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Friday 29 April 2011

Challenge Card

The Crafty Sentiments challenge this week has a wedding themed project and the Simons Says Stamp has the theme Anything Goes so this card will work for both. It's a large square Craft UK card with a silver Papemill card behind the heart patterned backing paper from Joanna Sheen's Precious Petals CD. A Crafters' Companion SWALK image is stamped in Memento ink, coloured with Promarkers and cut with a Spellbinders circle die. A Cheery Lynn doiley die cut in silver was used to back the image. A Marianne swirl die cut in silver is bottom right. A white organza ribbon and diamante heart shaped buckle, both from JS, is fastened to the left. Three small pearls, JS again, are set to the top right.

Thursday 28 April 2011

Not too good

I'm not posting much today becauseI'm not feeling 100%. I'm finishing off a wedding card for some young neighbours and then I'm going to chill for the rest of the evening. I gave the Wild Orchid Challenge card to our friends' young granddaughter who is very poorly in hospital. I think she'll like it. Tomorrow will be spent watching the Royal Wedding so I'm not sure that I'll be posting much tomorrow either. Whatever you're doing tomorrow I hope you have a happy day. Enjoy.

Wednesday 27 April 2011

Simon Says Stamp Challenge

This week's Simons Says Stamp challenge is 'Anything goes'. My card is an 8 x blank from Craft Uk. The brown cardstock is Papermill and the green patterned paper is from a pad of Desert Blooms. The free digi stamp is coloured with Promarkers and cut with a Spellbinders rectangular nestie with a scalloped nestie in green to back it. I have used a rectangle of brown cardstock as backing to make the image stand out. A brown satin ribbon, which I bought in Australia, is tied across the centre. A LOTV sentiment is bottom right. I have used two wooden embellishments, bird and watering can, from Create and Craft to complete the design.

Sunday 24 April 2011

LIM - Off Centre

The Less is More challenge this week is Off Centre. I had this image already coloured and she is crying out to be off centre so here she is, with love. She was a free digi, coloured with Promarkers and set on a Spellbinders rectangular nestie. The pink ribbon is from Hobbycraft and the sentiment is printed on the computer and cut with a Spellbinders oval nestie die.

Friday 22 April 2011

A happy card for Easter

This is a large white square card from Craft UK. A band of orange Papermill cardstock has been embossed with a Cuttlebug folder and edged with a Martha Stewart lattice punched paper at the top and bottom. The LOTV image is perfect for an Easter bonnet and it's been stamped, with a black Memento ink pad, on to a Spellbinders nestie and coloured with Promarkers. A gold swirl cut with a Marianne die is bottom right. The sentiment was generated on the computer and cut with another nestie and edged with a Versacolor ink pad. Small orange flowers from Hobbycraft with centres being sticky backed pearls by Kanban are placed at the top right and bottom left to complete the design.

I'm entering this is in Lili of the Valley Easter challenge, Crafty Sentiments Easter Cards challenge and Simon Says Emboss It challenge.

Thursday 21 April 2011

LIM Challenge


This week the Less is More Challenge was to use acetate. Well, first of all, I was busy redecorating my craft room so thought that I wouldn't get a chance to make a card. However, after working my little socks off I did finish and posted some photos on my blog to let you see. Then, second of all, I'm not keen on using acetate on my cards so would this persuade me to give this week a miss? No, I was determined to try and so I used as little acetate as necessary but it is there! This card blank has a Cuttlebug embossing folder of flowers on bronze Mirri card down the left and another at an angle across the centre, saying 'with love'. A small Glenda Waterworth stamp 'weeds are flowers too' was stamped, with Stazon, on to the acetate and then trimmed to shape. It was fastened in the bottom right corner with a Dovecraft brad.

Wednesday 20 April 2011

LOTV Challenge 92

The LOTV challenge 92 is Happy Birthday so here is my card quickly made after finishing my craftroom redecoration! Phew, I didn't think I would make it in time. A white card blank with Papermill yellow card backing a Desert Blooms paper. The LOTV cat stamp has been stamped on to a Spellbinders wonky square nestie with Memento ink in black and edged with Versacolor ink iin topaz. The cat is coloured with Promarkers. A Dovecraft Sugar and Spice brad is bottom left and a sentiment generated on the computer is bottom right on an oval nestie.

Tuesday 19 April 2011

Finished, yippee!






I know that some of you wanted to see my craftroom when it was redecorated so here it is. I finished it about half an hour ago after two days of solidly moving crafty items back in. This was supposed to be the fun bit but I found it to be the most frustrating. I bought more Really Useful boxes and managed to get everything put in place. Now I'm going to relax by making an engagement card for some neighbours. It's a beautiful sunny day and neighbours next door and over the back are all in their gardens. I'm too exhausted to go out but at least my room is sunny now. It's a happy day for me so I hope you're enjoying the sunshine.

Monday 18 April 2011

Still going

I'm still not finished. This morning Eric and I went to the doctor's first to collect our prescriptions and then we went on to our usual food shopping at Tesco. After that we called in to M&S for some extra treats, yum. Then we drove on to Ikea so that I could collect another set of grey metal drawers. My idea was that I would transfer items out of a set of pink drawers that I bought in a moment of madness a few years ago!! I've been moving things ever since and I'm no further forward. I'm shattered again and I'm still not finished. How much longer can it go on? I've got some empty room on the long shelves but I have so much stuff that needs to be in drawers, rather than shelves. I'm going to have a rest now and then I might start again later on.

Sunday 17 April 2011

Doing well


I'm really pleased because everything, so far, is going according to plan and I've had no problems. I'm moving furniture back into my craftroom and apart from reorganising all my goodies I'm just about finished. The job wasn't nearly as bad as I anticipated. I can't decide whether this is the fun part or the difficult part. I'll probably reorganise things and then find that I liked the original better!! It's certainly much brighter than it was but that might just be because I haven't got everything piled in yet. This is how it is before I move all the drawers in and all the boxes, books, CDs, etc. I've put my notice board back with all my handcrafted cards on that various people have sent me over the past few years. I'll be able to make some cards tomorrow I hope. I've just been asked today to make an engagement card so I must get that done soon.

Saturday 16 April 2011

More exhausted than ever

I've had a very full day but it's been worth it. I've given my craft room two coats of Warm Yellow matt paint and it's beginning to look good. I've moved the bookcases back in and the computer desk. I have to do the gloss painting tomorrow and the hard work is done. On Monday I'll be able to put the window blind up and move my workbenches back in. Then the fun will start with my crafting goodies. I'm going to rearrange some of the drawers so I'm hoping to make my life a little easier when I'm crafting. Do you think it will work? I'm sure to put something somewhere that's not a good idea. I'm looking forward to Monday and seeing the end result. I'm all aches and pains but happy.

Friday 15 April 2011

Absolutely shattered

I've been painting my craft room all day and I'm absolutely shattered. We had a Chinese meal delivered for dinner and I could hardly get off the sofa to open the door because all my muscles had tightened up. I'm feeling much better now but will have to start all over again tomorrow. The ceiling wasn't too much of a problem and I managed it quite well. I'd thought it would take me much longer than it did and because I was on a roll I decided to start on the walls. I've done one and a half walls and the colour, warm yellow, is not covering the green very well. I'll have to give it a second coat, ugh! It looks like I'll be busy all day Sunday as well but if I can finish it on Sunday I'll be able to move all my things back on Monday. Let's hope that I'm feeling fit tomorrow and can get on with it. Eric cannot do anything to help unfortunately because of his rheumatoid arthritis but he is good at directing. Now I'm catching up with my forum friends and blog friends so I'm having a quiet evening. Enjoy yourselves.

Thursday 14 April 2011

Yippee!

I've won a Crafty Sentiments challenge! We came back from the Care Home today and were relieved to be home. My sister was poorly and wasn't in a mood to be happy with us. I changed in to my comfy clothes and switched on the computer. I had a quick glance at the blogs I usually follow and saw that the winner on the Crafty Sentiments blog was Hazel. Well, a couple of weeks ago a Hazel won another blog challenge but it wasn't this Hazel so I was quite sure this wouldn't be me either. What a wonderful surprise when I saw my card pictured below the name. Yippee, it WAS me this time. It cheered me up and has made my day, so thanks to everyone at Crafty Sentiments.

Wednesday 13 April 2011

Hard Work

I've been clearing my craft room all day today and most of yesterday. I'm absolutely shattered. I'll have to move some furniture tomorrow because I'm too tired now. I'm hoping that I can start decorating on Friday because it will take me a couple of days to paint the ceiling at least. I don't want the job to last too long. I'm going to have withdrawal symptoms because I'll not be able to craft until the room is back to normal with everything in place. I'm looking forward to rearranging some of my craft items though. I'll be happier when it's all finished.

Tuesday 12 April 2011

No cards today

I've started clearing my craft room so that I can redecorate it so I'll not be crafting today or for the foreseeable future. So far I've moved all the books and CDs so I've done quite a bit already. I just have to move all the craft goodies now!! This might take some time but I hope to start painting on Friday. We're at the hospital this afternoon so the whole afternoon is out. I have tomorrow all day and then most of Thursday is out because we go to visit my sister in the Care Home. It'll take me a few days to get the painting done because I can't climb the ladders like I used to when I was younger. If I manage to start it on Friday I'm hoping that I might have it done by Monday or Tuesday. It's getting the ceiling done that is the big problem. I can only do a little of that at a time because I get so dizzy. I'll let you know when it's finished, and, if it looks good, I might even post a photograph. Take care and have a happy day. The sun is shining here.

Sunday 10 April 2011

Less is More Week 10

This week the LIM challenge is one layer with sentiment as focal point. Mine is a 6 x 6 card blank with a Create and Craft sentiment that I've had for ages - no name on it. The flower punch is from Tapestry stamps African Daisy border. I've stamped it in various Versacolors. I've taken three photos of this card - the first had a big sunny spot on it, the second had my shadow on it and hopefully, this third one is the best of a bad bunch. I'll have to keep practising.

Friday 8 April 2011

Crafty Sentiments Challenge

This week's CS Challenge is Glitter. I'm not keen on loose glitter so I made my card with a Craft UK Ltd card blank and using a backing paper of glitter patterns which I love. It's a sheet out of the 8 x 8 Trimcraft Desert Blooms pad. The Amy image is stamped on a Spellbinders nestie and backed with a scalloped nestie in bronze Mirri card. She's coloured with Promarkers and the sentiment is from LOTV, flowers from WOC and the ribbon from Joanna Sheen. I hope the photograph shows off the lovely glitter on the gorgeous backing paper.

Thursday 7 April 2011

LOTV Peach and Green

This week's challenge is Peach and Green so here is my take on this. It's a small square peach coloured card made from Papermill cardstock. The green patterned backing paper is by Clover and is backed with a deeper shade of peach card and raised for depth. A piece of vintage lace is wrapped across the card. The LOTV image is stamped on to a Spellbinders nestie lace circle and coloured with Promarkers. It's mounted on to a deeper shade of peach nestie lace circle. The sentiment is stamped on to white paper, cut with the circle nestie and backed with a small lace circle nestie. A WOC flower is top right with three small peach roses. I've had these roses so long I've forgotten where I bought them.

I think I must have been thinking of peaches and cream when I wrote the title - I've corrected it now!!

I've added another photograph because the first one wouldn't enlarge. I've left them both because the other is a better photo - I think! Duh. I've had one of those days.

Wednesday 6 April 2011

Nothing today apart from play

I haven't made any cards again today but I have messed about. I bought a Creative Expressions Holly Mask a few weeks ago and I haven't done anything with it until today. I dry embossed first on to vellum but that wasn't a success, it cut through in quite a few places so I gave that up as a bad job. After another attempt on coloured paper that embossed better in some spots than in others, I tried on good quality white paper. It embossed beautifully but then I didn't quite know what to do with it. If I use it for Christmas cards they are going to be very expensive cards to post all over the world because they will be quite big cards. I did an all white Christmas card last Christmas so I would want to inject a bit of colour this year. I did try colouring with mica powders but once again, I made a mess of it. Anyone got any good ideas of how to use it? I might have to rethink my Christmas cards but as I've started thinking about them very early this year I've still got plenty of time. Hope you're enjoying the good weather where you are. I might do some colouring in now. I feel like a rest after all that messing around.

Tuesday 5 April 2011

Fun Day

Today I haven't made any cards at all. Instead I've made some bracelets to add to the ones I already have ready for the table top sale on Sunday. I'll only put those up for sale if no-one else is selling jewellery. I'm actually booked to sell cards and the organisers have promised not to book any other card makers. It would be unfair of me to sell jewellery as well if they already have one jewellery table booked. I've enjoyed making them though so they can go to another sale if I don't use them on Sunday,. I've also made a chilli for tonight's dinner so I'm organised ahead of time. I think I've got time to have a game of Spider Solitaire now. I hope you're all enjoying your day whatever you may be doing. Have fun. Hazel x

Monday 4 April 2011

Crafters' Companion Challenge 11

The CC Challenge for this month is Aqua and Brown so here is my offering. It's a large square card made with Papermill cardstock. The brown bp is Costco and the patterned one is a freebie. The SWALK image is stamped in Memento black ink, on to a Spellbinders nestie, and coloured with Promarkers. The flowers are from WOC and the leaves cut with a Crealies die. I've had a very happy day and I hope you have too.

Sunday 3 April 2011

Waltzingmouse Challenge 41

This Waltzingmouse Challenge was to make one mini card, or maybe a set, according to the sketch set this week. I used some small cards that I bought in a huge pack from Create and Craft TV quite a few years ago and I thought I would never use the tiny ones, so thanks for this challenge. I used two each of four colours, blue, lilac, bronze and gold and generated 'Just a note' on the computer in matching colours. A friend gave me an Anita's stamp a few years ago and I've used this loads of times - it looks really effective when cut out. I stamped in Memento black ink and coloured with Promarkers before cutting each flower out. I positioned them above the 'Just a note' sentiment which was cut with a Spellbinders rectangular nestie. I now have a set of eight notelets which I can add to the items I've already got prepared for a table top sale next weekend.

Saturday 2 April 2011

Less is More Week 9 Challenge

I've made three challenge cards today - I haven't yet managed to make one card cover all! Anyway this is my take on this week's LIM challenge 'a touch of red'. Plain white Papermill card embossed with a Creative Expressions lattice folder. A red Hobbycraft sticky ribbon is down the edge of the embossing. A small freebie stamp 'For you' is stamped in Whispers cherry red in one of the 'spaces' in the lattice and a red gem heart is in another.

Lili of the Valley Challenge 90

The theme for the LOTV challenge this week is Spring. I've used the LOTV cat stamp - she's carrying a bunch of spring flowers so it seemed ideal. The cardstock is Papermill, the backing paper is My Mind's Eye and was in a free pack from the Cardmaking and Papercraft magazine last year! The cat was stamped with Memento ink on to a Spellbinders nestie circle and coloured with Promarkers and edged with Distress Ink in dried marigold. The sentiment is also from LOTV. A raffia bow is tied at top right. I've been looking for raffia for ages after using my last piece on my friend's birthday card last month. I eventually bought this yesterday at Hobbycraft.

Friday 1 April 2011

Simons Says Challenge - Domi's sketch

I've had a rough couple of days with headaches so haven't done much at all. I have been in my craft room but not made any cards, I've just coloured in stamps to try and relax. I've made this card for the Simon Says Challenge this afternoon - I had lots of coloured images to choose from after my marathon colouring session. I made the square card with Papermill cardstock and the backing paper is by Costco. The image was a freebie digi from Sliekje and I love it. It's been stamped in Memento ink on to a Spellbinders nestie and then coloured with Promarkers. The flower shapes were cut with another Spellbinders die and the flowers and nesties were all edged with Distress Inks in Dried Marigold. The flower centres are brads from Wild Orchid Crafts. The sentiment in the bottom right was printed on the computer.