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
  
  

Sparkly Thread!

I do like a sketch, and this weeks Pink Elephant challenge was a nice and simple sketch! I just can't fathom messy ones with too much going on!


I've used papers and image from my new Patti Picklicious cd - I've coloured the image with watercolour pencils, inked the edges and also the sentiment (from the cd too). It actually looks more zingy in real life - I took the photo early evening and I don't think it was the best light!

The sparkly thread was from a nice package of stash sent to me by Sarah as part of a swop a while ago - I knew I'd use it some day!

This is actually an A6 sized card which I don't use particularly often unless I print the backing paper off at the wrong size and can't be bothered to print any more....

• Backing paper, image and sentiment: Patti Picklicious cd
• Sparkly thread: From Sarah
  
  

Daisy for Casey

The ABC challenge for this week slotted in nicely with a card I need to make for my cousin Claire for her niece Casey as it is her Birthday at the end of the month and she will be 5.

The challenge is

List - 1 Ribbon, 3 Flowers and 6 Brads

I've used the brand new Funky Hand cd Funky Word Books (which, I am sorry to tease, will not be available to buy directly until 11 May!) and this collection is Daisy Chain - lovely green and pinks and a sort of sweet pea kind of pattern on one of the papers.

Anyway, the pages have been cut and then I've just lightly inked the edges in alternate pink and lime green, and dotted the edges of the letters with a pink gel pen for a little more definition. It may look like I have cheated, but I didn't count the centres of the flowers towards the 6 brads! And the brads are not really brads, but card candy which are like brads. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

The flowers have been cut using a Cuttlebug flower die and then layered.

Sorry for awful pun in post title - only just dawned on me!

• Word Book papers: Funky Word Books (released 11 May)
• Dies: Cuttlebug Flowers
• Card Candy: Craftwork Cards
• Everything else: My stash
  
  

For a Teenager

It has been a while since I last managed a Dottie's World challenge so made amends with this one! Really enjoyed the challenge, plus I managed to use some of my new papers! The challenge is:

To make a card for a teenager

Oh to be a teenager again eh?! Anyway, I used a Holly in the USA download (I think this was a free image) which is pre coloured and I've just added a bit of sparkle to her hat (or rather a cack handed bit of sparkle - teach me to try and craft when its too dark and I can't be bothered putting a light on!) The image has been chalked around the edges and layered onto some lovely pearlescent gold card as to the sentiment.

The papers are DCWV Retro 6 x 6 paper stack, ribbons are from my stash and the chipboard flowers were sent to me by Enfys and are Colorbok. Quite a quick card to make once I got going - it just took me 3 nights to choose which papers to use!

• Backing papers: DCWV Retro 6 x 6 paper stack
• Image: Holly in the USA download from Charmed Cards and Crafts
• Sentiment: A 4 sided block thing from Mad About Cards
• Ribbon: From my stash
• Chipboard flowers: Colorbok sent to me by Enfys

Loud and Proud!

Stamp it loud and stamp it proud! Is the challenge on the Daisy and Dandelion blog for April and May! My fellow Funky Hand team mate Kath stamped this image for me (thanks Kath!) and I've coloured it in with watercolour paints and pencils.


All the backing papers are free downloads from Papercraft Inspirations and I've just inked the edges with pink and dotted with gel pens. Surprisingly enough, the ribbon (from my stash) matched perfectly! The little pram embellishment is a button that I found and I've just tied it on with some more ribbon.

This is going in my card box pending arrival of glut of babies due over the next few months by friends, work colleagues and nursery staff!

• Backing papers: Free download from Papercraft Inspirations
• Image: Daisy & Dandelion stamp coloured with watercolour paints and pencils
• Everything else: My stash