Yum! Sunday Dinner!

Yes, I love Sunday dinner! Hubby and I had roast beef and it was delicious!

Aside from consuming dinner (and working), I put the finishing touches to the Valentine's cards and decided I would post my card for the following 2 challenges -

Do You Stack Up - #4 Patterned Paper
Corrosive Challenges - #100 Reuse, Reduce, Recycle

I like this card because it's really simple and has special meaning as my friend Lianne is moving to Dubai and she gave me some buttons that she had and couldn't take with her, so I re-used her re-cycled buttons, sweet! I think Lianne would be pleased at how I have used the button.
The striped paper is by American Crafts and the blue embossed spotty paper is by coredinations, which I embossed using a Cuttlebug folder (in my Textured Impressions Embosser). The birthday stamp was free and I used Navy Hobbycraft ink. The blue corrugated card flower is by Craft Essentials and they come in 3 colours.

Lianne also gave me some offcuts of fabric and I am going to make a mobile for Lucy & Stu's new baby, using them.

I've also finished the diary cover, so I'll post pics of that later on in the week.

Cx

Having fun...

Today has been a fun day, I've been shopping with my Ma, watched Basketball with Hubby and spent a couple of hours in the craft room.

I've been tidying up, playing with some of my new toys, making Valentine's cards and a couple of cards for challenges.

Today's pic is the card I made to cover 3 challenges -

Polka Doodles - There is no place like home
Kaboodle Doodle - #51 Bling it up
Mojo Monday - #175 (sketch is below)

I'm really pleased with this card, I think it's fun and is a reflection of what a nice day I've had.

I used the following items to make this card -
Gingham Paper - Nikki Sivils 'my sweet cherry pie'
Stripe Circle / Green Paisley rectangle - Heidi Grace
Stamp - no idea who it's by, I got it at Jemcraft Memories
Ribbon - Tesco
Bow / Pins / Gems / Red Circle - Local craft shop

Cx

Say thanks!

I realised today that I have done nothing but moan lately. Which is unhealthy!

What do you do to get over yourself? Focus on the good parts of life!

So with that in mind, I was trawling through all the blogs I love and Tara over at Create-a-Holic had posted an entry about needing to craft to remain sane, so I know it's not just me!

Tara has just given me a stylish blog award - which is really sweet and has made me chuffed to pieces.

In order to continue, I have to pass it on to 8 other bloggers and tell you 8 things about myself.

1. I love my Hubby very much, he makes me smile, even when I don't want to
2. I'm going to be an Auntie soon and I am excited!
3. I am a Tottenham Hotpurs fan and I was a season ticket holder for 11 years and it hurts that I had to give it up
4. Hubby and I spend hours watching basketball
5. I like to sing - esp karaoke in my living room
6. I love animal print and my dress, the evening of our wedding was Leopard!
7. I'm addicted to fabric, stationery and wool 
8. I am way more girly than I admit to myself.

The following bloggers have inspired me and guided me and I can't think of any reason why they wouldn't be stylish bloggers!

Pam Wilson - Chicks of a Feather
Alice aka Futuregirl - Futuregirl Craft Blog
Randy - I have to say..
Denise - The Crafty Den
Sarah & Rebecca - Polkadot Door Designs (counting as 2 as they have different styles and I love them both!)
Mary - Stampin' Pretty
Deena - That I would be good

Have a fantastic weekend - I am going to be crafting up a storm.

Cx

p.s Today's pic is a fave of mine (its my in-laws dogs nose)

All work and no play!

Ok, so I am moaning a LOT right now, way too busy at work - can't think straight! Also Hubby is sick and he very rarely gets sick, so I am keeping an eye on him, as he is not very good at just resting!

Fortunately, despite the challenging work / life balance, I am still finding time to craft. It's keeping me sane and stopping me from murdering someone!!  

I've also been indulging in some internet shopping!! I have been hand colouring a lot lately and I am getting ready to finish the Valentine's cards I have been making and I realised that I need more Promarker colours, so I bought 20 new pens! Yay! Can't wait for them to arrive.

I have also bought some beautiful papers and stamps from Pink Petticoat - Liz the lady that runs the company is lovely, very helpful - even when I get myself all confused!! 

I decided to enter this weeks Do You Stack Up Challenge - #3 Think Pink.

My card is pretty simple as you can see, but I love it! I generally make simple cards and I have been trying to be a bit more complexl with my cards when entering challenges, but I haven't been 100% comfortable doing that! So I decided that if I am going to enter challenges, I will stick with my style!

To make the card, I used some papers that my friend Adrian made me as a gift and I glittered the pink spots with Stickles glitter glue, the border strip was made using an X-Cut scallop punch and the bird stamp and happy birthday are by Hero Arts. I have wanted to use the metallic papers I have for ages, but they kept tearing when I cut them! Now I have an X-cut freehand circular cutter, which is fantastic, it cuts through pretty much anything smoothly!

I better go! Work to do.

Cx

Challenging Week!

Seriously this week has been pretty hardcore at work - challenging is an understatement.

I really wanted to enter a couple of challenges, but needed to make my entries straightforward, as I haven't had a great deal of time.

So there were 2 challenges, that I liked the look of -

Mojo Monday  - their sketch challenge 174 inspired me as did Kaboodle Doodles 'black and white + one other colour'

Here is the sketch from Mojo 174 -

And here is my entry.

Not too bad, quite simple really! Not a winner I don't think, but the main thing is I had fun and tried out new stuff - the corrugated kraft card was something I've had for ages and I haven't had any idea how to use it! The ribbon is by Eastern Treasures and I have been saving it to make a wedding card. I hope to use the card for one of the numerous weddings Hubby and I are attending this year!

Happy Sunday - I am off to watch some tv and colour in some bird stamps!

Cx

Too much real work and not enough craft!

This week has been stupid busy at work, so my craft life has been on the back burner.

I did find time to make these lovely birthday cards and they sold rather well at work!

I used a digital stamp and font from Lettering Delights, I designed the spotty frame and the papers were from Creative Cardmaking issue 27, I coloured the ice creams using Promarkers (caramel for the cone and vanilla, pastel pink, buttercup and carnation pick for the ice cream), I then outlined them with stickles glitter glue.

I think they are really sweet!

I hope to see you tomorrow, as I really want to enter a challenge this week!

Cx

Old + New

 Hey!

Happy Monday to you all!

The title of my blog doesn't just refer to my craft life, it also references what has been going on in our home this weekend! Following the installation of the new kitchen, we had some floor left and so my Dad kindly offered to come and lay it in our bedroom. This sparked a whole host of DIY activity! New coat rack, moving my Great-Great Grandmothers mirror to a new location, hanging pictures, new mirror, fitting the fireplace, finally putting the doors on Hubby's new wardrobe, a trip to the dump! We have been a hive of activity this weekend (= tired before the week has even started), with not a great deal of time for crafting!

I have been exploring new techniques, ideas etc and I bought a selection of chipboard buttons recently and thought that I would try these out. I haven't really worked with these before, so looked through my idea book for inspiration and came up with a few ideas that I thought might work.

Below are the cards that I made using the chipboard buttons and some old things from my stash, that I re-discovered!!

A

B

C

A - The chipboard flower was part of a gift, the papes are from a Papermania set, I used a X-Cut scalloped edge punch, a chipboard button and some sparkly silver ribbon. I stamped the sentiment in co-ordinating ink.

B -The scalloped circle is from Funky Hand's Salt & Pepper digital kit and the sentiment circle, a chipboard button, some ribbon that I got on a box of chocolates! The spotty paper is beautiful, the spots are actually raised and the best bit is that it came as part of a set I got from my local Poundland - craft goodies galore there.

C - I used a free set that I re-coloured from the Creative Cardmaking Issue 27disk for the sentiment circle, a chipboard button, some sparkly siver ribbon and a beautiful mulberry paper that I got in another set from my local Poundland.

I am really pleased with the results here and I have put them in my card pile (I separate out, things for sale, things for charity and things for me).

I will be going home tonight to have a mini craft session, watch some Basketball with Hubby and get an early night!!

Cx

Sew Beautiful!

Hello!

Diary Cover - from Tokyo Textiles

So despite the rather cardmaking heavy focus of my blog, it does not mean I have by any means stopped sewing.

My wedding planner Marie - who has become a very good friend, has asked me to make her a diary cover. I jumped at the opportunity to try something new and to use some great fabrics from my stash. Marie is quite a girly girl, so I have trawled through my fabrics, trying to find something to suit her and I have 2 choices, so I have decided to make two covers and let her choose! Did I mention that she kindly offered to pay me. I haven't declined the offer of payment, instead I told her to decide what she thinks it's worth and gave her a price range - I think this is a good idea.

So making a diary cover is pretty straightforward, but I do not like to waste fabric, so decided to hunt for a tutorial and came across this one on Tokyo Textiles I am already a fan of their fabrics, which they sell online - their current site is a pilot to see what people want - great idea, I should totally try this with my things! Because I am already a fan, I was delighted to find a tutorial on their site.

In honour of both Marie and Tokyo Textiles, today's pic is the finished diary cover from the tutorial, I should have mine to show you in a couple of days.

I didn't win the DYSU Challenge 1 - but I don't mind, my time will come and I was inspired by their challenge blog to enter a challenge so that's pretty cool. Also I really loved looking at the other entries - people are very talented, I have much to learn.

On a final note for this week, Hubby and I are very excited as my Dad is coming to lay the new floor in our bedroom tomorrow - which means we will soon be dust / cat hair free under our bed, as we are laying a laminate floor. Yipee!

Have a good weekend, I'll be back on Monday (maybe Tuesday).

Cx

Getting the hang of it!

Hey!

So I think I am getting the hang of this challenge malarky! I had some time last night, so rooted around and found 2 challenges that I thought would be good practice for me.

Cupcake Craft Challenges - it's a pretty cool blog and they get lots of entries, which is cool. Even more than participating in the challenges, I love looking at the cards people have made, they provide fantastic inspiration.

Mojo Monday - is very cool and all based on sketches, which is very cool. They have a fantastic blog and I think I might be visiting their sketch archive soon to try some of them out. This whole sketch thing is new to me, but I like it, sometimes you need an idea of what shape the card is going to take.

So my challenge to myself, was to make ONE card that fits these 2 challenges and I think I did it with this lovely item!

Cupcake Craft's Challenge was to make something using something New - new baby, new home, etc or a new craft goodie.

Mojo Monday's Sketch was this -

So I used the following things -

Papers by kit 'n' cradle and Heidi Grace (via TK Maxx!), Ribbon by Papermania, Border Punch Zig Zag embossed dots by Martha Stewart - it is so new it only arrived on Tuesday, it's a gift from my Sister-in-law and her husband, the self adhesive gems are from my local craft shop, the chipboard sentiment is by Simply Creative Stickers - also new from Hubby for Christmas.

Yay! That makes 4 challenges entered so far, it's fun, I love it.

Cx

Babies Babies Everywhere!

Don't worry, I am NOT having a baby!

I just realised last night that I have made A LOT of new baby cards recently (all of which are gorgeous!!) and I was wondering why that was.

I think it's because lots of my close friends had babies in 2010 and my sister-in-law who is a great friend (she is how I met Hubby) is expecting her first child in Feb 2011 and I think it's been on my mind.

Not only am I excited to meet my first genuine Niece or Nephew (I'm an only child, so marriage was the only way this could happen), but Lucy has always been such a bit supporter of my card making that I guess I have been thinking about the card I can make for Hubby and I to welcome the new baby into the world!

Here are a few examples of some of the cards I have been making.

A

B

C

 

D

A - was made using my mind eye wild asparagus papers and the cute It's a girl sticker is from Jemcraft Memories (they are one of my fave online craft shops), I also used a plain pink paper from my craft store and used a hobbycraft pram punch for the border/trim.

B - used the same papers and stickers as A - but I used a X-Cut scallop border punch for the trim.

C - I used a great blue pinstripe paper that was in a beautiful pack I got in TK Maxx (they sell amazing discount craft goodies), I think they are by American Crafts. Same sticker as before, but It's a boy and a plain blue paper using a hobbycraft boat punch for the trim.

D - I confess I do have a favourite and these are it! Lovely gingham papers (I re-coloured them) that were on a free disk that came with Complete Cardmaking Issue 27. The elephant stamp and the sentiment are from a set by Pink Petticoat and I coloured them using Promarkers and stickles. Cute, right?!

It's been fun trying out different techniques and ideas. This is why I am loving the challenge thing - it made me really happy to enter one of my creations. Roll on next week so I can start the next one!

Cx

My first Challenge Entry

Hey!

I am very excited today, as I am uploading my first ever Challenge Blog entry.

I really wanted to step out of my regular comfort zone and I think I have really done that here!

The flowers are a digital stamp from the Complete Cardmaking Issue 27 disk, coloured them using Letraset promarkers (Lilac, Bluebell, Blossom and Duck Egg), I glittered the edges with Diamond Stickles and the buttons are from my vast button collection. The papers are by K&Co (random sheets that were gifted to me) and I used peel offs for the sentiments - which I coloured blue using permanent markers.

Lots of people enter more than one challenge, but this is my first time, so I am going to take it easy and enter 2 challenges!!
- do you stack up - Cute as a button
- Kaboodle Doodles - Do it with digis.

On another happy note, today was going to be a sad day for Hubby and I, as we had to send our beloved car Chunky to the scrapyard. When the guy came to collect him this morning he announced that Chunky is going to become a Stock Car!!! Yay! What a lovely outcome.

Happy Tuesday everyone.

Cx

Happy Digital New Year!

Hi everyone and welcome to 2011.

There has been a bit of a gap since my last post, Christmas has been and gone (I had a really lovely Christmas and New Year), the long break from work is over and it's back to the grindstone for us all!

I have spent the last 3 weeks re-organising my craft space and rooting through my stash to make good use of what I already have. My friends and family were very sweet and thoughtful at Christmas and I got lots of new craft goodies.

Just before Christmas I bought a new HP printer to replace the Kodak (I cannot write the words I want to about the Kodak, as they would be too rude! Let's just say after it spat COGS at me, its days were numbered!). The main reason I bought the new printer was because I started to find digital stamps and papers that I really wanted to use. The printer has lived up to my expectations and helped a great deal with the Thank You cards I wanted to make for Hubby and I to use to say thanks for our Christmas gifts - hence today's picture.

One of my best friends - Nkem, bought me a beautiful ReproDepot pattern book - it is absolutely stunning and perfect for me, as I love fabric and have often wondered how the beautiful fabrics I work with could be used as backing papers. Today's pic incorporates a digital stamp from Bugaboo and one of the papers from the ReproDepot book, I coloured the bird using Promarkers and Stickles. I think they are fab - so fab in fact I entered a competition! So fingers crossed.

I have been investigating digital papers and stamps and I have come across some fantastic things - FunkyHand is fantastic and I have bought a couple of things from their site, Bugaboo do some really beautiful stamps and I bought some lovely new baby digital stamps from Pink Petticoat. I have also been paying a bit more attention to magazines with free disks - I bought Complete Cardmaking issue 27 and that came with some lovely items that I have been using on all different things. I don't think I have fully investigated the disk, so I am sure there are still things to be discovered.

One of the things I have been doing is only printing A6 size papers - this way I get 4 different papers to a sheet of A4 and it means I can lots of things at once - without using lots of ink or wasting paper on a pattern I don't like!

As I decided before Christmas that I wasn't going to do any craft fairs until at least the Summer, I have been trying to decide what my outlet is going to be. I stumbled across this fantastic challenge blog - do you stack up? and it's so cool, I am going to enter the current challenge - Cute as a Button - you'll see my entry later in the week. It has been fun making a card for the challenge, as I have ventured into different territory using digital stamps, pens, glitter and peel offs.

I have been enjoying the no pressure crafting and have made lots of cards that use re-discovered items in my stash. Today's second pic shows the 1st birthday cards I have made (there were lots of new babies last year), these used papers and chipboards from the My Mind's Eye 'Bloom & Grow' collection - I had forgotten I had them, so I am pleased that I have finally gotten round to using them.

Cx