Cream Cake

I bought so many of the new LOTV coloured digi images and I just want to use all of them. I love the fact that there are three different sizes. This is one from the sheet with 4 images. I teamed it with MME Lime Twist papers and used 2 of my new stitching border dies I bought at MFT. I also used a MFT stitched scallop border die and a Lawn fawn stitched circle die. The sentiment is from LOTV and I coloured the wooden embellishments with Copics and Sakura pens. I also used my fave pearl pen around the image. I would like to enter this into the any image challenge at The Ribbon Girl.

Pamper week this week isn't it, haircut yesterday and a facial and back massage today.

Mechanic

LOTV's vintage boys are some of my favourite stamps to use and this is one from my thrid feature in last month's Making Cards magazine.

Image - LOTV under the bonnet rubber stamp

Medium - Copics

Papers - Papermania Mr Mister

Die - MFT wonky stitched oval

Sentiment - LOTV

Challenges

Penny Black and more at Allsorts use your favourite stamp (I have so many favourites I couldn't choose one but these boys are definitely amongst my favourites and this one reminds my of my hubby as he loves cars)

The Paper Shelter boys are back in town

Simon Says anything goes

The Ribbon Girl any image

Day out in Norwich today, a few things to sort out and a haircut and no doubt a lovely lunch.

Button balloons

As promised I have another of my Making Cards featured cards today. This is one of a series of 4 cards I made showing different ways of using up all those buttons we all have. These buttons are all from Crafty Ribbons and I added some grosgrain ribbon and baker's twine with a bit of doodling around the card. 

Challenges

Simon Says anything goes

Shopping trip

Now that the new Making Cards magazine is out I can share one of the cards I had published last month. I was lucky enough to have three features totalling 10 cards so I will be blogging those over the next month or so.

Image - Hobby House precoloured topper by Elisabeth Bell

Papers - Craftwork Cards Chambray and Lace

Sentiment - LOTV grunge sentiment

Die - Joy stitched banner

Other - cheesecloth, jute ribbon

Challenges

Simon Says anything goes

The Ribbon Girl any image

Winter Gift

I know I have blogged some Christmas cards already this year but I think this may be the first one I have actually made as the others were made last year. This cute digi was a freebie with the Making Cards and I coloured her just before I went on holiday. So lovely to have a few images coloured ready to use, something I don't achieve very often.

Image - Paper Nest Dolls Winter Gift Emma

Medium - Copics

Papers - Echo Park Winter Wishes

Punch - MS large snowflake border

Other - doily and foam snowflakes from America, Stickles on her hat and clear Wink of Stella on the snowflakes

Challenges

Allsorts anything goes 

Winter Wonderland anything Christmas goes

ABC Christmas D for dimension

The Ribbon Girl any image

Simon Says anything goes

Cirque du Soleil

I have surprised myself by getting the holiday photos onto the computer and sending off for some to be printed. I never got round to having any printed from our holiday last January so those were ordered too. I do print photos at home but when I want a lot done, and I ordered 98 this time, it is cheaper and less time consuming to get them done at Photobox. I had a 25% off coupon too which helped so I ordered them on the Sunday after our holiday and they were delivered two days later! I sorted them all into my new scrapbook and I am determined to get them all made into layouts.

We both love Cirque du Soleil and have seen this show twice before. The last time was 10 years ago I think so we decided to treat ourselves as it is very expensive. I used some Santoro papers, K&Co border and some washi tape. I added some enamel dots and punched and diecut stars. I also crimped the punched stars.

It is interesting to see how my style has developed as some of my earlier pages are a bit overcrowded. Sometimes with cardmaking you have to step away from adding more embellishments and this is even more true with a 12 x 12 scrapbook page.

I was inspired by the 1st Feb sketch challenge at Stuck?!

We had a lovely evening yesterday, meal at Ask Italian and then went to the theatre to see Matthew Bourne's Red Shoes. Tonight I am excited to meet one of my favourite crime thriller authors, Elly Griffiths. Her new book is launched today and she is coming to a local bookstore. I will be getting a signed copy of her book launching today and she will also be taking us into one of the crypts in the Guildhall and telling us all about them as they form part of her new novel.

Sewing kit

I thought I would make something a little different for one of my samples for Crafty Ribbons. I like sewing small things so I made a travel sewing kit using two of the new sewing ribbons and a button from Crafty Ribbons. I do love using felt as it is so easy to work with. 

Here is the inside with the sewing kit.

Bride and Groom

And another of the new LOTV printed sheets today.  This is a 7" card and I used one of the largest images of The Big Day. I used a clear Wink of Stella pen on the flowers for some sparkle. The paper is LOTV Dress Shoppe, lace and sentiment from stash. I used a Memory Box precious hearts die and a Hobbycraft folk heart punch. The beautiful tissue paper flowers are from America.

Challenges

Noor! Design UK have a heart 

Simon Says fantastic florals 

In the Pink dies and/or punches 

Paper Creators love is in the air 

Crafty Purple Frog love is all around

Allsorts anything goes

Boating

This is another of the new LOTV printed precoloured digi images which I diecut with a MFT wonky stitched oval die. The papers are MFT free spirit and I used pne of a new set of dies I also bought in the MFT shop. These are basic border dies which cut a stitched pattern into the paper. I really must remember I have these as I love the effect. The ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons and I added a Joy diecut flower and some enamel dots.

Challenges

Simon Says fantastic florals 

Crafty Purple Frog love is all around

I have my regular monthly shop at the hospital today so will link up and catch up this evening.

Moving house

Lili of the Valley had some more of their lovely new trio stamps launching at the end of the month and I have a sneak peek for you today of one of the new home digis. Coloured with Copics and cut out with a Lawn Fawn stitched circle die. I teamed it with some lovely new papers I bought on holiday, Echo Park I love family. I also used a Lawn Fawn little town border die and added some wooden embellishments. I was so pleased I remembered I had the wooden sign as it was perfect to write on sold.

I would like to enter this into the anything goes challenge at Allsorts.

Favourite colour combo

Our new challenge at A Gem of a Challenge is to use your favourite colour combination. I have several colour combos I love but as I could only choose one I went for lilac and aqua. I teamed the cute image which is one of the newest ones with Lawn Fawn Winter plaid papers. I added a Craftwork Cards sentiment, some lovely butterflies Lynsey bought me for Christmas and I used part of a Sue Wilson star cluster flower die. I hope you will join in the challenge for your chance to win 2 digis of your choice.

Love petals

Have you seen the fabulous new printed sheets from LOTV? I bought some and they were the first things I used on Sunday when I got back in my craft room for a short while. I also used some of my lovely new goodies.

Image - LOTV precoloured printed sheet Love Petals

Papers - MFT Free Spirit

Die - Joy flower, MFT wonky stitched rectangle

Ribbon - Meiflower

Sentiment - LOTV

Challenges

Crafty Purple Frog love is all around 

The Ribbon Girl a card
Paper Creators love is in the air 

Allsorts hearts and/or flowers

Simon Says fantastic florals

Christmas Fair

I am definitely going to have to buy some more Card-i-o stamps so I can make some non Christmas cards. A few of the stamps I bought like he bench and lamppost as well as the fair which I used here can be used all year round but most of the other stamps are clearly Christmas ones. I do love creating a circle of foliage and adding a sunset with small ink pads. Expect to see lots more of these throughout the year.

New stash from America

I thought I would share some pictures of my crafty purchases from my holiday in Florida. Here I am visiting the MFT shop in Eustis. I have been lucky enough to visit here three times and the first time I went they gave me the pink reusable bag. If you buy something and have your pink bag with you they give you $1 off your purchase. If you spend $60 you get this month's free die which I think is before it is released. It isn't hard to spend that much believe me.

The photo doesn't do that beautiful M box justice. It is so gorgeous and I just had to buy it for my craft room. Some things were great value if they were on offer like the American ringbinder scrapbook which I got for about £8. Some things like Copics were actually dearer than I get them online here.

The cardstock was on offer at $2 and the top right hand papers I got with a 40% off coupon as I bought these last year and love them. The other pads were only slightly cheaper than here but it was so lovely to have a good browse through them in the shops and you can never have too much paper can you.

The top items I bought from the MFT shop and the three stitched tags were my free gift. I also bought a couple of wooden stamps and three die sets from other shops.

And the last of my goodies. Hubby said where are they all going but they fitted into my craft room with no problem. My paper drawers are really full so I won't be buying any more paper for a while.

Valentine plaque

I thought today's post should be a Valentine's post.  It is a small hanging plaque I made for Papercrafter magazine using their Valentine's papers. The sentiment is from one of the papers which I diecut with a pierced rectangle die. I added some ribbon from Crafty Ribbons, roses from Wild Orchid and Joy diecut butterflies which I layered and tied with string.

Challenges

Noor! Design UK have a heart 

Crafty Purple Frog love is all around 

The Paper Shelter for a special moment 

Allsorts hearts and/or flowers

Portrait Gallery

Yes another fund card made for Papercrafter magazine using Crafter's Companion Catitude products. The images were diecut from tags on the CD using 2 of the roccoco frame dies which are part of the range. I added some burlap from The Range and enamel dots. The sentiment is from one of the stamp sets.

Challenges

Noor! Design UK have a heart

In the Pink with love

Coffee and cake

When I received the gorgeous Maja Coffee in the Arbour papers from Dies to Die For I was so pleased to find this lovely image as part of the paper pack. I added a sentiment from LOTV, some crispy ribbon and a Joy diecut coffee pot, cup and saucer which I distressed with DI vintage photo.  Makes you think of Summer in the garden doesn't it.

Challenges

The Ribbon Girl a card
In the Pink with love

Well we both suffered with jetlag for a couple of days but a few good nights sleep and yesterday we started feeling much more with it. Most of the ironing is done thank goodness and life is getting back to normal. I am doing my best to catch up with all your lovely blogs. Enjoy your Sunday.

Cat family

Another fun card I made for Papercrafter using Crafter's Companion Catitude range. I stamped the image and coloured it with Copics. The papers are from the same range and I added some ribbon from Crafty Ribbons, wooden hearts coloured with dark pink Wink of Stella pen and I added some red pearls hearts from Meiflower.

Challenges

Paper Creators love is in the air 

Stamping Sensations animal magic 

Winter Wonderland romance 

The Ribbon Girl a card 

Noor! Design UK have a heart 

Simon Says cute 

Allsorts hearts and/or flowers

Pretty tag

I have a tag to show you today for a change. This is one of the samples I made recently for the Crafty Ribbons show stand. So the lace and ribbons are of course all from Crafty Ribbons.  I used DI Vintage Photo on the handmade ribbon to tone down the white to match the other colours. The sentiment is from LOTV and the butterflies from Michaels.

Cat Box!

Today's card was part of a feature I did for the new Papercrafter magazine which is out today. The feature was using Crafter's Companion Catitude range. This is a 7" card as he image I printed from the CD was rather large. The papers are also from the range. I diecut one of the stamped sentiments and added some  flowers.

When this publishes I will probably be sound asleep getting over the long overnight flight Tuesday night/Wednesday morning. I don't usually suffer much with jetlag but poor hubby does. Today we will be washing and food shopping. Another early night tonight no doubt.

In the harbour

Another Crafty Ribbons sample card for their show stand. Today I am showcasing the lovely new seagull ribbon. The image is an old one from Making Cards magazine and the papers are some old ones too. I am doing really well working my way through all my older papers. I also used a Joy anchor die and made a flat bow with the ribbon.

We are on our way home today from a 15 night holiday in Florida. We will have visited some places we have been before and some new ones too. Craft shopping, beaches, gardens etc, no theme parks. The WiFi is good in the hotel there but I haven't had much time for commenting so apologies.  Thanks for all your continued support.

Raining flowers

Anotehr Hobby House topper to share with you today. When I was making this hubby came in and said did you colour that? I explained it was a pre coloured topper and he said it looks like you have coloured it. The colouring on these toppers is lovely isn't it. The backing paper was free with making Cards magazine and the ribbon is one of the lovely new Crafty Ribbons range. I used EK Success punches for the flowers with some paper scraps.

Challenges 

Winter Wonderland Spring fever

Mother's Day

My first Mother's Day card of the year is one I made for the current Crafts Beautiful magazine. Ooh look it is the smallest of the stitched scallop border dies I was enthusing about yesterday. The lovely image is a pre coloured Hobby House Topper featuring one of the Wee Stamps images. The papers are Anna Marie blissful pink, sentiment is LOTV, butterflies made with a Cheery Lynn die set.

Happy little moments

I am sharing another of the cards I made for Papercrafter magazine using the Cocoa Vanilla Make a wish collection which I teamed with Lawn Fawn Winter papers. I used one of my favourite recent purchases, one of the three MFT sritched scalloped edger dies. There are three different sizes of scallops and I am finding them really useful. I love the stitched dies which seem so much more interesting than plain dies.

Baby animals

New challenge day at A Gem of a Challenge and our theme is add a butterfly. I am working on building up stock for my stall so I opted for a baby card. I also had some new baby dies I couldn't want to try out. 

Image - Pink Gem baby animals

Paper and bunting  - from stash

Dies - Frantic Stamper baby icons

Butterflies - Michaels

Check out the rest of the DT makes and join in for the chance to win 2 of Janet's fab digis.

Bluebirds

One of my lovely blogging friends sent me this gorgeous stamp as a surprise with my Christmas card. I like to try to use something for Lynsey's anniversary card that I know she doesn't have herself if possible so I used this stamp for her card. As her anniversary was yesterday I can share the card with you.

Image - Bird Swing by Wee Stamps for Whimsy

Medium - Copics

Paper - Maja Coffee in the Arbour

Flowers - Wild Orchid

Die - MFT Wonky stitched oval from Dies to Die For

Crispy ribbon - Live and Love Crafts

Heart pins - stash

Be my Valentine

This is the second of the Valentine's cards I made for Papercrafter magazine. The papers and sentiments are included in the magazine. I added some patterned burlap from The Range and sanded some diecut hearts. I used DI Vintage photo and a distressing tool for a shabby chic look.

LOVE

Our new LOTV challenge starts today on Facebook and the theme is Love. So many cute couple images I could have used but as I had these ones stamped already I thought I would go for something a little different.

Images - LOTV patchwork love trio

Medium - Copics

Paper - Tilda sweetheart

Ribbon - Crafty Ribbons

Punch - Hobbycraft folk heart

Roses and pearl sprays - Wild Orchid

Do come and join in the fun for the chance to win some great prizes.