Cute!

What a lovely surprise when I had a quick mooch over to Cuteable earlier and what did I see ....... click here to have a look!

Thank you Lynsey!! I can do one with your name on if you really want!!

Positively Kiddies

Another of my samples for Funky Hand! Again using papers from the new word book Funky Word Books and just to prove that you can use the papers how ever you want! In fact, the cd can be bought from today from Funky Hand, so you too can create the lovely wordbooks!


This bunting uses the Positively Kiddies collection, and all I have done is printed the pages off (you get a full alphabet plus numbers 1 to 9) as if I'm going to make a word book but then cut the numbers off the end, rounded the edges of the 'pages' and added eyelets to the tops so I can thread the ribbon through.


I've dotted or dashed the edges of the panels (printed onto a lovely lightly hammered card), letters and numbers and then run the numbers through my Swiss Dots embossing folder - the words have been cut from the left overs (I had to be creative with the little bits I had left!) and I've used my Sizzix Round-a-Bout alphabet set and then run them through another Cuttlebug embossing folder (sorry can't think what it is called but its like a tiny mosaic!)




You'll have to ignore the fact that I forgot to emboss the words six and nine - Jacob was keen for me to stick it on his wardrobe so I could take a photo of it! I did emboss them afterwards!

Hope you like it!

• All papers: Funky Word Books
• Dies: Cuttlebug embossing folders - Swiss Dots and Mosaic (I think!) and Sizzix Round-a-Bout Alphabet
• Everything else: From my stash
  
  

M Is For Metallic

I actually guessed that the next ABC challenge would be M for metallic, so I knew what I was going to do!

This is based on a previous card that I have made and I have a fair few of these little screws, washers and nuts in my stash (from the Scrap Store) and I wanted to make some more for Fathers Day.

The backing paper is from Funky Daze with a Swiss Dotted vellum overlay. Both have torn edges as I didn't want it too 'clean'. I've inked all edges with chestnut Whispers and the lettering has been stamped with my little mini Studio G alphabet stamp. I've freely curled the wire and then added the metallic embellishments.

You'll have to excuse the glue blobs showing under the vellum - I couldn't wait to take the photo!

• Backing paper: Funky Daze
• Screw Embellishments: Scrap Store
• Dies: Swiss Dots Cuttlebug embossing folder
• Everything Else: My stash
  

By The Seat of My Pants ....

.... I have just about made this card in time for the challenge and to leave it with my Mum (she ordered it) so Casey can actually get it for her Birthday! Such organisational skills I have!



Anyway, the Cupcake challenge this week is:

Numbers

The card looks a bit boring on the photo, but it isn't in real life - honest! Made using the Very-Soon-To-Be-Released Funky Word Books cd from Funky Hand (get it on Monday!) and the card is for Casey. She's also getting this card too so she will be all Funky Handed for her Fifth Birthday - lucky girly eh?!

I've cut the little letters with my Baby Face Cuttlebug alphabet set, the organza ribbon was actually a hairband from Primark but looks much better being used on cards! The little sparkly stars I cut off the said hairband. Card candy from Craftwork Cards (and they have been glittered but you can't really see) and eyelets from my stash.

• Backing paper: Funky Word Books
• Organza Ribbon: Primark hair band
• Card Candy: Craftwork Cards
• Everything else: My stash

More WIP

Another work in progress - this just shows the detail as I don't want to reveal too much yet!

This has been a bit of a slow burner project. I knew exactly what papers I was going to use (Patti Picklicious) and what I was going to print it all on - some lovely lovely felt ivory thick card. And that was it! I found these pearl topped pins when I was looking for something else - I do like it when that happens! I've added the seed beads because the pin itself looked a bit naked.

This one will form part of a set for my swop partner in Silkie Sue's Freestyle Blog Swop. I've got other colours on the go and another layout, and come hell or high water, these will be completed and in the post on Monday!

But, I like them so much, I could, just be tempted to make myself some. Not to use. Nooooooo! For me to look at!

So, once Nicola has received these in the post - I shall reveal all!!

WIP - Place Cards

I've not been able to keep up with all the challenges this week! I've had a number of orders and managed to get them completed, I'm part way through making the swop stuff for my partner in the Silkie Sue Swop , I'm trying to attempt to get suitcases packed as we go on holiday on 16 May for a week, trying to remember to help Samuel with his school homework each night. And to top it all I think I'm coming down with a really bad cold as I ache all over, sore throat and feel rough.... And I'll need to do some housework between now and going away as we look like we've been burgled!


Anyway, I've now completed 105 of these place cards and Hayley will be picking them up tonight. I've never tied so much ribbon in my life!

These go with the invites I blogged a while ago and the chocolate brown satin ribbon picks up part of the colour theme of the Wedding.

But this is not the last of making Place Cards - I have another 100 to make, very similar to these for Donna when I come back off holiday!

Fortunately, these didn't take too long to make - I did them in batches so the tediousness of it all wouldn't become too overwhelming. If I remember, I'll take some photos of them insitu at the Wedding. If I don't its either because I've forgotten or drunk too much.....

Actually, the blog title is a lie isn't it as I've now completed them!

I Am A Winner!!!

Another sketch, and not one I could leave, especially as its for the Dare U 2 Digi Stamp challenge and I'd just won a monthly competition on Tinker & Co! I'd entered my Warren card for the monthly challenge and I won these beautiful papers and digital images! The collection is called Milly Peace and there are 6 papers and various sized copies of the image. These papers were so easy to use - the card took hardly any time at all to make! I printed the papers off slightly smaller than the default setting so I wouldn't have to trim them too much for the card blank. Lightly inked the edges - they are a little grungy anyway, cut out the circle segments by using a compass (best 50p I have spent!) and the frame for the image was a fancy pair of scissors that I found.

Ribbon is from my stash, and matches the blue paper perfectly! I've only used the three dotty papers on this card - there are 3 other ornate looking papers yet to go at so watch out for those!

Big thank you to Jo at Tinker and Co - you really made my day!!

• Digital backing papers and image: Tinker and Co exclusive Milly collection
• Ribbon: From my stash
  
  
  

What We Did Over The Weekend

Didn't get much crafting done over the Bank Holiday weekend as we spent most of it out of the house! I did start on 105 Wedding place cards which I will show later in the week, and that's about it!

On Sunday we decided to go to the Lakeland Wildlife Oasis, not far from Lancaster on the M6. It's not a huge place - not on the scale of Chester Zoo but you can get to see the animals really close! Such as these leaf cutter ants - Jacob was fascinated!

I actually thought there were little birds flying around inside the exhibit, but they were butterflies! I managed to take this photo of a butterfly feeding on part of a banana. I did attempt to take a photo of a much more brightly coloured butterfly, literally inches away from me but some great oaf knocked the branch it was on and it flew off (husband to blame!)

And here is a poisonous blue frog which looked really funny trying to climb up the side of the tank!

And this, apparently, according to the sign on the door is a young and stupid hand reared pheasant! Which, sat very patiently for me whilst I took his photo. And then hopped off the fence! As the Wildlife Oasis was not a big place, we'd been round it in just over and hour and a half. So we ate our butties in the car and worked out where to go next. Simon and I fancied going to the Lakeland Motor Museum as it has a replica of Bluebird and its all sited at Holker Hall, around 30 mins drive from the Oasis.

We were pleasantly surprised to find that both boys got free entry as they were under 6! We had a good mooch around the Motor Museum (didn't take any photos as not allowed!) and tried to explain to Samuel that the lump of twisted metal was once held the world water speed record. I don't think he could work out why the 'car' was all fixed and where the lump of metal fitted in. It helped a little with some photos of the wreck being lifted from the bottom of Coniston Water.

The obligatory ice cream was bought (orange and chocolate chip - yum!) as it was the local producers Market and we just had to have a look!

Because of the ice-cream and potential to drip, we walked around the gardens. Well, Simon and I walked, the boys ran! We decided, that if we won the £110 million on the Euro Millions, we could see ourselves living somewhere quite similar! The gardens were beautiful and very well kept.

Because it was a little windy, when walking around the side of the huge fountain, the boys got a little wet. The wind was a bit more gusty by the time we had walked to the top of the water feature and down again, and the little devils were fairly damp - giggling like imps but decidedly damp!


If you like spectacular colour then the rhododendrons are for you - beautiful fuchsia pinks and the purest of white. I did take some photos but they look pants - you really had to be there to appreciate it!

I was not allowed to take any photos inside the Hall, but Samuel asked a lot of questions of the tour guides (there was one in each room) much to their amusement!

A great day out!

Wanted!

Anice is looking for another Funky Hand Design Gang Member - see her wanted advert here. We are a lovely team, very supportive of each other and a mad sense of humour is required! We've been together for just over a year, and I can honestly say that I have never met such lovely people!

So, what are you waiting for?!

And good luck to all who apply - if you don't try you will never know!!

Forever Friends Sketch

Another sketch, another challenge! This time it is the Forever Friends challenge which is this sketch:

Again I have used papers from DCWV Retro 6 x 6 paper stack, rounded the edges and lightly inked them. The image is a sticker I bought in a triple pack, all male themed. I've layered it onto blue cardstock, dotted the edges and hand wrote the sentiment.


I am already being asked for Fathers Day cards so I need to get cracking as I've got a week or so with no crafting looming as we are on holiday. Although, I may sneak some stamped images with me to colour in between attempting the Telegraph crossword each night!

• Printed backing paper: DCWV Retro 6 x 6 stack, everything else from my stash
• Image: Forever Friends sticker
• Sentiment: Handwritten