New launch coming

There is a new launch coming from Lili of the Valley on 4 March. Many of the stamps will be suitable for Mother's Day. This one is coffee time and has previously been available as a coloured simply print but not as a digi stamp. This is the perfect image for my friend's Birthday in a couple of weeks as we love meeting up for a coffee or tea.  I must be the one in the pink hat as she has my hair 😂.

I coloured her with Copics. The papers are LOTV digi papers Berry Christmas. The colours are perfect for what I wanted. I love it when you can use some Christmas papers at any time of the year.  I kept the design simple as I printed the image quite large. The sentiment is from a new set called simply cute. I just added some enamel dots.

You will see lots more samples from the DT over the coming days in the We love LOTV group on Facebook and on their blogs and Instagram.

Staying safe on holiday

I just had to record a page for the Cornwall scrapbook about the Covid precautions. We were so lucky to be able to go to Cornwall in October even though it wasn't the same.  Luckily there are so many wide beaches that staying away from people was easy. We avoided all the smaller places we would normally visit as social distancing in somewhere like St Ives with its narrow streets would have been much harder.

The papers are HOTP and the pumpkins and swirls are from an old pack I bought in America many years ago. I printed the 2020 using my Brother handheld printer. 

The weekend has rolled around again. The days go surprisingly quickly considering we are so limited on where we can go. Enjoy your weekend.

 

Starting the Cornwall scrapbook

Last year I planned to finish one of our Florida scrapbooks but that never happened. This year I decided to start a Cornwall scrapbook. I had the photos printed and as we should be going again in June to celebrate our Golden Wedding thought I would make a start. 

This is the first page and shows the place we have stayed for the last three years. It was recommended by a friend on Facebook who has been going four times a year for many years. We are so glad we discovered it as it is the best holiday cottage we have ever stayed in. The owners are so friendly, everything is spotless, the rooms are huge and the bed is very comfortable. 

It is like a home from home. They have just fitted a new kitchen into the one we stay in and that looks lovely.  We have stayed in the same cottage in 2018 and 2020 but in 2019 we stayed in the one upstairs. this was just as lovely but had huge stone stairs up to it which we weren't so keen on climbing at the end of the day. So this year we are back in the downstairs one. They have been converted from cow barns so have really thick walls. 

I used various papers, added some chipboard flowers and circles, a suitcase sticker and made some bunting using a MFT die.  I have another page to share tomorrow.

More bees buzzing by

My Mum liked the last bee plaque I made and asked if I could make her one to give to somebody who gives her honey. I used the Bee-Lightful digi pack from Nitwits adding some flowers and pearls. I used a stitched circle die from Lawn Fawn for the bees. 

Lovely sunny day yesterday. We went into the city centre for the first time this year. it was so nice to walk somewhere different for a change.  We did some shopping in M&S, got a takeaway drink and had a nice walk in the sunshine. At least we now have a roadmap out of lockdown. Let’s hope infections continue to go down and we can get back to a bit more normality. Graham has a haircut booked for 12th April and we both have back massages on 14th April. My hairdresser isn’t taking bookings yet but they will book people in based on their original bookings so it could be May before I can go there. Sun is shining again this morning. Enjoy your day.

Garage

I loved making the bee cards and plaques from the Nitwits digi collection so decided to buy some more. For this card I used the man-ual collection. They take a while to sort out exactly which images to print and what size to make them but once that is done it is a matter of printing them out and playing around with each piece.

I used Word and merged the backing and striped papers, garage, chevrons and banner, adding shadows to them. I then inserted and resized all the other pieces. I used Tim Holtz notes dies on the red spotted and denim papers. I found a metal gear to add but it was very shiny gold so coloured it with a dark brown Copic and lightly sanded it.

I really enjoyed making this card as a change from cute cards and look forward to playing some more with both this and the other sets I bought.

 

Another beauty

I have another card using one of the new images from LOTV. This is one of the coloured simply prints and is called Grace Beauty. The paper is Crafter's Companion vintage lace. I used a MFT stitched rounded square, Doohickey fence and Joy butterfly and flowers dies.

We all wait in anticipation for today's Government announcement though I think they will only tell us the order things will reopen, not when. I am most looking forward to a back massage, haircut, seeing friends and being able to go out for a meal.

 

Romantic Rock

I have coloured the digi of this image 2 or 3 times and love it so decided to buy the coloured simply print from LOTV.  She always reminds me of Stevie Nicks. I thought the colours of the simply print were great and teamed her with paper from Craft O'clock plum in chocolate. I used some purple mesh, a flower from Hobby House and some diecut flowers using a Joy die.  I added some doodling and pearls.

 What a contrast in the weather, last week was so cold and snowy and this week is much better. So nice to see some sun yesterday. I even took my hat and gloves off towards the end of our walk.

 

Unicorn plaque

I was asked if I could make a unicorn plaque and this is what I came up with. The star paper is from a scrapbook pack, coloured unicorns from Whimsy and sentiment from LOTV. I used a MFT wonky stitched oval die and sparkle pens on the sentiment.  I covered the wooden fairy with sparkle using a clear sparkle pen, added a rainbow charm, some sparkly stickers, diecut butterflies and a sparkly butterfly from an old Poundland pack.  My friend was very happy with it so I hope the little girl is too. 

Thanks a bunch

So I had my first Covid jab on Tuesday. I was so glad not to get the flu like symptoms or bad headache that some people have had as side effects. I had a very sore and achy arm and couldn't sleep on my left side that night. Wednesday morning still had a sore and achy arm but paracetamol helped. I felt a bit weary in the afternoon but otherwise ok.

I was asked to make a thank you card using this gorgeous coloured digi from LOTV. The papers are Maja Denim and girls. I found the sentiment in my sentiment folder, added some chessecloth, flowers from Wild Orchid and diecut some butterflies using an old Memory Box die.

Launch day

So yesterday I shared the simply print of Grace Wonder with you and today I have gone for more vibrant colours using the pencil sketch version and Copics. I added the pleats to her dress and actually found that easier to colour rather than just the dress. The papers are MFT. I used some old Prima flowers and a die I bought recently on Facebook from Tracey Payne who used to run the Crafteeze store. It is from The Scrap Man and is called magic plant 3. I thought it was rather a fun die.

That snow is still hanging around but it should be dry today though still very cold so off for a walk after breakfast. Sunday is usually a do as you please day so some crafting, a jigsaw, book and Netflix or Prime this evening after a homemade cottage pie and a bottle of wine. Cottage pie is a real favourite with us. I cook all the vegetables in it which means we can wash all the pans etc up whilst it is finishing off in the oven and then there is very little to wash up afterwards. Enjoy your Sunday x

 

Wonder

Tomorrow is launch day at LOTV for Grace and I have some exciting news for the fans of rubber stamps.  There will be a limited release of rubber stamps of Grace available to pre-order from 12 noon tomorrow on the Etsy store. Get in quick if you want them.

I have used the coloured simply print of Grace Wonder teamed with paper from the vintage lace collection from Crafter's Companion. I wanted lots of texture so browsed through some old stash and found the metal findings and purple lacy mesh. I also added some cheesecloth, wooden stars and star charms and pearls.  I used the MFT wonky stitched rectangle, Hunkdory Moonstone flower and leaf dies.

We still have plenty of snow hanging around as this week has been so cold with more snow showers. It started thawing a bit on Wednesday but nothing since then so the pavements just look messy with some clear and some covered in icy snow. Those of you in Scotland have had way more I know and much colder temperatures. I would like it all to go now please.

I was delighted to get a text from the NHS yesterday and have an appointment for my Covid jab on Tuesday. They are doing so well with the vaccinations that I am getting mine much quicker than I expected.

 

Country Walk

This is another image which has been sitting waiting to be made into a card.  It is a coloured simply print of James Country Walk from LOTV. I teamed him with some old papers which I believe are LOTV. I was looking for something on eBay recently and spotted these flower and leaf dies. They are Sweet Dixie layering florals and they were £5.75 with free postage or make an offer. I offered £5 which I didn't think would be accepted but it was. I am very pleased with them as there are two of each size flower which saves time diecutting. There is also a larger version of the leaf and another curly leaf die so a bargain I thought.

It's that time of the week when there is actually something written on the calendar, click and collect at Tesco! A trip out in the car, which it was for somewhere more exciting but never mind.

Christmas card number 3

I had been doing well this month with a project every day but I didn't have anything to share yesterday. This snowy weather we are having made me feel like making a Christmas card and this cross stitched penguin has been sitting waiting to be made into a card. The pattern is from Durenee Jones.  I used some free magazine papers cutting an aperture into the top paper. I used a Joy snowflake die, Christmas tree dies and a LOTV sentiment.

Sunday and Monday were so cold here with an icy wind but yesterday wasn't so cold so we managed to get out for a lovely walk. A good chance to wear my snow boots I bought 3 years ago after we had the last bad snow. Since then we haven't had enough snow to warrant wearing them until now. It does look pretty out there and as long as it isn't icy underfoot I enjoy a snowy walk.

Getting an allotment

I was asked to make a retirement card for someone who is getting an allotment and as luck would have it I found a Hunkydory topper which was perfect. I won a set of toppers ages ago from a magazine and some of them have come in useful although they are rather large for 6" cards.

I used First Edition Gardenia paper and added a piece of diecut fence using a Marianne die and a burlap butterfly. The sentiment was computer generated. The large topper didn't leave much room for embellishing.

 

Designed for each other

A commissioned Valentine card today with specially requested wording as that is what the couple had on their Wedding favours.  I sent her some example cards and she chose these sweet Penny Black mice. I was sure they were on a multiple clear sheet of stamps and couldn't find them in my files which worried me. Then I thought maybe it is a wooden stamps and of course it is. I think I had the sheet with them on which was a smaller image and then managed to buy the larger wooden stamp.

Looking through the drawer to find it reminded me how many gorgeous PB stamps I have and need to use again. I coloured the image with Copics, the papers are some old Santoro ones and I used a stitched square die from The Works, a Whiff of Joy banner die and some puffy hearts from Tiger.

Grace Love

I have another of the lovely new images coming on Feb 14th from LOTV. This one is Grace Love and I used the standard digi rather than the pencil sketch version this time. I coloured her with Copics and paper pieced her dress and heart. The papers are MFT and I used a MFT stitched scallop border die along with a couple of leaf dies and Sue Wilson sweetheart flower dies.

I have some Birthdays coming up in March and have another order from the lady I have made several things for so lots to keep me busy. I will get round to some scrapbooking soon too.

 

2nd Christmas card

I had hoped to have a few more Christmas cards done in January but I only managed one, never mind. My blogging friend Kate kindly sent me a Christmas cross stitch magazine before Christmas and this was the free kit that came with it. It had a red hoop but I wanted to make it into a Christmas card. I do enjoy cross stitching this little images. I used a  stitched scallop circle frame die and then trimmed the material to fit. The papers are Your next stamp Winter plaid and I added some ribbon and enamel dots.  I have another cross stitched image done so hope to make that into a card soon.

 

Be Kind

 

I have another sneak peek for you today of the new digis launching on 14th Feb at LOTV. This one is the pencil sketch of Grace Kindness which I coloured with Copics. I really love making this style of card using different textures. The papers are Maja denim and girls. The sentiment is part of a new set launching with Grace.

I added some cheesecloth, crimped a piece of kraft card and added diecut birds, birdhouses and hearts. I am doing well on my blog this month so far, one a day for the first four days and I have another scheduled for tomorrow. Wonder how long this will last 😀.

 

Let's Dance

I am pleased to say that the lady who asked for the flower tags in yesterday’s post messaged me and said her MIL is delighted with them and will be wanting some more. 

Another commissioned card but this time for another lady. I don't do many cards to order but have made several this month.  The brief was for a girlie card, make up, jewellery, dancing, singing etc. I remembered this old Whiff of Joy stamp designed by Elisabeth Bell I.  I coloured her with Copics and paper pieced her dress. This proved trickier to cut out than I expected so I decided to colour the beads with a black Copic pen rather than trying to cut round them. Unfortunately it was a new pen which blobbed as they do occasionally so I had to stamp the dress and cut it out for a second time and attach on top which gave a decoupaged look so all's well than ends well and she loved it.

The papers are MFT. I used Lawn Fawn pierced rectangle and Memory Box music dies.  The lady was delighted with the card saying it is just perfect for her granddaughter. I am really enjoying using some of my old stamps.

 

Special request

A friend showed me a picture of something similar to these and asked if I could make some for her mother in law for scrapbooking. She chose the sentiments which I created on the laptop. I diecut the flowers using a flower set which came with a magazine, added the buttons and diecut the banners using a MFT pierced banner die. I made 10 in total all with different sentiments.  The spotted flowers were diecut from card to make them stronger. Luckily I had 5 different colours of  spotted card.

 

Sneak peek of Grace

Feb 14th sees the next launch from Lili of the Valley. There are 7 digi stamps, 7 pencil sketch digis, sentiments, little extras and words.  I used the pencil sketch of Grace Beauty and coloured her with Copics. I love the sketchy style and added a sentiment using the new word set. The paper is Crafter's Companion vintage lace. 

I used several things on this card which are products I have had for ages and used to use a lot on cards. I like the contrast of the metal with the soft image. I used raffia lace, charm, metal pins, metal corner and flowers from Wild Orchid.

Well here we are the start of another week in lockdown and the start of a new month. So pleased that hubby has an appointment to be vaccinated on Friday. Hoping they get down to my age group soon as I will be in the next batch. His appointment is sooner than expected so they must have got through the older people quickly in this area as we have several friends in the 70-75 age group who have theirs this week too.