Flowers, Fun and Firsts

What a busy weekend... I had a wonderful time at the Chelsea flower show on Friday. The weather was perfect and we had a great day out. The gardens and displays were both inspiring and amazing some were a little bit over the top and not my cup of tea, but you can see the passion and commitment that has gone into every one and the attention to detail was phenomenal,definitely a joy and a pleasure on all the senses.

Saturday was grocery shopping, housework and gardening day. With the bad weather we have had over what feel like months it has been left a bit neglected  in desperate need of some TLC. Sunday was another great day, whilst reading my card making magazine I discovered that there was a card and craft fair on locally, I convinced hubby to take me along, (bless him he is wonderful) unfortunately much to his discomfort I spent two hours in heaven, I made some essential purchases of must have items although if hubby had not been there I think I would have spent a teeny bit more... Happily buying one of everything. I did educate him along the way, explaining what everything was and how it was essential to purchase, although I don't think he was convinced. The next fair is in October and I'm already planning my purchases. We have decided though that he drops me off and collects me later, that sounds like perfect plan for us both!

Once home I thought I would put my purchases to use. Its my step daughters birthday next week and hubby had suggested I make her card which I finished last night. So far I haven't actually made a card for any reason in particular other than enjoyment and or felt they were good enough to give to someone so this was my big test, I hope she likes it! For the card I decided on a cute little bear from LOTV, coloured using my promarkers and testing the new ones I purchased at the fair (my collection is slowly growing but still a long way off completion).

The floral and matching stripe paper was matted onto blue card where a magazine freebie from Raspberry Road designs luxury paper collection, it's a great pack of 48 designs on A4 sheets all of which are beautiful, so nice, that I'm reluctant to use them. The edges and flower were inked with broken china, although as before with my last card I'm dissapointed as its much darker than I wanted... possibly the wrong colour to use, but I didn't have another blue. I also dont have the right tools for the job nor have I got the technique right yet and in my excitement at the craft fair I forgot to get some blender pads. I used bakers twine and made a bow,  attaching a heart charm, yes you guessed it... new purchases (I was trying to see how many of today's goodies I could use on one card... I didn't quite manage them all). The flower does have a sparkly glitter centre although I didn't think was quite right for this card, so I covered this with the same candi as used to decorate the sides, happy birthday stamped sentiment, faux stitches, little blue pearls around the stamped bear and paper butterflies (using my new punch... purchased today). 

'Birthday bear'  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

The butterfly punch is definitely my favourite and best buy of the day, its also my first punch, I've relied on eBay purchases for punched butterflies, flowers etc, which is good. but meant I've been restricted with choices and haven't always had the exact colour I wanted, its a dream to use and I plan to make many more with the leftover pieces of card and paper that I've collected... which is a rather large pile for a relatively short space of time, due to my appalling measuring skills and inability to cut a straight line. Finally... another first was completing the inside of the card, until now I've left them blank. I used white card with the same floral paper as on the front and a punched butterfly to the top and bottom corners to finish.                                

The challenges I would like to enter this week are:

Great impressions stamps- anything goes

Phindys place challenge #107 Friday-123- (I used 1stamped bear, 2 papers 3 embellishments -candi flower and  charm)

Little Miss Muppet challenges #35-anything goes

Pink Gems challenge #47- photo inspiration-my interpretation using yellow flowers and butterflies

Allsorts challenge~156-special birthday 

Make it Monday-challenge 91-always anything goes