Something a bit different

 

 

Good morning all.  Hope you are all well.

 

Today's card is a bit of a departure for me, but I was inspired by a card from the current Craft Stamper magazine.

 

I used the Serene Snowflakes stamps from SU (I'm so glad I bought these), with pink and bronze Brilliance ink.  I added a piece of pink satin ribbon and mounted the panel on to some brown glitter paper, which I then mounted on to the base card.  I stamped the sentiment (Paula Pascual) in the pink ink and then punched it out with the Word Window punch from SU.  I also punched the Modern Label from brown glitter paper and mounted the sentiment on to that.  I then die cut the two flourishes from the glitter paper using Die-Namics Fancy Flourish, and added this to the card before finally 3D-ing the sentiment on top.

 

 

What do you think?  I'm really pleased with it, the colour scheme in particular.

 

How's you week been?  Mine has been long and busy as usual, although yesterday our school was shut for an occasional day.  I went Christmas shopping with Mark to Milton Keynes.  We had a really productive and successful day, and apart from a couple of bits and bobs, I'm done!  We had time to meet my best friend for lunch and then to call in at my sister's for a cup of tea before heading home.  We really spoilled ourselves by stopping for a meal at Pizza Express before getting home at 10pm.  We were out of the house for 13 hours!  The kids and dog were well looked after as my parent were at my house.  It was lovely to have a day with Mark, we don't get a lot of "us" time.

 

Well today is a day of Christmas card making (I hope), as well as an overdue appointment at the opticians.

 

Have a great day, thanks for dropping by.

 

Michelle x

Candi Tree

Apologies in advance for the wonky photograph, not sure what happened there. Might have to take Mark to task over this!

 

Today's cards have been made with Craftwork Card's Candi Happy Christmas, stamped in black ink.  I coloured both trees with Promarkers, then added some dimension with extra buttons, a star, some glitter glue and some Glossy Accents. I've listed the Promarker colours at the bottom.  I chose some corresponding card stock to mount them on.

 

 

(Promarker colours - Mulberry, Cyan, Turquoise, Plum,Pine, Lush Green, Poppy, Gold, Burnt Sienna, Cool Grey 5)

 

Today I've had a great time scrap booking with the Scrapbags.  I've managed to complete two layouts for Emily's book, which is miraculous.  After Christmas I must take stock and see how much more needs doing as I will only have 6 months to finish it (eek!).

 

Tomorrow the four of us are going to see Breaking Dawn Part 2, getting slightly excited now!

 

Hope you are all having a fab weekend.  Thanks for visiting.

 

Michelle x

Candi Christmas Wreath

 

Good evening.  I trust you have all had a pleasant weekend.

 

The card I want to share with you today is stamped with the Candi Christmas Wreath stamp from Craftwork Cards.  I stamped it in a black Versafine ink and coloured it in using Promarkers (Mulberry, Turquoise, Cyan and Plum).  I have to say that it took ages!

 

I cut it out (also took ages) and mounted it on some white card, which I backed with SU's Tempting Turquoise - a perfect match, then adhered it to the main card.  I added a Christmas sentiment (Craftwork Cards) and made a purple bow at the top.

 

 

Again, I have used non-traditional colours which I definitely prefer, but I do think this would look great in red, green and gold - I'm just not sure I can face all that colouring in again!

 

Well, I've finally started a little bit of Christmas shopping, from the safety of my sofa!  Must start writing some lists now and getting organised - I can deny it no longer.

 

Have a good week and wrap up warm.  Thanks for dropping by.

 

Michelle x

Sparkling Ornament

Good morning all.  It's a thoroughly miserable one here in Hertfordshire, it has rained non-stop since I woke up.  Poor Edward is playing football in it, and poor Mark, because he is watching him!  Emily and I are curled up in the warmth, watching last night's Strictly Come Dancing - it's a hard life!

 

Today's card features the Ornament Keepsakes stamp set again.  I stamped the bauble three times using Garden Green and cut it out using the corresponding Holiday Ornaments Framelits (fab!).  I scored them down the middle and glued them together to make a 3D bauble (you can't see it from the photo - sorry!).  I added some glitter on the middle bauble. 

 

Whilst that was drying, I embossed a panel of white card with a Merry Christmas embossing folder from Sizzix, which I then mounted on to Garden Green card stock.  This in turn was mounted on to the white base card.  I stamped the sentiment (from Marion Emberson's Sparkling Christmas set) in Red Riding Hood on a strip of white card, which I then mounted on matching red card stock.

 

The sentiment strip just overlaps the edge of the card and is tucked behind the ornament.

 

Hope you like it.

 

 

 

Well I must go and put the finishing touches to the Toffee Apple Flapjack I have  made for a bonfire party tonight - just hope the rain stops,

 

Tomorrow I am back at work, but on a brighter note, UPS will be delivering my latest Stampin' Up order - happy days :)

 

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and take care.

 

Michelle x x

More Snowflakes

 

 

Another day, another Christmas card! 

 

Again I have used the Serene Snowflakes stamps and the same combination of colours from one of the previous cards (Not Quite Navy, Baja Breeze and Crumb Cake).  I really likes these colours together, and they may very well feature again!

 

I can't believe it's going to be 1st November tomorrow. I really must get my skates on with my Christmas cards.  This week hasn't been as productive as I would have hoped, but there is still plenty of time (isn't there??!!). 

Thanks for dropping by.  Take care

Michelle x

Ornament Keepsakes

 

Hi again.  Here is another Christmas card that I would like to share with you.  It's made with the Ornament Keepsakes stamp set that is featured in the  SU Autumn/Winter seasonal catalogue.

 

I stamped the images using Brilliance ink pads to get a pearlised look.  The ribbons were hand drawn using a silver metallic Promarker and I added a little bit of diamante bling at the top of each bauble.  I used blue pearlised paper for the mounting.  The sentiment is from a new set by Marion Emberson called Sparkling Christmas.

 

As you have probably noticed I'm not particularly fond of traditional colours or images.  Most of my Christmas cards use blue, purple, pink and silver.  I also like lots of white.  However, as I am making cards to sell, I am going to have to bite the bullet and dig out those reds, greens and golds - watch this space!

Take care and I hope you have had a good day.

Michelle x

Merry Christmas

Hi Everyone!  This is my final post before Christmas and I thought I would share with you two things I have made, first my Christmas card to Mark and second the Christmas cake I have made this year.  I hope you like them.

For Mark's card, I used last year's Christmas paper from Craftwork Cards (Jack Frost) and added some blue organza ribbon, some foil stars, a sentiment and of course, some Candi.  It was a bit last minute, as I said in my previous post, we weren't going to do cards this year.  Heigh ho, I am pleased with the finished article, even if it was a bit rushed.

I decorated my Christmas cake today, with the help of my mum.  She kindly did the marzipan and icing bit because I am not feeling very well - streaming cold (always get one this time of year - the moment I finish work), and I did the decorating.  I made the cake from the Waitrose Cake in a Box by Delia Smith and have shamelessly stolen her decorating suggestion too!  I hope it's nice because I have bought another one that was reduced to half price - that will teach Mark to moan that I never make fruit cake.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy, relaxed and peaceful Christmas, and to say a big thank you for your continued company and support - particularly Jane (thank you for your lovely comment about the funeral, it meant a lot).

Have a good one.  Lots of love

Michelle x x

Christmas Wishes

Ingredients

All materials apart from ribbon and card are from Craftwork Cards

So it's not long until the big day.  Don't know if you are all ready, I've still got a bit to do - tidying, cooking etc.  Mark and I have an agreement that we don't give each other a Christmas card, however this year he forgot and bought me one!  So guess what I have got to do today or tomorrow!

Have a good day.

M x

That's all for now . . . .

Christmas cards that is!  I've made 63 and I'm bored with doing them now.  I am really pleased with how they turned out - I absolutely love contemporary designs and colours - no red and gold, robins, snowmen etc for me.

Can you believe it's September already?  At least it has been a lovely day today, although have you noticed the drop in temperature in the evenings?  Time to get the snugly crocheted blankets out.  As the nights are starting to draw in, we're having to take Chloe out earlier and earlier so that she can still have a good run.  She's 6 months old now and is such a joy (even when she is being naughty).  Did I mention last week that she chewed a 12" x 12" DCWV scrapbook pad - I was not amused!

Tuesday is looming and that means back to work and school.  Emily will hopefully be starting 6th Form.  We have to take her shopping tomorrow to kit her out - uniform is so much easier!  She is supposed to wear business dress but would not be comfortable in a formal suit.  So we are going for smart separates.  But as you know, I can't stand shopping, so tomorrow is going to be torture!

Wish me luck!

M x

Even More Christmas Cards

Morning all!  Here's another batch of Christmas cards to share with you.  All materials are as before. 

I can't believe it's the last day of August already and that the summer holidays are almost over. I feel like I need to start them all over again, as I haven't achieved everything that I wanted to.  I am not looking forward to getting back on the treadmill of being back to school, the routine of packed lunches, uniform, homework etc.  The holidays have not been that great, due to personal reasons, and it's only this last week, just when it is nearly over, that things have started looking up. I guess that's the way life goes, but sometimes I wish things were different - ah well, never mind, just feeling a little bit sorry for myself.

Have a good day everyone.

M x

More Christmas Cards

Hope everyone has had a great Bank Holiday weekend.  Mine has been very productive.  I've made all my September birthday cards, no mean feat because there are so many of them.  I've also spent a lot of time helping Emily declutter her room.  So far we have filled the paper recycling box and 2 black sacks as well.  Still nowhere near being finished yet!

Mark has been a busy bunny and had a mad scanning session yesterday (he moaned a lot!).  I think he scanned about 35 cards.  I did say that he should have scanned as I made them and not left them all until the end - but would he listen? Lol!!

The following cards measure 10cm x 10cm and are all made from the Trim the Tree paper collection from Craftwork Cards.  I don't know if you can tell from the photos but the trees are 3D.  They are made from 3 diecut trees, all scored down the middle and stuck together.  They fold flat when they are in their envelopes.

The next four cards use the fancy edge cards from Craftwork Cards.  I wasn't too convinced about these at the time.  I've only just come round to scalloped edge cards!  But now I love them and use them all the time. The Candi suits them too.

I hope you like them and I look forward to showing you some more tomorrow.  Make the most of my regular posts - it'll all go to pot when I go back to work!!

M x

Cheers!

Just enjoying a glass or two of champagne to celebrate my 17th Wedding Anniversary.  Mark is cooking a sumptious meal (his choice, I suggested a takeaway) of scallops to start and posh sausages and puy lentils for the main course.  I've had quite a chilled day.  Haven't done anything special but it has been lovely all the same.

I've been trying to break the back of all the birthday cards I need for September.  They pretty much all have to be different as most of them are for people I work with.  I also have an order for three special cards to complete in the next week (typically I have left this until the last minute).  I have really enjoyed my card making today as I don't feel under any pressure.  I'll be showing you these over the next week - they are awaiting scanning.

I've also started to organise my crafting area too, little by little.  I've got an A5 Notebook and I have written down all the colours of my inks, ink pads, Glimmer Mists, Promarkers etc to avoid duplication when I go to stamp shows (in readiness for Ally Pally at the end of September!).  I've also noted down my Nestabilities, Cuttlebug embossing folders, clear stamp sets etc.  It's jolly useful and reminds you what you have.

Here are a few Christmas cards that I made recently.  They are all the same design, just different colour combinations.  As usual - all products are Craftwork Cards.  (Sorry the cards are a bit wonky - you just can't get the staff these days!!).

Hope you are all enjoying the weekend.  I have to say, we had better weather 17 years ago!

M x

Super Cute Felt

Just wanted to share with you this lovely book that has just arrived from Amazon.  It's truly amazing!  I'm really taken with the magenta and coral flower brooch that's on the front cover - it's so pretty.  It's full of gorgeous projects.

The problem is, it's another hobby - to go with the card making and paper crafts, the crochet, baking etc, which means more paraphernalia!!  Mark will go nuts!  He's already fed up with my card making stash taking over the house.  We'll have to keep this one secret from him lol!

If you get a moment you should check out the author's blog here .

Quick update on my Christmas cards - I've made 63!!!!!  There will be photos soon, but my trusty scanner person (Mark) is just not getting on with the job!!

Take care

M x 

Christmas Cards 2011

So, I finally got round to starting my Christmas cards yesterday.  I didn't think inspiration would strike as I couldn't feel less like Christmas if I tried!  Anyway, once as I had spread out my papers and embellishments things started to happen.

I am using last year's papers from Craftwork Cards called Trim the Tree which I bought in the sale.  I have two colourways - the first is the pink and black that I have used below, and the other is purple and lime green which I will use when I have exhausted the possibilities of the pink/black.

I'm using different sized cards this year.  I usually use a 12cm square or a 15cm square.  This year I have decided to use a 10cm square and the standard A6 sizes.

I have gone for simple styles, I don't like anything too fussy.  I love the modern, contemporary feel of these papers - I have never been very keen on the traditional style with red, green and gold, or the really cute images either.

Altogether I managed to make 17 cards - not a bad afternoon's work.  I made 2 of each design where possible.  Some designs have not been scanned yet, waiting for the glitter glue to dry.  So more to show you another day.  I have to make around 70 cards, so still a way to go. That will keep me quiet over the next couple of days!

Have a great Sunday.

M x

Summer Holiday Tasks - Update

Well, the summer holidays are at the halfway point and I thought it was about time to take stock and see how I am doing with the goals I set myself.

1. Complete my Me in my MoleskinE journal.

I've pretty much finished the actual book (more photos to come soon) and only have the tags to do that go in each page pocket. I'm really happy with how it turned out and can't wait to share the rest with you.

2. Make a start on my Christmas cards.

Well, up until this morning I hadn't made any, but this afternoon I have made 8 cards so far, and now feel on a roll to make some more. Edward thinks I am completely nuts to make them in August, but I know there is a method in my madness! Will share them with you over the next few days.

3. Tidy my craft area/make it work for me.

No, not happened yet!

4. Finish my new Flower Garden blanket.

In hindsight I think this was a tall order. However, it is progressing nicely. I made a plan of how it is going to look (it took me an hour and a half to do it!), using my Promarkers. Counting up all the hexagons was scary - I have to make 713 in total!! I have already made about 300, so still plenty more to do.


The thing that is slowing me down, is blocking out all the hexagons. I can only do about 13 at a time and have to leave them overnight to dry. It's definitely worth it as they sit better, flatter.

This is how far I have got in joining them up. It hasn't taken too long but I am glad I made the plan as I have to refer to it constantly.

5. Make more cards/be adventurous.

I haven't really done this yet either, but there is still plenty of time. It's typical though don't you think, that when you have lots of time to be creative, the ideas seem to dry up.

6. To enter a card on a challenge blog.

This has also not happened but I have been looking at the Less is More challenge blog and may give it a go soon. This week's challenge is a One Layer card using ink - sounds interesting, so I may give it a go.

So, I suppose I am quite pleased with how things are going. What I didn't want is too feel under pressure with the tasks I have set myself. If I don't achieve everything it doesn't really matter as long as I feel like I have done some of the things I wanted to do.

Hope you are all having a great weekend.

M x