New Look

No new cards today - I've been decorating! I decided a new look was in order for spring.........it's taken me two days to work out how to change things but I've got there in the end! I love the fresh colours and the buttons on this layout from Leelou blogs and it's so easy once you know how, I may even decorate more than once a year!

Thank you to everyone who has stopped by and special thanks to those of you who have left comments on my posts.......I do appreciate it.

Carol x

G for Girly

The ABC Christmas challenge this week is G for Girly with a colour palette of pink, silver and purple.

Following the Sketch Saturday sketch and using this gorgeous download from Cuddly Buddly - The Friendly Snowman. Image and backing paper have been printed on pearlescent paper and matted and layered on stardream card. Snowflake punch by Martha Stewart. Finished with snowflakes, buttons and a sentiment.

And that's another of my special cards made!

Carol x

CD Sunday

The challenge this week at CD Sunday is transport. This little girl looks like she is enjoying being transported in style - is he her big brother or first boyfriend...answers on a postcard please!

Image and backing paper from Joanna Sheen's Pam West CD, matted and layered on mirri card. Finished with a ribbon, bow and some pearls.

Carol x

We have a theme going on........

Today has been dedicated to Christmas......and the tune for this card is Walking in a Winter Wonderland:

Over at Crafty Ann's the challenge is an Elvis Song. I've used an image and matching backing paper from Joanna Sheen's Pam West CD. Matting and layering is stardream card, finished wiith a ribbon, sentiment and some pearls from my stash. Diecut label is from Spellbinders.

And that's all for today folks. I'm off to bed....tomorrow is another day!

Thanks for stopping by.

Carol x



Less is More

Less is More challenge this week was a sketch - I made this Christmas card:

 DL card, silver mirri is embossed with a cuttlebug folder then edged with a Martha Stewart punch. Snowflake is a Spellbinders die. Card is finished with white and silver ribbon and a sentiment stamped and embossed with silver embossing powder.

Not so sure about this one....don't know if the sentiment is in the right place!

Carol x

Tilda hanging up the ornaments

My first Tilda stamp - I never really "got" them when they first appeared but having had this little beauty for a day............ I'm smitten!! I need some more....like yesterday! I don't know whether it's the stamp or that my colouring is improving (or a combination of the two) but I 'm somewhat pleased with this attempt!

Die Cut Dreams challenge is Tilda with Flowers. I followed  Friday Sketchers sketch - Tilda is coloured with water colour pencils, backing papers were a freebie download called Christmas around the World. I embossed the Cuttlebug folder Christmas tree onto stardream card and sanded it slightly then dusted it with pearlescent chalks, the card was then distressed with Tim Holz inks. Card is finished with poinsettia flowers, tartan bows, a sentiment and some diecut corners.

I'm also entering this in the following challenges:

Winter Wonderland - baubles

CHNC - square

Carol x 

Amy

Having seen Hazel's Amy a few days ago I had to have a go myself yesterday, here is the result:

Amy is a freebie digi stamp from Crafty Sentiments Designs and the challenge was to use her. I followed the sketch for Cutie Sunday. I coloured her with Lyra Aquas. Backing paper from Costco and my stash. Around the page punch from Martha Stewart. Finished with ribbon, flowers and gems from my stash.

Carol x



Think Pink

Made this one last night for The Sugar Bowl challenge - a sketch and the theme "think pink". I'm also entering it in the DYSU challenge "shine on".

Custard is stamped on stardream and coloured using water colour pencils. Backing paper from K&Co. Dies are all Spellbinders, punches are Martha Stewart, flowers from Flora Doodle. Finished with gems, pearls, buttons and ribbon from stash.

Carol x

CHNC - Square

This sleigh was on the Spellbinders die I used at some point last week so was waiting to be made into a card perfect for Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge this week:

Sleigh is cut from mirri card, backing paper and ribbon from stash.

Carol x

Mimosa basket

Is the name of this cute little stamp from Bild malarna which I bought at the Secc.

I've coloured her with Aqua tone pencils. Backing papers from HOTP all mounted on magenta stardream card. Punches all Martha Stewart and diecuts are Spellbinders. Finished with buttons, pearls, a bow, a charm and a peel off.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Bling it on - Anything goes with a charm

Bunny Zoes - Happy Birthday with pearls

My Partner in Crafting - add 3 or more buttons

Simon says Stamp - Mother's day/Girlie

and since Mimosa is a spring flowering tree I'm also entering in:

By the Cute and Girly - Springtime

Carol x

Messy Rabbit......

and he's on a Christmas card. Following the Sunday Sketch and Stamp sketch I produced this card:

As the Bah! Humbug! challenge this week is Christmas Trees I'm also entering there too.

Backing paper is from my stash, trees cut with Spellbinders nesties from green and red mirri card. Both stamps are from Joanna Sheen's Messy Rabbit , they are stamped on stardream card and coloured with H2O's. Card is finished with a tartan bow, wooden star, some bling and punched snowflakes.

Carol x

One card, two challenges

I've used the sketch from Sketch Saturday and combined it with the Punch it theme from LOTV.

Backing papers are from HOTP which I have had for ever and a day, they have been matted and layered on textured card which came frrom QVC. The LOTV  image has been stamped on water colour paper and coloured with watercolour pencils. Used my new Martha Stewart punches for the edgings and lace strip. Finished with a sentiment, flowers, buttons, bow and pearls from my stash.

Carol x

My neat and tidy craftroom

Since I've spent so much time in the craftroom lately I decided I really ought to sort it out somewhat.......I was fed up of having to climb into and out of it. So this afternoon I set to and rearranged the furniture and removed everything which doesn't belong there.  I can now walk into the room, see my desk - which now has room for a lamp so I can see to craft in the evening. I have put all my Christmas bits together in two boxes and tidied my ribbon box so hopefully I'll be able to find things more easily. Best of all I now have room for a chair lol.

I won't show you a picture of the stuff I've dumped in the hall!!! .......that's tomorrow's job!

Carol x

Rainbow Lady's Tie a Yellow Ribbon

I had this image printed ready to make a birthday card for my FIL's partner, after seeing Rainbow Lady's challenge this morning I thought it would be an ideal opportunity to showcase it:

Using Joanna Sheen's Thomas Kinkade CD the image is printed on ice blue decoupage paper and matted onto ivory stardream and gold mirri card. The matching backing paper is printed on pearlescent paper and matted onto gold mirri card. Card is finished with a yellow ribbon, an organza butterfly, sentiment and some peeloff corners.

Carol x

(P.S I've been singing the bl**dy song all day too!!)

Ladies Day

I just adore this image from Joanna Sheen's Enchanted Dreams CD and had to use it for my Mother's Day card, it fits perfectly the My Time to Craft challenge of Ladies Day and also Simon Says Mother's Day/Girlie:

Image is printed onto Ice Blue decoupage paper, then matted onto lilac stardream card. The matching backing paper is printed onto pearlescent paper. The card is finished with a ribbon and some Prima flowers and a butterfly.

Carol x



It's official..........

I've only been blogging for two weeks and I think I'm officially addicted lol. It's done wonders for my creative juices though and I've used stacks of stuff that hadn't seen the light of day for many a long while and........ best of all I've made several Christmas cards for the box :)

Many thanks to all who have taken the time to look at my creations and I do appreciate all the comments you leave. Carol x

Friday Sketchers

Another excuse to get one of my special Christmas cards out of the way! This one for Friday Sketchers:

The image, backing papers, corners and ribbon strip are all from the gorgeous Cuddly Buddly download Patchwork Snowmen, these have been matted onto stardream card. A paper doiley has been coloured with pearlescent chalks, blue stardream embossed with snowflake Cuttlebug folder. Card is finished with silver ribbon, card candy and some Spellbinders die cut snowflakes.

Carol x

DYSU Add a Bow

Not feeling too great today, got a throat infection and I'm hoping it won't turn into a full blown fluey thing as it has done three times so far this winter! I had this card sitting in my craftroom for a friend's May birthday, undecided whether it was finished or not!! Having seen Wendy's entry to the  Do you Stack up challenge for this week I decided it would fit the bill as it was:

Using a gorgeous image and backing paper from Joanna Sheen's Enchanted Dreams CD, the image has been matted onto stardream card and mounted onto the matching backing paper. Card is finished with a length of lace with a ribbon flower bow and some pearls.

Now I'm off to open the box which Parcel Force has just delivered........now that's perked me up a little bit!!

Carol x

Stamp fairy challenge

Another sketch for which I have managed to make a Christmas card using a Stamp Fairy free digi stamp:

 

Stamp was coloured with Stargaze gel pens and backed with  purple and silver mirri card and some silver embossed vellum, finished with some ribbon, a bow, some silver gems and a sentiment from my stash.

I'm also entering this in the Winter Wonderland Embossing wet/drycallenge.

Thanks for looking.

Carol x

Sketch and Stash

The quest at Sketch and Stash  was to use either new or old unused stash with an optional clean and simple style whilst following a given sketch, here is my  card:

The stamp was bought at the Secc from the Sugar Nellie stand (not sure whether it's a Sugar Nellie or not though) and this is it's first airing. Coloured with water colour pencils. Backing papers from Costco which I've has for ages but never found a use for. Embellishments all from stash and sentiment from a Daisy and Dandelion set, also being aired for the first time.

I am also entering this into Stamp Something Sweet challenge.

Definately easier to colour with pencils than Lyra aquas but much practise is still required before I become adept!!!

Carol x

LOTV Blog Candy

Mastered it finally!! Thanks ladies.

Carol x

Help please!

Could one of you good ladies please tell me how to "grab a banner" when the HTML script is not given beside it as it has me totally beat at the moment!!

Thanks Carol x

Less is More Masculine

First time making a Less is More card so be gentle!

This Thomas Kinkade image from Joanna Sheen didn't need much to show it off. Matted onto silver stardream and mounted on my favourite lapis lazuli stardream. Finished with a ribbon,  a button and some peel offs - hopefully not too much!!

I'm also entering this in the CD Sunday Wild Thing challenge - well the sea looks rather wild to me lol

Thanks again for looking and commenting.

Carol x

DCD Lavender and Lace sketch

Another Christmas card for the Die Cut Dreams Challenge:

Lavender stardream used for the base card then everything else I've had for eons. There is a strip of lace at the bottom although it doesn't show very well.

Carol x

Sugar Bowl Spring sketch

Where has the day gone to - been to the dentist and the hairdressers, booked a long weekend to Lake Geneva in May to celebrate hubby's 50th birthday, made a pan of soup then decanted to the craft room to play. First one today was for the Sugar Bowl challenge  using a Custard stamp by Sugar Nellie:

Backing papers and threads came from a scrapbook kit bought at Costco. Image is coloured using Lyra Aquacolours and card is finished with a button, flower and some flower gems to cover up some appalling colouring in lol - really need some practise in this area!!

Carol x

ABC Christmas Challenge - Freebie

And finally another one of my special Christmas cards made to enter the ABC Challenge. A free digi stamp and a sketch were supplied, this is the first time I have used a digi stamp but don't think it will be my last:

The backing papers I have used were a free download called Christmas from around the world, these were resized to fit the card and printed on pearlescent paper. I coloured the topper using H2O's. Card is finished with some gemstones, some georgeous ribbon I bought at the Secc and a sentiment. (The finished card is not as pink in the flesh!)

Well that's all for today folks, time for tea then I'll see what you've all been up to:)

Thanks for looking and for all your lovely comments on my other cards.

Carol x

CHNC Seasonal Silver

On to Christmas now for the Crafty Nut's Challenge - I could have used my Bah! Humbug! entry for this challenge too but being such a dedicated crafter I made one specially!!

Silver pearlescent card is embossed with a Cuttlebug border. Topper is made using some bits from Crafty Bitz which I've had forever! It's mounted on foiled card with some silver mesh and layered on silver mirri card. Finished with lilac ribbon and a sentiment.

Carol x

CBGM Spring sketch

No cardmaking yesterday! As the weather was so nice we went out to a local country park for a long walk with the dog. Freya was full of the joys of spring and thoroughly enjoyed herself. Today I have made three challenge cards. The first for CBGM  spring sketch:

Using the same Dovecraft backing papers and Eno craft toppers as I used for the Crafty Ann spring challenge, finished with a butterfly, flower, pearls and a sentiment from my stash.

Carol x

Bah! Humbug! Metallic

And finally......a Christmas card for this weeks Bah! Humbug! challenge which is "Metallic".

Found this Spellbinders die whilst looking for something else and decided I could use it for this challenge. All the paper, card and metallic foil came from my bit box. I cut the die three times and layered up the parcels in different colours. Used a beaded oval nestie for the topper, layered with a piece of parchment paper. Burgandy card is embossed with Cuttlebug Polka Dot folder and layered with paper. Card is finished off with silver pearls, bows and a sentiment. And that's another card for the box :)

Carol x



Crafty Ann's Challenge, sketch and/or spring

Needed a" thinking of you" card for someone whose Father is in hospital and the prognosis isn't good. The Crafty Ann Challenge gave me some inspiration to make this card:

The backing papers are by Dovecraft and the topper by Eno Craft both of which I was given for Christmas. These were matted and layered on lilac stardream card. Finished with a ribbon (to cover up a faux pax!!), some flowerheads and a sentiment from Kanban. 

Thanks for looking. Carol x

CD Sunday, Blue, brown and yellow

Had a busy day today as Friday is my cleaning day so house is spick and span-ish and the washing is under control. Managed to still find some time to craft though and got through three challenges (this could become addictive) before starvation set in!!

First the CD Sunday challenge was using the above colours. I found a Messy Rabbit topper from Joanna Sheen in my spares box and printed off a backing sheet to match, these were both matted and layered on blue card. Here is my card:

Finished with a ribbon, some gemstones and a sentiment from my stash.

Thanks for looking. Carol x

Created by Katie Blog

Over at the Created by Katie Blog, Katie is offering some wonderful blog candy - a ribbon carousel. If you are a ribbon addict like me click here to go and have a look on how to enter. Carol x

Creations by Gill M

has Blog Candy to give away, follow this link. Carol x

LOTV sketch

Same stamp as yesterday, very different card! Started at the bottom this time and choose all my papers and accessories before I started!! Love doing sketches as it usually takes me out of my comfort zone and uses bits I have sitting around being under utilised. Here is my card for this weeks LOTV sketch challenge.

Stamps from LOTV - stamped and embossed with versamark and Japanese Lacquer embossing powder, coloured with Lyra Aqua colours; papers from Costco all cut using nesties; flowers, lace, buttons and pearls from my stash. Flowers have been tinted with ink to blend them into the colour scheme, buttons attached with a bow tied in co-ordinating thread.

Thanks for looking. Carol x

LOTV Say it with flowers

Another day, another challenge. Got to choosing again today so had a play with this LOTV stamp which I bought at the Secc and decided I just had time to enter their Say it with flowers challenge.

8 x 8 card, backing paper from K & Co, used Labels One and Beaded round nesties with flowers, bow and bling from my stash. Image is stamped with Versafine ink and coloured using Lyra Aquas. Don't do alot of stamping but quite enjoyed this - next time though I'll choose all the backing papers etc before I colour in lol. 

Thanks for looking today and many thanks to those who left comments yesterday.

Carol xx

Rainbow Lady's Challenge Best Friends

After making  my Bah! Humbug! card I remembered Rainbow Lady's challenge was Best Friends so set about making another Christmas card for my stash, so that's two of my specials done for this year. Here is my card.

8 x 8 square card, aperture cut with a grand oval nestie, then a frame made with a scalloped grand oval. Die cut decoupage from a C&C kit. Stamped sentiment onto nestie circle, matted onto scalloped circle. Finished with red ribbon, bows, gemstones and a poinsettia from my stash.

Thanks for looking.

Carol x

Bah! Humbug! Aperture Challenge

Today I got to choosing........so made a bee line for the craft room and set about making my first blog challenge card. Here is my apertures card for the Bah! Humbug! challenge. Lets see if I can do this right!!

8 x 8 square card, cut oval aperture with grand oval nestie then made a frame using the larger scalloped oval. Decoupage is from a C&C kit, sentiment is stamped onto nestie scalloped circle. Finished off with corner embossing, ribbon, metal holly, button, bows, snowflakes and gems from my stash.

Thanks for looking.

Carol x

Card Candy

Angeldrummer has card candy for grabs here. Pop over and have a look.

Carol x

Jan and Feb Birthdays

For my Auntie, using Joanna Sheen's Thomas Kinkade Cd.

My nephew's 21st, an easel using Joanna Sheen's Thomas KInkade CD

My brother's again using Joanna Sheen's Tomas Kinkade CD - black and white colour scheme for a Magpie supporter.

and finally my youngest nephew made using Onion plays Footie decoupage from Daisy and Dandelion, sentiment is a Messy Rabbit stamp from Joanna Sheen. 

That's all for today folks....

Carol xx



Grand Calibur

Well mine arrived on Tuesday and finally came out to play this afternoon. Have to say I absolutely love it and am so glad I treated myself. I made this card for the Joanna Sheen Shapes Challenge.

Used Grand Nestabilities scalloped square, scalloped rectangle, beaded circle and scalloped circle dies. Image and backing paper from Joanna Sheens Enchanted Dreams CD. Sentiment stamp was a purchase at the Secc last week. Finished off with ribbon, roses and gemstones.

Carol xx

Rookie Blogger

Hello everyone!

Not at all sure what I'm doing here but hopefully I'll pick it up as I go along lol.

Having a practise with a picture so here's one I made earlier:

Your comments will always be appreciated and thanks for looking.

Carol xx