My Birthday!

It was my birthday on Monday and I was thoroughly spoilt.  My sister in law had sent a card with strict instructions on the back which made me smile:

I have quite a reputation for opening cards before the time!  This beautiful hand made card was inside

with an added surprise

this lovely hand made bookmark.

I received this beautifully wrapped gift from a friend

which was almost too nice to open but given my reputation for opening things I couldn't hold out for very long
 

It's so pretty and that handle is so comfortable to hold.  I can't wait to use it.  My crochet skills have been improving slowly, I'll have to do a separate blog post to show you what I have been up to.

Another friend gave me this lovely metal candle holder seen here with all my birthday cards

All in all a really lovely birthday!


~A

Dreaming of a white Christmas

I did a little card making this weekend and made this for a friend using my snow globe technique. I used white snowflake stickers which soon after I had sealed my globe started lifting off.  Note to self:  Ensure that everything is stuck fast before sealing up!  The snow came from the pound shop.

~A

Family Card Challenge - Week 24 - Thank You

This is our last Card Challenge for the year as we are having a well earned break over the festive season.  But don't worry blog readers I have some other things that I would like to blog about during that time so please come back and visit again!

I used an Elzybells stamp which I bought when Elzybells closed down and have never used it before. It's so sweet!

So with that I would like to say Thank You for stopping by and visiting today!

~A

Family Card Challenge - Week 23 - Bold & Bright

I made my bold and bright card for my nephew:

The rubber stamp came from here. Isn't he cute?! 

~A

Family Card Challenge - Week 22 - Red & Green Christmas

My card this week would not photograph well, perhaps I need to do a course in photography!!  It looks much better in reality but at least you get the idea!  I cut the wreath with my Frostyville die and then covered it with green Flowersoft.    I made the little gift. I seem have a thing for little gifts!


~A

Family Card Challenge - Week 21 - Number

This week's theme - as it was our 21st challenge - was to make a card with a high number, like a 21st card.  As my daughter was turning 20 in November I made my card for her.
 

The paper is from the Tea- Thyme collection by Prima, I love those roses!
As usual I was busy on it until the last minute so the photo was taken when the light was not good.  

~A

Family Card Challenge - Week 20 - Turquoise

My card this week is a little different but as always I had great fun!

There's a wonderful giveaway on Studio 12 this month (November 2012), pop over and have a look!

~A

Family Card Challenge - Week 19 - Autumn

I made this card for a friend who has an Autumn birthday.  She decorates for home for the season and I wanted my card to look at home amongst her decorations.

The background was distressed with Distress Ink and some of the leaves stenciled on.  The scarecrow, birds and some leaves are cut with the Simply Scarecrow Cricut cartridge. The happy birthday is cut on the cuttlebug and machine stitched on to look like bunting.  .  I added stickles in various colours to add some sparkle.

~A

Family Card Challenge - Week 18 - Sibling Card

For my sibling card I used a template from here which I changed ever so slightly

I've used sparkly brads on the collar. It's a very simple card but I was rather impressed with the way it came out!

~A

Family Card Challenge - Week 17 - New Stamp

This week we had to use a stamp that we hadn't used before.   I've used a Wee Stamp, coloured with ProMarkers.

I have another 'new' on my card - the greenery, which was cut from a Memory Box Catalina Wreath die, I've cut the wreath into pieces.

~A

Family Card Challenge - Week 16 - Martha Mania

Following on from our Distress Mania challenge, I chose Martha Mania as the new challenge and it was a good excuse to buy the Deco Fan punch which I have wanted for a while now.

I've coloured Tilda with a mixture of ProMarkers and Distress Inks.  The small flowers in her hair are nail stickers, they are so tiny (and cute)!  I've added a shell fish, under which I have put a bit of sparkly net.

~A

Snow Globe Card Supplies & Instructions!

My snow globe card quest started with this card

 

I spent ages searching the internet for snow globe card supplies only to find that there doesn't seem to be anything out there.  So I decided to make my own using yoghurt and cream pot lids.

Not all lids are suitable as some have embossed writing on them (I've spent ages in the chilled aisle searching for the perfect lid! lol). If you are in the UK you want Rachel's Yoghurt, the lid is a perfect fit for the 2nd largest circle Nestie!!  That's the lid on the left in the above pic and the one that I have used.  The other two lids on the right are from Tesco cream but they are slightly frosted but they do have a perfect dome!  If you do use them they need to be cut a little differently. 

Let's get started.  Before you begin, have a good look at the lid, you don't want to use it as it sits on the tub, you want to turn it over to make the dome.

First cut off the outer edge, I've marked the cut line in black:

once cut it should look like the one on the right

close up and side view

Next and most important, wash the lid with hair conditioner or fabric softener to prevent static when you add glitter or Flower Soft to your dome. Rinse well and dry but not too vigorously as you don't want static to build up.

Cut a circle into a piece of card and lay the lid/dome into the hole.  The lip on the edge of the dome prevents it from falling right through and will also be your glue area. Make sure it sits nice and flat, if the hole is too small for the dome, it won't sit flat!

 Before you glue it in place, prepare your backing.  Remove the dome and place the backing in the right position, lightly draw a circle to mark the placement as this will give you a guide for where to glue later.

Colour and finish your image.

 You are now ready to glue the done in place.  Put glue all around the rim

Drop the dome back into the hole and let dry.  Side view

Once dry you are ready to glue the back. Place glue only on the bottom half at first, taking care to glue around the drawn circle as this will seal the dome. Holding the 'dome card' with the dome facing you, lower it onto the glue coated backing and leave to dry.  This will enable you to pull the top part back and insert glitter, Flower Soft, beads, sequins etc.  When you are happy with it you can glue the rest closed.

You can seal any gaps on the front/right side around the dome, with Stickles.

Closeup of my finished card:

 

 

And that's it!  Simple!  If you do make a snow globe card using my method please leave me a message, I'd love to see how yours turns out.  I hope I have documented all the steps but if I have left anything out please leave me a message.

Have fun!

~A

Family Card Challenge - Week 15 - Distress Mania

The 'white' circle of  my card is actually coloured pink with Spun Sugar Distress Ink but unfortunately it doesn't show up in the photo.  I've used an Elzybells stamp and colured the teddy, leaves and ribbon with Distress Ink, the pink roses are coloured with ProMarkers.  The outer edge of the circle is distressed with a slightly darker ink but it too doesn't show up.    I only had one pink paper rose!!! so I added a few die cut flowers - 'Five Point Flower' die by CC Designs.

Family Card Challenge - Week 14 - Silver/Grey

To me the Silver/Grey  theme this week just had to be Christmas.  The large silver bauble was cut on the Cricut, the top of the bauble is finished with silver Stickles and a spiral paper clip.  I've also stuck a Memory Box Frostyville Wreath die cut onto the bauble.  The Magnolia image is coloured with ProMarkers.  Her hat is finished with a small pom-pom.  I've also used silver brads and silver stickers.

~A

Family Card Challenge - Week 13 - Polka Dots and Pearls

It was my choice again this week and I chose Polka Dots and Pearls.  The background polka dot paper is actually East of India paper chain strips that I glued together to make a sheet.  If you look closely you can see the scalloped edges of the strips.

~A

Family Card Challenge - Week 12 - Anything But a Square or Rectangle

My card this week is a hexagon snow globe card.  I stamped the Elzybells image and coloured it with ProMarkers then embossed it with a Cuttlebug snowflakes embossing folder.  I'll do a separate post about how I made the snow globe, its really easy!  The blue snowflakes are brads.

~A

Family Card Challenge - Week 11 - Feathered Friends

 

It's a simple card from me this week.  I've used an Elzybells stamp (I love those stamps!) and coloured it with Distress Ink and ProMarkers.

~A

Family Card Challenge - Week 10 - Baby

It was my turn again to choose the challenge for this week.  I used my Cricut for this one.  My Cricut was a surprise gift from my sister in law, aren't I just the most spoilt girl in the whole world!!!  Instead of using the cut out letters, I used the card that the letters were cut from. The teddy head was cut from an Elzybells stamp and coloured in with, you guessed it, Distress Ink!  I also used a Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder, silk ribbon and pearls.

~A

Family Card Challenge - Week 9 - Brown & Lace

I have to confess, I have a new love - Distress Ink! You'll see it appearing more and more on my cards.  I'm still learning how to use it but I'm having great fun!  I've used lace, Papertrey leaf ribbon, felt flowers and pearls on this card.  The image is coloured with a mixture of Promarkers and Distress Ink.
Oh, my sewing machine is playing up, that's why the stitching is so bad!

Don't forget to visit my sister in law's blog to look at her beautiful cards!

~A

Family Card Challenge - Week 8 - Anniversary

My card this week reminds me of my husband and I - two souls fluttering around, each doing our own thing but flying together!

I punched the butterflies with a Tonic punch (it doesn't cut the whole butterfly out, just the wings).  I made the bodies with wire and beads and gave the wings some sparkle with Stickles Star Dust.  I hand beaded the edging.

~A

Family Card Challenge - Week 7 - Yellow

It was my turn to choose the theme for this week.  I couldn't decide between two, so I wrote each one on a piece of paper and got my daughter to pick one, she picked 'Yellow'.  The other theme I had in mind was 'Teddies' and interestingly sister in law 2 made a yellow card with a teddy on!  She must have been reading my mind.

Here's my card:

The yellow doily is cut on the Cricut.  I've used pearls, buttons as flower centres, lace, butterfly charm and distress ink on the edges.

~A

Family Card Challenge - Week 6 - Men/Boys

My card was inspired by an old sepia photograph.

I've used my Portobello Road stamp set (again!), brads and a bicycle paperclip that can be removed and used.  The edges have been distressed with Distress Ink.

~A

Family Card Challenge - Week 5 - Purple

I had great fun with this challenge.  The flowers are cut with a Cuttlebug die and decorated with Stickles.  I made the little gifts, wrapping them in tissue paper and adding ribbon and flowers.

~A

Family Card Challenge - Week 4 - Seaside

I used an Elzybells stamp and seaside themed paper and accessories  from a set that was given to my daughter a few years ago.

Wishing you all sunshine!

~A

Family Card Challenge - Week 3 - Travel

This week it was sister in law 2 and the theme was travel/going away.

The background paper is cut from a sheet of wrapping paper.  I've used lace, pearls, heart doily, stamps cut from the wrapping paper and I've also stamped with my Portobello Road stamp set - I love that set!!  That Magnolia stamp is one of my favourites!

~A

Family Card Challenge - Week 2 - Music

Week 2 challenge was set by sister in law 1 and she chose 'music'.  Here's my card:

The music notes are cardboard cutouts that came on a keychain for the grand price of 10p from a local craft shop.  I didn't do a very good job of patching the holes and you can still see them...oops!  The little silver charm came from ebay, isn't it cute?

~A

Family Card Challenge - Week 1 - Red

I am blessed with wonderful sisters in law, two of whom share my love of cardmaking.  We recently decided to start a weekly card challenge, taking turns to set the challenge.

Week 1 was my turn and I chose 'Anything Red'.  Here's my card:

I made the cherries using bobble edging and leaves from Papertrey ribbon.

 
Sister in Law 1 doesn't have a blog but Sister in Law 2 does, pop over here and have a look at her beautiful card.

~A

It's British

Whilst I'm in a very British mood, I thought I'd share a pic of my new cupcake case and topper set bought from Lakeland.



The small print on the back made me smile - Designed in England. Handcrafted & made in China. It's British?

~A

Union Jack Bunting

Inspired by a recent visit to a craft exhibition and some new purchases, I've been busy making some bunting in preparation for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations in June. (I can't believe I'm so organised!!)



I used a Bunting Pack of ready cut cardboard triangles



Cut strips of paper and laid them on the triangles



Then whilst holding down the strips I carefully inked over them, covering the whole triangle. A low tack adhesive tape would probably have been easier than the strips as I had to do gymnastics with my fingers to hold them all in place while inking!



I stamped randomly with my new Portobello Road stamps (Docrafts).




I ♥ these stamps! (Seen here with some of my new buttons!)



I removed the strips



Added ribbons



And even some of my new washi tape (from here)



Finally I stitched (with invisible thread - my latest discovery!) all the triangles onto ribbon



And strung them up



In the conservatory! I need to get some lovely red cushions to put on the sofa but for now I will use the cushion that my son made in school a few years ago.



Are you going to be making any bunting?

~A