Three Cheers!...

Hey,

So I have been spending most of my time off at my desk - tidying, organising, learning new things and finally playing with some of the enormous Black Friday haul.

I got these great Clearly Besotted Panda Cheerleaders then and they are long overdue for a play.

I chose 3 of the panda stamps and drew a line on my white panel, so I could line them up correctly. I do this a lot, it's super helpful.

I added a banner and a larger sentiment from the set.

At the last minute I decided that the dresses should be pink and used a Spectrum Noir sparkle pen to colour them and their little bows.

Very cute card..maybe too cute for me..I'll keep my eye out for other ways to use this set.

Cx

Retro Rubber Challenge #81.. Sketchy for you..

Hey,

Welcome to another fun Retro Rubber challenge.

We have a sketch for you this time, created by me!

You know how much I love a sketch, so it was a lot of fun for me to create a few for the Retro Rubber challenge, I was super pleased when Jane asked.

I decided to rotate the sketch, as I really wanted to use the awesome 'Celeste' stamp by Art Impressions - I love their humor.

I coloured the stamp using Distress Inks with a paintbrush and a Nuvo glitter pen. The stamp is quite big so I had to break out a large circle die and a A5 (A7us?) card.
I took a really deep breath and used a big piece of the purple leopard paper that I have had for ages and I ration it, but 2018 is the year of use it, so...

The sentiment came with the stamp set and it always makes me smile.

Now it's your turn to show us your interpretation of the sketch and pop over to Retro Rubber and get inspired by the things the DT have made.

Challenge ends March 9th.

Don't forget to tell us the age of your stamp, that is part of the fun of our challenge and please only enter 10 challenges including Retro Rubber.

Cx

The Paper Players: Hello Monster Friend...

Hey,

Happy Monday.

It is a very Happy Monday for me, as my work permit FINALLY arrived on Saturday, so back to work I go on Thursday.

To celebrate I am playing along with the current Paper Players challenge -

I love sketches and this one is super versatile.

As always I reached for my ridiculously large Monster stamp stash..I love this set (Monster Squad) by Jane's Doodles.

This is where a stamp platform comes in super handy. I die-cut my white panel and then lined up all my stamps using my Tim Holtz stamping platform. Super easy and quick.

I coloured my Monster using Promarkers and Spectrum Noir sparkle pens.

I pulled out a lovely piece of patterned paper by Studio Calico, I love their papers. I added a strip of ancient glittery DCWV paper.

I used foam tape to pop up the main panel and I added a matching enamel dot and a googly eye to the Monster.

Fun card and I know exactly who to send it to.

Cx

Sketch Saturday #502: The Paper Shelter..

Hey,

Happy Saturday.

Time for another awesome sketch for you from the Sketch Saturday team.

Our sponsor this week is The Paper Shelter and they are offering a prize of 3 digital stamps from their store.

This week the sketch is by me!!

I chose to use the awesome 'Snug But Stylish' stamp by TPS.

I coloured the stamp using Promarkers and die-cut it to shape. I embossed the background using a great folder from JT. All the grey elements are scraps and the squares were already cut and ready to go from the scrap box!

I decided that the Tim Holtz sentiment stickers would work well here and 'attitude is everything' felt like a fit for this sassy and stylish lady.

Now it's your turn to show us your interpretation of the sketch. Don't forget to go over to Sketch Saturday and check out what the rest of the DT have made.

Challenge ends on Friday 2nd March at 7pm GMT / 2pm EST.

Cx

CASology: Pun..

Hey,

Happy Friday.

I had a late start today...feeling a bit blah.

But making a card for this week's CASology cheered me up a lot!

The cue card is a particular fave of mine -

I love a pun and I have tons of pun stamps.

I decided not to default to some of my tried and tested ones, but broke out a piece of NBUS, by Avery Elle 'Swans'.

My card was super simple to make, I coloured and die-cut the Swan stamp and added some distress paint to my panel to create a messy 'water' type background.

I stamped the sentiment and hearts from the set.

It will make a lovely thank you card for my Hubby, who has been amazing throughout this long and tedious wait for my work permit.

Have a great weekend.

Cx

Cleaning....

Hey,

So today's card came about because I looked at my desk a couple of weeks ago and realised that it was covered in random crap stuff.

I decided to have a tidy and if anything was useable, I would make a card from it.

I ended up with the die-cut oval watercolour panel, the Bear and the heat-embossed sentiment.

I smooshed the panel in some distress oxide inks and a little water, I wanted the background to tone with the gift and the balloon.

Using foam tape I mounted the watercolour panel and the Bear to the card blank (also on my desk) and then added the sentiment banner.

Really simple, easy and pretty card, thanks to the random things on my desk.

Cx

Retro Rubber Challenge #80 Dotty For You..there is still time to play..

Hey,

There is still time for you to play along with the current Retro Rubber challenge.

The theme this time is use dots or circles on your card.

Show us your dotty cards and pop over to Retro Rubber and get inspired by the things the DT have made.

Challenge ends February 23rd.

Don't forget to tell us the age of your stamp, that is part of the fun of our challenge and please only enter 10 challenges including Retro Rubber.

Cx

MFT Creative Olympics 2018: Event 4..Speed Cardmaking..

Hey,

Happy Monday and Happy President's Day to those of you that are lucky enough to have today off.

This is the final event for the MFT Creative Olympics. I have really enjoyed making the cards and despite the fact that my first two will be disqualified, I still have 4 great cards for my stash.

Event 4, seemed to be perfect for me -

I am a pretty fast cardmaker, not intentionally, it just seems that is how I work and generally I am pretty well prepped for my cards. It is rare that I approach my desk without the supplies I want to use whirring through my mind!

For this event you have 20 mins to make a card. I nailed the time part -

1.25 left of the 20 min time limit.

But the emotional stress of it, kinda took the fun out of it for me. I kept looking at the timer!

I used the 'London Mouse' set (being from London, this is a fave of mine) and the 'Chevron Grid' background stamp for my card, the sentiment is from the 'Polar Bear Pals' set.

I stamped the chevron background first and then stamped, cut and coloured my scene. This took the most time.

Once I had everything ready, I die-cut the chevron panel and affixed it to my card blank. I then added everything else to the chevron panel. Some of the pieces I popped up using foam tape.

I decided I wanted a flag banner for the sentiment and affixed it to my card using a staple.

I'm pleased with the end result, but no more timers for me..

Cx

MFT Creative Olympics 2018: Event 3 Crafty Biathlon..

Hey,

So I just realised that my cards for the first two events won't qualified, as I mixed MFT products with other ones.

No matter, I am having fun, so I am still playing along with all 4 events. These things happen and 2018 is my year for putting less 'blog / craft' pressure on myself and remember to have fun.

So for event 3 MFT have a -

Choose one thing from each of the columns below and combine to make one card.

I went with Emboss Resist and Shaker.

Two of my fave things..

As I made an error with my first two cards, I was careful with my products here.

I decided I wanted to have a vague nod to the Olympics in my card, so I pulled out x2 flower sets by MFT 'Pretty Posies' and 'Large Desert Bouquet' and used a mix of circle stamps to create my embossed background. I heat embossed the circles using white powder.

I then watercoloured over the heat embossing to get the resist and I used the 5 Olympic colours.

Using my fave scalloped peek-a-boo die by MFT I die-cut through the background, to create the window for my shaker.

I filled the shaker with sequins from my stash in co-ordinating colours.

Obviously I had to add Monsters to this already awesome card and used two of the monsters from the MFT 'More Monsters' set. The sentiment is also from the set and I used stazon ink, so that it would stamp properly over the heat embossed background.

Fun, bright and cheery is the end result and it's a teeny bit busy, but I love it.

I'll be back with event 4 tomorrow.

Cx

CASology: Together..

Hey,

So I saw this week's CASology cue word 'Together' and knew it was for me.

As you know I feel that Monsters are appropriate for any occasion and I have a metric ton of Monster stamps.

The ones I used on my card here are rather special, as they came in the post..no note, PO box postmark and were unlabeled so I have a) no idea who they are from! and b) who they are by!

Seeing these Monsters on my desk, along with the word 'Together', sparked an idea...

I die-cut the stitched wonky rectangle die by Lil Inkers and stamped the sentiment by Studio Calico and One Little Bird. The sentiment is from a great set called 'Extrovert' and for me it represents together, as I know anytime I go anywhere with my crazy friends, good times will be had.

The Monsters didn't come with dies, so I coloured them and then fussy cut them - blurgh ugh - I hate fussy cutting.

I popped up the white panel and the Monsters and for extra craziness I added googly eyes. I also added a couple of enamel stars for some extra colour.

I love it and now I feel like I need to make a bunch and send them to my crazy friends!

Cx

MFT Creative Olympics 2018: Event 2 Freestyle

Hey,

Happy Friday to you!

Following on from my post yesterday I am here playing along with Event 2 of the MFT creative olympics.

The theme is -

Any card you like, as long as it has a Winter theme.

I chose to use Polar Bear Pals again, I love the bears, I am still waiting for the dies, so I cut them out using my Silhouette. I die-cut the MFT stitched scalloped rectangle frame die using a piece of smooshed distress ink paper..I have a lot of these ready to go.

To add even more of a wintery feel, I stamped tiny trees from a set by In A Creative Mind. I love their collaborations with Studio Calico.

I used foam tape to pop up the central panel and the bear. Here is a closeup -

As I wanted to use the 'I come bearing gifts' sentiment from the Polar Bear set, I decided to add a little stack of presents from the 'Beary Special Birthday' set.

I love it, it makes a really nice winter birthday card.

Have a great weekend, I will be mainly at my desk and hanging with Hubby.

Cx

MFT Creative Olympics 2018: Event 1..stamping slalom..

Hey,

I saw on Instagram that MFT are celebrating the Winter Olympics with their own version -

I thought it would be fun to play along.

The first 'event' is called Stamping Slalom, this is 100% a creativity test, use x3 MFT sets on your card.

I misread that part initially, but I got there in the end!

First I created my background by smooshing my paper into distress inks that had been spritzed with water. I added some Glitter Snow paste through a stencil for the snowy effect. I repeated both of these steps with the bottom sentiment panel.

I cut the 'snowy hills' using a Lawn Fawn stitched hillside die. I added a white panel too, as the polar bear was getting a bit lost.

I am pretty pleased with my creativity here, I used Beast Friends (Yeti), Polar Bear Pals (Polar Bear) and Happy Hippos (Balloons). To me it feels like the Yeti is watching his Polar Bear buddy skate...but that's just my opinion..
I coloured all of these elements using Promarkers and Spectrum Noir glitter pens.

The sentiment is a mix of Simon Says Stamp and a freebie hand lettering alpha set I got. I didn't have a scripty 'fun' in my stash, so I created the one you can see on my card using the letters from the alpha set. It is so easy..I am now slightly reconsidering my desire to learn to hand letter..if I can cheat this well...

I'm super happy with my card. I'll be back with my Event 2 card tomorrow.

Cx

Happy Valentine's Day...

Hey,

So Hubby and I don't really do Valentine's Day, I make him a card. He makes me a hideous card. The end.

But I love making Valentine's cards..so for the last few years I have been making 20 cards to send to my girl posse.

The main card is the one I made for Hubby. I could not resist the stamp set from Recollections at Michaels AND it was on super bargain sale and the silly pun made me LOL in the store.

I am super pleased with my Avocado colouring..not something I had ever thought I need to master, but I guess that is the joy of making things, new, weird things become necessary!

I stenciled some hearts onto a tag using Picked Raspberry distress ink, then I spritzed it with water to get the patchy effect you see, it looks better IRL. I added some foam tape to my die-cut Avocado's and voila! finished card.

I made two different batches of cards for the girls.

I am still cracking myself up about these cards. I had wanted the 'your boobs look awesome' stamp by Unity Stamp Co. for AGES and it finally went on sale..so it had to be done.

However when I sat down to make the idea I originally had, it didn't work as the stamp is actually quite large. So I went with my default creative solution..add a monster!

The Valentine's stickers are very old and are Pink Fresh Studio and they came in a SSS cardkit (let's not talk about me on my hands and knees under my desk, looking for the right kit in the dark at 10pm when I remembered about them..)

I made 14 of the ones above and the final 6 cards were my original Valentine's plan (before the boob stamp came into my life).

As this is the year for me to use my vast patterned paper stash, I went through it all and pulled out as many Valentinesy papers as I could find. I die-cut them with the awesome wonky stitched dies by Lil Inkers and then I put the offcuts in the recycling bin..NO MORE SCRAPS.

I stamped and die-cut the Cactus by Jillibean Soup and stamped the 'free hugs' sentiment that came with the set. I added the Valentine's stickers here too and there are still some left!!

A fun assortment of Valentine's cards for my people..

Always nice to share the love.

Cx

Retro Rubber Challenge #80 Dotty for you...

Hey,

Welcome to another awesome Retro Rubber challenge.

Here's this week's theme -

I instantly thought of 'Space' when I saw this theme and so broke out a rather neglected set by Paper Smooches 'Space Cadet' from 2016.

To create the main focal point of my card - a moon / planet like circle, I masked off the area and blended Faded Jeans and Broken China Distress Oxide inks. I stamped stars onto this circle using Tsukineko Delicata White Shimmer ink..its not very visible in the photo, but looks great IRL.

I stamped two of the actual planets from the set, I think these also count towards using dots and circles!.

I stamped, coloured and cut the Spaceman and two little aliens and mounted them onto my card using foam tape.

The fun sentiment is actually new and by MFT.

This card is totally going to my Nephew for his birthday later on this week!

Show us your spotty makes and pop over to Retro Rubber and get inspired by the things the DT have made.

Challenge ends February 23rd. Don't forget to tell us the age of your stamp, that is part of the fun of our challenge and please only enter 10 challenges including Retro Rubber.

Cx

Boozy Blueprints...

Hey,

Happy Monday.

I had a fun Sunday with the Craftgang, always good when we can all make a playdate.

As usual we brought enough food to feed an army, but that's ok, as leftovers make me very happy.

I made a few things yesterday, I love playing with other people's stash!

Cheiron had nearly all of the new Tim Holtz / Stampers Anonymous sets..so I decided to play with the Blueprints Cocktails set..which is not even out yet!!!

I made a super simple set of cards, that I actually think will make great cards for Men!

I now think I need to own this set..

Cx

You're Crazy Awesome...

Hey,

Today I am off to Cheiron's with the rest of the craftgang to have a epic playdate / baby shower.

I know that JT's card has arrived, so now I can share it with you.

I love this set by Concord & 9th, but there are no dies and that central stamp is a beast!!

So recently I used my Silhouette to cut a bunch of them.

I have used this stamp a ton of times, but I have never used it with the flowers, I've never really been that keen on them, so this was an experiment!

I love how it turned out, I think using similar colours to the ones in the central stamp worked better.

I decided that I would not try and add a birthday sentiment here - telling JT on her birthday that she is 'crazy awesome' seemed to be enough.

I coloured all the elements on the card using distress inks and a paintbrush.

I'm glad I cut a bunch of the central element, so I can now experiment with other colours.

Cx

Sketch Saturday #500.. Let's get our celebration on!!!

Hey,

Happy Saturday.

Today is celebration time, as the Sketch Saturday team are celebrating our 500th sketch challenge!!

Awesome.

Kindly a lot of our regular sponsors have donated prizes -

A Day for Daisies - $16 Gift Certificate
Crafty Sentiments - 3 digis
Digi Stamp Boutique - £10 Gift Certificate
Fred She Said $10 Gift Certificate
Kitty B - 1 digi
Lemon Shortbread - 1 digi
MMendel Illustrations - digi prize pack
My Besties - 3 digis
Sasayaki Glitter - 1 digi
The Paper Nest Dolls - 3 digis

More info about the prizes and challenge rules can be found on the Sketch Saturday blog post today.

Here's the sketch..

We could choose to use any of the sponsors for today's 500th sketch celebration. I chose A Day For Daisies. I love the 'Skinny Maiden' stamp it is so versatile, sadly I believe it is retired.

I coloured the stamp using Promarkers and added tons and tons of Nuvo Crystal Drops to her dress for some extra special celebration sparkle.

Last year, I bought a second-hand set of really cool sentiment quote stamps by The Ton Stamps and I thought the Coco Chanel one worked really well here.

Both papers I used are scraps and were 'precious'...no more of that in 2018.. Tis the year to use the patterned papers.

Now it's your turn to show us your interpretation of the sketch and join in the celebrations. Don't forget to go over to Sketch Saturday and check out what the rest of the DT have made.

Challenge ends on Friday 2nd February at 7pm GMT / 2pm EST.

Cx

Happy Birthday Man...

Hey,

So today is JT's birthday.

Every single year my birthday post about her / for her is titled the same thing, it's an in-joke between us.

I think it's pretty clear that I love and adore JT. She is not just a friend, she is part of my family.

We have supported each other through all kinds of crap, but we have also had a ton of fun together (late night dancing in various inappropriate venues, speed drinking gin, dinners in our fave rude Italian, being asked to leave numerous bars - because they are closing.., forgetting to collect our takeaway because we got drunk, realising we are both slobs, etc)

I feel so very lucky to have her as a friend and one who shares my craft addiction hobby too.

My card and present are still crossing the Atlantic..so I'll show you her card later on this week, so I don't ruin the surprise.

Instead I am showing you one of my fave photos of us, on the beach in Margate last August. I love this photo, it's so natural and takes me back to the very moment we took it, on an unexpectedly beautiful summers day in one of my fave places.

Having JT in my life makes me a better person, she knows me so well and is always there for me, even when I am difficult and don't want help...

I imagine it's like having a little Sister. But better, because we had a choice and we chose each other.

I'm looking forward to seeing her in March, so we can celebrate in person.

Love you man.

Cx

So much cake...

Hey,

I am heading to Philly today to hang out with my friends.

Yes, I am still waiting for the pesky work permit, so I am going to hang with my friends in an attempt to stem the stir crazy..

Today's card was a fun experiment and I can't wait to make more of them.

The balloon background is by Bugaboo and when I saw it, I thought it would work perfectly with a myriad of physical stamps.

To test my theory, I used one the coloured and cut MFT Bears that I had on my desk from the colouring challenge.

I love the final card, the background adds so much and I really love the sentiment that came with the MFT bear set, I just had to add the 'Happy Birthday'

Cx

Retro Rubber Challenge #79..Still Time to Play Along..Love is in the air..

Hey,

There is still time for you to play along with the current Retro Rubber challenge.

This time we have a photo inspiration for you.

Pop over to Retro Rubber and get inspired by the things the DT have made.

Challenge ends February 9th.

Don't forget to tell us the age of your stamp, that is part of the fun of our challenge and please only enter 10 challenges including Retro Rubber.

Cx

Cupcake Inspiration Challenge: Pearls in my hair...

Hey,

Happy February!

Super late post for me today. I have been busy running errands, at the gym and making homemade pizzas with Hubby!!

I made my card for Cupcake Inspirations current challenge last night and I really didn't want to miss the deadline.

They are being sponsored by A Day For Daisies, I love their digital stamps and I have quite a few of them.

I thought the colours would work really well in watercolour with Pearls in my Hair.

I love the watercoloured stamp, it's so pretty - sadly my birdies don't look as cream as they do IRL.

I layered black and cream patterned papers as a base for the watercoloured panel, I am trying to use as much of my patterned papers in 2018 as I can, so it was great to be able to use the cream patterned paper that I have had for a long time.

I was a bit stuck for the sentiment, but recently I won a huge batch of Unity Stamp Co sentiment stamps and I found the one you see on my card in the bag.

It works perfectly and I'm thrilled with the end result.

Cx