First Past the Post

Twice in one week, can I cope with all this fame LOL! Opened my Cardmaking & Papercraft magazine this morning to discover that I had won the First Past the Post mystery prize! I sent this photo in ages ago when the Bentley Bear stamps were a giveaway in Issue 70 and had forgotten all about it. Its a lovely stamp set and I have made most of my christmas cards using these stamps.

Form and orderly queue for autographs please!!

I wonder what my mystery prize will be???

(PS received my prize this morning and its a sheet of Cute Companion Christmas Stamps!)

Woo Hoo, fame at last!!

I was thrilled to be invited by Clare Curd to take part in the Talent Spot feature of the November issue of the Do-Crafts 'Creativity' magazine a couple of months ago. I was sent a bag of Papermania goodies with which I had to create 3 cards and this is the result. I feel really honoured to be asked by Clare and I really enjoyed the challenge. It really boosted my confidence after a very bad year and just what I needed to cheer me up.

Magnolia Christmas Cards

Seems ages since I last posted...... well it IS ages since I last posted!! Time seems to run away with me. These are a couple of cards I managed to make ready for Christmas. Love these images they are sooo cute, thanks Andrea!

Christmas Step Card

I am really into these step cards at the moment and this is one I created by just playing around with different sizes of card and folding into different shapes. The cute stamps are Ollyfant and you can't see it on the photo but I have added some glitter chalk to the background. At the moment I am trying to make as many Christmas cards as I can, I will post some more soon, so watch this space!

Diamond Wedding

I followed the very talented Eileens tutorial for this beautiful Diamond Wedding card and I am really pleased at how it turned out and how easy and simple it was to make. If you haven't already done so, hop along to Eileens blog and have a look at her lovely creations. While your there take a peek at Ikki's Cuttlebug Cupboard, she has some really good ideas and tips using the bug.

Pregnant Willow

Ooh, I have been a bad blogger, just realised how long since my last post!! I have been a busy bee though, had loads of card requests and i have managed to almost finish most of them.

I am trying to make a start on my Christmas cards, I can see it will be a last minute rush - again!!

This is a sweet little card I made for a friend of mine whose son and daughter-in-law are expecting their first baby next Spring. I managed to find a lovely verse to add to the inside of the card:

First in your world,
First in your eyes,
First in your thoughts,
First in your lives,
First in your hearts
As a brand new life starts
Your very first baby
Your joy

Paper - My Minds Eye paper pack, Wild Asparagus
Brown Bazill Card Stock
Pregnant Willow & Rose Swing - Whiff of Joy, coloured with Prisma Pencils
Sentiment - Whiff of Joy, baby words
Fiskars Scalloped Lace Punch
Nesties Ovals - Plain and Scalloped
Ribbon from stash

Sweet Tilda

This sweet Tilda card is for my niece Emma's 16th birthday in September. I love this image and the cone looks good enough to eat!!

Backing papers are Joanna Sheen
Card stock is Bazill Bling
Magnolia stamps - Summer collection, coloured using Prisma Pencils
Nestie Circles
Ribbon and bling from stash

Anniversary Card

This cute card was made at craft club last night and as its my youngest daughter Katie's 1st wedding anniversary this weekend I thought this card was perfect.

Thanks to Andrea for her fab inspiration, have a great time next week Andrea!!

Magnolia Parrot Card

As soon as I saw this scrummy Magnolia parrot image I knew I had to use it to make my daughter Caron's birthday card from her sister Donna. He is coloured with Prismas and Sansador and I tried to match the colours of Caron's parrot Tommy. A different card from the usual and she was thrilled with it. Many thanks to Andrea for the loan of the stamp.

Caron's Birthday Card

This card I made for my daughter Caron's birthday next week (its okay she doesnt look at my blog!). There are instructions for the template for this shaped card on Stampartic, in fact there are 3 very interesting shaped cards on there, check it out.

The flower is made by punching three different sized retro flowers, cutting down the petals and pulling the bits upwards.

Spring Tilda

Methinks this little lady should be renamed Summer Tilda considering all the rain we are having in the UK at the moment! Still, not as bad as we had last 'summer' at least we have a bit more sunshine (between showers) and its quite warm most days.

Stamp: Magnolia Spring Tilda
Background Card: Core-dinations Whitewash Collection
Nestie Ovals
Tilda coloured with Prisma pencils

AJ's Christening Card

My great-nephew Aiden Jack (AJ) was christened today, we had a lovely day and he was as good as gold throughout the ceremony, although he wasn't impressed when the vicar poured water on his head! He didn't cry though bless him.

This is the card I made for his christening and of course I just had to use one of my new Whiff of Joy Womens Delight stamps!

I intended to move the teddy charm to one side before I took the photo as its obscuring the sentiment but I was in such a hurry to photo it before I took the card with me this morning!

Whiff of Joy Baby Girl

Another baby card, not for anyone in particular, I just wanted to make a card using one of the new gorgeous Whiff of Joy Womens Delight Wedding & Baby Collection stamps!

I tried using the 'Out of the Nestie' technique and it worked brilliantly, I think it just gives a bit of dimension to the card. If you fancy having a go at this technique have a peek at this tutorial, its so easy to follow.

Baby Boy on Moon

A friend of ours has just discovered she is expecting a baby boy after her 20 week scan. I made her this card in readiness for his arrival, this stamp is so quick and simple and I love the sentiment.

Cardstock and ribbon from stash
Stamp - Great Impressions
Border - Fiskars

Kitkat's Birthday Card

This card I made for my daughter for her baby sister Katie (aka Kitkat).

Background paper - K&Co Wedding Collection
Martha Stewart Doily Lace Punch
Nestabilities - Ovals
Flowers & ribbon from stash
Cuttlebug Die Cut - Heart #1
Leone Em Ash Punch for leaves
Sentiment done on PC

Whiff of Joy Women's Collection

The new stamps from Whiff of Joy - 'Womens Delight Wedding & Baby Collection' are so gorgeous and as my daughter is expecting her second baby in January I just had to make her a card with the pregnant Willow stamp. We both love pink (how would you guess!!) and as she is hoping this one is a little girl I thought the pink would be appropriate and might just be lucky for her. Doesnt matter if its a boy though, as long as he/she is healthy.

My New Toy!!

At long last I managed to find a Martha Stewart Doily punch and this is the card I made using this fabulously pretty punch.

The central square was so much easier than I thought it would be, it's just a 3" square of card. The punch is aligned centrally on each side and presto, a perfectly balanced punched square!

Sketch Saturday # 54

This is the sketch challenge at Sketch Saturday this week and this is my entry for the challenge.

Cuttlebug Challenge & Charisma Cardz Challenge

One card for 2 challenges this week for me, I love it when that happens!

The Cuttlebug Challenge this week is to use Coredinations and Basic Grey on your card and this is my entry.

The Challenge over at Charisma Cardz is to use a colour combination of Pink & Brown so I think this one well qualifies!

The paper is from either the Bittersweet or Sugared pad, can't remember which one! The Coredinations card is from a 'Chocolate Box' pad and its the first time I have used Coredinations, wasn't too sure about it at first... but its grown on me! The embossing is of course the Cuttlebug stylised flowers folder.

I have coloured Tilda using prisma pencils and flowers and ribbon are from stash.

Just Magnolia Week 7 - Animals & Insects

Hi everyone, hope you are all well and enjoying the lovely sunny weather. Its been too hot and sticky to craft the last few days but today is a little cooler so I have spent some time in my craft room today and this card is the result. This is my entry for the Just Magnolia Challenge - Week 7, Animals and Insects. This week the challenge is Animals and Insects - your card has to feature either and the animal or insect does not have to be a Magnolia image - or even a stamp, it could be a die cut, a punch out, a charm, shaped button - anything as long as it is an animal or insect.

The papers are from the Basic Grey Bittersweet collection and I have used the Cuttlebug Paisley folder on Bazill card to match the paisley pattern of the paper. Lace and flowers are from my stash and the sentiment done on PC. Tilda has been coloured using Prisma pencils and Sansador and I just have to give these little ladies a smile!