Communications burnout!

Hi there everyone, warning this is a longer post than normal as I'm playing catch up.

Well, the last few days have been madness!  Our land line sounded like we have aliens calling on it, my desktop pc's hard drive completely died, losing me over a month's worth of data, grrr, and our dishwasher decided that it prefers to wash dishes with cold water lol.  They say it comes in threes, well this time they (whoever they are!) are right.  Don't you think it's funny how we refer to this unknown group of people as 'they'.  That always makes me smile.

Anyway, onto a card....

I made this card for the Friday Sketchers #93 challenge.  I rummaged around my studio for some of my favourite papers of the moment.  I actually have three favourites at the moment... My Amy Butler Faded China papers, which I've shown here a few times, my K & Co Cara Marie pad and my Cosmo Cricket Early Bird Papers.  Yummy!  What are your favourite papers at the moment??

I really enjoyed making this card.  The ideas came together quite quickly and I got to use my favourite SU! stripey ribbon.  I've just bought the pumpkin pie, olive green and chocolate chip versions to add to my basic black, so I'm sure you will be seeing a lot more of these.

1. Cut out two rectangles using patterned paper, rounding opposite corners to add detail
2. Cut out label in white and dark pink using Storybook Cartridge
3. Cut two lines either side of the label using Basic Grey's Notch and Die tool
4. Stamp sentiment and decorative border onto centre of white label.
5. Thread SU! ribbon through and behind the label, cut into arrow shapes either side (is there a technical name for this?! lol)
6. Fussy cut (love this phrase - I've ended up using it myself thanks to Heidi Van Laar!!) a flower and attach to bottom left of frame
7. Pop dot for dimension

(by the way you should check out Heidi's blog, her work is amazing!!)

It was Mother's Day over here in the UK yesterday so I made this card for my special Marmie (Mum)!  I thought I would stamp some flowers for her, for a change.  I'm actually quite getting into this stamping now :o)  I think it's helped doing the challenges on the Clean and Simple Stamping blog, because it has the word stamping in the title I know I have to come up with some kind of stamping lol.  This card is for the FTL #82. 

I'm not sure my card actually was that simple, but then I am just getting back into the stamping, so it does take me a bit longer.  I was quite pleased with this one.  I have had the little wildflower stamps for a few years now so thought I would give them a dust off.  The long stems on the flowers in the FTL picture gave me the idea to use them.

1. Cut a rectangular piece of patterened paper and attach to card base
2. Stamp three flowers on right hand side of cardstock, colour with copics
3. Sponge edges and around floral images leaving some white space in the middle
4. Stamp little dragonflies around flowers
5. Attach a ribbon around the bottom edge of the stamped panel
6. Punch a strip and attach to the bottom edge
7. Stamp a sentiment in two different colours
8. Pop dot stamped panel to the main card to finish

I had a lovely Mother's day.  We went out with my little princess, Natasha, Ian and my Marmie for lunch.  Natasha bought me this FAB-U-LOUS Storybook Cartridge for my Cricut machine ...

and this set of rubber stamps - Woodware Clear Magic ...

and this Betty Boo mini ornament..

and Marmie bought me this letter 'R' one plus a couple of other goodies that are lovely to me, but not that interesting to you guys.. (I bet you want to know what they are now lol ;o)  It's odd that my Marmie buys me presents for Mother's Day, I know, but she always has.

They know me well.  I LOVE Betty Boop!  I have a few ornaments dotted around the house.  

Well, I'm signing off now, hope to be able to share a few more cards with you over the next few days.  Don't forget to enter the Play Date Cafe Challenge, there's still time :o) 

Play Date Cafe Challenge Blog Hop, Challenge and some REALLY exciting news!!!!! :o)

Hi everyone

I have some REALLY exciting news to share with you today. I recently applied for the design team role over at Play Date Cafe and I am now on their design team!!! I am SOOOOOO excited. I did a little happy wiggle dance when I heard! I've been bursting to tell you all, but we had to wait until the announcements have been made.  One of my New Year resolutions was to get more active with my blogging and start applying for some DT roles.  I never thought it would happen this quickly!  Yay!!

The Play Date Cafe set weekly colour challenges.  Now as you know I do enjoy my sketches, but this is a great way for me (and you) to push your boundaries and start to explore new colour combinations.  I can't wait to start playing!!

Anyway, as the Play Date Cafe begins a new season of designers, they also say goodbye to Julie Campbell, who has been on their design team for the past 4 months.  To celebrate Julie's achievements and the new design team, (yes I know, I'm on it... woohoo!!!) they are having a BLOG HOP!  This is what you can win..

Isn't that a fabby prize?!!!  I am really into these fancy frames at the minute.  So to get started, you need to begin from The Cafe.

If you came here from Stephanie Kraft's blog, then you are in the right place.

There are THREE ways to give you the best chance to win:

1. You must stop at each designer's blog AND leave a comment
(this point is a requirement in order for a chance to win)

There are ONLY 9 in total and all you have to do is click on the name!

2. Become a follower of The Play Date Cafe...easy-peasy!

3. Play along with this week's color challenge. 

All the details on how to play are on the sidebar in The Cafe.

The winner will be chosen by random.org.

The deadline is 11:59pm EST on 3/16.  The lucky winner will be announced 3/18 as part of the regular challenge post.

This week's challenge is to create something using this picture as inspiration

I LOVE this picture, not just because of the colours, but because it conjures up 'me' time.  It makes me think of sitting in a relaxing candlelit bath, with a good book and a glass of wine... Mmm, I must do that this weekend (well it is going to be Mother's Day on Sunday, so it's the perfect opportunity!!)

I rarely work with pale colours so this was a good start for me to think in different colours than my normal brights.  Here is what I came up with...

... and here's how I made it

1. Round all corners of the card base
2. Cut a piece of patterned paper, round the corners and adhere to the card base
3. Cut a white flourish using the Sizzix 'Decorative Accent w/flower' cutter, adhere to the green patterned paper
4. Cut  'Flower 1' in black on Accent Blackout setting, using the Cricut 'Storybook' Cartridge
5. Cut 'Flower 1' in lilac Bazzill Bling on standard setting, using the Cricut 'Storybook' Cartridge, adhere to the black background and then pop dot
6. Stamp the sentiment in the bottom right hand corner
7. Add purple and pearl gems to finish

Dies: Sizzix 'Decorative Accent w/flower', Cricut Storybook cartridge
Paper: Lilac Bazzill Bling Cardstock, black cardstock, Prima Marketing - Angelique Collection - 'Angel Kisses'
Stamps: PSX 'Happy Anniversary'
Accessories:  Adhesive gems

I am truly honoured to be working with such a great design team, we all have quite different styles and I'm really looking forward to seeing what everyone comes up with for each challenge.   Thank you to all at Play Date Cafe for the opportunity you have given me in joining the team!

The other members of the DT have some fab creations, don't forget to check them out...

Julie Campbell
Lisa Somerville
Savannah O'Gwynn
Sarah Anderson
Stephanie Kraft
Ruby 2 Shoes (that's me!)
Mona Pendleton
Suzanne Czosek
Julie Ranae

So pop along for the chance to win, and join in the weekly challenge.  You never know you might start using colours you had never even thought of putting together!  Have fun!

Kiss Me!

Hi and Happy Valentine's Day to you all!

I finally got around to making some cards for the challenges that I have been meaning to enter. The first one is for the Kristina Werner Color Inspiration #40. As you can see you had to use red, black, grey and white.

Ok, so here goes...

I made a card for my man and I wanted it to be a bit of fun. Firstly, I cut out a rectangular shape in dark grey bazzill bling (not sure of the actual colour name, I always just call it 'dark elephant'!) I then cut a smaller one out in 'light elephant' bazill bling. (again that's my name for it, not theirs, sorry!) I cut out the word 'KISS' on my Cricut machine on the normal setting in black and then on background setting in white. I then cut out some luscious red lips in red cardstock, and a candy heart for the bottom left of the card with 'I♥U' in red. It hasn't come out that well in this pic though. I raised the word 'kiss' using foam pads and then stuck on the random lips and I also did the candy heart in 3d. I added a some black and white ribbon because it looked a bit bland.

For the bottom right of the card I cut out the word 'me' and then added an exclamation mark using my new 'Abbie Lover Duvers' alphabet set.














I took a photo of that for you so that you could see the dot of the exclamation mark...it's a heart, isn't that just SO cute?!!!

Dies: Sizzix 'Abbie Lover Duvers' Alphabet Set & 'Phrase, So Me! So You, So Us! Quickutz lips and candy hearts, Cricut 'George and Basic Shapes' Cartridge
Paper: Bazzill Bling and Classic
Accessories: Ribbon from my stash

I will be back later to add on some more cards, I'm off to the craft shop now to pick up some more supplies. I'm hoping I might even get a couple of Valentine's pressies from my man while we're there!!

Catch you later x

Woohoo - I've finally put on a card design!

Firstly thank you to those of you that have been popping back but have not yet had anything new to view!

I had to buy myself a new camera which I'm still figuring out how to use, but thought I would add a card just to get started. I've not quite worked out how to take the photo so that you don't end up with a crooked edge when you edit it, so I've ended up with a small black line around the edge, but I'm getting there! I went to retake it and the camera battery has just died so I thought I would just post it, otherwise I never will!

As you will soon see I love my Sizzix Bigshot Machine and I am totally addicted to all Sizzix/Ellison Design die cutters. I also love Cuttlebug dies and embossing folders.

This card was made using various Sizzix 'Dress Ups' cutters. There's a bit of an outlay to start them off, but once you have got the basic body, the girl hair and the boy hair all you need to buy are different outfits. I think they are great because you can adapt them for so many different cards.

For this card you will need;

* Sizzix Originals Die Dress Ups, Girl Hair
* Sizzix Originals Die Dress Ups, Ballerina Costume
* Sizzix Originals Die Dress Ups, Body
* Sizzix Sizzlits Decorative Strip - Strips
* Sizzix Rub Ons, Dress Up Faces
* Sandylion Sticker Designs, 'Barbie Ballet Costume' paper
* Disney 'Pixie Dust' Vellum
* Glitter glue, pop dots, gems

I used my Cricut Machine to cut out the number 5, but you could use any number embellishment. You can also get plastic number templates from Craftwork Cards, and if you draw round them onto a piece of card you will have a template that you can use time and time again.

1. Cut a piece of Barbie paper, 15cm wide x 22cm deep, stick to front of card


2. Cut out the number 5 on the Cricut Machine with the setting on 4.5 (or use a template/other embellishment as mentioned above)


3. Cut the number 5 out again with the setting on 4.5 inch shadow, assemble as shown


4. Cut out the word 'today' using an alphabet set. I used Sizzix 'Junk Drawer' but you could use anything you like


5. Put together with the silver set underneath the pink, and slightly to the right to create a shadow, stick to the card


6. Die cut the body for the ballerina from flesh coloured card


7. Die cut the ballerina tights using a light pink and a darker pink for the leotard


8. Die cut the ballet shoes and the bottom frill of the tutu from some pink glitter card


9. Die cut the tutu from the Pixie Dust Vellum, add a line of glitter glue across the top of the skirt to hide the seam


10. Using the girl hair cutter cut the hair out in brown card, and her hairband in pink glitter card. Assemble all as shown


11. Finish the ballerina using the dress up rub on faces


12. Die cut a wavy light pink strip using the Strips cutter


13. Die cut a second wavy pink glitter strip, attach as shown


14. Using pop dots attach the ballerina to the card


15. Add gems to finish

Hope you like it!