Birthday Bunting and Summertime Blues

Another weekend almost over, why do they always go so quickly? I cant believe it's Sunday evening already. The weather has typically been bad although it did mean I got this card finished and another card started, nothing beats a wet and windy day to get some card making done. I also finished the housework, went grocery shopping and made dinner, so I haven't only been crafting (mmm...a bit defensive I think!).

The husband is happily watching the football and I've been blog hopping and seeing what wonderful cards have been created. I am always amazed at the amount of very talented individuals that are in blog land and happy that it is shared this with us. My follower list is getting huge... I wonder if it has a limit? I hope not as I'm sure there are many more out there that as yet I've not discovered. I finished this earlier this afternoon and started on another which was a sketch challenge but I kept adding to it, sometimes I just dont now when to stop! I'm back to my favourite style of the 'more the merrier'. 

Summer colours and Bunting was the theme for this one as I had some free papers from a magazine that I liked the bright colours of and there has been lots of inspiration around with the Royal jubilee etc. Although I went for soft summer colours rather than the patriotic ones. Tilda looks all set for a summer barbecue or party with her wine and picnic basket, wish it was me... Where is our summer?

I used the following-

• Stamped Tilda- coloured with promarkers and glitter.
• Textured blue card stock for layering and the bunting 
• Bunting- me to you butterfly paper, card stock,bakers twine and blue gems
• Blue bunting and gingham  papers -cool Britannia pack-freebie(magazine) 
• Blue with blue polka dot paper-me to you
• White with blue  polka dot paper -not sure sorry ? 
• Die cut flowers with pearls added -stash
• Punched border
• Grossgrain ribbon and bow
• Blue pearls,decorative pin, butterfly charm- eBay purchases

Sorry the photographs are not great and over exposed I should take them again but i would need to recharge my camera and it takes forever.

 Birthday Blues and Bunting 

I would like to enter the following challenges-

crafty catz weekley challenge#138- pastel colours

Dilly Beans Designers- dots challenge 

Phindy'sPlace-challenge#111-gingham or plaid

Sweet Stampin challenge -ribbons and bows

2 Sisters Challenge'97-anything goes

Totally Tilda-Challenge#49-Tilda with bunting and or pennant

Quirky Crafts challenge#13-handmade flowers and ribbons

Just Magnolia-challenge#162-summer colours

Birthday Butterfly Bling

The first week of having my Daughter home and a fuller than usual house is nearly over. We have all survived! She is finally fully unpacked and I'm sure a routine will soon follow, we have had a lot of catching up to do so lots of chatting and not a lot else has been going on which has been nice... I have given her my list of things to learn how to do, but we are saving that till I have a bit more free time as work is a bit hectic to say the least. On my last post earlier in the week I mentioned that I was working on something simple... Well, its finished, I now realise simple does not necessarily mean easy! I went for something completely different. As it was for a friends birthday, my usual style wouldn't fit the bill, it would have been far to frilly and fussy. 

I used a butterfly stamp which was part of a set I bought several weeks ago at a local craft fair. They had completed examples on show and they where stunning... I haven't achieved anywhere near their results, I found it quite difficult and fiddly. I have learned that I'm definitely not an expert with tweezers... Fine with the occasional rouge stray hair, give me a pearl or gem and some glue and I turn into the worlds clumsiest person! From a distance it looks ok, but when you take a closer look there are marks, there are some gems that are not quite centred, and the odd blob of escaped glue (just don't look to close), also my stash of bling isn't that huge, I'm glad I chose the smaller of the butterflies to do! I didn't have quite the right size gems or buttons for some of the dots, so some don't quite fit perfectly either

I like the colour scheme of pinks and purples, although it looks quite dark in the photo's, more burgundy than purple and the cerise pink gems look red! Mastering the art of taking photo's and editing to get the colour right is also on my to do list! I'm also working on another card which was my distraction from this one when I was getting a little too frustrated with dropping gems everywhere... I hope to finish it at the weekend when I have a bit more time, so will hopefully I'll be posting again before the weekend is over,

I hope you have a great weekend and enjoy your crafting if you get the opportunity! x

'Birthday Butterfly Bling'

I used the following material:-

• White card
• White die cut scalloped circle 
• Butterfly stamp-woodware stamp magic bubble butterflies  ( set of 3)
• Pink and purple satin ribbons and bow-from stash
• Pink and purple happy birthday sentiment -freebie from magazine
• Various shades of pink, purple and clear gems, pearls and buttons- from stash
• Pink promarker -(butterfly body) 

The  challenges I would like to enter this week are -

Make it Monday-challenge #94-anything goes 
Crafty Ribbons- challenge22-Clean and simple
Clear It Out challenge-anything goes (more than 1 ribbon from stash)
Try It On Tuesday-anything goes
There She Goes- winged things

Best Wishes

Well as planned the priority for the weekend was to get our daughter safely back from university for the summer, after her taking some photos of her 'bits and bobs' to check it would all fit in the cars we decided it would be best if I didn't go as there might not have been enough room in the car... it was definitely the right decision! She must have had twice as much as she went away with! So saturday morning I stayed behind waving husband off for his long drive to collect her. I spent the day doing the housework... it was the least I could do as hubby was travelling nine hours in total there and back. It was definitely the right decision as the car was filled to the brim, its now Wednesday and she is still no where near finished... chaos is upon us,'stuff' is everywhere; but it is nice to have her back... will I still be saying that in a few weeks time and until September... Hmm, we'll see.

I do have a wish list of things that I would like her to teach me when using blogger; it was all too much for me first time round when she was back at Easter and set the blog up, I just cant remember everything she taught me, so I will be keeping her busy and probably desperate to get back to Uni (teehee).

So here is my most recent card, I used the Teddy Bo&Co bear again this week as it felt 'right' for this layout and she is a good size. The sketch was loosely based on one I'd seen for a challenge a few weeks ago but didn't get the chance to use. It is good layout for me to practice my measuring and cutting as I'm still mastering straight lines and even sides! Still not there yet but will keep practicing!

'Best Wishes'

I used the following materials: 

• Square white base card and green textured card stock for layering 
• Pink checked paper-Dovecraft- Basics pack 
• Pink striped paper - Forever Friends-For you 
• Flower paper- Helz cuppleditch- Bazoo 
• Bea bear- Teddy Bo &Co coloured with my favourite-Promarkers 
• Punched butterflies- using the left over card stock and paper scraps(I cant resist it!!! ) 
• White die cut embossed fancy square. 

For finishing touches I used pink satin ribbon, pastel multi-coloured thread (or it might be wool - not sure), metal flower charm, pink and green pearls, pink and clear gems, best wishes sentiment (freebie from mag). The cute little balloon Bea is holding was a surprise pressie from my hubby last week (which I added glitter to). He presented me with 5 little packs of assorted embellishments when he picked me up from work, which was very unexpected as he is now a bit of a crafters widower, he often is in the position of having no tea, or a very late and or slightly burnt meal as I get distracted and loose track of time, so a pressie was an unexpected but very nice surprise - he is the BEST.

My next card is going to be more of a clean and simple design its for a friends birthday, I will keep you all posted on how I get on as simple designs are not in my comfort zone and not done very often. I'm not so good at this, but as before its good for developing my skills and broadening my horizons.

I would like to enter the following challenges this week -
Make it Monday#94-anything goes
passion for promarkers-week 154-glitter and pastels
lexi's creations challenge67-happy birthday
Stamping with dragon-anything goes
Cute card Thursday challenge221-punch drunk-use a punch
forever friends-monthly challenge-happy beardy
Bunny Zoe's crafts-monthly challenge 25-girls, girls, girls
Papertake weekly challenge-Bingo(ribbon gems punches)
Creative stamp friends-challenge#53-birthday

HAPPY DAYS

Well just a quick post today before work later. I'm busy at the weekend, off to collect my daughter back from uni for the summer, so I don't think I will get any card making done. I finished this last night but was too late to post, I was also going to post on WOYWW, I love seeing what other card making and crafter's are are up to, and get a sneaky peak at some amazing craft rooms that I can lust over... I'm also just a bit nosey! Unfortunately I didn't get in from work until late and didn't have the time to do both so I finished my card... maybe next week.

As usual I struggle for inspiration and ideas, this was a sketch I saw a few weeks ago and planned to enter but didn't get the time, I liked it so I gave it a go. This week its a bright pink and girly card, quite simple but I also couldn't resist using my butterfly punch again... It's a good way to use my left over scraps also! The inside is decorated with the same floral paper but I forgot to take a photo and my camera went flat! I'm quite happy with the finished result and think it would make a cute card just to say hello and brighten up a dreary day (our typical summer). I love the teddy stamp and may even get some more, I have had a look at there website and I like what I've seen, I also like the size of the stamps... not to small for me to colour.

'Happy days'

I used the following materials:

• White scalloped card and pink card stock for layering
• Pink checked paper-cool Britannia(freebie from magazine)
• Pink floral paper-Pink petticoat-wild blossoms collection(freebie from magazine)
• Die cut scalloped circle and sentiment -coloured with promarkers
• Teddy Bo+Co -teddy Bea stamp(freebie from magazine)coloured with promarkers of course!
• Punched butterflies using card stock and papers
• Pink satin ribbon-(eBay purchase)
• Pink flowers -bought at craft fair and running out... arghhh!!

I would like to enter the following challenges this week:

Fresh brewed blog-challenge100 -anything goes 

Truly scrumptious- challenge82 -flower power

Craft your passion-challenge 114-anything goes

Crafty Ann's challenge#67-Its a girl thing

The Paper Shelter-challenge#68- anything goes

Bearly-Mine challenges- challenge #39-bingo-( I used dies, flowers and a sentiment )

House of Gilli blogspot- vibrant colours/summer challenge 

Stamp and create-June challenge- bold and bright

Summer greens

This weekend I managed to finish this card and do the colouring for my next, which I hope to finish later today, so I  might post twice today... see how I  go. As I struggle with what to do, I did follow a sketch challenge and now I cant remember what it was... Although I have still used it anyway.  Following last weeks easel card, which was a challenge for me, this one was much more simple and was quicker to do, and has a lot less layers! I decided on a bright  green colour scheme with just a hint of yellow which I think is bright and summery. I am definitely more of a bright than a subtle muted card maker I have tried to colour in subtle tones but I cant seem to manage it. The tiny flower brads I  had forgotten that I had, I have not used brads for ages, but thought they went nice with my summer theme. The white heart brad is from a set which I actually thought I would never use as they are quite big, but it was perfect for the sketch challenge of using a heart as the focal embellishment.

  'I love summer'

I used the following materials:

• White base card
• Green card, textured green card - for layering
• Checked paper (freebie from internet)
• Floral paper - Sally Moret - best of British collection- magazine freebie
• Tiny green and yellow floral brads and large heart brad - stash 
• Tilda coloured with promarkers of course!
• Punched butterflies, heart and flowers - stash (bought on eBay )
• White gel pen for faux stitching
• Glitter used on Tilda wings, butterflies and  flowers
• Green satin ribbon

I would like to enter the following challenges this week-

All stitched up- sweet stampin challenge 
Challenge #67-its a girl thing- crafty Ann's challenge 
Fabulous Friday challenge - stitching- frosteddesigns 
Challenge#3 -2 papers + embellies - Oozak .com

Pretty in Pink

Well yet another wet bank holiday weekend is over, the good news is the house is 'spick and span'. I spent Saturday gardening (it had finally stopped raining, albeit a little shower or two!). The borders are looking good, baskets and pots all filled and set to bloom in the summer (well it sounds good... and I always have high hopes for my little plants), but oh do my legs ache today! I was going to do the ironing but as Tuesday was my last day off before going back to work, I spent  most of the morning blog hopping, watching tutorial (so many skills that I want to learn), and generally pottering around the house.

I always struggle with ideas of what to create on my cards and look to blogs and challenges for inspiration, so I made an easel card. I planned to do a 'lots of layers' card as I spent lots of time in the  morning looking at lots of layers! But then I popped over to the Crafty Ribbon site and this week the challenge is an easel card, so that was it, my next card was in the making... an easel card with lots of layers using my favourite things flowers and butterflies. I have made a few errors but overall as a first attempt I'm pretty pleased. I should have used foam pads to put my stamped image on and not tape, which I realised too late as it had stuck solid (although I did mange to put a few behind the top half of it) the bottom half looks a bit squashed! I also made my fold in the wrong place, it should have been more even, which means it sits at an angle and is too far back. I think it's the most'bits' I've ever used on one card, it was to late to post last night so here I am doing it now as I woke very early as usual.

I used the following materials:

• A white scalloped card, Pink plain and textured card stock for matting
• Pink checked, word papers free download
• Butterfly paper- freebie magazine.
• Doily-Tea party from Dovecraft
• Sarah Kay stamp coloured with Promarkers
• White lace,pink braid,satin ribbon,punched border and pearls from stash.(eBay purchases)
• White roses,pink roses and rose buds bought at craft fair last week and sadly didn't keep the details as would love more!
• Rose washi tape -magazine freebie
• Sentiment and love chipboard's - yes more magazine freebies
• Punched butterflies (with left over pink card stock)- Tonic (since buying it last week at the craft fair I haven't stopped finding paper and card scraps to punch out more !..I love it.

Also check out my side bar for my new Dilly Beans challenge winner badge... I am so happy with it and another bonus I also get too choose 3 cool digi's... how lucky am I? Thank you very much to Dilly Beans designers.

I would like to enter the following challenges -

Challenge 20-easel Card- crafty ribbons challenge

Challenge# 163-anything goes -digital tuesday challenge

Challenge #92 -anything goes -Make it Monday 

Challenge-18 things with wings -Liastampz challenge

Challenge #106-make it girly- Ooh-la-la-Creations

Magical Monday -3 in a row-Paper cupcakes (I used punches,ribbon 2 or more papers)

Flowers and butterfly's-come and get it challenge

Use pink- card caravan #20-The Hybrid chick

Use ribbon or lace-The ribbon girls

Challenge #19 - die cuts and punches-The Cutie Pie challenge

Flower Power

A bit of a different post today... I was ill for a few days and off work, went back to work on Friday still not feeling 100% as we're short staffed and added to this it was a stressful day. But I got home from work in the evening and found the most amazing flowers on the kitchen table... Did I forget something? Was it my birthday or an anniversary? Nope... my husband knowing I was under the weather and feeling rather sorry for myself bought them to cheer me up and it did, flowers are one of the things I love the most. I take more photographs of flowers when I go on holiday than of my family! I love gardening although I don't have green fingers unfortunately... I wish did, but I still try. When I doodle its always a flower, so hubby made the end of what has been a miserable week wonderful and I had to take a photograph and share their beauty. So a very BIG THANK YOU to my husband!

 

The Surprise Flowers

Also on a flower note I made card for my sister in-law. Not my usual style, as she is more of a minimalist sort and its good for me try new things and practice stamping. I choose to send the white card as I think it worked out better than the yellow card. Im sure with more practice my composition will improve as they are a bit messy and the sentiment on both is a bit low. For both cards I used a Marion Emberson Designs stamp set that I bought at last weeks craft fair. I used four of the flowers stamps and the sentiment on both cards. I added black satin ribbon, bow and pearls to the yellow card and stamped with black ink. On the white card I used blue satin ribbon, a blue and silver ink and blue gems.

 

 

'Blue Birthday'

I am entering ' Blue Birthday' into the following challenges:

Squigglefly #21 CAS no patterned papers

crafty calender- flowers in bloom

Cas-ual Friday CFC 55- with bling

Royal Celebrations

My hubby suggested after the success of my step daughters card (she loved it... or is a great actress... I'm assuming the former is true) that I make the card for a male friends 50th Birthday. With it being the Royal Jubilee weekend and my first 'male card' what a better combination than 'red white and blue'. For a first attempt I'm quite pleased, although I need to work on my skin colours which I have yet to make realistic, I really struggled to get a Caribbean look right. It has been  the quickest card I've made so far and the most cut out elements I've ever used, not sure if its 'my thing' though, but I enjoyed trying out new things. Everywhere has Jubilee fever, during my blog hopping I came across My mums craft shop blog with the theme this week of 'red white and blue' (as are many this week). I especially liked DT member Suzie's wedding card, I would never have thought that this colour combination would work but it really does... it's a beautiful card, this is why I spend so much time blog hopping -the extraordinary the range of expertise and imagination that people have... I LOVE IT!

'Lets Celebrate Your Birthday '

I used the Best of British paper collection Free with magazine to complete this card. For the front and inside I chose Sizzix papers which I layered onto red card. Decorating the panel with red/white bakers twine. The bunting and sentiment I cut from Alison Butler papers, also from the Best of British paper collection. I coloured Edwin using my wonderful promarkers, added some bakers twine bows to the bunting and silver candi to complete. I was planning to replace the wine  glasses with a 50th peel off but it didn't look quite right so I reverted back to the glasses which I added with 3d foam.

I would like to take part in the following challenges:

My Mums Craft Shop ~ #59 red white and blue

Fab'n'Funky ~ #123 celebrations

Moving Along With the Times ~ Cool Britannia 

Digi Doodle Shop ~  #110 get the bunting out

Creative Craft Challenges~patriotic colour challenge~'red white and blue' 

Tuesday Throwdown ~ #100 'masculine'