Handbags & Gladrags

 Hi lovelies!

There's a bit of golf fever spreading around over here!  The Irish Open is currently taking place in Newcastle, Co. Down (only a few miles up the road from me) and there has been so much buzz and excitement about it!  I'm not really into golf myself, but I'm enjoying the craic about it.  My cousin's wee boy was very excited to get Rory McIlroy's autograph the other day and there are photo's popping up all over Facebook of local people with the rich and famous!  Unfortunately the weather isn't playing ball (or golf!) as there have been a few showers, but it brightens up in between the showers, so hopefully people get a chance to dry off then.  It may be affecting the local hero though as Rory hasn't been playing so well, hopefully he will pick up a bit today as it would be good to see him compete.

I'm still trying to get the hang of being back at crafting and blogging again!  I've been trying to make changes to my craft room but there is so much stuff and it's only a small room, so it's a challenge!  I am going to get a bookcase to put on top of an existing bookcase to try to make more storage space.  I need a bigger house!!  Mostly so I can fit all my craft stuff in!
I bought a load of gorgeous fabric to make some aprons a while back but haven't gotten around to them yet as I don't have the space to lay out the fabric!  I'll figure something out though.

We have a new challenge today at the Alphabet Challenge Blog.  We're up to H again and the challenge for the next fortnight is...

H for Hats and/or Handbags

Here's what I did

This is actually a twisted easel card, here it is opened up

I knew the exact stamp I wanted to use for this one - it's one of the first stamps I ever bought and it was perfect for this challenge!  She is Dressing Up Maggie by Sugar Nellie and I coloured her with the following copics: Skin; E21,13,00,0000,R20,RV23. Dress; R39,29,RV29,25. Hat; RV29,25,23. Boa & Hat; B39,37,34. Beads & Gloves; 100,C9,6.  I also used a black prisma pencil and a graphik "snow" line painter to help with shading and highlights.

I used papers from the Rosarian pad by Prima along with cream and black card.  I love easel cards and twisted easel cards but I really love the shape of this one.  To shape it I used an XL circle die by Go Kreate, the largest one in the set, and hooked it over one corner of the card and passed it through my Grand Callibur.  It can be a little messy looking so the ribbon helps to hide the sins!

I used Spellbinder ovals and scalloped ovals as well as a border punch by Martha Stewart.  The sentiment was cut using the Alice & the Centurion alpha dies by X-Cut.  For the stopper I pulled the stalk out of an old earring and glued the base into place.  A wee tip - when I cut the edges of the ric-rac (which I did after the layers were stuck down, so couldn't tuck the ends in under) I applied some clear nail varnish to help avoid fraying.

A few diamantés here and there always finishes everything off nicely - that's my motto for life! lol!

 And that's my card, I do hope you can join us this fortnight at the Alphabet Challenge Blog, I'll keep an eye out for you there!


Thanks for looking!
 

Tag A Mate!

Hello...Does this thing still work?!
Wow!  8 months since my last post, I didn't mean for that to happen!  I was dealing with a lot of pain so thought I would take a wee break for a while but I'm back and raring to go!  Sort of!  I still have the pain so I will be keeping things quite and calm from now on.  I have stepped down from all but 2 of my design teams, that was a tough and sad decision to make but it had to be done.  I have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of all of those teams and have made lovely friends through them but hopefully blogland will bring us together again!

One of the teams I have stayed on is the Alphabet Challenge Blog.  I'm so happy to still be on this team as it's the first DT I ever got on!  We had a new challenge go live on Friday and I'm here to show you my card.  The theme is...

F for Friends/Friendship

And here is my card

I actually made 2 cards which are basically the same but with different colour schemes.  We are having a card swap on the Kraft Krazy forum with a challenge of using a die that you don't use very much and I have 2 friends to send to so I thought I'd make mine to suit it and the Alphabet Challenge.
Here's both cards together

The image I have used is Best Friend Selfie by Saturated Canary and I coloured it with the following copics: Skin; E21,13,00,0000,R20. Hair; E29,27,25,23.E44,43,42,40,blender. Eyes; B06,04.YG17,13. Lips; RV29,25,23. Clothes etc on card A; RV09,06,04. BG49,45,11. Y26,23,21. C7,5,3. RV13,11,10. Clothes etc on card B; BV08,04,00. YR07,04,02. Y08,04,00. B26,24,21. RV19,09,06. Background; C1,BV0000,B000,R00,Y00,blender.

I then mounted the image onto a tag shaped piece of kraft card that I cut myself.
The papers on card A are from Prima set Anna Marie and on card B from Prima set Introspection.
Dies used are Memory Box precious heart (which I haven't used before) and Crafty Sentiments Designs Fancy Hearts border die (which I haven't used in a long time).

The sentiment is from the Film Strip Sentiments set by Whimsy Stamps, stamped with onyx black Versafine ink and then I went over it with a Sakura clear glitter pen.  I added a hashtag with a black fine-liner pen and then with the glitter pen.  I also added a few diamantes.  And of course, it is an easel card.

I added a die-cut circle to the inside for the message because "Just Because" is never an answer!  I heard that enough times when I was wee!

So that is my card and my return!  These are the first cards I've made this year that I am happyish with.  The only other one I made was a card for my wee sister in February, for her 18th birthday.  My card was terrible, I didn't even bother to take a photo of it, but I was out of time to make another!
I didn't totally stay away from crafting though.  I did some crocheting, knitting and sewing while I was "off" card making.  I will continue to do more of that and I have very recently had a chance to try jewellery making using wire, love it!  I will be doing more of that also!
Over the next while I will also hopefully update my blog with a few cards that I missed from before, including my few Christmas cards that I made and any other things that were noteworthy and I said at some point or other that I would blog about!

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

Craft Your Passion Challenges; Anything goes
Creative Fingers Challenge Blog; Anything goes
Cute Card Thursday; Use a sentiment
Eureka Stamps; Feminine cards
Papertake Weekly; Anything goes
Ruby's Rainbow Challenges; Anything goes
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Anything goes
ABC Challenges; I is for Inspire us
Top Tip Tuesday; Duo challenge - 2 in the image and 2 cards!
Whimsy Stamps Challenges; Colour an image

Thanks for looking!
 

Full Of The Joys Of Spring!

 Good morning peeps!

I can't believe the first episode of Game Of Thrones Series 4 was on last night and I still haven't seen it!  Well, it was on at 2am!  I'll have to check if they're doing that every week or just for the first one, I might stay up to watch it "live" next week! :)

So on to today's card which is for the new challenge at Seems A Little Sketchy and our sponsor for this fortnight is Robyn's Fetish

 And they're offering 3 digi's to our winner!

Here's the sketch for this challenge:

I rotated the sketch anti-clockwise and ended up with this...

The cute image is called Lily Lamb and was supplied by Robyn's Fetish.  I coloured her with the following Copics: C3,2,1,10,6. R21,00. Collar;YG97,95,93. Bell;Y15,13,11,E43. Ground;E49,31,G21,03,13,17,97,95. Sky;B91, blender. And I used some snow white acrylic paint here and there too.

The papers I have used are Prima; Alla-Prima.  The dies are..Spellbinder circles, Magnolia Grass and Picket Fence Doohickey's and Memory Box Summer Kites.  The ribbon and raffia are from my stash.  I printed the sentiment using the font Curlz and went over it with a glitter pen.

I followed the basics of the sketch for the inside along with paper from the same pad and an addition of a wee daisy from my stash.

So that's my card, I hope you can join us this fortnight at Seems A Little Sketchy, go and check out the rest of the DT's work for more inspiration.

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

Bearly Mine Challenges; Spring
Craft For The Craic; Easter or Spring
Crafty Catz; Springtime
Delightful Challenges; Hip to be square
Stampin For The Weekend; Spring colours
The Squirrel and The Fox; All creatures great and small
Top Tip Tuesday; Cute

Thanks for looking!
 

Jack's Bad Day!

 Hello everyone!

A quick post from me as my bed is crying out for me but I just realised that I hadn't added my own cards to the reminder post for PunkYouGirl's current challenge on Monday - I was so concerned with making sure I didn't miss anyone else out (cos we've had a load of new DT members join our ranks!) and ended up forgetting about myself!!  I've been so busy since then at work, catching up after 2 weeks off sick :(, that I only just realised my mistake this evening!!

So, the challenge is...

Fairytales Gone Bad!

And our very own lovely Kay is supplying the prize for this month!

Here's my Pirates Of The Caribbean themed card:

Now, I'm a massive fan of Johnny Depp, so this image, as fantastic as it is, really creeps me out!!  It is by the lovely Teri at Delicious Doodles and is called Zombie Pirate.  I coloured him with the following Copics: Clothes: E49,47,44. 100,c10,8,6. Bandana: C6,R39,37,29,E44. Skin: E21,00,0000,BV04,00,0000,YG17. Bones: E41.

The papers are by Prima from the Moulin Rouge set. I frantaged the hell out of the Marianne Design die-cut clock and added the Spellbinders Fancy Framed tags 1 piece over it with a computer generated sentiment using the font Blackadder.  The tiny brads in the corners are from Stampin' Up! and the charm and ribbon are from my stash.

The inside has been done to compliment the front.

And that's it!  I still can't believe I forgot my own cards, especially saying as I had 2 cards for it! I'm such a numpty! lol!
I'll do the post for the second one tomorrow or Friday (which is now technically tomorrow, but it's late on Wednesday night as I type!) but you can have a sneaky peeky at it now over on the PunkYouGirl blog where you will also be able to see all the fabulous work by our gorgeous design team - old and new!

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

Daring Cardmakers: Fairytales
Fab N Funky Challenges: Boys to men
Fussy & Fancy Challenge: Happy Birthday
Just For Fun: Anything goes
My Time To Craft: Charming
One Stitch At A Time: Use A Digi
QKR Stampede: Anything goes
Rhedd & Rosie's Challenge Blog: Aged/Distressed
Stampin' For The Weekend; Anything goes
Top Tip Tuesday; Metal or faux metal

Thanks for looking!
 

She Might Get A Little Cold!

Morning all!

I hope you're all fine and dandy?!  I went to visit my friend last night as I finally got around to sorting out her card and present!  Little Leah Rose is the cutest wee baby!  I could just snuggle her all night, although I think she got a little fed up of my snuggles and wanted food!  It's hard work being a baby!

We have another new challenge today at the Creative Card Crew, and speaking of babies I want to send out big congratulations to our DT buddy Yvonne on the birth of her beautiful daughter!

We are being sponsored by the fabulous Delicious Doodles (twice in two days - lucky me!)

Our challenge for you for this fortnight is...

Holly or Poinsettia!

A lovely festive challenge and I can't wait to see what everyone does!

Here's mine:

The image is Holly Fairy by Delicious Doodles and I coloured her with the following copics:  Skin; E21,13,00,0000,R20. Wings & Hair; E29,09,R59,39,37,00. Wings & Holly leaves; YG97,95,93,91. the rest of the wings; R22,21,20. Holly berries; R29. Background; E37,35,33,31,blender.

The papers are by Prima from the North Country collection.  I used a few Spellbinders dies for the main image - Circle, scalloped circle and inverted scalloped circle.  I used a Joanna Sheen Holly Berry die for the holly in the corner which I also glittered, glossy accented and gemed to death!
The sentiment is by Circa Design called Merry Little.  The ribbon is from my stash.

The inside matches the front except I didn't ruche the ribbon so it wouldn't interfere with closing the card.  This sentiment is by LOTV

So please join the Creative Card Crew for this festive challenge and go have a look at what the rest of the DT have done!
 
I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Bunny Zoe's Challenge; Wings
CRAFT Challenge; Christmas
Crafty Catz Challenge; Use 2 or more dies
Delicious Doodles; Christmas
Divas By Design; Feeling festive
Joanna Sheen Challenge Blog; Make it sparkle Christmas challenge
One Stitch At A Time; Seeing red
Stamping for the weekend; Use some red
Sweet Stampin Challenge Blog; Ribbons
The ABC Challenge Blog; A for Almost Christmas
The Ribbon Girl; Ho ho ho Christmas challenge

Thanks for looking!
 

Jolly Old Fellow!

Hi everyone!

Thank you to everyone who has entered my blog candy so far and for all the lovely comments about where I live.  I must admit to not appreciating it for most of my life but I've really come to see it's beauty as I've gotten older.  If you haven't seen my candy click here to check it out!

We have a new challenge for you today from Seems A Little Sketchy and our fab sponsor for this fortnight is Squigglefly!

 and they're offering 3 digi's to one lucky winner!

Here's our sketch for challenge 46

And here's what I did with an image kindly given by our sponsor

This image is called Better Not Pout Santa and I coloured him with the following copics:  Skin: E21,13,00,0000,R20. Hat & berries: R39,37,29. Holly leaves: YG97,95,93. Beard: E40,30. I used a Snow Marker on the furry parts of his hat and puffed it up with my heat gun.

The papers I've used are the North Country Collection by Prima.  I used a Joy Crafts Winter Wishes border die on kraft card that I dry brushed with some white acrylic paint.  The kraft card was a little thick for the die to cut the whole way through so I thinned it out a bit by tearing away a few layers of the card.  The holly is from an X-cut punch.  The bells, ribbon and pearls are from my stash.

The sketch was used again on the inside of my card and the sentiment is an old one by Anita's.

So I hope you'll join us with this fab sketch at Seems A Little Sketchy - go check out what the rest of the DT have done!

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

Allsorts Challenge Blog; Use your new stash - Joy crafts border die and digi stamp.
CRAFT Challenge; Christmas
Crafty Boots Challenges; Christmas in August
Delicious Doodles Challenges; Christmas in August
Divas By Design; Christmas in August
Fashionista Challenge; Christmas
A Gem Of A Challenge; Punch it out
The Hobby House Challenge; Christmas
Southern Girls Challenge Blog; Things beginning with F - Father Christmas
Totally Pappercrafts Friday Challenges; Favourite Colours - Red and kraft would definitely be one of my favourite colour combos!

Thanks for looking!
 

Gothic Angel

Hi everyone!

I hope you all had a happy Father's Day yesterday.  It turned out to be a nice day so all is good!
I can't believe Game Of Thrones is over, I don't know what I'm gonna do without my fix on a Monday night!  I have eventually bought the first book so I might get a fix of it soon - I just have about a million other books to read first, there's just not enough hours in the day to do everything!

The eyes of the world are on our wee Northern Ireland this morning as the worlds leaders arrive for the G8 summit.  I watched on TV as Air Force One landed and the Obama's disembarked this morning in Belfast.  I only hope that all will go smoothly and the trust that has been put in to Northern Ireland can stay intact!

Anyway, time for a mid way reminder for a brand new challenge blog called Punk You Girl and our very first challenge!

It's time to let out your dark side with our darker themed, monthly challenge so we want to see your gothic/punk/steampunk/emo/fantasy style creations.  We are not affiliated with any stamp brand so you are free to use any brand you like!

We do, however, have some fabulous sponsors and our very first one is sponsored by the fabulous Ike from Ikesart!
She was so generous and gave the design team some images to work with, and the challenge is....

Anything Goes!

So anything you like, as long as it's a darker theme.

I've always loved all the gothic stamps and papers out there and over the years have bought quite a few, but I've never really used them as I never had the opportunity to use them - until now!  So please be gentle with me as I show you my card!

My angel image, as I said, is by Ikesart and I coloured her with the following copics: Skin; E21,13,00,0000,R20. Hair; 100,R59,39,37. Dress; 110,W9,7,5. Wings; W7,5,3. Rocks; W5,3,1,00.

My papers are by Prima from the Moulin Rouge pad.  I used a viva pearl pen for the black pearls and the lace and feathers are from my stash.
I used a Go Kreate die for the large circle and some Spellbinders for the smaller ones.

The inside is done to match the front and the sentiment is by Lili of the Valley.

 So please pop over to the brand new Punk You Girl challenge blog and leave us some love and take a look at the rest of the DT's fab work!

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

Bunny Zoe's Challenge: Wings
Charisma Cardz Challenge: Digi's only
Crafty Friends Challenge Blog: Favourite colour combination - red & black
Crazy Amigo Challenge: Round, circles & dots
Eureka Stamps Challenge Blog: Anything goes
One Stitch At A Time; Use a digi
Whimsy Stamps Inspirations Challenge: Shaped card

Thanks for looking!
 

The Darling Buds Of May

Hi everyone,

I hope you're all keeping well?
 I've had a little break from blogging, not an intentional one, but had no challenges to post for a while and ended up doing a few other bits and bobs instead.
I went to see Eddie Izzard on Saturday night and really enjoyed it - he is one of the best comedians I've seen, and I've been to see quite a few lately!  I noticed he had a bit of a fall coming off the stage at the end of the show so I hope he was OK - good thing it happened at the end and not at the start!

We have a new challenge starting at the Creative Card Crew today and this fortnight we are being sponsored by

They're offering 4 of their gorgeous digi's to one lucky winner!

Our challenge for the next fortnight is...

Dies/Punches

So a fairly easy one!

Here's what I did;

The image was supplied by our sponsor, Delicious Doodles and she's called Rosalee (reminds me of the Thin Lizzy song!) and I coloured her with the following copics: Skin; E21,13,00,0000,R20. Hair; E47,44,43,42. Roses; RV34,32,R00. YR24,23,14. E09,08,07. YG97,95,93. Background; W7,5,3,1,00.

The papers are by Prima from the Romance Novel pad.  My dies are Spellbinders Labels 10 and petite ovals lg and my punches are Stampin' Up! scallop edge punch, EK Success daisy punch to make the roses (6 punched daisies for each rose) and a Martha Stewart rose leaf punch.  I used Fired brick, brushed corduroy and black soot distress inks on the roses and other edges.  The lace and the pearls are from my stash.

The inside is fairly plain and I haven't added any sentiments yet, I might even just leave it blank!

 So go take a look at the rest of the DT inspiration at the Creative Card Crew, they are such a great bunch of talented ladies!

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

By The Cute & Girly; Flowers
Creative Belli Blog; Flowers
Fussy And Fancy Challenges; Pearls & Lace
Joanna Sheen Challenge Blog; Girls girls girls
Oh La La Creations Challenges; Inspired by nature
The Squirrel & The Fox; Here come the girls
Eclectic Ellapu (Purple team); Self made flowers

Here's a wee video of the Thin Lizzy song, Rosalie

Thanks for looking!