I made it through Friday the 13th

Evening Everyone
Well it has definitely been Friday the 13th today, I think I should really have stayed in bed.
Still I have made it through, with a couple of minor hiccoughs, and now I have the prospect of a fabulous weekend of Emma sitting to look forward to.

I thought that I would share this little cutie that I made when I was staying with Janice and Andy earlier in the year.

She is one of the Magnolia designs which I have sat on a frame created using a couple of rectangular dies.

The background was created using an embossing folder. and I added a Penny Black butterfly. The colour has all been added using Distress Inks.
Emma and I have managed to visit my Mum (whom she adores) today, although a play date with a friend and her baby didn't happen due to a missed train.
I wonder what we can get up to tomorrow? A trip to the park maybe, although knowing my luck it will rain. It usually does when I am in Horley.
Anyway I survived today so lets see what tomorrow brings.
Have a great weekend.
Hugs Kimx

Cute Cards for Kids

Morning Everyone,
I wonder what the weather will be doing today?
We seem to have gone through snow, a heatwave, and torrential rain, all in the space of a couple of weeks!!
I have been trying to do a little tidying up on my laptop, perhaps it will encourage it to play the game for a while.

It has been a bit of a challenge working out where to start sharing samples with you, so I decided on a few cute cards for kids that I made recently.

This one uses a LOTV topper, papers from my stash and some punched photo corners.

I made a couple of cards using a rather old Tilda image that was lurking in my 'bits box'

They were already coloured in which was a bonus, and I managed to find a few pieces of co-ordinating paper and Card Candi,

The last two have been created using a couple of Penny Black stickeroos. It is amazing what you can find when you have to make a few cards in a hurry.

I hope that you all have a great day, and that the weather is kind. What else can we possibly get weather wise?
Happy Crafting, hugs
Kimx

It's a Baby Girl

Evening Everyone
Another card tonight made with a couple of specific challenges in mind.
This time I took my inspiration from the photograph at
Totally Tilda Challenges

and the Sketch at Sunday Sketch and Stamp.
I would also like to enter it into the challenge over at ABC Challenges  where F is for Favourite Tilda Stamp.
The little cutie that I have used on my card certainly has to be one of my favourites, and is definitely the most well used of all my Tilda stamps.

I have stamped and embossed her onto watercolour card and then coloured her using Brushed Corduroy and Victorian Velvet Distress Ink.

The background paper is a double sided sheet from a Lost and Found 'Blush' 6 x 6 pad.
Once again I have used my favourite Martha Stewaert border punch along the bottom of the panel, and added some Faux stitching around the edge.

The heart has been cut from a piece of white card which was first dry embossed using a Cuttlebug folder.
After cutting the heart out using a Nestie, I sponged it with a combination of Brushed Corduroy and Victorian Velvet ink before adding Walnut Stain Distress Ink around the edge.

By allowing the ink to dry before adding the final coating of Walnut Stain around the edge I was able to heat emboss the edge using clear embossing powder.
The greeting is from Lili of the Valley cut out using a circle punch. I added some tiny dots around the edge.

I'm trying to be good with the envelopes, it is a great way of using up the little left over pieces.
Off to bed now, my cold has really kicked in and I am having trouble breathing, time for some medication I think.
hugs Kimx

Shabby Chic for a Baby Girl

Evening Everyone
I hope that you have had a good day and that you are not too cold.
We don't appear to have any of the thick snow here that the weather men have been predicting.... as yet, I will just wait and see when I peep through the curtains tomorrow morning before I go to work. I suspect that I will be in need of my very unflattering thermal underwear lol.
Now as you know I just love the challenges over at Our Creative Corner, and so no week would be complete without making a card for it.
This week they are looking for Shabby Chic Style, in their words  'Shabby Chic' style is generally characterized by a time-worn look achieved by inking and distressing.  There are layers of softness that can be achieved by the use of ribbon, lace, and crochet trim.  You will need to include feminine embellishments, such as buttons, pearls, glitter, and any other sweet embellishment. 

I have had several Baby Congratulations cards to make this week so it seemed the perfect fit.
I have used a Lili of the Valley pre-coloured image cut out using Labels 22. I added some Antique Linen Distress Ink to the edges of the image while it was still inside the nestie along with a faux stitched border.

The background panel that it is mounted onto is a piece of brown cardstock which has been embossed using a folder designed by Crafts Too.
I distressed it a little and added plenty of Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink.

I used the lovely sketch over at CLP Challenges for my layout.

I also used some gingham, as requested in the challenge at Sweet Stampin.
The other background paper is by Magnolia with my favourite swirl stamped over it using the Brushed Corduroy ink.
Of course no 'Shabby Chic' card would be complete without a few pearls, a ribbon bow and punched border.
Off to bed now, see you tomorrow, lets hope without any of the white stuff :O)
hugs Kimx

Christmas Snowflakes at CraftyHazelnuts challenge.

Morning Everyone,
I hope that you are well and looking forward to a fabulous weekend with plenty of crafting somewhere in the mix.
Today I am pleased to be a Guest over at CraftyHazelnuts Christmas Challenge blog, and boy was it a challenge for me! .

Her sponsor this time is Bugaboo Stamps and as I liked the designs I decided that I would be brave, bite the bullet, and have a go with a digi. Are you not proud of me Lin?

 I used the lovely 'Snowman 4 Square' which I cut up to leave the Snowman standing on his own. 

The greeting is also part of the same image.
I just had to get some real stamping in there, before I got withdrawal symptoms, so used a lovely Magnolia snowflake stamp that I bought at SirStampalot.

As my first attempt with Digi's I am quite pleased with how it turned out, but it would have been nothing without the fabulous background papers that they also provided me with, very generous sponsors indeed.
I added some more stamped and embossed snowflakes, some stitching, punched snowflakes and a couple of lovely charms from my stash.
I hope that you will feel inspired to join in with the challenge.
Must get ready for class now, more Christmas cards at Davina's this afternoon.
Happing Crafting
hugs Kimx

Secret Circles

Hi All
Another fairly early post.
I have been a very good Girl and have caught up on all of my DT commenting today. I've even made notes so that I can help out with choosing a winner if needed. I've impressed myself lol.
I've been trying to get the computer stuff done early so that I can play afterwards, reward for good behaviour don't you know :O)

I made this card at the weekend, and by happy accident found that it fits the challenge over at Secret Crafters Saturday Challenge where they are looking for Circle Cards.

It has been made entirely from items found in my 'Bits Box'.
In fact the only things that I have had to cut from scratch are the main card and the outer black glossy circle.
It's amazing what you can find when you start looking for something completely different - if that makes any sense lol.

Even the flower, which was made at a class some time ago perfectly match my Tilda, how lucky is that!!
Anyway I deserve my reward now, a couple of hours play before bedtime.
Happy Crafting All
hugs Kimx

Guest spot on CCAYR

Hi All
Today I am lucky enough to be the August Guest Designer over at Christmas Cards All Year Round.
The challenge this month is Christmas Kids - make a card suitable to give a child for Christmas.

Now I did get a little bit carried away here and actually made 5 cards.
This first one uses a Lili of the Valley Die cut. The greeting is a Woodware stamp.
The background papers are from my stash and I stamped and embossed some snowflakes using silver embossing powder.

Card number 2 also uses a Lili of the Valley die cut, they really are so useful.
The holly square has been made using a Martha Stewart Punch around the Page.

This little cutie was an image that I found in my Christmas bits box.
I coloured the mitten and then added a couple of layers of embossing powder using a Versamark pen, a very useful tool to have in your workbox.
The holly background paper has been made using a stamp from an Imagination stamp set coloured with Pearlex and then I added a few punched snowflakes.

Another Lili of the Valley die cut, I hope that you don't think they are too similar!!
I cut this one out using one of my Nestabilities and and mounted it onto background paper from my stash which I first stamped and gold embossed using a Magnolia Holly Swirl.

This last card uses a lovely Magnolia image that I coloured ages ago.
This one is quite out of character for me with the spotty panel and snowflakes spilling over the edges of the card.
I hope that you will feel suitable inspired to join in with this great challenge.
I had so much fun adding to my pile of Christmas cards.
With my daughter being a Childminder there are always loads of small people who need a cute card at Christmas, so this has definitely got me off to a good start.
Why not stop by and see what the Design Team have come up with.
Happy Stamping.
hugs Kimx  

Crafty Cardmakers challenge 66 - Fantasy

Evening Everyone.
Today sees the start of another challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers, where our host Lin wants to see a  Fantasy theme to your projects. So dragons, fairies, witches, etc, anything Fantasy or mystical just please make sure that the fantasy element is the main focal point of your creation and not a small fairy charm in the corner for example.
Our two fab sponsors are, Crop Stop with a $15 gift certificate to their store and Di’s Digi Downloads with a $10 gift voucher for their store.

I didn't have any trouble choosing my stamps when it came to this challenge.
What else would I use but Wizard Tilda  and Lillyrose the Dragon. 

I didn't have a suitable background stamp so I made my own on the computer and printed it out. I added distress ink around the edges and stamped the Shooting Star Border into the corners with the same colour ink.

Tilda has been coloured using Distress ink and then placed over an oval panel cut out with a nestie. I added some glossy accents to her glasses.
I sponged a little colour onto the oval with the nestie still in place, and also added a few stamped stars.

The dragon was a little too large so I decided to shrink her so that it looked as if Tilda had done just that.
The only shrink plastic that I could find was frosted so I painted the back of the shrunk dragon with some white acrylic paint to make the colours a little more vibrant.

The main background to the card has been punched using the Woodware Crafty Edger and Star cassette (The other half of the panel from the Woodware 21st Birthday challenge card)
I have added a large punched star behind the Dragon and a liberal sprinkling of smaller stars around the card.
I hope that you will join us HERE and don't forget to check out what the rest of the team have come up with.
hugs Kimx

A Stamped Punched Window

Evening Everyone.
No vellum again tonight I'm afraid, just a card inspired by Mynnette one of my wonderful teamies over at Crafty Cardmakers.
She has started a Technique Tuesday Link Party where she aims to share a new technique on the first Tuesday of the month.
There will be tutorial and a chance to link your own creations. Her first share is a 'Stamped Punched Window' and this is my take on it.

I have used a large Woodware Christmas background which I have stamped and embossed onto white card and then  coloured with blue ink from a Creole Spice Kaleidacolor ink pad.

The 'window' has been cut out using a nestie before any colour was sponged onto the panel, which means that I have been able to leave the nestie in place to create the white border.

I have added some snowflakes with a lovely Magnolia stamp and the same blue ink.
Please pop across to Mynette's BLOG where she give lovely easy to follow instructions on how to make her card, and then maybe you can try it out, just like I did.
Hugs Kimx

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 64 - Time

Evening Everyone
Today we saw the start of a new challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers. 
Our host this time is Jackie. 
She asks that your card should reflect in some way the concept of Time - time passing, time spent, time waiting . . . You can use stamps, digi images, photographs, shop bought embellishments, embossing folders, background images, your own drawings or anything else you can think of.
We are sponsored this time by The Stamp Man who are offering the winner a £10 voucher for their store.
We are also sponsored by Di's Digi Downloads.

When I saw Jackie's challenge I immediately thought of this Mother to be Tilda .
Any Mum will tell you how slowly time seems to pass when you are awaiting the arrival of your new little bundle of Joy.

I have coloured Tilda with my distress inks and mounted her over some DooHickey tags and a Tim Holtz Weathered Clock die.

I have stamped some clocks in the background and on the tags using the Hero Arts Watch Gears and Vintage Sepia Versafine ink.

The background papers are from My Mind's Eye, Stella Rose and KaiserCraft Prairie Lane collections.

The paper behind the large die cut clock has been embossed using Tim Holtz Pocket Watches and Steampunk embossing folder. I applied some Walnut Stain distress ink to this to help highlight  the clock faces in the background.

The greeting is part of a Penny Black set 40-112 WOW.

I added some faux card candy and some more of the smaller watch gears cut out with circular punches.

Don't forget to check out the challenge HERE and stop in on some of the other Design Team members to see what they have created, I know that they would appreciate it.

Happy Crafting

Hugs Kimx

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 62 - A Recipe

Hi All
Today is the start of another challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers, and it is my first time ever as host.
We are sponsored this time by DI'S DIGI DOWNLOADS with a fabulous $10 Gift Voucher.  

 

I thought long and hard about what to choose for my challenge, before I finally came up with a recipe, well I do like cooking as well as crafting after all.
I picked a 1,2,3 Recipe - 1 Image, preferably stamped, 2 Design Papers and 3 Embellishments, one of which must be a heart.
Please list the ingredients that you have used for your recipe in your post.

The image I have used is Tilda wearing Love Jumper which I have coloured using my Distress inks. I cut her out and added a stitched border using a fine black pen, before mounting her onto some dark blue card.

The background papers are from my stash and have Pinecone ink tapped around the edges.

I have a couple of very old Pigment ink cubes, hopeless for stamping with as they are too old and dry, but perfect for adding a bit of colour to the edge of background papers and cards.

I added some fine glitter, stardust pen and glossy accents to the image.

For my embellishments I added a die cut heart by Marianne Creatable and a DooHickey Small Vintage Daisy and some ribbon.
I must admit that I didn't realize how hard it would be to stick to my own recipe. I don't usually give much thought to just how many extra little bits I add to my cards, peel-off dots, gems, die cut flourishes to name just a few lol.
Please help me out by leaving me a list of the ingredients you have used in your recipe, but above all HAVE FUN, that's what it is all about after all.
Happy Crafting.
Hugs Kimx

Seems a Little Sketchy - Thinking of You

 
Hello Everyone, Happy New Year.
Did you see the firework display in London on the TV last night it was absolutely fantastic?
Well I made it through another New Years Eve. It has never been my favourite time of the year, made even worse 10 years ago by the death of my son Adam.
I lit a candle and took flowers. In fact the Grandchildren all came with me which was nice. Saskia wanted to know when he was going to pop up, which took a little explaining that he wouldn't, but at least it made me smile lol.

I have several friends who also find this time of year hard so there have been quite a few Thinking of You cards to be sent. This one is on its way to Spain.
The main image is by Clarity Asian Bamboo, and has been stamped onto a piece of handmade background paper from my stash.

I cut the image out using a nestie and mounted it over background papers layered to fit the sketch over at Seems a Little Sketchy.
The ribbon is from Woodware.
The greeting has also been cut out using a nestie, which has been left in place while distress ink is sponged over the image. This is what creates the thin white line around the edge once the nestie has been removed. 

I added some swirls to the background panels using my favourite Magnolia Swirl Flourish. I also added some stitching using a fine black pen.
Everyone has had a nice lazy morning, so the chaos and noise hasn't kicked in yet, it's only a matter of time, I can hear footsteps on the stairs.
Have a great day, and once again I hope that you all have a very Happy New Year.
Happy Crafting.
Kimx