Fall blessings ....

... Good morning all from a very grey and wet Northville - looks like summer might well be over now.  It's still warm, but the weather is perfect for staying in and playing in my craft room!  Lots of challenges are now focusing on Fall (autumn!!), and I've used three to make this card:

• Less is More - LIM84 where Chrissie & Mandi would like a one layer card featuring FOLIAGE
• OLW105 - Autumn - being hosted by Cheryl @ Paperie Journey
• Clean & Simple Stamping - FTL207 - lovely sketch

My first attempt at this card ended up in the bin!  I used post-it notes to mask off a panel, applied ink directly to an acrylic block and then stamped - it turned out really spotty and didn't work.  So I tried again, this time I used removable tape to mask off the panel and completely covered the card as I didn't want to get ink in the wrong place.  I used blending sponges to add three autumnal shades to the panel and then dropped spots of water onto the ink - I love the effect you get when you do this.  Once I removed the tape dried the card with my heat gun.  Then I stamped leaving falling down the panel and finished off with a simple sentiment.

Stamps:  See-Ds - Leaves #50052; Waltzingmouse - Peace & Plenty
Inks:  Distress - Spiced Marmalade, Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge, Vintage Photo
Accessories:  Card from stash; Removable tape

I'm really pleased with how well the blending tool works - better than my old way of using the sponges by hand.

Well, that's all for now.  I think I've had my time in the craft room and I'd better put the rest of the day to good use with ironing!  See you soon.

Time to fly ....

.....  this is a quick post for this week's CASology - CAS10 challenge.  The cue word is "sky" and I've really had a hard time with it.  I thought of clouds, balloons, planes - you know!  But I wanted to do something a bit different.  So I've taken a slightly Halloween approach to the card.  Do you remember the TV witch Samantha from Bewitched?  I always liked the idea of twitching my nose and getting the house sorted out.  And her she is - off to do some good somewhere.

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Gracie at Halloween, Midnight Feast
Inks:  Memento - Tuxedo Black; Distress - Tumbled Glass, Stormy Sky
Accessories:  Card form stash

I kept this really simple.  I stamped the witch image and then masked it, and simply added a touch of colour to suggest the night sky.  I finished with a simple sentiment.

Got to run now - we're off out for dinner.  See you soon.

Birthday wishes .....

.... Hi all - it's been another gorgeous day here in Northville and it looks like staying for a while.  I've made a birthday card for one of my friends in the UK.  I was having a really hard time thinking what to make - my mojo seems to have decided to take a holiday all of its own!!!  However, when I saw the colours from this week's Colour Q - cQc154 challenge I knew what I wanted to do.  I used this week's Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge - WMSC114 (designed by Anya Schrier) for the layout.

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Asian Garden
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Bravo Burgundy, So Saffron, Calypso Carol (substitute for Cameo Coral)
Spellbinders:  Lacey Circles (S4-293) #5
Accessories:  SU Ribbon (Old Olive); Dreamweaver Stencil LL3024, Card from stash

I really like this set, but for some reason don't use it very often, however it goes perfectly with this big sakura stencil.  I used So Saffron for the background pattern and wrapped ribbon around it before attaching to the card base.  I ran both the stencil and Spellbinder die through my bug and while the stencil was in place I inked the centre of the flower and used coral round the edge.  Next I stamped lots of little sakura flowers and cut them out.  I finished off with a simple birthday sentiment.

That's all for now.  See you soon.

CR84FN62 - Take two & Exciting news ....

.... Surprise!!!  We going up a bit early this week - we have news to share with you - see below!!  But first our colours for CR84FN62 are lavender, peach and a neutral - soft, pretty colours!  Perfect for a feminine birthday card.

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - French Country, Say it with Style; Sizzix/Hero Arts - Floral (657776)
Inks: Distress - Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord
Spellbinders:  Splendid Circles (S4-354) #3, Romantic Rectangles (S5-090) #3, Persian Motifs (S5-079), Nested Lacey Pennants (S5-029), Persian Accents (S5-078)
Accessories:  Ribbon from stash; Promarkers; Card from stash

I've made a card for one of my Mum's best friends in the UK and I used three challenges:

• CR84FN62 - obviously!!!
• Mojo Monday - MOJO 257
• Do You Stack Up? - DYSU88 - birthday theme

I think the MOJO Monday layout is so, so pretty and works perfectly with our colours.  I used some of the left over peach card from last week's card to make the bottom mat and the filigree doily.  More scraps from last week were used for the lavender punched border and the pennant.  I've used a lot of my Spellbinder dies on this card - they all work together so well.  The ribbon started off white and I coloured it with a Promarker pen - so easy and quick to do.  Despite all the layers on this card, it is relatively flat, so should be easy to post to the UK.

Now for some exciting news about CR84FN!  We are having an open Design Team call - check out the blog for full details.  Have fun!!  Oh yes, there is a prize for one randomly chosen player of CR84FN62.  Good luck!

Is this colour combination proving to be too much of a challenge?  It's very quiet on the CR84FN blog!!  For more inspiration with these colours - check out the CR84FN blog or click on the links in my side bar!  We really are looking forward to seeing your creations.

Flying high ...

.... Kathryn asked me to make a birthday card for one of her best friends in the UK.  Melody's birthday is two days after Kathryn's and it'll be the first time for quite a few years that they won't be celebrating together.  I've used several challenges in the making of this card:

• Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge - WMSC113 - sketch designed by Lynn Mercurio
• Colour Q - cQc153 
• Do You Stack Up? - DYSU88 - theme is birthdays

I turned the sketch to make it a vertical.  I used the wonderful Half Pint Heroines to make the hot air balloon and little girl.  Melody aims high, so this is the perfect choice for her card.  I paper pieced the balloon using Stampin' Up! designer paper, and some card which was stamped with a WM pattern giving a tone-on-tone effect.  I added a small cloud and finished off with a simple birthday sentiment.  I have had to substitute Baja Breeze for Soft Sky, and for some reason the pretty coral is showing up much redder in this photo!!

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Half Pint Heroines, Half Pint Heroes, Faux Fun
Inks:  Stampin' Up! - Chocolate Chip, Calypso Coral
Spellbinders: Ironwork Accents (S5-058)
Accessories:  Stampin' Up! designer paper - Baja Breeze, So Saffron; SU Card - Calypso Coral; Promarkers, Card from stash

That's all for now - I didn't make it into the garden yesterday, so I'd better do some today!  Oh yes, the ironing pile is back too!  Hey ho!!  See you soon.

Best son ever .....

....  Hi all - just a quick post today.  A clean and simple card using two challenges:

• CASology - CAS9 - cue word is "Family"
• Runway Inspired Challenge - RIC#19

The title of this post might give it all away!!  I've made a card for Ben, my son.  As you know, he lives in the UK with his father.  Well, Ben starts at college this week - he's studying four A levels - biology, chemistry, maths and ICT - well, that's what I was told the last time we spoke!!  So I thought I'd send him a card.

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Free Spirit Boy, Compact Family

Inks: Distress - Spiced Marmalade; Stampin' Up! - Night of Navy, Bashful Blue

Accessories:  Card from stash

Now that Kathryn is back at school, Jonathan is back at work and life is getting back to its "normal" routine, I plan to get back to my craft room too!!  I've been missing a lot of my favourite challenges recently and that's not good.  I've also realised that I'm very behind on making Christmas cards - so don't be at all surprised to see lots on my blog!!

That's all for now - I'm off to get some gardening done - those darn weeds are back!!!  See you tomorrow.

CR84FN62 .....

....  Wow, can you believe that it's September already!  This year seems to be going by faster than light and, yes, I know that's not really possible, but it really is going fast!  In fact it is already time for our new colour challenge at CR84FN.

For the next week and a half our colours for CR84FN62 are lavender, peach and a neutral - really pretty colours.  And our challenge graphic is just fabulous and these super photos are courtesy of Magnolia Rouge. I absolutely love the quote.

I've made my card for a special lady - Claire Brennan creator of the Waltzingmouse Stamps company.  You probably know that I really like her stamps :)))  Recently Claire was badly let down by her suppliers - she told us about it here.  I know from personal experience that Claire really cares about her customers, so when I saw that Nerina suggested making something special for Claire, I had to join in.  I know that Claire likes a cup of tea so deciding what to use to make her card was easy.

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse (of course) - Afternoon Tea Sentiments, French Country
Inks: Memento - Elderberry; Versamark
Accessories:  Kaisercraft - Tigerlilly Papers, Card from stash

I found some lavender card in my stash and used that to make the card base.  Hidden in my 12" x 12" papers I found this lovely peach paper with pretty flourish designs and cut a piece to mat on the card base.  Next I stamped the teacup on the lavender card and carefully cut it out.  Using Versamark I stamped the pretty flower from French Country to give a tone-on-tone pattern on the teacup, and finished it off with a dark lavender trim.  I cut these flowers from the Tigerlilly set - they have a lovely glossy shine and nestled the teacup in the flowers.  I finished off the card by adding this super sentiment in Elderberry ink (although it looks a bit brown here) and a bit of steam curling up from the teacup!

I know that Claire is beginning to get the stamps in now (and my order will be on its way soon) so things are looking up again.

For more cards using these wonderful colours check out our CR84FN blog or click on the links below.

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

I'm really looking forward to seeing your creations.  That's all for now.  Here in the States it is a holiday weekend - so have a good one.  See you soon.

St Luke's Charity Card Challenge .....

..... It seems you weren't much inspired by our Sports/Olympic theme challenge last month, but hopefully this month's challenge at St Luke's Charity Card Challenge will encourage some more of you to play along.  What is the theme?  Oh yes, it's:

COUPLES

You are free to interpret this a you would like - human, animal, fun, formal, romantic or not!  The choice is yours - but we do want to see two together!  I've gone for a fishy, fun take for my card - but it's romantic at heart!!

Stamps:  Pink Petticoat - Fish Free with Papercraft Essentials; Waltzingmouse - Half Pint Heroes, Fancy Phrases, Compact Family
Inks:  Distress - Tumbled Glass, Broken China, Faded Jeans, Salty Ocean, Mowed Lawn, Picked Raspberry; Memento - Tuxedo Black
Accessories:  Promarkers - various; Card from stash

This is a little card 3" x 4¼" - just right to show off these sweet fishes!!  I started off by making the ocean background, blending various shades of blue distress inks.  Then I splashed on drops of water - distress inks react with water creating this lovely blotchy effect.  To create the illusion of depth I randomly stamped seaweed and fish in the ocean.  I used my stamp-a-ma-jig to position the sentiment and the two big fish.  I also stamped the big fish onto white card and coloured them with promarkers and then carefully cut out the various layers.  Those hearts are tiny, tiny!!  A fun card for a couple - could be for an anniversary, a wedding or just because!

For more inspirational couple cards check out St Luke's Blog or click on the links below:

Tara Cardwell

Jenny Mullens

Anne Forrest

Sylvie Colledge

Lynne Atkinson

We have a two prizes sweet prizes for you this month - stamps from Lili of the Valley - they're very cute:

Looking forward to seeing your cards.

The end of summer .....

.... I'm not sure that's strictly true!  But it is the last day of August and that signals the beginning of the end of summer.  Yes, we can often have hot days, but the mornings are definitely cooler and the nights are drawing in and it's back to school next Tuesday!  That all means Autumn to me - or Fall, as they call it here in the States!!

I've made a card for one of my friends back in the UK and I've used two challenges to make it:

• Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge - WMSC112 - designed by Mona Pendleton
• Play Date Cafe Challenge - PDCC147

I'm running close to deadline with the Waltzingmouse challenge, but I couldn't think what to do, then I saw some fabulous chrysanthemums in my garden and I remembered Claire's set and I knew what to make.

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Big Blooms: Chrysanthemums, Chicken Wire, Blessed by You

Inks:  Memento - Grey Flannel, Teal Zeal; Stazon - Jet Black; Stampin' Up! - Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive

Accessories: Papermania - Creative Tones Olivine Essence; Card from stash

I stamped the background with the large chicken wire stamp in grey.  I used the largest of the chrysanthemum images to make my flower.  I used the outline image first using Cherry Cobbler (a rich, warm colour) and then used my stamp-a-ma-jig to position the solid image inside the lines and stamped again.  My first attempt I used the freshly inked stamp, but it was much, much too dark, so on my second attempt I stamped off onto some scrap paper and then stamped in the outline - much prettier!  To make the leaves I stamped the outline image in teal and filled in with olive.  I made the backing panel from some white card onto which I stamped the second impression of the small chicken wire and backed it with some olive paper from my stash.  I finished off the card with a sweet sentiment stamped in Stazon on as it is has very sharp definition when stamped against a background pattern.  

Here's a picture of a beautiful chrysanthemum that I found on the net - just love the warm, rich colour!

Picture credit

That's all for now - I'm off to do some more ironing - it never goes away!!!!  See you again later for the our new St Luke's Charity Card Challenge.

OLW - on the subject .....

..... Just before I went on holiday, at the end of July (where is the time going?), Susan (Simplicity) announced the addition of two new designers to the OLW challenge DT - Karen Dunbrook and Ardyth Percy-Robbs and for various reasons I've not been able to join in with the challenges for ages!!  However, I am fixing that today.

The host of this week's OLW - OLW102 is Ardyth at MASKerade.  Ardyth's challenge is "While we're on the subject" - she wants us to make a one layer card with a school flavour but based on our favourite subject.  Such fun!!!  My favourite subject at school was science - in pretty much all its flavours - chemistry, biology and physics (a bit).  Here are my cards - yes, I made four!!!  They are all tiny cards - the rectangular ones are 7½ x 10½ cm (2 7/8" x 4 1/8") and the square ones are 7½ x 7½ (3" x 3") - approximately.

Stamps:  There She Goes - Chemistry, Chem 101, Cutie Pi
Inks:  Memento - Tuxedo Black
Accessories:  Promarkers - lots; Card from stash

These were really easy to make - I simply stamped the images directly on to the cards and then coloured with Promarkers.  The first one I made is the last card shown - a play on the diagram of an atom - hence the sentiment.  Then I saw the little cutie pi stamp and, as my husband is a total maths nerd, I had to use it too - and his favourite colour is green!  Now, my very favourite science subject is chemistry and I just love the scientist image, and a fun sentiment to match.  I finished off with the rack of test tubes and these colourful solutions!  Chemicals really do come in a huge range of bright colours:

I took this photo at an Open University Transition Chemistry Summer school in July 2006.  It was such a fun week and I learnt a lot too!  These containers hold samples of all the chemicals we made that week.

That's all for today.  After an absolutely beautiful weekend weather wise, I've woken to rain and grey skies.  Still warm!  My job today is to do the ironing - I've managed to put it off since we got back, but it has to be done today!  See you soon.

CR84FN61 ....

.... it's time to share my second card with our super CR84FN61 colours of aqua, tan and cream.  I decided to use these colours to make a birthday card for Ian, my uncle.  Ian likes to be the joker in the family so I made the sentiment the main feature of his card.  I wouldn't want to make his age the focus :)

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Heirloom Patterns, Vintage Labels 18; Art Gone Wild - Words to the Rescue: Birthday
Inks:  Stampin' Up! - Crumb Cake; Memento - Rich Cocoa; Versamark
Spellbinders:  Labels 18 (S4-310) #5, Splendid Circles (S4-354) #3
Accessories:  Stampin' Up! - Very Vanilla Card; Card from stash; Clear embossing powder

Naturally, there is a punch line to this sentiment

This was a super easy card to make.  I found this lovely aqua card ready made in my stash - and there were two cards, so one was used to make the label topper.  I stamped the vintage label in Versamark and heat embossed with clear powder to give a tone-on-tone finish, then die cut it with the largest Labels 18 die. I used the last of my Very Vanilla card to make the mat layers and the sentiment label.  The backing pattern was made using the pinstripe stamp from Heirloom Patterns - it's really easy to line up and perfect for a guy card.  I finished off with this fun sentiment which was stamped in Rich Cocoa - it really made me smile!!!  It's in the post, so should arrive in plenty of time for Ian's birthday!!  I know it's wicked, but such fun!!

Edited to add:  Strictly the sentiment should be that the Earth is 4.5 Billion years old - but whatever :))  Sorry, I had to come back and add that - the science geek in me couldn't let it slide :)))))

Here's our challenge graphic with wonderful photos courtesy of Embrace Life Photography.

For more inspiration cards from the Design Team check out the CR84FN blog or click on the links below.

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

Yesterday was just gorgeous - brilliant blue skies, bright sunshine and hot, hot, hot!  It seems that summer is going to go out with a bang!  Hopefully it will be just as nice today - I might even go to the pool!  Have a super day.  See you soon.