Sunday 30 June 2013

OUCH ... SERIOUSLY OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE!

Me again

Tea is almost ready so need to be quick...

I loved the sketch / layout on CAS(E) this Sketch this week and decided to be clever and combine it with the Allsorts Challenge where the theme is Lavender and Lace.  I thought I can do that and I've got the perfect rubber stamp of lavender! HaHa!

The said rubber stamp has never been used and I must have bought it 3 years ago!  WHY do I hear you ask ... well basically I don't do rubber stamping hence this card is way out of my comfort zone.  I feel I should get into this form of stamping though but the pressure if you slip or it doesn't quite work out right is TOOOOOOOOOO much! I've even hauled out a mini thank you stamp.

Anyway hope you like my attempt to combine lavender and lace and as I've used a load of snippets of ribbon and papers it's going into Pixies Crafty Snippet Challenge.  If you pop over to the Pixie site there's an extra special prize up for grabs BUT there's a catch!  3 snippet cards needed over 2 weeks so this is my second entry - wish me luck.



Card Recipe:

Image: Lavender stamp from Art Impressions - coloured with Marvy Le Plume pens
Papers: Hot off The Press
Sentiment: Mini stamp from my stash
Prima flower, ribbon, brad and spider webbing from my stash
Paper Lace - from my Crafty Aunt

LEAVING FOR THE DARK SIDE

Morning fellow crafters

I'm hoping to post a card or 2 later but yesterday my mojo had upped and gone (probably looking for the sunshine) as it wasn't here!

Anyway this card is to enter into The Pixies Snippet Challenge and it's a card I was asked to make for a colleague who is leaving teaching to become a 'dreaded' inspector of schools, hence the image and theme.

Hope it's acceptable for blogging and I certainly used lots of snippets.

It wasn't until I saw Di's own post this morning that I got a hunch 'chevrons' were perhaps the order of the day although I did make my card yesterday.


and just for the hell of it I'm showing you the inside as the theme continues ...




Card Recipe:

Image: Darth Vader from Google images
Papers: TK Maxx
Sentiment: Computer generated
Josy Rose Nail Head Stars

Friday 28 June 2013

JUST IN THE NICK OF TIME!

Phew I have never posted a challenge so close to the finish time.  I'm frantically typing to get it uploaded and submitted so no time for chit chat...sorry!

Hope you've all had a fun and crafty day and I'm looking forward to some time in the craft cupboard over the weekend...yippee!!!





Card Recipe:

Papers: Lilly Bimble
Sentiment: Sorry it's a freebie and I don't know where it's from
Ribbon and Pearls and brads from my stash

Cutting Dies used:
Daisy Flowers from Joy Crafts
Label Die from Nestabilities
Leaves from Marianne Creatables

Challenges I'd like to enter:
The Paper Players 
Colour Q
(Basic grey used for leaves and a pearls although not sure the colour shows up well on the photo)

               

RIBBONS, PINS AND SUNDAES

Morning All

I was so excited about the new Yummy image I used yesterday from The Paper Shelter that I had another dabble with it to enter into the Creative Inspirations Challenge - Anything Goes with an option of Ribbon.

I thought it might be good to make a feature of this delicious ribbon and I've added a few glitzy pins too.


                          

Card Recipe:

Image: Yummy - pre-coloured from The Paper Shelter which I've printed directly onto:
Papers: Pink Petticoat Ombre
Sentiment: Pink Petticoat - Sweet Treats
Ribbon and Pins from my stash
A dash of glamour dust for some extra sazzle!

Thursday 27 June 2013

FRESHLY MADE ICE CREAM SUNDAE

Better late than never eh!

Ended up with a lengthy call with my Mum this evening which meant I had to break off from posting.

So here's my entry to the Freshly Made Sketches Challenge.  When I first started blogging I couldn't get to grips with CAS projects but they are steadily growing on me and if I'm lucky they don't take long to make either!

I've used a 'Yummy' ice cream image from The Paper Shelter and their theme this week is brads and buttons so I'm dropping my card in there too.

That's it for today ... catch you all soon.








Card Recipe:

Image: Yummy pre-coloured image from The Paper Shelter
Papers: Pink Petticoat - lovely Ombre in Cafe Creme plus Cherries in the same colourway
Sentiment: Pink Petticoat - Sweet Treats
Ribbon & Brads from my stash for added sparkle

WELCOME IN A BOX LITTLE ONE

Can you believe it's Thursday again ... and not only that it's Thursday evening too?  I don't know where this week has gone.

But I have something to show you today as it's my first day off work today and I can't say I was too upset by the change in the weather!  At least if it's raining I don't feel too bad at hiding away in the cupboard!  So after a quick walk with the dog and a flick around here and there with the housework I set to.

I may even get chance to show 2 posts tonight but will see how it goes.

My first isn't a card - it's a box.  I make quite a lot of memory boxes for special occasions and this is one a friend at work asked me to make.  It's basically like making an extra large card.

I've used this weeks sketch from the Papertake Weekly Challenge and I'm going to enter it into the Simon Says Stamp Challenge where the theme is Anything Goes with optional card candi (yes to that tick box)  and Creative Inspirations.  Another Anything Goes week with a ribbon option (so a yes in that box too).




Here's the sketch:



Baby Arthur's Memory Box Recipe:

Image: Bambino Bear Die Cut
Papers: Pink Petticoat
Sentiment: Computer Generated
Arthur and tags cut with Cricut
Josy Rose nailhead stars
Card Candi, Bakers Twine, Ribbon from my stash
Keepsake Box: Box&Wrap

Star Border: Marianne Creatables
Sizzix Star Framelits

Monday 24 June 2013

CASUAL FRIDAY AND OVER THE EDGE

Happy Monday ...

I'm late again don't know what's happened to my inspiration and mojo today - think they're on holiday!

It's taken me ages to put a card together.  I've been down to our local TK Maxx earlier and purchased another 12x12 pad of papers which I was itching to use but just can't decide what to do.  Anyway I mentioned in an earlier post that I've been asked to make some children's cards and specifically girls so here's one which I hope will slot in fine at Cas-ual Fridays where the theme is 'over the edge' my fairy wings and wand have just tipped over!

The layout used is one I tried last week and loved it so here goes again - obviously too late to enter the challenge again though.

Hope you've all had more inspiration than me today.  Enjoy the rest of your evening and see you soon.





Card Recipe:

Image: Fairy with wings and wand die cut - not sure where from
Papers: Trimcraft
Sentiment: Pink Petticoat
Gems and ribbon from my stash

Sunday 23 June 2013

DON'T YOU JUST LOVE CAKE? #259

Back again with another quick post, this time it's my entry for the Sketch Saturday Challenge and again Jen Nelson at The Tiny Blue Butterfly provides the sketches so in honour of her birthday the challenge this week is to use a favourite sketch.

This is one I used recently for a Grandad/Father's Day card and although it's quite simple I loved the card I made last time...not too sure on this one however but it's a couple of cakes for Jen.

Oh and I mustn't forget the ladies over at Pixie's Crafty Snippet Playground as I'm going to pop this card over there too.  I've certainly used snippets and I'm thrilled to have won Pixie's challenge last week. The prize is some Memory Box cutting dies of cakes and stands so I can't wait to have a play with those.  Thank you ladies.

Well that's all for me today as I'm going to check out your blogs.  Enjoy your evening xx

Oh PS. Mr Dazzle has been playing about with the photos today and decided a black background looked the business so any feedback would be much appreciated.






Card Recipe:

Image: Cakes - brought over from the US by my fabulous Crafty American Auntie
Papers: Lilly Bimble
Sentiment: Pink Petticoat
Gems and pearls from my stash

IT'S A BIRTHDAY CARD FOR JEN!

Oh my goodness I've been missing blogging for so many days I'm practically having withdrawal symptoms!

I've had a couple of crazy days but lovely days too as my Crafty American Auntie arrived in the UK for a holiday with the family on Thursday so it's been great catching up with them and she is very 'naughty but nice' and brought me goodies so I'll be showing them on my cards soon.

So to my post and I'm all fingers and thumbs today as I've not been in the cupboard since Tuesday!

One of my many favourite blogs is The Tiny Blue Butterfly and Jen is celebrating her birthday this weekend so the theme at Less is More is to create a card for her.  Well her blog address does give a little clue as to what she might like which is why I've gone with butterflies and Lizy Bartaby at at Lizy's House of Cards let slip that Jen's favourite colour was 'Pool Party' - although I don't have this particular Stampin' Up colour I've tried to get as close as possible.

I've decided to combine the LIM challenge with this weeks CAS(E) this Sketch which I've added below if you want to have a go.






Card Recipe:

Image: Butterflies using Martha Stewart Punch
Papers: Glitter papers from my stash
Sentiment: Pink Petticoat
I can't resist a bit of bling so a few gems added from my stash

Tuesday 18 June 2013

IT'S A GIRL THING AT THE SWEET STOP

Just passing by with a really quick post as I'm off out with the girls tonight to celebrate a birthday.

My card is to enter into the Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge where the 'spin' is 'it's a girl thing'.  I've been asked to make some kiddies cards recently so if you notice a surplus of these on my blog that's why.

Have a good evening.

So here's the card with the sketch beneath in case you want to have a go too:






Card Recipe:

Image: LOTV - pre-coloured image which I've fussy cut
Papers: The gorgeous Pink Petticoat Ombre 'again!' plus some Lily Bimble freebies
Sentiment: Digistamp Boutique simple tags
Pearls, ribbon and glittery flowers from my stash to add a bit of girly sparkly

Monday 17 June 2013

TEDDY BEAR 'IN THE PINK'

Here goes with my second post then that's it for me.  Need to chill and catch some TV.

This is my second entry to The Paper Shelter Challenge where the theme is pink and white or blue and white. I'm loving this cute teddy bear image and couldn't resist using the pre-coloured blue one last time.  This time I've decided to go pink and coloured the image with promarkers.

Another dose of Pink Petticoat's Ombre papers in Cinder Rose this time teamed with some matching design papers in the same colour.  I'm also combining the challenge with a sketch from Sunday Sketch and Stamp.  Day late posting but hope that won't matter.





Card Recipe:

Image: The Paper Shelter - coloured with promarkers
Papers: Pink Petticoat
Sentiment: Pink Petticoat
Some pearls from The Hobby House and glossy accents to add a bit of dazzle

ANOTHER SLEEPY BOY

Happy Monday ...

Bit late but hope you are all well.  I'm glad Monday has been ticked off the working week and counting down to the summer holidays now as I'm lucky to work in education with a term time only contract.

I've two cards to post today but may be missing for the next couple of days as I've a busy week but will do my best to stop by and check out your blogs.

So here goes and I think you'll guess I'm loving the new range of papers from Pink Petticoat.  This is Ombre again in Cafe Creme.



Card Recipe:

Image: LOTV - Vintage Boys and coloured with Promarkers
Papers: Pink Petticoat and Studio Calico
Sentiment: Pink Petticoat
Buttons and bakers twine from my stash - these were added as I intended to enter this in the Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge featuring buttons but I've missed the boat!  Whoops!

Challenges:

CAS(E) this Sketch



Sunday 16 June 2013

BEES AND HONEYCOMB

Ok I hadn't quite finished it by teatime - just a few tweeks to add and photography needed so here's my entry for the Sketch Saturday and Less Is More challenges.  I've decided to combine them as they both feature hexagon/honeycomb themes this week.

I'm also experimenting with some brand new papers from Pink Petticoat.  This one is from the Ombre set and I just love the different shades of colour across the paper.  Ingenious.  I may be using these a lot.  The hexagons are also from Pink Petticoat the Isabelline collection.

So that is it for me today and I hope you all enjoy the rest of your evening. See you soon x

 

Card Recipe:

Image: Pink Petticoat
Papers: Pink Petticoat 
Sentiment: Computer Generated
Just a splash of glamour dust for added sparkle



TWEET BIRDIE WISHES

Hiya

Well I think this card will have to go down as the quickest card I've ever made and I kinda like it.

I'm going to combine it with a couple of challenges and as the weather is a bit iffy here I'll try and get another make in before teatime!  If not catch you all soon.




Card Recipe:

Image: Digistamp Boutique - Valentine Tree but I've coloured the red bits green
Papers: Pink Petticoat
Sentiment: Computer generated
Bit of bling with gems from my stash and some glossy accents to the bird and leaves

Challenges:

Dynamic Duos
The Paper Players
Seize the Birthday

                        

LOOK AT THE LADYBIRDS!

Morning Happy Crafters...

Well what a tricky little make this was and it certainly shouldn't have been.  It's my entry into the Cupcake Craft Challenge where the theme for this week is 'June Bug' BUT any bug except a butterfly!  Well surprisingly I had just bought this digi image from Bugaboo stamps the week before and hey presto!!! It's got  ladybirds.  I'll let you in on a secret though - it did have a butterfly too but I've 'erased' it.  Shhhh!

I had hoped to use a sketch as you all know I LOVE SKETCHES but nothing seemed to work and I grabbed my box of snippets and voila this is what happened.  So having delved into the box of odds and ends I thought what better place to use this creation too ... YES you guessed Pixies Crafty Snippets Challenge - it's a must!

So enjoy the rest of your day and I may catch you all later.



Card Recipe:

Image: Tulip and Bugs from Bugaboo Stamps
Papers: Snippets from I don't know where
Sentiment: Tiny Sentiments at Pink Petticoat
I've added some glossy accents, viva pearl dots and mini pearls from my stash to add that wee bit of sazzle!

Saturday 15 June 2013

SWEET DREAMS

And one more quick post and the last one for today as I need to catch up on some ironing ... urgh plus a bit of TV!



I'm entering my dreamy boy into the following challenges:

Papertake Weekly: Hello Boys
Creative Inspirations: Father's Day
Crafting By Designs: Anything Goes with a Twist - Father's Day, Men, Male
Freshly Made Sketches



Card Recipe:

Image: LOTV - Vintage Boys Sketchpad
Papers: Pink Petticoat
Sentiment: Pink Petticoat - from the brand new Tiny Celebrations sentiments
Bit of dazzle with some Josy Rose nailheads

I LOVE FAIRIES AND SKETCHES

Well as promised I'm back again with two more quick makes.  I'd sort of planned them out yesterday morning but only put them together this afternoon so here goes with the first one with what I think is my favourite fairy image ...



I'm going to enter this into this week's challenge at I {HEART} CARD SKETCHES

Sketch022

Card Recipe:

Image: LOTV
Papers: Pink Petticoat
Sentiment: Pink Petticoat - the new Tiny Celebration Sentiments
Added sparkle with glossy accents and glamour dust.


GREEDY LITTLE TEDDY BEAR ...

Happy Saturday ...

I cannot believe I have had two days off work and not done half of what I intended!  It's just flown by but I did have my gorgeous little dancing niece here yesterday.  No contest!  Crafting or cheeky baby fun!  Plus hubby has been AWOL ... well that's a bit dramatic as he was away on a work course so no photographer, hence no posts.  He did offer to teach me what's what but his camera is soooo complicated I declined.

Anyway better late than never - here's my entry for the The Paper Shelter Challenge where the theme is Blue and White or Pink and White.  I've teamed it up with the sketch from Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge too.

Yikes almost forgot this is to go in the challenge over at A Little Bit Crafty where the theme is 'Something Sweet'

I'm hoping to get some more crafting done this afternoon so with any luck I may have something else to post in a little while.


And here's the sketch:



Card Recipe:

Image: Happy Birthday to Me from The Paper Shelter
Papers: Lily Bimble - freebie
Sentiment: Pink Petticoat - Sweet Treats
Glossy Accents and pearls for a bit of extra dazzle.


Wednesday 12 June 2013

THROW OUT THOSE 'L' PLATES!


Evening all

A mega quick post from me today but simply wanted to submit my entry to the Simon Says Stamp 'Transport' themed Challenge for this week.  Here's a card I made for our son who passed his driving test just recently so hope it fits in well with Simon!

Oh must also give Lisa at Wishcraft Cards a mention as I saw a similar stylish make on her site several weeks ago and thought it ideal for those masculine cards particularly.

Last day at work for the week today so looking forward to some yummy crafting time tomorrow!  Hooray!



Enjoy the rest of your evening and catch you all again soon.

Card Recipe:

Image: 'Passed' die cut from Buttercup Crafts
Papers: Pink Petticoat
Sentiment: Computer Generated
Buttons from my stash

Monday 10 June 2013

CHEEKY DANCING DIVA

Hello

Well that's Monday out of the way ... phew!  Roll on Thursday when I get a day off = crafty time!

Anyway I've had another play with my original Sketch Saturday card and decided to submit it anyway.

It's for my gorgeous 2 year old niece who's birthday card was my very first Blog Post!  She's been in Wales on holiday and entered a couple of dancing competitions (quite by accident) and won!  Not just once but 2 nights on the trot!  The prize was a balloon which is why I've changed the sketch from stars.

She's off there again next week with Mummy and Daddy so no doubt will be trying to regain her title so I made her this card as a Well Done / Good Luck.  Obviously I taught her all her dance moves !!!!! LOL!

I've embossed the balloons with my favourite, of the moment, mini mosaic embossing folder so think I'll pop it in at A Gem of A Challenge too as the theme this month is EMBOSS.




Card Recipe:

Image: Rhythm Every Where from The Paper Shelter
Papers: Creative Cardmaking Magazine - Freebie
Glamour Dust for extra sparkle to those dancing boots, belt and headphones

Sunday 9 June 2013

YEAH! LET'S HAVE SUMMER FUN!


Another quick post for me today and hope you all have a good week.

This card is for a friend's birthday... She loves nothing better than lying in the sun and sipping a cocktail so this image from The Paper Shelter is right up her street.

I've decided I'm going to have to keep a pen and paper next to me at all times for web surfing jottings!  I stumbled across The Paper Shelter last week having seen an image on another blog but I can't remember who :-( and I also forget if I come across a challenge I fancy joining! Arrrgh! can I remember how to find it again!!!!! It's flipin' frustrating! Hopefully I'm not the only one out there with this issue!

Anyway here's my card:



Card Recipe:

Image: Sunny Day from The Paper Shelter
Papers: Trimcraft & some from my stash
Sentiment: Creative Cardmaking Magazine Freebie
Prima Flowers, Gems and Brad from My stash.
I've also added some glossy accents to some parts of the image for extra sazzle!

Dies:
Memory Box - Cosmo Border Die
Cheery Lynn - Garden Fence
Sizzix Framelits - Circles
Tonic - Flower Punch

Challenges:
Crafting By Designs - Anything Goes with a Twist - Summer Fun
The Paper Shelter - Flower Power
My Mum's Craft Shop - Dies, Dies, Dies
Designed to DelightI {HEART} CARD SKETCHES NO. 21

Sketch021

FLIRTY THIRTY TIME WITH SKETCH, COLOURS & SNIPPETS

Wow it's Sunday evening already ... where did that weekend go?

I'm posting my Sketch Saturday a day late - tut tut!  The reason is I started making a different card with this sketch yesterday but I just can't decide about it so may have another dabble with it and enter it later in the week.

So here goes ... I needed a 30th birthday card for a budding star and having checked in at the Paper Players Challenge I thought hmmmm maybe I'll combine the two.  Chocolate Brown isn't a colour I tend to use on cards but it's growing on me! I will have to give some credit to Julie at Rainbow Days who made a fabulous age card which gave me the idea of the aperture on the card rather than a raised oval.  Her card is stunning so you can check it out here.  AND as it's Sunday I'm going to pop my card in at Pixies Crafty Snippet Playground as there's several snippets used too.

Enjoy the rest of your evening and catch you all in the week - work permitting!




Here's the Sketch and Colour Combo:

               


Card Recipe:

Papers: Good Old Studio Calico & The Paper Mill Shop
Number 30 and Stars cut using Cricut - George & Basic Shapes
Oval Die from Sizzix Framelits
Colour co-ordinated pearls from my stash for some added dazzle

Saturday 8 June 2013

LIKE A BAT OUT O' HELL!!!

Happy Saturday All

Here's my post for the Less Is More challenge, which to be honest when I checked it out this morning I thought NO WAY!

Firstly I struggle with all this white space / one layer - it's kind of bare and alien to me!  Secondly, I don't do rubber stamping ... yes I've tried many many times and have a cart load of them but you can bet when I want to stamp it perfect it just doesn't happen.  However I do lurvvvvve digi stamps as you can do so much them.

So despite my initial apprehensions I decided to have a go.  The image is Dirt Bike Mike from Kenny K who I saw a couple of weeks ago on Jen's blog at The Tiny Blue Butterfly.  When I popped across to the Kenny K website I discovered he's a FREEBIE for this month hmmm.  So he immediately came to mind when I saw the LIM theme.

I've flipped him and reduced him down and slightly rotated him so that he's on more of a slope.  I used my mini mosaic embossing folder, that I treated myself to last week, to give a bumpy road effect then de-bossed the insert with the same.

So here he is:



Card Recipe:

Image: Dirt Bag Mike from Kenny K
Sentiment: Sorry no idea - I found it amongst my digi-downloads and thought it was apt

Challenges:
Less is More: One Layer Card - Need for Speed
Gem of a Challenge: Emboss
Simon Says Stamp: Anything Masculine
Here Come the Boys: As it says!
Paper Crafting Journey: Masculine Cards

Friday 7 June 2013

GET WELL SOON LITTLE FELLA

And last but by no means least - third card created today!  Phew must be a record for me.

My son's girlfriend has a little brother who has been in hospital this week so I decided to make him a little card to cheer him up and amazingly the image I chose has the colours featured in this weeks colour challenge over at Creative Inspirations.

Now I need help ... a non-essential element of the theme at Creative Inspirations is any card but square so I thought right I'll have a go.  And I've been having a go all afternoon with my Personal Cricut Elegant Edges cartridge which features a 'book' setting but could I get it to work? NO!  In the end the centre of my card is shaped as I wanted but I'll have to hold my hand up defeated and the rounded corner punch came out.

With all this stress I couldn't begin to put a fancy design together so I popped across to Papertake Weekly and grabbed one of their sketches.  Their challenge this week is Anything Goes so my Get Well Soon Fella can have a go at competing there too I think.

Finally I would love to know if any of you intelligent crafty people can give me any hints and tips on how to achieve a shaped card with a Personal Cricut Machine before I kick the machine around the room!!! LOL!

Enjoy the weekend and hope to catch up with you all over the weekend too. x

So here's my card followed by the sketch:



       

Card Recipe:

Image: Ron Leishman Cartoon
Papers: Studio Calico & bits and pieces from my stash
Sentiment: Computer Generated
A bit of dazzle with a couple of sparkly gems

FEATHERS & BUTTONS ... OR NOT!!!

Ohhh another card I've been busy with today and a spur of the moment one too.

A friend of mine was telling me about her daughter winning an award at the local college for outstanding work so here's the Congrats card I've made using the sketch from CAS(E) this Sketch.  I'm actually posting 2 photos because I was trying to stick as close to the sketch as possible but it seemed a bit naked in the left corner so I've 'blinged' it up with a couple of buttons and personally I think it looks better (my friend loves cards with buttons).

Would love to hear your opinions too.




and here's the sketch:


Card Recipe:

Papers: My wonderful Crafty American Auntie
Sentiment: Computer Generated
Buttons, Ribbon & Feather from my stash