CPS123

Well, this has been a long time in the making! I did one card, put it up on the computer and really didn't like it so started again! I am much happier with this card, I like the colours I have used and I tried a technique of distressing the outside of the image which I was shown at the stamp fair at Newbury racecourse last weekend.

Twisted Thursday #17

This is my first attempt at a Twisted Thursday challenge. Being relatively new to cardmaking I was very low on Xmas resources so had to hunt around, luckily I had just been given the angel stamp! I only have one disress ink which was the wrong colour for the papers I used... does distressing paper count? Enjoyed the challenge, will look out for others as long as the heatwave cools down so I can bear being in the study!

Dylan

Fancied being a bit creative for the new baby, so bought an mdf cut out of the letter d which I covered in wrapping paper then spelt out the rest of Dylan's name with smaller letters which I first stamped green then added some blue and red with the thin end of my 'Whispers strokes' pens. Finally added some embellishments. Really enjoyed making this, hope his mum and dad enjoyed recieving it!

Back on track!

Have been very neglectful of my cardmaking lately, a combination of the son's 18th birthday which seemed to go on for a week! and daughter coming home from uni and getting a proper job!! Went round to my fellow cardmaking pal for some motivation and finished off a card for friends who have just had a baby boy. Used some lovely letters from Flutterbye Crafts.Pleased with the result and managed to reign in my tendency to over fuss it with ribbon etc!

ICSketches #20

Sat and played with this sketch while hubby was watching the cricket. I tried out some quite strongly patterned paper I bought from Made by you in Swindon Old Towm while at a class. Not entirely sure about the card added a spl ash of colour with the blue border on the sentiment, I will live with it and see!!

CPS 119

Knew I couldn't leave it alone, have added a few more embellishments!

CPS 119

Hooray! Finally worked out how to display the Challenge sketch, technology doesn't come easily to me!

Was very pleased to take the sketch literally and use another of the lovely butterfly embellishments I got from The Stamp Attic. Was pleased with the finished result, but then looked at it on the computer and can't decide f it needs something more adding to it. Have decided to leave as is as sometimes I can just do too much! Perhaps I could add a sentiment later?

Penny Black Saturday challenge, Blooming Gorgeous /ICSketches #19

Two challenges with one card! I really enjoyed making this card and just have enough time to post it before the England game! The papers were all from a bargain pack I got from Made By You in Swindon, the butterfly embellishment was from a set at The Stamp Attic, Wantage. I thought I would try a written sentiment rather than a picture and this was part of a Penny Black set. Just need to find someone to thank now!

CPS 118

When I looked at this card on the computer I thought I had gone too far keeping it simplistic! I removed the flower and added a border embellishment and a lovely new Penny Black bird stamp. I am more pleased with it and will use it as a Ge Well card for a friend.

CPS 118

This was a lovely sketch to follow. I decided to keep it simple,and used papers I picked up in a 75p bundle from Made by you in Swindon after my class there on friday. I had another go at tying a bow and finally got to use a Painterly Petal embellishment which I have had for a couple of weeks, just waiting for the right paper to go with it.

Here is the final card from my class....the main difference from the original is that I did't use silicone on the vase check out my friend Anne's blog on stargrove to seeher interpretations of the cards. Had a great time and would sign up for another class!

I loved the colours of this card and replicated it exactly as Pat had demonstrated. I must remember less is more sometimes!

This card was the first one I made at the class, because it looked the easiest! I varied it slightly from the demonstration; the ribbon is vertical rather than horizontal and I used a copper glitter down the side of the ribbon rather than a clear Great tip to use glitter when the sticky tape is wider than the ribbon! Also learned how to tie bows!

Long time no speak!

Have been rather neglectful lately with my cardmaking, but luckily my friend Anne suggested a class at Made by You in Swindon old town. What a great morning we had! Everything was thought out for us so we just had to concentrate on the tips and techniques that Pat showed us. The first card here is a variation on the original, I hadn't finished it by the end of the class so I took all the various pieces home to complete Tried paper layering (is that what it's called?) for the first time.

I needed to send a sympathy card to a friend and initially was going to buy a card, but then thought I would try and make one. I had to rein in my usual girly floral ideas, and keep it simple. The paper is a recent purchase from The Stamp Attic, I think it is quite thoughtful and appropriate. I kept the embellishments very simple with just 3 plain brads and some black velvet ribbon which I have been itching to use. Still haven't geot the hang of cropping... the left side of the card has been chopped, should show a red border like the other sides!

ICSketches #17

Really liked the sketch to follow! I began with some paper I bought last week from the Stamp Attic and used a stamp image borrowed from my friend Anne's huge collection! Tried to think of something different to do at bottom of sketch and used ribbon instead of circles.... I am trying to de feminise my cards, but seem unable! I went to Flutterbye Crafts this week and asked them to recommend one thing for a new crafter, they suggested a paper cutter and I have used the alternative cutting edge on the small green insert ver pleased with the effect it gives.

CPS-Card Sketches CPS 116

Went to my first craft class/gathering at Stamp Attic http://www.thestampattic.co.uk/ everyone was very friendly, didn't get much done, was happy to look at other crafters work! Bought some lovely paper which I have used on this challenge, yet again I have changed my thinking about the design in the middle of attempting this challenge, well they do say it's a woman's priveledge!

Sketch and Stash Challenge 10

I used a lovely stamp from my friend Anne as a starting point for this card, it's for a friend's 50th birthday who is a hard working teacher and should definitely take time out for afternoon tea! My new item is the background paper, a lovely parchment which I picked up yesterday from a little shop in my home town of Newbury http://www.artists-materials.co.uk/ that I had never been in before (new to cardmaking!).

Whoops! you can tell I am new to this, forgot to crop my card.

Corrosive Challenge #11

This is my first challenge! I really appreciated having the focus of the challenge to start me off, and not the panic of a blank card! I used my friend Anne's Gorjuss girl stamp, she also lent me a fab book (cards June 2009 red line publications) which gave me the idea to use more the one bow on the ribbon. I continued the circles theme with the embellishments on the top ribbon and kept to a small colour palette.

Chocolate!

This is a very simple design, but I am pleased with how it turned out. Probably something to do with browns being a favourite colour of mine! The label was from my Ally Pally pack, and now that my friend Anne has let me use her (many!) cake stamps, I should be able to use more of my chocolate resources.

Penny Black

2nd Penny Black

Penny Black stamp

This is the first stamp I bought, and I'm really happy with it. I have coloured it in several different ways each time I have used it and still getting pleasure from it. The 2 examples I have shown are my most recent, the pink and black uses resources I treated myself to on a recent visit to Alexander Palace card show just a few weeks ago. Had a lovely day out and am proud that I managed to restrain myself from buying too mucheven though it was my first visit to a show!

Butterfly stamp!

This is the latest card I have made. It began life as a card to show off my latest purchase; a lovely rectangular stamp featuring a trio of bugs ang butterfies. However, the brown background was too dark so I changed my mind completely and as I have a shopoholic daughter who has several likeminded friends, I knew this would get used by me soon!