My Time to Craft - Anything Goes

Today is my daughter's 29th birthday and we've been lucky enough to spend every one of them with her.
This is the card I made for her. She's very fond of a LBD and this image of a cute one is from Unity Stamps. The paper is Clare Curd's Signature range and the border punch is from Fiskars. I printed the sentiment on the computer.
My daughter and her family arrived on Boxing Day and will be staying until Wednesday. Today we went for lunch at an Italian restaurant and my 18th month old granddaughter Daisy did justice to a large amount of spaghetti bolognaise. She feeds herself with a spoon and fork really well. She gives us so much pleasure and makes us very proud.
This is my DT card for this week's My Time to Craft's Anything Goes Challenge. I haven't been sure which day was what over the holiday and nearly forgot to do the posting! Does anyone else suffer from a similar malady?

Penny Black - Christmas Charm

It seems odd to be getting back to making a card after all the rushing around that we seem to have been doing for the last week.
Yesterday was quite eventful, trying to find a farm shop in the snow stricken part of Hampshire, from whence we had ordered a haunch of venison for Boxing Day. The roads were narrow and very slippery and it took us a while to find the location, despite having printed a Google map and directions plus using the added bonus of the sat nav in the car. Anyway we managed it; they had left the meat hanging on the door handle in a poly bag, as we couldn't manage to get there before they closed! There's trust for you!
We picked up the turkey on the way home and now have enough food in the house to feed the whole street for a week!
This card for Penny Black's Christmas Charm challenge is utilising a fairly recently acquired stamp. I masked the star on the stamp so that I could add the charm star instead. It's coloured with Copics, with a little added Glamour Dust to the wings and halo. The sentiment is also Penny Black. This gorgeous backing paper is from Pink Petticoat.
I'm trying out my new camera. Actually it's my Christmas present from my husband, but he doesn't mind me using it now! I wondered whether to get one of those light cube whatsits to take my pictures, but I think that this cardboard box with one side cut out, draped with a tablecloth and lit by my new daylight lamp seems to do the trick!
What do you think?

My Time to Craft - Z Folds

I can't believe that I forgot to do this post yesterday!
We had been to my son's in Bury St Edmunds for the weekend and had a hairy journey in the dreadful weather coming home on Monday. In fact with the help of the internet before we set off and the sat nav in the car, we actually took the best route, although it didn't seem like it at the time. We only took an hour and a half longer than the journey should have taken, which was a lot better than having to abandon the car and find shelter somewhere, as many did in Hampshire that night!
This card uses a Dustin Pike image, coloured with Copics. The snowball shapes are embossed with Cuttlebug Random Dots and the sentiment is a cheapy from Hobbycraft (79p).
As this is a late make Christmas card I thought I would also enter it for the DareU2 Digi Stamp Challenge, 'Last minute Christmas Cards'
I would like to wish all who read this a very Happy Christmas and do take care in this difficult weather!

Penny Black - Red & Gold

I love these colours togther... they always seem so regal.
For the Penny Black element in this card I used the 'Inclinations' stamp which is peeping from behind the Cuttlebug butterfly window. All the stamping has been heat embossed with gold. For the background I used a Hero Arts French Script stamp. The border was made with a Fiskars Border punch. I think that the little butterfly punchies are X Cut. I used Nesties for the squares.
I'm still in my PJs at 10.15am. I'd better go and get in the bath!

I was up early this morning!

I've been waking really early lately! 4.30am seems much to early to be awake, but if I can't get to sleep again, I just come into my craft room and start having a play. Two of these cards are a result of this morning's wakefulness!
Over at One Stop Crafts the challenge is entitled Christmas Love and this card is for my husband. The stamp is a new Penny Black which I bought on sale. When I was colouring him, I realised he doesn't have any front legs... Odd or what! I used the sketch from Friday Sketchers, but as I am experiencing probs viewing some pictures on various blogs, I couldn't see the actual sketch and so I had to take it from the DT examples. I hope it's close enough!
The colours for Colour Create's latest challenge are lilac/purple, aqua, black and white. I made this card with those colours in mind and I really like the combo. The image is Hanglar and the sentiment is Stampin Up.
This anniversary card is for some friends whose anniversary is two days after ours (which is today) and we have been out for a meal with them practically every year for over 20 years. It's a good time to catch up with news of family and friends.
I don't know the make of the clear stamp, which comes from a set of teddies. I made the sentiment on the computer and mounted it using a Cuttlebug tag and a Nesties circle. The border punch is from Martha Stewart. I used the sketch from Mojo Monday.
All three cards have dotty backgrounds so any one might be considered for the challenge at Daring Cardmakers, however to be precise the dots should be evenly spaced so maybe only the first two qualify!

My Time to Craft - Yuletide Wishes

I decided to include a few other challenges with that from My Time to Craft this week. I seem to have had little time for blogging or blog challenges for that matter, as I have been desperately trying to complete all my personal Christmas cards. It would be a defeatist situation as a cardmaker, to have to go out and buy some wouldn't it! Anyway, I have just about got there, so hopefully things should be on a more even keel soon.
The Creative Card Crew required Gold or Silver, and Crazy4 Challenges wanted the theme of Snowmen or Snowflakes. Over at a Spoonful of Sugar the theme is monochrome, so this is for that challenge too!
I used some gold, snowflake patterned vellum, secured with brads to which I added tiny pearls. The image is from Papermania (which I just bought for half price) and is heat embossed with gold. The sentiment was treated similarly and is from Docrafts.
I decorated the punched snowflakes with a little Glamour Dust.
A bit of good news is that I have found both my card cash box and my camera charger! How cool, is that! If I'd had a better memory they wouldn't have been lost in the first place!

My Wedding Anniversary!

It will be my 36th wedding anniversary on Tuesday and this is the card I have made for my husband. (He doesn't look at blogs so I'm perfectly safe in posting this before the day.)
I used the theme of J - for Jigsaws at the ABC Challenge to add a little interest to the backing paper. I cut out the pieces, distressed the edges a little and then put them back together again, numbering the pieces on the back, so that I didn't get into too much of a pickle! As I used ink for this I'm including it in the challenge from Alphabet challenges which this week is ink!
The image is Hanglar and I think it's so cute. I coloured it in Christmassy coloured Copics as our anniversary is so close to Christmas. These colours are also those selected by Charisma cardz this week, together with white, so this is for that challenge too!
The sentiment was done on the computer and both mounts are made from Nesties.
I hope he likes it!
We are off to sing carols at the Christmas Market held a Victorian Farm located nearby. It's great fun but usually very chilly in the farmyard, so we come home to hot mulled wine and soup!

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge

For the past few days I have been glued to my craft chair, madly trying to make my Christmas cards and get them addressed and sent out. Having managed about 80+, I also finished 70 wedding invitations and consequently have had little time for blogging. I still can't find my camera charger but I am getting a new camera for Christmas, so maybe Santa will let me use it a few days early!!!
This image, for the Secret Crafter's challenge of Snow, is by Dustin Pike, I just love his work. It is stamped with Memento ink and coloured with Copics. The sentiment is a fairly cheapy one from Dovecraft, but I really rather like it! Although I cut it out with my trimmer, I used a larger Nestie to emboss the edges by hand using an embossing tool. I think it makes it look a little more finished.
Let it Snow is the challenge from Simon says Stamp this week, so this is for that challenge too.
The paper is from Pink Petticoat and the embossing is Cuttlebug. The snowflake punches were part of some fabulous candy which I won from Sharon.

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday

It's WOYWW again over at Julia's Blog, why don't you pop over there and check out what other desks look like this fine Wednesday!
I've been up since about 5am, madly trying to get Chrissy cards done, particularly those which have to go to foreign parts. I decided on my cheapie 79p Christmas Pud stamp from Hobbycraft, and I love it. I've been making cards by the yard it seems.
If you look closely at this picture you may see something interesting........... I have ALL the Copic Ciao colours and I'm really pleased that I got the extra ones. It makes choosing shades so much easier and I love my Chart which was sent to me by Victoria... colours at a glance.
Sorry about the mess, but at the rate I'm working, maybe you'll forgive me!
I seem to be having lots of senior moments recently, I can't find my card cash box, a necklace I bought in M&S to wear today and the charger for my camera. Talk about frustrating, I hope we didn't leave the charger on the cruise ship!

My Time to Craft - Xmas Foliage

My house is beginning to look a little more festive. The tree, bought in the States when we lived there in the 70's, has emerged from the loft for its 34th Christmas and it looks as good as ever!
I like to buy tree ornaments whenever I see them when we're away. I have snowshoes from Quebec, a Mozart marionette from Vienna, an angel from Barbados, a wooden cat and dog from St Augustine Florida, a cotton flower angel from Atlanta, Georgia... I could go on and on, but each one reminds me of wonderful holidays spent in lots of interesting places.
This card for My Time to Craft, uses a Tim Holtz mistletoe stamp, with Stazon Olive green ink and mounted on Nesties. The punch is from Martha Stewart. I quite like monotones!

Busy, busy, busy!

Yesterday was spent trying to catch up on my Christmas card production and various commissions; it seems that I've had little time for challenges! However, here is a card for several of them.
Penny Black - Christmas for the Girls
Red Bananas - Christmas/ Winter
Creative Card Crew - Christmas
Simon Says Stamp - So Charming
Stamp Something - Glitzy Something
Stampavie & More - Christmas
Pile it on - Tinsel Town (glitter)
Our Creative Corner - Twelve Days of Christmas
The sentiment which my watermark has unfortunately covered, reads 4 Calling birds! A bit of a new twist on the Christmas carol!
Well my Christmas cards still call me to get going, I've got to go for a mammogram later this morning, I hope I don't get too engrossed and end up being late!

Disappearing cards!

Has anyone else noticed card pictures disappearing from blog listings?

Just recently I have noticed that several of my cards have disappeared from my listings and some have not been visible to me on fellow blogger's listings.

What is going on?

Has anyone else noticed this or is it an anomalie on my computer?

I would be glad to know!
Chrissie

A bunch of Christmas Cards

I've been trying to formulate a design for a simple yet effective Christmas Card from which I could produce multiples in a comparatively short time.
So far nothing doing!
I have produced these today, some of which could be for Colour Create - White, Green and Red and Saturday Crafter - Christmas Trees. But as to my personal Christmas cards this year... keep trying Chrissie!
I showed the 'Peas on Earth' Whimsie Doodles free download card to my husband, who couldn't work out what it was all about. I think it's hilarious!
The Christmas Pud stamp I bought yesterday from Hobbycraft for 79p. If they can charge so little for this stamp, how come all their other merchandise is so expensive?
The little Christmas Tree is Dovecraft stamp. All are coloured with Copics.
I'll keep trying!

My Time to Craft - Winter Pals

For this challenge for My Time to Craft I decided to use these really cute bears, a FREE digi-image from Cuddly Buddly. I coloured it with my Copics and used Winter Warm backing paper, also a digi download from Cuddly Buddly. The sentiment is computer generated mounted on Nesties. Most of today has been spent doing wedding invitations and I've done really well... 45 completed, 25 to go! I did have to go out to buy some more card at the Paper Mill Shop, but bought 4 punches as well! Why can't I buy just what I go out for and nothing else? Craft shops are dangerous places!

Back to cardmaking!

Actually I think that my mojo could do with a bit of a boost... I've got to do all my Christmas cards, plus 2 lots of wedding invitations to complete and my DT cards for Cuddly Buddly and My Time to Craft... all before Christmas... and to begin my Christmas shopping!
Looks like I may not get many challenge cards done!
Anyway, this is a quickie for a few challenges in the hope that my mojo will return when the jet lag from my holiday disappears.
Cards & Things - Sketch
Crazy 4 Challenges - Punch Happy (the holly leaves & berries)
Alphabet Challenges G - Green & Gold

Did you miss me again?

We've just returned from a couple of weeks fabulous cruising in the Caribbean and Central America on the cruise ship Oceana. We had a wonderful time, one of the highlights being able to release baby turtles as part of a conservation project in Acapulco.
We wished the little guys well and set them down on the sand and watched them scuttle into the sea. Sadly only a small proportion will see their way to adulthood.
For the most part the weather was wonderful, but we didn't escape rain totally as there was a lot of rain as we were in transit through the Panama canal, but it was fascinating yet beautiful despite the weather.
Now to catch up on all the cardmaking!

My Time to Craft - Tags So Much

Another week and another challenge from My Time to Craft. This time the title is 'Tags So Much' and as the heading suggests there must be a tag in evidence somewhere.
I decided to use a Cuttlebug tag from one of the alphabet sets, (I think it's Babyface) tied onto the bow of the ribbon. I have devised a way of tying bows using my bowmaker AND attaching it to the straight ribbon. It means that you can get a neat bow every time.
The image is a digi image from Dustin Pike coloured with Copics. The papers are also digi downloads from Cuddly Buddly. The larger stars are from a set of Quickutz nesting dies and the smaller ones are from an X Cut punch.
As this card also has quite a few stars in evidence I thought that I would add it to the Stampavie and more challenge of Stars!
Being new to the world of Design Teams, I have enjoyed looking at all the wonderful contributions to the challenges over at My Time To Craft. What a wealth of talent there is in the crafting world! Let's hope that lots of you will join in with the challenge again this week.

Tilda in Red

I've been trying to catch up with a few cards for friends since I was away in Leamington Spa for the weekend.
It's a beautiful city and we had a really good concert together with a local Choral Society, but now I have a cold and am feeling rather sorry for myself! I've managed to get some of the necessary cards done for friends, but I have also gained another commission for Wedding Stationery, so there's plenty to do there.
This card is for several challenges. I used the sketch from Create 4 Fun, the colour scheme of red and black from Creative Inspirations and the ribbons and gems were requested from the Creative Card Crew. Crafty Catz have a theme of Going Dotty this week so as this card has polka dot paper and three dotty gems I thought it would do for that challenge too!
The image is Magnolia, coloured with Copics.The papers are downloads from Cuddly Buddly and the 2&U are die cuts from Cuttlebug's Typewriter alphabet.

Alphabet Challenges D - decoupage

This is a quick post before I go away for the weekend to Leamington Spa to sing the Verdi Requiem with my choir.
A Chrissie card with images by Dustin Pike, coloured with Copics. The sentiments were done on the computer and the embossing is Cuttlebug. The trees are from a Papermania punch... I think.
The challenge from Alphabet Challenge is D for decoupage, I had to cut the images out to get them sufficiently far apart to add the speech bubble!

A couple of wonderful awards

I received this award from my wonderful bloggy friend Victoria.
Thank you SO much Victoria.
I have to tell you five things about myself.
1. I'm fiercely proud of my family
2. I find that colouring is most relaxing
3. I now buy shoes for comfort rather than fashion
4. I love to spend time in my own home
5. I'm very partial to rose wine


I received this award from my lovely bloggy friend June in Virginia, which was my home for a few years in the late 70's.
This is how it works
1. You can only use ONE word.
2. Pass this along to five of your favorite bloggers.
3. Alert them that you have given them this award.
4. Have FUN!!!

Here are the questions with my responses:

1. Where is your cell phone? bag
2. Your hair? short
3. Your mother? Lily
4. Your father? Jasper
5. Your favorite food? Italian
6. Your dream last night? none
7. Your favorite drink? coffee
8. Your dream/goal? Happiness
9. What room are you in? living
10. Your hobby? papercrafting
11. Your fear? illness
12. Where do you want to be in six years? craftroom
13. Where were you last night? daughter's
14. Something that you're not? skinny
15. Muffins? chocolate
16. Wish list item? Copics
17. Where did you grow up? Staffordshire
18. Last thing you did? breakfast
19. What are you wearing? PJs
20. Your t.v.? on
21. Your pets?none
22. Friends? kind
23: Your life? blessed
24. Your mood? content
25. Missing someone? dh
26. Vehicle? Audi
27. Something you're not wearing? makeup
28. Your favorite store?craft
29. Your favorite color?blue
30. Last time you laughed? today
31. Last time you cried? ?
32. Your best friend? daughter
33. One place you go over and over again? daughter's
34. One who emails you regularly? girlfriends
35. Favorite place to eat? Regginas
36. Facebook?never

I would now like to pass on both awards to these friends, Clare, Annie, Penni, Ali and Saskia.
All of these ladies are my Fabulously Crafty Friends at Cuddly Buddly.

WOYWW

Well I think of taking a pic of my desk for all to see, a little like cleaning up before the cleaning lady comes. It may not look like it has been tidied, but I did throw lots of scraps and cuttings in the bin earlier today.... and clean a couple of stamps and return them to their rightful place.
I have just realised that I have a stack of cards with no envelopes made, so that is the job in hand at the mo. I don't know if this would have been better without the table lamp on. Maybe I'll try that next week.
I'm off to see my daughter and family in Bath after I've jumped in the shower.

An experiment

Over at Everything but the kitchen sink, the challenge is to use toilet paper. That not as easy as it may sound as it is designed to disintegrate, which is eaxctly what it did lots of times during my trials for this card.
I wish I understood how ideas pop into my head, but for some reason footprints came into my mind and with it this piece of writing. I decided to use it as the background for the card, but had to ensure that all of it was visible, so that the purpose of the card made sense.
The whole of the background was over-stamped with a crackle stamp from Crafty Individuals. The footprints themselves were die-cut from a Cuttlebug die and coloured with Distress ink. The sentiment is from Hero Arts.
I don't know if this works or not! If you click on the picture, you will probably be able to read the words in close up!

Just Us Girls

The Challenge from Just Us Girls is to include a photo in the project. I decided to use this one of my granddaughter Daisy as Santa's Little Helper last Christmas. I have to say that she looks a lot different this year! I thought that her mum might like this card in the run up to Christmas.
I'm afraid that the pictures from my little digital camera are a bit pale and washed out looking. I'm not sure what I can do about it as I'm no photographer. I may have a little play around to see what if there is some setting or other that I can change.
The picture is cut and mounted using Nesties, I'm not sure if the trees are Papermania or Dovecraft. I've thrown out the packaging and there is no marking on the punch itself. The holly leaves are from an X Cut punch. The sentiment is Studio G.
It'll be Christmas before we know it!

So Many Scallops!

Another week at My Time To Craft!
When I first began cardmaking and had no idea what a die-cutting machine was, I used to look at beautiful cards made by experienced crafters and wish I could make cards with scallops!
Now I wouldn't be without my trusty Cuttlebug and it sits at my right hand on my craft table.
The image is from Mo's Digital Pencil (link on my sidebar) coloured with Copics. It's mounted on Nesties and the border is cut with a Martha Stewart border punch. The paper and sentiment are from Cuddly Buddly.
Do join in with the Challenge at My Time to craft, I'd love to come and visit you!

Pink Elephant Colour Challenge

The challenge from The Pink Elephant this week is to use the colours brown, yellow, neutral and a colour of your choice.
I chose this image from Dustin Pike and decided to colour him in the first two colours from the challenge. His bandages are the neutral colour and the plasters (or band-aids as you call them on the other side of the pond) determined the additional colour - pink!
I used Copics to colour him and like them more each time I use them. The sentiment is from MSE. The flowers are from a set of Cuttlebug alphabet dies.

Cuttlebug Challenge - Favourite Things

This card has a few of my favourite things. My newest favourite thing is the Copics which I used to colour the image. It took me ages to get around to buying them, the main thing delaying the purchase was the cost. However, now that I have some... I want more!
The thing that is my real favourite and which I could never be without however, is something which is not visible... my Cuttlebug, used to cut the Nesties and the Cuttlebug flourish. It sits at my right hand on my worktable and is used CONSTANTLY! I use it for both cutting and embossing and just love it!
The image on this card is from Mo's Digital Pencil and the green backing is from Forever Friends.
Thanks Cuttlebug Challenge I enjoyed making this one!

Two Thank You cards

This card uses the sketch from Clean & Simple FTL66 and the colours from SPCC Challenge #21.
The background stamp is from Tim Holtz and the co-ordinating embossing folder is from Cuttlebug. The sentiment is Anita's, mounted on Nesties.
The background text stamp and the flower are from Hero Arts.


This week, Charisma Cardz are asking for a card with 'No Backing Paper'. This simple little 'Thank you' card hasn't got much of anything really, but sometimes less is more. As my old mum used to say, 'It's the thought that counts'. The sentiment is part of a longer one, but I just masked off the bits I didn't want before inking it.

Why is colouring so relaxing?

If I feel the need to just chill for a while, I find that a spot of colouring fits the bill. This was the case here with Tilda. I had watched a video on how to colour auburn/red hair with Copics, but sadly I didn't have a single one of the colours recommended, so I improvised. I don't think it looks too bad... and it was relaxing to do.
The chair is a Whimsie Doodle image printed onto a Cuddly Buddly paper. The other papers are from Pink Petticoat.
This is for several challenges so I'll list them.
1. Crafty Creations - Thanksgiving/Gratitude
2. Papertake - Spots & Stripes
3. One Stop Crafts - Newspaper/Text (Overprinted on the backing paper and also on the leaves)
4. Copic Creations - Red Hair
5. Fun with Shapes & More - Borders & Frames (each piece of backing paper has a border)
6. Pile It On - Thank You
7. Crafty Catz - Sketch
8. Saturday Spotlight with Hidden Potential - Words ~ The Sentiment is computer generated, the text on the backing paper is from an Image Tree stamp and the there is also text on the leaves.
9, ABC Challenge - Green ...I had to include this challenge as the card is SO green!

My first easel card

I have wanted to make one of these cards for some time and with the stimulus of the challenge from Mo's Digital Pencil to make a card with interesting folds, I thought this was my opportunity. The image is one of Mo's and I think it is simply adorable, it reminds me of my granddaughter Daisy last winter!
I have combined this with a few other challenges.
'Snowflakes' from the Creative Card Crew
Orange + one other colour from Digital Tuesday
Penny Black ' White on White' (apart from the image) The sentiment is my Penny Black element in this card.
Daring Cardmakers 'Get Punchy with it' - to use our latest punch acquisition. Nearly all these snowflake punches are new me this season.
At Simon Says Stamp Challenge Blog, the challenge is entitled 'All that Sparkles'. The twinkle on this card was created with Glamour Dust.
The Sketch is from Create4fun, (however I did cheat with the shape of the image frame, I printed the image too close to the edge of the cardstock and so couldn't manage to cut out an oval!)
My knee is still giving me gyp and the codeine tablets prescribed by the doctor say 'Avoid Alcohol' so sadly no G&T for me today!
Haven't quite got the measure of this little camera, but hopefully my pics will improve soon!

Don't you just hate it when this happens

I had just about finished this card and was umming and ahhing about whether or not to put on the flourish. I had inked up the clear stamp and was looking through the acrylic block to see the effect on the card. I had just about decided that it would be better without the flourish, when the wretched thing fell off the acrylic block onto the card! I couldn't let all that work go to waste so here it is, but try to imagine it without the flourish.
I usually take pics of my cards on my old mobile phone. It 's so quick and easy to transfer the photos to my computer and it does take a reasonable picture. However it has decided that it's getting a little past it and I now cannot get it into camera mode. It's supposed to happen simply by opening the cover on the lens, but now it's having none of it! My current phone, although it's supposed to have exactly the same camera in it, cannot take a sharp shot close up! SO now I've gone back to trying my old digital camera. I hate technology when it ain't easy!
All this aside, this is for Just Magnolia - Monochrome, ABC Challenge - G - Green and I used the Sketch from Stamp With Us. The Stampin Up element in this card is the sentiment, which I tend to use over and over again as I think it's perfect for so many occasions. The papers are from Cuddly Buddly's Fairy Fun Range. The aforementioned flourish is from My Mind's Eye and the lace peeking from behind the strip on the left is my new stamp from Prima. The image is unmistakably young Tilda from Magnolia.

Another commission card

I was asked to make a card for an ex-rower. I didn't want to do anything over-complicated and so decided to use the Sketch from Card Patterns #38 as the basis for my card.
The papers are from Cuddly Buddly, using a positive and negative version of the dots from the Fairy Fun set. I wrote the sentiment on the computer and decided to make the embellishment in the corner into a kind of victor's wreath.
When my son was at Cambridge, he was Boat Club Captain of his college (Gonville & Caius) for a year. We used to go up to watch him row in the series of races called the Bumps.
As the river is narrow for much of the way in Cambridge, there isn't room for crews to row side by side, so they have a kind of pursuit race. They set off at timed intervals and row like mad to try to 'bump' into the boat in front of them. Should they succeed, they move up a place for the start of the race the following day. The idea is to finish at the front of everyone over a series of about 4 day's races. They are then said to be Head of the River and win kudos and tropies etc. Should any crew manage to bump the boat in front, they pull greenery from the trees overhanging the river to make wreaths which they wear on their heads immediately following the race. Should they manage to 'Bump' every day then they are awarded 'Blades' and are entitled to have a blade or oar painted with their college colours and have the names of the crew signwritten on it. David was entitled to about 4 during his time at Cambridge but we only had one painted up for him as they are really expensive to have done... then where would you put 4 of them? We have one in our garage and we're not sure how to get it up to his house in Suffolk!!! They are very, very long!!

Just Us Girls

Following a great tutorial for making 3D flowers on the Just Us Girls Challenge I thought I'd have a go and this is the result.
I didn't use the same Spellbinders dies as in the video, but I think that these work just as well. I used the scalloped circles and didn't brayer colour onto the tissue paper, but just edged the aqua blue tissue with a little Brilliance ink in Pearlescent Sky Blue.
The flourishes are from Quickutz and the sentiment is Anitas.
I've just realised that I'm a bit late with this, but I'll post it anyway.
I tore a ligament in my knee whilst out shopping yesterday in Bath and have joined the ranks of the walking wounded. I may have to have some surgery later, but the doctor wants to see if it will settle down a little first. My husband came home from the Pharmacy with a carrier bag full of our various medications. What it is to be getting old! No more exercise classes for me for a while. The doctor said that my knee was quite arthritic... Yuk! Hey Ho... more time for card-making!

I can't believe I'm doing this! WOYWW

To say I'm somewhat embarrassed by the clutter in which I work is understatement personified.
I actually removed several layers of detritus from my desk the other day but looking at this I don't suppose anyone could have imagined this possible.
There are certain things that are always where they are now... the Cuttlebug, the heat gun, the Copics, the glass mat, the containers for my pen and brushes etc., but there is usually evidence of past projects scattered around.
The work in progress on the desk at the moment is an attempt at 3D flowers for the Just Us Girls Challenge!
There, I've done it. Maybe it will spur me on to removing more layers on a regular basis!
PS Yvonne asked what the yellow thing is... It's a half-grapefruit, lemon or orange container from Lakeland, I put a wet wipe in there to stop it drying out if I've only used it once to clean my stamps. My mum brought me up to be thrifty!

Sketch & Stash

For the Sketch from Sketch and Stash this week I have used this free digi-downloaded image from Cuddly Buddly, which I have coloured with Copics, adding a little Glamour Dust to the hats. It is mounted on Nesties and adorned with a few adhesive gems.
The papers, also downloaded and entitled Winter Warm are from Cuddly Buddly too.
The neglected piece of my stash for this project is the red cardstock. Last year I made wedding stationery for winter nuptials and the couple expressed a desire for a deep red. I went to source some supplies and sent some samples to them. I was convinced that they would choose this particular red and bought a fair quantity from the Paper Mill Shop as their stock changes fairly frequently. Needless to say they chose a different one as the colour match with the bridesmaid's dresses was better. SO, I now have quite a supply of red!!! Maybe I'll use it for my personal Christmas cards this year!

2 Sketches 4 You

This card is for the sister of the recipient of my previous post. I don't know if she likes frogs or if her sister likes butterflies, I can only live in the hope that they do!
This is for the challenge at 2 Sketches 4 You. I have used a Pink Petticoat image, which I coloured with Copics. The papers have been overstamped with my all time fave background stamp... Crackle, from Crafty Individuals. I printed the sentiment on the computer and mounted the image on a Nellies Choice die-cut. I think that the green backing paper is from K&Co, but I'm not 100% sure of that!
I have seven commission cards to deliver at my choir tonight, they certainly are keeing me busy!

Three Clovers - Sketch

I love the simple lines of this sketch, I feel much more comfortable with this uncluttered style and therefore the end result is always more pleasing to my taste.
The challenge is from Three Clovers and I chose to do a birthday card for a friend's daughter. I hope she likes butterflies. The image was a free digi download from Cuddly Buddly,coloured with Copics. The papers are Pink Petticoat, the border punch is from Fiskars and the sentiment is computer generated.
Well Bargain Hunt is about to start on the tv, which is usually the time to sip a preprandial whilst preparing lunch!

My Time to Craft, Caardvarks, Daring Cardmakers & Charisma Cardz

Today is the day I can tell you my fab news!
I have been invited to join the Design Team on My Time to Craft Challenge Blog! Whoo Hoo!
Although, I am a Cuddly Buddly 'Fabulously Crafty Friend' and design cards for Cuddly Buddly products, I have never actually been on a Challenge Blog design team before, so it's really exciting!
This card is my first contribution for My Time to Craft in my new capacity, (makes me feel really special) and I hope that many of you will join in with the challenge entitled 'Rip It Up' . As you can see there is a fair bit of paper tearing in this... all around the image and the top of the piece of manuscript.
As I was making it, it evolved into compliance with a few other challenges, so I shall let Caardvarks know about it as it is a 'Tall' card and Daring Cardmakers asked for 5 of our favourite things to be used on the card. As this one was a special one for me I guess I naturally went to the things that I love using.
So we have 1. ribbon 2. a charm. 3. my favourite of all favourite background stamps - crackle, from Crafty Individuals 4. manuscript 5. distressing 6. overprinting 7. my Daisy stamp... my granddaughter is called Daisy so I have a real softspot for this one!
Charisma Cardz has the theme of Daisies for their Challenge this week, so I can't miss them out can I?
I hope you like it!

Creative Card Crew & Cards & Things

A card for two challenges. Cards & Things is an inspiration challenge, from which I took the colours for the card. Creative Card Crew's challenge is for a card for babies or children.
The lovely image from Diaper Crew is by Mo's Digital Pencil, coloured with Copics and mounted on a Nestie square. The filigree background was made with a Papermania punch. The sentiment is from Stampin' Up mounted once more on Nesties.
It's sadly ironic that I began making this card yesterday as last night my daughter had a miscarriage. Common sense tells us that it was probably nature's way of being for the best in the long run, but common sense doesn't help the feeling of sadness and loss at such a time. We're going to see her in the middle of the week, so that will be something for us to look forward to.
PS
Following the couple of questions about the background I thought it might help if you looked at the blog of a fabby crafter Ann, who has done a tutorial about this kind of punched border. I did this ages ago when I first got the punch, but I got the idea from her. You can see her tutorial here. It's a bit fiddly, but when it works it does look good doesn't it!

Simple Card

Here is a simple card for 2 challenges. The Secret Crafter challenge is for orange plus one other colour. Here I chose brown to tone with the seasonal shade. This card made me think of conkers as I was making it!
Crafty Catz challenge is to have Buttons or brads. I decided on these tiny square brads, but rather than push them through the card, I did what I often do to help get them exactly where I want them, and that is to cut off the 'legs' and stick them on with sticky dots.
The image is from Hobby Art, coloured with Copics, sprinkled in the centre with Glamour Dust and mounted on Nesties. The orange background paper is embossed with Cuttlebug Random Dots. The ribbon was left over from my daughter's wedding invitations!

Clean & Simple , Colour Create - White & One Stop Crafts - Celebration

I love this simple sketch from Clean & Simple #65. My personal preference is for simplicity, although I frequently put far too much onto my cards. I think that I must steer clear of overcomplicated sketches as they really are not 'me' and consequently probably not my best.
This picture is not terribly clear, you may have to click onto the picture to zoom in to see the embossing, which is from Cuttlebug.
The stamp is from Dovecraft and the image, heat embossed in gold, is mounted on Nesties. The Tag is also Spellbinders. I'm not quite sure where the sentiment stamp is from as it is unmounted.
Colour Create wanted All White this week and One Stop Crafts theme is Celebration.
I managed to get to the shops to buy our friend a 60th birthday pressie. We got a really rather nice pen! I hope he likes it! His card is the ice cream one a few posts back!