Eek! It's your birthday!

Hello lovely people,

Apologies for the lack of card last week but I was off skiing in the French Alps with friends and family, including taking my niece and nephew for the first time.  I'm happy to report that we did loads of skiing, there were no injuries, the weather was sunny and the kids loved it :-)

One great thing about coming home is being back at my craft desk and for this week's Dies to Die For DT card I was desperate to have a play with some rather cute mice that fell in my basket last month!

Polka dots, stripy bunting and an adorable mouse in a box...what more could you want for a birthday card?!

I love how happy this mouse looks :-)

It reminds me of the time that I came home from work one day and Dr. Hubby was hiding in a box (a very large box).  I went all round the house trying to figure out where he was and it took me a looooong time to realise he was in the huge box in our lounge!  So maybe that backfired a bit on him as he was in there for quite a while - lol!

If I've tempted you with any of the lovely supplies I've used then you can go straight to the individual products via the links below or just pop over to Dies to Die For and have a little browse around!

Thanks for popping in and I hope you have a wonderful day!

Lovely things I've used from Dies to Die For;
It's a mice time to celebrate - My Favorite Things
Dots and stripes pastels 6x6 pad - Sunny Studio
Blueprints 31 - My Favorite Things
Double stitched circle STAX - My Favorite Things (not available but check out all the other fab circle STAX here)
Bunting borders - Lawn Fawn

Copic colours;
Mouse: C00, C1, C3
Ears: R0000, R000, R00, R30
Pink bits: RV52, RV55, RV17
Blue bits: B000, B00, B01, B02
Ground: C00, C0, C1, C2, C3

Celebrate with a cupcake

Hello lovely people,

If you have been following my countdowns you will know that today is the day I head to Bath to undertake my practical exam for the prescribing course.

Then I have a case presentation to give on Wednesday but I'm not worried about that as its only 10 minutes and I'm quite relaxed about giving presentations.

I'll be fine as long as don't drink a big cup of coffee immediately beforehand as I talk quite fast even without the added caffeine...yes, I have made that mistake before - lol!

Onto the crafting and today I have a Paper Nest Dolls card to share, using a paper pad that I have had for a while and somehow haven't used before.

I thought I would use it for wedding cards but it seemed to suit this image really well and even had the perfect sentiment topper for me to use :-)

I think I should treat myself to a cupcake this size after I finish my exams!

Yummy!

I felt that this card needed some bunting to complete the celebratory feel so I made my own using co-ordinating paper from the paper pad.
I cut the little flags by hand, folded the top of each flag over a length of twine and glued them down.  I attached it to the card with foam pads on the back of the flags and trimmed the ends of the twine and covered them with flowers.
I do love bunting; it makes me smile :-)

Card recipe;

Image: Cupcake Avery - The Paper Nest Dolls

DP: Save the Date - Teresa Collins

Flowers: Wild Orchid Crafts
Twine: Ivory button twine - The Ribbon Girl

Copic colours;
Skin: E000/00/21/11/04 & R20
Hair: E53/35/59
Pale aqua: BG10/11/32
Dark aqua: BG13/15
Pink: R30/32/22
Cupcake frosting: R000/00/30
Ground: W00/0/1/2/3/4

Thanks for visiting and I really appreciate any comments that you leave,

Cake glorious cake!

Hello lovely people,

It's time for a new challenge at As You Like It and our theme this time is...

YOUR FAVOURITE...occasion
...and don't forget to tell us why it's your favourite!

Our sponsor this time is Bunny Zoes Crafts with a £10 voucher

My favourite occasion to make cards for is birthdays because it's so nice to personalise each card with a specially chosen image or their name.

I especially like making girly birthday cards because I can make pretty cards like this one!

LOTV have been bringing back some of the previously retired stamps but sadly not this one...yet!
I totally adore this stamp and use her quite often.
Maybe I am drawn to it because of the size of that cake....yummy!

I don't think I have posted a card with this Happy Birthday banner before and I *really* love it so you will be seeing more of it!

Card recipe;

Image: Cake glorious cake (retired) - LOTV

DP: Romance and roses - retired from LOTV but available as digi download from Nitwits

Flowers: Wild Orchid Crafts

Dies:Happy birthday banner - Taylored Expressions, Advent drawer deco die set (for number 3) - Tonic Studios, Old Swedish lace - Magnolia Doohickeys

Name: freebie alphabet stamp set
Sparkle: Clear Wink of Stella 

Copic colours;
Skin: E000/00/21/11/04 & R20
Hair: E53/35/59
Cardigan: BG10/11/13
Skirt: BG10/11/13/49
Shoes: R81/83/85
Wings: RV0000/000/R81
Cake: E81/41/42 & R81/83
Candle: BG10/11/13 & Y21/YR23/27
Ground: W00/0/1/2/3/4

I hope you will pop over to As You Like It and check out the fabulously creative projects from the rest of the team :-)

Thanks for visiting and I really appreciate any comments that you leave,

Challenges I am entering;

Cake and bunting

Hello lovely people,

Important date alert...Midday on 28th January is the launch of the new trio stamps from LOTV.
They are so gorgeous I would not be surprised if they sell out super fast so make sure to get your hands on them quick!
Just to get you excited, I have another sneak peek for you of one of the images from the Time for Tea trio....mmmmm, yummy cake :-)

I had a heap of pretty papers out on my desk as I started planning this card, and I only ended up using a tiny piece of 1 paper!  Not like me at all but I had a flash of inspiration and ended up with this CAS design, which is also a nifty way to use up a scrap of DP :-)

All the trio images are fab and really versatile but I will always have a soft spot for anything with cake and bunting on it...two of my favourite things!

Card recipe;

Image: Time for tea - LOTV

DP: Pastel Dreams (retired) - LOTV

Dies: MFT Die-namics circle stax

Sentiment: A little sentimental - Clearly Besotted

Copic colours;
Cupcake case / hearts: R81/83
Cupcake frosting: RV0000/000/R81
Cherry and decorations: R85
Bunting: BG53/57 & R81/83
Plate: B000/BG53
Sky: B0000/000
Table: W00/0/1

Thanks for visiting and I really appreciate any comments that you leave,

Tea and bunting

Hello lovely people,

It's time for a new challenge at Top Tip Tuesday and our theme this time is...

3 OF SOMETHING

We are sponsored by Stamp and Create with a $20 voucher prize :-)

You know those cards that just come together so easily?
This wasn't one of those!

I had a totally different bit of DP for the backing but after I coloured the teapot it just didn't look right, but then happily I came across exactly the right piece of gingham instead!

Then I had this idea for some bunting...nice idea but it took a while to get it how I wanted of course!

None of my stamp sentiments seemed to look right so I generated one on the computer :-)

It still looked a little plain so I popped on a few flowers...and there's my 3 of something!

After all that I absolutely love the finished result but then it is pink and green which is one of my fave colour combos :-)

And I *really* love bunting!

Card recipe;

Image: Time for tea (everyday in Moonbeam meadow) - Crafter's Companion

DP: Garden party - Pebbles (available from Hey Little Magpie)

Flowers: Wild Orchid Crafts

Twine: Ivory button twine - The Ribbon Girl

Dies: Go Kreate large frilly dies #10
Sentiment: created in Word, font  = The Only Exception

Copic colours;
Teapot: G0000/000/00/BG34
Tag / box: E40/41/42/43
Mouse: E40/41/42 & R00/01/R11
Stick / box corners: E44/47
Bunting / flowers: R81/83/56

Grass: G40/43/YG63

I hope you will pop over to Top Tip Tuesday and check out the fabulously creative projects from the rest of the team and there are some great tips for you too :-)

Thanks for visiting and I really appreciate any comments that you leave,

Challenges I am entering;
1.  A Gem of a Challenge (Spring is in the air)

At the beach

Hello lovely people,

I had a lovely relaxing and mostly sunny weekend but oh dear., it seems like such a long time to wait for the next weekend :-(  So, to take your mind off that, here's the new challenge at All Dressed Up and this time we have this fabulous sketch for you to work with...

I am a huge fan of sketches as they are a great starting point for a design, although I usually can't resist putting my own little twist on it!
In this case the circular layer has become a square and my set of 3 embellishments has become some bunting... yes, bunting again, but it's so cute!

Given the gorgeous sunny weather we have been having I just had to use one of the 3 little summer girls and some papers that make me think of the seaside.

Card recipe;
Image: 3 little summer girls - All Dressed Up
DP: Shoreline treasures - Pion Design (available from Live and Love Crafts)
Flowers: Wild Orchid Crafts
Bunting stamp: freebie with a magazine
Sentiment: Clear mini stamp set - Kaisercraft
Twine: The Ribbon Girl

Copic colours;
Skin: E000/00/21/11/04 & R20
Hair: E53/55/57/59
Dress: V91/93/95
Leggings: W00/1/3
Bucket: B91/93/95/97
Spade: E55/57/59
Sandy ground: YR30/E40/41/42/43

Do pop over to All Dressed Up to see what the rest of the Dressy Girls have created; they are all stunning! We'd love to see you join in for a chance of winning 3 images of your choice!
Don't forget to swing by our Facebook Group to share your creations and chat to fellow All Dressed Up lovers :-)

Thanks for visiting and I really appreciate any comments that you leave,

Challenges I am entering;

1.  Live and Love Crafts (by the sea)

2.  Cute Card Thursday (pretty papers)

Big hugs

Hello lovely people,

Yay, it's new release time again at All Dressed Up and once again we have a fabulous selection of images for you.  If you don't believe me, take a look for yourselves...

A Cuddle Makes it all Better

Country Girl

Hop It

Hop to It

Summer Swing

I have gone for the girly option today but with only a splash of pink against  the soft blues of what I think is my fave collection of Maja paper EVER :-)
I cut the fishtail bunting by hand and added a little dusting of Frantage to pretty up the corners of the card.

I didn't use the wording that comes with the image but I did think it would make a nice card for someone in need of a hug hence the tags I chose to add.

Card recipe;
Image: A Hug Makes it All Better - All Dressed Up
DP: Coffee in the Arbour - Maja Design
Tags: Sentiment tags - LOTV
Edge: Martha Stewart edge punch
Flowers: Wild Orchid Crafts
Chunky white frantage - available from Live and Love Crafts

Copic colours;
Skin: E000/00/21/11/04 & R20
Hair: E21/25/29
Dress: R81/83/85
Dog: E30/31/33/34
Bow: B91/93/95/97
Ground: W0/1/2/3/4

To see what the rest of the Dressy Girls have done with these cute images head over to All Dressed Up. While you're there, check our our current 'Anything Goes' challenge and we'd love to see you join in for a chance of winning 3 images of your choice!
Don't forget to swing by our Facebook Group to share your creations and chat to fellow All Dressed Up lovers :-)

Thanks for visiting and I really appreciate any comments that you leave,

 

Challenges I am entering;
1.  As You Like It (which is your fave - animal or people?  Can I have both? Lol!  It is actually people but if there happens to be a cute animal too then it's a bonus!)