New stash...

Hmmm, there is nothing better than a long weekend to play with new stash :)

I FINALLY bought myself some WPlus9 stamps and a die..I have been coverting this particular set for a while. Hand Lettered Hello -

I finally bought it, as I thought it would make some nice cards for a couple of friends at home, following my trip.

I decided to go with one colour for each card.

The main photo uses turquoise as the main colour. The hello die is great and works well even with glittered cardstock - as seen here. I love the idea of being able to build your own sentiment and there are quite a few sets out there at the moment that use this idea.

The second card uses fuchsia pink as the main colour and I mixed it up a bit here, by trying a patterned paper with the die and it works.

Pink version

I used bling from my stash, inks by Studio G, watercolour paper and both Hello's were cut from scraps (yay!)

I am super pleased that I finally bought this set - I do love to procrastinate!

Cx

Moving Along With The Times...Stitch in time..

Hi,

Time for Team B again over at MAWTT.

I hope you are enjoying the Summer. I have had a great Summer, just got back from visiting my friends and family in London. Hubby and I also went to 2 weddings whilst we were home and I even managed to squeeze in some Gins with JT.

This week our theme is Stitch in Time...chosen by our lovely leader Hazel.

I was in 2 minds about this card..bring out the sewing machine or not. I went for not and utilised the skills of my Silhouette Portrait instead..

I chose 2 files that had stitching on - a folder tab and a butterfly. I love the textured purple paper from Recollections. The hello was also cut using the Silhouette. The strip of bluey/greeny paper is a watercolour piece I made, using pearlescent watercolours. The lined paper is something I have had forever..I found them in a drawer when I changed my job once..As a final touch I added some co-ordinating blue bling.

This card is so cheery..I need to send it to someone.

Pop over the MAWTT to see the great cards by the rest of the DT and join in the fun.

Cx

WOYWW #273..Back at my desk..

Hi WOYWWers!

Hope everyone is well. I am TIRED..got back to NYC on Monday night and went straight back to work on Tues AM..so I'm a bit blerugh!

Before I continue with today's short post (no card this week) - want to know what WOYWW is? Then visit the lovely Julia's blog Stamping Ground and join us crazy global deskers.

Just check out all the yummy stash I came home with...free magazines galore, a cheeky craft superstore order (incl new Gorjuss stamps), gifts from my Ma and JT and some bumper bonus bits and bobs from The Works and Poundland :)

It was fun to see all our peeps..the wedding on Sunday was amazing..they had Flamingoes in the roof terrace pond - AMAZING!!

Flamingoes..7 floors up!!

Hubby and Me!

Me with the gorgeoys bride Lindsey

That's all folks - I'll be visiting after work.

Cx

WOYWW #272..this isn't my desk!

Hi,

Hello WOYWWers.

I am at my Parents in London - actually working from their dining table!! As you can see from my photo I have pretty much taken over.

Before we get into that, lets refresh your memories about WOYWW shall we? Join our wonderful Hostess Julia over at her blog Stamping Ground for the weekly desk nose..

So as you can see I have made myself nicely at home at my Parents dining table - I have to work, as I don't have enough holiday and my boss was very kind to let me come for the 2 weddings. You can see my work laptop (after work hours) with a Pinterest board up, notes for work, some new curtains, a Promarker wishlist :). There is also a little stack of craft magazines - which are one of the first things I purchase when arriving back in my homeland - the ones in the US are rubbish, which came as a huge surprise to me.Where are all the free gifts?! And why are they so pricey?! My Ma has been getting her craft on and has been busy recovering the chairs she got for free.

Instead of a card this week, here is a before and after of Ma's chairs - she also made the cushions..think we know why I'm crafty :)

Ma's Chairs - before and after

Happy WOYWW everyone - as I am in the 'correct' timezone this week, I should get to you all in a timely fashion.

Cx

Hello from London..

Hi!

Here I am sitting in my Parent's kitchen working (on my lunch break right now).

It's really good to be home, the wedding on Friday was lots of fun and I have spent the weekend hanging out with my parents. Tonight I am off out to meet my London based friends for a drink or two.

Here's a photo of Hubby and I at the wedding :)

Me & Hubby..

Today's main photo is of a card I made a couple of weekends ago. I bought the gorgeous butterfly die a while ago, it is by Poppy Stamps.

The card actually came about, as I was trying out some new misting techniques using stencils and I was lazy and didn't stick the stencil down... I decided to let my accident dry and see what I ended up with and I was quite pleased. It looks really grungy, which I am into right now.

As the background was set - I die cut the butterfly in a contrasting paper and stamped the sentiment in green too.

I did feel that it was a bit dull..so I added some bling to liven it up a bit - here's a close-up -

Butterfly close-up

Quite pleased with my accidental card..

Cx

Online Card Class - Stretch Your Stamps - Day 6 - Stamps with Dies..

Hi,

This is a scheduled post..as I am currently in the air..heading home to London for 2 weddings, a week of work and a whirlwind of social/family time.

So it has been a while since I touched my online card class. Things keep getting in the way.

I did however jump straight to Day 6 about 6 weeks ago, but just never got around to posting my makes..

So here is Day 6 - Stamps with Dies. For my first 2 cards I used a Hero Arts Framelits set.

The first technique is Die Cut Edge (main photo)...I am still not sure how I feel about this technique, but I do like my card.

The next technique is Glittered Die Cut..loved this technique and I love how my card looks. It was my first time using the Judikins sticky stuff...amazing product.

Glittered die cut

I am pleased that this class helped me to conquer my fear of heat embossing..I use it so much now, its pretty straightforward and really makes cards pop!

I switched sets for the next couple of cards and used a Pink Paislee set.

The next technique is Layered Die Cuts. I am pleased with my card, could have done a better job making the layers obvious.. The top layer is a watercoloured background, with white embossing over the top. I also heat embossed the sentiment onto VELLUM - see how far I have come... The background is a Prima stencil and I only re-inked my dauber once, so I would get variations in colour.

Layered Die-cuts

Layered Die-cuts close-up

I skipped Double Sided Stamped Die Cut, as it didn't really work with my sets.

The final technique is Bold Embellishments. I love how the umbrella's pop off of the Yellow background.

Bold Embellishments

I am pretty pleased with my cards, not sure if I will be doing the Die Cut Edge again..we'll see.

Cx

WOYWW #271...Leaving on a jet plane..

..well not quite, but tomorrow I am heading home - Whoop Whoop!

Today I am joining WOYWW..the infamous time of the week, where we join Julia over at her blog Stamping Ground and nose at each other's desks.

Hope everyone is safe after the serious storm that hit a lot of people last night. The wind here was amazing - never heard anything so loud!

My desk is a bit tidy and a bit messy - just on the left side..I have been playing with some ideas, hence the pile to the left, I was going to use the Silhouette cat eye mask on the purple card - hence the t-rule, but I changed my mind. The papers are out, because I sorted my scraps. The Dymo label maker is also out because I sorted my scraps.

I saw a great idea for scrap organising on a WOYWW blog (sorry can't remember who for the life of me...getting old), but I thought it was a bit small for my silly season scrap "collection". So I hunted for something and decided that I would buy a photo organiser, that was handily on sale at The Container Store and meant I could also use a voucher I had.

This is the end result -

Photo organiser transformed into a scrap manager!

I labelled the cases by colour - to match my large paper drawers and then spent nearly all day on Sunday sorting out my scraps. I ended up with 2 carrier bags of paper for recycling..I finally managed to get rid of all the teeny tiny piece of paper that I have been hanging on to and some crumpled damaged pieces.

Here is one of the cases open -

Green scrap case

Most pleased with myself and everything I have made since has used a scrap or bigger offcut - no new pieces of paper have been harmed this week :) I have vowed to try and use as many scraps and bigger offcuts as I can before chopping up anything else!

As always there is a card for you lovely WOYWWers - it used x3 scraps and x1 bigger offcut. Its for a work colleague, who is a bit quirky, so she got a quirky card  - 

Cat Mask 30th Birthday Card

Sorry for the long post. Happy WOYWW.

I'll be visiting late tonight, as I have to stay up!

Cx

Card swap..

Hi,

WOYWW introduced me to the wonderful SuperStampGirl..I love her work and Crystal is a really nice person too.

She recently invited me to join her card swap - which restarts in September.

I have been looking around for inspiration for the cards. JT and I were discussing what she is currently making and pulled out her Big Ben stamp, which sparked an idea in my head!

I am very pleased with my cards (I had to make 5 all the same). I imported the scan of the stamp into my Silhouette studio, making it less work for me (tools make me lazy for sure). The chevron, wiggly pig tail and hello are all by My Mind's Eye, set is called 'Hello!'. I added some black bling from AC Moore and voila! completed cards!!

So simple. Thanks JT!

Cx

Shades of yellow..

 Hi,

Hope you had a good weekend. Alongside a brief playdate with JT, I've been running around trying to tie up loose ends before we leave for London on Thursday!

I thought to take my mind off of the planning / packing, that it would be a good idea to start the week with a new challenge.

I came across Seize the Birthday a while back, but have not entered yet.

The challenge is all about Birthday's but each week there is an extra 'topping', which you can add if you like - clever. This week the topping is 'Yellow'.

As you can see from my main photo my card is most certainly full of the topping.

All the papers are by Recollections at Michaels. I really wanted to mix my patterns and shades. I added the American Crafts navy and white spotty ribbon, to break up the yellow a bit. As I added some navy, I thought I would stamp the sentiment in navy too, the stamp is by Woodware, the washi tape circle and bling are from my stash.

Happy Monday

Cx

Super quick playdate...

Hey,

Hope you are all having a good Sunday.

All is well here in NYC. JT and I had a brief playdate today. We had planned on making a challenge entry and had something specific in mind, but changed direction on the call!

We went with Color Throwdown and Freshly Made Sketches -

I am really happy with my card, the simplicity pleases me, as do the colours. I really love the SSS hey friend stamps. The papers are all by DCWV, the frame is by Dovecraft and the bling is from my stash.

What you can't see is the slight mistake...I made my card the wrong way round, so it opens incorrectly..no matter..I am sure it will make the recipient smile.

As I am heading home next week, JT and I will get to see each other, but we won't be having a real life playdate..there just isn't enough time sadly.

JT has been working with her Big Ben stamp and as she gave me a scan of it, I am going to have a play too.

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday.

Cx

CAS-ual Fridays...Eat Cake!

Happy Friday to you all!!

It's an eat cake kind of day today :)

I thought I would enter CAS-ual Friday's #134 again, as this is the last challenge of theirs for 2014 it makes sense to join in a few times :)

The challenge is a Tic-Tac-Toe one..

This time I went with Chevrons, White and Twine.

I used the same Bo Bunny stamp set for the Chevron and the eat cake stamp is by Hampton to fit their iPress..not sure if these are selling so well, hence me getting a set of 3 for $1. I used some red and white bakers twine to add some colour. There is a little touch of glitterglue too :)

I have a recepient in mind already, so that makes the card a winner for me.

Have a great weekend..I will mainly be sewing (once again leaving things to the last minute..)

Cx

23 years and still going strong...

Hi,

Today's card was made for a friend that I have had for 23 years!

We met at University and even though she is from Seattle and I am from London, we have remained firm friends.

Michelley now lives in Hawaii - yeah I dislike her a little bit for this too :) And recently she sent me a book - yes an actual book that I have not read and is totally me! I was overjoyed and I've found a couple of notes tucked inside it from her!

The card was inspired by Michelley as she is a fabulous painter..very talented. I on the other hand can 'paint by numbers' but freehand, drawing and stuff..nope, not me.

I used a stamp that is definitely NBUS and watercoloured it using an aquabrush and gelatos. I dried it with a heat tool and then painted some goosebumps texture spray over it. The sentiment is by American Crafts and I used a new Studio G ink..love the colour.

I am very lucky and have a really great group of friends - male and female, some are newer than others, but this doesn't really matter. They are all amazing and never fail to astonish me at how generous they are with their friendship.

It's always nice to make something special and unique for a good friend.

Cx

WOYWW #270...Indulgence..

Hi,

Happy WOYWW..as a crafter I know all about Indulgence (why do we have such large stashes?!)

Anyway, before we get into it..if you don't know what WOYWW is by now you need to hop on over to Julia's blog Stamping Ground and find out.

I've been a bit indulgent this week..I bought some stamps from ByLori Designs, some from Hambo, some from Cuddly Buddly and then had to stop myself!!

However as you can see from my desk some other new items arrived too (oops).. misting bottles..I love mini misters, but they are way too pricey. Saw these mini travel bottles with a fine spray nozzle for 99c, so bought them and they work really well. My glasses - the correct craft desk pair, my gym headphones, new bling and chalk tags - 99c each pack and some left overs from die cutting, I am going to use them as masks. Then there is the new dog stamp - $1.50 and a coloured version of it.
Also my approx.18yr old beloved Pentel automatic pencil..I love this pencil. After changing industry after nearly 20 years earlier this year, my pencil holds special meaning to me. He was given to me on my first day of work at my first ever ad agency and I have had him ever since..refilling him time and time again. And yes my pencil is a he!

Here is a little card for you WOYWWer's as usual..using a ByLori stamp :)

Ella stamp by Lori Boyd

Cute right?!

Sorry for the lengthy post :) See you all later.

Cx

You're so cool...

Hi,

I saw The Cutting Edge Challenge on Darnell's blog and decided to play along this week with #6..

You have to use the inspiration image as reference, it has to be obvious how.

I decided to use it as a sketch and kind of flipped it a bit. I used the SSS August Card Kit to make this card and added some bling from my stash. I wasn't sure about the stamp set at first, but now I have used it a bit its growing on me.

I did have a different card in my head, but I don't like it..however before it goes to card heaven..here it is..

The reject

I don't like the ice-cream against the papers..too busy! I do like my heat embossing sentiment though.

Cx

Simon Says..Anything Goes..

Hey,

Hope you all had a great weekend. I had a pretty peaceful homebody kind of weekend. Lots of skyping with friends and family - which is always nice.

I decided to enter Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge this week - Anything Goes.

Everyone loves anything goes. The card I am entering is part of a set that I created last week..I used the SSS May Card Kit to make the card, the happy birthday stamp is by Hero Arts, the tapes are from my stash and other SSS card kits.

There is an interesting back story to these cards. I made the card you see as the main photo. I went to show it to Hubby who said "yeah like it, but lose the tape" I was a bit miffed..who's the cardmaker here?!

Anyway I did what he asked, took a photo of the entire set and put it out for a Facebook vote..Hubby's cards won! I still disagree, hence not entering "one of his" in the challenge :)

Here are the rest of the cards.

I really like the simplicity of them and have already made a few more to give to a friend as a gift (she's a traitor btw and liked Hubby's "cards").

Cx

Happy Birthday Ma....

Hi,

Happy Friday to you all.

Today is my Ma's birthday.

This year has been a tough one for her and our whole family..but as ever thanks to Ma's determined spirit, she is a survivor and so are we..

I am most excited, as I will get to see Ma in 2 weeks, Hubby and I are heading home for 2 weddings and whilst he spends the week between them away with his family, I will be working from home at my parents house. I am looking forward to spending QT with them.

The main photo was taken last year of Ma and I on a boat trip when she came to NYC to visit. I love it, it reminds me of all the fun things we have done together.

I wanted to make her a really special card this year and decided to have another go at making a Pop-up card. They are fun to make, but labour intensive!

Ma's Card - Open view

I went with bright cheery colours, as Ma loves these - especially the lime..The bunting I punched using 2 mini bunting punches I have and the bird embellishment is metal and part of a set from Michaels (only $2 for x8). All the papers are by American Crafts and Recollections.

I cut the card template using my Silhouette and the 'Ma' letters were cut using some ancient letter dies I have.

Here is a side view of the card, so you can see how big it is..

Ma's Card - Side view

When closed the card looks like this - 

Ma's Card - Closed view

Clever! It basically all folds up and fits an A5/A2(US) envelope and then 'pops-up' to the finished card..

I really like these, wish I wasn't so lazy, as I would make lots of them, but for now I will satisfy myself with entering my lovely card into the current Sister Act Card Challenge #68 - 'Anything Goes'

Have a great weekend everyone.

Cx