Second and ....

.... last Christmas card.  I made another one, my daughter was dropping a box of Roses around to the place she worked last summer, and she wanted a card to go with it.  So I had to pull out all the stops (hee hee!) and make one.  Here's what I made:

I used the sketch from this week's Deconstructing Sketches, and I'm also entering this into the following challenges: Basic Grey Challenges ("Anything Goes"), Totally Gorjuss ("Easy Does It"), Sentimental Sundays ("Focus on the Sentiment") and Card Crafters' Circle ("It's Christmas").

I bought some jingle bells (all the way from Hong Kong!) to use on a few hand-crafted presents (will post after the big day, when all have received them) and then last week was picking up some stuff in the local hardware store when what did I see but some discounted jingle bell ornaments.  So I got them and now they are being used everywhere, including on this card (makes it a bit hard to fit in the envelope, though!).  Here's a side shot:

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Nordic Holiday"

Other: Ribbon from stash, red mesh from bouquet of flowers, baker's twine, jingle bells!

So are we all ready for Christmas?  I was very late getting started this year, but a few highly focused shopping sessions the week before last sorted almost everything.  I cycled down to the shopping centre early this morning to pick up a couple of final items and the place was mobbed - it was like the day before the Apocalypse or something.  Don't you love being one of the ones who's not in a panic in the midst of all that - it's a lovely smug feeling!!!

Best wishes to one and all for a lovely and peaceful holiday!

Too close to ....

.... Christmas for non-Christmas crafting!  My friend's son has his 6th birthday today, and I am ashamed to say that today is only the second time I've managed to make a birthday card for him (last year being the first!).  Most of his relatives combine birthday and Christmas pressies, so I was determined to make a separate birthday fuss of him!!  Here's what I made:

I do think some red stitching around the outside of that lovely teal spotty paper would have been lovely, but no time.   I used the sketch from this week's Deconstructing Sketches and I'm also entering this into Totally Gorjuss ("For someone special").

Here's a side view of the layers - see the googly eyes I added to the orange sticker?  I love googly eyes!

Recipe:

Papers and sticker: Cosmo Cricket "Lil Man"

Number: Pink Paislee

Other: American Crafts eyelet, googly eyes, baker's twine

Thanks for looking!

Ahem, 'tis me ....

.... slinking back after yet another long break!!  Grim ongoing family stuff, no crafting, what can I say.  Not sure that I'll be doing much over the next few weeks either, but in the meantime, today is PaperPlay day!!  Our challenge this week is called "You're a Star", and we're sponsored by Stamp Fairy. 

I haven't made Christmas cards this year, first time in 7 years.  I was trying to get organised over Hallowe'en to order stuff, when I had a lucky escape.  The PTA at my son's school declared that the children would be designing their own cards and having them printed.  So our Christmas cards this year feature my son's 10-year old boy sense of humour (i.e. odd!), but have been printed all nice and glossy and his name is on the back which is the most important thing!! 

When it came to doing a gift for his teacher, though, I thought she might appreciate a different card, so this is the sole Christmas card I have made this year, and it's my DT entry for PaperPlay too:

I used last week's Mojo Monday sketch, too late to enter, though.  But I'm entering this into the following challenges: Basic Grey Challenges ("It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas"), The Shabby Tea Room ("Shabby Chic" with colour scheme: pink, aqua, silver + glitter), Creative Card Crew ("Star"), My Time to Craft ("Non-Traditional Christmas colours"), Simon Says Stamp ("What's your Favourite" - mine is paper, always!) and Creative Inspirations ("Contemporary Christmas Colours").

I used a Hero Arts snowflakes/star background stamp and heat embossed in white on the plain background paper.  I've stayed away from the stitching and images again this time, but added lots of layering and distressing - still really enjoying this style.  Here's a side view of the layering:

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Jovial" and "Marrakech"

Stamp: Hero Arts "Stunning Snowflakes"

Dies and Punches: Nestabilities "Labels 4" and MS "Aspen Snowflake"

Other: Bakers Twine, Hero Arts gems, Stickles glitter glue.

Thanks for looking!

I would love if this ....

.... was the last birthday card I'll have to make for this nephew!!  I've moaned and groaned before about my husband's nephews and how difficult it is to make their cards.  Husband was wondering aloud the other day if we're done with marking the oldest guy's birthday now he's hit 21?  Could I be that lucky?  Probably not!! 

Last year's card was a corker, I used an image of a heavy-metal drummer and he just loved it.  This year, I couldn't get into it at all.  Coloured up another image and hate, hate, hated what I was doing, was as close as I've been in years to actually ..... eeeek ..... buying a card! In the end, I dumped the image and made this:

I used the sketch from this weeks' Deconstructing Sketches (loving these!) and I'm also entering this into Crafty Cardmakers ("More than one punch/die cut").  Here's a side-shot of the dimension on this card:

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Skate Shoppe"

Other: MM letter stickers, Doodlebug brads, crackle accents

Thanks for looking!

No stitching ....

.... on a card?  Haven't done that in a long, long time.  I've been really inspired lately by some new challenges and some new blogs.  One crafter whose work I'm absolutely loving is Amy Sheffer - I adore her shabby, layered yet not over-embellished style.  I was sitting down to make my husband's birthday card, and I was inspired by the layout on one of Amy's recent creations.  Here's what I ended up with:

I'm entering this into the following challenges: Papertake Weekly and Basic Grey Challenges both have "Anything Goes", Shopping our Stash ("Best Deal Ever" - mine is the hairy string, my husband "rescued" a huge ball of it from his work - it was being thrown out - I reckon free has to be the best deal of all!), Crafts and Me ("Reds"), Crafty Creations ("No flowers"), Cupcake Craft Challenges ("Get Krafty") and Cutie Pie Challenge ("Distress your cards").

I love the papers I used.  The BG "Little Black Dress" line has a great combination of lacy feminine designs and the lovely masculine patterned papers I've used on this card. 

I know there are punches and die cuts for doing pennant banners all in one go.  I don't have one, so I made the red pennant banner by chopping some cardstock into sections, using a square punch to do the pennant bits, and then sticking the hidden ends equidistant on a slim bit of cardstock.  That's me, if there's a fiddly and time-consuming way to do something, I'm there!!  I added some scrabble letters that I've had in my stash for ages, some shiny red circles and lots of BG buttons.  Here's a side-shot of the layers:

 

Recipe:



Papers: Basic Grey "Little Black Dress" and "Granola"

Sentiment: Computer-generated

Other: Basic Grey "Ambrosia", scrabble letters from stash, hairy string

 

Thanks for looking!

 

More adventures ....

.... with boxes.  Those of you who've been reading my blog for a while will remember my son's self-made costume, "box-head", from last Hallowe'en!!  Well, this year, the box went upmarket with a coat of gold spraypaint.  Jed, ever the innovator with his obscure ideas for costumes, declared that he was going to be "the gold robot head dancing guy from the video for Party Rock Anthem"!  Riiiiiiiiiggght - we all know that guy, don't we?!!! 

Having decided that "the guy's" gold lamé tracksuit wasn't necessary for the finished look (phew, I dodged a bullet there!), here he is about to head off out trick or treating:

I've had a bad back for the last week or so, hence no crafting, but I'm glad it had improved enough to be able to tackle the pumpkins, as I love carving them. Here's what we did this year.  Jed made the "Scream" movie character, and I did an oozing skull.  Here they are finished and ready for display and the following pics are them lit up:

My back is definitely on the mend, so with husband's birthday coming up shortly, I hope to get up to the craftroom very soon.

Thanks for looking!

No images again ....

.... I've been doing a lot of sentiment only cards lately, I wonder is my style changing?  Only time will tell, I suppose! 

This card is my bit-late-again DT sample for this week's PaperPlay.  Our challenge is called "Wooden it be Nice", use something to do with wood, could be woodgrain paper, wooden embellishments, tree image/stamp.  I used lovely woodgrain paper.  We are sponsored this week by Whiff of Joy.

This card is for the family of a very elegant and stylish elderly lady who died last week.  At her funeral, we were told how she had a different coloured umbrella for every ensemble!  She always had hair, makeup and nails impeccably done and, indeed, on her way down for MRI tests in hospital, made the porter wait until she had her can of hairspray with her!!  So with all this in mind, I wanted to make a card fit for a lady.  Here's what I ended up with:

I used the lovely sketch from this week's Mojo Monday and I'm also entering this into the following challenges: The Shabby Tea Room ("Rustic Elegance"), Fussy and Fancy Friday ("Anything Goes" and The Crafty Pad ("Distress It").

Here's a side-shot of the card, showing the distressed, inked and rolled roses:

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Capella" and MME "Miss Caroline Fiddlesticks"

Other: Ribbon from stash, Hero Arts pearls

Thanks for looking!

Brief? What's a ....

.... brief?  You know how I can't do "themed cards"?!!  I laughed when my friend asked me to make a card for her brother-in-law's 60th birthday.  She told me his name and age (obviously!), and then went on to say he likes Jags, Man Utd., and what his job is.  I asked her who did she think I was and said she'd get the name and the age on the card!!!  I did add a little car paper and red/white colours (among others), though!  Here's what I made:

I used the sketch from this week's Deconstructing Sketches, and I'm also entering this into the following challenges: Simon Says Stamp and Show ("Favourites" - mine are BG papers and stitching), Stamp with Fun ("Three Papers") and Totally Gorjuss ("Traditional Christmas Colours").

Here's a side-show of the layers and stuff!

Recipe:

Papers: MME "Holly Jolly" and BG "Oliver" and "Wander"

Other: Handmade tags, circular numbers, needle + thread

Thanks for looking!

And now for something ....

.... completely different, well maybe not that different, but it feels like a slight departure from the norm to me!  I decided to make a "just because" kind of card, it's a long time since I've made something that I don't "have" to make for somebody, so I thought I'd start a stockpile.  And I also decided not to use an image and to use a more heavily layered style. 

It's also my DT sample for this week's PaperPlay.  We're sponsored by Simon Says Stamp and our challenge this week is called "Shine On" - we want to see sparkle, shine or gloss (or all three!).  Here's what I ended up with:

I went for shine, not that you can see it in the photo, but I promise, the letters are glossy accented, the leaves are crackle glazed, and there's a shiny brad in the centre of the flowers!!

I used the sketch from this week's Mojo Monday, and I'm also entering this into the following challenges: Simon Says Stamp and Show ("Leaf-spiration"), Simon Says Stamp ("Glimmer and Sparkle"), Crafty Creations ("Colours of Fall"), Papertake Weekly ("Anything Goes") and Sentimental Sundays ("3-2-1" - mine are 3 papers, 2 leaves (or flowers!) and 1 brad).

Here's a side-shot of the dimension and layers of the card.  You can sort of see the shine on the letters and leaves, too.

 

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Max + Whiskers" and "Pyrus"

Die Cuts and Punches: Nestabilities "Pinking Circles" and Woodware leaf punch.

Letters: Computer generated

Other: Prima flowers, Doodlebug brad, ribbon from stash, needle + thread.

Thanks for looking!

So that's September ....

.... done and gone!!!  Well, more or less, anyway.  September is always a mad month, given that not only are the kids back in school, but so am I!!  By this week, my office was beginning to look a bit less like an explosion in a paper factory!  And now that all is settling down, it's time for me to start work on Junior Infants for next year!! No rest for the wicked!!  The state of my house, though, is another story that will do for another time!!

All that being said, I've had neither time nor energy for crafting until another pesky deadline grabbed me by the throat this week.  A card for my friend for her husband's 50th birthday.  Here's what I made:

 

 

I used the sketch from this week's Papertake Weekly, and I'm also entering this into the following challenges: Charisma Cardz ("Something for the Guys"), Cute Card Thursday ("Letters and Numbers"), Moving along with the Times ("Seeing Red"), Crafts and Me ("Favourite Colours" - mine is that petrol-y blue) and Simon Says Stamp ("Anything Goes").

 

Excuse the light in the pics, I was in a rush to take them this morning, and now it's Autumn, we're back to bad blue natural light and cruddy yellow artificial light!!  Here's a yellow-lit side-shot of the dimension in this card:

 

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Oliver" and "Oxford" and MME "Holly Jolly"

Die-Cut: Nestabilities "Petite Ovals Large"

Other: Recycled corrugated card, star snap from stash, Rusty Pickle numbers, needle + thread

Thanks for looking!

From one extreme ....

.... to the other!  We went to my friend's son's 21st party at the weekend, and also in attendance were other friends with their new baby, Matthew - all of 5 days old!!  He is the cutest little guy, and also the most calm and tranquil baby I've seen in a long time.  But in case you think I was getting broody, I wasn't - I am so glad I'm past that stage!!!  I made this card for him:

I used the sketch from this week's Sweet Sketch Wednesday, and I'm also entering it in the following challenges: Mo's Digital Challenge ("Anything Goes"), Cupcake Craft Challenge ("In Stitches") and The Cute Pie Challenge ("No Flowers").

I used one of Mo Manning's cute baby images - here's a closer look, followed by a side-shot of the dimension of this card.

Recipe:

Papers: MME "Stella Rose - Hattie"

Image: Mo Manning "Binky Baby"

Colouring Medium: Distress Inks

Other: Brads and ric-rac from stash, buttons - Basic Grey "Granola".

Thanks for looking!

Even though ....

.... we're back in school, I do like Autumn!  It's my second-favourite season, after Winter (yes, I am a strange person - it's not like we usually even get a proper wintery Winter!).  And, as usual, as soon as school starts up after the hols, the weather becomes beautiful!  It's been a lovely week thus far, sunny blue skies and warm dry days.

It's PaperPlay day again, and this week our seasonal challenge is "Autumnal Tags" - we want participants to either make a tag or a card with a tag on it, featuring Autumnal colours.  We're sponsored this week by Simon Says Stamp, the lucky winner will receive a storecard.

I made this for my friend's son who has just turned 21 (eek, he was almost 3 when I first met him!):

I used the sketch from this week's Sketch Saturday, and I'm also entering this into the following: Papertake Weekly ("Anything Goes"), ABC Challenge ("Wishes"), Simon Says Stamp ("Put a Stamp on it"), Cute Card Thursday ("Autumn Gold") and Card Crafters Circle ("For the Fellas").

I used a Kenny K image that is perfect for the birthday guy - he's a real boy racer.  I went to a scrapbooking class a few weeks ago - we were using these gorgeous Tim Holtz Destination papers.  We made a vintage suitcase first, which I love (boxes to put things into are a teeny compulsion of mine!), and then we started making an album to put in it - at which point I stopped, 'cos I wanted to use my papers for cards instead!!!  So glad I did that!  Here's a close-up of the image:

 

Recipe:

Image: Kenny K "Maximum Mud"

Papers: Tim Holtz "Destinations"

Colouring Medium: Promarkers

Other: Corrugated card, glossy accents, eyelets, ball chain, needle + thread

 

Thanks for looking!

And another ....

.... one!  Yes, I know, I'm slightly shocked at the quick turnaround, why couldn't I have done this all summer long, I would now have a box full of cards for any and all occasions instead of having panicky deadlines all the time!!! 

We're back to school tomorrow, sigh, but one of our teachers is retiring - she's having a big luncheon at her house today for all the staff and I made this card for her:

The little tag says on one side "Goodbye Tension" and on the other, as you can see, "Hello Pension"!

I used the sketch from this week's Sketch Saturday and I'm also entering this into the following challenges: Mo's Digital Challenge ("Distressing"), The Shabby Tea Room (inspiration photo, distressing + title/sentiment), Shopping our Stash ("Use your Favourite Things" - mine are patterned paper, distressing, stitching) and Basic Grey Challenges ("Anything Goes").

I used another of Mo's fab images, my teacher friend is an avid gardener, so this is perfect for her.  Here's a closer look:

 

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Kissing Booth"

Image: Mo Manning "Eileen"

Colouring Medium: Distress Inks

Dies: Nestabilities "Petite Oval Large" and "Petite Scalloped Oval Large"

Other: Prima and Wild Orchid flowers, net, ribbon, pins and bling from stash, needle + thread

Thanks for looking!

My baby is ....

.... old enough to vote!!  Not quite sure where all those years have gone, but my daughter turned 18 over the summer.  She's gone back to school today, last first day of school ever.  This time last year, as we waved her off, my son said, faux-tearfully, "they grow up so fast".  This year, he said "she's getting so big"!  What a comedian!!

Here's the card I made for her:

I went for a sort of urban/street style, had thought I had some grungy red brick paper somewhere but never unearthed it, so I went for this distressed wood instead.  I like the colour.

I'm entering this into the following challenges: Kenny K's Krafty Krew and Party Time Tuesdays both have "Anything Goes", My Time to Craft ("Milestone Birthdays"), Passion for Promarkers ("Needles + Pins") and Sentimental Sundays ("Stitching").

I used one of the Kenny K images and coloured it with Pro Markers.  My daughter dresses in this kind of style, and she loved the baseball cap!  Here's a close-up:

Recipe:

Papers: October Afternoon "Seaside"

Image: Kenny K "Brooklyn Babe"

Colouring Medium: Pro Markers

Other: Tulle, needle + thread

Thanks for looking!

Um, hello ....

.... skulking back on my blog after a long hiatus.  What can I say, we went on hols in July (back to the Cotswolds, gorgeous!), then our house was invaded by English teenagers for over two weeks - and it's taken me until now to recover!!

Have done very little crafting during all these weeks, but have a few things in train at the moment, hope I get them finished.  And, sob, weep, wail - we are back to school at the end of next week.  Next week? I can't believe it!!!

It's PaperPlay challenge today, we are sponsored by Whiff of Joy and our theme is "Use a Sentiment as the Image/Main Focus".  I made a card for my friend for her daughter's wedding and here it is:

I'm entering this into the following challenges: Stampin' for the Weekend ("Monochromatic"), Creative Inspirations ("Sentimental"), Simon Says Stamp and Show ("No Rules") and Papertake Weekly ("Pins and Needles").

My friend's daughter is a music graduate, and for her 21st birthday, her now-husband had a necklace made for her with a treble clef and interlinked diamond and gold circles.  I used this idea as the basis for the card, making the rings and treble clef from chipboard and embellishing them accordingly.  Here's a close-up:

Recipe:

Papers: Magnolia

Die Cut: Lacy Circles Nestabilities

Other: Pins, doily, butterfly, seam binding and gems from stash, needle + thread

Thanks for looking!

Hap.hap.hap....

.... happy holidays!!!  EEeeeeeeeeeeeeee - the day has finally arrived!!  We finished up at 12.00 noon today, after several exceptionally hectic weeks. I completed my last task at 11.55 - turned off the computer and ........ aaaahhhhh ..... it's the best best feeling to look forward to 9 whole weeks off!!

My daughter got her first summer job, which we are thrilled about - she was in 7th heaven the day she got her first paycheck, raced down to the shopping centre to spend it, but came home empty-handed!  She was so overwhelmed with all the things she could afford to buy that she couldn't make up her mind!!  The indecision didn't last long, however - she went into town the very next day and blew the lot!! 

I hadn't seen the inside of the craftroom in ages until I started making a card and giftbag for my son's teacher on Wednesday afternoon - finished it yesterday.  It was to have been my entry for this week's Paperplay challenge (which is "Flags/Pennants/Banners"), but it's a day late.  Oh well, I'm on the DT, I can add it!!!  Here's what I made:

I used the sketch from this week's Papertake Weekly and I'm also entering this into the following challenges: Lili of the Valley  ("A little bit Distressed"), Simon Says Stamp and Show ("Depths of Distress"), Stampin for the Weekend ("Show us your Style"), Basic Grey Challenges ("Favourite Colour Combo" - I've used my favourite olive green colour - and I love blue/green, even if it "never should be seen"!) and Creative Inspirations ("Anything Goes").
My son's teacher is a country girl - she made a container vegetable garden with the kids this year, so this fruit/veg paper from Basic Grey "Piccadilly" was just perfect.  Here's a close-up of the cute Lili of the Valley image, followed by a dodgy shot of card and giftbag.

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Piccadilly"

Stamp: Lili of the Valley "Back to School Boy" - oops, wrong end of the year!!

Colouring Medium: Distress Inks

Other: Needle + Thread, buttons from stash, scalloped scissors, scalloped oval Nestabilities

I've got so much planned for this summer: catching up with friends, serious cleaning and decluttering of the house, painting a chair I rescued from a skip, catching up with blogs, lots and lots of card-making I hope.  Let's see how much of that list I manage to achieve!!

Thanks for looking!