worcester ( 15 miles away) for a new tyre. Thanks to all the car thieves these days, Vauxhall cars no longer have spare wheels under the car, or in the boot ( means more space for cargo, apparently?) so it left me high and dry. Thank goodness I was at mum's.

Anyway, it's all sorted now, just no more off road rallying for me!!.

Hopefully, I can do some crafting this week, so please call back again if you can.

Thanks to everyone who leaves me comments, I love to read each one to see what you think.

Baroque Tag

2011-11-12T21:12:00.001Z

Today I've made a card for the ColourQ #110 challenge where they have these new colours as inspiration.

I'll also be entering it to the CAS-ual Fridays challenge where they want a tag or a card with a tag on it.

This is my card

I started by randomly stamping a white card with the flourish in brown, and then wrapping the ribbons around the top. 2 blue and 2 brown labels were then cut in the BS and layered on top to create one large and one small tag, that then had the brown flourish stamped on them.The small tag was raised with 3D pads and also had the stamped sentiment added. Some small flowers and butterflies were punched and stuck on with 3D pads to give some dimension, and the finishing touches were the sequins for the flower centers and double ribbon bow to attach the small tag.

Recipe: Card = Soft Suede, Pool Party, Dusty Durango, Peach Parfait, and white card from my stash

Stamps = Baroque Motifs and Verve

Inks = Soft Suede

Tools = Big Shot, Labels nestabilities, 2 Flower punches and a butterfly punch ( I've had these for years from Readicut but I dont know the manufacturer )

Extras = Flower sequins and ribbons

I hope you like the card, and I promise to put the Baroque Motifs stamps aside for a while and use something different. Please come back soon and see if I can !!

Vintage Christmas

2011-11-12T13:13:00.001Z

Yesterday I started another card for the Make My Monday challenge as I wasn't that happy with my first entry. This time I've tried the vintage style ( way out of my comfort zone, but the more you do I suppose the better you feel about it?)

I'll also be sending it to St Lukes charity where their theme this month is Christmas.

I've used 3 papers that I'd downloaded years ago from I cant remember where.......a holly print, Hark the Herald Angels music sheet, and vintage christmas angels ( I hope they forgive me for cutting their wings off?! ) .The holly was placed on a cream card base and the edges sponged. A square was torn from the music sheet and red sponged on the edges, and then some fluffy threads were wrapped around it before it was layered on the holly. The 2 children were cut out and stuck down and then the whole thing was sponged with a distress ink. The sentiment banner was added on 3D pads with a bow of the threads dangeling behind it with jingle bells on the ends.

Recipe: Card = from my stash

Inks = Real Red, Certainly Celery, and Tim Holtz Tea Dye

Stamps = Dovecraft

Extras = Fluffy threads and jingle bells

It's a Grand Prix weekend so I hope I'll get some crafting done.

Thanks for dropping by, and I'd love it if you could call again if you have time.

Orange trees

2011-11-11T16:38:00.001Z

Today I've rushed around like the squirrels burying their nuts for winter!!

I did manage to squeeze in a few hours at Jacqueline's, and at the last minute before I left, decided to enter the colour challenge at Simply Stampin where they have these yummy new colours.

The only SU stamps I had with me was my trusty Lovely as a Tree, so out they came. I've then had to finish it off at mum's friends house ( while they gossiped ) as I was running out of time to enter, so fingers crossed I've made the deadline.

Here's my card using one of my favorite techniques of "sponging".

On some Very Vanilla card I've sponged the yellowy sky over a Post It sun and a torn scrap paper hill, and then stamped the trees in the snowy foreground. I used the edges of the branches to make hedges along the crests of the hills, and the large pine tree to make a fir tree frame around the card edge. I finished by sponging the foreground to make small hillocks ( sorry they're hard to see in the photo), and drew 3 birds with a write marker.

Recipe: Card = Very Vanilla and square cream card from my stash

Inks = Daffodil Delight, Peach Parfait, and Soft Suede

Stamps = Lovely as a Tree

Extras = Post It

Hope you like it. Tomorrow I'll show you what I did make at Jacqueline's.

Have a good weekend.

Workshop Christmas cards

2011-11-10T17:13:00.001Z

Would you believe it, I've had another busy day so have not had time to craft, so instead here are the other two cards we made at our Tuesday workshop run by Jacqueline. Click here to visit her fabulous blog to see the details of these cards and her many other stunning creations.

The tree is dimensional and is able to lie flat to fit into an envelope.

Here it is from a different angle.

The other card is this one. Unfortunately, I messed up the stamping of the white tree so it looks thicker than the purple one, oh well.

Hopefully, I can do something tomorrow, so please call again if you can.

Baroque Christmas

2011-11-09T19:44:00.001Z

I've not had much time for crafting again lately, but yesterday it was our craft club day, and for once I managed to make, not just one card, but three.....I know, amazing!!( mind you, it's all down to Jacqueline who did all the hard work and prepared all the elements for us)

I'll show you those later, but first here is a card that I'll be entering into the CAS-ualfridays challenge #27 where the design or embellishments go over the edge of the base card.

As I've used traditional Christmas colours of red, green, and gold I'll also be entering it to the Make My Monday challenge #23, where Christmas is their months theme, and this week it's Traditional or Vintage.

So here it is

I started by drawing around a bauble card of my friend Louise, on some red card and cut it out. The flourish was Versamark stamped on it and heat embossed with gold powder and then gems randomly added. The same flourish was then stamped in green on a 5" square white card that had opposing corners rounded, before the bauble was placed slightly overhanging the edge, as if tied to the green branch behind it. The finishing touches were the gold bow and stamped red sentiment.

Recipe: Card = Real Red and Whisper White

Stamps = Baroque Motifs and sentiment ( Jacqueline's)

Inks = Versamark and Real Red

Tools = Heat gun and Xcut corner rounder

Extras = Gold embossing powder, ribbon, and gems

Here's one of the festive cards we made at our workshop. I love that it's so pretty yet so simple to make, and again in the traditional red and green colours.

I'll show you the others in my next post ( if you'd like to pop back?)

Thanks for looking at my blog today, and I'll be back soon with some more projects.

Baroque Motif

2011-11-06T16:32:00.000Z

I've had a spare hour this afternoon to try to get some housework done, but, oh dear, I only got as far as my craft table, and that was SOOOOO messy that I had to tidy it up!!!.....And somehow, my laptop got turned on and found its way to the Less is More challenge???? Then, I don't know what happened but red and orange inks fell onto my stamps?!...............there was nothing I could do but make a card to save wasting the inks.

This was the result and I'll be linking it to the LIM red and orange colour challenge

The red swirl is enhanced with orange stamped flowers with punched centers ( placed with help of my Stamp-a-ma-jig), and the punched butterfly with the flower stamped on its wings.The sentiment finishes off the diagonal direction of the design across the face of the card.

Recipe : Card = Pumpkin Pie and Whisper White

Stamps = Baroque Motifs and Verve

Inks = Real Red and Peach Parfait

Tools = Stamp-a-ma-jig, SU Butterfly Punch and Fiskars small flower punch

Extras = Red gems

Thank you for dropping by today, and I hope that I can find the time to do some more crafting this week, as I've really missed getting covered in ink and double sided tape.

Hope to see you soon

Autumn Leaves

2011-11-03T23:10:00.000Z

No time for crafting today as I'm busy, busy, busy, but here's a quick card that I've made for my favorite challenge blog Make My Monday. The theme is still Autumn and this week they're looking for Autumn Leaves.

This is my card, what do you think??

It started with a square cream card that had the center masked out with a Post It note. I then took some skeleton leaves and pressed them onto some ink pads to coat them with colour, and then I randomly placed them around the edges of the card and rolled over them with a brayer to leave the veins design on the card, and then the leaf removed. Another leaf stamp and some splats were also added before the Post It was removed and a wavy line drawn around the inside of the leaf frame. The sentiment was stamped on the bottom of the center panel ( with the aide of my Stamp-a-ma-jig ) and a brown butterfly added above it stuck by its body so that its wings are dimensional ( the antennae were drawn on the card with a marker.)

Recipe :

Card = Whisper White and cream card base from my stash

Stamps = French Foliage, Strength and Hope, and Verve

Inks = Chocolate Chip, Certainly Celery, Soft Suede, Crushed Curry, and Adirondack Rust

Tools = Speedball Brayer, Post It note and Stamp-a-ma-jig.

Extras = Skeleton Leaves

I hope to be back soon, but if not, I'll wish you all a good weekend.

Thanks for dropping by

Bermuda Bay Bird

2011-11-01T23:03:00.000Z

Yaaaaayy, the lovely DT at Make My Monday have chosen me as Top 3 again, Thank you so much Ladies I really appreciate it.

November already??!! Just where has this year gone? Still I love the autumn and winter months, everything looks so beautiful and the colours of the trees are fabulous.

Now, back to the present, today's card is for the CAS-ual Fridays challenge #26 using this sketch as a starting point.

I decided to rotate the sketch through 90* so my card is wider, but still keeping the structure of the design.

This is the end result, what do you think?

I started with some white card and stamping the bird with his wonderful tail on his branch. Then I extended the branch across the rest of the card using two swirls in the same green (with the aid of my Stamp-a-ma-jig ). The stamped image was then layered on some blue card before it all was placed onto a white card base and the corners rounded. To finish, a sentiment and gems were randomly added.

Recipe:

Card = Island Indigo, Whisper White, and white card base from my stash

Stamps = Whimsical Wings, Inkadinkado and Verve

Inks = Bermuda Bay, Pool Party, and Pear Pizzazz

Tools = Stamp-a-ma-jig and Xcut corner rounder

Extras = gems

I've got a few busy days coming up, so I'll be back as soon as I can.

Thanks for dropping by

Fresh cuts

2011-10-31T14:32:00.000Z

Happy Halloween everyone! I know most people will be Trick and Treating tonight, but I went last night with Nathan ( my 4year old nephew) and we had a great scary time. I wont show you the photos till the end of the post or else they'll scare you away!!!!!

Today's card is my entry for the Clean and Simple challenge #164 where they have this sketch.

Have a look

I started by stamping the script text onto white card in green ink, and colouring the flower heads in pink ( I just love green and pink together). This was then layered onto pink card and placed on a white card base. I then cut some pink and white flower shape nestabilities in the BS, layered them, and stamped the leaf sprig in green, and added a cut out flower head, and then placed it on 3D pads for dimension. To finish I made the sentiment banner and stuck this across the stamped image again on 3D pads.

Recipe:

Card = Whisper White, Blushing Bride, and white card base from my stash

Stamps = Fresh Cuts and Verve

Inks = Lucky Limeade and Blushing Bride

Tools = Big Shot and Flower nestabilities

Extras = 3D pads

Now for the scary photos, so log off now to save yourself!!!

This is Nathan in his "skelington" suit! ( but he wouldn't wear the mask as it was too scary for him. He did wear it as a headscarf in the next photo though!)

This is Nana with Sophie my 6 month old niece in her witch's wig

and this is me, as a witch, with Nathan and Erik, his Vampire bat!!. The Pumpkin wand I'm holding has got Nathan's home made bat, Fin Dink, hanging from it, and this is what he'll use as a frightening trick if somebody doesn't give him a treat. Luckily, Fin Dink was not needed as his "bat bag" got stuffed full of goodies!!

Well that's it for today, Thanks for looking, and I apologise if the photos were too much for you.

Birthday wishes

2011-10-30T10:23:00.000Z

Today , while watching the Grand Prix, I've made a card for the ColourQ #108 challenge where they have this photo for colour inspiration. The challenge ends at Noon so I hope I make it in time!!!

I've decided not to go with the Halloween theme, and have made a floral Birthday card instead.

Here it is

I stamped the large flower in black on peach and cream card, and then cut out the different segments before sticking them together with 3D pads for dimension. The same was done with the smaller flowers on yellow and cream card. The sentiment was stamped on cream card layered on peach card with some black ribbon behind it which was then tucked in behind the layers of black and cream card matts. The cream matt had been through the BS in an embossing folder.

Recipe : Card = Basic Black, So Saffron, Daffodil Delight, Peach Parfait, and white card from my stash
Stamps = Playful Petals and Verve
Tools = Big Shot and Budding Vine embossing folder
Extras = Black ribbon and 3D pads

I'm off Trick and Treating later dressed as a Witch, and Nathan is going as a skeleton!! I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks for looking at my blog today, and I'd love it if you have time to leave a comment.

I'll be back soon

Xmas Poinsettia

2011-10-28T21:24:00.000+01:00

Last night at Jacqueline's I started my card for the Case Study challenge #63 where their muse is still Niki Estes, and her inspiration card is this lovely rose.

Today I've finished putting mine together, and I'll also be entering it into the The Kraft Journal #42 where " Anything goes".

Have a look and see what you think of my interpretation.

First I used the Jolly Jingles jumbo roller to create the festive text background on some white card that was then matted onto a cream square card. The red petals and green leaves were made with the large Blossoms punch to create a Poinsettia flower, the edges sponged, and stuck onto a white card circle layered on a red scalloped circle nestabilities cut by the BS. Some Cosmic Twinkles were dabbed on all the petal and leaf tips, and the finishing touch was the gem in the center.

Recipe : Card = Whisper White, Real Red, Wild Wasabi, cream from my stash

Stamps = Jolly Jingles roller

Inks = Adirondack Rust, Real Red, and Always Artichoke

Tools = Big Shot, Scallop Circle nestabilities, Build a Blossoms punch

Extras = Cosmic Twinkles and Gem

While the roller and Blossom punch were out I also made this quick Christmas card.

I've a busy few days ahead, so I'll wish you all a good weekend, and spooky fun filled Happy Halloween.!!

Dandelion Trio

2011-10-27T16:53:00.000+01:00

Well I'm a little tired today after playing with Nathan yesterday, but at least we've got our costumes ready for Trick or Treating at the weekend. He's so excited, I just hope he doesn't get too frightened by all the gruesome costumes of others doing the same!!

Anyway, today's card is for the Clean and Simple challenge #163 where they have this sketch.

So I started with a white card and Versamark stamped on it three dandelion seed heads and heat embossed them with gold powder, and then did the same with the sentiment. Simples!!

Here's the card

Recipe : Card = Whisper White
Stamps = Personal Impressions
Inks = Versamark
Tools = Heat Gun
Extras = Gold embossing powder

I'm off to Jacqueline's tonight to have a crafting session so I'd better get my stuff together.

Thanks for dropping by, and I'll be back with more creations soon.

Howling Halloween

2011-10-25T19:03:00.000+01:00

A miracle has happened today..............I went around to my friends (Jacqueline's) house for our usual Tuesday get together and craft, and for once I actually managed to do a card!! I know, I amazed myself!! There was a slight hiccup, which I'll keep till the end of the post.

So, the card is for the Make My Monday Challenge. The theme is still Autumn, but the added rule this week is a colour scheme of Black and Orange, and an optional extra of Halloween.

Here's my entry

I started by cutting out a moon from a Post It and sticking it at the top of a piece of Silk coated card. I then Versamark stamped the wolf and tree of my design ( the tree is an Autumn tree!) and heat embossed them in black powder. With some scrap paper I tore a rough shape and sponged over the edge to create a Craggie rock for the wolf to stand on. I moved the torn paper and did the same effect several times so that the rocks got darker nearer the front of the scene. The evening sky was then sponged in orange and black, the Post It removed and two clouds sponged slightly encroaching across the moon. A grave stone ( drawn around the end of my metal ruler!) was sponged onto some more silk card and I wrote RIP above a sponged crucifix, before cutting it out and sticking it in the foreground. The finishing touch was the Halloween sentiment and the matts of orange and black onto a cream card.

Recipe: Card = Pumpkin Pie, Basic Black, and silk coated and cream card from my stash.

Stamps = Wolf and Tree of my design, and Halloween borrowed from Louise

Inks = Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie, and Versamark

Tools = Heat Gun ( No Big Shot today sadly)

Extras = Black embossing powder, and Post It

Now, my hiccup today..........not only did I forget Louise's birthday last week ( Belated card picture in my post on Saturday ) but I forgot to take my card with me today to give her!! I'm so sorry Louise, I'm going senile in my old age!.

Off to spend the day with Nathan tomorrow, and to sort out our costumes for Trick and Treating at the weekend, so I'll be back in a few days when I hope the tackle some more challenges.

Thanks for looking at my post today, and I'd love to know what you thought about my card.

Feeling Square??

2011-10-23T18:41:00.000+01:00

This is the second post of the day, and I made a card for the Pals Paper Arts challenge #116 where they had this square card sketch.

I was again using my new stamps, and some of the smaller stamps made me think of the swinging 60's, so that was my starting point for the colour scheme.

Here is the finished item

Instead of straight lines on the squares I decided to use a labels nestabilitie. Using a square white card as the base I cut the nestabilities shape at the corners and then randomly stamped in black the circle and flower shape before colouring them in with SU markers. With the BS I cut three labels, coral, green, and white, and the later was put through in an embossing folder, and then all stuck in the center of the base card. I then stamped the large flower several times on white card, coloured them in, and cut out 4 different layers. The first two were stuck on the embossed label, and then the center circle and flower were stuck on with 3D pads to give dimension. As the background is so busy I decided not to put a sentiment on this card so it is useful for all occasions.

Recipe : Card = Whisper White, Calypso Coral, and Pear Pizzazz
Stamps = Playful Petals
Inks = Black, Calypso Coral, Pear Pizzazz, Blushing Bride, and Lucky Limeade
Tools = Big Shot, Labels nestabilities, and Budding Vine embossing folder

Right, I'd better go and round up all the dogs toys before they get damp.

Hopefully I'll be back soon with some more creations.

Going Dotty

2011-10-23T17:52:00.000+01:00

I'm feeling more with it today so have had to catch up on so many things, but first, some crafting!!

This quick little card is for the Less is More challenge where the theme is Polka Dots. I hope that Mandi and Chrissie don't think that I've over done the dots! :)

This started with a square white card where I stamped the dotty flower stems and coral flowers in the corner. I then added the sentiment and stamped two small spotted butterflies. The large butterfly was two-stamped ( using my Stamp-a-ma-jig ) on white card and punched out before being stuck down just along his body so his, or her, wings are dimensional.

Recipe : Card = Whisper White

Stamps = Simply Said and Flight of the Butterfly

Inks = Pool Party, Island Indigo, Lucky Limeade, and Calypso Coral

Tools = SU Butterfly punch and Stamp-a-ma-jig

I'm not sure why but this card made me smile as I made it ( perhaps I am still a bit delirious??)

It's Monty's 4th Birthday today, and because he's my baby, he had a few pressies to open this morning. All, apart from one, have been eaten or ragged about and taken around the garden in his mouth to see the sites!! Bless him, he absolutely loves ducks, and here he's sat on the garden bench with a very slobbery duck.

Mon loves to take over the bench, because he has a better view of the neighbourhood cats and squirrels from up there.

Anyway, that's it for now, I'll be back later with another card.

Thanks for dropping in to my blog today, I hope you liked what I've made.

Playful Petals

2011-10-22T16:39:00.000+01:00

This afternoon I have sat down to finish the card I started yesterday at my friend Jacqueline's. While we were waiting for our new SU supplies to arrive, we made our entries to the CASE Study challenge #62 .

They had this card as inspiration.

I decided to use my newly acquired SU flower stamps that I'd bought on good old eBay.

This is my version of the card

I started by sponging the edges of some green spotted DP and laying it on a cream card. I then Versamark stamped the two flowers several times on pale and dark blue card and heat embossed them with white powder. I then cut the different layers of the flowers out and stuck them together alternating between the two shades of blue. The BS was used to cut two green vines and a white label nestabilitie. The sentiment was stamped on the label and the stitching around the edge added with a marker before it was layered on the DP. The vines were then placed at the top of the label and the flower placed where they met.

Not wanting to waste the other sections of the embossed flowers, I made this slightly different card for a friend whose birthday I missed, Sorry Louise ( see you on Tuesday! ). This is it, but this time I used the leaf from the set instead of the vines. I hope she likes it.

Recipe : Card = Bashful Blue, Night of Navy, Whisper White, Green Galore, and cards from my stash
Inks = Bashful Blue and Pool Party
Stamps = Playful Petals, Whimsiacal Words, and Verve
Tools = Big Shot, Heat gun, Labels nestabilities, and Marrianne die
Extras = DP from Create and Craft and White embossing powder

My head is still bothering me, but the ache is no where near as bad as it was last weekend, so I hope that I can do some more creating tomorrow.

Thanks for dropping by today, and I'd love it if you could leave me a comment, or come back again soon.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend

Autumn Inchies

2011-10-20T18:41:00.000+01:00

Today I am feeling almost human again, but it has taken me most of the day to make one card!!!

It is for the Make My Monday challenge where they are looking for a card of Autumn Inchies (one inch squares!!) including Flora and Fauna.

Here it is

I started by Versamark stamping the main image onto vanilla card and heat embossing it with black powder. It was then coloured with Promarkers and cut into nine Inchies, which were then layered on to slightly bigger Inchies of lilac and green card. I then Versamark stamped the leaf sprig several times up the edge of some brown card and heat embossed it in black. Some thin green ribbon and lilac cord were then wrapped around the bottom of the brown card and it was matted onto a square cream card. The nine pieces were matted onto the brown card with 3D pads for dimension. The sentiment was treated the same as the main image and placed on the bottom over the ribbons. I then stamped a Sparrow onto some cream card and coloured it with Promarkers, before using a brayer to stamp it's reverse image and coloured it in. They were then placed either side of the sentiment on 3D pads.

Here is a closer view of the Sparrows ( the original stamp is on the left )

Recipe : Card = Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Pear Pizzazz, Orchid Opulence, and cream card from my stash
Stamps = Fresh Cuts and Papermania
Inks = Versamark, and Promarkers
Tools = Heat gun, and Speedball brayer
Extras = Black embossing powder, ribbon, chord, and 3D pads

Hopefully my new Stampin Up stuff will be delivered this weekend, and I can have a good play and find my mojo again!!

Thanks for stopping by today, and to all of you lovely crafters that have left get well messages for me.

I hope I will have something new for you to see when you call again!

One Layer card

2011-10-17T14:39:00.000+01:00

Today I'm suffering with a terrible migraine so it's lucky that I drafted this post yesterday as my eyes cant stand the light of the screen.

I'd made a quick card for the OLW #68 challenge where they want "something triangular".

I also wanted to make another card for St Luke's Charity cards challenge where their theme is still "Something for the boys", so I thought of making a card with a Postage stamp as the image.

Take a look

I have a stamp of a postage stamp, but it's an oblong shape, so I stamped one corner of it pointing upwards in the center of a square card, masked this off with Post its and added a line of the perforations to join it up across the bottom. The triangular frame that this made was then masked off and the aperture sponged with blue ink. I then added the 1st in the corner and stamped a dragonfly, and flower heads along the bottom. This simple card was finished with the sentiment underneath .

I don't know if stamp collecting is still popular, or whether computers have taken over?, but I hope that the masculine vibe of this card will mean something to someone.

Recipe : Card = white card from my stash

Stamps = SU Organic Grace, Clarity, and Verve sentiment

Inks = Bashful Blue, Basic Black, Green Galore, and Sahara Sand

Tools = Post Its

Thanks for your visit today, I hope you can come back soon to see what else I've been up to.

Greenhouse flowers

2011-10-16T15:43:00.000+01:00

Well I've been up since the crack of dawn today as I was up to watch the Korean Grand Prix at 6am. So I've had some time to do some crafting.......Yaaay!!

I've made a card for the CASE study challenge#61 .

They have this card as inspiration and they want a project made that includes material.

I will also be entering it at The Kraft Journal #40 where they want something "to die cut for".

Here is my card

I started with a square cream card and layered it with some blue card that had sponged edges, and some off white open weave hesian. My Big Shot was then used to cut 2 green vines, a white scallop circle, and a lilac butterfly. The vines were placed at a right angle in the bottom corner, over which I grouped some flowers which I'd stamped onto white card and cut out. The sentiment was stamped onto the scalloped circle and then the top and bottom sections cut away to leave the bone shape, and it was placed on 3D pads for dimension. The finishing touch is the die cut butterfly that is secured at the body leaving the wings free.

Recipe : Card = SU Garden Green, Wisteria Wonder, Whisper White, Tempting Turquoise, and cream card from my stash

Inks = Pixie Pink, Rich Razzelberry, Real Red, Bravo Burgandy,Yo Yo Yellow, Dusty Durango, Bashful Blue, Tempting Turquoise, and Lovely Lilac

Stamps = Greenhouse Garden and Fresh Cuts

Tools = Big Shot, Scallop Circle nestabilities, Marrianne vine and Butterfly dies

Extras = Hesian and 3D pads

I find making these 2 step flowers quite theraputic ( and I'm getting better at doing them without using the Stamp-a-ma-jig!!!) and after making an A4 sheet full of different colours, I have some ready to be cut out for my next project.

Thanks for stopping by and looking at my blog, and I'd love to know what you think if you have time to leave a comment.

Please call back again soon.

Not Halloween

2011-10-15T19:02:00.000+01:00

Today I am entering my card into several challenges.

The colours are from ColourQ #106, and the lay

out from Mojo Monday challenge #210, and over

at The Kraft Journal #40 they are looking for Die Cuts.

This colour pallet is not easy for us Brits that don't celebrate or send Halloween cards, but I thought I'd have a go anyway.

Here is my card

I started with some grey card which I put through the Big Shot in an embossing folder, and then sponged the raised pattern. I used a border punch on some black card, wrapped it with some grey ribbon and bow, and added it to the top of the grey card. A strip of black card separates the embossing from the plain card. I stamped the frame in orange on white card, and added some two step roses and leaves, with a black sentiment, and stuck it down on 3D pads. The main feature is the yellow die cut butterfly in the center.

Recipe : Card = Basic Black, Basic Gray, Whisper White, and Crushed Curry

Stamps = Baby Blossoms and Verve

Inks = Basic Black, Crushed Curry, and Only Orange

Tools = Big Shot, Martha Stewart Punch, and Marianne Butterfly die

Extras = Ribbon and 3D pads

This morning my friend Jacqueline held a Stampin Up party, and our demonstrator, Paula, let us have a play with some of the new stuff from the latest catalogue, and this is the card we made.

I've ordered more than I should have, but crafting is my only vice ( honestly it is!!!) and I can't wait till it all arrives.

Thanks for looking at my blog today, and I hope you can come back again

Reindeer Christmas

2011-10-14T17:32:00.000+01:00

Today I've made yet another Christmas card, and I'm entering it in to mSimply Stampin Challenge#28 where they had this sketch.

I'm pushed for time so hope I make the deadline.

Anyway, here is my take on the sketch

The reindeer was stamped on white card and coloured with Pro markers and a gem added for his nose.

The large fir tree was Versamark stamped on green card and heat embossed with white powder, as were the trees on the red card. The sentiment was stamped in red on a disc of white withe the edges sponged in green. The holly was treated the same way. All the cards were layered as per the sketch on a cream square card, with the 2 discs being stuck on 3D pads to add dimension.

I hope you like him as much as I do.

Recipe : Card = Garden Green, Real Red, Whisper White, and cream card from my stash

Inks = Basic Black, Versamark, Real Red, Hunter Green, and Always Artichoke, and Pro markers

Stamps = Lovely as a Tree, Clarity, and Woodware sentiment

Tools = Heat Gun and Martha Stewart punch

Extras = White embossing powder and red gem

Thanks for dropping by today, and I hope you have a good weekend.

See you soon

Autumn Tree

2011-10-13T18:12:00.000+01:00

Yaaaayyy!! I've come Top 3 again at Make My Monday challenge. Thank you so much ladies, I'm really chuffed!.

This afternoon I've finally got some time to craft, and I am going to enter my card today into several challenges as they all have similar themes.

My first is for Make My Monday challenge #19 where they are looking for Autumn Trees,

Pals Paper Arts PPA115 and

Stampin Royalty#93 where they have these Autumn photos as inspiration.

So here is my card

I started with some cream card on which I randomly and lightly stamped a leaf and ink splats in 2 colours, and sponged over it and the edges. I then stamped a tree of my own design and coloured it with Pro markers. A sheer gold ribbon was wrapped around this card, the opposing corners were rounded, and then it was layered on to some tan and maroon cards before placing on a cream card. A small leaf was then stamped on some cream card in 5 colours and coloured with an Aqua painter, and each one was cut out and stuck at the bottom of the tree except for the 5 that have not blown from the branches yet!. The finishing touch is the birthday sentiment.

Here is a close up of the fallen leaves and the lightly stamped background.

Recipe : Card = So Saffron, Cherry Cobbler, with tan and cream cards from my stash

Stamps = Lovely as a Tree, French Foliage, Verve, and my own tree.

Inks = Chocolate Chip, Cherry Cobbler, Rich Razzleberry, Crushed Curry, Adirondack Black and Rust, and Tea Dye Distress Ink

Extras = Aqua painter, Brown Pro marker and sheer ribbon

I love the warm leaf colours and hope you like it too.

Thanks for dropping by today, and please call back when you can.

Voucher Win

2011-10-09T20:19:00.000+01:00

Hi everyone, I just want to tell you about the chance for you to win a $20.00 voucher over at the kraft Journal blog. All you need to do is pop over by clicking on the link and follow one or more of their instructions ( I already have! ). That's all there is to it!! So you've got to be in it to win it, and good luck.

CASE Just Believe

2011-10-09T20:03:00.000+01:00

It's been nice and windy again today and my washing dried in no time at all, the only problem now is that it needs ironing!!

Before I face this huge mountain though, I've sat and watched the Grand Prix ( I Sky +'d it in case I went back to sleep when it started at 6am , which I did!) and made a card for the CASE Study challenge #60 where this beautiful card is the inspiration.

This is my take on the challenge

I started with a piece of yellow card and stamped it with the leaf design in black, and then sponged the edges with distress ink before layering it onto some blue card. I next stamped the flower spray repeatedly in black onto some cream card that was put in the BS to cut a label nestabilitie. This also had the edges sponged and was then stuck onto a blue label and placed at an angel on the base layers. A cream and a blue ribbon were tied around these cards, and topped with a blue bow and a stamped and sponged sentiment panel. Everything was then stuck onto a cream card and 3 gem butterflies were added to the main label.

Recipe : Card = Tempting Turquoise, Very Vanilla, So Saffron, and cream card from my stash

Ink = Basic Black and Tea Dye Distress Ink

Stamps = Just Believe

Tools = Big Shot and SB Labels nestabilities

Extras = Cream and Blue ribbons, Butterfly gems, and 3D pads

Thanks for dropping by again today, and I hope you liked the card I'd made. I'd love to know what you thought, so if you have time please leave me a comment as I do appreciate receiving each and every one.

Free birds

2011-10-08T22:24:00.000+01:00

It's a funny old day again today, sunny but very windy..........still the rain is staying away so that's something I suppose!!

Today I've made a card that I'll be entering in for 2 challenges. The first over at the ColourQ challenge gave me the colours to use, and the second at

Cas-ual Fridays has a quote as
the inspiration in honour of one of their DT partners, Julie Ranae, who has had to endure extensive dental surgery.

So here is my card, and then I'll tell you how it was put together

I started by cutting 2 large ornate labels in the BS, layering the white on top of the brown, and then stamping the bird cage on the white with Versamark and heat embossing it with black powder. This was placed on the right of a white card. Next, using the Stamp-a-ma-jig, I stamped the blossom branches in green on the card and stuck on punched lilac flowers where the blooms are.

One escaped bird (facing right) was stamped on some brown card in black, the other (facing left) was done by inking up the stamp and rolling over the image with a brayer, and then rolling the transferred image onto the card, this results in a mirror image of the original.

Here is a close up of the birds, and they were stuck on with 3D pads for extra dimension.

The word 'smile' ( just for Julie) was written on some white card and again cut into a label and layered on a brown label, and a flower and leaves were added before it was also stuck on 3D pads.

Recipe: Card = Chocolate Chip, Wisteria Wonder, and Whisper White
Stamps = Papermania Tweet, and SU Garden Silhouettes
Inks = Versamark, Basic Black, and Pear Pizzazz
Tools = Stamp-a-ma-jig, Big Shot, SB Labels nestabilities, Fiskars punch, Speedball Brayer, and Heat gun
Extras = Black embossing powder, 3D pads

Well what a day I've had!!....... there must be something in the water as it's not only Julie, but my poor friend Pat, who had been up all night with terrible toothache. So this morning I took her to the emergency NHS drop-in clinic for some treatment. After waiting for what seemed like a lifetime, she was seen, and it turned out that she has an abscess under her tooth and is now on anti biotics.

I hope to have a restful day tomorrow and get chance to craft, so enjoy the rest of the weekend and I'll be back soon.

Thanks for dropping by, and I'd love to receive any comments if you have the time to write one.

Resisting Autumn

2011-10-07T19:10:00.000+01:00

This afternoon I have finally finished the card I started at my friends yesterday.

I am going to enter it in the Make My Monday challenge where the theme this month is Autumn, and this week it requires the use of a "resist technique". Also I will send it to the St Luke's Charity Cards Challenge where they want "something for the boys".

Here is the card

I started by randomly stamping Oak leaves and Acorns in Versamark on some silk card, and then brayered over it with a brown and green Big and Juicy ink pad. I did the same to the lone oak tree. The silk card was then cut into the large matt and small tag and layered onto some brown card. Some beige ribbon was wound around the large matt before it was stuck on the base card. To make the card more masculine two star shaped brads were added to opposite corners of the tree panel, and the bottom of the tag below the stamped sentiment. The tree, and tag were positioned on 3D pads to add dimension. I then stamped the oak leaf and 4 acorns onto brown card and heat embossed them with gold powder, cut out, and placed on the card on 3D pads. The finishing touch was a bow to attach the tag to the tree panel.

Here is a close up of the oak tree to show how the Versamark resists taking in the brayered ink to leave a ghostly image.

I'm quite pleased with the result and hope you like the card too.

Recipe : Card = Clarity silk card, SU Chocolate Chip, and cream card from my stash
Inks = Versamark, Big and Juicy Spice, and Chocolate Chip
Stamps = Lovely as a Tree, All Natural, and Verve
Tools = Speedball Brayer and heat gun
Extras = Gold embossing powder, 3D pads, beige ribbon, and gold star brads

It's a Grand Prix weekend but the TV coverage starts at silly o'clock in the morning so I dont think I will be crafting while watching it in bed!!

Hope you have a good weekend whatever you're doing, and I'll be back soon.

2011-10-06T20:51:00.000+01:00

Well the weather has changed yet again! What is going on???

Nevermind, it's a good excuse to do some crafting instead of anything else. So, today I have played along with the Mojo Monday challenge #209 and followed this sketch.

This is my card

To make it, I stamped a white card with green leaves and sponged the edges with the same green. I then used a border punch on some blue card and stuck it along the edge of some green card which was added to the stamped card. Some blue card was then put through the BS with a labels nestabilities and then again in an embossing folder. While the BS was out I also cut a scalloped and a plain circle in dark and light blue.The label was stuck on the green card, and then a ribbon was added across the top left corner and secured behind the stamped white card before all was stuck to the cream base card. A sentiment was stamped on the circle which was layered on the scallop circle, and some stamped flowers and leaves were mounted on the shape to give dimension.

This is a close up of the flowers and sentiment on the circle labels.

I used my Stamp-a-ma-jig to stamp the darker blue on the light blue of the flower spray behind the roses.

Recipe : Card = Green Galore, Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Pacific Point, and a cream card from my stash

Stamps = Baby Blossoms and Verve
Inks = Green Galore, Certainly Celery, Brilliant Blue, Bashful Blue, and Tempting Turquoise
Tools = Big Shot, labels and circles nestabilitiues, and Martha Stewart border punch

I went round to my friends this afternoon and started to make a card for another challenge. I've used the "resist method" on it and its nearly finished so I'll post it tomorrow. Pop back then if you can to find out what this technique is if you haven't heard of it before.

Waterfall card

2011-10-04T20:15:00.000+01:00

Today at our craft club we made waterfall cards, and here is my version

I started with a white 5" square card and layered it with pink and green patterned papers. A strip of cream card was then scored 5 times, and under each score line I stuck a pink card square layered with a cream square, on which I stamped a rose in 2 shades of pink. A thin strip of card was then stuck at the bottom of the reverse side and secured through the base layers with little star brads, and then all this was stuck on the base card. The frame and sentiment were stamped in pink on cream card, and some stamped roses were added around the frame, before it was stuck down on 3D pads. The finishing touch was the brad securing the pink ribbon for the pull mechanism.

Recipe : Card = Pink Passion, Very Vanilla, and white card from my stash

Stamps = Baby Blossom, and Verve

Inks = Pink Passion and Pixie Pink

Tools = Piercing tool , brads, and 3Dpads

Extras = Patterned paper and Ribbon

I hope you like what you see, and I'd love to read any comments you have.

Off to play Super Heroes tomorrow, so I'll be back in a few days. Thanks for dropping by today.

Colour of my eyes

2011-10-03T15:55:00.000+01:00

Well this Less is More challenge made me laugh!......."The colour of your eyes". I was stood staring into the mirror for ages ( something which I never do) trying to decide what colour me eyes were, and for the first time in years I noticed wrinkles, lines, and age spots that I didn't know where there. Oh well, we all get older don't we??

Anyway, I eventually realised that my eyes are still the same old colour that they've always been.........Hazel (a greeny brown)

With that decision made, I created one of my signature cards of stamping a scene through a faux aperture. Here it is

I started by putting a label nestabilities through the Big Shot with some scrap paper, and through this aperture I stamped the tree, and sponged around the shaped hole with the same colour.The sentiment was stamped underneath in the same colour.

Recipe: Card = White card from my stash

Stamps = Lovely as a Tree, and Verve

Inks = Soft Suede and Certainly Celery

Tools = Big Shot and Labels nestabilities

Tomorrow is our club workshop so hopefully I'll have a finished project to show you.

Today, a nurse came to show me what to do with my fortnightly injections. I can't tell you how worked up I was about injecting myself, but when the time came I did it with no trouble. I don't know what all the fuss is about!!??!! Still that's it now for 2 weeks, so I can now prepare myself for then.

Thanks for stopping by, and please come back soon.

Simple Chocolate Bliss

2011-10-02T19:44:00.000+01:00

It's scorchio again today and my back garden has turned yellow with all the fallen leaves everywhere, and no sooner do you sweep them up, more replace them. Needless to say, I gave up and sat down to catch up on some crafting.

Over at the Clean and Simple Challenge they had this sketch, and also at the Stampin Royalty challenge#91 they are asking for K.I.S.S ( Keep It Simple Sweetie )

So, here is the simple card I'll be entering into both challenges

I started with a cream card and layered it with some brown card. I then added a strip of paler brown card across the top, and with the same card cut it with a decorative punch. I then stamped the filigree image onto some cream card in dark brown ink, and added the punched card to the bottom and stuck it in the center, To finish it the sentiment was stamped on cream card mounted onto brown card and stuck down on 3D pads for some dimension.

Recipe : Card = So Saffron, Chocolate Chip, pale brown and cream card stock from my stash

Stamps = Bliss and Verve

Ink = Chocolate Chip

Tools = Martha Stewart Border Punch and 3D pads

I'm not looking forward to tomorrow as I have a nurse coming to show me how to inject my new medication. I have a phobia about needles, and although I have blood taken regularly and have IV hospital treatments, someone else is in control and I don't have to look!!! I keep telling myself that it'll be OK, but I'm still dreading it. I'll let you know if I manage to do it?!

Well that's all folks!, and I hope to have time to craft some more.

Thanks for dropping by today, and I hope you can return soon.

Loopy Birthday!

2011-10-01T21:35:00.000+01:00

I'm busy again this weekend as it's my nephews 4th birthday, so with less free time it calls for another quick CAS card.

Over at CAS-ual Fridays challenge they are looking for something loopy! So out came my ribbon box, and I was drawn to the pink ribbons I won in the candy from Make My Monday, and my card was born.

Here it is with the other bits and pieces added, in one of my favourite colour combos of pink and green.

As I've just acquired my Baby Blossoms set ( just in the nick of time before it was retired ) I was itching to play with it, so I wanted to use it on this project. To match the ribbons I stamped 3 single roses in 2 pink inks, and added leaves to 2 of them before cutting them out. I then stamped the frame in green and added a pink sentiment, and stuck the ribbons along the bottom to create 3 loops. A 5" square card had the corners rounded and was put through the Big Shot in a butterfly embossing folder and the frame added. The finishing touch was the addition of 2 gems at the top and bottom of the frame, and the roses placed on 3D pads for dimension.

Recipe : Card = SU Whisper White and a White card from my stash

Inks = Pixie Pink, Pink Passion, and Certainly Celery

Stamps = Baby Blossoms and Verve

Tools = Big Shot and Butterfly Kisses embossing folder

Extras = Pink ribbons, 3D pads, and gems.

Thanks for stopping by today, and I hope you can come back soon

Rockin' Robin

2011-09-29T21:47:00.000+01:00

Phew, it's been scorchio here today, and it's supposed to get even hotter tomorrow, so I will be doing everything possible to keep in the shade.

I've had another busy day, but managed to find some time to make a card. I saw over at Kraft Journal challenge they were asking for us to "Use a Sketch" as inspiration or CASE it. Some time ago I saw this sketch at Clean and Simple challenge and loved it's simplicity, so have decided to use it.

I'm still doing the Christmas list for my friend ( and I think this is the last one?) so this is what I came up with.

I started with a cream card and masked off an area a third of the way down with Post Its. I sponged this area with green, and then randomly stamped a pine sprig, a leaf, and holly leaves in various green inks, before drawing a wiggely gold line along the outline. I then used the BS to cut 3 labels in cream and stuck them on the green stamped panel ( sadly the photo doesn't really show how the green makes the cream labels stand out ). I made 3 Robins with the Bird punch and stuck one on each of the labels. The finishing touch was the green stamped sentiment above the border which was put in place with my Stamp-a-ma-jig.

Recipe : Card = SU So Saffron, Chocolate Chip, Poppy Parade, and cream card from my stash

Inks = Certainly Celery, Always Artichoke, and Handsome Hunter

Stamps = Dovecraft

Tools = Big Shot and Labels Nestabilities

Extras = Gold Pilot marker

Have you noticed the middle Robin is facing the wrong way? When sticking them together I hadn't noticed he was the other way around till I came to put them on the card, but I think I like it that he is different. What do you think?

Today, Mum has been here helping me to clean my carpet in my lounge and dining room with a Vax machine. Our logic was that the humid weather would help to dry them afterwards, but we didn't invisage just how hot we would get doing it. Neither of us are in the best of health and both are crippled with RA, so the moaning and groaning we did would have made a hole in the Ozone layer! Still it got done, and I was glad to sit and rest this evening and do some crafting.

This weekend we will be doing various things for Nathan's 4th birthday, so I wont get chance to do anything else till next week.

I hope you all have a good weekend and can make the most of the returning summer before it disappears again.

Thanks for dropping by today.

Triple Layer Dandelion Wish

2011-09-28T21:01:00.000+01:00

This afternoon I have had an hour to myself, and I've spent it unwinding and trying to craft. Again, I've struggled with where and what to start, but finally decided to hit two for the price of one with the CAS-ual Fridays challenge #21 hinting at the colours idea ( I went with shades of Green with Brown ), and Less is More challenge for the layout.

I used a cream square card as the base and stamped the sentiment in brown in the bottom corner. With the BS I cut 3 label nestabilities in 3 different green cards and layered them with the darkest at the bottom and lightest on the top. I then stamped the dandelion head in brown on the top card.

This is the finished simple card, what do you think?

Recipe : Card = SU Garden Green, Green Galore, Gable Green, and cream card from my stash

Ink = Chocolate Chip

Stamps = Personal Impressions

Tools = Big Shot and Labels nestabilities

Thanks for looking here today, and I'll be back again with some more project soon ( I hope!)

Nathan's Birthday cards

2011-09-28T09:53:00.000+01:00

My nephew Nathan is 4 years old on Friday, so as well as the Spiderman card from me, I've made a Lightning McQueen ( from Disney's "Cars" ) and a Numberjack 4 card from his parents and grandparents.

Here they are

Nathan has been doing a lot of street dancing (well he thinks he is!!) lately and he does a move which he calls "a robot walking backwards", hence the little bird doing the same ( and its covering an ink smudge )

They are plain and simple, and I hope he likes them..........mind you he'll be too busy with his presents to care what the cards look like!!

No other cards I'm afraid, as yesterday at my friends I could not think about crafting as my mind was focusing on my poor old neighbour who still isn't well, and his son is going back to London and leaving his dad alone. I wont bore you with anymore tales of woe, but I'm not a happy bunny he's going

Hope to be back in the crafting saddle soon, and thanks for bearing with me.

Butterfly Birthday

2011-09-25T15:40:00.000+01:00

What a great afternoon I've had sat on the sofa watching the Grand Prix and crafting!!

I've popped over to Clean and Simple challenge #FTL159 where this week they have this sketch.

I have used my Butterfly stamps and punch to create this simple card

I started with a white card and stamped three bunches of flowers across the bottom, and wrapped 2 ribbons around the card above them. I then stamped the flowered wings of a butterfly 3 times on purple card, and 3 times on lilac card, and cut them out with a butterfly punch. These were then stuck along their bodies and staggered in 2 lines down the card. To finish, the sentiment was then stamped under the ribbon, and gems added as the butterflies heads.

Recipe : Card = SU Orchid Opulence, white and purple cards from my stash
Stamps = Flight of the Butterfly, Just Believe, and Verve
Inks = Rich Razzleberry
Tools = Butterfly punch
Extras = Purple and Lilac ribbons, and gems

Thanks for dropping by today, and I'll be back soon.

Autumn Foliage

2011-09-24T19:46:00.000+01:00

Today while hanging the washing out I saw that my pond had a layer of leaves floating on the surface, so out came the fishing net and a scooping I went!! I noticed their lovely combination of autumn colours, and this got my creative juices flowing for when I sat down to craft in front of the TV for the Grand Prix.

I automatically reached for my French Foliage set, and decided to use the sketch at Mojo Monday challenge #207 as a starting point.

This is my interpretation of the sketch, and I simply love the colours.

I started with a cream card and cut a squares of orange, brown, and 2 white card . I randomly stamped the white squares with the 3 leaves from the set in yellow, brown, and rust, and then the splats and postal mark in grey. The white squares were then mounted on the orange and brown cards that had had their edges roughened with my scissors, and placed at an angle on the front of the card. I then used my BS and cut 2 labels, 1 red and 1 white. The white one was stamped with the sentiment and layered on the red one and placed off center over the squares. With my BS still out, I cut 1 red and 2 orange multi layered Flowers, curled the petals and placed them on the right side of the top label, and a brown leaf stamped onto brown card added to the left with a ribbon bow above it. The finishing touches were 3 brown leaves and gems added to the flowers.

Recipe : Card = SU Pumpkin Pie, Poppy Parade, Whisper White, Brown and cream cards from my stash
Stamps = French Foliage and Verve
Inks = Crushed Curry, Sahara Sand, Adirondack Rust and Espresso
Tools = Big Shot, Labels Nestabilities, and Crealies flowers
Extras = Gold ribbon and gems.

Thanks for dropping by and I hope you like my card, and I would love to hear what you think if you have time to leave a comment.

I plan to do more crafting tomorrow, so call back if you can.

Spiderman Pop Up Birthday

2011-09-23T21:50:00.000+01:00

Today I've not had any time to do anything but finish my Spiderman card for Nathan's birthday next Friday. I have downloaded pictures of Spiderman's head and one of him in swinging action, onto white card from a free Film Characters web site, and coloured them in with Pro markers before cutting them out.

I folded an A4 white card in half for the card base and stuck the head on the front. I stamped the letters of Nathan onto coloured card bits and cut them out, and stamped Happy Birthday all to the side of the head, with a number 4 in the middle. I then cut 2 SB Lotus Pendants in the BS in black card and stuck them on so that they would suggest spiders webs ( well hopefully anyway!)

Inside the card I sponged the top of the back page with blue ink around a scalloped circle ( cut in my trusty BS) to look like clouds in the sky.
I then cut some grey card slightly smaller than the card base. and cut the top half into a City skyline of tower blocks, and added black Pro marker windows.( I did this freehand, which was a big mistake with my shaky hands, but it was too late to change it once I'd started ). I then cut 3 slits on the fold of the grey card and pushed them inwards against the fold. The Spiderman was stuck onto the center slit and a tower block was put on the side ones. 2 more SB Lotus shapes were cut and stuck on opposite corners as webs, from which I strung some black embroidery silk thread and fixed the ends to the hands of Spiderman so he could swing from building to building.

With this side view photo I've tried to show you the "pop up" side of the card, which also makes the city look more 3 dimensional.

I hope Nathan likes it as it's taken hours of fiddeling to put together!!

Now I'm used to playing Super Heros with Nathan, but yesterday I went into action for real!!

Yesterday afternoon, I was called around to my elderly neighbour (and widower), Gordon's house, by his visiting friend June. She was in tears because she was frightened that Gordon was dying. I went rushing around and went into Police mode ( after 20years service you never forget your training ) and did my first aid bit, put him in the recovery position, and dialed 999, and told June to make some tea to keep her occupied. I also thought we were too late to save him, but by some miracle the Paramedics arrived and brought him back!! It turned out that he had gone into a diabetic coma, and when he came back to life he told us that he hadn't been doing his blood sugar levels for a week as his little blood reader had broken!!!! I could have killed him myself when I heard that!. He was refusing point blank to go to hospital against all our pleading, so I stayed with them and tried to take their minds off the traumatic afternoon they'd had. Anyway, June had phoned Gordons son, Stuart, in London to come home, and when I collected him from the railway station I told him what the events were and that we were to take him to see his GP today, which we did. He's got to have some tests done but Stuart has to return to London, so I'm left responsible for his dad which I'm not too happy about, but I have set wheels in motion to get him some home help. I hope that he will be ok over the weekend,but they all know I'm here if they need me.

There's no rest for the Wicked!!!!

I hope you all have a good weekend, and can drop by again soon.