A Song For Christmas

My card for today follows the sketch over at The Sweet Stop Challenge Blog.  I've inked up one of my Adorable Christmas stamps for the first time to make the following card:

A5 'old gold' card blank

Images stamped in Memento Cocoa ink onto Neenah card and coloured using Spectrum Noir pens.

Papers came free in a magazine.

Martha Stewart corner punch, Spellbinders dies used for sentiment mat and image mat.

Ribbon and card candi both from stash.

I would also like to enter my card in the following challenges:

A Gem of a Challenge - Polka Dots/Spots

The Crafty Pad Challenge - Anything Goes

One Stitch At A Time Challenge - Anything Goes

Whimsy Stamps Challenge - Traditional Christmas Colours

Winter Wonderland - One For The Boys

Happy Birthday Daughter

Lots of tears in our house yesterday.  Hubby took my eldest daughter off to Uni for the first time!  She seems to be settling in very well and is sharing with a lovely group of students.  I can't believe it, it feels like such a short time ago that we brought her home from hospital at 3 days old!

Emma is settling into High School very well.  She is changing all the time, growing up so fast.

I'm very proud of both my daughters.

It's Sarah's birthday this week and this is the card I have made for her:

8 x 8 card blank

I used the Woodland Folk and Friends cd-rom from do-crafts, owl from the decoupage section and the leaves backing paper.

I then punched lots of leaves using my X-cut Botanical Embossing punch and layer them up in a circle (of sorts).  I stamped the sentiment using stamps from LOTV and Versafine Olympia Green ink.

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Crafty Sentiments Designs - Leaves

Bearly Mine Challenges - Anything Goes

CRAFT Challenge - Autumn

Willow Sketchie Challenge - Things With Wings

Raise the Bar Challenge - Things With Wings

Crafty Ann's Challenge - Autumnal Colours

The Crafty Pad Challenge - Autumn Colours

One Stitch At A Time - Autumn Colours

Songbird Challenge - Defying Gravity

Thanks for visiting my blog today.

Best Friends at Christmas

I thought I'd share another of my Christmas creations with you today, this time a book card.  I've not decided what is going inside the book card as yet. I love the images of the children cuddling up with their dogs.  My daughter often sits with Murphy like this:

I used papers from Making Cards Magazine along with the sentiment.  The layering and the sides of the book were all made using antique gold card.  The poinsettia was created using a Marianne die and the gold ribbon was from my stash.

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Winter Wonderland Challenge - Christmas Pets

Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge - Christmas Card for a Child

One Stitch At A Time Challenge - Card for Someone Under 18

St Lukes Charity Cards - Couples

Papertake Weekly - Things That Make You Go Awwww

Teddy Bea

The current challenge over at Teddy Bo is black, white and one other colour.  I combined this with the Sketch challenge at Try It On Tuesday to come up with my card:

6 x 6 card blank

Digi stamp printed onto Neenah card and coloured using Coloursoft pencils and Spectrum Noir pens.

Gingham backing paper from stash.

Card from Create and Craft embossed using a Darice embossing folder from Crafters Companion and sanded slightly, distressed around the edges with a distressing tool.

Mat Teddy Bea is sat on is Spellbinders Romantic Rectangles.

Flowers are a Memory Box die, centres are a punch and pearls from my stash.

Nellie Snellen punch used to create the leaves.

Gingham ribbon from my stash, tied using a bow shaper.

My card is also for the following challenges:

Creative Craft Challenges - Monochromatic Birthdays

Pink Gem Challenge - Animals or Teddies

Digi Doodle Shop Challenge - Use pearls

One Stitch at a Time - Use a Digi

Craft Your Passion - Embossing

Football Crazy

My card today uses one of the adorable images from Pollycraft's Swings and Slides range of digi stamps:

A5 card blank

Image printed onto Neenah card and coloured using Spectrum Noir pens.

Mat the image is sat on is cut from Core'dinations card using a Spellbinders Reverse Wonky Rectangles die.

Sentiment mat is cut using Spellbinders Wonky Rectangle die.

Backing paper is printed from Crafters Companion Boys and Girls cd-rom.

Blue pearlescent card from stash, punched using a Martha Stewart edge punch.

Football vellum from stash.

Twine added to card with a football boot charm attached (from ebay).

My card is for the following challenges:

Sketch Challenges - Sketch

Whimsy Stamps Challenge - Punches and Edgers

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Sporty

One Stop Craft Challenge - Olympics/Sporty

One Stitch At A Time - Sports

Shopping Our Stash - Something new - Spellbinders Reverse Wonky rectangle die, arrived today!

Time To Have Fun

The appearance of the sun today put me in the mood to make a summery card.  I chose one of my newest SWALK stamps which hadn't been inked before and followed the great sketch over at Sketch N Stash and the theme at The Crafty Pad which is At The Seaside:

6 x 6 card blank

SWALK image stamped in Memento ink, coloured with Spectrum Noirs and coloursoft pencils. Tumbled glass distress ink used for the sky.

Mat cut using a Spellbinders label die.

Backing papers from Making Cards magazine, matted onto turquoise card from PaperMill.

Sentiment LOTV stamped with Big 'n Juicy waterfall ink.

Clouds created using a Darice embossing folder and then the required section cut out.

Boat charm from ebay, along with the jump rings.

Gems from my stash.

My card is also for the following challenges:

One Stitch at a Time - Summer

Pile It On - It's a Shore Thing

Willow Sketchie Challenge - Summer Holidays

Digi Doodles Challenge - Summertime

Craft Punked - Summertime

Fussy and Fancy Friday - Photo Inspiration

Crafty Calendar Challenge, July

It's time for a new challenge at Crafty Calendar Challenge and this month our theme is Fun In The Sun with the option of shimmer and shine.

This month we are sponsored by Robyn's Fetish who kindly provided us with some images to work with.

I followed the sketch over at Sketch and Stash for my card.

6 x 6 card blank

Backing papers all from making cards magazine.

Image printed onto Neenah card, coloured with coloursoft pencils and blended with baby oil.

I used tumbled glass distress ink for the sky and followed Hazel's fab tutorial which can be found here.

Beachcomber embossing powder was added to the sand for extra texture.

Ribbon was tied on the bowdabra (available from Joanna Sheen), shells from my stash.

Please do pop over to the challenge blog to see the lovely cards by the rest of the DT.  I do hope you can join in the fun.

My card is also for the following challenges:

Totally Gorjuss - Sweet and Simple

One Stitch At A Time - Use A Digi

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

Crafty Sentiments Designs - Summertime

Whimsy Stamps Challenge - Anything Goes

Craft Challenge - Splashy/water-themed

Totally Papercrafts - Anything Goes

Cardmadfairy's Digi Days - Summertime

Delicious Doodles Challenge - Summer Holidays

Thank you for visiting my blog today.

Time For Golf

My card for today uses the paper embroidery technique.  This is very theraputic to do, although quite time consuming too:

DL linen effect card

Pattern from Form-a-Lines

Gold metallic thread used for stitching

Spellbinders die and peel offs used for sentiment.

My card is for the following challenges:

Less Is More - Something Shiny (I hope the metallic thread qualifies for this challenge)

Allsorts Challenge - Paper Piercing

One Stitch At A Time - Stitching Real or Faux

My Mum's Craft Shop - About The Boys

Crafts and Me - Anything Goes

Cards For Men - Sports With A Sentiment

Thanks for visiting my blog today and for the comments you leave, I really appreciate each and every one.

Pride and Joy

Good Morning

I can't believe it's Friday again all ready, aren't the weeks flying by?

I've another Father's Day card to share with you today:

I used Joanna Sheen's Nostalgia cd again and printed the main image onto Crafter's Companion Watercolour Card.  I think these images really suit the 'softer' look that the Watercolour Card produces.

The backing paper is again from the cd-rom, printed onto satin paper and matted onto gold linen card.

I used some Core'dinations card, embossed with D'vine Swirls embossing folder and sanded to reveal the core.  I added some bakers twine for a bit of interest.

The sentiment is Lili of the Valley, heat embossed and matted onto gold linen card cut with a Spellbinders Fleur de Lis die.

My card is for the following challenges:

The Secret Crafter- Father's Day

The Crafty Pad - For The Boys

One Stitch At A Time - The Man In Your Life

Crafty Sentiments - Father's Day

Anything Goes Challenge - Travel

Crafting For All Seasons - For A Man

PaperPlay Challenges - For A Man, With Twine

Pile It On - Outdoors

CRAFT Challenge - Father's Day

Thanks for visiting my blog today, have a lovely weekend.

We Wish You A Merry Christmas

This is the song that was going round in my head as I was making this card.  I love this image of the children posting their Christmas Cards:

Image from Joanna Sheen's Faye Whittaker cd-rom printed onto watercolour card.

Backing paper from same cd.

Gold linen card used for matting.

Memory box Tree die cut from Holographic paper.

Martha Stewart punch around the page.

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Christmas Cards All Year Round - Inspired by Christmas Carol or Song (We Wish You A Merry                                                   Christmas)

One Stitch At A Time - Red, White and Blue

Creative Craft Challenges 2 - Red, White and Blue

The Cutie Pie Challenge - Die Cuts and Punches

Happy Birthday To You

Good Morning

There are lots of photos in this post!

Today is my sisters 40th birthday.  If you happen to look in - HAPPY BIRTHDAY, have a great day.

I wanted to make her more of a keepsake than a card, and here is what I came up with.

I couldn't get the whole thing in the photo, but you'll see it in more detail further down the page.

We had lots of the Beatrix Potter books when we were little, so it was a very appropriate range to use to make the card.

This is the front of the card, using a Benjamin bunny frame card from The World of Beatrix Potter cd-rom.  I used white centura pearl card for the card base.

Next I printed a decoupage image from the Mrs Tiggy-Winkle cd-rom.  I matted the image onto pearlised card, and cut the sentiment tag from the same card using a Spellbinders die.  The backing paper from the cd-rom was printed onto pearl paper, and then inked around the edge using Soothing Sunset Big and Juicy ink.  I inked the flowers on the doily using the same ink.

The next page features the adorable Peter Rabbit, again from the decoupage section of the cd-rom.  The image is matted onto green pearl card, cut along the top with a Martha Stewart punch.  The die cut is Spellbinders with some gems added.  The backing paper printed onto pearl paper, and inked around the edges with Pine Needles Distress Ink.

Next is the gorgeous Guinea Pig from Appley Dapply's Nursery Rhymes, printed from the decoupage section.  This time the image is matted onto Core'dinations cardstock.  The backing paper was inked around the edges using rusty hinge distress inks, and the die cut shapes, all cut using Spellbinders Persian dies, were inked in the die with Rusty Hinge.

 This page features a decoupage from The Tale of Two Bad Mice cd-rom. Matted onto deep blue pearlescent card.  The sentiment tag is a Spelllbinders die and the ribbon border a Marianne die with blue gingham ribbon threaded through.  The backing paper was inked around the edges with Faded Jeans distress ink.

Next we have the delightful Jemima Puddle-duck, once again from the decoupage section of the cd-rom.  Matted onto pearlescent green card, edge punched with a Martha Stewart punch.  Pink pearls were added along the border.  The corners are Spellbinders Fleur de Lis and the flower from my stash.  The backing paper was once again inked round the edge using cut n dry foam and Pine Needles distress ink.

For this page I used decoupage from the gorgeous Tale of Timmy Tiptoes cd-rom.  I used core-dinations card stock and a Darice embossing folder to get the tree-trunk effect.  I sanded the cardstock to add to the effect.  I cut some leaves from 2 different colours of core'dinations card to make the leaves, which I added at random around the image.

Now we have Mr Jeremy Fisher, and yes, you've guessed it, from the decoupage section of the cd-rom.  Core'dinations card is used for the mats again, the sentiment mat cut with a Spellbinders die.  A few little gems  were then added.  Pine Needles distress ink was used again on this page to ink around the edges.

On the last page I chose this delightful decoupage image from The Tale of Tom Kitten cd-rom and matted it onto pink pearlescent card.  I love the backing paper on this page. I added pink and green gems along the botton of the page, and made a double bow using pink gingham ribbon with a flower added to the centre to complete this page.

I typed the greeting for the card, and then on the reverse side of the other pages I printed backing papers from one of the cd-roms in various colours and matted them onto silver mirri card.

Finally, I made a box from Centura Pearl card.

It took me a week in all to make this card and I thoroughly enjoyed making it and am delighted with the result.

Phew, thanks for sticking with me through this long post, you deserve a cup of tea now!

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:

Crafters Companion Monthly Challenge - Four legged friend

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - A Shaped Card

Coffee, Chocolates and Cards - Fancy Folds

One Stitch At A Time - New (Timmy Tiptoes, Jemima Puddle-Duck, Jeremy Fisher, Two Bad Mice all new cd's)

Anything Goes Challenge Blog - Anything Goes

Crafty Sentiments Designs - Bunnies

Shopping Our Stash - Use punches

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

My Mum's Craft Shop - Easter or Animals

Diva's By Design - Anything Goes

Thank you very much for visiting my blog.

Teddy Bo Just For You

Good Evening

The current challenge over at The Teddy Bo Challenge is 'menu choice'.  Here is my card:

I chose the menu options Blue and Cream, Flowers, Stitching and a Charm.

Teddy Bo is coloured using Spectrum Noir pens.  He is sat on a mat cut from Core'dinations card using a Spellbinders die.

The backing papers are Bo Bunny, free some time ago in a magazine, stitched onto the card using a stitch I've never used before!

The floral decoration in the top corner is cut using the new Persian accents and motifs dies from Spellbinder.  The butterfly charm is added using bakers twine and a gold brad.

The flowers and flourishes are all cut using various Marianne dies, finished with tiny gems.

My card is also for the following challenges:

One Stitch At A Time - Use a digi

Paper Makeup Stamps - Use a critter

Paperplay Challenges - Bingo - Metal charm/Stamping/Gems

The Poodles Parlour - Anything Goes

Cardmadfairy's Digi Days Challenge - Add A Sentiment

Thanks for visiting my blog.

Happy Anniversary

Good Morning

My card for today is made using a combination of die-cuts and embossing folders.

The base card is a pearlescent cream from PaperMill.  I embossed some gold mirror board with D'vine swirls embossing folder.  I then embossed some of the cream pearlescent card with a swirly frame embossing folder.  I printed the wording in gold in the centre of the frame.  I combined 2 gold ribbons to make the bow, and die-cut the flowers and leaves from gold card using Marianne Dies.  A pearl was then added to the centre of the flower.

My card is for the following challenges:

Totally Papercrafts - Ribbons and/or bows

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Bingo - I chose Swirls, Flowers and Pearls

One Stitch At A Time - Use a digi or no image

Bunny Zoe Crafts - Celebrations

Allsorts Challenge - Anything Goes

Thanks for visiting today.

Get Well Soon

Good Morning

My card for today follows the sketch over at the Stamp With Fun Challenge:

I chose the colours to tie-in with the current challenge at My Mum's Craft Shop which is your favourite colour combo.

I used one of the lovely SWALK stamps, coloured with promarkers and coloursoft pencils.  The mat the image is sat on is cut using the Marianne die that I re-discovered yesterday, inked with tumbled glass distress ink to highlight the embossing.  The papers are from SWALK cd-rom, printed onto Crafters Companion satin finish paper (which I love).  The embossed card is core'dinations, embossed with an argyle embossing folders and then sanded to bring out the core colour.  The flowers are cut from the backing paper, with a gem added to the centre of each.   The leaves are a Nellie Snellen punch.

My card is also for the following challenges:

One Stitch At A Time Challenge - Anything Goes

Papertake Weekly - Buttons,bows, bling and blooms

My Time To Craft - Favourite embellishment (hand made flowers)

Thanks for visiting my blog today.

Jo x

From Our Home To Yours

Good Morning

I've not been able to post because I haven't had a computer. this has also meant I haven't been able to visit any other blogs, so my apologies for that.  I had lots of Christmas Cards lined up to post during the last week but couldn't access them.  Here is one of those cards, made for a neighbour.

This adorable image is from Joanna Sheen's Furry Friends cd-rom.  I've used this cd so much for Christmas Cards.  I die cut the image with a Nestabilities and matted it onto some red card.  The backing papers are from the cd-rom.  The star border is a Marianne die with holographic paper threaded through.  The sentiment is a Lili of the Valley stamp, sat on a star cut using an x-cut die.

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges:

My Time To Craft Challenge - Winter Pals

Moving Along With The Times - Cats and Dogs

Crafts and Me Challenge - Christmas Bumper Challenge - Anything Goes

My Mum's Craft Shop - anything goes

One Stitch At A Time - Anything Goes

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes

Thanks for visiting my blog today.

Jo x

Christmas Fun

Good Morning

Thank you for all your good wishes yesterday, hopefully the new medication regime will start to help very soon.

I've another Christmas card to share with you today:

The image is from the decoupage section of Joanna Sheen's Nostalgia cd-rom.  By way of a change, I used a Glitter Girls embsoosing board to produce the frame.  The sentiment is Lili of the Valley, sat on a memory box die-cut.

My card is for the following challenges:

Joanna Sheen Challenge - Christmas Wishes

Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge - Vintage

One Stitch At A Time - Seeing Red

Paper Sundaes - Winter Wonderland

Rainbow Lady's Challenge - A Christmas Carol (Oh Christmas Tree)

Raise The Bar Challenge - It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

 

Dream Valley Challenges - Sparkle

Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge - Inspired by photo

Totally PaperCrafts Challenge - Let It Snow


Thanks for visiting my blog today.

Jo x

Happy Birthday Emma

Hello

I was meant to post this card yesterday but had a really bad day do didn't get it done.  I'm really struggling with my pain at the moment so will keep this brief.

Yesterday was Emma's 11th Birthday and yesterday morning she headed off on a school trip, due back Friday.  This is the card me and hubby sent her:

Emma is a big Manchester City fan and one of her presents was the new away shirt.  I photographed the shirt to use for her card.  I created the football boot out of black, red and gold card, added silver eyelets and metallic red cord for the laces.  The wording was created using an x-cut alphabet die.  The backing paper is from a Crafters Companion cd-rom.  She loved her card - and her new shirt!

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges:

PaperPlay Challenges - Shaped cards

One Stitch At A Time - Anything Goes

Creative Craft Challenge - Free For All

I'm missing Emma already but know she's going to have a fantastic time.  On Friday we're going to have a birthday tea (a takeaway of Emma's choice).

Thanks for visiting my blog today.

Jo x

So Cute

Good Evening

I've not had a very good few days pain-wise, hence the lack of blogging.  My card for today will really make you go aaaahhhhhh:

It is made using the Furry Friends cd-rom from Joanna Sheen.  I printed the main image twice onto glossy photo paper so I could decoupage the puppy.  The backing papers are also from the cd-rom.  The border down the centre is edge-punched using an EK Success border punch.  The sentiment tag is a Spellbinders die.

My card is for the following challenges:

Crafts and Me - Stripes

Paper Sundaes- Anything Goes

One Stitch At A Time - Favourite techniques (decoupage)

Thanks for stopping by my blog today.  Have a lovely evening.

Jo x

If I'd Known You Were Coming I'd Have Baked A Cake

Good evening!

Phew, I thought I was going to be too late for the current House Mouse & Friends challenge, but I've got there just in time!

Here is my card:

This card is for a friends birthday.  He loves to bake and loves pink, so this card should go down well I hope.

The card uses a House Mouse decoupage from Joanna Sheen, and backing paper from the House Mouse inserts cd-rom.  I printed off 2 different sized photos of a chocolate muffin, put one behind the main image, and attached the smaller one to a penny slider, and then attached a mouse to the muffin.

Inside the card I've made a pocket to hold a recipe for Mississippi mud pie which I typed up and printed out, and then attached to some brown linen card.

I'm sorry about the quality of this photo.  My camera battery ran out just as I'd taken it, so I can't try and take a better one until tomorrow.

My card is for the following challenges:

House Mouse & Friends Challenge - Include a recipe

Here Come The Boys - Slider of shaker cards

Crafty Ann's Challenge - Make yourself uncomfortable - I find penny slider cards very difficult to make and get to work.  This one works - hurrah!

The Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Inspired by a Song - If I'd know you were coming I'd have baked a cake

One Stop Craft Challenge - Food and Drink

The CD Sunday Challenge - M is for Mice and Mudpie

One Stitch At A Time Challenge - Anything Goes

Creations by Gill M - Cupcakes

Pile It On Challenge - Lots of Layers

Thanks for stopping by.

Jo x

A Note For You

Good Afternoon

Back with my second challenge card for today.

This card follows the current Willow Sketchie Challenge and uses one of their digi stamps.

Winnie owl is coloured using Coloursoft pencils and for a change I decided to paper piece her skirt.  All the papers are from a free pad that came in Quick cards magazine, I think they're really pretty.  The main image and all the papers are matted onto gold mirror board.  The little flowers are cut with a Marianne die and double layered.  A gem is placed in the centre.  The flowers on the digi are embellished with flowersoft, and once again a teeny tiny gem is added to the centres.  This was a really lovely sketch to follow.

My card is for the following challenges:

Willow Sketchie Challenge - Sketch

Alphabet Challenge - P for Pretty Pastels

Raise The Bar Challenge - Paper Piece

One Stitch At A Time - Use A Digi

Hooked On Craft Challenge - Spring Has Sprung

Enjoy your evening.

Jo x