Just for the fun of it...

Hi Peeps

Just a quickie from me tonight before I hop into bed complete with my hottie bottle and all the cushions that seem to help my back a little...   it's only a shame my lovely OH finds himself clinging onto the side of bed in the morning as everything seems to move his way in the night... LOL!

Anyway, this little lady has been shouting from my computer to print her out and colour her up.....  so I gave in and did just that!!  And......  guess what..... no pink anywhere!!

Hope you like her.... she is sooooo lovely to colour!

Card Recipe:

Image - Rosie with Flower - Digi Stamp Boutique
Flower - old mulberry flower from stash
Papers - Craft Creations Dotty Lilac and Papermania Pad for other one
Dies - Memory Box Corner Die, Labels 18 Nestie, Oval Nestie
Sentiment - Pebble Co Rub on from a lovely blogging friend
Pearls - from stash
ooooh - and there is some glitter on her headband!!

Hope you're all well.....  thank you for your lovely comments on my previous cards... and for taking the time to follow me......  it really means a lot!

Big hugs
Christine x

Another two pinkies..... and help, my pink pens are running out!!

Hi Blogging Buddies

Well I'm here again with my In The Pink hat on...  and a comfy hat it's getting to be!!  This time around we went for Buttons and Bows...  and I've got to say, this has been one of my favourite challenges so far!

For my first card, I used a lovely stamp from the MFT Pure Innocence range - this one is called Bunch of Blooms... and the sentiment I used came with the set.  She's such a little darling to colour...  you will be seeing more of this little lady, as there have been quite of few of these stamps creeping into my stash!!

Of course, she deserved some glitter, and I also used my Sakura pens for her blooms...  just to make them stand out from the other pink on the card!  The papers are from Wild Rose Studio - they are from the Annabelle's Meadow Paper pack.

Then her bow....  well, that's a new die called Small Bow from Li'l Inker Designs - who are an American company - but their shipping rates and service are very good.  The bow comes in three parts but is very easy to assemble.  Her buttons and thread are from my ever increasing stash!

Now onto my second card...  this one is using one of my favourite LOTV images (Milly Just for You).

And this time I've tried a criss-cross card...  I've been itching to have a go at one of these, and so now seemed like the right time!  I checked out a couple of quick tutorials on YouTube and off I went... and I really love the outcome!  The papers are from the Echo Park Be Mine collection.... along with some Bazzill, then I embossed the pull out bit with a Crafts Too Hearts embossing folder.

A lush bow finished off the card...  and a few buttons and ribbon to show where to 'pull' - although my lovely OH did say that I should write the word PULL at the top!!!  The sentiment is from Paper Smooches btw - again a company from the US.... but good on shipping rates and quick postage.

Hope you like my designs for In The Pink this time...  why don't you play along with us and join in the Pink fun???  If you need more inspiration, go to In The Pink HERE and  check out Sylvia's beautiful creation, and one from our new Guest Designer - Denise.  Also if you entered our Pink Plus One.....  pop over HERE to see if you were chosen as a Perfect Pinkie!  We had over 100 entrants last time (thank you soooo much!).....  can we beat that this time do you think?

Just to make you smile... I'm struggling with my back at the moment... have trapped a nerve which is causing some pain (obviously from carrying my new stash from the Harrogate show to the car).... and my physio asked me this morning to try not to sit down for the next two or three days!!  Hmmmmm..... not sure I'll manage that.....  but, if I'm missing some commenting.....  hope you can forgive me!

Big hugs to all
Christine x

Anything Goes Challenge #78 - Make Your Own Embellies

Hi Best Blogging Buddies...

Just a quickie from me today as it's time for another challenge at Anything Goes.  This time our challenge was to 'Make our own Embellishments'....  not quite as easy as it sounds (at least for me!!)

Anyway, I've not been crafting much last week as we had a decorator in to do the hall, stairs and landing, and also the dining room (after the leak).... so things have been all over the place, and I couldn't just keep on squeezing past his ladder to get to the craft room!  I only managed to make a start yesterday, so I decided to cheat a little and use a pre-coloured LOTV image.  My hand made embellie is the crackle glazed heart.....  I learned how to do this from a very good friend......  who in turn had learned it from a tutorial.  I die cut three Tim Holtz hearts, glued the three together to give a thick heart... then used Glossy Accents to cover the complete heart.  When that was dry... I painted with Distress Crackle Paint which is again from Ranger and Tim Holtz... then finally rubbed Tea Die Distress Ink over the crackles, which gives the aged effect.

I matched the papers (Prima Marketing) and bazzil to the heart colour... which luckily is also in the image - then I coloured the pearls and little button on the heart with a Copic pen so they matched the card.  Oooh and I used Nesties to cut the image and scalloped layer.

So there you go....  and for more inspiration check out my fab teamies creations HERE.  Looking forward to seeing your creations.

By the way... I've not forgotten to show you the stash I came away with from the Harrogate Show.... I'm just working up to it very slowly... hoping the pile will diminish a little before I have to confess!  I am truly addicted to buying dies....  a good friend told me a about a help group that had been set up for others that suffer the same addiction, but apparently it hadn't worked as the addicts had to take their purchases along and show them to the group while owning up.  Unfortunately, most of the rest of the group then dashed out quickly to buy the new dies that they NEEDED!! LOL!!

Happy crafting peeps..
Big hugs
Christine x

In the Pink Time again.....

Hi Everyone

Another two weeks have flown by and it's time for the next challenge at In The Pink!  I'm so enjoying being part of this challenge blog..... we're having so many fabulous entries from such wonderful people... and it's nice to have been brought together by our love of pink!

The challenge this time is to use Pink Plus One - that is Pink with ONE other colour!

My first card today features PINK AND BLACK and is a very simple card... no colouring involved!  The damask paper is a digi download from Sassy Designs - it's called Pink-Black Damask and is from their Blushing Paper pack.  All I did was use a 5 x 7" card base... covered first with pink bazzill... then punched a border out with a Martha Stewart edge punch...  added a grosgrain black ribbon...  then made a black rosette flower from a Tim Holtz Die.  Lastly, I added a gem button that I got from The Hobby House.  A very simple card, but hopefully effective?

My second card uses PINK AND GREEN and my new Grand Calibur die cutting machine.......  this is the first time I've used it as I'm not rushing into buying dies yet..  They are so expensive that I need to get 'the right' ones!!  No doubt I may just see some I 'have to have' at the Harrogate show on Saturday!

So I've created an easel card using the large scalloped die....  this will fit a 6 x 6" envelope.  I used an image that I've had for a long time - it's a digi one from the Digi Stamp Boutique called Mothers Day Flowers - and yes I know it's not Mothers Day... but a woman always likes to receive flowers.. right?  So it could be for multiple occasions!

I chose some pink and green floral paper that's been in my stash for a long time...  then coloured the image with my Copics to match the paper.  I found some pink and green card in my stash..... which I used for the various different sized circles...  Then I decoupaged the flowers on the image and also added gems and some glitter.

Lastly, I added a little image that I've created myself!!  I thought the easel bit of the card needed something to stop it falling flat.....  so came up with this design, that I cut with a small circle die.  If you would like a copy to be able to print out and use yourself, please email me and I will send it to you.  You can always alter the colour from pink (if you MUST lol!), in a photo programme.

So pop over to In The Pink.... and take a look at the other inspiration - and also check up to see if you were chosen as a Perfect Pinkie!

I'll be back at the weekend to tell you all about our day at the Harrogate Papercraft Show - and to own up to what I bought!!  If you're going to be there on Saturday and you see me with Christine and Elaine... please say hello....  I'm told I look exactly like my profile pic...  not sure if that's a good or a bad thing!! hehe!

Big hugs and Happy Crafting
Christine x

Anything Goes Challenge # 77 Animals

Hi Blogging Friends

I'm back today with a card for the new challenge at Anything Goes...  this time our theme is Animals....  so as I figured a reindeer is an animal, I could start my Christmas cards!  I know I'm a late starter in terms of a lot of other card makers...  but what the heck...  I'm here now!!

I used a beautiful stamp from Stampin Up... but I'm not totally sure it's still available as I've had it over a year I think.  I stamped and heat embossed it with silver embossing powder.. onto plain white card.  I added a few gems to his antlers.... obviously he's a very well dressed reindeer and has his love of bling!!

I then used a couple of nesties for the circles... with silver mirri card (seems such a long time since I used mirri).  Then I used a gorgeous embossing folder for the panel - with more mirri card as a layer.  The sentiment was computer generated...  if anyone wants to know the fonts I used, I can dig them out... just ask.

So there you go...  quite plain and simple...  but hopefully effective.  Not easy tho to photograph and keep the silver showing...  it looks a dark grey but I promise you he's silver!

Do pop over to the main challenge blog HERE to check out my fab teamies creations....  there really are some stunners!  And don't forget, lots of crafting items can be purchased from Lynne at The Card Den HERE.

I'm getting excited this week as it's the Papercraft Show at Harrogate this weekend.... it's only a few miles from me, and I meet up with some lovely blogging buddies......  so can't wait!  But someone better hold my purse........  hehe!

Big hugs and Happy Crafting
Christine x

It's IN THE PINK time again...

Hi Best Blogging Buddies...

Well I'm back to my favourite colour today.... (and you may well have guessed what THAT is... ) as it's time for another challenge over at In The Pink!!

This time we decided to go for Embossing....  either dry or heat!  Soooooo I decided to do one of each.

On my first - I've used an embossing folder, with lots of gems and glitter......  she looks just ready for her special day, don't you think?

Card recipe:

• Image - Saturated Canary - Double Take
• Coloured with copics
• Glamour dust on dress
• Embossing Folder - QuickKutz - Diamonds and Dots
• Gems from stash
• Pretty in Pink and Crumb Cake Cardstock from Stamping Up

Now to my second card....

This time I used heat embossing...  to be exact, I used my favourite embossing powders.... Frantage from Stampendous.... for this little fairy's wings....  that powder is sooooooooo gorgeous... then it's sprinkled with silver halo mix...  which gives it the bling!!

Hopefully I've caught the dazzle well enough for you to see on the photograph.  It really is extra sparkly in real life - I think I'm in love with this product!!

Card Recipe:

• Image - Standing on a Flower from A Day for Daisies
• Coloured with copics
• Embossing Powder - Stampendous Frantage Aged Rose with Silver Halo mixed in
• DP from Papermania - Lucy Cromwell collection
• Bazzil cardstock
• Glamour Dust on flowers

On both cards, I tried to add embellishments....  but hard as I tried,  i eventually figured they didn't need any... as whatever I put only detracted from the image, and that's not the idea, is it?? LOL!

If you'd like to join in the challenge this time.... hop on over to In The Pink!

Can I say a big thank you to all my blogging friends who leave comments....  and also a thank you to my new followers too... I hope you enjoy following my ramblings!

Well I think I've now got my pink fix for this week....  ahhhhhhhhhh..... now I'm happy!!

Big hugs to all

Christine x

Anything Goes - Sketch challenge

Hi Blogging Buddies

Here we are again with another challenge over at Anything Goes.  I can't believe how fast the weeks are flying...

This time we have a sketch by Val for our challenge...

I really enjoyed using this sketch - it gave me chance to use a doily that's been lurking in my stash for a little while.

Card Recipe:

• Wild Rose Studio DP - Meadow Paper Pack
• Doily from stash
• Nestabilities circle
• Crafts Too Heart Embossing folder
• Image - Cherry Pip from Funky Kits
• Martha Stewart Hydrangea punch
• Gems and glitter from stash
• Glossy Accents on Bag and Shoes

Don't forget to pop over to The Craft Den for lots of fab crafty goodies, and then to Anything Goes Challenge Blog for lots of fabulous inspiration from my lovely teamies!

Sorry that I've been a bad blogger over the last few days - we had a last minute get-away down to the Isle of Wight for a few days... and today I've been at the hospital having more investigations on my eyes.  After lots of tests and those awful pupil dilating drops in my eyes, they can find nothing nasty.... thank goodness!  It seems my jaw/neck problems have caused the nerves around my eyes to also be irritated....  Anyway, it's all a lot better now (touch wood!), and I hope it stays that way!  

I'm not going to try to catch up on what I've missed - I'd spend a couple of days doing that....  but I promise I'll be back to normal soon!!

Big Hugs

Christine x

Yummy Morris Men on You Tube...

Click on the above... and hope you enjoy!!  These were no fuddy duddy Morris Men.... LOL!

Hugs
Christine x

A little attitude.....

Hi BBB's..

I got a little crafting time in over the weekend, so I'm here today to share what I made with you!!  Let me introduce this little darling...  She's called Cute-a-tude.... and I think her name describes her perectly.... don't you just love her hands on hips stance??  She's from the Pure Innocence range by My Favourite Things.. (and I think these little darlings will become some of MY favourite things...  I bought,,, errr,,,, one or two... and i LOVE them!!)

Card Recipe:

• Image -Pure Innocence Cute-a-tude
• Lilybee Designs Dotty paper
• Flower and check-ey paper - sorry can't identify -both were in my scraps
• Dotty paper for paper-pieced dress and base - Lilybee Designs
• White Gel Pen for faux stitching
• Copic Markers
• Sentiment - done on PC in curly font
• Stamping Up Scalloped Punch
• Twine from The Ribbon Girls

When I cut her out, I used a large dry embossing tool to slightly to curve her head... I think that looks better than just a flat image.  Anyway... hope you like!

I had a lovely weekend...  I went with my daughter Emma into York on Saturday... we did a bit of shopping,  had a really lovely lunch at Patisserie Valerie (including tarte au citron for pud) and found the Traditional English Dance Festival was on..  lots of morris dancers, with, quite honestly, some very yummy morris men!!  I took a video on my phone, and if I figure out to load it up to here, I will!  I never thought I'd find  morris dancers sooooo nice to look at!! hehe

Take care all and happy crafting..

Hugs

Christine x

Time for a pink challenge again...

Hi Best Blogging Buddies...

Well that last two weeks just flew by - in fact my YEAR is flying by!!  I'm here again showing my DT cards for In the Pink...  we're having a wonderful time seeing all the fab entries and all the entrants sharing their secret (or not so secret) pink passion!!

If you'd like to pop over to see who the Perfect Pinkies for the last challenge were - click HERE

As this post is going to be a bit picture heavy - I'll get straight on with it.  My first card is one of my very favourite type... a dinky circular card... using a cute image..

Card Recipe:

• Image - Gracie Lollipop from Lori Boyd Designs - digi image
• DP - scraps that were hanging around my scrap basket
• lace - from Samuel Taylors at Embsay
• sentiment - Pebbles Rub on - banner cut by hand
• Stickles for dots on top half, and glitter on Gracie! (of course.... )
• Copics to colour

My second card is an easel card (5 x 7")...  I had to use a join to get it the right way up (if you see what I mean!)

I'm afraid I can't tell you what either of the papers are...  I've had them in a long time and there is no name on them.  But the flower is very simple to make.... I used a small scalloped circle nestie to cut out three of the same size.  Then I used a mini-mister to break the fibres down a bit - scrunched them all up.. then stuck them all back together, re-arranging the scrunching as I did.  I added a large gem (from The Hobby House), and some stickles round the edge of the flower... and that was it!!  Effective huh?? 

Card Recipe:

• Sentiment - done on PC
• Ribbon - Samuel Taylors
• Martha Stewart Border Punch
• Stamping Up Label punch
• Scalloped Circle Nestie
• Bazzil cardstock
• Other DP with no name!! 

Hope you're all well out there in blogland.... extra hugs to those that maybe aren't...

Happy Crafting!

Hugs

Christine x

Wine?? Someone say wine????

Hi Best Blogging Buddies..

Just a quick card I made for a very good friend of mine whose birthday is this week....  don't worry, she's not a blogger so won't see this!!  But we often used to share a bottle of red while we put the world to rights...  we met when our eldest children we're starting school....  and we've remained good friends ever since, even though we live about 90 miles apart now......  ahhhhhhhhhh..... I do miss her being just around the corner!

Anyway.... I thought this card was so apt for both of us....  and as I'd received a card with the same image on from Pami (which inspired me!)....  I decided to buy the image from Pink Gem Designs.....  as I'm sure it will come in very very handy!!

Card Recipe:

• Image - Pink Gem
• DP is a Digi from Design House Digital - Angie Hinksman True Romantics Set 2
• Flowers - Miniature Rose - Cheery Lynn die
• Glitter and pearls - and dotty paper -  from Stash
• Bazzill cardstock for matting
• Distress Ink for shading edges of image

The sun has been shining here today..  we've got loads done, even though we only went to bed about 2 am last night....  we'd had a lovely evening with some good friends, all gathering at one house for supper and a chat.... then playing Taboo!!!  OMG I've not laughed so much in ages.... it was soo funny!!

Hope you've all had a lovely day.... my daughter is on her way back from volunteering at the Paralympics this time....  she'll be here later, and has instructed us to save her some roast dinner!

Big hugs to all.... and a big welcome and thank you to my new followers..
Happy Crafting
Christine xxx

• I'd like to enter this card in the new Heck of a Challenge - Anything Goes

Yes, yes... it's me, with turquoise!!

Hi Best Blogging Buddies..

Well here I am having tucked my pink markers away till next week...  giving my turquoise ones an airing!!  I do love pink, (and a tiny bit of salmon pink sneaked in here.... ), but a girl needs a change.....  right? LOL

Soooo let me introduce to you a little lady named Belinda from Tiddlyinks...  She's a little cutie with her big hat and her handbag.  You can see that I've also given her a little bit of glamour dust too...  you know me well!! hehe

Card recipe:

• Papermania Design Stax Lucy Cromwell
• Kaisercraft Bubblegum Hills - Blue Lemonade
• Belinda - Tiddlyinks (digi image)
• Cuttlebug hearts embossing folder
• SU Scallop Punch (available from Sylvia here)
• Sentiment - Pebbles Rub On (received with others as a RAK from lovely Pami! - thank you!!)
• Coloured with Copics

As you can see, Belinda is sitting on quite a lot of 3d foam pads...  hope she's comfortable!! hehe

Today my lovely OH and I went out for a drive over to Skipton...  well to Samuel Taylors at Embsay to be precise....  It's been throwing it down all day, so we couldn't go anywhere nice for a picnic.....  but needed to get out of the house....  so what better place could I think of????  We had a nice lunch in a little pub on the way... and a lovely coffee on the way home....  and I bought one or two things (!) at Embsay....  So all is well with the world......!!

Happy crafting one and all..
Big hugs
Christine x

More fun with pink!!

Hi Bestest Blogging Buddies

I've had such a fabulous time this past couple of weeks with our new challenge blog - In The Pink... we had over 200 people join and had 150 entrants!!  It's certainly kept Sylvia and I busy (and me scratching my head and consulting my daughter a lot when it came to the techno bit..)... but we got there in the end!  I can 't thank you all enough for all your support and kind words about the new challenge... and has made the hard work very worthwhile!

Now, our new theme this week is 'Things With Wings'...  so I thought I'd have a go at something that's been in my head for a while...

I used Maja Designs Crea Diem papers (soooooooooooooo difficult to cut into rather than just stroke), and I even ripped the edge of one to create the distressed effect!  Then I frayed some seam binding to put under the ripped edge.  The flowers were created using the Sizzix 3D flowers die then rolled, and I cut them out of some hand-made paper that I'd done a while ago using Starburst Stains.  The flourishes are from Die-namics, and the butterflies are Martha Stewart punches.... and I've also added gems, buttons, some feathers (which were a lovely little gift from a fab friend) and of course Glamour Dust for sparkle!  I distressed all the edges of those gorgeous papers to give the finished 'shabby chic' touch! Hope you like..

Now my second card..

This one is a different style altogether.....  This time I've used a stamp that came free in a mag last month - it's from Sylvia Zet at Wee Stamps and I think is probably available from her website.  I coloured her with a mixture of copics and prismacolour pencils, then I used a nestie (don't know the name I'm afraid), to cut out the image and also the next size up for the mount.  I sponged the edge of the image before I took her out of the nestie.... this gives a nice white edge.  If you want to see how I did this, there is a YouTube video on my tutorials page.

I used gorgeous deep pink DP from Papermania Capsule collection matted onto the reverse (it's double sided!)... then I used a Memory Box corner flourish.  Of course, she just had to have some gems and some sparkle for her wings....  and she was done!

My week has gone well so far - I think we can now call the kitchen 'done' (apart from the redecoration after the leak that is), and I've also had the plumber visit to stop my new boiler making the noises it has been!  Hope it keeps on like this!

Take care all..... thanks again, and  ooh and a big welcome to my newest followers..
Happy Crafting and Hugs
Christine x

Anything Goes.... Make your own background...

Hi Best Blogging Buddies..

Another two weeks have magically disappeared somewhere ... and we're back again at Anything Goes.... this time the challenge theme is to 'Make Your Own Background'!  A few thoughts and ideas came to my head, but I decided to ignore them (!) and use some of my pink scraps that have been piling up lately!  So I spent a while cutting these squares, (I didn't use a punch, just my little guillotine)... then I stuck them all on a square card....  and hey presto!!  All I felt it needed was a simple Happy Birthday sentiment (done on the PC), cut with Nesties Labels 4.  I sponged the pink on to the label shape before I took the die off after embossing the edge.   I added a couple of gems, and a little bow and it was done!

Hope you like this home made background idea....  why don't you pop over to the blog here to see my fab teamies' creations too...  you're sure to get inspiration there.

We had some wonderful entries for the Summer Days challenge...  check out to see if you were a winner!

Big hugs
Christine x