Kaboodle Doodle Challenge # 47 - Leftover wrapping (ripped or torn)

Hi everyone

Here is hoping that everyone has had a great Christmas - not long now for those New Year celebrations either! 

Well its Monday 27th December and time for our next challenge over at Kaboodle Doodles and this week it is leftover wrapping paper ripped or torn.  This week we are sponsored by Shelly's Images.  The DT were kindly provided with images from Shelly and for your inspiration here is my card:-

I was tempted to call it Tilly's House but went for Lilly instead!  I printed my image onto kraft paper and then coloured it in with my promarkers.   The bottom ripped layers are gorgeous shimmery papers from Craftwork Cards - "but that's not leftover wrapping paper I here you say" well for this challenge we don't mind what paper you use provided it is ripped or torn.  My sentiment was computer generated and printed onto kraft paper.

So pop on over to Kaboodle Doodles to join in the challenge - we would love to see you there.

My next post will probably not be until 2011!!

Happy Crafting

Tina
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Merry Christmas Everyone...

Hi to all of my lovely followers - just wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.  Here is a photo of a particular favourite christmas card of mine that I made this year for my dear crafting buddy Shirley (I'm sure she won't mind me sharing it with you all - LOL).

The image and sentiment are both Hero Arts, the embossing folder Cuttlebug, snowflake die Cuttlebug. I coloured my image background with TH Distress Ink: Tumbled Glass and Versa Colour: Black.

Thank you for taking the time to leave me your lovely comments since I started blogging back in February.  You have all made me feel very welcome and  they are so very much appreciated. 

Have a great Christmas and my very best wishes for 2011.

Big Hugs

Tina
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Can you guess what she is trying to tell me...

Afternoon everyone

Hope you are all up todate with everything festive......... (you kidding)

Anyway not a card today but a couple of photos of Tilly - can you tell from this photo what she is asking me????? Answers on a Postcard.. (ha ha, answer at end of post).

but don't let that cuteness fool you look at this one a second later  - if looks could kill!

 see what I mean!  I hate to think what she is thinking here.......!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The answer is: "I want my dinner!" - it was 4.30pm and she usually has her dinner at around 5pm - but sometimes she asks for it earlier and earlier.... so she has got her wish and she ate it with lightening speed (don't all dogs anyway!) and is now out in the garden....... I'll stop there - you don't need to know the rest! LOL

Hopefully I will be back tomorrow with a card if I can find my mojo (and get through a BIG pile of ironing).

Happy Crafting

Tina

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The Play Date Cafe Challenge # 60 - Colour Splash - Yellow

Good morning all

Thought I would enter this weeks The Play Date Cafe Challenge # 60.  Its a colour splash challenge and the colour is yellow.   Here is there inspirational photo:-

Well I can honestly say I don't think I've ever used yellow on a card - so what a great challenge.  So here is my little entry:-

The image is from Craftwork Cards and the bright yellow drops are from Claire's Accessories!  The muted yellow is where I've coloured with my yellow promarker and then added glossy accents.  So as you can see a very quick to make card - just what I like - and just as well as I'm adding my entry close to closing time!

Happy Crafting

Tina
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Mum's Birthday and Wedding Cards

Happy Friday afternoon everyone!! - nearly the weekend.....

A couple of weeks back I posted some photos of my mum's wedding, but what I haven't yet posted is the wedding card I made for her and also one that I made for my sister to give to Mum.  It was also our Mum's birthday that day too so I also made cards for my sis and I to give her.  Thought it was about time I posted them as I haven't been good a posting in the last week or so - probably something to do with Xmas cards!!!  So here they are:-

My birthday card for Mum

I used Ooh La La paper collection from Craftwork Cards for this one.

My Sister's birthday card for Mum

My sister had seen a card that I'd made using the kraft paper and with the stitching detail and said she loved it and could I do that same theme for Mum's birthday card - she was really pleased with the card!

My Wedding card for Mum and Tony

I wanted to have blue on the wedding card as I knew that mum's dress was blue - albeit navy - and I thought that navy wouldn't look quite right on a wedding card (but I'm sure someone out there in blogland could prove me very wrong!!!!)

My Sister's Wedding card for Mum and Tony:-

My sis said to me that she wanted a wedding cake on her card - and so this is what I did.  I cut out the tiers myself from this gorgeous sparkly wrapping paper that I've had for donkey's years!  The sparkle doesn't show up that great in this photo though!

So there you go a few cards that I made a while back hope this makes up for not posting for a little while!!

We haven't AS YET got any snow in my part of Essex........but I think its coming this weekend.

Have a great weekend - Strictly final tomorrow - I'm so excited - I've loved Matt all along and think that the judges have been quite harsh on him!  Mind you Kara and Pamela are also fantastic dancers and so I can't call it - who knows who will win they all deserve it.

Happy Crafting

Tina
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Kaboodle Doodle Challenge # 46 Clean and Simple

Hi everyone - I can't believe its over a week since my last post (naughty me!)  Doesn't time fly.....  Well we are on to a new challenge over at Kaboodle Doodles this week and this time the challenge is Clean and Simply (so right up my street eh!!)

Robyn's Fetish Digital Stamps and More are sponsoring us again this week and are happy to offer the winner of this challenge 5 digital stamps or digital paper sets of their choice.  They have a great selection so go check them out!
 Here is my DT card

To create my card I used an opaque plastic card blank that I've had in my stash for an age.  I ran the front of it through my cuttlebug with the dots folder.  I then printed off and coloured the snowman image with my promarkers and highlighted his hat and cuffs with Frosted Lace Stickles glue.  I tied some funky fiber around the spine and added a lovely metal snowflake charm.  Finally I stamped the Let it Snow and went over the letters and the background dots with some stickles glitter glue to make it all sparkly!  Oh I forgot to mention - do you like the pom pom on his hat!!

Hope you are all well and are getting through making your Christmas cards - I've just a couple more to make and then I'm done!

Happy Crafting everyone.

Tina
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Christmas Tree

Hi Everyone

Well, I spent the cold and snowy weekend snuggled up at home, so thought I would put the Christmas Tree up.  Well I'm proud of my tree - sorry to those who like the real thing, but mine is a fake one and its black - yep black (I've had it for around 7 years now and I LOVE it!)  I've always decorated it with crystal sparkly decs last year I added some purple baubles as I have that accent colour in the front room.  Well the tree went up lovely and looks sooooo sparkly (well it should do there are 400 lights on it - yes you read that right 400!).  Now my problem is trying to get a good photo of it!  You will laugh when you see the photo below as its the "middle section" of my tree!  I wanted to take it in "TV" (time value) so that you get the effect of the glistening lights and well, I don't have a tripod and definitely dont have a steady enough hand to hold it for a long exposure so I put my camera on my coffee table and hence that is why I could only get in the middle section as my front room is not big enough for me to move the coffee table back any further!!!!!!!!  I'm still not sure that this photo does my tree any justice at all - but thought I would post it anyway. 

I'm going to take some photos of the decorations close up and post those up later (bet you can't wait!!!!)

I do love Christmas because - as you know my absolute  love of anything sparkly.

Has anyone else put up their tree yet?  Love to see some of your pictures!

Take care everyone and happy crafting.

Tina
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Penny Black At Allsorts December Challenge

Morning all

Is anyone fed up of the snow yet...... my two Penny Black hedgehogs are having a great time!!

Here is my entry into the Penny Black at Allsorts December Challenge "Beauty is in the eye of the Beholder":-

Hope you like my more contemporary colouring!  I do love blues and mauves.... and of course lots of sparkle!

Backing paper and sentiment from Craftwork Cards.

Happy Crafting.

Tina
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The Play Date Cafe Challenge # 58

Afternoon everyone hope you are snuggled in the warm out of this very bitterly cold weather?

Some of you may know that earlier this week I wanted to enter the challenge over at
The Play Date Cafe Challenge # 58  but sadly I missed the deadline!!!  I posted my card on my blog anyway and received some lovely comments from the designers over at PDCC - so thank you all very much for that.  

SO this week I was determined that I wasn't going to miss it!  This is the inspiration photo - how lovely and the colours of the challenge are rich red and fresh white - gorgeous.  The DT cards are stunning BTW.

and this is my entry

 and this is a close up

The card blank, scallop red square, sentiment, tree and bauble are all from Craftwork Cards.  The ribbon and snowflake are from my stash. 

So thats another xmas card made and added to my pile to send out!  Still got about another 15-20 to make.  I send around 50-60 cards each year (and yes I hand make ALL of them) in fact since I've been making cards, and with my hand on my heart - I've NEVER purchased a shop bought card for any occasion - call me stubborn but I just don't - I HAVE to make it myself.   On the xmas card front this year I feel I've got off lightly as in previous years I've done craft fairs where I've made up packs of cards and have made between 400-500 cards!  This year I haven't done any craft fairs and am not feeling phased by the amount I've got to make - ROFL!!!

I would love to know how many cards you hand make for Xmas?  Also do you ever purchase ready made cards?

Thanks for popping by and happy crafting!

Tina

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Simply Create DT Kit

Morning all and as promised on my WOYWW post yesterday here is a little sneak peak at what came out of my goodie box from Simply Create.  Haven't a clue yet what I'm going to do with it - but guess its early days....

Hope you are all having a good day.

Happy Crafting

Tina
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WOYWW - 77

Here is my desk this morning for WOYWW

So today I'm in the middle of shuffling around my desk a card I've been asked to make for a man's 60th birthday (the navy card and silver stars and blue ribbons).  As we all know men's cards are hard to do - hence lots of shuffling and generally a very untidy desk.   You will see just on the left of the picture my Gypsy box - I was having a play with that yesterday - still haven't finished reading the manual to understand all the functions - but getting there and I do love it.  On the right of my desk is a box I received in the post this morning from Jacqui at Simply Create with my new DT goodies in - I will share those with you tomorrow!  I also received a thank you card in the post this morning from my aunt and uncle who stayed with us at the weekend.  Right behind that is a photo of my dog Tilly when she was just 6 weeks old (in fact it was the first time I had ever seen her).  Here is is in full:-

Sorry couldn't resist posting this pic in full as I'm just having a "proud mum" moment I love my little girl sooooo much!!

So thats it today, suppose I had better get back to that shuffling and try and create something today!

Happy Crafting

Tina
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The Play Date Cafe Challenge # 57

Thought I would join in The Play Date Cafe - challenge # 57 this week but I just went to add my link and I've missed the deadline!!!!  Oh well here is what I was going to enter!

Not a colour combo I've ever used before but the DT cards were so lovely thought I would have a go too - so here is my entry!

I stamped the reindeer in Versafine Smokey Gray twice and then coloured one with my brown Promarker, cut it out and placed over the top of the first image.  Next I used my Winter Night Sky tapestry stamp set and used VersaColor inks: Bark and Silver to create the "snowy" background (in this photo the bark stamp looks red but IRL it is brown!)  I then added Glamour Dust to the reindeers nose and to the small snowflakes for that extra sparkle.  I then matted this on to some silver grey shiny paper and then stamped out a fancy border on.  This was then mounted on to some lovely brown shiny paper.  The sentiment is from Craftwork Cards and I used my brown Promarker to colour it in and mounted this onto a mat cut from the silver grey shiny paper.

This is one of those cards that "I'm not quite sure" but I'm posting it anyway!

Happy Crafting

Tina
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Kaboodle Doodles Challenge # 45 "Tag, you're It"

Hi Everyone

Its time again for the Kaboodle Doodles Challenge # 45 "Tag you're It". 

The challenge this week is to make a holiday tag. 'Tis the season for gift giving and what better way to make a gift truly special than to add a handmade tag! This weeks sponsor is Robyn's Fetish Images


The winner of this challenge will have 5 digital stamps or digital paper sets of their choice.  So ladies this is my DT Tag using one of the lovely images - how cute is that bear in the box!:-

I've paper pieced this oh so cute bear image using red, brown and green cardstock.  I then layered it up using silicone glue.  I used some red stickles to highlight the berries on the holly.

Its an ever so easy challenge this month - why don't you give it a go...

Don't forget to visit Kaboodle Doodles to have a look at the gorgeous inspiration from the other DT's.

Happy Crafting.


Tina
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The Shabby Tearoom - Week # 38 - Get in Shape

Hi everyone

Thought I would enter into the The Shabby Tearoom - week 38 - Get in Shape - which means make a shaped card or project without using squares or rectangles!

Here is my entry:-

The pyramid template, snowflake paper and image are all from Pink Petticoat.  I've coloured in my image using Promarkers and added some sparkle with Glamour Dust.  I tied my image on to the pyramid using raffia and added a couple of coiled up pieces DMC Desire Wire to finish it off!

Hope you like it!  I think it would make a rather cute mini gift box for someone!

Happy Crafting and thanks for popping by!

Tina
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Mum and Tony's Wedding

Hi

I've not been around much lately as I've been busy making cards as on Tuesday not only was it my mum's birthday but she also got married!  So I made cards not only for myself but for my sister too.  The Wedding Day was just lovely and everyone who attended had a great time.  Here are some photos of the day....

Mum

 Me and Hubby

My sis and partner

Mum and Tony

 Mum's family

Will post up cards I made soon too!

Bye for now...

Tina
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Kaboodle Doodles Challenge # 44

Hi Everyone

It's time again for the new Kaboodle Doodles challenge and this time it is a 1-2-3 recipe challenge:

1 solid paper
2 patterned papers
3 embellishments

Our sponsor this week is Patti and her company Pholkart Blessings! Patti will provide the choice of 4 of her wonderful digital images to the winner of Challenge #44.

Patti kindly gave the DT some images to work with and here is my project:-

My patterned bp's are from Craftwork Cards and the sparkly paper is from Hobbycraft.  The sparkly snowflakes are from John Lewis and the ribbon is from my stash.  I added the text "let it snow" to my image before printing it out and I coloured my snowman with my glimmer chalks for a more subtle sparkly effect - you know how I like adding sparkle!

You can see all the DT's creations here.  I hope that some of you will be able to join us!

I would also like to enter my card into the following challenges:-

http://lilredwagon.blogspot.com/ - do it in 3's
http://cutecardthursday.blogspot.com/ - anything goes
http://www.simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.com/ - Whatever makes you happy - making my cards sparkle makes me happy!

Happy Crafting

Tina
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Poodle Card

Hi crafting friends

Haven't posted since Wednesday (shock horror) but thought I would post up this card I made a while back and don't think I've posted it yet!  The lovely pink poodle I got from a craft show - but cannot remember what company......... (sorry)

Well I think it is cute - I added the crystal to the collar for that added "sparkle" that I love soooo much.

Well the weekend is here and I hope that you all have a good one.  Until next week.

Tina
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Simply Create projects

Good Morning, thought I would share with you all today a couple of my projects that I've made for Simply Create with my second DT parcel....

Fell in love with this Martha Stewart punch when I saw it! and I thought the shape kinda reflected the image on the BP from my kit.

Now on this next card I had 3 copies of this particular image and wasn't sure what to do with it - but decided upon using one of them as the main image and the other two I cut the flowers out and used them to decoupage it with.  I added some pearls to the flowers and added some pink tulle under my button and the matt and layering.

Anyway I've still got quite a bit left in my kit and will post up my projects as and when I finish them!

Happy Crafting.

Tina
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Some Christmas Inspiration

Hi everyone - its a rotten day here in North Essex its been non-stop raining so far today - just managed to get my little Tilly out for a walk between the showers!  Anyway with Christmas coming up so quickly I've been making some Christmas cards using my lovely Craftwork Card papers in my usual clean & simple style (and of course those scallop card blanks).  Thought I would share a few with you all!

As you can see these cards were really quick and easy to do - (one of my fave way of doing cards!) and spechly made easy by the lovely papers from Craftwork Cards.

Happy Crafting.

Tina
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Simply Create Give Away

Hi thought I would let you know that if you pop over to simply-create the lovely Jacqui has a give away - here are all the details:-

How do you fancy winning a set of 48 Prismacolor art markers, (worth £129), the ink is formulated to give the richest color saturation with silky smooooooth coverage. The duality of the thick and skinny tips let you change it up whenever the mood strikes. They are an alcohol, dye-based ink that’s non toxic and blendable, and they'll work in conjunction with your copics or promarkers, and come in a snazzy little carry case!


All you have to do is leave a comment over at simply-create, sign up as a follower and if you shout about the giveaway on your blog then we'll add an extra entry into the hat for you. The draw will be held at the Pink Ladies Crafty Get Together on Sunday 14th November during lunch and will be drawn by the first pink lady who walks through the door on the day!!!!


So what are you waiting for?????  Head over to simply-create and get following and adding your comment!

Tina
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My Birthday Surprise

Morning all

Well as you know it was my birthday on Sunday and I'm so excited about the present that hubby bought me that I just had to share it with you all!!  To clarify though its for my birthday AND Christmas as these gadgets are expensive!!  So here is a picture of the box!

Well I'm so very excited - have wanted one for ages now!  I've had a little play and have printed off the manual so need to read up so that I can use it to its full potential.  For whose who don't know what it is - its a hand held portable device that stores all your Cricut cartridges on it (+ it comes with two cartridges pre-loaded that have got loads of images on them from pumpkins to hearts to scallop labels and a lovely alphabet.  It has a screen on it which allows you to design your own images from the library.  It can weld letters together, insert images inside of one another and I'm sure a lot more besides!  And being portable means I can take it with me anywhere and design away!!!

So watch this space in the future for cards where I will start using my Cricut and Gypsy a bit more!

Cold what cold - nearly forgotten about it......!!

Tina
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Kaboodle Challenge # 44 - Make it Vintage

Hi Ladies

Can't believe another 2 weeks has whizzed by and here we are again on Monday with the next challenge at Kaboodle Doodles.  This week the challenge is "Make it Vintage".  The DT were given images by this week's sponsor: stamp-n-doodle.  I hope that you will be able to play along.  Here is my DT card:-

I printed "The Courier" image onto some brown kraft paper and to make it look more vintage I crumpled it up, distressed the edges with my craft knife and distress inks, ripped into it and then stapled it back together.  I then added some gorgeous black lace and stictching.  The flower was made from the scrap of paper that I had left over which I gave the same treatment too before I added the metal flower charm and the birthday sentiment.  Oh I then added pearls at the end to finish it off!  I wasn't sure if I had taken the "vintage" look too far - but I'm pleased with how it turned out and something completely different to my "usual" style!

Thought I would also enter this card at simon says stamp and show their theme is "Something Shabby"

Tina
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Yesterday

Just had to make a mention to my two lovely crafty friends Shirley and Viv who both made me gorgeous birthday cards - very much appreciated and I loved both your designs.

Had a lovely day yesterday out at Papercraft show in Bury st Edmunds - what at way to spend your birthday had a great time spending away......  Started to get cold like symptoms in the car as I drove home and by the time I got home I was feeling pretty rubbish so I just sat in front of TV for rest of afternoon and early evening had my dinner and was in bed at 8.30pm!  I'm taking it easy today - think this cold will be with me for the week boo hoo.

Still at least I've got my crafty goodies that I bought yesterday to play with and tomorrow I will let you know what hubby got me for my birthday....

Tina
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Noel Hanging Decoration for Simply Create

Morning all

If  Mr Blogger is working this is my first scheduled post - wanted to try it out really!  So as promised yesterday here is my next completed project for Simply Create. Again the images are not something I would normally work with - but I had four of them and the idea just popped into my head to do this hanging Noel decoration!

You can't see it in this photo but it is quite sparkly - well you know what I'm like and my sparkles!
Tina
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Altered Book for Simply Create

Hello

Hope you are all enjoying your Friday - roll on the weekend - I'm off to a craft show with my crafting buddy Shirley on Sunday and can't wait - you know how we all like craft shopping!

Anyway here is my next project for Simply Create out of my second kit!  It was a little tricky for me as I've not worked with these kind of images before - but I guess that is all part and parcel of a challenge!  You can't see it in these pictures but it is actually a mini book which had an aperature in the middle of it.  I wasn't brave enought to cut out the square with a craft knife to cut my strips of paper and covered the front that way!  I also distressed the edges of the paper with inks and my craft knife as wanted to try and make it look as vintage as possible.

I'll post up tomorrow my next completed project!

Have a great weekend.

Tina

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Simply Create DT kit # 2

Hi everyone

Just thought I would post a couple of photos of my next DT kit from Simply Create.  The papers are gorgeous so are the ribbons, buttons and pin - the images I've got are not something I would ususally use and also I've got a blank book to decorate too - so it really is a challenge!  Soon as my creative juices start flowing and I make something I'll post it up!

Play Date Cafe Challenge #52

Second post of the day, (did you see my little visitor on post below..?) and today I'm enterning the Play Date Cafe challenge here is their inspiration picture:-

The colour combo is orange, pink and yellow (any combination)

and here is my card:-

The papers are from Craftwork Cards and fitted the colours needed perfectly.  I die cut a scallop circle from the middle of my card blank I then lined the back of the aperature with acetate and the cut out scallop I stuck to the inside of the card.  I then stamped the image (from Craftwork Cards) on to their patterned paper and die cut this.  I made the shabby flower from die cut scallop circles and a lovely cream and pink rose that I had in my stash.  I then added the pink toile in a bow shape behind the flower and finally finished off with two butterflies layered up in the coordinating papers.

Right off to make a birthday card for a friends birthday.  Have a great weekend.

Tina

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Had a little visitor today...

I came upstairs this morning to find this little fella flying around my "craft room"  As I opened the blind and a window for him to fly out he flew to the shut window and knocked himself out - poor little thing.  It took about 10 mins for him to properly come round and another 5 minutes before he flew out the window - much to my relief - I had visions of taking him to the Vets!

The picture is not great but I didn't want to get too close and frighten him anymore that he already was.  I think he is a little blue tit - but I'm terrible at recognising birds - how people do it from a distance I just dont know - so I'm sure someone will put me right!!!!