15th March 2012

Goodness me, I am not very good at this blogging lark am I. I don't seem to be very consistent because other things keep getting in the way.The lovely weather that we have had recently means gardening and walking are very appealing. I am going to try to get down to doing some challenges starting with the Rainbow Lady one.I have been kindly asked to be a guest designer for this one and I must admit that I struggled with the topic but it isn't called a challenge for nothing. When I had finished it I got loads of ideas (isn't that always the case) but it was too late then

I used a white base card and  a lime green pearlescent mat (which doesn't show very well in the photograph) then a dark green top mat. The leprechaun was a free google image which I printed a few times and decoupaged. I fitted it onto a mat cut with a nestie. I put an edging down the spine cut with a MS punch and edged with green satin ribbon. I threaded the same ribbon down the opposite side of the dark green mat. I finished the decoration with shamrocks cut from a free download. In reality the shamrocks have been painted with lovely mica paint and show up in lovely pearlescent shades of green but unfortunately this doesn't show up in the picture

16th February 2012

Well it is quite a while since I did any posting.The weather has been very cold but thankfully we have had very little snow (perhaps I shouldn't be tempting fate :-) ). It is lovely to see the snowdrops peeping through and the shoots of the daffodils. perhaps spring isn't too far away.

 The last few weeks have been very busy for me as I have had such a lot of family birthdays to make cards for and a great number of the were "big" ones that needed special cards.  I have also been making samples for a new CD that is being launched on the Create and Craft TV channel. It is called " Imagine" and it is being releases by Elegant Inspirations. Below are some of the samples that I have made

30th January 2012

Well, here I am again, two days latter with another challenge, am I doing well or not ? lol I have some samples to make now so I may be a bit slow on the challenge front for a while but I hope to be able to show them when allowed.
 I had a very lazy day yesterday, I was going to do so much but ended up reading and watching TV all day then feeling guilty. I don't intend repeating that today so I must get my skates on.
This card I would like to enter for Crafty Ann's challenge "What's new pussycat". The stencil that I have used I have had for a few months but I have never used it. Unfortunately, as usual, the lovely sparkle and colour of the glitter don't show up in the photograph even with scanning.

I have used plain black card for the base. For the image I have used a Dreamweaver stencil, stencilling paste and Pee Wee glitters onto black card. I have matted and layered with Mauve card to pick out the colour of  the fuchsia and  matted that onto silver card. The sentiment is a stamp that I have had for ages and can't remember the designer. I have stamped and embossed it with mauve embossing powder and matted and layered with mauve and silver card. The image and the sentiment have been mounted using foam pads and I have finished the card with a ribbon from my stash.

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.