A Play Date with Verve...

Helloo!

First things first; call me slow (I am!) but I have only just noticed that I have a bunch of new followers!  Hi guys!  Thank you so much for joining me here :)  

The reason I hadn't noticed is that I don't look, ever.  I'm not rude, I promise!!  When I first started my blog I had been following other people for ages and they all had hundreds of followers.  Obviously, when I posted the first couple of times I didn't have any followers, but I thought it might pick up a bit the more I posted.  Well...it will be two years in July and I still don't have hundreds of followers!  Ha ha!  I decided, so as not to get too disheartened, to just not look at the 'number'.  I am happy to make my cards, hopefully get a comment or three (which absolutely makes my day!) and enter the challenges that I enjoy participating in.  I am SUPER grateful to all those who do follow my blog, don't get me wrong - you guys are the best!  ;)

Ok, on to the card now :)

As the title implies, this is the sketch from Viva La Verve meeting the colours from the Play Date Cafe.  Simples, right?!!

So there's the sketch and the colour story.  To say I was slightly worried by the THOUSANDS of layers on that sketch would be an epic understatement!  Despite my best efforts, me and layers just don't ever seem to get on well!  Meh...I carry on regardless however...practice makes perfect and all that, right?  Are you ready?...

...honestly, still not sure how I feel about this card.  Unlike yesterday's CAS(E) this sketch card, I really had to work at this one and I think that's where the problem lies.  The background paper definitely saved it - you should've seen it before!  It is a grower I think as the more I look at it the better it gets :)  I'd love to know what you guys think...you always seem to see things that I'm too close to notice!  This is another one that will be winging it's way to my darling Mother and because she's my Mother she'll love it anyway ;)  Mum's are the best!

Thanks for stopping by ;)

Supplies
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - Off White, Ivory Hammered, Pale Turquoise, Navy, Citrus Orange; K&Co. -
              Best Of paper collection
Stamps:  Verve - Wishful Elegance
Ink:         VersaColor - Black
Other:     Spellbinders - Classic Scallop Circle Large, Classic Edges Two, Labels 18; WOW! - Ebony e/p;
              Crafty Ribbons - Indigo seam binding; star rhinestones

Shooting star...ish!...

Hey!

How ya doin'?

I am feeling back in the groove now!  Woohoo!  I am so grateful for all your wonderful comments, they really spur me on - thanks guys :)

Today I am here with a card for CAS(E) this sketch - just love this challenge!  I actually made this card as the challenge went out yesterday, but decided to post it today to spread my posts out a bit.

The sketch this week is...

...how super-duper versatile is that bad boy?!!  I can see me using this one again in the future - the possibilities are endless!

...so, there he is!  I love black, white and lime together ever since I did the stationary for my best friend's wedding :)  I don't know if you can see it very well in this picture, (maybe if you can enlarge it?!) but the sentiment is on a little flag that is only attached under the star - it's like a shooting star! :)  (I do try and keep my crazy hidden from you lovely, well adjusted people.  Sometimes it just peeks out though - sorry!)  I made the star a sparkly one and popped him up on foam tape to add a bit more interest to what is a really simple card.  I also used my brand new stamp for the sentiment (ssshhh, don't tell him!  It arrived yesterday having only ordered it on Tuesday - how good is that?!) - I love the Art Deco style.

This card came together so quickly - I looked at the sketch and knew exactly what I was going to make and then I made it and it looked just as I had envisaged!  Pleased or what?!!  This is another card that is going into the parcel of birthday cards that I am making for my Mum.  Long story short...I gave her a bundle of cards to sell for me up where she lives and she ended up using them all herself!  She called me the other day to let me know she had run out but then realised she had to confess!  Bless her :)  So, I am on a birthday card mission now!  

Thanks for stopping by today and bless you if you actually read my somewhat unhinged ramblings!  ;)

Supplies
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Black, Lime; Papermania - Glittered paper
Stamps: Stamping All Day - Art Deco Birthday
Ink:        VersaColor - Black
Other:    WOW! - Ebony e/p; Spellbinders - Classic Edges One

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, baby...!

Hellooo!

Today I am here with a happy card - the best kind huh?!!  :)  On Monday, my friends' daughter had a little baby boy!  They've called him Tommy and he is just gorgeous!  I haven't seen him in the flesh yet :(  but the photo my friend showed me was just adorable :)

So, I had cause to make a baby card.  I used this Retro Sketches sketch;

At first, I thought the sketch looked a little busy for me, but after looking through the DT examples I was convinced to have a go :)  Here is what I came up with;

I used patterned paper - in fact I used TWO patterned papers!!  I do love papers, however I never feel like I can make them look right; therefore I have a large stash of them and very seldom do they actually get their debut!  Well, not today!

I hope Kim (the new Mum) and her family are enjoying their beautiful new addition - I can't wait to meet him!  This card will be on its way to them this afternoon :)

Thanks for stopping by ;)

Supplies

Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Sky Blue; K&Co - Best Of

Stamps: Verve - Hope Blooms, Sunny Days; Stamping All Day - Baby Footprints

Ink:        VersaColor - Cyan; Rangers - Perfect Medium

Other:    Spellbinders - Small and Large Classic Circles; WOW! - Pastel Yellow and Pastel Blue e/p; 

             whisper white wool; pearls; Tonic double corner punch

Dynamic Verve...! :)

Hi guys!

How are we all?  Good I hope :)

My mojo is gradually coming back to me, not as quickly as I'd like because I'm impatient, but I'm pleased nonetheless!

I decided to combine the sketch for week 2 over at Viva La Verve with the colour combo for Dynamic Duos this week.  This is a colour combination that I have never used before and I don't think would ever have entered my mind to use - it's wicked though so I'm glad I had a go!

I wasn't sure about this card when I finished it...which is usual lately!  However, I was speaking to my brother on FaceTime yesterday afternoon after I'd made it and he said he really liked it so that's good enough for me!  If there's anything that I can trust my brother to do, it's tell the truth - be it good or bad!  So, if he says he likes it, he means it :)  Thanks Jack!  :)

Anyways, here's the sketch and the colour combo;

...and here is my card;

For a change, I took a slight liberty with the sketch, I hope Laurie won't mind too much ;)  This card is starting to grow on me, I have to admit :)

I'm hoping to be around a bit more now, I've got a lot of challenges to catch up on since my absence - I'm out of the swing a bit!  Thank you to everyone for sticking with me, and the encouraging comments you have all left have been exactly that!  Love you all!  :)

Thanks for stopping by ;)

Supplies

Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Pale Turquoise, Bright Red

Stamps: Verve - Wishful Elegance

Ink:        Ranger - Perfect Medium

Other:    WOW! - Ebony e/p; Cuttlebug - Daisy e/f; thread; rhinestones

Birthday card...

Hi!

As promised, I am back with another card  :)

This one was inspired in part by Erum and based on the sketch and inspiration image over at Viva La Verve.  Yeh, I know, I'm super late with this sketch and I can't enter it, but I really liked the layout and when my mojo made its' come back I knew I needed to make it!

Here's the sketch and inspiration image;

...and here's my card;

This card is for my Dad - I hope he likes it.  I was quite pleased with how it turned out, just how I had pictured!  That just about never happens!

Thanks for stopping by ;)

Supplies
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Black, Lime; Papermania - Glitter card
Stamps: SU! - French Script; Papermania - Celebration
Ink:        VersaColor - Black, Green; Perfect Medium
Other:    Spellbinders - Classic Circles, Scalloped Circles; WOW! - Green e/p; Craft Concepts - Grunge Dots e/f

You inspired me...!!

Hey ya!

How is everyone?  Good I hope :)  I hope you all enjoyed the long Easter weekend.

I have some good news...I think my mojo is slowly returning!!  Yay!  It is yet to be confirmed, but I'm hoping that soon the results will speak for themselves...we'll see!

To jump start my mojo, I tried using a plethora of challenges but to no avail.  Then I decided to go on the prowl and search through my favourite blogs.  E.T. - you inspired me!!  Thank you so much!!  

I absolutely love everything that Erum creates - she's fabulous!  I don't know how she does it, but she can turn out the best CAS card you've ever seen one minute and the next is an awesome album project or something fabulously shabby chic - how is that possible?!  I don't know, but I love it!  You must check out her blog if you haven't already, you're gonna love it :)

I was reading this post and I was inspired too :)  Here is how it turned out, I hope that it does the original CASE'd idea some sort of justice;

I am going to enter this over at Simon Says Stamp as the theme is 'Anything Goes'. 

I have another card for you all tomorrow.  Yep, I was on a roll...long may it continue ;)

Thanks for stopping by ;)

Supplies

Card:      Paper Mill Direct - Black, Pale Turquoise; John Lewis tissue paper; handmade paper

Stamps: SU! - French Script; Verve - Hope Blooms

Ink:        VersaColor - Black, Silver, Sky Grey

Other:    Spellbinders - Classic Circles, Scalloped Circles; Tim Holtz - Tattered Florals; WOW! - Ebony,

             Super Fine Silver e/p; brad; glitter glue