Mum's Birthday Bling

Good afternoon friends!  As those of you who regularly visit my little blog will know, it was my Mum's birthday a few days ago.  Now, my Mum is a 'bling' type of gal, she loves anything that sparkles, shines or (but preferably all three together) shimmers!   I, on the other hand, prefer, crisp, clean space with colours that pop, so, making a card for Mum is difficult for me.  To combine a card that Mum can ooh and aah over, and one that I can enjoy making!  I know that making one that pleases Mum is paramount, but if I don't enjoy making a card, I feel that it is reflected in the end result (maybe it's just because it isn't to my personal taste . . . I don't know) . . . anywho, below is what we ended up with!  I will explain my thinking below the pics.

First, I got together, a A5 card base (approx 5.83" X 8.27" for my US friends), a sheet of shimmer paper in Mum's favourite blue, a stencil, stamps, some sparkle paste and a brand new (ooh, I've just had a thought, I will add this to Darnell's NBUS Challenge #9!   Tim Holtz Mixed Media Die.

I'm afraid it hasn't got the optional theme element, of the 'hidden word' Darnell, I hope that's OK?

First, I made the card base and used the Tim Holtz die to cut the pattern in the corner and backed it with the blue shimmer paper, which has a texture to it.  Then, I used the stencil to partial stencil the shimmer paste to two opposite corners.  Next, I cut a 'lable' using a Spellbinders 'label' die and cut part of it off on the sides to make a tag.  Then I backed the open areas with more of the blue shimmer paper and stamped the sentiment and image in a coordinating ink colour and called it done.

I apologise for the quality of the pictures, only, as you probably know, I'm in the process of moving into a new craft space and I have had to move my light-box to another position and it doesn't face the window as it used to, so I am in the process of arranging and re-arranging everything to try to get the room to work as I want it to! 

Thank you so much for your visit today and especially if you have left a comment.  You are all appreciated more than you know! If you have a question, please be sure I have a way to contact you so I can answer, as a lot of you are 'no-reply' bloggers, so I am unable to reply via e-mail.

A Bit Of A Cheat!

Today, sweet friends, my card is a "bit of a cheat".  As you will probably know, I have been reorganising my craft space and have been unable to craft very much - mostly down to the fact that I can't find anything - you see, there was some order to my chaos!  So, the next few cards will probably be cards that I have made previously but not posted!

This card was made when I was trying out my new Penny Black wreath die and I took advantage of making another Christmas card for this years stash.

I cut the wreath from gold foil card and the bow out of red foil card.  Then, I embossed the sentiment in gold sparkle embossing powder - which, on reflection, was a mistake, I don't like it and wish I had embossed in in just metallic gold, but it is what it is!  Onward with the organising!

Have a wonderful weekend folks!

Thank you so much for your visit today and especially if you have left a comment.  You are all appreciated more than you know! If you have a question, please be sure I have a way to contact you so I can answer, as a lot of you are 'no-reply' bloggers, so I am unable to reply via e-mail.

My Time With Family

Well folks, no card today, as you will know, we had lovely stepdaughter and grandson Max down for a few days and time was spent (more importantly) with them.  Pictures and short video clips of Max can be seen on my Instagram HERE  

The other thing that happened was, Beck helped me start organising my craft space!  I have never shown my craft space as it is in an appalling state. and I have been too overwhelmed by the sheer size of the task to tackle it!   That is going to change!  I am moving over to one of the small bedrooms, so the bed is still in there at present, but once that goes, I will be able to buy some storage units and put the rest in there, I have already ordered a Raskog cart, due to arrive next Friday!  Here are the pictures so far.

Thank you so much for your visit today and especially if you have left a comment.  You are all appreciated more than you know! If you have a question, please be sure I have a way to contact you so I can answer, as a lot of you are 'no-reply' bloggers, so I am unable to reply via e-mail.

Going AWOL For A Week!

I know, I know, no cards for weeks, then suddenly . . . two in two days!  The reason being, we have my step-daughter and step-grandson visiting until the weekend!  Obviously I won't be doing any crafting until the weekend now.  So, I thought I'd better pop on to explain, as I have loads of catching up with blogging buddies to be doing and I don't want them to think I have disappeared off the face of the earth!  I WILL be replying to you soon . . . I promise and thank you very much for your e-mails!

Onwards . . . yes, another quick 2017 Christmas Card!

That is it for this week, until next week my friends, thanks for your visits in the meantime, and I will catch up with you all next week, have a great one and wonderful weekend coming up!  Love you all! 

Another Stash Christmas Card

Hi faithful friends!  Today is another Christmas card for stash (there will be a number of these throughout this year, to ensure I don't get caught out again!

Thank you so much for your visit today and especially if you have left a comment.  You are all appreciated more than you know! If you have a question, please be sure I have a way to contact you so I can answer, as a lot of you are 'no-reply' bloggers, so I am unable to reply via e-mail.

First Cards & Two Challenges!

Hello one and all.  I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and that the new year in 2017 is kind to us all, with health and happiness in abundance!

The new year has started off better than the end of last year for us, as Mum is so much stronger than she was, she will always need a lot of support (well, she is 91 years old in a few weeks and with a dodgy heart), but thankfully, she is as good as she is going to get and more like her old self.  I owe so much to all of you my friends for your words of support and thoughts and prayers during her ordeal, and she has asked me to thank you all on her behalf . . . so, thank you, thank you!

This is the first cards made of 2017 and I have neglected some of my usual challenges, so here are two that I made today for two of my favourites.

The first here is for the challenge that gave me my first shot at being in a design team, it is for the Happy Little Stampers CAS challenge that requires the use of a stencil this month.

This is the card . . . a shaker for next Christmas, as I don't intend to get caught out this year!

The second card is for another of my very favourites and that is my dear dear friends Loll and Bonnie's CAS Mix Up challenge  which asks for, Stamping, Liquid Colours + Your Choice.

I wanted to try this technique that I saw on You Tube HERE however, I couldn't find my alcohol inks (and may never do so again, due to the appalling state of my craft room!)  So, instead I improvised and used Stampin' Up re-inkers.  I got a piece of watercolour paper and wet it liberally and then I dropped drips of  'Island Indigo' in spots and moved it around a bit.  Then I spritzed with more water and repeated the dripping.  I finished the piece, by laying it face down, once it was dry, in the residue on my mat and mopped up.

I wanted to make the piece the 'star' of the show, so I just dry embossed the top left corner with a die (my choice) and stamped the sentiment on a piece of white card-stock  and punched a border, then mounted it to the front of the card base.  Here it is.

Thank you so much for your visit today and especially if you have left a comment.  You are all appreciated more than you know! If you have a question, please be sure I have a way to contact you so I can answer, as a lot of you are 'no-reply' bloggers, so I am unable to reply via e-mail.

Happy New Year Everyone!

A very happy new year to all my lovely, lovely blogging friends and visitors.

I appreciate each and every one of you and hope that 2017 will be a happy and healthy one for you and all your family and friends!