Crafty Individuals Mother's Day card!

So, is my mojo back yet? Not really sure but I did have lots of fun trying out some of my new goodies yesterday. The stamp design is a bit different from my usual cutie, comfort zone and am looking forward to attempting some different inking techniques with it too.

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This image I coloured in with my Copics, then attacked with some Glimmer mists and Glossy Accents. I used another "new stamp" well, I got it before Xmas but hadn't take it out of it's packaging until yesterday....does that still count as "new?" Anyway it was the Musical background stamp from Jennie at Artistic Stamper. I am planning on making up a batch of inked, stamped heart, butterflies and flowers on some recycled chipboard to have on hand IF and when my mojo ever gets back to it's former self!

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Right, best get on. My darling hubby if cooking a lovely roast dinner and I am going to spend some time out in the conservatory, sipping a nice glass of wine and colouring some images with my Copics. (Blows the dust off the box!)

My card is going into the challenge at: Scrapbook Sisters - 29 Mother's Day card Dutch Dare - Distressing Clear it out - Buttons (I did however struggle to part with this little mother of pearl button!)

Copic Colour Challenge #3!

Over on Copics Colour Challenge today is the launch of Challenge #3 and this week it's a sketch.

Now I was quite apprehensive about this as I do tend to take sketches quite literally and panic if they are not exact (really must "loosen up!"LOL) what with that and it being my first card as part of the Design Team I was really unsure of myself and my little effort.

Despite that and trying to not be one who let's thing get me down, I took the bull by the horns and tried something different again! EEEK, not cutie...what ME!!

I took some Crafty Individual stamps, mixed in with a few primas, a bit of acetate and some K &Co paper and ended up with this! The lighting really wasn't very good but I had such fun using my Copics on these images.

Now don't forget to join us for Challenge #3 as we have another great sponsor prize up for grabs.

My "Pretty" Cards!

I had an order for two small concertina cards like one I made a while back. They have taken me a while to make-not because the were complex or time consuming- far from it really. It's just that I have only managed a bit at a time, put them away to do a design team card, do another little bit, put them away again........

At long last they are both sitting on my desk waiting for the glossy accents to be 100% dry before I pop them in their little bags. Another two off my to do list and hopefully you will think there are suitable to go into this week's Crafty Creations Challenge "Pretty for Mum" where Jenny has asked us to make the prettiest cards for mums!

A quick tag!!

I found this challenge on blog by the fanstastic Jules and I thought it looked quite a quick and easy challenge to do while the children are around. I have had Amelia in here with me doing the embossing on the CB!!!

Tag You're It!- the first challenge was "Shade of Blue!" I am not sure about the finished tag, but had fun making it and tried a different effect by doing some freehand embellishes with my glossy accents just to add a bit of dimension!!! I used a friend stamp from Hero Arts, as a collage effect for the large tag and the little girl stamp is by Crafty Individuals....and of course my beloved CB embossing folder!!!

Looking forward to the next one of these.

Shrink to fit!!

Had a quick go at the latest dare from the Daring Cardmakers this morning.

"So without further ado, here's my tiny little challenge for this weekShrink to FitI used to be able to make cards with lots of "white space" around the designs, but lately when I've tried to do this my cards just look sooooo naked!
So this week I'd like you to think small - not small cards, but small spaces of embellishment on regular sized cards.
You are allowed to cover no more than a 5x5cms area of your card with paper or embellishment - the rest of the card must be left plain.
How you use those valuable cms is up to you. So you may choose to split up those cms to use around your card, or use them in a block or a line. It might help to cut a few 5x5cm squares then cut those up to work out good ways of using your allotment. Making your whole card a miniscule 5x5cms is NOT an option!! Lets have no cheating (I know what you lot are like),but because I'm feeling generous, I'm going to let you add a SIMPLE greeting as extra to your 5x5 allowance! "

The main stamped image is by Crafty Individuals and I used a friend collage stamp by Hero Arts for the frame which I embossed with a mixture of clear and copper embossing powders. Sorry, not a great pic!!

My first Arty Girlz Challenge

Another personalised card from me- this time I took inspiration from the Arty Girlz Chocolate challenge!

Make something that includes chocolate! Chocolate coloured paper, ribbons, flowers, chocolate smelling embossing powder. A chocolate cake perhaps! The only other condition is that it HAS to include only one other colour (oh ok I'll let you have white too then lol)

I decided to make a chocolate and pink card, with a few little cream flowers (instead of white!)

I love the paisley CB folder-first time I have used it!!

Long time - no craft!

Goodness it seems like ages since I have done any crafting but thinking back it was last Sunday. So much has been crammed into this last wek but I still feel I have nothing to show for it. Thursday was really tough, I had so many appointments I travelled to the school and back 5 times- by the evening I couldn't even out weight on my poorly heel. Friday I went off to work and had to leave early as Amelia was poorly, but when I got home I bandaged my foot up and hunted for my crocs which were somewhere at the back of the wardrobe- thank goodness today my heel feels a little better.


I decided to treat myself to some crafty time today- been quite self indulgent actually as all I have made is one little card, but it was very theraputic! I have made my first ever challenge from My Time to Craft! http://www.mytimetocraftchallenge.blogspot.com/

Challenge 5: Tickled Pink

"Hi everyone! Thank you for taking part in last week's challenge, looks like you had a lot of fun with it. This week's challenge is - Ticked Pink! So add plenty of pink to your projects! Remember make anything you want using our theme, an ATC, Card, Tag, Skinny, Scrapbook page, Fatbook Page (4x4).We will have some new designers next week - so pop by to see their work! "



and boy oh boy...is my card pink!!!

Now I am going green!

Using one of my new Crafty Individuals stamps (a bargain at only £2.65) I made up this mens card tonight- sorry- awful pic!!

Still blue!!!

Not a great day, I am feeling absolutley shattered. Been awake with Amelia several times last night, as we are full of flu. I have been dosing her up and having to put the steroid cream back on her poor little face as it is so sore!!!



Me- I feel like I have been run over by a steam roller and my head is pounding but with the children being off last week- I have got so much to do. Tried to get some housework done this morning, but all I managed was to flick a duster around - even then I had to keep stopping inbetween with coughing fits!!! As a good will gesture, I did get the hoover out too, but never got as far as plugging it in!

Sat down with a lemsip this afternoon and made these!!!!




I SO LOVE my new stamps. I have still got a few more I haven't even tried yet. Might try to play later but I have promise myself a very long soak in the bath and an early night- just in case I am up with Amelia again!

Don't feel BLUE!!!

I have had such self indulgence this morning- making something-just for the sake of it rather than needing to send it to someone else!!! I have combined a few things into one concertina card to express my thanks to the forum & cyber friends that help and inspire me, kick me up the backside when I am on need of it and cheer me up when I am low!!!

The card is inspired by:

The Mumsnet Art & Craft Challenge!Our first challenge in this brand new crafters blog is a colour challenge. Inspired by the blue storm front I observed over Sainsbury's last week the colour for the challenge is blue, any blue you so desire, dark blue, light blue, teal just as long as there is some element of blue in your crafting.
the medium is anything you wish, beads, paint, cards, fabric, papier machet, etc
due date: Monday the 18th of Feb (in two weeks time) if you finish your challenge before the due date please feel free to post your pictures here at anytime.
Happy Crafting Ladies - meridian.
I know I am late-but what's new there!

Crafts Beautiful "Download" Challenge!The challenge is to create *any kind of crafty project* using one of the FREE downloads from this site. It can be papers, a knitting pattern, motifs or even a combination of a few different ones. We will be uploading several new downloads over the course of this week so keep your eyes peeled for those too. Simply click on the ‘Downloads’ tab at the top of the page to view the full selection.

Just Bex-Challenge 12-A card with a difference!
so now we want you so make a card any size BUT NOT 'normal!' You must make a card with a difference ie not a straight forward landscape or portrait fold ,
maybe a card with more than 1 fold or a wallet style - anything goes just DIFFERENT.

Crafts by Caroyln- for all the help support and encouragement they have given me recently with my stamping queations!!


With all that for inspiration- what more could I ask for. This is what I ended up with!!

Out of my comfort zone!

Made another card this afternoon and I am really not sure of it, it's probably the colours that are my biggest concern!! Whatever way I look at it though I still thoroughly enjoyed trying out something a bit different.

I met 2 challenges along the way too!!

Rip it up on Crafts by Carolyn-"ripping and tearing it doesn't matter what you tear - just getting ripping! "

and Fantastic Plastic over on Daring Cardmakers. "This week it's Rhi here to dare you and I'm on a recycling mission. I dare you to look again at the plastic packaging around you and transform it into a brand new card. It could be food packaging, craft packaging or just something plastic that's destined for the bin or recycling. Trim it, die cut it, alcohol ink it, crop-o-dile it, give it a new lease of life then share it via your blog for us all to see. Happy Recycling! "

Here it is- please don't be too harsh!!! Runs off and hides under her new stamps!!!