What's on your workdesk wednesday

Good evening,

I'm hoping that this picture is visible, having trouble with blogger this week.

Here is my temporary work space at the moment, I just had to make sure that I still had space for my desk and was relieved that I could fit it in while we are between places at the mo.

The white tissue paper is covering up the projects that I'm busy working on for a SU! party next wednesday, so I'm afraid I don't want to spoil it for any of the girlies in case they take a look at my blog. Along the window sill and at the back of the desk are all my wood mounted stamp sets, the clear ones are in the drawers you can just see far left. My little kitty is trying to creep into shot at the bottom, also on the desk a pile of card stock i'm working with, ribbons. Above the tissue paper is my entry for this week's Less is More challenge.
Hope you enjoy taking a look around! PLease go and check out everyone else's here.

Less vs More

Good Afternoon!

I have been a busy bee today, cleaning up our old house ready for viewings, very hard work! My hands were definitely build for crafting not cleaning. A couple of loads of washing (luckily the sun put in an appearance this afternoon so haven't had to put the tumble dryer on) and the food shopping, not a great experience on a Saturday afternoon but these things have to be done.

So I needed something nice to finish off the afternoon and what better way than the Less is More challenge.

Which this week is a sketch, I do enjoy sketches but I must admit that Less is More does not come naturally to me, here is that sketch that the lovely ladies have asked us to use

I decided to go for a monochrome card using one of the in-colours called Concord Crush, a gorgeous deep purple, one of the best things about Stampin' up! is that every is colour coordinated which makes monochrome cards super easy. I used Concord Crush card stock, ink, and patterned paper, all safe in the knowledge that they would all be a perfect match.
So here it is

I liked it, but I wasn't in love with it and I think it's because it was lacking something so I added just a few details, it's still simple (for me) but just not as simple as maybe the LIM ladies would have liked. Sorry ladies I really did try to keep it clean and simple, but my fingers got carried away, and my card ended up looking like this.

I'm much happier with it now, and I'll just have to accept the consequences of my embellishing actions.
Have a great weekend  xx

Such a bad blogger!

Good evening,

I must start off by apologising for my lack of posts since the move, unfortunately we have very bad internet access here, hardly any signal at all, so I haven't been attempting to blog.

I have also been very excitedly making projects for my next party at my friend Nettie's house the first week of July so I have a few projects however I can't share them at the moment, don't want to ruin the surprise! I did, whilst looking through my photos on my computer find this little Pillow Box that I sometime ago that (I don't think) I've shown before.
Please let me know if I have!

Apologises for the poor photo quality, but hopefully you can see my cute tiny little bow, and the polka dot detail.

Gorgeous Gift

Good Morning!

It actually looks like its June weather outside today instead of autumn, but that's not the only reason I'm happy today.
I came home yesterday to find that a parcel had been delivered for me, I thought it was a package from eBay, but as I excitedly opened it up, I found something even better a handmade card and present from Ruth over at Flower sparkle. Anyone who knows me will know that I love owls and Ruth had definitely made good use of her owl punch for this one, look at this gorgeous row of cute little guys!

What I love about Ruth's projects is the details, I love the different colour gems she has used for the eyes, and she had even popped a owl inside the card and on the envelope! She had also decorated a photo frame for me, using the adorable owl, I had a give it a wipe down before photographing (sorry you can she the reflection of my hands taking the photo in the frame) as it had been passed around so many people to admire it that it was covered in finger prints. I am a very lucky girly to get such gorgeous surprises, especially one of a kind, handmade one's!

Thank you so much Ruth!!
xx

Would you like to build up your stash, while making more cards?

Hello again,

How would you like to receive everything you need to make four full cards for free?

All you have to do to get yours is place an order of £18 or more of Stampin' up! products, and I will send your order and the cardstock, ribbon etc plus emailed photographs of the finished cards so you can get crafting straight away.

If you want the cards but are not wanting to expand your stash (I never need an excuse to add to mine!) you can get the components to put together the cards for £9.

If you would like to place an order or put your name down for just the cards please email me using the contact me tab at the top of the page.
I will be placing the order on Wednesday 6th July so would need to have orders by then.

Father's Day

Good afternoon,

I know I'm a little early but I was asked to make a Father's Day card with the male cards earlier this month, so I wanted to show you that the Nursery Suite papers can also be used for masculine cards.

This gorgeous striped paper comes in the pack and you wouldn't know that it had come from a nursery themed pack by looking at it. I have teamed the patterned paper with Chocolate Chip CS for the base and Baja Breeze scalloped detailing at the top of the stripes. The jumbo eyelets and linen thread embellish without being girly. Simple but effective.

Who knew a nursery pack could be so versatile?!

Happy crafting   xx

I'm Back!

Good Morning,

You may have noticed that I have posted for a few days, well I have been moving. I hate packing up everything, but I love unpacking and finding a new home for everything.
I have space for my desk, which I was (just a tad) worried about friends of mine will tell you! So I can still make cards while we are waiting for our house to sell, yippee!

So I will be back to my normal blogging self by the weekend, or as soon as I can find the  adaptor to get my photos from my phone to the computer.

Fancy Some Footie?

Good Morning,

Well I'm back as promised with another men's card, this time using the fab little set Goal, This card was quite quick to make once I'd got myself organised and decided what colours to use.

I randomly stamped the greeting (at least I suppose it's a greeting) all over the background piece, then cut three pieces and stamped the football in different positions, again stamping the greeting, the most difficult bit was the 'grass' which is a strip of card stock that I cut into from one side then sponged with Old Olive ink, and popped these pieces up on dimensionals.

I'd love to know what you think of my masculine attempts
xx

Why Are Men's Card's So Hard??

Hi there,

As you may remember from the beginning of last week, I have been working on some masculine cards that I was asked to make for my sister's friend.

I was asked to make 3 or 4 cards that could be sent instead of just writing a letter to her partner who is serving in Afghanistan, because of this they had to be blank and for no specific occasion. The added twist is that she didn't want cars, or bikes on them.

This got my brain working overtime, when ever I think of making a men's card I immediately think of my motorcycle stamp, or the retired Loads of Love pickup truck stamp. I trawled through my stamps and decided on stars (which you can see here), beer and football.

I'm also trying to use up some of my retired stash, so I pulled out my retired papers stash from last years mini and picked some suitable for male cards, and voila!

I think that the hardest thing about men's cards is resisting the urge to put rhinestones, glitter, ribbon and bows on them, but I have the answer, Jumbo Eyelets and card stock strips instead of ribbon!

Please pop back soon for more masculine ideas!
xx

Monochrome, and the Kitty Saga Continues

Good Morning Crafters,

It's Saturday morning so it must be challenge time (although I've now searched for so many challenges that it seems like everyday is challenge day!) This weeks challenge at Less is More is Monochrome a favourite of mine as I always think that black and white make a very stylish card, I've teamed this with the sketch at Simply Stampin' (if you love your Stampin' up! supplies pop over there and check it out).

Don't you just love the texture and deep impression that the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder gives the main black panel?! I have also used some of the gorgeous white organza ribbon, I think this may get over looked in the catalogue, I love it, and you can change the colour with your re-inkers!
I have used a retired SU! stamp called Vintage Labels (which was one of last years SAB sets), I love the frames in this set!

Now some of you may remember that last week my poor little kitty, Salem has a swollen paw. Unfortunately this continued to get worse, even wit a second course of antibiotics. So yesterday he was taken for surgery on his paw. When they shaved it for his op they found several more holes both on the top and bottom of his paw, and had to removed the dead infected tissue, he now has a rather large bandage for a little kitty, several stitched holes and a third course of antibiotics, which fingers crossed will do the trick.

He's desperate to go outside and the other cats in our road keep sitting outside the window, I hope they are wanting him to go out and play not taunting him!

It's back to the vets Monday to check how he's healing and then hopefully stitches out the following Monday, sadly it doesn't look like he'll be able to go out before we move.

Have a fab weekend, xx

Happy Birthday Nikki!

Good morning,

Today is my little sister's birthday, I have waited to post this card until the day just incase she tries to get a sneaky peek before hand.

I really like shaped cards at the moment so I thought I would go for a stepper card, using the Cheers to you set, as she loves a good night out on the town. I have paper pieced the cocktails on the 'steps' which in-colour DSP and have colour co-ordinated her card with her red living room, hee hee.

Have a great day Nikki! xx

Round or Square Mojo

Hi everyone,

I always love the last Mojo Monday challenge of the month as it is always round or square.

I have been asked to make a few masculine cards this month so I thought I'd combine this tricky theme with the Mojo challenge. I decided to make a square card, and chose two papers from the Elegant Soiree DSP pack, because of the colour tones this paper pack works brilliantly for both masculine and feminine cards.

As you can see I replaced the flower element on the sketch with a star, and what looks like a ribbon is actually a strip of card stock. I couldn't help myself, I just had to add the brad embellishments, but I think they bring the card together and don't look too girly. It also gave me a chance to use a retired stamp set that I haven't yet used called Starring You, which I coloured and stamped with my markers.

I'll be back with some more of my masculine cards soon.
xx