Growing Up

I have my first cardmaking workshop of the year next Wednesday and have produced a sketch for the class to use. It is a favourite sketch of mine and I want to show how you can take a sketch and change it to make a variety of cards both for men and women.

I used some old papers and ribbon and a Woodware stamp. The stitched circle die is Lawn Fawn and I made some little banners with a Fiskars punch.  I inked the paper edges for a bit of definition.  A nice easy card to start of the class and one mainly aimed at men but no exclusively.

I thought I had this stamp

I was convinced I had this as a rubber stamp but when I made my spreadsheet of all my LOTV images I found I didn't so I bought him in the sale along with a few other older images. I coloured him with Copics, using chalk for the sky and used some LOTV papers. Promises, in my favourite colour combo.  The flowers were made with Hunkydory Moonstone fabulous flower dies and I made the enamel dots using Nuvo drops.  The stitched clouds were made with a MFT die and I added a little colour with Copics.

Vintage lady

We went to Potters resort for Graham's Birthday yesterday. A couple of good friends came along too. I am scheduling this post on Saturday so can't say what activities we did but probably included a quiz and table tennis, a lovely meal with wine in the evening and then the entertainment, Jasper Carrott and Alistair McGowan. There will also have been music and no doubt we will have been on the floor dancing.  We stayed overnight in the hotel and will be doing some more activities this morning then stopping at Tesco before heading home this afternoon.

So onto my card teaming a lovely vintage lady from some Maja paper along with Bo Bunny papers, lace, cheesecloth, flowers from Hobbycraft, ribbon bow and butterflies from Poundland.

Happy Birthday Hubby and a new home card

Yes today is Graham's Birthday so I won't be around to visit you today as we are off out to celebrate. 

I bought this Woodware stamp the other day and I was going to make a vintage style card but decided on a modern bright one this time. It is a rather large stamp so didn't need to much embellishing. I used MFT papers and pierced banner dies and added an enamel heart.

Cake and balloons

I made this card for a friend's Birthday and can now share it with you. These Gorjuss Girl toppers are so pretty and i love making cards with them. I went for a shabby chic look, adding some lace, flowers and pearls from stash and a Dovecraft paper posies sentiment. I used a Doohickey tag die with sanded Core'dinations and an old stitch stamp from Tim Holtz which I haven't used for a long time.

Cat with flowers

As promised this is my latest cross stitch picture. A nice little 4" hoop. The pattern is a freebie from Durene Jones. She posts one of Facebook every Friday. I changed the colours as in he pattern the cat was blue and the circle was yellow. It also had a square border but as I wanted mine in a hoop I left that out. I also added a couple of extra butterflies outside the circle, to balance it.

My next project is a much larger fairy from The Little Stitchery which is part of Lili of the Valley and I also want to sew one of their new smaller bear designs so plenty to keep me busy.

We are both going into the city this morning for haircuts so may have time later for some crafting. I will be back tomorrow with a card.

Trimcraft DT card

I have had this decoupaged flower siting on my desk for a while so when I got the chance yesterday morning to pop into the craftroom I made a card using paper, sentiment and wooden rose from the same Trimcraft paper posies range. I added a doily and some pearls. Hubby is out tonight so I am planning a colouring and cardmaking evening. I have been busy cross stitching and will be sharing a new picture with you tomorrow.

Winter weather in Florida

Well I planned a crafting morning yesterday then had a text from a friend to say could she pop in for a cuppa. We haven't seen her since before Christmas as she has been away working or on holiday so my crafting morning turned into just enough time to make this scrapbook page. I did do some cross stitching whilst we were chatting though. Then in the afternoon we went for massages and I had a facial then returned home to finish a jigsaw before cooking dinner.

We always went to Florida in the Winter as neither of us like hot weather. The normal daytime temperature is usually low 20's there which suits us fine. The first pic was taken one morning outside our hotel. First thing in the morning is often a little cool. The second pic was taken in he car when we had a rainy morning so we went to one of the malls. I don't know why we were laughing but it made. for a fun photo.

The hardest part of scrapbooking is choosing the papers and embellishments but this one came together quickly. Everything came from an Echo Park Winter pack I bought over there.  I will try to get a card made this morning before line dance class and food shopping.

Caravans

These are something I have wanted to experiment making for several months after seeing some on Pinterest.  They keep popping up on my Pinterest so I thought it was time I had a go.

This is the first one I made and I decided it was a bit too rounded. I wanted to give them a rather homespun look but the way the material frays on the bunting annoys me. Looking at several on Pinterest which sell on Etsy they have lots of frayed edges. So I played around with some dies a bit more and this is the second one I made.

I am happier with the shape and the bunting on this one which is a mixture of dies then some cutting with scissors.  I made a note of which dies I used so I know how to make them in future.  Something new for my craft stall.

It is supposed to be a sunny day today so we are going out for breakfast and then I want to pop into Hobbycraft.

No snow here

I really need to get more Christmas cards made next month. I love the new snowmen which Lili of the Valley brought out last year and I think I will be printing some more of these off as they are so lovely and quick to colour. I diecut him with a stitched die from The Works and used Copics,added some spots with a white gel pen then added some fun flock to his hat and used a pearl pen for snow. The papers are Your Next Stamp and I added some ribbon and diecut some trees using glitter card.

No snow here though we did have some sleet and hail the other day. Otherwise it has either been cold, sunny, raining, windy or a combination of those.  Luckily I have lots of indoor hobbies because it certainly isn't beach weather. I hope all is well you and nobody has been flooded or had too much snow.  Weather is supposed to be horrible again today so will be staying in, some housework and ironing this morning, then crafting and a jigsaw this afternoon I think.

Another birdhouse

You may have seen a birdhouse cross stitch I posted recently which was part of a larger pattern by Durene Jones. I looked again at the pattern and liked this part of it so stitched another 4" hoop.  I would never want to sew the whole panel as it is rather large but using just a small part of it works well. They take longer to sew than many people would think but I do love making these.

I have my first craft fair of the year coming up on March 15th and my cardmaking classes start again on 18th March.

Top hat and tulips

It's launch day at Lili of the Valley and this is just one of 19 cute new images and sentiment sets. The girls and boys are my favourites, they really have that LOTV look about them. I loved colouring Top Hat and Tulips with Copics. The sentiment is one of the new ones. I used a stitched square die from The Works and added a little sparkle to the hearts with a clear sparkle pen. The papers are Lemoncraft Fresh Summer and the butterflies are from Poundland.

No crafting today as we have line dancing class from 1-2.30 and then shopping. A day at home tomorrow when I am hoping to get some more cards made. I do have a post scheduled for tomorrow though.

I do

I was asked by our line dance teacher for a personalised Wedding card and as I didn't have a lot of notice used a LOTV coloured simply print called I do. It is no longer available but you can still buy the image as a digi to colour. I added sparkle to the flowers with a clear sparkle pen. The paper is LOTV romance and roses, lace and flowers from Wild Orchid.  I coloured with wooden hearts with a Nova sparkle pen and added some pearl string and Dovecraft ribbon.

Tulips for Mother's Day

I said there is a variety of the new images from Lili of the Valley and this is one of three flower frame digis. This one is Spring Tulips which I have coloured with Copics and chalk for the sky. The paper is Echo Park. The sentiment is one of a new set from LOTV to go with the new images which launch on 25th Feb. I punched some leaves and added flowers and pearls.

A day in today doing bits and pieces. This afternoon we need to clear out on of the desk areas in my craftroom as an electrician is coming tomorrow to fit another plug socket in my room.  On Tuesday evening the decorator is coming to check out the room and agree a date for decorating. We decided that as I can't be without my craftroom for too long it will be a much quicker job having a professional decorator do it. He did our hall, stairs and landing last year and did a superb job. I look forward to having it done but not to clearing out the room.

A cup of tea sneak peek

I promised you some sneak peeks of the new images from LOTV. These will launch on 25th Feb so not long to wait. I didn't know which one to use first as there are animals, girls and a boy but I do love the little girls so decided on this one. The paper is so pretty that I really didn't need many embellishments and made myself step away rather than adding too much.

Image - LOTV a cup of tea

Medium - Copics

Paper - Lemoncraft fresh Summer

Other - cheesecloth, enamel hearts

We are going out for breakfast this morning and a wander round Wroxham before coming home. Graham wants to wash the car this afternoon so I will be crafting. Then an evening in front of the TV. We recently decided to sign up to Netflix as we wanted to watch Harlan Coben's The Stranger. I have read all his books and love them. Well The Stranger didn't disappoint, it was brilliant. We are currently watching Anne with an E based on Anne of Green Gables and it is wonderful. I also want to watch Safe and The Messiah. It is a shame that Outlander is on Amazon as we want to see the new series so I think we will be signing up to that just to watch Outlander and then stopping the subscription. That is the good thing with these streaming services, no contracts and some really good series and films.

Teddy and penguin

I still have a number of the coloured diecut images that LOTV used to make. This one is Teddy and Penguin. I also have the rubber stamp of this so must get that out to colour some time. I used Dovecraft Glad Tidings papers and a Sue Wilson cut and lift poinsettia and leaf die set.  I added some Stickles and used a Viva pearl pen for snow.

I have some gorgeous new digis from LOTV to colour so will be sharing some sneak peeks shortly.

Gin and tonic anyone?

I have had a few commissions lately so haven't had anything to post on here. I never look for orders but a couple of ladies at line dancing asked me to make cards and somebody saw my gift bags on Facebook and wanted a couple of personalised ones made. I am always happy to make cards to order especially when people don't have odd requests.

This one is for a lady who loves gin so when I saw this new image from Pink Gem I had to get it. This is gin and tonic Rita teamed with some old Craftwork Cards chalkboard papers.  I wanted to brighten the card so used some lovely bright card with the Hunkydory Moonstone fabulous floral dies.

We are so lucky with the weather here, the last two days have been dry, cool and often sunny. I feel so sorry for all the people affected by the recent storms and flooding. The weather should be good today for our trip into the city to meet my Mum.

Blow away

So storm Dennis is due to hit the UK today but hopefully won't be as bad as last week's storm. I think the dandelion clock would be blown out of the mouses's hand if he was outside today.  

Image and sentiment - Penny Black celebration critters

Medium - Copics

Papers - Lilybee Autumn Spice

Ribbon - Crafty Ribbons

Dies - MFT stitched rounded corner square, Crafts Too toadstools

Pearl flowers - from stash

We will be staying in today I think. I haven’t been out much for the last few days due to feeling rough with this cold but I am feeling quite a bit better now. Only my second cold this Winter and been healthy otherwise thank goodness.

Birdhouse cross stitch

I love stitching these 4" hoops and am always looking for different pictures which will fit into them. I have some old cross stitch magazines I got recently from somebody who no longer does cross stitch and sorted through the patterns, tearing out any I like the look of and then filing them into a ringbinder.  One of the patterns by Durene Jones is a large picture of birdhouses. I didn't want to stitch the whole things so chose one of the birdhouses to stitch.

Being from a magazine the picure goes across 3 pages so I copied the pages I wanted, then cut out and stuck the pieces together so that I had an easier pattern to follow.   There were a few butterflies in the picture so I added 3 of them to fill some of the white space.

I came back from my weekend away with a very sore throat which turned into a cold so had to cancel plans to meet my Mum in Norwich yesterday as I felt really awful and didn't want to give it to her. So we have rescheduled for next week as she wants to see a Maker's exhibition. Just hoping my cold soon goes and Graham doesn't get it.

Couple of decoupaged gift bags

I have been playing with the Dovecraft Paper Posies products and again and thought how perfect the decoupage pad is to use on gift bags. I bought the gift bags in Hobbycraft and used the paper posies paper, decoupage, washi tape, puffy stickers and wooden roses to decorate. I made the tags using an old spellbinders die.

I am still working on the spreadsheet for my LOTV stamps, having been away for a few days. Once I have the names of everything I will then need to tick off the ones I have. That will take some doing with some being rubber and some being digi but will be worth it when it is done.

Thanks, Thank you

I made this card for a friend using a Memory Box thank you background stamp. I do love making a distress layered card and used chessecloth behind the sentiment. The hearts were punched with a Hobbycraft punch and then glittered with a clear Spectrum Noir sparkle pen. I used a Martha Stewart fern punch, flowers from Wild Orchids and sparkly butterflies from Poundland.

As I schedule this I am sorting an Excel spreadsheet for all my LOTV stamps and simply prints. There is one on the LOTV website which I am using but it has lots of text such as Lili of the Valley in front of the name of the stamp which needs deleting. As I have lots of rubber and lots of digi stamps it will be so helpful to see exactly what I have and will help me decide which others I need.

Happy Birthday and on our way home

A simple card for Trimcraft using the new Paper Posies range from Dovecraft. I used papers and decoupage plus my new Hunkdory fabulous flower dies.

We have been away to Potters again for a three night 60's break. We saw lots of 60's bands plus the Potters theatre company show Spirit of the 60's. So this morning we will having breakfast, packing up and then stopping at Tesco on the way home. As it is only a 40 minute drive away we will be home this afternoon to unpack. So apologies for not visiting your blogs whilst we have been away but we have done so many activities there has been no time for bloghopping.

Oops!!

I do love these cute Hobby House toppers and in a bid to keep up with making Christmas cards decided to use this cutie. The papers are double sided freebies from Papercrafter. The sentiment is an old Me to you material one which after I had stuck it on decided I don't like the way the image sticks up underneath it but I couldn't move it. I used Doohickey slender fir, MFT stitched round corner square and Memory Box stitched snowflake dies.

Meeting the author

A lovely evening yesterday at a book launch with Elly Griffiths, one of my favourite authors.  I am pleased to have introduced several people to her crime novels. We have met her a few times and she is a lovely person and interesting speaker. When I have finished my current novel I shall be starting her new book, The Lantern Men, the 12th Ruth Galloway book.

Another completed cross stitch

I am really enjoying cross stitching again and this is the third LOTV fairy I have completed. With hindsight I should have used slightly darker colours for her hair to give more contrast to her face. The waterlilies have pale pink edges which look really pretty but don't really show up well in the photo. 

This is how I finish mine off. The back of the cross stitch looks a mess but I never worry about that as it will be covered as you can see from the final picture.

So  when I cut the circle to begin with I allow an additional 2" so as this is a 8" hoop I cut a 10" circle. When I have finished the picture I stitch a running stitch around the edges and draw it in. I discovered anther way in a magazine so I did that too but forgot to take a picture. I laced across the back from top to bottom which pulled it in slightly more.  For a larger hoop like this I would definitely use both methods.

I then cut a circle of white felt and use 3d glue to attach it to the back. 

When I put a picture of my hedgie cross stitch on Facebook a friend messaged and said could I do a larger cross stitch for her niece's 21st Birthday.  I sent her a pic of the design and she said could she have it when completed so it is sold.

Soulmates

This is one of those images that makes you go awww how sweet. It is called soulmates and is one of the new love stamps from Lili of the Valley. I used MFT papers and a stitched scalloped border die. The ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons and I used Copics for colouring. I used my lovely new flower dies, Hunkdory Moonstone fabulous florals.  The banner die is lawn fawn.  I made this for a friend's anniversary and now I know they received it I can share it with you.

Disney hotel

One of the things we loved to do was explore the Disney hotels. They are all so different, each with a theme. We travelled to this one by boat from Disney Springs. We enjoy the boat trip and loved to look round the hotel and then we sat having a drink enjoying the view in the top photo. 

I used products from the new Dovecraft paper posies range for this layout. I also used American thickers alphabet stickers, Sizzix shadow script die, Bo Bunny just visiting sentiment and some wooden hearts.

Hello there

As soon as I saw the gingham paper and buttons in the new Dovecraft paper posies range I knew I had to use them to make a new baby card. I love Scruffy Edward from LOTV and coloured him with Copics. I used an old Xcut oval die and a First Edition banner die along with faded jeans distress ink.

Products used from the Dovecraft paper posies range:

12x12 papers £7.99

Cotton Ribbons £2.49

Sentiment toppers £1.75

Wooden buttons £1.99

Puffy stickers £1.75

These products are available from Craftstash and will shortly be available from The Range.

Just for you

Well the plumber fixed the heating yesterday, it was a worn out valve so we were nice and warm last night when we watched the Downton Abbey movie which was wonderful. A simple card made using some of the new Trimcraft paper posies range. I rarely use decoupgae but as this was diecut it was very easy to make. I do like to shape decoupage and use 3d glue rather than foam pads which give a very flat look.  I simply backed it with a Dovecraft heart doily and added some pearls.

Trimcraft paper posies products used

12 x 12 paper £7.99

8x8 decoupage pad £7.99

LOTV meets Trimcraft

I received my first DT package as a Trimcraft Maker on Thursday and have been making some samples with the new Paper Posies range. The image is an old diecut from LOTV, wooden hearts from stash.

The new Trimcraft Paper Posies range has lots of very pretty items. On this card I used;

12x12 paper pad £7.99

Washi tape (2 designs in pack) £1.99

Wooden roses £1.75

Sentiment toppers £1.75

Our hearing system developed a fault yesterday afternoon so no heating. The plumber is coming this morning so fingers crossed it is something simple that can be easily fixed.