Purrfect Together - All Dressed Up/Incy Wincy

Happy Friday Peeps!

I'm a bit late in posting this week's Incy Wincy challenge make. 

I was in Norwich all day Monday and in London on Tuesday (having afternoon tea at The Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge - thanks to Cricut and Ranieri for a wonderful day). 

Then Wednesday and Thursday I was catching up on commissions. So it has been a very busy an hectic week, my head is still buzzing!

Anyway, without further ado, this week's challenge over at Incy Wincy is a sketch.

Our wonderful sponsor this week is All Dressed Up and there are some fab digi stamps to be won.

I chose Purrfect Together and here is my make...

What you need...

Digi stamp: Purrfect Together - All Dressed Up

Digital card stock: white - Craftwork Cards

Card stock: black

Promarkers: Ice Grey 2, Lime Green, Pale Blossom, Pink Carnation

Patterned papers: American Crafts

Button: white
Baker's twine: pink
Adhesives

What you do

Download, re-size and print out the image, colour in stamp a sentiment in the lower right corner and trim. 

Mat onto pink wood grain paper 12.5cm square

Mat onto a black 14.5cm square blank. 

Snip out a simple banner and fix to the top left, add a button threaded and tied with twine.

Isn't it cute? Quite 1950's retro methinks....

have a peek at what my talented teamies have created over at Incy Wincy and why not have a go at the challenge?

That's me for now. Thanks for popping by! xx

Ralph With Hat - Polka Doodles/Incy Wincy

Afternoon peeps!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

A new challenge starts today over at Incy Wincy, the theme is 'something old, something new' (nothing to do with weddings, you need to use a new craft item and an old craft item). 

My 'old' - twine, buttons & markers; my 'new' - patterned paper & die-cut sentiment.

I'm so excited as this will be my first challenge as a DT member with Incy Wincy.

This weeks sponsors are Polka Doodles!

I had great fun coming up with this cute little card...his name is Ralph. I know Ralph is an owl, but with his little hat and scarf and it being for a Christmas card, I thought he would make a perfect little penguin. :o)

What you need... 

Digital image: Ralph with Hat digi stamp - Polka Doodles

Card stock: white

Patterned paper: Let it Snow (12"x12") Be Merry Collection - American Crafts

Die-cut sentiment: Cookies (Bits) Be Merry Collection - American Crafts

Promarkers: Berry Red, Ice Grey 1, Ice Grey 5, Pumpkin

Button: pale aqua

Baker's twine: red

Gems: clear

What you do...

Cover the top of a white 10.5cm x 15cm top fold blank with Let It Snow paper 10.5cm x 12cm.

Wrap red twine around the blank at the edge of the patterned paper, thread through an aqua button at the left side and tie in a bow.

Download, print and colour in Ralph.

Cut out Ralph and attach him to the right just above the twine.

Add a die-cut sentiment centrally to the top of the blank and decorate a few snowflakes with gems.

Isn't he adorable? 

Why not head on over to Incy Wincy and join in this fun challenge?

Well that's me for now, thank you so much for dropping by! xxx

We're So Pearfect Together - Crafts Beautiful July 2014 Issue (& Herb re-visited)

Hi peeps!

How are you all today? I hope you are enjoying some lovely weather where ever you may be...

I'd like to give you a peek at another card I did for the current issue of Crafts Beautiful. It's part of the two card set I did for the Anniversary Cards feature.

Both the cards in this feature are made from basic shapes cut out, layered and assembled. They are a good way to use up those hundreds of googly eyes we seem to have stashed away. 

I even stuck two on a funny shaped tomato a couple of years back. Do you remember Herb?

Herb was a cute, funny shaped tomato I grew in the greenhouse. We couldn't bring ourselves to eat him, so after a few days he looked like he'd been punched in the face and his teeth had been knocked out.

All the templates for the cards can either be found at the back of the magazine or are available to download free from www.craftsbeautiful.com.

Why not pop on over and have a look? There are lots of projects, ideas and inspiration to be found. You can also download and print some beautiful patterned papers.

That's me done for now. Thanks for popping by and don't forget to enter your lovely creations in my Cosmic Colours Challenge! Click here to take you to the challenge post. xx

Awesome Chemistry - Crafts Beautiful July 2014 Issue

Good afternoon my peepsicles!

Have you got your copy of the current issue of Crafts Beautiful? As you may know, I'm a regular contributor to this fab mag and I was commissioned to do a witty anniversary set with the focus on paper piecing. I'd like to share with you one of my projects in this issue.

Ta da! Are they cute or what?? The papers I used are from the #Summer Collection by American Crafts. You can still find these papers on the internet, but any bright, bold papers would work just as well. The instructions and templates can be found in the magazine so you can create this cutey. 

The templates are available to download from www.craftsbeautiful.com. Just remember you need to join to download templates, but it is quick, easy and free! You can also download beautiful, free papers to print and use in your projects.

As usual, the magazine is jam packed with gorgeous projects, tutorials, ideas, tips, giveaways and so much more. I'm loving the project on making new clothes for the dolly that was featured in the October 2013 issue (the template is still available to download). I think my niece would love this dolly, I will have to have a go at making her.

This month you get a free Russian nesting doll kit. It contains everything you need to make three cute dolls. If you decide to subscribe to Crafts Beautiful, you will receive the Twilight Butterflies Luxury Card Collection as a subscription gift (UK Direct Debit offer only), it's delivered free and you also save on the cover price. It would make a perfect pressie for a crafty loved one - or even treat yourself!!

Okay, I'm going to sign off for now (I have a PaperCrafter commission to finish). I will be back soon with the other card in this cute set. 

Don't forget to enter the Cosmic Colours Challenge #2! Click here to see the colour swatch, my take on it and how to enter.

Thanks for popping by :o)

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 

A Pear-fect Mum!

Howdy chums - me again!

As promised, I'd like to show you the card I did for my mum :)

I actually used sticky-back canvas on this card. Just to add that extra bit of texture. It's really versatile as you can die cut it, stamp on it, fray it and probably lots of other things too.

What you need...

Stamps: Alphadot - Paper Smooches

Dies: Sizzlits Basic Grey Pear & Leaf (657227); Framelits Circles (657551) - Sizzix

Punch: corner rounder

Sticky-back canvas: White, Claudine Hellmuth Studio - Ranger

Patterned paper: American Crafts

Ink: Jet Black - StazOn

Card stock: black

Button: pear green - Basic Grey

Parcel string

What you do...

Round the bottom right corner of a top fold 15cm square blank. Die cut a large circle in pear paper and a smaller one in canvas. Arrange and adhere the circles at the bottom right corner, allowing the pear paper one to overlap the sides, trim any excess.

Die cut the pear and leaf twice in co-ordinating papers, the centre of the pears in canvas and the pips in black card. Back the leaves with black card, assemble the pears and adhere to the canvas circle.

Stamp the sentiment onto a strip of canvas. Trim into a banner and fray the edges. Stick onto pear paper and trim. Attach the banner to the top left of the blank. Separate a length of parcel string into narrower strands, thread three through the button and tie in a bow. Glue to the end of the sentiment.

I loved working with the canvas and it goes along way because you get five 12"x12" sheets in a pack. It is still widely available, but you can buy it from  http://www.thestampman.co.uk/claudine-hellmuth---sticky-back-canvas-12-x-12-5-sheets---white-1052-p.asp for £9.59 (RRP: £11.99)

These pears are making me feel hungry, I think I'll have to go and munch on something.

Thanks for calling in and I'll be back later with another card :0)

Beautiful

Howdy chums!

Hope you are all well and happy :)

I'm on a roll mojo wise at the moment. Ideas keep popping in my head left, right and centre. So, here is another one of those 'ideas' (which came from the left, I think).

What you need...

Dies: Flower Layers #9 - Sizzix; Grunge Flower #1- PaperArtsy

Patterned paper: Soho Garden 6x6 Paper Pad - American Crafts

Stickers: Doodle Deux Typeset Tiny Alphabet - Prima

Adhesive tape: Washi aqua, lime - MT

Card stock: aqua, lime

Buttons: pink

Baker's twine: pink

Punch: corner rounder

What you do...

Create a top fold A6 blank and round off the lower right corner. Apply a length of aqua and lime Washi tape from the top left of the card, cut a notch in the ends.

Die cut one large, one small and two medium flowers in brown floral paper, then die cut one medium and two small flowers in aqua card. Use the leaf from the Grunge Flower set and cut two in lime card. Scrunch all the pieces up and then layer.

Attach the flowers and leaves to the card over the top of the Washi tape. Tie baker's twine through three buttons and stick to the centre of each flower. Apply a word sticker over the bottom of the Washi tape, just above the notches.

There you have it! I'm pleased with the way this card turned out. I did initially have it the other way round - a side fold landscape, but I like the way the Washi tape looked coming from the top, rather than the side. The photo turned out really well too. I didn't have to do much tweaking. Overall I'm a happy bunny - woo hoo!

Well thanks for stopping by today. I'm going to make a nice hot cup of tea. Until next time. xxx

Advent Calendar

Aft'noon peepsicles!

I thought I would post a few piccies of an Advent calendar I made a couple of years ago. It always stands on the dresser in the kitchen and is very much part of the Christmas decorations. I bought the calendar from Craft Mill, it's still available and costs £31.99. It comes all assembled in bare pine, ready for you decorate. It's really sturdy and the doors open and close really easy and it will last for years.

Here's a few close ups of some of the doors.

I used a selection of retro themed papers from K & Company, My Mind's Eye, Basic Grey, Cosmo Cricket and American Crafts. Some of the embellishment are die-cuts that co-ordinate with the paper collections. Others are ribbons, gems, shaped buttons, brads, snowflakes and rub-on words/phrases. The numbers are a mix of black and white glittered and plain white (some I coloured in).

I waxed the whole calendar, except the door fronts. Then I sanded it back, more in some places than others, to give it a distressed look. I made a basic template in card and then used it to cut out the papers. The papers were then carefully glued onto the door fronts. When dry I again sanded the edges, to give the distressed look. 

To finish, I embellished each of the doors and added the numbers randomly. Ta da!

The most important job is to fill it with loads of choccies. I usually buy the chocolate coins, mini bars and little chocolate puddings, except for 24th December, when we have Lindt miniatures! Oooh yummy!

The good thing is, if it starts to look tatty in a few years time, I can remove the existing decor and do something different. Apart from the fact it's going to last years, and you get the pleasure of decorating it (and filling it - eating any left over choccies - rule #1) £31.99 doesn't seem that bad, especially when you think of how much the throw away calendars cost.

This could be your New Year's resolution, to buy and decorate one of these calendars ready for next year, or you could get one now, decorate and fill it, then have a catch up choccy fest. I think the second suggestion is the best:)

Right, that's me for the nonce. Off to make a coffee and get the fire going. Until next time....xx

Holly Golightly

Mewnin' Peeps!

Today is my sister Yvonne's birthday. Happy birthday sis! I couldn't post a pic of this card when I originally made it, because she reads my blog.

It's quite a simple card with limited colours. The focus mainly in black and white with a pop of bright pink. The image stamp I used is Breakfast at Tiffanys - Audrey Hepburn by The Octopode Factory.

Breakfast at Tiffanys is one of my favourite films and when I saw this beautiful stamp - well, had to have didn't I?

So, here's Holly Golightly.....

I love the fact that the image even has 'Cat' in it.

What I used.....

Stamp - Breakfast at Tiffanys - Audrey Hepburn - The Octopode Factory

Paper - Sketchbook by Amy Tangerine 6x6 paper pad - American Crafts

Rub-ons - Mollipop (655497), Background Shapes (655079) - Sizzix

Ink pad - Onyx Black - Versafine

Promarkers

Punch - corner rounder

Card - white, black

Card blank - 15cm square, white

Clear embossing powder

Ribbon - bright pink

Crystals - clear, 2mm, 3mm - Hot Fix

Firstly, with the fold at the top I trimmed 2cm off one side and rounded the bottom right corner. A piece of patterned paper was attached horizontally to the left of the card, again with its lower right corner rounded off.

After stamping, heat embossing and colouring the image, it was trimmed and mounted onto black card and trimmed again, rounding off the bottom right corners on each. Hot Fix crystals were glued to her tiara and ear-rings. Rub-ons were applied to the lower right corner.

I tied pink ribbon around the card and knotted it at the right. She was then mounted to the blank with foam tape. Ta da!

I love The Octopode Factory stamps, they do great interpretations of Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz characters. This one is just stunning though. Love it!

That's me for now, toodle-pip! xx

Birthday Butterflies

Aft'noon Peeps!

Three posts in one week! I'm on a bit of an energy kick at the mo. I'm hoping to post a bit more often. We'll see....

Just finished another commission for Crafts Beautiful, all I need to do now is to check the instructions and it's ready to post. Then I must start getting on with Christmas cards before I start the next commission. Loving all this creativity!

Here is today's creation. I made it for my Auntie Elma's birthday. I haven't really done butterflies in the past, but I fell in love with this stamp set.

The cloud paper is by American Crafts, the ink pads are Violet, Lime and Mountain Lake by Versacolor and the stamps are Butterflies and Blooms by Craftwork Cards. The card is an A6 portrait top fold. Teal card, purple ribbon, teal twine a few adhesive gems and a rub-on sentiment were used.

The clarity of these stamps is amazing, even when using a normal pigment ink rather than a Versafine. The stamp set has the patterned butterflies, but also some solid ones so you could stamp in layers!

Righto, off to make a brew. Thanks for popping in!

Colette x

Floral Best Wishes

Hello!!! Today's card is a birthday card I made for my Auntie Jean. I've had the stamps for a while and have been itching to use them. As usual with me, I wanted to use really bright funky colours, I knew what I wanted, but did I have the right paper? You know how it is, all the papers/card/stamps etc. you have, you never have the exact pattern/shade/image.

I remembered I had recently purchased an Amy Tangerine Sketchbook 6x6 pad by American Crafts. The colours were just what I was looking for. The stamps are the Friendly Flowers set by Paper Smooches and the black ribbon is seam binding (great if you dampen it, scrunch it up and dry with a heat gun). It was then a matter of stamping, heat embossing and colouring the images in with Promarkers.

I had great fun creating this card, and speaking to my Auntie Jean, she was thrilled. Hope you like and thanks for having a peep!  Colette x

Busy, commissions, Christmas & wind!! (The weather, not me)

Well, It's been a manic couple of weeks. I've managed to finished the three commissions for Crafts Beautiful. It's packed up and ready to go, I'll post it off tomorrow. Between doing the commissions, I've been doing the housework, washing, ironing etc, blah blah. Plus, I've had a couple of fun filled trips Christmas shopping. I have finally finished, just waiting for a couple of items to come through the post. I'm really chuffed with what I've got everyone this year. Hope they like them! (If not, I'll have them back lol!!)

So, it's now back to making the Christmas cards, I'll just keep going until the last possible minute. Every year I keep promising to start them earlier. I think I definitely will next year. Maybe just keep doing the odd one in between commissions and other stuff. Though for distant relatives etc, I've cheated and bought some, ooer!

The main topic for today is wind. It's a bright breezy day here in Norfolk. The wind was a bit rough last night. I can tolerate any weather, but wind, it's seems to get me really grumpy. I think it's the noise it makes and that it can be so destructive. The worst is the really annoying wind and rain combo. I mean, if you go out and it's just raining, you can wear a hat, take an umbrella, you know. But, if it's a combo of both, then you've got no chance, you can't wear a hat because it'll blow away, your umbrella will turn inside out and you spend most of your time grappling with it, eventually it tries to take off with you hanging on the end (I'm not much of an umbrella fan at the best of times, I prefer a hat). Also with the wind, there is no point what so ever trying to make your hair look nice, whenever you arrive at your destination, you look like you've been for a ride in a tornado.

Well that's the lecture on the disadvantages of windy weather. Here are some of the Christmas cards I've recently made. It doesn't matter how hard I try, I can't seem to get the photography right, but then again, I'm a card designer not a David Bailey.

I used the Christmas Reindeer (CL540) clear stamp set from Hero Arts, Sizzix 'tis the Season phrase die and a Cuttlebug Snowflake embossing folder.

This was a quick simple card to do, perfect for sending to a male recipient. The paper and die cut are from the K&Company Peppermint Twist collection. I really love anything retro, and doing cards like this are my favourite.

This card was fun to do, I used the Jumbo Snowman (SSC1009) clear stamp set from Stampendous. It's great, because you can stretch and stamp him in different shapes. I used some American Crafts paper for the background and kept to the chocolate and aqua colour theme (reminds me of a hot cocoa on a cold day).

Off now to make a brew, and get on with some more cards. I've made about 55 so far, I'll post some more of them next time. Enjoy!!

Spooky Halloween Stuff!

Hello again!! I just love this time of year, creating daft Halloween cards and things for my nephews and niece. This year apart from making them a Halloween card I bought a blank MDF shaped skull and crossbones and brought it to life. I really hope they like it. At least it will last for years to come, unlike the loads of sweeties they will no doubt be getting (the skull is healthier too). What my Sis will make of it, I don't know!

Here is a pic of the spooky card I did for my Mum & Dad. My Mum loves it, especially the googly eyes. The BOO! is from a Halloween themed sticker sheet from K & Company and the paper is from the American Crafts Boo collection.

For this card, I made a coffin template and cut out a card base in purple card. The paper is from the Bo Bunny Boo Crew collection, the stamp is Hero arts, and the ghost, gravestone and Boo! are Sizzix Sizzlits dies. I attached the ghost with a length of acetate so that he looks like he floating in the air.

Tomorrow I'm going to carve out a couple of pumpkins and have them sitting by the stable door at the front. I'll take some piccies of them and post them next time. With what I scoop out, I think I'll make some soup and some home-made bread rolls, mmmm! Just what you need on a cold Autumn night.

Happy Halloween!!

Simple Anniversary Card

Hi there, it's a lovely day here in sunny Norfolk. I can't believe it's the 1st October, it's like July out there! It's Simon's Mum and Dad's Anniversary today. This is the card I made for them. They are not into the lovey-dovey, slushy style, so I did this simple, chic card. Definitely my style! They are having a little get together later on, so hope they like the card. Off now to have a coffee and maybe a bit of cake, yummy yum.

What you need to make this card:

1 x 14.5cm square card blank (with fold at the top, trim 3cm from one side), Basic Grey 'Hopscotch' papers, Paper Artsy Grunge Flower dies,Tim Holtz Scallop On The Edge die, American Crafts Dear Lizzy 'Whistle' stamps,1" circle punch, dark brown card,  brown ink, metal button, white cord, pale yellow ribbon

Layer top two thirds of card with Hopscotch paper. Cut out a wide strip of brown card, edge with the scallop die and lightly distress. Fix under the paper punch a circle and hand cut 3 leaves in contrasting papers. Distress lightly, assemble and stitch a button in the centre. Arrange and attach to the left of the card, above the ribbon. Finish with the stamped sentiment in brown on the bottom right of the card.