Happy Birthday Jason

It is my Brother in law's birthday today and this is the card I made for him using a fun stamp from a fairly new release by Penny Black called 'You're Retro'.  These are my newest Penny Blacks and a slightly different style of critter - I love them.

 I coloured the image with promarkers and after mounting on red cardstock made a card base from retired SU cardstock - Taken with Teal.  The stars were punched from the new Itty Bitty star punch (Stampin Up).  The sentiment is from Penny Black T for transparent set 'Critter Party'.

I think I will be using the stamps in this cute set an awful lot in the near future!!

The Pile of Postcards Exchange

This summer Sian from High in the Sky organised a postcard exchange.  It was fun to take part in - you sent out six postcards to recipients chosen by Sian and then received another 6 postcards from 6 other people.  I have got out of the habit of sending postcards when away on holiday and it reminded me that it is very lovely to receive a nice cheery postcard amongst all the bills and junk mail.

These are the lovely postcards I received from Australia, South Africa, America and the UK.   I ended up with a bonus one from Sian - they are now decorating my fridge and make me smile whenever I am in the kitchen.

 Thankyou to all those that sent me a card.   And thank you Sian for organising it all xx

Beat the Christmas Rush - August

After making these card in boxes I was left with this pile of leftover stamped die cuts.

Which I turned into these -

I added some ab gemstones to some of the images and the sentiment is by Personal Impressions, which I stamped in Cherry Cobbler or Old Olive

You can join in with Beat the Christmas Rush over on Sue's blog

My Mum, My Friend

As always there was a lovely sketch set for our monthly sketch group challenge.  Sheena set this one and also challenged us to use flowers, the sketch is from Scrap365.

I used scraps from my scrap box (I think most of them are Fancy Pants Park Bench) and the misting was done with Mr Huey's and a Heidi Swapp mask.

The title is a mixture of Thickers and Making Memories alphabet stickers

Wedding Easel Card

I recently made this card for my cousin who got married a couple of weekends ago

I used a lovely stamp from Lili of the Valley and made an easel card.

I coloured the image with Promarkers and used liquid pearls as an accent. The sentiment is also by Lili of the Valley.

  I punched hearts with the Stampin Up Itty Bitty accent punch from glitter cardstock to support the easel.

The papers are magazine freebies and the swirl was cut with a Cheery Lynn die.

Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt - Part 1

This is my first year taking part in Rinda's Summer Scavenger Hunt

We are hoping to get a lot of the photographs on our cruise but I will share the ones we have got so far -

4.  A group of tourists - taken in Amsterdam

7.  A rural landscape - taken just outside Nijmegen

14.  A Parade - watching the four day walking event in Nijmegen, the Vierdaagse

 6.  A sign in a language other than English - taken at a hotel near Nijmegen

17.  A lamp post - taken from a canal trip in Amsterdam

 So we have made a nice little start - now to remember to make sure to pack a list of the photographs needed!!

1. A sign welcoming people to your home town (or a nearby town)
2. A garden gnome
3. Birds on a wire
4. A group of tourists
5. A rack of post cards
6. An urban street scene
7. A rural landscape
8. A tattoo on a person
9. A bakery
10. A photo bomb (someone found lurking in the background of photo; the lurker may have intended to disrupt the picture or may be doing it unintentionally, but the background lurker is a surprise to the photographer)
11. A horn
12. A mascot
13. A sunrise
14. A parade
15. A juggler
16. A sign in a language other than English
17. A lamp post
18. A water fall
19. A public garden
20. A bus (not a car, truck, lorry, camper or RV) with a picture painted on its sides.
21. A photograph of you with something representing the season (recognizing that the season will be Winter for our friends in the southern hemisphere). Note: you may not use a substitute for this item.
If you find something on the list too difficult, you may substitute one of the following items for anything on the list, except for Item #21:
Alternative A: A kite, hot air balloon or blimp
Alternative B: A bird house

Petal Party Cards

The challenge this month at Penny Black Saturday Challenge  is Floral Fantasy.

I have had this lovely T for transparent set 'Petal Party' for ages and not used it so this challenge was the ideal opportunity to get the stamps inky and have a little play.  I used my current favourite Stampin Up colour combo of Daffodil Delight and Smoky Slate (thank you Fiona!!)

I hand cut all the flowers and the leaves (which were stamped with Certainly Celery).

The sentiments are from a Penny Black 'T for transparent' set Eloquence.

I don't know why I have taken so long to use these stamps, they are so lovely - expect to see them a lot more on cards!!

I'm also entering these cards into the August challenge on the Penny Black and More At Allsorts blog which is Anything Goes.

My Month in Numbers - July

July was a very busy month - we spent 6 lovely days in The Netherlands staying with friends in Nijmegen.  Whilst we were there the 4 days march (Vierdaagse) was taking place.  Over 42,000 people took part and 39,910 people completed the 4 days of walking.  The minimum distance that is walked each day is 30 km, up to 50 km maximum.  Servicemen have to do at least 40 km carrying a 10 kg marching kit.  On the Wednesday the route passed close to our friends' house so we went out to cheer on all the Brits taking part - lots of British Army regiments were there, also the London Metropolitan Police and loads of venture scout units. 

The weather was hot, hot, hot whilst we were there - temperatures got up to 35C the day we went to Amsterdam.  So we stayed nice and cool in the Rijksmuseum, the air conditioning for the paintings suited us just fine!!

Us with Rembrandt's De Nachtwacht

On our return home it was our turn to play host to a lovely couple from Sweden who we have met through our love of the band Marillion.  We had a fab 3 days with Darren and Diana.

We celebrate 2 anniversaries in July - 22 years since we became a couple and also our 19th wedding anniversary.

Craftwise I haven't done so much this month, just 2 mini books, 4 layouts and 10 cards.

And my regular countdowns that I feature every month -

216 days to the Marillion convention in Port Zelande, Netherlands

238 days to the UK Marillion convention

And only 14 more sleeps till my big birthday!!!!!

If you want to join in with Julie's Month in Numbers meme check out how to here

British Themed Mints

I always like to take a little gift for all the family when we go to stay with our friends in the Netherlands.  This time I decided to make up some Elizabeth Shaw mints on a British theme - I first saw this idea on The Fiddle Fart blog and have since made them on various different themes.

 The papers used are a mixture of Docrafts and Craftwork cards.  The crown is a SU stamp which I embossed in gold.

Beat the Christmas Rush - July

Here are the cards that I made for Sue's Beat the Christmas Rush.  I got a bit carried away and made 8 but my first fundraiser is just over a month away so I will need plenty of Christmas cards for my stall.

I used a cute hedgehog from a Penny Black 'T for transparent' set - Holly Day Critters.

I cut out the image with a plain square nestability and then cut a mat with a slightly larger scalloped square nestability.  The sentiments are mainly by Pink Petticoat and mounted onto a SU punched mat.

 

I coloured the images with Promarkers and the stars are from a Pound shop.

I am also entering the cards into this month's challenge at Penny Black and More at Allsorts which is Anything Goes.

One Photo, Twenty Words

Keeping cool the Parkhurst way - he wears a wet flannel on his head, she chills her feet in the pool

Joining in with Abi's meme 'One Photo, Twenty Words'

Birthday Bracelet and earrings

For part of Mum's 70th birthday present I made her a new crystal bracelet with matching earrings.

 

And the matching earrings

 

 I was so pleased that she really liked them.