Late, but not square at LCI

Hello!

I was supposed to post this card this morning... naughty me!  I was meant to be putting the finishing touches to it last night, but was a bit shaken up after a very near miss with a 4x4 in the lanes, after he went off the road, through the hedge and fence into a field, to miss the van in front of me, only to come back onto the road right by me.  He missed me by millimetres, and I was pretty freaked out when I got home and realised just how lucky I'd been.  What an idiot driving that fast on country lanes, hope it costs him a fortune to repair the damage!

Anyway, I finished my card off tonight instead, and Kerry (head ladybug!) has promised not to sack me :-D

The lovely Lyndsey has chosen this fortnights challenge at Ladybug Crafts Ink and she would like to see

No Squares

After I stopped hyperventilating at not being able to use squares... I always use squares!!... I thought, OK, I'll go with circles and got busy with my circle cutter (I don't have a set of the big nesties, or even a big die cutting machine!).  The simple compass like cutter doesn't cut circles anywhere as neatly as a cie, but it does the job :-D

I used some MME papers from my stash (they are halloween ones, not that there is a lot of the paper left to see!) and black and dark orange cardstock.  Despite it meant to be a spooky card, I couldn't resist adding a TH die cut, lace, ribbons, pins, bows and pearls and a bit more lace!  I also inked up one of the stamps I got from Stampin Up, then coloured in the white bits with some distress ink

I just love colouring up Magnum, please don't ask me how I do the stripes, I just keep adding more colour and, and blend it out with lighter tones from the same colour family until it looks kinda right, there's no science to it :-D  I printed the Pumpkin in a larger than life size, and popped Lily on Magnum's hand.  If you like Magnum, check out all the add-on's that you can get to make him a cat for all seasons here!

It's not a super scary Halloween card, but I hope you like it!

Please may I enter these challenges

Crafty Sentiments - Fall / Autumn Colours

Creative Craft Challenge - Use Ribbon

Our Daily Bread Designs - Fall Colours

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Top Tip Tuesday - Get In Shape (my TT is you don't always need expensive dies to make shaped cards, look around you, raid the kid's geomatry kit if need be!)

Make It Monday - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by

Love, Sue xx

Moving times...

Hello, I'd intended to post this earlier, but it just didn't happen.  I'm not at all sure where the day has gone!

It's been a funny week!  The kids both went back to school, and I have been struggling to get back on top of timings, especially with my eldest just starting at his new school.  He looks so grown up in his new uniform, complete with tie and blazer, and he is certainly going to get fit, as he now walks from class to class, and his bag weighs a ton (more than my handbag and that is saying something!)

On Thursday I got caught up in the aftermath of the Sheppey Crossing accident.  I drive across it every working day, and it certainly was very sobering to see so many cars, vans, lorrys and motorbikes all smashed into one another like that, thankfully no one was killed, and my thoughts and prayers go out to anyone injured and their families.

I wasn't perhaps in the best of mindsets to go to Silverstone yesterday with the race team I help out with at weekends.  We weren't expecting much as it's a big old circuit, and a little tiny classic Mini was going to be outrun by pretty much everyone, and we thought we'd be last in class.  Just shows how wrong you can be, as ended the day with a 2nd in class/11th overall, then a 1st in class, 4th overall and a new lap record... which just goes to show that things don't always turn out as you expected.  There will be a video lurking on You-Tube at some point I expect, but it takes forever to upload!

Anyway, I guess I should share a card, as it's been a while!

One of my colleagues moved into her new house on Friday - it's her first home on her own with her Daughter, and I wanted to send her something to wish her well

It's not that fussy, but I like it :-D.  There are some subtle things in there, like a compass (it was on the Bo Bunny "Weekend Market" paper, and seemed like it was meant to be).  The compass pointer swivels and is a TH clock hand thingy)  I cut up a second sheet and 3D'd the world on foam pads, much to the horror of one of the ladies from craft club who goes pale whenever I get the scissors out and start attacking bits of paper!  I have to say I've never worried about cutting into sheets of paper like that

I then cut a label out from Kraft CS and added a few guilding flakes round the edge, and threaded with ribbon

The image is one from a Time for Tea and I think was a facebook freebie called Moving Day - I'm not sure if it's on sale but I couldn't find it in the store?!  I found a few others whilst looking though :-D

I think she liked it :-D

I think that's all my news for now

Love, Sue xx

Please may I enter these challenges

Five Simple Things - Anything Goes

Sister Act Challenge - Anything Goes

4 Krafty Girls - Anything Goes

Crafty Ribbons - Anything Goes with Ribbon

Sue xx

Snow New Release @ LCI

Hello!

Can you believe it's September already?  Where is the year going to?  It only seems like yesterday I was going to work in boots and a heavy coat, and now the shops are full of them again... sigh... the British summer is far too short for my liking!

And you know Christmas is just around the corner, so the ever so helpful Kerry is releasing a new range of Christmas digi images over at the Ladybug Crafts Ink store which just perfect to get you a great headstart.  Don't forget the LCI summer sale is still on (at least it is when I wrote this!), so grab the opportunity to get your hands on the fabulous range of cling stamps with a whopping 70% off!

The challenge over at the LCI challenge blog is Winter Wonderland.  As ever at LCI, we're a flexible kind of a bunch, and love to see your designs, so any kind of Winter Card is welcome :-D

Of course it wouldn't be a LCI new release without the chance to win an additional prize on top of what is already offered for entering the challenge - one lucky person who comments on the main challenge post will win all 10 images!

I think that's quite enough housekeeping for the time being :-D  Onto my card

I kept this one a bit more simple than of late... And check me out, using my old MME Lost and Found 6 x 6 stash!  Makes me feel slightly less guilty about all my recent aquisitions :-D.  I also used my La La Land Fancy Bracket Die on the right hand vertical panel

 I used the Tree image, and coloured him up, added glitter, then cut him out with a circle die using the Out of the Box technique as I couldn't resist popping his hat off the circle - the tutorial here explains it far better than I can!  I then used a Memory Box "Frostyville Wreath" Die, and tucked it behind his hat, and added gems... well I said I was keeping it simple, but I just couldn't resist!

 

A ribbon tied into a bow, a sentiment, and ta-da!  One card... and I reckon this might be a good design for batch making cards... says she, who despite all good intentions will probably be found mid-December onwards, trying to get out of the house to see friends while still sticking the card together, getting covered in glitter, and handing it over without envelope because there will be wet glue on there somewhere :-D  Maybe this year will be different though!

That's it from me for today, more tomorrow :-D

Sue xx

A Stampin' Up sort of a day...

Hello!!

Sorry I've not posted in a bit, I've been trying (and failing!) to get the kids ready to go back to school, most of the uniforms have been bought, shoes, trainers, and football boots have been purchased, and I have spent most of the week sewing name labels into everything.  Yes sewing... I cannot tell you how much I wish I'd just got the iron in ones now!!

Anyway, I've persevered and only have 3 jumpers, two blazers, the PE kits, lab coats and CDT apron to go... oh I thought I was doing quite well until I read the still to do list! :-(

I was pleased to take time out from stabbing myself with a needle this afternoon to go round my friend and colleague Sandra's house, as she was having a Stampin' Up party.  Now I'd never been to a Stampin' Up party before, and didn't quite know what to expect, but had a great time, and placed a teensy weensy order for a few bits and bobs :-D

The demonstrator, Caroline was excellent, and took the time to explain the products to the group, and let us have a little play :-D.  I'm looking forward to getting my order, although I think I've been a little conservative in what I've ordered, they are very me!  And I have Caroline's details if I want anything else :-D

Anyway, here's a few snaps from the afternoon (apologies for the poor quality of the pictures!)

Here's Caroline, with the demo card we made... I left mine at Sandra's, will post it another day (what an idiot!)  It's quite a simple design that is perfect for mass makes, but one that allows each person to customise the design to their tastes, adding more fuss and detail, or leaving it as is would make an equally striking card.

Browsing the catalogues

 Picking a winner of the lucky dip

The lucky winner, Suzie being presented with her prize by Caroline

Some of the ladies getting creative! - Sorry for the blurred image - its an action shot! :-D

 

All in all, it wasn't what I expected at all (for the better, before you wonder!), and it was lovely to meet some new people, catch up with others I'd met before, and spend some time outside of work with some of my colleagues

That's it from me for now, I'll be sharing some cards this week! 

Hope you've had a great weekend

Sue xx