A Scottish ....

.... Valentine's Day.  My cousin got married in Edinburgh last week, so we went over there for a few days.  The wedding was held in Mansfield Traquair - it's a deconsecrated church in the Georgian New Town section of Edinburgh and is the most magical wedding venue I've ever seen.  Here's the front door:

And here's the main interior all set up for eating and a closer shot of the altar area where the ceremony took place:

Isn't it divine?!

The wedding invitation was art deco in style, so I made a card with a nod to that era.  Here it is:

I'm entering the following challenges: Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge ("Upcycle/Recycle" - I've used a little heart charm from a Lindt rabbit), Crafty Cardmakers ("Love, love, love"), Creative Card Crew ("Love"), Lemon Shortbread and Creative Inspirations ("Anything Goes") and Moving Along with the Times ("Words Only - No Image").

I used liberal amounts of gold embossing powder, to go with the black/red/kraft colour scheme and the art deco style lettering.  I also gold-embossed some wood veneer hearts - they came out really well.  Here's a side-shot:

Recipe:

Paper: Basic Grey "Kraft Basics"

Font: "Betty Noir" dafont.com

Other: Gold e.p., ribbon from stash, Lindt bunny charm, Studio Calico wood veneer hearts

Thanks for looking!

Little House in ....

.... the Big Woods!  Friends of ours in Sweden have moved house as they're getting married this year.  She used to live in a city and he lived in a town.  They've relocated to the countryside mid-way between the two.  I looked up their new place on googleearth - it is literally in the middle of a forest, no street view - there isn't even a street!!  They've been posting pictures of the trees, lakes and snow - it's very beautiful, and very Swedish!!  I made a card to send them, inspired by red Swedish cabins and conifer trees.  Here it is:

I'm entering the following challenges: Craft your Passion, Creative Inspirations and Creative Card Crew ("Anything Goes"), Cutie Pie Challenge ("Krafty Cuties") and Shopping our Stash ("Inspired by a Book" - see the title of this post!).

I stamped the little house, cut it out and then popped up for dimension.  I hand-drew the trees, with fear and trepidation in case I messed them up, but all was well.  The stars are white glitter paper, but you can't really see in the picture.  Here's a closer look at the little scene.

Recipe:

Stamp: Basic Grey "Nordic Holiday"

Font: "Shorelines Script" dafont.com

Die: Mama Elephant "Lots of Stars"

Other: Ribbon from stash, hand-drawn trees

Thanks for looking!

One for ....

.... the old man!!  Hee hee, my husband turned 50 a few weeks ago.  How on earth did that happen, I'm sure it's no time at all since he was 40!  We went to a lovely place in Co. Meath with a group of friends last weekend to celebrate, and I was, as usual, up late the night before finishing his card.  Started with some lovely orange paper and a Tim Holtz hot air balloon stamp - but before long realised that the card was beginning to look like a hot air balloon trying to escape from the fiery pits of hell.  Back to the drawing board.  This is what I ended up with:

I'm entering the following challenges: Crafty Cardmakers ("Winter Birthday"), Craft Your Passion ("Anything Goes"), Creative Card Crew ("Sprinkle") and Papertake Weekly ("Let it Snow").

I used a new stencil (that I got for making my Christmas cards) and texture paste, combined with tiny black stars (made with a die that I also got for making Christmas cards - decided it's too much faff to cut out dozens of tiny stars!) covered in glossy accents, tangled up thread in two colours, and some more stars - here's a side view of all the dimension and texture:

Recipe:

Stencil: Simon Says Stamp Stencil "Falling Snow"

Paper: Basic Grey "Urban Prairie"

Die: Mama Elephant "Lots of Stars" 

Fonts: "Impact" and "Bambi Bold" - dafont.com

Other: Texture paste, glossy accents, Basic Grey button, thread

Thanks for looking - now I have to get on to start making the aforementioned Christmas cards - wish me luck!

Giveaway reminder - and a card ....

.... for a very old birthday girl!

My husband's grandmother was 94 yesterday.  She still lives by herself in her own house, about an hour's drive down the country from us, and we headed down with family on Saturday to bring her out for a birthday lunch.  I had only a little time to make a card for her (and frankly, she's always more interested in what's inside the card, she opens the envelope, takes out the card and shakes it to see what falls out!!!) - here's what I ended up with:

I used the sketch from this week's Deconstructed Sketches, although I didn't have time to incorporate all the elements, and I'm also entering this into the following challenges:  Creative Card Crew ("Shabby Chic/Vintage"), Crafty Creations ("S" - my word is Summer), Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and Crafty Girls ("Anything Goes"), Brown Sugar ("Birthday") and The Shabby Tearoom ("Vintage Love").

As I was so short for time, rather than print or stamp and colour an image, I printed off this sweet vintage image from Pinterest on photo paper.  I love the tinting and big floppy pink bow in her hair, which I echoed by tying a crumpled seam binding bow at the bottom of the panel.  Here's a close-up of the image.

Recipe:

Papers: Crate Paper "Emma's Shoppe"

Other: Seam binding

Thanks for looking - and don't forget my giveaway - HERE is the link to the post.

And the birthdays ....

.... keep piling up!  My stepmother and a good friend of mine both have birthdays this week - I usually make a different card for everyone, but this time, time was against me and I made duplicates of the same design for them (well, their names I changed!!).  Here's what I made:

I used last week's Mojo Monday sketch, and I'm entering the following challenges: Cute Card Thursday ("Blue and Green"), Totally Gorjuss ("Die Cuts/Punches"), Creative Card Crew ("Girly") and Party Time Tuesdays ("Anything Goes").

I made a little scene using one of an old Hero Arts set - the stamp is actually supposed to be a leaf, but I always turn it into a tree.  I stamped, covered in contact and cut out some extra little leaves to add a bit of dimension.  Here's a closer look at the image:

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Marjolaine"

Image: Hero Arts "3 Designer Leaves"

Die: Nestabilities "Lacy Circles"

Fonts: "Coneria Script" and "Precious" - www.dafont.com

Other: ribbon from stash, contact

Thanks for looking!

Venturing into ....

.... three dimensions.  I don't often make things that aren't cards, but spent a fair bit of time earlier in January wrangling with a sheet of card, paint, mod podge, etc., making a box to hold three Yankee Candle votives.  I did a card to match, and all was sent to a lovely crafting friend called Margie, who is going through a period of ill-health, leading up to a pretty major operation last week.  She has received her package now so I can post the pictures.  Here's the card, first of all:

I used a sketch a couple of weeks old from Deconstructed Sketches and I'm also entering the following challenges: Creative Card Crew ("Recipe - 1 ribbon, 2 patterned papers, 3 pearls/gems"), Party Time Tuesdays ("Anything Goes"), ABC Challenge ("D is for Dazzle") and Creative Inspirations ("Stamping").

I'm really liking gold and gold glitter these days, there are a lot of companies incorporating this look into their lines - I've had this fab lamé ribbon for years, and I dipped the hearts and brad, which were just plain, into glue and them gold glitter - fan-tab-u-lous!!  I made the acetate banner letters and stamped a pretty scalloped circle lightly on textured cardstock for a shabby look.  Here's a close-up:

And here's the box, it's a little bit bockety at the sides, I've altered boxes before but this was the first I've made from scratch (and I learned a lot whilst doing it!):

And here are the two together.

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Kissing Booth" and Crate Paper "Maggie Holmes"

Stamp: Hero Arts "Scallop Background"

Fonts: "Falling Rain" and "A Little Swag" dafont.com

Embossing Folder: Cuttlebug "Textile"

Other: Ribbon from stash, gold glitter, gold hearts

Thanks for looking - and if you're looking, Margie - hope you're safe at home now!

Glad to see ....

.... the back of 2013!!  Happy New Year to everyone - hoping 2014 is good to you all.  We had a lovely Christmas, restful and relaxing, a nice finish to what was a thoroughly and utterly crappy year.  Oh well, don't look back is what I say!!

I had intentions of doing lots of crafting, but we made a snap decision to decorate Jed's bedroom. It hadn't been painted since before he was born, and although it wasn't terribly babyish, it did need to be done now he's almost 12 and nearly finished primary school. Daisy was away for a week so that meant he could sleep in her room.  We are super-slow and pernickety decorators, so to have a deadline of a week was quite a challenge.  But we did it!!!  Then back to work this Monday.  Sigh!

My husband wanted a thank you card for a very nice and generous customer, he said "Oh something quick and simple will do".  What???  Quick and simple???  Do you know me at all???  Two days (!) later, I had this:

Update 21/01- this card was picked as Top 3 on Creative Colors - thank you!

I used the sketch from this week's Mojo Monday and I'm also entering the following challenges: Craft your Passion ("Fancy Borders/Edges" - the little tab is a die-cut), Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge ("Blues"), Creative Card Crew and Papertake Weekly ("Anything Goes"), Shopping our Stash ("Use something new" - I've used the buttons which came in a big jar that my Secret Santa gave me just before Christmas), ABC Challenge ("C is for Colourful"), Creative Colours and Moving along with the Times ("Thank you").

I used some incredibly old SEI papers - I think they date from 2008.  I made the flower embellishment by rough-cutting it from patterned paper, glueing down onto a couple of layers of white card and then fussy cutting it.  Here's a close-up of the detail on the card:
 

 

Recipe:

Papers: SEI "Dill Blossom"

Die: Nestabilities "Labels 8"

Embossing Folder: Cuttlebug

Font: "Shelter Me" - dafont

Other: Buttons from stash

Thanks for looking!

If at first you don't succeed ....

.... curse a lot, have a tantrum or two, oh - and try, try again!

That's what happened when I was making my first spinner card - none of the tutorials I read mentioned that coinage is not keen to be glued together with a spacer in the middle!!  The blasted things kept coming apart every time I tried to assemble the final piece.  But I had to persist, 'cos it was my son's birthday card, and I had it in my head exactly how it should be.  Here's the completed card:

I'm entering this into the following challenges: My Time to Craft ("Men Only"), Totally Gorjuss ("For the Men") and Creative Card Crew ("Birthday").

I didn't use any patterned paper on this card.  I stamped the cloudy sky, adding a couple of extra popped up clouds for dimension, drew and coloured the crowd, printed the sentiment, hand-cut the grass edge, stamped the little guy and then masked a Manchester United footy jersey for him.  Here's a side-shot of the layers:

Recipe:

Stamps: Basic Grey "Frog Boy" and  Hero Arts "Design Block Clouds Background"

Colouring Medium: Pro Markers

Other: Googly eyes, glossy accents, four cents!

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!

Not much stitching ....

.... and lots of tearing and ripping!  I set the challenge this week on PaperPlay and I decided to ramp things up a few notches from "distressing" - the challenge is called "Destruction".

I had a late card to make for a nephew - disappeared into the craftroom for a remarkably short two hours and this is what I finished with:

I'm entering this into the following challenges: Basic Grey Challenges, Simon Says Stamp + Show and Truly Scrumptious all have "Anything Goes", Creative Card Crew ("Sentiment as focal point") and Crafty Creations ("Male Birthday card").

Lots and lots of copper heat embossing, I love that effect.  I drew some letter templates and traced onto corrugated card and ordinary packaging card, then dry and heat embossed some of them.  Here's a close-up of the letter "d", which is my favourite bit:

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Oliver"

Other: Cuttlebug embossing folders, copper e.p., dymo tape, needle + thread

Thanks for looking!

So much for ....

.... March - tut tut - one post in one month is completely pathetic, isn't it?!!  March has been busy at school and also at home - we've had visitors, events and all sorts.  Went to a Mini friend's 50th birthday party at the weekend - great fun - some of our Swedish, German and English Mini friends had travelled over for the event and it was so lovely to see them again.  Also last week, I went to see "The Hunger Games" in the cinema with my book club.  I had devoured the books and wasn't sure what to expect of the movie.  General consensus was that it was good, but nowhere near as good as our imaginations!

Now it's April - and what's more, it's the Easter holidays, oh joy!  Two whole weeks off, and I've already made a few cards.  The first is my dear friend's birthday card - here's what I made for her:

Very bright, isn't it?!!  My friend's favourite colour is orange, not one I use often, but I went out on a limb especially!!  I used the sketch from last week's Papertake Weekly, but alas, I'm too late to enter that challenge - thankfully they're having an "Anything Goes" this week, so I can put it in there!

I'm also entering the following challenges: Lili of the Valley, Simon Says Stamp, Stampin for the Weekend and Joyful Stamper's Inspire Me Fridays all have"Anything Goes", Bunny Zoes Crafts ("Shabby Chic/Vintage"), and Creative Card Crew ("Spring").

I've used this cute "Lili of the Valley" image, coloured with distress inks.  I've been experimenting with them, trying for deeper colour contrast, and blending less smoothly - I'm happy with the clothes and skin on this girl, but am still struggling with hair.  Here's a closer look at the image:

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Picadilly"

Stamp: Lili of the Valley "Milly Just for You"

Colouring Medium: Distress Inks

Punch: MS "Arch Lattice"

Other: BG Mellow buttons, seam binding, needle + thread

Thanks for looking!

And another one....

.... finished - I am really impressed with my card output this week - will be back to school on Monday, though, so I'm sure it'll all come to a screeching halt then!

Had a baby card to make, a boy for a change - I've just looked back in my blog history and this is only the 4th baby boy card I've made in four years.  Here's what I made:

I used the sketch on this week's Sketch Saturday and I'm also entering this on the following challenges: Stampin' for the Weekend (photo inspiration and blue+cream+brown colour combo), Totally Papercrafts (ribbon/bow), Kaboodle Doodles and Creative Card Crew ("Masculine") and Creative Inspirations (also Cream/Blue/Brown).

I'm loving all those buttons - I keep meaning to use them more often and I certainly piled a fair few on this card!!  I used this sweet Lili of the Valley image again.  It's so versatile, does perfectly for boy or girl baby cards.  Here's a close-up - the light had changed completely so the colours are totally different to the first post.

Recipe:

Papers: October Afternoon "Weathervane" + BG "Kraft Basics"

Image: Lili of the Valley "Baby Blanket"

Colouring Medium: Distress Inks

Other: BG "Granola" + "Bittersweet" buttons, ribbon from stash, needle + thread

Thanks for looking - now to do my son's 10th birthday card!

Ahem, forget that I ....

.... mentioned anything to do with resolving to create more in my last post.  Flippin' kiss of death, that was!!! 

It's been a loooooooong, dreary January - can't believe we've only done three weeks back at school - feels like twice that.  Oh well, only two more until half term!!  We've got quite a few family and friend birthdays in February, so I hauled myself up from hiberation on the couch and made this for a little pal:

I'm entering this into the following challenges: Fussy and Fancy Friday ("Polka Dots"), Creative Card Crew ("Seeing Red"), My Time to Craft ("Favourite Embellishment" - mine is stitching and ribbon), Passion for Promarkers ("Recycle Something" - the ribbon is from a box of chocolates), ABC Challenge ("Happy Birthday"), Basic Grey Challenges ("Favourite Things" - mine are papers and stitching), Creative Inspirations and Simon Says Stamp both have "Anything Goes" challenges and Truly Scrumptious ("Something Forgotten" - I dug out the Sugar Nellie stamp).

Here's a close-up of the image and the name banner:

Recipe:

Papers: Crate Paper "Emma's Shoppe" and BG "Piccadilly"

Image: Sugar Nellie "Manga Girl"

Doily Die Cut: Cheery Lynn "French Pastry"

Colouring Medium: Promarkers

Other: Pink Paislee die-cut numbers, ribbon from chocs, needle & thread

Thanks for looking!

A whiter shade ....

.... of white.  We had to go back to school today, sob sob weep wail!  Had completely forgotten what 7am looks like (answer: not very nice!), having not seen such an disgustingly early hour in two whole months! 

My daughter went back to school on Tuesday, looking very smart in her new senior jumper.  Son and I were waving her off at the front door, and he turned to me, wiping an imaginary tear from his eye, and said "they grow up so fast!".  OK, grandad!!!

I had a few crafting buddies over on Monday for a last hurrah, and I made an all-white card.  A first for me, was almost going to cave and add coloured stitching, but I stayed strong and this is what I ended up with:

It was so hard to photograph, the sun was out today and the white kept sort of disappearing into itself, so I ended up taking pics in a shady corner!!  This card would work for this week's PaperPlay Challenge, which is "Make your own Flowers", but it's not my team's turn.  So I am entering My Time to Craft ("In Full Bloom"), Moving Along with the Times ("Handmade Flowers"), Creative Card Crew ("Anything Goes") , Totally Gorjuss ("As you Like it") and Charisma Cardz ("Anything Goes").

I made handmade rolled roses for my card - distressing along the edges before I rolled them which looks much nicer, I think.  I stickled them for added interest.  Here's a closer look:

Recipe:

No patterned papers, no image, no ink!

Other: Nestabilities Lacy circles, MS branch punch, diamond stickles, doily, pins, ribbon from stash, needle + thread.

Thanks for looking!

It's all gone ....

.... the snow, that is.  It thawed astonishingly quickly.  We went from having to dig the car out of the snow on Christmas morning and only just about make it a mile or so to church and to family for dinner, to being able to drive my brother the 20 miles to his home on Boxing Day on clear roads.

And I actually made a card.  It's an extremely belated birthday card for my husband's nephew, who was 19 some time back, and with one thing and another, I only just got to make his card.  I'm sure he won't mind, since I put some extra guilt money inside!!  Here's what I made:

I used the sketch from this week's Friday Sketchers, and am also entering this into Creative Card Crew ("birthdays") and Simon Says Stamp ("Anything Goes").

I used the same Mo Manning digi stamp that I used for another 19 year old's card back in September.  Mo's images are just so clever, and great to colour.  After I had finished the card, I realised I ought to have put something else on, maybe a few metal things, brads or suchlike, but it was too late - all was stuck down.  Oh well!!  Here's a close-up of the image:

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Granola"

Image: "Simon" by Mo Manning

Colouring Medium: Distress Inks

Other: Hairy String, needle + thread, bronze crackle paint (on numbers)

Thanks for looking!  Next on my list is yet another baby girl card, again a bit belated.