Friday 31 August 2012

One For The Fellas!

Hello, and welcome!

It's time for another challenge at Card Crafter's Circle and this week you'll be doing yourself a favour if you join in with this one, because none of  us has enough cards for the males in our lives, do we?  
Yep, we're challenging you to make a card/project with 
MEN/BOYS 
in mind......easy-peasy, right?....hahaaaa!

You'll find some really good inspiration if you hop over to the challenge blog and see what the rest of the  Design Team have on offer....lots of manly goin's-on, I can tell you...lol......

Joining us this week are two sponsors ... the outrageously cute Di's Digi Downloads, who offers one winner a $10 store credit.  And we also have Stamp Art Design by Kathryne joining us again with sponsorship for you!  The winner's prize purse is their choice of 3 Milk Coffee images of their choice! Yummy! And our super sponsor also provides each of our Top 3 with an image of their choice too! Yay!

If you've been hangin' around here for any length of time, you know that I have more than me fair share of males, in my family.....yessir....and  love 'em all to bits.....but that's an awful lot of testosterone-filled cards to make....heehee....so I'm always on the ol' look-out for new inspiration!

Here's what I came up with.......

I used this lovely ikkle fella from Kathy at http://stampartdesignbykathryne.blogspot.co.uk/ and he and his teeny friend were a joy to colour up with my usual Promarkers.  I started with a cream base and layered on an embossed piece of kraft (love those buttons!), then cut two circles from some scraps from my paper mountain scraps........


Did a bit of doodle-doin' around the edge of the image.....love the look of surprise on the bear's face!

This big number is a clear sticker, backed onto a scrap of brown card and cut around........I put a length of stripy green ribbon down the front of the card, and added another length of peach grosgrain, over the top.......then die-cut a button, threaded up with brown cotton, and added a loop of the peach ribbon and a green felt die-cut flower.........the ribbons are from Crafty Ribbons......

I stamped a leaf onto brown paper, and added a stamped sunflower, cut out and coloured with the trusty PMs......I did the sentiment on my ikkle netbook and printed off onto Safmat, so it was a sticker.....love that Safmat.....but that was when I had a flippin' printer that works.....gggrrrr!

Hope you'll join us this week....you'll be glad you did!

hugs,
Anne-Marie x




Thursday 30 August 2012

My Crafting Space

Hi, and welcome!

After posting  my ikkle Christmas card, last night, I realised that one of the piccies showed a tiny bit of me work desk.....oooo......don't think I've slipped up done that before...hahaaa!  
So, methinks, seein' as my desk  is tidy for once, you might like to have a nosey peek around my craft room......I'd take the chance now, because it's not likely to stay this tidy for long.....hahaaaa!
Apologies to Sticky Beak Victoria, beforehand.......will definitely not be up to her exacting standards, no matter how organised and tidy I think I'm being, lol......

This photo is taken from my swivel chair....love that I can push with my feet (lazy slob!) and my chair will wheel me to where I want to be......the "mess" in the flowery containers is actually very well organised....by my standards, anyway, lol.......the big grey coloured mat is from IKEA and is designed to be a work-surface on a desk....love it because it's so easy to clean..ha!  The wooden drawers are full of paper flowers, cotton threads and needles, and a packet of Polo mints just might be found in there, too.......

There's my ikkle netbook....aawwww...and the pink thingy is my mobile phone....and those scissors are my favourite ones in the whole wide world.....heehee......had 'em for years, and abuse 'em terribly, but they are still as sharp as ever......more than can be said for me, alas........

This basket is where I keep my latest magazines......some of them are actually months old, because I never seem to just sit down and properly read them!  I've recently gone through that basket and thrown out 22 mags.....I kid you not!

I've just realised that I only took photos of my desk and one side of the room......will have to maybe show the other side, where I have my paper storage and Big Shot station, another time....if it stays tidy......
The little file box at the top has photos in it, waiting to be scrapped....it's been waiting for quite a while, now.....and then my stamping mats are beside it, next to the mini sewing machine (for cards) that I never use....the gold box holds my Christmas card makes (got 21 now!).
The red and white boxes were bought from Costco, a couple of years ago, with Christmas biscuits in them.  They were a gift for my Mam, but I nabbed the boxes back when she'd snaffled all  the biscuits....hahaaa!  They now hold my collection of lace, wound around old-fashioned wooden clothes pins....very pretty!  The files hold my Fiskars shapes templates.

Further along the shelf......next to the Christmas box is my collection of Unity Stamps...don't use them often enough.....then some clear boxes that have embellies in them.  The kraft box holds my woollen felts, and there's another pack of cheaper felts, on top of the box.  Underneath, there's an assortment of more tiny embellies,  my pastel coloured buttons, and the jar with the pretty heart on top holds my coloured netting....the little black and clear drawer set holds some die cuts, waiting to be used, and the red drawers house my felt markers, Sakura pens, and Sharpies....my Promarkers are kept on another desk, under the shelf, but no photo yet.......

More boxes, on the top shelf, holding bits and bobs...we've all got some of those, right?......and the bottom shelf holds some of my plain card stock, and pouches that have vellums and such like in 'em.  You can just about see, in the corner,  my Xyron machine (hardly ever used), my Bind-it-All (hardly ever used), and my Silhouette machine....yep....hardly ever used!

The slope that you might be able to make out, above that corner, is actually the staircase to the loft, (it's not actually in the craft room, lol.....you go out of the craft room, down the landing, and there's a door to the staircase)....the loft that is supposed to be my sunny, bright sewing room, but is actually being used as a bedroom by Jonathan and Tanys......still saving for that deposit!

If you can stand it, I'll get the rest of the room clicked soon....but only if the maid has been in to clean it...hahaaa!

hugs,
Anne-Marie x









Wednesday 29 August 2012

Christmas in the Valley!

Hello, and welcome!

Well, this afternoon, if you'd looked through my window into the garden, you'd have thought it was a December evening!  The sky was totally covered in the most humungous black cloud.....there was clashing of thunderbirds.....flashes of lightening rods....and then hailstones as big as mushrooms that fell for about 5 minutes, and then the heaviest rainstorm we've had for a loooong time....and this is still summer......hahaaaa!
Definitely feels as if Autumn is close, and I'm excited by that.......just love Autumn!

And, what else do I love?  Any guesses?........eh?..........eh?
Has to do with a gorgeous chubby man.........nope, not the Hubster.......the other one.........wears a red suit and a white beard........errr........oh, yeah, could be the Hubster......hahaaaaa!

Well, assuming you actually do know what I'm on about, (and that means you've been hangin' around me for tooooo long), you'll understand by the title of this post that I've made a Christmas card......woohoo......and used a lovely, warm 'n' fuzzy image from the wonderful Lili of the Valley ........

Again, not very good piccies, but I'm blamin' that thunderstorm...hahaaa!
A white card base with chocolate brown card and a piece of yummy Bo Bunny paper on top.......the top of the brown card was cut with a Martha Stewart border punch.........I used a sketch from Freshly Made Sketches....makes life sooo much easier.....hahaa.........

The lovely Cheery Lynn holly die is one of my new toys.....I added those sweet red flat-backed pearlies......

I cut two strips of this pretty lace, and coloured one strip with a brown Promarker, then layered them together.........the little sentiment is from a Hot Off the Press stack, layered onto a teeny bit of brown card.......

Can't see it too well in this pic,  but I hand-stitched around the image and added a bit of sparkle with a Sakura clear sparkle pen......well, it is Christmas...haa......

Can't remember where this sentiment is from (probably a freebie)......did a bit of chalkin' on it, added red sparkle to the stars, and popped it onto a little red die cut doily, then slipped some brown foliage behind......

A little side-ways view.......I think I like how it turned out....what d'you think?

Hugs,
Anne-Marie x

Challenges:
http://www.polkadoodle.blogspot.co.uk/  Stitching/Real or Faux (mine is real!)

Monday 27 August 2012

Pink Gem Baby Boy

Hi, and welcome!

It's a typical Bank Holiday, here in Merry Old England........dark, grey, windy and rainy.....and a bit nippy, to boot!
Hubster is workin' away from home, the rest of the family have got their own plans for the day, so I'm all alone....yaaaaay!...at least for a few hours, so out came the Promarkers.....onto my very clean and tidy desk.....(that's a story in itself).....and I've produced a baby boy card....just because......and quite like the way it turned out.....will show you in a mo........

I have to say that I've got some really lovely new goodies to play with.....but I'm actually scared to use 'em......yep.....they are sittin', watchin' and waitin' for me to take 'em up, and put'em to good use.....but I've seen some stunning makes that were created with 'em, and I just can't get enough mojo runnin' to actually do something about it.....weird?....definitely, but there you are.....sigh......

Anyways, here's the card I actually did get to make.......

As the title has already stated, this is a Pink Gem image....I just think it is the sweetest baby image ever ....and love it for a boy or a girl.......the card base is white and I used Nitwits papers to layer......

Coloured up with Promarkers, and a little shiny Mod Podge added to the moon......

Do you see the white organza ribbon with the teeny baby feet?  I bought a whole spool of this, and a pink one, back in the day when I first started to make cards....must be at least 10 years old, now.......but still cute, eh?.......

This rub-on, and the star with the little heart, are probably as old as the ribbon!  Can you tell I've been havin' a sort out?....hahaaaaa!

Still got no printer......and still don't know if it is actually the printer, or my computer, that's to blame....andI'm running out of time for my Design Team makes....aagghhhh!

hugs,
Anne-Marie x

Challenges:
http://cutedaisymay.blogspot.co.uk/  Use two patterned papers
http://stampinsistersinchrist.blogspot.co.uk/  Punches, dies, shapes (the image is on a Nestie die cut, and also the checked layer....and what better reminder than a baby to help us remember we are all as clay, made by God's hand?)

Friday 24 August 2012

Burlap and Pearls

Hello, and welcome!

Wanted to say "sorry" for havin' a whine about my printer, the other day........but it's still not workin'!!!!
It's a flippin' good job I'd already put my DT card together for this week's challenge at
because I'd be feeling very sorry for myself, right now...hahaaa!

Our challenge for you this week, is to create with

FABRIC

We are talking fabric, sewing material, things our clothes are made of,  not ribbon or lace (but of course they are welcome additions)!

We are so happy to have Milk Coffee Stamps joining us again with sponsorship for you!  The winner's prize purse is their choice of 3 Milk Coffee images of their choice! Yummy! And our super sponsor also provides each of our Top 3 with an image of their choice too! Yay!

I fell in love with this sweet wedding image and used hessian (burlap) and pearls......okay, I know hessian isn't used for clothes, but I used a little artistic licence for this one.....and hessian used to be used for soldiers uniforms, so there....hahaaaaa!

A lot of shadows on these pics....sorry.......changing things around in my craft area, and didn't have my usual space free.
The card base is cream and I folded back half of the front, so part of the inside is visible.....then put a strip of lemon glitter card down the inside right side.......

This is how it looks when open.......

I used soft colours for the sweet image, and added a little sparkle to the balloons and bouquet.  The image is matted onto a piece of hessian and some dark brown card.....I love the texture of hessian!

I put another strip of the lemon glitter card on this side of the card, and layered with some gorgeous lace that already had tiny pearls sewn on.....then rolled some strips of hessian into flowers and added some pinky pearls and die cut brown leaves.........

Another piece of hessian to back the sweet sentiment, which was gifted to me by my teamie and friend, Jenee (thanks again, Jenee).
Maybe not your usual wedding card, but somebody has asked if they can buy it (flabbergasted describes me, right now!)...hahaaaaa!

So come on, get out those scraps of fabric and get creating....and don't forget to take a look at what my Design Team teamies have created for your perusal.....lots of inspiration, there!

hugs,
Anne-Marie x

Challenges:



Wednesday 22 August 2012

LOTV Teddy Bouquet


Hello, and welcome!

I'm felling just a tad frustrated...........nah!.....I'm feeling extremely frustrated!  I've been trying to  print off all my images for up-coming Design Team challenges, and my flippin' printer is refusing to play....ggrrrrrr!
It has been pretty hit and miss for a while, but always seemed to get on with it, in the end.......but, since Friday.......no way!!!  Will have to see if I can bribe persuade Son-in-law #2 to take a boot to it look at it for me......sigh......

I had a couple of LOTV stamps coloured up, ready to play their part in some super-fabastic creation, so decided to put this ikkle card together.....not sure it qualifies as super-fabastic, but I enjoyed playin'. anyhoo......hahaaaa!

The stamp is called Teddy Bouquet and I think he is a real sweetie....of course, I had to grab my faithful Promarkers to dress him up........the card base is white and has layers of Nitwits DP.  I cut a strip of white scalloped card with my C-cut border punch and lay a piece over brown paper lace over it.
The red flowery dies cuts are actually my Memory Box Catalina Wreath, cut in half......

I like this colour combo!

The sentiment was originally white but I gave it a make-over with my Vanilla Promarker, and blinged it with the little gems........

Why is that little piece of the brown paper lace there?  Because I tore the circle as I was cuttin' it, so this is to cover the tear...haaa!

Keep your fingers crossed that I can get that flippin' printer sorted, or expect me to be more than a tad frustrated for the rest of the week....just sayin'.....

Hugs,
Anne-Marie x

Challenges:
http://thepinkelephantchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/  Make own embellishments (the paper lace flower and corners)
http://paper-craftingjourney.blogspot.co.uk/  Happy Birthday/Celebration


Friday 17 August 2012

Burlap, Rich and Earthy!

Hello, and welcome!

I'm so glad you dropped by.....I've mentioned before that I get lonely, left on my own...haaa!

I was amazed by all the beautiful baby cards that were entered at Card Crafter's Circle last week......so much talent out there.......woohoo!
Now, it's time to let you know about this week's challenge, and, as always, there are some lubbly-jubbly prizes up for grabs........(insert drum-roll, here)..........

This week we want you to use
RICH AND EARTHY COLOURS
Oooooooo, right up my street!  I love the gorgeous colours of Autumn.....the smells of the rich earth.....the colder days......the mists (at least, in my part of the world), and the nights drawing in, so I really enjoyed making my card for this challenge!

Did I mention lubbly-jubbly prizes?
Yep, that's because we have a very generous sponsor........

We are so happy to have The Digi Garden joining us again with sponsorship for you!  The winner's prize purse is their choice of 6 Digi Garden images! Yummy! The shop has had a 'makeover' and looks fabulous... and there are so many new designs....

Here's my little card...........

I started with a cream card base and added 3 strips of DP, layered onto brown card......I hand-stitched around each of the strips......adds texture, don'tcha know.......

I printed off a freebie journal spot, added "irthday oy"...haaaaaahaa!....with tiny letter stickers...the "B" was already printed on the card, if you see what I mean.  Do you like the embossed ruler strip?  Cute, eh?
Three epoxy buttons were stuck on the tops of the strips.....just for a bit of the ol' glamour.......

Have I mentioned that I am having a love affair with all-things burlap?  Oh, yes.......love the stuff!
I made a small batch of me own mod podge.....a drip of PVA glue and a splash of water......easy-peasy......and used it to stiffen the burlap so that I could cut it with a Spellbinders die.....added buttons, a twist of stringy-thingy held on with a brad, and let that cute ikkle image take the limelight!  I love the look on his sweet face......and he's all decked out in his Promarker-coloured-up duds!
Rich and Earthy?  Oh, yeah!

The Design Team came up with some smashing creations on this theme......you'll really enjoy taking a peek at what they came up with!

Enjoy!

Hugs,
Anne-Marie x

Challenges:
http://whimsyinspires.blogspot.co.uk/  Lots of layers (second entry)



Thursday 16 August 2012

Butterflies and Flowers

Hello, and welcome!

Can you see me doing a happy dance....or, at least feel the effects of my size 5's stompin' on the ground?  Can you?
Let me tell you for why........
Our eldest grandchild, Hannah, got her exams results this morning.......after having tried to download them, along with about 7 billion  other 18 year old students, just after midnight!......(the system crashed!!).....and she has exactly what she needed to get into the university of her choice.....woopwoopwoop!!
She straight away got in touch with the uni to tell  them she would be accepting their offer, then got a phone call, a few hours later, from her second choice uni, pleading with her to take their offer!  She declined, mostly because the first one has a course that will better enable her to achieve what she wants.
We are so heart-wrenchingly proud of her........Go, Hannah-Spanner!!

Pheeewww.....sorry about that....need a sit down now....hahaaa!

Here's a card I made, yesterday, but couldn't upload because my naughty camera was having a hissy-fit......

I came over all girlie...heehee....and this was the result!
I started with a white card blank and added blue card and peachy polka dot paper, with a strip of blue and peachy floral paper, cut with a trellis border punch and a strip of peach grosgrain ribbon on  top........the papers are freebies.......

I never seem to have the time to sit down and get to grips with improving the way I colour hair and skin......but, I try.....believe me, I try......
This little cutie is from Digi Darla......sweeeet!.....coloured up with Promarkers.......I also tried to chalk a sky background...need to practice that, too!

I rolled a couple of flowers and added brown die cut leaves............

I created a sentiment on the ol' 'puter and printed it onto Safmat....works like a rub-on....ta-daaa!

Two little flutterbies.....die cut and coloured to match.......done!

See you tomorrow

hugs,
Anne-Marie x

Challenges:
divasbydesignchallenge.blogspot.com  Sketch (loved this!)
flutterbywednesdays.blogspot.com  Anything goes with a butterfly or fairy (so glad they are back!)
whimsyinspires.blogspot.com  Lots of layers





Tuesday 14 August 2012

Boy and his Dog

Hello,  and welcome!

Those of you who pop in here on a regular basis will already know that the Hubster and I have ten grandsons and seven granddaughters....at the moment!  We have another......gender not yet known.....due in January...woohoo!
Our grandson, George, turns 9 years old on Thursday, and has wanted a puppy for the longest time.  Not just any puppy, either......he specifically wanted a Springer Spaniel....oh my......and his Mummy and Daddy relented, so we have one happy boy!
Here's the proof......

  
Her name is Daisy and she's 10 weeks old.......gorgeous!  Those ears are like silk....so soft, and she gives the softest little kisses with her ikkle pink tongue....aaawwww!
A very happy boy and his darlin' doggie!

Here's the card I'll be giving to George on Friday.......

I used a really cute MelJens digi which I thought was just the job......the papers are from a DCWAV stack...little doggie bones...haaa!

George has light blonde hair....I am sooo bad at colouring hair!.......but this does look a little like him..hahaa....all done with Promarkers, as per usual...........the calendar "post" is a freebie stamp that came with the Happy Birthday sentiment....I stuck it onto a plastic garden tag and coloured in George's birthday month.....should have got a better photo of that one......

I cut down the front of the card and used my circle punch to take out the semi-circle, so the little paws circle would fit, when the card is closed......

I cut the fence from some wood-grain type card and stamped the sentiment onto kraft, then threaded some brown floss, knotted at the front, and hung the "sign" from the fence.......I also embossed the stripey paper before sticking down, at the bottom of the card...........

The little paws are from an old sticker sheet....cute, eh?
The Hubster and I will be taking George to PetSmart, on Friday, to buy Daisy a collar and lead.......it's lovely to see how well he's already taking care of her, and I think this is going to be a mutual love affair for many years to come....nothing better to watch than a boy and his dog!

Hugs,
Anne-Marie x

Challenges:
http://thestampingboutiquechallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/  Show me the presents! (The puppy is the present!)
http://papertakeweekly.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/spots-n-stripes.html  Spots and stripes (stripes on the paper and dots embossed)


Saturday 11 August 2012

Puurrfect Day!

Hi, and welcome!

How are you on this bright and breezy Saturday, then?
I'm pleased to say it's a little cooler today, here in the North West of England.....thank goodness!
Still good for hangin' out the wash, because there's a lovely breeze......and I do like to have me smalls a little wind-blown...haaa!

It's not at all like me to be posting at lunch-time.......I usually have to wait until the evening to get on me little netbook, and have a chin-wag with you, but I've got a back-log of crafty stuff to get going on, so I need to plan time a lot better than I usually do......just sayin'.......

I'm not really one for making animal cards of any kind, but this kitty image was a freebie, and just tickled me, so I thought I'd give it a whirl........

I used a white card blank and layered up with Nitwits papers....love Nitwits!.......and chose pinks. browns and greens.....very restful!

I thought I'd try a bit of doodling around the edge of the image......good job doodling doesn't involve straight lines, haa.......and coloured up this little guy with Promarkers.......the brown lacy border is cut with a Martha Stewart border punch.........

The flowers are from docrafts and I added a piece of pink Card Candi in the centre with die-cut foliage in brown.......I saw these at The Range and they somehow fell into my basket...heehee....

Don't laugh at my attempt at doodlin' a sentiment........did 3 versions, and this was as good as it got....haahaa!
Do you like the little kitty?  If you'd like to grab a whole sheet of kitty-doings FOR FREE!, then here's the link
Just click on the DOWNLOADS tab at the top of the page......you'll find two versions of the freebie page.....one in black and white and a coloured version.........very cute!

Hope you have a great day!

Hugs,
Anne-Marie x

Challenges:
dreamvalleychallenges.blogspot.com  Diecuts and punches
greatimpressionsstamps.blogspot.com  Anything with animals
foreverfriendschallengeblog.blogspot.com  Something new (the flowers and stamp)

Friday 10 August 2012

Oh, Baby!

Hello, and welcome!
Oh, pleeeease let it be Autumn soon!
Have I ever mentioned I can't stand the heat?  Maybe just a few times, but I wouldn't want ya to forget....haaaahaaa!
Today has been extraordinarily hot and it really is too much for me.....I only ventured into the back garden to peg out even more washin'.....which means even more ironin'.......in the heat!

Cold winds and frosty mornings would be very welcome, right now!
Maybe I'm in this mood because I've been feasting my peepers on some gorgeous new autumnal clothes...haahaa!
Remember my weight-loss challenge from the Hubster?  
Yesterday was the end of my first week.........I lost 4 and a half pounds....woohoo!
Why don't laptop computers have the "half" key?  I'm sure typewriters used to have 'em...........oh, I'm so old!
I also still measure (mostly) in imperial, rather than the other thingy..........and it still hasn't fully dawned on the Hubster that our coinage was decimalised back in the 70's....he still talks about something costing "a few bob" (shillings), even though we were barely out of our teens when we went decimal....heehee....bless his polyester socks!

Anyways, it's Friday, so I have another challenge from
and this week the theme is
BABIES
so we want to see a creation that is for a baby, or shows a baby image etc.

We are always excited to have our current sponsor Pink Gem Designs The winner will have their choice of 4 Black/White images!  

I chose this pretty image to play with.........

The photos are certainly not the best I've ever taken....sorry........but hope they convey just how cute this digi stamp is.  It comes in coloured and black/white, in the same file......bargain!

I used some oh-so-pretty butterfly lace to frame the image, which sits as the main focus on this easel-type card......layered up with pink card and polka dot DP, with a dash of white card that I embossed with my swiss dots folder......then added a length of silky pink and white scalloped ribbon trim.....(not very clear in the photo, but trust me...it's lovely!)

An adorable butterfly die with pink pearlies.......it's a girl butterfly....haa!

Simple, but sweet, says I........
Now,  let's see what you can come up with for your BABIES creation.........and if you need a bit of inspiration, let me just point you in the direction of my very talented Design Team Members who will have you rushing for your paper, glue and ribbons!

Hugs,
Anne-Marie x

Challenges:
inthepinkchallenge.blogspot.com  Fifty Shades of Pink {New Challenge Blog!}
audsentimentschallengeblog.blogspot.com  Sentiment to welcome a baby
http://chocolatecoffeecards.blogspot.co.uk/  Emboss (white strip of card)