A bit of Lurve!

Happy Wednesday everyone!  I hope you're all having a good week, with nice weather too.  Our weather is quite mild here today, overcast but at least not the rainy spells that the weatherman threatened :o)

Today I'd like to share a card with you that I made for the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge. Finally I'm starting to get chance to play along. I love their sketches.

This is the sketch for this week..

I wanted to have a go at shabby and chic, what d'ya think?  Did I get there?!!

For this card I used my new Lawn Fawn hearts, Teeny Tiny Backdrops, with Fired Brick distress ink by Tim Holtz.  Using my heart shape nesties I cut a red larger heart and a white smaller one on which I stamped a heart using the 'Seasons of Love' set by Waltzingmouse Stamps.  I also used the sentiment from this set too.  I then smudged around the edges with the Fired Brick and inked the sentiment tag, finishing off with red swarovski gems to the left of the sentiment.  Finally I added three prima flowers and a red ribbon (which I stitched on to keep it more secure)  Once I'd finished assembling the heart I pop dotted it off the centre of the card.  I'm really pleased with how this one turned out.

Using the same sketch I then made a very quick birthday card.  Rather than stamping the background I just used heavily patterned paper.  The card is actually prettier in real life because I used some pink Stickles on the centres of the flowers.   I just never have enough cards on hand, do you?  Sometimes it's nice to have a quick card you can pop in the post if you need to!  The paper is Basic Grey, the stamps 'Sophie's Sentiments' and 'Bannerific' by Lawn Fawn. 

Tomorrow I will be back with two cards, one for this week's Play Date Cafe challenge, and another for the monthly challenge over at Tiffany Doodles.  Until then, happy Wednesday!!

Daring Cardmakers Challenge & Mini Giveaway

Hi there

I know.. I'm posting again, it is amazing for me but I've been busy in my studio lately!

Daring Cardmakers are having a challenge to create a Christmas themed card for a Papercraft Inspirations Magazine Party,  and as I'm on a mission to get lots of different Christmas designs done I thought I'd play along!  This one happened to be a lucky one of those 'here's one I made earlier cards' that fitted in with the challenge, don't you just LOVE it when that happens.  I have to be honest it's quite rare for me.  The reality is I make the card and then completely miss the deadline lol

I bought this background Basic Grey paper a few years ago when I was making my own Christmas cards for the year, but totally overestimated how much I needed and still have about 20 sheets left despite having made dozens of cards!

The Christmas tree is by Sizzix, which I have just embellished with thick silver glitter card, and mounted onto various sizes of Nesties.  I wanted it to have a bit of a Shaker style so added the gingham ribbon tied with twine to match the green distressed edges of the paper.

I'm still trying to work out what my card making style is.  I keep reading about the different categories. What do you reckon mine is?!  Fun & Cute, Clean & Graphic, Classy & Elegant, Shabby & Vintage

Leave me a comment  by Saturday 9th October, midnight, GMT, telling me what you think my cardmaking style is and I will select a random winner to receive these two stamps from SU!

For greater chances to win post a note in the sidebar of your blog about this mini giveaway and add another comment to let me know! 

Have fun, and if you haven't started making Christmas cards yet now's a good time!  I am starting early for a change, woohoo!!

Happy World Card Making Day!

Happy World Card Making Day!

It's great fun to be able to join in with so many talented cardmakers. I have learnt such a lot from other crafters since blogging.  People are just really friendly and happy to share ideas. It's a wonderful place to be part of, and I've made some lovely friends doing it too.

I made this card using last week's Waltzingmouse Sketch.  I didn't get chance to enter, but thought it was such a fab sketch for making some quick Christmas cards.  I used October afternoon papers, a Sizzix christmas tree with swarovski gems and finished it off with a tag using 'Fancy Tag' nesties and 'Seasons of Love' stamps by Waltzingmouse. 

My second card was made using this week's Taylored Expressions sketch.  I used Prima papers with my large nestie (not sure of the name of it), a Martha Stewart butterfly and some crystals from Zva.  I then finished it off with my sentiment from 'Sophie's Sentiments' by Lawn Fawn and some SU! stripey ribbon.

Hope you get time to join in the fun!

Christmas is here!

Hi there everyone

I've been playing in my studio with some cards and wanted to join in the fun over at The Sweetest Thing. I haven't joined in for a while now.  Karen asked us to choose our favourite sketch and make something with it.  Ooh, what a hard choice that was, all of her sketches are lovely.  I had no idea where to start!  I chose this one..

It's appalling weather here today so try as I may I couldn't get a decent photo, but hope you get the idea.  The little brad looking gems on the tree are actually swarowski crystals, so sparkle beautifully under light, but for some reason one looks like it has a black dot in the middle of it, and the rest all look matt, :o(  Very odd!

Firstly I distress inked the card base with Antique Linen (Tim Holtz) distress ink.  I then cut a strip of Cosmo Cricket patterned paper which I adhered to the border of the card, and I ran the reverse of the paper (sheet music) through my Big Shot using a nestie.  I then cut the other half with plain white cardstock and distressed it with Antique Linen distress ink.  I tied the big red ribbon around the centre of the label, and then pop dotted off the front of the card to add a bit of dimension.  Using my SU! hole punch I cut out the little tab in mint to match the mint on the holly leaves, and stamped it with my 'Seasons of Love' stamps from Waltzingmouse Stamps.  I inked the edges of the label with 'Fired Brick' distress ink and then added a Cricut Christmas tree to which I added the crystals and a mint star to the top. 

It seems strange to be making Christmas cards already, but it is very autumnal here today so I guess we have to say our Summer is over now.  What is good about that though is that I get more home time to play because there's nothing nicer than spending the day indoors crafting when it's horrid outside! 

Have fun, and I promise to try and be a better blogger now that everything is starting to settle down.  Thank you to everyone who has put up with my random blog postings.  I appreciate you staying with me, more than you perhaps realise! 

PDCC 49

Hey there!

It's SO good to be back playing along in the Play Date Cafe. I really missed not being able to join in last week. My little princess is now heaps better so I'm back, yay!

This week we are being sponsored by Technique Junkies.  Technique Junkies publish a newsletter every other month featuring 15 or more stamping techniques in a step-by-step format.

The technique we were asked to use is called Clipped Corners.  You stamp your image and then trim back the corners on one side.   I don't very often try new techniques so this was fun, but I'm not sure the outcome really worked.  I made the card, then looked at it and thought it looks more like I've stuck the heart on instead of actually cutting it away.  I have cut it away but it looked so flat I had to add a 3d layer.  Is that cheating??  Probably, but it meant I could sleep lol

These are Sarah's challenge colours.  Isn't that lamp pretty?!

I showed my friend the card and she just asked, 'where's the orange?'  Well if you look closely you will hopefully see that I coloured in the centre of the blue flowers (given to me by Sav - thanks sweetie!) with an orange copic marker AND the centre of my pink ribbon has an orange dotted line.  So see, my dear friend that doubted I had used all of the challenge colours, I SO did!!!!

 
Pat Huntoon, owner of Technique Junkies,  is also our guest designer this week, so don't forget to pop by her blog too.

1. Mat base with brown cardstock
2. Stamp heart using Versamark, emboss
3. Starting at top edge of heart cut away the left hand side of the card (in hindsight I should probably have trimmed less of the bottom of the heart (the actual card was as wide as the left edge of the heart) to make it work for the technique but if you read my 'ps' below you will see that this just wasn't an option!
4. Cut oval nestie, stamp with sentiment and attach to heart, add a flower embellishment
5. Punch border strip in white, add pink/orange ribbon and embellish to finish
6. Moan to your other half that you're not sure it works for the challenge, but that you did do the clipped corner as shown, vow to do better next time!

ps - this card may look like it was thrown together, but trust me that heart stamp nearly got thrown in the bin many times, not because it's a poor stamp but because I realised (too late!) that I have a quirky uneven table which stops things being stamped properly.  Now I know I've told you this about another card many moons ago, but I thought that was the only table in the house with the quirky issue, but it turns out there are more of them lol

Don't forget to pop by the rest of the design team to see what they've created.

Julie Ranae (Senior DT)

Sarah Anderson (Senior DT)

Lisa Somerville

Savannah O'Gwynn

Suzanne Czosek
Andrea Ewen

Pop on over to the Cafe and link your post. If you use an online gallery, please use the keyword PDCC49, and don't forget to use our inspirational colours to be eligible to win!

Back soon with some more to share.

Hi everyone

I hope you had a lovely weekend and got nice and artsy when you could!

I have a simple little card to share with you today that I haven't blogged yet. I needed a quick card for a friend and decided to raid my daughter Tink's stash instead of mine for a change. She was very good about it all, adding that she normally takes all of mine so she doesn't mind sharing.  Aww, bless her! 

This card is 3 x 3, my fave size at the minute as I'm sure you know.  I forget sometimes how much fun it is to use chipboard, I must use it more often!

Enjoy the rest of your day/evening.  I'll be back with some more to show you soon.

Take care

Happy Birthday Julie!!

Hi there everyone

If my scheduling has worked you should be seeing a card with a yummy cake on it!  

I made this card for Julie over at the Julie's Open Window.  It's a very special birthday for her today, so Happy Birthday Julie!!! 

I hope you have a wonderful day, get lots of time to craft and get a cake as big as this one!!

I have known Julie since joining the Play Date Cafe Challenge design team, which she heads up.  She is such an encouraging and caring person, who has always made me feel welcome from day one, and genuinely cares about the people that play along with our challenges.  She goes the extra mile to make us all feel part of a great team.  As if she wasn't busy enough with the PDCC she also has her own personal blog. She makes some fab creations so pop on over to see her.  You won't be disappointed. 

I used this 2 Sketches 4 You sketch.  Such a simple sketch, but it really sparks my creativity.  Thanks Laura, love it!

I seem to be on a bit of a Cosmo Cricket (DeLovely) thing at the moment.  Every time I make a card I want to use these papers!  I hope you don't get too fed up with seeing them!  I used Lawn Fawn stamps for the cake and sentiment, did a little bit of stitching (I thought you were worth the effort Julie!) and distressed the edges of my paper. When I do this I always wonder if people will think I've just grabbed an old scrap of paper that should have been thrown out!  It's ok for us in the card making world, but what about those that don't know the latest trends.  What will they think of it all lol

Hope you likey!

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge

Hi everyone

I managed to get a few minutes to post about a card I made earlier this week for the Waltzingmouse Sketch.

My Mum asked me to make some more dreaded 'man cards'. For those that follow my blog you will know these really aren't my favourite. I don't know about you, but it can be so easy for man cards to look so, well let's be honest, uncool! My friend and I were having a discussion with Mum to explain that man cards don't need all the fuss on them that we do for women's cards. They just like plain, simple, to know they've been remembered and that's about as far as their interest goes (according to my man anyway lol)

I used my new Papertrey Ink dies with some Basic Grey papers.  Those stamps are SO much fun to play with.  The little tickets are adorable, and that 'Say it With Style' font for the 'Happy Birthday' is such fun!  I hadn't seen much of it, but now I have the set I keep seeing it everywhere, on coffee tins, on books, signs etc!  Funny how that happens!

So tell me what are your special ingredients for making a good 'man card' as they are called in our house? Do you have fall back ideas that you return to again and again? I'd love to hear all about them! I need all the help I can get!

So how did I do? Is it ok?? Please forgive the poor picture, I was hoping to get around to rephotographing it but Mum put it in the post before I got chance.

Did Mum like it? Hmmm, not sure, but she does feel a bit happier about it being more simple, so that's a good start!

Come back tomorrow, I have a scheduled post for a special someone! ;o)

PDCC 48

Hi everybody

Sorry I've been a bit quiet, my daughter has been really poorly with asthma, so I haven't had chance to do anything.

It's Thursday so please do pop over and join in with the Play Date Cafe fun though. I had hoped to join in but my Florence Nightingale duties took over. The girls have all done a fabulous job and we have a great sponsor too!

I will be back tomorrow with a card, providing my scheduled post works! 

Have fun!

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge #14

Hi there

Finally I got a chance to sit down and join in with Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge, I love their sketches but never quite get chance to play, and guess what... I just popped over there to check the deadline date and I've missed it again lol.  Typical! 

Here is the sketch, as you can see I flipped it!  

I got lots of Papertrey Ink stamps as pressies, so had to play with my ticket stamps and die cutter.  Ooh what fun they are, I was like a little kid trying out lots of new designs!  Papers used are DeLovely by Cosmo Cricket, the punched border is by Martha Stewart and the BEAUTIFUL polka dot ribbon was a birthday gift from my crafting friend, luverly! The little houses stamp is by Stampotique.  Aren't they quirky?!

Have a great day!

PDCC 47 with Paperbag Studios

Happy Thursday everyone!

I'm really pleased you've popped by for our latest colour challenge from the Play Date Cafe! This week Sarah Anderson has chosen some lovely bright colours for us, mixed with some black and white. We are being sponsored by Paperbag Studios, and have Roben Marie-Smith joining us too as Guest Designer!

I LOVE the stamps we were given to work with for the challenge, they are really funky!  I decided to make a little book with mine, see below...

This set is called Doodles & Daters..

There are just so many possibilities for it.  I love it when you see a set and it sparks off lots of different ideas of how to use it, fun!!   The challenge this week weren't the colours, but what stamps to use first because they're all so yummy!


This is Sarah's colour story, isn't that picture great?!!!  I'd like to have that as my studio!!

1. Cover card base with black card stock, stamp images in Versamark and emboss with clear powder
2. Stamp a strip onto blue cardstock
3. Stamp label, and the word 'Notes:' onto white cardstock and mount onto a larger piece of red polka dot paper.  Pop dot the label over the blue strip
4. Cut out and round corners of two pieces of scrap paper, stamp stitching and add a doodled flower from the set, add stickles to centre of flower
5. Stamp and fussy cut file tabs for edges of pages
6. Stitch in some pages to make a book, and add file tabs to finish
7. Send to a friend to get a double check on if it's ok or not because it's so random.  Smile when she says, 'I love it, I want it!'  At least you know now it's not going to be stashed away in a drawer never to be seen again ;o)

Stamps:  Doodles & Daters by Paperbag Studios, Papertrey Ink 'It's Official' (notes stamp)
Papers: Various scraps from stash

I couldn't stop at one project with this set so I also made a quick new home card here...

Don't forget to pop by the rest of the design team to see what they've created.

Julie Ranae (Senior DT)

Sarah Anderson (Senior DT)

Lisa Somerville

Savannah O'Gwynn

Suzanne Czosek

Andrea Ewen

So come and join in on the fun!  You could win a $25 gift certificate in the Paperbag Studio store. 

Pop on over to the Cafe and link your post. If you use an online gallery, please use the keyword PDCC47, and don't forget to use our inspirational colours to be eligible to win! I'm still going around and doing comments, so if I haven't got around to yet I will!

Back tomorrow with another card for a challenge.  Have a great day!

Time to Celebrate - I made a card lol

Hey there everyone

Firstly thank you so much for all of my wonderful birthday wishes.  I will get around at some point to see you but until then please know how very much I appreciated them.  I was really touched at how many I got.  I believe a little bird told you all about it on her blog too!  So thank you, you made my day! :o)

Well,  I finally made a card! Sorry for my lack of blogging, it's been a bit of a funny week. We were busy at the weekend and then my little princess went away with her school on Monday for the week, and Mummy isn't liking it very much so her mojo kind of died a bit!  Just 2 sleeps to go now, not that I'm counting or anything!!

Anyway, I've made a little card to share with you today, it's a 3" x 3" card, I LOVE this size card, it's so cute!  I used Papertrey Ink Fillable Frames die and stamp set with a Martha Stewart butterfly punch.  I'm not sure who the paper is by, I can't seem to find the information on it (must have thrown that away at some point lol).  All finished off with a pretty piece of copic coloured ribbon, and a couple of pearls.

Hope you like it.  I will be back tomorrow with a project for the Play Date Cafe, it's a bit random for me so it will be interesting to see what you all think of it!

Have a great day!  Ciao for now ♥

PDCC 46 - You Can Have Your Cake And Eat It!

Well hello again!

It's time for the newest Play Date Cafe Challenge.  This week it's a colour splash and we are being sponsored by Creative Cuts and More, who specialise in die cut templates, bags, labels, shapes etc.  We got to play with some card templates so I chose to work on this lovely cake slice box.

I have to be honest I had no idea at all what to make with this, and I managed to get started at around midnight on Tuesday!  For my flower I used this tutorial.  It was great fun to create!  I love challenges, they really push you.

Here are the details of how I made it..

1. Stamp template with black flowers
2. Assemble box
3. Add gems to centre of flowers
4. Create flower using the tutorial shown above
5. Die cut a white nestie label and a larger label in pink, adhere
6. Stamp the word 'enjoy!' on the tag and attach to the box underneath the flower to finish

Stamps: Papertrey Ink 'Beautiful Blooms II', Lawn Fawn 'Harold ABC's'
Dies: Tim Holtz 'Tattered Florals'
Papers: Black, pink and white Bazzill cardstock
Accessories: Glitter brad from stash, swarowski crystals

Don't forget to check out the rest of the DT's inspirational pieces.

Julie Ranae (Senior DT)

Sarah Anderson (Senior DT)

Lisa Somerville

Savannah O'Gwynn

Suzanne Czosek

Andrea Ewen

So come and join in on the fun!  You could win this fab prize!

Pop on over to the Cafe and link your post. If you use an online gallery, please use the keyword PDCC46, and don't forget to use our inspirational colours to be eligible to win!  I'm sorry if I didn't get chance to pop by and comment last week, hopefully this week will be a bit easier. 

A Bit of Copic Colouring

Good evening!

As promised here is a card that I made with my Copics, my first proper attempt since going on my Copic course.  The card was quick to make, I wish I could say that about the colouring!!

I am entering it into the 'Color Me Copic' challenge where you have to try out a hair technique by Amy Young.

Hope you like it :o)

Tiffany Doodles 4

Hi everyone

It's time for another fun challenge over at Tiffany Doodles!  This month we are using a colour palette.  As you all know pale colours are a bit of a challenge in themselves for me, but I thought I'd challenge myself a bit further and try to manipulate one of the images in Photoshop.  I chose Tiffany's latest Label 5 image, it's gorgeous!!! 

Here's what I made with it;

Here is the colour palette.. 

The card itself was very simple, it was the playing on Photoshop that took me the time, but I did it!!  I am a novice at it, but I'd definately play again, it was fun!

Here are the details;

1. Mat card base with green polka dot cardstock (Bazzill) 
2. Download labels 5 die image, (see link above) change colours in Photoshop programme
3. Fussy cut around the edges of the label and mat onto black cardstock
4. Stamp on 'bundle of joy', tie on double ribbon with twine
5. Using nesties cut border in pink and black, attach to card as shown
6. Colour white ribbon with a cream Copic pen to match the card, tie with a knot to the side
7. Stamp teddy in pink and attach a smaller double button with twine to finish

Don't forget to check out the rest of the DT's blogs, they've done some great cards!

• Tiffany Richards Tiffany's Garden
• Cammy Wall Pink Room Therapy
• Cindy Lee My Lil Crafty Corner
• Deirdre Horgan Colour and Ink
• Donna Mikasa 3 Umbrellas
• Julie Masse Stampin' with Julie
• Kathy Racoosin The Daily Marker
• Kim Schofield Paperie Petals
• Lindsay Amrhein Note to Self
• Peet Roeven Scrap Album
• Ruby McGuire (that's me!)
• Shannon Neparko Desert Design Studios
• Sunghee Chon Creativity in Progress
• Virginia Lu Yes, Virginia

You have until the end of the month to enter for a chance to win some fab prizes! More details can be found on the main Tiffany Doodles site, just pop on over there to enter. Don't forget to grab our blinkies for your blog too!