LOVE BIRDS ENGAGED

Hi All and Happy Monday

I've been at work today so not had much time to craft but just posting 2 cards I've made this evening.

This one is to enter the Less is More Challenge, which is a sketch this week and I've changed the shape from a circle to a bird cage so hoping that still counts. The colour combo is from this week's Dynamic Duos so I'm off over there too. My cousin and his girlfriend have just got engaged and a couple of cards from Jen and Anne at LIM inspired me. Anne with her birds and Jen with the Congrats word die from Clearly Besotted (CBS).

There seems to be a lot of 'shaker' cards on blogland and I used to make loads of these years ago so quite surprised they seem to have come back into fashion! The bird cage die is from the Love Birds set from CBS and I've layered it up 5 times to add some depth. The birds are also CBS Paired up stamp set. The sequins are from Doodlebug and the little hearts in the cage are from the die cut itself. The 'congrats' word die has been embossed with a silver opaque embossing powder to make it glisten a little bit. 

      

A Cheeky edit to this post: Just after posting and checking through blogland I noticed, quite by chance, that there's a Sequin Shaker Card Blog Hop at Pretty Pink Posh so I'm going to slip across with my card. If you can get a shaker card made quickly there's loads of fabulous prizes.

My next card is to enter the ColourQ Challenge and I can't decide whether I love or hate this one. I saw a stamping technique here by Jennifer Maguire and Ren-yi at Uniko has also 'cased' it here. Both looked stunning so decided to have a go but not sure I've quite achieved the same effect.

The cute little flowers on the bonnet in the photo inspiration made me want to use my new Uniko stamp set (Background Builders - Vines) plus a swirly happy birthday sentiment from Clearly Besotted which has been embossed in a silver sparkle embossing powder. The backing paper is Doodlebug and I've added winks of Stella to the flowers ... even went a bit OTT and stamped the envelope.

Ok just going to link these up and off to catch up on some TV.

Thanks again for stopping by.

HAVE I TOLD ANYONE I LOVE BUTTERFLIES...

Looking back over my recent posts anyone would think I've a thing for butterflies! I do like them but I blame Stephanie at Clearly Besotted for her adorable stamp sets ... just can't get enough of them and Elegant Butterflies has to go down as a favourite.

So here's another card using that very set AGAIN for the Less is More and Dynamic Duos Challenges this week. Jen and Chrissie have really pushed the limits this week with 'shadow stamping' ... unless I've wobbled the stamp and made a mess I've never tried this technique before and I can't decide whether I like it or not.

Anyway check it out and feedback is much appreciated:

I've stamped each butterfly 3 times without re-inking the stamp then coloured with Promarkers, using the colour combo from Dynamic Duos. Both the butterflies and sentiment are from Clearly Besotted Elegant Butterfly set and I've added some hemp cord plus glossy accents to the outline edge of the butterflies.



Ok off to check out Britain's Got Talent ... not sure how long I'll manage to sit though!!

THERE GOES ANOTHER WEEK!

Can't believe it's round to Sunday again and today is the first day I've had time for any crafting this week - arrrrgggh!

Thankfully it's half term this week so I'm hoping I might fit a little extra playtime in.

A really quick post tonight and I've just the one card to show you which I'm using to enter 3 challenges:

Less is More: Masculine card
CAS on Sundays: Masculine card
Dynamic Duos:

Card Recipe:

Image & Sentiment: Stampin Up - Rev up the Fun
Papers: Echo Park
Extra Sentiment: Clearly besotted (Going Places) & Sun stamp (Paired Up)
Enamel dots from my stock and Josy Rose Nailheads
Glossy accents also added to the car for extra shine!



Ok that's all for me today - off to catch up on some TV and hope you all enjoy your evening.

Thanks for stopping by.

SHOWERED WITH FLOWERS

Back again with 2 flowery cards and why did I never use this little stamp before???

My first card is a joint challenge entry to Dynamic Duos and this month's Uniko Challenge where there's a sketch to follow:

                                    


This is the second card I made today with this stamp set but I just love the colour scheme so showing this one first. I'm lucky to have all 3 Flower Power and Background stamp sets from Uniko Studio but I've never used this mini trio stamp and I think it's worked just perfect as a shower of flowers.

I've used the Flower Power 2 set for the image at the base of the card and teamed it up with a birthday sentiment from Clearly Besotted.  The papers are from the Papermill Direct and I've added some glossy accents, little black dots to the small flowers and a black gem from my stash to the large flower.


    


Ok so I did make this card first and it's to enter the challenge over at CAS - colours and sketches where there's a sketch to follow.  I pulled out my new Flower Power stamp sets from Uniko and set to work using the background set for the left panel and set number 1 for the base.  I've added a Happy Birthday sentiment from Clearly Besotted, some twine, silver pearls, and nail heads from my stash.

The top blue panel is from the Papermill Direct but it's been in my stash for years and I only had a little snippet of it but I quite like the effect against the stamped panels.

Ok that's all for me today. Looking forward to catching up on your blogs after tea.

MIDNIGHT BLUE AND SILVER SADNESS

Sadly I need another sympathy card this week. A family friend has passed away having suffered with illness for the last 8 years. He was a pillar of the community where I grew up; a fabulous GP and family man who will be missed terribly.

When I saw the colour scheme at Dynamic Duos this week I decided it would be ideal to combine with silver for my card.

Card Recipe:

Paper & Sentiment: Pink Petticoat
Bakers Twine and silver pearls from my stash
I've added a touch of glamour dust and used the MFT Die-namics party banners dies for the sentiment

CHRISTMAS BREAK!

Whoopie ... I've taken a day off making a Christmas card.

It's a treble challenge trio for me and I think both the sketch and colours would have made a fun Christmas card but when a birthday card is needed ... a birthday card IS needed!

So here's my card to enter the challenges at CAS(E) This Sketch, Dynamic Duos and CAS-ual Fridays where '8' is the theme so I've stamped 8, multi-coloured rows, using Uniko Studio Background Builders - Circles and 8 sparkling gems from my stash. The flowers and sentiment are another Uniko Studio set; Flower Power 2.

I hope to be back with another post tomorrow in between birthday celebrations for my biggest baby who will be 18 tomorrow! I don't know where the years have gone since he was a tiny bundle of cuteness and definitely feeling my age now!!!

TOO CUTE PENGUIN!

Back again as promised and this time another Christmas card to add to my mini stash - going to have to work hard!

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

Freshly Made Sketches
Dynamic Duos
Pixies Crafty Snippet Playground


Card Recipe:

Image & Sentiment: Cute Penguin Stamp Set from Clearly Besotted
Snowflake: Uniko Studio
Button, gem and metallic cord from my stash
A few sprinklings of glamour dust added to highlight areas too

   
That's all for now folks! Enjoy your Sunday and thanks for stopping by.

CONDOLENCES

Happy Tuesday All and sorry if I missed you yesterday but we didn't get back until midnight last night. Great time though ... well mostly but if I have to look at another sink or toilet in a showroom I may have to smash it to bits. Can you believe there are so many shapes and sizes.

On the plus side I think we are almost decided on what we need so no new bedroom this week but hopefully soon it'll be so beautiful and inviting that I won't ever want to leave it - even to craft!!!

After all that shopping excitement we met up with the in-laws for tea then off to Manchester to watch Wicked. I've seen the film of the Wizard of Oz years ago but didn't know anything about the story of Wicked. It was fabulous with some wonderful tunes that I've been humming all day.

So I have only one card to post today because I have spent most of the day having one big sort out. I think someone must have told the local charities that they might be in for a big haul this week as we've ended up with 4 of the charity bags through the door yesterday!

I'm combining 2 challenges today; Dynamic Duos and CAS on Sunday, which is a sketch challenge. I do think gentle lilac/mauve tones look lovely on a sympathy card so I've used a pearlised card base in a lilac tone then embellished my image, which is from Pink Petticoat along with the sentiment, with plum and lilac pearls from The Hobby House. You can just spy the insert too and that's a lilac tone too.

     



That's all for me today so enjoy the rest of your day and I'm off to check out what you've been up to now!

PICKING THE BUTTERFLIES AGAIN!

Hey Happy Tuesday,

Really quick post from me today as I'm off out for a meal with the girls shortly and need to get myself showered, changed and a bit glammed! LOL

So this is my entry to the Dynamic Duos and Paper Players Challenges - and why do I keep going for butterflies? Sorry can't help it ... they are just too adorable! I have even tried a technique which I've not used for goodness knows how many years ... wet embossing! I had all the stuff in my stash but sort of fell out with stamping a few years ago. Thankfully I'm re-acquainting myself with it and loving it!

Hope to get chance to look at your creative makes later on.

Card Recipe:

Image: Butterfly Stamp from Hobby Craft
Papers: Pink Petticoat & The Papermill Shop
Sentiment: It's a free download and I can't remember where from (sorry)
Candy dots: Stampin Up
Lattice Embossing folder - a fantastic prize from Pixies Snippets Playground
Martha Stewart Butterfly punch

     

OOOH YUMMY CITRUS COLOURS

Care sunglasses may be needed!

I've made this card for the Dynamic Duo Challenge and although they are bright I'm loving these colours. It really isn't that long since my summer holiday but the nights are drawing in so fast and the days have been a bit wet and bleak so these colours remind me of summertime zing.

This is also my second entry for this week to Pixies Crafty Snippet Playground and if you read my post yesterday I mentioned the special 2 week prize draw that Di is running so check it out here if you fancy playing along.

Have fun and catch up with you all later ...

Card Recipe:

Papers: TK Maxx, Pink Petticoat, Clearly Digi Stamps
Cutting Die: Butterflies from Clearly Besotted
Sentiment: Pink Petticoat
Bakers Twine & Gems from my Stash and Candy Dots from Stampin' Up

LET'S TRY RETRO ...

Oh flip it's late again! I've been playing with my new stamps again and completely lost track of time! So a really, really quick post as it's work tomorrow and need to get a few things sorted.

Thanks again for all your photography tips ... the daylight light is on order and I already have the tent so fingers crossed I should be sorted in that department soon. Experiments to follow!! I managed to get this photo taken when it was still light and fortunately there's been a bit of sunshine here this afternoon so good, good.

Onto my card today and it's a joint challenge post; Dynamic Duos and Seize the Sketch. I've been fiddling about with the Seize the Sketch one for a few days but when I saw the colour scheme I decided to try out my new set of stamps from Uniko Studio and make it a bit retro so think it could make a male or female birthday card.


                         

Thanks for popping by and catch you all soon.



Card Recipe:

Stamps: Uniko Studio - Background Builders: Round in Circles
Papers: The Papermill Shop
Sentiment: Uniko Studio - Flower Power 2
Inks: Memento Dewdrops
Buttons and Gems from my stash

    

PLUMS WITH LIME

Oooh can't believe it's Wednesday already so working week one of the new term DONE!

I was very lucky yesterday as I received a belated birthday package! AND it contained some lovely goodies from Uniko Studio so I'm hoping to have a little play with them tomorrow and if my creations are worth seeing I'll pop them on the blog.

So short and sweet today - here's my card to enter this weeks Dynamic Duos Challenge. I think Lime with Plum is my perfect combination. I've no one in mind for this card but I think it would pass for a couple of occasions so a good one to have in the box.

See you all soon
x

                       

Card Recipe:

This used:
Stamped & Die Cut Heart from Clearly Besotted
Papers: Pink Petticoat
Memory Box Dies - Love Script & Large Circle Burst
Button, Twine and Pearls from my stash

A TINGE OF SADNESS

So my first posts on returning from holiday were full of happiness and lurve ... but amongst the happy news we had some sad too. A very good family friend passed away far too young and my crafty American Auntie's F-I-L also passed away so here's one of the cards I made. Not my favourite cards to make but still prefer a handmade one to a shop bought one.

I'm combining this one with the Dynamic Duos challenge for this week.

Card Recipe:

Image: Butterflies - free download from Clearly Besotted plus Martha Stewart Butterfly punch
Also tried out one of my new Memory Box dies called Piestra Tile from Dies to Die For
Papers: Pink Petticoat
Sentiment: Pink Petticoat
Pearls from The Hobby House, Ribbon from TK Maxx
Gems from my stash and little flowers from my Crafty American Auntie