HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Have a great Halloween.

Cupcake Challenge 11

Hellooooooo,

I got my computer back, YEAHHHHHH. I've been so lost without it, I get a cold, so it decides to come out in sympathy with me and gets a virus. My cold didn't cost me anything to cure it though, and under normal circumstances I'd have been able to reinstall XP myself but that nasty virus knocked out my hard drive, so off to the computer doctors it went. Any way enough of my ramblings and on with the show. This card was made for Cupcake Challenge 11 - "There's a hole in my bucket" and no you don't have to take it literally, just make something holey...


















This was a nightmare to photograph. The Mirri card either showed up black or I got my reflection in it, but after about 20 attempts I finally got one that was passable.
The base card is a pearlescent white card as is the top layer card. The holes in the top layer where made using three different size Nestabilities circles, that where edged with silver peel offs. I then stamped the swirls using the Magnolia swirl stamp and Brilliance Sky Blue ink pad. Then got some white snowflake border peel offs cut off the snowflakes and randomly stuck them on. The sentiment is by Catslife Press stamped with Brilliance Mediterranean Blue ink pad.
The ghost snowflakes are by Heidi Swapp. I have some Art-Work Crystal Stars that I cut up and stuck on then I covered the snowflakes with ArtGlitter glue and then covered with crystal glitter. A hole was punched in the top of the snowflakes and a jump ring was used to attach them to the card. Then all topped off with some white organza ribbon. This was all then mounted onto some silver Mirri card with 2mm thick foam tape, so as the snowflakes could jiggle about, plus you get to see the relection of them in the Mirri card..
So considering I've not been in the best of moods for the past couple of days, I don't think this turned out to bad. Thank you for looking and don't open ANY emails that say they're from UPS, Grrrr.
Take care & keep smiling

House Mouse Challenge 11 (I've come over all purple!!!)

Hello all,

No I haven't got my computer back yet :( Hopefully it'll be back home with mommy tomorrow. But for now I've pinched my Dads' computer to post my new card. And what a to do I've had doing it. Unlike my computer that has hundreds of programs on it my Dads' has a hand full so trying to download my pictures from my camera has taken about 30 Min's instead of 5. Oh well, I got there in the end ...

I made this card for House Mouse Challenge 11, and the challenge is called "That Natural Feeling"

So I decided I was going to use some pressed pansies I had bought a while back from the Joanna Sheen craft site that I had used on a New Year card.

It's an A5 card (Stardream pearlescent purple) that has had 3cm cut off the front flap. The pressed pansies and leaves are stuck onto some watermark taffeta looking paper I got off eBay, that was then edged with some silver peel offs. For my backing I used Stardream pearlescent Ruby card. I stamped with an Elusive Images "Wild Meadow" Theme plate stamp, with a Cats eye purple ink pad and heat embossed with Moon Glow Angel Wings Gold EP. Then it was edged with Brilliance Galaxy Gold ink pad. The stamp is called Spring Blossoms, that of course was coloured in using my Derwent Coloursoft pencils and Sansodor and then mounted on a Nestabilities petite oval using the same card as the base card. The ribbon is from the Raspberry Ribbons August Kit - Paisley.

Right I'm off to enter this into the challenge, then I'm off to annoy my Dad for a bit, that's what kids are for right? even if I'm nearly mid 40's :)

Take care & keep smiling

Ann

Marcus - Look at those eyes.

Marcus passed away 26/10/08

Look at those eyes. Those eyes are not going to see a graduation, they're not going to see a wife and children, they're not going to see a dream fulfilled. This young man is dying of cancer, he's the same age as my son. How his mother and family are coping is I do not know, I would probably have gone to pieces had it been my son. I've never met Marcus or his family, I found this sad news on Marys' blog, if you want to read about Marcus click here. He won't be travelling the world now, so why don't you show his picture on your blog so as the world can meet him.

Green Santa!

Good Morning,

Sun's shining, birds are singing and I've finished my card I started yesterday(see post below). So until I go to give Mitzi a haircut later all is well in my little world :) This card I took my inspiration from a card that Els made. It's all green, very unusual, so I thought I'd have a go at something similar...

The base card is Stardream pearlescent green card, and the backing paper is another of my computer manipulated designs. It started life as a free paper I got from a craft magazine. It was green to begin with, but not the shade of green I wanted (in real life it is darker than shown). So into the trusty graphics program it went. After it was printed I sponged the edges with Brilliance Galaxy Gold ink pad. The DP band along the middle is Prima Marketing Urban Cosmos “Colony” that I punched with a Friskars holly border punch. Then just added some greeny gold ribbon and some brass brads from We R Memory Keepers. Thank you to Els for her fabulous card, and thank you all for looking.

Take care & keep smiling

Hi...

Well I don't know if you remember, but last Tuesday I was complaining that I was having an uninspiring day. Just couldn't decide what to do, but eventually I stamped and coloured a Tilda. Well this lacklustre feeling has been hanging around all week. My aching body, pounding head and aching neck is telling me I must be coming down with something, but instead of just coming out, you know the sneezes, coughs etc. It's just lurking there with intent, and it's really annoying me now, UGH. Anyway I found some decoupage sheets in one of my many boxes today, and decided to have a cutting out day...

The decoupage sheet I got from Joanna Sheen's craft site. I stuck the layers together with black 1mm foam pads, and then mounted on some gold leather effect card, and edged the picture with some gold border peel offs. Haven't decided what papers I'm going to use with it yet, could be cream, could be green, decisions, decisions. Oh well, time for bed.

Take care & keep smiling

Look At What I Got !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You know when you're out shopping and you just happen by a shop and there's something in the window that really catches your eye and you can hear it calling you "Buy me, buy me now", well that's how it was with this card I saw on Marys Blog - My Cardz. I kept looking at it and going back to look at it when I just had to ask if I could buy it. Well Mary said she hadn't sold a card before but she was happy to let me have it. And here it is. All framed up and ready to hang on my wall next to my desk. If you want to have a look at it close up click here, this'll take you straight to Marys' post about the card. She even sent me some stamped images of the little Bee :), but one things for sure I couldn't possibly make a card as kissably cute as this one.

xx THANK YOU MARY xx

Take care & keep smiling (I am from ear to ear)

Finished it!

Hello again, I finally finished the card I started yesterday. I decided to use the Friday Sketchers sketch for my layout though I never entered the challenge...






































The base card is Stradream Pearlescent white card ( not that you can see it), and the papers are from Doodlebug. The image was mounted onto silver Mirri card and the half circles where edged with silver peel offs, and silver snowflake peel offs running down the sides. I decided against a sentiment as there wasn't a lot of room left, but unless you come from another planet I think it's pretty obvious what it is. I did make a mistake on this card, the snowflake paper was supposed to be the half circles, but I didn't realise my mistake until I'd cut it out, DOH! Any ways it doesn't look too bad. I'm off to bed now so until the next time...
Take care & keep smiling

Nearly a card!

Hello all,

Well today has been an uninspired day. Got the day off and didn't know what to do. So in the end I decided just to stamp something and do some colouring...

Two pictures with the light coming from different angles as you can't see on the top photo that the sleigh is coloured in with a silver metallic pen. Brunte and Tilda are coloured with Derwent Coloursoft pencils and Sansodor, and Tildas' ribbons, button and heart on boots are coloured with Sakura Stardust Gelly Roll pens. Her muff, trim on hood and bobble have been glittered, though you can't see it on the photos. They were then both cut out (LOVE cutting out) and mounted onto Bazzil card. Before they were stuck on I heat embossed the edges with some weird EP I found on Joanna Sheens website, it's called Sparkle N Sprinkle Shasta Puff. When you heat it up it "puffs" up, not as much as applique (though you can layer it up) but unlike applique that is soft, this dries hard. Then when the cutouts where stuck on I drew with a white pencil the snowflake/stars and then sprayed with Windsor & Newton Artists Fixative as the white pencil is soft and prone to smudging. Now all I've got to do is make a card with it. So not a completely wasted day AND I found myself a bit of a bargain on eBay. 150 sheets of K&Co paper for £27.25 that included P&P/shipping, works out at 18p a sheet, not bad eh? Right gotta go and wash my uniform for work tomorrow (UGH). So until the next time...

Take care & keep smiling (even if you do have to go to work)

Cupcake Challenge 9 - Turn Up The Heat

Hellooooooooo, another challenge, YIPEE! This one's from Cupcake, and it's all to do with heat. Be it hot colours, heat embossing etc. etc. So I decided to go with the colours, heat embossing AND the theme of my card is Summer...

The main picture is a rubber stamp called "Coneflower" from Serendipity Stamps, and as always is coloured in with my lurvley Derwent Coloursoft pencils and Sansodor. The center of the flower has been dotted with Sakura Gelly Roll Gold pen to give it a bit of va va voom. This was then had the edges sponged with Brilliance Galaxy Gold ink pad and mounted firstly onto Stardream Pearlescent Mars red card and then onto Stardream Pearlescent orange card. The backing paper is again Stardream Pearlescent gold card that has been stamped with Elusive Images Wild Meadow stamps using Encore gold ink pad and Moon Glow EP Sunrise Salmon Gold. The base card is (yes you guessed it) Stardream Pearlescent orange card. This was all topped of with some orange organza ribbon, a metal embellishment I found at the bottom of one of my boxes (organised chaos) and the slider was made with the same card as the base card with a Wizard die and then stamped with Hero Arts Sparkle Clear Message Stamps using Brilliance Coffee Bean ink pad. I really enjoyed this challenge, as I like heat embossing and I also got to use orange, a colour I wouldn't normally use unless it was a Halloween card. Any hoo, enjoy whats left of the weekend and...

Take care & keep smiling

PS. Why is it I can't click on the pictures any more to get a close up? GRRRrrrrrr, most anoying. If you do want to see a close up go into my slide show on the side, you'll get a close up there.

TTFN xx

House Mouse Challenge 9

Hello, good morning and welcome,
Yeahhh I finished my House Mouse Challenge. I didn’t think I was going to enter this week as the sketch looked complicated and my HM stamps are all on the large side or didn’t lend themselves to being put in a circle. But once I sat and had a good look at it, it wasn’t that hard at all…

The HM stamp I used is called “I can catch it” and the Christmas tree is of an unknown brand that I got off ebay. They are both coloured with my trusty Derwent Coloursoft pencils and Sansodor. The baubles and star have yellow Stickles glitter glue on them. They were both cut out and stuck on (mouse is stuck on with foam pads) some creamy coloured card that had been sponged with Brilliance Gamma Green. This was then mounted on gold silk Mirri card (I’m addicted to this stuff) that had been cut with my classic circle Nestabilities. The band going across the middle was made from the “waste” of a Sizzix swirl die I had used on my Peter Rabbit card I made a couple of days ago, which was again mounted on gold silk Mirri card. The DP is Daisy D’s Heirloom Red – Floral and Prima Marketing Urban Cosmos “Colony”. The flowers are Prima and I wasn’t going to put the red rhinestones on the scallop circle but I bodged the hole for the brad in the wrong place (serendipity). And lastly some gold organza ribbon as I didn’t want to hide the gold swirls then all stuck on some Stardream Pearlescent red (Mars) card. Well, for a card I didn’t think I could do, it didn’t turn out to bad. Hope you like it and thank you for looking.

PS. I forgot to say that the image was inspired by you ladies who didn’t have Halloween HM stamps last week, but all managed to enter by adapting the stamps you had got. Thank you Ladies for your ingenuity and inspiration.xxx

Halloween - Spooky Friends

Evening all, Well I've just started on my House Mouse Challenge, and while I'm waiting for my glue to dry I thought I'd show you a card I made about a month ago.

The Sketch is one (I think) by Claudia of Pretty Pressings. The stripey backing paper was made by me on the computer and the two other papers were freebies I found on the internet. The dog and cat stamp is by Serendipity Stamps and the "bush" is actually the tree with carved heart by Magnolia. All the stamp images were coloured in with Derwents Coloursoft pencils and Sansodor, as was the sky. The sky has padded stars and clear rhinestones stuck on. The spider and web are buttons from Dress It Up and the sentiment is one I bought a loooong time ago from a local book shop that were selling some craft stuff. Oh the three panels are mounted onto purple mirri card as is the main image but being mirri card it just looks black in the photo.
Right I'm off to see if my glitter's dried, if not I'll go and find someone in the house to annoy until it does :) So until the next time..

Take care & keep smiling

Peter Rabbit Birthday Card

Hello again, been quite a nice day here today, mild and dry. Did go out today (day off from work) but only to go and buy a new mobile phone for my Dad. He's on his third one now, he lost the other two in a matter of 4 months!!! I've told him if he loses this one he's not having another he can have a carrier pigeon, at least that'll find it's way home if he drops it :). Anyway I digress, today I had to make a quick card (well quick for me) to send off for a birthday I had marked on the calendar for next week, only the birthday was actually last week (don't ask, even I can't figure out what planet I was on when I marked it down). So here it is, you can tell it's a quick card, I'm not a happy bunny with it (I know corny joke) but I'm afraid it'll have to do...


The image is one I got free with a craft magazine, there were four different Peter Rabbit pictures with sentiments etc. But as usual I wasn't quite happy with the picture as it was a bit pale, so I scanned it and this time I put it through my free Picassa2 graphics program as in the effects part there is a "warmify" effect. It was then cut out mounted onto gold silk mirri card and then onto some dark green Bazzill card stock. The swirls were made with a Sizzix decorative strip die from the same Bazzill card and so was the decorative corners that are a Cuttlebug die. The Green gingham backing paper was from Joanna Sheens' Fashion Boutique. The stripey one was made by me on the computer. The sentiment is from a clear stamp by Hero Arts called Sparkle Clear - Messages, that was stamped with Versafine Olympic Green and then plonked in a We R Memory Keepers bookplate. Oh and the "stitching" is just done with a very fine green marker pen. So there you have it, not a good card but I promise I'll try harder next time :)
Take care & keep smiling

PS. Read the post below, it's a Christmas Give Away that ends 17th October. All you've got to do is leave a comment.

Cupcake Craft Challenge 8

Hello again, it's been a gorgeous day, not that I've been out, too busy getting this card finished in time for the Cupcake Challenge dead line. But I did get it finished and I got some decent light to take some photo's of my card, so here it is...

I took two photo's one with the flash one without as certain elements, colours show up better under different lights. The card was made up from one designer company called Elusive Images.

The backing paper was from their Artylicious Season's Greetings CD-ROM . It wasn't quite dark enough for me, so I put it through my trusty graphics program and made it darker, then printed it onto hessian card and then sponged with Brilliance Galaxy Gold ink pad. The oval and circles were made using Nestabilities classics and scallops. The holly design on them is from Elusive Images Christmas Flourish rubber stamp themeplate set, which was stamped using Versfine Olympic Green ink pad. The swirls were highlighted with a gold gel pen and the berries have Stickles Xmas red splodged on. They were then all mounted onto gold silk mirri card scallops. The green panel is just some dark green linen card with another stamp from Christmas Flourish stamp set using Brilliance Galaxy Gold ink pad and again sponged round the edges. The sentiment is from the same stamp set and the same gold ink pad. The ribbon is just from my stash. I like this card, but the photo's are a bit yuk. The gold sponging round the edge of the backing paper isn't that bold in real life, but hey ho I can only apologise for my bad photography :(

Anyway thank you for dropping by hope you like my version of the challenge.

Take care & keep smiling

Calendar - November & December

Hello, this is the last two pages of my calendar. You may think the December page isn't very festive, but that is because the lady I am making it for is a Jehovah's Witness (I'm not, but I respect her beliefs and we have been friends for more years than I care to remember) and as you may or may not know they don't do the Christian festivals.




































November (Lady) - The image is a painting called "Hiver" by Alphonse Mucha, printed onto Soft Satin Photo Paper, mounted onto blue stardream pearlescent card and edged with silver border peel offs. The corners are made from the same blue card with a Cuttlbug die. The backing paper is the same one I made for a Christmas card . The embellishments are two large snowflakes cut from white stardream pearlescent card using another Cuttlebug die and emboss set with a blue rhinestone added. The little snowflakes are made using white pearlescent paper a small snowflake punch with flatback pearls and clear rhinestones.
December - A Japanese painting I don't know the name of or remember where I got from, but it was printed onto Ilford Gallerie smooth pearl paper, mounted onto silver silk mirri card with silver peel offs in the corners. The backing paper is one I made again from two different pictures. The first picture being one of a night sky that I "stretched" to make the stars look like falling snow, and the other of some frost that I copied and mirrored and then layered the two together and changed the colour to compliment the picture. All done through my ANCIENT Adobe photoshop graphics program. The Oriental sentiments are black peel offs put onto silver silk mirri card that was put through the Cuttlebug using Nestabilites Classic Rectangles. The little "tassels" I made from Anchor silver Lame thread. And lastly some silver corner peels offs. So there you go, my calendar pictures complete. Just got to get round to doing the actual calendar pages and binding it and it'll be ready to go. I hope my friend Gillian will like it as I hope you do too.
Take care and keep smiling

PS. I just had a look at the oriental page and I lied (GASP) it wasn't two differnt pictures used to make the backing paper, but three. The other picture was one with squiggles, that was originally black with fuchsia pink squiggles on it. I love graphics programs, you can turn three different pictures that are all different colours into one. How cool is that!

House Mouse Challenge 8 - Halloween

This is my entry for the House Mouse Monday Challenge No.8 which is to make a card for Halloween...





































Lots of pictures, because I wanted to show a close up of my colouring as I'm very pleased with the way it turned out. I used Derwent's Coloursoft pencils and Sansodor.And the close up of the spider as he looks just looks like a blob on the card photo. The papers used are by Creative Imaginations except the stripy one, that was made by me on the computer. The sentiment is from House Mouse, stamped on pearlescent orange card and heat embossed with Sparkle N Sprinkle patina gold EP, then cut round. The main stamp is called Frightingly Adorable, which was mounted onto black card and sponged with Brilliance orange inkpad. Then last but not least two black jewelled brads and a spider button from Dress It UP. The sketch I used unfortunatley I can't remember where I got it from, if you do, let me know and I'll add a link on this page (give credit where it's due). Thank you for looking.
Take care & keep smiling

Calendar - September & October

Hello again, here's the next two pages of my calendar...
















September (chocolate) - The three ladies were from Joanna Sheens' Fashion Boutique CD Rom, as was the backing paper. The three ladies were printed onto Jaquard inkjet cotton, padded and mounted onto copper silk mirri card. The backing paper was printed onto pearlescent paper and "aged" with Brilliance Coffee Bean ink pad. The sentiment backing I made myself through my graphics program. Basically I took the middle lady coloured out everything on the image except the palm leaf and the background. I then copied and flipped the image (mirrored) and then lightened it and stamped on the sentiment, which I got from Stampland Chicago. The Swirls is a Sizzix die and of course ribbon.
October - This I think is my favourite page. The image is a painting called "Dogwood" by Albert Bierstadt. It was printed onto Ilford Gallerie smooth pearl paper and mounted onto copper mirri card and then edged with copper peel offs. The backing paper is a William Morris design printed onto pearlescent paper and "aged" with Brilliance coffee bean ink pad. The leaves I made with a Cuttlebug die from three different colour pearlescent card and then sponged with different colour Brilliance ink pads to get the autumn colours and then scored with a fine embossing tool to get the veins. The sentiment is an Impression Obsession rubber stamp that was stamped onto the same William Morris design as the BP, but this was printed on to plain white card, again this was mounted onto copper mirri card and edged with the same peel offs. Some copper organza ribbon and some metal embellishments to finish off.
The last two pages will be posted tomorrow along with (hopefully, if I get it finished) my entry into the house Mouse Challenge.
Thank you for looking. Take care and keep smiling

Calendar - July & August

Morning, feels a bit fresh this morning and it's not raining. So here's the next installment of my calendar...















The colours on these photo's are a bit iffy, the little girl picture isn't that orange and the lily centre is orange and not pink! But anyway you get the general idea.
July - The backing paper is one I made through my graphics program from two different pictures. The lily picture is from Joanna Sheen's Card Makers Year CD Rom and if you look closer you'll see like a wiggle pattern, thats the other picture, that came from Backing Papers For Free. The lilies also came from the Card Makers Year CD Rom. Some gold peel offs and orange ribbon were added for effect. I cheated on this page (gasp in horror) I borrowed the idea from a card on Joanna Sheens Gallery, she's quite happy for this to happen (no copyright). I WOULD NOT do this from any blog site. Only if I asked first and then I would show it to the person first for approval before I published it, and then like on this post I would leave a link to the original card.

August - The main picture is called The Sea Blossom by Jessie Wilcox Smith. Again printed on Ilfor Gallerie smooth pearl paper and mounted on to gold mirri card with some gold border peal off in the corners. The two small shell designs are Serendipity rubber stamps which were embossed with Moon Glow EPs. The large shell and sentiment are Impression Obsession stamps, again embossed with Moon Glow EP. The backing paper is again a picture I have amassed over time on my computer and changed the colour to match. The card used to make the shells is two different colour Stardream pearlescent card.
Thanks again for stopping by.
Take care & keep smiling