Card Swap Challenge - September

 

Today I am sharing the card I made for this month's Card Swap Challenge group.  The brief was to get to know your partner, and to reflect this in the card.  Oh, and the card had to have some movement to it!  I was ok with the challenge until the last part, as I don't generally make this type of card - but there again, it is a challenge group.  After much trawling through Pinterest, I came across this card type.  I don't know what it's called - it's a bit like a Z Fold, but it may also be called a Lever Card (any suggestions gratefully received!).  I made a prototype in cheap card, and fiddled with it until I was happy.  Then on to the real thing.

 

Sue, my recipient, loves the colours lavender, turquoise and silver, and nature (birds, butterflies and squirrels).  She also likes clean and simple cards.  Perfect - ticks all the boxes for me.

 

I made the card base in SU's Tempting Turquoise.  The two white panels were stamped in Wisteria Wonder ink, using the Flowering Flourishes stamp set.  I stamped a variety of small butterflies from Papillon Potpourri (one of my favourites), and punched them out with the corresponding punch.  I used Tempting Turquoise, Wisteria Wonder and a silver inkpad that I've had for years.  The butterflies were curled a little bit for dimension, and I added a couple of tiny gems to each one to finish them off.  The banner sentiment was stamped from a set called Floral Wings.

  

I've just got back from a residential school trip to Wales.  We went to a PGL site and had five glorious days with a great group of children.  There were a few tears at bedtime, not enough sleep, and the obligatory travel sick child, but apart from that, it was a lot of fun.  I was planning on a restful weekend, and maybe catching up on a little bit of scrapbooking but that is not looking likely at the moment.

Talking of scrapbooking, check out the new blog button on the right hand side of my blog.  I joined a scrapbook kit subscription group in May, called likeforever, and it has really helped inspire my layouts.  The person who owns and runs likeforever, Nicola, is absolutely brilliant.  She puts together amazing kits, using the latest collections.  There is a very friendly and supportive Facebook group for subscribers, and so much inspiration.  I recommend that you take a look.  I'm loving being a part of it.  I hope to give my blog a little bit of a facelift over the coming weeks, and post some of my layouts too.

Well, that's me done for today.  Thanks for dropping by, and I am very appreciative of your comments.  Have a great weekend.

Take care

Michelle x

Scrapbags Spring Retreat

Hope everyone has had a lovely weekend.  It made such a pleasant change for the sun to be shining.  Mark actually stoked up the barbecue tonight, although we ate inside.

 

So today's post is a break from card making. I thought I would share some of the pages I've completed for Emily's 18th birthday album  I made some of the pages the week leading up to my retreat (the children had gone to stay with their grandparents for the week), and some were made whilst I was away.

 

I had a great time.  The hotel was very comfortable, they fed us delicious food, regularly, and I was with a great crowd of people.  My attempts at teaching crochet to one of my fellow Scrapbaggers wasn't terribly successful, we had a real laugh anyway!

 

I've used a variety of papers and materials, but the keen eyes amongst you will surely spot the SU products!

 

I hope you enjoy.

 

 

Well, for those of you that stuck with it, I thank you!  Any comments, as always, are greatly appreciated.

Take care

Michelle x

Summer Holidays

Yes, it's me, yes I'm back!  Sorry for the prolonged absence.  I thought I would blog more often being on holiday but it just hasn't worked out that way.  I am back to work tomorrow (shock to the system!), so I thought I would do a round up of the summer holidays.

 

This has probably been the best summer holiday for a few years. I have spent time with my family, I have had time to relax and recharge, time to be creative and time to complete jobs.  Here's what I've been up to:

 

Despite initially not being bothered, I was completely caught up in the Olympics.  I felt very proud to be British and very proud of how we came across to the rest of the world.  It was just amazing.

 

We have decorated Edward's bedroom.  It started off with just tidying and throwing things away, and escalated into full on stripping!  New colour on the walls, new flooring, new bedding etc.

 

We had a lovely holiday in Kent with my parents.  We stayed in a great house in Westgate-on-Sea and spent lots of time on the beach, walking the dog and just relaxing.  There were trips to Whitstable and Broadstairs, and a great little shell grotto in Margate.

 

Edward had a week away in Centre Parcs with a friend, so Emily and I had a week together catching up on films (mainly Harry Potter!).

 

I have been to a couple of Scrapbook crops.

 

I have just returned from a Scrapbook Retreat - 3 days and 2 nights in a lovely hotel.  Super meals and great company.  I have never spent so long crafting (it was very tiring!).  The photos below show some views of the hotel, as well as the layouts I completed.

 

 

I made a card - well it was our 18th wedding anniversary, so it had to be done!  The design is a complete copy from one that Vicky Hayes made (see it here ) which I loved so much.  Vicky has such inspiring ideas, do check out her blog, it's incredible.

 

The card is made from white card stock.  The hearts are cut from Nestabilities.  I glued three red hearts together, scored down the middle, to make it look 3D.  I used a Swiss Dots embossing folder on the left hand panel.  This design is so versatile and I know I will be making many more cards in this style (in fact I am planning my Christmas cards around this look).

 

 

And after months of worrying myself silly, Emily started college yesterday and seems to love it.  She has had a tough couple of years and I let out a big sigh of relief when things went well yesterday.  A new chapter has started for her, and she is on the way to achieving her dreams of becoming a teacher.

 

So now, after all that, I can go back to work feeling refreshed and hopefully stress free.  With any luck I will be back soon with another card to show you.

 

Thanks for dropping by and sticking with me.  I really appreciate your comments.

 

Take care.

 

Michelle x

Anniversary Card

Hi all, hope you are having a pleasant Saturday.  I have been at my scrapbooking crop today and have had a thoroughly lovely time.  I went without any plan whatsoever, but did manage to complete a layout (in between chatting, drinking coffee and eating cake!). Emily's scrapbook is coming on slowly, but I am confident it will be finished on time.  I'm planning to get so much done at my retreat at the end of August.

As promised, here is the card I made for my sister's wedding anniversary.  I am particularly pleased with this one.

I stamped the text image from the Charming set by SU in Blushing Bride, then stamped the flower (also from Charming) over the top in Concord Crush.  I stuck it to a rectangle of Blushing Bride textured cardstock that I had already torn to size.  This card stock looks great torn, I really like the texture.  I then made a ribbon effect from Concord Crush pattered DSP and stuck it to the card.  I added the stamped element  using 3D foam pads.  I finished it off with a sentiment from Paula Pascual's All Year Round set, mounted on Blushing Bride.

I really like the subtlety of the Charming set and I am enjoying using my Stampin' Up products.  I joined a Stampers 6 club back in January run by Vicky Hayes (check it out here ) and I thoroughly recommend it.  Vicky is so inspirational, and really supportive, and she always pops a little something extra in your parcel.  My final month is June and I will be the hostess - I can't wait!

Well, that's me done for now.  As always, I really appreciate your kind comments.

Michelle x

Happy Birthday Abbey

Been meaning to post this card today but the day has not gone according to plan so I'm just doing it very quickly now, before I go to bed.  This card is for my neighbour's daughter whose birthday it is tomorrow.  I've known this girl since she was born and she is a good friend of Edward's, so it's a little bit shocking that she is becoming a teenager.  But then so will Edward in a month's time.

The paper is by Dovecraft, can't remember its name - Sugar and Spice rings a bell.  The plain cardstock is Bazzill and the butterflies (told you there would be more!) are on glittery paper and are 3D.

I had a lovely day at my scrapbooking crop yesterday (probably why today has been so rubbish), and it was good to chat to other people as my friend Helen was unable to go this time.  I'm doing well with Edward's mini album, and have almost finished another layout for Emily's book.  The problem is that I don't plan ahead so I spend too long trying to decide what to do.  Not to self:  I MUST be more prepared before I go next time.

Hope you all have had a good weekend.  Thanks for dropping by.

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

Hi everyone.  Hope you are all enjoying the Easter weekend.  The weather has definitely taken a turn for the worse, it's distinctly nippy today, but at least we haven't had any snow .

It's been a bit of a busy week (not quite what I had planned it has to be said!).  We have bought Emily a new bed because her sleeping is so poor, and we are desperate to do anything that will improve it.  We went to buy a single bed, and have come away having ordered, a double one!  This is not as straightforward as it should be, because now we have to move Emily's room around, before it is delivered next Thursday.  We are making the most of the opportunity to have a good clear out and she has thrown bags and bags of stuff away.

Mark is on holiday from work for the week, and he is replacing our deck which has been rotting away for a few months now.  In fact it resembles a patchwork quilt.  We have had it for over 12 years so it's done well.  We have also cut back some of the bushes that have got a bit out of control.

I persuaded Mark to take me to a scrapbooking/papercrafting shop in Cambridgeshire this morning (about an hour's drive for us), called Capture the Magic.  Wow, it was a like a big warehouse of crafting goodies.  I bought papers and letters for Emily's album, as well as some Scrapbook Trends books and some storage boxes.

I haven't made many cards recently (been too busy tidying!), but I was commissioned to make the following card for a colleague who was celebrating her 10th Wedding Anniversary.  She requested the nine square card with the circles, so I just picked the papers and the text.  The papers are Spice Cake from SU and I used Old Olive ink.  The sentiments are various Paula Pascual stamps.  I added some crystals to jazz it up a bit.

It's very exciting on the scrapbooking front at the moment.  I have another Scrapbags cropping day booked in a couple of weeks, and I have plucked up the courage to book a place on a Scrapbooking Retreat at the end of August.  It's in a beautiful hotel in Hertfordshire and it lasts for three days.  I am nervous because I don't really know many people that are going, and I am still finding my way with scrapbooking, which feels odd as I have been playing around with bits of paper for over 15 years!  I thought it would be a really good opportunity to get on with Emily's album, which isn't really happening as quickly as I would like.

I'm going to love you and leave you now, so that I can stroke my pretty paper.

Happy Easter and thanks for dropping by.

M x

A Quick Hello

Just popping by to tell you about my scrapbooking crop on Saturday.  Sorry that there are no photos to show you, it's all a work in progress!

I had a really great time and everyone was so welcoming and friendly.  I was very nervous about going because I have only dabbled at scrapbooking, as you know I am a card maker, and I was terrified of looking stupid.  I needn't have worried.

I had roughly planned a couple of layouts, but not in any great detail.  It was really hard to know what to take so I took bagfuls of stuff!  I will have a better idea next time as I took a lot of notice of what all the other ladies brought with them. 

I'm going to make up project packs for next time and thoroughly plan each layout.  I will have more time as the next crop I can go to is in March (the Feb one coincides with the day Edward gets back from his school skiing trip).  I do feel that I will really get into scrapbooking though, and what was really nice was to spend seven hours in the company of like-minded people.  The time flew by, although I did spend the first hour chatting to my friend Helen, who I went with!  It's surprising that we got anything done.

And when I got home, Mark had cooked me the most delicious meal and World War III had not erupted in my absence, so all in all, a happy day!

Take care and thanks for dropping by.

Michelle x

PS Sorry I haven't visited other blogs for a while, I've had a really tough week, work etc and have barely been able to keep my eyes open in the evenings.  Will try to remedy this soon x 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