Guest Designer anyone...?!

Hello there!

It's been a while hasn't it!!?  My absence has been due to technical internet issues I'm afraid - I don't know how I've coped without it for so long?!!  Two weeks is way too long!  Also, during this time my iPhone decided the best thing to do would be to delete ALL of my contacts!  I was horrified!  Luckily I managed to retrieve them - phew!  I have now realised that I should back my phone up a little more often - apparently it hadn't been done since November 2011 when I got the phone - whoops!  I am a little concerned about how much my life depends on all this technology and how lost I am without it!  

Anyway, enough of all that!  Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you who still stopped by my little blog and left so much love and encouragement during my absence - I did manage to receive a few emails intermittently throughout my internet-less time so that was lovely :)  I am planning on visiting you all very soon!

Another wonderful thing that has happened (possibly given away by the title of this post!) is that I have the opportunity to be a Guest Designer over at Catered Crop this week!  Woohoo!  I was one of the three winners of the Make An Impression Recipe Swap :)  My first ever GD spot and I'm so excited!!  Another great big thank you to Lyndal for introducing me to this challenge ;)  

Some shameless boasting there, sorry!  I'm just too excited!  The Recipe Swap this time round is 'Fabric of Friendship'  - how fab is that?!  I have a bag full of fabric remnants from my brother and a friend of my sister who is a seamstress so this was the perfect opportunity to use some unfairly neglected fabric!

Here is my contribution to the challenge;

I have to say, I was part way through this card when I thought 'wouldn't it be lovely to have a sewing machine!'  My fingers were somewhat sore after this!  (I had done some sewing for another three cards previous to this one and my paper piercer makes the holes slightly too large so I have to use my needle - after 100 holes or so it really starts piercing through your finger with the eye end! Ouch!)  

I had an image of how I wanted this card to look in my mind, as we all do.  When I was part way through, I really didn't think it was going in the right direction, however I persevered and it actually ended up just how I wanted it!!  Phew!  I like that the fabric and the stitching looks a little messy (for me anyway!) that was the soft touch I was going for :)  If my brother doesn't see it on here first, I think this may end up as a birthday card for him!!  

I can't wait to see what the other GD's and the DT come up with, not to mention all the participants too - the last challenge was jam packed full of beauties!

Thanks again to Linda for this opportunity - you've made this girls week!  :)

Thanks for stopping by everyone, I'm hoping to be back a little providing that the internet behaves!  Ciao for now ;)

Supplies
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Sky Blue
Stamps: Stamping All Day - Art Deco Birthday
Ink:        VersaColor - Silver
Other:     Fabric remnants; thread, WOW! - Silver Super Fine e/p; sore fingers!!!

10/10 for effort...

Hey peeps!

How's it going?  I hope you all have glorious weather where you are like we do today!  Gonna get myself out in the garden - whoop whoop!

As expected, Mother rejected the previous card I made for her friend who is moving house...I knew it would happen.  She tried to be diplomatic about it however when I emailed the picture over to her... 

"Ooooh thats lovely, but can you add a "New house" or "Good luck in you new home" type message-think that would be more appropriate.
 
Thats one for the collection tho'
 
Love you more xoxoxox xoxoxox xoxoxox "

...so there you have it - verbatim.  Back to the drawing board I went.  Then I saw the sketch for this week over at CAS(E) This Sketch and I knew exactly what I was going to do!  Don't you just love it when that happens?!!

I am loving this sketch - the possibilities are endless...wouldn't you agree?  For my card, I stuck with the red, black and white colour scheme of before as I have it on good authority that these will go down well with the recipient (and Mother)... 

I think it's safe to say that this is very obviously a 'New Home' card and I cannot foresee any 'suggestions' this time!  ;)  Unfortunately, I don't have ANY stamps whatsoever relating to 'new home' or 'moving house' or even 'good luck' as it goes, so the trusty nibs and ink came out.  They do get a bit neglected now that I have more sentiment stamps now actually, which is sad.  I should make more of an effort to actually write things myself!  The only draw back is that I love to emboss my sentiments...so unless I can find some liquid embossing writing ink then that's not going to happen...I see a hole in the market here!  

Lacking in embossing writing ink, I embossed the chevrons instead!!  Another present from the fabulous Chupa in her blog candy giveaway ;)  This card actually started life as a rectangular one, but he just didn't look right so I chopped him down and he looks much better square!  The house and sentiment are popped up on foam tape so it's a little more interesting. 

A big thank you to Lyndal for pointing out that there is a challenge over at Catered Crop - Make An Impression and that my previous moving card and now this one would qualify!  Thanks girl!  So, I'm entering both cards into that one too :)

Right...I'm off to enjoy the sunshine now...knowing our weather today will qualify as our whole summer and I'd hate to miss it!!  Have a wonderful weekend my lovelies, especially those of us with a bank holiday coming this Monday :)  We're going to a bike rally with our Harley friend and it's gonna be good!

Thanks for stopping by ;)

Supplies

Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Black, Bright Red

Stamps: Gel-a-Tins - Chevron-tastic

Ink:        Ranger - Perfect Medium; Windsor & Newton - Scarlet

Other:    WOW! - Apple red and Ebony e/p; rhinestones

You are so loved...

Hi guys!

How are we all?  Good I hope :)

On my work bench today CASE Study met the Play Date Cafe met CASology.

Over at CASE Study this month the marvellous muse for us all is Maile Belles - isn't that just the prettiest name?!  Her work is just as beautiful :)

Here is the card to CASE this week...

This week at the Play Date Cafe is colour splash time!  This is my favourite - black, white and a splash of a specified colour!  This week's splash colour is magenta...

And last, but certainly not least, I am entering the challenge at CASology this week (it's been way too long since I had a chance to play along with this one!) where the cue word is - Care.  Who doesn't need to let a loved one know how much they are thought of?  The idea is to make a card for someone who you care for and then actually POST it!  How many of us make cards that end up in a box for another time?!  It's about time we sent a few more hey!  

My card is for my dear friend on the other side of the planet!  (She lives in Australia)  She's going through it a bit at the moment.  I hadn't heard from her for a while and was starting to get a little worried, so I emailed her.  Turns out she's been having a bad time but didn't want to burden me with it...how ridiculous!  I have sent her a reply stating that that's exactly what friends are for and not to be so silly!  In order to try and cheer her up a bit, I am going to send her this card so that hopefully she knows she's not alone :)

I really enjoyed making this card as it stretched me and has added a new technique to my skill set!  I have never tried this half embossing/half cutting thing before and I'm not too proud to admit that it took me a few attempts to get it just how I wanted it!  I really like the effect though and shall have to remember to use it again.  These sentiment stamps are from a Paper Smooches set which is new to me, thanks to Chupa!  I was lucky enough to win her blog candy giveaway to celebrate her new blog site - that girl is just too generous!  I'm very grateful to her for the gifts she sent me ;)  You'll be seeing more 'new' goodies round here as I make my way through them all!!

Thank you for stopping by girls and guys ;)

Supplies
Card:      Paper mill Direct - White, Black, Raspberry Pink
Stamps: Paper Smooches - Chit Chat; Penny Black - Giving & Receiving
Ink:        VersaColor - Black, Magenta
Other:    Spellbinders - Anemone Flower Toppers; WOW! - Ebony and Clear e/p; rhinestones

Fusion felicitations...

Hey peeps!

I am popping in with a little card for the Fusion challenge today...talk about last minute hey?!!  That's just how I roll ;)

Once again, I decided to go with just the sketch.  Don't get me wrong, the colours and the flowers from the inspiration image were wonderful, but there was no way I was going to be able to make them look anything other than an experiment in achieving the ugliest recycling paper!  I am aware of my limitations and sometimes it does just as well to stick within them as it to push them :)

Here is the fab Fusion sketch and image for this/last week...

...and here is my card...

This card is another one that is destined for my Mother's address.  Her friend is moving at the end of the month and she asked if I could make a card for her.  Now, I am aware that there is no mention of 'new home' or even an image of a house anywhere on this card, but I think it is a cause for felicitations.  Her friend has been trying to sell her house for over a year and it has finally happened!  Too tenuous?  I don't know - I'll send it to Mother and see what she says...I still have plenty of time to make another one when she says that this one won't do!  ;)

I had a bit of fun with this card...you see those outer rings?  They have been heat embossed with glow in the dark embossing powder!  Te he!  The inner circles have been embossed with clear gloss embossing powder.  I thought they looked like little planets and that it might be fun if a card on someone's mantel piece was to glow in the evening!  (I think this cold has gone to my head a little more than I first thought!)  I did try to take a photograph of it 'glowing' to no avail...I was not impressed.  Danielle Daws made this card and she seemed to be able to capture the 'glowing'...my photo's just came out black :(  I'd love to blame the camera, but only a bad craftsman blames his tools.  You can see in Danielle's photo what it look like in the dark though :)


ETA:  Lyndal kindly pointed out that this card would also qualify for the challenge currently on over at Catered Crop so I'm popping it in there as well!  Thanks girl!  :)

Thanks, as always, for stopping by...your time and comments mean a lot to me ;)

Supplies
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Black, Bright Red
Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Big Day Additions 
Ink:        Ranger - Perfect Medium
Other:    WOW! - Glow-In-The-Dark, Clear, Metalline Red e/p; Spellbinder - Large and Small Circle Dies;
             Cuttlebug - Swiss Dots e/f; Tonic - duo corner punch

CASE Study silhouette...

Hello there ladies and gentleman!

How is everyone?  Feeling better than I am I hope!  Would you Adam and Eve it (that is 'believe it' in rhyming slang for those of you across the pond who may not have got that - Michelle told me to keep up the colloquialisms, so I am!) the first sunshine of the year shows itself and I come down with a cold!!  What is that about?!  I woke up at 3:30am unable to breathe and then unable to sleep from thereon in - typical!  Anyway, that's enough whinging about my 'bird flu'...back to the cards :)

I have made a card for this week's CASE Study challenge.  I have to say, this isn't my first attempt.  I made one on Thursday when the challenge opened and wasn't impressed with it at all.  I thought it might become a grower...it didn't!  So, I have made another card using JJ Bolton's fab card as the inspiration...

...how cool is that card?!  Here is my take...

As you can see, hopefully, I went with the ink blending (although now I'm looking at it on the screen, it's not quite as 'blended' as I'd like), sky theme and silhouette.  I stamped the sentiment and then heat embossed it in black and white, inverted as you can see.  I really wasn't sure if this was going to work, but nothing ventured nothing gained eh?!  I'm pretty pleased with this one as when I was half way through it I thought it would be another one for the recycling graveyard!

Apologies for the slightly nonsensical rambling today (worse than usual!) my lack of sleep over the past few days is starting to catch up with me!

Thanks so much for stopping by ;)

Supplies
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Black
Stamps: SU! - Just Believe; Waltzingmouse - Big Day Additions
Ink:        SU! - Black; Ranger - Perfect Medium; Distress Ink - Milled Lavender, Wild Honey, Victorian
             Velvet
Other:    WOW! - Ebony, Opaque White super fine e/p; pearls

A little liberty...

Hey peeps!!

How are we all?!  Good I hope :)  Hello to my new followers, I'm glad you could join me!  I hope that you enjoy my blog and I can keep you interested with my posts...I shall certainly try!  ;)

My brother came down to visit us this weekend which was lovely!  I haven't seen him for a few months which is strange for us as he ordinarily comes to visit at least once a month or thereabouts.  So, it was really good to catch up and drink some wine!  Hence, no blogging or card making of any description over the weekend.  I have had a chance to sit at my desk today though, after the clean up!

I have made a card using this weeks sketch for CAS(E) this sketch...I have taken a little liberty though, only a little one...I hope that's ok?! ;)  I'm so rubbish at sticking to the rules!  I hope you can still see the sketch in there!

Here's the sketch...

...and here's my card...

...you see...I replaced the three cascading tags with one label, but my redeeming feature (as I see it anyway) are the three pearls placed vertically down the solid strip ;)  This card took on a life of it's own if I'm honest.  The blue/green blended strip was actually an off cut from this card I made last week.  Because I am a messy crafter (I hate to admit this, but it is so true that I just cannot deny it!) this off cut happened to be left sitting on top of a black piece of card and a grey piece, which made me think that they looked pretty good together!  I guess that makes this an organic card...maybe?!  ;)  I decided to go with the clear matt embossing on the background again because I liked it so much last time I did it  :)

I am also going to enter this baby into CAS-ual Fridays Birthday Bash as it is still open and this is a birthday card!  They're going to be sick of seeing my name pop up on the linky's - sorry girls!!  :)

So there we are..another day, another card :)

Thank you ever so for stopping by ;)

Supplies
Card:      Paper Mill Direct - White, Black, Grey
Stamps: SU! - En Francais; Stamping All Day - Art Deco Birthday
Ink:        Ranger - Perfect medium; Distress Ink - Broken China, Crushed Olive
Other:    WOW! - Clear Matt Dull, White Opaque Super Fine, Metallic Blue e/p; Spellbinders - Labels 1; 
             pearls

Wish me luck...!!

Hey guys!

I am feeling brave today and putting myself forward for two awesome design teams!  Aaargh - I hope I'm good enough!

The CASE Study challenge blog are asking for anyone who would like to join their team to create a project based on their personal muse.  A designer who's work they adore.  This for me was a little tough as there are so so many fabulous designers out there, you made it difficult to choose!  But, when I thought about it for a minute, it could be only one.  Erum of VIBGYOR Krafts.  If you remember, I CASE'd one of her cards only a little while ago for fun, to get my mojo back in the room!  Well, I figured I should do a new CASE of her work as the one I already made probably wouldn't count :)  (Any excuse, eh?!!)  I'll get on to the card I chose in a minute...

The other team looking for a new addition is Addicted To CAS.  I am, indeed, addicted to CAS as I'm pretty sure anyone who has perused my blog will agree with  :)  The current challenge over there is 'Flower' and to be considered for the DT then all you have to do is enter the challenge and pop 'DT' next to your name.

This is Erum's gorgeous card...

Look at that bad boy!!!  I chose to use the doily and circle elements, the colours and the horizontal piece...

I don't do the shabby thing quite as well as Erum, or anyone for that matter!  But the point was to keep it in my style whilst drawing on the creative genius that is Erum ;)  I am really pleased with how this card turned out...it's certainly more layers and embellishments than I would normally use, but it came together really organically...I hardly had to think about it!

I'm going to pop this one into the CAS-ual Fridays Birthday Bash challenge - this theme came along just at the right time what with me making a whole batch of birthday cards for my Mum!

So...wish me luck guys and let me know what you think :)

Thanks for stopping by ;)

Supplies
Card:     Paper Mill Direct - White, Black, Ocean Blue, Pale Turquoise, Raspberry Pink
Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Fancy Flourishes & Scallops & Dots; Verve - Wishful Elegance
Ink:        Ranger - Perfect Medium; VersaColor - Black; Distress Ink - Broken China, Crushed Olive
Other:    WOW! - Opaque White super fine and Ebony e/p; Spellbinders - Small & Large Circles; Tim
              Holtz - Tattered Florals die; Doily; pearls; glitter glue