Papertake Weekly - Sketch 56

Hope everyone is well and had a great weekend despite the awful weather. At last the sun has come out today! Our house mini makeover is underway and I now have a very swish, flush ceiling light in my bathroom, bought from the closing down DIY store at a bargain price! Last August the old one just fell off and crashed into the bath (empty at the time, thank goodness!) and since then there's been a gaping hole where it used to be. Things being as they were we couldn't replace it until now. It looks so nice I keep switching it on and off to admire it (small things.... I know!) We bought paint for all the ceilings and lots of those little tester pots in every shade of cream you can imagine. I know I said I wasn't going near cream but I decided to stick to what I'm comfy with (coward) and add splashes of colour with accessories ... that's the plan anyway!


Enough rambling and on to today's card which is for our brand new challenge at Papertake Weekly. As it's the last challenge of the month there is a sketch to follow and we're sponsored by the fabulous Simon Says Stamp.

The prize is a $20 voucher to spend in Heidi's shop - wow!!

For my card I've used a one of this month's releases from Digistamp Boutique called Off to School - Ava. Isn't she just so sweet?! Of course this is going to go in my box ready for when Molly goes back to school in September. The papers I've used are from a Craftwork Cards pad I bought about three years ago. I'm going to try really hard from now on to use up all these paper pads I've hardly touched. My teamies have made wonderful cards again this week, so do go and take a look and join us this week. Can't wait to see what you make. xx

Before I go I have a question to ask. Many of you do the most gorgeous machine stitching on your cards and I mentioned to my lovely blog buddy, Jules, that I was going to try and save for a sewing machine as I'm itching to stitch on cards and also make some small items. She advised going for a good second hand one. I'd love to know what machines you use and if you can give me any tips too.

Thank you!

Hope you all have a lovely evening and I'll be round to visit later.

xxx

Reasons to be cheerful!

Hope everyone is well and enjoying the weekend. Well, I have my laptop fixed, oven fixed, Blogger is working, I've got a week off work and  time to make cards - what more could a girl ask for?! I was so annoyed that I didn't get to enter last week's Less is More challenge but I did enjoy looking at all the wonderful entries and left comments when Blogger would let me. Can't believe that this week it's challenge number 17 already! Where has the time gone?! I like this challenge because it's Pick a Square and I love squares! For my card I actually dug out my brayer and an ink pad I've only used once before. I brayered some white card and stamped the image in black. The stamp was a freebie with Craft Stamper magazine ages ago. The image didn't show up as well as I wanted so I trimmed the printed acetate that the stamp came on and stuck that on top too.

Looking forward to this week as I'm planning to start giving the house a bit of a makeover. Off out to buy some paint tomorrow and I'm determined not to buy any shade of cream!

Realised earlier today too that a week on Wednesday I'm going to see Take That - YAY!!

Time for a cuppa now and a catch up with all your lovely creations. I'll be back here on Tuesday with something cute from DigiStamp Boutique

xxxx

At Last!!

What the @*#*! I've been trying to log on since 5.30pm and I've only just managed it! Blogger kept refusing my password so I reset it and that didn't work either. Then the toolbar thingy at the top of my blog disappeared and I couldn't find my dashboard or where to write my posts! I don't know how I've finally managed to get on but better late than never! Hope you're all well and having a good week. Sorry I've not been a very good blogger this week but my laptop is poorly sick too. I was sitting here the other night, happily commenting when we suddenly got a power cut. Hubby got everything on again and I just carried on where I left off (after we'd reset the clocks on the DVD player, cooker, microwave etc etc!) and suddenly my lappy started bleeping like mad and went black. Once I'd calmed down (a slap on the face and a bucket of cold water thrown over me does the trick, lol!) I tried to think rationally. I'd noticed a while ago that the plastic coating on the wire of the adaptor/charger thingy (you can tell I'm an ICT expert) had split, so I wondered if that was the culprit. After begging, pleading and making all kinds of wild promises to my son he finally agreed to unweld himself from his lappy to let me try his adaptor/charger thingy with my lappy. Success!!! My lappy is still alive but while I've been waiting for a new thingy to arrive I have to wait until son is out of the house so I can steal his. Hence, not much commenting this week. Hopefully my new one will be here tomorrow. Isn't it funny though how electrical appliances seem to break down in pairs? My oven has broken too, but hey, it's just an oven, I can cope with that as long as I have my lappy, lol!

Anyway, think it's time I got on to my card for today which is, of course, for this week's challenge at Papertake Weekly. Our theme is Pale, Pretty Pastels and we're sponsored by Digital Delights and Wendy will give the winner 3 of her gorgeous images as a the prize. Thank you Wendy! xx



For my card I decided to use another of the gorgeous Molly Bloom images - isn't she a little doll?!

Hopefully Blogger will behave for a bit and let me do some commenting now (before son arrives home!)

Speak soon!

xxxx

Tuti Fruti Bunny

Hope everyone is well. I must apologise if I  haven't managed to get round to you this week, but I've not been well again!!! A water infection this time that's had me in agony since Tuesday but I didn't realise what it was and thought I just had back ache! I'm starting to feel a bit better now the antibiotics have kicked in. I've got quite a busy weekend ahead and might not get any time to make cards so thought I'd do a quick post now just to showcase this cute little stamp that I was sent. It's Tuti Fruti Bunny from Crafty Sentiments and was one of the new releases earlier this month. There are gorgeous cards on the Crafty Sentiments blog made with the stamps so do take a look. After I coloured the apples a rosy red I just thought of picnics and summer days so my paper just had to be red gingham like a picnic tablecloth - not that I've got a red gingham table cloth but you can picture the scene, lol! One day I'll learn how to colour trees!

I'm off to put the kettle on and I'm going to catch up with my blog visiting as much as I can tonight!

See you later! 

xxx

Papertake Weekly - Bloom & Grow

 Hope everyone is well and having a good week. Is it just me, or is time just flying by? I can't believe it's Tuesday again already and time for a new Papertake Weekly challenge! This week  our theme is Bloom & Grow and is a bit of a double challenge because you can either use something floral on your projects or you can use a Molly Bloom image. Or you can, of course, do both.

We are sponsored this week by the wonderful Mary & Andrea over at  The Ribbon Girl  

(and of course,  Andrea is a Papertaker as well :)

And look at the stamp you could win!

 This is Molly at the Beach and I think she's so gorgeous!

Thanks so much Mary and Andrea!

xxx

For my card I've used Rainy Day George which is one of the gorgeous stamps from Molly Bloom. I think he's just right for the awful weather we've been having lately! 

The rest of the DT have made the most amazing cards as usual so there's plenty of inspiration.

I'm going to enter George into the following challenges:

Charisma Cardz - Challenge 19 - Under the Weather

Paper Play - Challenge 19 - Anything Goes

Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge - 53 - Anything Goes

Thank you so much for all the lovely comments you've left for my last two cards - I really do appreciate them so much!

Have a lovely evening and I'll be round to visit later.

xxx

Less is More - Week 15 - OLC with Embossing

Hope everyone is well and had a good week and weekend. It feels like ages since my last post as it's been such a busy week. I had a lovely day out at the Happy Stampers craft fair in Port Sunlight yesterday, but now I'm behind with everything and I really thought I was going to run out of time to make a card for this week's Less is More challenge. I was absolutely amazed by the number of comments I got for my last card - thank you so much!! No danger of that many this week though, lol! What I love (and hate!) about these challenges is that Chrissie and Mandi seem to have the knack for knowing what techniques and materials have been neglected and they really do challenge us to dust off our long forgotten stash. When I first started card making everything I made was stamped and embossed but today I didn't even know where my heat gun was! I wanted to make something bright and cheery because it's dull, wet and grey outside (was that our summer last month?!). I masked off the top of my base card and randomly stamped the flowers using Versa color ink pads in lime, orchid, baby blue and lilac. I then embossed with clear embossing powder. The stamps are an old Penny Black set that I think are called Salutations. Not the best card I've made but thanks to Chrissie and Mandi I've rediscovered the magic of embossing; I just love seeing the embossing powder change as you heat it up!

Before I go I must tell you our latest news - Dave has been given a permanent job following his trial! Such a relief!

Sorry if I haven't been round to visit you much this week but Blogger threw me right off course when it was out of action.

Will be round to visit you all later and tomorrow.

Have a lovely evening

xxxx

Papertake Weekly - Fancy a Punch?

Hope everyone is well and having a good week. I must start today's post with a massive thank you for all the comments left for my Less is More card this week; I am totally overwhelmed!!! Also, a very happy hello to my new followers - thank you so much!
As it's Tuesday, it's time for a new challenge at Papertake Weekly and this week we're sponsored by the fabulous Tracy at Dies to Die For.

There's a fabulous prize up for grabs!!

Our theme this week is Fancy a Punch, so we want you to get out your punches or dies for your gorgeous creations this week. I can be quite literal (thick?) in my thinking sometimes so I've used only three different sized daisy punches for my card and no images. I had a bit of a 'what a dope I am' moment when I saw all my teamies lovely creations but never mind, lol!! Do go and see how they've used punches and dies - just so gorgeous! 

This very simple card is going into my 'to use' box as I always seem to need a Thank You card for something.

Right, I'm off to have something to eat and I'll be round to visit you all later.

Have a lovely evening!

xxxx

Less is More - Week 14

Hope everyone is having a lovely Saturday! Thank you so much for all your lovely comments yesterday. I really do think all the positive thoughts over the last few weeks have helped. Not surprisingly,  I had the best night's sleep I've had for months last night but still woke up at stupid o'clock wondering what the new Less is More challenge would be! What a challenge it is too; White on White! Now this is something I've never done before so I was keen (and a bit scared!) to get started and after three tries this is what I've settled on. I can't make my mind up whether I like this card or not; I look at it and like it then a few minutes later I don't!! I dusted the cobwebs off my Cricut and my only cartridge to cut the sentiment and as it looked quite plain and modern I thought the rest of the card should follow suit. I used my Swiss Dots folder to emboss some card and then punched out the hearts. I left some of the hearts plain and then added some glamour dust to finish. The second part of the challenge  is actually taking the photo! Maybe I'm the only one who's struggled as the entries and photos so far are stunning!! I don't envy Chrissie and Mandi the task of choosing cards to Showcase this week. Anyway, enough nattering - here it is!

Thanks for visiting and, as always, I value your comments.

I'll be round to visit later and drool over your lovely creations! 

xxx

Things to smile about!

Hope everyone is well and had a good week. We had some much needed rain last night and this morning but the sun is back now and it's lovely! Well, I have lots to tell you today and it's all good for a change, lol! Yesterday my eldest son, Andrew, phoned to tell me that he's passed his Foundation degree in Inclusive Sports Development and he'll be going to Liverpool John Moore's Uni for one year starting September to get his BA. I can't tell you how proud of him I am as he left school with a few GCSEs and, although he's always worked, I knew he could have achieved more academically. About 5 years ago he was taken ill with an abscess on his lung which then collapsed and he was found to have TB. He had an operation on his lung, was in hospital for two months and has been left with permanent lung damage. It was eighteen months before he was able to go back to work and then he lost his job after being there for seven years. It was after this that he decided to go back into education and I'm so glad he did! My second bit of good news is we've managed to sort something out with the building society, so panic over! We're just waiting for a confirmation letter now.
My final bit of good news also put a great big smile on my face...are you ready for this?! My sympathy card has been Showcased at Less is More !!! Me, showcased! I'm chuffed and told Chrissie and Mandi I feel like I've won an Oscar, lol!! Oh, and I also won over at Colour Create with my poodle card!

Anyway, enough rambling and on to today's card. I needed to make a quick birthday card (because I forgot all about it!) for a shoe loving colleague and this fab image from DigiStamp Boutique is just perfect! I decided to use this bit of spotty ribbon I had (wish I could tie bows properly!) and coloured the shoe to match. A very quick CAS card!

I'm going to enter this card for the following challenges:

Creative Inspirations - Challenge 58 - Digi Day

Cupcake Crafts - Something Beginning with 'C' ('C' for clean and simple acceptable)

Paper Play - Show us your Style. They want to see a card in the style you're most comfortable with.

I'm off to pick Dave up from work now and I'll be round to visit you all later.

Have a lovely evening!

xxxx

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

Hope everyone is well and had a lovely weekend - I'm just loving the sunshine, even with the wind! We spent a lovely couple of hours in the park with Molly and Lucy yesterday and then came home to sit in the garden. It was a real struggle to get my professional head on and go to work today, lol! As it's Tuesday its time for a new challenge over at Papertake Weekly and as it's the first challenge of the month we're once again sponsored by LOTV  (I hear there are more new stamps out on the 11th and guess who's  got a voucher to spend - yay!!)

Our theme this week is Anything Goes with the optional extra of using something round (which I forgot!) 

Look what you can win!!

Thanks so much to Laila and Lisa

For my card today I've used yet another stamp that has been lying unused in my stamp box (and here I am planning to buy more!) The papers are from one of the taster packs I've been buying from Ebay but I can't remember which collection they are. 

I'm just off to have a bite to eat and I'll be round to visit you all later.

Have a lovely evening

xxx

Meet Olivia and Archie!

What another gorgeous day and the first of May already; where is this year going?! As it's a new month it's time for a new offer at DigiStamp Boutique and it's such a cutie!!

Olivia and Archie Collection and some bonus cat doodles (if you purchase by 7th May)

How cute are these!!

I just love the image I've used for my card today - I wonder what she's thinking as he's swinging from the branch, lol! Her face is so sweet!

Just when I thought I'd got my photos sorted I found that I didn't have any card stock that went with this card; all my pinks and greens were the wrong shades and looked awful. So now I've given myself something else to dither over, lol! 

Before I go I want to say a massive 'Hello!' to my new followers (more!!) and thank you so much! I am so grateful to each and every one of you that continues to visit and leave comments. Time is so precious and we're all so busy so every minute you spend here is very appreciated.

xxxx