Simply nautical

Another quick card - this time using the sketch on Sketches by Tamara 84: The papers are English Paper Company All Aboard, the die cut has been in my box for ages - has like a holographic sheen - and the sentiment has a satin sheen - both very hard to photograph without flash reflection.

The nautical element is for the challenge on Theme Thursday:

Easy peasy card

This is one of those 'put together' cards that requires no imagination and very little time and effort - just right for when you want to make something, but have run out of time and energy. Today has been a busy one, not helped by my back pain. It involved me joining mum on her home assessment visit (she's still in intermediate care following a fall over five weeks ago) and various other things that have taken up time today.

Anyway, the theme last week on Inspire me Thursday was silver and I never did get round to doing anything for it. This week it's moon - so I thought the two could come together in this quick card - it's part of a concept kit that's ideal for making some more cards for my Tearfund sale - I need to put together a few more tomorrow. I'd rather be stamping and creating from scratch, but sometimes some quick cards are needed to balance the time some of the others take.

The dancing couple are raised up a bit with 3d foam to give the card a bit of depth and variation:

Child's Easter card

The theme on ABC this week is C for child's card, so I thought I would start making some Easter cards for children (will need some for Saturday week). I used PM papers from last year, sticky ribbons, Poundland 3D shaker stickers and a couple of gems.

I followed the sketch on the new Truly Scrumptious challenge blog - their first challenge:


On Scrapstars forum we are also being asked to show a Springtime card, so this is appropriate for that.

Cuttlebug sketch

Just scraping in at the last minute with a card for this lovely sketch by Valerie, which is the inspiration this week on Cuttlebug:

The papers and chipboard pieces are all BG Boxer and the sentiments are rub ons. The strip with the scalloped edge has been embossed with a Cuttlebug folder:

Winter blues

'Winter blues' - no, I'm not referring to the way I feel, but to my ATCs for the February Tanda swap: 'blue'[.

I apologise to Tasha and the group that these are late.

I used the winter tree stamp from the Whispers four seasons stamps, with blue iris chalk ink on to DCWV textured card. The background paper is a stripey one from HOTP - I embossed with Cuttlebug swiss dots (still one of my favourites) and distressed with one of my BG files.



I'm linking these too for this week's challenge on Stamp Something - something with cold, winter wind.

Another wild card

This is another card made using the Cricut wild card cartridge - this time: the doiley card.

The main card is cut from Junkitz essential paperz earth geometric (the pattern is on the back as well) and the circles paper is also Junkitz, but I've lost the cut off strip, so I don't know which one. The plainer greeny paper used for the large scalloped circle and the middle one is BG infuse. The Happy Birthday was computer generated using wordart in Publisher and a brad put through the middle.

This is for Challenge 40: shape shifters on A Spoon full of sugar - asking for a different shaped card from the norm - and also for this week's DCM challenge: all things circular.

The diameter of the card is 6", so will go in an envie made for a 6" square card.

I'm loving this Cricut cartridge - would recommend it.

Blog Candy Celebration Winner

I used random.org to draw a winner for my candy and it picked

Number 21

Carol

Paperplay

Well done, Carol. Please let me have your details and I will get the goodies sent off to you.

Thank you, everyone, for your visits and comments. They are much appreciated.

I've now gone past 31,300 hits, so it won't be too long before the next candy give-away (at 40,000 hits).

Blog Candy Celebration

Celebrate with me

As this will stay on top until the end of 1 March, please scroll down to see normal posts (but don't forget to leave a comment here first)

All this could be yours if you leave me a comment and put a link on your blog so that people can come and look.

In a few days (from writing this on 12 February) I will have received 30,000 visits to my blog since I installed a counter at the end of April 2007.

This is a double celebration, because on 1 March I will have been blogging for two years.

This is my opportunity to thank all those who visit, whether once or twice or regularly, for your kind comments. I have made so many lovely blogging friends.

As you can see my blog candy consists of some sheets of Brenda Pinnick stickers, including alphabets, a K & Co Kim Hodges 6 x 6 patchwork paper pad, a pack of mermaid tears, two packs of crystal stickers elements, a pack of Craft House ribbons and two Anna Griffin brass stencils.

So, if you would like to win, please leave me a comment (please make sure that you leave me a blog link so that I can contact you if you win, or, if you don't have a blog, leave an email address)and put a link on your blog so that people can come and visit.

This post will stay on top until the anniversary of starting my blog - 1 March (until midnight GMT), after which I will use random.org to determine the winner.

Black and white Forever Friends Birthday card

Last week's theme on Forever Friends was 'general Birthday', but I missed doing a card for that. This week's topic is 'black and white', so I've combined the two in a very simple card. The black surround of the image and the sentiment are matted on to silver, which, unfortunately, doesn't show up on the scan:

Animal magic

This card is based on the sketch on challenge 4 on Sketch and Stash (well, I've used a bit of 'poetic licence'). Everything I've used on this card is new stash:
Cute Card Thursday (49: animal magic) and Charisma Cardz both have the theme of animals this week, so I've used BG marrakech rub ons and papers, which includes the one with elephants on.


Sorry that the scan is a bit crooked (why does this happen?)

A Krafty card

There are two current challenges that feature using Kraft paper (I used Paperworks recycled wove Kraft from Paperchase - lovely to stamp on and print).

The first of these challenges is on Caardvarks: 'Kraft macaroni and cheese' and the second is Lisa's February challenge 5: 'a krafty one' on JB.

It's a very simple card, randomly stamping the little PM stamp with black ink and then printing and mounting the sentiment (the surrounds of the picture and sentiment are silver).

As I haven't used any patterned paper for this card, I think it qualifies for this challenge 18 on One Stop Craft 'simply stunning (no paper)', although it's nowhere near stunning.

Wednesday Stamper's theme this week is 'silhouettes', so I'm linking for that and also for this week's Rainbow Lady challenge 49: people.

Secret Crafter challenge 21 is 'transport', so this fits that too.



Please don't forget my blog candy - today is the last chance to leave a comment - it's still open until midnight.

Which reminds me, of course, that it was two years ago that I started blogging - today is my blogversary (and despite the candy reminder, I had almost forgotten this!)

Wild card

This is this Laura's sketch 20 on 2 Sketches 4 You this week:


I used my Cricut wild card cartridge to create this pocket card, which is just right also for this week's challenge 24 on BG 'pockets' (two BG challenges in one afternoon!). I used Urban Couture Gabardine for the main pocket and Urban Couture Poplin for the inside card, with flowers and circles made out of these two papers.

The pocket is about the same size as an A6 card, so it can be put into a C6 envie.

The flowers on the inside card were created with the Cricut cartridge 'walk in my garden'. This month's theme on Joanna Sheen's challenge forum involves using paper flowers, so I'm linking for that.

Pocket closed (using a length of ribbon threaded through the centre hole and tied:

Pocket open (with card inside):

Card inside:

The Happy Birthday sentiment is one from Craftwork Cards.

Please don't forget my blog candy - today is the last chance to leave a comment - it's still open until midnight.

Blue and brown

I've based this card on Dawny's sketch 9 on the Papertake challenge blog:


I always love taking part in the challenges on the BG blog (I don't think I've ever missed one), but I was late with last week's, so here it is now. Challenge 23 was a colour combo one and I chose blue and brown from the options given.

The BG papers are Granola, with a brown mat around the blue, taken from Infuse.

Blue and brown is also the colour combo on today's Colour Create challenge 5 (there is also an option to use pearls and/or lace, which I haven't done, but hope to be back later in the week with one that does incorporate this).

Challenge 74 this week on Arty Girlz is 'butterflies', so I've used one of my favourite stamps for the image, using versamark embossed with gold detail - shows up much better irl than on here.

Please don't forget my blog candy - today is the last chance to leave a comment - it's still open until midnight.

Bubbly Funk CJ

In July, a CJ started on BF and now there is only one more to receive and work on before they are back home with their owners.

I enjoyed working on Ann's lovely 'Black and red' journal. I won't tell you what her requests were - don't want to spoil the surprise for the remaining person in the group.

Anyway, without any more ado, these are my pages:



Please don't forget my blog candy - there's less than a week now to be in with a chance to win.

Nikki's blog candy

Nikki is offering some fab candy - closing on 9 March. Her blog is well worth visiting.

Spam deleted

I think I've now deleted all the spam comments - over 50 of them - but if, by any chance, I've missed any and you come across any, I'd be grateful if you'd let me know. Thanks.

What a pain

Why do they do it?

During the night someone from the US has left spamming comments - over 50 of them - on some of my older posts.

I've now enabled comment moderation, which is a nuisance, but unavoidable.

When I can find them all, I'll delete the comments.

I have sitemeter installed, so I can trace the IP addresses used.

I've got enough pain in the back without this pain!!

Hands that hold precious feet

This is a very quick card - and I know I've shown similar before - but thought it fitted challenge 73 on TGIF 'hands' (sorry, I know it's an awful photo):



Please don't forget my blog candy - there's less than a week now to be in with a chance to win.

A late attempt

There will be a new challenge tomorrow on Friday Sketchers, so I'm scraping in with an easy card for challenge 40. This is the sketch:


My back is so painful this evening I just can't get any relief from it even with the strong painkillers, but in the end I felt I wanted to try and take my mind off it, so I made a simple card, using some Jolly Nation die cut decoupage and co-ordinating background papers, using the sketch. I chose a 'fish' one for this week's DCM challenge 'fish and/or frog'.
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Please don't forget my blog candy - there's less than a week now to be in with a chance to win.

32 inchies!!!

Karen has organised another inchies swap on BF and this month the subject is 'orange'. I boldly said I would do two lots, so I've worked on 32 inchies this afternoon and evening. In fact, I'm sure I cut out some ready to work on and seem to have lost them, but it doesn't matter because I was quite pleased with what I achieved with these.

For the first batch, I used a favourite swirly stamp to stamp on orange card with versamark and embossed with clear detail:



Having cut up the inchies I edged them with glue and dipped in Art Institute ultra fine florida orange glitter. Later I added the primas, buttons and a single gemstone:



The second batch were cut from a piece of PM paper I had over from the card I made yesterday, adding some sticky ribbon, flowers, buttons and a single gem on each:



Please don't forget my blog candy - there's less than a week now to be in with a chance to win.

My new shelves

I thought I'd show my new shelves - they are above my worktop (can't show that part atm because it's too much of a muddle!).

I used to keep my wooden stamps in drawers in my big cupboard, so now those drawers will be able to house A4 card and papers and free up some of the boxes in the cupboard. The trouble is that once you start to re-organise something, the whole lot gets affected ... but I'll get there!

So now the rubber stamps are on the bottom shelves and the teddies on the top. I'm still not quite sure what I'm going to put in the middle - time will tell!

Please don't forget my blog candy - there's less than a week now to be in with a chance to win.