Forever Rose......

Hi Girls

Sorry I've been M-I-A for a few days....  My tooth is still causing me problems and I'm at the dentist again on Friday for root canal work..........  yuck.....  but I've been in pain for over a week now, and quite frankly, not really interested in anything that took any concentration! LOL!  But I've been around, commenting and such.. just not putting anything together!

But today, I felt like getting up into the craft room!  My challenge was to make a card that wouldn't warrant a 'large letter' stamp as there is a lady that buys some of my cards who asked me could I do something flattish! This image from Crafts & Me called Forever Rose was an absolute JOY to colour.... I loved doing her hair!  She reminds me of the late 1960's......  I think I had a poster in my bedroom something similar..... so it took me right back to those hazy days of happiness and not a care in the world! (big s-i-g-h......)

Anyway.....  there are about 6 colours in her hair....  if anyone wants to know the colours, give me a shout and I'll list them.  I used some trusty bazzil and some dotty pink paper from my stash for the layout then added the glamour dust  and stickles befitting this beautiful lady...  Ooooh and I added a couple of filigree corners to finish....

So there you go... Hope you like!  Thanks for each and every one of your comments which really make my day.... especially to my new followers...  I'd love to get to the 100 followers mark! 

And keep your fingers crossed for me on Friday......
Hugs and Happy Crafting
Christine xx

You know when you just wake up and KNOW....?

Hi Girls

Well, that's what happened to me this morning!  After making most of this card yesterday, I couldn't come up with a sentiment I was happy with.... Till I opened my eyes this morning and knew what I needed to put on it! LOL!  And you know when you're really pleased with one of your cards (unusual for me - there's generally a niggle somewhere)..... well this one has it!  Think it's because I believe in fairies!  Yes.... I believe!  When I decoupaged the wings for this, I had real trouble actually cutting the wings off another fairy to do it.  I felt like I was going to draw blood....  that is if fairies DO have blood????  Or do they just have fairy dust??

Anyway - onto the card!

This is a Nellie Snellen image - Frog on Flower - I bought from Samuel Taylor at Embsay... sorry I can't find a link.  It was one my darling OH chose when we were there.....  (think he's a secret believer too... hehe)  So I coloured her in with my trusty pens then decoupaged the wings. I then used a DP from My Minds Eye - Lost and Found - which is glittered on the back, but I wanted the lovely pink paisley on the other side - so ignored the glitter....  I could add plenty of my own!! hehe!  Then, I added a BEAUTIFUL trim I received as a RAK from my mate Nic over at Coops Cluttered Corner... thank you Nic - it was just right for this card!  Oh, and I used a nice nestie for behind the image.  Then lastly, (this morning when I got up) I added a handwritten sentiment...... cos I knew it just had to be 'believe' on this card.... think the fairies visited me overnight!  I distressed all the edges, then oooh of course, added loads of glitter and stickles!



A sideways view

 So, I hope you love it as much as I do......  Not often i actually get a lovely feeling about a card!

Hope you all had a nice weekend btw, I did.....  my daughter treated me to a nice lunch in York followed by a trip to see Legally Blonde at the theatre there as a birthday treat!  To use their 'speak'..... 'OMG you guys - it was TOTALLY wonderful!!'  So much energy on the stage, and the songs were brilliant!  Not to mention a HUNK of a UPS guy who had the audience in fits of drool every time he came on stage!! He was HOT!  (OK yes thats from me, a 58 year old very-happy-with-her-darling-OH woman!)  But we can l-o-o-k.... can't we?? hehe

Right, better go now, otherwise I'll be late for my stint in the charity shop....
Hugs to all and Happy Monday...
Christine x
Challenge: Pollycraft Challenge 106 - Distressing

Just Waiting.....

Hi Best Blogging Buddies

Well I felt like I was laying an egg today trying to get this card together....  nothing ever seems to go right when I try too hard... and I end up with a desk with masses of stuff on it, can't find anything, everything I do want drops on the floor.... etc etc....... Do you know those days?

Anyway...  i got it done eventually... (oooh I like italics!)  The image is a Gorjuss girl from Quixotic Paperie called Waiting .  Don't you just love this image?  Anyway, I was inspired colour-wise by Jane of janes lovely cards.  I coloured her with my trusty pens...Love these pinks and blues, and hadn't thought of doing her boots in any colour but grays and blacks.  Soooo thank you Jane!  I used a DP from Marianne Design - Eline's Flowerz (can't remember where I got it, sorry. Then I embossed the image a la Debby.... (well tried to), and used sticky 3D pads to put her onto a Labels 4 Nestie.  Not easy to see the depth there....  ah well, photo skills lacking....

sideways view

Then I cut a Memory Box Delicate Vine die in white, used my versamark and embossed the vine with sparkly embossing powder.  I got the die from Simon Says Stamp - but Tracey at Dies to Die for often has Memory Box dies in stock too.  The flower uses a Tim Holtz Tattered Florals die (thanks to Lee at A wee bit of Crafty Loops...  who has a fab tutorial) and I've used white material and netting, which a pink spotty brad in the centre.  And of COURSE (there go the italics again), I've added glitter to the flower (and a bit to the image....)

Lastly, I used some sticky pearls in the top corner, and a sentiment from Craftwork Cards.  And Hey Presto...  (well after about 2 hours..... hehe) it was done!

Thanks for sticking with the long blog... but wanted to put all the pics in.

Had a yucky migraine last night which has left me a bit 'far out' today (at least that's how I feel).  I hate the flashing visual patterns I get with it.....but they only last about 15 mins so not so bad!

Ta-ta for now girls and happy crafting
Hugs
Christine x
Challenge: Papertake Weekly - Grown your Own
Your next Stamp - Beautiful Borders
Sweet Stamps - Bling it up
Divas by Design - Challenge 8 - Birthdays

And the candy winner is......... (roll on drums please.......)

Hi Best Blogging Buddies.....

Well I've had a lovely birthday.......  made extra special by some of the lovely cards I received from my fellow bloggers!  Thank you soooooo much... and what a fab community this is - thanks to all that posted comments for your good wishes.  It's really weird though how people send me lovely pink and glittery cards.... as IF i've ever mentioned that i may just have a love of the colour and the bling!   LOL!

I've been truly spoiled  and had lots of friends and family visiting, and finished off with a lovely Italian meal in York this evening with my lovely OH and my eldest daughter.  Sooooo I thought before I doze off (after all that Tiramisu.....) I better do the draw... so here we go!  I've copied and pasted this from the RIG website - hope I've done it right... 

Random Integer Generator


Here are your random numbers:



4

Timestamp: 2011-08-09 21:08:37 UTC

And Number 4 on my comments belongs to Lee (aka Crafty Loops) - so if you'd like to email me with your details via my blog....  I'll get your winnings in the post to you!

Thanks to all for taking part in this bit of fun.....and again for all your good wishes!  And I PROMISE to be back with a card soon!! LOL

Hugs to all
Christine x
ps .....  anyone seen my indigestion remedy?  x

Candy time....!

Hi Girls

Just a quickie.... as promised, a bit of candy up for grabs!  As it's my birthday soon, I thought it time that I did a 'candy'! 

So it you'd like to enter ... go to Mr Linky below and enter!  Up for grabs is a pack of Crate Paper 12 x 12" papers in lush pinks, browns and oranges.... there are 16 double-sided textured papers in the pack, and it also includes journal stickers, borders designer diecuts etc..  Also in the candy there is a Little Claire Designs stamp - It's Dale's Bear - Girl. 

Good Luck girls....  You have till one week today - 9th August and I will pick a winner at random when somebody shows me how to work the random generator thingie..... I'm proud to say that I worked out how to use the Mr Linky thing all by myself!

1. Become a follower if not already, as I'd like my candy to go to someone who truly wants to follow my work.

2. Post a picture of my candy in your sidebar.

3. Leave your name with the Linky thingy!!

It'd be good if you also left a comment - just in case Mr Linky has a wander...

Bye for now
Christine x

Something a bit different...

Hi Girls

Hope this post works, as I've scheduled it.... we're hopefully getting out and about early this morning... my lovely OH has a few days off work, so we're making the most of it!  Hope the warm weather lasts, though we could do with a bit of sunshine to go with it!  Today has been cloudy mostly, but HOT!

Anyways, I just thought you may like to see another type of card I make.... this one doesn't have an image near it and no colouring!  But it is lovely to do and uses Japanese Washi papers, which I actually bought when I was in the US, but you can get from here.  The purply card is also different - not bazzil, but I can't remember it's name... sorry.  It has a silky finish.

Now the little squares (1" x 1") are cut from card, then padded with very fine wadding... then covered with the washi paper, which is tucked around the back (kind of like making a bed!), and stuck down with DS tape.  I then assembled nine together into a square, and put them on black cardstock, then onto the purply card.  I've tried to show you the depth of the squares, they are actually slightly squashy!

I really love this Japanese paper.... it's used in their traditional origami and has some luscious colours.

Anyway, thought you may like to see my 'different' card making! Hope you like

Hugs and Happy Crafting
Christine x
PS Don't forget to enter my candy if you haven't already...

told you the glitter would be back....

Hi Girls

Just a quickie tonight... as we've been out all day and am going to put my feet up in a tic!  We went across to Skipton to meet some good friends... and of course, on the way back, had to call in at my fav craft shop at Embsay (Samuel Taylor - Click on Crafts).  And (hmmmm of course), I just had to spend a little.... well, you've got to show willing haven't you?

Anyway, this was a card I made yesterday and didn't know what to put on as a sentiment.  And today I bought a Tim Holtz typewriter alphabet strip (think it's made by Sizzix), and it was perfect for what I wanted - young and funky!  The image on the card is from Funky Kits and is Manga Girl #1 - a Sugar Nellie design.  I've done my best at embossing and 3D'ing it like Debby does... but still have wrinkles!  The DP is from a Sweet Fairy pad by Prima... and there is bazzill card backing it.  I've used my nesties for the shape which was run through a swiss dots embossing folder, and distressed the edges and added stickles with EXTRA glitter (well I had to make up for the lack recently... didn't I??) 

Right, I think that's all.....  but just wanted to tell you all that as it's my birthday early next month, I'm gearing up to do some CANDY and have some nice things I've collected put by for it!  But I'll have to have instructions on how to do the linky thing etc...   Anyway, watch this space please!

Thanks all for looking - and a special welcome to my new follower Katy who gave me endless advice at Embsay today - her cards are absolutely FABULOUS and I'm now going to wander over to her blog to have a look!

Big hugs to all
Christine x

You won't believe this....

Hi Best Blogging Buddies...

Well.... what you won't believe is that I really couldn't find anywhere to put glitter on this card....  try as I might!  (although just a smidgeon did appear on the petticoat JUST before I photographed it... well only little tiny dots so they don't really count.. do they??)  So me..... with no glitter?  Heaven forbid!

Soooo the card is using a lovely image called Cherry Pip from Funky Kits.... isn't she gorgeous?  I coloured her in with my trusty pens... then embossed her to 'curve her edges' so to speak!  I then used 3D foam to raise her from an embossed nestie shape (labels 18), but as I was using the largest of the set, I had to draw around the outside of the nestie onto red card - and cut that out, to get the red outer frame.  Follow???  Hope so!  The DP I've used is from an October Afternoon Modern Homemaker 8 x 8 Pad which I got from The PaperMaze....  so yummy.. but it had to be used!  Then I've used a bit of red behind that, and also red (embossed with swiss dots) for the corners ... with a retro flower embossed and added to each corner.  And where could the glitter go?  I tried from all angles, but couldn't really justify it!  Will my glitter pot forgive me?  I think not!  I'll be excom-glitter-cated...... wahhhhhhhhh!!  Can't stand the thought!

We've had a lovely weekend....  we went out for a nice pub lunch yesterday  - and after going in and out of 3 different pubs and turning out noses up at the menu - settled for the one just down the road!  But it was really nice to spend some time just with each other, rather than thinking 'we must do this in the garden' or 'we must do that...'  Today we've just spent pottering in the before-mentioned garden..., and I've done things like changing curtains (when I fell off the chair.... and broke a lovely glass candlestick), then washed up after lunch (and broke my OH's favourite Black Sheep beer glass)!  Hmmmm... they say things come in three's?  Hope it's not my glitter pot!!!

Hope everyone is well and had a lovely weekend and that the sun shone for you at least a bit...

Big Hugs to all, and thanks for looking and commenting...
Christine x

I'm back...

Hi best blogging buddies.....

Well firstly, can I welcome my new followers.... it always astounds me that people want to take a gander at what I make... so to have some new members via the Docrafts forum makes me very happy!  So a big welcome to you... hope you like what you see..

Now....  Yes I realise I've been back from my short break for a week and haven't posted...  but I think my mojo stayed down on the Isle of Wight....  cos I haven't been able to do a thing this week (apart from spend money on my stash which is just SOOOOOOOOOOO easy!)  I've actually been doing 'that dreaded word that starts with an H and ends with  K'... to get out of going into my craft room and gazing at my desk!  What's the matter with me? Mojo hol??????

Anyways.... I decided as it was raining today there was no escape... sooooo i got in there!  I've had this delicious digi image from the Paper Shelter (In the 20's) for a little while now, so decided it was about time I gave her some colour!  I used my promarkers to colour her in, then added glitter (of course...), then used my embossing tool to curve the image and then 3D'd her onto an oblong of card textured with my swiss dots embossing folder.  This was all layered onto a slightly larger rectangle of bazzill.  The DP in the background is from a K & Co pad - Classic K Charlotte, and that's layered onto bazzill kraft card. 

I've used some seam binding for the bow etc... then added flowers that I made with an MFT Die-namics die called Flower Trio and Leaf Trio which I got from Simon Says Stamp.  I cut them out in pink - then wiped a pink versamark teardrop over them, and sprinkled glittery embossing powder on them and heated.... i LOVE glitter!  These were all then held together with a pearl brad from WOC.    Oh and I added glossy accents to her shoes and bag but it's not showing up too well in the photo...

So there you go...   Hopefully I'll be back sooner rather than later... provided the rain keeps up! (OK...... I'm really wishing for sunshine!

Hugs to all and thanks for visiting, and big thanks for those that comment...
Christine x
ps... Challenges: Divas by Design - Pastels
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes

A quick hello..

Just wanted to let you (my best blogging buddies) know that I haven't fallen off the edge of the world.. But that I've been working, gardening, making curtains, getting to know my new piece of technology (yay!!) And today we're going away for a few days back to the isle of Wight to see our friends and then to see the grandchildren in Bournemouth!

Soo not a card has been made, not a punch moved, not a pot of glitter lifted.. I have only been able to glance longingly in the direction of my craft space every now and again...

But I have been commenting and looking at everyone's beautiful cards ... So I'd not completely disappeared! Like katina mentioned in a post yesterday, I'm not going to feel guilty for not getting a card made or posting a creation.. Thats not what blogland is about.. Yes?

Sooo hopefully when we're back next week, I'll get at my glitter (can't wait.. It's a serious addiction..) and make something for you to see! But till then, I'm taking my little machine with me(!), so i'll still be around...

Bye for now and big hugs to all my blogging buddies.. And thanks for visiting..
Christine x

It's back to the plain and (not so) simple for me today....

Hi Girls...

Well it's taken me all day to get these pics uploaded.... GRRRR to blogger!!  Anyway, they're here now, so I'm thinking sweet thoughts (honest), and not mumbling away like I've been doing for the last couple of hours!! hehe

Now..  I blame these cards on my good friend Lisa over at Mess2Magic!  When she came to visit me, she brought me a lovely lot of card-making mags for me to enjoy... apparently she has as much difficulty throwing things away as I do, so handed them on to me!  Sooooooo  I sat and went through them all, and pulled out articles or pics of cards I would like to have a go at....  and here's the result.   (By the way girls, I then gave the rest of the mags to the AGE UK charity shop I work in, and they sold like hot cakes - so don't throw away...)  The card above was a 'to do' project - giving the template for the flower (which for some reason, I'd thrown away!!)  So I set to and hand drew it..... looks so easy..... but is SOOO damn difficult to get the right dimensions etc....  Now if anyone wants the digi download, I can give it to you....  just email me.  (I drew it freehand and then scanned it into photoshop and played a bit). 

The card is pretty self explanatory - and I printed on the pink dotty paper for the sentiment - using CK Ali's Hand Font which I'd downloaded for free at some time or another.  Of course, I had to add a bit of glitter.......

My second card today (yes two, don't fall over in excitement - they've taken me since Sunday to complete!) - is again CASE'd from a card I tore out of the mags, but I'm not sure there were instructions for this one.  Again, I had to draw it freehand and scan it.... but I think it looks really cute..... I made it for my OH - as we really are on Cloud Nine most of the time (but shhhhhh ... am not saying it too loud as he'll get a big head!!  And if anyone wants the digi image, just contact me and I'll send it.  I just hand wrote the sentiment and did the red heart with a glue pen and glitter (yes more glitter)! 

So there you go!  Hope you like them... and if not, blame Lisa!

We've spent most of the day in the garden today - it was my OH's day off so we tend to just potter around....  At least I'm saying I've been in the garden, but that was only when I wasn't  throwing things at my monitor all the time blogger wasn't playing ball.......

Hope you're all well and not being too depressed at the damp longest day we had yesterday...
Thanks for saying hello....
Hugs
Christine x

Hi...
Anyone having problems uploading pics to blogger???????  I've been struggling all day..... it pretends it's going to do it, thinks about it, then doesn't....... !! Any thoughts on what I'm doing wrong?  Or has this happened to anyone and you know how to sort it??

H-E-L-P!!!
Big Hugs
Christine x

A little change.......

Hi Girls...

Well after my trip to Doncaster on Sunday (you remember, the one where I wasn't going to spend anything - I was just going to get ideas....) - I thought I'd better try out some of the stuff I bought!  Ooooops - I've been a naughty girl again...  but I was pretty good - well, compared to the Harrogate show I was.... and I was round and away in 2 hours... that's a record for me!  My lovely OH was so patient - even searching out items that I was interested in - and even once, he went in a queue to pay - just so I could get onto the next stand!! LOL!

So without further ado... onto my card.  I used a Woodware Chrysanth stamp from WhichCraft at Doncaster (the people that laid on the show..).  I saw a card made using this stamp and thought it was really different for me to have a go at.  Well, different for me that is who's used to colouring everything in sight....

A sideways view to see the layers

It's stamped onto pretty DP two or three times, cut out (the tedious bit) then embossed (curled) and layered... think that's easy to see.  And then, well of course I had to add some glitter.......  agreed?  The card behind is very simple, as I felt I didn't need much more.

It's been a beautiful day here today - I went out for lunch with a lovely friend and sat outside to catch some rays and top up my tan...  Yes..... the gardening can wait until tomorrow..

Now....... I have to do lines.... one hundred lines of 'I really must NOT spend any more money on craft stash........  I really must NOT spend any more money on craft stash........ etc etc.......

Big hugs for all my buddies and thanks for commenting..
Christine x
PS.......  Confession:  Yes...... I DID buy some more nestibilities.......  and YES.... I DID buy some lovely Molly Bloom stamps.... (holding my hand out for a slap..)

Deja Vu.....

Hiya fellow bloggers

Just a quickie tonight as I'm just taking a quick break from feet-up time on the settee!!  This card is deja vu as it's the same papers that I used for my last card (Girls Paperie & Bazzill), but using a different Lori Boyd Puddle Jumper - this time it's Birthday Emma - which is apt as it's my daughter Emma's birthday this month!

Anyway, I've used the embossing tool again to curve the image - I really enjoy this technique and I think it makes such a difference.  I've used a nestie for shape - then shaded with a versamagic teardrop in wheat, while the nestie is still in place.  I've used cotton for the balloon ties.  I also used an MS punch for the trim under the ribbon.  Again, I didn't think it needed more embellies...  I'm definitely getting into the 'less is more' way of thinking.

Colours: Dress: Blossom, Pink Carnation, Rose Pink, Cerise, and Copic Rose Pink
for blonde hair (not shown)... Ivory, Vanilla, Pastel Yellow, Buttercup

Hope you like it... and thanks for commenting...
Happy weekend
Christine x
ps........  OH and I didn't mention the glitter.........   x