Everybody Art - wedding

Hello everyone :o)

Over at Everybody Art this week, our challenge is 'wedding'.... I don't actually need any wedding cards at the moment, so I've made a general one that I can personalise later if needed.

Items Used

Stamp - Congratulations set (retired) - LOTV

Stamped in Stampin' Up ink in Baked Brown Sugar

Papers - LOTV (retired)

Creative Dies Plus Stitched & Pierced Nesting Squares - Craft Stash

Congratulations stamp - DigiStamp Boutique (now closed)

Memory Box Precious Hearts die (cut up)

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

Cute Card Thursday - celebrate

Crafty Catz - anything goes + optional spring

Happy Little Stampers - anything goes with dies

Sorry things are a bit quiet on my blog at the moment, it's such a busy time with Dex's SATs and Y6 events, plus Morgan's GCSE preparation and Y11 meetings, plus basketball games/ training, plus Morgan's college events (he's been accepted on a sporting excellence course, specialising in basketball... he's hoping to add a psychology A level to that too if he gets the grades he needs).  So, yeah... it's busy!!  I'm also doing a course myself, that I've wanted to do for ages, so things are likely to stay fairly quiet on my blog for a while.

Thanks for popping in, hope you have a lovely evening :o)

Everybody Art - anniversary

Hello everyone :o)

Our challenge over at Everybody Art this week is 'anniversary'.

I fancied making something a bit different for a change, so I got out my neglected alcohol inks (bought years ago, used a few times, forgotten about...) and some distress inks and had a play.  I can't seem to get the photo to show the true colours for some reason, but the panel and the background match better in real life.

Items Used

Stamp - Statement Stamps 'Congratulations' - LOTV (retired)

Stamped in Archival Ink in Jet Black

Alcohol Inks in Mountain Rose, Sunset Orange, Peach Bellini + tiny bit of Gold

Inkssentials Gloss Paper

Distress Inks in Tattered Rose, Abandoned Coral, Ripe Persimmon & Frayed Burlap

White textured card - Papermill Direct

Anniversary stamp - Wplus9 Basic Banners

Penny Black Wavy Stitch Edges die

Whimsy corner die

Doodlebug enamel heart + Craft Consortium enamel dot

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

Simon Says Wednesday - anything goes

Inkspirational - use your stash

Mix It Up - anything goes + optional inked background

MAWTT - sentiment only, no image

Thanks for popping in, hope you have a lovely evening :o)

**oops... forgot to hit publish lol!**

As You Like It - one or many layers

Hello everyone :o)

Over at As You Like It our new theme is 'layers - one or many'... which, if you're at all familiar with my blog, was obviously an easy choice for me!  I do love my layers of paper, and a one-layer card never feels quite finished to me... looks gorgeous when other people do it though.

Brace yourself, it's a wee bit bright!!

I don't make many Easter cards, but always need one for Pav's family, so that's where this one's going.  Dex says he wants one this year though, so I might have to make another!

Items Used

Image - Easter Tree - Digi HERE

Digi Sentiment - Easter Eggstras set

Image & sentiment also available as rubber stamps - Easter Cuties set

Colouring - copics

Papers - Doodlebug 'Springtime'

Doodlebug enamel dot & hearts

Old butterfly punch

Thanks for popping in, hope you have a lovely evening :o)

Everybody Art - animals

Hello everyone :o)

Our new theme over at Everybody Art is 'animals'... not exactly a difficult one for me, I mostly prefer animals to people anyway lol.

I've used another of the super cute images that will be released at Lili of the Valley at the end of the month - I've used a digi version, but they'll be available as both rubber and digis.

Items Used

Image - Spring Rabbit Posy - available soon from LOTV

Sentiment - Spring Sweeties set - as above

Papers - LOTV (retired)

Colouring - copics, plus Posca white pen for detail on bunny's tail

Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels 22 dies

Buttons & red twine from my stash

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

613 Avenue Create - anything goes + optional use a critter

Dragonfly Journeys - gaga for gingham (2nd entry)

Crafty Catz - anything goes + optional keep it simple

Today would have been our 'middle' son Harvey's 12th birthday... it's the one day of the year I allow myself to wallow and generally feel as miserable as I want to.  The boys are off for half term this week though, so it's not been too bad really, it's nice to have some company.  I'm still in my pyjamas and we're having takeaway for tea, but there haven't been too many tears, so it could be worse!

Thanks for popping in, hope you have a lovely evening :o)

As You Like It - birthday or Christmas

Hello everyone :o)

Over at As You Like It, we'd like you to pick your favourite between birthday or Christmas creations. We're sponsored by the fabulous Lawn Fawn this time.

This was a fairly easy choice for me... I love making birthday cards, and tend to put off making my Christmas ones - I always leave them until the last minute and then have to make them in a mad rush.  So I'd probably enjoy Christmas cards more if I got a bit more organised, but that hasn't happened so far, so it's probably not going to happen this year either!

Items Used
Image - Spring Rabbit Daisies - will be released end of Feb, as stamps & digis - LOTV
Sentiment - from the Fluffy Birthday set - as above
Colouring - copics + small details using Posca white paint pen
Papers - MME Lime Twist
Memory Box Corner Bow die
Doodlebug enamel dots
Ribbon from my stash

I'm entering my card for the following challenges
Crafting From The Heart - anything goes
Incy Wincy - make it girly
Dragonfly Journeys - gingham (the ribbon)

Thanks for popping in, hope you have a lovely evening :o)

Sweet Stampin' - Valentines

Happy Saturday :o)

This week's challenge over at Sweet Stampin' is Valentine's, which means that for a change I actually have Pav's card made already, instead of my usual night before mad rush... yay!

The urge to add 'stuff' was strong, but I resisted because Pav isn't one for lots of fuss... I still spent far too long trying to add stuff and then taking it away though!  Love these cute cat images, and I've coloured him to look a bit like our Boris.

Items Used

Digi stamp - Simply Sweet Kitty Wishes set - LOTV Etsy Shop

Colouring - copics + Nuvo clear sparkle pen (on the heart)

Papers - Basic Grey (old ones)

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

Snarky Stampers - K is for Kitties

Craft Rocket - Valentine

Dream Valley - love & kisses

Dragonfly Dreams - include a heart

Thanks for popping in, hope you have a lovely weekend :o)

LOTV sneak peek...

Hello :o)

There are loads of super cute new Lili of the Valley stamps being released towards the end of this month.  They'll be available as rubber stamps and digis, and they're all gorgeous!

Here's a sneak peek of one of them...

I needed a birthday card for my mum, so the arrival of the new images was perfect timing for me, she loves anything cute.

Items Used

Image - Love Tag, available end of Feb - LOTV

Colouring - copics

Papers - Bonnets & Bowties (retired) - LOTV

Cardstock - Core'dinations

Flowers - Wild Orchid Crafts

Memory Box Macarena Corner die (cut up & placed around flowers)

Lettering - Memory Box Parker alphabet dies

Buttons from my stash

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

Sketch Saturday - sketch (although I have adapted it a bit!)

Cute Card Thursday - anything goes

Addicted to Stamps & More - make your mark

Crafty Catz - anything goes + optional hearts & flowers (hearts on paper)

Thanks for popping in, hope you have a lovely evening :o)

Sweet Stampin' - hat tip to Burn's Night

Happy Saturday :o)

I'm here with my DT card for Sweet Stampin', where we'd like to see all things 'Burn's Night' inspired... so anything with a Scottish flavour - tartan, whisky, thistles, etc.

Mine is not a brilliant take on the theme to be honest!  I needed this card for Pav's Grandad, and thought I'd team the image with some tartan paper... think this is maybe more 'plaid' than tartan though?

Items Used

Pre-coloured image - not currently available in a pre-coloured sheet, but available as a digi stamp HERE

Tag stamp - Sentiment tags (family ones retired)

Papers - Country Gentleman (retired) - LOTV

Twine & buttons from my stash

Thanks for popping in, hope you have a lovely weekend :o)

Sweet Stampin' - anniversaries

Happy Saturday everyone :o)

Our new challenge over at Sweet Stampin' is 'anniversaries'... I've completely lost my mojo since Christmas and seem to be struggling to make anything at all, but here's what I eventually came up with.

Items Used

Digi image - Simply Sweet Foxes (image flipped to create two) - LOTV digi shop

Colouring - copics

Sentiment + die - Basic Banners - Wplus9

Papers - Basic Grey (very old ones found in stash)

Heart die - Crafter's Companion

Silver hearts (pinched from Dex's craft box... the shame!!)

We've more or less finished Dex's new room, apart from the minor disaster of the bed that was supposed to be delivered on Monday, that we were informed by email at 10.30pm Sunday night was cancelled!  When we rang them the following day, we were informed that it was discontinued (they've had our order for two weeks, and we've had the same delivery date from the start), and that we'd have to choose a different one.  Spoke to the manufacturer instead, and it's not discontinued but out of stock until the end of the month.  So sorted a refund from the original company, ordered elsewhere, and now Dex is sleeping on a mattress for the next 2-3 weeks, poor thing!  Nothing's ever straightforward, is it?!

Thanks for popping in, hope you're having a lovely weekend :o)

As You Like It - anything goes

Hello!  Hope you all had a fabulous Christmas, and Happy New Year to you too :o)  My blog's been a bit on the quiet side, and it'll probably stay that way for the next week or two - it's Dex's birthday next week and he asked for his room redecorating as his main present.  We're dismantling everything tomorrow, painting all weekend, new bed and carpet arriving on Monday, and then we've got all his new furniture to put together... not looking forward to it at all, but it'll be worth it when it's done!

Anyway, I'm here with my card for the new challenge over at As You Like It, where our challenge is a super easy 'anything goes' theme, and we're sponsored by Lili of the Valley's digi shop.

I always feel like a big cheat when I use a pre-coloured image, but they do come in very handy when you're short of time.  This particular image doesn't seem to be available in the art sheets, although there are similar ones in this set and this one, but you can find it in digi form HERE.  I (whispers...) actually tore paper for this card... very rare for me as I find it a bit scary, but really like it when I can bring myself to do it!

Items Used

Image - pre-coloured art pad (retired, see above) - LOTV

Papers - Watercolour Dots Warm Sunrise - LOTV

Ribbon - Stampin' Up

Sentiment stamp - Clearly Besotted

Old star punch and button from my stash

Hopefully I will at least manage to catch up with some of your blogs, even if I don't manage to blog much myself... thanks for popping in :o)

As You Like It - anything goes

Hello everyone :o)

We have an anything goes challenge this time over at As You Like It... I'm at that horrible desperation stage of Christmas crafting, where you realise there aren't enough cards to go around and you're running out of time to do anything about it (or is that just me?).  I start making cards in small batches, in a state of mild panic, muttering about being more organised next year... the card I've made for this challenge is part of the batch that will go to the neighbours.  I still need to make a card for my mum, and poor Pav probably won't get one at all!

I cut the tree die from kraft card, then from different patterned papers, distressed the pieces and then placed them in the spaces left in the kraft card.  The handy thing about this design is that by cutting the tree die from 5 different papers, you end up with 5 slightly different variations.

Items Used

MFT die-namics Christmas Tree Cut-out die

Sentiment stamp - Simple Festive Greetings - LOTV

Papers - Vintage Christmas - LOTV

stamped in Memento Ink in Rhubarb Stalk

Doodlebug sequins

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

Allsorts - Christmas trees

Dies R Us - anything Christmas

Hiding in My Craft Room - keep it simple Christmas

Thanks for popping in, hope you have a lovely evening :o)

Everybody Art GDT - Christmas

Hello everyone :o)

I'm here with my Guest DT card for Everybody Art, where our challenge is 'Christmas'.

What tends to happen with me is that I'll make a reasonable pile of 'general' Christmas cards, and then realise as it looms closer that I haven't made any of the more specific/ special ones that I need for family members.  I have obviously done exactly the same this year, so I'm trying to catch up now - this one's for my auntie (and her husband), who prefers very simple cards, so I've tried not to go overboard with stuff.

Items Used

Digi stamp - Robin Cracker - LOTV Etsy Shop

Colouring - copics

Papers - Scandi Christmas - LOTV

Rectangle Frame Die - MFT Die-namics

Sentiment - Tonic Modern Merry Christmas die

Hessian (stapled into place) - Crafter's Companion

Glitter - clear Glamour Dust + Nuvo Clear Sparkle Pen (on the sentiment)

White textured + navy cardstock - Papermill Direct

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

Crafty Cardmakers - Christmas

Cutie Pie - add a little sparkle

Crafty Calendar - it's Christmas time

Card Mania - Christmas

Thanks for popping in, hope you have a lovely evening :o)

LOTV - Kitty Wishes

Happy Saturday :o)

Have you seen the new Simply Sweet digi sets released over on LOTV's Etsy shop last week?  You can see them all HERE.  Perfect timing for me, as I needed a card for a birthday party Dex was invited to.

I used the fab Kitty Wishes set (I really do LOVE these cats!), along with the 9 very cute images, you also get loads of sentiments to add to them, and they're super quick to colour.  The papers are from the Galaxy Stars set - if you want these don't hang around because once they've gone they won't be restocked unfortunately.  The star is an old punch, button and twine are from my stash.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

Cute Card Thursday - anything goes (2nd entry)

2 Crafty Critter Crazies - anything goes (with a critter)

 Animal Friends - anything goes

Little Red Wagon - purrs & wags

Thanks for popping in, hope you're having a great weekend :o)

As You Like It DT - favourite Christmas animal

Hello again :o)

I'm here with my DT card for As You Like It, where our challenge is 'your favourite Christmas animal'.  I couldn't decide on one animal - I like anything cute really, so could have picked just about any reindeer, penguin, polar bear... and then I remembered James, so I've gone with my favourite Christmas bear!

The image is James - Pile of Presents, coloured with copics.  I used the old stamp version, but you can buy him as a digi in the LOTV Etsy shop HERE, or if you prefer stamps you can get a similar image (with just one present) in this set.  The papers are a mix of a recent Christmas pack that seems to have sold out and been removed from the LOTV shop now, plus the Watercolour Dots Cool Sunset set.  The sentiment tags are from this set, stamped in Memento Sweet Plum ink.  Added a Memory Box banner, a pearl from my stash and some Glamour Dust clear glitter.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

Cheerful Sketches - fab sketch

Cute Card Thursday - anything goes

Dream Valley - Christmas

CRAFT - Christmas - the last stretch

Thanks for popping in, hope you have a lovely evening :o)

Snowmen & Snowladies - Sweet Stampin' DT

Hello everyone :o)

I'm finally starting to feel better after the horrible cold/ flu bug I've had for the last couple of weeks... still shaking off the cough, but feeling a bit more human at least!  Happy to be getting back to a bit of crafting again.

Our new challenge over at Sweet Stampin' is 'snowmen & snowladies', so that's another one to add to the Christmas pile.

I've used a sweet Lili of the Valley snowman from the Festive Folk 2 set, coloured with copics and added Glamour Dust for sparkle.  The papers are from the Scandi Christmas set and the sentiment is from Simple Festive Greetings.  The snowflakes are MFT die-namics dies, with a bright red enamel dot in the middle that for some reason looks almost black in the photo.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

Simon Says Wednesday - anything goes

Crafty Catz - anything goes + optional too cute

Crafting by Designs - get ready for Christmas

The Holly & Ivy - anything Christmas goes

We had an actual rare night out last night, to see Rock of Ages at the Lyceum theatre... it was SO much fun, we loved it :o)  Nice to do something just the two of us for a change.  Thanks for popping in, hope you're having a lovely weekend.

Sweet Stampin' - sparkle & glitz

Happy Saturday :o)

I'm pooooooorly, so keeping this brief today!  Our challenge over at Sweet Stampin' is 'sparkle & glitz'... and it's also our fabulous 'boss lady' Abi's last challenge with us - thanks for letting me rejoin Sweet Stampin' Abi, we'll miss you xxx

I made a very simple card using a snowman stamp & die set from Clearly Besotted, with a sentiment stamp from this set from LOTV.   The square frame was cut using a MFT die-namics die from a fabulously sparkly Stampin' Up glitter sheet.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

Allsorts - CAS Christmas

CRAFT - Christmas

The Paper Girls - do you want to build a snowman?

Off to get back to feeling sorry for myself, my voice has gone so at least I can't bore anyone about it out loud lol.  Thanks for popping in, hope you're having a lovely weekend :o)

Everybody Art GDT - grey & green

Hello everyone :o)

I'm here with my Guest DT card for Everybody Art, where our challenge for this fortnight is 'grey & green'.  It's not a colour combo I'd generally think to use, but really like it now I've tried it.

I used a shaped card blank (from Craftwork Cards, years ago probably), with papers from the Winter Woods set, plus a spotty piece from Frosty Christmas - Grey from Lili of the Valley.  The stamp is also LOTV from the Carol Singing set, which is currently out of stock, but you can now buy them in the LOTV digi shop on Etsy, along with lots of other lovely digis!  The image is coloured with copics, with some Glamour Dust for sparkle, the sentiment stamp is from this set, and I popped some sparkly enamel dots on some dark green circles, just because I liked how it looked... possibly taking my obsession for everything being matted onto darker colours too far lol.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

Sketch Saturday - sketch (turned)

Crafty Cardmakers - lots of layers

Cutie Pie - winter layers

Crafty Catz - anything goes + optional getting ready for Christmas

Dex left for his first residential trip yesterday, so I've been keeping myself busy in the craft room trying to take my mind off him not being here... the house is so quiet, and he's not even a particularly noisy child!  The school have put a few photos up on twitter and they all look SO muddy, dread to think what state he's going to come home in lol.  They're back tomorrow evening, so won't be away from home too long.

Thanks for popping in, hope you have a lovely evening :o)

Wish Upon a Star - LOTV

Hello again :o)

I've used another of the lovely re-released stamps from Lili of the Valley for today's card, this one is Wish Upon a Star and is available HERE.

I coloured the image with copics, added some Nuvo clear sparkle pen on the tutu and star, cut it out and popped it on a Spellbinders 'blossom' die.  The papers are a mix of Galaxy Stars and Watercolour Dots - Warm Sunrise, also from Lili of the Valley.  The sentiment is one of the clear stamps Sally-Ann released before Digi Stamp Boutique closed (not sure if they'll still be available somewhere), and the stitched die is MFT die-namics, pearls from my stash.  The card is 5"x 7", just to give you an idea of the stamp size.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

Sketch Saturday - sketch

Watercolour Wednesday - feminine anything goes

Thanks for popping in, hope you have a lovely evening :o)

As You Like It - monochrome or rainbow colours

Hello everyone :o)

Our new challenge over at As You Like It is 'monochrome or rainbow colours'... a fairly easy choice for me, as I make far more bright, colourful cards than monochrome ones.

I've used one of my favourite stamps from Lili of the Valley, which happens to have been re-released today, along with lots of other lovely stamps HERE.  This particular stamp is called Jasmine Phone and is available in THIS SET (with another fab stamp, plus sentiments).  I coloured the image with copics, the papers are a mix of Watercolour Dots - Warm Sunrise and Cool Sunset, the corner die is Whimsy, and I think the wavy sentiment dies are MFT die-namics.  Finished off with a Doodlebug enamel dot.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

Allsorts - pretty papers (2nd entry)

Crafty Addicts - anything goes/ make it girly

Crafty Cardmakers - explosion of colour

Thanks for popping in, hope you have a lovely evening :o)

Sweet Stampin' - trees

Happy Saturday :o)

Our challenge for this week over at Sweet Stampin' is 'trees'... so I thought I'd grab the opportunity to add to the (tiny) Christmas pile.

I've had very little time this week for crafting, so I used an old pre-coloured image from Lili of the Valley, which is still available as an art sheet HERE.  The papers are from the new Vintage Christmas paper pad and the sentiment stamp is from the Simple Festive Greetings set, also from LOTV.  I added some sparkle to the image using Glamour Dust, an MFT die-namics snowflake layered with a MS punched one, plus a brad I found in my stash.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges

Allsorts - pretty papers

Simon Says Wednesday - anything goes

Cute Card Thursday - anything goes

CRAFT - winter

The boys have been off school for half term, Pav had the week off too, so I rarely get much computer/ crafting time when they're all around.  We've been busy shopping for Dex's first residential trip - they're only away for two nights, but from the list of stuff they need, you'd think they were going for two weeks lol.  And today we're off to one of Morgan's basketball games again, this one's about 2hrs away, so that's most of the day gone (we'll be there by the time this posts, I scheduled it).  Better get a move on and get us all ready... thanks for popping in, hope you're having a lovely weekend :o)