The city of love

This card uses papers  by GCD studios 'Paris nights' and Express Yourself glittered stick-on decorations. The card blank is an A5 size in the shape of a tag - this is for Speedy fox and friends (Mark's finest papers) 94: shaped cards.

The black on the main background paper is flocked, so it it lovely and 'touchy feely', just like velvet, which has given a nice texture to the card - just right for Paper pretties 192: add texture to your card. I stuck the gold glittered Eiffel Tower over the one in the collage picture.

This card was prompted by Inspired by challenge 10, where this photo inspiration was given:

This card would be suitable for an anniversary (particularly if the couple were fortunate enough to be celebrating in Paris like we did for our fifth anniversary, some years ago now) or even for Valentine's Day.

I'm linking for these challenges:

Papercraft star 83: hearts
Catered crop: hearts
Hooked on craft 17: hearts
Truly scrumptious 73: love & hearts
Rainbow lady 191: I have a heart
Fussy & fancy 56: with all my heart
Prairie fairy Fridays 72: let me call you sweetheart
2 sisters 78: I heart you
Creative Belli 136: hearts/Valentine (I've had the papers for quite some time)
My Sheri 78: love is in the air (with at least two hearts)
Gingerloft 33: love is in the air
House of Gilli 25: love is in the air
Lexi 58: love
Victorine: love/Valentines
Alota 76: love challenge with no red
Deep ocean 18: love you
Everybody art 179: love
Crafting for all seasons 20: love is in the air
Freshly brewed February: love
Friendship's garden 9: love - 3 embellishments: the gold glittered Eiffel tower, hearts and the lampost
More than favors Wacky Wednesday 64: love
My mum's craft shop 43: it must be love
Penny's 72: love is in the air
Simon says: love is in the air
Whimsy 25: love themed
Totally Gorjuss 118: lurve
4 crafty chicks 76: love is in the air
Do you stack up 58: love
Little Miss Muffet 28: Valentines and love
Crafty Ann 58: love is in the air
Delicious doodles 12: all loved up
Fairy-tale 34: love, love, love
By the cute and girly February: love is in the air
Allways something creative 23: in love
Joanna Sheen 3: love is in the air
I brake for challenges 18: I brake for love
Little Claire 18: romance
Papertake weekly: anything goes
If the shoe fits fashionista Friday 99: anything goes
Make it Monday 75
Inspire me Fridays 45
52 card pick up week 6

Bright colours to brighten up a winter day

This is for Cupcake inspirations 146:

The paper is We R Memory Keepers and is much brighter IRL than on here - sorry the photo is crooked, not the card. The flowery strip across the bottom is Papermania.

It's also for:

The crafty pad 156: let's see some fresh spring colours
City crafter 95: colours of the rainbow
Dancing in pajamas TCP rainbow inspiration challenge:

Totally papercrafts 103: it's a rainbow
Ruby's rainbow 21: flowers with a bit of sparkle (doesn't show up here, but the flowers, butterflies etc are glittered)
Charisma cardz 5: things with wings
Papertake weekly: anything goes
If the shoe fits fashionista Friday 99: anything goe

Another birthday garden

This is another card very similar to the previous two, once again using Kanban concept materials - the card has an aperture, so the garden scene is stuck on the inside. Once again, this was inspired by Perfect sentiments 18: inspired with love:

This is also for:

Birthday sundaes 42: birthday card with sentiment

Sew many challenges 80: birthday

Sundays with Crissy 26: birthdays

Pollycraft 126: chill out (relax in the garden)

The crafty pad 156: let's see some fresh spring colours

Summer gardens

There's still some snow on the ground - hopefully it will clear tomorrow and the weather will be a bit warmer. It would be lovely to have some sunshine and to be able to sit in the garden in the warmth - no chance! So instead, I'll have to content myself with these summer scenes.

These were prompted by the photo inspiration for Perfect sentiments 18: inspired with love:

These were made with items from a Kanban concept card kit. They are  aperture cards - the garden scene is stuck on the inside of the card.

These are also for:

Sew many challenges 80: birthday (first card)
Squigglefly 5: birthday cards
Celebrate the occasion 49: anything goes birthday
Dare to be sassy Thursdays 111: birthday card
Sundays with Crissy 26: birthdays
The crafty pad 156: let's see some fresh spring colours
The pink elephant 134: pink (second card)
Pollycraft 126: chill out (relax in the garden)
Papertake weekly: anything goes
If the shoe fits fashionista Friday 99: anything goes
Make it Monday 75
Inspire me Fridays 45
52 card pick up week 6

Beach scene

This is for Sunday sketch and stamp 92 Emma's sketch:

I built up the beach scene with digital images from Dezinaworld - because these images have clear backgrounds it's easy to layer one on top of the other, so the beach shelter, girl, towel and each of the shells/starfish were all separately added. The main background is also from the Dezinaworld beach set. These are just some of the gorgeous vintage pictures that June makes available.

This is for the Sugar creek hollow vintage challenge 'vacation at the beach' and also That craft place 5: oh I do like to be beside the seaside.

This makes me think of much warmer weather than we have atm, so it's good to look forward to 'here comes the sun' for Inspiration Avenue.

It's also for:

Pollycraft 126: chill out
Crafty sentiments: let's get girly
Our creative corner: best friend
Craft your days away 38: get stitchy with it
Card caravan (the hybrid chick) 12: use ribbon
Sweet stampin: clean and simple
The pretty little ribbon shop February 7: anything goes
Papertake weekly: anything goes
Ribbon carousel 39: anything goes
Scrapbook sisters 70: anything goes
If the shoe fits fashionista Friday 99: anything goes
Allsorts 141: free and easy
Make it Monday 75
Inspire me Fridays 45
52 card pick up week 6

Suzie's 365 day 42: portrait of a loved one

It seems that when you want to get a good picture you can try and try ... and still not really succeed. I was going to use an old photo of John, but decided to enter into the spirit of Suzie's 365 day 42: portrait of a loved one by taking an up-to-date picture today. In the end I had to stop trying, so this is as good as it gets:

Simply purple and grey

When I saw today's Less is more 54 one layer challenge was 'stripes' I thought of a much-loved man's stamp by Personal Impressions which has a striped lining to a waistcoat. The paisley background stamp is Tim Holtz stamped over the masked waistcoat. I've lightly coloured this with a mix of the lilac and cool grey.

I coloured with promarkers (lilac and cool grey 1), so this is for Passion for promarkers 135 colour theme: grey and purple.

This is also for:

Fashionable stamping 14: make it a guy thing
Rogue redhead rebel challenge 8: stamped background
Sweet stampin: clean and simple

Simply red, green and gold

A simple card made with Anna Griffin materials (these seem to go on for ever, but I'll be sorry when supplies are used up - still got some left). This is red, green and gold for 52 Christmas card throwdown:

This is also for:

Truly madly crafty February: ribbon and bling
Card caravan (the hybrid chick) 12: use ribbon
The pretty little ribbon shop February 7: anything goes
Papertake weekly: anything goes
Ribbon carousel 39: anything goes
Scrapbook sisters 70: anything goes
If the shoe fits fashionista Friday 99: anything goes
Allsorts 141: free and easy
Make it Monday 75
Inspire me Fridays 45
52 card pick up week 6

CHNC challenge 59: another angel card

This is another angel card for my CHNC challenge 59, which this week is asking for you to feature either an angel or a fairy on your Christmas card.

Challenge 59 is being sponsored by Bugaboo Stamps, so I have used their Angel word image for this card, colouring with copics and promarkers.

For this card I've used the sketch for CPS 5th anniversary day 1:

I'm sorry that it's not a very clear photo because of light issues - the sentiment top right actually says Happy Christmas. The foiled paper panel on the left and the vellum script panel on the right, both mounted on to gold mirror card, were offcuts, so this is another card for Pixie's crafty snippets 6 (I've been doing very well with using snippets this week, so how come my box seems just as full as ever?!).

This is also for:

My time to craft 172: A is for adorable
Crafty cardmakers 6: monochrome magic
Challenge up your life 64: monochrome
Papertake weekly: anything goes
Scrapbook sisters 70: anything goes
Catch the bug February: anything goes
If the shoe fits fashionista Friday 99: anything goes
Allsorts 141: free and easy
Make it Monday 75
Inspire me Fridays 45
52 card pick up week 6

CHNC challenge 59: angel

I wouldn't normally do this, but this is an early post for my CHNC challenge 59 for tomorrow - I can't give you a link yet because the blogpost isn't up until tomorrow morning, but will link then (so it gives you a head start to start thinking of what you might make to enter the challenge, which will be all about angels or fairies).

I didn't actually intend to blog this card till tomorrow, but I've used the sketch for Sweet Sunday 151 and have suddenly realised that the challenge closes tonight, hence the early blogging of this card because I wanted to acknowledge the use of the sketch:

My challenge CHNC 59 is being sponsored this week by Bugaboo stamps, so I've used one of their digital images called 'angel big star' to which I added my own sentiment and coloured with copics and promarkers. The papers are offcuts that were in my Christmas scraps box, so this is another for Pixie's crafty snippets 6. the brocade ribbon and Christmas greetings are from stash.

I'll be blogging another card in the morning for CHNC challenge 59 which will feature a different Bugaboo angel stamp.

This is also for:

Crafty cardmakers 6: monochrome magic
Challenge up your life 64: monochrome
Charisma cardz 5: things with wings
CES 71: give me wings
Card caravan (the hybrid chick) 12: use ribbon
Ribbon carousel 39: anything goes
The pretty little ribbon shop February 7: anything goes

A dog's life

This is a simple card for Just some lines 'a dog's life' challenge.

The background paper is some I bought ages ago from PDA card and craft and the holographic edged stickers were from Poundland. A couple of strips down the edges and the card was done.

Colours are for Color throwdown 178:

This is also for:

Pile it on 6: for a tween
Here come the boys 20: favourite song - Elvis Presley: Hound dog
Alphabet: A for animal antics
365 cards day 346: spread the word
Paper sundaes 106: clean and simple
Papertake weekly: anything goes
Scrapbook sisters 70: anything goes
Catch the bug February: anything goes
Make it Monday 75
Inspire me Fridays 45

Suzie's 365 day 41: heart

Here is my photo for Suzie's day 41: heart:

The heart box is one that I bought years ago for John - it's only a cheapo plastic one - in which he keeps his 'treasures'. If you look closely you can see the back of the medallion that his second guide dog wore. Other treasures include his wedding ring that he can't wear any more because his knuckle has thickened up. I promised him a new wedding ring for Christmas, but we still haven't been to buy it - one day soon, hopefully. That will be the third wedding ring he's had from me (and I'm still on my first).

Oh, and the slipper socks are some that I bought yesterday when we picked up prescriptions from the chemist - just right for cold feet in the winter.

Another little kiss

I've used the same stamp as the previous card (Crafty companions s.w.a.l.k.), coloured with copics, for the sketch for Totally Gorjuss 117:

Background paper is 7 gypsies baja journey and the pink flowery paper is Pink petticoat wild blossoms.

This is also for:

Crafting when we can 11: Valentine/love
Make my Monday 35: romance - love letters - script paper
Creative inspirations 149: lots of love
Fab n funky 107: love is in the air

A little kiss

I've based this card on this week's Willow sketchie:

I used mainly pink and red for Daring cardmakers February colour combo challenge. Pink and red is also the theme for Cupcake craft 178, red, pink and white for Paper pretties Monday challenge, also for Dutch dare card 151 and 2 sisters 77 colour challenge.

The stamped image is Crafters companion from the s.w.a.l.k. range, coloured with copics. The patterned paper square is BG Indian summer and this and the image are backed with a piece of pink BG urban prairie - this is for Basic Grey 61: love/Valentine, also for Going grey with scrap-creations: Valentines.

The crystal hearts are from Hobbycraft.

Suzie's 365 day 40

Day 40: compact

My powder compact. I remember when I first started wearing make up (help, that was 50 years ago!!) everyone used loose powder - I remember having a lovely compact that was gold (not real) with flowers on it. Nowadays, powder compacts are very ordinary:

Bubbly Funk forum January swaps received

Here are the inchies I received from the January 'fauna and flora' swap on BF forum:

And these are the twinchies for the 'A' swap for January:

I'm afraid the photos don't really do these justice - the light is so poor today. It amazes me how much detail can be included on such a small area, particularly inchies.

Thanks to all the bubbly girls.

WOYWW 140

Wednesday has come round once again as quickly as ever! So it's that time in the week when lots of crafters show off their workspace courtesy of Julia on WOYWW. If you don't know what I'm talking about, then hop on over there and have a nosey at everyone's workspace and, hopefully, join in the fun.

I admit that my workspace was in a right muddle earlier on (I know, I should have taken a picture to convince everyone who thinks I'm tidy all the time!). Anyway, I've cleared all the immediate stuff and got out what I need to re-ink some of my copics. I actually bought  the re-inkers a while ago and haven't yet got round to refilling those that need it - silly really because I could do with using some of those colours. And you'll see a few pens on the left of the picture that need to have refills ordered before I can use them - good job I've got other copics as well as promarkers and marvy alcohol pens.

I started the day yesterday determined to carry on with my tidying/sorting of my craft stuff ... I got as far as finding some pieces I'd saved to recycle on Christmas cards and ended up making 12 more Christmas cards instead of tidying/sorting (which is boring anyway).

So today's next task must be re-inking these copics ... and then perhaps I'll get on with the tidying/sorting ... perhaps!!

Update: Job done, here is the evidence (didn't actually take as long as I expected):

Not sure that it should have been such a messy job - bit of a learning curve (will do better next time) - I think some pens have ended up with almost too much in them and some not enough - time will tell, but at least I have plenty left in the refills to repeat the process when necessary (cheaper than buying new pens). Thankfully, stazon cleaner got the worst off my hands (why didn't I think of putting gloves on? - I never do till afterwards!).

Suzie's 39: fence

The word for today on Suzie's 365 photos is 'fence'.

This follows on nicely from my photo yesterday for 'damaged' in which I showed our back gate, so this today's photo is just looking beyond the gate to the piece of fencing that could also do with being renewed. Further up the garden is fine, as it was replaced some while ago with a wire fencing.

You'll notice that there is still snow lingering on the grass - brrrrr!!

Season's greetings

This is for Crafts 4 eternity 57 sketch:

The spotted paper is an offcut and the red glittered card is a scrap from a Christmas cracker a couple of years ago - another card for Pixie's crafty snippets 6. The image is recycled from an old card. The scalloped edges are from Poundland.

Colours are for Phindy's Friday 91 photo inspiration:

This is also for:


Papertake weekly: anything goes
52 card pick up 5
Make it Monday 75
Inspire me Fridays 44

Fabric robin

This card is for Don't waste your Thursdays 123 sketch:

The script scalloped edge card is the front of a card blank , the robin etc is a fabric square rescued from an old card, other bits and pieces from stash.

Colours are for Phindy's Friday 91 photo inspiration:

Why is it that the green strip across the bottom looks a different colour on the photo than it is irl? And they say that the camera never lies!

This is also for:

Order of the opus gluei 123: tweet, chirrup and trill - all things birdie
Flourish timeless 155: fly away with me
CES 71: give me wings
Ruby's rainbow 21: flowers with a bit of sparkle - the berries around the robin are glittered
Hotshot craft 3: flowers
Papertake weekly: anything goes
52 card pick up 5
Make it Monday 75
Inspire me Fridays 44

Green Christmas

This is for Willow sketchie:

This card is green in more ways than one because the lovely die cut tree is recycled and mounted on to offcuts - another for Pixie's crafty snippets 6. I've not used any patterned paper, so this is for Craft your passion 96: anything goes with no pattern paper.

This is also for:

Card caravan (the hybrid chick) 12: use ribbon
Paper pretties 191: use ribbon or twine
Frosted designs fabulous Friday: ribbon and/or twine
Shelly's terrifically thrilling Thursday: ribbon
Crimbo crackers 8: no people or animals
the pixie cottage 106: clean and simple
Challenge up your life 64: monochroome
Crafty cardmakers 6: monochrome magic
http://crimbo-crackers.blogspot.com/2012/02/challenge-8-no-people-or-animals.html
Papertake weekly: anything goes
52 card pick up 5
Make it Monday 75
Inspire me Fridays 44