Love is ..........

Just for a change today's card is one of the Valentine's cards I made for Papercrafter magazine. The cards had to feature the papers and quotes which were included with the papers. I used Go Kreate frilly squares 10 dies, MFT stitched rectangles and Memory Box cross stitched heart dies. I inked all the edges and added some enamel dots.

Stay beautiful

Another of the cards made for Papercrafter magazine using Cocoa Vanilla Make a Wish embellishments and Lawn Fawn perfectly plaid Winter papers. I used a Go Kreate scalloped circle to create the card blank and simply added some pearls. I really enjoyed the challenge of creating 10 cards using these lovely embellishments.

With sympathy

You may remember I blogged a card on here using tissue paper which I made for Papercraft Inspirations magazine. This is the second of those cards. Sympathy cards are always difficult though this card would also be suitable to send to anyone going through a tough time. The sentiment is from an Inkylicious set. I think this type of card should be fairly simple and the pretty butterflies on the paper along with the purple doily meant it didn't want too much embellishing. the diecut butterflies are made using tissue paper, not the easiest paper to work with I have to say.

Chocolate

Another card made for a friend's Birthday. She loves chocolate sundaes and always asks for extra chocolate sauce so I searched for some pictures on the internet and these were just what I wanted, certainly very chocolatey. The ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons and I added some enamel dots which always remind me of white chocolate buttons. The roses are from Wild Orchid, papers are Santoro.

Noel

I am determined to make more shaped cards this year as I really love these Go Kreate dies and they make a change for square cards.

Image - LOTV Noel

Medium - Copics

Papers - Nitwits Woodland Wishes

Dies - Go Kreate frilly squares 7 Large, Memory Box stitched holly leaves, Marianne poinsettias

Crispy ribbon - Live and Love Crafts

Are you Christmas crafting all year round this year?

Landscape

I made this card for a male friend's Birthday recently using an image from Making Cards papers. The colours in this landscape are lovely and complemented by the MME backing papers. I used a Fiskars banner punch and added a sentiment I found in my stash.

Celebrate

Two celebration cards today that I made for Papercrafter magazine. I made 10 with the Cocoa Vanilla Make a Wish embellishments teamed with Lawn Fawn perfectly plaid Winter papers which match the embellishments so well. Everything is from the the various embellishments packs. I used a MFT stitched jumbo banner die and a Joy stitched banner die on this one.

This strip backing is an ideal way to use up those odd strips of paper.

In the snow

One of the beautiful LOTV images today for another unblogged card from last year. 

Image - LOTV Regency Christmas

Medium - Copics

Papers - Nitwits Snow Princess

Dies- Doohickey love lamppost, MFT stitched scalloped edger

Other - seam binding, chunky white embossing enamel, Stickles

Thank You

Another magazine card today, this one was in last month's Papercraft Inspirations magazine. I used a Hobby House precoloured topper along with American Crafts papers. The dies are Crafts Too butterflies and MFT stitched scalloped edger and the sentiment is LOTV.

This magazine asks for the cards to be A6 portrait with dimension. The challenge is creating an interesting challenge with such a small space to work in. I normally prefer making square cards but I rather like these small cards too.

Silent night

Today I am sharing another of the nativity cards I made from Making Cards magzine using the LOTV nativity trio. 

Medium - Copics

Papers - Studio Light scandivanian

Sentiment - LOTV grunge Christmas

Dies - Lawn Fawn stitched circle, Memory Box star, Sizzix on the edge star cluster

Christening Day

Our new challenge at A Gem of a Challenge is hearts and flowers. I am sometimes asked for a Christening card so I used this very cute Pink Gem precoloured topper to make a neutral card so it could be used for boys or girls. The sentiment is computer generated, flowers from Wild Orchid. I used an old Martha Stewart border punch, still love these. I coloured the wooden heart with a silver Wink of Stella pen.

Christmas Fun

Starting as I hope to go on this year I have taken some time out from cardmaking to complete my first scrapbook layout this year. We went with four friends to see That'll be the Day Christmas show which was great fun and we just had to have a selfie in the theatre. The photo of Graham was taken at a friends' get together we they had a photo booth pack.

I used some Bo Bunny and Kaisercraft diecuts along with some paper scraps, wooden stars and cameras diecut with Mama Elephant dies.

Challenges

Stuck?! 15th January sketch 

ABC Christmas anything Christmas goes 

Simon Says anything but a card

Robins

Another LOTV precoloured diecut today which I teamed with ribbons from Crafty Ribbons, Dovecraft Winter Blooms papers, punched holly leaves and Marianne diecut poinsettias. Simple and traditional.

Challenges

ABC Christmas anything Christmas goes or B for Birds and Blooms 

Allsorts Wings on things 

The Cutie Pie Winter Warmer

Elegant Wedding

I had a message on Facebook from somebody I used to work with asking if I could make her a special Wedding card. I replied with a couple of suggestions and she chose this lovely image from LOTV. This is one of the precoloured diecuts which are discontinued though some are still available on Ebay. The bride wil be wearing silver so I kept the colour very subtle. I used a clear Wink of Stella pen on the flowers on the image and added some tiny pearls.

Papers - LOTV Timeless Victorian

Ribbon and lace - Crafty Ribbons

Flowers - Wild Orchid

Punch - Woodware leaf

Challenges

Paper Creators anything goes 

The Ribbon Girl any image 

Noor! Design UK anything goes

Off to the dentist for a check up today, fingers crossed everything is ok.

In the playroom

I have another sample for Crafty Ribbons to share with you today. This one features the new coloured pencil ribbon which I teamed with some magazine freebie papers and a cute pre coloured topper from The Hobby House. I used a Clearly Besotted notebook edger die and added some buttons from Crafty Ribbons tied with twine.  I would like to enter this into the any image challenge at The Ribbon Girl. Looking forward to a facial and massage today.

Lighthouses

I have been busy working on some samples for Crafty Ribbons stand using their lovely new ribbons. I really like making nautical cards and I was lucky enough to win a £10 voucher on the Crafty Purple Frog challenge so I ordered this Memory Box oceanic corner. I hadn't seen it before but it was just what I wanted to go with the lighthouse ribbon. The paper is from my oldie stash pile and the image is Delicious Doodles which I sprayed with spray and shine so it looks like a photo. I think the seagull die is Go Kreate.

Challenges

Allsorts wings on things 

Noor! Design UK anything goes

Valentine's Day

If you saw my post on Jan 12th you will know that I have two features in this month's Papercrafter. This is one of the Valentine's card I was commissioned to make using a set of valentine's papers. I really like the heart apertures cut into the top paper. I used Spellbinder heart dies, the leaves were cut with a Joy die, flowers from Wild Orchid. I added some doodling done with a fineliner pen.

On your bike

Shabby chic again today. Must do more of this style as I love them. I used a Dreamees stamp and a new die I got free in a magazine last year. I bought the magazine as I really wanted the die and it has some sweet stamps with it too which I will use another time. The papers are from an old pack, almost used up, V&A. Ribbon and lace from Crafty Ribbons, Polkadoodles flower and burlap butterfly from Michaels which I have just rediscovered in my stash so expect to see more of those appearing.

Challenges

Stamping Sensations coffee and cream 

The Paper Shelter lace or ribbon

Sledging fun

This is the last of three cards I made using the Lawn Fawn tobogganing together stamp and die set for  the December Making Cards magazine. They are coloured as always with Copics with a little Stickles added to his hat.  I used a Lawn Fawn forest border die and a MFT rolling hills die. The papers are Nitwits and I added some doodling with a fineliner pen.

Challenges

The Cutie Pie Winter Warmer 

ABC Christmas A for anything Christmas goes

Early start this morning as I am trading at the hospital all day. Not expecting fantastic sales in January but I will have some sale items so fingers crossed people want to buy something.

Hello beautiful

The latest Papercrafter magazine is out today and I am delighted to have two features published. One is for 5 Valentines projects and the other is for 10 cards made with Cocoa Vanilla Make a Wish elements. There are chipboard stickers, alphabet stickers, ephemera etc. I teamed them with the Lawn Fawn Winter perfectly plaid papers. I will be sharing several of these cards with you but today is my favourite of them. I used a Spellbinders curved border die and added some punched leaves, papers flowers and ribbon from Crafty Ribbons.

Meeting my Mum in Norwich today as she wants to go clothes shopping and have lunch. Then we will be off to the hospital this evening to set up the stall in the retail unit there ready for trading tomorrow.

Sing

I have always loved this quote and when I saw the wooden stamp for sale in a Facebook group recently I bought it. I haven't made a shabby chic style card for a while and really enjoyed making this one. The paper is Bo Bunny et cetera. I painted a piece of burlap with white acrylic paint and frayed all the edges. The lace is from Crafty Ribbons, wooden feather from Creative Ebellishments and flowers from Michaels.

Challenges 

Stamping Sensations coffee and cream 

Noor! Design UK anything goes

It's a friend's Birthday today and we have been asked to go out for dinner with them tonight so looking forward to that.

Birthday present

The LOTV trios are so useful and of course if you have the digis then you can resize them which is just what I have done for today's cute card. 

Image - LOTV elephant trio

Medium - Copics

Papers - Anna Marie Blissful Pink

Dies - Lawn Fawn stitched circle, MFT scalloped edger, Joy stitched bunting

Sentiment - LOTV

Challenges

In the pink anything goes 

Di's Digis Celebrations 

Simon Says new something (new digi)

Winter

I have used my favourite shaped cad die for today's card featuring another of the lovely LOV images.

Image - LOTV Winter

Papers - Nitwits Woodland Wishes

Dies - Go Kreate frilly squares 10, Memory Box stitched snowflakes, Joanna Sheen starry edger

Challenges

ABC Christmas A for anything goes 

CCAYR add snowflakes 

The Ribbon Girl a card 

Noor! Design UK anything goes

Out early this morning for breakfast at All Bar One then a long session at the hairdresser for a cut and colour.

Birds and flowers

I made this card for Papercraft Inspirations . I had to make 2 cards using tissue paper, something I don't normally use. I remembered buying a pack from Poundland several years ago and after a little searching I found it in the bottom of one of my paper drawers. I teamed it with a lovely birdcage from Creative Embellishments, lace from Crafty Ribbons, Craftwork Cards sentiment, cherry blossom from Wild Orchid and some punched tissue flowers.

Challenges

The Ribbon Girl a card

New Home Snail

We are back at A Gem of a Challenge and our first challenge is celebrate something new. I need some more new home cards for stock so I used this cute precoloured Pink Gem digi diecut with a MFT stitched round corner die. The papers are Crate Paper Farmhouse. I love the bright cheery colours. The dies is a new one I just bought, Lawn Faswn little twon border. Most of it is covered by the image but I think you will be seeing a lot more of it. In my resolution to use more of my older stuff I used an old Sizzix corner die. The sentiment is LOTV and I added a wooden butterfly button. The scrummy ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons.

Challenges

Paper Creators anything goes 

Dies R Us anything goes using dies
Simon Says new something

Thanks for all your good wishes about my cough. I am very pleased to say that after three and a half months it is finally going.

Now and then

I was lucky enough to win Squirrel's last challenge and was determined to join in her current fun challenge of then and now The idea is to see how your style and colouring skills have improved. I decided to go right back to one of my first stamps and one of my first blog posts in June 2009. I still love this stamp and will never get rid of her. The difference in colouring and layout skills are amazing. It is amazing to see how much my photography skills have improved too! 

Image - Elisabeth Bell for Sugar Nellie Daisy

Medium - Copics

Papers - Dovecraft Serendipity

Die - Lawn Fawn stitched circle

Flowers - Prima

Butterflies - part of my Christmas present from Lynsey

Challenges

Squirrel's not so random challenge then and now
Dies R Us anything goes using dies 

Penny Black and more at Allsorts anything goes 

The Ribbon Girl a card 

Noor! Design UK anything goes

And this is my card from June 2009. Stamping and colouring was very new to me and as you can see I knew nothing about blending and shading. The layout is pretty awful too. The only good thing  about it is the colour scheme.

Pink Christmas

I have another unblogged Christmas card to share with you today.I love these gorgeous LOTV images. I still have more Christmas cards to share and as I hope to start making for this Christmas fairly soon I will be sharing them all year in amongst other occasions.

Image - LOTV Noel

Medium - Copics

Papers - Nitwits Woodland Wishes

Dies - GO Kreate frilly squares 10, Joy snowflake

Jute ribon - The Range

Challenges

Dies R Us anything goes using dies 

Paper Creators anything goes 

Di's Digis Celebrations 

The Ribbon Girl a card 

Noor! Design UK anything goes

CCAYR add snowflakes

ABC Christmas A for anything goes

Thank you very much

Today's card was published in Papercraft Inspirations. I used a LOTV sentiment stamp, lovely dotted ribbon from Crafty Ribbons and Chambray and Lace papers from Craftwork Cards. The pierced banners are MFT dies.

We are no longer having Crafty Ribbons challenges but if you are on Facebook please join the Crafty Ribbons page. We will have lots of inspiration on there from the DT and we will also be having challenges. Of course there is also the Inspirations blog where you will find many of the Facebook posts as well.

This is also my second inspiration card for the LOTV Facebook challenge, anything goes. I hope you will come and join in the challenge.

Tea and Roses

Going back to the doctor this morning as despite two lots of antibiotics the cough isn't any better. It has been over three months now and I am really fed up with it. So onto today's card which is a 7" x 7" commissioned card. I was asked to make a 60th Birthday card for a very English lady. The precoloured image from The Paper Shelter, Vintage Teacups, was perfect. I added some lovely lace from Crafty Ribbons, flowers from Wild Orchid, butterfly from The Works and used a Tim Holtz die for the numbers and a Die-Versions sentiment die.

Challenges

The Paper Shelter

Spring flowers

I made this card for the current issue of Crafts Beautiful Magazine. A promise of Springtime with the lovely yellow and peach. The image is LOTV coloured with Copics. The papers are from The Range and flowers from Wild Orchid, sentiment from Craftwork Cards.

This is also my inspiration card for the LOTV Facebook challenge, anything goes. I hope you will come and join in the challenge.

Challenges

Simon Says anything goes

Penny Black and more a Allsorts anything goes 

Noor! Design UK anything goes

Happy New Year

Happy New Year. Are you making any New Year Resolutions? I always hope to do more scrapbooking as I never seem to fit as much in as I would like. So this year I am doing less craft fairs and really hope to get more layouts made. I have done really well using up old paper pads and plan to continue that. I also intend to use all my new stamps and more of my old stamps rather than buying lots of new ones.

I still have lots of Christmas cards to share and hope to start on this year's soon as well. This is another of the cards featured in Making Cards magazine last month. I love these cute Lawn Fawn stamps and dies. This set is tobogganing together and includes the sentiment, penguin, deer, snowballs and trees. I didn't stamp the trees though, just used the die with the lovely Nitwit papers. The Lawn Fawn forest border has been much used since I bought it and I know will get a lot more use this year, I also used the MFT rolling hills die.

Challenges

Simon Says anything goes