Make a note of it

An altered notebook using a piece of music and hearts paper that's been lurking in a box for a few years now and some Poundland 3D music stickers.

This is for:

Crafts and me 59: let the music move you

Southern girls 31: can you hear the music

Cooking it up with Katie 82: anything but a card

Your next stamp 54: anything but a card

Freshly brewed 71: anything goes

Papertake: anything goes

Come and get it: anything goes

Lollipop crafts 55: anything goes

Paper playtime 59: anything goes

Pollycraft 117: anything goes

Make it Monday 61

Inspire me Fridays 31

Sparkly snowman

This card is a 7 x 5 card blank layered with Anna Griffin papers, with the addition of a glittery snowman - clean and simple.

This is for:

Bah! humbug 43: snowmen

Winter wonderland: make your cards sparkle

One stitch at a time 86: Christmas

The paper shelter 38: Christmas fun

Pixie cottage 94: get started - make a Christmas card

Delightful: a very sparkly Christmas

Mami doodles 37: Christmas

Lothian crafts 20: Christmas

St Luke's November: Christmas is coming

Crimbo crackers 1: anything goes

Crafty purple frog 27: sparkle

Allways something creative 17: it has to sparkle

Pink gem 33: cold and frosty

Bows n berries 13: clean and simple

Crafty boots: young at heart

Freshly brewed 71: anything goes

Papertake: anything goes (plus a bit of bling)

Come and get it: anything goes

Lollipop crafts 55: anything goes

Paper playtime 59: anything goes

Pollycraft 117: anything goes

Make it Monday 61

Inspire me Fridays 31

November Chrysanthemums

Having left last week's Daring cardmakers challenge till the last evening, I decided I would do today's challenge on the first day rather than leave it.

So this is for DCM Chrysanthemum challenge - it is the flower of the month for November and also is in celebration of DCM's birthday as they move into their 6th year - way to go!

I used the sketch for Clean & Simple 165:

Colours are for Some odd girl nouveau challenge - they shared this beautiful inspiration photo:


The yellow papers - four or five different patterns - are unknown (I think I received them in a swap ages ago). I distressed all edges with spiced marmalade DI. The flowers are made from three different sets and sizes of nesties mixed up with American crafts pearl brads, glittered ribbon and gold foiled sentiment (sorry about the flash glare) from stash.

This is also for:

Crafty Ann 53: floral frenzy

Sketchy colors 91: yellow and black

Sentimental Sundays 79: birth flowers (for a November birthday)

Create me pink 3: flower challenge

The squirrel and the fox 4: hats or flowers

Craft your passion 82: bingo - I chose flowers, free and bling

Gingerloft 28: bingo - I chose ribbon, glitter and flowers

Crafty ribbons 5: bingo - I chose dies, flowers and ribbon

Crafty purple frog 27: sparkle

Allways something creative 17: it has to sparkle

Bows n berries 13: clean and simple

Crafty Ann 52: clean and simple

4 crafty chicks 62: die cuts

Cardmakin mamas 32: cut it out - die cuts

Divas by design 14: use metal (brads)

Ruby's rainbow 15: metal

Meljen 83: use brads

PanPastel UK 6: distress it

Pink elephant 123: distressing

Creatalicious 27: distress your edges

Shelly's terrifically thrilling Thursday: monochromatic (can add a pop of colour) + ribbon

Paper pretties Monday challenge: use a sentiment

Paper players 70: anything goes fall theme

Crafty catz 107: anything goes

Freshly brewed 71: anything goes

Papertake: anything goes (plus a bit of bling)

Ribbon carousel 27: anything goes

Come and get it: anything goes

Lollipop crafts 55: anything goes

Paper playtime 59: anything goes

Pollycraft 117: anything goes

Make it Monday 61

Inspire me Fridays 31

Blue Birthday

This is a last minute entry for Daring cardmakers 'fantastic felties', using a felt flower with button from Poundland.

I've used the sketch for Clean & simple 164 (another last minute entry):

Papers are 7 gypsies baja journey and the corner piece stamp is Penny Black inked with stazon ultramarine. Paper edges have been distressed with a mix of broken china and stormy sky DIs. The sentiment is a craftime one.

This is also for:

Bows n berries 13: clean and simple

Crafty Ann 52: clean and simple

Stamp, scrap & doodle: monochromatic

Paperminutes 190: blue/white

Stamp insanity 79: chill out - cool as ice blues

PanPastel UK 6: distress it

Stamp dreams 105: distress

Pink elephant 123: distressing

Creatalicious 27: distress your edges

Corrosive 136: with a flourish

Papercraft star 69: a flourish

Stamp with fun 135: buttons

Take time for you 53: button

Simon says: buttons

PaperPlay 44: button up

The squirrel and the fox 4: hats or flowers

Paper Pretties Monday challenge: use a sentiment

Freshly brewed 71: anything goes

Stampavie and more 155: anything goes

Sweet stampin: anything goes

Papertake: anything goes

Come and get it: anything goes

Dream valley 19: anything goes

Lollipop crafts 55: anything goes

Paper playtime 59: anything goes

Pollycraft 117: anything goes

Make it Monday 61

WOYWW 126

It's Wednesday again and time for WOYWW 126.

When you see the picture below you'll think that it's nothing special - just three piles of card/papers, but oh!! the delight of those piles - it's a 300 Christmas card order for my friends' local accountancy firm.

I was given a scanned drawing of their building which I digitally altered, putting some snow on it and adding some carol singers, a Christmas tree and a border of holly and ivy. I worked on this for some time - in the end I had so many versions on my computer that I was in danger of forgetting which was which. Anyway, with a lot of tweaking I was finally satisfied with the design and started to print.

When I did cards for them last year I had to waste a lot because ink smudged from the front of one on to the back of the other. I took advice on the card that I used this year, which is supposed not to smudge with inkjet, but wasn't taking any chances, which is why the cards are interleaved with paper.

Today's job has been to score and fold each card - it's surprising how long that can take.

I can't show the cards here, but you can just get a little peep at the one on top that I'll be keeping for reference.

I just can't believe they're all done now!!

My next job this evening is to make a couple of baptism cards that I've been asked for - at least I've got a nice clean space to use when these piles of cards are moved.

Update: I've been given permission to show the card, do it's now here (and last year's too).

Two sporty notebooks

I was asked to alter a couple of notebooks for two sports mad boys.

The first is for a Chelsea football club fan, so I used a blue and white striped notebook, decorating it with a piece of PDA football paper that I've had for ages, a 3D die cut sticker football and a die cut Chelsea strip.

The second notebook is for a rugby fan - the background is HOTP paper and again I've added a die cut strip of the England rugby team and a 3D die cut rugby ball sticker.

These are for:

Shopping our stash 24: sports

My Sheri 72: all about sports

The poodles parlour: let's hear it for the boys

Die cuttin' divas 39: it's football season

Cardmakin mamas 32: cut it out - die cuts

Papertake: anything goes

Come and get it: anything goes

Dream valley 19: anything goes

Lollipop crafts 55: anything goes

Paper playtime 59: anything goes

Pollycraft 117: anything goes

Make it Monday 61

Inspire me Fridays 30

Thank you card

Last Thursday John's blind bowling club celebrated their 30th birthday with an afternoon tea party - it was very enjoyable. Their match secretary is standing down after 23 years and so I was asked to make a 'thank you' card for her.

I used a piece of Basic Grey paper for the background. I stamped the Jolly Nation bowls lady and coloured with copics, including the background, creating the mat and the bowl. Flowers, ribbons and sentiment from stash.

This is for:

Sassy Cheryl 88: just saying 'thanks'

Sweet stamps 39: so thankful

Tuesday throwdown 73: thanks

Shopping our stash 24: sports

My Sheri 72: all about sports

Ribbon carousel 27: anything goes

Ooh-la-la 92: stitching

Anything goes 53: stitches

Raise the bar 81: sew what

Paper pretties Monday challenge: use a sentiment

I just can't resist ....

... joining in a Circle Journal group. A new group starts today on CBC forum, so here is my 'When I was 21' journal which is going in the post today and will go round to each member of the group before being returned to me. I look forward to seeing and ready what others contribute.

Throughtout the CJ I've used retro papers from DCWV - they seemed to fit the era of when I was 21!

Front cover:

Welcome:

Rules:

My pages:

Sign in:

I'm entering this into the following challenges:

Come and get it: anything goes

Crafting when we can: anything but a card

Dream valley 19: anything goes

Lollipop crafts 55: anything goes

Paper playtime 59: anything goes

Pollycraft 117: anything goes

The paper shelter 37: anything goes

Simon says: anything goes

Charisma cardz 43: anything goes

By the cute and girly October: anything goes

A busy day and a commissioned card

It was our church's minimarket this morning and these are pictures of my tables (you can get a closer look if you click on the pictures):



It's been a busy day (in fact, a busy few weeks) - we then went over to see mum for a chinese take-away. When I got home I needed to make a commissioned 90th birthday card, so I got out some decoupage and matching paper that I bought some time ago - there's also a matching lined envelope, which is a nice finishing touch - and used this with papers from Basic Grey marjolaine, a stitched ribbon, a craftime sentiment and gold numerals that have been altered with a purple copic.

I've used three different patterned papers, so this is for Critter 88 and also for Basic Grey 56: anything goes.

I used the sketch for CPS 241:

Colours are for Birthday sundaes 32: purple, green, white, black, also for Use it Tuesday 18: one or all: orange, black or purple (the unused items are the decoupage and the matching paper that I've had for ages).

This is also for:

Creative craft world: numbers and/or add a sentiment

Creative Belli 129: 1, 2, 3, 4 - 1 sentiment, 2 numbers, 3 patterned papers, 4 decoupaged flowers

Raise the bar 81: sew what -stitching

Pals paper arts 117: CAS ribbon

Lollipop crafts 54: embellish it

Paper pretties 177: embellish

Cardmakin mamas 32: cut it out - die cuts (the decoupage)

Pretty little ribbon shop October: anything goes

Party time Tuesday 39: anything goes

The paper shelter 37: anything goes

Scrapbook sisters card challenge 58: anything goes

Simon says: anything goes

Lothian crafts 19: anything goes

Make it Monday 60

Inspire me Fridays 30

CHNC challenge 44: for someone special

It's time for a new challenge on my CHNC blog, so for Challenge 44 I'm asking for a Christmas card for someone special.

Today has always been special for me - it was my dad's birthday. Sadly, he died nearly eight years ago (actually on mum's birthday on 29 November) - so 29 October is still a special day for me, one to reflect on memories of the past and to think particularly of my mum who still misses dad.

I think a lot of us crafters tend to leave the 'special' people to last when it comes to making cards, so my challenge to you this week is to make a Christmas card for someone special, so that it doesn't get left till the last minute. You might want to try and make more than one (I'm going to try, but not sure whether I'll succeed this week).

On this special day of memories of dad, the card that I'm showing now is, of course, for my mum, so I'm linking this for Totally Gorjuss 104: I remember.

I've made a double twisted easel card (the first time I've made one). I've kept the design simple, letting the paper do most of the work - the main paper I've used is a 12 x 12 winter scene by Best Creation - you can see the whole paper here. It just goes to show that even a 12 x 12 paper with a scene can be cut and used for cardmaking.

The paper was already sparkly and glittery, but I added some stickles crystal ice on the base of the card.

Below is the back view where you can see that I used some g.c.d. snow day paper from their chill out collection - this was also used for the triangle on the front, which has the computer generated sentiment on it.
I'm also entering this for the following challenges:

Allsorts 127: Christmas easel card

Our creative corner: fancy folds

Jingle belles: not a creature was stirring

Meljen's 82: Christmas

Crimbo crackers 1: anything goes

Fab's big Christmas October: something shiny and/or snowflakes

Ooh-la-la 91: let it snow

Crafts and me 58: winter blues

Pink gem 33: cold and frosty

Winter wonderland: CAS Christmas - minimum embellishments

Totally papercrafts 90: glitter it

Crafty purple frog 27: sparkle

Sew many challenges 72: background paper - use two different background papers

SPCC 123: colour: pool party, very vanilla, wild wasabi

Stamp, scrap & doodle: monochromatic

Party time Tuesday 39: anything goes

The paper shelter 37: anything goes

Scrapbook sisters card challenge 58: anything goes

Simon says: anything goes

Lothian crafts 19: anything goes

Make it Monday 60

Inspire me Fridays 30

I haven't been showing much on my blog in the last few days, partly because we have been in chaos with decorating being done (all finished now, thankfully) and partly because I've been preparing for selling at our church's minimarket today, so I'm not going to be around much either today.

Big apologies to those who so faithfully visit and leave their very welcome comments that I just haven't managed to get around the blogs this week and leave comments. I'll try to do so soon, but I do have a busy weekend coming up.

I very much value the comments that are left on my blog posts, but over the past couple of weeks I've noticed some persistent trolls or spammers or whatever they're called - I can see that it is just innocent advertising, but I could do without it. I doubt it is going to make any difference saying anything here because these people don't even bother to read the blog posts. If the problem goes on I might have to consider using comment moderation. In the meantime, if I don't have a chance to delete them (which I am trying to do as quickly as I can) please just ignore them.

WOYWW 125

It's Wednesday and that means it's time for WOYWW - if you don't know what I'm talking about (is there anyone left that doesn't know?!) click on the link to Julia's blog and join in the fun.

Today I'm not showing my worktop space, but a new unit that I've got to house my Really Useful Boxes. Up until now most of my RUBs have been housed in the big cupboard in my craft room, which has meant that when I want something out of one of the bottom boxes I've had to move others to get to it, which isn't good for my back.

So, after much deliberation, I ordered a purpose-made unit to house the boxes. This had to be put together - loads of screws and bolts - I was helped by the lovely girl who comes to do our cleaning.

Now I can get to any box without moving the others because there are shelves in between. And now I've got room in the big cupboard to put other things that used to be on surfaces.

When I get time I need to sort out the boxes into an order that is more helpful (atm I haven't a clue which is where), but that will have to wait till next week because I'm selling cards at our church minimarket on Saturday and need to prepare for that - in fact, I need to alter some more notebooks and make some more sticky-note holders.

We've got the decorator in atm doing our lounge and inner hall, so we are in a bit of chaos (when aren't we?!) and we must be mad because we're going to have our bedroom and my craft room decorated in a couple of weeks' time which will mean clearing my stuff!

Hope I'll be back later with some crafting.

Sparkly robin

Today's Christmas card challenge for week 47 is a recipe 2 designer papers, ribbon and a bird, so I've used two Anna Griffin papers, one very sparkly one and one that has a flocked finish - lovely to touch. The papers were mounted on to a gold 7 x 5 card blank, with the addition of an AG die cut silver foiled sentiment and a bow. The glittery padded robin is a Poundland sticker.

This is also for:

Christmas crafting October 4: little robin red breast

Christmas inspirations 35: die cuts or punches

Alota 69: Christmas

Corrosive 135: flying things

Try it on Tuesday: taking to the skies

Designer's challenge: cute critters

Take time for you 52: brown + another colour

PanPastel UK 5: glitter and glitz

Pretty little ribbon shop October: anything goes

Shelly's terrifically thrilling Thursday: show us what you got

Lothian crafts 19: anything goes

KB cute Monday 31: anything goes

Inspire me Fridays 29

Interesting statistics!

I love visiting Jules' blog on Sunday and seeing what she's been up to and what everyone else has been doing with their snippets. This week, Jules asked:

'Have you ever looked to see what the most viewed post is on your blog?

Do you fancy sharing your most popular post? to find it simply go to your dashboard and click on 'stats' ... 'posts ... 'all time' and at the top of the list will be the post that the most people have looked at.

I thought I would join in and do this - I've never thought of looking before - I discovered that my blogpost that has the mosst views is Digi Purple Christmas from nearly two years ago. It's had 553 pageviews, which is over 200 more than the next popular post. The strange thing is that there were 29 comments, whereas I've had lots of other posts that hae had many more comments than that. I can't help but wonder why Digi Purple Christmas got so many viewings.

If you haven't looked at your own statistics, it's quite interesting to do so.

Sparkly and vintage Christmas

It was Lizzie's turn to set the challenge for today's Christmas card for the Christmas gang and she supplied this lovely sketch for us to work with:

All my papers were from my offcuts box, so this is for Jules' crafty snippet challenge 42 and also for ABC Christmas: U for unused stash because I've used some lace that I bought quite a while ago from a market stall, a piece of very sparkly glittery ribbon and the lovely candlelabra stamp by Papermania, which I inked with versamark and heat embossed with detail silver. The sparkle is for Christmas stampin all year long: spark-ka-lay!

I love Christmas cards made with a combination of blue and silver, so I'm linking this for Stamp dreams 104: favourite colour combination.

This is also for:

Winter wonderland: a vintage Christmas

Alota 69: Christmas

Phindy's Friday 78: blue Christmas

Fab's big Christmas: something shiny and/or snowflakes

One stitch at a time 85: emboss it

Prairie fairy Fridays 64: wet embossing

Crafty ribbons 4: ribbon and lace

Bunny Zoe 17: lace it up

Pretty little ribbon shop October: anything goes

Shelly's terrifically thrilling Thursday: show us what you got

Lothian crafts 19: anything goes

KB cute Monday 31: anything goes

Inspire me Fridays 29

It's my turn to set the next challenge for the Christmas gang (to make a card to be shown on Sunday 6 November) and this is my challenge:

'I'm asking you to use either something recycled or something you got as a freebie (with a magazine, or in a swap or RAK etc) - you can, of course, use other materials as well.'

If anyone wants to know more about the Christmas gang and join in with us, please get in touch with one of us - there is a list on my sidebar.

CHNC challenge 43: make a scene

The weeks go by so quickly - today sees the start on challenge 43 on my CHNC blog - it's hard to believe that we are already well into October and getting nearer to Christmas.

This week I'm asking you to 'make a scene'. My cards for the challenge are very simple. I've used some more of the stamped images that I made when I borrowed this snow scene from a lovely crafting friend - this was inked with versamark and heat embossed with detail silver. The background snowflake paper is Craft Creations.

This is also for the following challenges:

Alota 69: Christmas

Sparkles forum Christmas challenge 9: Christmas song: I'm dreaming of a white Christmas

Aud sentiments 39: winter theme

Phindy's Friday 78: blue Christmas

Jingle belles: softly falling snow

Ooh-la-la 91: let it snow

Fab's big Christmas: something shiny and/or snowflakes

Bah! humbug 42: with men in mind

The crafty pad 143: monochromatic

Prairie fairy Fridays 64: wet embossing

Shelly's terrifically thrilling Thursday: show us what you got

Whoopsi Daisy: free and easy

Lothian crafts 19: anything goes

KB cute Monday 31: anything goes

Inspire me Fridays 29

Make it Monday 59

Another pink notebook

Another pink notebook, this time with an offcut piece of unknown paper from my scraps box and a couple of butterfly stickers.

This is for:

Paper cutz 114: in the pink

Jules crafty snippet challenge 41

Lollipop crafts 53: no sentiments allowed

Flutter by Wednesday 176: open, with butterflies

Corrosive 135: flying things

Try it on Tuesday: taking to the skies

Shelly's terrifically thrilling Thursday: show us what you got

Whoopsi Daisy: free and easy

Lothian crafts 19: anything goes

KB cute Monday 31: anything goes

Inspire me Fridays 29

Make it Monday 59

Patchwork pals

Over two years ago, in a moment of weakness (mmmm another one!) I bought a Patchwork Pals kit from QVC because I thought I would be able to make some quick Christmas cards with it. Well, I didn't use any of it till after a year had gone by and I've still got loads of it, none of which has been used for this year's Christmas cards. So I thought it was about time to use some of it, spurred on by ABC Christmas challenge: U for unused stash'. This time, I remembered to take a picture of the stash before putting the card together, but in the end I also added a matching piece at the back of the card to hide where I'd wrapped the sparkly ribbon (this wasn't part of the PP kit) and also the 'with love' sentiment.

So this is the card:
The piece on the back covers up the ribbon that has been wrapped round.

This is also for:

Alota 69: Christmas

Sparkles forum Christmas challenge 9: Christmas song: Let it snow

Aud sentiments 39: winter theme

Phindy's Friday 78: blue Christmas

Jingle belles: softly falling snow

Ooh-la-la 91: let it snow

Fab's big Christmas: something shiny and/or snowflakes

Southern girls 30: stripes and polka dots

Sentimental Sundays 77: fancy folds

Karen's doodles: animal antics

I did it 77: if I could talk to the animals - I'd tell him it looks as if he's having fun!

Shelly's terrifically thrilling Thursday: show us what you got

Whoopsi Daisy: free and easy

Lothian crafts 19: anything goes

KB cute Monday 31: anything goes

Inspire me Fridays 29

Make it Monday 59

King of the jungle

The king of the jungle has got his crown on! This is another post-it notes holder.

This is for:

House of Gilli 18: pick 3 from black, white, green and orange

Papertake: spooooky hues (colours of halloween)

Paper pretties 176: black, white plus one colour

Paper crafting journey 21: black, white and orange

PaperPlay 42: use black

Mami doodles 36: black and orange

Raise the bar 80: orange and black

Sukkersott 142: orange, black and white

Craft your days away 31: halloween colours

I did it 77: if I could talk to the animals - I'd tell them how handsome they look

Crafty cardmakers 54: cute, with a dark twist - halloween colours

There's magic in the air magical Monday: halloween colours

Cats corner 61: halloween - I've only used halloween colours (because I don't do halloween), but the project does include a couple of rather big cats!

Cuddly buddly 17: best friends

Shelly's terrifically thrilling Thursday: show us what you got

Whoopsi Daisy: free and easy

Lothian crafts 19: anything goes

KB cute Monday 31: anything goes

Inspire me Fridays 29

Make it Monday 59

Lavender and lace

'Lavender and lace' sounds like an old movie, doesn't it? It's Allsorts challenge 125.

The components of this card were sparked off by the bingo challenge this week for Totally Gorjuss 102:

So you need to pick a line...vertical, horizontal or diagonally, or if you're adventurous all four corners.

Lace	Ribbons	Bows
Stars	Buttons	Pearls
Flowers	Swirls	Bling

I chose the diagonal line starting from the left hand corner - so I included lace, buttons and bling, but couldn't resist a bit of ribbon thrown in to the mix!

Papers are Forever Friends hugs and cuddles.

This is also for:

Art impressions 37: use lace in your creation

Crafty ribbons 4: ribbon and lace

Bunny Zoe 17: lace it up

Pretty little ribbon shop October: anything goes

Fairytale 26: sympathy cards

The crafty pad 143: monochromatic

Creative inspirations 134: monochromatic

Crafy Ann 52: clean and simple

Red and gold Christmas

Meljen 81 challenge is asking for 'red and gold', so I've used a red 7 x 5 card blank, matted with Anna Griffin papers - one with gold glitter and the other with red flocking. The sentiment and gold bow are AG and the 3D sticker is Forever Friends, which is for this week's Forever Friends 'anything goes'challenge. Heart buttons are from stash.

Everything for this card is more than a year old, so it is just right for ABC Christmas 'U for unused stash' - and, sadly, once again I forgot to take a photo of the supplies before making the card - d'oh!

This is also for:

Alota 69: Christmas

Just some lines: reminds me of a song: All I want for Christmas is you

Sparkles forum Christmas challenge 9: Christmas song

Christmas card challenges week 46: stickers

Paper playtime 58: say it with sentiments & use buttons and bows

Stamping with the dragon: buttons and bows

PanPastel UK 4: add 2 buttons

Cupcake 164: buttons and bows

Aud sentiments 39: winter theme

Shelly's terrifically thrilling Thursday: show us what you got

Whoopsi Daisy: free and easy

Lothian crafts 19: anything goes

KB cute Monday 31: anything goes

Make it Monday 59

Black and gold glitter

For challenge 21 Quirky crafts are asking for a recipe of black, gold and glitter (or there is the option of 'something spooky', but, as I don't do halloween, I opted for the recipe).

So this is another Christmas card using a 7 x 5 black card blank, layered with a piece of Anna Griffin glittered paper, topped with a gold bow and the Rubber stampede 'angel collage' stamp inked with versamark and heat embossed with detail gold powder, held in place by four golden brads.

This is also for:

Charisma cardz 42: embossing

Alota 69: Christmas

Crazy 4 challenges 109: create something for an upcoming holiday and incorporate some heat embossing

Just some lines: reminds me of a song: Hark, the herald angels sing

Sparkles forum Christmas challenge 9: Christmas song

Lollipop crafts 53: no sentiments allowed

Use it Tuesday 17: metal (the brads - hoarded supply)

Flutter by Wednesday 176: open + angel

Stamptacular 134: you choose

Shelly's terrifically thrilling Thursday: show us what you got

Whoopsi Daisy: free and easy

Lothian crafts 19: anything goes

KB cute Monday 31: anything goes

Make it Monday 59