Bee happy on your birthday!...

Hi guys!

I'm here with a card for two challenges...I've been a busy bee today!

This card is for The Card Concept - colour theme, and CASology - 'Bee'.

Here is my card...

This card is for my DOH's son's birthday on the 13th of this month.  I didn't want to go too obvious with the 'bee' theme, just hint at it.  I guess the hexagons kinda give it away but I quite like how the 'trail' turned out :)  I hope it's masculine enough and he likes it!?

What do you think?  Clean and Graphic, or Clean and Simple - I can never decide?!!

Here are the challenges I'm entering them into...

You'll be pleased to know it's just a quick post this evening as I'm busy busy!  I hope you've all enjoyed your weekends and have a great week :)

Thanks for stopping by ;)

Supplies
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Black, Smooth Grey, Daffodil
Stamps: WOW! - Sexi-Hexi; Stamping All Day - Deco Birthday
Ink:        Versamark
Other:    WOW! - Primary Lemon, Ebony; thread

Pink, pink, pink!...

This is my second post today...I would love if you'd have a little peruse of the first one too ;)

Hello, hello!

Get me, two posts in one day!!!  

I have managed to make a card to play along with two of my favourite challenges and a NEW challenge!  The new challenge is The Card Concept.  I'm pretty sure most of you have seen it around, despite the fact it's only into it's third challenge it has a MASSIVE presence already!  Well done guys!  I did mean to play along from the beginning, but we all know what happens to even the best laid plans... but anyway, I made it this time which is kinda strange as the challenge this time around is monochromatic pink.  Now, me and pink, we have a love hate relationship.  I'd love to love it, and it is growing on me, but it's definitely not a go-to colour for me.  That said, this card came to me seemingly out of nowhere whilst sat at my desk trying to make a completely different card!  I'm don't know exactly what that says about my brain, but I am sure that Freud would have had a field day!

Yes, I attacked this card with ink pads!  I thought this was going to be a real QACAS (Quick and Clean and Simple - as coined by the ever so masterful with words Darnell :) ) but it took me an AGE to decide on the sentiment!!!  It was actually ridiculous how long it took.  I went through every single sentiment stamp I own...which in fairness doesn't take that long!  I have seen you guys and your stamp collections and it makes me super jealous!  I can fit every stamp I own into a drawer 10cm x 23cm (about 4" x 8" for those of you over the pond!) I need to work on that, once I've won the lottery!

I had fun making this little chap (chapette as it's all pink?!) and it's as close to a one layer card as I think I'm ever going to get :)

The other challenges that this card is heading off to are;

CAS(E) This Sketch #83

and CAS-ology #82 - BOLD

This is the inspiration image for The Card Concept - I wish I could do that shabby chic thang!  Until then, picking out the different shades of pink will just have to do :)

Thanks for stopping by, especially if it's the second of my posts' you've been subjected to read today! ;)

Supplies
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Raspberry Pink
Stamps: Clear Impressions - Wild & Free; Debbi Moore - Congratulations
Ink:        VersaColor - Peony, Magenta, Old Rose; SU! - Classic Black
Other:    None

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

Happy 30th Birthday Heather!...

Hello there!

So...this post is day late, but not for the want of trying!  Yesterday was my friend's, Heather, 30th birthday!  Woohoo!  Well, I tried to post this card yesterday but the internet was just not playing ball and despite my best efforts it just wouldn't let me connect - doh!  Unfortunately that means that this post is a day late for Heather's birthday (sorry girl!) but I don't think she'll be too worried :)  We went out last night and had a lovely evening, although I'm not sure she'd agree with that so much today...bless her!  ;)

Here is the card I made...

I went with the rainbow colour scheme...I just can't help myself!  ;)  I asked Heather's boyfriend what her favourite colour was, assuming that he would know...WRONG!  I know she likes purples and reds but I wasn't sure just HOW much she liked them so I thought if I went with every colour then I couldn't go wrong!  ;)  Luckily she really liked her card :)

Here is this week's CAS(E) This Sketch sketch on which my card was based...

Aren't all the sketches that come out of this challenge actually awesome!!?  ;)  I don't think there's been one yet that I haven't loved, even if I haven't always had the mojo to use them to their potential.

I am also going to enter this card into the challenge over at CASology...if they'll allow it!  ;)  The Cue Card for this week is 'Arrow'.  I normally make my sentiment banners with an inverted arrow end, but I thought I'd have it pointing 'outwards' this time...not very well explained I know, I'm still not feeling too clever myself after last night!!  So...I'm hoping that this counts as an arrow of sorts...sorry to the CASology girls if it doesn't  ;)  It's their 62nd challenge over there already...can you believe that?!!  It feels like they only started up yesterday!  ;)

Thank you for stopping by guys and gals... ;)

Supplies
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Black, Lilac; Hobbycraft - Pearlised Lilac
Stamps:  Verve - Hope Blooms
Ink:         Distress Ink - Barn Door, Spiced Marmalade; VersaColor - Black, Green, Violet, Lavender;
              Papermania - Yellow
Other:     WOW! - Silver Pearl e/p; pearls; Tonic - double corner punch

Variation on a theme...

Hi guys!

How are you all?  It's been ages again hasn't it...I hope you're all well :)

I am here today with a few cards, all based on the same layout.  The first one is the birthday card I made for my other half's son's birthday this Thursday just gone...

His favourite colour is yellow, so as you can see I ran with that.  Also, this ties in nicely with CASology's cue card for this week, which is 'Yellow'.  It's been such a long time since I was able to join in at CASology, I'm really pleased I had a chance this week!

As it is Father's Day today (Happy Father;s Day to all you Dads out there!) I have two cards, one for my Dad and one for the Father-In-Law (maybe he'll be my actual father-in-law one day, but I consider him to be my second Dad already :))

My Dad's favourite colour combination has always been blue and orange.  Whenever he made scale model aeroplanes he always made them in blue and orange...

Once again, my stamp collection is seriously lacking and I don't have a Father's Day stamp of any description, so the pen and ink came out to finish this bad boy off!  Thank you for all your comments last time about using a Versamark pen so that I could emboss my hand written sentiments...I did give it a go.  Unfortunately, with calligraphy you require a flat tip nib (width to suit) and the Versamark is obviously round tipped so no matter how hard I tried, the effect didn't turn out quite right :(  So I am still on a mission to find a liquid embossing ink that I can dip my nibs into like I do with the coloured ink...I may have to email Versamark!!  :)  I am entering this card into the Recipe Swap over at Catered Crop this week - the theme being 'For The Boys'

The Father-In-Law's card I made in black and white...

I'll admit, I made a mistake here.  My Father-In-Law is an avid supporter of Tottenham Hotspurs having grown up in Tottenham and played for the youth team back in the day.  I'm not a big football fan and have only seen the Spurs kit at a glance if it's been on the TV.  I thought the colours were black and white - they're not!  Their colours are NAVY and white, so I think I can be excused for getting it wrong!  When I found out it was too late to make another card in the right colours so I had to leave it - maybe next time Richard - sorry!!  It doesn't matter too much though as he didn't know that's what I was aiming for in the first place :)

That's all for today...I am hoping to get some cards made by the time the weekend is out although it hasn't gone well so far!  I miss posting and being in blogland with you all!  You'll be glad to know that the training of my other half to cook dinner is going well...he did try to cut his finger off when we were at work at the beginning of the week though so he hasn't been able to cook, or do much else, all week or I would've had a chance to sit down and craft!  Oh well, he's on the mend now and hopefully his finger won't take too long to heal so that I can get out of the kitchen and back to my desk :)

Thanks so much for stopping by  ;)

Supplies

Yellow Card:
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Black, Grey, Daffodil, Primrose
Stamps: Stamping All Day - Art Deco Birthday
Ink:        Ranger - Perfect Medium
Other:    Thread; rhinestones

Blue and Orange Card:
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Black, Grey, Sky Blue, Citrus Orange
Stamps: NONE!
Ink:        Windsor & Newton - Light Blue
Other:    Thread; rhinestones

Black and White Card:
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Black, Grey
Stamps: NONE!
Ink:        Windsor & Newton - Black
Other:    Thread

Circles!...

Hi guys!

This is my second post of the day, scroll down for my other one!!

As predicted, I'm back with another CAS-ology card :)  

This one is literally a circular card and, if I do say so myself, it is cute!  It's just so dinky!  I had to make a little envelope for it as my envelopes were all too big.

Here's my little card;

...and here he is with his little envelope;

I used Spellbinders Labels 24 dies to make the small flowers and the leaves as I don't have a flower die this small, or this shape!  I'm quite pleased with my little card  :)

Thank you for stopping by ;)

Supplies
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Sky Blue, Bright Red
Stamps: Verve - Bloom & Grow
Ink:        VersaColor - Lapis Lazuli
Other:    Spellbinders - Classic Scallop Circles Large, Classic Circles Small and Large, Labels 24;
             Papermania - Clear e/p; thread, pearls

A rare event...

Hi there!

This is a very rare event indeed - I have managed to make one card for THREE challenges!  I generally tend to make one for each challenge, but I am running out of available time!!

I'm back with another entry for the Dynamic Duos!  I'm not sure that this one will count as I used a little bit of grey, but I'm hoping that that passes as a neutral ;)

I am also playing along with another new-to-me challenge at The Paper Players.  This week is a sketch by the wonderful Jaydee.  I love this sketch as you can use it as a super CAS sketch (which obviously I have!) or you could really dress it up and make it shabby chic.  I really wish I could get a grip on shabby chic and vintage, but alas, try as I might it still turns out a little too contrived :(

This also (I hope!) qualifies for the cue word over at CAS-ology this week, which is Circle;

The colours for Dynamic Duos are;

And the Paper Players sketch is;

...my card based on these is;

... and a little close up;

I chose the embossing folders for each of these circles on the fact that they are also all circular patterns :) 

I am planning on making another card for the CAS-ology challenge this week as my mind is racing with so many ideas!!!  I have until Sunday, I can see me blogging them all in the same day so I apologise in advance if I end up having a blogging binge :)

Thanks, as always, for stopping by ;)  All your comments mean so much and are really encouraging me of late ;)

Supplies
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Black, Pale Turquoise, Grey, Teal
Stamps: Verve - Hope Blooms
Ink:        SU! - Classic Black
Other:    Craft Concepts e/f - Grunge Dots, Jo's Circles; Provocraft e/f - Swiss Dots; rhinestones

CAS(E) This Sketch #16

Hello!

I know I'm cutting this seriously fine, but it's the first opportunity I've had to get this post done!!  Aaargh!

I did make this card for the CASology challenge as well at the awesome CAS(E) This Sketch sketch, however it's WAAAAY too late for the CASology deadline - whoops!  Ah well, at least I can still submit it for this one!

This is the fabulous sketch for CAS(E) this sketch;

I decided to go horizontal as this is something I never do.  The cue word over at CASology last week was 'FLAME', hence the colours I've used.  As soon as I saw the sentiment panel I thought 'bookmark' - don't know why, just did!  So that's what I made;

I made the black panel into a little pocket with flame coloured stitching down the side.  Then I just skid the bookmark into the pocket so that it can be removed to be used!  To make sure that the card wasn't too plain once the bookmark had been removed, I embossed another little sentiment underneath, like so;

And here are some more little pictures;

I loved this sketch and will absolutely be using it again!!!

Now to see if I can make the deadline for the new CASology challenge - CIRCLE!!!

Thanks for stopping by ;)

Supplies

Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Black

Stamps: Verve - Sunny Days, Great Friend, Hope Blooms

Ink:        VersaColor - White; Distress Ink - Antique Line, Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade, Barn Door

Other:    WOW! Opaque White Super Fine e/p; thread; rhinestones

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

Let It Snow...

Hello there!

How is everyone this morning?!  Good I hope :)  

I am going to get into the swing of things early this year and posting regularly is right up there on my to-do list.  Over the past few years I either seemed to have a lot of time or no time at all - this was due in part to work and other boring life commitments, but also to falling out of the habit of photographing and actually posting about the cards I made.  This year I am determined that it will be different and I am planning (with all the good intentions that January brings!) to make a considerably stepped up effort to come here more often!  I hope you don't get bored of seeing me so often!

Anyway, that's my little waffle over - on to the more interesting part, hopefully!  :)

Here's a little card I made for two challenges - WOW! Embossing Challenge where the theme is Ice & Snow and CASology where the cue word is 'Winter'.

I don't know if it shows up very well in this photograph, but the snowflakes are fabulously sparkly!  As is usual, this card looks better in real life but I hope you can get the general gist of it?!

Thanks for dropping in :)

Supplies
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White
Stamps: Papermania - Let It Snow
Ink:        VersaColor - Lapis Lazuli
Other:    WOW! embossing powder - White Pearl; Spellbinders - Create A Flake 3; Swiss Dots ef; glitter 
             glue; rhinestones and pearls

CASology - Green

Hey peeps!

I have managed to join in with the challenge over at CASology this week - woohoo!  I have also added another card to my Christmas pile, I love when challenges inspire cards that I actually need!

Now, I'm hoping the girls at CASology are going to let me off a little bit - cheeky I know!  :)  The inspiration word is 'GREEN'. 

Now, my card is green, however I have taken a liberty added a little tiny bit of red that I hope to get away with :)  I'm not how strict they're going to be, guess I'll find out soon!

Here's my card;

I sketched and cut out the little holly leaves - really should make a template, it would be much easier!  I heat embossed the sentiment with WOW! Clear Hologram embossing powder...I'm hoping you can kinda see it in this photograph, the light was absolutely terrible though!  It's bank holiday weekend in England in August, of course it's pouring with rain!

Can you kinda see the sparkles?!  Meh!

I hope that I don't get told off too much for adding my little berries :)

Thanks for stopping by :)

Supplies
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Apple Green, Forest Green
Stamps: Penny Black - 'T' for transparent Crystalline
Ink:        VersaColor - Black
Other:    WOW! Clear Hologram embossing powder; Spellbinders - Classic Circles, large; Crafty
              Ribbons - Greenbrier seam binding; rhinestones; pearls