Natural beauty ...

... not far from home.

It was a lovely Bank Holiday Monday today so this afternoon we went for a walk locally. Well, we caught the bus for one stop to get up the hill to save John having to negotiate the incline and then we slowly walked around Hollywell park. I took my camera with me and I'm glad I did because I was able to capture so much natural beauty along the way.

Notebooks

A couple of weeks ago I was asked to make some small altered notebooks. I took pictures quickly before passing them over, so some have got shine on them from the flash.

All the fronts of the notebooks were covered with pieces from my offcuts box.

The first two have backgrounds that were embossed with cuttlebug folders. These are for:

Catered crop: make any impression - embossing
Paper playtime 9: emboss
The paper nest dolls 3: emboss it
My heart pieces: add embossing

Both of these are also good for Songbird 19: truly scrumptious - food or drink

The first and third are also for 4 crafty chicks 140: stars

This one is for Cute card Thursday 267: come fly with me! and also for Live laugh stamp word play Saturday April: weather

They are all for:

Polka doodles 18: anything but a card
That craft place: altered item

Full steam ahead ...

... for a 75th birthday.

I was asked to make a card for a 75th birthday featuring a steam train as the recipient is a big fan. I used Hunkydory card and elements to make this simple card.

This is for:

Squigglefly 1813: it's a monotone kind of day
Oozak 14: anything goes with earthtones
Fairytale 66: a very special occasion
Aud sentiments 79: birthday
Ooh-la-la 129: vintage/nostalgic
Moving along with the times: one for the guys
Delicious doodles 34: something for the boys
Paper creators 8: for the boys
Glitter n sparkle 31: anything goes
Fussy & fancy 88: anything goes
DL.ART May linky party: anything goes
Make it Monday 139
Inspire me Fridays 101
52 card pick-up 2.18

Birthday wish with a big bow

The picture on this card is from a card received long ago and the lovely wide pink grosgrain ribbon was rescued from a bouquet of flowers received a couple of year ago (always good to keep these things for when they might come in hand). The sentiment was cut from a left over strip from a kit.

I've just realised that the photo looks a bit strange because of the specks that seem to be on the picture, but, in fact, there are little glittery specks all over which give a nice look to the card, but not all of them show up here.

This is for:

Aud sentiments 79: birthday
Creative inspirations 212: birthdays
Crafty ribbons 44: anything goes with ribbon
Pink by design: May flowers
Card caravan (the hybrid chick) 42: use flowers
Crafts and me 131: floral frenzy
A and T 23: flowers
Order of the opus gluei 156: bouquet for you
City crafter 157: spring has sprung
Creative belli 168: spring (all supplies are old)
Craft-Dee BowZ 1: handmade bow

A girly card ...

... for a special friend who has had her birthday by now so it's safe to show this here.

Although the card is for a birthday, the papers were actually taken from a Christmas pad - Authentique peaceful collection. I love the peaceful, calm look of the green with the black.

The stamped image on a black piece of acetate is one that I had long ago as part of a stamp swap (must be about eight years ago - I had quite a lot of these images, but this is now the last one). I've used the lovely Sizzix movers & shapers fancy label die cuts (the outer one is glittered white card). The brads are by Teresa Collins, the sentiment is Craftime and the glittered numerals are Docrafts.

Colours inspired by For your inspiration 45:

This is also for:

Fairytale 66: a very special occasion
Great impressions May: celebrations
Aud sentiments 79: birthday
Fashionista 15: shabby or vintage
Inky chicks 3: shabby chic
Ooh-la-la 129: vintage/nostalgic
Heck of a challenge May: fashion
Fashionable stamping 47: anything goes
Kaboodle 170: for the ladies
Corrosive 173: mother's day or for a special lady
Love to create 64: for mom or special lady
Whoopsi Daisy: mother's day or for a special lady
Bloggers challenge: a feminine touch
Perfect sentiments 77: make it feminine
The stamp spot May: feminine
Let's craft and create 69: one for the girls
The crafter's cafe 16 mother's or for a female
Jellypark friends: it's a girly challenge theme
Digistamps4Joy 66: women are special
Nghtshift stamping: something special
Divas by design: add a number
As you like it 1: favourite die and/or punch - I like these sizzix labels dies - so attractive and versatile
The cutie pie 43: lots of layers
Die cuttin' divas 113: anything goes
AnMaCreatief 20: metal (brads)
Glitter n sparkle 31: anything goes
Fussy & fancy 88: anything goes
DL.ART May linky party: anything goes
Make it Monday 139
Inspire me Fridays 101
52 card pick-up 2.18

Happy Anniversary

This card has a final snippet of the My Craft Studio card used on the previous two cards, this time mostly showing the pink flowers, on a white card blank with a couple of flowers and Craftime sentiment.

This is for:

Pixie's crafty snippets week 71
Joanna Sheen: music & lyrics
The paper shelter 110: music maestro
Fairytale 66: a very special occasion
Great impressions May: celebrations
Card mania 20: flower power

Craft your passion 161: floral delights
Pink by design: May flowers
Card caravan (the hybrid chick) 42: use flowers
Crafts and me 131: floral frenzy
A and T 23: flowers
Order of the opus gluei 156: bouquet for you
Robyn's fetish 158: spring colours
City crafter 157: spring has sprung
Creative belli 168: spring (all supplies are old)
Playing in paradise 114: springtime joy
Glitter n sparkle 31: anything goes
Fussy & fancy 88: anything goes
DL.ART May linky party: anything goes
Make it Monday 139
Inspire me Fridays 101
52 card pick-up 2.18

Ruby wedding anniversary

I was silly and blogged the card that had an offcut of the paper used for this card - should have shown this one first - hey ho!

For this card I've used My Craft Studio background paper - this is so patterned that it only needed the little bunch of red roses, the sentiment and the numerals for a fortieth, ruby wedding anniversary (the numerals are gold although they don't look it here).

Sorry that the light has reflected on the glittered card.

This is for:

Joanna Sheen: music & lyrics
The paper shelter 110: music maestro
Fairytale 66: a very special occasion
Great impressions May: celebrations
Card mania 20: flower power
Craft your passion 161: floral delights
Pink by design: May flowers
Card caravan (the hybrid chick) 42: use flowers
Crafts and me 131: floral frenzy
A and T 23: flowers
Freshly brewed May: flowers
Order of the opus gluei 156: bouquet for you
One stitch at a time 162: anything goes
Glitter n sparkle 31: anything goes
Eclectic ellapu: anything goes
Fussy & fancy 88: anything goes
DL.ART May linky party: anything goes
Make it Monday 139
Inspire me Fridays 101
52 card pick-up 2.18

Birthday music and flowers

This card is made from a sparkly creamy white card blank on to which I've used an offcut of some My Craft Studio card with music and flowers, some textured sticky ribbon that I've had for ages, plus a sentiment and flowers from stash. As this includes an offcut I'm dallying in the playground for a while (putting off sweeping out the shed) at Pixie's crafty snippets week 71.

This is also for:

Facebook A card a day
Joanna Sheen: music & lyrics
The paper shelter 110: music maestro
Aud sentiments 79: birthday
Card mania 20: flower power
Craft your passion 161: floral delights
Pink by design: May flowers
Card caravan (the hybrid chick) 42: use flowers
Crafty calendar May: blooms and blossoms
Crafts and me 131: floral frenzy
A and T 23: flowers
Freshly brewed May: flowers
Order of the opus gluei 156: bouquet for you
Robyn's fetish 158: spring colours
City crafter 157: spring has sprung
Creative belli 168: spring (all supplies are old)
Use your stuff 83: texturize (the textured ribbons and flowers)
Playing in paradise 114: springtime joy
Sugar creek hollow 60: spring flowers
Crafty ribbons 44: anything goes with ribbon
One stitch at a time 162: anything goes
Glitter n sparkle 31: anything goes
Eclectic ellapu: anything goes
Fussy & fancy 88: anything goes
DL.ART May linky party: anything goes
Make it Monday 139
Inspire me Fridays 101
52 card pick-up 2.18