Saturday 28th January

It is the weekend again and I have spent most of today in my craft room but I have just realized that I am hungry so I have called it a day. I didn't get ant crafting done yesterday as I spent the whole day shopping at Meadowhall, the sum total of my purchases was one bottle of top coat nail varnish, when what I really wanted was an outfit for a party. How is it that when you are not looking for anything there are always loads of things that you like but when you are desperate you can't find a thing ?
I digress, the card that I have made this afternoon I would like to enter for Rainbow Lady's challenge -
"Scottish theme" to celebrate Burns night.

For the base card I have used an A4 sheet of tartan Kanban card. I matted Dark red card with gold and wrapped a tartan ribbon round it, I then fixed it to the centre of the base card. I fixed another length of ribbon across the top of the base card with a bow in the centre, the loose ends of the bow were fastened loosely at measured interval to the matted card. The images are two freebies from Dover Publications. I have coloured them with Promarkers and distressed the edges. I then matted and layered with deep red and gold, I have then fixed them with foam pads onto the centre of the trailing ribbons card 

Thursday 26th January 2012

Well, my good intentions of doing three challenges every week are failing miserably. I have loads of family birthdays this month and next month four of which are biggies. I have been trying to fit my birthdays in with the topics but it hasn't always worked (note to self, must do better).
The weather has been abysmal so at least I have had no desire to go out anywhere, it made my little craft room look very warm and cosy, although after three days of incessant card making it looks like a tip.
The image below I would like to enter for CD Sunday challenge "Zodiac"

I have made it from the Zodiac section on Linda Ravenscroft's "Enchanted" CD.

I have used an 8x8 card layered with the matching backing papers. The center backing paper I have edged with the edging strips on the accessories sheet. I have decoupaged the image and adhered it to the centre of the card. I wrote the sentiment using the software provided on the CD. I finished it of with another sentiment in the corner.

17th January 2012

This month is flying and although we have had a hard frost for the last few mornings, poking their little white heads through  in my garden is a patch of beautiful snowdrops. I hope that this means that spring is on it's way and not snow.
My son and Daughter in law have been sending stunning pictures to my mobile from New York where they are having a holiday, I am not in the least bit envious (I tell lies too :-) )
My latest card I have done for Rainbow Lady's challenge, the title is "The many faces of women"

I have used a cream base card which unfortunately I appear to have cut off when cropping the picture. I have matted with dark brown card. The main image is a wooden stamp that I have had for years, all the other stamped images are from a sheet from Inkilicious. All the images have been stamped and distressed with walnut and old paper distress inks. The background paper with the face is a free download that I acquired years ago, sorry I can't remember where from. The embellishments are lace from my stash and flowers made from the backing paper

9th January 2012

We have had a wonderful drive through Sherwood forest today, the sun was shining and the weather was quite mild, we stopped for lunch at a lovely restaurant and afternoon tea at a quaint little coffee shop.
 I think that spring must be on it's way, the daffodil shoots are peeping through, the primulas are in flower, I hope that I am not speaking too soon, we will probably have snow next week.
I am back on my challenge drive now. This card I would like to enter for -
Rainbow Lady's challenge - "Travel into 2012" and
Crafty Ann's challenge - "Lets think hot"

I downloaded the image and imported it into MCS where I manipulated it. I then decoupaged it using  Pinflaire silicone glue. Matted it with gold miri card and and mounted it onto Burgundy coloured card. I finished it off with red satin ribbon.  

Wednesday 4th January 2012

Well, where did the end of the year go. I have only just managed to get into my craft room, I was having real withdrawal symptoms. I have finished a couple of birthday cards so I thought that it would be a good time to start back on some challenges. It was a little difficult to do them before Christmas because my old laptop went to laptop heaven and I had to use a netbook. So now armed with brand spanking new laptop, I have done my first challenge of 2012.

This is for CD Sunday Challenge "O for Olympics"
And Rainbow Lady's Challenge "My Choice"

I have used Scrapbook Artist Cd to make the topper. I have then matted and layered with gold plus red white and blue card. The backing paper is from "Men's collection" on My Craft Studio. The whole card was made from 8x8 dark blue card and embellished with a re ribbon bow

9th December 2011

I hope that you have all managed to weather the storms. We had to rescue our garden swing which had been blown down a two foot drop from the patio and quite a few meters down the lawn. It wouldn't have been quite so bad had it not been for the fact that the wind was blowing a hooly and the rain was horizontal.
That doesn't matter now because I am tucked up in my warm craft room trying my best to finish my Christmas cards. It was whilst I was doing them that I realized that this one  will fit into one of the categories for Crafty Ann's Challenge so that is what I am entering it for

The image has been stamped using a LOV stamp and coloured with Promarkers. It is mounted on card cut with a Nestibility die Then matted with white card that has been embossed with a cuttlebug embossing folder, red card and gold Miri card. The background paper is a free download that I acquired many years ago and it is matted onto gold Miri card. The sentiment is computer generated.

1st December 2011

Ohhhh, on the last lap and maybe too late but I will try anyway. I made this card for Rainbow Lady's challenge "Men's Cards" but I have had so much trouble photographing it because of the reflection of the gilding  flake. Thank to Cynthia I have now scanned it and it is much better although it still doesn't show up the rich red/gold gold flake so it is quite disappointing

.

I have used a black background. The image has been done using gilding flakes in red/gold and a Dream weaver stencil. It has been matted onto gold card and oriental coins and tassells added. The sentiment has been done using the Zyron design runner