DesigNeAl

Away for a bit

2012-02-15T13:39:00.001Z

... taking some time off with the family, a well-deserved break.
So I will see you in a few days x

Da girlz {heart} da boyz

2012-02-13T13:34:00.000Z

Believe it or not, this IS a Valentine's card :-)
I was not going to bother this year, to be honest, cos I have a lot going on and no much time to craft, but since my son got me a LOVE cushion with his pocket money for the occasion, I thought I just had to make the effort.
Still, it is a different sort of Valentine card in the sense that a) it does not have your usual colours or look b) it is not from me to my partner, but from me and my daughter to my partner and my son - aha! hence the Da girlz {heart} da boyz message.
The image is from Sherykdesigns.com and the papers Jak Heath. Coloured with Letraset Promarkers.
Keeping it monochromatic was a challenge that I enjoyed and I must say I do like the all blue colouring :-)

Onto some challenges:

Crafty Cardmakers - Monochromatic

I Love Promarkers and Simon Says stamp - Love is in the air

Stampavie- Love

Creative Inspiration - Lots of Love

Dream Valley and Ooh la la - Valentine

OSAAT - Anything goes

Thanks for passing by xx

With gratitude

2012-02-08T13:28:00.000Z

A CAS Thank You card for my MIL. Image by Raindrop Echo Designs.

Challenges:

Scrapbook Sisters - Anything goes

Papertake Weekly - Anything goes

Catch the Bug - Anything goes

Relaxing Birthday

2012-02-08T13:18:00.000Z

A birthday card for a good friend of mine.

The beautiful papers are A Little Spring in your Step, by Summer Driggs; the sentiment from Raindrop Echo Designs; the cup and saucer image, a freebie from DigiStampBoutique. Hope you like it.

Challenges:

Crafts Your Days away - Get Stitchy with it

Pollycraft Mondays - Chill out

Crafts and me - New image

Catch the Bug - Anything goes

Good luck Teacher

2012-02-08T12:59:00.000Z

This was a request from our neighbours. One of the kids' teacher is leaving the school; this teacher, an English teacher as well as a GAA coach, has been a source of inspiration and trust for both parents and child. The clients already knew exactly what they wanted in the card so I simply put it together.

The papers are Trymgym and PaperCraft Inspirations. The image is a colouring page by KennyK I found on the net, which I coloured with Letraset Promarkers. The sentiments are computer generated.

Onto some challenges:

Catch the bug - Anything goes

Scrapbook Sisters - Anything goes

Papertake Weekly - Anything goes

Crafts and Me - New image

Newborn card 3

2012-02-03T15:03:00.000Z

The last of my baby cards is similar to the previous one; the same digital image by TLC Creations was used, and so was the same backing paper, but the layout was altered slightly. I like trying different sketches and I thought it would be nice to move it around a bit :-)

Challenges:

CES - Check it out

Craft us Crazy - Anything goes

POodles parlour - Anything goes

One sitich at a time and Fab'n'funky - Use a digi

That's all for today

Have a wonderful weekend!

Newborn card 2

2012-02-03T14:55:00.000Z

For my second card I decided to use this elegant image from TLC Creations. Circle and scalloped Spellbinders, pink pearls and ribbon; sentiment computer generated.

Onto some challenges:
One stitch at a time and Fab'n'Funky - Use a Digi

Diva's by Design - Anythign goes

Stamptacular Sunday - Diamonds or pearls
CES- Check it out
Craft us Crazy - Anything goes
Poodles Parlour - Anything goes

Newborn card 1

2012-02-03T14:41:00.000Z

This week I was asked to make 3 cards for 3 different newborn babies. Here's my first one.
I used a cute Bugaboo image and coloured it with Letraset Promarkers; green coloured papers, buttons and star pearls from my own stash. The sentiment was computer generated.

Onto some challenges:

Stamptacular Sunday - Diamonds or pearls

One stitch at a time and Fab'n'funky - Use a digi

CES - Check it out

Cute Card Thursday - Buttons and bows

ABC - In pairs

Christening card

2012-02-03T14:33:00.000Z

For this card I felt like using embossing folders rather than stamped or digital images. It is for a girl being christened soon. Since I had made a card with pink shades for her when she was born in September I opted for silver and white for her Christening instead.

Challenges:

Moving along with the times - Have a heart
Poodles Parlour - Anything goes

Diva's by Design - Anything goes

1st birthday card

2012-02-03T14:26:00.000Z

Hello! Long time no blogging! I know, I know... But I am here now, even if it is for a little bit.
This is a birthday card for my daughter's little friend, whose 1st birthday is tomorrow. The image, coloured with Letraset Promarkers is from Dulemba. The papers Daisy and Dandelion, Docrafts; buttons and twine from my own stash.
Hope you like it

Suitable challenges
Cute Card Thursday - Buttons and bows
One stitch at at time and Fab'n'Funky - Use a digital
Poodles parlour - Anything goes

Universal Craft Blog Directory

2012-01-24T10:41:00.000Z

Welcome to the Crafty Bloggers Link-Up.

This is (hopefully) going to be the biggest list of Crafty Bloggers out there,
it will be a Universal Craft Blog Directory!

It's easy to join....

All you have to do is add your blog to the link below
and then invite all your blog readers to join as well,
and they will invite their blog readers etc etc
and hopefully it will keep being sent forward
& all the crafty bloggers will come back here to the directory & add their name!
Cool huh!

For now it's just under one category: Craft and as the directory list grows,
so will the categories and it will then have it's own blog site!

And to make it easy to remember where the Universal Craft Blog Directory is...
here is a button to add to your blog:

http://craftyrie.blogspot.com/2011/10/universal-craft-blog-directory.html

Rules: There are no rules... Well, I guess there is one, no two rules ...

1.) It's for Crafty blogs (you can determine if your blog is crafty - do you make, create or buy lots of crafty stuff?)
2.) You need to promote this on your blog for the Directory to work!

Step 1: Add your craft blog name to the linky list below - to find the linky button to do this - scroll down past all the other craft links & at the bottom there is a blue box saying "Add your link" - click this.
The easiest & best way to do add your link to avoid any errors is to copy & paste the link direct from your website into the linky box below.
Step 2: Create your own blog post, letting everyone know that a huge Crafty Directory is being made & invite them to pop on over here to add their crafty blog & then to do the same with their bloggy readers.
Step 3: Add the button to your blog so you remember to pop back & peruse the fab new Crafty Directory!

News

2012-01-20T12:24:00.000Z

Good news first - yesterday it was my 2nd blog anniversary! Wow! 2 years blogging, sharing my cards and projects and receiving many many kind and encouraging comments from the many friends I have made along the way.

So thank you, everyone!

It has been a great journey so far and I hope it will continue this way, with many more crafty projects and friends to share them with.

The bad news is that after 15 months I have decided to step down from the Ooh La La Creations DT. My life is far too busy at the moment looking after 2 little people and I would not want to let anyone down. I haved loved the experience I must say, the girls in the DT were super! I am hoping one day in the near future I will get back on track and be able to join other DTs.

That's all for now.
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.
xx

Princess card

2012-01-20T12:09:00.000Z

My friend's daughter turned 5 last week and it seemed the right thing to make a princess card for her.

Bugaboo image coloured with Letraset Promarkers, digital paper (cannot remember the source, sorry!), die cut buttons.

Challenges:

ABC - H is for Happy Birthday
Catch the bug - Happy Birthday
Crafty Sentiments - Anything goes
I Love Promarkers - Anything goes

Sympathy card 2

2012-01-16T14:10:00.000Z

And the second sympathy card.

Challenges:

Polka Doodles - Vintage/retro

Die Cut Dreams - Sympathy

Thanks for your comments!!

Have a nice week!

Sympathy card 1

2012-01-16T14:05:00.000Z

We said farewell to two lovely people we knew this last week. I always feel uncomfortable making sympathy cards, like I am not reflecting enough the sadness of the situation or the respect I feel for the person or the family... Anyhow, this was one of the cards I made. Feedback welcome.

Challenges:

Polka Doodles - Vintage/retro

Die Cut Dreams - Sympathy

Wedding card (3)

2012-01-16T13:56:00.000Z

My last card for the order - this was "the big one". I knew in my head what I wanted to create but it took me a while to get there :-)
Anyhow, the clients were extremely happy with all the 3cards, and in particular with this one, and so am I with the result.

Challenges:

CRAFT - Celebrations

Wedding card (2)

2012-01-16T13:54:00.000Z

For the second wedding card, I used more elegant look and colours - browns, ambers and white.

Challenges:

CRAFT - Celebrations

Wedding card (1)

2012-01-16T13:50:00.000Z

A couple of weeks ago I received an order for 3 wedding cards. They were all to be for the same couple, so the pressure was to come up with 3 nice, completely different wedding cards.

This is the first one of the 3. Red theme, hearts, and gems.

Some suitable challenges:

Crafty Catz - Something new (hearts embossing folder)

CRAFT - Celebrations

All sorts - paper piecing

Bugaboo nurse

2012-01-13T14:43:00.000Z

STILL THERE?? :-)

I only have a couple of cards more left from all the work I did over the last month or two. Since I didn't get a minute to myself over Xmas I take the opportunity to post everything in one go today! LOL!

This card is for one of my sister-in-laws who is a nurse. The image, Bugaboo, is a great one. Don't you love it?! The layout I case-ed it from a card I found on the net but unfortunately forgot to take details - so very sorry!

Moving along with the times - Spots and/or stripes

Simon Says - Stripes and/or spots

Cute card Thursday - You are having a laugh

Joint birthdays

2012-01-13T14:30:00.000Z

On 30th December evening we were invited to a joint birthday party - father and son had big milestones to celebrate. While the father turned 80, the son turned 40. They are a special family to me so I wanted to make special cards.
Here's what I came up with.

The first card is for the son; a joke seemed appropriate since we are great friends and have known each other for 15 years! I absolutely adore Gus, from Bugaboo stamps. He is simply funny and delivers the message so well :-) The sentiment is from TLC Creations; the poem I found it on the net.

The second card is for the father, a very sweet man. He was a pioneer in scuba diving in Ireland, and although he cannot dive anymore due to health issues, scuba diving is still his main passion in life now that he is retired. The images are from the net, coloured with Letraset Promarkers and raised with 3D pads.

Challenges:

Cute card Thursday - You are having a laugh

CRAFT - Celebrations
Simon Says - Spots and/or stripes

40 and Fab!

2012-01-13T14:26:00.000Z

This was a request for a 40th birthday card. I used a Pink Petticoat image, coloured with Letraset Promarkers; papers are scraps from other projects. (Apologies for the bad quality of the picture, it's been so grey and dull!)

Challenges:

Moving along with the times - Spots and/or stripes
Simon Says - Spots and/or Stripes

Big boy 7

2012-01-13T14:22:00.000Z

...And my son turned 7 on 27th December. I must admit that I had to rush with this card. The house full of visitors, Xmas festivities in full swing and no inspiration in sight. So on 26th I stayed up until 2am to finish it! I am not crazy about it but my son was pretty happy with it. Still, he said he preferred the card I made for his sister. Oh well!

It was difficult to decide which character to choose for this year. He is into many things, but nothing that I could turn into a card, if you know what I mean... So in the end I went for the Smurfs, which he saw in the cinema in the summer and liked a lot. They are funny little characters, quite appropriate for a 7 year old birthday card, aren't they? Too late now anyway! LOL

Challenges:

Moving along with the times - Spots and/or stripes

Simon Says - Spots and/or stripes

Crafty Creations - Something new (new card style)

1st birthday card

2012-01-13T14:10:00.000Z

December is a month of birthday celebrations in my house.

My daughter turned 1 on 4th! Hard to believe that a year has gone by and that she is a toddler already, walking up and down the house and putting her fingers in every possible dangerous place there is!! LOL!

Here's the card I made for her. I hope you like it

Challenges:

Alphabet challenge - Y is for You choose

Catch the Bug - Anything goes

CRAFT - Celebrations

Pregnancy card

2012-01-13T14:05:00.000Z

This was a request for a lady going on maternity leave this week. I coloured the image with Letraset Promarkers; the yellow gingham paper is from Ooh la la Creations; XCut border punch; pink and green ribbons from my own stash. Hope you like it.

Some suitable challenges:
Catch the bug - Anything goes
Alphabet Challenge - Y is for You can choose

Less is More - in purple

2012-01-11T21:00:00.001Z

Good evening
I know I haven't been much around, and most likely I won't be either for another while. Life seems to be particularly hectic at the moment; the little people in my house are keeping me very busy, plus I have a lot of orders to finish and hardly any time to work on them during the day, so it all happens at night. And by the time I finish a card, I really do not have the energy to blog, just to go to bed - so apologies for the lack of "socializing" :-)
This evening I am sharing a CAS card with you, very quickly because again, I am tired and need some sleep. The card is for a blogfriend who sent me a beautiful CAS birthday card last week and by doing so, inspired me to create a single-layered card, something I hadn't done for a while. And here it is (apologies for the bad picture - again, taken at night, so the light is all wrong).
[Edited post to replace picture with -hopefully- a better one :-)]

Less is More is currently having a Purple challenge, and my card adheres to it.
Thanks for passing by xx

New beginnings (OLL #96)

2012-01-09T17:15:00.000Z

Happy New Year everyone!It's been a while since I last blogged, and even today I am quite late with my OLL post. Sorry! It is difficult to catch up after the 3 week-break!
My card for this fortnights challenge over at Ooh La la is a New Year's card which features images and papers from the new Shoes in Bloom CD.

Onto some challenges:

Craft your days away - New Beginnings

Dream Valley - Anything goes

I will try and post some of the stuff I worked on during the holidays during the week but can't promise anything!

Have a wonderful week!

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T22:10:00.001Z

OLL #95 - Not a card

2011-12-12T12:43:00.000Z

It is Monday and we have a new challenge over at Ooh La la. This time we want you to think outside the box and come up with any projects but cards.

I don't know you, but I have been fairly busy trying to prepare the Xmas holidays - presents, cards, etc. but when it was time to produce a project for this challenge I had it sooo easy! The new Festive Funnies CD contains wonderful projects such as gift boxes, advent calendars, Xmas crackers, bookmarks, and many more.
So my take on this challenge 95 is a Xmas cracker and a little gift box; hope you like the little set.

Challenges:

Totally Gorjuss - Let it Snow

Dream Valley - Xmas

Dude Time Doodles - Xmas spirit

Inky Impressions - Use ribbon

Papertake Weekly - Anything goes

Penny's Paper Crafty - Merry Xmas

Wags'nWhiskers - Fancy Folds

Crafts and Me - Winter and snowflakes

Cute Card Thursday - Anything goes

Have a wonderful week!

O Christmas Tree

2011-12-09T13:58:00.000Z

A slightly different version of my last Xmas card. I do not think I will be making a batch of this style, though, because I am not very happy with the result :-(

Challenges:

The Stamping Boutique - Holiday/Winter

Mami Doodles - Make it Shine

Paper Creations Ink - Bling it up

Creatalicious - Xmas with Sparkle

Bizzy Becs - Xmas

Gingerloft - Xmas

6th batch of Xmas cards

2011-11-30T15:18:00.000Z

This batch is a WoW, with a tiny bit of red. I had the idea in my head for a while but never got a chance to make it before. I used a Papermania Xmas tree embossing folder and Dimension Fourth stamp. (The picture is not great, sorry, but we are having a fairly dull and grey week). Hope you like them.

Onto some challenges:

Ladybugs Crafts Ink - WoW (white on white)

Creative Card Crew - Monochromatic

Quirky Crafts - Clean and simple

Addicted to Stamps - Xmas

Incy Wincy Designs - Trees

Craft Your Days Away - Buttons or Bows

Divas by Design - Anything goes

Fab'nFunky - Anything goes

Stamptacular Sundays - Anything Xmas

Stuck Santa

2011-11-28T14:05:00.000Z

And another 2 CAS Xmas cards with another image from Birds Cards ("Stuck Santa"), coloured with Letraset Promakers; Nestabilites frame; Glistening Snow Writer.

Challenges:

Dream Valley - Sparkle

Craft your passion - Tis the Season

Fairy Tale - Xmas

Simply Create Too - About Xmas

Totally Papercrafts - Xmas

Gingerloft - Xmas/winter

Phindy's Place - A sprinkle of snow

Poodles Parlour - Xmas

I Love Promarkers - Anything goes (with Promarkers)

Winter mittens

2011-11-28T13:35:00.000Z

A couple of Xmas cards made over the weekend, with a handy image from Birds Cards, coloured with Letraset Promarkers; "Christmas Fun" was stamped with acrylic stamps from different brands; snowflakes embossing folder and cotton twine. Again, pretty CAS style.

Entering these cards onto:

Craft your passion - Tis the Season

Fairy Tale - Xmas

Simply Create Too - About Xmas

Totally Papercrafts - Xmas

Gingerloft - Xmas/winter

Stamptacular Sunday - Anything Xmas

Phindy's Place - A sprinkle of snow

Poodles Parlour - Xmas

I Love Promarkers - Anything goes (with Promarkers)

OLL #94 - Sparkle

2011-11-28T10:53:00.000Z

Time for another great challenge at Ooh La la - this fortnight show us Lots of Sparkle!
For my card I used one of the beautiful papers from the Carnival of Colours CD - White Magnolia. The flower is handmade with various papers and all the sparkle comes in the shape a big pearl in the centre of the flower and many little Liquid Pearls, around the sentiment and around the card.

I hope you like my Sparkly card. Why don't you show us yours? You have until Sunday 11th December to enter the challenge! And with Xmas coming, surely you must have some sparkle in your crafting! ;-)

Let's see about challenges out there:

Digital Tuesday - Sparkle and shine
Totally Gorjuss - Sparkle
Birthday Sundays - Birthday card

Creative Craft Challenges - Free

Fresh Brew Designs - Anything goes

Paper Crafting Journey - Anything goes

Have a nice week!

Recycling and icicles

2011-11-23T13:14:00.000Z

Have you ever had an idea that works sooo well in your head and once it turns into paper it all just falls apart and ends up awful, like nothing you had imagined? Well, this is the story of this particular card. I bought the icicle die cut in the NEC a few weeks ago, it was in my Must Get things list. It is not that I am disappointed with it, but I was probably expecting more. More what? More...dunno! just more. LOL. It is pretty fiddly to get the paper out... But I can't blame the die for a bad card! I guess the idea just didn't quite work out the way I had imagined. So then trying to finish it off, I decided to put this little penguin recycled from an old Xmas card, in an attempt to save the poor thing. Anyhow, I am not happy with this card but my son loves it!! LOL!
Any suggestions on how to improve it? :-)

Some suitable challenges

Crafty Cardmakers - Recycle

Moving Along with the times - Let it Snow

Pollycrafts - Xmas fun

Paper Creations Ink - Xmas

Frosted Designs - Die cuts

CES challenge - Snowflakes

Crafters Companion - Let it snow

Lollipop Crafts - Anything goes

5th batch of Xmas cards

2011-11-23T13:08:00.001Z

This batch is a mixture of batch 2 and 3. Since I still have some of these sparkly die cuts left I will most likely make more cards of any of these 3 styles. It is a CAS style I like, and it is so practical when you have 50 Xmas cards to come up with!

Onto some challenges:
Pollycrafts - Xmas fun
Paper Creations ink - Xmas
Frosted Designs - Die cuts
Really Reasonable Ribbon Ramblings - CAS Xmas and ribbon
Lollipop Crafts - Anything goes

4th batch of Xmas card 2011

2011-11-21T13:02:00.000Z

Another set of Christmas cards, this time using a beautiful digital image from BirdsCards and a lovely sentiment from TLC Creations, and lots and lots of blue sequins.
Hope you like the design

Some challenges:

The Stamping Boutique - Winter/holidays

Wags'n'Whiskers - Xmas

Totally Gorjuss - Xmas traditions

Digital Tuesday - Xmas time

Phindy's Place - Xmas

Creatalicious - Xmas with sparkle

Crimbo Crackers - Make it Sparkle

2 Sisters - Let it sparkle

One stitch at a Time - Anything goes

Another CAS Thank you card

2011-11-19T16:55:00.000Z

Another CAS Thank you card made with leftover papers.

Catch the Bug - Thanks

Creative Card Crew - Thankful

Crafts and me - Simples

Cute Card Thursday - Green and grey

Gift for newborn

2011-11-16T12:31:00.000Z

Our dear neighbours recently had their 5th child - and this time it was a girl!! After 4 boys, you can only imagine how delighted they all are with the arrival of little Holly. My gift to them, apart from the card and the usual baby clothes, is a Memory box.

The card was made a few weeks ago, as soon as Holly was born, but I only got to make the box yesterday. [You probably remember this very same layout being used in previous cards for newborn.]

The box (23x23cm) is red, white and pink; I decided to deviate a bit from the usual newborn/baby colours, I thought this would be a nice colour combination anyway, and together with the baby image, matching the card, it goes fairly well in my view.

Hope you like both the card and the memory box.

Different views of the box:

Some challenges:

Crafty Cardmakers - Recyle (box)

Crafty Creations - Recycle

Incy Wincy Designs - Tic Tac Toe (red, flower, stitch punch)

Totally Stampalicious - 3D

Top Tip Tuesday - Tags

Stamptacular Sunday - Punch it

Paper Sundaes - Digi Image

Charisma Cardz - Cutesy

Thanks for your comments!

A quick Thank you card

2011-11-15T14:42:00.000Z

We needed a Thank You card today, so I made something very very quick and simple at lunchtime, while the baby was napping, with papers left from other projects.
And here's what a quick CAS Thank you card looks like :-)

Since it is Thanksgiving season there are a lot of Thank You challenges out there :-)

Card Making Mamas - Be Thankful

Stamp, Scrap and Doodle - Thank you

Phindy's Place - Thankful

Aud Sentiments - Thank You

Penny's Challenges - Give Thanks

The Sisterhood of Crafters - Giving Thanks

Magical Monday - Use those scraps

Bingo!! OLL#93

2011-11-14T13:08:00.000Z

This fortnight at Ooh La la we have a great challenge for you! Play Bingo with us!! Whether it is a line or a full house :-) Here is the bingo grid:

I went for a full house (is this how you call it when you have all the lines/elements??!) and included all the items in my card. Hope you like it and it is of some inspiration to you ;-)

Some suitable challenges:
Anything goes - Stitching
Inky Impressions - Glitter
Truly Scrumptious - Bingo (lace, gems, glitter, die cut, ribbon, button, flowers)
Crafts your days away - Embellishments bingo (lace, pearls, pin)
Dutch Dare- Punches/dies
Dream Valley - Stitching

Don't forget to check the creations of the rest of the OLL DT for more inspiration!
Have a nice week!

Teenage card

2011-11-12T14:38:00.000Z

This was probably one of the quickest cards ever - you know the situation... "Could you make a birthday card for like...now!?" So I did. It is for a teenager I don't know much about, so kept it very very simple. Not sure the guy is the "Converse type", if you know what I mean, but it should do the trick, given the short notice :-)
The card itself is pretty small, 9x11cm; the Converse trainer is an image from a drawing tutorial (Dragoart), coloured with Letraset Promarkers. Paper leftover and Hero Arts sentiment.

Suitable challenges:

Crafts and me - Birthday

Craft your Passion - Anything goes + brown

Digital Tuesday - Anything goes

2 Sisters - Anything goes

Being fabulous

2011-11-12T14:31:00.000Z

Just a very quick post to show you a little card I made for a friend a few weeks ago but never got the chance to post about (it's not a great picture, I am afraid). I believe both image and sentiment are from Create with TLC.
Paper, ribbon and card candy from my own stash.

Some challenges:

Crafts and me - Birthday
My partner in Crafting Crime - Use a freebie
Digital Tuesday - Anything goes
Daisy Doodles - Anything with digi
2 Sisters - Anything goes

3rd batch of Xmas cards

2011-11-11T11:22:00.000Z

Another 6 Christmas cards, following the CAS style used in the 2nd batch; nothing further to add :-)

Onto some challenges:

Mami Doodles - Christmas

Floweret Stamplar - Christmas

Little Claire - Christmas

I did it Creations - Christmas

Top tip Tuesday - Anything Christmas

2 Sisters - Ribbon

Crimbo Crackers - Make it Sparkle

Totally Stampalicious - Anything goes

Catch the bug - Anything goes

Have a nice weekend!

2nd batch of Xmas cards 2011

2011-11-06T15:21:00.000Z

This is a very simple style but in my view a pretty effective one for a Xmas card. Since I have other sparkly Xmas die cuts I will probably use this same layout to make more similar batches. Stay tuned ;-)

Just a note to point out that the snowflakes are very sparkly and glittery in real life and the cardstock, very purple; just not a very good pic, I guess :-)

Some suitable challenges for this set of cards:

Really Reasonable Ribbon Ramblings - Christmas with ribbon

Winter Wonderland - make your card Sparkle

Mami Doodles - Christmas

Sweet n Sassy - Christmas/Holidays

Ribbon girl - Xmas

Crafters Companion - Let it snow

Crafty Purple Frog - Sparkle

First batch of Christmas cards 2011

2011-11-06T14:44:00.000Z

It had to be done. I always feel lazy to start the first batch, but then I keep going and by making 3 or 4 cards every second day, the 50 Xmas cards we need to send to family and friends every year get sorted without too much hassle.

And here's the first batch. Pretty straight forward. The paper is from Xmas PaperCraft Collection 2011; the digital image is from Spyder's Corner, coloured with Letraset Promarkers, and a touch of 3D embossing liquid; the sentiment is TLC Creations.

Let's see about challenges:

Mami Doodles - Christmas

Papertake weekly - Anything goes

Cupcake Craftroom - Sweet Xmas

Sweet n Sassy - Christmas/Holiday

The Paper Shelter - Xmas fun

Pollycrafts - Anything goes

Scrapbook Sisters - Anything goes

Dream Valley - Anything goes

Crimbo Crackers - Anything Xmas goes

Paper Pretties - Use a sentiment

Heaven and Hell

2011-11-05T14:39:00.000Z

I imagine religious people would tend to have a very clear idea of what heaven and hell look like. I don't, but I'd say the closest thing to it must be what I lived yesterday. Yesterday, ladies, I went to the crafts fair in the NEC, Birmingham. [Last year, due to my pregnancy, I was able to go in March but not in November (sob, sob). So I cannot even begin to tell you about my excitement!!]
So let's start with hell. Hell must be what it was like in the NEC from 11am to 2pm yesterday. There was SOOOO many people in that hall. The place was absolutely packed. People with bags, handbags, pushing totes or pulling trolleys; people in wheelchairs; people with prams; old, young, male, female. People everywhere, it was bumper to bumper, to the point that the atmosphere was asfixiating!
But then, the place was also heaven. Because for any crafts lover, the idea of a big hall full of crafting goodies and crafty talented and minded people really is heaven. And since in Europe we do not really have the likes of Joannes and Michaels to go shopping every week, or monthly huge crafts exhibitions like the Americans have, for instance, that place yesterday was like being in paradise to me.
And here's what I purchased - budget was limited, unfortunately, but I still managed to get most of the MUST things in my list.

What do you think? I am completely new to Craft Robo, and I am aware this is the simplest version, now being discontinued, but the offer was good and within my skills my view is that I should be able to get quite a lot out of this tool.

So if you are an expert on Craft Robo, have suggestions, recommendations, ideas, links, etc. please do send them my way because it would be great to get a bit of help :-)

And if you are planning to go to the NEC tomorrow (last day), get ready for heaven and hell! ;-)

OLL #92 Stitching

2011-10-31T09:03:00.002Z

Get your sewing machine or your needle or your fine liner out, ladies, 'cos it is time to show your stitching skills over at Ooh La la.
The challenge will run until Sunday 13th November so you have plenty of time to practise (if like me, you need to, of course!)
I have never been happy using my sewing machine with paper (that probably shows, if anything, that my skill with the machine is not great :-)) so I tend to go for faux stitching. And this is precisely what I did with this Christmas card: all papers are from OLL; the die cut is Shapeabilities Nested Bird; gems from my own stash; alphas are Sizzix die cuts and so is the branch.

Close up

Some challenges:

One stitch at a time - Christmas

Raise the bar - Sew what?

Bah Humbug - Die cuts

Jingle Belles - Creatures

Dream Valley challenges - Anything goes

You're HOW old?

2011-10-29T21:37:00.000+01:00

My card today is for a good friend who celebrates his 45, I think (LOL), next week. Since the 40s are a bit of a sensitive age for some people, I decided to use a humorous sentiment (from TLC Creations, btw). The backing papers are a present from my dear friend Christine. The image is a colouring page which I coloured with Letraset Promarkers; Nestabilities die cuts; and I used twine and a wooden button to give it a more masculine touch.

Some suitable challenges:

Cards and THings - Colour challenge

Aud sentiments - Make us laugh

Card Making Mamas - Die cuts

Whimsy Stamps - Buttons

Inky Impressions - Anything goes

Charisma Cardz - Anything goes

Sweet Stamping - Anything goes

Happy Halloween!

Don't forget to change the clock tonight!

Thanks Merci Gracias

2011-10-25T14:48:00.000+01:00

Today my card is a Thank you Card which I made with kraft, white and purple cardstock; it is a different style than my usual, but I was happy with the outcome.
(The reason why there are 2 of them is because they were made for the 2 kind paediatrician doctors that we were lucky to meet and be seen by recently.)
I used: kraft, white and purple cardstock; Cuttlebug embossing folder; lilac ribbon, lilac card candy; Rhona Ferrer Swirls stamp; Circle Nestabilities

Some suitable challenges:

Squigglefly - Thanks

Sundays with Crissy - Thanks

Totally Papercrafts - Layer upon layer

One Stop Crafts - No DP

Crafty Sentiments - No DP

Charisma Cardz - Embossing

Karen's Doodles - Emboss it

One Stitch at a time - Emboss it

Anything challenge - Letters

OLL Challenge #91 - Let it Snow

2011-10-17T10:15:00.002+01:00

This fortnight at Ooh La la Creations we want to see cards and projects inspired by "Let it Snow"

My project is a little Christmas gift bag, and I used one of the templates that comes with the great Festive Funnies CD, which was released recently by Ooh La la. Isn't the bag great? And so easy to make! The tags and sentiments are also from the same CD.

If you want to see more of this fantastic CD and others, make sure you watch this program:

Create and Craft

17 October at 5pm:

Featuring: Festive Funnies,

Boys to Men,

Christmas Presence

Sky 671 Freeview 36 Freesat 813

The snowflake on the back of the bag is made of white foam, handcut; organza ribbon and small snowflake punch from my own stash.
Come on, show us your Let it Snow project!! You have until Sunday 30th October to enter the challenge!

Other challenges:

ABC Christmas - U is for Unused stash (foam)

My Mum's Craft Shop - Inspired by a song (Let it Snow)
Crafty Ann's - Inspired by a song

Aud Sentiments - Winter Theme
Floweret Stamplar - Christmas

Polka Doodles - Bows and ribbons

One stitch at a Time - Shape up

Stampinsanity - Anything but a card

Stamptacular Sunday - You choose
Fab's Big Christmas cards - Anything with shine/snowflake

Cupcakes

2011-10-14T12:51:00.000+01:00

Cupcakes - They are so fashionable at the moment, aren't they? You find them in paper crafts, fabric, household items, as well as in any fancy cafe, of course... Around this neck of the woods we would have called them muffins, but since they got so famous, they have now been promoted to cupcakes. LOL! Anyhow, one name or another, they are absolutely yummy and we all love them :-)And here's a couple of cards feautiring this gorgeous dessert. The layout is the same in both cards as you can see, I simply used different colours.
The cupcake image is a digital from WinkWinkInk; unfortunately I cannot find the author of the ticket, sorry (I hate when that happens; designing digital images myself, I find it is only fair to receive credit after creating a digital. I always try to give credit and mention the author but this time I can't) ; backing paper from PaperCraft Inspirations; coloured with Letraset Promarkers, some gems and Stickles to add some sparkle.

Onto some challenges:

Die Cutting Divas - Dessert

Paperplay challenges - Cupcake

Papertake Weekly - Get in Shape (3 cupcakes, 1 rectangle voucher, 1 square card)

Little Red Wagon - Just the ticket

The Sisterhood of Crafters - Birthday celebrations

Have a nice weekend!!

Ollie the Giraffe

2011-10-13T13:30:00.001+01:00

A new baby girl card. The cutte giraffe is a digital, Ollie, from Limited Runs, which I coloured with Letraset Promarkers.

Onto some challenges:

Mami Doodles - Mother Nature

Totally papercrafts - Animals

Top Tip Tuesday - Use DP

One Stop Crafts, I Did It Creations, Scrapbook Sisters, Sentimental Sundays- Anything Goes

Keeping it simple

2011-10-12T13:55:00.001+01:00

Here's a CAS card. The leaf stamp is GStudio. I used white Ink It Up ink over blue cardstock, and an orange ribbon and blue flower to finish it.

Kaboodle Doodles - Leaves
Riley and Co - Leaves
Paper Craft Star - Leaf
Creative Inspirations - Single layer card
Crafts and Me - Orange (since it is a very clean card, there is not a lot of orange, but hopefully that will do!)
Make it Monday - Anything goes
Crafty Card Makers - Anything goes
Woodware USA - Anything goes

Precious Moments

2011-10-08T17:38:00.000+01:00

Good afternoon
Here's another card I managed to finish today. I am on a roll!! :-)
The cute girl is a colouring digital image from Precious Moments, which I coloured with Letraset Promarkers; the dress was paper pieced; the papers are all scraps; the picture is not great but the girl is highlighted with glitter; Nestabilities; white organza ribbon; faux stitiching; sentiment stamp from Blokum.

Onto some challenges:

Sketch Saturday - sketch 176

Kraftin'Kimmie Stamps - Sparkle and shine

Sweet Stamping - In stitches

Truly Scrumptious - Distressing

The Secret Crafter - Anything goes with sparkle

One stop Craft - Anything goes

By the cute and girlie - Anything goes

Creatalicious challenge - Anything goes

Bratz with an attitude

2011-10-08T11:55:00.000+01:00

Is it a miracle? It must be! I had a bit of time this morning and decided not only to post a new card but also to make a birthday card I will need for... ready? 17th December!!! Yes, you read it right. I started colouring this Bratz image (they are brilliant to colour, aren't they?!) and half way I remembered the birthday of an 11 year old girl (a family friend) coming up sometime in December, so I thought I might as well make a card and have it ready! LOL!

The DPs are from BMD - and I loooove them, isn't the pink one just perfect for an 11 year old girl??!; the digital image is a Bratz, coloured with Letraset Promarkers; Dymo label; Nestabilities die cut; circle punch; flower from own stash; Stickles; card candy.

Some challenges:

Anything goes - Punches and Dies

Card and Scrap - Embossing (Dymo label)

Papertake Weekly - Anything goes

Fab'n'Funky - Die cut/punch

Simon Says - Sparkle and Bling

Night Shift Stamping - Happy birthday

Have a brilliant weekend!

Groovy Girl

2011-10-08T10:10:00.000+01:00

My card today features a Groovy Girl from the Coloring Book; I coloured her with Letraset Promarkers and gave her extra sparkle by adding some glitter. Square scalloped 5"x5". The gorgeous polka dot papers are all digital from Marie, http://www.freedigitalscrapbooking.com/; Fiskars border punch; Oval Nestabilities; Inkadinkado stamp; Distressed edges; pink organza ribbon.

I followed this weeks Crafts 4 Eternity sketch and the colour combination from Inkspirations: razzleberry, pink, chocolate and white.

Other challenges:

Anything goes - Punches and Dies

Card and Scrap - Embossing or Distressing

Created by Hand - Oval dies

Papertake Weekly - Anything goes

Fab'n'Funky - Die cut/punch

Simon Says - Sparkle and Bling

Truly Scrumptious - Distressing

Night Shift Stamping - Happy birthday

Thanks for your comments!!

Cool princess

2011-10-05T19:36:00.000+01:00

Another birthday card, this time for a young girl, a bit of a princess :-)

The cool image is by My Inky Fingers; papers are downloads and so is the Princess ticket; coloured with Letraset Promarkers, highlighted with Stickles and some extra gems to add more sparkle.

Suitable challenges:

Crafts and me - Use a digi

Paperminutes - Diva

Bee Crafty - Bling

Papertake weekly - Anything goes

ABC - Anything goes

Ahoy Mateys!

2011-10-05T19:13:00.000+01:00

I have to admit that my 7 year old son keeps me fairly busy in many aspects, and especially when it comes to crafting :-)
He has so many little friends and birthday parties to attend to (with handmade cards by mum, of course), he surely has a better social life than me!!
This particular card is for one of his best mates, Darragh, who turned 6 recently. For it I used
Pirate Ethan, from Pollycrafts, coloured with Letraset Promarkers. The fantastic backing paper is from Free Digital Scrapbooking (thanks, Marie! http://www.freedigitalscrapbooking.com/)
The sketch is an old one from Eat Sleep Stamp.

Some challenges:
Totally Stampalicious - Emboss it
Creative Inspirations - Friendship
ABC - Anything goes

Aud Sentiments - Anything goes
Penny's Papercrafty - Anything goes

Cupcakes anyone?

2011-10-05T19:02:00.000+01:00

My second card this evening features an image from Lili of the Valley. I find this little girl adorable and so sweet organising all her cupcakes for a tea party!
I decided to use the image for a 6 year old girl birthday card; it is coloured with Letraset Promarkers. The designer paper is digital, but can't remember where it came from, sorry. The sentiment was computer generated; ribbon from my own stash.

Some suitable challenges:

Craft your Passion - Anything with ribbon

Digital Tuesday - We like to party

Aud Sentiments - Happy Birthday

Birthday Sundaes - Ribbon

One Stitch at a Time - Use a Digi

Crafty Cardmakers - Anything Goes

Ribbon Carousel - Anything Goes

Penny's Papercrafty - Anything Goes

Woodware USA - Anything goes

All pink

2011-10-05T18:38:00.000+01:00

Good evening
Last week I managed to spend what I would call a "decent" amount of hours crafting and making cards :-) If I am lucky and do get some more "me" time tonight, I will try and blog about them.
For the moment, here's the first installment, a square scalloped card for a 9-year-old girl. Hope you like it.
The ticket sentiment is from Sentiments 4 you; image coloured with Letraset Promarkers; papers are scraps from other projects; ribbon from my own stash.

Some challenges:

Craft your Passion - Anything with ribbon

Incy Wincy Designs - Think Pink

The Crazy challenge - Think Pink
Dream Valley - Monochrome

Aud Sentiments - Happy Birthday

Birthday Sundaes - Ribbon

One Stitch at a Time - Use a Digi

Crafts and me - Use a digi

Crafty Cardmakers - Anything Goes

Ribbon Carousel - Anything Goes

Penny's Papercrafty - Anything Goes

Woodware USA - Anything goes

OLL # 90 - Sympathy card

2011-10-03T10:20:00.000+01:00

A new challenge starts today at Ooh La La until 16th October - make a Sympathy card.
This is a type of card that sometimes can be difficult to make due to the grieving feelings involved; so when looking for an appropriate image and colours I was happy with my findings: My card features papers and topper from the Algonquin Autumn folder from the recently released Carnival of Colours CD; I very much like the rich colours and the beautiful tranquil image; I hope you like it too.

Some other challenges:

Stamptacular Sunday - Photo Inspiration

Crafty Creations - CAS

Inky Impressions - Punch/dies

Stampin Royalty - Keep it Simple

Easy Craft - Autumn

Phindy's Place - Autumn

Totally Papercrafts - Autumn

ABC Challenge - Anything goes

Have a nice week!

Bithday Bunny

2011-10-02T18:34:00.000+01:00

This card is for a 3 year old girl; the stripy backing paper is a freebie from PaperCraft Inspirations; the one with a sentiment was computer generated. The cute birthday bunny is from Lili of the Valley, coloured with Letraset Promarkers and Stickles; Fiskars punch; oval Nestabilities; foam number and green ribbon from my own stash.

Some challenges:

Polka Doodles - Birthday age

Inky Impressions - Punches or Dies

Simon Says - Anything goes

Anything goes - Anything goes

Catch the Bug - Anything goes

A not too girlie card

2011-09-20T13:35:00.000+01:00

Another of my son's friends is celebrating her birthday this week, so when I asked him to tell me what she is like in order to make a suitable card for her, his answer was quick and clear: She is not very girlie, mama, so nothing like Barbies... she is a bit of a tomboy actually! I thought it was very funny that at this early age kids can already sense other people's likes, dislikes and personalities.
Anyway, I put my thinking cap on and decided to go only a tiny bit girlie - hence the pink colour, but also adding some browns and blue. And since I remember this girl walking her dog very often my decision was to use this cute little birthday dog image on her card.
The stripe paper is from BMD, the polka dot paper is from Josscraps and the paws one, I am not sure to be honest. The image of the cute dog with the birthday balloons is Tiddly Ink, coloured with Letraset Promarkers and googly eyes; sentiment computer generated and mounted on 3D pads; the number is a foam sticker.
The photo is not great but I hope you like the card.

Onto some challenges:

The sketch is from Eat, Sleep, Stamp

My Mum's craft shop - Happy Birthday

Lexi's Creations - Card for a child

Crafts your Days away - Pink, brown and blue

Cute Card Thursday, Creative Inspirations - Anything goes

Punches and dies - OLL #89

2011-09-19T09:29:00.002+01:00

Good Monday!
This fortnight's challenge at Ooh La la is about Punches and Dies.
My card features the beautiful butterfly paper from the Carnival of Colour CD and several of my punches and dies; the sentiment is from TLC Creations; gems from my own stash.

Have a look at the OLL challenge blog for some fantastic creations!
I have a busy week ahead so I will leave you for now but hopefully post some more cards later on the week.
Have a good one x

Tree-mendous

2011-09-07T20:13:00.000+01:00

For this card, I was inspired by the papers and toppers featured in one of the recent Papercraft Inspirations issues. The trees paper is in fact from PIN, while the leaves and gingham papers are Papermania (Secret Garden). I love the autumny colours, don't you? At this time of the year I feel like using them everywhere!!
I created the sentiment with the computer, handcut the tree and added some rich shiny card candy as fruits.
The card will be sent to another friend of mine whose birthday was last week (you see, I am not soo late for this one ;-))

Onto some challenges:

Stamp with Fun - Autumn

Lexi's Creations - Autumn

My mum's Craft shop - Layers

Daisy Doodles, Woodare USA, Papertake Weekly - Anything goes

That's all for me for a few days probably :-)

Enjoy the rest of the week!

Roooar!!

2011-09-07T20:07:00.000+01:00

The second card tonight is for a friend's son. Since autumn is all around us already, my hands and eyes went directly to warm rich colours when looking for papers. I was not sure about the layout of this card when I started so it got changed a few times, but I am pretty happy with the final result.

I think both digital papers are from one of the DoCrafts CDs; the lion is from Skhedr, coloured with Letraset Promarkers; Sentiment from TLC Creations, SGT Stamper ticket; twine and card candy from my stash.

Some suitable challenges:

Stamp with Fun - Autumn (colours)

Lexi's Creations - Autumn (colours)

The Crazy Challenge - Spots and stripes

My Mum's craft shop - Layers

Daisy Doodles Creative Challenge, Woodware USA, Papertake Weekly - Anything goes

Catching up

2011-09-07T20:01:00.000+01:00

After a 5 week break of crafting I sooo needed to catch up!! So the last couple of evenings I have been busy trying to design and finish all the cards I needed for like - weeks ago!!
This first one I'm showing you tonight is for my best friend, whose birthday was mid-August (shame on me!!). I decided to go for a very girly look and colours, I hope she likes it - better late than never! :-)
Papers are from the Red hot paper pack, Capsule Collection, by Papermania. The cute image, coloured with Letraset Promarkers, is Lili of the Valley; Stickles; sentiment computer generated, and ribbon and card candy from my stash.

Some challenges:

Stamps and Fun = Creativity - Sketch

Craft Your Passion - Anything goes with Flowers

My Mum's Craft shop - Layers

Daisy Doodles Creative Challenge, Papertake Weekly - Anything goes

Anniversary card OLL#88

2011-09-05T13:09:00.000+01:00

card.
There's a new exciting challenge starting today at Ooh la la:

Anniversary cards

I used the Star Gazer image and papers for my trifold card. Ribbon and gems from my own stash; Xcut Punch.
Make sure you check the rest of the DT beautiful creations for more inspiration. And remember that you have 2 weeks (until Sunday 18th September) to enter your own Anniversary card.

Other challenges:

My Time to craft - In full bloom

The sisterhood of crafters - Flower Power

Little Red Wagon - Border punch

My Mum's Craft shop - Easy as 1, 2, 3 (1 ribbon, 2 patterned papers, 3 gems)

Charisma Cardz - Anything goes

Creative Card Crew - Anything goes

OLL #87: No Backing Paper

2011-08-22T21:14:00.000+01:00

Good evening!
From today and until Sunday 5th Sept at Ooh La la we want to see projects with No backing paper.
This was a real challenge for me, 'cos I use backing paper on probably 99% of my cards, but hey, that's what challenges are about, right? And here's what I came up for the challenge:

I used one of the new OLL Carnival of Colours images, the White Poinsettia, die cut with Nellies and double layered, then over white cardstock; embossed sentiment and my new Marianne die cut.
Hope you like it.

Some challenges out there:
Challenge up your Life - No patterned paper

Night Shift Stamping - Flowers and leaves

Mark's Finest Papers - Emboss it

SSDS - Sympathy/get well

Craft us Crazy - Anything goes
Papercrafting Journey - Anything goes

Have a nice week!

Get well soon card

2011-08-17T12:44:00.000+01:00

Another male card!
I apologise if I offend anyone with this one; I do not usually like this kind of humour myself, but it is for my FIL who is having an operation next week and he loves this sort of jokes.

I decided to follow one of this weeks sketches - Stamp with Fun
Digital image drawn by Angie, coloured with Letraset Promarkers; the sentiment was computer generated; border punch by Xcut; paper from Papercraft Inspirationsa and the Get Well soon background was also computer generated.

Other suitable challenges:

Pollycraft - Distressing
My Time to Craft - G is for (Get well soon)
Paper Play - Create your own DP
Crafts and Me - Blues

Paperplay time - Anything goes

Cards for men - Anuything goes

Whoopsi Daisy - Anything goes
Tuesday Taggers - ANything goes

I demand a recount!

2011-08-17T12:07:00.000+01:00

This is a fun card for my FIL who will turn 64 on Monday. Since he is a bit of a joker I always try and make a fun card for him.

The brilliant digital image and sentiment are from Bugaboo, coloured with Letraset Promarkers; the background paper from BMD; it may not be clear from the photo but the sentiment is on a Papermania Mini Card Spring, which gives the card an even funnier look; the bunting was made with leftovers from my stash.

Let's have a look at this weeks challenges:

Pollycraft - Distressing

The Pink Elephant - Stitching
Fab'n'Funky - A Stitch in time

The Shabby Tea Room - Polka dots
Crafts and Me - Blues and greens
PaperCraftStar - Photo inspiration (bunting)
Tuesday Taggers - Anything goes

PaperPlay time - Anything goes

Cards for Men - Anything goes

Whoopsi Daisy - Anything goes

Holidays memories

2011-08-13T18:00:00.000+01:00

Our holidays are well over and we are now settling back home nicely... the weather, the rain, the food.... we only have memories and a few (hundreds of!) pictures left of July...

This is what our break was about...

Cool dude

2011-08-12T14:46:00.000+01:00

My last card for today is for a Teenage boy, a good friend of the family who turned 13 a few weeks ago. The main image is a digital from Sans Designs, coloured with Letraset Promarkers; papers from Papercraft Inspirations; to add some dimension, there is a football, a car and a telly mounted on 3D pads; I have also used some 3D clear embossing fluid and Dymo stickers for the sentiment, a cool HB 2U :-)

The last challenges for today :-)

Totally Stampalicious - Music

A spoonfull of Sugar - Happy Birthday

Anything goes - Happy Birthday

My Mum's Crafts - Sports and Hobbies

Hope you all have a great weekend!!

Christening cards

2011-08-12T14:38:00.000+01:00

Second post for today.... :-)

I was recently commissioned to make 2 christening cards (a type of card I had never made before, btw).

When browsing for inspiration, I came across this fantastic template by Lauren Meader and decided to give it a go. I must say that I love the result, but it took me h-o-u-r-s of fiddling around!! Which means that I won't be doing this onesie very often, I can tell you!! LOL! Still, I was delighted with how the two cards turned out and thankfully so were the recipients.

Let me know what you think of them! Your comments are always appreciated and helpful! :-)

The Crazy Challenge - Embossing

DYSU - Emboss it

Anything goes - Celebration

Pink and Blue

2011-08-12T14:33:00.000+01:00

Today I am posting a few cards I made in the last few weeks but never got a chance to blog about.

The first one is a very girlie card in bright pink and blue. What a beautiful colour combination this is! I love it! So I decided to use these two colours for this birthday card for one of my son's girlfriends. The image was coloured with Letraset Promarkers; the sentiment was a digital freebie (from Sentiments for you, I believe); button, twine and ribbons from my own stash.

Some challenges I would like to enter my card onto:
Squigglefly - Button blowout

A spoonfull of Sugar - Happy Birthday

Anything goes - Happy Birthday

Thanks for your comments!

Christmas - OLL#86

2011-08-08T11:05:00.000+01:00

Good Monday! And how are you all?

It's been a while since the last time I properly blogged. But my holidays are over now and here I am... And since it is Monday let me tell you about another great challenge at Ooh La la...

OLL Challenge #86 is about Christmas!

I have to admit that when they told me the theme for this challenge I was a bit scared!! It takes me ages to come up with ideas for Christmas cards every November/December, so imagine having to do it now in summer!!! But hey, then I remembered this little project I had been meaning to try - a star album. It can be a little photo album, a Xmas decoration, whatever you wanted it to be... Cool or what?!

I honestly cannot remember which site I got the instructions from, but if you like it, just google "Star Album" and I am sure you will find plenty of tutorials. It might look difficult but it is not, just a wee fiddly, that's all!!! And perfect for Christmas! :-)

All images in my album are from the Joyeux Noel CD. Organza ribbon from my own stash. Pistachio, brown and beige cardstock from Coredinations, all embossed with different Cuttlebug folders and distressed to play with different tones and textures.

Let's see what other challenges are out there:

Jingle Belles - Shape up for the Holidays

ABC Christmas challenge - P is for Xmas present

Paperplay - Xmas in August

Fussy and Fancy Friday - Xmas in July/August

Cute Card Thursday - No designer paper

Craft Us crazy - Anything goes

Ai Factory - Anything goes

Crafts and me - Anything goes

Papertake weekly - Anything goes

Have a great week!

Circles OLL #85

2011-07-25T11:03:00.001+01:00

Circles, circles and more circles!!!

This is what the OLL Challenge is about this fortnight!

I decided to make a circle calendar to hang in my office. The papers are all from different OLL CDs. I hope you like my project!! Don't forget to visit the OLL challenge blog for more inspirational projects!

Tag it! OLL #84

2011-07-11T11:02:00.001+01:00

This fortnight OLL has a cool challenge: Tag it!

Make a tag or include a tag on your card.

My card is for a little boy, Jack, who turned 3 last week. The papers are from OLL CDs, while the cute image, coloured with Letraset Promarkers, is from Whimsy Stamps (recently won at a challenge).

Check the OLL website, the DT members have great cards that will inspire you!

(This post has been scheduled since I am on holidays at the time of this challenge; I hope it works out! Wishing you all a happy summer!)

One of my cards has been featured...

2011-07-07T14:00:00.010+01:00

...in Papercraft Inspirations!!!

I am soooo excited!! If you have a copy of the August Issue (#89), check it out - it's out on July 6th in the UK!

The card spotted by the crafts magazine is this one, a square card I made for a little neighbour of ours, who is a big football fan.

Holidays

2011-06-30T18:40:00.009+01:00

For the month of July I will be away and therefore blog less than usual. I apologise for the lack of commenting onto your blogs too; I will do my best to check your beautiful crafty creations whenever I get a chance but may not have the time to tell you how great they are.
I hope you all have a wonderful summer. I should return to some sort of normality in August. Have fun!!

In the meantime I leave you with a funny caption... My little one seems to be talking this very same language!! LOL!

Summer flowers OLL#83

2011-06-27T10:30:00.000+01:00

Good morning! This fortnight at Ooh La la we are looking for creations with summer flowers.
For my shaped card, I used Sunflower image and papers from the Fleur d'Imagination CD. I hope you like the pyramage effect!

My card enters the following challenges:

Anything goes - Here comes the summer

4x4 Fridays - Summer

Wags'n'Whiskers - Summertime

CES challenge - Anything but square
Southern Girls - Anything goes
PaperCrafting Journey - Anything goes

Ruby Wedding Anniversary

2011-06-26T12:34:00.000+01:00

It was my in-laws Ruby Wedding Anniversary yesterday and this is the card I made for them. I have blurred the photo inside to protect their identity; it is a nice, natural-looking one of the two of them at their beautiful garden.
The circle sentiment is from Netty's cards; the inside one I created it myself.
Can you believe it is 26th June already??!! Time flies when you are having fun!!!

Some challenges:

Ladybug Crafts ink - Red

Scrappy Frogs - Simply Red

Little Red Wagon - Anniversary cards

One stitch at a time - Wedding/Sympathy

Southern Girls - Anything goes

Maya Making wishes

2011-06-24T13:42:00.000+01:00

A quick post to show you a birthday card I finished this morning for my son's friend.
The beautiful image, coloured with Letraset Promarkers and highlighted with Stickles, is Maya Making Wishes from Whimsy Stamps (which I won at a Spoon full of Sugar challenge recently); papers are leftovers from my stash, me thinks a download; Cuttlebug embossing folder Happy Birthday; the khaki lace is a beauty - a sort of lacey woolen ribbon, iykwim- that I don't remember where I got from, typical! :-); little flowers and gem from my own stash. Hope you like it (sorry, the photo isn't great but we have a very dull day).

Onto some challenges:

I have used Mojo Monday's sketch 196

Ladybug Crafts Ink - Use some red

Bunny Zoe's Crafts - Fairies

Crafty Calendar - Things with wings

One stitch at a time - Things with wings

The Cheerful Stamp pad - Wingy things
I have a bunch of cards to finish before Monday but might not have time to post them onto the blog. Soooo many cards, soooo little time!!!
Have a nice weekend!

Top 3 Shoe!

2011-06-17T14:08:00.001+01:00

Yey for me! My Twins card was top 3 in the If the Shoe fits... challenge this week. I am delighted with it! Thanks!!!

Baby Ishaan

2011-06-15T11:37:00.000+01:00

Our friends D+D had a baby boy a couple of weeks ago; he was 5 weeks premature so I could not get over how cute and tiny he is when I went to meet him the other day. This card is for him, beautiful baby Ishaan.

Sizzix die cut; blue gingham paper; Circle and oval Nestabilities; polka dot embossing folder; Fiskars border punch; ribbon and pearls from my own stash.

Some challenges:

Digital Tuesday - Get out the gingham

Cupcake crafts - Boy Oh boy

Aly's Sunday challenge - All about kids

The Crazy challenge - Monochromatic

If the shoe fits...- Pearls

Totally Stampalicious - Anything goes

Twins card

2011-06-15T11:14:00.000+01:00

This is a commissioned card for a set of twin boys. The second I received the order I knew what image I wanted to use - I just love these peas in the pod from Bugaboo!!

The backing paper is a download; image from Bugaboo stamps, coloured with Letraset Promarkers; Fiskars border punch; sentiments were computer generated; ribbon and pearls from my own stash.

Onto some challenges:

Cupcake Crafts - Boy oh boy!

Aly's Sunday challenge - All about kids

The Crazy Challange - Monochromatic

One stitch at a time - Tag it

If the Shoe fits... - Pearls

Totally Stampalicious - Anything goes

Father's Day #82

2011-06-13T11:02:00.000+01:00

Good morning! Another Monday and another challenge at Ooh La la; this fortnight we celebrate Father's Day (19th June) /Special Man so make sure you visit the blog and enter your card here.

My card features the new Boys to Men CD; I just love these funny images!

Onto some challenges:

Creative Inspirations - Father's Day card

Crafts us Crazy - Father's Day

SentimentalSundays - Father's Day

Fab'n'Funky - Magnificent Men

The Stamping Boutique - Men Only

Mami Doodles - Card for a Man/boy

Secret Crafter- Male card

The Paper Variety - For the guys

CCEE - Sports Theme

Have a lovely week!

Happy Birthday - OLL challenge #81

2011-05-30T16:42:00.000+01:00

Over at Ooh la la the challenge for this fortnight is an easy one:

Make a Birthday card!

My card for this challenge (#81) uses a beautiful image and papers called Pink Ballerina from the Femme Fatale CD which you can find and purchase online from this site.
I hope you like it!

Onto some challenges:

Stampavie and More - Pink

Ai Factory - Pretty in pink

Totally Papercrafts - Pink and girlie

Scrappy Frogs - Happy birthday

Paper Romance - Distressing

Creative card crew - Anything goes

Truly scrumptious - Anything goes

My time to craft - -Die cut

NSS - Clean and simple with flowers

OLL DT CALL:

If you are interested in becoming a member of the Ooh La la DT, please have a look here. You have until June 12th to apply!

So proud...

2011-05-29T12:56:00.000+01:00

I made this card this morning; it is for my son, 6, who got his School Report for 2010-2011 on Friday. He did excellent in ALL subjects and we are extremely proud of him. Since he has been able to talk he has always expressed an interest in becoming a doctor when he grows up, so I thought the Meljen's image was just perfect for the card. Also, it is mainly in purple, his favourite colour, so I hope he likes it.
By the way, I got the Doctor Bear digital image as part of my prize for the A Spoon Full of Sugar challenge (isn't he cute??!). Nedless to say, I was over the moon to win it and to be able to choose 5 amazing digis from Whimsy Stamps. Thanks!

Onto some challenges:

Pink Gem - sketch

Charisma Cardz - Boy oh boy

Polka Doodles - Male theme + button + circle

Crafts your Days away - Special Man

Crafty Calendar - Teddy bears

Bon Voyage!

2011-05-20T19:29:00.000+01:00

Relatives of ours are emmigrating to France in a couple of weeks; the recession hit them badly and they have decided to start afresh where at least the sun shines :-) Who blames them??!

I made this card using my new 8x8" Kraft cardstock, so it is a rather large card! Vintage Travel papers; both acrylic and digital stamps were used; I paper pieced the suitcases with old newspaper and all edges are distressed with Tim Holtz inks.

Onto some challenges:

Pear Tree Designs - Stamped images (Eiffel Tower, Letter)

Craft Us Crazy - Something new (my new 8x8" kraft cards)

Crafts and Me - Anything goes + kraft

A Spoon full of Sugar - Anything goes

Truly Scrumptious - Anything goes

Crafty Catz - Anything goes

Have a nice weekend!

Never ending card - OLL challenge #80

2011-05-16T08:47:00.000+01:00

Good Monday morning to you all
Another challenge has just started over at Ooh La la; this fortnight the theme is

Fancy Fold

My contribution to the challenge is this never ending card decorated with papers from 2 of the beautiful OLL CDs: All Dressed up and Passion for Fashion. The card has so many folds and sides that gives plenty of room to use many beautiful papers and toppers!

Onto some challenges:

Scrappy Frogs - Anything goes

One stitch at a time - Anything goes

Paper Sundaes - Birthday creations

Crafter's Companion - Girl's birthday

Busy

2011-05-10T17:38:00.000+01:00

I can't believe it is 10th May already!! It's been fairly busy these last few weeks and therefore I have not been very active around Blogworld. So apologies for the lack of posting or even commenting on other people's blogs. Busy why? Well, it's Confirmation and Communion times around this part of the world, and I have been commissioned to make quite a few number of cards - 25 so far! Phew!!

So this is an extremely quick post 'cos I need to finish a couple of cards more for tonight; I leave you with a small collage of my work.
Take care xx

Flip Flop card - Ooh La la #79

2011-05-02T12:06:00.000+01:00

Good morning to you - and a beautiful sunny one it is over here! :-)
Since it is Monday, we have a new challenge over at Ooh La la:

Tres Chic!

The girls in the DT have prepared gorgeous cards and projects for you to be inspired, have a look!

My card is called a flip flop or swing card because.. well, for obvious reasons! LOL! Hope you like it. All papers are from the All Dressed Up CD which you can get from the Ooh La la online shop here.

Onto some challenges:

DYSU - make it pop

Mami Doodles - Girly

Wags'n'whiskers - Die or punch

Pollycraft - Anythign goes

Crafts 4 eternity - Anything goes

Scrappy Frogs - Anything goes

Paper Cutz - Anything goes

Aifactory - Anything goes

Pear tree Designs - Free for all

Front

Back

I am working on a couple of birthday cards at the mo and hoping to post them later. In the meantime - have a nice Monday!!

Football Fan

2011-04-29T16:52:00.001+01:00

My second card today is again, for a child, although slightly older. He is a football and sport fan as you have probably guessed. The football player image is from Bugaboo, coloured with Letraset Promarkers; the backing paper from the new Ooh La la CD, Boys to Men; sticker and cardstock from my own stash; oval and scalloped Nestabilities; the sentiments on the background were computer generated.

Onto some challenges:

Pollycraft - Fun and Games

Bunny Zoe's crafts - For the boys

Simon Says, Moving along with the times, Digi Doodles Best shop - Anything goes

That's all for today, have a nice weekend!!

Party Mouse

2011-04-29T16:31:00.000+01:00

My card today is for a very young neighbour of ours; the digital image, PartyMouse, coloured with Letraset Promarkers, is by Torico and the backing papers from PaperCrafts Inspirations; google eyes and cardstock from my stash.

Onto some challenges:

The Corrosive Challenge - Animals

Bunny Zoe's crafts - For the boys

My time to craft - Perfect pets

Digi Doodles Shop Best - Anything goes

Simon says - Anything goes

Moving along with the times - Anything goes

..and the last one for today

2011-04-21T20:46:00.000+01:00

...another baby card - so many babies around!! :-)

This card is for my partner's little niece who was born a few weeks ago. They are visiting us this weekend so we are all looking forward to meeting the little one.

You probably remember a card of mine with the same layout and similar papers and embellishments. I received so many compliments for it that I decided to re-use the same formula - if it is not broken, don't fix it! ;-)

I am entering the card:

Woodware USA - Die cut/punches

Die Cutting Divas - Tag

Paper Romance - Tag

Papertake Weekly - Spots/stripes

Ladybug Crafts Ink - Anything goes

Happy Easter everyone!

Another baby card

2011-04-21T20:25:00.000+01:00

Yesterday our dear neighbours had a baby boy - this afternoon I had a bit of time to myself and managed to make a card for them. They knew it was going to be a boy and decorated the nursery in white, cream and beige colours so my card follows the same shades; the cute teddy I got for the baby has also these colours, so all well coordinated!

The backing papers are from different sources, all downloaded; the elephant die cut is a Sizzix; the border punch is X-Cut; ribbon and pearls from my own stash.
Hope you like it.

The sketch is from Mojo Monday. I also would like to enter the card onto the following challenges:

Woodware USA - Die cut/punches

Die Cutting Divas - Tag

Paper Romance - Tag it!

Papertake Weekly - Spots n stripes

Creative Inspirations - Pets/Animals

Little Claire Designs - Animals

Ladybug Crafts Ink - Anything goes

Quick baby card

2011-04-20T18:40:00.000+01:00

An urgent card request for a new baby girl. It is a small square card using a Cuttlebug embossing folder, pink gingham paper and a few pearls. A clean, simple and quick card.

Onto some challenges:

Cupcake craft - Lots of Layers

Totally Stampalicious - Keep it simple

Whoopsi Daisy - Free and easy
A Spoon full of Sugar - Let's Celebrate
Top Tip Tuesday - Open challenge
Ladybug crafts inks - Anything goes

We are having smashing weather in Ireland this week; I hope you too are enjoying some sunshine wherever you are!

Aqua, Bling and Sentiment (OLL #78)

2011-04-18T11:06:00.000+01:00

Good morning to you all
Another great challenge is starting today until May 1st over at Ooh La la:

Aqua, Bling and Sentiment.

When we were given the theme a few months ago I immediately thought of making a calendar page; for the last 7 or 8 years, every year, at Christmas, I make a calendar for my mum full of photos of the year just ending - photos we have taken on trips, nice photos, and more recently photos of the kids - a scrapbooking sort of calendar, if you like. And every year I plan to make one calendar/family planner for our kitchen too, altered, decorated, etc. but it all ends up with good intentions and I hardly ever decorate our own calendar; ours hangs on the wall, bare of decorations, but full of notes and Must dos. So with this particular challenge I took the opportunity to decorate at least one page of our calendar and I can now proudly say that the April page on our calendar looks good! :-) I got the inspiration from Lisa Jane, here.

The beautiful aqua papers are from different Ooh La la CDs: Passion for Fashion, Silhouette, Fleur d'Imagination and Watercolour Memories. April is typically a fairly rainy month in the norhtern hemisphere, so I thought the aqua colour was ideal for my calendar page. The sentiment is a musical song - April Showers, which you can listen here.

Here's my calendar page. Thanks for your comments.

Some challenges:

Sarah Hurley - April Showers
Stamp Something - April Showers
Cute Card Thursday - Weather inspired
My Time to Craft - on the Spot
Top Tip Tuesday - Spring has Sprung
Fab'n'Funky - Spotty and Dotty
Daring Cardmakers - Spring

Candy!!!

2011-04-17T15:36:00.000+01:00

Have a look at the great candy from Stampin Fluffnstuff:

Prima Springtime 6x6 Paper Stack

Rose Petal Seam Binding

Flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts
Lili of the Valley Stamp

Hurry up! It closes at 12.30pm GMT, on Saturday 23 April