Easter bunnie

I've had a bit of a break from making Easter cards - made a lot before my sale last Saturday, but none since then. Now I realise that I need quite a few more, so here is a fun one to begin with.

It's for this sketch on CPS 257:

 And colours are for these on Amusing challenges:

The background card is Kanban spring Easter eggs, the decorative 3D strip is from Hobbycraft and the two little strips behind the chipboard Easter bunnie are paperchains, both from Poundland.

This is also for:

Stamp, scrap & doodle: bunnies
Dream valley 28: Easter
Crafty boots: Easter
Lexi 61: Easter
There she goes 148: Easter and animals
Anything goes 63: get ready for Easter
Riley and company: spring/Easter or polka dots
Scrap-cards 24: Easter
The pixie cottage 113: Easter or spring
Craft us crazy 23: religious/Easter and/or something sweet (Easter eggs)
Delightful: Easter treats
Moving along with the times: Easter wishes
Bloggers challenge: Happy Easter
Crafty Ann 61: spring into spring
My Sheri 81: Easter
Little Claire 19: spring/Easter
Joanna Sheen 4: spring is in the air
House of Gilli 28: the colours of spring
Woodware UK 43: colours of spring
Celebrate the occasion 55: welcome spring
Crazy amigo: spring
Sassy Cheryl 107: think spring
Crafts and me 76: light airy spring colours
Little darlings 19: colours of spring
Papercraft star 89: spring
Whimsical: celebrate spring
PaperPlay 12: spring colours
Crafty catz 125: spring is in the air
Our craft lounge 110: spring things
Prairie fairy Fridays 75: spring fling
Simply create too 9: it's spring
2 sisters 84: spring is in the air
Sparkles 30: mother's day or spring
Allways something creative 26: spring awakening
Crafters companion 22: spring
Phindy's Friday 98: animal planet
Kaboodle 111: how cute is that?
Scrappy frogs: seeing spots
Totally Gorjuss 124: spots and stripes
Freshly brewed 88: lots and lots of dots
Scrapbook sisters 76: anything goes
Crafty purple frog: anything goes
Cute card Thursday 209: anything goes
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 4: anything goes
Make it Monday 81
Inspire me Fridays 51
52 cardpick up week 12

Cute Christmas

A quick CAS card with a cute reindeer for Crimbo crackers 11: cute. It's also another entry for ABC Christmas: F for furry and/or feathered friends.

It's also for:

Phindy's Friday 98: animal planet
Polka doodles 11: animal or a bird
Kaboodle 111: how cute is that?
Dutch dare 157: cute & cuddly
Little red wagon 125: clean & simple
One stop craft 175: clean and simple
Dutch dare 157: cute & cuddly

Wishing you a glorious holiday season

A clean and simple Christmas card using Anna Griffin supplies (yes, I've still got some!).

This photo is given for inspiration for the current Winter wonderland challenge - I've gone with the red and green colour combo:

The sentiment panel is for Craft your passion 102: just sentiment - sentiment is the main focus, also for Lollipop crafts 72: sentimentally yours - sentiment is the focus and CCEE 1212: focusing on the sentiment.

This is also for:


There's magic in the air magical Monday: less is more
Little red wagon 125: clean & simple
One stop craft 175: clean and simple
Wags n whiskers 75: luck of the Irish - use green
Scrapbook sisters 76: anything goes
Crafty purple frog: anything goes
Cute card Thursday 209: anything goes
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 4: anything goes
Make it Monday 81
Inspire me Fridays 51
52 cardpick up week 12

CHNC challenge 65: home for Christmas

Saturday comes round so quickly ... it doesn't seem a week since the last challenge was launched on my CHNC blog and here we are with another new one. Today's challenge 65 is 'home for Christmas' - to feature a house or part of a home - you might want to show a fireside scene, a window scene ... anything that relates to house or home.

I've based my card on the sketch for Sunday sketch & stamp 98:

I used an offcut of Bo Bunny 'tis the season fa la la for the background, a piece of recycled card from a Christmas cracker from the year before last (yes, I've still got some - lol!) and a circle of card that was originally cut on my cricut for another card, but I didn't use it at the time because it was the wrong size.  I have used an image I bought from The Crafty Pad (this week's sponsors) called 'snowglobe', which was ready coloured and I just added the text digitally before printing out, adding some crystal ice stickles to the snow, some habico gems and a sentiment. No new papers were cut for this card, so it's another one for Pixie's crafty snippets 12.

This is also for:

Christmas stampin all year long 3: anything goes

Craft room: bling and glitter/sparkle

Cupcake 184: going round in circles
Blog a doodle: let's see some circles and/or ovals

Aud sentiments 50 song title: home for Christmas

Cardmadfairy's digi days 29: add a sentiment
Rainbow lady 197: house and home
Jingle belles: happy hybrid holiday - incorporate a digital image
My mum's craft shop 49: let's get digital
Hotshot craft 6: red
Stampin' for the weekend 6: anything goes
Pattie's creations 40: anything goes

Scrapbook sisters 76: anything goes
Whimsy 31: anything goes
Crafty purple frog: anything goes
Cute card Thursday 209: anything goes
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 4: anything goes
Make it Monday 81
Inspire me Fridays 51
52 cardpick up week 12

Simply pink and orange

This CAS card uses one of my all-time favourite Penny Black stamps 'sparklers' inked with brilliance pearlescent orange and heat embossed with detail clear. The corner piece stamp is also from Penny Black inked with versamark and heat embossed with hot pink powder. The 'thinking of you' sentiment is from the Marion Emberson stamp set used on the previous card.

Because of the white background and the shine of the embossing it was difficult to get a photo, so this is the best I can do (it doesn't really do the card justice):

This is for:

One layer Wednesday 84: pinks and orange (white based)
Penny Black Saturday193: this, that and the other
There's magic in the air magical Monday: less is more - clean and simple
Creative Belli 139: clean and simple (the corner piece stamp has been forgotten for quite some time)
Little red wagon 125: clean & simple
Hiding in my craft room 38: KISS - keep it simple sweetie
Mark's finest papers speedy fox and friends 99: clean and simple
Pixie dust studio 119: your favourite things - stamping and embossing
Scrapbook sisters 76: anything goes
Whimsy 31: anything goes
Crafty purple frog: anything goes
Cute card Thursday 209: anything goes
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 4: anything goes
Make it Monday 81
52 cardpick up week 11

Silhouettes and buttons

I bought some new Marion Emberson stamps today and thought I'd try them out straight away - simply stamped with memento tuxedo black. The two larger buttons are from Poundland and I coloured the smaller one with an orange copic because I didn't have one that colour and wanted to keep to pink and orange. The addition of a bright pink butterfly and the card was done - clean and simple.

This is for Little Miss Muffet 31: silhouettes, The paper players 87: CAS with buttons and Shopping our stash 44: buttons and/or bows.

Happy Birthday Dottie

Happy Birthday Dottie (from Charmed cards & crafts) is the name of the pre-coloured digital image I've used for this CAS card. The striped paper and the spotted one were from my offcuts box. The glittered strips were from Poundland and a couple of spotted flowers from the 99p shop.

This is for:


Digi doodle shop 99: people (I just scraped in at the last minute!)
One stitch at a time 105: girly
Nadia 27: girls
My mum's craft shop 49: let's get digital
Dare to be sassy 116: monochromatic
Gingerloft 36: happy birthday
Crafty ribbons 15: birthday
Squiggle stamps: birthday bash
Bearly mine 27: dots
2 sisters 83: spots n dots
Scrappy frogs: seeing spots
Freshly brewed 88: lots and lots of dots
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 4: anything goes
Make it Monday 81
Inspire me Fridays 50
52 cardpick up week 11

A Christmas house

This is for CRAFT 146: house challenge. The house image was recycled from a card received (too good not to use) and the background sentiment card was also from another card. The silver card with gold stars is an offcut from years ago (I've still got some of this kind of card untouched in a box - about time I used it, I think! - perhaps another day).

This is also for Jingle belles: neutral Noel (hope the colours are neutral enough).

It's also for:

Aud sentiments 50: song title - Home for Christmas
Card crafters circle 14: pot of gold
Craft room: bling and glitter/sparkle
Creative inspirations 155: anything goes
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 4: anything goes
Make it Monday 81
Inspire me Fridays 50
52 cardpick up week 11

The frog prince

This is for another CJ for the group on Crafts by Carolyn forum, this time it's for Christine's 'Once upon a time' journal ... fairy tales.

I chose The Frog Prince. The papers I've used are Dovecraft Princess Fairyale and so are all of the stickers except the coach. I printed out the story which was longer than the paper, so I decided to scroll the bottom and use paper clips to keep it in place, but it can then be unscrolled to be read. I did make a mistake though because I stuck the story down on the paper before I remembered that I would need to have the holes for the rings of the CJ, so I'm hoping the recipient will still be able to read what it says.

I'm linking for the following challenges:

Corrosive 145: things are looking Grimm - inspired by fairy tales
Stamp dreams 125: fairy tale
Flutter by Wednesday 195: open + butterflies and fairy
Fairytale 37: fairy tale
Craft room: bling and glitter/sparkle
Creative inspirations 155: anything goes
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 4: anything goes
Make it Monday 81
Inspire me Fridays 50
52 cardpick up week 11

Two special dogs

These are my pages in Carole's CJ for the group on Crafts by Carolyn. Carole has asked us to show our favourite photo(s). The choice was easy for me.

John's ex-guide dogs were very special to us both and, of course, particularly John. Unfortunately, Oscar was put to sleep last year, aged 13+. Josey is still enjoying her retirement in her new home in Sittingbourne.

The background paper is from PDA and the torn/distressed strips are HOTP. I kept the design simple to give the photos the prominence they deserve.

Edges were distressed with tea dye DI.

So here is my 8 x 8 double layout:

 I'm linking these for the following challenges:

Whimsy 31: anything goes
Create me pink 8: tear it up - tearing and/or distressing
Divas by design 27: distressing
Prairie fairy Fridays 74: distress it
Creative inspirations 155: anything goes
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 4: anything goes
Make it Monday 81
Inspire me Fridays 50
52 cardpick up week 11

Suzie's 365 photos day 81: an everyday sight

Today Suzie is asking us to show 'an everyday sight' for Suzie's day 81 photo prompt.

There's so much to choose from today, but I thought I'd show something that is very much 'everyday' for John - his testing kit and insulin:

Oriental masking

For this one layer CAS card I've used a couple of oriental stamps - the fan one is one of a set recently bought from QVC and the cherry blossom is by Lindsay Mason. I masked the fan to stamp the cherry blossom top and bottom.

This is for One layer Wednesday 83 inspiration challenge (I chose the fan), Simply less is more 59: masking, also for Creative Belli 139: clean and simple - lots of white or wide open space (my forgotten item is the Lindsay Mason cherry blossom stamp that I haven't used for some time).

This is another card for Hiding in my craft room 38: KISS - keep it simple sweetie and Mark's finest papers speedy fox and friends 99: clean and simple.

Floral notebook

Another notebook that I altered for my Tearfund sale - this time a floral one, using an offcut of card and some stickers that I've had for quite some time (think they came from Hobbycraft) - yet again a chance to play in  Pixie's crafty snippets 12 .

Colours are for Just us girls 128 (sorry the camera hasn't really picked up the pink too well):

This is also for:

Going grey with Scrap creations: flowers
Hiding in my craft room 38: KISS - keep it simple sweetie
Mark's finest papers speedy fox and friends 99: clean and simple
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 4: anything goes
Make it Monday 81
Inspire me Fridays 50
52 cardpick up week 11

Stamped printed flowers

I always love using stamps from the Hero Arts printed flowers set - they are so versatile. This time I inked with four different toning shades of colorbox cats eye inkpads and stamped on to an offcut piece of Bo Bunny paper. I then cut them out - with this kind of flower the cutting doesn't have to be too precise. All other papers are from my offcuts box (mainly DCWV papers), so this is another entry for Pixie's crafty snippets 12.

I used the sketch for Eat sleep stamp 164:

 The oval is torn round a template, with the edges inked with one of the cats eye inkpads.

Colours are for Paper sundaes 112 photo inspiration:

The flower are for Kath's birthday challenge 1 on the CBC forum - CBC is celebrating ten years of fun, friendship and crafting together - if you've not been there yet, why not go over and join in the fun - new members are always welcome.

This is also for:

PanPastel UK 10: add a flower
Sunday stamper 197: paper roses or paper flowers
Squigglefly 11: use homemade flowers on your card
Our craft lounge 109: pretty petals - flower stamps
One stop craft 174: handmade flowers
Let's ink it up 21: show us your flowers

Suzie's 365 photos catch up

I've got a bit behind with Suzie's 365 photos, so here is my catch up for the days I've missed, including today:

Day 75: wild: a wild part of our garden:

Day 76: bliss: I love dark chocolate:

Day 77: music: I had to smile when I looked at the most popular 25 titles played on my iPad - Lesley Garrett singing The Lord's Prayer comes right in the middle of lots of Beatles tracks!

Day 78: hobby: anyone who visits my blog regularly will know that my main hobby is cardmaking or anything that involves paper - this is just some of the paper I have - it doesn't look very exciting like this, but when you pull it out and gaze at it and stroke it ... it's lovely!

Day 79: playtime: just because ...

Day 80: quiet: the mute button can be very useful!

Reindeer say 'Merry Christmas'

This is another CAS card using a greetings panel from a kit bought two or three years ago and an offcut of Basic Grey jovial paper - another for Pixie's Crafty Snippets 12.

This is another card for Craft your passion 102: just sentiments, Lollipop crafts 72: sentimentally yours, both of which call for the sentiment to be the focus of the card.

It's also for:

Hiding in my craft room 38: KISS - keep it simple sweetie
Mark's finest papers speedy fox and friends 99: clean and simple
Polka doodles 11: animal or bird
52 Christmas card throwdown theme challenge 3: Christmas animals
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 4: anything goes
Make it Monday 81
Inspire me Fridays 50

May peace be your gift at Christmas

This card uses a piece of paper from my Christmas offcuts box (another opportunity to have a go on the swings at the playground at Pixie's Crafty Snippets 12) and a sentiment panel which was left over from a kit bought two or three Christmases ago.

This is for Craft your passion 102: just sentiments, Lollipop crafts 72: sentimentally yours, both of which call for the sentiment to be the focus of the card.

It's also for:

Hiding in my craft room 38: KISS - keep it simple sweetie
Mark's finest papers speedy fox and friends 99: clean and simple
Frosted fabulous Friday: things with wings
Incy wincy 137: things with wings
Paper creations ink 21: things with wings
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 4: anything goes
Make it Monday 81
Inspire me Fridays 50
52 cardpick up week 11

Another nautical card

Another quick card made with another piece of English Paper Company all abroad paper,a sailing picture and a birthday sentiment.

This is for:

Gingerloft 36: happy birthday
Cute card Thursday 208: happy birthday
Hiding in my craft room 38: KISS - keep it simple sweetie
Mark's finest papers speedy fox and friends 99: clean and simple
Aud sentiments 50: song title - 'We are sailing'
The paper shelter 55: for the boys
Totally papercrafts 108: male card
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 4: anything goes
Make it Monday 81
Inspire me Fridays 50
52 cardpick up week 11

Sailing by with best wishes

This is a quick card made with a piece of English Paper Company all aboard paper background and a recycled picture from an old card - the picture has a lovely texture to it. Just the addition of the Craftime sentiment and the card was done.

This is for:

Hiding in my craft room 38: KISS - keep it simple sweetie
Mark's finest papers speedy fox and friends 99: clean and simple
Aud sentiments 50: song title - 'We are sailing'
Crafty catz 125: red, white and blue
The paper shelter 55: for the boys
Totally papercrafts 108: male card
Love to create 7: anything goes
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 4: anything goes
Make it Monday 81
Inspire me Fridays 50
52 cardpick up week 11

Spring green notebook

Another altered notebook, this time with an offcut green and white background and various stickers from Hobbycraft - for Pixie's Crafty Snippets 12.

This is for:

House of Gilli 28: colours of spring
Creative craft world: mini challenge - smaller than 12 x 12 linked to spring
Little darlings 19: colours of spring
Crafty Ann 61: spring into spring
Simply create too 9: it's spring???
Totally gorjuss 123: spring
Little Claire 19: spring
Allways something creative 26: spring awakening
Joanna Sheen 4: spring is in the air
Crafter's companion March: spring
Phindy's Friday 97: spring has sprung
Sparkles 30: mother's day or spring
Crazy challenge 111: go green
Stamp, scrap & doodle: green and white
Wags n whiskers 75: luck of the Irish - use green
Crazy 4 challenges 128: let's see some green
Use it Tuesday 27: green (using up the sticker)
Simon says: a bit o green
Love to create 7: anything goes
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 4: anything goes
Make it Monday 81
Inspire me Fridays 50
52 cardpick up week 11

Purple notebook

This is another notebook that I made before my sale on Saturday. The background butterfly lilac foiled card was originally a freebie with a magazine (a long time ago). The spotty flowers, glittered silver paisley and butterfly were from The Works.

This is for:

Hiding in my craft room 38: KISS - keep it simple sweetie
Mark's finest papers speedy fox and friends 99: clean and simple
Do you stack up 63: favourite colour
Deep ocean 21: butterflies
Crop stop 63: butterflies
Frosted fabulous Friday: things with wings
Hippity ippity 17: things with wings
Incy wincy 137: things with wings
Paper creations ink 21: things with wings
Love to create 7: anything goes
Creative Mondays (always crafting) 4: anything goes
Make it Monday 81
Inspire me Fridays 50
52 cardpick up week 11