I made it!...

Good evening boys and girls!

Actually, it's probably still the middle of the day for a lot of you, but it's evening here :)

This is just going to be a quick post today (I can hear the sighs of relief already!) as I am multi-tasking!  We have some friends coming round for dinner in about half an hour and also another friend dropping by just before (hopefully, other my house is going to look like a rush hour railway station!) so I'm just squeezing this post in in between!  Phew!  I didn't want to fail on the one-a-day posting so soon into January; although, with my mojo on the missing list, I can only assume it won't be long :)

This card isn't for any challenge, not that I'm aware of anyway, and is a card for my soon to be sort of daughter-in-law in the sunny land of Australia!  Her birthday is not until the end of the month, but I like to be prepared!  I'm hoping we'll be able to give it to her in person (everything is crossed for that!) but if not, it's ready for the post :)

Here we go...

Right, so there's a bit of calligraphy (kinda wish I'd chosen a different font now, but hindsight is a wonderful thing!) and a bit of multi coloured stamping, some fussy cutting and a few pearls and bam, done!  I hope she likes it because I think it's going to take a while to grow on me?!  Not sure yet...

Thanks as always for stopping by, I'll see y'all again soon ;)

(Still annoyed about the grey background - please sort it out Blogger!!  Thank you!)


Supplies
Card:     Paper Mill Direct - White, Black, Raspberry Pink
Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Fancy Flourishes & Scallops & Dots; Verve - Sunny Days
Ink:        VersaColor - Indigo, Violet, Magenta; SU! - Black; Windsor & Newton - Black Calligraphy Ink
Other:    Pearls

A paper players day!...

Hey!

I am popping in with a quick post, you'll be pleased to know!!

I made this card for the challenge over at The Paper Players which this week is a colour challenge from Jaydee.  

Now, I don't 'do' SU! colours - not because I don't like them, just because I don't have any!  So, I have interpreted the colours Midnight Muse, Pool Party and Whisper White as Teal, Pale Turqoise and well, White!  I am a little unsure as to whether that's right or not as 'midnight' to me implies a navy blue, but the colour swatches on my screen look more like turquoise?  That's my story anyway and I'm sticking to it!  ;)

Right, now that dilemma is over, on to the card!

We have, Teal, Pale Turquoise and White!  Woohoo!  I'm not even sure where this idea came from, it was one of those 'sat at my desk making a card and before I knew it this bad boy was born' kinda scenario, you know what I mean?!  It doesn't really require a great deal of explanation either so, here it is and that is all!

Thank you for stopping by and have a lovely day ;)

Supplies
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Raspberry Pink, Pink Sorbet
Stamps: Stamping All Day - Deco Birthday
Ink:        Ranger - Perfect Medium
Other:    Spellbinders - Small & Large Circles; Tim Holtz - Tattered Florals; Craft Concepts - Grunge Dots 
                 e/f; Sparkles - Glitz It

Happy news...!!!

Hello peeps!

I hope everyone is well :)  I am here today with some exciting news!  Some good friends of mine from University, Jemma and Tom, have FINALLY got engaged!!!!  Whoop whoop!  I am so pleased for them!  They have been together since our last year at Uni, which was a whopping 7 years ago now!  Yup, feeling a bit old!

I admit, I did get this news a little while ago and it has taken me an AGE to get this card made - partly due to a lack of opportunity, but partly because I wanted to make something that was just right.  It has been such a long time since I saw either of them :( I hope to catch up with them at some point soon :)

Anyway, that's enough nostalgia...here's the card...

Jemma has always been a turquoise gal so I tried to incorporate this into the card.  The colours are loosely based on a Play Date Cafe colour board from a while ago.  I didn't get to participate, but I LOVE the colour combination and wanted to use it anyway :)  

It doesn't really show well in the photograph, but the sentiment is embossed in silver and IRL it looks all shiny and special  :)  I really hope that Jemma (and Tom) like this card.  When she let me know about the engagement she said, and I quote... "I expect a place on handmade by Sian!!!"  Ha ha!  Here you go Jems!  :)  I had no idea that she followed my blog so I was doubly pleased and I am honoured to have her on here!!  :)

Miss you Jemma!  :)

Some more happy news is that I was one of the winners over at Catered Crop last week so I get the honour of being part of the Quickfire on Sunday line up - woohoo!  The challenge this week is 'So Shapely' and is all about using die cuts and punches.  This is a wonderfully ambiguous starting point and it will surely bring out something different in everyone - I can't wait to browse the entries!  So, this card is my contribution to this challenge with the border and the flowers all being die cuts :)

Thank you for stopping by today, and always ;)

Supplies
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Black, Grey, Pale Turquoise, Teal, Raspberry Pink
Stamps: Waltzingmouse Stamps - Big Day Additions
Ink:        Ranger - Perfect Medium
Other:    Spellbinders - Classic Edges Two, Classic Decorative Inserts Three, Anemone Flower Topper;
             WOW! - Silver super fine e/p; pearls

Addicted to Fusion...

Hey!


First off - Happy St. George's Day to all my fellow country folk!  :)

Now on to my post proper; 

...the Fusion Challenge

Despite the gorgeous inspiration image and the very pretty sketch, I struggled a bit with the Fusion experiment this week.  The problem was that I had an idea in my head and for the life of me I could not make it translate onto a card!  Partly because I didn't have the right tools, but mostly because I just couldn't work it!

So...I decided to go with just the inspiration image - it's stunning!

...and my card...

...what do ya think?  I'm also entering this into the challenge over at Addicted To CAS this week as the code word is FLOWER.  

This is going into the CAS-ual Fridays Birthday Bash challenge too :)

Thanks for stopping by ;)

Supplies
Card:     Paper Mill Direct - White,Black, Raspberry Pink
Stamps: Verve - Elegant Flower Plain Jane; Stamping All Day - Art Deco Birthday
Ink:       Ranger - Perfect Medium
Other:   WOW! - Ebony and Silver Super Fine e/p; rhinestones

Doing my bit for the environment :) ...

Hey!

I'm here today with a reappropriated item.  The theme for the challenge over at WOW! Embossing Powder  this month is to alter or recycle something.  

This had me stumped for a while.  I have been planning to make something for my sister, but I can't reveal that for a while as it's for her birthday and it would be terrible if she saw it on here before I gave it to her!  I was tidying my desk this morning (this is a daily occurrence that doesn't ever seem to end?!) and thought that what I really need is something to put all my pencils, scissors, knives, pliers etc in.  I thought nothing more of it until I was in the kitchen and noticed that I'd kept, for reasons unknown, the tin that my hot chocolate comes in. 

Hmmm...that's a good size...??!  Time to make it prettier!

So, the hot chocolate pencil pot was born!

I think it's pretty obvious what I did...embossed in silver the script pattern onto black card, embossed and cut out pretty flowers, embossed the leaves using clear matt dull embossing powder (which is awesome stuff by the way - it gives a really cool effect!) and then die cut them.  Stuck my border round the top, stuck my flowers and leaves on then added desk clutter!  There's a load more stuff that will eventually reside in this pot, but it would've looked way too messy for the photo and given away just how much crap I have!  Now...I wonder how long this will last on my desk before it gets battered and bruised!?  I'm sure he'll be fine :)

Thanks for stopping by ;)

Supplies

Card:     Paper Mill Direct - Black, Lilac, Grape, Pale Turquoise, Sky Grey, Teal

Stamps: Verve - Great Friend, Sunny Days; SU! - En Francais Script

Ink:        Ranger - Perfect Medium

Other:    WOW! - Ebony, Silver Super Fine, Clear Matt Dull e/p; Verve Cut Above Dies - Elegant Leaves; 

             Spellbinders - Classic Edges Two; pearls; hot chocolate tin!

Muse Card Club...!

Hi guys!

I have FINALLY pulled my finger out and joined in with the new(ish) Muse challenge!  I always love a new challenge, and this one is a little bit different - the participants choose the winners!  I mean, how did no one think of that before?!  You are judge by a panel of your peers - perfect!

Anyways, on to the inspiration.  This is the fabulous card by this weeks' muse Therese;

I have followed Therese's blog for a while now and she just creates show stopper after show stopper!  It's quite unfair really!  ;)  Actually, all of the muses on the panel are designer crushes of mine - this is partly why I haven't been brave enough to have a go myself until today!  

Before I get to the card, I would like to thank Therese for inspiring me to get back to 'my roots'.  When I was young (around 9/10 I think?!) I lived next door to a fabulous woman who was the most outstanding artist I've ever had the pleasure of knowing.  Since I can remember, I have always had a pencil in my hand and if I wasn't drawing then I was learning a new Calligraphy alphabet/technique...you get the picture...  One day, I was in my neighbours house and I was looking at all her artwork that she had on the walls and I realised that she had done every single painting and incorporated calligraphy into many of them.  Half jokingly, I asked her if she'd mind teaching me how to paint in watercolours, to which she said yes!  So, from then on, every Saturday afternoon from 2:30 until 5:00 I would go over to her house and we would paint!  Even when we both moved we still kept up the tradition until I left to go to University when I was nearly 19 :)  In fact, those sessions were my 'in' to card making!  I used to paint small watercolour scenes and use them for Christmas cards and special birthdays.  As life got busier, I didn't have the time to sit for hours painting, so I started making the kind of cards I make now :)  I do miss our afternoons and I really miss painting too.  

Anyway, slight tangent and random history lesson there, but seeing Therese's card made me think that I needed to grab my watercolour pencils (cheating - I know!!) and 'paint' these roses!  So that's what I did...and I LOVED every minute of it!!!!  It turned out much better than I was expecting it to if I'm honest!  I've never had much faith in watercolour pencils, I'm a bit of a traditionalist I suppose, but they worked really well :)  Needless to say, I'm looking for more things to paint now!  I may even be tempted back in drawing too - we'll see ;)

Right, enough rambling, here's my card!  That's what we're all here for after all!

So there you go, my little bit of nostalgia in a card  :)  I really enjoyed it, so for once, it doesn't matter if no one else likes it!  Ha ha!  You all know what I mean ;)

Thank you for stopping by ;)

Supplies
Card:     Paper Mill Direct - White, Grape
Stamps: Kanban - Roses; Waltzingmouse - Big Day Essentials
Ink:        SU! - Black; Ranger - Perfect Medium
Other:    Daler Rowney watercolour pencils; WOW! - Ebony e/p

A CAS Bonanza...!

Hey!

As this title suggests, this is a CAS festival! I am entering his one card into three CAS challenges :) 

The first of which is CAS(E) this sketch - I've been meaning to have a go at this challenge since it started, but alas I haven't managed to until now.  Here is the sketch;

The second challenge is CAS-ual Fridays - the criteria for this week is Black and White plus 1 - my '1' is red.

The third is another entry for CASology.  The cue card is 'Red'.  I know there's more black and white tyhan red on this card, I'm just hoping it still counts!  :)

Finally, here is my card;

Hopefully it's still obvious that it came from the sketch above?!!  I really enjoyed making this card and combining all the challenges - I usually struggle with that!  I'm quite pleased with how it turned out :)  My other half has 'Man Flu' at the moment, hence the sentiment :)  Obviously, it's worse than any cold anyone else has ever had, EVER!  He'll be feeling better soon I'm sure, I hope!

Anyways, I hope you're all enjoying your weekend and thank you, as always, for stopping by and leaving such wonderful, encouraging comments - it means a lot :)

Supplies
Card:     Paper Mill Direct - White, Black, Red
Stamps: Verve - Hope Blooms
Ink:        Range Perfect Medium
Other:    WOW! - Ebony embossing powder; Tim Holtz - Tattered Florals Die; Spellbinders - Classic
             Edges 2; Craft Concepts - Grunge Dots e/f; pearl; thread

Viva La Verve Week 3...

[This is my second post of the day - can you believe it?!!!  :)  Scroll down to see my other VLV post] 

Well hello there!

I hope everyone is well and looking forward to a good weekend :)

I have, for the first time in I can't remember how long, have completed my Viva La Verve card on the Friday it was released!!!  I really enjoyed this sketch, it just sort of came together which makes a change lately  :)

Here is Charmaine's fabulous sketch;

...and here is my take;

...and a little close up of the flowers - check out the sparkly centres!  

I decided to go with the emboss resist for the background as I haven't done it for AGES!!!!

Thanks for stopping by ;)

Supplies

Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Lilac, Pale Turquoise, Sky Grey, Grape, Ivory Linen

Stamps: Verve - Bloom & Grow; SU! - Bliss

Ink:        VersaColor - Violet, Sky Grey; Ranger Perfect Medium; Distress Ink - Broken China, Dusty

             Concord

Other:    Verve Cut Above - Elegant Leaves; Tim Holtz - Tatetred Florals Die; WOW! Silver Pearl and 

             Clear Matt Dull e/p; Papermania Clear e/p; Pearls; Split Pins; Glitter Glue  

Happy Birthday To You...

Hello there,

I was asked by a friend of mine to make a birthday card for his mother.  She loves cards apparently and he felt that she would really appreciate a hand made card that was made especially for her - I do hope she likes it!

Here is the card I made for her;

I know I don't have anything in the photograph to use as scale, which would have been a good idea in hindsight, but this card is quite large at 200mm square.  It was quite nice to have all that space to play with for a change :)

Because of the size and the raised flowers, I made a matching box for it to go in;

Thanks for stopping by :)

Supplies
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White Linen, Primrose, Daffodil, Cerise, Pink Sorbet, Apple Green and Orange
Stamps: Verve - Sunny Days, Wishful Elegance; Waltzingmouse - Big Day Additions
Ink:        SU! - Classic Black; VersaColor - Green
Other:    Spellbinders - Anemone Flower Toppers; Verve Cut Above - Leafy Sprigs; WOW! Clear 
             embossing powder; pearls

SFYTT - August Sketch

Hello!

Ok, so I'm not here with my Viva La Verve just yet - I nearly forgot about this card!  I am entering the Sketch For You To Try challenge this month.  I have seen this challenge around on peoples' blogs, but after the Verve Anni-VERVE-sary blog hops, I had a lot of exposure to it!  Verve is sponsoring the challenge this month, so many of the Verve Divas used this sketch for their showcases of Verves' new stamps and dies (which by the way, are awesome and I want them all!)

So, I thought I'd have a go at this sketch.  I thought it looked kinda easy, but I was surprised!  I got there in the end and my card has been growing on me over the last few days :)

I turned the sketch 90 degrees clockwise;

This is another 'Julee' card - CASS :)

Like I said, this card is growing on me, but I'm still not 100% sure - let me know what ya think :)

Thanks for dropping by :)

Supplies
Card:     Paper Mill Direct - White, White Linen, Black, Peppermint, Daffodil, Apple Green, Citrus
              Orange
Stamps: Verve - Great Friend, Bloom and Grow, Wishful Elegance
Ink:        SU! Black; VersaColor - Evergreen; Distress Ink - Wild Honey
Other:    Verve Cut Above Die - Elegant Leaves; Crafty Ribbons - Pumpkin seam binding; pearls

Anni-VERVE-sary Day 4

Hello there peeps!

It's Verve's 5th anniversary this year, and to celebrate they are having a challenge over on SCS this week.  There is also a spotlight blog hop each day in the run up to the new release which is also jam packed FULL of Verve inspiration!

I am, once again, without any sort of space to craft in at the moment.  All my stuff is in boxes and keeps getting moved around the house!  But, not to be defeated by a silly thing like that, I am now making my cards on the floor!  Not ideal, I realise that, but where there's a will.... :)  This is why my blog has been a little quiet lately - please bear with me!

I am however, attempting to participate in all the Verve challenges this week.  Luckily for me the deadline for all five challenges is 24th August, so it gives me bit of time to catch up!  As you can see, I am doing these challenges out of order - why change the habit of a lifetime right?!

Ok, boring chat over...on to the good stuff!

The challenge for Day 4 is to create a CAS card - yay! Can you tell why I started with this one?!

Now, I don't think that the purists would agree that this is a CAS card, but I'm pretty sure the girls over at Verve will let me off with this one :)

This card is for my best blogging friend, Kelly.  She has just moved into a new home and is expecting her first baby!  As the card illustrates - I am so happy for her!!! (and her fella of course!)  Unfortunately this has meant that all her craft stuff, like mine, is in boxes and she's alittle bit too busy at the moment to craft.  I'm hoping she can find some time to indulge herself soon :)

Anyways, I really enjoyed making this card and I hope both Kelly and you guys like it, and as always, thanks for dropping by!

Supplies
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Daffodil
Stamps:  Verve - Hope Blooms
Ink:         SU! Black
Other:     Spellbinders - Anenome Flower Topper; rhinestones

Happy Birthday Divas!

Hi there!

Over at Verve, there are no fewer than FIVE birthdays this month!  That's a lot of cake :)

The Diva Dare, therefore, is to create something birthday related.  I have cheated a little by using the week 4 Viva La Verve sketch for the layout (two birds, one stone - don't make out like you wouldn't do it too!)

There's just something about Verve stamps that make me feel like I need to come up with a really bright and uplifting design and this one was no exception.  Maybe it's the sunshine :)

See?!  Very bright for me!  I hope y'all like it, let me know :)

Happy Birthday Divas, eat plenty of cake and make sure you are spoiled by your nearest and dearest :)

Laters,

Supplies
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Raspberry Pink, Peppermint, White Linen, Primrose Yellow
Stamps:  Verve - Hope Blooms, Sunny Days
Ink:         VersaColor - Magenta, Cyan Blue, Old Rose, Black, Evergreen; Rangers Perfect Medium;
               TH Distress Ink - Spiced Marmalade
Other:     WOW! embossing powder - Violet Pearl, Flourescent Yellow and Green, Mandarin;
               Crafty Ribbons - Rose Quartz seam binding; Spellbinders Labels 18; pearls

WOW - English Rose

Hello!

Thank you to everyone for their kind comments recently, they are much appreciated and really spur me on!

Now for my next offering.  This is an entry for WOW! Embossing Powders' June Challenge which is Best Of British.  I have been exceptionally predictable and gone with... you guessed it... red, white and blue!  As I am English, I have popped a few little English roses on there too, for added patriotism!

Here is my homage to the British Isles;

A close up of my handmade 'roses'

As you can see, the lighting here isn't getting any better!  I have had to move from my original room into the one at the front of the house and the light isn't the same - not helped in the slightest by the poor excuse for summer we are currently experiencing!  Hey ho, what would a 'best of British' post be without a little moan about the weather!  Ha ha!

I'm enjoying being back in blogland and again would like to thank those who are kind enough to leave me a little comment just to let me know that they have stopped by  :)

Have a good one!

Supplies
Card:     Paper Mill Direct - White, Sky Blue, Pillar Box Red
Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Big Day Additions; Verve - Bloom and Grow
Ink:        VersaColor - Lapis Lazuli
Other:    Papermania Clear embossing powder; Navy blue embroidery thread; red and white pearls

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