Get Your Glad Rags On - A Razzle Dazzle Birthday Card

Good evening everyone out there in blog land

Would love to say I have been slaving away in the garden and that the next patch of weeds has been killed off by my fair hands, alas good old English Bank Holiday weather and no such luck.  Therefore spent the time shopping - nope not craft bits :( but the usual household weekly shop and some new solar lights. 

I woke up this morning to a little sunshine, which came and went for most of the day but the wind is so bitter and we had the odd bit of hail along with a good show of lightning too.  So I spent my time popping up to my "Beach Hut" creating this little piece.  This is another of my family birthday cards, out the way.  I love being prepared and I really enjoyed doing this one.  

Anyway enough of my waffling and onto the card I hear you say.  Well here it is in all its glory, it is a master piece of glitter to put the razzle and dazzle into anyone's birthday, which should match the glitz she will be wearing when she is partying the night away.

Not sure what style of card you call this, sort of going off on a tangent these days. Started out heading for an easel card, but then adapted it again. So several photo's again, so you can see all it's sides.

The base card is a pale mint green and the top papers are actually from a wedding pack by Papermania I believe.  They all compliment each other so so well.  The glitter has been used to edge all the main layers and the MS little heart punch and the single heart punch has been used too. 

The image is of course our little Magnolia Tilda, sitting pretty near the lovely butterfly. Coloured with copics.

 This is the folded up view so the front so to speak.....

The base circle is from the Nellie circle set from the Hobby House along with the ribbon.

Oh she has not a care in the world.................................................

This butterfly is a new purchase from the Hobby House see it here with other designs, isn't it gorgeous and I glittered it all up with glitter purchased from the Hobby House also.  The pearls were an extra gift from Simon Says Stamp (thank you Stephanie), yes my parcel arrived yesterday and I was trying to open it whilst I was being gowned up for my hair revamp.  I had to borrow some scissors as it was wrapped so well.  Oh did I forget to say I spent my two gift vouchers totally on the new colour copics :))

Here is Tilda gazing into the flowers.........................

The large rose is from Hobby Craft, the smaller ones and tiny ones, not sure of now sorry (but see where I shop)

Entering this card into the following challenges

The Pixie Cottage, with the sketch from the very talented Bev Rochester

 Creative Card Crew = Pink/Green

A Spoonful of Sugar = Celebrations

Just Magnolia = Hot and Spicy

Cooking It Up With Katie = Wing it you Pink Petal

Charisma Cardz = Going round in Circles

Simon Says Stamp Challenge = Pink / Green / Brown

Stampavie and more = Happy Birthday for a Girl

Magnolia Down Under = Flowers 

Oh just been outside and it is dark (yes I know it is late) but today Matt and I purchased some new solar lights and placed them in the raised bed and around it.  Oh they are on and they look great, can't wait till the weather sorts itself out so we can sit out too.

Oh well, must go to bed, my Friday late night is catching up with me and I would like to be as fresh as a daisy tomorrow - just in case the sun comes out.

Thank you to all of you out there in blog land who have visited me and left such lovely comments, I really do appreciate them each and every one.

Happy Crafting tomorrow (especially if you are in the UK - and the weather disappoints us again) at least our crafting lifts our hearts.

Hugs Kate xx

Angular Boys Birthday Card

Good morning to all of you out there in blog land, 

I was up early again this morning, however did go to bed late too.  (Sam they went night fishing).  So I was crafting in the early hours of the morning and what a better way to start the Bank Holiday over here in the UK.  

This card if for a very special little boy whose birthday is coming up over the next few months. 

I decided to go with the Fab N Funky Sketch - I needed to avoid any curved shapes for the image.

Here is the card, several photo's as otherwise I do not think you would see how it opened etc.

The papers are from the Capsule Collection Mono range in the green.  Bead work self created charm with craft wire.  Wanted to be different hence the style of card, but wow was it a challenge to cut the image plate in sections to match the style of the card.  Love these letter beads from Hobby House just perfect for a little persons name on a Birthday card.

Images coloured in copics.

I am entering this into the following challenges

InLinkz Challenge 1 - Boy Birthday Card

Fussy N Fancy - 3 images, 3 embelishments and 3 patterned papers

Totally Paper Crafts Challenge 18 - Monochromatic in the green spectrum

Stamp Something - A Birthday Recipe of Designer Paper, Ribbon, Bow and a Tag

Creative Cottage - Blooming/Charming

Paperplay - Up in the air

C.R.A.F.T. - Green and Blue

Well that is me for now other than to say thank you to the DT ladies at Pixie Cottage (Top Three), Creative Cottage (Favorite), Susie & Vikki (Top Three) for selecting me out of the fabulous entries.

Thank you to all of you out there in blog land that take the time to leave inspirational comments I adore them all.

Right off to have a makeover at the hair dressers, back for lunch and maybe the boys will be home from fishing (who knows)

Hugs and Happy Crafting 

Kate xx

Candy Kisses Christmas DT Card

Good morning everyone, it is Winter Wonderland Challenge time again

Wow didn't we have some great cards last challenge, I really enjoy visiting everyone and seeing your creations.

Avril set our challenge this week, we have a theme of 

Christmas Sweets  

  i.e. chocolate limes, marshmallows etc. However you can interpret this in many ways.  You can use Christmas Sweets on your card, or you can use the Christmas Sweets colours on your card, or you can be like me and create your own Christmas Sweets Card.  

  

I have tried to be totally different to allow everyone to see how you can, even if you don't have any stamps or the coloured card, create a Christmas card meeting this theme.

 As always the Winter Wonderland Teamies love to show you how to combo your Christmas cards with other challenges and as always I would not wish to disappoint.

So on looking at this card you might think how on earth could you combo that, here it is and see what you think

This is a card created from nothing but white card, red glitter, green glitter, polar white flower soft, a magnolia stamp (optional) a bit of ribbon, some liquid applique and computer generated words, cut out with an oval nestie.  I hand drew one candy cane onto white card, I then drew around this to create the second one and reversed this.  I took a piece of A4 white card covered it with hammered green card, placed the two candy canes on it and then got messy with the red glitter.  When this was dry did the same with the polar white flower soft.  I stamped my image (thanks to Polly who has such a wonderful collection) coloured her up, used some liquid applique for the dots on her dress.  Cut her out and sat her on some card, covered with a small strip of gold ribbon.  I printed of the sentiments, used the cuttle bug to cut them out and then rolled the edges in glue and then in the green glitter.  I then cut out the top V and the bottom V to make a half candy cane card.  I think if I had cut out any more there would be no where to add the sentiments and the card would have fallen over :) Wow this was so much fun and so so so so messy.

Here is a close up of the copic coloured image along with the glitter and flower soft.

So what could I combo this with you would be thinking......................................................

So here are the challenges I am entering this unique creation into.

Susie & Vikki's Christmas Club - Anything Christmas

Totally Gorjuss Challenge - Bling it on (well who said bling had to be diamonds) well even if they are a girls best friend.

Saturday Challenge - No patterned papers

Magnolia Down Under - Shaped Card

ABC Christmas Challenge - K = Kisses, I have a candy kiss or cross if you like, but that is my interpretation, you might not agree.

Totally Papercrafts = Photo Inspiration (red and green)

Cute Card Thursday Challenge 114 - No Designer Papers - not one in sight for a change.

Wow sorry for the big list again. Well at least it is easier to read it than to write and link it.

This as usual will be very kindly posted by Mr Blogger whilst I am at work.  Which means I will come home and whilst having my first coffee for the weekend, will link these then.

I would like to say hi to my newest followers Maggie and Creative Momma, thanks for joining me in my little section of blog land.

Finally I would like to thank all of those that visit and take the time to comment on my creations, I love reading all of the comments and fine each and everyone of them inspiring.

Hugs and Happy Crafting for the weekend

Kate xx

A Charming Fishing Birthday Card

Good afternoon to all of you out there in blog land

 Whilst my DH has been at his fishing match today, I have been out in the sun all day, weeding, moving bits around and pressure washing the driveway and sitting area, with the help of my son.  I am hoping that my lovely pink skin, will transform into a wondrous tan over night and that by morning I will no longer look like a milk bottle.  With this in mind shortly I will be ironing the tailored short ready to show off the new tanned legs.  The alternative will be back to the suit to hide the pins.

This is  a card that I started last night, as the heat registered  30 degrees in the shade today, now and again I popped up to my aptly named "Beach Hut" and did a few little bits to it - helping me cool down.

This card is for my son's birthday again as before he is into his fishing.  Last night he took his girlfriend for her first fishing experience (she quite liked it and got a bit of colour herself).

I decided to go with a stamp I got last year a Penny Black one, so leaned towards the Penny Black Saturday Challenge which is this week "Lots of Dots", The image plate has thousands of little dots, I thank Marianne and Lynsey my WW teamies, for this really clever effect and I am very impressed with how it turned out.  The papers or two of them also contain dots.

I followed the Pixie Cottage Challenge Sketch for this one and decided to use my new poinsettia nestie (thanks again to Marianne) love it.  I used three strips of very slim ribbon and platted a section to be different in some way.

I also followed the colours of the Play Date Cafe one of my very favorite challenge sites and as we tend to stick to boys colours for boys  cards, I decided to have a change.

Following on from a comment from the very nice Katie I have also entered this card into and become a follower of Cooking it up With Katie the challenge here is 3 colours of a charming man, that is 3 papers, a charm and for a man (thank you Katie)

So here is the card I made for him

I think the silver fish charm for him was better than the love heart that is on the stamp.  I didn't have any bigger lemon yellow ribbon so decided to make a larger one, but when the three were just stripes it did not look right so I platted a section to add a bit more interest.  I love the sentiment from another new set I got with lots of fishing buddies on from Simon Says Stamp.  

A close up of the flowers and the little fishy again

Flowers from Running with Scissors (as always see the link above for where I shop).

A close up of the image coloured in copics.

This is such an adorable stamp from Penny Black.

Well must go and have a bath and cool down, then I need to start on the ironing.  Hoping you all had a beautiful and enjoyable day too.

Thank you for all your recent lovely comments, which I always read and appreciate.

Hugs Kate xx

A Dishy Fishy Father's Day Card

Good morning to you all out there in blog land

If your like me you was up early with the sun, not wishing to waste one moment of it.  It is my 11th Wedding Anniversary today - nothing exciting planned, but going to meet up with a really good friend at the Hobby House this afternoon.  Where I will get to buy myself a present and after that I will take my DH Matt to his fishing shop to buy himself a present.  (Love it)  

Last night popped to see a friend who very kindly allowed me to buy off her some lovely magnolia stamps and to stamp up lots more (that will keep me going for some time)

Anyway I needed to get ahead a bit, so decided to make a father's day card, some of you will know that that both the male's in our home, love fishing, so I am always on the look out for new fishing stamps, papers, etc.  With this in mind the theme had to be fishing.

Taking inspiration from the Cute Card Thursday Challenge for this one with a very lovely sketch by the very talented Caz.

and the colour scheme from one of my favorite challenges Colour Create

This card also meets the Simon Says Challenge - A Tent card and Charms

and the Creative Cottage Challenge - One for the Boys (he is a big boy)

so here it is

So this is a Sugar Nellie stamp cut out and perched on the nestie aperture.  I removed the fishing line from the image and added some craft wire in blue instead.  I added the silver fish charm at the top and carefully swirled the line from the rod to the fish.  Now it is a bigger fish he is catching as the one that it comes with looks like a goldfish.  The top sentiment was one of my purchases from Simon Says Stamp with one of my winning gift vouchers.

and the close up of the image in the aperture

He is coloured with copics and think the charm came from Hobby House but not 100% sure now.

Well off to plant on some Acer trees, and replant the new ones, before heading off retail craft therapy shopping.

Have a great weekend everyone and thank you for your most recent comments which always make my day.

Hugs and Happy Crafting 

Kate xx

Fabulous Darling

Good evening everyone and welcome to the weekend and hasn't it been a Fabulous week.

This evening I created a Birthday card, one of the many I need to do for my family and friends.  

As always I decided to search for some inspiration and found it on Friday Sketchers, what a lovely sketch and an opportunity for me to use my new nesties.  I also decided to go with this image horror of horrors out of this set that I purchased, I only opened this today :(

So the sketch at Friday Sketchers this week is

For once I have left it as is and not rotated it in anyway, although as you know I could not resist in adding the extras.

I am entering this card into the following challenges

Whiff Of Joy Challenge - Brown/Yellow and one other colour, I selected a lovely lime green.

Fab 'n' Funky - Make it yourself - I chose to make a dangling charm out of three charms (oh never again, what a nightmare, all those jump rings) and I coloured the bow to match the card with copics (you can never find a ribbon exactly the right colour)

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge - Birthdays/Celebrations - I went with the Birthday option.

Stamp Something - 2 of Something - I have used two different size flowers, two different charms, two punched edges.

Well at least you did not have to wait for your drinks to go cold to get to the card this time.

Here it is

I have used some papers from the Hobby House, along with charms from a local department store, pins from the Hobby House coloured with copics again.  Flowers from Hobby Craft and my MS double loop punch to go around that new nestie.

Here is a close up of the created embellishment

The larger flower, showing those lovely pins

Here is the inner rotated but to match and the MSE sentiment.

Well it is my Wedding Anniversary tomorrow, so as I know he checks my blog out * Happy Anniversary Hun* well he is so special he deserves a special mention.

Thank you all for your lovely recent comments, and for those interested the finger is fully functional again and DH did a brill job as you can hardly see the cut.

Have fun crafting and cya soon

Kate xx

Winter Wonderland Multi Combo Xmas DT Card

Good morning everyone out there in the land of blog

Once again it is nearly the weekend and if we are very lucky, the lovely weather will stay with us and, we can all get some more of our gardens sorted.

This week the Challenge over at Winter Wonderland is a sketch by the very talented Marianne.  

Now you can rotate this to meet your needs as I have done.

Our sponsor this week is our monthly sponsor........................

 Which reminds me to get all excited again, having already won one challenge with a Simon Says Stamp gift voucher, on Tuesday I was delighted to be announced the winner of the Copic Colour Challenge and yes I was lucky enough to win another Simon Says Stamp gift voucher.  So you can imagine my retail therapy is on overdrive and Simon Says Stamp also sell the newer colours of copics in the sketch markers so I am sure you know what I am currently adding to my shopping cart. Whoop Whoop!!!!!!!      So if you want to get as excited as me, pop over to Winter Wonderland and enter this weeks challenge.

Remember that the DT ladies and I love combo's, so here are the challenges I am entering with my DT card this week.  (you might want to get a coffee now).........................

Susie & Vikki's Christmas Club - Christmas Stitching - I have used a stitched ribbon and used faux stitching with a white gel pen around one of my papers on the top of the easel card and on the return

Penny Black - Flowers - Here is my all time favorite stamp along with their requirement this week of flowers and I have used some Poinsettia's, that I got from the Hobby House.

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Metal - I hope you can see the little metal snowman charm just above the flowers and under the ribbon, I got him from a local department store.

Totally Gorjuss - Round and Round, I have used two circles on my layout the base one is a Nellie self embossing die cut and the other is the nestie cut image plate edged with fine glitter.

Paper Sundaes - An easel Card - I appear to be in a flow of these at the moment. 

CupCake Craft Challenge - Bloomin Charming - to use flowers and charms on your card, how could I resist.

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Say it with flowers - Don't you just love Christmas flowers and these are quite stunning too. (Also must enter as the sponsor is Wild Orchid Crafts and the prize is to die for)

A Spoonful of Sugar Challenge - Something cute and girly, well I go with the snowman being oh so cute that all you want to do is go awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww and girly well flowers are a girly thing as are charms, so believe that a Christmas card can be cute and girly. Plus it is the first time I have entered this challenge :)

Stampavie and More Challenge - Flower Power

Charisma Cardz Challenge - 3D - I have done an easel card as I do so love them at the moment.

Oh I am so sorry are you drinks cold?, I really should not take that long getting to the actual card.  It took me twice as long to write it and link it I can tell you............................

So here is my weekly Christmas Card

Base paper is red, with MME top green paper and another make for the little bits on top of those, sorry can't remember the name now.  I used my new round Nellie set from the Hobby House and the glitter, flowers and pearls from their also.  (see where I shop link at the top).

This is the bottom return with MSE sentiment.

Here is my best ever snowman one of my first purchases from the Hobby House, coloured in those amazing copics with a little Atyou clear glitter pen on his little white body for that  obligatory crisp winter shimmer.

I would like to thank everyone for their recent kind comments and concern for my poor finger, which I can now tell you is steri free and the humorous comments (thanks Sue) which were all, as always greatly appreciated.

I am leaving my post in the capable hands of Mr Blogger who does so well to publish it whilst I am at work and I will be back after work  following a quick cuppa with a crafting friend to link my challenges

Hugs and Happy Crafting to you all

Kate xx

The Clock is Ticking at Our Vintage Affair

Yes Time is Running Out over at 

"Our Vintage Affair" 

Challenge Blog. 

 Remember those lovely bags I created, well these were just some of the wonderful creations that have been made for this interesting challenge by some very talented ladies.

So get your skates on and hurry on over as there are only 5 days left to join in this months challenge.

Remember that this challenge is won by votes.  So once the challenge has closed you can vote for your favorite and you can vote even if you have not entered on this challenge.

So what are you waiting for, can't wait to see your creations.

Kate xx

Wedding Card

Good evening everyone in blog land,

I had a very productive day yesterday, in the garden (yes the sun was out all day) and my DH and I made the most of it.  We went bedding plant shopping and came back with those and three of more of his favorite trees.  (Acer's, these ones are really pretty, one has a twisted stem and I cannot say their names let alone write them).  Instantly after the home coming quick coffee, we set to work on putting all the bedding plants in.  Hung up the hanging baskets, and added the plants to the door side planters.  

Wow what a day, only to be stopped at the next hurdle, feeding the dog.  

A while back I puchased some rather funky yellow plastic handled cutlery.  A general set, you know the type.  Unfortunately recently some of them started to snapp away from the metal bit.  Probably from the amount of times they had been through the dishwasher.  Well on this occasion, I was using one to scoop out a tin, the fork snapped and I through away the handle and carried on - bad move, tins have sharp edges (I must have been having one of those silly moments)  index finger cut really deep and the kitchen became the operating theatre as the medical emergency took place.  

As I was sat going all white and woosey on the chair, Matt was scrabbling through the medical cupboard, for antiseptic wipes, steri stripes and finger bandages.  (It looked as if the A & E might be needed)  fortunately for me (due to my regular deep cuts) Matt is quite experienced in sorting me out.  Wiped, on with the steri's and its protective cling film stuff and then the finger bandage.  A few painkillers and a good sleep, I was moving again.  But oh I had a very special card to make before work on Monday.  

Spent the evening resting it and feeling rather stupid but this morning all was well, or as well as could be.  Or it was until I attacked the cuttlebug with my cuttlekids alphabet - oops, sort of reopened it, so thought may as well carry on as the blood was contained.

You would have been proud of me, as yes the card is finished, with no blood staining and the finger is - well is looking good or as good as it gets for now :)

So now that I have your empathy on the matter, this card was made for my work colleague again, who does not like anything fussy.  So she likes clean lines and a very classy look, usually with words more than images.  She had given me a clear brief on her requirements.  More pressure added as her friend had ordered a hand made card and was disappointed with it of which my colleague had said "oh I won't be with mine"  oh my I hope she likes this now....................................

So after searching for a letter type that fitted my needs - thank you Tracey at Running with Scissors (see where I shop) for stocking this cuttle kids pack and with no searching for sketches in blog land.  

Here is what I made.

The background card, from Running with Scissors in pale Pink, metallic Grey and Black.  The top paper is from Hobby House - a Kaisercraft Blushed - Devotion Double Sided Paper 12" x 12"

It is a gorgeous paper and the reverse is just as beautiful.  Just perfect for the card theme.  The letters cut from the metallic Grey card.  The flowers punched from the same paper using both sides. The wording as requested by my colleague.

This is the inside left, where I had been requested to add the Wedding details.  These were computer generated and then layered to match using the cut offs from that gorgeous paper.

The inner right, this is an MSE sentiment, short and not too fussy and the reverse of the paper is used here to pick up the base of the flowers on the front.  Still using the layering of colours and the clean lines.

Here are the inner sides together to show how they compliment each other.

I do hope she likes it considering it took me longer than normal due to the finger issue.

I am entering this card into the following challenges

Saturday Challenge - Metal - I have used a metal raiser for my metal pearl brad and metallic Grey paper

Totally Paper Crafts - Wedding/Anniversary

(added after initial post ) the dog did get fed :)

and forgot to say this was all melted away by getting a top five at Fussy and Fancy.   

Well going to rest the finger :) work tomorrow and lots of writing (that will be fun)

Hope your all well and had a good weekend, and thank you all for the recent lovely comments that when you have done something so silly gives you the urge to carry on.

Hugs Kate xx