Last day of ....

.... freedom, we're back to school tomorrow, sigh.  It's been a lovely long relaxing three weeks off - now the house is clean, the laundry is done and tomorrow it'll all be a distant memory!!!

I went to a crop yesterday, had a lovely day chatting and laughing (and eating!), and making one card!!  Here's what I made:

I used the sketch from this week's Friday Sketchers.  I'm also entering this into the following challenges: Mo's Digital Challenge ("Going Retro"), Creative Cottage ("Something New") and Stamp Something ("Use a Digi").

I used papers from October Afternoon and Cosmo Cricket.  I used a gorgeous digi image from Mo Manning and coloured with distress inks yet again. Here's a close-up:

Recipe:

Papers: October Afternoon "Thrift Shop" and Cosmo Cricket "Circa 1934"

Image: Mo Manning "Angelina with Balloons"

Colouring Medium: Distress Inks

Other: MS Punch, ribbon and buttons from stash, needle + thread

 
Thanks for looking!
 

Slightly belated ....

.... but I'll say it anyway, Happy New Year to one and all - hope 2011 will be a good year for you and yours!!

I've seen lots of threads on message boards about New Year's resolutions.  Typically, my resolution is not to make a resolution, I find that's an easy one to achieve!!!  But really, the most improving thing I could do is to stop procrastinating!!!

This card is a case in point, one of the teachers at school asked me to make it in mid-December.  OK, the snow was a valid excuse, then Christmas itself and all the visiting and socialising that entails.  But by last weekend, when I was still ensconced on the sofa and the house was cleaned up after the New Year's party, I had run out of excuses.  So I dragged myself up to the craftroom and, what do you know, made something!  Here's the card:

I used the sketch from this week's Friday Sketchers.  I'm also entering this card into the following challenges: Shabby Tea Room (11 elements - mine are: 4 papers, 4 hearts, 1 image, 1 ribbon, 1 border punch), Lili of the Valley ("New Beginnings"), Paper Sundaes ("Something New" - my new is the ribbon) and Papertake ("Anything Goes").

I used Pumice Stone Distress Ink to ink the edges of the papers, I like the look against those pale pink papers, makes them stand out more.  I used the same Lili of the Valley stamp that I used on the last baby card  - it's so cute - just coloured with distress inks and highlighted with stickles.  Here's a close-up:

And here's a wee side-shot of the layers - lots of paper on this card, but I kept the dimension as flat as I could as the client is sending it through the post:

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Sugared"

Stamp: Lili of the Valley "Baby Blanket"

Colouring Medium: Distress Inks

Other: MS Valentine Lace punch, Nestabilities Labels 4, diamond stickles, gingham ribbon, needle + thread

That's all for now- I'm going to go and make a start on taking down the Christmas decorations - such a gloomy job!

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. 

Bow-challenged ....

.... not me!!  I've always been rubbish at tying bows, I generally just tie a knot with two tails and leave it at that.  But no longer - now I have my .... da da DAH .... Bow-Easy!!!  Look at this little beauty:

Mind you, I did have to watch several tutorials and then go on utube before I finally got the hang of it!!

Here's the card with the wonder-bow on it:

I'm entering this in the following challenges: Friday Sketchers (I had to leave out the tag, 'cos my card has too many scallops and it kept getting stuck on them), Basic Grey Challenges (pearls), 7 Kids Challenge (brand new challenge blog - "pink + dots"), Just Magnolia ("acetate" - my disused tag was acetate, so the compromise is a scalloped acetate circle behind the image!), Bunny Zoes Crafts (vintage - yayyyy!) and Wild Orchid Challenge ("one for the girls"). 

I used my all-time favourite BG Phresh & Phunky papers, how I love them - I stamped polka dots on the pink background and heat embossed with white.  Here's a close-up of the image, you can see the little acetate bit and the spots more clearly:

Recipe:

Stamps: Magnolia "Summertime Tilda with Bow", Hero Arts DesignBlock "raindrop background"

Papers: BG "Phresh + Phunky"

Colouring Medium: Distress Inks

Other: Hero Arts Pearls, acetate, ribbon from stash, needle + thread

Thanks for looking - I will post the winner of my candy later today (once I figure out how to use random picker thingy!)

Big Girl ....

.... Colouring!!  I went to a workshop last week, where the lovely Mina was teaching how to colour with Distress Inks.  I've been itching to try this technique for a while, and I really enjoyed the class.

I sat down to make a card for yet another friend who is about to turn 50, and is a real girlie-girl, so I decided I'd do a Gorjuss Girl card for her, using the Distress Ink technique.  I had great fun colouring, and it's amazing what tiny quantities of ink are needed - very economical!!!  Here's my card:

I used this week's lovely sketch from Friday Sketchers - really nice to work with.  I'm also entering this into Totally Gorjuss (use a Gorjuss Girl!), Daring Cardmakers (Die-Cuts - I've used die-cut ribbon), A Spoon Full of Sugar (Happy Birthday) and The Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge (Distressing).

Here's a close-up of my colouring:

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey Urban Prairie

Stamp: Gorjuss Girl "Sent with Love"

Colouring Medium: Distress Inks.

Other: BG Buttons, Needle + thread, ribbon sent to me by Elisa (thanks, hun!)

Thanks, Mina - I hope I've done your tuition justice!!!  Everyone else, thanks for looking!

The sun has....

gone in again.  Oh well, this is Ireland!!  We've had some glorious weather over the past week, Friday and yesterday were particularly nice - I was out in the garden planting strawberries, tomatoes, rhubarb and chilli peppers (try cooking something with that combination!!).  Having great difficulty getting my stuff back into the craftroom, somehow having more storage is messing up my head, can't work out where is the sensible place to put things.  I guess I'll keep struggling with it!!

I was asked to do a card and gift tag for a couple who are celebrating their 65th Wedding Anniversary next week.  They were married on 24th April 1945.  I just can't get over how long ago that is - WWII still had a few months left in it, for goodness sake.  I spent days and days dithering over what kind of image to use - nothing I have seemed appropriate for a man and a lady in their late 80s. Then I had a brainwave and decided not to use an image, just text!!!  I went for a sort of vintage romantic look.  Here's my card (taken today when the sky was grey and cloudy!):

I used this week's sketch on Friday Sketchers.  I'm also entering this challenge on Cute Card Thursday, their challenge is called "Touchy Feely", they want to see texture, I've used cuttlebug embossing!! 

I was asked to use pink/blue colours, but it wasn't going so well, so I ended up with the blue/yellow/white combination, which happily fits the colour challenge on this week's Basic Grey Challenges.  I'm proud to say that I've used papers from more BG collections than I've ever done at the one time before.  I've got Figgy Pudding, Skate Shoppe and Nook + Pantry all together!!!

Here's a pic of the card and gift-tag set:

Recipe:

Papers: BG Skate Shoppe, Figgy Pudding, Nook & Pantry

Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Antique Linen

Font: English

Other: Crackle Paint, Big Scalloped Rectangle Nestabilities, needle and thread, cuttlebug embossing folder, Hero Arts pearls

Thanks for looking!

Shiny Happy People ....

.... is the name of my challenge on PaperPlay Challenges this week, - use a "person" stamp/image, but it must have gloss, shimmer or sparkle on it. We're very excited to have Simon Says Stamp on board as a sponsor for this week's challenge (and the second Thursday of every month), they're offering a gift voucher as this week's prize, great news!

Here's my DT entry:

Recipe:

Stamp: "Blossom" by Leanne Ellis for Sugar Nellie

Papers: Cosmo Cricket "Early Bird"

Colouring Medium: Pro-markers

Other: Ribbon, Glossy Accents, Antique Linen Distress Inks, Nestabilities, needle & thread.

I've used the sketch from this week's Friday Sketchers, and this week's Stampin for the Weekend challenge is called "Ribbons and Bows".  Simon Says Stamp are looking for a card for a child, and Quixotic Challenges is "The Joys of Spring". Check!

I think I'm starting to get the hang of the pro-markers, although I still haven't bought the good non-bleed Letraset paper - all in good time!!  I tried to challenge myself not to distress the edges, in the end I had to use distress ink - can't bear white edges!!!

Thanks for looking!

Lots and lots ....

.... of brown.  Still liking brown as a crafting colour, don't know why, I just do!!

This one I've done using this week's sketch on Friday Sketchers.  The photo is vile, it looks much nicer in real life, especially the flower - it's more softly detailed than shows on the pic.  I'm also entering it in Totally Gorjuss, who are looking for ribbon - I've used the crochet lace ribbony stuff on this one.

The next card I made in a huge hurry for yet another of our friends who turned 50 recently.  They rang a few days before his birthday to say they were calling round, and I had to make the card there and then before they arrived.  Only took an hour and half or so - that's quick for me!!!!

Thanks for looking - I am now off to try and make a birthday card with a horse on it.  I don't like horses. Guess I'll make it a brown horse, then I might be more inspired!!!! Sigh.

In between watching ....

.... paint dry, I managed to get to PaperPlay Challenges.  This week's challenge is to make a project with "Good Luck" or "Thank You" as the theme.  Our own Elisa is sponsoring the challenge, giving three of her gorgeous Mamidoodles digi-stamps to this week's randomly chosen winner.

Here's my card - it's a "thank you with all my heart" card!!  I've photographed it three times at this stage, the light was so terrible last night that the original version looked yellow rather than turquoise, this is much better:

I used the sketch from this week's Friday Sketchers, and I'm also going to enter Creative Inspirations challenge, this week is to use "White, Yellow and Green".  I'm a bit cheeky, 'cos I've used turquoise (GREENy-blue, yeah?!!!), yellow and white (with a bit of kraft, brown and red for good measure!).

Recipe:

Papers: October Afternoon Weathervane

Stamp: Basic Grey Heart Girl

Colouring Medium: Pro-markers

Other: Label 1 Nesties, Hero Arts Flowers and Pearls, Old Paper distress ink, ribbon from stash, needle + thread.

Here's a little close-up of the image - she's so cute.  It's a Basic Grey stamp that I bought a while back - I just had to have it because she looks so weird with her hypnotised eyes!!!  There's also a boy one and he is very odd too!!!  I love them!!

I coloured her with my pro-markers. Happy with the overall effect but I think it was a mistake to use blue on the shadow at her feet - I think she might possibly have wet herself!!!  I highlighted the heart with Glossy Accents and also those little blobs hanging off her dress - they are even blobbier now!!!

My craft-room is coming along slowly but nicely.  The carpenter was here all last weekend, and the storage unit is looking great, although not finished yet.  We are the slowest decorators in the world, but two walls are completely done, another half done, I'm about to start edging the fourth after finishing this post.  Two of the walls are cream, and the other two are a darkish greeny-yellow that I have chosen to call "Cow-pat Green".  Anyone who has ever stood in a cow-pat will know exactly the colour I mean!!!

And finally, it's my 100th blog post!!!   Waves arms around in excitement!!  Really, I should have a blog-candy or something, but since everything is packed away, it'll have to wait for a while.  Maybe 120th post or something of that nature.  Watch this space (but don't hold your breath or anything!!).

Back to the paint-brush.  Sigh!

Naughty Girl ....

.... not me, I hasten to add!! Look at my new stamp, it's from a Canadian company called Kraftin Kimmie Stamps. I just love this girl, she looks like she is up to no good!!

Kimmie has a new challenge blog, Kraftin KimmieStamp Challenge Blog, and this week's challenge is called "Merry Christmas, Happy Winter", so I'm entering my card in that.

I've used this week's lovely sketch on Friday Sketchers. I'm also entering it into this fortnight's challenge on Basic Grey Challenges - which is called "Glitz and Bling". I've used BG Periphery, and I've stickled the edges of the image and the snowflake and popped some gems on too.

Sorry the photo is so dark, the weather is so bad here at the moment that skies are always grey. Bad time of year for good photos.

Thanks for looking!

Pale and ....

.... interesting (just like my legs in summer - ha ha!!!!)

No, seriously - it's the title of this week's PaperPlay Challenge, set by Dei:

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"I would like to see you use predominantly white with just one colour as an accent!"

Here's my entry, my accent colour is gold. I've used a lovely dandelion stamp, and heat embossed it with gold sparkly embossing powder - only two sparkles can be seen in the photo, but it is a lot more sparkly in real life!!

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I used this week's sketch from Friday Sketchers so am also entering it in that. The new stamp I've used on this card is one I got with my winner's prize from there a few weeks ago!!

There's a very sweet story behind this card. It's for a couple who have been married for a long time, but the wife had a stroke a few years ago. She made a very good recovery, but her long-term memory is impaired, and one of the things she has no recollection of is their wedding. She can remember nothing about it, even looking at photos doesn't bring it back. So they decided to get married again by renewing their vows, he proposed, they had a church blessing, reception, photographer, etc., so she has a wedding to remember. Isn't that lovely.

Thanks for looking!

Julie

Late nights and ....

.... early mornings. I'm soooo tired today, had a very very busy weekend, most of it same old same old and some unbelievably boring (committee meeting - blah!). When I got home last night I stayed up quite late getting this card for my friend's daughter finished. Then my mind was buzzing and I couldn't sleep, so I was not at my best this morning!!!

I've used this week's sketch from Friday Sketchers and I'm also entering it in this fortnight's challenge on Basic Grey Challenges - which is to incorporate embossing - I've embossed the oval panel and I've used papers from BG June Bug and Mellow and a teeny Ambrosia button. Sorry the light is bad - I took the photo early this morning as I had to get it in the early post to make sure it arrives on time - fingers crossed anyway!!

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Thanks for looking!

Yet another Baby ....

.... Girl! What is going on in the world - I don't know anyone who has had a baby boy recently - all girls. Isn't that supposed to mean a more peaceful time?!

Anyway, decided to incorporate this week's SFTW challenge, which is to use the colours pink and grey. I also used this week's Friday Sketchers sketch. Thank goodness for sketches, they can be great for kick-starting some inspiration.

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Isn't her name gorgeous? Have to visit her later in the week - pressie bought and wrapped too - I usually buy clothes, but when we were on holidays I spotted an Elmer toy and book in a shop window and I couldn't resist them.

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And a relative of mine is getting married at the weekend in Somerset. We're not going to the wedding, too close to back to school, but here's the card I'm sending. I don't really like doing "occasion" cards (apart from birthdays!), can't seem to think of anything and I don't have any wedding-y stamps either, so I always do a variation on this quilled bouquet for wedding cards. This time I've varied the background layers a bit.

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Thanks for looking!