Thursday

The Ismaki #33 sketch from Beatrix was giving me a hard time till I turned the sketch and I used swirls for one of the strips. The camper van is a Little Claire design, I've paper pieced the van and used acetate for the windows not obvious by the photo, some gel pens for the flowers and while the glossy accents was out it was used on the lights and wheel hubs. Sentiment printed on the PC and the flowers from Prima. So the cards for hubby from the kids are done.
So Papertake Weekly challenge was another brilliant sketch from Katharina, I used my new stamp from Ally Pally and while I was in the paper piecing mood and I love doing it especially on stamps like her. The papers I think are two scoops from BG, the sentiment stamp is from Butterfly kisses and the two strips of ribbon and brads out of my stash.

Gill's christmas blog candy

Jeanette's candy too

Later today I might be able to colour better inside the stamped lines with my new glasses that I pick up today.

Wednesday

The sketch for CPS#84 looks like envelope or a purse on a card, I wanted to do one of those criss cross cards but couldn't find the tutorial but on SCS I found this trifold pocket tutorial instead. I found some double sided card and because of the black and red, the whole thing developed into an Oriental style. The papers are college press Grayson, the Chinese lady is from Hobby Art, the words are shock, horror Peel offs and so are the borders. So I made the pocket and I wanted it to be display so I made a very simple black card, more peel off borders and use BG magnets so you can take the pocket on and off.
The tag again is very simple just stamped and coloured the dragon, more peel off borders and a bit of cardstock . If the light was better I would have another try and photo the dragon because I very careful used glossy accents on him and he's looks fabulous all shiny and slighty raised. Try clicking on the pic to see if a larger pic makes him look better.

Of course going back to SCS to get the link for the tutorial I've now found the one on a criss-cross card, typical.


So since I've mentioned there's too many challenges and I'm giving the ones with sketches priority, this week it seems they're all doing sketches. Tilda & co is one of them and its such a cute sketch too and nice and easy, so why did this card take so long. I knew that Edwin and Tilda were going to sit within the oval, I love the swiss dots background but when I tried to put on embellishments or sentiments it just didn't look right. I spent ages moving things around, I made punched flowers, stamped sentiments and in the end I gave up and left it nice and simple.

Tuesday 30th

The challenge on Penny Black Saturday was to make a card for one of the seasons and after making a few Christmas cards I needed a break so decided to use this card for Autumn. An experiement in the bottom right hand didn't work which is why there are triangles on two corners which is why it looks like another Karin's sketch. Papers are Daisy bucket, the leaves are punches and the cricut, the sentiment is magnolia and the word Dad was made on the cricut.

Monday 29th

Still havng fun with Christmas Sugar Nellies, here's Santa and I used Sketch Saturday #18, I've turn the sketch on its side so that Santa fits. The papers are craftwork cards and I've used the cricut to cut out the holly and the Noel is Francoise's Christmas words from Woodware.
and because this Snowman was coloured up I've used the same papers on this card, the sketch is from Karin.

Yes we made it to Ally Pally, we worked out it was 3 years ago since we've been and I'm afraid the years haven't been kind, it wasn't has good as it used to be, but I still didn't have much trouble spending money but a few things were essentials like cricut blades, e-z mount and a couple of replacement for some punches that won't work any more.

Then we got stuck in traffic on the way home.

Sunday 28th

I knew when I coloured this Sugar Nellie Snowman that he was going to be fabulous, I absolutely love him and I've managed a fairly good match with the Christmas papers left over from last year. The snowflakes are sizzix and cuttlebug, the snowflake embossing folder and I've used prismacolours pencils and Friday sketchers sketch from Mumur.

I've come to the conclusion there are few too many challenges and I'm struggling because I want to do them all and complete other crafting projects too. So I guess I'm going to have to limit myself to what challenges I do and because I love sketches I think they will get my priority first then if I have time or an idea immediately jumps into my head I will join the others when I can.

This is a timed post because early tomorrow morning I'm off to Ally Pally and my very hangover daughter wants to come too, ( I know she will be hang over because she's out tonight with old school friends who try at least once a year to meet up). I'm going to have be seriously good because I'm broke, two visits to craft shop demos, plus Sugar Nellies and Whiff of Joy releases more stamps on the 4th so I shall be sticky strictly to the shopping list (I hope).

Saturday

Poor cherry Tilda she's been sat on my desk for a couple of days waiting to be put on a card, it didn't help that I was struggling with Ismaki sketch and the papers I had decided to use. I'm still not 100 per cent happy with it. The shoes are coloured in with black gel pen to give them the look of patent shoes, I have feeling I tried this before and it didn't work then.
The tag was much quicker cos I was using the corners and ribbons that didn't work on the original card. I was also experimenting with her hair colour, have to say I'm not too sure about it.

Hopefully tomorrow I'm going to Ally Pally, we've decided it will be quieter and get to see the demos better well thats the idea. It will also mean I can get away from the awful noise my hubby is making using the shredder on our garden rubbish, guess the neighbours are not going to be happy.

Wholesome Friday

So this card was for Laura's sketch #9 and if you follow the link you will see what I had to chop off. I made the card so the shaped pieced folded over the front of the card and after I stamped the words realised it went over them and didn't make me happy at all, so off it came. I was really please with the card till them, I stitched and gathered the lace, which I don't fancy doing again it was so fiddly, the large flower is Prima but the smaller ones are from the garden centre, the swirls quickcutz and papers are BG two scoops.

Hopefully I'll get time in the craft room today, poor Tilda has been sat there waiting to be put on a card for a couple of days now.

Also been tagged as well by Karin so maybe I'll try and find 7 interesting facts about me, it may take some time cos I'm pretty boring.

Valuable Thursday

There is now a Whiff of Joy challenge and they've started with a Katharina's sketch so couldn't resist especially has Charlie was left over from last week. It's a bit rushed didn't have much time yesterday and I'll smother it in glitter when I get a few more cards to do. The papers are doodlebug and the snowflakes are cuttlebug and sizzlits.
The same but different but not very different just smaller, so will be posting this Stephanie (Papertake Weekly) who is going to post them on to Quick cards and donate 25p for everycard she receives to Children in Need.

Some more candy.

Han's blog candy

Alison's blog candy

Michelle's blog candy, this one's a bit special with donkey stamps.

Anki blog candy some fabulous stamps

Variable Wednesday

Life is being a bit of a lemon at the moment, I've just popped over to Papertake Weekly challenge to copy and paste the info on Pudsey's cards and actually read the size this card should be, which is not a square card at all but 4inch by 6inch, so guess I'll be seeing if I can alter this card the pattern paper shouldn't be a problem have quite a bit of it.

But this seems to be the pattern this week I've made another card for sketch challenge blog and the distinguishing part of the sketch doesn't work because I've stamped the words in the wrong place so it I've chopped it off and it doesn't look anything like the sketch.

So back to the drawing board for me.

Unassuming Tuesday

I could not get motivated yesterday, so finished off a couple of pages for my A-Z journal, this page turned out a bit boring.
The jounalling is hidden under the picture and secured my a magnet in the tab which was the last thing I did and it went over the journalling, thats why you can see the back of the brads. So my tip of the day put the tab on before the journalling.
The letter S was always going to be easy its a bit pink though, if you click on it you should see it larger because the flowers have words in their centres.

Look what ScrapMumur sent me not one but two awards. I will send them onto Julie who has tagged me for 7 weird facts.

Now there is some fantastic blog candy in the world of blogland and I keep forgetting to put them on my blog and now I can't find them all, typical. But I did find these.

Sheila's blog

Beth's blog

Line's blog

Quick note the holographic powder I used on the three kings is actually holographic embossing powder.

Tasteful Monday

OK it's another Christmas card but I have use Sketch Saturday's sketch but I've kept it quite simple. While at the Glitter Pot we spent some time chatting to Paula about various dies and layers in the cuttlebug because Francoise had use a Sizzix texture block on one of her cards but she didn't use then in the bug and I wondered if you could. Anyway with the help of the chap at Glitter pot I picked up the rubber mat and another block as well as the textured blocks so yesterday I had a go and if you look on this card there is Holly background on the pearl card using the texture blocks. The stamp is from Hobby Art and Jenny from Hobby Art had a card similar on displayed which is why I brought it. I stamped with versafine, embossed with clear powder then using embossing pens coloured in the image and then using a hologram powder embossed again being careful not to over cook the image. Craftwork cards sentiments and cuttlebug corners.

Look what I got from Karin and Kim isn't he cute. I need to send him to everyone's blog I visit because you all do brighten my day.

Stylish Sunday

So Cute Card Thursday is for food, I've seen loads of Tilda and her cupcakes or her tray of cookies also Willow with her batch of cookies, so for something different I looked into my stamp collection. I do have a stamp that I could call Beef, Pork and Lamb but I thought that was a bit cruel so I've settled for Cabbage, its still food but the cute element is the bunny inside it but just has I was loading the photo I remember when I was little ( we talking several decades ago) my Mum making Rabbit stew luckily this bunny is far too cute for the pot. The cabbage bunny is a penny black stamp, the papers are Laura Ashley, ribbon from Hobby craft and flowers out of the stash. The sketch is Claudia's and if check out the card below I've used it for Charlotte too.
The snow globe was cut out using the Cricut, snowflakes cuttlebug, a stamps way stamp, craftwork cards papers and of course WOJ Charlotte.
I had made Charlie and Charlotte then made then into cards so to take out the strain I was checking around for sketches and found a link on Carol's blog to Tamara card sketches which I used for this long card. I used Papermania papers, those wonderful swirly snowflakes and Happy Holidays stamp, I used versamark and white embossing powder to get the white effect on the card, a really old snowflake punch from Fiskars that only likes thin card and a poppicrafts ribbon.
Yes I did get to the Glitter Pot yesterday poor Francoise she was so surprised to see us as we didn't tell her we was going. But it was lovely and fabulous demo's, only problem now I spent too much time on my feet using crutches and my joints are telling me off today. The whole day was finished off with a wonderful meal at Wings and thanks to BIL for taking care of the wine bill.

Reminiscing Saturday

Yes I know this is another Christmas card and yes I know its Charlie again but it is different papers this time from Doodlebug, I've also used Friday Sketchers this week from Kristine. The silver embossed panel and snowflakes I used the cuttlebug, the mesh with lumps on (suppose to look like snow!) was very popular years ago and I put a bit of blue card behind so you can see it.

Now 60 plus years ago a small baby girl was born and for the next 15 years she was the only girl in the family until I came along that is, so I wanted to wish my Sis a Happy Birthday
This card was made for my Mum to give to Sis, I used the elegant lady from Simply Stamps and paper pieced her outfit to match the papers I was using on the card. The papers were BG and the pink card it was touch and go whether I had enough, had to gut the centre out of the main piece to make the second mat. The sentiment was printed on the PC and I think the sketch was from last weeks Friday Sketchers.

Now this card was for Ismaki for last week, loved it so much decided not to show it and give it to my Sis for her Birthday. The stamp I brought from the Glitter Pot after seeing a sample using it like this, the papers are all BG Lillykate.
This is the back of the oval, the stamp is Anita's.I have to confess that there is now a pretty piece of card inside and not the stark white and there is a Happy Birthday sentiment in the corner but has the camera was having a hissing fit last night I've had to settle to use the photos I orginally took last week.

Hope you all have a good weekend, fingers crossed I might be going to the Demo day at the Glitter Pot and then tonight its Mother and Daughters night out and we're off to Wings in Farnborough.

Quirky Friday

You can't say I didn't warn you but here's another Christmas card using WOJ Charlie and Katharina's sketch on Papertake Weekly. I've used Dovecraft papers I think, the snowflakes are a cuttlebug die and I've used the Stamps Away Christmas tags
Look what Kim has sent me, not sure it there's any rules but I nominate Beth, Alison, Carol, Debbie and Marlou.

Not much happening here just waiting for Sis's birthday, I'm trying to convince her how nice it would be to visit a craft shop on her Birthday and what would be better than The Glitter Pot demo day celebrating their 2nd Birthday.

Passionate Thursday

This is Primrose another Kadoodle stamp, she's one brave woman because you wouldn't see me in a bikini! Back to the card I used Ismaki sketch although I couldn't bring myself to tear the paper and lets be honest the chances of me getting straight torn pieces with my eyes closed are very slim. The last of the Making Memories papers and some prima flowers, the summer days stamp by Stamps away.
When I was at the Craft Barn, Nikki showed me these marvellous stamp its by Inkadinkado its full of winter swirls of snowflakes and holly and the sentiment I used on this card. I'm getting a bit concerned that my total of Christmas Cards isn't has well as I hope and I don't want to be making them at last minute again so you've been warned that there may a few in the next few days. This card is made using Quickutz snowflake and Figgy Pudding BG I hope cos the baggie that they're in in mixed with another BG paper, I used the Kazan's sketch 9 on 2sketches4 and I was thinking of distressing the edges but in the end just kept it simple so the middle panel showed up. This time I used CPS #82 and I used the Cricut Cartridge Christmas Cheer for the Holly and again Figgy Pudding BG, I had to used repositional glue to photo it so you see the side panel which is on the inside of the card. The tag stamp again from Stamps Away.

Hedge now done, so OH just needs a weekend free to hire a chipper, he reckons even the largest skip wouldn't be big enough for the stuff thats been cut off.