Schooldays

This week it's Keryn'd turn to set the dare for The Daring Cardmakers and she's chuffed to little mintballs that the long summer holidays are almost over - in New Zealand, that is!

 Early next week all the children that have been on holiday from school in New Zealand for approx seven weeks will be returning to their new classrooms. Mother's will all be breathing a sigh of relief as their routines return to normal.

To celebrate this I want you all to create cards using the theme of school. If you've got children at school what they're up to might inspire your card, if not maybe memories of your own school days might be your inspiration.

There are some great ideas for school-themed cards over on our BLOG, so please pop over and see  the "homework" the Team have been doing this week.  I'm sure you'll award some gold stars and A+ ratings.  Well, I hope so anyway.

I took the chance to get ahead and make a card for my cousin's little boy who'll be 4 at the end of next month.  I think I'll add his name and numeral later so I've left a bit of room for those.

I found a clipart picture and used it to make a Robo template, though this one would be easy enough to cut just from a printed out B&W version of the picture.

The various sections of the bag were all cut on the Robo using Bazzill card.  For the pencils and apple I used glossy card - which was why this was a real piggy to photograph!  The big button, stars and smilies are also Robo cut.

The ruler and book were hand cut and then I added a few extra stickers that were lurking in my stash.

Right, got to finish this quickly as hubby is working from home and about to start a phone conference - which means I have to stop clickety-clicking on the keyboard! hehehe

Sew What

I had an early (for me) start this morning as I had to take the car to the garage for MOT and service by 8.30.  Normally at that time I'm still lingering over my toast and coffee and thinking about what I'm going to do with the day.   As a treat for being so good I bought one of those yummy Sicilian Lemon Muffins from Greggs as I walked home through town....what I want to know is why don't Greggs sell stotties in all their branches?  I think they should - it would mean I didn't have to buy half a dozen to stuff the freezer with when we're on the way back from Northumberland, or beg anyone coming this way to bring with them.  "Yes, of course you can stay - but can you pop in to Greggs and buy some stotties on your way?"   

There are loads of Northumbrians and their descendants living in our town. Apparently many came looking for work in the 1920s around the time of the Jarrow marches.  Not long after my family moved south my mum stood in the PO waiting to collect ehr Family Allowance, the man behind her recognised her accent and asked where she was from.  Turned out his family had once lived a couple of streets away from my Grandma.  Small world.

Anyway, I shall endeavour to put thoughts of a bacon stotty out of my head (difficult as my mouth is watering at the idea). now and concentrate on getting this blog done as I need to get Mr Robo started on cutting the bits for my DCM card or it won't be finished for tomorrow.

Today on Bubbly Scrumptious I've got a card to share.  It was only after I'd finished making it that I realised it would make quite a nice canvas or a wall hanging of some sort - which would have been lovely to hang in the spare room where my sewing cabinet lives.  Never mind, maybe I'll do the larger collage version another time.

You can find all the info on how it was made by clicking HERE 

Is it me, or do you think I'm having a bit of a Turquoise phase at the moment?  Scroll back through the recent posts and you'll see what I mean!  

Right, stop waffling Kathy, it's now 10.30 and you must get that card done!

Honestly, I can be soooo bossy sometimes.

Thanks for visiting

Touchy, Feely

Browsing around the "shop windows" of my fave online craft shops the other day I happened upon (as you do)  some rather irresistible sei papers in the Craftz Boutique.  A bit pricy, but they were too delicious to resist.

So gorgeous that I didn't even want to keep them and stroke them for too long either - I just wanted to use them :-O  - I know!  I shocked myself too!

 

The first cards I made were sent off before I remembered about taking photos, but yesterday I was using them again and this time I did some pics.  Now these papers are not only gloriously rich in colour and pattern, but they are made extra special because some are textured, some foiled and some have flocking on them - all very touchy feely! Unfortunately, mpst of that doesn't come over on a photo, but if you look carefully at the one above you can see some of the foil glinting in the light of the studio lamps.

  The swirly patterned paper on the card above is actually part of a sheet which is shaped - I'm saving the shaped bits to use on something else (just don't know what, yet!)

They may be a tad expensive, but you can make a LOT of cards as you don't need much to get the effect . That is my excuse. I will hear no arguments, ok? Fingers in my ears la la la la la.  I can't hear you....

 I thought I'd have a change from squares and use rectangles instead - I'm pleased I did, I like the  way you see more of the gorgeous striped, foiled papers on the rectangles.  The mustardy-brown background paper has a lovely texture too, as does the teal/dark blue one I've used on a couple of the cards

 The really creamy bits on the cards are generally the flocked bits of the papers, one has a lovely leaf design - I'll use the whole leaf designs on other stuff, I've just been punching and cutting bits from around the edges to make these cards.

 Anyone who reads this blog regularly will know that apart from lovely papers, I can't resist lovely flowers either.  Along with the papers, into my basket fell three tubes of Prima Artful flowers.  

 Well, I couldn't decide which one to buy, could I?  And it was cold.  And it was ages since I'd bought anything.  Well, except the cropadile Big Bite I got the other week - but that doesn't count because it's a tool. And the BG Indian Summer collection I bought at the same time - that doesn't count either because that was stocking up on colours I needed.

As it happened, the pinks, blues and greys of one of the Artful sets matched beautifully with the papers, so it was obviously meant to be ;-).

Well, that's it for today, off now to craft some more.  Catch up with you again soon

Little Things

Bit of a grey start to the week hereabouts, but the sun is making a bit of an effort to brighten it up a bit. 
I've been faffing about most of this morning unable to settle to anything, but I'm going to sit down at my craft desk and make a few quick cards after I've finished here - I really, really am.....

A few days back I gave a blog post the title "Being Frivolous" because of something I'd been making for no real reason other than fun.  I didn't get round to showing the finished project, so here it is now

I've been playing about making Craft Robo templates for matchboxes prior to taking part in a couple of matchbox swaps with crafty friends and this was my prototype.  Having made the template, cut it out and formed the box I decided to use some of the lovely bits from my Creative Treasures January Flower Kit to decorate it and to make something to put inside.  I'm not sure what use a tiny notebook like this would actually be, but it was fun to make anyway! The cover has a lace layer which doesn't shoe up too well and is trimmed with ribbon.

The inkpad in the photo below is to indicate size - the lovely Gez often adds an inkpad to her photos when she's made really little things so I've pinched the idea as it's the perfect crafter's size gauge.

Papers are MME Bloom & Grow

Flowers, ribbon, butterfly charm and lace are all from the Frosted Lace kit from Creative Treasures, with the exception of the orange flower.

While all those lovely flowers and ribbons were on my desk I made this card too

Ribbon, large leaf and wired roses all from the kit mentioned above

Small turquoise and white Primas from my stash, card is Bazzill and the rub-on greeting  is another from the sheet I made a couple of months back

Border punch is an MS one I got for Christmas.

Right, that's it for today, I really must go and make some cards....or shall I have some lunch first?

Have a great day, thanks for visiting

What's the Point?

It's was my turn to set the dare for The Daring Cardmakers and several times this week I've asked myself the same question "Why on earth did I write that in as a dare?"  Still, as you'll see if you pop over to the DCM BLOG, the team came up trumps - and I have to admit that the only one who moaned about the dare was me!

What's the Point?

I'd like to see cards featuring points or pointers of some kind - the hands of a clock, arrows, pointing fingers, view-points, pointy stars, pointy ears (hehe), pencil points.... maybe pins and needles could also be incorporated into your designs.

I was so stuck that I didn't even get as far as making any false starts, but sometime in the depths of Wednesday night when sleep was eluding me (grrrrr) I came up with an idea.  It's a bit of a change from the things I usually make, but a change is as good as a rest, they say.

The pointing finger is some free clipart that I changed to print out in shades of grey and to the size I wanted.

All the lettering on the front of the card, and the stars on the inside was cut by Mr Robo (bless him ;)).  The stars were included as another pointy thing, the lettering on the inside is yet more from the sheet  of birthday message "rub ons" I made way before Christmas - it's still going strong!

I discovered something while making this card - I found out that I need to up my supplies of shades of grey Bazzill - I really had to scrabble through my stuff to find enough bits to make this.

Just a reminder that there's another chance to see Anice showing  Funky Hand's new CD "Dreams Come True" on Ideal World this afternoon.   Tune in at 2pm on the TV or click HERE and use the "Watch us Live" option on the menu bar (along the top of the screen, far right)

You can also order through the Funky Hand website too.  

Please let me know if you spot any of these ;)

 

I love these papers, the designs are wonderful and there are sooooo many colour collections to choose from.  The last show was a sell-out and I'm sure today's will go swimmingly too.

Please go and see what the DCM Team have been making this week - I'm blown away by the fabulous range of cards they've come up with - they obviously didn't struggle as much as I did, that's for sure!I'd love it if you'd join in and share your creations too, it's always such a joy to follow the links left on the message board - there is just endless creativity out there, you know! :)

Thanks for visiting

About the House

My project for Bubbly Scrumptious (emag for the Bubbly Funk shop) this week uses the Studio Calico papers in the Home Front collection.

I must admit, unlike some of the others on the DT, I've struggled with these, they've been sitting on my desk for a while now.  I kept getting them out, leafing through them and putting them back in the bag!  They are unusual and interesting designs but more specific to a theme than the papers I usually use - so they taxed this "bear of little brain".  

Some ideas come quickly, others need a bit more time.  We've been thinking about things we need to do in our own house, and also for some work we want to have done on a house we rent out to tenants, so we've been trawling around the DIY places, kitchen showrooms, bathroom places, tile warehouses etc. It made me think of work we'd already done and also about things like roof checks, external paintwork, tree maintenance that should really be on some sort of regular schedule to keep them in good order.  We're just not that organised but thinking about it all sparked off the idea for making some sort of organiser book for keeping a note of all this stuff.

I've made this "About the House" book while full of good intentions to do better about record keeping (when we did the work, who did the work, resources used, paint colours, serial numbers etc), and maybe also having somewhere to keep notes and clippings for future reference when we come to do things that are further down the "to do" list.

Obviously making something like this is no guarantee that I'll ever actually use it, but it's a start, eh?

You can see more about the book and how I made it by clicking HERE and if you joined in with my Sketch Challenge last week, the winner of the random draw, and therefore of Caroline's fab "Stamps and Ribbons" prize can be found HERE

Thanks for popping by - I hope you enjoyed your visit.

Please leave a message if you've time - I love reading them :)

Being Frivolous

What I should be doing is getting down to making a card for Friday's DCM - it's my turn to set the dare and I came up with an idea ages ago, popped it on our little calendar and promptly forgot about it.  Till last Friday when I looked to see who's turn it was this week, found out that it was me and then saw what I'd actually written down.

So, as I haven't the foggiest idea what to do I decided to mull it over while doing other things.  That's my excuse anyway.

The other things include making the mess I'm sharing with my fellow WOYWW (what's on your workdesk Wednesday) nutters, who bravely take camera in hand  and each Wednesday take and post a photo of how their workspaces are looking atm.

 If you'd like to see more crafty workspaces, head over to Julia's blog for all today's links - maybe you'll join in and show yours too - it would be fab to see even more crafty works stations!

There is a point to what I'm making in all that mess, but not much point in what I'm making iykwim - I'm busy making something to show the wonderful "Frosted Lace" Flower kit from Creative Treasures - all will be revealed if I ever get it finished.  The actual thing I'm making is just a silly bit of frivolity - well, its a dark and dingy day and I need a bit of frivolity to see me through it.

Here's a mini pizza box I made at the weekend using the same "Frosted Lace" kit along with lovely MME "Bloom & Grow" papers, cute, eh?

All of the flowers, ribbon and lace I've used came in the kit.  I used some of the lace to make a rosette to frame the other flowers.  I absolutely adore these colours, and they are are easy to add just a hint of an entirely different colour to for different looks. I made last Friday's DCM with these colours and added some purple, for this box there's a s plash of orange in the papers.

Right, I think it's time I had some lunch - my tummy is growling away, good job you can't hear it, I tell you!

Happy crafting

The Most Depressing Day of the Year?

Another Monday morning - they say that today is the most depressing day of the year. However, I'm glad to say that I'm not feeling miserable (even though it's a bit of a grey day) and I hope you're not either!  Ooooh just as I say it's a bit grey the sun comes out.... well, it makes the effort, anyway!

I'm on my way to the kitchen to make a coffee, and then I need to do some craft stuff (trying not to think about the H*work that also needs doing) but I thought I'd pop on here first and add the other cards I've made using the latest set of  Crafty Templates.

The whole set has a "Love and Hugs" feel about it and all the templates are easy to adapt to use on lots of different cards and projects. Although she just sends out "bare-bones" templates to the DT, in the project file that customers receive with the actual templates Leo always gives ideas for how to make specific cards.  Really, though, they are just starting points and it's down to you how you use them on your own projects.

I thought the little love birds with the banner would work really well as a gatefold, opening to reveal the banner inside

I made a second par of birds for the inside of the card.  Each bird has 2 sets of wings, with the upper wing not fully attached so that you can lift the tips up and curl them a little for some extra dimension

All the white space freaked me out though and I'm really not convinced I got this one right.  Maybe a coloured or patterned background would have been better.  Even though I like the basic idea, I just feel there's something not quite right with the finished object.  You know how it is ;)

The next card is the Friendship Tree.  I love Leo's gorgeous curly trees - I converted this one to cut on the Robo, but I know that Leo always hand-cuts hers - just to prove that you shouldn't be put off because they look fiddly. Glue the template to the wrong side of your paper and it's much easier (hint hint!)

Anyway, the tree is so lovely I decided it deserved a little bird to sit in it's branches - so used the bird from last month's template set to make one, and added the message hanging from his beak with some skinny ric-rac braid.

Most of the card and paper used on these cards is from the Crafty Goodies Kit - which is available, along with the Template Set from HERE.
The flowers, braid and a few other bits and bobs were from my stash.

Just before I go and get that coffee, can I remind anyone who's reading this about the sketch challenge I've currently got running on Bubbly Scrumptious, click HERE to find out more and also to see the prize that Caroline is offering to those who enter.  There are about 5 or 6 entrants so far and I'd love it if more people would join in and let us all see what you can make.

Right, I need that coffee now, so I'll shut up now.  Back later to have a wander around and see what everyone else is up to on their blogs

Have a lovely day

Hole In One

Lythan's turn this week to set the challenge for on The Daring Cardmakers.

Hole in One

I'd like you to make a card that has at least one hole in it. Could be a card with an aperture or one that features a border punch with holes in or you can use a hole punch to create a pattern. See how inventive you can be! 

Last weekend my new flower kit from Creative Treasures arrived.  As soon as I opened the envelope I knew it would be a Bad Thing to open the cellophane bag inside - I could see enough of the contents to know that I'd want to use the contents straight away - so just for once I exercised a bit of self-discipline and left the bag sealed until I'd finished things further up the to do list.  I know!  I quite shocked myself too hehe

Even though the bag was sealed the bits that I could see were helping to form a plan for Lythan's dare, and by the time I came to make it all I had to find were the right papers.  They turned out to be some of those in the MME Penny Lane collection - aren't they gorgeous, what a wonderfully Spring-like mix of colours.  Adding in a few bits of purple from my stash meant the papers matched the flowers and ribbons etc perfectly,

I cut lots of circular holes using different punches/dies of different sizes, Added some MME paper to the inside of the card so that the various embellishments would really show up well through the holes. 

I used a couple of Nesties dies, a couple of Cuttlebug dies and 2 or 3 plain circle punches to make a random pattern in the upper section of the card. 

Most of the flowers, ribbons, buttons and the tiny leaf are from the Creative Treasures January Kit which is called "Frosted Lace".  It's full of pale greens, turquoises and white blooms, ribbons, buttons, lace and various other bits and pieces which I'm going to love using.

Click HERE to see (and order!) the Flower Kit - and to be tempted by all the other lovely things Tracy has gathered together in the shop.

I used my cropodile to punch a couple of random lines of the larger holes along the turquoise strip, then added a tiny Anita's 2mm gem in each of the holes.

I loved making this card and it took no time at all because everything is so random - very little measuring to make sure things are straight or symmetrical - just "Punch, and Go!" hahaha

Please check out all the lovely holey cards on the DCM BLOG this week, and please join in with the fun - that's two challenges in two days I've issued - you might be able to join them both into one card if you're really smart!  Actually I might give that a go myself!

Don't forget tomorrow is Funky Hand's new CD "Dreams Come True" launch date - The time and place is Ideal World's Create and Craft, 12 noon, Saturday 16th January.  You can pre-order though by heading for the Funky Hand website straight away!  You can view the programme on your pc via the link in the sidebar on the C&C website HERE

I think that's all.  I'll be back soon with more of the bits and pieces I've made this week, I hope you've liked what you've seen today and you'll visit again soon.  Please leave a message before you go - I do love to read them.

Happy Crafting

Yay! It's RAINING!

I've never been so glad to hear rain on the windows, then look out and see the snow is being washed away.  The grass is visible again and gradually the paths and road are appearing too.  I bet it's really slippery though.

Mind you I'm sure I heard a weather forecast that said more snow was on the way - wouldn't it be nice if they'd got that wrong - usually we moan when they get it wrong - but that's because they tell us it's going to be hot and sunny and it turns out damp and miserable!

Bubbly Scrumptious day today and I've made a few cards to show on there this week.  There are three cards and they all use the Violette Wings kit, which I'm managing to make spin out as long as possible!  The main thing this week though, is that all three cards were made following the same template - and that I've issued a challenge for anyone else who dares to join in - make any sort of crafty project using the template, then leave a message, on the challenge thread with a link so we can see it - even if you don't have a blog of on-line gallery you can still enter by sending a photo to Caroline (the address is on the BS blog).  The names of all those who join in will be put into the virtual hat and one lucky person will win this prize, couresty of Bubbly Funk:

It's a Hero Arts Designer Ribbons Stamp Set, along with a lovely array of ribbons and trims to go with it.

Head over HERE to see the cards I've made in full and of course to see the sketch you need to use for making your own project.

I really hope you'll join in, I'd love to see what you make.

I'm also popping this sketch onto my Sketch File blog - so you can also link to that too.  I'm going to try and add at least one new sketch each month - I was really rather useless at adding new sketches on there towards the end of last year.  This year I'll try harder!

Off now to finish my card for tomorrow's Daring Cardmakers, ooooh it's all go, isn't it hehe

A Great Big Hug and WOYWW

Nooooooooooooooooo!  

By late yesterday afternoon I could see the green of the grass in my garden again, and at the front of the house I could see a tarmac road instead of the white of compacted snow. But this morning it's all white again and it's been snowing lightly all morning.  OK so we've not as much snow here as a lot of people are dealing with, and there's only a fraction of what we had before Christmas but I DON'T LIKE IT.  I just want it to go away.  I've got Winter hibernation tendencies to start with, I don't need the added complication of this manky weather.  

That's my "rant for the day" over with.  I've made myself a hot chocolate - I've discovered that the steamer on my lovely Gaggia cappuccino maker is fab for heating the milk and a lot less hassle than using a pan.

Wednesday means it's WOYWW time again - if you've not come across this little bit of fun and inquisitiveness click on the WOYWW blinkie in the side bar to find out more.

Here's how my desk looks today, you can click for a closer look ;)

There's something I've just finished and in amongst the stuff I've been using is a little poly-baggie full of gorgeousness which is the next thing on my "to-do" list.  Not even dared open the bag because I knew I'd want to play with the contents instead of finishing other jobs!

Anyway, I bet there are a lot of people who could use a great big warm hug  today, so this card, made using one of this month's Crafty Templates is for you:

Isn't he gorgeous?

You can get your own set of fabulous Crafty Templates HERE, this month is all about hugs, hearts and friendship.  You can also find out and order the Crafty Goodies Kit Leo puts together each month.  I've used card and paper from the kit on the teddy card, plus a bit of my own stash by way of the purple and pink card scraps.

I've a couple more cards to share, but I'll save them for another time.  

Hope you're keeping safe and warm in this horrible weather

Something Funky Afoot!

Since Christmas I've been busy working on projects for a couple of the DT's I'm lucky enough to be involved with.  Top of the "to-do" list for immediately after Christmas was getting down to, making samples for the up-coming release of the new Funky Hand CD.  As I waved "Goodbye" to my rellies on  3rd Jan, suddenly the 16th of Janiary sounded very close indeed.

Anyway, I thought I'd tempt you with some glimpses/sneak peeks.

The CD is called "Dreams Come True" and if you love to have lots wonderful paper designs in lots of different colour-ways, then this really is a dream come true.  Every time I look through the collections that are on the CDs, or see things that the other DT members have made, I'm seeing designs and colours that I hadn't spotted before!  I know that sound mad, but it's true.

This is a sneak peek of the first thing I made.  I think you can see at least 6 of the designs in this gorgeous colour theme on here, but there are still lots more to choose from - I just couldn't squeeze them all on one project

 Sneak peek number 2 uses another of my favourite colour themes, I adore the muted reds, greens etc in this set.  Both of these colour themes are fab for masculine projects as well as girly ones.  I'm thrilled to have things like this at my fingertips as I always struggle to find papers in my collection that I can use for all the nephews and other males in our family.

The big news is that Anice has today released the CD for pre order on the Funky Hand Website, they won't be mailed out till after the TV launch, but you can have "first dibs" by getting over there and placing your order HERE

Oooooh did I just mention the Telly?  

Yep, the official launch for "Dreams Come True" will take place on Ideal World's Create and Craft on Saturday 16th January at 12noon - if you don't have the freeview/satellite channels on your regular TV to watch it you can still tune in via your computer and see Anice doing her stuff and showing all the samples the team have been making over the last couple of weeks.

There's another show scheduled for  Friday 22nd  January at 2pm if you miss the first one or just want to see more!

I'll add a couple more sneakie peekies as the week goes on.

Right, I've been doing the dreaded housework this morning, so now it's time for lunch and then I get to craft, woohoo

Hope your snow is melting fast!