Tied Up

Another quick schedule post, should be on the way back today. Here's my son's birthday card, he's taking up golf since burning out his knee. I saw this Karen Doodles and knew I had to get him for his card. Typically is a mans card so embellishments were hard.
Ages ago I saw someone had made golf balls using debossed side of a dotty embossing folder but I don't think it was swiss dots but that was all I had.
The papers are My Minds Eye and hiding is Martha Stewart zig zag border punch.

Penny Black Saturday

Having to schedule this post so hope Mr Blogger behaves, taking MIL back this morning so what have time to get onto the PC.
So this weeks challenge on Penny Black Saturday Challenge is to use a Penny Black stamp to make a background. So if you have some clear set theres probably small stamps or in my case I use heart scroll stamp and just randomly stamped then coloured the hearts and flowers. Of course looking at it now I could have a least worked it out a bit better.
I made a frame using a MS around the page punches but its always too big and at least with this style I can cut it down you just about see my joins.
The pink card I just scored lines evenly apart, a bit or ribbon to bring the top and bottom together. Then I use a little Hedgie and once again I use square nesties. Yes the sentiment is peel offs.
Check out the team for more inspiration and look forward to seeing what everyones comes up with.

Happy 30th Birthday

David

Mums Birthday

I'm really please how my Mum's Birthday card turned out then I photograph it and it looks a bit wishy washy but it so isn't.
The image is digi called Bedtime from Mo Manning, I thought this was perfect for my Mum who lives for all the Grandchildren she has although now the Grandchildren are having children themselves.
The Happy Birthday banner came in hAnglar set and the sentiment is either Woodware or Hero Arts. I love the lace I got on E-bay is already gathered and Mum loves roses so it just needed working out how to layering them. Had to have my favourite swirl somewhere.
Mum was cut out using the cricut using the songbird font and some more rose to hold up the main card.

We took my MIL for afternoon tea yesterday and although its been warm most days they have been overcast but yesterday the sun came out and we had tea in the garden very civilised.
Hoping to get to Crafts U Love today and tonight DD and I are going to Nikki's evening workshop tonight.

Sketch Saturday Penny Black

Not getting much done at all the last couple of days and I doubt I will now before MIL goes back and I haven't made it to a craft shop either, hopefully that can be remedy tomorrow.
So its a good job I saved this card for today its using this weeks Sketch Saturday sketch. I did struggle with this My Minds Eye paper its all a bit too busy. But I'm trying to use it up, the pretty flower paper it probably the last decent bit and the funky flowers were punched out of some scraps left of the dotty paper.
Since it is so busy I've had to leave it pretty plain then I'm use to and leave the Penny Black image to do the talking.
Don't worry I do have a card for tomorrow since its my Mum's Birthday today so I can show what I made for her.

P.S Heard from my friend Nikki, Stampin Up said YES and they're replace my ornament punch.

WOYWW and Scrapbooking Wednesday

I can't really say that this is what my desk normally looks like on WOYWW, this was after I made a card before I tidied my mat up. This is quite tame you should of seen the mess after I made the simple card for Simon Says Stamps Challenge today, I had nearly every flower and embellishments that I owe out then used none of them.
Now for a bit of Scrapbooking this is the layout I made for the Scrapbuddies Challenge. The papers are My Minds Eye but I didn't like what was on the scallop paper so I cut out the spotty one and replaced it. The tape measure is Cosmo Cricket its on a 12 page but strips of different coloured tape measures . I made a pocket for journalling and the trees are cut on the cricut so was some of the title.

This is the PageMap I used, I love using these, I don't pay attention to sizes of photos just work out how I can incorporate mine. Generally my page flows in a completely different direction but as long as I pleased with it the sketch has done its job.

Spellbinders Easel Card

Oh I tried to put embellishments on but I think all these CAS are getting to me and left this Shaped card for Simon Says Stamps Challenge clean and simple.

 What ever did we do before Spellbinders Nestabilities I've used the classic squares, I always use the oval and circles but forget I've got these too. I was told you only need the scallops cos you can always cut a square but I had already ordered them, it might be true but it was a lot easier to pick up the right die then fiddling trying to measure etc.
I used my favourite cuttlebug folder Swiss Dots, the sentiment is from WOJ baby word set.  The Baby shoes is a Stampbilities stamp isn't it adorable and would work in Pink too. Just a piece of ribbon to finish. Then I spent the next hour puttin flowers etc on and taking them off!

Need a bit of inspiration then pop over the Simon Says Stamps Challenge and check out the teams fab creations and where we welcome Britta and Joy to the team. And look what fabulous prize you can win but don't forget you have to be in it to win it.

A Lily of the Valley Christmas

So who waited up till silly o'clock to buy the new Lily of Valley Christmas stamps. OK that would be me then. Well not really I'm having problems getting to sleep so I used it to my advantage although buying at that time of night is not good for remember what to buy. I wanted the Christmas circle sentiments but forgot to order them so will have to do it next time!
I was good though I didn't buy them all, some were quite detailed and I'm planning quick Christmas cards. I love this bauble stamp its like one I hunted for from Papermania but when I got my hands on it found it was absolutely enormous but this one is perfect.
I used the stamping up sentiment told you would see it again, again, again...........................
Yes I know I don't really need those red pearls but impatient lil here wouldn't wait for the ink to dry and the sentiment smudged. Managed to rub some off but I could still see it so out came the pearls.

Less is More Ribbon

The challenge this week on Less is More is for Buttons and Ribbons. So I was thinking of somehow have a original idea for ribbon but failed so decided to use what I call flat bows and since they fit through normal post I made a couple of Christmas cards.
These are Stamping up baubles which come with a matching punch but the darn thing stuck which is a bit annoying cos I've really only used it a couple times to check that it worked. I'd seen this style of card last year so this was my take of it.
The swirl is Hero Arts and was in my Simon Says Stamps parcel, the sentiment is stamping up. Not too sure on the pearls I think they would be better down by my sentiment but the card stock didn't want me to do move them so I had to leave them where they are.

So this is smaller card same stamp set from stamping up, love the sentiment be warned this may turn up a lot in the future. May have to rethink it a bout since not too sure of my floating Christmas tree!
The bow starts off as 7cm piece and a piece of double sided tape is put in the middle.
You bring the ends to the middle and stick down.
Another piece of double sided tape is put over the join.
You then take another piece of ribbon and stick down half way down the bit of double sided tape and then wrap round the bow joining on the other side of tape.
I stick a strip of ribbon down on the the card then stick down the ribbon.
Hope that makes sense.
Well MIL has arrived safely not sure how much blogging I'll be able to do or even crafting since my hubby thinks entertaining her means taking her out everyday may have to see if I can direct them to a craft shop.

In the Garden

In the Garden is the the challenge this week over at Everybody Art Challenge and Lemonade Stamps are sponsoring us again. I've used the same stamp as last week but I chopped off her balloons and coloured her instead of paper piecing.
The papers are perfect for the In the garden since the ones I use have strawberries on them promptly covered the up but the scallop one I actually cut and them edged them with a matching pen so you can't see my awful cutting out.
There was some paper that looked like wood so I used the Martha Stewart picket fence border punch using that worked a treat but I also used it for my swirl (Magnolia doo hickey one) I chopped it up in two pieces to make it work behind the flower.
Do check out the the team and we would love for you to join us.

Another Sherbert Pip

Another Sherbert Pip and Sweet Sketch Wednesday starting to become a habit for Monday. This time I've use Echo Park Springtime papers. The flowers are Woodware daisy punch and the flower centres are 1/4 and 1/2 inch circle punches and the swirl is my overworked Magnolia Doo Hickey swirl.
All finished with a sentiment in the right place from Craftwork cards and using the oval punches from Stampin Up.
Gosh what a sad weekend my heart goes out to all those people in Norway who have lost someone or been injury or even touched by the tradgedy.
Then we hear of the tortured soul Amy Winehouse probably who has taken her life.
I also heard of a dear friend who is quite poorly and hope shes on the mend soon.
It times like now you have to remember to live for the moment you never know whats round the corner.

What a Catch

It's my nieces hubby's birthday and I'll be honest I don't usually worry but knowing his a fisherman I had to buy these digi images from KarenDoodles. I thought it was so funny and I knew he would find it funny too.

It take a bit of time cutting out and layering probably more to do with that it basically two cards. I used My Minds Eye and the wave border is the EK success dot and scroll punched layered.
I gave the card a 5mm spine this was necessary with the layered image inside the card.

Its rare for me to decorate the whole of the inside. I did wonder if it would fit a challenge and I found one, Totally Papercrafts are looking for Mens cards so this pretty much tick that box.
 Hope he received the card cos I know my niece is on FB and my post pops up on there.

Stars

Seeing stars that would be for the challenge this week on Penny Black Saturday Challenge and I knew I would have to use this slapstick Penny Black Graduate Hedgie.
I used My Minds Eye Lime Twist again but I have problems using different papers because you couldn't see the stars no point making them, then not seeing them.
The banner is a stamp from hAnglar but it did mean I could use a large sentiment, cuttlebug corners and the stars are nestabilities and I made them the same way as yesterday but the tiny red ones are a punch.
I know tradition here in the UK the mortar board is black but I decided I wanted a matching red one.
Fantastic Ribbons are sponsoring us this week and I look forward to seeing stars!

I may get a phone call later, Sis had plans today that may not be happening so she might ring for a trip to Crafts U Love who have a demo day but then again she might not.

Tag and Card

So A Spoonful of Sugar is looking for a tag for their challenge and while looking for a suitable image I found that I had coloured two of the same image and I just had to make a card to match too.
For the card I used the sketch from Stamps with Fun but I had to swop corners for the star embellishment since there was a robin in the way. Of course my images are Penny Black and the papers are My Minds Eye Lime twist certainly getting my moneys worth out of them.
The zigzag punch from Martha Stewart and the star are Nestabilities that were out of my Simon Says Stamps parcel from the other week. The problem with them is the gap between each size, to big to shadow mat so I use them first as you're suppose to and them using the same die I use that as a template and draw round it, then cut them out.
Fingers cross my internet will behave today unlike yesterday when it disappeared for a few hours. Most annoying I had just settled in my chair to have a good nose round everyone's blog better than buying an expensive craft magazine that ususally disappoints because of the fantastic blogs out there when the blasted thing went off. So off to do some catching up.

A Touch of Purple

Finding it hard to find time to just make a card at the moment not that I'm not card making but I've a few special ones to make and trying to get ahead with my DT with my MIL coming to stay for a few days not sure how much craft time I will have.
So it was nice to make this card using the Sketch and Stash and I'm still trying to use all my new girls LOTV to see which ones I love. I was away when they're were released so DS brought them and since I couldn't tell him which ones I made him buy all them.
The papers are First Edition not sure which one cos I can't find the pad, I think it may be in pile on my desk but I'm scared to touch it in case it all falls down. The flowers are EK success punches with the Leone-em stamens and the border is a Martha Stewart deep edge punch.
Totally fed up with the rain now and I'm sure my joints are not liking it either, had to pop the heater back on in my craftroom.

WOYWW and Quick Card

I've been good lately that I tidy my bit of working craft mat each time I finish, of course that doesn't mean that I'm not surrounded by mess. The pile on my right looks very similar to last weeks WOYWW even though I have put the stamps in a drawer.
Someone last week mentioned that they had those tags too, I had to check the picture cos I hadn't been using any tags. They got left out of one of the drawers when I was looking for scrapbooking embellishments the other week, the tags are in pristine condition and will eventually find themselves back in said drawer.

To the left another mess, the pile of stamps are all sentiments and behind them are the scraplings from making square cards can't bear to part with them but they're overtaking the space. On top of my desk tidy is coloured scraps and in the folder I try and I do mean try to keep all the green scraps in there even tiny ones cos they work for punched leaves.
I leave you with a card I made for the Less is More Circle challenge, I was going to sneak it on the challenge blog because the  flowers are not quite circles and its a bit of cheat but I decided against it cos I'm sure the ladies in charge will catch me out.
The stamps is a large Hero Arts Cling stamp  from Simon Says Stamps. I inked it first in brown and then wipes any brown of the flowers I wanted in gold. In hindsight perhaps I should of tried the other way round it might have been less stressful. The sentiment is from Hobby Art.

Crossword

First of all a huge thank you to everyone who joined in with Simon Says Stamp Challenge last week over a 1000 entries how amazing is that.

This week the challenge is Newspaper so if you actually have newspapers to ink and colour you can use that or patterned paper with writing on, or even stamp you're own paper. I took the cheats way out and decided to use the Penny Black stamp with a crossword puzzle which you find in Newspapers.
The yummy papers are Chapter One from Kaiser that I brought from Simon Says Stamps a new favourite might have to buy another pad.
Yes my card is straight, just notice that my middle mat doesn't look straight, the wonky photographer is at it again would you believe I use a grid display on my camera and I still get it wonky.
Back to the card being a chaps card limited embellishments so I use some black pearls and made the photo corners with the scraps.
Now don't forget we have an amazing prize of

But you got to in it to win so pop over to the Challenge blog and check out the team for some inspiration.

Going Dotty

We're being sponsored over on EveryBody Art Challenge by a company called Lemonade, they sent us some papers and a stamp to use for this week challenge DOTS.
My life was made easier since there were dots on the papers but just so there's no confusion I added a couple of faux brads in the corner.
I paper pieced most of the image including the balloons, I do love doing this cos everything co-ordinates together.
All the usual suspects including the overworked deep edge doily punch from Martha Stewart.
Do hope you can join us this week and pop over and check out the fab creations by the team.

I will be busy the next few days have a couple of special cards to make and I need to get on top of all DT since MIL arrived for a week next week and doubt I'll get much done then.

Sweet Sherbert Pip

I love these papers from Kaiser called Chapter One that I brought from Simon says Stamps and add a cute new Sherbert Pip from Sugar Nellie with a fab sketch from Sweet Sketch Wednesday job done.
Well nearly just add a Prima flower again from Simon Says Stamps and Magnolia swirl that I cut in half so it would fit better.
Then discovered I hadn't left enough room for the sentiment to go under her feet seems I've being doing that a lot lately leaving the sentiment till last and it doesn't fit.
I had a great day at Scrapbuddies and I had arranged for a sketch challenge using one of the sketches from Pagemaps and we're always amazed how different everyones layouts look now comes the task of unpacking.

Pink and Blue

Having a busy day yesterday making a couple of cards to post over the new few days, packing for Scrapbuddies crop today at Mychette in Surrey and trying to finish a surprise present which involves proper sewing!
This was one of the cards I made for LOTV pink and blue challenge, gosh it was difficult to find a range of papers that did both and I not sure this blue is really blue but more turquiose.
The sketch is good old Sketch Saturday wasn't too sure on it but turned it and I think it worked pretty well.
Papers are Cosmo Cricket Delovely, funky flower punch and the sentiment is off an old Hero Arts clear set I think.
Recently I had a couple of questions asked about what card I use for my images, its 160gsm card from Staples its quite thin but perfect for layering, word of warning if you love lots of layers of colouring it's not very forgiving and it starts to break down after 3 colours.
I don't use Pinflair it costs far too much for the amount I use, I use Silicone glue with orange or blue writing on ususally from Craft Creations they're the only ones that don't leave a water mark on the thin card I use. Nor do I use a syringe thingy like Pinflair using, a cocktail stick is my tool of choice.
Off to do a bit of scrapbooking now see you tomorrow.

Penny Black Bunting

So after the shock of Christmas in July this weeks Penny Black Saturday Challenge is for Bunting. I love bunting, love seeing it on cards but when I do it I'm never happy and todays is no exception. I used a Hero Art stamp onto My Minds Eye paper then cut them out and matted them.
I'm short of mens cards so I choose Golfing Hedgie and the MME Lime Twist are perfect chap papers but it does mean lack of embellishments.
Do hope you can join us the week at Penny Black Saturday Challenge and I really look forward to checking out your cards. Need inspiration then just pop over to the challenge blog to see what the fabulous DT have made and of course there's a prize too.