Simply Stylish :)

Hey everyone!! :)

I’m still trying to play catch up with the cards I made but didn’t manage to get posted while I was either not well or too frazzled with ‘real life’ stuff over the summer so thought I’d make a quick post to share this little card I made for my beautiful and clever little sister to celebrate her GCSE results at the end of August- she did so well and I’m sooo proud of her!! :)

Anyways, she told me a while ago that she has a poster of Audrey Hepburn on her bedroom wall (I’ve never seen her room as I’ve not been well enough to visit them in their new house) which she told me was mainly black, white and pink and then I found a font online with head shots of loads of movie stars including the ever glamorous Audrey, so I’ve wanted to do something like this for her ever since :) 

I kept it pretty simple, partly from a style choice perspective as the bold, graphic look to the image needed a simple but bold layout around it, but also as I didn’t have much time or energy and it was the first time I’d managed to get to my desk or do anything crafty in weeks so was feeling a bit rusty!! :) I just matted and layered on some hot pink glittery paper and added some pearls and gems- the only thing I really went to town on was the ribbon!! :) I didn't worry about a greeting as I thought it would be better on my sis' wall (where I suspected she'd put it and sure enough, I was right!!lol) if it didn't have one on it :)

The font is called Famous Folks and I got it free here - I just printed it out nice and big then added the pearls in place of her earrings :)

I made a lovely big ‘flat’ bow with some gorgeous black satin striped ribbon- this shape of bow is so useful when you want to stick with clean lines or don’t have space for ribbon ends to be sticking out over the rest of the design- and I love the way it looks!! :) So, I took a couple more pics...!!lol

The list:

• 6” Sq. White card blank
• Image printed from PC
• Hot Pink pearlescent, glittery paper (came in an unlabelled package from C&C but looks just like the Paper Cellar stuff to me- just gorgeous!! :) )
• White paper coloured with Black PM for matting
• Hot Pink Pearls and gems
• Black ribbon

And that’s it- nice and simple!! :)

My hands are hurting from typing for some reason so I’m not going to worry about challenges for now- if they feel better later then I might add it to some then :)

Right, off to give my hands a break then- but before I go I just have to add my ‘Can you believe this weather?!’ cry to the national chorus!!lol It’s sooo hot here right now- maybe even as hot as the heat wave we had in April!!lol So nice to have the sun shining, though, and I’m making the most ‘cos I don’t think it’s gonna last and I keep hearing rumours of a bad winter to come... not thinking about that right now, though- thinking about Chocolate Brownie Ben & Jerry’s instead!! Mmmm!! :D Hope you’re all able to enjoy it over the weekend, anyway!! :)

Cupcakes for Grandad and a Sweet Challenge over at My Partner in Crafting Crime!! :)

Hello everyone!! :)

Sorry I'm a little late with this one- today's been a bit of an off day for me so far and I've been struggling to get myself going at all!! :S Anyway, on to what I wrote last night so I'd be all ready for a nice early post today... the best laid plans and all that!! ;) ......

Well, another fortnight has passed in a flash and so it’s time for another new challenge at My Partner in Crafting Crime... and this week it’s a scrummy one: ‘Sweets & Treats’!!! :) So we’d like to see something edible, sweet and delicious on your cards- and, if you’re anything like me, you’ve got plenty of yummy (and calorie-free!) things in your stash so we’d love to see you come along and join the fun this time!! :) You could win some fab digis from our sponsor Bows & Berries, too!! :)

I decided to go for a cupcake theme to give one of the LOTV stamps from the Time for Tea range, which I bought earlier this year, its first inking (shameful I know- I’ve had it for months!! :( lol) and so my card was going to be in sweet and pretty pinks and lemons... but then I remembered my Grandad’s birthday was coming up and pink went out of the window!!lol Maybe I'll get around to the pretty card sometime soon but this is what I made for my Grandad and the challenge:

I got some cupcake shaped base cards from Anita’s last year and made a card I loved for a friend’s birthday straight away but it was a bit fiddly so I’ve not used them again since- it would be easier if I didn’t bother to fold the paper for the base but I really think it looks so much better that way... and I’m a glutton for punishment apparently!!lol

I decided on a kraft and coffee kind of colour scheme as this was a masculine card and started by drawing around the shaped base card onto some scrap to get the shape I wanted- slightly bigger and with a softer shape than the base- so it would sit over the folded paper ‘case’ :)

For the cake case, I cut a strip of a spare kraft envelope, which I stamped with a polka dot stamp from my first Waltzing Mouse Stamps purchase (not my last, I suspect!!lol) in a creamy coloured chalk ink :) The stamp was surprisingly easy to line up to repeat the pattern, too :) I scored the strip and folded it all up- that’s the fiddly bit but worth it, I think... for someone special anyway!!lol I tried using my paper crimper but the creases weren’t sharp enough to let me gather them more at the bottom for a realistic look... I’m a recovering (mostly!) perfectionist and that just wouldn’t do, I’m afraid- especially as my Grandad’s a perfectionist, too!!lol The lovely greeting is from a Craftwork Cards Goody Bag which a vv lovely blogging buddy picked up for me at the GNPE show a couple of weeks ago, along with the Flexmarkers I used to tone down the white a tad to match the rest- thank you so much again, hon, if you're reading this!! :D :D – and the natural twine adds a bit of texture and interest.

I used some of my lovely Core’dinations Chocolate Box cardstock for the ‘Topping’, which I embossed with a snowflake folder that I love for all sorts of things, not just snowy Xmas cards, and thought would be good for looking like sprinkles!! :) I sanded the card before and after embossing then added shimmer spray and Stickles around the edges and on a few of the sprinkles :) The finishing touches- for the outside, at least- were a big pearly button and some more twine :)

The final thing- that I almost forgot to do- was an insert to hide the slightly shabby looking inside of the spine of the card, which I decorated as well with a little cupcake stamp :)

The List:

• Cupcake shaped card blank- Anita’s from DoCrafts
• Core’dinations Chocolate Box cardstock
• Cuttlebug Snowflakes embossing folder
• Perfect Pearls Pearl Shimmer Mist
• Stickles in Platinum and Distress Stickles in Antique Linen
• MOP button and Natural Jute Twine from the Ribbon Girl
• Kraft paper
• Polka dot stamp from Waltzing Mouse’s Off Beat Background set
• VersaMagic Wheat ink pad
• Craftwork Cards sentiment
• Kanban Fairy Cakes stamp set, Versafine Vintage Sepia ink pad and Whispers Brush Markers for the insert

I’d like to enter this in the following challenges: Dream Valley – Buttons :) ; Creative Inspirations – Let’s Celebrate :) ; Crafting For All Seasons – Fall Colours :) ; Bows & Berries – Glitter :) ; Birthday Sundaes – Buttons :) ; OSAAT – Use your favourites (I’ve used Kraft, Shimmer Spray and Stickles on this one!! :) ) :) ; The Squirrel and the Fox – Anything Goes :) ; Just Some Lines – Fall Colours :) ; DYSU - Duos (Two colours- cream and coffee/kraft) :) ; Crafty Sentiments - Happy Birthday :)

Well, thanks for stopping by- do please go and take a look at the PCC blog to see the creations from the rest of the DT and welcome some lovely new DT girlies, Ashley, Dianne and Rhonda, to the fold!! :) Oh, and do enter the challenge if you can, too, of course!!lol Can’t wait to see all the yummy creations you come up with- better get used to being hungry now, I think!!lol 

Hope you all have a great week... might even feel like the summer we never got by Wednesday if the rumours are true although at the mo' it looks and feels like it's about to pour down!! :)

White Wedding...

Hello again!! :)

Thought I’d just pop back in for a flying post as I wanted to add another card to the Less Is More 1000 entries effort and not sure I'll get another chance this week if I don't do it now- despite needing my bed!!lol :) So, this is a very quick and simple card made a few weeks back when my mum found she needed a wedding card in a hurry...

The stamp is one I’ve had for a while but not got around to using- after searching high and low for it online as well!!lol A few scraps of card, some embossing powder and a bit of white organza ribbon- organza is so perfect for weddings!! :) – and I was pretty much there!! :)

No colouring to keep it quick- I don’t think this stamp really needs colouring, though, which is even better!! :) Good job I never remember how hard shiny surfaces are to photograph when I'm making my cards, though, or I'd never use pearl/satin/mirri etc. which would be a shame- sorry about this pic!! :S

I had the idea to twirl the ribbon rather than leave it straight as I just fancied a change at the time but I think it looks pretty, especially as the edging shows through the sheer main part!! :) Shame I’ve not remembered to do it again since!!lol

The pearls seemed to balance the design with a bit of dimension on the plainer side of the card- thankfully!!lol

I used:

• 6”x6” hammered finish card blank
• Scraps of white pearlescent and silver textured card
• Nestie Labels 1 Die
• Stamps: Bride & Groom and ‘Mr & Mrs’ wooden stamps by Stampendous; ‘On Your Wedding Day’ from LOTV rubber stamp sheet and swirl (beside couple) LOTV Clear Additions
• Versamark ink and silver glitter Embossing Powder
• MS Cherish border punch
• White Organza ribbon
• Silver Flat-backed Pearls

I’d like to enter this in the following challenges (in addition to LIM’s Anything Goes :) ) : Truly Scrumptious – CAS :) ; Totally Papercrafts – Clean and Simples :) ; Creative Inspirations – Let’s Celebrate :)

Thanks for stopping by again and thanks for the comments on my last post!! :) Maybe sometime I’ll actually get around to showing you the cards I’ve been planning to for the last week or three... in the meantime, I hope you have a great end to your week!! :)

Ooh, almost forgot- what do you think of the new look blog?! I discovered the fabulous Background Fairy and Graphics Fairy blogs a few months ago- go and have a look, there are so many great Vintage images and all free!! :) - and used a background and elements from there in combination with some elements from my graphics program (Serif) and some of my own Nestie-style shapes to put it all together as I just wanted to play and see what I could do- as well as liking the idea of having something unique for my blog!! :) It's just taken me 'til now to feel like putting it all up!! :) There are a few things I already think I'd do differently another time... but I'm not wasting all that work!!lol 

Gorjuss in Purples :)

Hello!! :)

Well, I didn’t get back here as quickly as I’d planned again as I just didn’t have the spare energy last week as I was busy trying to get an ordered Wedding card ready for today- took a bit longer than expected on way and another but worth it in the end, I think, and I’ll share it sometime soonish!! :) I did have another couple of cards I in line to share next but this one has sneaked its way in early as I thought it was a perfect contribution to Chrissie and Mandi’s  attempt to get 1000 entries to one challenge over at Less Is More this week!! :) I’ve not been able to enter over there for a long time- which has made me sad as I was so enjoying it and proud of entering every week in the beginning, but my health has a mind of its own on that one at the mo’... Anyway, I couldn’t but respond to Lady and Diva LIM’s appeal for entries, especially with an Anything Goes theme to make it nice and easy!! :)

I coloured this Gorjuss image last week as my first entry into a MiC challenge- I’ve never been brave enough to enter before as the standard is so high but last week’s was Colour with Purple, which- aside from being an easier first go than merging images or colouring a sunset!! ;) – is my fav colour and one I’ve had major problems with my PMs despite now having every purple PM there is!! :S Seemed to go a bit better this time, though- possibly as I used a different type of card, will have to experiment with that more, I think!! :) And I made it into a really simple card with some inked edges, seam binding and teeny gems- not sure if it’ll be a Christmas or winter birthday card yet so I’ll add a sentiment when I know!!lol Need to keep my options open as my stash of spare cards, so helped by all my LIM inspired entries earlier in the year, has been very depleted by having to raid it so often when not well enough to make these last few months!! :S Just glad they were there when I needed them, though!! :)

And a close up of the image- my camera hates purple and this was the shot I could get closest to the true colour with (warmer and pinker than it looks), so apologies for the incredibly uninventive framing!!lol I really like these deep purples so, if I can get them to work and blend again next time, I’ll definitely be using them more!! :) I used Blue Greys on the hair and fox as I thought this would tone better with the Purples... but the fox looked weird so I added some pale purple... and it still looked weird... so I gave up!!lol

The List...

·     DL white card blank

·         Gorjuss Girl ‘Foxy’ image from Sugar Nellie stamped in Memento

·         Coloured with: Clothes- PMs- Mulberry and Plum, Fuchsia Pink and Mulberry; Skin- PMs- Almond, Satin, Blush and Pale Pink; Hair- Spectrum Noirs- Black, Blue Grey 1 & 5; Fox- Spectrum Noirs- BG1 & 5 and PMs- Lavender, Lilac and CG1

·         Sakura Clear Stardust

·         Dusty Concorde DI (edges)

·         Anita’s 2mm Gems

·         Seam Binding

Thanks for looking and for any comment and also for all the comments on my last cards!! :) Hope to be back before too long with another card- have a good week in the meantime!! :)

Is it a bird, is it a plane... no- it’s a car and a new challenge over at My Partner in Crafting Crime!! :)

Hey everyone!! :)

Firstly, apologies for that shocking post title- I really find thinking them up harder than making the card or writing the rest of the post put together sometimes!!lol Well, as if we needed any other convincing beyond the freezing cold winds to prove that ‘summer’ (such as it was here in the UK, anyway!! :( ) is behind us, then here it is- the kids are back in school, the nights are drawing in... and we over at My Partner in Crafting Crime are back from our summer break with some fab new challenges in store for you!! :) Now that’s a nicer thought, isn’t it!?! :) :) 

To get us all back into things this fortnight, our theme is ‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles’ ...which is fairly self-explanatory really, and we're making it extra easy for you as it's our first week back... just use any mode of transport in your project!! :) A great chance to get one of those pesky Male cards we all struggle with done!!lol We have two fab sponsors this time: Bows and Berries Digital Stamps and Glitterbabe Digis so do pop over to their shops and have a look around!! :)

Okay, on to my card!! ;) The original idea for this one came after I'd been browsing the fabulous inspiration over at Clean & Simple Stamping and came together from elements of various sketches I liked. The card was made for an order from a friend for a birthday card for her b-i-l who had recently lost his mum so she wanted it to be fairly simple, not too bright and also to incorporate his love of cars. She also wanted to avoid typical 'happy b’day' sentiments.

I started by making my own 5"x7" card blank from a sheet of A3 as I knew I wanted to round the two right hand corners and wasn't sure that would look right if the spine was at the top.

I stamped the car image (which is from DoCrafts- either Papermania or Anita's ranges, I'm not sure and it's buried deep in one of my stamp boxes again now! :S ) in black pigment ink, masking the text on the bottom of the stamp with paper while I inked up, and embossed with clear powder. Then I cut and embossed it with a Nestie and, with the die still in place, masked the car and added the sky and road with Distress Inks and Cut’n’Dry.

I used my MS Zig Zag punch- indispensable for male cards!!- and Hougie board to add a bit of interest to the border strips- had the brief not been to keep it so simple I might have added a bit of dark raffia or something similar for a bit of texture.

In keeping with the circular theme, I altered one of the sentiments I created last year in my graphics program and printed in dark blue to match. I’m not quite sure about the way it looks, though... maybe it’s just a tad too big?!

I was a little concerned I had gone too muted with the colours but she was happy with it and I was pleased with the style :) I may have to try a similar layout with brighter colours... I think I'd either make the sentiment smaller or put it somewhere else entirely, though, if I did! :)

'The List'...

White A3 cardstock to make a 5"x7" base
Image: Wood mounted car stamp from DoCrafts
Black Versacolour ink pad, clear embossing powder and heat tool
Circle Nesties
Distress Inks: Stormy Sky and Pumice Stone
Martha Stewart Zig Zag punch
Hougie Board and embossing stylus
Digi Stamp Sentiment created in my graphics program

I’d like to enter this in the following Challenges: Di Digi Designs - Anything Goes :) ; Totally Gorjuss - It's A Man Thing :) ; Fairy Fun Fridays - Snips and Snails and Puppy Dog's Tails :) ; Crafting For All Seasons - Birthdays :) ; Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes :) ; Cards For Men - Anything But A Square :)

Thanks for all your lovely comments on my last post- such a lovely welcome back to Blogland!! :) I’ve managed to visit a few of you in the last week or so and will hopefully be able to continue to catch up with you all a few at a time- just having to try to be a bit careful with the time spent on the computer and just generally trying not to overdo things at the mo’ :S I hope you’re all okay and enjoyed your weekends!! :) Don’t forget to stop by the PCC blog and have a look at the great work from the rest of the team and I hope you'll join in with us!! :)

Lovely Ribbon and some Paper-Piecing at Forever Friends :)

 Hello again at last!! :)

Wow- it’s been too long since I last posted on here... infact, I feel like I might as well have dropped off the face of the planet this last month or two, I’ve been so out of touch with everything and everyone as I’ve just had no energy to spare for anything fun :S Even went almost four weeks without doing a single bit of crafting or anything creative at all- can’t remember the last time that happened and I hope it’ll be a v long time before it does again!! :( Anyway, ‘life’ (if it could be called that! :S ) has eased up a bit this last week or so and, while I’ve still had to be taking it pretty easy, I have at least managed to get back to my craft desk and got a couple of cards made- I’d be jumping for joy right now if I could!!lol- and will hopefully get back to blogging properly soon, too!! I have missed it all sooo much!!lol

So, on to the reason we’re all here- a card!! :D It’s the first Thursday of the month again- how it has come round so quickly I have no clue!?! :S – so it’s time for our next Monthly Challenge at Forever Friends and Co. and this month it’s a lovely one for you- we’d like to see some ‘Paper Piecing’ on your creations :) And we’re sponsored this time by our very own lovely DTeam-mate, Ike, who is offering the winner not one but two prizes including images from her own Digi Store Ike’s Art!! :)

You can find her store here and her blog, where she showcases her digis and other creations, here – if you’re squeamish, though, be warned as Ike has a taste for the macabre as well as the cute and cuddly!! ;D – but, if you’d like to see something out of the ordinary, then do pay her a visit as her creations- gory or not!- are really worth a look and always fun!! :)

I have to say I’ve been wanting to have another go at Paper Piecing for quite a while now so I really enjoyed this- so much so that I actually made two cards!! :) Two more off the Christmas list, too, so I’m even happier!!lol Might be a long post though, as there are two!!lol

I used a paper pack I’ve had for years- first DPs I ever got, I think!!- and stamped the image on two of the papers, using the gloves from each with the jacket from the other... no waste that way!!lol I added some shading with an assortment of Blue and Grey Prismas and my new Blue Grey 1 Spectrum Noir pen (the BGs are gorgeous colours :) ) as I often think paper-piecing can look a bit flat, especially if the rest of the image is carefully coloured and shaded... need a bit of practice, though, as I had to scrap the first one and I’m still not totally happy!!lol The rest of the images and also the ribbon and pearls are coloured with my PMs :)

The image is matted in the same paper and the background is embossed with my ‘Bug then the edges inked very slightly with DIs... plus the obligatory Stickles, ofc!! :)

I added a bit of Putty PM to the combination I use for my FF bears this time and think it works to give a little bit more depth :) I shaded around the bear with blue Prismas as my Copic Blender, which I rely on for getting for this effect with my pens, ran out an me all of a sudden and I haven’t got around to ordering a new one yet!! :S

I was originally going to make two of the same 6” Sq. Card but the bow I made turned out bigger than I expected- I don’t usually use such wide, substantial ribbon!! I absolutely love it- the printed satin ribbon coloured up with my Grey Green PM so much better than I expected and the bow is fabulously big and decadent looking which is what I wanted- but... I just didn’t think I’d have a use for two such large Xmas cards!! And I’m glad actually, as I really like the second card, too!! :)

From a LOTV set, stamped and edged in DI. I also added Clear Stardust and Clear Glaze pens to the words... and more Stickles :)

 This one was a quick change of plan and I did it very simply but I love the ruffled ribbon and my new scalloped cards so much that I think this one has turned out to be my favourite of the two!! :)

A few close-ups :) It was a bit fiddly colouring all those little pearls- I imagine it’s easier and less messy if you have the self-adhesive kind... but I don’t as they cost a bomb and I know I’d never want to use them up!!lol Think it was worth the ridiculously messy green fingers to get the perfect colour-match, though!! :) This gorgeous sentiment is another of my new Cat’s Life Press ones!! :)

I used:

• A5 and 6” Sq. White card blanks
• Image- Forever Friends stamp coloured with PMs: Bear – Ivory, Oatmeal, Putty and Vanilla with Sunkissed Pink for ears and cheeks; Robin - Cocoa, Cinnamon, Tan, Berry Red, Spice and Honeycomb; Mugs – Dusky Pink Sunkissed Pink and Baby Pink, Grey Green, Tea Green and Khaki; Shading on paper-piecing - Grey Blue 1 from Spectrum Noir ‘Essentials’ set and Prismas; Sky –Prismas and Mineral Spirit
• Dovecraft 'Christmas Blues' Paper Pack- bit of a misnomer there, though, as they are really almost all green not blue!!
• White card and Cuttlebug Snow embossing folder
•  DIs for edging- Weathered Wood and Bundled Sage
• Stickles in Frosted Lace
• White Snowflake Printed Ribbon from Tesco- in the post Xmas bargain bin! :) – and white flat-backed pearls coloured, both coloured with PM
• Sentiment stamps from LOTV and Cat’s Life Press

I’d like to enter these cards in the following challenges: Passion forPromarkers – 'Flexible' Anything Goes :) ; The Pink Elephant – Paper Piecing :) ; Crafter’s Companion Monthly Challenge – Christmas :) ; Charisma Cardz – Anything Goes :) ; I ♥ Promarkers – Anything Goes :) ; Cupcake Craftroom – Pink and Green :) ; Crafty Ribbons - Festive Cheer in September :)
EDIT: Will pop back later to link a couple of these as one linky's missing and Crafter's Comp. haven't posted yet- I saw the challenge on one of the DT's blogs first thing... when I couldn't sleep!!lol

Right, sorry for such a long post but I hope you like my little offerings for today... and think they were worth the exceptionally long wait!!lol I shall try not to go so long between posts next time- I have a few things I’d love to share with you that I made a while ago but haven’t been up to posting but life and my health seem to have a nasty habit of getting in the way lately so we’ll see... :S I hope I’ll be able to get round an visit you a but more often, too... but again, we’ll see ‘cos every time I say that the opposite happens!!lol After I’ve linked this up- if I can remember how as it’s been so long!! :S – I’m off back to bed as I didn’t get more than an hour’s sleep last night and I’m aching from head to toe... not good!! :( Still, meant I caught the new release of Sugar Nellies dead on 10am and got my order in by 10:03!! :) Must be a record for me!!lol Ordered one of the new Xmas ones and a few others I've been wanting for ages!! :)

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you’re all keeping well and have had a more fun and exciting summer than me, anyway!! :) And please do pop over to the Forever Friends blog to see the rest of the team’s fab cards and join in with our challenge!! You don’t even need to use an FF bear- just include an animal :)