Cute and girly

I have not been working today, so after a brisk trot home from Pre-school, I spent an hour in my craft room making a card for some challenges:
Stamp with fun - Stripes
Pollycraft - Summer Blooms
Papertake Weekly Challenge - Say it with flowers
A Spoonfull of Sugar - Cute and Girly
Passion for Promarkers - Fantasy/Mythical
Just Magnolia - One for the Girls
Creative Inspirations - fairies
I am loving this latest Magnolia collection, and used my promarkers to colour this sweetie in. I used my nesties to cut the matt out and then inked the edges. I love these BG papers and they are so pretty and girly. I raided the last dregs of my Poppicraft flowers for the blooms and added some organza ribbon. I need to find a new outlet for my flat flowers ... any suggestions?

The card is for a friend's birthday on Thursday. I am hoping she won't notice the wonky bits, yes there are wonky bits as walking home meant walking across Rape seed fields and through a small wooded area ... fab for the hayfever!!! I have sneezed all morning!

I am plannnig to catch up with some DT work later on ... just putting my feet up with a cup of tea before the school run!

Recipe:
Stamp(s): Magnolia Fairy Tilda
Colouring Media: Promarkers
Papers: Basic Grey Eva
Embellishments: from stash

Vintage with flowers

I love a bit of vintage ...
Willow is coloured in using my new distress inks ... these new colours are fab!!! I then applied the cracked glass technique to the image, cracked the glass and rubbed vintage photo into the image. The image is distressed with antique linien and vintage photo. I distressed the edges of the paper and added vintage photo ink and then clear embossing powder and heated. The dp is also faux stitched. Finally some raffia, pearls, glittered roses and a bow.

The card covers the following challenges:
Simon Stamp Stamps - vintage with flowers
A Spoonfull of Sugar - distress inks, pearls and glitter
Whiff of Joy - sketch
Stamp with Fun - stitching
ABC Tutorial Challenge - cracked glass; ABC challenge - New (inks and pearl strings)
Cute Card Thursday - ribbon fantastic
Saturday Spotlight - Get messy

Recipe:
Stamp(s): WOJ Willow
Colouring Media: distres inks
Papers: K and Co
Embellishments: all from stash

Pretty in Pink

Last morning of freedom!!! And I got a card for a few challenges made :)

Stamp with Fun - sketch
A Spoonfull of Sugar - layers
Passion for Promakers - girly
Papertake Weekly - Pretty in Pink
Creative Card Crew - punch it

This cute pixie is coloured using promarkers nad layered on to dp and green cardstock. I layered the small squared onto cardstock and dp and added a punched flower and gem to each. I punched a couple of swirls and added pink gems.
Is as pink as I can get LOL!!


Recipe:
Stamp(s): CC Designs Heidi
Colouring Media: Promarkers
Papers: Basic Grey Oh Baby Girl
Embellishments: gems and punches

Shabby Chic

With not much help from my lovely puddy cat I made a card last night ... there is shredded tulle in the bin and have chewed papers ... hmmm nice!!!
I have used the sketch from Whiff of Joy Challenge, the shabby chic theme over at Simon Says Stamp, and snowflakes so the EAC and Stamp with Fun challenges are covered. The Colour Create challenge this fortnight is Kraft, blue and white .. .I don't have Kraft but think the browns on the dp are Kraft coloured. They also want texture .. the dp is well textured!

Its a little difficult to see, but I stamped a swirly stars stamp all around the edges of the blue cards stock and then distressed the edges. Uru is watercoloured and cht iut using my nesties. I distressed the background using antique linen and added some ice gold stickles. I used another pieces of un-chewed tulle and threaded it through eyelets in the sentiment. A flower, punched snowflake, spacer and brad, with a snowflake charm finish it off ... oh and some ice gold stickles round the edges to fit in with the glittered paper.
Think its shabby chic!


Recipe:
Stamp(s): WOJ Uru with bird
Colouring Media: Distress inks
Papers: MME Christmas signature stack
Embellishments: prima flwer, snowflake charm, tulle a, spacer and brad from stash

Some cards ..at last!

I haven't done much crafting over Christmas, just some DT stuff to get myself ahead, but no challenges :(. I had intended to do some at the weekend at my parents but I forgot the stuff to stick with and the snow was a bit of distraction!

We were forcast light snow and sleet overnight - 7" and rising at the last look!! It has snowed heavily during the night and is still snowing heavily .. so I haven't worked today, and the girls are at home so we have had a bit of a play in the snow, crafting, more snow, and now they are crashed in front of a DVD!!
And I have had time to make these ...

The first card is for my SIL - baby due very soon.
I combined the following challenges:
Passion for Promarkers - sketch and love theme
A Spoonfull of Sugar - hearts
Charisma Cardz - celebration
Fuss and Fancy - New
Papertake Weekly - New Beginnings
Cupcake Card Challenge - baby card
Stamp something for the weekend - New Beginnings
By the cute and girly - New

Will ow is coloured using my promarkers nad then I cut her out as she was rather large for the circle!!! I used papers from the DCWV Nana Nursery stack and embssed some pale pink card with my hearts folder. I added some ribbon and a heart charm. I am going to add baby's name when she arrives ... got 6 so far!!!!

This card combines
Stamp with fun - sketch
My Time to Craft - blue and brown
Stamp Something - new somethings (my stamp)
One Stop Craft Challegne - things beginnig with B (blue, brown, bow)
I love this Tilda from the winter kit ... she has a right attitude!! I coloured her using promarkers and had a play with my blender pen. i made my own flower and added some ribbon and pearls. The papers are Basic Grey Wisteria. No sentiment yet as I am not sure what I am going to use it for.

My final card uses the following challenges:
Totally Gorguss - Thank you
A Spoonfull of Sugar - Hearts
Creative Inspirations - thank you
My Time to Craft - blue and brown
Cute Card Thursday - sketch
One Stop Craft Challenge - things beginning with B (blue, brown, bow)
This has to be one of my fave gorguss girls and I coloured her using promarkers. Again she is cut out to fit the sketch! I rotated the sketch and added a bow and sentiment. Again I used my lovely Wisteria papers

I don't often set New Year's resoultions as they are always broken ... but this year I am gonig to use all the stash I have so I can buy new and have space for it!! And make the kind of CAs cards I like rather than really fussy ones all the time ... need to make a few of those as I have a rather large flower collection!!

Candles

I had the sudden realisation that I had to get 7 presents for teachers this year ... 7!!! 5 for the pre-school staff and 2 for school. Having seen Inge's candle and match box idea over in the Whiff of Joy Inspiration blog, I decided to do candles for everyone.
Oh and I managed to cover a few challenges at the same time!!
Roses on Paper - red, green and gold
Stampin for the weekend Blue and Brown
Simon Says Stamp - Merry Christmas
Passion for Promarkers - Christmas or New Year, but not a card
My Time to Craft - Yuletide wishes
Creative card Crew - Anything goes
Stamp with Fun - little presents
Creative Inspirations - Christmas gifts

I used two colour schemes for the candles - red and green, and blue and brown.
I stamped the images and coloured them using promarkers. I cut them out using my nesties, matted them onto cardstock and then stickled them.
I used matching cardstock and MME Christmas design apers to make the decorative bands that hold the four candles together. I tied them using ribbon and twine nad ten added a hydrangea flower with a rose in the centre.
I wrapped them in cellophane and added the tag and wish label.
Simples!!
Here is the blue and brown style...
And here they all are ...
You can't really see the stickles as the light is naff today.
And the last three.
I have to confess to not doing the decorated match boxes ... Ellie and Beth with matches .mmmm not a good idea!!

More Christmas cards!

I can't believe I started these cards on Friday and only finished them this morning!!
They fit the following challenges:
Just magnolia - sketch (rotated) (2nd card)
Friday Sketcher - sketch (f1st card)
Charisma Cardz - Christmas
Roses on Paper - Romance/swwet
Cupcake Craft Challenge - red and green
Stamp with Fun - Christmas
Pollycraft - Christmas
Corrosive Challenge - red and green
I watercoluredTilda and stickled her. The white raffia has been glimmer misted as have the snowflakes.

Tilda was watercoloured and I gold heat embossed the edges of the image and papers. The flower is glimmer misted, and I distressed the tag.

I have kept the embellies reasonably flat ... gotta think of posting them!!

Sorry for such a short post - life is hectic with the run up to Christmas ... most of the children I mind have upped their hours ... liking the money, but not the lack of time!!!! I am contemplating buying Christmas cards (shock horror!!!) and have 4 Christmas stamps not yet inked up :(.


Recipe:
Stamp(s): Magnolia Tilda with Vintage Roses, Tilda with present
Colouring Media: Distress inks
Papers: MME Christmas glitter stack
Embellishments: all from stash

A couple more Christmas Cards

I am trying very hard to get a few Christmas cards made, as a couple of friends have asked for a few!
Both cards fit Colour Create's red, green and white challenge.
For this one I used the sketch from Sketch Saturday and Animal Antics from Simon Says Stamp.
These LOTV bunnies are watercoloured and I added stickles to their hats. The papers are Basic Grey and I used lace and flowers from my stash. The white flowers are inked a bit as they looked too white!! The sentiment is Papermania.

This card uses a Father Christmas from Whiff of Joy. He is watercoloured and the background distressed in aged mahogany and weathered wood. I followed the sketch over at Stamp with Fun, and distressed the edges of the Basic Grey papers.

Ellie is off poorly today so I haven't been working, just doing the after school bit for a couple of children. Hopefully she will be back at school tomorrow. It has given me the time to rummage through my stamps and list a few on Ebay ... I really do need to reduce my stamp collection as I am running out of space!!! if you fancy a peek, you can find them here.

A bit of sparkle

I've made a card .. its taken since Sunday night but here it is!!!
I masked Tilda and added the bench and then watercoloured the images and the background. I stamped the snowflakes in silver and then embossed them, and added some gems. All the papers and cardstock have been distressed and inked in red ink. I added the prima flowers, some wire and ribbon to complete the card.

This card covers the following challenges (all links in my sidebar)

Roses on Paper - Christmas
Simon Says Stamp - All that Sparkles
Stamp with fun - Scene
Winter wonderland - jingle bells
Cupcake Challenge - sketch
Basic Grey Challenge - colour inspiration
Creative Card Crew - ribbons and gems

I have a stinking cold and cough and am off to bed to get some much needed rest ... children don't adapt to grown up illness well LOL!!!!! Oh and hubby's don't either LOL!!!!!!

Recipe:
Stamp(s): Tilda with Bell; magnolia snowflakes
Colouring Media: distress inks
Papers: Basic Grey Wassail
Embellishments: Prima flowers, wire, gems and ribbon from stash

A bit of Sparkle

Its been a busy start to the week. We saw my Gran on Monday and did a few jobs for her - she's 94 and still in her own home with no external support, just family... but we do always go prepared for the list of jobs!!!
Yesterday we went to Tatton Park and the girls had a great time in the gardens and at the farm. One of the children I mind had never fed a goat before and LOVED it, especially when it nicked the whole bag of food!!
Today we met friends at Trentham Gardens Monkey forest - they have Barbary macaques running wild. The girls loved seeing the babies and we did try to leave them behind LOL!!
I have torn myself our from my latest acquisition - a Wii (oh and the fit bit!!) to make a card tonight. And it fulfils several challenges - !!

Stamp with fun - Sketch
Simon Says Stamp - All that sparkles
Stampavie and More - blue and silver
Creative Card Crew - Snowflakes
My Time to Craft - rip it up
Magnolia Down Under - distressing
I water coloured Tilda and stamped the snowflakes round her. These are the last papers of their name in my BG stash :( I was really sad to cut into them. I matted them onto blue cardstock. All the papers are distressed and some inked in Starlight, and the bow on the bell is coloured in the same ink. I stickled the fur on Tilda's coat and the bell. Some of the papers are ripped and inked up. I masked the tag stamp and then added the sentiment.
Shock horror - no ribbon or flowers!!!


Recipe:
Stamp(s): Tilda with bell' tag and snowflakes; WOJ sentiment
Colouring Media: Distress inks
Papers: Basic Grey Blitzen, Periphery
Embellishments: none!!

A couple of sketches ... and several parties!!

What a day ...I haven't been working during the day as Beth is under the weather again and we have been back to the doctors ... again. Now she needs urine and blood tests as they are not sure what is going on - great!!! Doing the urine test won't be too bad, but they are talking about sending her to hospital for the blood test and she is very aware of the hospital having had a few visits there.
Anyway it has meant that I have been able to make a card and get two I made last night uploaded!
I'm not sure what was going on when Ellie and Beth were born ... but lots of their friends are celebrating birthdays in the next 6 weeks!!! So far we have 9 party invites ... so that 9 cards, 9 presents!! I thought I would get started on the first two, one on Thursday and one on Sunday so I am not rushed at the last minute LOL!!
This is for a little girl called Molly who both Ellie and Beth have been at pre-school with. She is very into pink (and ponies, but not going there LOL!!) and candles!
I used the Sunday Sketch and Stamp for the layout.
I adore these Tina Wenke Critters (available from Secret Crafter) and have coloured this cutie in using distress inks and stickles. Its a bit pink isn't it - hopefully the yellow tones it down a bit! The dp are Making Memories.

This card is for Madison and she is very girly so this is PINK!! I followed the Friday Sketcher sketch for this one, and used DCWV Nursery Stack.
Again another Tina Wenke Critter image and its been watercoloured and stickled. As the papers are rather busy I didn't put any flowers on it.

Finally after a day and half this morning I decided to get creative with the Stamp with Fun sketch, and as I love the colours, another go at Stampin for the Weekend.
I watercoloured Tilda and distressed the image using antique linen, dried marigold and vintage photo. I stamped the swirl stamp down the edges using sepia ink. I stamped the design papers using the same stamp. The papers are patterned, just very delicately (MME Everyday Tango). I distressed both the papers and cardstock and inked the edges. To add a bit of texture I used natural raffia (Bunny Zoe's shop) and added flowers that I spritzed with walnut gold glimmer mist. The bracket is coloured using vintage photo ink and then spritzed with walnut gold glimmer mist ... here it is close up ...
Its come out really well, but not the colour I expected!!!
I have used the colours and a sketch so I am entering this into the Roses on Paper challenge, and don't forget they do have a DT call at the moment.

Christmas cards

I thought I would start (again!!) making Christmas cards, and have decided to use some of the sketch challenges for them, and to make 2 at a time. I have used the sketch over at Stamp with Fun and combined it with the Pollycraft challenge 5 S's (snowflakes, sparkle, spots, stripes, swirls) and I have got all 5 on both cards!! It also fits A spoonfull of Sugar's Christmas theme, and the sparkle theme over at Creative card Crew.


I coloured both Henry's and added fluffy stuff to the hats and stickles to the berries, and then cut them out. I matted them onto spotty dp and matted all the dp onto green cardstock. I used stickles to pick out the swirls in the corner and some of the red dots. I punched the snowflakes and added stickles to them. I used my Cuttlebug bauble diecuts to make the sentiment, which I tied onto the ribbon.

Right off to make bread rolls for lunch!

Recipe:
Stamp(s): WoJ Henry Mouse with Lantern, Henry Mouse with hot chocolate; Cuddly Buddly sentiment
Colouring Media: Distress inks
Papers: DCWV Christmas stack
Embellishments: punched snowlfakes, ribbon from stash

Pollycraft cards

I got back into my craft room last night and made a couple of cards using my promarkers.
The first is for the Pollycraft Challenge, Black White and 1 other colour, and I have followed the Everybody-Art-Challenge sketch.
I chose blue as my other colour and coloured Sherbert using my Promarkers. I have kept it simple, using this fab BG paper, black cardstock for the mat and white brads and flowers. I stamped the sentiment straight on to the dp.
The second card used the A Spoonful of Sugar sketch and the Stamp with Fun and My Time to Craft autumn theme.
I coloured this gorgeous elf in using promarkers (not overly happy with the top, but it was quite dark!), and I think he looks autumnal. I followerd the sketch apart from mis-placing the image, and I wasn't brave enough to take him off! Instead of flowers I used buttons and brads.

Right off to do breakfast, the school run, Mums and Tots ...!!

Recipe:
Stamp(s):Pollycraft Sherbert Daydream, Woodland Elves Innocence
Colouring Media: Promarkers
Papers: Basic Grey Periphery; MME Bloom and Grow
Embellishments: Poppicraft flowers, gems, buttons nad brads from stash

A few challenges ...

I've managed to combine 5 challenges for this card!!

• Stamp with fun - sketch
• Papertake Weekly Challenge - favourite challenge - favouritet things
• Pollycraft challenge - favourite things
• Stampin for the Weekend - Days gone by (vintage)
• Allsorts - English Country Garden

I watercolured my image and cut her and the matt out using my deckled nesties. I distressed the image in antique linen and vintage photo, and all the dp is distressed in the same inks. I used 1 design paper and 1 piece of co-ordinating cardstock. The flowers are punched out of the same papers and the lace dunked in tea to take the whiteness away. Pearls (very vintage!!) finish the flowers off.
So my favourite things ...
distress inks, distressing, punches, pretty papers, flowers ...
the list could go on LOL!!!


I have been given this fab award by Jill and Wendy - thank you both of you, it was a lovely surprise.

In return for recieving these awards you have to:

1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.

2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.

3. Link the person who nominated you for this award.

4. Name seven things about yourself that people might find interesting.

5. Nominate seven Kreativ Bloggers.

6. Post links to the seven blogs you nominate.

7. Leave comments on all seven blogs letting them know you nominated them


OK so 7 interesting facts about me ... errrrmmm ....

1. I love gardening, although don't seem to spend the time in my garden that I would like to ... the craft room's call is so tempting LOL!!
2. I married my husband after knowing him for 17 years ... and he was and still is my closest friend
3. my children are gremlins!
4. whilst I am very tomboyish and hate pink ... I love ribbons and pretty patterned papers
5. I would love to own a craft shop
6. hubby does 17th century battle re-enactment so I sew 17th century costumes for the family in my spare (??!!) time
7. I think my life is a bit dull .... reading this I don't seem to have time to cram any more in LOL

I now need to pass this award on ... so many of you have it so I am going to pass it to some people who visit my blog daily and I am grateful for their lovely comments and interest in my creations, and some close crafting buddies from elsewhere:

Karen, Cheryl, Vanessa, Kim, Jane, Helen, Samantha and Squirrel

and because I feel like it, 2 more Kaz and Carol
Recipe:
Stamp(s): Sugar Nellie Country Garden
Colouring Media: distress inks
Papers: K and Co Charlotte; coredinations
Embellishments: punched flowers and swirls, lace and pearls from stash

Purple Manga girl

What a morning - I had to drop the car off for a service, do some shopping and the ironing. Managed to get this card finished that I started last night before hubby arrived home and wanted conversation!!!
I have used the sketch from Trully Scrumptious and this week's Stamp with Fun theme, Birthdays.

I've made this for a friend's daughter's birthday (she's leaving her teens!0. The image is coloured using my promarkers and I cut her out. I inked the edges of the cardstock and dp. I added ribbon and tied two ribbon knots ... definitely no flowers for this girly!!

I am going to initiate myself to afternoon daytime telly later - hopefully it won't be too painful!!Recipe:
Stamp(s): Sugar Nellie Manga Girl
Colouring Media: promarkers
Papers: Basic Grey Wisteria
Embellishments: ribbon from stash

Choc and marshmallow Anya

Having abstained from crafting for the weekend (I have to admit to taking some images away to colour!) I have made a card this morning (up at 6am!!). It fits both the Allsorts challenge (Sketch and colour theme) and Stamp with Fun (pearls). I was really pleased to be in the Allsorts top 5 last week.

I coloured this image, given to my by my lovely ABC DT buddy Jen, using promarkers and copics. I kept the sketch simple, keeping a white background and matting the dp onto brown cardstock. I added some Bo Bunny ribbon, punched flowers and pearls.

And here's my little one at Llandudno!

Recipe:
Stamp(s): Greetings Farm Anya
Colouring Media: Promarkers and copics
Papers: Basic Grey Bittersweet
Embellishments: punched flowers, pearls and ribbon from stash

Lots of Challenges!

So busy looking after children at the mo ... I love the summer holidays - really pays for the crafting!!
Anyway my Sugar Nellie Mangas arrived today (couldn't decide which 2 so bought 2 ... and 2 more!!). I have madly combined challenges to get this birthday card for my cousin made ... she'll be 23 nest week!
I used the Stamp with fun sketch (a little adapted!), the Passion for Promarker colours (lime green and Rose pink), the A spoonful of Sugar Swirls (flower and punched swirl), Creative Card Crew's polka dots, Papertake's colour combo and Allsorts one of everything ... think that's all!


I coloured this gorguss image in promarkers - ice greys for the hair and boots, and then used my nesties to cut the ovals and label shape(should be a circle in the sketch!). I found cardstock that almost matched the lime green and the pinks in the dp match the rose pink, ribbon and large flower. I threaded the button with white braid and knoted it acouple of times. One punched swirl finishes it off.

I love these stamps and am going to practicse colouring them - particularly the hair!


Recipe:
Stamp(s): Sugar Nellie Manga Girl 1
Colouring Media: Promarkers
Papers: DCWV Adhesive stack
Embellishments: Prima flower, button, ribbon, braid from stash

Decoupage!

Crafting is on a tight schedule for the next few weeks as my workload has doubled overnight!! I'm not sure how I am going to keep track of which children I am minding when LOL!!
Anyway, just Beth at home this morning so I have combined this week's Next Level challenge (sketch and decoupage) with Stamp with Fun's punches and die cuts challenge.
I coloured the images using my promarkers and cut out the base image. The circles are cut using my nesties and I punched flowers and leaves and added a bit of gold ink to the edges.
When I fisrt got this Wisteria paper I was a little unsure - some of it seemed a bit wishy washy for me ... but now I love it!
Heres' a view of the decoupage - I decoupaged the coat and hat up one layer and the flower, fox'es head and tail up two layers.

Recipe:
Stamp(s): Sugar Nellie Gorguss Girls Foxy; Penny Black Saluations
Colouring Media: Promarkers
Papers: Basic Grey Wisteria
Embellishments: punched flowers and leaves, ribbon from stash