Xmas in April - a dusting of snowmen!!

Week 14 of the 52 card challenge  was to use this lovely sketch.

I made this Christmas card with a pre-prepared stamped image

and then decided to make a few more using the sketch with the rest of the snowmen I had previously coloured with promarkers and cut out.  I'm not sure what the collective noun for a bunch of snowmen is - though bunch sounds pretty good.  (Just googled this out of curiosity and found two answers - a dusting of snowmen and a melt of snowmen!!!!)

Thank you Natalie for a lovely sketch to use.

Monochrome cards

Both Penny Black Saturday Challenge and the 52 card challenge have monochromatic as their theme this week, so I have been able to get away with just making one card for both of them.

The cute hedgie stamp is from Penny Black T for transparent set 'Hello Friend' and the sentiment is a Lili of the Valley stamp.  The ribbon is seam binding from the Ribbon Girls and the butterfly was punched with an EK Success punch.  I haven't a clue where the paper came from as it came to me eons ago in a paper swap.

The image was coloured with promarkers.

Puppy Love

The monthly challenge on Sarah's Cards blog is to use this sketch.

I used some photographs taken in 2009 of my sister's then new puppy Toby.

The papers are a mixture of 3 bugs in a rug 'Ashtyn' and Pink Paislee 'Hometown Summer'.  The little badge in the bottom corner is an American Crafts Daydreams flair and the title is fabric thickers.

Yarn bombing

Last year I signed up to do Shimelle's Pretty Paper Party, but didn't have time to join in there and then, so I have saved all the prompts to do at my leisure.

The first prompt was to use paper strips, a great way to use up scraps.  I was also inspired by one of the layouts used in this Glitter Girl Adventure on using up your scraps.

Whilst in Iceland last year, we had some free time to wander around Reykjavik and we came across this tree that had been covered in pieces of knitting - no one that we spoke to had a clue what it was all about so I had to wait until I got home to google it and then I found out all about yarn bombing.

The patterned papers are mainly Bo Bunny scraps left over from one of my monthly classes and the orange spotted paper is American Crafts and leftover from a retreat class.  I used a mixture of AC Thickers and stickers for my title.  The butterflies are an EK Success punch.

Happy 18th Harry!!!

I always make a mini book for my niece's and nephew's 18th birthdays.  Harry has just celebrated his and this is the little book that I made for him using Echo Park 'Little Boy'

I made a little box to keep the book safe

And here is Harry engrossed in his book - I think he liked it!!

 He also liked the little light up cake that I shared in a blog post a couple of days ago!!

Recycled cards

The challenge this week at Penny Black Saturday Challenge is Recycling.

I made two little cards for the challenge.

The ribbon on this card is from gift packaging, the gemstones and flower came off of a shop bought card and the pink backing paper is from a shop bought card insert.

For my second card the embossed butterfly card is from the back of a shop bought card, the ribbon from a tag on a new pair of jeans and the gemstones prised off a shop bought card.

Both images were coloured with Promarkers and the sentiments are Wild Rose Studio, the oval punchouts are both Stampin' Up.

Happy Happy Happy

The week 15 card for the 52 cards challenge was to make a card inspired by the word Happy.

I used a class kit that I didn't get time to do at last summer's Cardinal Colours Seaside Retreat - it was designed and taught by Zoe Pierson.

I think the two cards and little cake box fitted the criteria for happy perfectly.

I just love the little battery operated tealight that has been disguised as a cake inside the box.  All the products used are Stampin' Up.

You are so special

For this month's class with Anita we used MME Lost and Found II papers - you can see Anita's here

I used this lovely photo of Mr P taken last month at the open air museum in Arnhem.

I loved these papers they were so lovely and glittery which sadly doesn't really show up in the picture.

Thank you Anita for another lovely class xx

Monthly Make for May

I am loving making my own jewellery at the moment - so far I have only attempted memory wire braclets as my manual dexterity is not great (if there were medals for clumsiness, then I would be Olympic standard!!).  But as my confidence grows in using the tools then I am hoping to make some other things.

I am still taking part in The Felt Fairy's Monthly Make Challenge and decided to make a bracelet to match my outfit that I will be wearing at the weekend at my dear nephew's 18th birthday party.  My top is aqua and seagreen with a little seagreen bolero cardigan.

Turquoise and aqua seem to be my favourite colours at the moment so I am looking forward to showing off my new bracelet on Saturday!!

My Lovely Gran

May's challenge on the Scrapology blog is C is for Charms and as always there is a lovely sketch to use.

I made another layout for my wedding album, which is now well on it's way to completion.

I used two paper collection My Mind's Eye - Follow Your Heart 'Be Happy' and AC Dear Lizzy Neopolitan.  The heart doily was coloured with Pumice Stone Distress Ink and the Prima pearl butterflies were originally cream but coloured with a pink Promarker.  The title was two different sets of AC Thickers coloured with a dusky pink promarker and then coated with Glossy Accents for a nice shiny finish.  You can just see the little butterfly charm under the bottom cluster of flowers - it was perfect for the layout as part of the wings are inlaid with a pale pink enamel - not a clue where it came from as it has been in my stash for many years.

I just wish my Grandad had been there on the day with my Gran - sadly he was too ill at the time to be with us, I really missed him that day xx

I'm after those birdies again!!

Well the local birdies are still fearing for their lives as again I have doubled up a 52 cards challenge with a Penny Black Saturday challenge.

The week 16 prompt for 52 cards challenge was a colour challenge - Fresh Green, Aqua Blue and White and this week's challenge at Penny Black Saturday Challenge is In The Garden.

I used stamp Lazy Days and the sentiment is Lilli of the Valley.

The image was coloured with Promarkers and the flowers lightly glittered with yellow stickles.

And now I must dash as I need to be on a website for 2pm ready to do a booking - hopefully I will be back with some exciting (to me anyway!!!!) news later!

Barton Grange

We did this lovely layout last month with Anita using MME Follow Your Heart - Be Amazing papers.  You can see Anita's original layout here

I used two photographs from our Lancaster Canal holiday last September when we had a little stop off at Barton Grange garden centre.  The title is cut using Sizzlet alphabet Santa's Workshop.

Thank you Anita for another fab class!!

A couple of thank yous

Once again the birds round here need to don their flack jackets and hard hats as I am back to doubling up on challenges.

The 200th challenge at Penny Black Saturday challenge is a case-it one and we had this lovely card by Jenny to inspire us.

I made a sketch of the design and also repeated the pink theme

I am also entering this card into Going Buggy's May Challenge which is Things with Wings.

The stamp is by Penny Black and the paper is Pink Paislee from a pad given away recently with a crafting mag.

Then using the same sketch I made a similar card for this week's 52 cards challenge which was a prompt week - Brads, Garden, Foam Pads

The image is raised up on foam pads and the green flowers in the corners are brads.  The paper is from the same Pink Paislee pad.

10 things on the 10th

It is that time of the month again when it is time to join in with Shimelle's 10 things on the 10th.

Just a very quick one this month - thought I would look at my favourite Penny Black stamps.  I have quite a few stamps but the one manufacturer that I have loads of are Penny Blacks.  I particularly love their critter stamps with the Margaret Sherry images.

My first ever Penny Black purchase and I love it, though I must admit that I don't use it a huge amount these days as it does take a long time to colour.

My second purchase - must dust this one off again, I used it a lot when I first got it but haven't used this one for a little while

This one was bought on a whim, I needed to make a card for one of the ladies in the Twilight Addicts social group and I thought this would make a nice funny card - it has gone on to be a big favourite of mine

Yes it is Feline Count!!

This is a fairly recent purchase but has already been used on lots of cards.  I actually bought it to make Easter cards with and then didn't use it on a single Easter card so will rectify that next year!!

I bought this one to make a Valentine's card for Mr P but have gone on to use it minus the banner of hearts on lots of male birthday cards

This was another early purchase and was used a lot initially, I think it is time to dust it off again as it makes a nice cheeky male birthday card!!

This is a favourite Christmas stamp and is one of the most popular cards that I make for fundraising.

Another favourite Christmas stamp is this cling nativity one.  I rested it last year so will have to dust it off again for this coming Christmas

One of my favourite cat stamps is this one, it is so cheery and a nice one to layer

I have a lot of the t for transparent sets, this one is my favourite of all the Christmas sets.

I especially love the two kissing mice, that is probably the stamp that I have used the most for Christmas cards.