A Mother's Day Card

Well folks, I'm glad to say that I had a successful week and managed to sell almost all of the cards I'd made, so a cheque for £50 is winging its way to Great Ormond Street Hospital. My colleague, Fiona very kindly took them home and one of her Aunties took them to her arthritus group and sold them there too! Hurray!

Anyway, hubby's away in Cologne for work this weekend and, so far, the kiddywinkies are behaving themselves, but I'm missing quiet and privacy!! Ended up staying up later than planned as the bairns were in bed a bit later than usual, then I had washing to sort & put away and then I was just enjoying the peace and quiet (and, of course, my crafting!). Wasn't such a good plan when Euan was awake at 6.15am but hey ho!

But this is one of the cards I made last night:

Whiff of Joy Melinda Reading Book (thanks, Mel x), coloured with Tea Green, Ice Grey 1, Cool Grey 4, Blush and Tan Promarkers.
Papermania Creative Tones paper and Urban Window Collection paper
Basic Grey Too Sweet stamps (the hearts in the corners)
Xcut Itallic font
Retro punch, flowers cut from the the Papermania paper and pearls for the flowers.

And I'm entering it in 7 challenges:
Totally Papercraft: the fabulous sketch I followed
Totally Gorjuss: It's for you mum!
Allsorts: A card/gift for Mother's Day
PaperPlay: For a Mother
Crazy for Challenges: Use 3 textures - ribbon, embossing (swirls on the green paper) and flowers
Fussy & Fancy: Movies (City of Angels)
A Spoon Full of Sugar: Ink, pearls & glitter (shimmer chalk on green paper embossed swirls)

Gorjuss Bear Hug

What is this weather like? I got a bit of a surprise, yesterday when I looked out and saw snow and a blizzard! Wasn't happy about this as Susan and Lily were supposed to be coming through! Amazingly, Susan decided to drive through anyway and actually had an ok journey both ways and we had a lovely catch up. The blizzard continued all day so there was quite a bit of snow to plough through at school time, but thankfully, I managed to reach the rucksack in the loft, so I could carry Euan to collect Louise, rather than struggling with the pushchair.

Today, it's still snowing really wet snow and we're walking in about 10cm of slush - lovely.

But anyway, on to the card:

I really love this stamp - Gorjuss Bear Hug - so cute! She's been coloured with whispers markers and gloss, then Promarker over her hair. And her outfit has been paper-pieced using Pink Parfait papers. The large flower was Sizzix'd from a cardboard coffee cup holder covered in paper . I was originally trying to make a bracelet but it wasn't too successful, although I like the thicker flower! The turquoise paper is a Prima Mary Jane paper and the pink paper is from Mel.

The following challenges will be entered:
Crazy for Challenges 25: the wonderful sketch I followed
Totally Gorjuss: Flower Power (on her dress as well as in the layout)
Crafty Cardmakers: Split complimentary using the red/green-blue/yellow-green parts

Definitely had a bit of a pink and turquoise thing going on this week. Love the combo and I decided I would just "tidy" the bits onto other cards rather than my paper draw. Gorjuss Purrfect Friend (thanks, Clare) and Gorjuss Party Princess images, coloured with Promarkers.

New Home Cards

As you know, I set myself the challenge to make more baby, new home and male cards. So here is the collection of New Home cards.

All have been made using a Cuttlebug Christmas collection die, cut from strip scraps stuck to a rectangle - love this effect!

The first, which will be entered in to the Totally Papercrafts challenge - Lots of Spots, has been stuck onto Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossed square, with Anitas ribbon and Sizzix rub-ons for the sentiment.

The square pink and turquoise cards are similar, with card from the All Dressed Up stack, which has been very neglected recently!

And the orange one, has MME Bloom & Grow papers, Woodware buttons and a Nestie scalloped rectangle from Clare -thanks, Hun x

Another Baby Ellie

This Stanmposaurus image is so adorable and really suits baby cards. I've coloured her with my Ice Grey 1 and Baby Pink Promarkers, with Whispers markers for the grass & flowers.

I used some beautiful double-sided card that Mel gave me (thank you x) and it's been edged with pink ink. The ribbons are from stash and the charm is from Hobbycraft. The sentiment is a mix of the baby part of a Dovecraft pram stamp and the Congratualtions from Clare Curd sentiments.

And the following challenges are to be entered:
Truly Scrumptious: the fab sketch
Abc Challenge: "O" is for One paper (double sided counts!) - DT call too
Cute Card Thursday: Metal Mania (the eyelets and the charm)

Spring Time Baby Boy

Ooooh, I love making baby cards and I love this Sizzix Baby in a Blanket die. It's been a bit neglected until the other day but I'm chuffed with the results. The baby swings - stole that idea from Clare!

I made a rectangle of multicoloured paper from the scrap strips I had lying on my craft table (neatly clipped into a small bulldog clip!), then cut it using the die. (Look out for the house cards I made at the same time, which will, no doubt, appear on me blog in a few days time!)
The Nesties scalloped circle was cut using Clare's die on Tue night and coloured with Almond and Blush Promarkers.
Baby and back of blanket coloured with Promarkers (I've used 5 out of my 7 strong collection)
Papers are from the Papermania Sunshine Capsule collection
Daisies and brads from stash

Going to enter it in Papertake Weekly: Check this Out and A Spoonfull Of Sugar: Spring Time

And here's a pink one, using same scrappy technique.

Arthur Bear - With Love

I really love this cute stamp. Most recently, I used it a lot for 1st or 2nd birthdays, but this time for a male card (although it could easily suit a lady too).

Arthur's been coloured with Whispers markers
Paper - lovely but I have no idea what it's called, or the make as Mel or Clare gave me it - thanks x
Anita's ribbon
Sizzix Buckles and Hearts (using Clare's dies whilst she was up on Tuesday)
Buttons from stash

I'm going to enter this in the following challenges:
The Pink Elephant Challenge: Ribbon
Totally Gorjuss: Feel the Lurve
Little Red Wagon: Ribbon
Crafty Catz: Charming Bear - use a bear and a charm

Sugar Bowl Challenge 29

My goodness, what a week it's been! It has had some challenges (Euan being better, but grumpy and Louise pushing the limits and being a completely different little girl to the one I'm used to!) and some fabulous moments: Clare coming up for a craft and chat on Tuesday night, ordering my Promarkers on Wednesday, a package from Mel / the arrival of said promarkers and stamps / AND winning the MAWTT challenge on Thursday and today, I made it in to work (with no sick kiddywinkies to look after) AND my lovely MAWTT prize of The Daisy and Dandelion Birthday Collection stamps arrived today (thanks to The Glitter Pot), with a lovely card from Hazel and the DT girls. (Hazel braved a drive in the snow to post it out to me yesterday, so it's particularly appreciated!)

Really hoping to get time over the weekend to try it all out. Hubby is out tonight (with Clare's hubby, Andrew) so I'm planning to get the cards I have already completed, ready for sale at work next week (or maybe I'll be brave and get my mummy friends over for coffee and a browse!?!), but also hoping to catch up on some blogging and some practice with my new promarkers (just in case you hadn't realised I'd bought some!!!).

And so, after some rambling (it's getting to be a bit of a habit, isn't it?), I present my Sugarbowl card, which I made days ago!

It's my lovely Sugarnellie Pringle, coloured with Whispers markers (but, amazingly NO gloss!)
All papers are from the Daisy & Dandelion Christmas pack
The 3 flowers have been Sizzix'd - vines and flowers, with 2 brads and 1 button (have to admit to stealing someone's idea of threading the cord through the button and tying it in a bow and I love it)

Sketch & Stash Challenge 29

I do love the Sketch & Stash sketches and this week is no exception. It's got just the right amount of "stuff" on it, but not too busy!

Anyways, a few days ago, I received my regular newletter from Great Ormond Street, so I had a check through my box of cards to see if I had enough to take in to work yet. From this check, it would appear that I have LOADS of female cards, a surprising amount of love/anniversary cards but need more baby, new home and male/boy cards. And so I started my personal challenge to make as many male cards as possible and this sketch helped with the first one!

I have used:
neglected Dovecraft Masculine papers
neglected eyelets
new (for Christmas) Scooter image from Mary Hall - I don't know why, but I don't love this image... - coloured with Whispers markers, a metallic pen and gloss

And here are a few more, one with Sk8tr Boy and another with my never-before-used FF bear - loving this image - look out for more!!

PS - Had a fabby time with Clare last night. We exchanged stash, chatted loads and had a lovely time. And I'm probably going to buy some Promarkers!!

UPDATE: Today I have ordered 7 promarkers and they have been dispatched, apparently! Oh, and 2 Belles and Whistles stamps "fell" in to the basket too (only £4 each from Secret Crafter). Oh I know, but the joy of my Christmas stash has long faded and they'll be well used....and I've already trialled the colours thanks to Clare and....!

Flowery Cards

Now, I LOVE using flowers on my cards (just in case you hadn't noticed!!), so the Crafty Angels challenge of Fantastic Flowers was a must!

The baby girl card is made up of:

Stamposaurus Elephant image, which I love (thanks, Clare x), coloured with Whispers markers
Not sure what the papers are as they came from Clare
Papermania scalloped card
Rafia lace from Hobbycraft
The large sentiment flower was made using a circle and petals cut from the scalloped card
Woodware flower eyelets in the centres of the retro punch flowers
Sizzix vine and flower stem

The 2nd card is Rory the Lion, coloured with Whispers markers and gloss (which went places it shouldn't have, but....). Sizzix Blossom flower, Vines and Papermania Sunshine flowers and brad. I thought the flowers went with the image quite well.

My brilliant friend, Clare, is coming up tonight so we can chat and craft - can't wait!!

Matthew's Card

Lou has a party to go to this weekend, so I'm being organised and have made Matthew's card already! Just have the pressie to arrange....

The image is Sugarnellie's