The Creative Corner

Testing

2012-01-30T22:53:00.001Z

OMG I think I've finally got this working - please excuse if I don't do a big explanation of this card, but just being able to share is amazing!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Finally a card

2012-01-08T16:41:00.001Z

Well, it's been a long time since I made a card - have to say this Christmas was not the best what with my mother in law passing away and my daughter finally discovering that Santa doesn't exist, you can imagine the disappointment that caused! (though she does still want a stocking every year.Anyway, as a result of all of this, I haven't made a card in ages (& managed to delete one of my blog posts by mistake)

Not even sure if this post will publish so going to keep it brief - hope you like

It didn't post - had to switch on the laptop (hey ho), sorry for the quality of the picture, I used the camera on the Ipad in the anticipation that I would be able to post that way.

Sorry!

2011-11-09T20:28:00.002Z

I can't believe it's been nearly a month since my last post and also nearly a month since I last switched on my laptop - but I do love my IPad!

I have been making things, and I've been spending lots of pennies, mainly on Crafters Companion products - have become quite obsessed with their products, but they are so good and such good value, it's difficult not to.

One of the CC things I bought (well, several) was the Snowman products, all of them, CD's and stamps, they are fab, so fab in fact that I had to use them to make something really special. So armed with a tutorial that Sara Davies did on the CC forum during birthday week, I made 24 individual slider boxes and then stuck them all together and created this. I've wanted to do one of these for ages but until I saw the tutorial (using the ultimate pro) I didn't know how to make the slider boxes, but they are soo easy, it was great. All of the papers used on the advent calendar are from CC as well, and of course the gorgeous snowmen stamps, and to top it off, I used my CC Spectrum Noirs to colour the images.

I have so much more to show you, but I will have to save that for another day - hopefully not so long next time! I'm going to enter this card into the Crafters Companion Monthly Challenge, which this month is 'Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow'.

No Card today

2011-10-14T07:50:00.001+01:00

Well, so far this week I've made nothing, not a bean - not even finished colouring in Humphrey, so I've nothing new to show, so I thought I'd put up the photos of my Exeter stash:

I spent soooo much money, but I had a lovely day and made a snowman out of the strangest clay I've ever played with (called jumping clay and you can find it here). I even got to meet and talk to Stephanie Weightman at the end of the day, she was so lovely to talk to and very kindly let me have my photo taken with her.

Anyway, hopefully I will be able to get in a crafty weekend and will have some bits and pieces to show you soon (must get out those inks - forgot I'd bought them!).

World Cardmaking Day

2011-10-07T08:09:00.001+01:00

Sorry for being a bad blogger - did try and post this via my IPad, but will have to investigate better how to get it to work as some of the buttons don't seem to like the IPad (hey ho).

I am really loving Crafters Companion products at the moment and this latest card is a case in point, the image and papers are from their The Snowman CD, the sparkle on the snowman (if you can see it) is from the spray and sparkle iridescent and the sentiment is one of the snowman stamps. I turned it into an easel card so that it will stand up (and stand out) on the craft table I'm sharing at my friend Alison's charity breakfast tomorrow.

Anyway, short blog post today - hope you like the card and I'm entering this into the Crafters Companion World Cardmakers Day challenge.

Gilding Flakes

2011-09-27T20:02:00.002+01:00

Well, when I went to Exeter last week I bought some gilding flakes and glue and skootchy sponge - I've wanted to have a go with these for ages, and I really wasn't disappointed, they are FABULOUS!!!

Very short post as I want to go and watch some telly, the stamps are Inkadinkadoo with simple matting & layering - hope you like & back soon (off to catch Holby City).

Oops!

2011-09-25T18:13:00.002+01:00

OMG, I can't believe it's been two weeks since my last post, I'm so sorry (though not sure who I'm apologising to). I got a new IPad and have been busy playing on that and neglected to switch on my laptop and download anything from my camera - so much so that I've missed entering two blog challenges that I had actually made a card for, the third challenge (yes I made a card that went across three challenges) is still open, so I would like to enter this card into the Crafters Companion monthly challenge which is Christmas Wishes, and as I have a full set of the new Christmas Humphreys (Woop! Woop!), together with the CDs I thought it would be the ideal time to use them.

I used Crafters Companion water colour card to colour the image (this stuff is brilliant), and I have to say, I am now a convert to rock-a-blocks, I originally thought they were a gimmick and an excuse to get you to spend money - I was sooooo wrong, THEY ARE AMAZING! All of the papers used on this card are from the CD, even the border across the middle. Really pleased with how this card turned out and will be using Humphrey for so many more Christmas cards (well, until my snowman delivery from Crafters Companion arrives - I don't work for them, honest, but I sure wish I did!!).

I also went to Exeter Westpoint on Friday and spent soooo much money, had a great time with my friend Alison, and got to meet Stephanie Weightman, who was so lovely, and didn't make me feel stupid for asking for my picture taken with her - I will post this soon (though I feel fat and frumpy next to her, she is amazingly pretty).

Anyway, I hope you like my card, and I will try and return more often, as I have lots to show you, and plenty of pictures from Westpoint.

Catch Up

2011-09-10T20:38:00.001+01:00

Well, I've had a lovely day today - I went to an impromptu demo over at Just Tracys, she's just had the new Wild Rose Studio Christmas stamps in and was showing them off brilliantly. I didn't manage to get everything I wanted as they had already sold out of the snowflakes, but I have got these on order. I did manage to get one of the gorgeous penguins, some circular sentiments and a lovely snowflake tree. Tracy was also showing off the lovely WOW embossing powders - have to say they were very aptly named, could also have been called OMG as they are totally amazing they are incredibly fine and emboss to a fab shine. I also bought some 5x5 card blanks in white and black to replenish my stocks - really must start trying to sell some of my cards, I have made so many and while I do use some up for family and friends, I have loads just waiting to be given, suppose while I think my cards are fab, not sure I handle the rejection of people not buying them well & take it very personally.

Anyway, some more cards to add to the stash ready to sell at some point, these first two are almost like twins and I made them using my new snowflake tree and the sentiment stamp that came with it, on the black on white one, I used the new WOW embossing powder I bought (I've got the snowflake embossing powder on order - that one is sooo lush!). The white on black I used a white embossing powder from my stash, both of these cards are really simple to make and look fab, just what you need at Christmas when you have so many to make.

These next two are just catching up on some I have made recently - the fall blessings one I'm not entirely happy with, I really liked the idea but I'm not sure it's turned out as well as it could have.

I took a single leaf stamp and stamped it onto scratch paper twice and cut out, then I put repositionable tape on the back so that I could use them as masks. Then I drew a circle on the card very faintly with pencil and stamped the leaf using versamark and embossed with gold embossing powder, once this had cooled down I then masked these off and did a couple more leaves and used the same technique until I had the entire circle covered - only it doesn't quite look like a circle. The leaves were coloured using a shimmering watercolour paint (would like to say it was H2O's but these were the cheapy versions). The sentiment in the middle is from Waltzingmouse Stamps and I stamped it using the gingerbread colourbox chalk ink.

This last card was made using a lovely digi stamp from Mo's Digital Pencil - her images are just so amazing, I love them all!! The backing papers are from my Clare Curd Signature range paper pad (still working through those 200 sheets), but I actually managed to alter them slightly. The green paper with the spots on, was actually originally black and white, but I changed it using my spectrum noir pens, I also used the pens to change the white dots on the brown backing paper to green as well. I used some of my candi dots in gold in the corners and the circular sentiment is one of my LOTV stamps. Hope you like

Anyway, that's me caught up a bit with some of the cards I've made recently - Off to Exeter in a couple of weeks for my annual birthday jaunt to the craft show. Always come back with loads of goodies, ideas and very sore feet, usually soo tired after the show it takes me all weekend to recover (go on Friday). Hopefully I will be putting in some more posts before then, I really want to ink up my little penguin tomorrow if I get a chance, but with Charlie back at school I've got a weeks worth of School uniform to get washed, dried and ironed before Monday! (no rest for the wicked!).

Happy Christmas

2011-09-04T19:48:00.000+01:00

Wow, two posts in one day, this wasn't quite as easy to put together as the other card today, but really it was a fairly straight forward card - I seem to be finding it easier to make cards at the moment and have loads of ideas buzzing around in my head (just hope I can get them down on paper before they disappear again!).

The image for this came from a Kanban set I was given for my birthday last year (nearly round again - how time flies!), I coloured it with my Spectrum Noirs, cut out with my nesties, simple matting and layering. The poinsettia is a Marianne Design - I don't think the colours show up too well in the photo. I did some faux stitching on the base card with a green fine line pen (one of the whispers pens), the sentiment is one of my Lilli of the Valley stamps.

Anyway, another card down ready for Christmas!

Seaside Fun

2011-09-04T14:52:00.000+01:00

I had such fun making this card - I decided to just make a card for fun, no occasion or person in mind, no thought to giving it to anyone, just for the fun of it - and it really was fun and kind of made itself in the end.

I had downloaded the papers for the Get Funky challenge ages ago and just left them on my computer, but then whilst blog hopping yesterday, I came across instructions for a tent card and really loved the idea - immediately the paper from the Get Funky challenge came back to my mind and I set to it. The image in the centre of the card is a digi stamp from the centre of the Simply Cards & Papercrafts magazine - they have these most months and some of the images are just brilliant. I used a 2 in 1 glue pen and hot foils to create the fins on the fish and I've given the sun a coat of glossy accents.

I really love this card, it makes me smile to look at and I shall probably never give it to anyone - I like it too much! & hope you do too

It's official - I'm too old for clubbing

2011-08-29T19:49:00.000+01:00

Well, had the hen do last night & I couldn't wait to get home - why do they have to play the music so loud that your ears ring and you have to learn to lip read very quickly so that you can hold even a minimal conversation? Give me a comfy sofa, something good on the telly and a nice cup of coffee any day (cheaper too!), I've also found that years of wearing flat shoes has made it impossible for me to wear heals for any length of time, my toes kept getting so numb I had to keep taking my shoes off.

Anyway, I promised to come back with pictures of the Christmas cards I made on Saturday, so here goes:

This first one was made using some stars that Sharon gave to me, she got them in the B&Q sale after Christmas one year - just goes to show you don't just have to go to craft shops to find things to use on cards, they are all over the place. The sentiment is from an Inkadinkado set that I've had for ages, which I stamped in versamark and then embossed in white - the only problem with this is that when you emboss onto Kraft cardstock, the card warps more than normal card (don't know whether it has a higher moisture content?), so I ended up having to put it under some heavy books for a few hours to straighten back out before putting the stars on as they are quite dimensional. I really like this card as it's really simple.

This next card was a copy of one from a magazine, but theirs was a 'thinking of you' card with soft colours, which i didn't have so decided to change it into a Christmas design. The papers were from a Wild Rose Studio paper pack that I bought last year (I think - may be the year before, time seems to run away with me nowadays!) - the faux cross stitch edges were done with my trustee black fineliner - not sure I've quite got the hang of them, just seem a bit too uneaven for my liking. The sentiment is another Inkadinkado and I even used some gold peel offs (only have half a ton of them still to use up - don't use them much as it feels too much like cheating to me).

Finally, this card was made using a very old sheet of PSX stickers that I've had for some time (probably 5 years or more!), can you believe I had 5 sheets of these stickers, which I had bought for only one thing on them, so all of the other stickers just stayed on the sheet, still at least I'm making a start on using them now. You may recognise some of the backing papers used, they are some papermania ones that were out a few years ago, and yes, I'm still trying to use them up!

Anyway, hope you liked these - I've got to go back to work tomorrow, ah well, it's been a lovely week off, felt much longer than a week and I'm sure it will only take a couple of days before it feels like I'd never been away. Hopefully I will be able to fit crafting in between work and looking after the family, so see you soon.

So much to do, so little time

2011-08-27T17:58:00.000+01:00

Well, I may not have been blogging this week, but I have certainly kept myself busy. I've had a week off work and so have been trying (weather permitting) to do things with family - not that the family want to do things with me, but that's just tough!

On Sunday we took the frisbee onto the moors, and had the obligatory ice cream whilst we were there, on Monday we visited Morwelham Quay - this was where they filmed the Edwardian Farm, and I actually got to go in the house that Ruth lived in for the year (well, she probably didn't but that's where all the filming was done), it's a brilliant place and really well worth the visit if you're down our way. On Tuesday we went to the Cinema to see Rise of the Planet of the Apes - this was an amazing film! the special effects were stunning! On Wednesday, we rested as DH had done far too much and was suffering quite badly from the previous days outings.

Thursday DD collected her GCSE module results - these are not the final grades but just the grades she has got for the parts she has sat so far (all very confusing nowadays - why can't they stick with one or two exams for each subject in the final year?) She did really well and I'm very proud of her (B in Chemistry and C's for her other science subjects).

Also on Thursday, I spent the afternoon making my fancy dress outfit for a hen do I'm going to on Sunday - if you're in town on Sunday evening, I'll be the rather large lady dressed in green and purple satin (I'm going as the mad hatter). Handy being able to sew when you're my size as the off the peg fancy dress outfits would not have fitted particularly well and if I'd tried to wear one I may well have been arrested for indecent exposure (they are all rather on the short side).

This week has also not been without some card making, and indeed today, on my crafty afternoon with Sharon, I managed to make 3 - YES 3! Christmas cards, but I shall blog those another day. For today I'll just show you the ones I've made during the week. The first is an unusual card shape that I copied from a magazine - theirs used a Lilli of the Valley stamp, but as I didn't have this, I used a freebie digi stamp that I've had for a while from Dustin Pike - the image has been coloured with my now trusty Spectrum Noirs and I highlighted the armour with Papermania Hot Foils in silver. The sentiment is from an old set I got from Elzybells ages ago.

The next card was made using last weeks Sketch Saturday sketch (too late to enter it but never mind). The image was from a freebie set that came with one of my magazines, not my best colouring, or even my favourite card but then they can't all be. The only thing I was really happy with is the chevrons down the left side, this was made with one of my background stamps from Walzingmouse, and I think it looks really good (shame about the rest of the card!).

The stamping straight onto backing paper idea came in handy with my last card, which is really simple, but I love the colours. The image is from a Kanban set, which I stamped onto the backing paper using Adirondack lettuce, I wanted the colours to be muted a bit, I then layered the image onto some peach card and then straight onto a Kraft card blank - simples!

Anyway, I'll be back soon with the Christmas cards I made today - in the meantime, Happy crafting!

Woo Hoo!

2011-08-17T07:58:00.000+01:00

Well, I've had a good few crafty days, with a bit of work thrown in for good measure. I've been sewing a top, crocheting slippers and I even found time to make this card.

It's a variation on the butterfly card on my earlier post but uses the Martha Stewart button punch instead, I also used a white gel pen to do some faux stitching, which I thought sat quite well with the button theme. The papers were from the Kate Knight Totally Tropical papers, which were free with the latest copy of Cardmaking and Papercraft magazine. Another card without a stamped image, think I may need a lie down in a darkened room!

Anyway, this is just a quick post as I need to go and get ready for work again - hey ho....

Good Saturday

2011-08-15T07:57:00.001+01:00

Well, I had a great afternoon on Saturday, my friend Sharon came over, and we both had a very slow start to crafting as neither of us could decide what we wanted to do. I got out a huge (and I mean huge) pile of magazines and started to go through them to see if any ideas came up. Eventually, I found the two cards I've made, I know they're copies of ones in the mag and in some respects are cheating, but I'm really pleased with them, they've helped to get my creative juices flowing and I've got loads of ideas (shame it's now Monday and I've got to go to work!).

This card should have used a scalloped square nestie, but I don't possess one of those, but I do possess a Cricut and so used that with my Accent essentials cartridge to create the scalloped square, the punch is by Martha Stewart, and the papers were a freebie with a magazine (Craftwork Cards Vintage Rose). The butterflies and the backing paper are highlighted with my stickles glitter glue.

My second card was so simple, with two papers used for the background, one has been punched with my XCut border punch (this is not the one it should have been but I didn't have that). The light green strips were actually white, and I coloured the paper with my Spectrum noirs. I cut the flowers with my circle nesties, scrunched and layered up, then put candy dots in the middle. The leaves are a sizzlets set and the Birthday wishes is from Stampin Up, stamped with Versamark and embossed with gold.

Hope you like them & if I get a chance before the creativity disappears I will try and make some more cards on the same theme, even if I don't I've got next weekend to look forward to & hopefully my other crafty friend Alison will be feeling up to some crafting.

Christmas is coming

2011-08-09T20:12:00.000+01:00

Sorry, but you know it's true!

I was over on Tracy's blog the other day and she had made a card using a sketch challenge over at I{heart}2stamp (you can find the link on my 'challenge blogs' bar), well I went and had a look and thought it looked like a brilliant sketch - more so due to the fact that I already had an image coloured and ready to go, which I thought would sit well with the sketch.

The card took no time to make, hence, two days in a row I've managed to post something! (see miracles do happen!).

Okay, some deets for you, the stamp is one I've had for donkeys years (a proper, old fashioned, wood mounted one!) by Personal Impressions. I coloured it with my spectrum noir pens (1 and 11 for the berries, 43 and 51 for the leaves, 91 and 92 for the branch and 163 for the outline), inked the edge with my Tim Holtz distress inkpad, Tea Dye, and then for good measure I used my glossy accents to make the berries really stand out. The papers are all from a Trimcraft pad I got going cheap after Christmas last year. The ribbon I got from Exeter a couple of years ago - see there is a good reason for buying and hoarding all that stuff, I do use it eventually.

Anyway, hope you like and maybe I'll even be back soon with some more (no promises though!)

You may need your sunglasses

2011-08-08T07:59:00.000+01:00

I wanted to cover several challenges with one card - big challenge in itself. So I picked the Just Tracys Crafts Challenge, Creative Inspirations Challenge and Sketch Saturday. Well, the creative inspirations challenge was to just use yellow and white (you can use skin and hair colours as well, otherwise that would be just weird!), this was a perfect opportunity for me to use my new Spectrum Noir pens as there is a yellow set - so armed with only 6 pens I set to with this lovely Molly Blooms freebie stamp from a magazine a while ago. Finding yellow backing papers was a bit more difficult, but with a bit of digging I found a DCWV 12x12 pad, Nana's Kitchen, which a lovely yellowy/orange paper with the hearts and flowers, the paper strip across the middle is from some freebie papers, again from a magazine. I used my lovely EK Success border punch to create the flower strips. The sentiment is a LOTV and everything else is from my stash.

I started this card while my lovely friend Alison was round on Saturday - I always have a great time when Alison is over and manage to get loads of ideas, so hopefully I should be able to create more (fingers crossed).

Anyway, I really ought to go and get ready for work - the start of another week, hey ho...

Happy Birthday WWW

2011-08-06T14:09:00.001+01:00

Well, according to the news this morning, it is the birthday of the World Wide Web - this day 20 years ago, a very clever man, called Tim Berners-Lee (now Sir) came up with a very clever way of connecting people/computers to the internet. He didn't charge for this invention and gave it to the world for free (I believe he is doing rather well for himself anyway), and it is thanks to him that I am able to produce this blog for the world to see (or the two or three people who look at it anyway).

This card has taken me all week to produce, and considering the image was already coloured and ready to go, that's not very good. I find that the more cards I make, the easier it gets to produce them, but recently I've not done many and so they are more difficult to compose and hence take longer.

The image is one of my favourite, but very old, Tilda's which I've coloured with my Spectrum Noirs (PMs now gathering dust), the papers are various from my stash (one is from Kate Knight, the others are Papermania ones I think). The flowers I made myself and glittered, the lace I've had for years (never throw anything out), the leaf is a Sizzix Sizlets die and the birthday wishes stamp is Stampin Up one.

Anyway, I'm getting ready for my good friend Alison who is coming over to do some crafting for the afternoon - you might like to visit her blog here - she updates much more often than me & even includes recipes (there's a rather good Baileys Cheesecake on there at the mo).

Hope you like, and see you again soon - Oh, I'm entering this in the Magnolia Inspiration challenge this week, which is for round cards.

I Made a card!!!

2011-07-31T19:13:00.000+01:00

Well, it's been a while, but I've finally made a card!!! I've been playing with lots of things, not least of which is my wonderful new set of Spectrum Noir pens

(they are soooo gorgeous, I may just have to rob a bank so that I can get the other 96!).

Anyway, today is the last day to enter the Crafters Companion Challenge & as usual I'm cutting it fine, but hey, I work well under pressure. The image is a Greetings Farm stamp - Skater Ian, and he's one of the few 'boys' images I have (funnily enough I bought him with my daughter in mind - she's a huge skating fan - complete with the A&E record to prove it!). I've coloured him with my Speccy's, as they are now affectionately known - you really must get some, they are truly fab, very reasonably priced AND REFILLABLE!!!! The papers are from my stash ass are the candy dots. I used the sketch from Katy's Sketch Challenge over on Docrafts for the layout, and I think it works as I seem to prefer very clean lines on mens cards - well, they don't really want loads of flowers and flourishes do they?

Hope you like it & I'll try and be back a bit more often as I'm going to try and regularly enter challenges (she says hopefully - until life gets in the way).

It's never too early to start thinking about Christmas!

2011-07-21T21:04:00.002+01:00

Now I know loads of people are saying that it's too early to think about Christmas cards, but I say - it's never too early, there's so much to do by the time December comes around, any head start I can get is much appreciated.

The inspiration for this card came from Katy's challenge over on Docrafts, and it gave me the chance to get out my lovely bauble stamps from Waltzingmouse which are designed to sit inside the bauble nesties, together with the lovely sentiment, which also came from Waltzingmouse and the snowflake background stamp, which came from Papermania. The background was created by stamping the snowflake background several times in versamark and then covering with perfect pearls so the background has a lovely shimmery finish. The sentiment was also stamped with versamark, but this time covered with detail white embossing powder. I cut out the bauble twice and used a silver glitter embossing powder to give that lovely Christmasy finish - I put silver thread between the two baubles so that no matter how you look at it you get that beautiful sparkly look.

Anyway, hope you like it...

More Crafters Companion

2011-07-10T19:01:00.002+01:00

This is becoming a bit of a theme with me (I've made even more than I've posted with Crafters Companion stuff, but time keeps getting away from me!), I do seem to have fallen in love with the style of their stamps and CD's - the quality is amazing and inspiration seems to come very easily when using them.

This card was made for a friend to give to her daughter for her 5th birthday, sorry for stating the obvious since the card says 'Star 5' on it (Doh!). I used one of the Popcorn kids stamps for the front and the humphrey conga elephants on the inside - seemed appropriate to have them partying on the inside. The stars are a combination of a Sizzix paddle punch and a tiny Xcut star punch - they did mean cutting into my two favourite sheets of paper, but hey, it's no good unless you use it, is it? (did still bring a tear to my eyes though!).

The card is 5x5 when closed and I made a box envelope to store it using my Envelobox maker for the Ultimate Pro, this is an amazing bit of kit, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Anyway, hope you like it - really must try and post more often, but in between working, cooking, cleaning etc, etc, I'm surprised I even manage to make cards at all!

Popcorn

2011-06-28T19:52:00.003+01:00

I made this card at the weekend using the Sketch Saturday challenge sketch. The image I'd stamped and coloured last week with no idea what I was going to do with it, I love the Sketch Saturday sketches, they always give you something wonderful and it gets the creative juices flowing.

Not only did I use a popcorn stamp, all the papers were from the Popcorn kids CD too - really falling in love with all the Crafters Companion products, but then I did get a whole load of them with some money I was given recently, so kind of have to make use of them to justify having spent so much. Anyway, I have to say I can highly recommend them if you are looking for another crafty purchase, they have just brought out a CD and set of stamps of The Snowman - haven't got these yet, but they have to be on the wish list!

I'm trying to get back into blogging after having a bit of a break (sorry about that, some horrible stuff going on at the moment that I can't talk about on here at the moment). Crafting is my release but sometimes the mojo disappears just when you need it the most, well mine does anyway.

Hope you like the card and I'll try and make it a more regular occurrence!

I Love Humphrey

2011-06-25T11:21:00.003+01:00

When Humphrey was released I had just been given some money to spend on whatever I wanted - no contest really, I bought all of the stamps and the CD, and for someone who hates decoupage, I have been having a great time cutting out and layering up these lovely images.

This one with the strawberries is so lovely I just had to have a play, now this was a quick play and probably not one of my best cards, but I have found out that what I like and what everyone else likes is not always the same thing, so I hope you all like it. I've just added some ribbon, used some freebie paper from a My Minds Eye stack from a magazine and used a Strawberry stamp that I just happened to have lying around. The bow on the ribbon I made using my bowmaker on the Ultimate Pro from crafters companion (love that bit of kit, especially with the new boxer and enveloper boards).

Anyway, I wanted to get this card online quickly as it fits in with the Just Tracy's Challenge this month, which is strawberries and cream, and the challenge is about to close (skin of my teeth time - thought it had already closed, note to self, be more organised next month!).

Dandelion Clock

2011-05-29T18:15:00.002+01:00

Wow, two days in a row - thought I'd better start making up for the drought of posts that there has been recently.

I was very kindly sent some 'lovely fence' die cuts from a lovely lady called Teresa over on the docrafts forum, so I started to think how I should use them. As they are made by Magnolia, I thought they would probably be best used with the Tilda's I have (not that I have that many) and the dandelion clock tilda seemed like a good idea. As I was going to cut her out I realised that I would lose most of the clocks, so I thought I'd replace them with butterflies, for which I used my Martha Stewart butterfly punch on some vellum. The only vellum I had was a pale green so needed to be coloured. I was watching Create and Craft this morning and they were using gel pens to water colour and I wondered whether this would work with my Sakura gelly roll glitter pens - well I can tell you now it does, however the vellum curls up when you put water on it, so I had to use my tweezers and heat gun to dry it out and it then uncurls again (anyone remember the little bits of plastic that you used to put on your hand to tell what mood you were in and it would curl and uncurl with the heat of your hand - well it's something like that), anyway the butterflies are lovely and sparkly purple in real life. My sentiment is from Lili of the Valley - love them!

The card is a papermania Kraft card (5x7), the purple backing paper is from one of the papermania capsule collections - tim holtz distress inks have been used on the doily, fence and sentiment. The other paper used in front of the doily is from a freebie pad of 'the Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady' papers which came with an issue of Cardmaking and Papercraft, which I've been trying to use for ages - only part of one piece, but it's a start.

Hope you like, I'm trying to get my crafting mojo kick started again as it's been a bit thin on the ground of late.

Birthday girl

2011-05-28T11:40:00.004+01:00

I've had this card, made and sat on my desk for the best part of a week but it's taken me this long to take a photo of it and put it online - I am sooo disorganised at the moment!

The image is from the Flower Fairies CD by crafters companion, I've had this sheet printed for ages and decided it was about time I made use of it (could say that about most of my craft stuff, I could make cards for the next 10 years and not actually run out of stuff). All of the papers are also from the same CD and the flowers were also made with the same paper. The sentiment is from Lili of the Valley and a sizzix die for the swirl (if you're looking for this swirl I've cut a few bits off it so it won't look the same), I've used paper pens on the swirl to put the lovely pearly dots on.

Really enjoyed making this card, so not my normal style, but I think it's really pretty anyway. Thought I'd enter this into the Crafters Companion Monthly Challenge - and I'll be able to enter even more soon as I've ordered everything Humphrey and a whole load of Popcorn Bear stuff too (so excited I may just mug the postman next week!).

Simple Flower

2011-05-11T07:55:00.002+01:00

Well, I'm finally back after my extended Easter break (sounds better than I couldn't find the time to blog). I have made a few cards but getting round to photographing them all, onto 'puter and uploaded is a different matter.

Anyway, this particular card was made for the Just Tracy's Blog Challenge, which is into it's second month. The challenge this month was to 'let the sentiment on your project be the focus' - initially I couldn't think of anything, and then I saw the piritez advert, you know the one with the brightly coloured flowers on it? well from then on it was easy. the sentiment is from a set by Inkadinkado which I then cut out using a circle nestie, then I made a template for a flower petal and cut this out 6 times. It was then a simple case of sticking it all down and then doodling around the edges.

I love the way this looks, and hope you do too.

Ribbon Girl Giveaway

2011-05-07T16:13:00.003+01:00

There is a fab giveaway over on the Ribbon Girl blog at the moment - you've got to be in it to win it (speaking of which, must do the lottery!), some lovely strawberry themed bits & pieces to be won!

Summer is Here!!!

2011-04-21T20:12:00.003+01:00

Wow, the weather is lovely, so warm, fab, but I'm still lilly white! maybe it's because I stay inside and craft, but there are always so many lovely stamps and paper to play with.

Anyway, my latest card is a really unusual one for me, IT DOESN'T USE ANY STAMPS!!! I made a card using the freebie paper on the Get Funky Challenge blog, and having made the card I looked at the rest of the paper and it reminded me of the beach huts you see at some seaside resorts, an idea came to me and I just had to run with it. The roof is made with some brown wrapping paper, the clouds are just printer paper - the beach paper was from a Joanna Sheen CD (Jayne Netley Mayhew first CD). The words were created with my Moxie Alphabet for the Quickutz - I had so much fun making this, I even put silver linings on my clouds! and a few little seagulls in the sky.

As I can only enter one card for the challenge, I would like to enter this instead as I really love it and it's such a complete departure from my normal cards. Hope you like....

Black & White Christmas

2011-04-18T11:31:00.004+01:00

Yes I know it's properly spring now, but if we don't start the Christmas cards now, by the time we get to December there will be no time, what with the shopping, cooking and decorating needing to be done, so I decided to enter the Die Cut Dreams Christmas Club Challenge this week, which had a colour and sketch challenge - with the colours being Black and White. Boy was this difficult, I so wanted to add some Christmas Red or Green to this, but I resisted!

I also wanted to enter the Crafty Catz challenge this week, which was 'furry friends' and so I dug out this lovely house mouse image - he's one of the smaller one's in the set, but as I wanted to make an A6 card, he fitted perfectly. I did 'colour' him in with grey and black watercolour pencils to give him some additional shading and then just layered him up in line with the Sketch. It was also difficult to find papers without any colour on them, but hey I love a challenge!

I added some texture using a cuttlebug embossing folder and had to add some bling with glitter and gems (the mouse also has some glitter on his hat) - hope that doesn't class as colour?

I'm entering this for the following Challenges:

Die Cut Dreams Christmas Club Challenge

Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge

Just for fun

2011-04-18T11:12:00.004+01:00

Well, I don't really know where I will use this card, who it's for or even what occasion but I enjoyed making it and I suppose that's really all that matters when you're making them for fun.

I wanted to enter the second Challenge over on the Just Tracy's Challenge Blog and spent ages thinking about what I could do with the theme 'Rainbow' - I was going to use one of Tracy's lovely new images, but she'd already done that on her example card so I didn't want to be copying something that had already been done. Then I remembered a sheet of paper I've had for probably at least 6 years, which had a rainbow already across it, so I dusted that off and used it as my jumping off point. It struck me that this was very tropical and so I dug out my Kanban birds of paradise set and started to stamp onto the paper. Once they were cut out I needed to think of how to put them together onto a card.

What I decided to do (and this didn't work out quite as planned), was to stamp in versamark using one of the bird on a vine images, directly onto a card blank, then clear emboss - I did this so that the whole card was covered, then I got some chalks on to cotton wool and put a rainbow onto the card - I was hoping that the chalk would not go where the embossing was, but it didn't quite work out like that, but it does still add additional texture to the card. I used the flowers to create corners on the card and then realised that I couldn't just put the bird straight onto the card as it would disappear into the background, so I decided to mat it onto some lovely yellow card I had lurking in a draw - I used my Xcut shape cutter to make the oval, which looks a little like a wonky sun.

Like I said, I have no idea where I will ever use this card, but I love it anyway - think I've found my summer!

Spring has sprung

2011-04-11T19:54:00.004+01:00

Well, I think all this lovely weather has gone to my head, the only cards I seem to make at the moment are ones that require sunglasses to even look at they're so bright. I wanted to combine several challenges with this card and my jumping off point was the challenge over at Get Funky, which was Zing into Spring, where they wanted to see the colours Green, Yellow and Lilac, and of course I used the beautiful floral backing paper that they had as a freebie - I still have half an A4 sheet of this left, and I'm sure it will be making another appearance very shortly.

I used the Sketch from Sketch Saturday for my layout and also wanted to include the Crafty Catz challenge this week, which was to use embossing on your card, I used a lovely cuttlebug folder (couldn't tell you which one as I've thrown away the wrapping & it doesn't have the name printed on it - how silly is that?!) and the yellow card is embossed with a freebie embossing folder I got with one of the recent docrafts magazines.

The image on my card was a freebie on the Bugaboo website (in fact it still is until Friday) - I wonder if there's a blog challenge out there for using freebies, think I might win it this week, until I started writing this I didn't realise how many freebies I'd used - stingy or frugal, you judge!

The image and layer were cut with Nesties, and the border punch is one of the new XCut range. The ribbon and flower gems were from my stash.

Anyway, hope you like the card - try wearing sunglasses to view, sure it will be slightly less painful on the eyes!

I'm entering this for the following challenges:

Sketch Saturday

Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge

Get Funky

April Showers

2011-04-07T20:26:00.003+01:00

Okay, skin of the teeth time, this card is for a blog challenge, which closes in half an hour!!!

The stamp is from the new range at Just Tracy's and as the challenge was April Showers, this particular image of the ladybird splashing through puddles seemed absolutely perfect - not too sure about the colours, but I wanted it to be bright and summery, and I really feel like it fulfills that.

The papers are from my stash - mostly from the Claire Curd signature range (still working through those 200 sheets!), the flowers were from a seller at the Exeter craft fair last september as were the dewdrops which form the centres of the flowers. My apologies if the photo looks a little dark, it was taken in my dining room, which does not have the best lighting of an evening (even with the light on).

Hope you like, I'm entering this into the Crafty Catz Weekly challenge and I would enter it into the Saturday Sketch Challenge, but I used last week's sketch (did like it though!).

Happy mother's day!

2011-04-04T19:19:00.012+01:00

Okay, I know this was yesterday, but I wanted to make sure the recipients had their cards before I posted them online (not that either my mum or mil know about my blog, so hopefully would have been safe - just didn't want to take the chance!).

Both the cards were made using images and papers from the Crafters Companion Flower Fairies CD, my mum bought this for me when it first came out so I thought it was about time I made something for her using it. I tried to make both cards different, but use similar elements, think they turned out okay - they were both really pleased anyway.

I found the instructions for the book card here, sorry they are in a foreign language but there is a translation button at the side - not that you will need it, the pictures are fairly self-explanatory, and if I can follow them anyone can, this is the first time I have tried this method as well and I didn't do a dry run first! (really pleased with myself, can you tell?). The other card is a double easel, I just made it with an A5 card base, which I divided down the middle to the centre fold, then I cut back the two pieces so they were square and then scored across them diagonally from the middle to the outer corners, you then treat each side as a standard easel, but you can use a single central piece on the bottom to act as your stop (in my case I used a copy of the Rose Fairy poem from a Cicely Mary Barker book I happen to have).

Mum's card:

Mother In Law's card:

Cookies

2011-03-31T07:27:00.002+01:00

Well, this card follows the same theme again - one image used more than once. I used a set I haven't used for ages, which was from the now deceased Elzybells, even the background to the card was made using one of the smaller stamps of an individual cookie and crumbs. The backing paper is from the now infamous Papermania Claire Curd signature range of 200 sheets, which I'm still trying to get through!

The punch is one of my new X-Cut border punches and then overlayed with chocolate coloured satin ribbon, finally the sentiment is also from the same Elzybells set.

I have been working on some cards, but they are for mother's day so I will wait until the recipients have them before posting (that's if I remember to take pictures!), have to say though, they will be worth waiting for, I think they are the most beautiful cards I have ever made!

Variation on a Theme

2011-03-24T07:43:00.002Z

Well, I said I had more cards along the same theme as the last one, and this is the next in the series. The image was again a freebie, this time with the Docrafts magazine (really shouldn't spend so much on magazines!), and the embossing down the sides was done using one of their embossing folders which I then chalked - I'm really happy with the way this turned out.

I coloured the images using my promarkers and then used glossy accents to colour the cherries on top, mounted onto red card and popped up on 3d foam pads, it has a lovely summery feel to it, which seems to fit well with the weather we are experiencing at the moment, just hope this isn't our summer!

Triple image

2011-03-21T20:36:00.002Z

I saw a card on the docrafts website, which I really loved, and it used the same image several times. I really liked the idea, the number of times I've received freebie stamps with magazines, but they're tiny and I'm left wondering how I could ever make use of them. So when I saw this idea I just had to use it to create some cards of my own (more will follow in the next few days - I have been busy making but not taking pictures yet - speaking of which, sorry this is slightly fuzzy).

This one was used a set from Simply Cards & Papercrafts and was an Adam Pescott image (I should get some more of his images as freebies next month as they will be in Quick Cards Made Easy). The punch to create the edging on the paper is my new XCut border punch - think these are just as beautiful as Martha's but a fraction of the price (complete win - win there!). So that the mats matched the images I actually used white card and coloured the edges using my promarkers - was really pleased with how that turned out. The card base I stamped with some of the tiny butterfly images that were also free with the same stamp set, and I used a very pale cream and peach chalk ink from a colourbox queue set. The dots are card candy, which I've had for several years - you get so many in a pack that I think I will have them till the day I die!.

Anyway, hope you like - will be back soon with some new cards & next weekend will probably be getting some new stamps as Tracy is releasing her own range at the shop, will definitely have to get some!

Eskimo Kisses

2011-03-16T07:48:00.002Z

I've had this digital image since just after Christmas as I was given a gift voucher for Mo's Digital Pencil (BTW she has a special stamp available for just $1 with all proceeds to the Japan earthquake). This was one of those rare cards that just made itself - I had the Sketch Saturday sketch, the stamp, and from that I just knew what colours I wanted to use. The papers were from the DCWV Christmas stack called 'Rose Tinted Christmas'.

I used watercolour pencils to colour the image and stuck to just a very few colours, then used glossy accents with glamour dust over the top. The sentiment is from Lili of the Valley (again!), the snowflakes were created using a punch from XCut (now Craft Tonic).

Well, I hope you like it as much as I do!

Lovebirds

2011-03-13T16:03:00.002Z

Well, as I was awarded a 'Top 5 Funkette' award last month on the Get Funky challenge blog, I really thought I ought to have another go, though I am leaving it a bit late this month.

I also wanted to test out my new Gypsy machine and spent ages playing with circles to create the card and all the layers for this card, though it worked brilliantly and the card came together in no time. The stamp is from a Kanban set that was the TSV on QVC last year some time. I just had to play with the freebie backing paper from Funky Hand and used glossy accents on all of the red hearts (could have been a bit neater with that!). I've used another favourite of mine to create the copper coloured dots, which is my Viva Paper Pen - can see me collecting all of them, they're great!

I have noticed a bit of a flaw with the Kanban set, the birds don't fit in the cage - you'd have the RSPB onto you if you had two birds in a cage that size! - never mind, it's artistic!

The hearts and sentiment on the base were from another Kanban set called 'Wooly Bears - Isobel', anyway, thanks for stopping by & hope you like.

Toby Birthday

2011-03-11T07:45:00.003Z

Well, this card was actually made last week, but it was for a friends birthday and so I couldn't post a picture of it until she had received the original, which she really loved.

The image used was a new stamp bought from my favourite shop, Just Tracy's called 'Toby with Bottle' and made by Wild Rose Studios. All of the papers used were from a freebie set with one of my magazines a few moths ago and are a NitWits collection. The sentiment is a Lili of the Valley stamp, and I think that's about it really - I used an old Sketch Saturday sketch for the layout. All colouring with my trustee promarkers.

I love the Wild Rose Studio Milton and Co range as they are so easy to colour, and having met Dulcie Jackson, it makes them even more special - she's a lovely person and her stamps are fab, love the cute bears and dogs!

Anyway, I suppose I should go and get ready for work, but YAY! its friday, and tomorrow is crafting with my buddies day!! (woop, woop!!!) so hopefully I should have some more cards to show you soon.

TTFN

Wedding

2011-03-08T07:41:00.003Z

I'm so pleased with this card, it's not often that a card turns out better than you expect, but this one I am sooo happy with.

The image is a Lili of the Valley stamp, which has been coloured with promarkers. The backing paper is from a papermania capsule collection pad, and I've also used this when making the flowers (yes I made those flowers - really chuffed with them!). The pink/lilac layer across the middle started out as a plain piece of white paper, which I stamped over with a Viva background stamp using versamark and then chalked over with shimmer chalks. The white layer has been punched using one of my favourite Martha Stewart punches, the sentiment is Lili of the Valley again and all of those pearl dots are from a Viva paper pen.

I would like to enter this card for the following challenges:

Just Tracy's Challenge No. 1

Sketch Saturday Challenge No. 145

Hope you enjoy

Dragon

2011-03-05T14:56:00.004Z

This image was given to me by my lovely friend Alison, who has some amazing stamps, in case you're wondering, this one is from a company called Sweet Pea Stamps (they can be bought in the uk here).

I followed an old sketch challenge for the layout & keep wondering whether I should have added a sentiment, but I can always add that if I find the right person and occasion to use it - that's part of the problem, I keep making loads of cards (probably have over 100 already made) and only have a few occasions to use them, by which time I've made loads more. Card making is a very dangerous addiction, steer well clear!

As usual I have coloured the image using promarkers and copics - I've even managed to run out one of my copic pens through using is so much, ah well, it was bound to happen sooner or later, another trip to the craft shop me thinks!

I could not tell you the company that makes the papers I've used but they are soo gorgeous, they are glittered so beautifully, but I do know that I bought them at Just Tracy's, and if she doesn't have these, she always has the most beautiful papers in stock (along with everything else designed to keep us in the poor house, but craftily happy!).

Tracy is also releasing her own range of stamps at the end of the month, and I can't wait to get to see them all - have seen a few designs and they look absolutely fab.

I've started to do my own doodling again - haven't done any for years and have found that if you don't use it you lose it, but hopefully as I do more, it will get better and then I may be able to use my own images on cards, now wouldn't that be brilliant!

Anyway, hope you love the dragon. Will be back soon, off to have a play with a couple more challenges and see if I can get to grips with my new Cricut Gypsy - may even have to treat myself to the SCAL software now that my Cricut firmware is up to date.

Woof!

2011-03-01T07:55:00.002Z

Well - I've made a card! (actually I've made several now, but only got time to post this one). I made this for a challenge over on DoCrafts, which was an animal challenge. The image was from Bugaboo and was one of her lovely weekly freebies, which I coloured with my copics and promarkers. I used an old Sketch Saturday sketch for the layout - the papers I think are from a set I've had for ages from Trimcraft (I think). The sentiment was produced on the computer and those gorgeous little dots are Viva paper pens in gold and copper, which I bought at Just Tracy's - bricks and mortar shop (because I love to browse).

Syn Free Cupcakes

2011-02-25T07:48:00.002Z

No I haven't misspelt syn - I'm using the slimming world spelling as I'm trying to lose weight and at least these cupcakes are zero calories, they didn't hurt the bank balance either as they were a free set from the front of a magazine! I've coloured them with my promarkers and I've used glossy accents on the red cherries so it has a little bit of zing. The only thing I'm not happy with is the way I've stamped the 'for you', that's the only problem with stamping directly onto the card - you can end up ruining it with just one tiny mistake. To me though, this little mistake doesn't look so bad that I would not give this to someone as a card.

Sooo looking forward to this weekend - I'm supposed to be having friends over to craft with and I may finally get to sit down with my two new Cricut cartridges. Hopefully I can enter a few challenges too.

TFSB

Chocolate

2011-02-24T07:43:00.002Z

Well, this is an old card as I've been having trouble making cards recently, hopefully I will get a proper play this weekend.

The sentiment is from a book of quotes by Hot off the Press, the papers were from a freebie set in a magazine and are by My Mind's Eye (Pretty Please), the lace was given to me, the flowers were made and the leaves are a punch I bought at Just Tracys. I distressed the papers using my Tim Holtz distress inks - it was either brushed corduroy or tea dye (these are the only two browns I have).

It is one of my favourite cards, it isn't really for an occasion, but I'm sure I will find a time to give it to someone.

Anyway, hope you like, and I will try and get something new up soon.

Oriental Themed

2011-02-20T20:35:00.002Z

Well, I actually found a bit of time today to make a card, and wanted to use a challenge, so I went to Clare's Inspiration challenge on the DoCrafts website, she had the most beautiful picture of the sky through some gorgeous red acer leaves, which really spoke to me of the orient (not that I've ever been there!). So I had a rummage through some old stamps of mine and found some oriental designs, which I've had for years (sorry they don't have a brand name on them), and a really nice Hero Arts leaf stamp - okay so it's not an Acer leaf but stamped in red I think it looks quite dramatic, and by using the image more than once without re-inking, it gives a lovely depth.

The lanterns at the top of the card were stamped several times to give them all in a row using my Stampin Up 'Stamp-a-majig' to line them up. This is a really fabulous tool and I really don't use it nearly enough. The lanterns were coloured in using a cheap version of H2Os and watercolour pencils.

The geisha was stamped with red pigment ink and then clear embossed, this was on white card, but when I cut it out using a nestie, I left the nestie in place and then chalked in a pale blue around the edge.

Anyway, enough waffle, hope you like.

An oldie

2011-02-16T22:05:00.002Z

I am working on some new stuff honest, but I have so many old cards that still need to be shown off too, so I thought I'd post another card made some time ago. The image is a single Penny Black snowman, which is just stamped and masked to produce a lovely little line of snowmen. This card was sort of a copy of one from a magazine, but when you're preparing for Christmas you take your inspiration where you can! The papers are from my extensive stash of Christmas papers and I did a little bit of doodling round the edges - the lettering was produced using a quickutz alphabet - as that lovely little meerkat would say 'simples!'

Anyway, hope you like, back soon!

Cheating today

2011-02-13T20:03:00.002Z

Today's card is not a new one, but it's one I've not uploaded yet - I made it ages ago using a sketch on a challenge blog. The girl is a stamped image I was given by a friend and she was coloured using Koh-i-nor pencils, they work the same as polychromos (I only have a set of 24 so was quite limited in my colour scheme) the flowers were punched and shaped using a ball tool and then I added some foliage (sorry can't remember who makes the punch). The net came from a big sheet which I've had for a very long time & keep trying to find ways to use (got to get rid of it somehow). The backing papers are all from my stash so I couldn't tell you who they were made by - sorry.

Anyway, hope you like - I did make a card yesterday, so hopefully I will have that uploaded soon for you.

Bird-day

2011-02-12T11:55:00.002Z

I created this card to enter into the Get Funky challenge blog - they even give away a free digi backing paper for you to use, which is really great, it's not my usual type of thing, but then hey, that's the challenge!

The base was created using my nesties, so this is a really dinky card, but I quite like that (gone from 8x8 card to 3.75 round!). The image was one of the Bugaboo stamps freebies from a while back and seemed to sit quite nicely with the backing paper, funky and bright. You can't see it from the picture but the cherry on the top has had glossy accents added. It's probably not one of my best cards, I keep looking at it and thinking there is something missing, but it's so bright and busy already I don't want to play with it and mess it up.

Anyway, it's Saturday, I've tidied the kitchen and so it's time for me to be off and craft - still need to make my three cards to enter to try and get on the Just Tracy's Challenge Blog design team - fingers crossed!

WOYWW - late

2011-02-10T07:52:00.002Z

Yes I know it's Thursday, but only just (as I write this it's 7.50 a.m.), the picture however, was taken last night so not so bad. I would have blogged this last night but I was busy knitting a teddy bear for a friend, it's not quite finished and I've just realised he doesn't have any ears so I will have to go over the instructions again to make sure I've not missed anything.

The stamp on the table is the freebie Molly Bloom which was free in the current issue of Simply Cards and Papercrafts.

Anyway, supposed I ought to go and get ready for work, so I'll be off for now and hopefully will be able to get back on later.

On a Roll Now!

2011-02-08T19:19:00.003Z

Yay, I finished the card with little miss cute ted - although I have to say that the card did not end up that small!

I decided to use the sketch from Friday Sketchers for this, but Miss Ted is quite big on her own, so by the time I'd matted & layered and found a circle big enough (used my xcut, now Tonic Studios circle cutter) I ended up needing an 8x8 card blank, which I didn't have so ended up making my own from two sheets of A4 card - this would be fine were it not for the fact that I now don't have an envelope to fit! (it's a great excuse to visit Tracy's again, well I think it is anyway!).

I'm very proud of the pink backing paper, as it started life as a sheet of pink copier paper, which I then stamped on using a Viva background text stamp with pink chalk ink, then I inked the edges of the paper with the same ink, and then went over again with a slightly darker pink, just on the very edges - I think it looks quite expensive but the only real cost was a bit of time and effort.

The flowers were made using one of my newest purchases from Tracy's (got on Sunday) they are the new Tonic Studios petals pairs punches. These are great, you get two punches for £10.99, you can mix and match them but basically they interlock so you get a lovely dimensional flower.

Now it's finished I'm not sure I like this card, but it was great fun to do & I do love the Kanban teddies, well I love all the Kanban stamps, they really are a fabulous range, very versatile and stamp beatifully!

Well, lets see if I can keep this up and be back tomorrow for another amazing instalment!

Woo Hoo, I made a card!!!!

2011-02-07T07:46:00.002Z

Yay, this card was so easy to make, though getting the inspiration somewhat more time consuming. I went to Just Tracy's yesterday and bought another lovely Kanban set, which included this lovely heart stamp, and as I drove from the shop home, the idea for this card just planted itself in my head. I'll have to go back and buy some chocolate coloured card as I used my last piece for this! The sentiment is from a Waltzingmouse set, and the lovely dots round the sentiment are from a Viva paper pen, think I may really start to like these, but will have to build up my collection slowly.

Anyway, I'm off to make another card with this cute little teddy who you can dress up - like the dolls you used to get in magazines (showing my age!), and with the added advantage that it uses up your scraps of paper!

OMG where did all the time go!

2011-02-05T18:45:00.002Z

I didn't mean to be a bad blogger, really I didn't, but you know what it's like - I spend so much time browsing the web & the rest of the time making stuff, I never quite got round to updating my blog.

Anyway I'm back now & will try and be a bit more regular in my updates.

Well, to kick off, I thought I'd show a card I made for a friend who wanted to give a special card for a baby's first Christmas - I EARNED £5 FOR THIS CARD!!!!. The ornament on the front comes off and can be used on the tree, but only cost 80p in Wilkinsons, underneath is a bauble from a Waltzingmouse set - the tree branch is from another Waltzingmouse set, and the lettering is all from various Cricut cartridges. I ended up having to make another one in Blue for another work colleague who wanted one to give to a nephew for Christmas.

I only get a couple of commissions but they are always nice (well, when they're done & the recipient is happy the are!).

Hope you like the card, anyway, will sign off for the mo, but hope to be back tomorrow with a bit more of a catch up and maybe a new card if I get the chance to make any (in between shopping, washing, cleaning and ironing - thought the weekends were supposed to be an opportunity to rest!).

Catch Up

2010-08-08T13:31:00.003+01:00

Well, I've been a bad blogger - not posting anything for a while & I've ended up not entering challenges because I've finished cards too late to enter, but I have at least been making some cards, so I thought I'd upload the last batch so you can at least see what I've been up to.

Happy stamping!

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge No. 6

2010-07-22T20:10:00.002+01:00

Yay, back for another go, now I know the sketch had a decidedly summery sunshine feel to it, but I was just looking at the peace and plenty stamp set and this idea just took me (I also used some Hero Arts stamps that just happened to match the ones on the peace & plenty set). I really love the warm autumnal colours of this card, and the weather here of the past few days has definitely matched the autumnal feel!

I used a versamark inkpad with the leaves drifting around the background of the orange. I love Waltzingmouse sentiment stamps, they always come out so clear - I never worry that they are going to smudge around the edges like some. The leaves were stamped onto scraps of paper using gold, copper and starlite black brilliance inks, hopefully you can see the shimmer in the photo.

Hope you like.

Just Playing

2010-07-18T20:10:00.002+01:00

Supposed to be ironing, but wanted to have a play and ink up this Smookie stamp that I bought a while back (I'm trying to use all my new stamps at least once before putting them away). I'm also still trying to find ways of using up the Claire Curd paper pad that I've got - moral of the story, no matter how nice and strokable the papers, don't ever consider buying them in a pack of 200!

Anyway, all the papers for this are from the Claire Curd range (haven't made a dent - each sheet is 12 x 12), smookie image, the distressing is Tim Holtz Pine Needle - I've put glossy accents over the champagne bottle and used a gold Sakura pen to do the top of the bottle so it looks like the foil wrapping you would get on a real bottle of champagne (don't know why I was aiming for realism when you consider there's a dragon on the side of the bottle!)

Well, hope you've all been having a wonderful Sunday - back to the daily grind tomorrow, still it pays for all my lovely craft stash!

Waltzingmouse July Blog Waltz

2010-07-17T08:00:00.003+01:00

Okay, hopefully if this works, you will only be able to see this post after 8 a.m. on Saturday 17th July - if not, I'm just babbling to myself again!

Well the theme for this month's Waltz is blue & green, I've had these multicolour stamp pads from Versacolour for years, I bought them because I liked the colours but had no idea what to do with them - boy do I wish I'd played with them properly long ago!. I used Rainforest and Icicle for this and stamped along the lovely zig zag pattern from offbeat backgrounds to get the beautiful watery background (though the lime green at the end certainly heats it up a bit!). I stamped the sentiment from Afternoon Tea Sentiments using the dark blue end of the Icicle ink pad and then clear embossed - I wanted to shape the sentiment so that it looks like the tag you get on the end of fancy flavoured tea bags (hope it worked).

Definitely think this card carries on the simple theme that seems to be developing - hope it's not too simple?

Anyway, looking forward to Waltzing tomorrow, though by the time I've seen everyone elses lovely creations, my credit card may not be so happy, but we 'must have' our stamps.

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge No. 5

2010-07-15T20:18:00.002+01:00

Well after a weeks sabatical the Waltzingmouse Sketch challenges are back - unlike my mojo which decided to take a vacation! (hence posting this right at the last minute).

"All you need in life is a friend who has Chocolate", well in my case the friend works for Nestle! (Happy Birthday Laura) - great sentiment, but again I have stuck to a monochrome scheme for this, not sure whether I'm becoming boring or not? The sentiment is from a set from Inkadinkado and that lovely stitching is from a fab Waltzingmouse set (well, actually they're all lovely!), the button is my gorgeous Martha Stewart punch and the card came from the Papermill.

Nice, clean, simple, really starting to like this style of card & the sketch really lent itself to this.

Creative Inspirations Challenge No. 67

2010-07-06T21:13:00.003+01:00

Wow, I'm really on a roll at the moment & the sketch over on the Creative Inspirations Challenge blog was fab this week & just fell together into this card - this is much more masculine than the flowery girly cards I have been doing, though with all the gold and sparkle, it could easily be for a lady.

I've had this image for a while - the stamp is a friend of mines and I borrowed it for 10 mins!, the papers are papermania, trimcraft and gold mirri from Create & Craft - the cord I've had for years.

Hope you like (I'm quite chuffed with this!)

Hugs to You

2010-07-04T11:41:00.004+01:00

I was playing with a sketch yesterday from Cardmaking & Papercraft, and trying to make use of my Claire Curd signature range papers - they are absolutely gorgeous, but I would never buy a pack of 200 sheets again, I've had it for two years & haven't even made a dent in it! (though it makes a very effective weight to press things under).

Anyway, I decided to use a Greetings Farm stamp that I haven't made use of yet called 'Snuggle', which I managed to get cheap from someone having a crafty clearout (what's that - not sure I could part with anything of mine!). The sentiment is from a Waltzingmouse set called 'sweethearts', which is available here.

Well, hope you like this new creation as much as I do.

First Ever Scrapbooking attempt

2010-06-30T20:33:00.005+01:00

Well, I've never done any real scrapbooking before, but one of the girls I work with is leaving, not just for another job, but for another country and I wanted to make sure that she would always be able to remember us, so I thought what better way than to create an album with pictures of each of us & some sort of embellishments to remind her about each of us.

waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge No. 4

2010-06-30T18:42:00.003+01:00

Wow, really on a roll now, I love these challenges & I'm trying to make myself do more of them, just to stretch me a bit and get the creative juices flowing! I've found that the more cards I make, the easier it is to make cards - weird!

Anyway, wasn't sure I was going to enter this week as I could not think of anything to do with the sketch, but then I started to have a play (really started to enjoy doing that, just playing, not sure where I'm going) with some papers I got free with a magazine (My Minds Eye, Pretty Please) and they seemed to lend themselves perfectly to creating the square background. Then I used some offcuts to make the roses (love these, got the idea from a tutorial on Splitcoast Stampers), and punched some butterflies and flowers with my Martha Stewart punches. The sentiment is from an Inkadinkado set, which I stamped on to plain white card which I cut out with my blossom nesties and then distress inked with worn lipstick - in the words of a very famous Meerkat, 'Simples!'

Well, I love it anyway & it really does make me smile to look at - lovely summery colours. Thanks for looking.

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge No. 3

2010-06-23T19:44:00.005+01:00

Wow, three weeks in a row, that must be some kind of record for me!

Now I know that this is not a Waltzingmouse stamp, but when I saw this sentiment, it just spoke to me and the card kind of fell together around the image. The sentiment is from an inkadinkado set I got recently from Hobbycraft and I do love inkadinkado stamps - have you seen some of their Christmas images?!!! (sorry Claire, love all of yours too & would dearly love to get hold of that lovely secret Christmas set you did).

I could not tell you who the paper is by as I've had it for ages - I spend a lot of time stroking papers and refusing to use them, but this was one 12x12 sheet that was used on a scrapbooking project years ago and I've used it on several cards since, and I still have enough left for some more, just goes to show how far one sheet can go.

The ribbon is from a QVC set my mum bought me for Christmas 2 years ago (again I've been stroking & refusing to use!). I decided not to put the button on from the Sketch as the card just looked finished to me - hope you agree?

Anyway, see you all again next week for another one!

June Waltzingmouse Blog Waltz

2010-06-17T20:38:00.004+01:00

Yeah, second post today & having made my quiche I had time for a quick card & boy do I mean quick!

I was playing with one of my new sets of stamps - Offbeat backgrounds, and a chocolate coloured dye based ink pad & just loved the effect. the ink from dye based pads tends to pool on large areas of acrylic stamps and so you get a mottled effect, which is just beautiful if you want a slightly more 'used' look. Anyway, I stamped on a spare bit of paper to see how it came out, loved what it looked like & this card idea popped into my head straight away - 10 minutes later and the idea in my head was on a card. Yes I know its a very basic card, but I just love the way it looks and even though it's a romantic sentiment, I don't think any man would think it was too 'girly'. Oh, and I did cut away the bottom of the card so it zig zags (just for a little bit of detail).

Well, I only have 4 sets of Claire's stamps, but I sooo need more - will have to wait for the end of the month again though (sigh!)

Happy Waltzing all!!!!

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge No. 2

2010-06-17T19:30:00.002+01:00

Good grief, a week has gone by already - did I blink? time seems to be going so fast at the moment, another week and we will already be past the longest day & it's downhill to Christmas (little yay from me - love all the glitter and sparkle of Christmas!).

Anyway, the week has also gone quickly in the challenge world - I missed Saturday's Saturday Sketch Challenge deadline (made the card, just didn't get it online in time), so I was determined not to miss the Waltzingmouse one! So here is my card, I used the pansies from the Afternoon Tea Sentiments set - so love that set! some Papermania backing papers and one of my (many) Martha stewart punches. The buttons are from my stash and it feels good to finally start using up some of my old stock (got to make room for new stuff sometime!).

Well hope you like & perhaps, if I get a chance I may even enter the blog Waltz as well - got to make a quiche first though.

See you later

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge No. 1

2010-06-09T20:16:00.003+01:00

Yay, well my two new stamp sets arrived from Waltzingmouse last Friday (just in time for the weekend!!) and just in time for the new Sketch Challenge, which started on Saturday, so perfect excuse to have a play (as if any was needed). I just love the Afternoon Tea Sentiments, well I love all of the sets, but I cannot bankrupt myself by buying them all at once (just keep playing the lottery).

I paper pieced the teacup as it just needed a little something extra, and I curved the sentiment so that it fitted the banner perfectly - love the way you can do that with clear stamp sets and Waltzingmouse Stamps, stamp sooo clearly.

Anyway, hope you like my simple little card - hopefully back soon

Waltzingmouse Blog Hop

2010-05-17T21:38:00.003+01:00

Well, we're hopping again, the theme this month is birthdays, which presents a slight problem as I only possess two sets of Waltzingmouse stamps (I will be rectifying this at the end of the month on payday!), but I'm really pleased with this simple card, which would be beatiful for an Autumn birthday (it'll be here before you know it!).

Anyway, hope you like, I'm off to have a look at all the other hoppers.

Sketch Saturday No. 101 & Just Tracy's colour challenge

2010-05-03T13:05:00.007+01:00

Well I went to Hobbycraft in Bristol on Saturday (sorry Tracy, I'm not a traitor really - nice to check out the competition sometimes!), anyway, they didn't have an awful lot that I can't get more cheaply locally, but they did have lots of stuff so it was lovely to have a leisurely browse! anyway I bought some My Minds Eye papers, an Inkadinkado stamp set (I love Inkadinkado!) and some A5 Papermania capsule collection papers - I thought I was very restrained! Mind you, to be fair they were not that cheap.

Anyway, Tracy has a lovely challenge going on in her shop, you have to use the following colours:

which ordinarily would have been a problem, but having just bought the My Minds Eye papers I had the perfect set!

Over on Sketch Saturday, the current sketch is

Which when combined with the colour challenge and my new sentiment stamps from Inkadinkado produced this lovely card (well I think it's lovely anyway).

The circle was cut using my Cricut - I don't get that out often enough & really must start to make use of it!

Waltzingmouse

2010-04-30T22:16:00.002+01:00

Just a quick post - this card was created from a sketch on Waltzingmouse for a challenge, which I've got to get online for tomorrow. I know that this stamp is not one of Claire's, but if I win the Challenge, I'll have another 8 sets to choose from, so here goes!

Smookie again

2010-04-25T19:09:00.004+01:00

I took this card over to Just Tracy's today to enter it into her first challenge - this little dragon is one of my favourites! If you've not been to the shop yet, you really must, fabulous atmosphere, great tea and lots of lovely craft stuff! Everything for this card came from Tracy's (well except the base card, but you can buy that there too).

Hope my card wins, as it will give me a bit more money to spend in the shop!

Elzybells Challenge 41

2010-04-25T18:09:00.003+01:00

Wow, real challenge this one! single layer cards are just, well, so flat, but I've had a go & hope that this is okay. Have to say it's not my favourite card, I can see every little thing that's wrong from the dodgy colouring to the wonky dots - hey ho.

Anyway, hope you like it more than I do!

Couple of challenges in one

2010-04-20T20:12:00.004+01:00

Okay, too much to do & too little time - maybe I'm just setting myself too many things to do. Anyway the challenge over on Creative Inspirations this week is an altered CD (check), and on Crafts and Me the challenge is a colour challenge of Brown, Pink and Yellow (check), and if that wasn't enough, this is my first ever altered CD!

The stamps are from Elzybells (I do so love them!) and I just had to make use of my new Martha Stewart button punch & emboss that I bought at Just Tracy's a couple of weekends ago on opening day. The background paper is from the Claire Curd Signature Range (I'm still trying to get through the 200 sheets - what was I thinking!), and instead of cutting the paper, once I glued it to the CD, I used my Basic Grey file set to file away the excess, it left a lovely smooth edge.

Well, hope you like - I'm quite pleased with it for a first attempt!

Waltzingmouse Blog Hop

2010-04-18T14:18:00.005+01:00

Okay, so I know this was supposed to be yesterday, but I was composing the card in my head - I only have two of Claire's stamp sets (at the moment) so did not have a massive amount of choice - especially with the theme of Mother's Day. I decided on a simple sentiment 'with gratitude' and love the apples from the Peace and Plenty set. I had a great deal of trouble colouring the background, it should have been a lot smoother than this, but I don't think that chalk inks are the best ones for doing a soft blended background - will have to try chalks next time.

Anyway, hope you like, and I'm off to hop (boing! boing!)

Just Magnolia Challenge

2010-04-15T18:34:00.005+01:00

Okay, so I'm cutting it fine getting this one entered for the challenge blog, but it's taken me a while to finish. I cannot take all of the credit for this card either, I got the idea for the lattice cut out from Jane's lovely cards, and thought that instead of the flowers and butterflies, it would work really well with snowflakes.

The icicles at the top are not really meant to be icicles, but is the Martha Stewart Drippy goo punch - think it works quite well as icicles!

Anyway, I really enjoyed making this - even if it did take forever to glue the snowflakes together & I hope Jane doesn't mind too much that I've used her idea (but it was such a fabulous one!). Thanks for looking!

Just for Fun

2010-04-11T21:14:00.005+01:00

Well this card was just for fun, I picked out an old Sketch Saturday layout as it seemed to fit the image, and then just went to town.

The image was part of my FREE goodie bag from Just Tracy's opening day yesterday, and I was determined to make use of the wonderful set of stamps that I got. The backing paper was a Papermania double sided foam printed paper (I hate using double sided paper as it always seems such a waste that you can only see one side when its stuck down. The flowers were a new experiment from me, and a tutorial for them can be found on another Rachel's blog. The brown dots above the sentiment are made with Adirondack Acrylic in Expresso - I think they are too close together, but too late now.

I love how this card has turned out & if you like the stamps, just go to Just Tracy's website, and you can order them with FREE postage and packing!

Till later....

Just Tracy's

2010-04-10T20:56:00.005+01:00

Well today was finally the day & Tracy has opened her bricks and mortar shop AND ITS FABULOUS!!!! A huge well done to Tracy, Karen and all of their very understanding and hard working families - all of the effort was well worth it and there is some lovely stock there (and plenty more to come).

I spent way more than the £30 I originally intended to, but I've got some lovely new papers, a couple of new stamps, a Martha Stewart punch (yes another one!), a beautiful dreamweaver stencil and some embossing paste.

Anyway, I found another challenge blog to have a go at (Crafty Catz), and wanted to make use of one of my new stamps, so here it is (apologies for the colouring - not my best, and neither is the photography).

Elzybells challenge 40 & Creative Inspirations 55

2010-04-09T19:41:00.004+01:00

Well, decided to combine 2 challenges in 1 this time as they seemed to fit. The Elzybells challenge for the fortnight is to make a circular card & I wanted to use the lovely stamps from their clear stamp set Rubadubdub. The challenge with Creative inspirations was to use Brown, Blue and green on a card, seemed to my mind a match made in heaven!

The backing paper is from the Clare Curd signature range (came in a pack of 200 and I'm beginning to think I will still be using this paper when I'm 70 - there is so much of it!), and I used lots of dew drops as they have that lovely bubbly quality.

Before you say anything, yes the card is wonky, but I figured if I gave it to a girlfriend along with some wine and chocolate then all would be forgiven - it might even look straight after a glass or two! Anyway, hope you like

Creative Inspirations Challenge No. 54

2010-04-05T19:56:00.004+01:00

Yay, back again - wasn't sure I was going to take part in this one, I've always been a stamper. But I thought 'no Rachel, you have to challenge yourself' (thats why they are called challenges - doh!).

Anyway, this one is well outside my comfort zone as I'm also very new to distressing (but love seeing it when other people do it), the challenge this week was to use a sentiment only and no stamping. The reason for taking part is that I've had two Hot off the Press Card Quote books for absolutely years sat on my shelves doing nothing that I really thought should get dusted off and used, also used a couple of Skeleton leaves that have been hiding away as well.

Well, hope you like & will try and return soon with some more cards.

Sketch Saturday No. 97

2010-04-04T17:02:00.002+01:00

Well I'm back again with another challenge. It's one of my niece's birthday on Tuesday and I needed to get a card sorted, flicking through the challenge blogs, the one on Sketch Saturday just screamed at me.

Think I'm getting better at picking colour schemes and coordinating everything (opening myself up to be shot down in flames by those who don't like the bright colour scheme - but the niece in question is only going to be 8). I started with the sketch, picked an image and sentiment, then found a background paper that I liked and coordinating plain papers, and only then coloured my image so that it had some of the colours from the background paper. I don't know if that's how everyone else does it but it seems to be working for me at the moment.

I did play with the layout slightly on this as the image I picked was the other way round from the sketch, and I moved the sentiment from the left to the right of the image - don't know why but I just thought it looked better there.

Anyway, hope you all like - oh, by the way, if there is anyone who stops by and actually looks at my blog - you must go to just tracy's and support the grand opening of her bricks and mortar shop on Saturday 10th April - I soo cannot wait, not only will she have loads of wonderful cardmaking stuff, but loads of other crafts and knitting too!!!

Creative Inspirations Challenge No. 53

2010-03-30T21:03:00.004+01:00

Okay, so I've been gone for some time, but like Scott - I have made it back!!!!

I have been creating stuff, but just never quite found the time or happy place to post anything, however, that's now over & I'm trying to challenge myself to do more, and I thought I'd start with the Creative Inspirations Challenge 53, which was a brilliant sketch. I also wanted to test out some new stamps I've got, which allow you to create a snowman in practically any shape you like (great as I love anything to do with Winter and Christmas).

I decided to use an Easel card as I think they're fab & give you loads of creative opportunities - hope you all like, I'm chuffed to bits with how this turned out.

3 days in a row!!!

2009-10-16T20:30:00.003+01:00

Okay, back again, well I am, no-one else is, there is somewhat of an echo around my blog, blog, blog.... (see I told you!)

Anyway, regardless of whether anyone even comes along, I will keep putting up the piccies.

I'm having a bit of an Elzybells fest this week - yet another card made with their lovely stamps, and again, it's the Just Desserts set that I've used - I love this set because it covers so many occasions for the ladies, well who doesn't love delicious cakes & not a calorie in sight with these.

I've also used Claire Curd Signature Range papers and my favourite oval nesties (well, my only nesties - but I am working on that!).

Hope you like, and I'll be back soon!

Elzybells Challenge 29

2009-10-15T20:57:00.005+01:00

Well, as promised - I'm back again! woo hoo!!!

And I have something fab to show you (even if I do say so myself). The challenge was to create a 3D item - well as I spent an absolute fortune at the Exeter Westpoint show recently, which included some 3D Sizzix Bigz dies, I thought I would use one of those. I also had promised a friend of mine that I would make her a 3D ball to put some photos of her daughter onto, so it seemed a great idea to combine the two....

And now to blow the trumpet for customer care at Elzybells - I recently made a purchase of several stamps, including a Christmas set to help with the Christmas card rush. Well, when the stamps arrived I had been sent the fairytale ending set instead of the Christmas one I ordered. Well, I emailed Elzybells at 5.55 p.m. when I got home from work and found the mistake, within 10 minutes I had a reply saying that the correct set would be in the post and to keep the incorrect one by way of an apology. Well, I didn't expect to receive the correct set the next day as I had not contacted Elzybells during working hours & most post has been collected by 6 p.m. but when I arrived home the next day, sure enough the new stamps were there!!!! THANK YOU ELZYBELLS 20/10 FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE!

Anyway, I just had to make use of the free stamp set I had and thought I would combine it with the challenge and a gift for my friend - the blank spaces are so that she can add photos of her little princess. The 3D ball collapses and can be encased in a card which makes it an ideal gift - in fact so much so that she's asked me to make 5 more for her as Christmas presents for her family!

Hope you like and I'll be back again tomorrow - have so many cards to catch up on, I could be here quite regularly for a very long time.

MIA

2009-10-14T21:07:00.003+01:00

Well it feels like it anyway - it's been so long since I posted, would apologize but as no one visits my blog (sob!) anyway there's no point!. Anyways.... Hope to start correcting that & as I've now realised that I have soo many cards that I've not posted on here, I thought I'd start with an old one to begin the catch up.

And I promise (hand on heart), that I will post more often.

Soo.... first up is a card I made ages ago for a friend of my daughter's birthday - she's a teenager so I didn't know where to start, but what girl does not like cupcakes. I made the backing paper myself with the clear stamp set 'Hey Cupcake' from Elzybells, and the main image is also from an Elzybells clear set called 'just desserts' - you can see a bit of a theme developing (hence my severe need to diet!). The ribbon was from a set of ribbons my mum gave me for Christmas last year - she understands what a craft addict I am! and most of you will recognise the Cuttlebug embossing folder.

I've taken two pictures so that you can see the background before the card was assembled - you will notice that the background is not perfect (but then I'm not perfect), hopefully I've managed to cover that up on the assembled card.

Well, hopefully, I will be back tomorrow with another card - see you then!

Crafters Companion Challenge No.3

2009-08-16T15:07:00.002+01:00

Well, I've only just discovered this challenge blog & thought I'd have a go as the prize is a popcorn stamp set (& I love that little bear - have the Christmas Popcorn CD's on their way to me as we speak). I don't actually have that much Crafters Companion stuff anyway. I have a few cute companions stamps that I won when I had some cards published in a magazine, a free Christmas CD that came with a magazine and the triple flower fairies CD's - so that's what I've used for this.

This is the first time I've had a go at Stackerpage, and I love it - in spite of my silicone glue deciding that today was the day that the lid would break and so the glue set at the top of the tube (aaarrrrgggghhhh!!) - oh and the only foam pads I have are 2mm ones - not so good when there are 9 layers to this stacker. In the end I cut the end off my silicone glue and used a cocktail stick to put it on the layers and stick together. I haven't used these CD's too much so it was nice to have a real go with them, they are incredibly easy to use - even though I'm using a Macbook and so don't get the fancy graphical interface that my PC using friends get.

Well this has been a very relaxing way to end my week off work - back to getting up early tomorrow, so I suppose I should finish the housework and Ironing, oh and my daughter wants to have a barbecue tonight, in spite of the fact that it keeps clouding over and looking like it will rain at any moment! (teenagers! hopefully she'll grow out of it)

Card for a Phillatelist and football fan

2009-08-10T15:06:00.002+01:00

Well, the brief was, this man likes stamp collecting (not the rubber variety) and football, but does not support any particular team. Boy was this a toughy, but I've shown it my friend & she's really happy with it. I had to hand draw the football pitch onto the green card using a white pen (found that Signo is much better than Inkssentials). The edge of the card was created by using a sizzix circle paddle punch to punch half circles giving a stamp like edge. I really wanted a trophy on the left hand side but couldn't find what I wanted so had to resort to peel offs. I created the backing paper on the inside of the card myself using a single football clipart pasted into word lots of times. Hope you like & sorry I've not posted for a while.

Sketch Saturday No. 58

2009-07-05T19:38:00.003+01:00

Hi peeps! (I say that but nobody visits my blog - sob!).

I've just recently bought some lovely Elzybells stamps & they are sooo much fun to use and I find myself with loads of inspiration with their stamps - I've included a link and I would recommend that you have your credit card ready if you decide to follow it.

Anyway, as usual I trawl the challenge blogs looking for something to have a go at, and the Sketch Saturday one screamed at me today, so I thought I'd have a go.

The backing paper for the card was made using the stamps from Elzybells new Retail Therapy set, and I have to say I had my best friend Laura in mind when I made this! Instead of the three flowers in the original sketch, I thought it would be more appropriate to have shopping items and so used shoes, a handbag and a top. I even (a first for me!) decorated the inside of the card with the same main image and a row of little credit cards down the side. I have to say I'm really pleased with how this turned out.

Creative Inspirations Challenge No. 6

2009-05-03T20:34:00.003+01:00

Well, as I won last week, I had to enter this again!

The DP's for this all came from the new Papermania Blueberry Hill collection, although I distressed the edges with a pale brown chalk ink pad. The image has been watercoloured, and I even made the paper flower myself (well, with the aid of a punch and embossing tool). I'm really pleased with this, it's probably the first time I've tried distressing in any big way & the colours are not my usual range.

Anyway, hope you like - I really enjoyed the sketch & will probably use this again.

Sketch Saturday No. 48

2009-04-26T17:33:00.002+01:00

Well, here's my entry for this challenge, and I have to say I really enjoyed this sketch, but then I love using Tilda's. I didn't put a sentiment on but then I prefer to leave them without a sentiment & then I have them to use whenever & not just for birthdays or whatever I've put on at the time.

Not bad, two entries in two days (must have fallen out of bed on my head!) - well until next time!

Creative Inspirations Challenge No. 5

2009-04-25T15:19:00.003+01:00

Okay, I know it may be nearly summer, but someone forgot to tell the weather. I've even had to put the heating on again this afternoon as I am soo cold - hence I've done a very autumnal card for this challenge.

The challenge was to use 4 flowers, 3 papers and 2 buttons. The papers were freebie downloads from Shabby Princess, the flowers are Papermania and the buttons used to be on some clothes! - the image is one of my favourite Tildas and I've coloured her with my Promarkers and Copics. I have now realised that I don't have enough earth colours (or any other ones for that matter - can you ever have too many Copics?).

Anyway, hope you like - I'm off to find another challenge to enter!

Well I've finally done it

2009-04-17T18:16:00.003+01:00

I finally decided that I cannot just keep making cards and not doing anything with them, so I am now going to start trying to sell my cards via my new MISI store, not sure how it will go but I have to start making some money from this or else I have to slow down or stop making cards completely - THIS IS NOT SOMETHING I WANT TO DO!!!!

This is the first card I have listed with them & I really think everyone should go and have a look at misi - you are supporting some wonderful cottage industries & I think I will be getting some Birthday and Christmas presents from there.

Well, just a short post - take care all.

Sketch Saturday

2009-03-23T21:27:00.003Z

Well, I decided to enter a challenge & not just take part quietly in the background, but actually get around to posting it on the challenge site.

This weeks Sketch Saturday was just too good to miss though and I really enjoyed putting this together - not sure it will win any prizes as there are so many other much more talented crafters out there than me, but hey, I enjoyed it and that's the main thing right?

Meet Daisy, one of the new acrylic stamps from Design Objectives, I love these stamps and have the Daisy & Dandelion set and also Bubbles & Squeak, will be getting Candyfloss & Marshmallow and Pickles & Onion as soon as I can - love them all.

I have just downloaded all of my recent cards from my camera to the computer, and didn't realise I'd made as many as I have, so I will have to get posting soon just to catch back up.

Anyway, hope you like this card - see you soon

Whiff of Joy Design Team Challenge

2009-03-03T22:15:00.002Z

Okay, this probably won't win, but if I don't put myself out there and keep striving to improve, I never will!

Besides, I just passed an exam today that I really didn't expect to, so have decided that you should just take a deep breath and do these things.

Hope you all like this card

Feb Blog Day - Red

2009-02-28T15:40:00.004Z

Well, I wasn't expecting this to be quite such a challenge, but I set myself the additional challenge of not doing a valentine or christmas card - hmmm..

Anyway, this is my submission for the February Blog Day. I wanted to use one of my new Whiff of Joy stamps, not sure I like the colours i've used, but it's growing on me. The papers are from Papermania, the button Basic Grey and the flower I punched and shaped myself - oh and the colouring was done with my lovely new Promarkers.

Here's a close up of the girl....

Hope you like.

Sticking the Boot in

2009-02-22T21:24:00.002Z

I hate making mens cards - they don't think the same things as us and they most certainly do not like the kind of cute images and pastel colours us girlies like. Not that I am particularly girly, but I love flowers and ribbon and sparkly bits on my cards and I have a liking for magnolia and Whiff of Joy images (just got their new stamp kit - its gorgeous!). Anyway, men don't appreciate these things and so I have a real problem making them cards.

Well.... work, who know I make cards, suggested that I make cards for two upcoming birthdays, both men! I made the first (copied from a design in a magazine, but only after an entire weekend trying to work out what to do). The second is more difficult - he's a lovely bloke and I know he's into walking, this rather limits the choice on rubber stamps, there just don't seem to be any for walkers. Anyway, I went into my local craft shop yesterday and asked for some advice (Totally Crafty is the shop), and the lovely girl in there suggested making a walking boot - two sides with a box in between so that it stands on its own and you can put tags in the box for people to write on. I did try downloading a template, but they were all too small and designed either for english A6 size or standard 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 american size.

In the end I looked at my husbands walking boots and did a rough sketch of that onto an A4 piece of paper, then made two card templates and stuck these to brown bazzill card, cut out and then added the detail to the base with additional card in black and grey.

It's taken me all weekend to complete, but I'm really chuffed with the result, it'e even got a shoe box to go in, now I just have to hope he likes it.

Wow, 2 posts in 2 days

2009-02-13T19:29:00.002Z

Well, I had to get a card made today for the Docrafts friendship swap, and have wanted to try out my new Promarkers and Copics, so this was the ideal chance. The image is a magnolia stamp, which I love - yes I know they are a little odd without noses and mouths, but I actually quite like that, slightly 'Mona Lisa' like and enigmatic.

Alcohol markers are fantastic because you can keep layering colour without deteriorating the surface of the paper, having coloured the image, I couldn't believe how perfect the colour looked (and couldn't believe that it was me who'd done it), I would highly recommend these pens to anyone. I know it may be heresy to say it as well with so many people recommending Copics, but I prefer the slightly cheaper Promarkers as the fine end of the pen suits me better, personal taste but I love the crisp lines you can get.

The background papers are Papermania, prima flower with a candy dot centre, papermania butterfly and papermania adhesive hearts too. The edge of the card has been inked with a colourbox chalk ink from the pastel range (sorry don't have the exact colour name.

Hope you like it - it's great to be back.

No card, just an apology

2009-02-12T19:10:00.002Z

I have not blogged since 4th December, my god! So much water under the bridge, so many cards made, sent out and not photographed. I'm such a bad blogger, sorry!!!

I made a beautiful card for my mum for Christmas and forgot to take photo's of it - luckily she has kept it (she loves it soo much she won't throw it away) so I will get photos at some point, its based on this design I found on my crafty wanderings (just to give you a taster of what it's like), though mine was made with shades of blue and lilac.

Anyway, I promise to try harder, really I do & as I now possess some Copics and Promarkers, my colouring range has increased so I can come up with some more wonderful stuff! I have to say I love the Promarkers, having had a little play, the fine nib is brilliant for adding the shading and detail.

Well off to make something - must remember the camera though!

OMG it's nearly Christmas!!

2008-12-04T19:03:00.004Z

And I haven't posted in over a month! Sorry folks, mind you not sure who I'm saying sorry to, there are not many people visit my blog - I know they probably would if I updated more often but I'm so busy off looking at other peoples blogs that I don't spend much time on my own!

Anyway, here are a few cards that I have made recently (I have been doing something with my time, in the words of Paul Daniels "not alot" but something).

This one was made for my friendship partner for November on Docrafts - I didn't send it to her until yesterday so it was a bit late but as they say, better late than never (well I hope she likes it anyway.

The next two I'm quite proud of as they only took me about 10 minutes to make in a mad flash of inspiration one saturday afternoon. I have discovered however that it is better to use standard card sizes as these were made with odd bits of card and don't fit into standard envelopes.

Ah well.... I'm off again, no promises when I'll be back.

Where does all the time go?

2008-10-26T16:22:00.003Z

I seem to spend most of my time apologising for my absence on here - I spend quite a lot of time blog hopping & not an awful lot of time making things - occasionally I have to force myself to turn off the computer and actually make some cards! & then I realise how many more talented people there are out there than me & can't think of a thing to do.

Having said this though, I did make 3 cards recently for a fall card swap with my SBS12 sisters, but I won't post those until I know they've got them - all I'll say is that I was really pleased with the results, even if I did leave it until the last minute and put myself under loads of pressure to get it done.

The one card I can post is for the October friendship card swap on Docrafts - as you will see the theme was halloween, and I didn't think I had that much stuff for halloween (other than a CBug folder with a spiders web that I bought at Exeter last month). But then I got out my paper dolls Cricut cartridge and cut out most of the Frankenstein stuff - I really do not use my cricut enough, there is such wonderful stuff on there! It still took me ages to put the card together as I really wasn't sure how to arrange everything. In the end I used some of the bits on the inside & thought it would make a nice surprise when the recipient opens it. I also remembered one stamp I bought many years ago (probably 15 if I'm honest) and have never used on a card, it seemed to fit perfectly as a border at the bottom, especially with the white embossing powder, it really pops off the page.

Anyway hope you like - I'm off to try and get some more inspiration from Create and Craft who've got a whole weekend of craft - have already got a few ideas for some unusual cards.

Bye for now

Thanks

2008-10-05T16:08:00.002+01:00

Well, it's been ages since I posted (again!) - sorry, spend so much time blog hopping that I don't get time to update my own - haven't been making as many cards recently either.

I did find time to go to the Craft Fair at Westpoint last weekend & managed to spend all of my birthday money (& then some!). It was a really good day out, but my feet were soo tired at the end of it & I was suffering from severe caffeine withdrawals, it was several days before I played with any of my goodies. I managed to increase my Magnolia collection by 6, and although I promised myself no more christmas stuff I could not resist a Penny Black clear christmas critter set.

Anyway, this week a friend of hubbys was moving and had a clear out, and gave me a whole load of crafting stuff - I've never met this girl & thought this was really sweet, so I made her this card to say thank you (& at the same time got to play with one of my new magnolia stamps and one of my new cuttlebug embossing folders).

Hope you like - no promises on when I will next find time in my hectic schedule to post.

Sorry for going AWOL

2008-09-18T20:41:00.003+01:00

Okay, sorry about being absent for so long, loads to do & so little time to put it all on my blog. I have a friend who's going through a rough time at the moment so I've been trying to help there & this has cut my time down a bit. I've still been making things & taking pictures, just no time to post, so here they all are in one big hit!

More Playtime

2008-08-23T17:51:00.003+01:00

Yay! I have had soo much time to make cards this week - think the weather has been conspiring in my favour (although we did spend an entire afternoon at the cinema on Thursday).

I finally got my card made for the docraft friendship swap for August (may just manage to get it in the post for the end of the month). Its the first time I've used this fancy fold on a card before, but I really like it and may well use it again. The flower image is one of my favourite stamps that gets used quite a lot (not recently though) and surprisingly enough, its a Dawn Bibby stamp. I don't possess many of hers but I have to say that they are very versatile.

The other card is another one for Christmas, I really am enjoying using my old stamps, once you get into it the imagination tends to do all the hard work & before you know it another card is made!

I got brave the other day and put out an ad on the Docrafts website for someone who might like to come and craft with me on a weekend afternoon, well, a lovely lady called Sharon answered the call & we met up today - just to talk and sort out some kind of plan. It's going to be so much more fun having someone else to craft with, and hopefully she will be able to bring along another crafting nut! It's never the same when you show your cards to a non crafter, bless them, they try and seem enthusiastic but it just does not work.

Anyway, hope you like the cards & thanks for looking

More old stamps

2008-08-19T17:14:00.003+01:00

Well, I've been at it again - I found another old stamp and made a card with it, the backing paper is brand new though & I was quite extravagant and used nearly a whole 8x8 sheet!

I love the way the embossed background turned out - I inked with bashful blue onto the cuttlebug embossing folder before putting the paper in and embossing, I actually really like the mottled effect where the ink didn't quite cover the whole folder.

I've had the snowman stamp for years (an old Anita's one) and don't use him much because he's not quite as cute as some other images.

Anyway, happy stamping & I'll no doubt be back soon with some more stuff - I've got a week off work at the moment and as the weather isn't playing ball, we are only doing short trips with DD.