Simply orange and brown

A simple card using an orange card blank run through an embossing folder and swiped with brown corduroy distress ink, which I also used on the top flower. The sentiment was stamped with memento rich cocoa. Flowers are prima.

The use of orange inspired by Crazy 4 challenges 185:

This is also for:

Catered crop: make an impression - embossing
Paper playtime 9: emboss
Addicted to stamps and more 44: addicted to CAS
Totally papercrafts 166: CAS
Sweet stampin: clean & simple
DL.ART thankful Thursday 109: flowers
PumpkinSpice: flowers
One crazy stamper: May flowers
Lady Anne Friday sentiment 9: anything goes

Seeing stars

I'm still seeing stars for my CHNC challenge 124, this time using a stamp kindly supplied by one of the sponsors, Flonz craft. The card is based on the sketch given for Christmas challenges with sketches 72 (please click on the link to see the sketch).

The papers are from my Christmas offcuts box, including the little piece on the bottom right which is one of the remains of the upcycled card from Christmas crackers a couple of years ago (not sure that there is any more left now).

Colours are for 52 Christmas card throwdown May colour:

This is also for:

Facebook Sunday's with Santa week 19: baubles
Hiding in my craftroom 97: super scraps Saturday
Squigglefly 1813: it's a monotone kind of day
Penny Black and more at Allsorts May: sew special - stitching
Catered crop: make an impression - embossing
Paper playtime 9: emboss
Ribbon carousel 81: celebrations (Christmas)
Crafty creations 221: something old/something new (stamp is new, other supplies are old)

Third card for CHNC challenge 124: seeing stars

This is the card made with the largest print out of Bugaboo Stamps 'raggedly angel - lay on star' image that I coloured digitally in Paint for my CHNC challenge 124.

The background paper and card were from my offcuts box - the gold embossed mirror card was embossed with the folder that came with my eBosser. Ribbon and sentiment are from stash.

This is also for:

Facebook a card a day
Catch the bug May anything goes
Paper makeup digi makeover 87: favourite colour - I love working with gold for Christmas
Sparkles Christmas challenge 28: favourite festive colours
Squigglefly 1813: it's a monotone kind of day
Delightful: stash it (all old supplies)
Left of center 5: use a digi image
Di's digi designs: show us your bling
Simon says: things with wings
No matter which 9: things with wings
Natalie and Amy 9: things with wings
Pink gem 79: things with wings
Brown sugar 41: angels & fairies
Catered crop: make an impression - embossing
Paper playtime 9: emboss
Perfect sentiments 78: dry embossing
Really reasonable ribbon 71: sparkle, bling & ribbon
Ribbon carousel 81: celebrations (Christmas)
Simply create too 37: anything goes
Scrappy frogs May: free choice challenge
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 102
52 card pick-up 2.19

Another star for CHNC challenge 124: seeing stars

This is the second card I made using the middle size print out of Bugaboo Stamps 'raggedly angel - lay on star' for my CHNC challenge 124.

For this card I've followed the sketch for Merry Monday 61 at Always playing with paper:

The card blank is a kraft one, The piece of paper down the side is an offcut and the sentiment is from an Anna Griffin kit.

This is also for:

Addicted to stamps and more 44: addicted to CAS
Totally papercrafts 166: CAS
Sweet stampin: clean & simple
A little bit crafty May: kraft it
Scrappy frogs May: free choice challenge
Fussy & fancy 88: anything goes
Hiding in my craftroom 97: super scraps Saturday
Pink gem 79: things with wings

CHNC challenge 124: seeing stars

It's Saturday again and that means a new challenge on my Christmas blog. For CHNC challenge 124 I'm asking to see stars - at least one on your Christmas cards, but many more if you wish.

I've used the 'raggedly angel - lay on star' image kindly provided by Bugaboo Stamps who are one of the three sponsors for this challenge - there are three super prizes, as usual, so please go and check it out.

I coloured the image digitally in Paint and printed it out in three sizes, so I've made three cards with the three sizes. This is the first one, which I based on the sketch for Cupcake craft 241:

All papers and card used were from my offcuts box, as well as pieces of gold glitter strips and a gold sentiment.

This is also for:

Lizzy's & Tamesis Christmas challenge 6: star
Pink gem 79: things with wings

A layout for mum

Mother's Day has been and gone in the UK, but it's always good to remember our mums. This is a digitally produced LO using a couple of photos taken Christmas 2012 when mum's care home had a Christmas party.

When I look at this now I think I might have been a bit too heavy-handed with the fading, but, hey ho, 'tis done now.

This is for:

PumpkinSpice: make a project with a mother's theme
Tuesday throwdown 146: my mother, my friend
Little red wagon 184: all about mom
GoGish 40 mom
Hobby cutz 5: mother's day
Pile it on 18: for a mother
The squirrel and the fox 43: mother's day
Created with love 40: mother's day
Eureka 38: mother's day
Melonheadz friends: mother's day

Make an animal card

This card is for PumpkinSpice 'make an animal card' challenge, using a ready decorated card blank that I've had for ages and ages with a Craftime greeting and a Carte Blanche 'me to you' 3D sticker.

This is also for:

Emma's cards: pink & blue
Ruby's rainbow 53: furry friends
Creative craft challenges 9: all about animals
Forever friends May: anything goes
Whimsy 59: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Scrappy frogs May: free choice challenge
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 102
52 card pick-up 2.19

Instant photo

This week on PumpkinSpice there are lots of challenges for National Scrapbook Day. This is for the 'instant photo' challenge, using a Polaroid type frame - definitely bringing back memories of the past when I had a Polaroid camera and thought it was wonderful to see an 'instant' picture emerging ... before the days of wonderful digital imaging that is so easy now.

I've layered a picture of John on to a Polaroid frame, added the place and date that it was taken and then placed this on a background picture taken at the same place on the same day.

This is also for:

Scrappy frogs May: free choice challenge
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 102
52 card pick-up 2.19

Patchwork embossing

Another simple card - background is a patchwork tri-boss Boofie embossing folder. The sentiment and the little stamped image with gems have been in a box for ages waiting to be used one day!

This is for:

Facebook A card a day
Crafty ribbons 45: no designer paper
Catered crop: make an impression - embossing
Paper playtime 9: emboss
Perfect sentiments 78: dry embossing
CRAFT 206: birthday
Moving along with the times: CAS (clean and simple)
Divas by design: anything goes
My heart pieces: anything goes
Whimsy 59: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Scrappy frogs May: free choice challenge
Glitter n sparkle 31: anything goes
Fussy & fancy 88: anything goes
DL.ART May linky party: anything goes
Make it Monday 139
52 card pick-up 2.18

Birthday circles and stars

A mixture of circles and stars for a Happy Birthday, with some stripes added behind them - matted on to a card blank with a ready made background.

This is for:

Crafty sentiments: use a sentiment
CRAFT 206: birthday
DRS 69: circles
Moving along with the times: CAS (clean and simple)
Divas by design: anything goes
My heart pieces: anything goes
Whimsy 59: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Scrappy frogs May: free choice challenge
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 balloons

Two simple cards made with some embossed silver mirror card that was left over from making a previous card - A4 embossing folder that came with my eBosser. Just the addition of the sentiments and the lovely Carte Blanche 'me to you' 3D stickers - I took one layer off so that I could make the two cards - the top card is still decoupaged and the next one is flat.

These are for:

Crafty ribbons 45: no designer paper
Catered crop: make an impression - embossing
Paper playtime 9: emboss
The paper nest dolls 3: emboss
Perfect sentiments 78: dry embossing
Ruby's rainbow 53: furry friends
Creative craft challenges 9: all about animals
CRAFT 206: birthday
PumpkinSpice NSD 11: Children - cards for children
Moving along with the times: CAS (clean and simple)
Crafty sentiments: use a sentiment
Forever friends May: anything goes
Divas by design: anything goes
My heart pieces: anything goes
Whimsy 59: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Scrappy frogs May: free choice challenge
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

Guest design slot for Fab 'n' Funky: use beads

This is my second week as a guest designer for Fab 'n' Funky (I'm their guest for the whole of the month of May - and, as there are five Wednesdays in May, that means five challenges).

I have to say that when I knew what today's challenge was I was a little bit worried because I don't often use beads on my cards. I went through a phase a few years ago when I did try to use them, but it didn't last for long - lol!

Fab 'n' Funky challenge 170: 'use beads' is being sponsored by Digi Darla who kindly supplied the image 'night out 2' that I printed out and coloured with copics. I stuck the image on to a piece of birthday sentiment card that was then matted on to some matt silver card.

The beads and hanging flowers are some that I've had for ages - I stapled the thread that was holding them on to the top layers and then used the Craftime flower to cover this up, sticking all the layers on to a white DL card blank.

This is also for:

Facebook a card a day
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
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
Inky impressions 108: mother's day/for a lady
Bloggers challenge: a feminine touch
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
Digistamps4Joy 66: women are special
Squigglefly 1813: it's a monotone kind of day
Mad for markers May: one for the girls (I used copics)
Copic marker Europe 16: girls aloud
Deep ocean 51: let's sparkle
Whimsy 59: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Scrappy frogs May: free choice challenge
Catch the bug May: anything goes
Through the craftroom door: anything goes
Glitter n sparkle 31: anything goes
Fussy & fancy 88: anything goes
Inky llinky 14
DL.ART May linky party: anything goes
Make it Monday 139
Inspire me Fridays 101
52 card pick-up 2.18

Time to follow your dreams

The lovely strip of flowers and bugs along the bottom was from Hobbycraft. The bees are Stampotque by Jo Capper-Sandon and the 'time to follow your dreams' is a Greetings Farm stamp.

This is for:

Facebook A card a day
All that scraps: anything goes
Alota 106: bugs bugs bugs
Pumpkin spice NSD: things with wings
Natalie and Amy 9: things with wings
No matter which 9: things with wings
Make my Monday: anything that flies
DRS 68: butterflies
Little scrap pieces Friday fun: it's a bug's life
Cute card Thursday 267: come fly with me
LEJ 52: summer's coming
Creative belli 168: spring (all supplies are old)
Playing in paradise 114: springtime joy
Stampin with the dragon: spring has sprung
One sweet challenge May: spring colours
One crazy stamper May: flowers
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
Crafty sentiments: use a sentiment
Loves rubber stamps 51: anything goes
Scrappy frogs May: free choice challenge
Fashionable stamping 47: anything goes
Catch the bug May: anything goes
Through the craftroom door: anything goes
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

Shaped card

A simple card using a shaped card, a doily and a couple of Hunkydory elements.

Colours for Daring cardmakers May colour combo:

This is for:

Dream valley 56: no squares allowed
Charisma cardz 17: shaped cards
Totally papercrafts 165: don't be square - use a shaped card
Anything goes 92: shaped but not square
Card and scrap 54: use doilys
LEJ 52: summer's coming
Paper pretties 256: pink & green
Glitter n sparkle 31: anything goes
Fussy & fancy 88: anything goes

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