About Me

"Hobbies of any kind are boring except to people who have the same hobby. " (Dave Barry, American writer and humourist)

Friday 31 August 2012

Less is More Week 82 - Recipe 3-2-1

Late again with this week's Less is More challenge entry Can't believe this is the last week of the school holidays and it's September tomorrow. I love my girls but I'm not ashamed to say I can't wait until they're back at school!!
The challenge this week was a recipe challenge; to incorporate 3 of something, 2 of something and 1 of something else. I'm sure the possibilities are endless but when it came down to it I found it quite tricky. Not sure if Mandi and Chrissie will let me get away with this but I like the card anyway!
I used 3 colours (or 3 butterflies), 2 banners and one die (for the cut out panel).


Dies: Memory Box Piestra die, Joy Craft butterfly dies,
Die-Namics 'Fishtail Flag Stax'
Paper: Free with mag (can't remember which one!)


Two cards tonight; the second one is a quick one I made for my cousin and his wife who had a baby boy last Saturday. Think these alphabet dies look so professional and can't wait to play with them some more. 

Die: Memory Box 'Classic Lower Alphabet'
Punch: star
Stamps: Personal Impressions 'Double Sayings'
Ink: Memento Dew Drop 'London Fog'

Saturday 25 August 2012

CASology Week #7 - 'Green'


This is my first challenge entry for the relatively new challenge blog 'CASology'. They issue a cue card every week and this week's is 'green'. I find green a very calming colour; in fact our bedroom is decorated in green to induce long, restful nights! Green is also the colour of nature and my entry is very 'au naturale' with wood grain stamping and a die cut leaf.

  
Stamps: Kaisercraft 'Wood Grain', Personal Impressions sentiment
Die: Poppysatmps 'Lorelai Leaf'

Wednesday 22 August 2012

As promised my second card for today. This is more my style than my earlier card. This is inspired by a card I saw here: www.lilduckiearts.com.
This card is for my work colleague and lovely friend Alison who celebrates her birthday tomorrow; hopefully it'll be cakes all round at work tomorrow lol!

Digital Paper: 'Wild Blossoms' by Pink Petticoat
Punch; Fiskars 'Apron Lace'
Stamp: Sizzix Framelits 'Doodle Flower'

CFC 66 and Less Is More Week 81 - Theme 'Tearing'

Today I have two cards to share. The first is for two blog challenges; CAS-ual Fridays and Less is More. The challenge at CAS-ual Fridays is "to create a project featuring something you might see in or at the ocean"; et voila!

Stamps: Inkyliscious 'Essential Grasses' and 'Take Flight - Birds',
Stamps Away 'Ocean Montage', Penny Black sentiment
Inks: DI 'Antique Linen'
Other: Chalks, vellum

On Saturday I went to the first Great British Craft Festival at Donnington Park with my crafting buddy Lisa. It was a mixed bag to be honest; on the hottest day of the year there was no air conditioning in the very crowded exhibition centre, a 20 minute queue for a drink, and unserviced toilets. However, I did bag quite a few bargains and finished the day off perfectly with a pint of shandy in a nearby village pub!
The lighthouse stamp in this card was one of my purchases on the day.

I'm also entering this card in Less is More's challenge this week which is 'tearing' -something I always find difficult to do being a perfectionist. My tearing is therefore quite minimal! I stamped my sentiment using Stazon ink onto a torn strip of vellum.  I also tore some whitewash Core'dinations card to shape the rocks; (although they appear quite rounded after I sanded them).

Wednesday 15 August 2012

Less is More Week 80 - One Layer 'Fur or Feathers'

It's one layer week at Less is More this week. It's right what Chrissie and Mandi say about the one layer challenges; they definitely don't scare me as much as they used to!
I opted for 'fur' and came up with this card for a baby boy.  Funny how some cards come together so quickly - this was one of them, might have to make a batch up being as it was so quick and easy.

Punched 3 stars in bottom RH corner, then stamped Tatty Teddy Gold Star image in 'London Fog' ink with sentiment beneath. Embossed 2 parallel lines so that the stars fitted beneath them. Tatty coloured with Promarkers and a little bit of glitter for his star, simples!

Stamp: Tatty Teddy 'Gold Star', Personal Impressions sentiment stamp
Ink: Memento 'London Fog' and 'Blue Danube'
Other: star punch, promarkers, Hougie board


All being well I'm off to the Great British Craft Festival this weekend at Donnington Park. I normally go to the Hobbycrafts shows twice a year at the NEC as it's so close to me, but the November show tends to be very Christmasy so I'm hoping this one will be a bit more varied!

Friday 10 August 2012

Less is More Week 79 Colour 'Blue and Green'

"Blue and green should never be seen," or so the saying goes, but this week's challenge on Less is More is a colour challenge to use those very colours.
I started a card for last week's sketch challenge but didn't get to finish it in time, so my first card is based on that sketch but the colours are blue and green - with a little bit of pink!!

                             
Dies: Sizzix Framelits 'Doodle Flower', My Favorite Things 'Simply Scallops' Die-namics
Paper: strip cut from 12x12" unknown, DCWV cardstock
Stamp: Woodware 'Jane's Script'
Other: Button and thread from stash


Because I thought I wouldn't get away with this one as 'blue and green', I made another card using a different Sizzix Framelits set (loving these!)


Dies: Sizzix Hero Arts Stamp and Die set 'Floral', Dienamics 'Fishtail flag stax'
Spellbinders 'Labels 20'
Paper: K&Co K-Ology 'Addison' coloured with Distress Inks 'Shabby Shutters'
Inks: Memento 'Blue Danube', 'Cottage Ivy', DI 'Shabby Shutters'

Had a BBQ tonight at home and am off to watch Dirty Dancing at the Hippodrome on Saturday night so a good weekend in store!
That's all folks......