100th Blog Post!

I didn't intend this post to mark the 100th posting I've made on my blog as I hadn't noticed this was my 100th post LOL! The only reason I noticed was because a fellow blogger has also made her 100th posting and is running a giveaway. If you've never come across this lady's blog then you're in for a treat as her projects are stunning and very different!
The blog is called Dips Designs - follow the link and join in the giveaway while you're there. Dips is on the design team for Tonic Studios and they have given her a complete set of Verso Corner Dies as the giveaway prize.

You have until 31st December to enter - Good Luck!

Lothian Crafts December Challenge

I'm a bit late posting this - should have been yesterday LOL!

For the challenge this month Elaine has chosen the theme of 'Christmas - using your dies'. A very open theme that could be something other than a card so let's see lots of entries this month and you could win £10 to spend at Lothian Crafts Online.

Here's my card for this month:

An easel card and Mirri card - a camera's nightmare combination LOL!

It's difficult to see from the photo but the backing paper (from a Joanna Sheen cd) has tiny golden bells tied together with red ribbon on it. The 'Noel' is a metal embellishment from an old QVC kit.

The dies I've used are:

Marianne Design Creatables - Bauble and Bell

Marianne design Craftables - Passe - partout round (I used the smaller circle die from this set to stick to the back of the rosette.

Marianne Design Creatables - Circles (The largest die was used to make the gold circular mat.)

Lea'bilities - Border Corner Holly

The challenge is open until 4th January 2014 so pop over to the Lothian Crafts blog and join in - good luck!

Simply Square Two!

I'm pushing my luck here but I've just finished making a second card for the CD Sunday Challenge Simply Square. It's way past the 1pm deadline but it's not a sponsored week so hopefully I've managed to sneak it past Jenny LOL!
A work colleague asked me to make a Christmas card for her mother. My colleague has lost her dad this year so wanted something special to give to her Mam. I took a craft magazine into work and showed her a card design which she liked so this is my interpretation of it.

Mirri card is very difficult to photograph - the colour is a bright red as in the swirl at the bottom left. The cd I've used was free with  Complete Cardmaking with your PC (Issue 46). I've used the text backing paper and the 2 topper images of Barkley which were all printed on photo paper. The Merry Christmas die cut (cut from red Mirri) has a Santa hat hanging over the 'M' and I've used some shiny glittery 'stuff' (similar to Stickles but cheaper) on the bobble and the edging of the hat. The 'To Mam' was made in Craft Artist and I'm quite pleased with the colour match. There's lots of mats, layers and die cuts on this one - not my usual style and I must admit I've become a bit bored with it because of the length of time it's taken me to make it. I've still got the insert to do but will check with my colleague on Monday as to how she wants it.
The dies I've used are:
Sizzix - Merry Christmas with Holly Sizzlit
Cheery Lynn -  Tropical Flourish
Marianne Design Craftables - Passe-Partout Round
XCut -  Nesting Dies Circles

Simply Square

I'm usually the last person to enter the CD Sunday Challenge, rushing to get it blogged by 1pm, but this week I've managed to enter the day the theme was announced! The theme is Simply Square and today I've been busy finishing a card someone asked me to make for them. A work colleague asked me to make a card for her daughter's 50th birthday which is in December. When I asked what her daughter liked she told me she was quite trendy and was 'one of those people who liked a glass of wine with her evening meal'! I decided to use an image and papers from the Crafters' Companion Frou Frou Cd rom. I have both the CD rom and the Craft Artist digi kits so I played around with them in Craft Artist.

The '50' was also created in CA and I made the hatpins myself while watching Strictly last night.

The dies I've used are Cheery Lynn French Flair Doily Stacker (2 sizes), Cheery Lyn Dec Lace Corner and Sizzix Mini Paper Rosette. The largest pink Centura pearl mat was embossed using a Stamposaurus Stencil.
Confession time! I made a huge mistake when sticking the pink and white layers to the card. I had the card facing the wrong way and the crease is now at the top. I'm taking the card to work tomorrow to show her and if she wants it changed to a side opening I'll have to cut the front off and glue it to a new card blank. Fingers crossed that she likes it as it is!

I came second with the above card.

Travels Abroad

I didn't think I'd have time to enter the CD Sunday Challenge this week with the theme of Travels Abroad. But I've very quickly put together this digital scrapbook page:

 

 

Hubby and I have been to all the places depicted by the images. The photograph is of me and a street donkey statue in Gran Canaria on holiday in January this year.

 

I've used Serif Craft Artist and several digi kits - Euro Tourist, Paradise Island and Paddington's Tea Party (the small brown suitcase!).

 

Lothian Crafts November Challenge

A nice easy challenge at Lothian Crafts Online for this month so no excuse not to join in LOL! The theme is 'Must use Marianne Design dies' and the prize is £10 to spend at the online shop.

For my DT item I made a really simple and quick card.

 

 

I used a 6 by 6 scalloped card blank and then embossed a slightly smaller piece of card using a snowflake border embossing folder that was free with a craft magazine. I printed the Crafters' Companion Barkley image onto card and then cut and embossed it using the Marianne Design Creatable Circles die. I also cut and embossed the larger frame die from the same set. I finished the card off with some large clear gems to add a bit of sparkle.

I've been asked to make a 50th birthday card and I think this would look nice with the number 50 in the middle of the die cut (minus the snowflakes of course LOL!)

This set of dies are really pretty - there's 4 dies in the set. The picture of the dies doesn't really show how pretty the die cuts look after they've been cut and embossed.

 

The dies I have used are Marianne Design Creatables Circles LR0180

 

Good luck in the challenge!



Double Spooks!

Why 'double' spooks? Because I'm entering this card into two blog challenges and the theme for both of them is Spooky! I love Halloween and it's great to see so many other crafters like it enough to make Halloween themed items.
Every item I've used to make this card is more than 6 months old - in the case of the Fiskars Texture plate it's more like 7 or 8 years old LOL!
The hedgehog is half of a Penny Black stamp called 'Guess'. I put masking tape over his companion before inking the stamp up. The poor thing looks as if he's shaking in his shoes (do hedgehogs wear shoes?). I'd be just as terrified if a real spider was dangling above me but this one is too cartoony to bother me. I know it's irrational but I hate the things - especially when they start moving, that's me gone in the other direction!

 

 

I've used a backing paper that was free to download from Bearly Mine Designs.  A warning if you click the link - there's some seriously scrummy downloads and there's also an online shop. I've embossed black Core'dinations card with a spider's web Fiskars Texture Plate then sanded it back to reveal the Kraft card core. All the stickers are from Poundland bought about 2 years ago and I've still loads left. My local Poundland  doesn't seem to be stocking as much craft stuff now, I used to spend loads in there! Finally I added the Penny Black hedgehog that's been separated from his kind friend who was bringing him a birthday present.

 

The challenges I'm entering are:

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Penny Black stamp 'Guess'

Oldie but A Goodie Challenge - Everything I've used is more than 6 months old.

 

 



CD Sunday - Butterfly

When I saw the theme for CD Sunday was Butterfly I knew there was only one CD to choose - Butterfly Bliss by Artylicious. The papers on this CD are so vibrant - I couldn't choose between pink or orange so printed them both off. Eventually I decided to use both colours and combine them by paper weaving them!

The butterflies are from the same cd. I've used a Sakura gelly roll Stardust pen to follow the veins in the wings but it doesn't show at all in the photo. I glued aurora borealis gems to the thorax and they've picked up the colours of the butterflies. 

♫ Fly me to the moon............♫

 

♫  Let me play among the stars
Let me see what spring is like
On a-Jupiter and Mars  ♫

So why have I been singing this tune all week? That's down to the team at CD Sunday LOL! They've chosen the theme 'To the moon and back' and ever since I've read it I've had it in my brain!
I've managed a couple of cards to fit the theme this week. The first one was designed in Serif Craft Artist using backing paper and an image from DoCrafts Digital Designer Forever Friends Black and Gold and a moon image from one of my many digi kits. It's my wedding anniversary on Sunday so I thought this card would be very suitable.

 

 

And today I managed to make another card fit the theme using 2 cds. The star backing paper is from Sharon Duncan's Everyday Embossabilities. The silhouette is from a very old Card Creations Plus Cd dating back to 2000 that just has Silhoupage Images on it. I bought in the days of Alan and Barry having their own website before Card Creations Plus had even been on Create and Craft.

 

 

I've used a Marianne Design Craftables die for the frame called Passe Part-Out Round and finished it off with bling.

This week the challenge is sponsored by Creative Crafting World who have provided a mega prize of a CD, gift bags and card.

All together now:

♫ Fill my heart with song and
Let me sing forever more
You are all I long for
All I worship and adore ♫

 

Lothian Crafts October Challenge

Elaine at Lothian Crafts has used a sketch for the October theme.

 

 

I decided to make a Christmas card for my Design Team project and used a Marianne Design die that I bought recently from Lothian Crafts Online as prices were reduced in their birthday celebrations.

 

 

 

 

The snowflake backing paper is from a CD rom and printed into photo paper. I used an image from Greeting Card Factory Deluxe and framed it using white Centura pearl card die cut with the second largest of the dies in the set. I also embossed snowflakes in the corners of the frame using part of a Crafts Too embossing folder. I then die cut 3 small squares using the smallest die from Crafts Too Frames 9 and also embossed them with snowflakes from the Crafts Too embossing folder. I needed a mat to go under the mitten embellishment and realised the middle section of the Crafts Too embossing folder was the perfect size! I embossed it onto Centura pearl card and cut around the outside edge. 

 

The dies I used:

 

Marianne Design Craftables - Passe Partout Square (CR1240)

Crafts Too - Frames 9

 

The challenge will end on 31st October so plenty of time for you to make a card and enter - good luck!



Snow People!

I've managed to make a card for the challenge at CD Sunday! The theme this week is Snow People so I thought it just had to be a Christmas card - that's my third Christmas card I've made this year and it's still only September LOL!
I used an image from Hallmark Card Studio and framed it with blue Centura pearl card. I then used a Marianne Design die to cut another frame from white Centura pearl card. I also embossed the white frame using parts of a Crafts Too embossing folder. It was quite tricky to just emboss the snowflakes and to get them in the right place on the frame - I don't think it worked that well so won't be trying that again LOL! I also cut small mats using a set of Crafts Too dies and put snowflake embellishments on them. The greeting is from a very old set of Dufex stickers.

This card was a trial run of a card I've made for the Lothian Crafts Challenge. The theme will be announced on 1st October. The dies I've used can be bought from Lothian Crafts Online and there's still a chance to get discount in the birthday celebrations which end 30th September.

I'm also entering this into the 'Oldie but a goodie' Challenge. Several things I've used I've had for longer than 6 months. The Hallmark Card Studio I've had for at least 6 years! The Crafts Too embossing folder and the Dufex sticker are also more than 6 months old.

I came first with the above card.

Shop til you drop!

CD Sunday have a theme this week that's close to most women's hearts - shopping! I've used Serif Craft Artist to design this card using digikits from Crafter's Companion - Frou Frou Elegance and Frou Frou Vanity. You can lose a lot of time when using Craft Artist! I've used 2 materials to mat and layer the topper and added pearls to the top and bottom of the design.

 

 

 

White on white butterflies.

I've often admired white on white cards so decided to have a play with my stash and came up with this:

The butterfly embossing folder and butterfly die were free in magazines. The mat is cut using a Joy! Crafts Die - Frame Square. I then added small white pearls to the centres of the butterflies and flowers.

I'm entering this into the following challenges:
 Flutter By Wednesday's - challenge  #251 Anything goes with a butterfly or fairy.
Bearly-Mine Challenge - #102 Anything Goes.
Creative Card Crew - #44 Things with Wings.

Lothian Crafts 7th Birthday and Blog Challenge

As part of the birthday celebrations Lothian Crafts have started doing monthly blog challenges. Elaine, from Lothian Crafts, needed a Design Team and I was one of the lucky 5 people to be chosen. The theme for September is Anything Goes - must use dies. The Design Team have to use any dies that Lothian Crafts Online sell on the web site.
I decided to make a stationery wallet complete with notecards, envelopes and writing paper.

This is the front cover of the wallet:

 

The wallet plus the notecards and writing paper:

 

 

The inside of the wallet with the contents in place: 

 

To make the wallet I used a YouTube video but adapted it as I wanted to have sides to stop the contents falling out. I used an A3 piece of card and after scoring and folding I cut it down to the size of the writing paper. I decorated the front of the wallet using the dies listed below. The flourish looks different to the image on the website because I cut into it and added the sections in different places. I then decorated the wheelbarrow and watering can with flower stickers.The notecards were made from the same card as the wallet and cut to A6 size. I scanned one and opened it in My Craft Studio, cropped it to size and placed an image in the top right and bottom left corners. I found some gardening themed peel offs in my stash and decorated the inside of the wallet.

 

The dies I used were:

 

Crafts Too - Frames 9 (the largest die in the set)

Marianne Design Creatables - Wheelbarrow and watering can (LR0260)

Cheery Lynn Designs - Fanciful Flourish (B117)

 

You have until the 30th September to enter the challenge so get those dies out and start creating! You could be the winner of a £10 voucher to spend on dies at Lothian Crafts Online - good luck!

Elaine is also offering 15% discount on orders over £50 as part of the birthday celebrations.



A few more cards

I've been looking through photos of cards I've made and found a few more that I haven't blogged.

This first one was for an aunt of my husband's who loves the colour lilac.

This next one was for my older sister.

My youngest sister's card. 

The next 2 went to the same friend - one for her 'special' birthday and one to cheer her up when she was down.  

 

The next 2 were for a card swap on one of the forums I belong to.

 

And finally a wedding card for a colleague who got married in Rhodes just 2 weeks ago. 

Notelets

The theme for the CD Sunday Challenge this week is Quick and Cute so I decided to make some notelets.
The first ones are from MCS Quintessential Country Garden Disc 1. I just resized a topper, copied so that there was 2 on a page and printed them onto light weight card. I like the sweet little birds in this design.

 

 

I then made some using a cd called Country Birdhouses from Crafts at Country Graphics which I bought from eBay back in 2008 so I don't know if they're still in business. I opened the image in MCS and resized it.

 

 

Lastly I used Greeting Card Factory version 9 to make these really cute kitty ones.

 

 

I used the template for notelets so I didn't need to resize them. I added a pink background, the pewter frame and the kitten photo. I think these are my favourites as I love cats/kittens.



Snowflakes - in this heat!

Today I've been making a Christmas card and melting in this hot, hot weather!
Christmas in July is the theme for the CD Sunday Challenge this week which is why I've been making a Christmas card.
I'm also entering this card into an new blog challenge that started this week - Through the Purple Haze.
I've used a card style that I'd seen in a craft magazine and adapted to suit my needs. It's an easel card topped with a huge rosette. The snowflake paper is from the Do Crafts digital designer range - Papermania Christmas Past. I love snowflake designs and have loads of things in my stash with them on.

Through the Purple Haze has 2 challenges going at the moment and I'm entering the 'Anything Goes' challenge. In the other challenge you have to use something by Indigo Blue and I only have their gilding flakes so can't enter that one.

I came third with the above card.



Fashionable hat!

I bought 2 cds recently by Katy Sue Designs called Fabulous shoes and Fabulous Fashion and I love the images on them. So when I saw the theme from CD Sunday was 'Hats' I knew which cd I was reaching for!
I started with the hat image from Fabulous Fashion and cut it into a circle. I then pleated ribbon around the edge - it took me an hour and a half to get it right! I missed the first two sets of the Wimbledon final but managed to catch the nail biting last one!
I wanted a backing paper to match the material on the crown of the hat but there isn't one on the cd so I made my own by drawing lines on a beige piece of card. I picked 2 Promarkers to draw the lines - the colours in the photo aren't true but in RL they match very well, even if I say so myself!

 

I finished the card off with lots of die cuts, the 'green' die cuts are white card coloured with the same green Promarker I'd used to make the BP. I had used card candi on two of the corners but used the wrong glue and they wouldn't stick properly. When I took them off I'd damaged the BP - hence the green triangles under the corner die cuts.

Crafts-too challenge blog and giveaway.

Crafts-too have set up a new challenge blog with 2 challenges a month:
'A new challenge will begin on the first Friday of the month. There will be one theme for that month but each fortnight there will be a new 'Twist' where the challenge will have a different focus to add to the main theme'.
To launch the new blog they're also having a giveaway which ends on 31st July.

 

Pop over to the blog and follow the instructions here to enter the giveaway.

Christmas shopping!

I decided to join the Penny Black Saturday Challenge and make a 'Christmas in July' card.
The backing paper is from the Christmas Past cd by Docrafts Digital Designer. The stamped image is 'Favorite Time' by Penny Black and is coloured in with Promarkers. I'm not very good at colouring in and rarely use my Promarkers - I must spend sometime finding out how to do shading.

Dance

CD Sunday have chosen the theme of Dance this week. I've been busy making ATCs this week so my card is a digital one from Greeting Card Factory.

Kimono

The theme on CD Sunday is Kimono and on the Ribbon Girl blog it's 'pink' so I've combined the two themes and made this card:

I've used 2 cds, one is Joanna Sheen Oriental Dreams for the backing paper. And the kimono is a combination of 2 designs printed on top of each other. The plain pink background is from Serif Frou Frou - elegance then I overprinted it with another design from the JS cd. I used a template to make the kimono then finished it off with some sparkly peel offs.

Birthday card swap part 2

These are the rest of the cards that I made for people in the birthday card swap.

 

This last one I've had to lighten the photo so that the embossed background shows up. In real life the red is a deep red - more like the colour of a post box!

 

Birthday card swap part 1

 For the past year I've belonged to a birthday card swap and these are some of the cards that I made. I've used a range of techniques using stamps, inks, embossing folders, punches and card kits.