Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Week 120

This week the theme over at Penny Black Saturday Challenge was Indian Summer which made me laugh as I have had to have the heating on a couple of evenings this week as I have been so cold.

This is the card that I made

and a close up of the flowers and watercolouring

The daisies were made using woodware daisy punches and the oak leaf punch and my image was coloured using Derwent watercolour pencils with a little bit of yellow stickles on the daisies.  I haven't a clue what the backing paper is as I only had a small scrap of it left - it may be Bo Bunny.  The sentiment stamps are Hero Arts.

Cardinal Colours Seaside Retreat Classes

I took three scrapbooking classes at the retreat, they were all lovely but this one was my fave - no prizes for guessing correctly but the main reason is the lovely butterflies.

Toby and Friends

This was SJs Away with the Butterflies class using Echo Park 'Walk in the Park' papers.  The difficulty for me with this layout was having to scrunch up and distress the green paper, but I gritted my teeth and did it LOL.  The photos on this layout are of my sister's gorgeous dog Toby - as we have no littlies in our family at this current time I have to content myself with lots of photographs of my sister's baby LOL!!

Blustery Bride

Another class by SJ Say it With Flowers.  If you look at SJs original on her blog you will see that as well as the folded flower she also had flowers made using rosettes of pleated paper.  I did make some in the class but they were going to make the page way too bulky for my wedding album so I left them off of the page.  Thank you to Sarah for coming up with the page title, originally she came up with blushing bride but when I described how really hot but dreadfully windy our wedding day was then she came up with Blustery Bride. The papers used are Echo Park 'Life is Good'.

Strike a Pose

My third class was with Laura (Bold Journalling) and she did this lovely class using Cosmo Cricket 'Delovely'

This class took me out of my comfort zone a wee bit as it involved writing all over my pictures and hacking beautiful papers into bits, but I took a deep breath and did it LOL!!  The photos are of Tara and I on our trip to Debden for a DIY retreat last year and I just happened to be sat next to Tara for this class.

So three more lovely layouts for my albums.  Later next week I will blog the other stuff that I did for challenges and the card classes.

Fundraising

Today I am doing a fundraising coffee morning for Children with Cancer Fund.

Earlier this month I had do some production line cards to fill in the gaps of what I have for sale - I needed extra birthday cards, get well and thinking of you cards.  So I made a stack of similar cards and just stamped different greetings on them.

These butterfly cards have been popular in the past so hopefully I will manage to sell some more today.  The background stamp and the small butterfly stamp are all Stampin' Up, the larger butterfly stamp is an Anna Griffin one and the greetings are a mixture of Hero Arts, Hobby Art and Hot off the Press.

My Favourite layout

Mel from Created by ATDML has asked to see favourite layouts.  I am a terrible critic of my own work but do have some layouts that I absolutely love and when I feel that I have got everything about the layout just right.

This layout is one of those layouts and my most favourite as it is from my wedding day that was the most perfect fun day ever.

I did this layout for a challenge on an old forum called The Craft Diner, the lovely Anita aka Inky Blossom challenged us to do a chuck it all on page, to really go to town with our embellishments.  At the time I found it really hard to scrapbook like this but I came up with this layout -

And a close up of some of the detail

I really enjoyed doing this page and was thrilled with how it turned out.  It now has pride of place in my wedding album and Anita chose my page as the challenge winner - a huge honour as Anita is an amazingly talented scrapbooker.  Since then I have not been afraid to chuck it all on when it has been necessary.

I am looking forward to seeing what other people show as their favourite layouts.

Christmas in September Part two

I am trying to do some non-cute Christmas cards to sell at my fundraiser at the end of this month as not everyone likes cute (I can't understand why????)

I got this lovely stamp from Stampin' Up and it is one that is sold singly rather than having to buy a large set. 

It was nice to do something a little bit different for a change - the backing papers are all Card Creations and I have glittered the antlers with Stickles.  The sentiment stamp is from a See Ds set and the stamped swirls are Dovecraft - one of their new Christmas sets.

ATDML September Sketch

During the retreat last weekend I managed to do some of my own scrapping and did this layout for the September sketch challenge on A Trip Down Memory Lane

This was the layout that I did - Ny Alesund Highlights

And the sketch

I used some of the leftovers from Sarah's Card's April kit - Ava (GCD) and the butterflies were punched with a SU punch.  The edges were punched with a Martha Stewart around the page punch..  These are photographs from the lovely afternoon that we spent in Ny Alesund in the Arctic Circle - it was surprisingly warm considering we were surrounded by snow covered mountains and a glacier.

Happy 21st Birthday Amanda

Today it is my niece's 21st birthday and this is the card that I have made for her

Yes it is good old Feline Count again - I told you he was a favourite stamp of mine and as vampires are very trendy at the moment, he seems quite appropriate to use on birthday cards. 

The backing papers are K&Co and Basic Grey, the sentiment was printed from the computer and the swirl is cut from a 12" Sizzlet scroll die and embellished with black pearls.  The 21 was plain chipboard thickers which I painted with black acrylic and then smothered in a black glitter glue.

I hope Amanda likes her card and has a lovely birthday.

Blog candy and September scraplift challenge

The Scrapology blog has some lovely  Christmas blog candy  to give away.  Whilst you are there taking a look why not look at the September challenge S is for stitching, there is a lovely prize donated by Cardinal Colours.  You still have until 1st October to enter a layout - I still have my thinking cap on for this one but hope to get a layout done next week before the deadline.

Anita's September Class

We did this lovely double page layout for this month's class.  I don't have much in the way of beach themed photos as we don't usually do beach or hot holidays.  Then I remembered these photos that we took on our Arctic Circle cruise last year.  Whilst cruising around the islands of Svalbard we stopped for an afternoon at Ny Alesund.  Even though we were high up in the Arctic circle and were surrounded by ice covered mountains and glaciers it was a beautiful sunny day.  A load of the entertainment staff decided for a dare to go swimming in the sea.  We could see the small beach from our balcony cabin and we could certainly hear the screams from them all as the water was icy cold LOL.

Thank you Anita for another lovely class.

Anita's August Class

This is the gorgeous layout that we did for Anita's August class -

The papers are Basic Grey and the cardstock was stamped using Fancy Pants swirl stamps with brown ink and a gold paint dabber.  The flowers were distressed using gold paint and the doily was first coloured with blue acrylic paint and then distressed with a gold paint dabber.  Our class page didn't have a title but I have nine nieces and nephews so I added a name as I do muddle up their baby pics sometimes.

Cardinal Colours Seaside Retreat update

Well it is the day after and I am absolutely shattered - all my own fault as I was staying up until 3am to craft, but I do like to pack a lot of work into these weekends.  I did three layout classes and two card classes.  I also made a further 5 layouts of my own and a card.  Plus I did two make and takes - a mini chocolate box with Jane Gill's fab new Woodware stamps (yes I have bought those stamps!!) and one of the lovely Anita M's handbag charms.  So as you can see I packed an awful lot into the weekend.

The view from my bedroom window looking over to the left

The view from my bedroom window looking over to the right

A group shot at the bandstand

The Chatsworth Hotel

The two Karens - my new friend is London Karen or Loud Karen as I have rebranded her - she makes me look quiet, shy and retiring LOL!!

Wendy and I

Pictures of what I made will follow at a later date

Anita's July Class

Sadly I had to miss this class as I was out for the evening as I took Richard to Brighton for a meal and to see David Gray so I did it at our August crop instead.  I loved doing this as I never mind a bit of handcutting and you could also go to town with the glitter glue.

And a close up -

The papers used are Bo Bunny and the butterflies have been punched using Woodware and Martha Stewart punches.

Twilight Monthly Challenge

Well it is my turn to set the challenge this month for the Twilight Addicts on UKS.  I decided that the challenge that I was going to set should challenge me too.  One thing that I rarely do is mix up papers from different manufacturers.  I always play safe and tend to stick to papers from one range, so I wanted to challenge everyone to use papers from 3 or more different manufacturers.  The theme for the challenge is Black and White and I also want to see Edges featured on the page.

This is what I did for my own challenge

The edges are a Martha Stewart Punch Around the Page set.  The papers are a mixture of K&Co, Stampin' Up and Doodlebug.  This layout will go in my St John Ambulance album - the majority of the layouts for that album I have stuck to black and white for my colours.  This is me receiving a certificate for something (sorry not a clue what it is for) from Mr B Sharpe way back in 1987.  Gosh I wish my waist was still that tiny LOL!!

I used this sketch from Sketchy Thursdays to inspire my layout -

Butterfly no 11 - a work in progress

I haven't picked up my butterfly afghan since March when I started butterfly no 11, this is all I have done so far -

Doesn't look anything much at the moment but it will in time.  I will keep you updated with the progress!

My retreat badge

Hopefully I should be in my first class now.

Here is my name badge that I have made for the retreat - we were asked to do them on a seaside/beach theme.   The beach huts were a free download from SJs Little Musing Blog, I coloured them with Marvy Le Plume pens.  My name was cut from Bazill cardstock on the Bigkick using sizzlet alphas - I have made the letters glossy using a sakura clear gloss gel pen. The starfish and shells were left overs from a cardmaking kit and I have given the sand and sea a liberal dose of glitter.  I have made my badge as a lanyard as I hate sticking pins in my clothes and making holes.

A Crafty Treat!!!!

Well this weekend I will be at The Chatsworth Hotel, Eastbourne on the Cardinal Colours Seaside Retreat.

I am doing three layout classes and two cardmaking classes so next week I should have lots of lovely new stuff to share with you.  I am going to take some of my own work to do too - I am looking forward to having a whole weekend to craft with no distractions.

HOPPY CHRISTMAS!!!! (Christmas in September Part 1)

Well I really need to get a move on with making my Christmas cards - I have a fundraiser at the end of this month and another one in November, plus I need to make my own too.

Here are a few that I made when I hosted a craft day at my house a couple of weekends ago

I used my new Woodware holly punch to make the holly - as usual the images are Penny Black.

These frogs are so cute - not the normal thing you would associate with Christmas - I suppose I should do some with the sentiment 'Hoppy Christmas'!!

The sentiments on all these cards are from a new set just released by Dovecraft and I have used some of my new Martha Stewart border punches.

Penny Black Saturday Challenge Week 118

The challenge this week on Penny Black Saturday Challenge is Men/Boys.  And yes I did groan when I saw that as after all these years of cardmaking I still find it a real challenge to make male cards.  I think it is because I love to put flowers, butterflies, glitter and bling onto my cards and I feel really restricted when doing a male card as I can't use the embellishments that I love.

I have recently been trying to buy more stamps that are male orientated and I love these Penny Black stamps that feature the cows and other farm animals.

This is a card that I have made for one of my nephews' 18th birthday.

The patterned paper is Basic Grey Cupcake, the chipboard numbers are plain Thickers coloured with a glitter gel pen.  The sentiments are Hero Arts and the border punch is Martha Stewart.  I stamped the cows twice and raised up the top layer on foam pads but it doesn't really show in this photograph.

I must make an effort to make more male cards and I will be interested in seeing what others do for this week's challenge - hopefully I will get some inspiration.

A relaxing treat!!!

Oh dear my recent spa break at Champney Springs seems to be a dim and distant memory now and I have just realised that I never did do an update here.

As usual we had a lovely time and it was great to meet up with Joyce and Linda who we meet there every year.  We had quite a few laughs and as usual were pretty noisy.  We even moved mattresses between bedrooms one evening as my mattress was too soft and the one on the spare bed in Nicky's room was much firmer - sadly I was a bad scrapbooker and didn't get any pictures of Bodge It and Scarper (as we christened Joyce and Linda) who assisted us with the removals.   We did get some great pictures though of Carol having a siesta in the lounge and the elegant efforts of Linda and Nicky to get out of the beanbags gracefully LOL.

The Face of Champneys 2010

Sorry Carol but if you fall asleep in a public place you are just asking for someone to take a piccie LOL!

Ladies What Lunch

Our last lunch together before leaving

Linda's Backward Roll method for getting off a beanbag

Nicky's slightly more graceful forward flip method to get off the beanbag

They put something in the air at Champneys that makes you so sleepy all the time

Nicky and Carol

Mayhem in the lounge

Thank goodness it was our last day otherwise we might have been asked to leave!!!

Me

The Gang!!

On our best behaviour for the final piccie
Joyce, Nicky, Me, Linda and Carol

I look forward to going again next year - several members of staff have threatened to be away on holiday that week - I can't think why????

Butterfly 9 and 10

The final two -

Butterfly no 9

and Butterfly no 10 -

Sarah's Cards Monthly Challenge

This month the challenge on Sarah's Cards blog is to create a summery page and to feature distressing.  It took me a while to decide what to do for this one as I don't have many summer photographs waiting to be scrapped at the moment.  I tend to mainly do distressing when doing vintage layouts so I had a look through some photographs that my DH's aunt had given to me and found this one of his grandma and her two sisters on the beach.  It was taken at Skegness but no one knows when the picture was taken but as you can see they use to wear a lot of clothes in those days - I would have heat stroke wearing that amount of clothes in the summer!  I have used the monthly kit from April - GCD Ava, the papers are so fresh and summery in this collection,  I love lemon and pale blue together - it just says summer to me.  I have recently only started scrapbooking in this size - 8 1/2 x 11 - but it is great when you only have one small photograph to use as the photo doesn't get so lost on the page as it would with a 12 x 12 layout.  I used a sketch from Pagemaps (September 2009).

I have ripped the edges of the backing paper and inked and distressed the cardstock which the photo is mounted on.  The punches used are two different Martha Stewart butterflies and Stampin' Up scalloped border.

Thank you for taking the time to look.

Penny Black Saturday Challenge Week 117

The theme this week was Purple, Cream, Brown.  I hope this card qualifies although there isn't a lot of cream or brown in it.

I seem to be using this stamp a lot at the moment but it is just perfect for Anniversary or Wedding cards.  I will give this to my parents for their wedding anniversary which is next week.  The backing paper is by Bo Bunny (sorry I don't know the range as it was just a scrap leftover from my monthly class), the scalloped lace is punched from Stampin' Up cardstock.  The daisies were punched from scraps of Bazill and SU cardstock and the little butterflies are a Martha Stewart punch with a Prima pearl.

A close up of the stamped image

I wonder what next week's challenge will be???

Butterfly 7 and 8

Anita has recently asked how long these butterflies are taking to stitch - well to tell the honest truth I don't have a clue!!!  I have only recently started on butterfly no 11 so I will try to remember to note how long I stitch for in each session and then that will give me a rough idea of what each one is taking.  I actually hate to think how many hours I have spent on it so far.

Anyway not many left to show you now -

Butterfly no 7

and butterfly no 8 -