Rainbow

Evening all.

Well the forecast rain did not arrive this aft, just a few drops that didn't wet the ground, so I managed to cut the grass before the rain tomorrow, if it materializes!

Even so I have been playing around in the craftroom, trying out some new dies I bought yesterday on a bit of a spree.

Here is one I managed to finish, in between grass cutting, bed making, dog walking and sandwich making!

The die in question here is 'Tessatina Border' from Memory Box. I'd had my eye on the latest challenge over at CASology which is Rainbow when I made this. I had a panel I made a while ago when playing around with water stamping so decided to use this and cut out the die again and pieced in the little out cuts to make a solid panel in this one layer card. I did have a rather pretty panel left from the rainbow strip so I will have to put the thinking cap on as to how to use that at a later date.

OK that's about it, should really be thinking of making some tea soon.

I shall enter the following challenges -

and

over at Merry Mondays

Anything but a card

Morning all.

My how the weeks are flying by, almost August and as its Tuesday another challenge at Cardz4Guyz.

Now this really was a challenge to me as I didn't have a clue at first, as to this weeks challenge:-

ANYTHING BUT A CARD

Scrapbook page, tag, 3D project, gift wrapper, altered art, you've got it, but what to do with so many options and  keep it male orientated? Well as my daughter and family are buying a new house I thought I would make something for Ben's new bedroom. I'd seen some button pictures at a craft fair at Christmas time, so went down that route after a mess up with my first try!

I picked up the frame at my local Sainsbugs, complete with double mount so all I needed to do was make the image, ah, slight problem. I printed off a B from the computer then set about sticking blue buttons from my stash onto it. Mistake, big mistake, as as it dried the paper was too thin and dried wrinkly, arrgh.

So I had to soak off the buttons in a water bath and start again. This time I traced through the letter onto card then stuck the buttons on. I did end up with extra buttons left over though! 

OK, now its your turn. Check out the rest of the DT over at the  main site and then have a go, you never know unless you try!

I shall also join in the challenges at:-

The Male Room:- Geometric (buttons are circles after all)

Simply Create Too -For a child
Hobbybook Designer Challenge - Lots of circles

An other Wednesday Owl

Afternoon all.

The weather here is rather better today, not too hot and a pleasant breeze, although showers are forecast for about now. The clouds are thickening up but no wet stuff as yet.

I haven't played at Muse for a while but when I saw the inspiration by Marion Vagg I just had to play.

Those of you who have read last years early ramblings will know that about this time of year I make an owl inspired card for my Mum's next door neighbour. Mum is sadly no longer with us but Audrey is still following the Owls, Sheffield Wednesday FC (a soccer club in the Championship in England for my US followers). I was of the red and white persuassion (Sheffield United FC) but Audrey used to take me to see the matches when I was much, much younger, as she had season tickets at both clubs.

So without more ado here is this year's card.

The backing paper is from NitWits 'All Spaced Out' collection and the owl on a branch is from a free set in Cardmaking and Papercraft magazine - Oscar the Owl and friends and the greeting is from a Woodware set.

I had to extend the branch just like Marion and I doddled a border to complete the center panel. The owl was coloured using Copics then the panel was popped up on pads. The colours were dictated by Wednesday's team colours which are blue and white striped tops with black shorts.

This is Marion's muse card, so I've kept pretty close to the original for a very good reason!

OK, that's about it for today. Thanks for popping by and leave a comment if you can I love reading them and if time allows I hope to visit everyone in return.

Midway inspiration at Fantasy Stampers

Afternoon folks.

Boy is it hot out there today. It's a good excuse to stay in the cool and just laze around, just like this kitty on my mid term inspiration for Fantasy Stampers.

This is a stamp I had languishing in the bottom of my coloured but not used box. I loved the stamp but didn't know what to do with it at the time. So as the theme at Fantasy Stampers is Animal Magic I thought it just the job. I kept it pretty CAS just adding a pierced border using my Little B squares on  6 x 6 square white base card. I used watercolour pens to colour this as I did it before I got hooked on Copics, it gives a softer effect.

So hope this inspires you to join in the fun at Fantasy Stampers with your animal inspired cards. Doesn't need to be of a fantasy nature just plain old fashioned stamping.

I shall enter the Anything Goes challenge at Less is More with this card.  As it's Chrissie's birthday today it's a bit of a free for all, so long as its CAS! That's another who shares my birthday, though not quite as famous as Mick Jagger.

It's a bit mad here as Ben and Co have descended to celebrate my birthday, so we went out for lunch by Dearnford Lake, beautiful and a breeze as well! 

Photo Inspiration

It's Wednesday so it's time for a new challenge over at ATSM. This week its a photo inspiration.

Lots of ideas raced through my head but I had just bought this Spellbinders window die in Hobbycraft's bargain bucket so thought it the perfect way to go.

I made the window box by reversing the bottom of the window die and just cut that bottom section. Flowers and leaves were punched from scraps in the stash with pearly doodles in the centers.
I started with a wholly purple card but thought it too much so cut down the front and went with a plain white A6 tent fold base card and popped the purple on pads.

OK, that's about it, so why not pop over to check out the rest of the DT's fabulous inspiration.

This week we are sponsored by:-

 who are offering 3 stamps for the winner.

I shall enter the following challenges:-

I used the photo especially the daisies on the cupcakes

PS - I have just realised that today is my 1st Anniversary of starting this blog. It wasn't until someone left a lovely comment about the anniversary that I realised, Thank you Svenja.

Sketch @ Cardz4Guyz

Good Morning again.

It's Tuesday so it's time for a new challenge over at Cardz4Guyz. This week it was my choice of theme, so I chose a sketch for you to play along with and here it is.

So let's see what can come up with that is male in orientation and uses the basic sketch though you may rotate or change the shapes but we can still see the sketch.

Here is what I came up with for the DT inspiration.

This little fella is from LOTV and I used Copics to colour him. I tried to make the card candi look like golf balls, still not sure if it works. The papers are from a Nancy Watts collection and the edge punch across the middle is from Martha Stewart.

So pop along to the main site to check out the rest of the DT have made to inspire and then join us.

I shall enter the following challenges :-

The Male Room - Games

Copic Marker Spain - Anything Goes

Summer @ Cards und More

Morning all.
When you thought Tuesday mornings had settled down well I'm her with some great news. After a spell as GD at Cards und More Challenge, Dunja asked if I would like to stay on and after some thought said -Of course. So this is my first post for my team since then. This time our theme is-

SUMMER FUN

Well there have been lots of beach scenes from me so I thought it was time for something different. I was thinking of those hot lanscapes on the Tour de France coverage, but it's been a bit wet this time since it left glorious sunny Yorkshire! So, I looked through my stamps and after a few false starts I came up with this for my DT inspiration.

I've had this George stamp from Molly Bloom for years, I bought it from Harrogate show 6-7 years ago! My how time flies. The bridge is a more recent bargain bucket purchase. Combined they remind me of my husband's favourite pastime when he was younger, fishing in the local pond in the summer holidays.

I created a one- layer card by masking George then stamping the river bank on an A6 card. I coloured the whole scene using Copics.

OK, why not pop over to the main site and look at what the rest of the DT have come up with for your inspiration.
I shall enter the following challenges -
Loves Rubberstamps - Summer Fun
The Paper Shelter - Holiday Time
Cute Card Thursday - Fun in the Sun
Craft Calender Challenge - Summertime Fun
Moving long with the Times - Summer Colours (Photo)

Come back in an hour for the latest challenge over at Cardz4Guyz.

Singing in the rain

Evening all.

Been a bit quite in blogland this weekend, what with Ben's party and DT commitments, but here I am with a new post. 

Despite the weather everyone seemed to have a great time on Saturday at the party. There were a few muddy bums from slipping in the mud when the rain stopped and fun was had outside by kids young and old. The abiding memory will be the utility room overflowing with wellies!

So with a couple of challenges mentioning rain how could I resist.

Over at Less is More they are asking for a link to the song 'Singing in the Rain' and Inkspirational have the cue word SPLASH!

Here is my card. The main inspiration for this was Chrissie's card with James the Bear, only I used Tilda in Summer Rain and the sketch at Seize the Sketch but I was too late for this one, boo.

I coloured the image with Copics as usual. and the DP was in the stash.

OK that's it for the card but I would like to share a picture of Ben's birthday cake made by Nich's very talented friend, Fliss from Little Moo Cakes, Manchester.

Ben loves Super Mario so he was a very happy little boy!!! It tasted great too.

Animal Magic

Good morning. Another weekend beckons so its also time for a new challenge at Fantasy Stampers. This week Jan has chosen the theme of -

ANIMAL MAGIC

So that's anything you can think of with an animal in it- simples

Here is my card for the DT inspiration.

Its a stamped called 'Hand Picked' from LOTV, who could have guessed! I've kept it pretty CAS and it will be the last of Nich's thank you cards, unless she doesn't like it. I made it with half an eye on a couple of challenges
Without Words - Cute n Fluffy
LOTV - use at least 2 LOTV products

The sentiment is from LOTV's handwritten greetings and the paper is from their NitWits paper stack 'Bonnets and Bowties'. The picture was coloured with Copics and I drew a freehand border in black fineliner. This will be a scheduled post as its Ben's 4th birthday party today, so not much time to do anything else.
Wish me luck.

LIM fingerprints

Afternoon folks.

An extra post this week as I'm still in my craftroom, no trips to do son's washing. 

This week's challenge at Less is More is to adapt a fingerprint and create a one layer card.

Well first off what a hoot, then second read the instructions before getting carried away!

I finished my first attempt but forgot to make it one layer!! Never mind it was good practice for the real thing!

I saw a card awhile ago with a line of thumb print stamps as the focal and the tagline 'Thumb body loves you', so thought I would use that idea, hence the tag line. perfect for a retirement card. The fingerprints were made into toe-poke sandals on a beach. I debossed the umbrella and inked the sky,sea and beach before adding the sandals. 

I shall also just have time to enter the challenge at Time Out - Fun in the sun

Thanks to my teamie Cornelia's nudge I shall also enter at -

Dream Valley Challenges -Summer

Well thanks for popping around and taking the time to check the blog out.

Also thanks to all those folk who are interested enough in my ramblings to press the follow button.

On the Beach

Morning all.

It's Tuesday so that means another new challenge at Cardz4Guyz. This week Diane has chosen the theme of:-

ON THE BEACH

Well summer is well and truly upon us, schools are breaking up for the holidays so what better than a trip to the beach. Here is my card for the DT inspiration.

This is a card based around the Molly Bloom character George. The sand is made from torn fine grade sandpaper layered over the front of the main A5 card. George, his ball and bucket are slotted between the layers. The huts are drawn freehand and coloured with Copics as are all the separate pieces. The flags are fom a Lindsay Mason set 'Hoist the Flags'. 

I shall enter it in the following challenges:- 

Allsorts - Splish splash splosh

Crafty Little Fairies - Summer Fun

Copic Markers Norge - Summer
Dream Valley Challenges -Summer

One layer sky

Good morning.

Not such a clear morning a bit drizzly first thing, but we may get a bit of sun before more showers this aft.

I'm posting a card I made on Friday for Fantasy Stampers then realised it didn't really have much stamping, just the sentiment! I made it with two challenges in mind, 

CAS on Sunday - One Layer

Addicted to CAS - Sky

I'm still making Nich's thank you cards as you can see. I've used the MB Calm Countryside die with some water spritzed DI inked card for the sky then pieced it all back together to make the one layer. I love the zingy sky, it's a great contrast to the white card. The sentiment is from Personnel Impressions. 

OK, must get on with the chores as Al has taken Max ragwort pulling!

Mid term CAS at Fantasy Stampers

Morning all.

Something different today as Jan has decided to include a mad challenge inspiration post at Fantasy Stampers and I said why not. Anyway after being inspired, I got ready to send her my card when I realised it didn't have any stamping on it except the sentiment!!! So I had to start again. Rather rushed I sought inspiration from a card I saw ages ago but don't know whose it is, some people don't watermark their cards. So apologies for not referencing them, here is my take.

I'm still in thank-you card mode for Nich, just a few to go but I have until the end of August to finish.

The panel was stamped through a mask using a Hero Arts 'Thank You' definition stamp. I'm afraid the MB butterflies make another appearance, this time in Nich's favourite colour. Thank you was a polymer freebie, love the script but it will not stick to my block!

OK, that's about it if you you haven't already been to the main site, why not pop over and join in.

I shall enter the following challenges -

Crazy for CAS - butterflies

PS - There is still time to join us at Cardz4Guyz for our DIY theme

Earth Tones at Less is More

Just a quick post this evening as the day has just whizzed by. I have been absent from the craftroom all week for one reason or another so I haven't had chance to join in at Less is More where the theme of the week is -

EARTH TONES

I think I will just about get this posted and entered in time.

Apologies for the poor photo but its a bit dark now! I've used that MB Fresh Foliage die cut which I coloured with copper and gold heat embossing powder. The background green was stamped with a texture stamp in Versamark. The aperture was lying around on my desk so thought I would use it.

OK, I said it was a quick post, so that's about it. 

Don't forget there is still time to enter the CAS challenge over at Fantasy Stampers - just use an old fashioned one, no digis

ATSM - Holiday

Good morning.

This is my first post for the Design Team at ASTM  so I'm quite nervous. The theme this week is 

HOLIDAY

and we are sponsored by



who are offering a prize of 3 digis.

Here is my card for the DT.

This uses a Cuttlebug cut and emboss snowflake die and a couple of snowflake punches, as well as debossing using a Spellbinders Fleur de Lys square to create the frame for the central panel. The snowflakes were mounted on a square of sparkly card and finished off with a rhinestone in the center. Quite a simple card really.

Pop over to the main site to see what the rest of the team have come up with for your inspiration.

I shall enter the following challenges -

Christmas all Year Around - Not traditional colours

Simply Create Too - Christmas in July

DIY @ Cardz4Guyz

Morning all.

Is it really a week since the last challenge at Cardz4Guyz? Well it must be as its time for a new one. This week we would like to see male oriented cards and projects with the theme of -

DIY

OK, so who hasn't got a DIY nut in their family? Here is my post using an oldie but a goody, Messy Rabbit from  Joanna Sheen.

The DPs are from the Nit WIts collection 'Diggers and Dozers' and the peg board was stamped with a SU woodgrain stamp and heat embossed in detail white after being cut from kraft paper using a Sizzix die. Messy and his drill were coloured using Copics as usual and the screw heads are punched dots with a line of bleck Copic then scored. The card is laid out using the latest sketch at Sketch Saturday.

I shall also enter the following challenges-

Penny Black and more - Dies and Punches

Gem of a Challenge - Animals

OK, so why don't you pop over to the main site and see what the other DT members have designed for your inspiration, then join in.

Happy Birthday Kylie

G'day, it's Kylie's birthday. 

Not the Neighbours actress and petite songstress but Kylie of ATSM and ATCAS and more besides. I hear she's under the weather at the moment so it's Happy Birthday as well as best wishes for a speedy recovery from bronchitis.

The wonderful Loll is hosting a linky birthday party for her so why not pop over join in and send her your best wishes. This my card -

I was inspired by a card by Joy at Simple by Design but went with a more watercolour effect, a bit like the gardenia flower I've been using recently. The honeycomb die cut is from a Sizzix die, the butterflies are from Memory Box sentiment from a Woodware set and bling from the stash. 

Hope this cheers Kylie up, I'm sure all the love going her way will help her on the road to recovery.

Nite Nite, or Good Morning if you are in Australia!

I shall also enter this card into the following challenges:-

Crazy for CAS - Butterflies

CAS at Fantasy Stampers

Good morning all.
Today is the start of a new challenge over at Fantasy Stampers. This time we would like to see your projects with a theme of -

Clean and Simple - CAS

 Although the name Fantasy Stampers suggests otherwise, we are not a fantasy inspired challenge. So long as the main focus of the card is physically stamped, then it fits. Here is my CAS inspiration for the DT.

This little chap is called 'Beside the River' and is from LOTV, he looks so wistful staring out towards the little log boat. I coloured him in Copics, then mounted him on blue card and a white A6 base card, very clean and simple. I even decided to leave the sentiment off, make of the picture what you will!

Pop over to the main site to check out the rest of the DTs inspiration and have a go, you never know unless you try!

I shall also enter the following challenges:-

CASology - Float

Loves Rubber Stamps - Anything Goes
Crafty Little Fairies - Summer Fun

Don't forget there is still time to enter the welcome baby boy challenge over at Cardz4Guyz. If you fancy being a Guest Designer just add GDT after your name, we'd love to see you.

Thanks for stopping by, leave a comment if you can, it's great to hear what you have to say.

Butterfly Trellis

I had this card made earlier in the week but in all the excitement of my new DT post, I forgot to post, so here it is today.

I was inspired by a super card made by a great designer Iwona Palamountain aka Chupa. 

I'm not sure when I saw it but I loved the contrast between the white and the intense blue and green of the stamp and the fantastic Islamic style infill of the hexagon diecut. 

My take was inspired by the latest challenge at Virginia's View which is die cuts. This card is all die cuts, even the sentiment. (OK the dew drops aren't!) The background diecut is from Sizzix as are the hexagon dies and leaf die, the butterflies are from Memory Box and the greeting is from Spellbinders. Dewdrops etc from the stash. All assembled on an A6 textured white base card.

 I am also celebrating the wonderful Darnell's birthday, 2 days late I know but happy 4th of July! Darnell has made me very welcome and was one of my earliest followers out in blogland. I love her mad typos and anarchic blogstyle. The fantastically gifted Ardyth is hosting a linky party for her so why not join in?

OK, it's raining at the moment so no grass mowing tonight and Al has taken Max for a walk so peace reigneth - for the moment.

LIM Thank You

Well this is an unusually late scheduled post to share a card and  some very good news.

First off the rank is this card for the latest Less is More challenge - use something recycled.

Now I had a little difficulty here, I love to save bits and bobs but what I could use that was recycled, then I found a piece of card that I'd played with around Christmas, using a new technique. I had seen, on one of the Copic sites I think, how to make a water colour effect using Copics and nail varnish remover! You scribble the colour onto a glass surface then spray with the remover. Had to do this in a well ventilated space away from naked flames for obvious reasons! Then very quickly take a mono print from the ink, great effect but it does get on your chest a bit, not one to do on a regular basis. So that is the coloured paper under the die cut butterfly which I cut from a piece of a card which had got a crease in while embossing, hence the margin which is a little larger than I would have liked. The string was in my bit box but was the wrong colour so I inked it with matching Copics and tied it in a knot as there wasn't enough for a bow. Stamped sentiment from the set I borrowed from Di, gave back then borrowed again! Told you I was a cheap skate. The bit of self adhesive bling was rescued from the side of my sequin bits box. 

This is another of  Nich's thank you cards, just a few more to go!

Now for the very good news. As of midnight I am part of the - 

Whoop whoop!!!!!

I love this challenge and entered their DT call not expecting to get anywhere, so I was over the moon when the email dropped into my inbox from the wonderful Kylie asking if I would still like to be on the team. Would I ever! Thanks Kylie, I can't wait to join in the fun and work alongside the rest of a fabulously talented team.

Pop over to see who the girls are who make up the new DT over at ATSM, some you will recognise, some who are fairly new on the scene, but all incredibly talented.

Nite nite :0)

Welcome Baby

Good morning folks.

It's Tuesday so it's time for a new challenge over at Cardz4Guyz. This week it is the theme of -

WELCOME  BABY

We'd like to see your baby cards and projects for a little boy, using any technique you can come up with. This is my card for your inspiration.

The layout is based on the latest challenge over at the Male Room.

Instead of the squares I used circles as I wanted to use my LOTV  3 Bears with parcel stamp again. I used a circular sentiment from LOTV as the central image and fussy cut two of the bears, coloured with Copics and then mounted on pads in the aperture. I used buttons in decreasing sizes to be the horizontal panel on the sketch. The end result is pretty CAS so fits with quite a few challenges.

OK, that's about it. Pop over to the main site to see the rest of the DT's inspiration then have a go. You never know when you might need a birth congratulations.

I shall enter the following challenges:-

Cute Card Thursday - circles

The Card Concept -  Probably clean and layered?

Creative Inspirations - Clean and Simple

Copic Marker Europe - Baby

Inkspirational - Blue and white/cream

Moving along with the times - Birthdays, Bunting and Buttons