Con - grat - u - lations

Morning all

I'm pretty sure that anyone of a certain age in the UK will be able to hear Cliff Richard singing 

Con-grat-u-lations

How could you avoid it! I can't say the word without singing the song in my head!

and over at 

My time to Craft

 this week this is our theme

Anything with Congratulations 

(or something of similar meaning - well done etc)

I decided on a baby girl Congratulations card

The image is a digi called Baby Girl from Lia Stampz at Whimsy Stamps available here

There is also a "boy" version of this - they are both such pretty stamps

I think I got into a bit of a distress thing a week or so back with lots of distress/vinage style

 - now I can't get out of it lol

Here's what I did....

Image - Baby girl from Lia Stampz by Whimsy Stamps

Coloured with Copics and prismacolour pencils

Distress ink TH dusky rose

Paper - MME lost and found - blush

Vintage seam binding - crafty ribbons

scalloped circle - Grand nestability

Label die - Dienamics

Congratulations - Anna Griffin rubber stamp

button  and pearls from my stash

Pearl heart - MCH

Hope you all have a great weekend

 - and all those on half term school hollies next week - hope its a good one!

Hugs 

Judith x

A sympathy card

Good morning all

Can you believe that this weather is still holding!  We have been just about living in our garden for the past few weeks - breakfast and dinner out there every day! - and we even had an Indian take away in the garden last night - now there's a first, there I was sitting with my curry and a glass of the new blackberry Pimms that I treat myself to in Tesco - this is the life!! - but its also why not much crafting is getting done around here.   

It was actually quite an experience in our garden tonight - though nothing to do with the food.  We live very close to the coast and its the Sunderland airshow tomorrow, there we were sitting eating our curry and along came a Lancaster bomber - so low you could look up and see the undercarriage clearly and then a spitfire went zipping past - then the red arrows did a few loops and finally a typhoon (no I'm not an expert - though I've seen them many times at the airshow) - but had a look at the Sunderland website to see what was going at at tonights opener.  So impressive and we'll be walking down again this weekend to see the displays as they fly out over the coast and sea.  

Anyway I digress I have a new card to share today for 

My Time to Craft Challenge

and also

my Whimsy Inspiration card this week

The theme at My Time to Craft is 

Sympathy Cards

I used the gorgeous image Full Bloom available here

from Stampart design by Kathryne at Whimsystamps

I think I've used this one before (Kathy has some gorgeous floral designs and I just love them)

but I thought that this one really lent itself to a sympathy card.  I kept it very simple with the focus on the image and made it into a pretty easel shape.  I personally think that a sympathy card should be simple in design - its not really the time for OTT embellies - well that's my opinion :  ).

Here's what I did..

Image - Full Bloom form Stampart Design by Kathryne at Whimsy Stamps

Coloured with copics and shaded with prismacolor pencils

Sentiment - created in word

Papers - MME lost and found - blush - love these papers

Ribbon - my current favourites from a pack of american crafts ribbons bought at TK Max

Pearls - Kars

Card - Bassill basics

Die cut shape  for frame - Spellbinders labels 10

Tag - Dienamics tag die set

For once I have the colours for you of my copics - a favourite go to combo of each colour set

Reds E39, E37,E35, E32

Greens G63, G61, G11, G0000

Beiges E43, E41, E40

prismacolour pencils - Tuscan Red and Warm Grey (70%)

Things seem to be so quiet around blogland - perhaps just a simle little sympathy card will be an easy make and we'll see you at MTTC this week - see you there

Hugs

Judith xx

When is a boarding card not a boarding card......?

Hello blog friends

The answer to the question above is ......when its a bookmark!!

Its time for another challenge at My Time to Craft

This week's challenge sees the end of a holiday era for me as I get myself a bookmark  to take on me hollies.  I love to read but don't have a lot of time when I'm at home - its the choice between crafting or reading and as this blog shows I'm crafting.  But when I go on holiday I always take a pile of books and I read them everywhere.  If you see someone reading in a queue for a ride at a theme Park - That'll be me - I drive my husband mad because when I'm supposed to be reading the map in the car I'm reading and of course I read all the way there and back.  We've got an almost 12 hour flight to California this year so I've got plenty of time. 

....And that where the boarding card comes in - every year I say the same annoying thing (apparently!) - I go to put my book down when we're on the plane and say to my husband - Have you got something I can use for a bookmark and he gives me my boarding card.  You'll notice I say he gives me it.  He's a total holiday control freak and none of us are responsible enough to keep our own passports or tickets for anything - he hands them out and collects them back each time we need a ticket for anything - the whole family knows what he's like and to be honest we just let him get on with it lol.  When I say the whole family that has also included our parents when they came with us - everyone must conform!! You'll see us going through the turnstiles in the theme parks and he stands at the end and we don't get away until he collects the tickets back in from everyone and tucks them away safely - so that's why I have to get my boarding card back - because he keeps those too - I bet you're dying to come away on holiday with me sometime - 'cos he'll have your tickets too - be sure of it!!

Anyway this year I'm going to have my very own bookmark and not a boarding pass!!

The challenge this week at MTTC is 

Make a bookmark

Mine is totally a holiday bookmark

The only thing about a bookmark is it needs to be flat - and I don't suppose stick on gems would work - the'd probably end up stuck to the pages!  I've been promising myself the nautical die cuts from Mariannes for ages because I love all things nautical - being a seaside girl.  But I haven't got round to it so had to make do with stamps instead.  I think because I really wanted to put die cuts on I wasn't totally happy with this (spoilt brat that I am) but if you haven't got it you can't use it and it is on the lines of what I wanted and its practical - I think if you're going to make a bookmark you have to be able to use it lol.

Here's what I did...

All Stamps - Papermania Ahoy there set 

Paper is from Craftwork cards - quite old - sorry can't remember the name of it

Twine is also Papermania

The rest is just good old card

The best thing is I know my husband will be annoyed that I don't ask for my boarding card back - it might just spoil his holiday - ROTFL!!!!

Hopefully I'll be back to post before I go - have a great weekend everyone

Challenges I'm entering with this card 

Crazy 4 challenges -summer inspiration 

Basic grey -Fun in the sun

A gem of  a challenge - summertime

Card crafters circle- stripes

Eureka stamps - the great outdoors

Love to create - read all about it 

The shabby tearoom - colour inspiration - aqua/yellow/white

Hugs 

Judith xx

A little bit sketchy at My Time to Craft

good morning all

I hope today is going to be warmer than yesterday - brr it was bloomin' freezing this can't be May!!

We have a fun challenge this week at My Time to Craft

its a sketch to follow

I like sketches - it takes the hard work out of deciding the layout away before you even start 

I decided to use one of my older LOTV stamps called Party girl  -available here
I haven't used LOTV for ages and they used to be my favourites

As you can see I've gone very distressed - I love this style and haven't made a really distressed card in ages either, so I had real fun with this one with my inks and distressing tool and some glitter for good measure!

and here's the sketch, I stuck pretty close to it no reversing or anything like that and I used things I haven't used in a while - having a complete change gave me a bit of enthusiasm back - that to be honest I haven't had lately, sometimes you need to get out of a repetitive rut to help yourself. - here's hoping it works cos I need all the help I can get!

 

I had myself a little shopping spree in TK Max on Thursday while I was out and about! I don't go in very often I think you need time in that shop just to browse - and I did pleanty of that!  They had some fab craft goodies on sale - lots of gorgeous packs of 20 reels of American crafts ribbons, some lovely papers and packs of embellies - real bargains.  That's where the ribbon and buttefrly came from on my card. As well as the crafty things I bought the cat a new bed, a pair of fab sunglasses and some flip flops for my hollies,some designer PJ shorts for my son and some new oven baking sheets - as you see I wandered the whole store!!  TK Max is a store you have to be in the mood for I think - it was definitely worth a visit for me lol.

Anyway back to the card

Heres what I did.....

Image - lilli of the valley

Coloured with copics and prismacolor pencils

Papers - the gorgeous MME lost and found blush - one of my faves

Distress in - TH brushed corduroy

Ribbon and butterflu TK Max!

Brads- dovecraft

Die cut circles - spellbinders

Die cut corner - Dienamics

Glitter - diamond stickles

There are so many different cards on the blog over at MTTC - go on over and have a look - you're bound to find some inspiration

Challenges I'm entering with this card

Card makin mamas -Rubber Stamps 

Lilis little fairies - spots and stripes (spots on the box and stripes on the ribbon - hope this counts!)

Crafty ribbons - anything goes

Hugs 

Judith x

We're a little bit sentimental at My Time to Craft - we like it that way!

Hope you're all bright and breezy and bushy tailed this Saturday morning

Its sort of an ok day here in the north east of England - no rain, no wind (which has been the worst thing lately), no snow or ice! not mch in the way of sunshine either.  I'm taking a bit of me time to do this post then its onward and upward scribing for my son Toms final essays on his degree course.  

Its been a three year labour of love - I have actually loved doing it, but now with the dissertation handed in last week and the presentation ready to go - its the final two essays - and they're almost finished' he had his last lectures yesterday - its always sad when your kids finish their degree course - his older brother and sister both felt the same, so sad to leave the friends they've made and knowing they'll never see some of them again as they go back to their homes all over the country - or world, but exciting to face the future,  

This weekend could see the end of Toms work and I get my free time back  ....... until he starts his masters degree in September lol.  Because of his physical disabilities (he has cerebral palsy) he's very limited as to what he can do in a job sort of way, there's enough able bodied people who can't get their choice of work without having the added disadvantages he has, but he's planning on a career as an academic and I think I'll have a second career as a scribe - I'm sure I'll get a good acknowledgement in his first published book!! 

So... on with the day and the challenge at My time to Craft is 

Sentimental 

(sentiment as the main focus)

I haven't had a lot of spare time for crafting this week so took the opportunity to make this an example of a quick and easy card.  A pretty sort of flowery card with a big ink bow - easy peasy!! 

I hunted through my old crafty stash as I knew I had a scrapbook kit I'd bought  about 5 or 6 years ago when I made a special scrapbook for my MIL's 80th birthday.  It took me forever to make, she had a huge family of 7 brothers and sisters and 7 step brothers and sisters and dozens of nieces and nephews - as well as the 8 grandchildren she has.  There was a photograph of everyone of them in the scrapbook - a real family album and she loves to look through it.  She is the only one left of all her siblings now - she lost her last brother just after Christmas last year.  

This scrapbook kit was a K & Co one with literally hundreds of tags and sentiments of all shapes and sizes so I knew I'd find a sentiment tag that I could use, after that it was a case of a few punched flowers and butterflies - it probably took me longer to find the tag than to make the card lol

This is what I did...

Shaped card - craftwork cards

Papers - Birdsong from first edition

Ribbon - from my stash

Leaves-from the fabulous phlox die from memory box

Flowers -large flower punch EK success

               Small flower punch - Woodware daisy punch

Butterflies - large butterfly - Martha stewart punch

                 - small butterfly - Woodware

Gems from my stash 

I hope to get round to visit you all again soon - between doing my comments and DT cards I haven't had a lot of blogging time left over - looking forward to a big catch up

Challenges I'm entering with this card

Creative corner - flowers or mothers day
card crafters circle - floral
Crafty ribbons - anything goes with ribbon

see you soon

Hugs 

Judith xx

Last of the bunnies!

Hi all

I'm here with my DT card for MTTC - a little bit late but I've been feeling sort of yukky since Thursday and just couldn't be bothered to sit down and finish it. I've got all sorts of commenting and visiting to catch up with - so I promise I'm on my way round to visit and catch up!  I'm still not feeling 100% but sometimes you've just got to get on with it and I think I've come to the end of any sympathy I'm getting at home

 - hmm that's men for you - I'll have my day!!

Anyway on to my card for today 

Over at My Time to Craft we have a cute challenge this week

Bunnies!

I have to admit to being a bit Bunnied out lately so I've decided this is the last for now!

This is a cute little image from LOTV, I actually got it for my birthday last year - its taken me a whole year to ink it up - better late than never!!  I decided to mount it up in several layers onto an 8x8 card.  The image of this stamp is really quite small but I think it worked quite well to add the extra layers.

This is what I did....

Image - Spring Swing from LOTV

Coloured with copics and prismacolor pencils

Papers -Petal fresh from LOTV

Sentiment tags - LOTV sentiment tags

Shaped 8x8 card - Craftwork cards

Blue card  Bazzill Basics

Die cuts - Circles - Spellbinders

                Banners - Whimsy stamps

                Ivy -part of Marianne set

                Butterfly border - from Sizzix / Tim Holtz

Flower - Creative expressions 

Ribbon - carmeal cottage

Gems - from my stash

Tiny flower punch (on banner) - Woodware

I'm sure you've all got one last Bunny card in you before Easter - lets see it over at MTTC

Challenges I'm entering with this card

Digi design challenge - Spring/Easter

A gem of  a challenge - Easter/spring

Totally gorjuss - Something old (The stamp)

The sweet stop - Spring

Chocolate coffee cards - Banners

Hugs Judith x

My Time to Craft - White challenge

Hi all

Well hello - I'm back, if not a bit jet lagged!!  

We just got back this morning and of course I have absolutely no card for this weeks My Time to Craft Challenge.  I had this great idea before I went that it would be a good idea to make a card when I got home to help me stay awake - I always stay up as long as I can then get up normal time next day, and I have to say it does work, I'll be fine in a day.  But... I just couldn't get my head into gear to make a card for this challenge - I definately have jetlagged mojo!! 

so here's a bit of a cheat.

The challenge this week is white - except for the main image of the card

I'm not sure that this is 100% true to the challenge - but I'm pretty sure its better than nothing.

I have three invitation samples that I made a while ago - they were for wedding invitations I had been asked to make - the request being a very simple style.

I just thought I would post these rather than nothing at all, as you can see they are all along similar lines   - a very simply made gatefold card with die cut or punched shapes and organza ribbons.  

I'm aiming to get into crafting tomorrow and try to get as up to date as I can this week 

- I've missed crafting while I've been away

Now here's the part that's really going to shock you!!  - I have time to craft tomorrow because I always bring everything back washed and ironed and everything's already put away

 - I know its very sad - but its just what I do. 

Hopefully I'll be back with at least one card tomorrow - watch this space! 

Big hugs xx

Challenges I'm entering with these cards

Heck of a challenge - anything goes
Ladybug crafts challenge - anything goes

It's a Happy Healing challenge at my time to craft this week

Good morning blog friends

Hope you all had a good bank holiday weekend and that the weather hasn't been too bad.  All in all we've had pretty good weather here in the frozen north!  Been a bit chilly but lovely and bright and sunny and only a couple of showers so I think we did OK.

I've had a pretty full on weekend so haven't visited many of you and have just managed to get my DT cards done by the skin of my teeth! - Things should get back to normal soon and I'll be out and about catching up on my visits.  So on to this fortnights challenge over at 

My Time To Craft Challenge Blog.  

The challenge is

Happy healing

(get well cards)

Here's my contribution to the DT's inspiration

I don't have any of the cute little get well stamps that I've seen around but decided just to say it with flowers instead!  I love this little LOTV stamp, I got it for my birthday in March and I've used it a few times, it fits all kinds of occasions I think as well as "get well soon"!

This is what I did

Stamp - Lili of the Valley - bunches of love
Coloured with - Copics and prismacolor pencils
Paper - Bearly mine designs digi - spring flowers collection
Ribbon - carnmeal cottage
Daisies - Anitas 3D stickers
Sentiment - craftwork cards
dew drop gems - QVC yeaaaaars ago!
Punch on border - Martha Stewart
Pins and yellow card - from my stash
Distress inks - Tim holtz - mustard seed and Denim distress inks

Hope you can join us for this weeks challenge - we'd love to see your creations

Challenges I'm entering with this card

Sparkle Creations - May flowers
Hooked on craft challenges - Flowers
Victorine challenge - Flowers
Lets Ink it up - bling
The squirrell and the fox - one for the girls
Digidesignchallengeblog - Spring

Hugs

Judith x

A very pink fairy!

Hi there blog friends

Hope you've all recovered from your Easter weekend. Holiday weekends always leave me totally confused and at the end of it all I haven't got a clue what day it is.  This one seems to have been worse than most and I've definitely lost a day (or two!) along the way.

I've spent around 20 hours with my youngest son scribing for him for his popular culture essay on Christmas (his disability means he can't write or produce huge amounts of text typing so that's my job!)  I've never had quite so much Christmas at Easter before - but I've been well educated along the way.  The good thing is its all done and he's away off to Uni this morning to hand in his books at the library - and get out the next lot - any one for a 10,000 word dissertation on Convergence Theory!!

Enough of Easter (and Christmas!) - I was caught totally on the hop for my DT card for the My Time to Craft Challenge - didn't realise it was Tuesday already and on top of that couldn't see how a whole two weeks had passed since the last challenge!     None the less it IS Tuesday today and time for another challenge at My Time to Craft.  Our new challenge for this fortnight is

Fairy Nice

So dust off those fairies - yes all those as yet un-inked and hidden away in your stash - and lets see all your pretty -  or even dark and wicked - fairies this next two weeks.  The DT girls have made some wonderful cards  for your inspiration  so get over to the challenge blog to see what we've all done - and show us your Magical cards

I've made the pinkest card ever! - with lots of glitter - I'm sure some little girl out there will love this - who doesn't love a fairy!

This is what I did.....

I wanted to keep it fairly simple, its not exactly a CAS card but its not too busy -I managed to hold back on the flowers this time

Stamp - Lili of the Valley Pom Pom

Coloured with - Copics and Prismacolor pencils

Papers - Forever Friends  New Arrival

Distressed with - Tim Holtz Tattered Rose distress ink

Butterflies - Martha Stewart punch

Glitter - Martha Stewart silver glitter glue

Die cut shapes for mounting - Spellbinders

Seam binding ribbon and clear gems from my stash

Sentiment  - Whiff of Joy Magical Wishes text set

I'm entering this card for the following challenges

ABC challenge - M is for Magical

Sweet Stampin challenge -Dies and Doodles

Flutterby Wednesdays - Butterfly, Fairy or Angel on your project

Allsorts Challenge - Bingo - Pink/ribbon/green (grass!)

Crafty Sentiments designs - Spring - pastel colours

That's all from me for today - hopefully I'll get caught up with my bloging and visiting over the next couple of days -See you tomorrow

Hugs 

Judith x

Its challenge day at My time to Craft

Hi Blog friends

Today is challenge day at My Time to Craft and the theme for this fortnight is

Make an Easel Card

I'm not big on easel cards and haven't made one for ages but I did enjoy making this card and I might just do it again soon. I think the only thing about easel cards is that not everyone (as in non crafters!) knows what to do with them. 

I made this card for my daughters birthday - her birthday is actually today - Happy birthday Alison.  Not that she'll be reading this because she's gone to Centre Parks in the Lake District for the week with her husband and little baby son, to celebrate her birthday (today) her husbands birthday (also today) and their wedding anniversary (also today) !!! 

I got some new papers through the week and just love them.  As soon as I saw this one - its sunkiss from prima - I knew what I was going to do with this card, isn't it great when that happens - certainly gets the mojo going

a close up of the detail

the base of the card

This is what I did

Papers - Sunkiss by prima
Stamp - Pretty bouquet by Lili of the Valley
Coloured with - Copics and Prismacolor pencils
Scalloped card - craftwork cards
Flowers by Prima and Wild Orchid crafts
Charm - a little complementary charm I got in a lovely little bag from My crafty heart  - ah thanks
Sentiment -  with Paintbox poppets from Crafters Companion
Diecut (behind sentiment) spellbinders
Ribbon - Carnmeal Cottage
pearls from my stash

So let's see you over at My Time to Craft with your easel cards and go on over and have a look at the other DT girls cards - we really have got some stunning cards this week

Iam enrering this card into the following challenges

Simon says -Lets Play Bingo - flowers/pearls/charms
Sweet stampin challenge - Anything goes
Lollipop crafts challenge - Anything goes
Hooked on craft - more than one fold
Thats me for now

Hugs

Judith x