Knew I meant ....

.... to do something, but I forgot.  We were away over the Easter holidays, in Iceland, and I had intended to post pics before I did my next "usual" post, but too late - as it's PaperPlay time again, I'm posting a card instead:

Our challenge this week is "Animal Antics" - we're asking participants to use their critter stamps.  I made a wedding card for my friend's daughter.  The wedding isn't until August (amazing, I know - I actually made something ahead of time!), but I've had ideas for it floating around in my head for a while so decided to get them "down on paper"!!  Here's what I made:

I'm entering this into the following challenges: Craft your Passion and 7 Kids Challenge ("Die cuts and punches"), Papertake Weekly ("A stitch in time"), Charisma Cards ("Shabby Chic") and Crafts and Me ("Vintage").

I hope you can see all the sparkle on the heart and letters - I've used different textures and colours of glitter - here's a close-up:

Thanks for looking - and I promise to sort through those holiday pics and post some!

Funny old ....

.... weather we're having at the moment.  Last week, most unseasonal temperatures - up to 20C and a week of blazing sunshine.  This week, by contrast - there have been showers of sleet and hail, and a corresponding drop in temps!  I don't mind, I'm an indoorsy kinda girl - I like to look out at sunshine, but if it's raining, as long as I'm indoors, it's fine with me!!!

It's Thursday morning and time for another PaperPlay challenge.  Our challenge is "Shaped Cards", we're sponsored by Simon Says Stamp, and by some miracle, I've actually got two cards!!!

The first is for that friend's 50th I was telling you about on my last post - here's what I did:

And the second is from my son's birthday, I thought I had posted it already but I hadn't.  He's still into Lego in a big way, but since I've done a Lego card for him before (8th birthday, if I remember correctly), I decided to go with something else - he loves the Simpsons, so I went with Homer - and since it's a birthday with a "0" in it, really there was nothing else I could use but a doughnut!!!  So here it is:

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!

Spring forward....

.... fall back!  That kind of describes my crafting these days, it's all long spells of inertia followed by manic bursts of activity, usually triggered by family birthdays!  I had two friends' birthdays this week, one female and one male, and I decided to make things easier on myself by using the same sketch for both cards.  I made one card yesterday, and then I was at a crop today and made the other (and dropped it to the birthday boy on the way home, talk about last minute!). 

The sketch is this week's Mojo Monday - I like the elements, especially the pennant shape.

So here is my lady card:

And the man card:

I've also entered them into the following challenges: Totally Gorjuss ("Anything Goes with a Button"), Craft Your Passion and Papertake Weekly ("Anything Goes"), ABC Challenge ("Kraft") and Crafty Creations ("Stripes").

Here are some side-shots of the dimension and tags on the cards:

Recipes:

Papers: MME "Miss Caroline Fiddlesticks" and "Stella Rose Hazel", BG "Jovial"

Dies: Cheery Lynn "English Tea Party Doily Die" and Nestabilities "Pinking Circles"

Punch: MS "Doily Lace"

Other: Buttons and ribbon from stash, needle + thread

Thanks for looking!

Arrrgh, these early....

.... mornings are getting the better of me!!  When left to my own devices, my natural waking time seems to be 9.15am - not 9 or 9.30, but 9.15.  So back at school and getting me plus two kids up at 7 is not a barrel of laughs!!  My husband, on the other hand, has to get up at 5am - eeeeeeeuuuuuugh!!!
I still haven't photographed my son's birthday card, the weather's been too overcast, but I'll hopefully get it up over the next day or two.  I was chuffed to see that my Valentine's card was picked for Top 3 on Shopping Our Stash - got a blinkie for me sidebar!!

In the meantime, it's Thursday and my PaperPlay team's turn to play.  Our challenge this week is "For a Mother" and we are sponsored by  Crafty Cutting.  I don't have a Mum, but it was my Mother-in-Law's birthday recently.  Here's what I made for her:

She likes flowers, so I used these Hero Arts stamps that I've made many cards with, I love them, there are four stamps and they can be used in so many combinations.  My MiL loved the colours.  Success!! 

I'm entering this into the following challenges: Moving Along with the Times ("Lots of Layers"), Crafts and Me ("Shades of Spring") and Paper Sundaes ("Birthdays). 

Recipe:

Papers: Crate Paper "Farmhouse"

Stamps: Hero Arts "Peeking Posies" set

Colouring Medium: Distress Inks

Punch: Fiskars "Threading Water"

Other: Ribbon from stash, 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!

Easy to tell that....

.... I'm on half-term this week, lots of card-making and blog-posting - it's so great to have almost unlimited time!  Although I'm exhausted today, because we had 9 teenagers here last night, sleeping all over the floors in the sitting room and playroom.

I needed a sympathy card this week, here's what I made:

Recipe:

Papers: Scenic Route "Sonoma"

Other: Nestabilities Labels 1 and Petite Scalloped Circles, ribbon from stash, needle + thread

I used the sketch from this week's Mojo Monday, and I'm also entering this into the following: Crafts and Me ("Distressing"), Cute Card Thursday ("Flower Power") and CES Challenges ("Lots of Layers").

Thanks for looking - off to make a baby card now.