Kaboodle Doodle Design Team

I can now share with you all that I was lucky enough to get a lovely e-mail from Christine who runs the Kaboodle Doodle Challenge Blog asking if I would like to join her DT - how cool is that!  I'm chuffed to bits to be asked to join and so excited.  My first challenge card is now on their blog.  The challenges are every two weeks and this challenge is called "Lets go Batty" - you have to include a bat on your entry.  The DT were supplied with images from Fairy Knoll Digital Stamps who are this weeks sponsor.  Here is my DT card! 

Do you like my little spider and web - I'm not an artist by any stretch of the imagination but I did draw him myself - I know its easy but I still think he is sooo cute (and actually in real life I'm so scared of spiders!!)  My bats are made from foam and I just had to add crystals for that added sparkle for their eyes!  You can't tell in this photo but the purple mat layer was created from some lovely velvet paper I had in my stash - you know its in that pile at the back of your stash that you bought years ago and have never used.........  For extra texture and dimension I added some gorgeous black ruffled ribbon, some black feathers and my flying bat attached with acetate here is a close up:-

I hope that you might be able to join us with this challenge!

Have a great day.

Tina
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Play Date Cafe Challenge #51

Hi everyone - its been a while since my last posting - but you just get weeks like that don't you.  My mojo had gone today so I started to surf blogland and was inspired by this photo on the Play Date Cafe Challenge 51 and decided to have a play!

Here is their inspiration photo:-


















and here is my card:-

I was quite pleased with the result and feel that Mr Mojo is on his way back! 

Hope that you all have a great weekend and catch up with you next week.

Tina
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Kaboodle Doodles Challenge #41

Afternoon everyone - hope you are all well - the sun is shining here in my little corner of Essex this afternoon - when the sun is out it makes me happy :)

I'm joining in the fun again over at kaboodle Doodles challenge-41- with their colour challenge.

Here is my entry:-

and close up detail:-

I've dusted off this wonderful tree embossing folder which I haven't used for ages and coloured the leaves with my "Autumn" set of promarkers.

I've seen this embossing folder also used with an Xmas theme so watch this space as I no doubt will try it too!

Happy Autumn!

Tina

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Shabby Tea Room Week #30 Vintage Halloween

Morning all its a grey and rainy old day here in Essex this morning - so perfect excuse to craft I think....!  So I set about making a card for The Shabby Tea Room challenge #30 Vintage Halloween.   You must have a look at their DT's work they are all fabulous. 

Anyway this is what I've come up with:-

A close up

The whole card:-

I've used some gorgeous vintage black lace across the middle of the card and I think it looks great against the bright orange!  Hope the Shabby Team like it!

Tina
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Craftwork Cards Sketch Challenge 8

The Craftwork Cards Sketch Challenge 8 is:-

And here is my entry:-

Have a great wet and windy weekend!

Tina

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I've been away!

Hi everyone trust you are all well.  Sorry not posted for a while but I've got a really good excuse!  I've been away on hols in Spain for a week (yes very lucky me!)  Here is a card I've made as a thank you to my sister-in-law and her hubby to thank them so very much for their hospitality and generosity in letting us stay at their villa with them.  (I'll post some pics of that soon).

I followed this weeks challenge at  Kaboodle Doodles #40 which is a sketch challenge so I'm entering it for that too!

Until my next posting enjoy the rest of your day!

Tina
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My first DT work for Simply Create

Hi everyone

I've just completed my very first DT work for Simply Create.  Everything that I received in my pack was totally gorgeous and I've used all of the products that were given to me.  I have thoroughly enjoyed myself working on these projects and thought I would share them with you all too!  I know that I'm the first of the DT to complete their projects, but I know the rest of the DT are close behind me!  Hopefully in the next few days you can use the link on my sidebar to my teamies blogs to check out their creations and also have a look at the Simply Create blog as all the work will be going on there soon too.

I've made a couple of cards (one with a matching gift tag) and a LO of my fav subject Tilly! Enough talking here are my pics!

So there you have it - my first DT work and I've really enjoyed it!  Roll on next month!

Tina

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Simply Create DT Sneak Peak

Morning all

Here is a sneak peak at the lovely stash I've been sent as part of the DT at Simply Create.  How gorgeous are those papers and the stamps and the buttons - well actually everything!  My mind is buzzing with ideas so watch this space to see what I create!

New craft shop

Hi everyone

Just a quick post today and for those of you who live in Essex (sorry everyone else!) there is a lovely new craft shop opened at the Baytree Garden Centre near Braintree.  It is owned by the lovely Linda and she has some photos of her shop on her blog here.  If you visit her shop you will be sure of a very warm welcome from Linda.

Tina
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Edited: To add that the shop Jazzlins has its own blog which can be found here.

Kaboodle Doodle Challenge #39

Hi all hope you all had a good weekend - I know I did!!!  I've been on a health kick lately to lose a few pounds and at the weekend I lost another 1lb which now means in total I've lost 1 Stone!!  Still a way to go but as long as its in the right direction I don't mind!

Anyway this week over at Kaboodle Doodle challenge they have this photo as the inspiration for their challenge.

This is my card

I'm normally a fan of ralatively quick to make cards, but this one believe it or not took a while and its because I decided to make some of my own patchwork paper.  I took 6 different papers from a My Mind's Eye collection that I have, and punched out enough 1" squares to cover a blank piece of paper.  I then die cut the shape I wanted out of this patchwork paper.  I wanted extra texture so I ran it through my Cuttlebug using a dotty embossing folder.  I then ran the front of the card through the Cuttlebug with the same embossing folder.  I took another sheet of paper from the same collection and layered this on to the card front leaving a border.  I rounded the corners and then faux stitched all the way round it.  Lastly I punched 3 butterflies from the same paper collection and mounted them together and added some pearls to give extra dimension.  Finally I added the "Thinking of you" die cut sentiment to finish it off.

A close up of the finer details

Still loving this butterfly punch from Tonic!

I'm entering it into the following challenges:-

kaboodledoodles challenge-39-get-inspired

paperplay challenges week-35-in-stitches

movingalongwiththetimes challenge-62-in-stitches

Catch up with you all soon.

Tina

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Craftwork Cards Sketch 7 Challenge

Hi all

Here is the sketch for the next Craftwork Cards Challenge:-

and here is my entry:-

I've made it on to the Simply Create Design Team

Well today I've found out the great news that I've made it on to the Simply Create Design Team!!!  I'm so chuffed and over the moon to have made it on to the team.   here is a link to Simply Create and also I've copied below the announcement post from Jacqui on the Simply Create blog too!  I can't wait to get my goodies and to start creating! - so watch this space......

"Tuesday, 31 August 2010

New Design Team!!!!!
So after much deliberation Simply Create has it's very own design team, hopefully everyone has opened their emails so I think I'll announce it officially here, so stand by your door bells as the postie will be bringing something nice in the next few days for you to play with....
The chosen few are
Drum roll please.....................................
Angela and guest designer Pauline
Carol
Elizabeth
Jane
Judy
Kat
Kath
Katy
Kirsti
Sarah
Shelly
Sonja
Tina
As you can see I ended up with double what I originally thought but there were so many lovely entries (literally over seventy entries (73 to be precise!!!!)- I was totally over whelmed) and I just couldn't narrow it down and to all the people who didn't make it this time, don't loose heart everyones work was fabulous and I'll be in touch as it won't harm to have a few guests now and then!
Will post links to blogs and photos as soon as I get them all, so everyone can welcome all the Simply Creators on board the good shop Simply Create!!! Can't wait to get to work with you all x "

I'm also looking forward to meeting all my new teamies through their blogs too. 

Just off to pinch myself to make sure its true...........!!!!!! woohoo!!

Tina
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Blog Award

I've been given this lovely award by  Sylvie.  Thank you so very much Sylvie.  I would like to pass it on to all the followers of my blog - as it is so hard to pick sometimes!!!  So take the badge and display it with pride as you are all worth it! 

Tina
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Simply Create DT call

Jacqui over at  Simply Create has got a DT call out.  Take a look on her blog here.  Closing date is 31st August so get your skates on!

Craftwork Cards Sketch 6 Challenge

Just about made this week's Craftwork Cards Sketch challenge - this is the sketch:-

and here is my entry

The bird cage is actually sitting on acetate which I used to cover the aperture in the front of the card.  I really enjoyed this sketch - even if I didn't get it done until about 5 mins ago!!!

Just because

Here is a card I'm going to enter into a couple of challenges

kaboodle doodles challenge-37-add-little-metal

Daring Cardmakers - August Birthstone Peridot

Bp: Papermania called Olivine Essence

Sentiment stamp: Paula Pascual

Butterfuly punch: Tonic

Metal flowers: from stash

Jewel Brads: Papermania

Flower Brads: Papermania

Button: Papermania

Card blank: Craftwork Cards

Craftwork Cards Sketch 5 Challenge

This is the latest sketch challenge over at Craftwork Cards Blog

Here is my entry I've used their Anglomania paper collection, which as you know I absolutely love!

 

Challenge card

Thought I would enter this card into a few challenges today...

kaboodledoodles challenge-36-color-challenge

creative inspirations challenge-39
creative craft challenges lets-have-some-antics

The image on this card is from Lily of the Valley and is just so cute.

Has summer finished its absolutely tipping it down outside as I type.... (mind you good excuse for a bit of crafting.....!)

Sympathy cards

I recently had to make a sympathy card - they are always tricky to do, but I decided that although it was a sympathy card I could still make it look pretty.....

What a Wedding

Well did I go to a fantastic wedding last weekend!  It was my cousin's wedding and no expense was spared!  The day was full of surprises.  Firstly his best man turned out to be Darius of Pop Idol fame.  I didn't get to speak to him but when we arrived he was very lovely and kissed my hand!  At the wedding breakfast he serenaded the bride and groom with the string quartet playing - it was just magical!  We were also treated to a magician - can you tell me how he cut open a satsuma and retrieved from the middle of it a £10 note that one of us had just signed!! - it was brilliant!  Next surprise was in the grounds of the stately home where the wedding was held we had to move to another part of the grounds for the evening reception.  The bride and groom arrived by helicopter - how cool!  In the corner of the marquee was a chocolate fountain - I've not tried one before - but can confirm absolutely scrummy........  Later in the evening we were treated to a firework display (which I loved) and then - wait for it - Sister Sledge - yep you read that right Sister Sledge came and did a set - they were just fantastic - the place was rocking and I loved every minute of it (can you tell) LOL.  Anyway here are some photos of the day.....

Now as any crafter will know we don't like waste and at the end of the wedding breakfast I asked the bride if I could go round and collect all the name place settings as they all had on these gorgeous crystals on them - it was funny as I had some of the kids all helping me to collect them up!  I've got LOADS now so you may well start seeing them on cards very soon!!!!!!

If you've reached here - well done!!!! Hope I've not bored you, but just had to share in the magical day that I had!

******************

Oooh must also mention that my cousin phoned me on Monday to say that he and Claire thought that my wedding card was lovely and that they could see that I had followed the colours and style of their wedding invite (which I had) and that it stood out from all the other cards that they were given and that they love it!!  How nice was that to call and thank me - and thats what making cards is all about - that compliment in itself made my day! (The wedding card in question is on a post below - its got crystals and swirls on it).

Tina

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Twins birthday

A friend of mine has got twins a boy and a girl called Max and Mia who will be 5 this week.  I made their cards using the Candy Doodles by Polka Doodles.

I think these images are so cute!

Edited to add - I can't believe it I forgot to post these off yesterday so they will be late for the twins - how annoying is that!!!

Altered Book

At the last craft club that I go to organised by the lovely lynne we were all given some grunge board and access to all of Lynne's lovely Tim Holtz Distress Inks and Alterations die cuts.  Here is how mine came out.  Its a step away from my usual style - but I have to say I'm beginning to love those distress inks.....!!  The gorgeous butterfly was also from Lynne and I believe it started life as part of a necklace!

Thought I would enter it into a couple of challenges:-

http://craftycatzweeklychallenge.blogspot.com/2010/07/anything-but-card-challenge-41.html - Anything but a card

http://craftyangelsonline.blogspot.com/2010/07/week-41-shabby-chic.html - Shabby Chic

Let's Ink It Up - DT call

There is a new challenge blog with a DT call.   Suzanne over at Let's Ink It Up is starting the new blog.  The DT call is from 19th July to 8th August.  She is looking for 6 ladies.  You will find all the details via the above link.

Anyway Suzanne I'm sending you a seperate e-mail as requested, but here are my three fave stamped cards:-

Ooops I've put more than 3! but couldn't make up my mind!  Hope you like what you see!!

Wedding Cards

We've got a family wedding coming up soon, so thought I would make some cards - I say some as I offered my mum and my sister to make cards for them!

So here are the cards:-

This will be mine (you know me with swirls and sparkles!)

This is the one for my mum (a more traditional look)

A the one for my sister

I've e-mailed them the photos and they both are really pleased with the cards - although my sis and I were discussing removing the bow off of her one and put something else on instead - so need to re jig that card.  In fact my sis really loved the one I did for my mum - so might even make another one if I get a chance!

Materials used:

My card:

Swirl stamps from a set call Pollen Dust by FFancy Pants

Frilly Square by Go Kreate

Text: computer generated

Crystals, Ribbon and Diamante slide from stash

Card: Craftwork Cards

Mum's card:

Couple, cake and sentiment from a set from Inkadinkado Wedding/Marriage

Frilly Square: Go Kreate

Heart doily: Ribbon Box

Black Pearls: Hobbyhouse

Black Bows: M&S table confetti

Ribbon, joined hearts, and feathers from stash

Card: Craftwork Cards

Sister's card:

BP and image from Pink Petticoat

Ribbon from stash

Card: Craftwork Cards