Keeping me alert

Loved my last 'live action' WOYWW yesterday, so many cool desks with great projects to nose at.

JT mentioned that the Mojo Monday sketch this week - #282 was pretty cool. So I took a look and thought I could work with that...

Here's the sketch.

As you can see the main photo today is my card. Pretty true to the sketch and a bit fun, utilising some of the things I have been playing with whilst making up the 2 really big orders..

The flower embellishment is one of the many things that I bought those on my little whirlwind tour of The Range a couple of weeks ago..The yellow paper I have had for ever and it's by Basic Grey..I have never really found a use for it and I have tons of it! The other papers are just scraps from my stash, as is the scalloped circle.

I really like this card, but let's have a laugh shall we...here is what happens when you craft when you should be sleeping...this is my first attempt at this week's sketch...

Ha ha - way too busy..
It is fun to show the oops, this bad boy will be packaged up and taken to the British Heart Foundation charity shop that I use all the time. They actually think the oops cards are nice and think I am crazy to donate them. It makes me feel better about the wasted materials, as they actually don't go to waste, people buy them and the money goes to charity. Win win all round :)

Cx

WOYWW 195 - Thank You bloggers...

As usual, I can't believe a week has passed and its Wednesday already?! Time to pop along and join Julia at Stamping Ground for the weekly desk nose.

I am heading back to work next week it seems (already?!) and I felt it was appropriate that I thank Julia for WOYWW. Why? I hear you ask...well the blogging craft community has kept me and my little blog company for the last month or so and I've made some new virtual friends (Alison, Ria, Sandee, Darnell to name a few) they have provided tips, feedback and affirmation that I am not mad (hmm, well not fully).

So thank you to everyone that visits my blog on a regular basis and not just on a Weds.

Back to business before we get all weepy..my desk is exactly as I left it last night.

What can you see?

At the front and centre is a nearly finished card (needs to have the button stuck down), to the left of the card is the rejected Candi from the main card..they sparked an idea and I quickly laid it out before going to bed, so I didn't forget :) to the right is the next card waiting to be made - in the same layout as the main card. I keep the 'sister' card makings nearby, so I can change it up as I am making the first card...is that weird?! It makes sense to me, as I make 2 of everything. Right at the back on the right you can just see my WIP Mother's Day card. My watch seems to be there - I am assuming I got frustrated at having it on and took it off?! My glasses, a trusty pencil, some birthday sentiments and the usual bits and bobs lying around. You can also see a very small part of my well organised collection of flowers (there are more, many, many more..)

So as I've given you a small glimpse of it, here is  the card I finally settled on for my Ma, it's not finished yet it's a WIP, but I thought I'd share it, as you can see it on my desk..

I like it, I had to return JT's butterfly punch, but will be borrowing it again following our Saturday playdate. It might be time to invest in the same one.

Anyway Happy WOYWW, I'm off to have a nose about, before spending the rest of the day getting Mother's Day ready to upload to the website.

Cx

Nearly there..

After a very dedicated day yesterday I have managed to get through big chunks of my 2 large orders. Now the reason these orders are more challenging than my normal website orders (which I am always fulfilling) is because these 2 customers are regulars and so they ask me to just make things that they will like...which is amazingly trusting and great, but means a lot more thought on my part!

Both orders have a large quanity of kids cards in and so everything I'm showing will be made at least 6 times to fill both orders. You have already seen the Shark and T-Rex cards, well here are a few more.

The main photo today is of a cupcake card - made with girls in mind. I really like these, I am enjoying cutting things out and creating my own toppers. It's a neat trick.

The next card using the same trick, but with a rocket for boys and some cool star papers with a corrugated card border. I like the glittered flame...it makes me smile for some reason!

Rocket Card

I really wanted to use the bicycle stamp and die set I have for some of these cards, so after much deliberation here are the boy and girl versions.

Red bike - girl version

Blue bike - boy version

I like the different textures in these cards and think they are more than suitable for older kids and maybe even adults?

Finally is this cute puppy card for younger girls. Once again utilising the handmade topper trick.

Puppy card

It's all coming together nicely and I will be finished one of the orders today.

Cx

Now that's what I call a weekend!

Oh, I had such a great weekend, it has put a big fat smile on my face.

It was fun to hang out with Amy on Friday and I was stunned by just how much she got out of our trip to Amsterdam just over a year ago. My evening with JT, was THE most fun, it was hilarious and too messy for public consumption :) On Saturday we made a lot of Mother's Day cards (coming to the shop soon) and we also made these bunnies!!

How hilarious are they?! They were made using a kit from Poundland, you should be able to make x3 bunnies, but...well what do you expect for a £1. Anyway, two bunnies was quite enough fun for one day.

Hubby and I just hung out on Saturday night and Sunday. He had to work on Sunday evening, so I managed to get into the craft room to use my new Stamping Bella stamp (I won one via the Kenny K challenge, so invested in some more..naughty). The main photo is of the card I made to enter the MAWTT Sketch challenge this week - here is the sketch.

I think my card is a really good interpretation of the sketch and I love this stamp, the new foam pads I bought work much better with the Candi. I used free papers, Candi, a scalloped rectangle die to cut out the stamp, a chalk ink for the sentiment to make sure it was softer and Dovecraft Cerise glitter glue for the little touches on the stamp. Here's a close-up..

I am very happy with this card...now who do I give it to?

Cx

p.s JT's gift finally arrived, so go over to her blog and see what she made using it.

Friday fun

Happy Friday everyone!

I have a fun filled Friday ahead of me..first a date with my goddaughter and later on this evening, a gin, curry, gossip sleepover with JT.

The main photo today is my entry for the Retro Sketches #51 challenge -

I really liked this sketch I thought it would be fun to play with. I slightly changed how I worked the backing paper, but still true to the sketch I think.

Ma will like the big blingy gem in the centre of the flower, she always wants bling...

It was such a simple and easy card to make, think I'll be reusing this sketch.

Only one error I feel - the Candi is not evenly spaced...jeez!

Have a great weekend, I may be back on Sunday, but we'll see..I'm feeling a bit lazy right now :)

Cx

Challenging kids

I wanted to enter a couple of challenges this week and yesterday I realised the week is almost over!! I think it's because I'm working on kids cards for an order and it's tough because of the age groups, so that's where my focus has been..

Anyway, I've mangaged to figure out a plan for most of the kids cards and for the challenges I've settled on -

Mojo Monday - #281 - and here is the sketch -

Kenny K - #131 Going Round in Circles

My entry is the main photo today. It's a good match to the sketch and it's a bit fun. I think I might send it to my friend in Hawaii!! I like the circle paper - which is by Pink Petticoat. The stamp is one of the ones that I won in a Kenny K challenge. The ribbon was a gift from JT and it's amazing, the pale pink parts are textured. I am loving the flower punch, embossing thingy too! It makes superb flowers. This card was fun to make, although colouring the teeny tiny stamp was a bit tough..

WOYWW yesterday was fun as always and I got asked if I would show a better pic of the shark card. So here he is along with his friend Mr T-Rex!!

Mr Shark

Mr T-Rex

Cx

WOYWW 194 - Having a great time

Hello and happy WOYWW to you all.

Pop over to visit Julia at Stamping Ground if you don't know what I am talking about.

So what's on my desk. Well I literally just took this photo (10.10am), so what you can see is what I left there after a hard day's craft. My glasses, tweezers, an order to fulfil, glitter as I am trying out a tip from Alison Scott - a fellow WOYWWer whose blog I like. My Promarker chart and a wallet of Promarkers, the trusty ATG, a roll of double sided tape - to stick down giant Dinosaurs (I'll explain next week), a shark card - which I love and is for an order and I drew the shark on my computer. There are bits of scrap paper, a few stray markers, punches, glues and you can see my desk recycling bin - that I finally emptied last week...doesn't look like it. The crab die-cut I got out to make myself laugh..crabbymoose...

As you know I went to my Nephew's 2nd birthday party last week, all Thomas the Tank Engine themed, so I offered to make train themed thank you cards for my SIL. Here is a pic -

Made using a Lettering Delights alphabet - cute right?

Also here is a pic of Otis and I on his birthday..ha ha

I am filling x3 rather large orders at the moment. One is for my fave customer Kathryn, she is so unfussy and is happy with whatever I give her. It makes her orders fun for me :)

I am finally having some fun with being at home, not feeling guilty for not working and it's nice. I have nice things planned for the rest of the week - LFW tomorrow, out with my Goddaughter on Friday and then over to JT's for Gin, Curry and a mini playdate. It will be nice to have human contact in daylight hours :)

I am off on a little errand run today, as I haven't left the house for 2 days, I thought I'd go all out today, but first I'm going to have a little peek at some desks.

Random question...if you are a WOYWWer do you visit the same desks first every week? I do :)

Cx

Project Doily

Hi! Bit of a radio silence from me, I've spending QT with my family, hubby and some friends. It's been fun

Doilies have been everywhere I have been lately. They have also been residing on my desk mainly unused, due to fear and lack of inspiration.

A quick nose around Pinterest and here we are a few days later with Project Doily.

I wanted to make some cards that were a bit of a departure for me. I made 5 - one of which you have already seen. I really don't like the Mother's Day card, but thought I'd share and get some feedback...

First up is today's main photo. I love this card, but it wasn't simple, it was mighty time consuming and I will need to leave it on the drying rack for sometime, so I can look at it LOTS before I use it.
I used a Papermania doily, a kraft card, DCWV Latte 6x4 paper stack, random buttons, JT's butterfly punch, a tag punch and 'hello' stamp.
Why was it so time consuming...well the punching of the 3 butterflies and layering them to create the desired effect was a pain...the ACTUAL stitching of buttons (jeez I need to go back to work) to the paper and making sure everthing stuck down right and didn't bulge wasn't fun either..but it is beautiful...

Here are some close-ups of the butterflies and the buttons.

Next is this simple beauty - done with the time consuming part of this little project...

I used a white mini doily from eBay, a Papermania paper flower, a Sizzix die cut flower, a button and a 'hello' stamp.
Nice and straightforward, not a lot of work and it's really effective.  I like using kraft card blanks, as I feel you don't really need a background paper.

This card is a little bit unusual and I made it because I really wanted to figure out a way to use the beautiful paper. I got it free with a magazine ages ago and thought that with the doily, a flower and a sentiment it might just work. I think it's a tad fussy, but I kind of like it.

Finally is this Mother's Day card....I don't like it, I followed a Pinterest idea and I think there is too much going on..

What do you think about it? I think I don't like coloured doilies so much...

Cx

Badges - A tutorial

Happy Valentine's Day!! Time to give Hubby his challenging winning card :)

Before I get into the tutorial, I thought I would share a picture of the cookies I made Hubby for VDay...As you can see from the cutter they were going to be Cows (for some reason I have a Cow cookie cutter and circles and that is it?!)

Unfortunately due to the soft nature of the dough - which is yummy and easy and the recipe is here, they came out like this...

Is it just me or do they look like slightly deformed Cats?! Anyway it's the thought that counts and they taste good! Just be glad I didn't take a picture of them iced and with sprinkles...they look like road kill :)

WOYWW was good fun yesterday, I managed to get around quite a few of the blogs and saw some really great things. You will be happy to hear that the little heart card I showed you yesterday has gone to my Dad..my Ma was here yesterday and took it with her to give to him..

Yesterday I mentioned that I have been making badges for kids birthday's. You saw the badges on my desk and as promised here is the tutorial.

The main photo is of a finished badge attached to a card.

Step 1 - things you will need

A piece of foam, a digital stamp - mine is by Bugaboo Stamps (or design of your choice), x2 dies that nest (or punches), a safety pin, some pens for colouring and glitter glue.

Step 2 - Cutting

Using your dies or punches - cut a piece of foam using the biggest die. Then using the smaller die cut out your stamp.

Step 3 - Colouring

Colour your stamp, using colours that contrast with the foam and your card.

Step 4 - Assemble the badge

Poke x2 holes in the foam and attach your safety pin. Add glue or tape to your finished stamp and affix to the front of the foam.

Step 5 - Finishing touches

Now add some glitter glue for some sparkle...voila! Badge

These are super easy and fun to make, the fun bit is making the card that the badge goes on :) I affixed my badge to the card using double sided foam tape.

Enjoy.

Cx

p.s feel free to share the tutorial, but please link back to this post and / or credit me.

WOYWW 193 - Keeping busy

Happy WOYWW!! Yes it is that time of the week again, when we join Julia over at Stamping Ground for the Weds nosy at desks around the world. Get involved.

My desk is reasonably tidy this week....just the Promarker drawer ruining things :) I have lots of projects on the go, as I have been attempting to keep myself out of shops and online stores....

You can see the badges I have been working on, some finished, some to do. I will be posting a tutorial tomorrow. I've also got some hearts kicking around, as I have been making the card below for a couple of challenges. My blue/green/grey promarker drawer is out, as I have been colouring in the KennyK stamps that I won - they are on my desk, along with my newly made promarker chart. My glasses, a bone-creaser (always makes me laugh) and a few punches and the usual assortment of glue, paper scraps, etc

I am entering the following challenges -
Simon Says Stamp 'Have a Heart'
The Hybrid Chick - 'Hearts'

Here is the card.

It is based on a Pinterest card and was a great way to use my new small heart punch. I used scraps of paper, which makes me happy, as I have SO many scraps.

I am off to nose around desks now. See you tomorrow.

Cx

Another day another challenge..

Well 2 challenges in fact.

I liked the Mojo Monday (#280) sketch this week and decided to combine that with the Moving along with the times challenge of 'Only Girls Allowed'.

The main photo is my challenge entry.

It was pretty tricky, as the sketch and the stamp I chose are quite detailed, but I like how it's come out. I decided against a sentiment, as I felt it didn't really need it...

I used DCWV All about girls papers, a KennyK stamp, a variety of punches, some bling and glitterglue.

Here are a couple of close- ups.

You can see the pretty border better here!

I never seem to colour in perfectly...

See you tomorrow for WOYWW!!!

Cx

Powerless to resist...

I saw these on the Cowling & Wilcox website and had to have them. So went in to town early before JT's birthday dinner and went into a store to buy them.

They are gorgeous and I am so full of joy at having them. I was going to show an actual photo of them on my desk, but Mr Pentax needs charging...

Massive treat, but they were reduced from £70.00 to £29.99!!

Powerless...

Oh and big news I won a challenge - YAY!! I won #129 over at KennyK's Challenge blog - you can see my entry here - check out my new winners badge on my sidebar.

Cx

Mother's Day..already?!

Well, not quite, but as a card maker and seller it is the next UK event on my craft calendar. So I've been playing with some ideas.

I've been working on simple, easy to reproduce ideas for the website and more complex ideas for my Ma's card - as I might not be here this Mother's Day, I wanted her card to be special.

First up is the main photo, which has no sentiment, as I am not sure if this is 'the one' for Ma yet and also, I don't always add a sentiment, I like to think about who the card is for and if it's right for the occasion. Here is a close-up.

So what did I use -
Blue cardstock - pale blue - for the backing and butterfly and metallic teal for the die cut
DCWV Blue glitter cardstock - for the decorative strip and butterflies
Sizzix spotty embossing folder
Spellbinders Nestabilities frame die
Candi
Adhesive pearls.

I really like this card, but I'm not sure the blue is Ma. Maybe I'll try it in another colour.

Next up is a photo of some pretty little cards I've made for sale using a Bugaboo Stamp (mini flowers set). I've used 2 of the stamps and coloured them simply and added glitter. I have also added a Candi on one and a Pearl on another, not sure which I like best?

Yellow with pearl

Orange with Candi

I like the simplicity of these and I am going to try other colours. Oh and the ladybug needs to be finished off - oops!

My final card is the one below, it follows the same idea as the Valentine's Day cards, but instead of hearts I've used contrasting butterflies and pearls. Simple, easy and looks really pretty.

Finally before I finish, I have to wish my Craft Buddy (and Friend) JT - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I am hoping she reveals my gift to her on her blog, because I can't yet, as I'm not sure if it has arrived..

Happy Weekend everyone.

Cx

Kenny K Stamps

Recently I've shown you a card using Kenny K stamps and you've seen some others on my desk. I am really loving these right now and Kenny K and his Krew are making me want to spend my hoarded cash on more and more digital stamps.

So before I spend all of my money and run out of electric :) I thought I'd show you what I've been making using all these finished stamps.

I am also entering the Kenny K Challenge this week - Heart and Flowers - my main photo is Hubby's Valentine's card and it's my entry. I LOVE it!! I cut out the Devil Girl using a really cool tool - a Fiskar's finger tip swivel knife. I then used foam tape to make her stand out from the paper. The paper is by Pink Petticoat, the heart was made using my Woodware scalloped heart punch and the flower is one that I made using the tools I mentioned in a previous post. I added a bit of red glitter glue here and there, but it doesn't show up as well in the photos.

I hope Hubby loves it, a couple of people have seen it and said that they loved it, so here's hoping he feels the same. I should probably mention that I am have not yet mastered my own skin tone...I'm working on it :) Here are a couple of close-ups - if you look closely enough at the flower you will notice the little bit of bling is flower shaped too!!

Devil Girl Close-up

Heart and Flower Close-up

These cards were inspired by the rediscovery of a random corner punch - I can't describe it, you'll have to look at the photos...sorry!

I matched the backing papers to the main colour of the stamp and added a contrasting Candi. I also added the odd touch of glitter glue. I like the simplicity of these, as the stamps are quite detailed.

The next card is the one that was on my desk yesterday...I was going to use it for a friend's 40th birthday, but I decided it didn't contrast with the number chipboards that I have already decided I am using (?!). Anyway, it is now going to my Brother-in-Law, I'm not sure what my SIL will think, but I like it and I think Stu will too :)

I like the idea of her sitting on a wall, the sentiment didn't stamp quite as well, but imperfections happen when you make stuff by hand....right?

Originally I bought one of these stamps to make a special order, but then I decided that they were such fun to colour, I would just buy more and use them for practice. However, they are so pretty and have come out so well that they are begging to be used. So watch out, you might get a random Kenny K stamped card coming to you soon!!

Cx