2 cards for you today.....

Another week has flown by without any postings but here are 2 cards I made last night. I needed to unwind last night so went and did some colouring with my copics, browsed through the current challenges and this is what I came up with....



I love this image from Funky Kits, a great one for male cards, added glossy accents to the glasses and guitar. The paper is from a K & Co pad I've had for ages. The musical stamp is a magazine freebie, cut out with an SU! punch as is the star that has been trimmed down from the flower punch. Sentiment from Craftwork Cards edged off with a bit of stickles, still not managed to add these evenly - practice practice practice I guess!!
The layout is from this week's challenge at Dutch Dare, the theme from Cute Card Thursday which is Music and/or Dance - reckon he's dancing here, what do you think? and hoping it qualified for Charisma Cardz challenge of using die cuts - the sentiment is die cut and hoping the punched out shapes count also?

The other card is for a lovely lady who works with my husband, I only found out last night it was her birthday today so it was a very quick make.... Happy Birthday Roni x



Paper from a Kay & Co paper stack, organza ribbon from stash. Sentiment from an SU! set which is often in use.

Day off today so off to catch up with some chores, hoping to fit a bit of cardmaking in later although with the sun out I may be in the garden!!

Happy Birthday Sis

I know it's been a very long time since I lost posted. I had hoped to manage some cardmaking over the half term holiday but I decided to sort out my craft room!
Here's a card I did manage to make, it's for my sister who is 40 today, HAPPY BIRTHDAY NATS XXXX I even made a boxalope for it, first time I've made one of these and I was really pleased with how it turned out, thanks Rica for the tut.




Don't you just love this cute lil' LOTV image? The colour scheme has been inspired by Bev who has made a couple of cards recently in these colours. The layout is from the sketch at Cute Card Thursday and I am also entering it into the challenge at Lili of the Valley which is to use circles.

Anyhow that's it for me this morning, better get ready for work.

Just for you

Thought I would get my entry for Just Magnolia & Hanglar & Stangler in early this week, as more often than not I miss the deadline!! Had a lovely time colouring the image then thought I would use my cricut to cut an oval shape to mount it onto.... only thing is it wouldn't work! The power supply/adapter was broken so had to find an alternative, thank goodness for my EK Success circle cutter!



Love this cute Magnolia image, coloured with copics, the papers are from a magazine a year or so ago, must rummage through the pile of mags and see what other lovely papers I can unearth! All the embellishments are from my stock pile of stash, had the crochet flowers for ages, I really must learn to crochet, then I can make my own. The little hearts are from Paper Cellar, I filled them with Glossy Accents as I didn't know how else to stick them to the card, then added a bit of glitter to bling it up.
I ran a glue pen round the edge of the circle the main image is on and sprinkled a bit of glitter on there. I've tried to do this with stickles but haven't managed to get a nice fine line, more practice required!!

I am going to enter this into 3 challenges
Just Magnolia & Hanglar & Stangler - a fabby sketch from Donalda, lovely to work with
Stamp Something - Something Cute, can't get much cuter than this image
Cute Card Thursday - 1,2,3, 1 pearl brad, 2 patterned papers and 3 blooms.

I am off to decorate the card on the inside with layers similar to the front and think I may list it on Ebay. I need to find out where to get my hands on some boxes to post cards, just in case anyone buys any of my cards!! If anyone knows of a good supplier can you let me know please.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

My dear friend Lili...

Up late tonight, I had to order my new Lili of the Valley stamps before I went to bed to make sure I got the ones I want! I am trying to order while writing this post, the site is really slow so I'm guessing lots of crafters have the same idea :)

Here's a card I made this evening to while away the time...



Love this cute LOTV image, reminds me of my daughter when she used to clomp around in my shoes.... oh how long ago was that, too scary to think about! Coloured with copics, I dug out one of my old papers pads, another DCWV, spring stack and an old corner punch which has been tucked away in a draw for some time.
I couldn't decide what sentiment to use when I discovered this in a pile of new rubber that hadn't been inked up. Time I used some of my flowers, instead of stock piling them and these ones matched the papers quite well I thought.

I am entering this card for 4 challenges
Lili of the Valley - sketch
Cute Card Thursday - Out with the old - papers and punches
Stampin' for the Weekend - New and blue - new sentiment stamp
Cupcake Craft - Something new - new sentiment stamp.

Am still struggling with the LOTV site, let's hope I can get this order processed soon otherwise I shall be falling asleep at my desk tomorrow!!

Thanks a bunch!!

Well as first days back go, that wasn't too bad.... Only tomorrow to go then its my day off, can't decide whether to do housework or crafting??
Anyway on to my card,



I suddenly realised I had a thank you card to make today, well a few actually but one pdq.... yep, you guessed it, my LOTV stamps came out along with my copics and another old DCWV paper stack, the glitter stack. The sentiment is from a Personal Impressions set I bought back in the summer which has only just seen ink, great everyday sentiments in several different fonts. Dusted down my SU! scalloped square punch, rooted around until I found the box of card candy et voila.....

I am entering this into 3 challenges,
Cute Card Thursday and Winter Wonderland whose theme is 'Thank You' and I used the sketch from Sketch Saturday for the layout.

Still got 2 more birthday cards to make so hope to be back tomorrow.

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.

On a roll now....

Posting 4 days in a row... can't remember the last time I managed that. I've made a few cards over the weekend, during the big tidy up.... Clare, I keep thinking of you, and chuckling at your comments on your WOYWW post recently! I am now tidying up mid card - it's working at the moment, although there is still another area on my worktop that I have to tackle - maybe next weekend, but I think its the NEC show and its a long time since I've been there.....

Anyhow, onto my card. I've had this image coloured up on my desk for a while but haven't been able to find papers to put with it but while sorting out one of my paper piles I came across this bee glitter cardstock I bought from Hobbycraft eons ago! It's very glittery and sparkly IRL and I'm glad to have used some of it finally.

The stamp is one I got in a swap with Tasha, thank you, I just adore it, she is so cute, gonna try it in another colourway sometime soon. Coloured with copics and finished off with some glamour dust. Other cardstock is from DCWV citrus stack, sentiment and punches SU! except the swirl punch which is EK Success and the Martha Stewart border punch. Raffia ribbon from Hobbycraft, sticky gem butterflies from The Range.

I am entering this card into 4 challenges

Cute Card Thursday - Celebration, they are celebrating their 2nd birthday

Charisma Cards - Butterflies, I know they are small, but they are there...

Just Magnolia - Sketch, lovely one to work with

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Anything goes.

Back tomorrow with a DT card for a fab new challenge at Creative Card Crew.

Have a lovely day.

xx

Early start brings on a card.....

I had an early morning phone call today so rather than go back to bed and oversleep I thought I would colour up an image. You may have noticed I've not been blogging much lately, don't know where the time is going, we are having the bathroom refitted so things are a bit upside down and I've been watching 'Wanted Down Under' on iPlayer in the evenings, seeing whats on offer in warmer climes and once I get settled on the sofa its really difficult to make myself get out to my craft room...anyhow back to my card



I picked out some papers from DCWV glitter stack and coloured the lil' pixie image with copics to match the papers. I used my new Martha Stewart border punch added a layer of ribbon and 3 flowers from my stash, forgotten I had those, they were tucked away somewhere safe!

Challenges :-
Cute Card Thursday - Fairy Fantastic
Charisma Cards - Use 3 fruity colours
Sketch & Stamp - sketch.

Should be sewing but couldn't resist the call of my craft room...

I was going to do some patchwork this evening but felt it really difficult to ignore the call of my craft room - its just so snug and warm out there!!



It a while since this stamp has seen any ink so thought it was about time and it fits in with the challenge at Cute Card Thursday this week of making a card for 'Younger Boys', I used the autumnal colours set at Copic Colour Challenge, which are E29 Burnt Umber, G99 Olive Green & YR16 Apricot, thought I was going to be able to use this card for The Sugar Bowl challenge but just realised that there's no combining challenges if there's a prize up for grabs:-( oh well 2 will have to do, just means I'll have to make another card tomorrow night or maybe tonight - well I did have some new rubbah delivered from Funky Kits today!
Image coloured with copics, papers from MME Magnolia stack.

Miss Anya in the Pink and Lilac

Woo hoo, I can enter this card for 6 challenges.....



I dusted off my Cricut for this card - I used the Accent Essentials cartridge to cut the giant snowflake, which I put on top of the circle of pink glittery paper and dots of purple stickles on each circle although these haven't come out too clearly in the photo. Miss Anya was coloured with copics, loving the grey shades, and icicle stickles on the fur in the image. just in case you hadn't noticed! Paper is from DCWV paper stack, would you expect anything else these days?
Greeting is a Cuddly Buddly stamp on punched circles using SU! punches. Charm and gems from stash.
Photo is pretty bad but try as I might I can't get one without any glare, please click on the image for a closer look.

I can feel a night in my craft room coming on, as I can hear the rain lashing against the windows and its nice and snug in my lil' room.

The challenges are :-

1. the sketch from Friday Sketchers
2. Christmas theme from Roses on Paper
3. Use punches for La La Land
4. Christmas theme at Stamp with Us
5. Merry & Bright at Charisma Cardz
6. Glitter Me Silly at Cute Card Thursday

3 challenges in 1 card.....

Day off today, I've spent the afternoon playing in my craft room, in between sitting in the garden for short stints, well its too hot to stay out there for very long! Not that I'm complaining...

Wasn't sure what I was going to make, have a list of challenges as long as my arm but once I got going it just seemed to fall into place and I managed to combine 3 challenges with this card!



I followed the sketch over at Sketch Saturday , Cute Card Thursday challenge is 'Wheely Good Fun'use wheels on your card and finally the challenge at Inspiring Inkin' is to make a man's card with an embellishment, I used brads, but you will need to look closely as they merge in with the paper :-( in the photo, more obvious IRL.

Inspiring Inkin' is the Stampin' Up! team I am in, run by Amanda Fowler, who is a constant source of inspiration. If you want to join our happy group of stampers, give me a call or email me for further info, it really is great fun, Amanda runs quarterly training in Fareham and I come away with my head buzzing with ideas. She has also just earnt an all expenses paid trip to Monaco next year, wish I could earn that with my 'day' job!

I coloured a piece of cardstock with my brayer, new toy, using Basic Black, Certainly Celery and Bashful Blue. I stamped the lorry from Loads of Love onto spare card and coloured using SU inks listed below and my Aqua Painter, then added some Glossy Accents to the windows. I cut round the lorry and using dimensionals stuck it onto the brayered background. This was then layered up using Washington Apple DSP as per Sketch Saturday sketch.

CS - Whisper White & Bashful Blue
DSP - Washington Apple
Stamp sets - Loads of Love & Loads of Love Accessories
Inks - Basic Black, Close to Cocoa, Creamy Caramel, Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink, Bashful Blue & Pumpkin Pie
Accessories - Soft Subtle brads
Tools - Brayer, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Scalloped border, scalloped oval and large oval punches
All from Stampin' Up!

Really enjoyed today, didn't get my day off last week as I had a conference to attend but didn't mind as look who the guest speakers were



Vincent and Flavia from Strictly Come Dancing. They were inspirational, anyone who knows me, knows I was not a fan of Strictly but I have been converted, they were wonderul to watch, and very entertaining speakers. If only I didn't have the co-ordination of a dead duck I might be tempted to take up ballroom dancing, much to Barry's amusement when I suggested this!!

Had better go and cook the dinner now, hope to be back later...

Cute Card Thursday - Letters and Numbers

Sorry for being AWOL again much of this week, have been busy making cards for local library who are going to sell some for me, have been burning the midnight oil to try and complete the order. Am going to take them in tomorrow, hopefully will get me some extra cash to spend on more stash......

Its my second week as a guest designer on Cute Card Thursday this week. The challenge today is to use letters and numbers on your card. I have been making card for special birthdays this week, you know, 18, 21, 30,...... so thought I would make another 18th birthday card - always handy as a lot of my daughter's friends are celebrating their 18th birthdays at the moment!



I thought I would make a nice colourful card to cheer myself up, as the weather has been so dull and dreary this week. I used my Rainbow Sherbet papers and Whisper White, Almost Apricot, Green Galore and Tempting Turquoise cardstock as the base for this card and some glitter card from stash. 18 and cylindrical shape cut using Cricut, George & Basic Shape cartridge. Added a bit of bling to the front with self adhesive gems from Papermania.



Used same stash on the second side, Congrats sentiment cut using Beyond Birthdays cartridge.



I wasn't quite sure how many drinks you need to celebrate an 18th!! but put as many as I could without any showing over the top of the triangular pieces spoiling the front image. Stamp set is Cheers to You, images coloured with SU! ink pads and watercolour brush, punched out using circle and scalloped circle SU punches.

I hope whoever receives this will be as pleased with it as I am....

Cute Card Thursday - Family Affair

Haven't managed to join in CCT for a while now, but have a day in and thought I should catch up with some challenges and card making - especially as the weather is a bit grim!

Challenge 53 - "Family Affair"
A nice easy one for this week!! We want you to make a card for a member of your family. As simple as that. Could be mum, dad, husband, son, sister - anyone!!

Mmmmm who should I make a card for, Mum's birthday is on Tuesday, but that card is on its way to New Zealand at the moment, haven't got any family birthdays until May now, and that is far too organised for me! Settled on making a card for my FIL whose birthday is at the beginning of May and decided to use some of my new SU! goodies that arrived last week and been crying out for me to play with them!
I decided to make a Z fold card, cutting A4 cardstock in half lengthways. I thought I would use the truck image from the Loads of Love set and my new Washington Apple DSP which are available on the new mini catalogue from 1st April. The image was watercoloured with co-ordinating inks. I think it needs something in the top left corner, but not sure what so will leave it for the time being. DOH just realised that I should put Dad on there, am off to do that now, will put new pic up later.
All I have to do now is put it somewhere safe and not forget about it LOL, perhaps I should make a card keeper!

Recipe
Stamp Sets - Loads of Love, Loads of Love Accessories & Polka Dot background
DSP - Washington Apple
CS - Bashful Blue, Pumpkin Pie & So Saffron
Inks - Versamark, Black, Bashful Blue, Pumpkin Pie & So Saffron
Accessories - Scalloped Oval & Large Oval punches
All from Stampin' Up!

If you would like to get your hands on some of the new stash from the Mini Catalogue please contact me to order. I look forward to hearing from you soon....

By the skin of my teeth - CCT challenge

Talk about last minute.com..... When I saw the theme for this weeks challenge over at Cute Card Thursday - Wine & Dine I knew what stamps I was going to use, I bought them recently and they were crying out to be inked up!

A5 cardstock folded in half lengthways. Background stamped with matching ink. White cardstock stamped in Stazon black ink and images coloured with various ink pads and waterbrush. Images punched out with scalloped circle punch and additional scalloped circles punched from turquoise card and mounted slightly offset from base shapes, then added to card with stamping dimensionals. Sentiment from same set stamped in matching ink.



Recipe
All Stampin Up items
Cardstock - Tempting Turquoise & Whisper White
Inks - Tempting Turquoise, Real Red, Green Galore, Old Olive & So Saffron and Black Staz on
Stamps - Polka Dot background, Cheers to You stamp set

Lovely relaxing day

I've had a lovely day today, just noticed the time, so perhaps I should say yesterday! Had a pub lunch with a friend - Crispy Duck and Cucumber Club sandwich and chips which are just the best I have ever tasted and a glass of wine, hey I could get used to this! and caught up with another friend for coffee later on in the day!

It wasn't all R & R tho as I had to go and choose some tiles for the kitchen, extension has only been finished about 15 months and I feel it is time we added the finishing touches, got new blinds on order, so we are getting there. Waiting for carpet man to come and measure up for the lounge carpet, got to get a wiggle on as new suite being delivered next week eek... Just hallway to do and that will be the downstairs finished, don't know about you but I really hate decorating hall stairs and landing, so much so that it hasn't been done since before my youngest was born, and he's 13, so it's long overdue :-(

Haven't managed to get much crafting done over the last couple of days, too much blog hopping! Anyway thought I should make at least one card today and here it is....



This one qualifies for the Cute Card Thursday challenge 48 which is

"Signs of Spring"
This could be interpreted through your image, an embellishment or even your colour-scheme.
I decided to use these papers from a HOTP Citrus pad I have had for ages. These colours always remind me of the spring and the feathers remind me of the cute little ducklings we will see soon - okay I know they won't be blue!
I have used the sketch from this week's Sketch Saturday challenge - hey 2 in 1, haven't managed that for ages.

Recipe
Image - Hanglar - I won in blog candy from Heidi, ages ago.
Watercolour pencils
Scallop circle punch - Stampin Up!
Sentiment stamp - Cuddly Buddly
Blooms - Poppicrafts
Brad & Heart gem - Papermania

Papertake Weekly and Cute Card Thursday challenges

Update on post below, here is the card and the candle, I was really pleased with the way the candle turned out. I must remember to use strong colours next time as they appear paler on the candle. Will be making more of these. Have also realised that this qualifies for the CCT challenge of 'have a giggle' this week.




It's a friend's birthday this week so thought I would make her a card using the sketch on Papertake Weekly. I knew which stamp I was going to use, one of my favourites, the Dolly Mama stamps from Stamps Happen - 'I used to burn the candle at both ends.... now I can't find the matches! I am also planning to put the same image on a candle, not tried that yet, but have the candle and tissue paper ready and waiting - have this awful feeling I am going to end up with a pool of melted wax - too late to try it tonight, so wish me luck for tomorrow...

I coloured the image with my SU watercolour crayons, really like using these, can feel a spend coming on! I wanted to use vibrant colours as I am going to use the same colours for the candle and I didn't think pale colours would show that well.

Found this gorgeous handmade paper in my stash, its quite thick with gold bits on that look a bit like embossing altho its not, there are quite a few other colours in my stash, how could I forget lovely paper like this (prob didn't forget, just didn't want to cut it up LOL!). Just looked at the preview and the photo doesn't really show the paper off in its full glory, you'll just have to trust me on this one.

Cute Card Thursday Challenge, No Patterned Paper!!

The CCT challenge this week is to make a card without any PATTERNED PAPER!! Had to have a think and a cup of coffee for this one...... I came up with this, a little different from my usual style, I tend to put the image on my cards square, rather than at an angle which a lot of crafters do. I tried it today but as you can see it is still fairly square on, although I have cut the card at an angle and mounted the backing cards at different angles. The image is an H & S image I won in Heidi's blog candy recently, they are gorgeous, coloured in with watercolour pencils. The backing card is pearlescent and has been embossed with cuttlebug embossing folders, elegant swirls and swiss dots. This card will qualify for the DCM challenge this week, which is to make a quick card - less than 30 minutes. This one took me about 25, so two in one!

Cute Card Thursday challenge, Background paper

Another dreary day here in Gosport!! Still its the last day of the half term holidays, the kids are quiet, so am going to try and do a couple of challenges.

Over at Cute Card Thursday the challenge this week is 'to use patterned paper on your card in honour of our fabulous blog candy donated by Andrea of Kaboodle Doodles.'

After pulling out just about every piece of paper I have got, (my craft room looks like a bomb has gone off!) I decided to use these papers from The Spring Stack from DCWV. The image is a download from Pink Petticoat, which I coloured with sakura, marvys, then glued and glittered the body with glamour dust. I was going to add a greeting but didn't want to cover up the panel on the left of the card, and couldn't decide what occasion to make the card for - will leave it blank for the time being, and add one when the occasion arises......

Cute Card Thursday & Papertake Weekly Challenges, Special Friend card

I have been playing with my Dolly Mama stamps again! I have combined 2 challenges, Cute Card Thursday whose challenge is 'to use gems or jewels on your card,' and the Papertake Weekly Challenge which is 'another colour combination! Luscious Lime and Lilac - or any shades of green and purple! ' This is the first time I have entered the Cute Card Thursday challenge and the first time I have been so early with my card for the Papertake Weekly challenge! CS from Paper Mill, 'Beauty Queen for a Day' stamp from Stamps Happen. Image was coloured with Marvys and a waterbrush & Sakura gelly roll pens. Paper is from a Hot Off The Press book of citrus papers. I added nail gems to the centre of the flowers on the towels, as earrings, a ring, on the sign and tiara, and 3 larger gems to the bottom right side of the card. I added a circular shadow tag cut with Cricut machine, added ribbon (which I had bought on Saturday, fortunately in the right colour for the challenge!) and handwritten greeting.