Just Magnolia challenge - ribbons and bows

Yay, I'm back in the swing of things now! Two cards in two days! This is my entry for the Just Magnolia challenge which is to use ribbons and bows. It is a card but I have decided I like it too much to give away so am going to use it as a picture in my little girl's new bedroom that we're currently decorating pink!

I have used two of the images from the summer kit that a friend kindly stamped up for me. So that Tilda is sat on something I have drawn a pencil line and then used distress ink to make it look like a ledge. All the edges of the papers and image have been distressed with Tattered rose ink also.

As they were both on separate pieces of board I have cut out the strawberry and flowers and use them as an embellishment. My new MS doiley lace punch has been in action again on the bottom of the paper too.....love this look so much!

The sentiment stamp is from Sugar Nellie. I have stamped it in tattered rose distress ink and also distressed the edges with the same ink before roughing them up with some scissors and finally spraying with pearl glimmer mist (another new toy!). The circle is holding a heart shaped "made with love" charm threaded onto some jute style cord I cut off a jeans label.

I originally thought I would use a huge bow but it overpowered the rest of the detail so opted instead for two cute little chiffon ribbon bows and ribbon threaded through the holes in the lace. I have left all the edges raw for a shabby look. Thanks for looking and enjoy your Bank Holiday weekend! x

Images: Magnolia summer kit coloured with copics

Paper: Basic Grey sugared collection and coredinations cardstock

Lace and Ribbon: Boyes haberdashery dept

Brad and Charm: from stash

Other tools: Tattered rose distress ink, pearl glimmer mist

Colour Create Challenge

This is the first time I have entered the Colour Create Challenge, but I was so inspired by Mina's card when I saw it on her blog that I decided to give the colour scheme a go! It all tied in perfectly with me itching to use my Stempelglede grunge hearts set and the fact I needed to make an Anniversary card for my hubby! The colour scheme is ruby red, cream and gold which are gorgeous together and an option to use gems.

As the paper had "you and me" on it I was trying not to cover it up and it all ended up a bit of a nightmare! I have embossed the heart stamp and then used red luster rub on over the top. I stamped the full stamp directly onto the card and then stamped it again but just used the middle part to layer over the top. The detail on these stamps is incredible, I'm so pleased to have got hold of them at last, I've wanted them for ages!

Yes, I know, it is for my husband and I've used flowers but I was stuck for things to put on really and I figured that there's nothing wrong with giving a red rose to your husband on your wedding anniversary right??

Inside I've used some more stamps from the Stempelglede heart set, the flourishes and grunge edges. I have also rubbed yellow luster rub on along the edges of the cream card which has worked really well to give a golden glow to it! More flowers again but I've tried to give them a masculine touch with the buttons LOL! The paper I've used has lots of different love sentiments on it so I have simply cut one out for the inside and left the other side blank for my message. The gorgeous flourish has been stamped with brushed cord distress ink. It was nice to have the time to do the inside of a card again, my last few have been neglected due to complete lack of time! All the workmen finished yesterday so I feel like I have my house back, allbeit a very dusty, untidy house in need of a LOT of decorating!

Hope you like the card, it was very strange to make a card without colouring an image but I'm quite pleased with the overall result! x

Images: Stempelglede grunge flourish hearts collection

Paper: Sandylion Valentine words

Roses: The Hobby House

Flowers: Prima

Ribbon, lace and gems: from stash

Other tools: silver embossing powder, clear embossing ink, heat gun, luster rub ons in red, yellow and bronze, Tim Holtz distress ink in brushed cordoruy

A few holiday snaps!

No card today, it is taking a while to get back into the swing of things, so I'm sorry I haven't visited any of you since I came home. The extension is in the final stages (at long last) and the house is cluttered with workmen and half unpacked holiday gear. I am hoping I'll manage to make something tonight to share with you tomorrow - I'm getting major withdrawal symptoms from the lack of crafting and blogging and I'm itching to ink up some more of the Whiff of Joy autumn kit and the gorgeous Stempelglede grunge heart stamps I've finally got hold of!

I thought I would just share a few holiday snaps with you.

First night in a hotel excitement!

In the orchard that belonged the house we rented

Connor at the gate of Mont St Michel

My favourite snap from the holiday, Kara after a long bouncing session on the trampoline!

The four of us at Point du Hoc

I can help you build a sandcastle Connor!

At the Zoo

Simples! x

Whiff of Joy challenge - use bling!!

Wednesday is here and I got back from my holiday just in time to make my DT card for this week's Whiff of Joy challenge! We had a fantastic time and it was such a break from the mess of the extension! I'll post a few pictures later but for now here is this week's challenge - use bling!! Nice and easy and we all love our bling don't we! I just had to use one of the new fall stamps as they were waiting for me in my post pile when I got home from holiday - what a lovely welcome!

I have used Fall Willow with grapes, I just love that garland tumbling out of her hair - gorgeous! The gorgeous autumnal paper is Cosmo Cricket. I've just noticed a smudgey bit on the photos that isn't on the card, think it might be a bit of suncream on the lense LOL! I have distressed the edges of the image with brushed corduroy distress ink and also stamped parts of the fall corner stamp around the edges.

It seemed such a shame to cover the gorgeous butterflies on the paper so I cut around parts of them so that they overlap the image.

This gorgeous bit of bling on the ribbon I cut off an old swimsuit! LOL

I added lots more bling in the form of gems on the flowers and a couple of pins. I added a sparkly bead to the smallest pin. I hope you can join us this week! Check out the rest of the DT's cards, they're totally stunning! Apologies if I don't get round to visiting this week but with all the dreaded holiday washing and ironing and the extension problems I've come home to I may not get much tme but hopefully will be back to normal soon! x

Image: Fall Willow with Grapes from Whiff of Joy coloured with copics
Paper: Cosmo Cricket and coredinations cardstock
Flowers: EK success punches using BoBunny Eire celtic text paper
Gems and pins: from stash
Other equipment: Tim Holtz distress ink in brushed corduroy, MS branch punch

Whiff of Joy challenge - Rach's sketch

Morning! Hopefully this has posted as scheduled as I am enjoying myself on holiday in France, and as you're reading I shall more than likely be tucking into some yummy croissants and jam! We have a gorgeous sketch for you this week at Whiff of Joy challenge by our very own, super talented Rach! This is a gorgeous sketch, I loved working with it and I'm sure you will too!

I needed a card for a friend's son a couple of weeks ago and knew instantly I wanted to use my Charlie stamp, he is so cute and of course perfect for a boy's card. The papers are from the K&Co Wild Saffron collection and I have distressed them with antique linen, brushed cordoruy and faded jeans distress inks. I have distressed the edges with some tearing which shows peeps of Bo Bunny Eire Celtic Text paper underneath.

The sentiment I have written in a Gothic hand with my calligraphy pen, fitting for a knight I think!

The corner element I have created with a knotted ribbon.

Inside I have used the same papers and I have written the sentiment on a piece from a diary of the date of his birthday. I stamped the Charlie's shield and sword and cut them out separately. I cut Charlie's fingers off (poor lad LOL) and coloured the remainder of his hand to match the rest of the handle so it is now just a sword!

On the other side a simple scrap of paper for a money pocket and Charlie's banner to finish! Hope you can find time to join us this week, do pop and look at the rest of the DT's cards, they're gorgeous! x

Image: Knight Charlie and Banner from Whiff of Joy coloured with copics

Papers: K&Co Wild Saffron, BoBunny Eire Celtic text, Coredinations cardstock

Ribbon and Brads: from stash

Other equipment: Tim Holtz distress inks in brushed cordoruy, antique linen and faded jeans

AWOL!!

Sorry not posted much the last couple of weeks, the extension building seems to be taking over every room in the house and I can hardly find space to make anything! I am on holiday from Friday so won't be around at all except for my scheduled DT card on Wednesday! Hopefully upon my return all the workmen should have finished and I will be able to get back to normal with my crafting and blogging! Hope the weather stays kind to you all! Jane x x

Whiff of Joy challenge - Pink and Brown

This week at the Whiff of Joy challenge we have a colour combination for you....pink and brown....love this combination, it always looks so rich I think.

I used the lovely Melinda with Muffin basket stamp, it is so gorgeous and I love colouring it. It was the first stamp I bought and haven't used it for a while since I got the summer kit! I've coloured her with copics and added stickles to the wings. The edges of the image have been distressed with tattered rose distress ink and a I have stamped a Stempelglede grunge stamp in brushed cordoruy around the edge too.

I finally managed to get hold of some glimmer mist! I've wanted some for ages and I'm so impressed, it really makes the flowers look gorgeous! Here I have layered a Prima paper flower, a Prima hydrangea and a foam rose.

I've used my other new toy again, my MS doiley lace punch, on one of the papers and I've added another hydrangea and a gorgeous butterfly charm.

Hope you can join us this week and look forward to seeing all your creations! Please pop and have a look at the rest of the DT's cards, they're stunning! x

Image: Melinda with muffin basket from Whiff of Joy coloured with copics

Papers: Doveraft (brown paper), Bo Bunny (pink spotty paper) and coredinations cardstock

Flowers: Prima and foam rose from stash

Gems and ribbon: from stash

Charm: Hobby House

Other tools: Tim Holtz distress inks in tattered rose and brushed cordoruy, Pearl glimmer mist, Woodward leaf punch

Just Magnolia challenge - Martine's sketch

Good afternoon! A first for me, I have actually made a card in the daytime! My lovely hubby is on holiday and as we are confined to the downstairs today whilst the upstairs is being plastered (yay finally!) he has played with the children and given me a couple of hours off to do as I wished! Crafting is so much easier in daylight! So I decided to use the gorgeous sketch by Martine to enter this week's Just Magnolia challenge.

I used this beautiful image from the summer kit, I love this one so much, perfect for lots of different occasions I think. I also have a new toy.....I have finally got my hands on a gorgeous MS doiley lace punch!!! Expect to see lots of this! at least until the newness dies off LOL I love the delicate look it gives so much!

The gorgeous butterfly was part of a set of four that were mounted on some handmade paper that my Mum gave me, I'm afraid I don't know where they were from as she bought them a long time ago and couldn't remember where or even why she bought them!

The hydrangeas are prima, the half pearls were actually mint green so I've coloured them a bronze colour using copics.

I have stamped a Stempelglede grunge stamp around the edges of the sentiment mat and have hand written the sentiment with a white gel pen.

The tag with Tilda pulls out so a message can be written on the reverse. I have not stuck Tilda's arms to the tag so that when the tag is in place her elbows are sat on the sentiment mat. No inside as yet, I will do one but I couldn't push my luck too much in one day LOL! Thanks for looking! x

Image: Magnolia summer kit coloured with copics

Papers: Basic Grey sugared collection

Flowers: Prima hydrangeas

Brads, pearls and ribbon: from stash

Other tools: MS doiley lace punch, Tim Holtz distress inks in antique linen and brushed cordoruy, Stempelglede grunge collection stamps

An award!!!!!

I was so touched to receive this lovely award from Jane! Thank you so much Jane it is so very much appreciated!

Here are the instructions in order to accept this award

1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog
3. Link the person who nominated you for this award
4. Name seven things about yourself that people might find interesting
5. Nominate seven Kreative Bloggers
6. Post links to the seven blogs you nominate
7. Leave comments on all seven blogs letting them know you nominated them

Hmmmm seven things about myself, lets see.....

1. I can play the piano and have all 8 grades!
2. I love croissants and jam!
3. I love chocolate even more!
4. I hate ironing!
5. I love distressed things, especially furniture!
6. I've been married to my lovely husband for 9 years this year!
7. I love watching films!

It was a difficult task choosing just seven people but have finally decided I am going to give this award to the following wonderful crafters:

Rach
Jacqui
Tab
Kim
Mina
Erin
Abby

Exploding Box card

Today is my little boy's 5th birthday! Wow, I just cannot believe he is 5 already, it has just flown! He really wanted an exploding box card because I made one for my daughter's 1st birthday in March! I was going to do one for him anyway, but of course he didn't know that and has plagued my life out for one bless him LOL! It made him jump when he opened it!

I saw this fab paper at the Hobby House months ago and knew I had to try and make a card with a castle theme to go with the Whiff of Joy Charlie stamp, and how perfect was this paper!? I love how it has turned out, it exceeded my expectations of how it was going to look.

Each side is decorated differently:

On the front, of course, are the castle doors;

I have 3d'd Charlie on one side;

A big 5 covered in vines;

and his name and a sword and shield on the other.

I have added a loop on top to make opening the box easier ready for the explosion!.........

When you take off the lid the sides fold down to reveal a free standing Charlie and two banners on acetate strips so they look like they're floating above him! (this is what made Connor jump LOL)

A close up of Charlie, I just love this image so much, it reminds me of Connor when he dresses in his knight's costume. Again each part of the inside is decorated differently. I stamped the stone paper with a Stempelglede grunge stamp around the edges and distressed with brushed cordoruy distress ink.

A little birthday poem on some paper I've aged and made into an opened scroll complete with wax seal. Excuse the poem! I searched for ages for a suitable child son poem to no avail and ended up making one up (cringes). The wax seal is from a kit I got when I made my own wedding invitations and sealed them all!

Another Charlie.....

A "tapestry" with his name on! I saved this scrap of material months ago, it is a label from some jeans and has the jean's logo on the other side, it already had an eyelet and I stamped a grunge stamp in red and green to try to look like a tapestry. Connor has been written with my calligraphy pen.

Finally, a panel with 5 today again written with my pen. Sorry there are so many pictures but I wanted to show you all the different bits! Thanks for looking! x

Images: Knight Charlie and banner from Whiff of Joy coloured with copics

Paper: Brick wall by Hot off the Press, Eire Celtic Text by Bo Bunny

Buttons: Basic Grey

Ribbon and brads: from stash

Other tools: Tim Holtz distress ink in brushed cordoruy and peeled paint, Stempelglede grunge corner stamp, Woodware leaf stamp