What's the buzz? ...

....  Hello!!  I managed to get an hour in my craft room yesterday afternoon - so nice to sit in the warm!!  This card is one of the stash that I use for my friends in the UK, to give and get news!

Stamps: Inkadinkadoo - Morphic Bugs; Paper Smooches - Cyber Cafe
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Stazon - Jet Black; Stampin' Up! - Garden Green, Summer Starfruit
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Summer Starfruit; Vellum; Clear Embossing Powder

I used the sketch from this week's Just Us Girls Challenges - JUGS#222 and the colours from Dynamic Duos - DD#85.

I made the card from Summer Starfruit; I wasn't sure about this colour when it first came out, but now I really love it!  I cut a panel of white card and adhered it to the base.  Next I cut the vellum to size and stamped the butterfly image in Versafine and embossed with clear powder.  Next I sponged on both Summer Starfruit and Garden Green inks and then cut the panel into three.  I finished the front with a fun sentiment.  Inside I cut a panel of white card and stamped some butterflies.

I almost didn't post this card - the idea was a good one, but I don't think it quite works!  That's all for today.  I've a lot to do today - I have to drive into Northville, not something I'm looking forward to.  Hopefully, the roads will be much clearer by now and not too icy!  And I really do have to get on with some ironing - I didn't do any over the holidays and the pile I have now is quite high.  Hey ho!  See you soon.

A couple of cards ....

...  I've very late getting around to this week's CASology - CAS7 challenge, where the cue word is GREEN.  As green is probably my most favourite colour, I had to play along.  My immediate thought when I saw the cue word was FROG and then PRINCE - and the rest was easy.

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Heroines - Fairy Princess, WMS set from Help for Katie
Inks:  Distress - Peeled Paint, Bundled Sage; Memento - Tuxedo Black
Spellbinders:  Postage Stamps (S4-348) #3
Accessories:  Card from stash

I made the sentiment by editing one of the sentiment's Claire Brennan made for the Help for Katie set and printing it onto white card.  I love the postage stamp die and used the middle size to cut out a square, inked the edges and then stamped this cute Frog Prince in the centre.  I coloured the frog with Promarkers and used a Sakura Stardust pen to add some shimmer to the Prince's crown.  This is a small square card - 4" x 4".  And this card is for my very own Frog Prince - my darling husband Jonathan.

My second card is for two challenges:

• Colour Q - cQc151 - bright, vibrant colours
• Less is More - LIM82 - recipe: 3-2-1

I used my Promarkers to make colour gradients in the Colour Q shades and then stamped on the "bugs".  I don't have any goggle eyes, so I stamped the eyes again on white card, cut them out and attached them to each bug.    The Less is More recipe is 3 - colours, 2 - words in the sentiment and 1 - embossing folder to represent "spots" - as in chicken pox!!!  I love these Paper Smooch stamps - they're such fun!  I'm on a bit of a square thing at the moment; this is much bigger than the first card at 5¼" x 5¼".

Stamps:  Paper Smooches - Healthy Vibes

Inks:  Memento - Tuxedo Black

Accessories:  Promarkers (to match the ColourQ colours), Cuttlebug embossing folder; Card from stash

We have decided to have a very lazy weekend - still recovering from our holiday in California!!  Jonathan is catching up on UK football, Kathryn has been playing on the PC and I've had fun in my craft room.  I intend to play some more too!  Do check back tomorrow for my latest CR84FN61 card - the colours are lovely.  Have a super weekend.

Retro doodling ....

... here's a one layer card for two challenges:

• Less is More - LIM63 where we have to include doodling on a one layer card
• Colour Q - cQc133 - with some fabulous retro colours

My card is really simple - I used some of my new stamps from Paper Smooches.  I've seen these TVs used on other cards and I think they're great.  I like the retro shape of this TV and I think it works really well with these colours.  I stamped and embossed the TV giving a lovely defined finish.  I coloured the legs and stripe grey and used the bold yellow and orange to colour the major features.  The sentiment was made by stamping and colouring the heart, and then handwriting the letters!!  I also doodled the TV cable (based very much on one of the stamps in the set).  I finished off by adding the TV antennae and some doodled lines.  I think I'm going to post this card to Ben - just because I love him!  And I miss him too - hopefully he'll come over to visit us in the Summer.

Stamps:  Paper Smooches - Boob Tubes

Inks: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Versamark; Stampin' Up! Pens - Basic Grey, Tangerine Tango (don't have Dusty Durgango), More Mustard, Basic Black

Accessories:  Card from stash

I really have to say thank you very much for the lovely comments that have been left recently - particularly a big thanks to those welcoming us to our new life in the US.  It's a huge change of life, but such a wonderful opportunity.  With our goods being delivered tomorrow and Friday I'm really beginning to feel at home.  Only need a car now!!

Just before I go - a quick revision.  On Sunday I told you that we'd planned to visit the Zoo, but instead we ended up visiting the Henry Ford Museum.  It's a magnificent place and absolutely HUGE!  We decided that it would be worth while to take out annual membership - we will be visiting again and again!!  That's all for today.  Hope everyone is well.  See you tomorrow.