Trimming the Tree

Happy Halloween everyone! And for those of you who will be celebrating with your children, I hope you have a lovely time.
I started to make my Christmas cards today, and although colouring isn't my forte, (I prefer painting), I quite enjoyed myself colouring in some Christmas images with Pro Markers.
For this card...first of all I covered the front with glittered vellum from Papermania. I then tore a piece of white paper to make some definition and form a bank of snow on the ground. I edged this with Glamour Dust.

 The stamped image is from LOTV, coloured with the Pro Markers and Glamour Dust to highlight the snow and fur trim. I then cut the image out and embedded it into the snow.

My sentiment is also from LOTV, I mounted it onto a doily from Spellbinders - Floral Motifs, then added some aurora borealis gems, and a bow made with the gorgeous 15mm red satin ribbon from The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop.

I'm entering this card into the challenge at Make It Monday - Anything goes

Thanks for stopping by xx

Too Cute To Spook!

Hi everyone! Hope you're all well and enjoying your weekend.

Here are my Halloween treats for the tinies. I've made several but these are just a couple. I adore these images...so cute!

Thats all the Halloween stuff for this year folks.

PS... For those of you in GMT...Don't forget to put your clocks back 1 hour tonight.

Thanks for stopping by xx

Going Bats!!

Hello lovely bloggers!  It's three weeks since I last blogged and I'm feeling a bit mojoless, (is that a word?) LOL!  We were on holiday from 1st - 15th October.  I caught a virus that turned into a nasty chest infection and I've been feeling rotten for a few weeks now.
I hope you are all well and enjoying your crafting.

I had to motivate myself into making a few little Halloween treat boxes, and a card.  These are for some older children.  I still have to make a few more for the younger ones, and will upload those later.

Thanks for stopping by.  I will visit you all and see what you've been up to while I was away.
Enjoy the rest of the week xx

The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop - Challenge #3

Hi everyone.  Hope you're all well.  By the time this post uploads I will 'hopefully' be on a cruise ship with my DH celebrating our wedding anniversary.
The challenge at the Pretty Little Ribbon Shop Blog this month is...Anything Goes. Here are my three takes...

This gift box was cut on the Silhouette, as was the label. I designed the label myself, and layered it to give some depth. The box dp is digital, from Summertime Designs.

The ribbon is a gorgeous 38mm Ivory Silk Wrinkle from the Pretty Little Ribbon Shop.  It's so lovely to handle and ties bows wonderfully.

My second box is another design cut on the Silhouette.  For this one I used Moss Green seam binding from the Pretty Little Ribbon Shop and the dp is a digital download from Nitwit designs. I cut out the star, added tacky glue, then sprinkled with diamond glitter.

Finally, I made a Christmas card in the shape of a stocking and covered it with dp from Summertime Designs. I coated the stocking top with tacky glue and then sprinkled Martha Stewart crystals over it. The ribbon is 15mm Moss Green satin from the Pretty Little Ribbon Shop. The Christmas seal stamp is by Catslife Press.  It stamps really well, and is available from the Pretty Little Ribbon Shop.

Now why not pop on over to the Pretty Little Ribbon Shop Blog, and see the other DT members lovely creations.  And more importantly.....what fab goodies are up for grabs this month.

Thank you for stopping by!  I'll visit you all, to see what you've been up to when we get back.

Christmas Card #2

Hi everyone. A quick and easy Christmas card from me today.  I used three different dp's from the 'Simple Joys' digital paper collection by Nitwit designs.  My sentiment was computer generated onto a tag from Spellbinders Fancy Tags 2 - to which I attached pale green velvet ribbon.

Thank you for stopping by and have a Great Day! xx

Christmas Time

Hi everyone, hope you're all well and enjoying this lovely late summer weather.
Here is my first Christmas card for 2011....

I matted some embossed card onto gold silk cardstock. The snowflake is a Marianne die to which I added gems, a gold silk scalloped cicle and Christmas clock face, coated with glossy accents. The ribbon is 15mm red satin from the Pretty Little Ribbon Shop.

Thank you for stopping by xx

Three Little Gift Boxes

Hi everyone.  I can't believe it's already Monday again.
I've taken the plunge and started on my Christmas gift boxes.  These three are quite small, but would be suitable to hang from the tree with a luxury chocolate inside....yummy!
The pillow box was cut on the Silhouette from silver mirror card.  I added some of the lovely 25mm  meadow green gingham, from the Pretty Little Ribbon Shop. Then topped it off with a die cut snowflake and a sentiment from LOTV.

The next two little boxes were also cut on the Silhouette, as was the holly.  I coloured the holly with distress inks. For the one on the left, I went over all the holly berries on the DP with glossy accents, and made three berries from Fimo for the decoration and coloured those with Pro Markers. The one on the right has decorations from my stash and a LOTV sentiment.

Thank you for stopping by - Have a great week xx

Shabby Music Sheet

Hello everyone. Hope the sun has been shining where you are today, and that you all had a lovely weekend. I've got a really sore throat, and feel quite grotty.  There seems to be alot of poorly people about just now.  This always sees to happen at the change of seasons.
Anyhow...I haven't felt up to doing much crafting for the past few days, but thought I should show willing today and make an effort.  So here's my latest creation....

I embossed the card base with MS embossing board, then embossed a piece of Coordinations with the music embossing folder and distressed it.  I tore the botton edge diagonally and roughly curled the top edge.  I found the doilies while clearing out some old boxes...must have had those years! I triple layered the label, the sentiment stamp is from JustRite. Flowers, ribbon and gems from stash.

Thank you for stopping by xx

LIM - Anything Goes

Hi everyone. Hope you're all well.  We've been really busy trying to get all our alterations and decorating completed before we go away.  So I've had to do my crafting late...when hubby is sleeping.
Chrissie and Mandy over at Less Is More are going for 1000 submissions this week, and anything CAS goes.
Here is my submission for the challenge...

Plain white card, with a little added embossing and punching.  Teal velvet ribbon and a little birdie with crown.
Thank you for stopping by xx

Fancy Bag/Box

Here is my second entry into  The Hybrid Chick - Card Caravan Challenge #2 - Buttons.  I hope it's acceptable, because it's a box, not a card.  Once again I used the dp designs from 'Going to Grandmas' and printed onto cardstock before cutting out my box on the Silhouette.  The box is a digi download from The Hybrid Chick.

I embellished my box with some of the beautiful gingham ruffle from The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop.  I stitched it into a circle, and because the ribbon has an elesticated top edge, I made it so that it would stretch and slide on and off the box flap to hold it shut.  I then threaded brown satin ribbon and button twine through my button holes, and stitched it to the ribbon closure.

Thank you for stopping by xx

Card Caravan Challenge #2 – Buttons

My second card for today is one I am entering into the challenge over at The Hybrid Chick  The challenge is to make a card with a button on it.
Once again I cut my card shape and one mat on the Silhouette.  The third mat is a nestie shape from Parisian Motifs.

Patterned paper is from 'Going to Grandmas' collection at the Digi Chick, which I used for the second mat and flowers. Sentiment and label are from Die-namics.

Buttons, pearls, lace and black loopy ribbon are from my stash.  I ran some white crochet cotton several times across Rusty Hinge distress ink, then threaded through buttons and tied into tiny bows.

Thank you for stopping by - Have a Great Week xxx

 

A Tactile Get Well

Good afternoon everyone.  It soon rolls around to Monday again - doesn't it?
First of all I want to thank all of you who asked about my eye, and wished me well.  After a few days of gently bathing it, my eye is fine now, thank you!
I was asked to make a tactile card for someone who is recovering in hospital.  I cut the card and all additional shapes, including flower, on Silhouette.  I've had some card candy for ages and never used it, I thought it would be more tactile than using gems.  My bow was made with a stiff organza ribbon from stash.

Thank you for stopping by - Have a Great Week! xxx

Things With Wings & Three Colour Challenge

Hi everyone!  Hope you're all safe and these gales from the hurricane haven't done any damage to your property.  Our garden has been bashed, and our fencing blew down on one side, we got away lightly...so far! We have a fairly large garden, and fortunately the shrubs and trees have protected the other fencing. We're very high up here, we can see right across the Pennines.  It seems to be calming down a little just now.  I won't go to bed until it has.  It's scary! 
While we were outside trying to prop up the fencing something blew into my right eye and scratched it.  It's constantly weeping, so I've been making this card with one eye closed - LOL!

I cut my butterfly in fuschia and black card on the Silhouette. It's quite large 7.5 x 8.00 cm (3"x31/2"). I used gems for the body and made wire antenna. The ribbon was some that came wrapped around my new PJ's. I rolled the rose from fuschia and grey paper, and the sentiment is also fuschia, black and grey, with a few little fuschia gems.

I'm entering it into this weeks challenge over at Papertake Weekly - Things With Wings.

And at  CR84FN where you have to use these three colours...

Thank you for stopping by xx

Three Little Cards

Hi everyone! Hope you're all enjoying a lovely weekend. I'm dreading this hurricane that's due here in the north tomorrow evening and Monday. It's already really windy.

I've made three little cards that will come in handy, and they could all be made from one A4 sheet, making them just under 4" (10cm) across. For my base card I printed one of the 'Blossom' designs from 'Autumn Flowers & Leaves' by Pink Petticoat. Two of the cards are topped with a folded doily from 'Parisian Motifs'

I cut some tiny flowers to echo the design of the paper on this card. My bow is made with gorgeous 25mm meadow green gingham from The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop.

For this card I rolled a rose added some gold stamen, a bow of narrow satin ribbon from stash, and sentiment from Anna Griffin stamp set.

For card number three, I just added a border cut with the Parisian Accents border die, then added some narrow deep peach ribbon and a bow.

Thank you for stopping by - Have a lovely weekend!

LIM - Metallic Heart # 2

Hi everyone!  Excuse me for going all hearty.  But I just couldn't resist doing another heart shaped card for the Less Is More -  Metallic challenge, and Let's Create and Craft challenge - Blast from the Past, for which I chose 'Heart Felt'

I cut a heart shape card base and dry embossed it.  I then cut another two smaller hearts.  The silver heart was covered in dry adhesive and then I added metallic silver gilding flakes.  The gold heart was coated with VersaMark clear ink, then triple embossed with antique gold embossing powder.  On the final embossing, and while still molten, I stamped an ornate design with silver pigment ink into it.  The 'FOREVER' was a white plastic button.  I coated that with VersaMark ink and embossed once with antique gold embossing powder.

Thank you for stopping by xx

Pretty Little Ribbon Shop - Challenge 2

Good Monday morning to everyone!
It's time for the September challenge over at The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop Blog.  The challenge this month is to make a card, or anything crafty, in Monochrome....and there's a fabulous black and white ribbon and button prize up for grabs!

I got carried away and made two cards for this months challenge...

My first card is square pearl shimmer in pale green.  I added some embossed and distressed  Core'Dinations whitewash cardstock, and did some faux stitching around the edge.  

My heart embellishment is in three layers. The final layer is a stamped image - 'Muse Heart' by Hero Arts. I stamped with bundled sage and added a touch of glamour dust.

Bling is from my stash. Sentiment computer generated.  My flower and edging is the beautiful gingham ruffle from The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop.

Card No. 2

I cut the card shape, mats and rolled roses on the Silhouette. The patterned paper is from Crafty Secrets CD.  Sentiment stamp is Anna Griffin.  My bow is 'Tile Blue' seam binding from The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop.

Don't forget to pop over to the Pretty Little Ribbon Shop Blog  and check out the lovely creations by the other DT ladies.

LIM - Metallic Heart

Hi everyone! Chrissie and Mandi over at Less Is More have set us the challenge of metallic this week.

I've had great fun playing with a set of Suze Weinberg ultra thick embossing enamels.  I must have had them at least ten yeas and never used them.  I cut an ornate heart shape, and mat, on my Silhouette.  I double embossed the mat with the black enamel and then sprinkled just a little paltinum into the black while it was still molten, then re-heated with heat gun.  I then triple embossed the ornate part of my heart with the platinum and glued that to the previously embossed mat.  I also embossed the WMS sentiment with the platinum.  The heart is 11cm x 6cm (41/4" x 21/4").

Thank you for stopping by xx

Gift Card & Pocket

Hi everyone!  I know I may seem obsessed with the weather, but today has been quite nice for a change here in West Yorkshire.  I was going to discard a few bedding plants, but if this good weather continues they may last a bit longer.
Today I made a gift card and pocket.  They always come in handy.  I have a box for little gift boxes and such, just in case I need one in a hurry.  So this will go into my collection.

I cut everything on the Silhouette.  The patterns are from the Crafty Secrets CD, and were printed onto white cardstock. Seam binding, button and twine are all from The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop.  Sentiment is from HOTP.
Thank you for stopping by!

Say It With Flowers - Blast from the Past

Hi everyone, hope you're all okay.  Hasn't it turned really autumnal?  The trees in our garden are starting to turn, and my containers look as if they've decided to call it a day.  I hate to think that we may be in for another long winter.  On the bright side...we still have our crafts to turn to.

I'm entering this card into this weeks challenge over at Let's Craft and Create where you can choose any of the past years challenges.  My choice is 'Say It With Flowers'.

There's only one rolled rose on my card, but it's quite large, so I hope that counts.  I cut my card shape on the Silhouette in black cardstock, and then matted the baroque design paper on top.  My bow is silk wrinkle ribbon.  I rolled the rose from black magic cardstock.  The label is from WMS and sentiment is an Anna Griffin stamp. Pink pearls from stash.

Thank you for stopping by xx

Embossed Butterfly - LIM Take 3 Challenges

Hi lovely bloggers! Hope you all had a good bank holiday weekend!

This week over at Less Is More, Chrissie and Mandi have given us a great challenge of being able to choose three from any of the previous 29 challenges. My three choices are...
Week 5 Pastel Colours
Week 15 Embossing
Week 16 Butterfly

For my pastel colours I used Coredinations distress card in scattered straw for my butterfly, and for my label I used lavender pigment ink. I did both kinds of embossing on my card. I dry embossed the whole card and butterfly with embossing folders. I stamped my WMS label with ink, then embossed with clear embossing powder.
My butterfly is a Sizzix die cut, to which I added some lavender gems for the body, and wire for the antennae.
The sentiment stamp is by Anna Griffin.
 
Thanks for stopping by today!

A Bluebird Welcome - LIM WEEK 29

Hi everyone!  Hope you're having a lovely day!

Over at Less Is More this week, Chrissie and Mandi have set the theme as 'Things That Move'.  My take on this is a bird and feathers.

I used an embossed background that resembles a tree, then inked the edges.  My bird is 'Swallow' Sizzlits die, and I used Whitewash ColorCore card in pale blue.  I stamped 'Welcome' onto a piece of satin ribbon with a tiny sentiment from the 'Say It Loud' collection from WMS. Keeping to the bird theme, I added a small maribou feather beneath the ribbons.

Thank You! for stopping by - Have a Great Evening!

Ribbon Rose & Music

Hi lovely bloggers!  Hope you're all well. I've been unable to blog for a few days due to some very faulty software causing me grief. After some lengthly phone calls, (one to Canada), everything is now back to normal.

My card today has some of the delightful paper from the Crafty Secrets CD.  I scaled it down to fit my card, then added a ribbon rose and bud, made with gorgeous satin ribbon from The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop.  Leaves are a 'Marianne' die, twine is from The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop and  'Just A Note ' stamp is by HOTP.

Thank You! for stopping by, have a Great Day!

Teddy Bear's Picnic

Hi Folks!  Second card for today. 

Over at Let's Craft and Create the challenge is Teddy Bear's Picnic.  I've made a fairly simple card.  I love this sweet image which is part of some software I have, and thought it was just perfect for the challenge, as the little bear is having a picnic with his cute little friend.

Thank You! for stopping by today xx

Black On White

Hi everyone!  It's a bleak summers day here in West Yorkshire.  We've had to bring the hanging baskets indoors as they were being battered by the wind.

I made this card a while ago, it was my first attempt at rolling roses, and I didn't like the finished result of the card, so I threw it in with a box of disasters.  But when I came across it again today it didn't seem too bad.  Perhaps it rearranged itself in the box - LOL!  I think it's the style of the card I like more than anything.  I love the sentiment, and the swirly background looks okay.  But I'm not too sure about the glittered leaves and the rolled roses.  I may try and remove those and try to improve on things.

Thank You! for stopping by today xx

Roses & Butterflies

Hi everyone!  Hope you're all having a great day!

I was playing with paper again last night.  My friend sent me a lovely card in a deep pink envelope.  The envelope was too pretty to throw away, so I made some rolled roses.  I wanted to mimic the rose spray on my DP, so I also made another rose using 120gsm printer paper and edged it with red ink.

I folded a square doily for the top of my card.  DP is 'Rose Garden' by Papermania.  My bow is seam binding, and the tiny butterflies were made with a Martha Stewart combination punch/stamp. Sentiment is from Hot Off The Press.

Thank You! for stopping by today xx

LIM Week 28 - One Layer & Ink

Hi everyone, hope you all had a lovely weekend, with some sunshine. The sun only seems to come out here in West Yorkshire after 6.00 p.m.

This week over at Less Is More, Chrissie and Mandi have challenged us to make a one layer card using ink.  I'm completely out of my comfort zone with this challenge.  I decided my only hope was to stamp something then colour it with distress inks.

My image is 'Antique Rose' by Rubber Stampede.  I've had this stamp for years, and never used it.  After stamping with anchival ink, I coloured the image with the following Tim Holtz distress inks... Spun Sugar, Tattered Rose, Barn Door, Bundled Sage and Shabby Shutters.  The sentiment stamp is from Hot Off The Press.
Thank You! for stopping by today xx

LIM Week 27 Challenge - Patriotic Lolliop

Hi everyone.  This weeks challenge by the lovely Chrissie and Mandi over at Less Is More is to make a card in the colours of your countries flag.  I've used the red white and blue of the Union Jack flag of England.

I printed two strips of paper, one in red with a white border, the other in blue. Both strips are 12" long, but I slightly varied the width.  I pleated them both and layered the blue over the red, added a button, then used a cotton bud stick and tied with red and blue narrow ribbon.  Sentiments stamps are from my stash.

Thanks for stopping by today xx

Black Magic Roses

Hi everyone.  Hope your having better weather than us in West Yorkshire.  It's dull, dreary and raining.

I've been making roses with the Black Magic ColorCore cardstock again.  I've had this cardstock for years and only just come across it at the bottom of a craft box.  This happens to me quite a lot.  I buy stash, put it away, and then completely forget about it.  But now I'm enjoying using it.

I'm entering my card into the Papertake Weekly Challenge - which is - Grow Your Own.  You have to make a card with flowers that you have made yourself.

I used Rose Garden Collection by Papermania as backing paper.  Cuttlebug and Sizzix embossing folders. Cut a leafy spray on the Silhouette and stamped my sentiment using a JustRite stamp.  I made faux stitching by pricking around the edge of my card and then used a white pergamano pen.  I daren't use my sewing machines on paper/card, they were both very expensive computerised machines.  My decorative heart pin, bakers twine and pearl button are from The Petty Little Ribbon Shop.
Thank You for stopping by xx

Card For A Special Couple

Hi everyone!  I was asked to make this card for a special couple, who will be celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary later this month.  65 years of marriage, what a wonderful achievement.  I did a bit of research and found that blue sapphires signify 65 years of marriage.  So I used a deep blue silk card on white.  I also used the same labels twenty die as the one I've used on previous 210mm square, (8" square), cards.  I love this large label for special cards, as you can get a significant size sentiment inside.  The border trim is from shapeabilities - Parisian Accents. I also attached a few faux sapphires to replicate the real gems, and a vintage pin with faux pearls and sapphire.

Thank you for stopping by - Have a Great Day! xx

The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop - A New Challenge Blog!

Good morning everyone!  Today is the very 1st challenge over at The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop Blog.

This first challenge is...RIBBONS! Make a card, or any papercraft using ribbons. This fab prize is up for grabs...

I love working with ribbons, so I thoroughly enjoyed making a card and embellishing it with a ribbon bow and flower.

The ribbon I used for my bow and flower is the 25mm Satin Ribbon in Salmon Pink.  I also used  one of the White Vintage Style Hat Pins, both from The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop.  Embossing folder is cuttlebug, roses. Label die, sentiment stamp and border die are all from the Die-namics range.

We would love to see what you create with your ribbons, and don't forget that there's a fab prize up for grabs.

Pop over to the Pretty Little Ribbon Shop Blog and see some great inspiration from the other team members.

Thank you for stopping by, and enjoy a Great Day! xx