New Baby Card

Ha, a different title! Hope I find you all well. I can't believe it's been over a week since I made a card. I've been a bit tired this week so I haven't been doing much, just coming in and doing the dreaded h*******k, watching the football when it's been on and a bit of tennis. Couldn't really be bothered doing much else but I have been having a good trawl through all your blogs and admiring all your fabby creations.

I don't get a chance to make a new baby card very often, but can you believe we've had 2 new baby boys, both born during June to people at work. They're like buses, you don't get one for ages and then 2 come together!

Here's my effort. I can enter this for Sketch and Stash which I'm really enjoying. I really like the sketches and you're supposed to use a bit of your neglected stash so it makes you use stuff you've had stuck away for ages. I bought this stamp at a craft fair last year and I think it's lovely but it's never been used. The option this time is to use animal stuff. When I did a lot of scrapbooking I bought loads of these little corners and never used them but I think they look really nice on cards as well. I've gone back to my Distress Inks for this one for a change because I haven't used them for a while either. I've just bought the flowers and ribbon so they're my new bit.

I'm going to enter this one into Charisma Challenges as well. I saw this when I was doing a bit of a blog hop earlier on. There isn't a theme this time, so unless I'm missing the point you just seem to do what you like, as long as you use a stamped image.

In case you can't see it clearly the message on the front reads; "and then... there were three" and inside: "Congratulations on your new arrival". Sorry, it's not very clear.

And the inside (sorry about the photo, Suzanne really does need to improve her photographic skills!):

This is my card recipe:
Image: Little Claire's clear stamp "Are We There Yet?"
Papers: Nitwits Collection - Little Boy Joy
Backing paper: Craftwork Cards paper strips
Distress Inks: Weathered Wood, Spiced Marmalade, Pine Needles
Greeting: Computer generated
Lace Corners: Dress It Up Memory Mates
Pearls: Kanban
Ribbon: Hobbycraft
Flowers: Craft at Home and punched
Brads: Making Memories

Tools: Daisy punch

Think it's going to be wet here this weekend so nothing new there then. Seems like the west coast is getting the best of the weather. Won't bother me - can't be bothered doing much anyway so I'm going to continue to be a right old misery!

Have a good one.

Lynne.

Three Challenge Card

Hi folks

I really must think of a different title! Hope you are all well. Haven't managed to do an awful lot this week, despite being off work. That's what happens when you spend the time in crafts shops and not crafting.

I've made this card for three challenges: Whiff of Joy, Winter Wonderland and Sketch and Stash. WOJ is paper piecing (I haven't done this before), Winter Wonderland is Snow (I absolutely love Christmas so snow should be easy enough) and Sketch and Stash which is to use the sketch and a piece of new stash (I used my new water colour pencils - I'm adding to my collection bit by bit) and although the swirly ribbon isn't just bought, I've never used it before. The sketch was a dream to work with, by the way. I really liked it.

Card Recipe:
Image: Herb by WOJ coloured with watercolour pencils
Papers: Paper Adventures - Holiday Joy Blue Swirl
Small piece of velum with snowflake paper behind (sorry, you can't see the snowflakes on the photo)
Blue cardstock: Coredinations
Silver mirri card from the kids section at Tesco
Swirly Ribbon: Papermania
Gems: Kanban
Snowflakes: Kay and Company
Silver Stickles
Tools: Cuttlebug, Swiss Dots Folder (for the vellum)

I haven't managed to do the inside yet because I finished this at 1.20 am this morning so I wasn't going to start on the inside at that time. I wanted to get the card done to meet the challenge deadlines and I might not get time tomorrow since we're visiting some boys called Take That - just in case I haven't told you all 50 times already! Am I excited like a kid or what?

In case you are interested in some new images you might not already have, my daughter, Suzanne, is giving away a lovely image folder, packed with images. You can find her blog here if you want to enter.

Thanks for dropping by and for all the lovely comments you've been leaving.

Lynne.x

Three Challenge Card

Hi everyone

You wouldn't believe the fuss in our house this week. The Take That tickets hadn't arrived and the concert's this Saturday. I was getting a bit paranoid because Sarah's tickets are here; she's standing but we have to sit because Jack is too young to go on the pitch area. I can't believe Tickemaster leave it so late. Anyway, they came this morning (I nearly kissed the postman, poor soul) so all's well, I suppose. I am annoyed though because all this stress can be avoided. I even had to make a card to aleviate the anxiety!

This my entry for the Penny Black Birthday Challenge and also for Friday Sketchers Wk 56. I think I can also enter it for the Simon Says Challenge for their birthday. I don't think I've done Friday Sketchers before but I thought this sketch was a lovely one to work with. They've got an archive of past sketches for inspiration so I'm going to have a look.

Card Recipe:
Image: Penny Black
Tiny butterfly: Whiff of Joy
Both images coloured with Water Colour Pencils
Greeting: Pixie Curlz Alphabet Set
Coredinations Cardstock
Kay and Company Brenda Walton Papers: Antique Floral Vines and Emma Floral Pattern

Flowers punched with medium and small daisy punches with paper strips from Craftwork Cards
Brads and antique lace from stash
I used my new fern punch behind the flowers - I can take it off my wish list now although it's not punching very well
Fiskars Daisy Punch (it's supposed to emboss as well but it's rubbish so you can't see it)
Oval Nesties cut in the Cuttlebug

I did a bit to the inside but it's quite plain - I was having a bit of a faff with the Cuttlebug so I kind of gave up in the end.

It's still raining here by the way. Supposed to be drier for a day and then raining again. Bet it pours down on Saturday.

Thanks for looking.

Lynne.

2 in 1 Challenge

Hi folks

Hope you are all well. It's miserable here - hope the weather's a bit better where you are. We were taking the kids fishing yesterday. They needed new nets so off we went to the shops. Out they came with their nets and down came the rain! You should have seen the wee one's face. How do you explain to a 2 year old that immediately granny gets some time off you can expect the monsoon season? He demanded soft play instead so away they went. I don't do soft play so I came home to finish my card. We tried the fishing again today and the sun was blazing down, then came home late afternoon to thunderstorms!

I haven't managed to make many cards this week; we've been really busy at work and I've been a bit bushed by the time I get in. Then there's been Springwatch to keep up with so I haven't had a lot of time. However, I'm off next week and if the weekend's weather is anything to go by, I won't get out much so I might get a bit more done.

This is a 2 in 1 challenge. I thought I was dead clever getting 2 or 3 challenges out of each card; I haven't really got time to make a separate card for each challenge I would like to enter. Then Suzanne saw someone who did a 10 in 1. Honestly, 10 in 1! I don't know how they get their heads around them when there's that much to think about. Anymore than 3 and my head's mince!

This card's for this week's Passion for Promarker Challenge which is a Pumpkin and Cinnamon colour combo and I can combine it with this week's C.R.A.F.T. Challenge which is a recipe: 3 flowers, 2 papers and 1 ribbon. It's the first time I've done a recipe and I really enjoyed it. I didn't think I would be able to stick to three flowers but I managed it fine in the end.

I edged the image with distress ink. It's the first time I've done this and although I can see it's far from perfect yet, I'll persevere because it's a technique I'm definitely going to use again. I used a tutorial from the Just Magnolia Challenge Blog which Kim kindly provided. Thank you Kim. The instructions were very clear and helpful. If you haven't seen Kim's work, please take a look; it's beautiful.

Here's my card:

Card Recipe:
Farmer Tilda by Magnolia. The fence is from a farmyard set by Kars (Ollyfant stamps)
Promarkers:
Saffron & Pumpkin - Scarf
Blush & Satin - Skin
Safron - Wings
Spice, Coral, touch of Cinnamon- Hair
Pumpkin - Blouse
Cinnamon and Spice - Dungaree straps and bottoms
Saffron/Pumpkin - Dungaree pocket
Cinnamon - Dungarees
Coral & Spice - Boots
Apple and Limegreen - Grass
Touches of Spice, Coral, Cinnamon and Pumpkin - Fence
White Sakura Gellyrol pen for highlights
Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink
Papers - My Minds Eye Bloom and Grow
Coredinations Cardstock
Selection of brads, flowers, spacers, charm, pin and curly thingie from stash
Ribbon from Hobbycraft (it's dark brown, honest, not black)
Inside: Fiskers Border Punch
Oval Nesties cut on Cuttlebug

What a long list - must be all those Promarkers! I've never used a Promarker blending pen but I saw the great tutorial and now that I can see what to do with it, I might buy one to try it out.

Inside:



That's it for now. Thanks for dropping by. I'm having a bit of a blog hop this week. I've been keeping my eye on what you've all been up to but hoping I'll be able to get around to leaving some more comments.

Lynne.

New WOJ/Elisabeth Bell Wedding and Baby Collection

I have just popped on to tell you about these gorgeous new stamps which are being released on 14/06. If you visit the DT members then you can see some lovely cards made with them. Also, if you pop over to Katharina's blog then you have the chance to win somke of them and also see the whole collection.

There is a link in my side bar to take you straight to the store to buy these or any of the other gorgeous stamps by this company. Or, click HERE!

I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

Lynne.

C.R.A.F.T. & Creative Inspirations Challenges

Well, I was pleasantly surprised at the Artstamps for Scotland Exhibition. Last year was a dead loss but this year was a dramatic improvement. There wasn't an awful lot we hadn't seen before but it's nice to actually see things before you buy them and it makes a change to buying things off the internet all the time. Mind you, I don't think you can beat Once Upon A Stamp for Nesties. We get all ours from them. No p & p costs either - I ordered new ones on Wednesday and they came on Saturday which isn't bad considering I ordered one unmounted stamp from another very well known stamp company at the same time and paid £1.95 p & p (for one very small stamp!) and both packages were delivered at exactly the same time.

I had to make a boy's card this week for my nephew's birthday. This was a double challenge for me since I don't have a happy time with male cards and it was the wrong shape into the bargain. I got this image from Kerry's blog. She does really different stuff and she has some great images which she doesn't mind you downloading, providing you link back to her blog. Thanks, Kerry. I think this guy's dead cool (check out his legs!). Our Kim used him for a card before and I was dying to try him out. The challenges I'm entering are both to use blue and brown which I thought was good for male cards and I've had this little scrap of striped paper for about 6 or 7 years (no kidding, that's how mean I am - I don't chuck anything out!)) so away I went. I coloured it with my Promarkers. I'm trying to get plenty of practice in because I love using the pens but I'm not that experienced with them yet. I'm a bit annoyed with myself because I've missed the Passion for Promarkers Challenge this week, but I'm in plenty of time for the new one. I'm entering this card for the C.R.A.F.T. Challenge which I've entered before (blue and brown male card) and the Creative Inspirations Challenge (brown and blue) which is a new one for me.

Card Recipe:
Image: Digi Download from Kerry
I'm sorry I've had the paper so long, I've no idea what make it is.
The cardstock is Coredinations: Brown and 2 shades of blue
Message: Computer Generated - "Hey Dude - Have a Super Cool Birthday"
Musical Notes: Made with Cuttlebug with gold mirri card
Promarkers and white gel pen
Fiskars Threading Water Punch
Deckle Edged Scissors
Woodware Corner Rounder Punch

Inside:

Hope you like it.

Lynne.

An Award!

I've received an award from my bloggy friend, the lovely Helen. Thank you so much, Helen. I love your blog and I'm very proud to pick up this award.

Lynne

Secret Crafter Challenge

Hi everyone

Been a bit lazy this week - too much time in front of the telly watching the birdies on Springwatch. Everything's happening out there in the garden. The starlings and sparrows are bringing their fledglings to get fed, they're eating me out of house and home. It doesn't matter how many times I see it, I always love watching them.

This is the first card I've made since Sunday. I thought I would have a go at the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge which is pink, turquoise and a hint of brown. Got quite a lot of brown in here but I think it might be ok. Also I think it should be alright for Allsorts Challenge Blog Wk 3 which is Curly Swirly since my paper is all swirly. I did some stamped swirls on the inside but when I put the nesties oval on, it's ended up looking like some kind of strange winged animal thingie! Never mind, it's a swirl.

Inside:

Card Recipe:

Image: Sarah Kay - My Sweet Lili
Coloured with watercolour pencils
Papers: Basic Grey Eva
Cardstock Papermania
Flowers punched with Daisy Punch
Brads from stash
Anitas ribbon

Tools:
Cuttlebug
Oval nesties
Inkadinkadoo flourish stamps
Fiskars Threading Water punch

I'm off to the Artstamps show on Saturday. Hope it's a sight better than last year, otherwise I'll be looking for a refund on the entry money!

Don't think I'll get another one made before the weekend, so have a good one.

Thanks for dropping by.

Lynne.

I am editing this post because I can't believe that I forgot to enter this card for the challenge over at Sketch Saturday Challenge Blog. It's their birthday this week and all the DT are giving away a fab candy as well as the usual Saturday Challenge prize. It was another of Jo's fab sketches. So, please excuse my being so silly. I would blame it on getting older and being more tired but I think it's more to do with my daughter rushing me when she's helping me with the posting!

Lynne.