Later than I hoped but done at last

Hello again, bet you thought I wouldn't be back for ages, I would have posted last night but Blogger wasn't having it so I'm here today instead.

This is a Lilly of The Valley stamp I bought a few years ago but haven't used until now, I know I loved it at the time and meant to use it straight away but never for round to it. I have done now though. I coloured it with my Promarkers, added some free papers from a magazine, some scrap silver card and paper for my mounts and snowflakes cut using  my dies. I have used some heart brads I've had forever, and the snowflake ones, I added some glitter onto these to make them sparkle a bit more, some ribbon and some gems. I'm really quite pleased with this one.

 This is a close up of the image, actually the stamp doesn't have the little robin on it but I wanted to add something so what better than a robin for a Christmas card. I started making this card for a challenge last week but only got it finished last night.

This one is cut with my new tonic dies. I tool me a long time to get it t cut properly, I have spoken to them and they sent a replacement immediately which has arrived but I'm still not happy with the cut. I do love how it looks and hope they can advise me how to get it to cut a bit easier.
I am entering these cards in the following challenges:
Paper Make Up - Snowflakes 
Sketch and Stash - Sketch
Passion for Promarkers - Use ribbon
Papertake weekly - Use dies
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
Divas By Design -Anything Goes
Crafting for all Seasons - For the girls
ABC Christmas Challenge - Bare Essentials
Creative Moments - Anything Goes
My Time To Craft - Use two images
Fantasy Stampers - Anything with Wings
Creative Corner - No more shopping sins
Crafting by Designs - Get your girl on
Crafts and Me - Use a heart
The ABC Challenge - D for Dazzle
Digi Stamps 4 Joy - Use Real Ribbon 
Lilly of The Valley - Anything Goes 
Thank you as always for popping by and any comment you are kind enough to leave are always appreciated.

Something a bit different today

I have to say I am loving crafting and blogging on a regular basis again, and here is the latest effort I've made today. 

 This is a Lilly of The Valley stamp which I have used before but probably not as much as I could have.

I stamped him on some white card from Anna Maria Designs, used some black and white card I had in my stash, sorry it's been there so long I have no idea which brand it is. I mounted the image on some black paper, used a little stamp for the sentiment, punched it out and a bigger one to go underneath, I liked how it reminded me of a tyre, added some card candy and that was it.
I am entering this one in the following challenges:

Crafty Cardmakers - Black and White I'm hoping the stripes of silver will be forgiven.
Gem of a Challenge - For the Boys
Cards 4 Guyz - Monochrome
Cards Galore - Anything Goes
Digi Sketch Challenge - Sketch and Theme - One for the men
Oh La La Challenge Blog - A Man Card
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

As always thank you for popping by and any comments you are kind enough to leave are most appreciated.

Some very exciting news and a card

Hello again, 

I have some exciting news to share I have been asked to join the fabulous team at Crafting from the Heart. Of course I said YES!!! The challenges will be weekly from the 3rd March. The new challenge today is Fancy Folds, so why not pop over and have a look at the fabulous work done by my fellow design team members. 

 This card was done using my friends lovely dies, this is the card I borrowed them for , I could see this lovely candle image sitting inside the wreath in my head.

I coloured it with my Spectrum Noirs and my Promarkers. I used a little bit of Distress Ink round the shape added a vellum insert and left it at that. It was hard to photograph to show the insert but I think you all get the idea. The image is from the very talented Desíre from Digistamps4Joy South Africa. She very generously has given us all this image to use and if you post a card on her challenge blog she will send you a new stamp to use next month.
Thank you as always for popping by and if you are kind enough to take the time to leave a comment it would be much appreciated.

Some Christmas Cards

Hello again, yes I am back with another post, my lovely friend let me borrow her Tonic dies yesterday and I made 5 yes 5 Christmas cards. Well, I will have to give them back fairly soon so I must make the best use of them.

 These two are made using some old banks I found while doing my big clear out, I was going to throw the gold card away but at the last minute I popped them into my bits box, oh am I glad I did. I use the Holly Wreath to cut the design into the card stock, cut the words, used a Marianne die for the snow flake and the bauble, added a few gems and that was it. I have 3 of the top ones.

This is the same set but using the biggest die. I cut the words from silver paper, lined the card and added some gems. Not sure if you can see them in the picture but I have little tiny gems on the swirly ends as well. I think they will catch the light better when the fairy lights are on.

I am entering these in ABC Christmas Challenge- Anything Christmas.
I had seen a monochrome challenge the other day so that's why these are just the two colours.

As always thank you for popping by and if you are kind enough to take the time to leave a comment it would be most appreciated.

A Birthday Card

Hello again, I know I know don't faint, two posts in two days, I did say I would be posting more often and this one won't be as long as the last one.

This little fairy came free with a Magazine a few days ago and I hadn't got round to putting her away. I had some time today so rather than do the ironing I decided to have a play instead. I've coloured her with Promarkers but her skirt is paper pieced as is the little present, the paper for which is from an old Kanban CD. The die cuts are all dies I've had in my stash for a long time but I haven't used them as much as I should another thing I am hoping to correct this year. I coloured the flower and the panel for the sentiment with Promarkers as well as I didn't have anything that went with the other paper which is a Bearly Mine one I used to test the printer was working again. I coloured some seam binding and added some pearls to it,oh and the grass is another die I've not used very much I coloured that with distress inks. I added some gems from my stash, some glitter and job done.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Marianne - Use pink and 3 of their products mine are all dies

ABC - D is for Dazzle

Creative Moments - Use buttons or Pearls

Digi Stamps 4 Joy - Glitter and Sparkle

Crafting By Design - Flowers

Sparkles Monthly - New stash - new stamp

Sketch and Stash - Sketch

Cards Galore - Anything Goes

CD Sunday Challenge - Turquoise

Crafting for all seasons - Bright & Beautiful

Inky Chicks - Anything Goes

Tuesday Throw Down - Stripes

Paper Take Weekly - New Stash - new stamp

Crafting from the heart - Use Pearls or Buttons

Digi Sketch - Say it with flowers

Passion for Promarkers - Fairytale

As always thank you for popping by and if you are kind enough to take the time to leave a comment it would be most appreciated. 

Some cards I've made

 First post of the year, a little later than planned but better late than never :)

 These two cards were made for my daughter to give to her friends on their birthdays. She wanted the shoe die, (one of my new toys), and two similar card but not exactly the same cards so this is what we came up with. I cut an extra shoe and inlaid the insole to give the shoe a more solid look, had I been smarter with my positioning I would now have some extra shoes ready to go when I need them, I was trying to use up my bits so it didn't quite fit. For the red shoe I used a Marianne border die and the blue one was a Martha Stewart punch. Some Marianne Flowers, a bit of ribbon and a few gems finished them off. Daughter was pleased so that's the main thing.
I am entering these cards into the following challenges:
Digi Sketch - Say it with flowers
Paper Take Weekly - Something new, new die
Divas By Design - Celebrate
Gem of a Challenge - Something new, new die
Craft Mojo - Something new, new die

This is my first Christmas card of the year, this first of many I will be making. I used a Crafter's Companion stamp I've had for a long time but never used. I used my new pens to colour it in. I am still learning how to use these to get the best results but I do like them.

I mounted it onto a holographic doily I cut with a die and coloured some seam binding with the same pens I used for the scarf. I think I should have used darker colours for the scarf but hey ho another learn. 

I am entering this one in the following challenges:

Craft Card Makers - Bear with me

Tuesday Throw Down - Stripes

Top Tip Tuesday - CAS

ABC Christmas - Anything Christmas

 This is daughter's version of the same stamp, she also used the Spectrum Noir's, she is not happy with her version, considering she is only 12 and it was her first time using them I think she is being too hard on herself. But I am Mum and my opinions don't count cos Mum's always say your work is good.

 This one is for my cousin's wife on her birthday, not sure what that makes her to me, but she is very nice, so happy to have her in the family. I think the decoupage is a La Pashe one but don't quote me on that as I have had it for a long time. Trying to use up what I have before I buy any more.

 You can kind of see the decoupage cut by my own fair hand, I do like die cut découpage as it is quick and easy but I also like cutting them out myself.

I am entering this cards into the following Challenges:
Through The Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
Inky Chicks - Anything Goes
Crafting for all seasons - Bright and Beautiful
Creative Moments - Anything Goes
My Time to Craft - Easel cards
Cards Galore - Anything Goes

 This one is for my friend who has been having a hard time, just to say hi and we're thinking of you. She loves cats so I used a Kanban kit another thing I am trying to use up and one of my Sizzix flip it dies. The card stock was  from Create and Craft, my friend gave me some ages ago and I haven't used it but I really like it with these dies so will be using it more from now on.

This birthday card is one for my stash as I need several male cards over the year so having a few already done for those ones I forget is always handy. This is from a Hunky Dory Kit, I liked the different edges to this card.

This one is for my cousins little boy, although he isn't so little any more. I was dancing with him at my cousins wedding and I was glad I had my heels on as he isn't much shorter than me and he's only 11! His birthday isn't until October but this just felt like the right one for him so it will go away in my box after I've filled it in.

I am entering this one is at a new challenge Cards 4 Guyz -Happy Birthday 

 This one was also in the Hunky Dory kit but it does feel like a male card to me I may use it for daughter's birthday as she loves to cycle.

 Another kit, this one from Crafter's Companion, it is an anniversary card which will go away in my stash of cards until I need it later in the year.
I am entering this one in Crafts and Me - Use a heart

I really will try to post more and keep the posts shorter from now on but time keeps running away from me!
Thank you as always for popping by and if you are kind enough to take the time to leave a comment it would be much appreciated.