Yo ho ho instead of ding dong!

A couple of friends are getting married in a couple of weeks and I thought i had better get on with their wedding card. The theme of the wedding is period cosutme or fancy dress ... basically anything but modern/normal clothes!! So with that in mind, and the fact that I don't really have any wedding images I went for an alternative style of wedding card. Its the first card I have made in several days and I am overally happy with the colouring - I am rubbish at red and black!!!
So we have a pirate theme - its Lis and E dressed up as pirates!! The images are watercoloured and then cut out so I could sit them in the oval. The scallop borders and arrow sentiment from the dp pack, and the flowers are Wild Orchid Craft. I did some rough faux stitching round the edges of the dp, but resisted the temptation to distress the papers.

The card fits these challenges:
Stampavie and more - sketch
Totally Papercrafts - stitching
Charisma Cardz - Wedding
Just Magnolia - It take two (well 3 in this case!!)
Simon Says Stamp - birthday/celebration


I have a couple of other cards on the go ... Vicky has set me a tilda in Lilac challenge which is nearly finished and I have my Sweet Pea stamp to get finished too.

Recipe:
Stamp(s): Magnolia Pirate Tilda, Pirate Edwin, barrel and anchor
Colouring Media: distress inks
Papers: Cosmo Cricket Everafter
Embellishments: from stash

Charisma Cardz Challenge - GDT 5

This is my final week as Guest designer for Charisma Cardz and I have loved the challenges.

This week's challenge is to make a Mother's Day/girly project.
I have altered a box and made a card for my Mum .. just a 'because ...' pressie.

The box had choccies in it and I altered it by covering the bottom part with dp and the top part with off cuts of raw silk I had. I made new panels for the sides of the box so I could stretch the silk taut and hide the frayed edges. It took ages and I am not sure I would do it again .. apart from the silk looks more luxurious than paper. I added gardenia flowers, a big bow and some pearls to the lid. Inside there are some smellies.
I used the same dp for the card, and matched the cardstock to the ribbon. The image is watercoloured and distressed, before being stickled. I added a ribbon and bow, and some roses and pearl spray.



Recipe:
Stamp(s): Magnolia (RAK from Vicky)
Colouring Media: distress inks
Papers: MME Bella Bella
Embellishments: all from stash

Charisma Cardz Challenge GDT 4

This week's Charisma Cardz challenge is quotes, to make a card or scrapbook page using a quote. I had a mild panic until I recieved a gorgeous box of images from Vicky. In it was the image and quote I have used. I have put them together as she looks sad (miserable as sin, according to one member of my household, and its not the girls!!) and I thought the mask linked well with the reference to closing your eyes. I think it works.
I used promarkers to colour the image and added platinum and stardust stickles. I layered some red and green ribbon and used my bow maker to tie the bow (I love this tool!!). Finally I added a crotcheted flower with a spacer and rhinestone brad, a couple of roses and prima leaves.

I am quite pleased with the outcome ... it is the first Sweet Pea image I have coloured. I was surprised at the size .. thought they were bigger! Not sure wheter they are me or not ... but then I didn't think Tilda was me when I first looked at her LOL!!

I am entering this card into this week's Simon Says Stamp challenge, which is things with wings, My time to Craft, which is quotes, and Sweet pea Stamps Challenge which is wonderland (as she has a mask in her hand and has wings I think she is from a wonderland!)
Recipe:
Stamp(s): Sweet Pea
Colouring Media: promarkers
Papers: Basic Grey Boxer
Embellishments: from stash

Charisma Cardz Challegne GDT - Monochrome

Its my third week as Guest Designer for Charisma Cardz .. and I have to admit to my heart sinking when I saw this challenge .. I am not good at monochrome ... I get bored using 1 colour LOL!!

I used this fab stamp by Wendy from The Secret Crafter, and coloured her in using my pens. I kept the layout simple and used paler co-ordinating cardstock to mat. Mollie is cut out using my deckled rectangles. I coloured the flowers using my pens, and after some deep rummaging found matching ribbon.


Recipe:
Stamp(s): Secret Crafter Sitting Mollie
Colouring Media: promarkers and copics ( Secret Crafter)
Papers: basic Grey Wisteria ( Secret Crafter)
Embellishments: from stash

Charisma Cardz Challenge week 14 ( GDT)

This week's Charisma Cardz challenge is a thank you card, and its my second week guesting for them.

I watercolourd my image in using my new distress inks. I used my new nesties to cut her out and inked the edges of the image. I kept the layout quite simple and punched a border using my new EK Success punch. Some organza ribbon and a bow to finish. I was going to add flowers but it looked too busy.
This card is for my Gran, as a thank you for the Easter present she sent us.

Do have a look at the talented DT creastions.

Recipe:
Stamp(s): Sarah Kay
Colouring Media: Distress inks
Papers: Papermania
Embellishments: ribbon from stash

Charisma Cardz Challenge week 13 (GDT spot)

I am really proud and honoured to be Guest Designer for Charisma Cardz Challenge for this month.
This week's challenge is Animal Magic.
I inked up this fab House mouse stamp my girls got me for Mothering Sunday ... isn't it adorable!! I coloured it using my pens and matted it onto blue cardstock. As it quite large, I have kept the layout simple and added some organza ribbon and some swirls and a punched flower.


Recipe:
Stamp(s): House Mouse
Colouring Media: promarkers and copics
Papers: Basic Grey marrakesh
Embellishments: ribbon from stash

April showers

Just a quick post today ... got lots of jobs to get done before going to Vicky's tomorrow for the NEC!! So excited ... but need to be organised so I come back to reasonable civilisation rather than a demolition yard ... yes I am leaving the girls in hubby's 'capable' hands for 2 days and nights (gulp!!). Usually I entrust them to my Mum's firm but loving hands rather than their daddy who is the biggest soft touch on earth!!

Anyway I have finally got round to getting this card finished and posted ... I only started it on Monday!!! There have been a catalogue of disasters in the making ... mostly caused by the cat!!
I am counting this as a Spring card because of the colours and also we get lots of showers in April ... and its for a friend's April birthday.

I love this image and have coloured it 3 times using my pens. I chose spring papers (well there are golds and greens and birdies!!) and kept the layout simple. I was gonig to add some blue organza ribbon that matched the turquoise in the papers - had just enough for a strip and knot ... until the cat got it, chewed it sicked it up ... over one of the coloured images ... nice!!
I decoupaged the wellies and umbrella - should have been more decoupaging ... but not happening thanks to the cat!!
Onto disaster 2 ... I use silicon to stick the layers on decoupage. Its great stuff ... until the cat walks over it!!! So back to using foam pads. But in the process of taking the silicon off the umbrella it also took the colour ... thanks cat!! The image is raised off the dp using foam pads (the silicon was well and trully put away for another day!)
I decided not to put flowers on as they hid the lovely sparkly papers ... but now it looks a bit bear .. cheaper to post though!!

Here's a pic of the decoupage of sorts!
Hmmmm me and the cat are going to have words about helping in the craft room!!

Anyway this card covers these challenges:
Cute Card Thursday - dimensions
Charisma Cardz - Spring has Sprung
Wags n Whiskers - Pop it up
Polly craft challenge - sparkle
Simon Says Stamp - Easter/Spring and glimmer
Magical Crafts Fortnightly Challenge - Easter/Spring
Sweet Stampin Challenge - Spring is in the Air
Allsorts Challenge - Spring is in the Air
Colour Create - your choice of pastels + spring

Recipe:
Stamp(s): Wags n Whiskers
Colouring Media: Promarkers and copics
Papers: DCWV Nursery
Embellishments: none!!!

Fragile Beauty

Sorry about the photo ... it is a lovely day here, but trying to find a place where the colours show prefectly has been a nightmare!
it covers these challenges:
Simon Says Stamp - sketch
Cute Card Thursday - Celebrations (I chose birthday)
Creative Inspiration - charms
Charisma Cardz - butterflies
I have not used this little beauty for ages, and I think it is prefect for a challenge using butterflies. I coloured her with my pens and used my nesties to shape her and the mat. I added some green ric-rac, some layered flowers with a charm and some pink gems. The sentiment is FF Pink Parfait.

Ellie spent last night throwing up so she has been at home today ... and whilst she has caught up on her sleep today I am shattered and in need of a sleep, so limited blog hopping tonight for me!!!

Wendy from the Secret Crafter has go some really exciting news ... but I can't tell you yet!! You need to pop over to the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge on Saturday to find out ... oh and pop on here too! I am so excited and can't wait for Saturday!!

Recipe:
Stamp(s): Sugar Nellie Fragile Beauty
Colouring Media: promarkers and copics
Papers: MME Everyday tango
Embellishments: flowers, ric rac and charm from stash

ABC Tutorial challenge

On the ABC Challenge there is a tutorial challenge running and the DT are allowed to enter! So I am entering as a fab prize is up for grabs ... but you have to go over there to find out what it is!!

This card covers:
ABC Challenge - Cracked glass
ABC challenge - 1 paper
Simon Says Stamp - recipe - 1 image, 2 papers, 3 types of embellies (brads, flowers, pearls)
Charisma Cardz - sketch
Cute Card Thursday - Metal mania (copper brads)

I used my new distress inks to watercolour the image and cut her out using my nesties. Then I heat embossed the image 4 times, put it in the freezer, then cracked it and rubbed some vintage photo ink into the cracks. I kept the details simple .. would have loved to have added some ribbon ... but ran out of embellies.

I have made the card for a good friend who took my 2 girls off my hands yesterday so I could deal with the husband who passed out on the train down to London. The girls had a great day, and my friend seems to have survived, bless her! But then she is a prison officer so you would hope she could manage 3 girls!!!


Recipe:
Stamp(s): Sugar Nellie Demure
Colouring Media: Distress inks
Papers: I wish I knew!!
Embellishments: prima flowers, brads and pearls from stash

Pink and brown meeces

Its cold here ... our boiler decided to pack up on Thursday night and it won't be looked at until tomorrow. Fortunately we have a couple of heaters so we are managing to keep warm, and we went swimming today so e could have a shower and wash the girls' hair. Hopefully they will be back at school tomorrow.
I managed to get a couple of cards made last night ...

Both cards have chocolate in them so I am entering them into the Simon Says Stamp challegne which is hot chocolate and Quixotic Challenges which is hot chocolate. And as the colour combo in both is pink, brwon, chocolate and toffee I am entering them into the Charisma Cardz challenge.

The first card also uses my new stamp and new ink pad so I am entering it into Cute Card Thursday's all new challenge.
I have watercoloured the image and then distressed the edges using my new colorbox pink set (thanks Wendy!) Just a band of pink ribbon as this is such a big image.

I followed the Trully Scrumptious sketch and used my new ink pad to distress.
Again the image is watercoloured ... I confess to removing the other icke meece as the iamge wouldn't fit my nesties! I matted the image and dp onto brown cardstock. Flowers and a sentiment to complete it.
I am still on my 'lets keep things clean and simple' resolution ... .got a feeling the next card won't fit that as it will involve paper pleating!!!


Recipe:
Stamp(s): House Mouse Hot Chocolate; Cupcake; sentiment from Cuddly Buddly
Colouring Media:Distress inks
Papers: Basic Grey Bittersweet
Embellishments: flowers, pearls and ribbon from stash

Some cards ..at last!

I haven't done much crafting over Christmas, just some DT stuff to get myself ahead, but no challenges :(. I had intended to do some at the weekend at my parents but I forgot the stuff to stick with and the snow was a bit of distraction!

We were forcast light snow and sleet overnight - 7" and rising at the last look!! It has snowed heavily during the night and is still snowing heavily .. so I haven't worked today, and the girls are at home so we have had a bit of a play in the snow, crafting, more snow, and now they are crashed in front of a DVD!!
And I have had time to make these ...

The first card is for my SIL - baby due very soon.
I combined the following challenges:
Passion for Promarkers - sketch and love theme
A Spoonfull of Sugar - hearts
Charisma Cardz - celebration
Fuss and Fancy - New
Papertake Weekly - New Beginnings
Cupcake Card Challenge - baby card
Stamp something for the weekend - New Beginnings
By the cute and girly - New

Will ow is coloured using my promarkers nad then I cut her out as she was rather large for the circle!!! I used papers from the DCWV Nana Nursery stack and embssed some pale pink card with my hearts folder. I added some ribbon and a heart charm. I am going to add baby's name when she arrives ... got 6 so far!!!!

This card combines
Stamp with fun - sketch
My Time to Craft - blue and brown
Stamp Something - new somethings (my stamp)
One Stop Craft Challegne - things beginnig with B (blue, brown, bow)
I love this Tilda from the winter kit ... she has a right attitude!! I coloured her using promarkers and had a play with my blender pen. i made my own flower and added some ribbon and pearls. The papers are Basic Grey Wisteria. No sentiment yet as I am not sure what I am going to use it for.

My final card uses the following challenges:
Totally Gorguss - Thank you
A Spoonfull of Sugar - Hearts
Creative Inspirations - thank you
My Time to Craft - blue and brown
Cute Card Thursday - sketch
One Stop Craft Challenge - things beginning with B (blue, brown, bow)
This has to be one of my fave gorguss girls and I coloured her using promarkers. Again she is cut out to fit the sketch! I rotated the sketch and added a bow and sentiment. Again I used my lovely Wisteria papers

I don't often set New Year's resoultions as they are always broken ... but this year I am gonig to use all the stash I have so I can buy new and have space for it!! And make the kind of CAs cards I like rather than really fussy ones all the time ... need to make a few of those as I have a rather large flower collection!!

Flower Power

Hurrah no more Christmas cards ... until January when I am going to try to make two a week so November and December are not such a mad rush on red and green!!!

I have made this card using the following challenges:
Colour Create - pink, burgundy, ivory, optional roses
Cute Card Thursday - aperature card
Charisma Cardz - Anything but Christmas
Totally Gorguss - Anything goes

I haven't used this image for ages, so I stamped her up, watercoloured her and cut her out. I used the sketch from Whiff of Joy (would like to show that one too, but I had an incident with the cat, stickles and an interesting pattern of glitter!!) and rotated it so I could make the oval an aperature. I added flowers and some ribbon and braid and a feather thingy I have had for ages. Inside i stamped a corner floral pattern using burgundy ink.
Here's the inside.
Today I am making Christmas cards with the children so my house will be sparkling with sequins and glitter!!

Recipe:t
Stamp(s): Sugar Nellie Flower Power
Colouring Media: distress inks
Papers: Basic Grey Eva
Embellishments: flowers and ribbon from stash

Ellie's birthday card

My big little girl is 5 on Monday, so hubby has taken the girls out this morning so I can get her birthday card made.
As ever I have managed to combine a few challenges!!
Simon Say Stamp - So Charming
Friday Sketcher - sketch
Just Magnolia - a card for someone special
Charisma cardz - Dreaming of Summertime - I think the colours and papers are summery
Stamp Something - Glitzy somethings
Cute Card Thursday - Swirly Girly
Colour Create - lilac/purple, acqua, white and black
Allsorts - Purple
Magnolia Down Under - Bedazzled - I think there is sparkle on this!
I masked Tilda onto the steps and watercoloured her, before cutting her out. The dp is matted onto purple cardstock and acqua cardstock. I cut two circles out of Coredinations gemstone white cardstock and embossed one using the birthday folder and wrote Ellie on the other using a Sakura Stardust pen. I added some purple ribbon, purple gems, these gorgeous gardinia flowers which were glimmer misted and glamour dusted before having tulle added to them, and finally a princess crown charm.
To hold the image part of the easel card up, I glued and then glamour dusted a big black brad, and added some more purple ribbon.

Here's a close up of the iamge - I think she looks like my Ellie.

And here are those flowers - aren't they delish!!
Here's a pic of my two beautiful girls - don't they look angelic ... but please don't be fooled!!!

And here's my little one this time last year when she had her tonsils out - she got 49 gorgeous get well cards from you lovely bloggers ... and still looks at them and still has the cards and pictures she made with the lovely things you sent her.
We are now off to the school's Christmas fair, before getting ready for party 1 ... roast lamb for 9!!! Just hope the tin is big enough for it LOL!!!
Recipe:
Stamp(s): Tilda in Cherry dress, old steps
Colouring Media: distress inks
Papers: Basic Grey Wisteria
Embellishments: flowers and tulle from Tabby Crafts, rest from stash

More Christmas cards!

I can't believe I started these cards on Friday and only finished them this morning!!
They fit the following challenges:
Just magnolia - sketch (rotated) (2nd card)
Friday Sketcher - sketch (f1st card)
Charisma Cardz - Christmas
Roses on Paper - Romance/swwet
Cupcake Craft Challenge - red and green
Stamp with Fun - Christmas
Pollycraft - Christmas
Corrosive Challenge - red and green
I watercoluredTilda and stickled her. The white raffia has been glimmer misted as have the snowflakes.

Tilda was watercoloured and I gold heat embossed the edges of the image and papers. The flower is glimmer misted, and I distressed the tag.

I have kept the embellies reasonably flat ... gotta think of posting them!!

Sorry for such a short post - life is hectic with the run up to Christmas ... most of the children I mind have upped their hours ... liking the money, but not the lack of time!!!! I am contemplating buying Christmas cards (shock horror!!!) and have 4 Christmas stamps not yet inked up :(.


Recipe:
Stamp(s): Magnolia Tilda with Vintage Roses, Tilda with present
Colouring Media: Distress inks
Papers: MME Christmas glitter stack
Embellishments: all from stash

A few Christmas cards

I am struggling trying to keep up with photographing the cards I am making with such dull weather. Here are three that I have made over the last couple of days.

The first covers these challenges:
Create4fun - sketch
Stampavie and more - Brown + 1 - in this instance red
Creative inspirations - Sparkle
Uru is watercoloured and I distressed the edges of the image with vintage photo, walnut stain and aged mahogany. Th edp and the music paper is also distressed using the same inks. I added the flowers and leaf, and stamped the sentiment straight on the dp using maghogany ink. The sparkle is in the dp - sadly the dull light doesn't reflect it.

This card covers the following challenges:
Friday Sketcher - sketch
Just Magnolia - masking
Creative Inspiration - sparkle
Colour Create - red, green and white
One stop craft - snowflakes
Magnolia Down Under - Christmas card or decoration
Tilda was masked onto the presents (still not convinced she is sitting right, even after 3 attempts!) and watercoloured her. I cut her out and put her straight on to the dp. I glimmer misted the snowflakes using gold and then glamour dusted them, so they do sparkle!! I stamped the sentiment straight onto the dp.

Finally this card covers these challenges -
Penny Black Saturday Challenge - winter wonderland
One Stop Craft - snowflakes
Charisma Cardz - sketch
Allosrts - Christmas card with song title - Let it Snow!
Colour Create - red, green and white
Simon Says Stamp - animal antics
I water coloured this fab mousey and aded fluffy stuff and glitter. I kept the sketch simple and stamped the sentiment on to a cuttlebug bauble.

We have had a busy weekend - at an evening do for a wedding last night, and a princess party for one of the children I mind today. The girls are well tired and partied out!!! Hopefully they will sleep!!!!

Recipe:
Stamp(s): Whiff of Joy Uru and Bird, Papermania sentiment; Magnolia Tilda with presents, presents; Penny black Let it Snow, Cuddly Buddly sentiment
Colouring Media: Distress inks
Papers: My minds Eye, DCWV, Basic Grey
Embellishments: flowers, ribbon, lace, brads, card candy from stash

Daisies

Charisma Cardz challenge this week is daisies, and the Allsorts challenge is Furry Friends. Only one stamp sprang to mind ... this gorgeous Penny Black.
I stamped and watercoloured the image 3 times, before layering it up. I have kept the layout very simple and neutral. The flowers are punched and inked in pink on their edges, just like daisies when they first bud and flower.
Here is a view of the layering.
Feeling slightly stuffed after the first pub meal on our own in nearly 5 years!!! Think I am going to have an easy afternoon LOL!

Recipe:
Stamp(s): Penny Black Squeeze 'til I squeak
Colouring Media: distress inks
Papers: K and Co Daisies
Embellishments: punched flowers, pearls and raffia from stash

Kiss me!!

Well not really!!! I couldn't resist inking this little beauty up (available from the Secret Crafter) and whilst it looks veryt Christmasy I think I will be giving it to hubby for our Wedding Anniverary (we married 4 days before Christmas, and it snowed!).
I used the fab sketch over at Simon Says Stamp challenge, as it is a lovely simple, unfussy one, and there has been a bit of distressing so I am entering it into this week's Charisma Cardz challenge.
I watercoloured the image (how cute are those meeces!) and then stickled her dress and the mistletoe. I did some silver faux stitching round the image. The papers are by Martine and I added punched, stickled snowflakes and some spotty ribbon.

Recipe:
Stamp(s): Stampavie Mistletoe and Mice
Colouring Media: distress inks
Papers: Martine
Embellishments: punched snowflakes, ribbon from stash

Girly

The girls and hubby are having a fab time picking all the conkers up in the back garden ... so I made a card!!
I used this week's Friday Sketcher sketch, rotated, hand made flowers from Just magnolia, decoupage from Charisma cards and finally Simon Says Stamp girly.
I coloured my image using promarkers and decoupaged it up. I cut the mat out using my nesties and used worn lipstick distress ink to stamp the pattern on it. I made the flowers, following Michele's fab tutorial, but as I didn't have the die she uses I used my circle nesties and only used 3 circles per flower. I stamped onto the circles and inked the edges.

Here are my flowers ...
and the decoupage ...
Simon Says Stamp ask that you send your card either to Paige or to a sick child ... I am going to cheat and give it to one of the children I mind as she is 9 next week. She has quite bad epilepsy and is gutted that her medication isn't controlling the daily fits, so now needs yet more tablets. So I hope this counts.

Recipe:
Stamp(s): Magnolia Swing Tilda; Cuddly Buddly sentiment
Colouring Media: Promarkers
Papers: DCWV Nursery stack
Embellishments: raffia and pearls from stash