Happy 50th Birthday

Good evening, good evening, good evening. 

Welcome to my blog on a foul night after a pretty foul day, weather wise. January has certainly been wet and very soggy. My heart goes out to all those in coastal and floodplain locations with another weekend of rain and high tides forecast.We need a bit of sunshine even if it is cold and frosty, to lift the spirits.

Today's card is for my daughter's Mother in Law who will reach that milestone of 50 on Valentine's Day. So as Nich is coming over tomorrow I thought I would make a card for Jill so she can take it over.

The inspiration for this card were the challenges at Crafty Little Fairies and Creative Impressions.

The papers are from LOTV's Nit Wits papers cut with a Woodware 1 3/4" square punch then edged in Milled Lavender and mounted on lilac card in a 3 x 3 grid. The little girl is also LOTV - Hello Cupcake, as is the sentiment. The image was coloured with Copics to match the DPs as follows:-

Hat - YR20, 31, Y26

Dress n shoes -V12, 15, 17, BG10, 23, 72

Cupcakes n stand - E51, 27,35,37, C3,C0, R27, 29

Hair - E51, 25,29, 35, 71

Skin - E000, 00, 11, R20

The image was cut using a spellbinders circle die then glued on a lilac lacy circle cut with a die from Joy Crafts -Bille's circle 6002/0289 and mounted on pads.

The 50 was cut using a Tim Holtz alphabet Carnivale die and mounted onto a Spellbinders small lacey circle die cut and layered onto background using pads. The flowers were made from the same DP's from  circles cut into a spirals and then rolled up and glued. A bead finishes each center. Foliage made using a paper punch.

I shall enter this into the following challenges:-

Creative Inspirations - Stamping

Crafty Little Fairies - Lavender and Lace

Don't forget about the new challenge over at Cardz4Guyz - Horses- Chinese New Year

Well thanks for coming over and especially to anyone of Chinese origin -

Gung hei fat choi. 

Chinese Year of the Horse

Friday is the start of the Chinese New Year so our theme this week at Cards4Guyz is:-

Anything to do with Horses

When Caz suggested this subject I was beginning to panic as I didn't think I could come up with a design, but I racked my brains and then remembered my little boy on a toy horse stamp from the Young Rebels series by Nellie Snellen.

I love this cheeky little boy, just right for a youngster's birthday. As usual I coloured him using Copics as follows:-

Horse - C10,7,5,3,0,blender R20

Hair, Harness boots etc - E53,55,57,59

Jeans -B93,95,97,99

Scarf - YG11,13,17

Shirt - YR12,15,16 

Hat - C3,0,blender

Skin - E000,00,11,R22

The background papers were sloshing around in the stash and were edged in Broken China distressed ink. The border was cut using a Doo Hickey star border die, the leftover stars were dotted around the bottom half of the card. The rope is just a length of string knotted then looped to form a lasso. The star was cut from the same paper as the border and edged in Broken China. The number was cut using an Ellison alphabet die set- Block Party. The greeting was from a Personal Impressions set. 

I shall enter this project in the following challenges:-

Clear it out - Blue

Sketchy colours - Blue,green,white

Cute card Thursday - Sweet

Crafty calender - Lets Celebrate

Well that's about it for now see you all later and thanks for popping round.

Pink,bling and ribbon

Good afternoon bloggers, thanks for stopping by.

Decided I would make a card  to more than one specification today.

As I've said before I like a brain teaser and Marianne challenges always test me to use the few items I have got, in new and different ways, so that was my starting point.

I need to use at least 3 items from Marianne to enter Marianne's Design Divas challenge 'Pink', so I had a long think and found the image and backing paper on a download from the Marianne web site. I used the tabs from their COL 1315 set and the stamens in the flowers were from the LR0112 Creatables, which I cut down. I coloured the girl with Copics as follows:-

Hair - YR24,Y21,23,E25

Dress, shoes, bag - RV 21,23,29,69

Flesh - E000,00,11,R20

Shadow - BG10

The rest of the papers I found sloshing around in the stash, which I then mounted on white. The sketch I followed was from this weeks Sketch n Stash and the other theme was bingo over at Copic Markers Norge- lace /ribbon, pink and dies was my combination. The pearls, pink Broiderie Anglais and ribbon was from the stash. Greeting stamp from Molly Bloom.

I shall enter the following challenges:-

Marianne Design Divas - Pretty in Pink

Copic Marker Norge - Bingo

Sketch n Stash - #131

Creative Inspirations - Ribbon

Thanks for taking the time to come and read my blog. 

All your comments are welcome, so please leave one if you can.

Bye.

For Di

Morning all, it really is a foul day out there. Hope you are all keeping safe.

Although I have been making I haven't been blogging 'cos all my creations have been for DT purposes. My friend Di thought I was poorly, so this post is for her.

I have a memory of seeing a similar card on line sometime ago but don't know where it was and I can't find it again! Anyhow, I thought I would have a play and see what came of it. This is it:-

When I saw the original it reminded me of a stamp set I bought in Harrogate a few years ago that I haven't really used. It's an Inkylicious stamp called Dandelion Wishes.

I used a piece of white A5 card folded to create a landscape card stamping the larger dandelion head with an embossing ink then heat embossed  in white embossing powder. I repeated this with the floating seeds which disappear off the page. The same thing for the other 2 seed heads on some scrap. The greeting from Personnel Impressions was treated similarly. I looked long and hard for a suitable greeting in my stash as I wanted something to do with wishes - blowing a dandelion clock to wish by. 

Using Faded Jean and Broken China distress ink, I inked one corner of the main card, fading out the ink with a clean bit of foam. The same for the other two heads which I then cut out using a Woodware square punch. The squares were then mounted on the base card using foam pads.

I shall enter it in the following challenges:-

As you like it - Your favourite CAS design

CASology - Contrast

Addicted to stamps and more - CAS

Don't forget there's still time to enter our monochrome challenge over at Cardz4Guyz.

Bye for now, thanks for popping in.

Monochrome Birthday

Good morning and welcome to my second design for Cards 4 Guyz.

This weeks theme  is:-

Monochrome (one colour).

I like to try out different techniques so I thought I would do something completely different.

This is a card made with Tim Holtz Vintage Photo distressed ink on cream card stock.

The bottom of the image was heavily inked and then blended out with cut n dry foam to create a hazy, misty effect. The foliage was then stamped with the same ink. Some heavily, others having first taken a little of the ink off on some scrap, in an 'L' shape. Can't tell you what the stamp set is as I have long since lost the packet. I stamped a Hobbycraft greeting in the 'white' space and finished off with some brown checked ribbon and a button from the stash. I mounted the topper on some matching sepia paper then onto a cream 6x6 square card. Quite a quick card really.

Thanks so much for stopping by, feel free to leave a comment.

My favourite style

Good afternoon everyone and thanks for popping around.

It's a gorgeous day outside, and I've just come back from a walk across the fields to help Al fill the hay racks for the sheep. It must have chucked it down last night 'cos the fields are running in water. The sheep, very sensibly, have taken themselves to higher ground and were sun bathing or drying out!

Anyway it's Sunday and I appear to be making a CAS card again! It is my favourite style at the moment.

This time it is inspired by Sketch Saturday's latest sketch and the theme at Less is More.

The stamp is one I've had for years, think it was from Do Crafts. I've used it quite a few times in the past as my daughter's friends were having lots of babies between them four or so years ago. I have kept the colouring down to a minimum, just using Copic RV10,13,14 to colour the hearts, patches and piping.

The coloured papers are just some scraps from the bit box and I embossed the bottom half of the main card with a swiss dot embossing folder. The words and tag are from Marianne (COL1314).

I am entering this project into the following challenges:-

Less is More - New baby

Sketch Saturday - #293

Sweet Stamping Challenge - Favourite Style

Addicted to CAS - New

CASology - Dot

Thanks for looking and come back soon. 

Don't forget the new challenge over at Fantasy Stampers - Anything with Wings

Fantasy Stampers- Anything with wings

Good morning folks. 

Welcome to my first design for Fantasy Stampers. Our second themed challenge is:-

Anything with wings.

Well this could be lots of things but I went with this image using a Woodware owl.

#

I have used paper piecing instead of colouring this time. The background paper and scraps are from Nit Wits  in pale green and lilac, except the eyes and beak which were coloured with Copics. 

My new Lea'bilities Leanne 007 frame square is cut from purple textured metallic 12x12 card stock.

The sentiment stamp is from LOTV and mounted on a matching Nesstie lacey circle. The background to the owl is a piece of white card put through a swirly embossing folder and the frame mounted on top. The owl was mounted on pads, flowers were punched from coordinating card scraps and ribbon as always from the stash.

I shall enter it in the following challenges:-
Stamping Sensations:- Ribbon, button and bows
A Creative Romance:- A sketch
Cute card Thursday:- Warm it up

Thanks for stopping by but why not pop over to join us at Fantasy Stampers for our new challenge,
sorry no digi's.

Cards 4 Guyz goes live

Good morning.

Today is the beginning of what I hope is a wonderful adventure, my first DT spot. 

Our first challenge over at Cards 4 Guyz is :-

 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY'

This is my first effort for the team.

I seem to be on the CAS theme again but using a masculine stamp and aperture this time.

The image is from LOTV and I coloured it with Copics as follows:-

Hair- YR24 Y21 E41,43

Grass-YG11,13,17

T-shirt- BG10,13,15

Log- E41,43,44,47

The background paper is from NitWits (Just hatched - clouds), glued to the base card and the top layer is white card embossed with a polka dot embossing folder after cutting the aperture with a Sizzix hexagon die.

I then mounted the image and the embossed layer with pads onto the base card. I cut away the log from the main image and mounted it on pads on the polkadot card putting in a few squiggles to suggest water as the original ones were lost when I cut the log off.

Well I hope you enjoy your first challenge over at Cards 4 Guyz or go and visit us and enter if you haven't been already.

I shall enter it in the following challenges:-

Craft your passion - Cool Colours

Dream Valley Challenges - Boys/Men

Crazy Challenge - Cards for men

Totally Goruss - Manly

LOTV - Anything goes

Bye, but come back soon.

Bubbles

Afternoon all. 

Looking a bit miserable outside, already need the lights on and its only just after 2.

Been a little busy in the old craft room yesterday working on my designs for Cards 4 Guys (starts Tuesday 14th January) DT,  as well as some for a new challenge blog I have been asked to be on the DT of , Fantasy Stampers. I did apply around Christmas but didn't hear anything until yesterday. Their first challenge -Your favourite Stamp- is still ongoing, so nip over and have a look and perhaps take part. Anyway watch this space as I will be posting my designs as soon as all the challenges go live.

Now I can post this little project.

This is a bit of fun using a free Pink Petticoat stamp I found in my stash. Not sure how long I've had it but it amused me and fit the brief on a couple of CAS challenges. The heart bubbles were stamped 3 times to get a longer flow of bubbles. The fish were coloured with Copics as follows:-

Hearts- R22, 27,29

Large fish - YR12,15,16,07, Y11,15,17

Small fish - Y11,15,17,00,02,06 C5,7,10

I will enter it in the following challenges:-

Less is More- Hearts (One Layer)

CASology- Bubbles

Well I hope it brought a smile to your face, see you soon and thanks for popping over.

Girly but not pink

Good morning. 

It's a lovely morning here, sun is shining and the wind is not whipping the trees.

Been feeling a bit battered my self lately though, first I slipped and bounced down a couple of stairs at home (must take more water with it LOL) and yesterday part of my back tooth broke off with my breakfast!.The tooth is just annoying but off to the dentists on Tuesday, the pulled muscles are a bit more troublesome. It didn't hurt when I did it, but yesterday evening I was wiping up and I thought OW that hurt! So I better not do too much cleaning today, more time to craft!!!!!!

Here is today's card.

This is the first card I made for my Sister in law's birthday but went with the pink and purple CAS card instead.

I have been wanting to use this Lea'bilities frame square for a while but this is the first time, The sitting Tilda is another new purchase from the sale bin which I thought was very cute. The paper in the background is from Forever Friends and the stripe is an off cut from the bits box as are the little flags and the ribbon bows are from the stash. The cloud background under the frame was a simple square of white card cut slightly bigger. I then die cut some Joy clouds, a new purchase, to mask out some of the card and used Broken China distress ink to create the sky. The frame is cut from 12x12 metallic card I've had since the year dot, as is the mount. The flowers are punched from scraps and Tilda was coloured with Copics as follows:-

skin - E15,11,00,000,R20

Scarf and trousers - B99,97,95,93

Hair and shoes - E51,23,55,57,59

I shall enter it in the following challenges:-

Sweet stampin' challenge - Girly but not pink

Midweek Magnolias - New Stash 

Color me Creative - Anything Goes

ATSM - Make your mark

Don't forget to pop and see our new challenge blog on Tuesday, Cards4Guyz for inspiration and a fun challenge. Tatty bye and thanks for popping around. 

Addicted to CAS

Morning all.

As the title of this blog suggests I seem to be following a CAS theme since Christmas. Perhaps its the calm after the storm of Christmas.

Here is my latest project.

I love the Memory Box butterfly die, but this time I've used the negative it left behind.

The paper under the opening is some I made while playing around with my Copics and some nail varnish remover. I found this tutorial on one of the Copic sites and thought it looked interesting. Problem is, I can't remember which one. LOL! I do remember that Google translator made a hash of the translation and I couldn't make sense of the instructions! Still I had a play and got some interesting results.

The greeting just felt right for this design so went with it.

I shall enter it in the following challenges:-

Addicted to CAS - Die Cuts

Less is More - Winter Blues

That's it for now, thanks for dropping by.

My favourite stamp

Hi, and thanks for dropping in.

The weather here has been frightful but not as bad as some of the coastal regions. Hope everyone is safe and sound.

In the strange time twixt Christmas and New Year, I was blog surfing, as you do and came across another new challenge blog, Fantasy Stampers Challenge. Their first challenge was to use your favourite stamp. Well if you looked at my Favourite 5 post you can probably guess what mine is, yep its my LOTV wedding stamp!

This time I used a pink theme and had the chance to use my new Marianne swirly leaf flourish I got for Christmas.

This is a close up of the stamp, which I cut out and mounted on pads onto a plain white rectangle mounted on silver mirry. The pink ribbon across the bottom is white satin which I coloured with Copic RV 14, because I hadn't got any that matched!

I shall enter it in the following challenges:-

Fantasy stampers:- your favourite stamp

Crafty Little Fairies:- Starting over

Heck of a challenge:- new

Creative Romance:- new

Penny Black and more - Love is in the Air

Well that's it for now, don't forget to stop by our new blog Cards4Guys challenge next week for a great new challenge.

Cards 4 Guyz launch

Good morning, good morning, good morning.

It is a very good morning for me, two top 3's and a DT spot. What a great start to 2014.

I have been waiting all through the holidays to be able to announce my participation as part of a  DT with a brand new blog, Cards 4 Guyz. I am soooo excited to be in at the beginning of this new venture. Please pop over and visit us, we go live with our first challenge on  TUESDAY 14TH JANUARY 2014.

Anyway I've been busy in my craftroom making my Sister in law's birthday card. I made one then wasn't sure if it was suitable so I made another. This is the second one I made for Ange.

I seem to be following a CAS thread at the moment, I really like the clean and simple lines. I'm not a fussy sort of person, more a tomboy given half a chance! The image  is from LOTV as is the sentiment. 

The paper is from the Summertime collection by Forever friends. 

The image was coloured to match the paper, with Copics.

Skin E11,00,000

Teapot and scarf V01,12,15,17

Dress and scarf  RV10,13,14 

Shoes, bun and table legs E53,55,57

Cup and cloth C0,3 blender

The top layer is a piece of white card cut with a Spellbinders circle die then embossed with an old embossing folder then mounted on pads over the paper below. The character was cut out, then mounted over the aperture. 

I will enter it in the following challenges:-

Copic markers Europe:- CAS

Allsorts:- Free and Easy

ABC Challenge:- Colourful

Well that's it for now, thanks for popping by.

My favourite 5

Evening all.

Just sat at the computer waiting for everyone to come back from work and I found this challenge on a blog belonging to Debby4000 so here goes.

Its been rather difficult to choose my 5 but here they are.

This was my first ever card that I blogged about. The brief was to make a wedding card that reflected my daughter's friend's wedding theme. She had made her bouquet from manuscript paper and her dress was purple.

This card was made for my husband's birthday, he fancies himself a farmer. The stamps are from Molly Bloom.

As I have only been blogging for 6 months many of my cards have been Christmas ones. This is one of my favourites, using the wonderful Snowman family from LOTV.

This Christmas card is really simple and based on a sketch from Sketch Saturday. The lovely girlies are from LOTV and the paper is from Nit Wits. So effective but the image is a tad tricky to colour. I liked it so much I couldn't send it to just anyone at Christmas, so its still in my box.

The last one is rather tricky as I couldn't make my mind up. In the end I went for another wedding card, this time for my Son's friend.

Again it features the LOTV wedding couple but this time with a neutral colour theme.

 Well that's it, hope you enjoyed a trip down memory lane.