I can see clearly now

It's new challenge day at A Gem of a Challenge and we have as easy challenge for you this time, Birthday card. I made my card for a friend whose Birthday was on Tuesday and as she loves cats and dogs and wears glasses I knew this image would amuse her.

Image - Pink Gem cat with glasses

Medium - Copics

Papers - Kaisercraft Miss Nelly

Sentiment - MFT Bitty Bears

Flower die - Printable Heaven gerbera

Other - ribbon, enamel dots

Challenges

Simon Says anything goes 

Creative Inspirations anything goes

We are off to the theatre for a 60's show in Cromer tonight. Hoping the weather we will be nice and we will go to Sheringham first and then we have a meal booked in Cromer before the show.

Seeing stars

This is the second of the cards I made using the Maja papers. The trainer paper goes so well with the bottom image. The sentiment is from Making Cards and I used a MFT Western Star die, saving the waste stars to use on the card.

Challenges

Simon Says anything goes 

Creative Inspirations anything goes

We are off to a McMillan coffee morning today at the cafe and gift shop where I sell some of my gifts and a visit to a garden centre to get a bit more Autumn Colour for the garden.

Ballet star

I coloured this gorgeous LOTV stamp whilst we on holiday in the cottage in Yorkshire. It is lovely to have a few images ready coloured on my desk waiting to be made into cards, usually I just colour as I need them. I find purples probably the hardest to blend but I keep practicing and the folds on her dress are perfect for this and I am pleased with how they turned out. I used MFT hearts and stripes and painted prints smitten. The sentiment is LOTV teenage girls and I used a Sakura clear star pen on the flowers. The images was die cut with a MFT zigzag stitched square and I also used a MFT scalloped edge die. The flowers are from Wild Orchid and I used a new Joy foliage die I bought at Thetford. I love the delicate look with the grey card so expect to see it used again soon.  The lace is from Crafty Ribbons.

Challenges

As you like it favourite paper pad (my favourite pads at the moment are from MFT. I love them all particularly the hearts ans stripes. The colours are so bright and he simple designs really appeal to me. The pads all mix together so well too.) 

Crafty Calendar kids/babies 

The Ribbon Girl any image

Simon Says anything goes 

Creative Inspirations anything goes

Christmas Stockings

These are something new I have been busy sewing for my stall. Today I am at the hospital craft fair so I hope a few will sell today. When I went to Thetford my friend Lynsey spotted a fat quarter of stockings which have numbers on each one as they are meant to be used as an advent calendar. I cut out each stocking and pin it to red felt and then blanket stitch around it, sewing Christmas buttons on the numbers and adding some ribbon from Crafty Ribbons.

Here are a couple in more detail. They are the ideal size for a gift card, tickets or a small gift and make a novel way of presenting a gift.  

Penguin ornaments

I made three cards using Pink Gem digi kits for Papercrafter Christmas special magazine which was published last week.  These kits are so versatile. I made a gatefold card, something I haven't made for ages.

I decoupaged the ornaments inside the card and used a Joy holly die.   The papers are First Edition Merry Little Christmas. There seems to be a lack of Christmas papers in the shops this year and as I have so many other paper pads I have been using a lot of them especially spots and stripes but I do like this paper pad especially as it mixes purple with the red and green though I have stuck to red and green on this one.

Challenges

Simon Says pop it up 

ABC Christmas T is for trio 

Creative Inspirations seasonal 

Paper Shelter make it digital

Allsorts things with wings

Paper piecing

You may have seen the card I made before with this new stamp from Stamposaurus. I thought it would be perfect for paper piecing so I stamped it with green ink and then stamped it in black on some nice thick paper I found in my oddments, fussy cut and added to the stamped image and added some diecut Lawn Fawn stitched leaves. The paper is First Edition Sweet Nothings, sentiment is Craftwork Cards. I added some pale aqua lace and flowers.

What glorious weather we are having. I do love this time of year especially when we get lovely sunshine which means we have been busy pruning, weeding, planting and moving things in the garden. 

Reach for the moon

I made this for Lynsey as part of her Birthday present. Now those of you who know her will know that she started an Etsy business Raindrop Crafts selling fairies, pom pom fairies, peg bunnies etc and her logo is a pink cloud with hearts falling from it. I wanted to incorporate that into the plaque and the Inkylicious sentiment was perfect. I cut down a Britannia star die, added a wooden heart from Hobbycraft which is their Christmas rage (?) and flowers from Wild Orchid.

Time for something Gorjuss

It was my friend Lynsey's Birthday on Thursday and this is the card I made for her. She loves Gorjuss Girls, teacups (though like me, not tea), flowers and bunting so I incorporated all of these into her card. The paper is Pebbles Tealightful and I added a doily. The bunting is a MFT die and I used Marianne dies for the flowers.  I found the sentiment in my stash.

Challenges

Stamping Sensations photo inspiration 

The Ribbon Girl any image 

Noor! Design UK layers

We went to a show at the theatre in Lowestoft last night with 4 friends and we all went for a meal first with another couple who live locally and were also going to the show. 6 of us stayed at the Premier Inn last night and this morning we are off out for a breakfast and a walk on the beach if the weather is nice before heading home.

Drive my car

I really love the Maja Denim and Friends papers and the two papers with images are brilliant. I made three cards with them the other day as sometimes I find it easier to make a set of cards which use the same things but are three completely different cards, I think this comes from making cards for magazines. Of course most of the time I just make individual cards using lots of different products. 

I had lots of fun with this one, distressing the edges and cutting a hole in the blue paper to match his jeans. I must confess I hate this fashion though. I just don't see why anyone would spend money on buying something all ripped.  I used a MFT basic edge die, these are such a useful set of dies so I just bought the scalloped set too. I added some jute ribbon and Tim Holtz cogs.  The sentiment was free with Making Cards.

Challenges

The Ribbon Girl Any image

Noor! Design UK Layers

Party bears

As soon as I saw the new MFT Bitty Bear set I knew I had to buy them as they are just so cute. I bought them from Dies to Die For at Thetford.  I didn't buy the dies at the time as I thought they are quite easy to fussy cut and I won't always want them diecut.  I have made threee cards with them so far and have more of them stamped and coloured on my desk.

I have been trying out a few different layout ideas and had this idea in my head which came out just the way I wanted which isn't always the case as we all know. I used MFT spots and stripes confection paper, MFT basic stitch lines die which just embosses and doesn't cut and MFT stitched inside and out rounded square die.  The bears as always coloured with Copics.

I would like to enter this into the MFT Superstar clean and simple card contest.

Gingerbread

Another sample made for Stamposaurus using their new stamps. There is a gingerbread house and these cute gingerbread people. I found the Santoro frames in my odds and ends drawer and used pink Wink of Stella to tone down the yellow a bit and add some sparkle. The papers are MME Merry, almost the last of these now. I added some patterned burlap from The Range and remembered I had a cute gingerbread man die which came with a stocking die Lynsey bought me last Christmas from The Range.

Challenges

Noor! Design UK layers 

Creative Inspirations seasonal

Off to see my Mum today, do some jobs and go out for lunch. She wants some things moved like the sofa to clean behind them, voile curtains taken down and washed and put back up, lawn feed put down etc. Hope it stays dry so we can get them all done. 

Magical flyby

I have been debating the MFT set of Magical Dragon stamps since they came out and every time I decide to get them they are out of stock but I bought them at Thetford from DTDF and here is my first card made with them. Coloured with Copics with chlak used with the MFT cloud stencil. The papers are MFT Painted Prints Smitten and I used a new MFT scalloped edge die. I wanted to keep it fairly simple but it just needed something and I found the tiny aqua enamel hearts amongst my enamel dots and they were just enough to finish it off.

Challenges

MFT colour challenge 

The Ribbon Girl any image 

Simon Says clean and simple 

Stamping Sensations photo inspiration

4 U

I think this is the first outing for this LOTV digi and as I need to build up my card stocks for men I thought it was time he was coloured, with Copics of course. The papers are MFT free spirit. I kept the layout very simple using a Fiskars banner punch and adding the sentiment with American thickers.  I would like to enter this into the clean and simple challenge at Simon Says and any image at The Ribbon Girl .

I hope the weather will be fine today as we really need to get some work done in the garden. There is lots of pruning and tidying, plants to move and bulbs to plant and after the recent rain it is a good time to move plants.

Another snowman!

This is the second card I made for the current Crafts Beautiful magazine.

Stamp - Hobby Art Norman and friends stamp

Medium - Copics, Sakura gold star pen

Papers - First Edition Merry Little Christmas

Dies - Sizzix Tim Holtz Holiday Words thinlets , Joy Christmas trees , Impression Obsessions fir trees 

I actually bought this and another snowman stamp a couple of years ago but I do have a growing collections of snowmen stamps. I saw a new Whimsy set on Facebook and just had to buy them though I am not buying many new Christmas stamps this year as I have so many that haven't been used much.

Challenges

Creative Inspiraions seasonal 

Noor! Design UK layers

Hubby left early this morning for his last volunteering day with the powerboat club. Today's meeting is in Bedford so he won't be home until this evening.  Apart from a few chores I plan to spend the day in my craft room.

Snowman trio

What's better than one snowman, a trio of snowmen! There are some really cute new snowmen images over at Pink Gem and I chose this one, Snowmen Trio for my DT card for the new challenge at A Gem of a Challenge, fun outside.  This is the first time I have made one of these shaped cards with the additional band and I really like the effect.

The snowmen have been coloured with Copics with Stickles added. The paper, sentiment and wooden leaves are Hobbycraft Heritage Christmas. The trees were diecut with MFT Winter tree dies and the flowers are from Wild Orchid.

Challenges

The Ribbon Girl a card 

ABC Christmas T for trio

Snow angel

The lovely James is showcased on my blog today with a card I made for Crafts Beautiful magazine. This is James Snow Angel and of course it is from LOTV and coloured with Copics with Stampendous fun flock on his hat. The papers are Nitwits snow princess and the ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons. The dies are MFT stitched scallop edge, Joy snowflake and Lawn Fawn stitched rectangles.  This is one of my fave colour combos and I thought he would look better coloured grey with these colours.

Challenges

Allsorts at least 2 DPs 

Penny Black and more at Allsorts Get ready for Christmas 

Di's digis lace, ribbon, twine, cord 

As you like it flora or fauna (fauna is my favourite, I love colouring fur and bears are a particular favourite of mine)

Pressy time

Another inspiration card for the LOTV FB colour challenge using another of the new stamps. How pleased was I to see snowmen in the new release and these two are so cute. 

Image - LOTV snowy gifts

Medium - Copics

Papers - Bo Bunny silver and gold

Dies - Frantic stamper trees

Memory box tree border, Spellbinders wonky squares

Other - sentiment from stash, Stickles

Challenges

The Ribbon Girl a card

Christmas with the Cuties Christmas cute couple 

Allsorts at least 2 DPs

Feathers

Well my posts had been scheduled for my holiday and the last few days so it was nice to sit and schedule some more posts last night. We had a lovely time away in the Yorkshire Dales staying in Jayne's (Stamposaurus) cottage, Hillways. Since we came back it has been all go. I had a lovely time at the Sincerely Yours craft show on Sunday and bought some lovely new goodies and met up with some crafting friends. The we were selling at the hospital on Monday so yesterday was catching up on some housework and shopping.

So my card today is a sample made for Stamposaurus with another of Jayne's new stamps. I stamped the feather twice in purple and twice in turquoise and added some paper flowers, tiny heart brads I have had in my stash for years, a Stamposaurus sentiment and some pearls.

Challenges

Stamping Sensations photo inspiration

The Ribbon Girl a card

Simon Says stamp it

Wine Time

When we too my Mum to Wells on her Birthday we popped into a little shop there and I spotted a pack of corks with various pictures on them of grapes and glasses. Sometimes you just find something that will do perfectly for an idea you have in mind and that was the way with the corks.

I covered the MDF plaque with some LOTV paper and diecut the clock with a Tim Holtz die.  I cut the cork in half so it had flat sides and added some wooden letters I bought in Hobbycraft recently. A wooden bottle and some ribbon and job done. Mmmmm now what shall I make with the rest?

Sledging in the forest

Whilst I am selling my cards and gifts at the hospital today I have scheduled my second inspiration post for the LOTV colour challenge on Facebook. I chose to use just red and green today as we are looking for a minimum of two colours from the choice. I fussy cut one of the new precoloured simply print images and used Dovecraft winter blooms papers.  The stitched sentiment is from a Me to You set. I used Lawn Fawn rolling hills dies and various different tree dies.  Just for a change I added Stickles to their hats rather than fun flock.

Challenges

Christmas with the Cuties Christmas cute couple 

Allsorts at least 2 DPs 

The Ribbon Girl a card

The Paper Shelter lots of layers

Noor! Design UK layers

Someone special

I am off to the Sincerely Yours show this morning and looking forward to catching up some crafting friends there. Hubby is coming along too as the tickets are only £3 each and that includes free teas and coffees and he drinks more than £3 worth of coffee! There isn't anything I am particularly looking to buy but look forward to having a look round and as Inkylicious and Dies to Die For are there I know there will be some lovely items to buy.

So my card today is made with some free papers from Making Cards magazine.  I added feathers, leaves from a florist wholesaler, and various flowers and some pearl brads.  The sentiment I found in my stash.

When we get home from Thetford it is off to the hospital to set up for tomorrow so no time to play with my new stuff. 

Jingle all the way

The last of three cards made fro Papercrafter magazine using MFT Jingle all the way stamps and dies and MFT papers. Coloured with Copics with fun flock on his hat. I used MFT stitched basic edger dies and adapted the MFT sentiment die for the sentiment. The die is quite large but by 

using part of it for the top and then using it again at the bottom it looks like I have used a completely different die. I added some punched holly leaves, ribbon from Crafty Ribbons and some pearls.

No doubt I will be busy sorting out the holiday washing today and getting my stock downstairs ready to set up the hospital shop tomorrow afternoon in readiness for Monday.

Challenges

Penny Black and more at Allsorts Get ready for Christmas 

The Ribbon Girl a card

Simon Says stamp it

Heading home

Yes home sweet home is where we are headed today after a week away in a cottage in Swaledale in the Yorkshire Dales. I recycled this plaque which I bought at a garage sale. I covered the back with pretty paper and added some paper flowers and wooden embellishments. I also cut off the horrible string and added the ribbon. I should of course have taken a picture of it before I started. It looks so much prettier than it did when I bought it.

Christmas bunting

I love embroidering and as my padded bunting has been selling well I thought I would make some for Christmas. I rather fancy this one myself actually as it fits the colour scheme of my tree decorations. Love the glitter felt. I bought the snowflake buttons on Ebay and the little reels from a florist supplier.

Here is one of the hearts in more detail.

Paisley

Something a bit different from me today. The paisley stamp is one of the new stamps at Stamposaurus and as soon as I saw it I had the idea of heat embossing with it. I used Wow white embossing powder and DI Victorian Velvet. I embossed the card and diecut a rectangle out for use on another card.I raised the embossed card on foam pads and added a simple velvet bow and some pink glitter washi tape from Hobbycraft. 

For a friend

I made this card for a crafting friend who was 70 last Saturday. She doesn't look 70 at all mind you. The image is Stamping Bella. I do love these garden girls and this one is lily of the valley. She has been coloured with Copics and he pretty papers are Bo Bunny Secret Garden. I added some lace from Crafty Ribbons and some Santoro leaf pins. The leaf die is a new one from The Works and the flowers were cut with Nellie Snellen flower dies. I used Dovecraft 3d effects in pastel purple around the image.

Challenges

Noor! Design UK layers

The Ribbon Girl a card

Squirrel has a pressy

We have a colour challenge for you this month on the Lili of the Valley Facebook page. I chose to use red, green and gold and used one of the new simply print images which launch today along with the stamps and digis. This is one of the woodland animal sets and I teamed him with Bo Bunny Silver and Gold papers. The sentiment is from the paper pad and I used one of my newest MFT dies, fringed edge. I know this is going to be a well used die.

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

Poppies

Whenever I see poppy stamps I think of my blogging friend Brenda who loves them. This is another of the new stamps from Stamposaurus so if you see their stand at a craft show you may spot this card amongst the samples. I used Copics to colour and diecut using a Lawn Fawn stitched square die. The paper, raffia lace and sentiment have been in my stash for a long time as have the flowers. I really am trying to use some of those things I have had for years.

I would like to enter this into the anything goes challenge at Simon Says

.

Snowy forest

A new challenge has started at A Gem of a Challenge and we want you to use kraft. I love it although I don't seem to use it quite as much as I used to. I love kraft card blanks which is what I have used here with Hobbycraft heritage Christmas papers and the cute snow friends image from Pink Gem which has ben coloured with Copics. Of course I had to use fun flock on their hats. I used a Lawn Fawn forest border die which is so useful and Impression Obsession fir trees with the textured pearl card I make using 3d pearl effects. I also added some punched stars cut from white glitter card. I really need some more of this but haven't been able to find any locally.   I would like to enter this into the anything goes challenge at Simon Says.

Stargazing

1st of the month means a new challenge at Paper Creator and this month is it simply Christmas. Have you made a start on your Christmas cards yet? I seem to have been making lots of them recently, for magazines and DT work. I still have lots more to make yet though.

I love the Sassy Cheryl images and this one is no exception, Admiring the Star. All the Paper Creator images are precoloured making for quicker cards. I went for lots of layers with this one, using Studio Light Scandinavian papers and adding some doodling. I used a new MFT zigzag stitch square die, ribbon from Crafty Ribbons and wooden stars from Hobbycraft.  I also used a clear Wink of Stella pen on the star.