Playing with Plaid...

Hi lovely people, it's a beautiful bright sunny day here in West Berkshire, but I am suffering with a horrid migraine - sometimes I just get the flasing light thing and that's it, but today I've got a real humdinger, but I am going to post my card and then have a lie down!

So, last week Waltzingmouse Stamps held a 3 day event showcasing the new Grand Caliber cutting machine by Spellbinders. All the WMS DT created wonderful projects, and Claire has set us all a little competition - to CASE one of the DT cards and post it HERE, with a chance to win some goodies.

I have chosen to case Lisa Hjulberg's beautiful card:




I used the Sewing Box Hugs set last week for my CR84FN entry and realised I haven't used this set nearly enough! I do love the warm cozy images it portrays.

So inspired by Lisa's beautiful card, here is what I came up with:



I was going to cut a frame as Lisa has done on her card, but it didn't look right for the size of the card I was making, and felt it had to be more central as my card was more of a square shape.

I have stamped a plaid background onto some cream card using Versamagic inks in Sea Breeze, Sage and Aspen Mist. I have only just got the set this is from (Pic-Nic Patterns) last week, and I think I'm in love with Plaid!!



I stamped the heart from Sewing Box Hugs in Aspen Mist twice, and cut the middle heart out from the second, stamped a bit of plaid on it and layered it onto the full heart using foam tape after cutting out the heart using Nestabilities Classic Ovals Small.

Using some kraft card, cut the doily shape using my new MFT doily die cutter, which I absolutely LOVE!!


Sentiment is from Frame -It! stamp set, stamped in Memento Rich Cocoa, and cut using Nestabilities Small Ovals.

All the edges were edged in Colourbox chalk ink Prussian Blue, and layered onto a cream card base after wrapping some jute twine around the bottom edge.

After layering all together, I couldn't resist some gems on the sentiment and around the doily shape.

Hope you all have a great day, I'm off for a lie-down and some more ibuprofen!

Pauline xx

CR84FN 12

Hi all, nearly Friday!! I have a card for the CR84FN challenge this week it's the yummy colours pale pink, lavender and Kraft. I am also entering this into the Charisma Cardz Challenge.



Beautiful! And here's my take:



I have used Waltzingmouse Stamps Sewing Box Hugs for the hearts, and coloured them in using Promarkers. The plaid background is from my newly acquired Pic-Nic Patterns, stamped in Distress Inks Victorian Rose, Milled Lavender and Antique Linen.



The circle die cut is by Nellie Snellen, I love the pretty shapes they make.

The sentiment is from Sewing Box Hugs, and Sewing Box Christmas, both Waltzingmouse Stamps.



Finished off with some pearls, and couldn't resist a couple of gems, and a lavender button layered onto some lilac ric-rac. Heaven!



Another picture, just because I love it!

Thanks for stopping by,

Pauline xx

Wmsc #31, and a few Challenges

Hi all, today I have a card for the Waltzingmouse Sketch challenge. My mojo has kind of stalled a bit, and this has been another card that I started and had to walk away from over several days.

I'm still not entirely happy with it - I had in mind a CAS, but I don't think CAS comes that easily to me lol! I think I'm a naturally fussy and fancy kind of girl!

So, here's the sketch:

And here's my take:


As soon as I saw the sketch, I had in mind a night sky with a shooting star.



I have used a white pearlescent card base edged in Night Sky Versamagic ink, then made a topper using a dark blue metallic card, although you can't really see the sheen in the pics, it has a kind of bronze tone to it.

I then stamped the star image from Seasons of Love from Waltzingmouse Stamps and embossed in silver onto some blue vellum.

Then using the same vellum, I embossed in silver a panel that I could cut silver stars out of using my nestabilities star shapes. In hindsight (always a wonderful thing) I should have embossed onto a piece of ordinary card as the silver kept chipping off the vellum whilst I was trying to arrange the layout.

I then silver embossed a text panel from Waltzingmouse Stamps Text-it set, and edged it with Arctic Breeze Versamagic ink, then a bit of Night Sky.


After arranging the stars and the embossed text panel, I felt it looked a bit empty...what to do? I thought I would try some paper piercing around the edge, but it didn't show up too well. So, I thought I would add some silver thread, and hand stitched around the edge. Hmm, still looks a bit empty to me...I'll add some gems! Hmmm, still needs something else...I know, I'll add some buttons and ribbon and more gems...you get the picture - I just can't help myself lol!



I stamped the sentiment (from the same stamp set) onto some pale blue metallic paper and layered up onto the star, and added a big bow and button to the top.

So there it is - my not so CAS card for the WMSC challenge! I am also entering this card into Our Creative Corner challenge, which wants analogous colours on the colour wheel, and Creative Stamp Friends, which wants shapes.

Thanks for stopping by, and have a great day!

Pauline xx

PDCC #65, Simply Create Challenges

Hooray it's Saturday, so glad it's the weekend after a hectic week decorating my son's room and finding a bit of cheeky time for some crafting ;-)

I had a win over at Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge this morning with a Top 3 Mouse Award with THIS card, it really made my day!

So onto today's offering, it's been 3 days in the making as I got a bit stuck with the colours, then wasn't sure about a layout, so I had to keep sleeping on it, LOL! I had made the main stamped label panel on Thursday, then didn't know what to do with it - several ideas ended up in my scrap box to be used another day. I'm still not happy with this card, I feel it's a bit bottom heavy, but hindsight is a wonderful thing!

I followed the colour inspiration from The Play Date Cafe, they scared me a bit, but this is a New Year and I am trying things that are out of my comfort zone.





So here is what I eventually finished with!



The card base is cream card edged with Memento London fog. I stamped a fun image by Hampton Art Stamps and paper pieced the dresses using gorgeous My Minds Eye papers Ooh La La!, then coloured and shaded the background and dresses with Promarkers Cool Grey 1, Warm Grey 2, Warm Grey 4 and Soft Lime.


Cut label using my nesties Labels 4, and cut another one in MME patterned paper to layer it onto.


Then using my Cuttlebug, embossed the Birds and Swirls folder onto some shimmery green card, and punched the edges using a Martha Stewart deep scallop punch. Layered this onto some MME paper also edged with the scallop punch.


I then wrapped some green bakers twine around the bottom edge and tied a bow, then threaded some green chiffon with some beads through the bow and stuck to the back - this took me a very long time!! It was a bit of a fiddle, but I was determined to use the beads lol!

Stamped the sentiment from Waltzingmouse Stamps and hand cut out, adhered it together, added some pearls and dew drops and voila! Thought I had better stop there, this card seems a bit fussy to me, which is a bit ironic as I had started out with a CAS card in mind! Oh well, I may go and make another one!

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

The Play Date Cafe

Simply Create Challenge

Thanks for looking, have a great weekend!

Pauline x

WMSC #30, Secret Crafter

Hi all, hope your week is going well, and everyone is staying healthy? This is not my favourite time of year, all the bugs and colds going about, yuk!

Today I have a card made for the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge, and for the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge.


Here is the sketch:And here is my take:




I have used a cream card base, and a mixture of papers that I had out for last weeks Play Date Cafe entry and CR84FN entry that I had not got round to putting away. I love these papers and colours so much, I couldn't bear to put them in my scrap box!


I have clear embossed the music from WMS Musical Backgrounds set onto some green spotted card, not sure which pack its from, it may be from a DCWV stack. Then layered this onto some gorgeous Webster's Pages paper taken from a triple pack of their papers - I have had this pack since last July, and it pains me to use it, I love the papers too much!


The silvery strip is a piece of fabric from my stash, and the large button is mounted onto another piece of my precious Websters Pages, and tied with some Turquoise and grey twine/thread.

The twill ribbon is from some packaging from Laura Ashley (it was wrapped around some new tea towels!) and stamped using a sentiment from WMS Asian Gardens in Versamagic Turquoise Gem.

Finally the small panel at the bottom was raised up on some foam dots, and I added some candy dots from Craftwork Cards Bahamas pack.

All the panels were edged in Versamagic Sage the Sea Breeze.

The pics are dull today, grumble grumble, but the card is a lovely bright greeny blue IRL!!

Thanks for stopping by,

Pauline x

WOYWW 85

Hello, I forgot it's wednesday, so time for a sneaky peek round other crafters workspaces at The Stamping Ground it can be addictive!

Here's my mess from last night, I still haven't tidied away! I made THIS card for CR84FN challenge hosted by Mona Pendleton - if you haven't visited yet, pop over and see the inspiration, there are some treats to be seen!



A variety of stuff here, just noticed the little paint tester that I left in there last night, I'm in the proces of painting my son's room! Now, i know it doesn't look too messy, but that's because over here...


I tend to spread my stuff onto my sideboard - yes my craft room is occasionally my dining room!

A closer look shows my large box of Waltzingmouse Stamps (I heart them!) and a box of papers, a bottle of port (yuk!) pictures of my babies (aaah!) and the papers I used last week for PDCC and CR84FN which I still haven't put away.



And a discarded baby wipe!



And here is where it's all meant to be stored!


As you can see, I do tend to pull stuff out and leave it on the floor! So, not so tidy, just a widespread mess lol!

I am finding it difficult to get round to see everyone's desk, will try tonight, but a few people asked last week what my light tent was for - I use it to take photos of my cards, it's a new thing for me, and I really need to get some sort of affordable studio lights for either side of the tent. I do find it helps to take a better picture, as the light here in the UK can be, well, dull!

Thanks for looking and have a fab Wednesday

Pauline x

CR84FN 11

Hi all, I have a card today for the CR84FN challenge , which is to make a card/project using red, brown and kraft.

I love this colour palette, and I put my thinking cap on for a card for my hubby, or even one of my children. It's a card that says it all really, and after I had stamped it, I thought the leaf image stamped in this way looked like a poinsettia...I have an idea for next years Christmas cards lol!

Here is the colour inspiration:



And here is my take:



I have used a kraft card base, and layered a brown piece of card cut with my new nesties Scalloped Squares. Then using the Frame it set from Waltzingmouse Stamps, stamped the square frame in memento Rich Cocoa onto a piece of kraft card, then cut with my nesties small squares.

Using the leaf motif from the same stamp set, stamped into a flower shape in Dewdrop Ladybug Red into the frame and also onto some spare kraft, then cut out and layered them into the frame.

The sentiment is also from the same set. The little heart, also in Lady bug Red is from WMS Gingerbread Joy set. Once the ink was dry, I added some glossy accents to the heart.


The central circle is a motif from WMS Teeny Trees stamped in Rich cocoa and layered into the middle of the flower with a foam dot.


To finish off, I added some metallic dots to the corners which I had bought from Michaels in Florida when we were on holiday last year and I had never used before (yes I am a hoarder!), and added gold stickles to the veins of the petals and a red dewdrop to the centre.


Inside I have stamped a sentiment that I bought the other day from my local craft store, it says:

The love in your heart
Wasn't put there to stay,
Love isn't love
'til it's given away!

By a company called My sentiments Exactly (never heard of them) but I thought it was a beautiful sentiment, and just right for this time of year! Finished off with the little heart again stamped in lady bug red.

Thanks for stopping by

Pauline xx

Love card for a few Challenges.

ED to add: I haven't had time to make a new card for the blog waltz, so I'm going to enter with this one I made on Friday, hope you likey! xx

Hi bloggers, how's your week been? I have been a bit under the weather, and my middle daughter has got tonsilitis, poor love, she's really suffered this week. However, the meds are kicking in and she's on the mend, so normal service is resumed, ie. full on squabbles with her brother and sister are back on again!

This New Year, I have made a few promises to myself - I am going to make more time for crafting and blogging (hooray!), try some techniques that are new to me (or that I'm a little bit scared of!) and use some of my stash that I have NEVER used! Well, I am trying, and today I have used a stamp set that I got last summer and had never opened.

The card I have made is based on the colour inspiration from the Play Date Cafe, one of my favourite colour combinations. I naturally gravitate towards anything turquoise/aqua shades, so I just had to play along.

Here is the inspiration photo:



LOVE these colours!

And here is my take:



I have used a matt gold card base, and layered some patterned paper by Black Market Paper Society, onto which I have randomly stamped in Memento London Fog some musical notes from Waltzingmouse Stamps Musical Backgrounds.

Then, using the flourish stamp from Papermania's Summer Bloom set, stamped it twice in Versamark and silver embossed to make a frame.


The hearts, from Waltzingmouse Stamps Sweethearts set, are stamped in Versamark onto some kraft card, and one was clear embossed. I did try the 'kissing' technique (new to me) on the un embossed heart with the musical note stamp, but it's not very clear in the pics.

Then distressed around the un-embossed heart with my scissors (another new to me technique), quite like the effect. Then went around the distressed edges with some Weathered Wood distress ink.



Stamped the sentiment also from the Sweetheart set, in Black Soot distress ink and
added a few beads on chiffon ribbon, and a turquoise button on the shiny heart.

Finally added some gems and pearls to the scrolly ends on the frame.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

The Play Date Cafe

Bunny Zoes Challenge

The Stamp Man

Papertake Weekly


Thanks for stopping by, and have a great weekend

Pauline xx

40th Birthday Card for a few Challenges

Hi all, I'm back with my second post today, with a 40th birthday card for a friend. I'll be entering it into the following challenges:

The Creative Cottage

Charisma Cardz

Stamptacular Sunday

Colour Create Challenge

The Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge

Simply Create


My card is based on the following sketch from Stamptacular Sunday:


And here is my card:



I have used a pale lemon card base, mounted with some pink bazzill that has been edged with a Martha Stewart punch.


Then, using my new Waltzingmouse Stamps, stamped a label from Very Vintage Labels 2 twice in Versamark and silver embossed. Then cut the oval circle out of one of the labels, stamped and embossed the sentiment from Wild Rose Studio and WMS on the complete frame, sponged over with some Pink Petunia chalk ink and cut out using my new Spellbinder Labels 2. I layered the frame with the aperture on top then sponged around the edges again.



I found some lovely silver rose patterned fabric in my stash, and layered this onto the bazzill pznel, the added the label. Finally wrapped some crochet lace around the bottom and layered up some flowers attached with a pearl brad.

Some clear gems and some pink glitter glue from Kars finished off this card, just got to let the glue dry then pop the card round to her with a little pressie.

Thanks for stopping by,

Pauline xx

WOYWW # 84

Oooh, it's been a while since I've participated in WOYWW, so I just took a few piccies, and here's my current situation today! I'm in the process of making a 40th birthday card for a friend, so pop back later, I should have it finished.



Actually doesn't look too bad today!

My new light tent that my lovely hubby got me for christmas.

The card I am making, the stamps to the left are from Wild Rose Studio, and the stamp on my block is a Waltzingmouse Stamps label. A new pack of pretty pink glitter, not sure if i will use that yet....

And the shelves where I keep all my stash when I'm not crafting! (ie, on a sunday tea time!)



Thanks for stopping by, and have a great day

Pauline xx

CR84FN, Lucy's Cards Day 5, Passion for Promarkers

Hi all, I have a card this evening for a few challenges, based on the colour inspiration from CR84FN, and the sketch by Lucy Abrams day 5 sketch.


Here is the sketch:
And here is the colour inspiration:

And here is my take:


I have used Websters Pages, some pale lemon card base and bazzill, and Waltzingmouse Stamps.

The rose and leaves are coloured using Promarkers, and the sentiment is stamped using Victorian Velvet distress ink.


Lilac dewdrops and some shiny beads have been added, and a Martha Stewart edger punch for the panel.



I am also entering this into the Passion for Promarkers Challenge.

Sorry it's short and sweet tonight, if you have any questions please feel free to email me.

Pauline xx