Love gardening

I made this one for a friend's Birthday. He loves pottering in the garden so I thought this Hunkydory topper was perfect for him. The paper is MFT and the sentiment is from an old LOTV stamp set. I used a Memory Box snail, grass and Whimsy fence dies

Thanks for all your get well wishes. It hasn’t turned into a cold, just a horrendous cough and very sore throat. Keeping me awake a lot and last night I couldn’t get my breath at times. Went to the walk in centre this morning, thankfully chest is clear. A day indoors again, keeping warm and plenty of fluids. I hope you enjoy your Saturday whatever you are doing.

More for men

Two more cards for men using those Hunkydory toppers I told you about yesterday. The Little Book of Magnificent Men is a really useful addition to anyone's collection. Both these cards would suit my hubby. I kept this one really simple again using MFT Free Spirit papers. I simply used the offcuts of paper, reversing the stripes and added a sentiment.  The topper was bigger than I needed so I just cut off some of the sky.

This one would actually be suitable for females too and the sentiment I used is actually from the female teenage sentiments from LOTV. I used the same paper pad. This time I used the two pieces of music paper that I cut off the top and bottom of the image and added some punched musical notes.

I have some lovely purple papers and garden toppers to use and will be reviewing those soon.

All at sea

I was delighted to receive an email from Hunkydory inviting me to review some of their products. I could choose which products I wanted to use and the first ones I am reviewing are the Magnificent Men Toppers. I get asked a lot for cards for men as opposed to boys and people usually want them for the man's particular interest. This pack contains so many different hobbies/pastimes/activities/sports that are going to be very useful.

The images are quite big and I wanted to make a 6x6 card so I cut off the top and bottom. I love the sketchbook and watercoloured style of this nautical image.  I used MFT free spirit papers, added a Cheery Lynn diecut lighthouse and a Go Kreate diecut gull. The little banners were cut from a scrap from the same paper pad using a Fiskars tag punch. I will be back with two more cards I made from them tomorrow.

One for the boys and one for the girls

This is my second post for today. Housework done and Hubby has finished painting the walls of my Craftroom so I sat down to finish off the card I started last night and made another. This is the first time I have used the new boys stamp called Abracadabra from LOTV. He was such fun to colour. I wanted to keep the main colours to black and grey so that the purple really stands out. I used some old Dovecraft papers (I think) and black raffia lace. I added some punched stars and some star buttons to match the Sakura clearstar pen I used with my Promarkers on the image.

Challenges:
Lili of the Valley Great sketch
Here come the boys Myth and Magic
My Mum's Craft Shop One of the boys

My second card features an image which I have used several times as it is my fave LOTV stamp.  I don't know why I seem to be in pink mode at the moment. I think she looks fabulous in any colour. The papers are Dovecraft Piece of Cake and I used a MS border punch and Papermania embossing folder with some brown spotty ribbon. The butterfly charm is from Wild Orchid and I found some thin brown leather in my stash which was just right for attaching it. Flowers are Prima with leaves from Joanna Sheen.

Challenges:
Cupcake Fab sketch
SSDS Photo Inspiration
A Gem of a Challenge Bloomin' Charmin'
Totally Papercafts Spots and stripes
Crafty Catz Add a charm
Magical Monday Punches and embossing
Bunny Zoe Fairies
Crafty Calendar Things with wings

Hello to all my lovely new followers. I can't believe I am almost at 900 followers. I hope you will stay and visit me when you can. Don't forget my candy ends next Thursday. If you haven't entered yet see the post above.

What's in the parcels?

Had a lovely morning out as hubby wasn't at work this week. We went to the coast as he wanted to visit a specialist car shop to buy some car mats and I fitted in a visit to a craft shop. It has been there 5 years and I have only just discovered it as it was advertised in the craft mags. It is tucked away in a residential area so with out advert would never have known it was there. Not much there I wanted but I did manage to pick up some papers. Well it would have been rude not to buy anything wouldn't it. Had a walk along the prom and then stopped at a garden centre on the way home where it started to rain.

My card features one of the lovely LOTV boys, papers are Papermania Hampstead, metal art from K&Co and baker's twine from Crafty Emma's.

Challenges:
Craft Us Crazy Masculine
Dutch Dare For the Boys
Card Makin Mamas For a child
Secret Crafter Male
Incy Wincy Masculine
Cupcake Boy, oh boy, oh boy
Papertake Dads and lads

Father's Day Fisherman

I've been out and about all weekend. Had a great day yesterday with Lynsey, Will and Grace. Lynsey cooked us a lovely lunch and we were able to have a good crafty chat. I've had no time for crafting but hope to make up for that today. I have one card to share with you though, which was made form the FF retro men's pack. I used the MS cherish punch (again) and the Sizzix primitive star die with a button.

Challenges:
Craft Your Days Away Father's Day
Here come the boys Father's Day
Forever Friends Punch it

Summer BBQ

Hi everyone, sorry I haven't been by to visit for a couple of days. I had scheduled my post for yesterday and this morning for the Humphrey sneak peeks. I woke up about 3am on Sunday, popped to loo, came back to bed and when I lay down the room was spinning as though I was on a fairground ride. I was hanging onto the bed, very scary. I shouted to wake up hubby and he sat me up slowly. I was then violently sick several times. Couldn't lie down or the spinning started again so he rang emergency Dr. They asked lots of questions and as they have a surgery at one of our hospitals gave me an appointment at 9.15. Dr was very nice and said I had either had labyrinthitis (which I had last year, without the violent spinning, just dizziness) or a form of vertigo called BPPV for short. Both are caused by imbalance of inner ear. She gave me a prescription for some tablets which seem to be working although I couldn't lie down last night so spent night sleeping propped up with various cushions from sofa and pillow. Just feeling a bit weak and wobbly today. Going to see my Dr on Wednesday. I am struggling a bit with using the computer, thank goodness for spellchecker, so hope you understand if I don't comment on your posts as much as usual.

I have a LOTV bear to share with you today. Papers are Papermania Hampstead, which are some of my faves and haven't been used for ages.  Not much need for embellishment with these papers. I used the MS cherish punch again, added a Papermania sparkly strip and some card candi.

Challenges:
Card and a half Fab sketch which I rotated
Lili of the Valley Here comes Summer
Delicious Doodles Let the sun shine
Pile it on You're my beary best friend
Stamptacular Bearnecessities

Relaxing

I'm back with my second post for today so please scroll down for a sneak peek at Humphrey. I haven;t used this stamp for ages and thought it would be perfect for another Father's Day card. Papers are K&Co Hopscotch and I added some card candy again. I seem to be addicted to that at the moment, at least it has no calories unlike regular candy.

Challenges:
Lili of the Valley Ribbons and bows
I love Promarkers Animals
Moving along with the times 2Bs (bear, bird and bow)
Crafty Calendar Teddy Bears
Cupcake In the garden
Pear Tree Design Stamped image
Oldie but a goodie Teddy Bear's Picnic

Are these headphones big enough?

Another glorious sunny day here. We went to the coast and visited a new craft shop where they had MS PATP punches on opening offer for £20. Now I can't resist a bargain and found a new set there, topiary, so they hopped into my basket along with a few other bits (not much, honest).  It's another car using one of my new Pollycraft digis. Papers are K&Co Roam with a scalloped K&Co border, which matched perfectly. Sentiment is from the FF set and some card candi to finish.

Challenges:
Crafts 4 Eternity Fab sketch, which would be great for a scrapbook page too
Craft Your Days Away Music and dance
Crafty Cardmakers Machines
Pollycraft Anything Goes

Thanks for all your lovely comments. I try to visit you as often as I can and comment back. I'm out all day again tomorrow but will catch you as soon as I can.  I also want to give you a heads up on an exciting blog hop coming at Winter Wonderland on 27th May when we celebrate our second Birthday. Loads and loads of prizes up for grabs so be sure to catch that. I will also have some candy coming soon so stay tuned.

I love my dog

Good evening everyone. I'm back with a second post today. Blogger is really annoying me at the moment as it keeps wanting me to sign in every day. I tried to leave some comments this morning but it just didn't want to play so I'll try again this evening. Everything is ready for my craft fair on Sunday so I then had time to play with one of my new digi images from Pink Gem. I used some of my fave K&Co papers, Hopscotch along with a new pad, Americana. I wanted to pick up on the stars on his outfit to used my MS star punch and CB embossing folder on some pearlised card. The sticky glitter strip I found in my stash, and yes it is wide one side than the other coz that's how it is made. I had a habit of collecting brads at one point and have so many that I thought I would use some in the corners as embellies for a change from buttons.

Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge Great sketch
Cards for Men Circles
Stamp Something Digi
Here come the boys Anything Goes
Stamps R us For the men in our lives
Kaboodle Doodles 'B's' Knees (Embellies beginning with B
Creative Inspirations Embossing
I Love Promarkers Song Title (I love my Dog by Cat Stevens)

Reach for the stars

This is my second DT card today. This week at Winter Wonderland Lynsey has the DT reaching for the stars. I thought my new SN stamp, which funnily enough was a Christmas pressie form Lynsey, was just perfect for this challenge. I've got stars galore on this card from the Cuttlebug embossing, the MS border punch, the Sizix die to the starry papers. I added glossy accents to his sunglasses. Our sponsor this week is Craftbulee so I hope you will play along.
I am also entering this card into the following challenges:
Stamp with fun Fab sketch
CES Bold and bright
The Crafty Pad Something for the boys

Vroom

SECOND POST FOR TODAY. PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR SNOWFLAKES.
What a gloomy evening, it is so dark here and damp. What happened to flaming June? I so love these LOTV bears and he looks like he is having such fun. I added glossy acents to his goggles and windscreen. Papers are MME Asparagus. Pearls from the Hobby House. With Father's Day next weekend in Britain there are so many similar challenges this week.

Challenges
Sketch Saturday sketch
Just Cute Bears Father's Day
One Stitch at a Time Boys to Men
Cards for Men Father's Day
The Shabby Tea Rooms Just for Dad
Creative Craft For the man in your life
CRAFT Father's Day/Mens
Charisma Spots and stripes

No girly colours today

Now you may have noticed that I have had time to do a lot of crafting this week. The reason is that I have been off work sick. I started feeling much better yesterday and got up early this morning to go to work. Having got ready for work and just about to leave I realised I didn't feel as well as yesterday so went to see the doctor this morning. I have a virus and labyrinthitis, which affects your balance and explains why I don't feel quite with it some of the time and a bit woozy. She said it affects your whole body and is the cause of my stomach pains too. I expected her to say I would be OK in a couple of days but she said it takes a couple of weeks and has signed me off work for a week from today, which was a bit of a shock. At least crafting is something you do sitting down so I have been able to do that plus some reading. I'm not one to sit about doing nothing or lie in bed when I am unwell, unless it is something that is really severe of course.

So onto the first card which is another of those LOTV cute bears. I received a lovely pack of images and Wild Rose Studio papers from my blogging buddy Lisa today and couldn't wait to use them. The brown paper is one of those. I added some buttons and Sizzix cut corners.
Challenges:
Incy Wincy mint, chocolate and cream
Crafty Calendar The Great Outdoors
Cards for Men Outdoors
Magical Crafts Lovely sketch
A spoon full of sugar 3 DPs, 3 buttons
Paperplay Brown and any colour(s)

The second card is a Little Clare stamp from Ally Pally. I just couldn't resist these 2 giraffes. Background papers is another RAK from Lisa. I found a rub on in my stash which fitted the image perfectly. Flowers are Prima with added pearls. The great sketch is from Create 4 fun.

Three more cards

This week's challenge at Kraftin Kimmee is yummy neapolitan, pink, chocolate and vanilla. I love these colours and they suit Clara so much. The sentiment was created on the PC, flowers are Prima with card candy. Pearls from the Hobby House. The lovely sketch is from Allsorts.

Now this card was a real challenge. Crafts 4 eternity had a great sketch but also want a quote and use something wooden. The colour challenge at Colour Create is khaki, aqua, brown and cream. Once I decided on making a wicket out of cocktail sticks and found the right colour papers the card started to come together. The aqua paper is Doodlebug. I don't know where I would be for men's cards without these Dovecraft papers which gave me the cricket balls and the quote. The image is Clare Curd. Other challenges are:
One Stitch at a time Going Dotty
Cards for men Outdoors

This last card really took me out of my comfort zone, which is the challenge at Tuesday Taggers. I wanted to make a jingle bell card for Susie and Vikki's Christmas club and ABC Christmaswho also want you to add something punched. The only bells I could find in my stash were on a set of stamps I won last year. I added them to some card embossed with Cuttlebug d'vine swirls. I added lots of glitter to the holly and a row of punched stars. I ended up with a very traditional looking card, not my type of card at all, but the sort I have been asked to make occasionally in the past. I'm not sure I really like it but now it is made thought I would post it. The fab sketch is from Friday Sketchers.

A fairy and a footballer

This is my favourite sort of card. A girly image, glitter, pink and purple, pretty borders and flowers. I also love easel cards and haven't made one for a few weeks.

Here's a close up of the front of the card.

The fab fairy was a Friday freebie from the very generous Paula at Pollycraft. She has a some gorgeous new images out today so I had to treat myself to a few. There is a also a great sale on some of the clear stamps and a couple of Christmas ones hopped into my basket. The purple paper is from Craftwork cards, another purchase from Ally Pally. Pink papers are Papermania capsule and FF pink parfait. I used 2 different MS border punches. I had a look through my stash and found this metal sentiment which matches the card so well. I also found some odd flowers which I put together and the fabric sparkly butterfly.
Challenges:
Pollycraft lovely sketch by my friend Lynsey
Crafty Calendar The great outdoors, option insects
Crafty Creations Magical
Paperplay Stamp or digi and bling
Polka Doodles Summer blossoms
The Crafty Pad Punch
Crafty Angels One for the girls

Yet another male Birthday this week and another football fan. Image and papers are Clare Curd. I found some yellow buttons and some green embroidery thread to match his Norwich City outfit. I also found the embellie in my stash.
Challenges:
Paper Sundaes Perfect sketch for a tall card
Cupcake Buttons
The Pink Elephant Yellow, designer paper and buttons

Crafting on a wet Saturday afternoon

As predicted the weather here has been awful, cold and raining all day long. I coloured these images last night and after a morning's housework spent the afternoon cardmaking. This is another of my WOJ stamps I bought at the Ally Pally show. I layered her onto a Nellie cut oval, embossed with daisy Cuttlebug folder which I finished off with pink shimmer chalk. Roses are Wild Orchid. The lovely sketch is from Whiff of Joy, Everybody Art want pastel colours and Oh Baby is the challenge at Quxotic.

The second card uses a Friday freebie from Pollycraft for their challenge here comes the sun. Paper is K&Co, pearls from the Hobby House. Kaboodle are celebrating Spring and the fab sketch is from Moving along with the times.

Lastly but certainly not least is another Pollycraft image sold in aid of Air Ambulance. The main paper is from a Christmas pack of DCWV which matched the chair beautifully.
Challenges:
Papertake Dawny P's great sketch
Paper Sundaes Red, yellow and green
Cute Card Thursday Boyz to men
Crazy 4 challenges make something from the rhyme "What are little boys made of"
Dare u 2 digistamp Anything goes
Secret Crafter 3 embellishments, 2 papers, 1 image
Stampin' for the weekend (whose challenge I won last week) Card for a male

I also made the top 3 at Crafts 4 eternity. Thanks girls.

Don't forget to enter my candy above.

Easy Rider

The challenge at Paperplay is movies and books. I thought this retirement card I made for a friend at work who loves motorbikes was perfect for the movie Easy Rider. Digi image is from Charmed. He's also a foorball fan so this paper, from Dovecraft I think, was perfect for the colouring. A fairly simple card as he wouldn't like anything too fussy.