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Monday 31 July 2017

CHNC challenge extra for August 2017


As it's the 1st of the month, it's time for CHNC challenge extra for August 2017. Please click on the link to find out all about it, see the lovely designs of my DT ... and I hope you will get out your Christmas stash and join in the challenge - we are now beginning August, so it makes sense to get on with Christmas designs now before it becomes a panic.

Bugaboo Stamps always generously sponsor my CHNC challenge extra and provide images for the team to use and showcase. The image I've used is Christmas jar, which is the pre-coloured version. Papers are from my offcuts box, using the old trick on top and bottom from one piece with another across it because the original piece wasn't big enough to cover the card blank. Glittered poinsettias from Hobbycraft, Santa from The Works, candy canes from stash.


This is also for:

Bugaboo crafty challenge 7: anything goes with a Bugaboo image
12 months of Christmas link up 32: anything goes
Crafting by designs: get ready for Christmas
Art at Stampz by Star: Christmas in July
A gem of a challenge 199: Christmas in July
Crafty friends 63: Christmas in July
Hiding in my craft room 311: freestyle Christmas in July
Jingle belles: here comes Santa Claus
Winter wonderland: use a digi image
Ooh-la-la 234: anything goes

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper August 2017 challenge


It's the 1st of the month and that means that there is a new challenge over on my Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper challenge blog.

This is my card for my Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper August 2017 challenge. Please click on the link to find out what it's about and see the lovely inspirational designs by my team. We hope you will join in our challenge ... as often as you like throughout the month of August as long as you use some patterned paper.

This was a commissioned card, using papers from

I was asked to make it black and white with pin houses - the glittered pink houses were from a Christmas kit from long ago with other bits and pieces from stash.



This is also for:

DL.ART thankful Thursday 209: happy birthday
Cute card Thursday 488: anything goes
Ooh-la-la 234: anything goes
Craftaholics R us 29: anything goes
Use your stuff free week
Eclectic Ellapu August: anything goes
Paru August: anything goes

Saturday 29 July 2017

CHNC challenge 344

This is my card for my CHNC challenge 344 - please click on the link to see what it's all about and I hope you will join in with the challenge - it makes sense to get on with Christmas creations while there is plenty of time to enjoy doing so without any panic ... although time is rushing by because by the end of this challenge we will be into August!

The optional theme for CHNC challenge 344 is 'gingerbread'... but anything  goes as long as it's Christmas.

For my card I used papers from Cosy Christmas collection, a piece of gingerbread grosgrain ribbon from Crafty Ribbons, a Belle & Boo stitched label, and a pack of 4 felt gingerbread embellishments, all of which can be won as the prize for the randomly chosen winner of CHNC challenge 344.


This is also for:

12 months of Christmas 31: anything goes
Crafting by designs: get ready for Christmas
Art at Stampz by Star: Christmas in July
A gem of a challenge 199: Christmas in July
Crafty friends 63: Christmas in July
If you give a crafter a cookie 74
Crafty sentiments: anything goes
Craftaholics R us 29: anything goes
Crafty gals corner 133: anything goes
The paper shelter 304: anything goes
Simon says Wednesday: anything goes
Cute card Thursday 488: anything goes
Brown sugar 261: anything goes
Morgan's ArtWorld 15: anything goes
Polka doodles week 30: anything goes

Wednesday 26 July 2017

WOYWW 425


It's Wednesday, so it's time for WOYWW 425 - please click on the link to find out what it's all about (is there anyone in the crafting world who doesn't know what it is?!?!) and join in the fun.

On my WOYWW last Wednesday I said: 'I hope to return again next week and show some more of my craft room - in fact, I'd like to think that the sorting and labelling will be finished ... but I keep hoping that - lol!.'

Well, I'm pleased to say that quite a lot of progress has been made and I'm able to share quite a lot of photos, although it's still a work in progress ... think it might always be, although I really do like to be organised and long for the day when everything's sorted and labelled. I think I've come to the conclusion that I have too much crafting stuff ... did I actually just say that - lol!! Surely, you can never have too much!

The room that I craft in is really a second bedroom, but there's no way that you could get a bed on here - lol! There's a built in wardrobe - we use the right hand part of it to store our coats, but the left hand side is shelved, so that houses some of my crafting stuff. Because the shelves are deep, I have to put boxes in front of boxes which does mean that I need to remember what's behind. It's been very helpful to have everything out to sort through, although I confess that some of the boxes have gone back without being labelled because I ran out of enthusiasm. My ultimate plan is to draw up some sort of table that shows what's on each shelf and stick into inside the door ... but there are lots of other things to be done first.





And then there are the trolleys that house my really useful boxes - they came with us in the move from our maisonette. I've been through quite a lot of the boxes, sorted and labelled, but there are still some to do. We recently had the shelf put in above some of the trolleys so that I could display some of my wooden stamps and I couldn't resist putting the fairy house in the middle.





The big box on top of the right hand trolley is to house any 'work in progress' (really meaning anything that needs to be put somewhere ... but where?!!

As for my workdesk, you can see that there's only essentials on there atm, including the vital cup of coffee ...  and labels still to be put on the right boxes and the dymo at the ready to create more.

Although it might look organised ... well, it is to a certain extent ... there are still boxes that need to be sorted a bit more and labelled. I think now I need to have a rest from it all and get some stuff out on to the workdesk and make some more cards.

Now I'm off to link this for WOYWW 425 and then have a look at what others have been up to - that might be a bit later today.

Tuesday 25 July 2017

Girlie card


This is a commissioned girlie card to be given to a granddaughter. The picture on the left is one that I found free on the internet. The picture on the right and the flowers were from an old Kanban kit. The sentiments were put on to labels made with a todo cross hatch die. The Happy Birthday at the top was punched through the card blank and a piece of red card was put across the card underneath.



This is for:

Paru  July: birthday
Cutie pie 113: here come the girls
International art & soul 13: dies
Simon says Monday: you've got the edge (the punched top)
Tuesday throwdown 353: black & white + 1 other colour
Double D: black & white with a pop of colour
Daisy chain 10: floral
Pile it on 132: something beginning with S: sassy
City crafter: something beginning with S: sassy

Tulips in summer?


I know tulips aren't seasonal atm, although it seems nowadays you can get almost anything regardless of the season.

Anyway, papers, tulips and swirl from an Anna Griffin kit long ago. I love the paper on the left - it's embossed with something that feels like velvet. I used a piece of sticky ribbon to join the two papers.



This is for:

Paru  July: birthday
Fab n funky 360: use a patterned paper
Daisy chain 10: floral
Ike's world 93: anything goes + option: bunch of kindness
Pile it on 132: something beginning with S: swirls
City crafter: something beginning with S: swirls

For a special lady on her 90th birthday


I was commissioned to make this card by a lady who is a retired Salvation Army officer, for her to send to someone she trained with for her 90th birthday - hence the picture of the flag with the date of when they were Ambassadors together. I used papers etc from the Crafter's Companion Downton Abbey kit, including one of those lovely domed metal and glass framed picture that matches the main one and the background paper is very glittery (if that's a word - lol!).

Sorry it's such a dark picture ... and the card has gone now,. so I can't take another.



This is for:

Paru  July: birthday
Fab n funky 360: use a patterned paper
Daisy chain 10: floral
Ike's world 93: anything goes + option: bunch of kindness
Paper sweeties July: red, white & blue
Crafty girlz July: anything goes + option: red, white & blue
Pile it on 132: primary colours or something beginning with S: special day
City crafter: something beginning with S: special day

Monday 24 July 2017

Just a note to say ...


The fairy and butterflies are flying in again to say 'just a note to say ...' Background paper, topper and sentiment oval are from the Flower Fairies magazine freebie and glittered raised butterflies from Poundland.


This is for:

Country view crafts July: things with wings
Fab n funky 360: use a patterned paper
Daisy chain 10: floral
Cupcake inspirations 415: in the garden
My time to craft 350: in the garden
Come and get it: summertime
Creatalicious 119: anything goes + option: summer
Cute card Thursday 487: summer colours
Eclectic Ellapu July: summer colours
Ike's world 93: anything goes + option: bunch of kindness

The flower fairies are back ...


... with just a note to say ...

Another card made with paper and toppers from a Flower fairies magazine freebie kit.

It doesn't really show on here, but the background of the toppers has a very light lilac with white spots to compliment the background paper.


This is for:

Country view crafts July: things with wings
Fab n funky 360: use a patterned paper
Daisy chain 10: floral
Creatalicious 119: anything goes + option: summer
Cute card Thursday 487: summer colours
Eclectic Ellapu July: summer colours
Ike's world 93: anything goes + option: bunch of kindness
Stempelgarten 62: anything that can fly

Up, up and away ....


I made this card just now for no reason other than just because I could - lol!

Background paper is from an Up & away  pad by Mindy Terasawa that I've had for a long time and haven't used much of it. I like the way there are little hearts hanging from the clouds.

I found a free image for cloud background and also a lovely hot air balloon with rainbow colours. The balloon was on a white background so I layered it digitally on to the clouds background and used a 'fade' brush to get rid of the white surrounds of the balloon. I added the sentiment digitally. I then printed out and added on to the background and on to a card blank. I then dotted some blue gems randomly around the image.

Inspired by the photo for Calling all sistahs July challenge:



This is for:

AAA cards 95: rainbow
Scrapping4fun 95: bon voyage/vacation
QKR stampede 253: up, up and away
Fab n funky 360: use a patterned paper
Come and get it: summertime
Cute card Thursday 487: summer colours
Card mania 94: summer fun
Cute as a button 36: summer fun
Eclectic Ellapu July: summer colours
Creatalicious 119: anything goes + option: summer
Cards und more 14: anything goes with summer
Creative craft cottage digi creations 77: anything goes
Artistic inspirations 104: anything goes
Crafting from the heart 169: anything goes

Sunday 23 July 2017

Where are the flower fairies?


This card was made with more of the paper and toppers from the magazine Flower Fairies freebies ... but there's not a fairy in sight - lol! Instead there are lots of lovely purple/lilac flowers, spotty paper and lemon yellow with lots of love.


This is for:

Fab n funky 360: use a patterned paper
Daisy chain 10: floral
Cupcake inspirations 415: in the garden
My time to craft 350: in the garden
Creatalicious 119: anything goes + option: summer
Cute card Thursday 487: summer colours
Eclectic Ellapu July: summer colours
Cards und more 14: anything goes with summer
Ike's world 93: anything goes + option: bunch of kindness

More flower fairies


Another card made with paper and toppers from a magazine freebie, plus raised up glittered butterflies from Poundland.


This is for:

Butterfly challenges 82: butterflies + colour or orange peel
Country view crafts July: things with wings
In the pink 123: fantasy
Fab n funky 360: use a patterned paper
Cupcake inspirations 415: in the garden
My time to craft 350: in the garden
Come and get it: summertime
Creatalicious 119: anything goes + option: summer
Cute card Thursday 487: summer colours
Eclectic Ellapu July: summer colours
Cards und more 14: anything goes with summer

Flower fairies


This is a CAS card made with paper and toppers from a Flower Fairies magazine freebie, with a glittered butterfly from a set from Poundland, raised up with foam.


This is for:

Paru  July: birthday
Crafty sentiments: clean and simple
Through the purple haze 129: anything with wings
Country view crafts July: things with wings
Scrap-cards 98: things with wings

Mum, my best friend


Another commissioned card, this time using card and elements from a Kanban Dawn Bibby set that was bought years ago ... and there's still lots of it left. The sentiment was generated on computer and printed out on to the die cut label that was cut with a todo cross hatch die. Flowers from Hobbycraft.

A poor  photo - the background card is mirror foiled (much prettier than it looks here).


This is for:

Daisy chain 10: floral
Noor July: use die cuts
International art & soul 13: dies
Fab n funky 360: use a patterned paper
Ike's world 93: anything goes + option: bunch of kindness
Fussy & fancy 192: anything goes
Polka doodles week 29: anything goes
Paru  July: birthday

Saturday 22 July 2017

Pokemon birthday


I was asked to make a card for an 8 year old boy who loves anything Pokemon. I googled and found various images that I could download for free and printed out, cutting round the top left image and raising up with foam pads. I added the sentiment digitally on computer and then printed out on the surrounding image and cut out.


This is for:

Paperminutes 496:  it's party time
Crafty catz 380: anything goes + option: party time
Fussy & fancy 192: anything goes
Polka doodles week 29: anything goes
Jo's scrap shack 198: anything goes
Paru  July: birthday
Crafting with friends 48: anything goes
Creative craft cottage 92: anything goes

Another birthday card for Joe

This is the second commissioned card for Joe. I used papers from Papermania Mister set (12 x 12 cut down for A5 card) and a car topper from Kanban long ago.


This is for:

Fab n funky 360: use a patterned paper
Jo's scrap shack 198: anything goes
Make my Monday 50: travel
Paru  July: birthday
Crafting with friends 48: anything goes

Happy birthday Joe


I was commissioned to make two birthday cards for Joe - this is the first. I used papers from Papermania Mister set (12 x 12 cut down for A5 card) and a car topper from Kanban long ago. The birthday sentiment was upcycled from an old card received. Just the addition of the J O E and the card was done.


This is for:

Fab n funky 360: use a patterned paper
Jo's scrap shack 198: anything goes
Make my Monday 50: travel
Paru  July: birthday
Crafting by designs: recycle, reuse, repurpose
Crafting with friends 48: anything goes

CHNC challenge 343


This is my card for my CHNC challenge 343 - please click on the link to see what it's all about and I hope you will join in with the challenge - it makes sense to get on with Christmas creations while there is plenty of time to enjoy doing so without any panic ... and we are now getting towards the end of July.

The optional theme for CHNC challenge 343 is 'use an embossing folder'... but anything  goes as long as it's Christmas.

For my card I used a Delicious Doodles image called snowy postbox, colouring just the post box with a red spectrum noir pen, using a blender to make it look a bit old in places. I used a piece of holographic red mirror card with small stars all over it and ran it through an embossing folder by Embossalicious called 'let it snow'. The nordic woven ribbon, sentiment banner and flowers with pearls are from stash.

Not an easy card to get a good photo because of the reflection from the mirror  card, which looks darker than it is irl.



This is also for:

12 months of Christmas 31: anything goes
Dragonfly journeys 96: Christmas in July
Cardz 4 guyz 174: Christmas in July
Deep ocean 159: Christmas in July
Pinspirational 195: snow, red
Crafty gals corner 132: Christmas in July
Little red wagon 403: Christmas in July
Art at Stampz by Star: Christmas in July
A gem of a challenge 199: Christmas in July
Aud sentiments 184: Christmas in July + a sentiment
Cardz 4 galz 52: Christmas or winter (think this could be for male or female)
CRAFT 425: Christmas
A snowflakes promise 42: anything goes
Winter wonderland: use a digi image
ABC Christmas: O for old - all supplies are old
Hiding in my craft room 310: any holiday
The paper shelter 303: holiday time
Monochrome magic 3: anything goes monochrome
Pile it on 132: primary colours

Thursday 20 July 2017

Home for Christmas


When I saw the prompt for Pinspirational 195, I thought straight away of a Hunkydory topper that I knew I had somewhere. I have a few boxes with Christmas stuff ... eventually I found it and so I've used it on this card. I backed it with a dark blue snowflake piece of card, backed on to a pearlescent red card blank. I added a piece of glittered washi tape across the top, a  sentiment 'A very Happy Christmas' across the topper and some punched snowflakes using some silver mirror card snippets.

This is the prompt picture for Pinspirational 195:


and here is my card (very difficult to get a photo ... tried several times ... because of the foiling, including silver foiling on the car that doesn't show up):


This is also for:

12 months of Christmas 31: anything goes
Dragonfly journeys 96: Christmas in July
Cardz 4 guyz 174: Christmas in July
Deep ocean 159: Christmas in July
Crafty gals corner 132: Christmas in July
Creative moments 122: anything goes + option: Christmas in July
Little red wagon 403: Christmas in July
Cardz 4 galz 52: Christmas or winter (think this could be for male or female)
CRAFT 425: Christmas
Aud sentiments 184: Christmas in July + a sentiment
Hiding in my craft room 309: Christmas in July
Di's digis: Christmas in July
The paper shelter 303: holiday time
A snowflakes promise 42: anything goes
The merry Christmas 26: pattern paper
ABC Christmas: O for old - all supplies are old
Fab n funky 360: use a patterned paper
Pile it on 132: primary colours
Make my Monday 50: travel

Repurposed diamond anniversary card


I was asked to make a diamond wedding anniversary card with very little time to get it done. I looked through my dwindling stock of cards and remembered one that I did and blogged here:


I took off the birthday greeting panel and added two other sentiment panels instead, adding the hearts, which actually look the right colour on the card, but look  odd here because of the flash photo (no time to take any better one as I had to hand the card over quickly). I took out the centre of the big flower and added a silver 60 instead, adding some silver gems - adding the same top right and bottom left (hard to see on the photo).


The recipient was pleased, which is the main thing - wish the quick photo did it more justice.

This is for:

Crafting by designs: recycle reuse repurpose
Nordsalten hobbyklubb 159: anniversaries
Fab n funky 360: use a patterned paper

Golf 80th birthday


This is a commissioned card. The sentiment card is Kanban and the golfing background paper was from PDA card and craft a long time ago. Stickers were from a set - the gold bag is like a faux leather - lots of texture.


This is for:

Moving along with the times 50: age as a focal point
Paru  July: birthday
Fab n funky 360: use a patterned paper

For a wonderful daughter


Another commissioned card, this time for a daughter for her birthday. Background paper is Crafter's Companion Downton Abbey (lovely and glittery, but doesn't show up here. The rose topper is from a little vintage booklet from The Works and the butterfly with pearls added and the flower and sentiments are from stash.


This is for:

Paru  July: birthday
Fab n funky 360: use a patterned paper
Alphabet: I for insects
Country view crafts July: things with wings
Through the purple haze 129: anything with wings
Scrap-cards 98: things with wings

Layers and layers of flowers for birthday


This was a commissioned birthday card for someone who loves flowers and gardening. I used Hunkydory supplies, using the topper as a 'window' on to the fainter picture underneath.. It was very fiddly to add all the little pots and layers of flowers, but worth it for the final result.


This is for:

Paru  July: birthday
Mod squad: layered florals
Daisy chain 10: floral
Fab n funky 360: use a patterned paper
My time to craft 350: in the garden
Cute card Thursday 487: summer colours
Eclectic Ellapu July: summer colours
Cards und more 14: anything goes with summer

Racing along to wish happy birthday


This was a commissioned card for a 50th birthday for someone who loves formula 1 etc. It's difficult to see in the photo, but the pennants spell out HAPPY BIRTHDAY - a fiddly job, but worth it. Supplies are Hunkydory.


And the inside decorated:


This is for:

Moving along with the times 50: age as a focal point
Paru  July: birthday
Make my Monday 50: travel
Fab n funky 360: use a patterned paper
Word art Wednesday 292: anything goes

Wednesday 19 July 2017

Another birthday card


Another birthday card with Anna Griffin paper background, two different lots of lace and plenty of layered flowers coloured in the centres with a pink spectrum noir pen.


This is for:

Fab n funky 360: use a patterned paper
Use your stuff 272: colour splash - only black & white plus one colour
Double D: black & white with a pop of colour
Paru  July: birthday
Mod squad: layered florals
Crafty creations 346: anything goes
Word art Wednesday 292: anything goes