When is a circle not a circle?...

...When it's an owl!

Good evening, lovely Bloggers!  Just thought I'd pop on and share the cards that we made in today's workshop...

 ...The first was a kinetic card using the ice cream decoupage and papers from A Year in Cards.  It has a pull tab which moves the ice cream and reveals the second half of the sentiment...

...The second card we made was created using a majority of circle dies (hence the title!)...

...Isn't he sweet?!  Of course, my brain ran away with me and I started to think of all the other critters you could make...a robin...

...I have to say, I was quite disappointed with the result as it didn't turn out as I imagined and needs some tweaking!  There's just not enough to him, so I might still play around to see how else I can do him.  I also thought it would be nice to do a penguin, so just for you Mam (!)...

...a penguin made from circles!! Cute!  I suppose you could possibly emboss his belly, or use some white felt to give him some texture and he needs a bit of glitter yet!
Hope you like our fun cards and don't forget, there's still time to enter our Summer Lovin' challenge over at Passion for Promarkers!  Have a great weekend, see you soon!
Crafty hugs,

Passion for Promarkers - Summer Lovin'...

Good morning, dear Bloggers!  Tuesday's here again, which means the start of another new challenge over at Passion for Promarkers!  It's the lovely Julie in the chair and she's chosen the theme of Summer Lovin', so we'd like to seee anything to do with the Summertime!  Our sponsor this week is the brilliant Whiff of Joy, who are offering one lucky winner 1 stamp of their choice from the store...

...So, for today's card, I have used a digistamp that has been in my folder for over 4 years unused...rap my knuckles, I know!   It was a freebie that the talented Mo Manning offered on her blog way back in July 2009, but I thought it would be just perfect for this week's theme...

...I found some summery papers in my scrap drawers, cut a sun using the inner die from one of my Marianne doily die sets and inked with Mustard Seed DI whilst it was still in the die and hand cut a cloud and some water splashes....

...I coloured the little cutie with my Pro/Flexmarkers and mounted him onto a green SB circle and Marianne Picot edge cirlce in blue...

...I highlighted the image with glitter and added a navy blue polka dot ribbon with sentiment mounted onto an XCut tag die.  I finished the inside with a printed inside which had a faded version of the line image and the rest of the sentiment reading '...it's your First Birthday!'
I hope you like my sunny creation and that you can find the time to join in with our fun theme this week!  Don't forget to hop on over to the Passion for Promarkers blog to see what my lovely teamies have been making and thanks for dropping by to see me today!
Big crafty hugs,

I'd like to enter my card into the following challenges :

Moving Along with the Times

Colour Challenge - closes 30th

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge

Spots and Dots - until tomorrow

Natalie and Amy 

July Challenge (2nd entry)

Crafty Little Fairies

July : Summer Fun (2nd entry)

Dream Valley Challenges

Summer - closes 25th

My Mum's Craft Shop

July Summer Challenge (2nd entry)

A sad day...

Good afternoon, dear Blogging buddies!  Hope the thunderstorms aren't causing too much commotion - we're forecast some for this evening, so I'm looking foward to a good light show!

Yesterday saw a sad day for our little village as the small junior school that has been educating local children since 1846, closed it's doors for the last time!  It also meant saying goodbye to a wonderful teacher who has been a part of our family for the last 13 or so years, helping to teach both of my boys and in my opionion helping to make them the bright and well rounded kids that they are today!  There were songs sung, tears shed and fond memories shared, but it is a huge loss to our community and will inevitably affect our future.  We did however manage to console ourselves and celebrate the years that the school has been open by having a get together with some of the parents and children by the river that runs through our small village.  We ate, drank and watched the children splash in the water until the late hours before returning home to the start of a new era...


So I have a couple of crafty makes to share today - the frst is a few encaustic art paintings that I did the other afternoon.  I have taken some of my paintings to a local gallery to see if I can sell any...fingers crossed!...

...My second make was a card for a friend's daughter who loves all things to do with the Disney film Frozen...

...I found a colouring page on Google images and coloured with my Pro/Flexmarkers.  I also used one of my all time favourite sketches from Mojo Monday #257. 
Well that's it from me today...I hope that you are all having a fabulous weekend, I'm signing off before the storms get here!  Happy crafting!
Hugs,

Shabby chic...

Hello again, dear Blogging buddies!  After making the daisies on my last card here, yesterday afternoon I sat playing with my flower punches, experimenting as to the different 3D flower styles I could make and was quite amazed at the fabulous effects I got!  I was inspired by Karasiowa's beautiful card here and decided to create something on a similar line using my punched flowers...

...Now anyone who knows me, knows that I am a clean lines kinda gal when it comes to my card making, everything being mat and layered and nice straight edges, but I just loved the soft, shabby feel that Karasowia got on her card, so it was out with the scissors!  Although for all you shabby and distress lovers this may seem tame, for me I was having heart palpitations as I attacked the edges of my card and even tore it (!!) before inking with Distress Inks...I don't know which was more distressed, me or the cardstock?!...

...As you can see, I created some more daisies with my 1" Crafts Too daisy punch, a mini one with my 0.5" punch and a few sweetheart style blossoms with my small XCut blossom punch.  The large camelia type flower was created using two 1.5" daisies and three of my 1" XCut blossoms which I scored down each petal and pinched for more dimension.  I created the corsage with Cheery Lyn Leaf Strip border die cuts, Marianne Button Flower leaves and spray, a few loops of string and a couple of spray flowers made using 3 daisy petals...

...The papers are all from my latest CD-Rom A Play on Words and I added some crochet string lace and finished with a few extra pearls.  All my edges were distressed with scissors and inked with various Distress Inks, which took me some nerve, believe me!  I haven't done anything with the inside yet as I don't know whether to be brave and decorate it like the front or chicken out and add an insert...we'll see!
I think the overall result is rather pretty, but I don't know if I'm converted to Shabby Chic just yet!?!  One thing I do know is that I love the way the flower corsage turned out and will definitely be using my flower punches more to embellish my cards as it means I can have them in any colour I like and as often as I like! 

Have a marvellous Monday lovely people and I hope the rest of your week follows suit!  Thanks for dropping in to see my little creation and I'd love to see any comments you'd like to make!  Until my next crafty share, TTFN!
Hugs,

I'd like to enter my card into the following challenges :

Crafty Catz

Flowers (2nd entry) - closes 17th

Penny's Papercraft Challenge

Anything Goes - closes tomorrow

Cute Card Thursday

Pretty Papers - closes 16th

Twisted Tuesday

Inclue pearls / Twist Lots of Layers - closes 20th
Love to Create Challenge
Petals and Pearls - closes 20th

Swing card...

Good morning, Blogland!  Hope you're all having a relaxing Sunday?!  I've been having a hop around Blogland recently to find some more blogs to add to my reading list and came across the lovely Norma at From My Craft Room...I know, you're probably all saying 'where have you been?!'  If you haven't visited her blog before, her cards and colouring are FABULOUS!  She made a tutorial for creating a swing card HERE which is so easy to follow that I decided to have a go and this is what I came up with...

...I used my Spellbinders Scalloped Square dies for the swing shape and some foiled cardstock that the lovely Carole (from our workshop) gave me...

...I needed to make an engagement card for a family member, so used the sweet Wee Stamps Love Birds freebie from Sylvia Zet, coloured with Pro/Flexmarkers and paper pieced the heart with a small gingham pattern.  I created the flowers from my different sized daisy punches and loved both making them and how they turned out!  I added some Cheery Lyn Leaf Strip border leaves and pearls to the flower centres...

...Inside I created a panel with a nice verse on and a sentiment, cut with SBs Beaded Ovals...

...All the edges were inked with various Distress Inks and I finished with a couple of polka dot buttons.  I really like this card shape and will be having a go at some more in the future! 
Thanks to Norma for the fab tutorial that made me have another go at this clever kinetic card and I'm really happy with the way it turned out!  Hope you get chance for some craftiness this sunny Sunday and thanks for dropping in to see me!
Huge crafty hugs,

I'd like to enter my card into the following challenges :

Crafty Catz

Flowers - closes 17th

Love to Create Challenge

Fuss and Fancy OR Clean and layered

(I've gone Fussy and Fancy)

Chocolate, Coffe and Cards

For the Birds - closes 23rd

I Love Promarkers

Things with Wings - closes 15th

Rosie's in the countryside...

Good morning, my lovelies and a Happy Thursday to you all!  The sun is shining again today and I have a day of craftiness with my Mum to look forward to and maybe even lunch in the garden!  Speaking of which, all this wonderful weather has meant that I have been having a fantastic crop of berries this year...

...This is almost a daily occurrance at the minute...

...My cauliflowers are starting to bloom, so it's all about timing now - allowing them to grow big enough without turning to flower!  And we have a very special garden gift in the shape of these little sweeties...

...If you look closely, you can just see the 2 little beaks poking out of the nest!  We have had a pair of blackbirds around for many years now, but this year, they decided to nest just inside our hedge about 2 foot from the path!  We have been very careful so as not to disturb them, but I managed to get this snap as Mrs blackbird had just left to collect some more food!

So anyway, I do have a card to share with you today!  After making the scene card for this week's challenge at Passion for Promarkers and enjoying it so much, I decided to make another one!  So this time, Rosie has gone to the countryside...

...I used the Rosie with flower image for this one, colouring her with Pro/Flexmarkers and paper piecing her dress with a paper from First Editions Boho Chic pad.  I then fussy cut her out, removing the flower that is usually in her hand...

...I created the scene by inking with Stormy Sky DI over a cloud stencil and hand cut the hill shapes, then inked the edges with Peeled Paint DI.  I decided to give Rosie a kite to hold and made this using the same Boho Chic paper, adding some string and little bunting bows cut from card scraps.  I cut a few sprigs of grass and added some XCut punched flowers with diamante centres...

...I finished the inside with a sentiment panel inked with the clouds and a simple sentiment.  I really enjoy creating these little scenes and you may be seeing a couple more yet as I have ideas for another couple of images, so we'll see where else Rosie gets too!
Have a wonderful day and I hope the sun is shining wherever you are!  Thanks for dropping by to see me, it really does mean a lot and I'll be back soon with some more crafty creations!
Don't forget there's still plenty of time to enter into our 'Oh I do like to be beside the seaside' Challenge at Passion for Promarkers!  Hop on over to the blog to enter and to see what my talented teamies have been up to!
Crafty hugs,

I'd like to enter my card into the following challenges :

Digistamp Boutique

July Customer Competition (2nd entry)

Dream Valley Challenges

Inspired by a movie, song or book - closes 13th

Let's go fly a kite from Mary Poppins

My Mum's Craft Shop July Challenge

Summer

Crafty Little Fairies July Challenge

Summer Fun

Creative Corner Challenges

Outdoors - closes today

Crafty Calendar July Challenge

Summertime Fun

Passion for Promarkers - Beside the Seaside...

Good morning, my lovelies!  Gosh, do these Tuesdays roll around quick?!  It's time for another fun challenge over at Passion for Promarkers and this week it's the lovely Eileen who's setting the theme and she's chosen 'Oh I do like to be beside the seaside...' So anything that you might find at the beach...
This week we have 2 fabulous sponsors - the first is Letraset who are offering one lucky winner a set of 6 markers and the second is Crafty Sentiments who are giving another lucky winner 3 digis from their store!...

Now, I have put myself on a crafty stop at the moment and without a beach or seaside themed image, I had to improvise!...

...So out came Rosie from Digistamp Boutique!  I created the seaside scene by inking a cloud background with Stormy Sky DI and a handcut stencil,  then cut some strips of aqua cardstock with a wavy edge and again inked with Stormy Sky.  I cut some curvy strips from Kraft card for the sand and attached the front layer with foam tape...

...I coloured Rosie with the no lines technique and she was so much easier to colour than my last choice of image, then fussy cut her out, removing the flowers that are usually beside her!  Here's the colour list for all you Letrasetters :

Skin - Blush, Dusky pink, Coral

Hair - Buttercup, Mustard, Sandstone, Cappuccino

Hairband - Meadow, Leaf, Bright Green

Top - Soft Aqua, Cool Aqua, Surf Blue

Leg warmers - Cerise, Shocking Pink, Vermillion

...I used the centre die from one of my Marianne doily die sets to create the sun and inked whilst still in the die with Mustard Seed DI.  I then created a little bucket and spade from coloured card.  I love making little embellishments like this and was really pleased with how they turned out!  I finished the outside with a Safmat sentiment, a few pearls and hand drawn birds in the sky...

...I completed the inside with a sentiment panel lightly inked with the cloud stencil and a simple sentiment.
I thoroughly enjoyed making this card and will have to try and make some more scene cards in the future, as it was so much fun!  I hope you can find the time to join in with our challenge this week and look forward to seeing what wonderful creations you make!  Many thanks for popping by to see me and I really do appreciate the lovely comments that you leave me!
Don't forget to hop on over to the Passion for Promarkers and see what my lovely teamies have created for your inspiration - they really are awesome!
Big crafty hugs,

I'd like to enter my card into the following challenges :

I Love Promarkers 

Anything Goes - until tomorrow

Digistamp Boutique

July Monthly Customer Competition

Chocolate, Coffee, & Cards

Summer Days - closes 11th

Fussy and Fancy Friday

Summertime - closes 10th

Natalie and Amy Monthly Challenge

Summertime
Moving Along with the Times
Girls Just Wanna have Fun! - closes 16th

No lines...apart from on my forehead!...

Good evening, my lovelies!  Pinch, punch, first of the month!  Can you believe that it's July aready?!  I can't!  We've had another gloriously sunny day here in North Wales, but I made myself sit at my crafty table and create something to share with all you wonderful Bloggers!

I decided to challenge myself and have another go at the no lines colouring technique - my first attempt was here and TBH I didn't enjoy it that much, it made my head hurt!?!  However, I decided to persevere and looked for an image to play with.  Being a novice at this technique, it never really occurred to me to choose an image depending on the level of difficulty to colour and so in my haste, I picked one that I recently purchased for a card comission that went to the States!...

...This is Happy Hour from Kenny K and she is a real doll!  She is also a bit of an ambitious choice for someone practising a new technique!  My back and neck were stiff from hunching over my table and as the title suggests, I did quite a bit of frowning...but apart from an odd highlight in her hair, I was pretty pleased with the results!...

 ...I made her into a card using the pretty Dovecraft Garden Party papers, matting the layers onto coordinating cardstock and embellished with a few buttons, string bow and 3 pearls...

...I finished the inside with a sentiment panel and the line image...and what's this?  No glitter?!

I don't know if I would say that I enjoyed colouring with this technique as it takes too much concentration (and I could do with some fine nibs), but I think I would have another go in the future...maybe something a little easier?!  So, watch this space!
Thanks for dropping by to see me today, I really do appreciate it and thank you for any comments that you wish to make.
Crafty hugs,

I'd like to enter my card into the following challenges :

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge

Anything Goes

Moving Along with the Times

Birthdays, Bunting and Buttons (2nd entry)  - closes tomorrow

Love to Create

3 or more designer papers - closes 6th 

Delicious Doodles

Buttons and Bows - closes 3rd

Fan-tastic Tuesday

#42 Anything Goes - closes 7th