Moving Along With The Times - Birthday Boys...

Hello there!

It seems like no time at all since the last MAWTT for Team B.

It is Team B's turn over at Moving Along With The Times this week..and the theme is Birthday Boys, as chosen by the talented Susan.

I decided to use a new Bugaboo Stamp (RockStar Boy) and some of the paper that I got at Thanksgiving from Michaels. I die-cut the stars using my Bigshot and xCut star dies. The yellow and the green stars are actually thin paper mounted onto card, as the colours worked really well, but the paper wasn't heavy enough for die-cutting. I love corrugated card it adds texture to things. The sentiment is by Studio G (I think) and not obviously birthday, but it suits the card and I can say 'Happy Birthday' inside.

Pretty cool card for a boy (or a Man I have in mind) I think and super simple.

Pop on over to MAWTT and check out the rest of the team's designs and join in the fun,

Cx

WOYWW #243...A different view..

Hey!

Why is there a random photo and not a piece of handmade lovliness, I hear you ask! Well it's time for WOYWW - the weekly global desk nosy, led by the wonderful Julia over on her blog Stamping Ground. Go over and check out what we reveal and join in the fun.

This week as my desk is DULL (aka tidy, as I have been a bit under the weather) ..I thought I would take inspiration from Julia and other WOYWWers and show you another part of my craft space.

The main photo shows what I like to call my 'happy random space' Its where I keep all my fave random things..

So what can you see? Here is a photo with everything marked on it..enlarge it for a better view of the text.

Are you noticing that JT sends me the most random and awesome stuff - Dinosaur Erasers?! Awesome, the cats love them.

I could spend forever telling you about every item, but my post would be epic :) So I thought I'd tell you about 2 items..

Lucky Waving Cat card was part of a set gifted to JT by her Husband, she gave me a couple, I sent one to my friend Michelle in Hawaii and she sent it back to me when I moved to NYC. So he is an International card.

The jar of buttons was a 40th birthday gift from Polly, Hubbys best friend. They came in a little bag and there are all sorts of wonderful charms, beads and buttons in there, I thought they should be displayed for a little while and then maybe I'd be ready to use them (shudder).

Hope some of these random things put a smile on your face today :)

Cx

Spice it up..

Hey,

So it's been a while since I played along with a KennyK challenge, so I thought it would be nice to join in the current one (#164).

I like the theme of 'Anything Goes + use black'

I decided to layer up my card with lots of different papers and make it a Valentine's card. I also decided that I would use only scraps!

I am quite pleased with the black, red and white theme and the Devil Girl stamp is one of my fave KennyK digis!

I cut the sentiment using my silhouette, it was actually pale pink for another project and I decided I wanted to use it here, so coloured it black using a Promarker.

Now I need to decide who I should give it to..Hubby got Devil Girl last year :)

Cx

Have machine...will quilt (part 2)

Hey,

Hope you all had a nice weekend..Hubby and I managed to catch a bit of a cold on Friday, so spent the weekend napping, watching films and doing very little. We ventured out for Brunch on Sunday with JT's folks and I hit the sewing room, but that was the extent of our weekend!

I gave you a sneak preview of my pattern and the squares I had chosen last year.

I have made dozens of baby quilts, but using a very easy and 'non' quilt like method.

As I mentioned last year, I am quite fortunate that the lovely Kristin at Write it Down created a wonderful tutorial which I am semi following..semi because I am adding 2.5 inch strips around my squares. I am modifying it in this way, as I want them to be bigger, but the charm packs are quite expensive..

Today's main photo is of one of the completed quilt tops..

I am SO pleased...they are perfect and it has all been very easy to do..the pinning and ironing is TEDIOUS, but the end result is worth it.

Here are a few more photos of both quilt tops.

Blue quilt top - just needs one more set of strips

Grey quilt top - in progress, you can see one strip pinned to the top and the next 3 sewn together and ironed ready to add

Grey quilt top - this is a close-up, so you can see the detail of the strips

See I do make things other than cards :)

Cx

Let's have a Martini...

..or maybe even 2?

This card makes me wish JT was here, she'd drink Martini's with me - Hubby doesn't like them :(

I love today's card! Big talk I know, but it's so fun and I bought the stamp set a while back, but haven't had the perfect card opportunity until now!

It's my entry for My Favourite Things first ever Colour Palette challenge -

They decided to go with MFT colours - Pink, Black and White...

I love the chevron paper that JT and I have from our Thanksgiving craft purchase extravaganza and I think it works well with the stamp. I used my Martinis on Me stamp set by MFT and coloured it with Promarkers and a bit of glitter glue. I die-cut it with a rectangle scalloped die that I bought in Amsterdam in a random shop!

I decided to finish it off with a black button from my stash and some hot pink paper twine.

I have already decided on a recipient for the card..kind of an apology for my tardy response to her letters :(

Hope you are all having a nice weekend, I am in hibernation mode due to the freezing temperature here in NYC.

Cx

Fusion...

Hi,

Happy Friday to you all! I am looking forward to the weekend, after the hideously cold and snowy week here in NYC!

I came across another new challenge blog, because I was looking at Kelly Griglione's blog and she happens to be on the DT. I really like the idea behind it, so thought I'd have a play...

The blog is called Fusion and this is the second challenge.

I spent a while trying to figure out what I should make and the DT inspiration was great, but I was at a bit of a loss.

So I decided to have a root through my digital stamps for inspiration and came up with three things..

1 - The woodgrain background in silver by Pink Petticoat
2 - The pretty potties stamp also by Pink Petticoat
3 - The table by SheryK

For a change, I thought it would be fun to piece some items together..I am very pleased with the end result..bit of a departure from my usual style, but I love it, I'll have to try it again.

I coloured the flowers and the potty in shades to match the photo using Promarkers and added a bit of glitter glue for shimmer.

The sentiment is from my stash of punched things!

Cx

Small and beautiful..

Hey,

Great WOYWW yesterday and a really nice Snow Day. I thought today we'd have a challenge entry break and I'd show you some other things that I have been up to :)

A few weeks ago I saw this great pin..

I've always loved mini cards and this pin made me think about all the lovely little things that I have in my stash that I could use to make a little batch.

I thought it would be a good time to play with my stencils and new mini daubers..like a solo playdate (sob)

I did show a couple of the cards during WOYWW a few weeks ago, but thought it would be nice to have a full post dedicated to these beauties.

The main photo is one of my faves, I think the stencil and the colours look like an Orla Kiely print.The stencil is by Crafter's Workshop, the letters are by Kaisercraft and the die-cut shape is the offcut from my Goddaughters birthday card.

1. Lucky Stars

2. Bicycle and spots

3. Birdcage and sunburst

4. To the stars and back

5. Compass

Here's a list of the materials I used - 

1. Free stencil, various inks, Ranger distress inks, Lawn Fawn lucky stars stamp.

2. Silhouette cut file, free stencil, various inks, Ranger distress inks.

3. Tim Holz stencil, Ranger distress ink, crafter's workshop bird / birdcage stencil.

4. Heidi Swapp stencil, Lawn Fawn lucky stars stamp, studio g ink.

5. Tim Holz stencil and stamp, Ranger distress inks, Candi.

Hope you like them.

Cx

WOYWW #242 - SNOW DAY!!

Whoo Hoo!!

Snow day!! So whilst I have started working, I am still in the training phase, so I have lots of things that I have to do today (remotely), but that won't stop me joining WOYWW and nosing at everyone's desk.

Don't know what WOYWW is? Well join our wonderful host Julia over at her blog Stamping Ground and meet the gang and their desks. You can join in the fun too!

So today I am giving you a three-fer!

Main photo shows what I got up to last night, I had a major silhouette cutting session, so you can see 2 bows, a camera, a thank you and at the back 3 patterned squares that become pinwheel. You can also see a stack of paper and some silver letters - both purchased on my pre-job jaunt to Target, both were $1 for each set - naughty, naughty.

Second photo shows the Promarker stand from last week (and my box of who knows what is in there I am too scared to look) - complete with Promarkers!! One thing I must point out if you are going to do this, colouring the dots to stick on the end of the markers is a huge pain in the bottom - meh... but it looks so pretty..

Promarker stand and markers

You can see it's slightly tilted, it works better this way, I need better 'feet' than my expensive Martha Stewart paper tape..

Final photo is of the pinwheels and one of the bows..Thanks to October Afternoon and Kim Watson for the free pinwheel cut file.

Pinwheels and Bow

Pretty cool right? Remember to use double sided papers...idiot girl here forgot the first time..Oh and I used brads to hold them together.

Happy Weds and if it's snowing where you are be safe and warm.

Cx

Sewing style..

Hi,

I'm still in challenge mode and I loved the sketch over at CAS(E) this sketch #60 this week -

For some reason when I was thinking about this card, I really wanted to use purple, perhaps it was the DT inspiration?

I used a free stamp set that my Ma brought me when she visited last year and all the elements are sewing related  -

Free stamp set

JT has made me a card using it, but I have only really used the sentiment stamps.

I thought that the tape measure would work stamped onto white card, to replicate the strip in the sketch. As you can see I had to cheat a bit as the tape measure is not very big, but it worked out fine. I stamped the dressform onto purple card and then got all bold and took a MASSIVE risk and stamped the sentiment over it using silver ink.

I was reasonably happy with my card, but felt it needed a bit of a pep up, so added some sequins and bling. Now I am very happy with it :)

Cx

New and Old..

Hi,

Hope you all had a nice weekend.

I have had a productive one, making cards, sewing, hanging out with friends. Looking forward to the week ahead in my new job though.

I've been trying to enter a few new challenges - today I am entering ColourQ #224 - I loved the palette for this week.

I really wanted to use the flower from a Fiskars stamp set I have..I bought it a while back in TJMaxx for $1.99!!

I stamped it onto some white card in Gray ink. I used a basic card stock that matched the Pool Party requirement and embossed it with a Darice 12inch folder, I used it on 2 sides of the card..clever! I thought the spotty ribbon matched the pool party look and anchored the image and the Poppy strip nicely. I love Candi, so I dug around and found a pair that matched Island Indigo.

The old part of my card is the sentiment stamp by Hero Arts..I love it and use it a lot.

It is Martin Luther King day here in the US and lots of people have the day of..not me unfortunately. So if you do have the day off I hope you have a good one.

Cx

Clean & Graphic..

Hey,

I stumbled across a new challenge blog called the Card Concept..great idea 12 designers, 6 different styles.

This is their first week and I think they are going to be very successful.

This week, there is a colour palette -

You have to use the palette in conjunction with your chosen style. A really nice element of the challenge is you have to comment on the person that appears before and after you :) How nice is that!

I chose Clean & Graphic..hence the title of my post. I went with this style because as I started selecting the papers I wanted to use, I felt that it would work with a particular stamp, which is very graphic.

The Thank You stamp is new-ish and it comes as part of a set which I am really loving right now..but I threw away the packaging and can't for the life of me remember who they are by :( All my papers are  by DCWV and I used an expresso ink by Studio G.

My card got a very favourable reception from Hubby, he said he liked the cleanliness of it!! Ha ha.

A slight amendment to my post because I want to link up with CASual Friday as suggested by one of the DT over at Card Concept.

This week at CASual Friday it is colour blocks -

As pointed out by Ardyth..my card fits in nicely :)

Happy Sunday everyone.

Cx

Shabby Chic...

Hello,

Hope you are having a nice weekend.

I have just got back from a Dim Sum lunch with Hubby and the neighbours -YUMS!!

Following my failed attempt at entering the Shabby Tea Room challenge, I thought I'd have another try :) This week it is a great sketch -

#201 Fun with Sketches

I had quite an extensive play this morning before lunch as I couldn't find the right central element...Then I remembered I had a little stash of Teresa Collins Fabrications tags and sentiment banners...

I love how my card has turned out, once again it is a bit of a departure from my normal style, but it's good to make different things, keeps the mind fresh!

Here's a detail shot for you..

My card - close-up

I used free papers for the backing and the little strips you can see, the Teresa Collins tags, Recollections flowers (a gift from JT), a doily and pearls from my stash and I punched the bunting using my Stampin' up punch.

I especially love the flowers, they have all different prints on them.

A fun Saturday morning project.

Cx

Moving Along With The Times - Girly Feminine cards..

Hey,

Team B are up this week over at MAWTT..

This weeks theme is Girly Feminine Cards chosen by the lovely Lisa and hosted by our wonderful leader Hazel.

I decided to use a new stamp that I bought as a Christmas gift to myself :) The stamp is by Penny Black and the sentiment comes as part of the set. I coloured the lady using shiny new Promarkers that were a gift from JT.

My other ingredients are -
Ribbon by Dovecraft and I bought it ages ago and WHSmith in the UK.
Jewelled brad is old and from my stash.
Backing paper by American Crafts

I think this card is very elegant and well suited to a friend of mine.

I hope you are going to join in this week, pop over to MAWTT and look at the other gorgeous cards by the MAWTT team.

Cx

WOYWW #241...Making it yourself!

Happy WOYWW everyone!!

This is my last day of freedom before I go back to work - boo! I have had such fun!

But before we get on to that, let's talk about WOYWW...hosted by the lovely Julia over at Stamping Ground, you can find out more about the weekly desk nose if you go over to her blog.

So I've been busy during my week off, I have been sewing, popped to Atlantic City for one night of madness, made some cards and made the beauty you see on my desk this week! My parents kindly sent me LOTS of new shiny Promarkers for Christmas and I need more storage than what I have. I looked around for something ready made but the $60 - $70 dollars to fit them all made my eyes water.

Then I saw this idea on Pinterest -

Cue x2 trips to Target for $1 pen pots and a rifle through my stuff to find the hot glue gun and voila! Promarker storage....
Best bit about it is that I got to choose how wide / high I make it and if I need more space, well I just buy more pots and glue them on! It cost me $25 to make and about 45 minutes. I did have a more uniform design in mind, but I got carried away after the first trip and had to glue what I'd found together..hence the random pattern, but I love it, as it's unique and mine.

On my travels I also stumbled across this set of lovely notecards ($4 for 12) in TJMaxx and I couldn't resist them, I am about to modify one of the innards to use as a Thank You card.

Notecards

Today I am going to continue sewing together my quilts, I am aiming to have both tops complete by next week (ambitious or stupid?)

Cx

Simple Anniversary...

Hello,

Today, I am mainly sewing, but before I get on with my quilting projects I thought I'd post this card that came out of my late night session on Saturday.

I love the simplicity of the CAS(e) this Sketch #59 this week. I really liked the DT cards, I found them very inspiring.

As I don't have any feathers, I dug out my skeleton leaves and had a play, I came up with lots of ideas, but finally settled on the one you see as today's main photo.

I decided to add a little piece of paper (by Pink Petticoat), because my sentiment is so small the leaves looked a bit lost on their own. The pearl was necessary, as I needed to ensure the leaves don't fall off in transit, they are generally against staying stuck down!!

Aside from the slope of my sentiment (doh!) I am very pleased and hey who said it had to be perfect :)

Cx

Love..

Hey there,

Well only 3 more days before I am back at work!

So I am trying to make the most of the time. I had a fun weekend with Hubby, both here in NYC and in Atlantic City.

Before I left, I stayed up late on Saturday evening making stuff :) Among the things I made was my entry for
Pals Paper Arts - I love their challenges and the entire DT make me swoon...this week's challenge (#187) just screamed love at me!!

My card went through many, many changes..right at the last minute I decided to chop the doily in half and I am feeling pretty pleased with that decision!

I love the Thickers foam glitter stickers..I need more, but I bought them on offer and I am now being mean about paying full price...it's my 2014 strategy for not adding things to my ever expanding stash!

The textured sky blue paper is very old and bought when I first started crafting and it is rationed, as Kaiserkraft have never made it in this colour again :(

I punched the hearts using Woodware punches..I love heart punches I have one that is even teenier than the smallest heart on this card..

I'm thinking that I will use this card as an Anniversary card..what do you think?

Cx

Hello Dear Friend...

Hey,

Before I leave for Atlantic City today, I wanted to post this card.

This weeks Color Throwdown #274 colour palette was lovely, it reminds me of their header banner and fits my stash really well..

The Silhouette store offers free shapes every week and my sentiment was one of these freebies - awesome right?

I decided to cut the words in different sizes in different colours and I like the effect..maybe I should have made 'Hello' one of the blues?

The peachy papers are by American Crafts and work together well I think. I heeded Craft Buddy's advice and dug out another doily (she said I should use them more!) and added a bit of sequinny bling!

This card will be going in the post when I get back, to a Dear Friend..along with a little gift.

Happy Sunday everyone.

Cx

Anchors away...

Hey there..

A late Saturday evening post from me...partly because I've been out with Hubby watching my Seahawks win their 1st playoff game! Whoo! And secondly because I wanted to post twice before I leave for Atlantic City (again) tomorrow.

Freshly Made Sketches #118 is a great blank canvas this week and I had this idea forming before I went to bed last night..

All the DT cards really inspired me this week and I have been itching to use the anchor I bought in the Silhouette store sale at Christmas.

I printed out an anchor paper from the Pink Petticoat Beach Cottage papers set. The border strip and the scalloped square are also by Pink Petticoat.

The sentiment is by Hero Arts from a set of stamps that I bought at GREAT expense, but get a lot of use out of. I added a Candi to anchor (sorry!) the whole card and voila! my idea came to life.

I might make a few more of these in different colours and give them to a friend as a set..

Hope you all had a good Saturday too.

Cx

Inspirational words..

Hey,

I really enjoyed WOYWW yesterday, it was fun to have most of the ladies back. It is still freezing here in NYC...but other parts of the Country are even colder, so I hope everyone is staying warm!

This week CAS-ual Fridays have asked us to use a word that describes what inspires us this year..

Now my word might seem a bit strange...but it is inspiring to me, as my Best Friend Lemon turns 40 this year and she came to NYC last year and helped make my 40th a really special time. I would like to do the same and so the word Birthday is important to me and inspires me to ensure that I make Lemon's birthday just as special as she made mine.

So this year I will be focussing my efforts on Birthdays and making them special for all the special people in my life.

I used a new Pink Petticoat Lola stamp, they are being retired, so got them for a steal! I love a craft bargain. I also tried a new idea and printed the digital stamp and my word DIRECTLY onto the card from my computer - eeeeeek!! I had to do a couple of trials, but it worked out fine. I coloured Lola using Promarkers and added a few bits of bling here and there.

I love how the card looks, next time I might move the whole thing further over and add a big ribbon bow to the left of the words.

Cx

WOYWW #240..Leisure time

Hey there,

It is indeed that time of the week again where we join our wonderful host Julia for WOYWW. Pop over to Julia's blog Stamping Ground to find out all about WOYWW and join in the fun.

Leisure time I hear you ask? Well for me it is, I am sitting about waiting for my next job to start...which gives me time to focus on all the sewing projects that I have in my head. I have been busy cutting patterns, pinning squares together for a quilt and will start sewing tomorrow. It also means I get to stay in and avoid the horrid NYC weather (-14 with a real feel of -24 anyone?!...brr).

On to my desk..this week its rather busy..there are some Stamping Bella stamps that I have already coloured, some new teacup stamps, that I am going to watercolour - hence the box of Gelatos and an aquabrush. My glasses and a pencil.

At the back of my desk you can see a card that I have finished using a Stamping Bella image. Here is the close-up..can you spot the error?

Stamping Bella 'Vienna and her Vespa'

Now before Christmas I showed you the little advent calendar bags I had made for Hubby..I can't remember if I ever showed you a photo of it all hung up? Well here it is. He loved it and it was fun every day watching him open it.

Advent Calendar for Hubby

Finally before this post gets too epic, here is a photo of Hubby in his Pig Apron that I made him on Sunday! He asked for an apron and then decided he wanted a diagram of pig cuts on it!! His wish is my command :)

Hubby and the Pig Apron and a close-up of the diagram

Happy WOYWW everyone.

Cx