Fishful Thinking!

Today's card is one made for the Lili of the Valley challenge on Facebook which closes at 6pm today - nothing like cutting things fine!

I've used this cute boy image which is one of the pre-coloured die cut squares I've had for ages. I teamed it with some new DPs* bought this weekend. I die cut some stars using a Die-sire die set and also found silver holographic stars deep in the stash drawer. The netting ribbon and Fish sentiment are also from stash.

I'd like to enter the following challenges:

The Ribbon Girl Blog - May 'Use Any Image'
Creative Fingers Challenge #109
Simply Papercrafts challenge #28
Crafting with an Attitude challenge #15
Crafty Gals Corner Challenges #71 - Polka Dots or Stripes
The Crazy Challenge - #222 Three Layers or more




Thanks for looking!




*DPs from £-Land - nice quality and 200gsm

Just for a Change ...............

I've made a Male card!!  This is a card I was asked to make by a friend who this week celebrates 59 years of marriage (I'm already booked for the 'Big" card next year). My friend worked as a Librarian and so this LOTV image seemed ideal.

As you can see it's a very LOTV card. I used a For You Circular Sentiment which actually says On Your Anniversary but I managed to 'un-ink' the 'Y' - it took several attempts though.  I also used papers from the Petal Fresh and Bonnets & Bows pads. The yellow paper is, I think, Dovecraft Back to Basics IV. Everything was matted onto Centura Pearl and the image is matted onto a frame cut with Spellbinders Captivating Squares S4-414.

The raffia ribbon (which I should use more often) and gems are from stash and the paper bow was very kindly given to me by a crafting friend. (I think it is the Sue Wilson Classic 3D Bow).

Bow detail

So sweet!

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

Lili of the Valley Monthly Challenge - Male or Sporty
Clear it Out Challenge Blog - Anything Goes
Country View Challenges - Only Men Allowed
Bunny Zoe's Challenge - Layers
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge

Thanks for looking!

Retirement - Pt II

This card was made for DH's friend who retired at the same time as he did. Again I used one of the fab images from LOTV  -   Art Pad 1 - Vintage Boys   (very apt description of DH and friend, LOL).

I used Spellbinders Labels 8 to add shape to the image and matted it onto brown card that had been embossed with the Die'sire Button Box folder, then wrapped with a strip of DP and a length of raffia lace. I added a LOTV sentiment and button tied with silk thread to finish off.  Note to self - must improve my inking!!      I used a ready made 6x6 Kraft card blank for this card.

I'd like to enter the following challenge:

Lili's Little Fairies - Monochrome

Thanks for looking!

Gardener's World - 80th Birthday Card

This is a recent commission card and fairly new territory for me. i.e. CD crafting. I used the 'From the Heart of the Garden' CD by Jane Shasky (from Joanna Sheen) and printed out various papers, toppers and sentiments. I probably have enough left to make another two cards.

I used Centura Pearl in a taupe/pale coffee shade for the base card. The miniature flower pots were cut in half before attaching to the sentiment. I think they were from Hobbycraft.

Inside of card - the Sun charm was included in an assorted pack from Bunny Zoe's Crafts and tied on to some knotted raffia. The photo I took of the right-hand side didn't come out at all which is a shame because my DH had made a miniature fork and trowel to stand in another mini terracotta pot to decorate the greeting/dedication section.

I'd like to enter the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes


Thanks for looking!

On Your Birthday

A very long overdue post from me - not sure where the time has gone to and my card mojo still not much in evidence. This is a male card I recently did and I'm quite pleased with the end result. I've long been reading the lovely Sue Wilson's blog and have watched/recorded many of her recent Spellbinder shows on Create & Craft. Here is my first attempt in this style and already I've realised that I'm going to have to get a lot more Spellbinder dies (oh dear - what a shame!!). So far I only have the Fleur de Lis and the Pendants that are suitable. I shall just have to trawl the net for more supplies - a hard job I know but someone's gotta to do it!

Brown Card - Papermania Premium Textured

Cream Card Blank

Cream Raffia Lace - PaperCellar

Brad - American Crafts Elements 

Tools used:

Spellbinders Fleur de Lis

Cuttlebug Folder - Swiss Dots

Martha Stewart Edge Punch - Traditional Scallop

Thanks for looking!

LOTV Challenge 118 - A Sketch

Here is the card I made at the weekend for this week's Lili of the Valley challenge. I stamped the image using Memento Tuxedo Black and coloured with Promarkers. I inked the edges using a Tim Holtz distress ink - Brushed Corduroy (I need to practise more with the blending tool and foam) which I also used to stamp the sentiment straight onto the DP. Very brave for me!

DPs - Dovecraft Masculine (8x8)

Image - LOTV Zooming Along

Sentiment - Papermania

White & Copper card from Stash

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:

Lili of the Valley Challenge 118-A Sketch by Bev

Sweet Stampin Challenge - Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Anything Goes

Thanks for looking!

JULES' CRAFTY SNIPPET CHALLENGE - WEEK 43

Evening.  Hope this has been a good weekend for you and that the extra hour has been beneficial - I know I enjoyed a lovely lie-in this morning!

So here I have an entry into Jules' Crafty Snippet Challenge - check her wonderful blog here .  This is my first time of joining in and I really enjoyed using up the 'left-overs' from a card I made yesterday for this week's LOTV challenge. Hopefully I'll blog that one tomorrow.  The two cards are very alike but I intended that as I need two male birthday cards for the 5th and 6th November. I do struggle somewhat with male cards so this worked out very well for me.

I made up three matted layers for the background from my snippets which just covered my card base. The buttons were cut using a Nellie Snellie die and I tied them with embroidery cotton remnant from my cross-stitching days. Image was coloured with Promarkers and I added Glossy Accents to the goggles and the headlights. Sentiment stamped in Memento Cocoa using magazine freebie stamps.

DPs - Dovecraft Masculine (8x8)

Image - LOTV Zooming Along

Sentiment - Molly Blooms (freebie-Simply Cards & Papercraft mag)

White & Copper card from Stash

Tools used:

Nellie Snellen Flower Die MFD 020

Thanks for looking!

Birthday Boy !

Here is the card I made recently for my DH's birthday. I printed off a page of Autumn Leaves backing paper from the House Mouse Inserts CD (from Joanna Sheen).  I then printed the letters for Happy Birthday and the Relax sentiment onto this sheet. The banner was cut by hand which was a little fiddly but not too bad.

Image - LOTV A4 Die Cut Design sheet - Take It Easy

DP  (also used on banner and sentiment)  printed from House Mouse Inserts CD

Banner lettering and Sentiment - computer generated

White, Pearlescent & Orange card from stash

Flowers - E-Line

Ribbon & Brad from stash

Tools used - X-cut small corner rounder

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

Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes

Thanks for looking.

Male Birthday Card

This card was made for a family member who recently celebrated his 80th birthday.  I always find male cards difficult as most of my stash consists of 'girly' items but this turned out well enough (I hope) and I do like the buttons tied with raffia so will use this idea again.  The inside consisted of a one page insert plus a double page photo-montage which my DH put together using his family history programme.  All edges have been cut using the deckle blade in my trimmer.

Cream pre-scored card blank & Metallic card from stash
DP - K&Company
Buttons & Raffia - Papermania
Sentiment - Papermania Clear Stamp

Tools used:
Cuttlebug Olivia Alphabet for the numbers
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder - Bird Call
Woodware Fingerguard Trimmer - Deckle edge blade

Thanks for looking.

Challenge Card

Talk about last minute - hope I make the deadline for LOTV challenge.

Entered for the LOTV New Beginnings' challenge using LOTV Zooming Along stamp. I've used it as a congratulations card for a new driver. Coloured with Promarkers and I used some of the new papers I got from the Hobbycraft sale. All other items from stash. Also used Nesties Labels dies and Cuttlebug Olivia alphabet.

Phew, think I just about made it. Well this is the first challenge I've ever entered and if i do another I'll try and leave myself more time.


Louise