Totally Gorjuss challenge 44 - you're a star!

A happy Totally Gorjuss Saturday everybody! That's right, it's another super challenge at Totally Gorjuss and this week the theme is "you're a star" sponsored by Crafters Companion. I created another baby card as I have a lot of friends having babies very soon so it just helps me keep ahead!

Isn't this image gorgeous? She is Twiddly Wings Shooting Star, a digi stamp from Pollycrafts. Obviously I am entering her into the Pollycraft Monday challenge to use stitches and used the sketch from Papertake Weekly challenge below. I love the quote inside - isn't it wonderful? Makes my heart melt!

See you tomorrow with another card!

Papers/cardstock: Bazzill cardstock, K&Co Small Wonders Girl

Mediums: Copic Caios, Glamour Dust

Image/stamps: Hampton Arts Our Baby sentiments

Accents: lace from stash, Bazzill vanilla floss

Tools: Martha Stewart lace heart border punch

Wedding stationery - photographed at last!

Some of you may remember that I mocked up some sample cards for my cousin's wedding (this post). Well, she chose one (thank goodness!) and I've now made wedding invites (for the ceremony in Mauritius), reception party invites (back in England a month after the wedding) and thank you cards (for all the pressies!). I made over 200 cards! (Patting myself on the head.)

So here they are...

As you can see, I alternated the colours so there's a bit of variety! The colours are to go with the bridesmaid dresses - they chose these hot colours as the ceremony is being held in Mauritius. They are quite plain, but I clear embossed flourishes across the text to keep it interesting. It also helped with the "dewy" look with the dew drops - thought it gave a more tropical feel rather than using buttons.

Now my time is freed up to do some new creating!!

Papers/cardstock: ultra-white pearlescent cardstock and papr (for inserts) from Paper Mill Direct (

here and here), Bazzill Tink Pink and Core'dinations orange cardstock
Mediums: detail clear embossing powder, Versacolour Opera Pink
Stamps: Hampton Art J Melvin Calligraphy alphabet set, Autumn Leaves Flourishes v2
Accents: Beresford Super Sheer Organza ribbon in shocking pink and orange, clear dew drops
Tools: Fiskars Apron Lace border punch, WRMK Corner Chomper, EK Success flower punches in small, medium and large

Mocke up wedding cards

I surprised myself today by creating not one, but 6 cards! That is a mega record for me! My cousin, Siobhan is getting married this year and has asked me to make her wedding stationery. As they are tying the knot in Mauritius she wanted it to match her bridesmaid dresses and to also keep a simple style.

Here is the bridesmaid dress...

And here are the selection of cards I've made for her to choose from...

I embossed the sentiments so they are shiny and raised (so not as flat as it looks in the photos). I also used an interference ink with a swirl stamp on top of the sentiments and embossed with clear powder to keep the cards from looking too plain, but again you can't see them in the photos, shame. For the flowers, I punched through the card and stuck coloured card behind them - I really liked the contrast against the pearlescent cardstock.

I must say, I'm quite nervous! I really want her to like them (well, at least one of them). What if she doesn't but feels she must choose one anyway?!! Goodness, talk about performance pressure!! How do people make cards for money and not stress out all the time?!!!

Papers/cardstock: various Bazzill cardstock, pearlescent cardstock (can't remember where I bought it from!)

Stamps: Hampton Art J Melvin Calligraphy alphabet set, Autumn Leaves Flourishes v2

Mediums: Pretty Color ink #8, Opalite interference ink Crystal Blush

Accents: ribbons from John Lewis, Bazzill buttons and floss, Robins Nest Dew Drops in clear

Tools: WRMK Corner Chomper, EK Success flower punches in small, medium and large, Fiskars Apron Lace border punch

I think I'm in love...

I actually went ahead and practiced using my mini sewing machine and guess what? I loved it so much I went ahead and made a card! What do you think?



I don't normally do vintage - or perhaps it's shabby chic?! - I can never get it right, but I think I did ok with this. I can't believe how easy it was to do the stitching - I scared myself silly even thinking about trying it! If you look carefully, the stitches aren't very straight in some places - those were the times I stopped concentrating on keeping the needle centred. Well I intend in using this technique a lot from now on so I'll get lots of practice!

Big thanks to Carly who left me a lovely comment on my previous entry - it was this that encouraged me to have a go today (and not leave it for another year!). You should go and have look at her creations - they are beautiful. I love the way she uses stitching and manages to keep a clean, fresh feel. Look at one of her fabulous examples here.

Mine aren't a patch on hers, but at least I can get inspiration from her when my creative juices dry up!

Papers/cardstock: K&Co Hopscotch mat pad, Bazzill cardstock
Stamps: Hampton Art Our Baby clear stamp set
Mediums: edged with brown ink
Accents: Karen Marie Klip die cut letters, velvet ribbon
Tools: sewing machine, Woodware Fingerguard trimmer with scallop blade

Is this any better?!

It was a shame the photo I took of my card yesterday didn't do it justice so I thought I would take some more photos where there was better lighting and then to play around editing it.

Here's what I came up with...

I used Microsoft Office Picture Manager to edit it. I first used the auto correct but it just kept making it more yellow and grainy. I undid that, manually cropped it and then played with the brightness, contrast and colour. I think it's better but not a lot more! I think my options are to improve the initial lighting and get a better photo editing software. Time for some research into it!

In the nick of time...

Well I did it - I created my first week's card for this blog as I promised myself! But it was really close - I nearly cheated by publishing a card I have in stock, but I knew I had to keep my promise to myself!

Here it is, a card for my friend's new baby girl, Zara...

I started out with a shabby chic style in my head - I even had the crochet flower, lace and pins at the ready! No matter how hard I tried, it just wasn't working out for me. I ended up making this instead with a cleaner look. I got some inspiration from a card magazine, but unfortunately I can't remember which one - sorry magazine!

The photo doesn't do it justice, even if I say so myself - lol!! I put sticky pads behind the giraffe so it pops more than the photo suggests. The colours in real life are that bit brighter too. One of these days I'm going to find out how to use my Canon digital camera to best effect - maybe then I won't feel like I've wasted my money and should have got a throw away one instead!

I even went to the trouble of decorating the inside. I love the Hampton Arts Our Baby set - the sentiments are very thoughtful in a lovely feminine font. In case you can't read the text, this one says "Sometimes it's the smallish things that take up the most room in your heart." So sweet!

In comparison to the card I showed a couple of days ago... well there is no comparison! I so much more prefer this one! The proportions are right, the embellishments co-ordinate and there's a better use of the space. What would I change? I would make the cream/pink/green rectangular matting (that the giraffe sits on) narrower, perhaps a centimetre off. I don't particularly like the hole for the eye either - I originally intended to put a mini button there but I didn't have one small enough! A small gem wasn't right against the rest of the very mat look. I do like the mat look, but a subtle sheen probably would have finished it off perfectly - Glimmer Mist on the giraffe's spots and horns comes to mind. Overall though, very happy with it (and I'm a huge perfectionist!).

Here's what I used:

Papers/cardstock: K&Co Brenda Walton Small Wonders Girl mat pad

Stamps: Hampton Art Our Baby clear stamp set

Accents: green/white gingham from stash, mini heart buttons from stash

Tools: Fiskars Apron Lace border punch, Sizzix Original Giraffe #2, Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels 1, hole punch (for giraffe spots), wavy decorative edge scissors