Today i realised i still hadn't made my poor mum a Mothers Day Card!! So i decided to use this weeks Sketch Saturday challenge for inspiration.
This card seemed to need more fixing and covering up as i went than anything else...everything just kept going wrong!!! :(
Well, at least i got there in the end and here is my attempt!! hope my mum likes it :)
One of my colleagues who also enjoys crafting recently complained to me that there was nowhere decent in London to buy craft supplies., well of course i disagreed!! The trick, i have found, is knowing where to look!
It is true that there are no big craft stores in the centre, but there again, i don't know if there are in the centre of any big city!! However, there are lots of gorgeous little shops dotted around if you know where to find them!
For example there is Blade Rubber Stamps which is a lovely little shop in Bloomsbury, near to the British Museum, which is full of gorgeous papers and rows of rubber stamps! then there is Cass Arts which are dotted around London, there are at least 2 haberdasheries that i know of and then there is at least one Hobby Craft down the Central Line, so we are not badly done by!! :) Does anyone else know of any good craft shops in London that they could recommend?
Speaking of Cass Arts, after reading about how many people love the promarkers, i decided i wanted to give them a go!! Now, i am not the most patient person in the world so i decided i would rather find a shop so i can see and play with them! With this in mind i decided to ring my nearest Cass Art store to see if they had them in stock, well not only did they have them, all the packs are 50% off in the sale...woo hoo!!! needless to say i went scooting down there and bought some - can't wait to play!!
So for any of you pro market/ Tria marker fans lucky enough to live in London, get yourself down to the Cass Art Store on Kensington High Street where all the Pro Marker and Tria Marker sets are on sale!! :)
Well i am actually on time for this weeks challenge over at Dotties World!! I have so many birthdays to make cards for this month that i am grateful for the challenges to give me inspiration. This weeks challenge, set by Nicola, was:
Get the feeling!!!!!I would like to see some kind of fabric incorperated in the card or item, it could be felt,ribbon,lace,cotton etc and ofcourse a Charmed Cards and crafts download.
I am so glad that they did this one as i don't feel i use ribbon enough as i worry i will get it wrong so this was the perfect excuse to practice!
I have to say since i have started my blog my confidence has grown a lot and i am really beginning to enjoy card making a lot more! I still get that feeling that i am pleased with my card until i see everyone elses that are so much better! But i have learnt to look at/admire other peoples cards, and get ideas and learn how to improve as i go!
I hope the improvement shows i my cards since i started...i think so :)
Well i know i haven't posted in ages but blokie suggested very casually that we should move in together - very exciting!! So the past few weeks have been a whirlwind of flat hunting and packing!!
To be fair i have made a few cards but mostly in the evening and have given them away quickly so the light has never been right to actually photograph them!!
Well, it is my friends 30th birthday party this evening so i have spent the morning designing a card for her. Well what better place to go for inspiration than Dotties world!! Last Sundays Challenge was aptlu named "Inspire me" and it went as follows:
I decided to use this photograph of yummy looking cupcakes for the challenge this week.
You can take whatever you like from the photograph: you could focus on the colours, use a cupcake on your work or make a cupcake shaped card - it's up to you. You must include one of the Charmed downloads on your project and please tell us how the photo inspired you in your make by leaving a comment and linking to your blog.
I really loved the colours in the photo as they were so bright and vibrant so decided to use them as the colour scheme for the card!
I used "Maddison Goes to the Ball" from the "Holly and Madison" download from Charmed Cards and Crafts
I have to say, i am delighted with how the card came out (must be having a good card day...he he he!) and hope she loves it when i give it to her this evening!!
I recently managed to get tickets for the pretty much sold out "Swan Lake" at the Royal Opera House (London) for my best friends Birthday!
It was something she really wanted to see before she leaves London in May so i ws really chuffed with myself!!! :)
Now, knowing my ability for losing things, i chose to pick the tickets up from the box office!
However, i still wanted to hand her something so i decided to design her a Gift Certificate
I designed it using Paint Shop Pro. The Music background and the ballet Shoes are 2 seperate Stock Photos. I reduced the opacity on the music picture then removed the background from the ballet shoes and arranged the it on top. The Flourishes either side are PSP Brushes that i picked up from somewhere (I can't remember where sorry, but if anyone recognises them then let me know and i will happily give credit for them!!)
I then printed it out and layered it on embossed cream cardstock. I am sorry but i didnt' get the chance to take a photo before the light went!! :(
Wow, Nicky AKA Stiggys Cards has very kindly given me this award! Firstly i would like to say thank you so much to her for the gesture, i truly am flattered!! :) It was a lovely suprise so thank you!!
OK, The rules for this award are:
You have to give this award to five people and link to their blogs, they in turn most pass on to 5 people and link back to the person they received the award from, and You must also list 5 things you are addicted to
My Five Blogs (In no Particular Order) are:
1. Life and Crafts of Dilly Dally Dingle - What can i say, i love reading her blog and her cards are simply gorgeous!
2. Juliet's paper Place -Such beautiful cards and someone i aspire to
3. English Autumn - A place where i can always find inspiration!
4. Crafty Makes - Her cards are simply stunning!
5. Crafts by Louly - I think this lady is just so talented! I love her downloads and her designs and can always find inspiration here!
Ok, now for 5 things i am addicted to (am i really limited to 5?? he he he!!)
1. Chocolate
2. Shopping (especially Shoes!)
3. Horse Riding
4. Salsa Dancing
5. Card Making
Wow talk about putting a card up at the 11th hour!!! I was really excited by the challenge over on Dotties world last Sunday! Firstly because i love learning new things and techniques and secondly as i wanted to make a really special card for my best friends birthday which is the beginning of Feb!!
This weeks challenge has been to follow any tutorial on charmed cards and craft site and the operative word for me this week really was challenge !!!
Firstly i strggled getting all the elements together, then little bits started going wrong, then i was sent to Geneva for work which involved a 20 hoour day and left me too tired to do anything duing the week!! all in all i thought i would never get it done but today i finally managed...yey!!
I am really pleased with the result and hope she likes it!!
Any where here we go:
Everywhere I look these days I find fantastic tutorials
which suggests that everyone must love them. For this crafty challenge I want
you to make something (it doesn't have to be a card) following a Charmed Cards
and Crafts tutorial or class and include a Charmed download. There are
absolutely loads to choose from so pop over for a peek, you won't be
disappointed. When you put your creation on your blog please link up to your
chosen tutorial and then we can all have a look. The Online classes are here
The tutorial i chose to follow can be found here and the image is from the "Girls about Town" set: http://www.charmedcardsandcrafts.co.uk/acatalog/louise_brigden_card_tutorial.htm
I am in the midst of battle with myself and have been for months!!
The root of all this battling and yes-ing an no-ing is the Cuttlebug - do i splash out on one or not?? ( i am saving up for a deposit on a flat so money has to be wisely spent!!)
I bought a tag-a-long about a year a go and to be honest i have used it a grand total of about 5 times!!!! :(
I love the embossing effects of the cuttlebug though - do you see my problem??grrrrr....
IF i bought a cuttlebug then i would donate the tag-a-long to my mum and it would mean i would also have a die cutter when i go home to visit!
If anyone is reading this and can add any weight to the for or against argument i would love to have any advice!
Also, i have two sizzlits alphabets - IF i bought a cuttlebug does anyone know if i can use the alphabets in it??
Thank you a huge bundle for your thoughts :)
**Edit: I found it on sale for £49.99 with free delivery at Craft at Home and i then found a cheque in my purse for £75.00 that i was given for christmas and had forgotten about!! A sign me things!! And sooooo...i bought it...woo hoo!! Is it here yet? is it here yet? is it here yet? he he he!!**
Jo x
I have been looking forward to this weeks Dotties World Challenge as i have been saving the "Scruff in a Tub" image especially!!!
This weeks Challenge is:
This week I want your creations to be PURE & SIMPLE! No patterned papers, just clean, fresh and simple. I don't want any fuss on our creations this week. You can include any Charmed
download, the choice is yours! I set this challenge to the team weeks ago
but when it came down to actually creating, I thought, my goodness, what have I done!
Here is my attempt: The sentiment and wording on the backround were done on my laptop and the image is, of course, "Scruff in a Tub"!!
Clearly i am going to have to keep my crafting to the weekends as, best intentions aside, i am not getting much done during the week!! :(
Mind you this weekend is quite crazy too...but i wanted to at least attempt one card!
Looking thorough someone elses blog i came across another challenge - the "Sketch and Stash Challenge" and i wanted to give it a go. The challenge is:
So onto the challenge, here is Sketch # 1 (See
the Sketch and Stash Blog for image)
You can rotate it, re size the elements and add extra bits and
bobs if you need to!
A nice and easy one for you to start with! We hope you
have fun creating and We can't wait to see your stash too! Please tell us which
item is your new purchase (or newish etc... we won't ask for proof of purchase
lol!!) or maybe use an item which you've never used since you've bought it!
So here is my attempt. I am not hugely happy with the colouring but practice makes perfect i guess. This was my first time using Water Colours so as always any hints and tips on using Water Colours or other methods of colouring are greatly appreciated!!
The new stash used are both the papers and the image! :)
Image: 'Too Tweet' Image Stamps from Pink Petticoat
Papers: Sugar Plum Autumn Blooms downlaod from The Digi Chick
I just wanted to say thank you to you all for firstly, taking the time to stop by and secondly, for all your kind comments, encouragement and advice!!
You folks certainly know how to make a girl stick around...he he he!!
I am not sure if it is so good for my relationship though...i was just about to head out the door on a hot date with my other half when Louise from Dotties world emailed over "Scruff in the Tub" ( i hope i got the name right?) and he is just sooooooo cute!! So i sat there oooohhhing and aaahhhing with ideas running through one half of my brain and excuses for staying at home and playing running thorough the other half , whilst holding mobile in hand saying " yes darling of course i am on my way!!"
Right i am going to have a nosey around all your blogs now ...he he he!!
Thanks again!!
Jo
x
Well I am definately on a roll - 2 cards in 2 days!!
Still on the subject of "Dottie and George" i came across the official blog - "Dotties World" yay!!
And so i decided to enter my first challenge ever which is as follows:
"Start the New Year with a Laugh" . I simply want to see "something funny" on your project, what you use and how you make it is up to you. Oh and of course you must use one of the Charmed downloads.
Well glad of any excuse to use the "Girls about town" download again here is what i came up with!
In case you can't see the quote on the card is "I can resist everything except temptation" by Oscar Wilde!
The paper is from "the All Dressed Up matstack" by Die Cuts with a View (DCWV) and i made the sentiment on my computer!
I am struggling with taking photos of my cards so if anyone is actually reading this and has any tips i would be most grateful!!
Yesterday i bought the "Lets Craft" Magazine as this time it was about using Water Colours (which i have neve done before!)
Inside was a feature on "Dottie and George" which are image stamps which you can download from Charmed Cards and Crafts so i took a wander over and instantly fell in love with and downloaded the "Girls About Town" images.
This is what i created!:
Hello!
Well as always a new year brings lots of resolutions and promises that i am going to do lots of wonderful things and give up all the bad stuff (Yeah right!)
Well, so far so good! One resolution is that i am actually going to start crafting instead of simply admiring all the wonderful papers and gadgets i have collected over the past year!
The thing is i am my own worst critic! In other words i will make a last minute attempt at making a card (as i have left it too late as usual!) then decide i dont like it, that a 2 month old could do better and bin it! The daft thing is that when i have the time i love making cards (well all 4 that i attempted last year...ooops!) so this year is going to be the year that i actually make the time!
Having had a wander around the internet and read some wonderful blogs with some beautiful cards i am already feeling very inspired and excited and can't wait to hopefully meet some new friends and generally get more involved!! :)
