For a tea-riffic Mum

Hello lovely people,

After working at the weekend, I had yesterday off and spent most of it ignoring the cleaning and pottering about in my craft room instead :-)

It's back to work today but of course I then have my usual Wednesday off and I'm excited that I will be spending it with my awesome buddies Sue and Debs!

I thought today I would share the card I sent to my Mum for Mothers' Day.

I have to admit to using the tea theme on more than one occasion for her but she really does love tea so I'm hoping she will also love this card!

The dies and stamps are by Stampin' Up but no longer available.

I hope you all have a good week :-)

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

CAS floral card for Mum

Hello lovely people,

I'm flying by with a DT card this morning...

It's time for a new challenge at In The Pink and our theme this is...

SPECIAL LADY
Don't forget we want to see more pink than any other colour!

Our fabulous sponsor this time is...

I made the MUM up from some word dies that just happened to include an M and a U...very handy!

I promise that IRL the letters are all straight (I used a ruler to line them up!), but I think they have gone wonky looking in the photo editing process.  I am extremely good at taking wonky photos so have learnt to stretch the photo corners so it's all nice and square...however, in this case I think that made the lettering go wonky - oops!

I am so much happier making CAS cards than I used to be and I think it's all about having the right stash...any excuse to buy more things, right?!

In the case of this card, I do have a few flower dies but decided you can never have too many so I got a few Sue Wilson sets.  I use one set on this card, and they are fab because there are lots of different sizes of flower, so are perfect for layering :-)

I also seem to have got the card to look a totally different pink in the 2 photos; the light was awful when I took the photos and the different angles have affected the colour loads!  I think the first photo is closest to the real pink.

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,

Lovely things I've used;

Game of Colours by Galeria Papieru

Camellia complete petals - Sue Wilson for Creative Expressions

Stitched hillside borders by Lawn Fawn

Words for friends - My Favorite Things

InLinkz.com

Bubble blooms for Mum

 Hello lovely people,

I am very excited today as my beautiful new wooden box set of Inktense watercolour pencils has arrived!
It's not even my birthday!
I have been toying with the idea of getting them for ages and finally just decided to go for it :-)

Now I just have to learn how to use them, so while I am having a play, I have another Mothers' Day card to show you.
I tried out my new bubble bloom stamp and made a pretty pastel CAS design, with homemade candy dots.

This design was slightly more complicated than it looks because I inked the edges of the dots before I shaped them and I paper pieced the leaves, but those little details really make the difference in my eyes.

Card recipe;

Image: Bubble Bloom Melanie - Woodware

DP: Spring paper bloc - Joy! Crafts

Twine: Ivory button twine - The Ribbon Girl

Tag: Sentiment tags - LOTV

Tag: Family sentiment tags - LOTV

Dies: Dotties - Presscut

Copic colours;
Tiny leaves: G40/YG61

I hope you all had a great weekend :-)

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

Sewing machine for Mum

Hello lovely people,

For anyone who is following my progress as I undertake the course to become a Pharmacist Independent Prescriber and haven't already seen this on Facebook...
I passed part 2 of 3!!

I think today I might reward myself with a little crafting time so while I enjoy that, here's the new Creative Inspirations challenge and this week we have the theme...

ANYTHING GOES
+/- option of any of our sketches including this new one;

Our sponsor this time is Live and Love Crafts with a £10 voucher

I just about managed to follow the sketch with a few extra flowers to balance the corners.

It will soon be Mothers' Day so I thought I'd make a start on some suitable cards for my Folksy shop and this first one is pretty but not pink...well, not much pink anyway!

The sewing machine image is a retired digi image which I have paper pieced and then I added real embroidery thread, winding it round the bobbin and laying it over the thread line on the image.

 The little faux buttons are one of my new dies and I used them because I was going to go for a flat design...but then I couldn't resist adding the paper flowers so that was the end of that idea!

Card recipe;

Image: Pink Petticoat (now unavailable)

DP: Dress Shoppe - available as digi download from Nitwit Collections

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

Tag: Sentiment tags - LOTV

Tag: Family sentiment tags - LOTV

Dies: Circle stax - MFT Die-namics, Buttons - Impression Obsession

The DT have made some wonderful samples to inspire you so pop over to Creative Inspirations to take a look :-)

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

Challenges I am entering;

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)

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)

Sewing themed apron card

Hello lovely people,

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

BUTTONS &/OR BOWS

It's a double sponsor week as well so we have 2 fab prizes on offer

Whimsy Stamps

and 

Bugaboo

It was my Mother-in-Law's 65th birthday at the weekend so that needed a really special card and after the success of my previous apron card (this one) I thought I'd do a sewing themed one.

I used bits and bobs from all over the place to fit the theme and when I couldn't find what I wanted I created my own, like the little button card and thread spools which I cut by hand and stamped.

I very nearly forgot to add a '65' so had to quickly add the little tab; not so easy to stitch in place with the pocket already stuck down!

I also made a matching tag to pop on her present :-)

Card recipe;

DP: Petal fresh - NitWit collection for LOTV

Flowers: Wild Orchid Crafts
Lace: Danielle  -The Ribbon Girl

Twine: Ivory button twine - The Ribbon Girl

Tag: Family sentiment tags - LOTV

Sentiment: For you circular sentiments - LOTV

Dies: Heart flower swirl - Magnolia Doohickey
Pins: Teardrop ivory pearlised pins - The Ribbon Girl
Charm: Scissors charm - The Ribbon Girl
Ribbon / buttons: from stash

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 on creating the perfect bow :-)

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

Challenges I am entering;

1.  ABC Challenge (F is for festive - any holiday or birthday)
2.  Fussy and Fancy (ribbons and lace)

Sew shabby

Hello lovely people,

Well, we haven't seen much sunshine so far for our cottage holiday in Dorset but have still enjoyed some lovely walks and a visit to Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, which were beautiful.

Now it is of course time for a new challenge at In The Pink and our theme this time is...

VINTAGE / SHABBY CHIC

I have been enjoying making cards with a slightly shabby chic feel lately and the one I am sharing today was actually requested by my hairdresser for her Mum's special birthday.
It is very similar to a layout I did recently and it was so good I just had to use it again, but this time with a sewing machine image from Pink Petticoat.  It's a sweet and simple design but perfect for dressing up with lots of pretty embellishments.

And how timely that one of the magazines I subscribe to had a free gift of sewing themed charms so I added one on here!
I added extra prettiness to the digi image with liquid pearl dots on the flower centres and Frantage round the edge.

I've popped a little tag behind the image with the special greeting on it; it's a cute way to add an interactive touch I think.

Card recipe;
Image: Material Girl (daisies) - Pink Petticoat
DP: Vintage summer basics - Maja Design
Corner swirl stamps: set 68 - Corners - LOTV
Frantage: Shabby white by Stampendous - from Live & Love Crafts
Lace: Hermione - The Ribbon Girl
Seam binding / all flowers: Wild Orchid Crafts
Pearl head pins: The Ribbon Girl

Copic colours;
Sewing machine body: W00/0/1
Flowers: RV91/93/95 & BG93 for leaves

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,

Hugs,

Kat xx

Challenges I am entering;
1.  Bunny Zoe (flowers and charms)
2.  Live and Love Crafts (inspirational collage)
3.  Inky Chicks (use a metal embellishment)
4.  A Creative Romance (girly cards)
5.  Simon Says Stamp (anything goes)

Flower Power

Hello lovely people,

I am back with my next belated card share from Thursday and it's my guest DT card for A Little Bit Crafty where this month's theme is...

FLOWER POWER

This is the card I sent to my Mother-in-law for Mother's Day and it's a fairly CAS design.  I couldn't wait to get my hands on the relatives tags from LOTV to match the general sentiment ones I already have and they are so useful!

I love this sweet Tilda and have gone for springtime colours and little dots of pearl pen for a subtle touch of bling.

Card recipe;

Image: Tilda love flowers - Magnolia

DP: Vintage Autumn Basics - Maja Design

Twine: ivory button twine - The Ribbon Girl

Tags: Sentiment tags (set 24 & set 69) - LOTV

Copic colours;

Skin: E0000/50/000/51/21

Hair: E40/41/42/43

DressL B91/93/95/97

Flowers: YR30/20/Y32

Leaves: YG61/63

Boots: E42/43/44

Socks: T0/1/blender

Ground: T0/1/2/3/4

If you pop over to A Little Bit Crafty you can check out the fabulous creations from the DT.

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

Hugs,

Kat xx

Challenges I am entering;
1.  Tilda's Town (anything goes)
2.  Marvellous Magnolia (newest or fave Tilda - this one is both!)
3.  ABC (K is for keep it simple)

Mother's Day James

Hello lovely people,

I don't know about you but the days off at Easter and then my usual day off yesterday has left me very confused about what day of the week it is right now.
So, in case anyone else isn't sure, it is THURSDAY so that means it's time for a new challenge at Crafty Little Fairies and our theme is...

FURRY FRIENDS

We are sponsored by...

My favourite furry friend has to be the adorable James from LOTV and this is the card I made for my Mum for Mother's Day.  It's a fairly simple design, made before my new stash of flowers arrived, but I  wouldn't have added flowers anyway as it really doesn't need anything else IMHO.

I kept the shading quite light on James and paper pieced the heart adding a different little scrap for the patch.  I wasn't sure how well it would work given the placement of his paws on the heart but a little care with the cutting out and it's all fine!

Card recipe;
Image: James - big heart - LOTV
DP: Vintage autumn basics - Maja Designs
Swirl: Leaf and swirl die - Magnolia Doohickey
Twine: ivory button twine - The Ribbon Girl
Tags: Sentiment tags (set 24 & set 69) - LOTV

Copic colours;
James: E41/42/43/44
Rose: R39/59/89 & YG97/99
Ground: T 0/1/2/3/4

If you pop over to Crafty Little Fairies you can check out the fabulous creations from my teamies.  Don't forget that from next week our challenge goes monthly!

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

Hugs,

Kat xx