Bubble border...

Hello, hello!

It's Monday - the weekend seems like a lifetime away already and we're well and truly into the week already...I hope it was ok for you!?  

I'm here today with a card I made over the weekend.  This card is for STAMPlorations June challenge - Stamps and Borders.  Yes, only I could enter a card for a MONTH long challenge in the last 11 HOURS and 31 MINUTES!!  

I really enjoyed making this card!  Here it is...

I know I might be pushing it a little bit with the term 'border', but the circles do only go down one edge so I think it counts!  I like how bright and fun this card turned out :)

Right...I'd better get over to STAMPlorations to get this bad boy entered before I miss the deadline with all my chattering!  

Thanks so much for stopping by...I promise I will find some time soon to visit you all!!  ;)

Supplies
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White
Stamps: STAMPlorations - Retro Mod Shapes; Paper Smooches - Chit Chat
Ink:        Papermania - Red, Yellow; Distress Ink - Spiced Marmalade; VersaColor - Cyan, Green, Voilet,
                  Lavender; SU! - Classic Black
Other:    Watercolour pencils

With gratitude...

Hey!

Firstly, thank you everyone for such a warm welcome back!  In all honesty, I wasn't expecting any comments on my posts as I've been out of the loop for a while and thought it might take me a little while to get back into the groove again, but you gals have taken me back with open arms and I love ya for that, thank you!

Anyone noticed a theme running through my posts so far this year?!  I have birthday cards and wedding card to make this month too so I promise they won't all be thank you's!

The WOW! Embossing Powder challenge to use fabric inspired me to delve into my bag of remnants and actually use them for a change!  So yes, I'm back with another fabric based card.

This one is for my little bro, I just hope he likes it :)

As you can see, I used four different fabrics to 'fill' the die cut circular holes.  It's not very obvious from this small photo, but the red fabric in the top right corner is velvet and I defy anyone not to stroke it!  The rings around the velvet circle are popped up on foam adhesive too to give the card a bit of dimension.  I'm pretty sure that I physically CANNOT make a card without foam adhesive!  The sentiment is an NBUS stamp and I was so pleased that it was just the right size to fill the gap on the top left!  I have to admit to not having really planned this card out at all, I just kinda cut a bunch of circles in it and then shoe-horned the design around it - probably not the best technique and it made it a lot more challenging to finish the thing than it should've been...but then that's the whole idea...right?!!  Not something I'm going to be repeating soon if I can at all help it!  :)

I also have another card to show you...this little sausage slipped through the net the other day when I was posting my Christmas cards...not entirely sure how but there you go!?  I can only assume it's my age...I have a big birthday approaching this year (as does DOH actually) and so that must be the explanation!  Enough blabbing, here it is...

This is another one that I made having been inspired by a challenge (Retro Sketches) but sadly missed the deadline due to my international absence.  Not to worry, I enjoyed making it anyway!  I love embossing on tracing paper (I have run out of vellum and found that actually tracing paper behaves in more or less the same way and is cheaper - bonus!) it doesn't seem to lose it's shape as much as cardstock and I like the translucency it creates  :)  A strip of glitter card and some glitter glue on the snowflake made it sparkly enough for Christmas!  :)

Thanks for stopping by ;)

Supplies

Card One:
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Black, Bright Red
Stamps: Paper Smooches - Chit Chat
Ink:        Ranger - Perfect medium
Other:    Spellbinders circle dies; WOW! Ebony e/p; fabric remnants; rhinestones

Card Two:
Card:      Paper Mill direct - White, Black; Papermania - Silver glitter card; tracing paper
Stamps: Papermania - Let It Snow
Ink:        VersaColor - Silver
Other:    WOW! Silver Super Fine e/p; glitter glue; Spellbinders - Create-A-Flake 3

Thank you...

Hello there!

It's that time of year again - the time for thank you cards!  I have a few to make this year as myself and the DOH were spoiled more than usual so we have a lot to be thankful for :)

I made this thank you card based on the inspiration at CAS(E) This Sketch - luckily it's a long deadline this time so I actually got to join in over the holiday period - woohoo!

Another super versatile sketch from N@Ali...I love the sketches at CAS(E) This Sketch!

Here is my take on it...

I wanted to keep it nice and simple and true to the sketch and I think I managed that which is always a bonus :)  The matting was a happy accident of sorts...I couldn't decide whether to give it an orange mat or a black one so I was holding both colours underneath the main panel and I thought that it actually looked much better with both colours than just having one or the other!  I placed the black underneath the orange-heavy side of the panel and the orange underneath the black-heavy side to balance it out.  I don't know if you can see it very well, but I LOVE this embossing powder!!  It's WOW!'s Halloween Glitter embossing powder and it's mostly black but with gorgeous orange glitter in it and adds a bit of sparkle to an otherwise plain card :)

Thank you for stopping by, I'm hoping to be around a bit more now that I'm back!  You're going to be sick of me!  ;)

Supplies
Card:     Paper Mill Direct - White, Black, Bright Orange
Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Big Day Essentials; Verve - Kind Words
Ink:        Ranger - Perfect Medium; Distress Ink - Spiced Marmalade
Ohter:    WOW! - Halloween glitter e/p; pearls

An autumn overload...

Hello guys and gals!

I hope you're all enjoying your weekend so far.  I certainly am as I found a little time in which to craft - and I hope I made the most of it :)

I have made a card that is fit for THREE challenges!  Some people are great at this and that's just normal for them - me, not so much!!

Today's card is being entered into CASology where the Cue Card is 'Autumn'; CAS-ual Fridays where the challenge is 'Fall colours and a leaf' and last but definitely not least, Addicted To CAS where the Code Word is also 'Autumn/Fall'.

There are no prizes for guessing what my card is going to look like!!

I was trying to hone my inner Ardyth on this card...I'd like to think there's one in there somewhere, but I very much doubt it!!

This card definitely evolved from the original idea...in fact it was quite a major transformation!  The plan I started out with when I sat at my desk was to die cut the leaves into opposite corners and place autumnal blended colours underneath that just peeked through, finished with a nice sentiment in the middle of the space.  Well, that didn't happen did it?!!  Nope.  I did try that but this particular die isn't 'shapely' enough if you know what I mean and just looked like I'd cut a blob out of the corner!  This is a house of making the best with what you have, so as not to waste the 'failed' die cutting attempt, I used the leaf blob for the purpose it was intended!  I blended the colours onto the die cut and then decided it still needed more definition, so I clear embossed the coordinating leaf stamp over the top.  It still wasn't defined enough so I emboss again in copper pearl and that was just the ticket!  The sentiment was embossed in that lovely Halloween glitter powder to tie in with the colours a bit :)

Anyone bored yet?!!  How can a simple card become so long winded huh?  ;)  I kinda like this little, simple card and it will be a good one to have on standby should I need a thank you note :)

The challenges...

Thank you for stopping by and reading my rambles ;)  I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Supplies
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White
Stamps: Verve - Bloom & Grow; Bo Bunny - Sentiment Stamps
Ink:        Ranger - Perfect Medium; Papermania - Yellow; Distress Ink - Spiced Marmalade, Barn Door
Other:    WOW! Halloween Glitter, Copper Pearl e/p; Verve A Cut Above Dies - Elegant Leaves

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

Retro Sketches meets Dynamic Duos...

Hey peeps!

I hope you're all well :)

I have a card today that is for two challenges that I've been meaning to get around to for a LONG time, but haven't had a chance to - until now!

These are the Dynamic Duos and Retro Sketches challenges.  The criteria for Dynamic Duos this week is Monochromatic - Teal Blues and this weeks' Retro Sketch is a 'pick your own' from all the historic sketches.  This was particularly handy as I haven't played along with any of them so I got to go back and choose my favourite one!

I chose sketch #30;

I love the simplicity of this sketch - I seem to have gone minimalist CAS lately, super simple.  It says a lot about me really doesn't it!  :)

I quite enjoyed being restricted to these two colours - it's a colour combination that I don't use enough!

I feel good now that I have managed to have a go at these two challenges, here's hoping I can have another go next week :)

Thanks for stopping by ;)

Supplies
Card:     White Hammered, Teal, Pale Turquoise
Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Big Day Essentials
Ink:        VersaColor - Black
Other:    WOW! Ebony e/p; rhinestones

A time for thanks

Hey guys!

How are you all doing?  As Christmas has been and gone, now is the time to say thank you to all those who kindly sent gifts.

Here are my thank you's;

For my Sister

For my Mum

For my Dad

For my In-Laws

For my Brother

For my Nan

I hope these cards have been as gratefully received as my fabulous gifts were :)

As always, thanks for stopping by :)

Supplies
If you would like to know what I used for a particular card then please feel free to email me and I will happily oblige - it would make rather a long list to name everything!  :)

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 and WOW! Overload!!!!

Hey!
 
I know, I know, it's been a long time!  I've been snowed under with work just lately, but I'm hoping to be able to get more card time in now :)
 
I'm going to keep the chatter brief because there's a few pictures to look at today.
 
Ok, I have all of FIVE of my cards for this months' Viva La Verve.  As it was my birthday last week, I had a whole bunch of thank you cards to make.  This happily coincides with the challenge over at WOW! Embossing Powder this month which is 'Anything Goes - Thank You'.  Well...I've got a whole bunch of entries!!
 
As per usual, I'm cutting it really close for both deadlines, so without further ado - here are my cards!
 
Week 1

 

 
 
Week 2
 

 

 
Week 3

 

Week 4

 

WOW! Entry

Week 5

 

WOW! Entry

So there you have it - a bunch of thank you cards (which I hope will be well received!) and six challenge entries - phew!

I hope you have enjoyed this gallery post - have a good evening and thank you for dropping by :)

Supplies

Card One
Card:     White, Black, Teal, Pale Turquoise
Stamps: Verve - Bloom and Grow; Papermania - V&A Cornfield
Ink:        Versamark - Black
Other:    Spellbinders - Circles small and large dies; Universal embossing folders - Venus and
              Cottage Floral; WOW! embossing powder - Ebony; pearls

Card Two
Card:     White, Pale Turquoise; K&Co. Best Of
Stamps: Verve - Sunny Days
Ink:        SU! - Classic Black; Distress Inks - Victorian Velvet, Wild Honey
Other:    Spellbinders - Scallop Circles, Dahlia;  pearls, thread

Card Three
Card:     White, Black, Orange
Stamps: Verve - Bloom and Grow
Ink:        SU! - Classic Black; Distress Ink - Spiced Marmalade
Other:    Spellbinders - Scallop Circles large; Circles large; Crafty Ribbons - Orange and Black
              saddle stitch; pearls

Card Four
Card:     White, Black, Bright Red, Daffodil, Orange
Stamps: Verve - Bloom and Grow
Ink:        Ranger - Perfect Medium; Distress Inks - Wild Honey, Spiced Maralade, Barn Door
Other:    Spellbinders - Fleur De Lis Motifs, Circles; pearls

Card Five
Card:     White, Black, Lime
Stamps: Verve - Sunny Days; WMS - Big Day Essentials
Ink:        Versamark - Black; Ranger - Perfect Medium
Other:    Spellbinders -  Anenome Flower Topper; Verve - Leafy Sprig Die; WOW! embossing
              powder - Clear Matt Dull; pearls, rhinestones



 
 
 
 

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