Addicted to CAS(E)...Happy Anniversary...

Hello there peeps!

The dreaded 'Nojo' has continued to plague my creativity and that is why I haven't been here for a while.  Despite the fabulous inspiration that you and all the challenge blogs provide, my mojo is, it would seem, as stubborn as I am and refused to make an appearance - doh!!

In an attempt to force my mojo out of its apparent retirement, I decided to sit at my desk and remain there until something came of my 'patience'!  Also, it is my in-laws anniversary on the 1st April so I needed to make a card, mojo or no mojo.

I used this weeks' CAS(E) this sketch sketch and took inspiration from the code word over at Addicted To CAS - 'Spring'.

Ordinarily, when I use a sketch for inspiration, I CAS-ify it - this time the opposite happened and the layers just kept coming!  Go figure!?  I think this is proof that my mojo is off kilter!  The colours were inspired by the word 'Spring'.  Given all the terrible weather (it was snowing here this morning would you believe?!!!) I wanted to make a bright card - I thought it's be nicer for the in-laws to open :)  

I feel as though my mojo could be on it's way back - I do hope so as I miss making cards and blogging!

I hope everyone has a lovely day tomorrow for Easter - I hope you all eat and drink too much and spend some quality time with your families :)

Thanks for stopping by ;)

Supplies
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Raspberry, Pink Sorbet, Primrose, Sky Blue, Peppermint
Stamps: Verve - Wishful Elegance
Ink:        Ranger - Perfect Medium
Other:    Cuttlebug ef - D'Vine Swirls; Spellbinders - Fancy Tags Three; WOW! - Green ep; Crafty Ribbons
             Rose Quartz seam binding; thread, rhinestones

A blast from the past...!

Hey!

I scoured the challenges for this week to find something to kick start my missing mojo and I came across The Play Date Cafe challenge which is a challenge I haven't played along with for AGES!  I have, however, missed the deadline which is a bit annoying - but the inspiration was still helpful!! The colours, alongside the awesome sketch over at Retro Sketches, sparked something within me and I managed to come up with a card.  I'm not honestly sure how I feel about it yet, but I think it's growing on me :)

I was a little stumped by the theme at Addicted To CAS - Wings.  I'm not an 'image' person really so I was trying to work out how I could incorporate wings into a card without actually needing an image.  I was looking through my embossing folders and came across the perfect solution - I have an embossing folder named 'Wings'!  If that wasn't meant to be then I don't know what would be!  :)

Here are all my inspirations;

...and here is the card that I have made for my best friends' birthday...

Luckily, my friend is not a 'girly girl' - in fact I don't think I have many girl friends who are especially girly?!  I'm not sure what that says about me really?!  Anyway, slight tangent there, sorry!  My friend is a big fan of blue and green (she's always wearing blue and her wedding colours were lime green, black and white which was just stunning!  I'll get the photo's of the stationery that I made on here one of these days) so I think there's quite a large possibility that she will like her card, despite the splash of pink - she will get over it I'm sure :)  Can you see my sneaky wings embossed on the tracing paper there?!  I'm quite pleased with how that turned out and it adds a little bit of girly-ness to an otherwise plain card :)

Despite missing the Play Date Cafe deadline, the colours over at The Paper Players this week are strikingly similar, there is just an extra colour - brown.  I am waiting for my new WOW! embossing powders to arrive (I was lucky enough to win last months' challenge and got to choose 12 powders!) as one of them was Bark and will be perfect!  I hope they arrive before that deadline!  :)

I am going to get back to my desk now and see if I can find my mojo - it WILL return!!

Thanks for stopping by ;)

Supplies
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Peppermint, Pink Sorbet; Tracing Paper
Stamps: Verve - Hope Blooms
Ink:        VersaColor - Black
Other:    WOW! - Ebony e/p; Craft Concepts - Wings e/f; Crafty Ribbons - Sky Blue seam binding; pearls

Viva La Verve - Determined!

Hello!

I hope you've all had a fabulous Christmas and have some good plans for New Years Eve tomorrow :)

It's been a quiet, but very nice Christmas here.  Just myself and my other half and a few good friends - what more can a girl ask for?!!  The other good thing about having a quiet Christmas is that I have had the opportunity to make good use of my new work space - no more sitting on the floor for me!

I have been unable to join in with the Viva La Verve sketches over the past few months, but I am DETERMINED to do my utmost to complete every sketch challenge this year - this is my personal challenge anyway!  :)  With this resolution in mind I have already created my card for week one! I'm hoping that this is how the rest of the year will go on, we will have to see :)

VLV has been shaken up a bit and it is no longer just a sketch challenge, but there is an inspiration board that can be used alongside the sketch, or not, it is optional.  I have decided to use both the sketch and the inspiration board - I hope it shows!

 

 

And here is my take;

This card actually turned out more yellow than I expected - I was aiming more for the orange and turquoise, but there you go, these things happen! 

As always, thank you for dropping by and enjoy your New Year celebrations ;)

Supplies
Card:     Paper Mill Direct - Pale Turquoise, Orange, Primrose Yellow, Teal, White;  K&Co Best Of
Stamps: Verve - Thank You So Much complimentary stamp
Ink:        VersaColor - Black
Other:    Spellbinders - Fleur De Lis Motifs, Scalloped Cirlces, Classic Circles; Craft Concepts ef -
              Grunge Circles; Tonic corner punch; WOW Embossing Powder - Ebony; Crafty Ribbons -
              Sunshine seam binding; thread, pearls

Viva La Verve - Weeks 2 and 3

Hey guys!

This time I AM here with my Viva La Verve post!  This is a two-fer too :)

The sketch for Week 2;

I'll be honest - I was petrified when I first saw this sketch!  Look at it!  All layers and details and not me at all!  Well, after having a moan, I sat down to make my card and I was surprised at how easily it came together! 

Here's my card;

I know I didn't put the little ribbon trim along the bottom, but I just couldn't add anything more - it was starting to hurt!  :) 

Then there was Week 3;

I was really looking forward to this sketch, but typically, this is the one that caused me a problem!  Doh!  However, once I got into it, I felt better :)

My sister will like this card so I think it will be headed her way soon :)

Thanks for dropping by, as always it's much appreciated :)

Supplies

Card 1
Card:     Paper Mill Direct - Off White, Forest Green, Bright Red; Stampingallday digi paper
Stamps: Papermania - Let It Snow; Waltzingmouse - Flourishes-Dots and Scallops
Ink:        Ranger - Perfect Medium; Distress Ink - Antique Linen, Barn Door, Vintage Photo
Other:    Spellbinders - Classic Scallop Edgeabilities, Labels 18; Crafty Ribbons - Greenbrier seam
              binding; doily, rhinestones; WOW! Apple Red embossing powder

Card 2
Card:     Paper Mill Direct - Off White, Pale Turquoise, Dark Brown; K&Co - Best Of
Stamps: Verve - Kind Words
Ink:        Distress Ink - Vinatge Photo, Broken China
Other:    Crafty Ribbons - Cream and Lilac seam binding; pearls; thread

Crafty Ribbons - Feeling Fruity!

Hello there!

I'm here today with an entry for the challenge over at Crafty Ribbons Challenge blog.  The fabulous theme for this challenge is 'FEELING FRUITY'!

This is an extra special challenge as it includes a DT call and I am chancing my arm and putting myself forward for it!  Fingers crossed, wish me luck!  The details are here if you fancy a go too :)

Ok, on to my card;

Unfortunately I had to take this photo with my phone as my darling other half has pinched my camera for the day to do a survey!  I mean, how rude!  It does mean that it's quite difficult to see the contents of the glass :(

So anyway - fruit...Lime and Olives in a nice Martini - the best way to have fruit, surely?!  Other than a nice glass of wine, of course ;)

I was lucky enough to win a £25 voucher for Crafty Ribbons a little while ago as part of their 'Crafting For Gold' event.  My parcel of ribbon arrived the other day and it was like Christmas!  The ribbon I used for this card was their grosgrain saddle stitch ribbon.  I have it in nearly all the colours and it's great, so versatile!

I drew the Martini glass with my WOW! embossing pen and embossed in Ebony.  Then I added the Martini and the fruit.  I really like how bright and cheerful this card turned out, and I'm hoping the gals over at Crafty Ribbons agree :)

That's all for now, I will be back shortly with my other Viva La Verve challenge entries :)

Thanks for stopping by :)

Supplies
Card:     Paper Mill Direct - White, Lime, Forest Green
Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Big Day Essentials
Ink:        WOW! Embossing pen; SU! Black
Other:    Crafty Ribbons - Lime/White Saddle Stitch ribbon; WOW! Ebony embossing powder;
              toothpick

Crafty Ribbons Challenge 28 - Saddle Stitch Ribbon

Hello there!

This is my second post of the day - scroll down to see my CASE Study post :)

I was lucky enough to be chosen as one of the fourteen to take part in this challenge over at Crafty Ribbons blog and I really enjoyed it!  The challenge was to make two projects showcasing beautiful saddle stitch ribbons.

When my ribbons arrived my OCD took over and I felt compelled to lay them out in rainbow colour order (I was the same with coloured oencils when I was younger!) Anyway, this caused a little spark in my brain and my first card for this challenge was born...

Black, white and rainbow....aaaahh - it makes me happy! 

My second card I aready had an idea for before my ribbons arrived, I wanted to make little ribbon flowers and here is how they turned out...

David Bailey I am not, so I'm hoping that when Ali over at Crafty Ribbons photographs these they will look a liitle better??! 

Keep an eye out on the Crafty Ribbons blog for the other 13 entrants' creations, they are sure to be fabulous! 

Thanks for stopping by  :)

Supplies

Card 1

Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Black

Stamps:  Verve - Hope Blooms

Ink:         VersaColor - Black; TH Distress Ink - Wild Honey

Ribbons: Crafty Ribbons Saddle Stitch - Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet, Lilac

Other:     WOW! black embossing powder; rhinestones

Card 2

Card:       Paper Mill Direct - White, Black, Coral Pink; K&Co. Best of Papers

Stamps:   Verve - Kind Words, Bloom and Grow

Ink:          TH Distress Ink - Victorian Velvet

Ribbons:  Crafty Ribbons Saddle Stitch - Lilac, Baby Blue, Baby Pink

Other:      Spellbinders - Classic Circles & Scallop Circles; Verve Cut Above Die - Elegant

                Leaves; pearls; rhinestones