New home card

A quick new home card, using a pearlised card, a recycled picture and a sentiment that was copic coloured to match.

This is for 'home' this week for ECP 21.


It's also for:

Aly's 25: 'sparkle & glitter'
Little red wagon 47: 'glitter'
Sundays with Crissy 9: 'sparkle and shine'
Spoon full of sugar 122: 'anything goes'
Charisma cardz 38: 'anything goes'
Secret crafter Saturday 101: 'anything goes'
Delightful: 'make it sparkle'
Tuesday taggers: 'it takes all sorts' - sponsored for this challenge by Ribbon Oasis

The roaring 20s

Having managed to get the main part of my CJ done yesterday for the new group on BF forum - you can see it here - I decided to spend this morning doing my own DLO so that it will all be done in good time for posting. I'd stamped up the images last night, including some on patterned paper ready to paper piece - something I don't usually do, but really enjoyed doing this, so I ought to do it more often.

As for the journal itself, I've continued to use K & Co papers and distressing edges with worn lipstick ink. I used stamps from the Kanban Cavendish ladies range - the first one is from 'day at the races' and the second from 'putting on the ritz'. I've used a mixture of paper piecing and colouring with copics, with the addition of a few gems and various flowers and gems scattered on the pages.

You can read what I've written if you click on the pictures to enlarge them.


I really enjoyed doing this. Much as I love making cards, this made a change. I nearly didn't join the CJ group because of the pressure of other things, but I'm so glad I did.

How strange that, having done this, including the paper piecing, I was checking challenges today and have just found out that Freshly brewed 16 is 'paper piecing', so I'm linking for that.

There are lots of films from the 1920s era, particularly The Charleston and Roxie Hart, starring Ginger Rogers - I've just had a fun time watching a few clips on the internet - so I'm linking for Hels' Sunday Stamper 121 'more like the movies.

I'm also linking for:

Stamptacular 77: 'GRID challenge' - on the background papers
Spoon full of sugar 122: 'anything goes'
ABC: 'D for sitressing' (see also here for the CJ covers etc)
Stampin' royalty 38: 'anything but a card' (see also here for the CJ covers etc)
Hanna and friends 62: 'anything but a card' (see also here for the CJ covers etc)
Creative Inspirations 79: '2 or more stamped images' - both images were stamped two or three times to paper piece
For fun: 'in the mood? vintage'
Gingersnap GC72 colour challenge: 'neutrals plus one colour'
The treehouse 67: 'sponged backgrounds' (see also here for the CJ covers etc)
Crafty Ann 23: 'monochrome'
Lots to do: 'monochrome'
Stamp man 5: 'distress'
Secret crafter Saturday 101: 'anything goes'
Stamp and create 5: 'pearls and gems'
Tuesday taggers: 'it takes all sorts' - sponsored for this challenge by Ribbon Oasis

WOYWW 68

Wednesday comes round again so quickly - it's here before you know it - where does time go to? In case there's anyone left in cyberspace who reads this and doesn't know what WOYWW 68 is, then follow the link to Julia's blog and find out all about our crafty snooping! I need to apologise big time that because of the pressure of needing to make more and more cards to a time scale, I just haven't been able recently to visit WOYWWers blogs - and to add that I do so very much appreciate those of you who kindly visit and leave me comments.

Today, everything you can see is to do with my new circle journal for the group on BF forum. I spent time yesterday preparing the CJ - the covers, etc - you can see it here. I've spent the morning today working on my own DLO for it and am pleased with the results - glad I've got it done well ahead of posting next Monday. With all the cards, notebooks etc that I still need to make for Saturday week, I felt I needed to know that the CJ was done and ready. Btw there's no drink in that glass, it's a mix of distress inks and water from yesterday and there's cold coffee in the mug - forgot about it (too engrossed in my crafting - lol!).


A bit later I'll take some pictures of my DLO and blog them.

Now I need to make a list of what I should get done within the next week - oh, and there's some more cards that need to have inserts put in and bagged and labelled - big yawn!!

A lovely inky time

A new Circle Journal group is starting on BF forum with the first posting next Monday.

Having concentrated recently on making loads of cards, I set aside today for the CJ.

I've had great fun getting inky and messy - too messy at times, like pulling the top off a new tub of book binding glue and spurting it all over the place including my keyboard - note to self: move it out of the way in future! - fortunately, most of the glue went on my non-stick mat so I was able to scoop it up, use it and then wipe clean. I just hope that I don't find my keyboard keys sticking together!

Oh! and I had another disaster, having prepared the picture for the back of the journal I ran it through my xyron - well, I should say that I attempted to run it through, because it was at the end of the cartridge and it got all scrunched up, so I had to start all over again - I didn't mind really because I enjoyed getting more inky.

I've used a picture I got from the internet which was perfect for the subject of my CJ: 'If I could travel back in time'. All papers used are K & Co from a massive 12 x 12 pad I purchased a long time ago which I think will go on forever.

I've distressed edges with worn lipstick and brushed corduroy and made up my own spritz of pearl perfect pearl, water and worn lipstick and aged mahogany. I also used fingers to scatter drops of water that had fired brick added to it.

Front:

Welcome:

Rules:

Back:

I need to do my own DLO - not sure whether that will get done today - I've stamped some images ready, but that's as far as I've got.

I'm so looking forward to seeing what other members of the group add to my CJ ... but I know I'll have to be patient because I know that once I post it off next Monday I won't see it for nearly a year.

Just rugby

A quick simple card for a couple of challenges, using a piece of BG ambrosia (think it's that) paper for the background and a rugby photo that I've had for ages in my 'work in progress' box. It's for Creative Cottage 23 'birthday boy' (says Happy Birthday on the insert) and Mami doodles 10 'make something for a boy that has the colour red in it'.

It's also for Lexi's 23 'picture perfect' - use a photo.



And the colours for this week's Design dollies challenge are 'black, burgundy, yellow', so this is just right for that.

Which way should I go?

Decisions, decisions! Which way to go?

It so happened that when I saw this week's challenge on Inspiration Avenue this morning: 'Decide' I had the very thing on my worktop to prompt me to make this card. A friend had given me some old cards in case I could recycle any of the bits. I don't do this very often, but thought that the picture here was so appropriate for the challenge.

The background paper is 'the gift of love' memory page by the USA paper company. The 'bon voyage' strip is computer generated, printed and edged with ink.

I've used the sketch for challenge 37 on Charisma cardz:

I'm also linking for:

Daring cardmakers: 'There's something in the air - come fly with me'
Cards for men 19: 'transport'
Cupcake 109: 'transport'

Here comes Santa again

For this card I've used the sketch on ICS 83:

I turned the sketch on its side. Background paper is Craft creations, the strip across the middle is a scrap left from a magazine freebie last year or the year before. The stamped image is one of my favourites - rubber stampede 'Santa collage' - stamped with memento tuxedo black. It was stamped on a scalloped border mat cut on my cricut using Making the cut. The edges were distressed with fired brick and shabby shutters distress inks with a touch of white chalk. The sentiment was originally white, coloured and distressed with fired brick and brushed corduroy.

Yet again, the scan is crooked, not the card!

This is also for:

Artful inkables (think ink Tuesday) 29: 'red and green
Fussy & fancy 19: 'Christmas colours'
Moving along with the times 64: 'Christmas'
Other lovelies thoughtful Thursday 26: 'C - my C is for Christmas'
Bah! humbug 36: 'text'
The three muses 68: 'the printed word'
Daisy doodles 17: 'keep it simple'
I did it 22: 'keep it simple'
Secret crafter Saturday 101: 'anything goes'
Wild flower Wednesday 32: 'stripes'
Little red wagon 46: 'I love those stars'
ABC: 'D is for distressing'
Sparkle creations Christmas 42: 'distressed cards'
Stamp man 5: 'distress'
Christmas stampin' all year long 64: 'borderbilities - any type of border'
Alphabet: ' S for scallops'

Green in winter

This is another of my 'make one, make five for a pack' quick cards, this time using some vellum wrap that I've had in my Christmas stash box for at least four years - and I've still got plenty of it - and pictures from Dovecraft paper.

I know it's very simple, but sometimes 'less is more' and sometimes people want to buy cards like this rather than any 'busy' ones.

Update: Having seen indybev's comment on behalf of Three Muses, I feel I need to explain that in no way am I trying to advertise sales of my cards. I make and sell cards to raise funds for Tearfund, but this is within the home among friends and neighbours and I don't seek in any way to advertise my cards for sale here. I only mentioned what kind of cards people sometimes buy in order to explain the simplicity of this one.

It's for these challenges:

Moving along with the times 64: 'Christmas'
Other lovelies thoughtful Thursday 26: 'C - my C is for Christmas'
Bah! humbug 36: 'text'
The three muses 68: 'the printed word'
Daisy doodles 17: 'keep it simple'
I did it 22: 'keep it simple'
Secret crafter Saturday 101: 'anything goes'
Shabby tea room 27: 'fresh living' - nature and/or green
Corrosive 82: 'clean up the dust' - the vellum is at least four years old
Alphabet: 'U for unused stash' - the vellum is at least four years old

Across the miles ...

I thought I'd have a change from the packs of 5 Christmas cards and show a couple of individual ones I've made for 'across the miles'.

Papers are Craft Creations and the images were both rescued from old cards, so a bit of recycling going on here - I just liked the idea of the pillar boxes for the 'across the miles' theme.


I've come back to amend this with a photo of a close up of the cat image because you can't see on this can that there is glitter to represent snow - at least now you can see it on top of the pillar box, although it's not that clear on the ground:



These are for:

Fussy & fancy 19: 'Christmas colours'
Moving along with the times 64: 'Christmas'
Other lovelies thoughtful Thursday 26: 'C - my C is for Christmas'
Bah! humbug 36: 'text'
The three muses 68: 'the printed word'
Daisy doodles 17: 'keep it simple'
I did it 22: 'keep it simple'
Secret crafter Saturday 101: 'anything goes'
Ooh-la-la 62: 'stripes'
Wild flower Wednesday 32: 'stripes'
Little red wagon 46: 'I love those stars'
Glitterbabe 12: 'anything goes - don't forget the sparkle' - the second card
Aly's 25: 'sparkle & glitter' - the second card
For fun: 'you'll need your sunglasses forr this one - glitter, glitter, glitter, glitz' - the second card
Totally Gorjuss 48: 'wild thing (an animal)' - the cat on the second card
Pixie dust studio 40: 'fur or feathers' - the cat on the second card

Sparkly snow

Another 5 of this design, out of my 90 cards made yesterday.

The background paper is some left over from a couple of years ago (English paper company) and the chipboard snow and flakes were from packs bought cheaply recently from Hobbycraft - just the job for some more quick cards.

I'm not sure why the scan cut off some of the left side of the card (but I can't be bothered to do it again because the cards are now bagged and labelled) - the 'snow' is more central than it looks here - and it is also very sparkly.

I'm linking for these challenges:

Moving along with the times 64: 'Christmas'
Other lovelies thoughtful Thursday 26: 'C - my C is for Christmas'
Bah! humbug 36: 'text'
Winter wonderland: 'monochromatic'
Crafty Ann 23: 'monochrome'
Lots to do: 'monochrome'
One powerful hour: 'I got the blues'
Daisy doodles 17: 'keep it simple'
I did it 22: 'keep it simple'
Secret crafter Saturday 101: 'anything goes'
Glitterbabe 12: 'anything goes - don't forget the sparkle'
Aly's 25: 'sparkle & glitter'
For fun: 'you'll need your sunglasses forr this one - glitter, glitter, glitter, glitz'
City crafter 22: 'trees'
Corrosive 82: 'clean up the dust' - the paper from two years ago

Traditional Christmas colours

I thought I'd show some more of the 90 cards I made yesterday - I made 5 of this design - quick cards with a strip of last year's Christmas green paper on pearlised red card, with a tag - the bit that took the time was putting the gold peel off strips either side of the green card (yes, I know, the dreaded peel offs getting used up again!).

I'm linking for these challenges:

Fussy & fancy 19: 'Christmas colours'
Moving along with the times 64: 'Christmas'
Other lovelies thoughtful Thursday 26: 'C - my C is for Christmas'
Daisy doodles 17: 'keep it simple'
I did it 22: 'keep it simple'
Secret crafter Saturday 101: 'anything goes'
Corrosive 82: 'clean up the dust' - the scraps of paper and tags
Alphabet: 'U for unused stash' - the scraps of paper and tags
Creative inspirations 78: 'tag it!'
Limelight 56: 'tags'

Blue and green Christmas tags

I made a batch of these cards yesterday - three or one and two of the other, to make up a pack of five.

The strips of paper were over from last year (Dovecraft, I think) and the tags were from a QVC kit from last year.


I'm linking for these challenges:

Moving along with the times 64: 'Christmas'
Other lovelies thoughtful Thursday 26: 'C - my C is for Christmas'
Daisy doodles 17: 'keep it simple'
I did it 22: 'keep it simple'
Secret crafter Saturday 101: 'anything goes'
Corrosive 82: 'clean up the dust' - the peel off greetings, also the scraps of paper and tags
Alphabet: 'U for unused stash' - - the peel off greetings, also the scraps of paper and tags
Tanda teaser 15: 'blue and green'
Creative inspirations 78: 'tag it!'
Limelight 56: 'tags'
Kenny K's krafty girlz 11: 'stitch it' - faux stitching around tags

Snowdrifts

I made five of these cards yesterday - very simple Dovecraft paper picture with torn paper for the snowdrifts - I enjoyed the ripping and tearing (and peel off greetings that have been in the box for years because I don't like using them now, but they are OK for cards like this, particularly as I sell them in batches of five more cheaply than the individual cards).

The scan is a bit dark, but the paper is pure white irl.

I'm linking for these challenges:

ABC: 'D is for distressing'
Sparkle creations Christmas 42: 'distressed cards'
Moving along with the times 64: 'Christmas'
Other lovelies thoughtful Thursday 26: 'C - my C is for Christmas'
Daisy doodles 17: 'keep it simple'
I did it 22: 'keep it simple'
Secret crafter Saturday 101: 'anything goes'
Our daily bread 30: 'white and bright'
Corrosive 82: 'clean up the dust' - the peel off greetings
Alphabet: 'U for unused stash' - - the peel off greetings

Xmas wishes in blue

Yesterday I made 90 Christmas cards - a marathon session. They were quite simple cards, put together quite quickly, five of each design, ready to sell for Tearfund - people don't always want to pay much for Christmas cards and so I like to make some that I can sell quite cheaply. And today I've managed to put in all the inserts and bagged and labelled them. I still need to make a lot more.

So I made five of this card - the blue stickers were among some I picked up as bargains on my last visit to Poundland. The base card is pearlised (an opportunity to use up some of the boxes of pearl card that haven't been touched for a couple of years) and the strip of text paper is from scraps left from a magazine freebie.

Btw it's the scan that's wonky, not the card!


I'm linking for these challenges:

Ann's creative nook 105: 'scallops and squares, oh my!'
Moving along with the times 64: 'Christmas'
Other lovelies thoughtful Thursday 26: 'C - my C is for Christmas'
Bah! humbug 36: 'text'
Winter wonderland: 'monochromatic'
Crafty Ann 23: 'monochrome'
Lots to do: 'monochrome'
One powerful hour: 'I got the blues'
Daisy doodles 17: 'keep it simple'
I did it 22: 'keep it simple'
The three muses 68: 'the printed word'
Secret crafter Saturday 101: 'anything goes'
Glitterbabe 12: 'anything goes - don't forget the sparkle'
Corrosive 82: 'clean up the dust' - unused craft stuff - the pearlised card

Simply in sepia

In two weeks time I'll be holding my 'at home' sale to raise funds for Tearfund, so I'm trying to get as many cards made as possible.

I've now got lots of individual Christmas cards, but I always like to make some packs of 5 that sell proportionately cheaper. So I'm going to try to catch up with doing these today.

I've made a start with these Christmas carolers, a digi image from Charmed cards & crafts , part of their bumper Christmas download. I've usually used these carolers in bright colours, but this time I decided to digitally change the colours to sepia and use a pearlised card background - it's ages since I used any pearlised card and I've got quite a lot of it, so I ought to get using some. I've made five cards like this, so that's one pack done (only got 4 done so far, so a lot more to make).

The wording is computer generated and printed.

I'm submitting this for the following challenges:

Dottie's world: 'conditional Christmas - no traditional colours'
Moving along with the times 64: 'Christmas'
Other lovelies thoughtful Thursday 26: 'C - my C is for Christmas'
Bah! humbug 36: 'text'
Winter wonderland: 'monochromatic'
Crafty Ann 23: 'monochrome'
Lots to do: 'monochrome'
Creatalicious 13: 'vintage'
Stamp something: 'September digi day'
Daisy doodles 17: 'keep it simple'
Crafty creations 85: 'music' (well I hope they are making sweet music!)
Alphabet: 'U for unused stash' - the pearlised card - I've had it for a long, long time and not used any for ages
The three muses 68: 'the printed word'
Stamp insanity 27: 'one layer wonders'
Secret crafter Saturday 101: 'anything goes'
365 cards day 201: 'a happy heart': 'think of 2 things that make you truly happy and include them on your card' - the colour of chocolate (yum - although not atm because I'm still trying to lose weight) and Christmas

Back to school inchies

The theme for this month's BF forum inchies swap is 'back to school' - my problem was: how do you capture this on a piece of card just one inch square?

I used part of a Meljen's digital designs, colouring with copics - I resisted the temptation to do anything else to them. I hope they are not too simple - although I suppose I could say they are just as simple as ABC!


I'm linking for these challenges:

Just scraps 19: 'back to school'
Critter 31: 'school, school, school'
Hanna and friends 62: 'anything but a card'
Gingersnap GC71 random redhead: 'inchies'

It's not craft but ...

... I thought I would show the chocolate muffins that have just come out of the oven.

Some of my followers will know (although I haven't been broadcasting it much) that I've been on the Dukan diet since Easter and have now lost 2 stone.

One of the ideas of the diet is to have some oatbran everyday - I usually make this into a pancake, occasionally I make Dukan bread with it or just mix it in with yoghurt, vanilla, Splenda etc - usually adding a spoonful of cocoa because I miss chocolate. In fact, mentioning chocolate I have to confess that yesterday I had a bar of Bournville dark chocolate (it was one of the small bars, so not so terrible really) and it was delicious - first time I've had any choccie since my birthday.

Anyway, I digress ... when I first went on the diet I tried some of the recipes for Dukan muffins ... and each time was a disaster - they either stuck to the bun tins or stuck to the paper of the paper cases, so I gave up. But, having read that the silicone muffin cases from Poundland (you get 6 in a pack - I chose the bright pink ones) give good results I thought I'd have a try - and these are the result:


Of course, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so, as soon as they have cooled, I'll be testing them.

And, just in case anyone wants to give them a try, the recipe is here.

Having eaten three of them, I can confirm that they are very good, although too sweet for me - will cut down on Splenda when I next make them. Oh and just to say that they needed longer than the recommended 15 minutes - probably about 22 minutes altogether.

A true act of kindness

Postie has just been and among the other less exciting mail there was a package of beautiful cards from a blogging crafting friend who knows that I'm having a sale soon to raise money for Tearfund. I think these will sell like hot cakes - gorgeous cards.

This is a true act of kindness and generosity - so much appreciated.

WOYWW 67

It's late in the day, but just squeezing in with a photo for WOYWW 67 on Julia's blog.

I'm just showing some papers tonight, partly because the rest of the space is in a right state (yes, it does get like that despite me liking being organised) and partly because there's nothing very different to see.

I've been using these papers tonight for my card for tomorrow's Salt challenge - it would be lovely if you came back tomorrow to see what I did with them - all will be revealed on Salt at 10:00 in the morning and on here a bit later on.


PS - the card I made is now up on my blog and on the Salt blog - you can see it here or here.

Friends forever

For this card I've used a friendship acetate tag which I stuck on to a chipboard clock (I received this is a RAK a while ago) to depict 'forever friend' - friendship which is 24/7.

The paper is HOTP.


This is for:

Crazy challenge: 'friends forever'
Crafty Ann 23: 'monochrome'
2 sisters 6: 'monochromatic'
Paper romance 15: 'clean & simple'
The three muses 68: 'the printed word' - on the friendship tag and also on the paper, although difficult to see here
Creative inspirations 78: 'tag it!'
Paper cutz 58: 'tags'

Growing up is optional

This is a very simple card that uses a picture from a recycled card, with the addition of text generated on my Dymo letratag. I'm afraid the picture isn't good because the light is poor. The card is totally black and white.

It's for:

Crafty Ann 23: 'monochrome'
2 sisters 6: 'monochromatic'
Paper romance 15: 'clean & simple'
Inspiration Avenue: 'metamorphosis' - child to woman and back to childhood!
Mixed media Monday: 'I have been wanting to ...' play hopscotch!
The three muses 68: 'the printed word'
The treehouse 66: 'recycle'
Frosted designs: 'quote challenge'