Pages

background

Followers

Monday, 26 August 2013

Christmas Cutie

Hello!

It's rare these days I make a card as a just because, they are normally for challenges, or specific occasions (and I guess today's is for a specific occasion, just not with a specific person in mind!), so it's quite nice to just play and see where I end up :-D


Now I admit going a bit mad with the decoration on this one.  It's certainly one of my More-Is-More cards, LOL!  There's die cuts, gems, ribbon, muslin, two stamps, lace, flowers, glitter, twine and a charm on here!

I'm blaming Laurie wholeheartedly for introducing me to Live and Love Crafts - all I can say is yum!  I was after some muslin for ages, but couldn't find it in any local craft shops, and Laurie suggested I try here, and I'm so glad I did!  The papers and embellishments are lovely, Scandinavian in style, and I was very impressed at the speedy service!  So much so I've already placed a second order :-)


The main image is a Lili of the Valley one from a couple of years ago, coloured as always with my trusty copics



and the "Happy Christmas" I think is an Inkadinado Inchie one, again from a couple of years ago.  I'll admit not really having inked this one before now, but I think it looks great stamped in Cocoa Momento ink, coloured, and cut out, then holes punched in the top and bakers twine threaded through to  create a loop that hooks on under the bow.


The inside is decorated in some music sheet paper that I had in my odds and ends box, which has been distressed at the edges with the same Antique Linen distress ink that is on the main image on the front, and on the sentiment inside.  The sentiment and baubles are from a set - MME Lost and Found Christmas.

OK that's one Christmas card done, about 50 more to do!  I need to speed up!!

Please may I enter these challenges
C is for Challenge - Animals (hope the dog in the image is OK!)
Bunny Zoes - Bingo (Ribbon, Sparkle, Charms)

Have a great week

Sue xx

Wednesday, 14 August 2013

Like... uh... whatever...

 Hello!!

How's your week going?  I've been mega busy at work so far this week - it feels like it should be Friday already, but no, only Wednesday... boo!!

Never mind, just two more days to get through and it's the weekend :-D

I thought I'd make an non-challenge card for a change, and picked one of my favourite Saturated Canary images - Pink, just never get tired of colouring this one up :-D


I used more of the Simple Stories Summer Fresh papers, cutting them up here and there, lifting some bits up on foam pads.  I'll probably put this in the post to one of my friends, just to say Hi and brighten their day!

 

That's it from me today, thanks for stopping by

Sue
xx

P.S.  Please can I enter these challenges.... thank you xx



Sunday, 11 August 2013

F is for... Final Southern Girls Post

Hello!

Hope you have had a great weekend, I've been busy sanding my garden furniture (See how much I live the high life!) as it was getting a bit tatty, but is still sound and not ready to be replaced.  I'm quite pleased with it so far, just got to get some new canvas and make some new seat things and it's done... probably just in time for the sun to disappear :-D

Anyway, in between doing all that , I have been making a few cards, and this is a bit of a sad one as it is my final card for Southern Girls Challenge  :-(.  I've been on the SG team for a while now, but the time was right to step aside and make way for some new team members.  I'm really going to miss all the team, as they have been a great group to work with, and it was a really tough decision to make.

Anyway, the challenge is F is for...

I used Inky Impressions 'Clothespin Fairy',  and I did F is for - Fairy, Fussy Cutting, Fabric, Flowers, Flying Things... and Final


I used papers from the Simple Stories "Summer Fresh"  6x6 pad, and got chopping!


Please may I enter my card into these challenges


More soon 

Sue xx

Tuesday, 6 August 2013

Colourific at LCI

Hello!!!!

Where has the month gone... I'm not doing very well at blogging again, work is busy, kids are being ferried around here there and everywhere - I need a Taxi sign for the roof of the car!  The garden is growing faster than I can mow it, and somewhere in amongst all the other stuff I need to sleep and eat, so apologies for not being about so much :-) Having said that we were away last week, I did take some crafty stuff with the idea that I might get a bit of colouring done, not a chance, what with day trips, the beach and the glorious weather we had in the UK, still the kids loved it :-D

Anywhoo, this months challenge at LCI is a colour challenge, inspired by the pic below...

 

I don't know why, as my image isn't especially summery like the image, but I've gone for the colours... maybe I'll have another go next week and see what happens!!


 I just wish my ironing pile was as complete as this!


I used an ages old Basic Grey paper pad, I'm trying to use up some of my older stash... makes me feel less guilty when I buy new stuff!

That's it from me today, before I go, please may I enter these challenges

Sue xx


Tuesday, 2 July 2013

Happy Birthday... to me!!

Hello!

It's my Birthday today, shhh, don't tell anyone but it's the big four-zero for me!  Yikes, how did that happen, in my head I'm still about 23/24, but my body is telling me differently... dear me, I put my neck out at the weekend and spent most of Saturday looking like a Thunderbird puppet :-D

Anyhoo.... it was my turn to choose the challenge at Ladybug Crafts Ink this time and I just had to pick 

Birthdays!

It doesn'thave to be a special one, but any birthday you like!


I was lucky enough to use Billie is 8 - Tutu Billie for this challenge

Isn't she great?  I've no idea why but my printer decided to throw a MEGA strop and it bled out the minute I started colouring.  No idea why!  Maybe because I grabbed the sheet straight from the printer, rather than doing my usual and having a dither for a day or two!  LOL, I got round this by using all four of the images and layering them up decoupage style.  Which worked for me!


Anyway, that's enough from me, I've birthday pressies to open!  Not going to have a good night tonight though as it is the open evening for the school which my eldest is going to in September, just what I need on my birthday, sitting in a school hall, listening to my old head of sixth-form (who's now the head at my son's new school), still HB has got me (read us!) for the Goodwood Festival of Speed next weekend, it's somewhere I've never been, but always wanted to go... oooh and tickets for the Revival Festival too... I just need to find my outfit for that one!

Have a great day!

Sue xx

Tuesday, 18 June 2013

Flowers and ribbon at LCI

Hello!

Quick post from me today with the latest card for this fortnights LCI challenge, which is Flowers and Ribbon.  I've used some of my stash up for this card... I know, some of my Bo Bunny papers have been cut up... well I had to as I bought a new pad the other week, so I had to actually use something up!

 


Anyway, I used the 30 image from the Through the Ages Collection and coloured it with copics and added glamour dust to the shoes and the printed again on more of the papers.


The flowers, ribbon and flower pin are all from my stash - how good am I to be getting throught the look not use stage!  Mind you the border at the bottom is new - it's a Memory Box one that is a set of six.  Once I found a pair of wire cutters in the garage and snipped it apart it works much better :-D Well! Honestly, where does it tell you to do that on the packaging?  It was a dumb mistake that anyone could have made!

That's it from me today, looking forward to seeing your interpretation of the challenge

Please may I also enter these challenges
Clear It Out Challenge - Paper Piecing and Scraps (I used off cuts for the accent panels)
Creative Card Crew - Metal (hope the metal pin is OK)


 

That's it from me today, looking forward to seeing your interpretation of the challenge

Please may I also
Sue xx

Friday, 14 June 2013

Punches and Dies @ Southern Girls

Hello!

It's been a funny day today... I've had my hair done after work, cut and coloured properly and looking lush (and me, relaxed....) then get back to the car to find a parking warden has given me a ticket... but slapped it OVER the parking ticket from the machine, which was in time, and with my registration number clearly marked on it.  Not sure quite what his/her thought process was whilst adhering the ticket, but suspect it might have been... "ooooh... whoops... oh what the heck!"  I'm going to appeal, but secretly thinking, please refuse so I can force it to go to court, and get the CCTV footage produced as evidence of me quite clearly parking my car, getting out, paying for my ticket, putting it on the window, locking my car then walking away, and an hour later the traffic warden slapping a ticket over the top of it :-D  My mind is clearly in the slighly warped setting today :-D

Anyhoooo.... today's card

This fortnights Southern Girls Challenge is Punches and Dies.... ahhh... very much my sort of thing!   I've used Wishing Well Fairy from Inky Impressions, who are this fortnights sponsors along with Marianne Design





I've used a heap of dies on here - La La Land Craft's Heart Banner, Memory Box Lavish Branch and Magnolia Vintage Tag.  More MME papers (one of these days I'm NOT going to use MME and you'll all fall over in shock!)  Berrisfords ribbon and some lace, pins and some dew drop thingy's I picked up at the weekend.

I was going to heat emboss the tag, but my heat gun is still AWOL (still suspect it has been relocated to the garage when HB was heat shrinking the wiring on the mini, it may never be seen again...), so I decided to use some guilding flakes instead.


I coloured her with my copics and added Glamour Dust to her wings and shoes

I think that's it from me today, thanks for stopping by!

Sue xx

Please may I enter these challenges
Chocolate, Coffee and Cards Challenge - Bingo (Ribbon-Glitter-Tag)
Crafty Ribbons - Anything Goes with Ribbon


Tuesday, 11 June 2013

Ladybug Crafts Ink - Colour Wheel Challenge

Hello!

What an idiot I am, this challenge went live last week, but I got all confused with the last challenge and missed the first week!

Anyway, rather than post late, I'm doing this as a mid-week reminder!  The challenge this week is a colour wheel challenge - where you pick a colour then pick the colour on the opposite side of the wheel as your complimentary colour - check out the challenge blog.   I used orange - not an easy choice for me as it is not my go-to colour!  But on the flip side that gave me blue to work with... whoo hoo!

It seems my camera doesn't like orange very much as this was about the twentieth picture I have taken, and it is the best of a very ropey bunch!  How very odd :-D


Anyway, I used Mobile Phone Josh and a whole host of MME papers, and my new Memory Box die and Cuttlebug Chicken Wire embossing folder.  I have to say it is very theraputic (if not messy!) distressing all those edges!  I also used a bunting banner die from MFT for my sentiment


The camera liked the close up of the image a bit better, not much though!

Please may I enter these challenges
Thanks for looking

Sue xx

Tuesday, 21 May 2013

Oh Baby... take three @ LCI

Hello!

I could really get into the swing of using one set of images for an entire month, I don't know about you but the more I colour a certain image the happier I am :-D

Anyway this is week three of the current LCI challenge which is Oh Baby! in honour of head ladybug Kerry about to be a Nanny!  I say about as at the time of writing her daughter is too-ing and fro-ing from the hospital, so by the time you read this there may be a mini-ladybug in the world!

I'm not sure if I mentioned it last week, but commenter's were eligible to win my image (you can get it here)... sneaky huh?   My kids (seemed appropriate, given the theme!) argued between themselves then picked my winners this week... cost to me, two kinder eggs, cost to them three bruises (although one might have been from a playground incident!)

Anyway, they loved the comments from 


Congratulations ladies :-)  Please leave me a comment with how to mail you your image and I'll get it to you as soon as I can... I hope you enjoy playing with it as much as I have

Now the cat is out of the bag, if you want to win a prize too, why not comment on this post and keep looking to see if you are a winner next week!

Which brings me on nicely to this weeks card!

After using this image for a one-of-each twins card, and a girl-twin card, it seems appropriate to make a boy-twin card, well you've got to cover all eventualities don't you!


I used some MME papers, and some of the new dies I've got recently, today's card uses the new to me cloud die from Memory Box (yes I know every crafter and his/her dog has been popping clouds on their cards like forever, but it's new to me!).  I'm still not happy with my twine and how it hangs, so decided to take a leaf out of fellow LCI teamie Julie's look and leave it a bit long and drape it artfully... hmmm, need more practise at this methinks!  It seems a tad angular :-(

Here's a close up of the image, I added a touch of glamour dust to their hearts, bless...


Another couple of Memory Box dies, some luscious Berrisford's ribbon and some pearls finished this card off.  As and when someone I know has twin boys (lord help them, it's bad enough having two boys, let alone two the same age!!) I'll print a personalised sentiment and add it, but the inside is done and ready to go


Hope you like this weeks card - I do, not too much (boy's - even baby ones don't appreciate that!) but still cute never-the-less

More soon

Sue xx

Please may I enter my card into these challenges

LEJ Designs - Die Cuts / Punches
Created with Love - Ribbon and Lace
Make It Monday - Anything Goes
Make It Monday with Kraft Outlet - Celebrations (not too sure I'd count having twins as a celebration though!)
The Crazy Challenge - Baby
Crafty Bloggers Network - Tic-Tac-Toe (Ribbon-Stamps-Gems)

Thursday, 16 May 2013

Going Dotty @ Southern Girls

Hello!

Can you believe it, three cards in a week!  Can I make it four?  You'll have to keep checking to see :-D

This fortnights challenge at Southern Girls is 


I went all simple for a change for my card, and I really struggle not to throw the kitchen sink at it!  I used an old sketch that I found lurking in a file on my PC as a starting point.  If I'm totally honest, I'm itching to add some more bits and bobs, but as they say less is more...


I used one of this fortnights sponsors images this one is called Lollyrot.

I really like the combination of all the dots from the paper and embossing powder with the curvy die cut and the stripes of the cardstock and ribbon.


Please may I enter my card into these challenges
Kind regards

Sue xx

Tuesday, 14 May 2013

New Arrivals @ LCI... take 2

Hello!

Lightening quick post from me today... two posts in one week, can you believe it!

This months challenge at LCI is to share Baby cards and projects, as head ladybug Kerry is going to be a grandma soon, and there is a brand new range of digi's over at the LCI store.  

There are lots of prizes to be won during the month, so why not join us?


I've used the adorable Twins! image again, but this time made it girly... can you guess what next week's card might be :-D

Please may I enter my card into these challenges


Thanks for looking

Sue xx

Sunday, 12 May 2013

(A bit late) New Arrival @ LCI

Hello!

Gosh it's been a little while!  Work nightmare continue, but I have been making the time to craft, not least because I have been going to my friend Karen's crafty evenings :-D  I've really been enjoying seeing old friends again, although as always there's often more coffee drunk, cake eaten and catching up than crafting!

The result is that I've actually got stuff to share - well I did until my internet died a death last week, just as I was about to post this card.  Anyway, shiny new router (or whatever it is called, although it would have been far more helpful if the delivery guy hadn't just left it round the back of the garage, but, I dunno, actually tried to see if we were home (we were!).  Just as well it was wrapped in plastic and the rain hadn't got through... Tusk... well at least I'm back on now, even if it's taken an extra day :-D

There I go again with the blah blah blah...

So on Tuesday the new release of Baby Billie images from LCI are released, and as always they are fabby and perfect, and the image I've used is spot on for when there's more than one new arrival, but more on that in a minute!

You can check out all the DT's cards by visiting their links on the main LCI Challenge Blog, and there are oodles of prizes on offer, so why not have a peek!

OK, so I'm going to fess up and admit to loving my fellow DT Lauries white and kraft card (here) that she posted a while back, so I took inspiration from her colour scheme, and took away and added bits and bobs here and there (Laurie... are we still friends, or do I need to grovel and/or send cash?). 

I was going to heat emboss the back bit of kraft, but for the life of me I can't find my heat gun, I'm going to search the garage next as I suspect HB has nicked it to put heat shrink wrap round some cables on the mini!

So here's my card


And a close up of the sweet Twins! image... the greeting on the front reads Congratulations!, but only because I didn't have a "Commiserations" stamp... LOL!  I did this one as a boy/girl twins card, but the image would look equally as cute coloured up for twin girls or boys

I used some of my new dies for this card - I've been hankering after this fence die for ages and this card seemed perfect for it's first outing, and when I saw this image the baby clothes die just happened to fall in my basket too... no idea how that happened!


Hope you like it

Please may I enter these challenges
As You Like It Challenge - Favourite Die/Punch (I love this card, it's quite fussy, but not too cluttered, and love the neutral colours too)

Sue xx

Tuesday, 23 April 2013

Colour combo at Ladybug Crafts Ink

Hello!

Hmmm, another week and I've been lacking in posts again... apologies.  I've no excuse, just had my lazy head on :-D  Actually I've been spring cleaning the house and washing all those things that you just can't get dry until the weather warms up.  Anyone know how curtains get quite so grubby when they are just haning there... nope me neither!  Anyway, enough waffle

Today's LCI challenge is a colour combo, as it is St George's Day in England today, the colours are red and white.  Not that St. George's Day is particularly celebrated by many people, and certainly not to the scale or enthusiasm of St. Patrick's Day!  But hey, we all like colour challenges and red and white is a great colour scheme, so any excuse!

Here's my card


I used some more of my new Memory Box dies, the heart dies work really well with this cutie of an image - the adorable Sleeping Baby Baby.  I kept the rest of the card fairly simple, well apart from a blooming big bow!


I'm hoping to put my card to good use soon, as my SIL is expecting a baby in early May, so anytime in the next 4 weeks I guess!  Maybe though if she has a boy I'll be making another as perhaps this one is a bit girly!

Anyway, hope you like it
Sue xx


Friday, 19 April 2013

Button Up at Southern Girls

Hello!

Sorry it's been a while since I last posted something... naughty naughty... work getting in the way of crafting yet again .... grrrr!!

Anyway, I'm back now :-D

Today's post is my card for the Southern Girls Challenge which is to use buttons, or badges or show some flair!

I was lucky enough to be able to use the striking Fan-tasia image from Delicious Doodles to make my card... but OMG the ink in my printer decided to give up just as I pressed print... I'm blaming my eldest son who was fiddling about with a quiz sheet for cubs the night before... a vigorous shake and I just about got it printed.  Note to self, make sure you have one cartidge in the printer, one spare!  That said, I'm umming and ahhing if I should get another printer, mines kinda OK, but sometimes the ink needs 24 hours to set before I can colour, and franky I just don't have the time (or the patience if I'm honest!!)... if anyone has a recommendation I'd love to hear it!

Enough of my usual waffle, here's my card


I was a bit bothered that this paper was a bit busy for my image, but I think it all works OK, although I'd have preferred to have used a gold pen for the fan and her hair adornment, but it appears to have vanished from my pen box... I'm gussing it's lurking in my eldest's bedroom (yes he's getting the blame again!), and I'm not daring to go rumaging in an 11 year olds bedroom to find it!


Buttons - from my stash
Ribbon - Berrisfords
Paper - MME So Sophie "Anything for You"
Die cut - Memory Box Corner Bow
Card blank - Woodware
Cardstock - Bazzill
Pin - from my blogging buddy Lee

That's it from me today

Sue xx

Tuesday, 26 March 2013

Bearly there at LCI

Hello!

This week we are celebrating another new release - yep the new images keep coming thick and fast, and this release is another corker :-D


As it is a new release, after much (and I mean MUCH!!!) deliberation the Ladybugs thought that an Anything Goes challenge would be best as all the images can be used for so many occasions - check out all the images, and what the Design Team have used them for here


I've used the rather splendid Comfy Bille (who... shhh, had an unscheduled pre-release viewing last night at my craft club night... and the unanimous consensus was that he is adorable! ... just don't tell Queen Ladybug as I'll get the sack!!)  I've used him as a Get Well Soon card for a colleague who has just had a load of gall stones removed, poor woman, they had to open her up to get them all, rather than keyhole surgery and she has been in agony since Christmas with them until she was admitted two weeks ago but it took them until Saturday to operate.  Hopefully she'll be back soon, as work is not the same without her.  Fingers crossed she spots Billy's stitched heart and paws, and will know he know's how it feels!!

Hope you like him as much as the ladybugs do



Thanks for stopping by

Sue xx





Thursday, 21 March 2013

I wanna be a Southern Girl's Kid...

Hello!

Still mega busy here, all sorts of things going on, but I'll save that for another day :-D  Anyway, it's time for a new challenge over at Southern Girls, and this fortnight the challenge is a project for or about Children



Perfect timing, as it was my niece's 2nd birthday today... she's such a cutie, and has my two boys wrapped round her little finger

I was doing well making this card, and had every intention of adding a bit of glossy accents and sparkle here and there, but then HB decided that we were going round their house yesterday, rather than today and the glues and sparkle wouldn't have dried, so I had to assemble it as it was, and take some photo's quick... that'll teach me to be a last minute Annie!!


I used the adorable Billy is Two from LCI - this image is suitable for a boy or a girl, just change your colour scheme!  Or if you want more girly then there is an option of flowers instead of buttons.   I popped some actual buttons on the card to make up for the lack of glitter!  Luckily I had already stitched all of my panels together with a pale pink machine embroidery thread, before HB started hurrying me along!

The paper is some MME that has been in my stash like forever, and the ribbon is also from LCI, I love my little Making Memories ribbon punch set, it makes a change to running the ribbon behind the image :-D

That's it from me today, thanks for stopping by

Sue xx

Tuesday, 12 March 2013

Twist on Springtime for LCI

Hello!

Where did the last week go!  There was me with all good intentions to post something in the week, and time just ran away with me!

Ah well, at least I'm on time for this weeks LCI challenge which is


Now, I know my card is a bit unusual, but that's kinda me all over :-D  While the rest of the DT have gone with the happier, more fragrant, flowers are blooming, we're all out and about without the winter woolies track, I went  for a sideways look at the challenge... you know that thing we all hate... the Spring Clean.  Having said that there is something quite satisfying about being able to throw open all the windows, take all the curtains down and give them a good freshen up, and getting all ready for the warmer months.  Not that I'll be doing any of that just yet as snow has returned and it's freezing here at the moment!  Anyway, the downside about all that washing of anything and everything is the huge pile of ironing it generates... and I hate ironing with a passion!  But this year, as every year I'll keep going until it's all done

Sooo... here's my sideways twist on Springtime...


I used the newly-released-as-a-Digi-Stamp "Ironing Nikki", have to say I don't look anywhere near as cheerful when I'm ironing!


Do you like her sparkly slippers??  I fiddled about and used the out-of-the-box technique (bit of a fiddle doing three areas out of the frame of the die, but I got there (without decapitating Nikki... whoo hoo!).  I could try and explain how to do it, but there's a great video here, which will do a much better job than me!

I printed a pretend dictionary definition on the PC, made it into a banner shape, distressed it and matted it onto black CS


Then it was a simple case of matting and layering some MME papers onto cardstock, tying a ribbon, adding a bow and assembling my card onto a Kraft cardblank


Tuesday, 5 March 2013

Got Your Number @ LCI

Hello!!

I'm much later than I intended with this post, as I had a visit from Her Majesty's Constabulary last night which kinda halted the card making process... don't panic, I wasn't being arrested, and all was well with friends and family, but a couple of neighbours had found their outbuildings had been broken into and tools and things stolen... luckily we were OK, but an odd feeling nevertheless to know out of the four properties in my out-in-the-middle of nowhere two have been robbed.... hmmm little gits (I don't actually mean little gits... insert your own... err.. description of this sort of a person!!) that did it, I have no words as to what they deserve to have made an eighty year old couple so frightened and scared :-(   HB is beefing up our security immediately, but am more worried about the size of our insurance renewals with a 50% crime rate!

Anyway, so I had a disturbed eveing last night when I was supposed to be putting the finishing touched to my card and taking piccies, so had to finish my card off tonight. 


As it is week two of this weeks LCI's new release of images, blog hop and "add a number" challenge, I decided to use  one of the new Through the Ages Digi's, this time I used the "21" image, which I think is suitable for male and female celebrations.  If you haven't linked your special celebration (birthday, anniversary etc... ) card yet, click here to enter, or to join in with the blog hop - entering either or both the challenge and the blog hop gives you the chance to win loads of prizes and images  - check the rules on the site for more details


I coloured my image with copics and then got busy with the glitter (on the "2" the bottle top and the bubbles) and glossy accents (on the bottle and glass).  I stitched my image and the MME papers to a latte coloured Bazzill CS, then added lace and ribbon...hmmm maybe the lace maked this one a bit more girly, but the colour scheme doesn't scream girly-girl... does that make sense??  No just me then :-D   I've layered the completed panels on a Kraft card blank... no idea why but I just could not get a pic to show the true colour of the ribbon which is in reality a pale olive, it just looks gold here!!
 

Hope you like it - remember you still have a week (nearly, cos I'm late with this post!!) to enter the challenge and blog hop

Please can I enter these challenges
613 Avenue Creative - Tic-Tac-Toe (hope it's OK that I can go several ways around your board, I got a bit carried away!!  Nearly hit a full house if I'd have had a brad or eyelet in the right colour!!!)

Thanks for looking
Sue xx