Quick and clean ....

.... and simple.  I've been making some relatively quick cards over the last week.  I've got thank yous to send to some of the kids at school that gave me presents at the end of term, those cards are in progress at the moment and will hopefully be ready tomorrow.

But this card is a sort of get well card.  I visited my friend's wife in hospital last week - she's been in for over 6 months and ended up having a heart transplant.  She finally got to go home on Friday, I popped in to visit on Thursday afternoon having thrown together a quick card - it ended up being a bit over-symbolic, I think, but she loved it.  Here's what I made:

I'm entering this into the following challenges: CAS-ology ("Glow") and CAS-ual Fridays ("Hearts in Summer Colours").

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!

Had a really ....

.... lovely day today.  The sun has been shining, laundry all out on the line, the house is as clean as it's ever going to be and I had the place to myself for a few hours this morning, bliss!!  I went to hospital to visit an old neighbour from where I grew up - hadn't seen her in over 9 years.  I wasn't sure whether she'd be able for a long visit, but my goodness, she was in great form and we talked and talked.  I made up a little basket of goodies for her, and added this card:

See - I took a picture outside in the sunshine - that doesn't happen too often!!

I used the sketch from this week's Mojo Monday and I'll also enter this into the following challenges: Creative Inspirations ("Something Old and Something New"), ABC Challenge ("Stitching") and Papertake Weekly ("Anything Goes").

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Picadilly"

Sentiment: Computer Generated

Image Sticker: Bella Boulevard "Family Tree"

Other: Ribbon from stash, needle + thread

Thanks for looking!

Sending Donkey ....

.... smiles!  Many crafting bloggers will have heard of the accident that befell Michelle, a lovely lady who lives on a farm in Texas.  Some of her friends on A Spoon Full of Sugar decided to organise a card drive for Michelle - so she will get cards from all over the world wishing her well.  One of her great loves is her beloved donkeys, so as part of the card drive, freebie digi donkeys have been provided if people wish to use them.  Here's my card:

I used the lovely sketch from this week's Truly Scrumptious, and am also entering it into Totally Papercrafts (pearls and swirls).

I was originally going to use soft greys and pinks (donkey colours!) - but when I checked out Michelle's work, I can see she loves bright colours, flowers and pearls - so I ramped up the pink - a lot!!!

This is only the second time I've used a digi-stamp, my printer is not so good with these at all.  I dried it with a heat-gun several times and it took a few goes to colour without smudging.  All I can say is I'm glad my donkey is grey!!!  Here's a close-up of the image:

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Bittersweet"

Stamp: Digistamp by Meljens at Whimsy Stamps

Colouring Medium: Distress Inks

Other: Stickles, Maya Road Flower, Basic Grey Pearls, ribbon from stash, needle + thread

Thanks for looking, and if you haven't already and would like to make a card for Michelle, follow the links in this post to find out the details.

Poor sore ....

.... throat! My friend's teenage son J had his tonsils removed at the weekend. DD asked me was I making a card for him, but I wasn't going to initially, as he's absolutely not a cutesy-card sort of person!! Then I had an brainwave and made this card really quickly - it made him laugh!

Got some exciting news over the weekend - the baby card I made last week won the prize on Friday Sketchers - it's a $25 voucher so I am very content indeed with that!!

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And today, it was back to school for me and DS. Boo!