Catch-up

Just popping in to have a quick catch-up from the last few weeks. Since I last posted, I have been working hard to get Emily's birthday album finished, and I am pleased to report that it is finally finished.  After a 12 hour crop on Saturday, I breathed a massive sigh of relief on Sunday lunchtime when I finished the final page.

 

Instead of one album, it ended up that I had to have two.  I made 80 pages in total and they wouldn't fit into one book.  I'm really proud of the work I have done and I hope Emily likes it.  I will post some photos in the coming weeks when everything has calmed down.

 

Card making has taken a bit of a back seat over the last few months (as has blogging!).  I'm looking forward to some relaxed card making time coming soon - especially as there is a new Stampin' Up catalogue going live in the next few weeks and I will definitely want to have a play with some of the lovely new products.

 

Anyway today I am sharing a selection of things that I have made over the last month.  The first being an anniversary card.  I actually had three anniversaries to make cards for in May, so I cheated and made three of the same design!

 

I used the Bloomin' Marvellous set from the SAB promotion, as well as A Word For You.  The colours are Wisteria Wonder, Calypso Carol and Lucky Limeade.

 

This next card was made for my neighbours' daughter, using some polka dot paper and Martha Stewart glitter.  A little bit of scoring and some Nestabilities completes the card.

And the final card is the one I made for my dad for Father's Day.  I used the Clockworks set with Always Artichoke, Crumb Cake and Early Espresso ink, on a Kraft card.  A little bit of Washi tape and natural twine, as well as the Teeny Tiny Sentiments.  It was a bit of a different look for me - I find masculine cards quite difficult - but my dad liked it.

And the final thing I'd like to share is a little crocheted cherry brooch that I made for a friend  who is getting married soon.  It's for her bridesmaid who is called Cherry!  I was rather pleased with it and may have to make some more.

So apart from a spell of illness last week, and Edward getting hit in the head with a tennis racquet (nice golf ball sized lump!) life ticks on.  I still haven't made Emily's card - she hinted at a pop-up Hogwarts card - nothing like a challenge.  Hopefully I will be back soon to share some quick cards that I made a few weeks ago from a kit.  Until then, take care and thanks fro dropping by.

Michelle x

Birthdays Galore!

 

It's been a busy time recently - lots of April birthday, and lots more in May.  The following cards are a few that I made for last month.

 

This first card was made for a good friend of mine who celebrated a milestone birthday.  I cut an oval in the middle of the card and pierced around the outside of the aperture and the edge of the card with a piercing template.  I attached a piece of green Twitterpated DSP behind the aperture.  I cut some chipboard numbers and coated them in Martha Stewart glitter and attached them to the DSP.  A Teeny Tiny sentiment and punched out labels in white and Pear Pizzazz completed the card.

 

This next card was made with a scrap booking kit that I have had knocking around for years and thought I ought to start using!  It was a card made in a hurry for the little boy next door.

An finally, another card made from a pad of scrap booking papers.  Actually I used offcuts from Emily's birthday album, to use them up.  The card was for a 14 year old girl and I hope I pitched it correctly - it's a funny old age, 14!

 

 

Hopefully I will be back soon with some more cards.  Because I have a lot of birthdays in May, I've gone in for some batch making sessions, and revisiting an old design.  But I do have something new to show you that I am very proud of - so watch this space!

 

See you soon.  Take care

 

Michelle x

In the Pink!

Well, it's the end of another busy week.  The first week back at school, and it feels like we have never been away.  And the weather hasn't helped, it's been so awful - I'm fed up with walking to work and feeling soggy by the time I get there.

Here's the card that I made on Monday for my friend who has just got engaged.  The pink stripe card blank is from Craftwork Cards (Spring Fling), as is the vellum message ribbon.  I am so addicted to making 3D glittery butterflies with my Martha Stewart punch, they are on lots of cards I am making at the moment.

Tomorrow is my monthly scrapbook crop, Scrapbags, which is very exciting.  I don't have any pages planned at the moment, but I am taking so much stash that I'm sure that won't be a problem.  I really must crack on with Emily's album because I have only completed one page so far.  I'm definitely way off course with it.  I planned to complete at least one page a month!

Anyway, better go and get packing otherwise I'm bound to forget something (like the first session when I forgot my cutting mat!).  Thanks for dropping by.  Have a great weekend.

Michelle x

Thanks for joining me today.  I'm pleased to say that after a very long week of feeling ill, I now feel so much better.  I think I need some multi vitamins though, to give me a bit more "oomph!".

The card I am sharing today is for a friend who has just had surgery.  I hope it will brighten her day.

The green card is from a collection called Spring Fling and it's from Craftwork Cards, as are the message band and sentiment.  I cut the aperture from the centre of the card (leaving a 2.5cm border all the way around).  Then I punched out 6 pink glittery butterflies with a Martha Stewart punch, and stuck three together (twice) to make 3D embellishments.

I'm really happy with how this card turned out.  It didn't take very long to make which was perfect as time was short and I like the freshness of it.

I hope you are all having a good week.  Mine will improve radically tomorrow when my washing machine is repaired.  It has been out of action for over a week.  Thank heavens for my lovely mum, who has been doing it all for me (and ironing it too!).  With a family of four, my machine is on at least once every day - it's the one appliance that sends me into a panic if it breaks down!

Take care and thanks for visiting.  I am so appreciative of your comments.

Michelle x

It's Springtime!

Just kidding!  Wishful thinking I guess, but actually it's the name of the paper range from Echo Park that I have used on these cards.  I bought a couple of sheets in the sale about a month ago, and I just love the fresh colours.  I teamed it with some hot pink card stock and used my new Martha Stewart butterfly punch to make some powder blue glittery embellishments.

I hope you are all having a happy Saturday.  I am.  Edward is back from his skiing trip all in one piece, having had an excellent time.  He talked non-stop for the first hour and a half!  Chloe gave him a rapturous welcome by pinning him to the floor and giving his face a thorough licking!  She missed him too.

My February parcel of Stampin' Up goodies arrived this morning and I have had a little play this afternoon.  The Sale-a-bration products are amazing.  I really like the Fresh Vintage stamps, and the Everyday Enchantment papers are simply beautiful.

Thanks for dropping by.  Your comments are always much appreciated.

Michelle x

Catching Up

It's been a funny week.  The weather has been hideous, all that wind has been so scary.  On Tuesday I got absolutely soaked to the skin just popping into town for an hour.  My umbrella was worse than useless in the wind.  Wednesday was back to work and school, which wasn't too bad, like I had never been away.  It was a bit sad taking all the decorations down on Friday night, the place looks so bare now.

Yesterday was Mark's birthday, and to celebrate we went to see The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo at the cinema and then afterwards we went for a Thai meal.  We enjoyed the film but preferred the original Swedish version.  I think if I hadn't seen the original I would have liked the new one more (Daniel Craig is an added bonus though!!).  The Thai meal was excellent too, so all in all, a very enjoyable evening.

From a craft point of view, there's a lot of things going on that I am very excited about.  Firstly, I am definitely joining the scrapbooking crop on Saturday.  It's a local group called Scrapbags and they meet once a month in a village hall near to where I live.  I am excited but also very nervous.  I don't know how much stuff to take, what to take etc.  The advice I have been given is to plan a few layouts and pick papers and embellishments for each one.  I'll let you know how things are going and will hopefully have some layouts to show you.

Another thing I am enjoying is Art Journaling.  I have painted two backgrounds so far and just need to pluck up the courage to add some journaling.  I have discovered that I am not frightened of the paint and you can't really go wrong.  There's another journaling project I want to try, where you make a monthly calender - check out The Kathryn Wheel blog (here) to see what I mean.  I'm not sure if I am going to do it, as I don't want to take on too much - we'll see how it goes.

I'm keen to add more lovely Stampin' Up products to my collection so I have joined the Stampers 6 club on this clever lady's blog (here).  You commit to spending a certain amount of money each month for 6 months, and one month you are the hostess,  It's all very exciting!!

Finally, on to the card I have made this weekend.  It's a 40th birthday card for a friend at work.

Ingredients

Patterned paper : The Canterbury Collection by Kanban

Purple Cardstock and ribbon from collection

Glitter : Martha Stewart

Ovals : Nestabilities

Punch : Martha Stewart

Well, I hope you like it and thanks for dropping by.  I hope you have had a good week and I'm off to have a peek at what you've been doing.

Take care.

M x