Simply shiny gold and black

This is a clean and simple card in response to Anne's challenge for the Christmas Card club. It's also for Sunday's for Santa on facebook for today where the theme is to use die cuts.

I bought these dies when I was in Eastbourne - visited That Craft Place a few times and stocked up on some lovely goodies.

I simply used some sparkly shiny gold Centura paper - I ran it through my Xyron first so that the back would be adhesive, otherwise it would be too fiddly to apply adhesive on to the dies afterwards - and then ran through my cuttlebug. I was tempted to add something more, but decided to keep it really clean and simple.

I'm also entering this fo:

Less is more 72: something shiny
My mum's craft shop 61: clean & simple
Card caravan (the hybrid chick) 21: clean and simple

Suzie's 365 photos day 169: same ... but different day 3

Ellie's been waiting for the opportunity to have a look on the internet and see what this 'same ... but different' is all about. She wants to catch up with the adventures of 50/50, 30/30, Bubbles and lots of others and is particularly interested in Hudson's frolics - she would love the opportunity for them to get together!

So here she is for day 169, having a nose at the computer (think I'd better move the mug before she gets interested in the remainder of my tea):

A music card for a special man

Yesterday a neighbour asked me to make her a birthday card for a special friend who is a musician. I've made cards before for her to give him, so am running out of ideas. I remembered that I made a card that I showed here that featured part of a larger stamp called Keys to music by Troy Crisswell, Stamps Happen, colouring just the piano and the black keys with copics. I tried to remove the sentiment carefully so I could add a different one, but that wasn't successful, so I ended up rescuing the actual jigsaw pieces and using them on some fresh background paper.

The music background paper is 7 gypsies and the red back section is Papermania Hampstead. The sentiments were printed on to pieces of Serif Picnic in the park paper stack.

As I've recycled part of one of my own cards this is for Love to create 19: use something recycled!

As it's Father's Day tomorrow there are lots of challenges asking to see cards for dad - sadly, my dad died towards the end of 2003 so I no longer make Father's Day cards, but these challenges give the alternative of other cards for men:

Dream valley 34: for that special guy
Sentimental Sundays 106: for a special guy
The pink elephant 152: masculine
Take time for you 69: boys/men's cards
Tammy scraping corner: for the boys
There's magic in the air Magical Monday: one for the boys
Celebrate the occasion 66: for special men
Clear it out: male project (used papers that I've had for quite a long time)
L E J designs 7: male projects
Crafting for all seasons 29: for man
Papercraft star 101: male
Delightful: for the boys
Do you stack up 76: boys/men
Bloggers challenge: for the men
Crafts4eternity R76: dashing dads or male
Fussy & fancy 65: boy attitude
Simply create too15: for a male
The crafty pad 174: let's hear it for the boys
Penny's 81: masculine
Scrappy frogs: celebrate men
Cardmakin' mamas 47: special man
S J crafts 5: all about the boy + extra: use up something old that's been in your stash for a while - the papers
Desmet June: for the men and boys
My Sheri 87: masculine card

It's also for:

Creative stamp friends 53: birthday
Lexi 67: happy birthday
Emerald faerie garden 26: chipboard (the jigsaw pieces are chipboard)
Stampin with the dragon: anything goes
Victorine 36: anything goes
Freshly brewed 100: anything goes
Let's craft and create 47: anything goes
The paper shelter 68: anything goes
Creatalicious 35: anything goes
Tuesday alchemy 18: anything goes
Simon says stamp and show: anything goes
Craft your passion 114: anything goes
Make it Monday 93
52 card pick up 24
Inspire me Fridays 63

Suzie's 365 photos day 168: same ... but different day 2

For day 168: same ... but different day 2 Ellie sat on the window sill with her nose against the window wondering what it would be like to go into the garden - far too windy today to venture out there! It has to be said, however, that she is in her Ellie-ment knowing that she is going to feature every day in a different situation.

I wonder what she'll get up to tomorrow?

Suzie's 365 photos day 167: same ... but different

For the coming week, Suzie has asked us to choose a toy, a pet or whatever and see how many different situations we can snap them in.

This is the perfect excuse for my mischievous monkey Ellie to come down from her usual high shelf and get noticed in various poses.

So for day 167 she chose to sit on the printer which she usually sees from the other side of the room:

CHNC challenge 77: things with wings

We're now nearer to Christmas 2012 than 2011 - a scary thought really, the year is going so quickly. It's time for another challenge on my CHNC blog. If you haven't started your Christmas cards yet, now might be a good time to do so - I'd love to see you there.

For today's CHNC challenge 77 the theme is 'things with wings' - I'm asking you to include 'something with wings' - perhaps an angel, a fairy, a robin ... anything with wings, as long as it's a Christmas card.

This week's challenge is being sponsored by Digi Doodle Shop who kindly supplied me with the gorgeous 'angel with harp' digital stamp that I've used on my card. I've also used the sketch that has been given for Digi Doodle Shop challenge 112: follow that sketch:

For the background I've used some vellum which has gold embossed wording on to a white card blank - my Xyron comes in very handy because it means the vellum sticks perfectly without showing any adhesive.

The two pieces of card on the left are from my offcuts box - another opportunity to play in the playground at Pixie's crafty snippets 24, edged with gold copic pen and copics were used to colour and edge the image that was die cut with a nestie. The addition of the gold foiled 'Christmas greetings' completes the card.

You'll notice that I actually managed to take this photo in the garden this evening - it was dry and light enough - makes a change!

This is also for:

Holly jolly Christmas: put a song in your heart - Hark, the herald angels sing ...
ABC Christmas: L for lyrics - use the theme of a Christmas song/carol - Hark, the herald  angels sing ...
Sparkles forum CHristmas 17: monochromatic
Pattie's 46: monochromatic
Truly, madly, crafty June: monochrome
Emergency crafters: butterflies, birds or anything with wings
Twisted Tuesday: it's clear you love to create (I used vellum for the background) + twist: include something you love - making Christmas cards, colouring with copics

Testing

This is a quick post to see if networkedblogs shows it up on facebook and twitter.

Suzie's 365 photos day 166: face

We were up at Guy's hospital this morning and when I saw that Suzie's prompt for day 166 today was 'face' I thought of the clock face that is behind the reception desk:

Having just gone to Suzie's 365 photos to get the link for today I see that there were others that went for clock face too - great minds and all that!

Suzie's 365 photos day 165: earth tones

These are the earth tones right near me for day 165 - copic earth tones - all E numbers:

WOYWW 158

A quick post before I go over to see mum and sort out her hearing aid!

This is for WOYWW 158. I was on holiday in Eastbourne for nearly two weeks till last Tuesday, so wasn't able to take part in WOYWW - pity, because I would have loved to have been involved in the ATC swap - nevermind, I'm sure there'll be another opportunity sometime.

To the left of me there's a box of patterned paper offcuts that I need to keep using, a couple of pieces ready to make black and gold cards, using a couple of dies I bought in Eastbourne - and paper packs and stamps that were also bought while I was on holiday. Hoping to play with some of the new stamps very soon.

To the right of me are the remains of what was needed to make the 'celebrate' card - I need to put all these away. And there are some new dies purchased in Eastbourne hidden in that box - need to get using them!

Thanks to all WOYWWers who take the time to visit and leave comments - much appreciated - I'll try to get round to as many as I can this week.

Bright celebration

This is for the 'red, yellow and orange' challenge on Inky impressions. All papers are from my offcuts box, so another for Pixie's crafty snippets 24 and also for Hiding in my craftroom 49: super scraps Saturday.

I've used 'celebrate' - stamped the Docrafts whisper words stamp with brilliance pearlescent crimson and heat embossed with detail clear powder - ribbon (orange oraganza with the yellow flowers overlaid) and a die cut shape (the script panel was cut with a nestie label die) for Cooking it up with Katie 96. I added the Martha Stewart, lightly distressing the edges of the petals with fired brick DI to give a bit more definition.

This is also for:

Creative Belli 145: sentiment only
House of Gilli: vibrant colours/summer
Bizzy Becs June: bright and cheery colours
Stamp and create June: bold and bright
Sassy Cheryl: 119: birthday celebration
Amusing challenges (stamped blessings) technique: hot embossing
Ribbon girl: use ribbon or lace
Really reasonable ribbon 49: flowers & ribbon
Let's ink it up 24: use your favourite embellishments (flowers, ribbon)
Great impressions 4: die cuts or punches
Hooked on craft June 21: all that glitters
Tuesday alchemy 18: anything goes
Simon says stamp and show: anything goes
Craft your passion 114: anything goes
Make it Monday 93
52 card pick up 23
Inspire me Fridays 62

Suzie's 365 photos day 164: antique

I don't have any antiques, certainly nothing of value, but I thought that this locket might be suitable for day 164 - it belonged to my grandmother who was born at the turn of the twentieth century (think she was actually born in 1901 - I must look it up). Anyway, I have her little jewel box and this locket was in it. It has a photo of my nan inside.

Difficult to get a photo on such a dull day (yet again), but in the end I quite like the way the light is shining on it:

I'm wondering what you'll come up with next, Suzie ... we seem to be getting into older and older things each day!

Steampunk ballet

This was generated digitally, combining the background image from My Craft Studio Tinkering with steampunk with a clipart ballet image imported from Publisher. I applied a transparent fade around the clipart except for the ballet dancers themselves.

This is for the CD Sunday challenge: beautiful ballerinas, also for City crafter 112: Coppelia (ballerina):

This is also for:

365 cards day 101: imagine this: dancing
Crafty mess 10: fantasy
Incy wincy: use more than one digi
Divas by design 38: chocolate
Digital Tuesday 163: anything goes
Craft your passion 114: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Make it Monday 93
52 card pick up 23
Inspire me Fridays 62

White wedding wishes

This is a white on white card (always difficult to get a decent photo, especially when it's raining and light is so poor, but hey ho!).

It's for Crafty sentiments: white on white, also Flourishes timeless 172: white card for wedding.

The Anita stamped image was inked with versamark and heat embossed with detail silver. This is matted on to some stardream white card, which is then matted on to a square that has been embossed with spots with a crafts too embossing folder. I then added the lace overlaid with ribbon, the sentiment, flowers and pearls, all backed on to another piece of stardream white. All pieces of card were from my white offcuts box, so this i8s another for Pixie's crafty snippets 24 and also for Hiding in my craftroom 49: super scraps Saturday.

I've used embossing (both heat and dry) and dots, so this is good for Cards und more 57.

This is also for:

Crafty creations 173: wedding or anniversary
Bloggers challenge: anniversary cards (think this would be suitable for either wedding or anniversary)
Perfect sentiments 35: lacy romance
Amusing challenges (stamped blessings) technique: hot embossing
Ribbon girl: use ribbon or lace
Robyn's fetish 111: add some lace
All kinds of cards 55: pearls and lace
Crafts and me: lace
Really reasonable ribbon 49: flowers & ribbon
Crafty calendar June: flowers in bloom with optional extra of swirls/flourishes
Let's ink it up 24: use your favourite embellishments (flowers, ribbon, lace, pearls)
Creative Friday: pearls
Crafter's cafe blog 5: pearls and swirls
Crafting for all seasons 28: many layers
Victorine 35: texture
Playing in paradise 70: texture
Whoopsi Daisy: bling
Party time Tuesday 71: royal challenge, sparkle, bling, shine
Shelly's terrifically thrilling Thursday: blingage
Card and scrap 33: bling
4 crafty chicks 93: monochromatic
Crop stop 75: monochromatic is in
Truly madly crafty June: monochrome
Simon says stamp and show: anything goes
Craft your passion 114: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Make it Monday 93
52 card pick up 23
Inspire me Fridays 62

Suzie's 365 photos days 163: aged

I had to chuckle when I saw Suzie's photo prompt for today - day 163: aged - there was no way that I was going to put a photo of myself, although that would certainly be fine for 'aged', then I thought of showing a photo of John, who is older than me .... but in the end I've opted to show a photo of my oldest cookery book which was given to me in 1964 - you can tell that it has been well used:

I thought I'd just show you a peep inside - at the time this book was published pressure cookers were being used quite a bit (I confess that I was never keen because of all the steam ... scary!!) - before the age of microwaves.

A lot of the information is outdated now, but there are lots of recipes that are still very useful to refer to - the book still gets used from time to time.

Suzie's 365 photos day 162: neglected

When I saw yesterday's prompt for Suzie's day 162: neglected, it didn't take long for me to decide what to photograph - my cricut has been neglected recently - I really should use it more than I do:

Christmas shades of blue

'Shades of blue' is today's facebook Sunday's with Santa theme and for my card I've used the lovely Shelly's image 'all wrapped up snowman', coloured with copics and a blue glitter pen for the lights, which are for Christmas cards all year round for June: twinkle twinkle Christmas lights, also for Crimbo crackers 17: decorations. Shelly's terrifically thrilling Thursday challenge this week is 'blingage', so this is also for that.

The mixture of blues is also for this Winter wonderland photo inspiration:

I've used the sketch for Techno stamper's Monday lunchtime 224:

The papers are from my offcuts box and the silver mirror card are also offcuts, so this is another for Pixie's crafty snippets 24 and also for Hiding in my craftroom 49: super scraps Saturday.

They say the camera never lies, so why is it that the silver mirror surround of the sentiment looks wrong on the bottom corner on here whereas IRL it's OK?

This is also for:

Sparkles forum Christmas June 17: monochromatic
Crop stop 75: monochromatic is in
Truly madly crafty June: monochrome
Hooked on craft June 21: all that glitters
Party time Tuesday 71: royal challenge - sparkle, bling, shine
Top tip Tuesday 78: sparkles galore
Card caravan (the hybrid chick) 21: clean and simple
ABC Christmas: K for keep it simple
Deep ocean 27: sewing
Frosted fabulous Friday: stitching
Sweet stampin: all stitched up
Christmas stampin all year long 14: anything goes
Digital Tuesday 163: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
52 card pick up 23
Inspire me Fridays 62

Skating winter bird

For this card I've used another  Bugaboo stamps supplied for my  CHNC challenge 76  'feature a creature' called 'winter birds skate'. I've coloured with copics, rounded the corners and matted on to a gold mirror card shape (with poor light the indoor photo doesn't show the gold mirror to advantage).

I've followed the sketch for Festive Friday 22:

I've used an offcut of woodgrain card for the chevron shape that was originally white and coloured with tea dye DI - this is for Hotshot craft 9: distress inks, also Our creative corner: your favourite Tim Holtz technique (using distress inks). The spotted background paper was from my offcuts box, so this is another for Pixie's crafty snippets 24 and also for Hiding in my craftroom 49: super scraps Saturday. The woodgrain is for Christmas card challenges week 28, also for 365 cards day 91: imagine this: wood.

This is also for:

Jingle belles: inspired by a song - When the red, red robin comes bob, bob, bobbin' along
Creative card crew 12: song inspired - When the red, red robin comes bob, bob, bobbin' along
Christmas stampin all year long 14: anything goes
Pile it on 24: let's get outdoors
Bizzy Becs June: bright and cheery cards
Friday mashup 62: it's for the birds
Whimsy 42: things with wings
LiaStampz 18: things with wings
Little Miss Muffet 36: rainbows, clouds or wings
Southern girls 46: things with wings
The paper shelter 67: going dottie
Card caravan (the hybrid chick) 21: clean and simple
ABC Christmas: K for keep it simple
Digital Tuesday 163: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Bunny Zoe 24: anything goes
52 card pick up 23
Inspire me Fridays 62

Rudolph the red nosed reindeer

This card is another one for my CHNC challenge 76 'feature a creature' and uses the sketch for Hanna and friends 147:

The sketch was just right for using up some offcuts from my Christmas box (papers originally from magazine freebies), so this is my first card of the week for Pixie's crafty snippets 24 and also for Hiding in my craftroom 49: super scraps Saturday.

The card blank is green stardream, the snowflakes were made with a Woodware punch with gold mirror card (doesn't show up here, unfortunately). The image is 'reindeer skate' by Bugaboo stamps, who are sponsoring my CHNC challenge 76. It was coloured with copics and the oval torn around a template and roughly edged with a copic.

This is also for:

Jingle belles: inspired by a song - Rudolph the red nosed reindeer
Willow sketchie: animal antics
Great impressions 4: die cuts or punches
Digital Tuesday 163: anything goes

Suzie's 365 photos day 161: frayed

When I first say Suzie's prompt for today I thought of me ... frayed around the edges - lol!

Then I remembered a skirt that has a frayed hem (well, strictly speaking I suppose it's fringed, but I think it will pass as 'frayed' for the prompt), so here is day 161:

Sweet strawberry kisses

This card is for the sketch for Tuesday morning sketches 149:

I downloaded the freebie strawberry digital image from Jane's doodles - this was prompted by the first challenge on a new blog Digi Haven, the idea being to use a digital image that is  a 'freebie forever'. I imported the image into Publisher and repeated it several times, tilting the direction of some of them, coloured in with promarkers - poppy and grass - and dotting with red here and there. I then printed the large strawberry with the computer generated text. The image was then matted on card coloured with the poppy promarker. Just the addition of the dotted ribbon and the 'with love' sentiment and the card was done. I used promarkers for I love promarkers challenge 120: for a little girl.

This is also for:

Clearlyistamp 53: fruity
The cheerful stamp pad 44: the sweet life
One stitch at a time 116: use a digi
Aud sentiments 56: any sentiment for a child's birthday
Ooh-la-la 106: make it girly
Tammy scraping corner 13: for the girls
Crafty Ann 67: it's a girl thing
Ribbon girl: card challenge - use ribbon or lace
Ribbon carousel 56: birthday bash
Totally papercrafts: doodle on it (the freehand random spots)
The paper shelter 67: going dottie
The crafty pad 173: ribbon
Sentimental Sundays 105: show me your spots
Craft room: birthday
Creative card crew 12: song inspired - 'strawberries' by Smooth
House of Gilli: vibrant colours/summer challenge
Pink elephant 151: vibrant colours
Bizzy Becs June: bright and cheery cards
Digital Tuesday 163: anything goes
Amusing challenges (stamped blessings): anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Bunny Zoe 24: anything goes
Make it Monday 92
52 card pick up 23
Inspire me Fridays 62