Wedding season

I'm sorry if all my cards are a bit samey these days - I've been quite busy with commissions lately and everyone wants the same sort of thing.  This is another wedding card made with a lot of help from my cricut and of course featuring an acetate dome and a few goodies for Wild Orchid Crafts. The top hat (cut at 5") and tiara (cut at 3") were cut from the Wedding Solutions cartridge and the doily inside is from Mothers Day 2010.  I'd like to enter this card into this weeks Fantabulous Circut Challenge #121 Wedding Bliss :)

Another book card

These cards are proving very popular and I've been asked to make a few of them.  I don't really like making the same card over and over again so I decided to follow a sketch with this one.  As you can see I didn't use my main image in the sketch but substituted the sentiment. 

     

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I'd like to enter this into sketch saturday challenge #216

Book card

This is the second of these cards I've made. To be honest I preferred the first one I made but of course I didn't take a picture of it before it was collected.  Always the way isn't it.
I used papermania papers, Wryn and Emmy BFF digi and a Whimsy sentiment stamp.  The other sentiment and bunting I created on the pc.
There was a lot of folding to create the 'pages' of the book, so I thought I would enter this month's cupcake craftroom challenge - which is layers.   Laters ;)

sketch and stash, and stash and stash

This card may look simple, I suppose it is simple but, my oh my it was a labour of love.  My sister in law asked me to make a couple of cards for her sister, one from her, one from my nephews, I decided to follow the sketch at Sketch N Stash.  Its a really straight forward sketch but could I make it work - this was actually my third attempt.  I don't know what was wrong with the other two but they really didn't work.  I'm happy with this one though and thankfully so is my SIL and her boys.
The sentiment is computer generated, the doily I cut on my cricut and every thing else is from kanban.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges
Sketch N Stash #91
Celebrate the Occasion #70 Happy Birthday
J & C Creations Anything Goes

:-h Hi, if anyone is still here that is.  I'm still struggling for internet access but we are due to be reconnected on 17th July so normal service should resume about then.  I thought I would share another wedding card I made recently - sorry it's so similar to the last card I blogged.  I have actually  made quite a few others but, I didn't manage to get any pics of them before the were collected.   I feel I should also apologise for my lack of commenting.  My teeny weeny mobile internet gizmo just isn't up to it.  I will makes amends however when we are reconnected.

No internet and another wedding card

I have had no broadband for what seems like an eternity - its still not sorted, so today I caved and bought a mobile internet dongle thingy-ma-jig.  Hallelujah, we have internet access - albeit slow internet access.
While I may not have been blogging I have still been making cards, mostly for weddings and all along the same lines.  I thought I would share this one tonight as I had to email the pictures to the customer.
Thank you for not deserting me.  I'm off to catch up with all your lovely blogs.  xx

Boys birthday card

The wedding card I made for a friend went down really well, so I could not help myself from reaching for the acetate again. This card features "Scooter Boy" from LOTV.   I stamped him twice and used one of the images as a shadow behind my acetate dome.  I used an old cuttlebug folder to add a bit of texture to one of the papers (which were a freebie from a magazine) and followed this weeks sketch from Sketch n Stash.  The sentiment is computer generated and the embellishments are all from my stash.

I'm entering this card into the following challenges

Sketch n Stash #89
Papertake Weekly Anything goes
Lilli's Little Fairies Anything goes

Remember when

My card today was inspired by this photo.  Its a picture of my mum taken when she was pregnant with me and I adore it (and her).  My mum hates getting her picture taken, always has and always will. I don't know why cos while she doesn't look quite like this any more she still takes a great photo.

I've used a saturated canary image, which I've had a wee while but was a bit intimidated about colouring.  This was my fourth attempt, I don't think the other three efforts will ever see the light of day.  I still need a lot of practice using my copics but can see an improvement albeit slowly.  I used liquid pearls to colour the background to try and create the illusion of light.  The papers are so old I have no idea where they are from and the ribbon which is gorgeous in real life is from the Ribbon girl.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges

Joanna Sheen Remember When
Wishcraft Waste not Wed #21

Wedding

This is a card I made for a friend of mine who's friend is getting married on Saturday.   Cathy asked me to make something special and I wasn't too sure where to start but once I started the card almost made itself.  I was thrilled with how it turned out and Cathy was really pleased too.  

I dusted off my cricut for this one and it was actually a pretty simple card to put together.  Its hard to see in the pictures but the first couple of layers are directly on the card, then I added a dome using acetate and added the rest of the embellishments, which include WOC flowers, spellbinder diecuts and gems.  

Unfortunately the box - which I also made, eventually, wasn't as easy to do. The finished card is approx 8inches square and 2inches deep ( I got a little carried away with the acetate) but I got there in the end.

Inside that troublesome box

Removable card to write personal message

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges

J&C Creations #1 All that glitters

Celebrate the occasion #64 Anything goes

Crafting for all seasons #28 Many layers

Creative Inspiration #165 Diamonds

Creative Belli blog #144 wedding

Simon says Anything goes

Diva's by design #39 Anything goes

Fab n Funky Celebrations 

Here comes summer.

 This is a "The Greeting Farm" stamp I bought a couple of years ago and never got to use.  You would not believe the amount of stamps I have that have never seen ink, but in my defence, at least I am doing something about it now.  The papers are mostly freebies from magazines, again most likely bought some time ago with the exception of the background I made using a whimsy vintage postcard stamp.  Even though I have a quite a bit of stuff to use from a while ago I still can't resist the odd shopping spree, the tickets are also whimsy stamps (and die) and the little bird and flowers are from ebay.  I followed the current sketch from Retro Sketches.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges
Retro Sketches #12
Joanna Sheen "Happy Birthday"

An old fashioned wedding?

Just a quick card I made when I was playing with my new spellbinders dies.  I was quite happy with this one until I showed to my husband and he asked if it was for an older couple cos' it looked old fashioned.

Super striker

I finally got the chance to colour one of my new LOTV stamps.  Being mum to two yr old Jack and auntie to four young nephews I think these stamps will gets lot of use.  I've left this one without a sentiment because there a few birthdays coming up and I haven't decided which birthday boy will receive this one yet.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges.
Sketch Sat #207
Papertake Weekly In the garden
Crafty Sentiments Bingo ( patterned paper, coloured image and Die cut)
Fab N Funky #121 Use fabric
Whimsy #39 Anything goes

(Another) One for the boys

I really struggle with making cards for boys and men and as the fairer sex is definitely out numbered in my family that is something I need to change.  I'm also quite keen to use some of my lovely but neglected stash.  All of which led to my latest creation.

The decoupage is from create and craft, the papers DCWV, the moonstone brads from WOC and the rosette was, probably pretty obviously made by me.
I'm entering this card into the following challenges

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Theme "Cute cute cute"
Diva's by Design #34 One for the boys
Retrosketches #11

A re-do

before

This card (original post here) has been on my desk from February waiting for me to decorate the inside and, while I still haven't did that I did play about with the embellishments and am much happier with the result.

after

Absolutely Fabulous

:-h  First of all I'd like to say a big thank you for all the lovely comments I read on my "Daddy's Shoes" card and hi to any new followers.  It's so nice, and a bit of a relief  knowing I'm not talking to myself - although tbh I do that anyway.
I very recently turned 40 and I've made a couple of resolutions.  Firstly to get a bit more organised which will hopefully help free up some time and allow me to craft and therefore post more regularly. The second is to learn to drive.  To my total embarrassment, I've never actually held a provisional license or had a lesson.  Wish me luck, to tell you the truth I don't know which is going to be more difficult.

This card may look a bit familiar.  It was made from the same Kanban design sheet as this one.  The new trying to be organised me decided to use what was on by desk rather than starting a new project from scratch.
I followed this Sketch, although it may be a bit hard to tell as their main image was oval and mine is a rectangle - I hope it still counts and am entering it into the following challenges.  xx

Sketch Saturday #206 
Wishcraft #8 Waste not Wed
Fab n Funky #120 Buttons and bows
Crafty Sentiments Designs Mothers Day
Celebrate the Occasion #62 Mothers Day

Daddy's shoes

I want to enter this card into a few challenges including DP2 which is about to close, so more pictures and all the details to follow shortly :)

Doesn't this look like a very simple card?  This card nearly drove me crazy.  Everything that could go wrong did go wrong, I had to colour the image twice, because my two year old got hold of the first one and improved it - the only part I could salvage were the shoes so, I painstakingly cut them out, intending to decoupage them only to lose one of them.  I broke the C plate of my cuttlebug embossing the nesties - embossing which you can hardly even notice!  Believe it or not, I could go on but I won't - other than to say, to top it all I've had to spend the best part of the last hour looking for the list of challenges I was going to enter. Okay I'm really finished moaning now.

My image is Daddy's Shoes available from Mo's Digital Pencil coloured with copics.  The papers are DCVW "The Linen Closet" and the belt was created by my good self using Cuttlebug's Tiny Circles embossing folder and a buckle from one of my old shoes :)

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges.

Mo's Digital Challenge #132 Favourite colour combo with Mo image

Celebrate The Occasion #61 Male birthday (must use a circle)

Quixotic Inspirations Sketch Challenge #6

Fathers Day Card

In an attempt at becoming more organised I've made a start on this years Fathers Day cards.  Fathers Day falls on June 17th this year, so I really am starting early, astonishingly early for me in fact, as I can usually be found still finishing cards on the big day itself - whatever the big day may be.    I'm also sorting through my crafty stash and finally using what I find.

This card has been made using a Redhotbed "clutter card" decoupage sheet, DCWV "all about boys" backing papers and American Craft badges.  I followed sketch 67 at Papertake Weelkly, but was having problems deciding on the finishing touches it needed when I remembered a fabulous card I had seen recently.  Tracy's cards are all amazing and as soon as I saw the tabs on her tiny blessings card I knew I was going to try them - although I didn't think it would be so quite so soon.  It still needs something in the bottom left hand corner, but I  don't know what yet so have decided to leave it for the minute and hope inspiration strikes.

Result!  While I was tidying my desk I found some male themed die-cuts I'd taken out earlier to maybe use on my card.  Of course, I forgot all about them once they were buried under a pile of papers, but lo and behold amongst them was the (I think) perfect finishing touch to that left hand corner.  I love it when that happens.

Scottie Dog, Drawer Easel Card,

I guess the title of this post is pretty self explanatory.  :)

The image and backing papers are from Kanban, which again I've had a while.  The actual 'drawer easel card' is from a set I bought a couple of weeks ago from createandcraft.tv.  They are really easy to put together, the only down side is although it mentions envelopes in the product description, the two sets I bought didn't come with any.  Not that I think envelopes would be much use as the finished product is quite thick. I've been practising making boxes but they still aren't turning out great so if any one has any foolproof tips they would be greatly appreciated - with the emphasis being on foolproof. 

Update - Not exactly a box but a solution.

Well this is my solution to my easel drawer card problem.  Its probably not too clear from my crummy pictures but instead of making a box for my drawer front card I created a sleeve - much easier, faster and not as "homemade" looking as some of my attempts at boxes.  I think the problem was that I was a little over enthusiastic when decorating my easel card which meant that my box needed to be over two inches deep to accommodate the easel card and the drawer.  I'd love to know what other people think of this.  Is it a "lazy" alternative to a box or does it work?  

Sketch n Stash Challenge 86

Its been a while since I made a card and even longer since I made one that didn't have a stamped and hand coloured image.   To be honest my crafty time is very limited, it takes me a long to colour an image and even longer to put the whole card together.  Part of the problem is I'm very indecisive but most of the problem is I'm very  messy disorganised.  Anyway while I was trying to tidy my craft room I founds lots of stuff I bought a long long time ago and thought it was about time I put it to good use.

The topper and sentiment is from Kanban, the backing papers are K&Co and the crown charm and buttons are from my stash.   As I've had these at least a couple of years I doubt they are still available however, the sketch I followed is the current challenge at Sketch N Stash and there is plenty of time to join in.