PTI Christmas cards!

Hi everyone!! I'm not going to be able to do much crafting at the moment so I thought I'd schedule this post so that you've all got something to see whilst I'm busy!

I did a BIG Papertrey Ink purchase about a month ago (sorry, forgot to photograph!) and purchased a couple of their new Christmas sets. I'm being very good cos I'm keeping a couple of the other sets to use in the New Year- aren't I good?! Anyway, I wanted to get moving on my Christmas cards so over a few days I made 10 cards which is good for me. I'm loving doing a different, less is more, style. I think from now on, I'll do half my Christmas cards as cute, lots of colouring, sketch based cards (ie my usual style) and then the other half as a sort of PTI stylee!

So here are 3 cards to show you...

With this first card, I'm channelling Dawn McVey here. She gave me the idea of using the swirls from the Holiday Photo Finishers set in this way. The circular sentiment is also from this set which I cut out with a nestie and mounted on the new Damask snowflake die (I LOVE this die!!) I then put Crystal stickles around the sentiment and added nailheads. I popped up the snowflake to add some dimension.

Just as a variation, I added some Poppy PTI ribbon. This time I didn't mount the snowflake up as this is a card order from my Mum and she likes me to do some cards that go through the normal post rather than having to pay extra because I add too much gumpf to my cards!!!

Crafty stash used: Stamps (PTI); Snowflake die (PTI); Nesties; Crystal Stickles; Ribbon (PTI); Nailheads (Josy Rose)

Finally I took my inspiration from Lisa Johnson here on this card. She used some gorgeous swirls as a background so I dug out these swirls from Inkadinkadoo and used Versamark and clear glitter embossing powder. The purple is not quite as dark as it appears on this photo. I used the Peace and Joy sentiment from the Photo Finishers set but I only wanted these 3 words (I think the whole sentiment says something like "... to you and your's this holiday season") in this format so I just masked the rest off so it fitted into a nestie circle. Purple ribbon is PTI.

Crafty stash used: Stamps (PTI, Inkadinkadoo); Embossing powder; Nesties; Ribbon (PTI); Nailheads (Josy Rose)

Hope you enjoyed popping by today and are not getting too stressed about Christmas card making!!! I think I've only got about 12 to make now!!

Anyone for bingo?

Hi everyone! Hope you're all having a good week. I've had an awful few days so this post nearly didn't make it! Spent 7 hours in A&E with my Mum on Friday night eventually getting home at 2.30am! Doctors think she either had a bad reaction to her chemo infusion on Friday and/or she had a mini stroke. She's had to come off all her chemo til she sees the oncologist on Monday and we are awaiting an appointment at the mini stroke clinic. I've had to watch her like a hawk over the last few days. I've not really slept that well and am exhausted.

Anyhow, enough of my doom and gloom... and onto some cards.....

The challenge over at Anything Goes this fortnight is to use our Bingo Board and I made a card for my friend's little girl who will be 1. I loved this challenge- such a fab idea and really challenging cos I wanted to use little extras which meant I'd filled up an extra 1 or 2 boxes!! I decided to go straight across the middle of the board and used buttons, flowers and charms.

Image is of course Magnolia- such a cutie. I coloured her with lyra and watercolour pencils and added copious amounts of Stickles!! Papers are by Papermania. I added some lovely gold embossed swirls around the edges of the card (I was going to use a Sizzix swirl, then realised I couldn't!!) I made the flowers using my Die-namics die.

Hope you will join us in the challenge this week, it's such a fun one and have a look at the rest of the DT's work- it's AMAZING this week!! Such a group of talented ladies and we've all got a different style which makes it so much more interesting to look at!!

Don't forget you can buy your Magnolias and lots of other crafting goodness from The Craft Den!

I'd like to enter this into:

Stamp with fun- green and pink

Sentimental Sundays- handmade flowers

Cutie Sunday- butterflies

Daring Cardmakers- darlin' bugs of May

Crafty stash used: Stamps (Magnolia, Stamping Bella, Inkadinkado); Papers (Papermania); Assorted cardstock; Lyra and watercolour pencils; Copics; Charm; Sewing machine; button; felt; Die-namics die; Leaf (Prima)

I made this for the challenge over at Stamping Bella which this week is a sketch. I used Barbella for a friend's birthday card. She's a gym bunny so I thought it was rather apt. I coloured with watercolour and lyra pencils. As you can see the sketch was quite simple so I kept the image quite simple by just adding some coloured pearls. Sentiment is Papertrey Ink and Paper by My Mind's Eye.

I'd like to enter this for:

Bellarific Friday- sketch

Stamp Something- anything goes

Usual close up! I coloured her outfit to look like Adidas stuff!

Crafty stash used: Stamps (Stamping Bella, Papertrey Ink); Watercolour pencils; Lyra pencils; Copics; Paper (MME); Assorted cardstock; Pearls; Ribbon

A break from the norm...

Hi there crafty people! How is your week going? I'm OK, still pathetically tired from my op. I thought my energy levels would increase dramatically after the op but I've still yet to see it but I remain optimistic! lol. We saw Mum's oncologist on Monday and they have said they would definately still like to give her chemo but when the drain is out. We have to go back for a review in 6 weeks as they have said that a few weeks here or there shouldn't matter for the chemo which is what we were worried about. We just hope and pray for the bile to stop leaking as the sooner she has the chemo the better.

Right enough personal stuff, onto the crafting! As the title of this post reads, my crafting has taken a bit of a different turn this week. We have some non-cute cards and some jewellery!

First up is a card for my Auntie. I really love the papers on this one. The stamp is by Inkadinkado coloured with watercolour pencils. The papers are by Bo Bunny (brown and large dots) and Fancy Pants (small dots). The ribbon was a lighter brown but I coloured it with copics to match the colour scheme.

I'd like to enter this for:

Create 4 Fun Challenge- sketch

Pile It On- bright and breezy ( you can't get more bright and breezy than a sunflower!)

Crafty stash used: Stamp (Inkadinkado); Papers (Bo Bunny, Fancy Pants); Nesties; Watercolour pencils; Ribbon (?); Sunflower (?); Gems (Lakeland); Copics; Button (Walmart); Twine (recycled)

Next up another card for my Auntie. I used the sketch from one of my CPS sketch books. The butterflies are by Stampington and the sentiment is by Stampsmith. Papers are Laura Ashley and I used my new Tim Holtz paper distresser liberally!

I'd like to enter this into:

Cupcake Craft Challenge- Seeing red

Theme Thursday- words

Crafty stash used: Stamps (Stampington, Stampsmith); Papers (Laura Ashley); Assorted cardstock; Paper distresser; Ribbon (recycled); Flower (Ebay); Button (Walmart); Thread; Pearls (Prima)

Whooooo! Something I haven't done in yonks..... some jewellery!!! Here is a necklace and earring set I made for myself. I love the colours and mixture of Swarovski crystals and pearls plus the cord gives it a different twist.

Here is a close up of the necklace beads.... so pretty!

Crafty stash used: jewellery kit (Shiney Rocks)

Ha! You didn't think I could go a whole post without some cuteness did you???!! Here is a card for one of my friend's little boys. Stamp is by Elzybells coloured with watercolour pencils and copics. Balloon is paper pieced and background is sponged with ink. Paper is by Colourbok. Sentiment is by Papertrey Ink.

I'd like to enter this into:

Sweet Stop Stampin- sketch

Wheeeeeeee!

Crafty stash used: Stamps (Elzybells, Papertrey Ink); Watercolour pencils; Copics; Nesties; Papers (Colourbok); Assorted cardstock; Die-namics die (MFT); Button (Walmart); String; Ink

And lastly some new crafty stash. The Sizzix dies I'm going to use for some fabric crafting. The stamps were a new range I'd not heard of before but I love the folksy style. I'm definately going to be crafting Christmas cards throughout the year this year, I'm determined! I thought some new stamps (and I've order some new papers) would give me the push to start early on.

Ooh, one last thing I'd like to say thank you to the lovely Karen at paperscissorsandglitter for sending me a love blog award. I'm really touched Karen for sending me such a sweet email! I'd like to spread the love to all my fellow crafters out there! Big hugs!! xx

Thanks for dropping by today. I really appreciate every comment you leave me. Have a fun crafty week! xxxx

Hi everyone! Hope you're OK. Thanks for all my birthday wishes, I had a nice day as my sis and her partner came for the weekend plus my sis took over nursing duties so I had a nice break for the day. I got a few bits of crafty stash but I haven't had a chance to post them yet, will do it next time. This week has been a bit hectic as my Mum has felt really ill all week so I've had numerous visits to the doctor but thank god she is feeling better today so all is well. With my Mum being ill, I'm hosting Christmas for the first time and I have to say, I'm not really enjoying the stress of organising everything- now I know what Mum had to do all these years!! I suppose it's not helped with everything that's been going on but I feel highly unprepared and unskilled!

Anyway onto some cards I've managed to make this week:

First up is this little collection of 3 Elzybells' Cracking Mouse stamp. I'm entering this into Die Cut Dreams' Challenge which is "seeing triple" eg make 3 cards on one theme. I've coloured all the images with a mixture of lyra pencils and watercolour pencils and then added Stickles to highlight.

This first card is for the Mojo Monday sketch which I rotated and Lil Red Wagon- use a diecut. Papers are by Cosmo Cricket. Large snowflake is a Sizzix die. Do please click on the image to see the colouring in more detail.

Crafty stash used: Stamps (Elzybells); Lyra pencils; Watercolour pencils; Papers (Cosmo Cricket); Assorted cardstock; Pearls (Ebay); Die (Sizzix); Snowflake embellie (freebie)

This second card is using Bo Bunny papers and I added stitching around the image and on the background layer. Ribbon is recycled. Snowflake embellie as before. I'd like to enter this for Stampin Royalty- Winter Holidays and Secret Crafter- Christmas!

Here is a close up. He is tooo cute!

My final card in the trio is using paper by My Mind's Eye and some scraps of cardstock which I did some doodly stitching around.

My next card is for Sketch Saturday only I'm posting it now on Friday as I haven't had time before!!! My new Art Institute stamp again and using simple Doodlebug papers with stitching added.

Crafty stash used: Stamp (Art Institute); Copics; Brush Markers; Glamour Dust; Papers (Doodlebug); Assorted cardstock; Stitching; Sentiment (Craftwork Cards); Snowflakes (The Works); Nesties

A different look for this card. I've used my Stampington stamp and have stippled around the edges of the image using some blue and silver metallic inks. The swirls are Inkadinkado stamps to which I've added gems, a pearl and dots of Liquid Pearls. A bit dreamy don'tcha think? Sentiment is a See D's one.

I'd like to enter this for ABC Challenge which is jewels and gems and Stamptacular Sunday- blue Christmas.

Crafty stash used: Stamps (Stampington, Inkadinkado & See D's); Inks; Stipple brush; Gems (Lakeland); Pearl (Prima); Liquid Pearls

Finally a different shaped card. I'd like to use these more often as they're small and it challenges you to do something simpler. Image is Penny Black coloured with watercolour pencils and outlined in copics. Paper is Doodlebug I think. I added stitching and a punched snowflake. I'd like to enter this for Crafty Pad- anything goes!

Crafty stash used: Stamp (Penny Black); Paper (Doodlebug); Watercolour pencils; Copics; Assorted cardstock; Punch (Woodware); Pearls (Wild Orchid Crafts)

I hope to really make the cards I make next week my last ones cos otherwise it'll be too late to send 'em!!!! Hoping you all have a fun crafting week, hope to have some crafty stash photies to show you. Hope your snow is clearing!!!! xxx

Happy bunny!

Hi everyone. Hope you're all OK. Sorry for being such a bad blogger recently but things have been pretty hectic of late, I really will try to come and visit you this week!

I am a happy bunny (as much as I can be under the circumstances) as Mum had her appointment with the consultant on Monday who confirmed that her tumours (they have found 2 now) are operable and that she will have her op next Friday! We are extremely relieved, scared, but relieved. The endless waiting has been so stressful, even the consultant said we had the patience of Job! I am trying not to think too much about next week but to just feel relieved that it is happening and let that be enough for now.

So during the endless waiting, I've been keeping myself busy with lots of cardmaking. I also want to make some little pressies too, I hope I have time for these once Mum is out of hospital!

So my first card up is a birthday card for my wonderful Mum. I love this cute Elzybells bear. She's coloured with watercolour pencils and outlined in copics with a paper pieced dress. The papers are My Mind's Eye. I have used 3 new dies (see end of this post) from my new crafty stash ordered from MFT. I think these dies are absolutely fab so I treated myself as a bit of retail/stress therapy! I have used the jumbo scallop, oval chain border and the rolled rose dies. I absolutely love the rolled rose die which I used with pink felt. Isn't it pretty?

Here is a little cutie close up!

I'd like to enter this into the following challenges:

My Time To Craft- roses

Little Red Wagon- use 3 of something (I've used papers)

Crazy 4 Challenges- make a square card

Sweet Stampin Challenge- photo inspiration

Crafty stash used: Stamp (Elzybells); Watercolour pencils; Copics; Papers (My Mind's Eye); Nesties; Die-namics (MFT); Gems (Lakeland); Flower gem (Joanna Sheen); Felt; Leaves (Prima)

My next card is a from a group of quick and easy Christmas cards I created over the end of last week based on some cards I did last year. I will post more of these next time.

This card is done using the Inkadinkadoo stamp sheet of lamps. I first masked out a shape using a post-it note (I'd actually kept the mask from last year!) and stippled blue metallic ink onto the card base. Then I stamped the lamp which I thought looked quite Christmasy over the top. At the base I used my new Art Institute faux snow glitter. Sentiment is an Elzybells one.

See the glittery snow! I'd like to enter this for:

ABC Christmas- winter wonderland

If The Shoe Fits- blue

Polka Doodles- quick and easy Christmas cards

Cutie Sunday- light blue and white

Crafty stash used: Stamps (Inkadinkadoo, Elzybells); Mask; Stipple brush; Faux snow (Art Institute); Pearls (Wild Orchid Crafts)

And a variation on the theme! This card was made using gold and copper metallic inks sponged on. The tree is from a sheet of tree stamps by Autumn Leaves. The sentiment is by Papermania.

I added red micro beads from the Art Institute.

A close up of the micro beads- they look fab and create such great texture!

I'd like to enter this for:

ABC Challenges- holidays

Secret Crafter- red and gold

Crafty stash used: Stamps (Autumn Leaves, Papermania); Mask; Sponge; Micro beads (Art Institute)

And finally a photo of my new stash of Die-namics! Yes, I did go a bit over the top!!

Thanks for stopping by, hope to see you again soon and thanks so much for all your kind wishes x

Happy Birthday to me!

Hi everyone! Hope you all had a good week and weekend. Did you see the X Factor? My prediction of the finalists came true. Now I'm going to take a guess at the winner, or a sort of guess... I think it will be either Joe or Olly. I've heard that Joe will be singing with George Michael, Olly with Robbie and Stacey with Michael Buble. Don't know if this is true or not but I LOVE George and Michael (ha ha) so I'm SO looking forward to the final!!

So it was my birthday at the weekend and of course I got lots of lovely crafting stash to enjoy. Here it all is! Firstly I got a mini sewing machine off Ebay really cheap. I can't sew to save my life but thought a bit of sewing would add a certain je ne sais quoi to my cards so I thought I'd give it a go- watch this space!!

So my first lot of goodies to show you is this lot of flowers and gorgeous butterfly embellies. I got these from the US. Aren't they beautiful?

Then I got this gorgeous lot of bling! This includes pearls, "say it in crystals" , "say it in studs" and flower centres. Again this was all from the US. I also added some more pencils to my Lyra collection- I got these mail order from Atlantis Art Materials in London.

Some stamps.... including 2 Autumn Leaves (Stampology) sets- Fine & Dandy and Doodley Frames , a little cheeky Changito Monkey, Inkadinkado Sketchy Flourishes and a Prima stamp.

And finally a load of paper and card which I got in the US (noticing a theme here) when I was in Florida. That whole lot of paper and card cost something ridiculous like a fiver! It was about a quarter of the price it is here! I also got a couple of Sizzix Bigz dies which I'm SO looking forward to using.

I can't wait to get started on using all my new stash plus I have stamps from the Summer I haven't even used yet. I'm going to finish my Christmas cards this week (card posts later in the week) and then hopefully from next week get started on using my gorgeous stash!!

Do let me know what's on your wish list for Christmas this year, I'd love to find out what crafty stash everyone is longing for!! xxx

Is this getting boring???! More Christmas cards... and a gift!

Hi. I hope everyone had a good weekend. Did you see the X Factor? Thank goodness Lloyd has gone. Cute kid but way out of his depth. I think this week will be the really interesting week as all 4 of them are good singers. I think the finalists will be Olly, Stacey and Joe. What do you all think?

I'm feeling a bit better but not great. I've got to ring the GP for my test results today so I'm hoping it'll be a case of just getting some more antibiotics. Anyway, feeling grotty gave me the chance to do alot of crafting so here are my makes for last week.

This first card I'm really pleased with. I wanted to go for a more elegant style. Using my nesties I cut a circle out of a post-it note and then stuck it down on white card to act as a mask. I stippled a variety of blue and silver inks around the edge of it. I then took off the post-it to reveal a white circle. I then stamped the Papermania deer over the top of the circle. I then used this gorgeous Inkadinkado beaded swirl set to create a frame by stamping off the page. I then double mounted it and tied a bit of recycled ribbon around it. The sentiment is from the Papermania set too. I'm not sure where the paper is from, I bought it as a single sheet.

Crafty stash used: Stamps (Papermania & Inkadinkado); Assorted cardstock; Ribbon (recycled); Buttons (Recycled); Nesties; Inks & stipple brush; Post-it note

I liked this style so much I decided to do the same thing for this gorgeous Inkadinkado lamp stamp. This time I used an oval nestie and I did the edging on the main background of the card instead of the image. Finally I added a Christmas ribbon and some hot fix crystals.

Crafty stash used: Stamps (Inkadinkado); Assorted cardstock; Ribbon (?); Hot fix crystals (London Bead Co.); Inks & stipple brush; Post-it note; Nesties

I've had a couple of orders for my handbag charms for Christmas presents so this is the first one I made this week. The photo doesn't really do it justice as the light is reflecting on the colours too much but you get the general idea! This one is called Red Scarlet.

So now on to some challenges! This card is for the Our Creative Corner Challenge who have a sketch with baubles to follow. It came along at just the right time as my friend, Fi, bought me these fab little bauble embellies and I was wanting to use them! The paper is Papermania. I pulled the hanging thread out the back of the embellies to make one long thread rather than a loop. I added some lovely wide silver ribbon with a strip of silver on top and then added a silver Sizzix swirl which I thought would look great as a sort of silvery branch. I then added a sentiment and silver sequins (also from the set Fi gave me).

Crafty stash used: Paper (Papermania); Assorted cardstock; Embellies (The Works); Stamp (Papermania); Swirl (Sizzix); Ribbon (recycled)

And on to my final make. This is for the ABC Challenge and Card Patterns and Our Secret Crafter. The ABC Challenge is I for Indigo Blue. I'm not sure if this looks indigo blue in the photo as the flash had to be on but it is! Card Patterns obviously have a sketch to follow and Our Secret Crafters' Challenge is Christmas trees.

The paper is by Doodlebug, the trees are little embellies given to me by the lovely Fi as well! The gems are by Lakeland. I loved this sketch, think I will use it again!

Crafty stash used: Papers (Doodlebug); Assorted cardstock; Embellies (The Works); Gems (Lakeland)

Hope you enjoyed your visit today. Look forward to seeing you all soon! x

Theme Thursday

Hello everyone! How you all doing? Hope you had a lovely weekend. Thanks for stopping by my blog, today's challenge is by Theme Thursday and is "Wings!" You can make a card, ATC, a piece of altered art, anything you fancy!

I have chosen to make another Christmas card. This lovely angel is by Stampington. I stamped her with vintage ink onto cream card and then cut around her. The papers are from the Old World stack and I mounted her on an oval cut nestie layered with some ripped mulberry paper. I gold embossed with this gorgeous swirl by Inkadinkado which was a bit scary as I embossed over all the layers- I was praying it wouldn't go wrong!!

The sentiment is then stamped on a piece of torn background paper to further carry on the vintage-esque look.

Hope you like!

Crafty stash used: Stamps (Stampington, Inkadinkado, See D's); Paper (DCWV); Assorted cardstock; Oval nesties; Mulberry paper; Gold embossing powder

Here is a little close-up!

Happy blogging! Hope to see you soon x

Friday Sketchers & Our Creative Corner Challenges

Hi all. Hope you're enjoying the lovely weekend weather! I've been having a bit of a mental crafting block this week. I've really struggled to make anything. I have been hindered by a few things (yes, I know a workman always blames his tools!) I bought a new set of clear plastic Christmas Papermania stamps and proceeded to use a couple of them and they don't work properly!!! No, it's not my stamping technique! When I looked at the stamps themselves, they don't seem to have been manufactured properly. Has anyone else had this problem? I'm going to send them back to Papermania to show them as I'm sure there must be a production fault. Plus I've just started a new watercolour class so I have to do some painting between classes so that takes up some cardmaking time. And I've just not had much creativity flowing...

Anyway, I managed to make this Christmas card for Friday Sketchers and Our Creative Corner Challenges. The Friday Sketchers' sketch is below and Our Creative Corner's Challenge this week is Monochromatic Mania.

I used an Inkadinkadoo stamp from their Lantern set. I think this is so elegant and does lend itself quite well to a Christmas card because it reminds me of old Victorian Christmas cards. I added some Platinum Stickles where snow might fall to make it look a bit more Christmasy. The paper is from the new Papermania Christmas set. The sentiment is from See D's. The snowflake is recycled off an old Christmas card and I added Stickles to the flower to carry the theme through. Hope you like it!

Crafty stash used: Stamps (Inkadinkao & See D's); Paper (Papermania); Assorted cardstock; Flower (Poppicrafts); Snowflake and ribbon (Recycled); Platinum Stickles (Ranger)

Thanks for dropping by, I will try and get round to all your blogs today! x

PS Is anyone going to the Stamps and Memories Copics class on 3rd October? I've signed up for it and I wondered if any of you out there might be going?

I'm back!

Hi everyone! I'm back - hope you missed me!!

This is the first card I've made in about 2 months. I've SO missed my crafting but my mind literally felt so exhausted and overloaded with everything, it's like I couldn't fit in another thing- even something as simple as crafting. I feel a bit better now as we managed to get away on holiday for 3 weeks (where I bought a ridiculous amount of stamps!!) so I really want to get back into my crafting again as it helps take my mind off things otherwise I'd probably be in tears 24/7.

I can't wait to visit all your blogs this weekend and get back into blog-life and challenges etc. I hope you like my first attempt back! x

Anyway so here's my first card in yonks and it's for Sketch Saturday Challenge (sketch is below).

I used my new Inkadinkado stamps. The gorgeous butterfly is from a set called Mindscapes. I embossed it with glitter embossing powder (which you can see more on the close up below) and then went over some of the design using my new All Night Media Liquid Embossing paint which made it pop a bit. I cut around it and put a gentle fold down the middle and raised the wings up a bit when I glued it in place so that it was a bit 3D. The swirl is also new from an Inkadinkado set called Gemstone Flourishes. I added champagne hot fix crystals in places to add bling. All the paper is from the Old World Stack and the sentiment is by Clear Stamps which I stamped onto paper and then ripped to give a more vintage feel.

I hope you can see the glitter a bit. It's really pretty in real life!

And here is the Sketch Saturday sketch. I hope you can see what I've done with it. Instead of using individual elements, I used the flourish stamp as it seemed to follow the shape of the elements. I hope it's allowed!

Crafty stash used: Stamps (Inkadinkado, Clear Stamps); Paper (DCWV); Assorted cardstock; Hot fix crystals (London Bead Co.); Ribbon (recycled); Brad (Michael's)

Funnies

I've been making a few more cards for my sale stock including some funny ones using Inkadinkadoo stamps. I love these stamps, they're such good value for money as you get an image (which can often be used in isolation for other cards) plus some kind of funny text. And I got mine for a pound! I gave H2Os a go for these cards. I must admit I haven't really used them that much but I like the sheen I got on these.

Crafty stash used: Stamp (Inkadinkadoo); H2Os, Paper- Retro stack (Papermania); Assorted cardstock; Flowers (Lakeland); Brad (Jo'Anns)

I used pretty much the same stash to make this congratulations card. This stamp actually consisted of 3 stamps- the duck, the sentiment and the little four leafed clover- all for a pound! Bargain! I added "best of luck" to the top using my Elzybells sentiments sheet of stamps. Paper is also from Papermania's Retro stack.

Crafty stash used: Stamps (Inkadinkadoo & Elzybells); H2Os, Paper- Retro stack (Papermania); Assorted cardstock; Brads (Jo'Anns)