My last post of 2010 - New Beginnings - 2 challenges

My last post of 2010, not managed many posts this year, 63.... must do better next year, a new beginning maybe?? Well that is the theme of 2 challenges this week that I have made this card for.



Love this cute stamp from Lili of the Valley, really looking forward to the new releases next month. The papers are from a DCWV stack I bought some time ago with a view to scrapbooking our wedding - not sure why I bought these as the colours are grey, lavender and pink, nothing like the colours we had, peach and ivory. Still practicing some tips for colouring with copic pens from the You Tube tutes....Sentiment from Scrappy Cat, SU and Martha Stewart punches. I ran a thin line of silver stickles around the edge of the paper hoping it would stick down the vellum layer of punched hearts but no such luck!

The challenges I am entering this card into are Lili of the Valley and Dutch Dare, both of which have the theme of New Beginnings.

Just realised I can also enter this into the Stamp Something challenge which is 'something with glitter', ok so the stickles may not have done what I wanted them to but it gives me entry into another challenge so all is not lost!!

Wishing you all a Happy Healthy 2011.

Another challenge card, made it by the skin of my teeth this time...

While browsing through challenge blogs this evening I saw the Sugar Bowl challenge.... yep you guessed it, deadline tonight, midnight but I just had to enter as there is a fabby prize. I never win prizes but you've got to be in it to win it, I really liked the sketch and though it would give me a start on next year's Christmas cards :)



Love this Sugar Nellie image, coloured with copics, Dovecraft paper I think from a few years back, have been really good this year and not bought any new Christmas paper - only because I've been buying material for patchwork and quilting. I've got so much craft stash I need a bigger room, keep trying to condense things but it never seemed to happen !!

The sentiment will be added later as I was up against the clock - again!!

Just discovered I can enter this into the Crafty Purple Frog challenge which Christmas themed. Closing date for this challenge is 5 Jan and there are 6 prizes up for grabs, the first three are Kenny K downloads, I've been wanting to try these for a while, fingers crossed!

That's it from me today....

My first challenge card for ages and now its too late!!

Thought it was about time I made a card for a challenge. I rather liked the sketch from Cute Card Thursday so thought I would make a card using that. However it took a bit longer than I thought, so I'm too late - by 10 minutes - thats about par for the course for me!! Maybe a New Years Resolution??



I used one of the lovely Lili of the Valley stamps I bought earlier this month but haven't had time to play with until today. I watched a few you tube videos to pick up some tips for colouring with copics and have tried to put them into practice today.... Papers are a hostess gift from Stampin' Up!

I tidied my workshpace on Christmas Eve, look at it now, only one card later!! Am I the only person to get into such a mess making one card??



Am off to have a tidy up again and see what challenges I can enter tomorrow....

Bye for now.

Another scarf, another colour and a patchwork cushion

It's been a while between posts again but hope its worth the wait - here's the scarf in the other colour as promised in my previous post.



Love knitting these, so easy to knit and it makes me sit down otherwise I seem to spend the evening pottering about the house doing chores....

Also completed another Christmas present....



Cooking on gas with my christmas preparations this year, not worked out how come, but long may it last!! Got a couple of cards to make, so had better be off to crack on with them as they should be in the post soon.

A bit of knitting

I had planned to do go Christmas shopping yesterday but the snow put the paid to that plan so I decided to stay in the warm and not being one to be idle, thought I would knit up some of the lovely wool I bought earlier in the week.



Apparently this yarn is very hard to come by, they had just had a delivery in the shop and were rationing it! Had to buy it in a couple of colours so watch out for the other one soon. It's great as it doesn't take too long to knit up as there's only 9 stitches to a row and only uses 1 ball of yarn. I love the ruffled effect you get,at the moment it is about 90cm long but I imagine it will stretch a little when you have worn it a few times.

Am off to do some sewing now. Take care and keep warm.

A wedding in the sun - wish I was there....

This card is on its way to warmer climes - my cousin in Australia is getting married on Saturday, let's hope it gets there in time! If only I was able to take it in person and get away from this blooming cold weather.....



I used the Bev's sketch from the challenge at Lili of the Valley this week, papers from a wedding DCWV stack, and a Martha Stewart punch. I didn't add too many layers or embellies to keep the postage down and in the hope that it would get there quicker - you know me, last minute dot com :)

Hope you are all keeping warm and managing to fit in lots of crafting.

Even longer time - no see....

My posts on here are very few and far between these days.... I haven't stopped making cards, I don't make as many as I used to and when I do manage to make them I either give them away before photographing them or miss the challenge the card was made for!!

On to a card for which the challenge is still open....



This uses the sketch at Sketch & Stamp which runs until this Sunday. I adore this cute LOTV stamp, just itching to get some more, wondering what the new releases are like, only have to wait till midnight! Still trying to use up some of my stash, the papers are from a HOTP pad I've had for ages but just love the bright colours, the image was coloured with copics, so relaxing colouring with these.

And here's another reason why I'm not making so many cards - another hobby to keep me occupied!

This is quilt the same size as the top of a double bed, so I hope the people I've made it for have got a double and not king size.... It was made with fabric from a jelly roll.



and this is what I made with the bits that were left.



I've got several more of these to make up, just don't know what design to make, got a stack of books to browse through and will probably do that this weekend as it looks like the weather is going to be rubbish.

I'm back....

I know its been a long time - again!! but I've been sidetracked by my quilting, nearly finished a double bed quilt, hoping to have it finished by the weekend and I've been sorting out and tidying my craft room. I have decided I need some new storage as what I've got at the moment just isn't working so I don't tend to spend a lot of time out there. I went off to Staples at the weekend ready to buy some RUBS but when I got there wasn't sure what size to buy so thought I had better come back and do a recky?!

Anyway onto my card....



This image has been coloured a while, with none other than copics - is there anything else to colour with?? I used the sketch at LOTV this week and having a gander through blogland there are a couple of other challenges I can enter it into as listed below.

Lili of the Valley - sketch by Bev
Charisma Cardz - Christmas crafting
Winter Wonderland - Xmas card for a male
Stamp Something - Something to celebrate
Secret Crafter Saturday challenge - easel cards

Thats it for me, should be in bed already, gonna be tired tomorrow, still lie in and day off on Thursday yippee!!!

A spot of baking - calorie free of course!!

When I was in The Works this weekend a book caught my eye 'Cupcakes from the Primrose Bakery'. After a quick flick through, my tastebuds were working over time so I had to buy it. There are so many delicious recipes in it I didn't know where to start but managed to decide this evening....

Here we have Malted Cup Cakes with Marshmallow icing



Dark cake cases are def the way to go, look much better than the white ones which make the cakes look anaemic! I guess I should try the taste test but as its almost midnight should wait until tomorrow...



The marshmallow icing is tasty but very sweet. The recipe was supposed to be enough for 12 cakes with a little left over.... perhaps I'm a bit tight with my icing but I've not even used half of it so I suppose I'll have to bake again tomorrow night, sure my family will be devastated!!

A 40th birthday, some beading, Top 3 at Lili of the Valley!!!!

Where did the weekend go? Oh yes, football, shopping, unshopping, a party and its Monday night already!!

It was a friend's 40th party on Saturday so of course I had to make a card.



The background paper is pink and black not that it shows in this photo and I can't take another one now as I don't have the card any more! Love making easel cards, shame I can't photograph them very well....

I went to the local bead bar, Destinctive Designs last weekend, which has recently moved into Silver Springs nursery. If you are in the Titchfield area be sure to make a visit. Debbie who owns the shop is lovely and nothing is too much trouble. Needless to say this has reignited my interest in beading and I only went to look at Troll bracelets and beads!!



I saw this design as a sample of one of the workshops they run and just had to have one. I am ashamed to say I copied it, even down to the colours used, but they are lovely, green is one of my favourite colours. Yes, so my bead collection has had an airing, my mind is working overtime and I don't know what to do next, cards, scrapbooking, quilting, knitting or play on the computer...

I managed to fit in some quilting on Friday evening, its coming together nicely now and I hope to be able to show you some pictures soon.

Off to catch up with some challenges now.

WOO HOO, I've just discovered I made the Top 3 with my entry for Lili of the Valley challenge last week, that's made my day!!! I just adore their stamps, they are such fun to work with. There are several coloured images sat patiently on my desk waiting to be put on a card.

Second card this week, on a roll now!!

Managed to escape to my craft room today.... I was supposed to be going to 2 classes at The Glitter Pot with Jenny Mayes but sadly it was cancelled as Jenny has had a fall and couldn't get there :(. Get well soon Jenny, hope I can get to one of your classes soon.

Anyway here's the card I made today, did a bit more colouring with my copics and dug out my Magnolia stamps that have been tucked away somewhere safe for a while.



I used the sketch from the Just Magnolia challenge this week and colours from the picture inspiration at Papertake Weekly.
The pink paper is MME Bloom and Grown, not sure about the purple paper.

Am off now to knit some more of my socks, might not be back for a while as I get in a tangle with 4 needles!

Back in the swing of things.....

Its been a long time since my last posting, where have the last few weeks gone?
We had a holiday in Devon, at the Manor House Hotel in Okehampton. A great place to go, craft, sport and pampering with the odd bit of alcohol thrown in.... what more could a girl ask for?
I've been back at work a week now, things are still a bit hectic, trying to remember where I left off at the end of July!!

I thought it was about time I made a card and entered a challenge or two.... I've been trying to avoid my craft room as its a bit untidy :( I did a bit of tidying, or should I say cleared a space to craft and here is the result.



The image is a Lili of the Valley image I have been admiring for a while, so treated myself while I was off work, along with some of the new Christmas stamps. I inked up some images and they had a lovely trip to Devon and back but never saw the light of day!! Anyhow, I've coloured some of them now so expect to see them on a card here sometime soon...
I coloured the image with copics, the papers are from stash and an MME paper stack I think, label has long gone! Sentiment from Stampin' Up! The ribbon was tied round a throw I bought recently, buttons are from stash.

I am entering this card into the Lili of the Valley challenge this week which is 'One for the Boys' and Sketch Saturday as I used this week's sketch.

Hope to catch up with some of your blogs soon

A gift, not a card

The challenge this week at Simon Says Stamp is to 'Make A Gift' and the challenge at One Stop Craft challenge is to make something 'Not A Card' so I am entering this little gift box for both challenges.

The box is made from only one sheet of card and paper to decorate (the instructions can be found on the scorpal website).



The box is held closed by the belly band and when this is removed the side pieces fall open to reveal the gift inside.



I visited Hobbycraft this afternoon hoping to find a book with some patchwork patterns for table mats and other small projects. Couldn't find one but did find a lovely book about knitting socks, I'm in the mood for quick fix projects at the moment so have come home and ordered the book and wool to make 2 pairs of socks, just need to get some needles now, going to have fun working with 4 needles, watch this space!!

Hope you've had a great weekend, can't believe its Sunday evening already...

Back with 2 challenges

I decided to make another card for a male, I often struggle with these but this image is just so like a lot of teenagers I know and as I haven't used it for ages, felt it was time it got inked up....



I used the sketch from Creative Inspirations challenge and hoping that this will qualify for the ABC challenge which is B for Blue, the card has to be 80% blue, hoping there's enough blue on here....
The papers are from a Basic Grey pad I've had for ages, image coloured with copics and edges distressed with Weathered Wood distress ink. Decided to make an easel card as its a long while since I've made one of these. Star dies are made by trimming the rounded edges from an SU! flower punch.

Just a quick post as I need to get dinner on. Have a wonderful weekend, whatever you're up to.

Busy day in the craft room....

I shut myself in my craft room today, after a bit of tidying up!! It was time to clear some of the chaos out there and catch up on a few challenges...

The first card is one I made for the Anyone for Anya and Papertake Weekly challenges this week. I had several stamped images which had surfaced during the tidy up so coloured one of these with copic markers, then what paper to use???? After pulling out most of my paper stacks, apart from the fact that I couldn't find one that matched the colours I'd used, it didn't look like I had tidied at all, it actually looked worse than when I started!! Then I remembered that somewhere safe, I had this gorgeous paper from blonde moments, more mess but I found it....



Thought I would tart the insert up a bit as they look a bit boring, so pulled out a couple of swirly stamps, need to get some more tho!!



During my tidy up I made a couple of quick cards for males, having 2 footie mad sons, I often have to have a card to hand at short notice, so thought I would be prepared. I've had these peel offs for a long time, so thought it was time they were used up.



And for those non sporty types....

Quilting

Here's the black and white quilt I made for my daughter during my blogging break.



The pattern is from a Jelly Roll pattern book but I used fat quarters of 4 different patterned fabric in white on black and black on white. I'm not very good at doing random, I like there to be some kind of sequence.

I'm working on another quilt at the moment, nearly finished the patchwork, I just need to put the squares together but have spent the last day or so trying to work out some kind of pattern while keeping the random effect :S.

Long time no see.....

I can't believe it's been nearly 2 months since I last posted - where has the time gone!! The summer term is always long and busy term and just to add the the chaos I have been helping out at another school on my day off, added to which I've been busy with craft orders so blogging has had to take a bit of a back seat. I have remembered to take photos though so watch out over the next couple of weeks for updates....

It was Barry's birthday this weekend so thought I would use the opportunity to take part in the Sketch Saturday challenge, I had the house to myself on Saturday afternoon and had a great time making this card and a couple of others, not for challenges but in a bid to use up some stash - so that I can buy some more without feeling too guilty ;)



Anyway here we go, with a Manga stamp I bought a while back, coloured with copics, I had forgotten how relaxing it is colouring, perhaps I should have done a bit more over the last couple of months! I used an embossing die I bought at Newbury which hadn't found its way out of the packet, some football brads which have been in my stash forever and the fab EK Success circle cutter which will be getting a lot more use in the future.

Hope to be back tomorrow, especially as I've seen the weather forecast, there won't be any sunbathing, sounds like craft is the order of the day!


xx

A couple of cards I've made this weekend

It was the school summer fair on Friday and I had a stall selling my cards. Sold a few cards, not as many as I would have liked but a few is better than none....

I didn't have many wedding cards which seemed to be what people wanted so I got cracking this weekend and made these which were ordered.

Its been ages since I've made iris folding cards, think I should have made a couple more for my stock while I was at it.... oh well something to add to my list to do this week!

Hope you've had a great weekend, not sure where it went!!

xx

The Sugar Bowl has caused me a headache!!

Oops, nearly missed a day. This card has been a while in the making, I started it last night, kept fiddling with it and decided it best to look at today..... still couldn't find the thing for the strips or the embellishments to go on the end, if you could see my workspace now..... it looks like a bomb has gone off, there are drawers open, and stacks of stash around me!!

Anyhow here we finally are, after much deliberation, lip chewing and head scratching! I am going to enter it into The Sugar Bowl challenge which has a wonderful prize on offer this time to celebrate the launch of the new look blog and 2 new DT members.

Image - Cheerleader - Funky Kits
Coloured with copics
Papers - black & white paper - Imaginisce, black leather look paper - Paper Mill
Buttons & Ribbon - The Range
Black gems - Kaisercraft
Greeting - Craftwork Cards
Punches - SU!

I am running a stall at the school summer fair on Friday, so hope to sell some of the cards in my stock, ready to buy new stash at Newbury next month :)

Off to bed now, catch up soon.

xx

Nothing to show today :(

I'm trying to keep up with my challenge to myself of posting every other day this month.

Sadly nothing to show today though as I did some sewing and unpicked that, made some cakes and they've all disappeared! I'll try and post tomorrow night.