Violets are Blue!!!

The Papertake Weekly Challenge this week is .....

Violets are Blue! We'd like to see Blues or Purples this week please!

This weeks was sooo easy for me! I've been busy for the past week (thats why there's been no blogging) making cards for all the birthdays I have in February. Of course that means making at least 3 cards per person...I should really make the girls buy their's! I have 3 birthdays on the 3rd February, 1 on the 4th, 1 the 18th and 1 the 20th ... bloomin' heck thats 18 cards I've made, no wonder I've been busy. I did cheat and make the same card using different colours and I managed to use no end of my scrap paper up, which is a bonus! Anyhow here are a few of my blue and purple cards.....

For this card I used Pink Petticoat papers, purple pearlescent card which I embossed with my Cuttlebug swirly folder and cut out

with my new Hippy Chick Alphas, Rubber Romance stamp, ribbon rom local market, flower and eyelets from Poppicrafts and a poundland gem!

This card uses a template from Crafty Templates, paper from my D S George Pastels cd, some scrap blue card which I covered with hundreds and thousands, the candles were cut using a sizzix die and the "B" using my Hippy Chick Alphas.

Again I used a template for this card. This template was downloaded from somewhere on the net, but I can't seem to find where at the moment.. I used scrap paper from my D S George pastels cd and put it through the Cuttlebug using the swirly embossing folder. I added bubbles using fluffy stuff and cut up a face cloth to use as a towel.

For this last card I used freebie paper from here, the cupcake template from Crafty Templates, scrap pieces of card and leftover ribbon and a flower from Aunty Sarah's.

There are more but I wont overdose you on them! Thanks for looking!

Roses Are Red...

The challenge over at Papertake Weekly is...

Roses are Red..' is to use red on your card! Any shade or shades of red that you like from bright pillar box to deep burgandy!! Come on everyone lets paint the town RED!!

For this card I used Pink Petticoat papers from the O' Christmas Tree collection, a piece of red card embossed with stylized flowers using the Cuttlebug, one of my new Rubber Romance stamps which I painted with twinkling H2O's and then embellished with photo corners made from the border of my peel offs and two photo turn mounts from Poppicrafts and a metal happy birthday tag from create-n-celebrate.

Me and My Shadow!!

This week challenge over at Daring Cardmakers has been set by Jane and this is it.....

"I want you to create not just one but TWO cards ! But wait........there's more ! I want both cards to contain the same embellishments and papers, ribbons etc- but arranged in a different way for a different occasion....the only thing being different is the wording....I'll let you have different wording ! (How nice of me eh?) I'm well aware this is a really hard challenge, and that I have thrown everyone into 2008 off the deep end....but go on- give it a go - I DARE YOU !"

I've used free digi papers

"Trail Guide - Orange Papers" from here, thanks Michelle, freebie stitched alphas from here and my Auntie Sarah 4" fat daisy bloomers and ribbon from Sarah's Cards Ltd.

At Last!

We've (yes we... I managed to get Andy to help me out cos I was losing the will to live!) just finished the cake boxes and party bags, thank goodness! Starting with the party bags ...

I used a template that i downloaded from here, which was very simple (needed to be!). I printed on to photo paper a shoe design from Pink Petticoat "Le Lipstique" in olive and pink. I added a name tag and will be using these as place settings at the restaurant. Inside Ellie decided to put a party popper, some chocolate raisins (these being her favourite sweets, along with anything else covered in milk chocolate lol!) and some bubbles. At the time I thought "how the blazes am I going to find bubbles that fit in with a shoe theme?" The internet is a wonderful thing and I found these ... aren't they just sooo cute? They came in a box of 24 and cost £5.99, which works out at 25p per pot. Bargain! The delivery was reasonable too. They have various other designs which fit in with most party themes and are from here. So thats all the party bags done, packed up in the box ready to be transported to the restaurant.

So on we go to the cake boxes. Do you ever wish you'd never started anything? This was one of those times for me. They look so good once there finished, but they've been so time consuming to make. I used a template downloaded from here. Many thanks to Pam Curtis! I used Shellyrae Polka Treat freebie paper which I downloaded from here and pink holographic card for the heel, buckle and flower. I shall be wrapping the cake in greaseproof paper and pink and lime green tissue paper and hopefully it will fit quite nicely in the shoe!

The only things left to do now are the Thank Shoe cards and I need to make something to put the chocolate raisins in...I feel a roll of cellophane and a bag sealer could come in handy!

And I'll be doing this all again in March for Fae's 21st!

Loving You!

To celebrate the launch of the new Poppicrafts website Michelle is holding a competition every month. Januarys competition is very simple:
"Make a valentines Day card using only these 3 colours - BLACK, RED and WHITE."

Here is my entry into the competition.......

I followed the step-by-step instructions from here at Nichole Heady, Capture The Moment, for this slider card. I used red cardstock for the base of the card and matted and layered using black cardstock and Pink Petticoat, Daisy Daisy, black and white flourishes. I added hearts cut out with a cuttlebug die. For the insert I used the black card for the base and matted and layered with the red card and Pink Petticoat papers. I attached both together with white organza ribbon from my local market.

The verse reads:

I remember when we first met and the strong love that has grown between us since then. How full, yet short, the years have been. A large reason for this is because of you and your kind ways. You have made us a home, warm with the joy which only a family can bring. You have stood by me in the good and the bad, the smiles and the tears. I love you with a love that goes beyond what I can express. Thank you so much for being my friend, my love and my husband!

"New To Me"

Daring Cardmakers first little extra dare of the new year is linking in with their main dare last Friday- still on the 'New' theme - think of it as a 'double dare!':) Make a card using a new toy you had for Christmas, or in fact any crafty goodies that you received. Its a great chance to try out all your new toys/papers/embellishments!

Here is mine.....

I used Java Time free papers from craftyscraps and my new coffee cup die cutter and swirly embossing folder that I had for Christmas. I embossed the swirls in dark brown pearlescent card and cut them out just to add extra interest.

Thanks a bunch! & Challenge 2

This weeks Papertake Weekly Challenge,Thanks a bunch! is to make a Thank you card or notelet and over at Funky Fairys Challenge this weeks challenge is going to be based upon a sketch.

So this is my 2 for 1! I used free papers from Funky Fairy's Member area and a shoe image from Pink Petticoat "Lola's Boudiour Collection" and ribbon from my local market. I printed the sentiment from the computer.


I'm probably going to use this design for Eloise's Thank You cards. If you didn't know Ellie is celebrating her 18th birthday later this month. She's shoe mad, which inspired me to make shoe invites, shoe cake boxes and shoe party bags (to be shown later, lol!).

Gift Bags

Found these in my local Home Bargains store, they cost me 89p for 10 (I just love a bargain!) I took them home with me, gave them a little love and attention and came up with these..................

The penguin bags were decorated using a present rubber stamp I had lying around. I randomly stamped it all over the front of the two bags. I matted and layered the penguin image from Kay Miller Designs onto silver holographic card and stuck it the front. I punched out snowflakes from the same holographic card and added them.

The next two bags were decorated using images from Raspberry Road Designs "Country Cuddles". I then added flowers from Poppicrafts and added a bit of bling to those with gems I had in my craft box.

New Baby - Daring Cardmakers Challenge - 4th Jan 2008

For this weeks dare, I would like our cards to celebrate 'New' So not only New Year, but maybe New Home, New Baby, New Job or maybe a card for someone who is starting a new chapter in their life.

I made this card when my first Grandchild was born. I used Pink Petticoat papers, monograms and tiny tags. The little baby is a decoupage sheet, but I dont remember where I got it from.

Bit 'a' Bling! _ Papertake Weekly Challenge

This weeks challenge, 'Bit 'a' Bling' is to use 'bling' on your card somewhere!! This could be glitter, gems, or anything else sparkly!!
I used papers from raspberryroaddesign, Annie's Room, these are just some of the fab freebies that are on that blogspot. The template is from Crafty Templates and I used some pink stick on gems brought from my local Poundland store. The ribbon was from the local market.

4 of the best ... - Daring Cardmakers Challenge

We have decided to revisit your most favourite dares of 2007. The four top dares, decided by the number of comments you made on them are (in no particular order): 'buttons', 'ribbons', ...'and cut' and 'frames'. We would like you to use this week as many of those dares as you like to make your card in any theme and any style.

I made this wedding card back in the summer and never got round to putting it on my blog , so I thought I'd use this one for my daring cardmakers challenge. I hand cut the flowers and the frame and used a button and ribbons on the flower. Of course the papers and flowers are all Pink Petticoat!

Shop Till You Drop - Papertake Weekly Challenge

This weeks challenge is 'Shop 'Til you Drop'.
Anything to do with shopping this week, what with the sales round the corner lol!! Handbags, shopping bags, dollar/pound signs etc etc!!

I had a couple of cards in my stash that I thought would fit the bill for this challenge. The first one I uses paper and sentiments from Pink Petticoat - Lola's Boudior in envy, the flower is from Poppicraft, beads and ribbon from local market.. The second is paper from a Crafter's Companion cd and a decoupage downloaded from somewhere in cyber space! The sentiment is from Pink Petticoat and ribbon off the local market

Food For Thought!

This weeks Papertake Weekly challenge is 'Food for Thought'. Please use something yummy on your cards! Any food will do! Chocs, sweets, cakes, dinners(?!?)lol!!Let's see your food for thought!

So, here is my creation...

I downloaded the paper from ScrapBrush (there are some fab free papers) and used for the backing paper and also to mat and layer. I put some scrap matt silver card through the cuttlebug using circles embossing folder and printed off an image from Pink Petticoat, Doodleicious collection and added a ribbon from Poppicrafts.

It was one of the quickest cards I've ever made lol and it had to be quick. Its for Ellie's boyfriends birthday tomorrow and I'd forgotten oops!

Going Crackers!

This weekend I decided to make my own Christmas crackers with the help of the online tutorial. I'm sick of paying out vast amounts of money just so we get something half decent inside. Dawn gave me the idea in the first place...thank you dawn!

I decided that I didn't want your traditional looking crackers so went for more of a shabby chic look. I didn't have a theme for my table so I was open to anything. Anyway, after having a good hunt around I found some fabby free digital papers by Kate Hadfield called "Just Minty Mocha". I fell in love with them as soon as I saw them. Just to add a hint of Christmas I punch a snowflake out of white glitter card and added that to the name plate.

Each cracker has something useful and only cost me between £1-£2, bargain!

Inside Out!

This weeks dare at Daring Cardmakers has been set by Gillian. Her dare is ..."To take the design of your card to the inside as well as the outside. Add a little finishing touch to match the theme on the outside, or Surprise the receiver with a flap, foldout, decorated journal block to write on,or one of those pop-out delights....It really adds so much to a card when there is attention to detail on the inside as well as the outside. I know some of you are finished your Christmas cards alreadyso this week it's Any theme, Christmas or not But make the inside count too :) "

Here is my creation...

I used the online tutorial for a surprise pop-up card from http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/surprisepopup.php. I covered my card with Pink Petticoat papers of course and embellished with ribbon from my local market, flower, flower charm, flower ribbon and ribbon brad from Poppicraft. The Fimo 18 is from http://www.karacterkrafts.com/. I'm really pleased with how this has turned out, its better than I imagined it would be and I know Ellie's going to be thrilled with it!

Inspiration thanks to Louly!

Just a couple of cards I've made lately getting inspiration from Louise. Rylee asked me to help him make him a Christmas card for his Mummy and Daddy and with him only being 5 months old he was finding it difficult to manipulate a pair of scissors and a glue stick! I was showing him some of my favourite blogs, when we came across a Christmas card on Louise's blog, that Rylee thought his Mummy and Daddy would like. I eventually persuaded him to pose in a santa suit, wearing a cheeky smile whilst I took a photo of him! (he's gonna hate me when he's older... up to now I've had him wearing a spider suit and a santa suit, can't wait till Easter lol!) Anyway this is our creation......... We used red felt to cover the card and black felt for the belt, Great Granny's button box was raided for the buckle and black button. We stuck white marabu across the bottom to finish it off and set 3 black eyelets in the belt.


And this is the other card... I used a bird temple from Crafty Templates, paper from Pink Petticoat and wobbly eyes from my craft box. The peel offs came from my local craft store.

Hi Carrie & Fae! I can see you lol!!!

Black Tie

This weeks Papertake Weekly challenge is to make a black and white card! It can be for any theme/occasion but black and white only please!!

I thought I'd do a two in one! Here's my black and white card for the weekly challenge and heres my entry for Liz over at Pink Petticoat who is holding a competition, her brief was to make a card using one of the images from her fab new collection "Pom Pom Trees".

So I used Pink Petticoat "Daisy Daisy - flourishes" for the backing paper and one of the "Pom Pom Tree's" image stamps. The black ribbon was wrapped around a bundle of towels from Dunelm that I brought for Ellie when she starts her spray tanning after Christmas at college (I'm beginning to like the idea of her training to become a beauty therapist ... level 3 is alot better than level 2. Last year I was waxed within an inch of my life..!) and the white chiffon ribbon, which hasn't shown up very well in the photo is from my local market.

Saffa's dare - Candy Stripes

This week is Saffa to set the dare! "I love the stripey candy sticks that are around at this time of year so inspired by this I challenge you all to create a card featuring stripes of some kind, the occasion is up to you but you must use some form of stripes on your card. Maybe stamps, or paper, or ribbon..."

So here is my creation. I drew a shoe and used this as my template. I covered the shoe with Pink Petticoat "Doodleicious" bubblegum multi paper and embellished with a button from my button box.

Congrat Shoe Lations

I've been so busy this weekend making party invites for Eloise's 18th Birthday the end of January. Ellie is definately a shoe girl. When out shopping she'll generally come back with pairs of shoes, and has been known to buy the same style of shoe in three different colours! Which is why I decided to have a shoe theme for her birthday. Her chosen colour is pink and pistachio and I've used a selection of papers from Pink Petticoat and embellished with ribbon, buttons, paper flowers from Poppicrafts and gems.

Here are a few of the invites I made.

(I'm dreaming of a) White Christmas!

This weeks Papertake Weekly challenge, White Christmas, is to make a white Christmas card! You can use an accent colour or two if you like, but lots of white this time please!!

For this card I used Pink Petticoat "Rainbow Christmas" backing papers and printed Pink Petticoat "Monograms" on the reverse of some glitter card and cut them out. I added some snowflakes punched from the same glitter card.