Sorry I messed up

Hello, crafting friends!

There's been lots of mucky fun going on here, not just in the craft square metre but out on walks with Eva too. I've always said that I'm influenced by nature and today you'll be able to see just how much!

This card started with a little golden labrador, cut out with the Dog Builder punch by Stampin' Up. I coloured my pup with alcohol markers, gave him some features, and set him playing on some grass I sponged on the bottom of a card base. I foolishly added a dirty puddle and some mud to the scene, using Snow Front, also from Stampin' Up, and as you can see...

... he jumped in and got himself all covered in mud! He said he was sorry but I think it was a case of 'sorry, not sorry' because he'd always wanted to be a chocolate lab! Aaargh, stand back, I think he's going to shake himself!!

The splash of mud was created with Funky Fossil's Splatters stencil and I've had the idea in my mind ever since I saw THIS amazing card by the lovely Pat. To finish, I stamped the word 'sorry' and added a die cut 'oops' to go with it. I think it worked pretty well!

CHALLENGES

I'm linking this card up at Perfectly CAS where the theme is Splash on a CAS design that uses only 1/3 of a card.

AND IN OTHER NEWS

Of course Eva the beautiful princess would NEVER jump in a muddy puddle like this! Or would she...?

What you may not know is that Princess Eva has an alter ego called Miss Mucky McGrub!

Sending hugs,

When Kindness Matters

I love stamping! New stamps are the thing that makes my heart beat faster and as a Stampin' Up demonstrator, I have an almost unlimited supply. In fact my biggest problem is finding the time to play with them all as much as I want to! The stamp set I'm using today is definitely one that I'd like to spend more time with. Come and see:

These butterflies are beautifully detailed and a joy to colour! They come from the Kindness Matters stamp set from the annual catalogue.

I used inks and a blender pen to give a slightly translucent look, then added a touch of glitter to add to the delicate look. The shadows are marked in with a Sahara Sand Watercolour Wonder crayon and I'm really pleased with how subtle it is.

The sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes  and I added a line of piercing either side to prevent the butterflies from seeming top heavy.

Here's what you'll need to make this card

Stamps: Kindness Matters, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: Marina Mist, Certainly Celery, Baja Breeze, Stazon black

Card stock: Whisper White

Other: Markers, Neutrals Watercolour Wonder crayons, stamp-a-majig, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, Essentials paper piercing templates (Sale-a-bration freebie)

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At the weekend, my daughter announced that part of her art project would involve observational drawing of a spider so yesterday (in preference to pulling one out from behind the furniture - aargh!) we took a trip to the Natural History Museum at Tring where the spiders are safely preserved behind glass. A narrow escape I feel... but who knows what the rest of half term will bring?!

See you tomorrow,

Petal Card box and matching card

I hope I'm not boring you with my Petal Card boxes but I love them to bits! Here's another box I made with a matching card:

The wonderful houndstooth paper is another design from the Festival of Prints designer stack which is exactly the right size for making these boxes! I loved the contrast of Cherry Cobbler with the bold print and softened the look with Crumb Cake seam binding. The tag is another one from the hostess set Mixed Medley - this really is a versatile set.

I made a coordinating card - a really simple design with strips of textured and patterned papers and a gorgeous layered die-cut button. I'll definitely be using this design again.

Here's a close-up showing the sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes - it seems to have got smudged. I'd like to say it was from my tears of sorrow but I don't think I'm going to convince you on that one!

Here's what you'll need to make today's card
(For product info on the box, see previous post)
Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes (sentiment)
Ink: Basic Black
Card stock: Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler
Other: Festival of Prints designer paper stack, Sweet Buttons embosslits die, Square Lattice embossing folder, Big Shot, bakers twine, Simply Scored
I'd be delighted to order any of these items for you and have them delivered straight to your address in the UK. I'm committed to providing excellent customer service and am always happy to offer help and advice. To place your order, just send me an email or give me a call on +44 (0) 1280 820593. Check out current special offers here.

Talking of tears, I came into the living room yesterday to find my daughter rolling about laughing. When I asked what was up she told me she'd just read this: 'Everyone was crying at the wedding  - even the cake was in tiers'.  Hmm, it seems that hysteria has set in.

Well it's Friday and it's a bit of a party weekend for me! I just hope I'm up to it... staying up until 10pm is a bit of a challenge for me these days - and will they be serving horlicks at a party do you think?! I hope you have a lovely weekend, whatever you're up to, and I shall see you very soon.

Create a Cupcake with extra doodling

I've finally got round to making a card for this week's Less is More challenge where Chrissie and Mandi would like to see some doodling on a card. Actually I made six because the design I finally came up with was such fun I just carried on until I was called away to cook something! Come and see:

These cards are tiny - only 7cm square! - but they make great little quick notelets and are the perfect size to tuck into a little gift. The doodled frame and sentiment in grey is supposed to draw attention to the colourful cake.

I shall be sorry to see Create a Cupcake retire when the spring mini catalogue finishes at the end of this month - I've had loads of fun making mouthwatering delicacies with it! Here's one with a Lucky Limeade cake case and a blingy flower on top...

 ...this one has double sprinkles, a shiny cherry and a rhinestone centred stamped ribbon...

...this is the Peach Parfait version with the heart and rhinestone topping... I could go on, but you won't be able to sleep tonight if you nap now!

Here's what you'll need to make today's card:

Stamps: Create a Cupcake, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: Lucky Limeade, Marina Mist, Peach Parfait, So Saffron, Rose Red, Pacific Point, Basic Grey

Card stock: Naturals Ivory

Other: Markers, Basic rhinestones, white gel pen, stamp-a-majig

I'd be delighted to order any of these items for you and can have them delivered to your address in the UK. I'm committed to providing excellent customer service and am always happy to offer help and advice. To place your order, just send me an email or give me a call on 01280 820593. And don't forget to add a free pack of designer paper if your order is £45 or more (Offer limited to one pack per qualifying order - click here for details).

Oh dear, I am so behind with everything and one of the reasons is that I've been galavanting about! On Sunday I went to a craft show at the Ally Pally with my pal Jenny and was delighted to meet up with some other lovely LiMettes including her royal LiMness Chrissie, Gay, Val and Sylvie. We had lunch together and Chrissie enlisted the services of a surprised but helpful man from a neighbouring table to take a photo (although sadly Sylvie had scooted off before we could rope her in!)

Top row from left to right: Gay and Chrissie
Bottom row from left to right: Val, me and Jenny

I wasn't there to buy anything - for goodness' sake I have Stampin' Up stamp sets I haven't even used yet! In fact I've recently taken delivery of a HUGE stash of new and very exciting stamp sets and accessories which will be appearing on cards around here very soon...!

Thank you for coming to see my cards today. I was terrible at commenting last week with the Easter holidays going on but I promise to do better this week! Do pop back tomorrow if you have a minute when I'll have another card to show you.

Hugs,

Saying sorry with Growing Green

I'm always interested in using up left-overs when I'm crafting, so I've been trying to play along with Jules' Crafty Snippet challenge and ONLY using scraps. The card I've made for today was the result of that but before I show you, would you like to see how I organise my scraps?

First, my card stock off-cuts! I keep those in a vertical tub - transparent so that I can see what's going on in there. Periodically, I go through it and punch shapes from the very small pieces, which I keep in jars on my shelf.

This is my designer paper drawer. Because I'm a Stampin' Up demonstrator, it makes sense for me to use only current papers, stored by range in large poly bags. All the off-cuts go back into the bags so it's all kept together. I use my papers for cardmaking, scrapbooking and giftwrapping as well as for altered items such as notebooks etc.

I keep this tub under my desk and it's where I keep card bases I make but don't immediately use (on the right) and items that I've coloured and cut out or punched or embellishments I've made but haven't yet used (on the left). I purge the embellishmenty bit sometimes but am quite good at using things up. This system works quite well for me and I hope it's helpful to someone else!

Come and see the card I made using my scraps:

The starting point for this card was a left-over strip of Botanical Gazette designer paper - I adore this paper! In my embellishments tub, I also found this rose from Growing Green that I'd stamped onto water colour paper and coloured with my aqua painter. Whenever I use my Little Leaves die, I always make more than I need because they are so useful - so there were loads of these in my tub too. The card base was the other half of the A4 sheet used to make yesterday's card.

I mounted the DP onto an off-cut of Whisper White card stock that I trimmed with the eyelet border punch. It's topped with the leaves and then the rose cut out and mounted on a dimensional. I stamped the sentiment onto a scrap of vellum, curled it round a pencil and tucked it  under the rose.

Here's a close-up of the vellum sentiment with its snipped tail - and please, all you Latin experts out there, don't write in and tell me that you fainted when you saw this because the background I've used is full of rude words!

Supplies needed for this card:

Stamps: Growing Green, Basic Phrases (sentiment)

Ink: Always Artichoke, Melon Mambo, Peach Parfait

Card stock: Naturals Ivory, Whisper White, Always Artichoke, Pear Pizzazz, Vellum, watercolour paper

Other: Botanical Gazzette designer paper, Little Leaves die, eyelet border punch

You can buy any of these supplies from me and I can have them delivered to your address in the UK. Just send me an email or give me a call on 01280 820593.

I'm really enjoying having my children around. In between social engagements they come and chat to me while I'm crafting and we have a giggle together. This morning I made a silly quip to my youngest son and my daughter met my eyes over his head. "Oh Mummy," she said shaking her head affectionately. "You and your so-called sense of humour!" She is beginning to remind me of Dame Edna Everage!

Oh dear, I've written a novel again! If you're still with me, thank you so much for putting up with my wittering! I've had an idea for this week's FTL sketch so hopefully I'll be able to show that to you tomorrow. Hope to see you then,

Masculine Monday - Using Nature's Nest

Good morning! Welcome to Masculine Monday - my weekly dose of inspiration for male cards!

I made today's card after we realised that when my youngest son had written his birthday thank you cards, he'd left one out. His birthday was over a month ago, but that's no excuse!

I used a speciality card stock for this card. It's called Confetti White and is a heavy card stock with little flecks in it. I love the feel of it and it works very well for sponged designs - the flecks add quite a lot of movement to the sky area on this card. It costs £8.25 for 40 sheets and also comes in Confetti Cream.

Just look at this cute tortoise from Nature's Nest! He is the perfect choice when making a late card. I stamped him in  Early Espresso ink and added Soft Suede touches with a blender pen. Next time, I'll clear-emboss him before using the blender pen as this card stock is quite absorbent and the Early Espresso has run. It's fine but not the look I was going for!

These Basic Phrases sentiments are so useful and are just what they say on the tin - basic, clean, simple, no frills. Ever since I became familiar with my stamp-a-majig they have been a regular feature on my cards because you can pretty well use them to say anything!

Here's how to make this card:

• Take an A5 piece of Confetti White card stock. Score and fold it in half to make a card base.
• Use a scrap piece of paper to mask off the top of the card front and sponge Soft Suede ink on the bottom strip. Sponge in a sky using Marina Mist ink.
• Stamp the tortoise using Early Espresso ink. Add colour with a blender pen and Soft Suede ink.
• Use a stamp-a-majig to position a sentiment and stamp in Cherry Cobbler ink.
• Add grasses with Old Olive ink, stamping several times without re-inking to get some depth. Aim to create a frame around the the tortoise and the sentiment.

Supplies

Stamps: Nature's Nest, Autumn Days, Basic Phrases

Ink: Early Espresso, Soft Suede, Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler

Card stock: Confetti White

After a false start, during which I gently pointed out that a thank you note is usually a little bit more than  'Dear so-and-so, Thank you for the present, From me', you'll be pleased to know we managed to get the card into a postbox!

Hope you had a great weekend. We spent a lovely Saturday visiting car showrooms with an excited pair of boys! One of the things I love about my children is that their enthusiasm turns all my chores into fun!

See you tomorrow for some Springtime Vintage loveliness!

Sorry with Punches Three

Every year I look forward to the summer months. Everyone is happy in warm weather - it's the season of eating al fresco and relaxing outside... The reality, of course, is that everyone takes advantage of the weather to organise every fair, fete, show and sporting fixture known to man! My normally busy life becomes totally frantic and sometimes things don't go according to plan. Well that's when this kind of card comes in handy!

I love the colour combination of So Saffron and Not Quite Navy. Here, one of the stamps from the Punches Three hostess set was coloured with a Not Quite Navy marker, omitting the sentiment, and stamped onto Whisper White card stock. I added the Sorry using my stamp-a-majig for placement and then cut the whole thing out with the scallop square punch which fits perfectly. It was mounted with a dimensional onto a piece of So Saffron designer series paper and then onto a piece of Not Quite Navy card stock that I'd scalloped at the bottom with the scallop border punch. I wanted a piece of ribbon to bring the two colours together, so I used a trick that my upline Michelle taught me - using a ruler and drawing a line with my Not Quite Navy marker straight onto my So Saffron striped grosgrain ribbon. Love this trick!

Supplies
Stamps: Punches Three, Basic Phrases
Ink: So Saffron
Card stock: Whisper White, Not Quite Navy
Other: Scallop border and scallop square punches, So Saffron 1/2" striped grosgrain ribbon, Not Quite Navy marker, Designer series paper in So Saffron

Punches Three has to be one of my favourite hostess sets because of its versatility - I love the shaped tags you can make with it, I love that the scallop square punch makes quick work of cutting them out and I love that you can use any sentiment with the stamps. Hostess sets, for those that don't know, are not for sale but are given free to those that host stamping parties, depending on orders. If you're planning on booking a party with me, try to catch me in June or July as you could earn £45 worth of free goodies during these months! Click here for more details.

Thanks for spending time with me today.
I'll be back tomorrow with some gift ideas.
Hope to see you then.