Winter Gifts

I am enjoying colouring my Festive images to match the Nitwit papers that came free in Simply Homemade magazine, and for this card I chose the aqua paper with polka dots for my background and added a faux blanket stitch edge with a white marker pen.  The stamp is one of the Dawn designs called Dawn Giving Away, from Nellie's Choice by Nellie Snellen.  I've coloured with my Copic pens and added touches of Stardust Stickles on the snow and flakes.

To embellish I found a length of gingham ribbon, an odd button, and cut lots of bits and pieces from my Marianne Design dies to create the embellishments, then finally finished off with the white faux pearls made with the Wacco pearl pen.

Here's the list of Marrianne Design dies I've used on this creation:
biggest snowflake and leaves - CR1225
smaller snowflakes - CR1256
poinsettia flowers - LR0142
stamens - LR0122
red blobby fronds - LR0106

A Creative Romance want to see dies and/or punches - and you all know how much I love to mix up my Marianne Design dies to create pretty embellishments on my creations.

I'm going to have a lazy day today as it's raining and I don't fancy going out to do the weekly shop on my own.  I'm still feeling tired a lot of the time and the neck injury is something I'm just going to have to live with, along with the various allergies that keep cropping up!  My skin is really clearing up nicely - perhaps sitting on a leather sofa rather than a synthetic material one has helped .. .. I'm finding a lot of synthetic fibres irritating.  Plus, I've developed a routine of light skin brushing in the shower with a 'scratchy mit' to remove the flaky skin then tons of the organic Aloe Vera moisturiser with other goodies in it really is helping, so much so that I'm reluctant to go for the UVB treatment now as there are risks and side effects involved (and knowing me something is bound to crop up).  Ah well, I don't have to decide today so instead I can go back to colouring in .. .. no rush now for the DIY as the skip wont arrive until Monday and we have 2 weeks to fill it up.  Still waiting for the plasterer to ring with his quote - hopefully it wont be too exorbitant and he can start in a couple of weeks time as well.  So, I might be nice and tidy for Christmas after all!

Hip to be Square for CCT

Hello! Yes, it's me at last!  I have been having a bit of a tough time of it recently and decided that come what may I would make a DT card for this week's Cute Card Thursday challenge - our theme is 'Hip to be Square' and you can interpret as you will.  Our sponsor for this challenge is Whiff of Joy Stamps.

I recently treated myself to some new Lili of the Valley Christmas stamps and this little chap is the first one I inked up.  And this is the first time colouring with my new specs too - much better at seeing things than the old ones!  I've coloured with my Copics and then added touches of Stardust Stickles for the snow.  I've also added a little extra robin at the top - he has flown in from the robin bird table stamp and filled the gap I thought.

Here is my card, a square white base and I've used Nitwits papers with squares on (a freebie in a recent magazine).  I've matted each of my layers with dark red card and then cut out the snowflake and heart dies from my new Marianne set CR1256, the stocking die set.  The pretty candy cane ribbon is from my friend Jenny's new craft shop.  I found I'd already got the LOTV circular sentiment stamped from last year so that came in handy to finish things off.  The card is less embellished than many I've made recently, my excuse is that yet again my craft stash is on the move .. .. I've taken over the sideboard in the living room for my most used items so I don't have to venture into a freezing cold conservatory on dark winter nights to rummage for stuff.  That means the old falling apart chest of drawers can go to the dump - once I've re-homed the two drawers of wooden stamps somewhere .. ..  Of course, I can't find a thing and everything is squeezed up, but hopefully once the living room has been plastered, painted and the floors laid I can get re-organised again!

I see that the monthly theme on the Lili of the Valley inspiration blog challenge is for ribbon or lace, so I shall enter my Festive Christmas card.  I'm also going to enter the Totally Gorjuss anything goes challenge, and the ABC challenge that's up to the letter U for unlimited (that means anything goes!).

LIM with Baubles!

When I saw that the Less Is More theme for this week was to use a rubber stamp and possibly some water colouring, I had an idea or two!  This card is actually my second effort, the first is not quite so LIM, but I'll show it any way - tomorrow (if I remember).

I've stamped the Serendipity Baubles onto smooth water colour paper then punched out with a scallop square before colouring with my Derwent Metallic water colour pencils - limited colours but I thought they would work with this image.  To make it more festive I've added the Stardust Stickles to the boughs and a little glaze and sparkle here and there on the baubles.  I fixed the 3 squares to my base card with 3d foam then stamped  the text with my new bright red Momento ink - the text is a Serendipity stamp too.

The challenge on the Christmas Card Challenge blog is to use something new - my new red ink pad. And on the ABC Christmas Challenge blog they are up to the letter Q = quick.  My card was relatively quick to make as I didn't have to spend hours pondering on papers and layouts, although it did take a while for the Stickles to dry!

I'll be back soon with my other card .. .. ..

Summer Time

Today is the last day of summer, according to the meteorological office that is, and the sun is still shining here in Cornwall.  There is a distinct change in the air though, things slowing down, flowers going over, butterflies flitting lazily about .. .. a feeling I can certainly identify with too!  I hope we get a prolonged Indian Summer to enjoy before the autumnal winds and rain arrive.

Here is a card that I've had finished for quite a while but forgot to post.  I stamped the Serendipity image of Queen Anne's Lace with butterfly and coloured with my Copcis, added Stardust Stickles to the flower heads and glazed the butterfly.  My original intention was to enter the Serendipity Stamps blog challenge to have a butterfly on your creation .. .. but that theme was ages ago!  So instead I find that the Marianne Design Divas theme of Summer Sun might fit.

And, here is my card.  My base is a small tent fold created from old SU card that I have to use up, thankfully it's a soft colour that I like, and a pile of slightly smaller than C6 envies - oh yes, I am still on my economy stash drive but have told myself that it doesn't include stamps and dies!  I've run the top through the Swiss Dots CB embossing folder, cut out my stamped and coloured image with Marianne Design die LR0279 inking the embossed areas with a soft chalk ink (a better match to the base in real life).  The layer behind the image is from the same die set, pretty fancy this one!  To finish I simply cut the holly corners from CR1253 and again inked the raised areas.  It's a pretty little card for my stash that I can keep for those awkward occasions .. ..

Update on my personal health issues coming up now so skip past if you'd like.  I have had several medical appointments and my rash has been eczema, psoriasis and now back to eczema with possible patches of psoroasis.  I was prescribed Dovobet but it turns out I'm allergic to it and things got much worse!  I've had my name put forward for UVB light treatments but am not sure if they will help or not.  I got a good Aloe Vera lotion with soothing Calendula and other herbal extracts to help after the bad reaction to Dovobet - thankfully things are clearing up nicely so I am very reluctant to go back down the trial and error route of pharmacological remedies. I have been given an inhaler as I've developed a wheeze and possible allergic asthma, but allergic to what?  It's another indication that my immune system isn't functioning as it should.  I have lost two fillings, one from a tooth only filled a year ago (do you get a warranty with a filling), so will have to go to the emergency dental clinic again as I've not found a National Health dentist in this area with vacancies - needless to say I am not looking forward to yet more treatments from newly qualified dentists needing the practice!  What I need is a holiday .. .. a little crafty break would do nicely!

Hello there!

Well it's been a while since I posted, and I totally missed adding my last DT card for Totally Papercrafts ... ... I'll share it with you in just a bit.

First to say that although some of life's problems are still causing me stress, I am actually feeling more positive, if tired.  Yesterday I was treated to a day at the Eden Project - wonderful! Thankfully there is a free bus from the car park to the entrance and a little train inside to take you down to the domes.  We strolled down the zig-zag path as I wanted to see the banks of flowers and enjoy the late morning sunshine.  Inside the tropical dome there are dazzling butterflies flitting amongst the foliage, and an occasional flower too.  I was very glad of the Baobab smoothie towards the end of the route through the tropics, a delicious mix of coconut, pineapple and of course the baobab too.  We stopped for lunch, a healthy salad, before visiting the temperate dome. Unfortunately one of the youngsters wasn't feeling too well so we didn't spend as much time in there as I would have liked, but by then I was beginning to tire a little myself so we wondered through the gardens to the outdoor lift that takes you to the high walkway bridge across to the entrance. By then I was walking very slowly and wished I had my poles with me but still managed to browse the gift shop and buy an Aloe vera and a coffee plant for the conservatory.  I was able to validate my ticket so have free entry for a year and will definitely go back.  So much I didn't get to see, especially outside and as dogs are allowed everywhere except in the domes, I could happily spend a few hours wondering about with them on a sunny afternoon.

The Adult Education flyer came the other day and after browsing the various courses I am going to give Sivananda Yoga a try.  There is a course held in Newquay, not too far away, during the day time so I wouldn't have to go out in the dark winter nights.  I am hoping that this type of Yoga will help my balance which is steadily getting worse, it says that it will "enhance wellbeing and self confidence, improve strength, stamina, flexibility and posture. Teach relaxation and breathing techniques to release anxiety and stress" - sounds just what I need!

And here is the card that I made for the Totally Papercrafts challenge on 16 August - ages ago! it was for a favourite colours theme and I must say I like shades of blue for Festive cards.  The image is one of Lili of the Valley's Nativity stamps, coloured with Copics then with a pricked border.  The card base and layers are cut with my set of Frilly #10 dies and I've decorated with Marianne Design die cut mini poinsettias, ivy leaves and swirls, finishing off with little blue gems.

Unfortunately I'm having to take life a day at a time just now and can only craft occasionally, so it will mean that my posts may be few and far between - I really can't tell.  Today is the first time I've been on the pc in a couple of weeks so lots to catch up with on blogger and Pinterest.  I hope if you are one of my followers that you will stay with me - I so appreciate your stopping by.  And, I promise that I will post now and then if only to tell you what I'm doing, until then .. ..

love and hugs,
annie x

Felty things

Hello again!  I am back with a couple of felty projects that I've finally managed to complete.  The old wrist injury has flared up so colouring is out for a while, and using the computer mouse is agony - but typing is ok and I can managed to sew a little - strange!

Anyway, my first project is something that I was inspired to make after seeing similar designs on Pinterest.  I used my Nestability circles to cut out the wreath from sparkly white felt, and that left me with the bauble.  I blanket stitched the layers together with a little stuffing in the middle for padding and added thin white ribbon hanging loops.  The holly and berries are die cut with Marianne Design die LR0127 and then I've added the stitches to the leaves and little beads to the berries before sewing and gluing them to the wreath and bauble.

I was looking at my blog reading list this morning (first time in days so I haven't gone back too far) and saw that Crafty Creations Challenge is to 'take two' - I hope that my two Christmas decorations will fit the theme for them.

And this is my second project, a little key holder created from felt and Marianne Design dies.  I've cut out the bird and stitched around the edge of the wings and body with running stitches to fix to the base heart.  The heart I've stuffed and fixed the two layers together with blanket stitch.  I've added the veins to the leaves and little pearls for highlights, plus a tiny sequin I found in my bead box.  To finish I cut a length of Marianne's ribbon to make a loop so I could add the split ring for a key.  These are the Marianne Design dies I used to create my key ring:

Heart from CR1225
Bird die COL1301
Leaves from CR1248
Flower from LR0160 (cupcake)

I'm off to the opticians this afternoon so hope the weather clears up before I leave, I hate driving in the rain.  Fingers crossed I don't need all 3 prescriptions renewing .. .. I would like some pennies left for craft goodies this month!

Dieing and Punching - bring it on!

At least it's still Thursday so I'm not technically late this week with my DT card for Cute Card Thursday!   We are sponsored by Katharina at Whiff of Joy - stop by the CCT blog to read all about it and see the DTs inspirational creations.

For my card I found this cute Christmas Bunny I had printed out ages ago - he's by Sylvia Zet for Wee Stamps and you can get him as a digi from here.  I've coloured him with my Copic pens and added Stardust Stickles to the snow and falling flakes.

I have made a relatively simple card this week (it's not been a great week for me) and have just used some of my Marianne Design dies to create a mat for my image and to decorate the card.  The patterned paper is from my stash - no idea where I got it, probably a magazine freebie.  Here's the list of Marianne dies I've used:

pretty square blue mat for my image cut from die in LR0234
snowflakes from CR1225, CR1226, LR0123
text and banner both from COL1325

As I've not been around much to check on the blogs I'm not linking up to any other challenges - if you know of any do let me know.

Now for a bit of a moan - only read if you want to feel as stressed out as me! After a couple of days enjoying the sunshine and pottering about in the garden, I ended up with the most horrific headache last evening and have been taking every medication in the cupboard to get some relief .. .. finally it has eased but I feel like a rung out dishrag.  My own fault - I decided to tidy up a corner flower bed outside my bedroom window, just that little bit of bending and digging and moving a small paving slab or two ... ... it has messed up my neck again big time, every time I move I hear crunching and grinding and the neck muscles are in spasms of protest!

There was good news from the Inland Revenue yesterday regarding my tax mix up .. .. they aren't going to pursue the matter for the moment (probably waiting until Mum pops her clogs and I inherit so they can get hold of the house), however, I had a letter from the DWP who want me to be assessed for returning to work - ha! I am now 60 years old but under the new pension rules have to wait until I'm 63 to officially retire and claim my state pension - so in theory they could squeeze a couple of years hard labour out of me.  I have been medically retired from the Civil Service for the past 7 years as I have a degenerative spinal injury, collapsed vertebrae in my neck (hence the headaches if I try and use my arms too often), spondylosis (curvature of the spine so I walk a bit wonky and one hip is higher than the other) and loss of lordic curve (lower spine giving back ache if I sit or stand in any position for more than a minute or two).  All this was confirmed by x-rays and a Consultant Rheumatologist back in 2006. The consultant doctor appointed by the MoD to review and make a decision for or against medical retirement said I would be crippled in less than 5 years if I continued to work. The DWP seem to think that they are better placed to say if I am fit to work, or not!  

Plus there is the Chronic Fatigue/ME that I was diagnosed with at the same time as the neck problems arose and after a bout of pneumonia.  That gives me memory loss problems as well as exhaustion at the drop of a hat, but it is unpredictable as anyone with the condition will know - but CF/ME isn't recognised as a disease by the DWP, and ME can only be diagnosed by a brain biopsy and that's not something that can be done whilst you are still alive and kicking!  Some days are good, others you can hardly remember your own name let alone any other details about life.  I had the top ME specialist in the land as my Consultant and although my symptoms are relatively mild, and therefore only treated with rest, my immune system is easily knocked for six so getting an infection as simple as the common cold can be debilitating. Mixing with 'the public' is a risky business especially during the cold/flu months of the year - hence trying to avoid doctors surgeries and supermarkets as much as possible!  When my consultant moved on to pastures new just before my father died, we decided that I didn't need any further reviews unless my symptoms deteriorated significantly, thankfully they have not although there have been times when I have been battling an infection that I have definitely felt like death warmed up!

And more recently there is the weird rash that the doctors can't figure out, and increasing tinnitus and deafness from the constricted nerves in my neck caused by the collapsed vertebrae.  Oh, and to be on the safe side I've made an opticians appointment just in case there's something more unusual going on there. Two years ago my eyes were being affected by high blood pressure but then it went the other way and now I have low blood pressure so who knows what will be revealed!  So, all in all, with the stress of looking after Mother, trying to get this place done up (will it ever be fit for company to call), keeping the garden tidy, figuring out what the hell is going on in my relationship with DH, and generally getting through a day without something falling in on me - I'm doing ok!

Just For You

Good Morning!  I am relieved that my poor old pc is working this morning after all the flashes and bangs we had here on the coast last evening and overnight.  At least the garden is looking perky from all the rain and the skies are blue again, albeit with the odd pile of white fluffy stuff on the horizon.  Hopefully it will stay fine for a while as the grandkids are planning another visit tomorrow .. ..

This is my very late DT card for Cute Card Thursday where we have an anything goes theme - I must remember to add it to the blog.

I coloured this cutie Dawn stamped image from Nellie's Choice with my Copic pens then cut her out and added a row of faux stitches around the edge to tie in with the rest of my stitched details on the card .. .. ..

And here is the card.  I've used my Frilly #10 dies again to cut the base and layers but kept my embellishments minimal this time.  The fancy mat behind my image and the flowers and leaves are all from Marianne Design die set CR1248.  I've stitched the veins of the leaves with a green embroidery floss, and around the fancy circle and the centre of the flowers with a peachy pink floss.  The embossed areas on the flowers I've inked in peachy pink chalk ink then finished them off with pink gems.  The little text banner is one of my new dies COL1325 that comes with Christmas text stamps, however, I found that some of my old Papermania clear sets would curve around a bit and fit in nicely.

Stampin' for the Weekend would like to see shaped cards this week, while over at the ABC challenge  blog they are up to the letter S for stitching, so perfect!

Home Sweet Home

Where has time gone, where have the days gone! I am all over the place and have had a couple of very stressful days and completely forgot what day it has been.  But better late than never, here is my card for this week's Totally Papercrafts challenge theme of inspired by a song.  I made the card thinking there must be plenty of songs that could fit the bill .. .. but when I googled Home Sweet Home it appeared to be just the one heavy metal version by Motley Crue (not on my play list), or various versions of an old traditional song written by American John Howard Payne with the traditional tune by Englishman Henry Rowley Bishop.

The 'card' came about as I have new Marianne dies to play with and actually isn't a card as yet.  I might make it into a hanger, or then again add a card blank behind if I need to send it to someone.  The papers are by Nitwits from the Spring Whimsy Too collection, I've cut the layers using Marianne Design die LRO242, then added the little extras with mostly my new dies.  The trees and lamp post are from COL1330, and the house and the text are from COL1333.  The tag shape behind the base is cut from LR0187, the butterfly from LR0158, and the flowers from CR1210.

I hope you like it - I didn't have time to make anything fancier but I think it's turned out ok.

The Allsorts challenge has been to use kraft card and over at the Die Cuttin' Divas the challenge is anything goes!

I hope to be back later, or tomorrow morning with my DT card that I should have posted yesterday for Cute Card Thursday .. .. first though I have to go shopping as the cupboards are bare.  At least my car is now back on the road so I can escape from time to time!  Catch up with you all later - bye for now!

Jingle Bells

Just the one picture today, and not a frill in sight!  When I saw that the Winter Wonderland challenge was for bells, I immediately thought of this cutie on the Penny Black clear set Jolly Follies, and the text is from a very old little clear set. My base is a dark green card from my stash in a tent fold with an inner to match the outer - I need several simple designs like this for DH to give out to his friends and clients so I might repeat this one.

I've coloured the stamped image with my Copic pens then cut out with Marianne Design die CR1202.   The patterned paper is also from Marianne Design and has the look of layers, but isn't - so a quick and easy card.

I am feeling rather tired again - a few ups and downs recently and lack of sleep has got to me.  I was hoping for a good night last night, but the b**** car alarm went off at 4.45 this morning!  I suspect my neighbours cats were dancing on the bonnet again - I'll give 'em dancing if I get my hands on 'em!

Anyway - I am best left in the grumpy corner today so will catch up with you all later - although the postman might cheer me up as I've had email notification that my new Marianne dies are on their way, and also a couple of new Copic pens for my collection  .. .. I might just be tempted to do a little light colouring then!

And, one last thing, the Marianne Design Challenge blog have candy!

look at that beautiful collection of crafty loveliness!  I'm entering - are you?

A very frilly Frilly Christmas card!

Well I didn't get to press the button yesterday for this card, and Mat spent time with my machine in bits to try and see what was slowing thing down .. .. he will be getting a few extra 'bits and bobs' for it then fingers crossed I will be speeding along nicely.  Unlike the car .. .. but that's another story!

So, here is my next Frilly creation, and I went to town rather on the decoration taking my inspiration from Neline Plaisier's Christmas designs in the Marianne Design the Collection brochure #7 on page 6.  I've used my new ivy, snowflake and flower dies - will give you the list of numbers at the end. My base card is again cut with the Go Kreate large frame Filly #10 and the paper on the top is from my scrap box - I think it was probably a magazine freebie some time ago.  I am trying very hard to use up the paper stash .. .. The image is cut out with a Nestie circle and matted with a couple of scallop circles, then behind that I have a Marianne Design circle with the embossed areas inked with dark blue chalk ink.

The image is a little mouse from the Penny Black clear set Holly Day Critters, coloured with Copics, with a pearl pen to create the snowflakes and stardust Stickles over the ice patch.  I've also added a blob of stardust Stickles to the centre of my snowflakes too and used a pearl pen to add the white pearls to the centre of the flowers.  I've inked the ivy sprays, some more than others, and the flowers with the dark blue chalk ink and found just enough dark blue paper to cut the snowflakes, although I think they would have looked better if not quite so dark.

Here's the list of Marianne Design dies I used on this card:

large circle from LRO141
ivy corners CR1253
flowers from CR1251
snowflake from COL1330

The Totally Gorjuss blog challenge is Christmas in July, Addicted to Stamps would like to see lots of layers, and over at Charisma Cardz they want you to make your own embellishments, well I nearly always do!

I've got Frillies!

Yes, after weeks of trying to decide between the different shapes and sizes, I finally ordered a set of Go Kreate Large Frame Frilly #10 dies - and what wonderful service, they came the following day!  Of course, now I want another set .. .. but will have to wait a month or so for the piggy bank to fill back up!  I've had no problems cutting through a double layer of card to create my blank, making sure I didn't go all the way through on the spine so I had a card .. .. and then cutting a paper layer to fix on the top.  Expect to see several shaped cards in the next few days .. ..

But this is my first design, a Christmas card with Lili of the Valley's stamp, the perfect snowman, coloured with my Copics then a touch of Lace Stickles for the snow.  I've embellished with various Marianne Design snowflakes, and had to strategically place a couple of them when I discovered that I hadn't washed my hands well enough after picking strawberries from the garden - oops!  I've also added lots of Stickles to the snowflakes too, a real sparkly number under the lights, but not showing up too well in my pictures.





Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge is for snowmen or snow-women this week and Holly Jolly are also looking for snowmen, and I think I can just about manage to enter the Christmas Card Challenge for snowflakes.

I'm supposed to be tidying up the table and putting crafty things away before the grandkids arrive, but I might just finish off another frilly card I have almost made, then I can schedule it to share with you tomorrow.  Enjoy your day!

Christmas in July

As I had my Copic pens out on the table I thought it might be an idea to colour some Christmas images and get started on those festive cards.  This little cutie is from Lili of the Valley and called Milly Winter Window.

I have a few challenges I can enter with my sweet festive card: both Sweet Stampin' and Crafty Catz blog challenges are for Christmas in July, while the Cutie Pies challenge is pretty in pink, and the Papertake Weekly theme is dieing for a punch.

And the theme for the monthly challenge over on LOTV's Ideas to Inspire blog is for a touch of pink - perfect!

I've created a tent fold card with a scallop blank then added the mats and pretty papers before decorating with lots of Marianne Design die cut pieces.  These are the dies I've used:

star border - LR0134
holly sprays - LR0244
mini poinsettias - LR0142

I have to do a bit of tidying up now as the grandkids are coming on Sunday, plus there was a swarm of flying ants in the conservatory yesterday evening that caused a minor panic!  I went around with the fly killer, Jason siliconed up the hole they were flying out from, and after leaving them to die I had to go and dyson up the bodies.  The spray has left a residue on the windows so guess what I'm doing later today .. ..

Whatever you are doing, enjoy your weekend and hopefully the sun will keep shining wherever you are.

Beside the Sea

It's time again for our next challenge over at Cute Card Thursday, and with memories of the summer we have just had (as it's now raining), the theme is beside the sea.  Our sponsor for this challenge is Heather's Hobbie Heaven, pop on over to the CCT blog to read about the prize and see the rest of the DT seaside inspiration.

I have scrambled over boxes and retrieved my Copic pens .. .. I've given up waiting for the new furniture to arrive and with Jason off on holiday next week it can stay put in the warehouse until he comes back.  The image is one of my older Penny Black stamps, as is the postcard tucked in behind it, and I've coloured with my Copics - but I am out of practice and haven't got the shading quite the way I wanted.  The little shells are all stamped from various collections of clear and rubber I have accumulated over the years, and again coloured with my Copics.  The paper and that swirly wave are freebie magazine papers by Nitwits, and finally I've added the diecut leaf sprays and shimmery pearls, although the ones by the shells aren't showing up in the picture.

The Kreative Stamping Friends blog challenge is for summer holiday creations, and Crafty Creations are also looking for summer cards so I will enter my card with both of them.

Another go at Shabby Chic

I've been messing about again and trying to make a card in the shabby chic style.  My starting point was a very old Papermania paper pack of suitably shabby chic paper with a page already printed with little squares.  I simply cut out a 4 square piece, edged it with the embossed faux stitches and inked around with Antique Linen DI.  I did the same with the mat and the under layer from another sheet of the paper.

I wasn't sure where to go next with it but from my perusal on Pinterest I knew I would need pearls, a bit of lace, possibly some ribbon, flowers and swirly bits. So, I set to with my Marianne dies and the tiny Martha Steward hydrangea punch and a MS lace edge punch, getting very inky fingers with the DI and not really knowing how it was going to turn out!

I am still not sure about the smoky blue organza bow but it's too late now to change it as it's well and truly stuck down.  I found a button that matched the colour scheme and tied a bit of string through it before fixing over the heart, hopefully you can see the shimmer on it as I took the picture under my work lamp.

These are the Marianne Design dies I've used:

flower -LR0111
butterfly - LR0153
leafy swirls - LR0271
heart - COL1307

The Divas by Design challenge is anything goes, so here goes with my shabby chic card!

It's a boy!

Here in the UK we have a new baby Prince, and it so happens I had a card already made up in blue!  A while back I treated myself to the pram die from Marianne Design and it has cut out beautifully from heavy white paper - I've heard say it can be tricky on thicker card .. .. will have to try again and see.  I used a subtle blue ink over the embossed areas and cut out paper to fix behind for the hood and cover - certainly a Royal looking perambulator - not the modern buggies we see today!  I wonder which kind the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will choose for their new little Prince?

The card is created just with die cuts from various Marianne Designs, papers from Nitwits and little gems, a fancy ribbon and the plain card for matting and layering.  The pennant across the top I created from the star die, just cutting off the points - wish I had thought of doing that before!

Anyway, here's the list of dies I used:
pennant from star die CR1226
'Baby' and pin - LR0217
pram - LR0218
flowers with pretty heart embossed areas from the new CR1251
blue leaves - LR0226
white prays - LR0106
butterfly - LR0158

The Creative Card Crew challenge is for baby creations in predominantly pink or blue - I'll enter with my blue Baby card.

Shabby Chic maybe?

The card I have to share with you today is my DT creation for the next Totally Papercrafts challenge to make your own flowers - from paper of course!  We are sponsored by Doodle Dragon Studios for this challenge, and the rest of the DT have made some really gorgeous floral cards so do take a look at them on the TPC blog.

My card came about because of Pinterest yet again!  I have seen so many beautiful vintage/shabby chic creations and it is a style that I have tried many times to get right, but somehow it all goes grungingly wrong.  After perusing hundreds of creations I came to the conclusion that what I like is a cleaner, lighter look with lots of pinks and blues. Well, first problem was not having any light pink or blue pp that might fit the bill, but I did have fawn papers from the Nitwits Crab Apple Lane Too collection, and a lighter piece from Quilty Pleasures that I used for to create my flowers.  I've added the embossed faux stitching to the edges and inked with Sahara Sand Versamagic chalk ink - I prefer a chalk ink as I don't make as many mistakes with it as with DI!  To pick up on the touch of pink in my pretty flower pp I found a Coredinations card in my stash, and together with a fawn card I've cut my various Marianne Design die cut pieces.

I've used these Marianne Design dies:

birdhouse and bird - LR0205
fawn fern spray - LR0245
pink fronds - LR0107
flower stamens from the mini poinsettia set - LR0142
flowers - CR1201

I punched the little butterflies with the tiny Nellie's Choice punch and emboss set and finished off with a sprinkling of pearls.

Craft Your Passion blog challenge is for a Thank You card so I can enter my card with them.

Try to keep cool this weekend if you are here in good ole' Blighty! We really shouldn't complain, and me least of all seeing as I'm only a couple of miles from the Atlantic Ocean.  At least I don't have to nag anyone to cut the grass as most of it has turned brown or wilted in the heat, the water butts are now empty and the poor willow tree has dropped most of it's leaves (all over the lawn making it look even more brown).  Thankfully my new bedroom has a double door opening on to the back garden and any breeze cools things down in here .. .. so I might just stay put with a cool drink and browse Pinterest for more inspiration.

Oranges and Lemons

This week on Cute Card Thursday our theme is Oranges and Lemons - nice and refreshing for the sunshine we are having this summer.  Our sponsor for this challenge is Whimsy Stamps, please check out the CCT blog for details and inspiration from the rest of the DT ladies.

As my Copics are put away for the moment, my card is created just with die cuts, all from Marianne Design apart from the scallop circle mat.  I'm a little lacking in the orange but have used orange ink to edge my layers and to add colour to the embossed areas on the bottom daisy layer.  Sorry the picture is a bit blurry, I have the camera set to 'flowers' but it means it's only focusing sharply on certain areas and the back of the card is a bit fuzzy again, at least you get an idea of the many layers I have fixed with 1mm foam tape, so will squish down to post.

Here's a better picture taken head on.  As you can see, I have inked the embossed areas of my die cuts and around the edge of the smaller flower.  The background paper is a piece from my stash - thankfully I found something in yellow!  And for the list of Marianne Design dies I used:

cupcake - LR0160
lace edging - LR0161
lace mat in white - CR1201
yellow mat behind cup cake - LR0180
daisy flowers - LR0106
cut leaves - LR0156

I can enter the Marianne Design Divas challenge to create with lots of layers again, and of course Marianne Design products - I have lots of layers on my cupcake card!  And as promised, a better entry for the Totally Gorjuss theme of something sweet, my lemon cupcake.  Crafty Cardmakers would like to see a birthday creation as they are celebrating their 4th birthday - Happy Birthday! and seize the cake .. ..

Winter White

I've been on Pinterest again and drooling over all the fabulous WOW creations, and even made up my own WOW inspiration board so I could find my favourites at a glance.  And seeing as it is just too darn hot to be outside during most of the day, I stayed in and got to creating a frosty Winter card.

I have used Marianne Design die cuts and the Swiss Dots embossing folder, and of course lots of Stardust stickles that just don't show up in the bigger picture - but at least you can see them on the Poinsettia flower in close up.

Here is the card, I tried hard to get the embossing on the holly garland to show up, I hope you can make it out and see that I've sparkled the berries too.  The text I cut from the same textured card as my bottom layer then curved it and just stuck down the outer letters of each word to add more dimension, hopefully it wont flatten too much in the post.

The list of Marianne Design dies I used:
Holly garland - LR0127, Poinsettia straight - LR0122, cut leaves - LR0128, Christmas text - LR0225

The theme at Crafty Creations is a time to sparkle, perfect for my Christmas card, and the Marianne Design Divas challenge for this month is for lots of layers so here is my first entry into that challenge (with another one to follow tomorrow).

Love Me Do

oo that picture is a bit fuzzy - but hopefully you can get the idea and I wanted to show the inside of the card where I've added a piece of matching paper and a die cut oval to write on.

This is one of those cards that has been in the making for some time - so long I had forgotten I had the Wee stamps bridal image already coloured up, and unfortunately the Copic shades have faded - especially the lavender grey shades I used for his tux. As my pens are in the sideboard with boxes and chairs piled up in front of the door I can't do any touching up.  Hopefully though it's ok, especially as there's lots of white on the card.

Here's a picture head on so you can see the pretty ivy leaf die cut embellishments from another of my new dies from Marianne Design, CR1253.  They were a pain to cut out, worked ok on some shop bought printed paper but not cutting very well on my smooth white, mind you I had the same problem with the oval mat, CR1204 so guess it's the paper I'm using.  I persevered as they are so pretty, and with the stamped text, punched butterflies with tiny gem bodies, and a touch of Stardust sparkle I'm quite pleased with the end result. There's enough interest to make it pretty but flat enough to fit a normal envie and go through the post!

The Created with Love challenge is an anything goes theme so I will enter my card with them, and the Anything Goes challenge is for the same.  At Totally Gorjuss the theme is something Sweet - I think the image is sweet so will enter with them, although I do have something else in mind to do as well, now that the postman has been!