Commissioned card

My line dancing teacher asked me to make a large Wedding card and this is what I came up with. I love it when people say I don't mind what you make, I know it will be lovely.  I used a LOTV simply print, diecut it and then added a little victorian velvet distress ink to the edges. The paper is an old LOTV one, the hearts die is one I bought in the Sizzix sale. I printed the sentiment, diecut it and gain used the distress ink.I added some cheesecloth, pearl sprays and flowers from Wild Orchid. 

I don't heat emboss enough so I stampd some wooden hearts with shabby white frantage and heat embossed them and then added some sparkle to the flowers in the image and the diecut hearts with a clear sparkle pen.

First gnome sneak peek

I have seen several gnome stamps around but they have never appealed to me. However LOTV are bringing out 7 gnome digis and I absolutely love them. They are all so cute. You will be able to get your hands on them later this month. There will also be some lovely new sentiments like the hand drawn one I have used. This is only the second time I have ever coloured on kraft. The first time was a few years ago and I wasn't impressed as I couldn't get it to shade very well but I am really pleased with the way this one came out.

I kept the design fairly simple, using Copics for colouring, some of last year's LOTV papers, MFT banner die, The Works stitched square dies and a new LOTV hand drawn sentiment.

Second sneak peek

So another day another snowman, one of 9 new snowmen coming soon from LOTV. There are also some lovely new handdrawn sentiments and I have used one on my card. I went for a vintage look with this one using some old LOTV papers. I coloured the image with Copics and used vintage photo distress ink around the edges. I found and old kraft star tag and punched a matching star then ran them both through the crimper before distressing the edges.  The trees were cut with Doohickey dies.

The garden clearing is coming along well.  We bought some lovely plants mainly for Autumn colour on Thursday so today Graham is taking out a bush and clearing more hardy geraniums so that the new plants can go in. I fear we shall need more. As for me there is a pile of ironing waiting so that is my first task this morning.

I finished it!

I started this cross stitch on 1st July and finished it on 6th August. I found it so addictive and as the picture grew I wanted to sew more and more. I haven't done any cross stitch for about 15 years and have never worked on blank material just using a pattern. I have also never outlined in backstitch before but I was so impressed with the way the backstitching brought the picture to life. 

I wanted to fit it into the 8" embroidery hoop so that did mean altering the pattern a bit.  I kept the fairy the same size, moved the moon, left off a couple of stars and reduced the size of the toadstools. I didn't want to buy all new threads so matched the colours as near as possible with the ones I already had, just buying a couple for her skin.  

I learnt a lot along the way such as moving your finger from underneath when putting the needle through. I lost count of the number of times I pricked my finger that way. I was going to sell it but love it so much she is now hanging in my craft room. I am looking forward to starting another soon but first I must sew some things for my next craft fair in September. If you would like to sew one go and check out the designs on the LOTV Etsy shop, link in my sidebar. 

First snowman sneak peek

Well I didn't think I wold be posting today but when an email arrived from LOTV with the next release of stamps I couldn't wait to use them. There will be 9 snowmen and 7 gnomes available later this month. As you must know I love snowmen and these ones are all so cute. I coloured him with Copics and used Go Kreate frilly 10 and Lawn Fawn pierced rectangle dies. I kept this one simple adding a LOTV sentiment and wooden snowflakes. I added some sparkle with a Spectrum Noir sparkle pen on the star, snow and snowflakes.

Tomorrow I will be sharing something different that I completed earlier this week.

Robin

I have been busy making cards I can't share yet but in between I sorted through my stamped images and came across this one. It is an old Sheena Douglass stamp that I borrowed from a friend and stamped several times. I still have a few left to use. It is a simple but timeless and traditional image and I wanted to create a more traditional card with it. I coloured it with Copics and used some First Edition Merry little Christmas papers, a Joy holly die, Hobbycraft poinsettia and a sentiment stamp.

We are very busy in the garden, trying to clear out some hardy geraniums which have taken over in some places. We hope to get out there again today and then on Friday we can replant with some colour ready for Autumn. I love hardy geraniums but we have one pink one which spreads too much so it has to go, well as much as we can get out anyway.

This afternoon we are meeting up with friends for a surprise 16th Birthday meal at Pizza Express and the going to see Matilda at the theatre which has rave reviews.  I doubt I shall have a card to share tomorrow but as Thursday is my crafternoon and evening I hope to get several cards made.

A new purchase

I didn’t get in the craft room at all at the weekend. Instead we were out on Saturday, had a lovely walk at the coast in Cromer, then went to see the end of the pier show. It was really good, very funny compere, brilliant magician and wonderful singers and dancers. Finished the day off with fish and chips in a nearby restaurant.

Yesterday we spent the morning gardening, then some computer stuff and then finished the jigsaw we started during the week. A nice roast followed by an episode of Peaky Blinders, then Poldark. We never watched Peaky Blinders when it was on TV fo some reason but so many people said how good it was. As there is very little on TV we like at the moment we decided to try it last week and watched the first series. So this week we have started the second series on catch up. We can’t believe what we missed as it is so good.

So onto my little trimmer I purchased for £3 in Hobbycraft. My big trimmer sits on my second desk in my craft room, behind me but this dinky one is on my working desk and is proving so useful for small trimming jobs like an image. I think it will prove useful in my classes too.

Well that’s enough from me this morning. Planning some crafting today, facial and back massage this afternoon followed by shopping.

Simply banners

I made this card as a sample for my September cardmaking class.  I plan two completely different cards and as the second one will take them longer want them to make a quicker first card. I have to bear in mind that the only cards some of them have ever made have been at my classes so I need some of them to be quite simple. This style is a great way of using scraps. I used various papers and a banner die with a LOTV sentiment.

We are picking friends up at lunchtime then off to Cromer to see the pier show at 4pm followed by fish and chips in a nearby restaurant.  The pier shows are really good and we like to support them as they have shows all year round and rely on funds from the shows to keep them going. I believe it is the only pier with shows all year round. We haven't seen the pier show for a couple of years but he write ups are very good. One of the national papers gave it 4 stars. We are also going there later in the year to see a tribute band to The Eagles.

Love snow people

I am much preferring the weather this week. It has made me feel like doing so much more than last week. Yesterday hubby went off to the powerboats at 12.30 giving me plenty of time for crafting once I had finished the ironing. I spent quite a while on my cross stitch which I am finding very addictive. In between I made some cards. This is a Sugar Nellie coloured topper from The Hobby House. I teamed it with some LOTV papers, ribbon from stash, Roxstamps cross stitch circle die from Swedish House Crafts and some new snowflake dies I bought in the Sizzix sale.  I diecut them from white glitter card and added fun flock and glitter to the image.  The sentiment is LOTV.

Housework and shopping today and then some crafting time I think.

Motorbiking

I made this card for a friend's hubby and I know he has received it so can now share with you. I love making cards using bright papers and these MME lime twist are an old favourite of mine.  I like adding little triangles of the paper just to add a bit of interest. The coloured simply print is from Lili of the Valley and so is the sentiment.

New flower dies

We had a lovely relaxing day yesterday. We started with breakfast with friends at Frankie and Benny's then popped into Hobbycraft before coming home. I made this card, sorted out some stash to sell and  then did some of my cross stitching before cooking dinner. A great way to spend a very grey day, the sun never showed its face.

I recently bought a few dies in the Sizzix sale and the ones I have used on her are some of the Tim Holtz wildflower 2. I used kraft card and added distress inks. The paper is some old Gorjuss paper and he image a country companions one I found in my stash from years ago. I added a computer generated sentiment and butterfly from Poundland I think.

Sunday smiles

It has been too hot to do much crafting this week, thankfully a cooler weekend. I plan to do some crafting this afternoon but I saw this on Facebook and it did make me smile. Enjoy your Sunday x

LOTV new release

Well it is a bit cooler today thank goodness after a huge storm last night, as I can't bear the temperatures we have been having this week. I normally have an afternoon and evening in the craftroom on a Thursday whilst hubby is out but I was so hot I only managed to make one card. At least I am happy with it.  I do love red white and kraft.

Image - LOTV mistletoe mice

Medium - Copics

Paper - LOTV

Dies - Sue Wilson cut and lift poinsettias

Other - ricrac, wooden bows, pearls

We are planning to go to the coast today. It should be a bit cooler there today.

That's the trouble with slingbacks

Slingbacks are fine if the strap is elasticated or has a buckle otherwise they do have a tendency to slip don't they. She seems to be having trouble with hers.  I made this card for a friend whose Birthday was a couple of days ago.  I haven't made a card where I have layered all the papers and image for ages. It does look effective on black card.

Image - coloured topper by Elisabeh Bell for The Hobby House. 

Papers - MFT bundles of blossoms brights and an odd spotty piece

Sentiment - LOTV

Can it be? Yes another sneak peek

Those mice are back again for today's sneak peek.  This time they are enjoying their gingerbread house. Just two days now until launch day.

Image - LOTV gingerbread house

Medium - Copics, Sakura pens, Nuvo glitter pens

Papers - Bo Bunny Winter wishes

Sentiment - Kaisercraft

Dies - Sue Wilson 

I will be back tomorrow with a Birthday card for a change. Graham can drive from today so it is off to Tesco to restock the cupboards and then line dancing. It is going to be another very hot day and the next two days should be even hotter. I am not looking forward to that at all. We both hate it once it gets above about 23.

And another sneak peek

What a lovely surprise to receive yet more cute images for the LOTV launch on 25th July. I love these cute little mice and the stockings were such fun to colour. I normally shy away from lime green as it is my least favouroie colour of all, but when you have the paper and the pens that need using I gave it a go. I think the red tones it down a bit. 

Image - LOTV mice and Christmas stocking

Medium - Copics

Paper - MFT candy land

Dies - The Works stitched squares

The little stocking charm was the perfect addition. Looking forward to a day out in the city today for a haircut and colour, lunch and maybe a little shopping.

Another sneak peek

I still have several more new images to share with you, they are all so cute. Release date for them is 25th July from Lili of the Valley. I coloured the image with Copics adding some sparkle to the snow with a Spectrum Noir clear sparkle pen. I used some of last year's LOTV paper and white glitter card. 

I cute the glitter card using an old Memory Box die then cut off the trees so I could place them around the image along with some other trees. I made a shadow sentiment using a Tim Holtz sentiment die.

This morning we shall be doing some tidying and cutting back in the garden. Graham is improving every day. He even cut the grass yesterday. He is very careful not carrying anything too heavy, stretching too far etc. We did a bit in the garden on Thursday and he could only work on cutting things which weren't too high or too low and using a long handled fork on the soil.

Cuddles on a branch

Another sample card for my next cardmaking class. This time I used my favourite shaped die, Go Kreate frilly 10 large. The coloured topper is by Wee stamps for The Hobby House. I used a mix of papers, Joy flower dies, Crafts too butterfly dies and a mix of punches.

When I scheduled this Thursday night thunderstorms were forecast for Friday night and Saturday so if that is the case a day indoors I think. Hope you all have a good weekend.

Watering the flowers

When I was asked to make a Summery Birthday card for the latest Crafts Beautiful magazine I decided to use the paper Nest Dolls stamp Avery with Watering Can from Swedish House Crafts. I coloured her with Copics and diecut her using a MFT wonky stitched oval die.  The papers are First Edition It's a girl, sentiment is from LOTV. I used Lady E flower 5 dies, Impression Obsession small leaf cluster dies and a butterfly punch from Hobbycraft.

Much better in real life

Believe me, this card looks so much better in real life. The purple is so rich and the colours very sparkly. It just wouldn't photograph well and I couldn't improve it much in photoshop. Still I know how much nicer it really is.

It's another card for my cardmaking class. I wanted to try using something they could colour with glitter pens. I used a Woodware stamp and Nuvo glitter pens. The embossing folder is an old one from Crafter's Companion I think. I added a bit of interest by using a MFT inside and out corner rounded die and a Xcut corner rounder punch. The butterflies were diecut with Joy dies.  I think they will have fun making this.  I have a selection of glitter and sparkle pens in lots of different colours for them to use along with different coloured card, twine and charms as I like them to express their individuality not just all make the same card.

Sneak peek #3

I hope you are loving these new images from Lili of the Valley as much as I am. I made a round card for a change today. I really enjoyed embellishing this one.  I wish you could see all the sparkle on it

Image - LOTV woodland crib 1

Medium - Copics

Paper - Hobbycraft frozen wishes

Dies - Sue Wilson poinsettias and leaves

I added some pearl dots for snow and coloured the grass, branch and the diecut leaves with Wink of Stella white sparkle pen.

One week on from his op and Graham is doing really well. He is able to do far more than we expected at this stage though he musn't drive, lift, stretch too far etc. A friend is taking us to line dancing today where he will just watch.

Sneak peek #2

This new digi from Lili of the Valley might just be my favourite. You will be able to buy them on 25th July. This one is called hanging stockings with Dad. I coloured it with Copics and decided to make the wallpaper striped. I did colour the floor and mousehole but it doesn' really show on here. The papers are LOTV which you can still get from Nitwits, 'twas the night. I used MFT stitched dome, Memory Box stocking a,d Lawn Fawn sentiment dies. I added the patterns to the stocking die with a white gel pen.

First LOTV sneak peek

Lili of the Valley are launching the first of their new Christmas digis on 25th July. I have the first 9 to use and they are all so cute I didn't know which to use first.  Expect to see lots of sneak peeks from the DT and if you are on Facebook please come and join our group We love Lili of the Valley. It is run by the DT and we are almost at our first 1000 members.

Image - LOTV dancing partners

Medium - Copics, Sakura clear star for the snowflakes

Papers - LOTV snow princess

Dies - Lawn Fawn wavy border, MFT stitched ric rac

Sentiment - LOTV

Other - wooden bow coloured with a Nuvo glitter marker, snowflake crocheted border, doily

Graham is making remarkable progress after his op. He is taking it easy but able to do a few things like wiping up. He can reach the top cupboards but can't bend down so if he drops anything he can't pick it up. At least he can get his own socks on now. Each day sees an improvement. The dressing needs changing today, not looking forward to that as I am rather squeamish.

Glass of champagne

This is one of the samples I have made for my next cardmaking class. I try to do something different each month but have to take into account that most of the people who come aren't cardmakers. We have two and a quarter hours which includes tea/coffee and cake so I need them to be able to make something in a hour so hey can make one before and one after refreshment.  So far some people have come to every class but each time there also new people. I don't want them all to make the same card so take a selection of papers, images and dies. I make a couple of samples to give them ideas. The task this time is to make shaped cards and flower arrangements using two different leaf dies or punches and three different flower dies or punches.

Image - Elisabeth Bell topper from The Hobby House

Papers - Maja Denim and girls

Dies - Nellie Snellen flowers, Go Kreate frilly 7 large

Punches - Martha Stewart flowers and leaves

Jingle bells

Thanks for all your good wishes for Graham.  The op went well and he had no effects from the anaesthetic at all. He said when they woke him up he just woke as though it was morning. My friend took me to collect him yesterday morning and he is doing well. Rather sore and can't do anything at the moment and not enjoying wearing the compression stockings. So I am rather busy doing everything at home and looking after him. However I managed to get on the laptop yesterday afternoon to schedule a couple of posts and to make a card.  

I have used one of the LOTV art sheets which is no longer available. However this image is available as a digi stamp.  I used some old Dovecaft North Pole papers, Roxstamps cross stitch circle, Joy lamppost, Joanna Sheen postbox and Lawn Fawn forest border dies.  The sentiment is a digi from LOTV and I added some fun flock to his hat.

And the exciting news is that LOTV will be launching the first of their Christmas stamps soon.

Wedding Day

We should have been on holiday in North Wales this week but had to cancel due to Graham having his hernia op today. However it did mean we could attend the wedding of the couple I made this card for using a LOTV stamp coloured with Copics and with lots of sparkle from a Spectrum Noir sparkle pen.  The paper is from an old LOTV pad. I made an 8x8 card which gave me plenty of scope for embellishments.

I used an old Spellbinder floral oval die, Roxstamps heart hangers, wooden hearts coloured with Wink of Stella white sparkle pen, butterflies from Poundland, I think, Dovecraft heart pins, ribbon, lace from stash and flowers from Wild Orchid.

A friend is collecting us to go to the hospital mid morning. Hubby should have his op this afternoon and will be staying in overnight so we are going back to see him this evening hopefully.

Playing with some new goodies

Today is my DT project for the Swedish House Crafts blog.  I have so many new goodies to use that I decided to make a scrabook layout using one of the gorgeous sheets from Laserowe Love Navy Rommance 12 x 12 pack.  I wanted to echo the filigree pattern around the flowers so I used Laserowe Love Coral Navy Romance round lace frame and diecut a circle of me to fit in the middle.

The photos were taken at Bok Tower Gardens on our last visit to Florida in 2017.  I diecut the tower photo into a circle to fit onto the doily.  Again echoing the filigree pattern I used the Antique luxury ornaments - flowers adding roses from Wild Orchid to the centres.  I finished off with a couple more roses and some punched leaves and some white glittery lettering.

Click on the links to take you straight to the products.

Umbrella's up

Well it seems ages since we used an umbrella. The weather has been lovely here, not too hot  most days thank goodness. This little fellow is under the weather though. He is a LOTV simply print and although he isn't currently available as a coloured simply print you can buy the digi to colour. I used various papers, A LOTV sentiment, MFT banner and Gummiapan doodle cloud dies, twine and a charm. I also used a Spectrum Noir clear sparkle pen on the umbrella and raindrops.  Interestingly it reacts with the ink on the image and gives a nice washed look.

Vintage

I received my July DT box from Swedish House Crafts and couldn't wait to start using some of it.  If you click the links on the products you will be taken straight to the products.

Image -Maja Celebretaion - ephemera 12 x 12 sheet
Papers -Maja Denim and girls
Flower die - Lady E Tiny flower dies
Lace - Crafty Ribbons
Butterfly - Poundland
Enamel dots from stash

Off to visit my Mum today and go out for lunch.

Cross Stitching

Well hello, I am back on my blog today with something different. I didn't get a chance to get in the craft room at the weekend but I did make a card yesterday so will share that with you tomorrow. Life is busier than usual as Graham is going for his pre op assessment on Thursday and then has his hernia op next Tuesday at the Spire hospital. That means we are bust getting things done at home as he will need to rest for a few days then start light activities.

When LOTV had their half price sale last week I bought a couple of the cross stitch charts as I had been thinking about trying them for a while. I haven't done cross stitch for years and when I did I always used one with the pattern printed onto the fabric. I am used to following a chart but not used to starting with a blank piece of material. I made a start last night and am loving it. It took me a while to sort out my threads as I have a lot of colours that I use for other hand sewn items. I matched what I had as near as possible to the colours on the chart,

So watch this space for the finished article. That may be some time 😊