Prue's Card

Card for my non-blogging friend, Prue (I know.. she spells it with an 'E' on the end)... Birthday tomorrow. Hope it arrives in time!

Some of it is a bit dejà vu from the previous card, but you will probably get fed up with that look before I do! lol ;o) I luuuurrrvvvveee it!

You wouldn't recognise it under the flourish stamping and Craft Planet glitter glue coating, but the letters are made with K & Co paper, printed using Wordart in MS Word and enlarged. Inked around the edges with dark brown Chalkeyes, then mounted on green Bazzill cs.. also with inky edges. The flourish stamp makes another appearance (or two) on the background.

The sentiment is a Lisa Bearnson font from a CD-Rom that came with a book purchased through QVC some time ago. It looks just like a Dymo label, but I'm not sure you'd get one in that colour!

The butterfly is a Cuttlebugged embossing die that I have chalked, inked and cut out. It looks flat in the photo, but it is shaped and raised off the card.

Thanks to everyone who has visited my blog and left a message. It's lovely to get your feedback. :o) You're a lovely bunch, and it's been wonderful coming over to visit you all as well!

Grunge Butterfly

I am not usually satisfied with my cards, and they have to 'grow on me', but at the risk of seeming immodest, I am really pleased with this one, and keep looking at it! lol ;o) I have always admired the style of our Scandinavian crafting cousins. There's something about that ultra-feminine-but-grungy look that I love, and that's what I was aiming for.

It is for a lady at work who is leaving this week. I know she makes cards, so it had to be something special! I hope she likes it, as this is one I will have trouble parting with!


Products used:

Cezanne font & brown pen
Tim Holtz's distress inks: Antique Linen and Brushed Corduroy
Chalk Eyes ink: Creamy Brown
Border stamp from Stempelglede's Grunge Collection
Hero Arts script stamp
Fontwerks harlequin stamp
Inkadinkado flourish stamp
Cream lace
Cuttlebug embossed butterfly
Brown twine
Pearl spray
Paper roses & leaves

The tide recedes..

Sadly, I have had occasion to make a sympathy card for someone I work with who lost their mum last week. I would be in bits, I know, so my heart breaks for her.

I love this poem, and it lends itself so beautifully to this purpose. The first two lines are printed on the front, and the rest of the poem on the inside front of the insert. It's a very quick and simple design, with the shells stamped on a piece of the same crisp, white card (from http://www.madaboutcards.com/), using graduated blues from a Kaleidocolor inkpad and then painted with iridescent Craft Planet glitter glue. The panel is then simply mounted on foam pads.

The tide recedes, but leaves behind

bright seashells on the sand.

The sun goes down, but gentle warmth

still lingers on the land.

The music stops, and yet it echoes on

in sweet refrains...

For every joy that passes,

something beautiful remains.

~ Author unknown ~

Hugs,

Man's Birthday Card

This is my brother-in-law's birthday card. Getting better, I think, although I can see more that could have been done to it. However, it is winging its way across the fens to Ramsey as I write, so my brilliant observations are a case of twenty-twenty hindsight, I'm afraid. I can see that I would have added a gold mini brad or two, and some glimpses of vintage images stamped across the striped paper... which is all BG, by the way, decorated with some old buttons from my old button box, one of which didn't look old enough.. until I distressed it a bit. Well, you'd be distressed if someone wanted to soften your edges with a nasty raspy file! The green paper was also Cuttlebugged a bit.




Hugs,

WOW!

Well, I have to admit there was a teary sparkle in my eye... I honestly did not expect more than a couple of hellos when I re-opened my comments. I am truly blessed by the warm welcome back you've given me! Thank you so much for all your lovely comments. I have (re)started as I mean to go on, and have been to visit all your blogs to thank you personally.. where that has been possible, as there are a couple of you who don't appear to have blogs or email addresses to write to.

I made a couple more cards last night, so will be blogging them this evening, but have to shoot out to run a couple of errands, and will attend to them when I get back.

Back soon!

Hugs,

Comments Re-opened!

At least, I think they are... I hope they are... and I promise, I will try to be a better blogger.

Twice in One Day.. MUST be a holiday!!

For my niece's birthday. She is 22 today, and has just returned to her Mencap college in Northumbria. (She has Down's syndrome.) Hope you're having a great day, sweetie!

This card also shows I am out of practice, I think. Needs something by the heart. Maybe some gems or another rosehead, perhaps. I generally avoid stamped images that have to be coloured in, as I am rubbish at it, but it's not too bad. 'Cept the hair. Haven't invested in Copics yet, and didn't think Prismas would be easy to manage, so I watercoloured it.

Inside the card, there is a holder for a money note, as buying for Laura is a bit like buying for a man... I never know what would be the right thing, and her parents always make sure she lacks nothing, so it's a toughie.

Anyway, I hope she likes it. The papers are Basic Grey Cupcake, by the way.

TTFN,

I don't believe it!!!

Yes! I made a card!! Woohoo! Actually, I'm not very happy with it, but my mum seems happy, and she commissioned it, so who am I to argue? It's for her next door neighbour's 60th, and apparently it's a perfect match with the party invitation, so 'twas obviously meant to be!

The brief was black & silver, so I ran the Cuttlebug Divine Swirls embossing folder through my Big Shot with a piece of black card, distressed the edges a bit, and roughly rubbed an Encore metallic silver inkpad over the surface to pick out the swirls and add to the distressed appearance. I used a flourish stamp underneath the panel (which I raised on black foam), and I think it's that part that I don't like... the flourishes, I mean. Was done in a hurry, and it shows. Not much thought or design gone into it. Ah well.
Used an embossed silver punched heart in the middle of the black flower, a couple of pearl sprays and some pinched ribbon bows tucked in behind. Also suspended a crackled-glass heart bead from the flower, as well. The double spiral clip and the silver foiled sentiment (Craftwork Cards, I think) were from some blog candy.

Well, thank you for popping by! I will be back with a couple more cards very, very soon.. I hope! :o)

Enjoy your bank holiday!

Desperate and sooo jealous!

Oh, do you know how much I ACHE to be doing what most of you seem to be doing most of the time... making cards and blogging? This longing has been growing and growing and has reached a point now where it can no longer be ignored. I HAVE to find away to make this work and find a balance with work so I can make some cards again, and open my blog comments up again and start commenting on others. There has to be a way. Envy is a sin, but I have to confess that I am so very jealous of those of you who have all day to indulge your crafty cravings, whether just for fun or for a business. (sigh) (groan) Aaaaaaaaaaaargggghhhhhhhhh!!

So.. now I've had a good whinge, it's time to take action... what's to be done about it? Well, I have bought some additional storage for my craft room, swept away the cobwebs, blown the dust off my rubberstamps/brads/ribbons/primas/papers and started clearing the debris from my craft desk. I am committed to making a couple of cards for my mum tonight for a friend of hers, and I have my niece's birthday coming up on Monday, so there is NO CHOICE! I WILL be making cards tonight!! Woohoo!! :o)

Can't wait to get back in the swing! See you all again SOON! Yayyyy!

Love n'hugs,

Still here...

Yep.. still here.. lurking in the shadows.. still missing everyone and your beautiful creations... still hoping to 'be back soon'. Famous last words. (sigh)

Nope.. no cards this time. Have only managed to make one card since Christmas! Waaaaahhhh!! Still, I'm not complaining. I have a job I enjoy and that pays the bills, unlike so many people these days. I have suffered redundancy in the past, and it's no picnic, so my heart goes out to everyone in that position now.

On my hols this week, and trying to get the house straight. I can't relax and get crafting if the house is a tip. And it is.

Any road up, I hope you lot out there are OK and trolling along nicely. Not that any of you are trolls. Erm.. you know what I mean! lol ;o)

Happy Spring!

Hugs,

Now don't fall over with shock, but....

.. Yes! I made a card!! Woohoo!! This is for my sister-in-law, Sonya, who lives with my bro in Dublin while she completes her PhD at Dublin Uni. It's her birthday today! :o)

But I then didn't have chance to go to the Post Office to send it!! So I emailed a picture of it to her today! How bad am I? Not only a bad blogger, but a sorry excuse for a sister-in-law as well. (sigh)

Eeek!!

Just thought I ought to actually post something on here before it all disappears in a puff of smoke through lack of use, or it heals over or something, so came into the blog and nearly had a heart attack!! No Posts!! But then, of course, I realised it's because I haven't posted anything yet for February! Dozy mare that I am!

Anyway, I haven't made a card in months, and I MISS IT!!! I also MISS BLOG-HOPPING!! (sigh)(sniff) BUT.. it's not because life is bad.. on the contrary. Life is good. And there is a speck of light at the end of the time tunnel, and I feel my zing returning... so hopefully won't be long. If there are any of you left.... I hope to be back soon.

Ish.

Hugs...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I know I have been a horrible blogger in the past three months since I started my new job. I do miss you all a great deal, and wish I could spend hours every day like I used to, visiting blogs and being inspired so much by your beautiful artwork and stories that made me smile and sad sometimes, too.

Just wanted to come here in the last hour of 2008 to wish you all the happiest 2009. Times are hard for many people right now, but I hope that in the midst of whatever you are facing, that you remember to treasure whatever small miracles there may also be amongst the ashes. I have had some very difficult times myself in the past seven years, so I know something about it, and all I would say if you are also going through tough times is please try, try, TRY to be as positive as you can. It really does help.

My miracle came when I stopped looking down at the mess I was in and being angry, stopped looking at what I didn't have, and started instead to look up and realise that I still had so much and started thanking God for it. I know it sounds really cheesy, but that really was the break point. Whatever you make of it, I believe that something was released... broken.. call it what you will, and blessing was allowed to come in. I had a new job within two weeks.

So, anyway.. a bit preachy, I know, but y'know what? I'm not sorry. If it helps one person, it was worth the mockery of others.

Once again, I wish you ALL a very happy 2009. Keep looking up.

God bless..

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Wishing you all a very merry and blessed Christmas!

A Belated TOOT!!

This is for my mega, awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping, "I'm not worthy" talented Funky Hand DT mate, Kath Stewart, who has only gone and won the Cardmaker of the Year 2008 comp in the Simply Cards & Papercraft magazine!!! Yaaaayyyyy!! You go, girl!

I can't imagine that anyone in crafty blogland won't have heard of Kath or visited her blog, but - just in case - you'll find a treasure trove of wonder HERE.

Congratulations again, Kath. :o)

Hugs,
Chris xx

Funky Birthday...

Bet you'd all thought I'd dropped off the planet! Nope, still here. This is my birthday card for my lovely Funky Hand DT-mate, Jozza, whose birthday is today! Happy Birthday, matey!! Hope the card arrived on time. Check her blog. She is a super-talented and well-published cardmaker.. You may recognise her work from the Crafts Beautiful magazine.

The paper I've used is from the wonderful new 'Funky Daze' CD-rom from Funky Hand. Fab!

New Blog... I mean, 'FLOG'!! ;o)

Like most people these days, I need to supplement my income a bit, so I have decided to start a slow clearout of - well, just about everything, lol - from jewellery, clothing and surplus craft supplies, to more obscure items, like some of my dad's old RAF uniform and mess kit, to some bits of old mechano! That's pretty obscure, wouldn't you say? ;o)

So... I have started what I am calling a 'Flog'... Craftling's Flog. HERE.

I have started this evening with some items of diamanté jewellery.

Tip Top Toppers' Blog Candy!

Hi, all.. Just to spice things up a bit around here, wanted to draw your attention to some fab blog candy up for grabs on my Funky Hand DT mate, Ruth's blog HERE. She is celebrating 5,000 visitors, and wants you to share your proudest crafty moment with her. Some lovely things on show.. Go see!! :o)

Mum's Anniversary Card... Sneak Peak!

I can't show you all of this yet, as it uses papers from a soon-to-be-released download from Funky Hand, called 'Hearts & Flowers'. Not sure yet when this will be available, but it won't be long, and you'll love it when it is! You will be able to obtain it HERE.

Funky Daze # 5.. Happy Birthday, ????!

Hehe!! Can't show you this one yet, but it is already made, and yes, it does use Funky Daze paper, and yes, it is for yet another Funky Hand DT-mate who also has a birthday quite soon! You know who you are... J... O... Z........................

Cards to come... Got to make an anniversary card for my mum on Sunday. Dad passed away three years ago, but it's still nice to mark their anniversary. Unfortunately, dad missed their golden wedding anniversary by two weeks!!

Then it's my sister's birthday on 10th December, so those are my two most urgent cards.

I haven't made any Christmas cards yet (except those I have made for challenges), but time (and the inclination) is not on my side, so will most likely.... (whispering)... BUY my cards this year!!! SHOCK HORROR!!

I will leave you with that hideous thought, and wish you a happy, creative weekend! :o)