WOYWW

Thought I'd post simply because I have something on my desk to show!!! Making cards for Claires family wedding....well not much NOT on the desk....ribbon, glue, bling, card, paper, cropadile, bow maker, bow dabra, ruler, glossy accents, pva, metal dies!!!

Flower Show Challenge

Hi bloggers ..not posted for a while but sometimes the creative juices run dry....its as simple as that!!

My latest creation was using the Prima Engravers paper and embellishments from Bellaboo.

I really wanted to use these papers but wasn't sure what to do with the picture once I'd finished it...then eureka...a handsome gift for my good friend Tracy over at Craftings My Therapy....hope she likes it!!

I started off with a canvas picture, I took the picture off and was left with a frame which I  covered with bits of masking tape and distress inked, then sealed  with matt accents. 

(I got this technique from you tube..Cari Masciangioli.)

I started with two sheets of 12 x 12, used one for the base, then cut out the two main flower pictures from the second.

I highlighted parts of the flowers using Flitter glue and gilding flakes, then used glossy accents on the stems.

The next step was to mount the pictures on chipboard to make them more substantial, then distress and ink the edges , for the main picture I added a couple of corners from Creative Expressions, and use some foam pads to raise it off the page. I have used the Memory Box Fairy Tale Flower Border die to make the edging. The other picture I stuck back on flat to the page as it was going to be partially covered with flowers.

Lots of flowers and a bit of bling all from the Prima Engraver range

I printed this quote ( from the internet) onto paper and cut, distressed and inked to size to cover part of the paper that didn't really go with the theme ( a dollar bill). I then Distress crackle glazed to add a different texture.

The Grandog

We've been looking after the Grandog last week whilst Sam & Mel have been in Mexico....

we have enjoyed having Bella around the last 10 months soooo much that we
now have a little one of our own....everyone I'd like to introduce

 Bella and Nellie.

Bella....nearly a year old!!

Nellie....10 weeks old!!

Its been a while....... Tracys Birthday Card

Well its certainly been a while since I posted anything, but then its been a

 while since I've done anything!!! 

My room is such a mess I am finding hard to get any enthusiasm about either clearing it 

out or creating anything for that matter!!!

Anyhow it was my lovely friend Tracy's birthday on Tuesday and I grabbed all my glues and papers and headed for the kitchen table to do this one!!

I wanted to do her a hinged card ( The Gentleman Crafter ) but as usual to get
 everything on, I had to do an 8 x 8 card.
I had previously bought 8 " lolly sticks when in Florida earlier this year for just such an occasion!!

Card Front

Inside

Back

Bling!! (Hazel's Crafts E-bay)

Flowers

I used a 12 x 12 sheet of Prima Nature Garden ( Bellaboo) for the front and back of the card.
I had covered my chipboard with some Craftwork Cards card stock (can't remember the colour)
Then after stitching around the edges of the front and back patterned paper pieces,
I distressed and inked them with Tattered Rose Distress Ink
( thank God for King Tim!!)

The hinge sticks I coloured using Tattered Rose Distress Ink, being paper covered they took the colour really well, much better than wooden kebab sticks albeit a little heavier, but with the size of the card I think it can take it!!


I have recently bought some Memory Box Dies from Craft Obsessions in the sale....excellant value, fast delivery!!...
 and cut about 6 of the Fairytale Flower Border, distressed them with Tattered Rose
 and added a little Broken China to pickup the aqua in the paper.

These dies are absolutely fabulous...I have terrible trouble with the Spellbinders D Lites.... I like the really detailed dies...and can never get them out of the die despite rubbing with tumble drier sheets, cutting with greaseproof paper..........anyway I digress....if you haven't already, try these dies, they are brilliant!!!

I found some tiny pink diamantes in my stash for the flower centres, then made some tiny ribbon bunches ( Hazel's Crafts E Bay) to dot here and there. The flowers were Prima Nature Garden from Bellaboo. The sentiment was again  from Craftwork Cards.

For the hinges I managed to cut the end using a bit of a Spellbinder die set, I put the end I wanted to cut under the die and threaded the rest of the card back through over the top ( the die was a square) not sure if I've explained that enough...but if you have a go you'll see what I mean!!

 For the inside I used a 6x6 Nature Garden paper stack( Bellaboo)
Found a lovely Friend phrase on the web,  printed onto pearlised paper ....a freebie from Crafters Companion when I used to buy CD's!!! and Voila!!!

Hi Tracy

Just wanted to say Hi Tracy, cant get into the comment area on your blog!!!

(no probs your end its me cant remember a password!!)

 

Your cards are as usual Mrs H fab!!

 Love Love Love the stamped card for your sis in law....

I feel an afternoon tutorial coming on when I return!!

Soooo glad you are feeling better, am off to Michaels this afternoon.......

hopefully get some bounty today!!

xxxxxxxx

Hinged Birthday Card for Lesley

Finally I can post the finished article from my

 WOYWW from a couple of weeks ago!!

Thanks again to The Gentleman Crafter for clear instructions on the hinged card.

Lesleys favourite colour is blue so I dug out a sheet of my beloved K & Co paper

that I was hanging on to ( as you do!!) only 1 sheet left!!

It's already lovely and sparkly so I added a pearl flourish from Creative Expressions,

 a Blue Faux Silk bow made with ribbon from Bellaboo, backed with some Tulle also Bellaboo

 ( don't know what I'd do without my mini Bow Dabra!!)

Sentiment is Craftwork Cards, and just a tiny 60 to mark the occassion.

I coloured my kebab sticks with a versa mark mini ink pad.

These did keep splitting at the ends so I have invested in some

lolly sticks to try, they are a bit fatter but will hopefully still work.

Altered Cracker Box

More pictures from the camera in the cupboard, 

this time a Carr's Cracker box that I altered to store my sewing machine bits & bobs in 

(bobbins, feet,oil etc). 

This time I used a wrapping paper from Paperchase, 

made my own tape (impressed??) 

using Micropore tape from Tesco at 50p a roll!! Inked and stamped,

then added some Tim Holtz corners, a faux lock and key. 

I picked up the mini cotton reels at the NEC a year or so ago but can't remember who from!!

Kaisercraft Cuckoo Clock

Just found these pictures of a clock that I altered,

 I think I used Prima :Nature Garden papers and flowers ( Bellaboo). 

The leaves were from a cricut cartridge cut in bazzil.

 I inked the sides, the fence and the weights, with an individual memento ink pad and distress inks.

The chain is from a cheap necklace that I had kept and

the birdcage and bird charms were from a kit I bought at Bellaboo. 

The pictures just don't do this justice, it looks really good

even though I say so myself!!

WOYWW

Well the desk looks a little different this week,
( still no further on with the bottle!!)

I am having a go at making a hinged card 

as shown by The Gentleman Crafter on his blog!!

I have finished the basic card and am now at 

for me the most painstaking bit.......

decorating it!!

Shoppings arrived!!

Had a bit of a low day last week and now all the goodies have started to arrive.... 

you know what it's like!!

Some Sizzix dies: a Tim Holtz Alterations one, On the Edge Distressed Doily
...just for Mandy!!

A bird die that comes with an embossing folder, some leaves for filling in small gaps
on my cards and some beautiful wings.

Hopefully they'll be on my desk by next Wednesday for the WOYWW challenge!!

Kate at Bellaboo has also set us a challenge to alter a peg for the next crop

........  they've also arrived. 

Better stop buying and start crafting.

Oh did I mention that I spent the last of my birthday money from my son on a 

Ranger Melting Pot..... I do love a gadget!!

WOYWW Challenge

Well Tracy believe it or not I had a huge tidy up before I saw your challenge

 so for once my desk looks really tidy!! 

Theres the Tim Holtz book Tracy lent me for inspiration,

the bottle I am trying to alter (trying, so hence the book!!) and a clear folder with the many bits and peices that I've tried to put on the bottle already (and discarded), a background paper with a technique that Kate (Bellaboo) showed me at crop, some shells that I will eventually make into cups!! 

and another bottle to alter.......

A table full of promise?...........maybe!!

A day at the beach

After a weekend of working hard in the garden we had a very cold and windy day

 down at the beach today in Swanage, certainly blew the cobwebs away.

Bacon butties and homemade apple cake ( thank you Mr H) lots of tea & coffee in the beach hut, watching unsuspecting people get soaked by the waves!! Such fun!!

Ian & Sarah had a game of chicken .......... £ 65.00 later in New Look..........

Guess who got wet??!!!

Always a great day out with fab company, Hubby,Tracy, Steve, Chloe & Sarah

Thank you xx

Ian's birthday card January 2013

This was my lovely hubby's birthday card, ok so it was a week late but worth the wait I think

 ( I would wouldn't I!!)

The paper was by Prima from the Craftsman range (Bellaboo). 

I used my harlequin background stamp with flitterglue and added foil flakes 

(can't remember the colour way !!) (Bellaboo)

The globe stamp was a freebie with a magazine that I stamped and cut out, buttons were old Papermania ones that I inked with distress ink, the heart was from my stash, re-covered, stamped and attached to one of those extra button tags that came with a pair of jeans I think!! 

Sentiment was from Craftwork Cards and the quote was from a bag that I picked up in

 Craft to the Max in Burnham ( thanks Tracy a great find)

Well went to the Bellaboo crop last night in Stoke Poges and had another fun evening!! 

Kate made a fab chocolate Easter cake........Thank you Kate......and I managed to almost make a card in just over 3 hours.......I suppose as in the words of the song...

"a little less conversation a little more action baby"!!! still  

thats what its all about isn't it meeting with new friends and enjoying good company. 

Just trying to finish the card now, letting some stickles and silicone dry and I'll post a picture later.

Thanks Bellaboo crop girls........another night to remember!!

Birthday Card for Sharon 2013

Just finished this for Sharon"s birthday tomorrow!!

 The paper I used was from the  Romance Novel Collection -Emotion from Bellaboo .

I bought the dragonfly topper as a digi paper from Etsy Artcult.

I double heat embossed with Utee to give a glazed finish. 

I also printed the same picture onto shrink plastic (Creative Paper Co) to make a charm, and while I had the shrink plastic out stamped Its a Date stamp by Technique Tuesday ( Bellaboo) to make a mini charm. The ribbon a faux silk also from Bellaboo, I coloured with Distress Ink:- Tattered Rose. 

The paper inside the glass vial from my stash...years old!!....I painted with  Tim Holtz Distress Crackle Paint ( Bellaboo), that made it nice and pliable to roll, before popping it inside. 

Then for a bit of sparkle I used Crystal Stickles on the wings.

Altered Box

I like to use my sewing machine on the paper before I stick it down. 

I love how this turned out....it was originally a Stella McCartney perfume box ...
just right for my "steampunk" stuff.

I used Tim Holztz grunge board alphabet for the lettering, with lots of distress ink, the metal corners were by Creative Expressions, I stuck them on with Glossy Accents. The birdcage stamp is by Kaisercraft. I have also used a little Flitterglue with foil on the top left hand corner of the box. The faux lock on the front of the box is again Tim Holtz.

Card for Lily

Lovely little Lily was 1 in August 2012
This paper was from a PM Crafts stack, the pearl flourish is by Creative Expresssions
and the topper is from Lili of the Valley. The sentiment is Craftwork Cards.
I used my sewing machine to stitch around the layers before sticking down.

One for the fellas!

I struggle with card designs for the men so when I do something I like.....they all get one!! 

Mel's Birthday card 2012

My sister Mel's birthday card for 2012
I used a whole pack of Prima flowers on this card but she's worth it!!
I cut the card base with my cricut......I cut two scallop circles then scored and glued the back one on.
I stitched the paper straight on to the base card this time. Pearl flourishes from Creative Expressions.

Sharons cards 2012

My good friend Sharon was 50 last year .... her Mum asked me to make her a card.

This was her card from me............dragonflies are a definite theme!!

Princess Chloe's 21st..

My Daughter Chloe was 21 last year, this is her card, pink & blingy.......just how she likes it

Along the same lines.....

 Heres a couple of cards I've made this week for family birthdays.