Travels...

Hello, hello!

How are we all?!  I'm sorry I've been away so long, but I have a fairly reasonable excuse... :)  I started a new job on Monday and isn't it always the way that everything else gets super busy at the same time?!  My DOH had a lot of admin bits that he needed doing this week too (it's not that I'd left them until now, it's that they cropped up this week just because I was busier than usual!) so in actual fact I've been going to work for a rest!!  I still have a pile of washing to do too...I need a fairy!  ;)

I'm just scraping in for the deadline for this one!  I was lucky enough to be chosen as one of the winners at Catered Crop for last month's birthday card challenge with this card.  That means I get to join the fabulous DT as a Guest Designer for this months' challenge!  Whoop whoop!  The challenge this time is 'Safe Travels'.  

I'm not going to lie, when I saw this theme I thought 'this is definitely going to be a challenge!' because I don't have anything in my stash that's particularly travel-related.  But that's when things get interesting, right?!  So I had a little brainstorm and started thinking of things that are related to travel, which I like because you end up coming up with something that's less obvious than the theme.  My first thoughts were of maps and forms of transport, that sort of thing...but then I thought more about the emotional side of travel.  To travel means to leave the place you are in and head off somewhere new - which is exciting and can be sad all at the same time!  There's also a sense of freedom associated with taking yourself out of your familiar surroundings and knowing that you can go anywhere you want...I think that's fantastic!!  So, I went along these lines...  Then things got a bit profound - I think it's been one of those weeks!  I was thinking about how all of us are on a great big journey every day - the journey of life.  As Darnell tells us at the end of every one of her amazing posts - Life Is Too Short.  It's certainly too short to be doing something you hate - we should enjoy everything, no matter how small and change the things we don't like - simple right?!!

So, I know I got a bit off track with the whole travel thing, but those are the thoughts it invoked in me, so there!!

Anyway, enough babbling...the card...

I chose the Distress Ink colours - Broken China and Crushed Olive - because they remind me of when you look at an image of the globe - green for land and blue for ocean.  Again, maybe another tenuous link, but it's a link all the same!  I really like this sentiment - I think it's just perfect :)

I'm also entering this card for the current CAS-ual Fridays challenge which is '2 Shades of Grey' - I'm so glad they didn't go with 50!  ;)  They've updated the rules over there so you should definitely check it out if you haven't already :)

Thank you so much for coming back to see me after my absence!  ;)

Supplies
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Black, Grey, Sky Grey
Stamps: Clear Impressions - Cherry Blossom
Ink:        Ranger - Perfect Medium; Distress Ink - Broken China, Crushed Olive
Other:    WOW! - Ebony e/p; pearls

Love, love, love...

Hello, hello!

How are you all?  I hope you all had a fabulous weekend and got a chance to get some crafting in :)

Well, all has returned to normal here.  We are both home, myself from visiting family and DOH from sunny Australia.  Bless him, at the wedding he got heat stroke and nearly passed out!  He was fine after a while though and by all accounts was well looked after by his nearest and dearest in my absence :)  He had a fantastic time and I know he wished he could've stayed longer, but that's life I suppose.  We're planning a trip over there, hopefully this year, to spend some quality time with his family :)

But now, it's that time of year again when I wish I'd bought a heart die!!  Every year I think, 'this would be easier if I had a heart die, I'll make sure I get one of those' and yet here we are, another year has passed still with no die!  Stars, that's another die set on my list...maybe one day I'll get round to it ;)

I have made two cards today (the withdrawal of being away from my desk has put me into overdrive!) both of which are for Valentines Day :)  This first one is for my DOH and is for THREE challenges!  It's rare that I make a card that is eligible for that many challenges!

This idea has been floating around my head for a little while now...I'm not entirely sure where it came from?!  I also wasn't sure how I was going to make it into a reality so I just went with it and here's how it ended up!  It really doesn't require an explanation so I'll not bore you!  The only thing I will say is that yes, the sentiment is handwritten :)  I haven't used the Gothic style font for ages...when I first started calligraphy it was absolute favourite so I thought it was time I had another go at it :)

I am entering this card into the following challenges;

Cas-ual Fridays - Over The Edge...the little heart is trying to make a bid for freedom!

Addicted To CAS - Love...that's pretty obvious I would've thought!

Paper Mill Direct - create a Valentine's card...and I used Paper Mill Direct card, as always!!

The second card I have to show you today is the same as one I made last year, in May I think?  The only difference is I swapped the lime green for red as requested by my brother as a Valentine's card for his partner and I thought I'd share it anyway :)  It has a completely different feel to it actually, I was surprised at what a difference changing one colour made!

Thank you very much for stopping by guys, I appreciate it :)  I will catch up on commenting I have missed and I shall certainly have a browse of blogland as soon as I can because I've missed y'all!!

Supplies

Card One

Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Grey, Black, Bright Red

Stamps: Hero Arts- Valentine Flourishes

Ink:        Ranger - Perfect Medium; Windsor & Newton - Black

Other:    Cosmic Shimmer - Berry Red Aurora e/p; rhinestones

Card Two

Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Grey, Black, Ruby Red

Stamps: Hero Arts - Valentine Flourishes

Ink:        Ranger - Perfect Medium

Other:    WOW! - Ebony e/p; Spellbinders - Classic Edges One, Circles; pearls

What a game!!...

Hey!

How is everyone today?  I don't know about you, but I think this week has absolutely FLOWN by!  I mean, it's Thursday already!  How on earth did that happen?!  

I made a card last night, when I was supposed to be cooking dinner, for the Muse challenge and also for the CAS-ual Fridays challenge.  

This is an example of what I was talking about the other day...a card that you think is going to be awesome (or at least has the potential to be) and then when you've actually finished making it, well, not so much...  This could be a grower and I don't think it's as bad as I think it is (if you know what I mean?!) but more that it didn't end up exactly the way I planned...I dunno...?

Anyway, here it is...

A bit of a fail here on the mirror card photography - apologies people!  I STILL only have one light source...I am working on it!  For such a 'simple' card, I can tell you that this bad boy has taken the best part of two hours.  Yep, you read that right...two hours!  Now you're all thinking that I am a little bit simple myself...I hear ya!  So do I!  Ha ha!  That little star, that TINY little star is what caused the bulk of the aggravation.  I can't even tell you why, but it took me an age to get it to the size I wanted and the perfect shape.  It really didn't need to be so difficult, especially as I did exactly the same thing the last time as I did the first time and all the other times in between to draw the star shape?!  Pleeease, how does that make any sense?!  I am now on first name terms with my protractor and there are lots of pieces of paper currently residing on my desk that have a variety of sizes of stars drawn on them!  

Throughout the whole ordeal, I had a song going round in my head...it was the song 'Ex-Factor' by Lauryn Hill and the opening lyrics are... "It could all be so simple, but you'd rather make it hard"!!!  See?!  Sorry about that little tangent there!  (Showing my age now with my music taste!)

Here's the little sausage in all his glory...finally!!

What you can't really see in the photograph either is that the black panel with the star and sentiment on is popped up from the gold and black base.  I thought that the 'daisy' style die cut looked kinda like little stars too, hence he got a place on this card ;)

Here is the Muse card from Marion Vagg that my card was based on...

I did try to stamp my sentiment vertically, as I have done many times before, but I just CANNOT do it!  I can't...I actually start sweating!  I love how Marion's card has the vertical sentiment, but I just can't do it myself - d'oh!

The little menace of a star means this is another entry for CAS-ual Fridays - whoop whoop!  Yes I know, another CAS-ual Fridays entry...the inspiration really, well, inspired me this time round and who am I to ignore it!  ;)

Thank you to all those who have taken the time to read this whole post...I probably should've placed a warning at the top of it!  I really hold no grudges against anyone who just scrolled to the pictures, I don't blame you in the slightest!  Just thank you all for stopping by ;)

Supplies
Card:     Paper Mill Direct - Black; Create & Craft - Gold Mirror Card
Stamps: Verve - Glad Tidings
Ink:        Ranger - Perfect Medium
Other:    Spellbinders - Classic Decorative Inserts Three; WOW! - Metallic Rich Gold e/p; gold thread

An inspiration medley...

Hey guys!

I'm here with another Christmas card...big surprise there huh?!

I have made this card as a second entry into CAS-ual Fridays, an interpretation of the sketch at CAS(E) this sketch (you'll see what I mean hopefully!) an entry into the 'Transparent' challenge at Addicted To CAS AND, last but by no means least, the challenge over at WOW! Embossing Powder this month is 'Stars and Stripes'!  Phew!  

ETA:  It has been pointed out to me that this card may also qualify for the criteria over at the Merry Monday challenge which is Blue, White and Silver.  I am hoping my little pop of gold doesn't count me out, I'll pop it in to this challenge anyway and we'll soon find out I suppose!  Thank you!

Here is my card...

and a little close up for ya...

Now...I realise that this may not be exactly what the guys over at Addicted To CAS meant when they chose 'transparent' as the cue card and I'm almost certain this is completely different to what the WOW! guys had in mind too...but bear with me a moment and I'll try to explain my logic!

I was going to make these banners using acetate - that's about as transparent as it gets, right?!  But, then I thought of winter and frosty windows and so I decided on vellum to portray that...with me?!  And for WOW! I was thinking that snowflakes are like winters' stars and these banners are my stripes!  If these links are a little too tenuous then I do apologise, but that's where my little brain took me when I was thinking about the inspirations!

I swapped the speech bubbles in the CAS(E) this sketch sketch for the banners...I think that's quite obvious!  As is the stitching for the CAS-ual Fridays challenge ;)

I really wish that I'd used gold for the central banner because there's less contrast between the white and silver snowflakes than I was anticipating, but I just didn't have the time to re-do it so it is what it is!  I'm hoping it's one of those things that only pedantic arty people like us will notice and that the recipient of this card will never even consider that fact!  ;)

Now that I have my needle and threads out I have an idea for another stitched card using the Muse inspiration, I just hope it turns out how I'm imagining!  ;)

Challenges:

Thank you so much for dropping in ;)

Supplies
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Navy; Vellum
Stamps: Penny Black - Crystalline; Wild Rose Studios - Let It Snow
Ink:        Ranger - Perfect Medium
Other:    WOW! - Bright White Opaque, Silver Super Fine, White Twinkle, Metallic Gold Rich e/p; thread

Holidays are coming...

Howdily doodily people!

I hope all is well with everyone and you're enjoying the start of the new week!  I am currently having a delayed weekend as we ended up working Saturday and Sunday so we've decided that we're going to have Monday and Tuesday off.  It's just as well actually because we popped out last night for a 'few drinks' to celebrate our friends' birthday and I don't know about anyone else, but it has occurred to me that I just can't do these things any more without paying for it dearly the following day!  Oh well, it was a lovely evening and like I say, no work today!  

So, what better way to spend my pyjama day than at my desk!?  It was a no brainer really!  

A few days ago I saw somewhere that it's only 70-something days until Christmas and I was like...what!?!?!?!  As of today it is 71 days until the big day - I cannot believe how quickly this year has just zoomed by!  I think time has crept on my darling mother too as she called me today in a panic as she realised that my birthday was coming up sooner than she thought!  To be perfectly honest, I'd forgotten too!  I'm half hoping that if I don't have this birthday then the biggie next year can't happen because I won't be another year older!  ;)

Luckily, I'm on a kinda Christmas roll here in my little craft space (which is handy given the number of cards I need to make, not only for myself but for other people!  Jack darling, your 30 cards are ready and waiting for you to collect!)

The idea for this card has been floating around my brain for a little while now, although not in a lucid form, if you know what I mean?!  I had the notion of what I wanted it to look like, but the details evaded me...until I saw the challenge over at CAS-ual Fridays - In Stitches.  The little light bulb in my mind 'pinged' and this card finally got it's debut!

You know how sometimes you can have a great idea for a card (well, you think it is anyway!) and then when you actually make it it's a bit of a disappointment and you look at it and think 'meh'?!  Well, this card actually turned out just how I imagined it!  Whoop whoop!  The stitching solved a big problem for me as I was wracking my brain as to how I was going to make little silhouettes of trees without having any silhouette stamps!?  I don't know why I didn't think of it before, but sometimes you just need a little nudge, right :)

Now, there's also the Festive Friday challenge going on just now which is to make a project the 'whimsical' in nature.  I have no idea if this counts as even remotely whimsical, because if I'm honest I find it difficult to pin down exactly what that means when it comes to cards?  (Call me dim, but we all have our flaws!)  So, I'm going to enter this into the challenge and wait for the inevitable comment which says, "thanks for entering, but you just don't get it do you?!" !!  I'm cool with that, just let me know ;)

I think that's just about enough jabbering for today, I'm off for another cup of peppermint tea to see if I can't fix this hangover inexplicable tiredness!  ;)

Thank you so much for stopping by ;)

Supplies
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White
Stamps: Bo Bunny - Sentiment Stamps
Ink:        VersaColor - Black; Distress Ink - Broken China
Other:    WOW! - Clear Hologram e/p; thread; rhinestones

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

A biker wedding...

Hello there!

On Friday night a good friend of mine asked me to make a card for his friend's wedding which was this afternoon.  When I asked him what the wedding colours were, he had no idea!  Hmm, helpful!!  The couple who were getting married both have Harley Davidson's, however and the grooms bike is black and turquoise so he decided that he'd like a card in those colours, so that's what I did :)

I don't know about you, but I find it difficult enough to make wedding cards (which I can only put down to the pressure of wanting to make something extra special for an extra special day!?) let alone making one for people I've never met!  Anyway, I gave it a go and this is what I came up with...

I have used this combination of die cuts for a wedding card before (for my best friend's wedding last year) and I think it looks pretty intricate without being too difficult to make - which is always a bonus!  

When I showed the card to my friend to make sure he liked it (although it was a bit late for him to say no as it's not like he gave me a great deal of notice!) he then told me that the brides bike is pink!  If I had known I'm sure I could've incorporated a bit of pink in there somewhere!  Hopefully she has had such a wonderful day that she won't notice too much :)

I am going to pop this card into the CAS-ual Fridays challenge which is 'Congratulations' this week.  This card is to congratulate the bride and groom on their wedding day so I think that counts!  ;)

Thanks for stopping by ;)

Supplies
Card:     Paper Mill Direct - Black, White, Teal, Pale Turquoise
Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Big Day Additions
Ink:        Ranger - Perfect Medium
Other:    WOW! - Silver super fine e/p; Spellbinders - Parisian Motifs, Fleur De Lis Motifs; Crafty Ribbons
              - Silver seam binding; pearls

A little liberty...

Hey peeps!!

How are we all?!  Good I hope :)  Hello to my new followers, I'm glad you could join me!  I hope that you enjoy my blog and I can keep you interested with my posts...I shall certainly try!  ;)

My brother came down to visit us this weekend which was lovely!  I haven't seen him for a few months which is strange for us as he ordinarily comes to visit at least once a month or thereabouts.  So, it was really good to catch up and drink some wine!  Hence, no blogging or card making of any description over the weekend.  I have had a chance to sit at my desk today though, after the clean up!

I have made a card using this weeks sketch for CAS(E) this sketch...I have taken a little liberty though, only a little one...I hope that's ok?! ;)  I'm so rubbish at sticking to the rules!  I hope you can still see the sketch in there!

Here's the sketch...

...and here's my card...

...you see...I replaced the three cascading tags with one label, but my redeeming feature (as I see it anyway) are the three pearls placed vertically down the solid strip ;)  This card took on a life of it's own if I'm honest.  The blue/green blended strip was actually an off cut from this card I made last week.  Because I am a messy crafter (I hate to admit this, but it is so true that I just cannot deny it!) this off cut happened to be left sitting on top of a black piece of card and a grey piece, which made me think that they looked pretty good together!  I guess that makes this an organic card...maybe?!  ;)  I decided to go with the clear matt embossing on the background again because I liked it so much last time I did it  :)

I am also going to enter this baby into CAS-ual Fridays Birthday Bash as it is still open and this is a birthday card!  They're going to be sick of seeing my name pop up on the linky's - sorry girls!!  :)

So there we are..another day, another card :)

Thank you ever so for stopping by ;)

Supplies
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Black, Grey
Stamps: SU! - En Francais; Stamping All Day - Art Deco Birthday
Ink:        Ranger - Perfect medium; Distress Ink - Broken China, Crushed Olive
Other:    WOW! - Clear Matt Dull, White Opaque Super Fine, Metallic Blue e/p; Spellbinders - Labels 1; 
             pearls

Dynamic Duos...dessert option?

Hello!

I am here with my entry for the Dynamic Duos challenge this week which is a gorgeous combination of black and grey, with a dessert option of a masculine card.

When I saw these colours together I thought 'there are gonna be some real stunners this week'!!  I was right :)  I also thought, however, that I'd come up with something right off the bat...er...wrong!  It's ok though, because I'm quite pleased with the card I did create  :)  

As per usual, I don't think you can get the full effect of this card from the photograph.  It looks quite plain here, but in real life it's quite tactile.  The background script is embossed in the awesome Clear Matt Dull powder from WOW! Embossing Powder - I love this stuff!  It gives a completely different effect than normal clear embossing - obviously!  It feels kinda soft and I think it's quite elegant :)  I received my new embossing powders this morning (my prize for winning WOW!'s challenge in February with this card) and I cannot wait to give them a go!  

I don't know if this counts as a masculine card because of the pearls and ribbons, but I'm pretty sure there are some guys out there who wouldn't mind that!  ;)

I am also entering this into the CAS-ual Fridays Birthday Bash challenge.  I hope Michele is enjoying her birthday and all the birthday love!  :)

Thanks for stopping by, you guys are great!  ;)

Supplies
Card:     Paper Mill Direct - White, Black, Grey
Stamps: Stamping All Day - Art Deco Birthday; SU! - En Francais script
Ink:        Ranger - Perfect Medium
Other:    WOW! - Clear Matt Dull and Silver super fine e/p; Spellbinders - Labels 18; Crafty Ribbons -
              Mist seam binding; pearls

Viva La Verve catch up...

Hello there!

Is everyone ready for the weekend?!  I hope you all have some exciting plans.  I think mine will involve doing some washing and cleaning as my other half is working :(  Ah well, at least everything will be clean!

I'm here today with a card that combines the colour scheme at the Play Date Cafe this week and a sketch from Viva La Verve.  Originally, I made this card based on the sketch for week 4 by Andrea.  It was a bit fussy for me so I decided to simplify it.  When I'd finished my card, I realised that it was almost exactly what was required for the first weeks' sketch by Amber which has had me stumped!!  How bizarre!  So, I'm using this card as my week 1 entry instead and I'll have another go at Andrea's sketch over the weekend maybe - I might even attempt to keep all the layers - maybe!  ;)

I am also entering this for the challenge over at CAS-ual Fridays - it's been such a long time since I participated in this challenge, which is crazy since it was the reason I started my blog in the first place!!  I just had to join in :)  The challenge this week is BIRTHDAY!!!  I can see there being a plethora of entries for this challenge!  It's open for a little longer than usual and it's all in aid of Michele's birthday!  Happy Birthday Michele!!

Here's Amber's sketch...

...the awesome Play Date Cafe colours...

...the CAS-ual Fridays theme...

...and my card...

Now, the pink and yellow are MUCH brighter than that in real life...can I get the colours to come through on my photo's...NO!  Doh!  They are much more like the mood board colours, so you'll just have to imagine for now!  :)

This card came together pretty quickly, especially for me...it usually takes me an inordinate amount of time!  I love these colours but I don't think I would've been brave enough to have put them together myself - I love challenges :)

Thanks for stopping by and a big hello and welcome to my new followers and commenters - you make my day! ;)

Supplies
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - Black, White, Raspberry Pink, Daffodil, Sky Grey
Stamps:  Hero Arts - Small Open Flower; Stamping All Day - Art Deco Happy Birthday
Ink:        Ranger - Perfect Medium
Other:    Spellbinders - Labels 18, Fancy Tags Three; WOW! - Ebony e/p; 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