Wednesday 30 January 2013

Blog Candy Reminder

Hi folks!
 
Just a quick post to remind you that tomorrow is the last day you can enter the January blog candy. There is 100 mixed papers up for grabs!
 
Keep your eyes peeled for a fab February candy giveaway - oooh!
 
Toodle pip for now. xxx

Tuesday 29 January 2013

Thoughts of You

Welcome chums!

How are you today? It's wet & windy here in North Norfolk. The wind was really bad last night, the weather was really windy too - ha ha ha ha! I know NOT funny.

Ahem.... Moving swiftly on. This creation took me ages to get it just as I pictured it in my head. See if you can guess what my inspiration was!




What you need...

Stamps: Word Up - Paper Smooches
Dies: Labels, Fancy #4 (657913) Framelits - Sizzix; Carousel Bird Cage - Poppystamps; Small Bird Branch, Chinese Roses - Marianne Design Creatables
Patterned paper: aqua, white, black
Card stock: aqua, white, black
Ink: Onyx Black - Versafine
Seam binding: black
Adhesives

What you do...

Create a 12cm x 15cm blank. Die cut the largest rose in three different papers, the largest label in aqua, the birdcage, bird and two leaves in black card.

Attach the bird and the cage to the label so it sits centrally. Trim a small section from the left side of the label.  Wrap seam binding around the card and tie in a bow. Adhere the label to the left edge of the blank.

Scrunch the roses and leaves and assemble. Attach to the card just under the bow. Snip a small thin strip of black card and fix to the top of the blank in line with the top of the cage. Stamp the sentiment in the top right corner.

Did you guess where I got my inspiration from? Aye! It's me very own ye olde blogge design! I just love these colours together, it looks so fresh. I think the aqua label really makes the birdcage pop.

This would make a good sympathy, get well or 'just to let you know I am thinking of you' card.

So, that is all from me for the mo. Thanks for popping in. xxx




Saturday 26 January 2013

Thump... I'm In Love

Good afternoon all you lovely peeps!
Hope you are all having a great weekend so far. We woke up to a bit more snow this morning, but the sun is shining and most of it has gone now. I made a load of toast and we both sat in bed and had toast and marmalade and nice cafetiere of coffee...perfect on a cold wintry morn.
Today I'd like to show you a love themed card. I'm not the mushy type at all and Simon and I don't usually do the Valentine thing, but this image and sentiment is so cute I couldn't resist.



What you need...

Stamps: A Little Lovin - Paper Smooches
Patterned papers: Love Struck 12"x12" Collection, Love Lines, Smitten, Love Blossoms - WRMK
Dies: Homespun Hearts - X-Cut
Punch: corner rounder
Card stock: white
Ink: Onyx Black
Embossing powder: Detail Clear - Stampendous
Promarkers: Pink Mittens, Baby Pink, Icicle
Adhesives

What you do...

Round the top left corner of a top fold 12cm square blank. Cut a 9cm x 10.5cm piece of Love Blossoms paper, round the top left corner and attach to the right of the blank in line with the edge.

Die cut the largest heart in Smitten and the next size down on Love Lines paper. Adhere to the blank at an angle. Stamp and emboss the bunny, heart and sentiment. Colour in the bunny and heart, cut out and mount onto the blank. Trim the sentiment into a banner and attach to the top right edge.

Ta da!

I love the bunny's face. It definitely has that 'I'm totally smitten and in love with you' look. The Paper Smooches stamp sets are so versatile and they mix and match each other perfectly. You could use the bunny with a sentiment from one of their other sets. I think I might have to see what I can come up with. Hmmmmm...

So, I'm signing off for now. Going to get all mucky lighting the open fire. Bwah ha ha ha!
Thanks for popping by. xxx

Friday 25 January 2013

Hey There!

Aft'noon lovely peeps!

Hope you are all well and looking forward to the weekend.

Last night I was having a look through my paper and die cuts and I came across the Carolyn Gavin Greenhouse collection by K & Company. I adore these papers and die cuts, they didn't seem readily available at the time and are now sadly discontinued. QVC had the die cuts in stock for a brief time and I had to get the paper pad sent over from the US.

I decided to make a simple card using the papers, a journaling spot and a die cut butterfly. So here it is.



What you need...

Stamps: Sentiment Sampler - Paper Smooches
Ink: Vintage Sepia - Versafine
Patterned paper
Die cut butterfly
Journaling spot
Card stock: chocolate brown
Glitter dots
Adhesives

What you do...

Create a top fold blank 13cm x 14.5cm and attach a slightly smaller piece of chocolate card to the front, in line with the fold.

Cut three 2cm wide strips in co-ordinating patterned papers. Trim to length, snip a notch from the end of each strip and adhere to the right side of the blank.

Stamp a simple sentiment onto a co-ordinating journaling spot and fix to the blank just above the notched end of the paper strips. Attach a butterfly die cut to the journaling spot and finish with a few glitter dots. The apple journaling spot and butterfly are so cute!

Top tip alert!!!!

This project is a good way of using up strips of paper. I bought some of those 12" x 12"  grip seal bags, I labelled them with manufacturers such as Bo Bunny, K & Company etc. Any scraps of paper that I have left over I put into the bags. The beauty of labelling the bags is that you don't have to spend hours rummaging through scraps of paper to find the collection you want.

The bags are kept in a decorative scrapbook box, which is kept handy; so if I go to use a sheet of paper, I check in the box first to see if I have any already cut into. The times I've cut into a new sheet of paper and then realised there is one already chopped up. So annoying!

You can buy the 12" x 12" grip seal bags (10 for £1.25) from Sarah's Cards

Okay, that's me for the nonce. Thanks for popping in. xxx

Thursday 24 January 2013

Beautiful

Howdy chums!
Hope you are all well and happy :)
I'm on a roll mojo wise at the moment. Ideas keep popping in my head left, right and centre. So, here is another one of those 'ideas' (which came from the left, I think).




What you need...

Dies: Flower Layers #9 - Sizzix; Grunge Flower #1- PaperArtsy
Patterned paper: Soho Garden 6x6 Paper Pad - American Crafts
Stickers: Doodle Deux Typeset Tiny Alphabet - Prima
Adhesive tape: Washi aqua, lime - MT
Card stock: aqua, lime
Buttons: pink
Baker's twine: pink
Punch: corner rounder

What you do...

Create a top fold A6 blank and round off the lower right corner. Apply a length of aqua and lime Washi tape from the top left of the card, cut a notch in the ends.

Die cut one large, one small and two medium flowers in brown floral paper, then die cut one medium and two small flowers in aqua card. Use the leaf from the Grunge Flower set and cut two in lime card. Scrunch all the pieces up and then layer.

Attach the flowers and leaves to the card over the top of the Washi tape. Tie baker's twine through three buttons and stick to the centre of each flower. Apply a word sticker over the bottom of the Washi tape, just above the notches.

There you have it! I'm pleased with the way this card turned out. I did initially have it the other way round - a side fold landscape, but I like the way the Washi tape looked coming from the top, rather than the side. The photo turned out really well too. I didn't have to do much tweaking. Overall I'm a happy bunny - woo hoo!

Well thanks for stopping by today. I'm going to make a nice hot cup of tea. Until next time. xxx

Wednesday 23 January 2013

Say Cheese

Aft'noon lovely people!
Hope you're all keeping warm and cosy.
I have for you another little card, suitable for any occasion.



What you need...

Stamps: Picture It - Avery Elle; Falling For You - Paper Smooches
Card stock: bright pink, aqua, lime, white
Ink: Onyx Black - Versafine
Embossing powder: Detail Clear - Stampendous
Promarkers; Lime Green, Cerise, Amber, Cool Aqua
Punch: corner rounder
Adhesives

How you do it...

Create a top fold blank, 10cm x 12cm, round off the two lower corners. Stamp and emboss the monster, photo, sentiment, label and tape strip (x 3). Mount the sentiment onto lime card and trim. Colour and cut out the remaining images. Attach the monster so he is peeping round the corner of the photo, mount aqua card behind. Adhere the label to the bottom of the photo.

Stick the photo at an angle on the blank, arrange and attach the sentiment and tape strips, as shown.

It's so cute isn't it? The bright colours really make it pop out of the white background. I wanted to make the photo look like the monster was being silly.

There is so much you could do with the Picture It stamp set. I think I might raid my stamp sets and see what other images I could put in the photo.

I'm signing off now, lunch time! Take care and thanks for calling in. xxx


Tuesday 22 January 2013

Just a Note

Well hello you gorgeous peeps!

How is the snow with you? We woke up to quite a heavy fall yesterday. I had to go out (running out of food - since I didn't go shopping last week because of the bleddy snow) and my car used to be in the garage until we got Molly, which meant digging my poor car out. I only just managed to get off the drive. The roads were pretty clear though.

So cupboards fully stocked, I came home and made a lovely little card. I decided to take inspiration for the colours from Colour Q #127.



The colours used in the Colour Q challenges are taken from Stampin' Up colours. As I don't have any Stampin' Up stuff, I matched it as closely as I could with Promarkers. The photo has altered the colours slightly, the colours on my card are almost spot on to the CQC#127 shades.

What you need...

Stamps: Magical Flower (CG284), 3 Leaves (CG286) - Hero Arts; Sentiment Sampler - Paper Smooches
Promarkers: Walnut, Salmon Pink, Pale Pink, Fresh Meadow
Ink: Onyx Black - Versafine
Embossing powder: Detail Clear - Stampendous
Card stock: white
Adhesives

What you do...

Create an A6 top fold blank. Stamp, emboss and colour in the flower and three small leaves. Cut out and attach the flower to the lower left corner, overlapping the edge. Trim off the excess. Arrange and stick the leaves around the flower, tucking under the petals. Stamp the sentiment just above the flower, to finish.

As the card is very clean and simple, I thought it would be perfect for a note or hello card. Hence, the simple sentiment.

Thanks for dropping by, until next time. Ta ta! xx

Friday 18 January 2013

Udderly Brill Birthday!

Good aft'noon friends!

Ooooh! It's like a winter wonderland. Snow, snow and more snow. Perfect time to make a lovely mug of cocoa methinks.

Today I would like to show you a birthday card I have made for my nephew, Tom. After school and on weekends he works at a dairy farm. So I made him a card with a cow on it - ha ha!



Isn't the image cool? It's from a set by Paper Smooches.

What you need...

Stamps: Chubby Chums - Paper Smooches
Paper: Sweet Summertime (Citrus Circle 12x12 sheet) - Echo Park
Stickers: Summer Days Element Stickers - Echo Park
Card stock: white
Ink: Jet Black Archival - Ranger
Promarkers
Baker's twine: black
Punch: corner rounder
Font: King Cool - Ace Free Fonts
Adhesives

What you do...

Make a top fold A6 blank. Round the lower right corner on a 6.5cm x 13cm piece of Citrus Circles paper (reverse side). Attach a piece of the scallop border sticker about a third up from the bottom, wrap and tie baker's twine under it. Mount onto the left of the blank.

Stamp and colour in the cow. Trim to 4.5cm x 7cm, round the lower right corner and attach to the patterned panel. Type and print the sentiment, trim into a banner and fix under the cow, as shown.

I think this card is so funny. I love the expression on the cow's face. Hope Tom will like it. It's difficult to make a card for a 16 year old. Better than a card with fishermen, sailing boats, steam trains and old racing cars on.

I'm going to sign off now, make a cocoa and get on with my commission for Let's Make Cards. Why not make the most of the snow and get out there and build a snowman! If it's still around tomorrow, I think I will do just that :)

Take care and keep warm. xxx

Thursday 17 January 2013

You Make Me Smile!

Howdy peepsicles!

This is my 100th post!!! Whoopee! OK, that's the excitement over for today.

I would like to show you a card that I did last night. No occasion. The layout, colours and so on, just popped into my head. So I made it :) Here it is...




What you need...

Stamps: Labels, Fancy #2 Framelits Die & Stamp Set (657582) - Sizzix/Hero Arts
Dies: Labels, Fancy #4 Framelits (657913) - Sizzix; Chinese Rose - Marianne Design Creatables
Paper: Blissful 6 x 6 Bundle - Authentique
Card stock: white, pale yellow
Ink: Onyx Black - Versafine
Seam binding: Walnut
Decorative stick pin
Pearls
Adhesives

What you do...

Wrap a double length of seam binding around a top fold 12cm square blank and tie in a bow on the left edge. Die cut a label in pale yellow card, and a smaller one in patterned paper. Mount onto the card, over the binding.

Stamp the sentiment onto white card. Cut out with a label die, mount centrally onto the other labels. Die cut two large roses and a small one in co-ordinating patterned paper. Make up and glue to the left of the label, under the bow. Die cut two leaves in pale yellow card and also attach these to the card. Finish with a decorative pin and a few pearls.

I'm really pleased with this card. It turned out just as I imagined and I didn't have to fiddle around for ages getting it just right. Sometimes you have an idea in your head and it just won't work out on the card. So frustrating, especially if you've spent hours choosing colours and arranging stuff only to abandon it. Grrr!

Hope you like. Thanks for looking. xxx

Wednesday 16 January 2013

Dad's Tash!

H'afternoon chums!

Hope you are all fit and well on this Wednesday afternoon. I'm sitting here with a nice hot coffee, mmm. Lovely!

Today I would like to show you a card I have made for my Dad. It's his birthday on the 26th. He doesn't have a 'tash', but he used to years ago. I got him a set of freshly wrapped assorted style tashes as a daft silly present for Christmas, so I thought I would follow it up with a tash themed card for his birthday.

Here goes:)



What you need...

Dies: Mustaches (QuicKutz) - Lifestyle Crafts
Paper: My Favorite Things 6 x 6 Designer Paper Pad - My Mind's Eye
Card stock: white, black, greys, browns
Adhesives

What you do...

Cover a top fold 11cm x 14cm blank with mustache paper. Attach a 6.5cm x 12cm panel of white card down the centre.

Die cut the mustaches in shades of brown, grey and black card and fix to the white panel. Print the sentiment onto white card, trim into a banner, mount onto grey card and trim again. Adhere centrally to the bottom of the white panel. Ta da!

There you have a quick and amusing card to give to the man in your life...or one of them anyway - ahem! I just love these dies and I bought the paper pad just because it had tashes in it!

Okay, I'm going now, enjoy the rest of your day. Thanks for dropping by.xxx


Tuesday 15 January 2013

Crafts Beautiful February 2013 - Pt 2

Aft'noon peeps!

How's the snow with you? We had a good amount last night, mostly gone this morning, beautiful sunshine, then came in dark, another heavy fall, now the sun out and shining bright! Go figure??!!

This is the final part of my projects in the February issue of Crafts Beautiful.

 
 
Again, I apologise for the quality of the images (don't know why they aren't scanning as well this time - even enhancing doesn't help).
 
These were great fun. The stamps were from another two companies that I love, Lawn Fawn and October Afternoon. I adore this sunburst stamp. I did do another two samples, but they weren't showcased in the mag. 
 
You can use smaller stamps to create backgrounds, by stamping randomly on a piece of card, then selecting an area which you think looks the best and trimming it to size. Voila!
 
The February issue is out now and this month you get a fantastic 'Celebration' 64 page paper collection, worth £8.99, plus a bonus digi stamp set which you can download free from the Crafts Beautiful website.
 
The issue is jam packed with gorgeous projects and Holly has a brilliant feature on cake decorating with sugarpaste. She spent the day learning this fabulous technique with my friend Paula (a very talented lady I might add). I was surprised to see Paula's face grinning at me from the pages!
 
So, that's me for now. Thanks for looking. xxx

Monday 14 January 2013

Crafts Beautiful February 2013 - Pt 1

Evenin' all!

I'd like to show you a little peep at one of two commissions I did for the February issue of Crafts Beautiful.
 
 
Sorry if the image quality isn't good. The magazine didn't scan that well:(
 
I had great fun creating these using some stamps from my one of my favourite companies, Paper Smooches. As you can see, I decided not to go with the traditional red/pink theme typical for Valentine's Day. There is a little hint though ;)
 
The verse on the 'to my core' card is from the Crafts Beautiful verse app that you can download to your phone. You get a new verse everyday and they cover all occasions, so you'll never be stuck for those special words you want to put on your card. Don't worry if you haven't got the facility to download the app, there are loads of verses to be found on the website. Why not visit Crafts Beautiful for loads more crafting ideas?
 
Well then, that's it for now. Thanks for popping by. xxx

 

Thank You - Whoo!

Well hello there chums!

It's a beautiful if somewhat cold day here in Norfolk. We had a smattering of snow last night and now the sun is shining, looks just like a wintry wonderland on a Christmas card.

I have for you today another thank you card (I sent it to my Mum & Dad for my Christmas pressies). Again, it is one I did for Crafts Beautiful in the January 2012 issue.


What you need...

Stamps: Swirls V1 - Autumn Leaves; Birds Galore - Inkadinkado
Dies: Labels One - Spellbinders
Ink: Onyx Black - Versafine
Embossing powder: Detail Clear - Stampendous
Card stock: white, pink, blues
Promarkers: pink, blue
Buttons: white, pink,
Ribbon: blue grosgrain
Rub-ons: black
Cotton: white, pink
Adhesives
Flower templates - download from Crafts Beautiful

What you do...

Stamp swirls in black ink on the lower right corner of a top fold A6 landscape blank. Wrap ribbon around the card and tie in a knot on the right.

Stamp, emboss and colour the owl and cut out with the 6cm label die. Mount onto pink card, cut with the 7cm label die. Adhere to the top left of the blank.

Download the flower templates and cut out three flowers in shades of blue card. Attach a button tied with cotton to the centre of each flower. Adhere the flowers to the card, as shown. Create the sentiment with rub-ons, to finish.

I don't think birdies will ever go out of fashion. The good thing is they are suitable for all cards, male or female (though you might not want to give a pink and blue card to a bloke - well, maybe you would..... depends).

The Crafts Beautiful website has all the archive templates from past issues, plus lots of free papers you can download and print. You just need to register with the site to be able to access them. Simples!!

That is me for now. I'll be back later to show you a sneeky peek of my projects in this months issue of Crafts Beautiful. I have to make a card for my Dad and I have a pile of ironing that is the height of Ben Nevis (no exaggeration here). I will have to put on my climbing spikes just to reach the top to sort it out. I could pull a few things from the bottom, but I am not going to take the risk of being buried alive by an avalanche of underpants - no, not a good idea.

Actually, several of the items are now dead. Especially the bedding. Two pillowcases and the fitted sheet were massacred yesterday morning whilst changing the bed. As with most serial killers, Bazoo went back and had another go at the dead sheet. Cats!

Thanks for dropping in. xxx

Thursday 10 January 2013

What's New Pussycat?

Heevnin' peepsicles!

The weather is foggy and chilly here today, definitely January weather :(

Sorry I've not been around for a couple of days. I've been busy with commissions for Let's Make Cards and Crafts Beautiful.

I'd like to show you the birthday card I made for my niece Emily (you may remember from a previous post that she had the afro and goaty bubbles).

What you need...

Stamps: It's a Mod Mod World (W-7512) - The Cat's Pajamas; Quatros Snippets (LL994) - Hero Arts
Card Stock: white, lime, purple, turquoise
Ink: Onyx Black, Versafine; Lime, Mountain Lake, Violet - Versacolor
Brads: black, small
Acetate
Adhesives

How you do it...

Trim a 15cm square blank so that is angular. Repeat with dark turquoise and white card. Mat onto the blank.

Stamp the cat and stars onto lime card and trim. Stamp the television and cut out the screen, back with acetate, trim angular and attach brads over the knobs and antenna.  Mat onto the cat image with foam pads. Mount onto an angular piece of purple card, attach to the lower right corner of the blank.

Stamp the sentiment, trim, mount onto lime card and fix to the upper left corner, overlapping the edge of the card slightly.

Stamp a few Snippets around the television in coloured inks, stamp twinkles over them in black ink and a few twinkles around the top of the television. On a piece of white card, stamp a Snippet in Mountain Lake and a twinkle. Trim, mat onto turquoise card and attach to the left of the blank.

I just adore this stamp set. The images are just my thing, with the whole 1950's/1960's retro look. This set reminds me of a cartoon called 'The Jetsons' and some Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies. Yes I love Looney Tunes too - in fact we are building quite a collection on DVD - Daffy Duck & Bugs Bunny? My heroes. Bwah ha ha ha! Warner Bros. also did some quirky one off cartoons, which again are very retro and I love to watch.

Right, that's me for the nonce. Off now to finish the sausages in onion gravy - we're having it with huge Yorkshire Puddings (which I do make myself - smug look on face).

Thanks for calling, until next time. xxx



Saturday 5 January 2013

Flowery Thanks

Hello folks!
Saturday already. Simon only went back to work Thursday and now he's off for the weekend, a two day week - not bad :) Hope you are all having a lovely 2013 so far.

Today I thought I would show a thank you card I made for Crafts Beautiful way back in the March 2012 issue. It was part of the Cut Out & Keep feature.
 



What you need...
Stamps: Curly Flowers (CG136); Thanks Flowers (CG137) - Hero Arts
Card stock: white, black, orange
Ink: Onyx Black - Versafine
Embossing Powder: Detail Clear - Stampendous
Promarkers: Amber, Bright Orange, Sunflower, Yellow, Lime Green, Ice Grey 1
Ribbon: lime green patterned
Rub-ons: Hunky Dory Alphabet (655085) - Sizzix
How you do it...
On a 10cm x 28cm piece of white card, score lines at 10cm, 20cm and 24cm, fold to create a double tent fold blank. Cover the facing inside panel with orange card. Stamp, emboss and colour in three long stemmed flowers, highlight around the edges with the Ice Grey 1 Promarker. Cut out, mount onto black card and trim.

Adhere two of the flowers to the orange panel, overlapping the top and left edges. Cut a wavy edge along a piece of 10cm wide card and attach to the base of the flowers.

Stick the remaining flower to the front panel, positioning it so it sits between the other two. Wrap and tie green ribbon around the bottom edge and tie in a knot on the left. Use rub-on letters to create the sentiment.

Ta da! There you have it. A cute, bright, cheerful card.
I did a pink card, a turquoise and lime card and a purple tag for the remaining projects. They were very bright and vibrant. I think this one would look really good in those colours too. It would make a lovely Mother's Day card.

Hope you like this little project. Thanks for stopping by, until next time.....xxxx