Smile - it's your birthday ....

.... Good morning - can you believe, it's 1st May!!  I must thank everyone for the really lovely comments you've been leaving recently - I am always so pleased to know that people do take the time to stop by and leave a message for me - thank you all.

Today I have a birthday card to share with you.  It's the card I made for Jonathan's birthday yesterday.  I saw the sketch at Seize the Sketch - STS#19 on Tuesday evening and decided it would be perfect for Jonathan's card.  Here's the card:

Stamps: There She Goes - Oh Snap; Clearly Besotted - Many Messages
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Pool Party, So Saffron, Pear Pizzazz, Pirouette; Memento - Tuxedo Black; Versafine - Onyx Black
Dies: Lil' Inkers - Stitched Rectangles #5
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Kaisercraft DP - Happy Snaps; Copics; Clear Embossing Powder

Last week, while browsing in Stampeddler, I came across this pack of design paper from Kaisercraft based on a photography/film theme; I had to get it as I knew it would be perfect for anything for Jonathan.  I turned the sketch on its side as it works better for the card.  I covered the card base with a sheet of design paper; I like the different colour film strips.  Next I used a die to cut the central panel and stamped overlapping images of different cameras and a film strip, I used pastel colours based on the backing paper.  I stamped the sentiment in Versafine ink and heat embossed with clear powder.  I stamped the big camera onto white card and used Copics to colour; it's a really funky camera!  I adhered the scallop border and then the birthday panel.  The camera was attached with dimensional tape.  I finished the front with a little date taken label - 30th April - Jonathan's birthday.  On the inside I used another sheet of design paper for the mat and added a tag from the paper stack, attaching it with a stamped tack! 

Sorry about the quality of the photos!  I didn't get the card finished until late on Tuesday evening, and then yesterday morning was really wet, so I had to do the best I could with my craft light.  I'll try for a better photo tomorrow.

I don't think I'm going to get chance to make a card today or tomorrow - busy with party preparations and just spending time with Mum, but do drop by on Saturday for our new challenges at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown and Waltzingmouse Fanatics!  Bye for now!

ASM - Make Your Mark ...

... Evening everyone!!!  You really enjoyed our Anything Goes theme last week - so many gorgeous submissions.  This week's challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More! is Make Your Mark.  That means your project must contain the use of markers - Copics, Promarkers, Distress - your choice!  Once again our sponsor is A Random Fan who produce some seriously cute images and the winner of this week's challenge will get a prize from them.  I've used one of my favourite images on my card:

Stamps: A Random Fan Digi - Dino Boy; PTI - Phrase Play #2
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black
Dies: Spellbinders - Reverse Wonky Rectangle (S4-307) #5; PTI - Sketched Stars
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Kaisercraft DP - Suga Pop; Copics

I used the sketch from this week's Seize the Sketch - STS#18 for the layout.  I printed the image onto white card, cut it out with my Spellbinder die and then coloured with Copics.  I used the pointillism technique on the dino costume as it makes it look like scales.  I covered the card base with a couple of different papers, adding a scalloped border across the middle.  I stamped a bold and simple sentiment on the front and added a star, cut from another piece of coordinating paper.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of design paper and a panel of white card which is blank for a message.  I have to say that I love this image!

For more inspiration card using markers - check out the cards from the rest of the team.  Looking forward to seeing your cards!  Bye for now.

Waltzingmouse Pajama Party ....

... this is going to be a quick post with a card for the Waltzingmouse Pajama Party Use Dies challenge:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Funky Flowers; Stampin' Up! - Delightful Dozen
Inks: SU - Elegant Eggplant, Perfect Plum, Crushed Curry
Dies: Spellbinders - Lacey Circle (S4-293) #4; WMS - Funky Flowers; Die-namics - Fishtail Flags Stax #3
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU DP - Perfect Plum; SU Card - Elegant Eggplant; Twinkling H2Os - English Lavender, French Lilac, Egyptian Gold; Gem; Vellum

I've used the colours for CAS - Colours & Sketches - CASC&S#64 and the layout from Seize the Sketch - STS#15. After I'd made the photo frame I had some die cut flowers left over, so I decided to make a Mother's Day card.  Mother's Day is on 30th March in the UK, so I need to get a couple of cards made.    I also realised that my previous submission for CAS - Colours & Sketches didn't fit the rules - they only have cards, not 3D projects!!  I really should read the rules more carefully.  I've not done the inside yet, but I'll add that tomorrow.

That's all for this evening.  I'm off to get a coffee and finish of checking out all the submissions for the Waltzingmouse Pajama Party!  See you soon.

Family Christmas cards ....

....  Hello everyone, time for another scheduled post.   I do hope that you all had a super day yesterday.  Today I can share with you the cards I made for my family.  First, the card I made for Jonathan:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Festive Foliage; Stampin' Up! - Christmas Messages
Inks: SU - Cherry Cobbler, Pistachio Pudding, Pink Pirouette
Dies: WMS - Mistletoe Dies
Accessories:  White Lustre Card; SEI DP - Berry Melody; SU Card - Pistachio Pudding

I made this card just before we flew back to the UK.  When I saw the sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch! - CTS#58 - I knew that I had the layout.  Jonathan likes the colours red and green and in my stash of papers I found this lovely sheet of stylised snowflakes and used that for the background.  In the sketch there is some holly; in my card I opted for some mistletoe - appropriate for my husband!  And the sentiment is just perfect (and part of the reason I got this set).  I stamped the mistletoe and berries onto white card and cut them out with the matching dies - thank you Claire!  For the inside I cut a mat layer of pale green card and on the white panel stamped some more mistletoe hanging down and the partner to the sentiment above.

Next up is Kathryn's card - again I made it just before we left the States.

Stamps: Funstamps - Scribble Snowman; My Favourite Things - Ornament Banner Builder
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Melon Mambo, Island Indigo
Dies: Die-namics - Ornament Banner, Fishtail Flags Layers Stax #2, Fishtail Flags Stax #2
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Melon Mambo; Glitter Paper; Promarkers and Copics

For the layout I used the sketch from Seize the Sketch - STS#10, sadly I'm too late to submit the card, but I love the layout.  I made a really bright, vibrant card.  I made the base from Melon Mambo and cut a panel of white glitter card - to suggest a field of snow.  I used my all time favourite snowman stamp, colouring the image with a mixture of Promarkers and Copics.  I die cut the ornament banner and stamped on the snowflake ornaments.  I finished the front with a clean, simple and bold sentiment.  For the inside I simply cut a white panel and stamped another snowman - he's much more subtle inside!  I think the sentiment is totally appropriate for our girl.

And last, but by now means least, the card we gave to Ben.  You saw this one yesterday.  I made it last Friday, day we flew back to the UK.  I'd chatted, via Facebook, with Ben in the morning and he told me he hadn't received the card we posted to him.  I couldn't leave him without a card.

Details for the Santa card are on yesterday's post.  Below is the card we sent to Ben at the beginning of November, but didn't get to him. I actually made this as my card for 52CCT at the beginning of August - if you click the link you'll find all the details there.  I had originally thought it was going to be for Jonathan, but actually it works perfectly for our boy too!!

That's all for now - our Boxing day plans include playing games, chatting, eating and drinking - a perfect way to spend the day!

A simple thanks ....

... Good morning!  It's snowing, fortunately not much though!  Just a quick post this morning with another thank you - this time of year you always need a good supply! 

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Festive Foliage, Join Us
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Garden Green, Soft Suede
Dies: WMS - Pine Cones Dies; Spellbinders - Pinking Circles Lg (4-170) #5
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU DP - Garden Green; Martha Stewart Coarse Glitter; SU Markers - Garden Green, Always Artichoke, Gumball Green, Wild Wasabi, Early Espresso, Soft Suede, Cajun Craze

First of all - sorry about the photos - quite dark here this morning, so I've had to take this on my desk and I always seem to get them a bit lopsided!!  I used a few challenges to make this card:

• The Paper Players - PP#174 where the theme is "Evergreen"
• Seize the Sketch - SS#9
• Less is More - LIM148 - they have a GD, Gillian, and the theme "Sparkle" is in honour of her blog

The evergreen theme was the prompt for the card, and gave me the chance to use my lovely new Waltzingmouse Dies - Claire has lots of lovely new dies in her shop.  I cut a panel of white card, slightly smaller than the base and cut out the pinking circle and glued the panel to some green design paper.  I stamped the branch and pine cones onto some scrap card.  I coloured the stamp with lots of markers and then sprayed some water into the air and passed the inked image through the droplets - this gives a lovely soft image when stamped on the paper.  I cut out the stamped image and added a touch of glitter - to suggest frost.  I adhered the branch to the card with dimensional tape.  I was going to have just the sentiment at the bottom, but I added a fallen pine cone, also glittered.  The inside has a mat layer of green and a plain white panel for my message.  I think you can see the glitter sparkle above, however, I've added a photo to show the sparkle.  Deliberately blurred so that you can see the shimmer.

That's all for now - off to do housy stuff again!  It never ends!!!  See you later.

Thankful & blessed ....

.... I think that sums up my feeling about my life!  And it's a wonderful sentiment to have on the front of my Thanksgiving card:

Stamps: CAS-ual Friday Stamps - Amber Waves
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Crushed Curry, Pumpkin Pie, Rich Razzleberry
Accessories: SU Card - Bravo Burgundy, Crushed Curry; White Lustre Card; SU DP - Pumpkin Pie; SU Punch - Label Bracket; Cuttlebug EF - Autumn Type

This week's colours from Colour Q - cQc215 are just perfect for a Thanksgiving card - really warm and rich.  I used the layout from Seize the Sketch - STS#8.  I made the card base from Bravo Burgundy.  I embossed the white panel with Autumn Type - all the words are just great for the season.  I created the horizontal strip by cutting a mat layer in SU DP and making my own DP by stamping with Amber Waves.  I really like the sentiment.  I stamped the small bunch of corn onto white card and punched it out and made the backing mat by cutting a yellow mat in half and attaching to the back of the white panel.  I finished the inside with a white panel on which I stamped the large bunch of corn and a sentiment.

It's another nice morning here in Northville, and quite a bit warmer than recently.  That's all for today - do drop by tomorrow for the new challenges at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown and Waltzingmouse Fanatics!  See you then.

Blue lace .....

... that's what I thought of when I first saw the inspiration photo from The Ribbon Reel Challenge - RR65 - I think the teacup and saucer are just fab!  But I don't have any blue lace and could think what to do.  Browsing through my stamps I found Victorian Frippery and the long border - which is so pretty and exactly like lace!  For the layout I've used the sketch from the current Seize the Sketch - STS#7 challenge.  Here's my card:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Victorian Frippery, Camellia
Inks: Versamark; Stampin' Up! - Midnight Muse
Accessories:  White Lustre Card; SU Card - Midnight Muse; Gold Paper; Gold Ribbon, Gold Embossing Powder

I made the base from Midnight Muse card.  I stamped the lace border twice with first generation images and then again with the second generation - giving a subtle band.  I mounted the stamped panel onto some gold paper from my scrap bin and attached it to the card.  I cut a strip of white card onto which I stamped a simple sentiment , embossing the word "wonderful" with gold powder.  I added some more of the gold paper at the end of the strip and adhered it all to the card.  I finished with a strip of blue card around which I wrappe3d some gold ribbon and adhere with dimensional tape.  For the inside I cut a panel of white card and stamped the edge with blue lace.

I told you earlier that we were going to see Thor at the cinema this morning.  I'm not going to give anyway any spoilers - it's the usual good versus evil stuff, but such fun.  You must not leave the cinema before the end of the credits.  It was FABULOUS!!!  Great story, super effects - totally entertaining and well worth a trip to the movies. 

It was Guy Fawkes night on 5th November and in the UK this is celebrated with bonfires and lots of fireworks, sadly it's not something that is celebrated here in the US and I miss it.  However, this evening we're off to a bonfire party at a friend's house.  We won't be having any fireworks - as last year this attracted the local police (apparently not legal here), but we will have a small bonfire with guy and some sparklers!  Should be lots of fun!  That's all for now.  See you tomorrow.

ASM - Adventure ....

...  Good evening everyone!  Hope you've had a good day.  It's been rather cold here, but at least we've had some sunshine!  It's time for our new challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More! - ASM#68 - and we have some colours for you to play with - Black, Green and Mustard.  Here's my card:

 

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Gorgeous Grunge, Off the Grid; My Favourite Things - Hello My Name Is, Expand Your View

Inks: SU - Certainly Celery, More Mustard; Memento - Tuxedo Black

Dies: Die-namics - Fishtail Flags Layers Stax #4

Accessories:  White Lustre Card; SU DP - Certainly Celery; Project Life - Grid Journalling Card; Doodlebug Sprinkles; Black Card; Promarker - Honeycomb

When I saw our challenge graphic for the first time, I knew that I wanted to make a guy card.  I love More Mustard and Certainly Celery (both now discontinued).  I created the background by mixing stamps from Off the Grid and Gorgeous Grunge - sort of reminds me of my son's school books!!  I cut the flag from Certainly Celery design paper.  I made the sentiment by mixing stamps from Hello My Name Is and Expand Your View - both sets have some fab words.  I stamped them onto a grid journalling card, cut it down to size and then rounded two of the corners and layered it onto black card.  I finished the front with some enamel dots.  The inside is simply a repeat of the background, but created using second and third generation impressions - that way I can still write a message inside.  I used the layout from the current Seize the Sketch - STS#6 challenge.

 

Don't forget to check out the inspiration cards from the rest of the Design Team - we have a really mixed selection of cards for you - showing just how versatile the colours are!  That's all for now.  I'm off to do some more ironing - sadly that stuff never goes away ;)

The places you will go ....

.... Hello, I hope you're enjoying your weekend.  After a foggy start yesterday morning, the day turned out to be beautiful.  I managed to get Mum's birthday card posted and pick up Kathryn.  I had planned on spending yesterday with Kathryn, but she had a better offer from one of her friends; the upside is that I had all day to play.  So I've a card to share with you - one for my lovely boy, Ben, back in the UK:

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Ocean Bound, Safe Harbour Sentiments
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Tempting Turquoise; Versafine - Onyx Black; Versamark
Dies: Die-namics - Fishtail Flags Layers Stax #3, Jumbo Fishtail Banner Stax #3
Accessories:  SU Card - Tangerine Tango, Daffodil Delight; White Lustre Card; Couture Creations EF - World Map; SU Marker Pen - Tangerine Tango; Clear Embossing Powder; String

I used a few challenges to make this card:

• Colour Q - cQc210
• Seize the Sketch - STS#5
• The Male Room - TMR#6 - theme Transport and/or Travel

I've gone for a nautical theme on this card with a world map embossed on the card base and a sailing ship suggesting travel.  As you know I like to send Ben cards regularly to keep in touch (and remind him that we still exist!!) and sometimes to just inspire.  I think the sentiment on the banner is perfect as Ben has his whole life ahead of him and so much to do and see, and the verse inside echoes that feeling.  I die cut the flag banner, stamped the sentiment on the longer banner and attached them to the card.  I stamped the anchor onto white card, embossed with clear powder and cut it out.  I cut a little hole in the top and attached the rope (home made) and adhered it to the card with dimensional tape.  The ship was stamped onto white card, heat embossed, cut out and then I added just a touch of colour to suggest the sea and sky.  For the inside I made a made in yellow, stamped a verse and another ship image.  I edged the white panel with a marker for a bit more definition.  I did have to adapt the colours a bit as I don't have Dusty Durango - I used Tangerine Tango instead.

It's been really nice to have so much time in my craft room lately.  Kathryn has some school work today and I'll get a bit more time to play today before Jonathan gets back from San Francisco.  He's been travelling a bit recently Arizona the week before last and California last week - he should be home for a while now, which is good as I've missed him!  Bye for now!