Bath Time

Our latest challenge at A Gem of a Challenge is Female Birthday so that gives you plenty of scope as long as you make sure you use a Birthday sentiment. I used a precoloured digi of Molly in the bath assing some sparkle to the bubbles with a clear Wink of Stella pen. The bubble paper is from a new First Edition pack Beyond The Shore.  

I have really cut down on my craft spending so far this year as I have so many unused stamps and digis and am trying to use up old paper pads.  In fact I have been having a good sort out of things I no longer use and sold a lot on Ebay and Facebook.   I discovered so many treasured stamps when I sorted out my files and can't wait to use more of my old favourites. I have also started relabelling my stamp files, a work in progress at the moment.

I would like to enter this into the anything goes challenge at Simon Says and use a digi image at The Paper Shelter.

Last night we were away again, this time much nearer, in Ipswich, where we stayed in a Premier Inn and went to see Kim Wilde in concert. She is one of hubby's favourites, not a show I would have chosen but I do like her and her music so I am sure we will have enjoyed it. There is a great Chinese next door to the theatre where they do a lovely buffet. Instead of it being precooked you order whatever you like from the menu for a set buffer price and they cook it to order.  We really enjoy a Chinese occasionally and haven't had one for ages.  So back home this morning and off to Tesco.

Gorjuss for Crafts Beautiful

I made this card for the latest Crafts Beautiful magazine now in stores.  I was delighted to find it made the front cover, although only a small pic.

I coloured the Gorjuss Girl with Copics and used MFT papers, MFT stitched scalloped border and pierced rectangle dies.  The sentiment is LOTV and the leaf die is a Joy one.

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

Put your hat on

This is the second card I made on Sunday and I was in the mood to make a Christmas card so I sorted through my precoloured images and found an old LOTV art pad of furry friends. I love the touches of deep red on the mono image and found some paper to match, Kaisercraft Letters to Santa. I used some chucnky white embossing enamel with a heat gun, used a MFT snowflake doily die and added some diecut trees and a snowflake using white glitter card.  The sentiment is part of the paper pad.

Challenges

ABC Christmas E for emboss, G for glitter 

Creative Inspirations any occasion

It's the first hospital craft fair of the year so we shall have been up about 5.15 this morning to get ourselves ready and load up the car so get to the hospital about 7.30. Let's hope for lots of lovely customers.

Butterflies Galore

I didn't get to much time for crafting on Sunday but I did make two cards, the first of which I am sharing today. I love making these shabby chic cards and they always sell quickly so I really should make more of them.

Michael McIntyre's show was hilarious and we had a lovely overnight stay with good food and a great night's sleep.  Looking forward to the next show now.

Stamp - Hampton Art

Paper - Bo Bunny Et cetera

Ribbon - Crafty Ribbons

Die - MB butterflies

Flowers - Wild Orchid

Larger butterflies - Poundland

Cream burlap - Craft show

Pins and lace from stash

I would like to enter this into the floral frenzy challenge at Simon Says.

9 months to Christmas!

As I was scheduling this I realised it is 9 months to Christmas and I only have about 10-12 Christmas cards made so far this year so I ought to step up production.  I love the cute MFT Jingle all the Way set and have used two of the images which are coloured with Copics with fun flock on his hat.  The papers are First Edition Merry Little Christmas and the banners are from a Bo Bunny set of diecuts.  The sentiment is from a LOTV rubber stamp set I bought recently.

Challenges

Creative Inspirations any occasion

A day at home today I think so hopefully some crafting and a nice roast chicken dinner this evening.

Dressed Up

So yesterday I said I had used the flicking method to colour my bear and the dotty method for today's bear. Which do you prefer? I much prefer the dotty method as I think it looks more bear like and isn't she adorable. She is another new LOTV rubber stamp called Dressed Up. Coloured with Copics and teamed with some more of the old WRS Christmas papers.  I used an old Memory Box tree die, MFT scalloped border die. LOTV sentiment and a butterfly from Poundland.

Challenges

Noor! Design UK Spring 

The Cutie Pie Spring cuties 

Penny Black and more at Allsorts feature a creature 

Creative Inspirations any occasion

We travelled to Nottingham yesterday and stayed overnight so we will be travelling back home this morning.  We went to The Arena there to see Michael McIntyre. As this post is scheduled I can't report on the show but having seen him before I am sure the show will have been hilarious.

Get Well Bear

I have a selection of the latest release of bear rubber stamps from LOTV and I have done a little experiment in colouring two of them. They have both been coloured with Copics but for today's card I went back to the flicking method which I always used to use until I saw Faye's tutorial on the dotty method. For tomorrow's card I used the dotty method and I have to say I prefer it.  The papers are some old WRS Christmas papers and I used a MFT banner die and added some paper flowers.

Challenges

Simon Says Floral frenzy 

Noor! Design UK Spring 

The Cutie Pies Spring cuties

Party Time

I had some more of these little Bitty Bears from MFT coloured so I made another card with them. The sentiment is part of the stamp set. I coloured them with Copics and fussy cut them as I don't have the dies. The paper and dies are all MFT and I added some enamel dots.

Meeting my friend Lynsey for coffee at lunchtime and then popping in to see some friends' new puppy.

Secret Garden

Another precoloured image today but this one is from a Whimsy digi sheet called Secret Garden.  There are three images and several sentiments on the sheet.  I thought this was a really cute sentiment.  The paper is First Edition Sweet Nothings and I distress the edges with frayed burlap DI and a distressing tool. I added some burlap, paper flowers and a burlap butterfly from Michaels in the US, some pearls and a wooden ladybird from Hobbycraft.

I would like to enter the anything goes challenge at Whimsy Stamps Inspiration.

Pile 'em high

I love this fun simply print precoloured image from LOTV and the last card I amde with it sold at its first outing. I have a craft fair next Wednesday so let's hope this one goes then and I will have an excuse to make another. I used MME Lime Twist papers as they are so colourful and matched the image colours so well. The sentiment stamp is from LOTV. I had a small piece of the Doohickey fence left from my bunny card and cut into two it was perfect to finish off my card.

I have been thinking for a while that I would like a simpler watermark as I have had the old one for years.  Somebody made that one for me but I had a play around in Photoshop after googling how to make one and although it didn't fully explain it I managed to make one. I made it 80% opacity as I preferred it to the white one.  I am always pleased with myself when I can work out how to do something with technology as I don't consider myself particularly tech minded.

We are out for a carvery lunch today with friends we haven't seen for a little while. No cooking tonight, yippee!

Church on the hill

This is another of the pretty Lili of the Valley flower digis and makes a perfect Wedding card for those who don't want cute images. I used my favourite Go Kreate frilly squares 10 dies along with my corner rounder punch. The papers are some new ones I treated myself to, First Edition Beyond the Shore and I simply added a LOTV stamped sentiment and a couple of wooden hearts.

Challenges

Creative Inspirations any occasion

Dies R Us frame it

Spring flowers

Have you taken a look lately at the pretty flower digis which Lili of the Valley sell?  I loved colouring this pretty Primulas and Bluebells stamp with Copics. I wanted to go for a soft distressed look and the Antebellum paper which LOTV used to sell distressed with bundled sage DI and a distressing tool was the perfect match. The lace is from Crafty Ribbons, cheesecloth from The Ribbon Girl, flowers from The Hobby House, burlap butterfly from Michaels in the US, leaf pins from stash.

Challenges

Noor! Design UK Spring

Squirrel's not so random challenge Spring

Easter Bunny

Our new challenge today at A Gem of a Challenge is Easter time. I hope you will play along with us this time. I like to use the digi kits as a topper by reducing them in size. This one is such a cutie and is simply called bunny in plant pot. The paper is by Tilda and the ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons. The fence was cut with a Doohickey die and I added some wooden butterflies from The Works. I used a clear Wink of Stella pen on them and the sparkle actually shows for a change.

Challenges

Creative Inspirations any occasion 

The Cutie Pies Spring cuties

Noor! Design UK Spring

Simon Says Easter inspired
Dies R Us frame it

As you like it Favourite Easter character (I do love fluffy bunnies, they have such cute faces, look at the expression on this one's face)

We have a free weekend for a change so hopefully I will get some crafting done.

Polar Bear

Have you got your LOTV rubber stamps before they run out of stock? I have several of the new teddy bears to play with and this cutie is Polar, coloured with Copics and diecut with a stitched die from The Works. The papers are Bo Bunny Altitude and I used MFT layered snowflakes and an Elizabeth Crafts 5 part pine tree with white glitter card.  Sweet and simple.

Challenges

Penny Black and more at Allsorts feature a creature 

ABC Christmas G for glitter 

Christmas with the Cuties anything Christmas goes
Creative Inspirations any occasion 

The Paper Shelter hot or cold colours (I went for cold)

Out early this morning for a long visit to the hairdresser for a cut and colour. Lovely and relaxing and a chance to read my book.  I have been going there for years so I enjoy a catch up with my hairdresser too.

Coffee and friends

I made this card for a friend whose Birthday was yesterday.  We enjoy meeting up for coffee so this Stamping Bella stamp seemed appropriate. I found it quite challenging to colour, with Copics of course. The mug is so big and the arms and legs so thin but it didn't come out to badly. I love the sentiment and have that on a large coffee cup plaque on our kitchen wall.  I kept it simple as it is such a large image, adding some doodling and enamel dots.

Challenges

Creative Inspirations any occasion 

Looking forward to going out tonight for a meal at Ask Italian and then to he theatre for a show, The Kast Off Kinks. We do love our 60's concerts.

Another unicorn

The LOTV DT were asked if we would use some of the new simply print digis which of course are precoloured and I have to say the colours of this beautiful Princess image are lovely.  I teamed her with some old WRS Chrismas papers, wide lace, paper flowers and some pretty butterflies from Poundland. 

We has a pretty good day at the hospital shop on Monday though not quite as busy as last month. I have the hospital craft fair in a couple of weeks and need to get some more cards made for that.

For my Mum

My Mum said how much she liked my LOTV fairy card last week especially the little butterflies so I  thought I would use of the other new LOTV fairy stamps for her card, not forgetting the butterflies of course which were cut with a Memory Box die.  I used Fairies Birdhouse stamp but fussy cut the fairy as I wanted to use her alone.  She has been coloured with Copics and teamed with Bo Bunny Secret Garden papers. I used an old MS flower border punch, Whimsy fence die and Memory Box clouds and MFT stitched clouds dies.  I used a Wink of Stella pen on her wings for sparkle and a pearl pen on the butterflies.

Challenges

Creative Inspirations any occasion 

The Paper Shelter Let it be Spring 

Simon Says Girl power 

Noor! Design UK Spring

Hospital shop today

Well I was going to share my Mother's Day card with you today but I am saving it for tomorrow. Today we are selling at the hospital shop so a long day for us. I am so glad we do Mondays now and can set up at the weekend. At least when we go in this morning just before 8 the shop is all set and just needs a few tweaks. 

I haven't has as much crafting time as usual with lots of other things going on but I am hoping to have a mainly crafting day tomorrow so I can schedule some posts for the rest of the week. 

Watch this space!

Love Mum

Happy Mother's day to all Mums. I can't share my Mother's Day card with you as you may have seen in an earlier post my Mum looks at my blog every morning so I will share her card with you tomorrow. This is a plaque I made for my stall and it seemed an appropriate day to share a girly creation. I used a Marianne parasol and Doohickey feaher dies. The lace is from Crafty Ribbons, flowers from Wild Orchid, heart, ribbon and pearls from stash.  I would like to enter this into the girl power challenge at Simon Says.

Nautical but nice!

A card made just with diecuts today.  I have a thing for making aperture cards at the moment and the Joy seashore dies fit perfectly into my circular apertures. I used Wild Honey Distress Ink on the dies, and used a Fiskars tag punch. 

Happy Birthday Hubby

Yes today is my Hubby's Birthday and here is his card. Now I don't have my blog networked to Facebook I can share it today as he won't see it until I post it on Facebook. Interestingly I get more likes on Facebook now I post manually.

So my card is a new Pink Gem image which Janet very kindly drew for me. He has been coloured with Copics and cut with a MFT wonky stitched die.  The paper is from an old rock pack. The vinyl record is actually a gift card from Barnes and Noble in the US. You may have seen me use these before.  A crafter never misses an opportunity to use something in a different way and we did buy several things in the music and DVD department not to mention the Starbucks coffees. I used an old Memory Box music border die and a Craftwork cards sentiment which doesn't show very well as it is so shiny.

Love my unicorn

I have a Birthday card made for a friend to share today. She loves unicorns so I thought this new stamp from LOTV was perfect for her. Coloured with Copics and teamed with some old Basic Grey papers. The sentiment is a LOTV stamp, pierced rectangle die is MFT, rainbow charm from Ebay, sparkly wooden butterfly from Hobbycraft.

Crafts Beautiful commission

I made this card for the latest edition of Crafts Beautiful magazine using a Stamping Bella stamp, coloured with Copics. The papers and stitched scalloped border dies are from MFT.  I also used a Lawn Fawn stitched circle and Joy flower dies. The ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons.

Challenges

Dies R Us pastel colours 

Noor! Design UK Spring
As you like it single or multiple layers (I love using lots of layers to make an interesting card and even my CAS cards are more than one layer.)

Penny Black and more at Allsorts feature a creature 

Stamping Sensations forest friends

Squirrel's not so random challenge Spring

Launch day

Today is launch day for the 12 new digis and precoloured simply prints from LOTV. This is Rose, another of the more vintage style images and she has been coloured with Copics.  The papers are some old Prima Lyric ones, lace from Crafty Ribbons. I found the rose label and rose chipboard flowers in my oddments box and thought they went perfectly with the distressed, vintage look.  I also used a Viva pearl pen around the image.

Challenges

Simon Says anything goes 

Allsorts ladies only

As you like it single or multiple layers (I love using lots of layers to make an interesting card and even my CAS cards are more than one layer.)

Sneak peek number 4

As you can see the new images launching tomorrow from LOTV are very varied. There are 4 fairies, 4 modern girls and 4 vintage images. This is one of the latter, Flora and these are my favourites. I coloured her with Copics and teamed her with some Gorjuss paper.  I cut her out with a MFT wonky stitched oval die, disressed all the edges, added some ribbon, Gorjuss bows, flowers from Wild Orchid and used a Martha Stewart fern punch. The sentiment is from LOTV.

Challenges

Simon Says anything goes 

Noor! Design UK Spring 

Allsorts ladies only

We are out for a late lunch with friends we haven't seen for ages.  It is supposed to pour with rain this afternoon so hopefully that will wash the rest of the snow away.

Flaunt It

Our new challenge today at A Gem of a Challenge is Mother's Day. Now this isn't my Mum's card as she looks at my blog on her mini iPad every morning so I won't be showing that until after Mother's Day. As well as cute children and animals there are some great adult images at Pink Gem and this digi kit of Molly is a fun one. I like to reduce the size of the first page of the digi kit to use as a topper rather than the full card. I used a Joy flower die, some lace from Crafty Ribbons and pearls.

Challenges

The Cutie Pie Mum

Creative Inspirations Pink/Red
Simon Says anything goes

Sneak peek number 3

A very different sneak peek today, both in image and style of card. This is another of the new LOTV images launching on 5th March and is simply called Coffee. She is one of 4 new images from a new artist to LOTV and they are all lovely. She has been coloured with Copics, The sentiment is from LOTV. I do love my Tim Holtz stamping platform which is great for adding stamped sentiments without worrying whether they stamp perfectly first time or not.  I used MFT jumbo banner dies and a Fiskars tag punch along with enamel dots.

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

Sneak peek number 2

If you love Lili of the Valley then you will be pleased to know that there is another launch of new images on March 5th. I couldn't wait to start using them and here is my second sneak peek, the first was yesterday. There are 4 fairies and 8 girls. Initially they will be digis followed by simply prints and then hopefully rubber stamps.

Image - LOTV Fairies Butterfly

Medium - Copics and chalk for the sky

Papers - BO Bunny Secret Garden

Die - Memory box buterflies

Stencil - MFT clouds

Lace and pins from stash

Challenges

Allsorts I spy something beginning with B (butterflies, blue, blossom)

The Paper Shelter add some metal (pins)

Simon Says anything goes