CR84FN55 - Deepest Sympathy .....

.... Hello - I hope you are all enjoying your weekend.  Today, and for the next two weeks, our CR84FN55 colours are lavender, celery and grey.

Our inspiration photos are courtesy of Leslie at A Creative Mint.  I do like these photos, particularly the cotton reels!!

Now that we've settled into our new home, I have to rebuild my stash of cards - I gave a lot of cards to my Mum and Aunt before we moved to the States.  This colour scheme is really pretty and can be used for all sorts of occasions and I've decided to use it to make a sympathy card - something you always need, just in case!

For the layout I used a sketch from Clean & Simple Stamping - FTL190.  I know that it's too late to submit to the challenge, but it was just what I wanted for my card.  I started off by folding in half a sheet of A4 lavender card.  I then cut a couple of mat layers - one in green and one in white.  I embossed the white card with one of my Cuttlebug folders (so glad that I've rediscovered these).  I cut an oval mat from the lavender card onto which I mounted a beautiful cross.  I used my Spellbinder die to cut the cross and while in the die I added a touch of subtle colour using chalks.  I kept the sentiment very simple and printed it, in grey (black was too dark) on the computer.  The font I used was Garamond, 22pt and I added a shadow effect.

Spellbinders:  Cross Collection (S4-265), Petit Ovals Sm (S4-140) #4
Accessories:  Stampin' Up! Card - Wisteria Wonder, Certainly Celery;  Cuttlebug Folder - Victoria; Pebbles Inc Chalks

I know that the team have come up with a really varied selection of projects for this week's colours - so do check out their blogs by clicking on the links below:

Mona Pendleton, Lisa Somerville, Andrea Mathews, Sue Lelli, Pauline Pollington, Suzanne Czosek, Shannon White, Heather Jensen.


It's the Memorial Day weekend, today we are planning to visit The Henry Ford Museum, specifically Greenfield Village.  There are a number of activities planned to honour veterans, as well as a reenactment of a Civil War encampment - with music, parades, people in costumes.  It should be really good fun and hopefully I'll have to some photos to share with you all later.

That's all for now - I hope you're all having a super weekend.!  See you soon.

Flashback Friday .....

....  Just found a fun challenge via my blog buddy Tara (Craftilicious) - she's the guest host for Flashback Friday and Tara has selected the flashback theme as your first masculine card!!  Well, I couldn't resist that.

I'd made a few cards before this one - but didn't start taking photos of my cards until 2006.  I made this card for Jonathan's birthday - it's very basic (and the photo is awful) - sort of clean and simple!  I started off with a sticker (Jonathan is a football fan) mounted onto white card and coloured with a Sakura Glaze pen.  I then layered it onto several mats.  I attached this to a plain turquoise card base, added another sticker and finished off with a simply birthday sentiment which was heat embossed - although not very well heat embossed!

As this card was made a long time before I started my blog - this is the first time it's been seen by anyone outside the family!!  Be kind - I was still learning!!  Actually it's quite nice to go back and look at cards I made a while ago and realise that I've learnt a lot!

That's all for now - it's just gone midnight and I'm off to bed.  Wishing everyone a super Memorial weekend - it's a long weekend in the States!

Waltzingmouse Blog Party ....

.... starts today (a little later than usual) and the theme this month is to use felt and/or cozy fabrics.  I've opted to make a birthday card for my friend Heather.  I've combined the blog party theme and the current Ribbon Reel Challenge - RR28.  Lenet has chosen a gorgeous photo and wants us to use DRY EMBOSSING plus IVORY/WHITE, LILAC, PINK and SOFT GREEN/TURQUOISE plus, of course, RIBBON.

I started off by making the lilac mat by inking some white card with the lovely new Tim Holtz lilac distress ink - so, so pretty.  I cut a slightly smaller mat of white card onto which I stamped a birthday greeting and the hot air balloon from Half Pint Heroines - it's a wonderful set of stamps!!  I ran the card through my Cuttlebug to emboss it and added some soft fluffy ribbon at the bottom.  I stamped the balloon onto two different, but co-ordinated fabrics, and cut out the layers.  I stamped the basket and little girl onto plain white card, coloured them with promarkers and cut out the layers.  The embossed layer was attached to the card with dimensional tape and then I had lots of fun attaching all the bits of decoupage!  Kathryn was amazed to see me doing this!  I think the end result is really sweet.

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Half Pint Heroines, Compact Sentiments, Fancy Flourishes - Scallops & Dots
Inks: Memento -Tuxedo Black; Distress - Shaded Lilac
Accessories:  Cuttlebug Folder - D'vine Swirls; Felt, fabric and ribbon all from stash; Card from stash

Now I'm off to join the Party!

A one in three .....

... It was a glorious day yesterday - bright sunshine, blue skies and very warm - bliss!!  As a consequence of the wonderful weather I was out and about in Northville and didn't get to play in my craft room until last night.  I wanted to make a card for Lena & John - friends of mine from home - and I used a few challenges to make it:

• CAS-ual Fridays - CFC53 - to use punches on a CAS card
• Clean & Simple - FTL191 - super sketch
• Just Us Girls - JUGS137 - lovely bright colours

I've been having fun with my Cuttlebug folders and decided to use the Clean & Simple sketch to show off one of the pretty patterns.  I used some paper from a free pack to mat behind the embossed panel and to make the tag, and I cut a pretty flower with my new Spellbinder dies.  I added just a touch of yellow - Tim Holtz's new spring colour!!  I finished off by adding a simple sentiment.

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Compact Sentiments

Inks:  Memento - Gray Flannel; Distress - Squeezed Lemonade

Spellbinders: Persian Motifs (S5-079), Nested Pennants (S5-028)

Accessories:  Paper - Craftwork Cards Vintage Rose (Free with a UK magazine); Cuttlebug Folder - Victoria; Card from stash

We have now registered with our new doctors - a lovely practice in Northville, but it is weird having to pay for the service!!!  I miss the NHS already.  And we really should have checked to make sure that all the medication we're on was available here - we're both having to switch to something "similar".  Hopefully all will be well.  It's going to be another glorious, HOT day here in Northville.  I think I may have to turn on the AC!!

That's all for now - I'll be back later with my card for this month's Waltzingmouse Blog Party - you can check out details here.

Waltzingmouse & Colour Q ......

... You know, I keep forgetting is how long cards take to get to the UK from the US.  I realised last night that it's my nephew's 17th birthday on 29th May and I'm not sure whether this card will get to him on time, but I'm hoping!!  I've used two challenges to make Jacob's card:

• Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge - WMSC98 - designed by Lynn Mercurio
• Colour Q - cQC138

In February, Lynn made a beautiful card using French Country and Chicken Wire (the new sets from Waltzingmouse); I really like Lynn's card, so I've CASEd it with a masculine feel for Jacob.

I used Crumb cake to add some subtle colour to the card base and then stamped the small chicken wire pattern all over.  I cut out various panels; shaded most of them with More Mustard and stamped different patterns.  I used the longer central panel to make a birthday greeting using Pool Party and Poppy Parade, the sentiments were clear embossed to keep the colours true and then I added some more shading with Crumb Cake.  I finished off by adding a couple of embellishments stamped onto white card - if you look carefully, there is a touch of white!!  I added some faux stitching to the panels to finish them off.  

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Free Spirit Boy, Back in the Saddle, Chicken Wire, Off Beat Backgrounds, Compact Family, Free Spirit Sentiments

Inks: Stampin' Up! - Crumb Cake, Pool Party, Poppy Parade, More Mustard

Accessories:  SU - pens; Card from stash

I realise from the photo that the Pool Party is very subtle!!!  It looks better in real-life.  Here's a close up of the greeting sentiment.

Yesterday I told you that I was off to do my good deed for the day and give blood at the local blood drive.  Well I got there and found out that as I lived in Great Britian between 1980 and 1996 I'm not allowed to give blood.  They are concerned that people who lived in the UK during this period might be incubating CJD.  It felt very strange to be turned away, especially as I give regularly in the UK!!  Oh well, never mind, I'll simply have to given when we return to the UK.

Now, before I go I must welcome some new followers - Claire, Jackie and Ardyth - welcome!!  That's all for now.

A Christmas card ....

.... This is going to be a quick post as I'm off to give blood shortly, and I need to have some lunch and a drink before I go.  I've made a Christmas card for this week's challenge at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown - the theme is to make a Nativity card.

I don't have any Nativity stamps, so I used a bit of clip art that comes with Word.  I printed it out, cut the shape with my Spellbinder dies and added just a touch of colour around the edge.  I like the clean, graphic image so I simply added some gold glitter to the halo and stars.  I used some brilliant gold card to make the mat and added a simple gold peel off for the greeting.

Inks:  Distress - Stormy Sky, Chipped Sapphire
Spellbinders:  Lacey Ovals (S4-314) #4, Plain Ovals Sm (S4-112) #4
Accessories:  Martha Stewart glitter; Clip Art from Word; Peel Off; Card from stash

It's much cooler today - in fact I think I'm going to need a jacket to walk around to school.  See you soon.

For a boy ....

.... I had great plans to spend yesterday in my craft room, but it was so hot here that I simply relaxed with a book and several glasses of water!! Oh yes, I also had a play with my blog and changed the patterned background to a simple colour - I love all shades of green :)

I  did get into my craft room this afternoon and have made a card for this week's challenge at Less is More - LIM68, where the theme is to make a CAS for a baby or child.

I had several ideas, so may come back with another card later this week, but this one is for a little boy - I don't know who yet, so I think it's a card for my stash.  I used one of the digi-images that Claire Brennan designed last year for the "Help for Katie" collection.  I adore this cute Fire Engine - it's just perfect for a little boy's card.  I cut it out using my Spellbinder die and cut a mat layer in red - to match the engine!  I inked in the sky and ground with distress pads and coloured the engine with Promarkers.  I attached the image over an embossed panel and finished with two simple sentiments.

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Help for Katie Collection, Half Pint Heroes
Inks: Memento - Grey Flannel; Distress - Peeled Paint, Tumbled Glass
Spellbinders: Labels 11 (S4-246) #5
Accessories:  Cuttlebug Folder - Herringbone; Stampin' Up! Card - Basic Grey, Poppy Parade; Card from stash

It's great having a car at last.  I was out early this morning and off to the Social Security office to apply for my Social Security Number.  The whole process was really quick; I was in and out in under half an hour - my SSN should be with me in about two weeks.  I'm now feeling less of a non-person - you need a SSN over here for all sorts of things.  I also went to one of my local shopping areas to get some new bed linen and storage containers for my craft room.  It's so nice being able to get out when I want, rather than wait for the weekend and rely on Jonathan.

It's been a beautiful day here with blue skies and hot sunshine, but it's been a bit muggy and has clouded over now - I think we'll have some rain this evening.  Anyway, that's all for now - see you soon.

CR84FN54 - Hello .....

.....  Where has this week gone?  It only seems like yesterday that I was writing my first post about our super cool CR84FN54 colours!  And this week I'm actually up to date with commenting - I've really enjoyed seeing all the wonderful cards submitted so far!  If you've not joined in yet, or if you fancy playing again, you've got another week to play.

I taken the flowers (again) as the inspiration for my card - the photos are courtesy of Style Me Pretty - and they are that!!

While unpacking all my stash I came across some (a lot) of stuff that has been sadly neglected, specifically lots of super designer papers.  I've set myself the task of trying to use up some of this stash.

I started by cutting the designer paper to fit onto my base card and added some faux stitching (sewing machine still not unpacked!) in silver pen.  I used my Spellbinder dies to cut the pretty flowers and sentiment label.  I finished off by adding just a touch of bling!  While I'm here in the States I'll be sending quite a few cards home to friends and family, just to keep in touch - and this one will be going  to Kathy.

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Compact Sentiments II, Vintage Labels 25
Inks:  Stampin' Up! - Pool Party
Spellbinders:  Layered Flowers (S4-355), Labels 25 (S5-077) #3
Accessories:  Papermania - Inspiration Cool Tone Designer Papers; Silver fine liner; Bling and card from stash

For more inspiration - check out the Design team links below:

Mona Pendleton, Lisa Somerville, Andrea Mathews, Sue Lelli, Pauline Pollington, Suzanne Czosek, Shannon White, Heather Jensen.

Over at CAS-ual Fridays - CFC53, the challenge is to use punches to create a clean and simple design, so I'm submitting this to the challenge this week.

One bit of really good news is that I have a car for a few weeks.  I'm no longer housebound!!!  I'll be able to get out and visit the area - do some shopping, visit the local towns and pop into a few of the local craft stores.  Archivers - here I come!!!!  That's all for now.

Get well wishes ....

.... I've had a good week so far - I've finished sorting out the office and my craft room is 95% done.  I've taken a few photos (as promised) - they're at the bottom of this post.

This card is for my friend Jean in the UK.  She's a member of the craft club I used to go to each week (and am missing quite a lot).  I found out that Jean had managed to dislocate her hip replacement - she's had surgery and it's been repaired, but she's feeling a bit low.  I used two challenges in the making of this card:

• Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge - WMSC97 - fabulous sketch by Lynn
• Colour Q - cQc137 - using all my favourite colours in one!!

       

I really like the pretty layers on Lynn's sketch and finally decided which of my WM sets to use.  I settled on French Country as I thought it would look lovely in the Colour Q colours.  Edna (one of the Waltzingmouse Mischief Makers) made a lovely card and I've CASEd her idea of using vellum as one of the layers.  Well, I didn't want to hid the pretty paper!!  I stamped the lace onto plain white card and used one of my new Spellbinder dies to cut the layers.  To colour the flowers and leaves I simply rubbed some of the ink onto an acrylic block and used my aqua pen - easy!  I glued all the layers together, ran some thread around them and attached them to the card.  I used my stamp-a-ma-jig to position the sentiment.  I'm not great with bows, so I finished off my card with one of the flowers from the set which I coloured and attached over the thread.  This will be going off to Jean in the morning.

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - French Country, Compact Sentiments Pt II
Inks:  Stampin' Up! - Wisteria Wonder, Lucky Limeade, Tempting Turquoise; Memento - Gray Flannel
Spellbinders: Deckled Mega Rectangles Lg (S5-015) # 4 & 5
Accessories: We are Memory Keepers - Sew Easy Thread (Parakeet); Vellum and card from stash

That's all for now - here are those photos that I promised:

This is our office - a bit smaller than at home in Wales, but we've managed to get in all our desks and computers - and it's a super room.

The four photos above are my craft room - it's light, bright and big, but a bit short on shelves!!!  Hence the stash on the floor - well, that's my excuse :)  I do need to get a few more storage units, but it's mostly done and I am able to use the room and ALL my stash.

These two photos show the family room - a super space, and behind you can see my new kitchen - again, it's a lovely space and I'm beginning to get used to all electric!

That's all for now.  See you soon.

Feathered friends ....

...  One of the good things that has come out of the move to the US, is that I've had a good sort through my craft stash and I've rediscovered stash that has been very sadly neglected.  My Cuttlebug embossing folders fall firmly into that category - and I don't know why because I really like to see embossing on cards.  So I've had a play this afternoon and made a card for this week's CAS-ual Fridays - CFC52 challenge, where the team would like us to feature our feathered friends.  The Design Team have come up with some super inspirational cards.

I have a fondest for owls - I like their big eyes.  Owls are traditionally associated with the Greek Goddess Athena, as well as being a symbol for wisdom, intelligence, protection, secrets and mysticism.  I embossed my owl and flourish directly onto the card base and added some shading with chalks.  I finished off with a simple, and appropriate, sentiment.  I think this is a card for my stash!

Stamps:  Studio G - Clear Sentiments (VS4911)
Inks: Memento - Toffee Crunch
Accessories:  Provocraft - Owl Flourish Embossing Folder; Pebbles Inc Chalks; Card from stash

I've had a really productive day and got lots of housework done this morning, while it was still reasonably cool.  This afternoon, as well as managing to get some time in my craft room, I did a bit of sorting at my office desk.  From the window I can see this lovely fir tree - it's wonderful to sit here and watch the birds - I'll try and get some photos.

That's all for now - Jonathan will be home soon, so I'd better do and get dinner sorted.  See you soon.

Mother's Day .....

.... I had such a lovely day yesterday.  I was woken up when Kathryn and Jonathan came up stairs with breakfast for me - I had it in bed!!!  Toast and coffee, and a lovely card from Kathryn.  She used some stencil kits that she had and coloured the elements with my favourite colours.  It's lovely and has pride of place by my bed.

After breakfast we decided to visit Detroit Zoo - we were planning to visit earlier but didn't because of bed weather.  However, yesterday was great.  It started off a bit grey, but was warm and by lunchtime was really warm and bright.  We like to visit zoos - they is always so much to see and photograph.

We started off by visiting the Amphibian House - I adore little frogs and particularly like the brightly coloured poison-dart frogs that come from South America.  They had lots of exhibits, but they weren't always easy to see.  I think half the fun is trying to find the frogs in amongst the greenery!  I did manage to get one decent photo.

The Zoo has lots of peacocks and I think it must be breeding season as the males were really showing off their tail feathers.  They were truly beautiful - but very, very loud!  I took quite a lot of photos of the peacocks.

While there we also saw the tiger, penguins,monkeys, zebra and polar bears.  The polar bears look totally out of place surrounded by green grass, but they did seem to enjoy the sunshine.  I've put up some selected photos on Facebook - here.  It was a lovely way to spend Mother's Day.  That's all for now.

CR84FN54 ....

.... The month is going by so quickly and it's already time for our new CR84FN challenge.  For the next two weeks we have some gorgeous cool colours to play with - mint, blue and neutral - I can't wait to see your creations using our CR84FN54 colours.  The photos are courtesy of Style Me Pretty - a wonderful wedding photography blog!

I took that lovely flowers are the inspiration for my card, but I've kept it really clean and simple - using the layout from the current Clean & Simple - FTL189 sketch.  I used Spellbinders Labels Three and Island Indigo (blue) and Pool Party (mint) (this year's "in-colours" from Stampin' Up) to create the focal image.  The sentiment was stamped in Pool Party and I finished off with a pretty flower.

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Compact Sentiments
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Pool Party
Spellbinders: Labels Three (S4-189) #3
Accessories:  Stampin' Up! Pin Pricking Guide; Petaloo Flower; Card from stash

For more inspirational cards with these fabulous colours, click on the links below to check out the Design Team cards:

Mona Pendleton, Sue Lelli, Andrea Matthews, Pauline Pollington, Suzanne Czosek, Heather Jensen, Lisa Somerville, Shannon White 

In the US it's Mother's Day today.  I know that in the UK we have already celebrated, but as we're here - I'm hoping that I get just a bit spoilt today :)  So if you're a Mum I hope you are spoilt too.  And if you're lucky enough to have your Mum with you - then send her some love too!  Have a great day.