Wednesday 30 September 2015

Sew and Sew


I am sharing another of my plaques with you today. The sewing themes ones are always popular and a friend of mine bought this one for her sewing room. The plaque has been painted a lovely soft blue, Laura Ashley paint I think. I cut the Little Claire paper with a stitched MFT die. The ribbons and lace are all from Crafty Ribbons. I stamped a pattern onto the wooden sewing maching using a freebie stamp from a magazine and wound baker's twine around the cotton reel. The tiny buttons are Gorjuss.

Challenges
Bizzy Becs anything goes 
Stamping Sensations Sew special (stamping on the sewing machine, hope that counts)
Allsorts Numbers (on the tape measure)

Tuesday 29 September 2015

Oh Christmas tree


I made this card as a sample for Crafty Ribbons to showcase their new Christmas ribbons and button range. The paper is an oldie scrap and the image is a LOTV diecut. I used 2 of the new ribbons and tied some baker's twine through the tree button. A simple traditional card.

Challenges
Winter Wonderland Traditional Christmas 
Sparkles Christmas O Christmas tree 
CCAYR Country Christmas

Isn't the weather gorgeous at the moment. I love Autumn especially when the sun is shining. I much prefer the temperatures to the Summer heat. We had a lovely morning yesterday tidying the garden. Today we going into the city to get a new iPad Air 2, an early Birthday pressy to replace my current iPad. We are also hoping to try a new restaurant for lunch, Cosmo, as we have a voucher 2 for £10. It has been very popular though so it depends upon the queue. Enjoy your day.

Monday 28 September 2015

Three bears


It is ages since I made a tri shutter card and I really enjoyed making this one as a change from square cards. I made this for a friend's Birthday on Saturday using the cute posy trio from LOTV. The papers are LOTv Winer Wishes which I mounted onto kraft card. The bears have been coloured with Copics. The sentiment is also LOTV. I added flowers and pearl brads, K&Co border and wooden butterflies which have been coloured with the Zig Woodcraft pen and then painted with a clear Wink of Stella pen. Here are a couple of the bears in more detail.


Challenges
Noor! Design UK shaped cards
Whimsy anything goes
Penny Black and more at Allsorts anything goes
Di's Digis animals acting like humans

Sunday 27 September 2015

Decorated boxes



I have several craft fairs before Christmas and I am buy getting more stock of everything made. Today I made various gifts including these 3 boxes. I sold out of all my boxes when I did the hospital shop three weeks ago so hubby has been busy painting some more for me to decorate. He is a much better painter than me and it frees up my time for crafting. The butterfly ribbon and lace are from Crafty Ribbons. I painted the large butterfly with a Zig Woodcraft pen and used a clear Wink of Stela pen on both butterflies.


The ribbon on the bottom two chests came from stash as did all the flowers. The wooden hearts are from MDF Craft Supplies and they have been coloured with a dark pink Wink of Stella pen.


I bought my first clear Wink of Stella pen last Summer and have never been impressed with it as it wasn't very sparkly. It ran out so I started on a new one and it is so sparkly I now realise the first one must have been faulty. Bit late to discover that now but having never had one before I didn't know how sparkly they should be. Oh well, live and learn.

I have just taken a picture of my October candy so that will be up on my blog in a few days.

Selfies!


More photos from our Yorkshire holiday in July.Sorry about the light shining on the pics again, so hard to get a good picture of a layout I find. The paper scraps are Tim Holtz vintage shabby and the button and words are from Fancy Pants Flutter kits. I used another favourite set of dies, sticthed jumbo fishtails from MFT.  I used the 15th September sketch from Stuck?! I really like their sketches which are a great starting point for a layout, makes a page come together so much quicker.

Saturday 26 September 2015

Falling leaves


Autumn is the theme for the new challenge at A Gem of a Challenge so I used the very cute Autumn Bella for my card. She has been coloured with Copics. I have been experimenting with the dotty colouring and am quite pleased with the way the fur turned out. The papers are LOTv Country Gent, ribbon from Crafty Ribbons, sentiment LOTV grunge. I used one of the Sepllbinders curved border dies, I do love this set of dies. The paper leaves came from Michaels, wooden acorn from The Ribbon Girl. I coloured it with my Zig Woodcraft pens, need to get more colours of these, they are fab.

Challenges
Whimsy anything goes 
Send a smile 4 kids Fall colours 4 kids
Deep Ocean Autumn
 TTCRD anything goes

Friday 25 September 2015

Little Claire calendar


It is my turn to post a project on the Little Claire blog today. I have been making a start on some easel calendars as they sold so well at last year's craft fairs. For all the details on the products and instructions please head over to the LC blog and leave me a comment. You can win a set of the toppers I used plus more if you enter our current Autumn blog challenge.

Challenges
TTCRD anything goes 
Whimsy anything goes

Thursday 24 September 2015

Cute overload


This has to be on of the cutest images ever and I decided to use it for my DT card for the new anything goes with a Sugar Nellie image at The Sugar Bowl. I hope you will play along for the chance to win some digi images.
Image - Sugar Nellie Warm Winter Wishes
Medium - Copics
Sentiment - Little Claire dinkie
Die - IO Santa and sleigh
Other - Stickles, fun flock

Challenges
Squirrel purple friends
Allsorts Sparkle
Crafting from the heart anything goes
Papertake It will soon be here (Christmas)
Creative Knockouts Glitter it up

Wednesday 23 September 2015

Lynsey's card


I made this card for my good friend Lynsey, whose favourite colour is pink. It was her Birthday on Monday so I can share this with you now.
Image - Stamping Bella
Medium - Copics
Papers - LOTV Dress Shoppe
Lace - Crafty Ribbons
Punches - Martha Stewart frond, Papermania leaf
Flowers - Sweetheart blossoms, mini sweetheart blossoms, roses from Wild Orchid
Sentiment - Craftwork Cards
Charm - The Ribbon Girl
Other - Dark pink Wink of Stella pen

Challenges
In the pink for a friend 
Natalie and Amy charming
Crafting from the heart anything goes

Tuesday 22 September 2015

Embossed snowflakes


A rather different Christmas card today using the lovely embossing folder and die from Tim Holtz. I used silver centura pearl card for the background. The DCWV gauze paper has been cut with Spellbinders curved border dies. I used shabby white frantage on the pink snowflake and sanded the purple Core'dinations, added some seam binding, pearl brads and punched snowflakes which have also been sanded.

Challenges
Allsorts sparkle 
ABC Christmas S is for silent (no sentiment or text)
The Craft Barn Christmas - snow or snowflakes

Monday 21 September 2015

The tour


I wish you could see this in real life. Photos of scrapbook layouts just don't do them justice especially when the sun is coming in. It is so long since I have made time for scrapbooking and I really loved taking time out on Friday when Lynsey came over and we spent some time making layouts.

I wanted to make a start on some holiday pics from July and the title came to me straight away. I used a Grace Taylor pack and added some enamel dots and cabouchons.

Challenges
Stuck?!September 1 sketch 
Brown Sugar anything but a card

Looking forward to a day in Norwich, well apart from hubby's dentist appointment. Meeting a friend for lunch, trying the new Cosmo restaurant and hopefully hubby getting me a new iPad for my Birthday next month.

Sunday 20 September 2015

Running with wine


This is the second of my card made for Making Cards last month using one of the Pink Gem digi kits and LOTV Promises papers. The fun sentiment is part of the kit. I added some baker's twine, pearls and trainers cut with a Joanna Sheen die. I do love this colour combo and would like to enter it into the animal magic challenge at Papertake.

The sun is shining and we are off out for the day with friends. We are stopping for breakfast and then going to a big steam rally. Enjoy your Sunday and will catch up later.

Saturday 19 September 2015

Magical Christmas


I thought I would post a second card today and this time it is a Christmas card using one from the recent release from LOTV.
Image - LOTV Christmas Delivery
Medium - Copics
Papers - LOTV Winter Wishes
Ribbon - Crafty Ribbons
Sentiment - LOTV Christmas grunge
Dies - Memory Box precious stars, Spellbinders labels 10
Other - Wink of Stella clear pen on her wings, Stickles on the fur, pearls

Challenges
Winter Wonderland Christmas fairy 
Fussy and Fancy fantasy 
The Ribbon Girl anything goes with an image 
Allsorts sparkle 
Creative Inspirations Your favourite occasion (Christmas) 
Penny's Christmas 
ABC R is for recipe (ribbon, dies, blue)

All aboard


I really like the vintage postcards from Kraftyhands that I bought at Ally Pally and in fact have almost used the first packet I bought so I am glad I bought another last time I was there. I have used Dovecraft North Pole papers, papers which are not just for Christmas. Love the kraft and red. The dies are Marianne sign and Spellbinders arrows. I stamped the Little Claire dinkie text in white on the sign.

Challenges
Bizzy Becs anything goes

Friday 18 September 2015

Raindrops keep falling


What a week for weather, some sun, lots of cloud and some dismal rain and it has turned rather chilly too. This little cutie seemed rather appropriate to colour. I went for lovely cheerful colours, she looks quite happy in the rain doesn't she.
Image - Little Miss Muffet Swings and Slides nice weather for ducks
Medium - Copics
Papers and playing cards - MME Sky's the limit
Die - Memory Box clouds
Punch - umbrella, no name on it

Challenges
Little Miss Muffet anything goes 
Everybody Art Singing in the rain 
Creative Moments kids rule 
The Ribbon Girl anything goes with an image 
Dies R Us Hot colours
Incy wincy digi image

I am looking forward to catching up with chat and a scrapbooking day today as my good friend Lynsey is coming over. It is ages since I did any scrapbooking so really looking forward to it.

Thursday 17 September 2015

Live your life


I really love making these plaques and they sell well too. I sold this one and two others on Monday plus some of the small ones. I also love this inspirational quote stamp from Inkylicious which I stamped with brown onto kraft and then distressed the edges. Hubby painted the plaque for me. The ribbon and lace is from Crafty Ribbons, scrim from B&Q. I bought some crackle accents about 18 months ago at a show and this is the first time I have used it and I love the effect. I painted the butterflies with Zig paint pens and then added the crackle accents. The feathers were cut with a Doohickey die and the hearts made with a Hobbycraft punch.

Challenges
Bizzy Becs anything goes 
Live and Love Crafts inspiration photos 
Deep Ocean shabby chic

Wednesday 16 September 2015

Santa


This is my second post today.

Have you seen the lovely new Christmas ribbon range launching at the moment at Crafty Ribbons. There are so many lovely ones now available and more coming very soon, so keep checking their website and Facebook. I have used one of the festive combos to make a little Christmas decoration. I covered an MDF star in Bo Bunny Father Christmas paper and added the button and two ribbons from the new festive combo. A very simple make but cute.

Challenges
Winter Wonderland anything but square 
Creative Inspirations Your favourite occasion (mine is definitely Christmas) 
Penny's Christmas 
Allsorts Buttons

In training


This is the first of three cards I made for Making Cards magazine featuring the cute digi kits from Pink Gem. As you know I like to resize them so I can add more layers and embellishments rather than cutting out the decoupage. Papers are LOTV Promises solids, die is Joanna Sheen and I simply added a sentiment from the kit, baker's twine, pearls and a large button.

Challenges
The Ribbon Girl anything goes with an image 
Pile it on Birthday 
Allsorts Buttons
Papertake animal magic

Tuesday 15 September 2015

Skidding


I had great sales yesterday at the hospital shop. By the time we had a meal and put everything away, I had a phone call to make, watch Doc Martin and off to bed after an early start and busy day. It meant no time to catch up on blogs so I will try to make up for that today. So onto my card. I like a variety of colour combinations for Christmas cards but red, white and blue are still my very favourites together. I've used one of my new LOTV images, Skiddy Skates coloured with Copics. The card was cut with Go Kreate frilly squares 10 and I used another of my fave die sets, MFT pierced fishtails. The backing paper is Carta Bella Bundled Up and the red banners are oddments of some old Papermania paper. The sentiment is from Pink Gem.

Challenges
Noor! Design UK shaped card 
Without Words for the boys 
Inky Chicks White Christmas 
As you like it Favourite die (hard to choose between both of the ones I have used. Love pierced dies and love fishtails but I also love these shaped cards) 
Winter Wonderland anything but square 
Graph'It Christmas colours 
The Ribbon Girl anything goes with an image

Monday 14 September 2015

Elsie's card


These Gorjuss Girl stamps are suitable for any age. I had an order a while ago for a 60th card using this image and the same person asked for the same image for her little girl's 3rd Birthday card. This is an 8" card which gave me plenty of scope as these images are quite large.
Image - Docrafts Gorjuss Girl
Medium - Copics
Ppaers - LOTV Romance and Rose
Dies - Joy vintage teapot and mug, Go Kreate frilly square 10, tag die
Punch - MS heart border
Ribbon - Crafty Ribbons
Other - pearl pen, DI Tattered Linen, teddy from stash bought many years ago

Challenges
Deep Ocean shabby chic 
Fab n Funky shabby chic
The Ribbon Girl anything goes with an image 
Pile it on Birthday 
As you like it Favourite die (how to choose just one, but I wanted this Go Kreate die for a very long time so was delighted to finally get it last Christmas)

The craft fair at the new venue wasn't great on Saturday but at least I sold a few things and got set up at the hospital ready for an early start today. I always do well there so hopefully I will come home with less stock and more pennies. Catch you later.

Sunday 13 September 2015

New home


We are looking for your Autumn cards for the new challenge at Little Claire. I chose to go with the colours of Autumn for my card. I do love these rich colours.
Image - Little Claire Scottie dogs
Medium - Copics
Papers - First Edition Neroli
Dies - MFT stitched speech bubble, Memory Box bunting
Ribbon - Facebook group

We have a wonderful prize for the lucky winner this month.


Challenges
Everybody Art earth tones 
Crafting Musketeers Autumnal colours

Saturday 12 September 2015

Snowboarding


New challenge day at A Gem of a Challenge and it is one of my favourites - boys, boys, boys. There are so many cute Pink Gem boy images but I had to use this new one of Andy snowboarding. I have been so busy making more stock from my craft fair today and the hospital shop on Monday that I decided to use the pre coloured image to save time. The papers are some of my favourites Carta Bella. I love the colours of these papers so much. Lots of layering and I added some die cuts. They were made using Joy dies, I just cut the dangly bits off the hat to match Andy's hat better.

Challenges
Bizzy Becs anything goes

It's a new venue today for the craft fair but a regular organiser so fingers crossed it is busy. Then we will be off to set up the stall at the hospital shop for Monday giving us a free day tomorrow.

Friday 11 September 2015

Let it go


I hope you are singing along now. As soon as I saw these gorgeous new ribbons from Crafty Ribbons I knew exactly what I was going to use with them. The photo was taken at Disneyworld and was a huge poster in a window. The paper is LOTV Frosty Christmas. Th ribbons are so lovely I really couldn't add anything else to it. 

I would like to enter the queen of hearts challenge at The ABC Challenge as Elsa is a queen and Elsa, Anna and Olaf stole our hearts.

Thursday 10 September 2015

Time this stamp was used


It's new challenge day at Crafty Ribbons and our challenge is Happy Birthday, with ribbon of course. Next month we will be having weekly challenges until December and they will all be Christmas themed.

My good friend Lynsey bought me this stamp as part of my Birthday pressy last October. She has been inked and patiently waiting to be coloured. I don't know why it has taken me so long as she is so cute and reminds me of Toni Basil singing Mickey. Those of you old enough to remember are now singing along I hope.

Image - LOTV
Medium - Copics
Papers - LOTV Sunny Side Up
Punches - Martha Stewart simple scallop border and cosmos flower
Ribbons - Crafty Ribbons
Sentiment - Craftwork Cards
Other - Gorjuss Girl buttons

Challenges
The Ribbons Girl add flowers 
The Craft Barn stamping 
Chocolate, coffee and cards fancy and feminine 
Allsorts lots of layers

Looking forward to a lovely facial and back massage today followed by lunch out and a visit to a craft shop.

Wednesday 9 September 2015

Autumn is on its way


I made this card for the subscriber issue of Cardmaking and Papercraft which came out in August. I was asked to keep it fairly simple. I love Autumn, much more than Summer which can be too hot for me and I love the Autumnal colours too.
Image and sentiment - MO Manning for Penny Black Missing you clear stamp set
Medium - Copics
Papers - First Edition Neroli
Dies - Memory Box cherry blossom and Joy butterfly border

Challenges
The Ribbon Girl add flowers 
The Craft Barn stamping 
Scrap and Craft butterflies

Tuesday 8 September 2015

Christmas Song


My second inspiration card as a member of the LOTV Design Collective. I am really getting into the cas style for some of my cards this year. Why is it though they are not as simple to design as they look? It is getting the amount of papers, detailing etc just right, not easy. 
Image - LOTV Christmas Song
Medium - Copics
Paper - LOTV Festive Trimmings
Die - MFT stitched speech bubble
Other - Stickles, Letraset fineliner for faux stitching, pearl pen

Challenges

Stamping Sensations Sew special (faux stitching) 
The Craft Barn stamping 
Sweet Stampin' Let's get musical 
Crafty Creations out on a limb

Monday 7 September 2015

Just to say


This is one of those cards which can be used for any occasion. I am really low on these so this is a start. I was lucky enough to win Natalie's candy recently and this cute stamp from Tiddly Inks was included in the candy. I think this is such a cute image and it is my first Tiddly Inks stamps that isn't a digi. She has been coloured with Copics and I als used a dark pink Wink of Stella pen on the dots and flower centres. The papers are Fancy Pants Flutter. and I used MFT pierced rectangle dies. Flowers made with EK Success and X cut punches and I coloured a couple of Woodware chipboard corners with DI Victorian Velvet.

Challenges
The Ribbon Girl add flowers 
The Craft Barn stamping 
Bizzy Becs anything goes

Planning a day out in Norwich today which means a little retail therapy and a nice lunch.

Sunday 6 September 2015

Candy winner

Thanks so much to everyone who entered my little celebration candy. My first cards for Papercraft Inspirations will be in the issue which is published in October.

Welcome to my new followers too. I hope you will continue to visit and comment.

So who is the lucky winner?


Number 32 which is ............

It is you Carole Pollard

Congratulations. Please email me your address.

It is my Birthday next month and as usual I will have some yummy candy to give away. I have been collecting things for a while and there are some lovely goodies to be won so keep following my blog so you don't miss out.

3D plaque


I made this plaque as a sample for Crafty Ribbons to showcase their lovely new festival ribbons. I got the idea of using 3 of the landscape artpads pictures to make a 3d picture from the lovely Anne who works in the LOTV shop. She had made a small card using this technique and I thought it would work well on a plaque. The paper is LOTV Sunny Side Up.

Hubby is off for the day as it is the last powerboat race meeting and he is volunteering driving one of the rescue boats. I shall be spending the day mainly crafting.

Challenges
Papertake anything goes

Saturday 5 September 2015

Celebration candy

This post will remain at the top until 5 September. Please scroll down for newer posts.


I thought I would celebrate the news I had yesterday that the magazine liked my cards I made and I am now on the Design Team at Papercraft Inspirations magazine.  So to celebrate I am offering one of my lovely followers a set of Spellbinder dies as shown above. I really appreciate all the lovely comments you leave me.

To enter please do all of the following

Be a follower with Google connect
Leave me a comment
Add the picture to your sidebar.
Add your name into the link below.

Candy will close on 5 September and will be drawn on 6 September.

Happy Campers


Yesterday I was selling at the hospital shop. It wasn't my usual day but I got in on a cancellation. I normally share the shop with two others but was on my own yesterday. I couldn't believe how much I sold, loads of cards and gifts. I sold all my wooden boxes and many other gifts. I surpassed my previous best day's sales by a lot. I have my next craft fair next Saturday and then my usual hospital stall the following Monday so I will need to restock quickly.

So onto my card which is another of the sample cards I made for Stamposaurus, so if you are at one of the craft shows coming up you may spot this on the stand. I paper pieced the tent and used Copics to colour the rest of the image. The papers are Crate Paper Farmer's market, ribbon from the new festival range at Crafty Ribbons and the butterflies were made with a Crafts Too die with tiny pearls added.

Challenges
Creative Inspirations warm colours 
Papertake anything goes

I have a small gap in my craft room since I bought some 12" drawer storage from Hobbycraft and after looking everywhere have finally found a unit to fit. I found lots which were 1" too wide or very small but this one is perfect. I am off to collect it today, not sure what is going in it yet but it looks like a bit more of a craft room move around of stash. I do love organisation.

Friday 4 September 2015

And another penguin


Of all the new trio stamps the penguins have to my favourites very closely followed by the snowmen. I thought it was time I made a shabby chic purple card although the embossing looks more blue than purple for some odd reason.
Image- LOTV penguin trio
Medium - Copics
Paper - LOTV Snow Princess
Embossing folder - Embossalicious with sanded Core'dinations
Sentiment - Stamposaurus
Die - Memory box snowflake with purple glitter card
Other - doily, Wink of Stella pen on his hat, pearls, DI Dusty Concord

Challenges
Papertake anything goes 
The Paper Shelter embossing 
Di's Digis use a sentiment 
The Craft Barn animals

Thursday 3 September 2015

Same image, two cards


I really love the new LOTV trio stamps and I particularly love using just one of them on a card. I had a play around with the same image but in different colours, keeping them both cas. I am really pleased with these and will be making some more in a similar style.
Image - LOTV Snowman trio
Medium - Copics
Papers and borders - Kaisercraft Dear Santa
Sentiment - Little Claire dinkie text
Die - MFT pierced fishtail
Other - chunky white embossing enamel, Stickles


Image - LOTV Snowman trio
Medium - Copics
Papers - Carta Bella Bundled Up
Sentiment - LOTV grunge Christmas
Die - MFT pierced fishtail
Other - enamel dots, pearl pen, washi tape

Challenges
Papertake anything goes

Wednesday 2 September 2015

More gifts


I have some more gifts to show you today. I have been busy making these ready for upcoming craft fairs. The pegs are decorated with washi tape and wooden embellies. They have magnetic tape on the back and when they are packaged up in cello bags make lovely gifts.


The hearts are MDF from MDF Craft Supplies are are 125mm across. The first 2 are decorated with patterned burlap I bought in Hobby Lobby in America. The smaller hearts have small pegs attached to them. I decided to make these as an alternative to my magnetic noteholders as a few people have said they don't have anywhere to put something magnetic especially if they have a fridge built into a cupboard in their kitchen. Again these make lovely gifts so hopefully these will prove as popular as my magnetic noteholders.

Tuesday 1 September 2015

Pppppick up some penguins


Did you treat yourself yesterday to some of the new LOTV trio stamps? This is my frst Design Collective inspiration card for September. I really love these cute penguins.
Image - LOTV penguin trio
Medium - Copics
Papers - LOTV Snow Princess
Dies - Cuttlebug snowflakes and stars and Memrory Box penguins
Sentiments - LOTV greetings postmarks
Other - Wink of stella clear pen, Stickles, Viva pearl pen

Challenges
Christmas at Sweet Stampin' penguins and/or polar bears
ABC Christmas Q for quantum leap (D for diecuts)
Di's Digis Include a sentiment