Sweet little birds

'Sweet little birds' is the name of the printed circles I cut out from some free paper with Making Cards. I used a piece of the blue paper to stamp on to with the Papermania Urban stamp from the bird print set, colouring with copics - I also went over the birds on the printed circles with a copic. All edges were distressed with tea dye and stormy sky DIs as was the piece of blue paper embossed with my creative expressions crackle embossing folder.

The embossing is for:

Cards for men 9: texture
Craft your passion 108: lots of texture
Craft room: emboss it
My mum's craft shop 55: embossing
Crop stop 70: emboss it

and the distressing for Wags n whiskers 78: distressing, also for Corrosive 148: the man, the myth, the legend - Tim Holtz distress inks

I used the sketch for Critter 113:

Colours are for:

Sunday stamper 204: don't it make my brown eyes blue - blue & brown
Tanda teaser 196: blue and brown (I love those colours together)
Quirky crafts 10: masculine with blue and brown

The birds are for:

Anything goes 66: things with wings
Crafty calendar May: things with wings
Clearlyistamp 51: what goes up, must come down

Sundays with Crissy 29: things with wings

also for:

Order of the opus gluei 130: beyond the garden gate
My time to craft 178: gardening gems - garden theme
Tuesday throwdown 96: in the garden
Alphabet: G for garden
Crazy4challenges 135: gardening or the great outdoors

This is also for:

Amusing challenges (stamped blessings): fussy cutting - the circles were cut by hand (I'm not too keen on doing that)
Do you stack up 70: circles
Hiding in my craftroom NSD 5: I'm thankful
Come and get it: let's hear it for the boys
Ooh-la-la 104: make it manly
Totally stampalicious: masculine
Going grey with Scrap creations: it's a boy thing
Cute card Thursday 215: one for the boys
Sparkles 31: men only
Little red wagon 131: stitch it up
Crafty Ann 64: stitching
Aud sentiments: anything goes
Bunny Zoe 23: ribbon or twine
PanPastel UK 17: anything goes
Great impressions 3: anything goes
2 sisters 90: anything goes
Just keep on creating 2: anything goes
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 7: anything goes
Papertake weekly: anything goes
Inspire me Fridays 57
52 card pickup 18

Kid's craft

As part of National Scrapbooking Day, Hiding in my craftroom are running five challenges, one of which is NSD 4: kid's craft.

With the help of picas collages, I've made a12 x 12 LO using pictures of our granddaughters crafting when they have visited us.

This is also for:

Stampin' royalty 122: scrapbooking
Our daily bread 107: scrapbook LO

Black and white baubles with a hint of glittery pink

For this fortnight's theme for the Christmas Card Club, Carol has chosen 'ribbon and lace (real or punched'. The Christmas Card Club is a group of crafters who set challenges for one another every other week to help us get ahead with making Christmas cards throughout year. The list of those in the CCC are in my sidebar - if you would like to join us, please contact one of us.

I've used the large Papermania 'bauble decoration' stamp, inked with versamark and heat embossed with detail black powder (unfortunately, you only get a hint of the gloss of the embossing on the photo).

The punched black lace is a Martha Stewart punch with a glittered hot pink ribbon added above it.

This is also for Sunday's with Santa facebook challenge for week 19: baubles.

And inspired by the photo inspiration challenge on Winter wonderland:

This is also for:

Hiding in my craftroom NSD 1: black & white +1 (this is the first of five challenges to celebrate National Scrapbooking Day
Bunny Zoe 23: ribbon or twine
House of Gilli 32: oh pretty - ribbon and sparkles
Lexi 64: lace and ribbon
Deep ocean 24: use punches/dies
Oldie but a goodie: die cuts and punches - this stamp is a couple of years old
Willow sketchie: sketch and/or die cuts and/or punches

Tinkering with steampunk

This is a steampunk collage I put together using elements from My craft studio 'tinkering with steampunk' CD for the CD Sunday challenge: chocolate, cream and one other (yellow).

This is also for:

Anything goes 66: things with wings
Crafty calendar May: things with wings
Sundays with Crissy 29: things with wings
Creative inspirations 161:: animal antics
Amusing challenges (Stamped blessings): anything goes
Lollipop crafts 78: anything goes
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 7: anything goes
Papertake weekly: anything goes

Suzie's 365 photos April 2012 collage

And here is my picasa collage for April for Suzie's 365 photos (I'm going to make one of these at the end of every month from now on):

Suzie's 365 photos March 2012 collage

Here is my picasa collage for Suzie's 365 March 2012:

Suzie's 365 photos February 2012 collage

Here is the picasa collage for Suzie's photos 365 for February 2012:

Off to do March now!

Suzie's 365 photos January 2012 collage

When I saw Suzie's collage pictures on her 365 photos blog I thought it was a good idea, so I decided to make my own using picasa, so here is my collage of photos for January 2012:

Will be back later with February and so on -watch this space!

Suzie's 365 photos day 126: rough

A number of choices for day 126: rough - I thought of sandpaper, brickwork, wooden fencing ... in the end I settled on Brillo pads:

CHNC challenge 71: stripes

It's time for a new challenge on my CHNC blog and for challenge 71 I'm asking to see some stripes - easy peasy!

For my card I've used the square sketch for Mojo Monday 239:

All the DCWV papers used are from my Christmas offcuts box, so good for Pixie's crafty snippets 18.

I love pink and black together and this combo is for Charisma cardz 17: pink & black. Pink, black and white is one of my favourite colour combo (I confess that I don't have just one favourite combo, but quite a few!) so this is for Crafts and me 82: favourite colour combo.

This is also for:

ABC Christmas: I for icy inspiration
Christmas cards all year round May: inspired by a Christmas song - Frosty, the snowman
Woodware UK week 48: buttons and bows
CRAFT 153: use buttons
Craft us crazy 26: inspire us - favourite stamp company - I have so many favourite stamp companies and Stampotique is definitely one of them

Suzie's 365 photos day 125: smooth

For day 125: smooth I'm showing smooth-ie!!

Mmmmm - it was lovely!

Spring time bird print

This card was made using snippets left over from previous cards.

The woodgrain effect paper was originally used for this card - white woodgrain card distressed with tea dye DI.

The torn piece on the right side of the card is an offcut of Bo Bunny Delilah here's 2U.

The stamped square is of the 'bird print' Papermania Urban set. Flowers are Martha Stewart.

Colours are for Crafty ribbons 18: yellow, pink and orange, also ABC: O for orange.

This is a spring time card for:

PanPastel UK 16: spring time

Stamptacular 161: spring bling (the MS flowers are very glittered)

The pink elephant 146: spring time

Crafts4eternity R69: spring

Stamp and create: spring

By the cute and girly May: spring is all around

This is also for:

Pixie's crafty snippets 18

Freshly brewed 94: tic tac toe - I chose: flowers, patterned paper, bling

Alphabet: F for feathered friends

Anything goes 66: things with wings

Sundays with Crissy 29: things with wings

Simply create too 12: it's about time

Wags n whiskers 78: distressing

Stamp dreams 131: flowers

There she goes154: May flowers

Victorine 33: flowers

Crazy amigo: flowers

Sassy Cheryl 113: May flowers

Tuesday alchemy 12: May day (flowers)

Little darlings 22: flowers

Paper pretties 204 flowers

Little Miss Muffet 34: May flowers

Pixie dust studio 125: flowers

Hooked on craft 20: flowers

Joanna Sheen: flower power

I brake for challenges: I brake for florals
Riley & company: text me

Amusing challenges (Stamped blessings): anything goes
Lollipop crafts 78: anything goes
Paper playtime 73: anything goes
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 7: anything goes
Papertake weekly: anything goes
Make it Monday 87
Inspire me Fridays 56
52 card pickup 17

Just because

This is a third card made from the inky session I had using my home made spray of DIs, perfect pearls and water, using a further piece of card used to mop up stray ink. You can see the first two cards below this post.

I stamped a Tattered angels tattered textures stamp a few times with Brilliance pearlescent ivy. I mounted on to another offcut rescued originally from the William Morris stationery wallect, then mounted on to a dark green card blank. The sentiment circle is from Craftwork cards.

This is for:

Pixie's crafty snippets 18
Bloggers challenge: create your own background papers
Stampin' sisters in Christ 137: use green thumbs
Cutie pie 17: monochromatic
Stampavie and more 167: monochrome
Aud sentiments: anything goes
Amusing challenges (Stamped blessings): anything goes
Lollipop crafts 78: anything goes
Paper playtime 73: anything goes
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 7: anything goes
Papertake weekly: anything goes
Make it Monday 87
Inspire me Fridays 56
52 card pickup 17

I'm sorry

The background of this card was made by mopping up the spots of ink left on my craft sheet after making the previous card.

This time I've put a panel of William Morris card down the side with some spotted ribbon either side. The WM card has been recycled from a stationery wallet that originally held some lovely writing paper/envies. This piece is an snippet that's been lurking for some time in my offcuts box, so it's another for Pixie's crafty snippets 18.

I'v had the 'I'm sorry' sentiment for ages and ages, but not found a use for it before now, but I think it goes well here - unfortunately I got glue on the right hand corner, so I've had to cover it with a flower, which I think looks just right anyway.

Once again there is more sheen on the background spray (mixture of DIs and perfect pearls with water) than you can see here.

This is for:

Bloggers challenge: create your own background papers
Stampin' sisters in Christ 137: use green thumbs
Cutie pie 17: monochromatic
Divas by design 33: monochromatic
Stampavie and more 167: monochrome
4 crafty chicks 88: favourite embellishment - ribbons and flowers
S J Crafts 4: favourites (ribbons and flowers)
Bunny Zoe 23: ribbon or twine
Creative card crew 9: ribbon
Crafty sentiments: spots or stripes
Whimsy 37: spots and dots
Aud sentiments: anything goes
Amusing challenges (Stamped blessings): anything goes
Lollipop crafts 78: anything goes
Paper playtime 73: anything goes
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 7: anything goes
Creative craft: anything goes
Emerald faerie garden 23: anything goes
Papertake weekly: anything goes
Make it Monday 87
Inspire me Fridays 56
52 card pickup 17

Create your own background papers

This week's bloggers challenge is to create your own background papers, so I've had a nice inky time.

I made my own spray of shabby shutters DI, a touch of broken china DI, perfect pearls neutral colour and water misting it on to white card. I sprayed well over the edges of the card and also blotted with another piece of card that then mopped up the rest of the stray ink on my craft mat. I finished up being able to make three cards with these backgrounds and still have own or two bits left over.

So here is the first card.I stamped down the side with a lovely Magenta stamp, colouring with copics directly on to the sprayed background - I love the way there are some snails hiding. Just the addition of the sentiment panel and the card was complete. There is more of a shimmer to the spray than you can see here.

This is also for:

Our daily bread 106: no designer paper
Stampin' sisters in Christ 137: use green thumbs
Cutie pie 17: monochromatic
Divas by design 33: monochromatic
Stampavie and more 167: monochrome
Craft us crazy 26: inspire us - favourite stamp company - I just love Magenta wood mounted stamps -  I have quite a few of them and love them all
S J Crafts 4: favourites (Magenta - favourite stamp company)
Simon says: birthday
Stamp, scrap & doodle: birthday
Penny's 78: happy birthday
Aud sentiments: anything goes
Amusing challenges (Stamped blessings): anything goes
Lollipop crafts 78: anything goes
Paper playtime 73: anything goes
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 7: anything goes
Creative craft: anything goes
Emerald faerie garden 23: anything goes
Papertake weekly: anything goes
Make it Monday 87
Inspire me Fridays 56
52 card pickup 17

The sportsman

'The sportsman' is the theme for this week's Daring cardmakers, so I've used the sketch for Annabelle's ABSC049 to created my golf card:

Papers are all offcuts, including the diamond background one - so it's another for Pixie's craft snippets 18. Stickers are Express yourself DIY and the Happy Birthday band was made with a Martha Stewart punch. The ovals were cut with nesties.

I'm also linking this for:

Here come the boys 26: hobbies
That craft place: one for the boys
Crafty cardmakers 67: for the boys
Ooh-la-la 104: make it manly

Suzie's 365 photos day 124: beautiful

Suzie's day 124 is much easier than yesterday's prompt. I was spoiled for choice for what to show for beautiful, but in the end decided on this Lladro ballerina that I got some years ago as a present from my mum and dad (well, they gave me the money and I bought it while I was on holiday):

Suzie's 365 photos day 123: futuristic

When I saw Suzie's day 123: futuristic I had no idea what I could possibly photograph - after all, if it's in the future you can't see it now. Then I wondered if there were any websites that would show what you might look like in the future - I found In 20 years.

Now, I have to confess that the original photo I used was actually taken in 2003 (because I couldn't be bothered to trawl through the computer to find a more recent one), so 2003 + 20 years means the futuristic photo is me in 2023 (when I'll be 75).

So that it's a photo I've taken today rather than a download from the website, I took a picture of what was on the computer screen, which isn't very clear, but here it is:

Pity this prompt wasn't for Friday because we'll be going up to Guy's and they are working on the building and there are loads of hoardings showing what it will look like in the future.

WOYWW 152

Wednesday's come around again with remarkable speed, so it's time for WOYWW 152 - if there's anyone left on the planet who doesn't know what I'm on about, please click on the link to Julia's wonderful blog and join in the fun.

Regular visitors to my blog will know that I have a passion for making Christmas cards, which includes having my own CHNC challenge blog - by the way, I'd love to see you join in if you can. At the moment I'm almost up to date with all other necessary crafting (just have one outstanding commission to do, but it's not needed yet), so on my workspace today I have my boxes of Christmas stuff - I've been making one or two more and intend to make some more today.

I took this photo by holding the camera high and taking pot luck. This is the area to the left of where I sit at my workdesk - no point in showing the right hand side today because there's only my cricut and ATG tape gun there.

If you haven't yet started making your Christmas cards, why not join me? It makes sense to avoid the panic later in the way - and can you believe that we're already into May?!

I managed to get round to quite a lot of WOYWWers last week, but if I didn't get to you, I apologise - I'll try to this week.

Rudolph day for April

Regular visitors to my blog will know that I make Christmas cards throughout the year - I have my own CHNC challenge blog and also try to participate as much as possible in other dedicated Christmas challenges. However, there is one that I've not entered into and that is Rudolph Day run by Sandra on her Stamping for pleasure blog on the 25th of every month. I've seen entries for this on a few other blogs and thought it was about time that I joined in, so here is my first card for it:

The card is based on the sketch for Merry Monday 18 on Always playing with paper - I turned it round. This is also for Stamps & fun = creativity 97: use a sketch from another current challenge.

This is another card for my own CHNC challenge 70 to use a greeting/sentiment without the word 'Christmas'.

Anyone who's seen some of my Christmas cards recently may recognise the card that Ive used for the nestie label shape - it another piece recycled from a Christmas cracker from a couple of years ago (and, yes, I've still got some more left - I asked everyone to be very careful that year as they pulled the crackers so I could recycle!). The piece of Brenda Pinnick paper across the middle is some that's been in my offcuts box for a few years now - another opportunity to play in the snippets playground at Pixie's crafty snippets 18 -  and the ribbon is some that I got from a local market stall. The sentiment says 'Season's greetings' (not easy to see on the photo). The Jolly Santa stamp is by Hero Arts coloured with copics.

I'm also linking this for:

Jingle belles: peace on earth (day) - recycling
House of Gilli 32: oh pretty - ribbon and sparkles
Creative card crew 9: ribbon
Bunny Zoe 23: ribbon or twine
Oldie but a goodie: die cuts and punches - the Hero Arts stamp is much older than six months
Christmas inspirations 45: bingo - I've chosen layers, green, glitter
Christmas stampin all year long 8: anything goes
Christmas cards all year round May: inspired by Christmas song: Santa Claus is coming to town
Deep ocean 24: use punches/dies
Paper pretties 203: clean and simple
Phindy's Friday 103: clean & simple
Aud sentiments: anything goes
Amusing challenges (Stamped blessings): anything goes
Lollipop crafts 78: anything goes
Paper playtime 73: anything goes
Inky impressions: anything goes
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 7: anything goes
Creative craft: anything goes
Emerald faerie garden 23: anything goes
Papertake weekly: anything goes
Simon says: anything goes
Just Tracy May: anything goes
Make it Monday 87
Inspire me Fridays 56
52 card pickup 17

Suzie's 365 photos day 122: grunge

As Suzie says, day 122: grunge isn't an easy one, so all I can come up with is some grungeboard thatI bought some time ago and I've only used some of it once - perhaps  I should make sure I make something with it: