Busy Bee

Sorry I've not blogged for a wee while - just seen to have had no time as life has a horrible habit of getting in the way.  I am in the process of having a good clear out and tidy up in my craft room which is great for finding those bits and bobs you had forgotten you had !!  It has also rejuvinated my enjoyment of other crafts and I've been making some lovely bracelets and am currently attending a 6 week bag making course - I'll post photos of these items when they are all finished.

I have made some cards for various occassions, here are some of them:

This was for friends who sadly lost their young daughter.  I like sympathy cards shothat are plain and simple and I have used this stamp over and over again for sympathy cards but each of the cards have still been very different.

The verse is one that is very dear to me as it is used on my sisters headstone.  I don't know anything about it - who wrote it or where it comes from but I think it is beautiful.

The card is white linen card, matts are silver mirri, stamped with Black Momento, coloured with Promarkers.  Butterfly is punched from plain pink velum.  Finished with pink grosgrain ribbon.  The verse was printed on the computer.

This easel card was for my nieces Christening.  I used the Christening Stamp from LOTV.  I coloured with Promarkers and highlighted the hem of the dress with Glamour Dust, although this isn't clear in the pics.  I decided on an easel shape as I'd never made one before and I found it surprisingly easy to make and very effective.

I've used white and pink pearl card and embossed with a Papermania embossing folder.  The ovals were cut with the Cricut.  The swirl stamp is Inkadinkadoo stamped with pink Versamagic and I highlighted the swirls with white pearl halves.  I used a silver peel off for the sentiment as I haven't got a Christening Day stamp - I've added that to my list for the SECC craft fair next March.  It's a very long list of NEEDS...... 

The ribbon is 3mm baby pink satin from Crafty Ribbons.com and the cross charm is from my stash.

The fabric flower is from Mei Crafts and the leaves were punched from sage green pearl card.

This card was for my sister in law's 30th birthday.  I made the front from acetate and was a bit difficult to photograph.  The scallop matt and the swirly frames on the front were cut using my Cricut machine - the more I use it the more I LOVE it............ money well spent.

This picture shows the card colours a bit better - pale green, pale pink and white pearl card. The stamp is Tippee Toes from Lili of the Valley, stamped in Black Momento and colored with Promarkers.  I highlighted with a Sekura clear glitter gel pen.

 The scallops of the frame were highlighted with pink and green gems from Papermania.  The back of the frame (inside the card) is covered with a matching shape which is an option on the Cricut - I found this very helpful as it covered the adhesive but still looked neat.  I have several other LOTV stamps I still have to use yet (amongst many other things!) and I love them as much as my Sugar Nellies................

I have to make some birthday party invites for my daughters party later this week so I'll post a picture of them as soon as I can.........

My Pal Shaz..........

Just a wee note to you all that my pal Sharon has a little bit of candy on offer - pop over to her place to see.  Tell her Nic sent ya!!

The link is - http://shari-anne-happycrafter.blogspot.com/2010/09/little-bit-of-candy-please-scroll-down.html

Quick, the baby's come..............

My hubbie came home from work the other day and told me a colleague and his wife had a baby boy - three weeks ago!!!  He wanted the card then and there so he could post it off.................

I was all a dither and not in card making mode so I thought I'll try out a Cricut Cart I had bought in the US and not used yet - New Addition.

I'm not a fan of cards that are wholly made by die cutting but it was quick and easy................

The background paper is not shown very well in the pictures, but it's got lots of baby words all over it.  It's from Hot off the Press.

Not sure if I loke this card or not.  I can't decide if it's because it's one of those dreaded male cards I hate doing so much, or if it's becasue it's a die cut one or if it's because I felt so hurried to get it done................

Then again us crafters are our own worst critics aren't we............!!

Miss Gets Married.........

My daughters schoolteacher got married during the summer holidays and this was the card I made for her. She's very young and trendy but classy and elegant so I wanted to reflect that and try and use as few colours as possible and decided on white with a hint of gold and green.

The card blank is made from white snowdream pearl card and the swirls are cut using the Storybook cart for my Cricut.  I've stuck the swirls flat to the card to give some background detail as I wasn't using any other pattern.  On hindsight I should have added some embossed texture to the swirls.

The Sugar Nellie image is stamped onto the same white pearl card. I stamped it with Momento Tuxedo Black, left it uncoloured and then mounted it onto gold card which picks out the gold relection in the snowdream card.  The brads are gold and are from my stash.  The sentiment stamp was a freebie from a magazine and I've stamped it with the same black ink as before.  Before fixing the image onto the card with foam dots, I ran a white organza ribbon down the card.  The ribbon has a slight gold sparkle to it which is not picked up on by the camera.

The flowers are Prima flowers I picked up from Florida on holiday and the gems in the middle are Papermania clear holographic.  I've punched out some leaf sprigs from sage green pearl card and popped them in behind the flowers randomly.  Lastly, I punched some butterflys from the same white snowdream card and attached them to the card by the body only with Pinflair gel and lifted up the wings to give a 3D look to them.  The inside was finished off with a white linen insert which I punched at the corners with a Fiskers corner punch and presented it in a gold envelope to match the card.

Lazy Daisy

Been really busy this morning finishing off a retirement card for a friend of my husbands.  I started off making a champagne bottle card, that's what hubbie wanted, but I just wasn't happy with it, so instead returned to my trusty Sugar Nellies and came up with this boxed card.  I am really pleased with the card, but I feel I rushed the box lid and it's missing just that little something............

Main card and the matts are Bazzill 12 x 12 cardstock, the blue floral paper is DCWV. Grosgrain ribbon from USA, stamp is Daisy from Sugar Nellie, coloured with Promarkers, Best wishes and the swirls are cut from Storybook and Tie the Knot Cart for the Cricut, gems are K & Co and everything else is from my stash.

I've got a long list of cards to do tomorrow and I'll post them as soon as I can.

Take care Amigos, Nicola xxxxx

Fathers Day

I've not made a lot of time for card making these past few weeks, but I've decided I am going to make a conscious effort to make more time for crafting.  I stared today and spent all day fiddling about in my craft room.

I made this card - a very late Father's Day card for my Father in Law.  I really didn't want to make a card for Father's Day for anyone as I lost my own darling dad 18 months ago and I still find it very hard...........

Anyway, hubbie asked if I'd make one so here is my quick effort.

The stamped image is from Docraft/Papermainia and I coloured it with Promarkers.  I used Glossy Accents on the paintbrush and paint in the pot.  It is actually red in colour but the picture isn't picking it up very well.  I distress inked the edges on the image, and mounted a further stamped image (the paint pots) in the corner, also coloured with promarkers.  I have double mounted the image onto cream and copper mirri card. I used dark brown pearl card for the base card and the large matts are copper mirri and coffee coloured pearl card.  The spotty ribbon is from Mad About Cards.  Gems are from my stash.  The Happy Fathers Day sentiment is cut from copper pearl card on my Cricut machine - Storybook Cart.  I kept it quite plain and angular to make it more masuline.  Hubbie liked it anyway.  If he posts it first class tomorrow, my FIL should get it less than a week late lol.

Working on a very large retirement card for a neighbour at the moment, I'll post a pic of it as soon at it is finished.  Not sure then that will be as the card has already been started 3 times now!!!!

Much love to all those like me who have lost their dad.      Nicola xx

It's been a bit full on this week at home and at work and my mum was up staying for a few days so not much time for cards sadly.  But I did manage to throw this one together.  It's a new baby card for my friend who's very young and a bit hip, so tried to reflect this in the baby card.

The stamp is Daisy with Pram from Sugar Nellie - where else!!  The lilac flowers are from Prima and the white glittery one's are from my stash from US.  Ribbon and papers are from my stash.  The sentiment stamp was a freebie from a magazine, lilac card is from QVC (it's a bit like Bazzill bling) and the punch is Martha Stewart Daisy Border.

I coloured the image with Promarkers, I'm really enjoying using these and I'm getting the hang of the blending.  The blending pen I realise now, removes ink, which is fab for the likes of the jeans as it gives them a faded denim look.

I now have all the original colours of the Promarkers so I'm saving hard for the new 56 that came out.

Welcome to the World Amelia-Danni.........

This afternoon I've been making a card for my childhood friend and her hubbie who have just become grandparents for the first time. The look I was going for was elegant and simple.

I used White Stardream Pearl and baby pink bling card.  The panel was put through the Big Shot with the Cuttlebug Baby Words embossing folder.  I rounded the edges and mounted it onto the pink card.  I highlighted "Little"and "Angel" in crystal glitter.  The sentiment panel was computer generated and the butterfly is punched from White stardream vellum and double layered.  Pink grosgrain ribbon and some dark pink pearl brads from Docrafts finish it off.

 Inside I punched the bottom of the insert with a Martha Stewart floral edger punch and the stamp I used is "Welcome Little One" from Studio G Clear Stamps.

I am really really happy with the way it turned out, I only hope that Granny and Granda like it too.

Next I need to make the card for the new mummy, the Great Granny and Granda and the new uncle.  Tha't my week sorted out.

Nicola xxx

This was a hard card for me to make - for many reasons.  Firstly, it is for a man - a real problem for me, and secondly it was for a really dear friend who is emigrating to New Zealand.  I didn't know what to do for it, Goodbye and Bon Voyage seemed too final and sad, so finally settled on Friendship.

The stamp is Elizabeth Bell's "Daisy" from Sugar Nellie, coloured with Promarkers.  I stamped it onto a cream/gold pearl card and layered it onto a sage green card.  The circle stamp is from my new Stampin' Up Circle of Friendship set which arrived yesterday and the flowers are Prima.  Everything else is from my stash.

I have put a DCWV quote inside it, "Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart" Eleanor Roosevelt.

Hard Card to Make

Today I've had to make a sympathy card for a very dear friend of ours that passed away very suddenly a few days ago.  I usually find Sympathy cards hard to make as you don't want to over do them but you still want them to be nice.  I hope I've captured the right note in this one, she was a vibrant young woman, loved by many people and loved life, so I've tried to make it a simple but youthful card.

The stamp is by Stamporium and I've partly coloured the image in with Whispers pens and Promarkers.  I've used Prima Hydrangia flowers over the lilies and a gem on the cross.  The ribbon is a white grosgrain from my stash and the gem brad is by Docrafts.  White and silver Mirri card from my stash.

It's odd how life sometimes takes it's twists and turns as I also have a baby girl card to make today for another friend.  From one end of the spectrum to another.............

Had another play with my new promarkers this afternoon - should have been doing housework but hey ho.  Made a card for my friends first wedding anniversary.  Gave me a chance to have a play with one of the Sugar Nellie stamps I ordered last week - Young Love.  This wasn't the colour scheme I set out to do on this card but the colours on the image just evolved and I had to run with it and I should have mounted the image on foam to give a bit of depth.  Hindsight is a wonderful thing isn't it?  The dots in the middle of the punched border flowers are teenie weenie gems.  I do like my gems, Prima flowers and gems what else could a card ask for lol..................

Today is Sunday and not a lot happens here on Lewis on a Sunday so I tend to spend a lot of the day crafting without interuption.  I had crafters block and this card for my Sister-in-Laws birthday has taken me two days to make, but I got there in the end.

The main image stamp is Country Style by Sugar Nellie and I coloured in in with Promarkers.  I used my new Promarker blending pen and although I like the effect I found the pen difficult to control as the ink spread a bit - you can see that where the grass bled into the bottom of the hat.  Frame and sentiment stamp are "Expressions and Frames" Inkadinkado.  The papers are My Minds Eye (a freebie from a mag), brads are Docrafts and flowers are Prima. Punches are Martha Stewart.  I cut the oval scallop out with my Cricut, Storybook cart.

A Wee shopping Spree

Oops. was a bit naughty yesterday.  Treated myself to some new Promarkers .............. only thing was I came home with two I already have - Lilac and Coral - so if anyone wants to swap for a couple of grey tone ones I'll be happy to oblige................ only some grey ones and the new set to buy and I'll have them all.................. On top of that I bought some Sugar Nellie's, ordered a SU Stamp set and some Bazzill card stock.   Note to oneself - stop buying and more making!!!!!

Grrrrr......Men's Cards

I was asked by my dear hubbie to make a card for his friends son who is 18. I really hate doing cards for the male species as I can't use flowers and girlie colours. Hubbie wanted a music theme, but I had to be careful what I put on it as he has special needs................ this is what I came up with. I'm not exactly over the moon with it, it's way out of my comfort zone which I suppose is good for you now and again.

I used my Cricut to cut the rock star and the 18 (Everyday Paper Dolls and  Wild Card).  I did clean the Mirri card before taking the photo, so not sure why it looks like that...... Hubbie loves it - I think it looks too childish............ oh well - off to have a Sugar Nellie fix....................

I love my Sugar Nellies

Still off sick with tonsilitis, what a shame lol.  Means I've been having a play in my craft room.  I seem to have occassions galore to make cards for at the moment and I still have another 8 to make - so I guess I'll have to do it all again tomorrow :-D.......... here's what I made.

This one used my absolute favorite Sugar Nellie stamp.  It covers all occations from thinking of you to birthdays.  This was a card for the playgroup committee to give to a play leader that was leavning.  The matts and the wording were cut out on my Cricut.

This one was for my friend to say thank you for looking after the house whilst we were on holiday.  The ribbon isn't really as dark as that in real life. It's a bit difficult to photograph a front fold back card I have discovered........ they always seem to look a bit odd. Most of the flowers on this one are from a Prima Bitty Bag.

My mums 60th birthday card.  The butterfly above the purple flowers is made from shimmer vellum and has a gem on the body.  I've stuck it on with silicone glue and lifted the wings to give it a 3d appearance. I added some twirled flower stems into the bouquet of flowers to add a bit of texture.

My friends 40th birthday card.  I was on a roll with the front foldback cards - in case you didn't notice.The camera is changing the colours on this card, the papers and the ribbon are all the same shade of lilac.

This is a card I made a few weeks ago for my mum for Mothers Day, I just wanted to show it too.  The burgandy and old gold is a colour combination I use a lot and I loved the sage ribbon with it, didn't think it would work. The stamp is a Flower Fairy I bought about 5 years ago, I have another one as well and I have rarely used them.  I have a lot of things like that in my craft room funnily enough.

On my list of cards I still have to make for this week are an 18th boy, a 40th, 3 other friends birthdays, a card for my neice, a Bon Voyage card for my pal who's off to New Zealand, a card for my son's friend (of the girl variety thank goodness) and a baby girl card - baby was due yesterday!!!!!

I think I might need another week off to complete that list - only kidding.  I'll post some more when I get them finished.

Nicola xxx

DIrty Vintage

Firstly I would like to say a big thank you to all of you that have left such lovely comments on my first post - I feel truly welcomed into the fold.....

I had a play with some of my new stash this morning.  I bought some Tim Holtz distress inks in the US along with a tool for using with them.  I got very messy (nothing new there lol) and I'm not sure I've totally achieved the vintage feel I was hoping for - it looks more dirty to me............. but I'm happy(ish) with my first effort.

I used one of my favorite Sugar Nellie stamps and coloured it with colouring pencils - something else I need to practice more with.  Usually I use Promarkers but I felt this needed a more subtle look.  I love Sugar Nellie stamps - I have a few now and have just ordered another three (oops).  I have been lucky enough to visit the shop in Elgin a few times (my sister lives there) and it is a very classy craft shop with a fab vibe in it.  I never leave empty handed............

The card and paper is from my stash, the swirl stamps are Inkadinadoo Sketchy Swirls from Florida as well as the Versamagic ink they are stamped with, as are the gems and two of the punches (EK Success and Martha Stewart).  The other punch is SU.  The ribbon is K&Co and the flowers are from Prima - they arrived with the postman this afternoon - how was that for timing lol.

Until next time

Nicola xx

Here at Last.............

Well, after much nagging by my very good pal Sharon, who I must say a massive thank you to for designing my blog, here I am..................

I have to admit, I wasn't too sure what to do for a first post, it's a bit scary really, so I decided to share some photos with you. The first one is the stash I bought on my recent holiday to Florida. I filled two suitcases with crafting stash - it was so cheap and the massive craft superstores, well they were just my idea of Heaven. Thankfully I have a very understading husband lol.


As you can see in the photo I bought 12x12 papers, Martha Stewart punches, Prima Flowers, a scrapbook, Disney stickers, 2 boxes of 40 ribbons (only $19.99), 9 Cricut cartridges (only $38 each!!!), and loads of other stuff. I spent a fortune, but I saved a fortune as well - you know what I mean..........

The next photo is of my new craft room which was only finished moving into it yesterday. I have cupboards down the other wall as well with shelving. This was taken before I put away off the Florida stash. You can see my new toy my Cricut Expression which takes pride of place. I love my Expression. I only bought it a couple of months ago and am still learning all what it can do. Also note how tidy my craft room is - it won't be like that for very long as I can be a very messy crafter..........

My next post will include some cards I have made. Off to do some online shopping I think.

Nicola xx