We belong together

Hello there, hope those that celebrated Mother's Day this weekend had a lovely time. I managed to escape to my craft room for a while and here is one of the cards I made. It's for my Mum & Dad's Anniversary.

I am still waiting to make that 'perfect' card. I don't think it exists for me - I always make a few mistakes, but hey! I guess it all adds to the handmade look :-)

You can see here that I forgot to add the lace before stitching the card down - duh! - hence the ugly staples showing !!

I also tried a bit of embossing in the top right hand corner - it's something I rarely do and I think I over-heated it. I need more practice.
 

The House Mouse image is coloured with Copics and I decoupaged parts of the flower, adding it with foam pads - to give a little dimension.

Challenges.

Simon Says Stamp - A Bit 'O Green

Crafting for all Seasons - Green and Yellow

Do You Stack Up? - Favourite Colour (Green, of course :-) )

Sweet Stampin' - Lots of Green

Crafter's Companion - Spring

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Supplies

House Mouse Love Sunflower Stamp, coloured with Copics and Stickles glitter.

DP - Prima, Sweet Fairy.     Wild Rose Studio, Text Stamp.

LOTV Corner Stamp

Lace, Ribbon, Button, Gems from my stash.

Born To Cycle

Have you been busy making Mother's Day cards this week?  

Over at Totally Papercrafts we want you to put away all those girly things!! The lovely Sarah has chosen the theme of Male Cards.

Did I hear a groan?? :-)

I don't know how these cute images have escaped me for so long. This one is from the 'swings and slides' collection over at Pollycraft and they are perfect for boys' cards.
This chap is coloured with Copics, cut out and mounted with foam tape.

I know that little froggy is completely the wrong colour for this card - but I don't care :-) When I came across him at the bottom of my brad box, I had to add him.

Challenges

My Craft Spot - Manly Man Cards

Cards For Men - Cheeky Chappies

Ladybug Crafts Ink - Anything Goes. Check out their fab, new 'teenagers' digis.

Anything Goes - Boyz to Men

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Supplies - Pollycraft Digi Stamp.    DP Basic Grey, Max & Whiskers.    Wild Rose Studios Postmark Sentiment Stamp.  Doodlebug Swirl And Frog Brad.  Papermania 'Birthday Boy' Stamp.

Spellbinders Ovals, Scallloped Ovals, Pennants.

Mums Are Like Dads - Only Smarter!

Without a doubt, my Mother's Day card is the trickiest card I make all year!

My Mum doesn't like what she calls 'girly' or 'cutesy' images and you all know how florally challenged I am!!

So, this card was definitely out of my comfort zone.

I have had these gorgeous Prima flowers for ages and new that I wanted to base my card around them. So, then it was just a case of choosing a pretty DP and adding some ribbon and a sentiment.

Oh, doesn't it all sound so easy? It took me FOREVER!!

The 'easel' is propped up on large pearls and I made the sentiment on my comp - don't look too closely, I still have the worst printer in the world!

 I  made a simple box for the card to go in.

A little tag with some blooms and leaves and 'MUM' stickers, finished everything off.

Challenges.

One Stop Craft - Mother's Day with Ribbon

Top Tip Tuesday - Mother's Day. With an amazing tutorial from Deneen for a Teapot Card.

Papertake - For the Girls... Or Mum

Creative Inspirations - Something For Mum

My Mum's Craft Shop - Mum's The Word

Craft Your Passion - Easel Cards

Everybody Art - Easel Cards

Supplies.

6 x 6 On The Edge Card Blank.     DP, Webster's Pages.  

Prima Flowers.    Raffia and Satin Ribbon.

Large Pearls.     Spellbinders Fancy Tags 3.     
XCut Leaf Punch.    Rose Blooms.    Peel Offs.
Striped Grosgrain Ribbon.

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Bags of Style

I'm predicting a bumper week for entries, over at Totally Papercrafts this week.

The lovely Lisa has chosen the theme  

Favourites

We all have a favourite, or two, don't we? So show us some of yours and you could be in with the chance of winning a prize from our fabulous sponsor Lili of the Valley

Bags are one of my favourite things - and I think my girls have inherited my love of them. When I started my new job and told them I might be able to get a store discount, you could hear them scream "Mulberry" for miles around!! :-)

I used a template from Creations by AR

Here's a close up of the little purse - tied on with ribbon (another of my fav things)

Don't forget to pop by the main blog and see all the favourite things my teamies used.

Challenges

Divas by Design - Favourite Things

Papertake - Anything Goes

Top Tip  - Stitches

Supplies.

Bag Template - Creations by AR

DP - My Mind's Eye, Pretty Please.    Brads, Ribbon, Flower Punch, Card Candi

Prom Night

Can someone please tell me how we got to March... already!!! 

I've only just got organised from Christmas and now it will be Easter before I know it.

Over at Totally Papercrafts this week, the lovely Mel has a fab challenge for you. The theme is... 

Song and Dance

I had to dig deep into my stash to find an image to fit the theme, and finally came across this Sassy Studios digi, called Crissy's Prom.  
Prom ~ dance ~ I can scrape by with that one, right? :-)

I did try hard with the pleats on her dress, but my colouring skills aren't really up to it. A litle glitter hides the worst of it :-)

Challenges.

Ladybug Crafts Ink - Pink & Girly

Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Aud Sentiments - Happy Birthday

Supplies.
Sassy Studios Digi, Crissy's Prom, coloured with Copics and Glamour Dust.
DP - My Mind's Eye, Quite Contrary.    XCut Doorplate Die
Spellbinders Nested Pennants.   Adhesive Gems.
Happy Birthday Stamp, Wild Rose Studio.  Ribbon from my stash.

Our house is a very, very, very fine house!

Just a quick post from me today - I am trying to get my head around working and fitting everything else in!

My dd Annabel and her b/f are moving tomorrow - to their first little house. They've been in Uni digs and flats before, so you can imagine how excited they are.

Here's a little CAS card I made for them.

I am really pleased with the overall look of this card - it's just a shame about the printed names - as you can see my printer is rubbish. I nearly went over them with my fineliner, but thought that would make it even worse!!

I printed the house onto scraps of DP and layered them up with foam pads.

Challenges

Less Is More - Don't scrap it! (Use scraps of anything)

Allsorts - It's your choice

2 Sisters - Anything Goes

Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes

Supplies.

House Digi Stamp - Pink Petticoat

DP - Echo Park, Country Drive   Spellbinders Pennant Die

Adhesive Gems

Hope you're all enjoying your EXTRA day :-))

Teenage Genius

Cathy has set a fabulous challenge for us at Totally Papercrafts this week.

Pop over to the blog and check out the inspirational picture. You can choose to take the picture itself as your inspiration, or the colours in it.

I went for the colours...

I LOVE this 'genius' and thought it would be perfect for my Nephew's 18th Birthday. I coloured him with Copics and mounted him onto blue card so that he would stand out more.
It's hard to tell from the photos, but the scalloped rectangle, the sentiment and the '18' are all popped up on foam tape to add some depth.

Challenges

Allsorts - Anything Goes

Simon Says - 3 Different Papers

Moving Along With The Times - Lots of Layers


Supplies.
Stamp - Tiddly Inks, I'm with Genius - coloured with Copics.
DP - Pink Petticoat   Sentiment Stamp - Catslife Press.
18 stamp - Wild Rose Studios  Ribbon from my stash.

With Sympathy

Arrrrggghhhh!  I find taking pics of these CAS cards an absolute nightmare. So look beyond the awful photo and tell me what you really think of this card. I think it's ok-ish, but the idea was definitely better in my head...lol**

You can see that the sentiment stamp has a little curve on it, that's because  it's supposed to fit inside a banner shape. I really could do with some plain sentiment stamps so if anyone know of a nice set out there, let me know.   xxx

Challenges - 

Less Is More -  Punches or Die Cuts

C.R.A.F.T. - No Designer Papers

Supplies.
Spellbinders Die - Fancy Tags 3
Adhesive Pearls, Ribbon, Flowers, Stickles Glitter
Papermania Sentiment Stamp.

Paper Chain People

EEK! Friday came around quickly didn't it?

This is a scheduled post from me, as I will be on my way to my first day in my new job!!

We have another great challenge for you at Totally Papercrafts.  The lovely Linda is our host and she is a ribbon hoarder :-)  so she has chosen the theme...

Ribbons and/or Bows

I love ribbon - and I always think that it makes a card a little bit special. A simple strip with a bow can be the perfect embellie, but if you feel like doing something more creative we'd love to see that too. Have fun!

I kept my layout pretty simple, as I wanted to concentrate on colouring this gorjuss girl. She is called ' I found my family in a book' - isn't that the cutest name?

Supplies.
DP - Prima, Madeline
Stamp - Gorjuss 'I found my family in a book', coloured with Copics.
Spellbinders Nesties -  lacey circles and  pennants.
Whimsy Sentiments Stamp.
Gems coloured with Copic to match her dress. Ribbon from my stash.

Sweet and Simple Madeleines

I have 2 things to share with your today - this delicious Madeleine recipe and my good news.

First, my news - I am about to join the workforce! EEK!!!

After 20 odd years as a SAHM I have just got myself a part-time job.
I start on Friday!! It's all very exciting, but scary at the same time...
so wish me luck :-)

Now, for that Madeleine recipe.

You will need a Madeleine tin for this - I got mine at Lakeland.

You can't really see in my picture above, but these little beauties have that pretty, little shell design on one side.

These were just delicious and now that I have the plain ones sorted, I will be trying some more flavours - so watch this space! :-)

All you need is LOVE

The dozen red roses and overpriced gifts are not for me on Valentine's Day. I would much rather have a small handmade gift, from the heart.

Ok - I wouldn't say no to a white Range Rover Evoque, tied up in a red bow  - but, like that is EVER going to happen!! :-)

Here's a little gift bag that I put together for my daughters.

I decorated a couple of small brown paper gift bags with my DP and then added a pink bow to my white ruffled ribbon strip. (I would rather have used all pink, but I didn't have enough ribbon for that).

The label is made from layering a couple of Spellbinders dies and then adding  liquid pearls and the stamped sentiment.

Inside went some Madeleines (recipe to follow), a little bag of chocolate hearts and a wooden heart.

I found this set of 3 wooden hearts in Sainsburys for only £4, so the girls get one each and I have one hanging in my kitchen.

Things have been a bit stressful here recently, so I am looking forward to chilling out at home, on Valentine's Day, with a lovely meal and maybe a bottle of fizzy!! Hope you all have a lovely day, whatever your plans are :-)

Challenges

Allsorts - Free and Easy

CRAFT - Valentine's Day

Do You Stack Up - Love

Simon Says - Love is in the Air

Divas By Design - Love is in the Air

Creative Inspirations - Lots of Love

My Mum's Craft Shop - It Must be Love

Top Tip Tuesday - Valentine

Phew... I think that's a record number of challenges for me :-)

Supplies.
DP - Paper Cellar, Wedding.      Spellbinders Fancy Tags 2 and 3
Liquid Pearls White Opal.           Plain Brown Bags.
Ruffled white ribbon and baby pink ribbon from my stash.

Somewhere Over The Rainbow...

... I am singing away in my best, squeaky voice. 

Even the dog has buried herself under the duvet - honestly - I can't carry a tune in a bucket!!

RAINBOWS is what our Joey wants to see at Totally Papercrafts this week. 

No singing necessary! :-)

I'd like to say that this was one of those quick and easy cards, but for some reason these CAS cards take me the longest time. 

The little bunting was fiddly to put together and I must have tried a dozen different images before I decided on this cute Teddy Bea.

Then I held my breath as I stamped the 'Happy Birthday' onto the card and - look Mum - no smudges!!    :-)
 

I hope you'll play along this week - I am looking forward to seeing some pretty, rainbow colour combos.

Check out the challenge blog for some inspiration from my fab teamies and for details of the prize from this week's talented sponsor - Delicious Doodles.

                              

Challenges.

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

Crafter's Companion - Anything Goes

Crafty Sentiments - Let's Get Girly
City Crafter - Colours Of The Rainbow

Supplies

Digi Image, Teddy Bea Love Letter, coloured with Copics, cut out and mounted on foam pads.

DP - Prima, Sweet Fairy.      Baker's Twine.        Spellbinders Small Nested Pennant Die