Tuesday 30 June 2015

Snowman Silhouette


Isn't this a great new stamp from Little Claire? It is one of three new Christmas silhouettes launching this week. I have also used some gorgeous new papers from Little Claire called falling snow. I used both the 14cm square and the dinkie papers. The ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons and I used a joy snowflake and Doohickey slender fir dies with white glitter card and added some pearls.

Challenges
Allsorts Blue as the ocean 
Fab n Funky Christmas

Monday 29 June 2015

Another sneak peek


Today I have another sneak peak from LOTV to share with you but this time one of the new flower stamps. Such useful stamps as they will appeal to many people.
Image - LOTV Twirling Ivy available from 4 July
Medium - Copics
Papers - LOTV Romance and Rose
Dies - Marianne watering can, Britannia leafy flourish
Punch - Xcut embossed ivy
Other - builder's scrim from B&Q, flowers from stash

Challenges
Noor! Design UK Here comes Sumemr 
The Paper Shelter photo inspiration (inspired by the garden)

Sunday 28 June 2015

Choo choo


Purely coincidence that I have 2 train cards on my blog this week. This is such a fun image from Mo Manning called The Engineer which I coloured as always with Copics. The papers are First Edition Man Made and I simply added some baker's twine and some tickets made with the Tim Holtz ticket die on which I stamped the greeting.

Challenges
Top Tip Tuesday Name that tune (Last train to Clarksville by The Monkees) 
Bizzy Becs Anything goes
Cute Card Thursday stars and/or stripes

I am normally welcoming new followers but I notice I have lost 4 in the last couple of weeks, sorry to see you go. I appreciate every one who visits especially those who take the time to leave me lovely comments. Off to visit my Mum this morning then a trip into Norwich.

Saturday 27 June 2015

Shhhh!


This is one of the new Odd Dog stanps launching on 4 July from Lili of the Valley. They are totally adorable and you are going to love them.
Image - LOTV Odd Dog Sweet Dreams
medium - Copics
Papers - LOTV Sunny Side Up and Country Lady
Dies - MFT pierced rectangles and pierced fishtails
Other - burlap and button

I just bought the pierced fishtail dies and I think you will be seeing a lot of them as I love banners.

Challenges
Top Tip Tuesday Name that tune (How much is that doggy in the window?) 
Totally Tilda anything goes 
Bunny Zoe furry friends 
The Cutie Pie Cats and dogs 
Delicious Doodles anything goes
Creative Inspirations Your favourite (Lili of the Valley, Copics, layers, dies, burlap)

Friday 26 June 2015

Pretty Pen holders


Anything goes with ribbon is our new challenge at Crafty Ribbons. I bought these MDF pen pots from the MDF Man at Ally Pally and really like the way they turned out. I decorated 4 and have sold 2 of them at fairs. The papers are LOTV and the ribbons from Crafty Ribbons of course. I then added various flowers.

One of the ladies who bought one bought it for make up brushes and the other is a crafter who is going to use it to keep her pencils in whilst working on a card.

Challenges
Not Just Cards anything goes
Whimsy ribbon, lace or twine
Dream Valley girly

We are off out today to visit my good friend Lynsey. There is a lovely craft shop in King's Lynn, Sprinkle Twinkle so a visit there and then lunch in a little tearooms. Catch you later.

Thursday 25 June 2015

Dear Alice


Time for another Anything Goes at The Sugar Bowl but remember you must use a stamp from Funky Kits. Now mostly these are Sugar Nellie stamps of course but they also sell some Gorjuss Girls. I made this card for a friend's Birthday. I have to say the image was quite a challenge to colour and of course I chose the colour I find most challenging to use, purple. It doesn't matter which pens I have used over the years I have always found purple the most difficult, both in terms of blending and bleeding. However I got there with the second image I tried and I love it. I kept to the Alice in Wonderland theme with the crockery and playing card.
Image - Gorjuss Girl Dear Alice
Medium - Copics
Papers - First Edition New Bloom and an oddment
Ribbon - Crafty Ribbons
Dies - Doohickey lace border, Joy vintage teapot and cup and saucer
Playing card from a cracker several years ago
Pearls - Meiflower

Challenges
Bunny Zoe furry friends
Allsorts Use a stamp
As You Like it Favourite book (I have always loved Alice in Wonderland. It is such a quirky and visual book and the films just add to my enjoyment.) 
Creative Inspirations Your favourite (Gorjuss Girls, Copics, purple, dies, ribbon)

Wednesday 24 June 2015

WOW Baby


This little hedge is enjoying some Summer sunshine, wish we were. What a day yesterday, a little sun then pouring rain, dry for a while then pouring again and so cool too. I seem to be wearing the same clothes most of the year round. Hopefully it will get better soon.

So onto today's card, another white on white creation. These always sell well and I love them so I am definitely going to be making more of them. I wanted to make a card which is suitable for boys or girls.
Image - Penny Black baby hammock
Medium - Copics
Dies - Memory box flower, Spellbinder heart circle, Cheery Lynn butterflies
Embossing folder - Embossalicious butterflies

Challenges
Penny Black white on white 
Allsorts use a stamp 
Sweet Stampin' Bingo (embossing, diecuts, orange) 
Send a smile 4 kids animal cards 4 kids
  Live and love crafts in the garden 
Stamping Sensations Dies and punches 
Whimsy ribbon, lace or twine

I am off to the dentist this morning so fingers crossed I don't have to have any work done. Do check out my for sale page as many items have been reduced.

Tuesday 23 June 2015

Christmas Jumpers


This is the second scrapbook layout from me today. I am really pleased that I am managing to get more layouts done this year. Last year Christmas jumpers were everywhere and we thought we would buy some mainly to use at craft fairs. Hubby's is actually a sweatshirt with the Christmas coca cola truck on it. I used Dovecraft vintage noel papers, some washi tape, an assortment of letters and some Christmas jumper stickers I bought reduced in Hobbycraft last year.

Challenges
Stuck?! June 1st sketch 
Winter Wonderland anything but a card 
Craftyhazelnut merry and bright 
ABC Christmas L is for Lyrics (Merry Christmas everybody - Slade) 
Natalie and Amy Christmas

Back to 1988


I really love the challenges at As you like it as they really get you thinking. This time the challenge is your favourite book and why. I have always loved reading and always have a book on the go which means I have many favourites. One of them from recent years is The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger and this is what my scrapbook layout represents. (I know traveller should have 2 lls but that is the way the book is spelt! 

So thinking outside the box the meaning of my layout is travelling back to 1988, I am the wife and in Back to The Future they travelled back in time in a car. If you haven't read the book I urge you to read it as it is so clever and when you reach the end you want to start all over again. In fact it is in my pile of books to read again. The film is good but nowhere near as good as the book as usual.

I used a Marianne classic car die and the letters are some new ones I bought in Hobbycraft which look like scrabble tiles but are nice and flat.

Other Challenges
Stuck?! June 15th sketch which I rotated 
MAWTT Inspired by a song (Cars - Gary Numan)

Check out my for sale page, lots of dies and stamps for sale. I will be back later with another scrapbook page.

Monday 22 June 2015

For a man who loves trains


I have 2 cards to make for an order, a 60th for her Mum and a 70th for her Dad. This is one of the first Little Claire stamps I ever bought many years ago and although it is no longer available as a clear stamp it is available as a digi. I stamped it with white ink onto kraft as I love this effect. The papers are LOTV Up, Up and Away, clouds are Memory Box dies and I added some brown twine.

Challenges
Allsorts use a stamp 
Sentimental Sundays Father's Day/Manly card 
Crafting for all seasons It's a boy thing 
MAWTT Inspired by a song (Locomotion - Little Eva)

Check out my for sale page.

Sunday 21 June 2015

To the rescue


I am back with a second post today which I wasn't expecting. We had planned to be out for longer today but the weather wasn't great when we started out, dull and drizzly though it did get out sunny after a while. We decided to just go out for coffee and a visit to The Range where I didn't buy anything crafty! So when we got home I decided to do another scrapbook layout. I am doing really well with them this year.

Last year hubby joined the powerboat racing rescue team. He used to race hydroplanes when i first met him and he loves boats. I am afraid powerboat racing doesn't interest me at all so when he goes off on a Thursday afternoon I have plenty of time for crafting. 

I used DCWV Nantucket papers bought in America, Craftwork Cards tag, Clearly Besotted wave border, Go Kreate seagull and Joy lifebelt dies. The banner letters come from Hobby Lobby in America.

Challenges
Crafting by Designs Summertime fun 
Bizzy Becs anything goes 
Dies R Us flags or banners 

Have you checked out my for sale page, lots of lovely bargains.

Roses and lampposts


I had very successful sales at the hospital shop last Monday and the cards I made with the new LOTV art pads were very much admired. This is a 7" card and sold very quickly. I think the colours are so beautiful don't you?
Image - LOTV art pad tranquility
Papers - LOTV Dress shoppe
Sentiment - LOTV
Die - Joy lamppost
Punch - MS rose leaf
Flowers and pearls from stash

Challenges
Papertake ohh so pretty (use something pretty)

Check out my for sale page, lots of dies and stamps for sale.

Saturday 20 June 2015

At the church


Summertime is our new challenge today at A Gem of a Challenge. I chose to make an 8" square Wedding card which sold at the first craft fair I took it to. I think this is such a sweet image and one I will be using again and again. As I was typing this I remembered I have a new Marianne church die which I just had to have after seeing it on somebody's blog. It would have looked good on here, oh well next time.
Image - Pink Gem precoloured topper with added glitter
Papers - LOTV Dress Shoppe
Lace and ribbon - Crafty Ribbons
Punch - MS heart border
Flowers from stash

Challenges
Noor! Design UK Here comes Summer
In the Pink Summer
The Paper Shelter Make it digital 
Papertake Ohh so pretty (use something pretty) 
TTCRD anything goes 
Penny's anything goes
Deep Ocean Monochrome
MAWTT Inspired by a song (Going to the chapel by The Dixie Cups)

Friday 19 June 2015

Post it and pen holder


I made some postit and pen holders to sell at fairs and after playing around with the design this is the final version I am happy with.  This is my project today over at the Little Claire blog. Please hop over there for all the details including the measurement. I would love it if you would leave me a comment there as well as on this post.


This is the inside. I used double sided card which is why the pattern inside is different.


Thursday 18 June 2015

My Prince


One of the hardest things I find about scrapbook layouts is deciding on the titles. Often the title just comes to me but it wasn't until I had almost finished this layout that I knew what to call it. The picture is of my hubby with Sleeping Beauty at EPCOT, Disneyworld, Florida, and of course he is my prince.
Papers - HOTP
Dies - Go Kreate scalloped circle and MFT stitched jumbo fishtail stax  
Wooden tree from Hobbycraft
Buttons I have had in my stash for years
Baker's twine, wooden letters, washi tape

Challenges
The Sketchy challenges great sketch 
Not just cards anything goes 
Papertake Ohh so pretty (use something pretty) 
Penny's anything goes
Dies R Us Flags or banners

Wednesday 17 June 2015

Seascape


Another card using one of the new Lili of the Valley art pads, this time I made a 7" square card and used an image from the Sea Breeze pad along with paper from Romance and Roses. I used my new Clearly Besotted wave border along with a Go Kreate seagull, Cheery Lynn lighthouse and Joy anchor dies. I also used one of the new LOTV sentiments again.

Challenges
Cute Card Thursday Beside the seaside 
Bizzy Becs anything goes 
Noor! Design UK Here comes Summer
The Ribbon Girl anything goes with an image - masculine
Die Cuttin Divas Masculine 

Tuesday 16 June 2015

Joy to the world


Time to get cracking on some more Christmas cards and what a cracker this one turned out to be. I am so pleased with the layout and it is flat for posting too. I think I may well be making a few more in this style.
Image - Little Miss Muffet Celeste Amberglow carolling
Medium - Copics
Die - MFT jumbo stitched fishtail stax
Sentiment and die - Marianne dies
Other - Letraset fineliner for faux stitching, Stickles, pearl pen

Challenges

Little Miss Muffet Let's get stitched 
Di's Digis Use diecuts 
Send a smile 4 kids for the girls 
ABC Christmas L is for Lyrics (Joy to the World) 
Natalie and Amy Christmas 
Paper Creators anything goes 
Sparkles Christmas Christmas animals 
Stamping Sensations Dies and punches 
The Cutie Pie Cats and dogs
Dies R Us Flags or banners 
Bunny Zoe Furry friends

Monday 15 June 2015

Hunkydory in Cardmaking and Papercraft Magazine



If you have a copy of the July edition of Cardmaking and Papercraft magazine you will see these 4 cards I made. Something very different for me as I have never used a Hunkydory pack before. I must admit though that I was very pleased with the result. The images and papers are very pretty and didn't need too much embellishing to make the cards.

Today is my day for selling my crafts at the hospital shop so an early start. We are lucky having a Monday as it means we can set up on Sundays as nobody uses the shop at weekends. 




Sunday 14 June 2015

It's those mice in love again


I know you have seen me use this stamp before and I make no apology for using it again. I made this for some friends for their anniversary yesterday. I made two almost the same so that I could add one to my stock for craft fairs as it is always a popular seller. It does make it quicker to make that way having decided on papers and layout.
Image - Penny Black
Medium - Copics
Papers - Bo Bunny head over heels
Sentiment - Craftwork Cards

Challenges
Scribble and Scrap anything goes 
TTCRD anything goes 
Deep Ocean add a charm 
Bizzy Becs anything goes
Bunny Zoe Furry friends
MAWTT To the happy couple
Brown Sugar In the garden

Saturday 13 June 2015

Handyman


Our new challenge this month at Little Claire is Father's Day. I have been raiding my old stash again. I can't tell you how long I have had the star and tool brads but they go perfectly with the image and sentiment which are from the man of my dreams set. The image has been coloured with Copics. I though the ombre paper from Little Claire was perfect for this image. I used star punches, a crimper, star button and twine to finish. The Dad sentiment was produced on the PC.

Challenges
Papertake Something for the boys 
Dream Valley Father's Day 
Scribble and Scrap anything goes 
That Craft Place anything goes
Crafting for all seasons It's a boy thing

Friday 12 June 2015

New LOTV products


Have you seen the beautiful new paper pads and art pads just released by Lili of the Valley? I had to have them all and have been having a lovely time creating with them. I know these stunning images are going to be very popular at craft fairs. I get a lot of customers who don't want cute images so these will be perfect. The images are 6"x4" which makes them just the right size for an easel card.

For this card I have used an image from the Autumn Glory pad and paper from Sunny Side Up. I have also used one of the new sentiment stamps. I added some burlap and paper leaves I bought in Michaels in America.


This is the second card I made using an image from Summer Escapes and paper from Sunny Side Up again along with another of the new sentiments. I simply added some flowers and brads, nothing else needed.

Thursday 11 June 2015

Off to sea


A nautical card today using an old Forever Friends topper. I am doing quite well this year in using some of my older stash. I also used some old papers, ribbon from Crafty Ribbons and some new Joy seashore dies. I really like the effect of these with the Core'dinations.

Challenges
Papertake Something for the boys 
TTCRD anything goes 
Scribble and Scrap anything goes 
The Ribbon Girl animals
Bunny Zoe Furry friends
Crafting for al seasons It's a boy thing
Cute Card Thursday Beside the seaside

Wednesday 10 June 2015

Scooting by


When I saw there were a couple of white on white challenges I decided to make a Birthday card instead of my usual white on white Christmas or Wedding cards. Of course they are so hard to photograph especially with centura pearl card which I used for the embossing. I am trying to use my embossing folders more as I have had some of them like this one for years and years. 
Image - Penny Black
Medium - Copics
Dies - MFT in and out stitched rounded square, Joy presents border
Embossing folder - Cuttlebug Happy Birthday

I just bought these MFT dies and love them so you will be seeing a lot of them. The only thing I don't get is why they also give a stitched edge to the outside as that is the piece I throw away!

Challenges
Penny Black White on white 
Stamping Sensations Dies and punches 
Creative Knockouts Ribbon or bow 
MAWTT Happy Birthday 
Creative Card Crew White on white 
Graph'It Blues or Birthdays 
Sweet Stampin' Something old (embossing folder), something new (MFT die) 
The Ribbon Girl animals
Totally Tilda and friends gifts and balloons

Tuesday 9 June 2015

Happy Camper


Isn't this a fabulous new stamp from Stamposaurus. I can see this being very popular. This is one of 2 samples I have just made for their website and show stand.
Image - Stamposaurus
Medium - Copics, Sakura pens
Paper - magazine freebie
Dies - Memory Box butterflies and clouds, Cheery Lynn faerie mushrooms
Picnic basket button - Crafty Ribbons

Challenges
Noor! Designs UK Here comes Summer
Cute Card Thursday Summer colours 
Crafting by Designs anything goes 
The Paper Shelter make it colourful
Sweet Stampin' Something old, something new (Old paper, button, butterfly and cloud dies, new stamp)

Monday 8 June 2015

Love in a cup


This is hubby's anniversary card I made him for last Friday. He drinks a lot of tea and coffee. I lose count of how many times every day he says do you want a drink. I just bought these dies and knew they were perfect for the card I had in mind.
Image - Stamping Bella Maisie and Madeleine have some tea
Papers _ LOTV Beach Bliss
Dies - Joy vintage teapot and cups, Nellie Snellen oval
Punch - Hobbycraft folk heart
Sentiments - rubon and Craftwork Cards
Other - gauze, wooden hearts and pearls

Challenges
Papertake anything goes 
Handmade Bliss colour challenge
Crafting by Designs anything goes
Sister Act anything goes

Sunday 7 June 2015

Chloe in Making Cards Magazine


These are three cards which were published in the June edition of Making Cards which was out last month. The new edition will be out on Friday and I am very pleased to say I have some cards in that one too. These were all made with precoloured toppers from Pink Gem and all feature Chloe in various dressing up outfits. The lace and ribbon are from Crafty Ribbons, dies from La La Land and MFT.



Saturday 6 June 2015

Candy winners

Thanks so much to everyone who entered my candy. I am now collecting things for the next one. But first who are the lucky winners? 

First number drawn


That's you Sam/Whisper congratulations.

Second number drawn 


Congratulations Sue.

Could both winners please email me your address and I will post your goodies to you.

Up in the tree


Here is my DT card for the new challenge of something blue at A Gem of a challenge. I have used a pre coloured topper of Apple Tree Andy. The papers are First Edition It's a Boy, ribbon from The Hobby House. I love the bird house die which is from Die-namites from Dies to Die For. I added some card candi too.

Challenges
Fussy and fancy Fun in the sun
Papertake anything goes

Thanks to everyone who entered my candy. I will be drawing it over the weekend hopefully. Welcome to my new followers too.

Friday 5 June 2015

Celebration candy


To enter my celebration candy please click on the celebration candy page. Only entries via Inklinz on the candy page will be entered into the draw so click here to go to the candy page.

Yeehah


Today is our Wedding Anniversary but we will be going out tomorrow. Today we will be up early to head off the hospital for their quarterly craft fair. We really enjoy doing these and always do well. Also hubby has a check up on his recent eye surgery, but at a different hospital so he will be popping along there. We will go out for a meal tonight and then off somewhere for the day tomorrow instead of today.

I am getting on well this year with my scrapbook layouts and thought I would share this one with you today. The pics were taken in Florida in January. Graham had fun trying on some hats, The shirt is actually his which he bought in The White House Gift Shop in Washington DC. It was so appropriate for the picture, just a coincidence. There were some fabulous boots but I tried on a few and they were so hard and uncomfortable. Just as well as they were very expensive. I used some stickers and K&Co borders I bought in America a while ago. They matched the page perfectly.

Thursday 4 June 2015

Pink again!


Yes another pink card, this time using one of the gorgeous Elisabeth Bell toppers from The Hobby House. It dos amuse me when I use a topper I nearly always get at least one comment complimenting me on my colouring! I went for a shabby distressed look, using DI tattered rose and a distress tool,  pre shaped card and some old Papermania Henbury Lane papers. Just a few bits of these left, the best papers Docrafts have ever made I think. The sentiment is from Craftwork Cards, gradually using these up too. I used 2 neglected Martha Stewart flower punches along with more scraps from the same paper pack and added some pearls.

Challenges
That Craft Place shabby chic
Country View shabby chic
Noor! Designs UK Here comes Summer
Papertake anything goes option Summer
Crafting Musketeers Shades of Summer

Just two days left to enter my candy,

Wednesday 3 June 2015

Cats, cats and more cats


New digi challenge day at Little Claire and this month the challenge is ribbon and twine. Check out the fabulous cards from the rest of the DT. Enter using any digi stamp and you could win 5 digi stamps of your choice.
Image - Little Claire digi cats in squares
Medium - Copics
Papers - First Edition New Bloom
Other - ribbon, baker's twine, cat charm from stash

Challenges
Papertake anything goes 
TTCRD anything goes

Tuesday 2 June 2015

I just couldn't resist


The LOTV Design Collective were lucky enough to be sent a sample of the new paper pads and a couple of sentiments. Mine arrived today and I couldn't resist playing. they are all so gorgeous. These papers are from the new Dress Shoppe pad and they are just gorgeous. I used one of the wild flower art pad images, navy twine, a charm, MS rose leaf punch and a selection of flowers. The sentiment is from a new set which will be launched soon.

Challenges
Paper Creators anything goes 
Papertake anything goes option Summer 
TTCRD anything goes

This is my second card today. 
Please scroll down for more from LOTV and scroll up for my candy page,

Blossom


I love this little cutie called Blossom from LOTV. I seem to be making a lot of pink cards lately, no idea why.  I made her as one of my inspiration pieces as part of the LOTV DT and also to showcase their Facebook challenge of Summer.
Image - LOTV Blossom
Medium - Copics
Papers - LOTV Always and Forever
Dies - Doohickey lace border, Memory Box lavish branhc, Lea'bilites flowers
Punches - Fiskars and Memory Box butterflies, X cut small flower

Challenges
Creative Knockouts tic tac toe (diagonal - flowers, sentiment, die cuts/punches) 
In the pink things with wings 
Di's Digis 2 or more Designer papers
Everybody Art Green and pink
Sister Act anything goes

A few days left to enter my candy.

Monday 1 June 2015

Balancing Act


The first of the month means a new club stamp set from Little Claire and this month it is a set of cute hedgies. Did you know the hedgehog population is dwindling as there are less hedgerows and places from them to live. Part of the problem is people paving and gravelling their gardens particularly their front gardens. I love my garden and can't image not having a front garden. 

Anyway onto my card/ I used an embossing folder from Crafter's Companion with sanded Core'dinations, some raffia lace, Marianne flower die and pearls. The image has been stamped onto Neenah Desert Storm and coloured with Copics.

Challenges
Sister Act anything goes