I've got a thing for Easel cards at the moment - this is one we did last night at the class and I used some new stamps I've just had in stock. You must see them they are soooo cute. Pop along here for a lookie. The papers are Cosmo Cricket mini decks - Early Bird.

Just a quickie post today, as I've got loads to do. Be back again soon.

Flippin' Cricket!

This is a commissioned card for a 30th Birthday - the spec given was that the guy loved cricket and liked a drink so I thought this 'Flippin' Cricket' decoupage sheet by La Pashe, fitted the bill perfectly. I used the cricket pitch on the front and on the inside of the card which, along with the cricket ball I found on google - I just added the text in my graphics programme. The border down the side is done with the Parisian punch by EK success.

I just noticed that you can see my reflection in the acetate from when I took the photo - not very professional but too late now cos the ladies just collected the card, so can't take another one.

SC Saturday Challenge - Week 58

Hello crafters!

So sorry I haven't been around for the past 3 weeks - I've been in hospital for an operation on my ear and things didn't quite go to plan but I'm now bionic and can hear so much better than before so it was all worthwhile.

The Design Team over at the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge have, as usual done a wonderful job with their designs and this week the theme has been set by Donna and she has chosen:-

FOUR SEASONS

You can put all 4 seasons on your project or just choose one, it's up to you.

I chose 'Winter' as I was itching to use this stamp and also I missed last weeks theme which was Easel cards and I was dying to have a go so I combined the easel card and winter together. My first attempt at colouring the robins was binned as I was going from memory and it just didn't look right so I found a photo of a robin on google and this second attempt was much better. You can't tell from the photo but I've used acetate in front of the image to make a window. I really enjoyed making this easel card and I'm sure I'll be doing so many more.

I've got alot of catching up to do and quite a few products to add to the shop - I will be doing this over the next few days so keep popping along for a browse.

Card recipe:-

Papers - Wassail by Basic Grey
Image - Robins by Gillian Roberts
Coloured with Promarkers
Spellbinder dies - Create a flake 1, Snowflake Wonder, Classic Scalloped Square Large
Acetate
Stardust stickles
Brad from stash

Items are available from the Secret Crafter shop - anything showing out of stock will be restocked this week.

SC Saturday Challenge #55

It's time again for the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge and the theme this week which has been set by Cathy is:-

ORANGE + ONE OTHER COLOUR

The Ambrosia paper pad by Basic Grey has been sitting around unused for a few weeks now and this theme gave me the opportunity to get it out. It's full of so many scrummy patterns of orange and grey it was difficult to know which ones to choose.

Once again there are some fab designs by my very talented Design Team - pop over to the challenge blog and take a look.

Recipe:-

Papers - Ambrosia by Basic Grey
Image - Lemonade anyone by Belles & Whistles
Coloured with Promarkers
Spellbinders dies - Classic Scalloped Square Large, Fancy Tags , Classic Lace Border Grand
Sentiment - Build a Flower stamp set by Personal Impressions
Flat backed pearls 5mm
Flower - Handmade to match the card

All products used are available from the Secret Crafter Shop

Carol Singers!

I do a workshop on a Tuesday night and this is the card that we made - my ladies loved it. I was determined not to make my usual square card - this one folds at the top not from the side, just to be different. This also fits in with the Basic Grey Challenge no. 6 which is to use 3 colours - Red, Blue and Green. The photo doesn't show it very well but the image is decoupaged and surrounded by a scalloped frame - it is not matted and layered.

Recipe:-

Papers - Eskimo Kisses by Basic Grey
Image - Christmas Cheer by Personal Impressions
Sentiment - The First Christmas by Personal Impressions
Coloured with Promarkers
Image and sentiment distressed with Distress Inks
Spellbinder dies - Classic Scalloped square large, Labels One, Labels Four
Ribbon from stash

All items are available from the Secret Crafter shop

SCSC Challenge 54

My DT card this week is a very simple one - I was very tempted to put some flowers on it but wanted to leave it neutral so that it could be given to a man or a woman. The theme at the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge this week has been chosen by Mandy and it is:-

DIG DEEP

Mandy would like you to dig deep into your stash and use an old stamp or an image. We all have stamps that we buy just because we 'need' them but never get around to using them, well now's your chance to justify that purchase.

My friend Tracie and I share our stash, we keep all our stuff here at the workshop in one room and have a whale of a time using it. Well this is one of Tracie's stamps and I had my eye on it when I first saw it over a couple of years ago - when I found out what the theme was this is the first stamp that came into my head. It was crying out to be decoupaged and I love it!

Supplies used:-

Image by Funstamps
Papers - Wild Asparagus by My Minds Eye
Coloured with Promarkers
Punch - Two dot scallop by Martha Stewart

SC Saturday Challenge - Week 53

This is my DT card for the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge and the theme this week which has been set by Debby is:-

AUTUMN COLOURS

This was a perfect opportunity for me to use the 'Scarecrow and Little Wizard' stamp from Belles and Whistles. It took me ages to colour and was really pleased with it and then I went and spoilt it as I was trying to airbrush the background and made a complete hash of it so, rather than colour another one in I cut round the image. I'm also not pleased with the layout of the card but it was too late once I'd stuck everything down. I've decoupaged the little Wizard, although it isn't obvious from the photo.

Pop over to the blog to see the fab designs from the rest of the Design Team.

Supplies used:-

Scarecrow and Little Wizard stamp from Belles & Whistles
Indian Summer paper pad from Basic Grey
Spellbinders nestabilities Labels 5
Woodware punch - Ash branch & Oak
Coloured with Promarkers

Happy Birthday Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge!

Hip Hip Hooray! We're celebrating today over at the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge as it's our 1st Birthday - my goodness it ain't arf gone quick too. There are 4 special prizes on offer so to find out what they are you need to pop along to the blog and take part in the fun.

The theme this week just had to be CELEBRATION and this is my DT card which is a Birthday card to myself :-) I would like to say a special thank you to all my DT buddies for putting up with me and doing such a wonderful job every week and another very special thank you to Jane who posts the challenges for me - without her the challenge blog would not be possible. Thank you all Mmmwaaaah x

Supplies used for my card;-

Bloom & Grow 6x6 paper pad
Bloom & Grow decoupage pad
Bloom & Grow Embroidered brads
Spellbinders Fleur de Lis borderabilities
Cuttlebug Vintage 2" x 2" die set
Cuttlebug Tag Team Beautifully Boxed
Cuttlebug A2 combo Birthday Wishes
Gold stickles
Ribbon from stash

DT card - One for the Girls!

Hi folks!

I managed to get my DT card done this week for the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge. The theme this week has been set by the lovely Donna and it's one I'm sure you'll all love, it is 'One for the Girls' - I love my girly cards and for mine I decided to go for pink and frilly.

Hope you like it.

Supplies used:-

Image - L'il Miss Poppy by Belles & Whistles
'Euphoria' paper pad by Basic Grey
Spellbinders dies - Labels 9 and Fancy Tags
'Daisy' punch and 'Flower' punch by Woodware
'Doily Lace Edge' border punch by Martha Stewart
Coloured with the new Promarker colours
Sentiment from 'Cute Character' Set 1 by Personal Impressions

Basic Grey Challenge!

I've been commissioned to make this Ruby Wedding card and I took inspiration from greens in the photo on the Basic Grey challenge this week.

I'm just trying to get all my commissioned cards done so that I can concentrate on some challenge cards and making some samples with some of the lovely new stash I've had in the shop.

Supplied used:-

White linen card
Papers: Porcelain from Basic Grey
D'vine Swirls embossing folder from Provocraft
Fancy tags by Spellbinders
Labels 6 by Spellbinders
Sentiment is computer generated
Ribbons, flower and brad from stash

Teenage boy card

Hello again,

I finally got to make my teenage boy card last night but now it's finished I'm not sure if it's too babyish for a teenage boy - this is my late DT card for the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge.

As I've not made a card for a while I seem to have lost my mojo........ I wish I could find it as I've so many commissioned cards to make and I need to make loads of samples too.

If you like Elizabeth Bell artwork I've just added some of her new Belles & Whistles stamps into my shop. They are pure quality and stamp beautifully - why not pop over and take a look but beware......you may be tempted!

Supplies used:

Papers - 'Celebrations' paper pad from Provocraft
Image & sentiment - 'Little Lovins Kids' Set 1 by Creative Expressions
Coloured with Promarkers
Die - Lattice Borderabilities & Labels 4 by Spellbinders
Buttons - Primary Colours by Woodware

No DT card!

Sorry peeps, I've let you all down this week as I haven't had chance to do a DT card for my own Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge. I got as far as choosing my stamp and design paper and there they've sat on my desk all week.

Luckily my fabulous Design Team buddies have not let me down and if you pop over to the challenge blog you can get some inspiration if you need to do a TEENAGE BOY card as that is the theme this week which has been set by the lovely Gina.

The reason for my lack of posting this week is I've been extremely busy adding items to the website and my delivery of the new Promarker colours arrived on Thursday afternoon (in 8 boxes) and its taken me and my 2 wonderful friends, Tracie and Jane a day and a half to sort through them and to put the orders together. I'm now pleased to say that they have all been despatched so if you pre-ordered some, you should receive Monday/Tuesday.

I just can't wait to go and play with them myself but still have loads to do...... if I get chance I will still make my teenage boy card over the next couple of days and post it on here later.

One more thing I should mention - if you go to my Secret Crafter Shop you will see that I am offering FREE P&P on all UK orders. So if there is anything you need why not pop along to see if I have it in stock?

I'll be back as soon as I can.

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge 48

Here's my DT card for this weeks Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge which is a theme set by the lovely Jane and it is 'Hearts and Flowers'. Pop along to the blog to see the fabulous work by the rest of the Design Team this week.

I needed to make another wedding card so incorporated this into the theme this week. The rose is handmade by myself using a pearlescent envelope and a flower punch and I followed this tutorial which I adapted along the way.

Supplies used:-

Ivory & Lilac pearlescent card
Embossing folder: Birds & Swirls by Provocraft
Spellbinders dies: Renaissance Borderabilities, Scalloped Hearts,
Sentiment: Two Hearts Wedding by Hero Arts
Rose made using Woodware flower punch
Ribbon from Stash
Stardust Stickles

ABC Challenge

Here's a card for the ABC Challenge which is C for Circles and I've used plenty of circles on this one.

Supplies used:-

Papers - Wassail by Basic Grey
Images - Tis the Season & Christmas Punch Set by Personal Impressions
Punches - Large Circle by Woodware & Two Dot Edge Punch by Martha Stewart
Spellbinders die - Standard Circles Large
White Linen card, Copic Ciao markers