A Red Top Hat...

Hi all... I had a fab weekend!! Loved going to the craft shop in Elgin, the girls there are just so friendly!! This is one of the nellies I purchased! I love Leanne Ellis designs, so I am surprised it has taken me quite so long to buy them for myself!!

Whilst at the shop I got to look at some of Tiets and Judy's cards they are even more amazing in real life! Incredibly talented ladies!! also got a few hints hand tips.

I have gone for the monochrome look as I finally got some Memento ink, so I have been able to have a proper play with my copic's. I don't have many only 3 shades of grey and 2 skin tone so I am fairly limited..however its a start! I have gone over the top hat with Anita's glaze and have sprinkled some red glitter in it.

I plan on entering this card for a couple of challenges:

http://thepinkelephantchallenge.blogspot.com/ Recipe, 1 ribbon, 2 squares, something that sparkles. (the red hat sparkles - however you cant see it very well, every time I tried to take a close up photo the camera said that my battery was low.. very strange..but if you click on the photo you should be able to see it!)

http://stamptacularsundaychallenge.blogspot.com/ Use Scallops

http://creativeinspirationschallenge.blogspot.com/ use stitching (real or faux... I've used faux stitching)

http://www.iftheshoefitsscrapit.blogspot.com/ Polka dots

Off for the weekend

Hi all,

Just a quick note so say that I am going away for a long weekend! I know it probably seems like I am away all the time, but the past few breaks have been work related. ( I just manage to fit in a visit to a craft shop wherever I go!!)

This is just my husband and I taking a wee break and totally chilling out, we have booked a nice hotel and just plan to do nothing!!

On the way we are going to the paper boutique shop in Elgin (yes hubby really is a sweetie!) which is the sister shop of Funky Kits...so I can see quite a few sugar nellie stamps falling into my basket. I have had a few friends buy some cards over the past couple of weeks so I have some spending money too..which is always good!!

Anyway it was just a note to say sorry if I am not popping round to see all of you and comment on your lovely works of art..but will catch up when I get back!!

Thank you Stephanie!!!!

Hi all.. This is a card that I have made from a kit sent to me by Stephanie..for being the 1st to comment on one of her cards! How generous is that!!

Stephanie is incredibly talented and I love looking at her cards if you have chance pop across to her blog please do http://stampingsharing.blogspot.com/ and I am sure you will feel inspired.

I was hoping to do a little series of cards using the products that I had been sent, but I have been a bit short on time this week and have only had chance to make the one. hope you like it..

Gorjuss in pink!

This is my entry for http://stampinfortheweekend.blogspot.com/ the challenge there is Pink and Grey! The card is pink honestly!! I have chosen such a delicate shade that it is barley showing up! have tried all sorts of things with my camera but this is the best I can get!

I very rarely put the colours together, yes I know this is a classic combo! however when I was 7 I got to choose the colours of my bedroom and this was the combo I went for. You have never seen so much pink, frills, girly stuff in your life! I think I thought I was a princess living in a castle! however as we didn't have a lot financially I was 17 before the decor got changed in my room... I cant tell you how sick I was of pink and grey by that point!! whilst making this card I was getting total flashbacks of that room. Now in my 30's the thought of it actually made me giggle!!

Anyway back to the card, the grey paper is from "creative imaginations" and the pink paper is from "Sandylion" I have overlayed the card with some DB vellum. My Gorjuss girl has been paper pieced so that her dress is the same as the pink background paper. I have used my nesties to create the little frame and I have added some faux stitching to the frame. and I have finished off with DB vellum flowers, some little gems and a little bit of stickles on her dress.

This card was great in my head, but I don't think it has translated very well in reality, I am not that happy with it! but hey ho that's the way it goes sometimes............

Graduation

I have made this card for a wonderful friend of mine who has Downs Syndrome. There is a centre local to our area that dignifies disabled people in the area by employing them and also giving them training. My friend has really loved his work and thinks it is wonderful. Last week they held a prize giving. He got a SVQ in agriculture and also he won a prize for best portfolio! He is absolutely delighted with himself.. All friends, family, neighbours, have been shown his certificate.

To Make this card I have used a digi stamp from http://digitaldelightsbyloubyloo.wordpress.com/ I have coloured the image with my whispers pens and have popped it on 3d foam. The paper is from DCWV black/white stack.

For finishing touches I have hand made my little diploma with some white card and a bit of red ribbon. Used some Kanban gems and some peel off corners. and done some faux stitching ( I seem to be quite into that at the mo!)

And finally I have used the sketch from http://getsketchy.blogspot.com/ Although I have flipped the sketch!

Say Ahhhhhhhhh.....

A friend of mine has a 7 year old son who has tonsillitis at the moment. So I have made this card for him.

This card fits 6 challenges:

http://digitaltuesdaychallenge.blogspot.com/ - Male themed card

http://dareu2digistamp.blogspot.com/ - Blue, Green & white or cream

http://papertakeweekly.blogspot.com/ - Take your pick - I've chosen "delightful downloads"

http://abc-challenge.blogspot.com/ - B is for buttons

http://365cards.blogspot.com/ - day 173 - Mixed message, incorporate 3 ways to make a message.

http://www.bellichallenge.blogspot.com/ - Use water based markers

I have used a gorgeous digi stamp from http://thedigishack.wordpress.com/ I have coloured it using my "whispers pens" the paper is Daisyd's

The sentiment I have used, alphabet stickers, peel offs and a K&Co rub on.

I have inked around the edges with my stazon ink pad and have done some faux stitching and I have used some anita's glaze on the eyes and teeth to make him a bit more monster like!

and hopefully the little fella will be feeling better soon!

Picking Apples in the Sugar Bowl

This is my entry for the Sugar Bowl challenge http://sugarbowlblog.blogspot.com/ Which is Judy's fantastic sketch with the added element of handmade flowers.

I have used the "sugarnellie stamp - Picking apples" and she has been coloured using my "whispers pens"

The paper is "Cosmo Cricket - Fleuriste" I have inked around the edges of everything with "distress ink shabby shutters & walnut stain" and I have done some faux stitching.

I have made the flowers using the same "cosmo cricket" papers using the flower element of "sizzix - Heart w/flowers & vine" I have added some brads from " Bo Bunny" and finally "distress stickles - worn lipstick"

Hope you like it...

Days gone by...

I have made this card for 3 challenges:

Stamping for the weekend http://stampinfortheweekend.blogspot.com/ the theme set there is "Days gone by.." or vintage. I have attempted to go for modern twist on elegant vintage as opposed to distressing. I have chosen these papers "papermania - a hint of pink" I Love these papers they remind me of really old fashioned wallpapers but at the same time they are really modern. The stamp is from "Le Blance" which has been stamped with "Stazon" and colour tinted with "twinkling H20's - Pink Azalea"

They layout if from Friday Sketchers http://fridaysketchersblog.blogspot.com/
I love this sketch!! and I think I will be using it a lot.

Finally the Challenge at http://onestopcraftchallenge.blogspot.com/ Is Black and pink.

finishing touches... The flowers and sentiment are from "papermania - hint of pink" the hinges are from an old vintage kit I bought from QVC forever ago, and I have used "Kanban gems on the hinges. I have used tiny strips of paper and peel off lines for the lacing detail. and finally the swirls have been done using peel off dots.

Keep Dancing...........

Hi all, Yes I am sorry its yet another dancing couple!! I am currently trying to get out of this rut, but I was asked by a friend to make a card for her daughters 10th wedding anniversary, it was rather last min, and so by using the dancing couple thing I didn't have to think!! This was a very quick card!!

The image and background paper are from "strictly card dancers cd" This time I have actually used the image in her original colour!! LOL!! I printed the image out twice so I could make the couple 3d.

The sparkly swirls have been created using glitter paper and the "big shot & Sizzix w/Flower" and the little flowers are from Prima. I have put gems in the centre of the flowers, and have added some "Kanban - yellow pearls" and of course a good helping of stickles!

I am going to enter this into the Crafty Creations challenge http://craftycreationschallenges.blogspot.com/ as the challenge was to use Yellow. Actually it was lots of Yellow, so I hope I have enough on this card to qualify!!

Distressed Digi

Ok, so I went onto http://sketchingstamperdigi-stamps.blogspot.com/ last night and bought the shoe digi stamp (see post below) so I could make a card for my Auntie, then you know what its like.. I fell in love with quite a few images, and then you think well its only 99p so 3 ended up in my basket! (I also got the handbag!)

Now I own digi stamps, I then had to check out digi challenge blogs. I really wanted to try http://dareu2digistamp.blogspot.com/ The challenge was "Distressing" and I thought the images I got worked quite well! also I am still trying to master the whole distressed look, so it was a good chance to give it a try. The only thing as it is a Friday challenge I have rushed this a bit to put it in on the 11th hour! (also the reason for the rubbish photo!)

I have also used the sketch from http://sketchandstashchallenge.blogspot.com/ As I just got my little digi stamp the other night and I have never used, thought it defiantly counted as new stash.

Have coloured the stamp with my whispers pens, then gone over with my twinkling "H20's - Iridescent Red, Iridescent Gold" also a little " stickles - distress worn lipstick" I have printed the image a couple of times to create a dimensional look.

The paper is " Daisy Ds - Nursery pink flowers" Its double sided, so I have used both sides of the paper. I think the velvet ribbon is from crafty bits, from a kit I bought forever ago. and the velvet flowers are "Prima" and finally it has been finished with a few adhesive gems, and faux stitching (I didnt have time to get the sewing machine out!!)

and that's about it.....

Fabulous Shoes

My Auntie has the most amazing taste in shoes! She ordered these ones, but they didn't fit, so I inherited them. This is a card I made to say thanks.

I had seen this image whilst blog hopping previously and knew that I had to get it to make this card! I got it from http://sketchingstamperdigi-stamps.blogspot.com/ This is the first time I have used a digi stamp. I have coloured the image using my whispers pens, and the inside of the shoe has been painted with " cosmic shimmer - ancient copper"

I have inked around the edge of the image and the card with "distress inks - walnut stain and worn lipstick" I have used basic grey paper from the blush collection. The ribbon was saved from some towel bails I bought last year!! and finally I didn't have gems to match so I have used clear ones and have coloured them with a brown peel off pen! (there are gems on the shoe as well but you cant really see them!)

I am going to enter this into paper Play Challenges http://paperplaychallenges.blogspot.com/ as the theme there is "stepping out"

Well I totally love the shoes........................but now I need an outfit to match!!!! (LOL)!!!!!!!!!

Time for some cute....

I have not had any really cute cards here for a while so I thought I would show you this one! This has not been made for any challenges, just me playing!

I made this for My In Law's wedding anniversary, My father in law is really into photography and My Mother in law loves her garden. The idea behind this card (at least in my head) was to try and make it look like the boy was taking a photo of the girl.

I've gone for the stair card again, I have only just learnt how to do this so I keep playing with new idea's. The paper is from "creative imagination - Huntington Beach" and the stamps are "creative expressions - Little Lovins, kids" I have stamped them a few times and decoupaged to add dimension they have been coloured with whispers pens, and some sukura gel pens. The flowers are from prima, and I have added some adhesive stones and lots and lots of stickles!

Just as a P.S I am really sorry I have not been around visiting you all and leaving comments, Mr Blogger seems to have eaten my reading list!

bloggy friend award

Look at this gorgeous bloggy friend award I got from Sammi ! Sammi is incredibly talented so please check out her blog http://stuffbysammi.blogspot.com/ Thanks Sammi you have made my day!

I would like to pass this award onto all my followers! As I am really loving being part of blogland!!

Gazing into the sunset....

This card was made for the Ready Stamp Challenge http://readysteadystamp.blogspot.com/ the ingredients were: sun, yellow, ribbon, triangle, acetate. I have to admit when I first saw that I thought I can't do that. Firstly I don't have a sun anything...I am not the biggest fan of yellow...how are you supposed to use a triangle, and then on top of all that there was acetate!! So I decided immediately that it was not for me!........the trouble was then it totally got into my head, realised that I could create a sun using inks , and a masking technique to create the sun, which is also yellow!! 2 ingredients down..... then I remembered I had these little acetate tags left over from a really old kit - think it was Kanban, and they could be attached by ribbon.....4 ingredients down....the triangles were my nemesis in the end, but I have used 2 as little photo corners....and eventually I had the card!....

I have used, "we are memory keepers - nonsense papers" for the background. to create the sunset I used "brilliance inkpads - Sunflower yellow, crimson copper, and lavender and Ivy (for the foliage)" the stamp is " Rubber Stampede - best friends" and the little foliage stamp is from "Stamptivity" I have used prima flowers, peel off dots and leaves, and a little peel off butterfly, a couple of buttons.

I also think this card fits 5 challenges which is a record for me! the first as mentioned above then:

365 cards http://365cards.blogspot.com/ (masking...I used masking technique for the sun)

Pennys challenges http://pennyschallenges.blogspot.com/ buttons

Our Creative corner http://ourcreativecorner6.blogspot.com/ inspiration its nearly harvest time. there was a lovely painting "Lowell Herroro - Picking wildflower" (it had a gorgeous sunset in the background and purple hills)

Everybody Art Challenge http://everybody-art-challenge.blogspot.com/ butterflies

Vintage Collage

Finally this week I have been able to enter a card in the 365 day challenge blog http://365cards.blogspot.com/ there have been some great ones this week, however I have just not had the time to craft for them.

I also want to enter this card in the allsorts challenge blog http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/
the theme there is vintage.

I decided to try and combine these challenges, as I look at both collage cards and vintage cards and think that they are just stunning, then I try it, and it doesn't ever really work for me, i need to conquer these looks!! i think it looks vintage but I am not sure that it is truly collage, but I have tried my best, in my head I was also going to try and use roses, ribbon, buttons, butterflies - to fit with other challenges but that didn't work out, but I have tried my best, but I think a little more practice is still in order!!

Anyway, the image is from "my craft studio - carousel of classics" I am not really into cd crafting but hubby bought me a few and I do sometimes find the images handy! I changed the colourway to make it more sepia.

The green paper is from "K&Co - Hannah collection" and the main background paper is from "Kanban" I have also used some green pearl cardstock to mat the image, and have used the same card with "cuttlebug - script" and sanded over it.

I have stamped the corners with a "le Blanche stamp" and also created the strip of music using the "K&Co" paper and a stamp from "Penny Black" and I have inked around all edges with "distress ink-shabby shutters"

The little tab is also from the "K&Co Hannah collection" and then finally a few pearls and a little stickles....

Love In Paris

Friends of ours were in Paris last weekend to celebrate their wedding anniversary. So I have made this card for them.

I plan to enter this card into 3 challenges. firstly Papertake weekly http://papertakeweekly.blogspot.com/ the challenge there is 4 seasons. to make a card that reminds you of one of the seasons. This is prob me being an old sop, but love the film "Paris in the spring" and this card made me think of that.

The second challenge is A Spoon Full Of Sugar http://aspoonfullofsugarchallenge.blogspot.com/ which is "Floral Fantasy" I have used prima flowers on this card, and have used peel off dots to make the centre.

And the final challenge is My Time to Craft http://mytimetocraftchallenge.blogspot.com/ which is to use neglected and forgotten stash. This was a lot of fun I dug out 2 old stamps the Paris one is "Santa Rosa - The Montage Collection" and the dancing couple is from "Anita" they have been coloured using my whispers pen. (I have honestly not used either of these stamps for years!) The pink paper was also lurking at the bottom of my craft cupboard.

Finishing touches, I have stitched around the edge, used "distress ink -worn Lipstick" to ink around the edges. I have used a few brads in some hinge stickers ( left over from a kit I bought from qvc years ago!) also her dress has been glittered using "distress stickles - worn lipstick" and finally I have drawn over the word Paris with glossy accents to give it that added shine!

As a quick P.S i just want to apologise to the authors of the challenge blogs, as I have put an entry in twice, due to technical difficulties my original "Love in Paris" post was deleted so I have had to re do it. I apologise for any inconvenience this causes!

Kreativ Blogger Award

I would like to thank the lovely Jane over at http://jane-thecupboardunderthestairs.blogspot.com/ for this very kind award, Thankyou Jane for thinking of me!

Here are the instructions in order to accept this award:

1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog
3. Link the person who nominated you for this award
4. Name seven things about yourself that people might find interesting
5. Nominate seven Kreative Bloggers
6. Post links to the seven blogs you nominate
7. Leave comments on all seven blogs letting them know you nominated them

My 7 interesting (well I least I hope they are interesting) things are:

1. I have a love affair with Mr Darcy!
2. In March I will have been married for almost 10 years (and he is ok with the Mr Darcy thing!)
3. My Dad knew Hank Marvin from the shadows!
4. I used to do highland dancing
5. I eat the centre of my cream egg first and save the choc until last
6. I hate Marmite!
7. I cant live without micro dots!

The 7 lovely people I am passing the award onto are:


1. Lisza at http://liszha.blogspot.com/
2. Cindy at http://cindyhaffnerscorner.blogspot.com/
3. Jem at http://jemscrafting.blogspot.com/
4. Sem at http://semsee.blogspot.com/
5. Jeni at http://jenislack.blogspot.com/
6.Tammi at http://tropicaldreams-17.blogspot.com
7. Jodi at http://inkedinspirations.blogspot.com

My first candle and 4 challenges

well you've guessed it another 25th wedding anniversary project! ( I think this will be my card and gift) This is my first attempt at a candle it went not too bad, but I think I overheated it slightly. The thing I found the hardest was to embellish it once the image had gone on. (the candle is straight in real life, it just lops over in the picture..(LOL).. been having real problems with the whole photography thing this morning! I have used a stamp from "Le Blanche" its been coloured with whisper pens, and once it was heat set I added some stickles, and then decorated it with some ribbons and flowers from my box of bits and bobs so sorry I have no idea where I got them from. and I am going to enter this into Stamping for the weekend http://stampinfortheweekend.blogspot.com/ as the challenge this week is to alter it.

The card... I have used the sketch from Delicious Diva Challenges http://deliciousdivachallenges.blogspot.com/

I have used 3 brads again from "Le Blance" one flower (sorry don't know where that's from) and paper from "crafty bits" and that fits the recipe over at Pink Elephant http://thepinkelephantchallenge.blogspot.com/

and finally the challenge over at One Stop Craft http://onestopcraftchallenge.blogspot.com/ is to use swirls and pearls. On both projects the flower that I have used as little pearls for the stamen. On the candle I have made swirls using adhesive stones, and on the card there are some peeloff swirls just going round the corner of the image.

Just as a quick P.S ordered the TSV from QVC UK (WRMK magnetic cutting mat, with various cutting tools!) so now I will have a means to make circles! whoo hoo!! it means more challenges will be in my grasp!.... guess the order of all these cards has come in handy!

25 years...take 2

Just a quick post, this is another card for the silver Wedding couple! This is my first attempt at this style of card, not sure what its called (step card, stair card) In all honesty I didn't have a clue what I was doing but it seemed to work out ok.

Have used some papers from "Kanban" the image is from "strictly card dancers" cd. her dress was originally yellow but I have coloured over it to make it black with whispers black pen, and a sakura gel pen, I found it quite hard to keep the shading in the dress. Then the whole thing is finished off with a little stickles.

Not too difficult a card but hopefully still effective.........

Silver Wedding

This is not really my normal style. However I am in the process of making a load of 25th anniversary cards, but they all have to go to the same couple, so I am trying my best to make the style of each card very different!

I have always admired cards that have the distressed look, I am not very good at it, I occasionally rip and tear pages or ink the edges of card but I am not very good at pulling a whole look together. It normally ends up looking very Dark and or dirty. Anyway I thought I would try and give it a go...

I have tried my best not to be too heavy handed to keep it light and hopefully still elegant. For this card I have used papers from "K&Co - Wedding range" all the edges have been sanded I don't have any distressing tools so I think every emery board in my house as been used up! Just as well I now use a glass nail file! LOL! and then inked with "whispers - whisper blue". I have embossed some pearl paper using "cuttlebug - script"

My Hubby had thought I had gone mad when I got the sewing machine out today. (must get one of those mini ones!) as I started stitching the card the seamstress came out in me as I stitched a perfectly straight line, then I realised that was not the look I was going for, so then I have done a double row of very wobbly stitching to compensate!

The heart and flowers are " Sizzix - heart w/flowers & vine" which I have gradually built up. the dotty ribbon actually ties in really well and lifts the card a little, but in the photo it just doesn't look right! (sorry!)

I am sure the rest of the anniversary cards will make their way onto my blog, I am just putting this one now as I thought I could enter it into the Simon Says Challenge http://simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.com/ as this week Simon says - "distress"

Well I guess I should get back to completing those orders!........