Girly Card

The image on this card is from Crafters Companion, cut out with Spellbinder dies; the lacy doily is an X-cut die; background strip embossed using a Cuttlebug folder; computer sentiment popped onto a couple of Cuttlebug die cuts with a Marianne corner die - finally a ribbon bow and some card candy.  It is a lovely sunny morning at the moment - long may it last!!

Angelic Cat

This lovely cat who is trying to look angelic despite a couple of tell-tale feathers in his mouth is one of the images from the Crazy Cats collection drawn by Linda Ravenscroft.  The card has been put together with some of the matching backing paper, a piece of embossed card (Cuttlebug folder); a lacy border by Cheery Lynn and a bow (Die-namics).  There are lots of other fantasy cat images on the CD which I'm sure will be popping up on a few projects - I love them.

Brown Bird

Yesterday I spent a lovely day at a Stampin' Up Extravaganza Day where we completed three brilliant projects which I was going to photograph but I see that Karen has been really quick off the mark with photos which you can see on her interesting blog if you follow the link.  The day was presented by Jenny of Stamping Moments and yet again she came up with new and attractive projects for us as well as bringing along lots of attractive samples of cards and other items made using SU products.  I do so enjoy these days as it is great getting together with like minded friends to make things and share ideas.

 I have a quick card to share with you today using a little bird stamp from Stampin' Up,  a doily die cut from an X-Cut die and an embossed panel using a Cuttlebug embossing folder which I've had for ages although it hasn't been used for a while.

Celebration

Celebration is the theme for the challenge on the Male Room blog and it can be any type of occasion as long as it is suitable for a male.  I've used a stamp from the Wetlands set by Stampin' Up and a Cuttlebug embossing folder with just a simple birthday greeting.  The frame for the image was cut using two Spellbinder dies, the framing layers are gold mirri card which looks brown on the scan.  I'm quite looking forward to the challenges starting again after the break - maybe they will give me some impetus to get into the craft room which has been neglected a little of late.  I've just noticed that the picture is a little skew-whiff - the card itself is straight!!

Very best wishes for 2014 to all my friends and followers.

Yellow Flower

It seems ages since I actually made a card and I seem to have lost momentum so I'm planning a bit of a tidy up in my room and then really must get down to using up some of my stash.  For the moment I've decided I don't need to buy anything more and have managed so far to resist all the offers which arrive daily from the various companies I deal with - not sure how long that resolution will last!!  This card was made before the Christmas rush began and I used a Marianne die set which really didn't need  much more to finish it off apart from the flower in the centre which was layered up using three ready-made flowers with a large brad in the centre (all from Papermania)..  A simple greeting produced on the computer and layered onto Cuttlebug die cut shapes and a piece of toning background paper completes the layout.

This will be another fragmented week with a Bank Holiday in the middle and I'm looking forward to normal weeks which start and finish on the right day.  Wishing everyone all the very best for 2014.

Quintiles for December

The theme for the December Quintiles was, of course, seasonal and because I was somewhat pressed for time I've made two very similar ones using a lovely tree stamp from Chocolate Baroque.  Stamped onto card printed from Seasons Greetings CD and embossed with WOW powder; layered onto an embossed panel of snowflakes and the base layer is more of the same printed design from the CD.  Hopefully I will be able to include a picture here - I've lost the programme I normally use for manipulating and sending the scans to my blog and have had a go with something else which came with the new system.  I was so used to the old programme but sadly it isn't compatible which is such a pain but I'm not going to rush out and buy another programme until I've tried out other options.!!

Creative Chemistry

Yesterday I decided to have a play day, experimenting with some of the techniques to be found within Creative Chemistry 102 from Tim Holtz - great fun resulting in a selection of backgrounds and some embellishments which will be incorporated into projects. This one is a sort of layered effect using masks, stamps and inks and I added some embossing and embellishments to turn it into a male card (always useful to have in the box) - I find on the whole I tend to make more female cards than male ones so I might try to concentrate on the male themes.  I guess my next task will be to have a bit of a tidy up before I can do much more - such a messy worker!!

Challenge Card

The challenge this time around for the Male Room is NATURE and I've used stamps from Stampin' Up sets - Lovely as a Tree and A Touch of Nature which should fit the bill.  The trees were stamped onto a paint chart which you can easily pick up in DIY stores which mix  paints for decorating purposes.  I fished out some toning paper and card from my stash to complete the card.  The embossed panel is watercolour paper put through an embossing folder which was inked before using. Take a look to see the lovely cards from their design team.


I really hope the predicted horrendous weather doesn't materialise but if it does - stay safe and don't go out unless you absolutely have to.

Ladybug

When I saw some of these ladybirds on a friend's blog I thought this would be a die which would get good use so it had to be added to my growing collection.  I have a feeling someone will soon need to start an organisation called 'Crafters Anonymous'  as it seems so easy to become an addict - harmless though I'd say and brings so much pleasure to so many people it can't be bad, can it?.  I used this cute image cut out with Nestabilities dies and coloured with Copic pens.  Background was a handy piece of paper which was in my stash and I just added some die cut grass using a Marianne die.  Sentiment was produced on the computer and popped onto a Cuttlebug die cut.  A handy card to keep in the box for maybe a child's birthday.

Swirls and Pearls

The challenge this week for Make My Monday is SWIRLS AND PEARLS and I've used one of the lovely  images from Katy Sue Fabulous Shoes.  The swirls are within the image and pearls have been added to the ribbon.  Backing paper by Papermania has been in my stash for ages; border was cut using a Tonic punch; sentiment from the computer on a couple of Cuttlebug diecuts.  Lots of inspiration from the MMM design team as always.

4th July

The theme given for this month on the Chocolate Baroque quintiles swap was just this - 4th July which really had me stumped for a while and my original thought was to do something just using the colours until I saw some ideas on the Tim Holtz blog in keeping with the date.  I've made a rosette more or less as he had done using a Sizzix die and some tissue tape.  My next thought was celebrations, then fireworks, but of course no CB firework stamp until I remembered there was something which might do the job amongst my collection of their stamps.  I eventually used just the flower heads from a stamp in the Wisteria Lane collection and then sponged the card to look like night sky.  A Cuttlebug embossing folder was brought into service to make some red stripes and a silver star cut out for the centre of the rosette. A couple of words in the style of Tim's chit chat stickers and there it is - 4th July.  We submit two quintiles each month and I usually try to make them different but I'm afraid this month they are both almost the same which doesn't matter because when they are sent on to the other participants they will go separately to two people.  This monthly challenge is brilliant in that it makes me consider what stamps and other items I have which can be pressed into service for the various themes and often leads to quite a bit of 'thinking outside the box' and/or improvisation - sometimes even using stamps within a set which maybe haven't actually been inked before!!

Wedding Owls

I have a wedding card to share with you today using a couple of cute owls from Polkadoodles - I arranged the two images so that they look as if they are holding hands - ahh!!  Backing paper is from a pad of wedding papers I've had for ages, the heart behind the computer greeting is a Marianne die and a Cuttlebug hearts embossing folder was used on some Centura Pearl card. 

It's been a lovely sunny day today and I should have been mowing lawns but decided it was maybe a bit to warm outside - perhaps this evening if it cools down... but then perhaps not!!

Time for Quintiles Again

Well the months certainly seem to come around really quickly and this month the theme for the Chocolate Baroque Quintiles swap is 'June Brides' which had me somewhat stumped but eventually by giving it some thought I've come up with two this months loosely based on the theme and of course using products and/or stamps from CB. For this one I used a stamp from Floral Bouquet  set, stamped onto kraft card.  with white and embossed using fine detail powder. The small amount of colouring was done using Coloursoft pencils. Background is a piece of Tim Holtz kraft resist card, sponged with Distress Ink to show up the resist pattern. A piece of watercolour paper was spritzed with Glimmer mist and embossed with Cuttlebug hearts embossing folder and finally the word is from CB Artistic Expressions stamp plate. The second one is quite different and I will share that another time.

Purple Haze

This is the title of the challenge from Hels on the Sunday Stamper blog and she is looking for something including purple and of course some stamping..  I've used a  delicate asters stamp and die from Heartfelt Creations as well as various Spellbinders ornate dies and an EK Success punch. Image was stamped and coloured with Copic pens with an extra flower stamped so that it could be die cut to go on top of the image. Backing paper was from a Back to Basics pad by Dovecraft.  I'm having a little debate with myself at the moment about adding some die cut corners but I think maybe not - what do you think?

Another Literary Challenge

The challenge at Make My Monday this week is another literary one, this time the book is Jane Eyre.  Luckily we have been given a book cover as well as a brief outline of the story for inspiration and as you know I don't 'do' worthy literature so I've taken the book cover as my theme.  I realised when I was checking my box of cards that I was very short of Sympathy cards and I do like to keep a few to hand, hoping they won't be needed too often, so it is a case of 'two birds with one stone' today.  Backing paper is from Prima Script pad, the embossed panel is heavy watercolour paper embossed using a Cuttlebug folder which had been inked with Distress ink.  The cameo is a very old die from Quickcutz and is mounted onto a piece of black card embossed using a Sizzix oval tag folder (Stampin' Up).  Words produced on the computer and layered onto punched ovals (also SU).

I'm still nursing my injuries but as long as I'm careful not to make any sudden movements or bend down too often the aches and pains are bearable.  I'm still sporting a purple chin though and I guess that will turn all shades before it fades away.  Thanks for the good wishes and advice given in varous comments - much appreciated.I think another day of occupational therapy in the craft room might be advisable today.

Home to Nest

I have to confess to being tempted to buy this set of tiny birdhouse stamps from the new Papermania Home to Nest range and they really are quite tiny especially the birds which are smaller than my small fingernail so I will have to be careful that I don't drop any of them into my waste bin - don't ask.  It happens!!  The colouring was done with Promarkers and Copics; background paper was from my stash overstamped with Tall Trees from Chocolate Baroque; Cuttlebug swirls embossing folder was used (inked with Distress Ink) for one of the layers and I punched a strip of daisies and the other bits and pieces from scrap pieces of matching card.  The daisy border is a punch from EK Success.

Missing in Action - Again!!

My blog seems to have been sadly neglected of late but I have managed to take a look at most of the ones I follow although sadly not always had time to leave comments so apologies all round.  My time management skills seem to have deteriorated but hopefully I can soon get back into the swing although with the slightly warmer weather the garden is 'bursting out all over' and calling for attention so that is another thing to add into my busy schedule.  If anyone has any good suggestions for dealing with a large lawn which is looking more like a ploughed field covered in badger toilets I'd be grateful - a load of ready-mix concrete comes to mind!!  I'm sure mowing it must be classed as a health hazard.

This card was made as a commission for a man with an interest in woodwork and motorbikes - mention was also made that he used to milk cows but I was unable to include them as well.  I thought I had a woodgrain embossing folder but sadly not, so used another one which I thought looked vaguely like wood when used on Kraft card.  The motor bike stamp is one I've had for ages and came from a 'grab bag' of unmounted ones many years ago when wood-mounted stamps were the norm.  I used to cut my own wood blocks and mount them up would you believe.  The chap on the bike reminded me of the AA men who used to ride around with sidecars to come to the aid of stranded motorists - they wore peaked caps and would salute anyone with the AA badge on their vehicle (ought not to own up to remembering that - showing my age!!).  As the recipient of the card is 90 years old I felt he would be likely to remember them too.  The lady who asked for the card to be made was very pleased anyway.

Sunday Stamper Challenge Week 250

This week is the 250th one on the Sunday Stamper Challenge - Ink on My Fingers blog - and the lovely Hels is offering some wonderful blog candy as a prize to a lucky winner.  Just look and see what is on offer. The theme always seems to be based on song titles, quite loosely so never a problem, and this time it is 'shiny happy people' so something shiny has to be incorporated, plus of course some stamping.  I made a shiny panel by embossing a piece of black card with a cuttlebug folder, spongeing it lightly with some acrylic paint and once dry it was rubbed over with Treasure Gold (actually copper), a Papermania Chronology urban stamp was used on card sponged with Distress inks.  Another panel of toning patterned paper was added along with some die cut cogs, also rubbed with the copper and finally some shiny gems were added for that extra touch of bling. The whole thing was layered onto a piece of Tim Holtz shabby vintage paper.

 and here is a photo of the brilliant blog candy

Good luck everyone

Baby Girl

Blogging four days in a row - how is that for catching up??  Today it is a baby card using a super digi image from Sassy Cheryl - don't you just love the strand of hair with the ribbon bow?  Backing paper is from my stash and the other pieces of card were all from the oddments boxes.  Image was coloured with Promarkers and Flexmarkers, a Cuttlebug embossing folder made the dotty layer and the image is on  Spellbinders label die cuts. Sentiment produced on the computer and popped onto Stampin' Up punched shapes (the little flower trim was punched from more oddments of card (also SU punch).

Free Stamp from Craft Stamper

I've used the free stamp which appeared on the current issue of Craft Stamper - this wasn't an impulse buy though because I actually have this magazine on subscription.  The image was stamped twice and the moth, or is it a buterfly?? was coloured, glittered and cut out so that I could add some dimension. Background paper is from a Prima scripts pad and all the other elements were made using bits and pieces from my scraps.   A clock die cut using a Marianne die; small 'postage stamp' using a Stampin' Up stamp and matching punch; square behind image was embossed using a script embossing folder, layered onto a Spellbinders large 'postage stamp' style die cut; thank you message stamped onto a Tim Holtz ticket with a bit of splodgy overstamping.