Monday 31 October 2011

Sunday 30 October 2011

Gingerbread Halloween House

Just a quick post from me today - I have a stinking cold!
Did you see the work in progress?
Well, here is the finished house - lots of photos.
I had to take these in my kitchen, where the lights give everything a slightly orange glow.


This is a BIG house, and I assembled it on a large baking tray, covered with silver foil.
I used white icing to stick it all together, and then went over a few lines with chocolate icing.
I am VERY messy - so don't look too closely at my lines!!



The roof was a little tricky, with the gable piece at the front and a chimney.
The tiles are Golden Grahams cereal - but I would never make a tiler would I ? With a roof like this I should be on rogue traders!!



 I used liquorice allsorts, jelly beans and little ghost sweets to decorate.
My favourites are the little graves, with gingerbread headstones and a little mound of brown sugar!!
The icing on the tray is green IRL, but the camera hasn't picked up the colour.







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Saturday 29 October 2011

Baby Grow Bouquet

I have something a little bit different to show you today.
I made this for Crafty Emma, whos gorgeous baby daughter, Olivia Roni Britton,
arrrived on October 23rd.

When it comes to making things like this I am all fingers and thumbs,
but I persevered with this and I'm happy with the way it turned out.
Just as tricky was getting a good photo of it!! :-)



 The bouquet is made up of Baby Grows and socks, with some artificial flowers and leaves added in and I got the idea from this Martha Stewart video.




The baby clothes are rolled up and then attached to some florists wire with florists tape.
Florists tape is a must - I found it really difficult to use because it only sticks to itself, but this is so that you don't get any tacky residue on the baby clothes.




The picture below shoes a bloom made with a single baby sock. 
I love how the lacey edge looks.
 

 And here's a pink Baby Grow - when rolled up and folded in the centre this gives you a double bloom!!

 

Despite my struggles, I really loved making this and would definitely try it again.
But if you want to see some really gorgeous versions, just google 'baby grow bouquet' and check out the images.


Don't forget that over at CES we are in the second week of our  'New Beginnings' challenge.
Your card/project doesn't have to be new baby, it can be new home, new job.. etc.

Challenges.

Inspire me Fridays - Linky Party


Friday 28 October 2011

Have Your Elf A Merry Little Christmas

How is everyone's Christmas card pile coming along?
PLEASE don't tell me you haven't started one yet - I will get stressed out for you!! lol***

Our Totally Papercrafts challenge this week is...

                Glitter it!



Sorry about the rubbish photo - the flash has washed the colours out a little.

Our sponsor this week is the fabulous Sassy Studios - I love their digis -  and they kindly sent me this cute Santa's Helper to play with.
She's coloured with Copics, some fine green glitter and white opal Liquid Pearls.



Please check out the gorgeous, glittery creations from my TPC teamies
and I hope you find time to glitter something up this week :-)

Challenges - 
Party Time - Anything Goes
Simon Says - Anything Goes
Paper Shelter - Anything Goes

Supplies -
 6 x 6 On the Edge Card Blank from Crafty Emma's
Digi Stamp - Santa's helper from Sassy Studios
Copics / Green Glitter / Liquid Pearls.
DP - Echo Park, Merry Christmas Kit. (The holly and lights were stickers from the kit)
Twine and bell from my stash.
Merry Christmas Stamp - Catslife Press.

Wednesday 26 October 2011

Can you tell what it is yet?


A work in progress...

and just to let you know 
that it IS entirely possible to eat your own body weight in gingerbread dough!!



Monday 24 October 2011

Congratulations Emma and Steve



CongratulationsTo Emma and Steve
on the safe arrival of their gorgeous baby daughter,
Olivia Roni Britton


Saturday 22 October 2011

Sugar and Spice

We have something a little different for you over at CES today,
we are are all anxiously awaiting the arrival of Emma's little princess.
She should have made her appearance on Thursday, but is obviously still keeping all warm and snug.
So, the appropriate theme for the challenge is New Beginnings 
and it will run for the next 2 weeks.



I love this adorable Mo Manning image - she is just perfect for new baby girl cards.
Here she is coloured with Copics and some fine, silver glitter added to her wings.


Please head over to the challenge blog to see the amazing work of my fellow teamies - their cards are always an inspiration.
Check in with the challenge blog for details of the prize. 
 


Challenges -
Simon Says Stamp - Inspired by Nursery Rhymes and Fairy Tales
Flutter By Wednesdays - Anything goes as long as it includes a butterfly, fairy or angel.


Supplies
 6 x 6 Card Blank / Card Candy / Gems  all from Crafty Emma's
Digi Stamp - Mo Manning, Baby Fairy Flora
DP - DCWV Nana's Nursery / New Baby Stamp, Personal Impressions
Punched Flowers and Leaves / Ribbon from my stash


Friday 21 October 2011

Layer Cake

Morning bloggers.. hope you are all well.
Have you checked out our fresh, new look over at Totally Papercrafts?
Do you think you could be part of our chatty, friendly team? 
Head on over there to check out the DT call and this week's new challenge.
Our host is the fabulous Anne

with a Layer Upon Layer theme.




Stickers!!! Do you use them?
When I first started card making stickers went on everything, but, for years now they have been confined to the back of a drawer.
I have been a sticker free zone!
I got them out again for this card and just added a thin, gold strip around one edge.
What do you think? Should they make a come back?



Please check out the amazing work of my fellow teamies over on the challenge blog and our sponsor this week is the fabulous  Bugaboo


Challenges - 
Digi Stamp Boutique - Monthly Challenge
My Mum's Craft Shop - Food and Drink
Stampalot Challenge - Food Glorious Food


Supplies -
Digi Stamp - Zoe and Cake from Digi Stamp Boutique, coloured with Copics.
DP - GCD Tea Time / Glamour Dust / Pearls / Ribbon
Gold stickers / Craftwork Cards Sentiment.

Tuesday 18 October 2011

Vintage Bear


I have fallen in love with TeddyBo & Co images - 
they are just so adorably cute, without being too fluffy and frilly -  if that makes sense!!
AND they are digis - so I can play around with the size of them.


I printed out this Teddy Bea twice, using the second image to decoupage her arms and letter, with foam pads.
She is coloured with Copics and a sprinkling of my favourite Glamour Dust.



Sorry about this fuzzy picture(below),  but you can just make out how 'popped up' her arms are.

I am entering her into the following challenges - 
Sketch & Stash - I just rotated Angie's fabulous sketch and this is my new Teddy Bea image.
Cupcake - Buttons and Bows
Stamptacular - You Choose!
Crafty Cardmakers - Cute with a Dark Twist. I took the 'dark' part literally and used black card and ribbon, as opposed to making it 'halloweenie'. Hope this qualifies!
Make it Monday - Linky Party



Supplies - Digi Stamp Teddy Bea from Teddy Bo & Co. coloured witb Copics and Glamour Dust
DP - Prima Printery / Sentiment Stamp, Whimsy Circle Postmark Collection/
Martha Stewart Border Punch.  Ribbon, pearls and button from my stash.


Monday 17 October 2011

Sunday 16 October 2011

Eat, drink and be cherry!!


Hic!!  
I'm not as drink as some thinkle peep I am.
Do not drink brandy syrup. 
Pour the lid down the brandy and drink the sink.
Do not drink machinery or operate children.








Seriously good. 
These would be great for Christmas presents.
I did go a little over the top with the white chocolate - they would probably look better plain, but no-one's complaining!!!








Saturday 15 October 2011

Forever Autumn

Well the weather, here in Yorkshire, has definitely changed over the last week or so - wet, windy and cold.
So our FOREVER AUTUMN challenge at CES is an appropriate theme for me.
Karen is our lovely host this week, and we would like to see your autumn inspired images or colours.


I combined a couple of images for this card, a Gorjuss Girl and the Open Window, both coloured with Copics.
The DP is one of my favs - My Mind's Eye, Mabel.

To the window box I added a couple of punched leaves and various blooms, with pearl and gem centres.



Don't forget to head over to the blog to see the amazing work of my teamies - their work always blows me away. And, if you enter the challenge you could find yourself with a £10 voucher to fill your CES basket with goodies.




Challenges -

Papercraft Star - Inspirational Picture + leaf (my leaves are tucked behind the blooms)
Pals Paper Arts - Fall/Thanksgiving
Fussy and Fancy - Fall / Halloween
Stampin' for the Weekend - Colours of Autumn
Wags 'n ' Whiskers - Fall Colours

Supplies -
Available from Crafty Emmas (just click on the links to be taken to the store page)
6 x 6 Card Blank / My Mind's Eye, Mabel DP / Pearls / Gems / Blooms
Other Supplies -
Gorjuss Girls Stamp / Make it Crafty Open Window Stamp / Ribbon /
Martha Stewart Border Punch / Craftwork Cards Sentiment

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Friday 14 October 2011

Snow Much Fun

FUN!!! I don't think so.
Who chose ACETATE as our Totally Papercrafts challenge this week?
I am going to blame our original host Mel - 'cos her comp is out of action and she can't get me back ;-)

I can't wait to see your cards/projects this week.
And, if you're like me, and don't know what to do with acetate, just give it a try.
I followed this fab shaker card tutorial from Beate Johns at Splitcoaststampers. You don't even need to rush out and buy crafting acetate - I used a piece of old packaging.


Our sponsor this week is Meljen and the lucky winner will get to choose 4 of her fabulous images. I used her cute snowman - normally it's sharper than this, but my printer is just about to die and is only printing out in pale purple!!


Challenges - 
Meljen - Use a ribbon. (I know it's just a little piece of ribbon, but hope it qualifies! )
Wild Rose Studios - Christmas Card/Creation and a Blog Hop.

Supplies -
Meljen's Snowman digi image, coloured with Copics and Stickles.
The 'snow' in the shaker is Diamond Dust.
DP - Hot off the Press, Forever Christmas
North Pole stamp was a magazine freebie.
Buttons from my stash




Wednesday 12 October 2011

Instant Human: Just Add Coffee!


I swear, I am in serious danger of ending up in casualty?
How do you get a decent photo in this dark, autumn light?

I have placed my card atop a jenga-style, tower of odd boxes and packages,
hung myself halfway out a 1st floor window,
and  balanced precariously on random pieces of furniture!!
All to no avail - I end up with a photo no better than the one I started with!
At least I have amused the dog!!


Just a quick and simple, girly card here. 
I used my new 'Latte' stamp, that I chose as part of a Quixotic Paperie prize.

I'd like to enter the following challenges - 
My Mum's Craft Shop - Remind You of a Song. I love these challenges. I like to see what songs people have chosen, they are so clever.
When I looked at my card the Billy Joel song, Uptown Girl, popped into my head!
Tuesday Throwdown - Think Pink
Crafter's Companion - Pink & Green to promote Breast Cancer Awareness Month. My mum is a breast cancer survivor, so this is a theme that's close to my heart.
Link Up For Pink - Thanks Yolie, for pointing me in the direction of your fab linky party - supporting Breast Cancer Awareness.


Supplies
Stamp - Elisabeth Bell for SCACD 'Latte', coloured with Copics.
DP - First Edition Bird Song.
Happy Birthday Stamp Personal Impressions.
Martha Steart Border Punch. Ribbon and gems from my stash.

Right, I'm off to practice my photography skills - 
and if you here a CRASH,
that's me falling off the back of the sofa!! ;-)

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Sunday 9 October 2011

Treacle Toffee

I whipped up a batch of Treacle Toffee yesterday, 
so we could sit and chew through the X-factor.

Have you been watching?
We are armchair experts here :-) 
What is Louis thinking? 
I feel sorry for his acts, the styling and songs he gave them, looked very dated.
There's going to be lots of tears tonight - Kelly in particular,  has a really tough decision.



Back to the toffee ;-)
This is gorgeous - so rich and treacly and VERY easy to make.
Give it a try.


Saturday 8 October 2011

Good Morning Mr Robin


Hello peeps!
I really must get a wriggle on with my Christmas cards -
I made a list this week and scared myself at how many I have to make!
That's why this week's challenge, chosen by Jenny
at the CES Challenge Blog is just perfect for me.
The theme is   SEEING RED
Now, you don't have to go down the Christmas route, 
but please make sure that red is the main colour of your card/project.



I started with a 6 x 6 On the Edge card, matted and covered with Dovecraft Back to Basics Christmas DP.

I used a couple of stamps to create a little snow scene -  paper-piecing some parts of the bear, colouring the rest with Copics and adding a sprinkling of my favourite Glamour Dust.

I don't have one of those fancy 'punch around the page' punches, so for my frame I used a Fiskars border punch, cutting the corners as best I could, and covering the joins with Card Candi, a Catslife Press stamp and a bow.

Lots of my supplies came from Crafty Emma's. Just click on the links to be taken to the store.


Hop along to the main CES blog, 
to see the amazing work of my fellow teamies
and join us this week, for your chance to win a £10 gift voucher 
to spend in the store (excl p&p).

Challenges
 ABC Challenge - Anything goes ( great to see this challenge back, with fab work from the new DT)
Simon Says - Sparkle and Bling
Forever Friends - Use Sentiment.







Supplies.
Forever Friends Stamp / Alota Stamps Snow Fence
CatsLife Press Stamp.
6 x 6 On the Edge Card.
Glamour Dust / Card Candi / Fiskars Border Punch
Ribbon & Button from my stash.



Friday 7 October 2011

Animal Antics

Are you an animal lover?
We hope so, 'cos that's the theme we have for you at Totally Papercrafts this week.
From pets to wildlife, we want to see Animals on your card/project.


What a great excuse for me ink up my brand new stamp -
this is my very first Gorjuss Girl.
Am I the only sad person who gets scared about colouring a stamp for the first time?
I think it's 'cos I really want to do it justice!


Challenges
Papertake -  Anything Goes and 4th Birthday Blog Hop
My Mum's Craft Shop - All Creatures Great and Small
Aud Sentiments - Happy Birthday
The Paper Variety - Forest Friends

Supplies
6 x 6 On the Edge Card (available from Crafty Emma's) / Gorjuss Girls Little Foxes, coloured with Copics.
Whimsy Stamps, Postmark / Martha Stewart Leaf Border Punch
DP, Papermania Heather / Buttons and ribbon from my stash / Gems, coloured with a Copic


Thursday 6 October 2011

Supersize Me


My daughter has a big Halloween party planned and 
when she saw these pumpkins she wanted some.
BUT, she asked for super-sized ones!!!

We had fun making these!



I just scaled up the design - using 23" strips of orange card, 2" wide.
The card was stamped all over using metallic gold ink and a Hero Arts, Deco Border stamp. So IRL they do have a bit of shimmer.
To support the weight of the card we threaded the ribon through a kitchen roll tube, that was covered with the orange card.

I would like to enter these for the following challenges.

Crafty Ribbons - Boo-tiful Halloween Projects - Pretty Spooky
Make It Monday - Linky Party
Stamp with Fun - Halloween
Crafting for all Seasons - Fall Flowers/Pumpkins
Crafty Creations - Create a Crafty Decoration


Saturday 1 October 2011

Gingerbread basket

A nip and a punch - the first of the month!!!
Wow! Here we are in October already, (although you wouldn't think it with this warm weather we are having) and we have another challenge for you at the CES Challenge Blog.
Our lovely host this week is Shell  
and she has chosen the theme Totally Gorgeous - Pretty Girls


A good excuse to get out all your pretty, girly papers and embellies.




I'm not really a girly girl, but I did my best. 
I made a simple box from card and used a large, doorplate die to cut the shapes, that I stuck to the front and back. I covered the basket with First Edition, Festive Treats DP from Crafty Emma's.
It's hard to make out from these photos, but the little gingerbread hearts are all glittery.

The handle is a piece of card, punched on both sides, with a strip of the DP down the middle and finished off with a little satin bow.


I decorated the front with some pretty blooms, dew drops, card candi, sheer ribbon, swirls and a Catslife Press stamp.

Tilda is paper-pieced, coloured with Copics and sprinkled with Glamour Dust.
I didn't have time to make some real gingerbread men, so, just for fun, I cut a paper one using my Slice machine, inked the edges and added black gems for his eyes and buttons :-)

I thought afterwards, I should have cut a little gingerbread man from the DP and replaced Tilda's cupcake with it - next time!!!


Don't forget to check out the awesome work of my fellow teamies - they have outdone themselves this week -we are also having a little change to the prize this time and the winner will get one Whiff Of Joy Stamp from Crafty Emma's
There's also a great SALE on right now - so head over there and grab yourself a bargain..

Challenges - 
Party Time Tuesdays - Anything Goes
The Paper Shelter - For the Girls
Simon Says - Anything Goes. - they are trying for 1000 entires this week!This is my second entry.