Retirement

My Hubby rarely asks me to make a card  but a work colleague was retiring and he need a large card for everyon to sign. In fact its two pieces of A4 joined together the reason for the border at the top.
One of the specs was to use this photo, I've hidden his face cos I don't have his permission to post it.
Once I saw the Just Inklined wellies I knew I had to use them but originally I couldn't find a gardener but after the images were coloured I then found the Gardener Gus at Dr Digi's who was perfect.
Not knowing how to make a card with a huge photo I left it fairly simply using Stampin Paper I have.

This was the image I found before Gus, Reg Butterthwaite from Just Inklined, had to use him somewhere so added him to the inside.

Hubby was pleased and I think his work mates were too, just hope it doesn't happen again not very good with commissioned cards.

Bling

Ok I may have slightly cheated here the new challenge on Everybody Art Challenge is for Bling so instead of my usual pearls for the flower centres I've used gems and though you can't see it I used a glitter gel pen for her necklace.
The cute image is Ruby who is of course from Mo and you can find her here. The papers are LOTV Nitwit collection and I'm pretty sure I've used a sketch from somewhere but have not clue to what.

Thoughts and prayers for everyone affected by the explosions in Boston, it was shocking to watch it unfurl last night.

Patchwork Bear

No I haven't found my Patchwork Teddy stamps couldn't believe it when I worked out that actually I've lost two of them this one and the hot air balloon one but I've worked out that I've put them together in the LOTV bag.

With the new release which I only brought a couple I added the two bears and sentiment set which matched another set that I loved. Along with some plain card my craft money pot is now at zero.

So back to the card the papers are used made the card more masculine and so it meant the embellishments were quite restricted but added the cloud using the dotty paper.

Paper pieced the balloons but did use a copic to colour in the stripes and dots. The zig zag strip is a Martha Stewart punch and even though my gingham ribbon looks black it is actually brown. 

Big Hat

Something CAS for Sunday with a touch of Spring, another card using one of Sassy Cheryl's sale images.
The papers are Doodlebug with the Memory Box Pearl Lace die and the daisy is MFT die. Just needs a bit of ribbon and job done.
I'm afraid there will be a few of these types of cards while I'm so busy and having to have recovery days.
Yesterday it was a Hen Do, so it was a trip to London for a meal and a show but we left the clubbing to the youngsters.
We had a lovely meal then it was a bit of mad dash to the Dominion Theatre to see We Will Rock You. While not a great lover of Queen there is nothing like live music and I loved the humour.
So today I will be paying for my outing but I had planned a couple of rest days.
Good News that the Mason Jack and his Mum are now home.

Freshly Sketch Mouse

Time has been running out for me this week and suddenly realised I didn't have a Penny Black card for today so I knew I would have to make a quick card.
Then I saw the sketch on Freshly Made Sketches and knew this Penny Black Gifts for You mousey was coloured. For some reason I remembered this Cuttlebug folder and how I like to dot the flower centres and the dots with a gel pen.
I was thinking to use the stripy embossing folder but I'm glad that I didn't cos I stamped the sentiment at the finish.
Pretty bit of lace and ribbon and wasn't sure on the punched flowers and it just wouldn't be right if the camera didn't misbehave somewhere and this time the pearls are deeper pink, how it works out to do something so random is beyond me.
I had a successful day cards are done although they are bit clean for me and the name and date is now stitched on the secret project which I shall wash tomorrow and when its nearly dry, I'll iron the cross-stitch on soft towel to help it pop.

Baby Fairy Bee

When I saw Mo's Baby Fairy Bee is was everything stop to use this little sweet heart, bit cross with my camera cos it doesn't show up the shadowing on the body need to work out why and resolve it.
I've used the sketch on Sweet Sketch Wednesday with the possibility of a slight tweak so I could add the lace.
The papers are True Friends by Echo Park can't believe that I've almost used every page cos there's always a few you just don't like.
Can't believe I've only recently used the Lavish Branch die from Memory Box but I expect I will be using it often now that I've discovered how well it works on cards.
I so wish I had some black fun flock but have to settle on used a gel pen for the black and fun flock for the yellow strips.
My Birthday Wishes is a LOTV sentiment and since I've used black mats I didn't have to make a matching mat and cut round the edges.
How do you like my large photos I'm still sitting on the fence whether I like it or not. Possibly I need it a touch small but slightly larger than they usually are.
Now for my big news my Niece who I went to the Baby Shower on Saturday had her baby yesterday, a little boy named Mason Jack. Both Mum and Baby are doing well and all my card plans have gone out of the window cos today I have to make a card.
I've made sure I coloured two images one with a pink hat and one with blue, also the secret project can be personalised now so I shall be busy today.

There's always one

So not really have a good week with CAS this card looked so much better in my head. My basic error now looking at it is that the vases should be Lime and the Tulips Black would've worked so much better.
Quite like my table cloth using the Pearl Lace border die from Memory box, you can just work out I backed in lime green to show through the dots. The other thing I like is that for the first time I stamped my sentiment cleanly and straight.
Not even going to enter it to Less is More too embarrassed.

Bleach Flowers

So I had this idea to use these Inkylicious stamps and colour the flowers with bleach for the Less is More Lime and Black challenge.
I was first shown this technique many years ago by Kim Reygate when she was demo at Newbury Artstamps. Often I used it on a Sailing boat stamp so its sails were white.
What I didn't reckon on was myself having several senior moments and my hatred of the brayer which eventually ended up back where it came from.
I still working on my technique using brushes instead of a blending tool, yes it is easier on my hands but I keep forgetting to dab.
After several attempts in the bin I was determined to make this card and this one I'm finally half pleased with.
The white isn't as bright as it should be cos you have to use really cheap bleach possibly Sainsbury thick bleach isn't cheap enough or its reactived to the inks.
I coloured the flower centre with a black gel pen and a few black pearls to finish,phew.

Pink

I was bit disappointed with my Simon Says Stamps DT card earlier but to be honest this isn't much better. I had an idea of using Kraft card but it didn't work but I decided to colour the Hero Arts flowers anyway and make a quick card with them. To make the sentiment mat I drew round the die, its a bit tricky with the fold but it does work.

Hero Arts

Time for new challenge on Simon Says Stamp Challenge 

 and this week its

April Showers and/or Spring Flowers
The team is also using Hero Arts products but thats not a requirement for the challenge just the DT chance to show what amazing products Simon Says Stamps have in their store.

Ok my card isn't nothing like a visualise in my head, I think my problem was in fact I used thin card instead of my usual linen card so it was quite flimsy to put together. 

I used my favourite Hero Arts Leafy Vine with white embossing powder and using Distress Inkpads of Shattered Straw, Wild Honey and Barn Door, also used them on the flowers too.

The frame for my flowers are Spellbinders Radiant Rectangles and then I used the Memory Box Dancing Tulips  and the other one is Simon Says Stamps Fresh Daisies. Finished with an All Occasion Banner sentiment and die set.

Now you know the drill to win the chance of this fabulous prize you have to enter the challenge with a new card no backlinking and you need to enter your post using the linky thing on the challenge blog. Also you need to link to the challenge in your post or you won't be eligible for the prize.

Christmas Double Layouts

You haven't got long to join in with the Simon Says Stamps Birthday Challenge with amazing prizes. So before the new challenge here's a couple of double layouts ready for my Christmas Album.
The first is using some Christmas Kaiser papers which for some strange reason I have two pads. the embellishments are cut out of the papers and the Cricut was used for the sentiments.

I had already had a layout with cards on so this is some pics of my attempt at Christmas Crackers and my DD's Santa that she made for a work competition. The papers are October Afternoon and this time I used some stickers for the title. Although it quite difficult to see but in RL is fine I've used Cheery Lynn Holly swirl die and the poinsettia I think could be Spellbinders.

Back at 2pm with the new challenge.

Sketch Time

It's time for another challenge on Everybody Art Challenge and this weeks its a sketch so I'm happy. I'm still on an almost CAS kick but you know I can't resist flowers.
So first of all I've used Tim Holtz Bricked embossing folder, it doesn't fit a 14.5cm square but the Doodlbug pattern card hides the join. The second strip in the stretch simply had to be made into a fish tail.
Memory Box flower branch but I've hid the flowers by using CC Designs flowers die. My sentiment is from the All Occasions Banner set.
My adorable image is obviously Mo Manning you can tell can't you, she is called Lacie and since she is wearing sunglasses they had to have glossy accents on the lens to make them look that way.

Sorry about the rubbish pic of the sketch may change it later.

Hope you able to join us and check out the team for the fabulous creations.

Whoops

It's more than Whoops I realise now I've used a Sketch Wednesday sketch but I believe its from two weeks ago. My image is a freebie from ages ago not even sure where it came from I want to say from Just Inklined but I would be guessing.
The papers are LOTV  and once again I've used the Crochet border from MFT and possibly the daisy but the leaf swirl is. Sentiment is LOTV once again.
Didn't do very much yesterday after a busy Saturday I knew I would have to rest up but I did get Hubby to move me back to the craftroom having looked at the weather for the next two weeks being a bit warmer fingers crossed I manage to stay there now.

Ruby Anniversary

Well I survived my busy day, both events went really well and today's card is the one I made for the Ruby Anniversary. My Brother and his Wife belong to Jive dancing club so I was looking for a couple jiving with the help of some friends on FB I found some but not really ideal for what I wanted.

Then Mo released Kitchen Dance and it was almost if she knew what I was thinking. All I needed was a sketch which in this case its from CLP and the right papers.

So I've used the ones from LOTV, the ribbon roses I was given ages ago but couldn't bring myself to use but they were perfect for the card and rather waste the few left over I used them in the Harrington Vine Swirl and it just so happened I had the tilted banner with sentiments on my desk so that finished off the corner.

I leave you with a pic of my Brother and his Wife dancing.

Penny Black Saturday Challenge

Well this week here in the UK we've had one of the coldest days in April for fifty years so we need a bit of cheering up and fingers crossed that Spring will actually arrive at some point next week.
So this month's Penny Black Saturday Challenge is for a sketch which you can go the CAS way or heavy with the embellishments.
I've gone for somewhere in the middle first of I used this cute Water Lily Skiing and then some scraps of old Bo Bunny paper. My favourite MFT crochet border die along with the Memory Box Lavish Branch die, adding some punched flowers on the way.
I have a really busy day today, lunchtime I'm going to myNiece's Baby Shower and after a bit of rest time we'll be going out this evening to celebrate my Brother's Ruby Wedding Anniversary and to met my Nephews Fiancee. Need to get the cards ready this morning before we go.

Bearly sick

The sketch from Sketch Saturday this week does strike me has CAS and I pretty much just copied the sketch including the stars. Trouble was resisting the urge to place yet another star as you can see it took quite a few stars before I stopped.
I used a Spellbinder star and the stars from the large Holiday shapes from Simon Says Stamps. Now I know Mo Manning's Beary Sick bear comes with a sentiment and I really should of sorted that out at the time of printed off the bear it just so happened that Simon Says Stamps Circle of Friends had this sentiment. Which fitted perfectly.
He was also perfect for paper piecing and it helps to bring it all together.

Daylily Beth

I love Janey's Digi Designs Daylily Beth but I have admit to being scared to colour them because I wasn't sure I could do them justice but I love how they turned out. 

I decided to use them on CAS card so that they would pop. I used the Memory Box Pearl lace but I cut a strip of yellow to go under the dots but realised that the colour doesn't quite show through that well. 

It just so happened that I had the All Occasion stamp and Banner set from Simon Says Stamps on my desk it seemed wrong not to use them.

Another card for Less is More challenge.

Sale sassy

I brought a couple of Sassy Cheryl images that were in her sale before she closed her old shop down and this was one of them.
I pretty sure I've used a sketch from somewhere but its probably late and I can actually remember whose it was. I'm still on CAS kick at the moment but sometimes they work out well.
The papers are Doodlbug and the I think the flowers are a punch or they could be CC Designs but the centres are definititely a punch.
So who like me is cheesed off now with Winter I'm so fed up with the cold but there's a hint of a Spring at the weekend with the North Easterly wind changing to the West then we will be moaning that we are sick of rain.

Happy Birthday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY !! :-)

We are celebrating our 4th Birthday this week :-)

We are showcasing Simon Exclusives this week, you don't have to use them to join in but we would love to see them if you have any of our products :-)

 Heidi will be giving away 3 FABULOUS Prizes !! Woo Hoo !! :-)

PRIZE 1 

This $100 voucher to buy whatever you like in the Simon Says Stamp Store !! :-)

PRIZE 2
 This gorgeous Simon Says Die and Stamp Set 'FRIENDSHIP CIRCLES'

PRIZE 3
This fabulous Simon Says Stamp Die and Stamp Set 'FIT TO BE SQUARE'

AMAZING PRIZES !! :-) 
THANK YOU HEIDI AND SIMON SAYS STAMP :-)

Yes I do have a card after all that exciting news, its time for a party with Stamping Bella Uptown girls Felicity and Blair Living Life.

The papers are Prima Sunny Days and I paper pieced the girls. As an experiment I used the Falling Hearts from Simon Says Stamps not once but twice so it would make the background mat and it worked a treat. 

Then it was case of using my favourite Harrington Vine and Bella Bloom flowers and the tiny flowers are Memory blooming violets which just happened to be on my desk.

Now you know the drill to win the chance of these fabulous prizes you have to enter the challenge with a new card no backlinking and you need to enter your post using the linky thing on the challenge blog. Also you need to link to the challenge in your post or you won't be eligible for the prize.

Primary Scallops

It just so happened that I had received some new Simon says Stamps including their new stamps Circle of Friends and Flower Friends just when I was thinking of making my Less is More Scallops challenge.
So using primary colours I used the different circle stamps and then used them as large scallops.
Then I used the Memory Box small scallops to edge them.
The sentiment is from the Flower Friends and the Always is Simon Say Stamps exclusive die. Using the the circle stamps again I cut the balloons using a CC Design die.
Really pleased how this one turned out.
Hope you can pop back at 2pm to check out the new Simon Says Stamps challenge its a very special one.