Happy Birthday ....

... Hello again!  I'm on a bit of a roll - I've managed to post everyday this week - well so far!  I've another birthday card to share with you this morning - lots of my friends and family have birthdays in June and July - I need lots!  I used a few challenges to make this one:

• Muse Challenge - MUSE20
• Additcted to CAS - ATCAS14
• Create for Fun - CR84FN58

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Lacy & Lovely, Sassy Salutations, Delightful Dozen
Inks: SU - Daffodil Delight, Real Red
Accessories: SU Card - Real Red, SU DP - Daffodil Delight; Gems; Gingham Ribbon; White Lustre Card

Laurie's card - MUSE20 - so pretty

The Muse this week is Laurie Willison - I really like her card, so fresh and pretty.  I decided to use Laurie's layout and I changed up the colours (revisiting an old favourite from Create for Fun; red, yellow and natural) and used different stamps.  The cue word at ATCAS is circles - and I think I've a few in this card!

I made the card base from SU Real Red card and cut a mats in SU design paper Daffodil Delight and White Lustre.  I stamped this pretty lacy flower in yellow, added a bold sentiment in red and finished the front with some gems and a pretty gingham ribbon.  For the inside I cut another couple of mats and stamped a fun sentiment.

Before I go, I'd like to welcome a couple of new followers - so pleased you joined me - HELLO to Beverley and Renee!

That's all for today - hope you all have a good one.  See you soon.

CR84FN70 - Welcome Baby ....

.... Sadly, this is the last CR84FN challenge.  The challenge has been running for two years and I've the privilege and pleasure of being on the team from the start.  I've been able to work with a hugely talented group of ladies and I'd like to thank Mona for inviting me to join her in this venture.  Now it's time to move on to new challenges and opportunities, but in the meantime, here's my last card for CR84FN70 with our pretty colours of Aqua, Tan and Light Yellow.  This week I've made a new baby card - I don't have any in my stash and these colours are just right for a baby card.

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Gingham & Co; Stampin' Up! - Bundle of Love, Classic Stars (discontinued)
Inks: Memento - London Fog; Distress - Squeezed Lemonade
Dies: Spellbinders - Lacy Circles (S4-293) #4, Standard Circles Sm (S4-116) #6; Cuttlebug - Welcome Baby
Accessories: SU Card - Crumb Cake; Cuttlebug EF - Swiss Dots; Promarkers - Cool Aqua, Soft Lime, Pastel Beige, Khaki; Ribbon and white card from stash

I used Crumb Cake to make the card base and the lacy circle.  I created my own background paper using a mixture of stamps from Stampin' Up! and Waltzingmouse.  I added a touch of colour to the stars and the tiny baby elements.  I cut a plain white circle, added some colour while still in the die and then embossed the dots.  I finished off by added this sweet little onesie and sentiment.  The ribbon was originally white but , using my Promarkers, I coloured it to match the onesie.  I decorated the inside too - but kept it really simple.

For the layout I used this week's sketch at Mojo Monday - MOJO276, and I'm also submitting this card to the Moxie Fab World: 75 Creative Card Challenge to make my own background paper - MFCCC#49.  This is the first time I've submitted any card to a Moxie Fab challenge - don't know why!  For more inspirational cards using our fabulous CR84FN70 colours - click on the links on my sidebar or go directly to the CR84FN blog.

Before I go I'd like to thank Lisa for her wonderful creations as our Guest Designer for January.

That's all for now - I'm looking forward to checking our your creations.  Have a super day!

CR84FN70 - Happy Birthday ....

.... so, we're well into January now - hope all is going well for you.  Today is a special day for me - my son is 17 years old!!  But more of Ben later.  It is time for our new challenge - CR84FN70 - we have some lovely fresh colours for you to play with - Aqua, Tan and Lt Yellow - so pretty.

Love these photos - I seem to remember learning to touch-type on a manual!!!  No, don't ask how long ago!!  The photos are courtesy of Kate Grewal Photography - I've just lost half an hour checking out her photos - they're fab!

I've used these colours to make a birthday card for my niece Anne - she actually had her birthday on Friday 11th, and I made this card just before Christmas (had to get it ready to take to the UK)!  The middle photo with the flowers was the inspiration, except I made my flower yellow.  Here's Anne's card:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Camellia, Woodgrain; Hobby Art - Happy Birthday Sentiment
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Pool Party, Crumb Cake; Memento - London Fog
Dies: Spellbinders - Lotus Pendant (S4-269), Circles Lg (S4-114) #5
Accessories:  Stampin' Up! Card - Crumb Cake; Papermania Design Paper; Craft Concepts EF - Woodgrain; White Lustre card; Promarkers - Lemon, Primrose, Soft Lime, Soft Green, Pastel Green

I got the idea for the hexagon background from Anya Schrier's cards here.  I used my stamp-a-ma-jig to position the hexagons.  Next I cut the Lotus doily from some very old, but just the right colours, design paper in my stash.  I cut a plain white circle, embossed it with a woodgrain folder and highlighted the embossing by rubbing with Crumb Cake ink.  I stamped the largest camellia flower and leaves in London Fog onto plain white card, coloured with Promarkers and then cut them out.  I adhered the elements to the doily circle with dimensional glue - the camellia has three layers.  I finished the front with a clean and elegant birthday sentiment.  I decorated the inside with a simple outline of the flower and some leaves.

For more inspiration from the team - click on the links below or go to the CR84FN blog:

Mona Pendleton, Andrea Mathews,  Heather Jensen, Helen Berry, Joanne Basile, Jody Morrow, Lisa Henke, Mackie Robertson, Pauline Pollington, Shannon White, Sue Lelli  and Vickie Zimmer.

I look forward to seeing your crafting creations with our wonderful colours.

Edited to add - we are take a spring break after CR84FN70 and will return on Sunday 24th March with CR84FN71.

At the start of this post I told you that it's Ben's birthday today - well check back later to see his card!  See you soon.

CR84FN69 - Thank You ....

..... Hi, it's week two for CR84FN69 with our lovely colours of raspberry, lavender and a neutral.  I almost didn't make this card - we've had a long holiday and I completely lost track of time!!  After Christmas and the New Year, we all need Thank You cards, so that's what I've made.

Stamps:  CAS-ual Friday - Truth Is, Big Thanks
Inks: Distress - Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord; Memento - Tuxedo Black
Dies: Spellbinders - Pinking Circles Sm (S4-172) #5
Accessories: Papermania DP - Creative Tones Raspberry; Staedler - Aquarelle Pencils; Organza ribbon and card from stash

This card came together really quickly.  Some pretty paper for the background, a simple square of raspberry card onto which I stamped thank you around the edges and the main focal image of pretty flowers.  I used my stamp-a-ma-jig to position the sentiments.  I stamped the flowers onto white card, cut them out with the pinking circle and inked the edges while in the die.  I coloured the flowers with my Aquarelle pencils and adhered them with dimensional tape.

I'm submitting this card to the following challenges:

• Mojo Monday - MOJO274
• CASology - CAS25 where the cue word is NEW
• CAS-ual Fridays - CFC84 - where the team would like us to make thank you cards

You might be wondering how this fits with the CASology cue word NEW - well the stamps I used are new and just lovely too!  And I've obviously gone for the square sketch from Mojo Monday!!  Here's a close up of the pretty flowers - so pleased how they turned out!

For more inspiration with our fabulous colours from the team - click on the links in my sidebar or visit the CR84FN blog.  Before I go I must welcome Lisa Snowdy of Adventures in Paperland as our Guest Designer for January - so glad to have you join the team.

That's all for now - looking forward to seeing more of your lovely projects with these fab colours!!  See you soon.

CR84FN68 - May your Holidays Sparkle ....

.... Can you believe it's December!!!  Where has this year gone?  The up side is that it's time for my second card with our gorgeous CR84FN68 colours of burgundy, grey (silver) and cream.

Stamps: My Favourite Things - Seasonal Sentiments: Stampin' Up! - Serene Snowflakes
Inks: Versamark; Stampin' Up! - Bravo Burgundy
Die: Memory Box - Winterland Tree
Accessories:  SU Card - Bravo Burgundy; Cream lustre card; Silver embossing powder

I cut a panel of Bravo Burgundy card onto which I stamped the sentiment and a variety of snowflakes in Versamark and then heat embossed them all with silver powder.  I then mounted the panel onto a cream card base.  I cut the pretty scroll tree with my new Memory Box die (it's been out for a while, but I only just got it).  A tip when cutting with such an intricate die is to use a piece of wax paper between the card and die; it makes getting the little bits out so much easier.  For the inside I simply stamped a bold Christmas sentiment.

Photo Credit

For more inspirational cards from the team either click on the links in my side bar or go directly to the CR84FN blog.

Edited to say that you have plenty of time to play along with these fabulous colours - the challenge has been extended and now closes on Wednesday 12th December.  And check out the CR84FN blog to see details of a prize - you must make sure to follow the guidelines! 

We are taking a break for the rest of the month for the holiday season - not only do we have to prepare for Christmas, but we want to have time to join in all the fun and games too!  We'll be back on Sunday 30th December with CR84FN69.

CR84FN68 - Merry Christmas ....

....   where has the time gone this year?  We're almost at the end of November and it's time for our last CR84FN challenge of the year - CR84FN68.  For the next week and a half our colours are the fabulously rich - burgundy, grey (or silver) and cream.   And aren't those photos just stunning?  Photos courtesy of Kate MacPherson.

I have finished all my UK cards - they are in a parcel on the way to my Mum's place - she's going to post them on.  But I've still got some cards to make for my American friends and these colours are just perfect.  Here's my card:

Stamps: My Favourite Things - Stitched Stockings, Seaonal Sentiments; Waltzingmouse - Vintage Labels 25
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Bravo Burgundy; Versamark; Stazon - Jet Black
Dies:  Spellbinders - Labels 25 (S5-077) #4, Die-namics - Stocking Trio
Accessories:  Stampin' Up! Card - Bravo Burgundy; Papermania Signature Vellum - Silver; Silver embossing powder; Cream Lustre card from Stampeddlar

Aren't these stockings just fabulous?  They are so easy to make - I cut the stockings with Die-namic dies and then stamped the coordinating images.  I stamped the little buttons and heart again and embossed them with silver as accent details.  I made the card base from SU Bravo Burgundy adding snowflake vellum for the base layer.  I stamped the ornate frame in Versamark, heat embossed with silver powder, then cut it out with the matching Spellbinder die.  I attached some thread to make a line and then hung the stockings with little pegs.  I finished off with a simple sentiment and some tiny grey pearl accents!  I decorated the inside too, but kept it simple with a bold sentiment in burgundy on cream.

For more inspirational cards with these lovely colours click on the links below, in my sidebar or go directly to our blog.

Mona Pendleton, Andrea Mathews,  Heather Jensen, Helen Berry, Joanne Basile, Jody Morrow, Lisa Henke, Mackie Robertson, Pauline Pollington, Shannon White, Sue Lelli  and Vickie Zimmer.

Have fun with these colours - I did!!  I look forward to seeing your creations.

As I mentioned earlier, this is our last challenge for 2012 - submissions close on Wednesday 5th December.  We are have a short break so that we can enjoy the run up to Christmas and get ready for it all!!  We will return on 30th December with CR84FN69.  See you soon.

CR84FN67 - Merry Christmas ....

.... Wow, time has gone by so quickly this week, here's my third card with our fabulous CR84FN67 colours of plum, gold and tan.

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Compliements of the Season II; Creative Expressions - Holly
Inks: Distress - Antique Linen, Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord; Stampin' Up! - Perfect Plum, Crumb Cake
Spellbinders: Lotus Pendant (S4-269)
Accessories:  Kanban Card; Gold foiled card from stash

Going through my Kanban stash, I found this pretty Christmas tree with baubles and parcels in various shades of plum and purple.  I mounted the cut image onto a gold doily - giving the impression of a multi-point star!  I created the background by shading with distress inks leaving a softer colour towards the centre of the card.  I stamped the holly branches in Crumb Cake to give a subtle pattern and finished off with a simple sentiment.  I haven't done the inside yet!

I was having so much fun with these colours that I made another card!

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Compliements of the Season II, Yonder Star
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Crumb Cake, Perfect Plum
Accessories:  Kanban Card; SU Card - Crumb Cake

I had some of this lovely gold foiled holly paper left from my card last week so decided to use it up.  I cut a mat in Crumb Cake and adhered the holly paper.  In my Kanban stash, I found this pretty decoupage image - the colours were perfect for the challenge and made another Christmas card for my collection.  The greeting was part of the kit.

As there was no stamping at all on the front of the card, I decided to decorate the inside.  I used my new Waltzingmouse set, Yonder Star - it is simply so beautiful.  I stamped the outline star in Crumb Cake and then stamped this fun sentiment - love the font!  This is such a pretty clean and simple design that I'm going to use it on a set of cards.

Photo Credit

For more inspiration from the team click on the links in my sidebar or go directly to the CR84FN blog.  That's all for now - see you soon.

CR84FN67 - Merry Christmas ...

.... I really love our CR84FN67 colours of plum, gold and tan - they are just perfect for making elegant Christmas cards.  Here's another that I made yesterday afternoon.

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Vintage Christmas Background, Nordic Winter
Inks: Memento - Sweet Plum; Distress - Dusty Concord, Milled Lavender, Antique Linen
Accessories:  Gold card, gold embossing powder, Gems and card from stash

This is another of the new background stamps from Waltzingmouse - it is so easy to use, and so pretty too.  I layered it on some gold foil card.  Next I stamped the baubles in Versamark and heat embossed with gold powder.  I really like the trio of baubles, but I don't know which company made the stamp; if you know - let me know!  I used my aqua pen and distress inks to colour the ornaments, adding a few gems for sparkle.  I mounted it on to more of the gold card.  I finished with a simple sentiment.

There's still plenty of time to join in with the CR84FN67 challenge.  I have another card to share on Sunday!  Bye for now!

CR84FN67 - We've got news for you ....

.... Welcome to CR84FN67.  Not only do we have the most gorgeous colours for you to play with, but we have a new team too!  Please join me in welcoming Helen Berry, Vickie Zimmer, Jody Morrow, Joanne Basile, Mackie Robinson and Lisa Henke to the team.  So excited to be working with these ladies;  the inspiration board is looking so pretty!!

Photos courtesy - Kate Robinson Photography

As always, the photos in our colour graphic are really gorgeous and the quote this week is fabulous.  As soon as I saw these colours I thought of a rich, gold Christmas bauble - here's what I made.

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Nordic Winter, Nutcracker Sweet, 2011 Holiday Ornaments, Christmas Cottage

Inks: Stampin' Up! - Crumb Cake, Elegant Eggplant; Distress - Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord

Spellbinders: 2011 Heirloom Ornaments (S4-334) # 2 & 3, Labels 15 (S4-291) #5, Picot Edged Circles (S4-345) #3

Accessories:  SU Card - Crumb Cake; Kanban Card - various; Card from stash

I used this week's sketch at Mojo Monday - MOJO266 for the layout of the card.  I bet we all have a stash of card that we sort of horde!!  Well, I do and I've decided that I really must start to use it all up!  I have a large collection of Kanban card - they specialise in the most gorgeous foiled card and paper - I've used some here!!

I used kraft card to make the fishtail pennants - stamping patterns from Nordic Winter in matching ink. I cut a panel of the gorgeous purple and gold Kanban sentiment card; for a change the photo really catches the shine and colour.  The square(ish) panel is another piece of Kanban card, cut with one of the shaped label dies.  I stamped the bauble in Versamark, heat embossed with detail gold powder, cut out with Spellbinders die and while still in the die added colour with distress inks; a beautiful gold and purple bauble mounted onto a pretty kraft doily.  I finished off by stamping an accent bauble in purple and added a sentiment.  I decorated the inside too with a really simple greeting.

For more inspiration with our fabulous CR84FN67 colours of plum, gold and tan - click on the links below or go to the blog:

Mona Pendleton, Andrea Mathews,  Heather Jensen, Helen Berry, Joanne Basile, Jody Morrow, Lisa Henke, Mackie Robertson, Pauline Pollington, Shannon White, Sue Lelli  and Vickie Zimmer.

That's all for now - I'm looking forward to seeing all the gorgeous creations with these colours!  See you soon.

CR84FN66 - You're My Star ....

.... Here I am with my second card using our CR84FN66 colours of grey, tan and cream.  I've gone for a very contemporary, graphic look this time - a complete contrast to last week's card!

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Off Beat Backgrounds, Seasons of Love - Tags; Stampin' Up - Word Play
Inks: Memento - London Fog; Stampin' Up! - Crumb Cake
Spellbinders: Stars (S4-092) #1, 3 and5
Accessories:  Kanban Design Paper - Platinum Collection; SU Card - Crumb Cake; Card from stash

I made this one for my son Ben.  I like to send him a card every couple of weeks, just so that he remembers we are here!!  I think being on the other side of the Atlantic he tends to forget us, or maybe it's just a teenage thing :)  Ben is at college and working on several A level courses and sometimes he needs a bit of encouragement - I added a sentiment inside which I hope will inspire him.

I used another sheet of paper from the Kanban Platinum collection to make the backing layer and a couple of the stars.  I really like this chevron stamp - just great for a guy card.  I started by stamping the grey set, followed by Crumb Cake and then the light grey, which is the second impression of London Fog.  I cut the stars with my Spellbinders and stamped the Crumb Cake star with polka dots to add interest.  I finished off the front of the card with this sentiment - a perfect match.

For more inspiration cards from the Design Team - check out the CR84FN blog or click on the links in my side bar.  That's all for now.  Have a great day.

CR84FN66 - Together Always .....

... Can you believe that it's almost the end of October - this month has flown by.  The upside is that it's time for our new CR84FN66 challenge.  I think our colours are really beautiful - grey, tan and cream.  The inspiration photos are courtesy of  Magnolia Rouge and are just gorgeous.  And isn't that quote from Dr Seuss just brilliant?

My card could be for a wedding or for an anniversary - I opted for a really luxurious look.

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Florentine Frippery, Vintage Labels 25, Fancy Phrases
Inks: Versamark; Stampin' Up! - Crumb Cake
Spellbinders: Labels 25 (S5-077) # 3 and 4
Accessories:  Kanban Design Paper - Platinum Collection; Embossing powder - clear and silver; Ribbon and card from stash

I've had this Kanban paper in my stash for ages and decided that it was time to use some.  I love the combination of grey with silver flourishes - very elegant and the perfect background for my card.  I stamped the bottom layer of the frame in Versamark, heat embossed with detail silver powder and then cut it out with the matching die.  The top layer was stamped in Versamark and Crumb Cake and heat embossed with clear powder and die cut.  Then I stamped the sentiment "Together Always".  I used dimensional tape to adhere the smaller label to the base label.  I attached some cream satin ribbon to the card and then attached the label.  I finished off with a little satin bow - I actually made one that looks decent!!!  Oh yes, I added a few pearls too.

For more inspiration using our CR84FN66 colours, click on the links below or go directly to the CR84FN blog.

Mona Pendleton, Sue Lelli, Pauline Pollington, Heather Jensen, Andrea Matthews and Shannon White.

We will be having a quiet day today, just chilling together.  Whatever you plan to do today, enjoy!  See you soon.