It's back to the plain and (not so) simple for me today....

Hi Girls...

Well it's taken me all day to get these pics uploaded.... GRRRR to blogger!!  Anyway, they're here now, so I'm thinking sweet thoughts (honest), and not mumbling away like I've been doing for the last couple of hours!! hehe

Now..  I blame these cards on my good friend Lisa over at Mess2Magic!  When she came to visit me, she brought me a lovely lot of card-making mags for me to enjoy... apparently she has as much difficulty throwing things away as I do, so handed them on to me!  Sooooooo  I sat and went through them all, and pulled out articles or pics of cards I would like to have a go at....  and here's the result.   (By the way girls, I then gave the rest of the mags to the AGE UK charity shop I work in, and they sold like hot cakes - so don't throw away...)  The card above was a 'to do' project - giving the template for the flower (which for some reason, I'd thrown away!!)  So I set to and hand drew it..... looks so easy..... but is SOOO damn difficult to get the right dimensions etc....  Now if anyone wants the digi download, I can give it to you....  just email me.  (I drew it freehand and then scanned it into photoshop and played a bit). 

The card is pretty self explanatory - and I printed on the pink dotty paper for the sentiment - using CK Ali's Hand Font which I'd downloaded for free at some time or another.  Of course, I had to add a bit of glitter.......

My second card today (yes two, don't fall over in excitement - they've taken me since Sunday to complete!) - is again CASE'd from a card I tore out of the mags, but I'm not sure there were instructions for this one.  Again, I had to draw it freehand and scan it.... but I think it looks really cute..... I made it for my OH - as we really are on Cloud Nine most of the time (but shhhhhh ... am not saying it too loud as he'll get a big head!!  And if anyone wants the digi image, just contact me and I'll send it.  I just hand wrote the sentiment and did the red heart with a glue pen and glitter (yes more glitter)! 

So there you go!  Hope you like them... and if not, blame Lisa!

We've spent most of the day in the garden today - it was my OH's day off so we tend to just potter around....  At least I'm saying I've been in the garden, but that was only when I wasn't  throwing things at my monitor all the time blogger wasn't playing ball.......

Hope you're all well and not being too depressed at the damp longest day we had yesterday...
Thanks for saying hello....
Hugs
Christine x

Hi...
Anyone having problems uploading pics to blogger???????  I've been struggling all day..... it pretends it's going to do it, thinks about it, then doesn't....... !! Any thoughts on what I'm doing wrong?  Or has this happened to anyone and you know how to sort it??

H-E-L-P!!!
Big Hugs
Christine x

A little change.......

Hi Girls...

Well after my trip to Doncaster on Sunday (you remember, the one where I wasn't going to spend anything - I was just going to get ideas....) - I thought I'd better try out some of the stuff I bought!  Ooooops - I've been a naughty girl again...  but I was pretty good - well, compared to the Harrogate show I was.... and I was round and away in 2 hours... that's a record for me!  My lovely OH was so patient - even searching out items that I was interested in - and even once, he went in a queue to pay - just so I could get onto the next stand!! LOL!

So without further ado... onto my card.  I used a Woodware Chrysanth stamp from WhichCraft at Doncaster (the people that laid on the show..).  I saw a card made using this stamp and thought it was really different for me to have a go at.  Well, different for me that is who's used to colouring everything in sight....

A sideways view to see the layers

It's stamped onto pretty DP two or three times, cut out (the tedious bit) then embossed (curled) and layered... think that's easy to see.  And then, well of course I had to add some glitter.......  agreed?  The card behind is very simple, as I felt I didn't need much more.

It's been a beautiful day here today - I went out for lunch with a lovely friend and sat outside to catch some rays and top up my tan...  Yes..... the gardening can wait until tomorrow..

Now....... I have to do lines.... one hundred lines of 'I really must NOT spend any more money on craft stash........  I really must NOT spend any more money on craft stash........ etc etc.......

Big hugs for all my buddies and thanks for commenting..
Christine x
PS.......  Confession:  Yes...... I DID buy some more nestibilities.......  and YES.... I DID buy some lovely Molly Bloom stamps.... (holding my hand out for a slap..)

Deja Vu.....

Hiya fellow bloggers

Just a quickie tonight as I'm just taking a quick break from feet-up time on the settee!!  This card is deja vu as it's the same papers that I used for my last card (Girls Paperie & Bazzill), but using a different Lori Boyd Puddle Jumper - this time it's Birthday Emma - which is apt as it's my daughter Emma's birthday this month!

Anyway, I've used the embossing tool again to curve the image - I really enjoy this technique and I think it makes such a difference.  I've used a nestie for shape - then shaded with a versamagic teardrop in wheat, while the nestie is still in place.  I've used cotton for the balloon ties.  I also used an MS punch for the trim under the ribbon.  Again, I didn't think it needed more embellies...  I'm definitely getting into the 'less is more' way of thinking.

Colours: Dress: Blossom, Pink Carnation, Rose Pink, Cerise, and Copic Rose Pink
for blonde hair (not shown)... Ivory, Vanilla, Pastel Yellow, Buttercup

Hope you like it... and thanks for commenting...
Happy weekend
Christine x
ps........  OH and I didn't mention the glitter.........   x

Puddle Jumper Darla...

Hi Girls

It's been a bit gray here today, so not a day for the garden - hence me ending up in the craft room!  My OH was at work from 3 today - he'll be home at 9, so I took the opportunity to go hide away up there for a little while and see what I could get up to!

Well I've loved doing this card..... and at last I think I've mastered the embossing technique used by Debby over at Scrapjourney! I've used a Girls Paperie DP, with trusty old Bazzill behind it.  The ribbons came from Fizzy Moon, and I've used my oval nesties and dotty embossing folder behind the image.  The sentiment is from Stamping Bella.  The actual image itself is one of the very talented Lori Boyd's PuddleJumper collection - it's Darla.... and she's gorgeous!  I used my promarkers to colour her and I've shaped her (as taught by Debby), with a large headed dry embossing tool and a deep mat.  I love this effect... so will be using it many more times I'm sure.  She's obviously then put on 3D foam pads to raise her from the oval shape and allow the edges to 'shape around'...  (sorry don't know how else to describe it!).  Of course, she has a touch of glitz with some glamour dust on her bow, flower and dress!.....  Well, it just wouldn't be my card otherwise, would it?

Now for a quick funny......  someone mentioned a couple of days ago the 'other' definition of a crafter.....  apparently the CRAFT stands for 'Can't Remember A F****** Thing - er!!  Kind of describes me to a tee! Don't be offended at the language please, I use 'flippin' for the F!! hehe!  It just tickled me - and I thought I'd share it!

Hugs and hope you're all having a good week......
Christine
PS.........  I only need another TWO followers to reach a massive (in my book!) 50!!!  Will have to check out challenges for this card to try to encourage a couple more LOL!
CHALLENGES: I love PROMARKERS - Sparkle and Bling
One Stop Craft Challenge - Texture
Stamp Something - Digi Day

Hi Girls...... i'm BACK!

Hi Girls
Well,,,,,,, I'm back in the real world now.... after a fabulous holiday (photos below for those that have been asking for them!! hehe)

Now, my card uses an image that's been coloured for a couple of weeks, but has not quite made the 'onto a card' bit till this morning.  It's a Gor-juss image - Puddles of Love.....  and I tried to use the embossing technique that Debby over at A Scrap Journey uses a lot - although I've not quite succeeded this time (mainly because I put glossy accents on it I think... which have tried to straighten out my lovely embossed shape!! LOL)  Thanks Debby for giving me some help on how it's achieved! I've used promarkers to colour, then added a puddle for her to dance in!  The sentiment is handwritten by me, from a saying that I saw somewhere in one of those forwarded emails... I thought it was apt!  Anyway, for some reason although I was happy with my colouring, I didn't really know what else to put on the card.  Everything I tried looked wrong, so eventually I left it be.  I've added a few splashes with the glossy accents from the puddle, but they can't be seen in the photo... shame!  I've uses some new magnolia paper....  mmmmm! 

Right...... now onto my holiday pics...  (I've put them last so that if you start yawning, you can just switch off now!! hehe)  There's also a pic especially for Mina!!  We really loved Kefalonia.... it's a fabulous place, and I was actually really proud of myself for getting there.... as most of you know, I've had a fair few difficulties over the last year which have stopped me getting to places....  but I DID IT!  (And Lisa..  I've also driven the M62 this week so will be coming to visit shortly!! hehe)

Looking for Tom Conteh



I WENT on that boat into an underground cavern!!





Especially for MINA




Our balcony




Shirley Valentine bit........

Soooooooooooo if anyone is thinking of going to that beautiful island....... don't hesitate!  It's is FABULOUS and the people are really friendly and welcoming....  most speak really good english (I would have preferred to try to speak greek, but hey ho...... !! And of course, I just had to bring the odd greek silver item back with me..........  well, you just have to, don't you???

Hugs to all and thanks for dropping by
Christine xx
PS.... Anyone going to the Doncaster Stamp Magic show next Sunday?

Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye........

And if you're old enough to remember that song.....  you're nearly as old as me!! LOL

Just to say that I'm going on my hols tomorrow.... off to Kefalonia for a week, so please don't do too many fantastic cards while I'm away, or I won't be able to catch up with you all!

I'll miss my daily blog fix......  but hope the sun, sea, sand and nice looking Greek waiters will make up for it... I've loaded up my Kindle - now all I need is a nice glass of wine.....
Big Hugs
Christine x

Less is More Embossing Challenge

Hi Blogging Buddies
Firstly so sorry for not posting much this week, I've had a really busy time and although I've kept up with my commenting, haven't be able to get at my cardmaking!

A real last minute one for me tonight - just getting it in by the skin of my teeth hopefully!  I did mean to do this card earlier in the week, but for one reason and another, didn't get to do it! Soooooooo hope I still can get it posted on the challenge!

Soooo I used the Flutterby Stamp from Stamping Bella..... onto some plain linen cardstock - which didn't take too well, as you can see.  Then the embossing bit!  I coloured the flowers with some embossing wet look pens that I've had for eons, put on clear embossing powder and heated.... and the result, I thought, looked quite good!  I did a bit of colouring on the main part of the butterfly with a prismacolour pencil and some gamsol..... fading it out, then (obviously!) added some glitter to my flutterby!  I drew the wobbly lines to frame - they're supposed to be wobbly! - and hand wrote the sentiment. 

As I say, a real rushed one - but hopefully acceptable!

We're off to Kefalonia on Sunday for a week, so I probably won't get chance to post again till after the bank holiday. As I've said before, I hate the working up to going - wish I had a star trek device that would just get me there with all that i need with me!! LOL...

So, see you all soon and thanks for dropping by! 
Hugs
Christine x
Challenge: Less is More

Just had to show you these...

Hi Girls
Just had to share these pics we took yesterday - we had a lovely day out with my darling OH's daughters and his grandsons.....  The top one is Leo and he is 10 months old - and the bottom photo is Haiden - he is 5 and at school.... he's showing his certificates from this week for being a Star Pupil!  We are just so proud of them both....  They're not my blood grandsons - but I feel like they are cos I love them so much!

We had a fab day out in the Midlands somewhere - we went to a place called Plantasia at Dobbies Garden Centre - I've got to recommend it - good value for money and so entertaining for the kiddies... and it didn't rain, although it threatened a lot of times!  But we're of the hardy variety - not scared off by black clouds!

Anyway... I'm going to try to get a card done later, but just had to show you these pics..

Hugs to all and Happy Sunday

Christine x

Wee Stamps - card for a friend - and a FREEBIE sentiment

Hi crafty friends

Firstly I'd love to welcome my new followers..... although I did lose one the other day, I've now added four more and I'm so thrilled!  Only another four to make the big 5-0!  Thank you for taking the time to follow me - it means so much.

Just a very quick post from me today - I feel absolutely shattered for some reason, so will be going to put my feet up in a little while... you know the feeling, eyelids heavy, body feels like a load of lead... kinda dragging yourself around.... well let's hope I feel different tomorrow!  Maybe I should blame the weather, we seem to blame it for all sorts of other things!!

Onto my card...  today I used a beautiful little image from Wee Stamps called Sweet Blossoms.  What a delight she was to colour!  She just cried out for pinks and lilacs...  well how could I refuse?  Soo, I coloured her with my lovely pens, glittered her in strategic places with Glamour Dust..., then matted her onto one of my fav Bazzill colours and some luscious Memory Box Gossamer DP.  I used my MS edger punch to create the strip down the side, and some seam binding for the ribbon and bow.  Some little organza flowers and some gems from MeiFlower and it was complete apart from the sentiment, which I did on the computer (free below for you) - then used my a new die from Bunny Zoes - it's a Nellies Choice Eastern Oval Die for the shape... (thank you Edna for that lovely idea!)

Hope you like it - will take a look at the challenges and see what I can enter it for later.

Bye for now and happy crafting
Hugs
Christine x

Just had to do another White on White...



Hi to my blogland friends..
Well, it's confirmed... this is well and truly an addiction!  I love doing White on White cards!!  Don't think there's any cure either.... but not to worry. 

So this is my second entry into the Less is More Challenge (Mandi and Chrissie AKA 'The Pushers' and the ones that have got me into this mess........)

It's a really simple card, the punch-around-the-edge is a MS punch and I layered that onto a square card with 3D foam, the circle type thingie is a Marianne Creatables die cut from glitter card, the pearl gems are, well pearl gems!  The leaves are a woodware punch (i think it's woodware - it's green and I can't remember if it has a name or not on it)....  then the flowers........ my favourite bit!  They're simply made from a circle of felt as I don't have a die for it (i used the bottom of a wine glass (!) for the circle... then I cut a decreasing spiral to the centre.......  rolled them from the outside inward, glued the roll onto the circle thats left in the middle, then sprayed them with Crafters Companion Spray and Sparkle in Irridescent.  Well,,,, I couldn't not glitter, them could I?

So there you go....  any known cures for this terrible problem on a postcard please to: Addicted of Wetherby!

Hugs and Happy Thoughts.... (it's thunderstorming here so I AM trying to think happy thoughts....)
Christine x
PS........ i REALLY must say a massive thank you to all of the lovely bloggers who left lovely comments on my first White on White card....  I was floating on air yesterday (and still am) after hearing all those nice things!
Challenge:  Less is More White on White

White on White...... for Less is More

Hi dear blogging buddies

Here I am at 11.20 pm uploading a card! Hmmmmm - but I have had a little doze on the settee this evening, and have now come back to life so thought I'd do it now...

Today's card has been made for the one challenge, Less is More (a challenge blog that's going from strength to strength!)....... as I thought it would be a real challenge for me to do 'white on white', which is their theme for this week.  Sooooo without further ado, here's my entry...

It's such a simple card, with what I call a 'waterfall' of daisies!  No sentiment, as I didn't want to print which would have had to have been in black or grey... not white!  Dunno if you count the gems as white???  Anyway, all I did was punch out a quite a few daisies from white pearl, white glitter, and white plain card.... and glued!!  I finished it off with a some stickles (crystal) in the centre of the daisies that don't have gems.  It's A5 size, which is unusual for me...... I'm so used to doing squares, I tend to do them in my sleep!! hehe

I hope you like it - do let me know by saying hello - I've lost a follower today and feel so sad - it's like losing a friend!

Hugs

Christine

Challenge: Less is More - White on White

Well, it had to come.....

 Hi Lovely Bloggers....

Well, after a card without much girlie glitter, there had to come one WITH it!  My addiction is such that I just HAVE to have bling on my cards... at all costs!

Sooooooo without further ado, this is Princess Zoe, who is from Digi Stamp Boutique.  She is so girlie.... I just had to give her pink and glitter!  So, I coloured her with promarkers and glittered with prismaglitter, I then cut her out with my nesties.  I used a bazzill background, then I used a DP that came free with a mag this month, and put a band of card across with a MS border punch on both sides.  The daisies were in my ribbon stash so don't know where I got them from... as where the gem embellies.  I used two Stampin Up punches that I've had for years for the sentiment, which was computer generated.  And the organza flowers were from Mei Flower at the Harrogate show.  Think that's covered it all?

On the subject of the sentiment, I sent a link with the freebie ones that I'd done on my last post to the Free Digital Stamps website.  They've emailed me back to say they're not really interested as they could be typed easily and they are not word art.  Hmmm, I've got to say I'm quite disappointed, as they're done using a special font that I purchased, and then put into jpeg format in Photoshop so anyone can resize easily.  Ah well, I hope that they've been useful for the lovely people that commented - my lovely blogland buddies!

OK, rant over!  If anyone wants the Princess one, let me know and I'll send it to you!

Hugs and Happy Crafting!
Christine x

Challenges: Totally Papercrafts Challenge #64 Glitter

                  Papertake Weekly Challenge - Anything Goes

                  Passion for Promarkers Challenge 98 - Princess

                  Phindy's Place Challenge - Glitter, Glamour and Glitz

                  Craft your Passion Challenge - Anything Goes

At last, another card....... and some FREEBIES!

Hello girls.... (Scroll to end for freebies)
Hope you've all had a lovely bank holiday weekend, and that you all enjoyed the magical day that was the wedding day on Friday!  I had my daughter and a couple of friends here to watch while my OH was at work... and we all shed a tear I think.  It's so lovely to see a young couple who my daughters' (26 and 25) generation can look up to.  And what role models Wills and Kate are....... aren't they?  Mind you, I think one of my daughters particularly thought that William would wait for her!!  Ah well.....

Right..... onto my card, which I've had to be nudged into making.  I don't know what's the matter with me, but I'll EVEN tidy my craft room if it means I can avoid actually PUTTING a card together...  I have loads of images coloured, but when it comes to assembling..... I tend to put it off!  Weird aren't I?

Today I've used a lovely Suzanne Woolcott Gorjuss stamp - Sent with Love - one of my favourites.  I've coloured her with promarkers, and then cut out a rectangle round her, and sponged with a versamagic wheat colour to give the retro effect.  The DP I've used is Cosmo Cricket Glitterbug Georgie Girl, then I've added some lace and put all that onto a background of bazzill cardstock.  The embellie is a sizzix paddle punch that you use a hammer and a cutting mat with!  Good for frustration!!  But it was just right for the retro paper with daisies.  Then I found a brad in my stash, which I recoloured with the matching Promarker!!  (Of course, I had to use my bling button in photoshop on the brad..... it wouldn't be me otherwise, would it??)

Now the sentiment!  I've used my corner rounder on it... and it's one I've generated on the computer myself, and I've added it, and a couple of others here as FREEBIES in case you'd like them!  Hope you do!  Please let me know if you use them, I'd love to see your creations - you can email me via my 'email me' button (D'oh..).  And as always, please point people to my blog to snag them rather than just passing them on.  I'd also like you to become a follower (if you're not already!), then you won't miss my future freebies.  They're in JPEG format so you can resize in word however you want.  If you left click on them to make them larger, then right click and choose 'save picture as' you'll be able to save them to your computer.  Enjoy them - and let me know if there are other sentiments you'd like in that format.

And if you'd seen me chasing this card round the garden and swearing while trying to photograph it (they say sunlight is best - but not with a wind!!), you'd have laughed your socks off!!

Love and hugs to all - please say hello..... it makes my day to receive your comments.

Christine x
Chellenges:  MAWTT - Anything Goes
                   Simon says Stamp - Anything Goes