SILVER & GOLD CHRISTMAS

Hello there, just posting a very quick card today 

and fingers crossed I've still time to join this week's

Paper Player's Challenge 

where the the theme is Clean & Simple with Gold or Silver

I decided to use both metallic colours and it's another 

Christmas card for me which means I've made 

one third of my cards for this year!!! Whoopie!

Just noticed this card is also Clearly Besotted heavy so if there's still time 

to play along I'll be heading over to add a 2nd entry to this month's challenge 

 where the theme is Christmas

Card Recipe:

Clearly Besotted: Christmas Sparkle Tree

this has been heat-embossed in WOW silver sparkle EP

Clearly Besotted: Merry word die & Christmas

sentiment from the Rockin' Robin set

To finish I've added a bit of bling using gold and silver pearls.

Thanks for stopping by today and I'll be back soon.

                                                              

SHIP AHOY ... ABOUT TO SAIL

Hi All

Yippee it's Friday evening and the weekend!!!!

I'm literally zipping in to catch a challenge before it closes and I'm quite impressed that I've managed to combine it with 3 others ... love it when that works out.

This Used:
Memory Box: Wave Stencil
Paper Smooches: Anchor Die; from Make the Day Special
MFT Die-namics: Sentiment Strips
Sentiment: Clearly Besotted - Sweet Little Sentiments
Sequins: Doodlebug; from Craft Mojo
Washi tape, Distress inks, gems and cord from my stash

Challenges:
Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge: Stencil It
The Card Concept - Nautical Theme
The Paper Players
CAS(E) This Sketch

                                         
        


Ok off for my fish and chips tea now but I'll be back tomorrow and thanks for stopping by.

MAD ABOUT FLOWERS

Hi All

Pretty hectic week this week so sorry not been around much and I'm just flying in with a really quick post as I'm off out in a minute.

It's a card to enter a few 'floral' challenges which seem to be the rage at the moment so here it is:

Card Recipe:

Image & Congrats word Die: Clearly Besotted (Bridal Bouquet stamp & die set)
Uniko - Background Builders Vines for the mini dots to the flowers
Papers: Papermania textured card
MFT Die-namics: Snow scene border die
Twine from my stash

Challenges:
Simon Says Stamp - Monday Challenge: Botanical
Clearly Besotted - Colour Challenge
The Paper Players: Florals

     

Thanks for stopping by it's much appreciated and sorry it's such a rush.

PLAYING WITH NEW STUFF

Happy start of Bank Holiday Weekend! Whoopie!

I've been playing with some of my new crafty bits this afternoon to enter a few challenges so here's what I've come up with.

First up I've had another go at sponge daubing to make a very dull and cloudy sky BUT it's to fit in with the CAS Colours and Sketches Challenge and when you check out the colour palate below you'll understand why.  I've combined it with the sketch from Sketch Saturday and the CAS on Sunday Challenge where it's 'A birthday to die for' (using a die cut).

          

Card Recipe:

Die Cuts: Sizzix Framelits & X-cut circles
Memory Box - Cloud dies as a template for the sky & Clearly Besotted - Going Places stamp & die set
Sentiment: Clearly Besotted - Brand new set 'Design a Tree'
Dotted Road: Uniko Studio - Background Circles
Candy dots: Stampin Up with black pearls from my stash
X-cut - corner punch


Next up is to enter the Freshly Made Sketches Challenge with the colour palate from Paper Players. Although I've used the sentiment from Clearly Besotted - Design a Tree set on other cards this is the first time I've used the other stamps and I thought the colours and stamps made for a good anniversary card. The sentiment is from another Clearly Besotted set - Paired up.

I've used my X-cut corner punch again - it was on my desk from the other card, MFT Die-namics Fish tail stax, a Darice woodgrain embossing folder and scalloped border die from Clearly Besotted. Finally the backing paper is from a new pack I recently purchased by Doodlebug (Kraft in Colour) from Craft Mojo.

   

Ok I'm off to catch up with some TV and I hope I'll get down to some crafting over the weekend although I've had my parents staying this week and my Dad has been passing on tips from his hobby (watercolour painting) so I've had to get myself fixed up with some materials and now I'm torn between what to do first!!! My aim is to combine the two and colour images on my cards with watercolour paint but will see how it goes!

Enjoy the bank holiday.

SPARKLING EASTER EGGS

Happy Monday all.

I may have been making Easter cards but still at work until Wednesday this week although some of the schools have already broken up but I guess it all comes even in the end!

So here's a card I made using some delightful Doodlebug sequins from Craft Mojo as recommended by Michelle Short of the Card Grotto. Michelle has some spectacular cards but it's so tempting to buy all that she recommends BUT I do love a bit of sparkle and dazzle so couldn't resist these!

I'm going to enter my card into the Paper Players Challenge this week where the theme is 'Three Spree' so hoping my Easter eggs will go down a treat.

I've used a sentiment from the Clearly Besotted Hoppy Easter stamp set and the eggs are die cut from the matching set of dies.

That's all for me today and hopefully I'll have something else to show tomorrow.

FIRST ATTEMPT AT MASKING, DAUBING & STENCILLING

Hello

Back from work and decided to post a couple of cards I finished off last night ....

In line with this week's theme at Less is More here is my very first creation using a masking, stencilling and sponge daubing technique and I'm quite pleased with the result - will have to try it more often. The only issue is the photo - it wasn't easy to get a good image and it's ended up flat on the table which gives it a weird look like it's suspended in mid-air!

I've used my Memory Box Tilda Floral die as a stencil - I love this die and if you're a regular you may have spotted it a few times on the blog but not used in this way before!

To begin with I die-cut the floral die in basic card stock and used the negative to mask my card blank. I then placed the cut image inside and sponged with 2 inks using some sponge daubers that have been in my stash 'un-used' forever! It seemed a bit bland when I removed the mask and stencil so I rotated the die so that the petals sat in between the original ones and repeated the daubing. Think I went a bit mad then as I daubed up the edges of the card!!!

To finish off and add a bit of glam I've glitzed up the edges of the petals with glamour dust.  I decided to cut a circle in the flower centre and stamped 'hello' on the insert, but essentially it's a one layer card which means this can also go into the CAS on Sunday challenge.

Products Used:

Memory Box - Tilda Floral die
X-cut - Circle Die
Sentiments & Scalloped border die: Clearly Besotted
Enamel dots: Doodlebug from Craft Mojo


My next card is to enter challenges at The Paper Players and Addicted to Stamps and More (Anything Goes).

Still in the masking mood I die-cut a large circle in basic cardstock to use as a mask then stamped inside with flowers from the Uniko Studio Flower Power range. The sentiment is Clearly Besotted stamped and heat embossed in white onto vellum with a couple of Doodlebug pearl accents from Craft Mojo.

So that's all for now and time to catch up on your blogs.

FINGERS CROSSED IT'S IN THE NICK OF TIME!

I'm really taking this challenge card up to the wire for the Paper Players Challenge but I've been playing around and struggling with it for a while this afternoon.

Anyway it's also to enter the ColourQ Challenge too and what a striking combo we have this week - Yummy!

Card Recipe:

Image & Sentiment: both Uniko Studio using the Decorative Doilies & It's a Gift stamp sets
Papers: Echo Park - Dots & Stripes
From my Stash: Button, twine and enamel dots from My Mind's Eye

   

Ok just a short and sweet post today.

Enjoy your evening and thanks for stopping by.

STARS AND CARS

Happy Monday

It's a while since I've posted on a Monday but here goes - it's amazing what a day off can do!

I've a couple of cards to show you today that I finished off this morning but apologies for the photos. Despite using a daylight lamp, near the window and tent ...when it's dark and dreary outside it's dark and dreary photos too.

So first up is a combined entry to ColourQ and The Paper Players Challenges. The theme at The Paper Players this week is 'Stars' and whoopie (how convenient) I only just received the Superstar stamp set from the February Release at Clearly Besotted! The sentiment is from the same set and I've used a Sizzix 'stars' embossing folder too.

                            


   


Next up is a second entry for the Less is More challenge. I'm always short on masculine cards and I've used the same stamp sets from Stampin Up and Clearly Besotted seen here but hubby preferred this one. Maybe it's the boy-racer in him kicking up the mud as he accelerates into the distance!


                        

Ok that's all for now - I'm off to meet some friends later so time for lunch and maybe a little crafting / playing!

Catch you all soon.

DESIGNER LEAVES

I've been working from home today as I'm still coughing and spluttering so rather than spread my germs at the office I kept myself to myself. No time for crafting though so I've just finished off a card I started yesterday which is to enter the Less is More Challenge where the theme is 'use DP in a CAS way' and the Paper Players Challenge where the theme is 'Leaves.'

Not sure if my card is entirely CAS because I can't help myself with a bit of bling! On the plus side my DP does have a beautiful leaf design so hoping it'll slot in nicely with the Paper Players.

And as it's made up of plenty of odds and sods of papers I'm heading down to Pixies Playground for a turn on the swings and to show my card to my friends there too. In fact I've had this paper for so long I'm surprised it's not gone yellow! It's one of those buys where it ends up in your basket at the checkout and you've no idea how it landed there!!!! Then when you get it home you can't stop touching and admiring it to the point that it's simply toooooo gorgeous to part with even a little snippet on a card!

Anyway the day has come to 'cut' into it! My card is going to my friend's mum who has been in hospital for 3 weeks so hoping she'll love it.



Card Recipe:

Butterflies: Stamps & Dies from Clearly Besotted
Papers: The Paper Mill Shop & Pink Petticoat
Sentiment: Sorry unknown FREEBIE
Sparkling brad from Stampin Up and gems from my stash


Right off to catch up on some TV and chill time and may tootle around your blogs too.

WINTER GARDENING

Sorry friends I've been a useless blog pal this week and I do hope to catch up with you all but please bear with me. My guests left yesterday and we've had a wonderful time. We hadn't seen them for 3 years but it was great to just chill and catch up like they'd never been away and it was quite sad to see them head off and back to Australia. They're already planning to return next year for an extended stay and tour of Europe so that'll be great fun.

Anyway I really don't know how to get my head back to crafting ... any suggestions!!! I've looked everywhere for my mojo and it's disappeared - maybe down-under with my friends!

So I decided to kick-start my blog activity with a card I made a couple of weeks ago and enter it into the Paper Players Challenge where the theme is 'Masculine Birthday Cards' and I've used a Digistamp Boutique image so I'm going to drop in on their monthly challenge too. Those wellies are going to come in handy for tidying up the garden for Winter though the bees and bugs won't be hanging about in this cold!

Hopefully I'll get down to some crafting this afternoon as the weather is pretty glum here so perfect excuse to hide away in my crafty space. Just not sure how the photos will pan out later but here goes with the first one...

Card Recipe:

Image: Digistamp Boutique coloured with Promarkers
Leaf Embossing Folder from Crafts-Too
Paper: TK Maxx
Sentiment: Clearly Besotted
Twine from my stash

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

     

ADDICTED TO BUTTERFLIES

Hi All,

Well it's certainly Autumnal, chilly and wet today - need to start thinking about boots and woolies me thinks! Grrrr!

So you may remember that I have been very lucky recently in that I have received some beautiful new crafty goodies (mainly for my birthday) and these have given me the nudge to get back into stamping. I'm torn between Clearly Besotted and Uniko Studio as they both have beautiful stamps but today I'm mad on butterflies and I make no apologies if you see them popping up over the next few posts!

This card is to enter into the Paper Players Colour Challenge and you'll notice from the colour link below that it features not only gorgeous colours but butterflies too so armed with my coloured inks and new butterfly stamps this is what I came up with:

Card Recipe:

Butterfly Additions Stamp Set from Clearly Besotted
Background Builders: Round in Circles from Uniko Studio
Sentiment: Flower Power 2 from Uniko Studio
Gems and twine from my stash