You are my sunshine

Hello lovely people,

This weekend started very promisingly with a fabulous curry with friends on Friday night.

Then it was off to my brother and his girlfriend's for a relaxing weekend with some gorgeous food; fish pie cooked by my brother on Saturday and a lovely Sunday lunch out.
Oh, and how could I forget the cream tea in beautiful sunshine in the garden on Saturday afternoon - yum :-)

We also went to see Jurassic World at the cinema on Saturday evening and would you believe it has been 7 years since I last went to the cinema?!  I absolutely loved the film and it was worth the trip to the big screen :-)

I can't believe June is nearly over, and I have one more card to share this month for the LOTV Design Collective.

Since it is Summer, and even the weather is nice and hot, I thought I'd go for some pretty florals and you can't get much prettier than these new LOTV papers!

This turned out really quite CAS; I just couldn't bring myself to cover up the gorgeous papers too much!

This image does have a lovely sentiment that comes with it but I was itching to use my new postmark greetings!
I added a little sparkle to the flower centres and butterfly wings :-)

Card recipe;

Image: You are my sunshine - LOTV

DP: Romance and roses - LOTV

Twine: Ivory button twine - The Ribbon Girl

Sentiment: Greetings postmarks - LOTV

Dies: Scalloped squares - Nestabilities, Circle stax - MFT Die-namics
Sparkle: Crystal glamour dust

Copic colours;
Bear: E41/42/43/44
Pink flowers: R81/83/85RV17
Aqua flowers: BG10/11/34
Grass / leaves: G20/43

I hope you all had wonderful weekends whatever you have been up to!

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

Challenges I am entering;

Bunny Zoe (furry friends)
Papertake Weekly (trio-tastic - 3 designer papers)
A Gem of a Challenge (summer time)
Addicted to Stamps (bingo - flowers, stamped image, punches/dies)

To have and to hold

Hello lovely people,

I really didn't feel like I achieved much on my day off yesterday but some days just feel like that.
However, the weather was so lovely and sunny that I sat outside and had my first ice cream of the year... a white mini Magnum... yummy :-)
Does that count as an achievement?!

Ok, stop thinking about ice cream...it's time for a new challenge at In The Pink and our theme this time is...

VINTAGE / SHABBY CHIC

Our fabulous sponsor this time is Dies to Die For with an amazing prize of a £15 voucher

I decided to make a wedding card as I think they really suit the vintage/shabby chic style, especially with my favourite big sentiment stamp.

I ran over all the edges with a Tim Holtz distressing tool and rolled a couple of corners up...even adjusting my stitching to ensure the back was as neat as the front!
In case anyone is wondering, the back usually doesn't look like this because I do backstitch.

I found this beautiful new trim in a little shop during my Yorkshire trip and I don't really know what to call it, but it's like the finest soft hessian...really lovely :-)

I added a couple of wooden hearts and a liberal sprinkling of pearls to finish!

Card recipe;

Large sentiment: Statements (congratulations) - LOTV

DP: Vintage Spring and Autumn basics - Maja Design (available from Live and Love Crafts)

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

Trim / pearls / wooden hearts: from stash

If you haven't already done so then do pop over to In The Pink and check out the gorgeous creations from the rest of the Pink Ladies.

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

Challenges I am entering;
Creative Inspirations (your favourite - just about everything on this card (lol!)...my fave DP brand and my fave wedding stamp to name just 2)
Fussy and Fancy (distressed or Aurora Wings image)

Simon Says Stamp (anything goes)

It's a boy!

Hello lovely people,

I'm back at work and still trying to wade through all the e-mails and jobs that built up while I was on holiday :-(

On a much more pleasant note, it's time for a new challenge at Top Tip Tuesday and our theme this time is...

NAME THAT TUNE
Don't forget to tell us which song has inspired you!

We are sponsored by Stamp and Create with a fabulous prize of a $20 gift certificate :-)

The song that inspired my creation is Babe by Take That as I was a HUGE fan in my teens...and then again when I was a bit older when they re-formed!

Soooooo..it's a new baby card!

I grabbed this cute stamp in my last LOTV splurge...it was quite a big splurge so I have a few more new ones to use yet!
I always seem to be asked for lots of new baby cards though, so it was a good buy.

I love that the Maja Design papers have little strips at the bottom and I have popped a few foam pads under the middle of it to add a little dimension.

Card recipe;

Image: Rocking horse - LOTV

DP: Vintage baby - Maja Designs (available from Live and Love Crafts)

Twine: Ivory button twine - The Ribbon Girl

Tag: Sentiment tags - LOTV
Dies: circle stax - MFT Die-namics

Letters: magazine freebie
Wooden star: from stash, painted with white acylic paint

Copic colours;
Skin: E000/00/21/11/04 & R20
Babygro and bridle: B91/93/95/97
Horse: W00/0/1/2/3/4
Mane: W4/6/8
Teddy: E41/42/43
Rockers: E41/42/43/44
Ground: W00/0/1/2/3/4

I hope you will pop over to Top Tip Tuesday and check out the fabulously creative projects from the rest of the team plus the most wonderful tutorial from Deneen on creating a mini album :-)

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

Challenges I am entering;
Simon Says Stamp (fave technique/product = stamping and colouring with my Copics)
Moving Along With the Times (inspired by a song...as above!)
Craft your passion (anything goes)

On your bike!

Hello lovely people,

Did you miss me?!
I'm back from a wonderful week away in Yorkshire; I think the weather was not as good as at home but we had lots of fun including a LOT of walking and LOTS of cream teas :-)

I also got to meet my very lovely blogging buddy Christine (and her other half!) for the first time and we had a good old chat over lunch at Betty's at Harlow Carr gardens.

I didn't manage to get anything scheduled to post before I went away so thought I would share one now from a few weeks back.

As well as making my own card for my parents' 40th wedding anniversary, my Dad asked me to make one for him to give my Mum.

They enjoy lots of sporty and outdoor activities together so I used just one of those to inspire my design, which was cycling.

The bicycle stamp set comes with the basket separate and also some butterflies or hearts that you can stamp above the basket but in the end I added some die cut hearts cut from matching DP for a more co-ordinated look.

Card recipe;

Image: Good times - Clearly Besotted

DP: Yours truly - Pebbles

Twine: Natural button twine - The Ribbon Girl - currently unavailable

Tag: Sentiment tags - LOTV
Dies - mini heart collection - Memory box

I haven't been able to keep up with my blog visits while I've been away but I'm looking forward to coming round to see you all soon :-)

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

Challenges I am entering;
Papertake Weekly (Ohh so pretty)

Summer treats

Hello lovely people,

I am so very excited today as I am off on my holibobs tomorrow!  We are heading to Yorkshire for a week of walking and cream teas :-)

So, if I am a little MIA over the next week you will know why!

But before I go, it's time for a new challenge at In The Pink and our theme this time is...

SUMMER!

We are delighted to be sponsored for this challenge by The Ribbon Girl with a prize of a £10 voucher

I feel like I've done quite a few fancy cards recently so thought I'd go CAS for this one.
I did my usual trick of colouring the image before stamping the sentiment and then hoping I didn't muck up the stamping of the sentiment!
I have this sentiment as part of a freebie set with a magazine but it's available from Clearly Besotted and let me tell you, their stamps are lovely and stamp so beautifully :-)

It seems like ages since I coloured up a gorgeous Wryn image and this one was perfect because you can't have summer without ice cream, right?!

Card recipe;

Image: Sweet treat Wryn - Tiddly Inks

DP: Yours truly - Pebbles

Twine: Ivory button twine - The Ribbon Girl

Sentiment: from Sweet rose set - Clearly Besotted
Button: from stash

Copic colours;
Skin: E000/00/21/11/04 & R20
Hair: E21/25/29
Ice cream / skirt / shoes: R83/85/RV17
Flowers / top: B0000/01/04
Ice cream cone: E50/53/55/57
Ground: T0/1/2/3/4

If you haven't already done so then do pop over to In The Pink and check out the gorgeous creations from the rest of the Pink Ladies.

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

Challenges I am entering;
1.  Without Words (Summer holidays)

Floral gift bag

Hello lovely people,

Another weekend has whizzed past, another Monday has been and gone and now it's time for a new challenge at Top Tip Tuesday where we have the theme of...

CUT IT OUT!

We are sponsored by Shape EZ with a prize of 2 templates of the winner's choice

I have used the roll bag template but I have made the bag up without the wave shape at the top.  This was partly because I have to cut the shape by hand and it's a bit fiddly to get this shape neat and lined up if you push the top edges together, and partly because I thought it looked better for my design!

I have used some more of the new LOTV papers; this pack is full of lovely bright colours.
The teeny flowers are cut from the same DP so it would all co-ordinate.  I was inspired for this by Sue of Tanglemouse Cards; check this beautiful card out to see what I mean :-)

Bag recipe;

DP: Sunny side up - NEW from LOTV!!!!

Ribbon / twine: from stash

Dies: Perfect petioles - Memory box, Circle stax - MFT die-namics, Old Swedish lace - Magnolia Doohickeys

Sentiment: For you circular sentiments - LOTV

I hope you will pop over to Top Tip Tuesday and check out the wonderful shaped 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.  Cute Card Thursday (summer colours)
2.  Craft your passion (anything goes)

Pretty papers

Hello lovely people,

Have you seen the super new papers from LOTV?!
They are available to buy now along with some fab new sentiment sets, and as part of the Design Collective I was lucky enough to get a few samples so couldn't resist having a play :-)

I also wanted to try using an art pad image for the first time and was delighted to find a floral image that co-ordinated absolutely perfectly with some of the new papers!
Using an art pad image certainly speeded up my card making and I just added some teeny dots of liquid pearls to the hydrangeas.

Card recipe;

Image: Beautiful blooms art pad - LOTV

DP: Dress shoppe - LOTV

Twine: Natural button twine - The Ribbon Girl - currently unavailable

Lace: Chantilly cotton lace (Penny) - Crafty Ribbons

Tag: Sentiment tags - LOTV & Family sentiment tags - LOTV
Dies: Tiny butterflies - Impression Obsession, Filigree corner - La la land

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

Challenges I am entering;
1.  A Gem of a Challenge (something blue)
2.  Noor! Design (here comes Summer)
3.  Moving along with the times (happy birthday)

A summer challenge

Hello lovely people,

How wonderful to see some sunshine here today; perfect timing for our Summer Special Challenge Event at  LOTV!

We are having our first Facebook challenge and want to see all your Summer themed cards and projects using LOTV products.

We have some amazing prizes for you too...

For our hand picked top 3;
1st prize: £50 LOTV voucher
2nd prize: £25 LOTV voucher
3rd prize: £10 Ribbon Girl voucher

AND 3 x £20 LOTV vouchers for 3 randomly selected entrants

To enter, you need to like the LOTV facebook page, click to join the Summer Special Challenge Event and add a photo of your creation to that event page.

If the sunshine isn't enough inspiration for you here's my Summer inspired card...

Here are the gorgeous little bears in close up...

As usual I have made a large pull out tag to write a personal message on.
I used the border die to create the little tab at the top.

I have used my fave combo of pretty flowers and swirls to decorate the corner.

Card recipe;

Image: Happy Bears - LOTV

DP: Country Meadow - LOTV

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

Tag: Sentiment tags - LOTV

Dies: Heart swirl and Old Swedish lace - Magnolia Doohickeys

Copic colours;
Bears: E40/41/42/43
Pink bits: RV34/17/19
Yellow bits: YR20/21/23
Leaves: YG17
Ground: T0/1/2/3/4

You have until the end of 4th June to join in the fun and we can't wait to see your Summer projects :-)

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

Challenges I am entering;
1.  Papertake Weekly (anything goes +/- Summer)
2.  Fab 'n' Funky (check it out)