Going Girlie

Hi there.  I hope your weekend is getting off to a good start.  We had my friend stay overnight, so were up chatting till very late.  There's nothing quite like a good old gossip with your girlie friends, is there?!!

I have a girlie card to share with you today, which I'm going to enter into the Cupcake Craft Challenges.  I needed to make a girlie graduation card, but this card could be used for any 'congrats' special occasion really.

I fancied doing a bit of black, red and turquoise, and to use my red polka dot buttons.  Aren't they the cutest?

Our snow has now been washed away with rain and it's very overcast here today but this little card brightens it up! I always like the effect you get with the scallop cutters, the flowers look really cheery.   I was quite pleased with how these flowers turned out. My friend had bought me one of the Sizzix flower cutters for Christmas, (the one in red).  I then added a Cuttlebug flower which is a double die, one in turquoise and one in black, and the petals all fitted together really well.  I will just leave you with the supplies used for this card, but if you do want the details just give me a shout.

Dies: Cuttlebug 2 step die - scribble flower, Sizzix 'Flower and Vines w/stem', 'Circle #1', Scallop, 'Catty Corner' alphabet set 
Paper: Basic Grey 'Urban Prairie - Ladybug', red, black and turquoise cardstock 
Accessories: polka dot ribbon from stash, Doodlebug 'ladybug' polka dot button

Have a good evening.  I'm off to watch an adventure movie with Natasha and Ian, snuggled up under a duvet.  My kind of a perfect night in :o) 

Posh Paws :o)

Hi there. Hope you're all having a fantastic Sunday.

Guess what.. today is Corrosive Challenge day, Challenge #20! This week's theme is dogs. For my card I wanted to use a couple of things that I keep threatening to use :o)... my new paw print brads, a tag cutter that Ian bought me recently, my Martha Stewart punch and black. This is what I came up with;



Using my Basic Grey 'Urban Prairie' papers (my fave ones!) I cut out three random shapes and laid them across each other at angles. I then cut out some black cardstock using my Martha Stewart border punch. I cut out a Sizzix tag and added a pink/white gingham ribbon. I then popped out a Craftworks Card tag with the 'happy birthday' sentiment and added this to the tag. I attached the tag using pop dots.

I then cut out some black brackets and the Cuttlebug dog in black and white onto which I stamped dots using my 'Judith' wooden stamp. I inked all of the card edges prior to sticking them down and then doodled some faux stitching around the edges. I then added a black die cut flower in the corner and two paw print brads. Finally I added the dog using pop dots (I always call them pop dots but they are generically called foam pads so I hope you know what I mean!) I gave my little dog a swarowski crystal gem eye and coloured in his nose with a red gel pen.

Dies: Sizzix Dingbats #2 for the brackets, 'Tags, Happy' & Cuttlebug 'Dog',
Paper: Basic Grey 'Urban Prairie', Bazzill cardstock in black
Accessories: Swarowski Gems, Craftwork Cards sentiment tag and 'Best of British' Die Cut Flower, Mei Flower gingham bow and paw print brads, Martha Stewart Scallop Edger Border Punch, 0.1 Copic pen for doodling

I hope you enjoy the rest of your Sunday. I am hoping to make a few cards next week, I've got a list of orders so I need to get my act together lol. I also want to start entering some challenges again soon. Don't forget to to join in on this week's challenge over at the Corrosive Challenge Blog, I'd love to see your creations ♥

Have you been tangoed?!

Hi there

I hope you're all having a great weekend. The weather has been really nice here today so it's been good to get out into the sunshine. We went for a walk by the canal with Lulu and got chatting to a few of our new neighbours along the way. It was lovely. Mind you, Lulu is such a feisty little madam. She is so selective..friendly to some, snappy with others. You never know how she's going to behave. We've been told it's because she is scared since being pinned down by two big dogs so she needs more socialising with people/dogs. That's all very well if they don't mind being yapped/snapped at lol. All tips gratefully received! She's a perfect little puppy other than that. She steals the odd thing, but she hasn't chewed anything up or done anything that you would expect a normal puppy to do, but this is a bit of a problem with her.

I made today's card for the Corrosive Challenge Blog sketch this week. As soon as I saw the sketch I had an idea of what I wanted to do. Do you ever find that happens to you? It's quite rare for me. I tend to mull lots of ideas over, decide what it is I'm going to do and then end up with something totally different lol. This one actually looked like my original idea, yay! I really wanted to use some bright colours now that the weather is cheering up, and found this gorgeous orange paper which kicked off the idea.




Using an embossing folder I embossed two orange strips of card. I overlay a rectangular piece of orange flowery paper. I cut out a small and medium black circle. I pop dotted the small black circle on the top left, adding the number 40 which I had cut in orange as the main colour and then the shadow in white. I pop dotted the medium circle to the bottom right of the card and cut out an orange flower which I finished off with a black and white dotty brad. Don't you just LOVE that brad. I think it is FAB!!! I love all things dotty...no comments please lol. (Ian would say that's because I am dotty!) To finish the card I added a silver glitter topper.

Dies: Sizzix 'Lipstick Love Letter' alphabet, Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, 'Bloom Dots', Sizzix Circles # 2

Paper: Bazzill cardstock, Sandylion orange floral paper (sorry the name was cut off the sheet so I'm not sure of the actual name of it)

Accessories: Topper from stash. (I keep saying I'm going to make a load of these myself. They would be ever so easy to do and you could do loads of different fonts/colours/sizes. I must add them to my to do list. If it's written down it might get done...one day!

I really enjoyed using this sketch and I think it's one I will keep returning to. (Thanks for the inspiration Janet!) It's great having a few templates to hand when you can't quite make your mind up what to make, especially when you're in a rush. So, go on, join in this week with the challenge, this week's prize is a Ketto stamp, and some lovely ribbon. It would be great to see what you guys come up with :o) I don't know if you've seen those little Ketto stamps but they are ADORABLE. I've just had a few arrive that I've yet to play with, sooo cute!

Have a great Sunday! x

Spring Fever!

Hi again

I made it through the day without finishing off the chocolate, so I'm feeling very proud of myself tonight :o) I had just one piece, which I counted. (When I say counted what I mean is that I lost my weight through Weight Watchers so every food has a points value and you are only allowed a certain number of points each day). Personally I think all chocolate should be zero points but I guess it wouldn't taste so good if you could eat it all day...or would it?!!!

Rae has challenge #2 on over at her 'Use It' challenge blog. This week the challenge was set by last week's winner, Danni over at dannisdoodles. She made a lovely white card with pretty spring flowers on it. Her rules were;

•use spring colors on your card
•use 4+ flowers
•use a tag

Oh yes and because it's a 'Use It' challenge you need to dig into some old stash that you haven't used. Hmmm, now that shouldn't be easy really, should it? I am sooooo bad at buying things, putting them away and then forgetting what I've bought. It makes for nice surprises when you do actually rummage for bits though ;o)

I think I might have a bit of spring fever, I'm feeling very creative today! I wanted to do something with spring colours and a bit of black. I dug out some Cuttlebug cutters that I have been meaning to use for a while and this is what I came up with;



I started by cutting out a piece of Basic Grey paper from my Eva pad and inked them with charcoal chalk ink pad by Colorbox. Using my X-Cut punch aligner I cut out a border in pink. I cut out 3 yellow squares with my Nesties which I inked, and using my cutters I cut out the frog, butterfly and flower in different scraps of paper. I had the cute little boggle eyes in my stash and thought they looked fab as the eyes for the frog. I then added the necessary 4 flowers with stick on gems, and added a sparkly tag with the 'best wishes' sentiment.

Dies: Cuttlebug 2 x 2 'Garden Creatures'
Paper: Basic Grey 'Eva' 6 x 6 paper, Bazzill Bling
Accessories: 'Got Flowers Sm Mix Bright' by Prima Marketing, boggle eyes from stash, stick on gems by Mei Flower, tag by Express Yourself DIY cards

I really enjoyed making this card, the colours were fun to work with and I loved doing the boggle eyes on the frog. Zoom into the picture and you can see how cute they are! Thanks for the challenge Danni, it was fun!

Going Green!

Hi again

I was going to post this yesterday but it was a bit tricky because the card was for my Mum for St Patrick's Day and she is an avid reader of my blog, although she isn't an official follower. Shame on her lol. I am going to enter this into for challenge #3 at The Corrosive Challenge Blog. The challenge this week is to make a card that has green on, so this one is perfect for it!

It's another quick make, I cut out two rectangles, ran them through the embossing folder and rounded the corners. Before sticking them down I added in a couple of staples (got this idea from Nancy over at 'Scrap This'. Thanks Nancy ;o) Her cards are great, so bright and cheery! I then cut out the heart which I ran through the embossing folder too and then inked the edges. I cut out a little rectangle from Basic Grey paper and rounded those corners too. I stuck the green panels straight onto the card, then added a pop dot under the BG paper to raise it. I stuck the heart on and added the shamrock which I also pop dotted. Finally I stamped the sentiment in green. It's not that easy to see the layering here. Oh yes, I also doodled lines around all of the green card, but not the shamrock.

I took the photo in the garden for a change, it's been absolutely wonderful out there today. Why is it a bit of sun makes you feel so much better in yourself? :o)

Today has been yet another stressful day on the house front, we've have been 'exchanging' since last Tuesday and each day get told that 'today is the day'. Hmmmm, me thinks not! We still have a bit to go on the packing but we're getting there, thanks to my lovely Marmie (Mum) that pushes us to keep going. She's great, she really helps us get things done!

Well this is just a quick post now, off to direct the packing of yet more boxes! I will leave you with the recipe for the card;

Dies: Sizzix 'Hearts, Double', Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' Embossing Folder, Quickutz shamrock
Paper: SU! Glorious Green & Green Galore & white cardstock, Basic Grey Cardstock (spare sheet, sorry not sure what the name is)
Stamps: Hero Arts 'Happy St. Patrick's Day'

Let it Snow

No, I'm not wishing for snow, honestly! It's far too nice out there at the moment! I just thought I would share a quick Christmas card that I made.

I admire the girls that have been making a Christmas Card each week, I always say I will but it just never quite happens. I guess I'm a girl that likes to live life on the edge and increase stress levels around November/December!! I work better to deadlines!

Anyway, this is such a simple card to make. All I did was emboss a piece of 'elephant' Bazzill bling (those who follow my blog will know that Bazzill call it something else, but I like to have my own names for things!) Sorry, I digress...So I embossed it using the snowflake Cuttlebug embossing folder, then cut out two strips in black glitter (left over from my Gothic Fairy) to attach to either side of the embossed panel. I then cut out the phrase, 'Let it Snow', in glitter and added a swarowski crystal for the dot of the letter 'i'. That's it, simple huh! When I do card commissions for Christmas I tend to make cards that are quick and easy because of the quantity involved. Also, nobody would buy them if I had to factor in the time/materials used!

Dies: Sizzix 'Let It Snow', Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' Embossing Folder
Paper: Bazzill Basics & black glitter card
Accessories: Swarowski crystal

I was also given this blog award yesterday, for supporting Kim's blog. Such a pretty award, don't you think?! You should check out her blog, she does some lovely designs.
We all know how fantastic it is to receive nice comments about our work, it makes it all worthwhile somehow. It's great to get feedback. I love to leave people comments because I know how much it cheers up my day.

I'd like to pass this award onto all of my followers;

Necron (I can't seem to find the link to your blog Necron)
MiniShoes (I can't find the link to yours either, love the name by the way!)
Sheena (go see her card for Lyn using one of the Holly & Madison downloads, it's luverly)
Emily (check out her pirate card, it's fab!)
Sarah-Jane (great with SU! products, and check out her post it note holders)
Michelle (check out her latest flowers card, SO funky!)
Debs (check out her darling 50th birthday cake, it's so cute!)
Katy (go see all the gorgeous bits she has made, not just cards)
Nikki (look at her cupcake card, it's good enough to eat!)
Christine (go see her tree header, it's gorgeous! Oh to have that as a stamp!)
Hannah (look at her gorgeous card for the Use It! challenge using my fave Amy Butler papers)
Sandra (one blogger I've actually met! Go back a bit and see her Daisy and Dan school card, it's one of my faves)
Pinky (what a cool name and check out her lovely colouring in of those stamps!)

I can't tell you all how much I appreciate your support, it keeps me creative knowing that you're interested in seeing what I make. Those that have been following me will know that I was aiming for 10 followers and guess what I've now got 13!! Poor Ian sees me doing a little dance every time another person follows my blog, he thinks I'm nuts!

There's just so much talent out there and inspiration. It's endless. I absolutely love blogging, I'm really enjoying 'meeting' lots of new people that share my passion in cardmaking. Keep up the great work guys! If there's anything new you'd like to see on my blog just drop me an e-mail.

Hope you all have a fab day!

A Year In Cards

I had kind of challenged myself to join in the Kristina Werner's 'A Year In Cards' class this week, over at 2 Peas. You can get the video and links on Kristina's blog here. The idea is that there are cards to make each month so that you can add to your stash throughout the year. This month's theme is 'Thank You'. You basically join the class by creating a card and uploading it. I liked the circular card best so decided to make one of those. I got to make little paper flowers which was easy and good fun. It was like being back at school again!

Yay, that's one of my challenges done for this week, stamping a card is still outstanding!

Dies: Cuttlebug 'A2 Combo With Gratitude'
Paper: Dream Street Papers LLC, 'Near & Dear - Andrea', Sandylion 'Fresh Lemonade'
Accessories: circular hole punch, brad from stash

Have a good evening ♥

Fred!

My next card has been made because our friends have just bought a new dog and called him Fred. He has been poorly treated but is now with two of the nicest people you could meet. I think he's a long haired terrier. We wanted to welcome him to his new home so we are sending a card with a little gift.

The name Fred is always a source of fun in this house. Natasha, like any other girl of her age, loves cuddly toys, but more specifically in her case 'Yoohoos'. Now for those of you who don't know what a Yoohoo is here's a pic for you.
They are rather strange, but cute somehow too.. I think! Well, she has 53 of these things now. Pocket money/birthday money/good behaviour money has all been wasted, I mean spent, on these adorable little creatures. Each time she buys one I get asked what she should call it so I always say, 'Fred'. I usually get the 'Oh Mummy' face when I say it of course! Well, when she asked me what our friends' dog was called she didn't believe me when I said he was called Fred, which we all found highly amusing!

This card is for the Cupcake Craft Challenge #28 this week. I like the simplicity of this sketch, it's handy when you need to make up a quick card.

I cut the dog bone paper into two separate strips, cut out an orangey strip of Bazzill for the centre and added paw prints. I then used my NEW(!) Nesties for the background for the dog, which I cut in Bazzill Bling and cream linen cardstock. I added the Cuttlebug dog using 'pop dots' (3d foam pads to you guys - you'll get used to me, I have weird names for things!) and added a little brad at the bottom right (see mini pic) using my NEW(!) Nesties again!! I love them, they're fab!



I had to take a little pic of this brad, don't you just love it! It's so cute! By the way that isn't a dirty mark on the card around it, it's just a shadow! The perfectionist in me would die if I had a mark on it! lol

Dies: Cuttlebug 'Kids 2 Step Dog' (Hmmm, didn't realise it was for kids, oh well, still love it!), Cuttlebug 'Dog' Die
Paper: The Paper Company Studio 'Paws and Claws - Dog Bones', Bazzill Classic/Bling
Accessories: Nesties, brad from stash

I'm hoping to post something else later, but dinner is calling me right now. Maybe see you later for another posting :o)

Sweet Flourishes

Hi there. How's your day going? I am trying to get in a bit of blogging before we have to start packing for our house move. I am going to have to be one of those divas that directs everyone where to pack/put things because I can't do a lot with my back prob! I hate that though, don't you? It sounds wonderful not being able to lift a finger, but in reality I find it cringy. It makes me look really pretentious lol. I'm looking forward to moving but I hate all the upheaval, not knowing where everything is. I've already said that my craft goodies are coming in the car with us, nobody is getting their hands on them, and I can set up everything asap then! Mind you, I'm wondering how we will fit in the car with it all, there's SO much!

Anyway, I was asked to make an anniversary card for one of my Mum's friends, and I wanted to use some of the new downloadable papers by Pink Petticoat, called 'Sweet Flourishes'. I download a lot of the papers from there but only occasionally actually play with them. I don't know why, I just tend to turn to my 'tactile' papers first instead of my 'virtual' ones! They are great though because you can just match them up without having to leave the house because you've run out.

I decided to use the sketch #3 over at The Pink Elephant Challenge Blog because it had a flourish on it, which I could handily match up with my new papers. I printed out the cranberry white flourish paper, and cranberry solid colour. I love the flourishes that are out at the moment, I've just ordered one from SU. I'm really looking forward to using it. I've not been on this site before, but the winners cards look fab, don't they?!

Ok, sorry I'm digressing, so for this card I then cut out three rectangles, one in black, one in cranberry and one in white and rounded the top two corners. (I am SO excited, I bought an X-Cut Corner Punch and it actually works, it's fab, so you might see a few rounded corners on my cards until the novelty wears off!) I cut out a flourish in black using my Big Shot machine and attached this to the card, overlaying the white card. I cut a heart in Sweet Flourish, and the outline in black. I cut a strip in cranberry and used my SU scallop punch for the black and stuck this over the bottom of the rectangles. I then stamped (yes, I really stamped something again..I'm getting good at this!) the sentiment onto white card, and layered it onto black, and rounded the corners again. To finish I rounded the corners on the card, and added random swarowski crystals.

Dies: Sizzix 'Swirly' and Cuttlebug 'Hearts & Stamps'
Stamps: Penny Black 'Happy Anniversary'
Paper: Pink Petticoat 'Sweet Flourishes' & Bazzill Classic
Accessories: Stamping Up! scallop punch

Hope you like it. I've got a few more postings to come, I was having problems with Photoshop so couldn't upload, but it's all resolved now!

Cheery Flower

Hi there everyone. Happy Saturday! It's been tricky doing/posting cards this week because my little girl is on half term. I always feel guilty card making when she is around, it's not fair on her. She is playing in the garden with Lulu at the moment so I thought I would quickly post while I can!

I love playing along with Kristina Werner's Color Inspirations #42. This week's one was a real challenge. I just couldn't get the colours to look good, so in the end I opted for the easy way out by using a lot of white and the other colours as accents. I don't have the SU! colours so I used Bazzill Basics that were close to them. As usual I'm one of the last on the list of entries. I work better to deadlines!! That's my excuse anyway!



The card was actually really easy to construct, once I'd got my head around it! I embossed some white cardstock with my Cuttlebug embossing folder. I then cut out the flower/leaves with my Sizzix cutter, added a few strips of colour at the top and bottom of the white and then stamped my sentiment. I wanted to make a card that I could keep for any occasion so went for my 'Hugs & Kisses' stamp, that way it will work for a 'get well', 'thanks', 'thinking of you' kind of card. As you can see I still have wonky pictures, but hey ho you get the drift!

Dies: Sizzix 'Paper Sculpting, Daisy', Cuttlebug 'Bloom Dots'
Stamps: Hero Arts, 'Hugs & Kisses'
Paper: Basic Grey (yes again! I LOVE these papers, can you tell?!) & Bazzill Classic

I'm off to post now, back soon!

I've been busy!

Hi again

I have a few cards to share with you tonight, but first I want to mention some people that have some fab blog candy to give away. The first one is from Sarah-Jane at Cards and a Cuppa. I've got my eye on those word stamps! I love her cards, you should go over there and check them out. The second is on Stamping with a Whiff of Joy, where they have a new Medieval Collection with the characters "Charlotte & Charlie" coming out. They look really cute. I love the medieval and tudor period so will definately be trying to win that :o)

Now onto cards. I'm a proud Mummy tonight, my little girl made this fab card with no help from me at all. It was for her 'Mama' (Grandma) for Valentine's Day. I was so impressed when I saw it.

The first challenge I'm entering is 2 Sketches 4 You - Laura's Sketch #19. I really liked their sketch this week, but to be honest I always do! This card was going to be a poodle!! I made it all up and then decided that it looked hideous, I had done it in pink for a bit of fun, but it looked horrid when I put it all together, so I took it apart and did a cupcake instead!

I love all the cupcake card making items around, they look good enough to eat, don't they?!

Dies: Sizzix Cupcake #3, Cuttlebug Swiss Dots Embossing Folder
Stamps: PSX 'With Love'
Paper: Bazzill Classic and a scrap of patterned card from my stash

Ooh, ooh, I used a stamp, I told you I would!!!

Hope you like it, I'm going to link it over at 2S4U now.

My little puppy and the odd card or two!

Hi. I hope you've had a good day and have been making all those fab cards again! I thought I would share a couple of piccies of Lulu. She is SO much fun, but totally mischievous as you can imagine for a 5 month old puppy. Today I was typing an e-mail and felt my cardi being pulled. I looked down to see her pulling my belt out trying to get me to play with her!!! She also managed to find a scarf that I had made and ate a great big hole in it! The trouble is, like my little girl Natasha, she gives me those cute eyes and face and I forgive her anything! I'm such a pushover!

Speaking of Natasha do any of you get stressed out by your kids' homework?! I try and give my two pennies worth and a performance that deserves an Oscar breaks out here lol. Hmmm, I might stick to making cards, it's much easier.

Moving onto the cards I have a couple to share with you today. The first is a 'New Home' card. It was going to be for the Kristina Werner Color Inspiration but I never quite got around to submitting it in time.

The sign showing on the right was just cut out and then inked with dark brown around the edges.





To 'dress' the windows I just stuck some card pieces behind them. I then added hearts coming out of the chimney to resemble smoke ('heart shaped smoke'?? It sounds odd now I'm typing it out!!)

The background paper is from my K & Co 'Wild Saffron' pad again, boy that's getting some use now! I ran the yellow through a cuttlebug embossing pad, tied on the ribbon and then mounted it onto a piece of dark brown cardstock. I keep seeing big ribbon on cards at the moment, but I'm not sure if it looks quite right on this one. You will have to let me know what you think.

Dies: Sizzix 'Doodle Dies, Home Sweet Home', Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, Floral', Quickutz signpost
Paper: K & Co, 'Wild Saffron', Bazzill Classic
Accessories: Ribbon from my stash, pearl stick ons

Can anyone tell me how to get my photos of my cards to look straight? They all end up looking a bit wonky down one/two sides. I use Photoshop to edit, but try to get a good photo first so that I don't have to edit too much. Not sure what I'm doing wrong. Any ideas?????

I also made a very simple 10 minute card for a friend, using my good old Lily cutter.

I cut out the paper, tied the floral paper with ribbon, then mounted it onto the bling. I then cut out the flower, layered it twice and added a third layer for the bottom two petals. I put the stamen on and added a pearl, again that little tip I got from my local craft shop. In each of the corners you might just be able to make out mini pearls. It just needed a little finishing touch and these were up to the job :o)

Dies: Sizzix 'Flower, Lily'
Paper: Basic Grey 6 x 6 'Euphoria' paper pad
Accessories: Ribbon from my stash, pearl stick ons, Stampendous peel offs

I will get into stamping at some point. You would never think I'm a girl that owns about 300 rubber stamps. I've just got into die cutting so much that I haven't done much on the stamping side. Now I've told you that bit of info I will have to do something with them, this blogging is good for me. If I commit it to writing I will have to do it now lol.

Bee Happy!

I decided to have a go at the Mojo Monday #72 sketch this week. I LOVE this sketch, it is gorgeous. I just love this whole sketch thing in general. It's so much fun seeing what others create, and how people interpret the sketches in such different ways. I have seen some beautiful designs out there that would never have even entered my mind.

I thought I would do something non-Valentine's Day for a change! I enjoyed making this card, the colours are really fun to work with, but it didn't photograph very well however the paper is intended to look distressed anyway. I still need to play around with all the lighting side of things. Rae came up with a great idea for a light box, I am definately going to try that out ...well I will get Ian to look at it for me! I have not done a challenge on Mojo Monday yet, but have been looking at them for the last couple of weeks with the intention of getting around to it.

My interpretation of the sketch is below. Hope you like it...



*Edited - to add goodies used*

Dies: Quickutz bumble bee, Cuttlebug embossing folder for yellow strip behind ribbon
Paper: K & Co 'Wild Saffron', Bazzill
Accessories: Ribbon from my stash, s.e.i burnt almond fudge alphabet stickers

A dotty hello :o)

I thought it would be nice to do a little 'hello' card and came up with this dotty dog idea! It was really quick to make too.