Wuv, Wuv, Wuv ....

.... as my son used to say when he couldn't pronounce his Ls!

Yes, it's that soppy time of year again!  My monthly craft meet was on Saturday and I spent a good few hours making a card for Paul.  Someone asked would he be appreciative of all the time I devoted to making his card?  I said "He'd better be!"  Here is the finished article:

There are oodles of Valentine challenges to enter this into: Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge ("It Must be Love"), Little Red Wagon ("Shades of Red"), Creative Inspirations ("Love is in the Air"), Cardz4Guyz ("Something beginning with L"), Moving along with the Times ("Love") and Brown Sugar ("Valentine").

The main focus of my card is the striped red heart in the centre.  I cut strips of different coloured and textured red cardstock, inked some with darker or brighter distress ink to give me an even bigger selection of colours, then lined them together carefully and stuck together behind a cut out heart shape.  I added black embossing round the edges of the card and the heart and stenciled some black on the left hand side.  The stripes look a bit pink in the light in this close up shot, but they are definitely red!!

Recipe:

Stencil: Tim Holtz "Bubble"

Paper: Basic Grey "Urban Prairie"

Other: Cardstock, black e.p.

Thanks for looking!

Blowing the dust ....

... off my blog after almost a year!  No idea why, just fell out of the habit (which, let's face it, was an infrequent habit at the best of times!!).  Anyway, I was just sorting my 2017 photos into files and decided to take the plunge back in, so here I am!

I've gone in a slightly different direction with my card-making over the past year .  I've been using much less patterned paper, have been stamping and making backgrounds and using a much more clean and graphic style.  Looking back over the cards I've made, I think my daughter's birthday card illustrates the "new look" quite well.  Here's what I did for her:

I'm entering the following challenges: Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and Crafty Creations("Anything Goes"), Creative Inspirations ("Something New" - mine is the yellow ink) and Crafty Cardmakers ("Get Inky/Messy").  I made the background by inking a large acrylic block, spritzing with water and then stamping directly on the paper.  I made star stencils and cut out the stars and also made the white letters.  I used black backing cardstock so the negative images of the stars would pop.

Thanks for looking!

On the double ....

.... there are a few times a year where friends' birthdays are so close together that I "cheat" and make identical cards for each person.  Thankfully, they don't know each other, so they'll never know!!

Here's what I made for my March birthday pals, Jocelyn and Olwen:

I'm entering the following challenges: Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge ("Use more than one die or punch"), Creative Knockouts ("Spring is on the Way"), Cute Card Thursday ("Spring is on the Way"), Moving Along with the Times ("Handmade or Die-Cut Flowers"), Fab 'n' Funky Challenges ("Flowers") and Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge ("Layer it Up").

I recently bought this WPlus9 stamp and die set and I absolutely love it - so versatile and I've made quite a few cards with it - many variables for leaves/flowers/centres, etc.  And I actually bought the die set so no fussy cutting those flowers!! The only problem I have is that I don't really have any pigment inks which make for more opaque cover if you stamp a centre on a flower - so I guess I know what my next bulk crafting purchase will be.  I had to be quite cunning about the way I combined the colours so they didn't bleed through or discolour - here's a close-up:

Recipe:

Stamps: WPlus9 "Fresh Cut Florals"

Dies: WPlus9 "Fresh Cut Florals"

Font: "Bakery" dafont.com

Other: Sequins from stash

Thanks for looking!

In the ....

.... good books again!  Last Valentine's Day, what with travelling to Scotland for the wedding and all that - like the cobbler's children not having any shoes, this cardmaker didn't make a Valentine's Card for her own husband!!  So this year, I thought I'd better not neglect him a second year on the trot and this is what I made:

I watercoloured a rainbow onto watercolour paper and then cut out loads of hearts, stuck them down then added punched small circles, glossy accented some bits and not others.  I'm entering the following challenges: Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge ("Use your favourite tool" - mine is actually very low tech - my Tim Holtz scissors, I cut something out on almost every card), Tuesday Throwdown ("Heart String"), Paper Creator ("Love is in the Air") and Fab 'n' Funky ("Wild About You").

It's dark now but I'm going to have to retake the picture tomorrow - the colours are just not right - they look much truer in this side-shot:

Recipe:

Other: Watercolour paint and paper, glossy accents, red thread

Thanks for looking!

How time ....

.... doth fly!  Bit too late to be saying Happy New Year, really, but here we are in 2017.  I haven't been crafting as I was sick over Christmas, then we had really busy weekends throughout January.  I've been trying to get time to clear out my craftroom, it was a tip.  Eventually got to it last weekend and did a huge tidy up and clean (the dust!!!) and since then I've made four cards, yes FOUR!!  One was just a photo one that I gave to my mother-in-law on her birthday and didn't take a picture of, two are waiting 'till their recipients have them before I post, but the fourth I can post now!

This time last year, we were headed off to Edinburgh to my cousin's wedding - here's the post I did at the time about it.  I made an anniversary card to match the card I had given them last year and here it is:

It's quite a little card - 10.5cm x 10.5cm so I hadn't a lot of room to work - I used the same papers as last time, had to use different ribbon as I didn't have any left from last year - lots of gold heat embossing and the same art deco touches and fonts.

I'm entering the following challenges: Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge ("Young at Heart"), Little Red Wagon (Colour Challenge - red and/or pink and black), Brown Sugar ("Rhinestone and/or ribbon") and Inspiration Destination ("Anything Goes").  I used some wood veneer hearts and covered them in gold embossing - here's a side-shot of the card:

Recipe:

Paper: Basic Grey "Kraft Basics"

Font: "Betty Noir" and "Yorkwhiteletter" -  dafont.com

Other: Gold e.p., ribbon from stash, Studio Calico wood veneer hearts

Thanks for looking!

One more before ....

.... the end of the year!  Last night, Jed told me he was going to his friend's house today.  Some time later, he "happened" to mention that today is his friend's birthday.  WHAT?!! No lazy morning lie-in for me this morning so - I was up making a last-minute card for the poor birthday boy, who was this close to getting neither card nor present thanks to my ditzy son!!  Here's my rushed offering:

I'm entering the following challenges: Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, Creative Inspirations and C.R.A.F.T. Challenge ("Anything Goes") and Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge ("Party Time").

I used a similar design and layout to a card I made a few months ago, no time for innovations today! My original intention was to print a silhouette of a cat walking along the bottom of the card (as Patrick has a lovely cat in his house), but I was told in no uncertain terms that Patrick doesn't like cats that much, he mostly just likes football!  So I printed out a football, also a bunch of road signs, including one with his age on the front.  Here's a side-shot of the layered up signs.

Recipe:

Paper: Cosmo Cricket "Get Happy"

Stamp: IndigoBlu "Ink Splats"

Stencil: Tim Holtz "Bricked"

Font: "A Dripping Marker" dafont.com

Other: staples, thread, signs printed from internet

Thanks for looking!

They're finished, and ....

.... it's only the 4th of December!!

I finished the last batch of Christmas cards last night, here's what this year's offering looks like:

I'm entering the following challenges: Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge ("O Christmas Tree"), ABC Challenge ("U for Unconventional" - Christmas card with no red or green), Crafty Creations, Moving Along with the Times, Creative Inspirations, Fab n Funky ("Christmas") and Brown Sugar ("Anything Goes").

I made a little scene with heat embossed Neat and Tangled stamps, watercoloured the background, added more heat embossed stars and did edges in gold.  I twisted thin gold thread round hairy string to give and extra little twinkle.  I made up a sentiment and printed onto the card blanks, as I didn't really like the sentiments that came with the stamp set.  Here's a side view:

And here they are all together, before I have to split them up and send them to people!!

Recipe:

Stamps: Neat and Tangled "Winter Wishes"

Font: "KG Sorry Not Sorry Chub" - dafont.com

Other: Black e.p., gold e.p., distress inks, hairy string, gold thread

Thanks for looking!

Typing an ....

.... elephant!!  I love fonts - picking the right one for a card, picking those I like even though I may never use them and every so often, finding that a font has a funny little extra when you press a certain key.  I found one a while back where, when you type the symbol | a little elephant appears! "Hmm" I thought "that might be good for a baby card".  So when one of our teachers had a new baby, I got to type an elephant and here's the card I made with him:

I based it on the sketch from this week's Mojo Monday and I'm also entering the following challenges: Inspiration Destination and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge ("Anything Goes"), and  Cute Card Thursday ("Toys and Transport" - an elephant can be both, can't it?!)

Here's a little close up of my elephant - I printed him out onto white cardstock, slathered him with glossy accents (there are a few bubbles - oops!) and finally added a googly eye!

Recipe:

Font: KG "Piece by Piece" - dafont.com

Papers: Echo Park "Jack and Jill"

Other: Glossy accents, punched hearts, googly eye.

Thanks for looking - back to the Christmas cards - I have 25 completed and another 25 ready for construction stage!

Bracing Myself ....

.... for the annual Christmas card making marathon!!  Well, I have made a start - this evening's fun will involve twisting copious amounts of fine gold thread around skinny hairy string!!

Before all that started, though, two important things happened - my daughter passed her driving test first time (hallelujah!) and it was my husband's birthday so I made this card for him:

Update 01/12/16- this card was a challenge winner at Seize the Birthday - thank you!!

I'm entering the following challenges: Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge ("Trio-tastic" - I have 3 big stars and 3 tiny stars), ABC Challenge ("T is for Three" - same things!), Crafty Cardmakers ("Embossing" - I have heat embossing), Brown Sugar ("Anything Goes") and Seize the Birthday.

I made the letters, covered them in enamel accents and left them to dry for a few hours.  When I went back up, I couldn't find the "a" anywhere.  After some searching and cursing, I found it stuck to the sleeve of my jumper - it had been there since I put the original enamel on! I added another layer to try to cover the lumps and bumps of wool fibre, but it did still come out a little lumpy in the end.  Here's a side-shot of the card (with lumpy letter a!):

Recipe:

Fonts: "Peanut Butter Cookies" and "Bambi Bold" - dafont.com

Other: Black e.p., black enamel accents, texture paste, hand-made stars and stencil.

Thanks for looking!

One that nearly ....

.... got away! Just going through photos and I realised that I never uploaded my brother's birthday card (back in .. gulp .. May!).  Better late than never, I always say, so here it is:

Quite difficult to see all that white against the background - in retrospect, I ought to have put a contrasting something or other behind it, but never mind!

I'm entering the following challenges: Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and Inspiration Destination ("Anything Goes"), Brown Sugar ("Birthday") and Creative Knockouts ("Something to Say"). 

I like the elements combined and layered on this card - stamping in two colours, washi tape, sentiment panel with string and homemade sort of melted hama beads!  Here's a side-shot:

Recipe:

Stamps: IndigoBlu "Ink Splats" and Hero Arts "Grid"

Font: Arial Black

Other: Washi Tape, homemade enamel dots, recycled black string.

Thanks for looking!

Bit of a ....

.... mad scramble here yesterday!  I haven't been crafting much this summer - partly because we've been redesigning our back garden, much gnashing of teeth and pulling of hair as we tried to work all our "must-have" requirements into a pretty small space.  And the other thing is I've taken my stiff neck/shoulder to a physiotherapist after rather a long time (4 to 5 years!!!) of ignoring.  My entire lifestyle from working as a secretary to hobbies of reading, crafting, etc. has conspired to create a perfect little storm of seized muscles, joints and nerves!  Oh well, will all be sorted eventually.  And the garden landscaping is underway - hooray - I'll post some before and after pics when it's done.

But .... yesterday was my little godson's 4th birthday, so a card had to be made.  My son's football match went over time, my step-mother called in for coffee unexpectedly, and the traffic was appalling as I raced to buy a present (ok, I left that very late!), so the card happened in between all that.  Here's what I made:

I'm entering the following challenges: Craft Your Passion, ABC Challenge and Simon Says Stamp("Anything Goes"), City Crafter ("Birthday Wishes"), Try it on Tuesdays ("Children") and Crafty Creations ("Use a Number").

I drew a little template for the balloons and cut out four in bright colours.  I printed out the numbers and letters onto white card and cut them out.  Had I had time, I would have glossy accented either the balloons or numbers or both, but that didn't happen!!  Here's a side-shot of the balloons:

Recipe

Paper: October Afternoon "Weathervane"

Fonts: "Bringshoot" and "Impact" - dafont.com

Other: Sharpie marker

Thanks for looking!

Nothing like a family ....

.... birthday to force a clean-up in the craftroom!!

My daughter turned 22 and, although I haven't even gotten into the craftroom over the summer, I had to get in there and make something for her, of all people!  It had become a bit of a dumping ground, especially the desk, but I did a swift tidy away and then made a card.  Wow, I was out of practice!!  After a few false starts, I ended up with quite a girly card for my non-girly girl!!  Here it is:

I loosely used the sketch from this week's Mojo Monday and I'm also entering the following challenges: Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge ("Celebrate"), Craft your Passion, Lemon Shortbread and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge ("Anything Goes") and Crafty Cardmakers ("Summer").

I made a chevron stencil for the embossing paste using a Simon Say Stamp chevron die - it had three rows and I needed lots more, so I die cut on a large piece of card and repositioned carefully to recut about 20 rows.  Very pleased with the outcome.  I heat embossed the flowers with white e.p. and coloured them, then cut them all out and layered on the card.  I put a little bee on the tag as Daisy loves bees - there's one on her most recent tattoo on her arm.  Here's a side-shot of the layers and texture.

Recipe:

Stamps: Stampendous "Flower Swirls"

Die: Simon Says Stamp "Small Chevron Stripes"

Font: "Bringshoot" dafont.com

Other: White e.p., white embossing paste, Prismacolor pencils, homemade enamel dots

Thanks for looking!

A Scottish ....

.... Valentine's Day.  My cousin got married in Edinburgh last week, so we went over there for a few days.  The wedding was held in Mansfield Traquair - it's a deconsecrated church in the Georgian New Town section of Edinburgh and is the most magical wedding venue I've ever seen.  Here's the front door:

And here's the main interior all set up for eating and a closer shot of the altar area where the ceremony took place:

Isn't it divine?!

The wedding invitation was art deco in style, so I made a card with a nod to that era.  Here it is:

I'm entering the following challenges: Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge ("Upcycle/Recycle" - I've used a little heart charm from a Lindt rabbit), Crafty Cardmakers ("Love, love, love"), Creative Card Crew ("Love"), Lemon Shortbread and Creative Inspirations ("Anything Goes") and Moving Along with the Times ("Words Only - No Image").

I used liberal amounts of gold embossing powder, to go with the black/red/kraft colour scheme and the art deco style lettering.  I also gold-embossed some wood veneer hearts - they came out really well.  Here's a side-shot:

Recipe:

Paper: Basic Grey "Kraft Basics"

Font: "Betty Noir" dafont.com

Other: Gold e.p., ribbon from stash, Lindt bunny charm, Studio Calico wood veneer hearts

Thanks for looking!

That was ....

.... quick - I only posted my mother-in-law's 70th birthday card a few weeks ago, now she's 71!!

Here's the card I made for this birthday:

I used the sketch from this week's Mojo Monday and I'm also entering the following challenges: Craft Your Passion, Lemon Shortbread and Cards Und More ("Anything Goes"), Paper Sweeties (inspiration pic - I went with the colours) and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge ("One Layer").

I used a technique I saw on Pinterest for the background of this card.  I dry-brushed acrylic paint on kraft and when it was dry, inked over with pumice stone distress ink.  I really like the soft, chalk-like effect.  I coloured the stamped flower with promarkers.  Here's a closer look at image and background:

Recipe:

Stamp: Hero Arts "Peeking Posies"

Font: "KG Always a Good Time" dafont.com

Other: Acrylic Paint, Hero Arts gemstones, rock candy stickles

Thanks for looking!

See ya ....

.... January.  It's February, and that means the reveal of the January Card Chain Challenge on Deborah's blog.

I made and sent a card to Christy in California, using the theme of "friendship".  Here's what I made:

I'm going to enter the following challenges: Craft your Passion and Brown Sugar ("Anything Goes"), Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge ("Ray of Sunshine"), City Crafter ("Plastic Fantastic") and Shopping our Stash ("Dreaming of Something Warm").

I made some home-made enamel dots, out of plastic hama beads, having seen them on pinterest.  I made one batch of varying colours and burnt them, then turned the oven down and left another batch in for ages and ages, they came out ok but not perfect.  Will have to fiddle with temperature and timing to get the next lot right!!  Here's a side-shot:

Recipe:

Stamp: Hero Arts "Floating Leaves" and Kaisercraft "Chevron Texture"

Font: "Joe Hand 2" dafont.com

Other: White e,p., home-made enamel dots, baker's twine

And here's the lovely card I got from Toni - all the way from the west coast of the U.S.  Thank you, Toni!

The February sign-up is open until 6th February - if you'd like to join up, head over to Deborah's blog and see all the details.

Thanks for looking!

For old ....

.... time's sake - I was very sad to read an email from Basic Grey saying that they are stopping production - they were the first paper company whose products I really coveted.  I think Scarlett's Letter was the first collection I bought - still love that line - and so many others were divine.  Lovely colours, patterns, buttons, brads - there's an awful lot of it still in my stash. 

I pulled out an old collection, Marjolaine, to make a card for my friend's daughter - here it is:

Forgive the slightly blue cast to the colours - we're having yet another dull, rainy January day.  I used the sketch from this week's Mojo Monday and I'm also entering the following challenges: Craft your Passion and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge ("Anything Goes"), Crafty Cardmakers ("Punches or Dies"), Little Red Wagon ("They say it's your Birthday") and Moving Along with the Times ("Embossing").

As mentioned already, I used Basic Grey "Marjoleine" papers - such pretty colours.  I stamped a criss-cross background and heat embossed in white e.p. and also embossed in silver around the edge of the sentiment layer.  I hand-drew the number 14.  Here's a side-shot where you can quite clearly see the embossed criss-crosses:

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Marjoleine"

Stamp: Hero Arts "Envelope Pattern"

Die: Spellbinders "Pinking Circles"

Font: "Bakery" dafont.com

Other: Hand-drawn numbers, silver and white e.p., hand-made enamel dots

Thanks for looking!