No birdie can fill your shoes

This is a very clean and simple one layer card for Less is more 50: one layer card - birds.

I stamped the Janet Klein's lovely Stampotique stamp with memento and coloured with copics. I'm quite pleased with the sentiment that I thought up:

You will be missed
No birdie can fill your shoes

It was difficult to get a proper photo or scan of this, so this is the best I could do - the card is much whiter irl and the pink colour of the birdie more obvious.

This is also for:

Penny's 70: birds
Crafty sentiments: anything goes
Timbro scrap mania 40:  wings
Cute card Thursday 199: you're having a laugh!

Pink, pearls and swirls

What a lovely combination - pink, pearls and swirls. Hot pink, black and white is one of my favourite colour combos.

The card follows the sketch for Sweet sketch Wednesday 136-73:

The pink background is an offcut of card which has been stamped with an Inkadinkado snowflakes swirls stamp, inked with versamark and heat embossed with white detail. The other papers used are all DCVW scraps that I've had for ages. I stamped the Clarity stamps baubles with versamark and heat embossed with hot pink powder. Just the addition of a few pearls here and there and the card was complete.

This is also for:

Cards und more 45: stripes and pearls
Creative inspirations 145: swirls & pearls
Sparkle creations Christmas 2012 week 7: flourishes
ABC Christmas: A for anything goes
Christmas cards all year round January: non-traditional colour + bonus: embossing
The pink elephant 131: favourite colour(s)
Art impressions 47: pink, pink and more pink
Do you stack up 54: pink
Sugar creek hollow: embossing
Pixie's crafty snippets 3 (apart from the hot pink background that I stamped and embossed, which started off as a solid cardstock, other papers were all snippets)

Silhouette scene

This is one of the best cards I've made, but I enjoyed making it. It's been a difficult day, so I felt I needed to play with inks and this is what I came up with, using some new Clarity stamps (will come back later with the names of the various stamps I used, but want to get this posted now) and a brayered background using a rather smeared Adirondack stained glass (I must buy a new one). I didn't do the brayering very well at all, but I quite like the rather misty look it created, so I decided to stay with it.

This was prompted by City crafter 91: back to black - using any black silhouette image, also Quirky crafts 2 2012: silhouette, Make my Monday 32: create a scene (nature(,  and Craft a scene 1: anything goes (must be a scene).

This is also for Make it Monday 72 and Inspire me Fridays 41.

Winter tree

This card was supposed to be for Sketch n stash 78, but I took too long and missed the deadline for linking. I'm still showing the sketch to give credit to them:

I was given the starry card by a friend. I decided to stamp the Kanban tree on to the white/silver star card, inked with versamark and then heat embossed with detail silver. This was then die cut with a nestie.The silver scalloped border piece is backed with a smokey-grey mirror card which, unfortunately, doesn't show up here. Just the addition of a sentiment and the card was done.

The embossing is for:

Dancing in pajamas TCP: embossing
Sugar creek hollow: embossing
Getting cricky simply Sunday challenge: let it snow/use embossing

Colours are for:

Die cuttin divas 47: blue, silver and white
Crazy4challenges 199: monochromatic card in the blues
Secret crafter Saturday 168: anything goes with blue
Crafts4eternity R54 colour recipe - ice magic:

This is also for facebook Sunday's with Santa week 3: trees.

It's also for:
Crafting for all seasons: snowflakes
Creative belli 134: snowflakes
Fussy & fancy: let it snow
Allways something creative 22: ice and snow
Creative stamp friends 42: winter
Scrap-cards 19: winter
Tuesday throwdown 80: baby it's cold outside
Creative Friday January 53: it's cold outside
Use it Tuesday 23: all about winter
The sisterhood of crafters: winter card
Stampavie and more 160: winter
Stempelsonne 54: winter
Hobbystuggu January: winter - blue or a card that oozes cold
Totally gorjuss 114: be a star
Addicted to stamps 21: January blues
ABC Christmas: A for anything goes

Alphabet: Y for your can choose

House of gilli 23: anything goes

Bizzy Becs January: anything goes

Gingerloft 31: anything goes

Lexi 56: anything goes

Stamp and create January: anything goes

One stitch at a time 96: anything goes
Let's ink it up January 19: anything goes

Inspire me Fridays 41

Think thin!

No, I'm not talking about diet, although I definitely do need to 'think thin' again! (I must say that this unexpected flare up of diverticulitis is helping me kickstart the diet!)

Anyway, to get back to the card, this was Keryn's instruction for us for today's Christmas card club challenge - to make a thin card to avoid having to use a large stamp when posting.

I've gone for the thinnest possible, with a one layer, clean and simple, card. However, I'm not going to confess how many goes at this I tried before I was (sort of) happy with the result.

I've used a new Funstamps stamp by Lindsay Mason called 'script robin' and the sentiment is a stamp (not sure whether it's Anna Griffin or HOTP - perhaps someone can tell me which).

As I've used a new stamp, I'm linking for:

Corrosive 140: ring in the new year - something brand new on your creation
Stampin' sisters in Christ 122: use something new
Cupcake craft 174: something new

Crafty creations 152: something new

Freshly brewed January: use something new

Fairytale 32: something new

Crafty catz 115: use something new

Also, on Crafts for Carolyn forum, Liz has challenged us to use something new and something old - the robin stamp is new and the sentiment one is old.

I inked up the stamp with memento rich cocoa, wiping the breast area on which I then put ColorBox chalk warm red ink and a spot of Marvy le plume butterscotch for the robin's beak.

For details of the Christmas Card Club please contact one of us - the links are in a list on my sidebar. If you want to get ahead with your Christmas cards we have a challenge every two weeks. If you are interested, just get in touch with one of us. We've already had two new girls join us this year - Anne and Lorraine - and would welcome anyone else who is interested.

I'm also entering this card in these challenges:

Party time Tuesday 50: use a feathered friend
Penny's 70: birds
Stamp, scrap & doodle: winter birds
Timbro scrap mania 40: wings
The squirrel and the fox 9: critters
Robyn's fetish 90: animals
Creative stamp friends 42: winter
Scrap-cards 19: winter
Tuesday throwdown 80: baby it's cold outside
Creative Friday January 53: it's cold outside
Use it Tuesday 23: all about winter - although the robin stamp is new, the sentiment stamp is old
The sisterhood of crafters: winter card
Stampavie and more 160: winter
Stempelsonne 54: winter
Heidi hobbystuggu January: winter
ABC Christmas: A for anything goes
Craft room: clean and simple
Card and scrap 24: clean and simple 
PanPastel UK: anything goes

Alphabet: Y for your can choose

House of gilli 23: anything goes

Bizzy Becs January: anything goes

Gingerloft 31: anything goes

Lexi 56: anything goes

Stamp and create January: anything goes

One stitch at a time 96: anything goes
Let's ink it up January 19: anything goes

Inspire me Fridays 41

From me to you

This is for the sketch for Make all with love 19:

 I've used the offcuts from the DCWV paper that I used for the previous card, so this is another for Pixie's crafty snippets 2, also for Aud sentiments 45: use your scraps, and Hiding in my craft room 29: super scraps Saturday. The scalloped border across the middle is another offcut, flowers and gems from stash (the gems are much more sparkly brown irl). The image is a spare ATC that I had left from doing some for a swap ages ago. You can see the original post of how this was made here.

The numbers are for Our craft lounge 100: time to play with numbers and Moxie fab world Tuesday trigger: by the numbers:

Close up of the ATC I used (flash photo for the card just didn't do it justice):

This is also for:

Stampin for the weekend 24: out with the old - use old stash - everything is old
Just us girls 119: technique - collage stamping technique
Addicted to stamps 21: January blues
The house that stamps built DCC14: blue and brown card
Stampin sisters in Christ 121: thinking of you
The stamping boutique 23: twelve - there are 12 elements on this card
Timbro scrap mania 40: wings
Totally gorjuss 114: be a star
Simon says: spots and/or stripes
Stamp and create January: anything goes
Alphabet: Y for your can choose
House of gilli 23: anything goes

Bizzy Becs January: anything goes

Gingerloft 31: anything goes

Lexi 56: anything goes

Inspire me Fridays 41

Make my Monday 71

Blue and brown for baby boy

This is another 'new baby' card, this time background paper is DCWV, the pram sticker and ribbon are from stash.

Colours are for Ribbon carousel 35, where this inspiration photo was given:

This is also for:

Secret crafter Saturday 168: anything goes with blue
Card and scrap 23: baby
Ruby's rainbow 19: something for a baby or child
Crafty boots: new beginnings
Cupcake craft 174: something new - new baby
Lollipop crafts: anything new goes
Ooh-la-la 96: new beginnings
Crafty creations 152: something new
Divas by design 18: new beginnings
Crafty ribbons 10: new beginnings
Fairytale 32: something new
Craft your days away 36: new beginnings
2 sisters 74: use metal (the pram wheels)
Totally gorjuss 114: be a star
Simon says: spots and/or stripes
Moving along with the times: spots and stripes
Totally papercrafts 99: spots & stripes
Gingersnap GC134 spicy supply challenge: ribbon
Alphabet: Y for your can choose
House of gilli 23: anything goes

Bizzy Becs January: anything goes

Gingerloft 31: anything goes

Lexi 56: anything goes

Inspire me Fridays 41

Make my Monday 71

Blue for baby

This is for Here come the boys 18 sketch:

Papers are English Paper Company, the main image is a recycled topper, stickers are 'forever in time', sentiment and brads from stash.

Colours are for Crafts4eternity R54 colour recipe - ice magic:

This is also for:

Die cuttin divas 47: blue, silver and white
Crazy4challenges 199: monochromatic card in the blues
The craft garden January: monochrome
Secret crafter Saturday 168: anything goes with blue
Card and scrap 23: baby
Ruby's rainbow 19: something for a baby or child
Crafty boots: new beginnings
Cupcake craft 174: something new - new baby
Lollipop crafts: anything new goes
Ooh-la-la 96: new beginnings
Crafty creations 152: something new
Divas by design 18: new beginnings
Crafty ribbons 10: new beginnings
Little miss muffet 26: something new
Fairytale 32: something new
Craft your days away 36: new beginnings
Crafty calendar January: new news
2 sisters 74: use metal (brads and the pram wheels)
Totally gorjuss 114: be a star
Simon says: spots and/or stripes
Pink elephant 130: hearts
Pixie dust studio 109: put your heart into it
Designed2delight: include a heart
Alphabet: Y for your can choose
House of gilli 23: anything goes

Bizzy Becs January: anything goes

Gingerloft 31: anything goes

Lexi 56: anything goes

Inspire me Fridays 41

Make my Monday 71

Love heart

This is for the theme 'bundle of love' on A la card monkey 91 plus the sketch:

The background paper is BG sugar rush - I'm entering this for Basic Grey 60 'something new' because the flowers I've used are new - part of the package I received as a prize from Crafty Ribbons.

The heart and crepe paper were rescued from an old card, so this is another one for St Luke's 'new year new start' challenge - the theme this month is to give a new lease of life to something destined for the bin ... Don't throw it away, turn it into something magical and give it a new start for 2012 by putting it on a card. There were originally some other flowers on the heart, but I took them off because I wanted to use some of those I'd received from Crafty Ribbons.

This is also for:

Pink elephant 130: hearts
There's magic in the air magical Monday: from the heart
Pixie dust studio 109: put your heart into it
Designed2delight: include a heart
Fab n funky 103: recycle it
My time to craft 170: hugs & kisses - love
The pretty little ribbon shop January 6: be my Valentine

Suzie's 365 14: guilty pleasure

14: guilty pleasure - This picture says it all really - I love any dark chocolate:



I won these at the raffle at John's bowls club lunch the other day. Perhaps I over-indulged because I'm really suffering atm with a flare up of diverticulitis.

CHNC challenge 55: use a digital image and/or paper

I can hardly believe that a week has gone by since my last challenge and here we are today with challenge 55 on my CHNC blog. If you don't know what I'm talking about, why not follow the link and join in - thanks to some great sponsors that are supporting me, I'm now able to give a prize every week to a randomly-chosen winner.

Challenge 55 is being sponsored by Bugaboo Stamps more information here.

I made a set of five cards for this challenge using a lovely digi supplied by Bugaboo Stamps called 'Christmas words Noel'. I digitally coloured the image in Paint, adding strips of double sided tape on the sides. I then peeled the backing off separately to add Art Institute glitter. The cards are A5 folded sideways (so I can use up some more of those envies - you can see them here).

Two of Bugaboo Stamps team - kindly joined in the challenge, although, unfortunately, I failed to stress that it was a Christmas challenge blog, so their cards are not for Christmas, but, nonetheless, they are gorgeous - you can see them here and here - thank you, Cheryl and Rae Anne.

I'm also entering these cards into the following challenges:

ABC Christmas: A for anything goes
Sparkles forum Christmas challenge 12: Christmas stockings
Shopping our stash 34: all that glitters, sparkles or shines
Chocolate, coffee & cards 4: glitter latte - show some glitter
Sweet stampin: all that glitters
Card caravan (the hybrid chick) 10: sparkle
Friendship's garden 7: clean and simple
Bizzy Becs January: anything goes

Gingerloft 31: anything goes

Lexi 56: anything goes

Inspire me Fridays 41

Make my Monday 71

Suzie's 365 13: inside your fridge

Today Suzie is asking us to show inside our fridge. So here is my 13: inside your fridge - I decided to show what's on the inside of the door:

 You can tell that a diabetic lives here - jars of Dalfour sugar-free jam, sugar-free jelly and on the top shelf is the most important of all, insulin:

Friday fill-ins

I came across Friday fill-ins via Suzie's blog (thanks, Suzie for the link), so here are my 'fill-ins':

1. When I looked out the window this morning I saw frost.
2. War doesn't make sense to me.
3. Remind me to get back to my diet.
4. Crafting is something I love to do!
5. TP is toilet paper.
6. I cleaned the refrigerator recently and I found some shrivelled carrots.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching a bit of television, tomorrow my plans include some crafting and Sunday, I want to go to church.

Why not go over to Friday fill-ins and join in?

Catch up for Suzie's 365

I'm a day or two behind with Suzie's 365 photo prompts (well, a bit more than a day or two), so I thought I'd have a bit of a catch up before I get too far behind.

Day 9: water - straight from the tap:

Day 10:  metallic - I keep pens in lots of these metallic containers:

Day 11: an item of clothing - a dress that I've kept from my childhood (nor really sure why!):

Day 12: translucent - never before have I taken lots of photos of the back of a No. 7 compressed powder compact:

So now I've caught up I'll try and do something for the prompt each day!

Thanks, Suzie, for this initiative and inspiration.

WOYWW 136

I know that a lot of regular visits to my blog from the WOYWW gang probably think that I'm tidy most of the time. Well, I thought I'd show you my workspace after my crafting yesterday.

WOYWW - if you don't know what I'm talking about - surely there's no one left who doesn't - then click on the link and go to Julia's blog and have a peep at everyone's workspace ... and join in the fun.

Anyway, back to my workspace, as you can see there are things all over the place, including the floor (and you can't see the other side of the room). This will be tidied up though before I start any more crafting because I like to put things back in their places and start with a clear space.

The photos aren't very clear, but perhaps that's just as well - lol! (although, if you really want to, you can click on them to enlarge).

Those who visited last week for WOYWW will remember that I showed stacks of long envies - well, I'm making a very small effort to make some more cards that are A5 folded lengthways - you can see in front of my keyboard that there are some cards ready to be done - you can only see a little peek of what's going to be put on them because they are for my CHNC challenge 55 which will go live on Saturday morning, so I'm not showing them yet. If anyone's interested in joining in and making Christmas cards throughout the year, please visit my CHNC blog - the current challenge is here.

I don't quite know how I did it, but I got round to visit most WOYWWers last week - not sure whether I'll do so well this week, but I'll try. Thank you for all those who visit me and leave comments - they are much appreciated.

Vellum Valentine

This is for the sketch on The house that stamps built What if? Wednesday D2811:

The card was also inspired by The perfect sentiment challenge 13: vellum Valentines - to use a sentiment for Valentines (love) and include some vellum. The background paper is an offcut of some crinkly paper that I've had for ages and the roses oval was torn round a template using an offcut of vellum. The LOVE sentiment is chipboard, the three hearts from stash. My xyron came in handy for sticking the background crinkly paper and also the vellum oval.

Colours are for Cards and things 103 (hope the silver is OK for the grey):

This is also for:

Heart song inspirations 30: torn paper
Pixie's crafty snippets 2
Aud sentiments 45: any sentiments but you must use your scraps
Pink elephant 130: hearts
Delightful: have a heart
My time to craft 170: hugs & kisses - love
Just Tracy January: love is in the air
Lily pad: chipboard challenge
Let's craft and create 35: anything goes
House of gilli 23: anything goes
Cupcake craftroom January: anything goes
Bizzy Becs January: anything goes
Art impressions 46: anything goes
CES 67: anything goes
Gingerloft 31: anything goes
Lexi 56: anything goes
Inspire me Fridays 40
Make my Monday 71

Thanks a bunch

For this card I've followed the sketch for More than favors wacky Wednesday 62 (a new challenge to me):

The red die cut label shape is matted on to a gold foiled one which, unfortunately, is very difficult to get a photograph, so it looks dark here whereas irl it is a reflective gold. The stamp (don't know the make) was inked with versamark and heat embossing detail gold. The lace, ribbon, sentiment and gems are from sstash and the flowers were part of the prize I won from Crafty Ribbons - you can read about it here. Thank you, so much, Crafty ribbons - I'm linking this for Crafty Ribbons 10: new beginnings. So I've used something old and something new, which is good for these challenges:

Corrosive 140: ring in the new year - something brand new (the flowers)
Fashionable stamping 12: anything goes using your new stash
Cupcake craft 174: something new
Lollipop crafts: anything new goes
Stamps R us: new crafty goodies
Freshly brewed January: use something new
Simon says: new something
Cute card Thursday 198: what's new
Fairytale 32: something new
Crazy4challenges 118: use something new
Cardmakin mamas: something new you received
Crafty calendar January: new news - new stash
Shelly's terrifically thrilling Thursday: out with the old, in with the new
Order of the opus gluei 121: out with the old and in with the new
Digistamps4joy 34: anything (something old, something new) goes

It's also for:

One stop craft 164: bingo - I chose the diagonal line flowers, diecuts, embossing
Paper creations ink 16: die cuts and/or punches
Lothian January 22: die cuts
One stitch at a time 95: use embellishments
Crazy challenge 101: lace and/or pearls
Cutie pie 9: ribbons & lace
Scrappy frogs: lace
Crafty creations 151: let's heat it up with heat embossing
Dancing in pajamas TCP: embossing
Clear it out Tuesday: thank you card - with bonus of using ribbon
Really reasonable ribbon 39: sparkle & ribbon
C.R.A.F.T. 136: thank you
Crop stop: go for the gold
Let's craft and create 35: anything goes
House of gilli 23: anything goes
Cupcake craftroom January: anything goes
The paper shelter 45: anything goes
Bizzy Becs January: anything goes
Art impressions 46: anything goes
CES 67: anything goes
Gingerloft 31: anything goes
Lexi 56: anything goes
Anything goes 58: anything goes at anything goes
Inspire me Fridays 40
Make my Monday 71

Victorian woman ATC

For this ATC I've used the Victorian woman digital image from Papercraft star, some lace from stash, some tiny buttons and a background run through my cuttlebug with a spotty embossing folder swiped with dusty concord DI. The original was a geyscale picture and I changed this to a muted purple in Publisher.

This is for:

Friendship's garden 7: ATCs (I was amazed and delighted that I was given a special award that you can see on this link)
Think Monday think ATC: with dots
Wee memories 82: minis - nothing bigger than 4 x 4
Crazy challenge 101: lace and/or pearls

Simply purple

I love crafting with purple, so I wasn't going to miss the opportunity to take part in Less is more 49: colour challenge: predominantly purple.

The lovely funstamps 'fuchsia round' was stamped with versamark and heat embossed with detail silver for Crafty creations 151: let's heat it up with heat embossing. The image was then colours with marvy le plum alcohol pens - I used a very light green, almost grey, for the leaves so it didn't detract from the purple.

The background was created with a Creative Expressions crackle embossing folder which was then swiped with dusty concord DI. This is for Dancing in pajamas TCP: embossing., also for Samuel Taylors January: distress.

Simply party on your special day

This is a quick and simple card made with some wallpaper sample background and some Express yourself glittered stickers and a pearlised silver sentiment.

Colours are for Sketchy colors 99:

This is for:


Pixie dust studio 108: mono-tize-it
The craft garden January: monochrome
Going grey with Scrap-creations: glitter
Shopping our stash 34: all that glitters, sparkles or shines
All kinds of cards 44: party
Getting cricky simply Sunday challenge: it's a celebration
Alota 74:  C celebration
Lollipop crafts: anything new goes (got the stickers yesterday)
Ladybug 51: anything goes using your new stash
Anything goes 58: anything goes at Anything goes
St Luke's January: :new year, new start - a new lease of life for a sample piece of wallpaper
Crafty cardmakers 59: no floral embellisments

Christmas shopping

No, I haven't been Christmas shopping - lol! - it's the lady on my card - a decoupaged Jolly Nation character. The background paper is DCWV. This is for Winter wonderland: let's go shopping - and another for Jingle belles: no time like the present(s) - by the smile on her face it looks as though this lady has managed to get some of the presents on her list.

This is also for:


Let's craft and create 35: anything goes
House of gilli 23: anything goes
Cupcake craftroom January: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Blog a doodle: anything goes
The paper shelter 45: anything goes
Bizzy Becs January: anything goes
Art impressions 46: anything goes
CES 67: anything goes
Gingerloft 31: anything goes
Lexi 56: anything goes
Inspire me Fridays 40
Make my Monday 71