Wedding Stamp

I've been asked my a couple of people where the stamp was from that I used on the black and white wedding card. It was from my local Craft Central for £1.99 and it's by katie & co.

Not sure if you would still be able to get it from there or if anyone on-line sells them

More Cards

I've been colouring a few images I'd been sent by Julie at Julies Japes the last couple of nights in front of the telly and I've managed to make them into cards this afternoon.

The swirl paper is from Pink Petticoat and has been added to the base of the card. I've then added a strip of pink card across the middle and tied some pink ribbon to the left hand side. I've added a Pink Petticoat greeting mounted onto the same pink card to the bottom left hand corner.

With this card I have added pink card to the left hand side of the card. I've used a strip of the same paper as above mounted onto pink card. Pink spotty ribbon has been tied round it and this has been added to the middle of the card. The sentiment is from Craftwork Cards and I've added 3 little gems to the bottom right hand corner.

The paper on this card was from the kids Dovecraft pack, I've mounted the image onto red card and also a Happy Birthday sentiment.

PTW - Shop til you drop

I decided to try the Papertake Weekly Challenge now the Christmas cards are out of the way, going to try and do more of these in the new year.

'This weeks challenge is 'Shop 'Til you Drop'. Anything to do with shopping this week, what with the sales round the corner lol!! Handbags, shopping bags, dollar/pound signs etc etc!!'

I had been sent this image by Sue at Slumber Cards and I hadn't got round to using it. I coloured it with my Derwent Watercolour Pencils (I've only just got these and they are my favourite at the moment). She was mounted onto lilac shimmer card and papermania glitter brads added to the corners. The card was covered with some paper I have had for ages and never used and I have added a craftwork cards greeting with lilac ribbon feed through it.

Wedding card

I'm off to my friends wedding tomorrow that I did that stationary and table plan for. With all the excitement of Christmas and packing a years worth of social life into the last couple of weeks I have only just got round to making her card!!!!

The paper is from Pink Petticoat and I have added a strip of black card to the edge. I have then stamped the little church and punched this out with my circle punch and mounted this onto a black scalloped edge circle. The little greeting has been coloured black, hope she likes it.

Baby girl

I love this Penny Black stamp and Natalie kindly sent me an image. I've coloured it with my Derwent watercolour pencils and cut it out. Then mounted it onto white and pink card and added stickles to the bow. I've added some baby paper I had in my stash onto pink card and added this across the middle of the card. Pink ribbon and bow has been added down the left hand side and the sentiment is an A Muse Art stamp mounted onto pink card. I've added 3 small pink gems to the bottom right hand corner.

It's not the greatest of pics, but the pink paper and ribbon is a nicer baby pink, that it looks in this. Might try to get a better one later, but I don't think we will be seeing any nice weather here in Cheshire today!!!!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

1 more sleep to go

First Sugar Nellie

Well like everyone else I am loving the Nellie stamps and this is my first chance to have a play. I've stamped the Balloon boy and coloured with Derwent watercolour pencils. I've then mounted him onto blue card. I've embossed the same blue card using the Happy Birthday Cuttlebug folder and added this to the left hand side of the card. The sentiment is from Craftwork Cards and I've added stickles to the edge and also to the balloon.

My Christmas Tree

Over on Just Bex they have a little elf called Elvin who has been setting Christmas challenges through December. This is the first one that I have been able to join in with, but it was to show your Christmas tree off.

I tried to make sure that I missed off the bottom, as we have about 10 boxes of chocs under our tree and I didn't want to look greedy!!!!

Daring CardMakers - I'm Free

Decided to take part in this weeks Daring Cardmakers challenge.

'Christmas is an expensive time of year (although every day of the year can be potentially expensive to us Crafters ! ;) Anyway, we thought it would be a good idea to run a dare that was 'inexpensive'..This week, we the DCM team, would like you to design a card using a magazine 'freebie' . Either a craft magazine freebie, or indeed any other magazine freebie, papers, embellishments, tools, etc. anything really, as long as it came from a magazine.'

I loved this challenge as I am one of those people that is attracted to a magazine by the freebie and have loads of free papers that have never been used.

The first card I used a Craftwork Cards glittery blank and added the spotty paper (from Just Great Papers Mag) and lilac paper across the middle of the card. The Penny Black image was from Julie at Julesjapes and I used my new Derwent watercolour pencils and mounted her onto lilac paper. The sentiment I got free with a Craftwork Cards newsletter when I was a member awhile back and I overlapped it onto the image, as I'd got a little smudge and it covered it up beautifully!!!! I've added gems to the corner and stickles to the image and edge of the sentiment.


This scalloped card black was also free with a Craftwork card newsletter. I covered the bottom have with paper from this months Papercraft Essentials that I got yeasterday and added a pink flower embossed sticky ribbon from Anita's. The magnolia image was from Michelle at CardGrotto and she is coloured again with my new Derwent pencils. I've added another Craftwork Card sentiment and added stickles to this and the image.

I'm off now to see what other freebies I have that I can use this afternoon!!

Merry Christmas Everyone

I just wanted to wish everyone Merry Christmas. I hope you have all been good girls this year otherwise santa won't be bringing you any crafting goodies!!!!

Hoping to get some crafting done over the festive period, as I've not been able to have a play with some of my new goodies as I seem to have been making christmas cards for months. I have now packed all my Christmas stuff away in a box and put it in the cupboard, don't want to see it for at least 6 months :o)

I've been busy this afternoon making gift wallets to put money in for my parents and brother. With my mum being ill no-one had thought about what they would want, so everyone is getting money to treat themselves in the sale. Mum says it's hard to choose I was really pleased with them, but I forgot to take piccies before I sealed them in their envelopes, so you will just have to take my word!

Also been making some cards for my mum, as she has a few birthdays in the next couple of weeks. Only one of the pictures has turned out half decent, so I only have that to show. This horrible Cheshire weather does not help in taking a good picture.

This is for her friend who is very into his amatuer dramatics. The lights and clapperboard were sent to me by Julie at Jules Japes and were a godsend as I really didn't know what to do. It must have gone down well as my dad was pleased when I met him in Tescos to pass it over and my mum phoned me later to say she really liked it as well.

Wedding Stationary

Well I have finished the wedding plan for my friends wedding on 28th December and I'm actually quiet pleased with it. Bit stressed when names kept being changed, but I had the final details on Friday and did it this weekend.

I also thought I would show you the wedding invite that I made for the day guests. The evening invites were slightly different, but I'm going to the full event, so don't have one of these to show you.

My guitar went down so well with the person at my hubbies work, that I have been asked to do another one and I also have 3 60th birthday cards to do for my mum, all mens :o( and a 50th for a lady so that should keep me busy tomorrow night.

Only 2 more days at work and I am so so looking forward to my break until the 2nd Jan.

Also, big thanks to Julie, as I arrived home to a lovely card and some images of the new Nellies. Put a big smile on my face.

Tara x

Hello Sista's

Sorry it's taken a couple of days to introduce myself, but Christmas is proving to be very busy his year!

Anyway, a bit about myself, well I'm Tara, 34 years old and I've just got married this June to Matt after more than 4 years together. We have 2 cats Blackie and Spitter and I'm hoping we might add to our little family next year, no pressure Matt!!! We live in a little town called Northwich in Cheshire England, although I was born and bred in Scotland and am very proud to be Scottish.

I've been making cards about 3 years now and I am totally addicted. My hubby keeps asking when I will have bought everything I need, but he just doesn't understand that I just have to have every new thing that comes out!!

Can't wait to get to know you all and I will be visiting all your blogs over the next day or so, esp as I have now finished decorating the house for Christmas

Tara xx

Another Christmas Lola

This is another image that has been waiting to be made into a card. REally simple as I was getting tired, I covered the card with paper from this Christmas stack from DCWV. I then mounted Lola and a Pink Petticoat sentiment onto red card.

I've only got Thursday in work and then I have a long weekend. Going out for lunch with Mum & Dad on Friday afternoon, as it's Mum's birthday this weekend. Still haven't got our tree up, we started it tonight and then our new lights wouldn't work!!!! We have to get them replaced at the weekend, can't believe that it's still not done. I have put all the other decs up and also a bare tree ready for the lights when we get them.

Best get to bed now, didn't realise it was past 11 and on a school night :o)

I love Penny Black!

I love Penny Black images they are just so cute and I think the hedgehog is my favourite. These have all been coloured, but were waiting to me make up into cards so I thought I better finish them off this side of Christmas!!


The first one if an image from Natty K and I have coloured using Marvy Le Plume pens. Image and Pink Petticoat sentiment mounted onto red card. The paper is from one of the Dovecraft sets. This image I got from Michelle at The Card Grotto and he is just so easy to colour in. I've added stickles to his hat, scarf and the snow. He's mounted onto blue card, the paper from Partners is also mounted onto blue card. I've coloured a peel off blue to finish off.

Another image from Natty K, again coloured using Marvy Le Plume pens, I've added stickles to the edge and mounted onto a red scalloped circle. The paper is from Doodlebug and I have added a strip of red card to finish off. Peel off has been coloured red.

Pink Petticoat Christmas Cards

Made a couple more Christmas cards, using Pink Petticoat images.

The first card is using the Lolas Occasion collection and I have coloured her with watercolour pencils and added stickles. I've then mounted her onto great card and also mounted a Pink Petticoat sentiment onto green card. I've then covered a square card in paper from the new DCWV christmas stack and added Lola to the left hand side of the card, the sentiment at the bottom right and 3 little stars to the top right.

The second card I have covered a DL card in Doodlebug papers. I've then punched out 3 cupcakes with hollie and coloured them in with Marvy Le Plume pens and added stickles to the frosting and edged the circle in red ink. Then mounted onto card and finished with a Pink Petticoat sentiment edged in red.

Daring Card Makers Challenge

Haven't had a go at a challenge for a while, so I thought I'm make a card today for the Daring Card Makers Challenge. The challenge is to use stripes in your card design.

I covered a square card with this lovely stripey paper from one of the Dovecraft christmas packs. The image is a penny black stamp, watercoloured with Marvy Le Plume pens and stickles added to his scarf. He is mounted up onto DCWV card and a peel off coloured green is also mounted onto white and then green card to finish the card.

Happy Anniversary

I was asked to make this card by a friend at work for her mum and dad's anniversary. It's a card that I had made ages ago, but the picture he even worse than this if it's possible!!! I've used a strip of embossed paper down the left hand side of an A5 card and tied it on with red ribbon. I've then mounted 2 white padded hearts and a large red heart jewel to red glitter card and added a sentiment mounted onto red glitter card. I've added a red insert with a little heart punched out of the corner.

Christening card

We are off to our firends little girls christening tomorrow, hubby has bought a new shirt/jumper combo from Next and I still haven't a clue what to wear to a christening!!! Anyway, this is my card, I have used pink card with christening in silver down the left hand side and the ellison bible die to create the pink bible. Off to phone mum in a minute, as I haven't a clue if you write the card to the parents or Katie!!!

Feeling more positive and thanks yous

I'm back and feeling a lot more postive about things than Wednesday. My mum's cancer has been treated and hopefully she won't need anymore chemo. It's a shame that we couldn't try the Stem Cell treatment, but my mum's a fighter and always looks on the positive side of things so I should learn to be a bit more like her!

Decided that I need to get the house decorated for Christmas now, been out and bought new lights and I might get the tree out later and start decorating. Off to our friends little girls christening on Sunday and then for a family meal for my brothers birthday, so no crafting for me tomorrow. I'm just waiting for hubby to add some pictures of the cards I've made today.

Also wanted to say thanks to Julies Crafty Corner for my blog candy and the Michelle at Card Grotto for the images and the lovely card. They have both really cheered me up this week.

Update on Mum

Thank you for all your kind message about my mum's operation. Unfortunately it wasn't as sucessful as we had hoped and they didn't get enough stem cells for them to perform the stem cell treatment, which could have maybe cured her cancer. We have to wait until next week to see her specialist, to see whether the chemo that she has already had was enough to have got rid of the lump that she had or if she is going to need more. We will also then know what we can do for the future and trying to control or lessen the likelyhood of her cancer recuring in the future.

Thank you very much

My mum asked me to make a thank you card to give to everyone at Nathan House at Christies to say thank you for all the care she's had in the last few months from them. I decided to stamp the large do crafts flower stamp onto lilac card using white ink (note this takes about 15 mins to dry!!) and then added jewels to the centre of the flower. I added a strip of white and then lilac card to the bottom of the card, a white peel off message and jewels to finish.

I've won some candy!!!!

I entered a blog candy over on Julies Crafty Corner http://juliescraftycorner.blogspot.com/ and I've won. It's really cheered me up on a Sunday evening, makes going to work tomorrow slightly better!!!!

Thanks Julie for the opportunity to enter

More Xmas Cards

Made a couple more cards this morning. I love this little Penny black mouse, I got the image from Natty K. Coloured using Marvy Le Plume pens and stickles added to his hat. Mounted onto lilac scalloped circle. Lilac card embossed with cuttlebug folder and added to left hand side of card and sentiment from Pink Petticoat mounted onto lilac card.

This is a Papernation decoupage and I have added stickles to the baubles. Mounted onto white and then green card. Paper was from an old QVC TSV kit

Table cards

Well I have been very busy finishing off the 76 table cards that I have been asked to do for my friends wedding, waiting for about 20 more names to finish them off. Thought I'd show you what I designed, she is having a winter theme in the dining area, so we decided on snowflakes.

Also spent an hour covering a canvas board that she had bought for the table plan in ivory paper. Took a bit of time, but I'm really pleased with it, as even the corners are real;y neat and tidy. The table plan is going outside the room and if following the gold and cream of her wedding invites. Just waiting for her names and tables and then I can get this finished off

Kim's Blog Candy

Kim at Simply Fairies is having a blog candy giveaway. 'So here's the deal, if you would like to enter for this, I would like ya's to make a card for any birthday occassion, BUT this must be a completely new card that you make and not attached to any other blog challenge...'

I was asked by my hubby to make a music/guitar themed card for a lady he works with for her boyfriends 60th birthday. I mounted a strip of brown card down the centre of a cream square card. I then mounted a vellum sheet if music notes onto cream card with brown brads and added onto the brown card. I cut out a Ellison thin cut guitar and mounted this onto the velum square and added his name above and 6o below. I added happy birthday peel offs and brown musical notes cut with the small sizzix die.

Had this sheet of vellum rectangles for ages, which I had been given and never known what to do, but I'm really pleased with how this has turned out. Just hope Brian is :o)

Happy 21st Birthday

I was asked to make a 21st Birthday card by one of our sales guys for his girlfriend. I don't know her and he didn't really give my any ideas so I decided to use my trusty Ellison Champagne bottle.

I covered the bottom of an A5 card with Doodlebug paper and added ribbon to the top. I then cut out the champagne bottle and cork from silver and gold mirri card and added wire to the top of the bottle. I curved a couple of congratulation peel offs along the wire and added some silver stars. I added her name to the ribbon and some papermania jewels, 21 cut using my Sizzix Block Party alphabet and a happy birthday peel off.

Cricut Expression - just ordered mine!!!!!!

Well I have gone and done it, I've bought the Cricut Expression. Still feel slightly sick as it's £310 and a lot of money, but hubby says that he is getting a new games console and this is just like getting one of them. Got it from Oyster Crafts for £310 and free P&P and they say that it will be with me at work tomorrow!!!!!

Don't think I will be able to sleep tonight :o)

Ice Cream anyone?

I bought these ice cream embellishments at a craft show in the summer and they have sat on my desk since then!!!! I mounted them up onto glitter circles and added paper from a dovecraft birthday pack. The sentiment as always is from Pink Petticoat, this Curly Girly sentiments has been one of my best buys lately!!!

Happy Anniversary

I have had this papernation decoupage made up for ages, but had just not got round to finishing the card off. The paper was part of a Crafty Bitz TSV from a couple of years ago and the sentiment is from Pink Petticoat

Not sure who to give it to, but at least the little couple won't get bashed anymore on my craft desk :o)

Cheap Xmas cards!!!

I was asked by one of the sales guys at work to make 22 Christmas cards for his and his partners family at the cheapest rate I could do them!!!!!! Said I would do them for a pound with printed insert and envelope, so I have had to be careful what I used on them.

Used embellishments and small stamped images to make them and I've included a small selection of what I've done. Kept to tall thin and C6 size, as the smaller embellishments didn't look lost on them. Just hope he likes them when I take them in next week.

Better piccy of Mouse card

Managed to take a better picture of the little mouse card, the image was from Natty K. Again watercoloured with Marvy Le Plume pens and mounted onto a lilac scalloped circle. Paper is from Partners and I have added a Anita's sticky ribbon. Sentiment is from Pink Petticoat and mounted onto lilac card.

Cards at last

At last I have made some cards tonight. Spent the last night designing name cards for my friends winter wedding, so I now have about 100 to make for her, I'll post a piccie when I've got them printed and one made up. I've also had to make up a couple of boxes of cards, one Christmas and one Other Occasions for my mum to donate to the Cancer Research raffle. Always struggle making boxes, but after 2 years of struggling I think I might have just about cracked it, did the lids in acetate so that you could see the cards and tied them in ribbon.

Was hoping to play with my Nestabilities dies as well last night, but my Sizzix Texturz kit hasn't arrived, so I will have to keep my fingers crossed it arrives tomorrow.

My first card I have mounted paper from Pink Petticoat onto blue card and mounted across the middle of the card. The Penny Black image I got from Natty K and I have coloured him with Marvy Le Plume pens and added stickles to his scarf and snow. Finished off with a peel off coloured blue.

I covered this DL card with some embossed paper that I had from a Crafty Bitz QVC TSV from about 2 years ago!!!! The image I received from Julie and this was coloured with Marvy Le Plume pens and stickles added. Sentiment is from Pink Petticoat.

I love Snowbunny bella, she is so easy to colour and always look fantastic - wish I did after so little work :o) She is watercoloured with Marvy Le Plume pens and stickles added to her hat, pom-poms and cuffs. I've added little Papermania star gems and mounted onto pink card. The paper is both from Pink Petticoat.

Hubby has spotted a craft fair this Sat & Sun locally and was stupid enough to point it out to me!!!!! So guess where we are going this weekend :o)

My Nestabilities Die have arrived

Yippee they have arrived this morning from Joanna Sheen. They are sat on my desk at work just taunting me, as I can't play with them.

Thankfully the footie is on tonight, so that will keep Matt busy so I can craft this evening :o)

Just been spending

WEll I have seen and heard so much about the Nestabilities dies that I have had to purchase. Went with the small rectangle and small scalloped rectangle from Joanna Sheen and also got from Ez mount for my bellas and a Koi waterbrush as my old one is fit for the bin. Also bought the Sizzix Texturz starter kit from Cutting Edge Crafts, as I need to pads to use the Nestabilities dies in my Big Shot, whilst I was there I had to also get another Cuttlebug embossing folder!!! Just can't wait for it all to arrive now :o)

Hubby has also been speaking about Christmas pressies and wanted to know if I still wanted a Cricut. Really can't decide whether to get the Expression or the smaller machine. I only really do the cards, but I know that I will wish I had gone with the bigger machine. Any help deciding gratefully appreciated.

Yet More Christmas cards!!!

Well managed to do some crafting this afternoon and carried on making more christmas cards!!!

The first one I covered the bottom of the cards with paper from Pink Petticoat. Mr & Mrs Frosty coloured in with Marvy Le Plume pens and finished with a few snowflakes.
This paper came free in a magazine and I used the same layout as the purple trees as I really like it. Sentiment is from Pink Petticoat and Tree stamps is a woodware set.

This was the last of my papernation christmas pack and I added her to pale blue spotty paper and a sentiment from Pink Petticoat. stickles has been added for a bit of shimmer!

I got this free as part of a calendar in a craft magazine and thought he was perfect for a kiddies card.

Now off to do the ironing as I really can't ignore the basket any longer

Happy Birthday Mum

My boss asked me to make him a card for his Mum's birthday, so no pressure then!!!! I used paper from Pink Petticoat down the left hand side of the cards and finished with a strip of black card. The flower is the Sizzix Thick Cut Daisy die which I have cut in black and glitter card and finished off with a gem. Added peel off sentiment to the bottom right hand corner.

Disney Princess Card

I was asked if I could do a special card with a Disney Princess theme for a little girl who is lucky enough to be spending her 6th birthday at Disney. Always a bit nervous when I'm asked to do a special card for someone incase they don't like it!!!

I decided to do a disney inspired princess using my Sizzix doll dies and I'm really pleased with how she has come out. So glad that I managed to get all the doll dies, as I have used them for a lot of character cards for kids and there really is so much you can do with them.

My little craft space

I had a tidy up of my craft corner in the spare room yesterday afternoon and thought I would take some photos and let you see it whilst it's still tidy!!!

I have all my cards and envelopes, stamps, paper packs and embellishments in the cupboard to the right. On top are my sizzix alphabets and in the red box are my Quickutz dies and embossing folders. I have the Sizzix tagalong tote with holds 4 boxes of thin cute. The files under the desk hold ribbons, more embellishments, clear stamp sets, glitters, and pencils and marvy le plume pens. I also have coloured card and all my 12 x 12 papers next to my telly

On the shelves above my desk are my Sizzix dies and one 2 shelves underneath my favourite stamps. the clear draws next to my telly have more ribbons and the box files on the right hold scrap card in different folders depending on the colour!!!! I have a huge box under the bed behind me that holds all my punches

Just Bex Friday Challenge - Happy Holly Days

The challenge this Friday was to make 5 cards all with holly on them. I really struggled with this one as i don't have that many holly things in my stash, so I have to resort to my huge pile of Anita's peel off that I got for about 35p a pack at the QVC outlet shop!

First one I used my new Quickutz candle die and added holly at the base, I mounted this onto cream card and a red scalloped circle. Covered a square card with paper from last years DCWV Christmas stack and added DCWV ribbon across the centre of the card. Mounted a Seasons Greetings peel off to finish the card.

This card I have used a Anita's peel off Christmas pudding with holly on top. I've coloured the waste and then added to the peel off. Mounted this onto red card and put an eyelet and ribbon at the top. Mounted holly paper onto red card and added this across the middle of the card. Peel off greeting at the bottom that has been coloured red.

This was based on an idea I had seen on Pootles blog. I have added some paper from last years DCWV Christmas stack mounted onto green card across the middle of the card. Coloured in some peel offs green and added his above and below. I then mounted 3 epoxy stickers onto green circles, the first one says santa, the middle one is holly and the last one says ho ho ho. Struggled to get a good picture of this one.

My mum had asked me to make some quick and simple Christmas cards for her to give to friends, so I used this Anita's peel off and coloured in using Marvy Le Plume pens. Simply mounted onto gold card and added to a tall thin card with a gold greeting.

The stamped image I got in a swap with Julie at Julie's Japes, which I coloured using Marvy Le Plume pens and red stickles for the berries. I add holly paper to the bottom of a DL card and added red card to finish off. ended up having to add holly to the paper as I got red stickles glue on it and I'm not sure I'm as happy with it.

Beate's Weekend Challenge 27

This is the first time I've ever been brave enough to enter one of Beate's weekend challenges, but I though I would give it a go. The template is one Beate's blog, http://beate.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com.

I used paper from my partners pack to cover a square card and then added some spotty blue chiffon ribbon across the card. I then stamped up Penny Black Little Snowy and coloured him using Marvy Le Plume pens and added stickles to make him frosty! Mounted ont blue scalloped circle and a small circle with a greeting added to the bottom right hand side.