The Feminine Side

BF Fundraising Auction for the Ellenor Wiseman Trust
- check what's on offer, and find out how to bid here
For more information on Ellie see here

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It's Lythan's turn to set our Daring Cardmakers Challenge this week.

I am woman

As its coming up to Mothers Day in the UK here’s a chance to make a card that celebrates women and girls . So I’d like to see a card with at least one feminine image on it . And that's it for rules really.
Apart from this one.
And it is sneaky. No Tildas, Sugar Nellies or Bellas please. I love them all. But there are loads of great challenges out there using them so for this challenge you can give them a well earned rest!

Those stamps are so cute - but at risk of being just a bit (or a lot, depending on your point of view) controversial they do seem to be dominating the scene atm and I'm just getting a leeetle beet bored with seeing them everywhere. ouch! I can feel the hate vibes already!
I didn't half panic when I read Lythan's dare - it just screamed "stamp" at me, and if you read this blog with any regularity at all you'll already know that all that stamping stuff leaves me cold. That's not to say I don't like seeing the amazing stamped cards that other people do - I'm in awe of those who can produce fabby work using stamps, I especially love all that arty stamping stuff with layers and masking and collage etc - it's breathtakingly, gobsmackingly gorgeous and part of me would love to be able to create work like that - the other part knows my limitations....and my lack of patience!
And then of course there's that niggling little voice that whispers "think how manay sheets of yummy, scrummy paper you could buy for the price of that stamp"

Well I have a few stamps in my stash collection - well you just do, don't you? Nothing suitable for this challenge though. So I spent the week or so since Lythan gave us warning of the dare mulling it over and panicking and generally running out of time. Plus I was really busy with catching up stuff and getting some commissioned cards done. At some point I had an idea - use that lovely old photograph of one of my ancestors with her little son on his Christening Day. I thought all I needed to do was make a copy as most of my old photos have been scanned onto the pc now. You've probably guessed it - when I looked through the picture files yesterday morning - no photo agggh. The scanner is fixed up to hubby's pc and would have been a right faff to sort out so back to the drawing board.
But then I recalled the wonderful Rein's blog, and her Monday Morning Shares and I caught sight of some chipboard stash from Bubbly Funk that's been lying on my desk for weeks and a little plan started to germinate - taking inspiration from my lovely friend Gillian's work akong the way (Kathy pauses to go and take photos).
Image is Elsbeth from Rein's Monday Share (Thank you Rein). All I did was resize, sharpen and print it onto some card with a little bit of texture to it.
Papers are some I've had for ages and haven't a clue where they come from - I really like that cream and blue striped one - reminds me of my dad's pyjamas!
Gorgeous navy and cream ribbon is from Ribbon Oasis
Chipboard crown and photo corners from Bubbly Funk
"Old White" lace, buttons, beads and eyelets from my stash
Also used: Krylon gold pen, Cats Eye Chalk inks, Stickles glitter glues

I've had a few commissions lately and a couple of them have given me a bit of trouble - as in lack of inspiration and then actually making the things work.
I'm still not happy with this helicopter one, I made the helicopter with Mr Robo and I should have made the original picture bigger so that it would cut more accurately. But, in the end I just didn't have time to re-do the template. One day I'll sort it out but at the moment the very thought of helicopters gives me the shudders!
This one is for a Golden Wedding (obviously....). Now that it's finished I think it would have been better to use a white card for the base, and the gold as a mat for the wordy paper - but it would take far too much time to alter it now so it will ahve to do.
I made the little oval frames for the photos with Mr Robo. All the beads, brads, eyelets and charms are from my stash.

The Stash Enabler, aka Jo told me that the PaperArts shop was only a few minutes from Painswick (where we spent last weekend). So I sort of dropped it into the conversation, along with a
{big sigh} " I've never been to a proper big craft shop" {big sigh}
and
"but it's your special weekend so I won't mind if you'd rather not"
Then left him to ponder on it....
Upshot was I got 30 minutes in there first thing on Saturday morning (it was a bit grey and gloomy which helped....) and I had a wonderful time throwing stuff in my basket!
I have NEVER seen so much paper in one place!!!! It was Paper Heaven.
It's probably just as well it's not on my doorstep.
I wonder if anyone reading this was in the shop on Saturday morning (as soon as it opened), there was a crop on and the sight of all those women freaked Hubby out a bit so he retired to the car! Everyone in there was soooo nice and friendly. I mentioned that I'd bought from them on-line on several occasions and the lovely girl behind the till asked whether I'd been happy with my parcels - what good customer relations.
I made sure I didn't outstay my half hour - after all, I don't want to scupper my chances of visiting "real" crafty havens I might find on future travels, do I?

Thanks for looking - please leave a message - I love to read your comments.
Well, except the ones that are just links to dodgy places - thank goodness for comment moderation, eh?