Is it hot enough yet for a BBQ?!

Well, it's certainly warmer this weekend but it is overcast and now it's drizzling - where is the sunshine the weatherman promised me?!!  I hope the weather is better wherever you are!  Anyhoo, I'm here today with a card I made with my Stamping Bella stamp by Mo Manning called Big Man Grilling...

We were hoping to have a BBQ today but I think we'll scrap that idea and hopefully it will be possible for our Ban Holiday Monday (yay, long weekend!).  I matched him up with Pink Paislee Happy Now papers and used a variety of stickers from my stash (yep, still trying to use these up!).

Okay, I gotta go and do something useful now.  Not sure what that is yet - it was going to be gardening but now it's probably going to be ironing.  Bleh!

Thanks for visiting and I'll see you later on my blogrounds!

 

Have a gr8 day

It's Bellarific Friday!  And it's an extra special Friday because we have a bank holiday on Monday!  So without further ado, here is my Bellarific Babe card and this week we had a sketch to follow...

I loved using this guy so much in this post that I had to ink him up again!  He is Mo Manning's Game On stamp and the papers are from the Authentique Celebrate paper pad.  I got to use some more of those zillions of alpha stickers I have in my stash too!  I am entering this into Mo Manning's challenge for anything goes.

The next challenge is to use kraft somewhere on your project.  Email your creations to Em by next Thursday 9 May for a chance to win $20 Bella Bucks (either by submitting a project or simply commenting on next week's Bellarific Friday post)!

 

That's a lot of suitcases!

(Please scroll down for my There She Goes Again DT post!)

It's Bellarific Friday time and this week we had a sketch to follow - here's my Bellarific Babe take on it...

I love doing bon voyage cards - why is it that my friends always seem to be going off on fab holidays?  Lucky things!  Anyhoo, I used Uptown Girl Molly Makes A Detour and I matched her up with October Afternoon papers.  I really enjoyed colouring this girl in, here's a close up...

The next Bellarific Friday theme is bling!  Yep, get those shiny, glittery things out!  Email your creations to Em by next Thursday 25 April for a chance to win $20 Bella Bucks (either by submitting a project or simply commenting on next week's Bellarific Friday post)!

 

Day 2 of the All Tthat Scraps April release!

It's the second day for the All That Scraps April release showcase and today we showcasing the new Lil Lads and Lolitas, Mashi's Muffins and Drozy's Darlings.  I have two DT makes for you today and here is the first...

He he!  I love this guy, he reminds of American Dad but less of a psycho!  This is Mashi's Muffins' Dad and don't you love the ties and glasses?  These are from the new CC Cutters Guys Dies.  It's got a moustache in it too but I just couldn't fit it on!  I used sentiments from the AmyR Stamps All Men sentiment set.  The papers are by Designs by Dani called Dapper Dan and I used the sketch from this week's new Tuesday Morning Sketches - I'm their Guest Designer this month!

Here is my second card using the new Lil Lads and Lolitas...

Awww, aren't they lovely?  This is Eric and Christina and I also used the C.C. Designs Cutters Olive Branch and a sentiment from the AmyR Stamps Handy Additions Sentiments set.   I used My Minds Eye papers.

Check out the blog here to see more inspiration and  link up to Inlinkz for a chance to win some of today's cool stuff!  Thanks for visiting and I will be back later with my Lil' Inker Designs new release post!

Smile everyday

I'm here today with my Bellarific Babe card and today I've got a card using sweet What's Cookin' by Mo Manning... 

Ain't she the cutest?!  I matched her up with a doily and papers from Dovercraft Tea Party pad and topped it off with a silk ribbon and a Pebbles sentiment sticker.

Okay, I gotta go now, see you later on my blog rounds!

 

C4C12 - Snow Much Fun!

I found a set of rubber toppers from All My Memories in my stash - they must have been there for over a year and I must have bought them in a sale as they aren't really my style! So, with 28 Xmas cards still to make, I decided to use them up! I used the Crazy 4 Challenges #12 sketch for inspiration and here's my card...

It actually WAS a lot of fun to make! I always feel a bit of a cheat using pre-made toppers, but it was fab because I ended up making 3 cards in one evening - a MEGA record for me!! And I made those little snowflakes using the snowflake border punch. Dinky, huh?! And here's another one I made (the 'yellowish green card and snowflakes, are actually lime green and matches the topper beautifully - just my crappy photographing couldn't get the colour true)...

Are you looking forward to Friday? I AM!! My last day of work before picking up a new member of our family on Saturday and then a whole week off to bond with her! If you haven't read any of my earlier entries that this hints to, I'll make you wait until Saturday!!! TTFN xxx

Papers/cardstock: various Bazzill cardstock, DCWV paper (can't remember from which collection!)

Stamps: none

Mediums: none
Accents: All My Memories Bauble-Gums Winter, Doodlebug green spot organza ribbon, American Crafts spot ribbon, All My Memories striped ribbon, brown satin ribbon from stash

Tools: PaperShaper Snowflake border punch

Must make more Xmas cards...groan...

You know, I've made soooo many Xmas cards I really thought I'd gone overboard! And then friends and colleagues were asking me to show them my spare ones so was happy to agree. Then, sitting in bed (because I've got a cold and feeling sorry for myself) I did a tally of who to send cards to - and I'm nearly 30 short! So, keep up with those challenges out there to make Xmas cards - I need the inspiration! Here's two I made earlier (anyone remember Blue Peter?) and entering the first in for Sparkle's Christmas challenge #51...

Now off for another snooze...

Papers/cardstock: various Bazzill cardstock, DCWV glitter card (snowflakes), Tinkering Ink Yuletide paper pad

Stamps: none
Mediums: Pebbles Inc paint (combination of colours to match), Flowersoft cream, Liquid Pearls in silver, Stickles in Frosted Lace (snowflake)

Accents: ribbon and pearl brads from stash, Cosmo Cricket chipboard Christmas ornament and mittens, Bazzill button and cream floss, garden twine
Tools: Fiskars scallop trimmer blade, circle and scallop circle punches, snowflake punch, Woodware snowflake 5 punch

A double whammy! A first for me!

Yay! I've completed Mojo Monday sketch #113 AND Sparkle's Christmas card challenge #50! It's the first time I've done a double whammy as I find it difficult enough to just focus on one challenge at a time! So here's the sketch...

And here's my card...

I surprised myself by creating this card in less than two hours - it normally takes me a few days to mull over what it will look like and then a few hours to bring it together. I wish being creative came more naturally to me, rather than having to work at it so hard!

Now let's see if I can squeeze another card in by Sunday...

Papers/cardstock: various cardstock, DCWV glitter card (snowflakes), Tinkering Ink Yuletide paper pad
Stamps: Gel-a-Tins Holiday Mail (sentiment)

Mediums: Pebbles Inc paint (combination of colours to match the paper), Stickles glue in Diamond
Accents: ribbon from stash, Queen & Co gems, Cosmo Cricket chipboard Christmas ornament, Bazzill white floss

Tools: Martha Stewart Cornice borderpunch, circle and scallop circle punches, snowflake punch

Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge 32 - my very first challenge!

Well I did it! I completed my very first challenge and I chose the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge 32. I'm so chuffed I did it, it was a lot of fun to do! And I even managed to come up with the design AND create it within 2 hours - I normally spend days thinking about the colours before I even start it! Having someone else provide the design really sped up the process - fabulous! I used Core-dinations green cardstock and distressed it with my BasicGrey file. Anyway, here it is and I hope you like it...

I love the My Minds Eye Bloom & Grow papers - I used the paper pack and of course used my new skill with my mini sewing machine (have I told you already that I'm madly love with stitching on cards?!!). I also love that Greeting Farm owl - sink into those eyes! The photo doesn't show it but I used a silver pearlescent chalk around the owl to help it pop a bit. I used sticky pads behind the image and the die cut flower to make them pop too - again the photo doesn't show it up well. All in all, I actually like my card!

The two photographs differ quite a lot - I've been playing with the editing software to try to improve my photos, but I can't seem to get the best from it yet. I think the trick is to take a great shot in the first place. I have been researching how to take great photos and found how to make a light box so that's my next project!

Now to go and celebrate my birthday today - it's present opening time!!

Papers/cardstock: My Minds Eye - Bloom & Grow paper pack (includes the die cut flower), Core'dinations cardstock

Stamps: The Greeting Farm - Forest Friends
Mediums: Pebbles Inc pearlescent chalks, Copic Caios, colour pencils on leaves, Versafine ink in sepia

Accents: BasicGrey button, Bazzill In Stitch'z white floss

Tools: Spellbinders Nestabilities Label, Scallop and Classic Circle

Couldn't resist it!

Some time ago I discovered The Greeting Farm and I immediately fell in love with Miss Anya and all her friends. I've got quite a collection now and use any excuse to use them. Well any excuse except for challenges! If you've been reading my other blog entries, you'll know by now that I have found it really hard to find the time to make cards, hence creating my own blog to pressure myself to develop my skills! I've wanted to play the many challenges out there, but never managed to join. Then the other day I came across a new blog called "Anyone for Anya?" with a weekly Sunday challenge - and guess what? I made a card for it - I couldn't resist it! Here's the sketch if you want to play along...

And here is my card for it...

I don't think I'm up to scratch to be a member of their design team, but I enjoyed creating the card anyway! I was quite faithful to the design even though Dawny P said we could be flexible with it. I used my Copic Caios to colour in the deer - I love shading! - and a white gel pen to add the spots on her (his?!) back. I also used some pearlescent chalk as shading - unfortunately you can't see it from the photo but it has a lovely subtle sheen. I also wanted to give the green matting a bit more interest so I distressed some Core'dinations pricked a border. I left the inside quite plain so I can add something appropriate when something appropriate turns up!! I hope you like it!

Papers/cardstock: My Minds Eye - Bloom & Grow paper pack, Core'dinations cardstock
Stamps: The Greeting Farm - Forest Friends

Mediums: Pebbles Inc pearlescent chalks, Copic Caios
Accents: none for a change!
Tools: Fiskars Apron Lace border punch, Spellbinders Nestabilities Classic Square Large