Best Wishes

Hello everyone,
I  would like to show you my first shaker card.
Using Spellbinders Deckled Rectangle Nestabilitie shape, I cut the acetate and paper. Instead of using foam, I used a clear silicone strip on a roll.
The only disadvantage is that the sides are also a little tacky and I should have put some powder on it to stop the elements clinging to the sides. Nevertheless, this still works.
I used punched paper hearts and some beads for inside the shaker card.

 The DP is from K&Co, the embellishments are pearls made with Viva! pearlpen and MS butterfly punch. The sentiment is a gold peel-off which I colored with permanent marker. The little girl stamp is from Personal Impressions and the background from Crafty Individuals.

The little hearts were made with the MS border punch that you can see here. I think K&Co have such lovely paper and this one has a real vintage feel to it. Click on the pictures for a larger view.

Thanks for looking.

Storybook owl LO for BBTB2

Oh,oh! I was in big doubt if I should put these LO on my blog. I'm putting it on the BBTB2 blog.
I think the pictures of me aren't very flattering, my head looks like it's going to explode. LOL.
So please, you can have a laugh, but just do it behind my back. Anyway, I said the purpose of my blog was: to be able to keep my crafty creations forever, even if the paper versions get destroyed or given away. -and also to share with others, because I enjoy looking at what all of you have made-.
Well then here it goes:

The big wise owl - whooo's head is bigger? mine or yours?- LOL

Not the best picture, but that happens on holiday when you keep trekking from one B&B to another, you see a lot, but get to tired.

I should have maybe laid the LO's down to photograph... well you get the idea.

Paper is from Papermania and K&Co, buttons from Autumn Leaves, little sticker owls from Paperchase.

I used different cuts from the Storybook cartridge.

Magenta Style cards

Hi there,
I treated myself to 2 new craft books last Saturday. We took a trip to Brighton and had a lovely day. Glad we spent the day close to the sea, because that made the heat bearable. While wandering around through Brighton's lovely shopping streets, I spotted 2 books for £2.99 each. Bargain!
One is Magenta Style papercrafts and it gave me the ideas for my next 2 cards. I used 2 Crafty Individuals stamps. I hadn't used the letter background yet, but I must say I really like it. The whole Magenta Style has got an Eastern/ Indian feel to it -at least that is my opinion-.

This time no sentiment and I used gold peel-offs, can't remember the time I used to use these. I still have stacks of them. The bird image is stamped on 4 colors of Coordinations cardstock and then cut out and framed. This one is colored with Whispers Strokes brush pens. All images have been embossed.

Here I used Sakura gelpens to color the peel-offs. This style might not be a permanent thing for me, but I will keep trying it once in a while.

Happy Wishes from Smookie

A little dragon stamp, its name is Smookie, from Nellie Snellen.
I got this stamp from my mom a while ago and never thought I 'd use it. Now finally I felt inspired to use it, mainly because I was looking for a small image and wanted to color with green. How funny is that?
But I like the way it turned out and it looks rather cute, specially with little mousy keeping company.

Again a lot of punching for this card, 5 different types were used on this card. I like this frame-creating with corner punches. I ran into a bit of bad luck this time as my -more than 10 year old punch- collapsed on me. The plastic frame fell apart and all the metal bits and 2 springs popped out. I put it back together, but even the thoughest Locktite couldn't hold it. A good excuse to buy another one...

A close up of the coloring, used a whole lot of different color Copics. The sentiment stamp is from Hero Arts and the flower stamp at the back of it is from Making Memories. I used Marianne Design Eline's Vintage paper and flower centers are also MD's. Some Viva pearls to create the pearls and some Stickles for the fireworks.

I love the look of many of the Dutch products and they have won over the British market, so it seems. It is now very easy to find their products in almost every craft shop. Bring it on! I browse everything on the Internet and it's good to see some new stuff come over here.

I got to go now. I have the day off, but I 've got errands to run and need to pick up DH by 12:30 for lunch.

And it is raining today and a bit cooler. Think my flowers and the birdies will be happy.

Hello

Just sharing a little card made with a lot of punching and some Nesties.
I learned this technique from Becca Feeken, where she shows you in a video tutorial how to punch different shapes and sizes of mats with a corner punch. I used my pansy punch from MS.
Another technique is on how to punch around a circle with a corner punch. I used an old flower corner punch. Once you get the hang of it, it is really quite easy.

The paper is by Marianne design Eline's Vintage and inked with Shabby Shutters.

The sentiment is from Crafty Secrets.

Just did a whole lot of punching and enjoyed it and of course the trusted Viva Pearls.

Maybe a better picture without the flash, you can see the dimension in the card a lot better.

Birthday wishes

Hello,
Finally another card. The weather and work have been tying me down. At least we have a summer and it is getting to be a hot one too. Sizzles!
It had to be another Magnolia card. My! I love the way you can dress up these images, the more frillies, the better it is.
On with the card and I have used Basic Grey Kioshi paper. Lovely stuff.

Two main colors or three: lilac, peach and white. I love the discovery of the Viva pearl pen as you can see.

I even dug up one of my old roses border punch, not as good as Martha Stewart, because they will only punch through lightweight paper, but still very pretty.

Colored my white ribbon with Copics to match. The sentiment is from Papertrey ink, love the font.

Also couldn't live without my dear little Cuttlebug and Spellbinders dies.

Really if you ask me what my 3 favourite craft tools are; the Cuttlebug, the Cricut and my heat gun...

Favourite products? Lets see... BG paper, but then there are others, Crafty Secrets stamps, Copics for sure, all the Spellbinders products, Just Rite stamps, Stickles Star Dust, Viva pearls, rub-ons from everyone as I collect them,... I used to collect stickers as a child and still have tons.

What's your favourite?

Tilda with birdcage

Hello blog friends,

I haven't posted much lately.

My holiday is over now and mom went back to Belgium last Saturday. She had a wonderful time and was feeling much better. She is still recovering from her ordeal of last January. She 's still very skinny and wobbly, but we did manage to get out to do some shopping and we also managed a short walk in the New Forest around the Knightwood Oak. I think she loved every bit of it. The weather was good to us too, it was actually hot all week.

Yes, my mom is so much smaller than me, and now my DH took this picture, which I find hilarious. I 'm standing on this tree trunk and mom is behind me looking up into the trees, making her look like a little hobbit, LOL.

This is the card I made, my take on shabby chic. The card is cut with the Wild Card cartridge of the Cricut, such a wonderful cut to work with, I think.

I decorated all 4 sides of the card, clear embossing the back and the front of the card.

I colored the image with Copics and made my own pearls with Viva pearl pen. The papers and flower dies are from Marianne Design Eline's Vintage. Check out Eline Pellinkhof 's blog, it's fabulous and sweet.

I used a Papertrey sentiment and the Spellbinders label tags.

I used a bit of Silver Ice Stickles on the flowers and Martha Stewart butterflies. The note stamp is from Papermania Boutique. The silver pearls are made with Ranger 's Liquid Pearls and do not work as well as the Viva pearl pen.

The front and back of the card are stamped and embossed with Papermania stamps. I used Old Paper Distress Ink to stain the edges.

Hope you like this card, I had lots of fun making it.

With Gratitude

Hello and with a very big thank you to Andrea Matthew for sending me the blog candy.

I now have my very first Papertrey stamps; 2 lovely sets.

I couldn't wait to try them and made a little card last night. Just adding some Basic Grey Euphoria paper and red pearls on the MS Butterflies.

I created a background paper with one of the tin type background basics stamps and embossed the little dots on them. I cut out the frame and put 3D foam behind it so it would level up with the ripe avocado saddle stitch ribbon. The center stamp is cut out out and adhered with a pop dot.

I really love these sets, especially all the lovely sentiments. There is so much to combine and mix up, I 'll be trying a few things.

Raindrops

Hello,

Not that we have had any this week, I mean raindrops...

I 'm having a fabulous time. I have a week off work and my mother decided to come over last minute.

She arrived on Friday night at St. Pancras International station with the Eurostar. I hadn't been there before and I must say I am never going there again by car. Goodness me! All the way through London to get there. Eventhough it was late evening, the traffic was hectic and the satnav couldn't keep up...

Mom 's going back on Saturday, but we are taking her up to Ebbsfleet International station. Much better.

So I haven't done much crafting, 'cause I 'm either out clothes shopping for mom or enjoying the sun in the garden.

I did manage to finish this card that I started last weekend... can you imagine?

The image is completely paper pieced, even the colored skin tones.

Supplies: Morehead stamps, Whoop De Doo paper from GCD studio, MS border punch, Marianne Design Creatables flower and border dies, Joy! Craft ribbon, Spellbinders label and deckled rectangle die, Shabby Shutters and Old Paper Distress ink, Stickles, pearls, beadcap, brad and flowerthreads.

I 'm trying to show you the design of the border die, it has little flowers embossed in every oval shape.

The stamped image is paper pieced and not colored, except for the skin tones, which have also been cut out.

Combined challenge card

Hello,
I made a little card that I was planning to enter in the Cute Card Thursday challenge: anything but square. I seem to be doing only square lately and thought; aha something for me.
Then I happened to look on the Play Date Cafe PDCC 33 where they have a color inspiration that fitted mine, only I don't have any kraft paper -which I would like to have, seems hard to get in the UK, Bazill does a kraft color but not the real deal. Wonder why no one sees the gap over here? Afraid it would be to cheap? There is after all some lovely inspiration out there with the use of kraft paper/card.
Then All that Scraps: Buttons and ribbons challenge. Just up my street, although my buttons are faux, they are brads from Making Memories.

The card is cut with the Wild Card and I used also some flowers, cut with the Cricut on white paper and colored with Shimmerz and layered. The paper is from Papermania Rose Garden. The stamps are from Crafty Secrets Couple of Cuties, die cut with Nestabilities. The second circle is stamped in 2 shades of blue with a little bubble stamp. I used Copic to color the image.

Thanks for visiting and have a nice day.

Second Monogram card and blog candy winner

Unbelievable, but yes, I did win! I 'm the winner of the blog candy over on Andrea's blog Work in Progress. Thanks Andrea.

Do pay her a visit, she has her blog now for one year and she does make wonderful things.

She has also recently made it to the JUGS DT.

Can't wait for the candy to arrive, some goodies from Papertrey Ink. Yippie!

Now on to my card; the second one of a batch of Monogram card I am making for my sweet mother.

Kept it really simple again; some embossing, Martha Stewart border punch, Coordinations cardstock, Prima and Hero Arts flowers and vintage pink Glimmer Mist. Love that stuff.

Monogram card

This is my first attempt at a monogram card. I made this one with my mom's initials. I made the background paper with some stamps from Basic Grey.
I am not fully satisfied with them as they tend to let the ink bubble on them. I used Memento Tuxedo Black. Maybe it is because they are quite new.
I only wanted to use 3 colors to keep it soft and decided to go with black, rose and cream.

Supplies: Just Rite Special Occasion Monogram set, scalloped punch and Nestabilities, satin ribbon from Paperchase, Coordinations cardstock.

Thinking of you

Hello,

I 've got a simple card to share with you today.

I used K&Co paper Que Sera Sera paper and Coordinations cardstock so I could sand the embossing.

The stamp is from Just-Rite and allows you to choose the sentiment. I colored with Copics and Shimmerz and changed the color of the Making Memories brad with Copic and put flower bead caps behind it.

I cut the image with Spellbinders large scalloped die set, which isn't the ideal size for the stamp, but the only oval I have. Apparently the normal large oval should fit.

Wishing you a nice day.

Thanks for your helping hands

Hello,

I haven't put away my color pencils yet. I colored this Greeting Farm stamp with my aquarelle pencils and some Sakura gelpens.

The flowers are made with Spellbinders flowers creations and the sentiment is made with Just Rite stamps.

Some Basic Grey June Bug paper to brighten it all up, with some flower brads from Making Memories.

I'm entering this card in 2 challenges; A Spoon Full of Sugar: floral delight and Simon Says Stamp!: a recipe.

I folded one edge on the background paper, this idea I got from the Cardmaker's Sketch Book. I like their books and although I don't follow the CPS-blog on a regular basis, I find them very inspiring.

Hope you have a lovely day. Bye.

JUGS #36

Hello everyone,
It's been a hot and humid day. Summer has arrived here!
I've been working from 6:30 'til 15:00 today, glad not to have the shift until 18:30!!!
I came home and just had to craft a bit. Really relaxes me.
I used the sketch from JUGS #36. I made this little Hilda card from Motivet and used Caran d'Ache aquarelable  pencils in 4 shades of gray.
I've been wanting to do this technique for a while and always thought it was too difficult. But I think it's turned out rather nice. My DH said:" Ooh! It's like from an old book!" He's my biggest fan, thinks this card is for the collection and I can't give it away... Sweetie...

Supplies: Basic Grey Granola paper, Coordinations card, Cuttlebug Swiss dots, Tsukineko ink, Sakura white gel pen, Making Memories ribbon, Basic Grey dark blue buttons, light blue from autumn Leaves, Hero Arts sentiment.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend. It's gonna be hotter with thunderstorms tomorrow.

Happy Birthday to a Great Friend!

Hello everyone,
I had this invitation from Inlinkz to join their very first challenge, using the color scheme to create something for a birthday and a boy.

I used Making Memories Just Chillin' papers and Coordinations card. I stamped the image from Inkadinkado on American Crafts white card and colored with Copics and used 3D glaze for the wheels and windows. The sentiment is from Hero Arts and embossed with silver powder. Some inking, distressing and embossing to make the card more manly and some metal with MM eyelets and BG brads.

I think it turned out quite nice, hope you like it too. Thanks for visiting.

Simon Says... Challenge

Use pink or blue and green and brown for this challenge on Simon Says.

This is actually my second entry for the same challenge. I certainly tried to use up my scraps with this one.

Supplies: Marianne Design Vintage paper, DCWV card, Copics and Whispers, Stickles, Plantin Schoolbook for hearts and label, Hero Arts sentiment stamp, Martha Stewart border punch.

Vintage for City Crafter Challenge week 6

Hi everyone, I made a vintage inspired card for CCCB # 6. You have to follow a card recipe: 1 ribbon, 2 papers and 3 flowers.
I used an image from Shabbychicpapirskatter and printed on American Crafts card for some more texture.

Supplies: Coordinations  beige card, Marianne Design Vintage papers, white flowers from Kaisercraft, Glimmer Mist in Sand, Pearl, Moonlight and Marshmallow, Blingz in December Sky to color the flowers, Versamagic ink in Wheat, Sahara Sand and Mango Madness for inking the edges, lace from John Lewis, Papermania pearl colored yellow with Copic, Yellow brads from Doodlebug, gold leaves.

Let's Celebrate

Hello,
Time is flying again and I'm finding it hard to find some valuable crafting time. The ideas are coming, but time is running.

I managed to make this 3 inch accordion card.

I was planning to make a pop-out gift box with my Gypsy, but it did't turn out the way I wanted it to. So I saved my Crafty Secrets stamped images for this card. I LOVE Crafty Secrets stamps and this Bugs Life is quite a funny set.

I didn't use any designer paper, but sprayed a white sheet of paper with Glimmer Mist Vintage Pink. for the background.

Supplies: American Crafts white card, Memento ink Tuxedo Black, Ranger Vintage ink Rosebud, Versamagic Sea Breeze, Copics, Shimmerz and Blingz, Glimmer Mist Tea Rose for the flowers, Basic Grey buttons, Papermania pearls.

I 'm entering this card in Cute Card Thursday and Simon Says Challenge.

It was a bit hard to get the whole card in one shot.

Hope to get a bit more time to craft soon. I would like to prepare a mini book for our coming summer holiday. Thanks for visiting, have a nice day.

Gift box and birthday card

Hello there,

This post is a bit picture heavy as I 've made 2 items for a friend's birthday.

I'm a bit in a hurry, because I still need to buy the giftcard and I need to give it to her today. Monday is her birthday, but I won't be seeing her 'cause she's flying out to the Philipinnes for 3 weeks. Today she's at work so I 'll go and catch her there.

This is the card; the sentiment is from Woodware stamps. I cut all the die-cuts in white American Crafts card and chalked the colors on them. To seal the colors I used Pearl Glimmer Mist which also gives it a nice shine.

Blue paper is from K&Co and pink papers from We R Memory Keepers Tiffany's pad.

Lid of the box; the flowers are cut with Spellbinders Shapeabilities Flower Creations on recycled cotton paper. They had the same color treatment as above. The gems are from Doodlebug, pearls from Papermania.

The sentiment and other cuts are from Create A Critter.

The front side of the box.

Right side.

The back.

The left side.

All items together.

The only Copic used, is the red for the cherry which has also been glazed. Some small round and heart gems are from the 99p store.

I'm off now to the shops to get a gift card, might stop in TKMaxx. My favourite store. I'm always in for a bargain.

I only paid £19.99 and it has all these stamps from Autumn Leaves in it, plus an amethyst ink pad, plus a book by Autumn Leaves. The bonus item was a pack of  plain tags from Paper Reflections. I thought it was super! Only mistake I made was that I thought I would have the same stamps as on the picture. The box was sealed in the shop, but I still have a good deal; a calender set, sentiments, flourishes, spring stamps, baby stamps, flowers.... Very good! I'm off to the hunt, Bye!