Mmmm Cake!

This week on Cute Card Thursday we are loving cake! Well, who doesn't .. .. so please share your delicious delights with us.  Our sponsor for this challenge is Nikki at Bunny Zoe's crafts, please stop by the CCT blog to read all about it and see what the rest of the team have created.

For my card I've inked up one of my LOTV girlie stamps, called cupcake I think, and perfect for the theme.  She's coloured with Copics then I've added clear glaze to the cherries on top of the cakes and Stickles to her petticoat.  Here's the card - I've hit the auto bright button so it's now too bright, but I thought my little preview was looking dull - somewhere I'll figure out how to get a happy compromise between the two .. ..

The papers are some of my specials by Stamping Up! and although I love them, I've told myself that I have to cut them up before I can buy any new gorgeousness .. .. ah well!  The flower is another one I made by painting the die cut MD daisies with Twinkling H2Os, then a little die cut leaf spray and butterflies finish things off. I didn't want to add too much in the way of embellishments and cover up the pretty paper, so I sat on my hands for this one!  

I used dies from these Marianne Design sets:

pink doily mat - CR1201

ivory doily mat - CR1248

ivory border mat - CR1250

daisy flowers - LR0106

leaves - CR1245

butterflies - LR0261

The Stampavie and More challenge is to use doilies, I have two doily mats behind my image so hope that counts.

Thank you for stopping by to take a peek at my creations, and hope you will call in again soon.  Enjoy your day, keep cool (hey it's raining here in north Cornwall!) and keep crafting!

CCT Stars and Stipes

Good Morning! This week on Cute Card Thursday we are celebrating with stars and stripes in honour of our friends in the USA who will be whooping it up on 4th July!

But, you know me .. .. first off I had to find some starry or stripey paper so went rummaging, and found this old Papermania Christmas pad with these two sheets that I thought could be used any time of year.  Then for more stars and stripes I decided on this LOTV Wizard with his stripey top and stars on his wizard's hat and cloak.  I've coloured with my Copics and what looks grey in the picture is actually brown!  Still trying to get the colours true on the camera and this time my little lad is looking rather pale and washed out, not so in real life. I've fussy cut him out and layered him up with 3d foam onto the stripey mat, and layered that onto the starry background.

Here's the card I made:

My youngest grandson likes pink! So this will be just right for his Halloween card.  I've decorated with green ribbon from my stash and punched stars, and a die cut swirly embellishment from a couple of Marianne Design doily sets, you get the big one in LR0129 and the smaller one in LR0130.  The die cut 'Eeek' is from a Penny Black die set I got on sale recently, first time I've used that brand and I must say, even though it is very fine and fiddly to layer up, it cut beautifully in my old Cuttlebug.  I used another of the dies from the set on the inside of the card, here:

And I found the little star stamp in my mini wood collection .. .. I've been digging out all kinds of stuff that I'd put away at the back of the cupboard so there will be some different 'old but new' things to share with you soon!

The Loves Rubber Stamps challenge is to include some die cut elements with your project, so that's an easy challenge for me!

And at the Addicted to Stamps blog they are playing bingo!  I have the bottom line of ribbon, dies and layers.

Thank you for stopping by and taking a peek, and hope to see you again soon!

Christmas Bauble

This is one of my messing about creations that actually didn't turn out half bad!  I was browsing through my die cut bit box, you know how it is when you've cut something and end up not using it .. .. and at the back of your mind you have a theme that you should be working on for an upcoming DT creation .. .. but get side-tracked!  Well this is the result!

The red base circle and white doily were already cut and so was the white fancy piece behind my embellishment, although you can't see it much.  I needed another red layer so cut one from the red bottom layer - it wont be missed as there's another white layer on the back ready to have a text or to/from stamped on it.  Then I thought, rather than make it for a card, turn in into a bauble so I cut the bauble hanger bit out twice, but first added the gold Stickles to the edges of the red layers and on the embossed bits on the bauble hanger before sticking the two bits back to back.  Are you still with me?  OK then, here's a picture of the Marianne Design dies I used, but I forgot to add the bells in, they are from set COL1363:

Once the Stickles were dry I layered up my pieces using 3d foam for the middle layer so it stands proud of the base. I found the gold lace ribbon in my stash to make a bow and for the hanging loop and die cut the holly leaves from shiny gold card and the bells from white, but then I had to dig out my glue gun to fix the bells as by then the gold bow and leaves made it too thick to use my normal dries clear glue .. .. hot glue is not my favourite as I get strings of glue everywhere, but it worked and keeps the bells proud but in place.  Finally the flowers!  I've been playing again with handmade paper and these are made with thin tissue so 4 layers in each, at least you can cut all the layers in one go!  Then more rummaging and I found the red sparkle brads, snipped off the prongs and hot glued them into the flowers.

So that's it, not what I started out to do but I think it turned out ok, and I can enter into several Christmas challenges with it. Fab 'n' Funky - Christmas, Holly Jolly - Tag It, Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Merry and Bright, and Winter Wonderland - no cards.

Here are more of my flower creations I made whilst messing about.  The best is the bottom left as that is made with Marianne Design Mulberry paper which when it dries goes back to being stiff so holds the shape better.  They are made with the larger version of the poinsettia die LRO122, although the bottom right one has a mini flower added to the centre and only the smaller die from the set used for the 2 layers of bigger petals.  From my results it pays to go with thick Mulberry paper so they flowers stay 'up', my top flower is made with a paper that almost disintegrated when it was wet and I had to be very careful when pulling the flower petals out when they were dry so as not to tear them.  It's ok though and will be used on something or other .. .. look out for them later!

Thank you for stopping by, and for the lovely comments I've been getting.  Hope to see you again soon.

Don & Daisy Z fold

The Don and Daisy Challenge #24 is for a Z fold card - there is a picture explaining how it's made on the blog. My version used up one of my scrap pieces for the base to make the Z fold. I stamped Daisy, coloured her with my Copics and cut her out with a mat to hang over the side - that way the whole thing fits in a square envelope.  To keep the card open I cut the icicle border from the thick MD sparkle card and 3d mounted it across the top.  Daisy is also mounted onto the brown lace circle mat, but not such thick foam, that way different icicles will catch either the brown layer or the top Daisy layer - I hope you got that!

The rest is fairly simple, some MD Christmas paper, MD snowflake and tree, then those little red flower gems from my stash that needed using up and I thought would brighten the card - that is the last of these red ones from a show about 5 years back! This one really sparkles but it's hard to capture in a photo.

My Marianne Design bits and pieces on this card are:

Snow Paper (but it's actually sparkly card) CA3104

Eline's Scandinavian Winter paper PB7040 has the sheet with the reindeer 

and I also used a little scrap from Wintertime PK9100

Christmas Daisy stamp DDS3325

Die to cut out Daisy from LR0141 set

brown lace mat CR1248

brown lace border CR1250

Snowflake from LR0123

Tree LR0136

Icicle Border LR0135

The Corrosive challenge blog theme is to leave a little sparkle, I have added glitter to the snow under Daisy's feet and on her candle flame, used sparkle card to cut my embellishments and finished off with the red gems - so ticked that box!  The Allsorts challenge is to use a stamp, no digis, so I can enter with them too.

LIM Stencilling

It's not often that I enter into the Less Is More challenges, well you know how I love to embellish my creations with my die cuts most of the time!  However, I do always peek at what other crafters are making and wish I could nail the LIM style!  And, this week when I read that the theme was to use stencils, I thought of the trial piece I made back in the Spring after visiting the Cornwall craft fair.  I got some stencils and paste and had a play, but the paste I got is transparent so I got to adding drops of re-inker and glitter - and getting messy!  Then I thought about making my own stencils - and this was my effort.

I've die cut the Marianne Design forest branch LR0150 from a thick glossy card and used the 'waste' as my stencil.  The base and my stencil layer are SU card in that pale almost kraft colour, I'm not sure if they are still selling it (and I'm almost out).  I couldn't resist adding my signature embossed stitches around the edge, and stamped a text .. .. then just had to add a floral embellishment too!  Here's  a close up for you:

Hopefully you can see the clear stencil on the edge of the card.  I thought it needed something so used the transparent paste with one of the stencils I bought.  And those flowers are more of my hand made creations, this time with just a single layer of MD mulberry paper, die cut with the smallest flower die in set CR1204, then coloured with pink die ink and squished up.  Hope everyone at LIM likes it!

I'm also joining in again with Pixie's Craft Workshop Snippets challenge, as my flowers are created with oddments of paper and the stencilled layer was just a snippet!

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday, I'm off to take Izzy for our afternoon stroll so catch you all later!

Nautical card for a man

I recently treated myself to this Marianne Design special offer kit from Cuddly Buddly, it's called Beach Set and includes A4 papers, the Nautical stamps and some lovely silky ivory ribbon and all for just £5.19 from Buddly Crafts - find it here.  Now the stamp set on it's own would cost you £8.99 so it's a bargain, and you get the papers and ribbon!  A no brainer in my book and perfect for creating something for 'difficult' men.  So this is what I came up with:

It's a smallish 5" square cream base and I've used a pale kraft card to mat my patterned paper from the pack, and to stamp the ship on to die cut out with the smaller circle die from LR0141.  I've added my signature faux embossed stitching and over-stamped the paper with some of the designs in the set using a mix of green, blue, sand and brown chalk inks.  The anchor is a MD die cut, LR0232 and I've just added string that I've also coloured with the inks.  To lighten things up I dabbed on the snow white paint dabber here and there.  The ship picture and the fish are coloured with pencils, thought they would show up better on the kraft for the ship and the cream card I used for stamping the fish.  So what do you think of my first attempt - it's a bit different to my usual flowery style, but I had fun getting inky fingers!

As Creative Inspirations, Loves Rubberstamps, and Crafty Cardmakers all want to see masculine creations, I can enter my card with each of them.

CCT Add a Quote

ok, so you can't see the quote I've added in this little snip of the picture, so I'll quickly move on after telling you that the latest Cute Card Thursday challenge starts today and our sponsor is Whimsy Stamps, as usual stop by the CCT blog to read all about it and see what the rest of the DT have created.

I've inked up this cute LOTV stamp called 'Always' and coloured with my Copic pens.  Best show the card then:

The quote is an old stamp and I die cut using one of the hearts in a Marianne Design set LR0299.  The papers are digi designs from Buddly crafts with my signature embossed and inked stitching around the edge.  I'v added a little lace and a swirly pearl heart - that's from a MD set of pearl heart designs.  The flowers are cut from the two flower dies in LR0107 using plain printer paper then painted with H2Os so end up quite stiff enough to hold their own on a card, these were a couple of my early attempts so not as detailed as some I've made recently, but I think they coordinate with the flowers the little lad is holding behind his back.  To finish I've simply added the leaves from the mini poinsettia set, punched fronds and butterflies and the pearls.

The Papertake Weekly theme is for something 'So Pretty', I think this fits.  The ABC challenge theme is at the letter 'L' = lace, so I can enter with them too.

I'm flitting about a bit just at the moment, doing what I can when I can but still not able to get my teeth sorted out, except in a dire emergency when a visit to one of the hospitals with a dental department will give temporary relief but not help out with proper fillings or hygiene treatments.  I am on several 'waiting lists' so guess I will just have to do that .. .. wait!

Marianne Design Divas June Flowers

Time for our June challenge at the Marianne Design Divas blog, and we would like to see flowers a plenty on your creation.  Of course, you also need to use a minimum of 3 things from Marianne Design - not a problem for me!  Our sponsor for this challenge is Nikki at Bunny Zoe's Crafts as well as Marianne Design.

I have made a flowery card in shades of pink and blue and created all the flowers myself, from scratch.  I've die cut the layers from MD Mulberry paper then inked with either Summer Sky or Rose Bud Momento ink by dabbing the ink onto my craft mat, adding a spritz of water and dipping the edges of the petals in .. .. it makes for different shades each time.  With the little bud flowers it was easier to wet the whole flower as they are quite tiny.  Here are the dies I used to create my flowers and accents:

For the large blue flower I cut 2 large and two small, and forgot to add the stamen die to the picture, it's from the same set, LR0111. After inking with blue, I've lightly spritzed the back of the flower before scrunching up and leaving to dry. Once dry flatten them out a little and stick together finishing off with the blue gem.

The smaller pink and blue flowers are cut with the smallest daisy die in set CR1201, again two layers then use a ball tool to push down in the middle to bring the petals together and overlapping a little. For the centres I've glued in the pearl stamens.  Finally, those tiny wee buds are each cut with the small flower die (from the cup cake set LR0160).  I snipped a little 'V' into the centre then rolled up the flowers whilst still damp, then when dried added pva dries clear glue to the join and to stick them down on my card.  OK, let me show you the card .. .. ..

I've used paper from the MD Flower Garden paper pack with my faux stitch edging inked with the blue ink.  I've used my oval Passe Par-tout dies cut in ivory for the centre of the card and the text mat, I've had issues using these in the past, not really understanding how they worked but suddenly a light bulb moment and result!  The text is a small clear stamp from my stash that I've had for at least a decade .. .. but it was the only one that worked vertically on my small oval mat. The butterflies I cut from the same Mulberry paper that I'd dragged through the left over pink ink so in the end I got different coloured butterflies, I like the way they turned out.  I've finished off with pearls and a pale pink organza bow, admittedly it was hard to know when to stop with those flowers!

So this is the full list of Marianne Design products on this card:

Mulberry Paper RB2219

Flower Garden 6x6 Paper Pack PK9112

Blue lace down the side (under the pearl string) JU0845

Passe par-tout oval CR1241

Tiny's forget-me-not spray CR1307

Tiny's swirls and leaves (just the leaves) CR1245

middle size blue and pink flowers CR1201

large blue flower LR0111

small bud flowers from LR0160

butterflies from LR0261

faux stitching created with LR0161

The Allsorts challenge blog theme is Flower Power so that definitely fits my card!

I'm struggling a little bit health wise just at the moment so please excuse me if I'm not around for a while, I do have my CCT projects all done for June so at least there will be something for you to see each week.  Hopefully I can get back into the crafty groove again soon. Take care! and thanks for stopping by.

Beside the Seaside!

I now have the oldie song, "oh I do like to be beside the seaside!" in my head .. .. and I actually live just a couple of miles from the sea but rarely go to visit these days. As it's Thursday, over on the Cute Card Thursday blog we are looking for Seaside creations this week. Katharina at Whiff of Joy is our sponsor for this challenge.

On my card Don is having a great day out lazing in his deckchair, but like most lads he can't be parted from his mobile phone!  The stamp is Marianne Design DDS3352 with the background from the Summer scenery set DDS3333.  I've coloured with my Copic pens and found a piece of MD paper that although from a Christmas pack, it looked suitably summery to me! Here's the card:

I've die cut the MD shells and anchor, and a branch from a Christmas set.  I die cut the flowers with the mini poinsettias then painted with shimmery H2Os, then added yellow sparkle mini brads in the centres.  The fronds are made with an old MS punch.

The MD dies I used on this card were:
mini poinsettias from LR0142
shells LR0230
anchor LR0232
branch from LR0286

The June challenge at Stamp and Create is 'Summer Fun' so I can enter my card with them. And at Addicted to Stamps they want to see Summer colours so I'm good for them too!  Stampavie and More want you to include some brads - in the centre of my flowers, and last but not least, Pixie's Snippets challenge #180, as usual I've used snippets for die cutting my embellishments.

CCT Summer Colours

Time for another challenge at Cute Card Thursday, this time we want to see some sunshine Summer colours, and at last here in Cornwall we actually have seen the sun .. .. not sure for how long though.  Our sponsor for this challenge is Bunny Zoe's Crafts, please stop by the CCT blog to read all about it and see what the rest of the DT have created.

I have inked up one of my favourite LOTV girls, this cutie is Rosie Posie and was one of the first LOTV stamps I got.  This time out I've coloured her in sunshine yellow with touches of complimentary purple.  Here's my card:

I've used up another scrap piece and made Rosie into a topper so the whole thing will fit into a 5" square envie.  The papers are digi scraps and I coloured the ribbon and row of lace flowers with my Copic pens to match in, oh and the clear domes in the centres of the flowers and down the side too.  The flowers are die cut from ordinary printer paper then coloured with yellow H2O paints so are lovely and shimmery in real life. The die cut elements are made with my Marianne Design dies, here's the list:

lace mat for my image CR1203
flowers from mini poinsettia set LR0142
extra little stamen type flowers from die in LR0111
swirls snipped from LR0112
skeleton leaves snipped from die in set LR0227

The Papertake Weekly challenge is anything goes this week, so I can enter Rosie Posie with them, and at Moving Along With the Times it's Birthday celebrations so one for them too.

I'm also entering Rosie into the LOTV Facebook Summer Special competition - today is the last day of the challenge so I had better get a move on!

Thanks for stopping by, and hope you will pop back soon.

CCT Just too cute!

Today's Cute Card Thursday theme is just Too Darn Cute!  We would like to see you create a real cutie, and what is more cute than a baby card!

I have used the baby stamp from Don and Daisy and coloured with my Copic pens. The postmark across the corner is stamped with Orchid Brilliance ink and I just added the star in the middle, colouring a clear one with a Copic pen, it is very subtle but pretty I think.  Want to see more .. .. here's the card:

The background paper is a scrap from my digi box, originally from Cuddly Buddly I believe.  I've added various Marianne Design die cut pieces, a tiny organza bow, punched stars and a touch of bling with more stars.  I've inked the forget-me-not flowers with a darker pink Momento and a green chalk ink for the leaves, and used the same pink ink to stamp the text.  The Marianne Design dies I used are CR1249 to cut out the stamped image, CR1307 forget-me-nots and DF3404 for the chicken wire tucked in behind.

The Die Cuttin Divas theme is Baby Love so one I can definitely enter.

Turkey Dinner

 I managed to put together another Christmas card over the long Bank Holiday weekend, it does take a while when the garden needs tending, the dog needs walking and Mum needs sorting out - but finally, it's finished!

This is the Turkey Dinner stamp by LOTV, one of my old favourites because it has a puppy and that huge turkey, not to mention that pud on top of the stove, they are going to enjoy their festive dinner to be sure! I've coloured with my Copics and added just a touch of sparkle to the pup's Christmas hat.

Here's the card:

As I said, I started this card last week, after seeing that the Winter Wonderland blog challenge was for Festive Food and knowing I had this stamp already in my Christmas 'half-made' pile.  I also had the background paper all layered up on the card so it was a matter of layering up my image to match and adding my die cut snippets - another one for Pixie's Snippets Playground - and thank you Diane for sharing my Rudolph card, I am glad you liked it!  I will almost always have snippets on my makes as I love to use my Marianne Design dies for embellishing, I think they add interest without too much sticking up so can go through the post!

On this card I used the mini poinsettia die LR0142 along with leaves from the bigger poinsettia set LR0122.  The pine cones are from set LR0286 and the holly sprays from LR0244. I coloured the white pearls with a Copic red to match in with everything, oh and I nearly forgot, the text is cut twice with die LR0225 then layered up.

And thank you to from Scraps of Life for letting me know about the Rudolph Days challenge on her blog with fabulous prizes, starting on the 25th of each month until the end of the month, and always anything goes, so here's my entry!

The Christmas Card blog challenge is anything goes, so I'm entering with them too.

Thanks for stopping by and taking a peek at my creations, hope to see you here again soon!

Uptown Girls cards

 Hello again! well after a lovely sunny day yesterday, today here on the north coast of Cornwall we are enveloped in 'fizzle' that's fog and drizzle all mixed together, and although the plants in the garden love it, I don't!

I have a couple of cards made with the Stamping Bella Uptown girls to share with you, this one brand new, the second a reworking of an earlier make.

This first one is Opal the Optimist and the text comes with the stamp.  I made it for my eldest son's partner for her birthday and hopefully she has received it by now as I will probably add to my Facebook page via Pinterest, and she will get to see that .. ..

I printed off a piece of Nitwits paper and because a couple of my inks are getting low the shades are quite different but I liked it and it worked with the red mats and the sandy coloured card I used for the base and for the die cut swirl and punched layer.  I don't actually own that MS punch, it's a piece I've had in my bit box a very long time from before I moved here when I was still able to meet up for crafty Monday afternoons with friends - not sure which friend the punch belongs to though.  I've added the roses and little buds, a tiny red bow, red lace and the die cut butterflies then embellished with gems.  Simple as it had to go in the post - I hope it arrived safely.

And here is my reworked Maybelline card.  I've added the pretty lavender mat and fixed to a bigger card base, looks much better now I think.

Well that's it from me for today.  I have to clean up the mess from under the craft table plus the bits from Izzy's annihilation of a pine cone .. .. but it did keep him quiet whilst I was trying to craft!

Thanks for stopping by, enjoy your Sunday and hopefully you have better weather where you are.  Still, it means I can't spend time in the garden so maybe after the tidy up I shall craft and make it all messy again .. .. ..

Rudoph's Helpers!

Hello again! I am back with a little oddity card to share with you - oddity because it's made from odds and ends.  The base is a narrow strip left over when cutting a square card out of an A4 sheet of cardstock, and seems too big of a left over to add to my bit box for die cutting so I turn them into small cards that will fit in a 5" square envie.  The topper on the front is one of my older Penny Johnson stamps for Stampavie and I just coloured with my Copics and added Stickles and glaze.  I had a lot of problems with the red on that nose though .. .. red Copics are tricky and bleed easy.  Anyway, from a distance it doesn't look so bad, and with the warm grey shades I used for Rudolph it just adds to the shadow .. .. right?

I covered the base card with a scrap of Marianne Design paper, and an oddment of die cut chicken wire, then added the bow and more die cut bits and pieces embellishing with more Stickles.  I'm quite pleased how this little card turned out considering it's made from oddments of scrap.

The Marianne Design dies I used were chicken wire - DF3404, mini poinsettia - LR0142, bells and holly leaves from COL1363.

The Incy Wincy blog challenge theme is for wild animals - I have Rudolph the reindeer plus his wild robin helpers.  And the Crafty Ribbons challenge is for animals plus ribbon - so I can enter with them too.

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas challenge just want you to use some of your favourite things, mine are colouring with my Copics, and of course my Marianne Design die cuts, especially the flowers I use to embellish nearly all my projects!  And, I won the last challenge and have received a lovely package of Kanban goodies already - thank you!

And a big thank you to Eve for giving me the link to Pixie's blog and the Snippits Challenge, I shall be joining in and adding Pixie's blog to my blogs I'm following list.

I'm scheduling this post so fingers crossed it pops up tomorrow morning whilst I'm busy - I'll come along later in the day to do the linking up. Thank you for stopping by to take a peek, and if you leave me a comment I'll come visit you too.

CCT School or Sports theme and GDT call

Hello! It's time for our next challenge at Cute Card Thursday, this time we would like you to take inspiration from school, or sports.  Of course, this is the time of year when many schools hold their Summer sports days, but, I went for a Winter sport for my card.

Our sponsor for this challenge is Whimsy Stamps, stop by the blog to read about it and for inspiration from the DT.  And, yes we are very thin on the ground and just haven't had time to put a proper DT call out.  However, if you are interested in joining us as a guest for the next month, or so, then please add GDT after your name when linking your entry to the challenge.

Back to my card, I have stamped skiing Don and used stamps from the Don and Daisy Winter scenery set in the background.  Coloured with my Copic pens and added the flakes and fine glitter for snowy effects, as well as a clear glaze over his goggles. Here is my card:

I have used a piece of background paper from one of the Marianne Design Christmas packs, a slightly awkward colour to work with but the old Almost Amethyst card from SU! is a good match!  I made more of the pearly poinsettia flowers with my little pots of pearl paint then decorated with liquid pearls, and more die cut bits and pieces.  Sorry no list of my MD dies today as I am pushed for time .. .. but I am sure you will be able to find them in the catalogue as they are all old dies that have been out for a while now.

I hope you will come and join us, and maybe think about being our GDT for the summer?

Marianne Design Divas in the Pink

Sorry I am late posting my card for the
Marianne Design Divas  challenge - but you have a whole month to join in our PINK theme.

For my card I've stamped the Don and Daisy 'Coffee Time' image then cut out with a circle die so I could layer it onto my fancy die cut mat.  I've coloured the image with Copics and added the pearl string around the edge - I've gone really girly for this one!  We are being sponsored by Marianne Design and Cuddly Buddly this time around, and I have linked up the products you can buy from CB - who have revamped and renamed as Buddly Crafts.  The pearl string I have used around the image, and snips in amongst the flowers is from them and you can find it here.

Here's my pink creation:

Marianne Design goodies I've used:

Papers from Hello Sweet Baby pack PB7041

Stamp DDS3328

Die cuts

Square mats LR0242

Circle doily mat LR0129

Skeleton leaves LR0156

Flowers COL1323

Birthday COL1349

The Cutie Pie challenge is to keep it cute and layer it up - hope my card fits that theme too.  

I have the grandsons coming tomorrow so need to tidy up my crafty dining table .. .. but just a couple things to finish off first so must get a wiggle on! Enjoy your weekend, and hope you can find time to craft - maybe in Pink with your MD goodies for the Marianne Design Divas?

CCT Lovely Lace

Sorry I'm late! It's been one of those days/weeks and I've just not had enough free time to sit and write up my post for this week's Cute Card Thursday challenge, to show us some lace.  Our sponsor this time around is Katharina from Whiff of Joy, please pop over to the CCT blog to read all about it, and keep an eye open for our DT call coming very soon.  I'm guessing we have all been under a bit of pressure this week so having some lovely ladies, or gentlemen, join us will be a great help!

This is the card I made for my granddaughter Lauren's 15th birthday last month, so it's safe to share it with you now.  I've used another of my new Stamping Bella Uptown Girls stamps, this is Paisley has a pressie, and the text is part of the package.  I've coloured with my usual Copic pens, found a scrap of digi patterned paper in my bit box that matched, and of course the lace too.  Lauren doesn't do pink, but I do, so there's just the touch in the bow and pressie.  I have gone slightly overboard on the Stickles though .. .. and those big blooms I made with inking, spritzing and scrunching up some of my MD flower dies, I hope she likes them, perhaps they might come off the card and fix onto something else .. ..?  Oh, and my touch of lace is from my stash, the pretty lace flower border.

The MD dies I used to create the flower sprays were LR0111 and the small die from CR1204.  The leaves were from LR0162 and LR0192.

I have to dash away again now, so no extra challenges for this one.  I do hope you will come and play with us at Cute Card Thursday this week, it will be lovely to see you touches of lace!

Krafty Christmas Baubles

It's been hard getting back into crafting this week after visitors and lots of diy jobs last weekend. But, finally today, I've managed to have a play with my stash.  First up, my pictures are looking grey instead of brown, I've used kraft card for my base and lots of my die cuts too, and that piece of ribbon is a light brown as well - I really don't know if it's my camera or the light levels that are making things looking washed out.  Anyhow, I've made a card and an ornament using the Marianne Design bauble dies that I recently got on offer .. .. and time is passing by and so far I've only made one Christmas card this year!

I've also been playing around with paints, after watching the Shena shows on C&C and seeing the pre-views on Facebook.  I have lots of little pots of paint so fished them out .. .. My flowers are die cut with the mini poinsettia dies just out of thin copy paper, then I've painted with red pearly water colours, you know the little pots that are solid and you have to spritz or just drop on water .. .. can't remember what they are called, but I have a box of them!  Once dry I've moulded them and stuck the layers together, the paint stiffens the paper quite a bit and I'm pleased with the results, just a bit of scrap paper and hey presto a gorgeous pearly red poinsettia!  Here's the card:

I've used Marianne Design Winter papers for my bauble and behind it.  As I said, it is kraft card and apart from a little matting and the faux stitches inked with brown chalk ink, the base card is quite simple.  I die cut the paper and bauble the same size, embossed the edge then stuck together to make it a bit firmer and better to 3d fix.  The edge of the bauble is also inked in brown.  The fibre stuff is from my stash and should be showing cream, the scrap of MD lace is ivory and the pearls on the tree made with my pearl pen are also ivory.  The bits of string are brown and the die cuts are either kraft or cream card with ivory snow added here and there.  It's quite a country looking creation in real life!

This is a close up of my kraft bauble, and the trees are a much darker green too, and the poinsettia is red!  The snow on the tree this time is white, so the camera got that bit right!

Here it is:

Well, if you can imagine it brown instead of grey you can see where I was going.  I've cut the paper by drawing around the inside of the die then cutting out and inking the edge before sticking down. I've also dabbed just about everything with the Snowcap dabber to look icy .. .. did it work?  I cut two of the hanging loops and stuck them back to back to make the top firmer so I could loop the string through without fear of the card tearing.  Again, all MD papers and die cuts, except for the Martha Stewart frond punch.

Here's the MD die list I used on both the bauble and the card:
Bauble set COL1361
Christmas tree LR0136
mini poinsettia LR0142
pine cones and branches LR0286
pine needles from set LR0227
background row of trees on bauble CR1287
snowflake on card from set CR1225

The Allsorts challenge is to use at least 3 die cuts on your creations, think I can well and truly tick that box for them!

Crafty Hazelnut's Chrimstmas Challenge this week is for Vintage or Shabby Chic designs, hopefully my card and bauble fit that theme too.

CCT Add a brad

It's Thursday again so time for a new challenge on the CCT blog.  This week all you have to do is add a brad, or two, or lots, to your creation.  Our sponsor for this challenge is Nikki from Bunny Zoe crafts.  You will see from the CCT blog that we are a wee bit thin on DT cards this week, so there is going to be a DT call coming soon - keep an eye on the blog if you are interested in joining the most laid back design team out there!

To my card then: I have inked up another of my new Stamping Bella Uptown Girls, this is Brynn has a baby shower, and I've coloured with my Copic pens then added touches of Stickles and a white pen on the polka dot trim on her dress.  Papers are from my scrap box and to decorate I've added the flowers with mini sparkle brads in the centres.  Die cuts are all by Marianne Design, of course!  Here's the list:

nappy pins from LR0217
lace edge (plus same die used to create my faux stitching) LR0161
swirls LR0271
centres of flowers from LR0105
flowers from COL1323

The My Time To Craft blog theme is new baby, perhaps a little premature but certainly expecting a special delivery!

Guest DT spot on Don and Daisy blog

I was asked to be a guest designer again on the Don and Daisy blog, and here is my card for the new butterfly challenge - to have butterflies as well as a Don and Daisy stamp or cutting sheet design on your creation, plus as many Marianne Design goodies as you can muster!

I have stamped Daisy in the Sunshine and coloured her with my Copic pens, the sky is the pale BG shades but isn't showing up too well, and even less in the main picture.

I took another photo and this time, on a dull day, the grass does at least look green instead of blue!

I've used lots of different Marianne Design goodies, so here's the list:

Daisy in the sunshine stamp DDS3320 with a couple of extra butterflies stamped too.
Garden Party paper pack PK9108 (trying to match the greeny/blue is what got me into trouble!)
Square mat for my image from LR0234
Bay tree and butterfly LR0261
Swirl from LR0112
Flowers COL1323
Butterfly border CR1267

I coloured my clear domes and pearls with a Copic so they would match in, and made the bay tree into a standard topiary design. As I had a piece of waste paper from a previous project I fussy cut the design and 3d mounted to just below Daisy, linking her to the paper behind .. .. ..  I've omitted a sentiment so I can use the card for any occasion by adding something inside when I need it.

I hope you like my Summertime Daisy card and will stop by the Don and Daisy blog to see what the DT have made for the butterfly challenge.  Perhaps you can come and join in too?

Don and Daisy moving house

That should read Jay and Maria just moved house! My visitors arrive later this evening and I made this card for them as they recently moved house (made a chocolate cake too).

And, I also made it for the Marianne Design challenge to create something with Don and Daisy.  I've stamped up the main image then masked and added the window and clock from the At Home scenery set.  Colouring with Copics as usual, here is the card:

My paper in the background is from the Hello Sweet Baby pack, plus a scrap from another set by MD. I recently treated myself to a couple new dies, the sweet forget-me-nots and the New Home. I cut the main forget-me-not flowers a second time from ivory card then inked through the die to give the flower petals, and finished them with a lavender Liquid Pearls.  I've also inked through the new home die and then cut out a mat from the lavender card by drawing around the outside of the die and cutting out.  A little bow finishes things off.

So, here is the list of MD goodies on this card:

The papers from Hello Sweet Baby pack PB7041
Don and Daisy moving stamp DDS3302, At Home scenery stamp DDS3343
scallop edge die CR1273
Forget-me-nots die CR1307
New Home die CR1314

And on the inside I used the house die and a stamp that comes with it - COL1333

Thanks for stopping by, and see you again soon!

CCT Add a Sentiment

So sorry I am late sharing today's CCT card with you - oh my am I tired!  Despite the new bed arriving and Mat being here to kindly put it all together for me (and dismantle the old beds for storing in the loft), the effort of rearranging furniture, cleaning once, twice and then there's still more fluff .. .. well, the early night saw me turning and fidgeting still at 1.30am and even after that I kept waking up hot!  Tonight I will be taking steps, large malt steps me thinks!

This week at Cute Card Thursday it's an easy peasy challenge, we just want you to add a sentiment to your creation.  We have a new sponsor, Great Impressions, please stop by the CCT blog to read all about the prize and see what the rest of the DT have made.

For my card I've inked up another of my new Stamping Bella Uptown Girls, this is Catherine Nibbling Chocolate, and the sentiment is from another Uptown Girl set.  I've coloured with my Copic pens and kept things simple with a piece of pink digi paper by Cuddly Buddly and a die cut floral embellishment made with various Marianne Design dies.

The In The Pink blog challenge is for either fussy and fancy or clean and simple, plus lots of pink of course.  I hope my card fits the CAS category, even though I do have a floral corner embellishment.

That's it from me for today .. .. I do have something to share soon, but am going to be busy with visitors this weekend so catch up with you all when I can.

Maybelline get's a letter

A close up of my colouring - eek! It looks better from a distance and those lavender blues are a pain to blend, they kept fading out completely so getting any shadow or shading was a nightmare .. .. I just hope the colours stay true. Not so bad on the flowers but I'm not happy with the dress, and should I have sparkled the frilly petticoat? I can go back and do that perhaps .. ..

The stamp is one from Stamping Bella Uptown Girls called Maybelline loves mail - and it's a big one, but with lots of detail in the flowers.  Anyway, let's quickly show you the card .. ..

Not a lot of room for adding embellishments so I decided to go CAS and just keep the image in view although I did add the 3 little domes coloured with a Copic to match the flowers, and stamped a simple text (not the one that comes with the stamp).  The papers are more from my scrap box and are bits of Cuddly Buddly digitals Spring Bouquet pack. If I can get a pack of bigger cards I might tweek things a little bit and cut off the front of the card, add a soft lavender mat behind and stick it to a bigger card, to me it needs more focus and the image could do with a mat too .. .. do you get those days when you think you are done then not happy with things the next day?

Oh well, perhaps it will grow on me .. .. and I'm going to enter it into a couple of challenges anyway.  The My Time To Craft blog challenge is for Spring Flowers, and at Moving Along With The Times the theme is 'let's get reading' - Maybelline is reading her letter although I rather think they are looking for book titles .. .. perhaps the RHS Encylopedia of Herbs would spring to mind - I have two copies, one in my bedroom and one in the conservatory, so always one to hand when I need inspiration!

CAS at CCT

Another wonky picture! I blame my poor neck that is leaning to starboard all the time at the moment .. .. mind you after a combination of 2 different painkillers and a double malt whisky I did have quite a good night!

So, on to the next challenge at Cute Card Thursday where we want to see your CAS creations.  Our sponsor for this challenge is Pinky Dolls and some of the DT have used images from the sponsor for their creations, please stop by the blog to read all about it and see what we all made for the CAS theme.

For my card I inked up one of my old style Penny Black stamps called Garden Spot then coloured with my Copics and added a little text.  Keeping with the CAS theme I just embossed a scrap of paper from my bit box with the Marianne Design DF3404 chicken wire, added the embossed stitching, and ta dah!

The Allsorts challenge is for quick and simple cards this time, well it did take me a little while to colour the image but putting the card together was certainly quick and easy!

Marianne Design Floral challenge

 I am cutting it fine for the Marianne Design challenge #127 for flowers as it finishes in just a bit.

I have made a small A6 condolence card with the Marianne Design cross I got a while ago, but hadn't as yet used.  For the flowers I've cut the various layers from thick card with a texture finish, the same used for the cross.  I inked the edges of the petals with a pale blue Momento ink then spritzed the back and scrunched them up, before leaving to dry overnight.  Then it was just a matter of gluing them together and adding the pearl in the centre.  I've made them with the flower dies in LR0111, and I'm quite pleased with how they turned out.  Here is the card:

The background paper is from the Marianne Design Flower Garden paper pack and I embossed the faux stitching around the edge and lightly inked to bring it out.

The cross is 3d mounted, it's LR0252, the fronds are from LR0107, and the swirls from LR0116. You can just make out a snip of the chicken wire cut with DF3404, and I tied a bow with one of the laces in the MD blue pack to finish off.  The text is from my stash.

That's it for today, I've somehow messed up my neck again and not feeling great so will have to ease back on gardening and the computer for a bit, as well as crafting.  I need to get myself a new wheat pack as mine has disappeared and ice isn't doing the job of relaxing the tight muscles in my neck.