Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone!

Sorry for the lack of posts lately, I am really missing cardmaking and blogging at the moment.  My youngest son had a road traffic accident in November and I have taken on caring for him as he is unable to live alone for the forseeable future.  I am hoping that once he becomes more mobile I will return to blogging more regularly but family always come first.

Take care and enjoy the festivities!

Merry & Bright

Hi everyone,

Here are a couple more Christmas cards to add to the growing collection:

The Holly Wreath is made from a diecut doughnut shape using nesties circles with Joanna Sheen's Signature dies for the leaves including the ivy flourish which I snipped pieces off before adding for a bit more dimension.  The starburst-type decorations on the second one are also from a signature die and are intended as stamens for flowers but I thought they made nice tree decorations with a gem centre (they look really nice cut in mirri card).  The sentiment on each card is printed straight on to the A5 card blank from the computer.  The embossed tree is a cuttlebug embossing folder.

I am getting quite a collection of Christmas cards now but still have all the inserts to do (don't know why but I always leave this job until the last minute, probably because that is the boring bit).  Do you make yours as you go along?  I really should make the effort!

Have a great weekend, happy crafting!

Colours of Autumn

Hi everyone,

A quick card made this afternoon for a monthly challenge over at Joanna Sheen's craft forum:

The challenge is "Colours of Autumn".  My diecut leaves and stamen flowers are all cut with Joanna Sheen's signature dies, pretty aren't they?  I cut an aperture with a Spellbinders decorative oval die and surrounded it with the selection of leaves.  I used up some of those bits from my ever growing stash of offcuts and remnants of old kits which I am pleased about.  The background paper in the aperture and the aperture part itself are cut from an old kit from Anna Griffin as are the green leaves.  The sentiment is from an old QVC kit from many moons ago too.

Have a lovely weekend, half-term for me next week so the decorating starts tomorrow!

Gold Medallion

Hi everyone,

Another Christmas card this week:

Difficult again to photograph (especially on such a grey day)

Items used:
Gold heat embossed medallion stamp cut into three layers
Grand nestability circle aperture and embossed outline cut into gold mirri card
Joanna Sheen signature die cut holly leaves, berries and stamens
Spellbinder marvellous square diecut corners
Peel-off sentiment, little gem and ribbon to finish

Have a lovely crafty weekend everyone, and thanks for looking x

Christmas Decoupage

Hi everyone,

 Apologies again for not being around much, but we have been having central heating fitted and have now got the house thoroughly cleaned and furniture put back, some upheaval but it will be worth it.  Still have lots of decorating to do but that will happen later.

Here are this week's cards, (the decoupage images were cut out whilst trying to stay out of the way of the heating engineer):

The photos are not great with the light being so poor so in real life they are much more sparkly.

I intend to take part in the Docrafts hop again this week, so looking forward to seeing all the fantastic creations.

Have a lovely weekend!

Jolly Holly

Hi everyone,

Today's card is for the challenge at:  http://joannasheenchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ which is ribbons.

I have used Joanna's signature dies holly leaves and berries cut in red mirri and green pearl card.  They didn't even need embossing to get the lovely veins on the leaves.  My ribbon element is the wreath - I plaited some narrow red ribbon to create it and then mounted it on to some tiny holly background paper cut with a label nestability and edged with red promarker.  The card base is embossed with  a Docrafts folder (I covered the wording with my central topper).

Have a lovely week, I hope it gets a bit warmer again as promised.  We have even resorted to putting on the gas fire in the evenings, so Autumn has arrived I think brrrr.

Back Again

Hi everyone,

Apologies for neglecting the blog and commenting, but we have been away on holiday for a few days and have now completed the first week back at work.  I have a couple of cards to show:

A very clean and simple design - Used 8" x 8" card blank, angel hair (a holiday purchase in  a florists department) and spellbinders snowflakes, glitter and gems.  The starry backing paper is from the freebie paper stack with Docraft's Creativity magazine.

This second card is for a Joanna Sheen monthly forum challenge "No straight lines".  It uses labels eleven grand nestabilities for the card shape, xcut doorplate die for the topper and the cuttlebug snowflake embossing folder.  The poinsettia is made with Joanna Sheen's new signature dies range of leaves and stamens.

I intend to be hopping around in blogland over the weekend, looking forward to seeing your creations.

.

Christmas Robin

Hi everyone,

Today's card is a Jayne Netley Mayhew image from a cd-rom by Joanna Sheen - cut using the out-of-box technique with a circle nestie and glittered with snow writer. The background paper is from a magazine freebie Milton & Co from last year, I sprayed it with glitter spray, embossed it with a Cuttlebug folder, tapped on versamark and rubbed over with gold cosmic shimmer mica powder (doesn't show too well in the photo, it is actually more shiny and gold in real life).  The holly leaves are from Joanna Sheen's new Signature Dies range and work brilliantly, they pop out of the die so easily (will be buying more of this range I think).  I am going to try and make poinsettia's from them and another leaf set I have bought so watch this space, lol

I am entering the card into the challenge here:  http://joannasheenchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/embossing-dry-or-heat.html

Thanks for looking, happy crafting

Christmas Tag Card

Hi everyone,

Here is another Christmas card, I have made a few variations of the same theme:

Tag shape cut with grand nestability labels eleven, handmade paper background, Michael Powell stamp coloured with promarkers and glittered with glamour dust.  Felt snowflake cut from Docrafts snowflake border, diecut and glittered card snowflake from nestability die. ( I saw the upside down ribbon bow trick on Create and Craft with Mel Heaton demonstrating and thought it looked better that way).

Second one with embossed background paper (from QVC aeons ago) chalked with blue to give definition to the embossing and edges.  I glittered the edge of the ribbon and sentiment on this one and added a charm (from the poundshop I believe)  The stars and moon on this one are glazed but it is hard to capture the shine of this and sparkle of the glitter in the photographs.


Have a lovely weekend everyone!

Roses

Hi everyone,

Here is the special card for Mum's birthday on Tuesday:

It is an 8" x 8" square (made from two sheets of A4) white pearl card.  The backing paper is from Papermania Vintage Notes 12 x 12 pack with pretty pink roses on the faded blue.  I layered four Spellbinders butterfly corners on tiny foam pads to give it a 3d scrollwork type feel.  The roses were all from my flower box, not sure where the rosebuds came from but the beaded roses are Kort & Godt which I tinged with a hint of pink with Marvy le Plume and a water brush. ( I wired them all together to make the bouquet). The gingham pink ribbon was an offcut from my box too.  I printed the sentiment on a tag cut from another sheet of the Vintage Notes paper and mounted it on a diecut label, a satin pink rosebud just to finish.  Hope she likes it!

Thanks for looking, I'm off for a hop around the Docrafts weekend leapblog now.

The First Five

Hi everyone,

Yes, here they are the first five Christmas cards, been working on them over the last couple of weeks and finally have these to show.  I have a few more snowflakes ready cut and glittered and another few of the stamped village scene by Michael Powell ready coloured and glittered so will be making a few more over the next few days.

Stash used:

Michael Powell stamp
Me To You "Dressing Up" stamp (both Docrafts products)
Promarkers
Glamour Dust
Stickles
Embossing folders :  Cuttlebug snowflakes, Indentz swirls, Papermania holly with greeting,
                                       and Indentz dots
Spellbinders snowflake diecuts and decorative ovals
Ribbon, gems and computer generated sentiments

I'm off to make a special birthday card for my Mum.

Thank you for looking and have a lovely weekend.

Forever Friends Birthday

Hi everyone,

Another beautiful day here, the earlier cloud has burnt off and the sun is really hot.

Here is a little card made this morning for a friend's birthday:

The background paper is from My Minds Eye.  A marvellous square nestie was cut in the same co-ordinations card as the mat to layer the diecut decoupaged characters. (I did trim them back further because I don't like the white edges always left on diecut images like this).
I added a few tiny Anita's gems for a touch of sparkle.

I could definitely get used to being a lady of leisure if funds allowed, thank heavens for the school holidays.  Off for a cuppa in the sunshine now while it lasts.  Hope you are able to enjoy it too.

Summer's Here

Hi everyone,

Phew, the summer break is here and I am hopefully back with more creations.  I mended the desktop computer after my son ordered a part and told me how to fix it, but it has broken again (only lasted a week) although it is still working at present on it's side.  I have started some stamping and colouring for Christmas cards but not yet made them into cards and have also been making more of the paper flowers.  So I have been crafty but nothing much to show for it yet.

Here are a couple of fairly recent cards that I have not yet posted:

A 6" x 6" one using Kate Knight designer paper for the background, mounted on black card.  The stamp is a freebie Docrafts one from a while ago, coloured with promarkers to match in with the papers and cut with XCut doorplates die.  Prima flowers  (with tiny Anita's gems) and small corners (made from a nestie marvellous squares die) to finish.

The second one is an 8" x 8" card made for my eldest son and his wife's wedding anniversary.  It has Papermania vintage notes backing paper with the edges chalked in a turquoise colour to match the ribbon.  The images are from a Debbi Moore cd-rom that came free with a magazine.  The trimmings are from my stash, some cotton lace (over turquoise ribbon), a small rosebud, few pearls and a couple of charms added to a length of chain.  The sentiment and larger heart are also cut from the papermania paper stack.

Thank you for looking and for any comments, they are really appreciated. 
 Have a good weekend x

Third One Completed

Hi everyone,

I am still struggling to get decent card photo images on this laptop, (it was so easy on the desktop grrrr), this one has been watermarked in paint but manipulated in photobucket!  Still, here is the third masculine birthday card for the week:

It is made with an image from a Thomas Kincade cd-rom from Joanna Sheen printed on matt photo paper.  I decoupaged one layer on part of the image to give it a bit of dimension.  The A5 base card was made from a sheet of lovely rich brown pearl card that shimmers with gold (not shown in photo unfortunately).  The image is matted on to gold and lime green layers.  Gold peel-offs and a lovely tassel complete this simple card.

Thank you for looking

Wish You Were Here?

Hi everyone,

This week I have three men's birthday cards to make, here are the first two:

As you can see they are variations using the same stamp, a  Docrafts MIchael Powell one.  I stamped both with a memento black inkpad.  The first one I  coloured with a combination of water colour pencils and marvey le plume pens.  The background paper is from First Editions Animal Antics and is mounted on a pearlescent brown A5 landscape card base.  The buttons are from my stash and are threaded on some bakers twine.  The sentiment stamp is a freebie one from a magazine cover.  

The second card I left the image uncoloured, mounted on to some black mirri card, which I also embossed for the sentiment rectangles with a Cuttlebug folder.  The background paper is again First Editions, but this time from the Up, Up and Away pad.  This one is mounted again on the back mirri and then a black A5 landscape card base.

Will have to put my thinking cap on for the third masculine card I need, I find inspiration for them hard to find.

Thank you for looking and any comments you are kind enough to make.

Happy crafting.

Back at Last

Hi everyone,

I am back after a month!  We had a lovely weekend away after my last post, then I had a fundraising day at Pre-school to prepare for.  Putting inserts in my box of surplus cards, (a job I always seem to leave until the last minute), bagging them and pricing them up for the fundraiser was time consuming.  We baked cakes and manned stalls and the children had a playbus and bouncy castle for entertainment.  It was a shame after all the effort that went into it that the attendance was really poor.  It made us about £100 altogether (much needed to keep us going).  

I have also had computer problems, desktop pc has expired, and have had to get used to Windows 8 on my laptop (which I have had since Christmas but only used for basics).  I am still trying to get an easier way to adjust, crop and watermark my card photos than Gimp which I have downloaded and spent all afternoon to try and get a decent result.  I'm not the most computer literate person and it is a bit complicated for me, I may have to find something simpler.  Still, here is my Father in Laws card for tomorrow.  I have also entered it into Joanna Sheen's challenge http://joannasheenchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/fathers-day-goodbye.html

A very simple one I admit.  We made similar ones with the children at Pre-school (without  the tiny buttons and pocket), they had fun cutting the ties out of animal print card, resulting in some wonderful creations!

Sorry for what sounds like a whinging post.  Have a nice weekend everyone and hopefully I will post more often again now.  Thanks for looking.

Jelly Beans

Hi everyone,

This is another House Mouse Project Book 1 card for the Joanna Sheen forum May challenge.

I printed the decoupaged image on pearl digital paper again.  Before cutting out and layering up I used a versamark pen and some clear embossing powder to give the jar a glossy finish. I also used a cuttlebug embossing folder on the jelly bean backing paper and side panel before creating the layers.  Even the banner sentiment was printed from the project book cd-rom.  To give a little extra colour and interest I used some ribbon to create corners, a band and a knot.

Thanks for looking and for any comments you may wish to leave, they are really appreciated.

Have a lovely weekend.

House Mouse

Hi everyone,

I have a couple of cards to show today, one for a forum challenge over at Joanna Sheen's website and one a birthday card for my father-in-law.

The image is from House Mouse Project Book and has been decoupaged.  The shaped easel card is made with Grand Nestability Labels 11.  The pretty background paper is from Papermania Vintage Notes 12" x 12" paper pack.  I machine stitched around the edges of the upright section before apply the decoupaged panel.  On the bottom of the card I embossed the paper with Creative Expressions lattice embossing folder and then stitched through the centre of the embossed lines to make the patchwork effect base.  Some pleated paper for a rosette and the stopper embellished with some tiny satin ribbon roses complete the card.  I have yet to decide the occasion or recipient so there will be sentiment added later.

My second card uses another Joanna Sheen cd image, this time from theThomas Kincade set, although I did crop the image to make it the right shape to fit my card.  The background papers for this one are from a 6" x 6" paper pad from Papermania colossal pack called Simply Elegant.  The computer generated sentiment is cut with a nestie circle and mounted on a scalloped circle and is finished with a bark effect button and piece of raffia, which also serves as the fastening for the upright z-fold card.

Off into the garden now for a bit of sunshine, it's probably warmer out there than here in my dining room!

Thanks for looking, 

Recycled

Hi everyone,

This is my entry into Joanna Sheen's challenge http://joannasheenchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/recycle.html

A kraft card base with First Editions backing paper and then my recycling began:
As you can see my background is made from a recycled tomato paste tube which I embossed in my Calibur with Indentz swirls embossing folder and then used different heat embossing powders to give it a more metallic look, I even added highlights of cosmic shimmer powder before heating again to give it more effect.  The shape was cut with a nestability label die, marianne corner diecuts and a scalloped circle were used for the sentiment (printed on my computer).

The dragonfly is made from fuse wire and some beads from broken jewellery (a car boot find).  A truly recycled card!

Thank you for looking, 

Butterflies and Flowers

Hi everyone,

Friday again already and my day off, so I am able to post this week's creations.

This one uses Tonic butterfly circle die, circle scalloped nestabilities, grand labels 11 (for the scalloped background paper) and a paper punched butterfly.  I used some of the tiny butterflies from cutting a yellow butterfly circle and added a sprinkling with some gem centres to finish the card.

This image is from Joanna Sheen's cd rom "In Other Words".  I printed it on some pearl digital paper recently purchased on special offer from Craftwork Cards, it gives a nice subtle sheen to the image.  I printed two of the image and decoupaged parts of it.  Background paper from First Edition Family Ties paper pad and ribbon and button from stash. 

Another image from "In Other Words" cd-rom, this time cut with Spellbinders Marvellous Square die, again I decoupaged parts of the image.  The background and image were sewn on by machine (not sure that it is quite as straight as it could be).  The background paper is double-sided so I alternated squares to achieve the patchwork effect backgound.

Thank you for looking and for any comments you wish to make.

Have a happy crafting weekend!

Spring into Spring

Hi everyone,

Just a quick post to wish you all a good weekend and post my challenge card for the Joanna Sheen challenge here:   http://joannasheenchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/spring-into-spring.html

Cute rabbit diecut and sentiment were from a magazine freebie (sorry cant remember which one, it was ages ago).  They were diecut but not to my satisfaction so I trimmed them closer, fussy I know!  First Edition papers, some adhesive lace trim and a sprinkling of Anita's tiny gems to complete my simple creation.

Thanks for looking, and happy hopping to the Docraft's leapbloggers.

MOJO287 and a Smile

Hi everyone,

This is my entry for the Mojo Monday sketch challenge: http://mojomonday.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/mojo-monday-287-contest_1.html

It is a Saturated Canary digital image called Princess Rose Red coloured with promarkers.  The background paper is a recycled Mother's Day envelope, the scalloped shape is part of a Grand Nestabilities Decorative Circle and the image is cut out with a Spellbinders label die.  A Craftwork cards sentiment circle mounted on to a Memory Box ribbon buckle die to give the lacy edge.  The tiny floral print is from My Minds Eye.

This digi image just made me smile, it was  from http://justsomelines.com/shop/petit-getting-p-715.html.  The card is one to add to my box, (don't know yet who will appreciate it, lol), but I enjoyed making it.  The alphabet letters were cut out from First Editions Spring Drop paper pad and already had the glittery scalloped edges.   The backing paper is from another First Editions pad called Sweet Owl.   I cut the image out with Grand Nestability Labels 11 die, trimming the bottom straight and embossing it by hand and then coloured it with promarkers, adding a little cosmic shimmer gloss and glamour dust for the fairy wings.  The butterfly is from a paper punch with a few gems from an Anita's gem wheel.

Hope it gives you a smile too!

Side Spring Card

I saw the Hougie demonstration on Create and Craft of one of these style of cards and thought I would have a go at a larger one, using an A4 sheet (it will easily fit a C5 envelope)

Again I'm afraid the photo isnt great, but I used First Edition Spring Drop papers, a large square die from Spellbinders Marvellous Squares, a Spellbinders Labels Two (embossed with a cuttlebug folder), XCut labels die for the sentiment and a Nellie Snellen Border Two.  The image is printed onto pearlescent card twice and I embossed and decoupaged the shutters and added a little flower soft to make the window box stand out.  The window also has a piece of acetate to make it look like glass (photo doesn't show this).  The folding of the card base took a bit of working out but I am fairly pleased with the results.

Thank you for looking and hope you are all enjoying Easter.

Children's cards

Hi everyone,

Just a quick post to show two children's cards I made in the last few days.  (I apologise for the photos, it is not very bright here and I seem to have taken wonky pictures)

Both of them are made with First Editions Animal Antics papers.  The sentiments are both computer generated, I made the banner in Word and printed it on to the patterned paper before trimming to suit.  I have used Spellbinders Grand Labels 11 for the shaped card, and Scalloped and Plain Large Rectangles and  Marvellous Squares for the giraffe one.  The sentiment is cut with the smallest of the Floral Ovals.  The pirate is a digistamp coloured with promarkers.

We still have snow here, it is melting but not quite gone yet, hope you are all keeping warm.  

 Have a lovely Easter break!

Wedding Anniversary

Today is mine and hubby's 35th Wedding Anniversary, here is the card I made for him.  

My inspiration deserted me just when I needed it most to make something special, so not totally happy with the results, but he liked it that's the main thing.  The photo really doesn't do it justice either.  I used Spellbinder nestability grand labels 11 to cut the card base and for the embossed layer.  Cuttlebug embossing folder Kimmi-luvs for the heart background and the main feature and alphabet letters were cut from First Editions Up Up & Away paper pad.

Thank you for looking and any comments you may make.

Somewhere Sunny

Hi everyone,

This card is one I have sent to my eldest son for his birthday this weekend.  The stamp reminded me of Cowes, Isle of Wight (where he lives) and so I thought very appropriate.  The papers reminded me of stripey deckchair fabric so suited the seaside theme.  We could just do with the weather to enjoy such a scene!

The papers are First Edition "Family Ties" matted on some navy cardstock from stash.  The image is a Michael Powell tall urban stamp from Docrafts inked with Memento tuxedo black and coloured with promarkers.  I used my sewing machine to stitch the layers for a bit of definition.  Nestability circle and scalloped circle, a star button and small piece of raffia create a bit of interest and break up all the stripes.  The sentiment is computer generated.

The layout of the card was based on an archived Mojo Monday sketch 178 from February 2011, here:  http://mojomonday.blogspot.co.uk/p/2011-sketches_24.html

Mothers Day Gift & Card

Hi everyone,

Hope you are having a good weekend.  Here are my crafty makes for my Mum, hope she likes them.

Card using Papermania Vintage Notes papers, a Joanna Sheen image from In Other Words cd-rom, grand nestability circle in First Edition Spring Drop paper, Kort & Godt beaded roses (from Joanna Sheen), a piece of cotton lace and string pearls from my stash.  The crystal beaded trim was bought in an oddments bag from Dunelm Mill ages ago, I covered the ribbon edge with some docrafts sticky ribbon and a border diecut.  The Mum sentiment is Crealie alphabet diecuts mounted on  floral oval and large oval nestabilities.

I am entering this into Joanna Sheen's challenge blog, here: http://joannasheenchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/mums-word.html

Flowers all handmade from a variety of papers with some punched paper centres and beads, some centres are prima flowers with beads to finish off the bamboo skewer ends.  The jug is from The Range.

Off for a browse around some blogs on Redrottie's Docrafts  weekend leapblog!

Happy crafting

Another Black & White

Hi everyone,

Another post already!  I am on a roll this week..

This one is for the Joanna Sheen black and white challenge: http://joannasheenchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/black-and-white.html

and House Mouse & Friends Challenge #HMFMC138 - "I Love You *Sew* Much!"
http://housemouse-challenge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/challenge-hmfmc138-i-love-you-sew-much.html

The image is from Joanna Sheen's House Mouse Project Book 1, I just printed it in greyscale.  The black and white patterned background is some Kanban cardstock (I believe) from my old stash  cut into strips.   I gathered and stitched some cotton lace to a strip of black ribbon to make a border, added some Kort & Godt pearls, some papermania black gems, a little ricrac braid and a white ribbon bow to embellish.  The little heart charm is from a tiny craft shop (a holiday find) and the scissors from a poundshop, (I put the scissors on a little chain to make them dangle and give some movement).

Thank you for looking

Spring - MOJO281

Hi,

I thought I would have a go at a new challenge (to me) this week as I am on half-term break.  I have followed the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge blog for a while but never been brave enough to enter a card.  Armed with my new collection of First Edition paper pads and inspired by the lovely colours in Spring Drop I thought I would give it a go:

The purple flower I have had in my stash for a few years, not even sure where it came from now.  The ribbon was from some posh Christmas crackers we had this year (waste not want not eh?).  The rest is from the paper pad, even the little sticker in the centre of the flower.

Hope you like, I really enjoyed making it, off to enter the challenge now, why not have a go?  

http://mojomonday.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/good-morning-mojo-fans-we-are-so-happy.html

Have A Hoot

Hi everyone,

Nice to see the sun shining here today, hope you have it too, could almost believe Spring is on the way - my daffodil bulbs have buds on them!

A bit late with my blog updating and hopping this week, but here is my creation:

I had a job to get a decent photo of this one, the colour is a very pale pink.  Made from two sheets of a First Editions Sweet Owl 8" x 8" paper pad and some acetate.  The individual  letters are Crealies alphabet diecuts, and a computer generated sentiment and some eyelets complete the card.

Off to go and take part in Docrafts leapblog now, happy crafting!