Celebrate in Style

Good morning all.

We had a beautiful day yesterday, I hope you did too.

It's my sister in laws birthday today and this is the card I made her.

Background created using Sparkle Medium and a stencil from Imagination Crafts, both part of my recent candy win. Stamps and backing paper were magazine freebies. I've paper pieced all the stamps using a coordinating paper from the pad. Ribbon and yarn are from Inkylicious; lace and charm are from my stash.

Challenges entered:

Crafty Hazelnuts Patterned Paper - anything goes

Paper Pretties - try a new technique (stencilling)

Inky Impressions - charm
Divas by Design - sparkle
Baffies Kreativladen - anything goes
It's all about Vintage - use lace
Crafts 4 Eternity - texture
Dream Valley - vintage
Ecleptic Ellapu - vintage
The Ribbon Girls - birthdays
The Cheerful Stamp Pad - anything goes
Craft room Challenge - 20th Century...inspired by early 1900's elegance
Craft-Dee BowZ - anything goes

Carol x

Happy Birthday

Good morning all.

Sharing one of my makes from Friday today. I was lucky enough to win some fabulous blog candy from Linda. My bundle included this decoupage stamp from Imagination Crafts. I think this will be hubby's birthday card...so another new card for him this year!!

I printed the image several times on both parchment and kraft card and coloured with promarkers. Papers are from Costco and Webster's Pages which I've matted onto teal pearlised card from Crafters Companion. I've used the additional stamps in the set for the sentiment, background and the bird peaking out of the birdhouse.

Challenges entered:

Card Makin Mamas - stack it up

Crafty Catz - anything goes

Jellypark Friday Challenge - things with wings

Sister Act Card Challenge - anything goes

4 Crafty Girls - anything goes

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - anything goes

Scribble and Scrap - anything goes

Challenges 4 Everybody - anything goes

Allsorts - spring is coming

Totally Gorjuss - happy birthday

Carol x

Christmas Card Club - "Feature a Robin"

Good morning all.

It was a lovely day yesterday...so why did I spend the afternoon making a mess in the craft room??

It's time for our next challenge over at the Christmas Card Club, it was Margaret's turn to choose the theme this time and she's asked us to "Feature a Robin". This is the first of several I made featuring robins...it was a case of strike while the irons hot!!

The papers and topper are all from My Mind's Eye and were a magazine freebie. Snowflake die from Spellbinders and Merry Christmas from Memory Box. Card is highlighted with some Glamour Dust.

Flat for posting and finished inside too :)

You'll find the rest of the girls listed on my sidebar if you'd like to pop over and see their creations.

Challenges entered:

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

Totally Papercrafts - make it shine

ABC Christmas - D for die cuts

Crafty Cardmakers - birds/birdcages

Crafty Hazelnuts patterned paper - anything goes

Completely Christmas - anything goes

Carol x

Wedding

Good morning all.

Apologies for being awol but I needed a week off to recover from the wedding....this low iron levels has really hit me hard this winter but hopefully I'll be fine again once I've taken all the pills!

We had a lovely day last Saturday, very chilly but the sun shone. The wedding ceremony, venue and reception were all fabulous and a good day was had by all.

I'm finally going to share the wedding stationery; so apologies in advance for such a long, photo heavy post!

The colour scheme was ivory and fuschia to which I added a little silver. The gorgeous heart die is from Marianne Designs - I've die cut it from the middle of the ivory square then replaced it popped up on foam squares, square dies from Spellbinders. Wording is computer generated then heat embossed with silver EP - a bit of a faff but finished them perfectly. Ribbon is from Craft Creations; charm and gem are from Meiflower. A simple paper insert completed the invitations.

A simple RSVP card and all envelopes were fuschia to match the invites.

Evening invites were postcard style and very simply embellished. Dies from Spellbinders.

The tables were all named after local castles. Wording was computer generated and heat embossed. Dies from Spellbinders and punch from Martha Stewart.

The table plan...dies from Spellbinders, corner punch from Martha Stewart. Small pink hearts are die waste. The wire heart and pegs were supplied by the bride. The place cards were simply the next size down deckled rectangle die and they were pegged to the wine glasses.

And a close up of the heart...wording computer generated and heat embossed. Bow tied on a fork with a charm added.

And finally one of those fluke photos of the bride and groom apparently watching me and OH having our picture taken lol.

Thankfully my mojo seems to have returned and I've spent a few days this week relaxing in my craftroom...all the samples are made for the next wedding in July and I've managed to have a play with some candy I won :) So you should see a little more of me this week hopefully and I'll be round to see you very soon.

Carol x

Crafting for all Seasons #71 "Sentiment as Focus"

Good morning all.
Managed to tidy the craft room yesterday and found homes for loads of stuff lying around...now I'll forget I have it lol!! 

Today it's time for our next challenge at CFAS and this time the theme is "Sentiment as Focus". We're  looking forward to seeing all your makes. We're being sponsored by Inky Impressions who gave the DT sentiments to work with.

I choose "Warm Winter Kisses"  which I heat embossed with silver EP after printing. Dies are from Spellbinders and embossing folder is the Die'sire "I Believe"  from Crafter's Companion. I've used a silver ink pad to highlight the embossing on both the background and the dies.

Love how this turned out and could be making several more in different colourways!

Flat for posting....

....and finished inside too!!

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see the rest of the girls inspiration, you won't be disappointed.

Challenges entered:

Pile it on - sentiment as focus

Robyn's Fetish - add lots of snow

Scrappy Hands - embossing

Scribble and Scrap - anything goes

Card and Scrap - anything can be celebrated

Crafter's Companion - CAS

CHNC - anything Christmas goes

Feeling Crafty - dies and/or punches

Lothian Crafts - love using your dies

2 Sisters - embossing

CHNC - Christmas love

Holly Jolly - snow much fun

Carol x

Wedding Day

Good morning all.

Managed to gather myself together yesterday to do some crafting and got my wedding card finished along with a DT card for tomorrow.....and I was pleased with both of them!!

Made using the wedding invitation colours and a similar theme. Border punch is from Martha Stewart; embossing folder is a Die'sire from Crafter's Companion; heart die is from Tattered Lace; ribbon, cord, charm and gems are from my stash. Wording is computer generated and heat embossed with silver EP.

Inside has been decorated to match, using another Tattered Lace die which was free in their first magazine.

Challenges entered:

Red Carpet Studio - love actually

Sentimental Sunday - pack a punch

Card a Day - invitations, St Patrick or wedding

LEJ Designs - valentine/love

Natalie and Amy - love is all around

Seemacrafts - valentine/love

Crafty Calendar - love is all around

Brown Sugar - use a die/punch

Delightful Challenges - love notes

Bunny Zoes - love/hearts

Card Mania - love is all around

Carol x

Christmas Card Club - "Snowflakes/All White"

Good evening all.

Sorry I'm still being such a bad blogger...I'm still in hibernation and have been busy doing bits for the wedding which is next weekend...hope we get a day like today for it!

It's time for our next challenge over at the Christmas Card Club, it was Hazel's turn to choose the theme this time and she's given us "Snowflakes/All White".

Using my new Woodware stamp...stamped and heat embossed then paper pieced with some papers from Papermania, finished with a gem from my stash.

Inside duly finished off :)

You'll find the rest of the girls listed on my sidebar if you'd like to pop over and see their creations.

Challenges entered:

The Glory of Christmas - snow

CHNC Extra - anything goes

Christmas Inspirations - clean and simple

Sparkles Christmas Challenge - anything goes

One Crazy Stamper - anything goes

CRAFT - Christmas

Carol x

Crafting for all Seasons #70 "Show us Some Romance"

Good morning all.
Gosh it's chilly, although we have had a nice couple of dry days.

Gary appears to be enjoying his Wwoofing (unpaid work in exchange for bed and board). So far he's sorted out sheep's wool and levelled land!

Today it's time for our next challenge at CFAS and this time the theme is "Show us Some Romance". We're  looking forward to seeing all your makes. We're being sponsored by Meljens who gave the DT images to work with.
 Hubby's gonna get a new Valentine card this year lol!!

I've used Little Art Mouse and XOXO Stitches coloured with promarkers and highlighted with a gelly roll pen. Dies are from Spellbinders. Embossing folder from Cuttlebug and ribbons from my stash.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see the rest of the girls inspiration, you won't be disappointed.

Challenges entered:

Cuttlebug Mania - red

Fan-Tastic Tuesday - anything goes

Cheerful Stamp Pad - love/valentine

Craft-Dee Bowz - anything goes

Crafting from the Heart - anything goes/use red

Craft your Passion - love is in the air

Lexi's Creations - valentine/love

OLLCB - use a heart

The Crazy Challenge - love is in the air

Dream Valley Challenges - no designer paper

That Craft Place - valentine

The Crafting Cafe - embossing

Meljen's - time's up 

(it probably took the full 30 minutes but this card came together without a battle and didn't require much matching up of colours....plus I was making dinner at the same time!)

Carol x

Christmas Card Club - "Feature a Heart /the Colour Red"

Good evening all. I'm running late this should have gone live this morning!

I've finally come out of hibernation...I really don't like January and February!! It would seem my mojo doesn't either and is still awol! Thanks to those who have asked if I'm okay, I'm fine just can't seem to settle to crafting and I've less than three weeks to finish off the wedding stuff and lose the weight which wasn't there when I bought my outfit!!

Gary is currently enjoying himself in the north of South Island and is starting his first Wwoofing job today...so will enjoy a real bed and some home cooking in return for a few hours work each day for at least a week...I think he was looking forward to it!

It's time for our next challenge over at the Christmas Card Club, it was Mary's turn to choose the theme this time and she's given us "Feature a Heart/the Colour Red".  I've managed to do both.

Base card is a recent sale purchase from Readicut. Backing paper is from Papermania "Home for Christmas". Stamps are from Spellbinders a recent magazine freebie which I've stamped and heat embossed. Oval dies from Spellbinders. Icicle die from Marianne Design. Snowflakes are a recent purchase from the Readicraft sale. Ribbons from my stash.

Flat for posting.

And finished off inside...still being good :)

You'll find the rest of the girls listed on my sidebar if you'd like to pop over and see their creations.

Challenges entered:

CHNC Extra - anything goes

Addicted to Stamps - hearts

Pile it On - add ribbon

Scrappy Hands - embossing

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - anything goes

The Crafting Cafe - embossing

Sparkles Forum Christmas - anything goes

2 Sisters Challenge - embossing

Bloggers - embossing

Papercrafting Journey - emboss it

Christmas Challenges (with sketches) - sketch

Creative Moments - add some sparkle

The Sisterhood of Crafter's - winter snowflakes

Carol x

Crafting for all Seasons #69 "For the Girls"

Good morning all.

Woke up on Monday morning to a text from Gary to say they'd had an earthquake in Wellington about 6.2/3 magnitude...he was well chuffed with himself!! Luckily there was little damage done. He's now on South Island staying in Blenheim and looking for some casual work!

I've just lost three days reminiscing with people who grew up in the same area as me. Someone set up a Facebook page at the weekend and everyone has been adding old photos and happy memories...fabulous to see and read. Also found two old friends who I hadn't heard of for years and both are living in New Zealand!

Today it's time for our second challenge of 2014 at CFAS and this time the theme is "For the Girls". We're  looking forward to seeing all your makes. We're being sponsored by Lacy Sunshine who gave the DT images to work with.

I choose Raining Frogs which I coloured with promarkers. Dies from Spellbinders. Paper and banner are from Kaisercraft and were a magazine freebie. Hessian is a recent buy...though I can't remember where from!! Ribbon and fibres are from Inkylicious and sentiment is from my stash. Hearts were punch waste.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see the rest of the girls inspiration, you won't be disappointed.

Challenges entered:

Brown Sugar - anything goes

Polkadoodles - anything goes/girl talk

Stampin for the Weekend - Happy Birthday

Moving along with the Times - girly cards

Crafty Sentiments - birthdays

Creative Craft Challenges - new (papers, hessian and image)

Deep Ocean - birthday

Fan-Tastic Tuesday - make it feminine

Papertake Weekly - add a bow and use a die

Party Time Tuesday - ribbons

Passion for Promarkers - ribbon, lace or twine

Great Impressions - use something new

The Squirrel and the Fox - show off your new stuff

Sugar Creek Hollow - fibres and textures

Carol x

Christmas Card Club - "Cooking up a Storm"

Good morning all...finally back with a card, though I'm not too happy with it!! My mojo seems to have up and gone again...wonder if it snuck off to New Zealand hiding in a rucksack!

Gary is living his dream...he's always loved The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, long before the films were made...he's spent a lot of the last week visiting the places they were filmed. He headed out of Auckland last weekend after buying a Mazda people carrier with a bed in the back! First stop was Matamata to visit the Hobbiton village then it was onto Tongariro where he spent three nights and walked the Tongariro Alpine Crossing..eating his lunch on the top of Mount Doom. He then headed off down the Forgotten Road towards Mount Taranaki after which he wended his way to Wellington to meet up with his friend. He's now waiting to see how soon he can get a ferry over to South Island and hopefully find some work.

It's also time for our second challenge of the year over at the Christmas Card Club, it was Lizzie's turn to choose the theme this time and she's given us "Cooking up a Storm!". So anything food related goes.

I hunted high and low through all my decoupage sure there would be something suitable but there was zilch! Finally came up with a gingerbread stamp.

Gingerbread stamp was one of my first stamps many moons ago in a set from QVC, stamped with DI embossing ink and heat embossed with Peacock Sparkle and Sprinkle embossing powder, then cut with a two inch die to make a twinchie. Dies from Spellbinders. Backing paper is from Dovercraft. Sentiment, ribbon and fibres are from my stash.

Flat for posting!

And just to prove I've finished the inside!!

You'll find the rest of the girls listed on my sidebar if you'd like to pop over and see their creations.

Challenges entered:

CHNC - shades of blue

CHNC extra - anything Christmas goes

Crafty Halzelnut's Patterned Paper challenge - anything goes

Jingle Belles - have yourself a merry little Christmas

Christmas Cards all Year Round - anything goes

ABC Christmas - a for anything Christmas

Sister Act Card Challenge - anything goes

Wags n Whiskers - anything goes

Carol x

Birthday Wishes

Good morning all.

Pleased to say Gary arrived in Auckland safely, he's booked into a hostel near the Sky Tower and is staying there until Monday. He's hoping to pick up a camper van fairly cheap to travel around in!

Another of the cards I made before Christmas to share with you today, I think this was for one of my sisters.

A pearl card base; backing papers from Papermania; decoupage image is a Meadow Cottage Bear from Crafter's Companion; banner die from Joanna Sheen; other dies all from Spellbinders; ribbon, pearl, sentiment and gems all from my stash.

Challenges entered:

Crafter's Cafe - anything goes

Crafting by Designs - birthdays

Divas by Design - let's celebrate

Penny's Paper-Crafty - anything goes

A Little Bit Crafty - celebrate

Crafter's Companion - hearts

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - anything goes

The Crafting Cafe - anything goes

Craft-Dee Bowz - anything goes with a handmade bow

Crafty Cardmakers - bears

Carol x

Crafting for all Seasons #68 "All Things Bright and Beautiful"

Good morning all.

Today it's time for our first challenge of 2014 at CFAS and this time the theme is "All Things Bright and Beautiful". We're  looking forward to seeing all your makes. We're being sponsored by The Paper Shelter who gave the DT images to work with.

Image and backing paper are Cute Dressmaker which I already had in my stash. Dies are from Spellbinders. Bobbin reel is from Anna Marie Designs. Sentiment stamps are from Wild Rose Studio. Ribbon and button are from Crafty Ribbons.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see the rest of the girls inspiration, you won't be disappointed.

Challenges entered:
Creative Craft Challenges - anything goes
Fan-Tastic Tuesday - anything square goes
LEJ Designs - anything goes
Papertake Weekly - anything goes
Through the Craft Room Door - anything goes
Cheerful Stamp Pad - ribbon
Crafting from the Heart - anything goes with pearls/buttons
Lexi's Creations - anything goes
Victorine Originals - layers

Carol x

Happy Birthday

Good morning all.

Very fragile mother here! I'll be fine once I know he's arrived in one piece but that won't be until about midnight tonight, meanwhile I'm like a cat on a hot tin roof!! I will have to go food shopping if we want to eat today....must remember I'm not feeding Gary though, the food bill will probably half lol.

Update...managed a brief conversation with Gary on Facebook whilst he was waiting for the gate to open in Hong Kong so I'm much happier now!! Hoping he manages to get some sleep on the flight to Auckland as he didn't manage much last night...."the old codger in the seat behind played solitaire all night on the touch screen TV"!!

Sharing a card I made on Saturday so I could hand deliver it to my nephew on Sunday and save on the postage!!

Kraft base card; stamped background (a very old stamp from Anita's) mounted onto a fancy nestie square; football die brand spanking new from Tattered Lace Dies and a recycled ribbon bow to which I've added a pearl.

Challenges entered:

Come and Get it - something new

Great Impressions - use something new

A Gem of a Challenge - something new

Sweet Stampin' - sport and fitness

Charisma Cardz - birthday

Shelly's Images - out with the old, in with the new

Simon says Stamp - something new

Sweet Stamps - kraft paper

Shopping our Stash - use something new

The Crazy Challenge - cards for men

Carol x

Living Life to the Fullest

Good morning all.

We had a lovely happy family lunch yesterday...good food, good company and lots of laughter.

Sharing a card made to give my son today as he leaves on his trip to New Zealand, I've tucked it into his back pack so hopefully he'll find it before he comes home again! He flies out of Edinburgh at 6.30pm this evening for Heathrow with an onward overnight flight to Hong Kong and then onwards to Auckland arriving late morning on Wednesday local time.....about 28 hours travelling in total if everything is on time! I don't envy him the journey but I do envy the trip!

Created in Craft Artist using Full Life from Simple Girl Scraps along with sentiments from Word Art World by Jennifer. After printing I've layered onto black card and used a kraft card as a base.

This is the digital version which will be used in his scrapbook.

And the insert.

Writing the card after I made it on Friday opened the floodgates, goodness knows what I'll be like this afternoon.

Challenges entered:

Digitally Sweet - anything goes

My Time to Craft - music or movie influenced (Willie Nelson's On the Road Again)

Musically Challenged - inspired by a song from a movie

"On the Road Again" is a song made famous by country music singer Willie Nelson, and is part of the soundtrack to the 1980 movie Honeysuckle Rose.

Challenges 4 Everybody - anything goes

Scribble and Scrap - anything goes

Carol x

Christmas Card Club "Anything Goes"

Good morning all.

Off out for a family lunch today so Gary can see everyone before he leaves tomorrow. I'm not sure which one of us has the biggest butterflies at the moment...I know mine are huge!!

It's also time for our first challenge of the year over at the Christmas Card Club, it was Sylvie's turn to choose the theme this time and she's been kind and said "Anything Goes!".

My image is a recycled money holder, cut with a Spellbinder die and mounted onto the corresponding fancy die which I've just bought in the sales...though I do wish they'd size them all properly!! Backing paper, sentiment and ribbons are from my stash (the red ribbon being recycled off this year's crackers). The embossing folder is from Couture Creations.

Kept flat for posting and this year I'm determined to have inserts  made with the card! I've also bought a new Penny Black sentiment stamp for the purpose.

You'll find the rest of the girls listed on my sidebar if you'd like to pop over and see their creations.

Challenges entered:

CHNC - recycle

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - anything goes

A Gem of a Challenge - something new

Winter Wonderland - teddy bears

Jingle Belles - something old, something new

Christmas Card Challenges - no colouring

Carol x

Birthday Wishes

Good afternoon all.

 I hope you all had a good New Year however you celebrated, we had a very quiet one here.

I need to reopen the craft room today as I need two cards for Monday, one which needs posted and the other for my eldest who leaves on Monday for his trip to New Zealand!

My first card of the New Year is one of a few I actually made last year but as I was in the middle of the wedding stationery at the time I hadn't time to blog them but when I saw Hazel's new challenge blog  just for patterned papers I thought I'd pop over and give her some support.

The image is a Sarah Kay decoupage; dies are all from Spellbinders; papers were a candy win; flower, pearls and sentiment from my stash.

Challenges entered:

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - anything goes

Crafting by Designs - anything goes

Crafty Creations - anything goes

Crafty Sentiment Designs - birthdays

Creative Card Crew - anything goes

Carol x