A Stitch ....

.... in Time.

That's the title of this week's challenge on PaperPlay Challenges, set by Kate:

"Basically use stitching on your project, it can be real, drawn on or stamped, up to you!"
I have used hand-stitching on cards before, sewing on buttons, etc., and I've drawn faux stitching, but I decided to be adventurous and get the sewing machine out for my DT entry.
It was TERRIFYING!!!
I was afraid I would break the needle, tear the paper, wreck the machine or a combination thereof!! Well, apart from being a bit wobbly, nothing disastrous happened, but it's just as well this isn't a Home Economics school project, 'cos if they looked at the back of the stitching, they would fail me!!! The tension was not good at all when using paper! I had to quickly stick DS tape on the back before it began unravelling.
Anyway, asides from all the panic, the image is one of my new Leanne Ellis for Sugar Nellie stamps and I love it!

Supersize ....

.... Me!!

No - not ME, it's the title of this week's dare from Daring Cardmakers :

This week Lythan wants your help through this dare...
"SUPERSIZE ME! I have loads of enormous paper flowers that I have bought and never used. So I want to see some really big embellishments on your cards. Bonus points for outsize blooms!"

Well, I get no bonus points, as I haven't used flowers at all - I don't think the 7-year old boy who will receive this card would appreciate them one bit!!! I have, however, used an giant cog (or is it a gear, or maybe even a sprocket?).

Thanks for looking!

Complementary ....

.... Colours. This week's challenge for PaperPlay Challenges!!!!

This week's challenge is set by Elisa ... "The challenge is complementary colours, that is, to use colours that are opposite to each other in the colour wheel, such as red/green, yellow/purple, orange/blue, etc."

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Here's my contribution to the DT entries:

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I had to google and print out a colour wheel, as, apart from the combinations Elisa mentioned, I hadn't a clue which colours were complementary to which!!! Decided to go with blue and orange eventually, as I have this new BG Marrakech paper that I hadn't broken into yet. The stamp is Hero Arts, coloured with Prismas and with Glossy Accents to make the petals dimensional and shiny.

Hope all the DT entries inspire you to enter the challenge. And congrats to Liz, who won last week's prize.

Thanks for looking.

Can't shake off that ....

.... crazy old lady tag!!!

DD's confirmation is coming up shortly. I decided to make invitations for family and friends (not that I needed to - I just wanted to!!). DD picked a colour scheme - navy and cream, then bailed out on me when I went shopping for the supplies. "OK", I said, "but now you have no veto over what I buy - if you don't like it, tough!".

When I got home, chuffed with my purchases, she said "EEEWWW - that ribbon looks like old granny curtains". Well, excuse me - I think it's lovely!!!

Anyway, here's the invitation. Kept very simple and restrained, as it's a churchy thing after all!

And here's a close up of the "old granny ribbon!" - Teenagers!!!!

What do you think?

Very exciting news ....

.... I've been invited to be on the Design Team for PaperPlay Challenges

This is, to my knowledge, the only Irish-based papercrafting challenge blog, so I'm really delighted to be on the DT. And this is also my first DT membership, so I'm doubly-excited!!

This week's challenge is called "Times 4":

"X4 your creation.. whether it's a layout, card or altered item.. times 4 it! 4 pictures, 4 buttons, 4 flowers, 4 of whatever you want!!"

When I saw the challenge, I knew straightaway I'd like to make a card with four inchies on it. I usually only make inchie cards during the holidays, as they are time-consuming, so this morning I busied myself with punches, watercolours, stamps and inks and made this:


Oh, and there's a prize on offer for one of this week's entrants, so have a go!!! (I can't win it!!!!)

Mmmmmmm, Choc ....

.... olate!!!

A very clever challenge on Basic Grey Challenges this week:

"As it's Easter on Sunday, we thought we would have a challenge inspired by all those lovely chocolate treats you will be scoffing into heehee, so this week we would like you to take inspiration from your favourite Chocolates :), so say your favourite chocolate is Mint chocolate, well you could then base the colours of your card on this so your card would be Brown and Green :), sounds scrumptious doesn't it, I cant wait to see you chocolate inspired creations this week, but please don't forget to use at least one item from BasicGrey on your creation."

I'm not a huge choccie fan, but if I "have" to, I'll force myself to eat a Mint Aero (ha ha!!). So here is my Mint Aero inspired card. Basic Grey papers used are Bittersweet and Periphery.

The lighting is abysmal, as we're having a very soggy day, it's like November out there. I ain't moving outside the door for anything or anyone!!!!

Thanks for looking!

Mistakes and ....

.... happy accidents!

The first card is the one I was going to use for the Basic Grey Challenge only I used Crate Papers by mistake. I've also uploaded the close-up of the image because I like the shadows cast by the dimensional paper-pieced bits:



This second card is the first time I've used my Hero Arts Russian Dolls stamps. I was a bit nervous about them, as I had trouble initially with the Japanese Dolls, but I really loved using these - perhaps as they aren't so minimalist. Certainly suits the decorative BG Urban Prairie papers. Just noticed the picture is really blurry - I took it in too much of a hurry as I was rushing to the post office to post the card. Lesson learned!

Thanks for looking!

Curse those teenage boys ....

.... and the difficulty of making cards for them!!!

The only teenage girl I get to make cards for is my DD, everyone else has boys and it's just not fair!!! This is for DH's nephew. Got all multi-media and dry painted the cardstock before the paper went on! I also stamped over the paper using the Hero Arts Houndstooth Check background without re-inking inbetween - I like the effect. The font is from http://www.dafont.com/ and is called Acid Label.

I sent this card to Kelly as a thank you for sending me the owl stamps. She has received it now so I can post it. As you can see, my big owl has been helping the new owls settle in LOL!!

Thanks for looking!

Well that's me ....

.... put in my place.

I thought I was a young (ish!) groovy (ish!) mum, but DS doesn't think so, apparently.

We were driving to school on Friday, in high spirits as it was the last day of school before Easter Holidays (woohoo!!!!). We were singing (as you do on car journeys to school), and I broke into a harmony for extra effect:

DS: Mum, stop that. You sound like a crazy old lady.

That stopped me in my tracks!! LOL!!!

If I had brains ....

.... the story of the Basic Grey hiccup!!

I saw this challenge when it went up last Saturday on Basic Grey Challenges and decided to go for it - I had made some cards using their last sketch but didn't finish in time to post. Here's the sketch:


So, on Monday, I went for it - busy evening stamping, colouring, cutting, distressing, inking - the usual. Delighted with the card I made, left it on the desk to photograph in the morning and post on the site. But - when I got up - I realised that I had forgotten one important rule of the Basic Grey Challenges ..... I hadn't used ANY Basic Grey!!! (Anyone know if there is a Crate Paper Challenge blog???). D'OH!!!!

Back to the drawing board last night - using the same sketch and Basic Grey Archaic papers, here is the only-just-in-time entry:


And a wee close up of the image - Hero Arts stamp, stamped in Shadow soft green, highlighted with colouring pencils and a bit of bling:


Thanks for looking!!

P.S. Jennifer has some amazing blog candy on her blog. I can't get the sidebar link to work, though, but use the link above to check it out.