My latest love

It was suggested by a lovely friend that I make some of these and as a thank you I made these for her little girls. I have been shocked with the response to these - orders for 18! They were recommended as 'teacher gifts' for Adam to give, but when I showed them in work I got orders for more and then again, showed them with more orders. Thankfully they are mainly for Christmas! I am going to make a few for the stall too! Getting quite organised now! Don't know why it is insisting on turning the photo. Adam did most of the work on his.

Making carnations

I saw these being made and decided to have a go myself - note to anyone wanting to have a go, ensure you know how you will package the card afterwards!!!! Lesson learnt.

My first box card!

This was for a friend who's boys are so adorable that I had to 'steal' her photo - don't panic, she forgave me :o)

Another holiday 'must make'

We went up Mount Snowdon when we were away and when we returned and I went through the photos I came across on that took my breath away. I'd like to take credit for the photography as an art but it was most definitely luck!

Making something from something

Adam was invited to the cinema for a friends birthday party. Obviously it was to see Pirates of the Caribbean, to which I insisted Mummy needed to be there for guidance lol! The invite was 'themed' and as I struggle to make cards for boys and men I thought I'd adapt the invite into a card. I made no money for these so hope they are legal! The first card was a square flat card but when I needed a card for a friends boy I thought I'd try and make it a little more 'special' and made it into an easel card. Sadly Adam had to loose 2 crayons in the making of these cards - shush though, he doesn't know yet :o

Layout to rival it's subject matter

We have been to Wales twice this year - the first visit was so good we had to go back. I am besotted with it. Far too much to see in a couple of weeks though. This is a photo of the kids once we'd found Swallow Falls, we missed it when we were there a couple of years ago. Betws-y-Coed is such a lovely place with so many stunning falls alongside the pretty town. I had to do this layout more or less as soon as we returned. I'm no artist - my art teacher would agree there, but I wanted a background that mimicked the falls. I had great fun making this work.

Special occasion

calls for special crafting.

It was my 25th wedding anniversary and I was at a loss as to what to make for Mark. I thought of a book with 25 photos in a timeline of memorable moments in our marriage so far - they include the place we met, the church we married and had Adam christened in, all 3 canine babies and of course Adam. I have to say I was impressed Mark got every one of the photo meanings!

Made a series...

of cards!!!!! Get me! I love this simple but stunning design. The papers do all the work really, Dovecrafts Eastern Promise and Laura Ashley. They are simply gorgeous. The different toppers work so well with them too. The blue one was for the 52 card challenge and I really love the little tea bag stamp, it's the 'tag' element of the 3 prompts - clever hey? These will be for sale on my stall at the school Xmas fare.

I'm going to enter this one (my fav one)  into the Sir Stampalot monthly competition, the brief is 'anything goes'.

May Many Many cards!!!!

I'm not going to do a post for each of them - there are far too many!!! I've been taking part in the UKScrappers challenge with the intention of making better cards to sell on a stall at Christmas. It's helped me so much and the kind words from my fellow card makers have given me so much confidence that my cards can hold their own. These are the ones I've not uploaded yet. The flourish 'thank you' and the blue 'teacup' are my favs of these. I love the challenge, love the idea of having 3 prompts and going from there. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it hinders lol!

OMG!!! I am a bad blogger!!!!

I have sooo many makes to upload. I'm not sure I can do it all in one night! I feel more like a proper crafter than I ever have and that may be due to interest in purchasing my wares! WOW, if only I could go back 20 years and start crafting then.

The first of tonight's uploads is this rather yummy layout I've done to compliment my nieces one. The hat is actually Grandma's but both kids were enjoying playing with it and it really suited both of them - very cute they both looked!

I actually planned both of these layouts on a train journey home from meeting friends in Birmingham - the longest train journey I've done in 20+ years. I have a very cute book that I have in my handbag at all times and I've started plotting layouts and cards at any opportunity, believe me it's a great tool when sat waiting during a 2 hour child's party roflol!!!!

oooooh I have been given an award!!!!!

lol, so I'd just like to thank Mum, Dad, Son.......I am sooo excited and thanks Splashbunny for honouring me!!!!

Should I now say 7 things about me? OK then....

1) I love my boy 'to the moon and back'!
2) I am seriously addicted to papercraft - no seriously, I am addicted *-*
3) I luuuurve Rum and Coke - diet coke of course!
4) I am the Queen of picnics - summer and winter ones, infact the winter ones are the best!!!
5) I spend far too long surfing craft blogs - I will probably have seen yours at some time :o
6) If I'm not crafting, I'll be reading - anything, well apart from Martina Cole - I needed therapy after
     reading one of hers!
7) I am a control freak!!!!! I have to have clean, tidy and order - and all have to be done my way *-*

I don't know who to award this to so I may have to return!

And now I am uptodate with this stunning LO

Wow, I have been egocentrical on this update tonight!!! not like me to big up something but I really like this LO.


Again it is of my niece. I love the photo so much and feel it is a little Victorian so I wanted to do a lo to suit. I stressed the heck out of the 12 x 12 and added a touch of stitching. The paper is MME! I made a doily effect from the lace and burnt it with the heat gun to age it as it was way too new looking. I recently (like last night lol) got my hands of these lovely leaf punches I saw at the GNPE and added a few mulberry flowers. The original quote was very small and insipid so I re-did it to make more of a statement. I love the quote and feel it goes well with the LO.

The reason I am behind on 52 card week challenge

Well apart from getting the brief of one completely wrong, I had these to make for the end of term.


I had a few but I also had a nightmare. My original design was a disaster!!!! These are really cute. I asked dh to go our and buy some cotton wool for the bobtails and he came back with THE biggest roll ever - I need to find lots of uses for cotton wool now!!!

A few cards

This is a little card I made using a stamp I HAD to have after reading Craft Stamper magazine! I love it. Here I only used part of the stamp and was surprised how easy this stamp was to only ink part of. The background was made with a brayer and my Juicy pad. With a little organza ribbon and a few pearls I love it!!!


Inspired by the first card I went on the make this one. I made the background lighter which meant I could add more of the stamp. I added a small greeting with white ink too. I love this little pair.


This next one was meant for the 52 card challenge. But I messed up big time. One of the prompts was for it to be unisex and although some men are in touch with their feminine side I think this would be pushing it. All the same though, I think this is a lovely simple card for ds to give to a school friend at a party. Some times I think giving handmade cards on this occasion is a little over the top if they are too detailed so this simple idea fits the bill imo!


This card was also for the challenge. I love this card and love the sentiment. Sadly it is now in my card box unsold as I left it a little late. The prompts for this were red/folded/journalling.


Ah, now this is my little baby! I struggle - like most - with mens cards and I had to make Dad's for him to take home. I bought these lovely stamps at the GNPE and basically had a night of pure fun!!!! Inks galore here. I used a linen cardstock for the map and spritzed with dylusions mica spray. Added distress/versafine inks - about 3 in total. When you touch this card you get a wow!!!!


This one is also a male triumph for me! I love the personal touch to this! Sometimes I am unsure of a reaction to my cards but I know Dad will love this one - the other isn't his bag but I hope he appreciates the techniques, but this one he will love!

That is me uptodate on the card side - sadly I am about 4 weeks behind on the 52 card week challenge but I hope to catch up this week.
tfl!

Lo's a go-go!!!

After the GNPE I was inspired to craft and made 3 LO's in one week!!!! Go me!


This was the first. It uses the crackle effect I saw Jo Channon do on Create and Craft.My first try turned into a happy accident. Not quite like this but given the idea I had, it did work - check out the valentines I did with a wooden heart on. So when I got a chance to see Jo demo this effect, she walked me through it and this matt is the outcome! I did this that night I was so eager to get it right! The journaling details why I needed to do this LO!


This next LO is one of my favs. It is of my gorgeous niece. My sister asked me to make an album for her and I started with a couple of pages (look back for them). This is one where she is having a rare 'power' nap. We called her the duracell bunny as she would rarely be put down for long. I love the delicate bedding and subtle colouring. She is now very much a tomboy and I felt using pink would not be inkeeping with her as a mini person so I went for lilac. I needed to keep this LO simple and buy using a Tim Holtz mask and distress ink I hope I managed it.. I carefully inked the lace and added a link off a necklace I bought in Sainsbury's.



This last of the trio for some reason doesn't photograph well and definitely looks better irl! I used acrylics to create the 12 x 12, used a mixture of bubblewrap, acrylic paint and stamps to create the pattern. I made a mask on my Robo to make the title and added a few flowers. The little flower on the bottom of the picture is made using a couple of pieces of a friends necklace that broke on her - I love utilising effectively rubbish! So that is the fruits of my labour for just one week!!!! I was impressed.

My bad!!!!

Ooooh dear, I have let my blog slip - I am sorry! I'm scrolling through my SD card to see what I've done to upload. This is gonna be an upload fest! Actually, it's only been just over a month and I have been a little busy lately with not much crafting sadly.

Ooooh, I did get me over to Harrogates Papercraft extravoganza!!! Not only did I go but I managed to secure a ticket to Art of Hearts Breakfast class too (thanks Alipeeps!). The class was fantastic and I loved getting covered in ink! Best sign of a crafter is to have messier hands than your 7 year old lol!!! Shopping was fantastic and I spent up very very fast!!! I was good, I took cash and promised myself I'd not use the plastic which I just about managed until the very end when I spent £9.99 on a die - not bad given the temptation! I really really enjoyed the day, meeting Ali and I WILL be there in September.

Family traditions...

...are normally passed down, but someone needs to start them! So, we as a little family have started a tradition that on my birthday we go away to a caravan park. We began in 2005 when we went to Berwick upon Tweed (althought we went in September then as Adam wasn't in school) and were to return to Northumberland twice more, but to Haggerstone Castle - and even getting to stay in a van decorated out with Rory! lol, Mark initially was mortified pulling up beside it!

Anyhow, Adam got to bring 'Travelling Bear' with him from nursery and we were to write his little diary and take pics. This was the first, just after we arrived.

I originally did this LO digitally when on our annual van trip last year. I took lappy with me and set to in photoshop using the gorgeous shabby princess papers etc. I normally 'mock' up digi los and then make them up, this one has taken a while though.


I really wish I had more time to scrap! It's my heart's desire and I have sooooo many pages in my head!

52 Week Card Challenge catch up!

Ekkkk, I am behind on here! I am loving taking part in this challenge though and each card is different which I'm really enjoying! To see the brains behind the challenges click here

Wk 10 - Vintage/layers/decorative pins



Wk 9 Lime/grey/handmade embellishment



Wk 8 Raspberry/plastic/just because (my just because was 'just because these stamps won't beat me after I made a seriously pants card with them!!!



Wk 7 Purple/monochrome/thanks

52 Weeks Card Challenge Wk 6 - Valentines, hearts, no red or pink

                                     
this is for my gorgeous son! He will love this as he's animal bonkers. Just to state the obvious, the heart element is the flower petals - well, someone might have not guessed - don't shout!
This is the very first card I have made from a free pack in a magazine! I know, really bad of me but I hate using them up lol. It is of course the nitwits, along with a couple of yummy stamps I have recently acquired, the dotty on top and bottom and the grass.

Valentine for my valentine

I made this card over a course of weeks! I started with the tag background, moved on to the large heart and went from there. The heart was achieved with acrylic paint, glue and a heat gun. I love the wooden effect which goes with the heart! I finished it with layers of embossing and a stamp while it was warm. On the tag I used a freebie stamp which had the fitting sentiment meaning 'time files' as we have been married 25 years in May. With a few Robo cogs, clock backing paper and a sentiment and here it is!
                                              
                                     
                                                
I really love making tags - this is only the 3rd apart from some I did at Christmas for gifts - but it is a great way to play :o