Kitten fun

 Hope today finds you happy and well. Today my card has these super cute kittens sat in a pot from the fab lily of the valley. Its not just kittens that are playful as I am cat sitting for my son as he is working from home post surgery and when he has his cat at home she goes sits on the keyboard of his works laptop which doesn't go down well. She is supposedly a house cat as we live near a main road and there are quite a few other cats live around us and many of them are fighters. My son is protective of his baby so his cat comes to my house and with her walking harness on and a long length of washing line has the run of the garden. She loves trying to catch the frogs in the pond but fortunately isn't interested in the fish, and has almost though not today yet had a pigeon by the tail feathers.

I coloured my image with promarkers and decided to use up some scraps and found I had an off-cut of pearlised blue paper, I cut a square from it to mat the image on and used the rest as a mat on the base card.  I found a co-ordinating patterned paper that added another layer and covered the hole I made to make the image base.

I wanted to pick out the yellow from the flower on the image so I used some yellow ribbon from my stash and hand-tied a bow. I then took a wired rose and threaded it through a yellow daisy type silk flower and then through the bow knot before coiling the wire stem.

Appologies again for the photo I am so missing my photo editor.

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

Not just cards-anything goes

fussy and fancy-lazy days of summer

ribbon girl challenges-everything goes with ribbon

the craft barn-colour something

HIMCR-use your scraps

passion for promarkers-fun in the sun (for cats anyway)

cute card thursday-anything goes

pennys-anything goes

as you like it- favourite 2 embellishments

(mine are ribbon and flowers as I love hand tied bows and flowers remind me of sunshine )

Love Grows

August is a busy month in my family for wedding anniversaries especially towards the end of the month and when added to the 4 birthdays this month including my own I have a few cards to make. 

The anniversaries stretch over several generations from my in-laws who will be celebrating 52 years to my step niece who will be celebrating her second anniversary with her husband and new daughter who was born a couple of months ago.

I decided I would have a play with one of my Die'sire embossing folders which has these lovely roses on its corners and I thought it would be the perfect backdrop for this fab lily of the valley stamp of a cute couple gardening. 

The sentiment is also lily of the valley and comes as a bonus with the couple stamp but goes so perfectly and I feel is so apt for an anniversary card as I feel the love between a couple who commit to one and other grows and matures and has different phases.

I coloured the image with promarkers  and used one of the dark green promarkers for the sentiment also.

I apologise for the quality of the photos and the lack of cropping from the edges but windows has a fault which has meant I don't have access to my account which has my photo editor on it and as yet my resident techy (my hubby) hasn't had time to sort it out.

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

Addicted to stamps and more-make your mark

card mania-anniversary

creative corner-turquoise and brown

sweet stampin' - anything but a birthday

the craft barn- colour something

simply create too - anything goes

craft your passion - anything goes

crafting from the heart - anything goes

sweet stamps-anything goes

chocolate coffee, cards -frame it

Childhood memories

I was lucky enough to receieve this stamped image which I think is from sugar nellie in a swap, sadly the swap club is long defunked but I finally got around to colouring this cutie. I decided it would make a fab summer birthday card and as I was colouring it with promarkers and sakura gel pens which I used for the seaweed to add dimension and the shiny look of wet seaweed it made me drift back to my childhood.

My birthday is in August and most of our summer holidays were taken around my birthday in Cornwall and Devon camping. Although I have memories of waking up on my airbed floating when the field we had our tent in had flooded and on my 12th birthday getting hit at the back of my knees with a land-rover that had no intention of not getting through the small roads of Mevagissy and mounted the pavement before swerving and tearing off up the road.

I also remember spending many happy hours rock pooling and I think my favourite place to do this was probably Marazion, there was even a rock pool that was so deep the two German shepherd dogs we had could and did swim in it.

I decided to keep my card quite simple and used a layout from sketch saturday as my inspiration. I used some paper I had in my scraps folder that was originally a page from a craft magazine and simply cut it into pieces to resemble strips across the page. I kept to the bright and bold theme by matting my image on bright yellow copy paper after rounding the corners with a punch, as I repeated with the copy paper.

I finished the card by colouring a silver peel-off with a blue promarker and added to the card.

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

Sketch saturday-layout

Naughty or nice-fun in the sun

The sugar bowl-anything goes

Quirky crafts-gone fishing

Crazy 4 challenges-feature a lighthouse or where you would find a lighthouse

Don't miss out ,mark your calendar and get over to the daily marker for fun ,videos and prizes 14th to 17th august.

Party!

I have had this image from bugaboo printed  for ages and decided I really ought to get around to colouring it in. I decided to use sakura gels pens to colour this time for a change , think I might be getting ready for some new ones as some of the colours don't seem quite as vibrant but they still made me think of the flowers and weeds in my garden (which resembles more of an overgrown jungle crossed with wasteland) but the wildlife seems happy, as I have an abundance of bees,insects ,birds and frogs in the pond.

The card I made is quite clean and simple with just the image and a peel-off sentiment of happy birthday.

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

pennys- card for a child

sister act-anything goes

QKR stampede-anything goes

creative fingers-anything goes

artbymiran-anything goes

suzy bees bloomin challenge-anything goes /twist celebration

allsorts- inspired by summer colours

the craft barn-colour something

Turn a negative to a positive.

I haven't made many cards over the last couple of years for lots of reasons none of which are particularly relevant to blog-land but I have decided I really ought to try and get back on track. I have managed to finally post some of the cards I have managed to make over the last couple of weeks and today I actually made a couple of cards.

it wasn't all smooth running though, I decided I would enter the house mouse challenge with my one and only house mouse stamp (really ought to invest in more I can just never decide which as they are all so super cute). I made my die cut base and then stamped the image, first try not so good think my ink was a little dry or on strike from not being used in a while, so I flipped the base over and tried again and got a lovely print that time.

I started to colour with my promarkers and another problem, I used one of the limited edition colours from one of the seasonal sets and like a couple of the others from these sets the ink just pooled out onto the page, this was a green one that did it but I have also found it happens with one of the teally blues and one of the reds too. My initial reaction throw it in the bin and start again. 

I cut the die base and prepared to stamp and then changed my mind. I retrieved the first image and continued to colour (using a different green) and then fussy cut the image out. I added glue to the back and stuck it to the base but placed some of the falling petals and mice over the edge of the die as if they were escaping the image by jumping.

The colour scheme at house mouse is optionally white ,blue and yellow so after using a magazine freebie blue heart paper base over a white card I added yellow and white ribbon with a hand tied bow and a blue and white blossom flower which I passed through the knot.

The sentiment I think but am not 100% sure is Lotv, as I already had it printed , I mounted on yellow copy paper and added to the corner of the  card.

I'm not sure what this card will get used for as with the elements I've used I guess it could be appropriate for all sorts, from a cheer you up card to new job, anniversary to birthday so who knows who will receive it but whoever it is I hope it will make them smile.

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

house mouse challenge-anything goes,optional white,blue and yellow

I love promarkers-in the garden

sweet stamps-summer

crafting for all seasons-bright and beautiful

the ribbon girl-just add ribbon

glitter  sparkle-anything goes

stamping sensations-anything goes with a stamp and die

path to positivity-opportunity

cards und more- summer fun

addicted to stamps and more-anything goes

Cheers

My brother in law had a  birthday earlier this year and unfortunately I needed a card in a hurry and this is what I came up with.

I stamped and wet embossed the image and then used water colour pencils to colour and added water to soften the image. The sentiments are from gingers house and lily of the valley and all on a kraft card base.

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

IDIC Robyns fetish-use kraft card 

crafting with friends-anything goes

sugar and betty bloggers-anything goes

the cheerful stamp pad-anything goes

Karleigh Sue challenge-anything goes

ABC challenges-O is for Open

Relax

Granddads are hard to make cards for unless you can get them talking about their past and then you can make a card that will evoke memories. Anyway this card isn't one of those its simply one of contemporary times for my dad (my son's granddad) at least. He is happiest sat in front of the TV remote in hand next to the garden window ,best of all his worlds. he doesn't wear a flat cap though for anyone who was wondering despite us all living in Yorkshire.

I used this fab lily of the valley stamp and their tag stamps too.The image is coloured with promarkers and fussy cut. I then used a die cut as a background but offset the image, before adding the message on the tags with a little bling. 

The base card is white and I used a plain blue matt and a vertical strip of sport paper from a dovecraft pad and a scrap of word paper from the same pack.

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

613 Ave create- anything goes optional twist birthday
bloggers challenge by Lisa Somerville-Blue
fairytale challenge-guys and boys
I love promarkers-3 or more layers
crazy 4 challenges-use the word 'happy'
Live and love crafts-blue
fantasy stampers-lots of layers

A new addition

This super cute elephant is by Crissy Armstrong,this one Crissy sent me in digi form as a blog prize but he can also be found in rubber form at Whimsy stamps, delicious in either form.

I seem to be having a white on white phase but for the innocence of a new life it works so well. I used a white base card, and again white copy paper which was embossed with circles and then added jelly bean to a spellbinder die cut circle.I added a pink peel-off sentiment and a couple of little hearts. The card was finished with some pink organza ribbon with a hand tied bow.

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

Paper creators- dies and or punches
sketch saturday-sketch
animal friends challlenge-anything goes
crafting when we can-ribbon/twine/washi
CRAFT-well done/congratulations

New granddaughter

A card for new grandparents, always a happy event and this one was super quick to make too. I used elements from a Kanban kit and so love these fun base cards which come with both blue or pink background and all these gorgeous buttons too. The little bunny is one of many characters in the kit which are so cute and can be used with its partner back or not. The window I filled with acetate and again added a peel-off sentiment.

What makes this card a little different is the inside which is also patterned and allows for the partner element of the character to be used which just gives extra interest to the card inside.

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

simply create too-anything goes

crafts 4 eternity-anything goes

the cutie pie challenge-cute as a button

a gem of a challenge-animals or birds

brown sugar-animals

Celebrating generations

I so love this wee lily of the valley stamp it just looks so cute and cuddly. I love the fact that its got ready made matting and layering and the stitching details and the stars are the perfect finish.

I coloured my image with promarkers and the stars with sakura gel pen after stamping with memento black ink on a die cut from kurate I think will have to check the spelling apologies if I've got it wrong.

I made this card for my parents who became great grandparents for the first time when Maddison came along earlier this year.



I used a white base card and kept the design simple by simply adding a base layer of pink gingham from birdhouse.I used a scrap of dry embossed white copy paper with dots vertically and crossed this with a strip embossed with flowers horizontally which I tied ribbon round it and added a hand tied bow before adding the die cut with the image.I finished it using peel-off wording and added this vertically for a change which I thought was quite effective.

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

Fantasy stampers-pretty pastels

Suzy Bee's -use ice cream shades

sugar and betty-anything goes

the crafty muskerteers-anything goes

not just cards-always anything goes

paradise of stamps -anything goes

artistic inspirations-anything goes

Proud grandparents

Can't believe I've actually found time to visit blog-land and post twice in a week,after being absent for so long. Things have been changing and life has continued to move forward, mostly in a positive way which is good.

Hope all my fab and faithful followers and visitors are having the same degree of positivity in their lives too, if not hope fate starts to deal you a more favourable hand soon.

My first card today (hoping I get chance to post more than one) is made using a super cute image from One Stitch at a time, I so love this cutie and he really is quite versatile as I've used him for girlie cards, children cards and now a baby card. I guess if you added some holly or festive ribbon he would make a super cute Christmas card too.

I made this card for my step-brother and sister in law when their daughter had her beautiful daughter and made them into grandparents.

I love white on white cards as I like the purity of the look it has so used a white base card and added a layer of embossed dotty paper topped with a ribbon and a hand tied bow.The image is fussy cut and colored with promarkers and mounted on a spellbinders diecut. I added peel-off sentiments to finish it off.

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

OSAAT-children

Crafty sentiments-Baby

The corrosive challenge-use one or more dies

Quirky crafts-quirky white

Eureka stamps-anything goes

craft your passion-anything goes

childhood memories

This cute image from lily of the valley so reminds me of my childhood, we lived near fields that had lots of trees and I use to go tree climbing all the time along with my friends. We would spend hours playing and running through long grass ,ferns and trees from early morning till dusk and only returning home when we were hungry or shouted in. We had 2 German shepherds who were part of our play gang  and instead of shouting our names to call us in mum would call the dogs they would go and we would follow.I even remember getting into trouble on odd occasions for getting dirty and even tearing a dress when I had been dressed to go to a wedding and whilst mum was getting my younger siblings ready I went tree climbing and slipped....oops!

I kept my card simple using an embossing folder that I love as its fun as has a real retro feel, seems funny thinking my childhood can be thought of as retro.I used butchers twine for accent and simply fussy cut the image after colouring with promarkers.

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

dream valley challenges-embossing wet or dry

Kitty Bee designs-summer fun

Glitter and sparkle-something beginning with B, I used butchers twine

The craft barn-clean and simple

Brown sugar-anything goes

artbymiran-anything goes

613 Ave.create-anything goes opt .twist shabby chic

crafting with friends-anything goes

daisy ted

I made this card with a magazine freebie stamp and embossing folder. I have a thing about daisies i even had them, well gerbras for my wedding bouquet many moons ago.The teddy is just super cute and I stamped him onto a spellbinders circle and coloured him with promarkers.

The embossing folder I just love and had problems deciding whether to use the embossed or de-bossed side . I coloured the centers of the flowers and stems of the flowers again with promarkers. I used this in a panel that I mounted on lime green paper which I also used to mat the circle with the image on.

The base card I added a further embossed layer using a trellis folder from the die-sire range it just seemed to fit the fresh outdoor sprig feel of the card. I finished the card with some satin ribbon and a hand tied bow. I didn't have any ribbon of the right shade so I used white ribbon  which I coloured with promarkers to get the perfect match. I again haven't added a sentiment but will when I find the perfect use for my daisy ted card.

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

crafty creations-white plus one

little red wagon-beachy keen

mod squad-spring forward

cuttin and stampin-anything goes

inky chicks-flowers

through the craft room door-anything goes

crafting for all seasons-die cuts/punches

artistic challenge-anything goes with a twist of sunshine

best friend hugs

I so love this stamp from sugar nellie funky kits its just so perfect. The wee boy just looks so vulnerable that you just want to give him a hug and tell him everything will be fine.

I coloured the image with promarkers and found papers that kept to the theme.The layout I kept simple and as I'm not sure what I'll use the card for as yet there is plenty of space to add a sentiment at a later date.

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

Simon says-anything goes

double click -an animal

creative moments-anything goes/paper piecing optional

inspirational destination-always anything goes

i love promarkers-animals

penny's paper crafty challenge-lots of layers

deep ocean challenge-our furry friends

passion for promarkers- letters of the alphabet I use B for Bear or best friend

peek-a-boo teddies

When I first saw this stamp I wasn't sure it would be one I would use very often as I wasn't sure quite how I would use it, but I simply couldn't resist the wee teddies cute face, what can I say I'm a sucker for a cute teddy.

I coloured both my teddies with promarkers,colouring the backgrounds to co-ordinate with the backing papers.

My first card I used greens as these are along with blues and other colours normally associated with males my comfort zone. I edged the image with gold promarker and finished off with some lemon ribbon to make it a little more feminine.

The papers are from a scrapbook set from qvc and pale green copy paper.


The second card I made using this wee peek a boo teddy i went out of my comfort zone and went pink.  I again used promarkers to colour the image and mounted it on dotty embossed paper which I also edged with pink promarker.


The backing papers for this card are scraps from a piece of K and co paper. The lace is white copy paper cut using a martha stewart punch. I added white satin ribbon to finish off.


I would like to enter these cards into the following challenges:-

craft de bowz-anything goes with a bow

crafty calendar-anything goes

simon says wednesday challenge- all creatures great and small

addicted to stamps and more-anything goes

just inspirational-noahs ark

suzy bees bloomin' challenge-anything goes optional something with wings

When you need a hug

Some times you just need a hug , not for anything in particular but just because you do and it makes the world seem a better place. To me this cute image from Lily of the valley does just that. I coloured with promarkers after stamping on a spellbinders die cut and for a change filled the whole shape with colour.

I haven't added a sentiment to this card  or for that matter any other colour in backing paper as I decided white on white would allow the image to truely be the central focus and that the image says much more than words.

Not strictly a valentines card but with all that love it could quite easily be , but equally think of the smiles it could initiate if sent to someone who had had a bad run of luck or even a thank you card, wonder what I'll choose to use it for, I'm sure I'll know when the time is right.

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

paper creators crafts-love is in the air
fantasy stampers-p.s. I love you
the crazy challenge-love
I love promarkers-lots of love
crafty creations-owls,hearts,love
creative inspirations-love is in the air
stamp and create-all you need is love
sunflower fields-love is in the air


thanks for popping by.

sweet sugar clean and simple

I like to think that I do my bit to support local business on all levels and though i haven't yet found any locally produced rubber stamps I do the next best thing and support British producers having many lily of the valley, sugar nellie and the stampman stamps. I do have other brands but in the majority I seem to have more lily of the valley and sugar nellie stamps.

Its not just that they are home grown as it were but they are just super images to boot so if I need something special then this is where I look first.

This cutie is sugar nellie I think its a rabbit with floppy ears but it could also be a big cuddly floppy eared dog too.

I decided to top up my general card stock so no sentiment but as the image is just so cuddly cute I wanted to showcase it and just place it as main focus and keep the card clean and simple. The background is embossed using a fiskars board layered on plain red mount on a white base card. The image coloured with promarkers.

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

crafting muskerteers- Cute

the corrosive challenge -wow with a splash of colour

the sugar bowl-anything goes

penny black and more- anything except a digi

613 Avenue- always anything goes optional twist doodling

red rubber inspirations-clean and simple

my first pop up card

I was asked to make this card last year just never got around to posting it, it was the first time I had made a pop up card and have to say I did find it a little challenging getting all the bits to fit into an envelope but as it was to be hand delivered it didn't matter too much that the envelope was a little too big for it. Apparently the card was very well received and much admired which is always nice to know.The papers were from a scrapbooking set I got from qvc many moons ago and as they were all co-ordinated it took all the hard work out of finding matching papers.

I used the scor-pal board to make the scorlines and this made it much easier to fold.



The flowers and cute fellows on the inside were from judikins and lili of the valley respectfully. I fussy cut all out and coloured the flowers in co-ordinating colours to the papers using promarkers. The smaller flowers were punched with a punch from hobbycraft.






I added die cut swirls and butterflies can't remember the actual die makes sorry and a sentiment stamp from lily of the valley and finally a stamped and powder embossed sentiment by the stamp man.

I attached the butterflies on acetate strips so the appeared to be floating which I felt gave a life and movement to the card.


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

fussy and fancy -things with wings
score-pal-more than one fold hearts a flutter (well it was sent with love to his girlfriend)
Noor designs-spring/made with love
addicted to stamps -lots of layers
the cheerful stamppad-springtime
craft your passion-anything goes
cards und more-purple,turquoise and grey
love rubber stamps-anything goes
robyns fetish-anything goes
the crafting cafe-use your favourite technique-stamping is the one I turn to most frequently and lovin' fussy cutting at the moment too.

anniversary wishes

I decided I would have a go at something differentand make a card without a stamped image and a little bit shabby too. I used mulberry paper as a base and made some vellum lace using a martha stewart punch . I used some scraps I had as we all do  and used the sewing machine to attach them to the base card again not something I would normally do. I used the waste from a heart cut out in cream to match the base card. The paper roses were my first attempt at making roses using a die from britania dies a bit fiddly but great as you can have co-ordinating flowers with any project.

I finished off using a peel-off sentiment and felt quite pleased with the result and may well use these techniques again.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges;-

wags and whiskers-hearts
ABC challenge-c is for cupid
papercreatorcrafts-love is in the air
live n love crafts hearts
quirky crafts-love is in the air
sentimental sundays-wedding/anniversary
just inspirational-love
art by miran -anything goes
scribble n scrap-anything goes
glitter n sparkle-anything goes

a magical birthday

Abracadabra such a perfect LOTV stamp to wish someone a magical birthday. I coloured this wee wizard with a mix of promarkers and sakura gel pens. For a bit of added pzazz I added 3 peel-off sentiments and some stars emanating from the wand.

The base card is white and I used some papers from my scrap folders that have stars on them, they weren't quite the right size but some strategic positioning allowed me to create the look I wanted to achieve.

I had some chiffon ribbon that is shot with glitter in keeping with the magical theme. I finished the look with some star gems again in blue and now all ready to send magical birthday wishes to my nephew.

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

Fantasy stamps-happy birthday

Allsorts-cold and frosty colours

Brown sugar-bears

totally gorjuss-anything goes

crafty catz-anything goes

stamp sun challenges-anything goes

flying high new job

My son's girlfriends sister has recently been accepted for her dream job, a posting in the RAF. My son wanted a card to congratulate her but it had to be appropriate too. 

I created the base card background by using chalks dusted over a cloud shape scrap of paper to give a billowy cloud covered blue sky.

I decided rather than stamping an image onto this background  I would stamp and colour with promarkers then fussy cut the image before attaching to the card. The image is a stamp I had made several years ago from one of my drawings I did for my son who was Top Gun mad at the time so it seemed perfect.

When I put it on the card it just didn't look right so I came up with the idea of applying to an acetate cover which I felt worked much better. The sentiment is simply a peel-off which I know many crafters don't like but sometimes I think they just suit the card better than a stamped sentiment.

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

catch the bug-anything goes

Suzy Bees bloomin'challenge-anything goes with a twist clean and simple

My time to craft-all things new

sweet stampin'-new

crazy for challenges-clean and simple

stamping with dragon-new

Happy 2015 to all my friends and followers in blog land.

Hopefully I will get around to making some crafty things and posting in the near future .

Thank you for your continued support and visits.