Cupcake inspiration

We had a lovely holiday in Portugal last week (although the mosquitoes loved me a bit toooo much!)

 I have friends who has moved over there in the last year and we were lucky enough to be able to rent the apartment next door to them and even the weather was great .... came back to snow hail sleet and rain!!!!!!

So my card will be on its way to say a huge thank you to Shirley and Chris for making our stay such a great one.

I used the clearly besotted feeling sheepish stamp set,love the punny sentiments.

I also think it fits in perfectly with the Cupcake Inspiration challenge this week,so i will be adding it there.

Thank you for  taking the time to pop over and have a look

xxx 

Muse DT

My turn to be the Muse for  this weeks Challenge and I have made a one layer card - and after the weeks of decorating and shifting rooms about I was in the mood for either a large wine or a bit of crafty therapy I opted for the crafty therapy...... first! :)

I used all clearly besotted products coloured with flexmarkers, su ink and a xcut punch for the flowers, simple but hopefully it is enough to inspire you !

  Maybe it will be the sheep ,puny sentiment ,flowers ,colours??? that get the crafty juices flowing ....but one thing I do know, I cant wait to see what you create in the gallery!

As the theme over at Cupcake Inspirations is thank you this week too will be add it to their blog as well

...and many thanks for taking a peek over at mine

xxx

Muse 156

 

Our Muse this week is Michele ferguson and she did a really beautiful array of thank you cards with a popped up sentiment being the main theme.Alas I do not have a large one like Michele so I decided to pop the whole of my top section up !

I loved the citrus- y colours of this one and the way that it went diagonally across the card ,so using SU regarding dahlias masked the flowers and stamped diagonally then just added a SU thank you from the 4U set inked in memento dandelion.

Very simple but I kinda like it !
(Sorry for the bad photo but its overcast again here and even a daylight would struggle in this light!)

Thanks for popping over for a visit!

xxx

Muse 129

When ever I saw Anita's gorgeous card for the Muse challenge this week I kept focusing on the colours,those beautiful aqua green colours reminded me of the sea.

So walking home from work today I had a lightbulb moment and broke out my new Breezy waves die by memory box and cut out the waves after I had coloured a scrap piece of card with SU tempting turquoise and tumbled glass distress inks .Broke open some more new stuff -Lawn Fawn float my boat stamps.And  finally for the sun I heat embossed  in gold..... and I know you shouldn't say it but I really like this card - .although my husband queried the sentiment saying  that it seemed  to be a bit daft ,who would you send it to ? (the thought did cross my mind.... to the person who gives you CPR after that remark!) :)

Hopefully you can see how I was inspired but just in case :-

Gold embossing 

Colours (loved the white lines between the colours in Anitas card so the waves are meant to mimic that too)

Thank you sentiment

and thank you for taking the time to look !

I would also like to enter this card to a new challenge for me, that I found through another blog (as you do!) and that is Pixie's Crafty workshop - all is required is to use up scrap paper or snippets on your card and I used that on most of that on this card from the panel, waves to the boat.

Muse 121

The next three weeks are soooo busy work wise that I will be escaping to my craft room as much as I can fit in to de-stress by the looks of things,.... and then it is the summer holidays yay! :) 

:

But today the sun is shining and I had a little time to myself so when I saw this weeks Muse challenge by Michele, I remembered that I had the stamp that matched this embossing folder so my card is not such a 'muse' as a straight out copy! although I did add a few twists of my own -only because I didn't have some of the things:)

and  remember that old saying Michele .... to copy someone is the most sincerest of flattery!!!)

:)

For my card I used an old Su set for the leaves and flowers in SU lucky limeade and a hero arts navy ink, and the sentiment is by Altenew .Really simple as you can see.

But thanks for taking the time to look

xxx

Muse #120

This weeks Muse is Vicki Dutcher and this is to be her last week as our Muse, she is stepping down from the design team :(,so thought that I would make this weeks card a thank you for the many inspirational cards Vicki has made.

When I saw Vicki's card, I first thought to do the three butterflies,but somehow they ended up all being put on the one butterfly !

I have been  trying to change my layout away from my default setting of a rectangle in the middle ...so this time went for a circle instead, as Vicki's butterflies look as though they are in a circle in the middle of her card.

I diecut the clearly besotted thanks and a memory box butterfly.I loved the colours that Vivki had used so I incorporated them by daubing the 3 colours of Vicki's butterflies all mine over randomly and then popped it onto the card.This was such a simple card that I had to do two more in different colours!

Thanks for taking the time to look

xxx

Flowers

FLOWERS

It has been a long time since I joined in with  the Uniko Studio challenge ,but as I was puttering about yesterday I coloured in a scrap piece of paper sitting on my desk using inks and a blender pen,ok a bit rough around the edges but ,I kinda like it -  though it is something totally new for me colour wise! so decided to diecut it out and pop it onto a card.Realised then that the Uniko Studio  challenge was for flowers so going to pop it in to their challenge.

Thanks for taking the time to look

xxx

Addicted to CAS, CAS on Sunday and Allsorts

I haven't played for a wee while as we have been a way for break in Pitlochry, but when I saw the challenges for Addicted to Cas was vellum and Cas on Sunday was for embossing as was the Allsorts challenge just knew I had to play along as have been dying to try these techniques that I saw on Jennifer McGuires blog. 

The techniques are to make your own sparkly embossing powder  then heat emboss as usual ,mine is a bit patchy but not too noticeable in RL as the ink shines through it ..handy :)...I chose to do it on vellum using SU's reason to smile gerbera set and then used another technique where I coloured the back of the vellum in different shades so that it shines through. Jennifer's looked fantastic ,mine well first tried it with promarkers didnt work too pale so used SU markers instead better but not enough shades but ok, then I fussy cut it out and stuck it on to a panel that I had stamped with a partial SU flowering flourish (love this set sooo versatile!) added a sentiment as close to the blues colours that I could.

Here is a close up of the flower hopefully you can see the vellum and the sparkle a bit better!

 

Thanks for taking the time to look 

xxx

Muse # 88

This weeks challege over at Muse is a beautiful card by Vicki Dutcher and whenever I saw it,this idea popped into my head.

All the round doileys just called out to me as too did the colours and the vellum hee he.... and so I got out my Uniko round in circles set and first stamped a couple of concentric (is that the right word??) circles in black then stamped the gold stripey ones in versamark and heat embossed them and then did the same with the sentiment ,Vicki's sentment seem to be one of gratitude so stuck with that idea too.I'm fairly new to using vellum but loved the look of it,except for getting it to stick down without it gaping!Finally added some black and gold sequins.But on the cardbase  it didn't pop out at you as much as I hoped so added an edging of black and went with it down just two sides(but maybe should have made it slightly thinner now that I see it...) to keep it in line with the graphic look of the card.
Really enjoyed making this and so thanks Vicki for getting me to try something new.
Off now to have a peek at what the others have done!

Thanks for taking the time to look 

xxx

card concept # 17

 I am so  chuffed and if you look at my side bar you will see why ...I was one of the winners for the Wedding card  challenge  here on the Card Concept last week WAHOO!!

And when I saw the photo inspiration on the The Card Concept loved it, the colours are so fresh don't you think ? Then yesterday through the door popped this memory box die (been looking for it for ages.. ever since I saw it on Ardyth's blog  here. ) Its really versatile,which you'll see if you scroll through Ardyths blog!! and for this card I cut it out in the green pearilised card ,I know it is hard to see the shine, and then cut it out in the white and popped out the white petals (heaps of them now for another project) and layered it up over the green a couple of times .Added a white candy dot and the SU sentiment .

I am sooo pleased with this card I love the clean and graphic look, and Ardyth I'm pretty  sure it CASes one of yours and if it does I apologise!!

 Its been a busy week with the schools going back and the changes to how I work my hours ,but the biggest change has been my oldest moving into a flat with a uni friend :-( ....and my youngest who has left school and is working longer hours at his part time job until he can apply to join the police has also turned 18 on Thursday. In Scotland that means he is legally able to drink and he has a weekend of celebrations planned with a few drinks with workmates on the day and as a friend shares the same birthday week , they are planning a joint  birthday do tonight, and somehow he even managed to squeeze in a family meal out last night! 

Think though I'm suffrerng from empty nest syndrome our house is sooo quiet now....but hoping that cardmaking will fill the gap :-) ! 

Thanks for taking the time to look

xxx

Blue and yellow butterfly!

Hi everyone from pouring  rain yesterday to beautiful sunshine today don't you just love the Scottish weather!

Hooray I think I've discovered the secret to unblocking cardmakers block ...WINE!! ,doesnt cure the menopause but it sure does makes it more bearable...especially if you drink it straight from the fridge  -ah bliss,cools you down in no time...no more sweaty paws hee he 

It must have kicked started the old brain cells because when I was browsing and looking for challenges came across the CAS on Sunday , and the Fusion one and I thought - I can do a blue and yellow butterfly,The butterfly is the theme for the Cas on Sunday challenge and the colours are from the photo inspiration from the fusion challenge,dont you just love it when things work out sooo well ???

Whizzed throught housework (ok I wiped the glass table with my sleeve sssh as its the only one to show the dust!) fed the budgie (don't ask,long story!) and barricaded myself into my crafty space

Ok the cards not brilliant but after this last few months it was a eureka moment for me!!!

The butterfly I'm sure is a hero arts one and used distress inks to colour it .the background  and sentiment is from SU French foliage and flowering flourishes and as I'm loving all the sequins I'm seeing in blogland just now so decided to gave them a try and think they finish it.

Off to have a peek at your creations but think I might have another butterfly card brewing may need another glass of wine to help iy along!  ...... :-)

Cutting edge challenge

Hi everyone has a spare hour or so so decided to check out the challenges on blog land and

found this fun challenge called The Cutting Edge , whe I was browsing Ardyth blog - she always seems to find  great challenges! and thought it was a fun challenge and thought that I would give it a go.I was inspired by the colours  and the flowers and even the little dots ended up being incoperated too..... Not sure about the card in the photo but love it in RL it is so cheery with all those bright colours, will definitately being using them again!

 Supplies Used :-

 Die-namics flowr die 

 SU melon mambo ,daffidol delight adn pool party card stock and sentiment

Thanks for looking ! 

xxx

time out

 Schools out and I'm on holiday YAY!!

We have been away for a few days it was meant to be longer but my poor hubby became really unwell ,think it was something he ate as it came on so quickly so we decided to come home and cancelled the next part of our holiday. So while my hubby slept off the effects I went to my crafty space and saw this weeks challenge at Time Out is a picture inspiration and knew straightaway what 

I would take from the picture ....

The colour of the stripes caught my eye first and then the triangles and the banner effect that they made,so brought and a SU sale-a-bration stamp set ,it had stripes and triangles and chevrons galore and as it is that time of the year again where I need loads of thank you cards for the mums at work made up a set of these.

Supplies used:-

SU

Baja breeze ink 

Banner Blast stamp set

Spencer diecut letters

(memory box)

Xcut small daist punch

liquid pearls 

Thanks so much for looking 

xxx

Time out # 6

Have been watching this new challege called Time Out Challenges for a few weeks ,but it wasn't til this week that inspiration struck when I saw the the checked effect of the beds/stools?? they just popped out at me from the picture and though I could match the blue with Baja Breeze cardstock  ,again ...must look for a colour challenge to get me out of the baja breeze rut I am in! from Su had no coffee coloured card so went for a more milky coffee and sahara sand :-) Tried a coloured flower but preferred the white ,and another thank you card done and dusted.Working in a school nursery I like to give the parent helpers a hand made card to show how much their help is appreciated throughout the year.

Also going to enter it into Lizy's Frugal Friday challenge which is to use up your scraps ...forgot you had to add a photo of your scraps you were using ,so snapped a quick photo as I was making this card and oops cut out all the scraps from the photo but ....

Thanks for looking !

xxx

Muse

Hoping that I make this weeks challenge over at MUSE where the the challenge was set by Marion Vagg...

... isn't it just so bright and cheerful!

Just had to give it a go but as usual just couldn't get my mojo to play ball until this last half hour so fingers crossed I make it in time!

I stamped 3 flowers off the edge (just as Marion has) in scattered straw distress inks then cut out four squares ,rounded two edges and then as it seemed to need something to tie them all together added the flower in the middle with of course a gem to finish off.

I seem to be loving all these bright and bold colours at the moment,only problem is I really should be doing some birthday cards for friends but Mr Mojo is having none of it ....am I the only one who struggles with girly cards ?I see some beautiful inspiration out in blogland but when I try to recreate it I'm never happy and they usually end up in the bin! Aw well will have a think tonight,beats counting sheep anyway.

Hope you all have had a great weekend and once again thanks for taking the time to look

xxx

card concept 7

The challenge over at the Card Concept is to use a butterfly theme on your card,now you would think that would be easy ......that is unless you're trying to pack for a short break with just me and hubby and organise leaving the two 'boys' on their own (don't want them to starve now do we !!) so had thought that I would miss it but think I have made it by the skin of my teeth!

But now that the washing is on and the house (was remarkable tidy ,even washing machine AND dishwasher had been used!!!) nipped upstairs to have a wee play and this is what I came up with.(The butterfly I fussy cut but think I should have wore my glasses :-)!)
Think it meets the criteria for freestyle as there is a mixture of unrelated elements ,hope so as I am determined to try all of the different styles!

Supplies used :-
Butterfly distress inks - mustard seed and tumbled glass
Su bajs breeze ink ,french foliage text,flowering flourishes,thank you from faith in nature
flowers- xcut small punch
Thank you for looking
xxx

Carnival

This week on CASolgy the theme is...

  

 This is my interpretations of it (at the very last minute !) When I think of carnivals I think of those full blown street carnivals with all the beautiful  feathery headdresses and all the glitz! So made the first one... thought it looked a little bit too plain so added the matt and extra stickles but think I still prefer the first ! 

Also would like to say thank you to Kylie for offering to fix my blog but for some strange reason it seems to have done it all by it's self - weird ...but thats blogger for you!

Thanks for looking x

Dessert and tags

When I saw this weeks cue card for CAS.ology the first thought was dessert cocktails!!

Not an obvious choice I must admit but when we were in Glasgow not long ago on the menu for the desserts were dessert cocktails , so we just  had to give it a go and went for the raspberry cheesecake and all I can remember was it included a raspberry liquer called chambord as one of the ingredients.  When it came it was in  a glass just like the one on the card with cream floating on the top (how do they do that??) and it was delicious....just wish I had taken a photograph at the time.

My card is made with with a die and stamp set that I bought a wee  while ago and for now the name escapes me...sorry (and of course to save space have added it to another set so no longer have the packaging!) Decided to stamp the bottom layer in black and then to stamp the tag (which is the from the same set ) in Melon Mambo and align it so the words match ...which was remarkably easier than I thought it was going to be ,and popped the cocktail glass up on dimensionals .

It will also be perfect for the challenge over at the Friday Mashup as the challenge there, is to add a tag to your project,as too is the current challenge over at CASon Sunday (Tag it)

Thank you so much for taking the time to look x

Sketch & Care

I am so pleased and delighted to say that Rosemary chose my card for a Honorable Mention in last weeks challenge at Casology so this card is also dedicated to the Casology DT's  too.Thanks guy's !x

                    This weeks challenge at Less is More is a sketch and this weeks Casology cue card is CARE so it fitted in perfect as I had been looking for ideas to do a thank you card for a local chemist.
My youngest suffers from a severe peanut allergy and last week he went to one of those all you can eat buffets with friends and although he read all the ingredients, we think through cross contamination (a spoon being placed back in the wrong place maybe) on his way home he started to react and by the time he got home he was bright red, the rash had appeared, but  luckily this time his airways stayed clear  but  he went into shock and it was due him failing to take his epipen ,(he had no where to put it was his excuse...well thanks to Suze of cantstopcrafting he has no excuse as she has now  made him a pocket that can be moved from jacket to jacket thanks Susan !!) so it was a trip to hospital until 3.00 a.m but the thank you card isn't for Susan though she deserves one too, have something else for her  -oh no there is more to this tale my son is also off on a trip to Cambodia with the school and needed jabs and the card is for the chemist where he was getting them ,they spotted that he had stared to react again 48 hrs after the first one and quickly sorted him out and refused to let us leave until they were sure that he was o.k and also gave him free drinks and food...now that's what you call  a caring service! But one I'd gladly do without again I must admit!!!!
If you have stayed with me through all that ....onto my card!
I love the look of Jen's kraft cards but I don't like mine they just look bland, so decided to use a cream base (which looks a lot  richer cream in RL) and sahara sand ink from SU with just touches of white and actually liking this colour combo!Had meant to round the edges of the centre panel but stuck it down before I remembered - doh!
The stripy paper is from pink petticoat and the flower and flourish are from SU
Now off to do the online shop that I was meant to be doing before I got side tracked!

Thanks for taking the time to look and read hee he ....it's much appreciated !x

CASE IT

The sun is shining and I have a few hours to spare ,thanks to the wonders of internet grocery shopping yay! and.....

This week the Less is More challenge is to CASE  IT (see below for the cards we had to case) it could be either one or both cards we could even combine them ! so that's what I tried to do and to try and challenge myself more I decided to case Jen's  card first making mine a colour ,rather than a white one as usual,never comfortable with doing coloured cards ! then did the paper piercing and cut out the sentiment. 

Then cased the new technique by Chrissie (check out the internet wow there is some stunning examples there too) but unfortunately the letter dies I have don't lend themselves to this technique ....so I took the easy way out and die cut some flowers and to make them stand out better for the photo I did the second stamped card slightly lighter,before popping them up n dimensionals

Really not sure about it feel it's a bit  *blah*  but like the technique and sure I will use it again but think a bit of practice is needed to get the right stamp and colour.

Everything used was from my stash or snippets (REALLY need to get the mound down its taking over now! )

Just off to take out the washing - this full time working is really eating into my crafty time , trying to be super organised ....that usually  lasts til about mid week then it all falls apart ! It was meant to be until the end of May but now looks until beginning of July .Aw well I'll just keep thinking about the crafty goodies that will be bought with the extra money hee he - then I'll be back to catch up with my commenting .

Have a great weekend everyone x