Owl and Moon

My fallen-to-pieces copy of the French Lieutenant's Woman is still going strong and here I've stamped it with a little owl, cut it out and clear embossed it. The background is a Papermania stamp and I embossed a metal sheet and added a cardboard owl that I UTEED  while back when I had the melt-pot out,

I'd like to enter:
Artful Times- owls
Shopping Our Stash  stamped background
Allsorts For the guys

Tyre Swing

The boy on a tyre swing is a free SVG from The Lady Wolf. I really like it because I think it could equally be my little boy swinging, or one of my brothers when we were kids - kind of timeless. Everything has been coloured with distress ink , and I used an old Woodware stamp for the pattern.

I'd like to enter
City Crafter birthday card with banners
Twisted Tuesday sunshine and playful
Die-cuttin Divas male
Creative Knockouts Summer's Coming

Guest Designer at Scrapping 4 Fun

Today, I'm delighted to be one of the Guest Designers at Scrapping 4 Fun challenges for their 'Father's Day' challenge.

The image is from Mo's Digital Pencil and I paper-pieced it and coloured it with Promarkers. The newspaper is from a Crafter's Companion CD.

Thanks for having me, Scrapping 4 Fun.

I'd like to enter:
Charisma Cardz Father's Day
Delightful Sketches masculine
Addicted to Stamps  make your mark
Simply Create Fathers Day

Festive 48 - Week 20

A simple card this week. I used a pre-glittered die-cut sentiment from My Mind's Eye , a scrap of patterned paper, kraft cardstock, rick rack and a Bo Bunny brad.

Just to recap, I have challenged myself to make a Christmas card every week , and post it here (to make sure I do it!) . If I do this, by the beginning of December I will have 48 Christmas cards. I have also issued an invitation to anyone who would like to join me by linking up ONE card each week. This link up is ALWAYS 'Anything Christmas Goes'. 

Thank you to everyone who's joined me so far. I love seeing your cards. 

I'd like to enter: 
Cute Card Thursday text only 
That's Crafty kraft
Christmas Stampin  anything goes
Festive Friday photo 

An InLinkz Link-up

Gift for a Baby

Just how do you pose a blanket? 

Just sharing a padded cot cover I made for a new baby - baby is nearly four weeks old and, as I had almost nine months notice, this is shamefully late.

It's nothing complicated at all - just a piece of fabric cut in half and sewn together with wadding. However, sewing is not my strong suit, so I am ridiculously pleased with myself for getting it done.

Xmas Shopping

An extra Christmas card this week , as I'm off work. I made a stepper card and used the shopper silhouette from SVG Cuts and Carta Bella Winter Fun digikit for the patterned paper. The city in the background was made from cutting files, but I didn't cut them out , just printed the shapes onto the patterned paper. I added lots of glitter.

I couldn't go shopping in those heels!

I'd like to enter:
Holly Jolly  Fancy folds
Tis the Season  photo - inspired by the buildings
Winter Wonderland Christmas Shopping.
Fab n Funky  Christmas

Sunflower Fairy

This week's challenge at CD Sunday  is 'tots to teens' and I thought I'd like to make a card suitable for a teenage girl.

The fairy with the stone 'grotto' , sunflowers and bee are from Debbi Moore Garden Fairies Grotto cards CD. The background paper and bunting are scraps , and I added glitter and gems.

See the glitter!

As well as CD Sunday , I'd like to enter:
Crafty Boots  bees
Use your Stuff bling
Open-minded Crafting Fun  fairytale or fantasy

Pinspirational Challenge 109 - Cowgirl

Here's this week's photo inspiration from Pinspirational Challenges :

For my DT card I used some stickers by October Afternoon, with some paper scraps. I think one of   my nieces would like this, so I will probably put it away till her birthday later in the year.

How does the photo inspire you? Come and join us at Pinspirational  where we have great sponsors and prizes to be won.

I'd like to enter:
The Squirrel and the Fox Let's hear it for the girls
Stampin for the Weekend For the girls

My New Kitchen Clock

We recently had a new kitchen fitted and , in the 'excitement' our clock got smashed.

I bought an acrylic clock kit years ago and then didn't know what to do with it. Now I have the Silhouette electronic die-cutter,I realised that I could use adhesive vinyl for it. So, the bird, branches and letters were all cut out on the Silhouette cameo which should have been a quick and simple task but of course, I had to have a few dramas along the way....

So the result is a very imperfect clock, but one I quite like, and now it's hung up on the wall, you can't see the mistakes.

I'd like to enter:
Eclectic Ellapu spring
Quirky Crafts time
Artistic Impressions anything goes with wings

Make My Monday - Sophisticated

Humour is so individual, so I hope at least somebody finds this funny! It is my DT card for the new Make My Monday  challenge 'A Card to Make you Laugh'.

I used a digi from A Day for Daisies - I'm not sure it's supposed to , but she's always looked  a bit sozzled to me- and added the text. I coloured with Promarkers and spotty paper and added a die-cut cocktail glass.

Please come over to Make My Monday  ,see what the DT have done and enter your own funny card. Hopefully , you'll make me laugh.

I'd like to enter
Oddball Stamps  Girly and Glam
Corrosive Challenges anything goes

What's Cooking?

I thought these 50s images would make a fun 'new home' card.  The kitchen image and the woman sticker are by October Afternoon, the sentiment is Little Claire and the chipboard coffee pot and heart were magazine Freebies.

I'd like to enter:
City Crafter - 'What's Cooking?'

May the Juice be with you

Just sharing how I customised this drink bottle for my Star-Wars-mad son. I downloaded two free fonts, one called Distant Galaxy and the other one a Star Wars dingbats font, containing the Darth Vader silhouette. I cut them out of blue vinyl on the Silhouette Cameo.

Rainbow

A few months ago I bought some gelatos but I only got round to opening them last night!

Inspired by challenges at Card Making Mamas, Seema Crafts and Crafty Calendar , I used the gelatos to draw a rainbow on watercolour paper. Then I sprayed it with water and sqwudged it all about using my fingers and a baby-wipe.

Then, inspired by the 'tear it up' challenge at Quick Quotes, I tore all the edges of my watercolour paper.  I stamped the woman, butterflies and floral rain (Stampin Up), sentiment (Papermania) , punched out some flowers and added liquid pearl.

Inkspirational Word Prompt - Bloom

Is this card too weird?

A huge metal flower bursts out from the gates of an old mansion!

I made the flower by die cutting a metal sheet (Tim Holtz die) , embossing it and colouring it with alcohol inks.  I stamped the gates (Kanban) , birds, and sentiment (Craft Stamper freebie) and dry embossed the mount.

At Inkspirational  we have a word prompt - 'bloom' - to interpret as you like. Come over and see what the DT and our wonderful Guest Designer, Julie have done.

I'd like to enter:
Sentimental Sundays funky flowers
Incy Wincy embossing and bling
Alphabet Challenge handmade embellishment
Brown Sugar anything goes
Scrapping 4 Fun  technique - alcohol inks on metal
Crafty Catz embossing

Festive 48 - Week 19

This weekend, we have summer weather in the south east of England, but I'm keeping up with my vow to make a Christmas card a week.

The central image, sentiment, holly paper and holly frame (which I traced and cut in the Silhouette) , are all from Papermania Enchanted Fairies Christmas CD.

I used a sketch from Tis the Season  and Jingle Belles .(Joint challenge sketch plus bling) .


Just to recap, I have challenged myself to make a Christmas card every week , and post it here (to make sure I do it!) . If I do this, by the beginning of December I will have 48 Christmas cards. I have also issued an invitation to anyone who would like to join me by linking up ONE card each week. 

Thank you to everyone who's joined me so far. I love seeing your cards. 

As well as Jingle Belles/ Tis the Season I'd like to enter: 
Holly Jolly Christmas greenery 
ABC Christmas Challenge  santa/elf
Winter Wonderland  holly
Sweet Stampin Christmas  santa
Christmas Cards All Year Round santa 

An InLinkz Link-up

Floating off

I'm no Picasso, but if anyone were to look over my crafting life story, they would surely call this my 'Balloon Period'. I just can't seem to stop making cards with balloons on them! But what could be more appropriate than a balloon for this 'commission' from my daughter: her friend is moving to a new town to start a new career. It's 'up ,up and away' of course!

This balloon was cut on the Silhouette, edged with a pink Promarker and clear embossed. I made a punched flower and added a blob of liquid pearl.

I'd like to enter:
4 Crafty Chicks no stamping
Addicted to Stamps  anything goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday  travel

Make My Monday - Nature

This week's theme at Make My Monday  is 'nature'.

For my DT card, I made a background using inks, water and spray mists on pearlescent card. Then I stamped the reeds (Judith).  I stamped and inked the dragonfly (Indigo Blu) and cut it out, adding gems. I layered my panel onto pale blue pealescent paper, which I stamped with a wildflower border (Indigo Blu).

I think the theme of Nature could be interpreted in a hundred different ways, so I hope you will come over to Make My Monday and show us what it means to you.

I'd like to enter:
Country View Challenges nature's glories
Love to Scrap  anything goes

Bird on a Branch

This card was inspired by the photo at Addicted to Stamps  and also by a commercially produced card I received that was quite similar to the photo. I cut the bird and branch out of foiled, patterned card, using a Marianne die and also die-cut the flowers.  I stamped the 'happy birthday[' onto patterned paper and added gems ( as usual!).

As well as Addicted to Stamps,I'd like to enter :
Crafting for All Seasons Things with wings
Craftitude die

Bicycle

I pulled this bicycle die-cut from my bits bag - I cut it on the Silhouette a while back but didn't use it. I stippled the embossed background with lavender and violet inks and hung a banner from two mini clothes pegs. I used a Hero Arts woodgrain stamp on the base card.

I'd like to enter:
Inspired by  photo
Cut it up bicycle
Corrosive Challenges  banner day
City Crafter pin it

Happy Birthday Sandie

Happy Birthday to Sandie  who is my team-mate at Inkspirational, a great blogging friend and who I have had the pleasure of meeting in real life.

Sandie lives in London and she loves the city. She is also an expert at CAS. So I have  attempted a CAS-style London-themed card, using part of the tube (underground train) map and the red rings from the London Transport logo ( Artemis) , combined with a sentiment stamp.

Hopefully, Sandie will have received this card before she sees it here!

Nonni is having a birthday linky party for Sandie at her blog Korrtikarkuri-Runaway Cards, so I will be linking up there.

I'd also like to enter:
Fashionable Stamping Challenges  Circle the globe
Shopping our Stash  Sing it to me 'Going Underground' by The Jam
Moving Along with the Times I heard it on the radio 'Going Underground' by The Jam

Festive 48 - Week 18

Just to recap, I have challenged myself to make a Christmas card every week , and post it here (to make sure I do it!) . If I do this, by the beginning of December I will have 48 Christmas cards. I have also issued an invitation to anyone who would like to join me by linking up ONE card each week. 

Thank you to everyone who's joined me so far. I love seeing your cards. 

I'd like to enter:

Holly Jolly traditional colours 
Creative Card Crew music 
Sparkles Christmas  Baby it's cold outside 
Christmas Stampin  anything goes 

An InLinkz Link-up

Pinspirational Challenge 107 - Flowers

Here's the photo for this week's Pinspirational Challenge :

For my DT card I used part of a digi , kindly provided by one of our sponsors, Fresh Brewed Designs  and I tried to echo the field of flowers theme by paper-piecing and layeiring floral papers.

I'm sure you can think of loads of ways of using this theme, so please come and join us at Pinspirational  where, as always, we have fabulous sponsors with wonderful prizes to win.
I'd like to enter
Delightful Challenges petal power
Dragonfly Dreams How does your garden grow?

Make My Monday DT - Owls

Hi everyone - I'm delighted to tell you that I have joined the DT at Make My Monday!

This week's challenge is 'Owls' . For my first DT card I used my Silhouette electronic die cutter. I found pictures of the owl and branch on the internet and made them into cutting files. The doily was a free cutting file made by Monica Bjork. I used gems for the eyes and a stamp for the sentiment.

You must have a stamp, die or sticker of an owl - they are just so cute. I would love you to come and join in at Make My Monday . See you there!

I'd like to enter:

Created with Love Critters
Little Red Wagon spots
Come and Get it birthdays
Incy Wincy  birthdays
My Craft Creations anything goes

Fuzzy Felt

I wanted to enter the challenge at City Crafter - orange, lemon, lime - not easy as they are not colours I would normally use together but I love the bright cheerfulness of them. I found some orange and lime felt and first off, made a big flower - but decided I didn't like it.

These birds are Sizzix Originals dies and the sentiment is a Sizzlits aphabet. I embossed the white card and crimped the yellow.

As well as City Crafter, I'd like to enter this for Crafting when We Can  die cut challenge.

Inkspirational Challenge 56

Here's my DT card for Inkspirational and here's our inkspirational picture:

Before I got the Silhouette electronic die-cutting machine, I thought about it for years, thinking it might make crafting too easy and take away the challenge. How wrong I was! I can spend hours trying to make an idea happen.

For this card, I found online a picture of a girl holding balloons, traced it in the silhouette , welded it to a circle and cutting it. Which all sounds quick and simple but took hours of experimenting to get right!
For my background, I embossed some aqua card.

This week at Inkspirational we reveal our wonderful new DT members,  Kim, Pia L  and Carol . I hope you'll come and join us.
I'd like to enter:
Card Mania  Embossing
Sister Act anything goes
Your Next Stamp photo(colours)
Time Out Challenges time flies (thanks Sandie!)

Festive 48 - week 17

Week 17 already!

And this week I have a top tip for anyone new to using Frantage encrusted embossing - wear mittens- or at least don't get a fragment stuck beneath your nail, as it hurts!

My penguin was cut on the Silhouette, and I layered it up with label die cuts, one of which I dry embossed. I added a border of punched snowflakes with gems and used Frantage embossing powder with fragments, glitter etc. For my layout I used the sketch at Seize the Sketch.

Just to recap, I have challenged myself to make a Christmas card every week , and post it here (to make sure I do it!) . If I do this, by the beginning of December I will have 48 Christmas cards. I have also issued an invitation to anyone who would like to join me by linking up ONE card each week. 

Thank you to everyone who's joined me so far. I love seeing your cards. 

As well as Seize the Sketch , I'd like to enter 
Addicted to Stamps  wings 
Holly Jolly embossing 
Addicted to Stamps holiday 
Fab n Funky Christmas 
Jingle Belles layered 

An InLinkz Link-up

Bon Viveur

I used a sketch to make this card, but I'm not sure if Crafting When We Can will recognise their sketch, I played with it so much!

My circle is square, I originally had the left-hand panel, but got rid of it to show more of the backing paper and ribbon.  Instead of the corner top left, I have the postmark, the ribbon/border is shifted down and instead of a star I used the Eiffel tower. See! 

The central image (pre-coloured), cocktail glasses and lace pattern paper all come from Craft Artist Frou Frou CD. The backing paper was a Craftwork Cards freebie with a magazine. The tower was cut on the Silhouette and can you see I pleated the ribbon? Then I covered most of it up!! 

As well as Crafting When we Can, I'd like to enter:

CD Sunday  ribbon, lace and gems (hope it's okay that the lace is the pattern on the paper and her dress) 

Cupcake Inspirations Paris 

Wags and Whiskers ribbon and bling 

More Beeswax

Here's another card I made when experimenting with beeswax last night.

The fairies image is from a little booklet of alphabets and images that I've had forever. I made the background using inks, stamps,a mask and mists. I covered everything with beeswax and added fine glitter while it was still wet - I like the effect of this,though not sure if it shows up.

As I was just playing around, the layout is quite random! Too random? Who can say!

I'd like to enter:
Sister Act anything goes
Crafting at the Weekend anything goes
Polkadoodles something old ,something new (all the materials are old but the beeswax technique is new to me)

Create and Destroy

So, I was trying beeswax for the first time - I had my craft lamp on, melt pot on, heat gun on.....got the wires tangled and crash - goodbye lamp. (Boohoo!) Good job it wasn't the melt pot that took a dive!

For this card I used an image from a Crafty Individuals pad that I won ages ago, a mix of inks, stamps, beeswax and embellishments.

I'd like to enter:
Oldie but Goodie hats
Alphabet Challenge feathers
Corrosive Challenges headgear

Festive 48 - Week 16

This stamp is an oldie but goodie from Funstamps.  I used Papermania papers, gems, a sentiment stamp glitter and markers.

Just to recap, I have challenged myself to make a Christmas card every week , and post it here (to make sure I do it!) . If I do this, by the beginning of December I will have 48 Christmas cards. I have also issued an invitation to anyone who would like to join me by linking up ONE card each week. 

Thank you to everyone who's joined me so far. I love seeing your cards. 

I'd like to enter:
Holly Jolly - snowman
Tuesday Throwdown - sparkle
52cct - glitter

An InLinkz Link-up

What Does the Fox Say?

The fox with the speech bubble was a free journalling download from Two Peas , and I stamped 'thank you' inside. I added a flower made from UTEE and coloured with gilding wax, a die-cut fence (inked and stamped with woodgrain), and copper-coloured gems. 

I'd like to enter: 

City Crafter speech bubbles

Paper- Crafting Journey spots or stripes