Tuesday 30 April 2013

April Blog Candy - Last Chance!

Mewnin peeps!

Just a quick reminder that today is the last day you can enter for the fabulous April candy. There are three giveaways - click here to find out all the details and rules to enter. Good luck!!

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Sunday 28 April 2013

Delightful! & retrosketches #59

Hello peeps!
Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend. We're still working hard at the hall/landing refurb and decoration (there is a long way to go yet...and a lot of mess) but I managed to find time to squeeze in this little card yesterday. I took my inspiration from retrosketches #59.


 Here is my take on it....

 



What you need...

Papers and stickers: Sweet Day Collection Kit - Echo Park
Card stock: red, orange, brown
Dies: Chinese Roses - Marianne Design Creatables
Adhesives

What you do...

Create a 13cm x 15cm blank. Cut a pennant 6.5cm x 9cm in chevron paper. Cut a smaller pennant 5cm x 7cm in spotty paper and adhere centrally to the larger one. Cut a 6.5cm piece of the scallop sticker border and fix to the top of the pennants. Add the 'Delightful!' sticker across the centre.

Attach the pennant to the centre of the blank. Die cut three roses, one in red, orange and brown. Scrunch and assemble. Glue to the top of the pennant.

This is such a sweet and simple card. Head on over to the retrosketches blog for lots more layouts and inspiration. A new sketch is released every Saturday. You have until 11.59pm (central time) on the following Friday to enter into the retrosketches challenge to win the ROCKstar badge to proudly display on your blog. Runners up are given a SHOUTout badge.

Saying that, I haven't entered any challenges myself yet. I should really - naughty Colette!

Just a bit of daft now. I was taking a piccy of my card in the conservatory and Bazoo was sat on the sofa having a wash (sitting in her usual dignified manner - showing all her tummy fluff). I turned round to take a snap of her, interrupted her ablutions and captured her face in mid wash. Hilarious! She doesn't look impressed though. Bwa ha ha ha!


Then she got interrupted by a wood pigeon on the roof.


Just look at that lovely fluffy tummy - oooooh!

Okay, that's enough silliness and twaddle from me. Enjoy the rest of your weekend and thanks for popping by xxxx

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Friday 26 April 2013

A Cherry Hello

Aft'noon me ol' chums!
Hope you have all had a good week and are looking forward to the weekend.
Today I have a little fruity card I did for the 7 Ways With...Fruity Motifs for the May 2012 issue of CB.




What you need...

Papers: red gingham, green/white chevron
Card stock: green, red
Ink pad: Onyx Black - Versafine
Crystal gems: clear
Rub-ons: lettering, black
Punch: corner rounder
Cherry template
Adhesives

What you do...

Create an 8cm x 15cm blank and round the top right corners. Download the fruity template from the Crafts Beautiful website and cut out two cherries in red gingham paper, two leaves in green chevron paper and a stalk from green card.

Ink the edges black, mount the cherries onto red card and the leaves onto green card, trim and ink the edges. Adhere to the card as shown, finish with a crystal on each cherry and the sentiment in the top left corner.

This card is so quick and easy, yet very striking. I discovered that someone had used the cherry and apple templates to make applique bunting. It looked fab. I'm honoured that my designs have inspired someone to use them other than just card making.

Actually these would look great appliqued onto a white table cloth and napkins. Perfect for summer dining.

Don't forget you can download lots of other freebies from the CB website!

That's me for the nonce, thanks for calling by xxx

Tuesday 23 April 2013

Adam Ant & Celebrate Sunshine

Heevin' me lovelies! 
Hope you all had a fab weekend. I know I did. Simon and I went to see the one and only, the fantastic, talented and still totally gorgeous Adam Ant on Sunday evening. He was absolutely mind blowing and such a great showman. I got a t-shirt, a signed copy of his new album and a few other goodies. I'm still buzzing!



I've been catching up on the gardening and a few other jobs whilst the weather has been so lovely. I managed to get some more commissions sent off. Hopefully I will get to do a couple of cards before I start on the next lot.

For now, here's one I made for the January issue of Crafts Beautiful. Enjoy :o)



What you need...
Papers: Amy Tangerine Sketchbook 6x6 Paper Pad - American Crafts
Stamps: Dear Lizzy Warble - American Crafts
Dies: Chinese Roses - Marianne Design Creatables; On the Edge Scallops - Sizzix
An unused book
Netting: cream
Ink: Onyx Black - Versafine
Seam binding: cream
Baker's twine: pink
Button: turquoise
Stick pin: pearl
Flat backed pearls: pink
Adhesives
What you do...
Cover a 12cm square blank with ledger paper. Die cut one small and two large roses from a book page. Hand cut three leaves in pink paper and scrunch.
Adhere to the right side of turquoise paper 4.5cm x 8cm. Die cut a scallop border in green spotty paper; attach this along with the turquoise piece to the lower right of the blank.
Wrap and tie twine around the card. Thread the button with twine, tie around a stickpin, a small piece of netting and a length of binding. Glue to the blank just under the roses. Stamp the embellishment above the rose panel to the left, finish with a few pearls.
I think this is one of my fave cards of all time, even though I had to cut up a book :o(

Being ex-library it took a lot of courage. I bought a copy of Far From The Madding Crowd, one of my favourite books. It was a new paperback, but only a couple of pounds. it was still hard to chop into; better than cutting into my much loved hardback copy.
You could photocopy a page on both sides and age it with tea, but you don't seem to get the same effect unfortunately.
I did three other cards for this project, one of which is a cute kite with a tail made from baker's twine. You can download the template for the kite card from the Crafts Beautiful website. For a look at the whole set of four, check out my post Crafts Beautiful January 2013 - Pt 3.
On checking t'internet, you can still get the lovely Warble stamp set from A Trip Down Memory Lane.
Well, it's getting late, so I'll say toodle pip for now. Thanks for dropping by! xxx 

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Wednesday 17 April 2013

I Miss You

Aft'noon peepsicles!
Hope you are well! The last few days have been lovely here in Norfolk weather wise. Surely it can only get better and better the more we go into the spring months. I'm itching to get out in the garden and potter!
Today's card seems appropriate as I am missing you all. I'm still busy with lots of commissions, so I'll be showing you another card I did from a past Crafts Beautiful.




What you need...

Paper & Stickers: Summer Days Collection Kit - Echo park
Card stock: white
Fine liner: black
Crystal gem: clear
Adhesives

What you do...

Cover an A6 blank with green grid paper, cut a section of scallop paper and fix to the bottom of the blank.

Cut out a cloud shape from white card, mount onto pink circles paper and trim. Use letter stickers to create the sentiment. Adhere centrally to the top of the blank.

Outline faux stitches around the edge of the card and the cloud. Apply the birdie and two arrow stickers and finish with a gem.

This was taken from the set of seven I did for the June 2012 issue of Crafts Beautiful. I suppose this sketch would work with any birdie motifs, stickers or die cuts. Arrows are still a big thing in card making and scrapbooking, so it would be easy to re-create this card. Just remember to use bright, zingy colours! Perfect to send to that special someone you are missing.

Don't forget to check out the Crafts Beautiful website for loads more inspiration and ideas.

So that's me again for the nonce. Thanks for dropping by. xxxx

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Thursday 11 April 2013

Hello Sunshine

Why hello me lovelies!

Sorry it's been a few days since I last posted; I'm so busy with commissions at the moment and I haven't really had any time to make anything else. Loving being busy with commissions though :o)

So, I thought I would post another one of my makes from a previous issue (June 2012) of Crafts Beautiful, and here it is...
 



What you need...

Papers, stickers: Summer Days Collection Kit - Echo Park
Ribbon: orange
Crystal gems
Fine liner: black

What you do...

Create top fold A6 blank. Cover with turquoise flower paper and attach a length of scallop die paper to the bottom.

Cover the join with a strip of yellow spotty paper, outline this and the edge of the blank with black faux stitching. Wrap ribbon around the spotty strip and tie in a knot.

Place the sun, cloud and arrow sticker to the top of the card and the 'Hello Sunshine' onto the cloud. Add a gem to the sun and cloud, to finish.

This card would work with any sun and cloud motifs, either from another kit or stamps. They are such simple shapes to create, you could make your own templates and then cut them out of lovely patterned papers.

Don't forget, you can download lots of templates, patterned papers and projects from current and previous issues on the Crafts Beautiful website. It's jam packed with fabulous makes and ideas!

I know this is only a quick post, I just wanted to say hi and let you know I haven't ran off or anything. I do get withdrawal symtoms if I don't post regularly.

Okey-dokey, back to the commissions and a nice hot cup of herbal tea - Pukka herbal teas are fantastic - especially the Detox (with aniseed, fennel and cardamom) and the Three Ginger flavours - mmm!

Thanks for popping in xxx
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Friday 5 April 2013

Scooting By To Say Hi

Hello Peeps!
Hope you are all fit and well! Before I show you the card for today, I want to thank you all for all the lovely comments you leave me, not only on here, but also on Busymitts. I really appreciate it :o)
So, onto my card. I am absolutely mad about Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, especially from the 1950's and early 1960's. I have been watching a few of late (on my laptop whilst being creative) and I was inspired by the quirky backgrounds on some of the toons.
There is this fantastic stamp set by Paper Smooches called Spiffy Scooters which I've had for a while and have been dying to use.


You know what it's like when sometimes you don't have inspiration, then suddenly something pops in your head. Thanks to Looney Tunes it did! I also have some WRMK stamps from the Tiffany collection called On the Town, they are a little set of houses which again are very 1950's retro, perfect for what I wanted.

Here is the grand masterpiece...


The set came with a little flag for the scooter, which is wonderful, but I had the idea of making one out of white florists wire and red/white striped washi tape.




What you need...

Stamps: Spiffy Scooters - Paper Smooches; On the Town (Tiffany Collection) - WRMK
Card stock: turquoise, white, lime, grey
Ink: Onyx Black - Versafine
Embossing powder: Detail Clear - Stampendous
Promarkers: Eggnog, Ice Grey 1, Ice Grey 5, Icicle, Poppy, Pumpkin
Washi tape: red/white diagonal stripe - MT
Florist wire: white
Glitter dots
Adhesives 

What you do...

Create a white 13cm x 15cm top fold blank. Stamp a row of houses along a piece of turquoise card. Adhere to the blank at an angle and trim the excess. Cut a piece of lime and grey card at an angle and attach under the row of houses, again trimming any excess.

Stamp and emboss the scooter, two large and two small cloud shapes, colour and cut out. To make the flag, bend over one end of a length of florists wire, lay in the centre of a piece of washi tape and fold over so it sticks to itself, then trim into a triangle. Secure onto the reverse of the scooter.

Attach all the elements to the blank and finish with the sentiment stamped in the bottom right corner and glitter dots on one of the clouds.

You can use any little house or town landscape stamps for the background. I didn't stamp them perfectly straight to help give the 'quirky' look.

I love this card, the inspiration came at the right time and it's perfect for the 'oh so difficult to make for' men. Sorted!

Right, me lovelies. I'm scooting (sorry - bad pun) off meself now. Take care, have a great weekend and I'll be back soon enough.xxx
   
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Thursday 4 April 2013

Caught A Bug?

Hey folks!

How are you all doing? Brrrr, it's freezing here today, and it's windy - not good :o(

I was looking through the RetroSketches site last night and I came across this layout - #53


I knew exactly what stamp set and colours would look good with this, so here is what I came up with...





What you need...

Stamps: Healthy Vibes - Paper Smooches
Card stock: white, plum
Ink: Tuxedo Black - Memento
Promarkers: Ice Grey 1, Lime Green, Plum, Sunflower
Washi tape: plum, lime spotty, yellow line/dots
Punch: corner rounder
Buttons: plum, lime, yellow
Baker's twine: plum, lime, yellow
Adhesives

What you do...

Create a 13cm x 15cm white top fold blank and round the lower right corner. Attach three pieces of washi tape in varying lengths towards the left side of the blank, cut a notch from the bottom end of each.

Stamp the bugs and sentiment onto white card and colour in. Trim and mount onto plum card. Attach to the blank with foam tape. Tie three buttons with corresponding coloured baker's twine and fix to to the top of each strip of washi tape.

As you have probably noticed, I'm into the washi tape thing at the moment. I have had some for quite a while, but never really got round to experimenting with it. It's so cool. There's tons of stuff you can do with it and there is so much choice in colours and patterns.

I just love the colour combo of this card, it's so bright, fresh and zingy. At this time of year when there are a few 'bugs' going round, this card is quick and simple to make and will surely put a smile on the face of the most grotty feeling peep.

Well that's me for another session. Thanks for calling by, until next time....
  
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Wednesday 3 April 2013

U R The Apple Of My Eye

Ahoy there me luvvies! 
Hope you all had a scrummy Easter. Lindt chocolate bunnies - nyom nyom nom! 
I would like to show you today, if I may, a card I did for as part of a fruity (ooh-er) set for the May 2012 issue of Crafts Beautiful. This was a great set to do, with some fantastic motifs and papers. I wanted to give a patchwork/applique effect to the cards with a definite country kitchen feel.
As we are now into Spring (?????) I thought this bright, fresh, zingy card would get you all in the mood for lovely days yet to come.
Without further a doo doo...




What you need...

Papers: Country Drive Collection Kit - Echo Park
Card stock: white, black, red, green
Crystal gem: clear
Rub-on lettering: black
Ink: Onyx Black - Versafine
Adhesives
Fruity templates

What you do...

Make a 12cm square white tent fold blank and mark 1.5cm in from each edge along the fold. Cut away the section from the mark to the bottom corner, repeat on the other side. Cover the base of the blank with green card set at an angle and trim.

Download the fruity templates from Crafts Beautiful. Cut an apple, reflection and leaves out of green plaid and red gingham paper, ink the edges and mount the apple onto red card and the leaves and reflection onto green card, trim and ink the edges.

Cut a stalk from black card. Assemble the apple and mount onto the blank, stick a gem on the reflection and add the sentiment with rub-on lettering. 

There you have it. There were also lemons, strawberries, pears, cherries, oranges and a melon in the set, all available to download for free from the website. You will have to register, but it is free, quick and simple. There are loads of other templates, papers and images to download too. Why not have a look?

Talking of magazines. Let's Make Cards has had an exciting relaunch and is now PaperCrafter! The first issue (issue 60) is in the shops now. You get the magazine which is packed full of projects, giveaways, tips, ideas and techniques, the creative kit which includes card blanks, paper, embellishments, ribbons, die-cuts, chipboard motifs and a bonus owl stamp. You also get a free designer paper book. All that for £7.99!

I have a set of four quick and easy cards to make using the kit and a card made using the pyramage technique, the images for this are also included in the kit and feature a cute owl.

The colours are bright and zingy, the images and motifs have a wonderful, quirky outdoors theme. PaperCrafter also has a fab website, why not pop on over for a peep and maybe some inspiration?


Wow! That was an epic of a post (I am pooped after writing all that). Only joking.

Right, I'm off now, thanks for stopping by and I'll be back soon xxx
    
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Monday 1 April 2013

You're So Special

Heevnin' friends!

Wow! Another post from me - three in one day, can't be bad. I know the other two were to do with the candy, so this is a quick make I did about an hour ago.

Feast ye olde peepers on this...

  

What you need...
Stamps: Messages (CG132) - Hero Arts
Embossing folder: Flower, Owl and Pear Set (657260) Basic Grey - Sizzix
Card stock: white, kraft
Ink: Vintage Sepia - Versafine
Ribbon: chocolate/white spotty
Adhesives
What you do...

Create an 11.5cm x 13.5cm top fold blank in kraft card. Emboss white card with the flower vine folder, trim to 8cm x 11cm and adhere to the lower half of the blank.
Stamp the sentiment onto kraft card with Vintage Sepia and trim. Attach to the top of the blank. Wrap ribbon around the top of the embossed panel to cover the edge, and tie in a large bow.
Ta da! Quick, easy and simple, yet ever so elegant. Did you notice I put the ribbon down as chocolate/white? Not brown, got to be chocolate - it sounds better :o) Ooh yummy!
I think any floral or swirly embossing folder would look good with this sketch, and in black and white too, or teal and white, or red and white...loads of colours actually. Just keep it simple.
So, that's me for now. I'm getting a little hungry, so I think some food is in order. Thanks for dropping by xxx

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April Blog Candy

Howdy me ol' peeps!

As a thank you to my lovely followers (and followers to be), I have another candy giveaway - yippee!


In this month's candy there are -  
 
50 sheets of assorted 12"x12" paper: Spots & Dots Vintage and Brights - My Mind's Eye
6 sheets 12" x 12" glittered paper: Penny Lane - My Mind's Eye
25 sheets assorted A4 card: includes textured, plain, metallic and pearlescent
1 pack of 8 notelets and envelopes: Studio G
1 stamp set: DJ Whimsy Clear Alphabet Stamps - All Night Media (Plaid)
1 X-Cut Paper Crimper (small)
1 bag assorted buttons (2oz)
1 bag assorted flowers
6 assorted ribbons (50cm each)
 
The stamp set is lovely, the capital letters and numbers have a wider area on them so you can colour them in. The set includes a clear plastic storage case (it has guidelines on the reverse so you can line letters up to make a word) and a tiny acrylic stamping block. The stamps have never been used and are still in their sealed packet.
 
But! There's more...
 
There will be a second candy giveaway of -
 
50 sheets of assorted 12"x12" paper: Spots & Dots Vintage and Brights - My Mind's Eye
3 sheets 12" x 12" glittered paper: Penny Lane - My Mind's Eye
1 pack of 8 notelets and envelopes: Studio G
1 bag assorted buttons (2oz)
1 bag assorted flowers
6 assorted ribbons (50cm each)
 
Hold it! Still not finished...
 
There will be a third giveaway of -
 
35 sheets of assorted 12"x12" paper: Spots & Dots Vintage and Brights - My Mind's Eye
1 pack of 8 notelets and envelopes: Studio G
1 bag assorted buttons (2oz)
1 bag assorted flowers
 
Whoohoo!! There will be three winners.
 
Now the technical stuff...
 
To have a chance of winning this fab candy:-

1. Be a follower either through Blogger, Bloglovin, Google or email (see sidebar to follow by Bloglovin and email)
2. Post a piccy of the candy with a link to this post in your sidebar (if you have a blog)
3. Leave me a comment (with your blog address if you have one) ta da! You are entered!
4. You only need enter the once.

If you do have a blog, it will be great to have a look and see what you are up to :)

This candy will close on 30th April 2013, I will then use RANDOM.ORG to choose the three winners! To make it fair there will be one prize per winner.

The candy is open to all, nationally, internationally, those in outer space and previous winners. However, anyone who has a blog that does not show or appear to have any crafty makes, will not be entered

Good luck and thanks to all those who enter, keep your finger, toes, eyes, trousers, whatever crossed and you might be the next lucky winners!

Ta ta for now :) xxx
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March Blog Candy Winner!

Happy Easter Monday my lovelies!

I'm here with the winner of the March Blog Candy. A big thank you to all who entered :o)

Here is the list and the snapshot of the winner picker ~
 
1~ Jayvalikka
2 ~ Sonia
3 ~ Ardilla
4 ~ Luckydawn
5 ~ Elly
6 ~ Sonya
7 ~ UT
8 ~ Leanne
9 ~ Bhawana
10 ~ Paperkate
11 ~ La Vikinga
12 ~ Berina
13 ~ Luanne
14 ~ Lachse Katze
15 ~ Lucretia
16 ~ Neha
17 ~ Regena
18 ~ Catherine
19 ~ Dr Sonia

The winner is Sonia (Passioni di carta). Well done to Sonia! If you email me your address, I will get the goodies posted out to you as soon as possible.
 
For those who didn't win this time, I'll be posting another candy giveaway later today.
 
Until then folks.....

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