Look what I've got!!!

A clue...................it starts with C and ends with J and it is just luuuuuuuurvely. Another busy day in the Party Nights household so I thought I would show my third CJ which came home to roost about a fortnight ago. The groups involved were all members of the JB forum. We kept the groups small and the turnaround quite fast as there were a few peeps who were interested in joining but had never done one before. This acted as their 'taster' and everyone so far has said how much they enjoyed it.

Front and back covers

welcome and rules pages My pages

Baabaa's pages
Funky Fairy's pagesIosagan's pages

My sign in pages.

I was tagged by Hazel last week and after my 'harrowing' week ;), I promised I would do it today so here goes

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car) Sox Astra (I suppose it could have a 'famous' ring about it LOL)

2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fav ice cream flavor, favorite cookie) Vanilla Jaffacake (!)

3. YOUR "FLY Guy/Girl" NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name) JWes

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal) Yellow Cat (I like that one)

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born) Eleanor Glasgow (has a definite soapy ring)

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first) Wesja

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd favorite color, favorite drink put "The") The Black Coffee (which is what I spend my days drinking! lol)

8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers) John William

9. STRIPPER NAME: ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne, favorite candy) Miss Dior Fudge! (I'm saying nothing)

10. Witness protection name {mother & fathers middle names} neither of my parents have middle names

If you feel like playing along, please consider yourself tagged.

What a week!

I can't believe it is 10 days since I last blogged. The second week in September is always chaos in our house as DH and DD have birthdays within two days of each other. However, this is how my week went. (I hope you're sitting comfortably :))

I spent all day Monday and Tuesday making a new collection of wedding stationery as I had a wedding fayre on Tuesday evening. The photos are on hubby's camera and not mine, but they will be on the web site shortly if you want a peep. I then remembered that it was DH's birthday on Wednesday and in true crafter's style, I hadn't made his birthday cards!! So this is what I came up with. The first is from me, the second from DS and the third from DD.

This card was made using the QK Cricket set and Doodlebug rub ons.

Another QK die. This time it was the single Party Hat die.

I bought these clowns on our local market about 4 years ago and keep finding them. I think they are cute. He is mounted onto paper from the Je Taime range by My Minds Eye. I just adore this paper, it is really bright and cheerful. The second and third cards fit the peel off challenge on the JB forum so I shall add them later.

So on Tuesday evening we trundled off to the wedding fayre which was on from 6pm until 10pm. I have done loads of wedding fayre but never an evening one so didn't know what to expect. When we got there we just had a bare trestle table. All the wedding fayres I have exhibited at until now have all provided plain white table cloths for you to dress as you please. Luckily DH had a black cloth which he uses to cover all his wires etc when he is DJing. He had forgotten to take it out of the car! So I set up in my little corner. I had requested electricity but we had to unplug everyone elses to plug our extension lead in. Anyway, it was a good job I had my halogen lamps because once it got dark outside it was like the black hole of Calcutta in the marquee!! We packed up at 9pm and were home for 9.45. I've got two appointments this week from it so I don't suppose it was all bad.

Wednesday was DH's birthday, I'll bet you can't guess how old he was :) We spent the day running around trying to find mountboard for a seating plan as my usual supplier had run out of the colours I wanted. We had a BBQ in the garden for tea and it was lovely. He had chosen a Thornton's toffee and chocolate cake as his birthday cake, as I didn't have time to make him one, and it was absolutely scrummy.

On Thursday I made 2 fairy cards which were ordered from the web site. I haven't made these for ages and the order was for two the same.

I still think they are cute! The fairy's dress is cut from gold glitter card and her hair is vivelle. All the dies used are by Sizzix. A friend came for lunch so we sat in the garden and while she had her lunch I sat and cut snowflakes from glitter card, for a stationery order.

On Thursday I made DD's birthday cards

This one is a bit cheeky as I am going to say that it matches the DCM Midweek Extra from last week. This was the challenge Big & Little We'd like you to use items in pairs of Big and Little - so you need to have both sizes on your card ie big & little buttons, big & little die cuts, big & little hearts, big & little circles etc The theme of your card can be whatever you like this time, so that's nice of us, isn't it? So, I have used big and little squares!!! The big square is Spongebob 'Square' Pants and he is mounted onto 4 small squares. Sorry girls but I thought it was good. ;) DD was actually 14 on Friday but she is Spongebob mad! Is this normal? LOL

This was the card I made her from DS. Playboy is another passion (a bit more normal me thinks!!)

DS had come downstairs on Thursday teatime complaining of a pain just above his right hip. He took two paracetamol and went to bed. The pain was still there on Friday morning when he got up so his dad took him to the doctor's. (he is almost 19, by the way) The doc took one look at him and admitted him to hospital, query appendicitis!! I packed him an overnight bag and they picked me up on the way to hospital where he was examined and put on a saline drip as he was nil by mouth in case he needed surgery. We finally left him at 9.30 pm, still in pain. Meanwhile poor DD had to make do with a Chinese take away with her big sis and two pals! We were supposed to be going out for Chinese! I rang the ward at 9.15 on Saturday and by this time they put him back on fluid but were keeping him under obs until tea time. Both DDs went to see him at lunch time and his dad went about 2pm and rang me to say that he could come home. I was just finishing a seating plan before we went to see him! Oh and I had made 72 lottery envelope favours and 7 table names on Friday too.

Here is the plan I delivered at a wedding fayre yesterday. The bride to be was really pleased with it.I was tagged by Hazel on Friday too. I'm so sorry Hazel, I promise I haven't forgotten and will do it tomorrow.

So we are now back up to date. Today I have printed 53 OoS and made beaded dragonflies to put on them. I posted the favour order from Friday and the phone hasn't stopped all day. I have people coming to see me tomorrow about an order so I really need to tidy my craft room. Oh and I am pooped so am off to bed.

And I would also like to say that if you have stuck with me this far, well done!!

Night night. xx

Wow...

.....after all the water we have endured this year, it is absolutely fantastic to have such beautiful weather. It has been shorts and gardening all week and I am just about on top of the weeding. I have a small patch outside the back door to sort (which is my target for tomorrow) then the plant catalogue comes out. I've planted loads of spring bulbs so I would like to fill the borders with shrubs, then I can just add a splash of colour with bedding plants. I'm quite pleased with the way it's looking now because I haven't got a clue what I'm doing. LOL

Yesterday I worked all day making proofs for wedding orders and got them posted. I also finished sorting out the order of service for mum and dad's 'do' and got the 'thumbs up' from the vicar conducting the service. I then printed off and made covers for the readings in church.

I made the DCM dare card this morning from this brief:

Well, the time has come for our first Christmas card dare of 2007.But as loads of you have already shown some fab Christmas cards on your blogs, we thought we'd make things a little more Daring, interesting, tricky or downright mean - depending on your point of view!
So, we'd like you to make and show a Christmas card which incorporates the following:
Some Paper Tearing
The colour Purple
AND
It has to have at least one hole somewhere in the design!
......BUT by "hole" we don't just mean the sort of hole you poke a brad through, or the holes you make for/with stitching - or even the hole you make to put an eyelet in - although you can use all those techniques too if you want.
We want you to be a bit/lot more inventive and creative than that, and we think you'll be able to come up with some wonderful ideas for making cards to fit this recipe.

I stamped the snowflake onto acetate using a white Brilliance ink pad and added some iridescent glitter. It is fastened into the 'hole' with silver wire threaded with a silver lined seed bead. The 'Merry Christmas' paper is from last years Papermania Christmas pack torn at the bottom, stuck onto purple card, then onto the white base card. I then finished it off with some purple fibres and a snowman button.

I nearly forgot to tell you that I was very naughty this morning, well I wasn't so much naughty as led astray by Dollydimple and this is what I ordered.........The Bind It All I have received an email from Craft Obsessions to say that it has been despatched! Yay!

Oh baby

Today's card is another mixture of two challenges, one from Just Bex and the midweek extra from the DCM.

First up is Lis's challenge

September challenge 2 - Get Tearing......

.......for this next challenge !!! You've guessed it...cards or LO's tear them to your hearts content.

and this is from the DCM

We're being really gentle on you for the Little Extra this week (which might indicate that there's a "stinker" in the pipeline for Friday, of course.....), in fact we're feeling so soft and fluffy that that's going to be our theme for this one:
"You Big Softie" We want you to use something soft on your card feathers, velvet paper, fluffy fibresall that soft, strokable stuff counts for this one and that's it, easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy!

So here it is

Stamped image with pink feathered wings. I made this topper over a year ago and wasn't happy with it cos I wasn't sure how to finish it off, so it got chucked in the drawer. Anyway I found it whilst looking for something else a few days ago and last night I decided to finish it. I added the feather wing and the baby feet and mounted it onto a larger piece of card. This was torn using my tearing ruler (for the second time, but have had for a long time and wasn't sure what to do with them either!) and mounted it onto the card with Quicklets. The greeting is a peel off, but don't tell anyone!

Challenge Tuesday

I have managed Di Hickman's template challenge again which is

and here is my effort :)

Papers are Making Memories Cosmopolitan Collection. This collection is still one of my favourites but I keep forgetting I've got it. It gets buried in a drawer and of course, I use whatever is on the top!! Ric rac is from Ribbon Oasis and the flower is a large fabric one from Papermania layered with a brown and a pink Prima Sprite held together with a pink brad. Sentiment is Doodlebug rub ons.

Off to have a look at the DCM midweek extra now. Hopefully back later.

Two becomes one!

I have felt absolutely lousy all weekend. My head feels as though it is about to explode, my nose has started running but I have a horrid smell at the back of my nose and a foul taste in my mouth so I think it might be my sinuses.

Yesterday I beaded the bodies for 42 dragonflies for the Order of Service for my mum and dad. I made a couple of dare cards and threw them in the bin!! This morning I decided that, despite having loads of work on, I am going to do at least one challenge or scrapbook page a day. We went to my parents' house last weekend and brought thousands of photos back so I have those to sift through and scan to scrap too. So here is my first double challenge. It is a combination of Sue's template

and Friday's DCM challenge

As a reward for all the brain power that went into the Little Extra this week, this is a simple one. From simple LythanWith a cryptic clue.Which, as I discovered to my embarrassment, when I laid it on the team, is only really possible to understand if you live in the UK. And even better, are Welsh.So... a trio of Welsh Barbers means that on your card you need to have 3 die cuts!( Dai is a common Welsh nickname for David and as there are a lot of Dai's around they are known by their jobs so a Welsh barber would be known as Dai Cuts. I'll get my coat.)
The team roused themselves from their bafflement and came up with these brilliant cards - can't wait to see yours!Here are Lythan's "simple" rules:If you don't have access to die cuts in any shape or from, you can still play along. You can then use punches. And if you don't have punches then you can do hand cutting. See how nice I am?BUT no cheating now! No reaching for the scissors if you have a machine to hand - or even some old die cuts you bought ages ago (that would be me then!) You CAN use punches and scissors etc as well as die cuts though. See, very nice!!

Here is the card

All papers are K & Co. The floral paper is from the 6 x 6 Somerset pad and the others are from the new McKenna mat stack. Flowers are cut using a Cuttlebug die, layered (there are 3 of them) and held together with a Papermania brad. Sticky ribbon is by Papermania too. Stamp is one of the super cheap Studio G range and the diamantes are from my stash.

Back later.

I'm sorry.....

.... that I haven't been around for a couple of days but I have been working my little (oh ok then, big) butt off. I have several wedding orders in as well as my parents' golden wedding anniversary and individual card orders. I even turned an order down the other night because I just knew I wouldn't be able to fulfil it in the alloted time period! I haven't had time to take part in any challenges for a few days, but I have found a card I made for a challenge on the Just Bex forum and forgot to post!

This was Nicky's instruction
Your challenge is to make a card featuring a slide mount - any colour, any size, decorated in any way you wish. (If you don't have any ready-made slide mounts, you could always cut your own from card or chipboard.)
and here is what I came up with

Backing paper is from the Making Memories 'Kate' pad, the slide mount is cut from pink pearlescent card, the candles are cut using a small punch, the greeting is printed using the pc, the small butterfly gem was a freebie on the front of a magazine last month and the ribbon is from Ribbon Oasis.

I will try to get the DCM dare done tonight, but I'm not promising. I have just finished typing in 8 pages of OoS for my parents "do" so I'm going in the garden for an hour as it is gorgeous outside.

I'm gettin married in the morning....

........well I'm not really (don't think hubs would be too pleased if I did LOL)

The card I'm showing today is a wedding card which was ordered by a friend. It is for the daughter of another friend who gets married on Saturday. Her colours are cream and brown and this is what I came up with.

Ivory card was punched using the X-Cut border punch. The ribbon, bow and heart shaped ribbon slide were all from the first kit I bought from Ribbon Oasis I also finished an exploding box which was collected this morning. I shall save that one for when I don't know what to write about. LOL

The rest of my day has been tidying my craft room, I have brought all my book work up to date, parcelled up some combs which had been ordered from the web site and made a wedding invitation sample which had also been ordered through the web site. I now have to go and place a card order with PDA so I can get some invitations started.

Take care

Check this out!!

Sorry about the pun, I couldn't resist it LOL This is the card I made for another challenge on the JB forum

August Challenge 17
Your challenge should you choose to accept it is to produce a card incorporating gingham this can be card, paper or ribbon...it`s up to you

Backing paper used is K & Co baby pad and Making Memories Kids Kate pad. Gingham ribbon is Anita's self adhesive ribbon, pram is cut with an Accucut die and I think the 'Baby' word is Bosskut but it was in a RAK ages ago.

Right, back to work, I will hopefully be back later.

Toodle pip.

Ribbit ribbit

Just a quick blog from me today as I have been gardening all day and my poor body doesn't belong to me!

We went to see my mum and dad yesterday and brought home two huge plastic boxes full of photos. We sat outside yesterday having a really good laugh at fashion, hair styles etc. so I am going to have a ball when I get around to scrapping them.

I received an order last night for a notebook and card for a little girl who likes frogs. I was scouting round the Just Bex forum and lo and behold, Nicky had posted this challenge

August Challenge 20 - Fun With Felt

Felt is a big trend in papercrafting at the moment, and felt flowers are very popular - so this challenge is to make a card using felt for something other than flowers! and away I went!!

Backing card embossed with the Cuttlebug Happy Birthday folder, 'ric rac' is Paper Frills by Doodlebug and the frog etc were cut from felt using the Sizzix die. I also did a matching notebook as requested and covered the notebook in felt before I added the die cuts.

Felt covered notebook and die cuts as before.

Off to bed now.

Take care. xx

Isn't she lovely......

.....and you will soon see what I mean if you can stay awake till the end of this post.

I spent most of yesterday outside so only got round to making my card for Keryn's challenge over at the DCM blog and I only realised about an hour ago that I hadn't blogged it. Better late than never.

I know you've all got buttons stashed away somewhere, whether they've been purchased at a cardmaking store or you thriftily snipped them off DH's old shirt. I'd like you to find those buttons and use them somewhere on a card. They can be real buttons, craft shop buttons, die cut buttons, faux buttons or another type of button, surprise us all.

Papers are by K & Co, 'ric rac' is from the Paper Frills sets by Doodlebug, flowers are from a kit I bought from the Scrummy Stash Cafe, the button is by Papermania and the ribbon is from stash.

Ok so now to today's work. I am still playing catch up but think I must be almost there. The following card is on I made for DH to give to the couple whose wedding he is DJing at tonight.

The colours of their wedding was black, white and cerise and this is what I came up with.

So, onto more challenges from Just Bex

Friday Night Challenge 24th August -Monogram Madness

Your challenge is to make a card and include a monogram of any size. Remember 1 point will be awarded and team challengers are always on the lookout to award bonus points too Remember new work only ladies

Paper is from Pink Petticoat and K & Co, H is embossed using one of my new Cuttlebug embossing folders from Top Topper Shop ribbon is from Ribbon Oasis flowers are an assortment of Primas and Aunt Sarah's and gretting is rub ons by Doodlebug.

Challenge 15 - All Stitched Up

Your Challenge should you chose to accept it is to create a card or a layout using stitching...this can either be hand or machine but NO doodles!

This is a first for me. I have never ever machine stitched on a card before and it is only the second time I've used my sewing machine!
Paper is Swirly Doodle Pink by Kelly Panacci for Sandylion, It's a Girl and baby dress were cut on the Cricut and were an RAK from my friend Andrea and the little silver feet charm was from Crafts By Carolyn.
Challenge 12 - Easy as 1, 2, 3
we need you to make a CARD or a LO with BIG NUMBERS

Papers are Doodlebug and K & Co. I think there is a definite trend here :)

And my final one tonight is a challenge from Last month. I really wanted to do this one before we went away and printed the photo in readiness. It laid on my desk until this afternoon. I can't find the challenge it was from but I will post the page anyway!

Papers again are K & Co, ribbon is from Ribbon Oasis flowers are a mixture of Primas and Papermania and the pink pearl brad is by Papermania.

It is now past my bed time and I still need to upload my piccies onto the forum. I'm going to my mum and dad's tomorrow so please don't expect too much work wise.

Till next time xx

Headless chicken

Why is it at this time of year mums seem to run around and acheive very little?

I took DD to town today for her new school uniform and all I can say is thank heavens I only have her at school now. She insisted we go today because there was a new shop opening snd she 'needed' to have a look, yeah right! We managed to get a shirt instead of five, two pairs of trousers which have to go back because they are too small - 'it's ok mum, they will be fine. I always get a 12 from here and they fit me no problem.' - a pair of shoes, a cardigan and a sleeveless jacket/waistcoat thingy with a fur trimmed hood (which she bought herself). We were against the clock too as the repair man was coming to fix the dishwasher (he came on Tuesday too and thought he had fixed it but he hadn't) anytime between 1pm and 6pm (British Gas) so I had to be home for one just in case. We were just coming through the gate when my phone rang and he said that he wasn't coming because he had to order the part and wouldn't be able to come till Tuesday with Monday being a bank holiday! On the way round for the bus I was stung by a wasp on my arm. I have a mild allergy to the stings so my arm has just swollen more and more as the day went on. I've faffed about all afternoon as I've felt even more dopey than usual.

Took DD up to the retail park tonight and came back with two pairs of trousers which fit and a pair of PE shorts which she didn't need this afternoon. I've just sat and made another card for a challenge on the JB forum and this was it

August Challenge 13 - Carry on Corrugating
Gosh !!!! Haven't used corrugated card for yonks. Your challenge is to make a card using...............corrugated card. New creations only please.
Papers are from the Amy Butler mat pad by K & Co, flower is a Splat with the rest of the flower cut from corrugated card (and I had to search for it :)) Brad is by Doodlebug and the greeting is stamped with a Debbi Moore stamp.

Off to bed in a mo, night night.

another one off the list

I thought it would take me longer to catch up with the challenges on JB than it has as my week is passing in a whirlwind.

I have caught up with the phone calls and emails from when we were away, I have been asked to exhibit at 6 wedding fayres between now and the end of October, I have two large orders in at the moment and another one came in last night and I have a meeting tonight with one of the local hotels about supplying their seating plans and I love it.

So today I have made the grand total of...........................two cards! (I must still be in holiday mode as I am bitting and bobbing all over the place. I also saw a house down there which I would love but can't afford :( )

Anyway...........the challenge

August 10th Friday Night Challenge - Nice and Simple!

OK folks I think you deserve something REALLY simple. A little open play time! OK maybe it is because I am simple! SO I am challenging you to use something that you have not used before on a card! EASY PEASY! It can be a technique, new papers, Die Cuts that are gathering dust, a Stamp that has never been used .......... Ribbons that have only ever been stroked and not cut ........ You really have free license with this one Figured it is a Friday night, hot, sticky - and well we can for once let you almost play with whatever you like x

I've had this stamp for over a year now and didn't quite know what to do with it until today (thanks Bex ) It is a WS Designs stamp which was given to me by a friend last year when she sold her internet craft shop. I stamped the image twice onto cream card using a black Versafine pad and coloured the image with Glimmer Chalks. The second image was cut out and layered on top of the first using sticky foam pads to give it a 3D effect. The image was layered up using lovely papers from the Lily Kate pad by Basic Grey. Charm and ribbon are from stash.

The second card I made today was using a flower inspired by the lovely Mrs B's blog. You've got nothing to worry about though Kathy, mine aren't nearly as yummy as yours (and I forgot to ink the edges and realised after I'd stuck it down!) Here is my effort (as in 'f' for.......)

Papers are again from the Lily Kate range, paper frills are by Doodlebug as is the ink used to stamp the greeting and the large gem in the middle of the flower.

Off now to finish off a CJ which arrived this morning! Impressed? Nah, didn't think so :)

BFN. xx

Midweek extra

Yet again I have managed to combine the dare with a challenge on the JB forum. I like it when this happens as I often find I have to justify my personal crafting time with being so busy work wise. I suppose this is a bug bear of working at home! So here we go.................
August Challenge 11 - Labelz
I love Labels, you can find some really nice ones attached to clothes these days. Bright colours, fabric ones, ones with ribbons, some with mini safety pins, buttons.......I collect mine and thought it would be a fun challenge to see what labels we can all find and use. This challenge can be LO's or cards. I've used a label of a pair off next jeans for mine...Yours doesn't have to be off an item of clothing, but it's not to be a handmade tag or label.

The DCM instruction for this week is Now then, maybe you need a little extra challenge in the middle of the week - well, if so, as usual we have something to amuse you....
Dot Dot Dot Dash Dash Dash
We'd like you to make a card featuring dots and dashes, spots and stripes - that's it, a nice easy and fun little theme for you to play with - just make sure you get both spots AND stripes on your card. We'd love to see your dotty, spotty, stripey creations so please come back and leave a message when you're ready to share.....
I'm quite chuffed with this card! The stripey paper is from the Wedding Collection mat pad by K & Co, the spotty paper is Green Apple by Sassafraslass from a scrapbook kit bought from the Scrummy Stash Cafe the image is stamped using an unmounted stamp from Pixiedust on ebay, the ribbon from Ribbon Oasis (where else!) and the tag with hearts I snaffled off my mum while we were in Cornwall. It was in a new skirt she had brought with her. The other side of the tag just says Per Una. I just knew I would find a use for it, just not how quickly :)
My second challenge today from the forum is
August 17th Friday Night Challenge -Not a Square
we want you to create a LO with a shaped photo - NOT a square or a rectangle

The paper is from the new glitter pad by K & Co and the flowers are a mixture of Papermania and Prima. The brads are by Doodlebug.

These are the first photos I've scrapped from our holiday this year (shock) We went to the World in Miniature near Perranporth last Wednesday. Goodness, it seems ages ago!! It has become a tradition while we are in Cornwall that we have to visit the place, even though every time we have been it has rained :) We first took my eldest daughter about 20 years ago and I've seen it become shabbier over the years. We were pleasantly surprised this year though as it has changed ownership and is in the process of being renovated. I plan to turn this into a DLO as I printed off more photos than I needed.

Till later.

Wow......

........my 100th post. I would like to thank all the lovely people who have left me kind comments and words of encouragement during the last few months. You are definitely good for a girl's confidence :))

I started the blog ages ago then sort of forgot about it. I started again this year and so far I am quite pleased with the way I've kept it up. I sort of made a pact with myself to blog on a regular basis which I have done. Daily would be nice but the volume of work I've this year just hasn't permitted it.

Anyway............I have finished two more challenges on the Just Bex forum.

August Challenge 3 - Way To Go

for this we want you do use somethng that helps you find your way for example maps. signs. compass.....................we are SURE you can think of LOADS more once you have decided we need a LO or a CARD

The images are stamped and mounted onto black card.

August Challenge 2 - A Family Affair

A nice challenge with no rules except for you need the word 'Family'...any colours, any size, card, layout or whatever you want.......

The central stamp on this card is by Hero Arts and it is actually the first time I've used it..............but I've only had it for about 2 years so I don't suppose it's too bad ;) The papers are by K and Co and Crate Paper and the flowers are Prima.

I only have a couple of challenges left to do now and I have caught up. I hope to keep up now although work is rather busy at the moment. I really must design some new wedding stationery too as I have been contacted and asked to stand at five different wedding fayres between the 11th September and the end of October.........Yay (I need a leap in the air clicking heels icon!)

Take care. x

Challenges galore

As promised, more challenges are done. I actually did some of them yesterday but didn't get done as many as I liked. Anyway, here goes:

Challenge 5-Sugar & Spice...and all things nice Anything edible for this challenge please. LO'S and cards welcome Image by Pink Petticoat coloured and doodled with a pink Sakura glitter pen and mounted onto two shades of pink card. The greeting is stamped using a Seedee stamp and bright pink ink.

August template 1-3 squares

and a template for the card makers you know you can do WHAT YOU LIKE!!

Backing paper is from Pink Petticoat (see above), flowers are from Craftwork Cards and the buttons and sticky ribbon are Anita's/Papermania. The bow is tied using a satin ribbon from Ribbon Oasis.

August Challenge 7-Touchy Feely

We want cards and LO's good enough to touch, feel and stroke. It's all about textures for this challenge.

The backing squares are a linen feel paper from Lakeland (which I've had in a drawer for ages and just found again!) The blue card is embossed with the Happy Birthday plate from Cuttlebug, the Scottie dog is cut from glitter card and the collar is a beautiful soft velvet ribbon from the Limeade Twist mini mix from Ribbon Oasis.

August Challenge 6-A little Gem

we would like you to make a CARD or LO with GEMS use as many or as few as you like

The flowers on this card are two different sized Page Frills by Doodlebug mounted onto black and white card, the sentiment is stamped in white and double mounted and the card is finished off with organza ribbon.

August Challenge 9-Button It!

Cards, LO's or whatever you want for this challenge as long as you use buttons. New work only please xx

The stamp is from the Seedee Vintage set (and has to be one of my favourite stamps) stamped in lilac and mounted first onto lilac paper from an old Papermania pack, then onto lilac Stardream card. Buttons are from Crafts by Carolyn and the greeting is stamped and mounted onto foam pads to give it a 3D effect.

And last but not least (for now)

August Challenge 10 - Pick a Card

any card............ and then make a card with it ooo MAGIC!!!

Mini cards mounted onto red Bazzill and gold card and tied with a pale gold organza ribbon. The greeting was printed on the pc.

Well that's it for now. I have work to do and I want to try to do an hour tidying the garden.

BFN. xx

Catch up

I thought last night that I had better make a start on the challenges from Just Bex which I had missed by going on holiday. The evening started off well and I looked forward to the peace as DH trundled off to work and the kids to their rooms however this wasn't to be! It turned out to be an absolute emotional rollercoaster of an evening and at 10.30pm I realised I hadn't even thought about the challenges let alone done any. I'd printed all the challenges off earlier so I just pulled out a sheet of paper and this is what it was:
August Challenge 4-Tantalising Tangerine
Now Orange is not a colour I tend to craft with but rename it Tantalising Tangerine and it takes on a whole new personna :wink: Your challenge is to create a card using an Orange colour scheme

It isn't a colour I think of using but I do like this card so it could become fairly popular in my 'repetoire'. :)

All paper is Je Taime by Minds Eye, flowers are Papermania, embossing plate is Cuttlebug and brad is Doodlebug.

Back later with some more!

I'm back...........

........and crafting!!

We arrived back from Cornwall last night after having an absolutely fab time (despite leaving DS at home alone for the first time-well he is almost 19!!) The weather was perfect and the apartment was just superb, oh and the company wasn't bad either ;) I went off with all good intentions. I took enough beads and findings to restock Ernest Jones and what did I produce?...... Zilch!! Well that isn't quite true..................I made half a necklace and approximately 1" of a bracelet but they were both made from seed beads. I also knitted 2 baby cardigans, (one on the way down and one on the way back) a pair of bootees and a wooly hat all prem baby size for the local hospital.

I've spent today doing all the usual mundane things which have to be done after a holiday-food shopping, washing, throwing away all my dead hanging baskets and house plants which DS forgot to water! I was supposed to be cleaning the house too but the motivation hasn't been there yet so I thought I would browse the internet, as you do :))

This evening I thought I would have a go at a couple of challenges to break myself in gently and managed to combine the DCM challenge and Di Hickman's template. This is the first time I have tried one of Di's templates. I've been meaning to for ages though. The DCM brief was Hi all *waves* It's my turn (Jo) to dare this week. here is my dare...You must make a card with a frill - it could be some lace, frilly ribbon, a hand cut or decorative scissor edge or a folded paper frill - or what ever you choose to make.... you decide!

This is Di's template

For this card I used paper from the English Paper Company, pink card is from a K & Co mat stacks, flowers are a mix of Prima and other (a wonderful description but I don't know what make they are but I bought them off ebay!) and the fabby Page Frills are by Doodlebug.

The template below is from Beate Johns blog and I have used Beate's templates once before.

Materials used on this card are Bazzil Bling card in yellow, stripey card is from the Twirl collection by Crate Papers, button is Papermania, teddy stamp is from the Stamp Boutique on ebay and the Hello stamp is from a Clear Choice set, ribbon is from stash.

Well I am now going to have a look at the Just Bex forum and see what I've missed and have to catch up on!

BFN