A lilac card

I rarely make lilac coloured cards but I do love the colour. This one is for a friend of my mum's who is soon to retire from her classroom assitant job. She loves the garden and flowers so made a pretty card featuring these.

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

Mel's MSE card challenge - use purple/lilac

The Corrosive Challenge Blog - Challenge 70, Flowers, Flowers, Flowers

A Pocket Full of Posies - Challenge 1, One For The Girls

Incy Wincy Designs - Challenge 48, Things With Wings

Supplies:
Papers - Penny Lane by MME (Kioshi by Basic Grey for flower)
Cardstock - Bazzill Basics
Image - Bear & Butterflies from Lili of the Valley coloured with Promarkers and Distressed Stickles on the net
Sentiment - generated on pc, cut with Spellbinders ribbon label and inked round edges
Pearls - Opaline by Basic Grey
Flower and swirl - cut with Marianne Designs die using Kioshi papers by Basic Grey and a gem brad

Magical Crafts DT sample Challenge 18 - Flower Power

The challenge over at Magical Crafts Fortnightly Challenges this time is FLOWER POWER! What a great theme, every crafter loves flowers don't they! I have chosen to make a box of flowers. We are being sponsored this time by the fabby Simon Says Stamp and the DT have made some fabulous samples so please do pop over to the challenge blog and join in the fun x

I would like to enter this box into the following challenge:

Allsorts - Challenge 58, Embossing

The Corrosive Challenge Blog - Challenge 70, Flowers

Supplies:

Box - Papermania nesting box (smallest one) painted with Anita's Acrylic Paint in Country Blue

Cardstock on box top - Bazzill Basics embossed with Tim Holtz Swirls and distressed and inked

Flowers - Cut with Marianne Designs die using various papers from stash

Buttons, brads and mini flowers - from stash

Leaves - Woodware punch

Gingham ribbon - from stash

Sunshine Award from the lovely Gemm

My lovely friend Gemm has given me this award, thank you so much Gemm xxx

I would like to pass this award onto the following people...
Tams aka Rusty
Ali aka Alib
Karen aka flourgirl
Mel aka Melissa
Jenny aka dragonllew
Claire aka Wanna-b-rich
Jane aka bunbun
Anne aka thriftyscotslass
Oona aka Choccy
Toni aka oap
Ruth aka furrypig
and back to Gemm as you can never have enough sunshine xxx

Cards for my dad...

My mum asked me to make two cards for her to give to my dad, one for his birthday and one for their anniversary. I have gone for funny cards because I think my dad will like them, he's not into slush.

I would like to enter this first card into the following challenges:

Crafty Cardmakers - Challenge 23, Cards for Men!

Meljen's Designs - Challenge 13, Bookmark and/or tags (I chose tag)

Forever Friends - Not Forever Friends (Penny Black image and sentiment)

Sentimental Sundays - Challenge 8, Your Favourite Sentiment! (on the tag)

The Sugar Nellie blog has given away some gorgeous digi freebies this week and this sheep is one of them, thank you! I would like to enter this sheep card into the following challenges:

Charisma Cardz - Challenge 25, For the Boys

One Stop Crafts - Challenge 85, One for the Boys

Crafts and Me - Challenge 7, Birthdays

Sew Many Challenges - Challenge 19, Anything Goes

Supplies:

TOP CARD
Image & sentiment on tag - Penny Black from the Glitter Pot coloured with Promarkers
Papers - Abbey Road by MME
Cardstock - Core'dinations
Sentiment - computer generated
Raffia - Papermania
Tools - circle Nesties, scissors for distressing

BOTTOM CARD
Image - freebie from Sugar Nellie blog coloured with Promarkers
Papers - Quite Contrary by MME
Cardstock - Bazzill Basics
Sentimen - computer generated
Raffia - Papermania
Tools - circle and scallop circle Nesties, scissors for distressing

ATC received and a beautiful card...

I was matched with Claire aka Wanna-b-rich aka happy days for the ATC swap on Crafty Place this month. Here is the gorgeous ATC Claire sent me and a truly beautiful card. This is the kind of crafting I would love to be able to do but have no clue where to start or what to do and know I would not be able to produce stunning pieces like these...

Wedding Card

I have only ever made a couple of wedding cards but I thought I'd take myself out of my comfort zone and make one for the latest Creative Craft World Wedding Challenge as my friends Jenny and Oona are on the DT there (their DT work is amazing, go have a look!). I have to say I really enjoyed making this one. I chose to use a quote rather than an image as my focal point, I think it works ok. The ribbon is supposed to resemble a veil falling over the words.

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

Creative Craft World - Wedding Challenge

By The Cute & Girly - June Challenge

ABC - X for Xtra Dimension (the big ribbon, 3d flowers, pearls)

Cute Card Thursday - Challenge 118, Reuse, Renew, Recycle (my ribbon is recycled from a present)

Supplies:
Papers - Cappella by Basic Grey
Quote - generated on pc and cut out with a Nellie Snellen die and inked around the edges
Flowers - cut with a Woodware punch, scrunched up and attched with foam pads and clear dew drops added to the centres
Pearls - Quixotic Paperie
Ribbon - had this in my stash for ages, came off a boxed present
Other tools - scissors for distressing

My second Christmas card of the year...

This week it was bought to my attention that Basic Grey had released two new paper pads and Bunny Zoe's Crafts had them in stock!!! I purchased Olivia and it is gorgeous and also a very cute High Hopes stamp called Night Time Bear. When the items arrived I got the idea to make a Christmas card, I know it' not exactly Christmas paper or a Christmas image but I think it works. I have given the bear odd socks on purpose to add to the cuteness ;-)

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

Passion for Promarkers - Week 57, Your Favourite Things (Christmas & Night-time!)

My Time To Craft - Challenge 96, Yuletide in June

Cupcake Craft Challenges - Challenge 96, Strawberries & Cream (I used these colours)

Bah Humbug - Challenge 23, A Child's Christmas

Crafty Creations - Challenge 73, We Want To See You Shine! (I used a big blob of Distress Stickles for the pom pom on the bear's hat)

Meljens - Challenge 12, Fibre, Ribbon, Lace (I used ribbon)

Simon Says Stamp - Friends (this card has been made for a friend of mine)

Supplies:
Papers - Olivia by Basic Grey from Bunny Zoe's Crafts
Image - Night Time Bear by High Hopes from Bunny Zoe's Crafts coloured with Promarkers and Distress Stickles
Ribbon - from stash
Sentiment - Craftwork Cards
Tools - scissors for distressing, Nestie circle, Burlap Tim Holtz Sizzix embossing folder

Gifts for a new baby

My cousin's daughter has just had her first baby and I quickly inked up my much loved Lili of the Valley Baby Blanket stamp to make a card. I had a route around in my stash and found some baby boy papers by Imaginesce that I've had for ages, I think they are so cute and work well with the image. I have made a nappy cake to give as a gift and made a tag using the same baby image as the card.

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

Sketch Saturday - Week 108, Sketch

Create4Fun - Week 25, Make a Baby Card

The Creative Cottage - Challenge 15, It Takes Two (I made a card and tag for the nappy cake to match)

Paper Play - week 24, Something Old (my papers)

Rosie D's - Challenge 73, Something Blue

Crazy 4 Challenges - Challenge 42, Paper Flowers (I made mine using 2 die cut circles glued together and scrunched)

Supplies for card:

Papers - by Imaginesce

Image - Baby Blanket by Lili of the Valley coloured with Promarkers and Stickles

Sentiment - Imaginesce rub-on

Card candy - Craftwork Cards (used for the flower centres)

Cardstock - Bazzill Basics

Card blank - Craftwork Cards

The rest of my seed packets

I've finished the rest of the seed packets for Thomas' preschool staff. It is ever so slightly boring colouring the same image over and over but I am pretty pleased with the finished packets. I've made a spare couple for Jack to give at his school (if he wants to).

I would like to enter these into the following challenges:

Stamp Something - Something Summer

Charisma Cardz - Challenge 24, All About Bling (the flowers have gems/pearls in the centres)

Supplies:

Patterned cardstock - Penny Lane MME

Other cardstock - Bazzill Basics

Image - Chloe in Garden by Pink Gem Designs coloured with Promarkers

Sentiment - Thank You Ticket by Pink Gem Designs

Buttons - from stash

Gems and Pearls - from stash

Seeds - Wilkinsons

Tools - flower punch used to cover over price on seeds, scissors for distressing

ATC for June's Crafty Place swap

This is the ATC that I made this month for the Crafty Place swap. The theme was embossing. My base card is slightly corrugated and the die cut flower has slight embossing on it too. I hope Claire liked it x

Supplies:
Cardstock - corrugated card bought from ebay, blue card from stash
Paper - Kraft by Basic Grey from Quixotic Paperie
Button - Lemonade Basic Grey
String - from stash
Flower and swirl die - Marianne Designs

Fat Book Page from Tricia

Isn't this beautiful! Tricia sent it to me in the Crafty Place ATC/FAT Page swap. The theme was fantasy. She also send LOADS of stamped images, thank you Tricia xxx

Another packet of seeds...

I like to make/give a little something to all of Thomas' prechool ladies at the end of the year. I decided this time to make some decorated seed packets after I made one for my mum for her birthday. I have sort of cheated and used patterned cardstock from MME. It's quite thin but works well for these packet holders. I have 9 to make and this is the first one. I have used a piece of cardstock 3.5" x 12" and scored at 1" and then popped the seeds in and folded the top down (didn't really need to score it as the card is thin). I have used DST on the back of the seed packet at the bottom to secure it to the holder and also on the back of the 1" lip at the base. This keeps the seed packet nicely in place. I have used 2 Pink Gem stamps to decorate the outside of the holder and a computer generated sentiment for the inside.

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

A Gem of a Challenge - Challenge 5, Ribbon and Buttons (ribbon in Chloe's hair and button on ticket sentiment)

Allsorts - Week 56, Lace and/or buttons (I used a button)

Creative Card Crew - Challenge 52, Thank You

Crafts and Me - Challenge 6, Friends & Family

Secret Crafter- Challenge 87, Include a Quote (sentiment inside packet)

Supplies:

Cardstock - Penny Lane stack by MME

Image - Chloe in Garden from Pink Gem Designs coloured with Promarkers

Sentiment - Thank you ticket from Pink Gem Designs

Button - from stash

Adhesive pearls - Basic Grey (used for flower centres)

Tools - scissors for distressing

This is my Crafty Place swap card

This is the card I made for Toni for the Crafty Place card swap this month. The theme was 'animals'. I love this cutey bear with his old fashioned glasses.

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

Bunny Zoe's Crafts - Challenge 1, Nice & Girly

Totally Papercrafts - Challenge 20, Animal Magic

A Spoon Full of Sugar - Challenge 108, Enjoying the Sunshine

Supplies:
Image - Bear & Butterflies from Lili of the Valley coloured with Promarkers and Stickles on the butterfly net
Papers - Polka Dots by Wild Rose Studio
Cardstock - Bazzill Basics
Butterfly images and sentiment - SU Ink, I think?
Gems - Papermania

Look what the postie delivered yesterday...

Toni was my Crafty Place swap partner this month and she sent me this fantastic card...

Look at these cuties peeking through the holes...

I love the words...

Isn't that just amazing, I love it, thank you Toni xxx

Some Stitching

My lovely friend Debbie has been cross stitching some lovely things and it's inspired me to pick the needle up again. I subscribe to Cross Sticther magazine and occasionally pick up other mags in the shops but I am ashamed to say I haven't stitched anything since last year. I started this piece last night, can you tell what it is...

It's this, it was free with this month's Cross Stitcher magazine...

I am going to make it into a card or gift I think? I have so many unfinished and completely unstarted kits at home, really should get stitching some of them ;-)

A Fun Blog Award

My lovely cyber friend Ali has passed on this award to me...

For this award you have to think of 6 fibs and 1 truth about yourself or 6 truths and 1 fib , thank & link the person who nominated you, pop the award on your blog and nominate 7 others. So here are 7 things about me - truth or fiction - what do you reckon???

1. I have a History honours degree
2. I have given birth twice without pain relief
3. I've been on television
4. I hate my feet
5. I am on a diet
6. I have had breakfast across the room from Billy Connolly
7. I am incredibly short-sighted

I would like to nominate my Magical Crafts team mates...
Joanne
Mel
Renate
Doreen
Jackie
Lesley
Shelley
Amanda
Donna
Carol Ann
Lisa
Steph
Liz

Ok that' more than 7 nominees but hey ;-)

Another desk caddy

After making my first desk caddy and finding out how easy it is, I had to make another. This one is for a friend who spends lots of time at her desk. I've used Basic Grey Kioshi papers, they are so lovely ;-)

Bits and bobs to go into the caddy: post-it note holder, notepad, pen, pencil, paperclip bookmark, magnetic peg, tic tacs in a holder.

Supplies:
Cardstock - Bazzill Basics
Papers - Basic Grey Kioshi
Coaster - Calico Crafts
Everything else - from stash

Magical Crafts DT sample Challenge 17 - For a Male/Father's Day

It's time for another Magical Crafts challenge today. The theme is Something for a Male/Father's Day and I've chosen to make a desk caddy to give to my dad as he spend lots of time at his desk at home doing crosswords and quizzes. I found a fab tutorial here to make the caddy itself. The Magical Crafts DT team were given some lovely digi items from Stitchy Bear Stamps to include on their projects and I chose to use some fab blue papers by Crafty Chaos Designs available from Stitchy Bear Stamps (only $2 for 6 designs!). So onto my project...

Items I have made/altered and popped into the caddy: jumbo paperclip bookmark, card bookmark, coaster post-it note holder, paperclips in perspex pot (recycled a pot that had brads in it), magnetic peg, notebook (covered a 15p Asda notepad), Tic Tacs with a card wrapper, Juicy Fruit chewing gum (my dad loves this stuff!), pen...

The finished caddy...

Hope you will come and join us with this fabby challenge! Please do pop over to the Magical Crafts blog and have a browse of the DT creations. There is a prize of some digi image and papers from Stitchy Bear Stamps for one lucky crafter!

I would like to enter this caddy into the following challenge:

Creative Inspirations - Challenge 36, Monochrome

Supplies:

Bazzill Basics cardstock

Papers - My Little Guy Paper Set by Crafty Chaos Designs available from Stitchy Bear Stamps
Ribbon - from stash

Dew drops - from stash

Stationery items - from stash

Tutorials for some of the items I made:

Desk Caddy

Tic Tac Holder this is for info, I made one using my own dimensions

Post-It Note holder you can use beer mats for these!

Paperclip bookmark

Magnetic peg I used paper to cover mine rather than ribbon

Chocolate cakes

Thomas and I made some chocolate and peanut butter cupcakes this week (Rachel Allen recipe). Thomas helped with everything but did all the decorating himself, can you tell?

The cakes were delicious, will definitely make these again!

A superhero card for a super dad

My other-half is superhero mad so when I saw superhero decoupage advertised in a craft mag recently I had to order some to make a Father's Day card for one of my monkeys to give to their dad. Making a card without a stamp and colouring was quite different for me, it was so quick and easy to put together.

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

CRAFT - Challenge 54, Father's Day/Men's Cards

Cards For Men - Challenge 12, Father's Day

Supplies:

Batman decoupage - Batman DC Comics from Crafty Bargains
Superhero backing paper - DC Comics Yellow from Crafty Bargains

Cardstock - Core'dinations

Very PINK!!!

I recently won a challenge over on Crafty Cardmakers and received a voucher for The Stampman - whoo hoo! This card shows the two stamps I chose. Delivery was super quick! I had to then treat myself to the Wild Rose Studio Candy Floss papers and make an easel card as haven't made one for ages ;-)

I would like to enter this easel card into the following challenges:

Passion For Promarkers - Week 55, Pink Birthday

Stamp Something - Happy Somethings

Allsorts - Week 55, Strawberries & Cream

Charisma Cardz - Challenge 23, Spots & Stripes

Supplies:
Image - Tiers of Treats by Stampendous from The Stampman coloured with Promarkers and a touch of Frosted Lace Stickles

Sentiment -Birthday Calories by Stampendous from The Stampman

Papers - Candy Floss by Wild Rose Studio from The Glitter Pot

Flowers - flat flower from Pink Gem Designs, roses from Wild Orchid Crafts spritzed with Glimmer Mist

Card candy dot - Craftwork Cards

Gems - from stash

Awww a bit of a cutey

A friend of mine is soon to be having her 3rd baby, I've made this card for her using my new absolutely adorable Baby Blanket stamp from Lili of the Valley. I've tried to keep the card clean and simple.

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

Crafty Creations - Challenge 71, Childs Play

One Stitch At A Time - Challenge 16, Boys to Men

Stampavie & More - Challenge 98, Dots

Crafts and Me - Challenge 6, Friends and Family

My Time To Craft - Challenge 95, Xtra Special

Supplies:
Paper - Polka Dots by Wild Rose Studio
Cardstock - Bazzill Basics
Image - Baby blanket by Lili of the Valley
Sentiment - Personal Impressions
Ribbon - from stash
Flowers - flat from Pink Gem Designs and little rose from Wild Orchid Crafts
Glitter - Frosted Lace Stickles used on the blanket and white rim of the hat
Blue gems - Papermania

One of my fave stamps...

This image is one of my very favourites, he is so versatile and also very cute!

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

Passion for Promarkers - Week 55, Pink Birthday

Cupcake Craft Challenges - Challenge 94, Dazzle Us! (I've used pearls in one corner and on the roses Thomas is carrying and Stickles on the flowers in the image)

Meljen Designs - Challenge 11, Sparkle, Glitter, Bling

The Creative Cottage - Challenge 14, Going PINK

Crafty Angels - Week 38, My Favourite Stamp

Supplies:
Image - Thomas Big Bunch Flowers from Lili of the Valley
Paper - Rose Garden by Papermania
Cardstock - Bazzill Basics
Sentiment - Paper Makeup Stamps
Flowers - flat flower from Pink Gem Designs and roses from Wild Orchid Crafts
Pearls - The Hobby House
Glitter - Frosted Lace Stickles (used in the centres of the blue flowers)

Anya looking pretty

I don't often go in for green cards but I really like this one. I love the paper and the card idea came from my need to use this particular paper on a card!

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

A Spoon Full of Sugar - Challenge 107, Floral Delight

Anyone For Anya - Hot, Hot, Hot

Our Creative Corner - Summer Inspiration

Pollycraft - Challenge 47, Ribbon & Bling

Simon Says - A Recipe: 1 image, 2 papers (I've used one paper, 1 piece of cardstock) and 3 embellishments (flowers, ribbon and pins)

Supplies:
Image - Fleur Anya by The Greetings Farm coloured with Promarkers. The flower centres have had glossy accents added
Paper - Origins by Basic Grey
Cardstock - Bazzill Basics
Flowers - flat flowers by Papermania, roses from Wild Orchid Crafts
Pins - The Hobby House
Ribbon - from stash

Whoo hoo my blog is in a Wikio top 20 list!!!

I found out a couple of days ago that my blog is featured in Wikio's Top 20 Papercrafting blogs, I am number 13. I am not too sure how the Wikio lists are compiled but I am very honoured to be number 13 :-)

Here's the rundown...
1. Lorraine's Loft
2. Dena's Stamping Corner
3. Jane's Lovely Cards
4. Margreet's Scrapcards
5. Kona Jamie & Gracie
6. Heidi's Crafts
7. Caro Crafts & Life
8. Catts Scratching Post
9. So Very Sassy
10. Marianne's Hobby
11. My Free Time Filler
12. Am I A Scrap Addict?
13. Rainmac's Place
14. Penrith Crafts
15. Kraftywheezle
16. Stamping Vacation
17. Linda's Crafty Creations
18. Doreen's Dream
19. Paper, Ink, Scissors & Stamps
20. Lorraine's Creations

Well done everyone :-)

Another Father's Day Card

This is a monumental moment in my card making as this is my very first card made using my new Big Shot and new Nesties. I've had the Big Shot for a few days, scared stiff of it but had a chat to myself and had a go this morning, I am definitely in love with it, it's so easy to use. This card is for my FIL for Father's Day, everything on the card is busy but I quite like that about it.

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

Friday Sketchers - Sketch 105 (I love this sketch!)

Simon Says Stamp - Father's Day/Male Card

Papertake Weekly - Fun, Fun, Fun!

Craftalicious Challenges - Challenge 1, New (new Big Shot and Nesties)

The Creative Cottage - Challenge 13, Happy Father's Day

Stampavie and More - Challenge 97, Summer

Supplies:
Papers - Doodlebug from the Glitter Pot
Cardstock - Bazzill Basics
Image - I Love Honey by Penny Johnson from Stampavie coloured with Promarkers and Frosted Lace Stickles on the honey
Brads - from stash
String/cord - from stash
Tools - Sizzix Big Shot, Nestabilities circles large & Classic scallop circles large, Quickutz alphabet die

Craftalicious Challenges has gone live!!!

The brand new challenge blog Craftalicious Challenges are looking for their happy band of followers to grow to 200. Please hop over and sign up to follow their blog, someone is going to win a fabby prize :-)

The first challenge has gone live today too along with a blog hop!

I love these papers!!!

There is a beautiful sketch to follow over on the Basic Grey challenges blog so I grabbed my Cappella paper pad and set to work. I've teamed the papers with a gorgeous sentiment stamp by Paper Makeup Stamps which arrived for me from the States today. I've made my own flowers by punching two flowers and sticking them one on top of another, added a brad and then scrunched them up. I really like how they look. The card is quite plain from embellishment because I want the papers to shine through rather than be covered up. This card is for Thomas' preschool key worker lady, I think she will appreciate the sentiment.

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

MSE Choccy's Challenge - Make Your Own Flowers

Basic Grey - Week 21, A Sketch by Martine

Sir Stampalot - June Challenge, Punch It (I used a scallop circle punch and a flower punch)

Crafty Cardmakers - Challenge 22, Least & Most (most is the peachy pink colour and least is the grey paper at the back)

Supplies:
Papers - Cappella by Basic Grey from Quixotic Paperie
Sentiment - Paper Make Up Stamps
Pearls - Opaline by Basic Grey
Brads - from stash
Tools - Woodware scallop circle punch, Hobbycraft flower punch, scissors for distressing