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I made this a few weeks ago - the cute bird and home sticker is from Accessorize, paper is prima cut on the Cricut and various stickers.

...and the resulting card

Following on from my win, here's the card made with the stamps from Banana Frog (Sentimental Style).

Paper is Anna Griffin and I used Dew Drop Brilliance Ink in Pearlescent Crimson.

Banana Frog Love

I took part in the Banana Frog Blog Hop for the first time in September and won a beautiful set of stamps - thanks BF!

If you want to be inspired, check out the Frog Blog and their design team here:

http://bananafrog.typepad.com/

Downloadable Stickers

Wow - net trawling is fun and you can really use up most of a working day just looking at what's out there. Here's some freebie stickers that I love from a selection of back to school ones here:

http://www.welovetoillustrate.com/2010/08/free-back-to-school-printables.html

Am I still alive?

Phew - been in hibernation mode for the past few weeks and inspiration has been sadly lacking!

However, lusting after the new Accessorize stickers could well help this. I have always had a healthy appreciation (aka mad obsession) with stickers - although peel offs don't do anything for me - and these puffy stickers are just cute. Can feel a trip to Monsoon coming on...

Been making samples...

Had a lovely few hours this evening making samples to show off Kirsty Wiseman's new CD. "Call of the Wild" airs on Create and Craft on 19th July at 9.00am and I will show some tiny sneak peeks in the lead up.

Here's the CD cover and there is loads on it - I love, love, love the animals!

Happy Father's Day

It's Father's Day and I always have a struggle making male themed cards. Had some inspiration this time from The Daring Cardmakers (http://daringcardmakers.blogspot.com/) and here's the first card that Harry has given to his Dad:



The design is from a challenge sketch, which I rotated 90 degrees, and papers are from Kirsty Wiseman's Colour me Crazy CD - she has designed some fab male themed papers in colours that I love working with.

The Daring Cardmakers challenge blog has some lovely prizes from Sarah's Cards (http://www.sarahscardsltd.com/) and Nikki Sivils (http://www.nikkisivils.com/index.php) - her designs are beautiful. Why not have a go yourself?

Also made a card for FIL:

And one for my Dad too:

Thanks!

Dug out my Craft Robo to create a series of cards to say "Thanks" as Harry is constantly getting beautiful presents.

I wanted to make a card to enter into the Which Crafts? one colour challenge, so used Inkscape to weld the Thanks message (black) and the papers are Basic Grey (green).

More details about the challenge can be found here:

http://whichcraftsonline.blogspot.com/2010/06/all-one-colour-challenge.html

Been away

It's so nice to get away, but it's also nice to get back, especially to surprises! My three swaps from UKS all came back and I received 10 metres of different ribbon in the post, along with 6 scrapbook page kits and 6 tags.

Here are the tags I made for the swap, which has a "time" theme:

Have managed a couple of hours crafting today while the boy has a nap and have made a few cards - here's a really simple one made with my Tonic butterfly punch:

Here's the detail:

Home Tweet Home

The challenge on the cards blog this week was "cards with witty sentiments". Inspired by Helen's blog (http://itsallfiddlefart.blogspot.com/), I went to Accessorize and bought some lovely bird stickers.

Create a Critter cart provided the mats and "tweet", Prima paper and doodlebug rub ons did the rest! Just need to find someone who is moving house to send it to...

I can't believe that it's been 6 months since the little one was born - he's such a sweetie (even though his top teeth are coming through - and they are sharp!). Here's a pic - I could just eat him up!

Free Digital image and a request

In order to not go completely bonkers being at home with a 6 month old, I've started visiting card challenge blogs. The challenges are usually easy enough to get done in an hour (ie when Harry is napping) and I feel that I have actually achieved something other than cleaning up carrot splatters.

fab'n'funky's challenge blog is sponsored by Doodle Dragon Studio this week, and on the sponsor's blog, they have lots of cute digi freebies. This week, they are asking if anyone can send in a card for an 18 year old who has MS - the bundle (hopefully from all over the world) will then be presented to her as a gift.

If you can help (will need posting to the US), and more about why they are asking this, here's the link:

http://dustinpike.blogspot.com/2010/05/freebie-and-requestplease.html

Jitterbuggin Challenge - Sketch 1

Here's my entry to the Jitterbuggin' Challenge. The recipe this week was:

1. Follow sketch
2. Use a bug from any Cricut Cart (I used Create a Critter)
3. Use pink and purple - pink in patterned paper (Prima), purple card/ribbon
4. Add flower - from Jolees

WOYWW

Still using the ironing board in the spare room as a workdesk and have been playing with the new Create a Critter cart. I'm loving the bird and dino with floral papers! Must actually use these and not just put them in a box.

Also got some images for an altered tag swap on UKS and some charms that will go on wedding invites.

New Home Card

Here's a new card using papers from Kirsty Wiseman's CD (Colour Me Crazy). I used a sketch from Crazy Card Crew challenge blog and decoupaged!

Polka Doodles challenge

To use texture (bazzill), dimension (foam pads) and a down load (cupcake case).

Simple Cards

Sometimes simple is best!

Butterfly Card
I love my Tonic Butterfly punch (a recent purchase). The butterfly is so pretty and if you just glue down the centre line, it becomes added dimension on your projects.

Paper is from Kirsty Wiseman, Kaiser gemstones, AC thickers and I've also used my new border punch and a trusty scallop punch. Here's some detail:




Chick Card

This is the simplest card to make - a scrap of paper, inked at the edges, a stamped chick and a Chipboard heart inked and covered in crackle glaze. It's also one of my most favourite cards that I am struggling to give away. I'm hopeful that if I post pics of cards I love, then I can give them away and still have a pic to remind me!

and some detail:

Enjoy the sunshine!

WOYWW or WOYIBW??

It's that time of the week again and "What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday" - BUT, due to an enforced tidy up of the kitchen table (my usual Workdesk) I am relegated to the ironing board in the spare room! It's not a bad place to be - no flying baby food (mushed carrot and glitter don't go so well together) and the ironing board can be set to a height that suits me.

Even better - I have the perfect excuse to not do any ironing (cue "sorry, the artwork is drying" and such excuses).

Have been playing with my new Create a Critter cart (on windowsill), stickers from Accessorize and some 6 x 6 pages in progress for a swap on UKS. Really must tidy up at some stage...

Card featured on "Cards" Blog!

One of my card designs has been featured on the Cards blog here (it's the 7th pic down!):

http://northridgemedia.net/blogs/cards/challenge/challenge-gallery-and-new-challenge-31/#more-2219

It was entered in this week's challenge and was a lovely surprise to see it there! There are some other fab designs on there too - great for inspiration when your mojo goes for a burton!

PS Husband response to my news: "Oh great - what do you want on your toast?"

Playing with Felt...

It's not very often that I sew by hand (unless a button has fallen off my shirt), but I had a play today with some felt sheets, felt flowers from American Crafts and buttons from my stash.

I hand cut two size of circles from a black felt sheet and layered them with the flower and button, sewing through the whole lot to secure. Then hand stitched round the edges for a cute embellishment. Think I might use one as a brooch and not sure about the other one!

Daring Cardmakers Emerald Card Challenge

Here's my take on the weekly Daring Cardmakers challenge:



The challenge was to use emerald, the May birthstone, as inspiration and incorporate green. I've used October Afternoon papers and a Happy Birthday greeting that I designed to fit in a 1.5" punch. Topped off with Basic Grey Square emerald gems.

I really enjoy the simple style and love the colours.

Here's the link to the challenge blog if you want to play:

http://daringcardmakers.blogspot.com/

Cards Blog Challenge

The Cards Blog challenge this week is: "Cards with product that is over a year old". I had great fun hunting through all my old stash and came across some cute leaf pins from an old Studio Calico kit that I've had for approx 2 years.

Match that with some fab papers and a punch out from Kirsty Wiseman (Colourful Burst of Fanciful Things; http://kirstywisemanprintables.blogspot.com), inking of edges and some bling and hey presto, a cute card for the challenge! I also tried paper ruffling for the first time with a scrap ofthe green paper and liked the effect - here's the detail:

Here's the link to the challenge if you want to have a go:

http://northridgemedia.net/blogs/cards/uncategorized/challenge-gallery-and-new-challenge-30/

WOYWW and Two Giveaways

This is my first WOYWW sharing (What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday) - I've been making Christmas Cards as I usually leave it to the last minute and had some time to spare so thought I'd crack on - not very often that happens with a 5 month old (he had a 2 hour sleep, bless)!

I've been trying to keep the designs simple and use my scalloped punches and some papers I got free with a magazine last year. Managed to get 15 cards done - let's hope I manage some more before December.

Here's the link to all the other people taking part in WOYWW:

http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/

PS Following my post yesterday, the lovely Kirsty has a giveaway on her website to win all 3 of her CD's - go here:

http://kirstywisemanprintables.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2010-05-10T23%3A48%3A00Z&max-results=7



PPS Lovely blog candy available at Spesh Designer Stamps - you have until 15 May to leave a comment on this link:

http://speschstamps.blogspot.com/2010/05/blog-candy-alert.html

Kirsty Wiseman's new CD

I was so lucky to be invited to work with Kirsty Wiseman's new CD (Colour me Crazy - see http://kirstywisemanprintables.blogspot.com/2010/05/colour-me-crazy-samples.html) putting together samples in prep for her Create and Craft show on 1 May. This CD is the best yet with some lovely boy images too. Here are my offerings:

Get Funky March Challenge

I've not done any card challenges before, but thought I'd give the "Get Funky" March one a go and here's the result. The theme was girly cards and this one is for my mum:



I've used two Funky Hands papers, spotty brown ribbon, pink Bazzill, two pins I've had in my stash for ages and glitter thickers.


Link to the challenge website is here: http://getfunkyandcraft.blogspot.com/2010/03/get-funky-challenge-march.html#comments


There are three lovely free papers and a page of embellishments from Funky Hands for anyone who wants to have a go and you could win a £20 voucher.

It's been a while...

Due to the arrival of my gorgeous son, I've neglected the blog for a while! Harry's now 3 months old and is such a joy.

I have been making more cards than scrapbooking pages recently, including samples for the lovely Kirsty Wiseman's fab new CD, "Colourful Burst of Fanciful Things" - keep an eye out for them on Create & Craft!:

If you are inspired, Kirsty's new CD is available here: http://www.kirstywiseman.com/cds/cds.html and is full of the most wonderful designs, including everything you might need for a cute tea party.

Kirsty will also be on Create and Craft this Saturday (20 March) demonstrating the CD and showing the wonderful card designs everyone has made.