Paix, Amour, La Mort, Métal

 Hello!

I'm a little (really, a lot!) late with my post as I got distracted.  Which happens a lot with me!
I was supposed to post this on the 13th, but I got distracted while watching the news of the terrible attacks in Paris.  I know there are attacks in different parts of the world every day, but we pretty much got to see this one play out on our screens as well as it being a bit closer to home.
I was also particularly shocked by the attack at the concert where the Eagles of Death Metal were playing, where so many young people were killed, hurt and mentally scarred.  They are a band I am a fan of and I am someone who loves going to rock concerts, so I felt a sort of affinity with them, if you know what I mean.
I've gotten to the stage where I just don't want to watch the news any more - it's just too sad.

Moving on to a lighter note.....

We have a challenge running at the moment on the Alphabet Challenge Blog and there are still a few days left to enter!  The challenge is up to T and the theme is...

T for Tis The Season!

Here's what I made

I made an extra large christmas card for my niece and nephew using an A3 piece of card.  I gave the card an inch wide spine and trimmed the rest to make a square card and made an enclosed aperture.  I used some Magnolia Doohickeys - the houses and Santa's Sleigh which I cut 6 of and stuck 2 sets of 3 together to make it really sturdy so as I could make the sleigh 3D by using another piece of card for the base of the sleigh.

I used snow-tex all around the inside edges of the aperture to give a really lovely texture and look.

 The papers I used are First Edition, Nordic Christmas.  I used my Stampin' Up! scallop edge punch to make the edge around the aperture and finished off the corners with a bit of red card die cut with a spellbinders scallop circle die and quartered.  Lot's of pearls and diamantes finish that off.  I used an X-Cut "Merry Christmas" die that was bling'd up a bit as well as an alphabet die set for the names.

The images are also both Magnolias.  I used Copics to colour them - skin; E21,13,00,0000,R20. Hair;E37,33,31,30. Clothes;R39,29,24.B95,93,91.YG97,95,93,91. Box;E27,25,23.

The inside has the same basic ingredients as the front.  For the corners of the back of the enclosed aperture I used 4 die-cut scalloped circles which I scored into quarters, then cut one of the scored lines from the edge to the centre of the circle and then overlapped two of the quarters to make a corner.  These also hide the hole that is left after making the aperture.

My sentiment insert was created by stamping the mini Magnolia stamp onto some card and then drawing a square (using a ruler) slightly askew, as if she is holding the card and then covering the square with a post-it note and stamping Magnolia snow flakes in different colours of ink around the edges.  The Sentiment stamp is also by Magnolia.

Here is a pic to show the spine of the card and how wide it has to be to accomodate the enclosed aperture.  You can also see some of the little wooden pieces that I stuck on the inside of the card and along the spine.

Obviously the card is too thick for a conventional envelope so I compromised and used a pizza box that I had received some papers in in the post and covered it with Christmas paper.  I didn't take a photo of that though.

So that's it, I hope you are able to join us at the Alphabet Challenge Blog for the last few days of the challenge!

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

All Sorts Challenge Blog; At least 3 die cuts
Bunny Zoe's Crafts; Sparkle
Creative Inspirations Challenge Blog; Festive Fun
A Gem of a Challenge; Inspired by a Christmas song - It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Incy Wincy Designs; Tic Tac Toe - Pearls/Free/Use a die
Moving Along With The Times; My Favourite Things - Brown paper packages tied up with strings
My Time to Craft; Let it snow
Papertake Weekly; Let it snow
Quirky Crafts; Anything Christmas
Whimsy Stamps; Anything goes - Holidays

Thanks for looking!
 

Springtime Joy!

Hello folks!

I'm a little late in posting this as it should've been done on Tuesday, I haven't had a minute to get it done so apologies to Mari and the other ladies at Creative Card Crew.
I went to Belfast on Monday to get my car serviced and went shopping with my mum while we waited.  I got some lovely fabrics and trimmings at the Spinning Wheel shop in the city centre, I can't wait til the patterns I ordered online arrive so I can maybe get started, I'm excited about starting to sew, I hope I can pull it off and not be too disappointed with my results!

But in the mean-time I am sticking to what I know best, card making!
We started a new challenge at the Creative Card Crew on Tuesday and this fortnight we are being sponsored by Marianne Designs who are giving away a gorgeous stamp and die set to one lucky winner!

 

And we are also being sponsored by the fabulous Lacy Sunshine with 3 digi's going to another lucky winner!

 

So, the challenge for this fortnight is...

Spring!

We want to see how you see spring, the colours, the wildlife or whatever!

Here's what I did

The image was provided by our sponsor, Lacy Sunshine and I coloured her with the following copics:  Skin; E21,13,00,0000,R20.  Hair; R22,21,20. Dress; YG07,05,03,YR04,02.  Wings; E0000,R20,G00,B05.  Sky; C3,2,1,B01,00,000,Blender.  Grass; E47,31,YG07,05,03,97,95.
I had just refilled my skin-colour pens and I think they are a bit over-powering in the picture, but you live and you learn!

I used some pebeo paints on the image, to make flowers in the grass.  I also used some champagne mist ink on her wings which shimmer nicely in the light, you can't see it above so I took another pic which shows it a little better.

The papers I have used are First Edition Spring Feast and I teamed it up with some contrasting green card to mount on.  The lace, net, brads and charm are from my stash.  The sentiment is computer generated using the free font Fortuna Schwein.  I didn't use any dies on this card!  Go me!

The inside matches the front with the sentiment completed in the same font as the front.

I do hope you can join us in this challenge, there is a load of amazing inspiration to look at from the rest of the DT at the Creative Card Crew!

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Bearly Mine Challenge Blog; Spring
Craft For The Craic; Easter or spring
Divas By Design; Easter or spring
Fab N Funky Challenges; Pink
Lacy Sunshine Challenge Blog; Add flowers
Moving Along With The Times; Easter or spring
Papertake Weekly; Spring has sprung
The Corrosive Challenge Blog; Show us your metal
Top Tip Tuesday; Cute

Thanks for looking!
 

Vintage-ish!

Hey everyone!

I've just noticed that this didn't post when it was supposed to - I think I hit save instead of publish, stupid me!
I've had the flu (again!) for the last couple of weeks and haven't been online so didn't notice til now, so I've had to re-write the start!  Not much to report though as I have hardly been out of the house over the last couple of weeks and when I was out, I just wanted to be back home again!
My granny is back home again, although she had a slightly extended stay in hospital after she broke her toe while she was in there!  I haven't been to see her since I took the flu as I don't want to smit her and make things worse!

Anyway, this card was for the challenge at Eclectic Ellapu when the Pink team were being hosted by May with her challenge of...

Vintage!

But changes are afoot over at Eclectic Ellapu and there are still a couple of days left to get your entries in!  We are changing to a 3 weekly challenge with 2 challenge options each time, one from us pinkies and one from the purplies.

So here is my card

My fab image was by Sketching Stamper and she's called Valentina.  It's a pity Chris doesn't do stamps anymore, cos I really love her style!
I coloured Valentina with the following copics: Skin;E21,13,00,0000,R20. Hair;E44,43,42,41,40. Clothes & Roses;E09,08,07,04,YR24,23,21.

When I was asked to make this card a couple of the things I was told the recipient liked were chocolate and Johnny Depp movies (a girl after my own heart!), so I went with the theme of the Johnny Depp film "Chocolat" which is set in France and has a vintagey look to it.  I think the image looks a bit like the main character in the film (although I made her blond, like the recipient).  The card is like a trifold concertina type card, I'm not sure what it's proper name is!

The papers are First Edition, Dessert Blooms.  The dies I used are Spellbinders Petit Ovals lg and Labels 10.  The sentiments are computer generated and the font is Lainie Day.  I added some swarovski's to finish it off.

The inside has the same papers, dies and font.

So I hope you can make it in time for this challenge - we have another one (or two!) starting on Sunday with the pinkies and purplies joining forces at Eclectic Ellapu!

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Cute Card Thursday; Girls, girls, girls.
Fussy & Fancy Friday Challenge; Happy Birthday
Just For Fun; Anything goes
Love To Create Challenge Blog; Anything goes
Paper Crafting Journey; Photo inspiration - the spots on the paper resemble the spots on the umbrella.
Papertake Weekly; Bingo - Gems, Free, Lace (punch)
QKR Stampede; Anything goes
Stampin For The Weekend; Anything goes
Sweet Stampin Challenge Blog; Inspired by a book, song or film - Johnny Depp film "Chocolat"
Totally Papercrafts Challenge; Shaped cards

Thanks for looking!
 

Lady's Day

 Good morning all!

I can't believe it's been over a week since my lovely day getting pampered with my mum and wee sister!  It won't be long til the next one though! ;P

We have a new challenge today at Seems A Little Sketchy and our sponsor for this fortnight is the very fabulous Lacy Sunshine!

They're offering 3 digi's to our winner!

The sketch for this challenge looks like this

And here is my card - I rotated the sketch once clockwise

The image is 1920's Winter Lizabeth, provided by our sponsor Lacy Sunshine and I coloured her with the following copics: Skin;E21,13,00,0000,R20. Hair & Fur;E49,47,44,43. Coat;E15,13,11. Dress;RV34,32. Surround;E33,31. Rubies;R39,29,E09. Plus a Sakura metallic gellyroll gold pen for the headband and brooch.

The papers I have used are First Edition Desert Blooms, the background one has a lovely shimmery embossed detail on it.  I used a diamante strip across the top and to tone down the silver, I wrapped it with gold thread.  I also used a red copic on the diamantes to make them rubies to match the image.  The Prima butterfly, feathers and swarovski's are from my stash.

I used the sketch again on the inside and just used the gold thread this time, instead of the diamante strip.

So that's my card, I hope you can join us this fortnight, please take a trip over to the Seems A Little Sketchy Blog to check out the rest of the DT's fab work!

Thanks for looking!
 

Feeling Foxy!

Hi everyone!

It seems like forever since I have posted - I haven't posted since last year, so Happy New Year! lol!

It's been a strange week for me.  I should've had this posted on Monday but we've had a death in family at the start of this week, on my dad's side of the family and then another death on my mum's side of the family yesterday.  So although I'm behind with my personal posts, you may have seen my work already on the challenge blogs.

So there's a new challenge up on Seems A Little Sketchy with a fab sponsor - Scribbles Designs!

They're offering 3 digi's to the lucky winner!

Here is the sketch we have for you this fortnight

And here is what I did with my card:

The image is Foxy by our sponsors, Scribbles Designs and I coloured it with the following Copics: Fox;E47,27,09,YR16,14,E31,30,YG17. Ground;E35,33,31,30,blender.

The papers I have used are First Edition, Desert Blooms and the dies are X-Cut hexagons for the image and Spellbinder Fancy Tags for the sentiment which was computer generated using the font Baby Bowser.  The pearls are from my stash.

I have used the sketch for the inside of the card as well as the same papers as the front.

And there you have my first card of the year!  Please pop over to the Seems A Little Sketchy blog to join in with the fun!  I'll be back later with my Creative Card Crew card that should have been posted on Tuesday, so the surprise probably isn't a surprise any more if you keep up with the challenges over there!

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Crafty Sentiments Designs Challenge Blog: Anything goes
Cute Card Thursday; Warm it up
Papertake Weekly; New year stash - my hexagon dies are new
Stamp N Doodle; Use an animal
Sweet Pea Stampers; Flower power
The Squirrel & The Fox; Show off new stuff - new hexagon dies

Thanks for looking!
 

Under My Um-ber-ella, Ella, Ella...

I don't even really like Rhianna (I'm more into my rock music!), but it's a fitting title!

Hello everyone!

I hope you're all well?  I had a lovely end to the week when my little sister got all dressed up to go to a formal with her boyfriend and the whole family turned up to wave them off! lol!  Here she is looking lovely!

And here's the Awwww moment when her and Ben first saw each other all dolled up!

Don't they look well together?!

And I thought I'd add this one in too - this is what happens when you get a few children to pose together!

And in all the excitement I totally forgot to do my post for the Alphabet Challenge Blog - it never even crossed my mind yesterday either - head like a sieve!

So our challenge for this fortnight is...

U for Use An Umbrella!

So I did this...

The image is "Emily Rainy Day" by Lacy Sunshine and I coloured her with the following copics: Skin; E21,13,00,0000,R20. Hair: E49,47,44,43. Clothes & Umbrella; E09,07,04.G24,21,20.W9,7,5.E42,41,40. Sky; BG01,000,0000. Ground; E44,31,G24,21,20,

The papers I have used are from the J'adore collection by First Edition.  I used the following dies; Spellbinders petite ovals lg and labels 10, Dienamics Umbrella.  I also used a Stampin' Up! scallop border punch.  The sentiment reading "Feeling Under The Weather?" was computer generated using the font Lainie Day.  The pearls and gems are from my stash.

The inside has the same layout and papers as the front and I've added a sentiment from Waltzing Mouse's Fancy Phrases.

So that's my card, I hope you can join us over at the Alphabet Challenge Blog - go and see what the rest of the DT have made, they're fab!

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

4 Crafty Chicks; Anything goes
Allsorts; Bring on the bling
Diva's By Design; Make it pretty - I think my pearls and gems pretty it up!
A Gem Of A Challenge; Sparkles
The Hobby House Challenge Blog; Pearls - which I got from the Hobby House
Lacy Sunshine Challenge Blog; Anything goes
Moving Along With The Times; Music inspired - Rhianna, Umbrella
Paper Crafting Journey; Bling it up
Twisted Tuesday Challenges; Pop dots and Polka dots

Thanks for looking!
 

Happy Birthday Rachael!

Hi everyone!

I hope you're all well and keeping warm - there's so much snow all over the place but thankfully we seem to be avoiding it this time!  There was talk of us getting some over the weekend but the threat seems to have moved over a bit and is missing us.  I'm sure it would've been nothing like the amount in the US!  Wow, that's a lot of snow!  Stay safe if you're affected.

Anyway, I have to shout a bit Happy Birthday to my wee sister Rachael who's turning Sweet 16 today!  I know she's having a good birthday weekend but I only ever wish the best for her - love her to bits!

So it's new challenge time for the Pink team at Eclectic Ellapu and guess what?  It's my turn to host and as it's my wee sisters birthday today I decided to go for the theme...

Girly!

Here's what I did...

I used several Magnolia stamps - Not sure what you call the Tilda but she's sitting on Love Muffin.  I used the masking technique and I stamped with Memento Desert Sand - I have wanted to try the stamping with a light coloured ink technique for a while and that is the lightest coloured ink I have.  I coloured them with the following Copics: Skin; E21,13,00,0000,R20. Hair; E49,39,37,35. Etc; RV13,11,10,BG02,000,0000,YG95,93,91,E33,31,30,W3,1,00.

The card is a large 8"x8" card from Craftwork cards and my papers are First Edition, Spring Feast.  They are from a 6"x6" pad so I quilted 3 patterns from the pad to fit the card.  I made the 3 lollipops by cutting circles of card and covering in super sticky tape, I then got the ribbon and tied a knot at the end, trimming close to the knot and sticking it in the centre of the circle, the ribbon coming from the knot I then twisted and wrapped in a spiral til I got to the outter edge of the circle and adhered the loose end on the back.  I then painted 3 wooden toothpicks with white paint and attached to the back.  The tag and lace banner are both Magnolia stamps with computer generated sentiments.  Some more ribbon and baubly ribbon from my stash and card candy with gems complete the card.

The inside, as always, matches the front.

So go have a look at what the rest of the DT did at Eclectic Ellapu - they've produced some stunners this week, as they do every week! lol!

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Crafts & Me Challenges; Your favourite colour combo
Craft Your Passion Challenges; Pastels
Crafty Ribbons Challenges; Anything goes with ribbon
Delightful Challenges; Pastel colours
Love to Create Challenge; Let's celebrate
Moving Along With The Times; Only girls allowed
No Matter Which Challenge; Ribbons and bows
Southern Girls Challenge; Bling it on
ABC Challenges; G for going dotty
The Shabby Tearoom; Happy birthday in pink and blue

Thanks for looking!