Shopping our Stash

There is a new challenge called Shopping our Stash and they have asked for piccies of your crafting space or stash for their first challenge. Here is mine:

These pictures were taken after a major tidy out so it's not quite this tidy in real life.
They also have Blog Candy on offer so pop over and check it out for yourself.

Carol x

LIM x 2

I love this stamp from the Stamp Barn - stamped in memento ink and embossed with holographic embossing powder. Sentiment from Daisy and Dandelion treated the same way. Then I left well alone incase I messed up!

This is the reason I love the stamp - meet Freya our gorgeous one year old Siberian Husky.



This one made for Debgems - image from Stampendous stamped with versamark and embossed with blue EP. Corners dry embossed.

Challenge Less is More - embossing

Carol x

Sweetest Little Baby

Another failed LIM bid but couldn't waste all that paper pricking so converted it to a two layer card.

Challenges entered:

Simon says Stamp - look what the stork brought

Carol x



Good News

I'm thrilled to bits to have been selected to join the Design Team for the new Christmas Challenges with Sketches. I love using sketches and making Christmas cards so I'm looking forward to the challenge and to working with the other girls on the design team. Our first challenge goes live on Wednesday 25th May and they will run every fortnight. I do hope you will join us.

Carol x

No Sentiment

is the remit at Aud Sentiments. Typically all the cards I've made so far this week have had to have sentiments on them. This is  rescue card made from a failed LIM bid.

The card is pale pink pearlised, embossing folder from Marianne Design, pearls and ribbon from my stash.

Carol

LIM

Well I've embossed both heat and dry, paper pricked and stamped my way through the last couple of hours and this is plan D everything else will end up as two layer cards!!

Image is from Stampendous and sentiment from Elusive Images, both have been stamped in versamark and heat embossed with pink embossing powder. Corners have been dry embossed using the Ultimate board.

Challenges entered:

Less is More - embossing

Simon says Stamp - look what the stork brought

Carol x

Are we nearly there yet???

Crafting for all Seasons goes live for its first challenge on Wednesday 18th May at 9am eastern time. The theme for the first challenge is...........oh sorry can't disclose that info you'll have to check it out on Wednesday!! We've got loads of great sponsors and prizes lined up for the fortnightly challenges and I'm sure the rest of the Design Team will come up with some great projects to inspire you (even if I don't lol).Hope to see you all on Wednesday.
Carol x

Card and a Half

Check out this new monthly challenge blog which starts very soon, pop over and see for yourself what they have lined up - great sponsors and great prizes for each challenge.

Carol x



Christmas Card Club

The girls have let me join their little club - a Christmas card challenge every fortnight just for fun. You should be able to see a list of our names in my side bar with links but blogger ate it and I'm giving him a day or two to spit it back out before I redo it. If you'd like to join us click on one of our names and we'll tell you all about it or meantime leave me a comment and I'll get back to you.

 This is my card:

This fortnight Margaret has given everyone a recipe: glitter (tick - now everywhere!!) berries (tick), snow (tick), a Christmas tree (tick) and not square (tick) ............. and a giraffe (where the heck did he come from??).

I won Lofty over at Bah! Humbug! last week and couldn't resist putting him on a Christmas card and I never could follow a recipe without adding a little something extra lol

Backing paper is from Bearly Mine, digi tree and snowman are from Crafty Ann's digi shop and have been coloured with promarkers. Lofty and the crown are by Joanna Sheen and have also been coloured with promarkers. The other digital images are from a download called From Around the World. Card is finished with white glitter stuff and a gold star.

Challenges I'm entering:

Bah! Humbug! - snowflakes

Stamp Something - anything goes

Christmas Card Challenges - use a non traditional image

Thanks for stopping by today, I hope enjoy your visit.

Carol x

Distressed

Me and my card lol Two posts and all the changes I made to the blog yesterday remain disappeared - do I redo them or wait a while longer to see whether they return - that is the question?

Anyway here is one from last night:

The distressed backing papers are from Costco, image from Sugar Nellie has been coloured with promarkers. Doiley is Italian Flourish from Cheery Lyn Dies. Card is finished with a tag, buttons and pearls from my stash.

And the inside has been decorated to match.

Challenges entered:

Sugar Bowl - sketch plus optional distressed

Creative Inspiration - decorate inside

Crafty Sentiments - buttons

DYSU - add a tag

Rainbow Lady - texture

Cute Card Thursday - distressing

Digi Doodle Shop - pink and blue

Shelly's Image Blog - bling is a girls best friend

Carol x



Just Clowning Around

Teddy Bea that is........

Trying for a vintage look but don't think it's my genre anymore then WoW was! At one point I didn't think this card was going to come together at all but I'm glad I persisted as I'm quite pleased with the finished article.

Teddy Bea is coloured with promarkers and highlighted with a Sakura gelly roll pen. Backing paper is a freebie from Bearly Mine and gingham came from a DCWV adhesive stack. Purple card has been grunged with white ink and white card has been grunged with purple . Card is finished with some plaited jewellers line, roses, pearls and a sentiment from my stash.

Challenges entered:

Sketch and Stash - followed sketch and used Teddy Bea for the first time

Cupcake - gingham and roses

Teddy Bo - easel card

Bearly Mine - vintage easel

My Time to Craft - scallops

DYSU - purple

Thanks for stopping by today and if you leave a comment I'll know you've been :)

Carol x

LOTV Giveaway at The Ribbon Girl Blog

Todays the day for the launch of the new boys stamps at LOTV and to celebrate The Ribbon Girl Blog have party bags to give away - check out the link to see for yourself.

Carol x

WOW

I was determined to make a card with one of my many embossing folders for this weeks LIM challenge. By last night I had a box of white embossed bits and still no card so decided to give up. Postie arrived this morning with a parcel from Bunny Zoes - goods bought with a prize gift voucher - and I just got around to opening it!! Forgotten I'd ordered this Marianne Design folder so got straight to making this card:

After finding a shim that worked in the GC white pearlised card was embossed, white pearls added to the flowers, a ribbon tied. I found the butterfly sentiment when I went looking for a "thank you" and thought it more suitable so added a few pearls and used it. Looking at the photo now I'm not sure it needs a ribbon so this is it without:

and with ribbon, without butterfly as Debgem suggests:

I'll let the experts decide, this so isn't my thing so I'm off to play with some colour!

Other challenges entered:

Bling it on - pink, lemon, white colours or flowers (lots of white and flowers)

Cutie Sunday - butterflies

Carol x

DT call

There's a new Christmas Challenges (with sketches) blog on the block and they have a DT call out. As Christmas cards are my favourite cards of the year (except when they all need made in November lol) I decided to enter with this card:

I've followed the given sketch using three variations of the same backing paper from Bearly Mine, these have been layered digitally in Publisher onto pearlised card and matted onto white pearlised card which has been punched with a snowflake PATP. Tilda has been stamped in Memento ink and coloured with promarkers with a little highlighting from a Sakura pen, she's then been mounted with silicon gel onto a nesties beaded die. Card is finished with some raffia, white ribbon, a sentiment, white poinsettia flower, snowflake buttons and some pearls from my stash.

And a view of the inside showing off the lovely Bearly Mine papers.

Challenges I'm entering:

Just Magnolia - anything goes

Kaboodle Doodles - lots of layers

Ribbon Carousel - shabby chicness

Divas by Design - anything goes

Paper Play Challenges - show us your style

Shelley's Image Blog - sugar and spice

Carol x

Christmas Stocking

Crafty Hazelnuts challenge this week is photo inspired. Image was a freebie and is coloured with promarkers then mounted with silicon gel onto a nestie mat cut from Christmas mirri card. Card is finished with a bow, some corner peel offs and pearls.

Carol x

Recycling

Over at Bah! Humbug! the theme this week is recycled. The backing card started life as a cracker, sentiment a gift tag, ribbon and floral arrangement rescued off a card.

Carol x

Cinco de Mayo day

Digi stamp was a freebie and is coloured with water colour pencils. Backing papers are from an adhesive DCWV stack, 2nd one is punched with a MS double border punch. Card is finished with buttons.

Challenges entered:

CCEE Stampers - Cinco de Mayo day

Carol x

Let's go Oriental

Using an image and backing paper from Joanna Sheens Eastern Treasures CD. Layers have been put together in Publisher and printed onto card, topper was printed twice and mounted on foam pads. Card is finished with a ribbon.

Challenges entered:

CD Sunday - Lets go oriental

Crafty Sentiments - flowers

Carol x

Lady in Red

Image is from Inger Harding and has been coloured with a mixture of promarkers and sakura pens then distressed with Tim Holz ink, cut with a nestie and mounted onto a scalloped nestie. Backing paper is from a free download called Around the World and I've added some extra distressing to it.

Challenges I'm entering:

Jingle Belles - spirit of Christmas past

Stamp Something - digi day

Rainbow Lady - Lady in red

I love Promarkers - Song Title

Thanks for calling today, if you leave a comment I can visit you too.

Carol x



White Wedding

Decided to have another attempt at WOW for the LIM challenge

I love this Hero Arts stamp - stamped on vellum with versamark and embossed with white detail embossing powder. The vellum is wrapped around the white linen card and held in place with a ribbon.

Carol x

Warm Winter Wishes

OMG how difficult was this! I really struggled with the remit of "white on white" and I've got a box of bits which have been discarded in the process of coming up with something half decent - anyway when in doubt make a Christmas card at least it will come in useful!!

I started with white pearlised card which was dry embossed  with a long forgotten brass stencil holly border. I then used versamark to stamp the snow couple and sentiment stamps and embossed with white embossing powder. The card was finished with a white bow and a snowflake button.

Challenges I'm entering:

Creative Inspirations - embossing

LIM - white on white

Saturday Challenge - neglected stash

Sparkles Forum - holly or ivy

Fabs big Christmas = pastel colours or embossing

Carol x

Crafty Ann's Challenge #40 Happy Birthday

Here is my very first DT card - a little daunting but here goes:

Over at Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog the theme this week is Happy Birthday so it was a fairly easy one for me to begin with!

I've used one of Ann's pre-coloured sheets for this card called Pink Roses, the image has been matted onto some blue stardream card and mounted on foam pads. The backing paper is also from Crafty Ann and is from the Polished Stones Pastel Collection, this has been punched with a lace edge punch and matted onto silver textured mirri card from C&C. The card is finished with two lengths of twisted silk ribbon, some gems and a sentiment.

I would love to see your creations over at Crafty Ann's challenge, which runs for a fortnight - you don't need to use Ann's images to enter but we love it when you do and you also get two entries into the prize draw.

Many thanks for looking today.

Carol x

Red and White

Paid a flying visit to Durham today to the passport office. Slight delay on the way there as a suspect package was found on the train and we had to wait 45 minutes for the police to arrive to remove it. Managed a flying visit to the Crafty Nook before lunch then it was a case of legging it back to the station to catch the train home again.

Any way onto crafting, this was made last night and left to dry:

Tilda has been coloured with promarkers and her dress and the bow on her hat have been paper pieced. Backing papers are from a DCWV adhesive stack, heart doilies were in my stash, Tilda is mounted onto a Marriane Diecut mat. Card is finished with white satin ribbon, a red rose (from WOC), a die cut corner and swirls, pearls and smaller flowers from my stash.

Challenges I'm entering:

Magnolia Mania - hearts

My Time to Craft - red and white

Ribbon Carousel - get inspired

Simon says Stamp - paper piecing

Divas by Design - anything goes

Paper Play Challenges - show us your style

Shelley's Image Blog - sugar and spice

By the Cute and Girly - anything goes

Stamptacular Sunday - Mum's the word

Aud Sentiments - Happy Mother's Day

Carol x

Snow much fun

is the theme at Winter Wonderland this week. I've used an image from Joanna Sheens Messy Rabbit Christmas CD. The card layout has been done in Publisher and printed direct to card. Card has been finished with a bow. It's difficult to tell whether he's actually enjoying himself but at least he hasn't fallen over!!

Carol x

A day at the beach

This is my favourite image from Joanna Sheens A Cardmakers Year CD, it reminds me of my two boys when they were that age. I've created the background and image in Publisher and mounted it on co-ordinating card. Card is finished with a ribbon and some shells.

Challenges entered:

Fresh Brewed - beach/summer

Carol x

50th Birthday

Hubby is 50 this month and this is his card - nothing overly fancy as it's a waste of time and energy lol. I've choosen this image from Joanna Sheens Thomas Kinkade CD as this would be his home of choice if one were available at a price we could afford!! Image is mounted on red card then onto silver textured mirri which has been punched with a deep heart border punch. The main card is onyx stardream. Card is finished with some bows, bling and a peel off. The sentiment was put onto the image in Publisher and has been highlighted with a Sakura pen.

Challenges I'm entering:

Kaboodle Doodle - embellishments beginning with B

MPICC - numbers

Anything Goes - home sweet home

Carol x

Metal magic

Image is stamped on vellum with versamark and embossed with Metal Magic. Stamp is from a QVC set. Image is then mounted on gold card, then an ivory mat and gold mat. Card is finished with a peel off sentiment and gold pearls.

Challenges I'm entering:

Die Cut Dreams - angels or fairies

Christmas Card Challenges - metal
Creative Inspirations - embossing

Carol x

Diecut Stocking

Sorry I've been a bit quiet for a couple of days, been getting ahead with some DT samples while the going is good and before the builders arrive to start knocking walls down. Made a couple of Christmas cards tonight and whilst the box is filling nicely there's still a bit to go before all my cards are done!

The challenge at CHNC this week is to use a diecut on your card. I've cut red foiled card with a square nestie and layered on some gold patterned paper from my bit box, followed by a piece of gold mesh. The stocking is from Crafty Bitz. Card is finished with a tag and some pearls.

Carol x

I is for

Indigo, ice and inspiration. This is the challenge over at ABC Christmas. Stardream card has been punched with a snowflake PATP. Backing paper is from my stash and has been highlighted with a Sakura starglaze pen. Messy Rabbit has been stamped onto stardream and coloured with H2Os - just as well someone knitted him a jumper to keep him warm!!

Carol x

Teddy Bow

This was one of the first stamps I ever bought, not sure where it came from though. I've coloured it with promarkers. Backing paper is from Joanna Sheens Messy Rabbit CD. The image is matted onto some red card which was sitting in my bit box the exact size. Card is finished with a bow.

Challenges I'm entering:

CD Sunday - stamping

Digi Doodle Shop - anything goes

Carol x

Messy goes camping.......

.........out in the countryside. He looks terrified doesn't he. Backing paper and image from Joanna Sheens Messy Rabbit CD. Image has been layered up for dimension.

I'm entering this in Rainbow Lady's - take a town, city or country break.

Carol x

Baby

Using a gorgeous image from Joanna Sheens Messy Rabbit CD with backing paper from Bearly Mine. Lilac stardream has been punched with a Martha Stewart heart edger. Card is finished with some ribbon and a bow.

Challenges I'm entering:

Bearly Mine - beautiful baby

Saturday Challenge - For a baby

Carol x

Add a butterfly

Tilda is stamped with memento and coloured with promarkers, then mounted onto a doiley and CD. Paper is from Wild Rose Studios Butterfly collection. Card is finished with a ribbon and bow, button and some bling.

Challenges I'm entering:

Just Magnolia - buttons, bows and bling

DYSU - make it pop

Paper play - use something not intended for crafting (CD)

CCEE - add a butterfly

Aud Sentiments - Happy Mothers Day
The Emerald Fairies - Anything goes

Grrrr just made some changes to the card and changed the photo - realised the brown spots on Tildas face is the silicon gel showing through - will wait until morning to see what it looks like then, but looks like I'll have to redo the image. Knew I shouldn't have bought a different make!! All fixed now with some paper piecing :)

Carol x

LIM - thank you

Had a lovely trip to the Sincerely Yours craft show at Edinburgh today and picked up a few new goodies as you do lol. When I saw this Siberian Husky stamp I had to have it and I wasn't long home before it was inked up for the first time. This is my card:

Stamp is from the Stamp Barn and was inked with Versafine ink. Sentiment is from a large box off QVC and obviously isn't stuck on the wooden block straight!! Card is finished with some ribbon and embossing. (I could probably have done with checked, striped or spotted ribbon here but there was none in my collection!!)

Challenges I'm entering:

LIM - thank you/congratulations

My Time to Craft - pets

Carol x

Noel

Well I thoroughly enjoyed my day in front of the TV, the bride looked radiant and her dress was stunning. The Royal family all looked so happy and relaxed and seemed to make the Middletons very welcome and at ease. Loved Prince Harry's running commentary to William as Catherine walked up the aisle and him and Pippa certainly made a handsome pair as they followed the newly weds down the aisle. One of those days when you feel proud to be British!

Made a quick card tonight:

Used this Penny Black stamp again, coloured with promarkers. Image is matted and layered on red and gold mirri card then mounted on foam pads and positioned slightly off centre. Red ribbon has been pleated to the right of the topper.

Challenges I'm entering:

I love Promarkers - no designer paper

Bah! Humbug! - pleats and ruffles

Jingle Belles - no designer papers

Stamp Something - something with wings

Carol x

Good morning

Well this is my 100th post and I'm pleased it's a "happy" post. I am thrilled to have been asked to join the Design Team over at Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog and am delighted to accept the offer. Please pop over to see Ann's challenges for yourself and join in. Ann also sells a lovely range of digi stamps and backing papers which can be viewed here. I'm looking forward to working with the rest of the CACB team and I'll be sharing my first DT card here with you next week.

More good news - I made the Top Three with this card in the H for Hotspot challenge at ABC Christmas

As this technique was very new to me I'm thrilled my card was choosen.

Also got a mention over at Jingle Belles for this re-used/recycled card which took me back to my roots of cardmaking (before my credit card melted):

Now I've got a wedding to get ready for, catch you all later.

Carol x

Birthday Wishes

My school friends and I are all the big 50 this year so I needed a special card for next month. I used a new LOTV stamp and this gorgeous Prima Fairy Flora backing paper. I've used a lovely rainbow effect thread to stitch around the backing paper. The image is coloured with promarkers and highlighted with a gelly roll pen. Card is finished with some lace, ribbon, pearls and a button.

Challenges I'm entering:

Sketch and Stamp - birthday (used sketch)

Simon says Stamp - anything goes

Creative Inspirations - pink, yellow and green

Shelleys Image Blog - buttons, brads or bows - use at least 2 (used a bow and a button)

Stamptacular Sunday - pile it on

Carol x

Less is More

a second entry to this weeks Less is More challenge of off centre.

Using a tree from Words with Honey and  stamped with Versafine ink, sentiment from Dandelion and Daisy. Added a few gems to the tree to suit the recipient.

Carol x

Paper piecing

Well thats the kids back to school/college again at least for three days! The sun is shining but it's pretty darned chilly so don't think I'll be sitting out today.

Well onto craft and another new technique (to me anyway!!) for me to try....

Apologies the colours haven't come out too great on the photo. I made this last night but couldn't find the right embellishments to finish it off so I decided to get my crochet hook out and make my own. Now its years since I last held a crochet hook in my hand and I wasn't sure whether I would remember what to do with it............however it was like riding a bike and the stitches just flowed..........one small problem though - I couldn't see where I was going and had to resort to my strong reading glasses to see what I was doing!!
Backing papers are from Bearly Mine (also used to "piece" Tilda's dungarees), seam binding from WOC, ribbon flower from Crafty Bits and Pieces, flourish is a creatable die from Marianne Designs, button, pearls, ribbon and rafia lace from my stash, sentiment from Kanban.

Challenges entered:

Just Magnolia - sketch

Cutie Sunday - points (spots?)

Stamptacular Sunday - pile it on

Totally Tilda - paper piecing

Magnolia Stamp Lovers - flowers

Saturday Challenge - pink, brown and cream

Magnolia Mania - pink and....

Carol x

Quick Christmas card

Again I used an image and backing paper from my bit box (they are from one of Joanna Sheens Christmas CDs probably Enchanted Christmas). I have followed the sketch at Christmas Card Challenges. Card is finished with some adhesive ribbon and a Crafty Bitz star.

Carol x



Butterflies

Spent a lovely afternoon relaxing in the sunshine in the garden with my pile of craft magazines - it felt so good after years of owning and running holiday parks to be at home on a Bank Holiday - retirement = bliss.

Made a couple of quickie cards from my bit box this evening, the first for the CD Sunday challenge of butterflies.

Both the image and the backing paper came from Joanna Sheens Jayne Netley Mayhew CD. I have layered up the butterflies to give them some dimension and highlighted the wings with a Sakura stardust gelly roll pen. Card is finished with a knotted ribbon and some pearls.

Carol x

A Happy Easter

to you all. I hope the sun is shining where you are, this is the first we've seen of it since Monday so I'm going to make the most of it.

My morning has started well with my first ever Top Three award from Winter Wonderland for this card:

The Ribbon Girls are also giving away loads of Bakers Twine as blog candy so pop over and have a go.

Enjoy your day.

Carol x

Crafting for all Seasons Design Team

What an evening it has been............first I get an email from Dawn saying I have been choosen for the CFAS design team then the phone rings and it's a good friend to say she lost her mother earlier today. To say my emotions were all over the place is an understatement!

I'm thrilled to have been choosen and hope I can do the job justice. This will be a first for me so I'm a little nervous but a big excited lol Do pop over and see whats happening, challenges will be every other Wednesday starting on the 18th May with an "Anything Goes".

Carol x

Fancy Fold

A simple easel card - I tried a twisted easel but it didn't work with this image. The image is from Crafty Ann and the backing paper is from Joanna Sheens Heavenly Cards CD, I've printed everything on pearlescent paper. Green matt  is Anna Griffin card and I've use a PATP punch from Martha Stewart. Card is finished with a sentiment used as the brake.

Challenge entered:

Crafty Ann - fancy fold

And now I'm going to have a quiet evening in front of the TV with a bag of craft magazines I have been gifted.

Carol x

Combining Easter and Christmas

Use yellow and/or ovals on a Christmas card is the challenge at CHNC this week. This is the nearest to yellow card I had suitable for stamping on. The stamp is from a box off QVC and had been stamped in versamark and embossed in gold embossing powder. Used nesties for my ovals. Card is finished with a sentiment and two yellow star gems.

Carol x