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Thursday 14 July 2011

At Last........A Card

Hello there everyone, sorry for the long absence but my card making mojo took an extended holiday and I got the card makers version of writer's block. No matter what I did IT just wasn't there, very frustrating but it just was not happening for me. My crafting mojo hadn't disappeared altogether as during my absence from the blogging and card making I have stitched a beautiful art deco peacock and also been knitting like there's no tomorrow producing cushion covers, a teddy bear (who is waiting to have his arms and head sewn on and to be stuffed), other small toys, a pair of gloves and am currently knitting a rug which is a longer term project and maybe better suited to the winter months.
Anyway back to the card making. One of my work colleagues asked me to do birthday cards for his wife and daughter and my mouth just says yes with no consideration for the departed mojo. So out came my stash, did a little blog trawling to try and find some inspiration and off I went. Yay!! MOJO is back. Still haven't made the cards for work but have made some others including making a start on my Christmas cards.
This card was made using a Penny Black Stickeroo which I matted and layered using card and paper from my stash, a piece of ribbon and some red dewdrops and voilĂ  there you have it my first card in ages. I am also entering this into the following challenges:
Penny Black Saturday Challenge...Week 159  - Christmas in July
Creative Inspirations Challenge 120 - No Flowers Allowed!

Sunday 27 March 2011

Good Day

I have had a wonderful weekend which started Friday evening when I went to my first ever rugby match with hubby and a pal from work with her hubby watching Wigan Warriors v Warrington Wolves supporting the Wolves naturally and yes we won. The atmosphere in the stadium was amazing and its definitely something that I will be doing again. Saturday was a moochy kind of day just chillin and going with the flow did a little crafting and had a visit from my lovely mum and sister-in-law. Then today nice lie in then lunch at the Cinnamon Lounge (Indian), they do a buffet for £7-50 on a Sunday and it's amazing value for money plus the food is absolutely yummy. If any of you reading this blog are ever in Warrington it is definitely worth a visit. Then after lunch had a little mooch around T K Max, got a new top and a bathmat although I think we needed the bathmat far more than I needed another top but am pleased with both purchases. Then home for a hot cup of coffee and more crafting the result of which is a card, first one I've completed for a couple of weeks and it will also be my last for a week or so as well as next Thursday off on hols. Hubby and I are driving up to Oban for an overnight stay then next day onwards and upwards to the beautiful Isle of Skye for a week of isolation, peace and quiet. Can't wait.
Now for the card
I started out using this weeks sketch over at Friday Sketchers but as the card came together the balance of the image and elements just wasn't working so I abandoned the sketch part way through and just did my own thing. The background paper is a fairly new individual sheet that I picked up somewhere on my travels, have no idea what it's called, the card used for matting and layering is all from my stash. The hedgehog image is of course a penny black stamp coloured with ProMarkers, the swirly design going across the card is some white card that I inked up a while ago using a clear flourish stamp but at the time I didn't like how it had turned out and actually thought I'd binned it but I found it in my scrap box when I was looking for bits of card. I added a few little glitter dots to it to give it a bit of bling and make it leap out and catch your attention a little more. I wrapped some bakers twine from the Ribbon Girl around it although the picture doesn't do it justice as it seems to make it blend in with the swirls whereas in the flesh so to speak it contrasts nicely with that swirly background. The hearts are a Country Companions embossing folder that I ran through my Cuttlebug, the sentiment is a peeloff that I coloured to match my colour scheme, the yellow roses are from Wild Orchid Crafts and the rhinestones are from my stash. Again a colour scheme that I wouldn't normally have produced but that is the beauty of blogging and all the amazing ideas, creations and inspiration that is out there in blogland it pushes you to get out of your comfort zone and to do something very different. I love how it has turned out and this will be going in the post to my own dear mum who I won't be able to visit on Mother's Day due to being away but I'm sure she will like it.
I am entering this card into the following challenges;
Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Recycling. The piece of stamped card that I thought I had thrown away.
Papertake Weekly Challenge - It's a Mum Thing
I Love ProMarkers Challenge #58 - Go Dotty. The little glitter dots on the flourishes, the little dots in some of the flower centres on the image and the little piece of dotty ribbon across the corner of the image.
The Ribbon Girl Colour Challenge #6 - Green and Yellow
Paper Sundaes Challenge #62 - Photo Inspiration. The colour scheme used
Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Mother's Day/Girlie Challenge

Saturday 12 March 2011

Tag

This is a quickie that I also made today


The picture isn't brilliant as I had to photograph it flat (or hubby did) as when I hung the tag and tried to photograph it that way there was too much light reflection. Anyway this is a little tag made using a Fiskar's star   template, I drew around the star onto the blue card and cut this out by hand I then used the snowflake embossing folder with my Cuttlebug to make the background. Matted this onto some brown cardstock and again by hand cut around the design so that I had the border. I decorated this tag with a Penny Black Stickeroo and then punched a hole at the top and threaded some white a blue ribbon through so that it can be attached to a parcel.
I am entering this into the following challenge;
Winter Wonderland Challenge - Tag It With A Shape

A Good Weekend

Well my crafting mojo seems to have been on the ball today, not only that but my housekeeping mojo appeared from somewhere as well and the house had a bit of a blitz this morning. That's the housework done for this year anyway so that particular mojo can go back into hibernation till next year now lol. Anyway now for the card which I found came together quite easily saying that the colours I used are not ones that I am really comfortable with but I am pleased with how it turned out.


The image is Lili of the Valley and is coloured with ProMarkers, I then added a little glamour dust to her skirt, wings, headband and pom poms. The papers I have used are from my stash and the little pearls and flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts. The little lace flowers just peeping out from behind the images are a strip of lace flowers that I've had in my stash for years and have never really known what to do with them. The flowers are a very narrow single strip so I cut three separate lengths the width of the card and then just layered them one on top of the other to make a broader band which I think has turned out ok. I added little crystal pearls to the centres of the flowers that show fully just to highlight them a little as they seemed a bit lost otherwise.
I am entering this card into the following challenges;
Paper Sundaes Challenge #59 - Stripes! - the stripey paper
Papertake Weekly Challenge - Lemon Zingy :) - the colours
Lili of the Valley Challenge 87 - Say it with flowers - the flowers, the background paper and the little lace flowers
Totally Gorjuss Challenge 71 - Pearls and Lace - the little pearls and the flowery lace
Flutter By Wednesday #145 - the image
Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Anything Goes
Southern Girls Challenge - Use Flowers

Saturday 26 February 2011

Nothing then two posts in one day

This is another card that I made for my niece's recent birthday but didn't get chance to post at the time.

I am entering this into the following challenge;
Stamp Something Challenge - Something with Flowers

Wednesday 16 February 2011

Still no card

I have started my new job this week and although it is lovely to be home at a decent hour and feel as though I have had some time with my family rather than falling through the door at 7 or 8, getting tea and then going to bed. The down side of this is that I am really tired as I have to get up at 5.20a.m. I'm sure that I will get used to this early start and once I have finished my supernumery period I will be doing lates as well as earlies so won't have to get up quite so early every day of the week. There will hopefully some creative time this weekend so I will post whatever I manage to create and may even be able to enter a challenge or two.

Sunday 13 February 2011

I've got a Cuttlebug :o)

Sorry that I haven't been blogging much this week but it has been my last week working at Macclesfield District General Hospital so have been tying up all the loose ends that needed to be completed before I move on. Start new job tomorrow just need to remember to point the car in a different direction lol. Anyway thanks to my very generous friends at MDGH who gave me money as a leaving present to get crafty stuff I am pleased to announce that I am now the proud owner of a Cuttlebug plus some cutting dies and embossing folders. I also received some Hobbycraft vouchers from the lovely Frank who I worked with very closely over the last 6 months (will miss you Frank), and lo and behold Hobbycraft have a sale on Promarkers so was able to add a good quantity of pens to my stash.
Thank you everyone very very much xx

Thursday 3 February 2011

Inspiration

I have made two cards today as one of my niece's has a birthday coming up and I have a few order's from different member's of the family for her. The first card has been inspired by Liz over at buttonsforbrains she has been doing a lot of stamping directly onto the card recently so I thought I'd give it a go, she has also been using a lot of cute little stamped bunting flags on her cards which look just brill so I incorporated these into the design as well.


The image is from a set of acrylic stamps called Girlie Fun made by Woodware, the image is stamped directly onto the card blank, I stamped the image of the little girl then masked it and stamped the little dog, these images I then coloured with promarkers. I don't have the bunting stamps so instead I made a small template with card then used it to cut out the little paper flags, I then stamped the individual letters of my niece's name onto each flag made a small hole in each side of the top of the flag and threaded the flags onto butchers twine. Inserted an eyelet at each side of the card at the top and threaded the end's of the twine through these and secured the ends at the back so that the flags drape. I stamped the happy birthday sentiment directly onto the card also then used a punch to decorate the bottom edge, the three little flowers are from the punched out border coloured and with perfect pearls in their centres.

I have also decorated the inside of this card.


I used the same paper on the inside as I had cut the little bunting flags from, the stamped image and sentiment is from the same Woodware acrylic stamp set, the tag is again cut out of card after drawing around a template   I stamped the same little dog image from the front of the card onto this, punched a hole in the top and threaded a variety of coloured butcher's twine through this. I tinted both the piece of circular card and the tag with a chalk based ink.

Now card number two although I feel as though this one is a bit of a cheat as I have used stickers.


These stickers have been in my stash for so long that I can't remember where I got them from but the image is from a sheet of disney princess stickers. I stuck the main image onto white card then layered this onto a pale blue card that I had covered with a disney princess script vellum, this I again matt and layered onto a deeper pink paper then the same pale blue card as before. The front of the card blank is covered with a rose vellum and the text down the spine of the card is from the same disney princess sticker sheet. I then matt and layered card to create a little name tag with her age underneath. I finished the card off by adding a few self adhesive rhinestone's.

I am entering these cards into the following challenges;

I Love Promarkers - challenge #51 Anything Goes
Top Tip Tuesday - challenge #20 'Girlie' Challenge

Wednesday 2 February 2011

Two days off

yes unfortunately I have to work another weekend but looking on the bright side it means I now have two days off so two days of crafting me thinks :o)

Sunday 30 January 2011

Hi everyone

Hi everyone, I hope you have all had a great weekend. I had a bit of a strange week last week starting in the early hours of Tuesday morning waking up freezing cold but boiling hot and shivering like there was no tomorrow with terrible pains in all of my joints, especially my hands and fingers. Alongside this also had terrible vertigo with the associated nausea that came with it. The above all lasted for a couple of days with the high temperature gradually settling and the joint pain lessening but a new symptom arrived, stomach cramps. The cramps never had any end result (if you get what I mean) but they certainly took your breath away when they were happening. Anyway all is well again and the very strange virus that I had has gone away touch wood. So I have actually made a card today woohoo. Oh and by the way if you haven't seen my previous post I WON last weeks Penny Black Saturday Challenge how wonderful is that?

So now to the card, everything I have used on it I have had for years all being sadly neglected and if not quite forgotten certainly ignored. The image is from Elzybells product number 07.041E (am unsure if it is still available), I have coloured this with a mixture of promarkers and water colouring added a little gem brad to the bow on the image and then matt and layered everything as you can see. To finish it off I added a sentiment and a few little roses to which I have added a touch of diamond stickles.



I am entering this card into the following challenges;
Papertake Weekly - the sketch
Ribbon Girl Colour Challenge #4 - pink and green
Totally Gorjuss challenge 65 - as YOU like it
Top Tip Tuesday - Fabulous Flowers Challenge
Paper Sundaes - Valentine's


Saturday 29 January 2011

Wow I've Won

yes, yes, yes I've won last weeks Penny Black Saturday Challenge how cool is that? excited doesn't describe it. Thank you to every one at Penny Black and of course to Keith at Fantastic Ribbons for the prize woohoooo.............

Saturday 22 January 2011

Need to get a shuffle on

I've been procrastinating this morning doing anything other than what I should be up to. So anyway enough is enough I have given myself a good talking to and its time to get my bum off the sofa and do something. I have had a wonderful time though looking at all the wonderful and inspiring blogs out there though, now to go and do some creating myself (after the washing up and loading the washing machine :o( .....), my fingers are starting to twitch. So back later with at least one creation, have a good weekend everyone xx

Wednesday 19 January 2011

Woo Hoo

Just had confirmation today of the start date for my new job :o) only three more weeks to go so start new job on 14th Feb..........Valentines Day so that has to be good

Sunday 16 January 2011

Weekend

End of the weekend again, why do these two days go so fast? Work again tomorrow and on call from 6am :o( Working 5 days so no crafting now till next weekend as it's too late in an evening to start anything as get home late, eat tea which hubby has waiting for me :o) a short sit down and then bed to do all over again the next day. Really need to win the lottery lol......
I have made two cards this weekend this is the first

The image is the penny black image 'poppy fields' which I coloured with my BRAND NEW promarkers don't think it's half bad for a first attempt. I have matted the image onto card from my stash and the layered this onto the same coloured card and some design paper that again I have had for eons. I just LOVE paper, to look at and to stroke and occasionally when I have no other option to actually cut and use.....sob. I placed some ribbon with little butterflies on it behind the main image and have attached a little charm from doodlebug, I attached three little buttons to the bottom and voila there you have it, done.

I am entering this into the following challenge's;
Penny Black Saturday Challenge
Oldie but a Goodie - Bright and Cheerful
stamp something - anything goes



The next card I have done is for this weeks Papertake Weekly - cold and frosty morning but it also fits Totally Gorjuss - Cuddly


The snowman image is one I've had for ages not sure what it's called, this I've coloured with promarkers, the snowmen are done with icicle stickles and the snowlady's hat brim with white flowersoft. The background paper is from doodle bug and the twine and snowflake embelishments are from my stash. The sentiment is again one I have had for quite a few years which I have stamped in blue onto white card and then just inked the edges with the same blue. Both of these are mounted onto a large dark blue circle of card which in turn is mounted onto a lighter blue pearlised card, I have stamped a snowflake design in white ink over these and then inked the edge of the pearlised card with silver.

So that has been my weekend in crafting, the real world beckons again I hope you all have had a great weekend and have a good week to come. xx

Tuesday 11 January 2011

Better late than never...........here is the valentine card I mentioned on my earlier blog. I am entering this into two challenges;
Lili Of The Valley Challenge 79
Paper Sundaes Challenge #51 - Circles

Saturday 8 January 2011

Back at work today :o(     on a stretch of 5 long days so won't have much time for crafting of any kind. However the baby girl card I made fits perfectly the new Penny Black Saturday Challenge and I made a card yesterday (which I will post later today, if not too tired) for this weeks Lili of the Valley challenge. Have a good weekend everyone x

Friday 7 January 2011

Here we go again, seem to be getting the hand of this lol.


Not a very clear picture this time, I am going to have to work on that part. Anyway if you can see it this is the first card I have ever machine stitched and let me tell you its a lot harder than it looks hence the very wobbly lines although I do think it adds to its charm. The stamped image is one I have had for ages it may be a Penny Black image but I'm not too sure again it is coloured using brush markers and a water colouring technique (I am just starting to experiment with promarkers so you will see the results here soon). This image has been layered onto card stash from my stock also the papers and ribbon are all from my stash and I have had them for so long that I can't remember where they are from or if you can still get them even. I have further embelished the card with some little stamped dragonfly images and buttons.

I am going to enter this card into Delightful...............buttons challenge but will do that later today after hubby has arrived home and he can show me what I am doing wrong on the image dept. so I will hopefully have a clearer image to download.

First Card for Blog

Hi everyone, so here we go the start of a new journey for my card making. Below is a card I made for a new baby girl, as well as posting it here I am going to have a go at entering it into a few blog challenges.


The image is a penny black stamp I have had for ages that I coloured in using brush markers with a water colouring technique I then matted the image onto pink card from my stash and edged with diamond stickles. The sentiment is cut from wrapping paper and again matted as above I punched two holes and tied some butchers twine from the Ribbon Girl through the holes. The backing papers are from my stash one of them is a doodlebug design but not sure about the others. The main stamped image is further embelished using shimmer dots from Papermania and the flowers are paper flowers that I have cut from various scraps from my stash then embossed the centres to give a 3d effect and attached using silicone gel. Hope you like it.

I am entering this into the Papertake Challenge.............anything goes and
Penny Black Saturday Challenge