Christmas Shopping - Already!

I have a little Christmas card to share with you today - this is a small Don and Daisy stamp from Marianne Design called Xmas shopping, still available in some stores the code is DDS3312.

On my screen the pictures are looking quite grey - not sure why as I've stamped onto bright white card before colouring with my Copic pens, and I took the picture in the conservatory in bright sunlight too!  I've added touches of sparkle with Lace Stickles and a sparkly Stardust pen then finished off making snowflake blobs with my white pearl pen.  Here's the card:

The base is old SU! cardstock in a soft lavender blue shade called Almost Amethyst - it was my favourite shade for a while so I have plenty to use up!  It does match the patterned paper I've stuck down on it from the MD pretty paper bloc Christmas Wishes PK9087, and I've added the faux embossed stitches around the edges of the layers with LR0161.  As it's a little scrap card I've kept things simple and just added the snowflakes decorated with more of the white pearl pen.  The big snowflake doilly is cut from LR0185 and the smaller snowflake is created from the smallest die in set LR0124 cut from the Almost Amethyst card then a white flake from CR1227 popped on top.

The Winter Wonderland challenge is to leave out the sentiment on your winter/Christmas creation so that's one to enter, then at the Christmas Card blog it's anything goes, Oldie but a Goodie have a hat challenge, and at Fab 'n' Funky it's a Christmas week.

Sorry I've not been about much, down to only 2 bars on the internet strength so it's taken me a while to get my post done today.  Plus, I'm having one of my blah blah attacks, a bit late in the year as it's usually associated with the dark days of winter - I shall up the dose on my happy pills and try to remember to put the Bach Flower essences in my bottle of water (they usually help quite quickly). I'm fine in myself, just get anti-social for a while - at least I can craft though, and have been enjoying playing with some new stash .. .. will share with you soon - take care and bless you for stopping by.

Birthday Tea

It's safe to share this card with you now .. .. I made it for my granddaughter Lauren's birthday on Saturday.  The stamp is one of my new Don and Daisy's coloured with Copics, DDS3328, but has been out a while so you might already have it.  I'm slowly building up my collection now I'm on the Marianne Design Divas team!  It's on another of my off-cut bases but then grows out off the edge . .. you'll see it in a bit.  First though, here's the close up of the stamped image - a real cutie, don't you think?

So, here's the card:

The base is a SU! shade of green and the background paper is one of the designs in the Marianne Design Pretty Paper bloc PK9106 called French Roses, so many pretty designs it's hard to cut them up! I've cut the flowers from handmade papers, the red is from my stash but the white (more ivory) is also a pack from Marianne Design and I'm going to have fun practising flower making with my dies.

And, that big Birthday die is a new one with little stamps that coordinate, I cut it out twice, once in green then in ivory to go on top and I've stamped the Wishes from the set on the paper beneath. The rest is various die cut leaf sprays and a strip of lace you can just about make out behind the text, then little red pearls to finish things off.

Here's the list of dies I used:
lace strip LR0161
green leaves LR0245
red fronds LR0106
flowers COL1323
Birthday COL1349

The Creative Card Crew have been after Girly cards and I think I can just about make it to join in with their challenge (yes as it's a two week theme with another week to run), and at Crafty Catz it's anything goes so easy peasy!

CCT Blue and Green

Good Morning! the sun is shining here in Cornwall, although it's still a bit breezy so not feeling so warm.  I'll leave tackling more of the garden until this afternoon .. .. unless the postman delivers a crafty parcel that's on it's way!

So this week at Cute Card Thursday it's a colour theme challenge, to create with blue and green.  Our sponsor is Bugaboo Stamps - please stop by the blog to read all about the prize and check out the rest of the DTs inspiration, then come and join us!

I found this little chap in my box of stamped up images, you know how it is, a new stamp arrives and you eagerly trim it, ink it and stamp it up just to make sure everything is ok.  This is a LOTV stamp so was perfect first time, but then I put it in my box and forgot about it!  Browsing Pinterest and blogs I saw similar designs and remembered I had the perfect papers in the Maja Designs Life in the Country pad I won a little while back so coloured my cute little lad with my Copics to match.

This is the card, kept fairly simple and free from flowery embellishments.  I just die cut stars and buttons then used my latest Marianne Design die to cut the Birthday out twice, the white behind the green helps it to pop.  The 'BOY' stamped in the bottom corner comes with the die, there's a selection of words in clear stamps that go with it - COL1349 is the number.  The buttons are cut from dies in the LR0188 set, the stars are an older Papermania set of dies I've had for years and keep forgetting I have!

I found a couple of challenges I can enter with my card, the Sweet Stampin' challenge is for lots of layers, I have quite a few on my card but stuck down flat so as to make the card easier to post.  Created with Love have the theme 'in the garden' so just right for my little lad and his tree house!

Cheers!

I treated myself to some new stamps now that I'm on the Marianne Design Divas team - well that's a good excuse isn't it? And I have ordered a couple more today to fit with later challenges .. .. oh well, what else is there to do on a rainy day! You could show off your MD products and join in our current challenge - it's anything goes!

This is one of the new Don and Daisy stamps, called Cheers! It's code DDS3341 and features on the cover of the special Don and Daisy the collection magazine.  I've coloured my couple with Copic pens to match the pretty French Roses pretty paper pack, PK9106 - it has to be my current favourite. And I couldn't resist adding a touch of sparkle to the fizz and the trims of her dress, and a sprinkling here and there on the image too, well those pink champagne bubbles get everywhere!

Here's my card.  I've added my embossed faux stitches around the edges and because I've used a coredinations cardstock I set too with the emery board to give a slightly vintage touch.  The diecuts are all by Marianne Design and the stamped text and the ivory daisy lace are MD too, I simply added the red pearls to the centres of the lace flowers.  Here's the list of dies:

Tiny's heart doily I've cut in half so it peeks out either side of my image CR1251
biggest heart is from set LR0159
small heart is from set COL1307
swirl tucked in behind hearts LR0271
bow cut twice, white and red, then cut away to 'stand alone' CR1269

The Creative Inspirations blog new challenge is for cute characters so I'm going to enter my cute couple with them.

Made with little bits and pieces

I've been messing about again with the odds and ends that accumulate on the table .. .. you know how it is!  I followed a tutorial for making flowers from handmade paper and found it really easy, this is my first effort to so I am pleased how it turned out.  I die cut three layers of the flower from Marianne Design die LR0128, one large and two small layers then followed the instructions to spritz and scrunch.  The butterfly paper is from the MD pretty paper bloc PK9089 and I matted with some teal blue coredinations card taking a nail file to distress the edges.  The text I already had stamped in my bit box, then it was just a case of adding the rest of the die cut embellishments, all Marianne Design of course.  The flower and skeleton leaves I already said was LR0128. the large butterfly is LR0153. the little ones from LR0261, then there is tiny's heart circle tucked in behind - that's CR1251. Finally to finish off I added a length of daisy ribbon from JU0925 and pretty pearls.

This card I made from an off cut base but didn't add any overhangs to square things up, never mind!  The pink bottom paper is another from the butterfly bloc but then I saw a pretty paper in the new Rose Garden pack PK9102 that had a similar design so fussy cut out the flowers from the corner of the sheet to fix on my card with silicone glue.  I've added another strip of the pretty daisy flowers along with a ribbon bow, then die cut the banner and birds.  The banner and text are from COL1324, the bird on a branch is from LR0137 and the little bird from set LR0205. The faux stitching around the edge of my pink paper is done with LR0161 and I've inked and distressed to highlight the embossed areas on the die cuts.

The Dream Valley challenge is to say it with words, so as I have words on both my creations I can enter them into that challenge.

Today it's shopping and gardening, if it doesn't start raining again, although I'll have to leave the strimming with the new gadget until things dry out a bit, and by then the lawn will need cutting again as well! It's that time of year, turn your back and things sprout everywhere .. .. there are lots of dandelions flowering in the lawn but when I see the bumble bees sipping the nectar I haven't the heart to cut them off!

Daisy knitting

Have you eaten all your chocolate Easter Eggs yet? I have been busy in the garden and shopping for a new strimer so not had time to do much else the last few days.  But I did get this little card finished last week - this is one of my older Don and Daisy stamps and I've fussy cut Daisy knitting, after colouring her with Copics, then 3d fixing her to my card.  I made it to have a play and use up bits and pieces of Cuddly Buddly digi papers from my bit basket .. .. it's slowly going down!

Anyhow, here's the card:

It's a tent fold and you can see my signature embossed stitches around the edges of the pretty papers inked with a soft lilac chalk ink.  I got the new Marianne Design butterfly off the edge die, CR1267, but must admit to not really knowing what I'm doing with it so have just cut it out and then cut my patterned paper around the edge - perhaps not how it was intended to be used but the effect seems to work.  To balance I've added a snip of Tiny's heart circle to peek out on the other side of the card. The text and flowers are cut from more Marianne Design dies with little blue pearls to finish things off.

Here's the list then:
Daisy Knitting clear stamp DDS3316
faux stitches created with LR0161
butterfly edge CR1267
Tiny's heart doily CR1251
leaves LR0156
flowers LR0112 with seed head centres from LR0105
text stamped into middle of small die in CR1241 then inked inside to give the look of more layers.

I had a quick look down my blog post listing this morning to see if there was a challenge I could enter, and yes! Both the Squirrel and the Fox and Totally Gorjuss are asking for die cuts so that's perfect!

Splish Splash!

• This week on Cute Card Thursday our theme is splish, splash .. .. little April showers, although we have had very little rain here in North Cornwall during April, things are beginning to dry out and I'm using the water butts to fill the watering cans already! Not to worry though as the weather man says that by Sunday it will be splishing and splashing in a little April shower.  Our sponsor for this challenge is Whimsy Stamps, stop by the blog to read all about it and take a look at the rest of the creations the DT have put together for your inspiration, then come join in!

So, going with the theme of watering the garden, allbeit with the watering can, I've inked up one of my old Sarah Kay stamps and coloured her with my Copic pens to match the new Marianne Design Rose Garden pretty paper pad I just got.

Here's the card: I've added my signature faux embossed stitches around the edge of the pretty paper then inked with a soft aqua chalk ink, using the same ink to highlight the embossed areas on my die cuts.  And, as you would expect from me, the die cut pieces are all Marianne Design, here's the list:

Petra's large fancy oval LR0240- I cut out the middle to make a frame for my image.
daisy flowers LR0106 with stamens cut from seed heads in LR0105
white open flowers from the set LR0112 with stamens from mini poinsettia set LR0142
leaf sprays LR0150
tiny butterflies LR0261

The ABC challenge blog are up to the letter J for just as you like - so anything goes then!  As they are being sponsored by Marianne Design I'm going to enter my card with them.

I'm a Marianne Design Diva!

My first card as a Marianne Design Diva! oh what a buzz when Blankina asked me if I'd like to join - oh yes please!  Now I have just got to keep adding to my collection of MD goodies - no excuses!

Well, this is my card for the Anything Goes challenge, so a nice easy one to get started.  I managed to get a couple of the pretty paper pads from Nikki at Bunny Zoe's when she had an offer on recently, and a couple of the new stamps from Cuddly Buddly (plus a die or two) so I was all set to go.

This stamp caught my eye as I thought it could be used for so many different romantic occasions.  I've coloured the image with my Copic pens and added white pearl highlights with a white Souffle pen.  Here's the card:

It's bigger than I have been making recently but I needed something to show off the different Marianne Design products.  I think you can see what is where so I'll dive in with the list:

patterned papers from Hello Sweet Baby bloc PB7041
embossed faux stitches around edge of paper created with LR0161 and inked with Pumice Stone DI
Richelieu lace JU0865
stamp HM9463
text stamp CS0886
heart die CR1225
flowers created from smallest flower die in CR1203 plus pink stamens from mini poinsettia set LR0142, spiky flowers cut with stamen die from LR0111
leaves with smallest die in LR0156
bay tree in a pot and butterflies LR0261

There are two sponsors for each Marianne's Design Divas challenge, the first this time is Nikki from Bunny Zoe's (prize to be announced) and the second prize from Marianne is two sweet baby dies (wish I could win them!).

Here's my youngest grandson showing off his Easter Egg!  We die cut the egg shape and the background paper, then added ribbon (including the hanging loop that he thought would best be shown off via his mouth) and die cut flowers and leaves - Marianne Design of course.  He had fun turning the handle on my old CB and adding glitter glue and liquid pearls to the flowers.  Well done Tristan!  His big brother made an owl from felt but I forgot to take a picture of it when we came back from the beach.  Tristan has taken his die cut felt owl pieces home to finish with Mum - I'm looking forward to seeing the results.

I had a lovely day with them all and enjoyed a bracing walk along the beach at Treyarnon Bay, then a glass of cider at the Youth Hostel overlooking the bay, it's a fab place for sun-downers should you be visiting down this way.  Unfortunately, I risked having some of the delicious Mediterranean bread with the bbq and have been suffering ever since .. .. well at least I know I can't have the gluten without the aches and pains returning, not to mention the huge bloated tummy and cramps.  I can cheat a little bit on the lactose, but no way on the gluten!

Easter Basket

I am rather late sharing my card for this week's Easter challenge at Cute Card Thursday, but as they say - better late than never!  Our sponsor for this challenge is Whiff of Joy stamps, and I already see lots of Easter baskets, bunnies and chicks have been entered!

My simple creation is what I call a left overs card - left over papers from last year's Spring pack, left over card and a scrap of left over lace and ribbon too.  The little eggs are die cut from scraps, the rest of the die cuts are by Marianne Design.  I've inked the embossed areas and edges of the papers with Sahara Sand chalk ink and then finished off with the pearls.

So, for the list of Marianne Dies I used:
basket is CR1206
the embossed faux stitches are made with LR0161
the little butterfly is from LR0261
and the pretty flowers are from COL1323

Moving Along With The Times have a spring/Easter challenge and so do Papertake Weekly, so I can enter my Easter basket with both of them.

Enjoy your weekend - I am looking forward to seeing my grandson's on Sunday, perhaps the Easter bunny will come early for them!

Marianne Design Tag Challenge

The Marianne Design blog challenge #101 running until 9th April is to make two gift tags, or a mix of tag and gift card, I think that's the translation anyway. So this afternoon in between cutting grass and walking dogs I've managed to put these two tags together.  I had a couple of plain white labels to start with then got a bit inky and added the patterned paper and die cuts.  Here they are close up:

This is the pink one and the second one I made, and perhaps not my favourite.  The post man brought me the pretty bird die but I had several failed attempts at trying to ink through the die to pick up the embossed areas - every time I got ink under the die and smudged on the birds so in the end I just cut, embossed and then added a bit of soft ink all over the top.

And this is the green one with touches of blue.  I found the green ribbon in my stash from ages ago, it is double sided and I quite like the look I got when I tied the bow.  I've been playing about at making flowers with my dies (more successful ones to show another time) and fiddled about making the blue flowers by cutting in to the centre of the die cut flower and overlapping a couple of the petals, then cutting between the petals to give a more realistic look, although the coredinations card stock I used is really a bit to thick.

So this is the list of Marianne Design products I've used:
Both the pink and blue papers are from the Beautiful Butterflies pad PK9089 with faux embossed stitches created with LR0161 then inked up with chalk ink to emphasize.
Both have a layer cut from LR0117 also inked.
The birds on the pink tag are LR0298 and then I just finished off with pearls and the satin ribbon.
On the green tag I stamped a text then added the butterflies from LR0158 with pearl bodies.  The blue flowers are made from the smallest die in LR0145 with pearl stamens pushed through.  I've embellished with snips of green swirl cut from LR0116, fronds from LR0107 and blue seed heads from LR0106.

At Crafty Ribbons it's anything with a ribbon so I can enter with them as well.

CCT All Boy

Hello again! it seems an age since I was last sharing a card with you .. .. so much else going on just now with family and the house that crafting has been on the back boiler - but I will have some good news to share with you soon.

It's time for our next challenge at Cute Card Thursday and this time it's all boy - a card for a man or boy. Nikki at Bunny Zoe's Crafts is sponsoring our challenge this week so why not stop by the CCT blog to read all about it and see what the DT have come up with for your inspiration.

I finally got to colouring in this chap from LOTV - I got him a while ago but apart from stamping and cutting out the circle that's as far as I'd got.  I've coloured with my Copic pens to match the papers from the Maja Design Life in the Country pad I won recently - lots of pretty flower pages along with checks and plaids on the reverse sides so perfect for all kinds of occasions.

My base card is another of the off cuts from the square cards I've been making so hanging the circle design off the edge adds interest as well as fitting the square envelope.  I'd got the golf club charms as a prize too a while back so fixed them to the stamped text tag with a little red brad.  I've run the edges of the papers down my Marianne Design die LR0161 to give the faux stitching and highlighted with a brown chalk ink, a sprinkling of punched stars and a trio of brads finished it off.  Now I would have loved to embellish with flowers and swirls but this is a manly card - so stars is all it gets!

The Corrosive Challenge blog want to see metal this time around so with my metal brads and charm I can enter with them.

That's it for the craft chatter, however, I have been pondering a question this week and would like your thoughts.  As many of you know, I live with my elderly mother who is almost housebound, only venturing out in a wheelchair for hospital appointments (although I am hoping she might like to get out a little more come the warmer weather).  Monday morning a nurse walked in, unannounced I might add, to take blood from Mum.  I had no idea she was calling and Mum was just getting out of the shower, and I was still in my dressing gown (I wait until Mum is dressed before I get myself sorted - just in case).  I stopped her from barging in on Mum, naked, which she didn't like .. .. nurse or no nurse, Mum deserves some privacy!  I queried why she had called without phoning first to make sure it was convenient .. .. her reply was that medical staff don't need to make appointments to see house-bound patients and can just turn up and walk in when they like, for whatever reason.  As it happens the front door was unlocked (we live in a relatively safe area and rarely lock the door during the day if we are home as neighbours will come and go, but at least they shout out before coming past the porch area.  I asked the nurse what she would have done if the door had been locked .. .. she said that as Mum was housebound it wouldn't be and asked me if I locked my mother in when I went out - as if that was a crime!

It has set me to thinking - what should I do? Do all housebound people have to leave their front doors open just in case a doctor or nurse should call?  If I pop to the shops I'm gone for at least an hour, or the local shop up the road can be half an hour if I meet someone for a chat.  I've never thought about it before and generally have left the door unlocked.  But, what if some no-do-well had come along, walked in and attacked Mum and taken stuff?  I wouldn't be insured against the loss as I'd left the door open, and Mum could be seriously hurt.  But, if I lock up an elderly old lady am I being cruel and heartless (as implied by the nurse) and breaking some other humanitarian law?  I know some of you are or have been in similar situations and I would like to know your thoughts and experiences on the matter - either here or email me at anniejuk@yahoo.com

Bye for now
xx